Evaluation of mine tailings effects on a benthic marine infaunal community over 29 years

Benthic infaunal and sediment data collected over 29 years were used to examine the extent and geographic range of effects and recovery from submarine tailings deposition. Empirical data were used to determine extreme and moderate effects, and identify near-, mid- and far-field zones. A simple probability test using overlap in frequency distributions was then used to determine less obvious effects, identify "normal" or "reference" conditions, and verify the geographic range of effect zones. Tailings thickness and sediment particulate copper were elevated from the outfall to 16-20 km distant, particularly below discharge depth (50 m). Changes in tailings thickness and copper levels before, during and after mining showed three distinct impact zones below discharge depth: near-field (<5 km from outfall); mid-field (5-16 km); and far-field (20 + km). Consistent faunal declines during mining were noted at sediment particulate copper levels >300 microg g(-1), and sediment tailings thickness > 15-20 cm. Extreme impoverishment at these sediment levels were; < 100 animals/m2, <2.5 g/m2 biomass and <7 taxa per station. No stations with >300 microg g(-1) copper and 20 cm tailings had more than 40 taxa. Amphipods were particularly affected by tailings, with distributions reflecting the instability in sediments from heavy deposition and/or shifting of tailings due to resuspension. The probability testing method assumed that reference conditions existed in far-field stations. There was no difference in abundance distributions between near-, mid- and far-field zones. Total taxa per station during mining was significantly reduced (<45) in both near- and mid-field stations compared with far-field (less than 10% overlap in distributions). One midfield station in Quatsino Sound (23) was in reference condition throughout the study period. Post-closure stations in the near- and mid-field had total taxa numbers approaching far-field conditions (overlap of 62% in distributions). Within 3 years following closure, total taxa values were within the far-field range for all stations sampled. Biomass showed a distinct decline in the near-field during mining, but with more overlap in near-field and far-field distributions (27%) than for total taxa per station, and was returning to far-field conditions in the post-closure years. A multivariate (Bray-Curtis) measure of dissimilarity indicated that the near- and mid-field infaunal compositions were distinct from the far-field during mining (< 10% overlap in distributions). The mid-field composition overlapped more with the far-field in the post-closure years, but the near-field composition did not, suggesting that the mine tailings are still affecting the fauna. The most abundant taxon in each of the reference and near-field station groups both showed significantly distinct relative abundance distributions between near- and far-field stations. In summary, the probability method showed that species richness, biomass, species composition and indicator taxa were useful for differentiating affected and non-affected stations. Polychaetes recolonize stable tailings most quickly, and have dominated the tailings stations in the post-closure years. Amphipods have recolonized sporadically, but seem to be highly sensitive to tailings stability. There was no evidence of recovery in dominant bivalves or echinoderms within three years after mine closure.     

Estrogenic responses of larval sunshine bass (Morone saxatilis x M. Chrysops) exposed to New York City sewage effluent

To determine the estrogenicity of effluents from sewage treatment plants (STPs) to larval fish, 2-day-old sunshine bass were exposed to effluents from three STPs serving New York City (NYC), varying in size and treatment level. Estrogenic response was evaluated by measuring vitellogenin (VTG) and estrogen receptor (ER) expression in cytosolic fractions of whole body homogenates. Concentrations of the presumptive endocrine disruptors in the effluents were also measured. VTG and ER levels in sewage-exposed fish were 3-5 times that observed in controls. Combined concentrations of estradiol and estrone ranged from 5 to 13 ng/l and nonylphenol-ethoxylate metabolites (NPEOs: 4-nonylphenol, and 1-, 2-, and 3-nonylphenol-ethoxylates) ranged from 180 to 470 microg/l in chlorinated effluent. Results indicate that both ER and VTG can be used as biomarkers for endocrine disruption in larval fish, and that 4-day exposure to sewage effluent is sufficient to elicit significant expression of these markers in sunshine bass larvae. The extremely higher concentrations of NPEOs found in effluent relative to hormones (approximately 40,000-fold) indicates that surfactant metabolites may be contributing significantly to the estrogenic effects observed.     

黄河三角洲孤东近岸冲淤演变及其影响因素

为更好地了解近40年来孤东近岸的演变过程,以研究区剖面水深地形、Landsat影像和利津站水沙数据为数据源,采用遥感技术及数理统计法对研究区域岸线及面积变化进行监测计算,并分析1976—1986年、1986—1996年、1996—2002年、2002—2014年4个不同阶段的冲淤演变及影响因素。结果表明:(1)孤东近岸经历"强淤积-冲淤平衡-侵蚀-强侵蚀"4个阶段。孤东近岸海域由淤积向侵蚀转变始于1996年,且在2002—2014年间侵蚀最为严重,大部分近岸海域蚀深达到6～8 m,侵蚀最大深度超过8 m;(2)等深线变化时空差异明显,蚀退最先出现在北侧,且近岸5 m水深区域内冲淤变化较水深10 m内敏感;(3)研究区近岸侵蚀,离岸淤积,剖面冲淤平衡位置由CS19剖面的11 m水深变化到CS21剖面的5m水深;(4)黄河入海水沙的减少、河口人工改汊、孤东大堤建设和海洋动力作用都对孤东近岸的冲淤演变产生影响,维持研究区冲淤平衡的年均来沙阈值为3.78亿t/a。通过此来进一步探究孤东近岸演变进程,为孤东近岸防护提供科学指导。     

青海锡铁山铅锌矿床喷流管道相识别、控矿作用及其对矿床成因和找矿勘查意义

锡铁山铅锌矿床位于柴达木盆地北缘中段,有关该矿床成因问题一直存在争议。矿床成因认识直接影响到控矿因素的选择,进而决定着成矿规律研究和找矿方向的判断。基于地质调查及岩心编录、岩相学特征、勘探图件和硫同位素组成综合分析,在锡铁山矿区识别出３处海底喷流管道相,位置大致与矿区横切滩间山群的沟谷相当。在喷流管道相内部,深部热液隐爆流纹质角砾岩、中部蚀变岩和上部（复成分）角砾矿石构成了 “喷流管道三位一体”内部结构。并且,基于３处喷流管道相特征,恢复了锡铁山矿区早期海底喷流作用过程。围绕喷流管道附近铅锌矿化集中发育,深部热液隐爆流纹质角砾岩控制着矿体底界深度和矿区矿体总体ＳＥ侧伏趋势,矿区ＳＥ侧中间沟深部应是近期找矿工作的重点。      

新闻速递

几乎不含重元素的球状星团球状星团是由成千上万甚至数十万颗恒星组成的恒星群体,外形通常大致呈球形,外围恒星比较疏散,越往中心,恒星越密集。通常球状星团当中的恒星诞生于银河系形成早期,这时候宇宙当中金属元素还不多,因此其中恒星的金属丰度也通常比较低。     

獐子岛养殖区夏季底层水温快速变化的机理分析

Rapid changes in the near-bottom water temperature are important environmental factors that can significantly affect the growth and development of species in the bottom culture. The object of this research is to investigate the mechanism causing these rapid changes within a bottom culture area near the Zhangzi Island. The hydrographic transects observations in the North Yellow Sea(NYS) suggest that our mooring station is very close to the tidal mixing front. The horizontal advection of the tidal front has induced the observed tidal change of bottom temperature at the mooring station. Analysis of the mooring near-bottom temperature and current measurements show that the angle between the tidal current horizontal advection and the swing of the tidal front is crucial in determining the variation trend of temperature. When the angle equals 90°, the horizontal tidal current advects along the isotherms so the temperature remains the same. When the angle is between 0° and 90°, the seawater moves from deep water to the warmer coastal zone and the temperature decreases. In contrast, the horizontal tidal advection moves the coastal warm water to the mooring station and the water temperature increases when the angle is between 90° and 180°. The amplitude of the temperature change is proportional to the magnitude of the horizontal temperature gradient and the tidal excursion in the direction of the temperature gradient. This study may facilitate the choice of culture area in order to have a good aquaculture production.