The Estimation of Secondary Production of the Marine Bivalve Spisula subtruncata (DA COSTA) in the Area of the Po River Delta

Abstract. The secondary production of Spisula subtruncata (somatic production) is calculated in the framework of a benthic monitoring study in a coastal area. The temporal trends of density, biomass and growth increments are examined in the three year-classes present. These are compared to certain physical and chemical parameters.     

Modelling and forecasting long-term dynamics of Western Baltic macrobenthic fauna in relation to climate signals and environmental change

Long-term macrobenthos data from Kiel Bight in the Western Baltic collected between 1968 and 2000 have been correlated with the winter NAO index (North Atlantic Oscillation Index) and other environmental data such as temperature, salinity and oxygen content in the bottom water in order to detect systematic patterns related to so far unexplained abiotic signals in the dynamics of zoobenthic species assemblages. The benthos data come from a cluster of five stations (Süderfahrt/ Millionenviertel) in Kiel Bay. Our investigations concentrated on the macrobenthic dynamics with a focus on the number of species m^− 2 (species richness). Using logarithms and the time series analysis approach of Box/Jenkins (ARIMA modelling, transfer function modelling) it was shown that species richness was strongly influenced by the winter NAO (adjusted for a linear time trend within the 1968-2000 period) and salinity (with a shift/lag of four years). Bootstrapping experiments (i.e. sampling from the error process) and analysis of prediction power (by means of the one- or more-years leaving-out method) showed that the parameter estimates behaved in a stable way, leading to a relatively robust model.     

Oceanic iron fertilization: one of strategies for sequestration atmospheric CO2

Carbon cycle is connected with the most important environmental issue of Global Change.As one of the major carbon reservoirs, oceans play an important part in the carbon cycle. In recent years, iron seems to give us a good news that oceanic iron fertilization could stimulate biological productivity as CO2 sink of human-produced CO2. Oceanic iron fertilization experiments have verified that adding iron into high nutrient low chlorophyll (HNLC) seawaters can increase phytoplankton production and export organic carbon, and hence increase carbon sink of anthropogenic CO2, to reduce global warming. In sixty days, the export organic carbon could reach 10 000 times for adding iron by model prediction and in situ experiment, i.e. the atmospheric CO2 uptake and inorganic carbon drawdown in upper seawaters also have the same magnitude. Therefore, oceanic iron fertilization is one of the strategies for increasing carbon sink of anthropogenic CO2. The paper is focused on the iron fertilization, especially in situ o     

Fluxes and sources of suspended organic matter in an estuarine turbidity maximum region during low discharge conditions

Water column concentrations of total suspended solids (TSS), particulate organic carbon (POC) and particulate nitrogen (PN) were measured at three different depths in four different locations bracketing the estuarine turbidity maximum (ETM) along the main channel of a temperate riverine estuary (Winyah Bay, South Carolina, USA). Measurements were carried out over full tidal cycle (over 24 h). Salinity, temperature, current magnitude and direction were also monitored at the same time throughout the water column. Tidally averaged net fluxes of salt, TSS, POC and PN were calculated by combining the current measurements with the concentration data. Under the extreme low river discharge conditions that characterized the study period, net landward fluxes of salt were measured in the lower part of the study area, suggesting that the landward transport through the main channel of the estuary was probably balanced by export out through the sides. In contrast, the net fluxes of salt in the upper reaches of the study area were near zero, indicating a closed salt balance in this part of the estuary. In contrast to salt, the net fluxes of TSS, POC and PN in the deeper parts of the water column were consistently landward at all four sites in Winyah Bay indicating the non-conservative behavior of particulate components and their active transport up the estuary in the region around the ETM.The carbon contents (%POC), carbon:nitrogen ratios (org[C:N]a) and stable carbon isotopic compositions (δ¹³C_POC) of the suspended particles varied significantly with depth, location and tidal stage. Tidally averaged compositions showed a significant increase up the estuary in the %POC and org[C:N]a values of suspended particles consistent with the preferential landward transport of carbon-rich particles with higher vascular plant debris content. The combination of tidal resuspension and flood-dominated flow appeared to be responsible for the hydrodynamic sorting of particles along the estuary that resulted in denser, organic-poor particles being transported landward less efficiently. The elemental and isotopic compositions indicated that vascular C₃ plants and estuarine algae were the major sources of the particulate organic matter of all the samples, without any significant contributions from salt marsh C₄ vegetation (Spartina alterniflora) and/or marine phytoplankton.     

Functional responses for zooplankton feeding on multiple resources: a review of assumptions and biological dynamics

Modelers often need to quantify the rates at which zooplankton consume a variety of species, size classes and trophic types. Implicit in the equations used to describe the multiple resource functional response (i.e. how nutritional intake varies with resource densities) are assumptions that are not often stated, let alone tested. This is problematic because models are sensitive to the details of these formulations. Here, we enable modelers to make more informed decisions by providing them with a new framework for considering zooplankton feeding on multiple resources. We define a new classification of multiple resource responses that is based on preference, selection and switching, and we develop a set of mathematical diagnostics that elucidate model assumptions. We use these tools to evaluate the assumptions and biological dynamics inherent in published multiple resource responses. These models are shown to simulate different resource preferences, implied single resource responses, changes in intake with changing resource densities, nutritional benefits of generalism, and nutritional costs of selection. Certain formulations are further shown to exhibit anomalous dynamics such as negative switching and sub-optimal feeding. Such varied responses can have vastly different ecological consequences for both zooplankton and their resources; inappropriate choices may incorrectly quantify biologically-mediated fluxes and predict spurious dynamics. We discuss how our classes and diagnostics can help constrain parameters, interpret behaviors, and identify limitations to a formulation's applicability for both regional (e.g. High-Nitrate-Low-Chlorophyll regions comprising large areas of the Pacific) and large-scale applications (e.g. global biogeochemical or climate change models). Strategies for assessing uncertainty and for using the mathematics to guide future experimental investigations are also discussed.     

Organic matter origin and distribution in suspended particulate materials and surficial sediments from the western Adriatic Sea (Italy)

In this study, organic carbon (OC), total nitrogen (TN), stable carbon isotopic (δ¹³C_OC) and CuO reaction product compositions were used to identify the sources of organic matter (OM) and to quantify the relative importance of allochthonous and autochthonous contributions to the western Adriatic Sea, Italy. Suspended particulate material (195 samples) and surficial sediments (0–1 cm, 70 samples) from shallow cross-shelf transects were collected in February and May 2003, respectively. Vertical water column profiles were acquired along the same transects. Data include depth, potential temperature, salinity, density and chlorophyll fluorimetry.Along the western Adriatic shelf in the near-shore region, the phytoplankton growth was influenced by dynamics of the buoyant plumes from the Po and Appennine rivers. A small amount of very fine terrigenous material remained suspended within the coastal current and was exported southward along the shelf to the slope. High variability in the bulk composition was detected in the Po prodelta surficial sediments, whereas the western Adriatic shelf, although a larger area, exhibited a narrower range of values.A significant decoupling was observed between suspended particles in the water column and surficial deposits. The organic material collected in the water column was compositionally heterogeneous, with contributions from marine phytoplankton, riverine–estuarine phytoplankton and soil-derived OM. Frequent physical reworking of surficial sediments likely leads to the efficient oxidation of marine OC, resulting in the observed accumulation and preservation of refractory soil-derived OC delivered by the Po and Appennine rivers.     

胶州湾东北部岸滩改造方案的讨论

本文根据胶州湾东北部岸滩目前污染严重、脏乱不堪的现状及城市总体规划的要求.提出了胶州湾东北部岸滩的改造意见.着重从海洋动力、生态、水量平衡的角度论证了改造工程的必要性和可行性。     

The Ectoparasitic Gastropod Boonea (= Odostomia) impressa: Population Ecology and the Influence of Parasitism on Oyster Growth Rates

Abstract. Boonea (= Odostomia) impressa is a common ectoparasite of oysters. In the laboratory, small oysters (Crassostrea virginica) parasitized by natural densities of B. impressa produced 75 % less new shell than unparasitized oysters. Shell deposition rates of previously parasitized oysters increased significantly after all B. impressa were removed. Thus, the decrease in growth rate, although significant, apparently was not permanent. B. impressa preferentially parasitized small, living oysters (≤2.5cm) in the field, even though a higher percentage of large, living oysters (>2.5cm) was available. The snails maintained an aggregated distribution on the oyster reef. The number of B. impressa per oyster clump was positively correlated with the number of living oysters per clump, however some clumps with few or no living oysters had many B. impressa. Thus, food availability only partially explained the pattern of distribution. B. impressa was very mobile. About 50 % of the population moved in one week. Reproduction occurred throughout the year with a peak period in May. Recruitment was greatest in July, however new recruits were observed throughout the year. The reduction in growth rate of parasitized oysters, the snaiľs propensity towards parasitizing small oysters and the snail's tendency to be contagiously distributed suggests that B. impressa potentially exerts a significant influence on the population structure and health of oyster populations.     

南沙西部海域伸缩型右旋走滑双重构造系统及其动力学过程

万纳断裂带为一典型的右旋走滑系统,由其南段前锋的拉奈—沙捞越走滑－收缩叠瓦扇、北段尾端的南海西南次海盆西南端走滑－伸展叠瓦扇和中段的万安盆地走滑－拉分双重构造所组成,其动力主要源自中生代末以来华南—印支陆缘岩石圈的拆沉作用和南海海底扩张,它的走滑拉分作用直接导致了万安盆地的产生,对该海域油气等资源的形成与聚集起了重要的控制作用。     

大鹏湾夜光藻种群的季节变化和分布特征

于１９９０年３月－１９９２年６月对中国南海大鹏湾盐田附近海域的夜光藻种群动态及时空分布进行了综合调查，结果表明，夜光藻种群的出现期间一般为每年的１－６月，最早是１９９１年的１２月，娄量高峰期为３－５月，种群密度的波动极为显著；调查期间共发生８次赤潮，且都发生在３月初至５月初；大鹏湾夜光藻赤潮的发生特点是，赤潮的发生和消失突然，持续时间短，一般不超过３ｄ。