Polychaete Assemblages in the San José Gulf (Chubut, Argentina), in Relation to Abiotic and Biotic Factors

Abstract. The composition and distribution of the polychaete assemblages of the San José Gulf (Chubut, Argentina) are described in relation to environmental variables using indicator species (TWINSPAN) and canonical correspondence analysis (CCA). The polychaetes were collected during a benthic cruise in October 1984. Sediments were collected at 110 sampling sites using a 0.25 m² van Veen bottom grab or by divers in near-shore areas and sieved with 1 mm mesh. A total of 73 polychaete taxa were collected and identified. Both analyses revealed the presence of four main assemblages distributed according to depth as well as bivalve and seaweed abundance gradients: ' Syllis-Eunice ' and ' Harmothoe-Eunice ' assemblages occurred at the same depths (0 –­ 185 m) and substrata (poorly sorted rock and coarse sand), but were separated by bivalve and seaweed abundance, wherby the highest abundances of bivalves and the minimum abundances of seaweeds corresponded to the ' Syllis-Eunice ' association. The ' Ninoe-Glycera ' and ' Aglaophamus- Fabriciinae indet. 6' assemblages also occurred at similar depths (0 – 60 m) and substrata (very well-sorted medium-fine sand), but differed in their composition of bivalves and seaweed abundances; the ' Aglaophamus- Fabriciinae indet. 6' association corresponded with minimum bivalve and maximum seaweed abundances.     

Fluxes of selected trace metals from the Seine estuary to the eastern English Channel during the period August 1994 to July 1995

Two sampling cruises conducted in the Seine estuary (France) under low-water and flood conditions produced high resolution profiles for dissolved cadmium, lead, copper, zinc and nickel concentrations versus salinity. The distribution of dissolved trace metals differed depending on hydrologic conditions, partly because of the dilution of upstream inputs during flood periods. Daily fluxes of these dissolved trace metals were estimated for the two sampling periods (September 1994 and February 1995) by extrapolating the dilution lines observed in higher salinity waters to salinity=0 and then multiplying the effective freshwater concentrations thus obtained by the corresponding freshwater flow. Several procedures were subsequently applied to deduce each daily flux for the year studied from data for these two periods. A consensus was found among these procedures, allowing the determination of net fluxes of dissolved trace metals with a precision of 20–35%. The net fluxes thus estimated were 4 T yr⁻¹ for Cd, 4 T yr⁻¹ for Pb, 40 T yr⁻¹ for Cu, 130 T yr⁻¹ for Zn and 50 T yr⁻¹ for Ni.     

ASSESSMENT OF MACCORMACK SCHEME IN UNSTEADY SEDIMENT LADEN FLOW COMPUTATION

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In situ experimental study of reed leaf decomposition along a full salinity gradient

An experimental study on Phragmites australis leaf litter decomposition was conducted in the estuarine environment, Ria de Aveiro, Western Portugal, using the leaf-bag technique, with fine- (1 mm) and coarse-mesh (5 mm) bags. The leaf bags were placed in the field sites at day 0, covering a complete salinity gradient, and replicates were collected over time, at days 3 (leaching), 7, 15, 30 and 60. The biomass loss through the leaching phase, about 20% of the initial leaf mass, was independent of both the salinity and the bag mesh size. The biomass decay pattern along the salinity gradient varied through time and presented strong similarities between the two mesh sizes, with the remaining biomass always lower in the 5 mm mesh-size bags. At days 7 and 15, the lowest remaining biomass was observed at the head of the estuary, the preferential distribution area of P. australis. At day 30, the remaining biomass was higher in the marine area and diminished under a direct relationship with salinity, reaching the lowest value in the freshwater environment, with values ranging from 66% to 44% of the initial weight in 5 mm bags, and from 79% to 51% in 1 mm bags. The largest heterogeneity in the remaining biomass among the study areas positioned along the salinity gradient was found close to days 30 (5 mm) and 40 (1 mm). The overall results indicate that the relationship between leaf decay rate and salinity depends on the decay time considered (k₁₅, k₃₀ or k₆₀) and, for the later stages (k₆₀), also on the leaf-bag mesh size. This implies that the use of leaf litter decay rates as a functional indicator in transitional waters will need to take into consideration the factor location in the salinity gradient and leaf litter stage at which the decay rate is determined. The differences between the decay rates with the mesh size acted mainly at the level of the absolute k value and not at the level of the pattern along the salinity gradient. Even so, the data obtained at the mouth of the estuary, in the area closest to a fully marine environment, indicated that after the initial biomass loss through leaching, P. australis decayed either very slowly, in the 5 mm, or not at all, in the 1 mm mesh bags.     

Seismic characterization of hyperconcentrated flows in a volcanic environment

We present direct observations and monitoring data of a hyperconcentrated flow that occurred along La Lumbre ravine, one of the most active channels of Volcán de Colima in Mexico. Flow properties were inferred from video images and seismic data recorded by a geophone installed outside the channel. We collected flow samples 400 m upstream from the monitoring station and analyzed the variation of sediment concentration and grain‐size distribution over time. A joint analysis of hydrological (i.e. flow velocity, wetted perimeter) and rheological (i.e. yield stress τ_y and dynamic viscosity μ_m ) parameters was performed to characterize the flow. Different flow regimes and sediment transport processes were identified and analyzed in comparison with both the amplitude and spectral features of the seismic signal. We observed differing sediment concentrations at the same discharge, suggesting a decoupling between sediment transport processes and discharge for low‐magnitude flows. A straightforward correlation was found between the amplitude of the seismic signal and the sediment concentration, and a value of 1.8 × 10^?3 mm/s was identified that can be used as a threshold to recognize the hyperconcentrated phase of the flow. This information was tested on the complete seismic dataset gathered at La Lumbre ravine during the 2015 rainy season. We identified the transition from streamflow to hyperconcentrated flow (and/or vice versa) in 16 low‐magnitude events and we validated this result using the video recordings. The correlation between seismic amplitude and sediment concentration is valid at La Lumbre ravine but would need to be tested in other locations for the development of automatic flow classification methods. This work contributes to standardized seismic methods for characterizing flow processes in volcanic environments, also for the development of lahar early warning systems. Copyright © 2018 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sécheresse et modification de la relation pluie–débit: cas du bassin versant de l’Oued Sebdou (Algérie Occidentale)

L’objectif de ce travail est d’étudier les variations temporelles hydrométéorologiques et d’identifier les tendances dans la relation pluie–débit du bassin versant de l’Oued Sebdou, un sous bassin de la Tafna, situé dans le Nord-Ouest algérien. A partir des données pluviométriques (1941–2012) et hydrométriques (1972–2012), des tests statistiques ont permis d’identifier les ruptures et évaluer les déficits hydrométéorologiques. Les résultats ont révélé une modification du régime des précipitations se traduisant nettement par une tendance à la baisse survenue au milieu des années 1970, soit une réduction de 25%. En outre, la réduction des écoulements durant une période de 40 ans dépasse 58% avec une rupture décelée au début des années 1980. L’identification des tendances dans la relation pluie–débit a été menée par l’application de l’approche des simulations croisées à partir du modèle GR2M sur plusieurs sous-périodes de cinq ans. Une non-stationnarité de la relation pluie–débit a été mise en évidence durant la période 1985–2004, ce qui indique une tendance à la baisse des lames d’eau mensuelles écoulées sur le bassin versant de l’Oued Sebdou.     

Theoretical analysis of equatorial near-inertial solitary waves under complete Coriolis parameters

An investigation of equatorial near-inertial wave dynamics under complete Coriolis parameters is performed in this paper. Starting from the basic model equations of oceanic motions, a Korteweg de Vries equation is derived to simulate the evolution of equatorial nonlinear near-inertial waves by using methods of scaling analysis and perturbation expansions under the equatorial beta plane approximation. Theoretical dynamic analysis is finished based on the obtained Korteweg de Vries equation, and the results show that the horizontal component of Coriolis parameters is of great importance to the propagation of equatorial nonlinear near-inertial solitary waves by modifying its dispersion relation and by interacting with the basic background flow.     

Hydroelectric Infrastructure and Potential Groundwater Contamination in the Brazilian Amazon: Altamira and the Belo Monte Dam

Heavy investments in hydroelectric development are occurring throughout the Amazon Basin, which holds 42.2 percent of Brazil’s hydroelectric potential. The Belo Monte dam is the most recent and largest project in this region. The prevalence of septic systems in the Amazon, coupled with the widespread use of water wells and rising water table from filling the reservoir, create sanitation and health concerns for upstream communities. Using spatial analytical data and terrain analyses, we identify high-risk locations within the most densely populated neighborhoods in Altamira, Belo Monte’s host city. The purpose of this research is to develop a heuristic for identifying areas susceptible to groundwater and well contamination in relation to existing and proposed hydroelectric projects. Altamira’s city center persists as a high-risk location for contamination of wells because of its population density and relatively low elevation compared to other parts of the city. The methods, tools, and analyses presented in this article provide a framework that can be used to identify vulnerability to groundwater and drinking well contamination. The results presented here can guide implementation of public health and sanitation efforts in areas affected by large hydroelectric projects to avoid future water quality crises. Key Words: Belo Monte, groundwater contamination, hydroelectric infrastructure, risk assessment, spatial and terrain analyses.     

Assessing the Value of Scholarly Book Reviews among Geographers

According to the latest data available, in 2013 a staggering 68,000 scholarly books reached print in North America alone. Book reviews have long served as an important tool to keep tabs on the content and quality of all of those books. In decades past, perusing book reviews was essential in conducting a literature review and a tool for authors to demonstrate the impact that their book has on a field of study. Most important, though, book reviews play a vital role in academic advancement by calling attention to books that successfully add to new knowledge and warn against books with defects and deficiencies. Despite their overwhelming importance, no one has systematically analyzed the value of scholarly book reviews. Moreover, in our current age of the Internet, e-mail, and social media, it is important to know the worth of book reviews. Drawing on the results of a 2018 survey sent to select members of the American Association of Geographers, this article assesses the value of scholarly book reviews among geographers. It answers these questions: Who writes and reads book reviews? What are the characteristics of a useful book review? Is writing a book review considered a valued scholarly activity? Does writing book reviews help advance a person’s career? Because geography is a microcosm of academia, this study has applicability across the social sciences and humanities. Do scholarly book reviews still matter? Key Words: human geography, monographs, promotion and tenure, scholarly book reviews.     

中国海洋航空高光谱遥感应用研究进展

详述了我国赤潮航空高光谱遥感应用研究的发展现状，对所发展的赤潮发现检测、生物优势种类识别、生物量分布特征提取技术及所建立的赤潮光谱数据库进行了详细介绍。概述了基于高光谱数据的溢油发生检测及面积信息提取、海冰发生检测及密集度信息反演、海岸带典型要素光谱波段敏感性等的研究进展。从遥感平台、成像光谱仪的角度对我国的海洋航空高光谱遥感发展进行了展望，简要介绍了建设中的国内首套适用于海洋环境与灾害快速监测的海洋航空遥感多传感器集成与应用系统。指出发展我国海洋航空高光谱遥感应用研究的3个关键问题：(1)大量获取海洋及海岸带要素的高光谱数据；(2)开展海洋及海岸带要素现场光谱数据的同步测量研究；(3)大力建设海洋及海岸带要素的地物光谱数据库。