Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a subtropical coastal embayment (Moreton Bay,Australia)

Surface water methane (CH₄) and nitrous oxide (N₂O) concentrations and fluxes were investigated in two subtropical coastal embayments (Bramble Bay and Deception Bay, which are part of the greater Moreton Bay, Australia). Measurements were done at 23 stations in seven campaigns covering different seasons during 2010–2012. Water–air fluxes were estimated using the Thin Boundary Layer approach with a combination of wind and currents-based models for the estimation of the gas transfer velocities. The two bays were strong sources of both CH₄ and N₂O with no significant differences in the degree of saturation of both gases between them during all measurement campaigns. Both CH₄ and N₂O concentrations had strong temporal but minimal spatial variability in both bays. During the seven seasons, CH₄ varied between 500% and 4000% saturation while N₂O varied between 128 and 255% in the two bays. Average seasonal CH₄ fluxes for the two bays varied between 0.5 ± 0.2 and 6.0 ± 1.5 mg CH₄/(m²·day) while N₂O varied between 0.4 ± 0.1 and 1.6 ± 0.6 mg N₂O/(m²·day). Weighted emissions (t CO₂-e) were 63%–90% N₂O dominated implying that a reduction in N₂O inputs and/or nitrogen availability in the bays may significantly reduce the bays' greenhouse gas (GHG) budget. Emissions data for tropical and subtropical systems is still scarce. This work found subtropical bays to be significant aquatic sources of both CH₄ and N₂O and puts the estimated fluxes into the global context with measurements done from other climatic regions.     

Heavy-metal distribution and risk assessment of sediment and fish from El-Mex Bay, Alexandria, Egypt

Heavy metals are increasingly being released into natural waters from geological and anthropogenic sources. The distribution of several heavy metals (Cr, Cu, Cd, Pb, Zn, and Hg) was investigated in muscle, gill, and liver in two different fish species seasonally collected in El-Mex Bay (autumn 2004-summer 2005). In order to evaluate the pollution status of the Bay, the concentrations of the selected metals in the labile and total fractions were analysed in sediment samples collected from eight sites in El-Mex Bay during autumn 2004. Also, the Index of Geoaccumulation (I_geo) for the sediment was estimated. The total and labile fractions of the selected metals in sediment samples were 15.2 and 62.8 μg g^-1 dw for Cu, 1.8 and 5.0 μg g^-1 dw for Cd, 79.1 and 130.3 μg g^-1 dw for Zn, 0.2 and 1.2 μg g^-1 dw for Hg, 35.8 and 93.0 μg g^-1 dw for Pb, and 13.9 and 31.0 μg g^-1 dw for Cr. The concentrations of all metals were lower in flesh than those recorded in liver and gill due to their physiological roles. The metal pollution index for fish was calculated. Health hazard calculations for the contaminated sediments and fish consumption were calculated to evaluate the effect of pollution on health.     

Influence of fur trade,famine, and forest fires on moose and woodland caribou populations in northwestern Ontario from 1786 to 1911

Hudson’s Bay Company records were used to estimate the 1786–1911 annual number of moose (Alces alces andersonii) and caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou) involved in trade by northern Ojibwa natives to the company post at Osnaburgh House (51°10′N 90°15′W) in northwest Ontario, Canada. The human population for the early 19th century, and the number and severity of human starvations from 1786 to 1911 were estimated. The extent of forest fires in the region around Osnaburgh was documented using a “fire-day” index computed from Hudson’s Bay Company journals and using qualitative archival information. It is argued that the human population was too small to have caused the observed early 19th century moose and caribou population decline solely through predation. Likewise, severe early 19th century famines were caused by climatic factors rather than by declines in moose and caribou numbers. Habitat change caused by increased forest fires correlates with the observed decline of caribou, while moose increased and subsequently collapsed as winter shelter was destroyed. A burgeoning human population, sustained during winter food shortages on potatoes donated by the Hudson’s Bay Company, then kept ungulate populations to low levels until the late 19th century. Only then did maturing forests and a new outbreak of fires provide renewed habitat for resurgences of, respectively, caribou and moose.     

Resource protection for waterbirds in Chesapeake bay

Many living resources in the Chesapeake Bay estuary have deteriorated over the past 50 years. As a result, many governmental committees, task forces, and management plans have been established. Most of the recommendations for implementing a bay cleanup focus on reducing sediments and nutrient flow into the watershed. We emphasize that habitat requirements other than water quality are necessary for the recovery of much of the bay's avian wildlife, and we use a waterbird example as illustration. Some of these needs are: (1) protection of fast-eroding islands, or creation of new ones by dredge deposition to improve nesting habitat for American black ducks(Anas rubripes), great blue herons(Ardea herodias), and other associated wading birds; (2) conservation of remaining brackish marshes, especially near riparian areas, for feeding black ducks, wading birds, and wood ducks(Aix sponsa); (3) establishment of sanctuaries in open-water, littoral zones to protect feeding and/or roosting areas for diving ducks such as canvasbacks(Aythya valisineria) and redheads(Aythya americana), and for bald eagles(Haliaeetus leucocephalus); and (4) limitation of disturbance by boaters around nesting islands and open-water feeding areas. Land (or water) protection measures for waterbirds need to include units at several different spatial scales, ranging from “points” (e.g., a colony site) to large-area resources (e.g., a marsh or tributary for feeding). Planning to conserve large areas of both land and water can be achieved following a biosphere reserve model. Existing interagency committees in the Chesapeake Bay Program could be more effective in developing such a model for wildlife and fisheries resources.     

1985-2015年美国坦帕湾流域土地开发利用强度时空变化分析

分析土地开发利用强度对提高土地开发利用效率和推动生态环境保护工作具有重要意义。选取美国佛罗里达州坦帕湾流域为研究区,以1985年、1995年、2005年、2015年4期Landsat TM/OLI遥感影像为数据源,采用GIS技术构建了基于行为者的土地动态度模型、转移矩阵、土地开发利用强度模型和土地利用结构模型,对坦帕湾流域土地开发利用强度时空格局进行了分析。结果表明：（1）研究期间建设用地和林地是流域主导土地利用类型;建设用地面积增加最多,主要由耕地转换而来,转换比例为53.74%。（2）各种土地利用类型相对变化率具有明显的空间差异,河流与湖泊相对变化最大;未利用地速度变化最为显著,单一动态度高达1.11%;建设用地年均增长较为平缓,每年增长0.30%左右;流域北部和南部综合动态度最高,形成极核中心,并以圈层形式向外辐射降低,同时高动态度区逐渐转换为较低动态度区。（3）信息熵均衡度呈小幅下降趋势,土地利用结构均质性下降;土地开发利用面积基本构成为建设用地>林地>耕地与牧场>河流与湖泊>未利用地>滩涂与沼泽。（4）坦帕湾沿岸皮拉尼斯县与坦帕市土地开发利用强度最高;流域土地开发利用强度发展期面积高于调整期,土地开发利用强度增强趋势明显。     

人工岛对金梦海湾水体交换的影响

为研究金梦海湾人工岛的不同布局对周围海域水动力及水体交换的影响,基于MIKE软件建立三维和二维潮流模型以及保守物质输运模型,运用欧拉法计算水体滞留时间,从整体和分区二个方面分析人工岛对水体交换的影响机制.结果表明：海螺岛工程起到分流、导流的作用,提升了金梦海湾的水体交换能力,水体交换率提升10.17%;海螺岛和进岛路的联合作用,使金梦海湾形成一个水体交换能力较差的半封闭式水域,水体交换率下降7.73%;在建设人工岛时保留潮汐通道有助于该区域的水体交换,进岛路的去除为汤河口和金梦海湾近岸增加一条潮汐通道,水体交换能力增加17.90%;在弱潮流地区,需考虑余流的作用.金梦海湾区域的余流小,潮流弱,因此保守物质滞留时间长,水体交换缓慢,水体的自净能力低.     

互花米草入侵对胶州湾潮滩湿地硫素时空分布的影响

选择胶州湾互花米草潮滩(入侵前为光滩)和光滩为研究对象,研究了互花米草入侵下胶州湾潮滩湿地土壤总硫(Total sulfur, TS)、有效硫(Available sulfur, AS)及互花米草各器官TS含量的时空分布特征及其影响因素.结果表明,互花米草入侵后湿地0～60 cm土壤TS((1.53±0.24) g·kg~(-1)))和AS((0.75±0.04) g·kg~(-1))的平均含量明显高于入侵前光滩湿地TS((1.13±0.09) g·kg~(-1))和AS((0.53±0.02) g·kg~(-1))的平均含量(n=54,p0.05),增幅分别为35.40%和41.51%.其中,互花米草入侵后湿地30～50 cm土层TS含量和20～60 cm土层AS含量较入侵前的光滩湿地大幅增加(n=9,p0.05).与光滩相比,6、10、12月互花米草潮滩土壤TS含量增幅分别为14.53%、67.86%、22.52%,AS含量增幅分别为48.72%、39.06%、50.98%.逐步线性回归分析结果表明,互花米草入侵后导致土壤EC、有机质的改变是影响其土壤AS含量分布的关键因素.互花米草TS含量均值为(2.73±0.39) g·kg~(-1),6月植物TS含量与10月、12月植物TS含量之间均存在显著性差异(n=9,p0.05),硫(S)累积量最高值出现在10月,同种器官内6月根、茎、叶的硫累积系数(Accumulation Factor of sulfur, AF_S)均高于10月、12月.研究表明,互花米草入侵总体增加了土壤硫库储量,提高了湿地土壤AS的供给能力,但增加了其时空变异性,AS在不同季节差异较大.     

Formation and Evolution of Ancient Lakes on South Coast Plain of Laizhou Bay

Abstract

Based on the data of historical geography, the analysis of the stratigraphic section, and the textual research of place names and satellite photographic interpretations, the authors study the formation and evolution of ancient lakes on the south coast plain of Laizhou Bay where there were once three lakes: Judian Lake, Qingshuibo Lake and Biehua Lake. All the lakes formed 6000 years ago evolved from the lagoons near the estuary and went through two periods, the golden age in the Middle Holocene and the shrinking age in the Late Holocene. The disappearance of the lakes resulted from the drying climate, the migration of the river courses and the activities of human beings. Among the three reasons, the migration of the river courses is the main one.     

Computing Atmospheric Nutrient Loads to the Chesapeake Bay Watershed and Tidal Waters

Application of integrated Chesapeake Bay models of the airshed, watershed, and estuary support air and water nitrogen controls in the Chesapeake. The models include an airshed model of the Mid‐Atlantic region which tracks the estimated atmospheric deposition loads of nitrogen to the watershed, tidal Bay, and adjacent coastal ocean. The three integrated models allow tracking of the transport and fate of nitrogen air emissions, including deposition in the Chesapeake watershed, the subsequent uptake, transformation, and transport to Bay tidal waters, and their ultimate influence on Chesapeake water quality. This article describes the development of the airshed model, its application to scenarios supporting the Chesapeake Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL), and key findings from the scenarios. Key findings are that the atmospheric deposition loads are among the largest input loads of nitrogen in the watershed, and that the indirect nitrogen deposition loads to the watershed, which are subsequently delivered to the Bay are larger than the direct loads of atmospheric nitrogen deposition to Chesapeake tidal waters. Atmospheric deposition loads of nitrogen deposited in coastal waters, which are exchanged with the Chesapeake, are also estimated. About half the atmospheric deposition loads of nitrogen originate from outside the Chesapeake watershed. For the first time in a TMDL, the loads of atmospheric nitrogen deposition are an explicit part of the TMDL load reductions.     

The effects of Orimulsion and Fuel Oil #6 on the hatching success of copepod resting eggs in the seabed of Tampa Bay,Florida

A 3-month microcosm study was conducted to observe the potential effects of two fuels, Orimulsion and Fuel Oil #6, on the hatching success of copepod resting eggs in the seabed of Tampa Bay, Florida. Microcosms were dosed with one of five hydrocarbon treatments via hydrocarbon-coated sand and compared with controls. Acartia tonsa eggs were nonviable in all treatments after only a few weeks of incubation, as evidenced by a marked decline in the abundance of nauplii. However, there was no evidence that exposure to simulated spills of 700 or 7000 ppm of either fuel led to significant increases in resting egg mortality as compared with controls. The results further indicate that, regardless of environmental conditions, resting eggs of A. tonsa do not remain viable in the sediment for extended periods of time.