A Methodology for Clustering Lakes in Alberta on the basis of Water Quality Parameters

In this study, a methodology for clustering 18 lakes in Alberta, Canada using the data of 19 water quality parameters for a period of 11 years (1988–2002) is presented. The methods consist of (i) principal component analysis (PCA) to determine the dominant water quality parameters, (ii) cluster analysis techniques to develop the characteristics of the clusters, and (iii) pattern‐match lakes to determine the appropriate cluster for each of the lakes. The PCA revealed that three principal components (PCs) were able to explain ～88% of the variability and the dominant water quality parameters were total dissolved solids, total phosphorus, and chlorophyll‐a. We obtained five clusters for the period 1994–1997 by using the dominant parameters with water quality deteriorating as the cluster number increased from 1 to 5. Upon matching cluster patterns with the entire dataset, it was observed that some of the lakes belonged to the same cluster all the time (e.g., cluster 1 for lakes Elkwater, Gregg, and Jarvis; cluster 3 for Sturgeon; cluster 4 for Moonshine; and cluster 5 for Saskatoon), while others changed with time. This methodology could be applied in other regions of the world to identify the most suitable source waters and prioritize their management. It could be helpful to analyze the natural controlling processes, pollution types, impact of seasonal changes and overall quality of source waters. This methodology could be used for monitoring water bodies in a cost effective and efficient way by sampling only less number of dominant parameters instead of using a large set of parameters.     

Relationships between surface-active organic substances, chlorophyll a and nutrients in the northern Adriatic Sea

Surface-active organic substances (SAS), nutrients, chlorophyll a (Chl a), dissolved oxygen (O₂), salinity (S) and temperature (T) were measured approximately monthly in the northern Adriatic Sea (NA) during two years. Results were elaborated for two stations of different trophic status. Exhaustive statistical examinations of measured variables were performed to contribute to better understanding of the processes and interdependence of the measured parameters. The results of those analyses allowed the region to be described based on several groups of data relevant for particular processes. Chl a appear to be independent parameter; orthosilicate, nitrite and ammonium represent the parameter group most relevant for regeneration processes; the second group includes nutrients dominant in freshwater inputs (orthophosphate and nitrate), while in the third group are parameters related to primary production processes (T, O₂, organic phosphorus and SAS). Probably due to time lags between nutrient uptake and phytoplankton growth as well as between cells growth/division and SAS release, both, the correlation between nutrients and Chl a and the correlation between Chl a and SAS were not statistically significant. Although significantly higher nutrient and Chl a concentrations were found in the mesotrophic western part of the region in comparison to the oligotrophic eastern part, the SAS concentration differences were less marked. It is assumed that more OM is produced, but also at the same time remineralized, at the mesotrophic western part, leading to higher concentrations of regenerated nutrients there. Presence of different phytoplankton taxa and/or fractions (micro and nano) at the two stations may have also contributed to minimize the difference in SAS contents. Higher SAS acidities were noticed in the mesotrophic than in the oligotrophic part.     

粗粒土三轴试验数值模拟与试样颗粒初始架构初探

试样颗粒初始架构是粗粒土室内三轴试验中一个难以人为控制的因素。基于元胞自动机方法,结合粗粒土的室内三轴试验开发了能制备不同颗粒初始架构粗粒土试样的HHC-CA模型,该模型制备的粗粒土试样表征了粗粒土各粒组分布的不均匀性和随机性,再借助FLAC3D进行粗粒土三轴数值模拟试验,并探讨了试样剪切带内的砾石含量和试样砾石含量对内摩擦角的影响。数值模拟结果表明,同一粒径级配下,粗粒土的内摩擦角值与剪切带内的砾石含量呈增函数关系;试样砾石含量的增加可能会出现内摩擦角减小的现象,但同一粒径级配下的内摩擦角均值随试样砾石含量的增加而明显增大。     

Diurnal variation in relative photosynthetic performance of marestail (Hippuris vulgaris Linn.) Across a water temperature gradient using PAM fluorometry in Jiuzhaigou National Nature Reserve, Sichuan Province, China

This paper reports the first photosynthetic study of marestail in Jiuzhaigou. In this work, we used PAM fluorometry to examine photosynthetic rates of submerged and emerged marestail in three lakes. Three lakes were studied across a gradient of water temperature, with low water temperature conditions in Grass Lake and Arrow Bamboo Lake, and higher water temperature in Five Colored Lake. In the field, electron transport rates (ETR_max) were measured as rapid light curves (RLCs) by in situ yield measurements. Submerged and emerged marestail showed higher photosynthetic activity in Five Colored Lake compared to the other lakes, a response consistent with the adaptation of marestail in Five Colored Lake to high water temperature. The optimal temperature for photosynthesis of submerged marestail in Jiuzhaigou was about 12 °C. Nonphotochemical quenching (NPQ) of submerged and emerged marestail increased with increasing water temperature. Maximum quantum yield (F _v/F _m) of submerged marestail in Five Colored Lake showed full recovery at 1700 h due to higher NPQ. Further, the chlorophyll a for submerged marestail was the highest in Grass Lake and the lowest in Five Colored Lake. These results indicate that in different lakes the function of these aquatic plants is associated with a diversity of place-dependent environmental conditions, especially water temperature that leads to pronounced differences in the plant’s ecophysiological reactions.     

Seasonal variation of microzooplankton (20–200 μm) and its possible implications on the vertical carbon flux in the western Bay of Bengal

Stratification (throughout the year) and low solar radiation (during monsoon periods) have caused low chlorophyll a and primary production (seasonal average 13–18 mg m⁻² and 242–265 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹, respectively) in the western Bay of Bengal (BoB). The microzooplankton (MZP) community of BoB was numerically dominated by heterotrophic dinoflagellates (HDS) followed by ciliates (CTS). The highest MZP abundance (average 665±226×10⁴ m⁻²), biomass (average 260±145 mg C m⁻²) and species diversity (Shannon weaver index 2.8±0.42 for CTS and 2.6±0.35 for HDS) have occurred during the spring intermonsoon (SIM). This might be due to high abundance of smaller phytoplankton in the western BoB during SIM as a consequence of intense stratification and nitrate limitation (nitracline at 60 m depth). The strong stratification during SIM was biologically evidenced by intense blooms of Trichodesmium erythraeum and frequent Synechococcus–HDS associations. The high abundance of smaller phytoplankton favors microbial food webs where photosynthetic carbon is channeled to higher trophic levels through MZP. This causes less efficient transfer of primary organic carbon to higher trophic levels than through the traditional food web. The microbial food web dominant in the western BoB during SIM might be responsible for the lowest mesozooplankton biomass observed (average 223 mg C m⁻²). The long residence time of the organic carbon in the surface waters due to the active herbivorous pathways of the microbial food web could be a causative factor for the low vertical flux of biogenic carbon during SIM.     

Interactions between freshwater input, light, and phytoplankton dynamics on the Louisiana continental shelf

We examined the effects of freshwater flow and light availability on phytoplankton biomass and production along the Louisiana continental shelf in the region characterized by persistent spring–summer stratification and widespread summer hypoxia. Data were collected on 7 cruises from 2005 to 2007, and spatially-averaged estimates of phytoplankton and light variables were calculated for the study area using Voronoi polygon normalization. Shelf-wide phytoplankton production ranged from 0.47 to 1.75 mg C m⁻² d⁻¹ across the 7 cruises. Shelf-wide average light attenuation (k_d) ranged from 0.19–1.01 m⁻¹ and strongly covaried with freshwater discharge from the Mississippi and Atchafalaya Rivers (R²=0.67). Interestingly, we observed that the euphotic zone (as defined by the 1% light depth) extended well below the pycnocline and to the bottom across much of the shelf. Shelf-wide average chlorophyll a (chl a) concentrations ranged from 1.4 to 5.9 mg m⁻³ and, similar to k_d, covaried with river discharge (R²=0.83). Also, chl a concentrations were significantly higher in plume versus non-plume regions of the shelf. When integrated through the water-column, shelf-wide average chl a ranged from 26.3 to 47.6 mg m⁻², but did not covary with river discharge, nor were plume versus non-plume averages statistically different. The high integrated chl a in the non-plume waters resulted from frequent sub-pycnocline chl a maxima. Phytoplankton production rates were highest in the vicinity of the Mississippi River bird's foot delta, but as with integrated chl a were not statistically different in plume versus non-plume waters across the rest of the shelf. Based on the vertical distribution of light and chl a, a substantial fraction of phytoplankton production occurred below the pycnocline, averaging from 25% to 50% among cruises. These results suggest that freshwater and nutrient inputs regulate shelf-wide k_d and, consequently, the vertical distribution of primary production. The substantial below-pycnocline primary production we observed has not been previously quantified for this region, but has important implications about the formation and persistence of hypoxia on the Louisiana continental shelf.     

光和温度对叶绿素a和脱镁叶绿酸a降解的影响

叶绿素a（Chlorophylla）常被用做浮游植物生物量的指标,是海洋常现调查项目内容。叶绿素a并不稳定,它在高温或有光的条件下发生降解,影响了对其浓度的测定。本文研究了温度和光线对纯叶绿素a及其降解产物脱镁叶绿酸a（Phaeopharbidea）降解速度的影响,以期对在提取过程中减少叶绿素a的降解有所帮助。1村料和方法1.1材料叶绿素a：使用Sigma产品（安瓿瓶1mg装）。用90％丙酮溶解,稀释成一定浓度,－20℃黑暗中保存备用。脱镁叶绿酸a：将少许10％盐酸加入叶绿素a即为脱镁叶绿酸a。光照度计：北京师范大学光电仪器厂生产的ST-92型光照度…     

胶州湾双壳类壳体中的Ca,Mg,Mn,Sr元素组成及影响因素

探讨影响双壳类元素组成的可能因素,从胶州湾沿岸不同取样点采集黄海近海常见的菲律宾蛤仔(Ruditapesphilippinarum)、褶牡蛎(Oystrea denselamellosa)和紫贻贝(Mytilus galloprovincialis),分别测量了3种壳体的矿物物相类型和壳体中的Ca,Mg,Mn,Sr元素组成。研究表明:3种壳体分别属于文石质、方解石质和混合质壳;Ca,Mn元素含量在菲律宾蛤仔、褶牡蛎和紫贻贝壳体中没有差别,而Mg元素含量在菲律宾蛤仔壳体中含量较低,在褶牡蛎壳体和紫贻贝壳体中含量较高,Sr元素恰好与Mg元素相反。双壳类壳体中元素组成主要受壳体矿物物相类型的制约,而与水体环境要素之间的关系弱。     

中国东部大陆岩石地球化学图揭示的信息

根据中国东部各省(区、市)区域地质志、1∶50万地质图和中国东部地壳与岩石元素丰度研究成果首次编制的中国东部60种元素的岩石地球化学图,基本反映了与特定岩性有关的区域岩石地球化学元素含量分布特征和与大地构造单元有关的区域地球化学元素含量分布特征,直观表达了中国东部空间地理上元素背景含量的宏观分布与变化,以及不同大地构造单元元素背景含量的变化趋势。这一成果为勘查地球化学、环境地球化学,特别是区域化探扫面水系沉积物资料的定量解释提供了基本依据,为基础地质、大地构造、区域成矿研究提供了重要资料,也为地球化学块体理论及其形成机制的研究提供了强有力的支持。