Biofouling communities on test panels coated with TBT and TBT-free copper based antifouling paints

Abstract

Formation of biofouling communities on the surfaces of steel panels coated with two different TBT-free copper-based and one TBT-based antifouling paint was examined following submersion for periods of 3, 6, 9 and 12 months in Kastela Bay, Croatia. Test panels coated with Shopprimer and anticorrosive paint were used as control panels. Thirty five taxa of benthic algae and 32 taxa of benthic animals were found. Diatomeae dominated by frequency and abundance on test panels coated with antifouling paints, while the animal species Serpula vermicularis, Mytilus galloprovincialis and Balanus amphitrite amphitrite dominated the fouling communities on control panels. On panels protected by antifouling paints, low values of biomass were found compared to the very high values associated with control panels.     

Biomonitoring of heavy metals in the coastal waters of two industrialised bays in southern Spain using the barnacle Balanus amphitrite

Abstract

This paper evaluates the bioavailability of As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Hg, Ni and Zn in the coastal waters of the two most important bays in southern Spain (Cádiz and Algeciras). Concentrations of these metals were measured in the bodies of Balanus amphitrite barnacles in 2005 and 2006. Seawater samples were collected from the same sites as the barnacles to assess metal concentrations and to gain additional information on the environmental conditions. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) showed significant geographic differences in the local bioavailability of metals to the barnacles, as reflected in the concentrations of accumulated metals. Balanus amphitrite accumulates large amounts of metals, with high concentration factors for Zn, Cd, Cu and Mn, in relation to the concentrations in marine waters.     

Stratigraphic record of U37K in Sanmen Bay: the effect of SST and EI Niño on life activity in macrobenthos communities

Sea surface temperature (SST) from 1916–2003 was estimated by using the index of U₃₇^K of organic compounds in Sanmen Bay (SMB) sediment. It fluctuated between 15.97°C and 18.00°C with an average of 17.03°C. The estimated SST was 3.52°C lower than the annual average temperature measured in the same year but was close to the temperature measured in fall. The research suggested that the climate events (EI Ni?o) on large scale in Sanmen Bay were affected by the climate, similar to that in the East Pacific Ocean (EPC). The change scale was also affected by geographical location and local climate such as monsoon. According to the chronological basis, the events in SMB corresponded to those in EPC, but the scale of variation is not so strong as that in EPC. By comparing the community, biomass, individual density and biodiversity of macrobenthos during EI Ni?o (between 2002 and 2003) and non-EI Ni?o (between 2005 and 2006) periods, it was indicated that certain macrobenthos communities in SMB responded to EI Ni?o events. During the EI Ni?o period, Taiwan warm current (TWC) is much stronger than that in normal years. The diversity of macrobenthos during 2002 and 2003 was relatively low owing to invasion of the warm current that caused salinity change. The macrobenthos and zooplankton in Sanmen Bay responded to EI Ni?o events significantly. The diversity of macrobenthos decreased significantly because TWC invaded into the shallow bay from the floor and thus changed the temperature and salinity in the bay. On the other hand, zooplankton species, biomass and abundance increased in the period of EI Ni?o since the invaded warm current brought abundant species of zooplankton.     

Monthly change of community structure of zoobenthos in Xiangxi Bay after impoundment of the Three Gorges Teservoir, China

Xiangxi Bay, a typical bay of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in China, was formed in June 2003 after the impoundment of the TGR. We investigated the community structure of zoobenthos in Xiangxi Bay from August 2003 to August 2004. Benthic abundance and biomass were calculated per unit area of sediment. A total of 26 taxa were identified. They included two families of Lamellibranchia (7.7% of the total taxa number), two families of Oligochaeta (50%), Chironomidae (38.5%), and one other animal (3.8%). The average density and biomass were 276 ind./m² and 0.301 g/m², respectively. Oligochaetes and chironomids constituted the major groups, and Limnodrilus hoffmeisteri, Procladius sp., Branchiura sowerbyi, Tubificidae sp1. and Polypedilum scalaenum group sp. were the common taxa in this reservoir system. Among them, L. hoffmeisteri and Procladius sp. were the dominant species, and contributed 37.0% and 28.3% of the total density, respectively. The standing crop of zoobenthos in Xiangxi Bay was relative low, compared with other similar reservoirs. Our studies demonstrate that the standing crop increased gradually with time. The total density and biomass in August 2004 were 8.8 and 14.3 times those of the initial impoundment, separately. Oligochaetes did not become the sole dominant group, indicating that the sediment loading in Xiangxi Bay may be not serious. __________ Translated from Acta Hydrobiologica Sinica, 2006, 30(1): 64–69 [译自: 水生生物学报]     

The first description of the potentially toxic dinoflagellate, Alexandrium minutum in Hunts Bay, Kingston Harbour, Jamaica

The occurrence and morphology of the potentially toxic dinoflagellate species Alexandrium minutum found for the first time in Jamaica, were examined and described by light and scanning electron microscopy. Classical morphological examinations of whole cells, the thecal plate pattern of intact cells and more importantly the structure of individual thecal plates of squashed cells, were conducted in an attempt to positively identify the species. Characteristics such as a tear-drop shaped apical pore plate with a comma-shaped apical pore and no anterior attachment pore; a narrow sixth precingular plate; a narrow anterior sulcal plate longer than or approximately as long as it is wide; and a posterior sulcal plate wider than long, confirmed the Jamaican species as A. minutum. This dinoflagellate which produces potent neurotoxins responsible for paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP) in humans in many parts of the World, as well as mass mortality of various marine flora and fauna, was identified in water samples collected during an extensive bloom of the species in the brackish to saline water body of Hunts Bay, an estuarine arm of Kingston Harbour, Jamaica in August 1994. The highest cell concentration was 4.6 × 10⁵ cells l⁻¹, a concentration which far exceeds acceptable concentrations (<10³ cells l⁻¹) of PSP-toxin producing A. minutum in several countries including: Spain and Denmark. No PSP human symptoms were reported during the bloom; however it was accompanied by a large kill of small pelagic fish extending across a third of the bay. Since then, smaller blooms of A. minutum have occurred with the most recent in February and April 2004. Hunts Bay is an important fishing, shrimping and to some extent oyster/mussel collection area and provides an important source of livelihood and food for many fishermen in nearby fishing communities as well as an important source of food for members of other communities. Although there are no known records of human illness due to PSP in Jamaica, the occurrence and blooming in Jamaican waters of this potentially toxic dinoflagellate, is great cause for concern.     

海州湾春季短蛸的栖息分布特征及其与环境因子的关系

近年来,我国近海多种重要渔业资源处于不同程度的衰退状态,而短蛸具有生命周期短、生长迅速的特点,在我国近海经济渔获产量中占重要地位。然而,有关短蛸的栖息分布特征及其与环境因子的关系尚缺乏研究,不利于更好地保护和利用其资源。本研究根据2011年和2013—2017年春季海州湾的渔业资源和环境因子调查数据,采用随机森林模型、人工神经网络模型和广义提升回归模型3种机器学习方法分析了短蛸的栖息分布特征及其与环境因子的关系。结果表明: 随机森林模型的拟合效果和预测能力在3种模型中优势较大,选择该模型进行分析表明,底层水温、水深和底层盐度对短蛸的栖息分布有较大影响。短蛸的相对资源密度随底层水温、水深和底层盐度的增加均呈先上升后下降趋势。根据FVCOM模型模拟的环境数据,应用随机森林模型预测了短蛸在海州湾海域的栖息分布,发现短蛸主要分布在34.5°—35.8° N、119.7°—121° E之间的海域。     

粤东大规模海水增养殖区柘林湾浮游细菌的时空分布

2001年9月至2004年12月对粤东大规模海水增养区柘林湾表、底层水体中浮游细菌的时空分布进行调查。结果表明,柘林湾浮游细菌总均值为59．4×10^4／dm^3,与国内外富营养化程度较高的内湾海域大致相当。在平面分布上,浮游细菌总体上表现出湾内高于湾外、养殖区高于非养殖区的分布格局,说明大规模增养殖业对浮游细菌的时空分布具有重要的影响,其中网箱养殖的影响尤其显著。湾顶黄冈河口浮游细菌呈现显著的逐年增加趋势,其原因一方面与调查期间降雨减少有关;另一方面可能是受周边陆源污染输入加剧的影响。在周年变化上,浮游细菌表现为典型的单峰型周年变化模式,主要是受水温的调控。年度峰值出现在夏季高温季节（6～8月）,低谷出现在冬季低温季节（12～2月）。浮游细菌与溶氧呈现显著意义的负相关关系,但低溶氧可能是湾内养殖区初级生产力低下所致,而非浮游细菌耗氧所为。相反,溶氧降低可能会促进专性或兼性厌氧细菌的增加,使养殖环境进一步恶化。     

Rapid risk assessment of wetland degradation and loss in low-lying coastal zone of Shanghai,China

Coastal wetlands are facing an increasingly high risk of degradation and loss due to a wide variety of human activities and natural processes. Human encroachment, including land reclamation, drainage, and introduction of invasive species, has direct negative effects on wetlands, mainly through changes in hydrology and vegetation. Additionally, accelerated sea level rise (SLR) can result in flooding of wetlands in low-lying coastal zones. In this study, we present a rapid risk assessment method for coastal wetland loss and degradation. The main stress factors, i.e., urban sprawl, agriculture, coastal erosion, and SLR, have been examined and quantified through remote sensing and geographic information system spatial analysis. A weighted factor-based linear model has been used to evaluate the spatial risk levels of wetland loss. The proposed methodology is applied to the low-lying coastal wetlands of Hangzhou Bay in Shanghai, China. The results show that the regions closer to the sea have relatively higher risk levels on the landward side of the coastline, but relatively low risk levels on the seaward side of the coastline. This work emphasizes the need to sustainably use and protect wetlands in order to reduce disaster risks and contribute to the improvement of human well-being.     

Ecological risk and contamination history of heavy metals in the Andong tidal flat,Hangzhou Bay,China

In this study, we collected two sediment cores (C1 and C2) from the Andong tidal flat, Hangzhou Bay, and studied the temporal variations of heavy metals in the cores. Vertical distributions of heavy metals were almost unchanged in both the cores before 2000. After 2000, however, the heavy metal concentrations increased dramatically, suggesting that the sediments have been affected by enhanced human pollution in the recent decade. In the core C1, the sediments were severely polluted by Pb, moderately to considerably polluted by Cr and Zn, and low to moderately polluted by other heavy metals. The core C2 was relatively unpolluted before 2000 and low to moderately polluted after 2000. Multi-statistical analyses indicated that the core C1 was additionally contaminated by local human activities such as wastewater discharge and the Hangzhou Bay Bridge. The heavy metals in the core C2, however, were largely contributed by the Yangtze River and controlled by sedimentation process. The calculated sedimentary flux (4–8 g m^?2 a^?1) of heavy metals generally increased with time. It was closely related to the wastewater discharge in adjacent areas. This study reconstructed the local heavy metal pollution history and provides important information for environmental protection and policy making.     

Variable responses within epiphytic and benthic microalgal communities to nutrient enrichment

We evaluated how changes in nutrient supply altered the composition of epiphytic and benthic microalgal communities in a Thalassia testudinum (turtle grass) bed in Florida Bay. We established study plots at four sites in the bay and added nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) to the sediments in a factorial design. After 18, 24, and 30 months of fertilization we measured the pigment concentrations in the epiphytic and benthic microalgal assemblages using high performance liquid chromatography. Overall, the epiphytic assemblage was P-limited in the eastern portion of the bay, but each phototrophic group displayed unique spatial and temporal responses to N and P addition. Epiphytic chlorophyll a, an indicator of total microalgal load, and epiphytic fucoxanthin, an indicator of diatoms, increased in response to P addition at one eastern bay site, decreased at another eastern bay site, and were not affected by P or N addition at two western bay sites. Epiphytic zeaxanthin, an indicator of the cyanobacterial/coralline red algae complex, and epiphytic chlorophyll b, an indicator of green algae, generally increased in response to P addition at both eastern bay sites but did not respond to P or N addition in the western bay. Benthic chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b, fucoxanthin, and zeaxanthin showed complex responses to N and P addition in the eastern bay, suggesting that the benthic assemblage is limited by both N and P. Benthic assemblages in the western bay were variable over time and displayed few responses to N or P addition. The contrasting nutrient limitation patterns between the epiphytic and benthic communities in the eastern bay suggest that altering nutrient input to the bay, as might occur during Everglades restoration, can shift microalgal community structure, which may subsequently alter food web support for upper trophic levels.