Climate change and population genetic structure of marine species

Climate change influences populations by reducing or extirpating local populations, by disrupting patterns of migration and by shifting geographical distributions. These events can affect genetic population structure in several ways. Molecular markers have been used in numerous population genetic and phylogeographical studies of marine species and have detected population responses to climate change in the last few decades, such as range expansions, adaptative shifts and declines or increases in abundance. Little is known, however, about the molecular and physiological basis of adaptive responses to climate change in marine Mediterranean species. The Mediterranean Sea ecosystem is a ‘living laboratory’ with native species that are challenged by environmental change and by invasive species and a ‘gene-climate’ approach should be adopted as a way of focusing on the relationship between climate warming and genetic diversity.     

Meio- and macrofauna communities in three sandy beaches of the northern Adriatic Sea protected by artificial reefs

Interactions between meio- and macrofaunal assemblages and food availability were investigated in relation to tourism pressures on three beaches of the northern Adriatic Sea. All beaches were characterised by the presence of artificial reefs, freshwater inputs and tourism pressures. Beach sediments displayed high organic loads and low protein and chlorophyll a contributions to the bulk of the organic matter. Consequently, the organic matter was of mostly refractory composition and, thus, of scarce nutritional quality. Macrofaunal community structure and biomass were related to the quantity and nutritional quality of sedimentary organic matter, whereas meiofauna was apparently not. No relationships were found between physical variables and the metazoan communities. Most likely, the presence of artificial reefs reduced the physical impact of waves on the beach assemblages, whereas the presence of synergistic human impacts, including freshwater inputs and the tourism pressure, negatively influenced both the meio- and the macrofaunal assemblages.     

Seasonal changes in inorganic nutrient concentration in the alexandria western harbour (Egypt)

Surface and bottom water samples were collected on a monthly basis from six locations in the Alexandria Western Harbour between April 2002 and March 2003. Total nitrogen, ammonia, nitrite, nitrate, total phosphorus, reactive phosphate and silicate were analysed. The average content of total nitrogen ranged from 81.1 to 65.7?µmol?l^?1 in the surface and bottom waters, respectively, while ammonia ranged from 13.77 to 15.79?µmol?l^?1 in surface and bottom waters, respectively. Also, the average concentration of nitrite was relatively higher in surface waters than in bottom waters (0.89 and 0.61?µmol?l^?1, respectively). The results of this study also indicated a considerable temporal variation in nitrate concentrations which ranged from 1.12 to 13.83?µmol?l^?1. Total phosphorus displayed an irregular pattern throughout the year, ranging from 1.9 to 11.8?µmol?l^?1 in surface waters and from 1.7 to 9.1?µmol?l^?1 in bottom waters. The results of PO₄-P analysis showed higher values in surface waters (0.28–2.75?µmol?l^?1) than in bottom waters (0.10–1.70?µmol?l^?1). The average concentration of silicates was relatively lower in the surface than in the bottom waters (8.97 and 10.1?µmol?l^?1, respectively). The analysis of variance (ANOVA) among seasons and sites revealed significant differences for ammonia, total nitrogen and phosphate, while nitrate showed no significant differences among stations. Finally, silicate did not show any significant variance among sites and seasons (ANOVA, P?>?0.05).     

daNUbs: Lessons learned for nutrient management in the Danube Basin and its relation to Black Sea euthrophication

The results of the daNUbs-project deliver a basis for a proper management of nutrients in the Danube Basin. The understanding of the sources, pathways, and sinks of nutrients in the Basin and their effects on the Western ad North-Western Black Sea (WBS) ecosystem has been improved. Quantitative models on the emission of nutrients, their transport along the rivers, and their impact on the WBS have been further developed and combined. Phosphorus loads discharged by the Danube are 30–50% lower than in the 1980s (dissolved P even to a higher extent). Nitrogen emissions have decreased considerably as well. The lower nutrient discharges from the Danube have led to a significant improvement in the WBS ecosystem. Current low discharges of N and P to the WBS are the result of (1) improved nutrient removal from waste water in Germany, Austria, and Czech Republic, (2) reduced P-discharges from detergents and (3) the consequences of the economic crisis in central and eastern European countries following the political changes of 1989/1990. As the decrease is partly due to the economic breakdown in the formerly communist countries, economic development in these countries has to go along with proper nutrient management. Otherwise, the situation in the WBS ecosystem will deteriorate again.     

Enrichments of Trace Metals in Particulate Matter From the Southern East China Sea,North of Taiwan

Abstract

This study investigates the distributions and enrichments of trace metals in suspended and sinking particulate matter from southern East China Sea (ECS) north of Taiwan during the period April 1992 to April 1993. According to these results, concentration of suspended particulate matter in the inner shelf of southern China Sea, the upwellinginfluenced shelf break, and in Kuroshio water are 1.30 (surface)–4.2 (bottom) mg1^?1, ca. 0.4 mg1^?1 and 0.1–0.2 mg1^?1, respectively, reflecting various influences of terrestrial inputs. A benthic nepheloid layer (BNL), apparently owing to resuspension of local and/or remote bottom sediments, formed over the shelf region. Temporal variations in trace metal contents and enrichments in suspended matter from the shelf region reflect the variation of metal inputs from Chinese rivers, particularly from the Changjiang runoff. the enriched metals are more likely to be derived from anthropogenic input, rather than from biological accumulation. in addition, a decrease in metal contents and an increase in salinity confirm the transport of suspended particulate metals from the East China Sea shelf to the open ocean. the feature of metal plume in the intermediate layer (550–800m) of Kuroshio water also verifies this occurrence. Moreover, the sinking particles collected from a sediment trap on the upper slope are relatively enriched in lithogenic matter and trace metals, suggesting the deposit of anthropogenic metals in the slope area.     

Preliminary Caesium Data From A Cooperative Us/Ussr Monitoring Survey for Chernobyl Radioactivity in the Black Sea

In June 1990, scientists from the US Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) Office of Radiation Programs (ORP), and the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI), travelled to Sevastopol in the Soviet Union to work with radioecologists and marine scientists from the USSR Institute of Biology of the Southern Seas (IBSS). the purpose of this cooperative programme was to conduct a monitoring survey for radioactivity in the northwestern Black Sea. Samples of sediment, surface and in-situ water, and biota were collected from fourteen stations for post-survey radionuclide analyses to determine levels of radioactivity in the Black Sea environment resulting from the Chernobyl nuclear power plant explosion and subsequent transport of radioactivity via the Dnepr and Danube rivers. This paper presents the preliminary data for caesium-137 and caesium-134 in sediment samples analyzed by the EPA/ORP. Caesium-137 was measured at four shallow (20–114 m) stations on the shelf near the mouth of the Dnepr and Danube Rivers, but was not detected in sediments from comparable depths at stations further off shore or in slope sediments at depths of 510–1288 meters. Caesium-134 was detected only in sediments from the shallow-water station nearest to the Danube River.     

黄海硅的分布与收支研究

基于2012年在黄海的综合调查,对黄海水体和沉积物中溶解硅和生物硅的含量和分布及主要影响因素进行了分析,并结合历史数据建立了黄海硅收支与循环的模型.结果表明,黄海水体溶解硅和生物硅在秋季均高于春季,生物硅占活性硅的22%,陆源输入、初级生产和底界面扩散对硅的含量和分布的影响较为突出.收支表明,底界面扩散是黄海水体溶解硅的主要来源,占外部输入的48%,其次是东海的输入,占32%,河流贡献为9%,地下水贡献为6%,地表径流(非河流部分)贡献为3%,渤海贡献为1.5%,大气仅贡献0.5%;黄海水体溶解硅的支出主要是通过生物的吸收与随后的沉积埋藏和向东海的输出,其比例分别为72%和27%,黄海向渤海输出比例仅为1.0%;黄海沉积物是水体溶解硅的源,同时黄海体系还具有潜在汇的特性;黄海硅的净埋藏量约为55×109mol/a,占当年生物硅总量的7.2%,高于全球海洋的平均比值(3%),是外部输入硅总量的47%.本研究量化了黄海硅循环的主要过程,初步揭示了硅的源-汇特征以及陆地输入对近海硅收支与循环的影响.     

东海沉积物中多溴联苯醚的分布特征研究

采集分析了中国东海28个表层沉积物和7个柱状沉积物.结果表明,东海表层沉积物中除BDE-209外∑PBDEs的浓度范围为0.20~2.09ng/g dw,BDE-209的浓度范围为0.57~2.87ng/g dw,在总PBDEs中所占浓度百分比为57.9%~76.7%;接下来分别是BDE-99和BDE-47,所占比例分别为11.7%~21.5%和7.1%~17.4%.表层沉积物中PBDEs分布呈现出(离海岸线)由近及远浓度越来越低的趋势,由北到南浓度上升的趋势.东海柱状沉积物中PBDEs浓度随着深度加深呈现出先上升后下降的趋势,很好的反映出了PBDEs在中国大陆的使用历史和现状.表层沉积物TOC含量在0.54%~0.88%之间,柱状沉积物TOC的含量在0.62%~0.88%之间,而且不管是表层沉积物(R²=0.723,P < 0.01)还是柱状沉积物(R²=0.595, P < 0.01),PBDEs浓度和TOC含量之间有较强的线性关系,表明沉积物中TOC含量是影响PBDEs分布的一个重要因素.     

黄渤海氮磷营养盐的分布、收支与生态环境效应

基于在黄渤海的综合调查结果,分析了水体和沉积物间隙水中溶解无机氮（DIN）和溶解无机磷（DIP）的分布;结合历史数据构建了黄渤海DIN和DIP的收支模型,并分析了陆源输入变化对研究区域生态环境的影响.结果表明,黄渤海DIN和DIP的含量受季节、河流输入和沉积物界面扩散作用的影响,具有秋季高于春季和近岸高于离岸的时空分布特征.收支模型计算结果表明,底界面扩散是黄渤海水体DIN的主要来源,其次是大气、周边河流、地下水和东海的输入;黄渤海水体DIN的支出主要是通过沉积埋藏和反硝化.黄渤海水体DIP的来源主要是磷酸盐吸附解吸,占91%,底界面扩散和大气输入为其次,河流和地下水的输入贡献较小.DIP的支出主要是通过沉积埋藏和向东海的输出.黄渤海每年有11Gmol的氮在水体积累,并导致其浓度提高约0.6μmol/（L·a）.近些年来陆地向黄渤海输入氮的持续增加,加剧了氮营养盐的积累,导致非硅藻类浮游植物比例以及赤潮发生频率和面积显著增加,同时还提高了水体初级生产力和海洋磷的埋藏量以及加剧了磷限制的趋势,并可能威胁生态系统的稳定.