Survival,growth and shell deformities of copper- and cadmium-exposed mussels (Mytilus edulis L.) in brackish water

Mussels, Mytilus edulis L., were exposed to elevated concentrations of copper or cadmium in the laboratory, then placed in cages in the sea (salinity 7‰). One year later maximum lengths of the mussels were measured and shells screened for deformities. Growth was 0·6 cm year^?1 in the control cages and retarded in cages of exposed mussels. A total of 63% of cadmium-exposed and 46% of copper-exposed mussels had shell deformities. In the control cages 26% were deformed while in a natural population only 3% were deformed. The proportion of deformities to growth was inversely related. Low concentrations showed their injuriousness in this long-term test, probably due to the closing of the valves during exposure to high concentrations.     

Determinants of sediment properties and organic matter in beach and dune environments based on boosted regression trees

Grain size properties and the variation of organic matter in coastal beach and dune environments are assumed to be controlled by the intensity of aeolian processes, time and the sediment source. However, assumptions are based on relatively limited empirical studies. In this study, we examined which environmental variables are the main predictors of multiple topsoil properties. To achieve this, we analysed an extensive dataset systematically collected across all beach zones and a large geographical area at the Finnish Baltic Sea coast characterized by post‐glacial land uplift. We included a comprehensive set of predictors in the analysis and applied boosted regression trees, a modern modelling technique particularly suited for analysis without prior assumptions of the data model. The results suggest that mean grain size and sorting are mainly determined by northing and fetch. Northing, disturbance and fetch predicted the variation of soil organic matter while litter cover was strongly related to disturbance. Based on the analyses, we were able to identify the main drivers of multiple topsoil properties on land uplift beaches. Parent material is suggested to determine sediment textural properties, which largely masks the effects of transient processes. Mean grain size and sorting are highly interdependent: grains become finer and sorting improves with increasing shore exposure. The intensity of momentary geomorphic processes controls the accumulation of litter whereas the slower accumulation of organic matter in the soil is influenced also by the static exposure setting. Skewness and kurtosis of the grain size distribution are mainly influenced by unmeasured processes, potentially relating to the geomorphological origin of the sediment. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A well-preserved Cambrian impact exposed in Central Sweden

The Lockne impact crater south of Östersund formed in the early Middle Cambrian with a diameter of 7 km. It is identified by its rim wall of crushed Precambrian basement granite, by fragments of impact melt, and by grains of shocked quartz. The exceptional preservation, in particular of the rim wall, is due to a complicated geological history, the first stage of which consisted of burial by marine sediments. This stage lasted until the Middle Ordovician, or over 50 million years. An early Caradoc lowering of the sea-level may have induced debris flows that stripped the rim wall of much of its sedimentary cover. Because normal marine sedimentation recommenced soon after this event, the structure was not seriously damaged, as it was buried again. The Caledonian orogeny emplaced an overthrust nappe as ultimate protection, which was removed by a recent erosion episode from all but the center of the structure.Structures formed by the impact of extraterrestrial bodies are very rare throughout much of Europe, because such structures are neither well preserved nor displayed in young mountain belts or sedimentary basins. However, northern Europe has several ascertained structures of this kind (Svensson &Wickman, 1965;Svensson, 1968;Bruun &Dahlman, 1982;Kala et al., 1984;Flodén et al., 1986;Wickman, 1988). Unfortunately, the hitherto known structures are either poorly preserved or hidden by younger deposits. We are reporting the discovery of a well-preserved exposed and accessible impact structure that has escaped the notice of geologists although important features of it have been described and puzzled over by generations of researchers (Wiman, 1900;Hadding, 1927;Thorslund, 1940;Lindström et al., 1983).The structure is located in the Lockne area to the south of Östersund in central Sweden. It has a diameter of 7 km and its center is near Tramsta on the northwest shore of Lake Locknesjön (Fig. 1). Its middle is covered by folded Lower to Middle Ordovician Orthoceratite Limestone with the sheared Lower Ordovician Töyen Shale at its base. This local expanse of deformed rock is the remainder after erosion of an extensive nappe of overthrust rocks emplaced during the Caledonian orogeny. The good preservation of the impact structure is due to the nappe cover, which had to be removed before erosion could attack the underlying structures.The rim of the impact crater is outlined by a wall of strongly shattered fragments of Proterozoic crystalline rocks (Fig. 2), which formed the local bedrock (Strömberg et al., 1984) at the time of impact. The rim wall is best preserved along the western part of the structure. It was referred to as »arkose-like breccia« byThorslund (1940), who interpreted it as the result of continental weathering, but the components rather show evidence of intense crushing than of weathering (Simon, 1987a). The »arkose-like breccia« does not contain components derived from the lower Palaeozoic deposits of the area.     

Seasonal changes in the distribution and exchange of inorganic nitrogen between sediment and water in the Northern Baltic (Gulf of Bothnia)

The concentration profiles of nitrate plus nitrite, ammonium, and redox potential in sediment and water column were determined in late winter and summer at a sampling site off Norrbyn, northern Sweden, in the Gulf of Bothnia. The sediment had an oxidized surface layer during winter and spring, and nitrification occurred. Nitrate but not ammonium was present in the water column at this time. During summer a layer of planktonic detritus was deposited onto the sediment and led to its deoxygenation and reduction. Ammonium was then the predominant form of inorganic nitrogen in the water column.Laboratory experiments confirmed that nitrification in the surface layer of sediment prevented ammonium export during winter. Enhanced temperature or organic detritus deoxygenated the surface sediment and inhibited nitrification, and export of ammonium from the sediment increased. Although nitrification was important in determining the flow of nitrogen in the sediment it accounted for at most only 5% of the total oxygen uptake by the sediment.     

Drifting runoff periodicity during the 20th century due to changing surface water volume

Fourier and wavelet analyses were used to reveal the dominant trends and coherence of a more than one‐century‐long time series of precipitation and discharge in several watersheds in Sweden, two of which were subjected to hydropower and intensive agriculture. During the 20th century, there was a gradual, significant drift of the dominant discharge periodicity in agricultural watersheds. This study shows that the steepness of the Fourier spectrum of runoff from the May to October period each year increased gradually during the century, which suggests a more predictable intra‐annual runoff pattern (more apart from white‐noise). In the agricultural watershed, the coherence spectrum of precipitation and runoff is generally high with a consistent white‐noise relationship for precipitation during the 20th century, indicating that precipitation is not controlling the drift of the discharge spectrum. In the hydropower regulated watershed, there was a sudden decrease of the discharge spectrum slope when regulation commenced in the 1920s. This study develops a new theory in which the runoff spectrum is related to the hydraulic and hydro‐morphological characteristics of the watershed. Using this theory, we explain the changes in runoff spectra in the two watersheds by the anthropogenic change in surface water volume and, hence, changes in kinematic wave celerity and water transit times. The reduced water volume in the agricultural watershed would also contribute to decreasing evaporation, which could explain a slightly increasing mean discharge during the 20th century despite the fact that precipitation was statistically constant in the area. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling water,nutrients, and organic carbon in forested catchments: a HYPE application

Both monitoring and model simulation are useful for understanding and detecting changes in the environment. To understand and simulate leaching in small forested catchments, it is important to have knowledge of soil processes. Here, we describe recent development of the Hydrological Predictions for the Environment (HYPE) model for forested catchments. HYPE includes an organic carbon (OC) variable in addition to previously published nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and water flow models. The aspects addressed in the current study included P concentrations under low‐flow conditions and high concentrations of inorganic N. HYPE was further developed based on nine small forested catchments (0.5–200 ha) in Sweden, which were calibrated separately using local data. The model (excluding the OC variable) was tested on a larger set of forest catchments from the operational HYPE model of Sweden (S‐HYPE). We observed the following: (1) dissolved organic P could make a significant contribution to the total P concentration in a stream during low‐flow periods, (2) the inorganic N concentration simulated in a stream improved when part of the atmospheric N was retained in the soil, (3) the soil flow path formulation was critical for simulating concentration dynamics, and (4) evaluating an additional variable (OC) further elucidated the soil runoff processes in the model. Copyright © 2016 Swedish Meteorological and Hydrological Institute. Hydrological Processes published by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The dependence of organohalogen compound concentrations on herring age and size in the Bothnian Sea, northern Baltic

The concentrations and composition profiles of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins and dibenzofurans, polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated diphenyl ethers and polychlorinated naphthalenes were determined in herring individuals collected from the commercial catches of the Bothnian Sea, northern Baltic. The median age of herring was 5.0 years and in the muscle the median toxic equivalent concentration of PCDD/Fs was 5.6 WHO(PCDD/F)-TEQ pg/g fresh weight (fw) and that of PCBs 2.7 WHO(PCB)-TEQ pg/g fw. The median sum concentration of PBDEs was 1.4 ng/g fw and that of PCNs 0.1 ng/g fw. Differences in age-dependent accumulation between the organohalogen groups and individual congeners were major. In the Bothnian Sea the content of organohalogen compounds in herring is obviously elevated due to the availability and large proportion of Mysis crustaceans in their diet. More intensive fishing could reduce the concentrations of organohalogens, including the abundant, accumulative and toxic 2,3,4,7,8-PeCDF congener in the Baltic herring catch.     

Water and nutrient predictions in ungauged basins: set-up and evaluation of a model at the national scale

Abstract

A dynamic water quality model, HYPE, was applied to a large, data-sparse region to study whether reliable information on water quantity and water quality could be obtained for both gauged and ungauged waterbodies. The model (called S-HYPE) was set up for all of Sweden (～450 000 km²), divided into sub-basins with an average area of 28 km². Readily available national databases were used for physiographic data, emissions and agricultural practices, fixed values for representative years were used. Daily precipitation and temperature were used as the dynamic forcing of the model. Model evaluation was based on data from several hundred monitoring sites, of which approximately 90% had not been used in calibration on a daily scale. Results were evaluated using the Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), correlation and relative errors: 92% of the spatial variation was explained for specific water discharge, and 88% and 59% for total nitrogen and total phosphorus concentrations, respectively. Day-to-day variations were modelled with satisfactory results for water discharge and the seasonal variation of nitrogen concentrations was also generally well captured. In 20 large, unregulated rivers the median NSE for water discharge was 0.84, and the corresponding number for 76 partly-regulated river basins was 0.52. In small basins, the NSE was typically above 0.6. These major achievements relative to previous similar experiments were ascribed to the step-wise calibration process using representative gauged basins and the use of a modelling concept, whereby coefficients are linked to physiographic variables rather than to specific sites.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis

Citation Strömqvist, J., Arheimer, B., Dahné, J., Donnelly, C. and Lindström, G., 2012. Water and nutrient predictions in ungauged basins: set-up and evaluation of a model at the national scale. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 57 (2), 229–247.     

Beziehungen Zwischen Kleinfaltenvergenzen und Anderen Gefügemerkmalen in den Kaledoniden Skandinaviens

Zusammenfassung Die Decken des Ostrandes der skandinavischen Kaledoniden wurden fast horizontal, hauptsächlich gegen SE, überschoben. Die fast horizontale Lage der Tektonite erleichtert die geometrische Analyse des regionalen Gefüges. Orientierungen von rund 20 000 Kleinstrukturen verschiedener Arten sind in 15 kleinen Gebieten längs eines Abschnittes der Gebirgskette möglichst exakt eingemessen und lokalisiert worden. Die Kleinstrukturen gruppieren sich um bestimmte Orientierungsmaxima, von denen einige mehr oder weniger häufig in sämtlichen Gebieten vertreten sind. Kleinfalten von gewissen Orientierungen vergieren nur in eine Richtung. Andere Gruppen von Kleinfalten sind bezüglich der Vergenzrichtung indifferent. Somit bestehen verschiedene Teilgefüge, die in diesem Aufsatz mittels einer Art Korrelationmatrize aufeinander bezogen werden, wodurch sie auch schärfer definiert werden können. Die tektonischen Bewegungen fanden in verschiedene, ziemlich scharf voneinander getrennte Richtungen statt.     

Vom Anfang,Hochstand und Ende eines Epikontinentalmeeres

Zusammenfassung Die kambro-silurische Schichtenfolge des baltischen Schildes wurde während eines großen Transgressions-Regressions-Zyklus gebildet. Das Unterkambrium besteht vorwiegend aus littoralen bis neritischen Quarziten. Die Gesamtmächtigkeit beträgt bis etwa 200m. Im Mittelkambrium breitet sich die Alaunschiefer-Fazies vom W her aus. Glaukonitische und phosphoritreiche Kondensationshorizonte können ganze Stufen vertreten. Wo dünne, bankige Kalke auftreten, enthalten diese Diskontinuitäts- (Korrosions-) Flächen. Das geringmächtige (0–16m) Oberkambrium besteht durchweg aus Alaunschiefern, schwarzen, weichen Schiefern, die sehr reich an Pyrit und organischen Verbindungen sind. Spurenelemente wie V und U können angereichert sein. Bezeichnend sind riesige Knollen von bituminösem Kalk. Die Fauna kann äußerst individuenreich sein, wobei in der Regel fast nur eine Art in einem Horizont vertreten ist. Diese Fazies ist vom nördlichsten Lappland bis Schonen verbreitet. Das Unterordovizium kann mit Alaunschiefern anfangen. Kräftige Pyritisierung und Phosphat-Anreicherung ist hier häufig. Schon im Tremadoc fing die Ablagerung kalkiger, zunächst glaukonitreicher Arthropodenschlicke an. Die Ablagerung dieser Sedimente erfolgte durchschnittlich mit bis 1 mm/1000 J., die der nicht-kalkigen Anteile um eine Zehnerpotenz langsamer. Häufige, stratigra phisch unbedeutende Sedimentationsunterbrechungen sind mit der Lithifizierung der Kalkbänke und Anreicherung verschiedener, eisenhaltiger Minerale verknüpft. Die Sedimentationsgeschwindigkeit der kalkigen und tonigen Komponenten nahm im jüngeren Mittelordovizium allmählich zu. Es treten im Caradoc isolierte Riffhügel mit Kalkalgen und reicher Fauna auf. Diese Tendenz bestand noch im Oberordovizium. Die weite Verbreitung von graptolithenführenden Schiefern und Mergeln im Llandovery deutet wohl auf eine Umkehr der Steigungstendenz. Vom jüngeren Llandovery ab dominieren neritische Sedimente. Auf Gotland lagern sich Mergel und Bioklastika mit koloniebildenden Benthonten und Kalkalgen ab. Im Ludlow fängt die Regression an. Sandsteine kommen gegen Ende des Zyklus besonders reichlich vor.

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The Cambro-Silurian of the Baltic Shield was deposited during a transgressiveregressive cycle that lasted for about 175 m.y. The Lower Cambrian rests unconformably on strongly denuded Precambrian. Its lower and main part consists of up to 200 m thick quartzitic sandstone with evidence of littoral and neritic environments. Slowing deposition led to the formation of thin, more or less calcareous shales with trilobites. In the Middle Cambrian a black shale facies spread from the W. Glauconite and phosphorite occur at intervals of condensed sedimentation. There are a few thin layers of bedded limestone. The extensive Upper Cambrian of the Baltic Shield proper has a maximum thickness of about 16 m. It consists exclusively of black, bituminous shale with large spheroids of black limestone. Clay minerals may be subordinate, pyrite and organic C occur abundantly, and some levels are enriched in U and V as trace elements. The fauna may be extremely rich in individuals. However, it may be formed entirely of one or two species of olenid trilobites. There is no bioturbation. Condensation and subsolution occur at some levels. The Lower Ordovician may begin with alum shale. In some areas thin clastics are interspersed, without clear evidence of a regression. Enrichment with sulphides and phosphorite commonly occurs. The rate of sedimentation was further reduced. Calcareous arthropod oozes accumulated from the late Tremadocian to the early Caradocian at an average rate below 1 mm/1000 years. The noncalcareous components were deposited about ten times slower. Ferrugineous minerals (glauconite, hematite, chamosite, pyrite, etc.) were deposited as granules, pellets, and crusts. Subsolution and early litruncation occurred frequently. The fauna is commonly sparse in sessile benthos; much of it seems to have been pelagic. In the Middle and Upper Ordovician sedimentation speeded up somewhat. In the beds corresponding to the Caradocian and Ashgillian of the British sequence there are two generations of reef limestones in which algae are involved. These are taken as evidence of a general shallowing trend with oscillations of the sea-level. Locally, temporary emergence took place at the end of the Ordovician. The Llandoverian graptolite shales indicate renewed subsidence. The varied, calcareous neritic facies starting in the Upper Llandoverian indicates the full compensation of a considerable subsidence by sedimentation. Sessile benthos and calcareous algae were abundant during this stage, which lasted till near the end of the Silurian. The cycle ended with general regression accompanied by the formation of semi-continental sandstones.

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Résumé La succession cambro-silurienne du Boucher Baltique fut déposée pendant un grand-cycle transgressif-regressif. Le cambrien inférieur consiste principalement en quartzites littoraux et néritiques. Dans le cambrien moyen un facies de schistes noirs se répand progressivement de l'Ouest. A certains horizons, la sédimentation condensée, accompagnée de glauconie et de phosphorite, représente des étages entiers. Il y a aussi de minces horizons de calcaire lité, à traces de subsolution. Le cambrien supérieur (0–16m) consiste exclusivement en schistes noirs, enrichis en pyrite et C organique. U et V sont les plus notables parmi les éléments mineurs. Il y a de très fréquents sphéroÏdes de calcaire bitumineux. La faune, excessivement riche en individus (fonction plutÔt de l'extréme lenteur de toute sédimentation abiogène), est d'autant plus spécialisée et pauvre en espèces. La distribution de ce facies monotone est vaste. L'ordovicien inférieur peut commencer avec le mÊme facies schisteux. Il comporte à sa base des horizons fortement enrichis en pyrite et phosphorite. La sédimentation des vases carbonatiques à arthropodes a commencé déjà dans le trémadocien. Ces sédiments sont fréquemment glauconieux. D'autres minéraux ferrugineux charactérisent différents niveaux de ces dépÔts. La vitesse de sédimentation des vases à arthropodes a été très lente: moins de 1 mm/1000 ans en moyenne pour les composants carbonatiques, moins encore pour les abiogènes. Le plus souvent, les couches sont séparées par de surfaces de discontinuité, formées par la dissolution sous-marine de carbonate. L'ordovicien moyen et supérieur présentent une sédimentation peu à peu accélérée. Dans le caradocien et l'ashgillien il y a deux générations de récifs à polypiers et algues. Les dépÔts llandovériens — schistes pélagiques à graptolites — indiquent le renouvellement de la tendance subsidente. Dès le llandovérien supérieur il s'y installe un facies néritique, marno-calcaire, à faune abondante et variée. Vers le fin du silurien le Bouclier Baltique fut mis à sec. Des dépÔts sableux marquent la fin du grand-cycle.

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