Urbanization effects on the hydrology of the Atlanta, Georgia (USA)

Science.gov (United States)

Peters, N.E.; Rose, S.

2001-01-01

For the period from 1958 to 1996, streamflow and rainfall characteristics of a highly urbanized watershed were compared with less-urbanized and non-urbanized watersheds in the vicinity of Atlanta, Georgia (USA). Water levels in several wells completed in surficial and crystalline-rock aquifers also were evaluated. Annual runoff coefficients (runoff as a fractional percentage of precipitation) ranged from 0.31 to 0.34 and were not significantly different for the urban stream (Peachtree Creek). Peak flows for the largest 25 stormflows at Peachtree Creek were 30% to 80% greater than peak flows for the other streams. A 2-day storm recession constant for Peachtree Creek was much larger, that is streamflow decreased more rapidly than for the other streams. Average low flow of Peachtree Creek was 25 to 35% less than the other streams, possibly the result of decreased infiltration caused by the more efficient routing of storm water and the paving of groundwater recharge areas. The timing of groundwater level variations was similar annually in each well, reflecting the seasonal recharge. Although water level monitoring only began during the late 1970s and early 1980s for the two urban wells, water levels in these wells have been declining compared to non-urban wells since then. The water level decline is attributed to decreased groundwater recharge in the urban watersheds due to increased imperviousness and related rapid storm runoff. Likewise, the increased urbanization from the 1960s to the 1990s of the Peachtree Creek watershed produced more runoff than urbanization in the less urbanized Big Creek and Sweetwater Creek watersheds.

Habitat selection and diurnal refugia of gray foxes in southwestern Georgia, USA.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nicholas R Deuel

Full Text Available Understanding habitat selection of gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus is essential to evaluate their potential response to changes in land use and predator communities. Few studies have evaluated temporal habitat selection or explicitly identified habitats used by gray foxes for diurnal refugia. We used GPS collars to obtain location data for 34 gray foxes (20 males and 14 females from February 2014 to December 2015 to evaluate temporal (seasonal and diel habitat selection and selection of diurnal refugia in southwestern Georgia, USA. We analyzed habitat selection at 2 levels, selection of a core area within the home range and selection of locations within the home range. Habitat selection was non-random (P 0.05. Hardwoods, human use (i.e., areas associated with regular human activity such as buildings, lawns, parking areas, etc., and roads were selected (P 0.05. Selection of habitats for diurnal refugia did not vary seasonally or by sex (P > 0.05, with foxes selecting (P < 0.05 areas near hardwood forests, roads, agriculture, human use, pastures/food plots, and shrub scrub habitats. Gray foxes were observed on the ground while resting, and we found no evidence of gray foxes diurnally resting in trees. Our results suggest that on our study area, gray foxes are an edge species that prefer forests with a hardwood component in areas near human use and roads.

Characterizing seston in the Penobscot River Estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Meseck, Shannon L; Li, Yaqin; Sunila, Inke; Dixon, Mark; Clark, Paul; Lipsky, Christine; Stevens, Justin R; Music, Paul; Wikfors, Gary H

2017-10-01

The Penobscot River Estuary is an important system for diadromous fish in the Northeast United States of American (USA), in part because it is home to the largest remnant population of Atlantic salmon, Salmo salar, in the country. Little is known about the chemical and biological characteristics of seston in the Penobscot River Estuary. This study used estuarine transects to characterize the seston during the spring when river discharge is high and diadromous fish migration peaks in the Penobscot River Estuary. To characterize the seston, samples were taken in spring 2015 for phytoplankton identification, total suspended matter (TSM), percent organic TSM, chlorophyll a, particle size (2 μm-180 μm), particulate carbon and nitrogen concentrations, and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopes. The estuarine profiles indicate that TSM behaved non-conservatively with a net gain in the estuary. As phytoplankton constituted only 1/1000 of the particles, the non-conservative behavior of TSM observed in the estuary was most likely not attributable to phytoplankton. Particulate carbon and nitrogen ratios and stable isotope signals indicate a strong terrestrial, allochthonous signal. The seston in the Penobscot River Estuary was dominated by non-detrital particles. During a short, two-week time period, Heterosigma akashiwo, a phytoplankton species toxic to finfish, also was detected in the estuary. A limited number of fish samples, taken after the 2015 Penobscot River Estuary bloom of H. akashiwo, indicated frequent pathological gill damage. The composition of seston, along with ichthyotoxic algae, suggest the need for further research into possible effects upon resident and migratory fish in the Penobscot River Estuary. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Smoke incursions into urban areas: simulation of a Georgia prescribed burn

Science.gov (United States)

Y. Liu; S. Goodrick; G. Achtemeier

2009-01-01

This study investigates smoke incursion into urban areas by examining a prescribed burn in central Georgia,USA, on 28 February 2007. Simulations were conducted with a regional modeling framework to understand transport, dispersion,and structure of smoke plumes, the air quality effects, sensitivity to emissions,...

Distribution, hosts and identification of Meloidogyne partityla in the USA

Science.gov (United States)

Pecan, Carya illinoensis, is an economically important nut crop and member of the Juglandaceae native to the southern USA. Discovered in South Africa in 1986, Meloidogyne partityla was first found infecting pecan in USA in 1996 and currently occurs in Texas, New Mexico, Georgia, Arizona, Oklahoma a...

Biological effects of simulated discharge plume entrainment at Indian Point Nuclear Power Station, Hudson River estuary, USA

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lanza, G.R.; Lauer, G.J.; Ginn, T.C.; Storm, P.C.; Zubarik, L.; New York Univ., N.Y.

1975-01-01

Laboratory and field simulations of the discharge plume entrainment of phytoplankton, zooplankton and fish were carried out at the Indian Point Nuclear Station, Hudson River estuary, USA. Phytoplankton assemblages studied on two dates produced different response patterns measured as photosynthetic activity. Chlorophyll-a levels did not change following simulated entrainment. Possible explanations for the differences are discussed. The two abundant copepods Acartia tonsa and Eurytemorta affinis appear to tolerate exposure to discharge plume ΔT without adverse effects. Copepods subjected to plume entrainment may suffer considerable mortality during periods of condenser chlorination. In general, the amphipod Gammarus spp. did not appear to suffer significant mortality during simulated entrainment. Juvenile striped bass, Morone saxatilis, were not affected by simulated plume transit before and during plant condenser chlorination; however, a simulated ''worst possible case'' plume ΔT produced statistically significant moralities. (author)

Application of microwave radiometers for wetlands and estuaries monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Shutko, A.; Haldin, A.; Novichikhin, E.

1997-01-01

This paper presents the examples of experimental data obtained with airborne microwave radiometers used for monitoring of wetlands and estuaries located in coastal environments. The international team of researchers has successfully worked in Russia, Ukraine and USA. The data presented relate to a period of time between 1990 and 1995. They have been collected in Odessa Region, Black Sea coast, Ukraine, in Regions of Pittsville and Winfield, Maryland, USA, and in Region of St. Marks, Florida, USA. The parameters discussed are a soil moisture, depth to a shallow water table, vegetation index, salinity of water surface

Susceptibility to Heat-Related Fluid and Electrolyte Imbalance Emergency Department Visits in Atlanta, Georgia, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Leila Heidari

2016-10-01

Full Text Available Identification of populations susceptible to heat effects is critical for targeted prevention and more accurate risk assessment. Fluid and electrolyte imbalance (FEI may provide an objective indicator of heat morbidity. Data on daily ambient temperature and FEI emergency department (ED visits were collected in Atlanta, Georgia, USA during 1993–2012. Associations of warm-season same-day temperatures and FEI ED visits were estimated using Poisson generalized linear models. Analyses explored associations between FEI ED visits and various temperature metrics (maximum, minimum, average, and diurnal change in ambient temperature, apparent temperature, and heat index modeled using linear, quadratic, and cubic terms to allow for non-linear associations. Effect modification by potential determinants of heat susceptibility (sex; race; comorbid congestive heart failure, kidney disease, and diabetes; and neighborhood poverty and education levels was assessed via stratification. Higher warm-season ambient temperature was significantly associated with FEI ED visits, regardless of temperature metric used. Stratified analyses suggested heat-related risks for all populations, but particularly for males. This work highlights the utility of FEI as an indicator of heat morbidity, the health threat posed by warm-season temperatures, and the importance of considering susceptible populations in heat-health research.

Workflow to study genetic biodiversity of aflatoxigenic Aspergillus spp. in Georgia, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Peanut seeds were sampled from the entire state of Georgia in 2014. More than 600 isolates of Aspergillus spp. were collected using modified-dichloran rose Bengal (MDRB) medium, 240 of those isolates were fingerprinted with 25 InDel markers within the aflatoxin-biosynthesis gene cluster (ABC). Clust...

Inorganic Carbon and Oxygen Dynamics in a Marsh-dominated Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, S. R.; Di Iorio, D.; Cai, W. J.; Hopkinson, C.

2017-12-01

A free-water mass balance-based study was conducted to address the rate of metabolism and net carbon exchange for the tidal wetland and estuarine portion of the coastal ocean and the uncertainties associated with this approach were assessed. Open water diurnal O2 and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) were measured seasonally in a salt marsh-estuary in Georgia, U.S.A. with a focus on the marsh-estuary linkage associated with tidal flooding. We observed that the overall estuarine system was a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere and coastal ocean and a net sink for oceanic and atmospheric O2. Rates of metabolism were extremely high, with respiration (43 mol m-2 yr-1) greatly exceeding gross primary production (28 mol m-2 yr-1), such that the overall system was net heterotrophic. Metabolism measured with DIC were higher than with O2, which we attribute to high rates of anaerobic respiration and reduced sulfur storage in salt marsh sediments, and we assume substantial levels of anoxygenic photosynthesis. We found gas exchange from a flooded marsh is substantial, accounting for about 28% of total O2 and CO2 air-water exchange. A significant percentage of the overall estuarine aquatic metabolism is attributable to metabolism of marsh organisms during inundation. Our study suggests not rely on oceanographic stoichiometry to convert from O2to C based measurements when constructing C balances for the coastal ocean. We also suggest eddy covariance measurements of salt marsh net ecosystem exchange underestimate net ecosystem production as they do not account for lateral DIC exchange associated with marsh tidal inundation. With the increase of global temperature and sea level rise, salt marshes are likely to export more inorganic carbon to the atmosphere and the coastal ocean due to the decrease of solubility, the increase of aquatic and benthic metabolic activities and the longer marsh inundation.

Parasitoid complex of the mealybug Oracella acuta (Lobdell) (Hemiptera: Pseudococcidae), in Georgia, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Jiang-Hua Sun; Stephen R. Clarke; Gary L. Debarr; C. Wayne Berisford

2004-01-01

The parasitoid complex of the mealybug Oracella acuta (Lobdell) was examined in two field populations in Georgia in 1995-96. Allotropa n. sp. and Zarhopalus debarri Sun were the primary endoparasitoids emerging from 0. acuta. Adult abundance varied seasonally, with Allotropa...

Occurrence of an exotic earthworm (Amynthas agrestis) in undisturbed soils of the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Mac. A. Callaham; Paul F. Hendrix; Ross J. Phillips

2003-01-01

This study documents the occurrence of an aggressive invasive earthworm species in undisturbed forest soils of the southern Appalachian Mountains of northern Georgia, USA. Earthworms were sorted from samples collected in pitfall traps that had been set in mature, mesic oak-hickory forests in remote, high elevation, locations across northern Georgia. Specimens were...

A value orientation approach to assess and compare climate change risk perception among trout anglers in Georgia, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Ramesh Paudyal; Neelam C. Poudyal; J.M. Bowker; Adrienne M. Dorison; Stanley J. Zarnoch; Gary T. Green

2015-01-01

Trout in Georgia could experience early impacts from climate change as the streams in the region are located at the southern most edge of their North American home range. This study surveyed trout anglers in Georgia to understand how anglers perceive the potential impact of climate change on trout, and whether and how their perception and response to declines in trout...

POINT CLOUD MAPPING METHODS FOR DOCUMENTING CULTURAL LANDSCAPE FEATURES AT THE WORMSLOE STATE HISTORIC SITE, SAVANNAH, GEORGIA, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. R. Jordana

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Documentation of the three-dimensional (3D cultural landscape has traditionally been conducted during site visits using conventional photographs, standard ground surveys and manual measurements. In recent years, there have been rapid developments in technologies that produce highly accurate 3D point clouds, including aerial LiDAR, terrestrial laser scanning, and photogrammetric data reduction from unmanned aerial systems (UAS images and hand held photographs using Structure from Motion (SfM methods. These 3D point clouds can be precisely scaled and used to conduct measurements of features even after the site visit has ended. As a consequence, it is becoming increasingly possible to collect non-destructive data for a wide variety of cultural site features, including landscapes, buildings, vegetation, artefacts and gardens. As part of a project for the U.S. National Park Service, a variety of data sets have been collected for the Wormsloe State Historic Site, near Savannah, Georgia, USA. In an effort to demonstrate the utility and versatility of these methods at a range of scales, comparisons of the features mapped with different techniques will be discussed with regards to accuracy, data set completeness, cost and ease-of-use.

CREEK Project's Oyster Biomass Database for Eight Creeks in the North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina

Data.gov (United States)

Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, Univ of South Carolina — A group of eight tidal creeks dominated by oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, USA were studied using a replicated BACI (Before -...

Methylmercury bioaccumulation in an urban estuary: Delaware River USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Buckman, Kate; Taylor, Vivien; Broadley, Hannah; Hocking, Daniel; Balcom, Prentiss; Mason, Rob; Nislow, Keith; Chen, Celia

2017-09-01

Spatial variation in mercury (Hg) and methylmercury (MeHg) bioaccumulation in urban coastal watersheds reflects complex interactions between Hg sources, land use, and environmental gradients. We examined MeHg concentrations in fauna from the Delaware River estuary, and related these measurements to environmental parameters and human impacts on the waterway. The sampling sites followed a north to south gradient of increasing salinity, decreasing urban influence, and increasing marsh cover. Although mean total Hg in surface sediments (top 4cm) peaked in the urban estuarine turbidity maximum and generally decreased downstream, surface sediment MeHg concentrations showed no spatial patterns consistent with the examined environmental gradients, indicating urban influence on Hg loading to the sediment but not subsequent methylation. Surface water particulate MeHg concentration showed a positive correlation with marsh cover whereas dissolved MeHg concentrations were slightly elevated in the estuarine turbidity maximum region. Spatial patterns of MeHg bioaccumulation in resident fauna varied across taxa. Small fish showed increased MeHg concentrations in the more urban/industrial sites upstream, with concentrations generally decreasing farther downstream. Invertebrates either showed no clear spatial patterns in MeHg concentrations (blue crabs, fiddler crabs) or increasing concentrations further downstream (grass shrimp). Best-supported linear mixed models relating tissue concentration to environmental variables reflected these complex patterns, with species specific model results dominated by random site effects with a combination of particulate MeHg and landscape variables influencing bioaccumulation in some species. The data strengthen accumulating evidence that bioaccumulation in estuaries can be decoupled from sediment MeHg concentration, and that drivers of MeHg production and fate may vary within a small region.

Estuary-ocean connectivity: fast physics, slow biology.

Science.gov (United States)

Raimonet, Mélanie; Cloern, James E

2017-06-01

Estuaries are connected to both land and ocean so their physical, chemical, and biological dynamics are influenced by climate patterns over watersheds and ocean basins. We explored climate-driven oceanic variability as a source of estuarine variability by comparing monthly time series of temperature and chlorophyll-a inside San Francisco Bay with those in adjacent shelf waters of the California Current System (CCS) that are strongly responsive to wind-driven upwelling. Monthly temperature fluctuations inside and outside the Bay were synchronous, but their correlations weakened with distance from the ocean. These results illustrate how variability of coastal water temperature (and associated properties such as nitrate and oxygen) propagates into estuaries through fast water exchanges that dissipate along the estuary. Unexpectedly, there was no correlation between monthly chlorophyll-a variability inside and outside the Bay. However, at the annual scale Bay chlorophyll-a was significantly correlated with the Spring Transition Index (STI) that sets biological production supporting fish recruitment in the CCS. Wind forcing of the CCS shifted in the late 1990s when the STI advanced 40 days. This shift was followed, with lags of 1-3 years, by 3- to 19-fold increased abundances of five ocean-produced demersal fish and crustaceans and 2.5-fold increase of summer chlorophyll-a in the Bay. These changes reflect a slow biological process of estuary-ocean connectivity operating through the immigration of fish and crustaceans that prey on bivalves, reduce their grazing pressure, and allow phytoplankton biomass to build. We identified clear signals of climate-mediated oceanic variability in this estuary and discovered that the response patterns vary with the process of connectivity and the timescale of ocean variability. This result has important implications for managing nutrient inputs to estuaries connected to upwelling systems, and for assessing their responses to changing

Urban microbial ecology of a freshwater estuary of Lake Michigan.

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Jenny C; Newton, Ryan J; Dila, Deborah K; McLellan, Sandra L

Freshwater estuaries throughout the Great Lakes region receive stormwater runoff and riverine inputs from heavily urbanized population centers. While human and animal feces contained in this runoff are often the focus of source tracking investigations, non-fecal bacterial loads from soil, aerosols, urban infrastructure, and other sources are also transported to estuaries and lakes. We quantified and characterized this non-fecal urban microbial component using bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences from sewage, stormwater, rivers, harbor/estuary, and the lake surrounding Milwaukee, WI, USA. Bacterial communities from each of these environments had a distinctive composition, but some community members were shared among environments. We used a statistical biomarker discovery tool to identify the components of the microbial community that were most strongly associated with stormwater and sewage to describe an "urban microbial signature," and measured the presence and relative abundance of these organisms in the rivers, estuary, and lake. This urban signature increased in magnitude in the estuary and harbor with increasing rainfall levels, and was more apparent in lake samples with closest proximity to the Milwaukee estuary. The dominant bacterial taxa in the urban signature were Acinetobacter, Aeromonas , and Pseudomonas , which are organisms associated with pipe infrastructure and soil and not typically found in pelagic freshwater environments. These taxa were highly abundant in stormwater and sewage, but sewage also contained a high abundance of Arcobacter and Trichococcus that appeared in lower abundance in stormwater outfalls and in trace amounts in aquatic environments. Urban signature organisms comprised 1.7% of estuary and harbor communities under baseflow conditions, 3.5% after rain, and >10% after a combined sewer overflow. With predicted increases in urbanization across the Great Lakes, further alteration of freshwater communities is likely to occur with potential

Urban microbial ecology of a freshwater estuary of Lake Michigan

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jenny C. Fisher

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Abstract Freshwater estuaries throughout the Great Lakes region receive stormwater runoff and riverine inputs from heavily urbanized population centers. While human and animal feces contained in this runoff are often the focus of source tracking investigations, non-fecal bacterial loads from soil, aerosols, urban infrastructure, and other sources are also transported to estuaries and lakes. We quantified and characterized this non-fecal urban microbial component using bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences from sewage, stormwater, rivers, harbor/estuary, and the lake surrounding Milwaukee, WI, USA. Bacterial communities from each of these environments had a distinctive composition, but some community members were shared among environments. We used a statistical biomarker discovery tool to identify the components of the microbial community that were most strongly associated with stormwater and sewage to describe an “urban microbial signature,” and measured the presence and relative abundance of these organisms in the rivers, estuary, and lake. This urban signature increased in magnitude in the estuary and harbor with increasing rainfall levels, and was more apparent in lake samples with closest proximity to the Milwaukee estuary. The dominant bacterial taxa in the urban signature were Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, and Pseudomonas, which are organisms associated with pipe infrastructure and soil and not typically found in pelagic freshwater environments. These taxa were highly abundant in stormwater and sewage, but sewage also contained a high abundance of Arcobacter and Trichococcus that appeared in lower abundance in stormwater outfalls and in trace amounts in aquatic environments. Urban signature organisms comprised 1.7% of estuary and harbor communities under baseflow conditions, 3.5% after rain, and >10% after a combined sewer overflow. With predicted increases in urbanization across the Great Lakes, further alteration of freshwater communities is

Urban microbial ecology of a freshwater estuary of Lake Michigan

Science.gov (United States)

Fisher, Jenny C.; Newton, Ryan J.; Dila, Deborah K.

2015-01-01

Freshwater estuaries throughout the Great Lakes region receive stormwater runoff and riverine inputs from heavily urbanized population centers. While human and animal feces contained in this runoff are often the focus of source tracking investigations, non-fecal bacterial loads from soil, aerosols, urban infrastructure, and other sources are also transported to estuaries and lakes. We quantified and characterized this non-fecal urban microbial component using bacterial 16S rRNA gene sequences from sewage, stormwater, rivers, harbor/estuary, and the lake surrounding Milwaukee, WI, USA. Bacterial communities from each of these environments had a distinctive composition, but some community members were shared among environments. We used a statistical biomarker discovery tool to identify the components of the microbial community that were most strongly associated with stormwater and sewage to describe an “urban microbial signature,” and measured the presence and relative abundance of these organisms in the rivers, estuary, and lake. This urban signature increased in magnitude in the estuary and harbor with increasing rainfall levels, and was more apparent in lake samples with closest proximity to the Milwaukee estuary. The dominant bacterial taxa in the urban signature were Acinetobacter, Aeromonas, and Pseudomonas, which are organisms associated with pipe infrastructure and soil and not typically found in pelagic freshwater environments. These taxa were highly abundant in stormwater and sewage, but sewage also contained a high abundance of Arcobacter and Trichococcus that appeared in lower abundance in stormwater outfalls and in trace amounts in aquatic environments. Urban signature organisms comprised 1.7% of estuary and harbor communities under baseflow conditions, 3.5% after rain, and >10% after a combined sewer overflow. With predicted increases in urbanization across the Great Lakes, further alteration of freshwater communities is likely to occur with

Below the Disappearing Marshes of an Urban Estuary: Historic Nitrogen Trends and Soil Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Marshes in the urban Jamaica Bay Estuary, New York, USA are disappearing at an average rate of 13 ha/yr, and multiple stressors (e.g., wastewater inputs, dredging activities, groundwater removal, and global warming) may be contributing to marsh losses. Among these stressors, wa...

CREEK Project's Nekton Database for Eight Creeks in the North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina: 1997-1998.

Data.gov (United States)

Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, Univ of South Carolina — A group of eight intertidal creeks with high densities of oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, USA were studied using a replicated...

Seasonal dynamics of dissolved, particulate and microbial components of a tidal saltmarsh-dominated estuary under contrasting levels of freshwater discharge

Science.gov (United States)

Bittar, Thais B.; Berger, Stella A.; Birsa, Laura M.; Walters, Tina L.; Thompson, Megan E.; Spencer, Robert G. M.; Mann, Elizabeth L.; Stubbins, Aron; Frischer, Marc E.; Brandes, Jay A.

2016-12-01

Tidal Spartina-dominated saltmarshes and estuaries on the Southeast US coast are global hotspots of productivity. In coastal Georgia, tidal amplitudes and saltmarsh productivity are the highest along the Southeast US coast. Coastal Georgia is characterized by a humid subtropical seasonal climate, and inter-annual variability in precipitation, and freshwater discharge. The 2012-2013 timeframe encompassed contrasting levels of discharge for the Savannah River, a major Georgia river, with a 4.3-fold greater discharge in summer 2013 relative to summer 2012. In situ measurements of temperature, salinity, precipitation and Secchi depth, and water samples were collected weekly at high tide throughout 2012 and 2013 from the Skidaway River Estuary, a tidal saltmarsh-dominated estuary in coastal Georgia influenced by Savannah River hydrology. The effects of elevated discharge on the seasonal trends of water column components were evaluated. The shift from low discharge (2012) to high discharge (2013) led to decreased salinity in summer 2013, but no significant increases in inorganic nutrient (NH4, NOx, SiO2 and PO4) concentrations. Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) concentrations decreased, and DIC stable isotopic signatures (δ13C-DIC values) were depleted in summer 2013 relative to summer 2012. In 2013 dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations, chromophoric and fluorescent dissolved organic matter (DOM: CDOM, FDOM) intensities, specific UV-absorbance (SUVA254) and relative humic-like fluorescence were all higher than in 2012, indicating that, as discharge increased in 2013, estuarine water became enriched in terrigenous DOM. Secchi depth and particulate organic carbon (POC) and nitrogen (PON) concentrations displayed clear seasonal patterns that were not significantly altered by discharge. However, δ13C-POC and δ15N-PON isotopic signatures indicated higher terrigenous contributions at elevated discharge. Discharge influenced cyanobacterial composition, but did not

Comment on "Exposure to mercury and Aroclor 1268 congeners in least terns (Sternula antillarum) in coastal Georgia, USA" by G. L. Robinson, G. L. Mills, A. H. Lindell, S. H. Schweitzer and S. M. Hernandez, Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 2015, 17, 1424.

Science.gov (United States)

Fuchsman, P C; Henning, M H; Magar, V S

2016-02-01

In a recent paper published in this journal (Robinson et al., Environmental Science: Processes & Impacts, 2015, 17, 1424), Robinson et al. reported concentrations of Aroclor 1268 congeners in least tern eggs in coastal Georgia, USA. This comment describes important omissions in Robinson et al.'s interpretation of those egg concentrations that alter the overall conclusions of the least tern study.

The Programs for Strengthening Biosafety and Biosecurity in Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kutateladze, M.

2007-01-01

The difficulties connected with the political changes due to the breakdown of Soviet system caused serious problems in biosafety and security in Georgia. During last 10-12 years, lack of state financing caused destruction of the systems of biosafety in the relevant Institutions - the system became formal and completely damaged. The program for prevention of biological weapons (BW) proliferation operates in Georgia since 2002. The agreement between United States and Georgia covers several issues, including prevention the proliferation of biological weapons technology, pathogenic strains and their expertise at the source. Department of Defense of the USA supports the country to consolidate especially dangerous pathogens (EDPs) into safe and secure central reference laboratories, improve our capabilities to detect and respond to disease outbreaks caused by the EDP, integrate Georgian scientists into the international scientific community and eliminate BW infrastructure and technology. Elimination of BW infrastructure includes dismantle and elimination of biological threat agent materials, dual-use equipment and associated infrastructure. Biosecurity and Biosafety involve implementation of technical enhancements to meet and maintain US standards, create a personal reliability program to reduce the release of pathogens and secure a safer working environment for personnel. Currently, two projects are funded through the Cooperative Biological Research (CBR) in Georgia - to study the ecology, biodiversity, genetic clustering and virulence of Yersinia pestis and Vibrio spp. These projects are performed at the National Center for Disease Control and Medical statistics (NCDC) and G. Eliava Institute of Bacteriophages, Microbiology and Virology. These projects are carried out due to the fruitful collaboration between Georgian and American scientists. Threat Agent Detection and Response (TADR) system provides enhanced reporting, detection and response for human and animal EDPs

Multi-scale modeling of Puget Sound using an unstructured-grid coastal ocean model: from tide flats to estuaries and coastal waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yang, Zhaoqing; Khangaonkar, Tarang

2010-01-01

Water circulation in Puget Sound, a large complex estuary system in the Pacific Northwest coastal ocean of the United States, is governed by multiple spatially and temporally varying forcings from tides, atmosphere (wind, heating/cooling, precipitation/evaporation, pressure), and river inflows. In addition, the hydrodynamic response is affected strongly by geomorphic features, such as fjord-like bathymetry and complex shoreline features, resulting in many distinguishing characteristics in its main and sub-basins. To better understand the details of circulation features in Puget Sound and to assist with proposed nearshore restoration actions for improving water quality and the ecological health of Puget Sound, a high-resolution (around 50 m in estuaries and tide flats) hydrodynamic model for the entire Puget Sound was needed. Here, a threedimensional circulation model of Puget Sound using an unstructured-grid finite volume coastal ocean model is presented. The model was constructed with sufficient resolution in the nearshore region to address the complex coastline, multi-tidal channels, and tide flats. Model open boundaries were extended to the entrance of the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the northern end of the Strait of Georgia to account for the influences of ocean water intrusion from the Strait of Juan de Fuca and the Fraser River plume from the Strait of Georgia, respectively. Comparisons of model results, observed data, and associated error statistics for tidal elevation, velocity, temperature, and salinity indicate that the model is capable of simulating the general circulation patterns on the scale of a large estuarine system as well as detailed hydrodynamics in the nearshore tide flats. Tidal characteristics, temperature/salinity stratification, mean circulation, and river plumes in estuaries with tide flats are discussed.

Geochronologic evidence for a possible MIS-11 emergent barrier/beach-ridge in southeastern Georgia, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Markewich, H.W.; Pavich, M.J.; Schultz, A.P.; Mahan, S.A.; Aleman-Gonzalez, W. B.; Bierman, P.R.

2013-01-01

Predominantly clastic, off-lapping, transgressive, near-shore marine sediment packages that are morphologically expressed as subparallel NE-trending barriers, beach ridges, and associated back-barrier areas, characterize the near-surface stratigraphic section between the Savannah and the Ogeechee Rivers in Effingham County, southeastern Georgia. Each barrier/back-barrier (shoreline) complex is lower than and cut into a higher/older complex. Each barrier or shoreline complex overlies Miocene strata. No direct age data are available for these deposits. Previous researchers have disagreed on their age and provenance. Using luminescence and meteoric beryllium-10 (10Be) inventory analyses, we estimated a minimum age for the largest, westernmost, morphologically identifiable, and topographically-highest, barrier/beach-ridge (the Wicomico shoreline barrier) and constrained the age of a suite of younger barrier/beach-ridges that lie adjacent and seaward of the Wicomico shoreline barrier. At the study site, the near-shore marine/estuarine deposits underlying the Wicomico shoreline barrier are overlain by eolian sand and an intervening zone-of-mixing. Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) data indicate ages of ≤43 ka for the eolian sand and 116 ka for the zone-of-mixing. Meteoric 10Be and pedostratigraphic data indicate minimum residence times of 33.4 ka for the eolian sand, 80.6 ka for the zone-of-mixing, and 247 ka for the paleosol. The combined OSL and 10Be age data indicate that, at this locality, the barrier/beach ridge has a minimum age of about 360 ka. This age for the Wicomico shoreline-barrier deposit is the first for any Pleistocene near-shore marine/estuarine deposit in southeast Georgia that is conclusively older than 80 ka. The 360-ka minimum age is in agreement with other geochronologic data for near-coastline deposits in Georgia and South Carolina. The geomorphic position of this barrier/beach-ridge is similar to deposits in South Carolina considered to be

Effects of Prevailing Winds on Turbidity of a Shallow Estuary

OpenAIRE

Cho, Hyun Jung

2007-01-01

Estuarine waters are generally more turbid than lakes or marine waters due to greater algal mass and continual re-suspension of sediments. The varying effects of diurnal and seasonal prevailing winds on the turbidity condition of a wind-dominated estuary were investigated by spatial and statistical analyses of wind direction, water level, turbidity, chlorophyll a, and PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation) collected in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, USA. The prolonged prevailing winds were...

CREEK Project's Internal Creek Habitat Survey for Eight Creeks in the North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina: January 1998.

Data.gov (United States)

Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, Univ of South Carolina — A group of eight intertidal creeks with high densities of oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, USA were studied using a replicated...

CREEK Project's Microzooplankton Seasonal Monitoring Database for Eight Creeks in the North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina: 1997-1999

Data.gov (United States)

Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, Univ of South Carolina — A group of eight intertidal creeks with high densities of oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, USA were studied using a replicated...

Modeling Soil Quality Thresholds to Ecosystem Recovery at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Garten Jr., C.T.

2004-03-08

The objective of this research was to use a simple model of soil C and N dynamics to predict nutrient thresholds to ecosystem recovery on degraded soils at Fort Benning, Georgia, in the southeastern USA. The model calculates aboveground and belowground biomass, soil C inputs and dynamics, soil N stocks and availability, and plant N requirements. A threshold is crossed when predicted soil N supplies fall short of predicted N required to sustain biomass accrual at a specified recovery rate. Four factors were important to development of thresholds to recovery: (1) initial amounts of aboveground biomass, (2) initial soil C stocks (i.e., soil quality), (3) relative recovery rates of biomass, and (4) soil sand content. Thresholds to ecosystem recovery predicted by the model should not be interpreted independent of a specified recovery rate. Initial soil C stocks influenced the predicted patterns of recovery by both old field and forest ecosystems. Forests and old fields on soils with varying sand content had different predicted thresholds to recovery. Soil C stocks at barren sites on Fort Benning generally lie below predicted thresholds to 100% recovery of desired future ecosystem conditions defined on the basis of aboveground biomass (18000 versus 360 g m{sup -2} for forests and old fields, respectively). Calculations with the model indicated that reestablishment of vegetation on barren sites to a level below the desired future condition is possible at recovery rates used in the model, but the time to 100% recovery of desired future conditions, without crossing a nutrient threshold, is prolonged by a reduced rate of forest growth. Predicted thresholds to ecosystem recovery were less on soils with more than 70% sand content. The lower thresholds for old field and forest recovery on more sandy soils are apparently due to higher relative rates of net soil N mineralization in more sandy soils. Calculations with the model indicate that a combination of desired future

Georgia's Workforce Development Pipeline: One District's Journey

Science.gov (United States)

Williams, Melissa H.; Hufstetler, Tammy L.

2011-01-01

Launched in 2006, the Georgia Work Ready initiative seeks to improve the job training and marketability of Georgia's workforce and drive the state's economic growth. Georgia Work Ready is a partnership between the state and the Georgia Chamber of Commerce. Comprised of three components, Georgia's initiative focuses on job profiling, skills…

76 FR 25330 - Georgia Power Company; Project No. 485-063-Georgia and Alabama, Bartletts Ferry Hydroelectric...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-05-04

... DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY Federal Energy Regulatory Commission Georgia Power Company; Project No. 485-063--Georgia and Alabama, Bartletts Ferry Hydroelectric Project; Notice of Proposed Restricted Service... Ferry Hydroelectric Project. The Programmatic Agreement, when executed by the Commission, the Georgia...

Sediment budget for Murder Creek, Georgia, USA, from Pu239+240 - determined soil erosion rates

Science.gov (United States)

Stubblefield, A. P.; Matissoff, G.; Ketterer, M. E.; Whiting, P. J.

2005-12-01

Soil inventories of the radionuclides Cs137 and Pb210 have been used in a variety of environments as indicators for erosion and depositional processes. Development of sediment budgets for entire watersheds from radionuclide data has been somewhat constrained because limited sample numbers may not adequately characterize the wide range of geomorphic conditions and land uses found in heterogeneous environments. The measurement of Pu239+240 shows great potential for developing quantitative watershed sediment budgets. With inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry, hundreds of samples may be processed in dramatically shorter times than the gamma spectrometry method used for Cs137 or alpha spectrometry method used for Pb210. We collected surface soil samples from Murder Creek in the Piedmont region of Georgia, USA, to compare Pu239+240 inventories with Cs137 and Pb210 inventories for a range of land uses in a predominantly forested watershed. Excellent correlations were found for radionuclide inventories (r2 =0.88, n = 38) and high resolution (4 mm) depth profiles. The second objective was to generate a sediment budget using the full Pu239+240 dataset (n = 309). Average Pu239+240 inventories were 70.0 Bq/m2 for hardwood forest, 60.0 Bq/m2 for pine plantation, 65.1 Bq/m2 for pine forest, 66.7 Bq/m2 for row crop agriculture and 67.9 Bq/m2 for pasture. The sediment budget will be constructed by converting inventories into site-specific erosion rates. Erosion rates will be scaled up to the watershed scale using GIS coverages of land use, soil, slope, and slope position. Results will be compared with Murder Creek sediment budgets in the scientific literature generated from RUSLE erosion modeling, USGS monitoring networks and reservoir sedimentation.

CREEK Project's Oyster Growth and Survival Monitoring Database for Eight Creeks in the North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina: 1997-1999.

Data.gov (United States)

Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, Univ of South Carolina — A group of eight intertidal creeks with high densities of oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, USA were studied using a replicated...

Assessing Photoinduced Toxicity of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in an Urbanized Estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Vo

2004-12-01

Full Text Available Increases in contaminants associated with urban sprawl are a particular concern in the rapidly developing coastal areas of the southeastern United States. Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs are contaminants associated with vehicle emissions and runoff from impervious surfaces. Increased vehicular traffic and more impervious surfaces lead to an increased loading of PAHs into coastal estuarine systems. The phototoxic effect of PAH-contaminated sediments on a sediment-dwelling meiobenthic copepod, Amphiascus tenuiremis, was estimated in Murrells Inlet, a small, high-salinity estuary with moderate urbanization located in Georgetown and Horry Counties, South Carolina, USA. Field-determined solar ultraviolet radiation (UV and UV extinction coefficients were incorporated into laboratory toxicity experiments, and a model was developed to predict areas of specific hazard to A. tenuiremis in the estuary. The model incorporated laboratory toxicity data, UV extinction coefficients, and historical sediment chemistry and bathymetric data within a spatial model of sedimentary areas of the estuary. The model predicted that approximately 8-16% of the total creek habitat suitable for meiobenthic copepods is at risk to photoinduced PAH toxicity. This area is in the northern, more developed part of Murrells Inlet.

FOREWORD: The 12th International Workshop on Desorption Induced by Electronic Transitions (DIET XII) (Pine Mountain, Georgia, USA, 19-23 April 2009) The 12th International Workshop on Desorption Induced by Electronic Transitions (DIET XII) (Pine Mountain, Georgia, USA, 19-23 April 2009)

Science.gov (United States)

Orlando, Thomas M.; Diebold, Ulrike

2010-03-01

The 12th International Workshop on Desorption Induced by Electronic Transitions (DIET XII) took place from 19-23 April 2009 in Pine Mountain, Georgia, USA. This was the 12th conference in a strong and vibrant series, which dates back to the early 1980s. DIET XII continued the tradition of exceptional interdisciplinary science and focused on the study of desorption and dynamics induced by electronic excitations of surfaces and interfaces. The format involved invited lectures, contributed talks and a poster session on the most recent developments and advances in this area of surface physics. The Workshop International Steering Committee and attendees wish to dedicate DIET XII to the memory of the late Professor Theodore (Ted) Madey. Ted was one of the main pioneers of this field and was one of the primary individuals working to keep this area of science exciting and adventurous. His overall contributions to surface science were countless and his contributions to the DIET field and community were enormous. He is missed and remembered by many friends and colleagues throughout the world. The papers collected in this issue cover many of the highlights of DIET XII. Topics include ultrafast electron transfer at surfaces and interfaces, quantum and spatially resolved mapping of surface dynamics and desorption, photon-, electron- and ion-beam induced processes at complex interfaces, the role of non-thermal desorption in astrochemistry and astrophysics and laser-/ion-based methods of examining soft matter and biological media. Although the workshop attracted many scientists active in the general area of non-thermal surface processes, DIET XII also attracted many younger scientists (i.e., postdoctoral fellows, advanced graduate students, and a select number of advanced undergraduate students). This field has had an impact in a number of areas including nanoscience, device physics, astrophysics, and now biophysics. We believe that this special issue of Journal of Physics

Effects of Prevailing Winds on Turbidity of a Shallow Estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hyun Jung Cho

2007-06-01

Full Text Available Estuarine waters are generally more turbid than lakes or marine waters due to greater algal mass and continual re-suspension of sediments. The varying effects of diurnal and seasonal prevailing winds on the turbidity condition of a wind-dominated estuary were investigated by spatial and statistical analyses of wind direction, water level, turbidity, chlorophyll a, and PAR (Photosynthetically Active Radiation collected in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana, USA. The prolonged prevailing winds were responsible for the long-term, large-scale turbidity pattern of the estuary, whereas the short-term changes in wind direction had differential effects on turbidity and water level in varying locations. There were temporal and spatial changes in the relationship between vertical light attenuation coefficient (Kd and turbidity, which indicate difference in phytoplankton and color also affect Kd. This study demonstrates that the effect of wind on turbidity and water level on different shores can be identified through system-specific analyses of turbidity patterns.

Chemical Speciation of Copper in a Salt Marsh Estuary and Bioavailability to Thaumarchaeota

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hannah Whitby

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The concentrations of dissolved copper (Cud, copper-binding ligands, thiourea-type thiols, and humic substances (HSCu were measured in estuarine waters adjacent to Sapelo Island, Georgia, USA, on a monthly basis from April to December 2014. Here we present the seasonal cycle of copper speciation within the estuary and compare it to the development of an annually occurring bloom of Ammonia Oxidizing Archaea (AOA, which require copper for many enzymes. Two types of complexing ligands (L1 and L2 were found to dominate with mean complex stabilities (log KCuL′ of 14.5 and 12.8. Strong complexation resulted in lowering the concentration of free cupric ion (Cu2+ to femtomolar (fM levels throughout the study and to sub-fM levels during the summer months. A Thaumarchaeota bloom during this period suggests that this organism manages to grow at very low Cu2+ concentrations. Correlation of the concentration of the L1 ligand class with a thiourea-type thiol and the L2 ligand class with HSCu provide an interesting dimension to the identity of the ligand classes. Due to the stronger complex stability, 82–99% of the copper was bound to L1. Thiourea-type thiols typically form Cu(I species, which would suggest that up to ~90% copper could be present as Cu(I in this region. In view of the very low concentration of free copper (pCu > 15 at the onset and during the bloom and a reputedly high requirement for copper, it is likely that the Thaumarchaeota are able to access thiol-bound copper directly.

Estuary-wide genetic stock distribution and salmon habitat use, tidal-fluvial estuary - Columbia River Estuary Tidal Habitats

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The goal of the tidal-fluvial estuary study is to determine the estuary's contribution to the spatial structure and life history diversity of Columbia River salmon...

Storm surges and climate change implications for tidal marshes: Insight from the San Francisco Bay Estuary, California, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Thorne, Karen M.; Buffington, Kevin J.; Swanson, Kathleen; Takekawa, John Y.

2013-01-01

Tidal marshes are dynamic ecosystems, which are influenced by oceanic and freshwater processes and daily changes in sea level. Projected sea-level rise and changes in storm frequency and intensity will affect tidal marshes by altering suspended sediment supply, plant communities, and the inundation duration and depth of the marsh platform. The objective of this research was to evaluate if regional weather conditions resulting in low-pressure storms changed tidal conditions locally within three tidal marshes. We hypothesized that regional storms will increase sea level heights locally, resulting in increased inundation of the tidal marsh platform and plant communities. Using site-level measurements of elevation, plant communities, and water levels, we present results from two storm events in 2010 and 2011 from the San Francisco Bay Estuary (SFBE), California, USA. The January 2010 storm had the lowest recorded sea level pressure in the last 30 years for this region. During the storm episodes, the duration of tidal marsh inundation was 1.8 and 3.1 times greater than average for that time of year, respectively. At peak storm surges, over 65% in 2010 and 93% in 2011 of the plant community was under water. We also discuss the implications of these types of storms and projected sea-level rise on the structure and function of the tidal marshes and how that will impact the hydro-geomorphic processes and marsh biotic communities.

Characterization of Sarcocystis from four species of hawks from Georgia, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Yabsley, Michael J; Ellis, Angela E; Stallknecht, David E; Howerth, Elizabeth W

2009-02-01

During 2001 to 2004, 4 species of hawks (Buteo and Accipiter spp.) from Georgia were surveyed for Sarcocystis spp. infections by examining intestinal sections. In total, 159 of 238 (66.8%) hawks examined were infected with Sarcocystis spp. Samples from 10 birds were characterized by sequence analysis of a portion of the 18S rRNA gene (783 base pairs). Only 3 of the 10 sequences from the hawks were identical; the remainder differed by at least 1 nucleotide. Phylogenetic analysis failed to resolve the position of the hawk Sarcocystis species, but they were closely related several Sarcocystis species from raptors, rodents, and Sarcocystis neurona. The high genetic diversity of Sarcocystis suggests that more than 1 species infects these 4 hawk species; however, additional molecular or experimental work will be required to determine the speciation and diversity of parasites infecting these avian hosts. In addition to assisting with determining species richness of Sarcocystis in raptors, molecular analysis should be useful in the identification of potential intermediate hosts.

Georgia Public Health Laboratory, Decatur, Georgia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

2002-12-01

This case study was prepared as one in a series for the Laboratories for the 21st Century program, a joint endeavor of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. Department of Energy's Federal Energy Management Program. The goal of this program is to foster greater energy efficiency in new and retrofit laboratory buildings in both the public and the private sectors. The energy-efficient elements of the laboratory featured in this case study-the Georgia Public Health Laboratory, Decatur, Georgia-include sustainable design features, light-filled interior spaces for daylighting, closely grouped loads (such as freezers), the use of recirculated air in administrative areas, direct digital controls for heating and cooling equipment, sunscreens, and low-emissivity window glazing. These elements, combined with an attractive design and well-lighted work spaces, add up to a building that ranks high in comfort and low in energy use.

Developing a Phytoplankton Biotic Index as an Indicator of Freshwater Inflow within a Subtropical Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Steichen, J. L.; Quigg, A.; Lucchese, A.; Preischel, H.

2016-02-01

Freshwater inflows drive the water and sediment quality in coastal bays and estuaries influencing the ecosystem and health of the biological community. Phytoplankton accessory pigments (used as a proxy for major taxonomic groups) have been utilized to develop a biotic index of physical, chemical and biotic disturbances in Chesapeake Bay (USA) and other estuarine systems. In this study we have used the Chesapeake Bay - Phytoplankton Index of Biotic Integrity model as a guide in developing an index for Galveston Bay, TX (USA) as an indicator of sufficient freshwater inflow to a subtropical estuary. Multivariate statistical analyses were run using PRIMER-E+PERMANOVA to determine the correlations between phytoplankton accessory pigment concentrations and a suite of abiotic factors associated with freshwater inflow (salinity, DIN, PO4, secchi). Phytoplankton pigment concentrations and water quality parameters were collected across Galveston Bay on a monthly basis from 2008-2013. In the upper region of the bay nearest the river source Dinophyceae, Cryptophyceae (winter (Dec-Feb)) and Chlorophyceae (winter and spring (Mar-May)) were significantly correlated to freshwater inflow and nutrient concentrations PO4 (p<0.05). Increased concentrations of Bacillariophyceae and Cyanophyceae (summer (Jun-Aug)) were significantly correlated to lower concentrations of DIN (p<0.05). Near the mouth of the estuary there was a significant correlation between the increase in Bacillariophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Cryptophyceae and Dinophyceae with decreasing PO4 (p<0.05). Within the dynamic system of Galveston Bay we are working to apply a Phytoplankton Index of Biotic Integrity as a means of monitoring the biological health of this ecologically and economically important estuarine ecosystem.

CO2 emissions from a temperate drowned river valley estuary adjacent to an emerging megacity (Sydney Harbour)

Science.gov (United States)

Tanner, E. L.; Mulhearn, P. J.; Eyre, B. D.

2017-06-01

The Sydney Harbour Estuary is a large drowned river valley adjacent to Sydney, a large urban metropolis on track to become a megacity; estimated to reach a population of 10 million by 2100. Monthly underway surveys of surface water pCO2 were undertaken along the main channel and tributaries, from January to December 2013. pCO2 showed substantial spatio-temporal variability in the narrow high residence time upper and mid sections of the estuary, with values reaching a maximum of 5650 μatm in the upper reaches and as low as 173 μatm in the mid estuary section, dominated by respiration and photosynthesis respectively. The large lower estuary displayed less variability in pCO2 with values ranging from 343 to 544 μatm controlled mainly by tidal pumping and temperature. Air-water CO2 emissions reached a maximum of 181 mmol C m-2 d-1 during spring in the eutrophic upper estuary. After a summer high rainfall event nutrient-stimulated biological pumping promoted a large uptake of CO2 transitioning the Sydney Harbour Estuary into a CO2 sink with a maximum uptake of rate of -10.6 mmol C m-2 d-1 in the mid-section of the estuary. Annually the Sydney Harbour Estuary was heterotrophic and a weak source of CO2 with an air-water emission rate of 1.2-5 mmol C m-2 d-1 (0.4-1.8 mol C m-2 y-1) resulting in a total carbon emission of around 930 tonnes per annum. CO2 emissions (weighted m3 s-1 of discharge per km2 of estuary surface area) from Sydney Harbour were an order of magnitude lower than other temperate large tectonic deltas, lagoons and engineered systems of China, India, Taiwan and Europe but were similar to other natural drowned river valley systems in the USA. Discharge per unit area appears to be a good predictor of CO2 emissions from estuaries of a similar climate and geomorphic class.

Climate Ready Estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Information on climate change impacts to different estuary regions, tools and resources to monitor changes, and information to help managers develop adaptation plans for risk management of estuaries and coastal communities.

Carbon Transformations and Source - Sink Dynamics along a River, Marsh, Estuary, Ocean Continuum

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, I. C.; Crosswell, J.; Czapla, K.; Van Dam, B.

2017-12-01

Estuaries, the transition zone between land and the coastal ocean, are highly dynamic systems in which carbon sourced from watersheds, marshes, atmosphere, and ocean may be transformed, sequestered, or exported. The net fate of carbon in estuaries, governed by the interactions of biotic and physical drivers varying on spatial and temporal scales, is currently uncertain because of limited observational data. In this study, conducted in a temperate, microtidal, and shallow North Carolina USA estuary, carbon exchanges via river, tributary, and fringing salt marsh, air-water fluxes, sediment C accumulation, and metabolism were monitored over two-years, with sharply different amounts of rainfall. Air-water CO2 fluxes and metabolic variables were simultaneously measured in channel and shoal by conducting high-resolution surveys at dawn, dusk and the following dawn. Marsh CO2 exchanges, sediment C inputs, and lateral exports of DIC and DOC were also measured. Carbon flows between estuary regions and export to the coastal ocean were calculated by quantifying residual transport of DIC and TOC down-estuary as flows were modified by sources, sinks and internal transformations. Variation in metabolic rates, CO2, TOC and DIC exchanges were large when determined for short time and limited spatial scales. However, when scaled to annual and whole estuarine scales, variation tended to decrease because of counteracting metabolic rates and fluxes between channel and shoal or between seasons. Although overall salt marshes accumulated OC, they were a negligible source of DIC and DOC to the estuary, and net inputs of C to the marsh were mainly derived from sediment OC. These results, as observed in other observational studies of estuaries, show that riverine input, light, temperature and metabolism are major controls on carbon cycling. Comparison of our results with other types of estuaries varying in depth, latitude, and nutrification demonstrates large discrepancies underscoring the

75 FR 34975 - Notice of Estuary Habitat Restoration Council's Intent to Revise its Estuary Habitat Restoration...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-06-21

... Estuary Habitat Restoration Council's Intent to Revise its Estuary Habitat Restoration Strategy; Request... interagency Estuary Habitat Restoration Council, is providing notice of the Council's intent to revise the ''Estuary Habitat Restoration Strategy'' and requesting public comments to guide its revision. DATES...

CREEK Project's Water Chemistry, Chlorophyll a, and Suspended Sediment Weekly Monitoring Database for Eight Creeks in the North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina: 1997-2000.

Data.gov (United States)

Baruch Institute for Marine and Coastal Sciences, Univ of South Carolina — A group of eight tidal creeks dominated by oysters, Crassostrea virginica, in North Inlet Estuary, South Carolina, USA were studied using a replicated BACI (Before -...

Wind Power in Georgia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2012-11-01

Georgia has good wind power potential. Preliminary analyses show that the technical wind power potential in Georgia is good. Meteorological data shows that Georgia has four main areas in Georgia with annual average wind speeds of over 6 m/s and two main areas with 5-6 m/s at 80m. The most promising areas are the high mountain zone of the Great Caucasus, The Kura river valley, The South-Georgian highland and the Southern part of the Georgian Black Sea coast. Czech company Wind Energy Invest has recently signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Georgian authorities for development of the first wind farm in Georgia, a 50MW wind park in Paravani, Southern Georgia, to be completed in 2014. Annual generation is estimated to 170.00 GWh and the investment estimated to 101 million US$. Wind power is suited to balance hydropower in the Georgian electricity sector Electricity generation in Georgia is dominated by hydro power, constituting 88% of total generation in 2009. Limited storage capacity and significant spring and summer peaks in river flows result in an uneven annual generation profile and winter time shortages that are covered by three gas power plants. Wind power is a carbon-free energy source well suited to balance hydropower, as it is available (often strongest) in the winter and can be exported when there is a surplus. Another advantage with wind power is the lead time for the projects; the time from site selection to operation for a wind power park (approximately 2.5 years) is much shorter than for hydro power (often 6-8 years). There is no support system or scheme for renewable sources in Georgia, so wind power has to compete directly with other energy sources and is in most cases more expensive to build than hydro power. In a country and region with rapidly increasing energy demands, the factors described above nevertheless indicate that there is a commercial niche and a role to play for Georgian wind power. Skra: An example of a wind power development

In-stream PIT detection, estuary wetlands - Columbia River Estuary Tidal Habitats

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The goal of the tidal-fluvial estuary study is to determine the estuary's contribution to the spatial structure and life history diversity of Columbia River salmon...

Salmon habitat use, tidal-fluvial estuary - Columbia River Estuary Tidal Habitats

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The goal of the tidal-fluvial estuary study is to determine the estuary's contribution to the spatial structure and life history diversity of Columbia River salmon...

MAPPING SPATIAL/TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTIONS OF GREEN MACROALGAE IN A PACIFIC NORTHWEST COASTAL ESTUARY VIA SMALL FORMAT COLOR INFRARED AERIAL PHOTOGRAPHY

Science.gov (United States)

A small format 35 mm hand-held camera with color infrared slide film was used to map blooms of benthic green macroalgae upon mudflats of Yaquina Bay estuary on the central Oregon coast, U.S.A. Oblique photographs were taken during a series of low tide events, when the intertidal...

Population and genetic outcomes 20 years after reintroducing bobcats (Lynx rufus) to Cumberland Island, Georgia USA

Science.gov (United States)

Diefenbach, Duane R.; Hansen, Leslie A.; Bohling, Justin H.; Miller-Butterworth, Cassandra

2015-01-01

In 1988–1989, 32 bobcats Lynx rufus were reintroduced to Cumberland Island (CUIS), Georgia, USA, from which they had previously been extirpated. They were monitored intensively for 3 years immediately post-reintroduction, but no estimation of the size or genetic diversity of the population had been conducted in over 20 years since reintroduction. We returned to CUIS in 2012 to estimate abundance and effective population size of the present-day population, as well as to quantify genetic diversity and inbreeding. We amplified 12 nuclear microsatellite loci from DNA isolated from scats to establish genetic profiles to identify individuals. We used spatially explicit capture–recapture population estimation to estimate abundance. From nine unique genetic profiles, we estimate a population size of 14.4 (SE = 3.052) bobcats, with an effective population size (Ne) of 5–8 breeding individuals. This is consistent with predictions of a population viability analysis conducted at the time of reintroduction, which estimated the population would average 12–13 bobcats after 10 years. We identified several pairs of related bobcats (parent-offspring and full siblings), but ~75% of the pairwise comparisons were typical of unrelated individuals, and only one individual appeared inbred. Despite the small population size and other indications that it has likely experienced a genetic bottleneck, levels of genetic diversity in the CUIS bobcat population remain high compared to other mammalian carnivores. The reintroduction of bobcats to CUIS provides an opportunity to study changes in genetic diversity in an insular population without risk to this common species. Opportunities for natural immigration to the island are limited; therefore, continued monitoring and supplemental bobcat reintroductions could be used to evaluate the effect of different management strategies to maintain genetic diversity and population viability. The successful reintroduction and maintenance of a

MERIS Retrieval of Water Quality Components in the Turbid Albemarle-Pamlico Sound Estuary, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hans W. Paerl

2011-04-01

Full Text Available Two remote-sensing optical algorithms for the retrieval of the water quality components (WQCs in the Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (APES were developed and validated for chlorophyll a (Chl. Both algorithms were semi-empirical because they incorporated some elements of optical processes in the atmosphere, water, and air/water interface. One incorporated a very simple atmospheric correction and modified quasi-single-scattering approximation (QSSA for estimating the spectral Gordon’s parameter, and the second estimated WQCs directly from the top of atmosphere satellite radiance without atmospheric corrections. A modified version of the Global Meteorological Database for Solar Energy and Applied Meteorology (METEONORM was used to estimate directional atmospheric transmittances. The study incorporated in situ Chl data from the Ferry-Based Monitoring (FerryMon program collected in the Neuse River Estuary (n = 633 and Pamlico Sound (n = 362, along with Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS satellite imagery collected (2006–2009 across the APES; providing quasi-coinciding samples for Chl algorithm development and validation. Results indicated a coefficient of determination (R2 of 0.70 and mean-normalized root-mean-squares errors (NRMSE of 52% in the Neuse River Estuary and R2 = 0.44 (NRMSE = 75 % in the Pamlico Sound—without atmospheric corrections. The simple atmospheric correction tested provided on performance improvements. Algorithm performance demonstrated the potential for supporting long-term operational WQCs satellite monitoring in the APES.

Georgia’s Brightest Future Includes Russia

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-01

should not automatically signal that Georgia is doomed to the stagnation, interference and corruption that normally permeate Russian satellite...associated with Russian tourism . Though Russian tourism is growing in Georgia and represented 8% of their total visitors in 2010, 58 they could...to Russian markets once again. 58 Georgia National Tourism Agency official statistics, http://www.gnta.ge/?61/statistics/&lan=en, Chart entitled

Estuary Data Mapper (EDM)

Science.gov (United States)

Estuary Data Mapper is a tool for geospatial data discovery, visualization, and data download for any of the approximately 2,000 estuaries and associated watersheds in along the five US coastal regions

Origin and composition of particulate organic matter in a macrotidal turbid estuary: The Gironde Estuary, France

Science.gov (United States)

Savoye, Nicolas; David, Valérie; Morisseau, François; Etcheber, Henri; Abril, Gwenaël; Billy, Isabelle; Charlier, Karine; Oggian, Georges; Derriennic, Hervé; Sautour, Benoît

2012-08-01

At the interface between continent and ocean, estuaries receive particles, and especially particulate organic matter (POM) originating from these two reservoirs, but also produce POM, through autochthonous primary production. The origin and composition of surface POM in the Gironde Estuary (SW France) and the environmental forcing of its variability was investigated using the data set produced by the French Coastal Monitoring Network SOMLIT (Service d'Observation en Milieu LITtoral; monthly like sampling during years 2007-2009). This estuary is considered as a model of macrotidal turbid estuaries. Using elemental and isotopic composition of the POM, we estimated that, at the inner estuary space scale and inter-annual time scale, surface particulate organic carbon (POC) was composed of terrestrial POM originated from the turbidity maximum (96.4%; refractory POC) and flood events (1.6%; labile and refractory POC), and of riverine (0.1%), estuarine (0.8%) and marine (1.1%) phytoplankton, i.e. that POC was 98% and 2% of terrestrial and phytoplankton origin, respectively. However, there was a clear spatial gradient: the phytoplankton contribution increases from ca. 1% in the upper and middle estuary to 8.5% in the lower estuary, where light condition is more favourable to plankton growth. The low contribution of phytoplankton to the POC is a characteristic of the Gironde estuary and contrast with other large temperate estuaries. Statistical analysis indicates that salinity, river flow and SPM concentration, and thus associated hydro-dynamic and sedimentary processes, were the only environmental forcings to the composition of surface POC in this system, at intra- and inter-annual time scale. In contrast, temperature and nutrient concentrations, and thus associated processes, do not force this composition of POC. By combining POC fluxes entering the inner estuary (literature data), POC loss as dissolved organic carbon and CO2 and as sediment trapping within the inner

Shoreline erosion and decadal sediment accumulation in the Tar-Pamlico estuary, North Carolina, USA: A source-to-sink analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Eulie, Devon O.; Corbett, D. Reide; Walsh, J. P.

2018-03-01

Estuaries contain vital habitats and it is important to understand how these areas respond to human activities and natural processes such as sea-level rise and wave attack. As estuarine shorelines erode or become modified with hard structures, there is potential for significantly altering the availability of sediment and the filling of coastal systems. This study used a source-to-sink approach and quantified rates of shoreline erosion in the Tar-Pamlico sub-estuary, a tributary of the larger Albemarle-Pamlico Estuarine System (APES). The average shoreline change rate (SCR) determined using an end-point method was -0.5 ± 0.9 m yr-1 for the Tar-Pamlico. Incorporating bulk density estimates, this contributes 0.6 × 105 tons of fine sediment to the system annually, or after accounting for fluvial input, about 40% of the total sediment supply to the sub-estuary. The role of the Tar-Pamlico as a sink for these sediments was addressed using the radionuclide tracers 210Pb and 137Cs. Radionuclide activities and sediment accumulation rates identified several depositional regions, in particular in the middle of the estuary. Linear sediment accumulation rates ranged from 0.10 ± 0.02 to 0.38 ± 0.02 g cm-2 yr-1, and total storage of fine sediment in the system was 1.6 × 105 t yr-1. It was not possible to confidently discern a change in the rate of shoreline erosion or seabed accumulation. A preliminary budget for fine sediments (grain-size <63 μm) was then calculated to compare erosional sources with sedimentary sinks. Almost all (∼93.0%) of the fine sediment entering the system was accumulated and stored, while only about 7.0% was exported to Pamlico Sound.

Indian estuaries: Dynamics, ecosystems, and threats

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Shetye, S.R.

the tide pulls the mixed water out of the estuary through its mouth. Different processes within an estuary contribute to mixing of the two waters, the important among these in the Mandovi estuary are: influence of the tide on the advective field within...

Introduction of Electric Vehicle Charging Stations to University Campuses: A Case Study for the University of Georgia from 2014 to 2017

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sierra Hovet

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Electric vehicles (EVs are becoming increasingly popular in the United States of America (USA. EVs attract buyers with benefits including energy efficiency and environmental friendliness. As EV usage grows, more public spaces are installing EV charging stations. This paper presents a comprehensive analysis of EV charging station usage at the University of Georgia (UGA in Athens, Georgia. Three ChargePoint EV charging stations at UGA were used to collect data about each of 3204 charging events that occurred from 10 April 2014 to 20 June 2017. The charging event data included start date, start time, length of parking time, length of charging time, amount of energy delivered, and the postal code entered by the user during ChargePoint account registration. Analytical methods were proposed to obtain information about EV charging behavior, charging station occupancy, and geolocation of charging station users. The methodology presented here was time- and cost-effective, as well as scalable to other organizations that own charging stations. Because this study took place at a university, the results presented here can be used as a reference for EV charging station usage in other college towns in the USA that do not have EV charging stations but are planning to develop EV infrastructure.

Georgia - Energy Rehabilitation

Data.gov (United States)

Millennium Challenge Corporation — Gustavson Associates was retained by Millennium Challenge Georgia (MCG) to prepare a model to calculate the economic rate of return (ERR) for rehabilitation work...

A simple model that identifies potential effects of sea-level rise on estuarine and estuary-ecotone habitat locations for salmonids in Oregon, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Flitcroft, Rebecca; Burnett, Kelly; Christiansen, Kelly

2013-07-01

Diadromous aquatic species that cross a diverse range of habitats (including marine, estuarine, and freshwater) face different effects of climate change in each environment. One such group of species is the anadromous Pacific salmon (Oncorhynchus spp.). Studies of the potential effects of climate change on salmonids have focused on both marine and freshwater environments. Access to a variety of estuarine habitat has been shown to enhance juvenile life-history diversity, thereby contributing to the resilience of many salmonid species. Our study is focused on the effect of sea-level rise on the availability, complexity, and distribution of estuarine, and low-freshwater habitat for Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha), steelhead (anadromous O. mykiss), and coho salmon (O. kisutch) along the Oregon Coast under future climate change scenarios. Using LiDAR, we modeled the geomorphologies of five Oregon estuaries and estimated a contour associated with the current mean high tide. Contour intervals at 1- and 2-m increments above the current mean high tide were generated, and changes in the estuary morphology were assessed. Because our analysis relied on digital data, we compared three types of digital data in one estuary to assess the utility of different data sets in predicting the changes in estuary shape. For each salmonid species, changes in the amount and complexity of estuarine edge habitats varied by estuary. The simple modeling approach we applied can also be used to identify areas that may be most amenable to pre-emptive restoration actions to mitigate or enhance salmonid habitat under future climatic conditions.

Temporal variations in baseflow for the Little River experimental watershed in South Georgia, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David D. Bosch

2017-04-01

New hydrological insights for the region: Baseflow was found to produce 53% of annual streamflow. Stormflow was found to produce 47% of the annual streamflow. Baseflow was the greatest during the months from December through May (55–57% and the least during the months from June through November (43–46%. Annual BFI was found to decrease with increasing annual precipitation, indicating that during high precipitation year’s saturation excess driven stormflow increases in the LREW. Hydrograph analysis indicated an average stormflow duration of seven days, typically extended by interflow in this watershed. These observed seasonal patterns can have a significant impact on regional agriculture as well as coastal estuaries that both rely heavily upon streamflow.

Carbon dioxide emissions from Indian monsoonal estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Sarma Vedula, VSS

2012-07-01

The oceans act as a net sink for atmospheric CO2, however, the role of coastal bodies on global CO2 fluxes remains unclear due to lack of data. The estimated absorption of CO2 from the continental shelves, with limited data, is 0.22 to 1.0 PgC/y, and of CO2 emission by estuaries to the atmosphere is 0.27 PgC/y. The estimates from the estuaries suffer from large uncertainties due to large variability and lack of systematic data collection. It is especially true for Southeast Asian estuaries as the biogeochemical cycling of material are different due to high atmospheric temperature, seasonality driven by monsoons, seasonal discharge etc. In order to quantify CO2 emissions from the Indian estuaries, samples were collected at 27 estuaries all along the Indian coast during discharge wet and dry periods. The emissions of CO2 to the atmosphere from Indian estuaries were 4-5 times higher during wet than dry period. The pCO2 ranged between ~300 and 18492 microatm which were within the range of world estuaries. The mean pCO2 and particulate organic carbon (POC) showed positive relation with rate of discharge suggesting availability of high quantities of organic matter that led to enhanced microbial decomposition. The annual CO2 fluxes from the Indian estuaries, together with dry period data available in the literature, amounts to 1.92 TgC which is >10 times less than that from the European estuaries. The low CO2 fluxes from the Indian estuaries are attributed to low flushing rates and less human settlements along the banks of the Indian estuaries.

Microplastic in three urban estuaries, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhao, Shiye; Zhu, Lixin; Li, Daoji

2015-01-01

Estuarine Microplastics (MPs) are limited to know globally. By filtering subsurface water through 330 μm nets, MPs in Jiaojiang, Oujiang Estuaries were quantified, as well as that in Minjiang Estuary responding to Typhoon Soulik. Polymer matrix was analyzed by Raman spectroscopy. MP (<5 mm) comprised more than 90% of total number plastics. The highest MPs density was found in Minjiang, following Jiaojiang and Oujiang. Fibers and granules were the primary shapes, with no pellets found. Colored MPs were the majority. The concentrations of suspended microplastics determine their bioavailability to low trophic organisms, and then possibly promoting the transfer of microplastic to higher trophic levels. Polypropylene and polyethylene were the prevalent types of MPs analyzed. Economic structures in urban estuaries influenced on MPs contamination levels. Typhoon didn't influence the suspended MP densities significantly. Our results provide basic information for better understanding suspended microplastics within urban estuaries and for managerial actions. - Highlights: • Suspended microplastic were investigated within three densely populated/developed urban estuaries, China. • Economical structures may contribute to the abundances of microplastic particles within the studied estuaries. • Typhoon Soulik didn't influence microplastic densities in the water column of Minjiang Estuary. • Microplastics (<5 mm in diameter) dominated more than 90% of the total plastic by number. - Suspended microplastics (MPs) levels were quantified within three urban estuaries, China. MPs densities were consistent with the urban economical structure, and that in Minjiang were unaffected by Typhoon.

Collaborative Potential between National Estuary Programs ...

Science.gov (United States)

Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems in the world, providing unique habitat for freshwater and marine species as well as valuable social and economic benefits. The wealth of ecosystem goods and services from estuaries has led to growth and development of human communities in adjacent areas and an increase in human activities that can adversely affect water quality and critical habitat. Managing for sustainable estuaries requires a balance of environmental concerns with community social and economic values. This has created an opportunity to leverage Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) scientific knowledge and tools with National Estuary Program (NEP) planning and management expertise to address environmental challenges in important estuarine ecosystems. The non-regulatory National Estuary Program (NEP) was outlined in the Clean Water Act to provide stakeholders an opportunity to monitor and manage ‘nationally significant’ estuaries. Currently there are 28 estuaries in the NEP, broadly distributed across the Atlantic, Pacific and Gulf Coasts, and in Puerto Rico. The local NEP management conferences must address a variety of environmental issues, from water quality and natural resources to coastal and watershed development. While the underlying objectives of each NEP are quite similar, each has unique landscapes, land uses, waterbodies, habitats, biological resources, economies and social culture. Consequently, the effects and severity of anthr

The Mandovi and Zuari estuaries

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Shetye, S.R.; DileepKumar, M.; Shankar, D.

of their extensive use for fisheries, agriculture, transportation, dumping of waste, etc. The two estuaries have since continued to attract scientific curiosity over the years, thanks in large measure to support from national and local funding agencies. As a... made so far to simulate them in numerical models, and characteristics of stratification and mixing. These are followed by chapters that examine the fun- damentals of biology and chemistry of the estuaries. A distinct characteristic of the estuaries...

The economic impact of chronic fatigue syndrome in Georgia: direct and indirect costs

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brimmer Dana J

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS is a debilitating chronic illness affecting at least 4 million people in the United States. Understanding its cost improves decisions regarding resource allocation that may be directed towards treatment and cure, and guides the evaluation of clinical and community interventions designed to reduce the burden of disease. Methods This research estimated direct and indirect costs of CFS and the impact on educational attainment using a population-based, case-control study between September 2004 and July 2005, Georgia, USA. Participants completed a clinical evaluation to confirm CFS, identify other illnesses, and report on socioeconomic factors. We estimated the effect of CFS on direct medical costs (inpatient hospitalizations, provider visits, prescription medication spending, other medical supplies and services and loss in productivity (employment and earnings with a stratified sample (n = 500 from metropolitan, urban, and rural Georgia. We adjusted medical costs and earnings for confounders (age, sex, race/ethnicity, education, and geographic strata using econometric models and weighted estimates to reflect response-rate adjusted sampling rates. Results Individuals with CFS had mean annual direct medical costs of $5,683. After adjusting for confounding factors, CFS accounted for $3,286 of these costs (p Conclusions Study results indicate that chronic fatigue syndrome may lead to substantial increases in healthcare costs and decreases in individual earnings. Studies have estimated up to 2.5% of non-elderly adults may suffer from CFS. In Georgia, a state with roughly 5.5 million people age 18-59, illness could account for $452 million in total healthcare expenditures and $1.2 billion of lost productivity.

SANCOR estuaries programme 1982-1986

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

SANCOR

1983-02-01

Full Text Available , such research will also aid in the rational management of estuaries. Estuaries on which research should be concentrated are identified and guidelines are given for project proposals and reporting....

About Estuary Data Mapper (EDM)

Science.gov (United States)

Estuary Data Mapper is a tool for geospatial data discovery, visualization, and data download for any of the approximately 2,000 estuaries and associated watersheds in along the five US coastal regions.

Effects of urbanization on streamflow in the Atlanta area (Georgia, USA): A comparative hydrological approach

Science.gov (United States)

Rose, S.; Peters, N.E.

2001-01-01

For the period from 1958 to 1996, streamflow characteristics of a highly urbanized watershed were compared with less-urbanized and non-urbanized watersheds within a 20 000 km2 region in the vicinity of Atlanta, Georgia: In the Piedmont and Blue Ridge physiographic provinces of the southeastern USA. Water levels in several wells completed in surficial and crystalline-rock aquifers were also evaluated. Data were analysed for seven US Geological Survey (USGS) stream gauges, 17 National Weather Service rain gauges, and five USGS monitoring wells. Annual runoff coefficients (RCs; runoff as a fractional percentage of precipitation) for the urban stream (Peachtree Creek) were not significantly greater than for the less-urbanized watersheds. The RCs for some streams were similar to others and the similar streams were grouped according to location. The RCs decreased from the higher elevation and higher relief watersheds to the lower elevation and lower relief watersheds: Values were 0.54 for the two Blue Ridge streams. 0.37 for the four middle Piedmont streams (near Atlanta), and 0.28 for a southern Piedmont stream. For the 25 largest stormflows, the peak flows for Peachtree Creek were 30% to 100% greater then peak flows for the other stream. The storm recession period for the urban stream was 1-2 days less than that for the other streams and the recession was characterized by a 2-day storm recession constant that was, on average, 40 to 100% greater, i.e. streamflow decreased more rapidly than for the other streams. Baseflow recession constants ranged from 35 to 40% lower for Peachtree Creek than for the other streams; this is attributed to lower evapotranspiration losses, which result in a smaller change in groundwater storage than in the less-urbanized watersheds. Low flow of Peachtree Creek ranged from 25 to 35% less than the other streams, possibly the result of decreased infiltration caused by the more efficient routing of stormwater and the paving of groundwater

Culex coronator in coastal Georgia and South Carolina.

Science.gov (United States)

Moulis, Robert A; Russell, Jennifer D; Lewandowski, Henry B; Thompson, Pamela S; Heusel, Jeffrey L

2008-12-01

In 2007, adult Culex coronator were collected in Chatham County, Georgia, and Jasper County, South Carolina, during nuisance and disease vector surveillance efforts. A total of 75 specimens of this species were collected at 8 widely separated locations in Chatham County, Georgia, and 4 closely situated sites in Jasper County, South Carolina. These represent the first Atlantic coastal records of this species in Georgia and the first confirmed records of Cx. coronator in South Carolina.

Seasonal stratification and property distributions in a tropical estuary (Cochin estuary, west coast, India)

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Shivaprasad, A.; Vinita, J.; Revichandran, C.; Reny, P.D.; Deepak, M.P.; Muraleedharan, K.R.; NaveenKumar, K.R.

immune from extended hypoxia/anoxia and maintaining the health of the Cochin estuary. For the seasonally varying river flow in the estuary, salt intrusion receded with increasing river flow in monsoon and rebounded with decreasing river flow in dry season...

Report of a Planning Conference for Solar Technology Information Transfer in Georgia (Atlanta, Georgia, July 24-25, 1978).

Science.gov (United States)

Aldridge, Mark C., Ed.

A summary of the deliberations of the Georgia planning conference of the Solar Technology Transfer Program is presented in this report. Topic areas include background information on the Georgia conference and a summary of the discussions and recommendations dealing with solar information transfer within state systems and the need for greater…

Differences in the structure of copepod assemblages in four tropical estuaries: Importance of pollution and the estuary hydrodynamics.

Science.gov (United States)

Araujo, Adriana V; Dias, Cristina O; Bonecker, Sérgio L C

2017-02-15

We examined the relationship between pollution and structure of copepod assemblages in estuaries, using sampling standardization of salinity range to reduce the effects of "Estuarine Quality Paradox". Copepod assemblages were analyzed in four Southeast Brazilian estuaries with different water quality levels and different hydrodynamic characteristics. The pollution negatively impacted the descriptors of the assemblage structure. The distribution of structure of copepod assemblages also showed a main separation trend between the most polluted estuaries and those less polluted. Temperature was the main factor affecting the assemblage structuring in the four estuaries. This factor acted in synergism with the effects of pollution impact and physical characteristics of the estuaries on the structure of copepod assemblages, supporting the potential vulnerability of coastal environments due to nutrient enrichment associated with climate change. Our study demonstrated the importance of sampling standardization of the salinity range in estuaries for reliable analysis of pollution effects on biota. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geological hazard monitoring system in Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Gaprindashvili, George

2017-04-01

Georgia belongs to one of world's most complex mountainous regions according to the scale and frequency of Geological processes and damage caused to population, farmlands, and Infrastructure facilities. Geological hazards (landslide, debrisflow/mudflow, rockfall, erosion and etc.) are affecting many populated areas, agricultural fields, roads, oil and gas pipes, high-voltage electric power transmission towers, hydraulic structures, and tourist complexes. Landslides occur almost in all geomorphological zones, resulting in wide differentiation in the failure types and mechanisms and in the size-frequency distribution. In Georgia, geological hazards triggered by: 1. Activation of highly intense earthquakes; 2. Meteorological events provoking the disaster processes on the background of global climatic change; 3. Large-scale Human impact on the environment. The prediction and monitoring of Geological Hazards is a very wide theme, which involves different researchers from different spheres. Geological hazard monitoring is essential to prevent and mitigate these hazards. In past years in Georgia several monitoring system, such as Ground-based geodetic techniques, Debrisflow Early Warning System (EWS) were installed on high sensitive landslide and debrisflow areas. This work presents description of Geological hazard monitoring system in Georgia.

Leven estuary project. Fisheries Department final report

OpenAIRE

Bayliss, B.D.

1997-01-01

This is the report on the Leven estuary project: Fisheries Department final report produced by the Environment Agency North West in 1997. This report contains information about Leven estuary, river Leven catchment, river Crake catchment and the Ulverston Discharges. The Leven estuary is characterised by being very shallow, and shares the extremely variable tides and currents that characterize the whole of Morecambe Bay. There was little detailed knowledge of the impact on the Leven estuary, a...

The distribution of 4-nonylphenol in marine organisms of North American Pacific Coast estuaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Diehl, Jennifer; Johnson, Sarah E; Xia, Kang; West, Amy; Tomanek, Lars

2012-04-01

One of the chemical breakdown products of nonylphenol ethoxylates, 4-nonylphenol (4-NP), accumulates in organisms and is of concern as an environmental pollutant due to its endocrine disrupting effects. We measured 4-NP levels in the seawater, sediment, and twelve organisms within the California estuary, Morro Bay, and examined biomagnification of 4-NP using stable isotope abundances (δ(15)N and δ(13)C) to quantify trophic position. 4-NP concentrations in organisms from Morro Bay included 25000±8600 ng g(-1) lw in liver of California sea lion, 14000±5600 ng g(-1) lw in liver of harbor porpoise, 138000±55000 ng g(-1) lw in liver of sea otters, 15700±3600 ng g(-1) lw in liver of seabirds, 36100±6100 ng g(-1) lw in arrow goby fish, 62800±28400 ng g(-1) lw in oysters, and 12700±1300 ng g(-1) lw in mussels. 4-NP levels generally showed a pattern of trophic dilution among organisms in Morro Bay, with exceptions of biomagnification observed between three trophic links: mussel to sea otter (BMF 10.9), oyster to sea otter (BMF 2.2), and arrow goby to staghorn sculpin (BMF 2.7). Our examination of other west coast estuaries of USA and Canada revealed that mean 4-NP concentrations in gobies and mussels from Morro Bay were significantly higher than those from a more urbanized estuary, San Francisco Bay (goby: 11100±3800 ng g(-1) lw) and from a remote estuary, Bamfield Inlet, Canada (goby: 9000±900 ng g(-1) lw, mussel: 6100±700 ng g(-1) lw). Relative to other estuaries worldwide, 4-NP levels in seawater (0.42±0.16 μg L(-1)) and sediment (53±14 ng g(-1) dw) of Morro Bay are low, but gobies and oysters have higher 4-NP levels than comparable fauna. Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A Restoration Suitability Index Model for the Eastern Oyster (Crassostrea virginica) in the Mission-Aransas Estuary, TX, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Beseres Pollack, Jennifer; Cleveland, Andrew; Palmer, Terence A.; Reisinger, Anthony S.; Montagna, Paul A.

2012-01-01

Oyster reefs are one of the most threatened marine habitats on earth, with habitat loss resulting from water quality degradation, coastal development, destructive fishing practices, overfishing, and storm impacts. For successful and sustainable oyster reef restoration efforts, it is necessary to choose sites that support long-term growth and survival of oysters. Selection of suitable sites is critically important as it can greatly influence mortality factors and may largely determine the ultimate success of the restoration project. The application of Geographic Information Systems (GIS) provides an effective methodology for identifying suitable sites for oyster reef restoration and removes much of the uncertainty involved in the sometimes trial and error selection process. This approach also provides an objective and quantitative tool for planning future oyster reef restoration efforts. The aim of this study was to develop a restoration suitability index model and reef quality index model to characterize locations based on their potential for successful reef restoration within the Mission-Aransas Estuary, Texas, USA. The restoration suitability index model focuses on salinity, temperature, turbidity, dissolved oxygen, and depth, while the reef quality index model focuses on abundance of live oysters, dead shell, and spat. Size-specific Perkinsus marinus infection levels were mapped to illustrate general disease trends. This application was effective in identifying suitable sites for oyster reef restoration, is flexible in its use, and provides a mechanism for considering alternative approaches. The end product is a practical decision-support tool that can be used by coastal resource managers to improve oyster restoration efforts. As oyster reef restoration activities continue at small and large-scales, site selection criteria are critical for assisting stakeholders and managers and for maximizing long-term sustainability of oyster resources. PMID:22792410

Reticuloendotheliosis in a wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) from coastal Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Hayes, L E; Langheinrich, K A; Witter, R L

1992-01-01

An emaciated wild turkey (Meleagris gallopavo) exhibiting neurologic signs was found on Ossabaw Island, Chatham County, Georgia (USA) on 11 April 1989. The neurologic abnormalities observed included ataxia, drooping wings, head tremors, torticollis, and circling. At necropsy, discrete yellowish-white nodules, varying in size from 2 to 5 mm, were present in the spleen. White nodular lesions approximately 2 mm in diameter were observed beneath the mucosal surface of the distal esophagus. Histopathologic examination of the splenic nodules disclosed large numbers of primitive lymphoreticular cells with leptochromatic nuclei and abundant, slightly basophilic cytoplasms. The mitotic index in these cells was moderate to high. Similar neoplastic cells composed the masses observed in the esophagus. Multifocal, mild perivascular cuffing with mononuclear cells was found in the lumbar spinal cord, brain, and brain stem. Reticuloendotheliosis virus, subtype 3, was isolated from samples of the spleen and liver.

Linking human impacts within an estuary to ebb-tidal delta evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Dallas, Kate L.; Barnard, Patrick L.

2009-01-01

San Francisco Bay, California, USA is among the most anthropogenically altered estuaries in the entire United States, but the impact on sediment transport to the coastal ocean has not been quantified. Analysis of four historic bathymetric surveys has revealed large changes to the morphology of the San Francisco Bar, an ebb-tidal delta at the mouth of the San Francisco Bay. From 1873 to 2005 the bar eroded an average of 80 cm, which equates to a total volume loss of 100 + 65 x 106 m3 of sediment. Comparison of the surveys indicates the entire ebb delta has contracted radially while its crest has moved landward an average of 1 km. Compilation of historic records reveals that 130 x 106 m3 of sediment has been permanently removed from the San Francisco Bay and adjacent coastal ocean. Constriction of the bar is hypothesized to be from a decrease in sediment supply from San Francisco Bay, a reduction in the tidal prism of the estuary, and/or a reduction in the input of hydraulic mining debris. Changes to the morphology of the San Francisco Bar have likely altered wave refraction and focusing patterns on adjacent beaches and may be a factor in persistent beach erosion occurring in the area.

A Failed Experiment: Georgia's Tax Credit Scholarships for Private Schools

Science.gov (United States)

Southern Education Foundation, 2011

2011-01-01

Georgia is one of seven states that currently allow tax credits for scholarships to private schools. Georgia's law was enacted in May 2008 in order to assist low income students to transfer out of low performing public schools. Operations under the new act began in late 2008. The law permits taxpayers in Georgia to reduce their annual state taxes…

Predicted bioaccumulation of PCBs and toxaphene in bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus): the contribution of contaminated prey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Maruya, K.; Smalling, K. [Skidaway Inst. of Oceanography, Savannah, GA (United States); Pulster, E. [Savannah State Univ., Savannah, GA (United States)

2004-09-15

Residues of two organochlorines (OCs) -- Aroclor 1268 (a highly chlorinated PCB formulation) and toxaphene (a DDT-replacement pesticide) -- are major persistent contaminants in St. Simons Sound near Brunswick, Georgia, USA. Although studies have recently documented OC levels in Brunswick area fish that are routinely consumed by humans, little is known about organochlorine body burdens in resident marine mammals. Sub-populations of the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), an abundant odontocete of the coastal mid-south Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico regions, have recently been shown to exhibit a limited home range and site fidelity in a northern Florida estuary, underscoring the need to assess the impact of OCs in individuals exposed via their natural prey (i.e. contaminated fish).

Establishing control over nuclear materials and radiation sources in Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Basilia, G.

2010-01-01

Regulatory control over radiation sources in Georgia was lost after disintegration of the Soviet Union. A number of radiation accidents and illegal events occurred in Georgia. From 1999 Nuclear and Radiation Safety Service of the Ministry of Environmental Protection and Natural Resources is responsible for regulatory control over radiation sources in Georgia. US NRC Regulatory Assistance Program in Georgia Assist the Service in establishing long term regulatory control over sources. Main focuses of US NRC program are country-wide inventory, create National Registry of sources, safe storage of disused sources, upgrade legislation and regulation, implementation licensing and inspection activities

Effect of Climate Change on Water Temperature and Attainment of Water Temperature Criteria in the Yaquina Estuary, Oregon (USA)

Science.gov (United States)

There is increasing evidence that our planet is warming and this warming is also resulting in rising sea levels. Estuaries which are located at the interface between land and ocean are impacted by these changes. We used CE-QUAL-W2 water quality model to predict changes in water...

Energy balance of Georgia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Demur Chomakhidze

2016-09-01

It is shown that, traditionally, the energy balance of Georgia is in deep deficit. The suggestions for its improvement are provided in the Article. The country imports almost all amount of oil and natural gas. Electricity balance is relatively stable. In the recent years, some amount of electricity is exported to the neighboring countries. Generally, the country satisfies only 30–35% of own energy consumption by local generation, and the rest amount of resources are imported from abroad. The reason of deficit to some extent is irrational and wasteful consumption of energy resources. The article examines the organizational difficulties in drawing up energy balance of Georgia and statistical problems of recording of energy production and consumption at the initial stage of market economy.

40 CFR 81.237 - Northeast Georgia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Northeast Georgia Intrastate Air... Air Quality Control Regions § 81.237 Northeast Georgia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region. The Northeast Georgia Intrastate Air Quality Control Region consists of the territorial area encompassed by the...

Predicted eelgrass response to sea level rise and its availability to foraging Black Brant in Pacific coast estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Shaughnessy, Frank J.; Gilkerson, Whelan; Black, Jeffrey M.; Ward, David H.; Petrie, Mark

2012-01-01

Managers need to predict how animals will respond to habitat redistributions caused by climate change. Our objective was to model the effects of sea level rise on total eelgrass (Zostera marina) habitat area and on the amount of that area that is accessible to Brant geese (Branta bernicla), specialist grazers of eelgrass. Digital elevation models were developed for seven estuaries from Alaska, Washington, California (USA), and Mexico. Scenarios of future total eelgrass area were derived from combinations of estuarine specific sediment and tectonic rates (i.e., bottom change rate) with three rates of eustatic sea level rise (ESLR). Percentages of total eelgrass areas that were accessible to foraging Brant were determined for December when the birds overwinter at more southerly sites and in April as they move north to sites where they build body stores on their way to nesting areas in Alaska. The modeling showed that accessible eelgrass area could be lower than total area due to how daytime low-tide height, eelgrass shoot length, and the upper elevation of eelgrass determined Brant-reaching depth. Projections of future eelgrass area indicated that present-day ESLR (2.8 mm/yr) and bottom change rates should sustain the current pattern of estuarine use by Brant except in Morro Bay, where use should decrease because eelgrass is being ejected from this estuary by a positive bottom change rate. Higher ESLR rates (6.3 and 12.7 mm/yr) should result in less Brant use of estuaries at the northern and southern ends of the flyway, particularly during the winter, but more use of mid-latitude estuaries. The capacity of mid-latitude estuaries to function as Brant feeding refugia, or for these estuaries and Izembek Lagoon to provide drift rather than attached leaves, is eventually limited by the decrease in total eelgrass area, which is a result of a light extinction affect on the eelgrass, or the habitat being pushed out of the estuary by positive tectonic rates. Management

The relationship between sediment and plutonium budgets in a small macrotidal estuary: Esk Estuary, Cumbria, UK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kelly, M.; Emptage, M.; Mudge, S.; Bradshaw, K.; Hamilton-Taylor, J.

1991-01-01

During a spring tide, measurements were made of sediment and 239,240 Pu discharges through a cross-section of the Esk estuary. These indicated that over the full tidal cycle, the inner estuary had a net gain of ca. 18 t of sediment and ca. 85 MBq of particulate phase 239,240 Pu, and a probable net loss of ca. 1 to 2 MBq of solution phase 239,240 Pu. Each of these was the net result of large gross discharges of sediment and plutonium into and out of the estuary for which the sea was the main source, with eroded estuarine sediment providing an additional minor source of sediment, of particulate phase plutonium and, via desorption, of solution phase plutonium. A net input with each tide, of sediment and its associated radionuclides, is considered to be typical for the Esk estuary under the normal conditions of low river flows. (author)

Establishing nursery estuary otolith geochemical tags for Sea Bass (Dicentrarchus labrax): Is temporal stability estuary dependent?

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Diarmuid; Wögerbauer, Ciara; Roche, William

2016-12-01

The ability to determine connectivity between juveniles in nursery estuaries and adult populations is an important tool for fisheries management. Otoliths of juvenile fish contain geochemical tags, which reflect the variation in estuarine elemental chemistry, and allow discrimination of their natal and/or nursery estuaries. These tags can be used to investigate connectivity patterns between juveniles and adults. However, inter-annual variability of geochemical tags may limit the accuracy of nursery origin determinations. Otolith elemental composition was used to assign a single cohort of 0-group sea bass Dicentrarchus labrax to their nursery estuary thus establishing an initial baseline for stocks in waters around Ireland. Using a standard LDFA model, high classification accuracies to nursery sites (80-88%) were obtained. Temporal stability of otolith geochemical tags was also investigated to assess if annual sampling is required for connectivity studies. Geochemical tag stability was found to be strongly estuary dependent.

Conditions for tidal bore formation in convergent alluvial estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Bonneton, Philippe; Filippini, Andrea Gilberto; Arpaia, Luca; Bonneton, Natalie; Ricchiuto, Mario

2016-04-01

Over the last decade there has been an increasing interest in tidal bore dynamics. However most studies have been focused on small-scale bore processes. The present paper describes the first quantitative study, at the estuary scale, of the conditions for tidal bore formation in convergent alluvial estuaries. When freshwater discharge and large-scale spatial variations of the estuary water depth can be neglected, tide propagation in such estuaries is controlled by three main dimensionless parameters: the nonlinearity parameter ε0 , the convergence ratio δ0 and the friction parameter ϕ0. In this paper we explore this dimensionless parameter space, in terms of tidal bore occurrence, from a database of 21 estuaries (8 tidal-bore estuaries and 13 non tidal-bore estuaries). The field data point out that tidal bores occur for convergence ratios close to the critical convergence δc. A new proposed definition of the friction parameter highlights a clear separation on the parameter plane (ϕ0,ε0) between tidal-bore estuaries and non tidal-bore estuaries. More specifically, we have established that tidal bores occur in convergent estuaries when the nonlinearity parameter is greater than a critical value, εc , which is an increasing function of the friction parameter ϕ0. This result has been confirmed by numerical simulations of the two-dimensional Saint Venant equations. The real-estuary observations and the numerical simulations also show that, contrary to what is generally assumed, tide amplification is not a necessary condition for tidal bore formation. The effect of freshwater discharge on tidal bore occurrence has been analyzed from the database acquired during three long-term campaigns carried out on the Gironde/Garonne estuary. We have shown that in the upper estuary the tidal bore intensity is mainly governed by the local dimensionless tide amplitude ε. The bore intensity is an increasing function of ε and this relationship does not depend on freshwater

Geographic variability in amoeboid protists and other microbial groups in the water column of the lower Hudson River Estuary (New York, USA)

Science.gov (United States)

Juhl, Andrew R.; Anderson, O. Roger

2014-12-01

In comparison to other groups of planktonic microorganisms, relatively little is known about the role of amoeboid protists (amebas) in planktonic ecosystems. This study describes the first geographic survey of the abundance and biomass of amebas in an estuarine water column. Samples collected in the lower Hudson River Estuary were used to investigate relationships between ameba abundance and biomass and hydrographic variables (temperature, salinity, and turbidity), water depth (surface and near bottom), distance from mid-channel to shore, phytoplankton biomass (chlorophyll fluorescence) and the occurrence of other heterotrophic microbial groups (heterotrophic bacteria, nanoflagellates, and ciliates) in the plankton. Although salinity increased significantly towards the mouth of the estuary, there were no significant differences in the abundance or biomass of any microbial group in surface samples collected at three stations separated by 44 km along the estuary's mid-channel. Peak biomass values for all microbial groups were found at the station closest to shore, however, cross-channel trends in microbial abundance and biomass were not statistically significant. Although ameba abundance and biomass in most samples were low compared to other microbial groups, clear patterns in ameba distribution were nevertheless found. Unlike other microbial groups examined, ameba numbers and biomass greatly increased in near bottom water compared to surface samples. Ameba abundance and biomass (in surface samples) were also strongly related to increasing turbidity. The different relationships of ameba abundance and biomass with turbidity suggest a rising contribution of large amebas in microbial communities of the Hudson estuary when turbidity increases. These results, emphasizing the importance of particle concentration as attachment and feeding surfaces for amebas, will help identify the environmental conditions when amebas are most likely to contribute significantly to estuarine

Nutrients in some estuaries of Kerala

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Devi, K.S.; Venugopal, P.; Remani, K.N.; Zacharias, D.; Unnithan, R.V.

phosphate and ammonia were high at Kallai compared to other three estuaries. All the estuaries showed an increase in nitrate content during monsoon. Nitrite values were high in postmonsoon. Ammonia levels were generally high except at Korapuzha. Nutrient...

Compound specific radiocarbon content of lignin oxidation products from the Altamaha river and Coastal Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Culp, Randy

2013-01-01

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) is a powerful tool in organic geochemistry by providing detailed information about an individual organic compound’s history with regard to its source and process of formation. Most CSIA involves measurement of the stable isotope ratio of carbon ( 13 C/ 12 C) and hydrogen (D/H) following separation by gas or liquid chromatography. New applications are being developed using compound-specific radiocarbon ( 14 C) content for delineating age of materials, rates of decomposition and residence time in various environments. This paper details the isotopic work on specific lignin monomers derived from terrestrial plants transported and deposited within the Altamaha River, estuary and off-shore Georgia in the Atlantic Ocean. By using gas chromatographic separation and identification of selected lignin oxidation products (LOP), the harvesting of these compounds using preparative fraction collection, and measurement of their 14 C content using accelerator mass spectrometry, details of the age and presence of specific biomarkers unique to a given terrestrial source are revealed. Radiocarbon ages determined from water-column particulate organic carbon and sediment LOPs indicate a range of ages from modern to well over 5,000 years for the former and latter respectively. Transport mechanisms and particle size associations on mineral grains may play a significant role in 14 C distribution in estuary and near-shore coastal environments. This data indicates higher than modern 14 C activities in large particle-size sediment fractions in contrast to older LOP 14 C ages found associated with the same coarse grain sediments. Individual LOP ages substantiate older terrestrial materials persist in the off-shore environment even though in the presence of modern marine 14 C sources.

Retrospective cohort study of cancer incidence and mortality by HIV status in a Georgia, USA, prisoner cohort during the HAART era.

Science.gov (United States)

Zlotorzynska, Maria; Spaulding, Anne C; Messina, Lauren C; Coker, Daniella; Ward, Kevin; Easley, Kirk; Baillargeon, Jacques; Mink, Pamela J; Simard, Edgar P

2016-04-11

Non-AIDS-defining cancers (NADCs) have emerged as significant contributors to cancer mortality and morbidity among persons living with HIV (PLWH). Because NADCs are also associated with many social and behavioural risk factors that underlie HIV, determining the extent to which each of these factors contributes to NADC risk is difficult. We examined cancer incidence and mortality among persons with a history of incarceration, because distributions of other cancer risk factors are likely similar between prisoners living with HIV and non-infected prisoners. Registry-based retrospective cohort study. Cohort of 22,422 persons incarcerated in Georgia, USA, prisons on 30 June 1991, and still alive in 1998. Cancer incidence and mortality were assessed between 1998 and 2009, using cancer and death registry data matched to prison administrative records. Age, race and sex-adjusted standardised mortality and incidence ratios, relative to the general population, were calculated for AIDS-defining cancers, viral-associated NADCs and non-infection-associated NADCs, stratified by HIV status. There were no significant differences in cancer mortality relative to the general population in the cohort, regardless of HIV status. In contrast, cancer incidence was elevated among the PLWH. Furthermore, incidence of viral-associated NADCs was significantly higher among PLWH versus those without HIV infection (standardised incidence ratio=6.1, 95% CI 3.0 to 11.7, pcancer incidence was elevated relative to the general population, likely related to increased prevalence of oncogenic viral co-infections. Cancer prevention and screening programmes within prisons may help to reduce the cancer burden in this high-risk population. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Bar dimensions and bar shapes in estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Leuven, Jasper; Kleinhans, Maarten; Weisscher, Steven; van der Vegt, Maarten

2016-04-01

Estuaries cause fascinating patterns of dynamic channels and shoals. Intertidal sandbars are valuable habitats, whilst channels provide access to harbors. We still lack a full explanation and classification scheme for the shapes and dimensions of bar patterns in natural estuaries, in contrast with bars in rivers. Analytical physics-based models suggest that bar length in estuaries increases with flow velocity, tidal excursion length or estuary width, depending on which model. However, these hypotheses were never validated for lack of data and experiments. We present a large dataset and determine the controls on bar shape and dimensions in estuaries, spanning bar lengths from centimeters (experiments) to 10s of kilometers length. First, we visually identified and classified 190 bars, measured their dimensions (width, length, height) and local braiding index. Data on estuarine geometry and tidal characteristics were obtained from governmental databases and literature on case studies. We found that many complex bars can be seen as simple elongated bars partly cut by mutually evasive ebb- and flood-dominated channels. Data analysis shows that bar dimensions scale with estuary dimensions, in particular estuary width. Breaking up the complex bars in simple bars greatly reduced scatter. Analytical bar theory overpredicts bar dimensions by an order of magnitude in case of small estuarine systems. Likewise, braiding index depends on local width-to-depth ratio, as was previously found for river systems. Our results suggest that estuary dimensions determine the order of magnitude of bar dimensions, while tidal characteristics modify this. We will continue to model bars numerically and experimentally. Our dataset on tidal bars enables future studies on the sedimentary architecture of geologically complex tidal deposits and enables studying effects of man-induced perturbations such as dredging and dumping on bar and channel patterns and habitats.

Effects of repeated growing season prescribed fire on the structure and composition of pine-hardwood forests in the southeastern Piedmont, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Matthew Reilly; Kenneth Outcalt; Joseph O’Brien; Dale Wade

2016-01-01

We examined the effects of repeated growing season prescribed fire on the structure and composition of mixed pine–hardwood forests in the southeastern Piedmont region, Georgia, USA. Plots were burned two to four times over an eight-year period with low intensity surface fires during one of four six-week long periods from early April to mid-September. Density...

Evolution of mid-Atlantic coastal and back-barrier estuary environments in response to a hurricane: Implications for barrier-estuary connectivity

Science.gov (United States)

Miselis, Jennifer L.; Andrews, Brian D.; Nicholson, Robert S.; Defne, Zafer; Ganju, Neil K.; Navoy, Anthony S.

2016-01-01

Assessments of coupled barrier island-estuary storm response are rare. Hurricane Sandy made landfall during an investigation in Barnegat Bay-Little Egg Harbor estuary that included water quality monitoring, geomorphologic characterization, and numerical modeling; this provided an opportunity to characterize the storm response of the barrier island-estuary system. Barrier island morphologic response was characterized by significant changes in shoreline position, dune elevation, and beach volume; morphologic changes within the estuary were less dramatic with a net gain of only 200,000 m3 of sediment. When observed, estuarine deposition was adjacent to the back-barrier shoreline or collocated with maximum estuary depths. Estuarine sedimentologic changes correlated well with bed shear stresses derived from numerically simulated storm conditions, suggesting that change is linked to winnowing from elevated storm-related wave-current interactions rather than deposition. Rapid storm-related changes in estuarine water level, turbidity, and salinity were coincident with minima in island and estuarine widths, which may have influenced the location of two barrier island breaches. Barrier-estuary connectivity, or the transport of sediment from barrier island to estuary, was influenced by barrier island land use and width. Coupled assessments like this one provide critical information about storm-related coastal and estuarine sediment transport that may not be evident from investigations that consider only one component of the coastal system.

Denitrification pathways and rates in the sandy sediments of the Georgia continental shelf, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingall Ellery

2005-02-01

Full Text Available Denitrification in continental shelf sediments has been estimated to be a significant sink of oceanic fixed nitrogen (N. The significance and mechanisms of denitrification in organic-poor sands, which comprise 70% of continental shelf sediments, are not well known. Core incubations and isotope tracer techniques were employed to determine processes and rates of denitrification in the coarse-grained, sandy sediments of the Georgia continental shelf. In these sediments, heterotrophic denitrification was the dominant process for fixed N removal. Processes such as coupled nitrification-denitrification, anammox (anaerobic ammonium oxidation, and oxygen-limited autotrophic nitrification-denitrification were not evident over the 24 and 48 h time scale of the incubation experiments. Heterotrophic denitrification processes produce 22.8–34.1 μmole N m-2 d-1 of N2 in these coarse-grained sediments. These denitrification rates are approximately two orders of magnitude lower than rates determined in fine-grained shelf sediments. These lower rates may help reconcile unbalanced marine N budgets which calculate global N losses exceeding N inputs.

USE OF COMPLEMENTARY AND ALTERNATIVE MEDICINE IN GEORGIA.

Science.gov (United States)

Nadareishvili, I; Lunze, K; Tabagari, N; Beraia, A; Pkhakadze, G

2017-11-01

In Georgia, like in most countries globally, people commonly resort to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, not much is known about CAM practices there. The aim of the study was to document common practices of CAM in Georgia and related patient attitudes. We collected data from peoples who commonly use CAM at 20 service provision centers in Georgia using cluster sampling from 300 patients. We admininstered a cross-sectional survey and conducted descriptive statistical analyses. People in Georgia use CAM either for prevention to improve general health (33%) or to treat chronic conditions (36%), spending about 25 Euros per month out of pocket. Most (77%) get their knowledge about CAM from family or friends , less than half (44%) from books or media, and 11% from medical providers. A close person's advice or experience was the most common rationale given for CAM use (54%). In our sample, 17% either don't trust or are unsatisfied with conventional medicine, 29% found CAM treatment "very effective" and 61% "quite/partially" effective; only 5% not effective. Conventional treatment was stopped in half of the cases. 35% of respondents informed their physicians of their CAM use, while about half did not. Public mistrust towards conventional medicine, CAM user high satisfaction, relatively low cost of such services in Georgia - are the factors letting us to suggest that CAM use will further increase. Frequent self taking decisions made by patients to stop physician prescribed treatment, not informing physicians on CAM use, as well as other factors put patients health at risk. Further research and capacity building in practice, education and other related aspects are needed to establish evidence-based regulation and standards for CAM in Georgia that ensure informed decision making and patient safety.

The Estuary Guide. Level 3: High School. Draft.

Science.gov (United States)

Alexander, Glen; And Others

Estuaries are marine systems that serve as nurseries for animals, links in the migratory pathways, and habitat for a complex community of organisms. This curriculum guide intended for use at the high school level seeks to teach what estuaries are; provide opportunities to practice decision-making that affects estuaries; and encourage students to…

A comparative study on the internal dose due to Polonium-210 in the ecosystem of Athangarai estuary (Palk Strait) and Punnaikayal estuary (Gulf of Mannar), India

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Krishnamoorthy, R.; Ravikumar, S.; Shahul Hameed, P.

2006-01-01

The present study deals with Committed Effective Dose (CEO) due to 210 Po through the dietary intake of seafood from the Athangarai estuary and Punnaikayal estuary. The concentration of 210 Po was determined in selected species of estuarine organisms. It is found that the 210 Po dose due to the consumption of estuarine food varied from 49.9 to 552.1 μSv/y in Athangarai estuary and 148.0 to 406.9 μSv/y in Punnaikayal estuary. Concentration of 210 Po in the muscle of edible organisms in Athangarai estuary and Punnaikayal estuary ranged from 20.8 to 181.3 Bq/kg and 88.1 to 242.2 Bq/kg respectively. Higher 210 Po dose is expected via the consumption of fish Sandinella longiceps (552.1 μSv/y) in Athangarai estuary and Thyssa malabarica (406.9 μSv/y) in Punnaikayal estuary. In the present study higher level of 210 Po concentration was observed in Plankton feeding fish of both the estuary. (author)

Influence of trees on residential property values in Athens, Gerogia (U.S.A.): a survey based on actual sales prices

Science.gov (United States)

L.M. Anderson; H.K. Cordell

1988-01-01

survey of the sales of 844 single family residential properties in Athens, Georgia, U.S.A., indicated that landscaping with trees was associated with 3.5%-4.5% increase in sales prices. During the 1978-I 980 study period, the average house sold for about $38 100 (in I978 constant dollars) and had five trees in its front yard. The average sales price increase due to...

Environmental flow assessments for transformed estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Tao; Zhang, Heyue; Yang, Zhifeng; Yang, Wei

2015-01-01

Here, we propose an approach to environmental flow assessment that considers spatial pattern variations in potential habitats affected by river discharges and tidal currents in estuaries. The approach comprises four steps: identifying and simulating the distributions of critical environmental factors for habitats of typical species in an estuary; mapping of suitable habitats based on spatial distributions of the Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) and adopting the habitat aggregation index to understand fragmentation of potential suitable habitats; defining variations in water requirements for a certain species using trade-off analysis for different protection objectives; and recommending environmental flows in the estuary considering the compatibility and conflict of freshwater requirements for different species. This approach was tested using a case study in the Yellow River Estuary. Recommended environmental flows were determined by incorporating the requirements of four types of species into the assessments. Greater variability in freshwater inflows could be incorporated into the recommended environmental flows considering the adaptation of potential suitable habitats with variations in the flow regime. Environmental flow allocations should be conducted in conjunction with land use conflict management in estuaries. Based on the results presented here, the proposed approach offers flexible assessment of environmental flow for aquatic ecosystems that may be subject to future change.

Integrated mined-area reclamation and land-use planning. Volume 3C. A case study of surface mining and reclamation planning: Georgia Kaolin Company Clay Mines, Washington County, Georgia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Guernsey, J L; Brown, L A; Perry, A O

1978-02-01

This case study examines the reclamation practices of the Georgia Kaolin's American Industrial Clay Company Division, a kaolin producer centered in Twiggs, Washington, and Wilkinson Counties, Georgia. The State of Georgia accounts for more than one-fourth of the world's kaolin production and about three-fourths of U.S. kaolin output. The mining of kaolin in Georgia illustrates the effects of mining and reclaiming lands disturbed by area surface mining. The disturbed areas are reclaimed under the rules and regulations of the Georgia Surface Mining Act of 1968. The natural conditions influencing the reclamation methodologies and techniques are markedly unique from those of other mining operations. The environmental disturbances and procedures used in reclaiming the kaolin mined lands are reviewed and implications for planners are noted.

Sediment Trapping in Estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Burchard, Hans; Schuttelaars, Henk M.; Ralston, David K.

2018-01-01

Estuarine turbidity maxima (ETMs) are generated by a large suite of hydrodynamic and sediment dynamic processes, leading to longitudinal convergence of cross-sectionally integrated and tidally averaged transport of cohesive and noncohesive suspended particulate matter (SPM). The relative importance of these processes for SPM trapping varies substantially among estuaries depending on topography, fluvial and tidal forcing, and SPM composition. The high-frequency dynamics of ETMs are constrained by interactions with the low-frequency dynamics of the bottom pool of easily erodible sediments. Here, we use a transport decomposition to present processes that lead to convergent SPM transport, and review trapping mechanisms that lead to ETMs at the landward limit of the salt intrusion, in the freshwater zone, at topographic transitions, and by lateral processes within the cross section. We use model simulations of example estuaries to demonstrate the complex concurrence of ETM formation mechanisms. We also discuss how changes in SPM trapping mechanisms, often caused by direct human interference, can lead to the generation of hyperturbid estuaries.

Corruption Risks of Private Tutoring: Case of Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Kobakhidze, Magda Nutsa

2014-01-01

The paper focuses on teacher-supplied private tutoring in the context of post-Soviet Georgia, and elucidates the ways in which teacher-supplied private tutoring can be related to educational corruption. The paper draws on data from in-depth interviews of 18 school teachers in different parts of Georgia in 2013. The findings of the qualitative…

"Explaining the Gender Wage Gap in Georgia"

OpenAIRE

Tamar Khitarishvili

2009-01-01

This paper evaluates gender wage differentials in Georgia between 2000 and 2004. Using ordinary least squares, we find that the gender wage gap in Georgia is substantially higher than in other transition countries. Correcting for sample selection bias using the Heckman approach further increases the gender wage gap. The Blinder Oaxaca decomposition results suggest that most of the wage gap remains unexplained. The explained portion of the gap is almost entirely attributed to industrial variab...

Sediment sources and transport in Kings Bay and vicinity, Georgia and Florida, July 8-16, 1982

Science.gov (United States)

Radtke, D.B.

1985-01-01

Water quality, bottom-material, suspended-sediment, and current velocity data were collected during July 1982 in Kings Bay and vicinity to provide information on the source and transport of estuarine sediments. Kings Bay and Cumberland Sound, the site of the Poseidon Submarine Base in southeast Georgia, are experiencing high rates of sediment deposition and accumulation, which are causing serious navigational and operational problems. Velocity, bathymetry, turbidity, and bottom-material data suggest sediment transported from lower Kings Bay is accumulating deposits of suspended sediment transported from Cumberland Sound on the floodtide and from upper Kings Bay and the tidal march drained by Marianna Creek on the ebbtide. Suspended-sediment discharges computed for consecutive 13-hr ebbtides and floodtides showed that a net quantity of suspended sediment was transported seaward from upper Kings Bay and Marianna Creek. A net landward transport of suspended sediment computed at the St. Marys Entrance indicated areas seaward of St. Marys Entrance may be supplying sediment to the shoaling areas of the estuary, including lower Kings Bay. (USGS)

A preliminary appraisal of sediment sources and transport in Kings Bay and vicinity, Georgia and Florida

Science.gov (United States)

McConnell, J.B.; Radtke, D.B.; Hale, T.W.; Buell, G.R.

1983-01-01

Water-quality, bottom-material, suspended-sediment, and current-velocity data were collected during November 1981 in Kings Bay and vicinity to provide information on the sources and transport of estuarine sediments. Kings Bay and Cumberland Sound , the site of the Poseidon Submarine Base in southeast Georgia, are experiencing high rates of sediment deposition and accumulation, which are causing serious navigational and operational problems. Velocity, bathymetry, turbidity, and bottom-material data suggest that the area in the vicinity of lower Kings Bay is accumulating deposits of suspended sediment transported from Cumberland Sound on the floodtide and from upper Kings Bay and the tidal marsh drained by Marianna Creek on the ebbtide. Suspended-sediment discharges computed for consecutive 13-hour ebbtides and floodtides showed that a net quantity of suspended sediment was transported seaward from upper Kings Bay and Marianna Creek. A net landward transport of suspended sediment computed at the St. Marys Entrance indicated areas seaward of St. Marys Entrance may be supplying sediment to the shoaling areas of the estuary, including lower Kings Bay. (USGS)

Birds of Mahi River estuary, Gujarat, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P.J. Pandya

2010-06-01

Full Text Available The Mahi river estuary is one of the major estuaries of Gujarat. This paper presents a comprehensive list of birds of the Mahi river estuary (nearly 50 km stretch and the adjacent banks/ravines and defines the avian diversity at three major estuarine gradations with a brief check of similarity and diversity within the three. The present observation is the outcome of a 3 year period from August 2006 to July 2009. A sum total of 118 species belonging to 42 families were reported and listed as on Upstream, Midstream, and Downstream of estuary. No significant difference was seen in the species richness at the three zones; a change in avian composition at upstream and downstream was notable.

Hydro-morphological modelling of small, wave-dominated estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Slinger, Jill H.

2017-11-01

Small, intermittently open or closed estuaries are characteristic of the coasts of South Africa, Australia, California, Mexico and many other areas of the world. However, modelling attention has tended to focus on big estuaries that drain large catchments and serve a wide diversity of interests e.g. agriculture, urban settlement, recreation, commercial fishing. In this study, the development of a simple, parametric, system dynamics model to simulate the opening and closure of the mouths of small, wave-dominated estuaries is reported. In the model, the estuary is conceived as a basin with a specific water volume to water level relationship, connected to the sea by a channel of fixed width, but variable sill height. Changes in the form of the basin are not treated in the model, while the dynamics of the mouth channel are central to the model. The magnitude and direction of the flow through the mouth determines whether erosion or deposition of sediment occurs in the mouth channel, influencing the sill height. The model is implemented on the Great Brak Estuary in South Africa and simulations reveal that the raised low water levels in the estuary during spring tide relative to neap tide, are occasioned by the constriction of the tidal flow through the shallow mouth. Freshwater inflows to the estuary are shown to be significant in determining the behaviour of the inlet mouth, a factor often ignored in studies on tidal inlets. Further it is the balance between freshwater inflows and wave events that determines the opening or closure of the mouth of a particular estuary.

The Estuary Book: A Guide to Promoting Understanding and Regional Management of Maine's Estuaries and Embayments.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruffing, Jenny

The objective of this document is to provide information about estuaries, the impact of uses on the environmental health of an estuary, and what communities and concerned individuals can do to manage and protect their local estuarine resources successfully. Much of the information presented here pertains to other embayments along the Maine coast…

Trapping of sediment in tidal estuaries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chernetsky, A.

2012-01-01

An estuary is an ideal habitat for various aquatic species. At the same time, estuaries and adjacent rivers are used as fast navigation routes between the coastal and inland territories. The fast industrial development and the subsequent growth of cities and trade have led to large-scale

Frequent Questions about Estuary Data Mapper (EDM)

Science.gov (United States)

Estuary Data Mapper is a tool for geospatial data discovery, visualization, and data download for any of the approximately 2,000 estuaries and associated watersheds in along the five US coastal regions

Downloading and Installing Estuary Data Mapper (EDM)

Science.gov (United States)

Estuary Data Mapper is a tool for geospatial data discovery, visualization, and data download for any of the approximately 2,000 estuaries and associated watersheds in along the five US coastal regions

Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation for the Federal Columbia River Estuary Program.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Gary E.; Diefenderfer, Heida L. (Pacific Northwest National Laboratory)

2008-02-20

The purpose of this document is to describe research, monitoring, and evaluation (RME) for the Federal Columbia River Estuary Program, hereafter called 'the Estuary Program'. The intent of this RME effort is to provide data and information to evaluate progress toward meeting program goals and objectives and support decision making in the Estuary Program. The goal of the Estuary Program is to understand, conserve, and restore the estuary ecosystem to improve the performance of listed salmonid populations. The Estuary Program has five general objectives, designed to fulfill the program goal, as follows: (1) Understand the primary stressors affecting ecosystem controlling factors, such as ocean conditions and invasive species. (2) Conserve and restore factors controlling ecosystem structures and processes, such as hydrodynamics and water quality. (3) Increase the quantity and quality of ecosystem structures, i.e., habitats, juvenile salmonids use during migration through the estuary. (4) Maintain the food web to benefit salmonid performance. (5) Improve salmonid performance in terms of life history diversity, foraging success, growth, and survival. The goal of estuary RME is to provide pertinent and timely research and monitoring information to planners, implementers, and managers of the Estuary Program. The goal leads to three primary management questions pertaining to the main focus of the Estuary Program: estuary habitat conservation and restoration. (1) Are the estuary habitat actions achieving the expected biological and environmental performance targets? (2) Are the offsite habitat actions in the estuary improving juvenile salmonid performance and which actions are most effective at addressing the limiting factors preventing achievement of habitat, fish, or wildlife performance objectives? (3) What are the limiting factors or threats in the estuary/ocean preventing the achievement of desired habitat or fish performance objectives? Performance measures

Sedimentary fabrics of the macrotidal, mud-dominated, inner estuary to fluvio-tidal transition zone, Petitcodiac River estuary, New Brunswick, Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Shchepetkina, Alina; Gingras, Murray K.; Zonneveld, John-Paul; Pemberton, S. George

2016-03-01

The study provides a detailed description of mud-dominated sedimentary fabrics and their application for the rock record within the inner estuary to the fluvial zone of the Petitcodiac River estuary, New Brunswick, Canada. Sedimentological characteristics and facies distributions of the clay- and silt-rich deposits are reported. The inner estuary is characterized by thick accumulations of interbedded silt and silty clay on intertidal banks that flank the tidally influenced channel. The most common sedimentary structures observed are parallel and wavy lamination, small-scale soft-sediment deformation with microfaults, and clay and silt current ripples. The tidal channel contains sandy silt and clayey silt with planar lamination, massive and convolute bedding. The fluvio-tidal transition zone is represented by interbedded trough cross-stratified sand and gravel beds with planar laminated to massive silty mud. The riverine, non-tidal reach of the estuary is characterized by massive, planar tabular and trough cross-stratified gravel-bed deposits. The absence of bioturbation within the inner estuary to the fluvio-tidal transition zone can be explained by the following factors: low water salinities (0-5 ppt), amplified tide and current speeds, and high concentrations of flocculated material in the water body. Notably, downstream in the middle and outer estuary, bioturbation is seasonally pervasive: in those locales the sedimentary conditions are similar, but salinity is higher. In this study, the sedimentological (i.e., grain size, bedding characters, sedimentary structures) differences between the tidal estuary and the fluvial setting are substantial, and those changes occur over only a few hundred meters. This suggests that the widely used concept of an extensive fluvio-tidal transition zone and its depositional character may not be a geographically significant component of fluvial or estuary deposits, which can go unnoticed in the study of the ancient rocks.

Ecology of estuaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kennish, M.J.

1992-01-01

Ecology of Estuaries: Anthropogenic Effects represents the most definitive and comprehensive source of reference information available on the human impact on estuarine ecosystems. The book discusses both acute and insidious pollution problems plaguing these coastal ecotones. It also provides a detailed examination of the deleterious and pervasive effects of human activities on biotic communities and sensitive habitat areas in estuaries. Specific areas covered include organic loading, oil pollution, polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons, chlorinated hydrocarbons, heavy metals, dredging and dredge-spoil disposal, radionuclides, as well as other contaminants and processes. The diverse components of these anthropogenic influences are assembled in an organized framework and presented in a clear and concise style that will facilitate their understanding

A network model shows the importance of coupled processes in the microbial N cycle in the Cape Fear River Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Hines, David E.; Lisa, Jessica A.; Song, Bongkeun; Tobias, Craig R.; Borrett, Stuart R.

2012-06-01

Estuaries serve important ecological and economic functions including habitat provision and the removal of nutrients. Eutrophication can overwhelm the nutrient removal capacity of estuaries and poses a widely recognized threat to the health and function of these ecosystems. Denitrification and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox) are microbial processes responsible for the removal of fixed nitrogen and diminish the effects of eutrophication. Both of these microbial removal processes can be influenced by direct inputs of dissolved inorganic nitrogen substrates or supported by microbial interactions with other nitrogen transforming pathways such as nitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA). The coupling of nitrogen removal pathways to other transformation pathways facilitates the removal of some forms of inorganic nitrogen; however, differentiating between direct and coupled nitrogen removal is difficult. Network modeling provides a tool to examine interactions among microbial nitrogen cycling processes and to determine the within-system history of nitrogen involved in denitrification and anammox. To examine the coupling of nitrogen cycling processes, we built a nitrogen budget mass balance network model in two adjacent 1 cm3 sections of bottom water and sediment in the oligohaline portion of the Cape Fear River Estuary, NC, USA. Pathway, flow, and environ ecological network analyses were conducted to characterize the organization of nitrogen flow in the estuary and to estimate the coupling of nitrification to denitrification and of nitrification and DNRA to anammox. Centrality analysis indicated NH4+ is the most important form of nitrogen involved in removal processes. The model analysis further suggested that direct denitrification and coupled nitrification-denitrification had similar contributions to nitrogen removal while direct anammox was dominant to coupled forms of anammox. Finally, results also indicated that partial

Cost-Effectiveness Analysis of the Residential Provisions of the 2015 IECC for Georgia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mendon, Vrushali V. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Zhao, Mingjie [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Taylor, Zachary T. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States); Poehlman, Eric A. [Pacific Northwest National Lab. (PNNL), Richland, WA (United States)

2016-02-15

The 2015 IECC provides cost-effective savings for residential buildings in Georgia. Moving to the 2015 IECC from the 2011 Georgia State Code base code is cost-effective for residential buildings in all climate zones in Georgia.

The Mntafufu and Mzamba River estuaries

African Journals Online (AJOL)

1989-03-14

Mar 14, 1989 ... A survey of the fish fauna of Transkei estuaries. Part Four: The Mntafufu and Mzamba River estuaries. E.E. Plumstead • and J.F. Prinsloo. Department of Zoology, University of Transkei, Private Bag X1, Unitra, Umtata, Republic of Transkei. H.J. Schoonbee. Department of Zoology, Rand Afrikaans University, ...

Silicon dynamics in the Oder estuary, Baltic Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Pastuszak, Marianna; Conley, Daniel J.; Humborg, Christoph; Witek, Zbigniew; Sitek, Stanisław

2008-10-01

Studies on dissolved silicate (DSi) and biogenic silica (BSi) dynamics were carried out in the Oder estuary, Baltic Sea in 2000-2005. The Oder estuary proved to be an important component of the Oder River-Baltic Sea continuum where very intensive seasonal DSi uptake during spring and autumn, but also BSi regeneration during summer take place. Owing to the regeneration process annual DSi patterns in the river and the estuary distinctly differed; the annual patterns of DSi in the estuary showed two maxima and two minima in contrast to one maximum- and one minimum-pattern in the Oder River. DSi concentrations in the river and in the estuary were highest in winter (200-250 μmol dm - 3 ) and lowest (often less than 1 μmol dm - 3 ) in spring, concomitant with diatom growth; such low values are known to be limiting for new diatom growth. Secondary DSi summer peaks at the estuary exit exceeded 100 μmol dm - 3 , and these maxima were followed by autumn minima coinciding with the autumn diatom bloom. Seasonal peaks in BSi concentrations (ca. 100 μmol dm - 3 ) occurred during the spring diatom bloom in the Oder River. Mass balance calculations of DSi and BSi showed that DSi + BSi import to the estuary over a two year period was 103.2 kt and that can be compared with the DSi export of 98.5 kt. The difference between these numbers gives room for ca. 2.5 kt BSi to be annually exported to the Baltic Sea. Sediment cores studies point to BSi annual accumulation on the level of 2.5 kt BSi. BSi import to the estuary is on the level of ca. 10.5 kt, thus ca. 5 kt of BSi is annually converted into the DSi, increasing the pool of DSi that leaves the system. BSi concentrations being ca. 2 times higher at the estuary entrance than at its exit remain in a good agreement with the DSi and BSi budgeting presented in the paper.

Local Estuary Programs

Science.gov (United States)

This page provides information about Local Individual Estuary Programs including links to their NEP homepages, social media, Comprehensive Conservation and Management Plans, and state of the bay reports.

Milwaukee Estuary AOC

Science.gov (United States)

The rivers in the Milwaukee estuary in Wisconsin drain into Lake Michigan. Wastewater treatment plants and combined sewer overflows contribute pollution which affects fish and wildlife and recreation.

Physical activity in Georgia state parks: A pilot study

Science.gov (United States)

Lincoln R. Larson; Jason W. Whiting; Gary T. Green

2012-01-01

This pilot study assessed the role of Georgia State Parks in the promotion of physical activity among different racial/ethnic and age groups. Data were collected at three state parks in north Georgia during the summer of 2009 using two research methods: behavior observations (N=2281) and intercept surveys (N=473).

Effects of heavy metal contamination on the macrobenthic fauna in estuaries: The case of the Seine estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dauvin, Jean-Claude

2008-01-01

Heavy metal contamination levels are generally higher in estuaries than in the open sea. Some estuaries, the Seine estuary for example, have particularly high pollution levels of metals, yet continue to support a very high benthic biomass and remain quite productive. Measurements of sediment contamination are highly variable due to diverse chemical analysis methods, sediments origin and sources of contaminants found in the estuaries. Salinity appears to be the principal factor controlling contaminant distribution in the sediment and the overlying and/or interstitial waters; it also affects the bioavailability of contaminants in estuarine sediments. Of course, the response to contaminants varies greatly among species and assemblages. Trace metals explain only a small part of the variation in benthic community structure. Some species, such as the shrimp Crangon crangon, appears vulnerable to metal pollution, while other species, such as Scrobicularia plana, are able to tolerate quite high levels of cadmium in their tissue. This paper demonstrates the wide variability of benthic responses to contamination, which is probably due to the high spatio-temporal heterogeneity of the estuary. To reduce the problems due the heterogeneity and variability observed to date in the available results, it will be necessary to encourage integrated estuarine studies, in which sedimentologists, chemists, and biologists work together on the same campaigns at the same sites

Delaware Estuary situation reports. Emergency response: How do emergency management officials address disasters in the Delaware Estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sylves, R.T.

1991-01-01

From hurricanes and other natural threats to oil spills and other manmade emergencies, the Delaware Estuary has experienced a variety of disasters over the years. The toll that these events take on the estuary and those who live on its shores depends largely upon the degree of emergency preparedness, speed of response, and effectiveness of recovery operations. In Emergency Response: How Do Emergency Management Officials Address Disasters in the Delaware Estuary, the latest addition to its Delaware Estuary Situation Report series, the University of Delaware Sea Grant College Program defines emergency management; examines the roles that the Coast Guard, Army Corps of Engineers, and Environmental Protection Agency play in an emergency; and reviews how each of these federal agencies operated during an actual disaster--the 1985 Grand Eagle oil spill. The report was written by Dr. Richard T. Sylves, a professor of political science at the University of Delaware. Sylves has been studying emergency management for the past 15 years, with special emphasis on oil spill preparedness and response in the Mid-Atlantic Region. The Delaware Estuary Situation Report is 12 pages long and contains maps and photographs, as well as a detailed account of response and recovery operations undertaken during the Grand Eagle oil spill. A comparison of the 1985 Grand Eagle spill and the 1989 Presidente Rivera spill also is included

Improving navigability on the Kromme River Estuary: A choice ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Navigation of estuaries is a vitally important aspect of boating recreation in South Africa and elsewhere. This paper uses a choice experiment to estimate recreation values of the Kromme River Estuary, a popular estuary along South Africa's east coast. This valuation methodology allows for the identification of preferred ...

Compound specific radiocarbon content of lignin oxidation products from the Altamaha river and Coastal Georgia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Culp, Randy, E-mail: rculp@uga.edu [Center for Applied Isotope Studies, University of Georgia, Athens, Georgia (United States)

2013-01-15

Compound-specific isotope analysis (CSIA) is a powerful tool in organic geochemistry by providing detailed information about an individual organic compound's history with regard to its source and process of formation. Most CSIA involves measurement of the stable isotope ratio of carbon ({sup 13}C/{sup 12}C) and hydrogen (D/H) following separation by gas or liquid chromatography. New applications are being developed using compound-specific radiocarbon ({sup 14}C) content for delineating age of materials, rates of decomposition and residence time in various environments. This paper details the isotopic work on specific lignin monomers derived from terrestrial plants transported and deposited within the Altamaha River, estuary and off-shore Georgia in the Atlantic Ocean. By using gas chromatographic separation and identification of selected lignin oxidation products (LOP), the harvesting of these compounds using preparative fraction collection, and measurement of their {sup 14}C content using accelerator mass spectrometry, details of the age and presence of specific biomarkers unique to a given terrestrial source are revealed. Radiocarbon ages determined from water-column particulate organic carbon and sediment LOPs indicate a range of ages from modern to well over 5,000 years for the former and latter respectively. Transport mechanisms and particle size associations on mineral grains may play a significant role in {sup 14}C distribution in estuary and near-shore coastal environments. This data indicates higher than modern {sup 14}C activities in large particle-size sediment fractions in contrast to older LOP {sup 14}C ages found associated with the same coarse grain sediments. Individual LOP ages substantiate older terrestrial materials persist in the off-shore environment even though in the presence of modern marine {sup 14}C sources.

The “Soft Power” policy of Turkey towards Georgia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Larisa Mgerovna Aleksanyan

2016-01-01

Full Text Available South Caucasus throughout history was at the epicenter of clashes of different religions, civilizations, nations and states. At present moment the interests of both regional (Turkey, Iran and global actors (the United States, NATO, the EU, Russia and others. intersect in the region. Global transformations, changing power relations in international relations have their direct influence on the political processes taking place in the region. These processes are also linked with the activities of Turkey, which aspire to regional leadership. It is Georgia, which serves as a corridor between Turkey and states of Central Asia and the South Caucasus. Turkey spreads its influence in Georgia in almost all areas using economic, military and political tools, as well as the Russian-Georgian deteriorated relations. To achieve its goals, Turkey is actively pursuing a strategy of "soft power", which further strengthens its influence in the country. Public diplomacy is a part of soft power, which also ensures the formation of a positive and attractive image of Turkey in Georgia. This article investigates the contemporary policy of "soft power" of Turkey towards Georgia. It analyses the basic tools, institutions and the direction of this policy, actively implemented by the Republic of Turkey. Particular attention is paid to the activities of the Gulen Movement in Georgia. The author makes general conclusions regarding the effectiveness of this policy.

FLORA OF MOLOCHNYI ESTUARY COASTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kolomiychuk V.P.

2013-09-01

Full Text Available Present-day characteristic of the coastal flora of Molochnyi eastury is given, that is one of the largest estuaries in Ukraine, the shores and waters of which in 2009 became a part of the Pryazov’ya National Nature Park. The analysis of the main parameters of the flora is made. Rare component of the estuary coastal flora is characterized, further steps to conserve the nature of Pryazov’ya are proposed.

Georgia Institute of Technology chilled water system evaluation and master plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1996-05-15

As the host of the Olympic Village for the 1996 Atlanta Olympics, Georgia Tech has experienced a surge in construction activities over the last three years. Over 1.3 million square feet of new buildings have been constructed on the Georgia Tech campus. This growth has placed a strain on the Georgia Tech community and challenged the facilities support staff charged with planning and organizing utility services. In concert with Olympic construction, utility planners have worked to ensure long term benefits for Georgia Tech facilities while meeting the short term requirements of the Olympic Games. The concentration of building construction in the northwest quadrant of the campus allowed planners to construct a satellite chilled water plant to serve the needs of this area and provide the opportunity to integrate this section of the campus with the main campus chilled water system. This assessment and master plan, funded in part by the US Department of Energy, has evaluated the chilled water infrastructure at Georgia Tech, identified ongoing problems and made recommendations for long term chilled water infrastructure development and efficiency improvements. The Georgia Tech office of Facilities and RDA Engineering, Inc. have worked together to assemble relevant information and prepare the recommendations contained in this document.

Influence of estuaries on shelf foraminiferal species

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nigam, R.

Dabhol-bhatkal stretch of the west coast of India is marked by a number of estuaries. Cavarotalia annectens is selected to monitor the influence of these estuaries on the inner shelf foraminiferal fauna. The percentage distribution of this species...

Juvenile salmon usage of the Skeena River estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Carr-Harris, Charmaine; Gottesfeld, Allen S; Moore, Jonathan W

2015-01-01

Migratory salmon transit estuary habitats on their way out to the ocean but this phase of their life cycle is more poorly understood than other phases. The estuaries of large river systems in particular may support many populations and several species of salmon that originate from throughout the upstream river. The Skeena River of British Columbia, Canada, is a large river system with high salmon population- and species-level diversity. The estuary of the Skeena River is under pressure from industrial development, with two gas liquefaction terminals and a potash loading facility in various stages of environmental review processes, providing motivation for understanding the usage of the estuary by juvenile salmon. We conducted a juvenile salmonid sampling program throughout the Skeena River estuary in 2007 and 2013 to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution of different species and populations of salmon. We captured six species of juvenile anadromous salmonids throughout the estuary in both years, and found that areas proposed for development support some of the highest abundances of some species of salmon. Specifically, the highest abundances of sockeye (both years), Chinook in 2007, and coho salmon in 2013 were captured in areas proposed for development. For example, juvenile sockeye salmon were 2-8 times more abundant in the proposed development areas. Genetic stock assignment demonstrated that the Chinook salmon and most of the sockeye salmon that were captured originated from throughout the Skeena watershed, while some sockeye salmon came from the Nass, Stikine, Southeast Alaska, and coastal systems on the northern and central coasts of British Columbia. These fish support extensive commercial, recreational, and First Nations fisheries throughout the Skeena River and beyond. Our results demonstrate that estuary habitats integrate species and population diversity of salmon, and that if proposed development negatively affects the salmon populations that

A Failed Experiment: Georgia's Tax Credit Scholarships for Private Schools. Special Summary

Science.gov (United States)

Southern Education Foundation, 2011

2011-01-01

Georgia is one of seven states that currently allow tax credits for scholarships to private schools. The law permits individual taxpayers in Georgia to reduce annual state taxes up to $2,500 for joint returns when they divert funds to a student scholarship organization (SSO). Georgia's law providing tax credits for private school tuition grants or…

Research, Monitoring, and Evaluation for the Federal Columbia River Estuary Program

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Johnson, Gary E.; Diefenderfer, Heida L.; Ebberts, Blaine D.; Tortorici, Cathy; Yerxa, Tracey; Leary, J.; Skalski, John R.

2008-02-05

The purpose ofthis document is to describe research, monitoring, and evaluation (RME) for the Federal Columbia River Estuary Program. The intent of this RME effort is to provide data and information to evaluate progress toward meeting program goals and objectives and support decision-making in the Estuary Program. The goal of the Estuary Program is to understand, conserve, and restore the estuary ecosystem to improve the performance of listed salmonid populations. The Estuary Program has five general objectives, designed to fulfill the program goal, as follows. 1. Understand the primary stressors affecting ecosystem controlling factors, such as ocean conditions and invasive species. 2. Conserve and restore factors controlling ecosystem structures and processes, such as hydrodynamics and water quality. 3. Increase the quantity and quality of ecosystem structures, i.e., habitats, juvenile salmonids use during migration through the estuary. 4. Maintain the food web to benefit salmonid performance. 5. Improve salmonid performance in terms of life history diversity, foraging success, growth, and survival. The goal of estuary RME is to provide pertinent and timely research and monitoring information to planners, implementers, and managers of the Estuary Program. In conclusion, the estuary RME effort is designed to meet the research and monitoring needs of the estuary Program using an adaptive management process. Estuary RME's success and usefulness will depend on the actual conduct of adaptive management, as embodied in the objectives, implrementation, data, reporting, and synthesis, evaluation, and decision-making described herein.

77 FR 34037 - Georgia-Alabama-South Carolina System of Projects

Science.gov (United States)

2012-06-08

... Marketing Division, Southeastern Power Administration, Department of Energy, 1166 Athens Tech Road, Elberton... a public information and comment forum for the Georgia-Alabama-South Carolina customers and... before June 5, 2012. The Georgia-Alabama-South Carolina customers, through their representatives, have...

Distribution and assessment of sediment toxicity in Tamaki Estuary, Auckland, New Zealand

Science.gov (United States)

Abrahim, G. M. S.; Parker, R. J.; Nichol, S. L.

2007-07-01

Heavy metal levels in surface sediments from Tamaki Estuary demonstrate significant up estuary increases in Cu, Pb, Zn, Cd and mud concentrations. Increased metal levels towards the head of the estuary are linked to local catchment sources reflecting the historical development, industrialisation and urbanisation of catchment areas surrounding the upper estuary. The relatively narrow constriction in the middle estuary (Panmure area), makes it susceptible to accumulation of upper estuary pollutants, since the constriction reduces circulation and extends the time required for fine waterborne sediments in the upper estuary to exchange with fresh coastal water. As a result fine fraction sediments trapped in the upper estuary facilitate capture and retention of pollutants at the head of the estuary. The increase in sandy mud poor sediments towards the mouth of the estuary is associated with generally low metal concentrations. The estuary’s geomorphic shape with a mid estuary constriction, sediment texture and mineralogy and catchment history are significant factors in understanding the overall spatial distribution of contaminants in the estuary. Bulk concentration values for Cu, Pb, Zn, and Cd in all the studied surface samples occur below ANZECC ISQG-H toxicity values. Cd and Cu concentrations are also below the ISQG-L toxicity levels for these elements. However, Pb and Zn concentrations do exceed the ISQG-L values in some of the surface bulk samples in the upper estuary proximal to long established sources of catchment pollution.

Cyanobacteria and macroalgae in ecosystem of the Neva estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikulina V. N.

2011-07-01

Full Text Available The Baltic Sea and Neva estuary are plagued by coastal eutrophication. In order to estimate the scale of the problem, quantitative estimates of phytoplankton and macroalgal mats were determined in the Neva estuary. Long-term monitoring (1982–2009 of phytoplankton showed changes in its species composition and abundance. Summer phytoplankton biomass increased significantly in the 1990s, with concomitant changes in species composition, despite a decline of nutrients in the Neva estuary. The cyanobacteria Planktothrix agardhii became a dominant species. The summer biomass of phytoplankton reached a maximum of 5.2 ± 0.4 mg·L-1 in 2002–2004. Monitoring of macroalgal community in the coastal area of the Neva estuary from 2002 to 2009 showed the dominance of the filamentous green alga Cladophora glomerata in the phytobenthos. Average biomass of macroalgae in inner and outer estuary differed significantly at 132 ± 29 and 310 ± 67 g DW·m-2, respectively. This study showed, that fluctuations in macroalgal biomass reflected human influence on estuary, although it was less sensitive to human impact than the phytoplankton community. Thus qualitative and quantitative characteristics of phytoplankton and macroalgal blooms can indicate anthropogenic influence on the ecosystem, and help to better manage the Neva estuary.

GETTING CLOSER TO EU STANDARDS - GEORGIA FISCAL GOVERNANCE ADJUSTMENT AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David OBOLADZE

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This study focuses on fiscal governance from the perspective of developing the public finance management of Georgia. The paper investigates the fiscal governance framework in European Union countries and examines the impact of fiscal rules and budget procedures in EU countries. Well-designed fiscal frameworks are generally associated with better budgetary outcomes in terms of deficit and debt control. Following a thorough investigation of the current stance of fiscal governance in Georgia, the paper analyses the main medium and long term perspectives for Georgia to approximate with EU fiscal governance. The main objective of this paper is to provide policy guidelines needed for the appropriate and necessary reforms to ensure comprehensive, coherent and consistent fiscal governance framework for Georgia, which will improve the performance of public finance management and national economy of Georgia.

Distribution of Georgia Oyster Reefs

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The feature class in this ESRI Geodatabase contains polygons representing oyster reefs along the Georgia coastal waterways from Chatham County south to Glynn County....

Georgia's Teacher Performance Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Fenton, Anne Marie; Wetherington, Pamela

2016-01-01

Like most states, Georgia until recently depended on an assessment of content knowledge to award teaching licenses, along with a licensure recommendation from candidates' educator preparation programs. While the content assessment reflected candidates' grasp of subject matter, licensure decisions did not hinge on direct, statewide assessment of…

Water Use in Georgia by County for 2005; and Water-Use Trends, 1980-2005

Science.gov (United States)

Fanning, Julia L.; Trent, Victoria P.

2009-01-01

Water use for 2005 for each county in Georgia was estimated using data obtained from various Federal and State agencies and local sources. Total consumptive water use also was estimated for each county in Georgia for 2005. Water use is subdivided according to offstream and instream use. Offstream use is defined as water withdrawn or diverted from a ground- or surface-water source and transported to the place of use. Estimates for offstream water use include the categories of public supply, domestic, commercial, industrial, mining, irrigation, livestock, aquaculture, and thermoelectric power. Instream use is that which occurs within a stream channel for such purposes as hydroelectric-power generation, navigation, water-quality improvement, fish propagation, and recreation. The only category of instream use estimated was hydroelectric-power generation. Georgia law (the Georgia Ground-Water Use Act of 1972 and the Georgia Water Supply Act of 1978 [Georgia Department of Natural Resources, 2008a,b]) requires any water user who withdraws more than 100,000 gallons per day on a monthly average to obtain a withdrawal permit from the Georgia Environmental Protection Division. Permit holders generally must report their withdrawals by month. The Georgia Water-Use Program collects the reported information under the withdrawal permit system and the drinking-water permit system and stores the data in the Georgia Water-Use Data System.

Georgia State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive-waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-08-01

The Georgia State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. The report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Georgia. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Georgia. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Georgia

Georgia State Briefing Book for low-level radioactive waste management

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The Georgia State Briefing Book is one of a series of state briefing books on low-level radioactive waste management practices. It has been prepared to assist state and federal agency officials in planning for safe low-level radioactive waste disposal. This report contains a profile of low-level radioactive waste generators in Georgia. The profile is the result of a survey of NRC licensees in Georgia. The briefing book also contains a comprehensive assessment of low-level radioactive waste management issues and concerns as defined by all major interested parties including industry, government, the media, and interest groups. The assessment was developed through personal communications with representatives of interested parties, and through a review of media sources. Lastly, the briefing book provides demographic and socioeconomic data and a discussion of relevant government agencies and activities, all of which may impact waste management practices in Georgia

Estuaries of the northeastern United States: Habitat and land use signatures

Science.gov (United States)

Roman, C.T.; Jaworski, N.; Short, F.T.; Findlay, S.; Warren, R.S.

2000-01-01

Geographic signatures are physical, chemical, biotic, and human-induced characteristics or processes that help define similar or unique features of estuaries along latitudinal or geographic gradients. Geomorphologically, estuaries of the northeastern U.S., from the Hudson River estuary and northward along the Gulf of Maine shoreline, are highly diverse because of a complex bedrock geology and glacial history. Back-barrier estuaries and lagoons occur within the northeast region, but the dominant type is the drowned-river valley, often with rocky shores. Tidal range and mean depth of northeast estuaries are generally greater when compared to estuaries of the more southern U.S. Atlantic coast and Gulf of Mexico. Because of small estuarine drainage basins, low riverine flows, a bedrock substrate, and dense forest cover, sediment loads in northeast estuaries are generally quite low and water clarity is high. Tidal marshes, seagrass meadows, intertidal mudflats, and rocky shores represent major habitat types that fringe northeast estuaries, supporting commercially-important fauna, forage nekton and benthos, and coastal bird communities, while also serving as links between deeper estuarine waters and habitats through detritus-based pathways. Regarding land use and water quality trends, portions of the northeast have a history of over a century of intense urbanization as reflected in increased total nitrogen and total phosphorus loadings to estuaries, with wastewater treatment facilities and atmospheric deposition being major sources. Agricultural inputs are relatively minor throughout the northeast, with relative importance increasing for coastal plain estuaries. Identifying geographic signatures provides an objective means for comparing the structure function, and processes of estuaries along latitudinal gradients.

2009 Chatham County Georgia Lidar

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — LiDAR generated point cloud acquired in spring 2009 for Chatham County, Georgia for the Metropolitan Planning Commission. The data are classified as follows: Class 1...

U.S. Strategic Interests and Georgias Prospects for NATO Membership

Science.gov (United States)

2015-03-01

by the United States and the United Kingdom, as well as Georgia’s increasing efforts to either refurbish its existing hydroelectric power plants or...Bosnia and Herzegovina, Georgia, Macedonia, and Montenegro —all face serious challenges.”213 For Georgia, these challenges include its unresolved

Deschutes estuary feasibility study: hydrodynamics and sediment transport modeling

Science.gov (United States)

George, Douglas A.; Gelfenbaum, Guy; Lesser, Giles; Stevens, Andrew W.

2006-01-01

Continual sediment accumulation in Capitol Lake since the damming of the Deschutes River in 1951 has altered the initial morphology of the basin. As part of the Deschutes River Estuary Feasibility Study (DEFS), the United States Geological Survey (USGS) was tasked to model how tidal and storm processes will influence the river, lake and lower Budd Inlet should estuary restoration occur. Understanding these mechanisms will assist in developing a scientifically sound assessment on the feasibility of restoring the estuary. The goals of the DEFS are as follows. - Increase understanding of the estuary alternative to the same level as managing the lake environment.

Scavenging rate ecoassay: a potential indicator of estuary condition.

Science.gov (United States)

Porter, Augustine G; Scanes, Peter R

2015-01-01

Monitoring of estuary condition is essential due to the highly productive and often intensely impacted nature of these ecosystems. Assessment of the physico-chemical condition of estuaries is expensive and difficult due to naturally fluctuating water quality and biota. Assessing the vigour of ecosystem processes is an alternative method with potential to overcome much of the variability associated with physico-chemical measures. Indicators of estuary condition should have small spatial and temporal variability, have a predictable response to perturbation and be ecologically relevant. Here, we present tests of the first criterion, the spatio-temporal variability of a potential ecoassay measuring the rate of scavenging in estuaries. We hypothesised that the proposed scavenging ecoassay would not vary significantly among A) sites in an estuary, B) trips separated by weeks, or C) days in a trip. Because not all habitats are present in all estuaries, this test was undertaken in two habitats. When conducted over bare substrate there were occasional significant differences, but no discernible patterns, within levels of the experiment. When conducted over vegetated substrate, days within a trip did not vary significantly, but later trips experienced greater scavenging. This scavenging ecoassay shows potential as a tool for assessing the condition of estuarine ecosystems, and further exploration of this protocol is warranted by implementation in estuaries across a gradient of anthropogenic stress.

Current tobacco use and its associated factors among adults in Georgia: findings from Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factors STEPS Survey Georgia 2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nino Maglaklelidze

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background Tobacco surveys of past decades show that tobacco use prevalence is high in Georgia; According to nationwide Noncommunicable Diseases (NCDC Risk Factors STEPS Survey 2010 30% of adult population are current tobacco users. Another Nationwide Tobacco Survey 2014 reported 28% of tobacco use prevalence among Georgian adults. However, there has been relatively little progress in systematic study of the factors associated with this high tobacco use. The current study aimed to assess the prevalence of tobacco use and its associated sociodemographic, behavioral and environmental factors in Georgia. Methods The current study in Georgia was a population-based STEPS survey of adults aged 18-69. A multi-stage cluster sample design was used to produce representative data for that age range in Georgia. The. A total of 5554 adults participated in the survey. The overall response rate was 75.7%. We assessed sociodemographics, behavioral and other health-related factors. Results The prevalence of current overall tobacco use was 31.1% (95 % CI: 29.0-33.1 which comprised of smoked tobacco use, smoked cigarettes and use of smokeless tobacco, 31.0% (95% 28.9-33.0 smoked tobacco, 29.9 (95% CI: 27.9-32.0 smoked cigarettes and 0.3 (95% CI: 0.0-0.6 use of smokeless tobacco. Smoking prevalence was significantly higher in men 57.1% (95% CI: 53.7-60.4 compared to women 7.1% (95% CI: 5.9-8.4, especially in younger age groups and with other substance abuse history (predominantly alcohol. Conclusions Despite of some efforts in the field of tobacco control, tobacco use (particularly smoking was high in Georgia. Males, younger age groups, and population with addictions to other substances (especially alcohol should be the primary target of behavioral interventions; The stricter implementation of tobacco control measures, including comprehensive ban of tobacco marketing and smoking in public places, improved health warnings on tobacco packages and anti

Assessing tobacco marketing regulation implementation level in Georgia: evidence from Non Communicable Disease Risk Factors STEPS Survey Georgia 2016

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lela Sturua

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Background Tobacco use continues to be the leading cause of preventable deaths worldwide; the biggest burden of it falls on low- and middle-income countries and this trend is expected to widen further in case of inaction. The overall objective of the study is to describe and analyze the findings of the Noncommunicable Disease Risk Factors STEPS Survey Georgia 2016 related to tobacco marketing regulation. Methods The current study in Georgia was a population-based STEPS survey of randomly selected adults aged 18-69 within each sex and 10-year age-group. A multi-stage cluster sample design was used to produce representative data for that age range in Georgia. A total of 5554 adults participated in the current survey. We assessed level o tobacco marketing regulation implementation in Georgia. Results Study results reported high prevalence of tobacco use in Georgian population (31.1% (95 % CI: 29.0-33.1. Study findings showed that about half of the current smokers are exposed to anti-tobacco information on TV or radio 52.3% (95% CI: 48.9 - 55.7, whereas 35.5% (95% CI: 32.2 - 38.8 reported being exposed to cigarette marketing at points of sales of tobacco products and 4.7% (95% CI: 3.2-6.1 to any cigarette promotions. Health warnings on cigarette packs was reported to be noticed by 88.7% (95% CI: 85.8-91.6 of current smokers; only 33% (95% CI: 25.4 - 40.7 of them reported having thought about quitting because of these warnings. Conclusions The prevalence of smoking in Georgia is high compared to other countries of the European Region and it is very likely that smoking related NCDs burden will increase. Stricter tobacco control policies coupled with anti-tobacco media campaigns can address this problem. Improved health warnings on tobacco packages and total ban of tobacco advertisement, promotion and sponsorship should be implemented in order to overcome prevailed tobacco industry marketing strategies.

50 CFR Figure 4 to Part 223 - Georgia TED

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 7 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false Georgia TED 4 Figure 4 to Part 223 Wildlife and Fisheries NATIONAL MARINE FISHERIES SERVICE, NATIONAL OCEANIC AND ATMOSPHERIC ADMINISTRATION, DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE MARINE MAMMALS THREATENED MARINE AND ANADROMOUS SPECIES Pt. 223, Fig. 4 Figure 4 to Part 223—Georgia TED EC01JY91.048 [52 FR...

Transitioning young adults from paediatric to adult care and the HIV care continuum in Atlanta, Georgia, USA: a retrospective cohort study.

Science.gov (United States)

Hussen, Sophia A; Chakraborty, Rana; Knezevic, Andrea; Camacho-Gonzalez, Andres; Huang, Eugene; Stephenson, Rob; Del Rio, Carlos

2017-09-01

The transition from paediatric to adult HIV care is a particularly high-risk time for disengagement among young adults; however, empirical data are lacking. We reviewed medical records of 72 youth seen in both the paediatric and the adult clinics of the Grady Infectious Disease Program in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, from 2004 to 2014. We abstracted clinical data on linkage, retention and virologic suppression from the last two years in the paediatric clinic through the first two years in the adult clinic. Of patients with at least one visit scheduled in adult clinic, 97% were eventually seen by an adult provider (median time between last paediatric and first adult clinic visit = 10 months, interquartile range 2-18 months). Half of the patients were enrolled in paediatric care immediately prior to transition, while the other half experienced a gap in paediatric care and re-enrolled in the clinic as adults. A total of 89% of patients were retained (at least two visits at least three months apart) in the first year and 56% in the second year after transition. Patients who were seen in adult clinic within three months of their last paediatric visit were more likely to be virologically suppressed after transition than those who took longer (Relative risk (RR): 1.76; 95% confidence interval (CI): 1.07-2.9; p  = 0.03). Patients with virologic suppression (HIV-1 RNA below the level of detection of the assay) at the last paediatric visit were also more likely to be suppressed at the most recent adult visit (RR: 2.3; 95% CI: 1.34-3.9; p  = 0.002). Retention rates once in adult care, though high initially, declined significantly by the second year after transition. Pre-transition viral suppression and shorter linkage time between paediatric and adult clinic were associated with better outcomes post-transition. Optimizing transition will require intensive transition support for patients who are not virologically controlled, as well as support for youth beyond the first year

Physicochemical and biological cycles in a tide dominated, nitrogen-polluted temperate estuary

OpenAIRE

Wafar, M.V.M.; Le Corre, P.; Birrien, J.L.

1988-01-01

Spatio-temporal variations in the physicochemical and biological parameters in the Morlaix estuary on the Brittany coast of France were studied. Hydrographically, the estuary can be classified into 3 segments: the upper estuary where stratification always persists, the lower estuary where vertical homogeneity is permanent, and a middle estuary where there is a regular oscillation of stratification and homogeneity during every tidal cycle, stratification being associated with slack waters and ...

Wind Wave Behavior in Fetch and Depth Limited Estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Karimpour, Arash; Chen, Qin; Twilley, Robert R.

2017-01-01

Wetland dominated estuaries serve as one of the most productive natural ecosystems through their ecological, economic and cultural services, such as nursery grounds for fisheries, nutrient sequestration, and ecotourism. The ongoing deterioration of wetland ecosystems in many shallow estuaries raises concerns about the contributing erosive processes and their roles in restraining coastal restoration efforts. Given the combination of wetlands and shallow bays as landscape components that determine the function of estuaries, successful restoration strategies require knowledge of wind wave behavior in fetch and depth limited water as a critical design feature. We experimentally evaluate physics of wind wave growth in fetch and depth limited estuaries. We demonstrate that wave growth rate in shallow estuaries is a function of wind fetch to water depth ratio, which helps to develop a new set of parametric wave growth equations. We find that the final stage of wave growth in shallow estuaries can be presented by a product of water depth and wave number, whereby their product approaches 1.363 as either depth or wave energy increases. Suggested wave growth equations and their asymptotic constraints establish the magnitude of wave forces acting on wetland erosion that must be included in ecosystem restoration design.

Residential Energy Efficiency Potential: Georgia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wilson, Eric J [National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL), Golden, CO (United States)

2017-11-17

Energy used by Georgia single-family homes that can be saved through cost-effective improvements. Prepared by Eric Wilson and Noel Merket, NREL, and Erin Boyd, U.S. Department of Energy Office of Energy Policy and Systems Analysis.

Greenhouse gas (N2O emission from Portuguese estuaries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Célia Gonçalves

2014-07-01

Tagus, Minho and Lima estuaries are source of N2O to the atmosphere. Particularly, in Lima estuary anthropogenic N input seems to play an important role on N2O emission. However, in a global perspective N2O attained emissions represent a reduced fraction (2O yr-1, Barnes and Upstill-Goddard, 2011. Values are comparable with those registered in some Portuguese estuaries and other European less eutrophic estuaries. However, it is known that higher N2O emissions in estuaries may occur during winter and spring (Sun et al., 2014. Thus, these systems may represent on an annual basis a larger source of N2O, which can only be clarified in future studies. Only a full comprehension of the global estuarine nitrogen cycle will provide an efficient basis of scientific knowledge for sustainably management of such ecosystems and ultimately reduce N2O emissions.

Implementing the strengthened non-proliferation regime in Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chelidze, L.

2009-01-01

A few years ago Georgia faced complicated problems in nuclear and radiation safety field, namely: weakness of infrastructure for state management, incomplete inventory of radiation sources, orphan sources all over the post soviet military bases and as a result several radiological emergencies, overexposed victims and high risk of attracting international terrorists to use the country as a rout for illegal movement of radiation sources or nuclear materials. IAEA policy and strategy for nonproliferation showed that it is not the one country problem. The coalition of democratic countries immediately responded to aroused problems. Step by step Georgia established a regulatory body, worked out national legislation, developed licensing and inspection activities, nearly finished installation of radiation portals at the whole perimeter of the country. Several successful cases of prevention of the illicit trafficking of nuclear materials through borders of Georgia identified country's ability to contribute its shear to the Global Nuclear security.(author)

Trophic flow structure of a neotropical estuary in northeastern Brazil and the comparison of ecosystem model indicators of estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Lira, Alex; Angelini, Ronaldo; Le Loc'h, François; Ménard, Frédéric; Lacerda, Carlos; Frédou, Thierry; Lucena Frédou, Flávia

2018-06-01

We developed an Ecopath model for the Estuary of Sirinhaém River (SIR), a small-sized system surrounded by mangroves, subject to high impact, mainly by the sugar cane and other farming industries in order to describe the food web structure and trophic interactions. In addition, we compared our findings with those of 20 available Ecopath estuarine models for tropical, subtropical and temperate regions, aiming to synthesize the knowledge on trophic dynamics and provide a comprehensive analysis of the structures and functioning of estuaries. Our model consisted of 25 compartments and its indicators were within the expected range for estuarine areas around the world. The average trophic transfer efficiency for the entire system was 11.8%, similar to the theoretical value of 10%. The Keystone Index and MTI (Mixed Trophic Impact) analysis indicated that the snook (Centropomus undecimalis and Centropomus parallelus) and jack (Caranx latus and Caranx hippos) are considered as key resources in the system, revealing their high impact in the food web. Both groups have a high ecological and commercial relevance, despite the unregulated fisheries. As result of the comparison of ecosystem model indicators in estuaries, differences in the ecosystem structure from the low latitude zones (tropical estuaries) to the high latitude zones (temperate system) were noticed. The structure of temperate and sub-tropical estuaries is based on high flows of detritus and export, while tropical systems have high biomass, respiration and consumption rates. Higher values of System Omnivory Index (SOI) and Overhead (SO) were observed in the tropical and subtropical estuaries, denoting a more complex food chain. Globally, none of the estuarine models were classified as fully mature ecosystems, although the tropical ecosystems were considered more mature than the subtropical and temperate ecosystems. This study is an important contribution to the trophic modeling of estuaries, which may also help

Georgia : Accounting and Auditing

OpenAIRE

World Bank

2007-01-01

This report provides an assessment of accounting, financial reporting and auditing requirements and practices within the enterprise and financial sectors in Georgia. The report uses International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS), International Standards on Auditing (ISA) and draws on international experience and good practices in the field of accounting and audit regulation, including in ...

Phosphorus, iron, and aluminum losses in runoff from a rotationally-grazed pasture in Georgia, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Pastures can be a source of phosphorus (P) contributing to eutrophication and impairment of water resources. Phosphorus is tightly held in soils that are highly weathered, acidic, and with high iron (Fe) and aluminum (Al) content like the Ultisols of southeastern USA. We used 11-yr (1999-2009) of da...

Conference Report: 5th Annual Georgia Conference on Information Literacy

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rebecca Ziegler

2009-11-01

Full Text Available The 5th annual Georgia Conference on Information Literacy took place in Savannah, Georgia on October 3-4, 2008. Since its inception, this conference has drawn participants from across the United States and even a few from abroad. Jointly sponsored by the Zach S. Henderson Library, the Department of Writing and Linguistics, the College of Education, and the Center for Continuing Education at Georgia Southern University, the conference offers both theoretical and practical discussions of the complex issues involved in teaching students how to find, interpret and use information in emerging electronic technologies against the backdrop of one of America’s loveliest cities.

Bar dynamics and channel junctions in scale-experiments of estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Leuven, J.; Braat, L.; van Dijk, W. M.; Haas, T. D.; Kleinhans, M. G.

2017-12-01

The evolution of channels and bars in estuaries has high socio-economic relevance, with strong implications for navigation, dredging and ecology. However, the spatial and temporal evolution of channels and bars in estuaries is poorly understood. Here, we study feedbacks of bar morphodynamics on widening and narrowing of estuaries. Therefore, we conducted an experiment in a 20 m long and 3 m wide tilting flume (the 'Metronome'), in which we monitored the evolution of a self-formed estuary that developed from an intial straight channel into an irregular planform with multiple channels, braided bars and a meandering ebb channel. At locations where the estuary width is confined, major channel junctions occur, while the zones between the junctions are characterised by high braiding indices, periodically migrating channels and a relatively large estuary width. The junction locations were forced by the in- and outflow locations on the sides of the ebb-tidal delta and at the location where the channel pattern transitions from multiple channels into a single channel. In the middle of the estuary, self-confinement occurred by sedimentation on the sides of the estuary, which caused another major junction. The channel orientation at the junctions steers the morphodynamics of channels and bars immediately landward and seaward, because the orientation of inflow from the ebb-tidal delta and landward river perpetually varies. In natural systems major junction locations are mostly forced by inherited geology or human engineering. However, this study concludes that even without external forcing, the estuary planform will not converge to an ideal shape but will self-confine at major junctions and widens in the adjacent zones, resulting in an irregular planform shape.

Riverbed Micromorphology of the Yangtze River Estuary, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shuaihu Wu

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Dunes are present in nearly all fluvial channels and are vital in understanding sediment transport, deposition, and flow conditions during floods of rivers and estuaries. This information is pertinent for helping developing management practices to reduce risks in river transportation and engineering. Although a few recent studies have investigated the micromorphology of a portion of the Yangtze River estuary in China, our understanding of dune development in this large estuary is incomplete. It is also poorly understood how the development and characteristics of these dunes have been associated with human activities in the upper reach of the Yangtze River and two large-scale engineering projects in the estuarine zone. This study analyzed the feature in micromorphology of the entire Yangtze River estuary bed over the past three years and assessed the morphological response of the dunes to recent human activities. In 2012, 2014, and 2015, multi-beam bathymetric measurements were conducted on the channel surface of the Yangtze River estuary. The images were analyzed to characterize the subaqueous dunes and detect their changes over time. Bottom sediment samples were collected for grain size analysis to assess the physical properties of the dunes. We found that dunes in the Yangtze River estuary can be classified in four major classes: very large dunes, large dunes, medium dunes, and small dunes. Large dunes were predominant, amounting to 51.5%. There was a large area of dunes developed in the middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River estuary and in the Hengsha Passage. A small area of dunes was observed for the first time in the turbidity maximum zone of the Yangtze River estuary. These dunes varied from 0.12 to 3.12 m in height with a wide range of wavelength from 2.83 to 127.89 m, yielding a range in height to wavelength of 0.003–0.136. Sharp leeside slope angles suggest that the steep slopes of asymmetrical dunes in the middle and upper

Landslide Hazard in Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Gaprindashvili, George; Tsereteli, Emil; Gaprindashvili, Merab

2014-05-01

In the last decades of the XX century, protect the population from geological hazards, to maintain land and safe operation of the engineering facilities has become the most important social - economic, demographic, political and environmental problems for the whole world. Georgia, with its scales of origination of the natural-catastrophic processes (landslide, mudflow, rockfall, erosion and etc.), their re-occurrence and with the negative results inflicted by these processes to the population, agricultural lands and engineering objects, is one of the most complex mountainous region. The extremely sensitive conditions were conditioned by: 1. Activation of highly intense earthquakes; 2. Activation of the negative meteorological events provoking the disaster processes on the background of global climatic changes and their abnormally frequent occurrence (mostly increased atmospheric precipitations, temperature and humidity); 3. Large-scale Human impact on the environment. Following the problem urgency, a number of departmental and research institutions have made their operations more intense in the given direction within the limits of their competence. First of all, the activity of the Department of Geology of Georgia (which is at present included in the National Environmental Agency of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources Protection), which mapped, identified and cataloged the hazardous processes on the territory of the country and identified the spatial limits and developmental regularities of these processes for tens of years. The increased risk of Geological catastrophes in Georgia first of all is caused by insufficient information between society and responsible persons toward this event. The existed situation needs the base assessment of natural disasters level, the identification of events, to determine their caused reasons, to develop special maps in GIS system, and continuous functioning of geo monitoring researches for develop safety early

Using of solar energy in Republic of Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Meladze, N.

1997-01-01

The article presents the talk on the use of solar energy in Georgia given at the International Workshop on applied solar energy held in Tashkent(Uzbekistan) in June 1997. The main use of solar energy in the Republic is in solar heating systems developed and produced in Georgia. Presently 12 projects are in progress for effective use of renewable energy sources. Among them the research and development on photovoltaic cells on the basis of silicon and gallium arsenide solar cells. (A.A.D.)

Towards the classification of eutrophic condition in estuaries

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Lemley, DA

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Water quality and ecological integrity of estuaries closely reflect activities within the entire upstream catchment. Much emphasis has been placed on the response of estuaries to anthropogenic stressors through the use of monitoring programmes. Key...

Translocation of reindeer from South Georgia to the Falkland Islands

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cameron M. Bell

2010-03-01

Full Text Available This report describes the first translocation of reindeer Rangifer tarandus from South Georgia to the Falkland Islands, in the South Atlantic Ocean. Reindeer were introduced from Norway to the subantarctic island of South Georgia on three occasions in the early 1900s by Norwegian whalers, and today they exist as two discrete herds, numbering approximately 2600 individuals in total. Because of concerns over the impact on native vegetation, the long-term eradication of reindeer from South Georgia has recently been proposed. A translocation of reindeer to the Falkland Islands was undertaken in 2001 by the Falkland Island Government with two objectives: (1 to preserve the genetic resources of at least one of the South Georgia herds; and (2 to facilitate the diversification of the agricultural sector of the Falkland Islands by establishing a commercial reindeer herd. Techniques developed and used in North America for the successful relocation of large numbers of calves were adopted for the translocation. A total of 59 calves (26 females and 33 males were successfully translocated from South Georgia to the Falklands Islands in 2001, and subsequently produced their first offspring in 2003. Good husbandry practices and an understanding of biology and behaviour are essential for the successful translocation of reindeer.Flytting av rein fra Sør-Georgia til FalklandsøyeneAbstract in Norwegian / Sammendrag: Artikkelen beskriver den første overføring av rein Rangifer tarandus fra Sør-Georgia til Falklandsøyene i søratlanteren. Tamrein fra Norge ble flyttet til den subarktiske øya Sør-Georgia ved tre anledninger i perioden 1911 til 1925 i forbindelse med den norske hvalfangsten der. I dag består bestanden av rundt regnet 2600 dyr fordelt på to geografisk atskilte flokker. Av hensyn til den naturlige vegetasjonen på øya er det forslag om å på sikt utrydde reinbestanden på øya. Regjeringen på Falklandsøyene foretok en første overføring av

Radiological assessment of the Esk Estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Howorth, J.M.; Barr, H.M.; Toole, J.; Strange, L.P.

1993-01-01

An assessment has been carried out of the radiological impact of artificial radionuclides in the Esk estuary in Cumbria, UK. Measurements were made of the distributions of 137 Cs, 239 + 240 Pu, and 241 Am in water, surface bed sediments and core profiles. The highest measured concentrations in surface sediments were 2.8 Bq g -1 of 137 Cs, 3.1 Bq g -1 of 239 + 240 Pu and 4.7 Bq g -1 of 241 Am. These values represent significant decreases from similar measurements made in 1970-1980. The measured behaviour of the actinides in low salinity water at the head of the estuary supports previous observations of actinide remobilisation from the bed. A model has been developed which simulates the long-term behaviour of radioactivity in the estuary. The model incorporates representations of tidal mixing, sediment transport, seasonal and long-term sediment accretion. The model also represents long-term build-up in salt marsh regions. The model gives good agreement with measured distributions of 137 Cs, but tends to underestimate actinide concentrations by factors of 2-3. Dose calculations show the importance of radionuclide uptake through livestock grazing sea-washed pasture alongside the estuary. 137 Cs and 241 Am are identified as the most important radionuclides considered in the assessment. (Author)

Restoration of the Golden Horn Estuary (Halic).

Science.gov (United States)

Coleman, Heather M; Kanat, Gurdal; Aydinol Turkdogan, F Ilter

2009-12-01

Restoration of the iconic Golden Horn Estuary in Istanbul, Turkey was a substantial political, logistical, ecological, and social challenge. Forty years of uncontrolled industrial and urban growth resulted in thick layers of anoxic sediment, toxic bacteria, strong hydrogen sulfide odor, and ecologically unlivable conditions. The major components of restoration, spanning two decades, have included (1) demolition and relocation of industries and homes along the shore, (2) creation of wastewater infrastructure, (3) removal of anoxic sludge from the estuary, (4) removal of a floating bridge that impeded circulation, and (5) creation of cultural and social facilities. Although Turkey is not known as an environmental leader in pollution control, the sum of these efforts was largely successful in revitalizing the area through dramatic water quality improvement. Consequently, the estuary is once again inhabitable for aquatic life as well as amenable to local resource users and foreign visitors, and Istanbul has regained a lost sense of cultural identity. This paper focuses on literature review and personal interviews to discuss the causes of degradation, solutions employed to rehabilitate the estuary, and subsequent physicochemical, ecological, and social changes.

Sources, Ages, and Alteration of Organic Matter in Estuaries.

Science.gov (United States)

Canuel, Elizabeth A; Hardison, Amber K

2016-01-01

Understanding the processes influencing the sources and fate of organic matter (OM) in estuaries is important for quantifying the contributions of carbon from land and rivers to the global carbon budget of the coastal ocean. Estuaries are sites of high OM production and processing, and understanding biogeochemical processes within these regions is key to quantifying organic carbon (Corg) budgets at the land-ocean margin. These regions provide vital ecological services, including nutrient filtration and protection from floods and storm surge, and provide habitat and nursery areas for numerous commercially important species. Human activities have modified estuarine systems over time, resulting in changes in the production, respiration, burial, and export of Corg. Corg in estuaries is derived from aquatic, terrigenous, and anthropogenic sources, with each source exhibiting a spectrum of ages and lability. The complex source and age characteristics of Corg in estuaries complicate our ability to trace OM along the river-estuary-coastal ocean continuum. This review focuses on the application of organic biomarkers and compound-specific isotope analyses to estuarine environments and on how these tools have enhanced our ability to discern natural sources of OM, trace their incorporation into food webs, and enhance understanding of the fate of Corg within estuaries and their adjacent waters.

Zooplankton community changes in Nhlabane estuary, South Africa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

made impacts since 1977, when the lake and estuary were separated by the construction of a barrage. More recent man-made events included the construction of temporary sand walls, mid-way along the estuary, to allow crossing of a mining ...

Linking behavior, physiology, and survival of Atlantic Salmon smolts during estuary migration

Science.gov (United States)

Stich, Daniel S.; Zydlewski, Gayle B.; Kocik, John F.; Zydlewski, Joseph D.

2015-01-01

Decreased marine survival is identified as a component driver of continued declines of Atlantic Salmon Salmo salar. However, estimates of marine mortality often incorporate loss incurred during estuary migration that may be mechanistically distinct from factors affecting marine mortality. We examined movements and survival of 941 smolts (141 wild and 800 hatchery-reared fish) released in freshwater during passage through the Penobscot River estuary, Maine, from 2005 to 2013. We related trends in estuary arrival date, movement rate, and survival to fish characteristics, migratory history, and environmental conditions in the estuary. Fish that experienced the warmest thermal history arrived in the estuary 8 d earlier than those experiencing the coolest thermal history during development. Estuary arrival date was 10 d later for fish experiencing high flow than for fish experiencing low flow. Fish released furthest upstream arrived in the estuary 3 d later than those stocked further downstream but moved 0.5 km/h faster through the estuary. Temporally, movement rate and survival in the estuary both peaked in mid-May. Spatially, movement rate and survival both decreased from freshwater to the ocean. Wild smolts arrived in the estuary later than hatchery fish, but we observed no change in movement rate or survival attributable to rearing history. Fish with the highest gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity incurred 25% lower mortality through the estuary than fish with the lowest gill Na+, K+-ATPase activity. Smolt survival decreased (by up to 40%) with the increasing number of dams passed (ranging from two to nine) during freshwater migration. These results underscore the importance of physiological preparedness on performance and the delayed, indirect effects of dams on survival of Atlantic Salmon smolts during estuary migration, ultimately affecting marine survival estimates.

Environmental factors responsible for the incidence of antibiotic resistance genes in pristine Crassostrea virginica reefs

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barkovskii, Andrei L.; Thomas, Michael; Hurley, Dorset; Teems, Clifford

2012-01-01

Highlights: ► Estuary was the major source of antibiotic resistance genes (ARG) for tidal creeks. ► Watersheds were the secondary source of ARG for tidal creeks. ► Watershed contribution corresponded to the degree of its anthropogenic disturbance. ► ARG in tidal creeks were carried by native hosts preferring low termohaline niches. ► ARG incidence was the highest in oysters implying ARG bioaccumulation/proliferation. - Abstract: The occurrence of tetracycline resistance (TRG) and integrase (INT) genes were monitored in Crassostrea virginica oyster reefs of three pristine creeks (SINERR, Georgia, USA). Their profiles revealed 85% similarity with the TRG/INT profiles observed in the adjacent to the SINERR and contaminated Altamaha River estuary (Barkovskii et al., 2010). The TRG/INT spectra and incidence frequencies corresponded to the source of oceanic input and to run-offs from creeks’ watersheds. The highest incidence frequencies and concentrations were observed in oysters. TRG/INT incidences correlated positively (Spearman Rank = 0.88), and negatively correlated (−0.63 to −0.79) with creek salinity, conductivity, dissolved solids, and temperature. Coliform incidence positively correlated with temperature, and not with the TRG/INT incidence. The Altamaha River estuary was the primary TRG/INT source for the reefs with contributions from creek’s watersheds. TRG/INT were carried by non-coliforms with a preference for low-to-temperate thermohaline environments coupled with bioaccumulation by oysters.

Impacts of pesticides in a Central California estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Brian; Phillips, Bryn; Hunt, John; Siegler, Katie; Voorhees, Jennifer; Smalling, Kelly; Kuivila, Kathy; Hamilton, Mary; Ranasinghe, J Ananda; Tjeerdema, Ron

2014-03-01

Recent and past studies have documented the prevalence of pyrethroid and organophosphate pesticides in urban and agricultural watersheds in California. While toxic concentrations of these pesticides have been found in freshwater systems, there has been little research into their impacts in marine receiving waters. Our study investigated pesticide impacts in the Santa Maria River estuary, which provides critical habitat to numerous aquatic, terrestrial, and avian species on the central California coast. Runoff from irrigated agriculture constitutes a significant portion of Santa Maria River flow during most of the year, and a number of studies have documented pesticide occurrence and biological impacts in this watershed. Our study extended into the Santa Maria watershed coastal zone and measured pesticide concentrations throughout the estuary, including the water column and sediments. Biological effects were measured at the organism and community levels. Results of this study suggest the Santa Maria River estuary is impacted by current-use pesticides. The majority of water samples were highly toxic to invertebrates (Ceriodaphnia dubia and Hyalella azteca), and chemistry evidence suggests toxicity was associated with the organophosphate pesticide chlorpyrifos, pyrethroid pesticides, or mixtures of both classes of pesticides. A high percentage of sediment samples were also toxic in this estuary, and sediment toxicity occurred when mixtures of chlorpyrifos and pyrethroid pesticides exceeded established toxicity thresholds. Based on a Relative Benthic Index, Santa Maria estuary stations where benthic macroinvertebrate communities were assessed were degraded. Impacts in the Santa Maria River estuary were likely due to the proximity of this system to Orcutt Creek, the tributary which accounts for most of the flow to the lower Santa Maria River. Water and sediment samples from Orcutt Creek were highly toxic to invertebrates due to mixtures of the same pesticides measured

Communicating Georgia : Georgia's information campaign in the 2008 war with Russia

OpenAIRE

Jugaste, Artur

2011-01-01

During the 2008 South Ossetia war, Georgia and Russia fought what the English-language media called "a public relations war“. This was an interesting example of modern information warfare where governments allied with public relations agencies battled for symbolic power on the media field. This study investigates the information campaign that the Georgian government launched to promote their framing of the conflict in the English-language media. First-hand information about the campaign strat...

Eco-morphological problems in the Yangtze Estuary and the Western Scheldt

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Vriend, H.J.; Wang, Z.B.; Ysebaert, T.; Herman, P.M.J.; Ding, P.X.

2011-01-01

This paper compares the Yangtze Estuary in China and the Western Scheldt Estuary in The Netherlands by their morphodynamic and ecological systems, their engineering works and estuarine management issues, and the major challenges in studying them. Physically speaking, the two estuaries are very

Skeletal lesions in a population of Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) from Baldwin County, Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Mead, Alfred J; Patterson, David B

2009-04-01

Antemortem skeletal lesions were analyzed in 61 Virginia opossums (Didelphis virginiana) collected as roadkill from Baldwin County, Georgia, USA. As evidenced by bridging fracture calluses, misalignments, bone-surface depressions, perforations, localized superficial calluses, periosteal proliferations, and bony bridges across intervertebral disk spaces, 64% of the individuals had signs of one or more healed injuries. Within the subset of skeletons with bone lesions, 54% had healed rib fractures and 23% had scapular, 21% pelvic, 18% fibular, 18% vertebral, 13% dentary, 10% tibial, and 10% podial lesions. Bone lesions occurred most frequently in the cranial portion of the skeletons and averaged approximately four per individual. The majority of the skeletal injuries appeared to be inconsistent with those caused by falls or automobile collisions. The nature and position of the bone lesions suggested that nonfatal predator attacks, possibly from domestic dogs, may be a significant contributor to bodily injury in this species.

An analytical solution for tidal propagation in the Yangtze Estuary, China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. F. Zhang

2012-09-01

Full Text Available An analytical model for tidal dynamics has been applied to the Yangtze Estuary for the first time, to describe the tidal propagation in this large and typically branched estuary with three-order branches and four outlets to the sea. This study shows that the analytical model developed for a single-channel estuary can also accurately describe the tidal dynamics in a branched estuary, particularly in the downstream part. Within the same estuary system, the North Branch and the South Branches have a distinct tidal behaviour: the former being amplified demonstrating a marine character and the latter being damped with a riverine character. The satisfactory results for the South Channel and the South Branch using both separate and combined topographies confirm that the branched estuary system functions as an entity. To further test these results, it is suggested to collect more accurate and dense bathymetric and tidal information.

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a subtropical estuary (the Brisbane River estuary, Australia)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Musenze, Ronald S.; Werner, Ursula; Grinham, Alistair; Udy, James; Yuan, Zhiguo

2014-01-01

Methane (CH 4 ) and nitrous oxide (N 2 O) are two key greenhouse gases. Their global atmospheric budgeting is, however, flout with challenges partly due to lack of adequate field studies determining the source strengths. Knowledge and data limitations exist for subtropical and tropical regions especially in the southern latitudes. Surface water methane and nitrous oxide concentrations were measured in a subtropical estuarine system in the southern latitudes in an extensive field study from 2010 to 2012 and water–air fluxes estimated using models considering the effects of both wind and flow induced turbulence. The estuary was found to be a strong net source of both CH 4 and N 2 O all-year-round. Dissolved N 2 O concentrations ranged between 9.1 ± 0.4 to 45.3 ± 1.3 nM or 135 to 435% of atmospheric saturation level, while CH 4 concentrations varied between 31.1 ± 3.7 to 578.4 ± 58.8 nM or 1210 to 26,430% of atmospheric saturation level. These results compare well with measurements from tropical estuarine systems. There was strong spatial variability with both CH 4 and N 2 O concentrations increasing upstream the estuary. Strong temporal variability was also observed but there were no clear seasonal patterns. The degree of N 2 O saturation significantly increased with NO x concentrations (r 2 = 0.55). The estimated water–air fluxes varied between 0.1 and 3.4 mg N 2 O m −2 d −1 and 0.3 to 27.9 mg CH 4 m −2 d −1 . Total emissions (CO 2 -e) were N 2 O (64%) dominated, highlighting the need for reduced nitrogen inputs into the estuary. Choice of the model(s) for estimation of the gas transfer velocity had a big bearing on the estimated total emissions. - Highlights: • The estuary is a strong source of atmospheric methane and nitrous oxide. • Emissions had strong spatial-temporal variability with unclear seasonal patterns. • Dissolved gas saturation comparable to that in tropical rivers and polluted estuaries. • Emissions are dominated by N2O, which

Perspectives of Nurses Pursuing Doctoral Degrees in Georgia: Implications for Recruitment.

Science.gov (United States)

Wheeler, Rebecca McCombs; Eichelberger, Lisa Wright

2017-08-01

Increasing the number of nurses with doctorates is a goal of the nursing profession. The Georgia Nursing Leadership Coalition developed a survey to understand the perspectives of nurses pursuing doctoral degrees in Georgia to improve recruitment and retention strategies. A 26-item online survey was distributed to all students enrolled in Georgia-based doctoral programs in nursing in spring 2014. One hundred fifty responses were received (54% response rate). Most students first seriously considered doctoral education during their master's programs or more than 5 years into practice. For most, obtaining a doctoral degree was a personal life goal. Work-life balance was the most significant barrier. Recruitment of nurses to doctoral programs should focus on messaging, timing, and highlighting the unique aspects of programs. Schools should work to reduce barriers. Understanding students' perspectives of doctoral education in nursing can improve recruitment strategies and increase the number of nurses graduating with doctorates in Georgia. [J Nurs Educ. 2017;56(8):466-470.]. Copyright 2017, SLACK Incorporated.

Skagit IMW - Skagit River Estuary Intensively Monitored Watershed Project

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This study evaluates system-level effects of several estuary restoration projects on juvenile Chinook salmon production in the Skagit River estuary. The monitoring...

Heavy Metallic Element Distribution in Cisadane River Estuary's Water and Sediment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Taufik Kaisupy

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Observation of heavy metallic elements in Cisadane River Estuary has been done in July and November 2005. The results show that heavy metallic elements content in seawater is lower and still below the treshold value stated by government for fisheries. There was an indication of heavy metallic elements on sediment. Distribution of Pb on July and of Cu on November 2005 were found higher near the coast and decrease towards the sea, and commonly were found in front of estuary such as Cisadane, Muara Saban and Tanjung Pasir. High Pb and Zn distributions on November 2005 were found only in front of Cisadane estuary. Cd distribution of Cisadane estuary was constant at all station but did not show any correlation with the distance of station and estuary. The Cd content on July and November 2005 is lower than 0,001 ppm. Generally, heavy metallic elements content have a uniform distribution at all stations inspite of its distance to estuary.

nirS-type denitrifying bacterial assemblages respond to environmental conditions of a shallow estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Lisa, Jessica A; Jayakumar, Amal; Ward, Bess B; Song, Bongkeun

2017-12-01

Molecular analysis of dissimilatory nitrite reductase genes (nirS) was conducted using a customized microarray containing 165 nirS probes (archetypes) to identify members of sedimentary denitrifying communities. The goal of this study was to examine denitrifying community responses to changing environmental variables over spatial and temporal scales in the New River Estuary (NRE), NC, USA. Multivariate statistical analyses revealed three denitrifier assemblages and uncovered 'generalist' and 'specialist' archetypes based on the distribution of archetypes within these assemblages. Generalists, archetypes detected in all samples during at least one season, were commonly world-wide found in estuarine and marine ecosystems, comprised 8%-29% of the abundant NRE archetypes. Archetypes found in a particular site, 'specialists', were found to co-vary based on site specific conditions. Archetypes specific to the lower estuary in winter were designated Cluster I and significantly correlated by sediment Chl a and porewater Fe 2+ . A combination of specialist and more widely distributed archetypes formed Clusters II and III, which separated based on salinity and porewater H 2 S respectively. The co-occurrence of archetypes correlated with different environmental conditions highlights the importance of habitat type and niche differentiation among nirS-type denitrifying communities and supports the essential role of individual community members in overall ecosystem function. © 2017 Society for Applied Microbiology and John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Benthos of Beypore and Korapuzha estuaries of North Kerala

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Devi, K.S.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.; Venugopal, P.

The benthos from Beypore and Korapuzha estuaries were studied for one year. Environmental features, sediment characteristics and organic carbon content were estimated. Benthic density was high during monsoon and postmonsoon in both the estuaries...

Variations of dissolved oxygen in Mandovi and Zuari estuaries

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

DeSousa, S.N.; SenGupta, R.

During non-monsoon months the estuaries were well mixed showing uniform oxygen concentrations from surface to bottom. However, during monsoon months both the estuaries showed stratified conditions with surface water showing high oxygen concentration...

75 FR 2517 - Notice of Solicitation for Estuary Habitat Restoration Program

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-15

..., wastewater treatment plant upgrades, combined sewer outfalls, and non-point source pollution projects such as... Estuary Restoration Act of 2000, Title I of the Estuaries and Clean Waters Act of 2000 (Pub. L. 106-457... with fresh water from land drainage.'' Estuary also includes the ``* * * near coastal waters and...

Identifying resuspended sediment in an estuary using the 228Th/232Th activity ratio: the fate of lagoon sediment in the Bega River estuary, Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hancock, G.J.

2000-01-01

Thorium-series nuclides ( 228 Th and 232 Th) have been used to identify resuspended sediment in the Bega River estuary, south-eastern Australia. A non-conservative increase in concentration of suspended sediment of water in the vicinity of mid-estuary back-flow lagoons was associated with a decrease in the 228 Th/ 232 Th activity ratio (AR) of the suspended sediment. The lagoon sediment is characterized by a low estuarine 228 Th/ 232 Th signature, distinguishing it from freshwater suspended sediment recently delivered to the estuary, and identifying it as the likely source of the additional suspended sediment. Sediment-core 210 TPb profiles show that the lagoons are accumulating sediment, presumably during high river-flow events. However this study indicates that during intervening periods of low flow, 40% of sediment deposited in the lagoons is subsequently resuspended and exported to the lower estuary, and possibly to the ocean. The utility of the 228 Th/ 232 Th AR to quantify sediment resuspension in estuaries is likely to be estuary-dependent, and is controlled by the extent of scavenging of dissolved 228 Th by suspended particles. Copyright (2000) CSIRO Publishing

Modelling extreme climatic events in Guadalquivir Estuary ( Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Delgado, Juan; Moreno-Navas, Juan; Pulido, Antoine; García-Lafuente, Juan; Calero Quesada, Maria C.; García, Rodrigo

2017-04-01

Extreme climatic events, such as heat waves and severe storms are predicted to increase in frequency and magnitude as a consequence of global warming but their socio-ecological effects are poorly understood, particularly in estuarine ecosystems. The Guadalquivir Estuary has been anthropologically modified several times, the original salt marshes have been transformed to grow rice and cotton and approximately one-fourth of the total surface of the estuary is now part of two protected areas, one of them is a UNESCO, MAB Biosphere Reserve. The climatic events are most likely to affect Europe in forthcoming decades and a further understanding how these climatic disturbances drive abrupt changes in the Guadalquivir estuary is needed. A barotropic model has been developed to study how severe storm events affects the estuary by conducting paired control and climate-events simulations. The changes in the local wind and atmospheric pressure conditions in the estuary have been studied in detail and several scenarios are obtained by running the model under control and real storm conditions. The model output has been validated with in situ water elevation and good agreement between modelled and real measurements have been obtained. Our preliminary results show that the model demonstrated the capability describe of the tide-surge levels in the estuary, opening the possibility to study the interaction between climatic events and the port operations and food production activities. The barotropic hydrodynamic model provide spatially explicit information on the key variables governing the tide dynamics of estuarine areas under severe climatic scenarios . The numerical model will be a powerful tool in future climate change mitigation and adaptation programs in a complex socio-ecological system.

2013 Athens-Clarke County, Georgia Imagery

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set consists of 0.5 foot pixel resolution, four band (RGB, Near IR) orthoimages covering Athens-Clarke Georgia. An orthoimage is remotely sensed image data...

Seasonal Variation in the Quality of Dissolved and Particulate Organic Matter Exchanged Between a Salt Marsh and Its Adjacent Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Osburn, C. L.; Mikan, M.; Etheridge, J. R.; Burchell, M. R.; Birgand, F.

2015-12-01

Salt marshes are transitional ecosystems between terrestrial and marine environments. Along with mangroves and other vegetated coastal habitats, salt marshes rank among the most productive ecosystems on Earth, with critical global importance for the planet's carbon cycle. Fluorescence was used to examine the quality of dissolved and particulate organic matter (DOM and POM) exchanging between a tidal creek in a created salt marsh and its adjacent estuary in eastern North Carolina, USA. Samples from the creek were collected hourly over four tidal cycles in May, July, August, and October of 2011. Absorbance and fluorescence of chromophoric DOM (CDOM) and of base-extracted POM (BEPOM) served as the tracers for organic matter quality while dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and base-extracted particulate organic carbon (BEPOC) were used to compute fluxes. Fluorescence was modeled using parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) and principle components analysis (PCA) of the PARAFAC results. Of nine PARAFAC components modeled, we used multiple linear regression to identify tracers for recalcitrant DOM; labile soil-derived source DOM; detrital POM; and planktonic POM. Based on mass balance, recalcitrant DOC export was 86 g C m-2 yr-1 and labile DOC export was 49 g C m-2 yr-1. The marsh also exported 41 g C m-2 yr-1 of detrital terrestrial POC, which likely originated from lands adjacent to the North River estuary. Planktonic POC export from the marsh was 6 g C m-2 yr-1. Using the DOM and POM quality results obtained via fluorescence measurements and scaling up to global salt marsh area, we estimated that the potential release of CO2 from the respiration of salt marsh DOC and POC transported to estuaries could be 11 Tg C yr-1, roughly 4% of the recently estimated CO2 release for marshes and estuaries globally.

Fishes and fisheries in tropical estuaries: The last 10 years

Science.gov (United States)

Blaber, S. J. M.

2013-12-01

Since 2002 there has been an increase in knowledge of many aspects of the biology and ecology of tropical estuarine fishes, as well as significant changes to many estuarine fisheries. Analyses of literature databases (2002-2012) show that: of the c. 600 relevant papers, 52% are primarily related to ecology, 11% to conservation, 11% to anthropogenic and pollution effects on fishes, 9% to fisheries, 7% to aquaculture, 4% to study techniques, and 1% each to fish larvae, effects of fishing, taxonomy, climate change, evolution and genetics. In terms of geographic spread 17% are from North America, 15% from south Asia, 14% from the Caribbean, 13% from Australasia, 12% from Africa and 9% each from South America and SE Asia. Research papers came from 50 countries of which the dominant were USA (15%), India (12%), Australia (11%) and Brazil (7%). Increasing numbers of studies in West Africa, SE and South Asia and South America have increased basic knowledge of the ecology of estuarine fish faunas. Increases in understanding relate to: roles of salinity, turbidity and habitat diversity; connectivity between habitats; water flow; ecological drivers of spatial variability; scale dependent variation; thermal tolerances; movement patterns; food webs; larval adaptations; and the viability of areas heavily impacted by human activities. New reviews both challenge and support different aspects of the estuarine dependence paradigm - still perhaps one of the main research issues - and the protective function of estuaries and mangroves for juvenile fishes has received attention in relation to e.g. predation risks and fisheries. There have also been significant advances in the use of guilds and biodiversity models. Fishing pressures have continued unabated in most tropical estuaries and are summarised and management issues discussed. Understanding of the relationships between fisheries production and mangroves has advanced and significant differences have emerged between Indo

Physical biological coupling in the Pearl River Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Paul J.; Yin, Kedong; Lee, J. H. W.; Gan, Jianping; Liu, Hongbin

2008-07-01

The Pearl River Estuary is a subtropical estuary and the second largest in China based on discharge volume from the Pearl River. Processes in the estuary vary spatially and temporally (wet vs dry season). In the dry season at the head of the estuary, hypoxic and nearly anoxic conditions occur and NH 4 reaches >600 μM, NO 3 is ˜300 μM and nitrite is ˜60 μM indicating that nitrification and denitrification may be important dry season processes in the region extending 40 km upstream of the Humen outlet. There are very few biological studies conducted in this upper section of the estuary in either the dry or wet seasons and hence there is a need for further research in this region of the river. In the wet season, the salinity wedge extends to the Hongqimen outlet and oxygen is low (35-80% saturation). Nitrate is ˜100 μM, silicate ˜140 μM; and phosphate is relatively low at ˜0.5 μM, yielding an N:P ratio up to ˜200:1 in summer. Nutrients decrease in the lower estuary and primary productivity may become potentially P-limited. Eutrophication is not as severe as one would expect from the nutrient inputs from the Pearl River and from Hong Kong's sewage discharge. This estuary shows a remarkable capacity to cope with excessive nutrients. Physical processes such as river discharge, tidal flushing, turbulent dispersion, wind-induced mixing, and estuarine circulation play an important role in controlling the production and accumulation of algal blooms and the potential occurrence of hypoxia. Superimposed on the physical processes of the estuary are the chemical and biological processes involved in the production of the bloom. For example, the 100N:1P ratio indicates that P potentially limits the amount of algal biomass (and potential biological oxygen demand) in summer. While extended periods of hypoxia are rare in Hong Kong waters, episodic events have been reported to occur during late summer due to factors such as low wind, high rainfall and river discharge which

Penobscot Estuary (Maine) Monitoring

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — NOAA's NEFSC collects fisheries data from the Penobscot Estuary using several types of fishing gear. The data is used to determine species presence, relative...

Community structure of benthic macroinvertebrates inhabiting a highly stratified Mediterranean estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alfonso Nebra

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The community composition and spatial distribution of benthic macroinvertebrates were studied along the Ebro estuary, a highly stratified estuary located in the NE Iberian Peninsula. During the last decade the oligotrophication process occurring in the lower Ebro River and its estuary has allowed a complex benthic macroinvertebrate community to become established; these results contrast with the poor community found there in the early nineties. A total of 214 taxa were identified, and polychaetes dominated the community both in abundance and species richness. The results showed spatial differences in the structure and composition of macroinvertebrates, which suggests that there are two distinct communities along the estuary. Each community was found in a specific stretch (upper and lower estuary in function of the presence of the salt wedge. The macrobenthos of the upper estuary was dominated by freshwater taxa, but some euryhaline species were also found. The lower estuary showed a marine community typical of shallow Mediterranean environments. The transition between these two communities fits an ecotone model. The highest abundances, richness and diversities were recorded at the lower estuarine stations, especially those closer to the river mouth, whereas the lowest values corresponded to the stations adjacent to the tip of the salt wedge.

State of Georgia AIP implementation report. Progress report, January--March 1996

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hardeman, J.

1996-01-01

To ensure the citizens of the State of Georgia that health, safety and the environment are being protected through existing DOE programs at the Savannah River Site (SRS), through a vigorous program of independent monitoring and oversight by Georgia officials. This report summarizes implementation of this program from January to March 1996

Continuous resistivity profiling data from the Corsica River Estuary, Maryland

Science.gov (United States)

Cross, V.A.; Bratton, J.F.; Worley, C.R.; Crusius, J.; Kroeger, K.D.

2011-01-01

Submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) into Maryland's Corsica River Estuary was investigated as part of a larger study to determine its importance in nutrient delivery to the Chesapeake Bay. The Corsica River Estuary represents a coastal lowland setting typical of much of the eastern bay. An interdisciplinary U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) science team conducted field operations in the lower estuary in April and May 2007. Resource managers are concerned about nutrients that are entering the estuary via SGD that may be contributing to eutrophication, harmful algal blooms, and fish kills. Techniques employed in the study included continuous resistivity profiling (CRP), piezometer sampling of submarine groundwater, and collection of a time series of radon tracer activity in surface water. A CRP system measures electrical resistivity of saturated subestuarine sediments to distinguish those bearing fresh water (high resistivity) from those with saline or brackish pore water (low resistivity). This report describes the collection and processing of CRP data and summarizes the results. Based on a grid of 67.6 kilometers of CRP data, low-salinity (high-resistivity) groundwater extended approximately 50-400 meters offshore from estuary shorelines at depths of 5 to >12 meters below the sediment surface, likely beneath a confining unit. A band of low-resistivity sediment detected along the axis of the estuary indicated the presence of a filled paleochannel containing brackish groundwater. The meandering paleochannel likely incised through the confining unit during periods of lower sea level, allowing the low-salinity groundwater plumes originating from land to mix with brackish subestuarine groundwater along the channel margins and to discharge. A better understanding of the spatial variability and geological controls of submarine groundwater flow beneath the Corsica River Estuary could lead to improved models and mitigation strategies for nutrient over-enrichment in the

Contamination and restoration of an estuary affected by phosphogypsum releases

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Villa, M.; Mosqueda, F.; Hurtado, S.; Mantero, J.; Manjon, G.; Perianez, R.; Vaca, F.; Garcia-Tenorio, R.

2009-01-01

The Huelva Estuary in Huelva, Spain, has been one of the most studied environmental compartments in the past years from the point of view of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) releases. It has been historically affected by waste releases, enriched in radionuclides from the U-decay series, from factories located in the area devoted to the production of phosphoric acid and phosphate fertilizers. Nevertheless, changes in national regulations forced a new waste management practice in 1998, prohibiting releases of phosphogypsum into the rivers. The input of natural radionuclides from phosphate factories to rivers was drastically reduced. Because of this there was a unique opportunity for the study of the response of a contaminated environmental compartment, specifically an estuary affected by tidal influences, after the cessation of the contaminant releases to, in this case, the Huelva Estuary (henceforth referred to as the Estuary). To investigate the environmental response to this new discharge regime, the specific activities of radionuclides 226 Ra and 210 Pb in water and sediment samples collected in four campaigns (from 1999 to 2005) were determined and compared with pre-1998 values. From this study it is possible to infer the most effective mechanisms of decontamination for the Estuary. Decontamination rates of 210 Pb and 226 Ra in the sediments and water have been calculated using exponential fittings and corresponding half-lives have been deduced from them. The cleaning half-life in the whole area of the Estuary is about 6 and 3.5 years for 226 Ra and 210 Pb respectively. The observed trend clearly shows that contamination of the Estuary by natural radionuclides is now decreasing and radioactive levels in waters and sediments are approaching the natural background references. This work attempts to evaluate whether it can be expected that the decontamination of the enhanced levels of natural radioactivity in the Estuary can be performed via natural

Dynamics of intertidal flats in the Loire estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Kervella, Stephane; Sottolichio, Aldo; Bertier, Christine

2014-05-01

Tidal flats form at the edges of many tidal estuaries, and are found in broad climatic regions. Their evolution plays a fundamental role in maintaining the morphodynamic equilibrium of an estuary. The Loire estuary is one of the largest macrotidal systems of the french atlantic coast. Since 200 years, its geometry has been drastically modified through channeling, deepening, embanking, infilling of secondary channels, etc. These works altered many intertidal areas. In the recent years, efforts for the rectification of the morphology have been made in order to restore the ecology of the estuary. In this context, it is crucial to better understand the dynamics of intertidal flats, still poorly understood in this estuary. The aim of this work is to analyse a series of original observations conducted for the first time in two intertidal flats of the central Lore estuary between 2008 and 2010. The tidal flats are situated in the northern bank, at 12 and 17 km upstream from the mouth respectively. Six Altus altimeters were deployed at two cross shore transects, measuring continuously and at a high-frequency bed altimetry and water level, providing information on tide and waves. At the semi-diurnal tidal scale, the surficial sediment of intertidal flats is permanently mobilized. Altimetry variations are low, and their amplitude varies as a function of tides and river flow. At the scale of several months, the sedimentation is controlled by the position of the turbidity maximum (and therefore by the river flow) and also by the tidal amplitude. During low river flow periods, altimetry variations are only due to tidal cycles. During decaying tides, suspended sediment settle mainly on the lower part of the tidal flats, forming fluid mud layers of several cm thick, which can consolidate rapidly; under rising tides, the increasing of tidal currents promotes erosion. During periods of high river flow, the turbidity maximum shifts to the lower estuary. The higher suspended sediment

Estuary-dependence of larval fishes in a non-estuary associated South African surf zone: evidence for continuity of surf assemblages

Science.gov (United States)

Strydom, Nadine A.; d'Hotman, Bruce D.

2005-04-01

Larval fishes were collected in the Cape Padrone surf zone on the southeast coast of South Africa, using a modified small-mesh seine net. The aim of the study was to assess the composition of fish larvae, with respect to their association with estuaries, in a surf zone that was not in close proximity to an estuary (>5 km). Sampling took place bimonthly during diurnal spring low tides between March and July 2003. In total, 544 fish were caught in the surf zone, comprising 14 families represented by 19 positively identified species, as well as an additional two species that were differentiated but remain unidentified. The families Mugilidae (65%) and Sparidae (26%) dominated the larval catch. The majority of larval fishes caught were in the postflexion stage of development, although some early juveniles were also caught. Body lengths of fish larvae ranged between 2 and 28 mm, with the majority of larvae at the recruitment size for the species. A high proportion of the fish species caught were estuary-dependent. Estuary-dependent marine fish larvae (categories I, II and IV) comprised 68% of total catch by species and 98% by number of individuals. Exclusively marine species (category III) were encountered in low numbers in the surf. The present study provides evidence for continuity in temperate South African surf zones in terms of domination by estuary-dependent larvae and reasons for this pattern are discussed.

Management of Fishery Resources in Yangtze River Estuary

OpenAIRE

Li, Meiling; Huang, Shuolin

2009-01-01

We introduce the fish fauna composition and main commercial fishes in Yangtze River estuary. We also analyze the current situation of resources and environment in Yangtze River estuary as well as the influential factors. Finally, related countermeasures are put forward on how to protect and use the fishery resources in Yangtze River.

Raw materials exploitation in Prehistory of Georgia: sourcing, processing and distribution

Science.gov (United States)

Tushabramishvili, Nikoloz; Oqrostsvaridze, Avthandil

2016-04-01

Study of raw materials has a big importance to understand the ecology, cognition, behavior, technology, culture of the Paleolithic human populations. Unfortunately, explorations of the sourcing, processing and distribution of stone raw materials had a less attention until the present days. The reasons of that were: incomplete knowledge of the archaeologists who are doing the late period archaeology (Bronze Age-Medieval) and who are little bit far from the Paleolithic technology and typology; Ignorance of the stone artifacts made on different kind of raw-materials, except flint and obsidians. Studies on the origin of the stone raw materials are becoming increasingly important since in our days. Interesting picture and situation have been detected on the different sites and in different regions of Georgia. In earlier stages of Middle Paleolithic of Djruchula Basin caves the number of basalt, andesite, argillite etc. raw materials are quite big. Since 130 000 a percent of the flint raw-material is increasing dramatically. Flint is an almost lonely dominated raw-material in Western Georgia during thousand years. Since approximately 50 000 ago the first obsidians brought from the South Georgia, appeared in Western Georgia. Similar situation has been detected by us in Eastern Georgia during our excavations of Ziari and Pkhoveli open-air sites. The early Lower Paleolithic layers are extremely rich by limestone artifacts while the flint raw-materials are dominated in the Middle Paleolithic layers. Study of these issues is possible to achieve across chronologies, the origins of the sources of raw-materials, the sites and regions. By merging archaeology with anthropology, geology and geography we are able to acquire outstanding insights about those populations. New approach to the Paleolithic stone materials, newly found Paleolithic quarries gave us an opportunities to try to achieve some results for understanding of the behavior of Paleolithic populations, geology and

Estuary fish data - Juvenile salmon in migratory corridors of lower Columbia River estuary

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Sampling juvenile salmon and associated fishes in open waters of the lower Columbia River estuary. Field work includes bi-weekly sampling during the spring...

Plankton composition in two estuaries of the Konkan coast during premonsoon season

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Achuthankutty, C.T.; Nair, S.R.S.; Devassy, V.P.; Nair, V.R.

abundant at the mouth region. Zooplankton biomass was relatively high in the Kajvi Estuary and all the major groups occurred in high density throughout this estuary. In the Shastri Estuary, the zooplankton biomass was relatively lower and all the major...

Methane and nitrous oxide emissions from a subtropical estuary (the Brisbane River estuary, Australia)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Musenze, Ronald S.; Werner, Ursula [Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia); Grinham, Alistair [Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia); School of Civil Engineering, the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia); Udy, James [Healthy Waterways Ltd, P.O. Box 13086, George Street, Brisbane, Qld 4003 (Australia); Yuan, Zhiguo, E-mail: z.yuan@awmc.uq.edu.au [Advanced Water Management Centre (AWMC), the University of Queensland, Brisbane, Qld 4072 (Australia)

2014-02-01

Methane (CH{sub 4}) and nitrous oxide (N{sub 2}O) are two key greenhouse gases. Their global atmospheric budgeting is, however, flout with challenges partly due to lack of adequate field studies determining the source strengths. Knowledge and data limitations exist for subtropical and tropical regions especially in the southern latitudes. Surface water methane and nitrous oxide concentrations were measured in a subtropical estuarine system in the southern latitudes in an extensive field study from 2010 to 2012 and water–air fluxes estimated using models considering the effects of both wind and flow induced turbulence. The estuary was found to be a strong net source of both CH{sub 4} and N{sub 2}O all-year-round. Dissolved N{sub 2}O concentrations ranged between 9.1 ± 0.4 to 45.3 ± 1.3 nM or 135 to 435% of atmospheric saturation level, while CH{sub 4} concentrations varied between 31.1 ± 3.7 to 578.4 ± 58.8 nM or 1210 to 26,430% of atmospheric saturation level. These results compare well with measurements from tropical estuarine systems. There was strong spatial variability with both CH{sub 4} and N{sub 2}O concentrations increasing upstream the estuary. Strong temporal variability was also observed but there were no clear seasonal patterns. The degree of N{sub 2}O saturation significantly increased with NO{sub x} concentrations (r{sup 2} = 0.55). The estimated water–air fluxes varied between 0.1 and 3.4 mg N{sub 2}O m{sup −2} d{sup −1} and 0.3 to 27.9 mg CH{sub 4} m{sup −2} d{sup −1}. Total emissions (CO{sub 2}-e) were N{sub 2}O (64%) dominated, highlighting the need for reduced nitrogen inputs into the estuary. Choice of the model(s) for estimation of the gas transfer velocity had a big bearing on the estimated total emissions. - Highlights: • The estuary is a strong source of atmospheric methane and nitrous oxide. • Emissions had strong spatial-temporal variability with unclear seasonal patterns. • Dissolved gas saturation comparable to that

Variability of carbon monoxide and carbon dioxide apparent quantum yield spectra in three coastal estuaries of the South Atlantic Bight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H. E. Reader

2012-11-01

Full Text Available The photochemical oxidation of oceanic dissolved organic carbon (DOC to carbon monoxide (CO and carbon dioxide (CO₂ has been estimated to be a significant process with global photoproduction transforming petagrams of DOC to inorganic carbon annually. To further quantify the importance of these two photoproducts in coastal DOC cycling, 38 paired apparent quantum yield (AQY spectra for CO and CO₂ were determined at three locations along the coast of Georgia, USA over the course of one year. The AQY spectra for CO₂ were considerably more varied than CO. CO AQY spectra exhibited a seasonal shift in spectrally integrated (260 nm–490 nm AQY from higher efficiencies in the autumn to less efficient photoproduction in the summer. While full-spectrum photoproduction rates for both products showed positive correlation with pre-irradiation UV-B sample absorption (i.e. chromophoric dissolved organic matter, CDOM as expected, we found no correlation between AQY and CDOM for either product at any site. Molecular size, approximated with pre-irradiation spectral slope coefficients, and aromatic content, approximated by the specific ultraviolet absorption of the pre-irradiated samples, were also not correlated with AQY in either data set. The ratios of CO₂ to CO photoproduction determined using both an AQY model and direct production comparisons were 23.2 ± 12.5 and 22.5 ± 9.0, respectively. Combined, both products represent a loss of 2.9 to 3.2% of the DOC delivered to the estuaries and inner shelf of the South Atlantic Bight yearly, and 6.4 to 7.3% of the total annual degassing of CO₂ to the atmosphere. This result suggests that direct photochemical production of CO and CO₂ is a small, yet significant contributor to both DOC cycling and CO₂ gas exchange in this coastal system.

78 FR 46332 - Proposed Information Collection Request; Comment Request; National Estuary Program

Science.gov (United States)

2013-07-31

... Request; Comment Request; National Estuary Program AGENCY: Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). ACTION... request (ICR), ``National Estuary Program'' (EPA ICR No. 1500.08, OMB Control No. 2040-0138 to the Office... comments to OMB. Abstract: The National Estuary Program (NEP) involves collecting information from the...

Benthic macrofaunal dynamics and environmental stress across a salt wedge Mediterranean estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Nebra, Alfonso; Alcaraz, Carles; Caiola, Nuno; Muñoz-Camarillo, Gloria; Ibáñez, Carles

2016-06-01

The spatial distribution of benthic macroinvertebrate community in relation to environmental factors was studied along the Ebro Estuary (NE Iberian Peninsula), a salt wedge Mediterranean estuary. Both ordination methods and generalized additive models were performed to identify the different benthic assemblages and their relationship to abiotic factors. Our results showed a strong relationship between macrofaunal assemblages and the predominant environmental gradients (e.g. salinity); thus revealing spatial differences in their structure and composition. Two different stretches were identified, namely the upper (UE) and the lower Ebro Estuary (LE). UE showed riverine characteristics and hence was colonized by a freshwater community; whereas LE was influenced by marine intrusion and sustained a complex marine-origin community. However, within each stretch, water and sediment characteristics played an important role in explaining species composition differences among sampling stations. Moreover, outcomes suggested a total species replacement pattern, instead of the nestedness pattern usually associated with well-mixed temperate estuaries. The sharp species turnover together with the estuarine stratification point out that the Ebro Estuary is working, in terms of ecological boundaries, under an ecotone model. Finally, despite obvious differences with well mixed estuaries (i.e. lack of tidal influence, stratification and species turnover), the Ebro Estuary shares important ecological attributes with well-mixed temperate estuaries. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Nutrient budgets for large Chinese estuaries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. M. Liu

2009-10-01

Full Text Available Chinese rivers deliver about 5–10% of global freshwater input and 15–20% of the global continental sediment to the world ocean. We report the riverine fluxes and concentrations of major nutrients (nitrogen, phosphorus, and silicon in the rivers of the contiguous landmass of China and Korea in the northeast Asia. The rivers are generally enriched with dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN and depleted in dissolved inorganic phosphate (PO₄³⁻ with very high DIN: PO₄³⁻ concentration ratios. DIN, phosphorus, and silicon levels and loads in rivers are mainly affected by agriculture activities and urbanization, anthropogenic activities and adsorption on particulates, and rock types, climate and physical denudation intensity, respectively. Nutrient transports by rivers in the summer are 3–4 times higher than those in the winter with the exception of NH₄⁺. The flux of NH₄⁺ is rather constant throughout the year due to the anthropogenic sources such as the sewer discharge. As nutrient composition has changed in the rivers, ecosystems in estuaries and coastal sea have also changed in recent decades. Among the changes, a shift of limiting nutrients from phosphorus to nitrogen for phytoplankton production with urbanization is noticeable and in some areas silicon becomes the limiting nutrient for diatom productivity. A simple steady-state mass-balance box model was employed to assess nutrient budgets in the estuaries. The major Chinese estuaries export <15% of nitrogen, <6% of phosphorus required for phytoplankton production and ~4% of silicon required for diatom growth in the Chinese Seas (Bohai, Yellow Sea, East China Sea, South China Sea. This suggests that land-derived nutrients are largely confined to the immediate estuaries, and ecosystem in the coastal sea beyond the estuaries is mainly supported by other nutrient sources such as regeneration, open ocean and

Transgressive systems tract development and incised-valley fills within a quaternary estuary-shelf system: Virginia inner shelf, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Foyle, A.M.; Oertel, G.F.

1997-01-01

, and occur within large, coast-oblique trending depressions (paleo-estuaries). Style 1 is dominated by fluvial through estuary-mouth depositional systems (Seismic Facies 1-4). Style 2 sequence preservation, represented by Sequences III and II, is dominantly an inner shelf and shoreface succession with a seaward-thickening tabular wedge geometry that does not exceed 15 m in thickness. These shoreface and inner shelf depositional systems of the upper transgressive systems tract (Seismic Facies 9) and highstand systems tract (Seismic Facies 7 and 11) are not associated with paleo-estuaries. Style 3 sequence preservation is represented by Sequence 1, the Holocene Sequence. It consists of lower transgressive systems tract fluvial-estuarine, lagoonal, and tidal-inlet fill deposits (Seismic Facies 1-6, and 8) overlain by upper transgressive systems tract shelf and shoreface sands (Seismic Facies 9). Style 3 has a crenulated wedge geometry, and is thickest beneath and seaward of the modern Chesapeake Bay mouth. It thins northward and landward onto Late Pleistocene interfluvial highs on the basinward side of the southern Delmarva Peninsula.

Variability in stratification and flushing times of the Gautami-Godavari estuary, India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sridevi, B.; Sarma, V.V.S.S.; Murty, T.V.R.; Sadhuram, Y.; Reddy, N.P.C.; Vijaykumar, K.; Raju, N.S.N.; JawaharKumar, CH.; Raju, Y.S.N.; Luis, R.; Kumar, M.D.; Prasad, K.V.S.R.

–Godavari estuary (G–GE) during spring and neap tide periods covering entire spectrum of discharge over a distance of 36 km from the mouth. The bathymetry of the estuary was recently changed due to dredging of ~20 km of the estuary from the mouth for transportation...

Functional diversity of fish in estuaries at a global extent

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rita P Vasconcelos

2015-10-01

Full Text Available Biodiversity is currently viewed as a framework encompassing multiple facets of the variety of life, including taxonomic and functional aspects. Species richness and composition of fish assemblages in estuaries is defined by global to local processes acting on community colonization. The present study further investigates how biodiversity of fish assemblages varies among estuaries globally, by simultaneously analysing taxonomic and functional richness and diversity of assemblages. A comprehensive worldwide database was compiled on the fish assemblage composition and environmental characteristics of estuaries. In addition, functional attributes of the fish species were characterized such as body size, habitat use and trophic ecology. We investigated the relationship between taxonomic and functional aspects of biodiversity, i.e. the match or mismatch between the two. We also explored how functional diversity of fish assemblages varied among estuaries globally and related to environmental features of estuaries, i.e. historic and contemporary, global and local constraints. The results are explored in the context of ecosystem functioning and resilience, and outcomes relevant to assist in prioritizing conservation efforts are highlighted.

Plastic pollution in five urban estuaries of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Naidoo, Trishan; Glassom, David; Smit, Albertus J

2015-12-15

Monitoring plastic concentrations in estuaries is vital in assessing the magnitude of terrestrial inputs to oceanic environments. Data on plastics ≤ 5 mm in estuaries are scant. This study determined microplastic levels within five estuaries along the Durban coastline and on intervening beaches. Plastics were isolated from estuarine sediment, beach sediment and the surface water of each estuary and characterised. Sediment at the Bayhead area of Durban harbour had the highest average plastic concentrations (745.4 ± 129.7 particles per 500 ml) and an attenuating concentration trend away from the city centre was found. Prevailing south to north longshore drift was hypothesised to result in plastic accumulation on the northern shores of beaches with estuarine effluents, however, this was not found. Fragments composed the largest percent of plastics (59%) found in Bayhead, whereas fibres dominated other estuaries with proportions ranging from 38% of total plastics in the uMgeni estuary to 66% in the Mdloti. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Strait of Georgia chinook and coho fishery

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Argue, A. W

1983-01-01

The chinook (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and coho (O. kisutch) salmon fishery in the Strait of Georgia, between Vancouver Island and the mainland of British Columbia, is a valuble sport and commercial resource...

The Implementation and Results of the Use of Social Media in the Republic of Georgia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

George Griffin

2014-03-01

Full Text Available 72 The Republic of Georgia has begun a transition from old world economics to integrating social media and the Internet to provide a global presence for the country. Research shows that the Georgian people have significantly embraced social media as a means for conducting business and connecting with many countries on a global basis. Internet subscribers have continually increased in numbers; thus the numbers of social media participants has also increased. This paper addresses the history of Georgia, the current status of social media in Georgia, and the future for social media as it permeates the Georgian population. In order to maintain a robust economic recovery, Georgia citizens and businesses must continue to conduct business through social media pathways that will keep Georgia in the global market. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE

Relation between tidal damping and wave celerity in estuaries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Savenije, H.H.G.; Veling, E.J.M.

2005-01-01

Observations in estuaries indicate that an amplified tidal wave moves considerably faster than is indicated by the classical equation for wave propagation. Similarly, the celerity of propagation is lower if the tidal wave is damped. This phenomenon is clearly observed in the Schelde estuary (located

Tillamook Estuary Case Study: Local Drivers Influencing Coastal Acidification

Science.gov (United States)

US EPA initiated a study in the Tillamook estuary and watershed focused on the impact of changes in watershed land use, ocean conditions, and weather on estuarine water quality and ecosystem goods and services production within the estuary. This project is a collaboration betwee...

Snapshots of biodiversity in Georgia agroecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Georgia agricultural landscapes are composed of a diversity of commodities. Here we present biodiversity and biotic interaction data from multiple agricultural systems including: cotton, corn, peanut, blueberry and non-cropping wildflower areas over multiple years. Our goal is to better understand t...

76 FR 8345 - Endangered and Threatened Species; Recovery Plan Module for Columbia River Estuary Salmon and...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-14

... and Threatened Species; Recovery Plan Module for Columbia River Estuary Salmon and Steelhead AGENCY.... ACTION: Notice of availability; recovery plan module for Columbia River estuary salmon and steelhead... Plan Module for Salmon and Steelhead (Estuary Module). The Estuary Module addresses the estuary...

76 FR 79192 - Patient Safety Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From the Georgia Hospital Association...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-21

... Organizations: Voluntary Relinquishment From the Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation Patient Safety Organization (GHA-PSO) AGENCY: Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality (AHRQ), HHS... The Georgia Hospital Association Research and Education Foundation Patient Safety Organization (GHA...

Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) leadership academy.

Science.gov (United States)

2014-01-01

Public agencies like the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT) are continually challenged with : reduced staff levels, reduced budgets, increased workloads and expectations for services provided. In : addition, the current economic and politica...

Contamination and restoration of an estuary affected by phosphogypsum releases

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Villa, M., E-mail: mvilla@us.es [Centro de Investigacion, Tecnologia e Innovacion, Universidad de Sevilla CITIUS, Av. Reina Mercedes 4B, E41012-Sevilla (Spain); Mosqueda, F. [Dpto. de Fisica Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007-Huelva (Spain); Hurtado, S. [Centro de Investigacion, Tecnologia e Innovacion, Universidad de Sevilla CITIUS, Av. Reina Mercedes 4B, E41012-Sevilla (Spain); Mantero, J.; Manjon, G. [E. T. S. Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, Departamento de Fisica Aplicada II, Av. Reina Mercedes, 2. 41012-Sevilla (Spain); Perianez, R. [E.U.I.T.A., Universidad de Sevilla, Departamento de Fisica Aplicada III, Carretera de Utrera, Km. 1, 41013 Sevilla (Spain); Vaca, F. [Dpto. de Fisica Aplicada, Facultad de Ciencias Experimentales, Universidad de Huelva, Campus de El Carmen, 21007-Huelva (Spain); Garcia-Tenorio, R. [E. T. S. Arquitectura, Universidad de Sevilla, Departamento de Fisica Aplicada II, Av. Reina Mercedes, 2. 41012-Sevilla (Spain)

2009-12-15

The Huelva Estuary in Huelva, Spain, has been one of the most studied environmental compartments in the past years from the point of view of naturally occurring radioactive material (NORM) releases. It has been historically affected by waste releases, enriched in radionuclides from the U-decay series, from factories located in the area devoted to the production of phosphoric acid and phosphate fertilizers. Nevertheless, changes in national regulations forced a new waste management practice in 1998, prohibiting releases of phosphogypsum into the rivers. The input of natural radionuclides from phosphate factories to rivers was drastically reduced. Because of this there was a unique opportunity for the study of the response of a contaminated environmental compartment, specifically an estuary affected by tidal influences, after the cessation of the contaminant releases to, in this case, the Huelva Estuary (henceforth referred to as the Estuary). To investigate the environmental response to this new discharge regime, the specific activities of radionuclides {sup 226}Ra and {sup 210}Pb in water and sediment samples collected in four campaigns (from 1999 to 2005) were determined and compared with pre-1998 values. From this study it is possible to infer the most effective mechanisms of decontamination for the Estuary. Decontamination rates of {sup 210}Pb and {sup 226}Ra in the sediments and water have been calculated using exponential fittings and corresponding half-lives have been deduced from them. The cleaning half-life in the whole area of the Estuary is about 6 and 3.5 years for {sup 226}Ra and {sup 210}Pb respectively. The observed trend clearly shows that contamination of the Estuary by natural radionuclides is now decreasing and radioactive levels in waters and sediments are approaching the natural background references. This work attempts to evaluate whether it can be expected that the decontamination of the enhanced levels of natural radioactivity in the Estuary

The importance of the river-estuary interface (REI) zone in estuaries

African Journals Online (AJOL)

drinie

2002-07-03

Jul 3, 2002 ... A multidisciplinary and multi-institutional research programme studied the influence of river flow rate on salinity distribution and response of the ... alia, the state of the mouth influences the extent of water exchange with the sea, vertical and ... The Kariega Estuary is a marine dominated system with very little.

Columbia Estuary Ecosystem Restoration Program. 2012 Synthesis Memorandum

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

LCFRB Lower Columbia Fish Recovery Board LCRE lower Columbia River and estuary LCREP Lower Columbia River Estuary Partnership LWD large woody debris...hydraulic reconnections, channel creation, large woody debris [ LWD ] placement) have restored a total of 3152 acres since 2001. If land acquisition...fencing, invasive plant removal, native replanting. Mirror Lake 208 Culvert replaced with a bridge, riparian restoration, LWD enhancement, culvert

NEW DATA ABOUT MACROZOOBENTHOS OF BEYSUGSKY ESTUARY (SEA OF AZOV

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. I. Bulysheva

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. Aim. Beysugsky Estuary is one of the biggest estuaries of the Azov-Kuban’ lowland. Like the other water bodies in the South of Russia, this one is subject to strong anthropogenic load: detachment of the freshwater part for establishing the Beysug spawning area; regulation of the flow of the rivers feeding the estuary; destruction of the Yasenskaya spit and narrowing of the Bugaz mouth; disorganized tourism. The ongoing reformation of the ecosystem makes it necessary to carry out the analyses of the modern state of the biota of this water body and uncover reasons and regularities of its change.Location. Beysug Estuary of the Sea of Azov.Methods. Quantitative zoobenthos samples were taken with the Petersen dredger (sampling area 0,034 m2 from board of the inflatable “Zodiac” boat. Qualitative samples were taken in the coastal zone by hand and with the dredge. All the samples taken were washed through the bag made of mill sieve with mesh size 0,5 mm, and then were fixed in a plastic bucket by 4 % formaldehyde (quantitative samples or 70 % ethyl alcohol (qualitative samples. Taking and processing of samples were carried out in field and laboratory environment using common methods. 22 samples at 7 stations were taken in total.Results. Macrozoobenthos was presented by 14 invertebrate species. Estuarine fauna is the depleted version of the euryhaline one of the Sea of Azov with Holocene relic macrophyte-dwelling elements. Biodiversity and quantitative characters of the estuarine communities decrease from west to east. Pelophylic detritophages predominated in the benthic communities of the estuary. The results of this research are meant to be used for uncovering historical ways of forming of benthic fauna and clearing up the dependence of community structure on the seawater influence, freshwater flow, regulation of freshwater and seawater sources, nature of changing of faunas at salinization of estuaries connected with the sea and the

Pollution induced tidal variability in water quality of Mahim Estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Zingde, M.D.; Sabnis, M.M.

Variability of water quality due to release of wastewater in Mahim Estuary (Maharashtra, India) and associated nearshore waters is discussed. The mixing of low salinity contaminated estuary water with high salinity bay water was considerably...

Pollutant Flux Estimation in an Estuary Comparison between Model and Field Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yen-Chang Chen

2014-08-01

Full Text Available This study proposes a framework for estimating pollutant flux in an estuary. An efficient method is applied to estimate the flux of pollutants in an estuary. A gauging station network in the Danshui River estuary is established to measure the data of water quality and discharge based on the efficient method. A boat mounted with an acoustic Doppler profiler (ADP traverses the river along a preselected path that is normal to the streamflow to measure the velocities, water depths and water quality for calculating pollutant flux. To know the characteristics of the estuary and to provide the basis for the pollutant flux estimation model, data of complete tidal cycles is collected. The discharge estimation model applies the maximum velocity and water level to estimate mean velocity and cross-sectional area, respectively. Thus, the pollutant flux of the estuary can be easily computed as the product of the mean velocity, cross-sectional area and pollutant concentration. The good agreement between the observed and estimated pollutant flux of the Danshui River estuary shows that the pollutant measured by the conventional and the efficient methods are not fundamentally different. The proposed method is cost-effective and reliable. It can be used to estimate pollutant flux in an estuary accurately and efficiently.

Trace elements and radionuclides in the Connecticut River and Amazon River estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dion, E.P.

1983-01-01

The Connecticut River, its estuary, and the Amazon River estuary were studied to elucidate some of the processes which control river water chemistry and the flux of elements to the sea. The approach taken was to identify inputs to the Connecticut River and to investigate geochemical processes which modify the dissolved load. The form and quantity of nuclides which are in turn supplied to the estuary are altered by processes unique to that transition zone to the ocean. The Connecticut River estuary was sampled on a seasonal basis to investigate the role of the estuary in controlling the flux of elements to the sea. The knowledge gained from the Connecticut River study was applied to the quantitatively more significant Amazon River estuary. There a variety of samples were analyzed to understand the processes controlling the single greatest flux of elements to the Atlantic Ocean. The results indicate that estimates of the total flux of nuclides to the oceans can best be calculated based on groundwater inputs. Unless significant repositories for nuclides exist in the river-estuarine system, the groundwater flux of dissolved nuclides is that which will eventually be delivered to the ocean despite the reactions which were shown to occur in both rivers and estuaries. 153 references, 63 figures, 28 tables

Nutrient input through submarine groundwater discharge in two major Chinese estuaries: the Pearl River Estuary and the Changjiang River Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Jianan; Du, Jinzhou; Wu, Ying; Liu, Sumei

2018-04-01

In this study, we used a 224Ra mass balance model to evaluate the importance of submarine groundwater discharge (SGD) for the budgets of biogenic elements in two major Chinese estuaries: the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) and the Changjiang River Estuary (CRE). The apparent water age in the PRE was estimated to be 4.8 ± 1.1 days in the dry season and 1.8 ± 0.6 days in the wet season using a physical model based on the tidal prism. In the dry season, the water age in the CRE was estimated to be 11.7 ± 3.0 days using the 224Ra/223Ra activities ratios apparent age model. By applying the 224Ra mass balance model, we obtained calculations of the SGD flow in the PRE of (4.5-10) × 108 m3 d-1 (0.23-0.50 m3 m-2 d-1) and (1.2-2.7) × 108 m3 d-1 (0.06-0.14 m3 m-2 d-1) in the dry season and wet season, respectively, and the estimated SGD flux was (4.6-11) × 109 m3 d-1 (0.18-0.45 m3 m-2 d-1) in the dry season of the CRE. In comparison with the nutrient fluxes from the rivers, the SGD-derived nutrient fluxes may play a vital role in controlling the nutrient budgets and stoichiometry in the study areas. The large amount of dissolved inorganic nitrogen and phosphorus fluxes together with high N: P ratios into the PRE and CRE would potentially contribute to eutrophication and the occurrence of red tides along the adjacent waters.

Nutrient characterisation of river inflow into the estuaries of the ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nutrient characterisation of river inflow into the estuaries of the Gouritz Water ... into the estuaries within the Gouritz Water Management Area (WMA) of South Africa. ... Long-term water quality monitoring data (dissolved inorganic nitrogen, i.e. ...

Legislative Update: Georgia School Funding Update.

Science.gov (United States)

Holmes, C. Thomas; Sielke, Catherine C.

2000-01-01

Fully 40 percent ($5 billion) of Georgia's FY 2000 general funds budget is for K-12 education. There is increased funding for a homestead exemption, expansion of the HOPE (higher education) Scholarship Program, capital outlay projects, remedial assistance programs, and instruction of limited-English speaking students. (MLH)

The problems of nuclear security in Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nabakhtiani, N.

2006-01-01

Georgia is carrying out activities to improve nuclear security according to the demands of international standards and rules. The support of developed countries and international organisations is very important to solve the associated problems. (author)

PREVALENCE OF CLEFT LIP AND PALATE IN GEORGIA.

Science.gov (United States)

Chincharadze, S; Vadachkoria, Z; Mchedlishvili, I

2017-01-01

Cleft lip and palate take significant place in congenital malformations. We aimed to study epidemiological peculiarities of these pathologies in Georgia for 2006-2015. We compared magnitude of its distribution with the data from 1981-1990. Prevalence of cleft lip and palate in Georgia in 2006-2015 was 0.95±0.04 per 1000 live births, while in 1981-1990- it was 1.05, i.e. in contrast to 1980's frequency of these pathological conditions decreased to some extent. Distribution of cleft lip and palate varies across the country regions. The most intensive spread has been observed in Mtskheta-Mtianeti region, where prevalence composed 2.28/1000. In the rest of the regions frequency of these pathologies is significantly lower. For instance, in Kakheti the rate is equal to 1,87/1000, in Kvemo Kartli - 1.56/1000, in Shida Kartli - 1.55/1000. In the rest of the regions prevalence rate is lower than the country average. It should be noted that in Tbilisi the rate is as low as 0.80/1000. The lowest level has been reported in Guria - 0.56/1000. Currently cleft lip with palate is the most frequently occurring anomaly in Georgia accounting for 39.8% of all congenital malformations. Cleft lip alone ranks the second - 36.1%, followed by cleft palate (24.1%). These pathologies are more frequent in boys than in girls. 60.3% of the cases are reported in males, in contrast to girls - 39.7% (pcleft palate is the most common among girls, but in our case, it had higher prevalence among boys, 53.6% vs. 46,4%. Thus cleft lip and palate distribution in Georgia is characterized by epidemiological peculiarities, which should be considered in implementation of preventive measures.

Plutonium in Atlantic coastal estuaries in the southeastern United States of America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, D.W.; LeRoy, J.H.; Cross, F.A.

1976-01-01

A survey was made to begin to provide baseline information on the plutonium distribution of representative estuarine and coastal areas of the southeastern United States of America. Sediments and marsh grass (Spartina) were collected and analysed from three locations within a tidal marsh. In the three estuaries (Savannah, Neuse and Newport) the suspended particulate matter (1μm and greater) was filtered from waters with different salinities and the plutonium content of the particulates determined. The Savannah river estuary, in addition to fall-out plutonium, has received up to 0.3Ci of plutonium from the Savannah River Plant (SRP) of the US Energy Research and Development Administration. The SRP plutonium has a variable isotopic composition that can influence plutonium isotopic ratios in the estuarine system. The other estuaries do not have nuclear installations upstream. Plutonium contents in surface marsh sediment from the Savannah River estuary are lower than those found in nearby bay sediments. In fact, total plutonium concentrations of sediments showed increases from the upper to lower portions of the estuary; however, higher contributions of 238 Pu in the upper portions indicate that releases from the Savannah River Plant do contribute plutonium to the Savannah river estuary. Plutonium concentrations in Spartina were less than 10fCi/g dry weight but are higher than plutonium contents of terrestrial plants ( 238 Pu to the total plutonium activities in the sediment and the Spartina. Plutonium concentrations were about three times higher in the Newport river estuary than in the Neuse and Savannah river estuaries. (author)

Forest statistics for Georgia, 1982

Science.gov (United States)

John E. Tansey

1983-01-01

Since the fourth inventory of the forest resources of Georgia in 1972, the area of commercial forest land decreased over 4 percent, or by almost 1.1 million acres. Commercial forests now cover approximately 23.7 million acres, 64 percent of the land area in the State. Nearly 5.1 million acres were harvested, while about 2.9 million acres were adequately regenerated...

2012 Oconee County, Georgia ADS80 Imagery

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — All imagery was collected during the 2012 Spring flying season during leaf-off conditions for deciduous vegetation in the State of Georgia. The sun angle was at...

Long-term environmental drivers of DOC fluxes: Linkages between management, hydrology and climate in a subtropical coastal estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Regier, Peter; Briceño, Henry; Jaffé, Rudolf

2016-12-01

Urban and agricultural development of the South Florida peninsula has disrupted historic freshwater flow in the Everglades, a hydrologically connected ecosystem stretching from central Florida to the Gulf of Mexico, USA. Current system-scale restoration efforts aim to restore natural hydrologic regimes to reestablish pre-drainage ecosystem functioning through increased water availability, quality and timing. Aquatic transport of carbon in this ecosystem, primarily as dissolved organic carbon (DOC), plays a critical role in biogeochemical cycling and food-web dynamics, and will be affected both by water management policies and climate change. To better understand DOC dynamics in South Florida estuaries and how hydrology, climate and water management may affect them, 14 years of monthly data collected in the Shark River estuary were used to examine DOC flux dynamics in a broader environmental context. Multivariate statistical methods were applied to long-term datasets for hydrology, water quality and climate to untangle the interconnected environmental drivers that control DOC export at monthly and annual scales. DOC fluxes were determined to be primarily controlled by hydrology but also by seasonality and long-term climate patterns and episodic weather events. A four-component model (salinity, rainfall, inflow, Atlantic Multidecadal Oscillation) capable of predicting DOC fluxes (R2 = 0.84, p water management and salinity.

Discontinuous Galerkin modeling of the Columbia River's coupled estuary-plume dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Vallaeys, Valentin; Kärnä, Tuomas; Delandmeter, Philippe; Lambrechts, Jonathan; Baptista, António M.; Deleersnijder, Eric; Hanert, Emmanuel

2018-04-01

The Columbia River (CR) estuary is characterized by high river discharge and strong tides that generate high velocity flows and sharp density gradients. Its dynamics strongly affects the coastal ocean circulation. Tidal straining in turn modulates the stratification in the estuary. Simulating the hydrodynamics of the CR estuary and plume therefore requires a multi-scale model as both shelf and estuarine circulations are coupled. Such a model has to keep numerical dissipation as low as possible in order to correctly represent the plume propagation and the salinity intrusion in the estuary. Here, we show that the 3D baroclinic discontinuous Galerkin finite element model SLIM 3D is able to reproduce the main features of the CR estuary-to-ocean continuum. We introduce new vertical discretization and mode splitting that allow us to model a region characterized by complex bathymetry and sharp density and velocity gradients. Our model takes into account the major forcings, i.e. tides, surface wind stress and river discharge, on a single multi-scale grid. The simulation period covers the end of spring-early summer of 2006, a period of high river flow and strong changes in the wind regime. SLIM 3D is validated with in-situ data on the shelf and at multiple locations in the estuary and compared with an operational implementation of SELFE. The model skill in the estuary and on the shelf indicate that SLIM 3D is able to reproduce the key processes driving the river plume dynamics, such as the occurrence of bidirectional plumes or reversals of the inner shelf coastal currents.

Fish abundance and distribution in the Gamtoos estuary with notes ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

favourably with other larger systems like the Sundays, Bashee and Kei estuaries. .... as well as the use of pesticides undoubtedly affects water quality in the ... Methods. Catch per unit effort (CPUE) of fish in the Gamtoos estuary was obtained ...

The Geographic Reference Atlas of Georgia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Liparteliani, Guliza; Kurtubadze, Manana; Sologhashvili, Nato

2017-01-01

of the exploration of the nature, population, economy and history of Georgia. Both, the first and the second atlases are scientific by the content, the purpose and the design. Nowadays, Georgian society requires to understand country not only from maps, but also from photos, related text annotations and graphic...

Deregulation of natural gas in Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wise, S.

2002-01-01

The Natural Gas Competition and Deregulation Act of 1997 in Georgia is discussed. New legislation passed the Natural Gas Consumer Relief Act in 2002 legislative session to provide additional protection and increase competition. This Act and its impacts are discussed in detail. Additional commission responsibilities are summarized. (R.P.)

Utility of mesohabitat features for determining habitat associations of subadult sharks in Georgia’s estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Belcher, C.N.; Jennings, Cecil A.

2010-01-01

We examined the affects of selected water quality variables on the presence of subadult sharks in six of nine Georgia estuaries. During 231 longline sets, we captured 415 individuals representing nine species. Atlantic sharpnose shark (Rhizoprionodon terranovae), bonnethead (Sphyrna tiburo), blacktip shark (Carcharhinus limbatus) and sandbar shark (C. plumbeus) comprised 96.1% of the catch. Canonical correlation analysis (CCA) was used to assess environmental influences on the assemblage of the four common species. Results of the CCA indicated Bonnethead Shark and Sandbar Shark were correlated with each other and with a subset of environmental variables. When the species occurred singly, depth was the defining environmental variable; whereas, when the two co-occurred, dissolved oxygen and salinity were the defining variables. Discriminant analyses (DA) were used to assess environmental influences on individual species. Results of the discriminant analyses supported the general CCA findings that the presence of bonnethead and sandbar shark were the only two species that correlated with environmental variables. In addition to depth and dissolved oxygen, turbidity influenced the presence of sandbar shark. The presence of bonnethead shark was influenced primarily by salinity and turbidity. Significant relationships existed for both the CCA and DA analyses; however, environmental variables accounted for shark species among sites.

A comparative study of Northern Ireland's estuaries based on the results of beam trawl fish surveys

Science.gov (United States)

Harrison, Trevor D.; Armour, Neil D.; McNeill, Michael T.; Moorehead, Peter W.

2017-11-01

The fish communities of Northern Ireland's estuaries were described and compared using data collected with a modified beam trawl over a six year period from 2009 to 2014. Multivariate analyses identified four estuary groups based on variations in their physico-chemical attributes. These groups broadly corresponded with the distribution and variation of estuary geomorphic types identified around the Irish coast. The dominant fish species captured were also among the main species reported in other North East Atlantic estuaries. A significant link between the estuary types and their fish communities was found; each estuary group contained a somewhat distinctive fish community. The fish communities also showed a significant relationship with the physico-chemical characteristics of the estuaries. Differences in fish species composition are attributed to habitat and environmental preferences of key estuary-associated species.

Field observations of hypersaline runoff through a shallow estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Hosseini, Seyed Taleb; Siadatmousavi, Seyed Mostafa

2018-03-01

This study investigates a rare situation at the Mond River Estuary in the Persian Gulf, in which the classical estuarine density gradient coincides with hypersaline runoff entering from saline soils upstream of the estuary after severe precipitation. This builds a unique estuarine setting, where two salt water masses, one originating from the coastal ocean and the other being discharged from upstream confine a range of almost freshwater in the middle of estuary. This "freshwater lens estuary" (FLE) situation includes two saltwater sources with opposing senses of estuarine circulation. Therefore, the tidal damping by the strong river flood can occur, especially during neap tide when high Unsteadiness number (∼0.04) signified ebb oriented condition which was induced by straining residual lateral circulation near the FLE mouth. Transition from well-mixed to weak strain induced periodic stratification regimes indicated the importance of the spring-neap tidal variations. Close to the mouth, a 13.66-day periodic tidal asymmetry from the triad K1-O1-M2 (ebb-dominance during spring tide and flood-dominance in neap tide) was overcome by higher harmonics.

33 CFR 165.1190 - Security Zone; San Francisco Bay, Oakland Estuary, Alameda, CA.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

..., Oakland Estuary, Alameda, CA. 165.1190 Section 165.1190 Navigation and Navigable Waters COAST GUARD... § 165.1190 Security Zone; San Francisco Bay, Oakland Estuary, Alameda, CA. (a) Location. The following area is a security zone: All navigable waters of the Oakland Estuary, California, from the surface to...

Epizootiology of cranial abscess disease in white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus) of Georgia, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Cohen, Bradley S.; Belser, Emily H.; Killmaster, Charlie H.; Bowers, John W.; Irwin, Brian J.; Yabsley, Michael J.; Miller, Karl V.

2015-01-01

Intracranial abscess disease is a cause of natural mortality for mature male white-tailed deer (Odocoileus virginianus). Most cases of abscesses are associated with bacterial infection byTrueperella (Arcanobacterium) pyogenes, but a complete understanding of the epidemiology of this disease is lacking. We quantified the effects of individual characteristics, site-specific herd demographics, land cover, and soil variables in estimating the probability of this disease. We examined 7,545 white-tailed deer from 60 sites throughout Georgia US for signs of cranial abscesses, the predecessor of intracranial abscesses, and recorded the presence or absence of cranial abscesses for each individual examined. We detected no cranial abscesses in 2,562 female deer but 91 abscesses in 4,983 male deer examined (1.8%). A generalized linear mixed model, treating site as a random effect, was used to examine several potential explanatory risk factors including site-level landscape and soil characteristics (soil and forest type), demographic factors (deer density and male to female ratio), and individual host factors (deer sex and age). Model results indicated that the probability of a male having a cranial abscess increased with age and that adult sex ratio (male:female) was positively associated with this disease. Site-specific variables for land cover and soil types were not strongly associated with observations of the disease at the scale measured and a large amount of among-site variability remained. Given the demonstrated effect of age, gender, and local sex ratios but the remaining unexplained spatial variability, additional investigation into spatiotemporal variation of the presumed bacterial causative agent of cranial abscesses appears warranted.

EAARL topography-Potato Creek watershed, Georgia, 2010

Science.gov (United States)

Bonisteel-Cormier, J.M.; Nayegandhi, Amar; Fredericks, Xan; Jones, J.W.; Wright, C.W.; Brock, J.C.; Nagle, D.B.

2011-01-01

This DVD contains lidar-derived first-surface (FS) and bare-earth (BE) topography GIS datasets of a portion of the Potato Creek watershed in the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint River basin, Georgia. These datasets were acquired on February 27, 2010.

Historical changes in the Columbia River Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Sherwood, Christopher R.; Jay, David A.; Bradford Harvey, R.; Hamilton, Peter; Simenstad, Charles A.

Historical changes in the hydrology, sedimentology, and physical oceanography of the Columbia River Estuary have been evaluated with a combination of statistical, cartographic, and numerical-modelling techniques. Comparison of data digitized from US Coast and Geodetic Survey bathymetric surveys conducted in the periods 1867-1875, 1926-1937, and 1949-1958 reveals that large changes in the morphology of the estuary have been caused by navigational improvements (jetties, dredged channels, and pile dikes) and by the diking and filling of much of the wetland area. Lesser changes are attributable to natural shoaling and erosion. There has been roughly a 15% decrease in tidal prism and a net accumulation of about 68 × 10 6m 3 of sediment in the estuary. Large volumes of sediment have been eroded from the entrance region and deposited on the continental shelf and in the balance of the estuary, contributing to formation of new land. The bathymetric data indicate that, ignoring erosion at the entrance, 370 to 485 × 10 6m 3 of sediment has been deposited in the estuary since 1868 at an average rate of about 0.5 cm y -1, roughly 5 times the rate at which sea level has fallen locally since the turn of the century. Riverflow data indicate that the seasonal flow cycle of the Columbia River has been significantly altered by regulation and diversion of water for irrigation. The greatest changes have occurred in the last thirty years. Flow variability over periods greater than a month has been significantly damped and the net discharge has been slightly reduced. These changes in riverflow are too recent to be reflected in the available in the available bathymetric data. Results from a laterally averaged, multiple-channel, two-dimensional numerical flow model (described in HAMILTON, 1990) suggest that the changes in morphology and riverflow have reduced mixing, increased stratification, altered the response to fortnightly (neap-spring) changes in tidal forcing, and decreased the

Georgia Species at Risk Project

Science.gov (United States)

2009-06-01

Robins, ten at Fort Stewart, and three at King’s Bay. GA-DNR contracted with the Natural Resources Spatial Analysis Laboratory (NARSAL) to produce...stagnant, tannin -stained waters in creeks and impoundments, especially in areas with heavy aquatic vegetation (Hoover et al. 1998). A management...was contracted to the Natural Resources Spatial Analysis Laboratory (NARSAL) at the University of Georgia, who previously completed mapping at a

Metabarcoding of benthic eukaryote communities predicts the ecological condition of estuaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chariton, Anthony A.; Stephenson, Sarah; Morgan, Matthew J.; Steven, Andrew D.L.; Colloff, Matthew J.; Court, Leon N.; Hardy, Christopher M.

2015-01-01

DNA-derived measurements of biological composition have the potential to produce data covering all of life, and provide a tantalizing proposition for researchers and managers. We used metabarcoding to compare benthic eukaryote composition from five estuaries of varying condition. In contrast to traditional studies, we found biotic richness was greatest in the most disturbed estuary, with this being due to the large volume of extraneous material (i.e. run-off from aquaculture, agriculture and other catchment activities) being deposited in the system. In addition, we found strong correlations between composition and a number of environmental variables, including nutrients, pH and turbidity. A wide range of taxa responded to these environmental gradients, providing new insights into their sensitivities to natural and anthropogenic stressors. Metabarcoding has the capacity to bolster current monitoring techniques, enabling the decisions regarding ecological condition to be based on a more holistic view of biodiversity. - Highlights: • We used metabarcoding to examine the benthic eukaryote composition of five estuaries. • Biotic richness (based on MOTUs) was greater in the most impacted estuary. • Similarities among estuaries reflected their environmental condition. • Composition was strongly correlated with nutrients, turbidity and pH. • Metabarcoding can provide fast, comprehensive and ecologically informative data. - Using metabarcoding we were able discriminate benthos from five estuaries, and identify those taxa which responded negatively and positivity to the key environmental stressors

Pollution in the estuary of the Baracoa river, La Habana, Cuba

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Regla Duthit Somoza

2011-04-01

Full Text Available The environmental quality of the Baracoa river estuary was studied from the physic (temperature and salinity, chemic variables (dissolved oxygen, oxygen biochemical demand (DBO, oxygen chemical demand (DQO, nitrogen cycle, inorganic phosphorus and total phosphorus and the microbiological variables (total and thermotolerant coliforms and faecal streptococci. The samplings were made on February 2006, May and October 2007. Spatial distribution of the physical and chemical parameters measured suggests that the estuary is dominated by the marine conditions. The salinity and temperature analyses show that in general the characteristics of the estuary could be influenced by the contribution of the river basin drainage. In general, the concentrations of the measured parameters in the Baracoa river estuary, strongly suggest that this area is under influence of human activities on the river basin, due to the low levels of dissolved oxygen and an oxygen average deficit of -1.6 mg/L. nthropogenic actions in this estuary are mainly related to the emission of domestic and farming rejects without suitable treatment. This is visibly associated with the observed values of the total coliforms concentrations as well as the concentration of faecal streptococci, that surpassed reference values from the Cuban norm for water quality, following on bad or doubtful quality levels pointing out negatively measurements made next to the communication channel the estuary and the El Doctor lagoon.

Multi-timescale sediment responses across a human impacted river-estuary system

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Yining; Chen, Nengwang; Li, Yan; Hong, Huasheng

2018-05-01

Hydrological processes regulating sediment transport from land to sea have been widely studied. However, anthropogenic factors controlling the river flow-sediment regime and subsequent response of the estuary are still poorly understood. Here we conducted a multi-timescale analysis on flow and sediment discharges during the period 1967-2014 for the two tributaries of the Jiulong River in Southeast China. The long-term flow-sediment relationship remained linear in the North River throughout the period, while the linearity showed a remarkable change after 1995 in the West River, largely due to construction of dams and reservoirs in the upland watershed. Over short timescales, rainstorm events caused the changes of suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the rivers. Regression analysis using synchronous SSC data in a wet season (2009) revealed a delayed response (average 5 days) of the estuary to river input, and a box-model analysis established a quantitative relationship to further describe the response of the estuary to the river sediment input over multiple timescales. The short-term response is determined by both the vertical SSC-salinity changes and the sediment trapping rate in the estuary. However, over the long term, the reduction of riverine sediment yield increased marine sediments trapped into the estuary. The results of this study indicate that human activities (e.g., dams) have substantially altered sediment delivery patterns and river-estuary interactions at multiple timescales.

Preliminary assessment report for National Guard Training Center, Georgia Army National Guard, Fort Stewart, Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-07-01

This report presents the results of the preliminary assessment (PA) conducted by Argonne National Laboratory at the Georgia Army National Guard (GAARNG) facility near Hinesville, Georgia, known as the National Guard Training Center (NGTC). Preliminary assessments of federal facilities are being conducted to compile the information necessary for completing preremedial activities and to provide a priority basis for completing corrective actions (where necessary) in response to releases of hazardous substances. The principal objective of the PA is to characterize the site accurately and determine the need for further action by examining previous site activities, types and quantities of hazardous substances utilized, and potential pathways by which contamination could affect public health and the environment. The scope of this assessment is limited to the facilities and past activities contained within the NGTC. Preliminary assessment site score sheet information is also provided for the NGTC. However, this assessment report is intended to be read in conjunction with a previous IRP assessment of Fort Stewart completed in 1992 (USATHAMA 1992) and to provide comprehensive information on the NGTC area for incorporation with information contained in that previous assessment for the entirety of Fort Stewart

Small reservoir effects on headwater water quality in the rural-urban fringe, Georgia Piedmont, USA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dr.. Amber R. Ignatius, Geographer

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Small reservoirs are prevalent landscape features that affect the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of headwater streams. Tens of thousands of small reservoirs, often less than a hectare in size, were constructed over the past century within the United States. While remote-sensing and geographic-mapping technologies assist in identifying and quantifying these features, their localized influence on water quality is uncertain. We report a year-long physicochemical study of nine small reservoirs (0.15–2.17 ha within the Oconee and Broad River Watersheds in the Georgia Piedmont. Study sites were selected along an urban-rural gradient with differing amounts of agricultural, forested, and developed land covers. Sites were sampled monthly for discharge and inflow/outflow water quality parameters (temperature, specific conductance, pH, dissolved oxygen, turbidity, alkalinity, total phosphorus, total nitrogen, nitrate, ammonium. While the proportion of developed land cover within watersheds had positive correlations with reservoir specific conductivity values, agricultural and forested land covers showed correlations (positive and negative, respectively with reservoir alkalinity, total nitrogen, nitrate, and specific conductivity. The majority of outflow temperatures were warmer than inflows for all land uses throughout the year, especially in the summer. Outflows had lower nitrate concentrations, but higher ammonium. The type of outflow structure was also influential; top-release dams showed higher dissolved oxygen and pH than bottom-release dams. Water quality effects were still evident 250 m below the dam, albeit reduced.

Georgia-Armenia Transboarder seismicity studies

Science.gov (United States)

Godoladze, T.; Tvaradze, N.; Javakishvili, Z.; Elashvili, M.; Durgaryan, R.; Arakelyan, A.; Gevorgyan, M.

2012-12-01

In the presented study we performed Comprehensive seismic analyses for the Armenian-Georgian transboarder active seismic fault starting on Armenian territory, cutting the state boarder and having possibly northern termination on Adjara-Triealeti frontal structure in Georgia. In the scope of International projects: ISTC A-1418 "Open network of scientific Centers for mitigation risk of natural hazards in the Southern Caucasus and Central Asia" and NATO SfP- 983284 Project "Caucasus Seismic Emergency Response" in Akhalkalaki (Georgia) seismic center, Regional Summer school trainings and intensive filed investigations were conducted. Main goal was multidisciplinary study of the Javakheti fault structure and better understanding seismicity of the area. Young scientists from Turkey, Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia were participated in the deployment of temporal seismic network in order to monitor seisimity on the Javakheti highland and particularly delineate fault scarf and identify active seismic structures. In the scope of international collaboration the common seismic database has been created in the southern Caucasus and collected data from the field works is available now online. Javakheti highland, which is located in the central part of the Caucasus, belongs to the structure of the lesser Caucasus and represents a history of neotectonic volcanism existed in the area. Jasvakheti highland is seismicalu active region devastating from several severe earthquakes(1088, 1283, 1899…). Hypocenters located during analogue network were highly scattered and did not describe real pattern of seismicity of the highland. We relocated hypocenters of the region and improved local velocity model. The hypocenters derived from recently deployed local seismic network in the Javakheti highland, clearly identified seismically active structures. Fault plane solutions of analogue data of the Soviet times have been carefully analyzed and examined. Moment tensor inversion were preformed

Cladocerans (Branchiopoda) of a tropical estuary in Brazil

OpenAIRE

Paranaguá, M. N; Neumann-Leitão, S; Nogueira-Paranhos, J. D; Silva, T. A.; Matsumura-Tundisi, T.

2005-01-01

The study was conducted in the Capibaribe river estuary in Recife (Brazil) to assess the role played by cladocerans in a eutrophic environment. Samplings were carried out monthly at 4 fixed stations along the estuary from July 1987 to June 1988. Collections were made with a plankton net of 65 micrometers mesh size. Six cladocerans species were registered: Penilia avirostris, Diaphanosoma spinulosum, Chydorus barroisi, Ceriodaphnia rigaudi, Ilyocryptus spinifer, and Moina micrura. The most fre...

Historical Determinants of Regional Divisions of Georgia and their Implications for Territorial Governance

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mądry Cezary

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Georgia can be characterised by its turbulent history, centuries-old traditions, and a great ethnic diversity. This makes it necessary to include historical determinants, in addition to geopolitical and economic factors, when making a regional analysis of its territory and contemporary governance issues. Five stages of the development of the present territorial division of Georgia are distinguished. They have been identified by means of an analysis of key events (critical junctures of significance in the formation of its historical regions. Additionally, their influence at each of the three levels of the current territorial division of independent Georgia is discussed, in particular in the context of territorial governance.

Dynamics of circulation and salt balance in the upper reaches of Periyar river estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Varma, P.U.; Pylee, A.; Sankaranarayanan, V.N.

The Eulerian residual currents of the upper reaches of Periyar estuary (Kerala, India) were directed down the estuary throughout the water column during the monsoon season. During the summer months the residual flow was directed up the estuary...

Ibsen in Georgia: milestones in the reception

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kakhaber Loria

2015-02-01

Ibsen was and is constantly referred to in Georgian literary studies, not least in connection with Georgian writers. In post-Soviet Georgia, Ibsen is very much on the agenda, and his plays are produced and discussed as they always have been.

Dollarization in emerging markets: evidence from Georgia

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Loiseau-Aslanidi, Olga

2012-01-01

Roč. 48, č. 3 (2012), s. 70-84 ISSN 1540-496X Grant - others:UK(CZ) GAUK 259027 Institutional support: PRVOUK-P23 Keywords : dollarization * Georgia * money-in-utility function Subject RIV: AH - Economics Impact factor: 1.190, year: 2012

Understanding the fate of iron in a modern temperate estuary: Leirarvogur, Iceland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Byrne, Gemma M.; Worden, Richard H.; Hodgson, David M.; Polya, David A.; Lythgoe, Paul R.; Barrie, Craig D.; Boyce, Adrian J.

2011-01-01

Highlights: → Fluvial Fe (aq) and Fe (total) concentrations drop upon mixing with seawater in estuaries. → The majority of Fe in estuaries is lost in the bay-head delta. → Our results suggest that the bay-head delta is a key location in Fe-mineral formation. → Isotopic variation in estuarine waters may play a role in the formation of Fe-minerals. - Abstract: Fluvial dissolved Fe concentrations decrease upon mixing with seawater, resulting in the formation of Fe-floccules. However, a clear understanding of the fate of these floccules has yet to be established. Assessing how tidal processes affect the formation of Fe-colloids in the Leirarvogur estuary, SW Iceland, is an important step in understanding the formation and potential deposition of estuarine Fe-rich minerals within this estuarine system. The Leirarvogur estuary drains predominately Fe-rich basalt, increasing the likelihood of detecting changes in Fe-phases. Fluvial waters and local lake waters that drain into the estuary were compared and the effects of seasonal changes were considered, in an attempt to understand how varying end-members and external factors play a role in Fe-rich mineral formation. Aqueous and colloidal Fe concentrations were found to be greater towards the head of the Leirarvogur estuary, suggesting that potential Fe-rich minerals and complexes are forming at sites of fluvial input. Increasing suspended colloidal Fe towards the estuary mouth suggests that Fe-colloids are readily transported seaward.

Milkweed, stink bugs, and Georgia cotton

Science.gov (United States)

In peanut-cotton farmscapes in Georgia, stink bugs, i.e., Nezara viridula (L.)(Say) and Chinavia hilaris (Say), develop in peanut and then disperse at the crop-to-crop interface to feed on fruit in cotton. The main objective of this study was to examine the influence of a habitat of tropical milkwe...

78 FR 68995 - Safety Zone: Vessel Removal From the Oakland Estuary, Alameda, CA

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-18

...-AA00 Safety Zone: Vessel Removal From the Oakland Estuary, Alameda, CA AGENCY: Coast Guard, DHS. ACTION... waters of the Oakland Estuary just north of the Park Street Bridge in Alameda, CA in support of the Oakland Estuary Closure for the Vessel Removal Project on November 4, 2013 through November 22, 2013. This...

Vitamin B@d12@@ concentrations in Mandovi and Zuari estuaries

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

De; Rajendran, A.

Bioassay method using @iCyclotella nana@@ (clone 13) was employed for the estimation of Vitamin B@d12@@ in Mandovi and Zuari estuaries. At the mouth of the Mandovi estuary, B@d12@@ concentration varied between 0.38 and 7.0 ng/l in surface water...

Plutonium in Atlantic coastal estuaries in the southeastern United States

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, D.W.; LeRoy, J.H.; Cross, F.A.

1975-01-01

A survey was made to begin to provide baseline information on the Pu distribution of representative estuarine and coastal areas of the southeastern United States. Sediments and marsh grass (Spartina) were collected and analyzed from three locations within a tidal marsh. In three estuaries (Savannah, Neuse, and Newport), the suspended particulate matter (1 μm and greater) was filtered from waters with different salinities, and the plutonium content of the particulates determined. The Savannah River estuary, in addition to fallout Pu, has received up to 0.3 Ci of Pu from the Savannah River Plant (SRP) of the U. S. Energy Research and Development Administration. The SRP plutonium has a variable isotopic composition that can influence Pu isotopic ratios in the estuarine system. The other estuaries do not have nuclear installations upstream. Data are included on the content of 238 Pu, 239 Pu, and 240 Pu in sediments and marsh grass of the Savannah River estuary

Habitat Scale Mapping of Fisheries Ecosystem Service Values in Estuaries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Timothy G. O'Higgins

2010-12-01

Full Text Available Little is known about the variability of ecosystem service values at spatial scales most relevant to local decision makers. Competing definitions of ecosystem services, the paucity of ecological and economic information, and the lack of standardization in methodology are major obstacles to applying the ecosystem-services approach at the estuary scale. We present a standardized method that combines habitat maps and habitat-faunal associations to estimate ecosystem service values for recreational and commercial fisheries in estuaries. Three case studies in estuaries on the U.S. west coast (Yaquina Bay, Oregon, east coast (Lagoon Pond, Massachusetts, and the Gulf of Mexico (Weeks Bay, Alabama are presented to illustrate our method's rigor and limitations using available data. The resulting spatially explicit maps of fisheries ecosystem service values show within and between estuary variations in the value of estuarine habitat types that can be used to make better informed resource-management decisions.

Suspended sediment fluxes in a tropical estuary, west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

AnilKumar, N.; DineshKumar, P.K.; Srinivas, K.

Annual transport processes of suspended sediments in Beypore estuary - a tropical estuary along the south west coast of India - were investigated based on time series measurements within the system. It's observed that the sediment transport...

Changes in Georgia restaurant and bar smoking policies from 2006 to 2012.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandora, Rachna D; Whitney, Carrie F; Weaver, Scott R; Eriksen, Michael P

2015-05-14

The purpose of this study is to examine the change in smoking policy status among Georgia restaurants and bars from 2006 to 2012 and to identify restaurant and bar characteristics that are associated with allowing smoking. Data were obtained from similar cross-sectional indoor air surveys conducted in 2006 and 2012 in Georgia. Both surveys were designed to gather information about restaurant and bar smoking policies. Weighted χ(2) analyses were performed to identify changes in smoking policy status and other variables from 2006 to 2012. Weighted logistic regression analysis was used to test for significant associations between an establishment's smoking policy and other characteristics. The percentage of restaurants and bars in Georgia that allowed smoking nearly doubled, from 9.1% in 2006 to 17.6% in 2012. The analyses also showed a significant increase in the percentage of establishments that allow smoking when minors are present. Having a liquor license was a significant predictor of allowing smoking. The Smokefree Air Act was enacted in 2005 to protect the health and welfare of Georgia citizens, but study results suggest that policy makers should reevaluate the law and consider strengthening it to make restaurants and bars 100% smokefree without exemptions.

Marine debris removal: one year of effort by the Georgia Sea Turtle-Center-Marine Debris Initiative.

Science.gov (United States)

Martin, Jeannie Miller

2013-09-15

Once in the marine environment, debris poses a significant threat to marine life that can be prevented through the help of citizen science. Marine debris is any manufactured item that enters the ocean regardless of source, commonly plastics, metal, wood, glass, foam, cloth, or rubber. Citizen science is an effective way to engage volunteers in conservation initiatives and provide education and skill development. The Georgia Sea Turtle Center Marine Debris Initiative (GSTC-MDI) is a grant funded program developed to engage citizens in the removal of marine debris from the beaches of Jekyll Island, GA, USA and the surrounding areas. During the first year of effort, more than 200 volunteers donated over 460 h of service to the removal of marine debris. Of the debris removed, approximately 89% were plastics, with a significant portion being cigarette materials. Given the successful first year, the GSTC-MDI was funded again for a second year. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

86th Annual Georgia Public Health Association Meeting & Conference Report.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Selina A; Abbott, Regina; Sims, Christy

2015-01-01

The 86 th annual meeting of the Georgia Public Health Association (GPHA) and joint conference with the Southern Health Association was held in Atlanta, Georgia, on April 13-14, 2015, with pre-conference (April 12 th ) and post-conference (April 14 th ) Executive Board meetings. As Georgia's leading forum for public health researchers, practitioners, and students, the annual meeting of the GPHA brings together participants from across the state to explore recent developments in the field and to exchange techniques, tools, and experiences. Historically, the GPHA conference has been held in Savannah (n=24); Jekyll Island (n=20); Atlanta (n=16); Augusta (n=4); and Gainesville (n=1). There was no annual meeting during the early years (1929-1936); during World War II (1941-1943 and 1945); and for four years during the 1980s. Between 2006 and 2010, GPHA held one-day annual meetings and business sessions with educational workshops. Several new initiatives were highlighted as part of this year's conference. These included a "move and groove" physical activity lounge, registration scholarships for students with a dedicated meet-and-greet reception, an expanded exhibit hall, presentation and approval of three resolutions (related to healthy foods at official activities and events; weapons at official activities and events; and memorials), and approval of the 2015 legislative policy positions and amended association bylaws. The theme for the conference was Advocacy in Action for Public Health . Specifically, the program addressed ensuring access to care; protecting funding for core programs, services, and infrastructure; eliminating health disparities; and addressing key public health issues important to the state of Georgia. One hundred and nine (109) abstracts were submitted for peer review; 36 were accepted for poster and 40 for workshop presentations. Four plenary sessions with keynote speakers covered the intersection between advocacy and policy, Georgia's response to the

76 FR 9709 - Water Quality Challenges in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-22

... Water Quality Challenges in the San Francisco Bay/Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary AGENCY... the San Francisco Bay/ Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta Estuary (Bay Delta Estuary) in California. EPA is... programs to address recent significant declines in multiple aquatic species in the Bay Delta Estuary. EPA...

Resiliency Programming for Adult Offenders in Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Rees, E. Frances

2000-01-01

Discusses resiliency programming as an alternative approach to program development for incarcerated adults, and describes a pilot project in a Georgia prison, Leadership Development, that uses the concept of resiliency to frame inmate education. Discusses implications of this model of correctional education. (SLD)

Savannah, Georgia Tsunami Forecast Grids for MOST Model

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — The Savannah, Georgia Forecast Model Grids provides bathymetric data strictly for tsunami inundation modeling with the Method of Splitting Tsunami (MOST) model. MOST...

A note on the comparative turbidity of some estuaries of the Americas

Science.gov (United States)

Uncles, R.J.; Smith, R.E.

2005-01-01

Field data from 27 estuaries of the Americas are used to show that, in broad terms, there is a large difference in turbidity between the analyzed east and west-coast estuaries and that tidal range and tidal length have an important influence on that turbidity. Generic, numerical sediment-transport modeling is used to illustrate this influence, which exists over a range of space scales from, e.g., the Rogue River Estuary (few km, few mg l-1) to the Bay of Fundy (hundreds of km, few g l-1). The difference in Pacific and Atlantic seaboard estuarine turbidity for the analyzed estuaries is ultimately related to the broad-scale geomorphology of the two continents.

Waterfowl migration and distribution in North West estuaries. V. 1

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, N.A.; Kirby, J.S.; Langston, R.H.W.; Donald, P.; Mawdesley, T.; Evans, J.

1990-12-01

Waterfowl populations may be affected by proposed tidal barrage across the Mersey. This study had three objectives:-(1) to evaluate the patterns of usage of the intertidal flats of the Mersey estuary by waders and wildfowl and to establish which are the preferred areas; (2) to identify the places of origin and movement patterns of the populations of waders and wildfowl that visit the Mersey Estuary; and (3) to evaluate evidence regarding the capacity of British estuaries to absorb waders and wildfowl populations which might be displaced by a Mersey Barrage. The text and tables and results only are presented in Volume 1. (author)

Picophytoplankton community in a tropical estuary: Detection of Prochlorococcus-like populations

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mitbavkar, S.; Rajaneesh, K.M.; Anil, A.C.; Sundar, D.

The influence of hydrography on the picophytoplankton (PP) abundance in estuaries was studied by sampling along a salinity gradient in an Indian estuary. Prochlorococcus-like cells were detected at salinities ranging from 0.06 to 35, which otherwise...

Maturation of the penaeid prawn Metapenaeus moyebi in Mandovi Estuary, Goa

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nair, S.R.S.; Achuthankutty, C.T; Parulekar, A

Metapenaeus moyebi contributed a good share of penaeid prawn population in the Mandovi Estuary of Goa, India throughout the year. Both males and females of this species with fully mature gonads were observed in the estuary, suggesting further...

Salt intrusion in multi-channel estuaries: a case study in the Mekong Delta, Vietnam

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. D. Nguyen

2006-01-01

Full Text Available There is a well-tested theory for the computation of salt intrusion in alluvial estuaries that is fully analytical and predictive. The theory uses analytical equations to predict the mixing behaviour of the estuary based on measurable quantities, such as channel topography, river discharge and tidal characteristics. It applies to single-channel topographies and estuaries that demonstrate moderate tidal damping. The Mekong delta is a multi-channel estuary where the tide is damped due to a relatively strong river discharge (in the order of 2000 m3/s, even during the dry season. As a result the Mekong is a strongly riverine estuary. This paper aims to test if the theory can be applied to such a riverine multi-channel estuary, and to see if possible adjustments or generalisations need to be made. The paper presents salt intrusion measurements that were done by moving boat in 2005, to which the salt intrusion model was calibrated. The theory has been expanded to cater for tidal damping. Subsequently the model has been validated with observations made at fixed locations over the years 1998 and 1999. Finally it has been tested whether the Mekong calibration fits the overall predictive equations derived in other estuaries. The test has been successful and led to a slight adjustment of the predictive equation to cater for estuaries that experience a sloping bottom.

Nutritional condition of fish larvae in South African estuaries: an ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Nutritional condition of fish larvae in South African estuaries: an appraisal of three biochemical methods. D Costalago, N Strydom, C Frost. Abstract. Estuaries are exposed to a number of threats and many South African estuarine systems are functionally and structurally altered. The extent to which fish are affected by these ...

Sediment-water distribution of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) in Yangtze River Estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan Gang; You Chun

2010-01-01

Analysis of Perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) distribution in water and sediment in Yangtze River Estuary showed that the estuary was a sink for PFOS. Salinity was an important parameter in controlling the sediment-water interactions and the fate or transport of PFOS in the aquatic environment. As the salinity (S per mille ) increased from 0.18 to 3.31, the distribution coefficient (K d ) between sediment and water linearly increased from 0.76 to 4.70 L g -1 . The study suggests that PFOS may be carried with the river water and transported for long distances before it reaches to the sea and largely scavenged to the sediment in the estuaries due to the dramatic change in salinity. - PFOS may be largely scavenged to the sediment in estuaries due to the dramatic change in salinity during its transport from lands to oceans.

Urbanization and the Level of Microplastic Ingestion by Fish: A Comparison of Freshwater Sunfish (Centrarchidae) from the Brazos River watershed, and Pinfish (Sparidae), from the Brazos Estuary and Inshore Marine Sites, Texas, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Rieper, K. B.; Peters, C. A.; Bratton, S. P.

2016-02-01

While previous research has documented ingestion of macro- and microplastics by aquatic fauna in both freshwater and marine ecosystems, relatively little is known of the environmental and ecological factors influencing the entry and diffusion of plastics and artificial polymers into aquatic foodwebs. Microplastics are defined as 50 μm to 5 mm in length. This study utilized stomach content analysis to compare the level of microplastic artificial polymer ingestion for fish collected from the Brazos River watershed, Brazos estuary, and inshore coastal waters of Texas, USA, in areas with varying levels of urbanization. We collected 318 bluegill (Lepomis macrochirus) and 118 longear sunfish (Lepomis megalotis) at 14 freshwater locales, and 11 samples of 298 pinfish (Lagodon rhomboides) at 6 saltwater locales. Sunfish averaged 12.6 cm in length, and pinfish averaged 14.9 cm. Sunfish averaged .807 microplastics per fish, and pinfish averaged 1.09. The maximum percentage for pinfish with microplastics present per sample (frequency) was 77%, compared to 75% for sunfish. Mean frequencies per sample were also similar: 45% for sunfish and 47% for pinfish. The Brazos River collections, however, had a greater percentage with frequencies of colors. Comparison with presence of natural food items suggests microplastic ingestion is predominantly incidental for these sentinel fish species.

The effects of hydrological dynamics on benthic diatom community structure in a highly stratified estuary: The case of the Ebro Estuary (Catalonia, Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Rovira, L.; Trobajo, R.; Leira, M.; Ibáñez, C.

2012-04-01

This study of the distribution of benthic diatom assemblages and their relationship with environmental factors in a highly stratified Mediterranean estuary, i.e. the Ebro Estuary, shows the importance of hydrological dynamics to explain the features of the diatom community in such an estuary, where river flow magnitude and fluctuations imply strong physicochemical variability especially in sites close to the sea. Eight sites along the estuary were sampled during 2007-2008 both at superficial and deep water layers, in order to gather both horizontal and vertical estuarine physicochemical and hydrological gradients. Canonical Variates Analysis and Hierarchical Cluster Analysis segregated diatom community in two assemblages depending on the dynamics of the salt-wedge. The diatom assemblages of riverine conditions (i.e. without salt-wedge influence) where characterised by high abundances of Cocconeis placentula var. euglypta and Amphora pediculus, meanwhile high abundances of Nizschia frustulum and Nitzschia inconspicua were characteristic of estuarine conditions (i.e. under salt-wedge influence). Redundancy Analysis showed that both diatom assemblages responded seasonally to Ebro River flows, especially in estuarine conditions, where fluctuating conditions affected diatom assemblages both at spatial and temporal scale.

Climate change vulnerability assessment in Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Binita KC; J. Marshall Shepherd; Cassandra Johnson Gaither

2015-01-01

Climate change is occurring in the Southeastern United States, and one manifestation is changes in frequency and intensity of extreme events. A vulnerability assessment is performed in the state of Georgia (United States) at the county level from 1975 to 2012 in decadal increments. Climate change vulnerability is typically measured as a function of exposure to physical...

78 FR 28118 - Vidalia Onions Grown in Georgia; Change in Reporting and Assessment Requirements

Science.gov (United States)

2013-05-14

... onion producers in the designated production area. Small agricultural service firms, which include...; FV13-955-1 IR] Vidalia Onions Grown in Georgia; Change in Reporting and Assessment Requirements AGENCY... Vidalia onions grown in Georgia (order). The order regulates the handling of Vidalia onions grown in...

A projection of motor fuel tax revenue and analysis of alternative revenue sources in Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-01

Motor fuel tax revenue currently supplies the majority of funding for : transportation agencies at the state and federal level. Georgia uses excise and sales taxes : to generate revenue for the Georgia Department of Transportation (GDOT). Inflation a...

Spatio-temporal variation in δ13CDIC of a tropical eutrophic estuary (Cochin estuary, India) and adjacent Arabian Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Bhavya, P. S.; Kumar, Sanjeev; Gupta, G. V. M.; Sudharma, K. V.; Sudheesh, V.

2018-02-01

Carbon isotopic composition of dissolved inorganic carbon (δ13CDIC) in the Cochin estuary, a tropical eutrophic estuary along the southwest coast of India, and the adjacent coastal Arabian Sea was measured to understand spatio-temporal variability in sources and processes controlling inorganic carbon (C) dynamics in this estuarine-coastal system. δ13CDIC in the Cochin estuary showed wide variation during three different seasons (premonsoon: - 12.2 to - 3.26‰; monsoon: - 13.6 to - 5.69‰; and postmonsoon: - 6.34 to + 0.79‰). Detailed mixing curve approximation modeling along with relationships of δ13CDIC with dissolved oxygen and nutrients suggest dominant role of freshwater mixing and degassing of CO2 on DIC dynamics during wet seasons (premonsoon and monsoon). Excess CO2 brought in by rivers and in situ production due to respiration in the Cochin estuary result into one of the highest pCO2 observed in estuarine systems, leading to its degassing. During postmonsoon, a relatively dry period with high salinity, calcite precipitation was a major process with calcite saturation index > 1 at few locations. Relatively lower average surface values of δ13CDIC in the coastal Arabian Sea (premonsoon: + 0.95‰; monsoon: + 0.88‰; and postmonsoon: + 0.66‰) compared to the predicted open ocean value along with mixing curve modeling suggest dominance of respiration/organic matter (OM) degradation over primary productivity. Estuarine influence on coastal DIC dynamics was observed in nearshore region ( 10 km), whereas evidence of upwelling was found at farther locations.

The association between sugar-sweetened beverages and dental caries among third-grade students in Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilder, Jocelyn R; Kaste, Linda M; Handler, Arden; Chapple-McGruder, Theresa; Rankin, Kristin M

2016-01-01

The purpose of this study is to examine the association between sugar-sweetened beverage (SSB) consumption and caries experience among Georgia third graders. The 2010-2011 Georgia Third Grade Oral Health Study provided a school-based sample for analysis. Data were weighted to be representative of the state of Georgia's third graders. Log-binomial regression was used to assess the association between SSB consumption and caries experience after adjusting for socio-demographic and maternal and child oral health characteristics. Georgia third graders consumed approximately two servings of SSB per day on average (1.7, 95% CI 1.6-1.8). Fifty-two percent of Georgia third graders had caries experience. Daily consumption of SSB and prevalence of caries experience differed significantly by demographic characteristics. After adjustment for socio-demographic and maternal oral health characteristics, caries experience increased 22 percent (adjusted PR = 1.2, 95% CI 1.1, 1.3) for every additional reported serving of SSB consumed per day. Higher consumption of SSBs is associated with higher caries prevalence among Georgia third graders after adjustment for important covariates. Consequently, health messages about SSBs from dentists, physicians, and other healthcare providers as well as policy approaches at the school, state, and national levels to limit consumption of SSBs may collectively impact both the development of dental caries and obesity, leading to overall better health for children. © 2015 American Association of Public Health Dentistry.

Gonad organochlorine concentrations and plasma steroid levels in white sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) from the Columbia River, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, E.P.; Fitzpatrick, M.S.; Feist, G.W.; Schreck, C.B.; Yates, J.

2001-01-01

Sturgeon are an important fishery resource world-wide, providing food and income through commercial, sport, and tribal fisheries. However, sturgeon populations are imperiled in many areas due to overharvest, habitat loss, and pollution. White Sturgeon (Acipenser transmontanus) are found along the west coast of North America from San Francisco Bay, USA to British Columbia, Canada. The Columbia River, located in the Pacific Northwest USA, supports active commercial, sport, and tribal white sturgeon fisheries. The white sturgeon fishery in the Columbia River estuary is one of the most productive sturgeon fisheries in the World. Despite the success of the Columbia River estuary white sturgeon fishery, the populations within the impounded sections (i.e. behind the hydroelectric dams) of the Columbia River experience poor reproductive success (Beamesderfer et al. 1995). This poor reproductive success has been attributed to hydroelectric development, but water pollution could also be a significant factor. The bottom dwelling life history and late maturing reproductive strategy for this species may make it particularly sensitive to the adverse effects of bioaccumulative pollutants.The Columbia River receives effluent from bleached-kraft pulp mills, aluminum smelters, municipal sewage treatment plants and runoff from agricultural. industrial, and urban areas. Bioaccumulative contaminants that have the potential for endocrine disruption have been detected in fish and sediments from the Columbia River (Foster et al. 1999). An integrated system of hormones control reproduction in vertebrates. Plasma steroids direct developmental events essential for reproduction. Disruption of endocrine control by contaminants has been linked to reproductive anomalies and failure in a number of vertebrate species (Guillette et al. 1996; Jobling et al. 1996). Because of this, it is important to understand if organochlorine compounds are accumulating in Columbia River white sturgeon and having

Survey for antibodies to infectious bursal disease virus serotype 2 in wild turkeys and Sandhill Cranes of Florida, USA.

Science.gov (United States)

Candelora, Kristen L; Spalding, Marilyn G; Sellers, Holly S

2010-07-01

Captive-reared Whooping Cranes (Grus americana) released into Florida for the resident reintroduction project experienced unusually high mortality and morbidity during the 1997-98 and 2001-02 release seasons. Exposure to infectious bursal disease virus (IBDV) serotype 2 as evidenced by seroconversion was suspected to be the factor that precipitated these mortality events. Very little is known about the incidence of IBD in wild bird populations. Before this study, natural exposure had not been documented in wild birds of North America having no contact with captive-reared cranes, and the prevalence and transmission mechanisms of the virus in wild birds were unknown. Sentinel chickens (Gallus gallus) monitored on two Whooping Crane release sites in central Florida, USA, during the 2003-04 and 2004-05 release seasons seroconverted, demonstrating natural exposure to IBDV serotype 2. Blood samples collected from Wild Turkeys (Meleagris gallopavo) and Sandhill Cranes (Grus canadensis) in eight of 21 counties in Florida, USA, and one of two counties in southern Georgia, USA, were antibody-positive for IBDV serotype 2, indicating that exposure from wild birds sharing habitat with Whooping Cranes is possible. The presence of this virus in wild birds in these areas is a concern for the resident flock of Whooping Cranes because they nest and raise their chicks in Florida, USA. However, passively transferred antibodies may protect them at this otherwise vulnerable period in their lives.

Radium isotopes in the Orinoco estuary and Eastern Caribbean Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Moore, W.S.; Todd, J.F.

1993-01-01

Radium isotopes provide a means of identifying the source of freshened waters in the ocean and determining the time elapsed since these waters were in the estuary. The authors present evidence that during April, waters from the Amazon mixing zone pass within 50 km of the mouth of the Orinoco River. These Amazon waters are characterized by a lower 228 Ra/ 226 Ra activity ratio (AR) than are waters from the Orinoco at similar salinities. During autumn, the increased discharge of the Orinoco displaces the freshened Amazon waters seaward, yet the two can be distinguished clearly. Within the Caribbean Sea, waters of Orinoco origin carry a characteristic radium signature including excess activities of 224 Ra. This isotope may be used to estimate the time elapsed since the waters were removed from contact with sediments. Current speeds based on 224 Ra dating ranged from 15 to 33 cm/s during April. The radium isotopes also provide an assessment of sediment mixing in the estuary. During low discharge (April), considerable mixing of older sediment by physical or biological processes or dredging maintained high activities of 228 Ra in the estuary and produced the highest 228 Ra/ 226 Ra AR's yet measured in any estuary. During high discharge (September), a large fraction of the 228 Ra was derived from desorption from fresh sediment rather than mixing of older sediments. Activities of 224 Ra were high in the estuary during both high and low discharge, indicating that considerable mixing of recently introduced sediment must occur during each period. During April, 224 Ra and 228 Ra activities in the water were about equal, indicating that most of the sediment being resuspended had been stored in the estuary long enough to reestablish radioactive equilibrium in the 232 Th decay series (i.e., 20 years). 19 refs., 11 figs., 3 tabs

Effects of mud supply on large-scale estuary morphology and development over centuries to millennia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Braat

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Alluvial river estuaries consist largely of sand but are typically flanked by mudflats and salt marshes. The analogy with meandering rivers that are kept narrower than braided rivers by cohesive floodplain formation raises the question of how large-scale estuarine morphology and the late Holocene development of estuaries are affected by cohesive sediment. In this study we combine sand and mud transport processes and study their interaction effects on morphologically modelled estuaries on centennial to millennial timescales. The numerical modelling package Delft3D was applied in 2-DH starting from an idealised convergent estuary. The mixed sediment was modelled with an active layer and storage module with fluxes predicted by the Partheniades–Krone relations for mud and Engelund–Hansen for sand. The model was subjected to a range of idealised boundary conditions of tidal range, river discharge, waves and mud input. The model results show that mud is predominantly stored in mudflats on the side of the estuary. Marine mud supply only influences the mouth of the estuary, whereas fluvial mud is distributed along the whole estuary. Coastal waves stir up mud and remove the tendency to form muddy coastlines and the formation of mudflats in the downstream part of the estuary. Widening continues in estuaries with only sand, while mud supply leads to a narrower constant width and reduced channel and bar dynamics. This self-confinement eventually leads to a dynamic equilibrium in which lateral channel migration and mudflat expansion are balanced on average. However, for higher mud concentrations, higher discharge and low tidal amplitude, the estuary narrows and fills to become a tidal delta.

Estuaries as filters: the role of tidal marshes in trace metal removal.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Teuchies

Full Text Available Flux calculations demonstrate that many estuaries are natural filters for trace metals. Yet, the underlying processes are poorly investigated. In the present study, it was hypothesized that intertidal marshes contribute significantly to the contaminant filter function of estuaries. Trace metal concentrations and sediment characteristics were measured along a transect from the subtidal, over an intertidal flat and marsh to a restored marsh with controlled reduced tide. Metal concentrations in the intertidal and restored marsh were found to be a factor two to five higher than values in the subtidal and intertidal flat sediments. High metal concentrations and high accretion rates indicate a high metal accumulation capacity of the intertidal marshes. Overbank sedimentation in the tidal marshes of the entire estuary was calculated to remove 25% to 50% of the riverine metal influx, even though marshes comprise less than 8% of the total surface of the estuary. In addition, the large-scale implementation of planned tidal marsh restoration projects was estimated to almost double the trace metal storage capacity of the present natural tidal marshes in the estuary.

Estuaries as Filters: The Role of Tidal Marshes in Trace Metal Removal

Science.gov (United States)

Teuchies, Johannes; Vandenbruwaene, Wouter; Carpentier, Roos; Bervoets, Lieven; Temmerman, Stijn; Wang, Chen; Maris, Tom; Cox, Tom J. S.; Van Braeckel, Alexander; Meire, Patrick

2013-01-01

Flux calculations demonstrate that many estuaries are natural filters for trace metals. Yet, the underlying processes are poorly investigated. In the present study, it was hypothesized that intertidal marshes contribute significantly to the contaminant filter function of estuaries. Trace metal concentrations and sediment characteristics were measured along a transect from the subtidal, over an intertidal flat and marsh to a restored marsh with controlled reduced tide. Metal concentrations in the intertidal and restored marsh were found to be a factor two to five higher than values in the subtidal and intertidal flat sediments. High metal concentrations and high accretion rates indicate a high metal accumulation capacity of the intertidal marshes. Overbank sedimentation in the tidal marshes of the entire estuary was calculated to remove 25% to 50% of the riverine metal influx, even though marshes comprise less than 8% of the total surface of the estuary. In addition, the large-scale implementation of planned tidal marsh restoration projects was estimated to almost double the trace metal storage capacity of the present natural tidal marshes in the estuary. PMID:23950927

Plutonium, radiocesium and radiocobalt in sediments of the Hudson River estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olsen, C.R.; Simpson, H.J.; Trier, R.M.; Columbia Univ., Palisades, NY

1981-01-01

Anthropogenic radionuclides have reached the Hudson estuary as global fallout from nuclear weapons testing and through local releases from commercial nuclear reactors. Significant activities of 238 Pu and 239 , 240 Pu (fallout-derived), 134 Cs and 60 Co (reactor-released), and 137 Cs (derived from both sources), have accumulated in the sediments throughout the estuary, with the primary zone of accumulation near the downstream end of the system in New York harbor. The estuary appears to have trapped nearly all of the 239 , 240 Pu delivered as fallout, and consequently, ocean dumping of dredged harbor sediment is currently the primary means for the net transport of these nuclides to coastal waters. In contrast, only 10-30% of the 137 Cs, 134 Cs and 60 Co delivered to the estuary have been retained on the fine particles which accumulate at a rapid rate in the harbor. (orig./HAE)

Factors governing the pH in a heterotrophic, turbid, tidal estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmann, A. F.; Meysman, F. J. R.; Soetaert, K.; Middelburg, J. J.

2009-01-01

A method to quantify the influence of kinetically modelled biogeochemical processes on the pH of an ecosystem with time variable acid-base dissociation constants is presented and applied to the heterotrophic, turbid Scheldt estuary (SW Netherlands, N Belgium). Nitrification is identified as the main process governing the pH profile of this estuary, while CO2 degassing and advective-dispersive transport "buffer" the effect of nitrification. CO2 degassing accounts for the largest proton turnover per year in the whole estuary. There is a clear inverse correlation between oxygen turnover and proton turnover. The main driver of long-term changes in the mean estuarine pH from 2001 to 2004 is a changing freshwater flow which influences the pH "directly" via [∑CO2] and [TA] and to a significant amount also "indirectly" via [∑NH4+] and the nitrification rates in the estuary.

VARIATIONS IN THE SPECTRAL PROPERTIES OF FRESHWATER AND ESTUARINE CDOM CAUSED BY PARTITIONING ONTO RIVER AND ESTUARINE SEDIMENTS

Science.gov (United States)

The optical properties and geochemical cycling of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) are altered by its sorption to freshwater and estuarine sediments. Measured partition coefficients (Kp) of Satilla River (Georgia) and Cape Fear River estuary (North Carolina) CDOM ran...

STEM Career Cluster Engineering and Technology Education pathway in Georgia: Perceptions of Georgia engineering and technology education high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education survey

Science.gov (United States)

Crenshaw, Mark VanBuren

This study examined the perceptions held by Georgia Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) Career Cluster Engineering and Technology Education (ETE) high school pathway teachers and Georgia's Career, Technical and Agriculture Education (CTAE) administrators regarding the ETE pathway and its effect on implementation within their district and schools. It provides strategies for ETE teaching methods, curriculum content, STEM integration, and how to improve the ETE pathway program of study. Current teaching and curricular trends were examined in ETE as well as the role ETE should play as related to STEM education. The study, using the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey, was conducted to answer the following research questions: (a) Is there a significant difference in the perception of ETE teaching methodology between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? (b) Is there a significant difference in the perception of ETE curriculum content between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? (c) Is there a significant difference in the perception of STEM integration in the ETE high school pathway between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? and (d) Is there a significant difference in the perception of how to improve the ETE high school pathway between Georgia ETE high school teachers and CTAE administrators as measured by the Characteristics of Engineering and Technology Education Survey? Suggestions for further research also were offered.

Processing watershed-derived nitrogen in a well-flushed New England estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Tobias, C.R.; Cieri, M.; Peterson, B.J.; Deegan, Linda A.; Vallino, J.; Hughes, J.

2003-01-01

Isotopically labeled nitrate (15NO3-) was added continuously to the Rowley estuary, Massachusetts, for 22 d to assess the transport, uptake, and cycling of terrestrially derived nitrogen during a period of high river discharge and low phytoplankton activity. Isotopic enrichment of the 3.5-km tidal prism (150,000 m3) was achieved for the 3 weeks and allowed us to construct a nitrogen mass balance model for the upper estuary. Mean ??15NO3- in the estuary ranged from 300??? to 600???, and approximately 75%-80% of the 15N was exported conservatively as 15NO 3- to the coastal ocean. Essentially all of the 20%-25% of the 15N processed in the estuary occurred in the benthos and was evenly split between direct denitrification and autotrophic assimilation. The lack of water-column 15N uptake was attributed to low phytoplankton stocks and short water residence times (1.2-1.4 d). Uptake of water-column NO3- by benthic autotrophs (enriched in excess of 100???) was a function of NO3- concentration and satisfied up to 15% and 25% of the total nitrogen demand for benthic microalgae and macroalgae, respectively. Approximately 10% of tracer assimilated by benthic autotrophs was mineralized and released back to the water column as 15NH4+. By the end of the study, 15N storage in sediments and marsh macrophytes accounted for 50%-70% of the 15N assimilated in the estuary. These compartments may sequester watershed-derived nitrogen in the estuary for time scales of months to years.

Effects of environmental and water quality parameters on the functioning of copepod assemblages in tropical estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Araujo, Adriana V.; Dias, Cristina O.; Bonecker, Sérgio L. C.

2017-07-01

We examined changes in the functioning of copepod assemblages with increasing pollution in estuaries, using sampling standardization of the salinity range to enable comparisons. Copepod assemblages were analyzed in four southeast Brazilian estuaries with different water quality levels and hydrodynamic characteristics over two years. We obtained mesozooplankton samples together with environmental and water quality parameters in the estuaries, every two months under predetermined salinities ranging from 15 to 25. The values of parameters, except species size, associated with the functioning of the copepod assemblages (biomass, productivity, and turnover rate) did not differ among estuaries. However, in the more polluted estuaries, the biomass and productivity of copepod assemblages of mesozooplankton were negatively correlated with concentration of pollution indicator parameters. Conversely, in the less polluted estuaries some degree of enrichment still seems to increase the system biomass and productivity, as these parameters were inversely related to indicators of improved water quality. The pollution level of estuaries distorted the relationship between temperature and the efficiency of converting energy to organic matter. In the less polluted estuaries, the relationship between turnover rate and temperature was over 70%, while in the most polluted estuaries, this relationship was only approximately 50%. Our results demonstrated that the functioning of assemblages in the estuaries was affected differently by increasing pollution depending on the water quality level of the system. Thus, investigating the functioning of assemblages can be a useful tool for the analysis of estuarine conditions.

West Coast Estuaries for Groundfish Essential Fish Habitat (EFH) Environmental Impact Statement

Data.gov (United States)

Pacific States Marine Fisheries Commission — These data depict the boundaries of estuaries along the West Coast of the United States. The estuary boundaries are delineated according to the U.S. Fish and...

Seasonal distribution and interactions between plankton and microplastics in a tropical estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, A. R. A.; Barletta, M.; Costa, M. F.

2015-11-01

The seasonal migration of a salt wedge and rainfall were the major factors influencing the spatiotemporal distribution of ichthyoplankton and microplastics along the main channel of the Goiana Estuary, NE Brazil. The most abundant taxa were the clupeids Rhinosardinia bahiensis and Harengula clupeola, followed by the achirid Trinectes maculatus (78.7% of the catch). Estuarine and mangrove larvae (e.g. Anchovia clupeoides, Gobionellus oceanicus), as well as microplastics were ubiquitous. During drier months, the salt wedge reaches the upper estuary and marine larvae (e.g. Cynoscion acoupa) migrated upstream until the zones of coastal waters influence. However, the meeting of waterfronts in the middle estuary forms a barrier that retains the microplastics in the upper and lower estuary most part of the year. During the late dry season, a bloom of zooplankton was followed by a bloom of fish larvae (12.74 ind. 100 m-3) and fish eggs (14.65 ind. 100 m-3) at the lower estuary. During the late rainy season, the high freshwater inflow flushed microplastics, together with the biota, seaward. During this season, a microplastic maximum (14 items 100 m-3) was observed, followed by fish larvae maximum (14.23 ind. 100 m-3) in the lower estuary. In contrast to fish larvae, microplastics presented positive correlation with high rainfall rates, being more strictly associated to flushing out/into the estuary than to seasonal variation in environmental variables. Microplastics represented half of fish larvae density. Comparable densities in the water column increase the chances of interaction between microplastics and fish larvae, including the ingestion of smaller fragments, whose shape and colour are similar to zooplankton prey.

76 FR 23306 - Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Russian River Estuary Management...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-04-26

... Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Russian River Estuary Management Activities AGENCY...) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, three species of marine mammals during estuary... December 31, 2010; and Russian River Estuary Outlet Channel Adaptive Management Plan. NMFS' Environmental...

A numerical study of local variations in tidal regime of Tagus estuary, Portugal.

Science.gov (United States)

Dias, João Miguel; Valentim, Juliana Marques; Sousa, Magda Catarina

2013-01-01

Tidal dynamics of shallow estuaries and lagoons is a complex matter that has attracted the attention of a large number of researchers over the last few decades. The main purpose of the present work is to study the intricate tidal dynamics of the Tagus estuary, which states as the largest estuary of the Iberian Peninsula and one of the most important wetlands in Portugal and Europe. Tagus has large areas of low depth and a remarkable geomorphology, both determining the complex propagation of tidal waves along the estuary of unknown manner. A non-linear two-dimensional vertically integrated hydrodynamic model was considered to be adequate to simulate its hydrodynamics and an application developed from the SIMSYS2D model was applied to study the tidal propagation along the estuary. The implementation and calibration of this model revealed its accuracy to predict tidal properties along the entire system. Several model runs enabled the analysis of the local variations in tidal dynamics, through the interpretation of amplitude and phase patterns of the main tidal constituents, tidal asymmetry, tidal ellipses, form factor and tidal dissipation. Results show that Tagus estuary tidal dynamics is extremely dependent on an estuarine resonance mode for the semi-diurnal constituents that induce important tidal characteristics. Besides, the estuarine coastline features and topography determines the changes in tidal propagation along the estuary, which therefore result essentially from a balance between convergence/divergence and friction and advection effects, besides the resonance effects.

Land claim and loss of tidal flats in the Yangtze Estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Ying; Dong, Jinwei; Xiao, Xiangming; Zhang, Min; Tian, Bo; Zhou, Yunxuan; Li, Bo; Ma, Zhijun

2016-04-01

Tidal flats play a critical role in supporting biodiversity and in providing ecosystem services but are rapidly disappearing because of human activities. The Yangtze Estuary is one of the world's largest alluvial estuaries and is adjacent to the most developed economic zone in China. Using the Yangtze Estuary as a study region, we developed an automatic algorithm to estimate tidal flat areas based on the Land Surface Water Index and the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index. The total area of tidal flats in the Yangtze Estuary has decreased by 36% over the past three decades, including a 38% reduction in saltmarshes and a 31% reduction in barren mudflats. Meanwhile, land claim has accumulated to 1077 km(2), a value that exceeds the area of the remaining tidal flats. We divided the Yangtze Estuary into Shanghai and Jiangsu areas, which differ in riverine sediment supply and tidal flat management patterns. Although land claim has accelerated in both areas, the decline in tidal flat area has been much greater in Jiangsu than in Shanghai because of abundant supplies of sediment and artificial siltation in the latter area. The results highlight the need for better coastal planning and management based on tidal flat dynamics.

Impact of climate change on Gironde estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Laborie, Vanessya; Hissel, Francois; Sergent, Philippe

2014-01-01

Within the THESEUS European project, a simplified mathematical model for storm surge levels in the Bay of Biscay was adjusted on 10 events at Le Verdon using wind and pressure fields from CLM/SGA, so that the water levels at Le Verdon have the same statistic quantiles as observed tide records for the period [1960-2000]. A numerical model of the Gironde Estuary was used to evaluate future water levels at 6 locations of the estuary from Le Verdon to Bordeaux and to assess the changes in the quantiles of water levels during the 21. century using ONERC's pessimistic scenario for sea level rise (60 cm). The analysis of future storm surge levels shows a decrease in their quantiles at Le Verdon,, whereas there is an increase of the quantiles of total water levels. This increase is smaller than the sea level rise and gets even smaller as one enters farther upstream in the estuary. A series of flood maps for different return periods between 2 and 100 years and for four time periods ([1960-1999], [2010-2039], [2040-2069] and [2070-2099]) have been built for the region of Bordeaux. Quantiles of water levels in the flood plain have also been calculated. The impact of climate change on the evolution of flooded areas in the Gironde Estuary and on quantiles of water levels in the flood plain mainly depends on the sea level rise. Areas which are not currently flooded for low return periods will be inundated in 2100. The influence of river discharges and dike breaching should also be taken into account for more accurate results. (authors)

Circulation and mixing process in Vasishta-Godavari estuary, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Kumar, A.R.S.; Murty, T.V.R.; Rao, M.M.M.; Rao, V.R.; Reddy, B.S.R.

Circulation and Mixing Process in Vasishta-Godavari Estuary, have been studied by using estuarine classification model. Analysis of salinity, salt budget, diffusion coefficients and flushing times based on salinity data of Vasishta-Godavari estuary...

Impact of maintenance dredging on macrobenthic community structure of a tropical estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rehitha, T.V.; Ullas, N.; Vineetha, G.; Benny, P.Y.; Madhu, N.V.; Revichandran, C.

This paper demonstrates the impact of maintenance dredging activities on the macrobenthic community structure of a tropical monsoonal estuary (Cochin estuary), located in the southwest coast of India for three consecutive years. The results...

Georgia Compliance Review Self-Study FY 01.

Science.gov (United States)

Georgia State Dept. of Education, Atlanta.

Intended for evaluation of local compliance with special education federal and state legal requirements, this compliance review document includes both the compliance requirements and the criteria by which compliance is determined during the onsite compliance review of Georgia local school systems and state-operated programs. Each legal requirement…

Water Quality Drivers in 11 Gulf of Mexico Estuaries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matthew J. McCarthy

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Coastal water-quality is both a primary driver and also a consequence of coastal ecosystem health. Turbidity, a measure of dissolved and particulate water-quality matter, is a proxy for water quality, and varies on daily to interannual periods. Turbidity is influenced by a variety of factors, including algal particles, colored dissolved organic matter, and suspended sediments. Identifying which factors drive trends and extreme events in turbidity in an estuary helps environmental managers and decision makers plan for and mitigate against water-quality issues. Efforts to do so on large spatial scales have been hampered due to limitations of turbidity data, including coarse and irregular temporal resolution and poor spatial coverage. We addressed these issues by deriving a proxy for turbidity using ocean color satellite products for 11 Gulf of Mexico estuaries from 2000 to 2014 on weekly, monthly, seasonal, and annual time-steps. Drivers were identified using Akaike’s Information Criterion and multiple regressions to model turbidity against precipitation, wind speed, U and V wind vectors, river discharge, water level, and El Nino Southern Oscillation and North Atlantic Oscillation climate indices. Turbidity variability was best explained by wind speed across estuaries for both time-series and extreme turbidity events, although more dynamic patterns were found between estuaries over various time steps.

Intestinal parasites of the gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus) from eight populations in Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

McGuire, Jessica L; Miller, Elizabeth A; Norton, Terry M; Raphael, Bonnie L; Spratt, Jeffrey S; Yabsley, Michael J

2013-12-01

The gopher tortoise (Gopherus polyphemus), one of five tortoise species endemic in the USA, was recently classified as a candidate for federal listing as a threatened species. Fecal samples collected from 117 tortoises from eight sites in Georgia were examined for endoparasites using a combination of sedimentation and flotation. Samples from an island population were examined for parasitic oocysts and ova only by flotation, protozoan cysts by trichrome-stained direct smear, and Cryptosporidium by direct immunofluorescence assay and ProSpecT rapid assay. A total of 99 tortoises (85, range 0-100%) was infected with pinworms (Alaeuris spp.), 47 (40, 0-86%) with cestodes (Oochorstica sp.), 34 (41, 0-74%) with Chapiniella spp., 2 (3, 0-33%) with Eimeria paynei, and a single tortoise each with a capillarid and ascarid (1%). On the island, Entamoeba was detected in one tortoise (2%) while Cryptosporidium oocysts were detected in eight (17%). In conclusion, at least eight species of parasites were detected including Cryptosporidium, a possible pathogen of tortoises. Interestingly, we detected spatial variation in the distribution of several parasites among populations suggesting additional work should be conducted across a gradient of tortoise densities, land use, and habitat characteristics.

National Estuary Program Study Area Boundaries

Data.gov (United States)

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency — There are 28 National Estuary Programs (NEPs) in the U.S.that implement habitat protection and restoration projects with their partners. This work takes place within...

77 FR 24471 - Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Russian River Estuary Management...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-04-24

... Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Russian River Estuary Management Activities AGENCY...) to incidentally harass, by Level B harassment only, three species of marine mammals during estuary... Estuary Outlet Channel Adaptive Management Plan; and Feasibility of Alternatives to the Goat Rock State...

Estuary wader capacity following severe weather mortality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, J.A.; Baillie, S.R.; Clark, N.A.; Langston, R.H.W.

1993-01-01

The building of a tidal power barrage across an estuary may lead to substantial changes in its ecology. Many of Britain's estuaries hold internationally important numbers of waders. Careful consideration, therefore, needs to be given to the likely effects of tidal power barrages on wader populations. The opportunity for increased understanding of the mechanisms which govern wader populations was provided by a period of severe winter weather in 1991, which resulted in a substantial mortality of waders in eastern England. Such conditions are known to be stressful to birds and the study objectives were to investigate both the effects of and recovery from severe weather. (author)

How many people use the Three Bays estuary system for recreation?

Science.gov (United States)

Little is known about recreational use on estuaries like Three Bays, MA. We are testing a practical approach to quantify recreational use of the Three Bays estuary system so we can better understand how many people are affected by changes in environmental quality. This involves c...

Heavy metal anomalies in the Tinto and Odiel River and estuary system, Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Nelson, C.H.; Lamothe, P.J.

1993-01-01

The Tinto and Odiel rivers drain 100 km from the Rio Tinto sulphide mining district, and join at a 20-km long estuary entering the Atlantic Ocean. A reconnaissance study of heavy metal anomalies in channel sand and overbank mud of the river and estuary by semi-quantitative emission dc-arc spectrographic analysis shows the following upstream to downstream ranges in ppm (??g g-1): As 3,000 to TOC), sandysilty overbank clay has been analyzed to represent suspended load materials. The high content of heavy metals in the overbank clay throughout the river and estuary systems indicates the importance of suspended sediment transport for dispersing heavy metals from natural erosion and anthropogenic mining activities of the sulfide deposit. The organic-poor (0.21-0.37% TOC) river bed sand has been analyzed to represent bedload transport of naturally-occurring sulfide minerals. The sand has high concentrations of metals upstream but these decrease an order of magnitude in the lower estuary. Although heavy metal contamination of estuary mouth beach sand has been diluted to background levels estuary mud exhibits increased contamination apparently related to finer grain size, higher organic carbon content, precipitation of river-borne dissolved solids, and input of anthropogenic heavy metals from industrial sources. The contaminated estuary mud disperses to the inner shelf mud belt and offshore suspended sediment, which exhibit metal anomalies from natural erosion and mining of upstream Rio Tinto sulphide lode sources (Pb, Cu, Zn) and industrial activities within the estuary (Fe, Cr, Ti). Because heavy metal contamination of Tinto-Odiel river sediment reaches or exceeds the highest levels encountered in other river sediments of Spain and Europe, a detailed analysis of metals in water and suspended sediment throughout the system, and epidemiological analysis of heavy metal effects in humans is appropriate. ?? 1993 Estuarine Research Federation.

Oral Histories of Nurse-Midwives in Georgia, 1970-1989: Blazing Trails, Building Fences, Raising Towers.

Science.gov (United States)

Thrower, Eileen J B

2018-05-26

This article provides an account of the establishment and development of the contemporary nurse-midwifery profession in Georgia, which was previously undocumented. Oral history interviews with nurse-midwives who were in clinical and educational practice in Georgia during the 1970s and 1980s were collected and analyzed to identify factors that affected the establishment of nurse-midwifery in this state. This study relied on historical methodology. Oral history interviews provided primary sources for analysis. Secondary sources included archives belonging to the narrators' nurse-midwifery services as well as scholarly and professional publications from 1923 to the present. Data were analyzed using Miller-Rosser and colleagues' method. In-depth interviews were conducted with 14 nurse-midwives who worked in clinical practice or education in Georgia in the 1970s and 1980s. The narrators' testimonies revealed facilitators for the establishment of nurse-midwifery in Georgia, including increasing access to care, providing woman-centered care, interprofessional relationships, and the support of peers. Resistance from the medical profession, financial constraints, and public misconceptions were identified as barriers for the profession. Oral histories in this study provided insight into the experiences of nurse-midwives in Georgia as they practiced and taught in the 1970s and 1980s. Interprofessional connections and cooperation supported the nurse-midwifery profession, and relationships with peers anchored the nurse-midwives. Mentoring relationships and interprofessional collaboration supported the nurse-midwives as they adapted and evolved to meet the needs of women in Georgia. © 2018 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.

[Optical characteristics of colored dissolved organic material (CDOM) in Yangtze Estuary].

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Wei-Jian; Shen, Fang; Hong, Guan-Lin

2010-10-01

Absorption property of colored dissolved organic material (CDOM) is one of the most important contents to remote sensing of ocean color in estuarine and coastal areas. In this study, the optical properties and mixing behavior of CDOM in surface water of Yangtze Estuary were discussed according to the two surveys in August of 2008 and May of 2009. Based on the research, the absorption coefficient and spectral slope were discussed. It was found that in summer of 2008 CDOM absorption coefficients at 440 nm [a(g) (440)], ranged from 0.20 m(-1) to 0.73 m(-1), while the coefficients in 2009 varied between 0.20 m(-1) and 0.77 m(-1). Statistics showed that the power function model fitted the best in the regression analysis of CDOM absorption spectral. The spectral slopes (S(g2)) of CDOM calculated by the power function model ranged from 5.10 to 7.90 in Summer of 2008 and from 2.95 to 6.11 in Spring of 2009. The highest absorption coefficients of two cruises appeared both in the south passage of the Yangtze Estuary. The absorption coefficient in surfer water was observed varied tremendously in the estuary and the offshore area. And the main reason is affected by the turbidity maximum zone. It is observed that the absorption coefficients of CDOM tended to a homogeneous distribution whilst the layers of water mixed tempestuously, but otherwise it always showed a conservative mixing behavior. Because of the frequent mixture, there is not assured correlativity between S(g2) and a(g) (440). In the offshore area of Yangtze Estuary, the effecting of local production cannot be negligent, which differed from the estuary area. Yet when the hydrological environment was relatively stable, the negative relationship between them was very clear. In conclusion, the optical properties and mixing behavior of CDOM had showed tremendous different characteristics from inside the estuary to outside the estuary because of the influence of complex physical, chemical and hydrology conditions.

Spatial distribution of trace elements in the surface sediments of a major European estuary (Loire Estuary, France): Source identification and evaluation of anthropogenic contribution

Science.gov (United States)

Coynel, Alexandra; Gorse, Laureline; Curti, Cécile; Schafer, Jörg; Grosbois, Cécile; Morelli, Guia; Ducassou, Emmanuelle; Blanc, Gérard; Maillet, Grégoire M.; Mojtahid, Meryem

2016-12-01

Assessing the extent of metal contamination in estuarine surface sediments is hampered by the high heterogeneity of sediment characteristics, the spatial variability of trace element sources, sedimentary dynamics and geochemical processes in addition to the need of accurate reference values for deciphering natural to anthropogenic contribution. Based on 285 surface sediment samples from the Loire Estuary, the first high-resolution spatial distributions are presented for grain-size, particulate organic carbon (POC) and the eight metals/metalloids identified as priority contaminants (Cd, Zn, Pb, Cu, As, Cr, Ni, Hg) plus Ag (an urban tracer). Grain-size and/or POC are major factors controlling the spatial distribution of trace element concentrations. The V-normalized trace metal concentrations divided by the V-normalized concentrations in the basin geochemical background showed the highest Enrichment Factors for Ag and Hg (EF; up to 34 and 140, respectively). These results suggest a severe contamination in the Loire Estuary for both elements. Intra-estuarine Ag and Hg anomalies were identified by comparison between respective normalized concentrations in the Loire Estuary surface sediments and those measured in the surface sediments at the outlet of the Loire River System (watershed-derived). Anthropogenic intra-estuarine Ag and Hg stocks in the uppermost centimetre of the sediment compared with rough annual fluvial flux estimates suggest that the overall strong Enrichment Factors for Ag (EFAg) and and Hg (EFHg) in the Loire Estuary sediments are mainly due to watershed-derived inputs, highlighting the need of high temporal hydro-geochemical monitoring to establish reliable incoming fluxes. Significant correlations obtained between EFCd and EFAg, EFCu and POC and EFHg and POC revealed common behavior and/or sources. Comparison of trace element concentrations with ecotoxicological indices (Sediment Quality Guidelines) provides first standardized information on the

Educational Initiatives for Industrial Development in Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Starnes, Paul M.; Johnson, Berman E.

Georgia's two-year technical institutes have played a prominant role in linking education with industry. Five major interrelated efforts have worked to transform the state from an agrarian economy to one utilizing advanced technologies. The first of these, the Quick-Start Program, offers state-paid services, such as consultation, employee…

Desorption of Ba and 226Ra from river-borne sediments in the Hudson estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Y.-H.

1979-01-01

The pronounced desorption of Ba and 226 Ra from river-borne sediments in the Hudson estuary can be explained quantitatively by the drastic decrease in the distribution coefficients of both elements from a fresh to a salty water medium. The desorption in estuaries can augment, at least, the total global river fluxes of dissolved Ba and 226 Ra by one and nine times, respectively. The desorption flux of 226 Ra from estuaries accounts for 17-43% of the total 226 Ra flux from coastal sediments. Two mass balance models depicting mixing and adsorption-desorption processes in estuaries are discussed. (Auth.)

An analytical solution for tidal propagation in the Yangtze Estuary, China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhang, E.F.; Savenije, H.H.G.; Chen, S.L.; Mao, X.H.

2012-01-01

An analytical model for tidal dynamics has been applied to the Yangtze Estuary for the first time, to describe the tidal propagation in this large and typically branched estuary with three-order branches and four outlets to the sea. This study shows that the analytical model developed for a

Biogeochemistry of the MAximum TURbidity Zone of Estuaries (MATURE): some conclusions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Herman, P.M.J.; Heip, C.H.R.

1999-01-01

In this paper, we give a short overview of the activities and main results of the MAximum TURbidity Zone of Estuaries (MATURE) project. Three estuaries (Elbe, Schelde and Gironde) have been sampled intensively during a joint 1-week campaign in both 1993 and 1994. We introduce the publicly available

Waterfowl migration and distribution in North West estuaries. V. 2

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, N.A.; Kirby, J.S.; Langston, R.H.W.; Donald, P.; Mawdesley, T.; Evans, J.

1990-12-01

Waterfowl populations may be affected by the proposed tidal barrage across the Mersey. A study was performed with three objectives: (1) to evaluate the patterns of usage of the intertidal flats of the Mersey estuary by waders and wildfowl and to establish which are the preferred areas; (2) to identify the places of origin and movement patterns of the populations of waders and wildfowl that visit the Mersey estuary; and (3) to evaluate evidence regarding the capacity of British estuaries to absorb waders and wildfowl populations which might be displaced by a Mersey Barrage. The text and tables of results of this study have already been presented in Volume 1. Volume 2 contains the figures describing the results (U.K)

Fire blight in Georgia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dali L. Gaganidze

2018-03-01

Full Text Available Fire blight is distinguished among the fruit tree diseases by harmfulness. Fire blight damages about 180 cultural and wild plants belonging to the Rosaceae family. Quince, apple and pear are the most susceptible to the disease. At present, the disease occurs in over 40 countries of Europe and Asia. Economic damage caused by fire blight is expressed not only in crop losses, but also, it poses threat of eradication to entire fruit tree gardens. Erwinia amylovora, causative bacteria of fire blight in fruit trees, is included in the A2 list of quarantine organisms. In 2016, the employees of the Plant Pest Diagnostic Department of the Laboratory of the Georgian Ministry of Agriculture have detected Erwinia amylovora in apple seedlings from Mtskheta district. National Food Agency, Ministry of Agriculture of Georgia informed FAO on pathogen detection. The aim of the study is detection of the bacterium Erwinia amylovora by molecular method (PCR in the samples of fruit trees, suspicious on fire blight collected in the regions of Eastern (Kvemo Kartli, Shida Kartli and Kakheti and Western Georgia (Imereti.The bacterium Erwinia amylovora was detected by real time and conventional PCR methods using specific primers and thus the fire blight disease confirmed in 23 samples of plant material from Shida Kartli (11 apples, 6 pear and 6 quince samples, in 5 samples from Kvemo Kartli (1 quince and 4 apple samples, in 2 samples of apples from Kakheti region and 1 sample of pear collected in Imereti (Zestafoni. Keywords: Fire blight, Erwinia amylovora, Conventional PCR, Real time PCR, DNA, Bacterium

From headwaters to coast: Influence of human activities on water quality of the Potomac River Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Bricker, Suzanne B.; Rice, Karen C.; Bricker, Owen P.

2014-01-01

The natural aging process of Chesapeake Bay and its tributary estuaries has been accelerated by human activities around the shoreline and within the watershed, increasing sediment and nutrient loads delivered to the bay. Riverine nutrients cause algal growth in the bay leading to reductions in light penetration with consequent declines in sea grass growth, smothering of bottom-dwelling organisms, and decreases in bottom-water dissolved oxygen as algal blooms decay. Historically, bay waters were filtered by oysters, but declines in oyster populations from overfishing and disease have led to higher concentrations of fine-sediment particles and phytoplankton in the water column. Assessments of water and biological resource quality in Chesapeake Bay and tributaries, such as the Potomac River, show a continual degraded state. In this paper, we pay tribute to Owen Bricker’s comprehensive, holistic scientific perspective using an approach that examines the connection between watershed and estuary. We evaluated nitrogen inputs from Potomac River headwaters, nutrient-related conditions within the estuary, and considered the use of shellfish aquaculture as an in-the-water nutrient management measure. Data from headwaters, nontidal, and estuarine portions of the Potomac River watershed and estuary were analyzed to examine the contribution from different parts of the watershed to total nitrogen loads to the estuary. An eutrophication model was applied to these data to evaluate eutrophication status and changes since the early 1990s and for comparison to regional and national conditions. A farm-scale aquaculture model was applied and results scaled to the estuary to determine the potential for shellfish (oyster) aquaculture to mediate eutrophication impacts. Results showed that (1) the contribution to nitrogen loads from headwater streams is small (about 2 %) of total inputs to the Potomac River Estuary; (2) eutrophic conditions in the Potomac River Estuary have improved in

Optical Proxies for Dissolved Organic Matter in Estuaries and Coastal Waters

Science.gov (United States)

Osburn, C. L.; Montgomery, M. T.; Boyd, T. J.; Bianchi, T. S.; Coffin, R. B.; Paerl, H. W.

2016-02-01

The flux of terrestrial dissolved organic carbon (DOC) into the coastal ocean from rivers and estuaries is a major part of the ocean's carbon cycle. Absorbing and fluorescing properties of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) often are used to fingerprint its sources and to track fluxes of terrestrial DOM into the ocean. They also are used as proxies for organic matter to calibrate remote sensing observations from air and space and from in situ platforms. In general, strong relationships hold for large river dominated estuaries (e.g., the Mississippi River) but little is known about how widely such relationships can be developed in estuaries that have relatively small or multiple riverine inputs. Results are presented from a comparison of six diverse estuarine systems: the Atchafalaya River (ARE), the Mackenzie River (MRE), the Chesapeake Bay (CBE), Charleston Harbor (CHE), Puget Sound (PUG), and the Neuse River (NRE). Mean DOM concentrations ranged from 100 to 700 µM and dissolved lignin concentrations ranged from ca. 3-30 µg L-1. Overall trends were linear between CDOM measured at 350 nm (a350) and DOC concentration (R2=0.77) and between a350 and lignin (R2=0.87). Intercepts of a350 vs lignin were not significantly different from zero (P=0.43) suggesting that most of the CDOM was terrestrial in nature. Deviations from these regressions were strongest in the Neuse River Estuary, the most eutrophic of the six estuaries studied. After this calibration procedure, fluorescence modeling via parallel factor analysis (PARAFAC) was used to make estimates of terrigenous and planktonic DOC in these estuaries.

75 FR 61959 - Georgia-Alabama-South Carolina System

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-06

... applicable to Southeastern power sold to existing preference customers in Mississippi, Florida, Georgia... FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Leon Jourolmon, Assistant Administrator, Finance and Marketing, Southeastern... With the current proposed rate increase, customers will need to evaluate whether or not to continue to...

Indirect Effects and Potential Cumulative Impacts of Dredging in an Urbanized Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Sommerfield, C. K.; Chen, J.; Ralston, D. K.; Geyer, W. R.

2016-02-01

For over two centuries, the Delaware River and Bay estuary has supported one of the most economically important ports in the United States. To accommodate ships of ever-increasing size, the 165-km axial shipping channel has been deepened to over twice the natural depth of the estuary. While it is known that the channel has modified tides and sedimentation patterns in the estuary, unknown are the impacts on the ecosystem as a whole. A concern is the influence of channelization on sediment movement to the tidal wetland coast, which is eroding at rates on the order of meters per year. Tidal wetlands frame the entire estuary and provide vital ecosystem services ranging from recreation to carbon sequestration. To identify shifts in baseline conditions, we are performing a retrospective analysis of estuarine dynamics using historical bathymetry, numerical modeling, and observational studies. The period of interest extends from 1848 (50 years prior to channel construction) to present. During this period the channel was progressively deepened from its natural depth of 5.5 m to the current depth of 14 m. Preliminary modeling results support independent evidence that the salt intrusion and zone of rapid sediment deposition migrated several 10s of kilometers up-estuary as an indirect effect of deepening. Ironically, the locus of intense deposition now falls squarely within the Wilmington-Philadelphia port complex; river sediment that initially settles in this area is removed by maintenance dredging before it can disperse seaward. Sediment budgetary analysis indicates that the mass of sediment dredged from the upper estuary on average exceeds the mass of the new sediment supplied from the drainage basin. Hence, a probable cumulative impact of dredging is a reduction in sediment delivery to the lower estuary and fringing wetlands. Connections among the shipping channel, wave-tide interactions, and marsh edge erosion are a topic of ongoing modeling and observational research.

Mercury in sediments of Ulhas estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ram, A.; Rokade, M.A.; Borole, D.V.; Zingde, M.D.

Hg levels in water, suspended particulate matter and sediment of the Ulhas estuary are under considerable environmental stress due to the indiscriminate release of effluents from a variety of industries including chlor-alkali plants. Concentration...

Monitoring requirements for detecting tidal barrage induced changes to estuary bird populations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Davenport, T.; Jeffers, J.N.R.; North, P.M.; Clark, N.A.; Langston, R.H.W.; Prys-Jones, R.P.

1990-01-01

This study was performed to examine the monitoring requirements for detecting tidal barrage induced changes to estuary bird populations, focussing mainly on the Mersey estuary. The degree of variability in populations between years for a number of species within the Mersey, Dee, Alt and Ribble were ascertained. The number of counts needed each winter, before and after barrage construction, were assessed. The percentage charge detectable for species was predicted. One east coast estuary (the Wash) was investigated for comparison of the effects of influences of severe weather. (UK)

Radiation sources and materials safety and security in Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mandjgaladze, G.; Tsitskishvili, M.; Abramidze, Sh.; Katamadze, N.

1998-01-01

This paper explains the problems of safety and security in Georgia, the most important incidents and accidents, their consequences (including severe injuries and deaths) and governmental actions for prevention and mitigation. (author)

Large wood in the Snowy River estuary, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Hinwood, Jon B.; McLean, Errol J.

2017-02-01

In this paper we report on 8 years of data collection and interpretation of large wood in the Snowy River estuary in southeastern Australia, providing quantitative data on the amount, sources, transport, decay, and geomorphic actions. No prior census data for an estuary is known to the authors despite their environmental and economic importance and the significant differences between a fluvial channel and an estuarine channel. Southeastern Australian estuaries contain a significant quantity of large wood that is derived from many sources, including river flood flows, local bank erosion, and anthropogenic sources. Wind and tide are shown to be as important as river flow in transporting and stranding large wood. Tidal action facilitates trapping of large wood on intertidal bars and shoals; but channels are wider and generally deeper, so log jams are less likely than in rivers. Estuarine large wood contributes to localised scour and accretion and hence to the modification of estuarine habitat, but in the study area it did not have large-scale impacts on the hydraulic gradients nor the geomorphology.

Parameterization of mixing by secondary circulation in estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Basdurak, N. B.; Huguenard, K. D.; Valle-Levinson, A.; Li, M.; Chant, R. J.

2017-07-01

Eddy viscosity parameterizations that depend on a gradient Richardson number Ri have been most pertinent to the open ocean. Parameterizations applicable to stratified coastal regions typically require implementation of a numerical model. Two novel parameterizations of the vertical eddy viscosity, based on Ri, are proposed here for coastal waters. One turbulence closure considers temporal changes in stratification and bottom stress and is coined the "regular fit." The alternative approach, named the "lateral fit," incorporates variability of lateral flows that are prevalent in estuaries. The two turbulence parameterization schemes are tested using data from a Self-Contained Autonomous Microstructure Profiler (SCAMP) and an Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) collected in the James River Estuary. The "regular fit" compares favorably to SCAMP-derived vertical eddy viscosity values but only at relatively small values of gradient Ri. On the other hand, the "lateral fit" succeeds at describing the lateral variability of eddy viscosity over a wide range of Ri. The modifications proposed to Ri-dependent eddy viscosity parameterizations allow applicability to stratified coastal regions, particularly in wide estuaries, without requiring implementation of a numerical model.

The dynamics of a frictionally-dominated Amazonian estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nils Edvin Asp

2012-09-01

Full Text Available The hydrodynamics, morphology and sedimentology of the Taperaçu estuary were investigated. This is one of several estuaries located within the largest mangrove fringe in the world, bordering the Amazon region, subject to a macrotidal regime and regionally atypical negligible fresh water supply. The results reveal widespread sand banks that occupy the central portion of the estuarine cross-section. Well-sorted very fine sandy sediments of marine origin prevail. Shorter flood phases, with substantially higher current velocities, were observed in the upper sector of Taperaçu, as expected for a shallow, friction-dominated estuary. However, ebb domination can be expected for estuaries with large associated mangrove areas and substantial estuarine infilling, both of which situations occur on the Taperaçu. The tidal asymmetry favoring flood currents could be the result of the absence of an effective fluvial discharge. Furthermore, it was observed that the Taperaçu is connected by tidal creeks to the neighboring Caeté estuary, allowing a stronger flux during the flood and intensifying the higher flood currents. As a whole, the results have shown a complex interaction of morphological aspects (friction, fluvial drainage, connections with neighbor estuaries, infilling and large storage area in determining hydrodynamic patterns, thus improving the understanding of Amazon estuaries.A hidrodinâmica, morfologia e sedimentologia do estuário do Taperaçu foram investigadas. Este é um entre vários estuários do litoral amazônico que integram a maior extensão contínua de manguezais do mundo, apresentando uma descarga de água doce muito reduzida, atípica para a região. Os resultados revelam grandes bancos arenosos que ocupam em grande parte a porção central do estuário. Areias muito finas e bem selecionadas de origem marinha prevalecem. Fases de enchente mais curtas, com velocidades de corrente substancialmente mais altas, são observadas na por

Tidal exchange between a freshwater tidal marsh and an impacted estuary: the Scheldt estuary, Belgium

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Damme, S.; Dehairs, F.; Tackx, M.; Beauchard, O.; Struyf, E.; Gribsholt, B.; van Cleemput, O.; Meire, P.

2009-01-01

Tidal marsh exchange studies are relatively simple tools to investigate the interaction between tidal marshes and estuaries. They have mostly been confined to only a few elements and to saltwater or brackish systems. This study presents mass-balance results of an integrated one year campaign in a

Anthropogenic Carbon Pump in an Urbanized Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Park, J. H.; Yoon, T. K.; Jin, H.; Begum, M. S.

2015-12-01

The importance of estuaries as a carbon source has been increasingly recognized over the recent decades. However, constraining sources of CO2 evasion from urbanized estuaries remains incomplete, particularly in densely populated river systems receiving high loads of organic carbon from anthropogenic sources. To account for major factors regulating carbon fluxes the tidal reach of the Han River estuary along the metropolitan Seoul, characterization of organic carbon in the main stem and major urban tributaries were combined with continuous, submersible sensor measurements of pCO2 at a mid-channel location over a year and continuous underway measurements using a submersible sensor and two equilibrator sytems across the estuarine section receiving urban streams. Single-site continuous measurements exhibited large seasonal and diurnal variations in pCO2, ranging from sub-ambient air levels to exceptionally high values approaching 10,000 ppm. Diurnal variations of pCO2 were pronounced in summer and had an inverse relationship with dissolved oxygen, pointing to a potential role of day-time algal consumption of CO2. Cruise measurements displayed sharp pCO2 pulses along the confluences of urban streams as compared with relatively low values along the upper estuary receiving low-CO2 outflows from upstream dams. Large downstream increases in pCO2, concurrent with increases in DOC concentrations and fluorescence intensities indicative of microbially processed organic components, imply a translocation and subsequent dilution of CO2 carried by urban streams and/or fast transformations of labile C during transit along downstream reaches. The unique combination of spatial and temporal continuous measurements of pCO2 provide insights on estuarine CO2 pulses that might have resulted from the interplay between high loads of CO2 and organic C of anthropogenic origin and their priming effects on estuarine microbial processing of terrigenous and algal organic matter.

Benthic studies in south Gujarat estuaries

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Govindan, K.; Varshney, P.K.; Desai, B.N.

Benthic biomass and faunal composition in relation to various environmental conditions of the four South Gujarat estuaries namely the Auranga, Ambika, Purna and Mindola were studied and compared. Mean population density of benthos in Auranga, Ambika...

Gross Nitrogen Mineralization in Surface Sediments of the Yangtze Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Min; Li, Xiaofei; Yin, Guoyu; Zheng, Yanling; Deng, Fengyu

2016-01-01

Nitrogen mineralization is a key biogeochemical process transforming organic nitrogen to inorganic nitrogen in estuarine and coastal sediments. Although sedimentary nitrogen mineralization is an important internal driver for aquatic eutrophication, few studies have investigated sedimentary nitrogen mineralization in these environments. Sediment-slurry incubation experiments combined with 15N isotope dilution technique were conducted to quantify the potential rates of nitrogen mineralization in surface sediments of the Yangtze Estuary. The gross nitrogen mineralization (GNM) rates ranged from 0.02 to 5.13 mg N kg-1 d-1 in surface sediments of the study area. The GNM rates were generally higher in summer than in winter, and the relative high rates were detected mainly at sites near the north branch and frontal edge of this estuary. The spatial and temporal distributions of GNM rates were observed to depend largely on temperature, salinity, sedimentary organic carbon and nitrogen contents, and extracellular enzyme (urease and L-glutaminase) activities. The total mineralized nitrogen in the sediments of the Yangtze Estuary was estimated to be about 6.17 × 105 t N yr-1, and approximately 37% of it was retained in the estuary. Assuming the retained mineralized nitrogen is totally released from the sediments into the water column, which contributed 12–15% of total dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) sources in this study area. This result indicated that the mineralization process is a significant internal nitrogen source for the overlying water of the Yangtze Estuary, and thus may contribute to the estuarine and coastal eutrophication. PMID:26991904

Biogeochemical budgets for Tapi Estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Bapardekar, M.V.; DeSousa, S.N.; Zingde, M.D.

sup(-1) comes from the wastes. Chemical fertilizers are used in the basin at the rate of 113 kg.ha sup(-1). During the dry season the salinity in the estuary decreases progressively in the upstream direction form an average 32.53 psu at the mouth to 0...

High porewater exchange in a mangrove-dominated estuary revealed from short-lived radium isotopes

Science.gov (United States)

Sadat-Noori, Mahmood; Santos, Isaac R.; Tait, Douglas R.; Reading, Michael J.; Sanders, Christian J.

2017-10-01

We hypothesise that mangroves play an important role in groundwater exchange processes in sub-tropical and tropical estuarine waters. To investigate this, multiple high resolution time series measurements of radium across a tidal estuary (Coffs Creek, NSW, Australia) were performed as well as a spatial survey in both bottom and surface layers. Results from the spatial survey revealed increasing radium concentrations in parts of the estuary surrounded by mangroves. The average radium concentration in estuary areas lined with mangroves was 2.5 times higher than the average concentration at the mouth of the estuary and 6.5-fold higher than upstream freshwater areas. Additionally, the area enriched in radium coincided with low dissolved oxygen concentrations, implying that porewater exchange may drive anoxia. A radium mass balance model based on 223Ra and 224Ra isotopes at different sections of the estuary confirmed higher porewater exchange rates from areas fringed with mangrove vegetation. Estimated porewater exchange rates were 27.8 ± 5.3 and 13.6 ± 2.1 cm d-1 (0.8 ± 0.1 and 0.4 ± 0.1 m3 s-1) based on 223Ra and 224Ra isotopes, respectively. The average saline porewater exchange was ∼ 10-fold larger than the upstream surface freshwater inputs to the estuary. We suggest that mangrove environments within subtropical estuaries are hotspots for porewater exchange due to the complex belowground structure of crab burrows and the effect of tidal pumping. Because porewater exchange releases carbon and nitrogen from coastal sediments, development and modification of mangrove areas in subtropical estuaries have a significant effect on coastal biogeochemical cycles.

Primary headache disorders in the Republic of Georgia: prevalence and risk factors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Katsarava, Z; Dzagnidze, A; Kukava, M

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the 1-year prevalences of migraine and tension-type headache (TTH), and identify their principal risk factors, in the general population of the Republic of Georgia. METHODS: In a community-based door-to-door survey, 4 medical residents interviewed all biologically unrelated......, a remarkably high percentage of the population of Georgia have headache on >/=15 days/month. This study demonstrates the importance of socioeconomic factors in a developing country and unmasks the unmet needs of people with headache disorders....

Functional diversity of fish in estuaries at a global extent

OpenAIRE

Rita P Vasconcelos; Sébastien Villéger; François Guilhaumon

2015-01-01

Biodiversity is currently viewed as a framework encompassing multiple facets of the variety of life, including taxonomic and functional aspects. Species richness and composition of fish assemblages in estuaries is defined by global to local processes acting on community colonization. The present study further investigates how biodiversity of fish assemblages varies among estuaries globally, by simultaneously analysing taxonomic and functional richness and diversity of assemblages. A comprehen...

A Study of Sedimentation at the River Estuary on the Change of Reservoir Storage

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Iskahar

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Estuary of the river that leads to the reservoir has characteristics include: relatively flat, there is a change in the increase of wet cross-sectional area and backwater. The backwater will cause the flow velocity to be reduced, so that the grains of sediment with a certain diameter carried by the flow will settle in the estuary of the river. The purpose of this research is to know the distribution and sedimentation pattern at the river estuary that leads to the reservoir with the change of water level in the reservoir storage, so the solution can be found to remove / reduce sediment before entering the reservoir. The method used is the experimental, by making the physical model of the river estuary leading to the reservoir. This study expects a solution to reduce sedimentation, so that sedimentation can be removed / minimized before entering the reservoir. This research tries to apply bypass channel to reduce the sedimentation at the river estuary. Bypass channels can be applied to overcome sedimentation at the river estuary, but in order for the sediment to be removed optimally, it is necessary to modify the mouth of bypass channel and channel angle.

Salt Plug Formation Caused by Decreased River Discharge in a Multi-channel Estuary

OpenAIRE

Shaha, Dinesh Chandra; Cho, Yang-Ki

2016-01-01

Freshwater input to estuaries may be greatly altered by the river barrages required to meet human needs for drinking water and irrigation and prevent salt water intrusion. Prior studies have examined the salt plugs associated with evaporation and salt outwelling from tidal salt flats in single-channel estuaries. In this work, we discovered a new type of salt plug formation in the multi-channel Pasur River Estuary (PRE) caused by decreasing river discharges resulting from an upstream barrage. ...

Turning the Tide: Estuaries Shaped by Channel-Shoal Interactions, Eco-engineers and Inherited Landscapes

Science.gov (United States)

Kleinhans, M. G.; Braat, L.; Leuven, J.; Baar, A. W.; van der Vegt, M.; Van Maarseveen, M. C. G.; Markies, H.; Roosendaal, C.; van Eijk, A.

2015-12-01

Estuaries exhibit correlations between inlet dimensions, tidal prism and intertidal area, but to what extent estuary planform shape and shoal patterns resulted from biomorphological processes or from inherited conditions such as coastal plain and drowned valley dimensions remains unclear. We explore the hypothesis that mud flats and vegetation as a self-formed lateral confinement have effects analogous to that of river floodplain on braided versus meandering river patterns. Here we use the Delft3D numerical model and a novel tidal flume setup, the Metronome, to create estuaries from idealized initial conditions, with and without mud supply at the fluvial boundary. Experimental mud was simulated by crushed nutshell. Both the numerical and experimental estuaries were narrower with increasing mud, and had a lower degree of channel braiding. The experimental estuaries developed meanders at the river boundary with floodplain developing on the pointbar whereas cohesionless cases were more dynamic.

Long-term changes in primary production and mineralization of organic matter in the Neva Estuary (Baltic Sea)

Science.gov (United States)

Golubkov, Sergey; Golubkov, Mikhail; Tiunov, Alexei; Nikulina, Vera

2017-07-01

The Neva Estuary situated in the eastern part of the Gulf of Finland is one of the largest estuaries of the Baltic Sea. At present, heavy nutrient and organic matter loading, mainly from the Neva River and point sources in the upper estuary are the most serious environmental problem for the Neva Estuary and adjacent parts of the eastern Gulf of Finland. Long-term studies of mid-summer primary production and mineralization of organic matter were conducted in upper and middle parts of the Neva Estuary. A considerable increase of production and biomass of phytoplankton was observed in the middle part of the estuary during the last decades mainly due to an increase in biomass of cyanobacteria. However, they are mostly concentrated in the upper water layers and only a small part of them reached the near bottom water layers and may be used as a food by zoobenthos. The mineralization of organic matter in the water column was twice higher than primary production that indicates the importance of allochthonous organic matter in the carbon budget of the both parts of the estuary. The carbon isotope signature of seston and most of the zoobenthic species in the upper part of the estuary was close to the signature of allochthonous carbon leaking from watershed (- 27‰). Higher values of δ13C of seston in the upper mix layer of the Middle estuary indicate intensive primary production in mid-summer. The carbon isotopic signature of zoobenthos in this part of the estuary was also in general lower than in the Neva Bay reflected higher importance of autochthonous organic matter in food webs of the estuary.

An assessment of tidal energy potential. The Lima estuary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Trigo-Teixeira, A. [Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Instituto Superior Tecnico, Lisbon Technical University, Av. Rovisco Pais, 1049-001 Lisboa (Portugal); Rebordao, I. [WW Consulting Engineers, Laveiras, Caxias 2760-032 (Portugal)

2009-07-01

A hydrodynamic model was set up for the Lima estuary (Portugal) and a preliminary assessment of the strength of tidal currents to produce tidal energy was made. To calibrate the model results were compared with measured data, and the model tuned to reproduce water levels and currents in several locations within the estuary. The data was acquired with ADCPs, during a field campaign that was planed to cover a spring-neap tide cycle, in October 2006. The Advanced Circulation Model - ADCIRC was forced with the most important harmonic constituents present in the ocean tide signal. Upstream, in the river boundary, the discharge was taken from hydrographs. The wetting and drying tool was also applied and a detailed bathymetry was considered, since there are areas in the domain where salt marshes occur, drying out at low tide. The tidal currents potential were assessed for a scenario of tidal forcing only, without any river discharge. The lower estuary is occupied by the port infrastructure and navigation channels which conflicts with any kind of equipment installation. Values of the currents and water depths given by the model indicate that some places in the main channel of the middle estuary, might be interesting to install micro turbines in the future, depending on the evolution of the requirements of this technology.

Thermodynamics of saline and fresh water mixing in estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Zhilin; Savenije, Hubert H. G.

2018-03-01

The mixing of saline and fresh water is a process of energy dissipation. The freshwater flow that enters an estuary from the river contains potential energy with respect to the saline ocean water. This potential energy is able to perform work. Looking from the ocean to the river, there is a gradual transition from saline to fresh water and an associated rise in the water level in accordance with the increase in potential energy. Alluvial estuaries are systems that are free to adjust dissipation processes to the energy sources that drive them, primarily the kinetic energy of the tide and the potential energy of the river flow and to a minor extent the energy in wind and waves. Mixing is the process that dissipates the potential energy of the fresh water. The maximum power (MP) concept assumes that this dissipation takes place at maximum power, whereby the different mixing mechanisms of the estuary jointly perform the work. In this paper, the power is maximized with respect to the dispersion coefficient that reflects the combined mixing processes. The resulting equation is an additional differential equation that can be solved in combination with the advection-dispersion equation, requiring only two boundary conditions for the salinity and the dispersion. The new equation has been confronted with 52 salinity distributions observed in 23 estuaries in different parts of the world and performs very well.

Desertification risk in Kakheti Region, East Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Basialashvili, Tsisana; Matchavariani, Lia; Lagidze, Lamzira

2015-01-01

Desertification or land degradation in drylands is caused by various factors. The most important of these is climate change, a significant global ecological problem. Desertification, like erosion, as an environmental process of ecosystem degradation, is often caused by human activity. It is a common misconception that droughts cause desertification. Well-managed lands can recover from drought if the rains return. These practices help to control erosion and maintain productivity during periods when moisture is available. Traditionally, the most vulnerable territories considered under the threat of desertification in Georgia is Kakheti region (East Georgia), which has been selected as one of the priority investigation area. In Eastern Georgia, intervals of atmospheric precipitation do not coincide with the phases of water demand of plants. In recent decades as a result of more frequent droughts in Kakheti, the region has already lost hundreds, thousands of hectares of fertile land. Based on the contemporary climate warming projections, the temperature is expected to increase and precipitation to decrease. This will lead to an increase in evaporation and reduction of river flow. Under such conditions the danger of desertification is evident. To mitigate the negative effects of desertification, it is recommended to put forward set of adaptation activities through rehabilitation of water use systems, prevention of loss of water, reconstruction and expansion of irrigation canals, accumulation of unused autumn-winter river water and spring floods in reservoirs, developing an optimal scheme of distributing water resources among water users, device windbreaks and work on breeding of drought resistant varieties, preparation of water volume forecasts of rivers and their role in planning of water use; application of apply drip and sprinkler irrigation, using artificial precipitation following increase as a result of active influence on clouds. All these activities will provide

Inclusive Education in Georgia: Current Progress and Challenges

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nikoloz Kavelashvili

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Purpose and Originality: The paper provides a realistic picture about how the implementation process of inclusive education in Georgia is developing, about the problems that are encountered together with what needs are to be fulfilled for stimulating the process. Today’s challenge in the country is to make inclusive practices available to everybody, everywhere and all the time. This article discusses the status of the efforts being made to meet this challenge. In the course of that discussion, some comprehensive changes will be described that systemic efforts of school improvement must achieve to continue making progress towards fully inclusive learning. Method: The study was conducted in Georgia. A qualitative research design was employed along with closed-ended and open-ended questionnaires, which allowed participants to express their point of views, skills and knowledge. Data collection methods were applied: semi-structured interviews and observation on respondents. Results: The study uncovers those challenges that obstruct the implementation process: indifferent attitudes of teachers and parents towards inclusion, absence of self-awareness to the issue amongst educators, slightest involvement of parents and need to infrastructural development. Society: The results should raise the awareness of the population of Georgia as well as increase the understanding of the problem. Limitations / further research: There were quite enough informants on the school level (special teachers, principals, however, there are still many other possible respondents who could add something valuable to a better understanding of the process of inclusion at schools. The theoretical approach employed in the study and the empirical research could be validated.

Model behavior and sensitivity in an application of the cohesive bed component of the community sediment transport modeling system for the York River estuary, VA, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Fall, Kelsey A.; Harris, Courtney K.; Friedrichs, Carl T.; Rinehimer, J. Paul; Sherwood, Christopher R.

2014-01-01

The Community Sediment Transport Modeling System (CSTMS) cohesive bed sub-model that accounts for erosion, deposition, consolidation, and swelling was implemented in a three-dimensional domain to represent the York River estuary, Virginia. The objectives of this paper are to (1) describe the application of the three-dimensional hydrodynamic York Cohesive Bed Model, (2) compare calculations to observations, and (3) investigate sensitivities of the cohesive bed sub-model to user-defined parameters. Model results for summer 2007 showed good agreement with tidal-phase averaged estimates of sediment concentration, bed stress, and current velocity derived from Acoustic Doppler Velocimeter (ADV) field measurements. An important step in implementing the cohesive bed model was specification of both the initial and equilibrium critical shear stress profiles, in addition to choosing other parameters like the consolidation and swelling timescales. This model promises to be a useful tool for investigating the fundamental controls on bed erodibility and settling velocity in the York River, a classical muddy estuary, provided that appropriate data exists to inform the choice of model parameters.

Demonstration Exercise of a Validated Sample Collection Method for Powders Suspected of Being Biological Agents in Georgia 2006

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Marsh, B.

2007-01-01

August 7, 2006 the state of Georgia conducted a collaborative sampling exercise between the Georgia National Guard 4th Civil Support Team Weapons of Mass Destruction (CST-WMD) and the Georgia Department of Human Resources Division of Public Health demonstrating a recently validated bulk powder sampling method. The exercise was hosted at the Federal Law Enforcement Training Center (FLETC) at Glynn County, Georgia and involved the participation of the Georgia Emergency Management Agency (GEMA), Georgia National Guard, Georgia Public Health Laboratories, the Federal Bureau of Investigation Atlanta Office, Georgia Coastal Health District, and the Glynn County Fire Department. The purpose of the exercise was to demonstrate a recently validated national sampling standard developed by the American Standards and Test Measures (ASTM) International; ASTM E2458 S tandard Practice for Bulk Sample Collection and Swab Sample Collection of Visible Powders Suspected of Being Biological Agents from Nonporous Surfaces . The intent of the exercise was not to endorse the sampling method, but to develop a model for exercising new sampling methods in the context of existing standard operating procedures (SOPs) while strengthening operational relationships between response teams and analytical laboratories. The exercise required a sampling team to respond real-time to an incident cross state involving a clandestine bio-terrorism production lab found within a recreational vehicle (RV). Sample targets consisted of non-viable gamma irradiated B. anthracis Sterne spores prepared by Dugway Proving Ground. Various spore concentration levels were collected by the ASTM method, followed by on- and off-scene analysis utilizing the Center for Disease Control (CDC) Laboratory Response Network (LRN) and National Guard Bureau (NGB) CST mobile Analytical Laboratory Suite (ALS) protocols. Analytical results were compared and detailed surveys of participant evaluation comments were examined. I will

Pu and 137Cs in the Yangtze River estuary sediments: distribution and source identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Zhiyong; Zheng, Jian; Pan, Shaoming; Dong, Wei; Yamada, Masatoshi; Aono, Tatsuo; Guo, Qiuju

2011-03-01

Pu isotopes and (137)Cs were analyzed using sector field ICP-MS and γ spectrometry, respectively, in surface sediment and core sediment samples from the Yangtze River estuary. (239+240)Pu activity and (240)Pu/(239)Pu atom ratios (>0.18) shows a generally increasing trend from land to sea and from north to south in the estuary. This spatial distribution pattern indicates that the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) source Pu transported by ocean currents was intensively scavenged into the suspended sediment under favorable conditions, and mixed with riverine sediment as the water circulated in the estuary. This process is the main control for the distribution of Pu in the estuary. Moreover, Pu is also an important indicator for monitoring the changes of environmental radioactivity in the estuary as the river basin is currently the site of extensive human activities and the sea level is rising because of global climate changes. For core sediment samples the maximum peak of (239+240)Pu activity was observed at a depth of 172 cm. The sedimentation rate was estimated on the basis of the Pu maximum deposition peak in 1963-1964 to be 4.1 cm/a. The contributions of the PPG close-in fallout Pu (44%) and the riverine Pu (45%) in Yangtze River estuary sediments are equally important for the total Pu deposition in the estuary, which challenges the current hypothesis that the riverine Pu input was the major source of Pu budget in this area.

Colored dissolved organic matter in shallow estuaries: relationships between carbon sources and light attenuation

Science.gov (United States)

Oestreich, W. K.; Ganju, N. K.; Pohlman, J. W.; Suttles, S. E.

2016-02-01

Light availability is of primary importance to the ecological function of shallow estuaries. For example, benthic primary production by submerged aquatic vegetation is contingent upon light penetration to the seabed. A major component that attenuates light in estuaries is colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM). CDOM is often measured via a proxy, fluorescing dissolved organic matter (fDOM), due to the ease of in situ fDOM sensor measurements. Fluorescence must be converted to CDOM absorbance for use in light attenuation calculations. However, this CDOM-fDOM relationship varies among and within estuaries. We quantified the variability in this relationship within three estuaries along the mid-Atlantic margin of the eastern United States: West Falmouth Harbor (MA), Barnegat Bay (NJ), and Chincoteague Bay (MD/VA). Land use surrounding these estuaries ranges from urban to developed, with varying sources of nutrients and organic matter. Measurements of fDOM (excitation and emission wavelengths of 365 nm (±5 nm) and 460 nm (±40 nm), respectively) and CDOM absorbance were taken along a terrestrial-to-marine gradient in all three estuaries. The ratio of the absorption coefficient at 340 nm (m-1) to fDOM (QSU) was higher in West Falmouth Harbor (1.22) than in Barnegat Bay (0.22) and Chincoteague Bay (0.17). The CDOM : fDOM absorption ratio was variable between sites within West Falmouth Harbor and Barnegat Bay, but consistent between sites within Chincoteague Bay. Stable carbon isotope analysis for constraining the source of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in West Falmouth Harbor and Barnegat Bay yielded δ13C values ranging from -19.7 to -26.1 ‰ and -20.8 to -26.7 ‰, respectively. Concentration and stable carbon isotope mixing models of DOC (dissolved organic carbon) indicate a contribution of 13C-enriched DOC in the estuaries. The most likely source of 13C-enriched DOC for the systems we investigated is Spartina cordgrass. Comparison of DOC source to CDOM : f

Dune Mining and the Nhlabane Estuary, South Africa: the Effect of a Dredger Crossing on the Zoobenthic Community

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vivier, L.; Cyrus, D.P.

1999-01-01

The Nhlabane Estuary, located on the north-east coast of South Africa, is situated in a titanium dune mining lease area. During 1993, a mining dredger and concentrator crossed the middle reaches of the estuary. For this purpose, two berm walls were constructed across the estuary. Two impacts stemmed from the crossing. A series of fine sediment intrusions into the estuary from the berm wall area occurred during late 1993 and early 1994 and caused a rapid decline in benthic densities and number of taxa. Recovery of the affected area was slow and characterized by initial proliferation of opportunistic colonizers. The berm walls, which divided the estuary in half, were kept in place for nearly three years and caused changes in water quality and the benthic community of the upper and lower halves of the estuary. Artificial breaching of the estuary in August 1995 and removal of the berm walls in May 1996 initiated recovery of the estuary. The success of a second dredger crossing, scheduled for January 1999, depends on addressing the mistakes made during the first crossing and on the speed with which the carefully planned crossing operation, berm wall removal and estuary rehabilitation proceed

Morphology and modern sedimentary deposits of the macrotidal Marapanim Estuary (Amazon, Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Araújo da Silva, Cléa; Souza-Filho, Pedro Walfir M.; Rodrigues, Suzan W. P.

2009-03-01

The northern Brazilian coast, east of the Amazon River is characterized by several macrotidal estuarine systems that harbor large mangrove areas with approximately 7600 km 2. The Marapanim Estuary is influenced by macrotidal regime with moderate waves influence. Morphologic units were investigated by using remote sensing images (i.e., Landsat-7 ETM+, RADARSAT- 1 Wide and SRTM) integrated with bathymetric data. The modern sedimentary deposits were analyzed from 67 cores collected by Vibracore and Rammkersonde systems. Analysis of morphology and surface sedimentary deposits of the Marapanim River reveal they are strongly influenced by the interaction of tidal, wave and fluvial currents. Based on these processes it was possible to recognize three distinct longitudinal facies zonation that revels the geological filling of a macrotidal estuary. The estuary mouth contain fine to medium marine sands strongly influenced by waves and tides, responsible for macrotidal sandy beaches and estuarine channel development, which are characterized by wave-ripple bedding and longitudinal cross-bedding sands. The estuary funnel is mainly influenced by tides that form wide tidal mudflats, colonized by mangroves, along the estuarine margin, with parallel laminations, lenticular bedding, root fragments and organic matter lenses. The upstream estuary contains coarse sand to gravel of fluvial origin. Massive mud with organic matter lenses, marks and roots fragments occur in the floodplain accumulates during seasonal flooding providing a slowly aggrading in the alluvial plain. This morphologic and depositional pattern show easily a tripartite zonation of a macrotidal estuary, that are in the final stage of filling.

Three-dimensional Modeling of Tidal Hydrodynamics in the San Francisco Estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Edward S. Gross

2010-01-01

Full Text Available Simulations of circulation in the San Francisco Estuary were performed with the three-dimensional TRIM3D hydrodynamic model using a generic length scale turbulence closure. The model was calibrated to reproduce observed tidal elevations, tidal currents, and salinity observations in the San Francisco Estuary using data collected during 1996-1998, a period of high and variable freshwater flow. It was then validated for 1994-1995, with emphasis on spring of 1994, a period of intensive data collection in the northern estuary. The model predicts tidal elevations and tidal currents accurately, and realistically predicts salinity at both the seasonal and tidal time scales. The model represents salt intrusion into the estuary accurately, and therefore accurately represents the salt balance. The model’s accuracy is adequate for its intended purposes of predicting salinity, analyzing gravitational circulation, and driving a particle-tracking model. Two applications were used to demonstrate the utility of the model. We estimated the components of the longitudinal salt flux and examined their dependence on flow conditions, and compared predicted salt intrusion with estimates from two empirical models.

Sex Bias in Georgia High School Economics Textbooks.

Science.gov (United States)

Blankenship, Glen; Hahn, Carole L.

1982-01-01

Analyzes 17 secondary level economics textbooks for sex bias. All of the texts reviewed are on Georgia's approved textbook list. Without exception, each of the texts is guilty of sex bias, although to varying degrees. The method used in analyzing the texts is explained. (RM)

Using Their Own People Against Them: Russia’s Exploitation of Ethnicity in Georgia and Ukraine

Science.gov (United States)

2015-12-01

Caucasus, from Nagorno-Karabakh to Chechnya . Georgia, once a prosperous Soviet Socialist Republic, could not escape the chaos. During this first phase...Afghanistan, Chechnya , and Georgia, but others were simply politicized rightist nationalists eager to export their ideology.222 These volunteers were

Does boat traffic cause displacement of fish in estuaries?

Science.gov (United States)

Becker, Alistair; Whitfield, Alan K; Cowley, Paul D; Järnegren, Johanna; Næsje, Tor F

2013-10-15

Estuaries are increasingly under threat from a variety of human impacts. Recreational and commercial boat traffic in urban areas may represent a significant disturbance to fish populations and have particularly adverse effects in spatially restricted systems such as estuaries. We examined the effects of passing boats on the abundance of different sized fish within the main navigation channel of an estuary using high resolution sonar (DIDSON). Both the smallest (100-300 mm) and largest (>501 mm) size classes had no change in their abundance following the passage of boats. However, a decrease in abundance of mid-sized fish (301-500 mm) occurred following the passage of boats. This displacement may be attributed to a number of factors including noise, bubbles and the rapidly approaching object of the boat itself. In highly urbanised estuarine systems, regular displacement by boat traffic has the potential to have major negative population level effects on fish assemblages. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Mapping ecosystem services in a Great Lakes estuary supports local decision-making

Science.gov (United States)

Estuaries of the Laurentian Great Lakes provide a concentrated supply of ecosystem goods and services from which humans benefit. As long-term centers of human activity, most estuaries of the Great Lakes and have a legacy of chemical contamination, degraded habitats, and non-point...

Modeling Diel Oxygen Dynamics and Ecosystem Metabolism in a Shallow, Eutrophic Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Weeks Bay is a shallow eutrophic estuary that exhibits frequent summertime diel-cycling hypoxia and periods of dissolved oxygen (DO) oversaturation during the day. Diel DO dynamics in shallow estuaries like Weeks Bay are complex, and may be influenced by wind forcing, vertical an...

Climate Ready Estuaries Partner Projects Map

Science.gov (United States)

CRE partners with the National Estuary Program to develop climate change projects in coastal U.S. areas, such as bays and harbors; to develop adaptation action plans, identify climate impacts and indicators, and more. This map shows project locations.

Short-term tidal asymmetry inversion in a macrotidal estuary (Beira, Mozambique)

Science.gov (United States)

Nzualo, Teodósio N. M.; Gallo, Marcos N.; Vinzon, Susana B.

2018-05-01

The distortion of the tide in estuaries, bays and coastal areas is the result of the generation of overtides due to the non-linear effects associated with friction, advection, and the finite effects of the tidal amplitude in shallow waters. The Beira estuary is classified as macrotidal, with a large ratio of S2/M2. Typical tides ranges from 6 m and 0.8 m, during springs and neaps tides, respectively. As a consequence of this large fortnightly tidal amplitude difference and the estuarine morphology, asymmetry inversions occur. Two types of tidal asymmetries were investigated in this paper, one considering tidal duration asymmetry (time difference between rising and falling tide) and the other, related to tidal velocity asymmetry (unequal magnitudes of flood and ebb peaks currents). In the Beira estuary when we examine the tidal duration asymmetry, flood dominance is observed during spring tide periods (negative time difference between rising and falling tide), while ebb dominance appears during neap tides (positive time difference between rising and falling tide). A 2DH hydrodynamic model was implemented to analyze this asymmetry inversion. The model was calibrated with water-level data measured at the Port of Beira and current data measured along the estuary. The model was run for different scenarios considering tidal constituents at the ocean boundary, river discharge and the morphology of the estuary. River discharge did not show significant effects on the tidal duration asymmetry. Through comparison of the scenarios, it was shown that the incoming ocean tide at the boundary has an ebb-dominant asymmetry, changing to flood-dominant only during spring tides due to the effect of shoaling and friction within the estuary. During neap tides, the propagation occurs mainly in the channels, and ebb dominance remains. The interplay between the estuary morphodynamics was thus identified and the relation between tidal duration asymmetry and tidal velocity asymmetry was

Site-specific probabilistic ecological risk assessment of a volatile chlorinated hydrocarbon-contaminated tidal estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Hunt, James; Birch, Gavin; Warne, Michael St J

2010-05-01

Groundwater contaminated with volatile chlorinated hydrocarbons (VCHs) was identified as discharging to Penrhyn Estuary, an intertidal embayment of Botany Bay, New South Wales, Australia. A screening-level hazard assessment of surface water in Penrhyn Estuary identified an unacceptable hazard to marine organisms posed by VCHs. Given the limitations of hazard assessments, the present study conducted a higher-tier, quantitative probabilistic risk assessment using the joint probability curve (JPC) method that accounted for variability in exposure and toxicity profiles to quantify risk (delta). Risk was assessed for 24 scenarios, including four areas of the estuary based on three exposure scenarios (low tide, high tide, and both low and high tides) and two toxicity scenarios (chronic no-observed-effect concentrations [NOEC] and 50% effect concentrations [EC50]). Risk (delta) was greater at low tide than at high tide and varied throughout the tidal cycle. Spatial distributions of risk in the estuary were similar using both NOEC and EC50 data. The exposure scenario including data combined from both tides was considered the most accurate representation of the ecological risk in the estuary. When assessing risk using data across both tides, the greatest risk was identified in the Springvale tributary (delta=25%)-closest to the source area-followed by the inner estuary (delta=4%) and the Floodvale tributary (delta=2%), with the lowest risk in the outer estuary (delta=0.1%), farthest from the source area. Going from the screening level ecological risk assessment (ERA) to the probabilistic ERA changed the risk from unacceptable to acceptable in 50% of exposure scenarios in two of the four areas within the estuary. The probabilistic ERA provided a more realistic assessment of risk than the screening-level hazard assessment. Copyright (c) 2010 SETAC.

Dendrochronological assessment of drought severity indices for Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Georgia, U.S.A.

Science.gov (United States)

McKee, A.; Aulenbach, B. T.

2015-12-01

Quantifying the relation between drought severity and tree growth is important to predict future growth rates as climate change effects the frequency and severity of future droughts. Two commonly used metrics of drought severity are the Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI). These indices are often calculated from proximal weather station data and therefore may not be very accurate at the local watershed scale. The accuracy of these commonly used measures of drought severity was compared to a recently developed, locally calibrated model of water limitation based on the difference between potential and actual evapotranspiration (ETDIFF). Relative accuracies of the drought indices were assessed on the strength of correlations with a 20-year tree-ring index chronology (1986-2006) developed from 22 loblolly pine (Pinus taeda) trees in water-limited landscape positions at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed (PMRW), a 41-hectare forested watershed located in north-central Georgia. We used SPI and PDSI index values from the weather station located at the Atlanta Airport, approximately 36 kilometers from PMRW. ETDIFF was calculated based on precipitation, temperature, runoff, and solar radiation data collected at PMRW. Annual index values for all three drought indices were calculated as the mean value over the growing season (May to September). All three indices had significant Pearson correlations with the tree-ring index (p = 0.044, 0.007, 0.002 for SPI, PDSI, and ETDIFF, respectively). The ETDIFF method had the strongest correlation (R2 = 0.40) compared to SPI and PDSI results (R2 = 0.19 and 0.32, respectively). Results suggest SPI and PDSI provided a general measure of drought conditions, however, the locally calibrated model of water limitation appears to measure drought severity more accurately. Future studies on the ecological effects of drought may benefit from adopting ETDIFF as a measure of drought severity.

The relative importance of oceanic nutrient inputs for Bass Harbor Marsh Estuary at Acadia National Park, Maine

Science.gov (United States)

Huntington, Thomas G.; Culbertson, Charles W.; Fuller, Christopher; Glibert, Patricia; Sturtevant, Luke

2014-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey and Acadia National Park (ANP) collaborated on a study of nutrient inputs into Bass Harbor Marsh Estuary on Mount Desert Island, Maine, to better understand ongoing eutrophication, oceanic nutrient inputs, and potential management solutions. This report includes the estimation of loads of nitrate, ammonia, total dissolved nitrogen, and total dissolved phosphorus to the estuary derived from runoff within the watershed and oceanic inputs during summers 2011 and 2012. Nutrient outputs from the estuary were also monitored, and nutrient inputs in direct precipitation to the estuary were calculated. Specific conductance, water temperature, and turbidity were monitored at the estuary outlet. This report presents a first-order analysis of the potential effects of projected sea-level rise on the inundated area and estuary volume. Historical aerial photographs were used to investigate the possibility of widening of the estuary channel over time. The scope of this report also includes analysis of sediment cores collected from the estuary and fringing marsh surfaces to assess the sediment mass accumulation rate. Median concentrations of nitrate, ammonium, and total dissolved phosphorus on the flood tide were approximately 25 percent higher than on the ebb tide during the 2011 and 2012 summer seasons. Higher concentrations on the flood tide suggest net assimilation of these nutrients in biota within the estuary. The dissolved organic nitrogen fraction dominated the dissolved nitrogen fraction in all tributaries. The median concentration of dissolved organic nitrogen was about twice as high on the on the ebb tide than the flood tide, indicating net export of dissolved organic nitrogen from the estuary. The weekly total oceanic inputs of nitrate, ammonium, and total dissolved phosphorus to the estuary were usually much larger than inputs from runoff or direct precipitation. The estuary was a net sink for nitrate and ammonium in most weeks during both

Bacterial domination over Archaea in ammonia oxidation in a monsoon-driven tropical estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Vipindas, P.V.; Anas, A.; Jasmin, C.; Lallu, K.R.; Fausia, K.H.; Balachandran, K.K.; Muraleedharan, K.R.; Nair, S.

Autotrophic ammonia oxidizing microorganisms,which are responsible for the rate-limiting step of nitrification in most aquatic systems, have not been studied in tropical estuaries. Cochin estuary (CE) is one of the largest, productive, and monsoon...

Inclusive Education in Georgia: Current Trends and Challenges

Science.gov (United States)

Tchintcharauli, Tinatin; Javakhishvili, Nino

2017-01-01

This article presents the first comprehensive study of the Georgian inclusive education system launched nationwide in 2006. An internationally recognised tool, the "Pathway to Inclusion--Barometer of Inclusive Education", was applied within the country to highlight the current position of inclusive education in Georgia. The collected…

Dollarization in transition economies: new evidence from Georgia

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Aslanidi, Olga

-, č. 366 (2008), s. 1-31 ISSN 1211-3298 R&D Projects: GA MŠk LC542 Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : dollarization * Georgia * money-in-utility-function Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.cerge-ei.cz/pdf/wp/Wp366.pdf

Organic carbon deliveries and their flow related dynamics in the Fitzroy estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ford, Phillip; Tillman, Pei; Robson, Barbara; Webster, Ian T.

2005-01-01

The Fitzroy estuary (Queensland, Australia) receives large, but highly episodic, river flows from a catchment (144,000 km 2 ) which has undergone major land clearing. Large quantities of suspended sediments, and particulate and dissolved organic carbon are delivered. At peak flows, δ 13 C (-21.7 ± 0.8%o) and C/N (14.8 ± 1.3) of the suspended solids indicate that the particulate organic material entering the estuary is principally soil organic carbon. At the lower beginning flows the particulate organic matter comes from in-stream producers (δ 13 C = -26%o). The DOC load is about 10 times the POC load. Using the inverse method, budgets for POC and DOC were constructed for high and low flows. Under high flows, only a small portion of the POC and DOC load is lost in the estuary. Under dry season (low flow) conditions the estuary is a sink for DOC, but remains a source of POC to the coastal waters

Water and suspended sediment dynamics in the Sungai Selangor estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdul Kadir Ishak; Kamarudin Samuding; Nazrul Hizam Yusoff

2000-01-01

Observations of salinity, temperature, suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and tidal current velocity were made in the lower and along the longitudinal axis sungai Selangor estuary over near-spring cycles. The variations of these parameters at the measurement stations and along the channel are presented to illustrate the water and sediment dynamics in the estuary. The results shows that the Sungai Selangor estuary changes from a partially-mixed type during neaps to a well-mixed one during springs. promoted by stronger tidal energy during the higher tidal ranges. The strong neap density stratification is also promoted by the high river discharges during the measurement period maximum concentration of suspended sediment 2000 mg,'/) occurs during maximum current velocities both during flood and ebb. The maximum salinity was achieved during high water slack but the salt water was totally flushed out of estuary during low water springs. The longitudinal axis measurement indicates that a partially-developed zone of turbidity maximum with a sediment concentration over 1000 mg/l was observed at the limit of salt water intrusion in salinity range less than 1 ppt. Tidal pumping as oppose to the estuarine circulation is the more dominant factor in the maximum formation as the salt water is totally excluded at low water. (author)

Community structure of elasmobranchs in estuaries along the northwest Gulf of Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Plumlee, Jeffrey D.; Dance, Kaylan M.; Matich, Philip; Mohan, John A.; Richards, Travis M.; TinHan, Thomas C.; Fisher, Mark R.; Wells, R. J. David

2018-05-01

Estuaries promote high levels of productivity and biodiversity by providing habitat for many biological communities due to their wide range of environmental conditions. Estuarine systems serve as nurseries, areas for parturition, and feeding grounds for elasmobranchs. However, estuaries face an array of anthropogenic pressures, including overfishing, altered flow regimes, pollution, and habitat destruction. Given the vulnerability of estuarine ecosystems, observing long-term changes in community structure is essential to understanding the effects of anthropogenic stressors. Elasmobranch community structure was analyzed among eight estuaries in the northwest Gulf of Mexico to evaluate spatial and temporal variability in species abundance and diversity using bi-annual fisheries independent gillnet survey data over three decades (1985-2014). Ten species comprised 99.4% of elasmobranchs caught which included 35.3% bull sharks (Carcharhinus leucas), 18.1% bonnetheads (Sphyrna tiburo), 17.0% cownose rays (Rhinoptera bonasus), 13.4% blacktip sharks (Carcharhinus limbatus), 5.9% Atlantic stingrays (Dasyatis sabina), 3.1% Atlantic sharpnose sharks (Rhizoprionodon terraenovae), 2.7% spinner sharks (Carcharhinus brevipinna), 2.1% scalloped hammerheads (Sphyrna lewini), 1.7% finetooth sharks (Carcharhinus isodon), and 0.7% lemon sharks (Negaprion brevirostris). During the study period, elasmobranch community structure changed among estuaries and among decades. Bull sharks, bonnetheads, cownose rays, blacktip sharks, and spinner sharks all increased in abundance during the study period, whereas finetooth sharks and lemon sharks decreased over time. Higher latitude estuaries were dominated by bull sharks while lower latitude estuaries were dominated by cownose rays. Salinity was the most important environmental variable in predicting individual elasmobranch species abundance (deviance explained: 14.4 ± 6.5 SD), while temperature and depth also played a role in shaping community

α-particle radioactivity of hot particles from the Esk estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hamilton, E.I.

1981-01-01

Transuranium radionuclides (Pu, Am and Cm) present in effluents discharged into the north-east Irish Sea by British Nuclear Fuels Limited, Windscale, Cumbria, UK, are found in sediment and biota of the Esk estuary approximately 10 km to the south. The site of the present investigation was at Newbiggin and the materials examined were suspended particulate debris samples at the sea surface, bottom sediments and some forms of biota collected in September 1977. It is shown here that hot particles (defined as small volumes of material emitting α particles recorded in a dielectric detector as dense clusters of tracks from a common origin) found in the estuary are likely to be original effluent debris derived from the processing of Magnox uranium fuel elements and not formed in situ as a result of natural processes common to the estuary. (author)

Sedimentation and erosion trends over 50 years in the macrotidal Gironde estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Sottolichio, Aldo; Hanquiez, Vincent; Arriagada, Joselyn; Jalon-Rojas, Isabel

2017-04-01

Recent studies have emphasized on the drastic morphodynamic evolution of many european urbanized estuaries, which have become more turbid during the XXth century because of human-induced deepening and narrowing. For some systems, the availability of data has allowed detailed analysis of evolution, while for some other estuaries, knowledge remains limited. For the latter, it is difficult to elucidate any effect due to climate change, extreme events or human activities. Among them, the Gironde estuary is a macrotidal funnel-shape system, the largest estuary of Western Europe, and characterized by high levels of turbidity. Despite numerous investigations on sedimentary processes carried out in this estuary in the past, there is poor knowledge on the evolution of its morphology and tides over the XXth century. Recently, an investigation on tidal patterns has started in the Garonne tidal river, where it is known that gravel extraction during the sixties has deeply modified the mean depth of the channel. In the meantime, there is evidence of a long-term shift of the turbidity maximum in this area, mainly due to a reduction of river flow in the last 40 years. However, for the main estuarine portion, which represents 80% of the total surface, morphology evolution and associated physical processes remain under-investigated. In this study the morphological evolution of the Gironde estuary has been documented and investigated for the first time, based on some bathymetric and tidal data collected from the archives of the port of Bordeaux. Six bathymetric maps covering a period of 50 years, from the 1953 to year 2000 were compared, highlighting areas of accretion and erosion. Results show that the zone of maximum volume of deposited sediment has migrated continuously towards the upstream portion of the estuary, which is coherent with the intensification of the low river flow periods and the upstream shift of the turbidity maximum zone to the riverine sections. In the meantime

Seasonal and tidal influence on the variability of nitrous oxide in the Tagus estuary, Portugal

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Célia Gonçalves

2010-11-01

Full Text Available In order to evaluate seasonal and tidal influence on the variability of dissolved nitrous oxide (N2O in the Tagus estuary, Portugal, water sampling was carried out along the salinity gradient (May and November 2006 and during several tidal cycles (February and April 2007 at a fixed site. N2O and other relevant environmental parameters, temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and inorganic nitrogen forms (nitrate, nitrite and ammonium were measured. Dissolved N2O concentrations showed strong tidal and seasonal variability, with the highest values occurring in February 2007 (13.7 nM, spring tide and November 2006 (18.4 nM, upper estuary, apparently related to major Tagus river discharge. The existence of N2O sources was noticed in middle estuary. During spring tide, the input from external sources may be augmented by water column nitrification, making this process a contributor to the enhancement of N2O concentration in the estuary. Estimated N2O air-sea fluxes to the atmosphere reached a maximum value of ~10.4 μmol m-2 d-1 in February 2007 during spring tide and in May 2006 in the upper and lower (left bank estuary. Although the Tagus estuary behaves predominantly as a source of atmospheric N2O, it appears to be a weaker source than other, more eutrophic estuaries.

The link between water quality and tidal marshes in a highly impacted estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Meire, Patrick; Maris, Tom; van Damme, Stefan; Jacobs, Sander; Cox, Tom; Struyf, Eric

2010-05-01

The Schelde estuary is one of the most heavily impacted estuaries in Europe. During several decades, untreated waste water from large cities (e.g. Brussels, Antwerp, Valenciennes, Lille) and industries was discharged in the river. As a result, the Schelde estuary has the reputation of being one of the most polluted estuaries in Europe. For a long time (approx. 1950 - 1995) all forms of higher life (macro-invertebrates and fish) were absent in the fresh and brackish parts of the estuary. Due to European legislation, a large part of the sewage water is now treated resulting in a significant recovery of water quality in the estuary. However, next to water quality, the estuary also suffered serious habitat losses during the last decades, mostly due to economic development and changing hydrological conditions causing more erosion. Over the last fifteen years, the management of the estuary has changed fundamentally. It is now more and more focused on the restoration of ecosystem services. In this presentation we will document the changes in water quality over the last 50 years and summarize recent work on the role of tidal marshes on water quality within the freshwater part of the Schelde estuary. Our results stress the important of taking into account ecosystem services and habitat restoration for long-term estuarine management. .After decades of high inorganic nutrient concentrations and recurring anoxia and hypoxia, we observed a paradoxical increase in chlorophyll-a concentrations with decreasing nutrient inputs, indicating a regime shift. Our results indicate that the recovery of a hypereutrophied systems towards a classical eutrophied state, needs the reduction of waste loads below certain thresholds. Paradoxically, phytoplankton production was inhibited by high ammonia or low oxygen concentrations. The system state change is accompanied by large fluctuations in oxygen concentrations. The improved water quality resulted in a remarkable recovery of different groups

78 FR 62357 - Georgia Power Company; Notice of Application Accepted for Filing, Soliciting Motions To Intervene...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-10-21

... located on the Chattahoochee River, along the Georgia-Alabama border, in Harris County, Georgia, and Lee...-foot-high concrete gravity intake structure, equipped with four vertical lift steel intake gates... canal leading to a 177-foot-long concrete gravity intake structure; (3) two penstocks; and (4) a...

Diet and trophic organization of the fish assemblage from the Mamanguape River Estuary, Brazil

OpenAIRE

Medeiros, Aline Paiva Morais de; Xavier, Josias Henrique de Amorim; Rosa, Ierecê Maria de Lucena

2017-01-01

ABSTRACT The present work aims to characterize a fish assemblage from a northeastern Brazilian estuary according to its diet and trophic organization along the estuarine-reef gradient. Sampling was performed at the Mamanguape Estuary, and fishes were collected using three types of nets at seventeen sites, grouped into four regions according to salinity range: reefs and the lower, middle, and upper estuary. The most abundant species were Atherinella brasiliensis, Mugil curema, and Sphoeroides ...

Changes in a temperate estuary during the filling of the biggest European dam.

Science.gov (United States)

Morais, Pedro; Chícharo, Maria Alexandra; Chícharo, Luís

2009-03-15

This study aimed to determine whether and how the disruption of river flow, during the filling of the Alqueva dam, influenced the variability of abiotic and biotic factors in the Guadiana estuary, particularly the abundance and distribution of anchovy eggs. River inflow was found to be the most important factor in determining abiotic and biotic variability in the Guadiana estuary. Seasonal patterns were obscured by long periods of low inflow (mid April to early December 2002), which caused marked changes in the estuary. The estuarine turbidity maximum zone was displaced towards the upper estuary, to at least 38 km from the river mouth, 8 to 16 km upstream from previous records. The dynamics of nutrient stoichiometry was also affected. In the upper and middle estuary, P was more potential limiting than N and potential Si limitation was only frequent on the coast, with direct and/or indirect influence in changing phytoplankton dynamics and composition. Previously, the upper estuary alternated between potential P limitation during winter, Si limitation during spring and mid summer and N limitation during mid summer and autumn. The flooding of vast areas in the catchment of the dam probably caused the increase of DSi concentrations, as well as maximal N and P loadings. The abundance of larval stages of anchovy decreased, putatively because estuarine productivity has also decreased. In April 2002 there was an uncontrolled discharge from the Alqueva dam, which reduced the abundance of anchovy eggs by 99.99%. It is suggested that dam managers should mimic, as much as possible, the natural river flow, in order to minimize the impact on downstream ecosystems. Management efforts should not be restricted to the areas upstream of the dam, but should also encompass the estuary and adjacent coastal area.

Modelling the transverse distribution of velocity and suspended sediment in tidal estuaries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huijts, K.M.H.

2011-01-01

An estuary is a semi-enclosed coastal body of water which has a free connection with the open sea and within which sea water is measurably diluted with fresh water derived from land drainage. Examples are the Western Scheldt River Estuary and the Chesapeake Bay. Within these environments complex

A preliminary fish survey of the estuaries on the southeast coast of ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2016-01-01

Jan 1, 2016 ... ABSTRACT. A basic ichthyofaunal and physico-chemical survey of estuaries on the southeast coast of South Africa from Kayser's Beach to Kei Mouth was undertaken during September and October 1996. Twenty-eight (28) estuaries have been identified along this stretch of coastline, and these were ...

Contaminants of emerging concern in a large temperate estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Meador, James P; Yeh, Andrew; Young, Graham; Gallagher, Evan P

2016-06-01

This study was designed to assess the occurrence and concentrations of a broad range of contaminants of emerging concern (CECs) from three local estuaries within a large estuarine ecosystem. In addition to effluent from two wastewater treatment plants (WWTP), we sampled water and whole-body juvenile Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) and Pacific staghorn sculpin (Leptocottus armatus) in estuaries receiving effluent. We analyzed these matrices for 150 compounds, which included pharmaceuticals, personal care products (PPCPs), and several industrial compounds. Collectively, we detected 81 analytes in effluent, 25 analytes in estuary water, and 42 analytes in fish tissue. A number of compounds, including sertraline, triclosan, estrone, fluoxetine, metformin, and nonylphenol were detected in water and tissue at concentrations that may cause adverse effects in fish. Interestingly, 29 CEC analytes were detected in effluent and fish tissue, but not in estuarine waters, indicating a high potential for bioaccumulation for these compounds. Although concentrations of most detected analytes were present at relatively low concentrations, our analysis revealed that overall CEC inputs to each estuary amount to several kilograms of these compounds per day. This study is unique because we report on CEC concentrations in estuarine waters and whole-body fish, which are both uncommon in the literature. A noteworthy finding was the preferential bioaccumulation of CECs in free-ranging juvenile Chinook salmon relative to staghorn sculpin, a benthic species with relatively high site fidelity. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Environmental features and macrofauna of Kahana Estuary, Oahu, Hawaii

Science.gov (United States)

Maciolek, J.A.; Timbol, A.S.

1981-01-01

Lack of ecological information on Hawaiian estuaries prompted an intensive 2-year study of a small (5.7 ha) stream-mouth estuary on windward Oahu. Water quality and macrofauna were sampled weekly at seven stations. The water mass was strongly stratified vertically except during freshets. Average values for water column temperature and bottom salinity were 23.2°C and 12‰ at the head to 28.3°C and 28‰ at the mouth. Dissolved oxygen saturation in the water column varied from about 50% at night to 140% in the afternoon. Usually, bottom waters were 3–6°C warmer than surface waters and sometimes showed severe oxygen depletion.Macrofauna, collected primarily by seining, consisted mainly of decapod crustaceans (four species of crabs, seven species of shrimps) and fishes (24 species). Other typical estuarine taxons (mollusks, barnacles, polychaetes) were scarce or absent. Diversity increased seaward from 14 species near the estuary head to 29 species near the mouth. Three species of crustaceans and six of fishes were captured at all stations. Most abundant were the native prawn, Macrobrachium grandimanus, and mullet, Mugil cephalus. Perennially resident adults occurred among crustaceans and gobioid fishes; most other fishes were present as juveniles and sporadic adults. Comparisons with other data suggest that more than 50 species of native fishes may occur in Hawaiian estuaries, and that estuarine macrofaunal diversity on oceanic islands is much lower than on continents at similar latitudes.

Worldwide patterns of fish biodiversity in estuaries: Effect of global vs. local factors

Science.gov (United States)

Pasquaud, Stéphanie; Vasconcelos, Rita P.; França, Susana; Henriques, Sofia; Costa, Maria José; Cabral, Henrique

2015-03-01

The main ecological patterns and the functioning of estuarine ecosystems are difficult to evaluate due to natural and human induced complexity and variability. Broad geographical approaches appear particularly useful. This study tested, at a worldwide scale, the influence of global and local variables in fish species richness in estuaries, aiming to determine the latitudinal pattern of species richness, and patterns which could be driven by local features such as estuary area, estuary mouth width, river flow and intertidal area. Seventy one estuarine systems were considered with data obtained from the literature and geographical information system. Correlation tests and generalized linear models (GLM) were used in data analyses. Species richness varied from 23 to 153 fish species. GLM results showed that estuary area was the most important factor explaining species richness, followed by latitude and mouth width. Species richness increased towards the equator, and higher values were found in larger estuaries and with a wide mouth. All these trends showed a high variability. A larger estuary area probably reflects a higher diversity of habitats and/or productivity, which are key features for estuarine ecosystem functioning and biota. The mouth width effect is particularly notorious for marine and diadromous fish species, enhancing connectivity between marine and freshwater realms. The effects of river flow and intertidal area on the fish species richness appear to be less evident. These two factors may have a marked influence in the trophic structure of fish assemblages.

Modelling the occurrence of postflexion stages of a marine estuarine-dependent fish in temperate South African estuaries

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yanasivan Kisten

2017-03-01

Full Text Available The movement of postflexion larvae of marine estuarine-dependent species into estuaries is critical for the survival of fishes reliant on estuaries as nurseries. However, detailed studies focused on environmental variability experienced by postflexion larvae entering a range of estuary types under varying conditions are rare. This study assessed the in situ conditions (temperature, salinity and water clarity under which the southern African endemic fish Rhabdosargus holubi (Sparidae recruits into estuaries. Postflexion larvae were sampled in three biogeographic regions (cool temperate, warm temperate and subtropical boundary, which included three estuary types (permanently open estuaries (POEs, temporarily open/closed estuaries and estuarine lake systems on a seasonal basis, independent of each other. Rhabdosargus holubi larvae were more abundant in spring and summer, in POEs in the warm temperate region. Models predicted that higher larval occurrence in estuaries is a function of lower salinity (e.g. mesohaline zones of 5-17.9 salinity and lower water clarity (e.g. 0-0.2 Kd, light extinction coefficient, particularly for warm, temperate POEs. This re-emphasizes the importance of freshwater for optimal nursery functioning, which may be compromised by impoundments, abstraction and climate change in water-short countries like South Africa.

The poverty effect of remittance flows: evidence from Georgia

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Uzagalieva, Ainura

-, 11/2008 (2008), s. 1-22 ISSN N Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : poverty * remittance flows * Georgia Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.deg.uac.pt/~ceeapla/pt/pdf/papers/Paper11-2008.pdf

Sedimentation in a river dominated estuary

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Cooper, JAG

1993-10-01

Full Text Available The Mgeni Estuary on the wave dominated cast coast of South Africa occupies a narrow, bedrock confined, alluvial valley and is partially blocked at the coast by an elongate sandy barrier. Fluvial sediment extends to the barrier and marine depositon...

Air–Sea CO2 Gas Transfer Velocity in a Shallow Estuary

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mørk, Eva Thorborg; Sørensen, Lise Lotte; Jensen, Bjarne

2014-01-01

The air–sea transfer velocity of CO2(kCO2) was investigated in a shallow estuary in March to July 2012, using eddy-covariance measurements of CO2 fluxes and measured air–sea CO2 partial-pressure differences. A data evaluation method that eliminates data by nine rejection criteria in order......, the transfer velocity in the shallow water estuary was lower than in other coastal waters, possibly a symptom of low tidal amplitude leading to low intensity water turbulence. High transfer velocities were recorded above wind speeds of 5 m s−1 , believed to be caused by early-breaking waves and the large fetch...... (6.5 km) of the estuary. These findings indicate that turbulence in both air and water influences the transfer velocity....

Colored dissolved organic matter in shallow estuaries: relationships between carbon sources and light attenuation

Science.gov (United States)

Oestreich, W.K.; Ganju, Neil K.; Pohlman, John; Suttles, Steven E.

2016-01-01

Light availability is of primary importance to the ecological function of shallow estuaries. For example, benthic primary production by submerged aquatic vegetation is contingent upon light penetration to the seabed. A major component that attenuates light in estuaries is colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM). CDOM is often measured via a proxy, fluorescing dissolved organic matter (fDOM), due to the ease of in situ fDOM sensor measurements. Fluorescence must be converted to CDOM absorbance for use in light attenuation calculations. However, this CDOM–fDOM relationship varies among and within estuaries. We quantified the variability in this relationship within three estuaries along the mid-Atlantic margin of the eastern United States: West Falmouth Harbor (MA), Barnegat Bay (NJ), and Chincoteague Bay (MD/VA). Land use surrounding these estuaries ranges from urban to developed, with varying sources of nutrients and organic matter. Measurements of fDOM (excitation and emission wavelengths of 365 nm (±5 nm) and 460 nm (±40 nm), respectively) and CDOM absorbance were taken along a terrestrial-to-marine gradient in all three estuaries. The ratio of the absorption coefficient at 340 nm (m−1) to fDOM (QSU) was higher in West Falmouth Harbor (1.22) than in Barnegat Bay (0.22) and Chincoteague Bay (0.17). The CDOM : fDOM absorption ratio was variable between sites within West Falmouth Harbor and Barnegat Bay, but consistent between sites within Chincoteague Bay. Stable carbon isotope analysis for constraining the source of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in West Falmouth Harbor and Barnegat Bay yielded δ13C values ranging from −19.7 to −26.1 ‰ and −20.8 to −26.7 ‰, respectively. Concentration and stable carbon isotope mixing models of DOC (dissolved organic carbon) indicate a contribution of 13C-enriched DOC in the estuaries. The most likely source of 13C-enriched DOC for the systems we investigated is Spartina cordgrass. Comparison of

Nutrient Enrichment in Estuaries from Discharge of Shallow Ground Water, Mt. Desert Island, Maine

Science.gov (United States)

Culbertson, Charles W.; Huntington, Thomas G.; Caldwell, James M.

2007-01-01

Nutrient enrichment from atmospheric deposition, agricultural activities, wildlife, and domestic sources is a concern at Acadia National Park because of the potential problem of water-quality degradation and eutrophication in its estuaries. Water-quality degradation has been observed at the Park?s Bass Harbor Marsh estuary but not in Northeast Creek estuary. Previous studies at Acadia National Park have estimated nutrient inputs to estuaries from atmospheric deposition and surface-water runoff, but the importance of shallow ground water that may contain nutrients derived from domestic or other sources is unknown. Northeast Creek and Bass Harbor Marsh estuaries were studied to (1) identify shallow ground-water seeps, (2) assess the chemistry of the water discharged from selected seeps, and (3) assess the chemistry of ground water in shallow ground-water hyporheic zones. The hyporheic zone is defined here as the region beneath and lateral to a stream bed, where there is mixing of shallow ground water and surface water. This study also provides baseline chemical data for ground water in selected bedrock monitoring wells and domestic wells on Mt. Desert Island. Water samples were analyzed for concentrations of nutrients, wastewater compounds, dissolved organic carbon, pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature and specific conductance. Samples from bedrock monitoring wells also were analyzed for alkalinity, major cations and anions, and trace metals. Shallow ground-water seeps to Northeast Creek and Bass Harbor Marsh estuaries at Acadia National Park were identified and georeferenced using aerial infrared digital imagery. Monitoring included the deployment of continuously recording temperature and specific conductance sensors in the seep discharge zone to access marine or freshwater signatures related to tidal flooding, gradient-driven shallow ground-water flow, or shallow subsurface flow related to precipitation events. Many potential shallow ground-water discharge zones were

Effect of irrigation pumpage during drought on karst aquifer systems in highly agricultural watersheds: example of the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint river basin, southeastern USA

Science.gov (United States)

Mitra, Subhasis; Srivastava, Puneet; Singh, Sarmistha

2016-09-01

In the Apalachicola-Chattahoochee-Flint (ACF) river basin in Alabama, Georgia, and Florida (USA), population growth in the city of Atlanta and increased groundwater withdrawal for irrigation in southwest Georgia are greatly affecting the supply of freshwater to downstream regions. This study was conducted to understand and quantify the effect of irrigation pumpage on the karst Upper Floridan Aquifer and river-aquifer interactions in the lower ACF river basin in southwest Georgia. The groundwater MODular Finite-Element model (MODFE) was used for this study. The effect of two drought years, a moderate and a severe drought year, were simulated. Comparison of the results of the irrigated and non-irrigated scenarios showed that groundwater discharge to streams is a major outflow from the aquifer, and irrigation can cause as much as 10 % change in river-aquifer flux. The results also show that during months with high irrigation (e.g., June 2011), storage loss (34 %), the recharge and discharge from the upper semi-confining unit (30 %), and the river-aquifer flux (31 %) are the major water components contributing towards the impact of irrigation pumpage in the study area. A similar scenario plays out in many river basins throughout the world, especially in basins in which underlying karst aquifers are directly connected to a nearby stream. The study suggests that improved groundwater withdrawal strategies using climate forecasts needs to be developed in such a way that excessive withdrawals during droughts can be reduced to protect streams and river flows.

HYDRAULICS, LAMAR COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — Recent developments in digital terrain and geospatial database management technology make it possible to protect this investment for existing and future projects to...

HYDRAULICS, LEE COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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HYDRAULICS, WORTH COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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HYDRAULICS, BUTTS COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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HYDRAULICS,SPALDING COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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HYDROLOGY, LAMAR COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — Hydrology data include spatial datasets and data tables necessary for documenting the hydrologic procedures for estimating flood discharges for a flood insurance...

ORTHOIMAGERY, APPLING COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — The original countywide mosaic from the NAIP was converted to grayscale for mapping purposes with the original compression. This metadata contains the information...

ORTHOIMAGERY, WAYNE COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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ORTHOIMAGERY, TOOMBS COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — The original countywide mosaic from the NAIP was converted to grayscale for mapping purposes with the original compression. This metadata contains the information...

HYDRAULICS, TAYLOR COUNTY, GEORGIA, USA

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Federal Emergency Management Agency, Department of Homeland Security — Recent developments in digital terrain and geospatial database management technology make it possible to protect this investment for existing and future projects to...

Comparative assessment of two agriculturally-influenced estuaries

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Lemley, DA

2017-04-01

Full Text Available This study compared the spatio-temporal dynamics in two agriculturally-influenced South African estuaries - Gamtoos and Sundays - to investigate how contrasting hydrological alterations influence physical, chemical and biological responses...

Nursery life of the marine prawn, Metapenaeus dobsoni (Miers) in the Mandovi estuary, along Goa Coast, India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Achuthankutty, C.T.

of the estuary. Seasonal variation in abundance was discernible. Initial growth occurred in the shallow region of the estuary bordered by mangroves and later in the deeper waters of the open estuary. Optimum attainable size in the estuarine environment was 50...

Use of glacier river-fed estuary channels by juvenile coho salmon: transitional or rearing habitats?

Science.gov (United States)

Hoem Neher, Tammy D.; Rosenberger, Amanda E.; Zimmerman, Christian E.; Walker, Coowe M.; Baird, Steven J.

2014-01-01

Estuaries are among the most productive ecosystems in the world and provide important rearing environments for a variety of fish species. Though generally considered important transitional habitats for smolting salmon, little is known about the role that estuaries serve for rearing and the environmental conditions important for salmon. We illustrate how juvenile coho salmonOncorhynchus kisutch use a glacial river-fed estuary based on examination of spatial and seasonal variability in patterns of abundance, fish size, age structure, condition, and local habitat use. Fish abundance was greater in deeper channels with cooler and less variable temperatures, and these habitats were consistently occupied throughout the season. Variability in channel depth and water temperature was negatively associated with fish abundance. Fish size was negatively related to site distance from the upper extent of the tidal influence, while fish condition did not relate to channel location within the estuary ecotone. Our work demonstrates the potential this glacially-fed estuary serves as both transitional and rearing habitat for juvenile coho salmon during smolt emigration to the ocean, and patterns of fish distribution within the estuary correspond to environmental conditions.

Decadal-scale Evolution of Sediment Flux in the Aulne Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Moskalski, S. M.; Deschamps, A.; Floc'h, F.; Verney, R.; Piete, H.; Fromant, G.; Delacourt, C.

2013-12-01

Estuarine sediment transport processes have the potential to evolve over time in response to alterations in various factors both internal and external to the estuary, such as sediment supply, river discharge, tidal forcing, or changes to bathymetry. Changes in sediment transport can affect many estuarine processes (e.g. budgets of sediment-adsorbed contaminants or nutrients) and ecosystem services, such as aquaculture, primary production and the need to dredge shipping channels. Most studies of decadal-scale changes in estuaries focus on geomorphology or bathymetry, or are performed using models calibrated by a limited set of observational studies. Because of the potential for sediment flux to both affect and be affected by geomorphology and bathymetry, observational studies oriented to sediment flux evolution are needed. This study focuses on two intensive observational studies separated by 30 years to quantify change in suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in the Aulne river, a shallow macrotidal estuary in western Brittany. Moored and vessel-mounted acoustic Doppler current profilers and YSIs were deployed over a three-week period in the winter of 2013 to examine hydrodynamic and sediment transport processes. The results of the modern study were compared to a 1977 investigation of currents, suspended sediment concentration, and erosion/deposition. The 1977 study found that SSC during spring tide and average river discharge was less than 30 mg/L near the mouth and above 300 mg/L landward, with near-bottom concentrations in the turbidity maximum zone occasionally greater than 1000 mg/L. SSC was highest during low tide and remained elevated throughout, in the upstream part of the estuary. Sediment deposition was stronger after flood tide due to a longer slack period, which implies landward sediment transport in the estuary. In the 2013 study, near-bottom SSC during spring tide and average river discharge was also highest during low tide, but SSC was above 1000 mg

Tidal and spatial variability of nitrous oxide (N2O) in Sado estuary (Portugal)

Science.gov (United States)

Gonçalves, Célia; Brogueira, Maria José; Nogueira, Marta

2015-12-01

The estimate of the nitrous oxide (N2O) fluxes is fundamental to assess its impact on global warming. The tidal and spatial variability of N2O and the air-sea fluxes in the Sado estuary in July/August 2007 are examined. Measurements of N2O and other relevant environmental parameters (temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and dissolved inorganic nitrogen - nitrate plus nitrite and ammonium) were recorded during two diurnal tidal cycles performed in the Bay and Marateca region and along the estuary during ebb, at spring tide. N2O presented tidal and spatial variability and varied spatially from 5.0 nmol L-1 in Marateca region to 12.5 nmol L-1 in Sado river input. Although the Sado river may constitute a considerable N2O source to the estuary, the respective chemical signal discharge was rapidly lost in the main body of the estuary due to the low river flow during the sampling period. N2O varied with tide similarly between 5.2 nmol L-1 (Marateca) and 10.0 nmol L-1 (Sado Bay), with the maximum value reached two hours after flooding period. The influence of N2O enriched upwelled seawater (˜10.0 nmol L-1) was well visible in the estuary mouth and apparently represented an important contribution of N2O in the main body of Sado estuary. Despite the high water column oxygen saturation in most of Sado estuary, nitrification did not seem a relevant process for N2O production, probably as the concentration of the substrate, NH4+, was not adequate for this process to occur. Most of the estuary functioned as a N2O source, and only Marateca zone has acted as N2O sink. The N2O emission from Sado estuary was estimated to be 3.7 Mg N-N2O yr-1 (FC96) (4.4 Mg N-N2O yr-1, FRC01). These results have implications for future sampling and scaling strategies for estimating greenhouse gases (GHGs) fluxes in tidal ecosystems.

The poverty effect of remittance flows: evidence from Georgia

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Uzagalieva, Ainura; Menezes, A. G.

-, 06/2009 (2009), s. 1-44 ISSN N Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z70850503 Keywords : poverty * remittance flows * Georgia Subject RIV: AH - Economics http://www.deg.uac.pt/~ceeapla/pt/pdf/ paper s/ Paper 06-2009.pdf

Comparison of asthma prevalence among African American teenage youth attending public high schools in rural Georgia and urban Detroit.

Science.gov (United States)

Ownby, Dennis R; Tingen, Martha S; Havstad, Suzanne; Waller, Jennifer L; Johnson, Christine C; Joseph, Christine L M

2015-09-01

The high prevalence of asthma among urban African American (AA) populations has attracted research attention, whereas the prevalence among rural AA populations is poorly documented. We sought to compare the prevalence of asthma among AA youth in rural Georgia and urban Detroit, Michigan. The prevalence of asthma was compared in population-based samples of 7297 youth attending Detroit public high schools and in 2523 youth attending public high schools in rural Georgia. Current asthma was defined as a physician diagnosis and symptoms in the previous 12 months. Undiagnosed asthma was defined as multiple respiratory symptoms in the previous 12 months without a physician diagnosis. In Detroit, 6994 (95.8%) youth were AA compared with 1514 (60.0%) in Georgia. Average population density in high school postal codes was 5628 people/mile(2) in Detroit and 45.1 people/mile(2) in Georgia. The percentages of poverty and of students qualifying for free or reduced lunches were similar in both areas. The prevalence of current diagnosed asthma among AA youth in Detroit and Georgia was similar: 15.0% (95% CI, 14.1-15.8) and 13.7% (95% CI, 12.0-17.1) (P = .22), respectively. The prevalence of undiagnosed asthma in AA youth was 8.0% in Detroit and 7.5% in Georgia (P = .56). Asthma symptoms were reported more frequently among those with diagnosed asthma in Detroit, whereas those with undiagnosed asthma in Georgia reported more symptoms. Among AA youth living in similar socioeconomic circumstances, asthma prevalence is as high in rural Georgia as it is in urban Detroit, suggesting that urban residence is not an asthma risk factor. Copyright © 2015 American Academy of Allergy, Asthma & Immunology. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Simulated Sampling of Estuary Plankton

Science.gov (United States)

Fortner, Rosanne W.; Jenkins, Deborah Bainer

2009-01-01

To find out about the microscopic life in the valuable estuary environment, it is usually necessary to be near the water. This dry lab offers an alternative, using authentic data and a simulation of plankton sampling. From the types of organisms found in the sample, middle school students can infer relationships in the biological and physical…

Food Webs in an Estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Dunne, Barbara B.

The Maryland Marine Science Education Project has produced a series of mini-units in marine science education for the junior high/middle school classroom. This unit focuses on food chains in an estuary. Although the unit specifically treats the Chesapeake Bay, it may be adapted for use with similar estuarine systems. In addition, the unit may be…

Seasonal use of a New England estuary by foraging contingents of migratory striped bass

Science.gov (United States)

Mather, Martha E.; Pautzke, Sarah M.; Finn, John T.; Deegan, Linda A.; Muth, Robert M.

2011-01-01

Using acoustic telemetry on migratory striped bass Morone saxatilis in Plum Island Estuary (PIE), Massachusetts, we found that striped bass (335–634 mm total length) tagged in the spring and summer of 2005 (n = 14) and 2006 (n = 46) stayed in the estuary for an average of 66.0 d in 2005 and 72.2 d in 2006. Striped bass spent the most time in two specific reaches: middle Plum Island Sound and lower Rowley River. In both years, three different use-groups of striped bass were observed in PIE. Short-term visitors (n = 24) stayed in the estuary only briefly (range = 5–20 d). Two groups of seasonal residents stayed for more than 30 d, either in the Rowley River (n = 14) or in Plum Island Sound (n = 22). Within PIE, the two seasonal-resident use-groups may be foraging contingents that learn how to feed efficiently in specific parts of the estuary. These distinct within-estuary use patterns could have different implications for striped bass condition and prey impact.

The results of the pilot project in Georgia to install a network of electromagnetic radiation before the earthquake

Science.gov (United States)

Machavariani, Kakhaber; Khazaradze, Giorgi; Turazashvili, Ioseb; Kachakhidze, Nino; Kachakhidze, Manana; Gogoberidze, Vitali

2016-04-01

The world's scientific literature recently published many very important and interesting works of VLF / LF electromagnetic emissions, which is observed in the process of earthquake preparation. This works reliable earthquake prediction in terms of trends. Because, Georgia is located in Trans Asian earthquake zone, VLF / LF electromagnetic emissions network are essential. In this regard, it was possible to take first steps. It is true that our university has Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation № DI / 21 / 9-140 / 13 grant, which included the installation of a receiver in Georgia, but failed due to lack of funds to buy this device. However, European friends helped us (Prof. Dr. PF Biagi and Prof. Dr. Aydın BÜYÜKSARAÇ) and made possible the installation of a receiver. Turkish scientists expedition in Georgia was organized in August 2015. They brought with them VLF / LF electromagnetic emissions receiver and together with Georgian scientists install near Tbilisi. The station was named GEO-TUR. It should be noted that Georgia was involved in the work of the European network. It is possible to completely control the earthquake in Georgia in terms of electromagnetic radiation. This enables scientists to obtain the relevant information not only on the territory of our country, but also on seismically active European countries as well. In order to maintain and develop our country in this new direction, it is necessary to keep independent group of scientists who will learn electromagnetic radiation ahead of an earthquake in Georgia. At this stage, we need to remedy this shortcoming, it is necessary and appropriate specialists to Georgia to engage in a joint international research. The work is carried out in the frame of grant (DI/21/9-140/13 „Pilot project of before earthquake detected Very Low Frequency/Low Frequency electromagnetic emission network installation in Georgia") by financial support of Shota Rustaveli National Science Foundation.

Understanding the Influence of Retention Basin on Tidal Dynamics in Tidal Estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Kumar, Mohit; Schuttelaars, Henk; Roos, Pieter

2014-05-01

Both the tidal motion and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) in tidal embayments and estuaries are influenced by anthropogenic (e.g. deepening ) and natural changes. An example of such an estuary is the Ems estuary, situated on the border of the Netherlands and Germany. The mean tidal range towards the end of the Ems estuary has increased from 1.5m in the 1950s to more than 3m in the 1990s while the suspended concentration has increased by a factor 10. To possibly reduce these negative effects, the construction of retention basin(s) (RB) is considered. In this contribution, the influence of location and geometry of RBs on tidal dynamics and SSC is investigated. For this purpose, a three-dimensional semi-analytic idealized model is developed. This model is an extension of the model proposed by Winant (2007) to arbitrary domain and realistic bathymetry with partial slip boundary condition at the bottom. The sea surface elevation (SSE) is calculated numerically using a finite element method. Next, the three-dimensional velocities are calculated by combining the analytically calculated vertical profiles and the gradients of the SSE which are obtained numerically. Firstly, the influence of a RB on the tidal dynamics in an infinitely long, rectangular, frictionless estuary is considered. The SSE decreases when the RB is located between a node and a landward antinode, consistent with the work of Alebregtse et al. (2013). Secondly, an estuary of finite length is connected to a sea. By varying the width of the sea, not only the effect of the distance of the RB to the landward end plays a role, but also the distance to the open sea becomes important. Finally, we discuss the influence of a RB on the tidal motion and initial sediment transport, considering the Ems estuary with realistic bathymetry. Results show that the SSE at the landward end of the Ems estuary decreases for all locations of the RBs. This decrease is most pronounced for the RB which is closest to the end

75 FR 17742 - Filing Dates for the Georgia Special Election in the 9th Congressional District

Science.gov (United States)

2010-04-07

... 9th Congressional District AGENCY: Federal Election Commission. ACTION: Notice of filing dates for special election. SUMMARY: Georgia has scheduled a special general election on May 11, 2010, to fill the U... participate in the Georgia Special General and Special Runoff Elections shall file a 12-day Pre-General Report...

Tritium in the Savannah River Estuary and adjacent marine waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, D.W.

1978-01-01

The tritium distribution in the Savannah River estuary and adjacent marine waters was measured to provide information on the dilution, mixing, and movement of Savannah River water in this region. The Savannah River marine region was chosen because the average tritium concentration in this river is 5 pCi/ml, whereas other rivers in the southeastern United States average less than 0.5 pCi/ml. The increased tritium concentration in the Savannah River is due to releases from the Savannah River Plant of the Department of Energy. Tritium measurements have proved particularly effective in estimating the flushing time of the Savannah River estuary (2.4 days) and in delineating the relative contribution to the water masses in Ossabaw and Port Royal Sounds from the River and from sea water. Ossabaw and Port Royal Sounds are located approximately 20 km south and north of the Savannah River estuary, respectively

Impact of climate change on Gironde Estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Laborie, Vanessya; Hissel, François; Sergent, Philippe

2014-05-01

Within the THESEUS European project, a simplified mathematical model for storm surge levels in the Bay of Biscay was adjusted on 10 events at Le Verdon using wind and pressure fields from CLM/SGA, so that the water levels at Le Verdon have the same statistic quantiles as observed tide records for the period [1960-2000]. The analysis of future storm surge levels shows a decrease in their quantiles at Le Verdon, whereas there is an increase of the quantiles of total water levels. This increase is smaller than the sea level rise and gets even smaller as one enters farther upstream in the estuary. A numerical model of the Gironde Estuary was then used to evaluate future water levels at 6 locations of the estuary from Le Verdon to Bordeaux and to assess the changes in the quantiles of water levels during the XXIst century using ONERC's pessimistic scenario for sea level rise (60 cm). The model was fed by several data sources : wind fields at Royan and Mérignac interpolated from the grid of the European Climatolologic Model CLM/SGA, a tide signal at Le Verdon, the discharges of Garonne (at La Réole), the Dordogne (at Pessac) and Isle (at Libourne). A series of flood maps for different return periods between 2 and 100 years and for four time periods ([1960-1999], [2010-2039], [2040-2069] and [2070-2099]) have been built for the region of Bordeaux. Quantiles of water levels in the floodplain have also been calculated. The impact of climate change on the evolution of flooded areas in the Gironde Estuary and on quantiles of water levels in the floodplain mainly depends on the sea level rise. Areas which are not currently flooded for low return periods will be inundated in 2100. The influence of river discharges and dike breaching should also be taken into account for more accurate results.

Carbon budgets for two Portuguese estuaries: implications for the management and conservation of coastal waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana P. Oliveira

2014-07-01

The results presented illustrate that Tagus and Sado estuaries represent an important land/ocean boundary for carbon transformation and emission, and confirm the anthropogenic pressure that these estuaries are subject to. Carbon budgets vary markedly within and between these two estuaries reflecting the human pressure. Anthropogenic inputs, autochthonous carbon production and primary production are indicated as the main responsible for the carbon production within the estuaries. Both estuaries export carbon to the ocean and to the atmosphere. The inorganic carbon faction has a major role in the carbon budget, enriching the ocean in carbon dioxide, contributing this for the greenhouse effect. Our understanding of organic and inorganic carbon fluxes in Tagus and Sado estuaries is vital for an efficient protection and preservation of such ecosystems being helpful in limit human-caused damage and in restoring damaged estuarine/coastal ecosystems. In addition, the economic impact of the carbon fluxes to the atmosphere, estimated as €375,000 per year, creates the appropriate incentives to reduce emissions and shift them to higher-value uses. Suggesting, therefore, a coastal management re-oriented towards a more adaptive approach through the use of carbon market-based policies. This study is a contribution to the integration of coastal and global carbon cycles. However, additional efforts are required to fully merge other components subsystems, such as salt marshes, with these budgets. Moreover, a fully comprehension of the community metabolism in these estuaries will greatly improve this integration.

Testing a 1-D Analytical Salt Intrusion Model and the Predictive Equation in Malaysian Estuaries

Science.gov (United States)

Gisen, Jacqueline Isabella; Savenije, Hubert H. G.

2013-04-01

Little is known about the salt intrusion behaviour in Malaysian estuaries. Study on this topic sometimes requires large amounts of data especially if a 2-D or 3-D numerical models are used for analysis. In poor data environments, 1-D analytical models are more appropriate. For this reason, a fully analytical 1-D salt intrusion model, based on the theory of Savenije in 2005, was tested in three Malaysian estuaries (Bernam, Selangor and Muar) because it is simple and requires minimal data. In order to achieve that, site surveys were conducted in these estuaries during the dry season (June-August) at spring tide by moving boat technique. Data of cross-sections, water levels and salinity were collected, and then analysed with the salt intrusion model. This paper demonstrates a good fit between the simulated and observed salinity distribution for all three estuaries. Additionally, the calibrated Van der Burgh's coefficient K, Dispersion coefficient D0, and salt intrusion length L, for the estuaries also displayed a reasonable correlations with those calculated from the predictive equations. This indicates that not only is the salt intrusion model valid for the case studies in Malaysia but also the predictive model. Furthermore, the results from this study describe the current state of the estuaries with which the Malaysian water authority in Malaysia can make decisions on limiting water abstraction or dredging. Keywords: salt intrusion, Malaysian estuaries, discharge, predictive model, dispersion

Mixing and flushing time scales in the Azhikode Estuary, southwest coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Revichandran, C.; Pylee, A.

Flushing time scales of the Azhikode Estuary, Kerala, India showed pronounced dry season and wet season signals as well as large inter-annual variation. Cumulative flushing time of the estuary varies from 4.8 tide cycles in April to 1.22 tide cycles...

Haemocytic leukemia in Prince Edward Island (PEI) soft shell clam (Mya arenaria): Spatial distribution in agriculturally impacted estuaries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Muttray, Annette; Reinisch, Carol; Miller, Jason; Ernst, William; Gillis, Patricia; Losier, Melanie; Sherry, James

2012-01-01

Intensive farming of potatoes in Prince Edward Island (PEI) relies on the repeated and widespread application of fertilizers and pesticides. In PEI the main potato farming areas are in close proximity and drain directly to estuaries. Runoff from high agricultural activity watersheds could impact benthic organism health in the depositional zone of downstream estuaries. The estuarine filter feeder Mya arenaria (soft-shell clam) could be particularly vulnerable to both particle-adsorbed and water soluble contaminants. M. arenaria is susceptible to haemocytic leukemia. In May 2009, we established that heavily proliferated leukemia (HPL) prevalence was generally higher in PEI estuaries located downstream of high intensity potato farming (Dunk and Wilmot estuaries) watersheds than in estuaries downstream of lower intensity areas. Using Mab-1E10 based immunocytochemistry we observed that leukemic haemocytes from the Dunk and Wilmot estuaries were 1E10 negative whereas those from the Ox/Sheep estuary (low potato farming intensity) were 1E10 positive. The expression of genes in the p53 tumour suppressor pathway enabled us to differentiate groups of leukemic and normal M. arenaria, validating our diagnoses. In October 2009, we confirmed that HPL prevalence was elevated in the Dunk and Wilmot estuaries compared to reference (Souris River). Moreover, leukemia prevalence declined with distance from the river mouths along transects through the Dunk and Wilmot estuaries. The pesticides ß-endosulfan and α-endosulfan were detected in surface sediments from the Dunk and Wilmot estuaries, but not in sediments from either the Souris River or several other lower intensity potato farming watersheds. Our study provides evidence of an association between intensity of potato farming and prevalence of clam leukemia at downstream estuaries in PEI. - Highlights: ► We examined leukemia prevalence in PEI clams Mya arenaria. ► Prevalence was generally higher downstream of high intensity

Groundwater conditions and studies in Georgia, 2008-2009

Science.gov (United States)

Peck, Michael F.; Leeth, David C.; Painter, Jaime A.

2011-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey collects groundwater data and conducts studies to monitor hydrologic conditions, better define groundwater resources, and address problems related to water supply, water use, and water quality. In Georgia, water levels were monitored continuously at 179 wells during 2008 and 181 wells during 2009. Because of missing data or short periods of record (less than 3 years) for several of these wells, a total of 161 wells are discussed in this report. These wells include 17 in the surficial aquifer system, 19 in the Brunswick aquifer and equivalent sediments, 66 in the Upper Floridan aquifer, 16 in the Lower Floridan aquifer and underlying units, 10 in the Claiborne aquifer, 1 in the Gordon aquifer, 11 in the Clayton aquifer, 12 in the Cretaceous aquifer system, 2 in Paleozoic-rock aquifers, and 7 in crystalline-rock aquifers. Data from the well network indicate that water levels generally rose during the 2008-2009 period, with water levels rising in 135 wells and declining in 26. In contrast, water levels declined over the period of record at 100 wells, increased at 56 wells, and remained relatively constant at 5 wells. In addition to continuous water-level data, periodic water-level measurements were collected and used to construct potentiometric-surface maps for the Upper Floridan aquifer in Camden, Charlton, and Ware Counties, Georgia, and adjacent counties in Florida during September 2008 and May 2009; in the Brunswick, Georgia area during July 2008 and July-August 2009; and in the City of Albany-Dougherty County, Georgia area during November 2008 and November 2009. In general, water levels in these areas were higher during 2009 than during 2008; however, the configuration of the potentiometric surfaces in each of the areas showed little change. Groundwater quality in the Floridan aquifer system is monitored in the Albany, Savannah, Brunswick, and Camden County areas of Georgia. In the Albany area, nitrate as nitrogen concentrations in the

Carbon monoxide apparent quantum yields and photoproduction in the Tyne estuary

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A. Stubbins

2011-03-01

Full Text Available Carbon monoxide (CO apparent quantum yields (AQYs are reported for a suite of riverine, estuarine and sea water samples, spanning a range of coloured dissolved organic matter (CDOM sources, diagenetic histories, and concentrations (absorption coefficients. CO AQYs were highest for high CDOM riverine samples and almost an order of magnitude lower for low CDOM coastal seawater samples. CO AQYs were between 47 and 80% lower at the mouth of the estuary than at its head. Whereas, a conservative mixing model predicted only 8 to 14% decreases in CO AQYs between the head and mouth of the estuary, indicating that a highly photoreactive pool of terrestrial CDOM is lost during estuarine transit. The CDOM absorption coefficient (a at 412 nm was identified as a good proxy for CO AQYs (linear regression r² > 0.8; n = 12 at all CO AQY wavelengths studied (285, 295, 305, 325, 345, 365, and 423 nm and across environments (high CDOM river, low CDOM river, estuary and coastal sea. These regressions are presented as empirical proxies suitable for the remote sensing of CO AQYs in natural waters, including open ocean water, and were used to estimate CO AQY spectra and CO photoproduction in the Tyne estuary based upon annually averaged estuarine CDOM absorption data. A minimum estimate of annual CO production was determined assuming that only light absorbed by CDOM leads to the formation of CO and a maximum limit was estimated assuming that all light entering the water column is absorbed by CO producing photoreactants (i.e. that particles are also photoreactive. In this way, annual CO photoproduction in the Tyne was estimated to be between 0.99 and 3.57 metric tons of carbon per year, or 0.004 to 0.014% of riverine dissolved organic carbon (DOC inputs to the estuary. Extrapolation of CO photoproduction rates to estimate total DOC photomineralisation indicate that less than 1% of DOC inputs are removed via photochemical processes during

Particulate organic matter predicts bacterial productivity in a river dominated estuary

Science.gov (United States)

Crump, B. C.

2015-12-01

Estuaries act as coastal filters for organic and inorganic fluvial materials in which microbial, biogeochemical, and ecological processes combine to transform organic matter and nutrients prior to export to the coastal ocean. The function of this estuarine 'bioreactor' is linked to the residence times of those materials and to rates of microbial heterotrophic activity. Our ability to forecast the impact of global change on estuarine bioreactor function requires an understanding of the basic controls on microbial community activity and diversity. In the Columbia River estuary, the microbial community undergoes a dramatic seasonal shift in species composition during which a spring bacterioplankton community, dominated by Flavobacteriaceae and Oceanospirillales, is replaced by a summer community, dominated by Rhodobacteraceae and several common marine taxa. This annual shift occurs in July, following the spring freshet, when river flow and river chlorophyll concentration decrease and when estuarine water residence time increases. Analysis of a large dataset from 17 research cruises (1990-2014) showed that the composition of particulate organic matter in the estuary changes after the freshet with decreasing organic carbon and nitrogen content, and increasing contribution of marine and autochthonous estuarine organic matter (based on PO13C and pigment ratios). Bacterial production rates (measured as leucine or thymidine incorporation rates) in the estuary respond to this change, and correlate strongly with labile particulate nitrogen concentration and temperature during individual sampling campaigns, and with the concentration of chlorophyll in the Columbia River across all seasons. Regression models suggest that the concentration of labile particulate nitrogen and the rate of bacterial production can be predicted from sensor measurements of turbidity, salinity, and temperature in the estuary and chlorophyll in the river. These results suggest that the quality of

Characterization of estuary use by Nisqually Hatchery Chinook based on Otolith analysis

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Lind-Null, Angie M.; Larsen, Kim A.; Reisenbichler, Reg

2008-01-01

INTRODUCTION The Nisqually Fall Chinook population is one of 27 stocks in the Puget Sound evolutionarily significant unit listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA). Preservation and extensive restoration of the Nisqually delta ecosystem are planned to assist in recovery of the stock. A pre-restoration baseline including life history types, estuary residence time, growth rates, and habitat use are needed to evaluate the potential response of hatchery and wild Chinook salmon to restoration. Otolith analysis has been selected as a means to examine Chinook salmon life history, growth, and residence in the Nisqually estuary. Over time, the information from the otolith analyses will be used to: 1) determine if estuary restoration actions cause changes to the population structure (i.e. frequency of the different life history trajectories) for Nisqually River Chinook, 2) compare pre- and post- restoration residence times and growth rates, 3) suggest whether estuary restoration yields substantial benefits for Chinook salmon through (1) and (2), and 4) compare differences in habitat use between hatchery and wild Chinook to further protect ESA listed stock. Otoliths are calcium carbonate structures in the inner ear that grow in proportion to the overall growth of the fish. Daily growth increments can be measured so date and fish size at various habitat transitions can be back-calculated. Careful analysis of otolith microstructure can be used to determine the number of days that a fish resided in the estuary as a juvenile (increment counts), size at entrance to the estuary, size at egress, and the amount that the fish grew while in the estuary. Juvenile hatchery Chinook salmon are generally released as smolts that move quickly through the delta with much shorter residence times than for many wild fish and are not dependent on the delta as nursery habitat (Myers and Horton 1982; Mace 1983; Levings et al. 1986). The purpose of this study is to use and

Marine geology of the St. Lawrence Estuary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

St-Onge, Guillaume [Canada Research Chair in Marine Geology, Institut des sciences de la mer de Rimouski (ISMER) and GEOTOP Research Center, 310 allee des Ursulines, Rimouski, Quebec, G5L 3A1 (Canada); Duchesne, Mathieu J [Geological Survey of Canada, Quebec Division, 490 de la Couronne, Quebec City, Quebec, G1K 9A9 (Canada); Lajeunesse, Patrick, E-mail: guillaume_st-onge@uqar.qc.ca [Departement de geographie and Centre d' etudes nordiques, Universite Laval, Quebec City, Quebec, G1V 0A6 (Canada)

2011-05-15

The St. Lawrence Estuary, Eastern Canada, contains a very thick (>450 m) Quaternary sedimentary sequence. The results from recently conducted geophysical surveys in conjunction with piston coring indicate that these sediments were deposited under very high sedimentation rates, sometimes as high as {approx}30 m/ka during the last deglaciation. Results also reveal evidence of large submarine landslides during the Holocene, changes in sedimentation rates and the significant role of submarine canyons and channels to transfer sediments from the coast to the deeper marine environment. Finally, this paper highlights the presence of more than 1900 pockmarks on the seafloor of the St. Lawrence Estuary and discusses their possible origins: active hydrocarbon seeps in the Laurentian Channel and biogenic gas seepage on the northwestern shoulder of the Laurentian Channel.

Marine geology of the St. Lawrence Estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

St-Onge, Guillaume; Duchesne, Mathieu J; Lajeunesse, Patrick

2011-01-01

The St. Lawrence Estuary, Eastern Canada, contains a very thick (>450 m) Quaternary sedimentary sequence. The results from recently conducted geophysical surveys in conjunction with piston coring indicate that these sediments were deposited under very high sedimentation rates, sometimes as high as ∼30 m/ka during the last deglaciation. Results also reveal evidence of large submarine landslides during the Holocene, changes in sedimentation rates and the significant role of submarine canyons and channels to transfer sediments from the coast to the deeper marine environment. Finally, this paper highlights the presence of more than 1900 pockmarks on the seafloor of the St. Lawrence Estuary and discusses their possible origins: active hydrocarbon seeps in the Laurentian Channel and biogenic gas seepage on the northwestern shoulder of the Laurentian Channel.

Return to normal streamflows and water levels: summary of hydrologic conditions in Georgia, 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Knaak, Andrew E.; Caslow, Kerry; Peck, Michael F.

2015-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) South Atlantic Water Science Center (SAWSC) Georgia office, in cooperation with local, State, and other Federal agencies, maintains a long-term hydrologic monitoring network of more than 340 real-time continuous-record streamflow-gaging stations (streamgages), including 10 real-time lake-level monitoring stations, 67 real-time surface-water-quality monitors, and several water-quality sampling programs. Additionally, the SAWSC Georgia office operates more than 180 groundwater monitoring wells, 39 of which are real-time. The wide-ranging coverage of streamflow, reservoir, and groundwater monitoring sites allows for a comprehensive view of hydrologic conditions across the State. One of the many benefits of this monitoring network is that the analyses of the data provide a spatially distributed overview of the hydrologic conditions of creeks, rivers, reservoirs, and aquifers in Georgia.

Earthquake and human impact on the sedimentology and geochemistry of Ahuriri Estuary, Hawke's Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chague-Goff, C.; Nichol, S.L.; Ditchburn, R.G.; Trompetter, W.J.; Sutherland, V.T.

1998-01-01

Three cores were collected from the intertidal and salt marsh sediments in Ahuriri Estuary, Hawke's Bay, and analysed by sedimentological, chemical and geochronological techniques. Signatures of various events, of both natural and anthropogenic origin, were identified. Evidence for the 1931 Hawke's Bay earthquake, which resulted in an uplift of one to two metres in the Napier area, is given by a change in grainsize distribution in a core from the southern shore of the Lower Estuary. The change to a high energy environment, similar to the present one in the Lower Estuary, has resulted in deposition of sand over fine silt. The data suggest increased sediment accumulation rates following the uplift event, which might be attributed to increased erosion in the upper catchment. There is no evidence of the earthquake at the two other sites sampled, which is probably due to their more sheltered location in the estuary. Post-European settlement impact is mainly restricted to the Lower Estuary, where increased concentrations of Zn, Cr, Pb and Cu may be due to industrial discharges. Evidence of agricultural runoff is given by an increase in Cu concentrations near the Poraiti Hills. The chemical data (Cl and S) suggest a change in the depositional environment in the Upper Estuary due to increased freshwater influx and/or decrease in seawater influence. Dating by 210 Pb infers that this occurred prior to 1931, but the origin and timing of the event are still to be determined. Sediment accumulation rates have averaged 2.5 mm/yr for the last 45 years in the Lower Estuary and 3.8 mm/yr for the last 70 years or so in the Upper Estuary. The variation probably reflects the difference in depositional environment, from a high energy environment dominated by tidal and wave action to a low energy environment with additional organic and fine sediment input from stream runoff. The various signatures identified are based on known events but may be used for identifying events in other less

Calcite growth-rate inhibition by fulvic acids isolated from Big Soda Lake, Nevada, USA, The Suwannee River, Georgia, USA and by polycarboxylic acids

Science.gov (United States)

Reddy, Michael M.; Leenheer, Jerry

2011-01-01

Calcite crystallization rates are characterized using a constant solution composition at 25°C, pH=8.5, and calcite supersaturation (Ω) of 4.5 in the absence and presence of fulvic acids isolated from Big Soda Lake, Nevada (BSLFA), and a fulvic acid from the Suwannee River, Georgia (SRFA). Rates are also measured in the presence and absence of low-molar mass, aliphatic-alicyclic polycarboxylic acids (PCA). BSLFA inhibits calcite crystal-growth rates with increasing BSLFA concentration, suggesting that BSLFA adsorbs at growth sites on the calcite crystal surface. Calcite growth morphology in the presence of BSLFA differed from growth in its absence, supporting an adsorption mechanism of calcite-growth inhibition by BSLFA. Calcite growth-rate inhibition by BSLFA is consistent with a model indicating that polycarboxylic acid molecules present in BSLFA adsorb at growth sites on the calcite crystal surface. In contrast to published results for an unfractionated SRFA, there is dramatic calcite growth inhibition (at a concentration of 1 mg/L) by a SRFA fraction eluted by pH 5 solution from XAD-8 resin, indicating that calcite growth-rate inhibition is related to specific SRFA component fractions. A cyclic PCA, 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6-cyclohexane hexacarboxylic acid (CHXHCA) is a strong calcite growth-rate inhibitor at concentrations less than 0.1 mg/L. Two other cyclic PCAs, 1, 1 cyclopentanedicarboxylic acid (CPDCA) and 1, 1 cyclobutanedicarboxylic acid (CBDCA) with the carboxylic acid groups attached to the same ring carbon atom, have no effect on calcite growth rates up to concentrations of 10 mg/L. Organic matter ad-sorbed from the air onto the seed crystals has no effect on the measured calcite crystal-growth rates.

Spatiotemporal variation of Van der Burgh's coefficient in a salt plug estuary

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D. C. Shaha

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Salt water intrusion in estuaries is expected to become a serious global issue due to climate change. Van der Burgh's coefficient, K, is a good proxy for describing the relative contribution of tide-driven and gravitational (discharge-driven and density-driven components of salt transport in estuaries. However, debate continues over the use of the K value for an estuary where K should be a constant, spatially varying, or time-independent factor for different river discharge conditions. In this study, we determined K during spring and neap tides in the dry (< 30 m−3 s−1 and wet (> 750 m−3 s−1 seasons in a salt plug estuary with an exponentially varying width and depth, to examine the relative contributions of tidal versus density-driven salt transport mechanisms. High-resolution salinity data were used to determine K. Discharge-driven gravitational circulation (K ∼ 0.8 was entirely dominant over tidal dispersion during spring and neap tides in the wet season, to the extent that salt transport upstream was effectively reduced, resulting in the estuary remaining in a relatively fresh state. In contrast, K increased gradually seaward (K ∼ 0.74 and landward (K ∼ 0.74 from the salt plug area (K ∼ 0.65 during the dry season, similar to an inverse and positive estuary, respectively. As a result, density-driven inverse gravitational circulation between the salt plug and the sea facilitates inverse estuarine circulation. On the other hand, positive estuarine circulation between the salt plug and the river arose due to density-driven positive gravitational circulation during the dry season, causing the upstream intrusion of high-salinity bottom water. Our results explicitly show that K varies spatially and depends on the river discharge. This result provides a better understanding of the distribution of hydrographic properties.

Skill Formation and Utilisation in the Post-Soviet Transition: Higher Education Planning in Post-Soviet Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

Gvaramadze, Irakli

2010-01-01

Changes in the former Soviet system had a dramatic influence on higher education in Georgia. The main objective of the current article is to analyse implications of the post-Soviet transition for the skill formation and skill utilisation system in Georgia. In particular, the study analyses recent trends in Georgian higher education including…

Spatial and temporal variability in estuary habitat use by American alligators

Science.gov (United States)

Fujisaki, Ikuko; Hart, Kristen M.; Cherkiss, Michael S.; Mazzotti, Frank J.; Beauchamp, Jeffrey S.; Jeffery, Brian M.; Brandt, Laura A.

2016-01-01

Estuarine habitat occupied by Alligator mississippiensis, a primarily freshwater species, is spatially and temporally heterogeneous largely due to a salinity gradient that fluctuates. Using long-term night light survey data, we examined seasonal patterns in alligators’ habitat use by size classes in midstream and downstream estuary zones of Shark River, Everglades National Park, in southern Florida. We observed predominantly large-sized alligators (total length ≥ 1.75 m); observations of alligators in the small size classes (0.5 m ≤ total length freshwater wetlands. Our results indicated high adaptability of alligators to the fluctuating habitat conditions. Use of estuaries by alligators is likely driven in part by physiology and possibly by reproductive cycle, and our results supported their opportunistic use of estuary habitat and ontogenetic niche shifts.

Epizootic ulcerative syndrome caused by Aphanomyces invadans in captive bullseye snakehead Channa marulius collected from south Florida, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Saylor, Ryan K.; Miller, Debra L.; Vandersea, Mark W.; Bevelhimer, Mark S.; Schofield, Pamela J.; Bennett, Wayne A.

2010-01-01

Epizootic ulcerative syndrome (EUS) caused by the oomycete Aphanomyces invadans is an invasive, opportunistic disease of both freshwater and estuarine fishes. Originally documented as the cause of mycotic granulomatosis of ornamental fishes in Japan and as the cause of EUS of fishes in southeast Asia and Australia, this pathogen is also present in estuaries and freshwater bodies of the Atlantic and gulf coasts of the USA. We describe a mass mortality event of 343 captive juvenile bullseye snakehead Channa marulius collected from freshwater canals in Miami-Dade County, Florida. Clinical signs appeared within the first 2 d of captivity and included petechiae, ulceration, erratic swimming, and inappetence. Histological examination revealed hyphae invading from the skin lesions deep into the musculature and internal organs. Species identification was confirmed using a species-specific PCR assay. Despite therapeutic attempts, 100% mortality occurred. This represents the first documented case of EUS in bullseye snakehead fish collected from waters in the USA. Future investigation of the distribution and prevalence of A. invadans within the bullseye snakehead range in south Florida may give insight into this pathogen-host system.

Evolution of Two Urbanized Estuaries: Environmental Change, Legal Framework, and Implications for Sea-Level Rise Vulnerability

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Pedro J. Pinto

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The San Francisco Bay (CA, USA and the Tagus Estuary (Lisbon, Portugal share striking similarities in terms of morphology and urban development. A finer analysis of development patterns reveals crucial differences in the extent of shoreline alteration and types of land use that now encroach upon natural estuarine habitat. Through historical map analysis and prior stratigraphic and historical research, we reconstruct in GIS environment the evolution of both estuaries over the last millennia and the relative distribution of different classes of land cover. We also discuss the legal frameworks that accompanied this evolution, and how they have influenced the process of wetland reclamation and landfilling. We compared the legal history and synchronous patterns of development by compiling historical mapping information and resorting to GIS analysis to explore spatial patterns over time. This method was useful in isolating events and decisions that were unique to each of the case studies. The Tagus Estuary has experienced disruption of natural environments for over two millennia. Yet, the State has been able to keep estuarine lowlands under public control, even if vast areas have been transformed into farmland. Public control could allow wetland migration with rising seas and restoration efforts. The San Francisco Bay was affected by several decades of elevated sediment loads in the 19th century, which induced rapid wetland expansion, but virtual cutoff of sediment supply by dams in the 20th century now impairs their ability to accrete. Meanwhile, tidal wetlands were subject to extremely fast and poorly regulated development. Artificially filled and/or drained wetlands were transferred to local governments and private landowners, in violation of the Public Trust Doctrine. The transformation of wetlands into salt ponds, industrial zones and even residential neighborhoods created extensive developed areas at or below sea level, which are vulnerable to

Evolution of bacterial communities in the Gironde Estuary (France) according to a salinity gradient

Science.gov (United States)

Prieur, D.; Troussellier, M.; Romana, A.; Chamroux, S.; Mevel, G.; Baleux, B.

1987-01-01

Three surveys were performed in the Gironde Estuary (France) in August 1981, March 1982 and July 1982. For each campaign, seventy samples were taken by helicopter, in order to follow the tide along the estuary. Of the parameters that were studied, salinity appeared to be the most important and which controls the bacterial communities along the estuary. This paper deals with the evolution of bacterial communities along a salinity gradient. The information obtained from various bacteriological parameters (total bacterial counts, viable counts on salted and unsalted media, functional evenness) were convergent. The bacterial community is dominated by an halotolerant microflora. In the estuary, a continental microflora is followed by a marine microflora. The succession zone between these two microflora is located between 5 and 10‰ areas of salinity.

Potentially harmful microalgae and algal blooms in a eutrophic estuary in Turkey

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S. TAS

2015-07-01

Full Text Available Distribution of potentially harmful microalgae and algal blooms were investigated at monthly and weekly time scales between October 2009 and September 2010 in the Golden Horn, a eutrophic estuary in the Sea of Marmara (Turkey. Several physical and chemical parameters were analysed together with phytoplankton composition and abundance. A total number of 23 potentially harmful and/or bloom-forming microalgae (14 dinoflagellates, 4 diatoms and 5 phytoflagellates were identified throughout this study period, of which nine taxa have been confirmed to be toxic elsewhere in the world. Most harmful species and algal blooms were observed in late spring and summer particularly in the middle and upper estuaries, and nine taxa formed dense and successive algal blooms causing water discoloration. Nutrient concentrations increased significantly from the lower to the upper estuary. Additionally, high organic matter loads in the upper estuary could also have benefited by mixotrophic species. The increasing number of potentially harmful and bloom-forming species and algal blooms indicated that the GHE is a potential risk area for future HABs.

Phosphorus fractionation distribution in Guapimirim estuary: SE Brazil.

Science.gov (United States)

Vicente, Michel Arthur Faria; de Melo, Gustavo Vaz; Baptista Neto, José Antonio; de Oliveira, Allan Sandes

2016-01-01

The Guapimirim estuary is the main tributary of Guanabara bay and is located in the northeast portion. Although it is protected, this estuary has been experiencing strong anthropogenic pressure, which has led to changes in the natural characteristics. Large amounts of sewage are dumped into the bay through tributaries, thereby changing the water and bottom sediment quality. One of the main elements of sewage is phosphorus. Despite its importance to life, a high concentration of this nutrient in the environment can result in eutrophication. This work describes the phosphorus distribution in its different fractions in the bottom sediment at 16 stations located in the main channel of the Guapimirim estuary. These results are correlated with data on grain size, organic matter and calcium carbonate content in the bottom sediment and with physicochemical parameters of the bottom water. The grain size decreases toward the mouth of the estuary, whereas the organic matter and carbonate content increase. The salinity increases significantly at 3.5 km upstream from the mouth, where there is also a notable increase in fine sediments; the same site is the mean position of the salinity front. The temperature and pH increase in the same direction. The Pinorg-total ranges between 3.18 and 7.13 µmol g(-1), increasing toward the mouth. The same trend is observed for the other phosphorus fractions P-Ca, P-Fe and P-f.a., which range from 0.68 to 1.91, 0.79 to 1.71 and 0.03 to 0.93 µmol g(-1), respectively. The P-Ca and P-Fe fractions are the most representative in the Pinorg-total, occurring at 26.3 and 26.0 %, respectively.

Potential Climate-Induced Runoff Changes and Associated Uncertainty in Four Pacific Northwest Estuaries

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As part of a larger investigation into potential impacts of climate change on estuarine habitats in the Pacific Northwest (PNW), we estimated changes in freshwater inputs into four estuaries. These were the Coquille River estuary, the South Slough of Coos Bay, and the Yaquina Bay...

Pre-Restoration Habitat Use by Chinook Salmon in the Nisqually Estuary Using Otolith Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

Lind-Null, Angela; Larsen, Kimberly; Reisenbichler, Reginald

2007-01-01

INTRODUCTION The Nisqually Fall Chinook population is one of 27 stocks in the Puget Sound evolutionarily significant unit listed as threatened under the federal Endangered Species Act. The preservation of the Nisqually delta ecosystem coupled with extensive restoration of approximately 1,000 acres of diked estuarine habitat is identified as the highest priority action for the recovery of naturally spawning Nisqually River Fall Chinook salmon (Oncorhynchus tshawytscha) in the Nisqually Chinook Recovery Plan. In order to evaluate the response of Chinook salmon to restoration, a pre-restoration baseline of life history diversity and estuary utilization must be established. Otolith analysis has been proposed as a means to measure Chinook salmon life history diversity, growth, and residence in the Nisqually estuary. Over time, the information from the otolith analyses will be used to: (1) determine if estuary restoration actions cause changes to the population structure (i.e. frequency of the different life history trajectories) for Nisqually River Chinook, (2) compare pre and post restoration residence times and growth rates, and (3) suggest whether estuary restoration yields substantial benefits for Chinook salmon. Otoliths are calcium carbonate structures in the inner ear that grow in proportion to the overall growth of the fish. Daily growth increments can be measured so date and fish size at various habitat transitions can be back-calculated. Careful analysis of otolith microstructure can be used to determine the number of days that a fish resided in the estuary as a juvenile (increment counts), size at entrance to the estuary, size at egress, and the amount that the fish grew while in the estuary. Juvenile Chinook salmon can exhibit a variety of life history trajectories ? some enter the sea (or Puget Sound) as fry, some rear in the estuary before entering the sea, and some rear in the river and then move rapidly through the estuary into the sea as smolts. The

Contrasting mercury and manganese deposition in a mangrove-dominated estuary (Guaratuba Bay, Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Sanders, C. J.; Santos, I. R.; Silva-Filho, E. V.; Patchineelam, S. R.

2008-08-01

Sediment cores were taken at seven sites along the mangrove-bound Guaratuba Bay estuary (southern Brazil), with the purpose of assessing conditions controlling Hg deposition along a horizontal estuarine sediment gradient. The data suggest contrasting depositional patterns for Hg and Mn in this relatively pristine setting. Total Hg contents of bulk sediments ranged from 12 to 36 ng/g along the estuary, the highest values being found in muddier organic-rich sediments of the upper estuary (the corresponding mud gradient is 12 to 42 wt.%, and the organic matter gradient 4 to 10 wt.%). Thus, the deposition of fine sediments relatively enriched in mercury occurs primarily in closer proximity to the freshwater source. The data also indicate a reverse gradient in reactive Mn contents, ranging from 29 to 81 μg/g, and increasing seaward. This implies that reactive Mn is mobilized from fine-grained reducing mangrove forest sediments in the upper estuary, and deposited downstream in sandier, oxygen-rich nearshore sediments. These results suggest that mangrove-surrounded estuaries may act as barriers to mercury transport to coastal waters, but as a source of manganese. The present findings also imply that reactive Mn may be used as an indication of Hg depositional patterns in other similar coastal sedimentary settings.

Widespread microplastic ingestion by fish assemblages in tropical estuaries subjected to anthropogenic pressures

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vendel, A.L.; Bessa, F.; Alves, V.E.N.; Amorim, A.L.A.; Patrício, J.; Palma, A.R.T.

2017-01-01

Our aim was to quantify microplastic ingestion by fish assemblages in two tropical Brazilian estuaries and to evaluate whether biological and ecological factors influence the ingestion of microplastics by fish species. Of 2233 fish from both estuaries (from 69 species) examined in this study, 9% of the individuals (24 species) had microplastics in their gut contents. Microplastic ingestion occurred irrespective of fish size and functional group. The diet of fish species was analyzed based on prey items identified in the fish's full stomach contents and five feeding guilds were defined. Microplastics were common throughout all feeding guilds. Low (average ingestion values 1.06 ± 0.30 items/total fish) but widespread occurrence among estuaries also indicates proliferation of microplastic pollution. Our findings highlight the need to focus on assemblage level studies to understand the real magnitude of the problem and emphasize the urgency of mitigation measures directed at microplastic pollution in estuarine ecosystems. - Highlights: • We analyzed microplastic ingestion in 69 fish species collected along two estuaries. • Microplastic ingestion was widespread in fish assemblages in two tropical estuaries. • Microplastic ingestion was independent of fish size and fish functional groups. • Microplastics were observed in fish from five different feeding guilds. • The level of anthropogenic pressures did not influence microplastic ingestion.

The attitude to nuclear energy in Georgia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saralidze, Z.

2000-01-01

Georgia, as a new independent state, is facing new problems regarding energy sources in the conditions of market economy. Great attention is given by the Government to search for various ways and versions to overcome the energy crisis. While nuclear energy may be an option for some reasons detailed in the paper, a nuclear power plant is not officially considered as an alternative. (author)

Georgia Teachers in Academic Laboratories: Research Experiences in the Geosciences

Science.gov (United States)

Barrett, D.

2005-12-01

The Georgia Intern-Fellowships for Teachers (GIFT) is a collaborative effort designed to enhance mathematics and science experiences of Georgia teachers and their students through summer research internships for teachers. By offering business, industry, public science institute and research summer fellowships to teachers, GIFT provides educators with first-hand exposure to the skills and knowledge necessary for the preparation of our future workforce. Since 1991, GIFT has placed middle and high school mathematics, science and technology teachers in over 1000 positions throughout the state. In these fellowships, teachers are involved in cutting edge scientific and engineering research, data analysis, curriculum development and real-world inquiry and problem solving, and create Action Plans to assist them in translating the experience into changed classroom practice. Since 2004, an increasing number of high school students have worked with their teachers in research laboratories. The GIFT program places an average of 75 teachers per summer into internship positions. In the summer of 2005, 83 teachers worked in corporate and research environments throughout the state of Georgia and six of these positions involved authentic research in geoscience related departments at the Georgia Institute of Technology, including aerospace engineering and the earth and atmospheric sciences laboratories. This presentation will review the history and the structure of the program including the support system for teachers and mentors as well as the emphasis on inquiry based learning strategies. The focus of the presentation will be a comparison of two placement models of the teachers placed in geoscience research laboratories: middle school earth science teachers placed in a 6 week research experience and high school teachers placed in 7 week internships with teams of 3 high school students. The presentation will include interviews with faculty to determine the value of these experiences

Seroepidemiology and molecular diversity of Leishmania donovani complex in Georgia.

Science.gov (United States)

Babuadze, Giorgi; Farlow, Jason; de Koning, Harry P; Carrillo, Eugenia; Chakhunashvili, Giorgi; Murskvaladze, Mari; Kekelidze, Merab; Karseladze, Irakli; Kokaia, Nora; Kalandadze, Irine; Tsereteli, David; Markhvashvili, Ivane; Sidamonidze, Ketevan; Chanturia, Gvantsa; Adeishvili, Ekaterine; Imnadze, Paata

2016-05-13

Leishmaniasis includes multiple clinical syndromes, most notably visceral, cutaneous, and mucosal forms. Visceral leishmaniasis (VL), also known as kala-azar, is a potentially fatal disease endemic to large parts of Africa and Asia, and in South-Eastern Europe (Greece, Turkey, Georgia). Visceral leishmaniasis is a parasitic zoonosis caused by species of the L. donovani complex. In the classical epidemiological model the main reservoir for VL are canines. The study included a cohort of 513 individuals of both genders (190 males and 323 females) from the ages of 1 to 70 years that were screened in ten villages across two districts in Kakheti using the Kalazar Detect™ rK39 rapid diagnostic test. The phylogenetic diversity patterns of local strains, based on the rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequences, were assessed for samples obtained from patients with suspected L. donovani infection, from canine reservoirs and from Phlebotomus sand flies obtained from different geographical areas of Georgia and from Azerbaijan. Out of a total of 600 domestic dog blood samples 95 (15.8 %) were positive by rK39 rapid diagnostic tests. For symptomatic domestic dogs, the testing of conjunctival swabs or bone marrow aspirates revealed a higher VL incidence in Kvareli District (Kvareli; 19.4 %, n = 329) compared with that observed for Sagarejo District (Sagarejo; 11.4 %, n = 271). A total of 231 sand flies of both genders were collected during the 2-month period; of the 114 females, 1.75 % were PCR positive for the presence of Leishmania spp. VL infection rates remain high in both canines and humans in Georgia, with disease in several known natural foci. The genetic relationships derived from rDNA internal transcribed spacer (ITS) sequence comparisons identified genetic subgroups, revealing preliminary insights into the genetic structure of L. donovani complex members currently circulating in the South Caucasus and demonstrates the utility of ITS-based genotyping

Metal toxicity characterization factors for marine ecosystems: considering the importance of the estuary for freshwater emissions

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dong, Yan; Rosenbaum, Ralph K.; Hauschild, Michael Zwicky

2017-01-01

The study develops site-dependent characterization factors (CFs) for marine ecotoxicity of metals emitted to freshwater, taking their passage of the estuary into account. To serve life cycle assessment (LCA) studies where emission location is often unknown, site-generic marine CFs were developed...... with an estuary removal process to calculate FF. BF and EF were taken from Dong et al. Environ Sci Technol 50:269–278 (2016). Site-generic marine CFs were derived from site-dependent marine CFs. Different averaging principles were tested, and the approach representing estuary discharge rate was identified...... between both methods. Accounting for estuary removal particularly influences marine ecotoxicity CFs for emission to freshwater of metals that have a strong tendency to complex-bind to particles. It indicates the importance of including estuary in the characterization modelling when dealing with those...

Mercury enrichment in sediments of Amba estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ram, A.; Rokade, M.A.; Zingde, M.D.

of anthropogenic metal to the estuary. Geoaccumulation index and enrichment factor support Hg contamination of the estuarine sediment to a varying degree. Hg is not significantly correlated with TOC, Al, Fe and Mn in these sediments...

Anguilla rostrata glass eel migration and recruitment in the estuary and Gulf of St Lawrence.

Science.gov (United States)

Dutil, J-D; Dumont, P; Cairns, D K; Galbraith, P S; Verreault, G; Castonguay, M; Proulx, S

2009-06-01

This study describes catches of Anguilla rostrata glass eels and associated oceanographic conditions in the St Lawrence Estuary and Gulf. Ichthyoplankton survey data suggest that they enter the Gulf primarily in May, migrate at the surface at night, and disperse broadly once they have passed Cabot Strait. They arrive in estuaries beginning at about mid-June and through the month of July. Migration extends west up to Québec City, in the freshwater zone of the St Lawrence Estuary, 1000 km west of Cabot Strait. Anguilla rostrata glass eels travel between Cabot Strait and receiving estuaries at a straight-line ground speed of c. 10-15 km day(-1). Catches of fish per unit effort in estuaries in the St Lawrence system are much lower than those reported for the Atlantic coast of Canada. Low abundance of A. rostrata glass eels in the St Lawrence system may be due to cold surface temperatures during the migration period which decrease swimming capacity, long distances from the spawning ground to Cabot Strait and from Cabot Strait to the destination waters (especially the St Lawrence River), complex circulation patterns, and hypoxic conditions in bottom waters of the Laurentian Channel and the St Lawrence Estuary.

Tides in the Mandovi and Zuari estuaries, Goa, west coast of India

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Mandovi and Zuari are two estuaries located in Goa,west coast of India.Variation of water level in the estuaries was monitored for a month at 13 locations using tide-poles during March –April 2003.Analysis of this data has provided for the first time,characteristics of how tidal constituents vary in the narrow and shallow ...

Radioactive Cs in the estuary sediments near Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yamasaki, Shinya; Imoto, Junpei; Furuki, Genki; Ochiai, Asumi; Ohnuki, Toshihiko; Sueki, Keisuke; Nanba, Kenji; Ewing, Rodney C.; Utsunomiya, Satoshi

2016-01-01

The migration and dispersion of radioactive Cs (mainly "1"3"4Cs and "1"3"7Cs) are of critical concern in the area surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). Considerable uncertainty remains in understanding the properties and dynamics of radioactive Cs transport by surface water, particularly during rainfall-induced flood events to the ocean. Physical and chemical properties of unique estuary sediments, collected from the Kuma River, 4.0 km south of the FDNPP, were quantified in this study. These were deposited after storm events and now occur as dried platy sediments on beach sand. The platy sediments exhibit median particle sizes ranging from 28 to 32 μm. There is increasing radioactivity towards the bottom of the layers deposited; approximately 28 and 38 Bq g"−"1 in the upper and lower layers, respectively. The difference in the radioactivity is attributed to a larger number of particles associated with radioactive Cs in the lower part of the section, suggesting that radioactive Cs in the suspended soils transported by surface water has decreased over time. Sequential chemical extractions showed that ~ 90% of "1"3"7Cs was strongly bound to the residual fraction in the estuary samples, whereas 60 ~ 80% of "1"3"7Cs was bound to clays in the six paddy soils. This high concentration in the residual fraction facilitates ease of transport of clay and silt size particles through the river system. Estuary sediments consist of particles < 100 μm. Radioactive Cs desorption experiments using the estuary samples in artificial seawater revealed that 3.4 ± 0.6% of "1"3"7Cs was desorbed within 8 h. More than 96% of "1"3"7Cs remained strongly bound to clays. Hence, particle size is a key factor that determines the travel time and distance during the dispersion of "1"3"7Cs in the ocean. - Highlights: • Cs-137 of estuary sediment impacted by the FDNPP was measured. • Physical and chemical properties were measured also. • Increasing radioactivity was

Radioactive Cs in the estuary sediments near Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamasaki, Shinya, E-mail: s-yamasaki@ied.tsukuba.ac.jp [Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences and Center for Research in Isotopes and Environmental Dynamics, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan); Imoto, Junpei; Furuki, Genki; Ochiai, Asumi [Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan); Ohnuki, Toshihiko [Advanced Science Research Center, Japan Atomic Energy Agency, Shirakata Shirane 2-4, Tokai, Ibaraki 319-1195 (Japan); Sueki, Keisuke [Faculty of Pure and Applied Sciences and Center for Research in Isotopes and Environmental Dynamics, University of Tsukuba, 1-1-1 Tennodai, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8577 (Japan); Nanba, Kenji [Department of Environmental Management, Faculty of Symbiotic System Science, Fukushima University, Kanayagawa 1, Fukushima, 960-1296 (Japan); Ewing, Rodney C. [Department of Geological Sciences and Center for International Security and Cooperation, Stanford University, Stanford, CA 94305-2115 (United States); Utsunomiya, Satoshi [Department of Chemistry, Kyushu University, 6-10-1 Hakozaki, Higashi-ku, Fukuoka 812-8581 (Japan)

2016-05-01

The migration and dispersion of radioactive Cs (mainly {sup 134}Cs and {sup 137}Cs) are of critical concern in the area surrounding the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP). Considerable uncertainty remains in understanding the properties and dynamics of radioactive Cs transport by surface water, particularly during rainfall-induced flood events to the ocean. Physical and chemical properties of unique estuary sediments, collected from the Kuma River, 4.0 km south of the FDNPP, were quantified in this study. These were deposited after storm events and now occur as dried platy sediments on beach sand. The platy sediments exhibit median particle sizes ranging from 28 to 32 μm. There is increasing radioactivity towards the bottom of the layers deposited; approximately 28 and 38 Bq g{sup −1} in the upper and lower layers, respectively. The difference in the radioactivity is attributed to a larger number of particles associated with radioactive Cs in the lower part of the section, suggesting that radioactive Cs in the suspended soils transported by surface water has decreased over time. Sequential chemical extractions showed that ~ 90% of {sup 137}Cs was strongly bound to the residual fraction in the estuary samples, whereas 60 ~ 80% of {sup 137}Cs was bound to clays in the six paddy soils. This high concentration in the residual fraction facilitates ease of transport of clay and silt size particles through the river system. Estuary sediments consist of particles < 100 μm. Radioactive Cs desorption experiments using the estuary samples in artificial seawater revealed that 3.4 ± 0.6% of {sup 137}Cs was desorbed within 8 h. More than 96% of {sup 137}Cs remained strongly bound to clays. Hence, particle size is a key factor that determines the travel time and distance during the dispersion of {sup 137}Cs in the ocean. - Highlights: • Cs-137 of estuary sediment impacted by the FDNPP was measured. • Physical and chemical properties were measured also. �

Assessment of heavy metals bioavailability and toxicity toward Vibrio fischeri in sediment of the Huelva estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Rosado, Daniel; Usero, José; Morillo, José

2016-06-01

Relationship between toxicity and bioavailable metals in sediments from the Huelva estuary and its littoral of influence was analyzed. Toxicity was assessed with Microtox® bioassay using a marine luminescent bacterium: Vibrio fischeri. Bioavailable metals were considered as both, acid extractable fraction of BCR procedure and the sum of exchangeable and bound to carbonates fractions of Tessier sequential extraction. A bioavailable metals index was calculated to integrate results in a single figure. Toxicity and bioavailable metals showed a similar pattern. Higher levels were found in the estuary than in the littoral (140 TU/g). In Huelva estuary, highest levels were found in the Tinto estuary (5725 TU/g), followed by the Odiel estuary (5100 TU/g) and the Padre Santo Canal (2500 TU/g). Results in this area were well over than those in nearby estuaries. Furthermore, they are similar to or even higher than those in other polluted sediments around the world. Bioavailable metal index showed a stronger correlation with acid extractable fraction of BCR (R(2) = 0.704) than that for the sum of exchangeable and bound to carbonates fractions of Tessier (R(2) = 0.661). These results suggest that bioavailable metals are an important source of sediment toxicity in the Huelva estuary and its littoral of influence, an area with one of the highest mortality risks of Spain. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Occurrences of dissolved trace metals (Cu, Cd, and Mn) in the Pearl River Estuary (China), a large river-groundwater-estuary system

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Deli; Lin, Wenfang; Yang, Xiqian; Zhai, Weidong; Dai, Minhan; Arthur Chen, Chen-Tung

2012-12-01

This study for the first time examined dissolved metals (Cu, Cd, and Mn) together with dissolved oxygen and carbonate system in the whole Pearl River Estuary system, from the upper rivers to the groundwater discharges until the estuarine zone, and explored their potential impacts in the adjacent northern South China Sea (SCS) during May-August 2009. This river-groundwater-estuary system was generally characterized by low dissolved metal levels as a whole, whilst subject to severe perturbations locally. In particular, higher dissolved Cu and Cd occurred in the North River (as high as 60 nmol/L of Cu and 0.99 nmol/L of Cd), as a result of an anthropogenic source from mining activities there. Dissolved Cu levels were elevated in the upper estuary near the city of Guangzhou (Cu: ˜40 nmol/L), which could be attributable to sewage and industrial effluent discharges there. Elevated dissolved metal levels (Cu: ˜20-40 nmol/L; Cd: ˜0.2-0.8 nmol/L) also occurred in the groundwaters and parts of the middle and lower estuaries, which could be attributable to a series of geochemical reactions, e.g., chloride-induced desorption from the suspended sediments, oxidation of metal sulfides, and the partial dissolution of minerals. The high river discharge during our sampling period (May-August 2009) significantly diluted anthropogenic signals in the estuarine mixing zone. Of particular note was the high river discharge (which may reach 18.5 times as high as in the dry season) that transported anthropogenic signals (as indicated by dissolved Cu and Cd) into the adjacent shelf waters of the northern SCS, and might have led to the usually high phytoplankton productivity there (chlorophyll-a value >10 μg/L).

Prostate cancer incidence and tumor severity in Georgia: descriptive epidemiology, racial disparity, and geographic trends.

Science.gov (United States)

Wagner, Sara E; Bauer, Sarah E; Bayakly, A Rana; Vena, John E

2013-01-01

Limited research has been conducted to describe the geographical clustering and distribution of prostate cancer (PrCA) incidence in Georgia (GA). This study describes and compares the temporal and geographic trends of PrCA incidence in GA with a specific focus on racial disparities. GA Comprehensive Cancer Registry PrCA incidence data were obtained for 1998-2008. Directly standardized age-adjusted PrCA incidence rates per 100,000 were analyzed by race, stage, grade, and county. County-level hotspots of PrCA incidence were analyzed with the Getis-Ord Gi* statistic in a geographic information system; a census tract-level cluster analysis was performed with a Discrete Poisson model and implemented in SaTScan(®) software. Significant (p incidence were observed in nine southwestern counties and six centrally located counties among men of both races. Six significant (p incidence rates were detected for men of both races in north and northwest central Georgia. When stratified by race, clusters among white and black men were similar, although centroids were slightly shifted. Most notably, a large (122 km radius) cluster in northwest central Georgia was detected only in whites, and two smaller clusters (0-32 km radii) were detected in Southwest Georgia only in black men. Clusters of high-grade and late-stage tumors were identified primarily in the northern portion of the state among men of both races. This study revealed a pattern of higher incidence and more advanced disease in northern and northwest central Georgia, highlighting geographic patterns that need more research and investigation of possible environmental determinants.

A Study of Sedimentation at the River Estuary on the Change of Reservoir Storage

OpenAIRE

Iskahar; Suripin; Isdiyana

2018-01-01

Estuary of the river that leads to the reservoir has characteristics include: relatively flat, there is a change in the increase of wet cross-sectional area and backwater. The backwater will cause the flow velocity to be reduced, so that the grains of sediment with a certain diameter carried by the flow will settle in the estuary of the river. The purpose of this research is to know the distribution and sedimentation pattern at the river estuary that leads to the reservoir with the change of ...

A law & economics approach to the study of integrated management regimes of estuaries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van de Griendt, W.E.

2004-01-01

In this paper it is proposed to analyse legal regimes for integrated management of estuaries with the help of institutional legal theory and the Schlager & Ostrom framework for types of ownership. Estuaries are highly valued and valuable and therefore need protection. The problem is that they

Comparison of nitrifier activity versus growth in the scheldt estuary - a turbid, tidal estuary in northern Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Andersson, M.G.I.; Brion, N.; Middelburg, J.J.

2006-01-01

Nitrifier activity and growth were measured in the Scheldt estuary over a salinity gradient. Measurements were made during all 4 seasons using 15N enriched ammonium and 14C labeled carbon incorporation. Established conversion ratios are often used to convert the growth of nitrifiers (measured as the

Tritium in the Savannah River estuary and adjacent marine waters

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hayes, D.W.

1979-01-01

The tritium distribution in the Savannah River estuary and adjacent marine waters was measured to provide information on the dilution, mixing and movement of Savannah River water in this region. The Savannah River marine region was chosen because the average tritium concentration in this river is approximately 5 pCi/ml, whereas other rivers in the southeastern United States of America average less than 0.5 pCi/ml. The increased tritium concentration in the Savannah River is due to releases from the Savannah River Plant of the Department of Energy. Tritium measurements have proved particularly effective in estimating the flushing time of the Savannah River estuary (2.4 days) and in delineating the relative contribution to the water masses in Ossabaw and Port Royal Sounds from the river and from sea-water. Ossabaw and Port Royal Sounds are located approximately 20 km south and north of the Savannah River estuary respectively. (author)

Seasonal and spatial distribution of metals in surface sediment of an urban estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Buggy, Conor J.; Tobin, John M.

2008-01-01

Aquatic pollution by metals is of concern because of various toxic effects to marine life. The Tolka Estuary, Co. Dublin, Ireland, is a typical Irish urban estuary. It has a significant metal loading originating from the urban environment. Results of a 25 month analysis of cadmium, copper, lead and zinc spatial and temporal distribution over 10 sample locations in this estuary are presented in this paper. Metal concentrations were analysed using differential pulse polarography. Significant seasonal and spatial trends in metal distribution were observed over the 25 months. Sediment metal concentrations gradually increased (30-120%) in spring to a maximum at the end of summer which was followed by a decrease in winter months (30-60%). Sediment organic matter (OM) concentrations exhibited similar seasonal trends and a positive correlation between OM and metal distributions was observed, implying OM had an influence on metal distributions over time. - Assessment and correlation of the seasonal and spatial distribution of metals and organic matter in surface sediment of an urban estuary

Determination of provincial logistics capability for South African provinces

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mashoko, L

2012-10-10

Full Text Available Production January 2013/ Vol. 39 Life cycle inventory of electricity cogeneration from bagasse in the South African sugar industry L. Mashoko a , C. Mbohwa b,* , V.M. Thomas c,d a Logistics and Quantitative Methods, CSIR Built Environment..., Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA d School of Public Policy, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta, GA 30332, USA Abstract The South African sugar industry has a potential for cogeneration of steam and electricity using...

The Caloosahatchee River Estuary: a monitoring partnership between Federal, State, and local governments, 2007-13

Science.gov (United States)

Patino, Eduardo

2014-01-01

The tidal Caloosahatchee River and downstream estuaries have substantial environmental, recreational, and economic value for southwest Florida residents and visitors. Modifications to the Caloosahatchee River watershed have altered the predevelopment hydrology, thereby threatening the environmental health of estuaries in the area. Hydrologic monitoring of the freshwater contributions from tributaries to the tidal Caloosahatchee River and its estuaries is necessary to adequately describe the total freshwater inflow and constituent loads to the delicate estuarine system.

Heavy metals in Mindhola river estuary, India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Zingde, M.D.; Rokade, M.A; Mandalia, A

The heavy metal concentrations are studied along the Mindhola river estuary. Surface and bottom water samples were collected using Niskin Sampler. The sediment samples were collected using a Van Veen grab. The heavy metal concentration is estimated...

Plutonium speciation and isotope ratios in Yenisey and Ob river and Yenisey estuary

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skipperud, L.; Oughton, DH.; Fifield, K.; Lind, O.C.; Salbu, B.; Brown, J.

2004-01-01

Plutonium isotope ratios are known to vary with reactor type, nuclear fuel-burn up time, neutron flux, and energy, and for fallout from nuclear detonations, weapon type and yield. Weapons-grade plutonium is characterized by a low content of the 240 Pu isotope, with 240 Pu/ 239 Pu isotope ratio less than 0.05. In contrast, both global weapons fallout and spent nuclear fuel from civil reactors have higher 240 Pu/ 239 Pu isotope ratios (civil nuclear power reactors have 240 Pu/ 239 Pu atom ratios of between about 0.2-1). Thus, different sources often exhibit characteristic plutonium isotope ratios and these ratios can be used to identify the origin of contamination, calculate inventories, or follow the migration of contaminated sediments and waters. Together with activity measurements and isotope ratios, knowledge of plutonium speciation in the Ob and Yenisey rivers and processes controlling its behaviour in estuarine systems is a prerequisite for predicting the transfer and subsequent environmental impact to Arctic Seas. With this in mind, the study had two objectives: first to determine whether discharges from nuclear installations in the river catchment areas are having any influence on Pu levels in the estuaries; and, second, to investigate the transfer and mobility of plutonium in the Yenisey river and estuary. Plutonium 240/239 ratios were determined using accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS). The data indicated a clear influence from a low 240 Pu: 239 Pu source in surface sediments collected from the Yenisey Estuary, whereas plutonium in the Ob Estuary sediments are dominated by global fallout. The results also show an increase in plutonium concentration and a decrease in isotope ratio going upstream from the estuary. Sequential extractions of sediments indicate that up 70% of the Pu in the Yenisey river is easily mobilized with weak oxidizing agents, which indicates that the Pu is organically bound, while the Pu is more strongly irreversible bound further out

Rates and probable causes of freshwater tidal marsh failure, Potomac River Estuary, Northern Virginia, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Litwin, Ronald J.; Smoot, Joseph P.; Pavich, Milan J.; Markewich, Helaine Walsh; Oberg, Erik T.; Steury, Brent W.; Helwig, Ben; Santucci, Vincent L.; Sanders, Geoffrey

2013-01-01

Dyke Marsh, a distal tidal marsh along the Potomac River estuary, is diminishing rapidly in areal extent. This study documents Dyke Marsh erosion rates from the early-1860s to the present during pre-mining, mining, and post-mining phases. From the late-1930s to the mid-1970s, Dyke Marsh and the adjacent shallow riverbottom were mined for gravel, resulting in a ~55 % initial loss of area. Marsh loss continued during the post-mining phase (1976–2012). Causes of post-mining loss were unknown, but were thought to include Potomac River flooding. Post-mining areal-erosion rates increased from 0.138 ha yr−1 (~0.37 ac yr−1) to 0.516 ha yr−1(~1.67 ac yr−1), and shoreline-erosion rates increased from 0.76 m yr−1 (~2.5 ft yr−1) to 2.60 m yr−1 (~8.5 ft yr−1). Results suggest the accelerating post-mining erosion reflects a process-driven feedback loop, enabled by the marsh's severely-altered geomorphic and hydrologic baseline system; the primary post-mining degradation process is wave-induced erosion from northbound cyclonic storms. Dyke Marsh erosion rates are now comparable to, or exceed, rates for proximal coastal marshes in the same region. Persistent and accelerated erosion of marshland long after cessation of mining illustrates the long-term, and potentially devastating, effects that temporally-restricted, anthropogenic destabilization can have on estuarine marsh systems.

Automation and Its Funding in the Library Media Centers in Secondary Schools in Georgia: A Survey.

Science.gov (United States)

Baggett, Ann Utsey

This report presents the results of a study whose purpose was to determine what automation is present in the library media centers in Georgia secondary schools and how it has been funded. A three-part questionnaire was sent to the media specialists in 50% of the secondary schools in Georgia, which were randomly selected. The analysis of the…

Spatial distribution and risk assessment of heavy metals in sediments of Shuangtaizi estuary, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Li, Chen; Song, Chengwen; Yin, Yanyan; Sun, Menghan; Tao, Ping; Shao, Mihua

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Five heavy metals are analyzed in the sediments from Shuangtaizi estuary. • Particle size of the sediment effects the concentration of heavy metals. • Pb, Cu, Zn and Hg pose low ecological risks in the Shuangtaizi estuary. • Heavy metal pollution in Shuangtaizi estuary is mainly dominated by Cd. - Abstract: In order to evaluate the spatial distribution and potential ecological risk of Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Hg, the surface sediments were collected from 18 sites in the Shuangtaizi estuary. The concentrations of Pb, Cu, Zn, Cd, and Hg were analyzed by atomic absorption spectrophotometry and atomic fluorescence spectrometry after digestion. The particle sizes of the sediments were analyzed using a laser diffraction particle size analyzer. The results show that the heavy metal contents in the sediments are observed in the following order: Zn (18.25–126.75 mg/kg) > Pb (4.38–9.65 mg/kg) > Cu (1.80–17.68 mg/kg) > Cd (0.241–0.764 mg/kg) > Hg (0.007–0.021 mg/kg). In comparison with the concentrations of heavy metals in other regions, the concentrations of Pb, Cu, and Zn in the Shuangtaizi estuary are generally low, and the Cd concentrations are close to those reported in other regions. Both the potential ecological risk index and the geoaccumulation index reveal that the heavy metal pollution in Shuangtaizi estuary is mainly dominated by Cd

Geochemical behaviour of plutonium isotopes in natural media (lakes, rivers, estuaries)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jeandel, C.P.

1981-10-01

Artificial radionuclide activities ( 238 Pu, 239+240 Pu) were measured in natural environments. Their distribution and geochemical behaviour are evaluated and compared them to these of the 137 Cs. In a volcanic crater lake, influenced only by atmospheric fallout (Lac Pavin, France), sediments are enriched in 239+240 Pu, whereas 137 Cs stays in the dissolved phase. Diffusion processes and migration of radionuclides is shown to occur in sediments. Remobilization of 239+240 Pu is probable at the sediment/water interface. In the Garonne-Dordogne, Seine and Loire rivers, the 239+240 Pu activity levels in suspended matter are little influenced by the waste discharges of nuclear power plants. The element is essentially transported in the particulate fraction, more than is 137 Cs. In all the esturies studied (Gironde, Seine, Loire) 239+240 Pu concentrations in suspended matter increase between the river and the estuary. Simultaneously a removal of plutonium from the dissolved phase is observed. High plutonium concentrations are measured in the Seine estuary; they are attributed to a ''marine'' contamination: the French nuclear reprocessing plant of La Hague discharges low level radioactive liquid wastes, a part may reach the Seine estuary. There are no decrease in particulate 137 Cs concentrations between the river and the estuary of the Gironde, such as it occurs in the Loire. In this last case, the phenomenon is explained by the presence of ''young caesium'' originating in the power plant effluents and which is more exchangeable than 137 Cs of atmospheric origin. In the Seine estuary, the influence of marine contamination causes an increase of particulate and dissolved 137 Cs concentrations [fr

The Role of Tidal Marsh Restoration in Fish Management in the San Francisco Estuary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce Herbold

2014-03-01

Full Text Available   Tidal marsh restoration is an important management issue in the San Francisco Estuary (estuary. Restoration of large areas of tidal marsh is ongoing or planned in the lower estuary (up to 6,000 ha, Callaway et al. 2011. Large areas are proposed for restoration in the upper estuary under the Endangered Species Act biological opinions (3,237 ha and the Bay Delta Conservation Plan (26,305 ha. In the lower estuary, tidal marsh has proven its value to a wide array of species that live within it (Palaima 2012. In the Sacramento–San Joaquin Delta (Delta, one important function ascribed to restoration of freshwater tidal marshes is that they make large contributions to the food web of fish in open waters (BDCP 2013. The Ecosystem Restoration Program ascribed a suite of ecological functions to tidal marsh restoration, including habitat and food web benefits to native fish (CDFW 2010. This background was the basis for a symposium, Tidal Marshes and Native Fishes in the Delta: Will Restoration Make a Difference? held at the University of California, Davis, on June 10, 2013. This paper summarizes conclusions the authors drew from the symposium. 

Georgia Health - Go Local: Using Multidisciplinary Partnerships to Promote a Statewide Consumer Health Website.

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, Rita B

2011-01-01

The National Library of Medicine ended its support of the Go Local program in 2010 due to declining usage, but in many ways Georgia's project was a success. From its beginning, Georgia Health - Go Local was a model of successful collaboration among a variety of partners and institutions throughout the state. The high usage statistics for the Go Local website and the support garnered by the project exemplify the positive nature of the collaborations that made the project possible.

Autumn ichthyoplankton assemblage in the Yangtze Estuary shaped by environmental factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Hui; Xian, Weiwei; Liu, Shude

2016-01-01

This study investigated the response of the ichthyoplankton community to environmental changes in the Yangtze Estuary using canonical correspondence analysis. Ichthyoplankton community and environmental data were recorded during the autumns of 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2009. Among the ichthyoplankton, the dominant larval and juvenile families were the Engraulidae, Gobiidae and Salangidae, and the most common eggs were from Trichiurus lepturus. The ichthyoplankton was identified via canonical correspondence analysis to three assemblages: an estuary assemblage dominated by Chaeturichthys stigmatias, a coastal assemblage dominated by Engraulis japonicus and Stolephorus commersonii, and an offshore assemblage dominated by Trichiurus lepturus. Regarding environmental factors in the Yangtze Estuary, suspended matter and surface seawater salinity were the main factors influencing the distributions of the different assemblages, while sediment from the Yangtze River during the rainy season and chlorophyll a were the principle drivers of the annual variances in the distribution of ichthyoplankton assemblages. Our aims in this study were to provide detailed characterizations of the ichthyoplankton assemblage in the autumns of seven years, examine the long-term dynamics of autumn ichthyoplankton assemblages, and evaluate the influence of environmental factors on the spatial distribution and inter-annual variations of ichthyoplankton assemblages associated with the Yangtze Estuary.

Autumn ichthyoplankton assemblage in the Yangtze Estuary shaped by environmental factors

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hui Zhang

2016-04-01

Full Text Available This study investigated the response of the ichthyoplankton community to environmental changes in the Yangtze Estuary using canonical correspondence analysis. Ichthyoplankton community and environmental data were recorded during the autumns of 1998, 2000, 2002, 2003, 2004, 2007 and 2009. Among the ichthyoplankton, the dominant larval and juvenile families were the Engraulidae, Gobiidae and Salangidae, and the most common eggs were from Trichiurus lepturus. The ichthyoplankton was identified via canonical correspondence analysis to three assemblages: an estuary assemblage dominated by Chaeturichthys stigmatias, a coastal assemblage dominated by Engraulis japonicus and Stolephorus commersonii, and an offshore assemblage dominated by Trichiurus lepturus. Regarding environmental factors in the Yangtze Estuary, suspended matter and surface seawater salinity were the main factors influencing the distributions of the different assemblages, while sediment from the Yangtze River during the rainy season and chlorophyll a were the principle drivers of the annual variances in the distribution of ichthyoplankton assemblages. Our aims in this study were to provide detailed characterizations of the ichthyoplankton assemblage in the autumns of seven years, examine the long-term dynamics of autumn ichthyoplankton assemblages, and evaluate the influence of environmental factors on the spatial distribution and inter-annual variations of ichthyoplankton assemblages associated with the Yangtze Estuary.

Nitrogen biogeochemistry in the oligohaline zone of a New England estuary

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Holmes, R.M.; Peterson, B.J.; Deegan, L.A.; Hughes, J.E.; Fry, B.

2000-02-01

The authors investigated nitrogen cycling in the oligohaline zone of the Parker River estuary in northeastern Massachusetts. They introduced an isotopic tracer ({sup 15}N-NO{sub 3}{sup {minus}}) for 27 days in August 1996 to help determine how watershed-derived nitrogen moves through the upper estuary. The amount of tracer added was sufficient to enrich nitrate isotopically by {approximately}100% in the vicinity of the addition but did not influence nitrate concentration appreciably. During typical summer low-flow conditions as occurred during the addition period, essentially all riverine nitrate (including the nitrate tracer) was rapidly removed from the water column by the planktonic diatom Actinocyclus normanii. Export of tracer down-estuary was low during the isotope addition period, in part because of low river discharge. Instead, most of the nitrogen originally assimilated by A. normanii was transferred to sediments in the oligohaline zone. Nitrogen demand by phytoplankton during summer exceeded riverine supply by an order of magnitude. The additional nitrogen came mainly from the regeneration of benthic nitrogen, although some may have come from groundwater. The whole-ecosystem isotope tracer approach applied here was a powerful means of investigating the fate of watershed-derived nitrogen in the upper estuary.

Haemocytic leukemia in Prince Edward Island (PEI) soft shell clam (Mya arenaria): Spatial distribution in agriculturally impacted estuaries

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Muttray, Annette, E-mail: amuttray@rescan.com [Environment Canada, Water Science and Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, Canada L7R 4A6 (Canada); Reinisch, Carol, E-mail: creinisch@mbl.edu [Visiting Scientist Environment Canada, Water Science and Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, Canada L7R 4A6 (Canada); Miller, Jason, E-mail: j.miller@ec.gc.ca [Environment Canada, Water Science and Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, Canada L7R 4A6 (Canada); Ernst, William, E-mail: bill.ernst@ec.gc.ca [Environment Canada, Water Science and Technology Directorate, 45 Alderney Drive, Dartmouth, NS, Canada B2Y 2N6 (Canada); Gillis, Patricia, E-mail: patty.gillis@ec.gc.ca [Environment Canada, Water Science and Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, Canada L7R 4A6 (Canada); Losier, Melanie, E-mail: melanie.losier@ec.gc.ca [Environment Canada, Atlantic Laboratory for Environmental Testing, Environmental Science Centre, P.O. Box 23005 Moncton, NB, Canada E1A 6S8 (Canada); Sherry, James, E-mail: jim.sherry@ec.gc.ca [Environment Canada, Water Science and Technology Directorate, 867 Lakeshore Road, Burlington, ON, Canada L7R 4A6 (Canada)

2012-05-01

Intensive farming of potatoes in Prince Edward Island (PEI) relies on the repeated and widespread application of fertilizers and pesticides. In PEI the main potato farming areas are in close proximity and drain directly to estuaries. Runoff from high agricultural activity watersheds could impact benthic organism health in the depositional zone of downstream estuaries. The estuarine filter feeder Mya arenaria (soft-shell clam) could be particularly vulnerable to both particle-adsorbed and water soluble contaminants. M. arenaria is susceptible to haemocytic leukemia. In May 2009, we established that heavily proliferated leukemia (HPL) prevalence was generally higher in PEI estuaries located downstream of high intensity potato farming (Dunk and Wilmot estuaries) watersheds than in estuaries downstream of lower intensity areas. Using Mab-1E10 based immunocytochemistry we observed that leukemic haemocytes from the Dunk and Wilmot estuaries were 1E10 negative whereas those from the Ox/Sheep estuary (low potato farming intensity) were 1E10 positive. The expression of genes in the p53 tumour suppressor pathway enabled us to differentiate groups of leukemic and normal M. arenaria, validating our diagnoses. In October 2009, we confirmed that HPL prevalence was elevated in the Dunk and Wilmot estuaries compared to reference (Souris River). Moreover, leukemia prevalence declined with distance from the river mouths along transects through the Dunk and Wilmot estuaries. The pesticides ss-endosulfan and {alpha}-endosulfan were detected in surface sediments from the Dunk and Wilmot estuaries, but not in sediments from either the Souris River or several other lower intensity potato farming watersheds. Our study provides evidence of an association between intensity of potato farming and prevalence of clam leukemia at downstream estuaries in PEI. - Highlights: Black-Right-Pointing-Pointer We examined leukemia prevalence in PEI clams Mya arenaria. Black

ITS/CVO strategic & business plan for the state of Georgia

Science.gov (United States)

1998-05-01

This document records the State of Georgias strategic and tactical plans for employing ITS/CVO technology to improve its Commercial Vehicle Administration (CVA) functions. The process by which this plan was developed included a detailed assessment...

A study of the probable movement and mixing of contaminants in a tidal estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

DineshKumar, P.K.; Sarma, R.V.

The probable movement and mixing of contaminants within and through the Amba river estuary, a tidal estuary along the westcoast of India are studied Neutrally buoyant bipelane drogues, floats and dye were tracked at different stages of the tide...

The benthic regeneration of N and P in the Great Brak estuary ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The aim of this study was to investigate the flux of inorganic nutrients (NH4 +, TOxN [NO3 - + NO2 -], SRP) as well as total N and P across the sediment–water interface in the estuary. There have been very few studies on nutrient cycling and benthic pelagic coupling in South African estuaries. This study showed that the ...

Regional acidification trends in Florida shellfish estuaries: A 20+ year look at pH, oxygen, temperature, and salinity

Science.gov (United States)

Robbins, Lisa L.; Lisle, John T.

2018-01-01

Increasing global CO2 and local land use changes coupled with increased nutrient pollution are threatening estuaries worldwide. Local changes of estuarine chemistry have been documented, but regional associations and trends comparing multiple estuaries latitudinally have not been evaluated. Rapid climate change has impacted the annual and decadal chemical trends in estuaries, with local ecosystem processes enhancing or mitigating the responses. Here, we compare pH, dissolved oxygen, temperature, and salinity data from 10 Florida shellfish estuaries and hundreds of shellfish bed stations. Over 80,000 measurements, spanning from 1980 to 2008, taken on Atlantic Ocean and West Florida coast showed significant regional trends of consistent pH decreases in 8 out of the 10 estuaries, with an average rate of decrease on the Gulf of Mexico side estuaries of Florida of 7.3 × 10−4 pH units year−1, and average decrease on the Atlantic Coast estuaries of 5.0 × 10−4 pH units year−1. The rates are approximately 2–3.4 times slower than observed in pH decreases associated with ocean acidification in the Atlantic and Pacific. Other significant trends observed include decreasing dissolved oxygen in 9 out of the 10 estuaries, increasing salinity in 6 out of the 10, and temperature increases in 3 out of the 10 estuaries. The data provide a synoptic regional view of Florida estuary trends which reflect the complexity of changing climate and coastal ocean acidification superimposed on local conditions. These data provide context for understanding, and interpreting the past and predicting future of regional water quality health of shellfish and other organisms of commercial and ecological significance along Florida’s coasts.