Contamination of marine biogenic habitats and effects upon associated epifauna

Habitat-forming organisms are frequently used as biomonitors in marine environments due to a widespread ability to accumulate toxic contaminants. Few studies, however, have considered the consequences of these accumulated contaminants on the abundant and diverse fauna associated with these habitats. In this review, we summarize research which has investigated the contamination of biogenic habitats (including seagrasses, macroalgae, ascidians, sponges and bivalve reefs) and the impact of this contamination on the habitat use, feeding behaviour and survival of associated epifauna. In many cases, ecological impacts upon epifauna are not simply predicted by levels of contamination in their habitat, but are determined by the foraging, feeding and reproductive behaviours of the inhabiting organisms. Thus, a thorough understanding of these ecological processes is essential in order to understand the effects of contaminants upon epifaunal communities. The scope of biomonitoring studies which assess the contamination of biogenic habitats should be expanded to include an assessment of potential effects upon associated epifauna. When combined with manipulative field experiments such an approach would greatly assist in our understanding of indirect effects of contaminants in these important benthic habitats.     

Estimating the contribution of the authigenic mineral component to the long-term reactive silica accumulation on the western shelf of the Mississippi River Delta

Previous studies have shown how biogenic silica particles undergo conversion to aluminosilicate phases in large tropical deltaic systems, thus affecting the world ocean budget of major seawater cations. This study tackles the important question of the silica budget in the coastal zone of the Mississippi River Delta, providing evidence for the role of biogenic silica diagenesis in this subtropical system from direct examination of individual diatom particles, sediment leachates and pore-water composition. The estimated reactive silica stored in the study area (5990 km²) is based on operational leaches that account for altered biogenic silica particles and other authigenic aluminosilicate phases in addition to fresh biogenic silica. Early diagenesis of silica in the delta front occurs mainly where more siliceous material is deposited. An inner-shelf area, where hypoxic conditions are found, significantly contributes to the formation of authigenic products of Si alteration. Data suggest that the limiting factor of silica alteration processes is the availability of detrital phases such as Al and Fe. The estimated total reactive silica accumulation in the study area is 1.45×10¹⁰ mol Si year⁻¹, representing ∼2.2% of the long-term bulk sediment accumulation. On the basis of a conservative appraisal, the authigenic mineral components account for ∼40% of the long-term reactive silica storage. This study shows that non-tropical deltaic systems are significantly more important sinks of silica than previously thought and that, where conditions are favourable, a consistent portion of reactive silica not leaving the shelf is stored within the delta in the form of authigenic components.     

Origin and distribution of surface sediments and human impacts on recent sedimentary processes. The case of the Amvrakikos Gulf (NE Ionian Sea)

The sedimentology of the floor of the Amvrakikos Gulf, a river influenced, semi-enclosed relatively shallow-silled embayment, lying along the northeastern Hellenic coast of the Ionian Sea (eastern Mediterranean Sea), is investigated with respect to its origin (terrigenous and/or biogenic), the prevailing oceanographic conditions and human interference. Nearshore (water depths approximately <10 m) sediments, especially along the northern margin of the Gulf, consist mostly of biogenic sands, as the result of water exchange between the freshwater lagoonal waters and the surface waters of the Gulf. An exception to this is the mouth area of the Arachthos River, which is dominated by the terrigenous riverine sediment influx. The offshore (water depths >10 m) bottom surficial sediments are fine-grained (silty and clayey) of terrigenous origin (>70%); this is attributed to the inter-seasonal, strong two-layer stratification of the water column in the Gulf which restricts benthic productivity by inhibiting the downward flux of surface eutrophic waters and the development of nearbed disoxic conditions in water depths >40 m. River damming has reduced also the riverine terrigenous sediment supply; this is more profound in the case of the Arachthos River where not only the deltaic evolution has been affected, but also the textural character of the seabed sediments of the mouth area has been altered; this is expected to influence the benthic communities of prodeltaic surficial sediment.     

Paleolimnological evidence of the response of the central Canadian treeline zone to radiative forcing and hemispheric patterns of temperature change over the past 2000 years

Instrumental climate records from the central Canadian treeline zone display a pattern of variation similar to general Northern Hemisphere temperature trends. To examine whether this general correspondence extends back beyond the instrumental record, we obtained a sediment core from Lake S41, a small lake in the Northwest Territories of Canada at 63°43.11′ N, 109°19.07′ W. A radiocarbon-based chronology was developed for the core. The sediments were analyzed for organic-matter content by loss-on-ignition (LOI), biogenic-silica content (BSi), and chironomid community composition to reconstruct July air temperature and summer water temperature. The paleolimnological records were compared with records of atmospheric CO₂ concentration, solar variability, and hemispheric temperature variations over the past 2000 years. The results of the analyses suggest that widely-documented long-term variations in Northern Hemisphere temperature associated with radiative forcing, namely the cooling following the medieval period during the Little Ice Age (LIA), and twentieth century warming, are represented in the central Canadian treeline zone. There is also evidence of a brief episode of warming during the eighteenth century. As evidenced by LOI and BSi, the twentieth century warming is typified by increased lake productivity relative to the LIA. Depending upon the measure, the increased productivity of the twentieth century nearly equals or exceeds that of any other period in the past 2000 years. In contrast, the rate of chironomid head capsule accumulation decreased and remained low during the twentieth century. Although the chironomid-inferred temperature reconstructions indicate cooling during the LIA, they present no evidence of greatly increased temperatures during the twentieth century. Warming during the twentieth century might have enhanced lake stratification, and the response of the chironomid fauna to warming was attenuated by decreased oxygen and lower temperatures in the hypolimnion of the more stratification-prone lake.

Sedimentary facies,production rates and facies models for recent coralline algal gravels,Co. Galway,Ireland

Five sedimentary facies are described from SCUBA diving examination and sampling of Mannin Bay, Ireland. A Bank facies is built up by the unattached coralline algae Lithothamnium corallioides and Phymatolithon calcareum. This autochthonous facies occurs in shallow sheltered environments. In exposed areas a rippled Clean Algal Gravel facies is found composed of coralline and molluscan debris. In intermediate energy areas a Muddy Algal Gravel facies is found with small amounts of live corallines. Sheltered creeks have a Mud facies which is partly carbonate and partly terrigenous. The shallow water coralline algal sediments are overlapped by a Fine Sand facies of mixed biogenic composition. Each facies is characterized by particular phenotypic growth forms of the unattached corallines. Rates of organic calcium carbonate production are obtained which are found to be similar to rates from shallow tropical non-reef environments. The carbonate sediments of Mannin Bay are compared with similar sediments from Kilkerrin Bay. Ireland, from Brittany and from Falmouth Harbour. From these comparisons, facies models are proposed for these carbonate sediments. The major factor controlling facies distribution is coastal morphology. The present day shelf is considered to be too exposed to preserve complete sequences of the shallow water sediments.     

南极普里兹湾表层沉积物微量元素分布特征及其物源指示意义

利用电感耦合等离子体质谱仪测定了中国南极科考21~27航次期间获取的普里兹湾表层沉积物中Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd、Cr、Co、Al、Fe、Mn的含量,分析了普里兹湾微量元素的分布特征,结合沉积物粒度分布、生物硅含量,并利用富集系数和主成分分析的方法,探讨了微量元素的物源指示意义。研究结果表明:普里兹湾沉积物中的微量元素含量与南大洋其他海域具有很好的可比性。Cu、Zn、Cr、Co、Fe、Mn含量在陆坡深海区明显高于冰架边缘区和陆架区;Al、Pb含量在冰架边缘区较高;而Cd含量在陆架区相对较高。人类活动对普里兹湾沉积物中的微量元素没有明显的影响,南极大陆岩石风化产物和海洋生物源性沉降是其主要来源。冰架边缘区及陆架破折处P2-9站位的微量元素主要为岩源性输入。陆架区、陆坡深海区的微量元素Cu、Zn、Cr、Co、Fe、Mn明显受到生源性物质输入的影响。而普里兹湾沉积物中Cd则主要来源于硅藻的吸收利用及硅质软泥的富集。     

A Study of Pretreatment Methods for Terrigenous Grain-Size Analysis of Marine Sediments

The prerequisite for obtaining variations of terrigenous grain-size of marine sediments is how to effectively remove non-terrigenous matters and preserve terrigenous particles synchronously. Combined with observations under biological microscope and scanning electron microscope, a comparative study of biogenic debris removal effect and terrigenous grain-size analysis under different pretreatment condition was performed on core sediments, which were retrieved in the South China Sea during the MD190 cruise. Our new results showed that the main three biogenic particles, namely, organic matter, carbonate, and opal in marine sediments could be removed effectively by 30% H₂O₂ in a stirring water bath at 60 ℃ for 3 h, 0.5% HCl for 1 h, and 2 mol/L Na₂CO₃ in a stirring water bath at 85 ℃ for 5 h, in turn. Such pretreatments achieved the goals of biogenic debris removal efficiency and relatively well-preserved terrigenous particles. Prior to selecting an appropriate pretreatment method, this study suggested that the actual effects of biogenic detritus on grain-size results of diverse marine sediment samples should be taken into account. If the laboratory data are ensured to be closer to the natural grain-size distribution of terrigenous particles, the removals of all biogenic debris are not always needed, and the less pretreatment processes the better. For example, opal particles have little effect on terrigenous grain-size distribution when their percentage is lower than 2%. Thus, there is no use to remove them from marine sediments before laboratory grain-size analysis of terrigenous particles. Additionally, ultrasonic is not suggested through the whole process of terrigenous grain-size analysis because the strong energy of ultrasonic can lead to the fragmentation of some fragile terrigenous particles.     

太湖蓝藻水华暴发机制与控制对策

湖泊蓝藻水华暴发由于引发水生态系统的灾害和饮用水安全风险而成为国内外研究的热点之一.太湖蓝藻水华暴发原因多样,其中蓝藻自身的特性是水华暴发的内因,太湖的地理、水文和气象特征为蓝藻水华暴发提供了合适的温度和水动力条件,是蓝藻水华暴发的外因,湖泊草-藻型生态系统的转变以及氮、磷营养盐的高负荷输入更利于蓝藻生长,湖泊氮、磷营养盐四重循环是蓝藻水华不断暴发的维持机制,蓝藻水华暴发与氮、磷营养盐浓度之间存在交互作用关系.太湖蓝藻水华的控制应以陆源控源截污为基础,增加湖泊营养盐输出为重点,实现疏堵有机结合,其中恢复水生植被,重建草-藻结合型水生态系统是太湖湖泊生态修复的关键所在.     

秋季连续打捞蓝藻对水-气界面温室气体通量的影响

在巢湖西北半湖近岸带设置大型围隔研究秋季连续打捞蓝藻对湖泊温室气体通量的影响,应用YL-1000型大型仿生式水面蓝藻清除设备进行原位打捞蓝藻,通过便携式温室气体分析仪-静态箱法对大型围隔内水-气界面CH₄、CO₂通量特征及其影响因素进行观测.结果表明：对比未打捞区,蓝藻连续打捞下打捞区水体中叶绿素a（Chl.a）、悬浮物（SS）浓度不断下降,两者削减率分别为72%、85%,Chl.a、SS浓度分别下降到29.6±2.5 μg/L、12.5±1.2 mg/L,打捞对围隔内颗粒态物质去除效果十分明显;打捞过程中水体溶解性有机物（DOM）中微生物代谢类腐殖质（C1）、类蛋白（C3）显著下降趋势,打捞区C1、C3组分（0.18±0.02、0.06±0.01 RU）强度明显低于未打捞区（0.26±0.05、0.12±0.03 RU）,打捞能有效控制藻源性溶解性有机质释放.同时,打捞区水-气界面CH₄通量呈显著下降趋势,未打捞区CH₄通量平均值（17.473±1.514 nmol/（m²·s））为打捞区（7.004±4.163 nmol/（m²·s））近2倍,CH₄通量与Chl.a、C1、C3组分均呈显著正相关,水体中藻源性溶解态有机质对CH₄通量具有促进作用;打捞区CO₂释放通量呈显著上升趋势,打捞区CO₂吸收通量（-0.200±0.069 μmol/（m²·s））明显低于未打捞区（-0.344±0.017 μmol/（m²·s））,CO₂通量与Chl.a、温度均呈显著负相关.秋季打捞对CH₄、CO₂综合日平均通量减排量值为0.275±0.076 mol/（m²·d）（以CO₂当量计）.研究结果揭示了巢湖秋季连续打捞蓝藻过程对水-气界面温室气体具有显著减排作用,且能在一定程度上减缓蓝藻水华与湖泊富营养化、气候变暖之间的恶性循环,为湖泊碳循环和蓝藻水华灾害防控提供科学数据支撑和理论参考.