Oxygen isotopes of phosphatic compounds—Application for marine particulate matter, sediments and soils

The phosphate oxygen isotopic composition in naturally occurring particulate phosphatic compounds (δ¹⁸O_p) can be used as a tracer for phosphate sources and to evaluate the cycling of phosphorus (P) in the environment. However, phosphatic compounds must be converted to silver phosphate prior to isotopic analysis, a process that involves digestion of particulate matter in acid. This digestion will hydrolyze some of the phosphatic compounds such that oxygen from the acid solution will be incorporated into the sample as these phosphatic compounds are converted to orthophosphate (PO₄³⁻). To determine the extent of incorporation of reagent oxygen into the sample, we digested various phosphatic compounds in both acid amended with H₂¹⁸O (spiked) and unspiked acid and then converted the samples to silver phosphate for δ¹⁸O_p analysis. Our results indicate that there is no isotopic fractionation associated with acid digestion at 50 °C. Furthermore, we found that reagent oxygen incorporation is a function of the oxygen to phosphorus ratio (O:P) of the digested compound whereby the percentage of reagent oxygen incorporated into the sample is the same as that which is required to convert all of the P-compounds into orthophosphate. Based on these results, we developed a correction for reagent oxygen incorporation using simple mass balance, a procedure that allows for the determination of the δ¹⁸O_p of samples containing a mixture of phosphatic compounds. We analyzed a variety of environmental samples for δ¹⁸O_p to demonstrate the utility of this approach for understanding sources and cycling of P.     

Vertical Variations of Core Sound Velocity: Evidence of Paleooceanographic History Since the Pleistocene Epoch

The vertical variations in the borehole core sound velocity (Cp) of the submarine sediments are related to the events of marine transgression and regression in the geologic history. This article establishes the vertical variation of Cp curve for the borehole sound velocity in the northern South China Sea continental shelf and the East China Sea continental shelf, thus providing evidence for revealing at least (3) sedimentary cycle events of marine transgression and regression occurring in the west Pacific marginal sea since the Pleistocene Epoch. The sound velocity of marine sediments brought in the course of marine transgression is lower (1450-1510 m/s) while that of continental sediments formed in the course of marine regression is higher (1650-1720 m/s).     

人为干扰对岩礁潮间带无脊椎动物群落结构的影响

对烟台海域 6个岩礁潮间带生态学统的无脊椎动物群落的研究发现 ,东方小藤壶( Chthamallus challengeri )为第一优势种。其主要优势种——密鳞牡蛎 ( Ostrea denselamellosa )、短滨螺 ( Littorina brevicula)、紫贻贝 ( Mytilus edulis)和常见种——笠贝 ( Patelloida spp.)、红条毛腹石鳖( Acanthochiton rubrolineatus)、沙参 ( Nereisspp.)、海葵 ( Anthopleura midori )在群落中的优势地位和功能有明显的区别 ,尽管 6个岩礁潮间带群落的区系成分相近。对基于 RIV、RB和 RD的优势度曲线研究发现 ,基于 RIV和 RB的优势度曲线更适合于表示和描述受人为干扰和污染的潮间带无脊椎动物群落的结构和多样性变化。研究发现 ,6个潮间带的无脊椎动物群落皆受到不同程度的干扰 ,而养马岛和芝罘岛所受的干扰最轻。 6个岩礁潮间带的群落多样性序列依次为 :芝罘岛、养马岛、石沟屯、烟台山、玉岱山、月老湾。不同岩礁潮间带群落的种类组成和结构差异主要由来自采集和旅游者的干扰 ,养殖和生活污水造成的海水富营养化所致     

Renewable energy from the ocean

Growing concern over the threat of global climate change has led to an increased interest in research and development of renewable energy technologies. The ocean provides a vast source of potential energy resources, and as renewable energy technology develops, investment in ocean energy is likely to grow. Research in ocean thermal energy conversion, wave energy, tidal energy, and offshore wind energy has led to promising technologies and in some cases, commercial deployment. These sources have the potential to help alleviate the global climate change threat, but the ocean environment should be protected while these technologies are developed. Renewable energy sources from the ocean may be exploited without harming the marine environment if projects are sited and scaled appropriately and environmental guidelines are followed.     

Sensitivity of extreme hydroelastic load effects to changes in ship hull stiffness and structural damping

A new hybrid method for the time-domain nonlinear simulation of the hydroelastic load effects and the peak over threshold (POT) method for the calculation of the short-term extreme responses are briefly described and applied to a flexible SL-7 class containership and a flexible liquefied natural gas (LNG) ship. Three stiffness levels, three stiffness distributions and three modal damping ratios are used to study the influence of the hull flexibility and structural damping on the short-term prediction of extreme vertical hydroelastic load effects. The results give justification for some simplified treatment of the first vertical flexible mode in early design stage when structural details are not available.     

The role of biological research in supporting policy needs

Within the UK, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) is one of several government departments which undertakes research in support of its policy aims. For example, DEFRA has responsibility for licensing the deposit of materials in the sea in order to protect the environment, public health and prevent interference with other uses of the sea. This includes assessment of pollutant responses in marine organisms. The objectives include assessment of the sub-lethal effect that pollutants have at the cellular, organ and individual level, for example in normal genetic, behavioural and reproductive activity and extrapolation of the potential impact of pollutants to populations. This work helps DEFRA to establish whether individually or in combination, pollutants have an adverse effect on the environment. This paper gives some examples of the research undertaken and demonstrates how biological research can provide cost effective solutions to analytical problems and an opportunity to predict the way in which proposed disposal operations may have an impact on the marine environment. The way such research may influence policy is also discussed.     

Influence of microfossils and pyrites on the behaviour of oceanbed sediments

An attempt has been made to investigate the microfabric and mineralogical features of marine sediments collected from the north-east coastal region of Singapore. A limited laboratory studies on shear strength, consolidation and chemical analysis were carried out to examine the geotechnical characteristics of marine sediments. Emphasis has been focussed on the microfabric aspects of microfossils (diatom) and pyrite, and their influence on the soil properties. Test results indicated the predominant presence of microfossils (diatom) and pyrite, and their impact on the marine sediments behaviour has been discussed briefly. The abundant presence of microfossils results in an increase in strength, compressibility and hydraulic conductivity due to the presence of large voids between the skeleton structures.     

5种海水鱼同工酶表达的组织特性及其电泳的初步分析

于１９９４年７－１２月，山东，福建省沿海采集真鲷、黑鲷、牙鲆、鲈和小黄鱼等５种黄６９２个生化样品，应用水平淀粉胶和垂直聚丙烯酰胺凝胶电泳方法，对５种鱼的肌肉，眼睛、心脏、鳍，鳃、肾脏共７种组织的２３种同工酶进行了初步分析。