Experimental study of long wave dynamics in the presence of two offshore islands

Environmental Fluid Mechanics - Following the 2010 Mentawai tsunami, observations in Sumatra by Hill et al. (J Geophys Res Solid Earth, 2012. https://doi.org/10.1029/2012jb009159 ) noted enhanced...     

Simulation of wetlands forest vegetation dynamics

A computer program, SWAMP, was designed to simulate the effects of flood frequency and depth to water table on southern wetlands forest vegetation dynamics. By incorporating these hydrologic characteristics into the model, forest vegetation and vegetation dynamics can be simulated. The model, based on data from the White River National Wildlife Refuge near De Witt, Arkansas, “grows” individual trees on a 20 x 20-m plot taking into account effects on the tree growth of flooding, depth to water table, shade tolerance, overtopping and crowding, and probability of death and reproduction. A potential application of the model is illustrated with simulations of tree fruit production following flood-control implementation and lumbering.     

辽河三角洲滨海湿地的演化

在湿地分类及湿地植物群落调查基础上,分析了辽河三角洲滨海湿地植物群落分布与湿地的地表积水条件、土壤水分质量分数、土壤盐分质量分数的关系,以此为依据提出了浅海水下三角洲湿地、潮上带淡水深水体湿地、潮上带淡水浅水体湿地在三角洲泥沙淤积、湿地土壤脱盐、积水脱盐、植物入侵等因素作用下的演化模式.总体上来说,3类湿地均向沼泽湿地、草甸湿地演化.在3类湿地的演化中,浅海水下三角洲湿地的演化过程最复杂,由咸水湿地演化为淡水湿地,演化过程最慢,潮上带淡水深水体湿地演化过程较快,潮上带淡水浅水体湿地演化过程最简单,演化最快.由于开垦,辽河三角洲滨海湿地最终演化成的一部分沼泽湿地、草甸湿地已转变为农作物群落.     

黄河三角洲滨海湿地的维管束植物区系特征

在2007-2008年多次实地调查并参照相关资料基础上,对黄河三角洲滨海湿地进行了植被类型划分和湿地维管束植物生态类群、生活型划分,利用统计方法分析了研究区湿地维管束植物区系的科、属构成,地理分布区成分构成.研究表明,黄河三角洲滨海湿地有71科、199属、298种维管束植物,蓼科、藜科、苋科、豆科、菊科、禾本科、莎草科等7个大科为区系主体,上述7科共76属128种,占总属数的39.38%和总种数的43.99%;区系中单种属多,属的分化程度较高.区系中有59种盐生植物、46种水生植物、44种湿生植物、144种中生植物、7种旱生植物,水生植物、湿生植物的生活型以地面芽植物、地下芽植物为主,陆地中生植物、盐生植物的生活型以一年生植物为主.从分布区类型构成来看,区系中蕨类植物区域分布成分较多,种子植物中温带分布属最多,这反映出湿地植被具有一定的地带性特征,种子植物中热带分布属、世界分布属较多分别表明海洋性气候对湿地植被特征的影响及湿地植被的隐域性特征.     

莱州湾南岸滨海湿地的生物多样性特征分析

通过2005年、2006年的实地调查和整理相关文献资料分析了莱州湾南岸滨海湿地的生物多样性总体特征,湿地维管束植物和水禽的区系组成特点,并与黄河三角洲滨海湿地的生物多样性特征进行了对比。莱州湾南岸滨海湿地维管束植物区系科的分化程度较低,属的分化程度较高,湿生植物、水生植物在区系中占据重要地位;从生活型角度分析,区系中草本植物、地下芽植物和一年生植物占据优势;从维管束植物区系的地理分布成分看,以温带分布属和世界分布属为主;莱州湾南岸滨海湿地水禽区系的居留型构成以旅鸟和候鸟为主,地理分布成分构成以古北界种为主。莱州湾南岸滨海湿地的维管束植物和水禽种类都明显少于相邻的黄河三角洲滨海湿地。     

Endangered light-footed clapper rail affects parasite community structure in coastal wetlands.

An extinction necessarily affects community members that have obligate relationships with the extinct species. Indirect or cascading effects can lead to even broader changes at the community or ecosystem level. However, it is not clear whether generalist parasites should be affected by the extinction of one of their hosts. We tested the prediction that loss of a host species could affect the structure of a generalist parasite community by investigating the role of endangered Light-footed Clapper Rails (Rallus longirostris levipes) in structuring trematode communities in four tidal wetlands in southern California, U.S.A. (Carpinteria Salt Marsh, Mugu Lagoon) and Mexico (Estero de Punta Banda, Bahia Falsa-San Quintin). We used larval trematode parasites in first intermediate host snails (Cerithidea californica) as windows into the adult trematodes that parasitize Clapper Rails. Within and among wetlands, we found positive associations between Clapper Rails and four trematode species, particularly in the vegetated marsh habitat where Clapper Rails typically occur. This suggests that further loss of Clapper Rails is likely to affect the abundance of several competitively dominant trematode species in wetlands with California horn snails, with possible indirect effects on the trematode community and changes in the impacts of these parasites on fishes and invertebrates.     

Spatial dynamics of Mediterranean coastal regions

During recent decades the northern shores of the Mediterranean have experienced a rapid transformation; mainly due to touristic development. At present, more than 25% of the worldÕs hotel accommodation is found in the Mediterranean. This paper presents some figures illustrating the related growth of different sectors of coastal economy, such as housing, tourism, industry and traffic. A better control of these developments is urgently needed. To this end a spatial planning policy should be elaborated which fully incorporates environmental issues. The concept of integrated coastal (zone) management has only recently been introduced in regional and national policies. A classification of spatial dynamics including settlement-environment relationships can stimulate the implementation of integrated planning policies in the coastal belt of the Mediterranean region.     

The value of coastal wetlands for protection of property against hurricane wind damage

The paper has attempted to place a value on wetlands for their role in reducing wind damage to property because of diminished storm intensities. The study estimated a storm wind damage function for the Louisiana gulf coast, where inland distance of a location and wetlands traversed by a hurricane were among the independent was made of the increase in expected wind damage to property from the loss of intervening wetlands. The discounted value of the loss of a one mile strip of wetlands along Louisiana's gulf coast was estimated to be between $1.1 million and $3.7 million in 1980 dollars, using discount rates of 8% and 3%, respectively. Although it may not be too meaningful to place this on a per acre basis, this increased cost of property damage amounted to between $7 and $23 per acre. In order to place this in perspective, the market value of Louisiana wetlands is under $200 per acre. This market value is derived primarily from the mineral and hunting rights accompanying the surface area.This hurricane protection value is only one of many pure or quasipublic goods produced by wetlands. In order to make decisions regarding costly projects designed to retard wetlands erosion, such as revegetation or sediment transfers; or to consider wetlands destroying developments, such as pipeline canal construction, the value of these public goods must be estimated. The current study adds to our knowledge of these values. The next stage in this line of research is to evaluate the benefits that wetlands provide by reducing storm tidal surge. Flood damages to low-lying coastal areas are considerably greater than wind damage, and wetlands areas may be more useful for flood protection to these areas than for reducing storm intensities. Unfortunately, establishing a flood damage function similar to the wind damage function used in this study is difficult since it must consider unique hydrologic features of affected coastal areas.     

Joint use of data and modeling in coastal wave transformation

In the framework of a research project entitled ??BRISA??BReaking waves and Induced SAnd transport??, a methodology was devised to characterize the waves joining together in-situ measurements and numerical wave propagation models. With this goal in mind, a number of in-situ measurements were made, for selected positions in front of Praia de Faro (South Portugal), during four days (25th to 28th March, 2009) by using different types of equipments (e.g., resistive wave gauges, pressure sensors, currentmeters and a new prototype pore pressure sensor using optical fibre). Wave records were obtained simultaneously offshore (at a water depth of 11.7?m below mean sea level, MSL) and at the surf and swash zones. The data processing and analysis were made by applying classical time domain techniques. Numerical simulations of the wave propagation between offshore and inshore for the measurement period were performed with two numerical models, a 1D model based on linear theory and a nonlinear Boussinesq-type model, COULWAVE, both forced by the measured offshore wave conditions of 27th March 2009. Comparisons between numerical results and field data for the pressure sensors placed in the surf and swash zones were made and discussed. This approach enables to evaluate the performance of those models to simulate those specific conditions, but also to validate the models by gaining confidence on their use in other conditions.     

Phytoremediation of potentially toxic elements using constructed wetlands in coastal areas with a mining influence

Environmental Geochemistry and Health - This paper proposes the use of wetlands as a phytoremediation strategy for areas of mining and maritime influence in the southeast of Spain. Potentially...     

Trophic strategies of garfish, Arrhamphus sclerolepis, in natural coastal wetlands and artificial urban waterways

We used carbon stable isotope and stomach content analyses to test whether snub-nosed garfish, Arrhamphus sclerolepis (Hemiramphidae), in the extensive artificial urban waterways of southeast Queensland, Australia, rely on autotrophic sources different to those in natural wetlands. Carbon isotope values of A. sclerolepis were similar to those in previous investigations, with enriched values in natural habitat (mean = −13.9‰, SE=0.6) and depleted values (−19.1‰, 0.1) in artificial habitat. A. sclerolepis in natural habitat consumed large amounts of seagrass during the day and night, and at night also ingested small quantities of crustacean prey. In artificial habitat, A. sclerolepis consumed macroalgae during the night and switched to invertebrates (terrestrial ants) in the day. Values of δ¹⁵ N in all the fish were 3–8‰ more enriched than sources. Mathematical modelling of feasible source mixtures showed that in natural habitat the bulk of the dietary carbon is obtained from seagrass, but the nitrogen is obtained from animal prey. In artificial habitat, carbon is obtained from a mixture of macroalgae and animals. We could not determine the nitrogen sources in artificial habitat of A. sclerolepis since, even after accounting for trophic fractionation of δ¹⁵ N, the values were outside the range of potential sources. If the types of animals ingested vary over time, perhaps one or more types of animal important in the provision of nitrogen was not sampled during the study. This study demonstrates that not only does A. sclerolepis occur in both artificial and natural habitats, but it uses the same strategy of bulk herbivory with the inclusion of smaller amounts of animal prey. This understanding of how ecological processes support fisheries production in artificial habitat improves the overall understanding of the effects of urbanisation on coastal food webs.     

Examining the potential impacts of sea level rise on coastal wetlands in north-eastern NSW,Australia

The coastal wetlands of north-eastern New South Wales (NSW) Australia are increasingly being affected by anthropogenic factors such as urbanisation, residential development and agricultural development. However, little is known about their vulnerability to sea level rise as a result of climate change. The aim of this research is to predict the potential impact of sea level rise (SLR) on the coastal wetland communities. Sea Level Affecting Marshes Model (SLAMM) was used to predict the potential impacts of sea level rise. Geographic Information System (GIS) was used for mapping and analysis. It was found that a meter rise in sea level could decrease coastal wetlands such as Inland fresh marshes from about 225.67 km² in February 2009 to about 168.04 km² by the end of the century in north-eastern NSW, Australia. The outcomes from this research can contribute to enhancing wetland conservation and management in NSW.     

莱州湾南岸滨海湿地维管束植物的区系特征及保护

在2003～2005年多次实地调查并参照相关资料基础上,对莱州湾南岸滨海湿地进行了植被类型划分和湿地维管束植物生态类群划分,利用统计方法分析了研究区湿地维管束植物区系较大科、属的构成,蕨类植物种的地理分布区类型、种子植物属的地理分布区类型,维管束植物区系保护面临的问题及对策.研究表明,莱州湾南岸滨海湿地植被分4个植被型、25个植物群落,由48科129属197种维管束植物构成,这些维管束植物分盐生植物,水生植物,湿生植物和中生、旱生植物4大生态类群.维管束植物区系的主体为菊科、禾本科、莎草科等含5种及5种以上的13个较大科,从维管束植物属的分布区类型构成来看,种子植物中世界分布属最多,达40属,占种子植物总属数的32%,这反映了湿地植被的隐域性特征;温带和热带分布区成分作为区系成分的主体共80属,占种子植物总属数的64%.盐田、养殖池、道路建设,海岸侵蚀,地下咸、卤水入侵,气候干旱,河流断流等自然、人为原因导致莱州湾南岸滨海湿地退化,植被发生退化演替,区系中一些珍稀濒危植物受到日益严重的威胁.提出了对退化湿地进行生态恢复与重建,推广生态旅游、生态养殖等可持续的滨海湿地利用方式,建设湿地自然保护区和生态环境监测网络等莱州湾南岸滨海湿地维管束植物区系保护对策.     

Sulfur mediated heavy metal biogeochemical cycles in coastal wetlands: From sediments,rhizosphere to vegetation

• In sediments, the transformation of sulfides may lead to the release of heavy metals. • In the rhizosphere, sulfur regulates the uptake of heavy metals by plants. • In plants, sulfur mediates a series of heavy metal tolerance mechanisms. • Explore interactions between sulfur and heavy metals on different scales is needed. The interactions and mechanisms between sulfur and heavy metals are a growing focus of biogeochemical studies in coastal wetlands. These issues underline the fate of heavy metals bound in sediments or released into the system through sediments. Despite the fact that numerous published studies have suggested sulfur has a significant impact on the bioavailability of heavy metals accumulated in coastal wetlands, to date, no review article has systematically summarized those studies, particularly from the perspective of the three major components of wetland ecosystems (sediments, rhizosphere, and vegetation). The present review summarizes the studies published in the past four decades and highlights the major achievements in this field. Research and studies available thus far indicate that under anaerobic conditions, most of the potentially bioavailable heavy metals in coastal wetland sediments are fixed as precipitates, such as metal sulfides. However, fluctuations in physicochemical conditions may affect sulfur cycling, and hence, directly or indirectly lead to the conversion and migration of heavy metals. In the rhizosphere, root activities and microbes together affect the speciation and transformation of sulfur which in turn mediate the migration of heavy metals. As for plant tissues, tolerance to heavy metals is enhanced by sulfur-containing compounds via promoting a series of chelation and detoxification processes. Finally, to further understand the interactions between sulfur and heavy metals in coastal wetlands, some major future research directions are proposed.     

Greenhouse gas fluxes in southeastern U.S. coastal plain wetlands under contrasting land uses

Whether through sea level rise or wetland restoration, agricultural soils in coastal areas will be inundated at increasing rates, renewing connections to sensitive surface waters and raising critical questions about environmental trade-offs. Wetland restoration is often implemented in agricultural catchments to improve water quality through nutrient removal. Yet flooding of soils can also increase production of the greenhouse gases nitrous oxide and methane, representing a potential environmental trade-off. Our study aimed to quantify and compare greenhouse gas emissions from unmanaged and restored forested wetlands, as well as actively managed agricultural fields within the North Carolina coastal plain, USA. In sampling conducted once every two months over a two-year comparative study, we found that soil carbon dioxide flux (range: 8000-64 800 kg CO2 x ha(-1) x yr(-1)) comprised 66-100% of total greenhouse gas emissions from all sites and that methane emissions (range: -6.87 to 197 kg CH4 x ha(-1) x yr(-1)) were highest from permanently inundated sites, while nitrous oxide fluxes (range: -1.07 to 139 kg N2O x ha(-1) x yr(-1)) were highest in sites with lower water tables. Contrary to predictions, greenhouse gas fluxes (as CO2 equivalents) from the restored wetland were lower than from either agricultural fields or unmanaged forested wetlands. In these acidic coastal freshwater ecosystems, the conversion of agricultural fields to flooded young forested wetlands did not result in increases in greenhouse gas emissions.     

Colonization dynamics in trophic-functional structure of periphytic protist communities in coastal waters

The colonization dynamics in trophic-functional patterns of periphytic protist communities was studied in coastal waters of the Yellow Sea, northern China, from May to June, 2010. The periphytic protists represented different trophic-functional structures during colonization process. Only certain trophic-functional groups (e.g., photoautotrophs, algivores and non-selectives) occurred within the protist communities with low species number and abundance at the initial stage (1–3 days), while more trophic-functional groups (e.g., photoautotrophs, algivores, non-selectives and raptors) contributed to the communities with increased and peaked species number and abundance at the transitional (7–10 days) and equilibrium (14–28 days) stages, respectively. All heterotrophic groups were significantly fitted the MacArthur–Wilson model in colonization curves and represented higher species number and colonization rates at a depth of 1 m than at 3 m. These results may provide necessary understandings for ecological researches and monitoring programs using periphytic protists with different colonization ages in marine ecosystems.     

Dissolved nutrient dynamics along the southwest coastal waters of India during northeast monsoon: a case study

Dissolved nutrients, Chl-a and primary productivity were measured from seven transects along the coastal waters of the southeastern Arabian Sea during northeast monsoon. Ten major estuaries were chosen to study the influence of estuarine discharge on the nutrient dynamics in the coastal waters. The mean water discharge of the estuaries in the north (64.8?±?18?×?10⁵?m³?d^?1) was found to be higher than those in the south (30.6?±?21.4?×?10⁵?m³?d^?1), whereas the nutrient concentrations were found to be higher in the estuaries of the south. The results from the offshore waters were discussed in accordance with the depth contour classification, that is, shelf (depth?≤?30?m) and slope waters (depth?≥?30?m). Our results suggest that the estuarine discharge plays a major role in the nutrient distribution in near shore shelf waters, whereas in shelf and slope waters, it was mainly controlled by in situ biological processes. The inorganic form of N to P ratios were found to be higher than Redfield ratio in slope waters when compared with shelf waters, suggesting that PO₄^3? (<0.15?µmol?L^?1) is a limiting nutrient for primary production. The multivariate statistical analysis revealed that the nutrient dynamics in the coastal waters was controlled by both biological and physical processes.     

三江平原不同水位梯度湿地地上生物量动态特征

水分条件变化直接影响湿地植物群落的分布及其生产量,为了阐明不同水分条件湿地初级生产力的形成规律,揭示水文格局对湿地生态系统物质生产过程的调控机理,采用收获法研究了三江平原不同水位梯度上的小叶章(Calamagrostics angustifolia)、乌拉苔草(Carex meyeriana)和毛苔草(Carex lasiocarpa)湿地地上生物量的结构动态及其增长速率,结果表明:3类湿地地上及其各器官生物量均呈单峰型变化,小叶章湿地和乌拉苔草湿地地上生物量的峰值出现的时间早于毛苔草湿地,而且小叶章湿地和乌拉苔草湿地各季节地上生物量均大于毛苔草湿地.茎对小叶章湿地地上生物量的平均贡献率与毛苔草湿地相近,均大于乌拉苔草湿地;叶对小叶章湿地地上生物量的平均贡献率与毛苔草湿地相近,均小于乌拉苔草湿地.3类湿地地上生物量的绝对增长率和相对增长率的变化趋势基本相同,但不同阶段绝对增长率和相对增长率值的大小存在差异.3类湿地地上生物量及各组分生物量的季节动态变化均符合抛物线模型,并且各模型拟合精度均较高,R2基本都在0.92以上.     

Temporal analysis of coastal erosion in Turkey: a case study Karasu coastal region

Coastal erosion may be caused by natural causes as well as human factors. Karasu town of the city of Sakarya in Turkey which is a touristic region on the Black Sea coast has been experienced a drastic coastal erosion. In recent years, this erosion reached the threatening dimensions for the structures in the settlement. According to the temporal analyses of Landsat satellite images, the maximum erosion on the coastline was detected 100 m between 1987–2013. The results of the study show that the harbour construct on the Karasu coast has the major impact on this event. The secondary factor is that the amount of the sediment carried by the Sakarya River was decreased in time due to different reasons. To prevent the coastal erosion, a series of offshore breakwaters were planned after the failed application of groins on the coastline. In this study, temporal changes of the coastline are investigated by the Landsat satellite data and land surveys, possible reasons of the erosion are discussed and the solutions are proposed regarding the coastal structures.     

Nitrogen dynamics in the sediments of a wetland coastal ecosystem of southern India

The study area, Kuttanad Waters is a part of the Cochin estuarine system on the west coast of India. Kuttanad is well known for its agricultural activity and so the major contribution to the inorganic ions of nitrogen will be from fertilisers applied in agriculture. Based on observed salinity the stations have been divided into three zones. The fresh water zones had higher quantities of silt and clay whereas the estuarine zone was more sandy. The chemical speciation scheme applied here distinguishes three forms of ammoniacal nitrogen species: exchangeable, fixed, and organic ammoniacal nitrogen. No significant trends were observed in the seasonal distribution of total, exchangeable, fixed and organic nitrogen. A significant concentration of exchangeable ammonia was observed in the sediment due to their predominantly reducing environment, which restricts nitrification. High NH₄-N concentrations in the pore waters, along with the sedimentary composition leads to a significantly high quantity of fixed NH₄-N. The low values for N org is due to high mineralisation or deamination of organic nitrogen