Physical control of sediment carbon content in an estuarine tidal flat system (Nanakita River, Japan): A mechanistic case study

Temporal variations in sediment carbon content were tracked by sampling every 2 weeks for 6 to 33 months at 6 tidal flat stations with different carbon content levels (0.05–1.64%) in a single estuary. Three temporal series of current velocity at 5 cm above the sediment were also obtained. Non-cohesive and cohesive sediment stations differed in patterns of temporal variation in sediment carbon content, suggesting the difference in processes controlling sediment carbon content. In the stations of non-cohesive sandy sediment with relatively low carbon content (0.05–0.15%), sediment carbon content fluctuated within ranges specific to each station. In these stations, current velocity data suggested that frequency of sand resuspension washing out sediment carbon controls sediment carbon content level. In the stations of cohesive sediment with relatively high carbon content (0.77–1.64%), sediment carbon contents showed some unusual upward and downward peaks, recovered to usual levels specific to the stations, and was always kept higher than that in the non-cohesive sediment stations. We speculate that in the cohesive sediment stations, sand inputs may significantly control processes establishing the consolidated sediments with various carbon content levels. Spatial transitions from non-cohesive to cohesive sediments and from low to high sediment carbon contents likely occur as sand resuspension at spring tides become more irregular and less frequent. Based on these results, conceptual models describing physical processes controlling sediment carbon content at the studied stations were proposed.     

Sedimentation patterns of diatoms in Lake Holzmaar, Germany - (on the transfer of climate signals to biogenic silica oxygen isotope proxies)

The seasonal sedimentation pattern of diatom valves in Lake Holzmaar was investigated during 1995 by deploying sediment traps at three different lake depths. According to the sedimentation pattern, the major reproduction zone of diatoms was restricted to the upper 6 m of the water body. The population growth started late in April and blooms of Cyclotella cf. comensis Grun., which dominates the plankton diatoms, and Fragilaria crotonensis Kitton were collected in traps during June and September, and July, respectively. During summer, the seasonal sedimentation pattern of each taxon, as collected in the upper traps, was reflected in the concentrations in the lowest trap. However, in May and from September onwards, the community composition in the lowest trap and augmented trapping rates suggest both sediment focusing and resuspension of bottom sediments.The temperature signals as recorded by 18O values of diatom valves should, therefore, reflect integrated temperatures between 0 and 6 m depth. However, temperatures during summer and autumn are expected to be accentuated in the sedimentary record since the isotopic signal is weighted by both the number and the weight-mass of the valves. During summer, the transfer of these signals by the sedimenting diatoms retains the information pattern recorded, while in spring and autumn/winter additional influxes caused by resuspension may somewhat alter those temperature informations. The proxy signals finally stored in the sediments, may, therefore, not precisely represent the successive temperatures currently recorded during 1995 within mid-lake.     

强弱风浪扰动下太湖的营养盐垂向分布特征

在一次风速12m/s的强风浪过程中及在连续多天弱风浪之后,对太湖梅梁湾一浅水区营养盐、悬浮物等的垂向分布进行了观测和分析。结果表明,在水底沉积物约20cm的情况下,强风浪期间与弱风浪期间相比,湖水中悬浮物浓度提高了10倍,总磷浓度提高了3 6倍。而强风浪期间与弱风浪期间的水体溶解性总磷(DTP)、溶解性活性磷(SRP)的浓度无显著差异。说明尽管强风浪过程引起沉积物大量悬浮,水体悬浮颗粒态营养盐显著增高,但是由于悬浮过程营养盐释放与沉降机制作用十分复杂,活性营养盐的浓度未必能提高。无论强风浪还是弱风浪期间,水体的表层至水土界面上50cm层的悬浮物浓度、营养盐浓度没有明显的分层现象,但明显低于水土界面上50cm内的悬浮物浓度和总磷浓度。无论是强风浪期间还是弱风浪期间,表层到底层水体SRP浓度无显著差异。     

Effect of different biological solutions on microbially induced carbonate precipitation and reinforcement of sand

Abstract

Sporosarcina pasteurii is widely used in the application of microbially induced carbonate precipitation (MICP) for various applications, such as ground reinforcement, erosion mitigation or stabilization of sand foreshore slopes. This study focuses on the effect of thallus resuspended by the fresh medium (RF) on urea hydrolysis, MICP, and sand reinforcement compared with untreated biological solutions (US) with high microbial concentration. The principle is investigated by tests on thallus resuspended by saline solution [NaCl (0.9%)] (RS) and supernatant (SS). The results indicate that the addition of the fresh medium is insignificant for promoting MICP and even has a slightly negative effect on urea hydrolysis and sand improvement for stationary phase bacteria. The ability of US to hydrolyze urea and MICP is derived from two sources: urease existing in the cell bodies and free urease existing in solution for lysis of partial cells, with urease in cells accounting for the majority. The preferable sand reinforcement of US is primarily due to the high amount of carbonate precipitation and formation of non-biological calcium carbonate located primarily in the pores. The results indicate that the preference of US in various engineering applications with lower cost for the realizable reinforcement.     

波浪作用下沉积物中重金属Cu释放规律研究

黄河水下三角洲位于半封闭的渤海内部,海底沉积物中重金属Cu污染严重,且该区域多发风暴潮,引起沉积物再悬浮甚至液化,导致沉积物中重金属Cu重新释放进入海水中。本研究以黄河口粉质土作为底床,采用室内波浪水槽试验模拟重金属Cu在不同水动力条件下,通过静态扩散、底床未液化状态下再悬浮以及底床液化状态下再悬浮3种方式进入上覆水体的释放过程。结果表明:上覆水体中重金属Cu的浓度分布与悬浮泥沙浓度分布密切相关,呈现出一致的变化规律;沉积物液化会明显促进重金属Cu向上覆水体中释放,底床液化再悬浮阶段上覆水体中溶解态Cu的浓度为静态扩散阶段的18倍,为底床非液化再悬浮阶段的11倍;此外,底床液化会导致沉积物中重金属Cu向深处扩散,扩散深度约为沉积物液化深度的一半。     

Dynamics of particle export on the Northwest Atlantic margin

The Northwest Atlantic margin is characterized by high biological productivity in shelf and slope surface waters. In addition to carbon supply to underlying sediments, the persistent, intermediate depth nepheloid layers emanating from the continental shelves, and bottom nepheloid layers maintained by strong bottom currents associated with the southward flowing Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC), provide conduits for export of organic carbon over the margin and/or to the interior ocean. As a part of a project to understand dynamics of particulate organic carbon (POC) cycling in this region, we examined the bulk and molecular properties of time-series sediment trap samples obtained at 968 m, 1976 m, and 2938 m depths from a bottom-tethered mooring on the New England slope (water depth, 2988 m). Frequent occurrences of higher fluxes in deep relative to shallower sediment traps and low Δ¹⁴C values of sinking POC together provide strong evidence for significant lateral transport of aged organic matter over the margin. Comparison of biogeochemical properties such as aluminum concentration and flux, and iron concentration between samples intercepted at different depths shows that particles collected by the deepest trap had more complex sources than the shallower ones. These data also suggest that at least two modes of lateral transport exist over the New England margin. Based on radiocarbon mass balance, about 30% (±10%) of sinking POC in all sediment traps is estimated to be derived from lateral transport of resuspended sediment. A strong correlation between Δ¹⁴C values and aluminum concentrations suggests that the aged organic matter is associated with lithogenic particles. Our results suggest that lateral transport of organic matter, particularly that resulting from sediment resuspension, should be considered in addition to vertical supply of organic matter derived from primary production, in order to understand carbon cycling and export over continental margins.     

The release behavior of inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus in sediment during disturbance

Sediments and surface water were sampled in a tide flat in the Huiquan Bay, Qingdao, China in January 2004 to simulate the exchange of NH4-N/NO3-N/ PO 43- between sediments and surface water. A working system was designed with which samples were shaken at 60, 120 and 150 revolutions per minute (r/min). Experiment results show that NH4-N concentration in water at shaking rate of 60r/min decreased gradually, while at 120r/min increased gradually. In resuspension, fine-grained sediments contributed most NH4-N to the seawater, followed by medium-grained and coarse-grained sediments. The NO3-N concentration in water had a negative relation with the shaking rate; the medium-grained sediments contributed more NO3-N to seawater than the coarse-and fine-grained sediments. The PO 43- concentration is positively related with the shaking rate, the fine-grained sediments were the main N and P contributor to the seawater, followed by medium-and coarse-grained sediments.     

桑沟湾夏、秋季悬浮颗粒物的沉降通量及再悬浮的影响

应用锚式悬挂沉积物捕捉器法,研究了我国北方重要海水养殖区域桑沟湾悬浮颗粒物沉降通量的分布特征,并通过金属Al标记法,同步测定了沉降颗粒物再悬浮比率。结果表明,桑沟湾的底层悬浮颗粒物(SPM)、颗粒有机碳(POC)、颗粒态总氮(PTN)和颗粒态总磷(PTP)平均表观沉降通量分别为1 511.4g/(m2·d)、20.01g/(m2·d)、1.497g/(m2·d)和0.474g/(m2·d),显著高于我国其他近岸海域,但底层沉降颗粒物再悬浮比率平均值高达92.8%,认为在养殖内湾,受再悬浮程度的影响,测得的底层表观沉降通量是中层的2.7倍,秋季明显大于夏季,海带和扇贝养殖区大于牡蛎养殖区。经再悬浮比率校正后的净沉降通量,仍存在着显著的空间和季节变化,但受控因素发生了根本转变;这主要表现为净沉降颗粒物质主要源于生物代谢活动强烈中上层水体,贝类的排泄作用使牡蛎和扇贝养殖区的净沉降通量显著大于海带养殖区,养殖贝类个体增大、排泄量增加使秋季净沉降通量高于夏季。在我国近岸海域,再悬浮作用的影响,会对该区域悬浮颗粒物沉降通量的估算带来巨大误差,因此该作用不容忽视。     

THE RESUSPENSION RATE OF SEDIMENTS IN 32°N SECTION ON THE EAST CHINA SEA

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Spatio-temporal distribution of dissolved sulfide in China marginal seas

With sulfide increasingly recognized as an important parameter to assess the oxidation-reduction level in aqueous environment, research on its geochemical behavior is becoming important. Water samples collected in Bohai Sea(1–19 August, 2010), Yellow Sea(20–30 November, 2010) and East China Sea(3–17 June, 2010 and 1–10 November, 2010) were used to determine the occurrence and distribution of dissolved sulfide by methylene blue spectrophotometric method. Results show that:(1) horizontally, concentration of dissolved sulfide significantly varied from the coastal region to the open sea and profoundly influenced by physical processes. High values occurred in the river-sea boundary zone "marginal filter" due to rich riverine input, frequent upwelling and active exchange in shelf edge. Terrestrial input from adjacent rivers and the current cycling contributed to the high sulfide appeared in western Bohai Sea, eastern Shandong Peninsula, and northeast of Changjiang(Yangtze) River estuary. Especially, relative higher sulfide values occurred in Yellow Sea, which is consistent with the variation of salinity largely due to the hydrodynamic feature;(2) vertically, measurement of dissolved sulfide in bottom water was higher and more variable than that in surface water caused by the wind-induced resuspension and dissimilatory sulfate reduction. Moreover, nutrient-type profile clearly identified that oxidation plays a major role in the biogeochemistry cycle of sulfide in water;(3) seasonally, investigation for East China Sea in June and November reflected seasonal variation of Changjiang River Diluted Water, Kuroshio Current, and Taiwan Warm Current. Concentration in June was much higher than that sampled in November at most stations. Mean concentration of dissolved sulfide varied seasonally from 2.26 μg/L(June) to 1.16 μg/L(November) in surface and 3.00 μg/L(June) to 1.56 μg/L(November) in bottom. Progress in the field is slow and more effort is needed to ensure the accuracy and reliability of determination and estimate the natural or anthropogenic contribution of dissolved sulfide in ecosystems.