Gene flow and demographic history of the mangrove crab Neosarmatium meinerti: A case study from the western Indian Ocean

Most marine organisms are characterized by at least one planktonic phase during their life history, potentially allowing interconnection of populations separated by several hundred kilometers. For many years, the idea that marine species are genetically homogenous throughout their range of distribution, due to passive larval transport, has been a paradigm. Nowadays, a growing number of studies underline the existence of boundaries in the marine realm and highlight how larval dispersal is a complex process depending on biotic as well as abiotic factors. Marine fragmented habitats, such as atolls, mangroves and estuaries, are optimal systems for investigating the marine dispersion process under a metapopulation approach, since populations can be geographically defined a priori as opposed to those occupying open marine environments. Within this frame, the present paper investigates the population genetic structure and the demographic history of the mangrove crab Neosarmatium meinerti within the western Indian Ocean by partial sequences of the mitochondrial DNA cytochrome oxidase subunit I. A total of 167 specimens were sampled from six mangrove sites distributed along the East African coast, from Kenya to South Africa, also including a mangrove forest located on Mahé Island, Seychelles. A sharp genetic break between the mainland and the Seychelles is recorded, revealing the existence of two historically distinct groups that can be defined as independent evolutionary units. Gene flow along the East African coast appears to be high enough to form a single metapopulation, probably by means of stepping stone populations. Otherwise, this mainland metapopulation is currently under expansion through a gradual moving front from the subtropical toward the equatorial populations.     

Capabilities of the bathymetric Hawk Eye LiDAR for coastal habitat mapping: A case study within a Basque estuary

The bathymetric LiDAR system is an airborne laser that detects sea bottom at high vertical and horizontal resolutions in shallow coastal waters. This study assesses the capabilities of the airborne bathymetric LiDAR sensor (Hawk Eye system) for coastal habitat mapping in the Oka estuary (within the Biosphere Reserve of Urdaibai, SE Bay of Biscay, northern Spain), where water conditions are moderately turbid. Three specific objectives were addressed: 1) to assess the data quality of the Hawk Eye LiDAR, both for terrestrial and subtidal zones, in terms of height measurement density, coverage, and vertical accuracy; 2) to compare bathymetric LiDAR with a ship-borne multibeam echosounder (MBES) for different bottom types and depth ranges; and 3) to test the discrimination potential of LiDAR height and reflectance information, together with multi-spectral imagery (three visible and near infrared bands), for the classification of 22 salt marsh and rocky shore habitats, covering supralittoral, intertidal and subtidal zones. The bathymetric LiDAR Hawk Eye data enabled the generation of a digital elevation model (DEM) of the Oka estuary, at 2 m of horizontal spatial resolution in the terrestrial zone (with a vertical accuracy of 0.15 m) and at 4 m within the subtidal, extending a water depth of 21 m. Data gaps occurred in 14.4% of the area surveyed with the LiDAR (13.69 km²). Comparison of the LiDAR system and the MBES showed no significant mean difference in depth. However, the Root Mean Square error of the former was high (0.84 m), especially concentrated upon rocky (0.55–1.77 m) rather than in sediment bottoms (0.38–0.62 m). The potential of LiDAR topographic variables and reflectance alone for discriminating 15 intertidal and submerged habitats was low (with overall classification accuracy between 52.4 and 65.4%). In particular, reflectance retrieved for this case study has been found to be not particularly useful for classification purposes. The combination of the LiDAR-based DEM and derived topographical features with the near infrared and visible bands has permitted the mapping of 22 supralittoral, intertidal and subtidal habitats of the Oka estuary, with high overall classification accuracies of between 84.5% and 92.1%, using the maximum likelihood algorithm. The airborne bathymetric Hawk Eye LiDAR, although somewhat limited by water turbidity and wave breaking, provides unique height information obscured from topographic LiDAR and acoustic systems, together with an improvement of the habitat mapping reliability in the complex and dynamic coastal fringe.     

The divergent environmental characteristics of permanently-open,seasonally-open and normally-closed estuaries of south-western Australia

This study has compared the environmental characteristics of the basins and saline lower reaches of the tributaries of eight estuaries on the south coast of Western Australia, which differ in their degree of connectivity with the ocean. Although four estuaries between 115.1° and 121.8° E along that coast remain permanently open to the ocean, the others only become open when the volume of river discharge is sufficient to breach the prominent sand bars at their mouths, which occurs annually following heavy winter and early spring rainfall in some estuaries (seasonally open) and infrequently in others (normally closed). Estuaries to the west of 118.5° E are predominantly permanently open, e.g. Oyster Harbour, or seasonally open, e.g. Broke, Irwin and Wilson inlets, whereas those further east, e.g. Wellstead Estuary and Hamersley, Culham and Stokes inlets, where annual rainfall and thus discharge are much lower, only become open after exceptionally heavy discharge. In permanently and seasonally-open estuaries, pronounced haloclines and oxyclines are present in the narrow rivers but not the wide basins where the waters are subjected to wind-driven mixing. The extent of cyclical seasonal fluctuations in environmental conditions differed markedly among the three seasonally-open estuaries and between years in one of those systems. These differences reflected variations in the relationship between the volume of fluvial discharge, which is determined by a combination of the amount of local rainfall, catchment size and extent of clearing of native vegetation, and the amount of intrusion by marine waters, which is largely controlled by the size and duration of the opening of the estuary mouth. The mean seasonal salinities in the basins of the three normally-closed estuaries increased over three years of very low rainfall to 64 in the deepest of these estuaries (Stokes Inlet) to 145 in Hamersley Inlet and to 296 in the shallowest estuary (Culham Inlet). These results demonstrate that the environmental characteristics of estuaries on the south coast of Western Australia differ markedly, even among those of the same type, e.g. seasonally-open estuaries or normally-closed estuaries.     

Circulation and dispersion in a cancellate coast: The rivers,bays and estuaries of central Maine

The glacially carved central coast of Maine is incised by river systems with interconnecting channels, offshore-trending submarine ridges, and narrow passages between nearshore islands and headlands. The tidal range exceeds 3 m, leading to complex and vigorous circulation patterns with strong flows in narrow channels, near river mouths, and between islands. The spongiform coastal morphology allows enhanced exchange between offshore waters, estuaries and internecine bays, resulting in rapid dispersal of nutrients, larvae and contaminants throughout the region. A fine-grid numerical circulation model has been used to examine the influences of the tides, river flows and winds on the dispersion of lobster larvae and pollutants in the nearshore and riverine environment. This paper describes the model application, presents a few salient features of the circulation patterns, and examines some implications for the coastal environment. For example, under realistic tides and variable southwest summer winds, about 80% of neutral near-surface particles introduced near the offshore islands (a proxy for stage IV lobster larvae from offshore sources) remain within a few km of the islands over a two-week period. On the other hand, a persistent, periodic sea breeze can remove more than two-thirds of the particles from the domain over the same period. Tidal mixing disperses pollutants entering the upper Kennebec River to the offshore and through internecine passages in about one week.     

Numerical Simulation of Water Level Under Interaction Between Runoff and Estuarine Dynamics in Tidal Reach of the Yangtze River

The Yangtze Estuary, the largest estuary in China, is under an obvious interaction between runoff and astronomical tide. The research on the interaction is very important for the exploitation and utilization of water resources in this area. A horizontal 2D hydrodynamic numerical model is established and verified in the present study with the modeling range from Datong to the Yangtze Estuary. Based on the comparison of high water levels under the interaction between different runoff and estuarine dynamics, s...     

江苏吕四海岸沉积动力特征及侵蚀过程

海岸侵蚀与水动力之间有着密切的关系.基于现场调查和资料收集,探讨了吕四海岸地貌、水动力、泥沙运动以及沉积与动力之间的响应.研究结果表明,风浪和潮流是塑造吕四海岸的主要动力.风浪年内变化按向岸风频率可分为高频期(10 月至翌年 1月)、转频期(2 月、3 月和 9 月)和低频期(4～8月)三个时期.风浪高频期,潮滩冲蚀,物质粗化;低频期,潮滩淤积,物质细化;转频期,时冲时淤,动态稳定.潮流作用主要表现为输沙淤滩和侧蚀滩脚.在风浪高频期,滩脚同时受到风浪冲蚀和潮流侧蚀,向岸后退,使吕四岸段成为隐性侵蚀型海岸.岸滩塑造对沉积动力响应显著,东部处于滨岸环境,在潮流和风浪的作用下,沉积物由岸向海变粗;西部还受径流影响,处于滨岸-河口环境,物质由岸向海变细.在水动力要素中,风浪是导致岸滩侵蚀的主控动力,而潮流则是近岸泥沙进行滩槽滩槽交换和循环输运的输运动力.     

台风作用下淤泥质海岸动力地貌响应

基于200509号麦莎台风(近似百年一遇)作用前后杭州湾北岸龙泉-南竹港实测的海岸地形和水文资料,利用分形技术、冲刷深度和闭合水深等相关概念分析淤泥质海岸的剖面变化、岸线进退以及地形冲淤,进而探讨海岸响应台风作用的动力地貌行为.结果表明:1)台风作用前后的海岸动力地貌过程表现为水下类似沙坝的堆积体削平、凹处填洼,水下平台发育锯齿或较小的坝--槽,海岸剖面的分维数降低,剖面坡度处于平缓;2)麦莎台风对海床的整体冲淤幅度不大,这可能是由于研究区大潮讯的增水致使波浪对海床的塑造能力减弱以及码头的遮蔽作用造成;3)台风作用对海岸的冲刷深度约为0.8 m,闭合水深为9.5 m,近岸-1 m邻近区成为海岸响应台风作用最敏感的地带;泥沙主要在0 m到闭合水深区间的海床发生纵、横向运移.     

苏北废黄河三角洲海岸时空演变遥感分析

基于遥感与地理信息系统技术,使用苏北废黄河三角洲海岸地区1978,1987和2000年的Landsat卫星遥感数据,选取岸线指标与波段,提取岸线信息,生成1978-1987年和1987-2000年海岸土地增减时空变化分布图,建立岸线变化距离及增速衡量指标,定量分析了废黄河三角洲海岸面积变化特征,以及灌河口-中山河口、中山河口-扁担港口和扁担港口-双洋河口以南岸段的时空变化格局与分布特征.研究结果表明,废黄河三角洲海岸的自然侵蚀速率呈减小趋势,但侵蚀作用仍在继续.侵蚀强度以废黄河口地区为中心,向南北两侧逐渐减弱.人工保滩护岸措施在一定程度上影响着自然侵蚀格局.其内部各岸段分别呈现缓蚀、侵蚀和基本侵淤平衡的变化格局.     

Marine hazards in coastal areas and human action against them—A case study of the Changjiang River estuaries and Qiantang River

China's eastern coastal area marine hazards (storm surge, erosion and deposition by tidal currents and seawater intrusion) and the history, present situation, experiences and problems of inhabitants in their fight against marine hazards are discussed in this paper, which also suggests counter-measures against, and scientific and rational management of, coastal area marine hazards in order to protect the coastal and estuarine ecosystems.     

江苏北部开敞淤泥质海岸的侵蚀过程及防护

开敞淤泥质海岸是淤泥质海岸的主要类型，其自然演变过程，主要受沿海河流泥沙供应条件的制约，一旦泥沙供应消失，海岸往往进入不可逆转的侵蚀过程。江苏北部淤泥质海岸的侵蚀过程，起自１８５５年黄河入海口北归利津入海以后，主要是在近岸破波对岸滩物质的冲刷和潮流的输移扩散作用下进行的。通过对淤泥质海岸动力和沉积物性质的认识和概化，对海岸侵蚀过程作出定量模拟，并对该地区海岸防护工程作出评价和讨论。