Back to the future: reflections and directions of South African marine bioinvasion research

Biological invasions continue to increase around the world, with impacts on many coastal marine systems. Here we review the South African marine invasion literature which, despite the field being relatively new, has grown to have significant presence in both the local and international arenas. Of the 79 papers reviewed, 70% focused on the establishment and spread of alien species, with modes of transport and introduction largely overlooked. An emphasis was also apparent towards field studies, in particular survey work, with few experimental studies. The overwhelming majority of papers focused on a single species, the Mediterranean mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis, reflecting the scale of this invasion and the tractable nature of rocky shores as study systems. With the exception of this one species, the impacts of marine alien species have rarely been quantified. We suggest that future research extends the taxonomic coverage of present work and develops a better understanding of the mechanisms of introduction, establishment and spread of marine alien species. Through an experimental approach, the drivers of altered ecological patterns and processes resulting from invasions should be addressed, providing insight into associated impacts. This approach will maintain the local applicability and international relevance of South African marine invasion research.     

Identification and occurrence of novel C36–C54 3,4-dialkylthiophenes with an unusual carbon skeleton in immature sediments

A series of novel long-chain 3,4-dialkylthiophenes (C₃₆–C₅₄) was identified in a number of sediments ranging from Pleistocene to Cretaceous. The identifications were based on mass spectral characterisation, desulphurisation and mass spectral data of synthesised model compounds. These organic sulphur compounds are probably formed by sulphur incorporation into mid-chain dimethylalkadienes with two methylenic double bonds. These putative precursor lipids are unprecedented and may be considered rather unusual. The distribution of 3,4-dialkylthiophenes in sediments varies considerably with the depositional palaeoenvironment, indicating that these compounds have a potential as molecular markers reflecting changes in palaeoenvironment.     

星载激光光斑影像激光指向变化探测法

地面光斑足印的定位精度高度依赖于激光指向角的测量精度,星载激光光斑质心提取及其变化规律对激光指向角的分析具有重要的意义。本文基于ICESat/GLAS的激光剖面阵列（laser profile array,LPA）影像数据,首先利用灰度一阶矩阵法提取LPA的质心,精度优于0.3个像素,LPA相对定位精度优于0.11个像素。其次利用傅里叶变换和傅里叶级数拟合对LPA质心坐标的变化进行周期探测和建模分析,结果表明,激光光斑影像的质心坐标存在1.83×10^-4 Hz、3.36×10^-4 Hz、5.19×10^-4 Hz和6.71×10^-4 Hz 4个明显的周期变化,拟合结果的相关性R²达到了0.86,拟合精度可达0.4″,优于0.13个像素,得到了较好的结果。可为我国的高分七号和后续的卫星激光测高数据处理提供参考。     

Saldanha Bay,South Africa I: the use of ocean colour remote sensing to assess phytoplankton biomass

The efficacy of ocean colour remote sensing in assessing the variability of phytoplankton biomass within Saldanha Bay is examined. Satellite estimates of chlorophyll a (Chl a) were obtained using the maximum peak-height (MPH) algorithm on full-resolution (300?m) data from the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS). Subsurface Chl a maxima often occur within Saldanha Bay below the mean detection depth of the satellite (1.5?m) during periods of thermal stratification. Consequently, the MPH product was poorly correlated to in situ data from 4?m depth (r² and average relative percentage difference [RPD] of 0.094 and 53% respectively); however, the coefficient of determination was much improved if limited to in situ data collected under conditions of mixing (r² and RPD of 0.869 and 89%, respectively). Composites of monthly MPH Chl a data reveal mean concentrations consistent with in situ seasonal trends of phytoplankton biomass, confirming the capability of the MPH algorithm to qualitatively resolve surface Chl a distribution within the bay.     

安徽省地震会商地理信息系统的研制与实现

文章结合安徽省现有分析预报手段和数学模型,以Visual Studio2005.net作为开发语言,利用GIS技术对地震地质和基础地理等数据进行管理、分析,通过快速访问前兆数据库,对前兆数据进行查询和曲线调用出图,最终研制实现了一套满足日常及紧急会商需要,集"基础数据查询""前兆数据管理""前兆数据注释""应急会商报告...     

Glaciological research relevant to the construction of ice-going ships

The transportation of rich mineral resources from the Arctic by means of large ice-going bulk and oil carrier, is expected to be a suitable and economical technique. The construction of such large vessels requires the knowledge of various glaciological parameters of the sea ice and their dependence on Arctic environmental conditions. Of particular interest on the small scale are the strength, elasticity, and metal to ice friction characteristics, on a larger geophysical scale relevant parameters are the ice stress, pressure, and movement rates and the relation of these parameters to the temperature and salinity of the ice and to the wind field and the ocean current. Furthermore electrical and electromagnetical properties of the ice are relevant to the navigation in ice covered waters by the aid of remote sensing techniques.The German shipyard A.G. Weser in Bremen initiated in 1972 an expedition to the Canadian Arctic to study all relevant physical properties at one location and at the same time to comprehend the whole glaciological regime. The expedition was a cooperative effort between Brook University, St. Catherines (Canada) and the University of Münster (W. Germany). The field measurements were carried out in May and June 1972 on the sea ice between Pond Inlet (Northern Baffin Island) and Bylot Island, N.W.T. This article sumarizes the essential results and presents a synthesis of all the results.     

Saldanha Bay,South Africa II: estimating bay productivity

Saldanha Bay is a narrow-mouth bay on the west coast of South Africa linked to the southern Benguela upwelling system. Bay productivity was investigated by use of the conventional light-and-dark bottle oxygen method, and, for comparison, through assimilation of the stable isotope tracer ¹³C. Gross community production GCP and net community production NCP, as determined from the oxygen method, were respectively 2.6 and 2.4 times higher than estimates determined from the stable isotope method. Chlorophyll a (Chl a) concentrations increased with the onset of spring and well-defined subsurface maxima developed in association with increasingly stratified conditions (mean water column Chl a concentrations ranged from 5.4 to 31.5?mg m^?3 [mean 15.5?mg m^?3; SD 7.6]). A sharp decline in photosynthetic rates P* (GCP normalised to Chl a concentration) with depth was attributed to light limitation, as demonstrated by the high vertical attenuation coefficients for downward irradiance K_d, which varied from 0.29 to 0.70?m^?1 (mean 0.48?m^?1; SD 0.12). Productivity maxima were consequently near-surface despite the presence of deeper subsurface biomass maxima. The community compensation depth Z_cc, where gross community production balances respiratory carbon loss for the entire community, ranged from 2.9 to 9.2?m (mean 5.8?m; SD 2.2), and was typically shallower than the 1% light depth for PAR (photosynthetically available radiation), Z1%PAR, which is traditionally assumed to be the depth of the euphotic zone and which ranged from 6.6 to 15.9?m (mean 9?m; SD 2.6). Autotrophic communities, where organic matter is produced in excess of respiratory demand, were confined on average to the upper 5.8?m of the water column, and often excluded the bulk of the phytoplankton community, where light limitation is considered to lead to heterotrophic community metabolism. Estimates of integrated water column productivity ranged from 0.84 to 8.46?g C m–2 d^?1 (mean 3.35?g C m^?2 d^?1; SD 1.9).     

Origin of low-molecular-weight alkylthiophenes in pyrolysates of sulphur-rich kerogens as revealed by micro-scale sealed vessel pyrolysis

Micro-scale sealed vessel (MSSV) pyrolysis experiments have been conducted at temperatures of 150, 200, 250, 300, 330 and 350°C for various times on a thermally immature Type II-S kerogen from the Maastrichtian Jurf ed Darawish Oil Shale (Jordan) in order to study the origin of low-molecular-weight (LMW) alkylthiophenes. These experiments indicated that the LMW alkylthiophenes usually encountered in the flash pyrolysates of sulphur-rich kerogens are also produced at much lower pyrolysis temperatures (i.e. as low as 150°C) as the major (apart from hydrogen sulfide) sulphur-containing pyrolysis products. MSSV pyrolysis of a long-chain alkylthiophene and an alkylbenzene indicated that at 300°C for 72 h no β-cleavage leading to generation of LMW alkylated thiophenes and benzene occurs. In combination with the substantial production of LMW alkylthiophenes with a linear carbon skeleton at these conditions, this indicated that these thiophenes are predominantly formed by thermal degradation of multiple (poly)sulfide-bound linear C₅–C₇ skeletons, which probably mainly originate from sulphurisation of carbohydrates during early diagenesis. LMW alkylthiophenes with linear carbon skeletons seem to be unstable at MSSV pyrolysis temperatures of ≥330°C either due to thermal degradation or to methyl transfer reactions. LMW alkylthiophenes with a branched carbon skeleton most likely derive from both multiple (poly)sulfide-bound branched C₅–C₇ skeletons and alkylthiophene units present in the kerogen.