The benthic boundary layer approach and its application to Lake Päijänne,Finland

Resuspension of bottom sediments is the net result of a wide variety of different fluid mechanical processes with characteristic time and length scales that extend over six orders of magnitude. The sum of these effects is most heavily concentrated in a layer adjacent to the bottom called the benthic boundary layer (BBL). The physics of BBL must be understood before improved solutions to the resuspension problem are possible. Traditionally in lakes, sedimentation and resuspension have been modelled with the aid of equations which ignore the time and space variations of near bottom processes. This can lead to wrong estimates of material transport. With the exception of few recent studies, benthic boundary layer approach has been mainly applied to marine environments. The instrumentation has been a major problem for development of the theory and its applications, but during recent years some new instruments have been giving promising results. This paper discusses the applicability of the theory in Finnish lakes and presents results from Lake Päijänne.     

Nutrient release and resuspension generated by ruffe (Gymnocephalus cernuus) and chironomids

1. Benthivorous fish may play an important role in internal nutrient loading. Ruffe are highly specialised, feeding exclusively on bottom animals; thus all nutrients released via their feeding are derived from the bottom and are new to the water column. The fish can also release nutrients from the sediment through resuspension while searching for food. 2. The aim of this study was to estimate experimentally in the laboratory the effect on water quality of resuspension and nutrient release by ruffe and bottom animals (chironomids). 3. Ruffe released nutrients during 8 h experiments as follows: total P 1.4, dissolved PO₄ 0.6, total N 24.0 and NH₄‐N 15.9 μg g^?1 WW h^?1. A decreasing trend in mass‐specific release was observed over time, probably because of starvation. The mass‐specific release of total N and NH₄‐N decreased as the mean weight of fish increased. The mean ratio of excreted N : P was 32. 4. In 26 h experiments with sediment and both ruffe and chironomids, ruffe increased nutrient concentrations and turbidity values significantly but chironomids had an effect only on turbidity. Neither ruffe nor chironomids affected the ratio of inorganic N : P concentrations. An interaction between ruffe and chironomids was found for turbidity. 5. According to these results, benthivorous fish may increase nutrient concentrations in the water column and need to be taken into account when estimating internal loading.     

An NMR study of the loss of carbon-20 in the biosynthesis of gibberellin A3 by Gibberella fujikuroi

Resuspension cultures of Gibberella fujikuroi, strain GF-1a, were shown to metabolise potassium [3′-¹³C] mevalonate to ¹³C-enriched C₁₉-gibberellins, plus ¹³CO₂ (derived from the loss of carbon-20). The formation of [¹³C]-gibberellins could be observed in vivo using ¹³C NMR; however that of ¹³CO₂ could not. In contrast, removal of the mycelium and concentration of the filtrate at pH 12 enabled the ¹³CO₂ produced to be observed using ¹³C NMR. During incubations of H¹⁴CO₂Na with this fungus, complete conversion to other radioactive products was observed, and the significance of these results in the light of previous work is discussed.     

沉积物再悬浮对浮游藻类影响的模拟实验研究

作为浅水湖泊的重要特性之一,由风浪等动力作用引起的沉积物再悬浮对浮游藻类的初级生产力、群落结构具有重要意义。本研究通过生长季节(5-6月)在太湖梅梁湾湖岸的中宇宙模拟实验,比较在同样的外源负荷下浮游藻类对不同的沉积物再悬浮程度的影响特征,以及其主要的影响因子。实验在约250L的大桶中进行,通过位于沉积物-水界面的水泵的动力作用,模拟了三个不同程度沉积物再悬浮:无再悬浮即对照、弱悬浮和强悬浮程度。实验结果显示:(1)对照、弱悬浮和强悬浮之间悬浮物浓度呈显著性梯度变化,平均值分别为5、30、40 mg·L^-1,水下20cm光密度分别为表面光密度的80%、35%和25%。TN和TP在悬浮处理组显著高于对照组,但是弱悬浮和强悬浮之间差异不显著。生物可利用的各种溶解性营养盐形式对再悬浮的响应特征不明显。(2)浮游藻类生物量和群落结构对再悬浮的响应显著。对照组的Chla在整个实验阶段都很低,强悬浮组和弱悬浮组的平均Chla分别5倍和2倍于对照组。实验初始浮游藻类群落种类多样性低,优势种群主要为隐藻(隐藻属Cryptomonas spp.和蓝隐藻Chroomonas acuta)。再悬浮处理显著促进了隐藻的生长,但弱悬浮和强悬浮之间差异不显著。对照组优势种群演替为微小型种类蓝隐藻和绿藻门的纤维藻属(Ankistrodesmus sp.)。(3)以相对丰度为统计数据,浮游动物群落结构对再悬浮的响应显著,弱悬浮和强悬浮之间差异不显著。对照组的枝角类大型种类溞属(Daphnia spp.)丰度显著高于再悬浮处理组,枝角类小型种类象鼻溞属(Bosmina spp.)和网纹溞属(Ceriodaphnia spp.)、轮虫丰度则呈相反趋势。可见,再悬浮促进了沉积物营养盐的释放和水下光照的衰减,还影响了浮游动物的群落结构,使其向摄食藻类能力较差的种类演替,从而在上行(bottom-up)和下行(top-down)两个方面影响了浮游藻类的现存量和群落结构。     

Structure and Energetics of Encapsidated DNA in Bacteriophage HK97 Studied by Scanning Calorimetry and Cryo-electron Microscopy

Encapsidation of duplex DNA by bacteriophages represents an extreme case of genome condensation, reaching near-crystalline concentrations of DNA. The HK97 system is well suited to study this phenomenon in view of the detailed knowledge of its capsid structure. To characterize the interactions involved, we combined calorimetry with cryo-electron microscopy and native gel electrophoresis. We found that, as in other phages, HK97 DNA is organized in coaxially wound nested shells. When DNA-filled capsids (heads) are scanned in buffer containing 1 mM Mg²⁺, DNA melting and capsid denaturation both contribute to the complex thermal profile between 82 °C and 96 °C. In other conditions (absence of Mg²⁺ and lower ionic strength), DNA melting shifts to lower temperatures and the two events are resolved. Heads release their DNA at temperatures well below the onset of DNA melting or capsid denaturation. We suggest that, on heating, the internal pressure increases, causing the DNA to exit—probably via the portal vertex-while the capsid, although largely intact, sustains local damage that leads to an earlier onset of thermal denaturation. Heads differ structurally from empty capsids in the curvature of their protein shell, a change attributable to outwards pressure exerted by the DNA. We propose that this transition is sensed by the portal that is embedded in the capsid wall, whereupon the structure of the portal and its interactions with terminase, the packaging enzyme, are altered, thus signaling that packaging is at or approaching completion.     

Sediment removal by the Lake Apopka marsh flow-way

We review the evidence showing that the high turbidity levels of Lake Apopka are due primarily to resuspended sediments rather than phytoplankton, and that this situation is likely to persist unless there is a fundamental change in the lake. We discuss the reasons why reductions in phosphorus inputs, the gizzard shad removal program, and macrophyte plantings would not bring about such a change. Potentially the marsh flow-way could remove the flocculent sediments because of a unique combination of a very large surface area (125 km²), a mean depth of only 1.7 m, a layer of easily resuspended fluid mud, and a marsh flow-way that is designed to filter the lake volume about 2 times a year. Using several different estimates of the rate of sediment formation in the lake, our model calculates that it would take from 275 to 502 years to remove the sediments, so the lake could not attain clear water in a reasonable length of time. The model is mathematically correct but will give nonsense results if one tries to calculate removal times when the lake is accumulating sediments rather than losing them.     

Resuspension studies in cylindrical microcosms: Effects of stirring velocity on the dynamics of redox sensitive elements in a coastal sediment

Effects of resuspension on the release of dissolved, redox sensitive elements (Fe, Mn) was studied in cylindrical microcosms. Effects from changing water stirring velocity in sediment pools were evaluated through measurements of pore water profiles of dissolved Mn, Fe and redox potential. Mn was a good natural marker to follow such effects. At current velocities below the threshold velocity for resuspension (37 cm s-1), Mn release rates to overlying water were 100 times higher compared to steady-state values. Pulse increases in Mn concentration were the result of convective currents inside flow chambers. These results were strongly supported by measurements of Eh profiles in the sediment pore water. Furthermore, impacts from increasing stirring velocity were found down to 1.9 cm depth below the resuspended layer of sediment.     

The influence of Corophium volutator abundance on resuspension

Two experiments were performed to test the hypothesis that Corophium volutator affects the turbidity of water in estuaries through active resuspension of sediment. One experiment was done in a flume system under different flow velocities, and one in aquaria. A diatom film developed at the sediment surface in both experiments before Corophium was added. This diatom film was supposed to have a stabilising effect on the sediment. In both experiments, the concentration of suspended solids in the water column increased with the density of Corophium individuals. No effect of flow velocity on suspended solids concentration was found. This indicates that, in our flume experiment, active resuspension by Corophium was more important than physical resuspension, at least at low flow velocity (<20 cm s^-1) and in the presence of a diatom film. The critical erosion threshold decreased with increasing Corophium density in the aquarium experiment, indicating that indirect effects of Corophium grazing may become more important at high levels of bottom shear stress. The implications of our findings for suspended solids concentration in estuarine systems are discussed.     

Variability of entrainment of cohesive sediments in freshwater

Estimates of sediment entrainment are required for models of particle transport in lakes and estuaries but are difficult to make because of the multiplicity of factors affecting cohesiveness of surficial sediments. We present results of sediment resuspension studies performed in an annular flume calibrated with laser-Doppler velocimetry. In our experiments, using sediments collected from two sites in the R. Raisin which flows into L. Erie and from one site in the western basin of L. Erie near the mouth of the R. Raisin, we applied shear stresses at the sediment-water interface in steps from 2 to 12 dyne/cm². Percent water content at the surface of the sediments was either 77 or 74%, and trials were run with and without oxygenating the water overlying the sediments. Entrainment rates as a function of shear stress at the sediment-water interface were best described by a power-law relationship. All but 14% of the variability in the power law expression was due to shear stress and percent water content; the variability not accounted for was due to differences in particle size distributions, chemical properties, and biological activity in the sediments.