Showing papers in "Estuarine Coastal and Shelf Science in 1987"

Organic complexation and its control of the dissolved concentrations of copper and zinc in the Scheldt estuary

Abstract: Cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) is used to determine total (after UV-irradiation) and labile dissolved metal concentrations as well as complexing ligand concentrations in samples from the river Scheldt estuary. It was found that even at high added concentrations of catechol (1 mm for copper and 0·4 mm for iron) and of APDC (1 mm for zinc) only part of the dissolved metal was labile (5–58% for copper, 34–69% for zinc, 10–38% for iron); this discrepancy could be explained by the low solubility of iron which is largely present as colloidal material, and by competition for dissolved copper and zinc by organic complexing ligands. Ligand concentrations varied between 28 and 206 nm for copper and between 22 and 220 nm for zinc; part of the copper complexing ligands could be sub-divided into strong complexing sites with concentrations between 23 and 121 nm and weaker sites with concentrations between 44 and 131 nm. Values for conditional stability constants varied between (logK′ values) 13·0 and 14·8 for strong and between 11·5 and 12·1 for weaker copper complexing ligands, whereas for zinc the values were between 8·6 and 10·6. The average products of ligand concentrations and conditional stability constants (a-coefficients) were 6 × 102 for zinc and 6 × 106 for copper. The dissolved zinc concentration was found to co-vary with the zinc complexing ligand concentration throughout the estuary. It is argued that the zinc concentration is regulated, in this estuary at least, by interactions with dissolved organic complexing ligands. A similar relationship was apparent between the dissolved copper and the strong copper complexing ligand concentration. The total copper complexing ligand concentrations were much greater than the dissolved copper concentrations, suggesting that only strongly complexed copper is kept in solution. These results provide evidence for the first time that interactions of copper and zinc with dissolved organic complexing ligands determine the geochemical pathway of these metals.

Trends in oxygen content 1911–1984 and occurrence of benthic mortality in the northern Adriatic Sea

Abstract: Trends of dissolved oxygen content of the surface and bottom layers of the northern Adriatic Sea are analysed for the period 1911–1984. An increase in the surface layer and a decrease in the bottom layer are observed in all seasons except winter. Although the oxygen content of the water column as a whole has not changed significantly, it is inferred, from the increasing difference between the surface and the bottom layer, that the primary productivity of the northern Adriatic Sea is increasing. As the average midsummer oxygen content of the bottom layer decreases, the frequency of mass mortality in the benthic fauna is expected to increase, especially in the northern and western subareas.

Macroalgal mats and species abundance: a field experiment

Abstract: A field experiment was carried out whereby the density of macroalgae ( Enteromorpha spp.) was manipulated and the resultant changes in sediment infaunal density were monitored. Four densities of Enteromorpha spp. were used: 0,0·3, 1, and 3 kg FW m −2 , corresponding to control, low-, medium-, and high-density plots. The experiment ran from May to October 1985 and was sampled on three occasions. By July, the density of Corophium volutator was reduced at all weed levels when compared to control plots, whereas densities of Hydrobia ulvae , Macoma balthica, Nereis diversicolor , and Capitella capitata , all increased. Samples taken in October when the weed mats were buried in the sediment showed fewer differences than in July. Macoma, Nereis , and Capitella were still significantly more abundant at medium and high weed densities. Corophium showed no significant treatment effect. There was, however, a highly significant difference in population size structure for Corophium . Measurements of sediment redox potential and silt content under medium- and high-density plots revealed rapid anoxia with a significant increase in siltation.

Biogeochemical studies on the transport of organic matter along the Otsuchi River watershed, Japan

Abstract: The distributions and stable isotope ratios of biogenic nitrogen and carbon were investigated in detail along a small watershed in order to establish a biogeochemical framework for assessing the fate of organic matter. Forest ecosystems supply soluble and particulate materials to river systems which are depleted in 15N and 13C. The number of suspended particles and the concentrations of δ15N and δ13C in the river sediments increased along the watershed, indicating a change from river to marine ecosystems. Dramatic variation of δ15N and δ13C were observed in the intertidal sediments, where the progress of denitrification, discharge of domestic sewage, and the accumulation and the decomposition of macroalgae and seagrasses took place. The contribution of land-derived organic matter to estuarine sediments has been estimated from δ13C and from δ15N data. The contribution the landderived organo-silty-clay mineral was 70–100% in the inner bay sediments and 34–42% at the open bay. Possible factors that influence the variation of stable isotope ratios along the watershed are discussed. The relationship between the sizes of particles and isotope ratios clearly demonstrated that organo-silty-clay minerals with diameter smaller than 64 μm were the major source of land-derived refractory organics.

Suspended sediment fluctuations in the Tagus estuary on semi-diurnal and fortnightly time scales

Abstract: Nine multi-ship synoptic surveys of the distribution of suspended sediment, each survey including the distribution at both low and high tide, were carried out over a 12-month period in the mesotidal Tagus estuary in Portugal. Additional measurements of the semi-diurnal fluctuations of suspended sediment concentration and current strength were made at fixed stations during a neap and a spring tide. During the study period, the river discharge of water and suspended sediment remained below the mean annual discharge and did not show a pronounced seasonal fluctuation. A turbidity maximum, defined as an area with suspended sediment concentrations greater than 50 mg l −1 , was absent during neap tides (1·3-m amplitude), but appeared and grew in both extent and turbidity as the tidal amplitude increased. The turbidity maximum was fully developed during spring tides (> 3-m amplitude) with concentrations greater than 50 mg l −1 throughout the entire estuary. Maximum concentrations, reaching as much as 1000 mg l −1 during spring tides, were always found in the inner shallow bay region of the estuary. In contrast to the salinity distribution, which fluctuated between partly stratified during neap tides and well mixed during spring tides, the vertical distribution of suspended matter in the turbidity maximum zone was always stratified with the highest concentrations near the bottom. The semi-diurnal fluctuation of the suspended sediment concentration was negligible during neap tides, but attained magnitudes during spring tides that were comparable to the fortnightly fluctuation. The fluctuation in suspended matter concentration is interpreted as a fortnightly erosion-sedimentation cycle, caused by a cyclic variation in the strength of the bottom currents. Superimposed on this fortnightly cycle is a semi-diurnal cycle. The amount of material involved in these cycles is equivalent to one year's input of suspended sediment by the Tagus river during normal discharge conditions.

Geomorphological control of subsurface hydrology in the creekbank zone of tidal marshes

Abstract: A combination of field and numerical modeling methods was used to assess porewater movement in a narrow (20 m) Spartina marsh which was flooded regularly by tidal waters. Soil composition and soil hydraulic properties did not vary across the marsh or with depth. Hydraulic head was monitored on a transect perpendicular to the creekbank. During exposure of the marsh surface, hydraulic gradients were predominantly horizontal; vertical gradients were small or zero. Subsurface flow was directed from the marsh interior toward the creekbank. Approximately 141 of pore water were discharged laterally to the adjacent tidal creek per meter of creekbank over a complete tidal cycle. A numerical hydrological model was modified to simulate subsurface hydraulics in the creekbank vicinity of regularly flooded tidal marshes. The model was parameterized to represent soil conditions, tidal fluctuations and topography at the field site. Observed changes in hydraulic head over complete tidal cycles were accurately predicted by the model. Model simulations identified the vertical infiltration of creek water into the marsh surface at the onset of tidal flooding as the primary source (66%) for the replacement of water drained at the creekbank. Significant replacement (31%) also occurred as discharge from the interior marsh. Horizontal recharge at the creekbank was minimal (3%). A sensitivity analysis was conducted with the model to assess the relative importance of geomorphological factors and soil properties in controlling pore water export at the creekbank of tidal marsh soils. Each parameter was varied systematically over a realistic range for field conditions. Changes in marsh elevation exerted greater control over creekbank discharge than changes in soil hydraulic properties. More rapid turnover of pore water near creekbanks of higher elevation marshes is hypothesized.

Modulation of the particulate organic carbon flux to the ocean by a macrotidal estuary: Evidence from measurements of carbon isotopes in organic matter from the Gironde system

Abstract: The isotopic composition of the organic carbon of the suspended particulate matter in the Gironde estuary and the Biscay shelf has been measured on a seasonal basis from 1977 to 1982. The δ13C values show a progressive change along the estuary and permit an estimate of the proportion of terrestrial carbon in each sample. It is estimated from these data that up to 80% of the continental POC is mineralized in the estuary and 3–16% of the riverborne flux is exported to the shelf.

Seasonal and diel variation in the standing crop of fishes and macroinvertebrates from a Gulf of Mexico surf zone

Abstract: To determine the relative importance of surf zones as habitats for fishes and macroinvertebrates, compared to other inshore marine environments, seasonal and diel abundance patterns were studied for one year. Both study sites were located on the south shore of Horn Island, a barrier in the northern Gulf of Mexico. At each site a 300 m 2 area was sampled, using a 50-m seine set around steel poles. Capture efficiency of the seine, determined from escapement tests, averaged 82%. While 59 species were captured during the study, only six species, Harengula jaguana, Anchoa hepsetus, A. mitchilli, Callinectes sapidus, A. lyolepis and Menticirrhus littoralis , comprised 90% of the total catch by number. Summer macrofaunal standing crop (mean = 9·8 gm −2 , wet weight) was significantly greater than other seasons. The lowest values for both density and standing crop were those obtained in the winter. Both standing crop and average weight of the fishes increased significantly in night samples; a similar pattern did not occur for blue carbs. This primarily reflects the movement of larger, but generally rarer, fish species into the shallow surf zone after dark. Principal components analysis indicated that the standing crop of fishes was lowest during periods of reduced water volume and wave activity. However, seasonal factors appear, overall, to be more important in influencing fish abundance. Compared to a wide range of inshore marine habitats, surf zones appear intermediate in standing crop. Thus, at least during the summer, such habitats are important contributors to inshore standing crops of fishes.

In situ measurement of particle size in estuarine waters

Abstract: A novel approach to particle sizing in estuarine waters using a submersible laser diffraction instrument is described. In situ measurements with this instrument are rapid and avoid both the physical disruption of fragile aggregates with pumping and the settlement of larger particles in isolated samples which interfere with currently available sizing techniques. Measurements of the size distributions of suspended particle populations in the Tamar Estuary using this apparatus are compared with measurements carried out on discrete samples obtained from the same depth by pumping. The results confirm the fragile nature of estuarine aggregates and the necessity for in situ measurements in studies of estuarine suspended particle dynamics and fluxes.

Spoil banks: Effects on a coastal marsh water-level regime

Abstract: Above- and below-ground water-level fluctuations were measured in the marshes south of New Orleans, Louisiana, between November 1982 and December 1983. The purpose of the program was to define the basic marsh water-level regime and to investigate how canal spoil banks may influence the water-level regime. Two study areas were used: (1) a control area, defined as a section of marsh with unrestricted hydrologic connection to an adjacent bayou; and, (2) a partially-impounded area, defined as an area with limited hydrologic connection to an adjacent bayou due to the presence of dredged canal spoil banks. Data sources included marsh water levels from gages deployed at three sites within the study areas and water levels from the adjacent bayous obtained from the tide gages of U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Data from all marsh gage sites showed a similar pattern with a distinct surface and subsurface diurnal tidal signal superimposed upon other, larger scale events. These larger scale events correspond to the passage of weather fronts. The data also indicated that a significant amount of water-level fluctuation in the marshes occurs below ground. A comparison of the control area and the partially-impounded site indicated that the spoil banks changed the response of the marsh water levels to the forcing from the bayou, with the result that the partially-impounded area: (1) was flooded 141 hours more per month than the control area; (2) had fewer, but longer flooding events; (3) had fewer but longer drying events; and (4) reduced water exchange, both above and below ground.

Abundance, community composition, size distribution, and production rates of tintinnids in Narragansett Bay, Rhode Island

Abstract: The abundance of tintinnid ciliates in lower Narragansett Bay was measured at weekly intervals over the period 1980–1982. Twenty-nine species representing nine genera ranged in abundance from 101 to 105 tintinnids l−1. Tintinnopsis was the most numerous genus in terms of numbers of species and individuals. Total abundance increased with water temperature above 6°C, and with nanoplankton chlorophyll a (<10 μm and <5 μm chl a) averaged over the water column. Exceptions occurred during blooms of phytoplankton previously demonstrated to be poor food for tintinnids (Olisthodiscus, Thalassiosira). Tintinnids aggregated near the bottom during periods of low nanoplankton chl a. Abundances and distributions were not correlated with particulate organic carbon. Seasonal changes in length and oral diameter of loricas of individual species were inversely related to temperature. Oral diameter was a more constant feature of lorica morphology than length. Seasonal patterns in the mean oral diameter of the lorica of all species reflected decreases in the oral diameter of individual species with increasing temperature, and changes from small to large species coincident with similar shifts in the size of phytoplankton. The production rate of tintinnids was 3·3 mgCl−1 year−1, equivalent to the ingestion of 26% of total annual net primary production and 52% of the estimated production of <10 μm phytoplankton.

Dissolved nutrient fluxes from the nearshore sediments of Bowling Green Bay, central Great Barrier Reef Lagoon (Australia)

Abstract: The fluxes of dissolved inorganic N, P, and Si from the nearshore sediments of the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon are significantly lower than those reported from sediments in temperate regions at similar temperatures. The directly measured fluxes range from −23 to +28, −154 to +890, and −990 to +1750 μmol m−2 day−1 for PO43−, ΣN(=NH4+ + NO2− + NO3−) and Si, respectively. Estimates suggest that sediments are the major source of dissolved N to near-shore waters of the Lagoon greatly exceeding the dissolved flux from rivers. Resuspension of up to 1 cm of sediment during storms would have a very small effect on the PO43− or Si(OH)4 concentration of the overlying water, but would significantly raise the ΣN concentration. The productivity of these waters may be controlled at various times by the balance between the steady-state sedimentary flux of nutrients, the fluvial input, and storm resuspension.

An experimental investigation of the effects of shorebird and flatfish predation on estuarine invertebrates

Abstract: Shorebirds and flatfish were selectively excluded from areas of mudflat of the Ythan estuary in two separate experiments. Exclosures and control areas were monitored over several months for sediment and faunal characteristics and compared by 2-way ANOVA. There was no significant effect of the exclosures on sediment properties, due to the relatively large open area of the exclosure material used. Exclosures had little effect on invertebrate densities. The results are discussed in relation to prey mobility and the effects of predation estimated from energy demands of the predators. It is suggested that, over the study period, predators did not significantly affect the numbers of invertebrates in the mudflats. Over the winter period, Corophium within exclosures were significantly larger than those in control areas, probably due to size-selective predation by shorebirds.

Effects of seed predators and light level on the distribution of Avicennia marina (Forsk.) Vierh. in tropical, tidal forests

Abstract: Avicennia marina has an unusual distributional pattern across the intertidal region in mangrove forests of north-eastern Australia. It is often abundant in the low intertidal and high intertidal but is very rare in mid-intertidal areas. The influences of shade intolerance and seed predators on the distribution of Avicennia were investigated. Field observations of 391 light gaps indicated that while seedlings were equally abundant in gaps versus under the neighboring forest canopy, saplings were much more abundant in gaps. Subsequent field studies showed that seedlings survived and grew best in light gaps as opposed to under the forest canopy. Further field experiments revealed that 96·0±3·4% of the post-dispersal propagules of Avicennia are consumed by seed predators, primarily grapsid crabs. Predation on propagules was less in low and high intertidal regions where conspecific adults were common and was highest in the mid intertidal where Avicennia is rarest. Predator exclusion experiments indicated that Avicennia was capable of growing in mid-intertidal areas. It is concluded that the combination of shade intolerance and extensive predation on its' propagules effectively limits the distribution of Avicennia marina across the intertidal and may account for the dominance by members of the Rhizophoraceae in the mangrove forests of northern Australia.

Temporal and spatial variability in phytoplankton ammonium and nitrate uptake in the Delaware Estuary

Abstract: Phytoplankton NH 4 + and NO 3 − uptake was examined along the longitudinal salinity gradient of the Delaware Estuary over several seasonal cycles using 15 N-tracer techniques. Saturated nitrogen uptake rates increased directly with water temperature and reached a maximum of 380 nmol Nl −1 h −1 during summer. This temperature dependence was related primarily to changes in the rate of maximum chlorophyll specific uptake, which varied exponentially between 2 and 70 nmol N [μg Chl h] −1 over a temperature range of 2–28°C. Despite these high uptake rates, balanced growth (C:N⋍7:1) could be maintained over the diel light cycle only by highly efficient nitrogen uptake at low light intensities and dark uptake below the photic zone and at night (dark uptake=25% maximum uptake). Ammonium fulfilled 82% of the annual phytoplankton nitrogen demand in the estuary despite dominance of NO 3 − in the ambient dissolved inorganic nitrogen pool. The predominance of NH 4 + uptake occurred because of the general suppression of NO 3 − assimilation at NH 4 + concentrations in excess of 2 μ m . This suppression, however, was not as universal as has been reported for other systems, and it is suggested that the extremely high NO 3 − concentrations found in the estuary contribute to this pattern. Nitrate was a significant source of nitrogen only during periods of high phytoplankton production in summer, and when NH 4 + concentrations were low towards the end of the spring bloom.

Experiments on the resuspension of estuarine sediments containing benthic diatoms

Abstract: A laboratory system was used to test the effect of water flow on the resuspension of mud and sand sediments and, specifically, benthic diatoms from the Ems estuary, The Netherlands. Current velocities generated by two rotating cylinders in a cylindrical tank were determined by a small float and a laser Doppler velocimeter. At low angular velocities, the amount of suspended matter increased linearly with angular velocity and the float current velocity. However, at higher angular velocities, the increase in current velocity was less because of the strong turbulence: concomitantly, the current velocity boundary layer (δ) became thinner and the suspended matter concentration increased rapidly. The dominant diatom species from the sandy sediment were suspended in two distinct groups, one of which consisted of the species Navicula aequorea, Navicula salinicola, Ophephora martyi and Opephora pacifica, and was more exclusively bound to sand grains than the other. The benthic diatom species inhabiting the silty sediment did not show this difference. The most important shortcoming in the experiments was the inability to determine the radial and vertical velocity components. This precluded reliable calculations of the shear stress. The data presented emphasize the importance of finding a method to determine the shear stress under experiments and field conditions so that direct comparisons can be made. Despite this it is assumed that, just as under the experimental conditions discussed, under natural conditions in shallow waters resuspension starts at current velocities as low as ca. 10 cm s−1.

Hydrocarbon geochemistry of the Puget Sound region—III. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in sediments

Abstract: Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) distributions and sources are characterized in 96 sediment samples from 24 210 Pb-dated cores collected at locations in the greater Puget Sound. The highest PAH concentrations are found within a few kilometers of several sources including industrial facilities in northern Puget Sound, urban areas in central Puget Sound, and river systems draining coal-bearing strata. Regional patterns of combustion-derived PAH in surficial sediments indicate little atmospheric or waterborne exchange of PAH between different regions of the Sound. Significant subsurface maxima in combustion-derived PAH concentrations ( 210 Pb dated at the 1950s) occur only in sediment cores collected near urban centers. Perylene apparently derives from erosion of a terrestrial source with little or no evidence of in situ production at depth in sediment cores. Coal fragments are carriers of a characteristic suite of alkylated phenanthrene, chrysene, and picene derivatives concentrated near river mouths in central and southern Puget Sound.

The interactive roles of predation and tidal elevation in structuring populations of the edible cockle, Cerastoderma edule

Abstract: The size and age structure of the Cerastoderma edule population at Traeth Melynog, North Wales, varies dramatically with tidal level. In areas low on the shore up to 96% of cockle spat fail to survive their first summer, but mortality rate subsequently declines and remains at a low level. By contrast cockles high on the shore suffer moderate mortality during their first year (47%), but increasing rates thereafter. High-shore populations consequently consist mainly of smaller (younger) individuals and low-shore ones of a transient spatfall, plus a few larger and older individuals. The potential role of shore crabs, Carcinus maenas, and oystercatchers, Haematopus ostralegus in the determination of these patterns is assessed. Shore crabs move up into the intertidal to feed with each flood tide from about April to December. They selectively consume cockles < 15 mm in length, taking an estimated 236 × 103 cockles, or 2432 g dry flesh year−1 per linear meter of shoreline, mostly from lower shore levels. Oystercatchers are present only during winter and preferentially select large cockles of at least 20 mm length. They are estimated to remove 9 × 103 cockles, or 1204 g dry flesh year−1 per linear meter of shoreline, most of this from mid- and high-shore levels. These results indicate that shore crabs are far more important predators than previously suspected, taking 25 × the numbers and 2 × the biomass cosumed by oystercatchers. Predation also appears to be the key factor controlling the structure of the C. edule population. Crabs consume almost all the cockles settling low on the shore during their first summer, but avoid older individuals, which subsequently survive and grow well under low levels of oystercatcher predation. On the high shore, crabs are unimportant and the cockles survive well as they slowly grow into the size range attractive to oystercatchers. Thereafter they suffer increasingly severe winter mortality and are soon eliminated.

The vertical attenuation of light in Charlotte Harbor, a shallow, subtropical estuary, south-western Florida

Abstract: The relative contribution of different components to the attenuation of photosynthetically active radiation was determined in the Charlotte Harbor estuarine system based on laboratory and in situ measurements. Agreement between laboratory and in situ measurements of the attenuation coefficient (kt) was good (r2 = 0·92). For all in situ measurements (n = 100), suspended, non-chlorophyll matter accounted for an average of 72% of kt, dissolved matter accounted for 21%, suspended chlorophyll for 4%, and water for the remaining 3%. For individual determinations, suspended non-chlorophyll matter, dissolved matter, suspended chlorophyll, and water, each accounted for as much as 99%, 79%, 21%, and 18% of kt. Attenuation by suspended matter was greatest near the mouth of the northern tidal rivers and was variable over the rest of the estuarine system. Attenuation by dissolved matter was greatest in the brackish tidal rivers and decreased with increasing salinity. Attenuation due to dissolved matter was positively correlated with water color. The source of the color was basin runoff. Wavelength transmittance changed along the salinity gradient. Maximum transmittance shifted from 500 to 600 nm in gulf waters to 650 to 700 nm in colored, brackish waters. Dissolved matter was primarily responsible for the large attenuation at short wavelengths (400–500 nm).

Technetium-99 and cesium-134 as long distance tracers in Arctic waters

Abstract: In August 1984, 134Cs originating from the British reprocessing plant Sellafield (formerly Windscale) was found in the waters between Canada and Greenland. The transit time from Sellafield to Baffin Bay is approximately eight years. The concentration in the surface waters in the south-eastern part of Baffin Bay of a pollutant coming from the North Sea is approximately 1% of its concentration in the North Sea. The conclusions based upon the observations of 134Cs are supported by determinations of 99Tc in Greenland fucoids. Enhanced discharges of 99Tc apparently began in 1970, i.e. four years earlier than those of radiocesium. The unreported, annual 99Tc discharges in the 1970s prior to 1978 are estimated to be approximately 40 TBq (⋍ 1 kCi).

Natural expansion and experimental manipulation of seagrass (Zostera spp.) abundance and the response of infaunal invertebrates

Abstract: A study of an expanding seagrass bed on the south-west coast of British Columbia, Canada involved documentation and explanation of the pattern of expansion of the vegetation as well as documentation and experimental investigation of the accompanying changes in the distribution of infaunal invertebrates. Expansion followed a major environmental change, improved water clarity initiated in 1969 when a causeway blocked access to the site for silty Fraser River water. The original eelgrass ( Zostera marina ) bed expanded landward over 30 m year −1 , probably causing more and more water to be retained in the bed at low tide and thus improving its own habitat. More rapid expansion occurred from 1979–1983 after Z.japonica colonized at the landward edge of the eelgrass bed and in a separate intertidal area. Expansion ceased around 1983 coincident with, but probably independent of, further construction. Burrowing shrimp ( Callianassa californiensis ) decreased in abundance between 1977 and 1984 in areas where the two seagrasses colonized. Short-term experiment over one summer and fall showed that removal of all shoots allowed adult shrimp and tube worms to colonize the sediment while addition of shoots of Z. japonica by transplanting caused temporary decreases in shrimp abundance. After a few weeks an established shrimp population destroyed the transplants. Among reasonable alternate hypotheses for the decline in Callianassa , the effect of sediment texture can be eliminated, but either direct negative effects of seagrass, i.e. inhibition of the burrowing of adult shrimp or of settlement of juveniles, or indirect effects, i.e. the harboring of more predators of shrimp in seagrass beds, deserve further study.

Rip current charactersitics and their role in the exchange of water and surf diatoms between the surf zone and nearshore

Abstract: Photogrammetric measurements of dye dispersion in a high-energy surf zone provided semi-quantitative measurements of the pattern and flux of water exchange between the surf zone and nearshore. The intensity of current flow, the rip morphology and its position within the surf zone have important ecological implications for the surf zone and nearshore biota. A variety of water-movement patterns was found, ranging from currents which remained confined to the beach terrace to those which involved substantial exchange across the breaker line. In considering rips as exchange mechanisms, two rip types are recognized. Depending on the exchange of water across the breaker line, a rip may be classified as ‘exchange’ or ‘non-exchange’. The ecological significance of these current types is discussed and a classification scheme for rip currents is proposed. Offshore fluxes across the breaker line by rip currents ranged from negligible to 80 m3s−1 rip−1. The estimated maximum flux per running meter of the Sundays River Beach was calculated as 0·0.32m 3 s−1. The half-residence period of surf-zone water ranged from as little as 22 min t0 5 days, averaging 3·6 h. A dichotomy of current patterns found between the water column and surface layers is used to explain the build up of a concentration gradient in cell numbers of the surf diatom Anaulus birostratus within the surf zone despite extensive flushing by surf circulation.

Recruitment Dynamics of Metamorphosing English sole, Parophorys vetulus, to Yaquina Bay, Oregon

Abstract: English sole, Parophrys vetulus , spawn in shelf waters off the west coast of North America and early development occurs in coastal waters. Near metamorphosis, however, larvae recruit to nearshore and estuarine nursery areas, an uncommon life-history feature for a species in this region. Recruitment of larval P. vetulus to Yaquina Bay, Oregon, was sampled with moored nets on a weekly basis. Recruitment began during night flood tides in late February and was characterized by three peaks during the season. Planktonic recruitment continued into June, whereas benthic juveniles began to emigrate from the estuary in late May. The data suggest that two developmental stages of recruits immigrated to Yaquina Bay. The first are newly transforming larvae which enter the bay earliest within each peak of recruitment; peaks of abundance are related to onshore Ekman transport. This transport also brings larvae to shallow areas along the open coast where they settle. These transforming stages are still capable of pelagic swimming activity and continue to recruit to the estuary, typically swimming deeper in the water column than the early stages. Estuarine factors, particularly bottom salinity at the end of ebb tide, are most strongly correlated with recruitment of these stages. It seems that tidal stream transport is the primary mechanism used by English sole to recruit to the estuary, but the mechanism of locating the estuary and timing of entry is relatively complex.

Estimates of extreme conditions of tide and surge using a numerical model of the north-west European continental shelf

Abstract: Estimates of extreme currents and water levels due to tides, storm surges and their combination are required for the design of offshore structures, and other purposes. Techniques are described which provide such estimates for the north-west European continental shelf. The techniques employ spatial distributions of tide and surge from an established numerical sea model and existing statistical analyses of coastal sea level data. The assumptions embodied in the method are discussed and an indication given of the probable magnitude of the associated errors. The few observational estimates available provide limited verification of the results.

Coastal upwelling in the Baltic Sea—Satellite and in situ measurements of sea-surface temperatures indicating coastal upwelling

Abstract: Satellite data (AVHRR) and in situ data of sea-surface temperatures have been used to describe wind-induced upwelling along the Swedish coast of the Baltic. The satellite data, transformed to isotherm charts, points out three sections of the coast where the upwelling is especially intense. The cold upwelled water, normally found within 10–20 km from the coast, sometimes spreads out in finger-like filaments. There are indications of propagation of upwelling fronts and centers, which may be associated with coastal-trapped waves. Ten years of in situ measurements of sea-surface temperature have been used for a statistical compilation of upwelling events. The statistics reveal that upwelling is a common feature along certain sections of the coast, occurring for about one-fourth to one-third of the time. Some information of time scales and temperature anomalies associated with the upwelling events are also given. A wind analysis shows a correlation between upwelling and winds parallel to the shore line, in accordance with the Ekman theory of upwelling generation.

Wetland loss and the subdelta life cycle

Abstract: The rapid deterioration of marsh habitat observed during recent years in the modern Mississippi River Delta is a consequence, at least in part, of the natural life cycle of subdeltas With life spans typically less than 200 years, subdeltas or bay-fill deposits are scaled-down versions of major delta lobes, yet provide, through pulses of sediment, nearly all the subaerial land in an active delta Using maps, charts, and aerial photographs, curves were constructed for rates of change in land area, sediment volume, and linear progradation in the four subdeltas that have formed on the modern Mississippi River Delta since the first accurate survey in 1838 Results indicate that each subdelta (1) lasted for approximately 115–175 years, (2) included both periods of growth and deterioration, (3) was initiated by a crevasse or break in the natural levee system, (4) showed linear advancement and volumetric growth during subaerial deterioration, and (5) displayed a new pulse of subaerial growth during the high discharge decade of the 1970s Contrary to popular accounts, demise of the Mississippi River Delta through deterioration of its subdeltas is not a result of the construction of artificial levees upstream or discharge of sediment off the continental shelf edge Rather, it is attributable to a substantial decrease and fining of sediments being transported downstream to depositional sites within a delta that has developed, through natural processes, a complex and inefficient channel network for delivering these sediments

Faunal characteristics and sediment accumulation processes in the James River estuary, Virginia

Abstract: This study was designed to relate fauna characteristics and sediment accumulation processes in the James River, VA and was conducted during June 1981. Physical sedimentary and benthic biological parameters, as well as sediment structure and radionuclide profiles, were evaluated for 11 stations. Faunal distribution patterns reflected species' response to salinity changes along the estuarine gradient, but not to differences in sediment accumulation rates. Levels of bioturbation could not be predicted easily on the basis of faunal characteristics alone. Results suggest that the physical processes of erosion and deposition strongly influence the ability of macrobenthos to bioturbate sediments in this estuary. Areas of rapid deposition (>3 cm y −1 ) exhibit little evidence of bioturbation, as do areas where erosion, or relatively constant physical reworking of sediments, dominate. Areas with low sediment accumulation rates (0·5-3 cm y −1 ) exhibit the highest levels of mixing as evidenced in X-radiographs. Estuarine organisms inhabiting soft bottoms are typically ‘opportunistic’, shallow-living and short-lived species, and the composition of their communities is not strongly influenced by rates of deposition. Physical reworking of sediments is most likely to occur near to the sediment-water interface where reworking by shallow-living organisms is most intense. Sediment-mixing processes should be characterized using a range of approaches. The phasing of interactions among erosion, physical transport, deposition and biological mixing must be resolved on the appropriate time scales if the mechanics of processes governing the formation of the sedimentary record are to be elucidated.

Nutrient limitation of phytoplankton biomass in a brackish water bay highly influenced by river discharge

Abstract: Laboratory nutrient enrichment experiments (n=30) with the indigenous phytoplankton community from the brackish (mean salinity 16‰) Laholm Bay, south-east Kattegat, were performed during the period August 1981 to August 1983. The results show that nitrogen is the most limiting nutrient for potential phytoplankton biomass formation, despite a high input of inorganic nitrogen to the bay from rivers draining heavily fertilized agricultural areas. Phosphorus, silica, trace metal or chelator (EDTA) additions to Laholm Bay phytoplankton had no significant effect on biomass yield.

A daily study of the diatom spring bloom at Roscoff (France) in 1985. I. The spring bloom within the annual cycle

Abstract: The repeated occurrence of a monospecific bloom of the plankton diatom Rhizosolenia delicatula at Roscoff (western English Channel) was made the subject of an interdisciplinary research programme. Samples were taken at daily intervals from April to July and at longer intervals during the remaining part of the year 1985. Routine physical parameters, light transmission, nutrients, dissolved oxygen, particle load, particulate N and P, chlorophyll content, phytoplankton counting, and zooplankton biomass were measured as a basis for more specific studies (to follow as subsequent papers in this series). The area is characterized by: high tidal range, permanent mixing throughout the year, low attenuation coefficients, moderate nutrient supply, and the dominance of benthic algae over phytoplankton. The spring bloom is significantly delayed with respect to the usual model for the temperate seas. Tidal cycles are expected to exert the main influence on bloom dynamics at the time scale of phytoplankton growth.

Hypersalinity, flushing and transient salt-wedges in a tidal gulf—an inverse estuary

Abstract: Because of high evaporation and low rainfall, gulfs and embayments in the arid coastal regions of Australia are endowed with highly saline water masses, with salinities ranging from oceanic values at their mouths to values as high as 60 at their heads. This presents the case of an ‘inverse estuary’. In Gulf St Vincent of South Australia, an example of such an inverse estuary, the salinity at the head ranges from ∼39 in winter to ∼42 in summer in sympathy with the seasonal changes of the local excess of evaporation over precipitation. The salient characteristics of temperature, salinity and density distributions in the Gulf are here described. Despite a seasonal reversal of spatial temperature gradients, the salinity gradient maintains the same sign and is strong enough to control a persistent density gradient from mouth to head. In parallel with the case of estuaries, a flushing time for salt is defined and estimated for the northern regions of the Gulf. Although the water mass was initially assumed to be vertically well-mixed because of tidally induced turbulence, the present observations reveal the striking feature that at neap tides the horizontal density-gradient forces a salt-wedge from the north, below the fresher water in the south.