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Discharge of acid mine drainage (AMD) from abandoned coal mines of the YuDong catchment in Kaili City, Guizhou Province, China, has severely damaged local ecological environments. In this study, a laboratory-scale dispersed alkaline substrate (DAS) was studied for the treatment of simulated AMD. The experimental conditions and reaction mechanisms were preliminarily explored. The treatment effect and variation law of vertical effluent water quality of the experimental conditions were thoroughly analysed. The results indicated that small-sized limestone (diameter 5–7 mm) having a 20:1 mixture ratio with shavings and minimum HRT of 20 hours result in increasing effluent pH from 3.5 to 6.6, achieving 66.2% and 99.1% removal of Fe and Al, respectively. There were obvious differences in each reaction layer for the removal of various pollutants from AMD along the depth by DAS, the main reaction zone was first 20–30 cm of the reaction column. The removal process of metal ions and sulfate was accompanied by bio-mineralization reaction. This test provided a valuable support for the local practical engineering applications, enriched the AMD processing technology experimental cases, and provided reference for the treatment technology of similar polluted areas. HIGHLIGHTS A dispersed alkaline substrate was designed to treat the acid mine drainage from abandoned coal mines of YuDong valley, which provides a reference for the further design of site device and other similar contaminated areas.; Combining the physical and chemical parameters of the effluent, and mineralogical characterization of the filler along with the microbial diversity of the system, the mechanism of DAS treatment of AMD was analyzed.; Under this experiment conditions, DAS can raise the effluent pH to 6.6, and the average removal rate of Fe and Al was 66.2% and 99.1%, respectively. Daily decrease rate of Fe was 16∼18 g/m2/d.

The mineralogical and geochemical characterization of sediments of the Reconquista River allows analyzing the geochemical partition of trace elements in one of the most polluted water courses of Argentina. The low dissolved oxygen and high ammonia contents, together with the high chemical oxygen demand, attest to the poor water quality. Ammonia, Cd and Cu content in surficial water exceeds the maximum guidelines for freshwater in Argentina. The recent sediments of the uppermost bed are enriched in organic matter (OM), sulfur, Zn, Cu and Pb. The enrichment factor is moderate, and the geoaccumulation index (Igeo) for Cu and Pb indicates uncontaminated to moderately contaminated sediments. The positive and significant correlation between As, Cr, Pb and Zn with the iron content suggests that their retention is controlled by the amount of iron oxy (hydr)oxides in the sediments, probably combined with the silt + clay abundance. In comparison with its tributary, the Las Catonas Stream, the Reconquista River, has less OM and trace elements in the sediments and more dissolved trace elements in the interstitial water. We interpret that OM is the main sorbent of the trace element. In the absence of OM, the iron oxy (hydr)oxides and the silt + clay fraction are a less efficient substitute. Consequently, the interstitial waters of the Reconquista River are enriched in these elements. Therefore, minor changes in the environmental conditions may generate significant release of hazardous trace elements from the sediments to the interstitial water and, in turn, to the surficial water of the river. As most of the big cities and the agricultural activities of Argentina are developed on the loessic substrate, the understanding of its interaction with polluted waters is crucial.

The use of recycled glass as a substrate for constructed wetlands was assessed through two studies. The first study examined the dissipation of atenolol, carbamazepine, and sulfamethoxazole in mesocosm-modeled wetlands using glass or limestone gravel as substrates, with or without cattails (Typha spp.). Following pseudo-first-order kinetics, atenolol dissipated the fastest from the water surface of the mesocosms (t1/2~1 day), followed by sulfamethoxazole (t1/2~14 days), and carbamazepine (t1/2~48 days), with no significant differences across treatments. Increased half-lives were observed at greater depth, likely due to light screening. A Monte Carlo sensitivity analysis diagnosed sunlight absorption rates and second-order hydroxyl-mediated indirect photolysis rates to be the main sources of uncertainty in our dissipation rate estimates, compared to our observed rates. The second study examined in situ pharmaceutical removal in tertiary pilot-scale subsurface filters made of crushed recycled glass or sand in a wastewater treatment facility in Manitoba, Canada. Glass and sand showed no significant differences for pharmaceutical removals; atenolol and metoprolol were removed below limits of detection, while carbamazepine and sulfamethoxazole persisted over a retention time of 24 h. Overall, recycled glass performed similarly to traditional substrates for wetland-based wastewater treatment.

Ostrea edulis is one of the most common types of meat oysters and is commonly consumed by people in Kuala Gigieng, but until now there is not much scientific information about this species. The purpose of this study was to describe the ecomorphology of Ostrea edulis in Kuala Gigieng waters. This research was conducted from August to September 2013 in Kuala Gigieng Waters, Aceh Besar District. The method used in this research is purposive sampling. Identification of samples based on shell morphological characteristics including the exterior and interior of the shell using a magnifier lamp. The results showed that Ostrea edulis found in Kuala Gigieng waters had round, rough, hard, thick and uneven shells. The two valves are also not the same size, where the left valve is more concave than the right valve which tends to be flat. This is a form of the adaptation pattern of Ostrea edulis in Kuala Gigieng which tends to have a medium sand and clay sand substrate with a fairly high predation from both natural and human predation.

SEM-EDS analysis of cobalt-rich Fe–Mn crusts (CRFMC) and their substrate rocks from the Gummy Bear seamount in the northwestern Pacific Ocean and the Magellan seamounts (Ilyicheva and Vulcanologist guyots) in the subequatorial Pacific Ocean revealed the presence of accessory (0.6–40 μm) two- and three-component minerals of the Ag–Au–Cu system, which is indicative of a wider distribution of authigenic gold mineralization than one would expect for such deposits. A concept for the biogeochemical genesis of these natural alloys was proposed, including the processes of biosorption, bioaccumulation, and biotransformation of metal ions by microbial cells to their metallic nano- and microforms.

Lake Maninjau is one of the tectovulcanic type lakes in West Sumatra Province which is used as a food source in the presence of fauna groups such as mollusks. The main purpose of this study is to determine the distribution of mollusks concerning the substrate in Lake Maninjau. This research was conducted three times from March-September 2015 at seven points of the river estuary around Lake Maninjau. The result of the study shows that Corbicula moltkiana was mostly found at Pandan station, while Melanoides tuberculata and Anodonta woodiana were mostly found at Muko-Muko station. The distribution pattern of Corbicula moltkiana and Melanoides tuberculata shows a tendency to live in groups. The waters of the estuary around Lake Maninjau are dominated by sand with TN and TP concentrations ranged from 0.093 - 0.610 mg kg-1 and 0.427 - 2.137 mg kg-1, respectively.

Summer bleaching of corals has been prevalent in the coastal waters of India in recent years before the onset of monsoon. Repeated bleaching of shallow water corals has changed the benthic dynamics of reef ecosystems. In the present study two locations, Wandoor and Burmanullah in South Andaman, were identified where such changes have occurred. After 3 years of study, the shift from coral domination to macroalgae and sponge is evident. In Wandoor, fleshy macroalgae (28.80%) have become a dominated benthic substrate and in Burmanullah, sponges (19.50%) have taken over much of reef space. Observation of multispecies domination of macroalgae in Wandoor and single species domination of sponges in Burmanullah has been established through this study of shallow reefs.

Wetland soils of the Maputaland Coastal Plain do not exhibit the redox morphology typically associated with extended periods of water saturation. The aim of this paper was to determine if the addit...

The discharge of city tail water in China has aggravated the pollution of rivers, lakes, and groundwater. Compared with other methods, ecological treatment has advantages in cost and effect. Based on the review of literature, the water quality of city tail water in China was analyzed, and the treatment of city tail water by constructed wetlands (CWs), ecological pond, and ecological floating bed (EFB) was discussed. The pollution indicator concentration of city tail water is higher than that of class IV water standards for rivers and lakes. The maximum removal rates of NH4+-N, TP, and TN in city tail water by CWs are more than 85%. The EFB technology plays an important role in the treatment process of city tail water, and the proportion of substrate treatment is higher in substrate, plant, and microorganism. The economic value of plant is also an important issue to be considered in EFB treatment of city tail water. There are many researches on the single technology of EFB, CWs, and ecological pond for the treatment of city tail water, but the comprehensive technology research of two or more is lacking. This study is of great significance to promote the ecological treatment of city tail water.

Trace elements in freshwater bivalve shells are widely used for reconstructing long-term changes in the riverine environments. However, Northern Eurasian regions, notably the European Russian North, susceptible to strong environmental impact via both local pollution and climate warming, are poorly studied. This work reports new data on trace elements accumulation by widespread species of freshwater mussels Unio spp. and Anodonta anatina in the Severnaya Dvina and the Onega River Basin, the two largest subarctic river basins in the Northeastern Europe. We revealed that iron and phosphorous accumulation in Unio spp. and Anodonta anatina shells have a strong relationship with a distance from the mouth of the studied river (the Severnaya Dvina). Based on multiparametric statistics comprising chemical composition of shells, water, and sediments, we demonstrated that the accumulation of elements in the shell depends on the environment of the biotope. Differences in the elemental composition of shells between different taxa are associated with ecological preferences of certain species to the substrate. The results set new constraints for the use of freshwater mussels’ shells for monitoring riverine environments and performing paleo-reconstructions.

Water quality management is important in cage culture of the Asian swamp eel (Monopterus albus). However, it is difficult to manage water quality after a large number of eels have died within the cages. The present study seeks to solve this problem by establishing a method to judge and maintain water quality. To this end, the effect of temperature and eel body weight on the water quality and microorganisms after the death of Asian swamp eels have been examined in the laboratory. The results showed that the changes in water quality parameters were similar at different temperatures and different eel weights. For example, at 26°C, the water quality started deteriorating at 5–7 days after death, which corresponded to the oxygen consumption stage. This was followed by the anaerobic decomposition stage at 11 days after death, at which point the self‐purification process of the water body was initiated. Under a lower temperature of 18°C, the oxygen consumption stage and, therefore, the overall decomposition process were extended. Proteobacteria, Bacteroidetes and Verrucomicrobia were the dominant phyla detected during the decomposition process, but the relative proportions of the dominant families differed across the stages. Based on these findings, we have provided innovative suggestions for water quality detection and management in Asian swamp eel production: (i) at a water temperature of 16–23°C, the following measures should be taken to deal with dead eels 15 days after the introduction of seedlings: (a) at an ammonia nitrogen level higher than 2 mg/L, the bodies present at the bottom of the cage need to be fished out with a net. However, when the ammonia nitrogen level is not higher than 2 mg/L, the whole cage should be sprayed with detoxifying substrate improver or Bacillus powder, according to the instructions, to improve water quality. (ii) At a water temperature of 23–30°C, the above measures should be taken on the 6th day after the seedlings are released, provided the critical value of ammonia nitrogen is 1.57 mg/L. An important limitation of this study is that water exchange was not possible under the laboratory experimental conditions, and the deterioration of water quality caused by eel death may have been alleviated due to water exchange between the inside and outside of the cage.

The crustose calcareous alga, Ramicrusta textilis Pueschel and G.W. Saunders (Peyssonneliaceae, Rhodophyta), was recently observed to overgrow dead and living corals in shallow lagoon patch reefs of Dongsha Atoll, South China Sea. DNA barcoding revealed that R. textilis frequently co-occurred in a complex with other crustose algae of the family Peyssonneliaceae and the genus Lobophora, forming patchy crusts that cover 3%–29% of the benthic substrate. This is the first record R. textilis overgrowing corals in the Pacific Ocean.

Nitrification is simulated in existing water quality models by multiplying the rate with the attenuation factors for water temperature and dissolved oxygen. The effect of pH, substrates and bacteria is mostly neglected. Moreover, the two-step nitrification is simplified to a one-step process. The aim of this study is to investigate the kinetics of two-step nitrification and to simulate this process. Consequently, the importance of considering the effect of pH, substrate and bacteria in nitrification modelling of river basins is emphasized. For this, an experiment was performed on water taken from the Tay Ninh River in Vietnam. The results show a low actual ammonium oxidation rate in the water column of the river. The ammonium oxidation is completely inhibited at pH 5 while the nitrite oxidation is strongly inhibited at pH 8.5. In comparison to the ammonium oxidizers (AOB), the nitrite oxidizers (NOB) are rarely inhibited at low pH. Numerical simulation of the experiment delivered ammonium oxidation rates kA and nitrite oxidation rates kN for different pH values. The kA for pH values lower than 6 is very low. It increases rapidly as the pH increases from 6 to 6.5. We also found out that pH values of 7.5 and 7 are optimal for the activity of AOB and NOB, respectively. Our results emphasize the importance of considering the effect of pH, substrate and bacteria on the nitrification research in river basins. In doing so, nitrification can be simulated more realistically and sustainable water management can be carried out more successfully.

Despite the economic and ecological importance of corals’ skeletal structure, as well as their predicted vulnerability to future climate change, few studies have examined the skeletal mechanical properties at the nanoscale. As climate change is predicted to alter coral growth and physiology, as well as increase mechanical stress events (e.g., bioerosion, storm frequency), it is crucial to understand how skeletal mechanical properties change with environmental conditions. Moreover, while material properties are intimately linked to the chemical composition of the skeleton, no previous study has examined mechanical properties alongside carbonate geochemical composition. Using Porites coral cores from a wide range of reef environments (Thailand, Singapore, Taiwan), we correlated coral’s micro-mechanical properties with chemical composition. In contrast to previous mechanical measurements of reef-building corals, we document unprecedented variability in the hardness, stiffness, and micro-cracking stress of Porites corals across reef environments, which may significantly decrease the structural integrity of reef substrate. Corals from environments with low salinity and high sedimentation had higher organic content and fractured at lower loads, suggesting that skeletal organic content caused enhanced embrittlement. Within individual coral cores, we observed seasonal variability in skeletal stiffness, and a relationship between high sea surface temperature, increased stiffness, and high-density. Regionally, lower Sr/Ca and higher Mg/Ca coincided with decreased stiffness and hardness, which is likely driven by increased amorphous calcium carbonate and skeletal organic content. If the coral is significantly embrittled, as measured here in samples from Singapore, faster erosion is expected. A decrease in skeletal stiffness will decrease the quality of reef substrate, enhance the rate of bioerosion by predators and borers, and increase colony dislodgement, resulting in widespread loss of structural complexity.

In order to promote the construction of the Sponge City and strengthen the utilization of rainwater resources, this paper attempts to design a wetland that can effectively purify the rainwater. The rainwater quality of Zhengzhou was monitored to provide actual data for follow-up studies. A variety of wetlands with different plants and substrates were constructed to analyze the purification of wetlands on rainwater. The wetland with optimal parameters was selected to ensure the effluent can be reused. The average concentrations of Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Total Nitrogen (TN), Nitrate Nitrogen (NO3−-N) and Ammonium Nitrogen(NH3-N) in the initial rainwater were 140.25 mg/L, 13.31 mg/L, 5.77 mg/L and 6.82 mg/L, respectively. The experimental results show that the efficiency of COD purification in each wetland is great, and the differences between wetland are small. Compared with other substrates (gravel, activated carbon, vermiculite), zeolite effectively enhanced the purification effect of wetland on ammonia nitrogen. The purification efficiency of wetland with reed and zeolite is the best, and the removal efficiency of COD, TN, NO3−-N and NH3-N is 86.54%, 89.46%, 95.87% and 80.88%, the nitrogen removal efficiency of this wetland is greatly improved. Based on various reuse standards in china, wetland with reed and zeolite can effectively purify initial rainwater, and the effluent can be used to urban miscellaneous water, landscape water and industrial water. This study has important reference significance and practical value for the construction of rainwater wetland in the process promoting the Sponge City.

Platform carbonates are among the most voluminous of Cretaceous deposits. The production of carbonate platforms fluctuated through time. Yet, the reasons for these fluctuations are not well understood, and the underlying mechanisms remain largely unconstrained. Here we document the long-term trend in Cretaceous carbonate platform preservation based on a new data compilation and use a climate-carbon cycle model to explore the drivers of carbonate platform production during the Cretaceous. We show that neritic carbonate preservation rates followed a unimodal pattern during the Cretaceous and reached maximum values during the mid-Cretaceous (Albian, 110 Ma). Coupled climate-carbon cycle modeling reveals that this maximum in carbonate deposition results from a unique combination of high volcanic degassing rates and widespread shallow-marine environments that served as a substrate for neritic carbonate deposition. Our experiments demonstrate that the unimodal pattern in neritic carbonate accumulation agrees well with most of the volcanic degassing scenarios for the Cretaceous. Our results suggest that the first-order temporal evolution of neritic carbonate production during the Cretaceous reflects changes in continental configuration and volcanic degassing. Geodynamics, by modulating accommodation space, and turnovers in the dominant biota probably played a role as well, but it is not necessary to account for the latter processes to explain the first-order trend in Cretaceous neritic carbonate accumulation in our simulations.

The efficient removal of ammonium nitrogen (NH4+-N) is vital to eliminating black and odorous water bodies. In this work, tidal flow constructed wetlands with gravel (TFCW-G) and with a mixture of zeolite and gravel (TFCW-Z) were set up to treat black and odorous water bodies at different hydraulic loading rates (HLRs). Results showed that zeolite significantly enhanced nitrogen removal, and the maximum NH4+-N removal efficiency of 96.69% was achieved in TFCW-Z at HLR of 3 m·d−1 with a flooding and drying cycle of 2 h. Zeolite addition changed the microbial community structure and the abundance of nitrification genes. Comammox Nitrospira was the only enriched strain accounting for NH4+-N removal in TFCW-G, while the co-occurrence of comammox Nitrospira and the canonical and potential ammonia-oxidizing bacteria were identified in TFCW-Z. Summarily, high performance, together with low footprint and low maintenance cost, are characteristics that make the TFCW-Z a promising and competitive alternative.

This study assesses mechanisms responsible for the aquifer salinization in the Guerrara oasis, in southern Algerian Sahara. Here, underground hydrological resources are indispensable for the local inhabitants. To determine the probable causes of ground water deterioration, 54 water samples were collected from pumping wells and were analyzed in order to characterize their major ion hydrochemistry and to compute indexes on water quality. Additionally, geophysical investigations involved electric resistivity surveys that were applied to investigate the aquifer substrate. Data revealed presence of water at 2m in depth with the presence of, at least, four salt layers that are characterized by very low resistivity values. The aquifer waters are of the Cl-SO4-Ca (Mg) and Cl-SO4-K (Na) types. Due to the prevalence of high saline and sulfurous contents (from 288 to 3134mg/l), water quality is not suitable for agricultural and drinking water uses. Our observations revealed that it would be not only the effect of aridity, but also the dissolution of the underlying ancient evaporates that are suspected to rule groundwater salinization.

Ditching is a common practice to dewater wetlands, including peatlands, and ditch blocking is a common method for restoring wetlands because substrate is often unavailable for filling the ditches. However, filling has many advantages compared to blocking ditches. Our goal was to test whether ditches could be filled in a Colorado sloping fen (Chattanooga Fen) using bales created from shredded aspen (Populus tremuloides) tree‐fiber. We monitored water table levels before and after we filled two ditches (combined length of approximately 165 m × 3 m wide) as well as an undisturbed reference portion of Chattanooga fen. The reference site had stable water tables that rarely dropped more than 20 cm below the soil surface. The ditches had been dewatering large areas of the fen for at least 100 years. Filling the ditches with fiber bales resulted in a water table increase between 2 and 22 cm in an area up to 150 m below the ditch. Native sedges now cover the area where we filled the ditches, with no erosion or compression/settling of the ground observed and no water backing up behind the filled ditches. Filling the ditches with shredded fiber bales is a good option for restoration in wilderness areas, or areas lacking peat or mineral soil fill because it is a natural material that is easily transported and placed in the ditches.

Natural reef rocks have been harvested from the wild for decades to supply the marine aquarium trade. These rocks have been used in home aquariums mostly as substrate to safeguard biological filtration, especially for nitrification. Producing artificial rocks can be a sustainable alternative to the harvest of natural reef rocks from the wild, thus promoting coral reefs conservation. Nonetheless, there is a lack of scientific knowledge on standard formula to prepare artificial rocks, as well as on their potential to promote nitrification. The use of oyster shells, a by-product from oysters’ aquaculture, appears as a promising ecological and economic approach to produce artificial live rocks. Thus, we aimed to develop a standard formula to produce artificial rocks made with oyster shells and test its potential use as a substrate for biological filtration in marine aquariums. For that, we prepared artificial oyster rocks with different sized fragments of oyster shells and compared their ability to promote nitrification of ammonium nitrogen with that of natural reef rocks and fragmented oyster shells. The formula was set at 1 g of dried cement (white Portland cement with limestone) per 3.1 g of dried oyster shell fragments. The volume of water used to prepare this mix was set as 50% of the cement weigh. Our results indicate that artificial rocks made with oyster shells and cement display an ability to promote nitrification similar to that of natural reef rocks, promoting a slight decrease in pH and without releasing PO4–P. All treatments with substrate were able to oxidize up to 21 mg.L−1 of TAN (total ammonia nitrogen, initially added in the form of NH4Cl) within a 48-h interval. In other words, it is possible to safely assume that all tested substrates oxidized an average of ∼4.4 ± 0.1 μg of TAN.g−1.h−1. Thus, our results support that artificial rocks made with white Portland cement and oyster shell fragments are a sustainable option to safeguard a suitable biological filtration in marine aquariums.

Marine oil spills are often reported as a result of activities associated with oil exploration, production and transportation. The spilled oil may reach the shoreline, and then the stranded oil can persist for a long time, exerting many negative effects on coastal ecosystems. Conventional shoreline cleanup methods cannot effectively remove the oil residues from affected areas and are very expensive. Therefore, the use of alginate hydrogel coatings was proposed as a new initiative for emergent shoreline oiling prevention. The alginate hydrogel-coated gravels showed high surface roughness, as well as remarkable water wetting and low-oil-adhesion properties. There was a low oil adhesion on the coated gravels in the continuous test with oil/water emulsion flow, indicating the excellent oil-repellent properties of the coated substrate. The results of batch oil-repellent tests showed that independent of the kind or weathering degree of the oil used, oil can be easily washed out from the coated gravels. The coated gravels had good environmental stability and the slightly partial de-crosslinking of alginate structure would not reduce the oil repellence performance. Moreover, the performance of the alginate hydrogel-coated gravel was further proved with a laboratory shoreline tank simulator, in which more stranded oil floated to the water surface and less oil remained on gravels and entered into subsurface. This proposed oiling prevention method can be used not only for shorelines but also for coastal piers, seaports, and solid manmade shorelines. The coating material is derived from the biomass in the ocean and can be degraded under natural conditions. This study may provide a unique direction for the future development of green oil spill control strategy.

This study investigated the development of a more durable and sustainable cementitious composite substrate for oyster reef restoration using recycled oyster shells and low cement content. The effects of concrete mix proportions (w/c ratio, sand content, and cement content) on the physical properties of the hardened concretes were investigated. Increasing the water, sand, cement, and high-range water reducing admixture content improved both the compressive and flexural strength mostly by improving the coating of cementitious materials around the shells. The proposed material for reef restoration is superior in terms of cost, durability, environmental benefits, and carbon footprint.

This research was conducted to determine the type of substrate and its composition in Kampung Nipah ecosystems Perbaungan Serdang Bedagai District of North Sumatra in February to March 2016. Sampling by using the pipe with descriptive methods and the purposive random sampling technique, while the measured variable is the biology variables that includes physical and chemical factors waters. Physical and chemical factors include pH, salinity, temperature. The study of these types of substrates include gravel, sand is very coarse, coarse sand, medium sand, fine sand, very fine sand, silt and clay. Measurement of physical and chemical factors waters obtained an average pH 7 both estuaries, mangrove rehabilitation and natural; salinity of estuarine waters at 200/00 and the rehabilitation of 280/00 natural mangrove 240/00; average temperature of 29-30°C. At the mouth of the river, gravel 0.95%, 97.56% sand and mud of 1.58%, obtained ma sand and mud of 1.58%, obtained mangrove rehabilitation of gravel 0.16%, 93.53% sand, and mud 6.12%, while the natural mangrove 0% gravel, sand 29.88%, 69.89% and mud. So we get the type of substrate on river estuaries nypa and mangrove rehabilitation is the sandy substrate and on a natural mangrove is a muddy substrate.

Shallow‐water coral reef ecosystems, particularly those already impaired by anthropogenic pressures, may be highly sensitive to disturbances from natural catastrophic events, such as volcanic eruptions. Explosive volcanic eruptions expel large quantities of silicate ash particles into the atmosphere, which can disperse across millions of square kilometres and deposit into coral reef ecosystems. Following heavy ash deposition, mass mortality of reef biota is expected, but little is known about the recovery of post‐burial reef ecosystems. Reef regeneration depends partly upon the capacity of the ash deposit to be colonised by waterborne bacterial communities and may be influenced to an unknown extent by the physiochemical properties of the ash substrate itself. To determine the potential for volcanic ash to support pioneer bacterial colonisation, we exposed five well‐characterised volcanic and coral reef substrates to a marine aquarium under low light conditions for 3 months: volcanic ash, synthetic volcanic glass, carbonate reef sand, calcite sand and quartz sand. Multivariate statistical analysis of Automated Ribosomal Intergenic Spacer Analysis (ARISA) fingerprinting data demonstrates clear segregation of volcanic substrates from the quartz and coral reef substrates over 3 months of bacterial colonisation. Overall bacterial diversity showed shared and substrate‐specific bacterial communities; however, the volcanic ash substrate supported the most diverse bacterial community. These data suggest a significant influence of substrate properties (composition, granulometry and colour) on bacterial settlement. Our findings provide first insights into physicochemical controls on pioneer bacterial colonisation of volcanic ash and highlight the potential for volcanic ash deposits to support bacterial diversity in the aftermath of reef burial, on timescales that could permit cascading effects on larval settlement.

A research had been conducted to study the condition of waters environment and water quality appropriate for the culture of ornamental coral at Talengen Bay and to analyze its financial feasibility. This research was conducted at Talengen Bay, Regency of Sangihe Archipelago through observation method. Observation station representing the characteristic of Talengen Waters included at the center of the bay, at downstream, and behind the “teripang” culture area. Waters condition data were protection, bottom substrate, flow rate, depth, turbidity, pH, salinity, temperature, dissolve oxygen, nitrate, phosphate, and total suspended solid. Financial feasibility data were obtained from secondary data and interview with respondents. The data were analyze descriptively. In general, water condition at Talengen Bay was suitable for the development of ornamental coral culture. Flow rate at Talengen Bay was lower than standard criteria and thus required certain consideration. Financially the ornamental coral culture at Talengen Bay provided positive benefits. Its total revenue achieved Rp. 193.582.000,00 and profit rate as much as 81.91%. Keywords : Talengen Bay, ornamental coral, site feasibility, financial feasibility

Boring sponges are among the most important erosive organisms causing relevant damage on calcium carbonate substrates in marine environments. The present work offers a contribution to the knowledge of the bioerosive impact of sponges on archaeological artifacts such as the marble statues recovered from the shipwreck of Antikythera (Greece) and the Blue Grotto (Capri, Italy). These peculiar substrates lie on the seabed, but only little information is available about the risks during their underwater life. Bioeroding sponges caused the loss of substantial parts of the artifacts’ lithic substrate (penetrating up to some centimeters depth), often in association with microborers and boring bivalves. The results highlighted that the bioeroding species in Capri were mostly Dotona pulchella mediterranea, Cliona janitrix,Cliona schmidtii, and Spiroxya levispira. Their chambers were often filled by secondary, non-eroding sponges such as Agelas oroides,Jaspis incrustans, Dercitus (Stoeba) plicatus, Erylus sp., and Pachastrella monilifera. In the Antikythera statues, C. schmidtii was the most frequent species, often easily recognized by its purple color. It was often associated with other excavating sponges such as Cliona vermifera, and Dotona pulchella mediterranea. Pachastrella monilifera and Jaspis incrustans were also present as insinuating species. Incomplete sets of spicules and bioerosion pits observed by SEM were referred to the generaAlectona and Siphonodictyon. The presence of the sciophilous epilithic speciesPetrobiona massiliana and Merlia normani in both sites revealed that these archeological sites have comparable environmental conditions. The study allowed the identification of the sponges involved in the colonization of calcareous artifacts and the definition of the important role they played in the damage of the statues.

Mesophotic coral ecosystems (MCEs), at ocean depths between 40 and 150 m, have been found throughout the tropics but are different in the Eastern Tropical Pacific (ETP). This observation is based on submersible dives that have explored several ETP mesophotic areas. The ETP is characterized by a shallow thermocline (approximately 50 m depth), reduction in light availability at deeper depths due to the accumulation of particulate matter at the thermocline, cold temperatures, low oxygen concentrations, and low aragonite saturation state (Ωarag) that may explain the absence of zoothanthellate corals below 40 m. Isla del Coco is located 500 km off the Pacific coast of Costa Rica. The MCEs of this island have been explored using the DeepSee submersible. There is a sharp change in benthic fauna, in both soft and hard bottoms, at approximately 50 m depth. The combination of the shallow thermocline bringing cold and low pH waters to near the surface plus the turbidity (low light) at the thermocline leads to a situation where zooxanthellate corals do not generally thrive below about 15–25 m depth (maximum around 40 m) and do not build reefs in deeper waters. The substrate between 50 and 150 m is densely covered with red algae (down to 90 m), octocorals, black corals, azooxanthellate corals, and calcareous hydroids. This chapter is the first synthesis of mesophotic environments of any ETP site and characterizes the MCEs of Isla del Coco National Park.

Author(s): Temby, Michelle C. | Abstract: Corals occupy less than 1% of the surface area of world oceans but provide a home for 25% of all marine fish species. This study analyzed individual coral heads, specifically the genus Pocillopora (tentative identification: Pocillopora elegans), and their establishments in Cuajiniquil using 3 locations in the Guanacaste province of Costa Rica to understand why coral reefs are not establishing at some sites. These sites occur at Bajo Rojo, Bahia Thomas West, and Isla David. The size of establishing coral heads, the surrounding water temperature where each coral head occurred, the urchin cover in a 30 cm radius of each coral head, the bleaching of each individual coral head, the substrate the coral was establishing on, the approximate angle of the substrate, the depth of the coral, and the surge of the water at each site were recorded. The potential factors that affect coral establishment of Pocillopora in Guanacaste, Costa Rica along the coast of Cuajiniquil were investigated: urchin populations may compete with corals for substrate, strong surges may displace larvae, and a range in coral health measured by bleaching may affect coral establishments observed at Isla David and Bajo Rojo. Pocillopora spp. are, however, establishing in larger numbers at Bahia Thomas which may be due to the weak surge, the smaller quantities of urchins, and the good health of individual establishing corals.

Damage to coral reefs is generally caused by destructive fishing activities, they were the usega of explosives, cyanide toxic materials, coral mining for building materials, anchor boat anchors, and the results of sedimentation. Efforts to speed up the process of coral reef recovery, several methods of rehabilitation that can be done include coral transplantation and sinking of artificial reefs. The artificial reef is an alternative to reduce the pressure caused by fishing and destruction of natural coral reefs through the creation of new productive fishing grounds. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship of water parameters (physical oceanography) for biota around artificial reefs based on Geographic Information Systems. The results of identification of oceanographic parameters in the waters of Damas Beach, Trenggalek Regency consist of: (a). depths range from 0-45 meters, (b). brightness ranges from 2 - 6 meters, (c). water temperature ranges from 25.18-29.59ºC, (d). water turbidity ranges from 0.3-4.32 NTU, (e). type of substrate base waters of Damas Beach fine black sand, (f). current speed ranges from 0.1-0.4 m/s, (h). the average wave height of Damas Beach in the morning, afternoon and evening is 5.6 cm, 8.14 cm and 6.2 cm, (i). the total suspended solid waters of Damas Beach range from 35-351 mg/L. The physical oceanographic parameters are still safe for the growth and development of biota in the waters of Damas Beach, Trenggalek Regency.

Debido al deterioro de los arrecifes de coral en todo el mundo ha aumentado la necesidad de rehabilitar los entornos marinos. Los arrecifes artificiales se han propuesto como una herramienta para la conservación de estos ecosistemas. Durante once meses se sumergieron dos placas en forma trapezoidal, en Bajo Grande (Isla Palma), Caribe Colombiano. Esto se realizó como parte de una iniciativa para desarrollar módulos formadores de arrecifes artificiales. Se fabricó un mortero ecológico donde se reemplaza el uso de agregados naturales por residuos cerámicos. Las placas expuestas al medio marino fueron colonizadas por organismos en un 30% de su superficie aproximadamente, la estructura interna de las muestras se mantuvo estable y no se apreciaron efectos adversos sobre la biota marina cercana al lugar de prueba. Después de hacer evaluaciones biológicas y fisicoquímicas del material expuesto se concluyó que éste constituye un sustrato favorable para el desarrollo de los arrecifes artificiales. Due to several deterioration of coral reefs around the world, has increased the need to rehabilitate marine environments. Artificial reefs have been proposed as a tool for conservation of these ecosystems. As part of an initiative to develop modules forming artificial reefs made of ecological concrete for the conservation of the biodiversity in the Colombian Caribbean; this work constitutes a starting point. During eleven months two trapezoidal plates were submerged near to Isla Palma, Colombian Caribbean; plates were fabricated in concrete with portland cement and the aggregates were replaced by ceramic waste. After biological and physicochemical evaluations of the material exposed to marine environment was concluded that this is a favorable substrate for the coral reefs, and the plates were colonized by more than 30% of its surface by marine organisms, their structure found internally stable, and there were no adverse effects on marine biota near the test site.

Salt pan brines in desert areas are globally known to be rich sources of lithium. This study reports the results of a regional survey of brine chemistry in chotts (salt pans) conducted along a 550 km long valley in the northeast Algerian Sahara, one of the major desert areas on Earth. A dataset composed of 50 samples, including brine, river, and aquifer, is integrated and discussed in order to study the characteristics of Sahara brines. Brines contain up to 66 mg L−1 of lithium, salinities up to ~400 g L−1, and magnesium concentrations ~690 times greater than that of lithium. The primary source of major ions would occurr by dissolution of ancient evaporites of the substrate by aquifer waters. Near surface lithium concentration of brines in chotts across the study area and in the aquifer Complexe Terminal defines a pattern of increasing values to the north, where maximum values coincide with chotts (Melghir and Merouane) having the largest sizes (up to 1,840 km2) and placed at the lowest altitudes (36 m below sea level). This pattern coincides with the northwards plunging structured substrate. Lithium grades increase consistently with salinity during the concentration through evaporation. However, lithium continues to concentrate beyond evolved brines whether due to the precipitation of lithium-free salts leading to lithium increases in residual brine, and/or by unknown processes supplying additional lithium. Discussed aspects are expected to drive an increasing interest on chotts, which would reveal in the future, as a stimulating opportunity for Algeria and the Saharan region. Fil: Zatout, Merzouk. University Kasdi Merbah - Ouargla. ; Argelia Fil: López Steinmetz, Romina Lucrecia. Universidad Nacional de Jujuy. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas. Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Salta. Instituto de Ecorregiones Andinas; Argentina Fil: Hacini, Messaoud. University Kasdi Merbah - Ouargla.; Argelia Fil: Fong, Shao Bing. University of Melbourne; Australia Fil: M'nif, Adel. University Of Carthage; Túnez Fil: Hamzaoui, A. H.. University Of Carthage; Túnez Fil: López Steinmetz, Lorena Cecilia. Universidad Nacional de Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas. - Consejo Nacional de Investigaciones Científicas y Técnicas. Centro Científico Tecnológico Conicet - Córdoba. Instituto de Investigaciones Psicológicas; Argentina

The distribution of Recent and Holocene Cyprideis torosa (Jones, 1850) from brackish estuaries and lagoons of mainland Portugal is presented; older Cenozoic C. torosa are also briefly mentioned. Around 550 specimens were found alive, in Melides lagoon (456) and salt marshes from large estuaries (90). Thousands of empty valves and carapaces, with different ornamentation, were found in the lagoon, the estuaries and in Holocene samples from boreholes, in the latter with higher concentration in sediments deposited in lagoons. The modern C. torosa was found living mainly in Melides lagoon, associated with brackish and freshwater ostracod species, in soft mud or muddy sand sediments from quiet zones, with salinities from 4.1 to 15.1; it is also found in soft mud to muddy sand sediments whose interstitial waters have salinities from 19.0 to 34.1, on salt marshes (tidal flat and low marsh) of large estuaries, similar to lagoons, in low hydrodynamic areas, together with other brackish ostracods. The main parameters controlling the distribution of C. torosa appear to be the substrate, water dynamics and emersion time, whereas water chemistry is more related to the morphology of valves. In general, C. torosa presents the same ecological characteristics in the Holocene and in modern times.

In the context of geoarchaeological investigations on Easter Island several hundred human-made pits filled with reddish silty material were discovered in fluvial terraces of two valleys on the southern slope of Maunga Terevaka, the highest volcano of the island. Micromorphological analysis of one representative pit filling and comparison of its geochemical and physical properties with sediments in the surrounding terrace was performed in order to reconstruct the probable formation and use of the material in the pits. A hypothesis of pigment production by heating of minerogenic iron-rich substrate with grass fuel resulting in formation of hematite is suggested. It is assumed that the pits represented the places for production and storage of the pigments, which were used by Rapa Nui for cultural and ritual purposes. The ongoing interdisciplinary research will enhance the interpretation of the pits and their fillings and contribute to a better understanding of cultural development on Easter Island.

We report the occurrence of coral recruits on bivalve shells of Modiolus phillipinarum, which served as an effective substrate for coral larval settlement within the reef area Gulf of Mannar, India.

The study focuses on the Holocene appearance, chronology and drivers of beach sand deposition and inland aeolian sand transport around the Roman–Byzantine ruins of Caesarea, Israel. Beach sand, sand sheets, nebkha, linear and transverse dunes as well as parabolic and transverse interdunes along two transects were sampled in the current study down to their substrate. Sixteen new optically stimulated luminescence ages cluster at ∼5.9–3.3 ka, ∼1.2–1.1 ka (800–900 AD) and ∼190–120 years ago (1825–1895 AD) indicating times of middle and late Holocene sand sheet depositions and historical dune stabilization. The first age cluster indicates that beach sand accumulated when rates of global sea level rise declined around 6–5 ka. Until ∼4 ka sand sheets encroached up to 2.5 km inland. Historical and archaeological evidence points to sand mobilization since the first century AD. Sand sheets dating to 1.2–1.1 ka, coevally found throughout the dunefield represent sand stabilization due to vegetation reestablishment attributed to gradual and fluctuating decline in human activity from the middle Early Islamic period until the 10th century. Historical and chronological evidence of the existence of transverse and coppice dunes from the 19th century suggest that dunes only formed in the last few centuries. The study illustrates the initial role of natural processes, in this case decline in global sea level rise and the primary and later role of fluctuating human activity upon coastal sand mobility. The study distinguishes between sand sheets and dunes and portrays them as sensors of environmental changes.

Knowledge of how effectively microbes are transported through porous media is useful for water resource/wastewater management. Despite much research having been done to characterize microbial contaminant transport through various sedimentary materials, very little study has been made on coral sand, such as constitutes the primary substrate of many Pacific atolls. We conducted a set of laboratory column experiments as a preliminary examination of how effective coral sand is at attenuating model pathogens J6-2 and MS2 bacteriophage (phage) under saturated flow conditions mildly representative of field conditions at the Bonriki freshwater lens, South Tarawa, Kiribati. The very poorly sorted gravelly sand coral substrate tested proved very effective at attenuating the bacterial tracer, and spatial removal rates of between 0.02 and 0.07 log cm were determined for J6-2. The ability to determine precise removal rates for MS2 phage was compromised by the use of a plastic apparatus, although the evidence weights toward coral sand being less effective at attenuating MS2 phage than it is . Further research is required to fully assess the ability of coral sand to remove pathogens and to explore how this medium could be engineered into cost-effective water/wastewater treatment solutions on Pacific atolls. The phage data from this work highlight the limitations of using plastic apparatus in experiments targeted at characterizing the fate and transport of viruses.

This study is focused on the depositional model and paleoenvironmental distribution patterns of orbitolinids-rich microfacies in an Upper Cretaceous carbonate succession in the Kuh-e Mazar anticline in Kerman Province, Central Iran. Twelve microfacies indicating a tidal flat (including intertidal and supratidal) and an inner ramp (consisting of subtidal lagoon and orbitolinid–rudist barrier shoal) belonging to a shallow-water ramp-type carbonate platform were recognised. Generally, the orbitolinid associations in the carbonate ramp are indicative of shallow warm waters with normal salinity. The occurrence and abundance of thick or conical orbitolinids in both shoal and lagoon show that such associations were well adapted to different environmental conditions including different depth, substrate stability and water energy. The slightly discoidal, almost discoidal and discoidal forms were only present in the deeper depths of the environment including the lagoon with muddy and more stable substrates and lowe...

Coastal waters of Tanjung Sira has calcareousalgae of the genus Halimeda limestone, Padina, Amphiroa, Galaxaura, Corallina, Hydrolithon, Mesophyllum, Peysonallia, Porolithon and Sporolithon. The substrate that used as habitat are sand, coarse sand, rocks and dead coral rubble. Calcium carbonate contained on calcareous algae fungsioning as adhesive and encrusting dead coral, shells of mollusks that have decayed and massive objects in the waters of the sea. The research aims was to determine the growth characteristics of calcareousalgae in the reef flats, local distribution, calcium carbonate contain and its contribution as a frame work coastal reef waters. The research method using transect (Buckland et al., 1993). Identification of the type of aragonite and calcite according to Cordero (1977). Analysis of calcium carbonate according to Hillis (1980). The results showed that the green and brown calcareousalgae found in the reef flats, has thallus and tubers. Red calcareousalgae grew as encrusting on dead reefs and massif substrate. There are 16 species of calcareous algae that found in reseach area, 10 species containing aragonite mineral and 6 species containing calcite mineral. The content of calcium carbonate on each species obtained 100-450 g/m² consists of aragonite and calcite minerals. Calcareousalgae contribute in the new formation of coral reef ecosystems. The other benefit of calcareaousalgae in the coastal waters is an additional food for herbivorous fish. The content of calcium carbonate on calcareousalgae species is used in pharmaceutical field as drug ingredients and supplements for humans.

Malacostracans are among one of the most species-rich classes in nature. The crustaceans in this class differ widely in size—from a few millimetres to almost one metre in length. Because of their complex morphological and anatomical structure, they are often referred to as higher crustaceans. The crustacean body is segmented and covered with an exoskeleton that often takes the form of a calcified chitin carapace. Many species are beautifully and brightly coloured, the colours and patterns depending on the substrate against which the animal is seen. They can be found in all types of water bodies, both marine and fresh water. They inhabit both open ocean and sea waters, but also the coastal zone. Many lead a pelagic life in the water column, thus constituting one of the major components of marine zooplankton. They also occur on the muddy and sandy bottoms of water bodies. Some species pairs have symbiotic relationships, while others are commensals, that is, they rely on food supplied by another species (Fig. 8.1).

A new species of Paypayrola from a white sand savanna in the San Miguel river basin, a tributary of the lower Guainia river in Amazonas State, Venezuela, is described, illustrated, and its relationships with putatively allied species are discussed. This new species differs from all others in the genus in its small habit and aggregate life-form. The flowers are similar to those of P. confertiflora and P. blanchetiana but are intermediate in size and the petals are pink- or red-tinged. The phytogeography of white sand savannas is briefly discussed and a key and a synopsis of the known species of Paypayrola are presented in two appendices. Leaf structure and histology were studied using both light and scanning electron microscopy and a chemical test showed a positive reaction to aluminum accumulation in leaf tissues. However, it was not possible to ascertain if levels of aluminum accumulation exceeded what was present in the substrate.

The geochemical study of 5 sediment cores obtained from different shallow hydrothermal fields along the volcanic arc (Methana, Milos, Kos and Yali), revealed that the degree of rock hydrothermal alteration from one area to another is different and is influenced by the physical and geochemical properties of the hydrothermal venting fluids and the type of the rocks in the substrate. The submarine hydrothermal fields in the central Aegean Sea are linked with the Hellenic Volcanic Arc and imprint their hydrothermal influence on the local marine sediments. Hydrothermal venting fluids differ in pH, temperature, gas and metallic element content, intensity of gas and water flux, while rock substrate is variable in terms of thickness and chemistry of the marine sediments and the mineral deposits. The analytical results showed that the lowest values of Fe are observed in Palaeochori Bay (0.72%) and the highest values are found in Bros Thermi (2.72%). The highest Mn concentrations are found in Bros Thermi (407 ppm) and the lowest are found in Yali (29 ppm). Cu and Pb highest concentrations are found in Bros Thermi (21 ppm) and Thiafi Bay (16 ppm), and the lowest in Yali (1 ppm). Zn highest values are found in Bros Thermi (56 ppm) and the lowest values in Kephalos Bay (10 ppm). Finally, the Ca and Mg-richest layers are observed in Kephalos 7.5 and 0.98% respectively and the lowest are observed in Milos (0.01% for Ca) and Yali (0.12% for Mg). The hydrothermal activity presented variations with geological time and hydrothermal suspended particulate matter coming out from the vent outlets also influence the sediment geochemistry. As an example in Methana, high concentrations of Cu and Zn in SPM result in high levels of Cu and Zn in the sediments.

Zikhali, V., Tirok, K., Stretch, D., 2014. Wind-driven waves in a shallow estuarine lake with muddy substrates: St Lucia, South Africa. In: Green, A.N. and Cooper, J.A.G. (eds.), Proceedings 13th International Coastal Symposium (Durban, South Africa), Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 70, pp. 729-735, ISSN 0749-0208. Wind-waves in shallow lakes or estuaries with muddy substrates can drive sediment re-suspension and cause high turbidity levels that can negatively impact the productivity of photosynthetic organisms. This investigation evaluates the efficacy of a simple semi-empirical model (Young and Verhagen, 1996 : Coastal Engineering, 29, 47–78) for predicting the wave characteristics in these systems in order to include their effects in ecosystem models. The southern basin of the St Lucia estuarine lake in South Africa was used for a case study. Average depths are about 1 m with fetches up to approximately 10 km. Substrate materials vary from sandy to muddy with deeper locations pr...

International audience; This paper presents the study of the metals removal mechanisms in microcosm upflow constructed wetlands used for polishing of synthetic electroplating wastewater. Four types of columns were used: with and without plants and with different bed media (peat or gravel). The main design goal of the columns with peat was to promote precipitation of metals with biogenic sulfides produced by sulfate-reducing bacteria. The feed of the system contained mainly Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn, sulfates and cyanides. The substrate from the microcosm was sampled after cessation of the experiment (53 weeks) from the bottom and top layers of selected columns and was analyzed using sequential extraction procedure and scanning electron microscopy-energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy method. Additionally, solids retained on filter surface after filtering water samples withdrawn from the water layer covering the bed media in selected columns were analyzed by the latter method. The obtained results showed that the intended process for metals removal, which was precipitation of metal sulfides, was responsible for binding only a minor fraction of metals. The major portion of metals was present as exchangeable and reducible fraction. The presented study suggests that the onset of the conditions favorable for precipitation of sulfides may not occur during short-term experiment. It may stem from the specific characteristics of the experiment. It is suggested that short-term studies should not be extrapolated to predict long-term behavior of the system.

As a result of the degradation of coral reefs around the world and given that conservation efforts alone are not enough, artificial reefs have been proposed as a tool for the conservation of these ecosystems and recovery. As part of an initiative to develop modules forming artificial reefs made of concrete to promote the ecological conservation of the biodiversity of the Colombian Caribbean, this work constitutes a starting point. During eight months two trapezoidal plates were submerged in the waters surrounding the Bajo Grande (Isla Palma) archipelago de San Bernardo in the Colombian Caribbean; the plates were fabricated in concrete with Portland cement and waste ceramic. Seeking a more ecological product, aggregates were replaced entirely by ceramic waste. After making biological and physicochemical evaluations of the material exposed to the marine environment it was concluded that this is a favorable substrate for the development of coral reefs; and the plates were colonized on more than 30% of its surface by marine organisms, their structure was found internally stable and there were no adverse effects on marine biota near the test site.

The removal of ammonia nitrogen from the polluted water was investigated in three different types of horizontal subsurface flow constructed wetlands, reed (Phragmites australis)/gravel bed (W1), hybrid vegetation {reed, cattail (Typha latifolia), bulrush (Scirpus validus)}/gravel bed (W2) and reed/hybrid substrates (gravel, zeolite, slag) bed (W3). At HRT of 28 d, NH3-N removal efficiencies of W1, W2 and W3 were-130%98%, -120%98% and 21%98% respectively throughout the whole year. The results showed that zeolite and slag contributed to higher NH3-N removal than gravel, especially in winter, and that cattail and bulrush did not show significant influences on NH3-N removal. The ranges of NH3-N removal rates were-2.332.14, -2.272.33 and 0.082.52 g·m-3·d-1 respectively under HRT of 2 d. NH3-N removal rates of W1 and W2 were much more affected by temperature than that of W3, which was due to the adsorption/desorption of zeolite.

Phymatoderma is a branching burrow system consisting of tunnels filled with faecal pellets, and it has been interpreted as a product of a surface deposit-feeding animal. Elemental analyses of Phymatoderma were conducted to reveal the specific feeding mode of its tracemaker, using samples from the Lower Jurassic epicontinental shelf deposits in the Dotternhausen section, southern Germany and from the Upper Pliocene continental slope deposits in the Shioura section, central Japan. Elemental compositions of the pelletal infill of Phymatoderma and its overlying mudstone from the Dotternhausen section show no significant difference, suggesting that the tracemaker was a non-selective deposit feeder. In contrast, elemental compositions of the tuffaceous pellets of Phymatoderma from the Shioura section and its overlying volcanic ash show a difference in trends: CaO is significantly concentrated in the pellets. Because microfossils such as foraminifera and coccoliths are occasionally found in the tuffaceous pellets, CaO accumulation in the pelletal infill indicates the Phymatoderma-producer that lived in the Pliocene slope setting selectively ingested particles with higher biomass of such microorganisms (or ingested microorganisms themselves) when feeding the surface sediments. Although two types of feeding modes of the tracemaker were recognized in Phymatoderma between different bathymetrical settings, each feeding mode seems to be an effective strategy to intake nutrients from the surface sediments and to reflect an adaptation of the tracemaker to the food contents in the surrounding substrate. This study suggests that geochemical composition of faecal pellets of trace fossils can be a useful indicator of grain-selective/non-selective deposit-feeding strategies of ancient animals.

Sarracenia purpurea, the northern pitcher plant, inhabits three very different wetland habitats throughout its range: two acidic, low nutrient wetland types (Sphagnum and sand substrate-based) and one alkaline wetland type (marl substrate-based) located primarily within the Great Lakes region. This study attempted to classify the nutrient status of the rarer marl wetlands in relation to the acidic Sphagnum and sand substrate-based wetlands and to examine the morphology of S. purpurea growing in these wetland types. S. purpurea has previously shown morphological variation in response to nutrient availability but also in response to environmental changes unrelated to nutrient concentrations. We sampled water chemistry and plant morphological variation within the three distinct habitat types. Marl wetlands, regardless of significantly higher pH levels, were characterized by over all low nutrient concentrations with high levels of calcium (mg Ca/L) and sulfate (mg S/L). S. purpurea plants growing in high calcium concentrations showed reduced flower heights and leaf lengths. All sampled wetland types showed low overall nutrient concentrations, regardless of pH with S. purpurea plasticity partially influenced by wetland-specific water chemistry.

Costa, M. S., Rollnic, M., Silveira, O. F. M., Miranda, A. G. O. and Santos, R. R. L. 2013. Morphological and sedimentological processes of an Amazon Estuary, Maguari River (Para - Northern Brazil). Proceedings 12th International Coastal Symposium (Plymouth, England), Journal of Coastal Research, Special Issue No. 65, pp. 1110–1115, ISSN 0749-0208.--> The Maguari river is an area influenced by both tide and waves with gentle declivity from downstream to upstream to provide until −42 m depth, averaging 24m in the channel and −5m in the margins and distal areas. These sectors offer hazard to navigation by exposing muddy-sandy bars. The river expresses the geological evolution of the region, having been originated by a tectonic fault oriented to NW-SE, through a filling process. Furthermore, it is characterized as importer of the sediments masking channel dimensions confirmed by the high current speeds. The river has about 65% of the substrate covered by mud, with extensive tidal flats. According to...

This study assessed the treatment of domestic wastewater to find the optimum vertical flow-constructed wetland (VFCW) configuration under tropical conditions. Eight pilot-scale configurations units were studied to compare between fine sand and medium gravel used as substrate, two feeding frequencies (20 pulses d−1 and 10 pulses d−1), and the presence or absence of tropical plants (Heliconia psittacorum). The results showed that the sand beds were significantly more efficient in the removal of organic matter, ammonia nitrogen, and total suspended solids than gravel beds, presenting average removal rates of 48 and 24 g m−2 d−1 of COD; 35 and 16 g m−2 d−1 of BOD5; 7 and 4 g m−2 d−1 of ; 9 and 0 g m−2 d−1 for sand and gravel, respectively. The oxygen consumption rates were calculated and a value of 65 g m−2 d−1 was obtained for sand beds while for the gravel beds the consumption rate was 30 g m−2 d−1. The assessment of different kinds of nitrogen showed interesting dynamics in the nitrification proces...

As a result of commercial and industrial activit ies conducted in the absence of environmental regulations and enforcement in the past, sediments contaminated by organic compounds, heavy metals, and other potentially to xic chemicals have accu mulated in many of the world's deepwater and wet land environ ments. These sediment-borne contaminants can eventually become incorporated into aquatic food webs and adversely affect ecological receptors like benthic organisms and fish, and u ltimately pose a risk to hu man health. This laboratory research tested a commercial product AquaBlok TM (patented, composite-aggregate technology comprised of a solid core, an outer layer of clay material, and polymers) as an in-situ capping technology that could be used to remediate and/or manage contaminated sediments in the New Jersey Hackensack Meadowlands, a superfund site. In a greenhouse setting, tubs containing representative Meadowland marsh soil and water were capped with AquaBlok. This research not only examined the potential use of this product as an in-situ capping material and possible substrate for flora co lonization, but also examined the imp rovements of the same patented, clay mineral-based composite aggregate technology (SubmerSeed TM ) as an alternative to tradit ional means of wetland p lant propagation. At the end of a two-year period, both the sediment/cap and vegetation plant tissues were examined for metallic contaminants (including Cd, Cr, Cu, Pb, Hg, and Zn). Overall, capping provided a less contaminated substrate. Results indicated that AquaBlok cap alone did not allow contaminants in the sediment belo w to breakthrough. Nevertheless, vegetation colonization was restricted to a limited number of plant species. Furthermore, plants growing in AquaBlok were less robust with lower dry weight and s maller root system than plants growing in uncapped sediments despite the fact that their tissue contained smaller amounts of metallic contaminants. The improvements of the clay mineral-based composite aggregate technology (Sub merSeeds) as an alternative to trad itional means of plant propagation worked very well in successfully delivering aquatic plant seeds into permanently inundated conditions.