Effects of suction-dredging for cockles on non-target fauna in the Wadden Sea

Suction dredging for cockles removes large cockles from tidal flats and may also cause mortality of non-target fauna and make the habitat less suitable for some species. This study examines whether suction dredging for cockles on tidal flats of the Dutch Wadden Sea had affected densities of non-target fauna, directly after fishing and one year later. Densities of non-target fauna in two randomly chosen undredged locations were compared to densities at the surrounding heavily commercially dredged area. A significant negative effect of cockle dredging on densities of 0-group Macoma balthica was observed and this effect persisted one year after dredging. The dredged area appeared to be less suitable for settlement of mussels Mytilus edulis. No significant effects of dredging on the mudsnail Hydrobia ulvae and on 0 and 1-group C. edule were found. For the mobile young Macoma balthica it seems unlikely that the effect found after one year was still due to the mortality caused by dredging and this suggests that the habitat was less suitable as a consequence of dredging. Thus, even in the highly dynamic ecosystem of the Wadden Sea, effects of bottom disturbance by cockle dredging may persist after one year.     

Non-local impact of large-scale engineering in harbors and gulfs on the environment

A system of numerical tools to predict the non-local long-term impact of large-scale constructions on the environment is described. The predictions have to be results of successive examination of free water oscillations, turbulent boundary layers on the sea bottom, and turbulent pulsation effects on sediment transport. Numerical results related to free water oscillations in diverse gulfs are shown, and non-local effects of the dam construction are found for an example of the Baltic Sea. Feasibility of suggested tools for turbulent flow is manifested.     

九龙江河口区表层水铀同位素的粒级分布

利用微滤和超滤技术研究了九龙江河口区表层水中铀及其同位素组成的粒级分布和地球化学行为.结果表明,溶解态(<0.4μm)中低分子量组分(<10 000 u)占主要份额,胶体态(10 000 u~0.4μm)238U所占比例不足1%,且随盐度的增加其所占份额逐渐降低.溶解态、低分子量组分和胶体态238U的比活度与盐度之间存在良好的线性正相关关系,证实它们在九龙江河口区呈现保守行为.在颗粒态(>0.4μm)中,各粒级组分238U所占份额主要受控于相应颗粒物的浓度,在盐度小于20的区域,各粒级颗粒组分238U占颗粒态的份额有如下变化次序:10~53μm>2~10μm>0.4~2μm>大于53μm,而在盐度大于30的近外海站位,该次序发生一些变化:0.4~2μm>10~53μm>2~10μm>大于53μm,最小粒级颗粒组分238U的贡献有所增加,反映了自生铀贡献的加强.九龙江河口区表层水中溶解态(包括低分子量组分和胶体态)的234U/238U)_A.R.均大于1,显示出234U过剩的特征,而各粒级颗粒组分中的234U/238U)_A.R.则接近于平衡值(1.0).这一现象与陆地岩石风化过程中水体对铀的淋滤释出量及234U的优先浸出有关.对232Th/238U质量比的研究显示,溶解态及其所包括的低分子量组分和胶体态的232Th/238U质量比均小于1,而颗粒态及其所包括的4个粒级组分中的232Th/238U质量比均大于1,反映了向外海输送过程中铀、钍地球化学行为的差异.     

Depth Zonation, Micro habitat, and Morphology of Three Species of Acanthemblemaria (Pisces: Blennioidea) in the Guif of California, Mexico

Abstract. The utilization of the spatial resources of refuge type, size and depth placement is investigated in the three sympatric species of Acanthemblemaria at the cape region of Baja California, Mexico. A. balanorum occupies barnacle testes (Balanus tintinnabulum), A. macrospilus occupies barnacles and mollusk tubes (vermetid gastropods and pholadids), and A. crockeri occupies only mollusk tubes (pholadids). Refuge diameter overlap is higher than overlap in depth. A. crockeri consistently occupies depths below 5m. Competition experiments for barnacle refuges among the three species indicate that A. balanorum is a superior competitor for such refuges. Prior residency of a less superior species changes the outcome of refuge competition in its favor. The morphological specialization of A. balanorum and A. macrospilus is evident in a high correlation between head size and standard length. A. balanorum selects refuges with entrance diameters highly correlated to standard length.     

Current trends of space occupation by encrusting excavating sponges on Colombian coral reefs

Some sponges of the genus Cliona (Porifera, Hadromerida, Clionidae) simultaneously excavate and encrust calcareous substratum, competing aggressively for illuminated space with corals and other organisms. To interpret current trends of reef space occupation, the patterns of distribution and size of three Caribbean species were examined at San Andrés Island and Islas del Rosario in Colombia. While Cliona aprica was ubiquitous, C. caribbaea (= C. langae) preferred deep and protected reef zones, and C. tenuis shallow and wave‐exposed settings. In contrast to the effect on other excavating sponges, chronic exposure to raw sewage did not significantly increase the abundance of the studied sponges. Substratum occupation/availability ratios showed a positive tendency of the sponges toward certain coral skeletons, and a negative or neutral tendency toward calcareous rock, indicating that establishment may be easier on clean, recently dead coral than on older, heavily incrusted substratum. High relief generally limits sponge size to that of the illuminated portions of the substratum. A generally lower proportion of small individuals than of larger ones indicates currently low recruitment rates and low subsequent mortality. Successful events of higher recruitment seem to have occurred for C. tenuis. These are related to the massive acroporid coral die‐off in the early 1980s and to asexual dispersion during storms, resulting in a current 10% substratum cover. Reefs with high coral mortality were and/or are thus more susceptible to colonization and subsequent space occupation by these sponges, although relief may prevent space monopolization.     

Comparison of Strain-rate Dependent Stress-Strain Behavior from Ko-consolidated Compression and Extension Tests on Natural Hong Kong Marine Deposits

This article presents results from a series of K_o-consolidated compression and extension triaxial tests on specimens from undisturbed samples of Hong Kong Marine Deposits (HKMD). To investigate the strain-rate effects, a total of seven K_o-consolidated triaxial tests were conducted including four compression tests and three extension tests. After K_o-consolidation, the triaxial test specimens were sheared at step-changed axial strain rates under three different confining pressures of 50 kPa, 150 kPa, and 400 kPa, respectively. The step-changed strain rates were applied in the following order: +2%/h, +0.2%/h, +20%/h, -2%/h (unloading) and +2%/h (reloading) for the four compression tests and -2%/h, -0.2%/h, -20%/h, +2%/h (unloading) and -2%/h (reloading) for the three extension tests. The results are reported and analyzed in the paper. The results show that the strain rate effects, the stress-strain characteristics, and the effective stress paths of the specimens for tests in a compression state are different from those for tests in an extension stage. One order of magnitude increase in axial strain rate causes an average 8.6% increase in undrained shear strength for compression tests and a 12.1% increase for extension tests. It is also found that the failure mode of the specimens in compression is different from that in extension. The stress-strain behavior of specimens shows strain-softening and a clear shear band in compression tests, but strain-hardening without any clear shear band in extension tests for the same absolute value of axial strain.