Blue-green algae and terrestrial limestone weathering on Aldabra Atoll: An S.E.M. and light microscope study

Blue-green algae have been observed to affect limestone weathering on Aldabra Atoll, Indian Ocean. Three different habitats can be identified on the rock surface, i.e. epilithic, chasmolithic, and endolithic. Algae in each habitat may affect weathering in various ways. Samples of blue-green algae and rock were taken from various terrestrial and coastal environments on Aldabra Atoll. Samples of limestone tablets and calcite crystals after one year in situ were also studied. Light and S.E.M. microscopy revealed that endolithic boreholes were present on many samples, especially those from frequently wetted sites, to a maximum depth of 800 μm. An ‘altered zone’ of micrite and algal filaments was also discovered in many samples. From morphological and petrographical evidence blue-green algal influences on weathering on Aldabra Atoll seem to be very complex and cannot easily be related to small scale landforms.     

南沙群岛永暑礁小潟湖岩心有孔虫动物群及其沉积环境

根据永暑礁小潟湖"南永3"井高分辨率的岩心材料,结合其高精度TIMS U系测年,系统研究了1 682 a B.P.以来环礁潟湖沉积柱样的有孔虫分类?类型与属种的组成,揭示了其垂直变化?有孔虫共48属62种,都是全新世-现代种,其中底栖有孔虫55种?其组成表征了印度洋-太平洋有孔虫区系和热带珊瑚礁相环境?即使由温凉水种浮游有孔虫偏多的时段所反映的表层水温也相对偏低,推测其变化幅度很小?底栖有孔虫茸刺距轮虫δ18O含量的变化曲线呈4峰4谷交替,反映了永暑礁海区近1 682 a以来的气候有4个凉期和4个暖期,同2 000a以来的全球气候变化周期一致?有孔虫种类的垂向变化也反映了海平面有些小变动?     

Bikini Atoll coral biodiversity resilience five decades after nuclear testing

Five decades after a series of nuclear tests began, we provide evidence that 70% of the Bikini Atoll zooxanthellate coral assemblage is resilient to large-scale anthropogenic disturbance. Species composition in 2002 was assessed and compared to that seen prior to nuclear testing. A total of 183 scleractinian coral species was recorded, compared to 126 species recorded in the previous study (excluding synonomies, 148 including synonomies). We found that 42 coral species may be locally extinct at Bikini. Fourteen of these losses may be pseudo-losses due to inconsistent taxonomy between the two studies or insufficient sampling in the second study, however 28 species appear to represent genuine losses. Of these losses, 16 species are obligate lagoonal specialists and 12 have wider habitat compatibility. Twelve species are recorded from Bikini for the first time. We suggest the highly diverse Rongelap Atoll to the east of Bikini may have contributed larval propagules to facilitate the partial resilience of coral biodiversity in the absence of additional anthropogenic threats.     

近165年来中沙环礁中北暗沙滨珊瑚生长率及其对海温变化的响应

海水温度是控制珊瑚生长的关键环境因素之一,随着全球气候变暖,海温持续升高已成为珊瑚生长面临的全球性威胁。文章对采自中沙环礁中北暗沙水深约16m的澄黄滨珊瑚岩心样品开展了生长率分析,揭示出中沙环礁滨珊瑚近165年来的生长历史及变化规律;并通过与西沙群岛永兴岛滨珊瑚生长率的对比,探讨了南海中部滨珊瑚生长的区域差异及其对海温升高的响应关系。过去100多年来中北暗沙和永兴岛海区的平均海温分别为(27.4±0.37)℃和(27.09±0.36)℃,两个海区的海温均呈线性升高趋势,升温速率一致,约为0.43℃·ha^–1。过去100多年间中北暗沙和永兴岛滨珊瑚的平均生长率分别为(0.70±0.16)cm·a^–1和(1.19±0.16)cm·a^–1,但中北暗沙滨珊瑚生长率呈线性下降趋势,下降速率约为9.4%·ha^–1;而永兴岛滨珊瑚生长率呈线性上升趋势,增长速率约为10.9%·ha^–1。过去100多年间两个礁区的滨珊瑚生长率均存在年代际波动,大致与海温的年代际波动对应。两个礁区滨珊瑚生长率与海...     

SPOT5数据东沙环礁珊瑚礁遥感能力分析

对于大面积的大比例尺珊瑚礁遥感制图而言,SPOT5数据是一种高性价比卫星遥感资料.以Quickbird2数据对东沙环礁珊瑚礁的分类、解译的矢量结果作为该区域实际的珊瑚礁分布,以此为基础分析SPOT5数据的珊瑚礁遥感制图能力.SPOT5只有两个水体穿透信道,从基于光谱数据的分类角度看,以XS1通道为准的珊瑚礁信息提取易将高反射的沙底质归为珊瑚礁;以XS2通道为准的珊瑚礁分布制图存在提取不足问题.由于空间分辨率提高,对潟湖淤泥质中的珊瑚礁提取能力较强,要优于ETM数据.结合ETM数据及PCA融合后的SPOT5的遥感解译结果,能提高SPOT5数据的制图能力.     

Improving understanding of the spatial dimensions of biophysical change in atoll island countries and implications for island communities: A Marshall Islands’ case study

Using coarse-scale approaches, existing national assessments of vulnerability and adaptation highlight physical land instability as a major threat to atoll island nationhood. However, such evaluations are bereft of detailed, ground-truthed analyses of the physical impacts of climatic change on reef islands, treating islands as homogenous in both biophysical and social characteristics. The distinct geomorphic context of two proximate reef islands (Jeh and Jabat) in the Marshall Islands was examined through conventional land survey techniques. A template documenting the nuances in island topography was used to evaluate simple inundation scenarios, reflecting current and future sea-level changes under storm surge conditions. The variations in local scale community exposure to inundation were discernible. The study highlights the importance of treating coarse-scale assessments with caution and underscores the need for continued commitment to resolving variations in community experiences to environmental change. Notions of risk and exposure are complex and embedded in both the biophysical and social contexts of each island community. Despite a number of targeted urban vulnerability studies in the Pacific there remains a need for efforts to document localised differences in experience to better inform contemporary adaptation efforts.     

南海九章环礁中牛轭礁和西门礁新生沙洲沉积特征与动态

南沙群岛的珊瑚礁以环礁形式存在, 拥有各具特色的地貌形态。九章环礁中的牛轭礁和西门礁是两座发育有新生沙洲的环礁, 代表灰沙岛形成前一个重要的过渡性地貌演化阶段。这两处新生沙洲表层沉积物样品的粒度分析表明: 沉积物主要组分为珊瑚碎屑, 长轴中值粒径在14~45mm之间, 属于砾石级别; 样品分选系数在4.5~31之间, 分选性很差; 球度值为0.52~0.68, 球度差。粒度特征值中, 中值粒径具有随着到水边线距离的增大而升高的趋势, 而分选性和球度与距水边线距离关系不大。整体上中值粒径与分选系数呈正相关关系, 而与球度呈负相关关系。历史文献记载和卫星图像表明, 牛轭礁和西门礁上的新生沙洲都是近年来才形成的, 与风暴过程及冬季风有关。牛轭礁上沙洲向北迁移, 同时其长轴向东南方向延伸; 西门礁上沙洲整体向东南方向迁移, 并形成回弯形沙嘴形态。新生沙洲的出现与珊瑚碎屑物质供给变化或风暴浪作用变化的关系还需进一步探讨。     

Calcareous Sands from a Coral Atoll-Should It Be Mined or Not?

Many lagoons of coral atolls contain huge reserves of very pure calcareous sands in an easily exploitable form that can be used in a number of industries. It is well known that the geomorphic situation in these coral islands is very delicate. With reference to the calcareous sand deposits in the coral atolls of Lakshadweep, a diversity of opinion exists on the aspect of exploitation, though the reserves were proved more than 20 years ago. Elsewhere calcareous sands have been used for several purposes. No raw materials other than coral sands and corals are available in these islands for developmental work such as construction of building and jetties. Several recommendations have been made to keep the system undisturbed to maintain the ecosystem. It is suggested that an attempt should be made to determine an optimum depth of exploitation of these sands without affecting the reef growth and balance of the ecosystem. This will improve the island economy and better quality of life for the islanders. The strategy will help development elsewhere also.     

“Is It Really Safe? That's What We Want to Know”: Science,Stories, and Dangerous Places*

This article presents a case study of risk perception and decision making regarding the former nuclear test site of Bikini Atoll in the Marshall Islands. This example demonstrates how people use combinations of scientific and anecdotal evidence to consider whether places are “really safe.” Furthermore, the article examines how scientific studies of risk operate as cultural systems and how a lack of dialogue and understanding across cultural systems can confuse discussions about risk and affect the development of places. The study is based on interviews with still‐exiled Bikinians as well as with workers and visitors on Bikini Atoll.     

Amount and type of derelict gear from the declining black pearl oyster aquaculture in Ahe atoll lagoon,French Polynesia

Pearl oyster aquaculture is a major activity in French Polynesia atoll lagoons. After the economic decline that characterized the last decade, concerns recently rose about discarded installations and materials that supported aquaculture practices and by facilities abandoned after they had to close their activities. In May 2013, a first inventory of the type and amount of pearl farms derelict gear (PFDG) was achieved on 47 sites in Ahe lagoon. Surveys were conducted within and outside the boundaries of aquaculture concessions. Twenty types of PFDG littered the lagoon floor and the water column. The most impacted areas were near abandoned grafting houses with up to nine types of PFDG. Forty-five percent of the sites were impacted, including outside concessions. While management authorities are fully aware of the problem, this first assessment is a wake-up call to stimulate the cleaning of lagoons, enhance awareness among farmers, and identify potential ecological consequences on lagoon ecosystems.