Four meadows of turtle grass (Thalassia testudinum Banks ex Konig) in Sarasota Bay, Florida were sampled on a bimonthly basis from June 1992 to July 1993 to determine spatial and temporal variation in short shoot density, biomass, productivity, and epiphyte loads. Concurrent with the seagrass sampling, quarterly water-quality monitoring was undertaken at ≥3 sites in the vicinity of each studied seagrass meadow. Three months after termination of the seagrass sampling effort, a biweekly water-quality monitoring program was instituted at two of the seagrass sampling sites. In addition, a nitrogen loading model was calibrated for the various watersheds influencing the seagrass meadows. Substantial spatial and temporal differences in turtle grass parameters but smaller spatial variation in water quality parameters are indicated by data from both the concurrent quarterly monitoring program and the biweekly monitoring program instituted after termination of the seagrass study. Turtle grass biomass and productivity were negatively correlated with watershed nitrogen loads, while water quality parameters did not clearly reflect differences in watershed nutrient inputs. We suggest that traditional water-quality monitoring programs can fail to detect the onset or continuance of nutrient-induced declines in seagrass health. Consequently, seagrass meadows should be monitored directly as a part of any effort to determine status and/or trends in the health of estuarine environments. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A01BY074 00029
The increasing emission of primary and gaseous precursors of secondarily formed atmospheric particulate matter due to continuing industrial development and urbanization are leading to an increased public awareness of environmental issues and human health risks in China. As part of a pilot study, 12-h integrated fine fraction particulate matter (PM2.5) filter samples were collected to chemically characterize and investigate the sources of ambient particulate matter in Guiyang City, Guizhou Province, southwestern China. Results showed that the 12-h integrated PM2.5 concentrations exhibited a daytime average of 51 ± 22 µg m?3 (mean ± standard deviation) with a range of 17–128 µg m?3 and a nighttime average of 55 ± 32 µg m?3 with a range of 4–186 µg m?3. The 24-h integrated PM2.5 concentrations varied from 15 to 157 µg m?3, with a mean value of 53 ± 25 µg m?3, which exceeded the 24-h PM2.5 standard of 35 µg m?3 set by USEPA, but was below the standard of 75 µg m?3, set by China Ministry of Environmental Protection. Energy-dispersive X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (XRF) was applied to determine PM2.5 chemical element concentrations. The order of concentrations of heavy metals in PM2.5 were iron (Fe) > zinc (Zn) > manganese (Mn) > lead (Pb) > arsenic (As) > chromium (Cr). The total concentration of 18 chemical elements was 13 ± 2 µg m?3, accounting for 25% in PM2.5, which is comparable to other major cities in China, but much higher than cities outside of China. 相似文献
We review current understanding of the potential impact of climate change on the Chesapeake Bay. Scenarios for CO2 emissions indicate that by the end of the 21st century the Bay region will experience significant changes in climate forcings with respect to historical conditions, including increases in CO2 concentrations, sea level, and water temperature of 50–160%, 0.7–1.6 m, and 2–6 °C, respectively. Also likely are increases in precipitation amount (very likely in the winter and spring), precipitation intensity, intensity of tropical and extratropical cyclones (though their frequency may decrease), and sea-level variability. The greatest uncertainty is associated with changes in annual streamflow, though it is likely that winter and spring flows will increase. Climate change alone will cause the Bay to function very differently in the future. Likely changes include: (1) an increase in coastal flooding and submergence of estuarine wetlands; (2) an increase in salinity variability on many time scales; (3) an increase in harmful algae; (4) an increase in hypoxia; (5) a reduction of eelgrass, the dominant submerged aquatic vegetation in the Bay; and (6) altered interactions among trophic levels, with subtropical fish and shellfish species ultimately being favored in the Bay. The magnitude of these changes is sensitive to the CO2 emission trajectory, so that actions taken now to reduce CO2 emissions will reduce climate impacts on the Bay. Research needs include improved precipitation and streamflow projections for the Bay watershed and whole-system monitoring, modeling, and process studies that can capture the likely non-linear responses of the Chesapeake Bay system to climate variability, climate change, and their interaction with other anthropogenic stressors. 相似文献
Recent detection of methane (CH4) on Mars has generated interest in possible biological or geological sources, but the factors responsible for the reported variability are not understood. Here we explore one potential sink that might affect the seasonal cycling of CH4 on Mars - trapping in ices deposited on the surface. Our apparatus consisted of a high-vacuum chamber in which three different Mars ice analogs (water, carbon dioxide, and carbon dioxide clathrate hydrates) were deposited in the presence of CH4 gas. The ices were monitored for spectroscopic evidence of CH4 trapping using transmission Fourier-Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy, and during subsequent sublimation of the ice films the vapor composition was measured using mass spectrometry (MS). Trapping of CH4 in water ice was confirmed at deposition temperatures <100 K which is consistent with previous work, thus validating the experimental methods. However, no trapping of CH4 was observed in the ice analogs studied at warmer temperatures (140 K for H2O and CO2 clathrate, 90 K for CO2 snow) with approximately 10 mTorr CH4 in the chamber. From experimental detection limits these results provide an upper limit of 0.02 for the atmosphere/ice trapping ratio of CH4. If it is assumed that the trapping mechanism is linear with CH4 partial pressure and can be extrapolated to Mars, this upper limit would indicate that less than 1% is expected to be trapped from the largest reported CH4 plume, and therefore does not represent a significant sink for CH4. 相似文献
An on-site gas monitoring study has been conducted in the framework of an earthquake laboratory (The International NELSAM–DAFGAS projects) at the TauTona gold mine, South Africa. Five boreholes up to 60 m long were drilled at 3.54 km depth into the highly fractured Pretorius Fault Zone and instruments for chemical and seismic monitoring installed therein. Over the span of 4 years sensitive gas monitoring devices were continuously improved to enable the direct observation of geogas concentration variations in the DAFGAS borehole. The major gas concentrations are constant and air-like with about 78% N2, 21% O2, 1% Ar. The geogas components CO2, CH4, He and H2 show the most interesting trends and variations on the minute-by-minute basis and significantly correlate with seismic data, while the 222Rn activity remains constant. Time series and cross correlation analysis allow the identification of different gas components (geogas and tunnel air) and the identification of two processes influencing the borehole gas composition: (1) pumping-induced tunnel air breakthrough through networks of initially water-saturated fault fractures; and (2) seismicity induced permeability enhancement of fault fractures to above ∼5 × 10-10 m2. The current set-up of the gas monitoring system is sensitive enough to quantify the resulting geogas transport during periods of intense blasting activities (including recorded blasts with seismic moment ?1 × 109 Nm, located within 1000 m of the cubby) and, it is suggested, also during induced earthquakes, a final goal of the project. 相似文献
Ataúro is a key to understanding the late stage volcanic and subduction history of the Banda Arc to the north of Timor. A volcanic history of bi-modal subaqueous volcanism has been established and new whole rock and trace element geochemical data show two compositional groups, basaltic andesite and dacite–rhyolite. 40Ar/39Ar geochronology of hornblende from rhyo-dacitic lavas confirms that volcanism continued until 3.3 Ma. Following the cessation of volcanism, coral reef marine terraces have been uplifted to elevations of 700 m above sea level. Continuity of the terraces at constant elevations around the island reflects regional-scale uplift most likely linked to sublithospheric processes such as slab detachment. Local scale landscape features of the eastern parts of Ataúro are strongly controlled by normal faults. The continuation of arc-related volcanism on Ataúro until at least 3.3 Ma suggests that subduction of Australian lithosphere continued until near this time. This data is consistent with findings from the earthquake record where the extent of the Wetar seismic gap to a depth of 350 km suggests slab breakoff, as a result of collision, commenced at ∼4 Ma, leading to subsequent regional uplift recorded in elevated terraces on Ataúro and neighbouring islands. 相似文献
Apatite incorporates variable and significant amounts of halogens (mainly F and Cl) in its crystal structure, which can be used to determine the initial F and Cl concentrations of magmas. The amount of chlorine in the apatite lattice also exerts an important compositional control on the degree of fission‐track annealing. Chlorine measurements in apatite have conventionally required electron probe microanalysis (EPMA). Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) is increasingly used in apatite fission‐track dating to determine U concentrations and also in simultaneous U‐Pb dating and trace element measurements of apatite. Apatite Cl measurements by ICP‐MS would remove the need for EPMA but the high (12.97 eV) first ionisation potential makes analysis challenging. Apatite Cl data were acquired using two analytical set‐ups: a Resonetics M‐50 193 nm ArF Excimer laser coupled to an Agilent 7700× quadrupole ICP‐MS (using a 26 μm spot with an 8 Hz repetition rate) and a Photon Machines Analyte Excite 193 nm ArF Excimer laser coupled to a Thermo Scientific iCAP Qc (using a 30 μm spot with a 4 Hz repetition rate). Chlorine concentrations were determined by LA‐ICP‐MS (1140 analyses in total) for nineteen apatite occurrences, and there is a comprehensive EPMA Cl and F data set for 13 of the apatite samples. The apatite sample suite includes different compositions representative of the range likely to be encountered in natural apatites, along with extreme variants including two end‐member chlorapatites. Between twenty‐six and thirty‐nine isotopes were determined in each apatite sample corresponding to a typical analytical protocol for integrated apatite fission track (U and Cl contents) and U‐Pb dating, along with REE and trace element measurements. 35Cl backgrounds (present mainly in the argon gas) were ~ 45–65 kcps in the first set‐up and ~ 4 kcps in the second set‐up. 35Cl background‐corrected signals ranged from ~ 0 cps in end‐member fluorapatite to up to ~ 90 kcps in end‐member chlorapatite. Use of a collision cell in both analytical set‐ups decreased the low mass sensitivity by approximately an order of magnitude without improving the 35Cl signal‐to‐background ratio. A minor Ca isotope was used as the internal standard to correct for drift in instrument sensitivity and variations in ablation volume during sessions. The 35Cl/43Ca values for each apatite (10–20 analyses each) when plotted against the EPMA Cl concentrations yield excellently constrained calibration relationships, demonstrating the suitability of the analytical protocol and that routine apatite Cl measurements by ICP‐MS are achievable. 相似文献