Vertical distribution patterns of macrofauna in a subtropical near‐shore coastal area affected by urban sewage

The vertical distribution of macrobenthic fauna, heavy metals, and other physico‐chemical and biological characteristics of the sediments were studied in three sediment layers (0–7, 8–14, 15–21 cm) at seven stations in the Ubatuba region, north coast of São Paulo State, Brazil at several temporal and spatial scales. Six stations were located in the inner bay near the riverine run‐off, and one was outside the bay, distant from the riverine influence. The samples were collected four times in 1 year, on a seasonal basis. Sediments were basis comprised predominantly of very fine sand and the vertical distribution of grain size was uniform to a depth of 21 cm in all stations. Higher values of total organic matter, organic carbon, sulphur, heavy metals and phaeopigments were recorded at the inner Ubatuba Bay stations, probably due to the riverine influence. C/N ratios indicated a mixed origin of organic matter with a major contribution of terrestrial material in the inner stations. The vertical distribution of heavy metals showed a slight decline with sediment depth in the inner stations, indicating the present contribution. Most of the macrofauna was found at the surface sediment layer. Biological data showed that in the inner stations of Ubatuba Bay, which are under the influence of urban sewage and are moderately polluted, the fauna was distributed more superficially within the substrate than in St. 7, which is located in the external portion of the bay distant from sewage inputs. The environmental quality of the sites studied varied little throughout the year, at least in relation to the variables considered here. Temporal variation in the vertical distribution of benthic fauna was not evident in the four sampling surveys analysed. Only minor changes in the vertical distribution of the total fauna were detected in the seasonal scale, with the organisms located less deep within the sediment column in summer, indicating some influence of the tourism impact and/or rainy season.     

Seabirds seen in the northern Tasman Sea in winter

The distribution of birds in the northern Tasman Sea was observed during August and September 1967 from r.v. Argo. Subantarctic species (Diomedea exulans, D. melanophris and Daption capensis) ranged further north in the western than in the eastern Tasman Sea, probably because western waters have a higher phosphate content and hence contain more food.

New northernmost sightings were recorded for Pachyptila sp., Pterodroma macroptera, Pelecanoides sp. and Procellaria cinereus.     

Observations on Chatham Rise currents

New Zealand stream ecosystems differ from many of their North American counterparts, on which general stream ecosystem models are based, in several ways. In New Zealand, large particle detritivores (shredders) are poorly represented, and the dominant invertebrates are browsers which feed on fine particulate organic matter and stone‐surface organic layers. In contrast with the river continuum concept of Vannote et al. (Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences 37: 130–137, 1980), representation of functional feeding groups shows little change downstream and a temporal continuum of synchronous species replacements is not found. Many common benthic invertebrates are ecologically flexible species with poorly synchronised life histories. These differences appear to be associated with the non‐retentive, climatically unpredictable nature of the stream environment. The idea that stream communities are highly structured entities is questioned, as is the generality of the river continuum concept.     

Spectrophotometric determination of dissolved organic carbon in some South Island streams and rivers (note)

Absorbance at 360 nm and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration were measured on 47 filtered water samples collected from streams and rivers of the west coast of South Island, New Zealand. The regression equation (DOC (g m^‐3) = 59.6 Abs_{1 cm} + 1.9) calculated from the data, reliably predicted DOC concentration within the range 1.6–43.2 gm^‐3. This relationship is similar to that found fsr some Venezuelan and south‐eastern United Stales waters indicating that it may have widespread utility for estimating DOC concentrations in soft waters where DOC is dominated by humic substances     

海绵铁对活性艳红K-2BP废水的脱色动力学研究

为了开发新型的脱色填料,进行海绵铁对活性艳红K-2BP的脱色动力学研究。试验结果表明,海绵铁对活性艳红K-2BP具有较高的脱色率,在10min,30min和60min脱色率分别为58.78%,85.2%和93.89%。在海绵铁表面衰减分析的基础上,建立了脱色动力学模型,并研究了pH值、温度、粒径和投加量对反应速度常数K和表面衰减系数Ka的影响。     

去除有机质前后海底沉积物对稀土元素吸附能力的变化研究

为更好地了解有机质对沉积物吸附稀土元素能力的影响,对珠江口和南海沉积物在去除有机质之前和之后进行了稀土元素吸附实验研究。结果表明,同一种沉积物在去除有机质前后对稀土元素的吸附呈现基本相同的规律,只是吸附量有所不同。沉积物在去除有机质之后对稀土离子的吸附能力比去除有机质之前大大降低;沉积物对各种稀土元素吸附量降低的百分比为:珠江口沉积物对Yb的吸附量减少了47.24%,对La的吸附量减少了75.50%,对其它元素的吸附量减少介于47.24%—75.50%之间;南海沉积物对Sm的吸附量减少了35.93%,对Ho的吸附量减少了45.41%,对其它元素的吸附量减少介于35.93%—45.41%之间。     

高原湖泊溶解有机质的三维荧光光谱特性初步研究

提要近年来,荧光光谱技术被广泛应用于研究天然水体中溶解有机质(Dissolved Organic Matter,DOM)的物理化学特性。为了理解高原湖泊中DOM的组成、荧光光谱特性及其在湖泊水体中的垂直分布情况,作者利用荧光发射光谱、三维荧光光谱研究云贵高原湖泊红枫湖和百花湖中的DOM。结果显示,高原湖泊DOM主要表现为类富里酸荧光,包括可见区和紫外区两种类型的荧光峰,各种天然水体中都有报道的类蛋白荧光在红枫湖DOM中并不明显,而在百花湖DOM中则有较强的类蛋白荧光。溶解有机质所含三种类型荧光峰(PeakA:紫外区类富里酸荧光峰;PeakB:可见区类富里酸荧光峰;PeakC:类蛋白荧光峰)的荧光强度与溶解有机碳之间没有明显的线性相关关系,可能与高原湖泊水体pH值、DOM在湖泊不同深度由于受到光降解、微生物降解等作用存在差异等因素有关。与有机质结构和成熟度有关的荧光峰比值r(A,C)在1.40—2.09范围内,红枫湖南湖、百花湖DOM样品的r(A,C)值随着水体深度有下降的趋势,而红枫湖北湖DOM的r(A,C)值则随着水体深度有较大起伏,揭示了高原湖泊水体中DOM的结构以及分布情况存在差异。另外,r(A,C)值与pH之间具有良好的正相关关系,其相关系数红枫湖南湖DOM为0.95,百花湖两个采样点DOM分别为0.67、0.75,而红枫湖北湖DOM则显示出一定的负相关性(R2=0.45)。     

Lipid biomarkers in suspended particles from a subtropical estuary: assessment of seasonal changes in sources and transport of organic matter

Temporal and spatial variations in the composition of particulate organic matter (POM) from Florida Bay, USA were examined. The predominance of short-chain homologues for n-alkanes, n-alcohols and n-fatty acids as well as relatively high abundance of C(27) and C(28) sterols suggested that an autochthonous/marine source of OM was dominant bay-wide. Several biomarker proxies such as P(aq) [(C(23)+C(25))/(C(23)+C(25)+C(29)+C(31)) n-alkanes], short/long chain n-alkanes, (C(29)+C(31)) n-alkanes and taraxerol indicated a spatial shift in OM sources, where terrestrial OM rapidly decreased while seagrass and microbial OM markedly increased along a northeastern to southwestern transect. Regarding seasonal variations, POM collected during the dry season was enriched in terrestrial constituents relative to the wet season, likely as a result of reduced primary productivity of planktonic species and seagrasses during the dry season. Principal component analysis (PCA) classified the sample set into sub-groups based on PC1 which seemed to be spatially controlled by OM origin (terrestrial-mangrove vs. marine-planktonic/seagrass). The PC2 seemed to be more seasonally controlled suggesting that hydrological fluctuations and seasonal primary productivity are the drivers controlling the POM composition in Florida Bay.     

Seasonal distribution of organic matter and copper under stratified conditions in a karstic,marine, sulfide rich environment (Rogoznica Lake,Croatia)

Closed, isolated small systems, as the representatives of a “unique-environmental feature”, are valuable natural laboratories for studying different biogeochemical processes. The saline Rogoznica Lake (“Dragon Eye”), situated on the Eastern Adriatic coast is such a system (10 276 m², 15 m deep) typical of many stratified, sulfide rich water bodies. The depth of mixolimnion changes seasonally and it is greatly influenced by meteorological conditions, i.e. temperature and rainfall. Vertical mixing usually occurs during winter when cold, oxygen-rich water from the surface sinks downwards.