The effect of terrestrial effluents on the incidence of Aeromonas spp. in coastal waters

The numbers of Aeromonas species were monitored for one year at 18 stations on the Barcelona coast. Their concentrations exceed those of faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci in all samples, both on the shoreline and at 500 m from the coast. The mean values of the three bacterial counts reflected the proximity of the terrestrial effluents. There was a positive correlation between aeromonads and faecal indicators on the shoreline but not at 500 m offshore. This reflected their common origin and different survival rates in seawater. When sterile sea water was inoculated with A. hydrophila ATCC 7966, the numbers decreased initially by three orders of magnitude before they began to multiply. The final count was related to the concentration of organic matter in the water.     

Zonal plant distribution and edaphic and micrometeorological conditions on a coastal sand dune

Some edaphic and meteorological conditions were examined to detect environmental gradients from shoreline to inland at the Kado-ori coast, Ibaraki, Japan, in 1989. Zonal distribution patterns of coastal dune plant species, including three ubiquitous perennials,Calystegia soldanella, Carex kobomugi andIschaemum anthephoroides, were described in relation to the environmental gradients. Environmental gradients were found in water availability, evaporative demand and soil-water salinity. Water availability, evaluated by thickness of capillary water layer, increased from 10 cm at 20 m to 48 cm at 85 m from the shoreline, reflecting the percentage of fine sand. Evaporative demand, which was evaluated by the evaporation rate from a wet black filter paper, decreased with increasing distance from the shoreline. Soil-water salinity was lowest (15 mmol/L) at 85 m from the shoreline and highest (90 mmol/L) at 30m. On the coast,C. soldanella, a salt-tolerant perennial, was distributed mainly in the environmentally harsh area 40–60 m from the shoreline.Ischaemum anthephoroides andC. kobomugi, less salt-tolerant perennials, occurred mainly 70–80 m from the shoreline, where environmental conditions were more hospitable.     

Dendrogeomorphological analysis of shore erosion along Bolsena lake (Central Italy)

Dendrogeomorphological research was conducted along a volcanic caldera lake of Bolsena in central Italy, Latium region, in order to investigate the erosion process that affects its coastline. Most of the trees sampled were black poplars (Populus nigra L.) with root systems differently exposed. The cores taken from trunks show growth stress (suppression) at different times according to the distance of the tree from the shoreline. Results of the morphological analysis of the root systems were used as a qualitative estimate of the erosion process developing an erosion map of the lake's shoreline. The dating of suppressions was used to calculate the main horizontal erosion rate at different shoreline sectors. The most intense erosion was recorded on the southern and northern shore, affected by the strongest and long-lasting winds (mean erosion rate at southern coast=0.092 m/year, northern coast=0.064 m/year, eastern coast=0.049 m/year, western coast=0.028 m/year). The age of the living trees along the shore points out that the erosion started at least in the 1970s (one of the highest lake level episode) and it is still in progress.     

Vertical distribution of faecal pellets during FLEX '76

During FLEX '76 (Fladen Ground Experiment), the vertical distribution of faecal pellets was studied at a time station on the Fladen Ground (North Sea). Generally, the faecal pellets showed a clearly-defined maximum above the main thermocline within a depth of 0–30 m. Only in a period of storms was the faeces-maximum lowered to the main thermocline, which occurred at 50–60 m depth. The maximum numbers of the copepodCalanus finmarchicus, the most important producer of faecal pellets, initially occupied the same level as the faeces maximum. However, from the middle of May, theC. finmarchicus population started a diel vertical migration, during which, as a rule, the copepods migrated away from the surface region into deeper waters. On this occasion, the faecal pellet maximum did not break up but remained in the uppermost layer of the water column. The high concentrations of faecal pellets found within the uppermost 30 m of the water column contradict the extremely high sinking rates of faeces reported by various authors. The quotients of the depth-integrated counts of faecal pellets andC. finmarchicus individuals were calculated. The main maximum of faeces per individual occurred in the period between 28 April and 6 May 1976. A second, smaller maximum was documented between 23–28 May 1976. These two maxima coincided with the development of phytoplankton blooms observed at this particular time station.JONSDAP '76 Contribution No. 68.     

Comparison of fish impingement by a thermal power station with fish populations in the Ems Estuary

On an annual basis >10 million individuals of c . 35 fish species are impinged at the EC20 unit of the Eems power station located on the Ems Estuary. The most abundant are: herring Clupea harengus , gobies ( Gobiidae ), Nilsson's pipefish Sygnathus rostellatus , three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus and sprat Sprattus sprattus . The impingement shows a seasonal pattern which reflects the presence of the fishes in the estuary. The results are compared with other impingement studies at power stations on the Belgian and Dutch estuaries.
In 1995, the cooling water entrance was displaced from the shoreline to 300 m off the coast at the edge of the tidal channel. The effect of this relocation on the level of fish impingement, determined by comparing the ratio of fish density in the cooling water and in the estuary before (1992–1993) and after (1996–1997) the relocation of the intake canal is discussed.     

海岸线与海岸景观格局对人为干扰度的动态响应——以营口市南部海岸为例

利用多期遥感数据,提取营口南部海岸五期岸线变化信息、分维值,并利用Arcgis10.2中渔网工具创建评价单元。计算景观格局指数,构建人为干扰强度指标,并进一步探讨岸线变化和景观格局变化对人类活动的动态响应。结果表明:(1)研究区围垦导致岸线长度增长、岸线分形维数的增大,1990—2015年四个时段中岸线年增长速率为0.52%、0.53%、4.98%和0.96%;(2)景观格局指数反映2005年之前景观边界、形状复杂程度与破碎程度有所增加;2005年之后景观形状趋于规则化、土地利用趋于均衡化;(3)研究期间强干扰和弱干扰区域面积均有所增加,中等干扰强度区域面积减小;(4)斑块密度、总边缘长度、边缘密度、景观形状指数和平均分维值均与平均干扰强度指数变化同步。Shannon多样性指数与人为干扰强度变化呈反相关;(5)岸线长度变化和岸线分形维数变化都与人类干扰度呈反相关,相关性分别为-0.97和-0.98。     

The effect of a new sewage treatment plant on faecal indicator numbers, campylobacters and bathing water compliance in Morecambe Bay

Until recently, sewage from Morecambe was macerated, but otherwise untreated, and discharged at high water via a short outfall pipe into Morecambe Bay adjacent to a recognized bathing water. In March 1997, a new biological sewage treatment plant came on-line and the effluent was discharged via a longer outfall pipe into the Bay south of Heysham. The effect of the new sewage treatment on the quality of the bathing waters was monitored by testing sea water collected from the three EU designated bathing waters on Morecambe Bay: Morecambe North, Morecambe South and Heysham. After sewage treatment came on-line, the numbers of faecal coliforms and faecal streptococci were lower at Morecambe North and Morecambe South but higher at Heysham. Although the changes in numbers were not always statistically significant, they were sufficient to affect compliance with the EU Bathing Water Directive Imperative (mandatory) standards. Compliance improved markedly at Morecambe North and South but declined at Heysham, the closest bathing site to the new outfall. Numbers of thermophilic campylobacters were similar in both years, which is suggestive of their sources being different from those of the indicator bacteria. Campylobacter lari and urease-positive thermophilic campylobacters (UPTC) were the only species of Campylobacter isolated from Morecambe's bathing waters. Very low numbers of Salmonella were found, with Salm, arizonae the only species isolated.     

Is there spatial segregation between reproductive groups of southern right whales along the coastline of southern Brazil?

Santa Catarina State, in southern Brazil, is an important breeding ground for the southern right whale and it is possible to record mother-calf pairs and unaccompanied adults that migrate to this coast to either give birth, mate, or socialize. From the geographical position of the sightings, spatial segregation was evaluated between mother-calf pairs and unaccompanied whales. Using GAM, we analyzed 15 years of aerial survey data from 2003 to 2018. The study area (780 km²) was divided into 500 × 500 m grid cells. Whale count per grid cell was modeled using a set of explanatory variables. The explanatory variables of latitude, coast distance, seabed, and maximum SST were selected for both classes. However, coast type was also selected for unaccompanied whales, while coast linearity and bathymetric slope were additionally selected for mother-calf pairs. The response curves fitted by models indicated a certain degree of spatial segregation, by which mother-calf pairs remained closer to the coast, where the curve peak is reached at 500 m from the coast, compared to unaccompanied whales where the curve peaked near 1,000 m from the coast. Also, unaccompanied whales more frequently appeared in the southern boundaries of the study area, at latitudes south from 28.4°S.     

Preliminary study of microbiological parameters in eight inland recreational waters

A pilot survey of the counts of total coliform bacteria, thermotolerant coliform bacteria, Escherichia coli and faecal streptococci was carried out at eight inland recreational waters at weekly intervals during July 1991. The aims were to assess the feasibility of determining candidate indicators of recreational water quality and to assess the possible scale of variability of these parameters. The numbers of total coliforms were difficult to determine reliably because of interference from the background bacterial flora. There was a strong correlation between thermotolerant coliforms and E. coli and faecal streptococci. The average counts of the indicator organisms varied between and within the eight recreational waters by up to 10000-fold. The greatest variation was between the eight recreational waters. At any one water, the greatest source of variation was time but there was substantial variation between sample points at one time. Counts in samples collected 1 m apart exhibited greater than random variation. Counts from surface samples tended to be higher than those at 30 cm or 100 cm depth. The proportion of thermotolerant coliforms confirmed to be E. coli varied from water to water between 60% and 96%.     

Relation between Aeromonas and faecal coliforms in fresh waters

A possible correlation between the presence of mesophilic aeromonads and the number of faecal coliforms present in three fresh-water habitats subject to differing levels of faecal pollution was investigated. Concentration of Aeromonas spp. between 10(2)-10(9) cfu/100 ml and faecal coliforms of between 9-10(7) cfu/100 ml were found in the waters. In water free from faecal pollution there was no correlation but in polluted waters there was a significant relationship between the numbers of aeromonads, faecal coliform and the concentration of organic matter measured by biological oxygen demand.     

Abundance, distribution, morphometrics, reproduction and diet of the Izak catshark

Holohalaelurus regani was caught in 38% of the 3314 bottom trawls conducted during routine demersal surveys o. the South African west and south coasts from 1986 to 1999. An index of biomass for H. regani has increased on the west coast, from 1606 t in 1986–1993 to 3012 t in 1994–1999, despite c. 130 t being taken annually as by–catch in the demersal fishery. On the south coast, there has also been an increase over the same period, from 793 to 1350 t. Females and juveniles were generally found in shallower water (<300 m) than males, suggesting an inshore nursery area. Male H. regani become mature at 450–500 mm LT, whereas females become mature at 400–450 mm LT. There is reproductive activity throughout the year and fecundity appears to be high. This species is a generalist feeder, with the diet comprising teleosts, crustaceans and cephalopods. H. regani also scavenges offal opportunistically. Its high fecundity, the relative protection of females and juveniles in shallow water that is rarely trawled, its opportunistic diet and its robust nature that may allow it to survive after it has been discarded, have enabled H. regani to increase in numbers, despite indirect fishing pressure.     

Indicator organism sources and coastal water quality: a catchment study on the Island of Jersey

Compliance monitoring of bathing waters at La Grève de Lecq on the North coast of Jersey revealed a significant deterioration in water quality between 1992 and 1993, as indexed by presumptive coliform, presumptive Escherichia coli and streptococci concentrations. During the 1993 bathing season the beach failed to attain the compliance with the EC Guideline criteria for presumptive E. coli and streptococci. A bacteriological survey of the stream catchment draining to the beach revealed that: (i) concentrations of faecal indicator organisms were enhanced at high discharge after rainfall; and (ii) a captive water fowl population, which expanded between 1990 and 1993, was a potential source of faecal pollution. Strategies for catchment management are discussed.     

Phages of enteric bacteria in fresh water with different levels of faecal pollution

Levels of somatic and F-specific coliphages, and phages infecting Bacteroides fragilis were measured in 257 samples collected in different freshwater environments with different levels and characteristics of faecal pollution. In samples with recent pollution of domestic origin, the numbers of the three groups of phages were highly correlated, thus showing that their excretion is fairly constant. In this set of samples somatic coliphages, which were the most abundant, and F-specific coliphages outnumbered significantly Bact. fragilis phages. Normalized lines of the numbers of the three groups of phages in water samples and their sediments show that they settle similarly. The correlation between the values of the three groups of phages was not observed in waters with intermediate levels of pollution. An increase in the relative numbers of coliphages with respect to numbers of phages infecting Bact. fragilis was observed. In waters with persistent faecal pollution a dramatic change was recorded in the relative numbers of the different groups of phages. Phages infecting Bact. fragilis suffered the lowest reduction in numbers.     

Spawning ecology of Japanese surf smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus japonicus (Osmeridae), in Otsuchi Bay, northeastern Japan

The spawning habits of Japanese surf smelt, Hypomesus pretiosus japonicus (Japanese name chika), were studied from 1992 to 1995 at Akaiso Beach in Otsuchi Bay off the Pacific coast of northern Honshu. Investigations were conducted in relation to time, tidal rhythm, sand grain size on the spawning ground, and sex and age of spawners. Spawning occurred from late March to early May with its peak at the spring tide period during full moon in April. Before dark, fish gathered to school from 1–3 m depth, and 10–20 m off the shoreline of the spawning beach. Just before dark, they repeatedly approached the shoreline and stayed near the shoreline to spawn just after dark. In the spawning process, three intervals, i.e. aggregation, approach, and spawning, were recognized and these intervals are thought to be functionally connected. Mating occurred in a unit or group formed by one female and several males. During 1992–1995, except for 1994, spawning took place in a restricted region of the beach where backwash was stronger than other areas, and most sand grains were more than 1 mm in diameter and coarser than those of other areas. Although spawning was observed near the shoreline (34 to 120 cm tide level), most of the eggs were dispersed by backwash and each became attached to a few sand grains close to a step formed at 1–2 m depth off the spawning site. Spawners were composed mainly of age 0+ fish and some 1+ fish. Males usually outnumbered females on the spawning ground. Their spawning styles are discussed in relation to their ecology and habitat.     

Integrated Ecosystem Assessment: Lake Ontario Water Management

Background

Ecosystem management requires organizing, synthesizing, and projecting information at a large scale while simultaneously addressing public interests, dynamic ecological properties, and a continuum of physicochemical conditions. We compared the impacts of seven water level management plans for Lake Ontario on a set of environmental attributes of public relevance.

Methodology and Findings

Our assessment method was developed with a set of established impact assessment tools (checklists, classifications, matrices, simulations, representative taxa, and performance relations) and the concept of archetypal geomorphic shoreline classes. We considered each environmental attribute and shoreline class in its typical and essential form and predicted how water level change would interact with defining properties. The analysis indicated that about half the shoreline of Lake Ontario is potentially sensitive to water level change with a small portion being highly sensitive. The current water management plan may be best for maintaining the environmental resources. In contrast, a natural water regime plan designed for greatest environmental benefits most often had adverse impacts, impacted most shoreline classes, and the largest portion of the lake coast. Plans that balanced multiple objectives and avoided hydrologic extremes were found to be similar relative to the environment, low on adverse impacts, and had many minor impacts across many shoreline classes.

Significance

The Lake Ontario ecosystem assessment provided information that can inform decisions about water management and the environment. No approach and set of methods will perfectly and unarguably accomplish integrated ecosystem assessment. For managing water levels in Lake Ontario, we found that there are no uniformly good and bad options for environmental conservation. The scientific challenge was selecting a set of tools and practices to present broad, relevant, unbiased, and accessible information to guide decision-making on a set of management options.     

A quantitative real-time PCR assay for the highly sensitive and specific detection of human faecal influence in spring water from a large alpine catchment area

AIMS: The aim of the study was the development of a sensitive human-specific quantitative real-time PCR assay for microbial faecal source tracking (MST) in alpine spring water. The assay detects human-specific faecal DNA markers (BacH) from 16S rRNA gene sequences from the phylum Bacteroidetes using TaqMan minor groove binder probes. METHODS AND RESULTS: The qualitative and quantitative detection limits of the PCR assay were 6 and 30 marker copies, respectively. Specificity was proved by testing 41 human faeces and waste water samples and excluding cross-amplification from 302 animal faecal samples from Eastern Austria. Marker concentrations in human faecal material were in the range from 6.6 x 10(9) to 9.1 x 10(10) marker equivalents per gram. The method was sensitive enough to detect a few 100 pg of faeces in faecal suspensions. The assay was applied on water samples from an alpine karstic spring catchment area and the results reflected the expected levels of human faecal influence. CONCLUSIONS: The method exhibited sufficient sensitivity to allow quantitative source tracking of human faecal impact in the investigated karstic spring water. Significance AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: The developed method constitutes the first quantitative human-specific MST tool sensitive enough for investigations in ground and spring water.     

Relation between Aeromonas and faecal coliforms in fresh waters

A possible correlation between the presence of mesophilic aeromonads and the number of faecal coliforms present in three fresh-water habitats subject to differing levels of faecal pollution was investigated. Concentration of Aeromonas spp. between 10²–10⁹ cfu/100 ml and faecal coliforms of between 9–10⁷ cfu/100 ml were found in the waters. In water free from faecal pollution there was no correlation but in polluted waters there was a significant relationship between the numbers of aeromonads, faecal coliform and the concentration of organic matter measured by biological oxygen demand.     

Variable response to exogenous Lactobacillus acidophilus NCFM consumed in different delivery vehicles

AIMS: To study the effects of the delivery vehicle for Lactobacillus acidophilus on the human faecal microbiota. Our hypotheses were that (i) the delivery vehicle would influence faecal lactobacilli numbers and (ii) consumption of Lact. acidophilus would influence the populations of Bifidobacterium and hydrogen sulphide-producing bacteria. METHODS AND RESULTS: Ten subjects each received Lact. acidophilus with skim milk or water. Lactobacillus, Bifidobacterium and hydrogen sulphide-producing bacterial populations were analysed before, during and after each treatment. Regardless of the vehicle, faecal lactobacilli populations changed during treatment. Bifidobacteria and the hydrogen sulphide-producing bacteria underwent no statistically significant population changes. Intra- and intersubject variability was observed. CONCLUSIONS: The vehicle in which Lact. acidophilus was delivered did not influence faecal lactobacilli numbers. Consumption of Lact. acidophilus did not influence the populations of Bifidobacterium and hydrogen sulphide-producing bacteria. The lactobacilli populations of subjects were variable. The fed lactobacilli did not appear to colonize the gastrointestinal tract. SIGNIFICANCE AND IMPACT OF THE STUDY: We provide evidence that (i) there was no collective advantage to using skim milk as a delivery vehicle vs water; (ii) exogenous Lact. acidophilus did not affect endogenous bifidobacteria or hydrogen sulphide-producing bacteria; (iii) data should be carefully examined before pooling for analysis and (iv) continuous feeding was required to maintain an elevated lactobacilli population.     

The seasonal occurrence of chroococcoid cyanobacteria at an Antarctic coastal site

Summary The chroococcoid cyanobacterium Synechococcus was found at 5 m depth at a site 6 km off the Antarctic coast where the water depth was 30 m. These cells reached a peak concentration of 140 cells ml^-1 in August at the time of maximum rate of development of seaice. They were accompanied in the water column by detritus consisting of diatom frustules and sediment particles. A smaller peak of abundance occurred at the time the sea-ice was breaking up. Cyanobacteria were seen only in very low numbers at one, and were absent at the other, of two deep water sampling sites. We propose that the two peaks of cyanobacterial abundance in the water column result from the suspension of a benthic population by ice crystals during the winter and their release from the sea-ice in summer.     

Detection of Salt Marsh Vegetation Stress and Recovery after the Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in Barataria Bay,Gulf of Mexico Using AVIRIS Data

The British Petroleum Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico was the biggest oil spill in US history. To assess the impact of the oil spill on the saltmarsh plant community, we examined Advanced Visible Infrared Imaging Spectrometer (AVIRIS) data flown over Barataria Bay, Louisiana in September 2010 and August 2011. Oil contamination was mapped using oil absorption features in pixel spectra and used to examine impact of oil along the oiled shorelines. Results showed that vegetation stress was restricted to the tidal zone extending 14 m inland from the shoreline in September 2010. Four indexes of plant stress and three indexes of canopy water content all consistently showed that stress was highest in pixels next to the shoreline and decreased with increasing distance from the shoreline. Index values along the oiled shoreline were significantly lower than those along the oil-free shoreline. Regression of index values with respect to distance from oil showed that in 2011, index values were no longer correlated with proximity to oil suggesting that the marsh was on its way to recovery. Change detection between the two dates showed that areas denuded of vegetation after the oil impact experienced varying degrees of re-vegetation in the following year. This recovery was poorest in the first three pixels adjacent to the shoreline. This study illustrates the usefulness of high spatial resolution airborne imaging spectroscopy to map actual locations where oil from the spill reached the shore and then to assess its impacts on the plant community. We demonstrate that post-oiling trends in terms of plant health and mortality could be detected and monitored, including recovery of these saltmarsh meadows one year after the oil spill.