Volatile fatty acids as substrates for iron and sulfate reduction in Arctic marine sediments, Svalbard

Science.gov (United States)

Finke, N.; Vandieken, V.; Jorgensen, B. B.

2006-12-01

Anaerobic degradation of complex organic material in aquatic systems is a multi-step process. The metabolic products of fermentative bacteria serve as electron donors for the terminal oxidizing bacteria. In marine sediments, iron reduction and sulfate reduction are generally the most important terminal oxidation processes in the upper anoxic zone [1]. Microorganisms that reduce iron and sulfate may use a broad range of electron donors, yet the list of potential substrates provides little information about the substrates used in situ by these organisms. Investigations on the electron donors for sulfate reducers in marine sediments have shown that volatile fatty acids (VFA), and in particular acetate, together with hydrogen are the major substrates (e.g. [2-4]). Similar investigations for iron reduction or simultaneous iron and sulfate reduction are lacking for marine sediments. Furthermore, most of these studies were made in temperate sediments and little is known about the substrates for sulfate reducers in permanently cold sediments, which account for >90% of the ocean floor [5]. We investigated the relative contributions of iron reduction and sulfate reduction to the terminal oxidation of organic carbon and the importance of acetate, lactate, propionate, and isobutyrate as electron donors for iron and sulfate reduction in permanently cold, Arctic sediments from Svalbard. In the surface layer (0-2 cm) sulfate reduction accounted for 2/3 of the organic carbon oxidation (determined as DIC production), the remaining 1/3 were attributed to iron reduction. In the 5-9 cm layer sulfate reduction was the sole important terminal oxidation step. The contribution of acetate to terminal oxidation was determined by radiotracer incubation as well as from the accumulation after the inhibition of sulfate reduction by selenate. The rates determined with the two methods varied by less than 20%. Acetate turnover, determined with the tracer incubations, accounted for 10 and 40% of

ARCTOX: a pan-Arctic sampling network to track mercury contamination across Arctic marine food webs

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fort, Jerome; Helgason, Halfdan; Amelineau, Francoise

and is still a source of major environmental concerns. In that context, providing a large-scale and comprehensive understanding of the Arctic marine food-web contamination is essential to better apprehend impacts of anthropogenic activities and climate change on the exposure of Arctic species and humans to Hg....... In 2015, an international sampling network (ARCTOX) has been established, allowing the collection seabird samples all around the Arctic. Seabirds are indeed good indicators of Hg contamination of marine food webs at large spatial scale. Gathering researchers from 10 countries, ARCTOX allowed......Arctic marine ecosystems are threatened by new risks of Hg contamination under the combined effects of climate change and human activities. Rapid change of the cryosphere might for instance release large amounts of Hg trapped in sea-ice, permafrost and terrestrial glaciers over the last decades...

Desulfuromonas svalbardensis sp. nov. and Desulfuromusa ferrireducens sp. nov., psychrophilic, Fe(III)-reducing bacteria isolated from Arctic sediments, Svalbard

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vandieken, Verona; Mussmann, Marc; Niemann, Helge

2006-01-01

Two psychrophilic, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile bacteria (strains 112T and 102T) that conserved energy from dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction concomitant with acetate oxidation were isolated from permanently cold Arctic marine sediments. Both strains grew at temperatures down to -2 degrees C...

Desulfuromonas svalbardensis sp nov and Desulfuromusa ferrireducens sp nov., psychrophilic, Fe(III)-reducing bacteria isolated from Arctic sediments, Svalbard

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vandieken, V.; Mussmann, M.; Niemann, Hans Henrik

2006-01-01

Two psychrophilic, Gram-negative, rod-shaped, motile bacteria (strains 112(T) and 102(T)) that conserved energy from dissimilatory Fe(III) reduction concomitant with acetate oxidation were isolated from permanently cold Arctic marine sediments. Both strains grew at temperatures down to -2 degrees C...

Nondestructive X-Ray Computed Tomography Analysis of Sediment Cores: A Case Study from the Arctic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Oti, E.; Polyak, L. V.; Cook, A.; Dipre, G.

2014-12-01

Investigation of marine sediment records can help elucidate recent changes in the Arctic Ocean circulation and sea ice conditions. We examine sediment cores from the western Arctic Ocean, representing Late to Early Quaternary age (potentially up to 1 Ma). Previous studies of Arctic sediment cores indicate that interglacial/interstadial periods with relatively high sea levels and reduced ice cover are characterized by vigorous bioturbation, while glacial intervals have little to no bioturbation. Traditional methods for studying bioturbation require physical dissection of the cores, effectively destroying them. To treat this limitation, we evaluate archival sections of the cores using an X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) scanner, which noninvasively images the sediment cores in three dimensions. The scanner produces density sensitive images suitable for quantitative analysis and for identification of bioturbation based on size, shape, and orientation. We use image processing software to isolate burrows from surrounding sediment, reconstruct them three-dimensionally, and then calculate their surface areas, volumes, and densities. Preliminary analysis of a core extending to the early Quaternary shows that bioturbation ranges from 0 to approximately 20% of the core's volume. In future research, we will quantitatively define the relationship between bioturbation activity and glacial regimes. XCT examination of bioturbation and other sedimentary features has the potential to shed light on paleoceanographic conditions such as sedimentation patterns and food flux. XCT is an alternative, underexplored investigation method that bears implications not only for illustrating paleoclimate variations but also for preserving cores for future, more advanced technologies.

The Arctic Marine Pulses Model: Linking Contiguous Domains in the Pacific Arctic Region

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, S. E.; Stabeno, P. J.

2016-02-01

The Pacific Arctic marine ecosystem extends from the northern Bering Sea, across the Chukchi and into the East Siberian and Beaufort seas. Food webs in this domain are short, a simplicity that belies the biophysical complexity underlying trophic linkages from primary production to humans. Existing biophysical models, such as pelagic-benthic coupling and advective processes, provide frameworks for connecting certain aspects of the marine food web, but do not offer a full accounting of events that occur seasonally across the Pacific Arctic. In the course of the Synthesis of Arctic Research (SOAR) project, a holistic Arctic Marine Pulses (AMP) model was developed that depicts seasonal biophysical `pulses' across a latitudinal gradient, and linking four previously-described contiguous domains, including the: (i) Pacific-Arctic domain = the focal region; (ii) seasonal ice zone domain; (iii) Pacific marginal domain; and (iv) riverine coastal domain. The AMP model provides a spatial-temporal framework to guide research on dynamic ecosystem processes during this period of rapid biophysical changes in the Pacific Arctic. Some of the processes included in the model, such as pelagic-benthic coupling in the Northern Bering and Chukchi seas, and advection and upwelling along the Beaufort shelf, are already the focus of sampling via the Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) and other research programs. Other aspects such as biological processes associated with the seasonal ice zone and trophic responses to riverine outflow have received less attention. The AMP model could be enhanced by the application of visualization tools to provide a means to watch a season unfold in space and time. The capability to track sea ice dynamics and water masses and to move nutrients, prey and upper-trophic predators in space and time would provide a strong foundation for the development of predictive human-inclusive ecosystem models for the Pacific Arctic.

Microbial diversity in oiled and un-oiled shoreline sediments in the Norwegian Arctic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Grossman, M.J.; Prince, R.C.; Garrett, R.M.; Garrett, K.K.; Bare, R.E.; O'Neil, K.R.; Sowlay, M.R.; Hinton, S.M.; Lee, K.; Sergy, G.A.; Guenette, C.C.

2000-01-01

Field trials were conducted at an oiled shoreline on the island of Spitsbergen to examine the effect of nutrient addition on the metabolic status, potential for aromatic hydrocarbon degradation, and the phylogenetic diversity of the microbial community in oiled Arctic shoreline sediments. IF-30 intermediate fuel grade oil was applied to the shoreline which was then divided into four plots. One was left untreated and two were tilled. Four applications of fertilizer were applied over a two-month period. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA), gene probe and 16S microbial community analysis suggested that bioremediation stimulated the metabolic activity, increased microbial biomass and genetic potential for aromatic hydrocarbon degradation, and increased the population of hydrocarbon degradation of an oiled Arctic shoreline microbial community. The results of this study are in agreement with the results from stimulation of oil biodegradation in temperate marine environments. It was concluded that biodegradation and fertilizer addition are feasible treatment methods for oil spills in Arctic regions. 31 refs., 3 tabs., 3 figs

Calcareous microfossil-based orbital cyclostratigraphy in the Arctic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Marzen, Rachel; DeNinno, Lauren H.; Cronin, Thomas M.

2016-01-01

Microfaunal and geochemical proxies from marine sediment records from central Arctic Ocean (CAO) submarine ridges suggest a close relationship over the last 550 thousand years (kyr) between orbital-scale climatic oscillations, sea-ice cover, marine biological productivity and other parameters. Multiple paleoclimate proxies record glacial to interglacial cycles. To understand the climate-cryosphere-productivity relationship, we examined the cyclostratigraphy of calcareous microfossils and constructed a composite Arctic Paleoclimate Index (API) "stack" from benthic foraminiferal and ostracode density from 14 sediment cores. Following the hypothesis that API is driven mainly by changes in sea-ice related productivity, the API stack shows the Arctic experienced a series of highly productive interglacials and interstadials every ∼20 kyr. These periods signify minimal ice shelf and sea-ice cover and maximum marine productivity. Rapid transitions in productivity are seen during shifts from interglacial to glacial climate states. Discrepancies between the Arctic API curves and various global climatic, sea-level and ice-volume curves suggest abrupt growth and decay of Arctic ice shelves related to climatic and sea level oscillations.

Chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in arctic marine mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Norstrom, R J; Muir, D C

1994-09-16

By 1976, the presence of chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants (CHCs) had been demonstrated in fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus), ringed seal (Phoca hispida), hooded seal (Cystophora cristata), bearded seal (Erignathus barbatus), walrus (Obdobenus rosmarus divergens), beluga (Delphinapterus leucas), porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and polar bear (Ursus maritimus) in various parts of the Arctic. In spite of this early interest, very little subsequent research on contaminants in Arctic marine mammals was undertaken until the mid-1980s. Since that time, there has been an explosion of interest, resulting in a much expanded data base on contaminants in Arctic marine mammals. Except in the Russian Arctic, data have now been obtained on the temporospatial distribution of PCBs and other contaminants in ringed seal, beluga and polar bear. Contaminants in narwhal (Monodon monoceros) have also now been measured. On a fat weight basis, the sum of DDT-related compounds (S-DDT) and PCB levels are lowest in walrus (Polar bears have similar levels of PCBs as cetaceans (1-10 micrograms/g), but with a much simpler congener pattern. DDE levels are lowest in polar bear, indicating rapid metabolism. Effects of age and sex on residue levels are found for all species where this was measured. Among cetaceans and ringed seal, sexually mature females have lower levels than males due to lactation. Although PCB levels in adult male polar bears are about twice as high as females, there is only a trivial age effect in either sex apart from an initial decrease from birth to sexual maturity (age 0-5). Comparison of levels of S-DDT and PCBs in Arctic beluga and ringed seal with those in beluga in the Gulf of St. Lawrence and ringed seal in the Baltic Sea, indicate that overall contamination of the Arctic marine ecosystem is 10-50 times less than the most highly contaminated areas in the northern hemisphere temperate latitude marine environment. Geographic distribution of residue levels in polar bears

DIRECTION OF MODERNIZATION OF THE ARCTIC MARINE TRANSPORTATION SYSTEM

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. I. Komkov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article deals with the modern processes of formation and development of the marine transportation system in the Russian Arctic, analyzes its problem areas and reserves growth. Shows the status and prospects of development of cargo specialized fl eet of ice-class and icebreakers. Particular attention is paid to infrastructure, port management, port The possibility of creating special economic zones. Systematized direction of modernization of the Arctic marine transportation system.

Book Review: Marine Protected Areas in International Law: an Arctic Perspective

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Davina Oktivana

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Marine biodiversity has always become an interesting topic in the development of the law of the sea subject. Despite of human dependence on marine resources, human intervention has been proven as the major threats to the sustainability of marine biodiversity and marine environment protection. Human activities, such an over-exploitation, shipping pollution, the use endangered fishing tools and above all, climate change, have changes the ecosystems extensively. One of the significant measures to prevent broaden the catastrophe is the establishment of Marine Protected Areas (MPAs, which has been accepted as a tool for protection and conservation of marine biodiversity. The book provides a comprehensive observation and analysis of the MPAs' concept and its implementation, specifically in the Arctic. This book is based on Ingvild Ulrikke Jakobsen's PhD thesis at the University of Tromsø, Norwegia. Her concerned particularly based on the development of human activities in the Arctic, that will definitely affect the fragile marine environment and there is an increasing need to ensure environmental protection and conservation of marine biodiversity and ecosystems in Arctic.

Biogeographic patterns of bacterial microdiversity in Arctic deep-sea sediments (HAUSGARTEN, Fram Strait).

Science.gov (United States)

Buttigieg, Pier Luigi; Ramette, Alban

2014-01-01

Marine bacteria colonizing deep-sea sediments beneath the Arctic ocean, a rapidly changing ecosystem, have been shown to exhibit significant biogeographic patterns along transects spanning tens of kilometers and across water depths of several thousand meters (Jacob et al., 2013). Jacob et al. (2013) adopted what has become a classical view of microbial diversity - based on operational taxonomic units clustered at the 97% sequence identity level of the 16S rRNA gene - and observed a very large microbial community replacement at the HAUSGARTEN Long Term Ecological Research station (Eastern Fram Strait). Here, we revisited these data using the oligotyping approach and aimed to obtain new insight into ecological and biogeographic patterns associated with bacterial microdiversity in marine sediments. We also assessed the level of concordance of these insights with previously obtained results. Variation in oligotype dispersal range, relative abundance, co-occurrence, and taxonomic identity were related to environmental parameters such as water depth, biomass, and sedimentary pigment concentration. This study assesses ecological implications of the new microdiversity-based technique using a well-characterized dataset of high relevance for global change biology.

Marine Mammals and Climate Change in the Pacific Arctic: Impacts & Resilience

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, S. E.

2014-12-01

Extreme reductions in Arctic sea ice extent and thickness have become a hallmark of climate change, but impacts to the marine ecosystem are poorly understood. As top predators, marine mammals must adapt to biological responses to physical forcing and thereby become sentinels to ecosystem variability and reorganization. Recent sea ice retreats have influenced the ecology of marine mammals in the Pacific Arctic sector. Walruses now often haul out by the thousands along the NW Alaska coast in late summer, and reports of harbor porpoise, humpback, fin and minke whales in the Chukchi Sea demonstrate that these temperate species routinely occur there. In 2010, satellite tagged bowhead whales from Atlantic and Pacific populations met in the Northwest Passage, an overlap thought precluded by sea ice since the Holocene. To forage effectively, baleen whales must target dense patches of zooplankton and small fishes. In the Pacific Arctic, bowhead and gray whales appear to be responding to enhanced prey availability delivered both by new production and advection pathways. Two programs, the Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) and the Synthesis of Arctic Research (SOAR), include tracking of marine mammal and prey species' responses to ecosystem shifts associated with sea ice loss. Both programs provide an integrated-ecosystem baseline in support of the development of a web-based Marine Mammal Health Map, envisioned as a component of the U.S. Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS). An overarching goal is to identify ecological patterns for marine mammals in the 'new' Arctic, as a foundation for integrative research, local response and adaptive management.

Determination of monomethylmercury and dimethylmercury in the Arctic marine boundary layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Baya, Pascale A; Gosselin, Michel; Lehnherr, Igor; St Louis, Vincent L; Hintelmann, Holger

2015-01-06

Our understanding of the biogeochemical cycling of monomethylmercury (MMHg) in the Arctic is incomplete because atmospheric sources and sinks of MMHg are still unclear. We sampled air in the Canadian Arctic marine boundary layer to quantify, for the first time, atmospheric concentrations of methylated Hg species (both MMHg and dimethylmercury (DMHg)), and, estimate the importance of atmospheric deposition as a source of MMHg to Arctic land- and sea-scapes. Overall atmospheric MMHg and DMHg concentrations (mean ± SD) were 2.9 ± 3.6 and 3.8 ± 3.1 (n = 37) pg m(-3), respectively. Concentrations of methylated Hg species in the marine boundary layer varied significantly among our sites, with a predominance of MMHg over Hudson Bay (HB), and DMHg over Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA) waters. We concluded that DMHg is of marine origin and that primary production rate and sea-ice cover are major drivers of its concentration in the Canadian Arctic marine boundary layer. Summer wet deposition rates of atmospheric MMHg, likely to be the product of DMHg degradation in the atmosphere, were estimated at 188 ± 117.5 ng m(-2) and 37 ± 21.7 ng m(-2) for HB and CAA, respectively, sustaining MMHg concentrations available for biomagnification in the pelagic food web.

Marine distribution of arctic seabirds over six decades: changes and conservation applications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wong, SNP; Johansen, Kasper Lambert; Lieske, DJ

Climate change is causing rapid changes in Arctic marine ecosystems and understanding its impacts on wildlife is critical for conservation management, especially as the decline in sea ice leads to increased development and vessel traffic. The Arctic supports hundreds of millions of seabirds, which...... collected from 1988 to 2015 and covering a combined 185,000 linear km, we examined the marine distribution of seabirds in sub-arctic and Arctic waters between Canada and Greenland, an area covering over 5,000,000 km2. We developed a predictive model to investigate how ice cover and ocean processes influence...... the distribution of arctic seabirds in summer and autumn and identified existing areas of high density. Comparing these results to at-sea surveys conducted in the same waters from 1966 - 1987, we examined how seabird distribution has changed over the last six decades. Understanding how changes in the marine...

AMBON - the Arctic Marine Biodiversity Observing Network

Science.gov (United States)

Iken, K.; Danielson, S. L.; Grebmeier, J. M.; Cooper, L. W.; Hopcroft, R. R.; Kuletz, K.; Stafford, K.; Mueter, F. J.; Collins, E.; Bluhm, B.; Moore, S. E.; Bochenek, R. J.

2016-02-01

The goal of the Arctic Marine Biodiversity Observing Network (AMBON) is to build an operational and sustainable marine biodiversity observing network for the US Arctic Chukchi Sea continental shelf. The AMBON has four main goals: 1. To close current gaps in taxonomic biodiversity observations from microbes to whales, 2. To integrate results of past and ongoing research programs on the US Arctic shelf into a biodiversity observation network, 3. To demonstrate at a regional level how an observing network could be developed, and 4. To link with programs on the pan-Arctic to global scale. The AMBON fills taxonomic (from microbes to mammals), functional (food web structure), spatial and temporal (continuing time series) gaps, and includes new technologies such as state-of-the-art genomic tools, with biodiversity and environmental observations linked through central data management through the Alaska Ocean Observing System. AMBON is a 5-year partnership between university and federal researchers, funded through the National Ocean Partnership Program (NOPP), with partners in the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), the Bureau of Ocean and Energy Management (BOEM), and Shell industry. AMBON will allow us to better coordinate, sustain, and synthesize biodiversity research efforts, and make data available to a broad audience of users, stakeholders, and resource managers.

Bacterial biogeography influenced by shelf-basin exchange in the Arctic surface sediment at the Chukchi Borderland.

Science.gov (United States)

Han, Dukki; Nam, Seung-Il; Ha, Ho Kyung; Kim, Hyoungjun; Sadowsky, Michael J; Lee, Yoo Kyung; Hur, Hor-Gil

2016-02-01

It has been known that continental shelves around the Arctic Ocean play a major role in the ventilation of the deep basins as a consequence of shelf-basin exchange. In the present study, we found that bacterial assemblage of the surface sediment was different from that of seawater while seawater harboured local bacterial assemblages in response to the Arctic hydrography. This finding suggests that the Arctic seafloor sediments may have distinctive bacterial biogeography. Moreover, the distribution of bacterial assemblages and physicochemical properties in surface sediments changed gradually from the Arctic continental shelf to deep-sea basin. Based on the results, bacterial biogeography in the Arctic seafloor sediments may be influenced by winnowing and re-deposition of surface sediments through the sediment gravity flow. The present study offers a deeper understanding of shelf convection and its role for the construction of bacterial assemblages in the Arctic Ocean. © 2015 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Nonlinear acoustics of water-saturated marine sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Leif Bjørnø

1976-01-01

Interest in the acoustic qualities of water-saturated marine sediments has increased considerably during recent years. The use of sources of high-intensity sound in oil propsecting, in geophysical and geological studies of bottom and subbottom materials and profiles and recently in marine...... archaeology has emphasized the need of information about the nonlinear acoustic qualities of water-saturated marine sediments. While the acoustic experiments and theoretical investigations hitherto performed have concentrated on a determination of the linear acoustic qualities of water-saturated marine...... sediments, their parameters of nonlinear acoustics are still unexplored. The strong absorption, increasing about linearly with frequency, found in most marine sediments and the occurrence of velocity dispersion by some marine sediments restrict the number of nonlinear acoustic test methods traditionally...

Arctic research vessel design would expand science prospects

Science.gov (United States)

Elsner, Robert; Kristensen, Dirk

The U.S. polar marine science community has long declared the need for an arctic research vessel dedicated to advancing the study of northern ice-dominated seas. Planning for such a vessel began 2 decades ago, but competition for funding has prevented construction. A new design program is underway, and it shows promise of opening up exciting possibilities for new research initiatives in arctic marine science.With its latest design, the Arctic Research Vessel (ARV) has grown to a size and capability that will make it the first U.S. academic research vessel able to provide access to the Arctic Ocean. This ship would open a vast arena for new studies in the least known of the world's seas. These studies promise to rank high in national priority because of the importance of the Arctic Ocean as a source of data relating to global climate change. Other issues that demand attention in the Arctic include its contributions to the world's heat budget, the climate history buried in its sediments, pollution monitoring, and the influence of arctic conditions on marine renewable resources.

Anthropogenic mercury deposition to arctic lake sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hermanson, M.H. [Westchester University, Westchester, PA (United States). Dept. of Health

1998-01-01

The history of atmospheric mercury inputs to remote arctic regions can be measured in lake sediment cores using lead-210 chronology. In the investigation, total mercury deposition is measured in sediments from Imitavik and Annak Lakes on the Belcher Islands in southeastern Hudson Bay, an area in the southern Canadian Arctic with no history of local industrial or agricultural sources of contamination. Both lakes received background and atmospheric inputs of mercury while Annak also received mercury from raw domestic sewage from the Hamlet of Sanikiluaq, a growing Inuit community of about 550 established in the late 1960s. Results from Imitavik show that anthropogenic mercury inputs, apparently transported through the atmosphere, began to appear in the mid-eighteenth century, and continued to the 1990s. Annak had a similar mercury history until the late 1960s when disposal of domestic sewage led to increased sediment and contaminant accumulation. The high input of mercury to Annak confirms that Sanikiluaq residents are exposed to mercury through native food sources. 39 refs., 7 figs., 3 tabs.

Biogeographic patterns of bacterial microdiversity in Arctic deep-sea sediments (Hausgarten, Fram Strait

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pier Luigi eButtigieg

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Marine bacteria colonising deep-sea sediments beneath the Arctic ocean, a rapidly changing ecosystem, have been shown to exhibit significant biogeographic patterns along transects spanning tens of kilometres and across water depths reaching several thousands of metres (Jacob et al., 2013. Jacob et al. adopted what has become a classical view of microbial diversity based on operational taxonomic units clustered at the 97% sequence identity level of the 16S rRNA gene and observed a very large microbial community replacement at the Hausgarten Long-Term Ecological Research station (Eastern Fram Strait. Here, we revisited these data using the oligotyping approach with the aims of obtaining new insights into ecological and biogeographic patterns associated with bacterial microdiversity in marine sediments and of assessing the level of concordance of these insights with previously obtained results. Variation in oligotype dispersal range, relative abundance, co-occurrence, and taxonomic identity were related to environmental parameters such as water depth, biomass, and sedimentary pigment concentration. This study assesses ecological implications of the new microdiversity-based technique using a well-characterised dataset of high relevance for global change biology.

Chemistry of marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yen, T.F.

1977-01-01

Some topics considered are as follows: characterization of sediments in the vicinity of offshore petroleum production; thermal alteration experiments on organic matter in recent marine sediments as a model for petroleum genesis; composition of polluted bottom sediments in Great Lakes harbors; distribution of heavy metals in sediment fractions; recent deposition of lead off the coast of southern California; release of trace constituents from sediments resuspended during dredging operations; and migration of chemical constituents in sediment-seawater interfaces

Arctic biogeography: The paradox of the marine benthic fauna and flora.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunton, K

1992-06-01

The marine benthic fauna and flora that inhabit the shallow arctic sublittoral zone comprise a relatively young marine assemblage characterized by species of either Pacific or Atlantic affinity and notably few endemics. The young character of nearshore arctic communities, as well as their biogeographical composition, is largely a product of the Pleistocene glaciation. However, analysis of more recent collections and comparison between the origins of the benthic fauna and flora present some interesting paradoxes to biogeographers. One enigma is the low frequency of algal species with Pacific affinities in the Arctic, especially in the Chukchi, Beaufort and East Siberian Seas of the Eastern Arctic, which receive direct inputs of northward-flowing Pacific waters. In contrast, animal species with Pacific affinities are found throughout the nearshore regions of the Arctic, reaching their highest frequency in the marginal seas between the New Siberian Islands and the Canadian Archipelago. Organization of published and unpublished data, additional field collections, and the use of cladistics and molecular DNA techniques by systematists are a high priority for future research in reconstructing the evolution of the arctic biotic assemblage. Copyright © 1992. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Science Partnerships for a Sustainable Arctic: the Marine Mammal Nexus (Invited)

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, S. E.

2010-12-01

Marine mammals are both icons of Arctic marine ecosystems and fundamental to Native subsistence nutrition and culture. Eight species are endemic to the Pacific Arctic, including the polar bear, walrus, ice seals (4 species), beluga and bowhead whales. Studies of walrus and bowheads have been conducted over the past 30 years, to estimate population size and elucidate patterns of movement and abundance. With regard to the three pillars of the SEARCH program, these long-term OBSERVATIONS provide a foundation for research seeking to UNDERSTAND and RESPOND to the effects of rapid climate change on the marine ecosystem. Specifically, research on the coastal ecosystem near Barrow, Alaska focuses on late-summer feeding habitat for bowheads in an area where whales are hunted in autumn. This work is a partnership among agency, academic and local scientists and the residents of Barrow, all of whom seek to better UNDERSTAND how recent dramatic changes in sea ice, winds and offshore industrial activities influence whale movements and behavior. In regard to RESPONDING to climate change, the nascent Sea Ice for Walrus Outlook (SIWO) is a science partnership that projects sea ice and wind conditions for five villages in the Bering Strait region. The objective of the SIWO is to provide information on physical conditions in the marine environment at spatial and temporal scales relevant to walrus hunters. Marine mammals are a strong and dynamic nexus for partnerships among scientists, Arctic residents, resource managers and the general public - as such, they are essential elements to any science plan for a sustainable Arctic.

Inundation, sedimentation, and subsidence creates goose habitat along the Arctic coast of Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Tape, Ken D.; Flint, Paul L.; Meixell, Brandt W.; Gaglioti, Benjamin V.

2013-01-01

The Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska is characterized by thermokarst lakes and drained lake basins, and the rate of coastal erosion has increased during the last half-century. Portions of the coast are sea level for kilometers inland, and are underlain by ice-rich permafrost. Increased storm surges or terrestrial subsidence would therefore expand the area subject to marine inundation. Since 1976, the distribution of molting Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) on the Arctic Coastal Plain has shifted from inland freshwater lakes to coastal marshes, such as those occupying the Smith River and Garry Creek estuaries. We hypothesized that the movement of geese from inland lakes was caused by an expansion of high quality goose forage in coastal areas. We examined the recent history of vegetation and geomorphological changes in coastal goose habitat by combining analysis of time series imagery between 1948 and 2010 with soil stratigraphy dated using bomb-curve radiocarbon. Time series of vertical imagery and in situ verification showed permafrost thaw and subsidence of polygonal tundra. Soil stratigraphy and dating within coastal estuaries showed that non-saline vegetation communities were buried by multiple sedimentation episodes between 1948 and 1995, accompanying a shift toward salt-tolerant vegetation. This sedimentation allowed high quality goose forage plants to expand, thus facilitating the shift in goose distribution. Declining sea ice and the increasing rate of terrestrial inundation, sedimentation, and subsidence in coastal estuaries of Alaska may portend a 'tipping point' whereby inland areas would be transformed into salt marshes.

Flocculation alters the distribution and flux of melt-water supplied sediments and nutrients in the Arctic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Markussen, Thor Nygaard; Andersen, Thorbjørn Joest; Ernstsen, Verner Brandbyge

In the Arctic, thawing permafrost and increased melting of glaciers are important drivers for changes in fine-grained sediment supply and biogeochemical fluxes from land to sea. Flocculation of particles is a controlling factor for the magnitude of fluxes and deposition rates in the marine...... environment but comparatively little is known about the flocculation processes in the Arctic. We investigated flocculation dynamics from a melt-water river in the inner Disko Fjord, West Greenland. A novel, laser-illuminated camera system significantly improved the particle size measurement capabilities...... and settling tubes were sampled to enable sub-sampling of different floc size fractions. Flocculation was observed during periods with low turbulent shear and also at the front of the fresh water plume resulting in significant volumes of large sized flocs at depth below the plume. The floc sizes and volumes...

AMOP (Arctic Marine Oil Spill Program) studies reviewed

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1978-06-05

A discussion of the Arctic Marine Oil Spill Program organized in 1976 by the Canadian Federal Government includes: an Arctic Atlas compiled by Fenco Consultants Ltd. to give background information necessary for developing marine oil spill countermeasures for the Arctic north of 60/sup 0/ including the west Greenland coast and the Labrador shelf (geology, meteorology and oceanography, ice conditions, biology, and social factors); program in emergency transport of spill-combatting equipment; and the factors which influence the choice of conveyance, i.e., accessibility of the site, urgency for response, and quantity of material required; laboratory studies involving the release of oil under artificial sea ice in simulated ice formation and decay purposes to determine the interaction of crude oil and first-year sea ice; inability of companies and government to control a major spill in the Labrador Sea because of poor and inadequate transport facilities, communications, and navigational aids, severe environmental conditions, and logistics problems; and studies on the effects of oil-well blowouts in deep water, including formation of oil and gas hydrates, design of oil skimmers, the use of hovercraft, and specifications for an airborne multisensor system for oil detection in ice-infested waters.

Clay mineralogy, strontium and neodymium isotope ratios in the sediments of two High Arctic catchments (Svalbard)

Science.gov (United States)

Hindshaw, Ruth S.; Tosca, Nicholas J.; Piotrowski, Alexander M.; Tipper, Edward T.

2018-03-01

The identification of sediment sources to the ocean is a prerequisite to using marine sediment cores to extract information on past climate and ocean circulation. Sr and Nd isotopes are classical tools with which to trace source provenance. Despite considerable interest in the Arctic Ocean, the circum-Arctic source regions are poorly characterised in terms of their Sr and Nd isotopic compositions. In this study we present Sr and Nd isotope data from the Paleogene Central Basin sediments of Svalbard, including the first published data of stream suspended sediments from Svalbard. The stream suspended sediments exhibit considerable isotopic variation (ɛNd = -20.6 to -13.4; 87Sr / 86Sr = 0.73421 to 0.74704) which can be related to the depositional history of the sedimentary formations from which they are derived. In combination with analysis of the clay mineralogy of catchment rocks and sediments, we suggest that the Central Basin sedimentary rocks were derived from two sources. One source is Proterozoic sediments derived from Greenlandic basement rocks which are rich in illite and have high 87Sr / 86Sr and low ɛNd values. The second source is Carboniferous to Jurassic sediments derived from Siberian basalts which are rich in smectite and have low 87Sr / 86Sr and high ɛNd values. Due to a change in depositional conditions throughout the Paleogene (from deep sea to continental) the relative proportions of these two sources vary in the Central Basin formations. The modern stream suspended sediment isotopic composition is then controlled by modern processes, in particular glaciation, which determines the present-day exposure of the formations and therefore the relative contribution of each formation to the stream suspended sediment load. This study demonstrates that the Nd isotopic composition of stream suspended sediments exhibits seasonal variation, which likely mirrors longer-term hydrological changes, with implications for source provenance studies based on fixed

Testing a laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy technique on the Arctic sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Han, D.; Nam, S. I.

2017-12-01

Physical and geochemical investigations coupled with the Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) were performed on three surface sediment cores (ARA03B/24BOX, ARA02B/01(A)MUC, ARA02B/02MUC and ARA02B/03(A)MUC) recovered from the western Arctic Ocean (Chukchi Sea) during IBRV ARON expeditions in 2012. The LIBS technique was applied to carry out elemental chemical analysis of the Arctic sediments and compared with that measured by ITRAX X-ray fuorescence (XRF) core scanning. LIBS and XRF have shown similar elemental composition within each sediment core. In this study, mineral composition (XRD), grain size distribution and organic carbon content as well as elemental composition (LIBS) were all considered to understand paleoenvironmental changes (ocean circulation, sea-ice drift, iceberg discharge, and etc.) recorded in the Arctic Holocene sediment. Quantitative LIBS analysis shows a gradually varying distribution of the elements along the sampled core and clear separation between the cores. The cores are geochemically characterized by elevated Mn profile. The gradient of mineral composition and grain sizes among the cores shows regional distribution and variation in sedimentary condition due to geological distance between East Siberian and North America. The present study reveals that a LIBS technique can be employed for in-situ sediment analyses for the Arctic Ocean. Furthermore, LIBS does not require costly equipment, trained operators, and complicated sample pre-treatment processes compared to Atomic absorption spectroscopy (AAS) and inductively coupled plasma emission spectroscopy (ICP), and also known to show relatively high levels of sensitivity, precision, and distinction than XRF analysis, scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive spectrometry (SEM-EDS), and electron probe X-ray microanalysis (EPMA).

Properties of bricks produced from Greenlandic marine sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bertelsen, Ida Maria Gieysztor; Belmonte, Louise Josefine; Chen, Wan

2015-01-01

miniature bricks (54×54×60 mm3) of MS from Sisimiut. Brick pellets were prepared in order to determine an optimal composition and production method, based on investigations of the firing temperature and time,forming pressure, initial forming water content, and content of granite waste (CR). Miniature bricks......This study investigated the possibility of a local brick production from fine grained marine sediments (MS) near Sisimiut, Greenland. The assessment is based on the physical and mechanical properties of clay bricks concerning the resistance to the harsh, Arctic weather conditions, together...... were then prepared according to the optimal conditions and formed at a pressure of 20 MPa, fired at 1020 ºC for 3.5 days at the brickwork Wienerberger Tegl in Helsinge, Denmark. The durability properties such as porosity, water absorption, bulk density, linear shrinkage, and compressive strength (only...

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in sub-Arctic and Arctic marine mammals, 1986–2009

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rotander, Anna; Bavel, Bert van; Rigét, Frank; Auðunsson, Guðjón Atli; Polder, Anuschka; Gabrielsen, Geir Wing; Víkingsson, Gísli; Mikkelsen, Bjarni; Dam, Maria

2012-01-01

A selection of PCN congeners was analyzed in pooled blubber samples of pilot whale (Globicephala melas), ringed seal (Phoca hispida), minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) and Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus), covering a time period of more than 20 years (1986–2009). A large geographical area of the North Atlantic and Arctic areas was covered. PCN congeners 48, 52, 53, 66 and 69 were found in the blubber samples between 0.03 and 5.9 ng/g lw. Also PCBs were analyzed in minke whales and fin whales from Iceland and the total PCN content accounted for 0.2% or less of the total non-planar PCB content. No statistically significant trend in contaminant levels could be established for the studied areas. However, in all species except minke whales caught off Norway the lowest ∑PCN concentrations were found in samples from the latest sampling period. - Highlights: ► PCN concentrations are described in a wide variety of marine mammal species. ► A large geographical area of the North Atlantic and Arctic areas is covered. ► Pooled blubber samples covering a time period of 23 years are evaluated. ► Species- and geographic-dependent PCN congener distribution is seen. ► A decrease in the PCN load is indicated in the studied areas in recent years. - Analysis of PCNs in seven marine mammal species sampled over a 23 year period indicates a decline in the PCN load in sub-Arctic and Arctic areas in recent years.

Arctic deltaic lake sediments as recorders of fluvial organic matter deposition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jorien E Vonk

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Arctic deltas are dynamic and vulnerable regions that play a key role in land-ocean interactions and the global carbon cycle. Delta lakes may provide valuable historical records of the quality and quantity of fluvial fluxes, parameters that are challenging to investigate in these remote regions. Here we study lakes from across the Mackenzie Delta, Arctic Canada, that receive fluvial sediments from the Mackenzie River when spring flood water levels rise above natural levees. We compare downcore lake sediments with suspended sediments collected during the spring flood, using bulk (% organic carbon, % total nitrogen, 13C, 14C and molecular organic geochemistry (lignin, leaf waxes. High-resolution age models (137Cs, 210Pb of downcore lake sediment records (n=11 along with lamina counting on high-resolution radiographs show sediment deposition frequencies ranging between annually to every 15 years. Down-core geochemical variability in a representative delta lake sediment core is consistent with historical variability in spring flood hydrology (variability in peak discharge, ice jamming, peak water levels. Comparison with earlier published Mackenzie River depth profiles shows that (i lake sediments reflect the riverine surface suspended load, and (ii hydrodynamic sorting patterns related to spring flood characteristics are reflected in the lake sediments. Bulk and molecular geochemistry of suspended particulate matter from the spring flood peak and lake sediments are relatively similar showing a mixture of modern higher-plant derived material, older terrestrial permafrost material, and old rock-derived material. This suggests that deltaic lake sedimentary records hold great promise as recorders of past (century-scale riverine fluxes and may prove instrumental in shedding light on past behaviour of arctic rivers, as well as how they respond to a changing climate.

High-resolution sub-bottom seismic and sediment core records from the Chukchi Abyssal Plain reveal Quaternary glaciation impacts on the western Arctic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Joe, Y. J.; Seokhoon, Y.; Nam, S. I.; Polyak, L.; Niessen, F.

2017-12-01

For regional context of the Quaternary history of Arctic marine glaciations, such as glacial events in northern North America and on the Siberian and Chukchi margins, we used CHIRP sub-bottom profiles (SBP) along with sediment cores, including a 14-m long piston core ARA06-04JPC taken from the Chukchi abyssal plain during the RV Araon expedition in 2015. Based on core correlation with earlier developed Arctic Ocean stratigraphies using distribution of various sedimentary proxies, core 04JPC is estimated to extend to at least Marine Isotope Stage 13 (>0.5 Ma). The stratigraphy developed for SBP lines from the Chukchi abyssal plain to surrounding slopes can be divided into four major seismostratigraphic units (SSU 1-4). SBP records from the abyssal plain show well preserved stratification, whereas on the surrounding slopes this pattern is disrupted by lens-shaped, acoustically transparent sedimentary bodies interpreted as glaciogenic debris flow deposits. Based on the integration of sediment physical property and SBP data, we conclude that these debris flows were generated during several ice-sheet grounding events on the Chukchi and East Siberian margins, including adjacent ridges and plateaus, during the middle to late Quaternary.

Marine Invasive Species Management: Adapting in the Arctic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaiser, Brooks

2014-01-01

The rapid pace of climate change and increased human disturbance of ecosystems in the Arctic is bringing urgency to concern over non-native species introductions and their potential threats to the marine environment and its economic productivity, where before environmental conditions served...

Biodegradation of marine oil spills in the Arctic with a Greenland perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vergeynst, Leendert; Wegeberg, Susse; Aamand, Jens

2018-01-01

New economic developments in the Arctic, such as shipping and oil exploitation, bring along unprecedented risks of marine oil spills. Microorganisms have played a central role in degrading and reducing the impact of the spilled oil during past oil disasters. However, in the Arctic, and in particu......New economic developments in the Arctic, such as shipping and oil exploitation, bring along unprecedented risks of marine oil spills. Microorganisms have played a central role in degrading and reducing the impact of the spilled oil during past oil disasters. However, in the Arctic......, and in particular in its pristine areas, the self-cleaning capacity and biodegradation potential of the natural microbial communities have yet to be uncovered. This review compiles and investigates the current knowledge with respect to environmental parameters and biochemical constraints that control oil...... biodegradation in the Arctic. Hereby, seawaters off Greenland are considered as a case study. Key factors for biodegradation include the bioavailability of hydrocarbons, the presence of hydrocarbon-degrading bacteria and the availability of nutrients. We show how these key factors may be influenced...

Acetate, lactate, propionate, and isobutyrate as electron donors for iron and sulfate reduction in Arctic marine sediments, Svalbard

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Finke, Niko; Vandieken, Verona; Jørgensen, Bo Barker

2007-01-01

The contribution of volatile fatty acids (VFA) as e--donors for anaerobic terminal oxidation of organic carbon through iron and sulfate reduction was studied in Arctic fjord sediment. Dissolved inorganic carbon, Fe2+, VFA concentrations, and sulfate reduction were monitored in slurries from...... by alternative e--donors. The accumulation of VFA in the selenate-inhibited 0-2 cm slurry did not enhance iron reduction, indicating that iron reducers were not limited by VFA availability....

Citizen scientists reveal: Marine litter pollutes Arctic beaches and affects wild life.

Science.gov (United States)

Bergmann, Melanie; Lutz, Birgit; Tekman, Mine B; Gutow, Lars

2017-12-15

Recent data indicate accumulation areas of marine litter in Arctic waters and significant increases over time. Beaches on remote Arctic islands may be sinks for marine litter and reflect pollution levels of the surrounding waters particularly well. We provide the first quantitative data from surveys carried out by citizen scientists on six beaches of Svalbard. Litter quantities recorded by cruise tourists varied from 9-524gm -2 and were similar to those from densely populated areas. Plastics accounted for >80% of the overall litter, most of which originated from fisheries. Photographs provided by citizens show deleterious effects of beach litter on Arctic wildlife, which is already under strong pressure from global climate change. Our study highlights the potential of citizen scientists to provide scientifically valuable data on the pollution of sensitive remote ecosystems. The results stress once more that current legislative frameworks are insufficient to tackle the pollution of Arctic ecosystems. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

High activity and low temperature optima of extracellular enzymes in Arctic sediments: implications for carbon cycling by heterotrophic microbial communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnosti, C.; Jørgensen, BB

2003-01-01

The rate of the initial step in microbial remineralization of organic carbon, extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis, was investigated as a function of temperature in permanently cold sediments from 2 fjords on the west coast of Svalbard (Arctic Ocean). We used 4 structurally distinct polysaccharides...... hydrolysis in order to determine the relative temperature responses of the initial and terminal steps in microbial remineralization of carbon. The temperature optimum of sulfate reduction, 21degreesC, was considerably lower than previous reports of sulfate reduction in marine sediments, but is consistent...... with recent studies of psychrophilic sulfate reducers isolated from Svalbard sediments. A calculation of potential carbon flow into the microbial food chain demonstrated that the activity of just one type of polysaccharide-hydrolyzing enzyme could in theory supply 21 to 100% of the carbon consumed via sulfate...

Foreword to the thematic cluster: the Arctic in Rapid Transition—marine ecosystems

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Monika Kędra

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The Arctic is warming and losing sea ice. Happening at a much faster rate than previously expected, these changes are causing multiple ecosystem feedbacks in the Arctic Ocean. The Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART initiative was developed by early-career scientists as an integrative, international, multidisciplinary, long-term pan-Arctic network to study changes and feedbacks among the physical and biogeochemical components of the Arctic Ocean and their ultimate impacts on biological productivity on different timescales. In 2012, ART jointly organized with the Association of Polar Early Career Scientists their second science workshop—Overcoming Challenges of Observation to Model Integration in Marine Ecosystem Response to Sea Ice Transitions—at the Institute of Oceanology, Polish Academy of Sciences, in Sopot. This workshop aimed to identify linkages and feedbacks between atmosphere–ice–ocean forcing and biogeochemical processes, which are critical for ecosystem function, land–ocean interactions and productive capacity of the Arctic Ocean. This special thematic cluster of Polar Research brings together seven papers that grew out of workgroup discussions. Papers examine the climate change impacts on various ecosystem elements, providing important insights on the marine ecological and biogeochemical processes on various timescales. They also highlight priority areas for future research.

Inundation, sedimentation, and subsidence creates goose habitat along the Arctic coast of Alaska

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tape, Ken D; Flint, Paul L; Meixell, Brandt W; Gaglioti, Benjamin V

2013-01-01

The Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska is characterized by thermokarst lakes and drained lake basins, and the rate of coastal erosion has increased during the last half-century. Portions of the coast are <1 m above sea level for kilometers inland, and are underlain by ice-rich permafrost. Increased storm surges or terrestrial subsidence would therefore expand the area subject to marine inundation. Since 1976, the distribution of molting Black Brant (Branta bernicla nigricans) on the Arctic Coastal Plain has shifted from inland freshwater lakes to coastal marshes, such as those occupying the Smith River and Garry Creek estuaries. We hypothesized that the movement of geese from inland lakes was caused by an expansion of high quality goose forage in coastal areas. We examined the recent history of vegetation and geomorphological changes in coastal goose habitat by combining analysis of time series imagery between 1948 and 2010 with soil stratigraphy dated using bomb-curve radiocarbon. Time series of vertical imagery and in situ verification showed permafrost thaw and subsidence of polygonal tundra. Soil stratigraphy and dating within coastal estuaries showed that non-saline vegetation communities were buried by multiple sedimentation episodes between 1948 and 1995, accompanying a shift toward salt-tolerant vegetation. This sedimentation allowed high quality goose forage plants to expand, thus facilitating the shift in goose distribution. Declining sea ice and the increasing rate of terrestrial inundation, sedimentation, and subsidence in coastal estuaries of Alaska may portend a ‘tipping point’ whereby inland areas would be transformed into salt marshes. (letter)

Biodegradation of crude oil in different types of marine sediment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hii, Y.S.; Law, A.T.

1999-01-01

An active oil-oxidizing bacterium, named Nap C was isolated from the sediment sample of Port Dickson coastal area for this study. Nap C is a gram negative, rod shape marine bacterium. It forms spore when the condition is not favorable. Three different types of treated marine sediment; sand, silt and clay were used in this study. The degradation of Malaysian Tapis A crude oil in the different types of marine sediment were assessed. Silt type of marine sediment was found to sustain highest biodegradation compared to clay type and sand type. 8.6.67% of the Malaysian Tapis A crude oil was degraded in silt type of marine sediment within 10 days of incubation. Where as there were only 60% and 73% of the Malaysian Tapis A crude oil was degraded in sand and clay type of marine sediment respectively. Microbial biomass estimation in the sediment was estimated by indirect phospholipid enumeration technique. (author)

Severnaya Zemlya, arctic Russia: a nucleation area for Kara Sea ice sheets during the Middle to Late Quaternary

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Möller, Per; Lubinski, David J.; Ingólfsson, Ólafur

2006-01-01

Quaternary glacial stratigraphy and relative sea-level changes reveal at least four expansions of the Kara Sea ice sheet over the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago at 79°N in the Russian Arctic, as indicated from tills interbedded with marine sediments, exposed in stratigraphic superposition, and from...... of a large Kara Sea ice sheet, with exception of the Last Glacial Maximum (MIS 2), when Kara Sea ice did not impact Severnaya Zemlya and barely graced northernmost Taymyr Peninsula.......Quaternary glacial stratigraphy and relative sea-level changes reveal at least four expansions of the Kara Sea ice sheet over the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago at 79°N in the Russian Arctic, as indicated from tills interbedded with marine sediments, exposed in stratigraphic superposition, and from......-5e and MIS 5d-3. The MIS 6-5e event, associated with the high marine limit, implies ice-sheet thickness of >2000 m only 200 km from the deep Arctic Ocean, consistent with published evidence of ice grounding at ~1000 m water depth in the central Arctic Ocean. Till fabrics and glacial tectonics record...

Inter- and intraclutch variation in egg mercury levels in marine bird species from the Canadian Arctic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Akearok, Jason A.; Hebert, Craig E.; Braune, Birgit M.; Mallory, Mark L.

2010-01-01

Mercury (Hg) is a toxic metal that has been of increasing concern in the Canadian Arctic. We measured total Hg in eggs of three marine birds (Arctic terns Sterna paradisaea, common eiders Somateria mollissima borealis, long-tailed ducks Clangula hyemalis) that breed in the Canadian Arctic, to compare Hg laying order effects from the same clutch and to examine Hg among species. Early-laid eggs of all three species had 24-48% higher Hg concentrations than late laid eggs. Arctic terns had approximately twice the concentration of Hg in their eggs as the two duck species, and Hg in eider eggs from the High Arctic was higher than Hg in eggs from the Low Arctic. Higher Hg in tern eggs was consistent with this species occupying a higher trophic position in marine food webs, as indicated by stable nitrogen isotope (δ 15 N) values. The egg-laying sequence may need to be considered for Hg biomonitoring studies where small samples sizes are planned, and early eggs may be preferable for such studies since early eggs may be more representative of potential maximum levels of Hg in the marine food webs.

Imposex occurrence in marine whelks at a military facility in the high Arctic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Strand, Jakob [Department of Marine Ecology, National Environmental Research Institute, Frederiksborgvej 399, P.O. Box 358, 4000 Roskilde (Denmark)]. E-mail: jak@dmu.dk; Glahder, Christian M. [Department of Arctic Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde (Denmark); Asmund, Gert [Department of Arctic Environment, National Environmental Research Institute, Frederiksborgvej 399, 4000 Roskilde (Denmark)

2006-07-15

Imposex was found in the Arctic whelk Buccinum finmarkianum at several marine stations off Thule Air Base, an US military facility in Northwest Greenland. This indicates a widespread contamination with the antifouling agents, tributyltin (TBT) or triphenyltin (TPhT) in the area, but such contamination was not supported by the organotin analyses in sediments, whelks and clams, which in general was below the analytical detection limit. Organotin concentrations above the detection limit were found only at one station close to a quay, where the highest frequency of imposex also occurred. This suggests that imposex in B. finmarkianum is a biomarker of TBT more sensitive than the detection limits, which the analytical chemistry could achieve in this study. - Imposex as a biomarker was more sensitive for TBT than analytical chemical methods.

Imposex occurrence in marine whelks at a military facility in the high Arctic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strand, Jakob; Glahder, Christian M.; Asmund, Gert

2006-01-01

Imposex was found in the Arctic whelk Buccinum finmarkianum at several marine stations off Thule Air Base, an US military facility in Northwest Greenland. This indicates a widespread contamination with the antifouling agents, tributyltin (TBT) or triphenyltin (TPhT) in the area, but such contamination was not supported by the organotin analyses in sediments, whelks and clams, which in general was below the analytical detection limit. Organotin concentrations above the detection limit were found only at one station close to a quay, where the highest frequency of imposex also occurred. This suggests that imposex in B. finmarkianum is a biomarker of TBT more sensitive than the detection limits, which the analytical chemistry could achieve in this study. - Imposex as a biomarker was more sensitive for TBT than analytical chemical methods

Uranium and plutonium in marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ordonez R, E.; Almazan T, M. G.; Ruiz F, A. C.

2011-11-01

The marine sediments contain uranium concentrations that are considered normal, since the seawater contains dissolved natural uranium that is deposited in the bed sea in form of sediments by physical-chemistry and bio-genetics processes. Since the natural uranium is constituted of several isotopes, the analysis of the isotopic relationship 234 U/ 238 U are an indicator of the oceanic activity that goes accumulating slowly leaving a historical registration of the marine events through the profile of the marine soil. But the uranium is not the only radioelement present in the marine sediments. In the most superficial strata the presence of the 239+140 Pu has been detected that it is an alpha emitter and that recently it has been detected with more frequency in some coasts of the world. The Mexican coast has not been the exception to this phenomenon and in this work the presence of 239-140 Pu is shown in the more superficial layers of an exploring coming from the Gulf of Tehuantepec. (Author)

Non-destructive X-ray Computed Tomography (XCT) Analysis of Sediment Variance in Marine Cores

Science.gov (United States)

Oti, E.; Polyak, L. V.; Dipre, G.; Sawyer, D.; Cook, A.

2015-12-01

Benthic activity within marine sediments can alter the physical properties of the sediment as well as indicate nutrient flux and ocean temperatures. We examine burrowing features in sediment cores from the western Arctic Ocean collected during the 2005 Healy-Oden TransArctic Expedition (HOTRAX) and from the Gulf of Mexico Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Expedition 308. While traditional methods for studying bioturbation require physical dissection of the cores, we assess burrowing using an X-ray computed tomography (XCT) scanner. XCT noninvasively images the sediment cores in three dimensions and produces density sensitive images suitable for quantitative analysis. XCT units are recorded as Hounsfield Units (HU), where -999 is air, 0 is water, and 4000-5000 would be a higher density mineral, such as pyrite. We rely on the fundamental assumption that sediments are deposited horizontally, and we analyze the variance over each flat-lying slice. The variance describes the spread of pixel values over a slice. When sediments are reworked, drawing higher and lower density matrix into a layer, the variance increases. Examples of this can be seen in two slices in core 19H-3A from Site U1324 of IODP Expedition 308. The first slice, located 165.6 meters below sea floor consists of relatively undisturbed sediment. Because of this, the majority of the sediment values fall between 1406 and 1497 HU, thus giving the slice a comparatively small variance of 819.7. The second slice, located 166.1 meters below sea floor, features a lower density sediment matrix disturbed by burrow tubes and the inclusion of a high density mineral. As a result, the Hounsfield Units have a larger variance of 1,197.5, which is a result of sediment matrix values that range from 1220 to 1260 HU, the high-density mineral value of 1920 HU and the burrow tubes that range from 1300 to 1410 HU. Analyzing this variance allows us to observe changes in the sediment matrix and more specifically capture

Marine CDOM accumulation during a coastal Arctic mesocosm experiment: No response to elevated pCO2 levels

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pavlov, A.K.; Silyakova, A.; Granskog, M.A.; Bellerby, R.G.J.; Engel, A.; Schulz, K.G.; Brussaard, C.P.D.

2014-01-01

A large-scale multidisciplinary mesocosm experiment in an Arctic fjord (Kongsfjorden, Svalbard; 78°56.2′N) was used to study Arctic marine food webs and biogeochemical elements cycling at natural and elevated future carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. At the start of the experiment, marine-derived

Shallow methylmercury production in the marginal sea ice zone of the central Arctic Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Heimbürger, Lars-Eric; Sonke, Jeroen E; Cossa, Daniel; Point, David; Lagane, Christelle; Laffont, Laure; Galfond, Benjamin T; Nicolaus, Marcel; Rabe, Benjamin; van der Loeff, Michiel Rutgers

2015-05-20

Methylmercury (MeHg) is a neurotoxic compound that threatens wildlife and human health across the Arctic region. Though much is known about the source and dynamics of its inorganic mercury (Hg) precursor, the exact origin of the high MeHg concentrations in Arctic biota remains uncertain. Arctic coastal sediments, coastal marine waters and surface snow are known sites for MeHg production. Observations on marine Hg dynamics, however, have been restricted to the Canadian Archipelago and the Beaufort Sea (Ocean (79-90 °N) profiles for total mercury (tHg) and MeHg. We find elevated tHg and MeHg concentrations in the marginal sea ice zone (81-85 °N). Similar to other open ocean basins, Arctic MeHg concentration maxima also occur in the pycnocline waters, but at much shallower depths (150-200 m). The shallow MeHg maxima just below the productive surface layer possibly result in enhanced biological uptake at the base of the Arctic marine food web and may explain the elevated MeHg concentrations in Arctic biota. We suggest that Arctic warming, through thinning sea ice, extension of the seasonal sea ice zone, intensified surface ocean stratification and shifts in plankton ecodynamics, will likely lead to higher marine MeHg production.

Distribution of PAHs and the PAH-degrading bacteria in the deep-sea sediments of the high-latitude Arctic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Dong, C.; Bai, X.; Sheng, H.; Jiao, L.; Zhou, H.; Shao, Z.

2015-04-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) are common organic pollutants that can be transferred long distances and tend to accumulate in marine sediments. However, less is known regarding the distribution of PAHs and their natural bioattenuation in the open sea, especially the Arctic Ocean. In this report, sediment samples were collected at four sites from the Chukchi Plateau to the Makarov Basin in the summer of 2010. PAH compositions and total concentrations were examined with GC-MS. The concentrations of 16 EPA-priority PAHs varied from 2.0 to 41.6 ng g-1 dry weight and decreased with sediment depth and movement from the southern to the northern sites. Among the targeted PAHs, phenanthrene was relatively abundant in all sediments. The 16S rRNA gene of the total environmental DNA was analyzed with Illumina high-throughput sequencing (IHTS) to determine the diversity of bacteria involved in PAH degradation in situ. The potential degraders including Cycloclasticus, Pseudomonas, Halomonas, Pseudoalteromonas, Marinomonas, Bacillus, Dietzia, Colwellia, Acinetobacter, Alcanivorax, Salinisphaera and Shewanella, with Dietzia as the most abundant, occurred in all sediment samples. Meanwhile, enrichment with PAHs was initiated onboard and transferred to the laboratory for further enrichment and to obtain the degrading consortia. Most of the abovementioned bacteria in addition to Hahella, Oleispira, Oceanobacter and Hyphomonas occurred alternately as predominant members in the enrichment cultures from different sediments based on IHTS and PCR-DGGE analysis. To reconfirm their role in PAH degradation, 40 different bacteria were isolated and characterized, among which Cycloclasticus Pseudomonas showed the best degradation capability under low temperatures. Taken together, PAHs and PAH-degrading bacteria were widespread in the deep-sea sediments of the Arctic Ocean. We propose that bacteria of Cycloclasticus, Pseudomonas, Pseudoalteromonas, Halomonas, Marinomonas and Dietzia may

Role of small-sized copepods in the lipid-driven Arctic marine food web

Science.gov (United States)

Daase, M.; Boissonnot, L.; Graeve, M.; Søreide, J.; Niehoff, B.

2016-02-01

Despite of the low individual biomass of small-sized copepods such as the calanoid Pseudocalanus minutus and the cyclopoid Oithona similis, they are extremely numerous which make them an important trophic component in Arctic marine ecosystems. Due to the strong seasonality in light and thus primary production and food availability, the accumulation of lipid reserves is a key feature in Arctic marine ecosystems. However, very few studies exist on the lipid biochemistry of small copepods such as P. minutus and O. similis. In order to investigate the importance of these species in terms of transfer of lipids from primary production to higher trophic levels, feeding experiments were conducted, based on animals from Billefjorden, a high-Arctic fjord in Svalbard, Norway. A mixture of 13C labeled flagellates and diatoms was fed to the animals and the transfer and assimilation of lipid carbon, fatty acids and fatty alcohols was analyzed with gas chromatography-IRMS technique (CSIA). The results revealed that both species were incorporating dietary lipids in high quantities. The highest accumulation occurred in P. minutus in which 54.4% of the lipids were exchanged after 21 days, whereas 9.4% were assimilated in O. similis. Hence, at least this amount of carbon was used for metabolism and replaced by feeding. The lipid composition of the copepods did not reflect exactly the algal lipids, and differed between P. minutus and O. similis. Our results suggested intrinsic preferences in the accumulation of particular fatty acids, probably related to species-specific body requirements. This emphasizes the importance of also food quality in Arctic marine systems. Due to the relatively high lipid turnover rates in particularly in P. minutus, also small copepods are important drivers of the lipid-driven Arctic marine food web.

Chemical pollution in the Arctic and Sub-Arctic marine ecosystems: an overview of current knowledge

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Savinova, T N; Gabrielsen, G W; Falk-Petersen, S

1995-02-01

This report is part of a research project in the framework of the Norwegian-Russian Environmental Cooperation, which was initiated in 1991 to elucidate the present status of environmental contaminants in the highly sensitive Arctic aquatic ecosystem, with special focus on sea birds. Although these ecosystems are the least polluted areas in the world, they are contaminated. The main pathways of contamination into Arctic and sub-Arctic marine ecosystems are atmospheric transport, ocean currents and rivers and in some areas, dumping and ship accidents. A literature survey reveals: (1) there is a lack of data from several trophic levels, (2) previous data are difficult to compare with recent data because of increased quality requirement, (3) not much has been done to investigate the effects of contaminants on the cellular level, at individual or population levels. 389 refs., 7 figs., 32 tabs.

Late quaternary palaeo-oceanography and palaeo-climatology from sediment cores of the eastern Arctic Ocean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pagels, U.; Koehler, S.

1991-01-01

Box cores recovered along a N-S transect in the Eurasian Basin allow the establishment of a time scale for the Late Quaternary history of the Arctic Ocean, based on stable oxygen isotope stratigraphy and AMS 14 C dating of planktonic foraminifers (N. pachyderma I.c.). This high resolution stratigraphy, in combination with sedimentological investigations (e.g. coarse fraction analysis, carbonate content, productivity of foraminifers), was carried out to reconstruct the glacial and inter-glacial Arctic Ocean palaeo-environment The sediment cores, which can be correlated throughout the sampling area in the Eastern Arctic Ocean, were dated as representing oxygen isotope stages 1 to 4/5. The sedimentation rates varied between a few mm/ka in glacials and approximately one cm/ka during the Holocene. The sediments allow a detailed sedimentological description of the depositional regime and the palaeo-oceanography of the Eastern Arctic Ocean. Changing ratios of biogenic and lithogenic components in the sediments reflect variations in the oceanographic circulation pattern in the Eurasian Basin during the Late Quaternary. Carbonate content (1-9wt.%), productivity of foraminifers (high in interglacial, low in glacial stages) and the terrigenous components are in good correlation with glacial and inter-glacial climatic fluctuations

The challenges of marine spatial planning in the Arctic: Results from the ACCESS programme.

Science.gov (United States)

Edwards, Rosemary; Evans, Alan

2017-12-01

Marine spatial planning is increasingly used to manage the demands on marine areas, both spatially and temporally, where several different users may compete for resources or space, to ensure that development is as sustainable as possible. Diminishing sea-ice coverage in the Arctic will allow for potential increases in economic exploitation, and failure to plan for cross-sectoral management could have negative economic and environmental results. During the ACCESS programme, a marine spatial planning tool was developed for the Arctic, enabling the integrated study of human activities related to hydrocarbon exploitation, shipping and fisheries, and the possible environmental impacts, within the context of the next 30 years of climate change. In addition to areas under national jurisdiction, the Arctic Ocean contains a large area of high seas. Resources and ecosystems extend across political boundaries. We use three examples to highlight the need for transboundary planning and governance to be developed at a regional level.

Submarine landslides in Arctic sedimentation: Canada Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Mosher, David C.; Shimeld, John; Hutchinson, Deborah R.; Lebedova-Ivanova, N; Chapman, C.

2016-01-01

Canada Basin of the Arctic Ocean is the least studied ocean basin in the World. Marine seismic field programs were conducted over the past 6 years using Canadian and American icebreakers. These expeditions acquired more than 14,000 line-km of multibeam bathymetric and multi-channel seismic reflection data over abyssal plain, continental rise and slope regions of Canada Basin; areas where little or no seismic reflection data existed previously. Canada Basin is a turbidite-filled basin with flat-lying reflections correlateable over 100s of km. For the upper half of the sedimentary succession, evidence of sedimentary processes other than turbidity current deposition is rare. The Canadian Archipelago and Beaufort Sea margins host stacked mass transport deposits from which many of these turbidites appear to derive. The stratigraphic succession of the MacKenzie River fan is dominated by mass transport deposits; one such complex is in excess of 132,000 km2 in area and underlies much of the southern abyssal plain. The modern seafloor is also scarred with escarpments and mass failure deposits; evidence that submarine landsliding is an ongoing process. In its latest phase of development, Canada Basin is geomorphologically confined with stable oceanographic structure, resulting in restricted depositional/reworking processes. The sedimentary record, therefore, underscores the significance of mass-transport processes in providing sediments to oceanic abyssal plains as few other basins are able to do.

Climate change alters the structure of arctic marine food webs due to poleward shifts of boreal generalists.

Science.gov (United States)

Kortsch, Susanne; Primicerio, Raul; Fossheim, Maria; Dolgov, Andrey V; Aschan, Michaela

2015-09-07

Climate-driven poleward shifts, leading to changes in species composition and relative abundances, have been recently documented in the Arctic. Among the fastest moving species are boreal generalist fish which are expected to affect arctic marine food web structure and ecosystem functioning substantially. Here, we address structural changes at the food web level induced by poleward shifts via topological network analysis of highly resolved boreal and arctic food webs of the Barents Sea. We detected considerable differences in structural properties and link configuration between the boreal and the arctic food webs, the latter being more modular and less connected. We found that a main characteristic of the boreal fish moving poleward into the arctic region of the Barents Sea is high generalism, a property that increases connectance and reduces modularity in the arctic marine food web. Our results reveal that habitats form natural boundaries for food web modules, and that generalists play an important functional role in coupling pelagic and benthic modules. We posit that these habitat couplers have the potential to promote the transfer of energy and matter between habitats, but also the spread of pertubations, thereby changing arctic marine food web structure considerably with implications for ecosystem dynamics and functioning. © 2015 The Authors.

Matrix effects on organic pollutants analysis in marine sediment

Science.gov (United States)

Azis, M. Y.; Asia, L.; Piram, A.; Buchari, B.; Doumenq, P.; Setiyanto, H.

2018-05-01

Interference from the matrix sample can influence of the accurate analytical method. Accelerated Solvent Extraction and their purification methods were tried to separate the organic micropollutants respectively in marine sediment. Those matrix were as organic pollutants evaluation in marine environment. Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCBs) and Organochlorine pesticides (OCPs) are two examples organic pollutant in environment which are carcinogenic and mutagenic. Marine sediments are important matrices of information regarding the human activities in coastal areas as well as the fate and behavior of organic pollutants, which are persistent in long-term. This research purpose to evaluate the matrice effect and the recovery from marine sediment spiking with several standar solution and deuterium of molecular target from organic pollutants in not polluted sample of sediment. Matrice samples was tested from indicate in unpolluted location. The methods were evaluated with standard calibration curve (linearity LOQ). Recovery (YE) relative, Matrice Effect (ME) relative correction with deuteriated standar were evaluated the interference the matrix. Interference effect for OCPs compounds were higher than PCBs in marine sediment.

Organophosphate Ester Flame Retardants and Plasticizers in Ocean Sediments from the North Pacific to the Arctic Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Ma, Yuxin; Xie, Zhiyong; Lohmann, Rainer; Mi, Wenying; Gao, Guoping

2017-04-04

The presence of organophosphate ester (OPE) flame retardants and plasticizers in surface sediment from the North Pacific to Arctic Ocean was observed for the first time during the fourth National Arctic Research Expedition of China in the summer of 2010. The samples were analyzed for three halogenated OPEs [tris(2-chloroethyl) phosphate (TCEP), tris(1-chloro-2-propyl) phosphate (TCPP), and tris(dichloroisopropyl) phosphate], three alkylated OPEs [triisobutyl phosphate (TiBP), tri-n-butyl phosphate, and tripentyl phosphate], and triphenyl phosphate. Σ 7 OPEs (total concentration of the observed OPEs) was in the range of 159-4658 pg/g of dry weight. Halogenated OPEs were generally more abundant than the nonhalogenated OPEs; TCEP and TiBP dominated the overall concentrations. Except for that of the Bering Sea, Σ 7 OPEs values increased with increasing latitudes from Bering Strait to the Central Arctic Ocean, while the contributions of halogenated OPEs (typically TCEP and TCPP) to the total OPE profile also increased from the Bering Strait to the Central Arctic Ocean, indicating they are more likely to be transported to the remote Arctic. The median budget of 52 (range of 17-292) tons for Σ 7 OPEs in sediment from the Central Arctic Ocean represents only a very small amount of their total production volume, yet the amount of OPEs in Arctic Ocean sediment was significantly larger than the sum of polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in the sediment, indicating they are equally prone to long-range transport away from source regions. Given the increasing level of production and usage of OPEs as substitutes of PBDEs, OPEs will continue to accumulate in the remote Arctic.

Impacts of ocean acidification on sediment processes in shallow waters of the Arctic Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Gazeau, Frédéric; van Rijswijk, Pieter; Pozzato, Lara; Middelburg, Jack J

2014-01-01

Despite the important roles of shallow-water sediments in global biogeochemical cycling, the effects of ocean acidification on sedimentary processes have received relatively little attention. As high-latitude cold waters can absorb more CO2 and usually have a lower buffering capacity than warmer waters, acidification rates in these areas are faster than those in sub-tropical regions. The present study investigates the effects of ocean acidification on sediment composition, processes and sediment-water fluxes in an Arctic coastal system. Undisturbed sediment cores, exempt of large dwelling organisms, were collected, incubated for a period of 14 days, and subject to a gradient of pCO2 covering the range of values projected for the end of the century. On five occasions during the experimental period, the sediment cores were isolated for flux measurements (oxygen, alkalinity, dissolved inorganic carbon, ammonium, nitrate, nitrite, phosphate and silicate). At the end of the experimental period, denitrification rates were measured and sediment samples were taken at several depth intervals for solid-phase analyses. Most of the parameters and processes (i.e. mineralization, denitrification) investigated showed no relationship with the overlying seawater pH, suggesting that ocean acidification will have limited impacts on the microbial activity and associated sediment-water fluxes on Arctic shelves, in the absence of active bio-irrigating organisms. Only following a pH decrease of 1 pH unit, not foreseen in the coming 300 years, significant enhancements of calcium carbonate dissolution and anammox rates were observed. Longer-term experiments on different sediment types are still required to confirm the limited impact of ocean acidification on shallow Arctic sediment processes as observed in this study.

Factors Effecting Adsorption of 137 Cs in Marine Sediment Samples in Marine Sediment Samples from the Upper Gulf of Thailand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saengkul, C.; Sawangwong, P.; Pakkong, P.

2014-01-01

Contamination of 137 Cs in sediment is a far more serious problem than in water because sediment is a main transport factor of 137 Cs to the aquatic environmental. Most of 137 Cs in water could be accumulated in sediment which has direct effect to benthos. This study focused on factors effecting the adsorption of 137Cs in marine sediment samples collected from four different estuary sites to assess the transfer direction of 137 Cs from water to sediment that the study method by treat 137 Cs into seawater and mixed with different sediment samples for 4 days. The result indicated that properties of marine sediment (cation exchange capacity (CEC), organic matter, clay content, texture, type of clay mineral and size of soil particle) had effects on 137 Cs adsorption. CEC and clay content correlated positively with the accumulation of 137 Cs in the marine sediment samples. On the other hand, organic matter in sediment correlated negatively with the accumulation of 137 Cs in samples. The study of environmental effects (pH and potassium) found that the 137 Cs adsorption decreased when concentration of potassium increased. The pH effect is still unclear in this study because the differentiation of pH levels (6, 7, 8.3) did not have effects on 137 Cs adsorption in the samples.

Impact of CryoSat-2 for marine gravity field - globally and in the Arctic Ocean

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Ole Baltazar; Stenseng, Lars; Knudsen, Per

GDR data, NOAA LRM data, but also Level1b (LRM, SAR and SAR-in waveforms) data have been analyzed. A suite of eight different empirical retrackers have been developed and investigated for their ability to predict marine gravity in the Arctic Ocean. The impact of the various improvement offered by Cryo...... days repeat offered by CryoSat-2 provides denser coverage than older geodetic mission data set like ERS-1. Thirdly, the 92 degree inclination of CryoSat-2 is designed to map more of the Arctic Ocean than previous altimetric satellites. Finally, CryoSat-2 is able to operate in two new modes (SAR and SAR......Sat-2 in comparison with conventional satellite altimetry have been studied and quantified both globally but particularly for the Arctic Ocean using a large number of marine and airborne surveys providing “ground truth” marine gravity....

Brominated flame retardants in the Arctic environment--trends and new candidates.

Science.gov (United States)

de Wit, Cynthia A; Herzke, Dorte; Vorkamp, Katrin

2010-07-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) containing two to 10 bromines are ubiquitous in the Arctic, in both abiotic and biotic samples. Hexabromocyclododecane (HBCD) is also ubiquitous in the Arctic, with the gamma-HBCD isomer predominating in air, the alpha-HBCD isomer predominating in biota and similar concentrations of alpha-, beta- and gamma-HBCD found in marine sediments. Other brominated flame retardants (BFRs) found in some Arctic samples are polybrominated biphenyls (PBBs), tetrabromobisphenol A (TBBPA), 1,2-bis(2,4,6-tribromophenoxy)ethane (BTBPE), hexabromobenzene (HxBBz), pentabromoethylbenzene (PBEB), pentabromotoluene (PBT), and 1,2-dibromo-4-(1,2-dibromoethyl)cyclohexane (TBECH). Temporal trends of tetra- to heptaBDEs and HBCD show increasing concentrations or a tendency to levelling off depending on the matrix (air, sediment, biota) and location, but no uniform picture for the Arctic emerges. BDE-209 concentrations are increasing in air. PBDEs and HBCD spatial trends in seabirds and marine mammals are similar to those seen previously for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), with highest concentrations found in organisms from East Greenland and Svalbard. These trends indicate western Europe and eastern North America as important source regions of these compounds via long range atmospheric transport and ocean currents. Latitudinal trends showed lower concentrations and fluxes of PBDEs at higher latitudes. The tetra-hexaBDEs and alpha-HBCD biomagnify in Arctic food webs. Results for BDE-209 are more conflicting, showing either only low or no biomagnification potential. PBDE and HBCD concentrations are lower in terrestrial organisms and higher in marine top predators such as some killer whale populations in Alaska and glaucous gulls from the Barents Sea area. Higher concentrations are seen near populated areas indicating local sources. Findings of BTBPE, HxBBz, PBEB, PBT and TBECH in seabirds and/or marine mammals indicate that these compounds reach the

Fifteenth Arctic and Marine Oilspill Program technical seminar

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1992-01-01

At a seminar focusing on Arctic and marine oil spills, papers were presented on the behavior and fate of spilled oil, assessment of oil spill damage and risk, spill response initiatives, research and experimentation in oil spills, spill contingency planning, remote sensing, oil spill countermeasures, in-situ burning, bioremediation, biological effects of spills, and shoreline cleanup. Separate abstracts have been prepared for 57 papers from this seminar.

Isolation and Physiological Characterization of Psychrophilic Denitrifying Bacteria from Permanently Cold Arctic Fjord Sediments (Svalbard, Norway)

Science.gov (United States)

Canion, Andy; Prakash, Om; Green, Stefan J.; Jahnke, Linda; Kuypers, Marcel M. M.; Kostka, Joel E.

2013-01-01

A large proportion of reactive nitrogen loss from polar sediments is mediated by denitrification, but microorganisms mediating denitrification in polar environments remain poorly characterized. A combined approach of most-probable-number (MPN) enumeration, cultivation and physiological characterization was used to describe psychrophilic denitrifying bacterial communities in sediments of three Arctic fjords in Svalbard (Norway). A MPN assay showed the presence of 10(sup 3)-10(sup 6) cells of psychrophilic nitrate-respiring bacteria g(sup -1) of sediment. Fifteen strains within the Proteobacteria were isolated using a systematic enrichment approach with organic acids as electron donors and nitrate as an electron acceptor. Isolates belonged to five genera, including Shewanella, Pseudomonas, Psychromonas (Gammaproteobacteria), Arcobacter (Epsilonproteobacteria) and Herminiimonas (Betaproteobacteria). All isolates were denitrifiers, except Shewanella, which exhibited the capacity for dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). Growth from 0 to 40 degC demonstrated that all genera except Shewanella were psychrophiles with optimal growth below 15 degC, and adaptation to low temperature was demonstrated as a shift from primarily C16:0 saturated fatty acids to C16:1 monounsaturated fatty acids at lower temperatures. This study provides the first targeted enrichment and characterization of psychrophilic denitrifying bacteria from polar sediments, and two genera, Arcobacter and Herminiimonas, are isolated for the first time from permanently cold marine sediments.

Sediment impacts on marine sponges.

Science.gov (United States)

Bell, James J; McGrath, Emily; Biggerstaff, Andrew; Bates, Tracey; Bennett, Holly; Marlow, Joseph; Shaffer, Megan

2015-05-15

Changes in sediment input to marine systems can influence benthic environments in many ways. Sponges are important components of benthic ecosystems world-wide and as sessile suspension feeders are likely to be impacted by changes in sediment levels. Despite this, little is known about how sponges respond to changes in settled and suspended sediment. Here we review the known impacts of sedimentation on sponges and their adaptive capabilities, whilst highlighting gaps in our understanding of sediment impacts on sponges. Although the literature clearly shows that sponges are influenced by sediment in a variety of ways, most studies confer that sponges are able to tolerate, and in some cases thrive, in sedimented environments. Critical gaps exist in our understanding of the physiological responses of sponges to sediment, adaptive mechanisms, tolerance limits, and the particularly the effect of sediment on early life history stages. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

PCBs and PCDD/Fs distribution in tissues and organs of marine animals in Russian Arctic

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Amirova, Z.; Kruglov, E.; Loshkina, E.; Khalilov, R. [Environmental Research and Protection Centre, Ufa (Russian Federation); Melnikov, S.; Vlasov, S. [Regional Centre Monitoring of the Arctic, St. Petersburg (Russian Federation)

2004-09-15

Studies of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the Russian Arctic were conducted recently by a Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Program (AMAP) project. This project developed new data on the POPs pollution levels in the environment and biosphere, including PCBs and PCDD/Fs, in arctic regions of Russia. Transboundary transport and biomagnification within food chains in arctic regions result in POPs accumulation in tissues of fish and marine animals. The aim of this study was to determine the concentration of indicator PCBs, co-planar PCBs and PCDD/Fs in different tissues and organs of seals, walruses and whales caught near the seashore of Chukotski Peninsula (settlement of Lavrenty), Russia, to determine the background level of arctic biota pollution and to study distribution of toxicants in organisms of marine animals. Sampling was made in the course of the 1{sup st} and the 2{sup nd} stages of the 4{sup th} phase of Raipon/AMAP/GEF project ''Persistent Toxic Substances (PTS), Food Security and Indigenous Peoples of the Russian North'' in 2002 by researchers of the Regional Center for Monitoring of the Arctic (RCMA), St. Petersburg, Russia.

Fitting sediment rating curves using regression analysis: a case study of Russian Arctic rivers

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. I. Tananaev

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Published suspended sediment data for Arctic rivers is scarce. Suspended sediment rating curves for three medium to large rivers of the Russian Arctic were obtained using various curve-fitting techniques. Due to the biased sampling strategy, the raw datasets do not exhibit log-normal distribution, which restricts the applicability of a log-transformed linear fit. Non-linear (power model coefficients were estimated using the Levenberg-Marquardt, Nelder-Mead and Hooke-Jeeves algorithms, all of which generally showed close agreement. A non-linear power model employing the Levenberg-Marquardt parameter evaluation algorithm was identified as an optimal statistical solution of the problem. Long-term annual suspended sediment loads estimated using the non-linear power model are, in general, consistent with previously published results.

Fitting sediment rating curves using regression analysis: a case study of Russian Arctic rivers

Science.gov (United States)

Tananaev, N. I.

2015-03-01

Published suspended sediment data for Arctic rivers is scarce. Suspended sediment rating curves for three medium to large rivers of the Russian Arctic were obtained using various curve-fitting techniques. Due to the biased sampling strategy, the raw datasets do not exhibit log-normal distribution, which restricts the applicability of a log-transformed linear fit. Non-linear (power) model coefficients were estimated using the Levenberg-Marquardt, Nelder-Mead and Hooke-Jeeves algorithms, all of which generally showed close agreement. A non-linear power model employing the Levenberg-Marquardt parameter evaluation algorithm was identified as an optimal statistical solution of the problem. Long-term annual suspended sediment loads estimated using the non-linear power model are, in general, consistent with previously published results.

Exploring the Contribution of Primary Marine Organic Matter to the Arctic Boundary Layer

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, D. B.; Chang, R. Y. W.; Boyer, M.; Abbatt, J.

2016-12-01

The ocean is a significant source of aerosol to the atmosphere, and contributes significantly to the aerosol population especially in remote locations. Both primary and secondary processes connect the ocean to ambient aerosol loadings, but the extent to which the ocean is a source of organic material to the atmosphere is a current topic of scientific debate. The contribution of primary marine aerosol to atmospheric organic matter may have an influence on the water uptake properties and chemical reactivity of primary marine aerosol particles, influencing their climate-relevant properties. In this study, we characterize the contribution of primary marine aerosol to the arctic marine boundary layer using coincident quantitative measurements of freshly-produced sea spray aerosol and ambient marine aerosol to the arctic boundary layer during an expedition aboard the CCGS Amundsen. Sea spray production experiments were conducted during the cruise using a tank fitted with a plunging waterfall apparatus, a technique which has been recently shown to closely mimic the aerosol production behavior of controlled breaking waves. Comparison of the chemical composition of sea spray particles generated from water samples in various locations throughout the Canadian Archipelago will be presented. A tracer analysis of specific compounds known to be important contributors to primary marine organic material are tracked using GC/MS, along with those known to be tracers of biological aerosol and other organic matter sources. Size-segregated trends in tracer concentrations and ratios with inorganic components will be discussed in the context of understanding the contribution of primary organics to the Arctic atmosphere and in comparison with other sources of organic material observed during the ship-board campaign.

Microbial diversity and stratification of South Pacific abyssal marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Durbin, Alan M; Teske, Andreas

2011-12-01

Abyssal marine sediments cover a large proportion of the ocean floor, but linkages between their microbial community structure and redox stratification have remained poorly constrained. This study compares the downcore gradients in microbial community composition to porewater oxygen and nitrate concentration profiles in an abyssal marine sediment column in the South Pacific Ocean. Archaeal 16S rRNA clone libraries showed a stratified archaeal community that changed from Marine Group I Archaea in the aerobic and nitrate-reducing upper sediment column towards deeply branching, uncultured crenarchaeotal and euryarchaeotal lineages in nitrate-depleted, anaerobic sediment horizons. Bacterial 16S rRNA clone libraries revealed a similar shift on the phylum and subphylum level within the bacteria, from a complex community of Alpha-, Gamma- and Deltaproteobacteria, Actinobacteria and Gemmatimonadetes in oxic surface sediments towards uncultured Chloroflexi and Planctomycetes in the anaerobic sediment column. The distinct stratification of largely uncultured bacterial and archaeal groups within the oxic and nitrate-reducing marine sediment column provides initial constraints for their microbial habitat preferences. © 2011 Society for Applied Microbiology and Blackwell Publishing Ltd.

Convenient method of color measurement of marine sediments by colorimeter

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nagao, S [Japan Atomic Energy Research Inst., Ibaragi (Japan); Nakashima, S [Akita Univ., Akita (Japan). Research Inst. of Natural Resources

1991-01-01

Marine sediments exhibit various colors such as cream, gray, green, red, brown and black. Marine scientists conventionally judged colors of various types of marine sediments by visual observation which has several disadvantages. The purpose of the present study is to establish a color measurement method for various colors of dried marine sediments with the calorimeter and also to try a color measurement of wet core samples on board the ship. A colorimeter (Minolta Chroma Meter CR-200) was used to describe colors of wet and powdered sediment samples in L{sup *}a{sup *}b{sup *} values of the second CIE 1976 color space. Materials studied in this experiment for the color determination are from Japan sea(18 samples from 0-40.5 cm depth), East Pacific(21 samples from 0-42 cm depth) and Suruga Bay(23 samples from 0-110 cm depth), etc. As a result, the following conclusions have been derived : The sensitivity and accuracy of the method are reasonably satisfied for the color description of marine sediments; This method can be applied to shipboard color measurements of original wet sediments with careful consideration of variations of these parameters. 11 refs., 5 figs., 5 tabs.

Design of a marine sediment trap and accessories

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Janakiraman, G.; Fernando, V.; Venkatesan, R.; Rajaraman, V.S.

The marine sediment trap and the mooring accessories were developed indigenously and were used successfully for the collection of settling sediments in the Arabian Sea The experience gained in using sediment trap and further improvements...

Microbial bioavailability regulates organic matter preservation in marine sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koho, K. A.; Nierop, K. G. J.; Moodley, L.; Middelburg, J. J.; Pozzato, L.; Soetaert, K.; van der Plicht, J.; Reichart, G-J.; Herndl, G.

2013-01-01

Burial of organic matter (OM) plays an important role in marine sediments, linking the short-term, biological carbon cycle with the long-term, geological subsurface cycle. It is well established that low-oxygen conditions promote organic carbon burial in marine sediments. However, the mechanism

Persistent toxic substances in remote lake and coastal sediments from Svalbard, Norwegian Arctic: Levels, sources and fluxes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jiao Liping; Zheng, Gene J.; Minh, Tu Binh; Richardson, Bruce; Chen Liqi; Zhang Yuanhui; Yeung, Leo W.; Lam, James C.W.; Yan, Xulin; Lam, Paul K.S.; Wong, Ming H.

2009-01-01

Surface sediments from remote lakes and coastal areas from Ny-Alesund, Svalbard, Norwegian Arctic were analyzed for polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and organochlorine pesticides (OCPs). Relatively high levels of PAHs were encountered from several lakes from Ny-Alesund, which were within the range of levels reported for European high mountain lakes and some urban/industrialized areas in the world, pointing to the role of remote Arctic lakes as potential reservoir of semi-volatile organic compounds. Specific patterns of PBDEs were observed, showing higher concentrations of lower brominated compounds such as BDE-7, 17 and 28. Estimated surface sediment fluxes of PAHs in Ny-Alesund remote lakes were similar to those observed for some European high mountain lakes. The current PAH levels in sediments from three lakes exceeded Canadian sediment quality guidelines, suggesting the presence of possible risks for aquatic organisms and the need for further studies. - High levels of PAHs and specific patterns of PBDEs were found in sediments from the remote Norwegian Arctic lakes

Antarctic marine sediments as fingerprints of pollution migration

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Waheed, S.; Ahmad, S.; Rahman, A.; Qureshi, I.H.

2001-01-01

Forty elements in 21 coastal marine sediment samples collected during the second Antarctic scientific expedition from 18 different sites of Brekilen area located at the coast of Antarctica were analysed by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) to detect eventual pollution. Radio-assay schemes for three sets of elements after neutron irradiation and cooling were evolved to avoid matrix effects. Data have been compared with those for sediments of various stations at Antarctica and two other regions in different continents. Lower concentration of certain elements in the Antarctic sediments reflects less environmental exposition. Enrichment factors (EF) were calculated for all the elements using the earth crust as reference matrix, based on elemental values by MASON, TAYLOR and WEDEPOHL which show a normal pattern near to unity expect for Ag and Br. The data obtained could also serve as a reference point from which changes in the global environment can be studied. The quality assurance of data was performed using standard reference materials (SRMs) of a similar matrix (IAEA Marine Sediment SD-M/TM and Chinese Marine Sediment GBW 07313). (author)

Marine sediments as a sink, and contaminated sediments as a diffuse source of radionuclides

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salbu, B.; Borretzen, P.

1997-01-01

Full text: Marine sediments may act as a sink for radionuclides originating from atmospheric fallout (e.g. Chernobyl accident), for radionuclides in discharges from nuclear installations (e.g. Sellafield, UK) for river transported radionuclides, and radionuclides released from nuclear waste dumped at sea (e.g. fjords at Novaya Zemlya). In order to assess short and long term consequences of radionuclides entering the marine ecosystem, the role of sediments as a relatively permanent sink and the potential for contaminated sediments to act as a diffuse source should be focused. The retention of radionuclides in sediments will depend on the source term, i.e. the physico-chemical forms of radionuclides entering the system and on interactions with various sediment components. Radionuclides associated with particles or aggregating polymers are removed from the water phase by sedimentation, while sorption to surface sediment layers is of relevance for ionic radionuclide species including negatively charged colloids. With time, transformation processes will influence the mobility of radionuclides in sediments. The diffusion into mineral lattices will increase fixation, while the influence of for instance red/ox conditions and bio-erosion may mobilize radionuclides originally fixed in radioactive particles. Thus, information of radionuclides species, surface interactions, transformation processes and kinetics is essential for reducing the uncertainties in marine transfer models. Dynamic model experiments where chemically well defined tracers are added to a sea water-marine sediment system are useful for providing information on time dependent interactions and distribution coefficients. When combined with sequential extraction techniques, information on mobility and rate of fixation is subsequently attained. In the present work experimental results from the Irish Sea and the Kara Sea will be discussed

Bioavailability of sediment-bound contaminants to marine organisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Brown, B. [Battelle/Marine Sciences Lab., Sequim, WA (United States)]|[Colby Coll., Waterville, ME (United States); Neff, J. [Battelle/Marine Sciences Lab., Sequim, WA (United States)]|[Battelle Ocean Sciences, Duxbury, MA (United States)

1993-09-01

The bioavailability of sediment-bound contaminants to marine organisms indicates that there exists a potential for transfer of these contaminants through marine food webs to commercial fisheries products consumed by humans. However, there has been relatively little effort to combine and synthesize data on chemical/biological interactions between benthic animals and seagrasses and the sediments in which they reside on the one hand, and on the chemistry of bioaccumulation on the other. This report provides a conceptual basis for an approach to bioavailability and biomagnification of sediment-bound contaminants that reviews biological and chemical approaches.

High activity and low temperature optima of extracellular enzymes in Arctic sediments: implications for carbon cycling by heterotrophic microbial communities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnosti, C.; Jørgensen, BB

2003-01-01

(chondroitin sulfate, fucoidan, xylan and pullulan) to determine the temperature-activity responses of hydrolysis of a related class of compounds. All 4 enzyme activities showed similarly low temperature optima in the range of 15 to 18degreesC. These temperature optima are considerably lower than most previous......The rate of the initial step in microbial remineralization of organic carbon, extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis, was investigated as a function of temperature in permanently cold sediments from 2 fjords on the west coast of Svalbard (Arctic Ocean). We used 4 structurally distinct polysaccharides...... reports of temperature optima for enzyme activities in marine sediments. At 0degreesC, close to the in situ temperature, these enzyme activities achieved 13 to 38% of their rates at optimum temperatures. In one experiment, sulfate reduction rates were measured in parallel with extracellular enzymatic...

Late to middle Pleistocene Arctic glacial history implied from a sedimentary record from the Northwind Ridge

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Y.; Dong, L.; Shi, X.; Zhu, A.

2017-12-01

Abstract: Sediment core ARC6-C21 collected from the Northwind Ridge, western Arctic Ocean, covers the late to middle Quaternary (Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 1-11), as estimated by correlation to earlier proposed Arctic Ocean stratigraphies and AMS14C dating of the youngest sediments. Detailed examination of the elemental composition of sediment along with grain size in core ARC6-C21 provides important new information about sedimentary environments and provenance. We use increased contents of coarse debris as an indicator of glacier collapse events at the margins of the western Arctic Ocean, and identify the provenance of these events from geochemical composition. Notably, peaks of MgO and CaO, including large dropstones, presumably track the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS) discharge events to the Arctic Ocean. Major LIS inputs occurred during the stratigraphic intervals estimated as MIS 3, intra-MIS 5 and 7 events, MIS 8, and MIS 10. Inputs from the East Siberian Ice Sheet (ESIS) and/or Eurasia Ice Sheet (EIS)are inferred from peaks of SiO2, K2O and Na2O associated with coarse sediment. Major ESIS and/or EIS sedimentary events occurred in the intervals estimated as MIS 2, MIS 4, MIS 6, MIS 8 and MIS 10. Keywords: Sediment core, Pleistocene, western Arctic Ocean, geochemistry, grain size, sediment provenance, glaciations

Microlayer source of oxygenated volatile organic compounds in the summertime marine Arctic boundary layer

Science.gov (United States)

Mungall, Emma L.; Abbatt, Jonathan P. D.; Wentzell, Jeremy J. B.; Lee, Alex K. Y.; Thomas, Jennie L.; Blais, Marjolaine; Gosselin, Michel; Miller, Lisa A.; Papakyriakou, Tim; Willis, Megan D.; Liggio, John

2017-06-01

Summertime Arctic shipboard observations of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) such as organic acids, key precursors of climatically active secondary organic aerosol (SOA), are consistent with a novel source of OVOCs to the marine boundary layer via chemistry at the sea surface microlayer. Although this source has been studied in a laboratory setting, organic acid emissions from the sea surface microlayer have not previously been observed in ambient marine environments. Correlations between measurements of OVOCs, including high levels of formic acid, in the atmosphere (measured by an online high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer) and dissolved organic matter in the ocean point to a marine source for the measured OVOCs. That this source is photomediated is indicated by correlations between the diurnal cycles of the OVOC measurements and solar radiation. In contrast, the OVOCs do not correlate with levels of isoprene, monoterpenes, or dimethyl sulfide. Results from box model calculations are consistent with heterogeneous chemistry as the source of the measured OVOCs. As sea ice retreats and dissolved organic carbon inputs to the Arctic increase, the impact of this source on the summer Arctic atmosphere is likely to increase. Globally, this source should be assessed in other marine environments to quantify its impact on OVOC and SOA burdens in the atmosphere, and ultimately on climate.

Microlayer source of oxygenated volatile organic compounds in the summertime marine Arctic boundary layer.

Science.gov (United States)

Mungall, Emma L; Abbatt, Jonathan P D; Wentzell, Jeremy J B; Lee, Alex K Y; Thomas, Jennie L; Blais, Marjolaine; Gosselin, Michel; Miller, Lisa A; Papakyriakou, Tim; Willis, Megan D; Liggio, John

2017-06-13

Summertime Arctic shipboard observations of oxygenated volatile organic compounds (OVOCs) such as organic acids, key precursors of climatically active secondary organic aerosol (SOA), are consistent with a novel source of OVOCs to the marine boundary layer via chemistry at the sea surface microlayer. Although this source has been studied in a laboratory setting, organic acid emissions from the sea surface microlayer have not previously been observed in ambient marine environments. Correlations between measurements of OVOCs, including high levels of formic acid, in the atmosphere (measured by an online high-resolution time-of-flight mass spectrometer) and dissolved organic matter in the ocean point to a marine source for the measured OVOCs. That this source is photomediated is indicated by correlations between the diurnal cycles of the OVOC measurements and solar radiation. In contrast, the OVOCs do not correlate with levels of isoprene, monoterpenes, or dimethyl sulfide. Results from box model calculations are consistent with heterogeneous chemistry as the source of the measured OVOCs. As sea ice retreats and dissolved organic carbon inputs to the Arctic increase, the impact of this source on the summer Arctic atmosphere is likely to increase. Globally, this source should be assessed in other marine environments to quantify its impact on OVOC and SOA burdens in the atmosphere, and ultimately on climate.

Spatial isses in Arctic marine resource governance workshop summary and comment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kaiser, Brooks; Bakanev, Sergey; Bertelsen, Rasmus

2015-01-01

The rapidly changing Arctic marine ecosystems face new challenges and opportunities that are increasing and shifting governance needs in the region. A group of economists, ecologists, biologists, political scientists and resource managers met in Stockholm, SE, Sept 4–6, 2014 to discuss the govern...

An Ocean Basin of Dirt? Using Molecular Biomarkers and Radiocarbon to Identify Organic Carbon Sources and their Preservation in the Arctic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Harvey, H.; Belicka, L. L.

2005-12-01

In the modern Arctic Ocean, primary production in waters over the broad continental shelves and under ice contributes an estimated 250 Mt/yr of POC to Arctic waters. The delivery of terrestrial material from large rivers, ice transport and through coastal erosion adds at least an additional 12 Mt/yr of POC. Although the marine organic carbon signal in Arctic Ocean exceeds that of terrestrial carbon by an order or magnitude or more, recent evidence suggests that this balance is not maintained and significant fractions of terrestrial carbon is preserved in sediments. Using an integrated approach combining lipid biomarkers and radiocarbon dating in particles and sediments, the process of organic carbon recycling and historical changes in its sources and preservation has been examined. A suite of lipid biomarkers in particles and sediments of western Arctic shelves and basins were measured and principle components analysis (PCA) used to allow a robust comparison among the 120+ individual compounds to assign organic sources and relative inputs. Offshore particles from the chlorophyll maximum contained abundant algal markers (e.g. 20:5 and 22:6 FAMEs), low concentrations of terrestrial markers (amyrins and 24-ethylcholest-5-en-3b-ol), and reflected modern 14C values. Particles present in deeper halocline waters also reflect marine production, but a portion of older, terrestrial carbon accompanies the sinking of the spring bloom. Surface and deeper sediments of basins contain older organic carbon and low concentrations of algal biomarkers, suggesting that marine carbon produced in surface waters is rapidly recycled. Taken together, these observations suggest that marine derived organic matter produced in shallow waters fuels carbon cycling, but relatively small amounts are preserved in sediments. As a result, the organic carbon preserved in sediments contrasts sharply to that typically observed in lower latitudes, with an increasing terrestrial signature with distance

Naval Research Laboratory Arctic Initiatives

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-01

Campaign Code 7420 Arctic Modeling Code 7320/7500/7600 In-situ NRL, CRREL NRL boreholes Strategy Remote Sensing Synergism −Collect in-situ...Navy and Marine Corps Corporate Laboratory An array of BMFCs being prepared for deployment. Each BMFC consists of a weighted anode laid flat onto...Gas CH4 E C D CO2 BGHS Free Methane Gas Hydrates HCO3- HCO3- Seismic and geochemical data to predict deep sediment hydrates Estimate spatial

Acquiring Marine Data in the Canada Basin, Arctic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Hutchinson, Deborah R.; Jackson, H. Ruth; Shimeld, John W.; Chapman, C. Borden; Childs, Jonathan R.; Funck, Thomas; Rowland, Robert W.

2009-06-01

Despite the record minimum ice extent in the Arctic Ocean for the past 2 years, collecting geophysical data with towed sensors in ice-covered regions continues to pose enormous challenges. Significant parts of the Canada Basin in the western Arctic Ocean have remained largely unmapped because thick multiyear ice has limited access even by research vessels strengthened against ice [Jackson et al., 1990]. Because of the resulting paucity of data, the western Arctic Ocean is one of the few areas of ocean in the world where major controversies still exist with respect to its origin and tectonic evolution [Grantz et al., 1990; Lawver and Scotese, 1990; Lane, 1997; Miller et al., 2006]. This article describes the logistical challenges and initial data sets from geophysical seismic reflection, seismic refraction, and hydrographic surveys in the Canada Basin conducted by scientists with U.S. and Canadian government agencies (Figure 1a) to fulfill the requirements of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea to determine sediment thickness, geological origin, and basin evolution in this unexplored part of the world. Some of these data were collected using a single ship, but the heaviest ice conditions necessitated using two icebreakers, similar to other recent Arctic surveys [e.g., Jokat, 2003].

Climate-driven changes in functional biogeography of Arctic marine fish communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Frainer, André; Primicerio, Raul; Kortsch, Susanne; Aune, Magnus; Dolgov, Andrey V; Fossheim, Maria; Aschan, Michaela M

2017-11-14

Climate change triggers poleward shifts in species distribution leading to changes in biogeography. In the marine environment, fish respond quickly to warming, causing community-wide reorganizations, which result in profound changes in ecosystem functioning. Functional biogeography provides a framework to address how ecosystem functioning may be affected by climate change over large spatial scales. However, there are few studies on functional biogeography in the marine environment, and none in the Arctic, where climate-driven changes are most rapid and extensive. We investigated the impact of climate warming on the functional biogeography of the Barents Sea, which is characterized by a sharp zoogeographic divide separating boreal from Arctic species. Our unique dataset covered 52 fish species, 15 functional traits, and 3,660 stations sampled during the recent warming period. We found that the functional traits characterizing Arctic fish communities, mainly composed of small-sized bottom-dwelling benthivores, are being rapidly replaced by traits of incoming boreal species, particularly the larger, longer lived, and more piscivorous species. The changes in functional traits detected in the Arctic can be predicted based on the characteristics of species expected to undergo quick poleward shifts in response to warming. These are the large, generalist, motile species, such as cod and haddock. We show how functional biogeography can provide important insights into the relationship between species composition, diversity, ecosystem functioning, and environmental drivers. This represents invaluable knowledge in a period when communities and ecosystems experience rapid climate-driven changes across biogeographical regions. Copyright © 2017 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

Simulated and observed trends in key variables of the Arctic marine carbon cycle

Science.gov (United States)

Goris, Nadine; Heinze, Christoph; Lauvset, Siv; Petrenko, Dmitry; Pozdnyakov, Dmitry; Schwinger, Jörg

2013-04-01

For the Arctic region, a thorough monitoring of the marine carbon cycle is important, as the general "polar amplification" of climate change also translates into the biogeochemical realm. As compared to the global ocean, the sink for human-produced CO2 is fairly small in the Arctic Ocean itself. Nevertheless, it is important to follow up this Arctic sink as a further control of the regional carbon budget and to record changes in the marine carbon cycle on the way towards a "blue Arctic". Since observations on the Arctic are rare, the EU FP7 MONARCH-A project tries to enable adequate descriptions of the status and evolution of the Arctic region Earth system components by generating time series of observation datasets and model hindcasts. In terms of the marine carbon cycle, this analysis focuses mainly on the key variables pCO2 and primary productivity. For oceanic pCO2, the comprehensive data-sets SOCAT and LDEO were combined, while measurements of atmospheric CO2 were collected from the GLOBALVIEW-CO2 data integration project. Monthly Primary Production fields were retrieved from the sensors MODIS and SeaWiFs. In order to get an overall picture of the behavior and trends of those key variables, in addition the physical-biogeochemical model MICOM-HAMOCC-M was employed. The investigation showed that both oceanic and atmospheric pCO2 are consistent variables which have a regular annual cycle and a similar behaviour all over the Arctic for both model and data. In contrast, primary production shows an irregular annual cycle in both range and form, varying over the Arctic. While a few well distributed measurement stations with continuous observations are sufficient to get a comprehensive picture for consistent variables like pCO2, it is relatively difficult and costly to get a comprehensive record of non-consistent variables. Since the provided data-set for primary production covers a relatively short time-scale, it was neither possible to confidently validate the model

Deglacial remobilization of permafrost carbon to sediments along the East Siberian Arctic Seas

Science.gov (United States)

Martens, J.; Wild, B.; Bröder, L.; Andersson, A.; Pearce, C.; O'Regan, M.; Jakobsson, M.; Tesi, T.; Muschitiello, F.; Sköld, M.; Semiletov, I. P.; Dudarev, O.; Gustafsson, O.

2017-12-01

Current climate change is expected to thaw large quantities of permafrost carbon (PF-C) and expose it to degradation which emits greenhouse gases (i.e. CO2 and CH4). Warming causes a gradual deepening of the seasonally thawed active layer surface of permafrost soils, but also the abrupt collapse of deeper Ice Complex Deposits (ICD), especially along Siberian coastlines. It was recently hypothesized that past warming already induced large-scale permafrost degradation after the last glacial, which ultimately amplified climate forcing. We here assess the mobilization of PF-C to East Siberian Arctic Sea sediments during these warming periods. We perform source apportionment using bulk carbon isotopes (ΔΔ14C, δ13C) together with terrestrial biomarkers (CuO-derived lignin phenols) as indicators for PF-C transfer. We apply these techniques to sediment cores (SWERUS-L2) from the Chukchi Sea (4-PC1) and the southern Lomonosov Ridge (31-PC1). We found that PF-C fluxes during the Bølling-Allerød warming (14.7 to 12.7 cal ka BP), the Younger Dryas cooling (12.7 to 11.7 cal ka BP) and the early Holocene warming (until 11 cal ka BP) were overall higher than mid and late Holocene fluxes. In the Chukchi Sea, PF-C burial was 2x higher during the deglaciation (7.2 g m-2 a-1) than in the mid and late Holocene (3.6 g m-2 a-1), and ICD were the dominant source of PF-C (79.1%). Smaller fractions originated from the active layer (9.1%) and marine sources (11.7%). We conclude that thermo-erosion of ICD released large amounts of PF-C to the Chukchi Sea, likely driven by climate warming and the deglacial sea level rise. This contrasts to earlier analyses of Laptev Sea sediments where active layer material from river transport dominated the carbon flux. Preliminary data on lignin phenol concentrations of Lomonosov Ridge sediments suggest that the postglacial remobilization of PF-C was one order of magnitude higher (10x) than during both the preceding glacial and the subsequent Holocene

Transuranic behaviour in marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bowen, V.T.

1982-01-01

This document summarizes the following specific studies concerning the transuranic behaviour in marine environment: 1. Radionuclides in deep sea amphipods; 2. Actinides, 55 Fe and 137 Cs in N. pacific water columns; 3. Vertical profile of artificial radionuclide concentrations in the central Arctic Ocean; 4. Bioturbation and the distributions of fallout radionuclides in Pacific Ocean sediments

Frequent ultrafine particle formation and growth in Canadian Arctic marine and coastal environments

Science.gov (United States)

Collins, Douglas B.; Burkart, Julia; Chang, Rachel Y.-W.; Lizotte, Martine; Boivin-Rioux, Aude; Blais, Marjolaine; Mungall, Emma L.; Boyer, Matthew; Irish, Victoria E.; Massé, Guillaume; Kunkel, Daniel; Tremblay, Jean-Éric; Papakyriakou, Tim; Bertram, Allan K.; Bozem, Heiko; Gosselin, Michel; Levasseur, Maurice; Abbatt, Jonathan P. D.

2017-11-01

The source strength and capability of aerosol particles in the Arctic to act as cloud condensation nuclei have important implications for understanding the indirect aerosol-cloud effect within the polar climate system. It has been shown in several Arctic regions that ultrafine particle (UFP) formation and growth is a key contributor to aerosol number concentrations during the summer. This study uses aerosol number size distribution measurements from shipboard expeditions aboard the research icebreaker CCGS Amundsen in the summers of 2014 and 2016 throughout the Canadian Arctic to gain a deeper understanding of the drivers of UFP formation and growth within this marine boundary layer. UFP number concentrations (diameter > 4 nm) in the range of 101-104 cm-3 were observed during the two seasons, with concentrations greater than 103 cm-3 occurring more frequently in 2016. Higher concentrations in 2016 were associated with UFP formation and growth, with events occurring on 41 % of days, while events were only observed on 6 % of days in 2014. Assessment of relevant parameters for aerosol nucleation showed that the median condensation sink in this region was approximately 1.2 h-1 in 2016 and 2.2 h-1 in 2014, which lie at the lower end of ranges observed at even the most remote stations reported in the literature. Apparent growth rates of all observed events in both expeditions averaged 4.3 ± 4.1 nm h-1, in general agreement with other recent studies at similar latitudes. Higher solar radiation, lower cloud fractions, and lower sea ice concentrations combined with differences in the developmental stage and activity of marine microbial communities within the Canadian Arctic were documented and help explain differences between the aerosol measurements made during the 2014 and 2016 expeditions. These findings help to motivate further studies of biosphere-atmosphere interactions within the Arctic marine environment to explain the production of UFP and their growth to sizes

Sorption kinetics of TNT and RDX in anaerobic freshwater and marine sediments: Batch studies.

Science.gov (United States)

Ariyarathna, Thivanka; Vlahos, Penny; Tobias, Craig; Smith, Richard

2016-01-01

Examination of the partitioning of explosives onto sediment in marine environments is critical to predict the toxicological impacts of worldwide explosive-contaminated sites adjacent to estuaries, wetlands, and the coastal ocean. Marine sediments have been identified as sites of enhanced munitions removal, yet most studies addressing these interactions focus on soils and freshwater sediments. The present study measured the kinetics of 2,4,6-trinitrotoluene (TNT) and hexahydro-1,3,5-trinitro-1,3,5-triazine (RDX) sorption onto 2 marine sediments of varying grain sizes (silt vs sand) and organic carbon (OC) content. Abiotic sediment sorption tests were performed at 23 °C, 15 °C, and 4 °C by spiking TNT and RDX solutions directly into anaerobic sediment slurries. Marine sediments showed significantly higher compound uptake rates (0.30-0.80 h(-1) ) than freshwater silt (0.0046-0.0065 h(-1) ) for both compounds, probably because of lower compound solubilities and a higher pH in marine systems. Equilibrium partition constants are on the same order of magnitude for marine silt (1.1-2.0 L kg(-1) sediment) and freshwater silt (1.4-3.1 L kg(-1) sediment) but lower for marine sand (0.72-0.92 L kg(-1) sediment). Total organic carbon content in marine sediments varied linearly with equilibrium partition constants for TNT and was moderately linear for RDX. Uptake rates and equilibrium constants of explosives are inversely correlated to temperature regardless of sediment type because of kinetic barriers associated with low temperatures. © 2015 SETAC.

Late Cretaceous seasonal ocean variability from the Arctic.

Science.gov (United States)

Davies, Andrew; Kemp, Alan E S; Pike, Jennifer

2009-07-09

The modern Arctic Ocean is regarded as a barometer of global change and amplifier of global warming and therefore records of past Arctic change are critical for palaeoclimate reconstruction. Little is known of the state of the Arctic Ocean in the greenhouse period of the Late Cretaceous epoch (65-99 million years ago), yet records from such times may yield important clues to Arctic Ocean behaviour in near-future warmer climates. Here we present a seasonally resolved Cretaceous sedimentary record from the Alpha ridge of the Arctic Ocean. This palaeo-sediment trap provides new insight into the workings of the Cretaceous marine biological carbon pump. Seasonal primary production was dominated by diatom algae but was not related to upwelling as was previously hypothesized. Rather, production occurred within a stratified water column, involving specially adapted species in blooms resembling those of the modern North Pacific subtropical gyre, or those indicated for the Mediterranean sapropels. With increased CO(2) levels and warming currently driving increased stratification in the global ocean, this style of production that is adapted to stratification may become more widespread. Our evidence for seasonal diatom production and flux testify to an ice-free summer, but thin accumulations of terrigenous sediment within the diatom ooze are consistent with the presence of intermittent sea ice in the winter, supporting a wide body of evidence for low temperatures in the Late Cretaceous Arctic Ocean, rather than recent suggestions of a 15 degrees C mean annual temperature at this time.

Trophic transfer of persistent organochlorine contaminants (OCs) within an Arctic marine food web from the southern Beaufort-Chukchi Seas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hoekstra, P.F.; O'Hara, T.M.; Fisk, A.T.; Borgaa, K.; Solomon, K.R.; Muir, D.C.G.

2003-01-01

The trophic status and biomagnification of persistent OCs within the near-shore Beaufort-Chukchi Seas food web from Barrow, AK is discussed. - Stable isotope values (δ 13 C, δ 15 N) and concentrations of persistent organochlorine contaminants (OCs) were determined to evaluate the near-shore marine trophic status of biota and biomagnification of OCs from the southern Beaufort-Chukchi Seas (1999-2000) near Barrow, AK. The biota examined included zooplankton (Calanus spp.), fish species such as arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), arctic char (Salvelinus alpinus), pink salmon (Oncorhynchus gorbuscha), and fourhorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus quadricornis), along with marine mammals, including bowhead whales (Balaena mysticetus), beluga whales (Delphinapterus leucas), ringed seals (Phoca hispida) and bearded seals (Erignathus barbatus). The isotopically derived trophic position of biota from the Beaufort-Chukchi Seas marine food web, avian fauna excluded, is similar to other coastal food webs in the Arctic. Concentrations of OCs in marine mammals were significantly greater than in fish and corresponded with determined trophic level. In general, OCs with the greatest food web magnification factors (FWMFs) were those either formed due to biotransformation (e.g. p,p'-DDE, oxychlordane) or considered recalcitrant (e.g. β-HCH, 2,4,5-Cl substituted PCBs) in most biota, whereas concentrations of OCs that are considered to be readily eliminated (e.g. γ-HCH) did not correlate with trophic level. Differences in physical-chemical properties of OCs, feeding strategy and possible biotransformation were reflected in the variable biomagnification between fish and marine mammals. The FWMFs in the Beaufort-Chukchi Seas region were consistent with reported values in the Canadian Arctic and temperate food webs, but were statistically different than FWMFs from the Barents and White Seas, indicating that the spatial variability of OC contamination in top-level marine Arctic predators is

Sampling marine sediments for radionuclide monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Papucci, C.

1997-01-01

A description of the most common devices used for sampling marine sediments are reported. The systems are compared to evidence their intrinsic usefulness, for collecting samples in different environmental conditions or with different scientific objectives. Perturbations and artifacts introduced during the various steps of the sampling procedure are also reviewed, and suggestions are proposed for obtaining and preserving, as much as possible, the representativeness of the sediment samples. (author)

Anthropogenic radioactivity in the Arctic Ocean. Review of the results from the joint German project

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nies, H.; Harms, I.H.; Karcher, M.J.; Dethleff, D.; Bahe, C.

1999-01-01

The paper presents the results of the joint project carried out in Germany in order to assess the consequences in the marine environment from the dumping of nuclear wastes in the Kara and Barents Seas. The project consisted of experimental work on measurements of radionuclides in samples from the Arctic marine environment and numerical modelling of the potential pathways and dispersion of contaminants in the Arctic Ocean. Water and sediment samples were collected for determination of radionuclide such as 137Cs, 90Sr, 239+240Pu, 238Pu, and 241Am and various organic micropollutants. In addition, a few water and numerous surface sediment samples collected in the Kara Sea and from the Kola peninsula were taken by Russian colleagues and analysed for artificial radionuclides by the BSH laboratory. The role of transport by sea ice from the Kara Sea into the Arctic Ocean was assessed by a small subgroup at GEOMAR. This transport process might be considered as a rapid contribution due to entrainment of contaminated sediments into sea ice, following export from the Kara Sea into the transpolar ice drift and subsequent release in the Atlantic Ocean in the area of the East Greenland Current. Numerical modelling of dispersion of pollutants from the Kara and Barents Seas was carried out both on a local scale for the Barents and Kara Seas and for long range dispersion into the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. Three-dimensional baroclinic circulation models were applied to trace the transport of pollutants. Experimental results were used to validate the model results such as the discharges from the nuclear reprocessing plant at Sellafield and subsequent contamination of the North Sea up the Arctic Seas

Anthropogenic radioactivity in the Arctic Ocean--review of the results from the joint German project.

Science.gov (United States)

Nies, H; Harms, I H; Karcher, M J; Dethleff, D; Bahe, C

1999-09-30

The paper presents the results of the joint project carried out in Germany in order to assess the consequences in the marine environment from the dumping of nuclear wastes in the Kara and Barents Seas. The project consisted of experimental work on measurements of radionuclides in samples from the Arctic marine environment and numerical modelling of the potential pathways and dispersion of contaminants in the Arctic Ocean. Water and sediment samples were collected for determination of radionuclide such as 137Cs, 90Sr, 239 + 240Pu, 238Pu, and 241Am and various organic micropollutants. In addition, a few water and numerous surface sediment samples collected in the Kara Sea and from the Kola peninsula were taken by Russian colleagues and analysed for artificial radionuclide by the BSH laboratory. The role of transport by sea ice from the Kara Sea into the Arctic Ocean was assessed by a small subgroup at GEOMAR. This transport process might be considered as a rapid contribution due to entrainment of contaminated sediments into sea ice, following export from the Kara Sea into the transpolar ice drift and subsequent release in the Atlantic Ocean in the area of the East Greenland Current. Numerical modelling of dispersion of pollutants from the Kara and Barents Seas was carried out both on a local scale for the Barents and Kara Seas and for long range dispersion into the Arctic and Atlantic Oceans. Three-dimensional baroclinic circulation models were applied to trace the transport of pollutants. Experimental results were used to validate the model results such as the discharges from the nuclear reprocessing plant at Sellafield and subsequent contamination of the North Sea up the Arctic Seas.

Shifts in identity and activity of methanotrophs in arctic lake sediments in response to temperature changes

Science.gov (United States)

He, Ruo; Wooller, Matthew J.; Pohlman, John W.; Quensen, John; Tiedje, James M.; Leigh, Mary Beth

2012-01-01

Methane (CH4) flux to the atmosphere is mitigated via microbial CH4 oxidation in sediments and water. As arctic temperaturesincrease, understanding the effects of temperature on the activity and identity of methanotrophs in arctic lake sediments is importantto predicting future CH4 emissions. We used DNA-based stable-isotope probing (SIP), quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), andpyrosequencing analyses to identify and characterize methanotrophic communities active at a range of temperatures (4°C, 10°C,and 21°C) in sediments (to a depth of 25 cm) sampled from Lake Qalluuraq on the North Slope of Alaska. CH4 oxidation activitywas measured in microcosm incubations containing sediments at all temperatures, with the highest CH4 oxidation potential of37.5 mol g1 day1 in the uppermost (depth, 0 to 1 cm) sediment at 21°C after 2 to 5 days of incubation. Q-PCR of pmoA and ofthe 16S rRNA genes of type I and type II methanotrophs, and pyrosequencing of 16S rRNA genes in 13C-labeled DNA obtained bySIP demonstrated that the type I methanotrophs Methylobacter, Methylomonas, and Methylosoma dominated carbon acquisitionfrom CH4 in the sediments. The identity and relative abundance of active methanotrophs differed with the incubation temperature.Methylotrophs were also abundant in the microbial community that derived carbon from CH4, especially in the deeper sediments(depth, 15 to 20 cm) at low temperatures (4°C and 10°C), and showed a good linear relationship (R0.82) with the relativeabundances of methanotrophs in pyrosequencing reads. This study describes for the first time how methanotrophiccommunities in arctic lake sediments respond to temperature variations.

Building upon cooperative prospects amongst stakeholders for fighting Arctic marine invasion challenges

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kourantidou, Melina; Kaiser, Brooks; Fernandez, Linda

Biological invasions in Arctic marine environments are expected to noticeably affect the way the ecosystem will look and function in coming years. Along with many other rapid changes taking place in these previously isolated ecosystems, invasions of which we are both aware and unaware may have ir...... in the decision making process to help articulate incentive-compatible ecosystem management strategies that are adaptive to new information garnered from sustained Arctic observations....... expect that game theoretic environmental economic tools can help illuminate aspects of invasive species management significant for sound decision-making processes. Building blocks of such a game theoretic approach include the different players (stakeholders) involved. In our case study, we take...... environmental quality outcomes: Norwegian and Russian fishermen, Live and frozen crab markets, and Society, representing all possible beneficiaries of a healthy and well-sustained marine ecosystem in the Barents Sea as well as those in areas to which the invasion may spread. These actors must make decisions...

Radionuclide interactions with marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Higgo, J.J.W.

1987-09-01

A critical review of the literature on the subject of the interactions of radionuclides with marine sediments has been carried out. On the basis of the information available, an attempt has been made to give ranges and 'best estimates' for the distribution ratios between seawater and sediments. These estimates have been based on an understanding of the sediment seawater system and the porewater chemistry and mineralogy. Field measurements, laboratory measurements and estimates based on stable-element geochemical data are all taken into account. Laboratory measurements include distribution-ratio and diffusion-coefficient determinations. The elements reviewed are carbon, chlorine, calcium, nickel, selenium, strontium, zirconium, niobium, technetium, tin, iodine, caesium, lead, radium, actinium, thorium, protactinium, uranium, neptunium, plutonium, americium and curium. (author)

Sources, degradation and transport of terrigenous organic carbon on the East Siberian Arctic Shelf Seas

Science.gov (United States)

Tesi, Tommaso; Semiletov, Igor; Dudarev, Oleg; Gustafsson, Örjan

2013-04-01

Recent studies suggest that the present hydrological regime increase observed in the Arctic rivers is mainly the consequence of the changes in permafrost conditions as a result of climate warming. Given the enormous amount of carbon stored in coastal and terrestrial permafrost the potentially increased supply from this large carbon pool to the coastal Arctic Ocean, possibly associated with a translocated release to the atmosphere as CO2, is considered a plausible scenario in a warming climate. However, there is not sufficient information regarding the reactivity of terrigenous material once supplied to the Arctic Ocean. In this study, we address this critical issue by examining the organic composition of surface sediments collected over extensive scales on the East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS) as part of the International Siberian Shelf Study (ISSS). The ESAS represents by far the largest shelf of the Arctic Ocean. Samples were collected from the inner- to the outer-shelf following the sediment transport pathway in a region between the Lena and the Kolyma rivers. The analytical approach includes the characterization of marine and land-derived carbon using a large number of molecular biomarkers obtained by alkaline CuO oxidation such as lignin-phenols, cutin-derived products, p-hydroxy benzenes, benzoic acids, fatty acids, and dicarboxylic acids. Our results indicated high concentrations of terrigenous material in shallow sediments and a marked decrease of terrestrial biomarkers with increasing distance from the coastline. In parallel, lignin-based degradation proxies suggested highly altered terrigenous carbon in mid- and outer-shelf sediments compared to coastal sediments. Furthermore, the ratio of cutin-derived products over lignin significantly increased along the sediment transport pathway. Considering that cutin is considered to be intrinsically more reactive compared to lignin, high values of this ratio off the coastal region were interpreted as selective

Bacterial communities in sediment of a Mediterranean marine protected area.

Science.gov (United States)

Catania, Valentina; Sarà, Gianluca; Settanni, Luca; Quatrini, Paola

2017-04-01

Biodiversity is crucial in preservation of ecosystems, and bacterial communities play an indispensable role for the functioning of marine ecosystems. The Mediterranean marine protected area (MPA) "Capo Gallo-Isola delle Femmine" was instituted to preserve marine biodiversity. The bacterial diversity associated with MPA sediment was compared with that from sediment of an adjacent harbour exposed to intense nautical traffic. The MPA sediment showed higher diversity with respect to the impacted site. A 16S rDNA clone library of the MPA sediment allowed the identification of 7 phyla: Proteobacteria (78%), Firmicutes (11%), Acidobacteria (3%), Actinobacteria (3%), Bacteroidetes (2%), Planctomycetes (2%), and Cyanobacteria (1%). Analysis of the hydrocarbon (HC)-degrading bacteria was performed using enrichment cultures. Most of the MPA sediment isolates were affiliated with Gram-positive G+C rich bacteria, whereas the majority of taxa in the harbour sediment clustered with Alpha- and Gammaproteobacteria; no Gram-positive HC degraders were isolated from the harbour sediment. Our results show that protection probably has an influence on bacterial diversity, and suggest the importance of monitoring the effects of protection at microbial level as well. This study creates a baseline of data that can be used to assess changes over time in bacterial communities associated with a Mediterranean MPA.

Quaternary magnetic excursions recorded in marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Channell, J. E. T.

2017-12-01

This year is the golden (50th) anniversary of the first documentation of a magnetic excursion, the Laschamp excursion in volcanics from the Chaine des Puys (Bonhommet and Babkine, 1967). The first recording of an excursion in sediments was from the Blake Outer Ridge (Smith and Foster, 1969). Magnetic excursions are directional aberrations of the geomagnetic field apparently involving short-lived reversal of the main dipole field. They have durations of a few kyrs, and are therefore rarely recorded in sediments with mean sedimentation rates Palma), and 670 ka (Osaka Bay), implying at least 11 excursions in the Brunhes Chron. For the Matuyama Chron, excursions have been recorded in marine sediments at 868 ka (Kamikatsura?), 932 ka (Santa Rosa), 1051 ka (Intra-Jaramillo), 1115 ka (Punaruu), 1255 ka (Bjorn), 1476 ka (Gardar), 1580 ka (Gilsa), and 2737 ka (Porcupine). Excursions coincide with minima in relative paleointensity (RPI) records. Ages are from correlation of excursion records to oxygen isotope records in the same cores, and ice-volume calibration of the oxygen isotope template. The marine sediment record of excursions, combined with independent documentation of excursions in lavas with Ar/Ar age control, is progressively strengthening our knowledge of the excursion inventory in the Quaternary, and enhancing the importance of excursions and RPI in Quaternary stratigraphy.

Temperature induced decoupling of enzymatic hydrolysis and carbon remineralization in long-term incubations of Arctic and temperate sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Robador, Alberto; Brüchert, Volker; Steen, Andrew

2010-01-01

explored the temperature sensitivity of enzymatic hydrolysis and its connection to subsequent steps in anoxic organic carbon degradation in long-term incubations of sediments from the Arctic and the North Sea. These sediments were incubated under anaerobic conditions for 24 months at temperatures of 0, 10......, and 20 ºC. The short-term temperature response of the active microbial community was tested in temperature gradient block incubations. The temperature optimum of extracellular enzymatic hydrolysis, as measured with a polysaccharide (chondroitin sulfate), differed between Arctic and temperate habitats...

Calibration and application of the IP25 biomarker for Arctic sea ice reconstructions

Science.gov (United States)

Cabedo Sanz, P.; Navarro Rodriguez, A.; Belt, S. T.; Brown, T. A.; Knies, J.; Husum, K.; Giraudeau, J.; Andrews, J.

2012-04-01

The presence of the sea ice diatom biomarker IP25 in Arctic marine sediments has been used in previous studies as a proxy for past spring sea ice occurrence and as an indicator of wider palaeoenvironmental conditions for different regions of the Arctic over various timescales [e.g. 1, 3]. In addition, measurement of IP25 has also been applied as a sea ice origin tracer for studying the transfer of organic carbon through Arctic food-webs [2]. The current study focuses on three main areas: (1) In order to improve on the quantitative analytical aspects of IP25 based research, we present here the results of a large scale extraction, purification and identification procedure for IP25 from marine sediments. This has confirmed the structure of IP25 in sediments and enabled more robust quantitative measurements by gas chromatography - mass spectrometry (GC-MS) to be established. (2) Quantitative measurements of IP25 from a sediment core from Andfjord (continental shelf, Tromsø, Norway) have been determined for the period 6.3 to 14.3 ka BP. The results of this study add significant further information to that reported previously from other biomarker studies for this core (e.g. brassicasterol) [4]. (3) Analytical detection issues (GC-MS) regarding the occurrence of IP25 in other sub-Arctic regions (e.g. East Greenland - North Iceland area) will be presented and discussed with relation to other proxy data (e.g. IRD). Belt, S. T., Vare, L. L., Massé, G., Manners, H. R., Price, J. C., MacLachlan, S. E., Andrews, J. T. & Schmidt, S. (2010) 'Striking similarities in temporal changes to spring sea ice occurrence across the central Canadian Arctic Archipelago over the last 7000 years', Quaternary Science Reviews, 29 (25-26), pp. 3489-3504. Brown, T. A. & Belt, S. T. (2012) 'Identification of the sea ice diatom biomarker IP25 in Arctic benthic macrofauna: direct evidence for a sea ice diatom diet in Arctic heterotrophs', Polar Biology, 35, pp. 131-137. Müller, J., Massé, G

Characterization of marine sediments using analytical techniques

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia-Rosales, G.; Longoria-Gandara, L.C.

2011-01-01

This study deals with the characterization of a marine sediments profile from the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico. Ten sediment samples obtained from a core of 18.3 m of length were analysed. Although there have been numerous marine sediments studies carried out in Mexico, more are needed to better understand the sea floor formation. Crystallographic, morphologic, physical, chemical and gamma ray activity analysis were carried out on the samples. The analysis results showed a decrease in organic matter content as a function of sea depth; this value is related to the specific surface area. Some hazardous materials as Cr, Mn, Ni, Sr and Hg were also identified by PIXE in some samples, probably due to anthropogenic activity. The presence of uranium a naturally occurring element was found in all the samples, suggesting a migration through all materials of strata, radioactive elements such as 226 Ra, 235 U, 212 Pb, 214 Pb, 228 Ac, 208 Ti, 214 Bi, 228 Ac and 40 K were detected. (author)

Quaternary geology of the Duck Hawk Bluffs, southwest Banks Island, Arctic Canada: a re-investigation of a critical terrestrial type locality for glacial and interglacial events bordering the Arctic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Evans, David J. A.; England, John H.; La Farge, Catherine; Coulthard, Roy D.; Lakeman, Thomas R.; Vaughan, Jessica M.

2014-05-01

Duck Hawk Bluffs, southwest Banks Island, is a primary section (8 km long and 60 m high) in the western Canadian Arctic Archipelago exposing a long record of Quaternary sedimentation adjacent to the Arctic Ocean. A reinvestigation of Duck Hawk Bluffs demonstrates that it is a previously unrecognized thrust-block moraine emplaced from the northeast by Laurentide ice. Previous stratigraphic models of Duck Hawk Bluffs reported a basal unit of preglacial fluvial sand and gravel (Beaufort Fm, forested Arctic), overlain by a succession of three glaciations and at least two interglacials. Our observations dismiss the occurrence of preglacial sediments and amalgamate the entire record into three glacial intervals and one prominent interglacial. The first glacigenic sedimentation is recorded by an ice-contact sandur containing redeposited allochthonous organics previously assigned to the Beaufort Fm. This is overlain by fine-grained sediments with ice wedge pseudomorphs and well-preserved bryophyte assemblages corresponding to an interglacial environment similar to modern. The second glacial interval is recorded by ice-proximal mass flows and marine rhythmites that were glacitectonized when Laurentide ice overrode the site from Amundsen Gulf to the south. Sediments of this interval have been reported to be magnetically reversed (>780 ka). The third interval of glacigenic sedimentation includes glacifluvial sand and gravel recording the arrival of Laurentide ice that overrode the site from the northeast (island interior) depositing a glacitectonite and constructing the thrust block moraine that comprises Duck Hawk Bluffs. Sediments of this interval have been reported to be magnetically normal (Banks Island coalesced with an ice stream in Amundsen Gulf, depositing the interlobate Sachs Moraine that contains shells as young as ˜24 cal ka BP (Late Wisconsinan). During deglaciation, meltwater emanating from these separating ice lobes deposited outwash that extended to deglacial

Characterization of the terrigenous organic matter distribution in the bottom sediments of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf

Science.gov (United States)

Dudarev, Oleg; Charkin, Alexander; Semiletov, Igor; Gustafsson, Örjan; Vonk, Jorien; Sánchez-García, Laura

2010-05-01

The Arctic Ocean is a Mediterranean sea with exceptionally large shelves that account for approximately 50% of the total area of the enclosed ocean. Accordingly, the inorganic and organic character of the sediments both on the shelves and in the basins of the Arctic Ocean strongly reflect a pervasive influence from the surrounding land/thawing permafrost (Macdonald et al., 2008). The East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS) is an enormous, shallow shelf that receives most of its particulate supply from coastal erosion A notable characteristic of the ESAS is an extremely large gradient of hydrological and biogeochemical parameters from Long Strait/Wrangell Island to the Lena River Delta that corresponds to geographically critical contrasts in the Arctic system where the Pacific and local shelf waters interact over the shelf (Semiletov et al., 2005). ESAS is clearly important region for storing and processing material that derives from the land and the sea. Here we synthesize the lithological and biogochemical data obtained in the ESAS by Laboratory of Arctic studies POI in cooperation with the IARC and SU during the last 10 years (1999-2009). Highest organic carbon (OC) concentrations in the surface sediment (up to 4w/w%) was found near mouths of major rivers (Lena, Yana, Indigirka, Alaseya, Kolyma), and near highly eroded coast (1-2 w/w %). .However, sedimentation over the major portion of shallow ESAS is dominated by coastal erosion not riverine runoff. It has been shown that contribution of terrestrial organic carbon (CTOM) is up to 100% in areas strongly impacted by coastal erosion. Lowest OC values (~0.1-0.5 w/w %) were found in the relic sediments of shoals (e.g. Semenovskaya, Vasilevskaya, and Diomid). New detail maps of distribution of sediment OC, CTOM, and C/N are considered along with the sediment sizing and mineralogical data. This multi-year study was supported by the Russian Foundation for Basic Research (Russian NSF), FEBRAS, NOAA, NSF, Wallenberg Foundation

A comparison of PCB bioaccumulation factors between an arctic and a temperate marine food web.

Science.gov (United States)

Sobek, Anna; McLachlan, Michael S; Borgå, Katrine; Asplund, Lillemor; Lundstedt-Enkel, Katrin; Polder, Anuschka; Gustafsson, Orjan

2010-06-01

To test how environmental conditions in the Arctic and the resulting ecological adaptations affect accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the marine food web, bioaccumulation of four polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in an arctic (Barents Sea 77 degrees N-82 degrees N) and a temperate marine (Baltic Sea 54 degrees N-62 degrees N) food web were compared. Three different trophic levels were studied (zooplankton, fish, and seal), representing the span from first-level consumer to top predator. Previously published high-quality data on PCB water concentrations in the two areas were used for calculation of bioaccumulation factors (BAF). BAF was calculated as the ratio of the PCB concentration in the organism ([PCB](org); pg/kg lipid) to the dissolved water concentration (C(w); pg/L). The BAF(Arctic):BAF(Temperate) ratios were above 1 for all four PCB congeners in zooplankton (6.4-13.8) and planktivorous fish (2.9-5.0)), whereas the ratios were below 1 in seal. The mean ratio between arctic and temperate BAFs for all trophic levels and congeners (BAF(Arcti):BAF(Temperate)) was 4.8. When the data were corrected for the seawater temperature difference between the two ecosystems, the ratio was 2.0. We conclude that bioaccumulation differences caused by ecological or physiological adaptations of organisms between the two ecosystems were well within a water concentration variability of 50%. Further, our data support the hypothesis that lower seawater temperature lead to a thermodynamically favoured passive partitioning to organic matrices and thus elevated ambient BAFs in the Arctic compared to the Baltic Sea. This would imply that bioaccumulation in the Arctic may be described in the same way as bioaccumulation in temperate regions, e.g. by the use of mechanistic models parameterised for the Arctic. Copyright (c) 2010. Published by Elsevier B.V.

A comparison of PCB bioaccumulation factors between an arctic and a temperate marine food web

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sobek, Anna; McLachlan, Michael S.; Borga, Katrine; Asplund, Lillemor; Lundstedt-Enkel, Katrin; Polder, Anuschka; Gustafsson, Orjan

2010-01-01

To test how environmental conditions in the Arctic and the resulting ecological adaptations affect accumulation of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the marine food web, bioaccumulation of four polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in an arctic (Barents Sea 77 o N-82 o N) and a temperate marine (Baltic Sea 54 o N-62 o N) food web were compared. Three different trophic levels were studied (zooplankton, fish, and seal), representing the span from first-level consumer to top predator. Previously published high-quality data on PCB water concentrations in the two areas were used for calculation of bioaccumulation factors (BAF). BAF was calculated as the ratio of the PCB concentration in the organism ([PCB] org ; pg/kg lipid) to the dissolved water concentration (C w ; pg/L). The BAF Arctic :BAF Temperate ratios were above 1 for all four PCB congeners in zooplankton (6.4-13.8) and planktivorous fish (2.9-5.0)), whereas the ratios were below 1 in seal. The mean ratio between arctic and temperate BAFs for all trophic levels and congeners (BAF Arcti :BAF Temperate ) was 4.8. When the data were corrected for the seawater temperature difference between the two ecosystems, the ratio was 2.0. We conclude that bioaccumulation differences caused by ecological or physiological adaptations of organisms between the two ecosystems were well within a water concentration variability of 50%. Further, our data support the hypothesis that lower seawater temperature lead to a thermodynamically favoured passive partitioning to organic matrices and thus elevated ambient BAFs in the Arctic compared to the Baltic Sea. This would imply that bioaccumulation in the Arctic may be described in the same way as bioaccumulation in temperate regions, e.g. by the use of mechanistic models parameterised for the Arctic.

Marine CDOM accumulation during a coastal Arctic mesocosm experiment: No response to elevated pCO2 levels

Science.gov (United States)

Pavlov, Alexey K.; Silyakova, Anna; Granskog, Mats A.; Bellerby, Richard G. J.; Engel, Anja; Schulz, Kai G.; Brussaard, Corina P. D.

2014-06-01

A large-scale multidisciplinary mesocosm experiment in an Arctic fjord (Kongsfjorden, Svalbard; 78°56.2'N) was used to study Arctic marine food webs and biogeochemical elements cycling at natural and elevated future carbon dioxide (CO2) levels. At the start of the experiment, marine-derived chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) dominated the CDOM pool. Thus, this experiment constituted a convenient case to study production of autochthonous CDOM, which is typically masked by high levels of CDOM of terrestrial origin in the Arctic Ocean proper. CDOM accumulated during the experiment in line with an increase in bacterial abundance; however, no response was observed to increased pCO2 levels. Changes in CDOM absorption spectral slopes indicate that bacteria were most likely responsible for the observed CDOM dynamics. Distinct absorption peaks (at 330 and 360 nm) were likely associated with mycosporine-like amino acids (MAAs). Due to the experimental setup, MAAs were produced in absence of ultraviolet exposure providing evidence for MAAs to be considered as multipurpose metabolites rather than simple photoprotective compounds. We showed that a small increase in CDOM during the experiment made it a major contributor to total absorption in a range of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR, 400-700 nm) and, therefore, is important for spectral light availability and may be important for photosynthesis and phytoplankton groups composition in a rapidly changing Arctic marine ecosystem.

Elucidation of 10Be accumulation mechanism to sea floor with the marine sediment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yoshida, T.; Yamagata, T.; Saito, T.; Nagai, H.; Matsuzaki, H.

2006-01-01

Marine sediment samples (0-30 cm in depth) were collected in the Northwest Pacific Ocean, and South Pacific Ocean during KH00-3 (BO, 7 samples) and KH04-5 (SX, 8 samples) cruise of R/V Hakuho-Maru. The 10 Be concentration in the marine sediment samples range between 0.9x10 9 and 6.5x10 9 atoms/g, and most of the red clay sediment in the Northwest Pacific Ocean showed uniform distribution. The 9 Be concentration in the red clay sediment samples range between 2.3 and 2.6 ppm, which showed a value almost the same as measured 9 Be concentration (1.6-2.3 ppm) in the Chinese loess. The 10 Be concentration in the marine sediment were 20 times higher than the 10 Be concentration (0.2x10 9 atoms/g) in the Chinese loess. These results were suggested that most of 10 Be in the marine sediment were regarded seawater as the origin. (author)

Decomposition of 14C-labeled organic substances in marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1986-01-01

The depth variation of total organic carbon (TOC), organic matter composition and porewater composition in marine sediments suggest that different components of the organic matter undergo decomposition at widely different rates. The decomposition of 14 C-labeled organic substances was followed in sediment microcosms in the laboratory. The substances used were chosen to simulate a portion of material settling to the sediment-water interface (a marine diatom) or hypothesized components of refractory sediment organic matter (melanoidins and a bacterial polymer). The microcosms were found to be good models of the sediment-water interface in terms of how well they mimicked sediment decomposition rates and processes. The decomposition of the labeled material and the natural sediment TOC were monitored over 1 month: the water overlying the sediment remained oxic, and net consumption of nitrate was small. There was no detectable sulfate reduction. The algae and the bacterial polymer were decomposed on average 9x faster than the melanoidins and 90x faster than the natural sediment TOC. The soluble fraction of the algae was decomposed more rapidly than the particulate material

Application of Visible/near Infrared derivative spectroscopy to Arctic paleoceanography

Science.gov (United States)

Ortiz, Joseph D.

2011-05-01

The lack of well-preserved carbonate in much of the Arctic marine environment dictates the need for alternative methods of paleoceanographic reconstruction. The broad variety of physical properties measurements makes them well suited for use in a variety of environments, but they provide unique opportunities when employed in the Arctic. Because Arctic sediment is introduced and reworked by a variety of mechanisms, the signature from multiple processes becomes intermixed with the sediment. Many of these processes operate in other ocean basins, while some function only in Polar Regions. A strategy to address this mixing problem is to employ spectrally-resolved physical properties measurements, or to use multiple methods in conjunction to generate multivariate data sets, which can differentiate concurrent processes. Data of this type is well suited to multivariate analysis techniques such as sample-based or variable-based, varimax-rotated, principle component analysis (VPCA). These are methods that decompose the data matrix to infer process from orthogonal functions. The method is applied to cores from the Chukchi sea to document that visible derivative spectroscopy provides a powerful means of reconstructing sediment provenance. In the Chukchi Sea, diffuse spectral reflectance provides a proxy to monitor variations in Holocene flow through the Bering Strait.

Application of Visible/near Infrared derivative spectroscopy to Arctic paleoceanography

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ortiz, Joseph D

2011-01-01

The lack of well-preserved carbonate in much of the Arctic marine environment dictates the need for alternative methods of paleoceanographic reconstruction. The broad variety of physical properties measurements makes them well suited for use in a variety of environments, but they provide unique opportunities when employed in the Arctic. Because Arctic sediment is introduced and reworked by a variety of mechanisms, the signature from multiple processes becomes intermixed with the sediment. Many of these processes operate in other ocean basins, while some function only in Polar Regions. A strategy to address this mixing problem is to employ spectrally-resolved physical properties measurements, or to use multiple methods in conjunction to generate multivariate data sets, which can differentiate concurrent processes. Data of this type is well suited to multivariate analysis techniques such as sample-based or variable-based, varimax-rotated, principle component analysis (VPCA). These are methods that decompose the data matrix to infer process from orthogonal functions. The method is applied to cores from the Chukchi sea to document that visible derivative spectroscopy provides a powerful means of reconstructing sediment provenance. In the Chukchi Sea, diffuse spectral reflectance provides a proxy to monitor variations in Holocene flow through the Bering Strait.

A model for microbial phosphorus cycling in bioturbated marine sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dale, Andrew W.; Boyle, R. A.; Lenton, Timothy M.

2016-01-01

A diagenetic model is used to simulate the diagenesis and burial of particulate organic carbon (Corg) and phosphorus (P) in marine sediments underlying anoxic versus oxic bottom waters. The latter are physically mixed by animals moving through the surface sediment (bioturbation) and ventilated...... P pump) allows preferential mineralization of the bulk Porg pool relative to Corg during both aerobic and anaerobic respiration and is consistent with the database. Results with this model show that P burial is strongly enhanced in sediments hosting fauna. Animals mix highly labile Porg away from....... The results also help to explain Corg:Porg ratios in the geological record and the persistence of Porg in ancient marine sediments. © 2016 Elsevier Ltd....

Autecology of crenarchaeotal and bacterial clades in marine sediments and microbial mats

OpenAIRE

Kubo, Kyoko

2011-01-01

The focus of this thesis was the autecology of the Miscellaneous Crenarchaeotal Group (MCG), a phylum-level clade of Archaea occurring mostly in marine sediments. Sequences of MCG 16S rRNA genes have been retrieved from a wide range of marine and terrestrial habitats, such as deep subsurface sediments, hydrothermal sediments, mud volcanoes, estuaries, hot springs and freshwater lake sediments. MCG members seem to have no general preferences for a particular temperature or salinity. So far, no...

20th-century glacial-marine sedimentation in Vitus Lake, Bering Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

Molnia, B.F.; Post, A.; Carlson, P.R.

1996-01-01

Vitus Lake, the ice-marginal basin at the southeastern edge of Bering Glacier, Alaska, U.S.A., is a site of modern, rapid, glacial-marine sedimentation. Rather than being a fresh-water lake, Vitus Lake is a tidally influenced, marine to brackish embayment connected to the Pacific Ocean by an inlet, the Seal River. Vitus Lake consists of five deep bedrock basins, separated by interbasinal highs. Glacial erosion has cut these basins as much as 250 m below sea level. High-resolution seismic reflection surveys conducted in 1991 and 1993 of four of Vitus Lake's basins reveal a complex, variable three-component acoustic stratigraphy. Although not fully sampled, the stratigraphy is inferred to be primarily glacial-marine units of (1) basal contorted and deformed glacial-marine and glacial sediments deposited by basal ice-contact processes and submarine mass-wasting; (2) acoustically well-stratified glacial-marine sediment, which unconformably overlies the basal unit and which grades upward into (3) acoustically transparent or nearly transparent glacial-marine sediment. Maximum thicknesses of conformable glacial-marine sediment exceed 100 m. All of the acoustically transparent and stratified deposits in Vitus Lake are modern in age, having accumulated between 1967 and 1993. The basins where these three-part sequences of "present-day" glacial-marine sediment are accumulating are themselves cut into older sequences of stratified glacial and glacial-marine deposits. These older units outcrop on the islands in Vitus Lake. In 1967, as the result of a major surge, glacier ice completely filled all five basins. Subsequent terminus retreat, which continued through August 1993, exposed these basins, providing new locations for glacial-marine sediment accumulation. A correlation of sediment thicknesses measured from seismic profiles at specific locations within the basins, with the year that each location became ice-free, shows that the sediment accumulation at some locations

Recent increased warming of the Alaskan marine Arctic due to midlatitude linkages

Science.gov (United States)

Overland, James E.; Wang, Muyin; Ballinger, Thomas J.

2018-01-01

Alaskan Arctic waters have participated in hemispheric-wide Arctic warming over the last two decades at over two times the rate of global warming. During 2008-13, this relative warming occurred only north of the Bering Strait and the atmospheric Arctic front that forms a north-south thermal barrier. This front separates the southeastern Bering Sea temperatures from Arctic air masses. Model projections show that future temperatures in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas continue to warm at a rate greater than the global rate, reaching a change of +4°C by 2040 relative to the 1981-2010 mean. Offshore at 74°N, climate models project the open water duration season to increase from a current average of three months to five months by 2040. These rates are occasionally enhanced by midlatitude connections. Beginning in August 2014, additional Arctic warming was initiated due to increased SST anomalies in the North Pacific and associated shifts to southerly winds over Alaska, especially in winter 2015-16. While global warming and equatorial teleconnections are implicated in North Pacific SSTs, the ending of the 2014-16 North Pacific warm event demonstrates the importance of internal, chaotic atmospheric natural variability on weather conditions in any given year. Impacts from global warming on Alaskan Arctic temperature increases and sea-ice and snow loss, with occasional North Pacific support, are projected to continue to propagate through the marine ecosystem in the foreseeable future. The ecological and societal consequences of such changes show a radical departure from the current Arctic environment.

Pollution of the Marine Environment by Dumping: Legal Framework Applicable to Dumped Chemical Weapons and Nuclear Waste in the Arctic Ocean

OpenAIRE

Lott, Alexander

2016-01-01

The Arctic seas are the world’s biggest dumping ground for sea-disposed nuclear waste and have served among the primary disposal sites for chemical warfare agents. Despite of scientific uncertainty, the Arctic Council has noted that this hazardous waste still affects adversely the Arctic marine environment and may have implications to the health of the Arctic people. The purpose of this manuscript is to establish the rights and obligations of the Arctic States in c...

World wide intercomparison of trace element measurements in marine sediments SD-M-2/TM

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mee, L.D.; Oregioni, B.

1991-09-01

The accurate and precise determination of trace elements in marine sediments is an important aspect of geochemical studies of the marine environment and for assessing the levels and pathways of marine pollutants. Past intercomparison studies conducted by the Marine Environment Laboratory of IAEA (formerly the International Laboratory of Marine Radioactivity) have focussed upon near-shore marine sediments where trace metal contamination is frequently observed. The present exercise was designed to study a typical oxidised deep-sea sediment characterized by a preponderance of fine particle clays. Analysis of such material is a routine matter for most geochemists but represents a ''baseline sample'' for marine pollution chemists. The present exercise represented a unique opportunity for chemists worldwide to intercompare their analytical methodologies for deep-sea sediments. By statistically examining the data from this study, the material can be certified for future use as a reference material - apparently the only one of its kind available throughout the world. 6 refs, figs and tabs

Sediment and contaminant transport in a marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Onishi, Y.; Thompson, F.L.

1986-01-01

The finite-element model FETRA is an unsteady, verically averaged two-dimensional model to simulate the transport of sediment and contaminants (radionuclides, heavy metals, pesticides, etc.) in coastal and estuarine water. The model, together with the hydrodynamic model CAFE-I, was applied to the Irish Sea to predict the migration and accumulation of sediment (both cohesive and noncohesive) and of a radionuclide (dissolved and sediment-sorbed) in a tide- and wind-driven system. The study demonstrated that FETRA is a useful tool for assessing sediment and toxic contaminant transport in a marine environment

A small-scale, portable method for extracting microplastics from marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Coppock, Rachel L; Cole, Matthew; Lindeque, Penelope K; Queirós, Ana M; Galloway, Tamara S

2017-11-01

Microplastics (plastic particles, 0.1 μm-5 mm in size) are widespread marine pollutants, accumulating in benthic sediments and shorelines the world over. To gain a clearer understanding of microplastic availability to marine life, and the risks they pose to the health of benthic communities, ecological processes and food security, it is important to obtain accurate measures of microplastic abundance in marine sediments. To date, methods for extracting microplastics from marine sediments have been disadvantaged by complexity, expense, low extraction efficiencies and incompatibility with very fine sediments. Here we present a new, portable method to separate microplastics from sediments of differing types, using the principle of density floatation. The Sediment-Microplastic Isolation (SMI) unit is a custom-built apparatus which consistently extracted microplastics from sediments in a single step, with a mean efficiency of 95.8% (±SE 1.6%; min 70%, max 100%). Zinc chloride, at a density of 1.5 g cm -3 , was deemed an effective and relatively inexpensive floatation media, allowing fine sediment to settle whilst simultaneously enabling floatation of dense polymers. The method was validated by artificially spiking sediment with low and high density microplastics, and its environmental relevance was further tested by extracting plastics present in natural sediment samples from sites ranging in sediment type; fine silt/clay (mean size 10.25 ± SD 3.02 μm) to coarse sand (mean size 149.3 ± SD 49.9 μm). The method presented here is cheap, reproducible and is easily portable, lending itself for use in the laboratory and in the field, eg. on board research vessels. By employing this method, accurate estimates of microplastic type, distribution and abundance in natural sediments can be achieved, with the potential to further our understanding of the availability of microplastics to benthic organisms. Copyright © 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All

Global diffusive fluxes of methane in marine sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Egger, Matthias; Riedinger, Natascha; Mogollón, José M.; Jørgensen, Bo Barker

2018-06-01

Anaerobic oxidation of methane provides a globally important, yet poorly constrained barrier for the vast amounts of methane produced in the subseafloor. Here we provide a global map and budget of the methane flux and degradation in diffusion-controlled marine sediments in relation to the depth of the methane oxidation barrier. Our new budget suggests that 45-61 Tg of methane are oxidized with sulfate annually, with approximately 80% of this oxidation occurring in continental shelf sediments (methane in steady-state diffusive sediments, we calculate that 3-4% of the global organic carbon flux to the seafloor is converted to methane. We further report a global imbalance of diffusive methane and sulfate fluxes into the sulfate-methane transition with no clear trend with respect to the corresponding depth of the methane oxidation barrier. The observed global mean net flux ratio between sulfate and methane of 1.4:1 indicates that, on average, the methane flux to the sulfate-methane transition accounts for only 70% of the sulfate consumption in the sulfate-methane transition zone of marine sediments.

Chemometric Analysis for Pollution Source Assessment of Harbour Sediments in Arctic Locations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Kristine B.; Lejon, Tore; Jensen, Pernille Erland

2015-01-01

Pollution levels, pollutant distribution and potential source assessments based on multivariate analysis (chemometrics) were made for harbour sediments from two Arctic locations; Hammerfest in Norway and Sisimiut in Greenland. High levels of heavy metals were detected in addition to organic...... pollutants. Preliminary assessments based on principal component analysis (PCA) revealed different sources and pollutant distribution in the sediments of the two harbours. Tributyltin (TBT) was, however, found to originate from point source(s), and the highest concentrations of TBT in both harbours were...... indicated relation primarily to German, Russian and American mixtures in Hammerfest; and American, Russian and Japanese mixtures in Sisimiut. PCA was shown to be an important tool for identifying pollutant sources and differences in pollutant composition in relation to sediment characteristics....

Does temporal variation of mercury levels in Arctic seabirds reflect changes in global environmental contamination, or a modification of Arctic marine food web functioning?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fort, Jérôme; Grémillet, David; Traisnel, Gwendoline; Amélineau, Françoise; Bustamante, Paco

2016-01-01

Studying long-term trends of contaminants in Arctic biota is essential to better understand impacts of anthropogenic activities and climate change on the exposure of sensitive species and marine ecosystems. We concurrently measured temporal changes (2006–2014) in mercury (Hg) contamination of little auks (Alle alle; the most abundant Arctic seabird) and in their major zooplankton prey species (Calanoid copepods, Themisto libellula, Gammarus spp.). We found an increasing contamination of the food-chain in East Greenland during summer over the last decade. More specifically, bird contamination (determined by body feather analyses) has increased at a rate of 3.4% per year. Conversely, bird exposure to Hg during winter in the northwest Atlantic (determined by head feather analyses) decreased over the study period (at a rate of 1.5% per year), although winter concentrations remained consistently higher than during summer. By combining mercury levels measured in birds and zooplankton to isotopic analyses, our results demonstrate that inter-annual variations of Hg levels in little auks reflect changes in food-chain contamination, rather than a reorganization of the food web and a modification of seabird trophic ecology. They therefore underline the value of little auks, and Arctic seabirds in general, as bio-indicators of long-term changes in environmental contamination. - Highlights: • We examined temporal trends of Hg in Arctic seabirds and major zooplankton species. • We investigated the role of underlying ecological drivers in seabird contamination. • Hg contamination of the East Greenland marine food web increased over the last decade. • Hg levels in Arctic seabirds reflect changes in the food-chain contamination. • Little auks are bio-indicators of long-term changes in environmental contamination. - Temporal increase of seabird exposure to Hg reflects changes in Arctic environmental contamination.

Future Arctic marine access: analysis and evaluation of observations, models, and projections of sea ice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. S. Rogers

2013-02-01

Full Text Available There is an emerging need for regional applications of sea ice projections to provide more accuracy and greater detail to scientists, national, state and local planners, and other stakeholders. The present study offers a prototype for a comprehensive, interdisciplinary study to bridge observational data, climate model simulations, and user needs. The study's first component is an observationally based evaluation of Arctic sea ice trends during 1980–2008, with an emphasis on seasonal and regional differences relative to the overall pan-Arctic trend. Regional sea ice loss has varied, with a significantly larger decline of winter maximum (January–March extent in the Atlantic region than in other sectors. A lead–lag regression analysis of Atlantic sea ice extent and ocean temperatures indicates that reduced sea ice extent is associated with increased Atlantic Ocean temperatures. Correlations between the two variables are greater when ocean temperatures lag rather than lead sea ice. The performance of 13 global climate models is evaluated using three metrics to compare sea ice simulations with the observed record. We rank models over the pan-Arctic domain and regional quadrants and synthesize model performance across several different studies. The best performing models project reduced ice cover across key access routes in the Arctic through 2100, with a lengthening of seasons for marine operations by 1–3 months. This assessment suggests that the Northwest and Northeast Passages hold potential for enhanced marine access to the Arctic in the future, including shipping and resource development opportunities.

How Rapid Change Affects Deltas in the Arctic Region

Science.gov (United States)

Overeem, I.; Bendixen, M.

2017-12-01

Deltas form where the river drains into the ocean. Consequently, delta depositional processes are impacted by either changes in the respective river drainage basin or by changes in the regional marine environment. In a warming Arctic region rapid change has occurred over the last few decades in both the terrestrial domain as well as in the marine domain. Important terrestrial controls include 1) change in permafrost possibly destabilizing river banks, 2) strong seasonality of river discharge due to a short melting season, 3) high sediment supply if basins are extensively glaciated, 4) lake outbursts and ice jams favoring river flooding. Whereas in the Arctic marine domain sea ice loss promotes wave and storm surge impact, and increased longshore transport. We here ask which of these factors dominate any morphological change in Arctic deltas. First, we analyze hydrological data to assess change in Arctic-wide river discharge characteristics and timing, and sea ice concentration data to map changes in sea ice regime. Based on this observational analysis we set up a number of scenarios of change. We then model hypothetical small-scale delta formation considering change in these primary controls by setting up a numerical delta model, and combining it dynamically with a permafrost model. We find that for typical Greenlandic deltas changes in river forcing due to ice sheet melt dominate the morphological change, which is corroborated by mapping of delta progradation from aerial photos and satellite imagery. Whereas in other areas, along the North Slope and the Canadian Arctic small deltas are more stable or experienced retreat. Our preliminary coupled model allows us to further disentangle the impact of major forcing factors on delta evolution in high-latitude systems.

Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from the Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Mengwei; Wang, Weiguo; Liu, Yanguang; Dong, Linsen; Jiao, Liping; Hu, Limin; Fan, Dejiang

2016-03-15

To analyze the distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and evaluate their potential ecological risks, the concentrations of 16 PAHs were measured in 43 surface sediment samples from the Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean. Total PAH (tPAH) concentrations ranged from 36.95 to 150.21 ng/g (dry weight). In descending order, the surface sediment tPAH concentrations were as follows: Canada Basin>northern Chukchi Sea>Chukchi Basin>southern Chukchi Sea>Aleutian Basin>Makarov Basin>Bering Sea shelf. The Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean mainly received PAHs of pyrogenic origin due to pollution caused by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. The concentrations of PAHs in the sediments of the study areas did not exceed effects range low (ERL) values. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Presence of uranium and plutonium in marine sediments from gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ordonez-Regil, E.; Almazan-Torres, M.G.; Sanchez-Cabeza, J.A.; Ruiz-Fernandez, A.C.

2013-01-01

Uranium and plutonium were determined in the Tehua II-21 sediment core collected from the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico. The analyses were performed using radiochemical separation and alpha spectroscopy. Activity concentrations of alpha emitters in the sediment samples were from 2.56 to 43.1 Bq/kg for 238 U, from 3.15 to 43.1 Bq/kg for 234 U and from 0.69 to 2.95 Bq/Kg for 239+240 Pu. Uranium activity concentration in marine sediment studied is generally high compared with those found in sediments from other marine coastal areas in the world. The presence of relatively high concentrations of anthropogenic plutonium in the sediments from the Gulf of Tehuantepec suggests that anthropogenic radionuclides have been incorporated and dispersed into the global marine environment. (author)

The life sulfuric: microbial ecology of sulfur cycling in marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Wasmund, Kenneth; Mußmann, Marc; Loy, Alexander

2017-08-01

Almost the entire seafloor is covered with sediments that can be more than 10 000 m thick and represent a vast microbial ecosystem that is a major component of Earth's element and energy cycles. Notably, a significant proportion of microbial life in marine sediments can exploit energy conserved during transformations of sulfur compounds among different redox states. Sulfur cycling, which is primarily driven by sulfate reduction, is tightly interwoven with other important element cycles (carbon, nitrogen, iron, manganese) and therefore has profound implications for both cellular- and ecosystem-level processes. Sulfur-transforming microorganisms have evolved diverse genetic, metabolic, and in some cases, peculiar phenotypic features to fill an array of ecological niches in marine sediments. Here, we review recent and selected findings on the microbial guilds that are involved in the transformation of different sulfur compounds in marine sediments and emphasise how these are interlinked and have a major influence on ecology and biogeochemistry in the seafloor. Extraordinary discoveries have increased our knowledge on microbial sulfur cycling, mainly in sulfate-rich surface sediments, yet many questions remain regarding how sulfur redox processes may sustain the deep-subsurface biosphere and the impact of organic sulfur compounds on the marine sulfur cycle. © 2017 The Authors. Environmental Microbiology published by Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Temperature dependence of microbial degradation of organic matter in marine sediments: polysaccharide hydrolysis, oxygen consumption, and sulfate reduction

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Arnosti, C.; Jørgensen, BB; Sagemann, J.

1998-01-01

temperatures, optimum temperatures generally decreased with decreasing environmental temperatures. Activity at 5 degrees C as a percentage of highest activity was highest in the Arctic sites and lowest in the warmest temperate site. The highest potential rates of substrate hydrolysis were measured...... suggest that organic carbon turnover in the cold Arctic is not intrinsically slower than carbon turnover in temperate environments; sedimentary metabolism in Arctic sediments may be controlled more by organic matter supply than by temperature.......The temperature dependence of representative initial and terminal steps of organic carbon remineralization was measured at 2 temperate sites with annual temperature ranges of 0 to 30 degrees C and 4 to 15 degrees C and 2 Arctic sites with temperatures of 2.6 and -1.7 degrees C. Slurried sediments...

Experimental investigation on consistency limits of cement and lime-stabilized marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, DongXing; Zentar, Rachid; Abriak, Nor Edine; Xu, WeiYa

2012-06-01

This paper presents the effects of treatments with cement and lime on the consistency limits of marine sediments dredged from Dunkirk port. The Casagrande percussion test and the fall cone test were used to determine the liquid limits of raw sediments and treated marine sediments. For the evaluation of the plastic limits, the results of the fall cone test were compared with those obtained by the rolling test method. The relationship between the water contents and the penetration depths for the determination of the liquid limit and the plastic limit was explored. Liquid limits at 15.5 mm and plastic limits at 1.55 mm seem to be a more appropriate choice for the studied marine sediments compared with the limits determined by other used prediction methods. Finally, the effect of cement treatment and lime treatment on the Casagrande classification of the studied sediments was investigated according to the different prediction results.

Measurement of uranium and thorium in marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Denden, Ibtihel

2009-01-01

Lakes, oceans and seas accumulate sediments. These sediments constitute a file of the last environmental conditions going up in some cases to thousands of years. In our study, we consulted this file by analyzing radioisotopes of Uranium and Thorium that are included in a carrot of marine sediment taken from the south of Mediterranean Sea. When we applied the technique developed by the maritime environment's laboratory of Monaco, we found spectra with bad resolutions. For this reason, the optimization of this protocol appeared necessary. (Author).

Trends in historical mercury deposition inferred from lake sediment cores across a climate gradient in the Canadian High Arctic.

Science.gov (United States)

Korosi, Jennifer B; Griffiths, Katherine; Smol, John P; Blais, Jules M

2018-06-02

Recent climate change may be enhancing mercury fluxes to Arctic lake sediments, confounding the use of sediment cores to reconstruct histories of atmospheric deposition. Assessing the independent effects of climate warming on mercury sequestration is challenging due to temporal overlap between warming temperatures and increased long-range transport of atmospheric mercury following the Industrial Revolution. We address this challenge by examining mercury trends in short cores (the last several hundred years) from eight lakes centered on Cape Herschel (Canadian High Arctic) that span a gradient in microclimates, including two lakes that have not yet been significantly altered by climate warming due to continued ice cover. Previous research on subfossil diatoms and inferred primary production indicated the timing of limnological responses to climate warming, which, due to prevailing ice cover conditions, varied from ∼1850 to ∼1990 for lakes that have undergone changes. We show that climate warming may have enhanced mercury deposition to lake sediments in one lake (Moraine Pond), while another (West Lake) showed a strong signal of post-industrial mercury enrichment without any corresponding limnological changes associated with warming. Our results provide insights into the role of climate warming and organic carbon cycling as drivers of mercury deposition to Arctic lake sediments. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Arctic Ocean marine carbon cycle: evaluation of air-sea CO2 exchanges, ocean acidification impacts and potential feedbacks

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. R. Bates

2009-11-01

Full Text Available At present, although seasonal sea-ice cover mitigates atmosphere-ocean gas exchange, the Arctic Ocean takes up carbon dioxide (CO2 on the order of −66 to −199 Tg C year−1 (1012 g C, contributing 5–14% to the global balance of CO2 sinks and sources. Because of this, the Arctic Ocean has an important influence on the global carbon cycle, with the marine carbon cycle and atmosphere-ocean CO2 exchanges sensitive to Arctic Ocean and global climate change feedbacks. In the near-term, further sea-ice loss and increases in phytoplankton growth rates are expected to increase the uptake of CO2 by Arctic Ocean surface waters, although mitigated somewhat by surface warming in the Arctic. Thus, the capacity of the Arctic Ocean to uptake CO2 is expected to alter in response to environmental changes driven largely by climate. These changes are likely to continue to modify the physics, biogeochemistry, and ecology of the Arctic Ocean in ways that are not yet fully understood. In surface waters, sea-ice melt, river runoff, cooling and uptake of CO2 through air-sea gas exchange combine to decrease the calcium carbonate (CaCO3 mineral saturation states (Ω of seawater while seasonal phytoplankton primary production (PP mitigates this effect. Biological amplification of ocean acidification effects in subsurface waters, due to the remineralization of organic matter, is likely to reduce the ability of many species to produce CaCO3 shells or tests with profound implications for Arctic marine ecosystems

Climate Change and Arctic Issues in the Marine and Environmental Science Curriculum at the U.S. Coast Guard Academy

Science.gov (United States)

Vlietstra, L.; McConnell, M. C.; Bergondo, D. L.; Mrakovcich, K. L.; Futch, V.; Stutzman, B. S.; Fleischmann, C. M.

2016-02-01

As global climate change becomes more evident, demand will likely increase for experts with a detailed understanding of the scientific basis of climate change, the ocean's role in the earth-atmosphere system, and forecasted impacts, especially in Arctic regions where effects may be most pronounced. As a result, programs in marine and environmental sciences are uniquely poised to prepare graduates for the formidable challenges posed by changing climates. Here we present research evaluating the prevalence and themes of courses focusing on anthropogenic climate change in 125 Marine Science and Environmental Science undergraduate programs at 86 institutions in the United States. These results, in addition to the increasing role of the Coast Guard in the Arctic, led to the development of two new courses in the curriculum. Climate Change Science, a one-credit seminar, includes several student-centered activities supporting key learning objectives. Polar Oceanography, a three-credit course, incorporates a major outreach component to Coast Guard units and members of the scientific community. Given the importance of climate change in Arctic regions in particular, we also propose six essential "Arctic Literacy Principles" around which courses or individual lesson plans may be organized. We show how these principles are incorporated into an additional new three-credit course, Model Arctic Council, which prepares students to participate in a week-long simulation exercise of Arctic Council meetings, held in Fairbanks, Alaska. Students examine the history and mission of the Arctic Council and explore some of the issues on which the council has deliberated. Special attention is paid to priorities of the current U.S. chairmanship of the Arctic Council which include climate change impacts on, and stewardship of, the Arctic Ocean.

Neutron activation analysis studies of marine biological species and related marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guinn, V.P.; Di Casa, M.; de Goeij, J.J.M.; Young, D.R.

1974-01-01

To assess the effects, if any, of elemental pollution of the Pacific Ocean from the major Southern California sewage outfalls, samples of ocean sediments were obtained and specimens of Dover Sole were caught in a number of locations. Liver tissue samples from Dover Sole specimens were analyzed for 12 elements and sediment samples for 4 elements. Although a number of the elements were highly concentrated in the surface sediments in the heavily-polluted areas, the Dover Sole showed no evidence of picking up any of the 12 elements from these polluted sediments. Sediment profiles, versus depth, (0-34 cm) were also determined for As, Sb, Se, and Hg. Stemming partly from the results of the NSF Baseline Study, the Southern California Coastal Water Research Project (SCCWRP) became interested in a more intensive multi-element study of marine biological species and ocean sediments off the coast of Southern California. The purpose of this study was to assess the effects, if any, of a number of selected elements of interest being discharged into the Pacific Ocean from the principal sewage outfalls in the Southern California (Los Angeles) area upon marine biological species. The 12 elements selected for study were Cr, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, As, Se, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, and Hg. Since a number of these elements were not amenable to purely instrumental NAA measurements, a suitable post-irradiation radiochemical separation procedure was devised, thoroughly tested, and then applied to 39 samples of liver tissue from specimens of Dover Sole caught in non-polluted, slightly-polluted, fairly-polluted, and heavily-polluted areas along the coast. A number of surface sediment samples from these same locations were also analyzed, by both instrumental and radiochemical NAA. In the following sections, the samples analyzed are cited, the procedures developed and employed are described, the results obtained are presented, and the conclusions reached are discussed

Occurrence and sorption properties of arsenicals in marine sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Fauser, Patrik; Sanderson, Hans; Hedegaard, Rikke Susanne Vingborg

2013-01-01

in marine sediments when conditions are similar to the Baltic Sea. At locations with significant anthropogenic point sources or where the local geology contains volcanic rock and sulphide mineral deposits, there may be significantly elevated arsenic concentrations, and it is recommended to determine on......The content of total arsenic, the inorganic forms: arsenite (As(III)) and arsenate (As(V)), the methylated forms: monomethylarsonic acid and dimethylarsinic acid (DMA), trimethylarsenic oxide, tetramethylarsenonium ion and arsenobetaine was measured in 95 sediment samples and 11 pore water samples...... in the Baltic Sea and other parts of the world. Existing data for on-site measurements of sorption coefficients (Kd) of arsenicals in marine and freshwater sediments show large variability from 1,000 L/kg. In this work, calculated sorption coefficients (Kd and Koc) for As(III+V) showed significant correlation...

Necromass as a source of energy to microorganisms in marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bradley, J.; Amend, J.; LaRowe, D.

2017-12-01

Marine sediments constitute one of the largest, most energy-limited biospheres on Earth. Despite increasing exploration and interest characterizing microbial communities in marine sediments, the production and role of microbial dead-matter (necromass) has largely been overlooked. Necromass is produced on a global scale, yet its significance as a power source to heterotrophic microorganisms remains unknown. We developed a physical, bio-energetic and geochemical model to quantify the total power supply from necromass oxidation and the total power demand of living microorganisms in marine sediments. This model is first applied to sediments from the oligotrophic South Pacific Gyre (SPG), where organic carbon and biomass concentrations are extremely low, yet microorganisms persist for millions of years in some of the lowest energy states on Earth. We show that necromass does not supply sufficient power to support the total demands of the living community (maintenance demands of microorganisms in marine sediments for up to 60,000 years following burial. Our model assumes that all counted cells are viable. Yet, if only a fraction of counted cells are alive, the role of necromass as an electron donor in fueling microbial metabolisms is even greater. This new insight requires a reassessment of carbon fluxes in the deep biosphere. By extension, we also demonstrate a mechanism for microbial communities to persist by oxidizing necromass over geological timescales, and thereby endure unfavorable, low-energy settings that might be analogous to conditions on early Earth and on other planetary bodies.

Phosphorus sorption on marine carbonate sediment: phosphonate as model organic compounds.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Xiao-Lan; Zhang, Jia-Zhong

2011-11-01

Organophosphonate, characterized by the presence of a stable, covalent, carbon to phosphorus (C-P) bond, is a group of synthetic or biogenic organophosphorus compounds. The fate of these organic phosphorus compounds in the environment is not well studied. This study presents the first investigation on the sorption of phosphorus (P) in the presence of two model phosphonate compounds, 2-aminothylphosphonoic acid (2-AEP) and phosphonoformic acid (PFA), on marine carbonate sediments. In contrast to other organic P compounds, no significant inorganic phosphate exchange was observed in seawater. P was found to adsorb on the sediment only in the presence of PFA, not 2-AEP. This indicated that sorption of P from phosphonate on marine sediment was compound specific. Compared with inorganic phosphate sorption on the same sediments, P sorption from organic phosphorus is much less in the marine environment. Further study is needed to understand the potential role of the organophosphonate compounds in biogeochemical cycle of phosphorus in the environment. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Late-Middle Quaternary lithostratigraphy and sedimentation patterns on the Alpha Ridge, central Arctic Ocean: Implications for Arctic climate variability on orbital time scales

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Rujian; Polyak, Leonid; Xiao, Wenshen; Wu, Li; Zhang, Taoliang; Sun, Yechen; Xu, Xiaomei

2018-02-01

We use sediment cores collected by the Chinese National Arctic Research Expeditions from the Alpha Ridge to advance Quaternary stratigraphy and paleoceanographic reconstructions for the Arctic Ocean. Our cores show a good litho/biostratigraphic correlation to sedimentary records developed earlier for the central Arctic Ocean, suggesting a recovered stratigraphic range of ca. 0.6 Ma, suitable for paleoclimatic studies on orbital time scales. This stratigraphy was tested by correlating the stacked Alpha Ridge record of bulk XRF manganese, calcium and zirconium (Mn, Ca, Zr), to global stable-isotope (LR04-δ18O) and sea-level stacks and tuning to orbital parameters. Correlation results corroborate the applicability of presumed climate/sea-level controlled Mn variations in the Arctic Ocean for orbital tuning. This approach enables better understanding of the global and orbital controls on the Arctic climate. Orbital tuning experiments for our records indicate strong eccentricity (100-kyr) and precession (∼20-kyr) controls on the Arctic Ocean, probably implemented via glaciations and sea ice. Provenance proxies like Ca and Zr are shown to be unsuitable as orbital tuning tools, but useful as indicators of glacial/deglacial processes and circulation patterns in the Arctic Ocean. Their variations suggest an overall long-term persistence of the Beaufort Gyre circulation in the Alpha Ridge region. Some glacial intervals, e.g., MIS 6 and 4/3, are predominated by material presumably transported by the Transpolar Drift. These circulation shifts likely indicate major changes in the Arctic climatic regime, which yet need to be investigated. Overall, our results demonstrate applicability of XRF data to paleoclimatic studies of the Arctic Ocean.

Severnaya Zemlya, arctic Russia: a nucleation area for Kara Sea ice sheets during the Middle to Late Quaternary

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Möller, Per; Lubinski, David J.; Ingólfsson, Ólafur

2006-01-01

Quaternary glacial stratigraphy and relative sea-level changes reveal at least four expansions of the Kara Sea ice sheet over the Severnaya Zemlya Archipelago at 79°N in the Russian Arctic, as indicated from tills interbedded with marine sediments, exposed in stratigraphic superposition, and from......-5e and MIS 5d-3. The MIS 6-5e event, associated with the high marine limit, implies ice-sheet thickness of >2000 m only 200 km from the deep Arctic Ocean, consistent with published evidence of ice grounding at ~1000 m water depth in the central Arctic Ocean. Till fabrics and glacial tectonics record...... repeated expansions of local ice caps exclusively, suggesting wet-based ice cap advance followed by cold-based regional ice-sheet expansion. Local ice caps over highland sites along the perimeter of the shallow Kara Sea, including the Byrranga Mountains, appear to have repeatedly fostered initiation...

Arctic Ocean Paleoceanography and Future IODP Drilling

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Ruediger

2015-04-01

Although the Arctic Ocean is a major player in the global climate/earth system, this region is one of the last major physiographic provinces on Earth where the short- and long-term geological history is still poorly known. This lack in knowledge is mainly due to the major technological/logistical problems in operating within the permanently ice-covered Arctic region which makes it difficult to retrieve long and undisturbed sediment cores. Prior to 2004, in the central Arctic Ocean piston and gravity coring was mainly restricted to obtaining near-surface sediments, i.e., only the upper 15 m could be sampled. Thus, all studies were restricted to the late Pliocene/Quaternary time interval, with a few exceptions. These include the four short cores obtained by gravity coring from drifting ice floes over the Alpha Ridge, where older pre-Neogene organic-carbon-rich muds and laminated biosiliceous oozes were sampled. Continuous central Arctic Ocean sedimentary records, allowing a development of chronologic sequences of climate and environmental change through Cenozoic times and a comparison with global climate records, however, were missing prior to the IODP Expedition 302 (Arctic Ocean Coring Expedition - ACEX), the first scientific drilling in the central Arctic Ocean. By studying the unique ACEX sequence, a large number of scientific discoveries that describe previously unknown Arctic paleoenvironments, were obtained during the last decade (for most recent review and references see Stein et al., 2014). While these results from ACEX were unprecedented, key questions related to the climate history of the Arctic Ocean remain unanswered, in part because of poor core recovery, and in part because of the possible presence of a major mid-Cenozoic hiatus or interval of starved sedimentation within the ACEX record. In order to fill this gap in knowledge, international, multidisciplinary expeditions and projects for scientific drilling/coring in the Arctic Ocean are needed. Key

Pan-Arctic concentrations of mercury and stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ{sup 13}C) and nitrogen (δ{sup 15}N) in marine zooplankton

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pomerleau, Corinne, E-mail: corinne.pomerleau@umanitoba.ca [Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 (Canada); Greenland Institute of Natural Resources, Kivioq 2, Nuuk 3900, Greenland (Denmark); Stern, Gary A.; Pućko, Monika [Centre for Earth Observation Science, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, MB R3T 2N2 (Canada); Foster, Karen L. [Foster Environmental, Peterborough, ON K9J 8L2 (Canada); Macdonald, Robie W. [Institute of Ocean Sciences, Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Sidney, BC V8L 4B2 (Canada); Fortier, Louis [Québec-Océan, Département de Biologie, Université Laval, Québec, QC G1V 0A6 (Canada)

2016-05-01

Zooplankton play a central role in marine food webs, dictating the quantity and quality of energy available to upper trophic levels. They act as “keystone” species in transfer of mercury (Hg) up through the marine food chain. Here, we present the first Pan-Arctic overview of total and monomethylmercury concentrations (THg and MMHg) and stable isotope ratios of carbon (δ{sup 13}C) and nitrogen (δ{sup 15}N) in selected zooplankton species by assembling data collected between 1998 and 2012 from six arctic regions (Laptev Sea, Chukchi Sea, southeastern Beaufort Sea, Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Hudson Bay and northern Baffin Bay). MMHg concentrations in Calanus spp., Themisto spp. and Paraeuchaeta spp. were found to increase with higher δ{sup 15}N and lower δ{sup 13}C. The southern Beaufort Sea exhibited both the highest THg and MMHg concentrations. Biomagnification of MMHg between Calanus spp. and two of its known predators, Themisto spp. and Paraeuchaeta spp., was greatest in the southern Beaufort Sea. Our results show large geographical variations in Hg concentrations and isotopic signatures for individual species related to regional ecosystem features, such as varying water masses and freshwater inputs, and highlight the increased exposure to Hg in the marine food chain of the southern Beaufort Sea. - Highlights: • Assessment of Pan-Arctic variability in zooplankton Hg concentrations • Increased exposure to Hg in the marine food chain of the southern Beaufort Sea • Zooplankton plays a central role in the Hg pathway within Arctic marine food webs.

Marine dredged sediments as new materials resource for road construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Siham, Kamali; Fabrice, Bernard; Edine, Abriak Nor; Patrick, Degrugilliers

2008-01-01

Large volumes of sediments are dredged each year in Europe in order to maintain harbour activities. With the new European Union directives, harbour managers are encouraged to find environmentally sound solutions for these materials. This paper investigates the potential uses of Dunkirk marine dredged sediment as a new material resource for road building. The mineralogical composition of sediments is evaluated using X-ray diffraction and microscopy analysis. Since sediments contain a high amount of water, a dewatering treatment has been used. Different suitable mixtures, checking specific geotechnical criteria as required in French standards, are identified. The mixtures are then optimized for an economical reuse. The mechanical tests conducted on these mixtures are compaction, bearing capacity, compression and tensile tests. The experimental results show the feasibility of the beneficial use of Dunkirk marine dredged sand and sediments as a new material for the construction of foundation and base layers for roads. Further research is now needed to prove the resistance of this new material to various environmental impacts (e.g., frost damage).

Biogeochemistry of pyrite and iron sulfide oxidation in marine sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schippers, A.; Jørgensen, BB

2002-01-01

as substrates and NO3- as electron acceptor, in the presence of (FeS2)-Fe-55, to test for co-oxidation of FeS2, but an anaerobic microbial dissolution of (FeS2)-Fe-55, could not been detected. FeS2 and FeS were not oxidized by amorphous Fe(III) oxide in the presence of Fe-complexing organic compounds......Pyrite (FeS2) and iron monosulfide (FeS) play a central role in the sulfur and iron cycles of marine sediments, They may be buried in the sediment or oxidized by O-2 after transport by bioturbation to the sediment surface. FeS2 and FeS may also be oxidized within the anoxic sediment in which NO3...... marine sediments and incubated at different temperatures for > 1 yr. Bacteria could not be enriched with FeS2 as substrate or with FeS and amorphous Fe(III) oxide. With FeS and NO3-, 14 enrichments were obtained. One of these enrichments was further cultivated anaerobically with Fe2+ and S-0...

First record of eocene bony fishes and crocodyliforms from Canada's Western Arctic.

Science.gov (United States)

Eberle, Jaelyn J; Gottfried, Michael D; Hutchison, J Howard; Brochu, Christopher A

2014-01-01

Discovery of Eocene non-marine vertebrates, including crocodylians, turtles, bony fishes, and mammals in Canada's High Arctic was a critical paleontological contribution of the last century because it indicated that this region of the Arctic had been mild, temperate, and ice-free during the early - middle Eocene (∼53-50 Ma), despite being well above the Arctic Circle. To date, these discoveries have been restricted to Canada's easternmost Arctic - Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg Islands (Nunavut). Although temporally correlative strata crop out over 1,000 km west, on Canada's westernmost Arctic Island - Banks Island, Northwest Territories - they have been interpreted as predominantly marine. We document the first Eocene bony fish and crocodyliform fossils from Banks Island. We describe fossils of bony fishes, including lepisosteid (Atractosteus), esocid (pike), and amiid, and a crocodyliform, from lower - middle Eocene strata of the Cyclic Member, Eureka Sound Formation within Aulavik National Park (∼76°N. paleolat.). Palynology suggests the sediments are late early to middle Eocene in age, and likely spanned the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO). These fossils extend the geographic range of Eocene Arctic lepisosteids, esocids, amiids, and crocodyliforms west by approximately 40° of longitude or ∼1100 km. The low diversity bony fish fauna, at least at the family level, is essentially identical on Ellesmere and Banks Islands, suggesting a pan-High Arctic bony fish fauna of relatively basal groups around the margin of the Eocene Arctic Ocean. From a paleoclimatic perspective, presence of a crocodyliform, gar and amiid fishes on northern Banks provides further evidence that mild, year-round temperatures extended across the Canadian Arctic during early - middle Eocene time. Additionally, the Banks Island crocodyliform is consistent with the phylogenetic hypothesis of a Paleogene divergence time between the two extant alligatorid lineages Alligator

Persistent organic pollutants and mercury in marine biota of the Canadian Arctic: an overview of spatial and temporal trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Braune, B M; Outridge, P M; Fisk, A T; Muir, D C G; Helm, P A; Hobbs, K; Hoekstra, P F; Kuzyk, Z A; Kwan, M; Letcher, R J; Lockhart, W L; Norstrom, R J; Stern, G A; Stirling, I

2005-12-01

This review summarizes and synthesizes the significant amount of data which was generated on mercury (Hg) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in Canadian Arctic marine biota since the first Canadian Arctic Contaminants Assessment Report (CACAR) was published in 1997. This recent body of work has led to a better understanding of the current levels and spatial and temporal trends of contaminants in biota, including the marine food species that northern peoples traditionally consume. Compared to other circumpolar countries, concentrations of many organochlorines (OCs) in Canadian Arctic marine biota are generally lower than in the European Arctic and eastern Greenland but are higher than in Alaska, whereas Hg concentrations are substantially higher in Canada than elsewhere. Spatial coverage of OCs in ringed seals, beluga and seabirds remains a strength of the Arctic contaminant data set for Canada. Concentrations of OCs in marine mammals and seabirds remain fairly consistent across the Canadian Arctic although subtle differences from west to east and south to north are found in the proportions of various chemicals. The most significant development since 1997 is improvement in the temporal trend data sets, thanks to the use of archived tissue samples from the 1970s and 1980s, long-term studies using archeological material, as well as the continuation of sampling. These data cover a range of species and chemicals and also include retrospective studies on new chemicals such as polybrominated diphenyl ethers. There is solid evidence in a few species (beluga, polar bear, blue mussels) that Hg at some locations has significantly increased from pre-industrial times to the present; however, the temporal trends of Hg over the past 20-30 years are inconsistent. Some animal populations exhibited significant increases in Hg whereas others did not. Therefore, it is currently not possible to determine if anthropogenic Hg is generally increasing in Canadian Arctic biota. It is

Avalanches of sediment form deep-marine depositions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pohl, Florian|info:eu-repo/dai/nl/34309424X

2017-01-01

The deep ocean is the largest sedimentary system basin on the planet. It serves as the primary storage point for all terrestrially weathered sediment that makes it beyond the near-shore environment. These deep-marine offshore deposits have become a focus of attention in exploration due to the

Regional variations in provenance and abundance of ice-rafted clasts in Arctic Ocean sediments: Implications for the configuration of late Quaternary oceanic and atmospheric circulation in the Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Phillips, R.L.; Grantz, A.

2001-01-01

The composition and distribution of ice-rafted glacial erratics in late Quaternary sediments define the major current systems of the Arctic Ocean and identify two distinct continental sources for the erratics. In the southern Amerasia basin up to 70% of the erratics are dolostones and limestones (the Amerasia suite) that originated in the carbonate-rich Paleozoic terranes of the Canadian Arctic Islands. These clasts reached the Arctic Ocean in glaciers and were ice-rafted to the core sites in the clockwise Beaufort Gyre. The concentration of erratics decreases northward by 98% along the trend of the gyre from southeastern Canada basin to Makarov basin. The concentration of erratics then triples across the Makarov basin flank of Lomonosov Ridge and siltstone, sandstone and siliceous clasts become dominant in cores from the ridge and the Eurasia basin (the Eurasia suite). The bedrock source for the siltstone and sandstone clasts is uncertain, but bedrock distribution and the distribution of glaciation in northern Eurasia suggest the Taymyr Peninsula-Kara Sea regions. The pattern of clast distribution in the Arctic Ocean sediments and the sharp northward decrease in concentration of clasts of Canadian Arctic Island provenance in the Amerasia basin support the conclusion that the modem circulation pattern of the Arctic Ocean, with the Beaufort Gyre dominant in the Amerasia basin and the Transpolar drift dominant in the Eurasia basin, has controlled both sea-ice and glacial iceberg drift in the Arctic Ocean during interglacial intervals since at least the late Pleistocene. The abruptness of the change in both clast composition and concentration on the Makarov basin flank of Lomonosov Ridge also suggests that the boundary between the Beaufort Gyre and the Transpolar Drift has been relatively stable during interglacials since that time. Because the Beaufort Gyre is wind-driven our data, in conjunction with the westerly directed orientation of sand dunes that formed during

Comparison between summertime and wintertime Arctic Ocean primary marine aerosol properties

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Zábori

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Primary marine aerosols (PMAs are an important source of cloud condensation nuclei, and one of the key elements of the remote marine radiative budget. Changes occurring in the rapidly warming Arctic, most importantly the decreasing sea ice extent, will alter PMA production and hence the Arctic climate through a set of feedback processes. In light of this, laboratory experiments with Arctic Ocean water during both Arctic winter and summer were conducted and focused on PMA emissions as a function of season and water properties. Total particle number concentrations and particle number size distributions were used to characterize the PMA population. A comprehensive data set from the Arctic summer and winter showed a decrease in PMA concentrations for the covered water temperature (Tw range between −1°C and 15°C. A sharp decrease in PMA emissions for a Tw increase from −1°C to 4°C was followed by a lower rate of change in PMA emissions for Tw up to about 6°C. Near constant number concentrations for water temperatures between 6°C to 10°C and higher were recorded. Even though the total particle number concentration changes for overlapping Tw ranges were consistent between the summer and winter measurements, the distribution of particle number concentrations among the different sizes varied between the seasons. Median particle number concentrations for a dry diameter (DpDp > 0.125μm, the particle number concentrations during winter were mostly higher than in summer (up to 50%. The normalized particle number size distribution as a function of water temperature was examined for both winter and summer measurements. An increase in Tw from −1°C to 10°C during winter measurements showed a decrease in the peak of relative particle number concentration at about a Dp of 0.180μm, while an increase was observed for particles with Dp > 1μm. Summer measurements exhibited a relative shift to smaller particle sizes for an increase of Tw in the range

Arctic-COLORS (Coastal Land Ocean Interactions in the Arctic) - a NASA field campaign scoping study to examine land-ocean interactions in the Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Hernes, P.; Tzortziou, M.; Salisbury, J.; Mannino, A.; Matrai, P.; Friedrichs, M. A.; Del Castillo, C. E.

2014-12-01

The Arctic region is warming faster than anywhere else on the planet, triggering rapid social and economic changes and impacting both terrestrial and marine ecosystems. Yet our understanding of critical processes and interactions along the Arctic land-ocean interface is limited. Arctic-COLORS is a Field Campaign Scoping Study funded by NASA's Ocean Biology and Biogeochemistry Program that aims to improve understanding and prediction of land-ocean interactions in a rapidly changing Arctic coastal zone, and assess vulnerability, response, feedbacks and resilience of coastal ecosystems, communities and natural resources to current and future pressures. Specific science objectives include: - Quantify lateral fluxes to the arctic inner shelf from (i) rivers and (ii) the outer shelf/basin that affect biology, biodiversity, biogeochemistry (i.e. organic matter, nutrients, suspended sediment), and the processing rates of these constituents in coastal waters. - Evaluate the impact of the thawing of Arctic permafrost within the river basins on coastal biology, biodiversity and biogeochemistry, including various rates of community production and the role these may play in the health of regional economies. - Assess the impact of changing Arctic landfast ice and coastal sea ice dynamics. - Establish a baseline for comparison to future change, and use state-of-the-art models to assess impacts of environmental change on coastal biology, biodiversity and biogeochemistry. A key component of Arctic-COLORS will be the integration of satellite and field observations with coupled physical-biogeochemical models for predicting impacts of future pressures on Arctic, coastal ocean, biological processes and biogeochemical cycles. Through interagency and international collaborations, and through the organization of dedicated workshops, town hall meetings and presentations at international conferences, the scoping study engages the broader scientific community and invites participation of

Effect of sediment properties on the sorption of C12-2-LAS in marine and estuarine sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Rico Rico, A.; Temara, A.; Behrends, T.; Hermens, J.L.M.

2009-01-01

Linear alkylbenzene sulfonates (LAS) are anionic high production volume surfactants used in the manufacture of cleaning products. Here, we have studied the effect of the characteristics of marine and estuarine sediments on the sorption of LAS. Sorption experiments were performed with single sediment

Plutonium in the arctic marine environment--a short review.

Science.gov (United States)

Skipperud, Lindis

2004-06-18

Anthropogenic plutonium has been introduced into the environment over the past 50 years as the result of the detonation of nuclear weapons and operational releases from the nuclear industry. In the Arctic environment, the main source of plutonium is from atmospheric weapons testing, which has resulted in a relatively uniform, underlying global distribution of plutonium. Previous studies of plutonium in the Kara Sea have shown that, at certain sites, other releases have given rise to enhanced local concentrations. Since different plutonium sources are characterised by distinctive plutonium-isotope ratios, evidence of a localised influence can be supported by clear perturbations in the plutonium-isotope ratio fingerprints as compared to the known ratio in global fallout. In Kara Sea sites, such perturbations have been observed as a result of underwater weapons tests at Chernaya Bay, dumped radioactive waste in Novaya Zemlya, and terrestrial runoff from the Ob and Yenisey Rivers. Measurement of the plutonium-isotope ratios offers both a means of identifying the origin of radionuclide contamination and the influence of the various nuclear installations on inputs to the Arctic, as well as a potential method for following the movement of water and sediment loads in the rivers.

Composition and fate of terrigenous organic matter along the Arctic land-ocean continuum in East Siberia: Insights from biomarkers and carbon isotopes

Science.gov (United States)

Tesi, Tommaso; Semiletov, Igor; Hugelius, Gustaf; Dudarev, Oleg; Kuhry, Peter; Gustafsson, Örjan

2014-05-01

Climate warming is predicted to translocate terrigenous organic carbon (TerrOC) to the Arctic Ocean and affect the marine biogeochemistry at high latitudes. The magnitude of this translocation is currently unknown, so is the climate response. The fate of the remobilized TerrOC across the Arctic shelves represents an unconstrained component of this feedback. The present study investigated the fate of permafrost carbon along the land-ocean continuum by characterizing the TerrOC composition in three different terrestrial carbon pools from Siberian permafrost (surface organic rich horizon, mineral soil active layer, and Ice Complex deposit) and marine sediments collected on the extensive East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS). High levels of lignin phenols and cutin acids were measured in all terrestrial samples analyzed indicating that these compounds can be used to trace the heterogeneous terrigenous material entering the Arctic Ocean. In ESAS sediments, comparison of these terrigenous biomarkers with other TerrOC proxies (bulk δ13C/Δ14C and HMW lipid biomarkers) highlighted contrasting across-shelf trends. These differences could indicate that TerrOC in the ESAS is made up of several pools that exhibit contrasting reactivity toward oxidation during the transport. In this reactive spectrum, lignin is the most reactive, decreasing up to three orders of magnitude from the inner- to the outer-shelf while the decrease of HMW wax lipid biomarkers was considerably less pronounced. Alternatively, degradation might be negligible while sediment sorting during the across-shelf transport could be the major physical forcing that redistributes different TerrOC pools characterized by different matrix-association.

Increased carbon uptake in marine sediment enabled by naturally occurring electrical conductors

Science.gov (United States)

Nielsen, M. E.; Cahoon, D. P.; Girguis, P. R.

2011-12-01

Reduction-oxidation (redox) gradients are common across marine sediment-water interfaces and result from microbially-mediated reactions such as the oxidation of organic matter coupled to reduction of electron acceptors. Most microbes living in sediments do not have direct access to oxygen in their immediate environment, however it has recently been shown that sulfide-oxidizing microbes may employ extracellular electron transfer (EET) to couple the oxidation of sulfide in the anoxic zone to reduction of oxygen at the sediment-water interface located several centimeters away. However, no mechanisms for this observed phenomenon have been validated. Accordingly, we tested the hypothesis that conductive minerals in marine sediment (specifically pyrite) can couple spatially separated redox reactions such as anaerobic respiration and oxygen reduction. Marine sediment was amended with naturally occurring pyrite in varying concentrations (0, 2, 10 and 50 weight-percent) and then incubated with 10 μM 13C-labeled acetate. After six hours, the treatments with the greatest amount of added pyrite showed the greatest incorporation of acetate from the labeled pool. The fraction of labeled acetate incorporation more than doubled in the 10 and 50 weight-percent treatments compared to the control sediment. We also designed a circuit to investigate the electrical conductivity of the sediment treatments as a function of added pyrite. A potentiostat was used to establish a known voltage across a sediment column and current was measured. Resistance (the inverse of conductance) was calculated from a linear fit of current data over a range of voltages ranging from 0.5 to 1.0 V. The treatments with added pyrite had lower resistance than background sediment, with the lowest resistance corresponding to the 50% pyrite treatment. We also examined the effect of varying pyrite content on microbial community composition using massively parallel 16S rRNA sequencing. Microbial community analyses

Marine Corps Equities in the Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-18

reduces the shipping time from Yokohama, Japan, to Hamburg , Germany, by 11 days as compared to the Suez Canal. Ships average approximately a 20...areas within the Arctic Circle. 10 Warming ocean water is causing fisheries to shift north as well. Fish populations usually found in the...people live in the Arctic region. Commercial fishing fleets are following these populations. 29 Russia holds the majority of the Arctic population

Diversity of active aerobic methanotrophs along depth profiles of arctic and subarctic lake water column and sediments

Science.gov (United States)

He, Ruo; Wooller, Matthew J.; Pohlman, John W.; Quensen, John; Tiedje, James M.; Leigh, Mary Beth

2012-01-01

Methane (CH4) emitted from high-latitude lakes accounts for 2–6% of the global atmospheric CH4 budget. Methanotrophs in lake sediments and water columns mitigate the amount of CH4 that enters the atmosphere, yet their identity and activity in arctic and subarctic lakes are poorly understood. We used stable isotope probing (SIP), quantitative PCR (Q-PCR), pyrosequencing and enrichment cultures to determine the identity and diversity of active aerobic methanotrophs in the water columns and sediments (0–25 cm) from an arctic tundra lake (Lake Qalluuraq) on the north slope of Alaska and a subarctic taiga lake (Lake Killarney) in Alaska's interior. The water column CH4 oxidation potential for these shallow (~2m deep) lakes was greatest in hypoxic bottom water from the subarctic lake. The type II methanotroph, Methylocystis, was prevalent in enrichment cultures of planktonic methanotrophs from the water columns. In the sediments, type I methanotrophs (Methylobacter, Methylosoma and Methylomonas) at the sediment-water interface (0–1 cm) were most active in assimilating CH4, whereas the type I methanotroph Methylobacter and/or type II methanotroph Methylocystis contributed substantially to carbon acquisition in the deeper (15–20 cm) sediments. In addition to methanotrophs, an unexpectedly high abundance of methylotrophs also actively utilized CH4-derived carbon. This study provides new insight into the identity and activity of methanotrophs in the sediments and water from high-latitude lakes.

Uranium and plutonium in marine sediments; Uranio y plutonio en sedimentos marinos

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ordonez R, E.; Almazan T, M. G. [ININ, Carretera Mexico-Toluca s/n, 52750 Ocoyoacac, Estado de Mexico (Mexico); Ruiz F, A. C., E-mail: eduardo.ordonez@inin.gob.mx [UNAM, Instituto de Ciencias del Mar y Limnologia, Unidad Academica Mazatlan, Sinaloa (MX)

2011-11-15

The marine sediments contain uranium concentrations that are considered normal, since the seawater contains dissolved natural uranium that is deposited in the bed sea in form of sediments by physical-chemistry and bio-genetics processes. Since the natural uranium is constituted of several isotopes, the analysis of the isotopic relationship {sup 234}U/{sup 238}U are an indicator of the oceanic activity that goes accumulating slowly leaving a historical registration of the marine events through the profile of the marine soil. But the uranium is not the only radioelement present in the marine sediments. In the most superficial strata the presence of the {sup 239+140}Pu has been detected that it is an alpha emitter and that recently it has been detected with more frequency in some coasts of the world. The Mexican coast has not been the exception to this phenomenon and in this work the presence of {sup 239-140}Pu is shown in the more superficial layers of an exploring coming from the Gulf of Tehuantepec. (Author)

Isolation and genome sequencing of four Arctic marine Psychrobacter strains exhibiting multicopper oxidase activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Moghadam, Morteza Shojaei; Albersmeier, Andreas; Winkler, Anika; Cimmino, Lorenzo; Rise, Kjersti; Hohmann-Marriott, Martin Frank; Kalinowski, Jörn; Rückert, Christian; Wentzel, Alexander; Lale, Rahmi

2016-02-16

Marine cold-temperature environments are an invaluable source of psychrophilic microbial life for new biodiscoveries. An Arctic marine bacterial strain collection was established consisting of 1448 individual isolates originating from biota, water and sediment samples taken at a various depth in the Barents Sea, North of mainland Norway, with an all year round seawater temperature of 4 °C. The entire collection was subjected to high-throughput screening for detection of extracellular laccase activity with guaiacol as a substrate. In total, 13 laccase-positive isolates were identified, all belonging to the Psychrobacter genus. From the most diverse four strains, based on 16S rRNA gene sequence analysis, all originating from the same Botryllus sp. colonial ascidian tunicate sample, genomic DNA was isolated and genome sequenced using a combined approach of whole genome shotgun and 8 kb mate-pair library sequencing on an Illumina MiSeq platform. The genomes were assembled and revealed genome sizes between 3.29 and 3.52 Mbp with an average G + C content of around 42%, with one to seven plasmids present in the four strains. Bioinformatics based genome mining was performed to describe the metabolic potential of these four strains and to identify gene candidates potentially responsible for the observed laccase-positive phenotype. Up to two different laccase-like multicopper oxidase (LMCO) encoding gene candidates were identified in each of the four strains. Heterologous expression of P11F6-LMCO and P11G5-LMCO2 in Escherichia coli BL21 (DE3) resulted in recombinant proteins exhibiting 2,2'-azino-bis-3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulphonic acid (ABTS) and guaiacol oxidizing activity. Thirteen Psychrobacter species with laccase-positive phenotype were isolated from a collection of Arctic marine bacteria. Four of the isolates were genome sequenced. The overall genome features were similar to other publicly available Psychrobacter genome sequences except for P11G5 harboring seven

Instrumental neutron activation analysis of marine sediment in-house reference material

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nazaratul Ashifa Abdullah Salim; Mohd Suhaimi Hamzah; Mohd Suhaimi Elias; Siong, W.B.; Shamsiah Abdul Rahman; Azian Hashim; Shakirah Abdul Shukor

2013-01-01

Reference materials play an important role in demonstrating the quality and reliability of analytical data. The advantage of using in-house reference materials is that they provide a relatively cheap option as compared to using commercially available certified reference material (CRM) and can closely resemble the laboratory routine test sample. A marine sediment sample was designed as an in-house reference material, in the framework of quality assurance and control (QA/QC) program of the Neutron Activation Analysis (NAA) Laboratory at Nuclear Malaysia. The NAA technique was solely used for the homogeneity test of the marine sediment sample. The CRM of IAEA- Soil 7 and IAEA- SL1 (Lake Sediment) were applied in the analysis as compatible matrix based reference materials for QA purposes. (Author)

Trophic dynamics in marine nearshore systems of the Alaskan high arctic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dunton, K.H.

1985-01-01

This dissertation describes two ecological studies in the arctic Alaskan nearshore zone: the productivity and growth strategies of arctic kelp and the use of natural carbon isotope abundances to examine food web structure and energy flow in the marine ecosystem. Linear growth of the kelp, Laminaria solidungula is greatest in winter and early spring when nutrients are available for new tissue growth. Since over 90% of this growth occurs in complete darkness beneath a turbid ice canopy, the plant draws on stored food reserves and is in a carbon deficit during the ice covered period. Annual productivity of L. solidungula under these conditions is about 6 g C m -2 compared to about 10 g c m -2 if light penetrates the ice canopy. Carbon isotope abundances were used to assess food web structure and energy flow in the Boulder Patch, an isolated kelp bed community, and in the Alaskan Beaufort Sea fauna. Isotopic analyses of the resident fauna of the Boulder Patch revealed that kelp carbon contributes significantly to the diet of many benthic animals, including suspension feeders. Across the shelf of the Alaskan Beaufort Sea, a distinct gradient in the isotopic composition of marine zooplankton and benthic fauna was related to the intrusion of the Bering Sea water and upwelling in the eastern Beaufort Sea near Barter Island. The 13 C depletion in fauna of the eastern Beaufort Sea is presumed due to the cycling of 13 C depleted inorganic carbon into the euphotic zone

Sensitivity of Pliocene Arctic climate to orbital forcing, atmospheric CO2 and sea ice albedo parameterisation

Science.gov (United States)

Howell, Fergus W.; Haywood, Alan M.; Dowsett, Harry J.; Pickering, Steven J.

2016-01-01

General circulation model (GCM) simulations of the mid-Pliocene Warm Period (mPWP, 3.264 to 3.025 Myr ago) do not reproduce the magnitude of Northern Hemisphere high latitude surface air and sea surface temperature (SAT and SST) warming that proxy data indicate. There is also large uncertainty regarding the state of sea ice cover in the mPWP. Evidence for both perennial and seasonal mPWP Arctic sea ice is found through analyses of marine sediments, whilst in a multi-model ensemble of mPWP climate simulations, half of the ensemble simulated ice-free summer Arctic conditions. Given the strong influence that sea ice exerts on high latitude temperatures, an understanding of the nature of mPWP Arctic sea ice would be highly beneficial.

Process-diagnostic patterns of chlorobiphenyl congeners in two radiochronologically characterized sediment cores from the northern Baffin Bay

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gustafsson, O.; Axelman, J.; Broman, D.

2001-01-01

that the PCB distribution in Arctic surface sediments is governed by the organic carbon (OC) content of the sediments. The historical development of the PCB congener fingerprint suggests that the modern sediments are enriched in medium-chlorinated congeners, implying that there are at least two significant......, but distinctly different, sink processes acting on the PCB pool. The relative abundance of light-to-heavy congeners, in mid-shelf marine sediments of similar ages, between 40 degreesN and 76 degreesN latitude suggests a northward dilution of PCBs which is stronger attenuated for heavier congeners, consistent...

Effect of recent climate change on Arctic Pb pollution: A comparative study of historical records in lake and peat sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu Xiaodong; Jiang Shan; Zhang Pengfei; Xu Liqiang

2012-01-01

Historical changes of anthropogenic Pb pollution were reconstructed based on Pb concentrations and isotope ratios in lake and peat sediment profiles from Ny-Ålesund of Arctic. The calculated excess Pb isotope ratios showed that Pb pollution largely came from west Europe and Russia. The peat profile clearly reflected the historical changes of atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic Pb into Ny-Ålesund, and the result showed that anthropogenic Pb peaked at 1960s–1970s, and thereafter a significant recovery was observed by a rapid increase of 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ratios and a remarkable decrease in anthropogenic Pb contents. In contrast to the peat record, the longer lake record showed relatively high anthropogenic Pb contents and a persistent decrease of 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ratios within the uppermost samples, suggesting that climate-sensitive processes such as catchment erosion and meltwater runoff might have influenced the recent change of Pb pollution record in the High Arctic lake sediments. - Highlights: ► Historical changes of anthropogenic Pb pollution in Ny-Ålesund were reconstructed. ► Anthropogenic Pb in Ny-Ålesund was largely originated from W. European and Russia. ► Anthropogenic Pb recorded in peat sediments peaked at 1960–1970s and then declined. ► High anthropogenic fluxes were found in recent change of Pb record from lake sediments. ► Climate-sensitive processes might have influenced recent Pb accumulation rate in lakes. - This manuscript reports the effects of climate-sensitive processes on historical records of Pb pollution in sediments of Arctic lakes.

A synthesis of the arctic terrestrial and marine carbon cycles under pressure from a dwindling cryosphere

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parmentier, Frans-Jan W; Christensen, Torben R; Rysgaard, Søren

2017-01-01

The current downturn of the arctic cryosphere, such as the strong loss of sea ice, melting of ice sheets and glaciers, and permafrost thaw, affects the marine and terrestrial carbon cycles in numerous interconnected ways. Nonetheless, processes in the ocean and on land have been too often...

Arctic carbon cycling

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Christensen, Torben R; Rysgaard, SØREN; Bendtsen, JØRGEN; Else, Brent; Glud, Ronnie N; van Huissteden, J.; Parmentier, F.J.W.; Sachs, Torsten; Vonk, J.E.

2017-01-01

The marine Arctic is considered a net carbon sink, with large regional differences in uptake rates. More regional modelling and observational studies are required to reduce the uncertainty among current estimates. Robust projections for how the Arctic Ocean carbon sink may evolve in the future are

Arctic Nuclear Waste Assessment Program

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edson, R.

1995-01-01

The Arctic Nuclear Waste Assessment Program (ANWAP) was initiated in 1993 as a result of US congressional concern over the disposal of nuclear materials by the former Soviet Union into the Arctic marine environment. The program is comprised of appr. 70 different projects. To date appr. ten percent of the funds has gone to Russian institutions for research and logistical support. The collaboration also include the IAEA International Arctic Seas Assessment Program. The major conclusion from the research to date is that the largest signals for region-wide radionuclide contamination in the Arctic marine environment appear to arise from the following: 1) atmospheric testing of nuclear weapons, a practice that has been discontinued; 2) nuclear fuel reprocessing wastes carried in the Arctic from reprocessing facilities in Western Europe, and 3) accidents such as Chernobyl and the 1957 explosion at Chelyabinsk-65

Reconstruction and prediction of radioactive contamination of the ecosystems of the Arctic Seas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kryshev, I.I.

1995-01-01

An analysis of the radionuclide content in components of the marine ecosystem was performed on the basis of observational data. The site-specific factors of radionuclide accumulation in marine biota and sediments were calculated for 90 Sr and 137 Cs. The following can be concluded from the comparison of site-specific accumulation factors with the world averaged data (IAEA Publication : 247): 1) 90 Sr concentration factors in algae and zooplankton in the Arctic Sea are roughly the same as world-averaged values. However, for fish they are much higher then average values and are mostly as high as the upper estimates of 90 Sr concentration factors presented in the IAEA Publication. 2) 137 Cs concentration factors in algae and zooplankton in the Arctic Sea are practically equal to the generalized world data. However, they are twice as high as world-averaged values for fish, but not going beyond the range of uncertainty for world-averaged data. 8 refs., 2 tabs

The Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO)-A Change Detection Array in the Pacific Arctic Sector

Science.gov (United States)

Grebmeier, J. M.; Moore, S. E.; Cooper, L. W.; Frey, K. E.; Pickart, R. S.

2011-12-01

The Pacific sector of the Arctic Ocean is experiencing major reductions in seasonal sea ice extent and increases in sea surface temperatures. One of the key uncertainties in this region is how the marine ecosystem will respond to seasonal shifts in the timing of spring sea ice retreat and/or delays in fall sea ice formation. Variations in upper ocean water hydrography, planktonic production, pelagic-benthic coupling and sediment carbon cycling are all influenced by sea ice and temperature changes. Climate changes are likely to result in shifts in species composition and abundance, northward range expansions, and changes in lower trophic level productivity that can directly cascade and affect the life cycles of higher trophic level organisms. Several regionally critical marine sites in the Pacific Arctic sector that have very high biomass and are focused foraging points for apex predators have been re-occupied during multiple international cruises. The data documenting the importance of these ecosystem "hotspots" provide a growing marine time-series from the northern Bering Sea to Barrow Canyon at the boundary of the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. Results from these studies show spatial changes in carbon production and export to the sediments as indicated by infaunal community composition and biomass, shifts in sediment grain size on a S-to-N latitudinal gradient, and range extensions for lower trophic levels and further northward migration of higher trophic organisms, such as gray whales. There is also direct evidence of negative impacts on ice dependent species, such as walrus and polar bears. To more systematically track the broad biological response to sea ice retreat and associated environmental change, an international consortium of scientists are developing a "Distributed Biological Observatory" (DBO) that includes selected biological measurements at multiple trophic levels. The DBO currently focuses on five regional biological "hotspot" locations along a

Global diffusive fluxes of methane in marine sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Egger, M.; Riedinger, N.; Mogollón, J.M.; Jørgensen, B.B.

2018-01-01

Anaerobic oxidation of methane provides a globally important, yet poorly constrained barrier for the vast amounts of methane produced in the subseafloor. Here we provide a global map and budget of the methane flux and degradation in diffusion-controlled marine sediments in relation to the depth of

Diversity, Persistence and Evolution in Marine Sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Starnawski, Piotr

2016-01-01

on the marine sediments communities was reviewed, it became apparent that there are some global trends in these populations ob- served in deep and shallow, organic rich and poor sediments. We have observed the same, often uncultured, organisms with very similar relative abundance profiles in reviewed sites...... communities as they transition from actively growing surface populations to barely dividing subsurface ones; (ii) evolutionary consequences of the prolonged residence in such environments and (iii) inferring function of the dominant groups found in deep sediments. When the current state of our knowledge....... In order to better understand this pattern we’ve reviewed the assembly processes that may lead to such situations, keeping in mind the limitations imposed by the environment.We’ve concluded, that due to low energy fluxes, and consequently low number of pos- sible cell divisions, selective survival of pre...

The gap in the Arctic Cenozoic Record: Expect the Unexpected

Science.gov (United States)

Sangiorgi, F.; Brumsack, H.; Schouten, S.; Brinkhuis, H.; Kaminski, M. A.; Reichart, G.; Stickley, C. E.; Willard, D. A.; Sinninghe Damste', J. S.

2006-12-01

Integrated Ocean Drilling Program Expedition 302, a.k.a. the Arctic Coring Expedition (ACEX), drilled more than 400 meters below the seafloor at the central Lomonosov Ridge, ca 250 km from the modern North Pole in water depths of about 1300 m. The partially recovered sediments provide a unique record of the geological and paleoceanographical evolution of the Arctic Ocean during the Cenozoic. The record indicates a transition from a "greenhouse world", characterized by a relative shallow marine setting, with organic-rich sediment and frequent brackish or even fresh surface waters during the latest Palaeocene and the early Eocene, to an "icehouse world" of hemipelagic sedimentation affected by the occurrence of sea ice from the middle Miocene to present. Much to our surprise, these two states are separated by a major hiatus, not obvious from the seismic record and the lithology of the cores, spanning at least 25 Ma as derived from dinocyst and benthic foraminifer stratigraphies. These testify that deposits of probable late early Miocene age directly overlie early middle Eocene sediments. To unravel the nature of the hiatus, we performed a multiproxy micropaleontological and geochemical study on the surrounding record, i.e. lithological units 1/6, 1/5 and 1/4, where the sediment changes from homogeneous dark into a cm-scaled alternation ("zebra-like") black and grey bands to light grey, blue and reddish-brown. Paleoenvironmental reconstructions based on organic-walled dinoflagellate cysts, pollen and spores, benthic foraminifera, inorganic and organic geochemistry and siliceous remains reveal conspicuous changes, suggesting a transition from brackish-freshwater to shallow-lagoonal and to open marine environments. These environmental turnovers, coupled with the occurrence of such a large hiatus, cannot be due to climatic shifts alone, but suggest that major tectonic rearrangements likely changed the depositional setting. On-going organic geochemical analysis will be

Absorption of sediment-bound radionuclides through the digestive tract of marine demersal fishes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koyanagi, Taku; Nakahara, Motokazu; Iimura, Mitsue

1978-01-01

Retention of 54 Mn, 59 Fe, 60 Co and 65 Zn by marine demersal fish, Ishigarei (Kareius bicoloratus) was observed by administering sediment-bound radioisotopes orally to the fishes to elucidate the contribution of sediment to the accumulation of radionuclides by marine benthic organisms. The sediment had high distribution coefficients for these radionuclides and from the result of leaching experiments with acidified seawater, considerable fractions of radioactive Mn, Co and Zn in the sediment were assumed to be leached in the stomach of the fishes. Retention patterns of the nuclides in the whole-body of the fishes were analyzed by peeling off method and two components were obtained for all the nuclides. The parameters which characterized the retention patterns suggested relatively high absorption efficiencies of the radionuclides except 59 Fe through the digestive tract of the fishes and the retention patterns of the slower component were supposed to be similar to those observed for the nuclides taken up from seawater or food by the dishes. Rapid and higher transfer of the absorbed radionuclides to the particular organs of the fishes suggested the important role of the sediment in the radioactive contamination of marine demersal fishes. (author)

Global distribution of radiolytic H2 production in marine sediment and implications for subsurface life

Science.gov (United States)

Sauvage, J.; Flinders, A. F.; Spivack, A. J.; D'Hondt, S.

2017-12-01

We present the first global estimate of radiolytic H2production in marine sediment. Knowledge of microbial electron donor production rates is critical to understand the bioenergetics of Earth's subsurface ecosystems In marine sediment, radiolysis of water by radiation from naturally occurring radionuclides leads to production of reduced (H2) and oxidized (H2O2, O2) species. Water radiolysis is catalyzed by marine sediment. The magnitude of catalysis depends on sediment composition and radiation type. Deep-sea clay is especially effective at enhancing H2 yields, increasing yield by more than an order of magnitude relative to pure water. This previously unrecognized catalytic effect of geological materials on radiolytic H2 production is important for fueling microbial life in the subseafloor, especially in sediment with high catalytic power. Our estimate of radiolytic H2 production is based on spatially integrating a previously published model and uses (i) experimentally constrained radiolytic H2 yields for the principal marine sediment types, (ii) bulk sediment radioactive element content of sediment cores in three ocean basins (N. Atlantic, N. and S. Pacific), and global distributions of (iii) seafloor lithology, (iv) sediment porosity, and (v) sediment thickness. We calculate that global radiolytic H2 production in marine sediment is 1.6E+12 mol H2 yr-1. This production rate is small relative to the annual rate of photosynthetic organic-matter production in the surface ocean. The globally integrated ratio of radiolytic H2 production relative to photosynthetic primary production is 4.1E-4, based on electron equivalences. Although small relative to global photosynthetic biomass production, sediment-catalyzed production of radiolytic products is significant in the subseafloor. Our analysis of 9 sites in the N. Atlantic, N. and S. Pacific suggests that H2 is the primary microbial fuel in organic-poor sediment older than a few million years; at these sites, calculated

A sensitivity analysis of a radiological assessment model for Arctic waters

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, S.P.

1998-01-01

A model based on compartment analysis has been developed to simulate the dispersion of radionuclides in Arctic waters for an assessment of doses to man. The model predicts concentrations of radionuclides in the marine environment and doses to man from a range of exposure pathways. A parameter sen...... scavenging, water-sediment interaction, biological uptake, ice transport and fish migration. Two independent evaluations of the release of radioactivity from dumped nuclear waste in the Kara Sea have been used as source terms for the dose calculations.......A model based on compartment analysis has been developed to simulate the dispersion of radionuclides in Arctic waters for an assessment of doses to man. The model predicts concentrations of radionuclides in the marine environment and doses to man from a range of exposure pathways. A parameter...... sensitivity analysis has identified components of the model that are potentially important contributors to the predictive accuracy of doses to individuals of critical groups as well as to the world population. The components investigated include features associated with water transport and mixing, particle...

Energy Gradients Structure Microbial Communities Across Sediment Horizons in Deep Marine Sediments of the South China Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Graw, Michael F.; D'Angelo, Grace; Borchers, Matthew; Thurber, Andrew R.; Johnson, Joel E.; Zhang, Chuanlun; Liu, Haodong; Colwell, Frederick S.

2018-01-01

The deep marine subsurface is a heterogeneous environment in which the assembly of microbial communities is thought to be controlled by a combination of organic matter deposition, electron acceptor availability, and sedimentology. However, the relative importance of these factors in structuring microbial communities in marine sediments remains unclear. The South China Sea (SCS) experiences significant variability in sedimentation across the basin and features discrete changes in sedimentology as a result of episodic deposition of turbidites and volcanic ashes within lithogenic clays and siliceous or calcareous ooze deposits throughout the basin's history. Deep subsurface microbial communities were recently sampled by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) at three locations in the SCS with sedimentation rates of 5, 12, and 20 cm per thousand years. Here, we used Illumina sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene to characterize deep subsurface microbial communities from distinct sediment types at these sites. Communities across all sites were dominated by several poorly characterized taxa implicated in organic matter degradation, including Atribacteria, Dehalococcoidia, and Aerophobetes. Sulfate-reducing bacteria comprised only 4% of the community across sulfate-bearing sediments from multiple cores and did not change in abundance in sediments from the methanogenic zone at the site with the lowest sedimentation rate. Microbial communities were significantly structured by sediment age and the availability of sulfate as an electron acceptor in pore waters. However, microbial communities demonstrated no partitioning based on the sediment type they inhabited. These results indicate that microbial communities in the SCS are structured by the availability of electron donors and acceptors rather than sedimentological characteristics. PMID:29696012

Evaluation of the potential for using Greenlandic marine sediments for brick production

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Belmonte, Louise Josefine; Bertelsen, Ida Maria Gieysztor

2016-01-01

Fine grained marine sediments from near the Greenlandic towns of Ilulissat, Kangerlussuaq and Sisimiut were assessed as raw materials for local production of building bricks. The assessment included both analysis of the sediment characteristics and physical properties of miniature test brick...

Proceedings of the 26. Arctic and Marine Oilspill Program (AMOP) Technical Seminar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2003-01-01

The papers presented at this Arctic and Marine Oilspill Program (AMOP) technical seminar reviewed the latest technologies that can be applied to the recovery and mitigation of marine oil spills. The very first seminar was held back in 1976 in response to public concerns regarding the potential for oil spills associated with offshore drilling in the Beaufort Sea in the Canadian Arctic. This twenty-sixth issue includes an appendix listing more than 1,200 AMOP papers from the first 25 years of the conference. Today, the AMOP conference has become international in nature and is the only surviving technical conference on oil spill science and technology in the world. While technical presentations about oil spills are the primary focus of the conference, many presentations also deal with other topics of interest, including contingency planning and legislation. In recent years, the conference has attracted about 200 people each year from 20 countries. The different sessions at this conference were entitled: (1) physical and chemical properties and behaviour of spilled oil, (2) activity updates and contingency planning, (3) detection, tracking and remote sensing, (4) biological effects of oil and hydrocarbons and oil biodegradation, (5) technical seminar on chemical spills with a special session on counter-terrorism, (6) technical seminar on chemical spills, (7) containment and recovery, (8) BIOSS, (9) in-situ burning and shoreline protection and cleanup, (10) oil spill treating agents, (11) spill modelling, and, (12) recent spill experiences. Several presentations described the process of oil in water interactions and were aimed at optimizing response functions, strategy development for marine oil spill response, equipment deployment, containment, recovery, and shoreline assessment. Several studies also presented new treatments for oil spills. Relevant papers and/or presentations were indexed separately for inclusion in the database

Solidification/stabilization of dredged marine sediments for road construction.

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Dong Xing; Abriak, Nor Edine; Zentar, Rachid; Xu, WeiYa

2012-01-01

Cement/lime-based solidification is an environmentally sound solution for the management of dredged marine sediments, instead of traditional solutions such as immersion. Based on the mineralogical composition and physical characteristics of Dunkirk sediments, the effects of cement and lime are assessed through Atterberg limits, modified Proctor compaction, unconfined compressive strength and indirect tensile strength tests. The variation of Atterberg limits and the improvement in strength are discussed at different binder contents. The potential of sediments solidified with cement or lime for road construction is evaluated through a proposed methodology from two aspects: I-CBR value and material classification. The test results show the feasibility of solidified dredged sediments for beneficial use as a material in road construction. Cement is superior to lime in terms of strength improvement, and adding 6% cement is an economic and reasonable method to stabilize fine sediments.

Regional patterns of labile organic carbon flux in North American Arctic Margin (NAAM) as reflected by redox sensitive-elements distributions in sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Gobeil, C.; Kuzyk, Z. Z. A.; Goni, M. A.; Macdonald, R. W.

2016-02-01

Concentrations of elements (S, Mn, Mo, U, Cd, Re) providing insights on organic C metabolized through oxidative processes at the sea floor were measured in 27 sediment cores collected along a section extending from the North Bering Sea to Davis Strait via the Canadian Archipelago. Sedimentary distributions and accumulation rates of these elements were used to i) document the relative importance of aerobic versus anaerobic degradation of organic C in NAAM sediments, ii) infer variations in water column carbon flux and iii) estimate the importance of this margin as a sink for key elements in the Arctic and global ocean. Distributions of Mn, total S and reduced inorganic S demonstrated that most sediments along the NAAM had relatively thick (>1 cm) surface oxic layers, underlain by sediments with weakly reducing conditions and limited sulphate reduction. Strongly reducing conditions accompanied by substantial sedimentary pyrite burial occurred only in certain subregions, including the Bering-Chukchi Shelves, shallow portions of Barrow Canyon. Estimated accumulation rates of authigenic S, Mo, Cd and U, and total Re displayed marked spatial variability that was related to sedimentary redox conditions induced by the supply of labile C to the seabed, as shown by significant relationships between the accumulation rates and vertical C flux, estimated from regional primary production values and water depth at the coring sites. High primary production combined with shallow water columns drive elevated rates of authigenic trace element accumulation in sediments from the Bering-Chukchi Shelves whereas low production combined with moderately deep conditions drive low rates of accumulation in sediments in the Beaufort Shelf, Davis Strait and Canadian Archipelago. Using the average authigenic trace element accumulation rates in sediments from the various regions, we submit that the shelves along the NAAM margin are important sinks in global marine biogeochemical budgets.

Long distance electron transport in marine sediments: Microbial and geochemical implications

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Risgaard-Petersen, Nils; Larsen, Steffen; Pfeffer, Christian

and promotes the formation of Mg-calcite and iron oxides in the oxic zone. Oxygen seems to be the major electron acceptor, and more than 40% of the oxygen consumption in sediments can be driven by long distance electron transfer from distant electron donors. The major e-donor is sulfide, which is oxidized......Anaerobic oxidation of organic matter in marine sediment is traditionally considered to be coupled to oxygen reduction via a cascade of redox processes and transport of intermittent electron donors and acceptors. Electric currents have been found to shortcut this cascade and directly couple...... oxidation of sulphide centimeters down in marine sediment to the reduction of oxygen at the very surface1 . This electric coupling of spatially separated redox half-reactions seems to be mediated by centimeter long filamentous Desulfubulbus affiliated bacteria with morphological and ultra...

Spheroidal Carbonaceous Particles (SCPs) as Chronological Markers in Marine Sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Thornalley, D.; Rose, N.; Oppo, D.

2016-12-01

Spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCPs) are a component of fly-ash, the particulate by-product of industrial high-temperature combustion of coal and fuel-oil that is released to the atmosphere with flue-gases. They are morphologically distinct and have no natural sources making them unambiguous markers of contamination from these anthropogenic sources. In naturally accumulating archives, SCPs may be used as a chronological tool as they provide a faithful record of industrial emissions and deposition. While the timing of the first presence of SCP in the 19th century, and the observed sub-surface peak are dependent on factors such as sediment accumulation rates and local industrial history, a rapid increase in SCP inputs in the mid-20thcentury appears to be a global signal corresponding to an acceleration in global electricity demand following the Second World War and the use of fuel-oil in electricity production at an industrial scale for the first time. While this approach has been widely used in lake sediments, it has not been applied to marine sediments, although there is great potential. Improved dating of 19th-20th century marine sediments has particular relevance for developing reconstructions of recent multi-decadal climate and ocean variability, and for studies that aim to place 20thcentury climate change within the context of the last millennium. Here, we present data from three sediment cores from the continental slope south of Iceland to demonstrate the temporal and spatial replicability of the SCP record in the marine environment and compare these data with cores taken from more contaminated areas off the coast of the eastern United States. The improved age model constraints provided by the analysis of SCPs has enabled a more accurate assessment of the timing of recent abrupt climate events recorded in these archives and has thus improved our understanding of likely causal climate mechanisms.

Microplastics in Arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples

Science.gov (United States)

Lusher, Amy L.; Tirelli, Valentina; O’Connor, Ian; Officer, Rick

2015-01-01

Plastic, as a form of marine litter, is found in varying quantities and sizes around the globe from surface waters to deep-sea sediments. Identifying patterns of microplastic distribution will benefit an understanding of the scale of their potential effect on the environment and organisms. As sea ice extent is reducing in the Arctic, heightened shipping and fishing activity may increase marine pollution in the area. Microplastics may enter the region following ocean transport and local input, although baseline contamination measurements are still required. Here we present the first study of microplastics in Arctic waters, south and southwest of Svalbard, Norway. Microplastics were found in surface (top 16 cm) and sub-surface (6 m depth) samples using two independent techniques. Origins and pathways bringing microplastic to the Arctic remain unclear. Particle composition (95% fibres) suggests they may either result from the breakdown of larger items (transported over large distances by prevailing currents, or derived from local vessel activity), or input in sewage and wastewater from coastal areas. Concurrent observations of high zooplankton abundance suggest a high probability for marine biota to encounter microplastics and a potential for trophic interactions. Further research is required to understand the effects of microplastic-biota interaction within this productive environment. PMID:26446348

Microplastics in Arctic polar waters: the first reported values of particles in surface and sub-surface samples

Science.gov (United States)

Lusher, Amy L.; Tirelli, Valentina; O'Connor, Ian; Officer, Rick

2015-10-01

Plastic, as a form of marine litter, is found in varying quantities and sizes around the globe from surface waters to deep-sea sediments. Identifying patterns of microplastic distribution will benefit an understanding of the scale of their potential effect on the environment and organisms. As sea ice extent is reducing in the Arctic, heightened shipping and fishing activity may increase marine pollution in the area. Microplastics may enter the region following ocean transport and local input, although baseline contamination measurements are still required. Here we present the first study of microplastics in Arctic waters, south and southwest of Svalbard, Norway. Microplastics were found in surface (top 16 cm) and sub-surface (6 m depth) samples using two independent techniques. Origins and pathways bringing microplastic to the Arctic remain unclear. Particle composition (95% fibres) suggests they may either result from the breakdown of larger items (transported over large distances by prevailing currents, or derived from local vessel activity), or input in sewage and wastewater from coastal areas. Concurrent observations of high zooplankton abundance suggest a high probability for marine biota to encounter microplastics and a potential for trophic interactions. Further research is required to understand the effects of microplastic-biota interaction within this productive environment.

Burrowing and avoidance behaviour in marine organisms exposed to pesticide-contaminated sediment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møhlenberg, Flemming; Kiørboe, Thomas

1983-01-01

Behavioural effects of marine sediment contaminated with pesticides (6000 ppm parathion, 200 ppm methyl parathion, 200 ppm malathion) were studied in a number of marine organisms in laboratory tests and in situ. The burrowing behaviour in Macoma baltica, Cerastoderma edule, Abra alba, Nereis...

Origin and geochemical behavior of uranium in marine sediments. Utilization of the {sup 234}U/{sup 238}U ratio in marine geochemistry; Origine et comportement geochimique de l`uranium dans les sediments marins. Utilisation du rapport ({sup 234}U/{sup 238}U) en geochimie marine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Organo, Catherine [Paris-11 Univ., 91 - Orsay (France)

1997-01-20

The first part of this thesis presents the current situation of knowledge of uranium in marine environment. The second part describes the methods of analysis as well as the material support of the study, i.e., the sediments and marine deposits investigated. The third part is dedicated to the study of uranium mobility in marine sediments characterized by detrital terrigenous composition (pelagic clays). This approach allowed quantifying the entering and leaving flux of uranium after the sediment settling and, to discuss, on this basis, the consequences on the uranium oceanic balance. In the third part the origin and behavior of uranium in zones of high surface productivity is studied. The uranium enrichments observed in the hemi-pelagic sediments of the EUMELI (J.G.O.F.S.-France) programme will constitute a material of study adequate for measuring the variations in the {sup 234}U/2{sup 38U} ratio in solid phase, in response to the oxido-reducing characteristics of the sediment. Thus establishing the origin of the trapped uranium has been possible. Also, the nature of the sedimentary phases related to uranium in bio-genetic sediments in the Austral Ocean was determined. Thus a relationship between the variations in the {sup 234}U/{sup 238} and the diagenetic transformations was possible to establish. Finally in the fifth part a study of the behavior of uranium in a polymetallic shell characteristic for deposits of hydrogenized origin 146 refs., 57 figs., 23 tabs.

Patterns and controls of mercury accumulation in sediments from three thermokarst lakes on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Samantha M.; Zimmerman, Christian E.; Branfireun, Brian A.; Koch, Joshua C.; Swanson, Heidi K.

2018-01-01

The biogeochemical cycle of mercury will be influenced by climate change, particularly at higher latitudes. Investigations of historical mercury accumulation in lake sediments inform future predictions as to how climate change might affect mercury biogeochemistry; however, in regions with a paucity of data, such as the thermokarst-rich Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska (ACP), the trajectory of mercury accumulation in lake sediments is particularly uncertain. Sediment cores from three thermokarst lakes on the ACP were analyzed to understand changes in, and drivers of, Hg accumulation over the past ~ 100 years. Mercury accumulation in two of the three lakes was variable and high over the past century (91.96 and 78.6 µg/m2/year), and largely controlled by sedimentation rate. Mercury accumulation in the third lake was lower (14.2 µg/m2/year), more temporally uniform, and was more strongly related to sediment Hg concentration than sedimentation rate. Sediment mercury concentrations were quantitatively related to measures of sediment composition and VRS-inferred chlorophyll a, and sedimentation rates were related to various catchment characteristics. These results were compared to data from 37 previously studied Arctic and Alaskan lakes. Results from the meta-analysis indicate that thermokarst lakes have significantly higher and more variable Hg accumulation rates than non-thermokarst lakes, suggesting that certain properties (e.g., thermal erosion, thaw slumping, low hydraulic conductivity) likely make lakes prone to high and variable Hg accumulation rates. Differences and high variability in Hg accumulation among high latitude lakes highlight the complexity of predicting future climate-related change impacts on mercury cycling in these environments.

Quaternary Sea-ice history in the Arctic Ocean based on a new Ostracode sea-ice proxy

Science.gov (United States)

Cronin, T. M.; Gemery, L.; Briggs, W.M.; Jakobsson, M.; Polyak, L.; Brouwers, E.M.

2010-01-01

Paleo-sea-ice history in the Arctic Ocean was reconstructed using the sea-ice dwelling ostracode Acetabulastoma arcticum from late Quaternary sediments from the Mendeleyev, Lomonosov, and Gakkel Ridges, the Morris Jesup Rise and the Yermak Plateau. Results suggest intermittently high levels of perennial sea ice in the central Arctic Ocean during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (25-45 ka), minimal sea ice during the last deglacial (16-11 ka) and early Holocene thermal maximum (11-5 ka) and increasing sea ice during the mid-to-late Holocene (5-0 ka). Sediment core records from the Iceland and Rockall Plateaus show that perennial sea ice existed in these regions only during glacial intervals MIS 2, 4, and 6. These results show that sea ice exhibits complex temporal and spatial variability during different climatic regimes and that the development of modern perennial sea ice may be a relatively recent phenomenon. ?? 2010.

Proceedings of the 29. Arctic and Marine Oilspill Program (AMOP) Technical Seminar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2006-01-01

This conference was a venue to exchange information on leading-edge technologies used in marine oil spill response operations. The different sessions at this conference were entitled: (1) physical and chemical properties and behaviour of spilled oil, (2) containment and recovery, (3) activity updates and contingency planning, (4) phytoremediation of inorganic and radionuclides, (5) biosolutions to site remediation, restoration and rehabilitation, (6) phytoremediation of petroleum hydrocarbons, (7) oil spill treating agents, (8) spill modelling, (9) detection, tracking and remote sensing, (10) special session on hurricanes, and (11) recent spill experiences. In addition to a poster session with papers, the conference also featured a technical seminar on chemical spills with a special session on counter-terrorism. Many presentations addressed the issue of optimizing response functions in harsh Arctic marine waters as well as strategy development for marine oil spill response and shoreline assessment. Several studies focused on oil-in-water interactions to find new mechanical, chemical and biological treatments for oil spills. All 65 presentations were indexed separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

Proceedings of the 28. Arctic and Marine Oilspill Program (AMOP) Technical Seminar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-01-01

Leading-edge technologies used in marine oil spill response operations were described at this international conference, along with other topics of interest such as contingency planning and legislation. The different sessions at this conference were entitled: (1) physical and chemical properties and behaviour of spilled oil, (2) oil spill fingerprinting, (3) activity updates and contingency planning, (4) oil spill risk assessment, (5) in-situ burning and oil spill treating agents, (6) containment and recovery, (7) shoreline protection and cleanup, (8) detection, tracking and remote sensing, (9) spill modelling, (10) biological effects of oil and oil biodegradation, and (11) recent spill experiences. The conference also featured a technical seminar on chemical spills with a special session on counter-terrorism. Several presentations described the process of oil in water interactions and were aimed at optimizing response functions in harsh Arctic marine waters and strategy development for marine oil spill response and shoreline assessment. Several studies also presented new mechanical, chemical and biological treatments for oil spills. All 68 presentations were indexed separately for inclusion in this database. (author)

Neogene sedimentation on the outer continental margin, southern Bering Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Vallier, T.L.; Underwood, M.B.; Gardner, J.V.; Barron, J.A.

1980-01-01

Neogene sedimentary rocks and sediments from sites on the outer continental margin in the southern Bering Sea and on the Alaska Peninsula are dominated by volcanic components that probably were eroded from an emergent Aleutian Ridge. A mainland continental source is subordinate. Most sediment in the marine environment was transported to the depositional sites by longshore currents, debris flows, and turbidity currents during times when sea level was near the outermost continental shelf. Fluctuations of sea level are ascribed both to worldwide glacio-eustatic effects and to regional vertical tectonics. Large drainage systems, such as the Yukon and Kuskokwim Rivers, had little direct influence on sedimentation along the continental slope and Unmak Plateau in the southern Bering Sea. Sediments from those drainage systems probably were transported to the floor of the Aleutian Basin, to the numerous shelf basins that underlie the outer continental shelf, and to the Arctic Ocean after passing through the Bering Strait. Environments of deposition at the sites along the outer continental margin have not changed significantly since the middle Miocene. The site on the Alaska Peninsula, however, is now emergent following shallow-marine and transitional sedimentation during the Neogene. ?? 1980.

Marinicella sediminis sp. nov., isolated from marine sediment

Science.gov (United States)

A novel heterotrophic, Gram-stain-negative, aerobic, rod-shaped, pale yellow, non-motile and non-spore-forming bacterium, designated as strain F2**T, was isolated from the marine sediment collected from Weihai coastal, Shandong Province, PR China. Optimal growth occurred at 33 °C (range 10–37 °C), w...

A COMPARISON OF MAJOR ELEMENTS BETWEEN MARINE SEDIMENTS AND IGNEOUS ROCKS: AS A BASIC DETERMINATION OF THE SEDIMENT SOURCE AT UJUNG PENYUSUK WATERS, NORTH BANGKA,BANGKA BELITUNG PROVINCE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ediar Usman

2017-07-01

Full Text Available Three igneous rock samples from the coast and five sediments from the marine of Ujung Penyusuk Waters have been used for chemistry analysis as the basic determination of sediment source. The result of chemistry analysis shows that the major element with relatively same pattern. In the igneous rock samples, the result of chemistry analysis shows the SiO2 ranges between 72.3 - 76.8%, Al2O3 (9.64 - 11.64%, and Fe2O3 ( 2.08 - 2.18%. In the marine sediment, the content of SiO2 is between 62.2 and 66.5%, Al2O3 (2.93 - 3.63% and Fe2O3 (21.19 - 24.40%. Other elements such as CaO, MgO, K2O, Na2O and TiO2 are relatively similar values in all samples. The difference of element content in marine sediment and coastal igneous rock occurs in Al2O3 and Fe2O3. The Al2O3 is small in marine sediment while the Fe2O3 is higher compared to igneous rocks. Decreasing of the Al2O3 (kaolinite in the marine sediment is caused by the character of the Al2O3 that was derived from quartz rich of igneous rocks forming kaolinite. It was than deposited in the sea floor. Increasing of the Fe2O3 in marine sediment is caused by addition reaction of the Fe from the sea. Generally, the content of the SiO2 (quartz in igneous rock and marine sediment belongs to the same group source that is acid igneous rock. The SiO2 in the sediment belongs to a group of granitoid.

Energy Gradients Structure Microbial Communities Across Sediment Horizons in Deep Marine Sediments of the South China Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael F. Graw

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The deep marine subsurface is a heterogeneous environment in which the assembly of microbial communities is thought to be controlled by a combination of organic matter deposition, electron acceptor availability, and sedimentology. However, the relative importance of these factors in structuring microbial communities in marine sediments remains unclear. The South China Sea (SCS experiences significant variability in sedimentation across the basin and features discrete changes in sedimentology as a result of episodic deposition of turbidites and volcanic ashes within lithogenic clays and siliceous or calcareous ooze deposits throughout the basin's history. Deep subsurface microbial communities were recently sampled by the International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP at three locations in the SCS with sedimentation rates of 5, 12, and 20 cm per thousand years. Here, we used Illumina sequencing of the 16S ribosomal RNA gene to characterize deep subsurface microbial communities from distinct sediment types at these sites. Communities across all sites were dominated by several poorly characterized taxa implicated in organic matter degradation, including Atribacteria, Dehalococcoidia, and Aerophobetes. Sulfate-reducing bacteria comprised only 4% of the community across sulfate-bearing sediments from multiple cores and did not change in abundance in sediments from the methanogenic zone at the site with the lowest sedimentation rate. Microbial communities were significantly structured by sediment age and the availability of sulfate as an electron acceptor in pore waters. However, microbial communities demonstrated no partitioning based on the sediment type they inhabited. These results indicate that microbial communities in the SCS are structured by the availability of electron donors and acceptors rather than sedimentological characteristics.

Phosphorus cycling and burial in sediments of a seasonally hypoxic marine basin

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sulu-Gambari, F; Hagens, M.; Behrends, T; Seitaj, D.; Meysman, F.J.R.; Middelburg, J.; Slomp, C.P.

2018-01-01

Recycling of phosphorus (P) from sediments contributes to the development of bottom-water hypoxia in many coastal systems. Here, we present results of a year-long assessment of P dynamics in sediments of a seasonally hypoxic coastal marine basin (Lake Grevelingen, the Netherlands) in 2012.

Diversity of kelp holdfast-associated fauna in an Arctic fjord - inconsistent responses to glacial mineral sedimentation across different taxa

Science.gov (United States)

Ronowicz, Marta; Kukliński, Piotr; Włodarska-Kowalczuk, Maria

2018-05-01

Kelp forests are complex underwater habitats that support diverse assemblages of animals ranging from sessile filter feeding invertebrates to fishes and marine mammals. In this study, the diversity of invertebrate fauna associated with kelp holdfasts was surveyed in a high Arctic glacial fjord (76 N, Hornsund, Svalbard). The effects of algal host identity (three kelp species: Laminaria digitata, Saccharina latissima and Alaria esculenta), depth (5 and 10 m) and glacier-derived disturbance (three sites with varying levels of mineral sedimentation) on faunal species richness and composition were studied based on 239 collected algal holdfasts. The species pool was mostly made up by three taxa: colonial Bryozoa and Hydrozoa, and Polychaeta. While the all-taxa species richness did not differ between depths, algal hosts and sites, the patterns varied when the two colonial sessile filter-feeding taxa were analysed alone (Hydrozoa and Bryozoa). The Hydrozoa sample species richness and average taxonomic distinctness were the highest at undisturbed sites, whereas Bryozoa species richness was higher in sediment-impacted localities, indicating relative insensitivity of this phylum to the increased level of mineral suspension in the water column. The average taxonomic distinctness of Bryozoa did not vary between sites. The species composition of kelp-associated fauna varied between sites and depths for the whole community and the most dominant taxa (Bryozoa, Hydrozoa). The high load of inorganic suspension and sedimentation did not cause pauperization of kelp holdfast-associated fauna but instead triggered the changes in species composition and shifts between dominant taxonomic groups.

Metagenomics unveils the attributes of the alginolytic guilds of sediments from four distant cold coastal environments: Alginolytic guilds from cold sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Matos, Marina N. [Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR, CONICET), Puerto Madryn U9120ACD Argentina; Lozada, Mariana [Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR, CONICET), Puerto Madryn U9120ACD Argentina; Anselmino, Luciano E. [Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR, CONICET), Puerto Madryn U9120ACD Argentina; Musumeci, Matías A. [Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR, CONICET), Puerto Madryn U9120ACD Argentina; Henrissat, Bernard [Architecture et Fonction des Macromolécules Biologiques, CNRS, Aix-Marseille Université, Marseille 13288 France; INRA, USC 1408 AFMB, Marseille F-13288 France; Department of Biological Sciences, King Abdulaziz University, Jeddah 21589 Saudi Arabia; Jansson, Janet K. [Earth and Biological Sciences Directorate, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland WA 99352 USA; Mac Cormack, Walter P. [Instituto Antártico Argentino, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, C1064ABR, Argentina; Instituto Nanobiotec, CONICET - Universidad de Buenos Aires, Ciudad Autónoma de Buenos Aires, C1113AAC, Argentina; Carroll, JoLynn [Akvaplan-niva, Fram - High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, Tromsø NO-9296 Norway; CAGE - Centre for Arctic Gas Hydrate, Environment and Climate, UiT The Arctic University of Norway, Tromsø N-9037 Norway; Sjöling, Sara [School of Natural Sciences and Environmental Studies, Södertörn University, Huddinge 141 89 Sweden; Lundgren, Leif [Stockholm University, Stockholm SE-106 91 Sweden; Dionisi, Hebe M. [Laboratorio de Microbiología Ambiental, Centro para el Estudio de Sistemas Marinos (CESIMAR, CONICET), Puerto Madryn U9120ACD Argentina

2016-07-18

Alginates are abundant polysaccharides in brown algae that constitute an important energy source for marine heterotrophic bacteria. Despite the key role of alginate assimilation processes in the marine carbon cycle, little information is available on the bacterial populations involved in these processes. The goal of this work was to gain insight into the structure and functional traits of the alginolytic communities from sediments of cold coastal environments. Sediment metagenomes from high-latitude regions of both Hemispheres were interrogated for alginate lyase gene homolog sequences and their genomic context. Sediments contained highly abundant and diverse bacterial assemblages with alginolytic potential, including members of Bacteroidetes and Proteobacteria, as well as several poorly characterized taxa. Temperature and salinity were correlated to the variation in community structure. The microbial communities in Arctic and Antarctic sediments exhibited the most similar alginolytic profiles, whereas brackish sediments had a higher proportion of novel members. Examination of the gene context of the alginate lyase homologs revealed distinct patterns according to the phylogenetic origin of the scaffolds, with evidence of evolutionary relationships among lineages. This information is relevant for understanding carbon fluxes in cold coastal environments and provides valuable information for the development of biotechnological applications from brown algae biomass.

Mercury and other trace elements in a pelagic Arctic marine food web (Northwater Polynya, Baffin Bay)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Campbell, Linda M.; Norstrom, Ross J.; Hobson, Keith A.; Muir, Derek C.G.; Backus, Sean; Fisk, Aaron T.

2005-01-01

Total mercury (THg), methylmercury (MeHg) and 22 other trace elements were measured in ice algae, three species of zooplankton, mixed zooplankton samples, Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida), ringed seals (Phoca hispida) and eight species of seabirds to examine the trophodynamics of these metals in an Arctic marine food web. All samples were collected in 1998 in the Northwater Polynya (NOW) located between Ellesmere Island and Greenland in Baffin Bay. THg and MeHg were found to biomagnify through the NOW food web, based on significant positive relationships between log THg and log MeHg concentrations vs. δ 15 N muscle and liver . The slope of these relationships for muscle THg and MeHg concentrations (slope = 0.197 and 0.223, respectively) were similar to those reported for other aquatic food webs. The food web behavior of THg and δ 15 N appears constant, regardless of trophic state (eutrophic vs. oligotrophic), latitude (Arctic vs. tropical) or salinity (marine vs. freshwater) of the ecosystem. Rb in both liver and muscle tissue and Zn in muscle tissue were also found to biomagnify through this food web, although at a rate that is approximately 25% of that of THg. A number of elements (Cd, Pb and Ni in muscle tissue and Cd and Li in seabird liver tissue) were found to decrease trophically through the food web, as indicated by significantly negative relationships with tissue-specific δ 15 N. A diverse group of metals (Ag, Ba, La, Li, Sb, Sr, U and V) were found to have higher concentrations in zooplankton than seabirds or marine mammals due to bioconcentration from seawater. The remaining metals (As, Co, Cu, Ga, Mn, Mo and Se in muscle tissue) showed no relationship with trophic position, as indicated by δ 15 N values, although As in liver tissue showed significant biomagnification in the seabird portion of the food web

Radiological assessment of coastal marine sediment and water samples, Karachi coast, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Qureshi, R.M.; Mashiatullah, A.; Akram, M.; Sajjad, M.I.; Shafiq, M.; Javed, T.; Aslam, M.

1999-04-01

Concentrations of selective natural radionuclides (/sup 226/Ra, /sup 228/Ra, /sup 40/K) in shallow marine coastal sediments and sea water off Karachi coast, Pakistan, were measured with a hyper pure germanium (HPGe) gamma spectrometer. Sediment and water samples were collected from polluted Layari and Malire River downstream (pre-out fall), Gizri Creek, Layari River out fall in Karachi harbor, Karachi Harbor/ Manora Channel Mains, as well as from open sea (South-East Coast and North-West Coast) within the 10m depth contour. No artificial radionuclides (e.g. /sup 60/Co, /sup 137/Cs and /sup 134/Cs were detected in both water and sediment samples at any of these locations. The activity of /sup 226/Ra in coastal river sediments is found below its limit of detection (<18.35 Bqkg/sup -1/). Activity of /sup 228/Ra in sediments off Karachi Coast ranges between 11.80 +- 3.60 to 37.27+- 4.31 Bqkg/sup -1/. The highest activity was found south of Nuclear Power Station (KANUPP) and the lowest activity was found in the vicinity of Oyster Rocks (open sea). The /sup 226/Ra activity ranges from 19.40+- 5.88 to 67.14 +- 10.02 Bqkg/sup -1/. The activity of /sup 228/Ra in sediments of Manora Channel, South-east Coast of Karachi and the North west coast of Karachi are also in agreement with the IAEA marine sediment standard namely: IAEA-135 (/sup 228/Ra = 36.7 +- 3 Bqkg/sup -1/). The activity of /sup 226/Ra for the South East Coast of Karachi and the North west coast of Karachi are also in agreement with the IAEA marine sediment standard namely: IAEA 135(/sup 226/Ra=23.9 +- 1.1 Bqkg/sup -1/) and Pacific Ocean sediment standard namely: IAEA-368 (/sup 226/Ra=21.4+- 1.1 Bqkg/sup -1/). The /sup 40/K activity in sea sediments varies from 197.7+- 44.24 to 941.90 +- 39.00 Bqkg-1). The highest activity is observed in the vicinity of Oyster Rocks (open sea) along the Clifton coast (South-East Cost of Karachi) and the lowest activity is found south of Nuclear Power Station (KANUPP) along the

Origin and geochemical behavior of uranium in marine sediments. Utilization of the 234U/238U ratio in marine geochemistry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Organo, Catherine

1997-01-01

The first part of this thesis presents the current situation of knowledge of uranium in marine environment. The second part describes the methods of analysis as well as the material support of the study, i.e., the sediments and marine deposits investigated. The third part is dedicated to the study of uranium mobility in marine sediments characterized by detrital terrigenous composition (pelagic clays). This approach allowed quantifying the entering and leaving flux of uranium after the sediment settling and, to discuss, on this basis, the consequences on the uranium oceanic balance. In the third part the origin and behavior of uranium in zones of high surface productivity is studied. The uranium enrichments observed in the hemi-pelagic sediments of the EUMELI (J.G.O.F.S.-France) programme will constitute a material of study adequate for measuring the variations in the 234 U/2 38U ratio in solid phase, in response to the oxido-reducing characteristics of the sediment. Thus establishing the origin of the trapped uranium has been possible. Also, the nature of the sedimentary phases related to uranium in bio-genetic sediments in the Austral Ocean was determined. Thus a relationship between the variations in the 234 U/ 238 and the diagenetic transformations was possible to establish. Finally in the fifth part a study of the behavior of uranium in a polymetallic shell characteristic for deposits of hydrogenized origin

First Record of Eocene Bony Fishes and Crocodyliforms from Canada’s Western Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Eberle, Jaelyn J.; Gottfried, Michael D.; Hutchison, J. Howard; Brochu, Christopher A.

2014-01-01

Background Discovery of Eocene non-marine vertebrates, including crocodylians, turtles, bony fishes, and mammals in Canada’s High Arctic was a critical paleontological contribution of the last century because it indicated that this region of the Arctic had been mild, temperate, and ice-free during the early – middle Eocene (∼53–50 Ma), despite being well above the Arctic Circle. To date, these discoveries have been restricted to Canada’s easternmost Arctic – Ellesmere and Axel Heiberg Islands (Nunavut). Although temporally correlative strata crop out over 1,000 km west, on Canada’s westernmost Arctic Island – Banks Island, Northwest Territories – they have been interpreted as predominantly marine. We document the first Eocene bony fish and crocodyliform fossils from Banks Island. Principal Findings We describe fossils of bony fishes, including lepisosteid (Atractosteus), esocid (pike), and amiid, and a crocodyliform, from lower – middle Eocene strata of the Cyclic Member, Eureka Sound Formation within Aulavik National Park (∼76°N. paleolat.). Palynology suggests the sediments are late early to middle Eocene in age, and likely spanned the Early Eocene Climatic Optimum (EECO). Conclusions/Significance These fossils extend the geographic range of Eocene Arctic lepisosteids, esocids, amiids, and crocodyliforms west by approximately 40° of longitude or ∼1100 km. The low diversity bony fish fauna, at least at the family level, is essentially identical on Ellesmere and Banks Islands, suggesting a pan-High Arctic bony fish fauna of relatively basal groups around the margin of the Eocene Arctic Ocean. From a paleoclimatic perspective, presence of a crocodyliform, gar and amiid fishes on northern Banks provides further evidence that mild, year-round temperatures extended across the Canadian Arctic during early – middle Eocene time. Additionally, the Banks Island crocodyliform is consistent with the phylogenetic hypothesis of a Paleogene divergence

Nitrogen fixation in arctic marine sediments: effect of oil and hydrocarbon fractions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Knowles, R; Wishart, C

1977-06-01

Nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) was measured in grab and core samples of sediments from the Beaufort Sea and Eskimo Lakes, Northwest Territories, Canada. Very low rates (about 25 mg N/m/sup 2/.year) were detected in untreated sediments. Activity was markedly stimulated by the addition of glucose, sucrose, lactose, mannitol and malate but much less so by acetate; negligible activity was supported by N-acetylglucosamine. There was no consistent effect of the presence or absence of oxygen. Nitrogen fixation potentials in glucose-supplemented sediment samples showed large variation between stations, between samples from the same station and between depths within single cores down to 18 cm. Weathered Normal Wells crude oil, hexane, decane, dodecane and hexadecane had no effect, stimulatory or inhibitory, on nitrogen fixation or carbon dioxide evolution. 1,2,4-trimethylbenzene caused complete inhibition of nitrogen fixation but only partial inhibition of CO/sub 2/ evolution. There was no evidence of utilization of any of the hydrocarbons tested during periods of over 30 days under the experimental conditions employed.

Plutonium behavior during the early diagenesis of marine sediments: applications to two marine environments labelled by radionuclides released from reprocessing plants

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gouzy, A.

2004-12-01

The plutonium released into the English Channel and the Irish Sea by nuclear fuel reprocessing plants is mainly associated to sediments. Nevertheless, this association is partially reversible. This work combines a field study, carried out on the Cumbrian mud patch and the Esk estuary (Eastern Irish Sea), and laboratory experiments performed on carbonaceous coarse-grained sediments collected in the Central Channel. It presents new data on the plutonium solid partition in sediments and suggests realistic scenarios for describing its release from sediments to the water column. The role of reactive sulphides acting as temporary sink phases is shown in anoxic sediments; those sulphides are liable to release dissolved plutonium upon their oxidation. The plutonium is also bound to carbonates within the carbonaceous matrix and as carbonate surface complexes. Conceptual schemes of the behaviour of the plutonium in marine sediments are proposed; they highlight the strong remobilization potential of plutonium from marine sediments to the interstitial water. Its plutonium content can be injected into the overlying water column. (author)

Biogenic methane potential of marine sediments. Application of chemical thermodynamics

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Arning, E.T.; Schulz, H.M. [Helmholtz Centre Potsdam GFZ, Potsdam (Germany); Berk, W. van [Technical Univ. of Clausthal (Germany). Dept. of Hydrogeology

2013-08-01

Accumulations of biogenic methane-dominated gas are widespread and occur in a variety of depositional settings and rock types. However, the potential of biogenic methane remains underexplored. This is mainly due to the fact that quantitative assessments applying numerical modeling techniques for exploration purposes are generally lacking to date. Biogenic methane formation starts in relatively shallow marine sediments below the sulfate reduction zone. When sulfate is exhausted, methanogenesis via the CO{sub 2} reduction pathway is often the dominant biogenic methane formation process in marine sediments (Claypool and Kaplan, 1974). The process can be simplified by the reaction: 2CH{sub 2}O + Ca{sup 2+} + H{sub 2}O {yields} CH{sub 4} + CaCO{sub 3} + 2H{sup +}. The products of early diagenetic reactions initiate coupled equilibrium reactions that induce a new state of chemical equilibrium among minerals, pore water and gas. The driving force of the complex biogeochemical reactions in sedimentary environments during early diagenesis is the irreversible redox-conversion of organic matter. Early diagenetic formation of biogenic methane shortly after deposition ('early diagenesis') was retraced using PHREEQC computer code that is applied to calculate homogenous and heterogeneous mass-action equations in combination with one-dimensional diffusion driven transport (Parkhurst and Appelo, 1999). Our modeling approach incorporates interdependent diagenetic reactions evolving into a diffusive multi-component and multiphase system by means of thermodynamic equilibrium calculations of species distribution (Arning et al., 2011, 2012, 2013). Reaction kinetics of organic carbon conversion is integrated into the set of equilibrium reactions by defining type and amount of converted organic matter in a certain time step. It is the aim (1) to calculate quantitatively thermodynamic equilibrium conditions (composition of pore water, mineral phase and gas phase assemblage) in

Life Cycle Impact Assessment in the Arctic: Challenges and Research Needs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johan Berg Pettersen

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Life cycle assessment (LCA is increasingly used for environmental assessment of products and production processes to support environmental decision-making both worldwide and in the Arctic. However, there are several weaknesses in the impact assessment methodology in LCA, e.g., related to uncertainties of impact assessment results, absence of spatial differentiation in characterization modeling, and gaps in the coverage of impact pathways of different “archetypal” environments. Searching for a new resource base and areas for operation, marine and marine-based industries are continuously moving north, which underlines the need for better life cycle impact assessment in the Arctic, particularly to aid in industrial environmental management systems and stakeholder communications. This paper aims to investigate gaps and challenges in the application of the currently available impact assessment methods in the Arctic context. A simplified Arctic mining LCA case study was carried out to demonstrate the relevance of Arctic emissions at the midpoint and endpoint levels, as well as possible influences of the Arctic context on the impact assessment results. Results of this study showed that significant research gaps remain in Arctic-dependent life cycle impact assessment, particularly on: (i the possible influences of the Arctic-specific features on characterization factors for impact assessment (such as seasonality, cold climate, precipitation, and marine dependence; and (ii the coverage of impact pathways, especially on the under-addressed marine impacts and marine/near-shore dispersion processes. Addressing those identified research gaps and demand for future Arctic life cycle impact assessment could increase the credibility of LCA as an environmental decision-making support tool for Arctic industries and better support sustainable Arctic development.

Short commentary on marine productivity at Arctic shelf breaks: upwelling, advection and vertical mixing

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Randelhoff

2018-04-01

Full Text Available The future of Arctic marine ecosystems has received increasing attention in recent years as the extent of the sea ice cover is dwindling. Although the Pacific and Atlantic inflows both import huge quantities of nutrients and plankton, they feed into the Arctic Ocean in quite diverse regions. The strongly stratified Pacific sector has a historically heavy ice cover, a shallow shelf and dominant upwelling-favourable winds, while the Atlantic sector is weakly stratified, with a dynamic ice edge and a complex bathymetry. We argue that shelf break upwelling is likely not a universal but rather a regional, albeit recurring, feature of the new Arctic. It is the regional oceanography that decides its importance through a range of diverse factors such as stratification, bathymetry and wind forcing. Teasing apart their individual contributions in different regions can only be achieved by spatially resolved time series and dedicated modelling efforts. The Northern Barents Sea shelf is an example of a region where shelf break upwelling likely does not play a dominant role, in contrast to the shallower shelves north of Alaska where ample evidence for its importance has already accumulated. Still, other factors can contribute to marked future increases in biological productivity along the Arctic shelf break. A warming inflow of nutrient-rich Atlantic Water feeds plankton at the same time as it melts the sea ice, permitting increased photosynthesis. Concurrent changes in sea ice cover and zooplankton communities advected with the boundary currents make for a complex mosaic of regulating factors that do not allow for Arctic-wide generalizations.

Short commentary on marine productivity at Arctic shelf breaks: upwelling, advection and vertical mixing

Science.gov (United States)

Randelhoff, Achim; Sundfjord, Arild

2018-04-01

The future of Arctic marine ecosystems has received increasing attention in recent years as the extent of the sea ice cover is dwindling. Although the Pacific and Atlantic inflows both import huge quantities of nutrients and plankton, they feed into the Arctic Ocean in quite diverse regions. The strongly stratified Pacific sector has a historically heavy ice cover, a shallow shelf and dominant upwelling-favourable winds, while the Atlantic sector is weakly stratified, with a dynamic ice edge and a complex bathymetry. We argue that shelf break upwelling is likely not a universal but rather a regional, albeit recurring, feature of the new Arctic. It is the regional oceanography that decides its importance through a range of diverse factors such as stratification, bathymetry and wind forcing. Teasing apart their individual contributions in different regions can only be achieved by spatially resolved time series and dedicated modelling efforts. The Northern Barents Sea shelf is an example of a region where shelf break upwelling likely does not play a dominant role, in contrast to the shallower shelves north of Alaska where ample evidence for its importance has already accumulated. Still, other factors can contribute to marked future increases in biological productivity along the Arctic shelf break. A warming inflow of nutrient-rich Atlantic Water feeds plankton at the same time as it melts the sea ice, permitting increased photosynthesis. Concurrent changes in sea ice cover and zooplankton communities advected with the boundary currents make for a complex mosaic of regulating factors that do not allow for Arctic-wide generalizations.

A statistical approach to the interpretation of aliphatic hydrocarbon distributions in marine sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Rapp, J.B.

1991-01-01

Q-mode factor analysis was used to quantitate the distribution of the major aliphatic hydrocarbon (n-alkanes, pristane, phytane) systems in sediments from a variety of marine environments. The compositions of the pure end members of the systems were obtained from factor scores and the distribution of the systems within each sample was obtained from factor loadings. All the data, from the diverse environments sampled (estuarine (San Francisco Bay), fresh-water (San Francisco Peninsula), polar-marine (Antarctica) and geothermal-marine (Gorda Ridge) sediments), were reduced to three major systems: a terrestrial system (mostly high molecular weight aliphatics with odd-numbered-carbon predominance), a mature system (mostly low molecular weight aliphatics without predominance) and a system containing mostly high molecular weight aliphatics with even-numbered-carbon predominance. With this statistical approach, it is possible to assign the percentage contribution from various sources to the observed distribution of aliphatic hydrocarbons in each sediment sample. ?? 1991.

The onset of fabric development in deep marine sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maffione, Marco; Morris, Antony

2017-01-01

Post-depositional compaction is a key stage in the formation of sedimentary rocks that results in porosity reduction, grain realignment and the production of sedimentary fabrics. The progressive time-depth evolution of the onset of fabric development in deep marine sediments is poorly constrained

Chemical composition of sediments from White Sea, Russian Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Gamza, Olga; Shevchenko, Vladimir; Novigatsky, Aleksandr

2010-05-01

The White Sea, the only Russian inland sea, is located on the north of outlying districts of the European part of Russia, belongs to Arctic Ocean. Area of water of sea occupies about 90 tousend square kilometers. The sea can be divided into some general parts: neck, funnel, basin and 4 Bays: Dvina Bay, Kandalaksha Bay, Mezen Bay and Onega Bay. The purpose of this work was geochemical mapping of the surface sediments of this area. The main tasks were: compilation data base of element composition of the surface sediments, geochemical mapping of each element, research of the anormal concentration of elements on the surface. To detect the content of chemical elements several methods were used: atomic absorption spectrometry (P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology); neutron activation analysis (Vernadsky Institute of Geochemistry and Analytical Chemistry), total and organic carbon analysis, photometric method to detection Si, Al, P (P.P. Shirshov Institute of Oceanology). Bulk composition is one of the fundamental characteristics of sediments and bottom deposites of modern basins. Coarse-grained sediments with portion of pelitic component 80%). Character of elements distribution correlates with facial distribution of sediments from White Sea. According to litologic description, bottom surface of Dvina Bay is practically everywhere covered by layer of fine-grained sand. In the border area between Dvina Bay and White Sea basin on terraced subwater slope aleurite politic silts are abundant. They tend to exhange down the slope to clay silts. In Onega Bay fractions of non-deposition are observed. They are characterized by wide spread of thin blanket poorgraded sediments, which are likely to be relic. Relief of Kandalakscha Bay bottom is presented as alternation of abyssal fosses (near 300 m) with silles and elevations (roof owning to diagenetic contraction. Authors thank academic Lisitsyn for encourage, Andrey Apletalin for valuable help, and everybody, who helped in field

Effect of Suez Canal Marine Sediment on Sorption of Cesium

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hassan, H.B.

2016-01-01

Suez Canal is surrounded by navigation, industrial, agricultural activities and suffers from high rate of population growth that discharging waste into Suez Canal. The Suez Canal coastal waters are influenced by a complex variety of physical, geochemical and biological processes, which influence the behavior, transport and fate of containments released into the marine environment. Sorption of releasing containment such as cesium in Suez Canal water is investigated because of its toxic effect on the marine environment. The object of present study is to determine the effects some of physical and chemical characteristics of collected sediment samples from the three important locations on Suez Canal (Suez Bay, Bitter Lakes and El- Temsah Lake beaches) on sorption behavior of cesium by using batch experiment. Batch experiment was used to study the sorption of the cesium ion. The sorption process is dependent on mineral constituents of Suez Canal sediment and their characteristics. Analytical methods which included particle size and X-ray diffraction (XRD) analyses found that particle size of Suez Canal sediment samples is characterized by sand to fine sand and quartz is the main mineralogical species. Distribution coefficient (K d ) which represent geochemical processes and particle size of these sediment samples effect on the degree of cesium sorption to the sediment. Also (K d ) increase with increase cation exchangeable capacity (CEC). The Suez Canal sediment samples have low (K d ) values which effected by their physical and chemical properties. Sample (2) has highest distribution coefficient (K d ) between measured samples due to containing ratio 30% of fine sand and high ratio of organic matter.

Polychlorinated naphthalenes (PCNs) in riverine and marine sediments of the Laizhou Bay area, North China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Xiaohui; Tang Jianhui; Chen Yingjun; Li Jun; Zhang Gan

2011-01-01

PCN congeners were analyzed in marine and riverine sediments of the Laizhou Bay area, North China. Concentrations of PCNs ranged from 0.12 to 5.1 ng g -1 dry weight (dw) with a mean value of 1.1 ng g -1 dw. The levels of PCNs varied largely, with industrial group approximately ten folds higher than those of the rural in riverine sediment. A strong impact by direct discharge from local factories was suggested. Similar compositional profiles were found within groups. High resemblance of compositional profiles between industrial samples and Halowax 1014 was observed. It was indicated that PCNs in riverine sediments were mainly from release of industrial usage, with additional contributions from industrial thermal process at certain sites. In marine sediments, it was suggested that PCNs along the coast of Laizhou Bay were mainly controlled by riverine input. While in the central bay, PCN distributions were possibly impacted by combined multiple factors. - Highlights: → We investigated the PCN levels both in the riverine and marine surface sediments of Laizhou Bay. → PCN concentrations in the river sediments of industrial group were ten times higher than in the rural group. → Leakage from industrial materials and thermal processes were the major sources. → PCNs in the coastal sites were more influenced by the river discharge. → In the centre bay, PCN distributions were possibly impacted by combined multiple factors. - A systematic sampling of riverine and marine sediments was conducted in Laizhou Bay area to investigate the distribution and possible sources of PCNs.

Hydrocarbon-degrading sulfate-reducing bacteria in marine hydrocarbon seep sediments

OpenAIRE

Kleindienst, Sara

2012-01-01

Microorganisms are key players in our biosphere because of their ability to degrade various organic compounds including a wide range of hydrocarbons. At marine hydrocarbon seeps, more than 90% of sulfate reduction (SR) is potentially coupled to non-methane hydrocarbon oxidation. Several hydrocarbon-degrading sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) were enriched or isolated from marine sediments. However, in situ active SRB remained largely unknown. In the present thesis, the global distribution and a...

Determination of multi-element in marine sediment samples collected in Angola by the k0-NAA technique

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teixeira, M.C.P.; Ho Manh Dung; Cao Dong Vu; Nguyen Thi Sy; Nguyen Thanh Binh; Vuong Huu Tan

2006-01-01

The marine sediment samples were designed to collect in Angola for marine environmental pollution study. The k 0 -standardization method of neutron activation analysis (k 0 -NAA) on Dalat research reactor has been developed to determine of multi-element in the Angola marine sediment samples. The samples were irradiated in cell 7-1 for short- and middle-lived nuclides and rotary specimen rack for long-lived nuclides. The irradiation facilities were characterized for neutron spectrum parameters and post-activated samples were measured on the calibrated gamma-ray spectrometers using HPGe detectors. The analytical results for 9 marine sediment samples with 27 elements: Al, As, Br, Ca, Ce,Cl, Co, Cs, Dy, Fe, Hf, I, K, Mg, Mn, Na, Rb, Sb, Sc, Se, Sm, Th, Ti, U, V and Zn in term of mean concentration, standard deviation and their content range are shown in the report. The analytical quality assurance was done by analysis of a Japan's certified reference material namely marine sediment NMIJ-CRM-7302a. These preliminary results revealed that the k 0 -NAA technique on the Dalat research reactor is a good analytical technique for determination of multi-element in the marine sediment samples. Some heavy metals and trace elements determined in this work possibly connected to the human activities at the sampling region. (author)

Mechanical response of marine sediments resulting from isolation of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dawson, P.R.

1979-01-01

Preliminary analyses of canister movement rsulting from thermally induced density gradients have been performed using a creeping viscoplastic flow model in conjunction with a creep equation evaluated from literature data for fine-grained clay. The stress levels predicted are quite low relative to the sediment quasi-static strength indicating that creep testing of marine sediments at very low stress is necessary. 4 figures

Distribution of uranium in marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ordonez R, E.; Ramirez T, J.J.; Lopez M, J.; Aspiazu, J.; Ruiz F, A.C.; Valero C, N.

2008-01-01

The marine sediments obtained by means of a sampling nucleus in the Gulf of Tehuantepec, Mexico, they have been object of crystallographic and morphological characterization. The PIXE analysis of some samples in study is shown. The normal methodology to carry out the alpha spectroscopy indicates that the sample should be dissolved, but due to the nature of the marine sediments, it thinks about the necessity to make a fractional separation of the sample components. In each stratum of the profile it separates the organic part and the mineral to recover the uranium. It was observed that in the organic phase, the uranium is in two oxidation states (IV and Vl), being necessary the radiochemical separation with a liquid/liquid column chromatographic that uses the di-2-ethyl hexyl phosphoric acid as stationary phase. The uranium compounds extracts are electrodeposited in fine layers on stainless steel disks to carry out the analysis by alpha spectroscopy. The spectroscopic analysis of the uranium indicates us that for each stratum one has a difference marked in the quotient of activities of 234 U/ 238 U that depends on the nature of the studied fraction. These results give us a clear idea about how it is presented the effect of the uranium migration and other radioelements in the biosphere, with what we can determine which are the conditions in that these have their maximum mobility and to know their diffusion patterns in the different media studied. (Author)

Plutonium in the Arctic Marine Environment — A Short Review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lindis Skipperud

2004-01-01

Full Text Available Anthropogenic plutonium has been introduced into the environment over the past 50 years as the result of the detonation of nuclear weapons and operational releases from the nuclear industry. In the Arctic environment, the main source of plutonium is from atmospheric weapons testing, which has resulted in a relatively uniform, underlying global distribution of plutonium. Previous studies of plutonium in the Kara Sea have shown that, at certain sites, other releases have given rise to enhanced local concentrations. Since different plutonium sources are characterised by distinctive plutonium-isotope ratios, evidence of a localised influence can be supported by clear perturbations in the plutonium-isotope ratio fingerprints as compared to the known ratio in global fallout. In Kara Sea sites, such perturbations have been observed as a result of underwater weapons tests at Chernaya Bay, dumped radioactive waste in Novaya Zemlya, and terrestrial runoff from the Ob and Yenisey Rivers. Measurement of the plutonium-isotope ratios offers both a means of identifying the origin of radionuclide contamination and the influence of the various nuclear installations on inputs to the Arctic, as well as a potential method for following the movement of water and sediment loads in the rivers.

Algal and archaeal polyisoprenoids in a recent marine sediment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bian, Liangqiao; Hinrichs, Kai-Uwe; Xie, Tianmin

2001-01-01

Analyses of C-13 contents of individual organic molecules in a marine sediment show that crocetane, 2,6,11,15-tetramethylhexadecane, an isomer of phytane, is produced by microorganisms that use methane as their main source of carbon. The sediments lie at a water depth of 68 m in the Kattegat......, the strait between Denmark and Sweden. Crocetane appears first 185 cm below the sediment-water interface, in the zone marking the transition from sulfate reduction to methanogenesis. Its delta C-13 value is -90 +/- 10 parts per thousand versus Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (VPDB). Its structure, which includes......-consuming member of the microbial consortium responsible for the anaerobic oxidation of methane [Hoehler et al., 1994], in which, as first demonstrated quantitatively in these sediments [Iversen and Jorgensen, 1985], electrons are transferred from methane to sulfate. The presence of archaeal biomass throughout...

The 3.6 ka Aniakchak tephra in the Arctic Ocean: a constraint on the Holocene radiocarbon reservoir age in the Chukchi Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Pearce, Christof; Varhelyi, Aron; Wastegård, Stefan; Muschitiello, Francesco; Barrientos, Natalia; O'Regan, Matt; Cronin, Thomas M.; Gemery, Laura; Semiletov, Igor; Backman, Jan; Jakobsson, Martin

2017-04-01

The caldera-forming eruption of the Aniakchak volcano in the Aleutian Range on the Alaskan Peninsula at 3.6 cal kyr BP was one of the largest Holocene eruptions worldwide. The resulting ash is found as a visible sediment layer in several Alaskan sites and as a cryptotephra on Newfoundland and Greenland. This large geographic distribution, combined with the fact that the eruption is relatively well constrained in time using radiocarbon dating of lake sediments and annual layer counts in ice cores, makes it an excellent stratigraphic marker for dating and correlating mid-late Holocene sediment and paleoclimate records. This study presents the outcome of a targeted search for the Aniakchak tephra in a marine sediment core from the Arctic Ocean, namely Core SWERUS-L2-2-PC1 (2PC), raised from 57 m water depth in Herald Canyon, western Chukchi Sea. High concentrations of tephra shards, with a geochemical signature matching that of Aniakchak ash, were observed across a more than 1.5 m long sediment sequence. Since the primary input of volcanic ash is through atmospheric transport, and assuming that bioturbation can account for mixing up to ca. 10 cm of the marine sediment deposited at the coring site, the broad signal is interpreted as sustained reworking at the sediment source input. The isochron is therefore placed at the base of the sudden increase in tephra concentrations rather than at the maximum concentration. This interpretation of major reworking is strengthened by analysis of grain size distribution which points to ice rafting as an important secondary transport mechanism of volcanic ash. Combined with radiocarbon dates on mollusks in the same sediment core, the volcanic marker is used to calculate a marine radiocarbon reservoir age offset ΔR = 477 ± 60 years. This relatively high value may be explained by the major influence of typically carbon-old Pacific waters, and it agrees well with recent estimates of ΔR along the northwest Alaskan coast, possibly

Arctic Climate Change: A Tale of Two Cod Species

Science.gov (United States)

Arctic cod play an important role in the Arctic trophic hierarchy as the consumer of primary productivity and a food source for many marine fish and mammals. Shifts in their distribution and abundance could have cascading affects in the marine environment. This paper investigates...

Degradation of Herbicides in the Tropical Marine Environment: Influence of Light and Sediment.

Science.gov (United States)

Mercurio, Philip; Mueller, Jochen F; Eaglesham, Geoff; O'Brien, Jake; Flores, Florita; Negri, Andrew P

2016-01-01

Widespread contamination of nearshore marine systems, including the Great Barrier Reef (GBR) lagoon, with agricultural herbicides has long been recognised. The fate of these contaminants in the marine environment is poorly understood but the detection of photosystem II (PSII) herbicides in the GBR year-round suggests very slow degradation rates. Here, we evaluated the persistence of a range of commonly detected herbicides in marine water under field-relevant concentrations and conditions. Twelve-month degradation experiments were conducted in large open tanks, under different light scenarios and in the presence and absence of natural sediments. All PSII herbicides were persistent under control conditions (dark, no sediments) with half-lives of 300 d for atrazine, 499 d diuron, 1994 d hexazinone, 1766 d tebuthiuron, while the non-PSII herbicides were less persistent at 147 d for metolachlor and 59 d for 2,4-D. The degradation of herbicides was 2-10 fold more rapid in the presence of a diurnal light cycle and coastal sediments; apart from 2,4-D which degraded more slowly in the presence of light. Despite the more rapid degradation observed for most herbicides in the presence of light and sediments, the half-lives remained > 100 d for the PS II herbicides. The effects of light and sediments on herbicide persistence were likely due to their influence on microbial community composition and its ability to utilise the herbicides as a carbon source. These results help explain the year-round presence of PSII herbicides in marine systems, including the GBR, but more research on the transport, degradation and toxicity on a wider range of pesticides and their transformation products is needed to improve their regulation in sensitive environments.

Biochemical Characterization of a Family 15 Carbohydrate Esterase from a Bacterial Marine Arctic Metagenome.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Concetta De Santi

Full Text Available The glucuronoyl esterase enzymes of wood-degrading fungi (Carbohydrate Esterase family 15; CE15 form part of the hemicellulolytic and cellulolytic enzyme systems that break down plant biomass, and have possible applications in biotechnology. Homologous enzymes are predicted in the genomes of several bacteria, however these have been much less studied than their fungal counterparts. Here we describe the recombinant production and biochemical characterization of a bacterial CE15 enzyme denoted MZ0003, which was identified by in silico screening of a prokaryotic metagenome library derived from marine Arctic sediment. MZ0003 has high similarity to several uncharacterized gene products of polysaccharide-degrading bacterial species, and phylogenetic analysis indicates a deep evolutionary split between these CE15s and fungal homologs.MZ0003 appears to differ from previously-studied CE15s in some aspects. Some glucuronoyl esterase activity could be measured by qualitative thin-layer chromatography which confirms its assignment as a CE15, however MZ0003 can also hydrolyze a range of other esters, including p-nitrophenyl acetate, which is not acted upon by some fungal homologs. The structure of MZ0003 also appears to differ as it is predicted to have several large loop regions that are absent in previously studied CE15s, and a combination of homology-based modelling and site-directed mutagenesis indicate its catalytic residues deviate from the conserved Ser-His-Glu triad of many fungal CE15s. Taken together, these results indicate that potentially unexplored diversity exists among bacterial CE15s, and this may be accessed by investigation of the microbial metagenome. The combination of low activity on typical glucuronoyl esterase substrates, and the lack of glucuronic acid esters in the marine environment suggest that the physiological substrate of MZ0003 and its homologs is likely to be different from that of related fungal enzymes.

The microbial nitrogen cycling potential in marine sediments is impacted by polyaromatic hydrocarbon pollution

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicole M Scott

2014-03-01

Full Text Available During petroleum hydrocarbon exposure the composition and functional dynamics of marine microbial communities are altered, favoring bacteria that can utilize this rich carbon source. Initial exposure of high levels of hydrocarbons in aerobic surface sediments can enrich growth of heterotrophic microorganisms having hydrocarbon degradation capacity. As a result, there can be a localized reduction in oxygen potential, if the sediments are aerobic, within the surface layer of marine sediments resulting in anaerobic zones. We hypothesized that increasing exposure to elevated hydrocarbon concentrations would positively correlate with an increase in denitrification processes and the net accumulation of dinitrogen. This hypothesis was tested by comparing the relative abundance of genes associated with nitrogen metabolism and nitrogen cycling identified in 6 metagenomes from sediments contaminated by polyaromatic hydrocarbons from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and 3 metagenomes from sediments associated with natural oil seeps in the Santa Barbara Channel. An additional 8 metagenomes from uncontaminated sediments from the Gulf of Mexico were analyzed for comparison. We predicted relative changes in metabolite turnover as a function of the differential microbial gene abundances, which showed predicted accumulation of metabolites associated with denitrification processes, including anammox, in the contaminated samples compared to uncontaminated sediments, with the magnitude of this change being positively correlated to the hydrocarbon concentration and exposure duration. These data highlight the potential impact of hydrocarbon inputs on N cycling processes in marine sediments and provide information relevant for system scale models of nitrogen metabolism in affected ecosystems.

The freshwater fern Azolla (Azollaceae) from Eocene Arctic and Nordic Sea sediments: New species and their stratigraphic distribution

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Burgh, J.; Collinson, M.E.; van Konijnenburg-van Cittert, J.H.A.; Barke, J.; Brinkhuis, H.

2013-01-01

Three new species of the freshwater fern Azolla are described from Eocene marine deposits of the Arctic and Nordic seas, bringing the total number of species now documented from these areas to five. Azolla arctica Collinson et al., Azolla jutlandica Collinson et al., Azolla nova sp. nov. and Azolla

Transformation of PBDE mixtures during sediment transport and resuspension in marine environments (Gulf of Lion, NW Mediterranean Sea)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salvadó, Joan A.; Grimalt, Joan O.; López, Jordi F.; Durrieu de Madron, Xavier; Heussner, Serge; Canals, Miquel

2012-01-01

Polybromodiphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in superficial sediments from the Gulf of Lion were studied. They were largely predominated by BDE 209 (98.7% of all PBDEs) indicating that the main source of these pollutants was the commercial mixture deca-BDE. This compound and the less brominated BDE exhibited a southwestward decreasing concentration gradient following the dominant marine currents and bottom relief, e.g. the Mud Belt, the submarine canyons and the Open Continental Slope. All PBDEs exhibited statistically significant correlations confirming the common origin. However, a progressive transformation of the dumped BDE 209 was identified showing a depletion paralleled by increases of the less brominated BDEs (from 8.6% to 22%). These less brominated compounds were accumulated at about 100–140 km away from the Rhone prodelta, e.g. at the end of the submarine canyons, evidencing that these transformation compounds can be accumulated at long distances from the dumping sites in the marine system. Highlights: ► Polybromodiphenyl ethers are associated to organic carbon in marine sediments. ► PBDEs in marine sediments can accumulate further away than 140 km from the spill site. ► BDE-209 in marine sediments generate congeners found in banned commercial mixtures. ► BDE-209 in marine sediments generates new congeners not found in commercial mixtures. ► Submarine canyons channel PBDEs from the continental platform to the deep shelf. - Decomposition of decabromodiphenyl ether in marine sediments generates congeners found in banned mixtures in areas located far away from the discharge sites.

Constraints on the sources of branched tetraether membrane lipids in distal marine sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Weijers, J.W.H.; Schefuß, E.; Kim, J.-H.; Sinninghe Damsté, J.; Schouten, S.

2014-01-01

Branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) are membrane lipids produced by soil bacteria and occur in near coastal marine sediments as a result of soil organic matter input. Their abundance relative to marine-derived crenarchaeol, quantified in the BIT index, generally decreases

Plio-Pleistocene imprint of natural climate cycles in marine sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lebreiro, S. M.

2013-06-01

The response of Earth to natural climate cyclicity is written in marine sediments. The Earth is a complex system, as is climate change determined by various modes, frequency of cycles, forcings, boundary conditions, thresholds, and tipping elements. Oceans act as climate change buffers, and marine sediments provide archives of climate conditions in the Earths history. To read climate records they must be well-dated, well-calibrated and analysed at high-resolution. Reconstructions of past climates are based on climate variables such as atmospheric composition, temperature, salinity, ocean productivity and wind, the nature and quality which are of the utmost importance. Once the palaeoclimate and palaeoceanographic proxy-variables of past events are well documented, the best results of modelling and validation, and future predictions can be obtained from climate models. Neither the mechanisms for abrupt climate changes at orbital, millennial and multi-decadal time scales nor the origin, rhythms and stability of cyclicity are as yet fully understood. Possible sources of cyclicity are either natural in the form of internal ocean-atmosphere-land interactions or external radioactive forcing such as solar irradiance and volcanic activity, or else anthropogenic. Coupling with stochastic resonance is also very probable. I provide here, an overview of the cyclicity affecting the Earth on various time scales focussing upon the Plio-Pleistocene and Holocene epochs, together with a compilation of some of the key questions under debate, and a number of representative works that illustrate cyclicity in marine sediments. (Author)

Influence of macrobenthos on chemical diagenesis of marine sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Aller, R.C.

1977-05-01

Diagenetic reactions involving the decomposition of organic matter and the dissolution, mobilization, and reprecipitation of metals sensitive to oxidation-reduction reactions, are most intense and rapid in the upper 1 m and especially the upper 10 cm of marine sediment. It is in this upper zone where most benthic organisms live and interact with sediments and where exchange rates of dissolved and particulate material between sediment and overlying water are largely determined. In Long Island Sound, U.S.A., both spatial and temporal trends in sediment chemistry and the flux of material out of the bottom demonstrate the control of diagenesis by bottom fauna. /sup 234/Th//sup 238/U disequilibrium studies demonstrate that particle reworking rates near the sediment-water interface vary both temporally and spatially in the Sound. The most rapid reworking occurs in protobranch-inhabited bottom areas as do the highest /sup 234/Th inventories. Excess /sup 234/Th profiles in the sediment allow determination of the rates of selected diagenetic reactions, such as Mn/sup + +/ production, near the sediment surface. Both the /sup 234/Th disequilibrium and flux measurements indicate that intra-estuarine redistribution of metals continually takes place.

Global marine radioactivity database (GLOMARD)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2000-06-01

The GLOMARD stores all available data on marine radioactivity in seawater, suspended matter, sediments and biota. The database provides critical input to the evaluation of the environmental radionuclide levels in regional seas and the world's oceans. It can be used as a basis for the assessment of the radiation doses to local, regional and global human populations and to marine biota. It also provides information on temporal trends of radionuclide levels in the marine environment and identifies gaps in available information. The database contains information on the sources of the data; the laboratories performing radionuclide analysis; the type of samples (seawater, sediment, biota) and associated details (such as volume and weight); the sample treatment, analytical methods, and measuring instruments; and the analysed results (such as radionuclide concentrations, uncertainties, temperature, salinity, etc.). The current version of the GLOMARD allows the input, maintenance and extraction of data for the production of various kinds of maps using external computer programs. Extracted data are processed by these programs to produce contour maps representing radionuclide distributions in studied areas. To date, development work has concentrated on the Barents and Kara Seas in the Arctic and the Sea of Japan in the northwest Pacific Ocean, in connection with the investigation of radioactive waste dumping sites, as well as on marine radioactivity assessment of the Mururoa and Fangataufa nuclear weapons tests sites in French Polynesia. Further data inputs and evaluations are being carried out for the Black and Mediterranean Seas. In the framework of the project on Worldwide Marine Radioactivity Studies, background levels of 3 H, 90 Sr, 137 Cs and 239,240 Pu in water, sediment and biota of the world's oceans and seas will be established

Quantifying the degradation of organic matter in marine sediments: A review and synthesis

Science.gov (United States)

Arndt, Sandra; Jørgensen, B. B.; LaRowe, D. E.; Middelburg, J. J.; Pancost, R. D.; Regnier, P.

2013-08-01

Quantifying the rates of biogeochemical processes in marine sediments is essential for understanding global element cycles and climate change. Because organic matter degradation is the engine behind benthic dynamics, deciphering the impact that various forces have on this process is central to determining the evolution of the Earth system. Therefore, recent developments in the quantitative modeling of organic matter degradation in marine sediments are critically reviewed. The first part of the review synthesizes the main chemical, biological and physical factors that control organic matter degradation in sediments while the second part provides a general review of the mathematical formulations used to model these processes and the third part evaluates their application over different spatial and temporal scales. Key transport mechanisms in sedimentary environments are summarized and the mathematical formulation of the organic matter degradation rate law is described in detail. The roles of enzyme kinetics, bioenergetics, temperature and biomass growth in particular are highlighted. Alternative model approaches that quantify the degradation rate constant are also critically compared. In the third part of the review, the capability of different model approaches to extrapolate organic matter degradation rates over a broad range of temporal and spatial scales is assessed. In addition, the structure, functions and parameterization of more than 250 published models of organic matter degradation in marine sediments are analyzed. The large range of published model parameters illustrates the complex nature of organic matter dynamics, and, thus, the limited transferability of these parameters from one site to another. Compiled model parameters do not reveal a statistically significant correlation with single environmental characteristics such as water depth, deposition rate or organic matter flux. The lack of a generic framework that allows for model parameters to be

A veterinary perspective on One Health in the Arctic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Christian; Letcher, Robert James; Jenssen, Bjørn Munro

2017-01-01

Exposure to long-range transported industrial chemicals, climate change and diseases is posing a risk to the overall health and populations of Arctic wildlife. Since local communities are relying on the same marine food web as marine mammals in the Arctic, it requires a One Health approach...

Investigation into spore coat properties for the rapid identification of endospores in marine sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Rattray, J. E.; Chakraborty, A.; Bernard, B. B.; Brooks, J.; Hubert, C. R.

2017-12-01

Understanding the sediment biogeography of dormant marine thermophilic bacterial endospores (thermospores) has the potential to assist locating and characterising working petroleum systems. The presence of thermospores in cold ocean environments suggests that distribution occurs via hydrocarbon seepage from thermally active reservoirs. Low abundance and endospore coat physiology mean nucleic acid based techniques have limited success for in situ detection of thermospores. Alternative rapid analytical methods are needed so we investigated using the Schaeffer-Fulton (malachite green and safranin) and DAPI (4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole) staining techniques on thermospores from cultures and marine sediments. Sediment samples from 111 locations in the Eastern Gulf of Mexico (100 to 3300 m water depth; 6 to 600 km apart) were incubated at high temperature, followed by construction of 16S rRNA gene amplicon libraries (V3-V4 region; Illumina MiSeq) revealing enrichment of species-level thermospore OTUs. A sulfate reducing bacterium from site EGM080 was purified and classified based on its rRNA gene sequence as Desulfotomaculum geothermicum. Prior to thermospore staining the culture was kept in the death/ decline phase for 16 weeks to promote sporulation. Samples of D. geothermicum and the source marine sediment were fixed, stained then analysed using brightfield, phase contrast or fluorescence microscopy. Thermospores in pure culture were identified using phase contrast but were difficult to observe in the sediment sample due to particle aggregation. The Schaeffer-Fulton technique aided thermospore identification in a complex sediment sample matrix as thermospores were stained bright green, and also revealed that there were only spores and no (red stained) vegetative cells in the culture. Treatment with DAPI gave dull fluorescing cells but also provided insight into the behaviour of thermospores in sediment suspensions. Spores in the culture medium were free floating but

Climate Change, Globalization and Geopolitics in the New Maritime Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Brigham, L. W.

2011-12-01

Early in the 21st century a confluence of climate change, globalization and geopolitics is shaping the future of the maritime Arctic. This nexus is also fostering greater linkage of the Arctic to the rest of the planet. Arctic sea ice is undergoing a historic transformation of thinning, extent reduction in all seasons, and reduction in the area of multiyear ice in the central Arctic Ocean. Global Climate Model simulations of Arctic sea ice indicate multiyear ice could disappear by 2030 for a short period of time each summer. These physical changes invite greater marine access, longer seasons of navigation, and potential, summer trans-Arctic voyages. As a result, enhanced marine safety, environmental protection, and maritime security measures are under development. Coupled with climate change as a key driver of regional change is the current and future integration of the Arctic's natural wealth with global markets (oil, gas and hard minerals). Abundant freshwater in the Arctic could also be a future commodity of value. Recent events such as drilling for hydrocarbons off Greenland's west coast and the summer marine transport of natural resources from the Russian Arctic to China across the top of Eurasia are indicators of greater global economic ties to the Arctic. Plausible Arctic futures indicate continued integration with global issues and increased complexity of a range of regional economic, security and environmental challenges.

Assessment of Measurement Uncertainty Values of the Scandium Determination in Marine Sediment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rina-Mulyaningsih, Th.

2005-01-01

The result value of testing is meaningless if it isn't completed with uncertainty value. So that with the analysis result Sc in the marine sediment sample. It was assessed the uncertainty measurement of Sc analysis in marine sediment. The experiment was done in AAN Serpong laboratory. The result of calculation uncertainty on Sc analysis showed that the uncertainty components come from: preparation of sample and standard/comparator, purity of standard, counting statistics (sample and standard), repeatability, nuclear data and decay correction. The assessment on uncertainty must be done for the analysis of others elements, because each elements has difference nuclear and physical properties. (author)

Long distance electron transmission in marine sediment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Risgaard-Petersen, Nils; Nielsen, Lars Peter

processes leads to formation of electrical fields, which modifies ion transport. The local proton producing and proton consuming half reactions induces pH extremes that accelerate dissolution of iron sul-phides and calcium carbonates in anoxic layers and promotes the formation of Mg-calcite and iron oxides......Geochemical observations in marine sediment have recently shown that electric currents may intimately couple spatially separated biogeochemical processes like oxygen reduction at the sediment surface and hydrogen sul-phide oxidation in anoxic layers centimeters below 1. Further experimental studies...... suggest that the electron conductance is mediated by microorgan-isms. The spatial separation of electron and proton donors and acceptors has major impacts on element cycling by redox processes, pH balances, mineral dissolution/precipitations, and electromigration of ions. The sepa-ration of redox...

High bacterial biodiversity increases degradation performance of hydrocarbons during bioremediation of contaminated harbor marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dell'Anno, Antonio; Beolchini, Francesca; Rocchetti, Laura; Luna, Gian Marco; Danovaro, Roberto

2012-01-01

We investigated changes of bacterial abundance and biodiversity during bioremediation experiments carried out on oxic and anoxic marine harbor sediments contaminated with hydrocarbons. Oxic sediments, supplied with inorganic nutrients, were incubated in aerobic conditions at 20 °C and 35 °C for 30 days, whereas anoxic sediments, amended with organic substrates, were incubated in anaerobic conditions at the same temperatures for 60 days. Results reported here indicate that temperature exerted the main effect on bacterial abundance, diversity and assemblage composition. At higher temperature bacterial diversity and evenness increased significantly in aerobic conditions, whilst decreased in anaerobic conditions. In both aerobic and anaerobic conditions, biodegradation efficiencies of hydrocarbons were significantly and positively related with bacterial richness and evenness. Overall results presented here suggest that bioremediation strategies, which can sustain high levels of bacterial diversity rather than the selection of specific taxa, may significantly increase the efficiency of hydrocarbon degradation in contaminated marine sediments. - Highlights: ► Bioremediation performance was investigated on hydrocarbon contaminated sediments. ► Major changes in bacterial diversity and assemblage composition were observed. ► Temperature exerted the major effect on bacterial assemblages. ► High bacterial diversity increased significantly biodegradation performance. ► This should be considered for sediment remediation by bio-treatments. - Bioremediation strategies which can sustain high levels of bacterial diversity may significantly increase the biodegradation of hydrocarbons in contaminated marine sediments.

Long-range transport of persistent pollutants into Arctic regions; Schadstoff-Ferntransport in die Arktis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kallenborn, R.; Herzke, D. [Norwegian Inst. for Air Research, The Polar Environmental Centre, Tromso (Norway)

2001-07-01

In recent years, high concentrations of persistent pollutants (organic chemicals, metals) were detected in top predators of the Arctic food chain and indigenous peoples from the Canadian and Greenland Arctic, although no local contamination sources are known. The comprehensive, scientific investigations of the past 20 years confirmed that the combination of atmospheric and waterborne long-range transport is the major source of the high concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in the pristine Arctic environment. However, also pelagic marine organisms (e.g. Atlantic cod, marine mammals) can transport large amounts of persistent pollutants in their lipids and introduce contaminants into the Arctic food web. Thus, the pollutants are transported into the Arctic and subsequently accumulated through the short and unbranched Arctic food web of the top predators. The most accepted theory nowadays describes the long-range transport of persistent pollutants as a combination of atmospheric and sea current transport, or as a 'global distillation' process. Depending on such physical properties of the substances as vapour pressure and the ambient temperature, persistent (semivolatile) contaminants are transported over different distances prior to deposition (sea surface, sediment, soil). After the deposition, however, and depending on the weather conditions and surrounding temperature, persistent pollutants will be re-evaporated into the atmosphere and undergo further atmospheric transport to the Arctic region. This process is also called the 'grasshopper effect'. The global transport of persistent pollutants into Arctic regions can be described as a repeatedly occurring combination of atmospheric and waterborne transport in which the main transport vehicle depends on the physical properties of the transported compound. The role of characteristic meteorological conditions in the respective climate zones through which the contaminant is

A veterinary perspective on One Health in the Arctic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Christian; Letcher, Robert James; Jenssen, Bjorn Munro

2017-01-01

Exposure to long-range transported industrial chemicals, climate change and diseases is posing a risk to the overall health and populations of Arctic wildlife. Since local communities are relying on the same marine food web as marine mammals in the Arctic, it requires a One Health approach to und...

Petroleum hydrocarbon concentrations in marine sediments along Chennai Coast, Bay of Bengal, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Venkatachalapathy, R; Veerasingam, S; Ramkumar, T

2010-10-01

The spatial and temporal distribution of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHC) in marine sediments along the Chennai coast, Bay of Bengal was quantified by Ultra-Violet Fluorescence (UVF) Spectroscopy. The concentration of PHC in surface sediments varied from 1.88 to 39.76 ppm. The highest values obtained in the northern part of the study area, where shipping activities and land-based waste waters disposed into sea through the rivers like Kuvam and Adayar. The Adayar (7.26-16.83 ppm) and Kuvam (5.5-39.72 ppm) cores reveal a clear horizon of increase in PHC above 50 and 35 cm respectively. PHC values showed a decreasing pattern with depth in all sediment cores suggesting the excess anthropogenic loading occurring in the recent past. The present study revealed that the PHC values of Chennai coastal sediments are lower than the values reported from selected costal areas including the sediment of the Mumbai coast (7.6-42.8 ppm), Arabian Sea. The results will be useful for pollution monitoring program along the coastal region and also to check the level of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine sediments.

Trace Elements in Marine Sediment and Organisms in the Gulf of Thailand

Science.gov (United States)

Worakhunpiset, Suwalee

2018-01-01

This review summarizes the findings from studies of trace element levels in marine sediment and organisms in the Gulf of Thailand. Spatial and temporal variations in trace element concentrations were observed. Although trace element contamination levels were low, the increased urbanization and agricultural and industrial activities may adversely affect ecosystems and human health. The periodic monitoring of marine environments is recommended in order to minimize human health risks from the consumption of contaminated marine organisms. PMID:29677146

Summertime observations of elevated levels of ultrafine particles in the high Arctic marine boundary layer

Science.gov (United States)

Burkart, Julia; Willis, Megan D.; Bozem, Heiko; Thomas, Jennie L.; Law, Kathy; Hoor, Peter; Aliabadi, Amir A.; Köllner, Franziska; Schneider, Johannes; Herber, Andreas; Abbatt, Jonathan P. D.; Leaitch, W. Richard

2017-05-01

Motivated by increasing levels of open ocean in the Arctic summer and the lack of prior altitude-resolved studies, extensive aerosol measurements were made during 11 flights of the NETCARE July 2014 airborne campaign from Resolute Bay, Nunavut. Flights included vertical profiles (60 to 3000 m above ground level) over open ocean, fast ice, and boundary layer clouds and fogs. A general conclusion, from observations of particle numbers between 5 and 20 nm in diameter (N5 - 20), is that ultrafine particle formation occurs readily in the Canadian high Arctic marine boundary layer, especially just above ocean and clouds, reaching values of a few thousand particles cm-3. By contrast, ultrafine particle concentrations are much lower in the free troposphere. Elevated levels of larger particles (for example, from 20 to 40 nm in size, N20 - 40) are sometimes associated with high N5 - 20, especially over low clouds, suggestive of aerosol growth. The number densities of particles greater than 40 nm in diameter (N > 40) are relatively depleted at the lowest altitudes, indicative of depositional processes that will lower the condensation sink and promote new particle formation. The number of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN; measured at 0.6 % supersaturation) are positively correlated with the numbers of small particles (down to roughly 30 nm), indicating that some fraction of these newly formed particles are capable of being involved in cloud activation. Given that the summertime marine Arctic is a biologically active region, it is important to better establish the links between emissions from the ocean and the formation and growth of ultrafine particles within this rapidly changing environment.

Redox-dependent phosphorus burial in modern and ancient marine sediments. Geologica Ultraiectina (334)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraal, P.

2011-01-01

Phosphorus (P) is an essential nutrient in Earth’s biosphere that helps regulate marine primary productivity. Burial in sediments is the only pathway for long-term removal of P from the marine reservoir, the efficiency of which depends strongly on the redox state of the bottom waters;

Biomarkers of Canadian High Arctic Litoral Sediments for Assessment of Organic Matter Sources and Degradation

Science.gov (United States)

Pautler, B. G.; Austin, J.; Otto, A.; Stewart, K.; Lamoureux, S. F.; Simpson, M. J.

2009-05-01

Carbon stocks in the High Arctic are particularly sensitive to global climate change, and investigation of variations in organic matter (OM) composition is beneficial for the understanding of the alteration of organic carbon under anticipated future elevated temperatures. Molecular-level characterization of solvent extractable compounds and CuO oxidation products of litoral sedimentary OM at the Cape Bounty Arctic Watershed Observatory in the Canadian Arctic Archipelago was conducted to determine the OM sources and decomposition patterns. The solvent extracts contained a series of aliphatic lipids, steroids and one triterpenoid primarily of higher plant origin and new biomarkers, iso- and anteiso-alkanes originating from cerastium arcticum (Arctic mouse-ear chickweed, a native angiosperm) were discovered. Carbon preference index (CPI) values for the n-alkanes, n-alkanols and n-alkanoic acids suggests that the OM biomarkers result from fresh material input in early stage of degradation. The CuO oxidation products were comprised of benzyls, lignin phenols and short-chain diacids and hydroxyacids. High abundance of terrestrial OM biomarkers observed at sites close to the river inlet suggests fluvial inputs as an important pathway to deliver OM into the lake. The lignin phenol vegetation index (LPVI) also suggests that the OM origin is mostly from non-woody angiosperms. A relatively high degree of lignin alteration in the litoral sediments is evident from the abundant ratio of acids and aldehydes of the vanillyl and syringyl monomers. This suggests that the lignin contents have been diagenetically altered as the result of a long residence time in this ecosystem. The molecular-level characterization of litoral sedimentary OM in Canadian High Arctic region provides insight into current OM composition,potential responses to future disturbances and the biogeochemical cycling of carbon in the Arctic.

Sediment-worm interaction: transfer of 65Zn from marine silt by the polychaete, Nereis diversicolor

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Renfro, W.C.; Benayoun, G.

1976-01-01

Marine polychaete worms (Nereis diversicolor) accumulated 65 Zn sorbed to silty marine sediment for 5 days and were then transferred to nonradioactive sediment in the laboratory and in the sea. The mean biological half-life (T/sub B//2/) for the laboratory worms did not differ greatly from that for worms in the sea. Worms living in small flowing seawater systems containing 16 cm 3 of sediment accumulated 65 Zn added to each system in the form of radioactive organic detritus. Higher percentage uptake of 65 Zn was from radioactive detritus particles 0.2 to 2 mm in diameter resting on the sediment surface or mixed with sediment than from finely-ground ( 65 Zn coprecipitated from fresh water with Fe(OH) 3 was accumulated by N. diversicolor when the precipitate was on the sediment surface than when the precipitate was well mixed with the sediment. These experimental results indicate that benthic organisms may take up limited amounts of heavy metals associated with bottom sediments and recycle them to benthic and pelagic food webs

Pan-Arctic observations in GRENE Arctic Climate Change Research Project and its successor

Science.gov (United States)

Yamanouchi, Takashi

2016-04-01

We started a Japanese initiative - "Arctic Climate Change Research Project" - within the framework of the Green Network of Excellence (GRENE) Program, funded by the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology, Japan (MEXT), in 2011. This Project targeted understanding and forecasting "Rapid Change of the Arctic Climate System and its Global Influences." Four strategic research targets are set by the Ministry: 1. Understanding the mechanism of warming amplification in the Arctic; 2. Understanding the Arctic climate system for global climate and future change; 3. Evaluation of the impacts of Arctic change on the weather and climate in Japan, marine ecosystems and fisheries; 4. Projection of sea ice distribution and Arctic sea routes. Through a network of universities and institutions in Japan, this 5-year Project involves more than 300 scientists from 39 institutions and universities. The National Institute of Polar Research (NIPR) works as the core institute and The Japan Agency for Marine- Earth Science and Technology (JAMSTEC) joins as the supporting institute. There are 7 bottom up research themes approved: the atmosphere, terrestrial ecosystems, cryosphere, greenhouse gases, marine ecology and fisheries, sea ice and Arctic sea routes and climate modeling, among 22 applications. The Project will realize multi-disciplinal study of the Arctic region and connect to the projection of future Arctic and global climatic change by modeling. The project has been running since the beginning of 2011 and in those 5 years pan-Arctic observations have been carried out in many locations, such as Svalbard, Russian Siberia, Alaska, Canada, Greenland and the Arctic Ocean. In particular, 95 GHz cloud profiling radar in high precision was established at Ny-Ålesund, Svalbard, and intensive atmospheric observations were carried out in 2014 and 2015. In addition, the Arctic Ocean cruises by R/V "Mirai" (belonging to JAMSTEC) and other icebreakers belonging to other

Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring Plan

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Tom; Payne, J.; Doyle, M.

The Conservation of Arctic Flora and Fauna (CAFF), the biodiversity working group of the Arctic Council, established the Circumpolar Biodiversity Monitoring Program (CBMP) to address the need for coordinated and standardized monitoring of Arctic environments. The CBMP includes an international...... on developing and implementing long-term plans for monitoring the integrity of Arctic biomes: terrestrial, marine, freshwater, and coastal (under development) environments. The CBMP Terrestrial Expert Monitoring Group (CBMP-TEMG) has developed the Arctic Terrestrial Biodiversity Monitoring Plan (CBMP......-Terrestrial Plan/the Plan) as the framework for coordinated, long-term Arctic terrestrial biodiversity monitoring. The goal of the CBMP-Terrestrial Plan is to improve the collective ability of Arctic traditional knowledge (TK) holders, northern communities, and scientists to detect, understand and report on long...

Cesium-137 contamination in Arctic Ocean ice

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meese, D.; Tucker, W.; Cooper, L.; Larsen, I.L.; Grebmeier, J.

1995-01-01

Sea ice and ice-borne sediment samples were collected across the western Arctic basin on the joint US/Canada Arctic Ocean Section during August 1994. Samples were processed on board and returned at the completion of the cruise to Oak Ridge National Laboratory for analysis. Sediment was observed on the surface and in the ice from the southern ice limit in the Chukchi Sea to the North Pole. Preliminary results on the ice-borne sediment samples show widespread elevated concentrations of 137 Cs, ranging from 4.9 to 73 mBq g dry weight -1 . An analysis of the measurements indicate that sea ice is primary transport mechanism by which contaminated sediments are redistributed throughout the Arctic Ocean and possibly exported into the Greenland Sea and North Atlantic through Fram Strait. The wide variability in the ice-borne sediment concentrations of 137 Cs measured along the transect argues that contaminants incorporated on the Siberian shelves can follow much more variable trajectories than is suggested by mean ice drift calculations. 2 figs

The geochemistry and mobility of the lanthanides in marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Elderfield, H.

1988-07-01

A study has been made to evaluate lanthanide mobility in sediments directly by measuring concentrations of 10 lanthanide elements in sediments and pore waters. Due to the very low concentrations of the lanthanides in sea water relative to marine sediments, evidence of lanthanide mobilization is usually difficult to detect from studies of solid-phase geochemistry. Results show that the lanthanides can be extremely mobile. Concentrations in pore waters up to 100 times sea water concentrations have been measured. The conclusions are tentative but the present data suggest that the lanthanides are mobilized during oxidation of organic-rich sediments and are relocated in part in association with secondary Fe-rich phases. The behaviour of Ce is, predictably, somewhat different from the other lanthanides and may be more mobile as a consequence of its redox chemistry. (author)

A novel approach to the assess biotic oxygen consumption in marine sediment communities

Science.gov (United States)

Baranov, Victor; Queiros, Ana; Widdicombe, Stephen; Stephens, Nick; Lessin, Gennadi; Krause, Stefan; Lewandowski, Joerg

2016-04-01

Bioturbation , the mixing of the sediment matrix by burrowing animals impacts sediment metabolism, including respiration through redistribution of particulate organics, changes in bacterial biota diversity and acitivity, as well as via burrowing fauna's own metabolism. Bioturbation, reflecting faunal activity, is also a proxy for the general sedimentary ecosystem health, and can be impacted by many of emerging marine environmental issues such as ocean acidification, warming and the occurrence of heat waves. Sedimentary oxygen consumption is often taken as a proxy for the activity of bioturbating fauna, but determining baselines can be difficult because of the confounding effects of other fauna and microbes present in sediments, as well as irnorganic processes that consume oxygen. Limitations therefore exist in current methodologies, and numerous confounding factors are hampering progress in this area. Here, we present novel method for the assessment of sediment respiration which is expected to be affected only by the biogenic oxygen consumption (namely aerobic respiration). As long as tracer reduction "immune" to inorganic oxygen consumption, so that measurements using this method can be used, alongside traditional methods, to decouple biological respiration from inorganic oxygen consumption reactions. The tracer is easily detectable, non-toxic and can be applied in systems with constant oxygen supply. The latter allow for incubation without the need to to work with unsealed experimental units, bringing procedural advantage over traditional methods. Consequently assessed bioturbating fauna is not exposed to hypoxia and additional stress. Here, we had applied system for the first time to investigate impacts of a common North-Atlantic bioturbator, the brittle star Amphiura filiformis, - on respiration of marine sediments. Two series of experiments were conducted with animals and sediment collected from Cawsand Bay, Plymouth, UK Preliminary results show that tracer

Comparison of influences of sediments and sea water on accumulation of radionuclides by marine organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ueda, Taiji; Nakamura, Ryoichi; Suzuki, Yuzuru

1978-01-01

The concentration factors of 106 Ru- 106 Rh and 137 Cs for a marine bivalve and a alga were investigated. Furthermore, the transfer ratio ([cpm/g of organism]/[cpm/g of sediment]) of these nuclides from contaminated sediments to organisms was examined. Then the concentration factors were compared with the transfer ratio to know the relative influence of sea water and sediments on the contamination of marine organisms. The obtained figures, we call the biological factor of the sediments (BFS), were 70 and 160 for red alga and bivalve on 137 Cs, and 5400 and 2900 for them in case of 106 Ru- 106 Rh, respectively. These figures were comparable to those for annelid worm, 40 on 137 Cs and 1000 on 106 Ru- 106 Rh. (auth.)

Role of chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms involved in nitrogen and sulfur cycling in coastal marine sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lipsewers, Y.A.

2017-01-01

SummaryThe role of chemolithoautotrophic microorganisms has been considered to be of minor importancein coastal marine sediments although it has not been investigated in depth. Additionally,the impact of seasonal hypoxic/anoxic conditions on microbial chemolithoautotrophy in coastalmarine sediments

Organic Carbon Delivery from a High-Arctic North American Watershed: Implications for Beaufort Sea Carbon Cycling in a Changing Climate

Science.gov (United States)

Schreiner, K. M.; Bruner, V. J.; Kessler, J. D.

2016-12-01

Riverine delivery of terrestrial organic carbon (OC) and subsequent burial in coastal margins is a significant sink for OC on Earth. The amount of fresh OC compared to old OC buried in coastal margins affects the long-term ratio of O2 to CO2 in the atmosphere. And yet, the fate of OC on marine shelves is not well known. Analysis of the fate of terrestrial OC from Arctic rivers are especially important, as half of the global soil carbon pool resides in the top few meters of Arctic permafrost soils, and much of this OC, more than twice the amount of carbon currently residing in the atmospheric CO2 pool, is thousands of years old and under threat of disturbance from a warming Arctic climate. Flux of this old, deeply-buried permafrost OC to coastal sediments has already been noted in both the Russian and Alaskan Arctic. This study focuses on OC delivered by the Colville River, a medium-sized North American Arctic river that drains the North Slope of Alaska, and has been previously shown to be an important source of extremely old OC to coastal Beaufort Sea sediments. Here we report stable carbon isotopes and radiocarbon ages of particulate OC (POC), dissolved OC (DOC), and surface sediments from the Beaufort Sea near the Colville River outflow and nearby Simpson Lagoon from samples collected in August 2015. In general, DOC ages are younger than POC ages, and both have stable isotope signatures indicative of terrestrial C3 sources. Waters with higher concentrations of DOC tend to have younger radiocarbon ages and more enriched stable isotope signatures, indicating the presence of aquatic primary production. These data represent some of the first water column radiocarbon signatures to be reported from an Arctic river the size of the Colville; while the six largest Arctic rivers have been well studied over the past few decades, much less data is available for small and medium sized Arctic rivers.

Heavy metals in marine coastal sediments: assessing sources, fluxes, history and trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Frignani, Mauro; Bellucci, Luca Giorgio

2004-01-01

Examples are presented from the Adriatic Sea, the Ligurian Sea and the Venice Lagoon to illustrate different approaches to the study of anthropogenic metals in marine coastal sediments. These examples refer to studies of areal distribution and transport mechanisms, individuation of the sources, sediment dating, chronology of the fluxes, present and past trends. In particular, some of the findings achieved in studying the Venice Lagoon are discussed from the point of view of anthropogenic changes both in sediment composition and contaminant fluxes.

226Ra chronology of a coastal marine sediment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Koide, M.; Bruland, K.; Goldberg, E.D.

1976-01-01

Unsupported 226 Ra (tsub (1/2) = 1620 years) in marine sediments can provide a basis for measuring rates of accumulation of the order of centimeters per thousand years. The excess radium apparently enters the sediments incorporated in phytoplankton. The sensitivity of the method depends upon the initial value of the unsupported 226 Ra and of the value of 230 Th, a parent of 226 Ra, in the sedimentary components. 226 Ra dating was applied to a sediment taken from the slope of the San Clemente Basin in the Southern California coastal region. Rates of sedimentation over two half-lives of the nuclide were found to be either 5.2 or 5.3 cm/1000 years depending upon which of two models for the geochronology is used. One model assumes that the 230 Th brings to the deposit an amount of 226 Ra in equilibrium with it. The other is based upon the growth of the 226 Ra from the 230 Th in the sedimentary components. 238+239 Pu and 210 Pb levels in the upper strata indicated sedimentation rates of the order of 100-500 cm/1000 years, i.e. much faster accumulations. It is suggested that these derived rates are spurious and reflect bioturbative activities of surface-living organisms. (Auth.)

Bacterial corrosion in marine sediments: influence of cathodic protection

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Therene, Martine

1988-01-01

In order to protect offshore structures from marine corrosion, cathodic protection is widely applied via sacrificial anodes (for example zinc or aluminium) or impressed current. In aerated seawater, steel is considered to be protected when a potential of -8050 mV/Cu.CuSO 4 is achieved. In many cases, however this potential must be lowered, due to the activity of microorganisms and more specially sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB). SRB are obligate anaerobes using sulphate as electron acceptor with resultant production of sulphide. Some of them are also able to use hydrogen as energy source, causing cathodic depolarization of steel surfaces. An experiment was performed to analyze the relation between SRB activity and use of different cathodic potentials applied to mild steel samples in marine sediments. Analytical techniques employed included lipid bio-markers and electrochemical methods. Results indicated an evolution of the bacterial community structure both on the steel and in the sediment, as a function of time and potential. The results also show that cathodically produced hydrogen promotes the growth of SRB (author) [fr

Beyond Thin Ice: Co-Communicating the Many Arctics

Science.gov (United States)

Druckenmiller, M. L.; Francis, J. A.; Huntington, H.

2015-12-01

Science communication, typically defined as informing non-expert communities of societally relevant science, is persuaded by the magnitude and pace of scientific discoveries, as well as the urgency of societal issues wherein science may inform decisions. Perhaps nowhere is the connection between these facets stronger than in the marine and coastal Arctic where environmental change is driving advancements in our understanding of natural and socio-ecological systems while paving the way for a new assortment of arctic stakeholders, who generally lack adequate operational knowledge. As such, the Arctic provides opportunity to advance the role of science communication into a collaborative process of engagement and co-communication. To date, the communication of arctic change falls within four primary genres, each with particular audiences in mind. The New Arctic communicates an arctic of new stakeholders scampering to take advantage of unprecedented access. The Global Arctic conveys the Arctic's importance to the rest of the world, primarily as a regulator of lower-latitude climate and weather. The Intra-connected Arctic emphasizes the increasing awareness of the interplay between system components, such as between sea ice loss and marine food webs. The Transforming Arctic communicates the region's trajectory relative to the historical Arctic, acknowledging the impacts on indigenous peoples. The broad societal consensus on climate change in the Arctic as compared to other regions in the world underscores the opportunity for co-communication. Seizing this opportunity requires the science community's engagement with stakeholders and indigenous peoples to construct environmental change narratives that are meaningful to climate responses relative to non-ecological priorities (e.g., infrastructure, food availability, employment, or language). Co-communication fosters opportunities for new methods of and audiences for communication, the co-production of new interdisciplinary

Stabilization / solidification of polluted marine dredged sediment of port en Bessin France, using hydraulic binders and silica fume

Science.gov (United States)

Silitonga, Ernesto

2017-09-01

A large amount of sediment is dredged in France every year. Due to the increase of the amount of marine dredged sediments, environmentally reuse of dredged sediment is urgently needed in France. The first objective of this study is to find an application for reuse of marine dredged sediments materials, as new material for road construction. Hence, serial tests need to be realized to identify if marine dredged sediment could be utilized for road construction. The second goal is to enhance the physical, mechanical and chemical characteristics of the mix, by incorporating binders and sediments, and revealed the identification of the mechanical characteristics measured on the mixes is compatible with their use as a base course material. The results show that the treatment by hydraulics binders could satisfy the needed mechanical characteristics. The present of Silica Fume is aimed to reduce the pollution level, especially the heavy metal content. However, the proportion of hydraulics binders and silica fume needed to meet prescribed specification is important, so the reuse of the marine dredged sediments of Port-en-Bessin, France in road construction, as an alternative material could be achieved. After the geotechnical study in laboratory results shown as expected than the study to identify the chemical characteristic realized. To evaluate the environmental impacts of the used material, leaching test is performed. The leaching test was performed to verify the predicted release of pollutants based on total dissolution. And for the final part, the test results show that the polluted marine dredged sediments could be safely used (in term of environmental impact) as a new material in road construction.

Holocene environmental changes recorded in Dicksonfjorden and Woodfjorden, Svalbard: impacts of global climate changes in a glacial-marine system

Science.gov (United States)

Joo, Y. J.; Nam, S. I.; Son, Y. J.; Forwick, M.

2017-12-01

Fjords in the Svalbard archipelago are characterized by an extreme environmental gradient between 1) the glacial system affected by tidewater glaciers and seasonal sea ice inside the fjords and 2) the warm Atlantic Water intrusion by the West Spitsbergen Current from open ocean. As sediment is largely supplied from the terrestrial source area exposed along the steep slopes of the fjords, the changes in the surface processes affected by glaciers are likely preserved in the sediments in the inner fjords. On the other hand, variations in the influence of the warm Atlantic Water in the marine realm (e.g. marine productivity) can be archived in the sediment deposited in the vicinity of the entrance to the fjords. Since the last deglaciation of the Svalbard-Barents ice sheet ( 13000 yrs BP), the Svalbard fjords have faced dramatic climate changes including the early Holocene Climate Optimum (HCO) and subsequent cooling that eventually led to the current cold and dry climate. We investigate the Holocene environmental changes in both terrestrial and marine realms based on stable isotopic and inorganic geochemical analyses of sediments deposited in Dicksonfjorden and Woodfjorden in the western and northern Spitsbergen, respectively. The two fjords are expected to provide intriguing information regarding how terrestrial and marine realms of the Arctic fjords system responded to regional and global climate changes. Being a branch of the larger Isfjorden, Dicksonfjorden penetrates deeply to the land, whereas Woodfjorden is rather directly connected to the open ocean. Accordingly, the results suggest that the Dicksonfjorden sediment records mainly terrestrial signals with marked fluctuations in sediment composition that coincide with major climate changes (e.g. HCO). On the contrary, the two Woodfjorden cores collected from different parts of the fjord exhibit contrasting results, likely illustrating differing response of terrestrial and marine realms to the climate changes in

Radioactivity in the Arctic Seas. Report for the International Arctic Seas Assessment Project (IASAP)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1999-04-01

This report provides comprehensive information on environmental conditions in the Arctic Seas as required for the study of possible radiological consequences from dumped high level radioactive wastes in the Kara Sea. The report describes the oceanography of the regions, with emphasis on the Kara and Barents Seas, including the East Novaya Zemlya Fjords. The ecological description concentrates on biological production, marine food-weds and fisheries in the Arctic Seas. The report presents data on radionuclide concentrations in the Kara and Barents Seas and uses these data to estimate the inventories of radionuclides currently in the marine environment of the Kara and Barents Seas

Sediment Burial Intolerance of Marine Macroinvertebrates.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vicki J Hendrick

Full Text Available The marine environment contains suspended particulate matter which originates from natural and anthropogenic sources. Settlement of this material can leave benthic organisms susceptible to smothering, especially if burial is sudden i.e. following storms or activities such as dredging. Their survival will depend on their tolerance to, and their ability to escape from burial. Here we present data from a multi-factorial experiment measuring burial responses incorporating duration, sediment fraction and depth. Six macroinvertebrates commonly found in sediment rich environments were selected for their commercial and/or conservation importance. Assessments revealed that the brittle star (Ophiura ophiura, the queen scallop (Aequipecten opercularis and the sea squirt (Ciona intestinalis were all highly intolerant to burial whilst the green urchin (Psammichinus miliaris and the anemone (Sagartiogeton laceratus, showed intermediate and low intolerance respectively, to burial. The least intolerant, with very high survival was the Ross worm (Sabellaria spinulosa. With the exception of C. intestinalis, increasing duration and depth of burial with finer sediment fractions resulted in increased mortality for all species assessed. For C. intestinalis depth of burial and sediment fraction were found to be inconsequential since there was complete mortality of all specimens buried for more than one day. When burial emergence was assessed O. ophiura emerged most frequently, followed by P. miliaris. The former emerged most frequently from the medium and fine sediments whereas P. miliaris emerged more frequently from coarse sediment. Both A. opercularis and S. laceratus showed similar emergence responses over time, with A. opercularis emerging more frequently under coarse sediments. The frequency of emergence of S. laceratus increased with progressively finer sediment and C. intestinalis did not emerge from burial irrespective of sediment fraction or depth. Finally

Distribution of the dominant microbial communities in marine sediments containing high concentrations of gas hydrates

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Briggs, B.; Colwell, F.; Carini, P.; Torres, M. [Oregon State Univ., Corvallis, OR (United States); Hangsterfer, A.; Kastner, M. [California Univ., San Diego, CA (United States). Scripps Inst. of Oceanography; Brodie, E. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States). Center for Environmental Biotechnology; Daly, R. [California Univ., Berkeley, CA (United States); Holland, M. [GeoTek, Daventry, Northants (United Kingdom); Long, P.; Schaef, H. [Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland, WA (United States). Environmental Technology; Delwiche, M. [Idaho National Laboratory, Idaho Falls, ID (United States). Biotechnology; Winters, W. [United States Geological Survey, Woods Hole, MA (United States). Woods Hole Science Center; Riedel, M. [McGill Univ., Montreal, PQ (Canada). Dept. of Earth and Planetary Sciences

2008-07-01

Methane produced by microorganisms represents a large portion of the methane that occurs in marine sediments where gas hydrates are present. The diverse communities that populate these formations have been documented by cultures or through molecular traces. Previous studies have explored the biogeography of hydrate-bearing systems by comparing clone libraries developed from sediments where hydrates are abundant with those developed from sediments that lack hydrates. There is a distinct microbial community present in sediments that have methane hydrates. This paper presented an investigation into finer-scale biogeography, in order to determine how factors such as the presence or absence of hydrates, grain size, and the depositional environment in marine sediments may control the number, type and distribution of microbial communities in sediments. The purpose of the study was to understand the controls on the distribution and activity of all microbes that contribute to the conversion of organic matter to methane. To this aim, DNA was extracted from deep marine sediments cored from continental slope locations including offshore India and the Cascadia Margin. The data from the study was used to refine computational models that require biological rate terms that are consistent with sediment conditions in order to accurately describe the dynamics of this large methane reservoir. The paper discussed the materials and methods used for the study, including the sample site, sample collection and microbiological analysis. Results were presented in terms of DNA extractions; microbial diversity; and biofilm analyses. It was concluded that the findings from the study complemented previously reported studies which indicated the presence of diverse microbial communities in sediments containing methane hydrates. 9 refs., 5 figs.

Multivariate benthic ecosystem functioning in the Arctic – benthic fluxes explained by environmental parameters in the southeastern Beaufort Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. Link

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The effects of climate change on Arctic marine ecosystems and their biogeochemical cycles are difficult to predict given the complex physical, biological and chemical interactions among the ecosystem components. We studied benthic biogeochemical fluxes in the Arctic and the influence of short-term (seasonal to annual, long-term (annual to decadal and other environmental variability on their spatial distribution to provide a baseline for estimates of the impact of future changes. In summer 2009, we measured fluxes of dissolved oxygen, nitrate, nitrite, ammonia, soluble reactive phosphate and silicic acid at the sediment–water interface at eight sites in the southeastern Beaufort Sea at water depths from 45 to 580 m. The spatial pattern of the measured benthic boundary fluxes was heterogeneous. Multivariate analysis of flux data showed that no single or reduced combination of fluxes could explain the majority of spatial variation, indicating that oxygen flux is not representative of other nutrient sink–source dynamics. We tested the influence of eight environmental parameters on single benthic fluxes. Short-term environmental parameters (sinking flux of particulate organic carbon above the bottom, sediment surface Chl a were most important for explaining oxygen, ammonium and nitrate fluxes. Long-term parameters (porosity, surface manganese and iron concentration, bottom water oxygen concentrations together with δ13Corg signature explained most of the spatial variation in phosphate, nitrate and nitrite fluxes. Variation in pigments at the sediment surface was most important to explain variation in fluxes of silicic acid. In a model including all fluxes synchronously, the overall spatial distribution could be best explained (57% by the combination of sediment Chl a, phaeopigments, δ13Corg, surficial manganese and bottom water oxygen concentration. We conclude that it is necessary to consider long-term environmental variability along with

Plutonium in an arctic marine environment 29 years after the Thule accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dahlgaard, H.; Nielsen, S.P.; Eriksson, M.; Ilus, E.; McMahon, C.A.

1999-01-01

The nuclear weapons contaminated benthic marine environment in the 180-230 m deep Bylot Sound of Thule Airbase, NW Greenland, was revisited August 1997. Data on water and on brown algae indicates that plutonium from the contaminated sediments is not transported into the surface waters in significant quantities. Sediment core data only indicate minor translocation of plutonium from the accident to the area outside Bylot sound. The present data support an ealier quantification of the sedimentation rate as 3-4 mm per year, i.e. 8-12 cm during the 29 years since the accident. Biological activity has mixed accident plutonium much deeper, down to 20-30 cm, and the 8-12 cm new sediment have been efficiently mixed into the contaminated layer. In addition to the classical bioturbation efficiently mixing the upper ≅ 5 cm, the plutonium data indicates the existence of a deeper bioturbation gradualy decreasing with depth. Transfer of plutonium to benthic biota is low leading to lower concentrations in biota than in sediments. (au)

Plutonium behavior during the early diagenesis of marine sediments: applications to two marine environments labelled by radionuclides released from reprocessing plants; Etude du comportement du plutonium au cours de la diagenese precoce des sediments marins: applications a deux environnements marins marques par les rejets issus d'usines de retraitement de combustibles uses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gouzy, A

2004-12-15

The plutonium released into the English Channel and the Irish Sea by nuclear fuel reprocessing plants is mainly associated to sediments. Nevertheless, this association is partially reversible. This work combines a field study, carried out on the Cumbrian mud patch and the Esk estuary (Eastern Irish Sea), and laboratory experiments performed on carbonaceous coarse-grained sediments collected in the Central Channel. It presents new data on the plutonium solid partition in sediments and suggests realistic scenarios for describing its release from sediments to the water column. The role of reactive sulphides acting as temporary sink phases is shown in anoxic sediments; those sulphides are liable to release dissolved plutonium upon their oxidation. The plutonium is also bound to carbonates within the carbonaceous matrix and as carbonate surface complexes. Conceptual schemes of the behaviour of the plutonium in marine sediments are proposed; they highlight the strong remobilization potential of plutonium from marine sediments to the interstitial water. Its plutonium content can be injected into the overlying water column. (author)

Plutonium behavior during the early diagenesis of marine sediments: applications to two marine environments labelled by radionuclides released from reprocessing plants; Etude du comportement du plutonium au cours de la diagenese precoce des sediments marins: applications a deux environnements marins marques par les rejets issus d'usines de retraitement de combustibles uses

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gouzy, A

2004-12-15

The plutonium released into the English Channel and the Irish Sea by nuclear fuel reprocessing plants is mainly associated to sediments. Nevertheless, this association is partially reversible. This work combines a field study, carried out on the Cumbrian mud patch and the Esk estuary (Eastern Irish Sea), and laboratory experiments performed on carbonaceous coarse-grained sediments collected in the Central Channel. It presents new data on the plutonium solid partition in sediments and suggests realistic scenarios for describing its release from sediments to the water column. The role of reactive sulphides acting as temporary sink phases is shown in anoxic sediments; those sulphides are liable to release dissolved plutonium upon their oxidation. The plutonium is also bound to carbonates within the carbonaceous matrix and as carbonate surface complexes. Conceptual schemes of the behaviour of the plutonium in marine sediments are proposed; they highlight the strong remobilization potential of plutonium from marine sediments to the interstitial water. Its plutonium content can be injected into the overlying water column. (author)

Magnetic fingerprint in marine sediments: clues from cultivated Magnetovibrio blakemorei and recent cores from Brazilian Coast

Science.gov (United States)

Jovane, L.; Florindo, F.; Bazylinski, D. A.; Pellizari, V. H.; Brandini, F. P.; de Almeida, L. A.; Carneiro, F. R.; Braga, E. D.; Lins, U.

2013-12-01

The magnetic properties (first order reversal curves, ferromagnetic resonance and decomposition of saturation remanent magnetization acquisition) of Magnetovibrio blakemorei strain MV-1, a marine magnetotactic bacterium, differ from those of other magnetotactic species from sediments deposited in lakes and marine habitats previously studied. This finding suggests that magnetite produced by some magnetotactic bacteria retains magnetic properties in relation to the crystallographic structure of the magnetic phase produced and thus might represent a 'magnetic fingerprint' for a specific magnetotactic bacterium. The technique used to determine this fingerprint is a non-destructive, new technology that might allow for the identification and presence of specific species or types of magnetotactic bacteria in certain environments such as sediment. We also show some preliminary results on the biogeochemical factors that control magnetotactic bacterial populations, documenting the environment and the preservation of bacterial magnetite, which dominates the palaeomagnetic signal throughout recent sediments from Brazilian Coast. We searched for magnetotactic bacteria in order to understand the ecosystems and environmental change related to their presence in sediments. We focused on studying the environmental conditions that allow for the presence of magnetotactic bacteria and magnetosomes in sediments including determining magnetotactic bacterial populations in marine settings, measuring crucial nutrient availability in the water column and in sediments, and examining particulate delivery to the seafloor.

Marine fungi isolated from Chilean fjord sediments can degrade oxytetracycline.

Science.gov (United States)

Ahumada-Rudolph, R; Novoa, V; Sáez, K; Martínez, M; Rudolph, A; Torres-Diaz, C; Becerra, J

2016-08-01

Salmon farming is the main economic activity in the fjords area of Southern Chile. This activity requires the use of antibiotics, such as oxytetracycline, for the control and prevention of diseases, which have a negative impact on the environment. We analyzed the abilities of endemic marine fungi to biodegrade oxytetracycline, an antibiotic used extensively in fish farming. We isolated marine fungi strains from sediment samples obtained from an area of fish farming activity. The five isolated strains showed an activity on oxytetracycline and were identified as Trichoderma harzianum, Trichoderma deliquescens, Penicillium crustosum, Rhodotorula mucilaginosa, and Talaromyces atroroseus by a scanning electron microscopy and characterized by molecular techniques. Results showed significant degradation in the concentration of oxytetracycline at the first 2 days of treatment for all strains analyzed. At 21 days of treatment, the concentration of oxytetracycline was decreased 92 % by T. harzianum, 85 % by T. deliquescens, 83 % by P. crustosum, 73 % by R. mucilaginosa, and 72 % by T. atroroseus, all of which were significantly higher than the controls. Given these results, we propose that fungal strains isolated from marine sediments may be useful tools for biodegradation of antibiotics, such as oxytetracycline, in the salmon industry.

Effects of terrestrial and marine organic matters on deposition of dechlorane plus (DP) in marine sediments from the Southern Yellow Sea, China: Evidence from multiple biomarkers

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wang, Guoguang; Peng, Jialin; Hao, Ting; Feng, Lijuan; Liu, Qiaoling; Li, Xianguo

2017-01-01

As an emerging halogenated organic contaminant, Dechlorane Plus (DP) was scarcely reported in marine environments, especially in China. In this work, 35 surface sediments and a sediment core were collected across the Southern Yellow Sea (SYS) to comprehensively explore the spatio-temporal distribution and possible migration pathway of DP. DP concentrations ranged from 14.3 to 245.5 pg/g dry weight in the surface sediments, displaying a seaward increasing trend with the high levels in the central mud zone. This spatial distribution pattern was ascribed to that fine particles with the elevated DP levels were preferentially transported to the central mud zone under hydrodynamic forcing and/or via long-range atmospheric transportation and deposition. DP concentrations in sediment core gradually increased from the mid-1950s to present, which corresponded well with the historical production and usage of DP, as well as the economic development in China. Significantly positive correlation between DP and total organic carbon (TOC) in both surface sediments and sediment core indicated TOC-dependent natural deposition of DP in the SYS. We used multiple biomarkers, for the first time, to explore the potential effects of terrestrial and marine organic matters (TOM and MOM) on DP deposition. The results showed that competition may occur between TOM and MOM for DP adsorption, and MOM was the predominant contributor in controlling DP deposition in the marine sediments from the SYS. - Highlights: • Effects of TOM and MOM on DP deposition were first explored by multi-biomarkers. • Hydrodynamic forcing and atmospheric deposition were responsible for DP in the SYS. • MOM was the predominant contributor in controlling DP deposition to sediments in the SYS. • Competition may occur between TOM and MOM for DP adsorption. - This study was the first attempt to comprehensively explore the effects of TOM and MOM on DP deposition in marine sediments from the SYS.

USE OF ULVA LACTUCA TO DISTINGUISH PH DEPENDENT TOXICANTS IN MARINE WATERS AND SEDIMENTS

Science.gov (United States)

Ulva lactuca (sea lettuce) is a cosmopolitan marine attached green seaweed capable of sequestering high environmental levels of ammonia. Ammonia can be acutely toxic to marine organisms and is often found in dredged sediments from highly industrial areas or from areas with high c...

Can we constrain postglacial sedimentation in the western Arctic Ocean by ramped pyrolysis 14C? A case study from the Chukchi-Alaskan margin.

Science.gov (United States)

Suzuki, K.; Yamamoto, M.; Rosenheim, B. E.; Omori, T.; Polyak, L.; Nam, S. I.

2017-12-01

The Arctic Ocean underwent dramatic climate changes in the past. Variations in sea-ice extent and ocean current system in the Arctic cause changes in surface albedo and deep water formation, which have global climatic implications. However, Arctic paleoceanographic studies are lagging behind the other oceans due largely to chronostratigraphic difficulties. One of the reasons for this is a scant presence of material suitable for 14C dating in large areas of the Arctic seafloor. To enable improved age constraints for sediments impoverished in datable material, we apply ramped pyrolysis 14C method (Ramped PyrOx 14C, Rosenheim et al., 2008) to sedimentary records from the Chukchi-Alaska margin recovering Holocene to late-glacial deposits. Samples were divided into five fraction products by gradual heating sedimentary organic carbon from ambient laboratory temperature to 1000°C. The thermographs show a trimodal pattern of organic matter decomposition over temperature, and we consider that CO2 generated at the lowest temperature range was derived from autochthonous organic carbon contemporaneous with sediment deposition, similar to studies in the Antarctic margin and elsewhere. For verification of results, some of the samples treated for ramped pyrolysis 14C were taken from intervals dated earlier by AMS 14C using bivalve mollusks. Ultimately, our results allow a new appraisal of deglacial to Holocene deposition at the Chukchi-Alaska margin with potential to be applied to other regions of the Arctic Ocean.

Controls and variability of solute and sedimentary fluxes in Arctic and sub-Arctic Environments

Science.gov (United States)

Dixon, John

2015-04-01

Six major factors consistently emerge as controls on the spatial and temporal variability in sediment and solute fluxes in cold climates. They are climatic, geologic, physiographic or relief, biologic, hydrologic, and regolith factors. The impact of these factors on sediment and solute mass transfer in Arctic and sub-Arctic environments is examined. Comparison of non-glacierized Arctic vs. subarctic drainage basins reveals the effects of these controls. All drainage basins exhibit considerable variability in rates of sediment and solute fluxes. For the non-glacierized drainage basins there is a consistent increase in sediment mass transfer by slope processes and fluvial processes as relief increases. Similarly, a consistent increase in sediment mass transfer by slope and fluvial processes is observed as total precipitation increases. Similar patterns are also observed with respect to solute transport and relief and precipitation. Lithologic factors are most strongly observed in the contrast between volcanic vs. plutonic igneous bedrock substrates. Basins underlain by volcanic rocks display greater mass transfers than those underlain by plutonic rocks. Biologic influences are most strongly expressed by variations in extent of vegetation cover and the degree of human interference, with human impacted basins generating greater fluxes. For glacierized basins the fundamental difference to non-glacierized basins is an overall increase in mean annual mass transfers of sediment and a generally smaller magnitude solute transfer. The principal role of geology is observed with respect to lithology. Catchments underlain by limestone demonstrate substantially greater solute mass transfers than sediment transfer. The influence of relief is seen in the contrast in mass transfers between upland and lowland drainage basins with upland basins generating greater sediment and solute transfers than lowland basins. For glacierized basins the effects of biology and regolith appear to be

Elucidating Microbial Species-Specific Effects on Organic Matter Transformation in Marine Sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Mahmoudi, N.; Enke, T. N.; Beaupre, S. R.; Teske, A.; Cordero, O. X.; Pearson, A.

2017-12-01

Microbial transformation and decomposition of organic matter in sediments constitutes one of the largest fluxes of carbon in marine environments. Mineralization of sedimentary organic matter by microorganisms results in selective degradation such that bioavailable or accessible compounds are rapidly metabolized while more recalcitrant, complex compounds are preserved and buried in sediment. Recent studies have found that the ability to use different carbon sources appears to vary among microorganisms, suggesting that the availability of certain pools of carbon can be specific to the taxa that utilize the pool. This implies that organic matter mineralization in marine environments may depend on the metabolic potential of the microbial populations that are present and active. The goal of our study was to investigate the extent to which organic matter availability and transformation may be species-specific using sediment from Guaymas Basin (Gulf of California). We carried out time-series incubations using bacterial isolates and sterilized sediment in the IsoCaRB system which allowed us to measure the production rates and natural isotopic signatures (δ13C and Δ14C) of microbially-respired CO2. Separate incubations using two different marine bacterial isolates (Vibrio sp. and Pseudoalteromonas sp.) and sterilized Guaymas Basin sediment under oxic conditions showed that the rate and total quantity of organic matter metabolized by these two species differs. Approximately twice as much CO2 was collected during the Vibrio sp. incubation compared to the Pseudoalteromonas sp. incubation. Moreover, the rate at which organic matter was metabolized by the Vibrio sp. was much higher than the Pseudoalteromonas sp. indicating the intrinsic availability of organic matter in sediments may depend on the species that is present and active. Isotopic analyses of microbially respired CO2 will be used to constrain the type and age of organic matter that is accessible to each species

Late Eocene to present isotopic (Sr-Nd-Pb) and geochemical evolution of sediments from the Lomonosov Ridge, Arctic Ocean: Implications for continental sources and linkage with the North Atlantic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Stevenson, Ross; Poirier, André; Véron, Alain; Carignan, Jean; Hillaire-Marcel, Claude

2015-09-01

New geochemical and isotopic (Sr, Nd, Pb) data are presented for a composite sedimentary record encompassing the past 50 Ma of history of sedimentation on the Lomonosov Ridge in the Arctic Ocean. The sampled sediments encompass the transition of the Arctic basin from an enclosed anoxic basin to an open and ventilated oxidized ocean basin. The transition from anoxic basin to open ventilated ocean is accompanied by at least three geochemical and isotopic shifts and an increase in elements (e.g., K/Al) controlled by detrital minerals highlighting significant changes in sediment types and sources. The isotopic compositions of the sediments prior to ventilation are more variable but indicate a predominance of older crustal contributions consistent with sources from the Canadian Shield. Following ventilation, the isotopic compositions are more stable and indicate an increased contribution from younger material consistent with Eurasian and Pan-African crustal sources. The waxing and waning of these sources in conjunction with the passage of water through Fram Strait underlines the importance of the exchange of water mass between the Arctic and North Atlantic Oceans.

Thermally induced motion of marine sediments resulting from disposal of radioactive wastes

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chavez, P.F.; Dawson, P.R.

1981-01-01

Coupled creep and heat transfer calculations have been performed to assess the sensitivity of heat load, viscosity, and canister density on the motion of waste canisters buried in marine sediments. Results indicate that no upward movement is predicted for heat loads remaining within the metallurgical and geochemical constraints placed on the temperature of sediments near the canister for the times analyzed. Upward movement of the canister is again not observed in calculations involving reasonable variations of the sediment viscosity and canister density. Maximum effective deviatoric stress levels due to thermally induced differential body forces are significantly less than the sediment's short term peak strength

Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of shallow marine sediments to develop an analysis method of late Quaternary geodynamics

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hataya, Ryuta; Shirai, Masaaki

2003-01-01

To develop an analysis method of geodynamics, we have examined the applicability of the OSL dating of marine terrace deposits. We have done the OSL dating, using the multiple-aliquot additive-dose technique, of shallow marine sediments from the upper part the Kioroshi Formation in Ibaraki Prefecture, which are correlated to Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage (MIS) 5e-5c. Marine terrace deposit consists mainly of shallow marine sediment. OSL ages of foreshore and foreshore-shoreface beds are 88-112 Ka, and are in good agreement with the geological/geomorphological data. On the other hand, OSL ages of the backshore bed are younger, and ones of the shoreface bed are older than geologically estimated ages. These results show that OPSL dating method can date shallow marine sediment using samples from foreshore and foreshore-shoreface beds, and that this method can distinguish terrace deposits formed in MIS5 and that in MIS7 by taking geomorphologic information into account. These results contribute to the characterization of long-term geological movement in coastal areas. (author)

The marine side of a terrestrial carnivore: intra-population variation in use of allochthonous resources by arctic foxes.

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Arnaud Tarroux

Full Text Available Inter-individual variation in diet within generalist animal populations is thought to be a widespread phenomenon but its potential causes are poorly known. Inter-individual variation can be amplified by the availability and use of allochthonous resources, i.e., resources coming from spatially distinct ecosystems. Using a wild population of arctic fox as a study model, we tested hypotheses that could explain variation in both population and individual isotopic niches, used here as proxy for the trophic niche. The arctic fox is an opportunistic forager, dwelling in terrestrial and marine environments characterized by strong spatial (arctic-nesting birds and temporal (cyclic lemmings fluctuations in resource abundance. First, we tested the hypothesis that generalist foraging habits, in association with temporal variation in prey accessibility, should induce temporal changes in isotopic niche width and diet. Second, we investigated whether within-population variation in the isotopic niche could be explained by individual characteristics (sex and breeding status and environmental factors (spatiotemporal variation in prey availability. We addressed these questions using isotopic analysis and bayesian mixing models in conjunction with linear mixed-effects models. We found that: i arctic fox populations can simultaneously undergo short-term (i.e., within a few months reduction in both isotopic niche width and inter-individual variability in isotopic ratios, ii individual isotopic ratios were higher and more representative of a marine-based diet for non-breeding than breeding foxes early in spring, and iii lemming population cycles did not appear to directly influence the diet of individual foxes after taking their breeding status into account. However, lemming abundance was correlated to proportion of breeding foxes, and could thus indirectly affect the diet at the population scale.

Quantitative and phylogenetic study of the Deep Sea Archaeal Group in sediments of the arctic mid-ocean spreading ridge

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Steffen Leth eJørgensen

2013-10-01

Full Text Available In marine sediments archaea often constitute a considerable part of the microbial community, of which the Deep Sea Archaeal Group (DSAG is one of the most predominant. Despite their high abundance no members from this archaeal group have so far been characterized and thus their metabolism is unknown. Here we show that the relative abundance of DSAG marker genes can be correlated with geochemical parameters, allowing prediction of both the potential electron donors and acceptors of these organisms. We estimated the abundance of 16S rRNA genes from Archaea, Bacteria and DSAG in 52 sediment horizons from two cores collected at the slow-spreading Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridge, using qPCR. The results indicate that members of the DSAG make up the entire archaeal population in certain horizons and constitute up to ~ 50% of the total microbial community. The quantitative data were correlated to 30 different geophysical and geochemical parameters obtained from the same sediment horizons. We observed a significant correlation between the relative abundance of DSAG 16S rRNA genes and the content of organic carbon (p < 0.0001. Further, significant co-variation with iron oxide, and dissolved iron and manganese (all p < 0.0000, indicated a direct or indirect link to iron and manganese cycling. Neither of these parameters correlated with the relative abundance of archaeal or bacterial 16S rRNA genes, nor did any other major electron donor or acceptor measured. Phylogenetic analysis of DSAG 16S rRNA gene sequences reveals three monophyletic lineages with no apparent habitat-specific distribution. In this study we support the hypothesis that members of the DSAG are tightly linked to the content of organic carbon and directly or indirectly involved in the cycling of iron and/or manganese compounds. Further, we provide a molecular tool to assess their abundance in environmental samples and enrichment cultures.

Magnetotactic bacteria in marine sediments: clues from recent cores from Brazilian Coast

Science.gov (United States)

Jovane, L.; Pellizari, V. H.; Brandini, F. P.; Braga, E. D. S.; Freitas, G. R.; Benites, M.; Rodelli, D.; Giorgioni, M.; Iacoviello, F.; Ruffato, D. G.; Lins, U.

2014-12-01

The magnetic properties (first order reversal curves, ferromagnetic resonance and decomposition of saturation remanent magnetization acquisition) of marine magnetotactic bacteria, in conjunction with geophysical, geochemical and oceanographic data from the Brazilian Coast, provide interesting insights regarding the primary productivity distribution in oceans. This finding suggests that magnetite produced by some magnetotactic bacteria retains magnetic properties in relation to the crystallographic structure of the magnetic phase produced and thus might represent a "magnetic fingerprint" for the presence of magnetotactic bacteria. The use of those magnetic properties is a non-destructive, new technology that might allow for the identification and presence of specific species or types of magnetotactic bacteria in certain environments such as sediment. We will also show some preliminary results on the biogeochemical factors that control magnetotactic bacterial populations, documenting the environment and the preservation of bacterial magnetite, which dominates the palaeomagnetic signal throughout recent sediments from Brazilian Coast. We searched for magnetotactic bacteria in order to understand the ecosystems and environmental change related to their presence in sediments. We studied magnetotactic bacterial concentration and geophysical, geochemical and oceanographic results in marine settings measuring crucially nutrients availability in the water column and in sediments, on particulate delivery to the seafloor, to understand the environmental condition that allow the presence of magnetotactic bacteria and magnetosomes in sediments.

Effect of recent climate change on Arctic Pb pollution: a comparative study of historical records in lake and peat sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaodong; Jiang, Shan; Zhang, Pengfei; Xu, Liqiang

2012-01-01

Historical changes of anthropogenic Pb pollution were reconstructed based on Pb concentrations and isotope ratios in lake and peat sediment profiles from Ny-Ålesund of Arctic. The calculated excess Pb isotope ratios showed that Pb pollution largely came from west Europe and Russia. The peat profile clearly reflected the historical changes of atmospheric deposition of anthropogenic Pb into Ny-Ålesund, and the result showed that anthropogenic Pb peaked at 1960s-1970s, and thereafter a significant recovery was observed by a rapid increase of (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratios and a remarkable decrease in anthropogenic Pb contents. In contrast to the peat record, the longer lake record showed relatively high anthropogenic Pb contents and a persistent decrease of (206)Pb/(207)Pb ratios within the uppermost samples, suggesting that climate-sensitive processes such as catchment erosion and meltwater runoff might have influenced the recent change of Pb pollution record in the High Arctic lake sediments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

[Dynamics of 95Zr in simulated marine water-sediment-organisms system].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Chunlin; Shi, Jianjun; Sun, Pingyue; Li, Mingyun

2003-06-01

To provide scientific evidence to evaluate the behavior of 95Zr in ocean ecosystem, the dynamic model of the transference, accumulation and disappearance of 95Zr among the simulated marine water, sediment and organisms was investigated using Nassarius semiplicatus and Boleophthalums pectinirostris as experimental stuffs. The result showed that 95Zr(Bq.g-1 or Bq.ml-1) in the marine water was decreased more than 90% in the first 4 h, and then descended gradually. 95Zr in sediment was increased in the peak in 48 h and then declined. The radioactivity percent of 95Zr in the shell and muslce of Nassarius semiplicatus was 68.7% and 31.30% respectively, while the radioactivity percent was 22.80%, 12.64%, 34.82%, 10.31%, 4.48%, 11.55% and 3.71%, respectively in the fill, fin, viscera, skull, skin, vertebra and muscle of Boleophthalmus pectinirostris. Nassarius semiplicatus had a greater concentrating capability of 95Zr than Boleophthalmus pectinirostris. The order of the 95Zr concentration was found to be sediment > Nassarius semiplicatus > water > Boleophthalmus pectinirostris. A dynamic model of closed four-compartment was constructed with exponent function.

Basal mercury concentrations and biomagnification rates in freshwater and marine food webs: Effects on Arctic charr (Salvelinus alpinus) from eastern Canada

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Velden, S. van der; Dempson, J.B.; Evans, M.S.; Muir, D.C.G.; Power, M.

2013-01-01

Patterns of total Hg (THg) and methyl Hg (MeHg) biomagnification were investigated in six pairs of co-located lacustrine and marine food webs supporting a common predator, Arctic charr. Mercury biomagnification rates (the slope of log Hg concentration versus δ 15 N-inferred trophic level) did not differ significantly between the two feeding habitats for either THg or MeHg, but THg and MeHg concentrations at the base of the food web were higher in the lacustrine environment than in the marine environment. The proportion of THg as MeHg was related to trophic level, and the relationship was statistically similar in the lacustrine and marine habitats. The biomagnification rate of MeHg exceeded that of THg in both habitats. We conclude that the known difference in Hg concentration between anadromous and non-anadromous Arctic charr is driven by differential Hg concentrations at the base of the lacustrine and marine foodwebs, and not by differential biomagnification rates. - Highlights: ► Concentrations of total mercury ([THg]) and methylmercury ([MeHg]) were measured in 6 paired lacustrine and marine food webs. ► Biomagnification rates (slopes of [THg] or [MeHg] versus δ 15 N-inferred trophic level) were similar in the two habitat types. ► Mercury concentrations at the base of the food web were higher in lacustrine than in marine food webs. ► The percentage of methylated mercury increased with trophic level similarly in the two habitat types. ► The biomagnification rate of MeHg exceeded that of THg in both habitats

Comparison of test specific sediment effect concentrations with marine sediment quality assessment guidelines

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carr, R.S.; Biedenbach, J.M.; MacDonald, D.D.

1995-01-01

As part of NOAA's National Status and Trends (NS and T) Bioeffects Assessment program and studies conducted by the National Biological Service, numerous sediment quality assessment surveys have recently been conducted along the Atlantic and Gulf coasts of the US using the sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) fertilization and embryological development tests with pore water. Additional toxicity tests were also conducted in conjunction with most of these studies. The areas that have been sampled include Boston harbor, Massachusetts; Charleston Harbor, Winyah Bay, and Savannah River, South Carolina; St. Simon Sound, Georgia; Biscayne Bay, Tampa Bay, Choctawhatchee Bay, Apalachicola Bay, St. Andrew Bay, and Pensacola Bay, Florida; Galveston Bay, Lavaca Bay, and Sabine Lake, Texas, and 200 stations in the vicinity of offshore oil and gas production platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. Sufficient data are now available from this series of surveys to calculate test specific sediment effect concentrations (SECs). Based on these recent studies, SECs were developed for the sea urchin porewater and amphipod tests and compared with existing marine sediment quality assessment guidelines

137Cs in marine sediments of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferreira, Paulo Alves de Lima; Ribeiro, Andreza Portella; Nascimento, Mylene Giseli do; Martins, Cesar de Castro; Mahiques, Michel Michaelovitch de; Montone, Rosalinda Carmelo; Figueira, Rubens Cesar Lopes

2013-01-01

The radionuclide cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) is produced exclusively by anthropogenic processes and primarily by nuclear explosions. This study determined the reference inventory that is 137 Cs associated with the element's original input, and utilized the levels of activity of this radionuclide previously measured in five sediment profiles collected from Admiralty Bay, Antarctica, to investigate the mobility of this element in the environment. 137 Cs has a half-life of 30 years. Because of this, it is environmentally persistent and has been shown to accumulate in marine organisms. The mean reference inventory of this radionuclide in Admiralty Bay sediments, determined using high resolution gamma ray spectrometry, was 20.23 ± 8.94 Bq m −2 , and within the ambient 137 Cs activity range. A model of 137 Cs diffusion–convection was applied to data collected from 1 cm intervals in sediment cores with the aim of providing insights with respect to this element's behavior in sediments. Model results showed a significant correlation between measured and modeled values using the concentrations of 137 Cs, and estimated input into the system from the global fallout of past nuclear tests and expected values based on local sedimentation rates. Results highlight the importance of accounting for the vertical diffusion of 137 Cs in marine sediments when used as a tracer for environmental processes and for assessing potential bioavailability. - Highlights: ► Cesium-137 ( 137 Cs) is produced exclusively by anthropogenic processes. ► A model of diffusion–convection simulated 137 Cs environmental behavior. ► This is important for assessing the bioavailability of this toxic element. ► In Antarctica ice cover influenced the input to the sediments

Development of a chronic sediment toxicity test for marine benthic amphipods

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

DeWitt, T.H.; Redmond, M.S.; Sewall, J.E.; Swartz, R.C.

1992-12-01

The results of the research effort culminated in the development of a research method for assessing the chronic toxicity of contaminated marine and estuarine sediments using the benthic amphipod, Leptocheirus plumulosus. The first chapter describes the efforts at collecting, handling, and culturing four estuarine amphipods from Chesapeake Bay, including L. plumulosus. This chapter includes maps of the distribution and abundance of these amphipods within Chesapeake Bay and methodologies for establishing cultures of amphipods which could be readily adopted by other laboratories. The second chapter reports the development of acute and chronic sediment toxicity test methods for L. plumulosus, its sensitivity to non-contaminant environmental variables, cadmium, two polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, and contaminated sediment from Baltimore Harbor, MD. The third chapter reports the authors attempts to develop a chronic sediment toxicity test with Ampelisca abdita

Distributions of low molecular weight dicarboxylic acids, ketoacids and α-dicarbonyls in the marine aerosols collected over the Arctic Ocean during late summer

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Kawamura

2012-11-01

Full Text Available Oxalic and other small dicarboxylic acids have been reported as important water-soluble organic constituents of atmospheric aerosols from different environments. Their molecular distributions are generally characterized by the predominance of oxalic acid (C₂ followed by malonic (C₃ and/or succinic (C₄ acids. In this study, we collected marine aerosols from the Arctic Ocean during late summer in 2009 when sea ice was retreating. The marine aerosols were analyzed for the molecular distributions of dicarboxylic acids as well as ketocarboxylic acids and α-dicarbonyls to better understand the source of water-soluble organics and their photochemical processes in the high Arctic marine atmosphere. We found that diacids are more abundant than ketoacids and α-dicarbonyls, but their concentrations are generally low (< 30 ng m⁻³, except for one sample (up to 70 ng m⁻³ that was collected near the mouth of Mackenzie River during clear sky condition. Although the molecular compositions of diacids are in general characterized by the predominance of oxalic acid, a depletion of C₂ was found in two samples in which C₄ became the most abundant. Similar depletion of oxalic acid has previously been reported in the Arctic aerosols collected at Alert after polar sunrise and in the summer aerosols from the coast of Antarctica. Because the marine aerosols that showed a depletion of C₂ were collected under the overcast and/or foggy conditions, we suggest that a photochemical decomposition of oxalic acid may have occurred in aqueous phase of aerosols over the Arctic Ocean via the photo dissociation of oxalate-Fe (III complex. We also determined stable carbon isotopic compositions (δ¹³C of bulk aerosol carbon and individual diacids. The δ¹³C of bulk aerosols showed −26.5‰ (range: −29.7 to −24.7‰, suggesting that marine aerosol carbon is derived

Validation of an analytical methodology for the quantitative analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine sediment samples

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eloy Yordad Companioni Damas

2009-01-01

Full Text Available This work describes a validation of an analytical procedure for the analysis of petroleum hydrocarbons in marine sediment samples. The proposed protocol is able to measure n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH in samples at concentrations as low as 30 ng/g, with a precision better than 15% for most of analytes. The extraction efficiency of fortified sediments varied from 65.1 to 105.6% and 59.7 to 97.8%, for n-alkanes and PAH in the ranges: C16 - C32 and fluoranthene - benzo(apyrene, respectively. The analytical protocol was applied to determine petroleum hydrocarbons in sediments collected from a marine coastal zone.

Amplified Arctic warming by phytoplankton under greenhouse warming.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jong-Yeon; Kug, Jong-Seong; Bader, Jürgen; Rolph, Rebecca; Kwon, Minho

2015-05-12

Phytoplankton have attracted increasing attention in climate science due to their impacts on climate systems. A new generation of climate models can now provide estimates of future climate change, considering the biological feedbacks through the development of the coupled physical-ecosystem model. Here we present the geophysical impact of phytoplankton, which is often overlooked in future climate projections. A suite of future warming experiments using a fully coupled ocean-atmosphere model that interacts with a marine ecosystem model reveals that the future phytoplankton change influenced by greenhouse warming can amplify Arctic surface warming considerably. The warming-induced sea ice melting and the corresponding increase in shortwave radiation penetrating into the ocean both result in a longer phytoplankton growing season in the Arctic. In turn, the increase in Arctic phytoplankton warms the ocean surface layer through direct biological heating, triggering additional positive feedbacks in the Arctic, and consequently intensifying the Arctic warming further. Our results establish the presence of marine phytoplankton as an important potential driver of the future Arctic climate changes.

Analytical methods for measuring 10Be in marine sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graham, I.J.; Ditchburn, R.G.; Sparks, R.J.; Whitehead, N.E.

1995-01-01

A suite of marine sediments from the Wanganui Basin (Graham et al. 1995) has provided excellent material to further develop methods for 10 Be analysis at the Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences AMS facility. Chemical methods for Be extraction have been streamlined and there has been some reduction of backgrounds and contamination peaks for 1 0Be isotopic analysis. (authors) 12 refs., 5 figs., 1 tab

Time Matters: Increasing the Efficiency of Antarctic Marine Geology and Paleoceanography Expeditions by Providing Improved Sediment Chronology

Science.gov (United States)

Rosenheim, B. E.; Domack, E. W.; Shevenell, A.; Subt, C.

2015-12-01

To maximize the areal extent of Antarctic sedimentary records of past deglaciation, it is necessary to ensure more sediment cores can be adequately dated. Antarctic margin sediment is challenging to date due to the lack of preserved calcium carbonate, but the records contained in these sediments readily recount the history of deglaciation. Recent and continued development of new chronological methods for Antarctic margin sediments have allowed better use of the efforts of marine geological coring expeditions to the region. The development of Ramped PyrOx radiocarbon dating has allowed us to 1. improve dates in deglacial sediments where no carbonate is preserved, 2. date glacial sediments lying below the tills marking the last glaciation, and 3. compile core chronologies into a regional framework of ice shelf collapse that has eluded many marine geology campaigns over the last few decades. These advances in a fundamental aspect of geological sciences will put the U.S. and international community on a better foothold to interpret the past as it relates to our warming future. We will present these advances in chronology as well as the science that is enabled by them, while arguing that the future of Antarctic marine science also depends on investments in shore-based technologies that come at a relatively low cost.

Spatial and seasonal variations of Acid Volatile Sulfide (AVS) and Simultaneously Extracted Metals (SEM) in Dutch marine and freshwater sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoop MAGT van den; Hollander HA den; Kerdijk HN; LAC; ECO; Delft Hydraulics

1995-01-01

Within the framework of the project Exposure Assessment, Acid Volatile Sulfide (AVS) and Simultaneously Extracted Metal (SEM) contents of Dutch marine and freshwater sediments were determined. For the present set of fifteen marine and six freshwater sediments AVS levels vary between non-detectable

Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter across a Marine Distributed Biological Observatory in the Pacific Arctic Region

Science.gov (United States)

Berman, S. L.; Frey, K. E.; Shake, K. L.; Cooper, L. W.; Grebmeier, J. M.

2014-12-01

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) plays an important role in marine ecosystems as both a carbon source for the microbial food web (and thus a source of CO2 to the atmosphere) and as a light inhibitor in marine environments. The presence of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM; the optically active portion of total DOM) can have significant controlling effects on transmittance of sunlight through the water column and therefore on primary production as well as the heat balance of the upper ocean. However, CDOM is also susceptible to photochemical degradation, which decreases the flux of solar radiation that is absorbed. Knowledge of the current spatial and temporal distribution of CDOM in marine environments is thus critical for understanding how ongoing and future changes in climate may impact these biological, biogeochemical, and physical processes. We describe the quantity and quality of CDOM along five key productive transects across a developing Distributed Biological Observatory (DBO) in the Pacific Arctic region. The samples were collected onboard the CCGS Sir Wilfred Laurier in July 2013 and 2014. Monitoring of the variability of CDOM along transects of high productivity can provide important insights into biological and biogeochemical cycling across the region. Our analyses include overall concentrations of CDOM, as well as proxy information such as molecular weight, lability, and source (i.e., autochthonous vs. allochthonous) of organic matter. We utilize these field observations to compare with satellite-derived CDOM concentrations determined from the Aqua MODIS satellite platform, which ultimately provides a spatially and temporally continuous synoptic view of CDOM concentrations throughout the region. Examining the current relationships among CDOM, sea ice variability, biological productivity, and biogeochemical cycling in the Pacific Arctic region will likely provide key insights for how ecosystems throughout the region will respond in future

An Arctic perspective on dating Mid-Late Pleistocene environmental history

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alexanderson, Helena; Backman, Jan; Cronin, Thomas M.

2014-01-01

we discuss, from an Arctic perspective, methods and correlation tools that are commonly used to date Arctic Pleistocene marine and terrestrial events. We review the state of the art of Arctic geochronology, with focus on factors that affect the possibility and quality of dating, and support...... this overview by examples of application of modern dating methods to Arctic terrestrial and marine sequences. Event stratigraphy and numerical ages are important tools used in the Arctic to correlate fragmented terrestrial records and to establish regional stratigraphic schemes. Age control is commonly provided...... of these proxies reveal cyclical patterns that provide a basis for astronomical tuning. Recent advances in dating technology, calibration and age modelling allow for measuring smaller quantities of material and to more precisely date previously undatable material (i.e. foraminifera for 14C, and single...

REMOVAL OF AMMONIA TOXCITY IN MARINE SEDIMENT TIES: A COMPARISON OF ULVA LACTUCA, ZEOLITE AND AREATION METHODS

Science.gov (United States)

Ammonia is suspected of causing some of the toxicity observed in marine sediment toxicity tests because it is sometimes found at elevated concentrations in marine interstitial waters. In marine waters, ammonia exists as un-ionized ammonia (NH3) and ammonium (NH4+) which combine ...

Effects of Feeding Strategy, Sediment Characteristics, and Chemical Properties on Polychlorinated Biphenyl and Polybrominated Diphenyl Ether Bioaccumulation from Marine Sediments in Two Invertebrates.

Science.gov (United States)

Frouin, H; Jackman, P; Dangerfield, N D; Ross, P S

2017-08-01

Shellfish and sediment invertebrates have been widely used to assess pollution trends over space and time in coastal environments around the world. However, few studies have compared the bioaccumulation potential of different test species over a range of sediment-contaminant concentrations and profiles. The bioavailability of sediment-related contaminants was evaluated using sediments collected from sites (n = 12) throughout the Salish Sea, British Columbia, Canada. Two benthic marine invertebrates-the Baltic clam Macoma balthica and the polychaete worm Neanthes arenaceodentata-were exposed for 28 days in a controlled environment to these field-collected coastal sediments. The congener-specific uptake of legacy polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and emergent polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) was determined using high-resolution gas chromatography/mass spectrometry in sediments and in invertebrates after the experimental exposure. The polychaete Neanthes accumulated lower concentrations of PCBs but higher concentrations of PBDEs. The present study indicates that differences in bioaccumulation between these two invertebrates shape the accumulation of PCB and PBDE congeners, reflect differences in feeding strategies, and reveal the physicochemical properties of the contaminants and sediment properties. Because biota-sediment accumulation factor values are often calculated for environmental monitoring or site-specific impact assessments, our results provide insight into potentially confounding factors and the need for caution when selecting indicator species for coastal marine pollution.

Radioactivity of some alpha, beta and gamma emitting radionuclides in surface marine sediments of different bays in Algeria

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Noureddine, A.; Baggoura, B.

1999-01-01

Samples of surface (0-15) cm marine sediments of different grain sizes, namely sand, muddy and fine sand, were collected in the western, central and east coast of Algeria, to measure concentrations of natural and artificial radioactivity. The aim of this study is to detect any radioactive contamination, its origin and also to determine the uptake of radioactivity by marine surface sediments

Cryolithozone of Western Arctic shelf of Russia

Science.gov (United States)

Kholmyanskii, Mikhail; Vladimirov, Maksim; Snopova, Ekaterina; Kartashev, Aleksandr

2017-04-01

We propose a new original version of the structure of the cryolithozone of west Arctic seas of Russia. In contrast to variants of construction of sections and maps based on thermodynamic modeling, the authors have used electrometric, seismic, and thermal data including their own profile measurements by near-field transient electromagnetic technique and seismic profile observations by reflection method. As a result, we defined the spatial characteristics of cryolithozone and managed to differentiate it to several layers, different both in structure and formation time. We confirmed once again that the spatial boundary of cryolithozone, type and thickness of permafrost, chilled rocks and thawed ground are primarily determined by tectonic and oceanographic regimes of the Arctic Ocean and adjacent land in different geological epochs. Permafrost formed on the land in times of cold weather, turn to submarine during flooding and overlap, in the case of the sea transgression, by marine sediments accumulating in the period of warming. We have been able to establish a clear link between the permafrost thickness and the geomorphological structure of the area. This can be explained by the distribution of thermodynamic flows that change the temperature state of previously formed permafrost rocks. Formation in the outer parts of the shelf which took place at ancient conversion stage can be characterized by the structure: • permafrost table - consists of rocks, where the sea water with a temperature below 0 °C has replaced the melted ice; • middle horizon - composed of undisturbed rocks, and the rocks chilled through the lower sieving underlay; As a result of the interpretation and analysis of all the available data, the authors created a map of types of cryolithozone of the Western Arctic shelf of Russia. The following distribution areas are marked on the map: • single-layer cryolithozone (composed of sediments upper Pleistocene and Holocene); • monosyllabic relict

Bioprospecting of Novel and Bioactive Compounds from Marine Actinomycetes Isolated from South China Sea Sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Na; Song, Fuhang

2018-02-01

Marine actinomycetes are less investigated compared to terrestrial strains as potential sources of natural products. To date, few investigations have been performed on culturable actinomycetes associated with South China Sea sediments. In the present study, twenty-eight actinomycetes were recovered from South China Sea sediments after dereplication by traditional culture-dependent method. The 16S rRNA gene sequences analyses revealed that these strains related to five families and seven genera. Twelve representative strains possessed at least one of the biosynthetic genes coding for polyketide synthase I, II, and nonribosomal peptide synthetase. Four strains had anti-Mycobacterium phlei activities and five strains had activities against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus. 10 L-scale fermentation of strains Salinispora sp. NHF45, Nocardiopsis sp. NHF48, and Streptomyces sp. NHF86 were carried out for novel and bioactive compounds discovery. Finally, we obtained a novel α-pyrone compound from marine Nocardiopsis sp. NHF48, an analogue of paulomenol from marine Streptomyces sp. NHF86 and a new source of rifamycin B, produced by Salinispora sp. NHF45. The present study concluded that marine actinomycetes, which we isolated from South China Sea sediments, will be a suitable source for the development of novel and bioactive compounds.

Reconstruction of late Quaternary marine and terrestrial environmental conditions of Northwest Africa and Southeast Australia : a multiple organic proxy study using marine sediments

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Alfama Lopes dos Santos, R.

2012-01-01

NW Africa and SE Australia are regions which are particularly vulnerable to climate change. In this thesis, organic proxies are used from marine sediment cores to reconstruct past environmental conditions from these areas. In sediments from NW Africa, the UK'37 showed an efficient proxy for sea

Evaluation of the presence of major anionic surfactants in marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Cantarero, S; Camino-Sánchez, F J; Zafra-Gómez, A; Ballesteros, O; Navalón, A; Vílchez, J L; Verge, C; Reis, M S; Saraiva, P M

2012-03-01

The contamination of aquatic environments has become the focus of increasing regulation and public concern due to their potential and unknown negative effects on the ecosystems. The present work develops a monitoring and statistical study, based on the analysis of variance test (ANOVA) and the multivariable analysis, both for insoluble soap and LAS in order to compare the behavior of different anionic surfactants in this environmental compartment. First, a novel and successfully validated methodology to analyze insoluble soap in these samples is developed. The matrix effect and the comparison of different extraction techniques were also performed. The optimized analytical methodologies were applied to 48 representative samples collected from the Almeria Coast (Spain) and then a statistical analysis to correlate anionic surfactant concentration and several variables associated with marine sediment samples was also developed. The results obtained showed relevant conclusions related to the environmental behavior of anionic surfactants in marine sediments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geochemical and geological constraints on the composition of marine sediment pore fluid: Possible link to gas hydrate deposits

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mazumdar, A.; Joao, H.M.; Peketi, A.; Dewangan, P.; Kocherla, M.; Joshi, R.K.; Ramprasad, T.

Pore water sulfate consumption in marine sediments is controlled by microbially driven sulfate reduction via organo-clastic and methane oxidation processes. In this work, we present sediment pore fluid compositions of 10 long sediment cores and high...

Foraminiferal constituent in marine sediments - A parameter in some coastal engineering problems

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Setty, M.G.A.P.

Foraminifera, among other microorganisms, form a major constituent of marine sediments and their composition is directly related to the nature of the substrate in which they are entombed. Past and the present data indicate that the size, test...

The Arctic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Petersen, H.; Meltofte, H.; Rysgaard, S.; Rasch, M.; Jonasson, S.; Christensen, T.R.; Friborg, T.; Soegaard, H.; Pedersen, S.A.

2001-01-01

Global climate change in the Arctic is a growing concern. Research has already documented pronounced changes, and models predict that increases in temperature from anthropogenic influences could be considerably higher than the global average. The impacts of climate change on Arctic ecosystems are complex and difficult to predict because of the many interactions within ecosystem, and between many concurrently changing environmental variables. Despite the global consequences of change in the Arctic climate the monitoring of basic abiotic as well as biotic parameters are not adequate to assess the impact of global climate change. The uneven geographical location of present monitoring stations in the Arctic limits the ability to understand the climate system. The impact of previous variations and potential future changes to ecosystems is not well understood and need to be addressed. At this point, there is no consensus of scientific opinion on how much of the current changes that are due to anthropogenic influences or to natural variation. Regardless of the cause, there is a need to investigate and assess current observations and their effects to the Arctic. In this chapter examples from both terrestrial and marine ecosystems from ongoing monitoring and research projects are given. (LN)

Arctic marine climate of the early nineteenth century

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Brohan

2010-05-01

Full Text Available The climate of the early nineteenth century is likely to have been significantly cooler than that of today, as it was a period of low solar activity (the Dalton minimum and followed a series of large volcanic eruptions. Proxy reconstructions of the temperature of the period do not agree well on the size of the temperature change, so other observational records from the period are particularly valuable. Weather observations have been extracted from the reports of the noted whaling captain William Scoresby Jr., and from the records of a series of Royal Navy expeditions to the Arctic, preserved in the UK National Archives. They demonstrate that marine climate in 1810–1825 was marked by consistently cold summers, with abundant sea-ice. But although the period was significantly colder than the modern average, there was considerable variability: in the Greenland Sea the summers following the Tambora eruption (1816 and 1817 were noticeably warmer, and had less sea-ice coverage, than the years immediately preceding them; and the sea-ice coverage in Lancaster Sound in 1819 and 1820 was low even by modern standards.

Relevance of carbon stocks of marine sediments for national greenhouse gas inventories of maritime nations.

Science.gov (United States)

Avelar, Silvania; van der Voort, Tessa S; Eglinton, Timothy I

2017-12-01

Determining national carbon stocks is essential in the framework of ongoing climate change mitigation actions. Presently, assessment of carbon stocks in the context of greenhouse gas (GHG)-reporting on a nation-by-nation basis focuses on the terrestrial realm, i.e., carbon held in living plant biomass and soils, and on potential changes in these stocks in response to anthropogenic activities. However, while the ocean and underlying sediments store substantial quantities of carbon, this pool is presently not considered in the context of national inventories. The ongoing disturbances to both terrestrial and marine ecosystems as a consequence of food production, pollution, climate change and other factors, as well as alteration of linkages and C-exchange between continental and oceanic realms, highlight the need for a better understanding of the quantity and vulnerability of carbon stocks in both systems. We present a preliminary comparison of the stocks of organic carbon held in continental margin sediments within the Exclusive Economic Zone of maritime nations with those in their soils. Our study focuses on Namibia, where there is a wealth of marine sediment data, and draws comparisons with sediment data from two other countries with different characteristics, which are Pakistan and the United Kingdom. Results indicate that marine sediment carbon stocks in maritime nations can be similar in magnitude to those of soils. Therefore, if human activities in these areas are managed, carbon stocks in the oceanic realm-particularly over continental margins-could be considered as part of national GHG inventories. This study shows that marine sediment organic carbon stocks can be equal in size or exceed terrestrial carbon stocks of maritime nations. This provides motivation both for improved assessment of sedimentary carbon inventories and for reevaluation of the way that carbon stocks are assessed and valued. The latter carries potential implications for the management of

Relevance of carbon stocks of marine sediments for national greenhouse gas inventories of maritime nations

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvania Avelar

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Determining national carbon stocks is essential in the framework of ongoing climate change mitigation actions. Presently, assessment of carbon stocks in the context of greenhouse gas (GHG-reporting on a nation-by-nation basis focuses on the terrestrial realm, i.e., carbon held in living plant biomass and soils, and on potential changes in these stocks in response to anthropogenic activities. However, while the ocean and underlying sediments store substantial quantities of carbon, this pool is presently not considered in the context of national inventories. The ongoing disturbances to both terrestrial and marine ecosystems as a consequence of food production, pollution, climate change and other factors, as well as alteration of linkages and C-exchange between continental and oceanic realms, highlight the need for a better understanding of the quantity and vulnerability of carbon stocks in both systems. We present a preliminary comparison of the stocks of organic carbon held in continental margin sediments within the Exclusive Economic Zone of maritime nations with those in their soils. Our study focuses on Namibia, where there is a wealth of marine sediment data, and draws comparisons with sediment data from two other countries with different characteristics, which are Pakistan and the United Kingdom. Results Results indicate that marine sediment carbon stocks in maritime nations can be similar in magnitude to those of soils. Therefore, if human activities in these areas are managed, carbon stocks in the oceanic realm—particularly over continental margins—could be considered as part of national GHG inventories. Conclusions This study shows that marine sediment organic carbon stocks can be equal in size or exceed terrestrial carbon stocks of maritime nations. This provides motivation both for improved assessment of sedimentary carbon inventories and for reevaluation of the way that carbon stocks are assessed and valued. The

Contamination of arctic Fjord sediments by Pb-Zn mining at Maarmorilik in central West Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Perner, Kerstin; Leipe, Thomas; Dellwig, O

2010-01-01

This study focuses on heavy metal contamination of arctic sediments from a small Fjord system adjacent to the Pb-Zn "Black Angel" mine (West Greenland) to investigate the temporal and spatial development of contamination and to provide baseline levels before the mines re-opening in January 2009....... Maximum contents were found at 12 cm depth in Affarlikassaa. After 17 years the mine last closed, specific local hydrographic conditions continue to disperse heavy metal enriched material derived from the Affarlikassaa into Qaumarujuk. Total Hg profiles from multi-cores along the transect clearly...

Performance evaluation of nitrogen isotope ratio determination in marine and lacustrine sediments: An inter-laboratory comparison

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bahlmann, E.; Bernasconi, S.M.; Bouillon, S.; Houtekamer, M.J.; Korntheuer, M.; Langenberg, F.; Mayr, C.; Metzke, M.; Middelburg, J.J.; Nagel, B.; Struck, U.; Voß, M.; Emeis, K.C.

2010-01-01

Nitrogen isotopes of organic matter are increasingly studied in marine biogeochemistry and geology, plant and animal ecology, and paleoceanography. Here, we present results of an inter-laboratory test on determination of nitrogen isotope ratios in marine and lacustrine sediments. Six different

Concentration of 60Co by marine organisms through sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nakahara, Motokazu; Koyanagi, Taku; Saiki, Masamichi

1976-01-01

Uptake of 60 Co absorbed on sea sands by benthic marine organisms was observed in laboratory experiments, since the radioactive cobalt released from nuclear power plants or other establishments into coastal seawater trends to be absorbed on sea sediments and also various kinds of marine organisms live in bottom sediments. Few kinds of flatfishes (Limanda spp.) and shrimp (Trachypenaeus curvirostris) were reared in aquariums contained seawater and sea sands which were highly contaminated with 60 Co previously, and whole body retention and distribution of radioactivity were measured on the organisms taken up from the aquariums occasionally by a scintillation counter. Uptake of 60 Co from ingested sea sands was also observed on the flatfishes administrating the contaminated sands orally. Concentration of 60 Co by the flatfishes reared in the sands was not significant while the shrimp showed high retention of the radioactivity. The food habit of shrimp which usually feeds on organic detritus with other small benthic organisms is different from that of flatfishes, one of the carnivorous, and considered to bring the difference on the pathway of radionuclides concentration. Assimilation of 60 Co via the digestive tract of flatfishes through the sands was estimated as about 10 per cent of the administrated radioactivity. (auth.)

Optimizing sample pretreatment for compound-specific stable carbon isotopic analysis of amino sugars in marine sediment

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, R.; Lin, Y.-S.; Lipp, J. S.; Meador, T. B.; Hinrichs, K.-U.

2014-09-01

Amino sugars are quantitatively significant constituents of soil and marine sediment, but their sources and turnover in environmental samples remain poorly understood. The stable carbon isotopic composition of amino sugars can provide information on the lifestyles of their source organisms and can be monitored during incubations with labeled substrates to estimate the turnover rates of microbial populations. However, until now, such investigation has been carried out only with soil samples, partly because of the much lower abundance of amino sugars in marine environments. We therefore optimized a procedure for compound-specific isotopic analysis of amino sugars in marine sediment, employing gas chromatography-isotope ratio mass spectrometry. The whole procedure consisted of hydrolysis, neutralization, enrichment, and derivatization of amino sugars. Except for the derivatization step, the protocol introduced negligible isotopic fractionation, and the minimum requirement of amino sugar for isotopic analysis was 20 ng, i.e., equivalent to ~8 ng of amino sugar carbon. Compound-specific stable carbon isotopic analysis of amino sugars obtained from marine sediment extracts indicated that glucosamine and galactosamine were mainly derived from organic detritus, whereas muramic acid showed isotopic imprints from indigenous bacterial activities. The δ13C analysis of amino sugars provides a valuable addition to the biomarker-based characterization of microbial metabolism in the deep marine biosphere, which so far has been lipid oriented and biased towards the detection of archaeal signals.

Activation of old carbon by erosion of coastal and subsea permafrost in Arctic Siberia.

Science.gov (United States)

Vonk, J E; Sánchez-García, L; van Dongen, B E; Alling, V; Kosmach, D; Charkin, A; Semiletov, I P; Dudarev, O V; Shakhova, N; Roos, P; Eglinton, T I; Andersson, A; Gustafsson, O

2012-09-06

The future trajectory of greenhouse gas concentrations depends on interactions between climate and the biogeosphere. Thawing of Arctic permafrost could release significant amounts of carbon into the atmosphere in this century. Ancient Ice Complex deposits outcropping along the ~7,000-kilometre-long coastline of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf (ESAS), and associated shallow subsea permafrost, are two large pools of permafrost carbon, yet their vulnerabilities towards thawing and decomposition are largely unknown. Recent Arctic warming is stronger than has been predicted by several degrees, and is particularly pronounced over the coastal ESAS region. There is thus a pressing need to improve our understanding of the links between permafrost carbon and climate in this relatively inaccessible region. Here we show that extensive release of carbon from these Ice Complex deposits dominates (57 ± 2 per cent) the sedimentary carbon budget of the ESAS, the world’s largest continental shelf, overwhelming the marine and topsoil terrestrial components. Inverse modelling of the dual-carbon isotope composition of organic carbon accumulating in ESAS surface sediments, using Monte Carlo simulations to account for uncertainties, suggests that 44 ± 10 teragrams of old carbon is activated annually from Ice Complex permafrost, an order of magnitude more than has been suggested by previous studies. We estimate that about two-thirds (66 ± 16 per cent) of this old carbon escapes to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide, with the remainder being re-buried in shelf sediments. Thermal collapse and erosion of these carbon-rich Pleistocene coastline and seafloor deposits may accelerate with Arctic amplification of climate warming.

Dispersal of thermophilic Desulfotomaculum endospores into Baltic Sea sediments over thousands of years.

Science.gov (United States)

de Rezende, Júlia Rosa; Kjeldsen, Kasper Urup; Hubert, Casey R J; Finster, Kai; Loy, Alexander; Jørgensen, Bo Barker

2013-01-01

Patterns of microbial biogeography result from a combination of dispersal, speciation and extinction, yet individual contributions exerted by each of these mechanisms are difficult to isolate and distinguish. The influx of endospores of thermophilic microorganisms to cold marine sediments offers a natural model for investigating passive dispersal in the ocean. We investigated the activity, diversity and abundance of thermophilic endospore-forming sulfate-reducing bacteria (SRB) in Aarhus Bay by incubating pasteurized sediment between 28 and 85 °C, and by subsequent molecular diversity analyses of 16S rRNA and of the dissimilatory (bi)sulfite reductase (dsrAB) genes within the endospore-forming SRB genus Desulfotomaculum. The thermophilic Desulfotomaculum community in Aarhus Bay sediments consisted of at least 23 species-level 16S rRNA sequence phylotypes. In two cases, pairs of identical 16S rRNA and dsrAB sequences in Arctic surface sediment 3000 km away showed that the same phylotypes are present in both locations. Radiotracer-enhanced most probable number analysis revealed that the abundance of endospores of thermophilic SRB in Aarhus Bay sediment was ca. 10(4) per cm(3) at the surface and decreased exponentially to 10(0) per cm(3) at 6.5 m depth, corresponding to 4500 years of sediment age. Thus, a half-life of ca. 300 years was estimated for the thermophilic SRB endospores deposited in Aarhus Bay sediments. These endospores were similarly detected in the overlying water column, indicative of passive dispersal in water masses preceding sedimentation. The sources of these thermophiles remain enigmatic, but at least one source may be common to both Aarhus Bay and Arctic sediments.

Live from the Arctic

Science.gov (United States)

Warnick, W. K.; Haines-Stiles, G.; Warburton, J.; Sunwood, K.

2003-12-01

For reasons of geography and geophysics, the poles of our planet, the Arctic and Antarctica, are places where climate change appears first: they are global canaries in the mine shaft. But while Antarctica (its penguins and ozone hole, for example) has been relatively well-documented in recent books, TV programs and journalism, the far North has received somewhat less attention. This project builds on and advances what has been done to date to share the people, places, and stories of the North with all Americans through multiple media, over several years. In a collaborative project between the Arctic Research Consortium of the United States (ARCUS) and PASSPORT TO KNOWLEDGE, Live from the Arctic will bring the Arctic environment to the public through a series of primetime broadcasts, live and taped programming, interactive virtual field trips, and webcasts. The five-year project will culminate during the 2007-2008 International Polar Year (IPY). Live from the Arctic will: A. Promote global understanding about the value and world -wide significance of the Arctic, B. Bring cutting-edge research to both non-formal and formal education communities, C. Provide opportunities for collaboration between arctic scientists, arctic communities, and the general public. Content will focus on the following four themes. 1. Pan-Arctic Changes and Impacts on Land (i.e. snow cover; permafrost; glaciers; hydrology; species composition, distribution, and abundance; subsistence harvesting) 2. Pan-Arctic Changes and Impacts in the Sea (i.e. salinity, temperature, currents, nutrients, sea ice, marine ecosystems (including people, marine mammals and fisheries) 3. Pan-Arctic Changes and Impacts in the Atmosphere (i.e. precipitation and evaporation; effects on humans and their communities) 4. Global Perspectives (i.e. effects on humans and communities, impacts to rest of the world) In The Earth is Faster Now, a recent collection of comments by members of indigenous arctic peoples, arctic

Radioactivity and metal concentrations in marine sediments associated with mining activities in Ierissos Gulf, North Aegean Sea, Greece

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pappa, F.K.; Tsabaris, C.; Ioannidou, A.; Patiris, D.L.; Kaberi, H.; Pashalidis, I.; Eleftheriou, G.; Androulakaki, E.G.; Vlastou, R.

2016-01-01

Marine sediment samples were collected from Ierissos Gulf, N Aegean Sea, close to the coastal mining facilities. Measurements of radionuclide and metal concentrations, mineral composition and grain size distribution were performed. The concentrations of "2"2"6Ra, "2"3"5U and trace metals showed enhanced values in the port of Stratoni compared with those obtained near to Ierissos port. The dose rates received by marine biota were also calculated by the ERICA Assessment Tool and the results indicated no significant radiological risk. - Highlights: • Baseline information of radionuclides in a coastal area near a mining site. • Trace metals measurements in marine sediment. • Dose rates assessment for marine biota using ERICA Assessment Tool.

Gold-bearing fluvial and associated tidal marine sediments of Proterozoic age in the Mporokoso Basin, northern Zambia

Science.gov (United States)

Andrews-Speed, C. P.

1986-07-01

The structurally defined Mporokoso Basin contains up to 5000 m of continental and marine clastic sediments and minor silicic volcanics which together form the Mporokoso Group. These rocks overlie unconformably a basement of silicic-intermediate igneous rocks and accumulated within the interval 1830-1130 Ma. This sedimentological study was restricted to the eastern end of the basin and was part of an assessment of the potential for palaeoplacer gold in the Mporokoso Group. At the base of the Mporokoso Group, the Mbala Formation consists of 1000-1500 m of purple sandstones and conglomerates deposited in a braided-stream system overlain by 500-1000 m of mature quartz arenites deposited in a tidal marine setting. A general coarsening-upward trend exists within the fluvial sediments. Sandy, distal braided-stream facies passes upwards into more proximal conglomeratic facies. In proximal sections, poorly sorted conglomerates form the top of the coarsening-up sequence which is 500-700 m thick. The overlying fluvial sediments fine upwards. The tidal marine sandstones at the top of the Mbala Formation resulted from reworking of fluvial sediments during a marine transgression. Well-exposed sections with fluvial conglomerates were studied in detail. Individual conglomerate bodies form sheets extending for hundreds of metres downstream and at least one hundred metres across stream, with little sign of deep scouring or channelling. They are generally matrix-supported. The whole fluvial sequence is characterised by a paucity of mud or silt. These conglomerates were deposited by large velocity, sheet flows of water which transported a bed-load of pebbles and sand. Most fine material settling out from suspension was eroded by the next flow. The great lateral and vertical extent and the uniformity of the fluvial sediments suggest that the sediments accumulated over an unconfined alluvial plain and that the tectonic evolution of the source area was relatively continuous and not

Cs-137 in Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) on Svalbard

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gwynn, Justin P.; Fuglei, Eva; Dowdall, Mark

2007-01-01

This study presents 137 Cs muscle activity concentrations in Arctic foxes (Alopex lagopus) from Svalbard over a period of several years and discusses the transfer of 137 Cs to Arctic foxes through likely predator-prey relationships. Mean 137 Cs activity concentrations and 137 Cs T ag values (per trapping season) ranged from 0.51 ± 2.76 to 1.32 ± 2.89 Bq/kg (w.w.) and 5.1 x 10 -4 to 1.3 x 10 -3 m 2 /kg, respectively. Mean concentration ratios of 137 Cs in Arctic foxes compared to probable prey ranged from 1.0 to 7.9. On Svalbard, transfer of 137 Cs to Arctic foxes is likely to occur via both marine and terrestrial food chains. The relative contribution of marine and terrestrial food sources to the diet of Arctic foxes may vary by location and by season and may lead to either an increase or decrease in the trophic transfer of 137 Cs to Arctic foxes compared to transfer resulting from terrestrial only diets

Does temporal variation of mercury levels in Arctic seabirds reflect changes in global environmental contamination, or a modification of Arctic marine food web functioning?

Science.gov (United States)

Fort, Jérôme; Grémillet, David; Traisnel, Gwendoline; Amélineau, Françoise; Bustamante, Paco

2016-04-01

Studying long-term trends of contaminants in Arctic biota is essential to better understand impacts of anthropogenic activities and climate change on the exposure of sensitive species and marine ecosystems. We concurrently measured temporal changes (2006-2014) in mercury (Hg) contamination of little auks (Alle alle; the most abundant Arctic seabird) and in their major zooplankton prey species (Calanoid copepods, Themisto libellula, Gammarus spp.). We found an increasing contamination of the food-chain in East Greenland during summer over the last decade. More specifically, bird contamination (determined by body feather analyses) has increased at a rate of 3.4% per year. Conversely, bird exposure to Hg during winter in the northwest Atlantic (determined by head feather analyses) decreased over the study period (at a rate of 1.5% per year), although winter concentrations remained consistently higher than during summer. By combining mercury levels measured in birds and zooplankton to isotopic analyses, our results demonstrate that inter-annual variations of Hg levels in little auks reflect changes in food-chain contamination, rather than a reorganization of the food web and a modification of seabird trophic ecology. They therefore underline the value of little auks, and Arctic seabirds in general, as bio-indicators of long-term changes in environmental contamination. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Status and Impacts of Arctic Freshwater Export

Science.gov (United States)

Haine, T. W. N.

2017-12-01

Large freshwater anomalies clearly exist in the Arctic Ocean. For example, liquid freshwater has accumulated in the Beaufort Gyre in the decade of the 2000s compared to 1980-2000, with an extra ≈5000 km3—about 25%—being stored. The sources of freshwater to the Arctic from precipitation and runoff have increased between these periods (most of the evidence comes from models). Despite flux increases from 2001 to 2011, it is uncertain if the marine freshwater source through Bering Strait for the 2000s has changed, as observations in the 1980s and 1990s are incomplete. The marine freshwater fluxes draining the Arctic through Fram and Davis straits are also insignificantly different. In this way, the balance of sources and sinks of freshwater to the Arctic, Canadian Arctic Archipelago (CAA), and Baffin Bay shifted to about 1200±730 km3yr-1 freshening the region, on average, during the 2000s. The observed accumulation of liquid freshwater is consistent with this increased supply and the loss of freshwater from sea ice (Figure, right). Evidence exists that such discharges can impact the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation, and hence Atlantic sector climate. Nevertheless, it appears that the observed AMOC variability since 2004, when high quality measurements began, is not attributable to anthropogenic influence. This work is based on, and updated from, Haine et al. (2015), Carmack et al. (2016), and Haine (2016). Haine, T. W. N. Ocean science: Vagaries of Atlantic overturning. Nature Geoscience, 9, 479-480, 10.1038/ngeo2748, 2016. T. W. N. Haine et al., Arctic Freshwater Export: Status, Mechanisms, and Prospects, Global Planetary Change, 125, 13-35, 10.1016/j.glopacha.2014.11.013, 2015. E. Carmack et al., Fresh water and its role in the Arctic Marine System: sources, disposition, storage, export, and physical and biogeochemical consequences in the Arctic and global oceans. J. G. Res. Biogeosciences, 10.1002/2015JG003140, 2016.

Acetate consumption in anoxic marine sediments: Identification of key players using mixed pure cultures and sediment incubations

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Na, Hyunsoo

. While we did not find methanogens to be involved in acetate consumption with sediment incubations, the results from co-culture experiments show that syntrophic growth may allow aceticlastic methanogens to co-exist with sulfate-reducing bacteria in anoxic, sulfate-rich marine environments....... are largely unknown. The main goal of my PhD project was to identify acetate consumers in sulfate-reducing sediments of Aarhus Bay, Denmark. More specifically, we addressed the hypothesis if sulfate-reducing bacteria and methanogenic archaea can oxidize acetate in syntrophy. First, we examined the changes...... sulfate for a year were comparable to those of sediment incubated with high sulfate, on phylum/class levels, but within Deltaproteobacteria, certain sulfate reducers such as Desulfobacterium anilini was found only with low sulfate. In continuous flow-through reactors, bacteria mainly involved in sulfur...

Biogeochemical Indicators in High- and Low-Arctic Marine and Terrestrial Avian Community Changes: Comparative Isotopic (13C, 15N, and 34S) Studies in Alaska and Greenland

Science.gov (United States)

Causey, D.; Bargmann, N. A.; Burnham, K. K.; Burnham, J. L.; Padula, V. M.; Johnson, J. A.; Welker, J. M.

2011-12-01

Understanding the complex dynamics of environmental change in northern latitudes is of paramount importance today, given documented rapid shifts in sea ice, plant phenology, temperatures, deglaciation, and habitat fidelity. This knowledge is particularly critical for Arctic avian communities, which are integral components by which biological teleconnections are maintained between the mid and northern latitudes. Furthermore, Arctic birds are fundamental to Native subsistence lifestyles and a focus for conservation activities. Avian communities of marine and terrestrial Arctic environments represent a broad spectrum of trophic levels, from herbivores (eg., geese Chen spp.), planktivores (eg., auklets Aethia spp.), and insectivores (eg., passerines: Wheatears Oenanthe spp., Longspurs Calcarius spp.), to predators of marine invertebrates (eg., eiders Somateria spp.), nearshore and offshore fish (eg., cormorants Phalacrocorax spp, puffins Fratercula spp.), even other bird species (eg., gulls Larus spp., falcons Peregrinus spp.). This diversity of trophic interconnections is an integral factor in the dynamics of Arctic ecosystem ecology, and they are key indicators for the strength and trajectories of change. We are especially interested in their feeding ecology, using stable isotope-diet relations to examine historical diets and to predict future feeding ecology by this range of species. Since 2009, we have been studying the foodweb ecology using stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N, δ34S) of contemporaneous coastal and marine bird communities in High Arctic (Northwest Greenland) and Low Arctic (western Aleutian Islands, AK). We are quantifying the isotopic values of blood, organ tissues, and feathers, and have carried out comparisons between native and lipid-extracted samples. Although geographically distant, these communities comprise similar taxonomic and ecological congeners, including several species common to both (eg., Common Eider, Black-legged Kittiwake, Northern

Anthropogenic Forcing of Carbonate and Organic Carbon Preservation in Marine Sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Keil, Richard

2017-01-03

Carbon preservation in marine sediments, supplemented by that in large lakes, is the primary mechanism that moves carbon from the active surficial carbon cycle to the slower geologic carbon cycle. Preservation rates are low relative to the rates at which carbon moves between surface pools, which has led to the preservation term largely being ignored when evaluating anthropogenic forcing of the global carbon cycle. However, a variety of anthropogenic drivers-including ocean warming, deoxygenation, and acidification, as well as human-induced changes in sediment delivery to the ocean and mixing and irrigation of continental margin sediments-all work to decrease the already small carbon preservation term. These drivers affect the cycling of both carbonate and organic carbon in the ocean. The overall effect of anthropogenic forcing in the modern ocean is to decrease delivery of carbon to sediments, increase sedimentary dissolution and remineralization, and subsequently decrease overall carbon preservation.

Low Density of Top Predators (Seabirds and Marine Mammals in the High Arctic Pack Ice

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Claude R. Joiris

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The at-sea distribution of top predators, seabirds and marine mammals, was determined in the high Arctic pack ice on board the icebreaker RV Polarstern in July to September 2014. In total, 1,620 transect counts were realised, lasting 30 min each. The five most numerous seabird species represented 74% of the total of 15,150 individuals registered: kittiwake Rissa tridactyla, fulmar Fulmarus glacialis, puffin Fratercula arctica, Ross’s gull Rhodostethia rosea, and little auk Alle alle. Eight cetacean species were tallied for a total of 330 individuals, mainly white-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris and fin whale Balaenoptera physalus. Five pinniped species were represented by a total of 55 individuals and the polar bear Ursus maritimus was represented by 12 individuals. Four main geographical zones were identified: from Tromsø to the outer marginal ice zone (OMIZ, the Arctic pack ice (close pack ice, CPI, the end of Lomonosov Ridge off Siberia, and the route off Siberia and northern Norway. Important differences were detected between zones, both in species composition and in individual abundance. Low numbers of species and high proportion of individuals for some of them can be considered to reflect very low biodiversity. Numbers encountered in zones 2 to 4 were very low in comparison with other European Arctic seas. The observed differences showed strong patterns.

Methane from the East Siberian Arctic shelf

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petrenko...[], Vasilii V.; Etheridge, David M.

2010-01-01

In their Report “Extensive methane venting to the atmosphere from sediments of the East Siberian Arctic Shelf” (5 March, p. 1246), N. Shakhova et al. write that methane (CH4) release resulting from thawing Arctic permafrost “is a likely positive feedback to climate warming.” They add...

Diversity and characterization of culturable fungi from marine sediment collected from St. Helena Bay, South Africa

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mouton, M

2012-08-01

Full Text Available origins. It has not been proven whether these fungi merely survive the harsh environmental conditions presented by the ocean sediment, as opposed to playing an active role in this ecological niche. During this study, marine sediment was collected from St...

Analysis of marine sediment and lobster hepatopancreas reference materials by instrumental photon activation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Landsberger, S.; Davidson, W.F.

1985-01-01

By use of instrumental photon activation analysis, twelve trace (As, Ba, Cr, Co, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sb, Sr, U, Zn, and Zr) and eight minor (C, Na, Mg, Co, K, Ca, Tl, and Fe) elements were determined in a certified marine sediment standard reference material as well as eight trace (Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn, As, Sr, Cd, and Pb) and four minor (Na, Mg, Cl, and Ca) elements in a certified marine tissue (lobster hepatopancreas) standard reference material. The precision and accuracy of the present results when compared to the accepted values clearly demonstrate the reliability of this nondestructive technique and its applicability to marine environmental or marine geochemical studies. 24 references, 4 figures, 3 tables

Radioactivity in Norwegian Waters: Distribution in seawater and sediments, and uptake in marine organisms

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heldal, Hilde Elise

2001-01-01

Prior to the detonation of the first thermonuclear bomb, small amounts of radioactivity, for example in mineral water, were considered to be health enriching. Negative experiences related to thermonuclear bombs and several nuclear accidents have, however, changed people's attitude towards radioactivity during the past 40-50 years. Today, there is a common concern for regular and potential accidental releases of radioactivity from sources such as Sellafield. Although this is important, incorrect assessments of the effects of these releases (e.g. created by uncritical journalism) have the potential to harm the country's fisheries and economy. Therefore, it is of major importance to document up-to-date levels of radioactive contamination of the marine environment, and be able to place these into the proper perspectives. The main topics of the thesis may be summarised as follows: (1) Distribution of Caesium-137, Plutonium-238, Plutonium-239,240 and Americium-241 in sediments with emphasis on the Spitsbergen-Bear Island area, (2) Uptake of Caesium-137 in phytoplankton representative for the Barents and Norwegian Seas phytoplankton communities (laboratory experiments), (3) Bioaccumulation of Caesium-137 in food webs in the Barents and Norwegian Seas, (4) Geographical variations of Caesium-137 in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) along the Norwegian coast, (5) Transport times for Technetium-99 from Sellafield to various locations along the Norwegian coast and the Arctic Ocean

Radioactivity in Norwegian Waters: Distribution in seawater and sediments, and uptake in marine organisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heldal, Hilde Elise

2001-07-01

Prior to the detonation of the first thermonuclear bomb, small amounts of radioactivity, for example in mineral water, were considered to be health enriching. Negative experiences related to thermonuclear bombs and several nuclear accidents have, however, changed people's attitude towards radioactivity during the past 40-50 years. Today, there is a common concern for regular and potential accidental releases of radioactivity from sources such as Sellafield. Although this is important, incorrect assessments of the effects of these releases (e.g. created by uncritical journalism) have the potential to harm the country's fisheries and economy. Therefore, it is of major importance to document up-to-date levels of radioactive contamination of the marine environment, and be able to place these into the proper perspectives. The main topics of the thesis may be summarised as follows: (1) Distribution of Caesium-137, Plutonium-238, Plutonium-239,240 and Americium-241 in sediments with emphasis on the Spitsbergen-Bear Island area, (2) Uptake of Caesium-137 in phytoplankton representative for the Barents and Norwegian Seas phytoplankton communities (laboratory experiments), (3) Bioaccumulation of Caesium-137 in food webs in the Barents and Norwegian Seas, (4) Geographical variations of Caesium-137 in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) along the Norwegian coast, (5) Transport times for Technetium-99 from Sellafield to various locations along the Norwegian coast and the Arctic Ocean.

Radioactivity in Norwegian Waters: Distribution in seawater and sediments, and uptake in marine organisms

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heldal, Hilde Elise

2001-07-01

Prior to the detonation of the first thermonuclear bomb, small amounts of radioactivity, for example in mineral water, were considered to be health enriching. Negative experiences related to thermonuclear bombs and several nuclear accidents have, however, changed people's attitude towards radioactivity during the past 40-50 years. Today, there is a common concern for regular and potential accidental releases of radioactivity from sources such as Sellafield. Although this is important, incorrect assessments of the effects of these releases (e.g. created by uncritical journalism) have the potential to harm the country's fisheries and economy. Therefore, it is of major importance to document up-to-date levels of radioactive contamination of the marine environment, and be able to place these into the proper perspectives. The main topics of the thesis may be summarised as follows: (1) Distribution of Caesium-137, Plutonium-238, Plutonium-239,240 and Americium-241 in sediments with emphasis on the Spitsbergen-Bear Island area, (2) Uptake of Caesium-137 in phytoplankton representative for the Barents and Norwegian Seas phytoplankton communities (laboratory experiments), (3) Bioaccumulation of Caesium-137 in food webs in the Barents and Norwegian Seas, (4) Geographical variations of Caesium-137 in harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) along the Norwegian coast, (5) Transport times for Technetium-99 from Sellafield to various locations along the Norwegian coast and the Arctic Ocean.

Observed gas hydrate morphologies in marine sediment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holland, M.; Schultheiss, P.; Roberts, J.; Druce, M. [Geotek Ltd., Daventry, Northamptonshire (United Kingdom)

2008-07-01

The morphology of gas hydrate in marine sediments determines the basic physical properties of the sediment-hydrate matrix and provides information regarding the formation of gas hydrate deposits, and the nature of the disruption that will occur on dissociation. Small-scale morphology is useful in estimating the concentrations of gas hydrate from geophysical data. It is also important for predicting their response to climate change or commercial production. Many remote techniques for gas hydrate detection and quantification depend on hydrate morphology. In this study, morphology of gas hydrate was examined in HYACINTH pressure cores from recent seagoing expeditions. Visual and infrared observations from non-pressurized cores were also used. The expeditions and pressure core analysis were described in detail. This paper described the difference between two types of gas hydrate morphologies, notably pore-filling and grain-displacing. Last, the paper addressed the impact of hydrate morphology. It was concluded that a detailed morphology of gas hydrate is an essential component for a full understanding of the past, present, and future of any gas hydrate environment. 14 refs., 4 figs.

A global survey of the distribution of free gas in marine sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Fleischer, Peter; Orsi, Tim; Richardson, Michael

2003-10-01

Following the work of Aubrey Anderson in the Gulf of Mexico, we have attempted to quantify the global distribution of free gas in shallow marine sediments, and have identified and indexed over one hundred documented cases in the scientific and engineering literature. Our survey confirms previous assumptions, primarily that gas bubbles are ubiquitous in the organic-rich muds of coastal waters and shallow adjacent seas. Acoustic turbidity as recorded during seismo-acoustic surveys is the most frequently cited evidence used to infer the presence of seafloor gas. Biogenic methane predominates within these shallow subbottom deposits. The survey also reveals significant imbalances in the geographic distribution of studies, which might be addressed in the future by accessing proprietary data or local studies with limited distribution. Because of their global prevalence, growing interest in gassy marine sediments is understandable as their presence has profound scientific, engineering and environmental implications.

Mercury bioaccumulation and biomagnification in a small Arctic polynya ecosystem

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Clayden, Meredith G., E-mail: meredith.clayden@gmail.com [Canadian Rivers Institute and Biology Department, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB E2L 4L5 (Canada); Arsenault, Lilianne M. [Canadian Rivers Institute and Biology Department, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB E2L 4L5 (Canada); Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 (Canada); Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 (Canada); Kidd, Karen A. [Canadian Rivers Institute and Biology Department, University of New Brunswick, Saint John, NB E2L 4L5 (Canada); O' Driscoll, Nelson J. [Department of Earth and Environmental Science, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 (Canada); Mallory, Mark L. [Department of Biology, Acadia University, Wolfville, NS B4P 2R6 (Canada)

2015-03-15

Recurring polynyas are important areas of biological productivity and feeding grounds for seabirds and mammals in the Arctic marine environment. In this study, we examined food web structure (using carbon and nitrogen isotopes, δ{sup 13}C and δ{sup 15}N) and mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation and biomagnification in a small recurring polynya ecosystem near Nasaruvaalik Island (Nunavut, Canada). Methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations increased by more than 50-fold from copepods (Calanus hyperboreus) to Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea), the abundant predators at this site. The biomagnification of MeHg through members of the food web – using the slope of log MeHg versus δ{sup 15}N – was 0.157 from copepods (C. hyperboreus) to fish. This slope was higher (0.267) when seabird chicks were included in the analyses. Collectively, our results indicate that MeHg biomagnification is occurring in this small polynya and that its trophic transfer is at the lower end of the range of estimates from other Arctic marine ecosystems. In addition, we measured Hg concentrations in some poorly studied members of Arctic marine food webs [e.g. Arctic alligatorfish (Ulcina olrikii) and jellyfish, Medusozoa], and found that MeHg concentrations in jellyfish were lower than expected given their trophic position. Overall, these findings provide fundamental information about food web structure and mercury contamination in a small Arctic polynya, which will inform future research in such ecosystems and provide a baseline against which to assess changes over time resulting from environmental disturbance. - Highlights: • Polynyas are recurring sites of open water in polar marine areas • Mercury (Hg) biomagnification was studied in a small polynya near Nasaruvaalik Island, NU, Canada • Hg biomagnification estimates for invertebrates to fish were low compared to other Arctic systems • Factors underlying this result are unknown but may relate to primary productivity in small polynyas.

Mercury bioaccumulation and biomagnification in a small Arctic polynya ecosystem

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clayden, Meredith G.; Arsenault, Lilianne M.; Kidd, Karen A.; O'Driscoll, Nelson J.; Mallory, Mark L.

2015-01-01

Recurring polynyas are important areas of biological productivity and feeding grounds for seabirds and mammals in the Arctic marine environment. In this study, we examined food web structure (using carbon and nitrogen isotopes, δ 13 C and δ 15 N) and mercury (Hg) bioaccumulation and biomagnification in a small recurring polynya ecosystem near Nasaruvaalik Island (Nunavut, Canada). Methyl Hg (MeHg) concentrations increased by more than 50-fold from copepods (Calanus hyperboreus) to Arctic terns (Sterna paradisaea), the abundant predators at this site. The biomagnification of MeHg through members of the food web – using the slope of log MeHg versus δ 15 N – was 0.157 from copepods (C. hyperboreus) to fish. This slope was higher (0.267) when seabird chicks were included in the analyses. Collectively, our results indicate that MeHg biomagnification is occurring in this small polynya and that its trophic transfer is at the lower end of the range of estimates from other Arctic marine ecosystems. In addition, we measured Hg concentrations in some poorly studied members of Arctic marine food webs [e.g. Arctic alligatorfish (Ulcina olrikii) and jellyfish, Medusozoa], and found that MeHg concentrations in jellyfish were lower than expected given their trophic position. Overall, these findings provide fundamental information about food web structure and mercury contamination in a small Arctic polynya, which will inform future research in such ecosystems and provide a baseline against which to assess changes over time resulting from environmental disturbance. - Highlights: • Polynyas are recurring sites of open water in polar marine areas • Mercury (Hg) biomagnification was studied in a small polynya near Nasaruvaalik Island, NU, Canada • Hg biomagnification estimates for invertebrates to fish were low compared to other Arctic systems • Factors underlying this result are unknown but may relate to primary productivity in small polynyas

Proceedings of the nineteenth arctic and marine oil spill program (AMOP) technical seminar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1996-01-01

The technical seminar on arctic and marine oil spills introduced issues concerning oil spills at sea, in particular the critical first few hours of an oil spill. State-of-the-art technologies which assist the response team in tracking and predicting the behavior of oil spills, were described. The physical and chemical properties of spilled oil were studied, as well as those of oil spill treating agents, including testing their biological effects. New methods to contain and recover spilled oil were reviewed. Volume 2 presented results from field experiments in which in-situ burning was performed, and demonstrated modelling techniques for the detection, prediction and tracking of oil spills. refs., tabs., figs

The distribution of triclosan and methyl-triclosan in marine sediments of Barker Inlet, South Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Fernandes, Milena; Shareef, Ali; Kookana, Rai; Gaylard, Sam; Hoare, Sonja; Kildea, Tim

2011-04-01

In this work, we investigated the transport and burial of triclosan and its methylated derivative, in surface sediments near the mouth of Barker Inlet in South Australia. The most likely source of this commonly used bactericide to the area is a wastewater outfall discharging at the confluence of the inlet with marine waters. Triclosan was detected in all samples, at concentrations (5-27 μg kg(-1)) comparable to values found in other surface sediments under the influence of marine wastewater outfalls. Its dispersal was closely associated with fine and organic-rich fractions of the sediments. Methyl-triclosan was detected in approximately half of the samples at concentrations compound was linked to both wastewater discharges and biological methylation of the parent compound. Wastewater-borne methyl-triclosan had a smaller spatial footprint than triclosan and was mostly deposited in close proximity to the outfall. In situ methylation of triclosan likely occurs at deeper depositional sites, whereas the absence of methyl-triclosan from shallower sediments was potentially explained by photodegradation of the parent compound. Based on partition equilibrium, a concentration of triclosan in the order of 1 μg L(-1) was estimated in sediment porewaters, a value lower than the threshold reported for harmful effects to occur in the couple of species of marine phytoplankton investigated to date. Methyl-triclosan presents a greater potential for bioaccumulation than triclosan, but the implications of its occurrence to aquatic ecosystem health are difficult to predict given the lack of ecotoxicological data in the current literature.

Repeated megafloods from glacial Lake Vitim, Siberia, to the Arctic Ocean over the past 60,000 years

Science.gov (United States)

Margold, Martin; Jansen, John D.; Codilean, Alexandru T.; Preusser, Frank; Gurinov, Artem L.; Fujioka, Toshiyuki; Fink, David

2018-05-01

Cataclysmic outburst floods transformed landscapes and caused abrupt climate change during the last deglaciation. Whether such events have also characterized previous deglaciations is not known. Arctic marine cores hint at megafloods prior to Oxygen Isotope Stage (OIS) 2, but the overprint of successive glaciations means that geomorphological traces of ancient floods remain scarce in Eurasia and North America. Here we present the first well-constrained terrestrial megaflood record to be linked with Arctic archives. Based on cosmogenic-nuclide exposure dating and optically stimulated luminescence dating applied to glacial-lake sediments, a 300-m deep bedrock spillway, and giant eddy-bars > 200-m high, we reconstruct a history of cataclysmic outburst floods from glacial Lake Vitim, Siberia, to the Arctic Ocean over the past 60,000-years. Three megafloods have reflected the rhythm of Eurasian glaciations, leaving traces that stretch more than 3500 km to the Lena Delta. The first flood was coincident with deglaciation from OIS-4 and the largest meltwater spike in Arctic marine-cores within the past 100,000 years (isotope-event 3.31 at 55.5 ka). The second flood marked the lead up to the local Last Glacial Maximum, and the third flood occurred during the last deglaciation. This final 3000 km3 megaflood stands as one of the largest freshwater floods ever documented, with peak discharge of 4.0-6.5 million m3s-1, mean flow depths of 120-150 m, and average flow velocities up to 21 m s-1.

Pathways and Microbiology of Thiosulfate Transformations and Sulfate Reduction in a Marine Sediment (Kattegat, Denmark)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

JØRGENSEN, BB; BAK, F.

1991-01-01

Reductive and oxidative pathways of the sulfur cycle were studied in a marine sediment by parallel radiotracer experiments with (SO4(2-))-S-35, (H2S)-S-35, and (S2O3(2-))-S-35 injected into undisturbed sediment cores. The distributions of viable populations of sulfate- and thiosulfate-reducing ba...

Arctic Ocean Scientific Drilling: The Next Frontier

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruediger Stein

2010-04-01

Full Text Available The modern Arctic Ocean appears to be changing faster than any other region on Earth. To understand the potential extent of high latitude climate change, it is necessary to sample the history stored in the sediments filling the basins and covering the ridges of the Arctic Ocean. These sediments have been imaged with seismic reflection data, but except for the superficial record, which has been piston cored, they have been sampled only on the Lomonosov Ridge in 2004 during the Arctic Coring Expedition (ACEX-IODP Leg 302; Backman et al., 2006 and in 1993 in the ice-free waters in the Fram Strait/Yermak Plateau area (ODP Leg 151; Thiede et al., 1996.Although major progress in Arctic Ocean research has been made during the last few decades, the short- and long-term paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic history as well as its plate-tectonic evolution are poorly known compared to the other oceans. Despite the importance of the Arctic in the climate system, the database we have from this area is still very weak. Large segments of geologic time have not been sampled in sedimentary sections. The question of regional variations cannot be addressed.

Arctic Marine Transportation Program 1979-1986

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The purpose of this program was to collect data relevant to developing year-round transportation capabilities in the Arctic Ocean. The US Maritime Administration...

Nitrogen isotopes in bulk marine sediment: linking seafloor observations with subseafloor records

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J.-E. Tesdal

2013-01-01

Full Text Available The stable isotopes of nitrogen offer a unique perspective on changes in the nitrogen cycle, past and present. However, the presence of multiple forms of nitrogen in marine sediments can complicate the interpretation of bulk nitrogen isotope measurements. Although the large-scale global patterns of seafloor δ¹⁵N have been shown to match process-based expectations, small-scale heterogeneity on the seafloor, or alterations of isotopic signals during translation into the subseafloor record, could obscure the primary signals. Here, a public database of nitrogen isotope measurements is described, including both seafloor and subseafloor sediment samples ranging in age from modern to the Pliocene, and used to assess these uncertainties. In general, good agreement is observed between neighbouring seafloor sites within a 100 km radius, with 85% showing differences of < 1‰. There is also a good correlation between the δ¹⁵N of the shallowest (< 5 ka subseafloor sediments and neighbouring seafloor sites within a 100 km radius (R² = 0.83, which suggests a reliable translation of sediments into the buried sediment record. Meanwhile, gradual δ¹⁵N decreases over multiple glacial–interglacial cycles appear to reflect post-depositional alteration in records from the deep sea (below 2000 m. We suggest a simple conceptual model to explain these 100-kyr-timescale changes in well-oxygenated, slowly accumulating sediments, which calls on differential loss rates for pools of organic N with different δ¹⁵N. We conclude that bulk sedimentary nitrogen isotope records are reliable monitors of past changes in the marine nitrogen cycle at most locations, and could be further improved with a better understanding of systematic post-depositional alteration. Furthermore, geochemical or environmental criteria should be developed in order to effectively identify problematic locations and to account for

V isotope composition in modern marine hydrothermal sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, F.; Owens, J. D.; Nielsen, S.; German, C. R.; Rachel, M.

2017-12-01

in the ocean. The fingerprint of δ51V between oxic sediments and hydrothermal flux are significantly different and should be easily discernible in the geologic record. Consequently, our results show that the removal of V from hydrothermal sediments has an important influence on the marine V cycle, which needs to be considered for future modern and paleoclimatic studies.

Numerical investigations of the fluid flows at deep oceanic and arctic permafrost-associated gas hydrate deposits

Science.gov (United States)

Frederick, Jennifer Mary

, allows us a unique opportunity to study the response of methane hydrate deposits to warming. Gas hydrate stability in the Arctic and the permeability of the shelf sediments to gas migration is thought to be closely linked with relict submarine permafrost. Submarine permafrost extent depends on several environmental factors, such as the shelf lithology, sea level variations, mean annual air temperature, ocean bottom water temperature, geothermal heat flux, groundwater hydrology, and the salinity of the pore water. Effects of submarine groundwater discharge, which introduces fresh terrestrial groundwater off-shore, can freshen deep marine sediments and is an important control on the freezing point depression of ice and methane hydrate. While several thermal modeling studies suggest the permafrost layer should still be largely intact near-shore, many recent field studies have reported elevated methane levels in Arctic coastal waters. The permafrost layer is thought to create an impermeable barrier to fluid and gas flow, however, talik formation (unfrozen regions within otherwise continuous permafrost) below paleo-river channels can create permeable pathways for gas migration from depth. This is the first study of its kind to make predictions of the methane gas flux to the water column from the Arctic shelf sediments using a 2D multi-phase fluid flow model. Model results show that the dissociation of methane hydrate deposits through taliks can supersaturate the overlying water column at present-day relative to equilibrium with the atmosphere when taliks are large (> 1 km width) or hydrate saturation is high within hydrate layers (> 50% pore volume). Supersaturated waters likely drive a net flux of methane into the atmosphere, a potent greenhouse gas. Effects of anthropogenic global warming will certainly increase gas venting rates if ocean bottom water temperatures increase, but likely won't have immediately observable impacts due to the long response times.

Mineralogy, early marine diagenesis, and the chemistry of shallow-water carbonate sediments

Science.gov (United States)

Higgins, J. A.; Blättler, C. L.; Lundstrom, E. A.; Santiago-Ramos, D. P.; Akhtar, A. A.; Crüger Ahm, A.-S.; Bialik, O.; Holmden, C.; Bradbury, H.; Murray, S. T.; Swart, P. K.

2018-01-01

Shallow-water carbonate sediments constitute the bulk of sedimentary carbonates in the geologic record and are widely used archives of Earth's chemical and climatic history. One of the main limitations in interpreting the geochemistry of ancient carbonate sediments is the potential for post-depositional diagenetic alteration. In this study, we use paired measurements of calcium (44Ca/40Ca or δ44Ca) and magnesium (26Mg/24Mg or δ26Mg) isotope ratios in sedimentary carbonates and associated pore-fluids as a tool to understand the mineralogical and diagenetic history of Neogene shallow-water carbonate sediments from the Bahamas and southwest Australia. We find that the Ca and Mg isotopic composition of bulk carbonate sediments at these sites exhibits systematic stratigraphic variability that is related to both mineralogy and early marine diagenesis. The observed variability in bulk sediment Ca isotopes is best explained by changes in the extent and style of early marine diagenesis from one where the composition of the diagenetic carbonate mineral is determined by the chemistry of the fluid (fluid-buffered) to one where the composition of the diagenetic carbonate mineral is determined by the chemistry of the precursor sediment (sediment-buffered). Our results indicate that this process, together with variations in carbonate mineralogy (aragonite, calcite, and dolomite), plays a fundamental and underappreciated role in determining the regional and global stratigraphic expressions of geochemical tracers (δ13C, δ18O, major, minor, and trace elements) in shallow-water carbonate sediments in the geologic record. Our results also provide evidence that a large shallow-water carbonate sink that is enriched in 44Ca can explain the mismatch between the δ44/40Ca value of rivers and deep-sea carbonate sediments and call into question the hypothesis that the δ44/40Ca value of seawater depends on the mineralogy of primary carbonate precipitations (e.g. 'aragonite seas' and

A Prince's tribute...and trial. Monaco's Prince Albert II followed the footsteps of his great great grandfather when he ventured the Arctic Archipelago to trace climate change, this time with IAEA Marine scientists

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lodding, L.

2006-01-01

Monaco's Prince Albert II followed the footsteps of his great great grandfather when he ventured to the Arctic Archipelago to track climate change, this time with IAEA Marine scientists. He undertook this trip to draw global attention to the environmental damage to the Arctic regions caused by global warming. Although far away from industrialized areas, Svalbard Island is eminently suitable to observe the evolution of climate change and long-range pollutants transported from northern European countries by water currents and from North America by winds. Using nuclear techniques, it is hoped that some of the causes of climate change can be unlocked. The first of these studies was undertaken to evaluate the shell laminations of a very long-lived marine bivalve mollusc, the Ocean Quahog. The mollusc, with a life expectancy well over a century, acts as a recording of temperature variations and water chemistry. The second project aimed at determining levels of contaminates in marine zooplankton in remote arctic environments for comparison with other climatic regions

Environmental risk assessment of triclosan and ibuprofen in marine sediments using individual and sub-individual endpoints.

Science.gov (United States)

Pusceddu, F H; Choueri, R B; Pereira, C D S; Cortez, F S; Santos, D R A; Moreno, B B; Santos, A R; Rogero, J R; Cesar, A

2018-01-01

The guidelines for the Environmental Risk Assessment (ERA) of pharmaceuticals and personal care products (PPCP) recommend the use of standard ecotoxicity assays and the assessment of endpoints at the individual level to evaluate potential effects of PPCP on biota. However, effects at the sub-individual level can also affect the ecological fitness of marine organisms chronically exposed to PPCP. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the environmental risk of two PPCP in marine sediments: triclosan (TCS) and ibuprofen (IBU), using sub-individual and developmental endpoints. The environmental levels of TCS and IBU were quantified in marine sediments from the vicinities of the Santos submarine sewage outfall (Santos Bay, São Paulo, Brazil) at 15.14 and 49.0 ng g -1 , respectively. A battery (n = 3) of chronic bioassays (embryo-larval development) with a sea urchin (Lytechinus variegatus) and a bivalve (Perna perna) were performed using two exposure conditions: sediment-water interface and elutriates. Moreover, physiological stress through the Neutral Red Retention Time Assay (NRRT) was assessed in the estuarine bivalve Mytella charruana exposed to TCS and IBU spiked sediments. These compounds affected the development of L. variegatus and P. perna (75 ng g -1 for TCS and 15 ng g -1 for IBU), and caused a significant decrease in M. charruana lysosomal membrane stability at environmentally relevant concentrations (0.08 ng g -1 for TCS and 0.15 ng g -1 for IBU). Chemical and ecotoxicological data were integrated and the risk quotient estimated for TCS and IBU were higher than 1.0, indicating a high environmental risk of these compounds in sediments. These are the first data of sediment risk assessment of pharmaceuticals and personal care products of Latin America. In addition, the results suggest that the ERA based only on individual-level and standard toxicity tests may overlook other biological effects that can affect the health of marine organisms

Evaluating spatial patterns of dioxins in sediments to aid determination of potential implications for marine reptiles

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hermanussen, S.; Gaus, C. [National Research Centre for Environmental Toxicology, Brisbane (Australia); Limpus, C.J. [Queensland Environmental Protection Agency, Brisbane (Australia); Paepke, O. [ERGO Forschungsgesellschaft mbH, Hamburg (Germany); Blanshard, W. [Sea World, Gold Coast (Australia); Connell, D. [School of Public Health, Griffith Univ., Brisbane (Australia)

2004-09-15

Recent investigations have identified elevated concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (dioxins) in marine sediments and wildlife of Queensland, Australia. While it has been demonstrated that the contamination is widespread and predominantly land-based, limited information exists on the pathways and fate of these compounds within the near-shore marine system. This environment supports unique and threatened species including green sea turtles (Chelonia mydas). Adult green turtles are predominantly herbivorous, feeding on seagrass and algae. Apart from initial migration to feeding grounds (at {proportional_to}10 years of age) and intermittent migrations to breeding grounds (at {proportional_to}30-50 years and thereafter), green turtles remain and feed within relatively small home ranges. Long life-span (50 years or more), near-shore feeding grounds and highly specialized food requirements render green turtles potentially vulnerable to contaminant exposure. Recent studies have shown a relationship between PCDD/F concentrations found in herbivorous marine wildlife and concentrations in sediments of their habitats. Hence, the spatial evaluation of sediment PCDD/F distribution may assist the assessment of green turtle exposure and its potential implications. The present study provides baseline information on green turtle PCDD/F concentrations in Queensland, Australia and investigates exposure pathways. In addition, spatial distribution of PCDD/Fs in sediments from known green turtle feeding regions is assessed using geographic information systems. This represents the first stage of a large scale investigation into the exposure and sensitivity of marine reptiles to dioxins and dioxin-like compounds and to evaluate whether poor health status observed in some populations may be related to contaminant exposure.

Arctic Ocean sea ice cover during the penultimate glacial and the last interglacial.

Science.gov (United States)

Stein, Ruediger; Fahl, Kirsten; Gierz, Paul; Niessen, Frank; Lohmann, Gerrit

2017-08-29

Coinciding with global warming, Arctic sea ice has rapidly decreased during the last four decades and climate scenarios suggest that sea ice may completely disappear during summer within the next about 50-100 years. Here we produce Arctic sea ice biomarker proxy records for the penultimate glacial (Marine Isotope Stage 6) and the subsequent last interglacial (Marine Isotope Stage 5e). The latter is a time interval when the high latitudes were significantly warmer than today. We document that even under such warmer climate conditions, sea ice existed in the central Arctic Ocean during summer, whereas sea ice was significantly reduced along the Barents Sea continental margin influenced by Atlantic Water inflow. Our proxy reconstruction of the last interglacial sea ice cover is supported by climate simulations, although some proxy data/model inconsistencies still exist. During late Marine Isotope Stage 6, polynya-type conditions occurred off the major ice sheets along the northern Barents and East Siberian continental margins, contradicting a giant Marine Isotope Stage 6 ice shelf that covered the entire Arctic Ocean.Coinciding with global warming, Arctic sea ice has rapidly decreased during the last four decades. Here, using biomarker records, the authors show that permanent sea ice was still present in the central Arctic Ocean during the last interglacial, when high latitudes were warmer than present.

Viability of microcomputed tomography to study tropical marine worm galleries in humid muddy sediments

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pennafirme, Simone F., E-mail: sipennafirme@gmail.com [Universidade Federal Fluminense (UFF), Niteroi, RJ (Brazil). Inst. de Biologia. Dept. de Biologia Marinha; Machado, Alessandra S.; Lima, Inaya; Suzuki, Katia N.; Lopes, Ricardo T., E-mail: machado@lin.ufrj.br, E-mail: inaya@lin.ufrj.br, E-mail: norisuzuki6@yahoo.com.br, E-mail: ricardo@lin.ufj.br [Coordenacao dos Programas de Pos-Graduacao em Engenharia (COPPE/UFRJ), RJ (Brazil). Lab. de Instrumentacao Nuclear

2013-07-01

Bioturbation is an ecological process driven by organisms, which transports nutrients and gases from air/water to sediment through their galleries, by the time they feed, burrow and/or construct galleries. This exchange is vital to the maintenance of micro and macrobenthic organisms, mainly in muddy flat environments. Species with distinct galleries could create levels of bioturbation, affecting the benthic interactions. In this sense, it is fundamental developing a non-destructive method that permits identifying/quantifying the properties of these galleries. The recent advances in micro-computed tomography are allowing the high resolution 3D images generation. However, once muddy sediments are rich in organic matter and interstitial water, these would lead to motion artifacts which could, in turn, decrease the accuracy of galleries identification/quantification. In this context, the aim of this study was to develop a protocol which combines laboratory experiments and microtomography analysis in order to generate accurate 3D images of the small marine worm's galleries within humid muddy sediments. The sediment was collected at both muddy flats of Surui's and Itaipu lagoon's mangroves (RJ-Brazil), sieved (0.5mm mesh) and introduced with one individual of the marine worm Laeonereis acuta (Nereididae, Polychaeta) in each acrylic corer holders (4.4cm of internal diameter). High energy microtomography scanner was used to obtain 3D images and the setup calibration was 130 kV and 61 mA. Each acquisition image time was among 4h and 6h. Several procedures of drying remained water inside the cores were performed aiming obtaining images without movement artifacts due to circulating water, and this issue was one of the main studied parameter. In order to investigate possible chemical effects, 2ml of formalin (35%) with menthol were added to the surface of the cores. The results show that although the drying time was appropriated, the chemicals created bubbles

Viability of microcomputed tomography to study tropical marine worm galleries in humid muddy sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pennafirme, Simone F.; Machado, Alessandra S.; Lima, Inaya; Suzuki, Katia N.; Lopes, Ricardo T.

2013-01-01

Bioturbation is an ecological process driven by organisms, which transports nutrients and gases from air/water to sediment through their galleries, by the time they feed, burrow and/or construct galleries. This exchange is vital to the maintenance of micro and macrobenthic organisms, mainly in muddy flat environments. Species with distinct galleries could create levels of bioturbation, affecting the benthic interactions. In this sense, it is fundamental developing a non-destructive method that permits identifying/quantifying the properties of these galleries. The recent advances in micro-computed tomography are allowing the high resolution 3D images generation. However, once muddy sediments are rich in organic matter and interstitial water, these would lead to motion artifacts which could, in turn, decrease the accuracy of galleries identification/quantification. In this context, the aim of this study was to develop a protocol which combines laboratory experiments and microtomography analysis in order to generate accurate 3D images of the small marine worm's galleries within humid muddy sediments. The sediment was collected at both muddy flats of Surui's and Itaipu lagoon's mangroves (RJ-Brazil), sieved (0.5mm mesh) and introduced with one individual of the marine worm Laeonereis acuta (Nereididae, Polychaeta) in each acrylic corer holders (4.4cm of internal diameter). High energy microtomography scanner was used to obtain 3D images and the setup calibration was 130 kV and 61 mA. Each acquisition image time was among 4h and 6h. Several procedures of drying remained water inside the cores were performed aiming obtaining images without movement artifacts due to circulating water, and this issue was one of the main studied parameter. In order to investigate possible chemical effects, 2ml of formalin (35%) with menthol were added to the surface of the cores. The results show that although the drying time was appropriated, the chemicals created bubbles within the

Sources and fate of microplastics in marine and beach sediments of the Southern Baltic Sea-a preliminary study.

Science.gov (United States)

Graca, Bożena; Szewc, Karolina; Zakrzewska, Danuta; Dołęga, Anna; Szczerbowska-Boruchowska, Magdalena

2017-03-01

Microplastics' (particles size ≤5 mm) sources and fate in marine bottom and beach sediments of the brackish are strongly polluted Baltic Sea have been investigated. Microplastics were extracted using sodium chloride (1.2 g cm -3 ). Their qualitative identification was conducted using micro-Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (μFT-IR). Concentration of microplastics varied from 25 particles kg -1 d.w. at the open sea beach to 53 particles kg -1  d.w. at beaches of strongly urbanized bay. In bottom sediments, microplastics concentration was visibly lower compared to beach sediments (0-27 particles kg -1  d.w.) and decreased from the shore to the open, deep-sea regions. The most frequent microplastics dimensions ranged from 0.1 to 2.0 mm, and transparent fibers were predominant. Polyester, which is a popular fabrics component, was the most common type of microplastic in both marine bottom (50%) and beach sediments (27%). Additionally, poly(vinyl acetate) used in shipbuilding as well as poly(ethylene-propylene) used for packaging were numerous in marine bottom (25% of all polymers) and beach sediments (18% of all polymers). Polymer density seems to be an important factor influencing microplastics circulation. Low density plastic debris probably recirculates between beach sediments and seawater in a greater extent than higher density debris. Therefore, their deposition is potentially limited and physical degradation is favored. Consequently, low density microplastics concentration may be underestimated using current methods due to too small size of the debris. This influences also the findings of qualitative research of microplastics which provide the basis for conclusions about the sources of microplastics in the marine environment.

{sup 137}Cs in marine sediments of Admiralty Bay, King George Island, Antarctica

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ferreira, Paulo Alves de Lima [Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo (IO-USP), Pça. do Oceanográfico, 191, Butantã, SP, 05508 900 (Brazil); Ribeiro, Andreza Portella, E-mail: andrezpr@usp.br [Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo (IO-USP), Pça. do Oceanográfico, 191, Butantã, SP, 05508 900 (Brazil); Mestrado de Gestão Ambiental e Sustentabilidade, Universidade Nove de Julho (UNINOVE), Avenida Francisco Matarazzo, 612, prédio C, andar térreo, Água Branca, São Paulo, SP, 05001 100 (Brazil); Nascimento, Mylene Giseli do; Martins, Cesar de Castro [Centro de Estudos do Mar, Universidade Federal do Paraná (CEM-UFPR), Av. Beira-mar, no number, Balneário Pontal do Sul, Pontal do Paraná, PR, 83255 971 (Brazil); Mahiques, Michel Michaelovitch de; Montone, Rosalinda Carmelo; Figueira, Rubens Cesar Lopes [Instituto Oceanográfico, Universidade de São Paulo (IO-USP), Pça. do Oceanográfico, 191, Butantã, SP, 05508 900 (Brazil)

2013-01-15

The radionuclide cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) is produced exclusively by anthropogenic processes and primarily by nuclear explosions. This study determined the reference inventory that is {sup 137}Cs associated with the element's original input, and utilized the levels of activity of this radionuclide previously measured in five sediment profiles collected from Admiralty Bay, Antarctica, to investigate the mobility of this element in the environment. {sup 137}Cs has a half-life of 30 years. Because of this, it is environmentally persistent and has been shown to accumulate in marine organisms. The mean reference inventory of this radionuclide in Admiralty Bay sediments, determined using high resolution gamma ray spectrometry, was 20.23 ± 8.94 Bq m{sup −2}, and within the ambient {sup 137}Cs activity range. A model of {sup 137}Cs diffusion–convection was applied to data collected from 1 cm intervals in sediment cores with the aim of providing insights with respect to this element's behavior in sediments. Model results showed a significant correlation between measured and modeled values using the concentrations of {sup 137}Cs, and estimated input into the system from the global fallout of past nuclear tests and expected values based on local sedimentation rates. Results highlight the importance of accounting for the vertical diffusion of {sup 137}Cs in marine sediments when used as a tracer for environmental processes and for assessing potential bioavailability. - Highlights: ► Cesium-137 ({sup 137}Cs) is produced exclusively by anthropogenic processes. ► A model of diffusion–convection simulated {sup 137}Cs environmental behavior. ► This is important for assessing the bioavailability of this toxic element. ► In Antarctica ice cover influenced the input to the sediments.

SCICEX: Submarine Arctic Science Program

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Submarine Arctic Science Program, SCICEX, is a federal interagency collaboration among the operational Navy, research agencies, and the marine research community...

Genomics of Arctic cod

Science.gov (United States)

Wilson, Robert E.; Sage, George K.; Sonsthagen, Sarah A.; Gravley, Megan C.; Menning, Damian; Talbot, Sandra L.

2017-01-01

The Arctic cod (Boreogadus saida) is an abundant marine fish that plays a vital role in the marine food web. To better understand the population genetic structure and the role of natural selection acting on the maternally-inherited mitochondrial genome (mitogenome), a molecule often associated with adaptations to temperature, we analyzed genetic data collected from 11 biparentally-inherited nuclear microsatellite DNA loci and nucleotide sequence data from from the mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) cytochrome b (cytb) gene and, for a subset of individuals, the entire mitogenome. In addition, due to potential of species misidentification with morphologically similar Polar cod (Arctogadus glacialis), we used ddRAD-Seq data to determine the level of divergence between species and identify species-specific markers. Based on the findings presented here, Arctic cod across the Pacific Arctic (Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort Seas) comprise a single panmictic population with high genetic diversity compared to other gadids. High genetic diversity was indicated across all 13 protein-coding genes in the mitogenome. In addition, we found moderate levels of genetic diversity in the nuclear microsatellite loci, with highest diversity found in the Chukchi Sea. Our analyses of markers from both marker classes (nuclear microsatellite fragment data and mtDNA cytb sequence data) failed to uncover a signal of microgeographic genetic structure within Arctic cod across the three regions, within the Alaskan Beaufort Sea, or between near-shore or offshore habitats. Further, data from a subset of mitogenomes revealed no genetic differentiation between Bering, Chukchi, and Beaufort seas populations for Arctic cod, Saffron cod (Eleginus gracilis), or Walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). However, we uncovered significant differences in the distribution of microsatellite alleles between the southern Chukchi and central and eastern Beaufort Sea samples of Arctic cod. Finally, using ddRAD-Seq data, we

Fate of dispersed marine fuel oil in sediment under pre-spill application strategy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jian Hua

2004-01-01

A comparison of the movement of dispersed oil in marine sediment under two dispersant application scenarios, applied prior to and after oil being spilled overboard, was examined. The pre-spill application scenario caused much less oil to be retained in the top sediment than post-spill scenario. The difference in oil retention in the top sediment between pre- and post-spill application scenario increased with increase in fuel oil temperature. For fuel oil above 40 o C, the difference in the effect of pre-spill application strategy under various water temperatures was negligible. When soap water was used as replacement for chemical dispersant, almost one-half as much oil was retained in the top sediment as that when using chemical dispersant. The adsorption of dispersed oil to the top sediment was almost proportionally decreased with doubling of soap dosage. (Author)

Development of pan-Arctic database for river chemistry

Science.gov (United States)

McClelland, J.W.; Holmes, R.M.; Peterson, B.J.; Amon, R.; Brabets, T.; Cooper, L.; Gibson, J.; Gordeev, V.V.; Guay, C.; Milburn, D.; Staples, R.; Raymond, P.A.; Shiklomanov, I.; Striegl, Robert G.; Zhulidov, A.; Gurtovaya, T.; Zimov, S.

2008-01-01

More than 10% of all continental runoff flows into the Arctic Ocean. This runoff is a dominant feature of the Arctic Ocean with respect to water column structure and circulation. Yet understanding of the chemical characteristics of runoff from the pan-Arctic watershed is surprisingly limited. The Pan- Arctic River Transport of Nutrients, Organic Matter, and Suspended Sediments ( PARTNERS) project was initiated in 2002 to help remedy this deficit, and an extraordinary data set has emerged over the past few years as a result of the effort. This data set is publicly available through the Cooperative Arctic Data and Information Service (CADIS) of the Arctic Observing Network (AON). Details about data access are provided below.

A carbon isotope budget for an anoxic marine sediment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boehme, S.E.; Blair, N.E.

1991-01-01

A carbon isotope budget has been determined for the coastal marine site, Cape Lookout Bight, NC. Isotope measurements of methane and σCO 2 fluxing out and buried in these sediments were applied to previously measured flux data (Martens et al., in press) to predict the isotopic composition of the incoming metabolizable organic matter. Methane leaves the sediment predominantly via ebullition with an isotopic composition of -60 per mil. Less than 2% of the methane produced is buried with an average diffusional flux value of -17 per mil and a burial value of +11 per mil. The isotope budget predicts a metabolizable organic carbon isotope signature of -19.3 per mil which is in excellent agreement with the measured total organic carbon value of -19.2 ± 0.3 per mil implying that the dominant remineralization processes have been identified

Effective bioremediation strategy for rapid in situ cleanup of anoxic marine sediments in mesocosm oil spill simulation.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria eGenovese

2014-04-01

Full Text Available The purpose of present study was the simulation of an oil spill accompanied by burial of significant amount of petroleum hydrocarbons (PHs in coastal sediments. Approximately 1,000 kg of sediments collected in Messina harbor were spiked with Bunker C furnace fuel oil (6,500 ppm. The rapid consumption of oxygen by aerobic heterotrophs created highly reduced conditions in the sediments with subsequent recession of biodegradation rates. As follows, after three months of ageing, the anaerobic sediments did not exhibit any significant levels of biodegradation and more than 80% of added Bunker C fuel oil remained buried. Anaerobic microbial community exhibited a strong enrichment in sulfate-reducing PHs-degrading and PHs-associated Deltaproteobacteria. As an effective bioremediation strategy to clean up these contaminated sediments, we applied a Modular Slurry System (MSS allowing the containment of sediments and their physical-chemical treatment, e.g. aeration. Aeration for three months has increased the removal of main PHs contaminants up to 98%. As revealed by CARD-FISH, qPCR and 16S rRNA gene clone library analyses, addition of Bunker C fuel oil initially affected the activity of autochthonous aerobic obligate marine hydrocarbonoclastic bacteria (OMHCB, and after one month more than the third of microbial population was represented by Alcanivorax-, Cycloclasticus- and Marinobacter-related organisms. In the end of the experiment, the microbial community composition has returned to a status typically observed in pristine marine ecosystems with no detectable OMHCB present. Eco-toxicological bioassay revealed that the toxicity of sediments after treatment was substantially decreased. Thus, our studies demonstrated that petroleum-contaminated anaerobic marine sediments could efficiently be cleaned through an in situ oxygenation which stimulates their self-cleaning potential due to reawakening of allochtonous aerobic OMHCB.

Three manganese oxide-rich marine sediments harbor similar communities of acetate-oxidizing manganese-reducing bacteria.

Science.gov (United States)

Vandieken, Verona; Pester, Michael; Finke, Niko; Hyun, Jung-Ho; Friedrich, Michael W; Loy, Alexander; Thamdrup, Bo

2012-11-01

Dissimilatory manganese reduction dominates anaerobic carbon oxidation in marine sediments with high manganese oxide concentrations, but the microorganisms responsible for this process are largely unknown. In this study, the acetate-utilizing manganese-reducing microbiota in geographically well-separated, manganese oxide-rich sediments from Gullmar Fjord (Sweden), Skagerrak (Norway) and Ulleung Basin (Korea) were analyzed by 16S rRNA-stable isotope probing (SIP). Manganese reduction was the prevailing terminal electron-accepting process in anoxic incubations of surface sediments, and even the addition of acetate stimulated neither iron nor sulfate reduction. The three geographically distinct sediments harbored surprisingly similar communities of acetate-utilizing manganese-reducing bacteria: 16S rRNA of members of the genera Colwellia and Arcobacter and of novel genera within the Oceanospirillaceae and Alteromonadales were detected in heavy RNA-SIP fractions from these three sediments. Most probable number (MPN) analysis yielded up to 10(6) acetate-utilizing manganese-reducing cells cm(-3) in Gullmar Fjord sediment. A 16S rRNA gene clone library that was established from the highest MPN dilutions was dominated by sequences of Colwellia and Arcobacter species and members of the Oceanospirillaceae, supporting the obtained RNA-SIP results. In conclusion, these findings strongly suggest that (i) acetate-dependent manganese reduction in manganese oxide-rich sediments is catalyzed by members of taxa (Arcobacter, Colwellia and Oceanospirillaceae) previously not known to possess this physiological function, (ii) similar acetate-utilizing manganese reducers thrive in geographically distinct regions and (iii) the identified manganese reducers differ greatly from the extensively explored iron reducers in marine sediments.

Soil Organic Carbon Stocks in Arctic Deltaic Sediments: Investigations in the Lena River Delta.

Science.gov (United States)

Zubrzycki, S.; Kutzbach, L.; Desyatkin, A.; Pfeiffer, E.-M.

2012-04-01

The soil organic carbon stock (SSOC) of deltaic sediments in arctic permafrost regions is known to be significant but is insufficiently investigated so far. Previous SSOC studies were conducted mainly in the comparatively well studied Mackenzie River Delta (area: 13,000 km2) in Canada. The few studies from other arctic delta regions report only the gravimetric carbon (C) contents and are limited to the active layer depth at the time of sampling. Since C deposits in permafrost regions are likely to become a future C source, more detailed investigations of the presently frozen likely carbon-rich sediment and soil layers in other arctic delta regions are of importance. Our investigations were performed on Samoylov Island in the southern-central part of the Lena River Delta (32,000 km2) which is the largest arctic delta and the fifth largest delta worldwide. Samoylov Island is representative for the Lena River Delta's first terrace and the active floodplains. Within this study a new portable Snow-Ice-Permafrost-Research-Establishment (SIPRE) auger was used during a spring field session to obtain 1 m deep frozen soil cores (n = 37) distributed over all known soil and vegetation units. These cores are analyzed for bulk contents of nitrogen (N) and C, ice content and bulk density (BD) and to determine the SSOC including the rarely investigated currently permanently frozen layers up to 1 m depth on Samoylov Island. Our study provides evidence for high SSOC for a depth of 1 m for the investigated area ranging between 6 kg m2 and 54 kg m2. Considering the spatial extent of different soil units on the two geomorphological units of Samoylov Island, the area-weighted average SSOC were 31 kg m2 (n = 31) for the first terrace and 15 kg m2 (n = 6) for the active floodplain. For the correspondent soil units of Turbels and Orthels in circumpolar permafrost regions, Tarnocai et al. 2009 reported a mean SSOC of 27 kg m2 (min: 0.1 kg m2, max: 126 kg m2) for a depth of 1 m. For up

A review of the persistence of long-lived radionuclides in the marine environment - sediment/water interactions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Edgington, D.N.

1981-01-01

There is a considerable international concern regarding the advisability and safety of the disposal or dumping of radioactive wastes in the oceans. The assimilation capacity of the ocean for long-lived radionuclides will depend largely on the maximum concentrations that can be safely or agreeably contained within it. Since the mechanisms for removal or control are radioactive decay or association with particles and burial in the sediments, an understanding of the processes involved, in sediment-particle/water interactions, at the sediment/water interface, and within the sediment is extremely important. During the last 35 years there have been considerable inputs of long-lived radionuclides into the oceans as a result of weapons testing, routine releases from fuels reprocessing plants and operating nuclear reactors, and accidental releases from a variety of sources; this provides an excellent opportunity to study their behaviour in the oceans. Thus, the purpose here is to synthesize the present state of our knowledge of sediment/water interactions from studies, mainly of plutonium and americium, conducted in a wide range of environments from the Arctic to the tropics. (author)

High abundance of JS-1- and Chloroflexi-related Bacteria in deeply buried marine sediments revealed by quantitative, real-time PCR.

Science.gov (United States)

Blazejak, Anna; Schippers, Axel

2010-05-01

Sequences of members of the bacterial candidate division JS-1 and the classes Anaerolineae and Caldilineae of the phylum Chloroflexi are frequently found in 16S rRNA gene clone libraries obtained from marine sediments. Using a newly designed quantitative, real-time PCR assay, these bacterial groups were jointly quantified in samples from near-surface and deeply buried marine sediments from the Peru margin, the Black Sea, and a forearc basin off the island of Sumatra. In near-surface sediments, sequences of the JS-1 as well as Anaerolineae- and Caldilineae-related Bacteria were quantified with significantly lower 16S rRNA gene copy numbers than the sequences of total Bacteria. In contrast, in deeply buried sediments below approximately 1 m depth, similar quantities of the 16S rRNA gene copies of these specific groups and Bacteria were found. This finding indicates that JS-1 and Anaerolineae- and Caldilineae-related Bacteria might dominate the bacterial community in deeply buried marine sediments and thus seem to play an important ecological role in the deep biosphere.

Vertical activity distribution of dissimilatory nitrate reduction in coastal marine sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Behrendt, A.; de Beer, D.; Stief, P.

2013-01-01

The relative importance of two dissimilatory nitrate reduction pathways, denitrification (DEN) and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), was investigated in intact sediment cores from five different coastal marine field sites (Dorum, Aarhus Bight, Mississippi Delta, Limfjord...... reduction was clearly dominated by DEN (59-131% of the total NO3- reduced) rather than by DNRA, irrespective of the sedimentary inventories of electron donors such as organic carbon, sulfide, and iron. Highest ammonium production via DNRA, accounting for up to 8.9% of the total NO3- reduced, was found...... was detected accounting for 37-77% of the total NO3- reduced. These contradictory results might be explained by enhanced NO3- availability for DNRA bacteria in the sediment slurries compared to the core-incubated sediments in which diffusion of NO3- from the water column may only reach DEN bacteria...

In Situ Enhancement of Anaerobic Microbial Dechlorination of Polychlorinated Dibenzo-p-dioxins and Dibenzofurans in Marine and Estuarine Sediments

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Haeggblom, Max M; Fennell, Donna E; Kerkhof, Lee J

2006-01-01

... that is associated with dredging, and decrease the cost of sediment management. Reductive dehalogenation is a promising mechanism for the removal of toxic organohalides from estuarine and marine sediments...

Performance of a polymer sealant coating in an arctic marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moskowitz, P.; Cowgill, M.; Griffith, A.; Chernaenko, L.; Diashev, A.; Nazarian, A.

2001-01-01

The feasibility of using a polymer-based coating, Polibrid 705, to seal concrete and steel surfaces from permanent radioactive contamination in an Arctic marine environment has been successfully demonstrated using a combination of field and laboratory testing. A mobile, self-sufficient spraying device was developed to specifications provided by the Russian Northern Navy and deployed at the RTP Atomflot site, Murmansk, Russia. Demonstration coatings were applied to concrete surfaces exposed to conditions ranging from indoor pedestrian usage to heavy vehicle passage and container handling in a loading dock. A large steel container was also coated with the polymer, filled with solid radwaste, sealed, and left out of doors, exposed to the full annual Arctic weather cycle. The 12 months of field testing gave rise to little degradation of the sealant coating, except for a few chips and gouge marks on the loading bay surface that were readily repaired. Contamination resulting from radwaste handling was easily removed and the surface was not degraded by contact with the decontamination agents. The field tests were accompanied by a series of laboratory qualification tests carried out at a research laboratory in St. Petersburg. The laboratory tests examined a variety of properties, including bond strength between the coating and the substrate, thermal cycling resistance, wear resistance, flammability, and ease of decontamination. The Polibrid 705 coating met all the Russian Navy qualification requirements with the exception of flammability. In this last instance, it was decided to restrict application of the coating to land-based facilities

Temporal and spatial variation in polychlorinated biphenyl chiral signatures of the Greenland shark (Somniosus microcephalus) and its arctic marine food web

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lu, Zhe; Fisk, Aaron T.; Kovacs, Kit M.; Lydersen, Christian; McKinney, Melissa A.; Tomy, Gregg T.; Rosenburg, Bruno; McMeans, Bailey C.; Muir, Derek C.G.; Wong, Charles S.

2014-01-01

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) chiral signatures were measured in Greenland sharks (Somniosus microcephalus) and their potential prey in arctic marine food webs from Canada (Cumberland Sound) and Europe (Svalbard) to assess temporal and spatial variation in PCB contamination at the stereoisomer level. Marine mammals had species-specific enantiomer fractions (EFs), likely due to a combination of in vivo biotransformation and direct trophic transfer. Greenland sharks from Cumberland Sound in 2007–2008 had similar EFs to those sharks collected a decade ago in the same location (PCBs 91, 136 and 149) and also similar to their conspecifics from Svalbard for some PCB congeners (PCBs 95, 136 and 149). However, other PCB EFs in the sharks varied temporally (PCB 91) or spatially (PCB 95), suggesting a possible spatiotemporal variation in their diets, since biotransformation capacity was unlikely to have varied within this species from region to region or over the time frame studied. -- Highlights: • Chiral PCB signatures were measured in Greenland sharks and their prey. • Marine mammals accumulated non-racemic PCBs from biotransformation and their diet. • Chiral PCB signatures were similar in sharks at two different arctic locations. • Some changes in chiral PCB signatures in sharks over a decade. -- PCB chiral signatures in Greenland sharks shift over time and space, likely in parallel with dietary variation

Proceedings of the 30. Arctic and Marine Oilspill Program (AMOP) Technical Seminar

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2007-01-01

This conference was a forum for technology transfer among professionals working in the field of Arctic and marine oil spills, spill assessment, cleanup and control. It was attended by researchers developing oil spill countermeasures technology as well as regulators interested in controlling and managing oil spills. The conference included a technical seminar on chemical spills (TSOCS) for those involved in preventing, managing and controlling spills of hazardous materials. Biological solutions for remediating and rehabilitating contaminated sites were also presented. The presentations on leading-edge technologies used in marine oil spill response operations were presented during different sessions of the conference entitled: (1) physical and chemical properties and behaviour of spilled oil, (2) oil spill treating agents, (3) activity updates and contingency planning, (4) biological effects of oil and hydrocarbons and oil biodegradation, (5) containment and recovery, (6) shoreline protection and cleanup/in-situ burning, (7) detection, tracking and remote sensing, and (8) spill modelling. In addition to a poster session with papers, the conference also featured a technical seminar on chemical spills with a special session on DRDC field trials. The conference featured 55 presentations, of which 36 have been catalogued separately for inclusion in this database. refs., tabs., figs

Creating collaboration opportunities for marine research across the Arctic: The SEARCH-ACCESS partnership and an emerging sea ice prediction research network

Science.gov (United States)

Eicken, H.; Bitz, C. M.; Gascard, J.; Kaminski, T.; Karcher, M. J.; Kauker, F.; Overland, J. E.; Stroeve, J. C.; Wiggins, H. V.

2013-12-01

Rapid Arctic environmental and socio-economic change presents major challenges and opportunities to Arctic residents, government agencies and the private sector. The Arctic Ocean and its ice cover, in particular, are in the midst of transformative change, ranging from declines in sea-ice thickness and summer ice extent to threats to coastal communities and increases in maritime traffic and offshore resource development. The US interagency Study of Environmental Arctic Change (SEARCH) and the European Arctic Climate Change, Economy and Society (ACCESS) project are addressing both scientific research needs and stakeholder information priorities to improve understanding and responses to Arctic change. Capacity building, coordination and integration of activities at the international level and across sectors and stakeholder groups are major challenges that have to be met. ACCESS and SEARCH build on long-standing collaborations with a focus on environmental change in the Arctic ocean-ice-atmosphere system and the most pressing research needs to inform marine policy, resource management and threats to Arctic coastal communities. To illustrate the approach, key results and major conclusions from this international coordination and collaboration effort, we focus on a nascent sea-ice prediction research network. This activity builds on the Arctic Sea Ice Outlook that was initiated by SEARCH and the European DAMOCLES project (a precursor to ACCESS) and has now grown into an international community of practice that synthesizes, evaluates and discusses sea-ice predictions on seasonal to interannual scales. Key goals of the effort which is now entering into a new phase include the comparative evaluation of different prediction approaches, including the combination of different techniques, the compilation of reference datasets and model output, guidance on the design and implementation of observing system efforts to improve predictions and information transfer into private

Anthropogenic radionuclides in the Arctic Ocean. Distribution and pathways

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Josefsson, Dan

1998-05-01

Anthropogenic radionuclide concentrations have been determined in seawater and sediment samples collected in 1991, 1994 and 1996 in the Eurasian Arctic shelf and interior. Global fallout, releases from European reprocessing plants and the Chernobyl accident are identified as the three main sources. From measurements in the Eurasian shelf seas it is concluded that the total input of {sup 134}Cs, {sup 137}Cs and {sup 90}Sr from these sources has been decreasing during the 1990`s, while {sup 129}I has increased. The main fraction of the reprocessing and Chernobyl activity found in Arctic Ocean surface layer is transported from the Barents Sea east along the Eurasian Arctic shelf seas to the Laptev Sea before entering the Nansen Basin. This inflow results in highest {sup 137}Cs, {sup 129}I and {sup 90}Sr concentrations in the Arctic Ocean surface layers, and continuously decreasing concentrations with depth. Chernobyl-derived {sup 137}Cs appeared in the central parts of the Arctic Ocean around 1991, and in the mid 1990`s the fraction to total {sup 137}Cs was approximately 30% in the entire Eurasian Arctic region. The transfer times for releases from Sellafield are estimated to be 5-7 years to the SE Barents Sea, 7-9 years to the Kara Sea, 10-11 years to the Laptev Sea and 12-14 years to the central Arctic Ocean. Global fallout is the primary source of plutonium with highest concentrations found in the Atlantic layer of the Arctic Ocean. When transported over the shallow shelf seas, particle reactive transuranic elements experience an intense scavenging. A rough estimate shows that approximately 75% of the plutonium entering the Kara and Laptev Seas are removed to the sediment. High seasonal riverine input of {sup 239}, {sup 240}Pu is observed near the mouths of the large Russian rivers. Sediment inventories show much higher concentrations on the shelf compared to the deep Arctic Ocean. This is primarily due to the low particle flux in the open ocean

Anthropogenic radionuclides in the Arctic Ocean. Distribution and pathways

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Josefsson, Dan

1998-05-01

Anthropogenic radionuclide concentrations have been determined in seawater and sediment samples collected in 1991, 1994 and 1996 in the Eurasian Arctic shelf and interior. Global fallout, releases from European reprocessing plants and the Chernobyl accident are identified as the three main sources. From measurements in the Eurasian shelf seas it is concluded that the total input of 134 Cs, 137 Cs and 90 Sr from these sources has been decreasing during the 1990's, while 129 I has increased. The main fraction of the reprocessing and Chernobyl activity found in Arctic Ocean surface layer is transported from the Barents Sea east along the Eurasian Arctic shelf seas to the Laptev Sea before entering the Nansen Basin. This inflow results in highest 137 Cs, 129 I and 90 Sr concentrations in the Arctic Ocean surface layers, and continuously decreasing concentrations with depth. Chernobyl-derived 137 Cs appeared in the central parts of the Arctic Ocean around 1991, and in the mid 1990's the fraction to total 137 Cs was approximately 30% in the entire Eurasian Arctic region. The transfer times for releases from Sellafield are estimated to be 5-7 years to the SE Barents Sea, 7-9 years to the Kara Sea, 10-11 years to the Laptev Sea and 12-14 years to the central Arctic Ocean. Global fallout is the primary source of plutonium with highest concentrations found in the Atlantic layer of the Arctic Ocean. When transported over the shallow shelf seas, particle reactive transuranic elements experience an intense scavenging. A rough estimate shows that approximately 75% of the plutonium entering the Kara and Laptev Seas are removed to the sediment. High seasonal riverine input of 239 , 240 Pu is observed near the mouths of the large Russian rivers. Sediment inventories show much higher concentrations on the shelf compared to the deep Arctic Ocean. This is primarily due to the low particle flux in the open ocean

Salinity shifts in marine sediment: Importance of number of fluctuation rather than their intensities on bacterial denitrifying community.

Science.gov (United States)

Zaghmouri, Imen; Michotey, Valerie D; Armougom, Fabrice; Guasco, Sophie; Bonin, Patricia C

2018-05-01

The sensitivity of denitrifying community to salinity fluctuations was studied in microcosms filled with marine coastal sediments subjected to different salinity disturbances over time (sediment under frequent salinity changes vs sediment with "stable" salinity pattern). Upon short-term salinity shift, denitrification rate and denitrifiers abundance showed high resistance whatever the sediment origin is. Denitrifying community adapted to frequent salinity changes showed high resistance when salinity increases, with a dynamic nosZ relative expression level. Marine sediment denitrifying community, characterized by more stable pattern, was less resistant when salinity decreases. However, after two successive variations of salinity, it shifted toward the characteristic community of fluctuating conditions, with larger proportion of Pseudomonas-nosZ, exhibiting an increase of nosZ relative expression level. The impact of long-term salinity variation upon bacterial community was confirmed at ribosomal level with a higher percentage of Pseudomonas and lower proportion of nosZII clade genera. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Investigating plutonium contamination in marine sediments off Fukushima coast following the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant accident

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bu Wenting; Guo Qiuju; Zheng, Jian; Aono, Tatsuo; Tagami, Keiko; Uchida, Shigeo; Zhang, Jing; Yamada, Masatoshi

2013-01-01

The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident has caused large amounts of anthropogenic radionuclides to be released into the atmosphere as well as directly discharged into the sea. To obtain the vertical distribution of Pu isotopes in marine sediments and to better assess the possible contamination from the FDNPP accident in the marine environment, activities of "2"3"9"+"2"4"0Pu and "2"4"1Pu, as well as the atom ratios of "2"4"0Pu/"2"3"9Pu and "2"4"1Pu/"2"3"9Pu, were investigated in a sediment core collected from the western North Pacific in July 2011. The observed vertical profile of "2"3"9"+"2"4"0Pu activities and "2"4"0Pu/"2"3"9Pu atom ratios showed no extra injection of Pu from the accident, indicating no immediate Pu contamination from the FDNPP accident in the marine sediments in the region investigated. (author)

Metal concentrations and mobility in marine sediment and groundwater in coastal reclamation areas: A case study in Shenzhen, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chen Kouping; Jiao, Jiu J.

2008-01-01

The concentrations of metals in the buried marine sediment and groundwater were differently affected by land reclamation. Nine metals (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) in sediment and coastal groundwater from reclamation areas in Shenzhen were examined. The gradually decreased concentrations (V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu, Zn) in sediment and relatively higher concentrations (V, Cr, Mn, Co, Ni, Cu and Cd) in groundwater within reclamation areas were observed. The increase of V, Cr, Mn, Ni, Cu and Cd concentrations in groundwater within reclamation areas subsequently after land reclamation should be resulted from the mobilization of these metals accumulated in the sediment. These metals appear to be easily mobilized from solid phase to solution phase after reclamation. The physico-chemical changes such as reduction in pH and salinity in water environment induced by land reclamation appear to be responsible for metal mobility in the sediment-groundwater system. - Metals in coastal groundwater and marine sediment are affected by land reclamation

Certification of Trace Element Mass Fractions in IAEA-457 Marine Sediment Sample

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

The primary goal of the IAEA Environment Laboratories in Monaco (NAEL) is to help Member States understand, monitor and protect the marine environment. The major impact exerted by large coastal cities on marine ecosystems is therefore of great concern to the IAEA and its Environment Laboratories. Given that marine pollution assessments of such impacts depend on accurate knowledge of contaminant concentrations in various environmental compartments, the NAEL has assisted national laboratories and regional laboratory networks through its Reference Products for Environment and Trade programme since the early 1970s. Quality assurance (QA), quality control (QC) and associated good laboratory practice are essential components of all marine environmental monitoring studies. QC procedures are commonly based on the analysis of certified reference materials and reference samples in order to validate analytical methods used in monitoring studies and to assess reliability and comparability of measurement data. QA can be realized by participation in externally organized laboratory performance studies, also known as interlaboratory comparisons, which compare and evaluate analytical performance and measurement capabilities of participating laboratories. Data that are not based on adequate QA/QC can be erroneous and their misuse can lead to incorrect environmental management decisions. A marine sediment sample with certified mass fractions for Ag, Al, As, Cd, Cr, Co, Cu, Fe, Hg, Li, Mn, Ni, Pb, Sn, Sr, V and Zn was recently produced by the NAEL in the frame of a project between the IAEA and the Korea Institute of Ocean Science and Technology. This report describes the sample preparation methodology, the material homogeneity and stability study, the selection of laboratories, the evaluation of results from the certification campaign and the assignment of property values and their associated uncertainty. As a result, reference values for mass fractions and associated expanded

Shear-wave velocity of marine sediments offshore Taiwan using ambient seismic noise

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Yu-Tse; Lin, Jing-Yi; Kuo-Chen, Hao; Yeh, Yi-Chin; Cheng, Win-Bin

2017-04-01

Seismic ambient noise technology has many advantages over the traditional two-station method. The most important one is that noise is happening all the time and it can be widely and evenly distributed. Thus, the Green's Function of any station pair can be obtained through the data cross-correlation process. Many related studies have been performed to estimate the velocity structures based on the inland area. Only a few studies were reported for the marine area due to the relatively shorter recording time of ocean bottom seismometers (OBS) deployment and the high cost of the marine experiment. However, the understanding about the shear-wave velocity (Vs) of the marine sediments is very crucial for the hazard assessment related to submarine landslides, particularly with the growing of submarine resources exploration. In this study, we applied the ambient noise technique to four OBS seismic networks located offshore Taiwan in the aim of getting more information about the noise sources and having the preliminary estimation for the Vs of the marine sediments. Two of the seismic networks were deployed in the NE part of Taiwan, near the Ryukyu subduction system, whereas the others were in the SW area, on the continental margin rich in gas hydrate. Generally, ambient seismic noise could be associated with wind, ocean waves, rock fracturing and anthropogenic activity. In the southwestern Taiwan, the cross-correlation function obtained from two seismic networks indicate similar direction, suggestion that the source from the south part of the network could be the origin of the noise. However, the two networks in the northeastern Taiwan show various source direction, which could be caused by the abrupt change of bathymetry or the volcanic degassing effect frequently observed by the marine geophysical method in the area. The Vs determined from the dispersion curve shows a relatively higher value for the networks in the Okinawa Trough (OT) off NE Taiwan than that in the

Residual β activity of particulate 234Th as a novel proxy for tracking sediment resuspension in the ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Wuhui; Chen, Liqi; Zeng, Shi; Li, Tao; Wang, Yinghui; Yu, Kefu

2016-01-01

Sediment resuspension occurs in the global ocean, which greatly affects material exchange between the sediment and the overlying seawater. The behaviours of carbon, nutrients, heavy metals, and other pollutants at the sediment-seawater boundary will further link to climate change, eutrophication, and marine pollution. Residual β activity of particulate 234Th (RAP234) is used as a novel proxy to track sediment resuspension in different marine environments, including the western Arctic Ocean, the South China Sea, and the Southern Ocean. Sediment resuspension identified by high activity of RAP234 is supported by different lines of evidence including seawater turbidity, residence time of total 234Th, Goldschmidt’s classification, and ratio of RAP234 to particulate organic carbon. A conceptual model is proposed to elucidate the mechanism for RAP234 with dominant contributions from 234Th-238U and 212Bi-228Th. The ‘slope assumption’ for RAP234 indicated increasing intensity of sediment resuspension from spring to autumn under the influence of the East Asian monsoon system. RAP234 can shed new light on 234Th-based particle dynamics and should benefit the interpretation of historical 234Th-238U database. RAP234 resembles lithophile elements and has broad implications for investigating particle dynamics in the estuary-shelf-slope-ocean continuum and linkage of the atmosphere-ocean-sediment system. PMID:27252085

Residual β activity of particulate (234)Th as a novel proxy for tracking sediment resuspension in the ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Lin, Wuhui; Chen, Liqi; Zeng, Shi; Li, Tao; Wang, Yinghui; Yu, Kefu

2016-06-02

Sediment resuspension occurs in the global ocean, which greatly affects material exchange between the sediment and the overlying seawater. The behaviours of carbon, nutrients, heavy metals, and other pollutants at the sediment-seawater boundary will further link to climate change, eutrophication, and marine pollution. Residual β activity of particulate (234)Th (RAP234) is used as a novel proxy to track sediment resuspension in different marine environments, including the western Arctic Ocean, the South China Sea, and the Southern Ocean. Sediment resuspension identified by high activity of RAP234 is supported by different lines of evidence including seawater turbidity, residence time of total (234)Th, Goldschmidt's classification, and ratio of RAP234 to particulate organic carbon. A conceptual model is proposed to elucidate the mechanism for RAP234 with dominant contributions from (234)Th-(238)U and (212)Bi-(228)Th. The 'slope assumption' for RAP234 indicated increasing intensity of sediment resuspension from spring to autumn under the influence of the East Asian monsoon system. RAP234 can shed new light on (234)Th-based particle dynamics and should benefit the interpretation of historical (234)Th-(238)U database. RAP234 resembles lithophile elements and has broad implications for investigating particle dynamics in the estuary-shelf-slope-ocean continuum and linkage of the atmosphere-ocean-sediment system.

Electrolysis-driven bioremediation of crude oil-contaminated marine sediments.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellagamba, Marco; Cruz Viggi, Carolina; Ademollo, Nicoletta; Rossetti, Simona; Aulenta, Federico

2017-09-25

Bioremediation is an effective technology to tackle crude oil spill disasters, which takes advantage of the capacity of naturally occurring microorganisms to degrade petroleum hydrocarbons under a range of environmental conditions. The enzymatic process of breaking down oil is usually more rapid in the presence of oxygen. However, in contaminated sediments, oxygen levels are typically too low to sustain the rapid and complete biodegradation of buried hydrocarbons. Here, we explored the possibility to electrochemically manipulate the redox potential of a crude oil-contaminated marine sediment in order to establish, in situ, conditions that are conducive to contaminants biodegradation by autochthonous microbial communities. The proposed approach is based on the exploitation of low-voltage (2V) seawater electrolysis to drive oxygen generation (while minimizing chlorine evolution) on Dimensionally Stable Anodes (DSA) placed within the contaminated sediment. Results, based on a laboratory scale setup with chronically polluted sediments spiked with crude oil, showed an increased redox potential and a decreased pH in the vicinity of the anode of 'electrified' treatments, consistent with the occurrence of oxygen generation. Accordingly, hydrocarbons biodegradation was substantially accelerated (up to 3-times) compared to 'non-electrified' controls, while sulfate reduction was severely inhibited. Intermittent application of electrolysis proved to be an effective strategy to minimize the energy requirements of the process, without adversely affecting degradation performance. Taken as a whole, this study suggests that electrolysis-driven bioremediation could be a sustainable technology for the management of contaminated sediments. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.