Sea-water seasonal changes at a heavy tourism investment site on the Jordanian northern coast of the Gulf of Aqaba,Red Sea

The Gulf of Aqaba exhibits a strong seasonality due to convective mixing during winter and stratification during summer. The present study provides a detailed appraisal of summer and winter sea-water characteristics at the northern coast of the Gulf of Aqaba, that is witnessing rapid development and increasing changes in its geomorphological characteristics. Sea-water temperature, salinity, nutrients, and chlorophyll a concentrations were measured biweekly at five coastal and four cross-sectional stations during the periods February to April and July to September 2004. Meteorological conditions were continuously recorded at the Marine Science Station. The coastal study sites included four open coastal stations and a marina with one-way exchange with the open water. The effect of convective mixing was clearly apparent on the sea-water characteristics. Natural seasonal characteristics of higher nutrients and chlorophyll a concentrations were recorded during winter at most of the open coastal stations. In the cross-sectional stations, the concentrations of nutrients and chlorophyll a were not different between the surface and the bottom during winter, but the bottom waters had generally higher concentrations during summer. Some deviations from the natural seasonal cycle were recorded at the marina and other coastal stations. Here, higher nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations were recorded in summer than in winter. These deviations that are most likely due to anthropogenic effects are discussed.     

Humic substances. Part II†: Photophysical,photochemical and free radical characteristics

The effects of mercury (HgCl₂) on cell population, chlorophyll a concentration and rates of photosynthesis and excretion were investigated in the phytoplanktonic species Dunaliella minuta in laboratory cultures. Mercury, above 25ppb inhibited both cell population and chlorophyll a concentration approximately to the same extent, whereas the photosynthetic rate was inhibited to a significantly lesser degree. Although, the total photosynthetic rate of the tested organism was reduced, above a threshold concentration, the photosynthetic activity was not reduced under these conditions, but it was in fact significantly greater than that in the control culture. This may suggest that in D. minuta the inhibitory effect of mercury is primarily on cell division rather than cellular photosynthesis, which is enhanced by the fact mercury caused a significant increase of the mean cell volume. Mercury, also, decreased the growth rate and final cell yield. The excretory rate was markedly increased at concentrations ≥ 250 ppb of mercury, but at lower concentrations it tended to depend more on the physiological state of cells than on mercury concentration. In the different cultures, the photosynthetic activity showed variations which occurred without major changes in the chlorophyll a content per cell, which remained almost constant and independent of variations in cell size and growth conditions.     

镉对籽粒苋耐性生理及营养元素吸收积累的影响

初步阐明了镉对籽粒苋耐性生理及营养元素吸收积累的影响,为进一步揭示籽粒苋的镉耐性与镉富集机理奠定了基础。通过对生物量的监测,对叶绿素、蛋白质、游离氨基酸、大量元素及微量元素等的含量的测定,阐明镉胁迫对籽粒苋生长生理、抗胁迫耐性、营养元素吸收分配的影响。研究结果显示,镉胁迫对籽粒苋的生长抑制作用不明显,植株生物量随着镉浓度的提高而轻微降低。随着镉处理浓度的提高,叶绿素含量下降幅度显著;蛋白质和游离氨基酸含量变化幅度不明显;钾含量无大幅变化;镉、磷、钙、镁、锌、铁、锰、铜含量变化幅度较显著。镉、钾、磷、锰的迁移系数随着镉处理浓度的提高无显著变化;钙的迁移系数呈上升趋势;镁、锌、铁、铜的迁移系数均呈下降趋势。这些结果表明：镉胁迫降低籽粒苋叶绿素含量,抑制植株光合作用,继而抑制了植株的生长,但其程度不明显;镉胁迫条件启动活性氧防御机制;引起植株体内部分养分代谢紊乱。结论：低浓度镉处理条件下,籽粒苋受镉离子影响,抗氧化能力下降。在高浓度镉处理条件下,籽粒苋调节了营养元素的吸收和分配,启动了一系列活性氧防御机制,提高了抗胁迫能力。     

在降雨量极少的条件下日本琵琶湖北湖主要环境因子的动态变化和机理的研究(Ⅰ)(英文)

琵琶湖是日本第一大淡水湖,20世纪60年代以来,由于经济的发展,湖水水质逐步变坏。1977年湖的北部出现赤潮,1 983年湖的南部出现了湖泊富营养化的产物微囊藻。多年来,在深水区湖水温度分层情况下,叶绿素α或浮游植物主要分布在湖的表层。但在1 994年夏季降雨量极少的情况下,在深水区叶绿素α或浮游植物主要分布在温跃层的附近,这种现象在琵琶湖是罕见的。分析发现叶绿素的峰值在湖水温度分层时出现在温跃层的上部,而且底边界层同时出现了低溶氧和高浊度的现象。叶绿素α和溶氧、浊度的对应关系表明温跃层是一光合成活跃的区间。本文通过流体力学方程计算,结果表明随着温度的降低,粘滞力就会增加,在温跃层出现了随水深增加,粘滞力急剧增大的情况。由此可见颗粒物在温跃层顶的上部沉降速度比温跃层内快,因此颗粒物高浓度出现在温跃层内。计算结果同时发现,在水深10～20 m(对应于温跃层),分子扩散系数最小,一旦颗粒物进入这一区间就不易扩散出去。由于温跃层是一分子扩散系数小、粘滞力高的区间,所以温跃层是颗粒物和营养盐的富集区,出现了藻类和叶绿素浓度的峰值。     

在降雨量极少的条件下日本琵琶湖的环境因子的分布(英文)

琵琶湖是日本第一大淡水湖,20世纪60年代以来,由于经济的发展,湖水水质逐步变坏。1977年湖的北部出现赤潮,1983年湖的南部出现了湖泊富营养化的产物微囊藻。多年来,在深水区湖水温度分层情况下,叶绿素a或浮游植物主要分布在湖的表层(Tezuka,1984)。但在1994年夏季,降雨量极少的情况下,在深水区叶绿素a或浮游植物主要分布在温跃层附近,这种现象在琵琶湖是罕见的(Nakanishi,1995)。最近,琵琶湖北湖的藻类爆发显著增加了溶氧的消耗,导致了湖底层溶氧的减少。如果湖底层溶氧持续减少,底泥储存的磷就会释放到湖水中,从而加快湖泊富营养化的进程。本文分析了琵琶湖南北10个点1994年4月至1995年3月每月1次的常规观测资料,深入剖析了全湖物理化学参数的时空分布,不仅发现叶绿素的峰值在湖水温度分层时出现在温跃层的上部,而且湖底边界层同时出现了低溶氧和高浊度的现象。分析认为绿素a和溶氧、浊度的对应关系表明温跃层是一光合成活跃的区间。     

在降雨量极少的条件下日本琵琶湖北湖主要环境因子的动态变化和机理的研究(Ⅰ)

琵琶湖是日本第一大淡水湖,20世纪60年代以来,由于经济的发展,湖水水质逐步变坏.1977年湖的北部出现赤潮,1983年湖的南部出现了湖泊富营养化的产物微囊藻.多年来,在深水区湖水温度分层情况下,叶绿素α或浮游植物主要分布在湖的表层.但在1 994年夏季降雨量极少的情况下,在深水区叶绿素α或浮游植物主要分布在温跃层的附近,这种现象在琵琶湖是罕见的.分析发现叶绿素的峰值在湖水温度分层时出现在温跃层的上部,而且底边界层同时出现了低溶氧和高浊度的现象.叶绿素α和溶氧、浊度的对应关系表明温跃层是一光合成活跃的区间.本文通过流体力学方程计算,结果表明随着温度的降低,粘滞力就会增加,在温跃层出现了随水深增加,粘滞力急剧增大的情况.由此可见颗粒物在温跃层顶的上部沉降速度比温跃层内快,因此颗粒物高浓度出现在温跃层内.计算结果同时发现,在水深10～20 m(对应于温跃层),分子扩散系数最小,一旦颗粒物进入这一区间就不易扩散出去.由于温跃层是一分子扩散系数小、粘滞力高的区间,所以温跃层是颗粒物和营养盐的富集区,出现了藻类和叶绿素浓度的峰值.     

Step-up multiple regression model to compute Chlorophyll a in the coastal waters off Cochin, southwest coast of India

The interaction effects of abiotic processes in the production of phytoplankton in a coastal marine region off Cochin are evaluated using multiple regression models. The study shows that chlorophyll production is not limited by nutrients, but their physiological regulations (responses to nutrients, pH, temperature and salinity) are mainly responsible for the increased biological production. The model explaining 77% of variability for chlorophyll a production is indicative of preconditioning of the coastal waters. The phytoplankton production is found to be sensitive to the environment, which varies seasonally. Further, the study suggests that supply of organic matter and grazing of zooplankton (not included) would improve the model efficiency. Despite this, the good agreement in the computed and measured chlorophyll a values shows that step-up multiple regression model is a useful tool to understand the influence of environmental variables on the production of phytoplankton in these coastal waters.     

Goals and remedial strategies for water quality and wildlife management in a coastal lagoon--a case-study of Ringkøbing Fjord, Denmark

The aim of this work is (1) to discuss approaches and tools to set management goals using operational indicators for coastal management (i.e., indicators that are easy to measure, understand and predict) and validated predictive models and (2) to discuss remedial strategies for sustainable coastal management regarding water quality and the abundance of fish, waterfowl and large aquatic plants. These approaches are exemplified using data from Ringkøbing Fjord, Denmark, which has undergone two major regime shifts during the last decades. This work discusses the changes taken place during the period from 1980 to 2004 (when there are good empirical data). For Ringkøbing Fjord, which is a very shallow, well-oxygenated lagoon dominated by resuspension processes, we have targeted on the following operational indicators, which are meant to reflect seasonal median values for the entire defined coastal area (the ecosystem scale) and not conditions at individual sites or data from shorter time periods: Secchi depth (as a standard measure of water clarity) and chlorophyll-a concentrations (as a key measure of algal biomass). The operational indicators are regulated by a set of standard abiotic factors, such as salinity, suspended particulate matter (SPM), nutrient concentrations (N and P), coastal morphometry and water exchange. Such relationships are quantified using well-tested, general quantitative models, which illustrate how these indicators are interrelated and how they reflect fundamental aspects of coastal ecosystems. We demonstrate that the regime shift in the lagoon can be modelled and quantitatively explained and is related to changes in salinity and nutrient inflow. A very important threshold is linked to increased salinities in the lagoon. For example, when the mean annual salinity is higher than about 9.5‰, large numbers of saltwater species of clams can survive and influence the structure and function of the ecosystem in profound ways. The model also illustrates the dynamic response to changes in nutrient loading. We have presented several management strategies with the goal of keeping the Secchi depth at 2 m, which would stimulate the growth of higher aquatic plants, which are fundamental for fish production and bird abundance in the lagoon. Given the fact that the Secchi depth depends on many variable factors (temperature, TP-inflow from land, salinity, changes in biomasses of macrophytes and clams, which are accounted for in these simulations), our results indicate that in practice it will likely be very difficult to reach that goal. However, it would be realistic to maintain a Secchi depth of 1.5 m if the variability in salinity is minimized and the mean salinity is kept at about 10.2‰.     

Physiological responses to atmospheric fluorine pollution in transplants of Pseudoscleropodium purum

Transplants of the moss Pseudoscleropodium purum were placed under shade, and with an auto irrigation system, at five sites in the surroundings of an aluminium smelter to enable study of the possible effects of F on different physiological parameters after exposure periods of 28 and 56 days. Reference thresholds for the content of Chl a+b and for the pigment indexes of Chl a/b and D665/D665a were established with the data corresponding to 22 transplants of each duration of exposure, at seven sites where there was little or no contamination by F. The highest determination coefficients for the levels of F in moss were those obtained for chlorophyll content (Chl a+b) and the D665/D665a pigment index, with the effects being most evident in the transplants exposed to the contamination for 56 days.     

Toxicity assessment of a common laundry detergent using the freshwater flagellate Euglena gracilis

Synthetic detergents are among the commonly used chemicals in everyday life. Detergents, reaching aquatic environments through domestic and municipal wastewater, can cause many different effects in aquatic organisms. The present study was aimed at the toxicity evaluation of a commonly used laundry detergent, Ariel, using the freshwater flagellate Euglena gracilis as a biotest organism. Different parameters of the flagellate like motility, swimming velocity, cell shape, gravitactic orientation, photosynthesis and concentration of light harvesting pigments were used as end points for the toxicity assessment. No Observed Effect Concentration (NOEC) and EC₅₀ values were calculated for the end point parameters at four different incubation times, i.e. 0, 6, 24 and 72 h. After 72 h incubation, swimming velocity of the cells was found to be the most sensitive parameter giving NOEC and EC₅₀ values of 10.8 and 34 mg L⁻¹, respectively. After 72 h exposure to the detergent, chlorophyll a and total carotenoids were significantly decreased in cultures treated with Ariel at concentrations of 50 mg L⁻¹ and above while chlorophyll b significantly decreased at concentrations above 750 mg L⁻¹. The maximum inhibitory effect on the quantum yield of photosystem II was observed after 24 h exposure and thereafter a recovery trend was observed. Motility, gravitaxis and cell shape were strongly impaired immediately upon exposure to the detergent, but with increasing exposure time these parameters showed acclimatization to the stress and thus the NOEC values obtained after 72 h were higher than those immediately after exposure.