Factors affecting habitat occupancy of fish assemblage in the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea)

Species composition, richness and abundance of the fish assemblage were studied over six different inshore macrohabitats in the southern part of the Gulf of Trieste (Northern Adriatic Sea) using the visual counts technique. Fifteen environmental variables were taken into consideration in order to determine microhabitat preferences of fish species, using canonical correspondence analysis and electivity indices. The results suggest that the structure of the fish assemblage in shallow habitats is affected by a large number of interplaying factors. Depth, type of bottom and vegetation cover – incorporating both abiotic and biotic variables – are some of the factors responsible for coastal fish distribution. Microhabitat preferences for 29 fish species are presented in the depth range from 0.5 to 3 m.     

Nitrite-induced enhancement of toxicity of phenanthrene in fish and its implications for coastal waters

Coastal areas are prone to varying degrees of anthropogenic chemical contamination. In many coastal environments experiencing reducing conditions in the water column, nitrite is produced as a result of denitrification. With a view to determining the effect of a natural stress such as the presence of nitrite in water on the xenobiotic metabolism in fish, the euryhaline cichlid Oreochromis mossambicus was exposed for up to 9 days to environmentally relevant concentrations of water-borne nitrite and phenanthrene, a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon.Analyses of different biomarkers in the treated fish indicated significant increase in the metabolism of phenanthrene as a result of exposure to nitrite. For example, the activity of the biotransformation enzyme measured as 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity was, in the presence of 1 μM nitrite, nearly twice that produced by phenanthrene alone. Similarly, biliary fixed fluorescence values reflecting phenanthrene and its metabolites were rendered 1.7 times higher when exposed simultaneously to nitrite. Contact with nitrite and phenanthrene together also led to severe hepatic damage with possible cell death as inferred from the large enhancement in sorbitol dehydrogenase activity in the serum and reduced liver somatic index.     

Ammonia Nitrogen at the Water–Sediment Interface in Puck Bay (Baltic Sea)

The magnitude of the exchange flux at the water–sediment interface was determined on the basis of the ammonia concentration gradient at the near-bottom water–interstitial interface and Fick's first law. It was established that in Puck Bay, ammonia almost always passes from the sediment to water. Ammonia flux varied from 5 to 1434 μmol NH₄-N m⁻² day⁻¹. In total,c. 138·2 tonneammonia year⁻¹pass from sediments of Internal Puck Bay to near-bottom water, the equivalent value for External Puck Bay being 686·9 tonne year⁻¹. In total, about 825 tonne ammonia year⁻¹passes from the sediment to near-bottom water of Puck Bay. In interstitial waters, ammonia occurred in concentrations varying over a wide range (3–1084 μmol NH₄-N dm⁻³).The basic factors affecting the magnitude of ammonia concentration in interstitial waters included: oxidation of organic matter, type of sediment, and inflow of fresh underground waters to the region examined.This paper involves preliminary studies only and constitutes a continuation of the studies on ionic macrocomponents and phosphorus in interstitial waters of Puck Bay undertaken previously.     

南海混合层年循环特征

通过分析Levitus1994版气候平均温盐资料，得到南海混合层的时空分布特征，剖析了混合层浓度及其内部温度的季节变化规律。资料分析表明：季风通风流场调整对南海混合层的时空分布着明显的影响。这种影响的复杂性在于它不但通过海洋表层Ekman效应来影响混合层深度，而且还通过大尺度环流造成的幅散或辐合来限制或促进混合层深度的发展。研究发现混合层深度与混合层内温度存在着如下关系：夏季最大混合层的形成是28℃等温线与混合层底达到相互贴合的过程；冬季最大混合层的形成是28℃水体完全消失并且等温度线与混合层达到相交最多、相交最为垂直的过程，这时对应着冬季南海北部温跃层的通风；大于或等于28℃的水体总是位于混合层以内。     

Sensitivity studies with the three-dimensional multi-level model for tidal motion

A three-dimensional multi-level hydrodynamic model has recently been developed and applied to tidal motion in Singapore’s coastal waters. This paper describes a series of numerical experiments to evaluate the sensitivity of the tidal currents and elevations to model parameters. The results show that the predicted tidal elevations are insensitive to three model parameters: horizontal eddy viscosity coefficient (Smagorinsky constant, c_h), bottom friction coefficient (c_b) and internal friction coefficient (c_v), whereas the effects of these parameters are quite different for tidal current velocities. The velocities are slightly reduced with an increase in c_h and c_b. The bottom friction effects on velocity profiles increase with water depth. The effect of c_v might be significant for the tidal velocities at all levels. The velocities at upper layers of the water column decrease with the increase in c_v, whereas the velocities at the bottom layer show the reverse trend. The effects of three model parameters on the magnitude and phase of the simulated currents are in the order (from strong to weak) of c_v, c_b and c_h.     

An Integrated Approach to Fatigue Life Prediction of Whole System for Offshore Platforms

The failure of one or even more components usually does not lead to the collapse of the whole structure. Most of the analysis of fatigue is centered on only a single component which the researchers are interested in or much attention should be paid to. However, the collapse of a structure is the result of failure of a series of components in a specific order or path. This paper proposes an integrated approach to fatigue life prediction of whole structural system for offshore platforms, mainly describing the basic principles and prediction method. A method is presented for determining the failure path of the whole structure system and calculating the fatigue life in the determined failure path. The corresponding final collapse criteria for the whole structure system are discussed. A simple method of equivalent fatigue stress range calculation and a mathematical model of structural component fatigue life estimation in consideration of sea wave and sea ice loads are provided. As an application of the propo     

Formation of the chemical composition of brackish and brine groundwater in the Tuva depression and surrounding areas

Groundwater with high salinity is widespread in different climatic and geologic environments of the world. The formation of its chemical composition, however, is still debatable. The chemical composition of groundwater has been studied in 19 springs of the Tuva depression. In this area, hydrocarbonate, sulfate, and chloride waters with different cation compositions discharge. Their TDS value varies mainly from 1 to 6 g/L, reaching 315 g/L at only one locality. The chemical composition of the studied waters is reflective of the geostructural, hydrogeologic, landscape, and geochemical conditions. The main processes determining the chemical composition of the waters are their interaction with aluminosilicate minerals, dissolution of gypsum and halite, evaporation, and oxidation of sulfide minerals.     

Intermediate Waters in the East/Japan Sea

Properties of the intermediate layer in the East/Japan Sea are examined by using CREAMS data taken mainly in summer of 1995. Vertical profiles of potential temperature, salinity and dissolved oxygen and relationships between these physical and chemical properties show that the dissolved oxygen concentration of 250 μmol/l, roughly corresponding to 0.6°C at the depth of about 400 db, makes a boundary between intermediate and deep waters. Water colder than 0.6°C has a very stable relationship between potential temperature and salinity while salinity of the water warmer than 0.6°C is lower in the western Japan Basin than that in the eastern Japan Basin. The low salinity water with high oxygen corresponds to the East Sea Intermediate Water (ESIW; <34.06 psu, >250 μmol/l and >1.0°C) which was previously identified by Kim and Chung (1984) and the high salinity water with high oxygen found in eastern Japan Basin is named as the High Salinity Intermediate Water (HSIW; >34.07 psu, >250 μmol/l and >0.6°C). Spatial distribution of salinity and acceleration potential on the surface of σ_ϑ = 27.2 kg/m³ shows that the ESIW prevailing in the western Japan Basin is transported eastward by a zonal flow along the polar front near 40°N and a cyclonic gyre in the eastern Japan Basin is closely related to the HSIW. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Dissolved oxygen levels in estuarine and coastal waters around Ireland

This paper presents the status of summer oxygen conditions in estuarine and coastal waters around Ireland between 2003 and 2007. Of the 95 water bodies surveyed, 85 had oxygen levels sufficient to support aquatic life. This corresponds to a surface area of 3125 km² or 99.4% of the total area assessed. Ten water bodies, representing a surface area of 20.2 km², were deficient in oxygen but still capable of supporting most aquatic life. No evidence of hypoxia (<2.0 mg/l O₂) or anoxia (<0.2 mg/l O₂) was found. Dissolved oxygen conditions in a number of estuaries continue to improve, probably due to improved municipal waste water treatment. The implementation of measures contained in both the Nitrates and Urban Waste Water Treatment Directives, together with those of the Water Framework Directive, should ensure areas of oxygen deficiency are eliminated from Irish waters.     

Aquatic and swamp plant communities as indicators of habitat properties of astatic water bodies in north-eastern Poland

Phytosociological and habitat studies were conducted on the water and swamp vegetation of astatic water bodies within north-eastern Poland. The phytocoenoses were selected on the basis of dominance of species forming the particular communities. The analysis of 147 relevés showed the existence of 10 vegetation types: Lemnetum minoris, Spirodeletum polyrrhizae, Riccietum fluitantis, Elodeetum canadensis, Polygonetum natantis, Typhetum latifoliae, Caricetum elatae, Calletum palustris, Potentilletum palustris, Menyanthetum trifoliatae. Among the properties of water analysed water depth, , pH, total and carbonate hardness, PO₄³⁻, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺ and Na⁺ were found to be most important in differentiating the habitats of the vegetation types studied. Substrate properties, which best differentiated the habitats of the associations studied were NO₃⁻, Na⁺, water content, pH and total N. In spite of the wide variability of habitat conditions occurring in astatic water bodies, particular phytocoenoses distinguished on the basis of dominance of one species were associated with specific habitats. The particular phytocoenoses or groups of phytocoenoses could be good indicators of various habitat conditions that occur within astatic water bodies or changes taking place in these habitats.