Microbial photosynthesis in coral reef sediments (Heron Reef, Australia)

We investigated microphytobenthic photosynthesis at four stations in the coral reef sediments at Heron Reef, Australia. The microphytobenthos was dominated by diatoms, dinoflagellates and cyanobacteria, as indicated by biomarker pigment analysis. Conspicuous algae firmly attached to the sand grains (ca. 100 μm in diameter, surrounded by a hard transparent wall) were rich in peridinin, a marker pigment for dinoflagellates, but also showed a high diversity based on cyanobacterial 16S rDNA gene sequence analysis. Specimens of these algae that were buried below the photic zone exhibited an unexpected stimulation of respiration by light, resulting in an increase of local oxygen concentrations upon darkening. Net photosynthesis of the sediments varied between 1.9 and 8.5 mmol O₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ and was strongly correlated with Chl a content, which lay between 31 and 84 mg m⁻². An estimate based on our spatially limited dataset indicates that the microphytobenthic production for the entire reef is in the order of magnitude of the production estimated for corals. Photosynthesis stimulated calcification at all investigated sites (0.2–1.0 mmol Ca²⁺ m⁻² h⁻¹). The sediments of at least three stations were net calcifying. Sedimentary N₂-fixation rates (measured by acetylene reduction assays at two sites) ranged between 0.9 to 3.9 mmol N₂ m⁻² h⁻¹ and were highest in the light, indicating the importance of heterocystous cyanobacteria. In coral fingers no N₂-fixation was measurable, which stresses the importance of the sediment compartment for reef nitrogen cycling.     

Characteristics of bottom dissolved oxygen in Long Island Sound,New York

The variability of bottom dissolved oxygen (DO) in Long Island Sound, New York, is examined using water quality monitoring data collected by the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection from 1995 to 2004. Self-organizing map analysis indicates that hypoxia always occurs in the Narrows during summer and less frequently in the Western and the Central Basins. The primary factor controlling the bottom DO, changes spatially and temporally. For non-summer seasons, the levels of bottom DO are strongly associated with water temperature, which means DO availability is primarily driven by solubility. During summer, stratification intensifies under weak wind conditions and bottom DO starts to decrease and deviate from the saturation level except for stations in the Eastern Basin. For the westernmost and shallow (<15 m) stations, bottom DO is correlated with the density stratification (represented by difference between surface and bottom density). In contrast, at deep stations (>20 m), the relationship between oxygen depletion and stratification is not significant. For stations located west of the Central Basin, bottom DO continues to decrease during summer until it reaches its minimum when bottom temperature is around 19–20 °C. In most cases the recovery to saturation levels at the beginning of fall is fast, but not necessarily associated with increased wind mixing. Therefore, we propose that the DO recovery may be a manifestation of either the reduced microbial activity combined with the depletion of organic matter or horizontal exchange. Hypoxic volume is weakly correlated to the summer wind speed, spring total nitrogen, spring chlorophyll a, and maximum river discharge. When all variables are combined in a multiple regression, the coefficient of determination (r²) is 0.92. Surprisingly, the weakest variable is the total nitrogen, because when it is excluded the coefficient r² only drops to 0.84. Spring bloom seems to be an important source of organic carbon pool and biological uptake of oxygen plays a more crucial role in the seasonal evolution of bottom DO than previously thought. Our results indicate that the reassessment phase of the Long Island Sound Total Maximum Daily Load policy on nitrogen loading will most likely fail, because it ignores the contributions of the spring organic carbon pool and river discharge. Also, it is questionable whether the goal of 58.5% anthropogenic nitrogen load reduction is enough.     

Factors controlling dissolved silica in coral reef surface water of Urasoko Bay, Ishigaki Island, Japan

From August 2006 to August 2007, the concentrations of dissolved silica (Si(OH)₄) were monitored in the surface water of Urasoko Bay and the mouth of the stream that runs into the bay. Urasoko Bay is located on the northern coast of Ishigaki Island, Okinawa, Japan, which is in a subtropical area of the North Pacific Ocean and is surrounded by a relatively poorly developed fringing reef. Added to these samples were freshwater from the upstream area and brackish water that exudes at the beach site, which were collected from April to June 2007. Rainwater samples were also collected during the study period. The concentration of Si(OH)₄ generally decreased from upstream to the bay site, and, on clear days, Si(OH)₄ data from all study sites (the bay, beach, stream mouth, and upstream) plotted against salinity fell on a single straight line. When the influence of rainwater was, the results were scattered below the straight line, which suggests dilution by rainwater with a much lower Si(OH)₄ concentration. These findings show that offshore seawater, rainwater, and upstream freshwater regulate the concentration of Si(OH)₄ in the surface water of Urasoko Bay.     

Denitrification in Qi'ao Island coastal zone, the Zhujiang Estuary in China

Samples of sediments and the overlying water were collected in the Qi'ao Island coastal zone, the Zhujiang (Pearl River) Estuary (ZE). Denitrification rates, sediment oxygen demand (SOD) , and fluxes of inorganic nitrogen compounds were investigated with N2 flux method, using a self-designed continuous flow through and auto-sampling system. The results indicate that the denitrification rates varied between 222 and 908 μmol/(m2·h) with an average of 499 μmol/(m2·h). During incubation, the sediments absorbed dissolved oxygen in the overlying water with SOD ranging from 300 to 2 363 μmol/(m2·h). The denitrification rates were highly correlated with the SOD (r2 =0.77) regardless of the NO3- + NO2- concentrations in the overlying water, organ- ic carbon contents in sediments and water temperature, suggesting that the SOD was probably the main environ-mental factor controlling the denitrification in the Qi'ao Island coastal zone. There was a net flux of NO3- + NO2-into the sediments from the overlying water. The NH4+ flux from sediments into water as the result of mineraliza-tion was between 12. 3 and 210. 3 μmol/(m2·h) ,which seems limited by both organic carbon content in sedi-ment and dissolved oxygen concentration in the overlying water.     

海南岛西北部莲花山周缘海相地层的区内对比及意义

根据岩性、产状和地貌等特征,对海南岛西北部莲花山周缘海岸出露的前全新世海相地层5个典型剖面进行区内对比,以恢复该套地层的产出序列,并推测海相地层的分布范围。结合海相地层的沉积时代和莲花山周缘海岸的地貌特征,探讨了该海岸带的地貌演化过程:中更新世以前,有河流自东南向西北经德义岭、莲花山入海,海相地层沉积区属于滨岸环境,是该海岸带当时受海水进退作用的主要区域,接受着波浪从北面、河流从南面带来的沉积物;中更新世至今,受雷琼地区火山活动的影响,河流被隆起的火山锥阻挡而截流或改道,海相地层沉积区则被抬升成为陆地,并在全新世海岸侵蚀作用下,形成了现今宽广的海蚀平台,海岸后退平均速率约为10 cm/a。     

大嵛山附近海域游泳动物种类组成和资源现状及其变化分析

2006年1月～10月福建闽东大嵛山附近海域游泳动物调查研究结果表明,该海域的游泳动物有97种,其中鱼类51种（软骨鱼1种,硬骨鱼类50种）,隶属于9目24科42属;甲壳类42种,隶属于2目15科20属;头足类4种,隶属于3目3科3属.暖水性种类为33种,占鱼类总种数的64.7%;暖温性鱼类18种,占鱼类总种数的35.3%,未出现冷温性和冷水性鱼类.种类数的季节变化依次呈夏季〉冬季〉秋季〉春季.生物量的季节变化,依次呈夏季〉秋季〉春季〉冬季;而生物量尾数的季节变化,依次呈夏季〉春季〉秋季〉冬季.平均单位网次渔获生物量和密度分别为9.53kg/h和1 319 ind/h.生物量优势种和密度优势种分别为大黄鱼和中华管鞭虾.扫海面积法估算年平均现存资源量为57 370 ind/km^2和404.51kg/km^2.同时,本文对该海域游泳生物的资源结构现状与历史调查数据作了对比分析,并讨论了多样性结构与生物量的季节性变化规律.结果表明,该海域渔业资源有严重衰退的现象,多样性结构与生物量的季节性变化并不具有必然的一致性.     

利用TOPEX卫星高度计资料分析台湾岛周边海域巨浪和大风特征

卫星高度计实现了对全球性或区域性的海洋参量的实时监测,TOPEX卫星高度计提供了迄今为止时间序列最长、数据质量最高的全球海面风速和有效波高的同步观测资料。利用TOPEX卫星高度计资料,分析了有效波高4m以上的巨浪在台湾岛周边海域的时空分布特征,结果表明台湾岛周边海域巨浪的分布具有明显的季节特征。每年平均有效波高最大值大多数出现在夏季,春季是1a中有效波高最小的季节,而秋季和冬季是巨浪出现频率最高的季节。波高大于6m的巨浪大都出现在台湾岛东部及东北部海域,在南部海域出现较少。     

东濮凹陷沙三段盐岩成因及含盐地层层序划分

东濮凹陷沙三段高水位期沉积深灰色、暗色泥岩与少量重力流砂体,低水位期沉积盐岩、膏岩、低位三角洲与扇三角洲,从而形成纵向上深湖泥岩与蒸发岩、低位砂岩的频繁互层沉积。根据岩心资料、盐岩沉积序列特点及沙三段沉积期古气候和古环境特点,认为盐岩为浅水蒸发成因。深水相泥岩与浅水成因的盐岩频繁互层表明沙三段沉积期湖平面变化频繁。基于盐韵律特征划分准层序的方法,使得层序地层划分更为符合东濮凹陷含盐地层的实际情况。     

涠洲岛潮滩表层沉积物中重金属的空间分布及其环境质量评价

根据2006年4月对涠洲岛潮滩表层沉积物的调查资料,分析了表层沉积物中重金属元素Hg、Cu、Pb、Zn、Cd、Cr、As的含量水平及空间分布特征,运用单因子评价法对其环境质量进行了评估,并通过相关性分析、因子分析探讨了几种重金属元素的物源.结果表明:涠洲岛潮滩环境质量状况良好,各元素均未达到污染水平,多数地区存在Cu的玷污,个别地区存在As的玷污;各分析元素较多的累积在人为活动相对频繁的XKZ、W05断面附近区域;Hg、Cu、Zn、Cr显著正相关,以环境背景来源为主,Pb、As较多的受到人为因素的影响.     

广西北海涠洲岛海岸侵蚀特征

通过对2006-2013年布设在涠洲岛的15条岸滩剖面3次重复测量和数据对比分析,发现涠洲岛岸线整体遭受侵蚀.岸滩剖面长期变化特征表明,涠洲岛东部与西南部海岸侵蚀较为严重,西南部岸段年均下蚀可达0.18 m;正北部岸滩海岸侵蚀程度相对较轻,南湾段海岸整体变化较小,呈现弱侵蚀弱淤积变化.在短期强热带风暴影响下,冬季至夏季岸滩下蚀明显.