A review of Australian approaches for monitoring,assessing and reporting estuarine condition: II. State and Territory programs

In contrast to Europe, the USA and South Africa, Australia has no specific, overarching federal legislation to underpin a nationally-coordinated framework for monitoring, assessing and reporting estuarine condition. This has resulted in a complex mosaic of diverse approaches and governance structures, hindering the ability to make inter-State comparisons. In this second part of a comprehensive three-part review, we present a systematic appraisal of current and impending approaches for measuring and reporting estuarine condition in each of Australia’s States and Territories. A concise summary is provided in each case, supported by extensive appendices containing detailed accounts of relevant monitoring and reporting programs. We synthesise and evaluate this output at the State/Territory level, highlighting areas of improvement and major gaps.     

围海造地生态补偿机制探析

为缓解人地矛盾,维持社会经济发展,围海造地已成了许多沿海区域扩增建设用地的首选.但围海造地工程在带来巨大利益的同时,也给海洋生态坏境带来了一系列的负面影响,造成了新的不平衡.本文在围海造地环境影响分析及其生态补偿问题研究的基础上,从环境法的视角出发,对中国围海造地生态补偿制度的构建提出建议,最终达到使中国围海造地生态补偿制度的总体法律体系框架及具体的制度内容得以较为全面的完善与健全的目的.     

长江三角洲地区耕地质量变化的初步研究——以锡山市为例

长江三角洲地区耕地质量变化的监测是区土地可持续利用研究的重点领域。锡山市位于太湖平原北部，其耕地质量变化过程反映了长江三角洲腹地经济发展水平较高地区的耕地现状和发展趋势。本研究以锡山市为典型区，依据第二次土壤普查资料，多年土壤监测数据和有关耕地系统状态的统计数据，结合研究区耕地状况的调查分析，提出了支持压力－状态－响应模型的耕地质量评价指标体系，并据此指标体系分析了该区耕地质量变化趋势。结果表明，该区耕地系统的发展总体上是可控的、有序的、但是耕地系统产出能力的稳定性呈下降趋势，系统高水平投入的维持面临较大的压力。鉴于人口增加和耕地持续减少的态势在很长一段时间内难以逆转，耕地占补的质量差异因素，是该区能否实现耕地总量动态平衡的关键所在。     

长江河口潮区界溶解态无机氮磷的通量

利用长江河口潮区界大通站的水质资料探讨了溶解态无机氮、磷浓度和通量的变化。结果表明：NO3^-,NH4^ ,DIN的浓度随季节变化不明显，而NO2^-,PO4^3-的浓度是枯季较高、洪季较低：1963－1984年间，NO3^-,NO2^-,NH4^ 、DIN和PO4^3-的年平均浓度分别为17．1、0．43、7．1、24．7、0．19μmol/L，平均通量分别为33．1、0．51、3．67、10．5和0．54kg/s，平均年通量分别为104.44,1.61,11.56,33.1和1.70万t；溶解态无机氮、磷的通量由于受到流量的影响而在年内分配不均匀，其中NO3^-,NO^-,NH4^ DIN和PO4^3-在洪季的通量分别为全年的72．9％，58．1％、69．2％、71％和68．3％；NO3^-,NO2^-，DIN年通量的总变化趋势是稳步上升，且与氮肥使用量成高度显著的正线性相关。1998年，NO3^-,NO2^-,NH4^ 和PO4^3-的年通量分别为477．3，1．356、3．097和2．296万t。     

胶州湾综合监测与评价工作研究

为全面掌握环胶州湾区域生态环境状况,更好地服务于环胶州湾区域经济发展和生态环境保护,根据《近岸海域环境监测规范》(HJ 442-2008),青岛市环境监测中心站对环胶州湾区域进行了综合监测与评价,建立了环胶州湾区域陆海统筹监测评价体系,完善了胶州湾水质监测网络,摸清了环胶州湾区域直排海污染源状况及环胶州湾区域土地利用状况。针对综合监测与评价过程中存在的胶州湾污染源的排放状况掌握不全面、河流入海通量的测算不准确、环境质量的变化趋势预测不能实现的问题,提出了加强入海河流监测、实行陆源污染物总量控制管理、建立自动监测站等对策建议。     

长江流域常量元素的分布特征

2003年4月到5月对长江干流及主要支流河水中常量元素（Ca ²⁺，K⁺，Na⁺，Mg²⁺，Cl^-，SO^2-₄及碱度）进行了测定，并对常量元素的含量及影响因素进行了研究。结果表明，长江阳离子以钙为主，占阳离子总量的40%~80%；而阴离子主要为HCO^-₃，占阴离子总量的60%~90%；阴阳离子含量顺序为HCO^-₃>SO^2-₄>Cl^-，Ca ²⁺>Na⁺ >Mg ²⁺>K⁺。长江干流及主要支流河水的常量离子主要来自于岩石的风化，主要受碳酸盐类溶解的控制，硅酸盐类的风化过程较弱。而大气沉降的影响很小，只有SO^2-₄受大气沉降影响较大。长江干流的Na⁺、Mg²⁺、Ca²⁺、HCO^-₃和Cl^-主要来自于上游，下游只是对上游的简单稀释，而没有额外来源。与世界上其它大河相比，长江的常量离子浓度处于较高的水平；温带地区的河流河水中常量离子的含量常处于较高的水平；热带地区的河流河水中常量离子的含量相对较低。     

A review of Australian approaches for monitoring,assessing and reporting estuarine condition: III. Evaluation against international best practice and recommendations for the future

In this final component of a three-part review, we present a national synthesis and evaluation of approaches for monitoring, assessing and reporting estuarine condition across Australia. Progress is evaluated against objective criteria that together provide a model of international best practice. We critically assess the limitations, inconsistencies and gaps that are evident across Australian jurisdictions, and identify common obstacles to future progress. Major strengths and successes are also highlighted, together with specific examples of best practice from around Australia that are transferable to other States and beyond. Significant obstacles to greater national coordination of monitoring and reporting practices include inconsistent spatial scales of management, pluralistic governance structures and the lack of any overarching legislation. Nonetheless, many perceptible advances have been made over the last decade across Australia in estuarine monitoring and health assessment, and there is great potential for further progress. Finally, we provide a list of recommendations to address some of the most pressing limitations and gaps, and support improved future monitoring, assessment and reporting for Australian estuaries.     

Application of biomarkers to assess the condition of European Marine Sites

A series of European Marine Sites has been designated as Special Areas of Conservation (SAC) in England. The aim of this study was to develop a practical methodology to assess the condition of SACs by applying a suite of biomarkers. Biomarkers were applied to the blue mussel Mytilus edulis and the shore crab Carcinus maenas from the Fal and Helford SAC (Cornwall). Individual biomarkers provided useful diagnostic information on the activity of certain classes of contaminants and an integrated Biomarker Response Index (BRI) was used to achieve a more holistic understanding of the condition of the SAC. The BRI indicated that the general health of both organisms was impacted in the upper part of the SAC (Fal Estuary) which correlated well with known chemical hotspots and sources of contamination. The BRI allows a pragmatic way to prioritise SAC sites that may require further investigative studies.     

Interactions Among the Copper Species and Forms in Sea Water/Sediments and Copper Bioaccumulation in Oysters

Abstract

Earlier papers indicated that the first incident of green discoloration in oysters (Crassostrea gigas) and the mass mortality observed in 1986 along the Taiwan Erhjin Chi coastal area were caused by the higher contents of total copper and copper species (mainly bioavailable and free ion) in sea water. the copper in sea water would be sorbed by suspended matter and transferred to sediments, and the copper in the sediments would also be desorbed to sea water. Processes of copper adsorption and desorption are the major factors influencing the contents of total copper and copper species in sea water and sediments. in this study, the Erhjin Chi sediments were mixed with sea water by a shaker technique. When the mixture was shaken for one hour, analogous to tidal mixing in estuaries, only copper desorption from sediments was observed. If the shaking time is increased for more than 3 hours, the copper released from the sediments was resorbed to the remaining solid phases. the higher the contents of mud (91.71%) and total copper (701 mg kg^?1) in sediments, the higher the copper desorption rate (1.86 ppm hr^?1) and copper adsorption rate (0.50 ppm hr^?1) were observed. in sediments containing lower mud (0.80%) and lower copper (43.5 mg kg^?1), the copper desorption and adsorption rates were 0.83 ppm hr^?1 and 0.22 ppm hr^?1, respectively. the interactions among the total copper and copper species in sea water and sediments, chemical and ecological parameters, and copper bioaccumulation in oysters in the Erhjin Chi estuarine and coastal area are also discussed.     

Scientists as Stakeholders in Conservation of Hydrothermal Vents

Abstract: Hydrothermal vents are deep‐sea ecosystems that are almost exclusively known and explored by scientists rather than the general public. Continuing scientific discoveries arising from study of hydrothermal vents are concommitant with the increased number of scientific cruises visiting and sampling vent ecosystems. Through a bibliometric analysis, we assessed the scientific value of hydrothermal vents relative to two of the most well‐studied marine ecosystems, coral reefs and seagrass beds. Scientific literature on hydrothermal vents is abundant, of high impact, international, and interdisciplinary and is comparable in these regards with literature on coral reefs and seagrass beds. Scientists may affect hydrothermal vents because their activities are intense and spatially and temporally concentrated in these small systems. The potential for undesirable effects from scientific enterprise motivated the creation of a code of conduct for environmentally and scientifically benign use of hydrothermal vents for research. We surveyed scientists worldwide engaged in deep‐sea research and found that scientists were aware of the code of conduct and thought it was relevant to conservation, but they did not feel informed or confident about the respect other researchers have for the code. Although this code may serve as a reminder of scientists’ environmental responsibilities, conservation of particular vents (e.g., closures to human activity, specific human management) may effectively ensure sustainable use of vent ecosystems for all stakeholders.