The Pollution Load from the River Odra in Comparison to That in Other Polish Rivers in 1988–1997

The discharge of organic matter, nutrients, and heavy metals from the river Odra into the Baltic Sea is compared with the combined discharge of the same substances from other Polish rivers into the Baltic during 1988–1997. The impact of the summer flood of 1997 is also discussed. The discharges of organic matter, nitrogen and phosphorus compounds were closely correlated with the flow rate. The annual loads of these nutrients measured in 1988 and 1996 under similar flow conditions decreased by 15 to 40% in these rivers as a result of the reduction of point sources. A steady decrease in the heavy metal load, independent of weather conditions, has been recorded during the past decade. Zinc decreased by up to 85% in the Odra and 99% in the Wisła. Although the water outflow from the Odra was half that of the Wisła, it transported a proportionally higher load of chemical compounds. Despite the differences in flow rates, the contribution of both rivers to the total riverine phosphorus discharge was approximately the same. The total water outflow during the flood (from 1 July to 28 August 1997) increased by 65% near the mouth of the Odra in comparison to 1996. The phosphate discharge increased by 34%, that of nitrite nitrogen by 88%     

南海实现和谐之路

中国最早发现和开发利用南海及其诸岛,南海之名始见于周朝,距今3 000多年,至秦汉时,已开发南海至印度洋的航运和商贸事业。南海诸岛和南海部分海域属于中国领土和海疆,标示在中国出版的地图中为断续国界线。南海周边国家关系历来大多处于和谐状态,其中秦汉南海海上丝绸之路和明朝郑和船队下西洋为其中显著发展的和谐时段。而自中世纪以来,域外强国侵入南海,使南海区域在相当长时间内处于严重不和谐状态。其中,15―19世纪,欧美殖民主义者侵占南海周边各国。20世纪上半叶,日本殖民主义者开始侵占中国南海诸岛,并在第二次世界大战中吞占了整个南海区域;20世纪下半叶,法国和美国相继挑起印度支那战争和越南战争。南海周边部分国家霸占中国南海诸岛许多岛礁,并在其上建筑和扩建机场及港口,扩军备,分割其海疆并掠夺其海洋石油天然气资源。中国必须开展积极的外交和军事活动,尤其是加强国防建设,在南海诸岛建设海空军基地,才能保护中国南海油气和渔业资源的开发和运输畅通,并尽早收回全部岛礁主权,使南海周边国家愿意“共同开发”,创造和谐的南海。     

被越南侵占的中国南沙群岛岛礁的时空分布特征及战略格局

以南海海域200 m等深线水深图和南沙群岛海域11幅1﹕250 000海图以及1﹕800 000海图为基础数据,使用ArcGIS 10.1,采用墨卡托投影,CGCS 2000坐标系对海图进行配准并进行矢量化处理,提取图中水深点、岛礁位置信息、礁坪、礁体位置信息。通过对被越南侵占的南沙群岛29座岛礁的空间分析,认为被占岛礁在空间上存在“一纵一横”的空间分布特征,南沙群岛被占岛礁南子岛、景宏岛、南威岛、六门礁从N至W构成了4个核心和广雅滩1个次核心的岛礁空间分布战略格局。通过对被占岛礁面积、礁坪面积及礁体面积进行插值处理,叠加分析,按重分类方法将插值结果按数值大小划分为5类,予以揭示被占岛礁的重要程度及未来开发潜力。通过分析越南侵占岛礁的岛屿面积与礁体面积比值,指出鸿庥岛、景宏岛、西礁、中礁、毕生礁、六门礁、柏礁有较大填海造陆潜力的岛礁。     

The degree of urbanization across the globe is not reflected in the δN of seagrass leaves

Many studies show that seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios increase with the amount of urbanization in coastal watersheds. However, there is little information on the relationship between urbanization and seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios on a global scale. We performed a meta-analysis on seagrass samples from 79 independent locations to test if seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios correlate with patterns of population density and fertilizer use within a radius of 10–200 km around the sample locations. Our results show that seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios are more influenced by intergeneric and latitudinal differences than the degree of urbanization or the amount of fertilizer used in nearby watersheds. The positive correlation between seagrass δ¹⁵N ratios and latitude hints at an underlying pattern in discrimination or a latitudinal gradient in the ¹⁵N isotopic signature of nitrogen assimilated by the plants. The actual mechanisms responsible for the correlation between δ¹⁵N and latitude remain unknown.     

Distribution,sources and potential toxicological significance of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface soils of the Yellow River Delta,China

PAH concentrations of 61 surface soil samples collected from the Yellow River Delta (YRD), China were measured to determine occurrence levels, sources, and potential toxicological significance of PAHs. The total concentrations of ∑PAHs ranged from 27 to 753 ng/g d.w., with a mean of 118 ± 132 ng/g. The highest concentrations was found in the mid-southern part of the YRD (753 ng/g), which was associated with the oil exploration. The ratios indicated that the PAHs throughout the YRD were mostly of pyrogenic origin; while various sites in mid-southern part in the region were derived mainly from the petrogenic sources. Multivariate statistical analyses supported that the PAHs in surface soils of the YRD were principally from the coal and biomass combustion, petroleum spills, and/or vehicular emissions. The toxic assessment suggested that the PAHs in soils were at low potential of ecotoxicological contamination level for the YRD.     

δ15N variation in Ulva lactuca as a proxy for anthropogenic nitrogen inputs in coastal areas of Gulf of Gaeta (Mediterranean Sea)

We tested the capacity of Ulva lactuca to mark N sources across large marine areas by measuring variation in its δ¹⁵N at several sites in the Gulf of Gaeta. Comparisons were made with the macroalga Cystoseira amentacea. Variation of δ¹⁵N values was assessed also in the coastal waters off the Circeo Natural Park, where U. lactuca and C. amentacea were harvested, as these waters are barely influenced by human activities and were used as reference site. A small fragment from each frond was preserved before deployment in order to characterize the initial isotopic values. After 48 h of submersion, U. lactuca was more responsive than C. amentacea to environmental variation and δ¹⁵N enrichment in the Gulf of Gaeta was observed. The spatial distribution of δ¹⁵N enrichment indicated that different macro-areas in the Gulf were affected by N inputs from different origins. Comparison of the δ¹⁵N values of fragments taken from the same transplanted frond avoided bias arising from natural isotopic variability.     

Enzymatic methods for the determination of pollution in seawater using salt resistant alkaline phosphatase from eggs of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius

A new salt resistant alkaline phosphatase from eggs of the sea urchin Strongylocentrotus intermedius (StAP) has been shown to have a unique property to hydrolyze substrate in seawater without loss of enzymatic activity. The enzyme has pH optimum at 8.0–8.5. Model experiments showed various concentrations of copper, zinc, cadmium and lead added to seawater or a standard buffer mixture to inhibit completely the enzyme activity at the concentrations of 15–150 μg/l. StAP sensitivity to the presence in seawater of metals, pesticides, detergents and oil products appears to be considerably less. Samples of seawater taken from aquatic areas of the Troitsy Bay of the Peter the Great Bay, Japan Sea have been shown to inhibit the enzyme activity; the same was shown for the samples of fresh waters. The phosphatase inhibition assay developed proved to be highly sensitive, technically easy-to use allowing to test a great number of samples.     

Deep-sea faunal communities associated with a lost intermodal shipping container in the Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary,CA

Carrying assorted cargo and covered with paints of varying toxicity, lost intermodal containers may take centuries to degrade on the deep seafloor. In June 2004, scientists from Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI) discovered a recently lost container during a Remotely Operated Vehicle (ROV) dive on a sediment-covered seabed at 1281 m depth in Monterey Bay National Marine Sanctuary (MBNMS). The site was revisited by ROV in March 2011. Analyses of sediment samples and high-definition video indicate that faunal assemblages on the container’s exterior and the seabed within 10 m of the container differed significantly from those up to 500 m. The container surface provides hard substratum for colonization by taxa typically found in rocky habitats. However, some key taxa that dominate rocky areas were absent or rare on the container, perhaps related to its potential toxicity or limited time for colonization and growth. Ecological effects appear to be restricted to the container surface and the benthos within ∼10 m.