Heavy metals in Hediste diversicolor (polychaeta: nereididae) and salt marsh sediments from the lagoon of Venice (Italy)

The nereid polychaete Hediste diversicolor was frequently used as biomonitor of heavy metals contamination in estuaries. In the present work, the bioaccumulation of five heavy metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Mn, Pb) in tissues of H. diversicolor collected from six salt marshes in the lagoon of Venice is studied by analysing the relationships between concentrations of the operationally-defined reactive fraction of trace metals in sediments and total concentrations in tissues. The characterisation of sediment samples shows a clear distinction between sites near and far from the Industrial Zone; no analogous pattern is observed for tissue concentrations suggesting that metal bioaccumulation is controlled by complex interactions between metal bioavailability and physiological factors. Considering relationships between metals, strong inverse correlations are observed in polychaetes and sediments for Cu and Cr concentrations suggesting a possible interaction between these two metals. The role played by organic matter (OM) in the availability of metal is highlighted considering inverse relationships found between bioaccumulation factors for Cu, Cr, Cd and OM.     

A LOOK AT THE HUDSON RIVER ESTUARY1

This paper provides background information on the effect of tide waves upon the movement of water in the Hudson River estuary. Computations based on records from three continuous stage recorders and current-meter discharge measurements made throughout a tidal cycle show that peak discharge rates in the estuary at Poughkeep-sie may be as great as 500,000 cubic feet per second and that total daily tidal volumes as great as 20 billion cubic feet move in the estuary. Computation of water movement in the estuary requires precise field data and continued efforts are needed to perfect the data-collection system and the computation procedure in order to adequately define water movement in the Hudson estuary.     

Critique of present wetlands mitigation policies in the united states based on an analysis of past restoration projects in San Francisco Bay

A detailed evaluation of past wetland restoration projects in San Francisco Bay was undertaken to determine their present status and degree of success. Many of the projects never reached the level of success purported and others have been plagued by serious problems. On the basis of these findings, it is debatable whether any sites in San Francisco Bay can be described as completed, active, or successful restoration projects at present. In spite of these limited accomplishments, wetland creation and restoration have been adopted in the coastal permit process as mitigation to offset environmental damage or loss of habitat. However, because the technology is still largely experimental, there is no guarantee that man-made wetlands will persist as permanent substitutes for sacrificed natural habitats. Existing permit policies should be reanalyzed to insure that they actually succeed in safeguarding diminishing wetlands resources rather than bartering them away for questionable habitat substitutes. Coastal managers must be more specific about project requirements and goals before approval is granted. Continued research on a regional basis is needed to advance marsh establishment techniques into a proven technology. In the meantime, policies encouraging or allowing quid pro quo exchanges of natural wetlands with man-made replacements should proceed with caution. The technology and management policies used at present are many steps ahead of the needed supporting documentation.     

The MYSound Project: building an estuary-wide monitoring network for Long Island Sound,USA

A network of five water quality monitoring stations has been established in Long Island Sound, measuring temperature, salinity, and dissolved oxygen since 1999. The stations are located in areas of extreme water quality degradation (western Long Island Sound) as well as in pristine areas (eastern Long Island Sound). The data from these stations are collected every 15 minutes and posted to the project web site in real time as provisional data. After subsequent quality assurance procedures, the data are archived to the project File Transfer Protocol (FSP) site for downloading by the user community. The network of stations is in part supported logistically by a number of partners, including state and local agencies, schools, and non-governmental organizations. Data from the monitoring programs of some of these partners are also published to the project website providing a more comprehensive and complete picture of the status of the Sound than can be provided independently. This repository of information is used by marine educators, resource managers, scientists, and the general public, each with a different end purpose. We use the data from two of the stations to show that these high frequency time series measurements can be used to complement and enhance other monitoring programs within the Sound, documenting in greater detail the occurrence and duration of hypoxic events.     

用三性法对巴楚伽师6.8级地震的跨越式预测

介绍了用三性法对2003年2月24日新疆巴楚伽师6．8级地震的早期跨越式预测，并讨论了某些相关问题。所谓三性法就是大震时序上的周期性、倍周期性和黄金分割性的排列。     

MODIFICATION OF NEILL'S EQUATION FOR STORM‐TIDE DESIGN FLOW ANALYSIS1

ABSTRACT: Design of bridges spanning tidal estuaries or bays requires an estimate of peak tidal flow. One common approach to estimating these flows (Neill's method) uses a first‐order approximation of uniform water surface rise in the water body. For larger water bodies, the assumptions of this method are decreasingly valid. This study develops a simple modification that accounts for the spatial variability in the response of tidal waterways to storm surge flows. The peak tidal flow predicted by Neill's equation is compared to the peak flow determined by numerical simulation of estuaries with simple geometries, ranging from 1 to 25 km in length, using the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers one‐dimensional unsteady flow model, UNET. Results indicate that, under certain conditions, it may be appropriate to apply a correction factor to the peak discharge and peak velocity predicted by Neill's method. An algorithm, developed by nonlinear regression, is presented for computing correction factors based on estuary length, shape, mean depth, and storm‐tide characteristics. The results should permit the design of more reliable, cost‐effective structures by providing more realistic estimates of the potential for bridge scour in tidal waterways, especially when a full solution of the unsteady flow equations is impractical.     

Plant Community Composition and Biomass in Gulf Coast Chenier Plain Marshes: Responses to Winter Burning and Structural Marsh Management

Many marshes in the Gulf Coast Chenier Plain, USA, are managed through a combination of fall or winter burning and structural marsh management (i.e., levees and water control structures; hereafter SMM). The goals of winter burning and SMM include improvement of waterfowl and furbearer habitat, maintenance of historic isohaline lines, and creation and maintenance of emergent wetlands. Although management practices are intended to influence the plant community, effects of these practices on primary productivity have not been investigated. Marsh processes, such as vertical accretion and nutrient cycles, which depend on primary productivity may be affected directly or indirectly by winter burning or SMM. We compared Chenier Plain plant community characteristics (species composition and above- and belowground biomass) in experimentally burned and unburned control plots within impounded and unimpounded marshes at 7 months (1996), 19 months (1997), and 31 months (1998) after burning. Burning and SMM did not affect number of plant species or species composition in our experiment. For all three years combined, burned plots had higher live above-ground biomass than did unburned plots. Total above-ground and dead above-ground biomasses were reduced in burned plots for two and three years, respectively, compared to those in unburned control plots. During all three years, belowground biomass was lower in impounded than in unimpounded marshes but did not differ between burn treatments. Our results clearly indicate that current marsh management practices influence marsh primary productivity and may impact other marsh processes, such as vertical accretion, that are dependent on organic matter accumulation and decay.     

潮滩沉积物重金属生物地球化学研究进展

潮滩是一个物理、化学以及生物条件复杂多变的场所,重金属在这个特殊的环境中有着独特的地球化学行为及其生物有效性.笔者意在对该领域的研究成果进行阐述,并指出该领域中研究比较薄弱的环节以及将来的发展方向,以期推动该领域的进一步研究.      

环境因子对长江口潮滩沉积物中NH+4的释放影响

以长江口潮滩沉积物湿样进行模拟实验,研究盐度、pH和温度等环境因子对沉积物中NH₄+释放的影响.结果表明,随着盐度和温度的上升,沉积物中NH₄+释放量都显著增加;由于潮滩沉积物缓冲性能较好,pH的影响不太明显.此外,NH₄+的释放与沉积物类型有关,沙性物质含量高的低潮滩沉积物NH₄+的释放量明显低于沙性物质低的高、中潮滩沉积物.      

长江口潮滩沉积物的性状对重金属累积的影响

采集长江口无明显点源污染的崇明东滩和九段沙潮滩56个沉积物样品,测定沉积物原样和粘粒中Cu．Zn,Pb,Cr,Cd和Ni的含量以及沉积物的主要性状（粒径分布、游离铁、活性铁、总铁、游离锰、总锰、有机碳和磁化率等）,以相关分析和偏相关分析研究沉积物中重金属含量与沉积物主要性质之间的关系．结果表明,沉积物中粘粒的Cu,Zn,Pb,Cr和Ni含量分别是相应沉积物原样的2．3,3．3,2．0,1．7和2．1倍．潮滩沉积物粘粒的含量是影响重金属累积的主要因素．潮滩沉积物中的磁化率与重金属含量呈显著相关性,表明利用磁信息研究潮滩重金属污染的可行性．