Effects of metals and sediment particle size on the species composition of the epifauna of Pinna bicolor near a lead smelter,Spencer Gulf,South Australia

Pinna bicolor (Mollusca: Pelecypoda) were transplanted between four sites near a lead smelter. The species composition of their epifauna (sessile and mobile) was examined in relation to characteristics of both sediments and seston at the sites. Seventy-two taxa were distinguished in the epifaunal community. Substantial differences were found in the short-term sensitivity of some of the species to concentrations of Cd, Pb and Zn in sediments and to sediment particle size. The short-term sensitivity of many species to metals or sediment particle size explained their long-term distribution pattern. Twenty-three taxa were identified as significantly characterizing the faunal differences. Of these, eleven (four molluscs, four bryozoans, two barnacles and one ascidian) were affected by both sediment metal concentration and particle size, and eight (four molluscs, one bryozoan, one polychaete, one hydroid and one barnacle) were affected by metal contamination but not particle size. Of all fauna examined, the Bryozoa were the most metal-sensitive. Four species, Smittina raigii (Bryozoa), Galeolaria sp. 1 (Polychaeta), Epopella simplex (Cirripedia) and Monia ione (Pelecypoda) were identified by their short- and long-term sensitivity to metal contamination, and absence of sensitivity to sediment particle size, as suitable species for monitoring the effects of metal contamination on the epifauna. The implications of the results for toxicity-testing are discussed.     

On mean sea-level along the Brazilian coast

Summary. (Part 1) Fourier analyses of mean monthly sea-level data from Belém, Fortaleza, Salvador and Imbituba, ports on the Brazilian coast, are made with simultaneous data of air temperature, sea surface atmospheric pressure, atmospheric precipitation and evaporation. Results show that the mean monthly sea-levels of ports below Recife's latitude show peaks in February-March and April-May which are apparently related to the seasonal temperature changes and the combined action of precipitation, winds and oceanographic large-scale changes. The port of Belém showed a stronger semi-annual seasonal component, which seems to be related to the alternate southern and northern hemispheres' influences of the atmospheric precipitation. (Part 2 of the paper presented at the Symposium concerned the longer term changes of sea-level, including an analysis of principal components. These subjects will be treated in a separate paper.)     

Winter methane dynamics beneath ice and in snow in a temperate poor fen

The influence of winter on methane (CH₄) stored in pore water and emitted through snow was investigated in a temperate poor fen in New Hampshire over two winters. Methane accumulated beneath ice layers (1 cm) deposited by freezing rain, resulting in snow-pore air mixing ratios as high as 140 ppmv during the first winter and 600 ppmv during the second. An early winter snow crust of 300 kg m^?3 caused no discontinuity in a linear mixing ratio profile and therefore was not observed to retard snowpack emissions. Methane concentration-depth profiles in pore water steepened and concentrations increased by as much as 400 μM at the 10 and 20 cm depths as the ice cover formed. This suggests that the peat-ice cover plays an important part in CH₄ build-up in pore water by limiting the transport of gases between the peat and the atmosphere. Pore water concentrations gradually declined through late winter. The seasonality of dissolved CH₄ in pore water over two winters and one summer showed an average annual amplitude of 1.3 gCH₄m^?2 (25–75cm depth range), with a winter maximum of 4.7gCH₄m^?2. Emissions during the winter with average snowfall accounted for a larger percentage (9.2% in 1993–1994) of total annual emission than the winter with below-average snowfall and warmer air temperature (2% in 1994–1995). Emissions averaged 56 and 26mg m^?2 day^?1 during the first and second winter (December, January and February), respectively.     

Factors affecting the elimination of PCBs in the marine copepod Acartia tonsa

The effects of feeding, egg laying, and fecal pellet production on the elimination of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) from the marine copepod Acartia tonsa were studied in a series of experiments. Copepods were exposed to ¹⁴C-labelled Aroclor 1254 and allowed to depurate in clean seawater. Copepods fed during depuration eliminated PCBs more rapidly than unfed copepods whether or not the original PCB exposure medium had contained food. Both eggs and fecal pellets contained PCBs during depuration, with the weight specific concentration of PCB in the eggs (up to 407 ppm, dry weight) exceeding four times that in the females that produced them. Female copepods eliminated PCBs twice as rapidly as males, indicating that egg production is an important route for PCB elimination.     

长江下游越冬期冷暖长期变化与大型环流低频振动

本文运用上海112年月平均温度资料和1月、10月的月平均海平面气压场110年资料,分析了以上海资料为代表的长江下游地区越冬季节温度由偏冷转向偏暖的长期变化及其有关联的大型环流系统的低频振动。发现近百年中前冬11月、12月和后冬2月这三个月的冷暖长期变化相似,特点是前50年左右偏冷占优势;后50年左右偏暖占优势,相应地10月大型环流中亚洲大陆冷高压的优势是前50年偏强偏东;后50年偏弱偏西,北太平洋高压的变化趋势则是前50年偏弱;后50年偏强。1月气温的长期变化与上述11月、12月和2月的冷暖变化不同,对应的大型环流低频振动也不同。     

Studies on the behaviour of nutrients in the Mandovi Estuary during premonsoon

Behaviour of silicate, nitrate and phosphate in the Mandovi Estuary was studied during the premonsoon season. The study shows that silicate is removed from the water column while nitrate showed an internal source. This nitrate source has been identified as the wash water from an iron ore screening plant which discharges the muddy waste directly into the river. Applying mixing relations, the distribution of this nitrate both up- and downstream of the outfall has been studied. Phosphate showed very low concentrations in the low salinity region; however, its concentration increased slightly towards the higher salinity region.     

Trace metals in the Göta river estuary

The concentrations of the trace metals Cd, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pb and Zn in the Göta River estuary have been investigated. The following metal fractions have been determined: acid-leachable, dissolved, labile and particulate.The estuary represents a salt wedge type estuary and is situated in a densely populated region of Sweden. The metal concentrations found for the dissolved fraction is in the range of what can be considered as background levels for freshwater. It is difficult to evaluate any estuarine processes other than conservative mixing for Cd, Cu, Ni and Zn. The dissolved levels in the freshwater end member are Cd, 9–25 ngl^?1; Cu, 1·1–1·4 μgl^?1; Fe, 20–75 μg l^?1: Ni, 0·7–0·9 μg l^?1: Pb 0·09–0·2 μg l^?1; and Zn, 6–7 μg l^?1:The results from the acid-leachable fraction show that at high suspended load the particles sediment in the river mouth. The trace metal levels in this fraction are subject to large variations.     

长江三峡阶地的成因机制

根据对长江三峡阶地堆积物进行的野外调查与室内分析发现三峡阶地的成因具有以下特点:构成阶地上部的河漫滩相堆积、中部的冲积砾石层与作为阶地基座的基岩平台是在不同时期形成的;阶地上部河漫滩相堆积是在中全新世气候温暖、长江三峡高水位条件下形成的.因此,长江三峡阶地是在构造上升的基础上由于气候及长江三峡流量及水位变化而形成的,并非一定是间歇性构造上升的标志.     

Estuarine retention of larvae of the crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii

Larvae of estuarine organisms continually face possible export from the parent estuary. Retention of larvae of the estuarine crab Rhithropanopeus harrisii was investigated in the upper Newport River estuary, North Carolina. All of the developmental stages occurred in the same area of the estuary with similar horizontal distributions, and the concentrations of intermediate and late stages were not greatly reduced from those of the first larval stage. This was strong evidence for the continuous retention of larvae in the upper estuary.To determine mechanisms by which retention might be effected, field studies of the vertical distributions and migrations of these larvae were made. The four zoeal stages had similar but complex vertical migration patterns, which varied from study to study. These migrations centered on the depth of no net flow, reducing longitudinal transport during development. Cross-spectral analysis of the larval migrations and the environmental cycles of light, salinity and current speed revealed that each of these external cycles affected larval depth. Megalopae of R. harrisii also migrated vertically, but they were present in much lower concentrations than the zoeal stages, an indication of a change to benthic existence in this final larval form.