Benthic Impacts of Intertidal Oyster Culture, with Consideration of Taxonomic Sufficiency

An investigation of the impacts from elevated intertidal Pacific oyster culture in a New Zealand estuary showed enhanced sedimentation beneath culture racks compared with other sites. Seabed elevation beneath racks was generally lower than between them, suggesting that topographic patterns more likely result from a local effect of rack structures on hydrodynamic processes than from enhanced deposition. Compared with control sites, seabed sediments within the farm had a greater silt/clay and organic content, and a lower redox potential and shear strength. While a marked trend in macrofaunal species richness was not evident, species composition and dominance patterns were consistent with a disturbance gradient, with farm effects not evident 35 m from the perimeter of the racks. Of the environmental variables measured, sediment shear strength was most closely associated with the distribution and density of macrofauna, suggesting that human-induced disturbance from farming operations may have contributed to the biological patterns. To evaluate the taxonomic sufficiency needed to document impacts, aggregation to the family level based on Linnean classification was compared with an aggregation scheme based on `general groups' identifiable with limited taxonomic expertise. Compared with species-level analyses, spatial patterns of impact were equally discernible at both aggregation levels used, provided density rather than presence/absence data were used. Once baseline conditions are established and the efficacy of taxonomic aggregation demonstrated, a `general group' scheme provides an appropriate and increasingly relevant tool for routine monitoring.     

Establishment the relationship between water quality parameter and micro plastic concentration for Adyar and Cooum estuary

Increasing micro plastic concentration in the marine environment is a severe threat to the marine ecosystem and indirectly to human society depending on the marine environment. Also, the surface and subsurface water quality parameters are the indicators of the usability of the water sources for human activities. The primary source of micro plastic is the water river systems from land to sea. This study establishes a correlation between water quality parameters and micro plastic concentration to find the most suitable quality parameter for finding the micro plastic concentration in urban coastal estuaries of Chennai coast, Tamil Nadu, India. Twenty samples from Adyar and Cooum estuaries were collected, with ten each on August 2019 and August 2020. They are tested for temperature pH, EC, Turbidity, TDS, DO, BOD, COD, Salinity and micro plastic concentrations. Correlation tests such as Pearson's and Spearman's are performed based on the initial Normality and Homogeneity test. The results show that all the parameters are significantly not correlated with the Micro plastic Concentration, and Micro plastic Concentration is considered an independent factor.     

Environmental quality of mussel farms in the Vigo estuary: pollution by PAHs, origin and effects on reproduction

This work analyzes the influence of environmental and physiological parameters on PAHs accumulation in cultured mussels. Lipid content and reproductive stage are directly related with PAHs accumulation pattern. We observed a rapid accumulation and depuration of PAHs, mainly during periods of nutrients accumulation, spawns and gonadic restorations. Correlations between PAHs accumulation and physiological status indicate when mussels are more susceptible to adverse effects of these pollutants. A positive correlation between mutagenic congener’s accumulation and occurrence of gonadic neoplastic disorders is shown for the first time in mussels. Molecular indices were used to identify the origin of hydrocarbons accumulated by Mytilus, showing a chronic pyrolytic pollution and pollutant episodes by petrogenic sources and biomass combustion in the studied area. Multivariate analysis suggests the possibility of including physiological parameters of sentinel organisms in environmental biomonitoring programs, mainly in aquaculture areas, taking into account their two aspects: farms productivity and human food safety.     

长江口区域饮用水源地有机污染特性研究

以南通市为例,对长江口区域饮用水源地53种挥发性有机物( VOCs)、64种半挥发性有机物(SVOCs)、33种农药、20种多氯联苯等有机污染物进行定性、定量检测,选取汇龙镇水厂、如皋水厂、海门长江水厂3个水厂水源地进行r枯水期、平水期、丰水期3个水期的监测.结果表明:(1)VOCs中仅在枯水期有四氯化碳检出,33种农...     

基于实测资料的长江河口南支河段盐水入侵规律分析

为对长江口南支河段盐水入侵规律有清晰的认识,在梳理、总结以往研究成果的基础上,通过对历年咸潮及氯度实测资料的分析,对长江口南支河段盐水入侵的规律进行了较为全面系统的分析研究。研究表明：北支盐水倒灌是长江口南支河段盐水入侵的主要来源;在研究水域,枯季大潮期氯度的沿程分布表现为两头高、中间低的“马鞍形”形式,枯季中潮期则为“高 低 高 低 高”的复杂的“W”形的分布形式;受外海潮汐和上游径流的综合作用,由大潮到中潮,倒灌盐水团在下移过程中,氯度的沿程分布形式发生了变异;近期盐水入侵的程度有加剧的趋势;研究水域2～3月盐水入侵最严重,在这段时间内盐水入侵超标次数多、历时长;当大通流量小于20 000 m3/s时,就可能发生明显的北支盐水倒灌南支现象;盐水入侵程度跟大通流量和潮汐强度密切相关;大通流量越大,盐水入侵程度越低;潮差越大,盐水入侵程度越高     

Effect of metal accumulation on metallothionein level and condition of the periwinkle Littorina littorea along the Scheldt estuary (the Netherlands)

Metal (i.e. Ag, As, Ca, Cd, Co, Cu, Mn, Pb and Zn) and metallothionein (MT) concentrations in the soft tissue of Littorina littorea were measured along the heavily polluted Western Scheldt (WS) and relatively clean Eastern Scheldt (ES) estuary. Along the WS metal and MT levels in periwinkles reflected the known downstream decreasing pollution gradient. Surprisingly in ES animals As, Mn and Zn concentrations decreased from east to west reflecting past pollution. Compared to the WS metal concentrations of ES periwinkles were significantly lower and both estuaries were maximally discriminated from each other based on their Cd soft tissue concentration using a canonical discriminant analysis. Furthermore, no overall difference was found in MT levels among animals from both estuaries. Using previously obtained condition data (i.e. dry/wet weight ratio and lipid content) the relation between soft tissue metal concentration (i.e. Cd, Cu and Zn) and fitness indicators (i.e. MT and condition data) was examined using a canonical correlation analysis. Periwinkles with a high metal load (i.e. Cd and Zn) also had high MT levels but were in a relatively poor condition.     

Levels and bioaccumulation of organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in fishes from the Pearl River estuary and Daya Bay, South China

Fifty fish samples were collected from the Pearl River estuary (PRE) and Daya Bay, South China and were analyzed for DDTs, HCHs, chlordanes and polybrominated biphenyl ethers (PBDEs). Except the high concentrations of DDT observed in fishes, the concentrations of HCHs, chlordanes and PBDEs were low when compared to other regions. BDE-47 was the predominant PBDE congener and the BDE-209 concentrations were relatively low, despite its high concentration in surface sediments. The absence of significant increase of DDT, HCH, chlordane and PBDE concentrations towards higher delta15N values, as well as the lack of a significant correlation (p<0.1) between log concentrations (lipid normalized) and delta15N, may indicate a weak biomagnification of these chemicals in the food webs. Good agreement was observed between their concentrations and lipid contents of the organisms. Bioconcentration was suggested to be responsible for the accumulation of OCPs and PBDEs in the lower trophic organisms in the studied subtropical waters.     

Evaluation of zoobenthic assemblages and recovery following petroleum spill in a coastal area of Río de la Plata estuarine system, South America

The objective of this work was to analyse zoobenthic assemblages in the coastal sector of the Río de La Plata, Argentina, after a petroleum spill. Sampling stations were located in representative sites of various landscapes. Structure, composition, physico-chemical parameters and seasonal changes were recorded in order to assess taxocenosis evolution during the period 1999–2003. Recovery signs were estimated by means of biotic indices and the presence of sensitive species. Tolerant species were dominant in heavily polluted sites, with low diversity and water quality values, according to the biotic indices used. In certain zones, sediment quality remains impoverished, with a visible oil film on the surface. However, during the last sampling, some points showed an increase in biotic indices, pointing to a slight improvement in environmental conditions.     

Mercury in surface waters of a macrotidal urban estuary (River Adour, south-west France)

Surface waters were collected in the River Adour estuary (south-western France) during different sampling periods from 1998 to 2001 in order to investigate the phase distribution and speciation of methylmercury (MeHg⁺). Although a high variability is observed, significant higher average concentrations of total MeHg⁺ (dissolved and particulate) are measured during the warm seasons, at 4.40±8.18 pM and 3.90±1.87 pM for July 1998 and September 1999, compared with the winter seasons, with concentrations at 0.99±2.85 pM and 1.00±1.75 pM for February 1998 and February 2001, respectively (one-tailed t-test, P=0.01). The seasonal variations are explained with enhanced bacterial activity during summer and sedimentation/resuspension phenomena. Additionally, signi-ficant longitudinal variations of the MeHg⁺ concentrations are observed. The highest levels in both dissolved and particulate fractions are found within the downstream urban estuarine area. This can be explained by the high methylation potential of the sediments, but direct anthropogenic inputs of MeHg⁺ from specific discharge points cannot be neglected. Biogeochemical factors like phytoplankton biomass and salinity also show a relationship with MeHg⁺ partitioning in the surface waters of the Adour estuary.     

黄河清水沟改道以来河口新生湿地动态监测研究

利用1976-12-2003-01共22个时相的卫星遥感数据,以及GIS空间分析手段,对黄河清水沟改道以来河口新生湿地的时空动态进行了系统研究。通过对不同时相遥感影像的目视解译获得水陆界限,在GIS支持下对研究区内的水陆边界进行比较,确定侵蚀区和淤积区,并计算其面积。结果表明,在黄河泥沙沉积和海洋侵蚀的双重作用下,河口新生湿地的增加和减少交替进行,且近年来净增加面积呈现减少趋势。27年余净增加河口新生湿地17154.41hm₂,1993年以前为净增加,此后则逐步减少。1993年之前的增加部位为新河口区和东南沿海区,减少部位在老河口区,之后则老河口区增加,新河口区和东南沿海区减少。