Transitional waters: A new approach, semantics or just muddying the waters?

Estuarine, Coastal and Shelf Science has throughout its history considered a diverse range of habitats including estuaries and fjords, brackish water and lagoons, as well as coastal marine systems. Its articles have reflected recent trends and developments within the estuarine and coastal fields and this includes the changing use of well-accepted terms. The term “transitional waters” first came to prominence in 2000 with the publication of the Water Framework Directive of the European Communities [European Communities, 2000. Directive 2000/60/EC of the European Parliament and of the Council of 23 October 2000 establishing a framework for Community action in the field of water policy. Official Journal of the European Communities 43 (L327), 75 pp.], where “transitional waters” are defined as “bodies of surface water in the vicinity of river mouths which are partially saline in character as a result of their proximity to coastal waters but which are substantially influenced by freshwater flows”. The inclusion of the term transitional waters in our own aims and scope reflects the evolution of language in this subject area, encompassing tidal estuaries and non-tidal brackish water lagoons. This article reflects on some of the difficulties posed by the use of the term and its attempts to be inclusive by incorporating fjords, fjards, river mouths, deltas, rias and lagoons as well as the more classical estuaries. It also discusses the problems of including in the term river mouths discharging either into predominantly brackish areas such as the Baltic Sea, or into freshwater-poor areas bordering the Mediterranean.     

Numerical modelling and analysis of temperature controlled density currents in Tomales Bay, California

The coastal region adjacent to Tomales Bay, California is dominated by wind-driven upwelling during spring and summer and the cold, upwelled water is moved towards Tomales Bay, entering the estuary with the flood tide. If the tidal excursion is ≥6 km and the cold water subducts beneath the warmer, less dense estuarine water, a temperature controlled density current may form and intrude towards the head of the estuary as a thermally stratified bottom layer. The numerical modelling was aimed at determining the capability of the Delft3D-FLOW model to reproduce the cold ocean water intrusion events, the response (development and progression) of these intrusions to differing physical scenarios and the comparative importance of the parameters to the intrusions. The numerical model successfully reproduced the density intrusions and showed that the persistence and break down of the density intrusions were affected by a number of physical parameters, to varying degrees. The sensitivity analysis showed that density intrusion formation is controlled by tidal conditions and ocean water temperature. The strength and persistence of the developed density intrusions are influenced by wind, insolation and estuary depth. Fresh water inflow at the head of the estuary had no impact on the density intrusions. Three-dimensional numerical modelling is thus a valuable tool in understanding the estuary and its functioning.     

Method of integrating landsat-5 and landsat-7 data to retrieve sea surface temperature in coastal waters on the basis of local empirical algorithm

A useful radiance-converting method was developed to convert the Landsat-7 ETM+thermal-infrared (TIR) band’s radiance (Lλ,_L7/ETM+) to that of Landsat-5 TM TIR (Lλ,_L5/TM) as: Lλ,_L5/TM=0.9699xLλ,_L7/ETM++0.1074 (R²=1). In addition, based on the radiance-converting equation and the linear relation between digital number (DN) and at-satellite radiance, a DN-converting equation can be established to convert DN value of the TIR band between Landsat-5 and Landsat-7. Via this method, it is easy to integrate Landsat-5 and Landsat-7 TIR data to retrieve the sea surface temperature (SST) in coastal waters on the basis of local empirical algorithms in which the radiance or DN of Lansat-5 and 7 TIR band is usually the only input independent variable. The method was employed in a local empirical algorithm in Daya Bay, China, to detect the thermal pollution of cooling water discharge from the Daya Bay nuclear power station (DNPS). This work demonstrates that radiance conversion is an effective approach to integration of Landsat-5 and Landsat-7 data in the process of a SST retrieval which is based on local empirical algorithms.     

Long-term fish and macro-crustacean community variation in a Mediterranean lagoon

The fish and macro-crustacean community of the Vaccarès lagoon (Rhône River delta, South France) was sampled monthly from 1993 to 2002. The lagoon salinity shifted from 15 in 1993 to 5 in 1994–1997 and went back to 15 in 1999–2002. Connections with the sea also varied during the study period with larger openings in 1996–1997. During the study period, the community changed to revert in 2002 to a state similar to 1993. These changes consisted of a sequence of increased and decreased patterns of freshwater species and some marine species. Typical lagoon species tended to resist to salinity changes. Freshwater species colonised the lagoon when the salinity was low. Marine species may have varied both in relation to connections with the sea and to indirect effects of freshwater outflow. This study shows that community changes following environmental variations can be delayed in time, and emphasises the need for long-term studies.     

A Terrain-Following Crystal Grid Finite Volume Ocean Circulation Model

A three dimensional hydrostatic finite volume ocean model has been developed to solve the integral dynamical equations. Since the basic (integral) equations are solved for finite volumes rather than grid points, the flux conservation is easily enforced, even on arbitrary meshes. Both upwind and high-order combined compact schemes can be incorporated into the model to increase computational stability and accuracy. This model uses a highly distorted grid system near the boundary. The lateral boundaries of each finite volume are perpendicular to x and y axes and the two vertical boundaries are not purely horizontal. Four types of finite volumes are designed to follow the terrain with four (Type-A), three (Type-B), two (Type-C), and one (Type-D) vertices in the lower surface. Such a terrain-following grid discretization has superior features to z- and σ-coordinate systems. The accuracy of this model was tested.     

Scyphomedusae in surface waters near the Oregon coast, May–August 1981

The scyphomedusae of the surface waters off Oregon and southern Washington were collected with commercial purse seines from May–August 1981. Twelve east-west transects, located from north of the Columbia River to south of Coos Bay were sampled from the 37 m isobath to distances up to 48 km from shore. Chrysaora fuscescens was the dominant species collected in each month. Maximum sampled abundances reached 18001 of medusae per 10⁵ m³. Using an estimated carbon content of 0·280% of wet weight, this medusa density was calculated to contain approximately 50 mg Cm⁻³. Seven of the 263 samples contained so many medusae that they exceeded the capacity of the sampling gear. In all months but May, when medusa densities were relatively low, the density of C. fuscescens was greatest closest to shore and decreased rapidly offshore. Mean umbrella diameter increased from 8·6 cm in May to 18·5 cm in August, while the largest specimens increased from 19 cm in May to 37 cm in August. Aurelia aurtia, Cyanea capillata and Phacellophora camtschatica were also collected, but were much less abundant than C. fuscescens. The relative abundance of C. fuscescens was compared with the maximum abundance of copepods off the Oregon coast, and the hydrographic features influencing medusa distribution patterns are discussed.     

Influence of the Kuroshio Fluctuations on Sea Level Variations along the South Coast of Japan

The correlation between the Kuroshio and coastal sea level south of Japan has been examined using the altimetry and tide gauge data during the period 1992–2000. The sea level varies uniformly in a region bounded by the coast and the mean Kuroshio axis, which stretches for several hundred kilometers along the coast. These variations are related with the Kuroshio velocity, as coastal sea level decreases (or increases) when the Kuroshio is faster (or slower). To the east of the Kii Peninsula, where sea level variations are different from these to the west, movement of the Kuroshio axis additionally affects coastal sea level variations.     

The use of surface alkaline phosphatase activity in the seagrass Posidonia oceanica as a biomarker of eutrophication

Eutrophication is one of the most relevant man‐induced changes occurring in coastal waters. The identification and assessment of specific responses to eutrophication in seagrasses can provide a useful tool for the detection of changes in the water quality in coastal zones, given the wide range of distribution of these organisms. In this study, we combine a correlational (across‐sites comparison) and a manipulative (fertilization experiment) approach to evaluate the usefulness and potential of alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) in the endemic Mediterranean seagrass Posidonia oceanica as an eutrophication biomarker. Our results showed that APA decreases promptly following nutrient additions, the response being maintained except during the winter period. APA also varies across natural meadows under different levels of nutrient discharges at scales relevant for monitoring purposes. AP activity seems to be an optimal ‘physiological biomarker’ that responds promptly and reliably to a pulse of eutrophication exposure. However, other considerations, such as the seasonality (the response disappears in winter), suggest its use with some caution and, as far as possible, as a complement of other bio‐indicators.