Combined effects of human pressures on Europe’s marine ecosystems

Marine ecosystems are under high demand for human use, giving concerns about how pressures from human activities may affect their structure, function, and status. In Europe, recent developments in mapping of marine habitats and human activities now enable a coherent spatial evaluation of potential combined effects of human activities. Results indicate that combined effects from multiple human pressures are spread to 96% of the European marine area, and more specifically that combined effects from physical disturbance are spread to 86% of the coastal area and 46% of the shelf area. We compare our approach with corresponding assessments at other spatial scales and validate our results with European-scale status assessments for coastal waters. Uncertainties and development points are identified. Still, the results suggest that Europe’s seas are widely disturbed, indicating potential discrepancy between ambitions for Blue Growth and the objective of achieving good environmental status within the Marine Strategy Framework Directive.Supplementary informationThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01482-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Effects of visible light radiation on macrophyte litter degradation and nutrient release in water samples from a eutrophic shallow lake

Visible light is a major fraction of the solar spectrum; however, information on visible light radiation of macrophyte detritus is lacking. In this study, we conducted a microcosm experiment to assess the effects of visible light radiation on degradation of two litter species: Potamogeton malaianus (P. malaianus) and Phragmites australis (Ph. australis). This research represents an investigation of mass loss, microbial activity and nutrients released over a period of 168 days. Overall, we found that visible light radiation had significant effects on litter decomposition, but it did not affect the microbial activities which degrade cellulose and lignin. The decomposition rate order of the three components in P. malaianus and Ph. australis in treatments was: cellulose?>?hemicellulose?>?lignin. The visible light radiation mainly affected the degradation of lignin, which is the primary compound in litter susceptible to photodegradation. The exposure to visible light radiation up to 17.6?Wm^?2 stimulated the dissolved organic carbon release and reduced the molecular weight to less reactive. Meanwhile, no obvious difference in nutrient contents (TP, TN, NO₃–N, NO₂–N, and NH₃–N) was observed among different visible light intensities. The results of this study contribute to better understanding of the photochemical behaviour of macrophyte litter in shallow lakes.     

Heavy metals in coastal sediments in Guipuzcoa (Spain)∗

Surficial sediment samples were wet digested (HNO₃‐HCI‐HF) and analysed by atomic absorption spectroscopy. The background values in the area, and the Pollution Index Load in the sampling points were calculated. Metal inputs of continental origin are specially important in Deva, Oria and Urola river mouths.     

Does low N-mineralisation rate in soils under grass help limit nitrate leaching in summer?

This paper aimed to confirm the hypothesis that rates of ammonification and net mineral-N production in soils under grass in summer are low and this, rather than nitrate uptake by plants, reduces mineral leaching from soils in summer. Six sets of soil samples were collected from under mown grass on the University of York campus in the UK. Samples were taken from two depths in late summer (August) and late autumn (November) to compare seasonal differences in N species transformations when field-moist soils were incubated for a week at ambient outdoor temperatures after prior removal of vegetation. Ammonification and net mineral-N production rates were low in August in spite of warm temperatures. Net mineral-N production rates were also low in November. The results agreed with those of an earlier study in a different year after considering weather differences between years. They support the hypothesis that litter accumulated over autumn/winter will be minimally mineralised and retain N before the temperature rises in spring. The study shows the merit of measuring concentrations of mineral-N species in both fresh soils and soils incubated at ambient outdoor temperatures after removing plant material to eliminate plant N uptake effects. The results suggest that soil C% and N% are more important than soil C:N ratio alone in understanding controls on N transformations.     

Estimation of Similarity in the Qualitative Composition of Humic Substance in Marine Sediments By Means of an Uv-Spectroscopic Library

In this paper a method for the study of the qualitative similarity of extractable humic substance (EHS) in marine sediments based on the realisation of UV spectral library of EHS is described. the spectral library was built including the digitised spectra of humic substance extracted from several marine sediments (46 samples) and two samples of standard materials (lignin sulphonate and humic substance) in a Statistica data file. the data matrix was elaborated by means of different multivariate statistic techniques such as Cluster Analysis (CA), Principal Components Analysis (PCA) and the univariate technique Spectral Correlation Analysis (SCA). This approach allows us to show the contribution of different organic compounds (aromatic, lipid and acid) to the composition of EHS and moreover it evidences also the structural characteristics of EHS in terms of similarities in the qualitative composition of samples such as presence of terrestrial and/or vegetal contributions. the UV library is an objective tool to study the qualitative composition of EHS and it represents a complementary approach to the most common methods based on the application of spectroscopic (IR, ¹³CNMR), potentiometric and chromatographic techniques.     

The Monitoring of UK Sewage Sludge Disposal Sites

In recent years there has been an increase in the intensity and frequency of environmental monitoring surveys at UK sewage sludge disposal sites. These have been carried out by the regulatory authorities and by the licensees. in order to ensure maximum efficiency, a coordinated and harmonised programme of monitoring has been developed. the programme concentrates on sediment chemical and biological quality but also includes assessments of water and fish quality

In England and Wales the Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food is the regulatory authority and the Water Authorities are the licensees. the Ministry's first priority is the collection of samples for temporal trend analysis but in addition, infrequent surveys are made to check the status of the disposal site and surrounding areas. in the periods between status surveys, regular spatial surveys designed to define the area of impact are carried out by the Water Authorities.     

Use of biomarkers in zooplankton for assessment of the ‘health status’ of marine and brackish environments: a short overview

The biomarker approach has been used for 25 years to study the environmental quality of marine, brackish and freshwater ecosystems. Biomarkers may indicate health status and can be applied to organisms of all zoological phyla by destructive or non destructive methods. For 5 years we have been using this approach in zooplankton to detect ecotoxicological alterations at low levels of the food chain due to contaminants. Here we review our approach to validate and apply biomarker techniques in zooplankton. We discuss advantages, limitations, some results and future research. We indicate that biomarkers in zooplankton can be used as new indices of trophic status and ecological integrity of Italian marine coastal and lagoon environments, to be included among the tools specified by Italian law D.Lgs. 152/2006.     

红树植物凋落叶分解对土壤可溶性有机质的影响

研究红树林湿地土壤可溶性有机质（DOM）的来源、性质及其归宿对于揭示 DOM 在红树林湿地生物地球化学循环中的作用具有重要意义。采集了木榄（Bruguiera gymnoihiza）、秋茄（Kandelia candel）和桐花树（Aegiceras corniculatum）3种红树植物的新近落叶进行室内48 d分解实验,探讨了凋落叶分解过程对土壤可溶性有机碳（DOC）和可溶性总氮（TDN）含量、C/N比（DOC/TDN）及紫外-可见（UV-Vis）光谱特征（A280、A240/A420和A250/A365比值）的影响。在48 d分解期间,3种红树植物凋落叶的输入均明显增加了土壤DOC的含量,其变化在分解第6 d最为显著,各凋落叶添加组比对照组平均增加了149%（秋茄）~196%（桐花树）,随后各凋落叶添加组土壤DOC含量呈下降趋势。与土壤DOC的变化不同,凋落叶输入后土壤TDN的变化与对照组的差异不明显,但木榄和桐花树添加组的C/N比在分解初期（第6天）显著高于对照组（P<0.05）。凋落叶的输入亦在不同程度上增大了土壤DOM的A280值,降低了DOM的A240/A420和A250/A365比值。与土壤DOC的变化相似,凋落叶输入使DOM的UV-Vis光谱特征在分解初期（第6天）的变化最明显,其中桐花树凋落叶的影响最大,秋茄凋落叶的影响最小。结果表明：凋落叶输入使培养初期土壤DOM的含量和性质发生明显改变,DOM中大分子及芳香类组分增多、团聚化程度增加,DOM 的生物可降解性变小。然而,随着分解的进行,不同凋落叶处理组之间土壤DOM的变化差异性逐渐缩小,并在分解后期与对照组趋近。     

太湖湖滨带林草复合带草本植物枯落物量的变化特征

为减少湖滨带林带枯落物的产生,有效降低N、P随降水径流进入湖泊水体的风险,采用人工草坪替代林下杂草的方式,建立林草复合带.以5种草坪草为研究对象,设立3种种植密度,采用定位定期采集的方法,研究草坪建植后草本植物枯落物的变化以及不同种植密度对枯落物量的影响.结果表明:①间距15 cm高密度种植易导致草坪枯落物的产生,以白三叶和红花酢浆草较突出;草坪种植后林下草本植物枯落物量大幅度减少,平均枯落物量减少66%～95%.②草坪枯落物量随生长时间变化无明显规律,7—11月植物生长期间,白三叶草坪10月枯落物量最高;麦冬草坪、红花酢浆草草坪以及与其混种的其他草坪枯落物量最高时期均出现于8月.③白三叶高、低密度种植单种草坪产生的枯落物量大于与红花酢浆草混种草坪,而中密度种植则相反,单种草坪小于混种草坪.      

Effects of different endogenous fungi on the mass loss and nutrient content of leaf litter of Cunninghamia lanceolata北大核心CSCD

To explore the role of endophytic fungi in the decomposition of litter, the endophytic fungi Penicillium sp. strain CG2 (A), Fusarium flavum strain AY13 (B), and Talaromyces strain AJ14 (C) of Cunninghamia lanceolata were added to experimental pots in different forms (mycelium, sterilized fermentation broth, single fungus, and mixed fungi), and a control treatment (CK) was set up (no fungi added). At 10, 30, 60, 90, and 120 days after litter decomposition, a study on the decomposition dynamics of C. lanceolata litter under different treatments was performed. The results showed that the rate of leaf mass loss was the highest in the sterilized fermentation broth treatment A after 120 days, and that there was a significant difference (P < 0.05) between the mycelium treatment AC and the control treatment after 60 days (23.97% higher than the control group). On day 60, the litter carbon content from the mycelium treatment A was significantly different from that of the control (P < 0.05), showing a 16.74% lower value, whereas the litter carbon content of the mycelium treatment B was 21.13% lower than that of the control after 90 days. The nitrogen content of the litters of most mycelium and sterilized fermentation broth treatments was increased compared to that of the control group; there was significant difference (P < 0.05) between the sterilized fermentation broth treatment A and the control (P < 0.05), with a 17.05% higher value than that of the control. Similar to nitrogen, the litter phosphorus content also increased; there was a statistically significant difference between the mycelium treatment A and the control group, with treatment A showing a 46.67% higher value than the control group. The potassium content was 28% lower than that of the control group under the sterilized fermentation broth treatment C, a result that was significantly different from that of the control group (P < 0.05). After treatment for 90 days, the ratio of carbon to nitrogen was the lowest under the treatments with the mycelium A and the mycelium B, with values 25.54% and 25.11% lower than that of the control group, respectively, and a statistically significant difference from that of the control group (P < 0.05). The ratio of carbon to phosphorus was the lowest under the treatment with mycelium A after 60 days, and the result was significantly different from that of the control (P < 0.05), with a 43.05% lower value than the control. Thus, the three endophytic fungi had different effects on the mass loss rate and nutrient content of the litter. The Penicillium sp. strain CG2 (A) had statistically significant effects on the mass loss and nutrient content of leaf litter, which was within the range of fungi fertilizer reference values for the breeding of C. lanceolata. © 2018 Science Press. All rights reserved.