Differential reproductive strategies of two bivalves in the Dutch Wadden Sea

Cerastoderma edule and Mya arenaria are two common bivalve species in European waters. Longevity and maximum size are much greater in the latter species. Because comparison of species life-history strategies states that a long life span (i.e. high annual survival) generally goes with lower fecundity, we hypothesise that reproductive output would be lower in M. arenaria than in C. edule. In the present paper, we studied the reproductive strategies of these two species in an intertidal and a subtidal area of the western Dutch Wadden Sea, by following seasonal changes in absolute and relative weights of somatic and gonadal tissues in these bivalves. Starting of spawning was similar in the two species, around May, except for intertidal M. arenaria, which initiated spawning in August. Individual energy investment in reproduction was similar for the two species but, unlike M. arenaria, C. edule spawned completely, releasing all energy of gonadal mass in the form of gametes. Mya arenaria used the gonad not only for reproduction but also for storage. In the intertidal area, we found a trade-off between longevity and reproduction, i.e. maximum reproductive output (expressed as a proportion of body mass) was higher in C. edule than in M. arenaria. However, since body size is larger and life span longer in M. arenaria than in C. edule, mean lifetime reproductive output per individual must be higher in the first than in the latter. Based on the differences in reproductive strategies of these two species, we hypothesise that the negative effects of warming climate on bivalve population dynamics in the Wadden Sea will be stronger in C. edule than in M. arenaria.     

Embryo dune development drivers: beach morphology,growing season precipitation,and storms

For development of embryo dunes on the highly dynamic land–sea boundary, summer growth and the absence of winter erosion are essential. Other than that, however, we know little about the specific conditions that favour embryo dune development. This study explores the boundary conditions for early dune development to enable better predictions of natural dune expansion. Using a 30 year time series of aerial photographs of 33 sites along the Dutch coast, we assessed the influence of beach morphology (beach width and tidal range), meteorological conditions (storm characteristics, wind speed, growing season precipitation, and temperature), and sand nourishment on early dune development. We examined the presence and area of embryo dunes in relation to beach width and tidal range, and compared changes in embryo dune area to meteorological conditions and whether sand nourishment had been applied. We found that the presence and area of embryo dunes increased with increasing beach width. Over time, embryo dune area was negatively correlated with storm intensity and frequency. Embryo dune area was positively correlated with precipitation in the growing season and sand nourishment. Embryo dune area increased in periods of low storm frequency and in wet summers, and decreased in periods of high storm frequency or intensity. We conclude that beach morphology is highly influential in determining the potential for new dune development, and wide beaches enable development of larger embryo dune fields. Sand nourishment stimulates dune development by increasing beach width. Finally, weather conditions and non‐interrupted sequences of years without high‐intensity storms determine whether progressive dune development will take place. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

阿尔及利亚韦德迈阿次盆地438B区块泥盆纪层序-岩相古地理特征

泥盆系是富含油气的阿尔及利亚韦德迈阿次盆地西北部438B区块重要的含油层位之一,可划分出2个三级层序,仅下部的SQ1层序保存较完整;泥盆系属于快速海侵缓慢海退的沉积旋回,由海侵、早期高位和晚期高位3个体系域叠加组成。在SQ1层序中相当体系域级别的地层单元在区域上具有良好的等时性,仅在研究区东、南部外侧构造隆起区明显变薄或局部缺失海侵体系域地层。各体系域中,早期高位体系域的障壁砂坝在纵向上具有更好的可比性,反映该体系域障壁砂坝砂体的发育层位和沉积厚度更稳定,砂体连通性和储集性更好,但上部的SQ2为仅保存部分海侵体系域沉积记录的残余层序。选择SQ1层序各体系域为等时地层单元编制层序-岩相古地理图,编图结果表明:438B区块泥盆纪具备向南东方向弧突的,由浅海陆棚、障壁岛、潟湖、潮坪组成的海湾地貌和分带性沉积格局;在各体系域继承性发展演化的分带性沉积格局中,以早期高位系域中的障壁砂坝和冲溢扇为最有利储层发育的层位、相带和部位。     

阿尔及利亚韦德迈阿次盆地438B区块泥盆纪层序-岩相古地理特征

泥盆系是富含油气的阿尔及利亚韦德迈阿次盆地西北部438B区块重要的含油层位之一,可划分出2个三级层序,仅下部的SQ1层序保存较完整;泥盆系属于快速海侵缓慢海退的沉积旋回,由海侵、早期高位和晚期高位3个体系域叠加组成。在SQ1层序中相当体系域级别的地层单元在区域上具有良好的等时性,仅在研究区东、南部外侧构造隆起区明显变薄或局部缺失海侵体系域地层。各体系域中,早期高位体系域的障壁砂坝在纵向上具有更好的可比性,反映该体系域障壁砂坝砂体的发育层位和沉积厚度更稳定,砂体连通性和储集性更好,但上部的SQ2为仅保存部分海侵体系域沉积记录的残余层序。选择SQ1层序各体系域为等时地层单元编制层序-岩相古地理图,编图结果表明：438B区块泥盆纪具备向南东方向弧突的,由浅海陆棚、障壁岛、潟湖、潮坪组成的海湾地貌和分带性沉积格局;在各体系域继承性发展演化的分带性沉积格局中,以早期高位系域中的障壁砂坝和冲溢扇为最有利储层发育的层位、相带和部位。     

Biota: sediment partitioning of aluminium smelter related PAHs and pulp mill related diterpenes by intertidal clams at Kitimat, British Columbia

The question of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) bioavailability and its relationship to specific PAH sources with different PAH binding characteristics is an important one, because bioavailability drives PAH accumulation in biota and ultimately the biochemical responses to the PAH contaminants. The industrial harbour at Kitimat (British Columbia, Canada) provides an ideal location to study the bioavailability and bioaccumulation of sediment hydrocarbons to low trophic level biota. Samples of soft shell clams (Mya arenaria) and intertidal sediment collected from multiple sites over six years at various distances from an aluminium smelter and a pulp and paper mill were analysed for 106 PAHs, plant diterpenes and other aromatic fraction hydrocarbons. Interpretation using PAH source ratios and multivariate data analysis reveals six principal hydrocarbon sources: PAHs in coke, pitch and emissions from anode combustion from the aluminium smelter, vascular plant terpenes and aromatised terpenes from the pulp and paper mill, petroleum PAHs from shipping and other anthropogenic activities and PAHs from natural plant detritus. Harbour sediments predominantly contain either pitch or pyrogenic PAHs from the smelter, while clams predominantly contain plant derived PAHs and diterpenes from the adjacent pulp mill. PAHs from the smelter have low bioavailability to clams (Biota-Sediment Accumulation Factors; BSAFs <1 for pitch and coke; <10 for anode combustion, decreasing to ∼0.1 for the mass 300 and 302 PAHs), possibly due to binding to pitch or soot carbon matrices. Decreases in PAH isomer ratios between sediments and clams likely reflect a combination of variation in uptake kinetics of petroleum PAHs and compound specific metabolism, with the importance of petroleum PAHs decreasing with increasing molecular weight. Plant derived compounds exhibit little natural bioaccumulation at reference sites, but unsaturated and aromatised diterpenes released from resins by industrial pulping processes are readily accumulated by the clams (BSAFs >500). Thus while most of the smelter associated PAHs in sediments may not be bioavailable to benthic organisms, the plant terpenes (including retene, totarol, ferruginol, manool, dehydroabietane and other plant terpenes that form the chemical defence mechanism of conifers) released by pulp mills are bioavailable and possess demonstrated toxic properties. The large scale release of plant terpenes by some of the many pulp mills located in British Columbia and elsewhere represents a largely undocumented risk to aquatic biota.     

阿尔及利亚438 区块古生代构造演化及油气成藏特征

阿尔及利亚438 区块位于阿尔及利亚Oued Mya 盆地北部。利用石油地质理论和测试、测井解释资料,解析阿尔及利亚438 区块古生代地层和油藏特征。分析表明,438 区块所属的Oued Mya 盆地古生代属于克拉通盆地,沉积了奥陶系、志留系和泥盆系多套海相地层,发育有志留系泥页岩和奥陶系页岩两套烃源岩,具备良好的生储盖条件。根据NGS-P1 井的实探资料,裂缝在奥陶系的Hamra 石英砂岩的成藏中起主导作用,应为裂缝型圈闭; 构造和岩性在Dale de M'Kratta 砂岩和泥盆系砂岩的成藏中起主导作用,应为构造--岩性圈闭,推断本区古生代油气成藏模式为断层输导型。     

The Black Sea Ecosystem Changes Related to the Introduction of New Mollusc Species

Abstract. The unintentional introduction of the new mollusc species Rupunu rhomasiuna, Mya arenaria , and Scuphurcu inaequivulvis has become a significant reason for modern transformations of certain bottom biocoenoses in the Black Sea. These molluscs have been passed across natural barriers in fouling of ships or in ship seawater ballast and have successfully acclimatized in the new region, forming communities with a high density and biomass. The resulting changes in the structure of the bottom biocoenoses after these introductions are in many cases comparable with or exceed the consequences of other episodic environmental events and other kinds of anthropogenic activity. The intense spreading of the introduced species in the new area is the result of their high adaptive capability and the instability of the Black Sea ecosystem, the latter being due to its few species, low level of competitive interactions, and constant growth of diverse anthropogenic loads.     

Evidence of aeolian sediment transport across an Ammophila arenaria‐dominated foredune,Mason Bay,Stewart Island

Aeolian sedimentation across an Ammophila arenaria‐dominated foredune was assessed for eight months using sand traps. This research aimed to ascertain if such foredunes act as a barrier to transport between beaches and hinterland dune systems. At Mason Bay, sand was transported across the foredune at rates of up to 10 kg.hour^?1per 100 m length of coast at wind velocities of 31 m.s^?1. Results were compared with computational fluid dynamics modelled airflows and foredune volume changes. Saltation was important for up to 17 m past the stoss face. Rates of transport were well short of rates of volume gain. Approximately 2% or less of stoss face suspended sediment transport reached the hinterland. The foredune is primarily a sand sink.     

阿尔及利亚B区块上三叠统高分辨率层序及储层特征

阿尔及利亚B区块位于Oued Mya盆地东部,自奥陶纪以后该盆地多次发生隆升剥蚀,加里东运动造成志留纪和盆纪地层不同程度的缺失。海西期基底隆升,造成石炭纪和二叠纪地层的完全缺失,并在晚三叠世早期开始发育辫状河沉积。B区块晚三叠世沉积具有从早期的辫状河向中期的曲流河和晚期的盐湖演化特点,其过程较为复杂。在晚三叠世早中期发生强烈的火山喷发作用,在研究区内堆积了厚度巨大的火山岩,使研究砂体的时空展布和演化规律变得更为复杂。通过高分辨率层序分析,建立了B区块晚三叠世的等时地层格架,为恢复研究区等时条件下的古地理特征奠定了基础,并明确了层序对储层的控制规律,为该区进一步的油气勘探和开发提供了依据。     

Spatial and temporal variations in the population structure of the soft-shell clam Mya arenaria in the Pomeranian Bay (southern Baltic Sea)

The population structure of Mya arenaria has been investigated in the sublittoral zone of the Pomeranian Bay (southern Baltic Sea). Box-corer samples were collected during a 1.5-year period in 1993/94 to follow changes in size and age structure of the clam populations in different parts of the study area. Large spatial differences in population structure were found between the sheltered southwest of the Bay and the shallow and exposed Oder Bank in the centre. The stock of the Oder Bank consisted of two different clam types. A slow-growing cohort was assumed to be autochtonous on the Oder Bank, whereas a fast-growing one was assumed to have immigrated from the surrounding area. The contribution of the two cohorts to the total density varied seasonally. Because of bedload transport of clams, the contribution to the reduction of the clam stock by wintering sea ducks could not be quantified. In the southwest of the Pomeranian Bay erosion was of minor importance. High mortality rates during the first two years of life were assumed to be caused by predation. Mortality rates of older cohorts remained stable until old age. Variations in cohort strength were related to interannual differences in the reproductive success. A mild winter presumably lowers the reproductive success in the subsequent summer. Severe oxygen depletion in summer 1994 caused a strong reduction in the clam stock at stations deeper than 10 m.