Spatial and temporal patterns in the hyperbenthic community structure in a warm temperate southern African permanently open estuary

The spatial and temporal patterns in the hyperbenthic community structure (>500 μm) in the warm temperate, permanently open Kariega Estuary situated along the south-eastern coastline of South Africa was investigated monthly over a period of twelve months. Data were collected using a modified hyperbenthic sledge at six stations along the length of the estuary. Physico-chemical data indicate the presence of a constant reverse salinity gradient, with highest salinities measured in the upper reaches and lowest at the mouth of the estuary. Strong seasonal patterns in temperature, dissolved oxygen and total chlorophyll-a (chl-a) concentration were evident. Total average hyperbenthic densities ranged between 0.4 and 166 ind.m⁻³ in the lower net and between 0.2 and 225 ind.m⁻³ in the upper net. Hyperbenthic biomass values ranged between 0.02 and 11.9 mg.dry weight.m⁻³ in the lower net and between 0.02 and 17.4 mg.dry weight.m⁻³ in the upper net. Both the lower and upper nets were numerically dominated by decapods (mainly brachyuran crab zoea) with the exception of June and July 2008 when mysids (mainly Mesopodopsis wooldridgei) dominated, comprising up to 72.4 ± 58.14% of the total abundance in the lower net. A redundancy analysis (RDA) indicated that 99.2% of the variance in the hyperbenthic community structure could be explained by the first two canonical axes. Axis one, which accounted for 96.8% of the total variation detected in the ordination plot was highly correlated with sedimentary organic content and to a lesser extent the chl-a concentration within the Kariega Estuary. The correlations with the second canonical axis (2.4%) were less obvious, however, salinity and seston concentration were weakly correlated with this axis.     

Inorganic arsenic speciation in the waters of the Penzé estuary (NW France): Seasonal variations and fluxes to the coastal area

Over this one-year study, the variations of inorganic As species were examined monthly along the salinity gradient of the Penzé estuary (NW France) in relation with different biogeochemical parameters. In most cases, dissolved As exhibited a non-conservative behaviour which resulted from the competition between two major processes. In the upstream section of the estuary, a strong input of both total inorganic As and As(III) occurred. Then, the removal of the same species, under precipitation of iron oxides/oxyhydroxides, was observed in the low-salinity range (S < 10). Using our experimental data, the fluxes of the various As species were estimated for the first time in estuarine waters. Inputs from the river were mainly constituted of particulate As (∼70%). Conversely, dissolved species were predominant in the net fluxes (∼65%) and As(III) accounted for ∼15% of the dissolved net flux.     

Suspended particulate matter in the St. Lawrence estuary and Gulf surface layer and development of a remote sensing algorithm

Remote sensing of chlorophyll concentration is potentially affected by the presence of inorganic matter in the water column. Seasonal variability of total suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration and its partition into organic and inorganic fractions was thus measured in the estuary and Gulf of St. Lawrence during five cruises. These measures were made in the surface layer down to the depth of the 0.1% light level. Results indicate that vertical variability was small for the entire study area. Data analysis lead to the definition of two main regions having different SPM characteristics: 1) the estuary zone characterized by a strong spatial variability, intermediate SPM concentrations and a clear spring phytoplankton bloom that is combined to an increased inorganic matter load; 2) the gulf region characterized by a relatively low SPM concentration and phytoplankton blooms in the spring and fall periods. Combined with in situ measurements of remote sensing reflectances, the database was used to validate existing inorganic matter retrieval algorithms and develop a new one better adapted to the low concentrations encountered in the St. Lawrence estuary and Gulf.     

江苏近岸海域水文气象要素的时空分布特征

2006～2007年在江苏近岸海域进行水文气象要素(气温、湿度、风速风向、波浪、透明度、水色和海水温盐度等)大面观测。数据分析表明,各水文气象要素具有较大的空间分异,四季变化显著。秋季气温明显高于春季,冬季气温较历史数据偏高。整个海域风速较大,风向受季风控制,有效波高与风速之间显著相关。如东附近海域波浪较大,废黄河口波浪较小;春、夏季有效波高较小,而夏、秋季近岸海域波高较小,离岸波高增大。夏季海水透明度最大,平均为2.3m;冬季透明度最小,平均只有0.6m;水色与透明度呈负指数相关。春、秋季水温分布与气温分布基本一致,冬季大致沿等深线分布。射阳河口与长江口为低盐区,辐射沙脊群外缘为高盐区。与20世纪80年代的调查结果相比,出现了一些新特点。这些新的调查成果可为江苏近岸海域的海洋环境保护和可持续发展提供科学依据。     

Analysis of the Decadal and Interdecadal Variations of the East Asian Winter Monsoon as Simulated by 20 Coupled Models in IPCC AR4

Using the output data of 20 coupled climate models used in IPCC AR4 and observational data from NCEP, the capability of the models to simulate the boreal winter climatology of the East Asian sea level pressure, 850-hPa wind, and surface air temperature; the decadal variations of the East Asian winter mon- soon (EAWM) intensity and EAWM-related circulation, and the interdecadal variations of EAWM-related circulation are systematically evaluated. The results indicate that 16 models can weakly simulate the declin- ing trend of the EAWM in the 1980s. More than half of the models produce relatively reasonable decadal variations of the EAWM-related circulation and the interdecadal di?erences of EAWM-related circulation between the boreal winters of 1960-1985 and 1986-1998, including the weakened Siberian high, Aleutian low, and East Asian trough, the enhanced Arctic oscillation and North Pacific oscillation, and a deepened polar vortex. It is found that the performance of the multi-selected-model ensemble in reproducing the spatial dis- tribution of the variations is encouraging, although the variational amplitudes are generally smaller than the observations. In addition, it is found that BCCR_BCM2.0, CGCM3.1_T63, CNRM_CM3, CSIRO_MK3.0, GISS-ER, INM_CM3.0, and MRI_CGCM2.3.2 perform well in every aspect     

Microseismicity in a flooded potash mine,the Hope mine,Federal Republic of Germany

Measuring of microseismic events has been carried out at the former potash mine of Hope since early 1984.Analysis of the data demonstrates an immediate temporal relationship between brine introduction and onset of microseismic activity. The spatial distribution of the sources indicates a dependence on brine level height. Sources are found preferentially immediately next to roads and workings. Source radii, estimated from the frequency ranges in the seismograms, varied with the cross-section of neighbouring cavities and had a similar, order of size.Events occurred rarely in the previously flooded mine sections Similarly, the zone below a depth of approx. 600 m below sea level was virtually inactive.     

Modeling long term lake variations by physically based stochastic dynamic models

Several physically based stochastic dynamic models (SDM) are described including year-to-year variations of water volume in terminal and non-terminal lakes, streamflow of lake-fed rivers, and salinity of an inland sea (the Sea of Azov). All of these models are based upon the SDM of water volume of terminal lakes developed by Kritzky and Menkel in 1946 in co-operation with Kolomogorov. Explicit formulae are derived for second order statistical moments of the output processes, including variance, correlation function, spectra, etc., under the assumption that the forcing functions from stationary random sequences. The least-squares prediction problem is solved for both stationary and non-stationary cases. Some of the processes are shown to possess high statistical predictability. Actual predictions are compared with independent observations. Problems for further study are stated.     

Historical changes in sediments of Pyramid Lake,Nevada, USA: consequences of changes in the water balance of a terminal desert lake

Sediment cores from the shallow and deep basins of Pyramid Lake, Nevada, revealed variations in composition with depth reflecting changes in lake level, river inflow, and lake productivity. Recent sediments from the period of historical record indicate: (1) CaCO₃ and organic content of sediment in the shallow basin decrease at lower lake level, (2) CaCO₃ content of deep basin sediments increases when lake level decreases rapidly, and (3) the inorganic P content of sediments increases with decreasing lake volume. Variations in sediment composition also indicate several periods for which productivity in Pyramid Lake may have been elevated over the past 1000 years. Our data provide strong evidence for increased productivity during the first half of the 20th Century, although the typical pattern for cultural eutrophication was not observed. The organic content of sediments also suggests periods of increased productivity in the lake prior to the discovery and development of the region by white settlers. Indeed, a broad peak in organic fractions during the 1800's originates as an increase starting around 1600. However, periods of changing organic content of sediments also correspond to periods when inflow to the lake was probably at extremes (e.g. drought or flood) indicating that fluctuations in river inflow may be an important factor affecting sediment composition in Pyramid Lake.     

Observations of geomagnetic pulsations and variations with a new borehole magnetometer down to depths of 3000 m

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A triaxial magnetometer has been developed for investigating the in situ skin effect of horizontal geomagnetic pulsations and variations in deep boreholes. The observations were carried out in the pilot borehole of the Continental Deep Drilling Program of Germany (KTB) down to depths of 3000 m and up to temperature of 90 C. A weak skin effect, due to the known very low conductivity of the penetrated crystalline rocks, of 90 to 95 per cent in amplitude and -5 to -10 rotation in phase has been observed at periods of 10 s and magnetometer depth of 2400 m.
An essential prerequisite for all calculations is the accurate determination of the orientation of the downhole magnetometer. It is demonstrated how oriented record samples of temporal variations at depth correlate precisely with those from the surface.
Results from surface magnetotelluric (MT) investigations show strong local distortions of the telluric field. The distortion of the MT tensor response has been determined by means of newly introduced skin-effect transfer functions, which are assumed to be undistorted.