The semi-enclosed tidal bay Eastern Scheldt in the Netherlands: porpoise heaven or porpoise prison?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Dam, Simone; Solé, L.; IJsseldijk, L.L.; Begeman, L.; Leopold, Mardik

2017-01-01

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), the smallest of cetaceans, need to consume quantities of prey that amount to ca. 10% of their own body mass per day. They mostly feed on small fish, with the main prey species differing geographically. The δ¹³C muscle signature of harbour porpoises sampled in

Organochlorine residues in harbour porpoises from Southwest Greenland

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Borrell, Asuncion; Aguilar, Alex; Cantos, Gemma; Lockyer, Christina; Heide-Joergensen, Mads Peter; Jensen, Jette

2004-02-01

During the 1995 hunting season, 75 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were sampled in three locations in West Greenland: Maniitsoq, Nuuk, and Paamiut. Sex, age, morphometrics, reproductive condition, and organochlorine compound (OC) levels in blubber were determined for each individual. OC levels were extremely low and, therefore considered unlikely to affect the population adversely: mean blubber concentrations, expressed on lipid weight basis were 1.98 (S.D.=1.1) mg/kg for PCBs, 2.76 (S.D.=1.66) mg/kg for tDDT and 0.21 (S.D.=0.11) mg/kg for HCB. No statistical differences were observed among individuals caught in the various locations. OC concentrations showed statistically significant positive associations with age in males but negative in females; consequently, mature females presented lower pollutant loads than their male counterparts. Juveniles did not show differences between sexes. A higher proportion of less chlorinated and more metabolizable polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) compared to tPCBs was found in calves (age<=1) than in mature females, indicating that the feeding habits of these two groups differ and that a greater transfer of less chlorinated compounds is passed from females to their pups through lactation and parturition. Harbour porpoises significantly contribute to the dietary intake of OCs by local Inuit populations. This contribution could be reduced if mature males were selectively avoided; however, current hunting procedures make this selection impracticable. - While organochlorine levels in W. Greenland harbour porpoises are low, their contribution to Inuit dietary intake should not be disregarded.

Organochlorine residues in harbour porpoises from Southwest Greenland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Borrell, Asuncion; Aguilar, Alex; Cantos, Gemma; Lockyer, Christina; Heide-Joergensen, Mads Peter; Jensen, Jette

2004-01-01

During the 1995 hunting season, 75 harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were sampled in three locations in West Greenland: Maniitsoq, Nuuk, and Paamiut. Sex, age, morphometrics, reproductive condition, and organochlorine compound (OC) levels in blubber were determined for each individual. OC levels were extremely low and, therefore considered unlikely to affect the population adversely: mean blubber concentrations, expressed on lipid weight basis were 1.98 (S.D.=1.1) mg/kg for PCBs, 2.76 (S.D.=1.66) mg/kg for tDDT and 0.21 (S.D.=0.11) mg/kg for HCB. No statistical differences were observed among individuals caught in the various locations. OC concentrations showed statistically significant positive associations with age in males but negative in females; consequently, mature females presented lower pollutant loads than their male counterparts. Juveniles did not show differences between sexes. A higher proportion of less chlorinated and more metabolizable polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) compared to tPCBs was found in calves (age<=1) than in mature females, indicating that the feeding habits of these two groups differ and that a greater transfer of less chlorinated compounds is passed from females to their pups through lactation and parturition. Harbour porpoises significantly contribute to the dietary intake of OCs by local Inuit populations. This contribution could be reduced if mature males were selectively avoided; however, current hunting procedures make this selection impracticable. - While organochlorine levels in W. Greenland harbour porpoises are low, their contribution to Inuit dietary intake should not be disregarded

Fishing for food : feeding ecology of harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena and white-beaked dolphins Lagenorhynchus albirostris in Dutch waters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, O.E.

2013-01-01

Harbour porpoises and white-beaked dolphins are the most common small cetaceans in the North Sea and Dutch coastal waters. The distribution and relative abundance of harbour porpoises and white-beaked dolphins from the Dutch coastal waters has changed significantly over the past decades. This

Environmental drivers of harbour porpoise fine‑scale movements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Beest, Floris; Teilmann, Jonas; Dietz, Rune

2018-01-01

Quantifying intraspecific variation in movement behaviour of marine predators and the underlying environmental drivers is important to inform conservation management of protected species. Here, we provide the first empirical data on fine-scale movements of free-ranging harbour porpoises (Phocoena...... of various static and dynamic environmental conditions on the movement characteristics: speed, turning angle, dive duration, dive depth, dive wiggliness (a proxy for prey chasing behaviour), and post-dive duration. Despite substantial individual differences in horizontal and vertical movement patterns, we...... found that all the tracked porpoises responded similar to variation in environmental conditions and displayed movements that indicate a higher likelihood of foraging behaviour in shallower and more saline waters. Our study contributes to the identification of important feeding areas for porpoises...

Uncovering governance mechanisms surrounding harbour porpoise conservation in the Danish Skagerrak Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Thomas Kirk; Kindt-Larsen, Lotte

2016-01-01

mainly by the economy and the varying perceptions of the bycatch issue, with great differences between government, NGO's and fishers. Interviews with fishers and fishing effort data reveal intra-sectoral conflicts pertaining to the incompatibility of active trawling and passive gillnetting in the areas......The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is the focus of a range of conservation efforts and policies, including the Habitats Directive, aimed at reducing the bycatch of non-target species in gillnet fisheries. This paper describes the governance process and analyses the governance mechanisms...

Harbour porpoises on Horns Reef - Effects of the Horns Reef wind farm. Annual status report 2003

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tougaard, J.; Carstensen, J.; Henriksen, Oluf. D.; Teilmann, J.; Rye Hansen, J.

2004-06-01

Occurrence and distribution of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in and around the off-shore wind farm on Horns Reef, Denmark, was investigated. This report describes data collected in 2003 as part of an ongoing monitoring program, covering a period before construction of the wind farm (baseline), the construction period in 2002 and one year following construction of the wind farm. Data from acoustic dataloggers (T-PODs) and visual surveys conducted from ships confirmed the presence of harbour porpoises inside the wind farm area during all periods investigated. Comparison with baseline data from 1999-2001 and with control areas outside the wind farm did not show a statistical significant change in sighting rates inside the wind farm area in the first year following construction relative to baseline. T-POD data showed a pronounced effect of the construction of the wind farm on the indicators 'encounter duration' (measure of how long porpoises remain close to the POD) and 'waiting time' (measure of time interval between porpoise encounters). Both parameters seem to indicate higher levels of porpoise activity during construction (encounter duration went up, waiting time went down) compared to baseline. A partial return to baseline levels was seen for these two indicators in 2003. (au)

Harbour porpoises on Horns Reef - Effects of the Horns Reef wind farm. Annual status report 2003

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tougaard, J.; Carstensen, J.; Henriksen, Oluf. D.; Teilmann, J. [National Environmental Research Inst., Roskilde (Denmark); Rye Hansen, J. [DDH Consulting A/S, Roskilde (Denmark)

2004-06-15

Occurrence and distribution of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in and around the off-shore wind farm on Horns Reef, Denmark, was investigated. This report describes data collected in 2003 as part of an ongoing monitoring program, covering a period before construction of the wind farm (baseline), the construction period in 2002 and one year following construction of the wind farm. Data from acoustic dataloggers (T-PODs) and visual surveys conducted from ships confirmed the presence of harbour porpoises inside the wind farm area during all periods investigated. Comparison with baseline data from 1999-2001 and with control areas outside the wind farm did not show a statistical significant change in sighting rates inside the wind farm area in the first year following construction relative to baseline. T-POD data showed a pronounced effect of the construction of the wind farm on the indicators 'encounter duration' (measure of how long porpoises remain close to the POD) and 'waiting time' (measure of time interval between porpoise encounters). Both parameters seem to indicate higher levels of porpoise activity during construction (encounter duration went up, waiting time went down) compared to baseline. A partial return to baseline levels was seen for these two indicators in 2003. (au)

Testing the effects of an acoustic harassment device on the behaviour of harbour porpoises (Phocoena Phocoena)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Diederichs, Ansgar; Brandt, Miriam J.; Hoeschle, Caroline; Betke, Klaus; Nehls, Georg

2011-07-01

Full text: The use of monopile foundations for offshore wind farm construction goes along with considerable underwater noise emissions during pile driving, which can potentially harm marine mammals in the vicinity of the sound source. In order to avoid hearing damage in porpoises and seals the use of deterring devices is mandatory during pile driving in German waters. However, so far there is too little information to judge if the deterring effect is sufficient to prevent physical damage in these marine mammals. Using a combination of visual observations and passive acoustic monitoring (C-PODs) we investigated the spatial effects of a Lofitech seal scarer on harbour porpoises. The seal scarer emits pulses at 14 kHz at a source level of about 189dB re 1 muPa, and sound measurements at various distances where carried out. Sighting rates of porpoises significantly declined within the whole 1 km observation radius. Recordings of porpoise echolocation signals by C-PODs were significantly reduced out to a distance of 7 km, with the strongest effect at the nearest PODs and a weak effect at further distances. Minimum observed approach distance during 28 hours of seal scarer activity was 700 m. A response study revealed clear avoidance reactions by porpoises out to the maximum studied distance of 2.6 km. However, in some cases no reaction was found, and occasionally porpoises were also recorded by PODs at close distances. This shows that there may be substantial variation between individuals, different motivational states or different environmental conditions. These results show that the application of seal scarers is useful for reducing the number of harbour porpoises that may suffer hearing damage caused by pile driving. However, since complete exclusion of all animals cannot be achieved, alternative mitigation measures should be considered. (Author)

Identification of high-risk areas for harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena bycatch using remote electronic monitoring and satellite telemetry data

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kindt-Larsen, Lotte; Berg, Casper Willestofte; Tougaard, J.

2016-01-01

grounds, quantify fishing effort and document harbour porpoise bycatch. Movement data from 66 harbour porpoises equipped with satellite transmitters from 1997 to 2012 were used to model population density. A simple model was constructed to investigate the relationship between the response (number...... telemetry or REM data allow for identification of areas of potential high and low bycatch risk, and better predictions are obtained when combining the 2 sources of data. The final model can thus be used as a tool to identify areas of bycatch risk...... and lower risk of porpoise bycatch. From May 2010 to April 2011, 4 commercial gillnet vessels were equipped with remote electronic monitoring (REM) systems. The REM system recorded time, GPS position and closed-circuit television (CCTV) footage of all gillnet hauls. REM data were used to identify fishing...

Beyond Parasitism: Hepatic Lesions in Stranded Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Without Trematode (Campula oblonga) Infections

NARCIS (Netherlands)

S. Hiemstra; L. Harkema (Liesbeth); L.C.M. Wiersma (Lidewij); R.I. Keesler

2015-01-01

textabstractThe liver can be an indicator of the health of an individual or of a group, which can be especially important to identify agents that can cause disease in multiple species. To better characterize hepatic lesions in stranded harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), we analyzed the livers

Organization of the sleep-related neural systems in the brain of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena).

Science.gov (United States)

Dell, Leigh-Anne; Patzke, Nina; Spocter, Muhammad A; Siegel, Jerome M; Manger, Paul R

2016-07-01

The present study provides the first systematic immunohistochemical neuroanatomical investigation of the systems involved in the control and regulation of sleep in an odontocete cetacean, the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). The odontocete cetaceans show an unusual form of mammalian sleep, with unihemispheric slow waves, suppressed REM sleep, and continuous bodily movement. All the neural elements involved in sleep regulation and control found in bihemispheric sleeping mammals were present in the harbor porpoise, with no specific nuclei being absent, and no novel nuclei being present. This qualitative similarity of nuclear organization relates to the cholinergic, noradrenergic, serotonergic, and orexinergic systems and is extended to the γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA)ergic elements involved with these nuclei. Quantitative analysis of the cholinergic and noradrenergic nuclei of the pontine region revealed that in comparison with other mammals, the numbers of pontine cholinergic (126,776) and noradrenergic (122,878) neurons are markedly higher than in other large-brained bihemispheric sleeping mammals. The diminutive telencephalic commissures (anterior commissure, corpus callosum, and hippocampal commissure) along with an enlarged posterior commissure and supernumerary pontine cholinergic and noradrenergic neurons indicate that the control of unihemispheric slow-wave sleep is likely to be a function of interpontine competition, facilitated through the posterior commissure, in response to unilateral telencephalic input related to the drive for sleep. In addition, an expanded peripheral division of the dorsal raphe nuclear complex appears likely to play a role in the suppression of REM sleep in odontocete cetaceans. Thus, the current study provides several clues to the understanding of the neural control of the unusual sleep phenomenology present in odontocete cetaceans. J. Comp. Neurol. 524:1999-2017, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals

Central nervous system disease and genital disease in harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) are associated with different herpesviruses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

C.E. van Elk; M.W.G. van de Bildt (Marco); P.R.W.A. van Run (Peter); De Jong, A. (Anton); S. Getu (Sarah); G.M.G.M. Verjans (George); A.D.M.E. Osterhaus (Albert); T. Kuiken (Thijs)

2016-01-01

textabstractHerpesvirus infection causes disease of variable severity in many species, including cetaceans. However, little is known about herpesvirus infection in harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), despite being widespread in temperate coastal waters of the Northern Hemisphere. Therefore, we

Identification and typing of Brucella spp. in stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) on the Dutch coast

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maio, Elisa; Begeman, Lineke; Bisselink, Yvette; van Tulden, Peter; Wiersma, Lidewij; Hiemstra, Sjoukje; Ruuls, Robin; Gröne, Andrea; Roest, Hendrik-Ido-Jan; Willemsen, Peter; van der Giessen, Joke

2014-01-01

The presence of Brucella (B.) spp. in harbour porpoises stranded between 2008 and 2011 along the Dutch coast was studied. A selection of 265 tissue samples from 112 animals was analysed using conventional and molecular methods. In total, 4.5% (5/112) of the animals corresponding with 2.3% (6/265)

Identification and typing of Brucella spp. in stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) on the Dutch coast.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maio, E.; Begeman, L.; Bisselink, Y.J.W.M.; Tulden, van P.W.; Wiersma, L.; Hiemstra, S.; Ruuls, R.; Gröne, A.; Roest, H.I.J.; Willemsen, P.T.J.; Giessen, van der J.

2014-01-01

The presence of Brucella (B.) spp. in harbour porpoises stranded between 2008 and 2011 along the Dutch coast was studied. A selection of 265 tissue samples from 112 animals was analysed using conventional and molecular methods. In total, 4.5% (5/112) of the animals corresponding with 2.3% (6/265)

Postglacial climate changes and rise of three ecotypes of harbour porpoises, Phocoena phocoena, in western Palearctic waters

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fontaine, Michaël C; Roland, Kathleen; Calves, Isabelle; Austerlitz, Frederic; Palstra, Friso P; Tolley, Krystal A; Ryan, Sean; Ferreira, Marisa; Jauniaux, Thierry; Llavona, Angela; Öztürk, Bayram; Öztürk, Ayaka A; Ridoux, Vincent; Rogan, Emer; Sequeira, Marina; Siebert, Ursula; Vikingsson, Gísli A; Borrell, Asunción; Michaux, Johan R; Aguilar, Alex

Despite no obvious barriers to gene flow in the marine realm, environmental variation and ecological specializations can lead to genetic differentiation in highly mobile predators. Here, we investigated the genetic structure of the harbour porpoise over the entire species distribution range in

A neurological comparative study of the harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) brain

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Walløe, Solveig; Eriksen, Nina; Dabelsteen, Torben

2010-01-01

The cetacean brain is well studied. However, few comparisons have been done with other marine mammals. In this study, we compared the harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus) and the harbor porpoise brain (Phocoena phocoena). Stereological methods were applied to compare three areas of interest...... cells, whereas the harp seal have 6.1 × 10(9) neocortical neurons and 17.5 × 10(9) neocortical glial cells. The harbor porpoise have significantly more neurons and glial cells in the auditory cortex than in the visual cortex, whereas the pattern was opposite for the harp seal. These results...... are the first to provide estimates of the number of neurons and glial cells in the neocortex of the harp seal and harbor porpoise brain and offer new data to the comparative field of mammalian brain evolution....

Gas exchange and heart rate in the harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Reed, J.Z.; Chambers, C.; Hunter, C.J.

2000-01-01

a comparatively high minute rate of gas exchange. Oxygen consumption under these experimental conditions (247 +/- 13.8 ml O-2. min(-1)) was 1.9- fold higher than predicted by standard scaling relations. These data together with an estimate of the total oxygen stores predicted an aerobic dive limit of 5.4 min......The respiratory physiology, heart rates and metabolic rates of two captive juvenile male harbour porpoises (both 28 kg) were measured using a rapid-response respiratory gas analysis system in the laboratory. Breath-hold durations in the laboratory (12 +/- 0.3 s, mean +/- SEM) were shorter than...... field observations. although a few breath-holds of over 40 s were recorded. The mean percentage time spent submerged was 89 +/- 0.4%. Relative to similarly-sized terrestrial mammals, the respiratory frequency was low (4.9 +/- 0.19 breaths min(-1)) but with high tidal volumes (1.1 +/- 0.01 l), enabling...

Reproductive Failure in UK Harbour Porpoises Phocoena phocoena: Legacy of Pollutant Exposure?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sinéad Murphy

Full Text Available Reproductive failure in mammals due to exposure to polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs can occur either through endocrine disrupting effects or via immunosuppression and increased disease risk. To investigate further, full necropsies and determination of summed 25 polychlorinated biphenyls congeners (∑PCBs lipid weight in blubber were undertaken on 329 UK-stranded female harbour porpoises (1990-2012. In sexually mature females, 25/127 (19.7% showed direct evidence of reproductive failure (foetal death, aborting, dystocia or stillbirth. A further 21/127 (16.5% had infections of the reproductive tract or tumours of reproductive tract tissues that could contribute to reproductive failure. Resting mature females (non-lactating or non-pregnant had significantly higher mean ∑PCBs (18.5 mg/kg than both lactating (7.5 mg/kg and pregnant females (6 mg/kg, though not significantly different to sexually immature females (14.0 mg/kg. Using multinomial logistic regression models ΣPCBs was found to be a significant predictor of mature female reproductive status, adjusting for the effects of confounding variables. Resting females were more likely to have a higher PCB burden. Health status (proxied by "trauma" or "infectious disease" causes of death was also a significant predictor, with lactating females (i.e. who successfully reproduced more likely to be in good health status compared to other individuals. Based on contaminant profiles (>11 mg/kg lipid, at least 29/60 (48% of resting females had not offloaded their pollutant burden via gestation and primarily lactation. Where data were available, these non-offloading females were previously gravid, which suggests foetal or newborn mortality. Furthermore, a lower pregnancy rate of 50% was estimated for "healthy" females that died of traumatic causes of death, compared to other populations. Whether or not PCBs are part of an underlying mechanism, we used individual PCB burdens to show further evidence of

Loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay-A rapid detection tool for identifying red fox (Vulpes vulpes) DNA in the carcasses of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena).

Science.gov (United States)

Heers, Teresa; van Neer, Abbo; Becker, André; Grilo, Miguel Luca; Siebert, Ursula; Abdulmawjood, Amir

2017-01-01

Carcasses of wild animals are often visited by different scavengers. However, determining which scavenger caused certain types of bite marks is particularly difficult and knowledge thereof is lacking. Therefore, a loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay (target sequence cytochrome b) was developed to detect red fox DNA in carcasses of harbour porpoises. The MSwab™ method for direct testing without prior DNA isolation was validated. As a detection device, the portable real-time fluorometer Genie® II was used, which yields rapid results and can be used in field studies without huge laboratory equipment. In addition to in vitro evaluation and validation, a stranded and scavenged harbour porpoise carcass was successfully examined for red fox DNA residues. The developed LAMP method is a valuable diagnostic tool for confirming presumable red fox bite wounds in harbour porpoises without further DNA isolation steps.

Status, ecology and life history of harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena, in Danish waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Lockyer

2003-07-01

Full Text Available A review of historical harbour porpoise catches in Danish waters, together with current distribution, are provided. Most information on distribution is derived from historical catch data with a total of about 100,000 animals taken in Little Belt alone and 40,000 from Isefjord area during the 19th century. Recent sightings surveys and tagging indicate extensive movements of animals within and between Inner Danish Waters and the Skagerrak / North Sea. Biological information is reviewed for the region, drawing on directed catches, bycatches and strandings from a databasecomprising nearly 1,900 records from 1834 through 1998. Diet, parasites, pollutants, biological parameters (age and reproduction and body condition are reported, focusing mainly on the period 1996-98 when comprehensive data were collected. In 1980s samples, gadoids were the most important prey items (found in 62% of stomachs followed by clupeoids (35%, gobiids (30%, and ammodytids (30%. Some dietary differences were observed between North Sea and Inner Danish waters. Pollutant analyses indicated a decline in sumDDT concentrations yet an increase in sumPCB and HCH levels in Danish porpoises, with comparatively higher levels here than in Baltic and Norwegian waters. Heavy metal concentrations appear higher than in Baltic porpoises. Biological parameters indicate a longevity of up to 23 years in both sexes but with fewer than 5% living beyond 12 years. Sexual maturity occurred at slightly over age 3 years in both females and males, with corresponding lengths of about 135 cm in males and 143 cm in females. The dataindicate a size range at birth of 65 - 75 cm (weight 4.5 – 6.7 kg, with a minimum of 60 cm and 3.4 kg, and a likely gestation time of 10 months. Conception most likely occurs during August, with peak births in June. Directed catches comprised adult animals whereas bycaught and stranded porpoises comprised predominantly juveniles. In data from all sources, males outnumbered

Differences in the response of a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and a harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) to an acoustic alarm

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Jennings, N.; Verboom, W.C.; Haan, D.de; Schooneman, N.M.

2006-01-01

Small cetacean bycatch in gillnet fisheries may be reduced by deterring odontocetes from nets acoustically. However, different odontocete species may respond differently to acoustic signals from alarms. Therefore, in this study a striped dolphin and a harbour porpoise were subjected simultaneously

Monitoring effects of offshore windfarms on harbour porpoises using PODs (porpoise detectors)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teilmann, J.; Damsgaard Henriksen, O. [National Environmental Res. Inst., Dept. of Arctic Enviroment, Roskilde (Denmark); Carstensen, Jacob [National Environmental Res. Lab., Dept. of Marine Ecology, Roskilde (Denmark); Skov, H. [Ornis Consult A/S, Copenhagen (Denmark)

2002-02-15

The areas designated for offshore windfarms in Denmark, are all known habitats for harbour porpoises. It is possible that some of the activities involved in erection and operation of offshore windfarms will have a negative impact on the harbour porpoises in and around the windfarms. The most significant sources of these effects are thought to be the physical presence and the noise from ships and construction work as well as temporary and even permanent loss of suitable habitats near the windfarms. The noise from existing offshore windturbines has been measured and a detection distance of 20 m was calculated in the EIA study regarding the Roedsand windfarm. In order to study possible effects from the erection and operation of windfarms on harbour porpoises a number of studies were suggested as part of the EIA background study on harbour porpoises. Among these suggestions was the use of acoustic dataloggers (PODs). The POD is recording click sounds of short duration. It is programmable and can be set to specifically record the echolocation signals that harbour porpoises uses for orientation and foraging. This method will potentially give data on harbour porpoise activity in a specific area on a diurnal and year-round basis. The construction work will take place over several months and since there is no available information on the seasonal sensitivity of porpoises to disturbance, the data necessary to detect and evaluate the effect of the windfarm would need to cover all seasons. No other method is feasible to provide data on the presence of harbour porpoises year round in a particular area. However, this method has its limitations in that only porpoises echolocating are recorded. No data exists on the seasonal, diurnal and area specific use of echolocation but since echolocation is believed to be the primary sense for porpoises we expect that porpoises used their echolocation most of the time and that it is correlated to the density of porpoises. However, the actual

Monitoring effects of offshore windfarms on harbour porpoises using PODs (porpoise detectors)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teilmann, J.; Damsgaard Henriksen, O.; Carstensen, Jacob; Skov, H.

2002-02-01

The areas designated for offshore windfarms in Denmark, are all known habitats for harbour porpoises. It is possible that some of the activities involved in erection and operation of offshore windfarms will have a negative impact on the harbour porpoises in and around the windfarms. The most significant sources of these effects are thought to be the physical presence and the noise from ships and construction work as well as temporary and even permanent loss of suitable habitats near the windfarms. The noise from existing offshore windturbines has been measured and a detection distance of 20 m was calculated in the EIA study regarding the Roedsand windfarm. In order to study possible effects from the erection and operation of windfarms on harbour porpoises a number of studies were suggested as part of the EIA background study on harbour porpoises. Among these suggestions was the use of acoustic dataloggers (PODs). The POD is recording click sounds of short duration. It is programmable and can be set to specifically record the echolocation signals that harbour porpoises uses for orientation and foraging. This method will potentially give data on harbour porpoise activity in a specific area on a diurnal and year-round basis. The construction work will take place over several months and since there is no available information on the seasonal sensitivity of porpoises to disturbance, the data necessary to detect and evaluate the effect of the windfarm would need to cover all seasons. No other method is feasible to provide data on the presence of harbour porpoises year round in a particular area. However, this method has its limitations in that only porpoises echolocating are recorded. No data exists on the seasonal, diurnal and area specific use of echolocation but since echolocation is believed to be the primary sense for porpoises we expect that porpoises used their echolocation most of the time and that it is correlated to the density of porpoises. However, the actual

Identification and typing of Brucella spp. in stranded harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) on the Dutch coast.

Science.gov (United States)

Maio, Elisa; Begeman, Lineke; Bisselink, Yvette; van Tulden, Peter; Wiersma, Lidewij; Hiemstra, Sjoukje; Ruuls, Robin; Gröne, Andrea; Roest, Hendrik-Ido-Jan; Willemsen, Peter; van der Giessen, Joke

2014-09-17

The presence of Brucella (B.) spp. in harbour porpoises stranded between 2008 and 2011 along the Dutch coast was studied. A selection of 265 tissue samples from 112 animals was analysed using conventional and molecular methods. In total, 4.5% (5/112) of the animals corresponding with 2.3% (6/265) Brucella positive tissue samples were Brucella positive by culture and these were all confirmed by real-time polymerase chain reaction (real-time PCR) based on the insertion element 711 (IS711). In addition, two more Brucella-positive tissue samples from two animals collected in 2011 were identified using real-time PCR resulting in an overall Brucella prevalence of 6.3% (7/112 animals). Brucella spp. were obtained from lungs (n=3), pulmonary lymph node (n=3) and lungworms (n=2). Multi Locus Variable Number of Tandem Repeats (VNTR) Analysis (MLVA) typing based on the MLVA-16 showed that the Brucella isolates were B. ceti. Additional in silico Multi Locus Sequence typing (MLST) after whole genome sequencing of the 6 Brucella isolates confirmed B. ceti ST 23. According to the Brucella 2010 MLVA database, the isolated Brucella strains encountered were of five genotypes, in two distinct subclusters divided in two different time periods of harbour porpoises collection. This study is the first population based analyses for Brucella spp. infections in cetaceans stranded along the Dutch coast. Copyright © 2014 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Long-term feeding ecology and habitat use in harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena from Scandinavian waters inferred from trace elements and stable isotopes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gobert Sylvie

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background We investigated the feeding ecology and habitat use of 32 harbour porpoises by-caught in 4 localities along the Scandinavian coast from the North Sea to the Barents Sea using time-integrative markers: stable isotopes (δ13C, δ15N and trace elements (Zn, Cu, Fe, Se, total Hg and Cd, in relation to habitat characteristics (bathymetry and geographic position (latitude. Results Among the trace elements analysed, only Cd, with an oceanic specific food origin, was found to be useful as an ecological tracer. All other trace elements studied were not useful, most likely because of physiological regulation and/or few specific sources in the food web. The δ13C, δ15N signatures and Cd levels were highly correlated with each other, as well as with local bathymetry and geographic position (latitude. Variation in the isotopic ratios indicated a shift in harbour porpoise's feeding habits from pelagic prey species in deep northern waters to more coastal and/or demersal prey in the relatively shallow North Sea and Skagerrak waters. This result is consistent with stomach content analyses found in the literature. This shift was associated with a northward Cd-enrichment which provides further support to the Cd 'anomaly' previously reported in polar waters and suggests that porpoises in deep northern waters include Cd-contaminated prey in their diet, such as oceanic cephalopods. Conclusion As stable isotopes and Cd provide information in the medium and the long term respectively, the spatial variation found, shows that harbour porpoises experience different ecological regimes during the year along the Scandinavian coasts, adapting their feeding habits to local oceanographic conditions, without performing extensive migration.

Long-term feeding ecology and habitat use in harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena from Scandinavian waters inferred from trace elements and stable isotopes.

Science.gov (United States)

Fontaine, Michaël C; Tolley, Krystal A; Siebert, Ursula; Gobert, Sylvie; Lepoint, Gilles; Bouquegneau, Jean-Marie; Das, Krishna

2007-01-17

We investigated the feeding ecology and habitat use of 32 harbour porpoises by-caught in 4 localities along the Scandinavian coast from the North Sea to the Barents Sea using time-integrative markers: stable isotopes (delta13C, delta15N) and trace elements (Zn, Cu, Fe, Se, total Hg and Cd), in relation to habitat characteristics (bathymetry) and geographic position (latitude). Among the trace elements analysed, only Cd, with an oceanic specific food origin, was found to be useful as an ecological tracer. All other trace elements studied were not useful, most likely because of physiological regulation and/or few specific sources in the food web. The delta13C, delta15N signatures and Cd levels were highly correlated with each other, as well as with local bathymetry and geographic position (latitude). Variation in the isotopic ratios indicated a shift in harbour porpoise's feeding habits from pelagic prey species in deep northern waters to more coastal and/or demersal prey in the relatively shallow North Sea and Skagerrak waters. This result is consistent with stomach content analyses found in the literature. This shift was associated with a northward Cd-enrichment which provides further support to the Cd 'anomaly' previously reported in polar waters and suggests that porpoises in deep northern waters include Cd-contaminated prey in their diet, such as oceanic cephalopods. As stable isotopes and Cd provide information in the medium and the long term respectively, the spatial variation found, shows that harbour porpoises experience different ecological regimes during the year along the Scandinavian coasts, adapting their feeding habits to local oceanographic conditions, without performing extensive migration.

Investigations of harbour porpoises at the planned site for wind turbines at Horns Reef. Status report. 1/1 2001 - 31/12 2001

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Skov, H. [Ornis Consult A/S, Copenhagen (Denmark); Teilmann, J.; Damsgaard Henriksen, O. [National Environmental Res. Inst., Dept. of Arctic Environment, Roskilde (Denmark); Carstensen, Jacob [National Environmental Res. Inst., Dept. of Marine Ecology, Roskilde (Denmark)

2002-07-15

An offshore wind farm is currently being established at Horns Reef. EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) studies were carried out in 2000 following the guidelines jointly drawn up by the Danish Energy Agency and the National Forest and Nature Agency. Part of the demonstration program for the Horns Reef wind farm is to assess the effect of wind farms on the environment, and one of the tasks is to monitor whether wind farms will cause measurable, temporary or permanent, changes in the local stock of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). On the basis of two-years of ship-based surveys and analyses of historic data, the impact assessment regarding harbour porpoises for the Horns Reef wind farm was finalised in February 2000. The results of the impact assessment suggested that short-term effects on harbour porpoises would take place as a result of disturbance during the construction phase caused by a large number of service boats and sound emissions from the ramming activities. The EIA estimated that the animals would disappear from the wind farm area during construction, and subsequently return to the site after construction activities have ceased. On the basis of the fact that the sound emissions from the turbines during production are more regular and at a low level and a modest disturbance from service vessels the long-term effects on the number of harbour porpoises on Horns Reef during the production phase was estimated to be relatively small, or equivalent to 25% as compared to the base line level. Following the EIA, a monitoring programme was launched to measure the level of long-term effects on harbour porpoises on Horns Reef, and base-line investigations have been carried out up to the present time, - at the onset of the construction phase. This report deals with the results of the investigations on harbour porpoises on Horns Reef during the period from January 2001 to December 2001. These investigations involve a range of new field and analysis techniques

Investigations of harbour porpoises at the planned site for wind turbines at Horns Reef. Status report. 1/1 2001 - 31/12 2001

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Skov, H.; Teilmann, J.; Damsgaard Henriksen, O.; Carstensen, Jacob

2002-07-01

An offshore wind farm is currently being established at Horns Reef. EIA (Environmental Impact Assessment) studies were carried out in 2000 following the guidelines jointly drawn up by the Danish Energy Agency and the National Forest and Nature Agency. Part of the demonstration program for the Horns Reef wind farm is to assess the effect of wind farms on the environment, and one of the tasks is to monitor whether wind farms will cause measurable, temporary or permanent, changes in the local stock of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). On the basis of two-years of ship-based surveys and analyses of historic data, the impact assessment regarding harbour porpoises for the Horns Reef wind farm was finalised in February 2000. The results of the impact assessment suggested that short-term effects on harbour porpoises would take place as a result of disturbance during the construction phase caused by a large number of service boats and sound emissions from the ramming activities. The EIA estimated that the animals would disappear from the wind farm area during construction, and subsequently return to the site after construction activities have ceased. On the basis of the fact that the sound emissions from the turbines during production are more regular and at a low level and a modest disturbance from service vessels the long-term effects on the number of harbour porpoises on Horns Reef during the production phase was estimated to be relatively small, or equivalent to 25% as compared to the base line level. Following the EIA, a monitoring programme was launched to measure the level of long-term effects on harbour porpoises on Horns Reef, and base-line investigations have been carried out up to the present time, - at the onset of the construction phase. This report deals with the results of the investigations on harbour porpoises on Horns Reef during the period from January 2001 to December 2001. These investigations involve a range of new field and analysis techniques

Fine-scale hydrodynamics influence the spatio-temporal distribution of harbour porpoises at a coastal hotspot

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, A. R.; Hosegood, P.; Wynn, R. B.; De Boer, M. N.; Butler-Cowdry, S.; Embling, C. B.

2014-11-01

The coastal Runnelstone Reef, off southwest Cornwall (UK), is characterised by complex topography and strong tidal flows and is a known high-density site for harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena); a European protected species. Using a multidisciplinary dataset including: porpoise sightings from a multi-year land-based survey, Acoustic Doppler Current Profiling (ADCP), vertical profiling of water properties and high-resolution bathymetry; we investigate how interactions between tidal flow and topography drive the fine-scale porpoise spatio-temporal distribution at the site. Porpoise sightings were distributed non-uniformly within the survey area with highest sighting density recorded in areas with steep slopes and moderate depths. Greater numbers of sightings were recorded during strong westward (ebbing) tidal flows compared to strong eastward (flooding) flows and slack water periods. ADCP and Conductivity Temperature Depth (CTD) data identified fine-scale hydrodynamic features, associated with cross-reef tidal flows in the sections of the survey area with the highest recorded densities of porpoises. We observed layered, vertically sheared flows that were susceptible to the generation of turbulence by shear instability. Additionally, the intense, oscillatory near surface currents led to hydraulically controlled flow that transitioned from subcritical to supercritical conditions; indicating that highly turbulent and energetic hydraulic jumps were generated along the eastern and western slopes of the reef. The depression and release of isopycnals in the lee of the reef during cross-reef flows revealed that the flow released lee waves during upslope currents at specific phases of the tidal cycle when the highest sighting rates were recorded. The results of this unique, fine-scale field study provide new insights into specific hydrodynamic features, produced through tidal forcing, that may be important for creating predictable foraging opportunities for porpoises at a

Harbor porpoise Phocoena phocoena strandings on the Dutch coast: No genetic structure, but evidence of inbreeding

Science.gov (United States)

van der Plas-Duivesteijn, Suzanne J.; Smit, Femmie J. L.; van Alphen, Jacques J. M.; Kraaijeveld, Ken

2015-03-01

Conservation management in the North Sea is often motivated by the population size of marine mammals, like harbor porpoises Phocoena phocoena. In the Dutch part of the North Sea, sighting and stranding data are used to estimate population sizes, but these data give little insight into genetic structuring of the population. In this study we investigated genetic structure among animals stranded at different locations and times of year. We also tested whether there is a link between stranding and necropsy data, and genetic diversity. We made use of both mitochondrial (mtDNA) and microsatellite DNA analysis of samples from dead stranded porpoises along the Dutch coast during 2007. mtDNA analysis showed 6 variable positions in the control region, defining 3 different haplotypes. mtDNA haplotypes were not randomly distributed along the Dutch coastline. However, microsatellite analysis showed that these mtDNA haplotypes did not represent separate groups on a nuclear level. Furthermore, microsatellite analysis revealed no genotypic differences between seasons, locations or genders. The results of this study indicate that the Dutch population is panmictic. In contrast, heterozygosity levels were low, indicating some level of inbreeding in this population. However, this was not corroborated by other indices of inbreeding. This research provided insight into genetic structuring of stranded porpoises in 2007, but data from multiple years should be included to be able to help estimate population sizes.

Beyond Parasitism: Hepatic Lesions in Stranded Harbor Porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) Without Trematode (Campula oblonga) Infections.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiemstra, S; Harkema, L; Wiersma, L C M; Keesler, R I

2015-11-01

The liver can be an indicator of the health of an individual or of a group, which can be especially important to identify agents that can cause disease in multiple species. To better characterize hepatic lesions in stranded harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), we analyzed the livers from 39 porpoises that stranded along the Dutch coast between December 2008 and December 2012. The animals were selected because they had either gross or histologic liver lesions with minimal autolysis and no evidence of trematode (Campula oblonga) infection. The most common finding was a chronic hepatitis (22/39, 56.4%) that was often associated with significant disease reported in another organ system (18/22, 81.8%), of which 14 had chronic systemic disease. One case of chronic hepatitis was so severe as to mimic lymphoma, which could only be differentiated with immunohistochemistry. The other common lesions were lipidosis (11/39, 28.2%) and acute hepatitis (6/39, 15.4%), often in combination with mild chronic changes. Overall, although there were no consistent trends in etiology for the hepatic lesions, lipidosis was associated with starvation (8/11, 72.7%) and acute disease, and acute hepatitis was associated with bacterial infections and sepsis (6/6, 100%). © The Author(s) 2014.

Spatial avoidance to experimental increase of intermittent and continuous sound in two captive harbour porpoises.

Science.gov (United States)

Kok, Annebelle C M; Engelberts, J Pamela; Kastelein, Ronald A; Helder-Hoek, Lean; Van de Voorde, Shirley; Visser, Fleur; Slabbekoorn, Hans

2018-02-01

The continuing rise in underwater sound levels in the oceans leads to disturbance of marine life. It is thought that one of the main impacts of sound exposure is the alteration of foraging behaviour of marine species, for example by deterring animals from a prey location, or by distracting them while they are trying to catch prey. So far, only limited knowledge is available on both mechanisms in the same species. The harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) is a relatively small marine mammal that could quickly suffer fitness consequences from a reduction of foraging success. To investigate effects of anthropogenic sound on their foraging efficiency, we tested whether experimentally elevated sound levels would deter two captive harbour porpoises from a noisy pool into a quiet pool (Experiment 1) and reduce their prey-search performance, measured as prey-search time in the noisy pool (Experiment 2). Furthermore, we tested the influence of the temporal structure and amplitude of the sound on the avoidance response of both animals. Both individuals avoided the pool with elevated sound levels, but they did not show a change in search time for prey when trying to find a fish hidden in one of three cages. The combination of temporal structure and SPL caused variable patterns. When the sound was intermittent, increased SPL caused increased avoidance times. When the sound was continuous, avoidance was equal for all SPLs above a threshold of 100 dB re 1 μPa. Hence, we found no evidence for an effect of sound exposure on search efficiency, but sounds of different temporal patterns did cause spatial avoidance with distinct dose-response patterns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in female common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from western European seas: Geographical trends, causal factors and effects on reproduction and mortality

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Pierce, G.J. [School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ (United Kingdom); Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia, Centro Oceanografico de Vigo, P.O. Box 1552, 36200, Vigo (Spain)], E-mail: g.j.pierce@abdn.ac.uk; Santos, M.B. [School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ (United Kingdom); Instituto Espanol de Oceanografia, Centro Oceanografico de Vigo, P.O. Box 1552, 36200, Vigo (Spain); Murphy, S. [AFDC, Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, University College, National University of Ireland, Enterprise Centre, North Mall, Cork (Ireland); Sea Mammal Research Unit, Gatty Marine Laboratory, University of St. Andrews, St. Andrews, Fife KY16 8LB (United Kingdom); Learmonth, J.A. [School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ (United Kingdom); Zuur, A.F. [Highland Statistics, 6 Laverock Road, Newburgh, Aberdeenshire AB41 6FN (United Kingdom); Rogan, E. [AFDC, Department of Zoology, Ecology and Plant Science, University College, National University of Ireland, Enterprise Centre, North Mall, Cork (Ireland); Bustamante, P.; Caurant, F. [Centre de Recherche sur les Ecosystemes Littoraux Anthropises, UMR 6217 CNRS-IFREMER-Universite de la Rochelle, 22 avenue Michel Crepeau, 17042 La Rochelle (France); Lahaye, V. [School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen, Tillydrone Avenue, Aberdeen AB24 2TZ (United Kingdom); Centre de Recherche sur les Ecosystemes Littoraux Anthropises, UMR 6217 CNRS-IFREMER-Universite de la Rochelle, 22 avenue Michel Crepeau, 17042 La Rochelle (France); Ridoux, V. [Centre de Recherche sur les Ecosystemes Littoraux Anthropises, UMR 6217 CNRS-IFREMER-Universite de la Rochelle, 22 avenue Michel Crepeau, 17042 La Rochelle (France); Zegers, B.N.; Mets, A. [Royal Netherlands Institute for Sea Research (NIOZ), P.O. Box 59, 1790 AB Den Burg, Texel (Netherlands)] (and others)

2008-05-15

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in blubber of female common dolphins and harbour porpoises from the Atlantic coast of Europe were frequently above the threshold at which effects on reproduction could be expected, in 40% and 47% of cases respectively. This rose to 74% for porpoises from the southern North Sea. PCB concentrations were also high in southern North Sea fish. The average pregnancy rate recorded in porpoises (42%) in the study area was lower than in the western Atlantic but that in common dolphins (25%) was similar to that of the western Atlantic population. Porpoises that died from disease or parasitic infection had higher concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) than animals dying from other causes. Few of the common dolphins sampled had died from disease or parasitic infection. POP profiles in common dolphin blubber were related to individual feeding history while those in porpoises were more strongly related to condition. - High PCB levels were recorded in porpoises and common dolphins from European coasts.

Bioaccumulation of persistent organic pollutants in female common dolphins (Delphinus delphis) and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) from western European seas: Geographical trends, causal factors and effects on reproduction and mortality

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pierce, G.J.; Santos, M.B.; Murphy, S.; Learmonth, J.A.; Zuur, A.F.; Rogan, E.; Bustamante, P.; Caurant, F.; Lahaye, V.; Ridoux, V.; Zegers, B.N.; Mets, A.

2008-01-01

Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in blubber of female common dolphins and harbour porpoises from the Atlantic coast of Europe were frequently above the threshold at which effects on reproduction could be expected, in 40% and 47% of cases respectively. This rose to 74% for porpoises from the southern North Sea. PCB concentrations were also high in southern North Sea fish. The average pregnancy rate recorded in porpoises (42%) in the study area was lower than in the western Atlantic but that in common dolphins (25%) was similar to that of the western Atlantic population. Porpoises that died from disease or parasitic infection had higher concentrations of persistent organic pollutants (POPs) than animals dying from other causes. Few of the common dolphins sampled had died from disease or parasitic infection. POP profiles in common dolphin blubber were related to individual feeding history while those in porpoises were more strongly related to condition. - High PCB levels were recorded in porpoises and common dolphins from European coasts

Marine mammal surveys in Dutch waters in 2014

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geelhoed, S.C.V.; Lagerveld, S.; Verdaat, J.P.; Scheidat, M.

2014-01-01

In July 2014 aerial surveys to estimate the abundance of Harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena on the Dutch Continental Shelf were conducted. In total, 229 sightings of 273 individual Harbour Porpoises were collected. Porpoise densities varied between 0.37-3.08 animals/km² in the (four) different

Telemetry studies in harbour porpoises - An overview of the technical and practical state of the art

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lucke, K.

2013-01-01

Information on the life functions and ecology of harbour porpoises is still scarce. Only a limited number of animals are available for research in controlled situations. Satellite tracking allows to gather information on individual movements of harbour porpoises, hence providing direct insight into

Geographical, and seasonal variation in the diet of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena in Icelandic coastal waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gísli A Víkingsson

2003-07-01

Overall capelin (Mallotus villosus comprised the predominant prey, followed by sandeel (Ammodytidae sp., then gadids, cephalopods and redfish (Sebastes marinus, while other taxa were of less importance. Differences were detected in diet composition among 5 areas around Iceland with redfish and gadids more prominent in the northern areas. Off SW Iceland there was considerable seasonal variation in the porpoise diet, where capelin appeared to be dominant in late winter and spring and sandeel in the summer through early winter. Predominance of capelin in the diet coincided with the spawning migration of capelin from northern waters along the east, south and west coasts of Iceland. Mature females appeared to have a more diverse diet than other reproductive classes. The length distributions of fish consumed by the porpoises ranged from 1 to 51 cm although most fish prey were less than 30 cm.

Echolocation by the harbour porpoise: Life in coastal waters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lee Anton Miller

2013-04-01

Full Text Available The harbour porpoise is one of the smallest and most widely spread of all toothed whales. They are found abundantly in coastal waters all around the northern hemisphere. They are among the 11 species known to use high frequency sonar of relative narrow bandwidth. Their narrow biosonar beam helps isolate echoes from prey among those from unwanted items and noise. Obtaining echoes from small objects like net mesh, net floats and small prey is facilitated by the very high peak frequency around 130 kHz with a wavelength of about 12 mm. We argue that such echolocation signals and narrow band auditory filters give the harbour porpoise a selective advantage in a coastal environment. Predation by killer whales and a minimum noise region in the ocean around 130 kHz may have provided selection pressures for using this frequency band for biosonar signals.

Monitoring growth and energy utilisation of the harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena in human care

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Lockyer

2003-07-01

The growth of the animals resembles that of wild porpoises in the region. The sudden initial weight losses suggested that the energy reserves of the animals may only be short-term. The large weight increase in the winter months with colder water, correlating with the increase in girth and blubber thickness, suggest that energy reserves and blubber fat may be important for insulation. During the two 24-hour observations, the animals spent most of their time cruising around, although slow swimming and logging at the surface increased at night. Breathing rates were lower in the early morning hours, consistent with diminished activity. Both animals’ movements were influenced by external activities at poolside.

Determining optimal pinger spacing for harbour porpoise bycatch mitigation

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Finn; Krog, Carsten; Eigaard, Ole Ritzau

2013-01-01

A trial was conducted in the Danish North Sea hake gillnet fishery in July to September 2006 to determine whether the spacing of the Aquatec AQUAmark100 pinger could be increased without reducing the effectiveness of the pinger in mitigating harbour porpoise bycatch. The trial was designed as a c...

Short-term effects of the construction of wind turbines on harbour porpoises at Horns Reef

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tougaard, J. [Hedeselskabet, Miljoe og Energi A/S, Viborg(Denmark); Carstensen, Jakob [National Environmental Res. Inst., Dept. of Marine Ecology, Roskidle (Denmark); Damsgaard Henriksen, O.; Teilmann, J. [National Environmental Res. Inst., Dept. of Arctic Biology, Roskilde (Denmark)

2003-04-15

In 2002 the Worlds largest offshore wind farm, consisting of 80 2MW wind turbines, was constructed on Horns Reef in the Danish North Sea. Ship based visual surveys and long-term deployment of acoustic dataloggers (PODs) were used to assess short term effects of construction on behaviour and abundance of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Most focus was put on mounting of steel monopile foundations for the turbines, as they were rammed into the seabed. This type of operation is known to generate very loud underwater sound levels. Combined evidence from animal densities obtained from visual surveys, behavioural observations during surveys and acoustic activity data in and outside the construction area demonstrated effects on the behaviour and abundance of animals on both short-term (hours) and long term (entire construction period) scales. Acoustic activity by the porpoises decreased dramatically on the entire Horns Reef at the onset of ramming operations and returned to higher levels a few hours after each ramming operation was completed. A reduction in abundance close to ramming operations was anticipated, as deterring devices (pingers and seal scarers) were deployed prior to each ramming operation to deter marine mammals from the area and thus protect them from exposure to the loud sound levels generated by the ramming procedure. The changes in abundance and behaviour over large distances are unlikely to be explained by the deterring sounds, which have comparably lower intensities than the ramming sounds and these effects must be attributed to the ramming. A general effect on the behaviour of animals was seen during the construction period and at distances of up to 10-15 kilometers from the construction site. Compared to observations before and after construction there was a decrease in non-directional swimming, a behaviour assumed to correlate with feeding activity. Animal density estimates indicates that there were fewer animals present on the entire Horns

Short-term effects of the construction of wind turbines on harbour porpoises at Horns Reef

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tougaard, J.; Carstensen, Jakob; Damsgaard Henriksen, O.; Teilmann, J.

2003-04-01

In 2002 the Worlds largest offshore wind farm, consisting of 80 2MW wind turbines, was constructed on Horns Reef in the Danish North Sea. Ship based visual surveys and long-term deployment of acoustic dataloggers (PODs) were used to assess short term effects of construction on behaviour and abundance of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena). Most focus was put on mounting of steel monopile foundations for the turbines, as they were rammed into the seabed. This type of operation is known to generate very loud underwater sound levels. Combined evidence from animal densities obtained from visual surveys, behavioural observations during surveys and acoustic activity data in and outside the construction area demonstrated effects on the behaviour and abundance of animals on both short-term (hours) and long term (entire construction period) scales. Acoustic activity by the porpoises decreased dramatically on the entire Horns Reef at the onset of ramming operations and returned to higher levels a few hours after each ramming operation was completed. A reduction in abundance close to ramming operations was anticipated, as deterring devices (pingers and seal scarers) were deployed prior to each ramming operation to deter marine mammals from the area and thus protect them from exposure to the loud sound levels generated by the ramming procedure. The changes in abundance and behaviour over large distances are unlikely to be explained by the deterring sounds, which have comparably lower intensities than the ramming sounds and these effects must be attributed to the ramming. A general effect on the behaviour of animals was seen during the construction period and at distances of up to 10-15 kilometers from the construction site. Compared to observations before and after construction there was a decrease in non-directional swimming, a behaviour assumed to correlate with feeding activity. Animal density estimates indicates that there were fewer animals present on the entire Horns

Differences in the response of a striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba) and a harbour popoise (Phocoena phocoena) to an acoustic alarm

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Jennings, N.; Verboom, W.C.; Haan, de D.; Schooneman, N.M.

2006-01-01

Small cetacean bycatch in gillnet fisheries may be reduced by deterring odontocetes from nets acoustically. However, different odontocete species may respond differently to acoustic signals from alarms. Therefore, in this study a striped dolphin and a harbour porpoise were subjected simultaneously

From echolocation clicks to animal density – acoustic sampling of harbour porpoises with static dataloggers

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kyhn, Line Anker; Tougaard, Jakob; Thomas, L.

2012-01-01

Monitoring abundance and population trends of small odontocetes is notoriously difficult and labour intensive. There is a need to develop alternative methods to the traditional visual line transect surveys, especially for low density areas. Here, the prospect of obtaining robust density estimates....... This provides a method suitable for monitoring in areas with densities too low for visual surveys to be practically feasible, e.g. the endangered harbour porpoise population in the Baltic....... for porpoises by passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is demonstrated by combining rigorous application of methods adapted from distance sampling to PAM. Acoustic dataloggers (T-PODs) were deployed in an area where harbour porpoises concurrently were tracked visually. Probability of detection was estimated...

Effects of the Horns Reef wind farm on harbour porpoises

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tougaard, J.; Teilmann, J.; Rye Hansen, J.

2004-09-01

Horns Reef offshore wind farm was established in 2002. It consists of 80 2 MW wind turbines, mounted on steel monopile foundations. A harbour porpoise monitoring program was set up in connection with the environmental impact assessment (EIA) of the wind farm project. This monitoring program started in 1999 with collection of baseline data and has continued though construction and operational period. The program continues through 2005. Baseline studies showed that harbour porpoises are abundant in the area, including the area where the wind farm is now located. Significant effects on behaviour and distribution of the porpoises were observed during the construction of the wind farm. Changes could be linked to pile driving operations, where monopile foundations were rammed into the seabed. This procedure produced high levels of underwater noise and mitigation procedures in the form of a ramp up procedure and deployment of acoustic alarms were employed. During the construction period very few animals were observed inside the wind farm area. Acoustic monitoring data showed a significant increase in waiting time between porpoise encounters in connection with pile driving operations, followed by a rapid return to levels normal for the construction period as a whole. However, when the entire construction period was considered as a whole, T-POD activity increased relative to baseline. Observations during operation of the wind farm in 2003 showed a return to baseline levels on most of the indicators derived from the acoustic monitoring and animals were again seen inside the wind farm area. (au)

The Cetaceans

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verwey, J.

1975-01-01

In this paper observations are summarized, dealing with the occurrence, movements and part of the life-history of the Cetaceans Tursiops truncatus (the bottlenosed dolphin) and Phocoena phocoena (the harbour porpoise or common porpoise). The observations were made in the neighbourhood

Environmental impact assessment. Investigation of marine mammals in relation to the establishment of a marine wind farm on Horns Reef

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2000-02-15

Elsamproject has decided to carry out an environmental impact assessment with the aim to investigate whether the establishment of a marine wind farm on Horns Reef may impact on breeding and non-breeding marine mammals, particularly harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena and common seal Phoca vitulina. The marine mammals of the northern part of the German Bight can be characterised by a regular occurrence of harbour porpoise and common seal throughout the year, an irregular occurrence of grey seal Halichoerus grypus and white-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris and rare occurrences of white-sided dolphin Lagenorhynchus acutus, minke whale Balaenoptera acutorostrata, sperm whale Physeter macrocephalus, long-finned pilot whale Globicephala melas and killer whale Orcinus orca. The environment impact assessment therefore focuses on the evaluation of the possible effects on harbour porpoise and common seal. The investigation constitutes the first phase of a before-after-control-impact (BACI) analysis of the occurrence of harbour porpoise before, during and after the construction of the wind farm. (au)

Respiratory properties of blood in the harbor porpoise, Phocoena phocoena

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Soegaard, Lisette B; Hansen, Marie N; van Elk, Cornelis

2012-01-01

Harbor porpoises are active divers that exchange O(2) and CO(2) with the environment during a fast single breath upon surfacing. We investigated blood O(2)-transporting properties, buffer characteristics, Cl(-) transport via the erythrocyte anion exchanger (AE1), circulating nitric oxide metaboli......Harbor porpoises are active divers that exchange O(2) and CO(2) with the environment during a fast single breath upon surfacing. We investigated blood O(2)-transporting properties, buffer characteristics, Cl(-) transport via the erythrocyte anion exchanger (AE1), circulating nitric oxide....... The true plasma non-bicarbonate buffer value was moderately higher than in terrestrial mammals and increased upon deoxygenation. Plasma bicarbonate was also relatively high, contributing to increase the overall buffer capacity. The apparent Cl(-) permeability of harbor porpoise erythrocytes was similar......, plasma nitrate and hemoglobin-mediated nitrite reduction were elevated compared with mammalian standards, suggesting that increased nitric oxide bioavailability and nitrite-derived nitric oxide could play important roles in diving physiology....

Comparison of the iPCoD and DEPONS models for modelling population consequences of noise on harbour porpoises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob; Harwood, John

Two different frameworks have been developed to assess the potential effects of noise associated with offshore renewable energy developments on harbour porpoise populations: The Interim Population Consequences of Disturbance (iPCoD) and Disturbance Effects of Noise on the Harbour Porpoise...... Population in the North Sea (DEPONS). Although both models simulate population dynamics based on the birth and survival rates of individual animals, they model survival in a different way. iPCoD uses average survival rates derived from data from North Sea animals. In the DEPONS model, survival emerges from...

Marine mammal sightings around oil and gas installations in the central North Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Delefosse, Matthieu; Rahbek, Malene Louise; Roesen, Lars

2017-01-01

288 animals were reported between May 2013 and May 2016. A total of seven marine mammal species were identified, five cetaceans: harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris), killer whale (Orcinus orca), pilot whales......Relatively little is known about the distribution and diversity of marine mammals around offshore anthropogenic structures. Wepresentresultsobtainedfromincidentalsightings ofmarinemammalsaroundoilandgasinstallationslocated200 kmoff the Danish coast. A total of 131 sightings corresponding to about...... (Globicephala spp.) and two species of pinnipeds: harbour (Phoca vitulina) and grey seals (Halichoerus grypus). The most sighted species were harbour porpoise (41%) and minke whale (31%). Relative counts and biodiversity of marine mammals observed around installations corresponded well with the expected...

The hearing threshold of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) for impulsive sounds (L)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Gransier, R.; Hoek, L.; Jong, C.A.F. de

2012-01-01

The distance at which harbor porpoises can hear underwater detonation sounds is unknown, but depends, among other factors, on the hearing threshold of the species for impulsive sounds. Therefore, the underwater hearing threshold of a young harbor porpoise for an impulsive sound, designed to mimic a

Are white-beaked dolphins Lagenorhynchus albirostris food specialst? Their diet in the southern North Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jansen, O.E.; Leopold, M.F.; Meesters, H.W.G.; Smeenk, C.

2010-01-01

The white-beaked dolphin Lagenorhynchus albirostris is the most numerous cetacean after the harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena in the North Sea, including Dutch coastal waters. In this study, the diet of 45 white-beaked dolphins stranded on the Dutch coast between 1968 and 2005 was determined by

Marine mammal surveys in Dutch waters in 2013

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Geelhoed, S.C.V.; Scheidat, M.; Bemmelen, van R.S.A.

2014-01-01

In March/April 2013 aerial surveys to estimate the abundance of Harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena on the Dutch Continental Shelf were conducted. These surveys were conducted along predetermined track lines using distance sampling methods in four areas: A “Dogger Bank”, B “Offshore”, C “Frisian

Application of a novel method for age estimation of a baleen whale and a porpoise

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Nynne H.; Garde, Eva; Heide-Jørgensen, Mads Peter

2013-01-01

Eyeballs from 121 fin whales (Balaenoptera physalus) and 83 harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were used for age estimation using the aspartic acid racemization (AAR) technique. The racemization rate (kAsp) for fin whales was established from 15 fetuses (age 0) and 15 adult whales where age...

Correlation between the seasonal distribution of harbour porpoises and their prey in the Sound, Baltic Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sveegaard, Signe; Andreasen, Heidi; Mouritsen, Kim N.

2012-01-01

herring and Atlantic cod were equally important during the low-density season. Prey availability and predictability are suggested as the main drivers for harbour porpoise distribution, and this could be caused by the formation of frontal zones in spring in the northern part of the Sound, leading to prey...

Harbour porpoises on Horns Reef - Effects of the Horns Reef wind farm. Annual status report 2004

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tougaard, J; Carstensen, J; Wisz, M S; Teilmann, J; Bech, N I [National Environmental Res. Inst., Roskilde (Denmark); Skov, H [DHI - Water and Environment, Hoersholm (Denmark); Henriksen, Oluf, D. [DDH-Consulting A/S, Roskilde (Denmark)

2005-07-15

This report describes the monitoring of harbour porpoises at Horns Reef Offshore Wind Farm, Denmark, with emphasis on data collected in 2004. Three 2-day surveys with line transect observations of porpoises were conducted in 2004 and data from acoustic data loggers (TPODs) were collected from January through July. Although new data from 2004 was included in the analysis there were no significant additions to conclusions from previous years' reports. On the contrary, the general conclusions regarding effects of construction and operation of the wind farm on porpoise abundance inside and outside the wind farm area have been weakened somewhat compared to previous reports. The specific conclusions regarding short-time effects of construction activities (especially pile drivings) has not been changed, however. Modelling of the spatial distribution of porpoises in the area demonstrated very weak correlations with static environmental variables (water depth, change in water depth and distance to 6 m depth contour). This highlights the importance of dynamic environmental variables, in particular tide and salinity, in determining the fine-scale distribution of porpoises and their prey in the area. a strong correlation between tide and porpoise abundance observed in the T-POD data on some parts of the reef (high abundance at high tide, low at low tide) supports the importance of this variable. Tide and salinity will be included in a forthcoming analysis of the entire dataset from the monitoring program. (au)

Harbour porpoises on Horns Reef - Effects of the Horns Reef wind farm. Annual status report 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tougaard, J.; Carstensen, J.; Wisz, M.S.; Teilmann, J.; Bech, N.I.; Skov, H.; Henriksen, Oluf D.

2005-01-01

This report describes the monitoring of harbour porpoises at Horns Reef Offshore Wind Farm, Denmark, with emphasis on data collected in 2004. Three 2-day surveys with line transect observations of porpoises were conducted in 2004 and data from acoustic data loggers (TPODs) were collected from January through July. Although new data from 2004 was included in the analysis there were no significant additions to conclusions from previous years' reports. On the contrary, the general conclusions regarding effects of construction and operation of the wind farm on porpoise abundance inside and outside the wind farm area have been weakened somewhat compared to previous reports. The specific conclusions regarding short-time effects of construction activities (especially pile drivings) has not been changed, however. Modelling of the spatial distribution of porpoises in the area demonstrated very weak correlations with static environmental variables (water depth, change in water depth and distance to 6 m depth contour). This highlights the importance of dynamic environmental variables, in particular tide and salinity, in determining the fine-scale distribution of porpoises and their prey in the area. a strong correlation between tide and porpoise abundance observed in the T-POD data on some parts of the reef (high abundance at high tide, low at low tide) supports the importance of this variable. Tide and salinity will be included in a forthcoming analysis of the entire dataset from the monitoring program. (au)

Harbour porpoises on Horns Reef - Effects of the Horns Reef wind farm. Annual status report 2004

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tougaard, J.; Carstensen, J.; Wisz, M.S.; Teilmann, J.; Bech, N.I. [National Environmental Res. Inst., Roskilde (Denmark); Skov, H. [DHI - Water and Environment, Hoersholm (Denmark); Henriksen, Oluf, D. [DDH-Consulting A/S, Roskilde (Denmark)

2005-07-15

This report describes the monitoring of harbour porpoises at Horns Reef Offshore Wind Farm, Denmark, with emphasis on data collected in 2004. Three 2-day surveys with line transect observations of porpoises were conducted in 2004 and data from acoustic data loggers (TPODs) were collected from January through July. Although new data from 2004 was included in the analysis there were no significant additions to conclusions from previous years' reports. On the contrary, the general conclusions regarding effects of construction and operation of the wind farm on porpoise abundance inside and outside the wind farm area have been weakened somewhat compared to previous reports. The specific conclusions regarding short-time effects of construction activities (especially pile drivings) has not been changed, however. Modelling of the spatial distribution of porpoises in the area demonstrated very weak correlations with static environmental variables (water depth, change in water depth and distance to 6 m depth contour). This highlights the importance of dynamic environmental variables, in particular tide and salinity, in determining the fine-scale distribution of porpoises and their prey in the area. a strong correlation between tide and porpoise abundance observed in the T-POD data on some parts of the reef (high abundance at high tide, low at low tide) supports the importance of this variable. Tide and salinity will be included in a forthcoming analysis of the entire dataset from the monitoring program. (au)

Geographic, seasonal, and diurnal surface behavior of harbor porpoises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Teilmann, Jonas; Christiansen, C.T.; Kjellerup, Sanne

2013-01-01

are essential information on the status and management of the species. Thirty-five free-ranging harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were tracked in the region between the Baltic and the North Sea for 25-349 d using Argos satellite transmitters. No differences were found in surface behavior between geographical...... areas or the size of the animals. Slight differences were found between the two sexes and time of day. Surface time peaked in April, where 6% was spent with the transmitter above surface and 61.5% between 0 and 2 m depth, while the minimum values occurred in February (3.4% and 42.5%, respectively......). The analyses reveal that individual variation among porpoises is the most important factor in explaining variation in surface rates. However, the large number of animals documented in the present study covering a wide range of age and sex groups justifies the use of the seasonal average surface times...

Passive acoustic monitoring of bottlenose dolphin and harbour porpoise, in Cardigan Bay, Wales, with implications for habitat use and partitioning

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Simon, Malene Juul; Nuuttila, Hanna; Reyes-Zamudio, Mercedes M

2010-01-01

Knowledge about harbour porpoise and bottlenose dolphin occurrence in Cardigan Bay Special Area of Conservation (SAC), Wales, is limited to daylight hours during summer, when conditions are suitable for traditional visual surveys. T-PODs are autonomous instruments programmed to log time-cues of s...

The influence of signal parameters on the sound source localization ability of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Haan, D.de; Verboom, W.C.

2007-01-01

It is unclear how well harbor porpoises can locate sound sources, and thus can locate acoustic alarms on gillnets. Therefore the ability of a porpoise to determine the location of a sound source was determined. The animal was trained to indicate the active one of 16 transducers in a 16-m -diam

Possible causes of a harbour porpoise mass stranding in Danish waters in 2005

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wright, Andrew J.; Maar, Marie; Mohn, Christian

2013-01-01

An unprecedented 85 harbour porpoises stranded freshly dead along approximately 100 km of Danish coastline from 7-15 April, 2005. This total is considerably above the mean weekly stranding rate for the whole of Denmark, both for any time of year, 1.23 animals/week (ranging from 0 to 20 during 2003......-2008, excluding April 2005), and specifically in April, 0.65 animals/week (0 to 4, same period). Bycatch was established as the cause of death for most of the individuals through typical indications of fisheries interactions, including net markings in the skin and around the flippers, and loss of tail flukes...

Postmortem evidence of interactions of bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) with other dolphin species in south-west England.

Science.gov (United States)

Barnett, J; Davison, N; Deaville, R; Monies, R; Loveridge, J; Tregenza, N; Jepson, P D

2009-10-10

Reports of violent interactions between bottlenose dolphins (Tursiops truncatus) and harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in the coastal waters of the UK are well documented. Examination of stranded cetaceans by the Cornwall Wildlife Trust Marine Strandings Network and the UK Cetacean Strandings Investigation Programme has indicated that seven animals, of four other species, found stranded in south-west England, had pathology consistent with bottlenose dolphin interaction, including two juvenile and two adult common dolphins (Delphinus delphis), one juvenile pilot whale (Globicephala melas), one juvenile Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus) and one adult striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba). Although recorded traumatic lesions were often not as severe as those found in harbour porpoises, it is probable that the interactions did contribute to stranding and/or death in all four of the juvenile animals examined. Furthermore, analysis of photographs taken before establishment of the Marine Strandings Network revealed rake (teeth) marks consistent with bottlenose dolphin interaction on one stranded common dolphin in 1992. A number of causes have been suggested for these interactions in harbour porpoises stranded in the UK and it is possible that any combination of these factors may also be implicated in the cases described in this report.

Bioaccumulation of 137Cs in pelagic food webs in the Norwegian and Barents Seas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heldal, Hilde Elise; Foeyn, Lars; Varskog, Per

2003-01-01

Knowledge and documentation of the levels of radioactive contamination in fish stocks important to Norwegian fisheries is of major importance to Norwegian consumers and fish export industry. In the present study, the bioaccumulation of caesium-137 ( 137 Cs) has been investigated in marine food webs in the Barents and Norwegian Seas. The contents of 137 Cs in the different organisms were generally low ( -1 wet weight), but a marked bioaccumulation was apparent: The concentration of 137 Cs was about 10-fold higher in the harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena, representing the upper level of the food web, than in the amphipod Themisto sp., representing the lower level of the food web. The Concentration Factors (CF=Bq kg -1 wet weight/Bq l -1 seawater) increased from 10±3 for a mixed sample of krill and amphipods to 165±5 for harbour porpoises

Behavioral avoidance threshold level of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) for a continuous 50 kHz pure tone (L)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Verboom, W.C.; Jennings, N.; Haan, D. de

2008-01-01

The use of ultrasonic sounds in alarms for gillnets may be advantageous, but the deterring effects of ultrasound on porpoises are not well understood. Therefore a harbor porpoise in a large floating pen was subjected to a continuous 50 kHz pure tone with a source level of 122 +/- 3dB (re 1uPa, rms).

Behavioral avoidance threshold level of a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) for a continuous 50 kHz pure tone (L)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Verboom, W.C.; Jennings, N.; Haan, de D.

2008-01-01

The use of ultrasonic sounds in alarms for gillnets may be advantageous, but the deterring effects of ultrasound on porpoises are not well understood. Therefore a harbor porpoise in a large floating pen was subjected to a continuous 50 kHz pure tone with a source level of 122±3 dB (re 1 ¿Pa, rms).

Possible causes of a harbour porpoise mass stranding in Danish waters in 2005.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew J Wright

Full Text Available An unprecedented 85 harbour porpoises stranded freshly dead along approximately 100 km of Danish coastline from 7-15 April, 2005. This total is considerably above the mean weekly stranding rate for the whole of Denmark, both for any time of year, 1.23 animals/week (ranging from 0 to 20 during 2003-2008, excluding April 2005, and specifically in April, 0.65 animals/week (0 to 4, same period. Bycatch was established as the cause of death for most of the individuals through typical indications of fisheries interactions, including net markings in the skin and around the flippers, and loss of tail flukes. Local fishermen confirmed unusually large porpoise bycatch in nets set for lumpfish (Cyclopterus lumpus and the strandings were attributed to an early lumpfish season. However, lumpfish catches for 2005 were not unusual in terms of season onset, peak or total catch, when compared to 2003-2008. Consequently, human activity was combined with environmental factors and the variation in Danish fisheries landings (determined through a principal component analysis in a two-part statistical model to assess the correlation of these factors with both the presence of fresh strandings and the numbers of strandings on the Danish west coast. The final statistical model (which was forward selected using Akaike information criterion; AIC indicated that naval presence is correlated with higher rates of porpoise strandings, particularly in combination with certain fisheries, although it is not correlated with the actual presence of strandings. Military vessels from various countries were confirmed in the area from the 7th April, en route to the largest naval exercise in Danish waters to date (Loyal Mariner 2005, 11-28 April. Although sonar usage cannot be confirmed, it is likely that ships were testing various equipment prior to the main exercise. Thus naval activity cannot be ruled out as a possible contributing factor.

Harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena in the North Atlantic: Biological parameters

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Christina Lockyer

2003-07-01

Information on age-related parameters, reproduction and growth is presented and assessed by region and/or population, of which there may be 14 throughout the North Atlantic. Among age related parameters, maximum longevity recorded is 24 years; maximal rate of population growth is probably 9.4% but in the range 5-10%; mortality is highest in year 1, and 3 years; ovulation rates fall in the range 0.64 - 0.988 corpus per year, and reproductive interval is 1.01-1.57 years; pregnancy rates are generally in the range 0.74 - 0.986 per year, meaning that not all females produce a calf every year; there is seasonal breeding/mating in the period June–August; gestation lasts 10-11 months; parturition generally occurs between mid-May to mid-July; duration of lactation is uncertain, but is probably at least 8 months; size at birth is usually in the range 65-75 cm with a maximum size of about 80 cm. Sex ratio is biased to males throughout life: 1.1-1.2 males : 1.0 females in the foetal stage, and 1.1-1.7 males : 1.0 females post-natal. Growth parameters indicate an asymptotic length and weight that varies with population, but usually falls in the range 153-163 cm and 55-65 kg for females and 141-149 cm and 46-51 kg for males. Growth models used for length and weight are typically based on von Bertalanffy and Gompertz models. Length at sexual maturity also varies with population, but is usually in the range 138-147 cm for females and 127-135 cm for males. There is no information based on vertebral epiphyseal fusion to indicate age at physical maturity. Foetal growth appears normal, but there is uncertainty about the existence of embryonic diapause. Size/age at weaning are uncertain, but size may be 8 months; however, entirely independent feeding may not occur until about 10 months.

Diet composition and food consumption rate of harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena ) in the western Baltic Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andreasen, Heidi; Ross, Stine Dalmann; Siebert, Ursula

2017-01-01

frequently consumed gobies. Here, the mass contribution by gobies was on aver-age 25%, which was as much as cod. Other species such as whiting, sprat, eelpout, and sandeels were of minor importance for both juveniles and adults. The diet compo- sition differed between years, quarters, and porpoise...

A non-invasive approach to study lifetime exposure and bioaccumulation of PCBs in protected marine mammals: PBPK modeling in harbor porpoises

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weijs, Liesbeth; Covaci, Adrian; Yang, Raymond S.H.; Das, Krishna; Blust, Ronny

2011-01-01

In the last decade, physiologically based pharmacokinetic (PBPK) models have increasingly been developed to explain the kinetics of environmental pollutants in wildlife. For marine mammals specifically, these models provide a new, non-destructive tool that enables the integration of biomonitoring activities and in vitro studies. The goals of the present study were firstly to develop PBPK models for several environmental relevant PCB congeners in harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena), a species that is sensitive to pollution because of its limited metabolic capacity for pollutant transformation. These models were tested using tissue data of porpoises from the Black Sea. Secondly, the predictive power of the models was investigated for time trends in the PCB concentrations in North Sea harbor porpoises between 1990 and 2008. Thirdly, attempts were made to assess metabolic capacities of harbor porpoises for the investigated PCBs. In general, results show that parameter values from other species (rodents, humans) are not always suitable in marine mammal models, most probably due to differences in physiology and exposure. The PCB 149 levels decrease the fastest in male harbor porpoises from the North Sea in a time period of 18 years, whereas the PCB 101 levels decrease the slowest. According to the models, metabolic breakdown of PCB 118 is probably of lesser importance compared to other elimination pathways. For PCB 101 and 149 however, the presence of their metabolites can be attributed to bioaccumulation of metabolites from the prey and to metabolic breakdown of the parent compounds in the harbor porpoises. - Highlights: → PBPK modeling was used to study the kinetics of several PCBs in a marine mammal. → Harbor porpoises are sensitive to pollution and therefore ideal model organisms. → Black Sea data were used for parameterization. → North Sea data for assessing temporal trends (1990-2008). → PBPK modeling is a non-invasive and non-destructive tool.

Observing incidental harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena bycatch by remote electronic monitoring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kindt-Larsen, Lotte; Dalskov, Jørgen; Stage, Bjarne

2012-01-01

to document bycatch of marine mammals, 6 Danish commercial gillnetters (10 to15 m in length) operating under the Danish catch quota management system were equipped with Remote Electronic Monitoring (REM) systems. The REM systems provided video footage, time and position of all net hauls and bycatches...

Interspecific variation of ontogeny and skull shape among porpoises (Phocoenidae).

Science.gov (United States)

Galatius, Anders; Berta, Annalisa; Frandsen, Marie Schou; Goodall, R Natalie P

2011-02-01

All extant members of Phocoenidae (porpoises) have been characterized as pedomorphic based on skeletal characters. To investigate the ontogenetic background for pedomorphosis and assess interspecific differences in ontogeny among phocoenids, samples of the six extant species were compared in terms of development of both epiphyseal and cranial suture fusion. Across all species, full maturity of the vertebral column was rare. Vertebral epiphyseal development did not progress so far in most Phocoena phocoena as in Phocoenoides dalli and Phocoena dioptrica. P. phocoena, Phocoena spinipinnis, Ph. dalli, and P. dioptrica, for which large series were available, were further compared in terms of ontogeny of cranial shape by three-dimensional geometric morphometrics. Ph. dalli and P. dioptrica generally showed further development of cranial sutures than the other species. Postnatal skull shape development was similar for all species studied; the majority of interspecific shape differences are present at parturition. Smaller species had a higher rate of shape development relative to growth in size than Ph. dalli and P. dioptrica, but they still showed less allometric development due to less postnatal growth. Interspecific shape differences indicate phylogenetic relationships similar to that proposed based on morphology or convergent evolution of the two pelagic species, Ph. dalli and P. dioptrica, under the scenarios suggested by recent molecular studies. A shape trend coinciding with habitat preference was detected; in species with pelagic preference the position and orientation of the foramen magnum aligned the skull with the vertebral column; the rostrum showed less ventral inclination, and the facial region was larger and more concave in lateral aspect. Copyright © 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.

Critical ratios in harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) for tonal signals between 0.315 and 150 kHz in random Gaussian white noise.

Science.gov (United States)

Kastelein, Ronald A; Wensveen, Paul J; Hoek, Lean; Au, Whitlow W L; Terhune, John M; de Jong, Christ A F

2009-09-01

A psychoacoustic behavioral technique was used to determine the critical ratios (CRs) of two harbor porpoises for tonal signals with frequencies between 0.315 and 150 kHz, in random Gaussian white noise. The masked 50% detection hearing thresholds were measured using a "go/no-go" response paradigm and an up-down staircase psychometric method. CRs were determined at one masking noise level for each test frequency and were similar in both animals. For signals between 0.315 and 4 kHz, the CRs were relatively constant at around 18 dB. Between 4 and 150 kHz the CR increased gradually from 18 to 39 dB ( approximately 3.3 dB/octave). Generally harbor porpoises can detect tonal signals in Gaussian white noise slightly better than most odontocetes tested so far. By combining the mean CRs found in the present study with the spectrum level of the background noise levels at sea, the basic audiogram, and the directivity index, the detection threshold levels of harbor porpoises for tonal signals in various sea states can be calculated.

Harbour porpoise distribution can vary at small spatiotemporal scales in energetic habitats

Science.gov (United States)

Benjamins, Steven; van Geel, Nienke; Hastie, Gordon; Elliott, Jim; Wilson, Ben

2017-07-01

Marine habitat heterogeneity underpins species distribution and can be generated through interactions between physical and biological drivers at multiple spatiotemporal scales. Passive acoustic monitoring (PAM) is used worldwide to study potential impacts of marine industrial activities on cetaceans, but understanding of animals' site use at small spatiotemporal scales (marine renewable energy development (MRED) sites was investigated by deploying dense arrays of C-POD passive acoustic detectors at a wave energy test site (the European Marine Energy Centre [Billia Croo, Orkney]) and by a minor tidal-stream site (Scarba [Inner Hebrides]). Respective arrays consisted of 7 and 11 moorings containing two C-PODs each and were deployed for up to 55 days. Minimum inter-mooring distances varied between 300-600 m. All C-POD data were analysed at a temporal resolution of whole minutes, with each minute classified as 1 or 0 on the basis of presence/absence of porpoise click trains (Porpoise-Positive Minutes/PPMs). Porpoise detection rates were analysed using Generalised Additive Models (GAMs) with Generalised Estimation Equations (GEEs). Although there were many porpoise detections (wave test site: N=3,432; tidal-stream site: N=17,366), daily detection rates varied significantly within both arrays. Within the wave site array (<1 km diameter), average daily detection rates varied from 4.3 to 14.8 PPMs/day. Within the tidal-stream array (<2 km diameter), average daily detection rates varied from 10.3 to 49.7 PPMs/day. GAM-GEE model results for individual moorings within both arrays indicated linkages between porpoise presence and small-scale heterogeneity among different environmental covariates (e.g., tidal phase, time of day). Porpoise detection rates varied considerably but with coherent patterns between moorings only several hundred metres apart and within hours. These patterns presumably have ecological relevance. These results indicate that, in energetically active and

Prey capture by harbour porpoises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Verfuss, Ursula; Miller, Lee; Pilz, Peter

their ultrasonic clicks as biosonar for orientation and detection of prey (mostly smaller pelagic and bottom dwelling fish), and for communication.  For studying wild animals, hydrophone arrays [Villadsgaard et al. J.Exp.Biol. 210 (2007)] and acoustic (time/depth) tags [Akamatsu et al. Deep Sea Research II 54...... (2007)] have been used.  For studying captive animals, arrays and video techniques [Verfuß et al. J.Exp.Biol. 208 (2005)] as well as miniature acoustic-behavioral tags [Deruiter et al. JASA 123 (2008)] have been used.  While searching for prey, harbor porpoises use clicks at long intervals (>50 ms......) that progressively decrease when closing on a landmark.  The source levels of captive animals reduce by about half for each halving of the distance to the target.  After detecting the prey, the click interval first stabilizes at about 50 ms and then becomes progressively shorter while approaching the prey...

Exploring trade-offs between fisheries and conservation of the vaquita porpoise (Phocoena sinus using an Atlantis ecosystem model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hem Nalini Morzaria-Luna

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Minimizing fishery bycatch threats might involve trade-offs between maintaining viable populations and economic benefits. Understanding these trade-offs can help managers reconcile conflicting goals. An example is a set of bycatch reduction measures for the Critically Endangered vaquita porpoise (Phocoena sinus, in the Northern Gulf of California, Mexico. The vaquita is an endemic species threatened with extinction by artisanal net bycatch within its limited range; in this area fisheries are the chief source of economic productivity. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We analyze trade-offs between conservation of the vaquita and fisheries, using an end-to-end Atlantis ecosystem model for the Northern Gulf of California. Atlantis is a spatially-explicit model intended as a strategic tool to test alternative management strategies. We simulated increasingly restrictive fisheries regulations contained in the vaquita conservation plan: implementing progressively larger spatial management areas that exclude gillnets, shrimp driftnets and introduce a fishing gear that has no vaquita bycatch. We found that only the most extensive spatial management scenarios recovered the vaquita population above the threshold necessary to downlist the species from Critically Endangered. The scenario that excludes existing net gear from the 2008 area of vaquita distribution led to moderate decrease in net present value (US$ 42 million relative to the best-performing scenario and a two-fold increase in the abundance of adult vaquita over the course of 30 years. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Extended spatial management resulted in the highest recovery of the vaquita population. The economic cost of proposed management actions was unequally divided between fishing fleets; the loss of value from finfish gillnet fisheries was never recovered. Our analysis shows that managers will have to confront difficult trade-offs between management scenarios for vaquita conservation.

Threshold received sound pressure levels of single 1-2 kHz and 6-7 kHz up-sweeps and down-sweeps causing startle responses in a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Steen, N.; Gransier, R.; Wensveen, P.J.; Jong, C.A.F. de

2012-01-01

Mid-frequency and low-frequency sonar systems produce frequency-modulated sweeps which may affect harbor porpoises. To study the effect of sweeps on behavioral responses (specifically startle responses, which we define as sudden changes in swimming speed and/or direction), a harbor porpoise in a

Multiple insights into the reproductive function of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena: An ongoing study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Geneviève Desportes

2003-07-01

Projects have concentrated on the sexual behaviour of the adult male and female (frequency, initiative, courtship behaviours and their hormonal correlates, as well as on the interaction of the juvenile with the 2 adult animals. Behavioural sexual activity is very seasonal (peaking at the end of July and August, as is the testosterone cycle (levels increasing from less than 1 ng/ml to 30 ng/ml in May and the development of the testis (peaking in July-August. Progesterone and oestrogen levels vary between less than 1 to 17 ng/ml and less than 0.1 to 1.8 ng/ml respectively, but infrequent blood sampling precluded obtaining a detailed picture of the ovarian cycle. We are attempting to measure sexual hormones in saliva and eye secretion. Successful matings have been confirmed by the presence of sperm on vaginal smears in 4 consecutive summers, but no pregnancy has occurred yet.

Effects on harbour porpoises from Roedsand 2 Off-shore Wind Farm

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teilmann, J.; Tougaard, J.; Carstensen, J.

2012-11-15

E.ON Vind Sverige has been commissioned the construction of Roedsand 2 Offshore Wind Farm comprising 90 wind turbines, south of Lolland-Falster, Denmark. The location of the wind farm is 3 km west of the existing Nysted Offshore Wind Farm with 72 turbines. In combination the two wind farms represents the largest wind farm area in the world. Porpoises were monitored by automatic acoustic dataloggers (T-PODs) according to a statistical BACI design and deployed during baseline (Sep 2008-Feb 2009) and during operation (Sep 2011-Mar 2012). These instruments were deployed at 10 stations covering a coastal stretch of 35 km from Gedser to Roedby, including the wind farm area with reference areas on both sides. In addition, background noise at four of the T-POD stations was recorded by automatic noise loggers. In order to assess the potential cumulative effect of two adjacent wind farms, similar data from the Nysted Offshore Wind Farm were also analysed. We found no overall change in echolocation activity over the entire monitoring area from baseline to operation of Roedsand 2 Offshore Wind Farm. Also, there was no significant change in the echolocation activity in Roedsand 2 Offshore Wind Farm relative to each or a combination of the three reference areas, i.e. changes from baseline to operation were similar in the impact and reference areas. Also no significant change in noise levels audible to porpoises was found. This could be due to a generally high noise level in the area, masking the turbine noise or that the noise loggers in the wind farm were deployed between the wind turbines, i.e. at distances {approx}350-450 m from the turbines. This study also shows that the echolocation activity is still significantly lower in Nysted Offshore Wind Farm since the baseline in 2001-2002, although the difference seem to gradually diminish possibly due to a habituation of the porpoises to the wind farm or better feeding posibilities. We found no cumulative effect of the two wind

Habitat preferences among three top predators inhabiting a degraded ecosystem, the Black Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alicia Sánchez-Cabanes

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This study investigated whether there is evidence of widespread niche partitioning based on environmental factors in the Black Sea and tested the hypothesis that physiographic factors may be employed as predictors. It addresses poorly researched areas with good habitat potential for the only three cetacean subspecies living in this area: the Black Sea short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis spp. ponticus, the Black Sea bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus spp. ponticus and the Black Sea harbour porpoise (Phocoena phocoena spp. relicta. Generalized additive models (GAMs were used to analyse data collected from multiple sources. In total, 745 sightings of the three species between 1998 and 2010 throughout the Black Sea were included. The analysis found depth and sea surface temperature to be the most important variables for separating the occurrence of the three species. Common dolphins occurred mainly in deep waters and in areas where the sea surface temperature was low, bottlenose dolphins were distributed primarily in shallower and warmer waters than common dolphins, and harbour porpoises were distributed in shallower waters with lower sea surface temperature than bottlenose dolphins. This study suggests strong niche segregation among the three cetacean species. The study is also the first contribution to the basic information of cetacean species distribution and habitat preferences in the Black Sea as a whole. Knowledge of the distribution of the three dolphin species in the study area is essential to establish conservation measures for these populations.

Disturbance of harbour porpoises during construction of the first seven offshore wind farms in Germany

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brandt, Miriam; Dragon, Anne-Cécile; Diederichs, Ansgar

2018-01-01

found during the hours of piling. The application of first generation NMS thus reduced the effect range of pile driving and led to a lower decline of porpoise detections over all distances. However, NMS were still under development and did not always work with equal efficiency. As NMS have further...... % during piling without NMS, but only 17 % when NMS were applied. Within the vicinity (up to about 2 km) of the construction site, porpoise detections declined several hours before the start of piling and were reduced for about 1-2 days after piling, while at the maximum effect distance avoidance was only...

Time-varying auditory gain control in response to double-pulse stimuli in harbour porpoises is not mediated by a stapedial reflex

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asger Emil Munch Schrøder

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Echolocating animals reduce their output level and hearing sensitivity with decreasing echo delays, presumably to stabilize the perceived echo intensity during target approaches. In bats, this variation in hearing sensitivity is formed by a call-induced stapedial reflex that tapers off over time after the call. Here, we test the hypothesis that a similar mechanism exists in toothed whales by subjecting a trained harbour porpoise to a series of double sound pulses varying in delay and frequency, while measuring the magnitudes of the evoked auditory brainstem responses (ABRs. We find that the recovery of the ABR to the second pulse is frequency dependent, and that a stapedial reflex therefore cannot account for the reduced hearing sensitivity at short pulse delays. We propose that toothed whale auditory time-varying gain control during echolocation is not enabled by the middle ear as in bats, but rather by frequency-dependent mechanisms such as forward masking and perhaps higher-order control of efferent feedback to the outer hair cells.

Anisakis spp. induced granulomatous dermatitis in a harbour porpoise Phocoena phocoena and a bottlenose dolphin Tursiops truncatus

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Beurden, Steven J; IJsseldijk, Lonneke L; Cremers, Herman J W M; Gröne, Andrea; Verheije, M Hélène; Begeman, Lineke

2015-01-01

Cetaceans are well known definitive hosts of parasitic nematodes of the genus Anisakis (Nematoda: Anisakidae). Anisakid nematodes are also a health hazard for humans, potentially causing gastrointestinal infections or allergic reactions following the consumption of infected fish. In marine mammals,

Ultra-high foraging rates of harbour porpoises make them vulnerable to anthropogenic disturbance

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wisniewska, Danuta; Johnson, Mark; Teilmann, Jonas

2016-01-01

The question of how individuals acquire and allocate resources to maximize fitness is central in evolutionary ecology. Basic information on prey selection, search effort and capture rates are critical for understanding a predator's role in its ecosystem and for predicting its response to natural...... success rate of >90%. Porpoises therefore target fish that are smaller than those of commercial interest, but must forage almost continually to meet their metabolic demands with such small prey, leaving little margin for compensation. Thus, for these "aquatic shrews", even a moderate level...

Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis neurona strains from opossums (Didelphis virginiana) and intermediate hosts from Central California

OpenAIRE

Rejmanek, Daniel; Miller, Melissa A.; Grigg, Michael E.; Crosbie, Paul R.; Conrad, Patricia A.

2010-01-01

Sarcocystis neurona is a significant cause of neurological disease in horses and other animals, including the threatened Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). Opossums (Didelphis virginiana), the only known definitive hosts for S. neurona in North America, are an introduced species in California. S. neurona DNA isolated from sporocysts and/or infected tissues of 10 opossums, 6 horses, 1 cat, 23 Southern sea otters, and 1 harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) with natural infections was an...

Fine-scale movement responses of free-ranging harbour porpoises to capture, tagging and short-term noise pulses from a single airgun

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Beest, Floris; Teilmann, Jonas; Hermannsen, Line

2018-01-01

, with natural behaviour resumed in less than or equal to 24 h. When we exposed porpoises to airgun pulses at ranges of 420–690 m with noise level estimates of 135–147 dB re 1 µPa2s (sound exposure level), one individual displayed rapid and directed movements away from the exposure site and two individuals used...... them to a single 10 inch3 underwater airgun producing high-intensity noise pulses (2–3 s intervals) for 1 min. All five porpoises responded to capture and tagging with longer, faster and more directed movements as well as with shorter, shallower, less wiggly dives immediately after release...... to the noise exposure. Changes in natural behaviour following anthropogenic disturbances may reduce feeding opportunities, and evaluating potential population-level consequences should be a priority research area....

PFAS profiles in three North Sea top predators: metabolic differences among species?

Science.gov (United States)

Galatius, Anders; Bossi, Rossana; Sonne, Christian; Rigét, Frank Farsø; Kinze, Carl Christian; Lockyer, Christina; Teilmann, Jonas; Dietz, Rune

2013-11-01

Profiles of seven compounds of perfluoro-alkyl substances (PFASs) were compared among three species of top predators from the Danish North Sea: the white-beaked dolphin (Lagenorhynchus albirostris), the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), and the harbor seal (Phoca vitulina). The seals had higher total burdens (757.8 ng g(-1) ww) than the dolphins (439.9 ng g(-1) ww) and the porpoises (355.8 ng g(-1) ww), probably a reflection of feeding closer to the shore and thus contamination sources. The most striking difference among the species was the relative contribution of perfluorooctanesulfonamide (PFOSA) to the profiles; the seals (0.1%) had much lower levels than porpoises (8.3%) and dolphins (26.0%). In combination with the values obtained from the literature, this result indicates that Carnivora species including Pinnipedia have a much higher capacity of transforming PFOSA to perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) than cetacean species. Another notable difference among the species was that the two smaller species (seals and porpoises) with supposedly higher metabolic rates had lower concentrations of the perfluorinated carboxylic acids, which are generally more easily excreted than perfluorinated sulfonamides. Species-specific characteristics should be recognized when PFAS contamination in marine mammals is investigated, for example, several previous studies of PFASs in cetaceans have not quantified PFOSA.

The influence of acoustic emissions for underwater data transmission on the behaviour of harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) in a floating pen

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kastelein, R.A.; Verboom, W.C.; Muijsers, M.; Jennings, N.V.; Heul, S. van der

2005-01-01

To prevent grounding of ships and collisions between ships in shallow coastal waters, an underwater data collection and communication network is currently under development: Acoustic Communication network for Monitoring of underwater Environment in coastal areas (ACME). Marine mammals might be

Radionuclides in seals and porpoises in the coastal waters around the UK

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Watson, W.S.; Sumner, D.J.; Baker, J.R.; Kennedy, S.; Reid, R.; Robinson, I.

1999-01-01

It has been suggested that marine predators be assessed for biologically relevant contamination levels because of their trophic position. Accordingly, in studying radioactive contamination in the marine environment around the UK, tissues from seals and porpoises have been chosen. Liver and muscle tissue from dead seals and porpoises found stranded around the UK coast have been analysed for the following radionuclides: 134Cs, 137Cs, 238Pu, 239Pu+ 240 Pu. Multifactor analysis of variance indicated that, for radiocaesium, there was no significant difference for harbour seals, grey seals or porpoises in terms of species or gender; however, the tissue activity concentration increased with body weight and decreased with distance from Sellafield, the major nuclear reprocessing plant in the UK. The levels of radiocaesium in muscle were higher than those in liver, while there appeared to be a concentration factor of approximately 3-4 for muscle radiocaesium when compared to radiocaesium levels reported for fish, the main food source of the marine mammals under study. Approximate radiation dose calculations indicated that the average dose from radiocaesium was less than 10% of the dose from the naturally occurring radioisotope of potassium, 40K. The highest tissue activity concentration for plutonium of 0.037 Bq/kg (239Pu+ 240 Pu) was detected in a grey seal stranded at Rathlin Island in Northern Ireland. Calculation of approximate radiation doses from plutonium contamination showed that, as with radiocaesium, the average dose was small compared with that from 40K. In summary, the radiocaesium contamination in seals and porpoises decreased with distance from Sellafield indicating that the BNF plc processing plant was the major source of the contamination. The marine mammals concentrated radiocaesium from their environment by a factor of 300 relative to the concentration in seawater indicating the value of using marine mammal tissue to measure radiocaesium contamination in

Seasonal distribution of Dall's porpoise in Prince William Sound, Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Moran, John R.; O'Dell, Matthew B.; Arimitsu, Mayumi L.; Straley, Janice M.; Dickson, Danielle M. S.

2018-01-01

Dall's porpoise, Phocoenoides dalli, are a conspicuous predator in the Prince William Sound ecosystem, yet there has been little effort directed towards monitoring this species since the 1980s, prior to the Exxon Valdez oil spill. We used vessel-based surveys to examine the seasonal distribution of Dall's porpoise in the waters of Prince William Sound during eight years from 2007 to 2015. Over the course of 168 days and 15,653 km of survey effort, 921 Dall's porpoise were encountered in 210 groups. We estimate an encounter rate of 0.061 porpoise/km traveled or 1 porpoise encountered for every 16.5 km traveled. Dall's porpoise were found throughout the year in Prince William Sound, and used a wide range of habitats, including those not considered typical of the species, such as bays, shallow water, and nearshore waters. Dall's porpoise seasonally shifted their center of distribution from the western passages in fall to the bays of the eastern Sound in winter and spring. Dall's porpoises were widely dispersed throughout the Sound in summer. We identified potential Dall's porpoise habitat (depth, slope, and distance from shore) within Prince William Sound using generalized additive models (GAM). Dall's porpoise were found in deeper water during summer and in shallowest water during spring. We propose that their use of novel habitats is a function of reduced predation risk associated with the decline of their main predator, killer whales (Orcinus orca), following the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and the presence of overwintering and spawning Pacific herring (Clupea pallasii). While the size of the Dall's porpoise population within Prince William Sound remains unknown, our encounter rates were lower than those reported in the 1970s. Their high metabolic rate and ubiquitous presence makes them one of the more important, yet understudied, forage fish predators in the region.

Molecular characterization of poxviruses associated with tattoo skin lesions in UK cetaceans.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Barbara A Blacklaws

Full Text Available There is increasing concern for the well-being of cetacean populations around the UK. Tattoo skin disease (characterised by irregular, grey, black or yellowish, stippled cutaneous lesions caused by poxvirus infection is a potential health indicatora potential health indicator for cetaceans. Limited sequence data indicates that cetacean poxviruses (CPVs belong to an unassigned genus of the Chordopoxvirinae. To obtain further insight into the phylogenetic relationships between CPV and other Chordopoxvirinae members we partially characterized viral DNA originating from tattoo lesions collected in Delphinidae and Phocoenidae stranded along the UK coastline in 1998-2008. We also evaluated the presence of CPV in skin lesions other than tattoos to examine specificity and sensitivity of visual diagnosis. After DNA extraction, regions of the DNA polymerase and DNA topoisomerase I genes were amplified by PCR, sequenced and compared with other isolates. The presence of CPV DNA was demonstrated in tattoos from one striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba, eight harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena and one short-beaked common dolphin (Delphinus delphis and in one 'dubious tattoo' lesion detected in one other porpoise. Seventeen of the 18 PCR positive skin lesions had been visually identified as tattoos and one as a dubious tattoo. None of the other skin lesions were PCR positive. Thus, visual identification had a 94.4% sensitivity and 100% specificity. The DNA polymerase PCR was most effective in detecting CPV DNA. Limited sequence phylogeny grouped the UK samples within the odontocete poxviruses (CPV group 1 and indicated that two different poxvirus lineages infect the Phocoenidae and the Delphinidae. The phylogenetic tree had three major branches: one with the UK Phocoenidae viruses, one with the Delphinidae isolates and one for the mysticete poxvirus (CPV group 2. This implies a radiation of poxviruses according to the host suborder and the families within

Genome Sequence of the Freshwater Yangtze Finless Porpoise.

Science.gov (United States)

Yuan, Yuan; Zhang, Peijun; Wang, Kun; Liu, Mingzhong; Li, Jing; Zheng, Jingsong; Wang, Ding; Xu, Wenjie; Lin, Mingli; Dong, Lijun; Zhu, Chenglong; Qiu, Qiang; Li, Songhai

2018-04-16

The Yangtze finless porpoise ( Neophocaena asiaeorientalis ssp. asiaeorientalis ) is a subspecies of the narrow-ridged finless porpoise ( N. asiaeorientalis ). In total, 714.28 gigabases (Gb) of raw reads were generated by whole-genome sequencing of the Yangtze finless porpoise, using an Illumina HiSeq 2000 platform. After filtering the low-quality and duplicated reads, we assembled a draft genome of 2.22 Gb, with contig N50 and scaffold N50 values of 46.69 kilobases (kb) and 1.71 megabases (Mb), respectively. We identified 887.63 Mb of repetitive sequences and predicted 18,479 protein-coding genes in the assembled genome. The phylogenetic tree showed a relationship between the Yangtze finless porpoise and the Yangtze River dolphin, which diverged approximately 20.84 million years ago. In comparisons with the genomes of 10 other mammals, we detected 44 species-specific gene families, 164 expanded gene families, and 313 positively selected genes in the Yangtze finless porpoise genome. The assembled genome sequence and underlying sequence data are available at the National Center for Biotechnology Information under BioProject accession number PRJNA433603.

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Heldal, Hilde Elise

2001-01-01

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

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heldal, Hilde Elise

2001-07-01

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

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

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Heldal, Hilde Elise

2001-07-01

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

Fatal Asphyxiation in Two Long-Finned Pilot Whales (Globicephala melas Caused by Common Soles (Solea solea.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lonneke L IJsseldijk

Full Text Available Long-finned pilot whales (Globicephala melas are rare visitors to the southern North Sea, but recently two individual strandings occurred on the Dutch coast. Both animals shared the same, unusual cause of death: asphyxiation from a common sole (Solea solea stuck in their nasal cavity. This is a rare cause of death in cetaceans. Whilst asphyxiation has been reported in smaller odontocetes, there are no recent records of this occurring in Globicephala species. Here we report the stranding, necropsy and diet study results as well as discuss the unusual nature of this phenomenon. Flatfish are not a primary prey species for pilot whales and are rarely eaten by other cetaceans, such as harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena, in which there are several reports of asphyxiation due to airway obstruction by soles. This risk may be due to the fish's flexible bodies which can enter small cavities either actively in an attempt to escape or passively due to the whale 'coughing' or 'sneezing' to rid itself of the blockage of the trachea. It is also possible that the fish enter the airways whilst the whale is re-articulating the larynx after trying to ingest large, oddly shaped prey. It is unlikely that the soles entered the airways after the death of the whales and we believe therefore that they are responsible for the death of these animals.

Behavioral laterality in Yangtze finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis).

Science.gov (United States)

Platto, Sara; Zhang, C; Pine, Matthew K; Feng, W K; Yang, L G; Irwin, A; Wang, D

2017-07-01

The Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) is a critically endangered species with less than 1000 individuals expected to be left in the wild. While many studies have been conducted on laterality among several cetacean species, no studies investigating the Yangtze finless porpoise have been conducted. Using event sampling methods, several behaviors such as flipper-body touching, object touching, barrel-rolls, side swimming, and swimming direction were recorded from six captive porpoises (three males and three females). Analyses of 360 observations recorded over two months revealed that, at group level, porpoises showed laterality in swimming behaviors. Porpoises swam preferentially with their right pectoral fin upward and their left pectoral fin downward with a clockwise swimming direction and also displayed a consistent bias for a counterclockwise barrel-roll direction. No significant differences were reported for flipper use either during the interaction with conspecifics or with objects. The results from the current study provide novel insight into the cerebral asymmetry in a species previously ignored within the literature, thus improving our understanding on the extent of laterality in cetaceans and on the evolutionary history of hemispheric laterality for vertebrates in general. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Marine Mammal Brucella Reference Strains Are Attenuated in a BALB/c Mouse Model.

Science.gov (United States)

Nymo, Ingebjørg H; Arias, Maykel A; Pardo, Julián; Álvarez, María Pilar; Alcaraz, Ana; Godfroid, Jacques; Jiménez de Bagüés, María Pilar

2016-01-01

Brucellosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution with numerous animal host species. Since the novel isolation of Brucella spp. from marine mammals in 1994 the bacteria have been isolated from various marine mammal hosts. The marine mammal reference strains Brucella pinnipedialis 12890 (harbour seal, Phoca vitulina) and Brucella ceti 12891 (harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena) were included in genus Brucella in 2007, however, their pathogenicity in the mouse model is pending. Herein this is evaluated in BALB/c mice with Brucella suis 1330 as a control. Both marine mammal strains were attenuated, however, B. ceti was present at higher levels than B. pinnipedialis in blood, spleen and liver throughout the infection, in addition B. suis and B. ceti were isolated from brains and faeces at times with high levels of bacteraemia. In B. suis-infected mice serum cytokines peaked at day 7. In B. pinnipedialis-infected mice, levels were similar, but peaked predominantly at day 3 and an earlier peak in spleen weight likewise implied an earlier response. The inflammatory response induced pathology in the spleen and liver. In B. ceti-infected mice, most serum cytokine levels were comparable to those in uninfected mice, consistent with a limited inflammatory response, which also was indicated by restricted spleen and liver pathology. Specific immune responses against all three strains were detected in vitro after stimulation of splenocytes from infected mice with the homologous heat-killed brucellae. Antibody responses in vivo were also induced by the three brucellae. The immunological pattern of B. ceti in combination with persistence in organs and limited pathology has heretofore not been described for other brucellae. These two marine mammal wildtype strains show an attenuated pattern in BALB/c mice only previously described for Brucella neotomea.

Marine Mammal Brucella Reference Strains Are Attenuated in a BALB/c Mouse Model.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ingebjørg H Nymo

Full Text Available Brucellosis is a zoonosis of worldwide distribution with numerous animal host species. Since the novel isolation of Brucella spp. from marine mammals in 1994 the bacteria have been isolated from various marine mammal hosts. The marine mammal reference strains Brucella pinnipedialis 12890 (harbour seal, Phoca vitulina and Brucella ceti 12891 (harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena were included in genus Brucella in 2007, however, their pathogenicity in the mouse model is pending. Herein this is evaluated in BALB/c mice with Brucella suis 1330 as a control. Both marine mammal strains were attenuated, however, B. ceti was present at higher levels than B. pinnipedialis in blood, spleen and liver throughout the infection, in addition B. suis and B. ceti were isolated from brains and faeces at times with high levels of bacteraemia. In B. suis-infected mice serum cytokines peaked at day 7. In B. pinnipedialis-infected mice, levels were similar, but peaked predominantly at day 3 and an earlier peak in spleen weight likewise implied an earlier response. The inflammatory response induced pathology in the spleen and liver. In B. ceti-infected mice, most serum cytokine levels were comparable to those in uninfected mice, consistent with a limited inflammatory response, which also was indicated by restricted spleen and liver pathology. Specific immune responses against all three strains were detected in vitro after stimulation of splenocytes from infected mice with the homologous heat-killed brucellae. Antibody responses in vivo were also induced by the three brucellae. The immunological pattern of B. ceti in combination with persistence in organs and limited pathology has heretofore not been described for other brucellae. These two marine mammal wildtype strains show an attenuated pattern in BALB/c mice only previously described for Brucella neotomea.

Temporal patterns in habitat use by small cetaceans at an oceanographically dynamic marine renewable energy test site in the Celtic Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Cox, S. L.; Witt, M. J.; Embling, C. B.; Godley, B. J.; Hosegood, P. J.; Miller, P. I.; Votier, S. C.; Ingram, S. N.

2017-07-01

Shelf-seas are highly dynamic and oceanographically complex environments, which likely influences the spatio-temporal distributions of marine megafauna such as marine mammals. As such, understanding natural patterns in habitat use by these animals is essential when attempting to ascertain and assess the impacts of anthropogenically induced disturbances, such as those associated with marine renewable energy installations (MREIs). This study uses a five year (2009-2013) passive acoustics (C-POD) dataset to examine the use of an oceanographically dynamic marine renewable energy test site by small cetaceans, dolphins (unspecified delphinids) and harbour porpoises Phocoena phocoena, in the southern Celtic Sea. To examine how temporal patterns in habitat use across the site related to oceanographic changes occurring over broad seasonal scales as well as those driven by fine scale (bi-weekly) localised processes (that may be masked by seasonal trends), separate analyses were conducted using (1) all daily animal detection rates spanning the entire five year dataset and (2) daily animal detection rates taken only during the summer months (defined as mid-June to mid-October) of 2010 (when continuous monitoring was carried out at multiple discrete locations across the site). In both instances, generalised additive mixed effects models (GAMMs) were used to link detection rates to a suite of environmental variables representative of the oceanography of the region. We show that increased harbour porpoise detection rates in the late winter/early spring (January-March) are associated with low sea surface temperatures (SST), whilst peaks in dolphin detection rates in the summer (July-September) coincide with increased SSTs and the presence of a tidal-mixing front. Moreover, across the summer months of 2010, dolphin detection rates were found to respond to small scale changes in SST and position in the spring-neap cycle, possibly reflective of a preference for the stratified waters

Evolutionary history of the porpoise family (Phocoenidae) : A perspective from mitogenomes

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ben Chehida, Yacine; Aguilar, A. A.; Borrell, A.; Ferreira, M.; Taylor, B.L.; Rojas-Bracho, L.; Robertson, K.; Thumloup, Julie; Schumacher, C.; Vikingsson, G.A.; Morin, Phillip A.; Fontaine, Michael Christophe

2017-01-01

The six species of porpoises inhabit the cold waters of the globe, displaying a textbook example of anti-tropical distribution in marine mammals. Nevertheless, the evolutionary history of the porpoises still remained poorly understood, but this knowledge is crucial to illuminate the conservation

Responses of two marine top predators to an offshore wind farm.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallejo, Gillian C; Grellier, Kate; Nelson, Emily J; McGregor, Ross M; Canning, Sarah J; Caryl, Fiona M; McLean, Nancy

2017-11-01

Quantifying the likely effects of offshore wind farms on wildlife is fundamental before permission for development can be granted by any Determining Authority. The effects on marine top predators from displacement from important habitat are key concerns during offshore wind farm construction and operation. In this respect, we present evidence for no significant displacement from a UK offshore wind farm for two broadly distributed species of conservation concern: common guillemot ( Uria aalge ) and harbor porpoise ( Phocoena phocoena ). Data were collected during boat-based line transect surveys across a 360 km 2 study area that included the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm. Surveys were conducted over 10 years across the preconstruction, construction, and operational phases of the development. Changes in guillemot and harbor porpoise abundance and distribution in response to offshore wind farm construction and operation were estimated using generalized mixed models to test for evidence of displacement. Both common guillemot and harbor porpoise were present across the Robin Rigg study area throughout all three development phases. There was a significant reduction in relative harbor porpoise abundance both within and surrounding the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm during construction, but no significant difference was detected between the preconstruction and operational phases. Relative common guillemot abundance remained similar within the Robin Rigg offshore wind farm across all development phases. Offshore wind farms have the potential to negatively affect wildlife, but further evidence regarding the magnitude of effect is needed. The empirical data presented here for two marine top predators provide a valuable addition to the evidence base, allowing future decision making to be improved by reducing the uncertainty of displacement effects and increasing the accuracy of impact assessments.

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

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

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

2012-01-01

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

Harbor porpoise clicks do not have conditionally minimum time bandwidth product

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Beedholm, Kristian

2008-01-01

The hypothesis that odontocete clicks have minimal time frequency product given their delay and center frequency values is tested by using an in-phase averaged porpoise click compared with a pure tone weighted with the same envelope. These signals have the same delay and the same center frequency...... values but the time bandwidth product of the artificial click is only 0.76 that of the original. Therefore signals with the same parameters exist that have a lower time bandwidth product. The observation that porpoise clicks are in fact minimum phase is confirmed for porpoise clicks and this property...... is argued to be incompatible with optimal reception, if auditory filters are also minimum phase....

Effects of fish community on occurrences of Yangtze finless porpoise in confluence of the Yangtze and Wanhe Rivers.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiaoke; Yu, Daoping; Wang, Huili; Wan, An; Chen, Minmin; Tao, Feng; Song, Zunrong

2015-06-01

The Yangtze finless porpoise is a subspecies of narrow-ridged finless porpoise endemic to the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River and the adjoining Poyang and Dongting Lakes. With the depletion of fish stocks in the Yangtze River in recent decades, food availability has become the most important factor affecting the survival of this subspecies. Despite this, the relationships between fish community and occurrences of porpoise are far from being fully understood. Therefore, during September 2013 to August 2014, the occurrences of porpoise were investigated in confluence of the Yangtze and Wanhe Rivers; fish community was also surveyed synchronously in confluence and two adjacent transects. The results showed that (1) the confluence had maximum fish species richness, and the main dominant species was upper fish, while the other two transects were mainly dominated by demersal fish. ANOVA analyses showed that individual number and yield of upper fish which can be eaten by porpoise (upper edible fish) in the confluence were significantly higher than other two transects. (2) Average group size of the porpoise was 3.7 ± 1.8 individuals. The occurrences of porpoise in different seasons had great differences, and the porpoise was more likely to be detected in autumn and winter. (3) Fish community had significant effects on occurrences of porpoise, and the main influencing factors were fish species richness, individual number, and yield of edible fish, especially the upper edible fish. The results of this study will have important implications for the conservation of porpoise.

Four odontocete species change hearing levels when warned of impending loud sound.

Science.gov (United States)

Nachtigall, Paul E; Supin, Alexander Ya; Pacini, Aude F; Kastelein, Ronald A

2018-03-01

Hearing sensitivity change was investigated when a warning sound preceded a loud sound in the false killer whale (Pseudorca crassidens), the bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), the beluga whale (Delphinaperus leucas) and the harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). Hearing sensitivity was measured using pip-train test stimuli and auditory evoked potential recording. When the test/warning stimuli preceded a loud sound, hearing thresholds before the loud sound increased relative to the baseline by 13 to 17 dB. Experiments with multiple frequencies of exposure and shift provided evidence of different amounts of hearing change depending on frequency, indicating that the hearing sensation level changes were not likely due to a simple stapedial reflex. © 2017 International Society of Zoological Sciences, Institute of Zoology/Chinese Academy of Sciences and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.

Defining management units for cetaceans by combining genetics, morphology, acoustics and satellite tracking

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Signe Sveegaard

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Managing animal units is essential in biological conservation and requires spatial and temporal identification of such units. Since even neighbouring populations often have different conservation status and face different levels of anthropogenic pressure, detailed knowledge of population structure, seasonal range and overlap with animals from neighbouring populations is required to manage each unit separately. Previous studies on genetic structure and morphologic separation suggests three distinct populations of harbour porpoises with limited geographic overlap in the North Sea (NS, the Belt Sea (BS and the Baltic Proper (BP region. In this study, we aim to identify a management unit for the BS population of harbour porpoises. We use Argos satellite data and genetics from biopsies of tagged harbour porpoises as well as acoustic data from 40 passive acoustic data loggers to determine management areas with the least overlap between populations and thus the least error when abundance and population status is estimated. Discriminant analysis of the satellite tracking data from the BS and NS populations showed that the best fit of the management unit border during the summer months was an east–west line from Denmark to Sweden at latitude 56.95°N. For the border between BS and BP, satellite tracking data indicate a sharp decline in population density at 13.5°E, with 90% of the locations being west of this line. This was supported by the acoustic data with the average daily detection rate being 27.5 times higher west of 13.5°E as compared to east of 13.5°E. By using this novel multidisciplinary approach, we defined a management unit for the BS harbour porpoise population. We recommend that these boundaries are used for future monitoring efforts of this population under the EU directives. The boundaries may also be used for conservation efforts during the summer months, while seasonal movements of harbour porpoises should be considered during

Distribution of Arcanobacterium pluranimalium in animals examined in veterinary laboratories in the United Kingdom.

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, Geoffrey; Hunt, Brian

2011-09-01

Arcanobacterium pluranimalium was first reported in 2001 for 2 isolates, from a harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) and a fallow deer (Dama dama). The same organism was subsequently reported from ovine material. A review of material submitted to veterinary laboratories in the United Kingdom from a range of domestic and wild animals during the following years revealed that A. pluranimalium had been recovered from ovine specimens on 33 occasions. Twenty ovine isolates came from abortion material, 5 from semen samples, 3 from abscesses, 3 from viscera, and 1 case each of navel ill and peritonitis. The only other A. pluranimalium isolate recovered during the period was from a milk sample collected from a cow with mastitis. The findings of the current study suggest that sheep were the host most frequently affected by infection with A. pluranimalium with recovery most commonly made from abortion material.

Linking animal population dynamics to alterations in foraging behaviour

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob; Sibly, Richard; Tougaard, Jakob

Background/Question/Methods The survival of animal populations is strongly influenced by the individuals’ ability to forage efficiently, yet there are few studies of how populations respond when disturbances cause animals to deviate from their natural foraging behavior. Animals that respond...... that are increasingly exposed to noise from ships, wind turbines, etc. In the present study we investigate how the dynamics of the harbor porpoise population (Phocoena phocoena) in the inner Danish waters is influenced by disturbances using an agent- based simulation model. In the model animal movement, and hence...... the animals’ ability to forage efficiently and to sustain their energy intake, is influenced by noise emitted from wind turbines and ships. The energy levels in turn affect their survival. The fine-scale movements of the simulated animals was governed by a spatial memory, which allowed the model to produce...

Directional Acoustic Wave Manipulation by a Porpoise via Multiphase Forehead Structure

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Yu; Song, Zhongchang; Wang, Xianyan; Cao, Wenwu; Au, Whitlow W. L.

2017-12-01

Porpoises are small-toothed whales, and they can produce directional acoustic waves to detect and track prey with high resolution and a wide field of view. Their sound-source sizes are rather small in comparison with the wavelength so that beam control should be difficult according to textbook sonar theories. Here, we demonstrate that the multiphase material structure in a porpoise's forehead is the key to manipulating the directional acoustic field. Computed tomography (CT) derives the multiphase (bone-air-tissue) complex, tissue experiments obtain the density and sound-velocity multiphase gradient distributions, and acoustic fields and beam formation are numerically simulated. The results suggest the control of wave propagations and sound-beam formations is realized by cooperation of the whole forehead's tissues and structures. The melon size significantly impacts the side lobes of the beam and slightly influences the main beams, while the orientation of the vestibular sac mainly adjusts the main beams. By compressing the forehead complex, the sound beam can be expanded for near view. The porpoise's biosonar allows effective wave manipulations for its omnidirectional sound source, which can help the future development of miniaturized biomimetic projectors in underwater sonar, medical ultrasonography, and other ultrasonic imaging applications.

Brown adipose tissue in cetacean blubber.

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Osamu Hashimoto

Full Text Available Brown adipose tissue (BAT plays an important role in thermoregulation in species living in cold environments, given heat can be generated from its chemical energy reserves. Here we investigate the existence of BAT in blubber in four species of delphinoid cetacean, the Pacific white-sided and bottlenose dolphins, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens and Tursiops truncates, and Dall's and harbour porpoises, Phocoenoides dalli and Phocoena phocoena. Histology revealed adipocytes with small unilocular fat droplets and a large eosinophilic cytoplasm intermingled with connective tissue in the innermost layers of blubber. Chemistry revealed a brown adipocyte-specific mitochondrial protein, uncoupling protein 1 (UCP1, within these same adipocytes, but not those distributed elsewhere throughout the blubber. Western blot analysis of extracts from the inner blubber layer confirmed that the immunohistochemical positive reaction was specific to UCP1 and that this adipose tissue was BAT. To better understand the distribution of BAT throughout the entire cetacean body, cadavers were subjected to computed tomography (CT scanning. Resulting imagery, coupled with histological corroboration of fine tissue structure, revealed adipocytes intermingled with connective tissue in the lowest layer of blubber were distributed within a thin, highly dense layer that extended the length of the body, with the exception of the rostrum, fin and fluke regions. As such, we describe BAT effectively enveloping the cetacean body. Our results suggest that delphinoid blubber could serve a role additional to those frequently attributed to it: simple insulation blanket, energy storage, hydrodynamic streamlining or contributor to positive buoyancy. We believe delphinoid BAT might also function like an electric blanket, enabling animals to frequent waters cooler than blubber as an insulator alone might otherwise allow an animal to withstand, or allow animals to maintain body temperature in cool

Quantitative Measures of Anthropogenic Noise on Harbor Porpoises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wisniewska, Danuta Maria; Teilmann, Jonas; Hermannsen, Line

2016-01-01

-animal recordings as proxies for actual exposure. Here, we quantify sound exposure levels recorded with a DTAG-3 tag on a captive harbor porpoise exposed to vessel noise in a controlled acoustic environment. Results show that fl ow noise is limiting onboard noise recordings, whereas no evidence of body shading has...

Benthic ecological status of Algerian harbours.

Science.gov (United States)

Dauvin, J C; Bakalem, A; Baffreau, A; Grimes, S

2017-12-15

This work is an overview of all available benthic data collected in the Algerian harbours between 1983 and 2001. So, total of 571 stations were reported in the 10 major Algerian harbours along the Algerian coast (1200km). Two main categories of harbours were distinguished according to their hydrodynamic regime and volume of water exchange between inner harbour basins and the entrance of the harbours. Univariate, multivariate, benthic indices and Biological Traits of Life approaches were applied on stations sampled in the late 1990s and long-term observations in six out of these ten harbours. These approaches assessed the main characteristics and ecological statuses from these south Mediterranean harbours. One of the main characteristics of the Algerian harbours was the very high species diversity (847 species). Although all the fauna was dominated by pollution-tolerant species; some harbours such as Bethioua and Djendjen hosted normal benthic communities as found in the open sea, but also included some pollution indicator species typical of a slight polluted system. On the contrary, the newly constructed port of Skikda showed perturbed benthic communities in relation to hydrocarbon pollution. Biological Traits of Life analysis reinforced the separation of benthic species along a gradient reflecting their sensitivity or tolerance to pollution. This response was related to an increase in organic matter content, probably associated with a general organic and metal contamination, from the entrance of the harbour to the innermost basins in areas with weak circulation, high sedimentation rate and concentrations of pollutants. Except for Oran harbour, where the poor to moderate ecological status remained unchanged with time, the other harbours showed an improvement or a slight degradation. A strategy of long-term monitoring should be promoted, based on a restricted and selected number of stations characteristic of the different basins and water masses occupying the

Investigating the potential use of environmental DNA (eDNA for genetic monitoring of marine mammals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew D Foote

Full Text Available The exploitation of non-invasive samples has been widely used in genetic monitoring of terrestrial species. In aquatic ecosystems, non-invasive samples such as feces, shed hair or skin, are less accessible. However, the use of environmental DNA (eDNA has recently been shown to be an effective tool for genetic monitoring of species presence in freshwater ecosystems. Detecting species in the marine environment using eDNA potentially offers a greater challenge due to the greater dilution, amount of mixing and salinity compared with most freshwater ecosystems. To determine the potential use of eDNA for genetic monitoring we used specific primers that amplify short mitochondrial DNA sequences to detect the presence of a marine mammal, the harbor porpoise, Phocoena phocoena, in a controlled environment and in natural marine locations. The reliability of the genetic detections was investigated by comparing with detections of harbor porpoise echolocation clicks by static acoustic monitoring devices. While we were able to consistently genetically detect the target species under controlled conditions, the results from natural locations were less consistent and detection by eDNA was less successful than acoustic detections. However, at one site we detected long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas, a species rarely sighted in the Baltic. Therefore, with optimization aimed towards processing larger volumes of seawater this method has the potential to compliment current visual and acoustic methods of species detection of marine mammals.

The diel rhythms of biosonar behavior in the Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis in the port of the Yangtze River: The correlation between prey availability and boat traffic.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zhitao Wang

Full Text Available Information on the habitat use of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis is critical for its conservation. The diel biosonar behavior of the porpoise in the port areas of the Yangtze River was examined along with simultaneous observations of fish density and boat traffic. Biosonar pulses from the porpoises were detected for 1233 min (5.77% over a 21,380 min duration of effective observations. In total, 190 (5.63% buzzes (an indication of prey capture attempts were recorded among the 3372 identified click trains. Of the 168 echolocation encounters (bouts of click trains less than eight min apart, 150 (89.3% involved single animals, indicating that solitary porpoises were frequently present and feeding in the port areas. Significant diel patterns were evident involving the biosonar behavior of the porpoises (including click trains and buzzes, fish density and boat traffic. The frequencies of the click trains and buzzes were significantly lower during the day than in the evening and at night, which suggests that porpoises in this region are primarily engaged in crepuscular and nocturnal foraging. The lack of a significant diel pattern in the echolocation encounters indicates the importance of the port in porpoise conservation. A forced feeding schedule may be associated with the lack of a significant correlation between porpoise acoustics and boat traffic. Overall, prey availability appears to be the primary factor that attracts porpoises. Additionally, porpoises tend to migrate or remain downstream in the morning and migrate or remain upstream in the evening, most likely to follow their prey. The findings of this study can be used to improve the conservation of the Yangtze finless porpoise.

Muddy waters and the Wadden Sea harbours

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Eekelen, van E.; Baptist, M.J.; Dankers, P.; Grasmeijer, B.T.; Kessel, van T.; Maren, van D.S.

2016-01-01

Several harbours along the Dutch Wadden Sea deal with large siltation rates and limited possibilities for developments. However, development of new harbour activities is needed for these harbours to be able to survive in the long run. As these harbours lie in or close to areas with a protected

Making Marine Noise Pollution Impacts Heard: The Case of Cetaceans in the North Sea within Life Cycle Impact Assessment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heleen Middel

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Oceans represent more than 95% of the world’s biosphere and are among the richest sources of biodiversity on Earth. However, human activities such as shipping and construction of marine infrastructure pose a threat to the quality of marine ecosystems. Due to the dependence of most marine animals on sound for their communication, foraging, protection, and ultimately their survival, the effects of noise pollution from human activities are of growing concern. Life cycle assessment (LCA can play a role in the understanding of how potential environmental impacts are related to industrial processes. However, noise pollution impacts on marine ecosystems have not yet been taken into account. This paper presents a first approach for the integration of noise impacts on marine ecosystems into the LCA framework by developing characterization factors (CF for the North Sea. Noise pollution triggers a large variety of impact pathways, but as a starting point and proof-of-concept we assessed impacts on the avoidance behaviour of cetaceans due to pile-driving during the construction of offshore windfarms in the North Sea. Our approach regards the impact of avoidance behaviour as a temporary loss of habitat, and assumes a temporary loss of all individuals within that habitat from the total regional population. This was verified with an existing model that assessed the population-level effect of noise pollution on harbour porpoises (Phocoena phocoena in the North Sea. We expanded our CF to also include other cetacean species and tested it in a case study of the construction of an offshore windfarm (Prinses Amalia wind park. The total impact of noise pollution was in the same order of magnitude as impacts on other ecosystems from freshwater eutrophication, freshwater ecotoxicity, terrestrial acidification, and terrestrial ecotoxicity. Although there are still many improvements to be made to this approach, it provides a basis for the implementation of noise

KINETIC ALGORITHMS FOR HARBOUR MANAGEMENT

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C. M. Gold

2012-07-01

Full Text Available Modern harbour management for a busy port needs to resolve a variety of simultaneous problems. Harbour traffic may be busy and the waterways congested, both by the major shipping and by the attendant harbour tugs. The harbour channel may be narrow and tortuous, and rapidly changing tides may require frequent course adjustments. Navigation aids must be clearly specified and immediately identifiable, in order to permit safe passage for the vessels. This requires a GIS with attributes not easily available with traditional products. The GeoVS system is a kinetic GIS with full three-dimensional visualisation, so that ships, bathymetry and landscape may be viewed in a form that is immediately understandable to both harbour pilots and the harbour authority. The system is kinetic because the data structures used to preserve the topological relationships between ships, seafloor and coastline are able to be maintained on a real-time basis, taking account of ship movement recorded on the compulsory AIS (Automatic Information System beacons. Maintenance of this real-time topology allows for easy detection of potential collisions, as well as real-time bathymetric estimations, necessary to prevent ship grounding in highly tidal environments. The system, based on previous research into kinetic Voronoi diagrams, as well as development of a completely new graphical engine, is now in commercial production, where its advantages over simpler twodimensional models without automatic collision and grounding detection are becoming evident. Other applications are readily envisaged, and will be addressed in the near future.

Underwater noise from three types of offshore wind turbines: estimation of impact zones for harbor porpoises and harbor seals.

Science.gov (United States)

Tougaard, Jakob; Henriksen, Oluf Damsgaard; Miller, Lee A

2009-06-01

Underwater noise was recorded from three different types of wind turbines in Denmark and Sweden (Middelgrunden, Vindeby, and Bockstigen-Valar) during normal operation. Wind turbine noise was only measurable above ambient noise at frequencies below 500 Hz. Total sound pressure level was in the range 109-127 dB re 1 microPa rms, measured at distances between 14 and 20 m from the foundations. The 1/3-octave noise levels were compared with audiograms of harbor seals and harbor porpoises. Maximum 1/3-octave levels were in the range 106-126 dB re 1 microPa rms. Maximum range of audibility was estimated under two extreme assumptions on transmission loss (3 and 9 dB per doubling of distance, respectively). Audibility was low for harbor porpoises extending 20-70 m from the foundation, whereas audibility for harbor seals ranged from less than 100 m to several kilometers. Behavioral reactions of porpoises to the noise appear unlikely except if they are very close to the foundations. However, behavioral reactions from seals cannot be excluded up to distances of a few hundred meters. It is unlikely that the noise reaches dangerous levels at any distance from the turbines and the noise is considered incapable of masking acoustic communication by seals and porpoises.

Static inflation and deflation pressure–volume curves from excised lungs of marine mammals

Science.gov (United States)

Fahlman, Andreas; Loring, Stephen H.; Ferrigno, Massimo; Moore, Colby; Early, Greg; Niemeyer, Misty; Lentell, Betty; Wenzel, Frederic; Joy, Ruth; Moore, Michael J.

2011-01-01

SUMMARY Excised lungs from eight marine mammal species [harp seal (Pagophilus groenlandicus), harbor seal (Phoca vitulina), gray seal (Halichoerus grypush), Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), long-finned pilot whale (Globicephala melas) and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena)] were used to determine the minimum air volume of the relaxed lung (MAV, N=15), the elastic properties (pressure–volume curves, N=24) of the respiratory system and the total lung capacity (TLC). Our data indicate that mass-specific TLC (sTLC, l kg–1) does not differ between species or groups (odontocete vs phocid) and agree with that estimated (TLCest) from body mass (Mb) by applying the equation: TLCest=0.135 Mb0.92. Measured MAV was on average 7% of TLC, with a range from 0 to 16%. The pressure–volume curves were similar among species on inflation but diverged during deflation in phocids in comparison with odontocetes. These differences provide a structural basis for observed species differences in the depth at which lungs collapse and gas exchange ceases. PMID:22031747

Temporal variation and biomagnification of organohalogen compounds in finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) from the South China Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ramu, Karri; Kajiwara, Natsuko; Lam, Paul K.S.; Jefferson, Thomas A.; Zhou Kaiya; Tanabe, Shinsuke

2006-01-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and organochlorine compounds (OCs) were determined in the blubber of male finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) collected in 1990 and 2000/01 from the South China Sea. Among the organohalogen compounds analyzed, DDTs and PCBs were the predominant contaminants in the porpoises, ranging from 26,000 to 260,000 and 1400 to 28,000 ng/g lipid wt., respectively. PBDEs ranged from a minimum of 84 ng/g lipid wt., in 1990 to a maximum of 980 ng/g lipid wt., in 2001, showing a significant increase during the time period investigated. Congener profiles in finless porpoises did not shift to higher BDE congeners during these years, implying a continuous discharge of lower BDE commercial mixtures, such as PentaBDE. For OCs, HCHs concentrations decreased significantly, while others did not exhibit any significant temporal variation. Biomagnification factors (BMFs) were found to be highest for CHLs and lowest for HCB. PBDEs and PCBs had comparable BMFs, indicating a similar potential for biomagnification through the food web. - Levels and temporal variations of organohalogen contaminants in the South China Sea

Ultra-High Foraging Rates of Harbor Porpoises Make Them Vulnerable to Anthropogenic Disturbance.

Science.gov (United States)

Wisniewska, Danuta Maria; Johnson, Mark; Teilmann, Jonas; Rojano-Doñate, Laia; Shearer, Jeanne; Sveegaard, Signe; Miller, Lee A; Siebert, Ursula; Madsen, Peter Teglberg

2016-06-06

The question of how individuals acquire and allocate resources to maximize fitness is central in evolutionary ecology. Basic information on prey selection, search effort, and capture rates are critical for understanding a predator's role in its ecosystem and for predicting its response to natural and anthropogenic disturbance. Yet, for most marine species, foraging interactions cannot be observed directly. The high costs of thermoregulation in water require that small marine mammals have elevated energy intakes compared to similar-sized terrestrial mammals [1]. The combination of high food requirements and their position at the apex of most marine food webs may make small marine mammals particularly vulnerable to changes within the ecosystem [2-4], but the lack of detailed information about their foraging behavior often precludes an informed conservation effort. Here, we use high-resolution movement and prey echo recording tags on five wild harbor porpoises to examine foraging interactions in one of the most metabolically challenged cetacean species. We report that porpoises forage nearly continuously day and night, attempting to capture up to 550 small (3-10 cm) fish prey per hour with a remarkable prey capture success rate of >90%. Porpoises therefore target fish that are smaller than those of commercial interest, but must forage almost continually to meet their metabolic demands with such small prey, leaving little margin for compensation. Thus, for these "aquatic shrews," even a moderate level of anthropogenic disturbance in the busy shallow waters they share with humans may have severe fitness consequences at individual and population levels. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic footprint of population fragmentation and contemporaneous decline in the endangered Yangtze finless porpoise

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chen, Minmin; Fontaine, Michael C; Chehida, Yacine Ben; Zheng, Jinsong; Labbé, Frédéric; Mei, Zhigang; Hao, Yujiang; Wang, Kexiong; Wu, Min; Zhao, Qingzhong; Wang, Ding

2017-01-01

Understanding demographic trends and patterns of gene flow in an endangered species is crucial for devising conservation strategies. Here, we examined the extent of population structure and recent evolution of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis

Molecular characterization of Sarcocystis neurona strains from opossums (Didelphis virginiana) and intermediate hosts from Central California.

Science.gov (United States)

Rejmanek, Daniel; Miller, Melissa A; Grigg, Michael E; Crosbie, Paul R; Conrad, Patricia A

2010-05-28

Sarcocystis neurona is a significant cause of neurological disease in horses and other animals, including the threatened Southern sea otter (Enhydra lutris nereis). Opossums (Didelphis virginiana), the only known definitive hosts for S. neurona in North America, are an introduced species in California. S. neurona DNA isolated from sporocysts and/or infected tissues of 10 opossums, 6 horses, 1 cat, 23 Southern sea otters, and 1 harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena) with natural infections was analyzed based on 15 genetic markers, including the first internal transcribed spacer (ITS-1) region; the 25/396 marker; S. neurona surface antigen genes (snSAGs) 2, 3, and 4; and 10 different microsatellites. Based on phylogenetic analysis, most of the S. neurona strains segregated into three genetically distinct groups. Additionally, fifteen S. neurona samples from opossums and several intermediate hosts, including sea otters and horses, were found to be genetically identical across all 15 genetic markers, indicating that fatal encephalitis in Southern sea otters and equine protozoal myeloencephalitis (EPM) in horses is strongly linked to S. neurona sporocysts shed by opossums. (c) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

SECURITY SYSTEMS FOR MARITIME HARBOUR

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Georgică SLĂMNOIU

2010-11-01

Full Text Available Infrastructure protection objectives are at the top of the agenda of those responsible in the European Union. Currently Romania is one of the countries on its eastern border of the Union and this has special implications in terms of security measures that are required to be implemented. Ships and harbours are important current conflict stage. An integrated system of protection of harbours must be prepared in advance in order to continuously provide information that will increase the overall performance of the intervention forces.

Do Porpoises Choose Their Associates? A New Method for Analyzing Social Relationships among Cetaceans

Science.gov (United States)

Sakai, Mai; Wang, Ding; Wang, Kexiong; Li, Songhai; Akamatsu, Tomonari

2011-01-01

Background Observing and monitoring the underwater social interactions of cetaceans is challenging. Therefore, previous cetacean studies have monitored these interactions by surface observations. However, because cetaceans spend most of their time underwater, it is important that their underwater behavior is also continuously monitored to better understand their social relationships and social structure. The finless porpoise is small and has no dorsal fin. It is difficult to observe this species in the wild, and little is known of its sociality. Methodology/Principal Findings The swim depths of 6 free-ranging finless porpoises were simultaneously recorded using a time-synchronized bio-logging system. Synchronous diving was used as an index of association. Two pairs, #27 (an immature female estimated to be 3.5 years old) and #32 (an adult male), #28 (a juvenile male estimated to be 2 years old) and #29 (an adult male), tended to participate in long periods of synchronized diving more frequently than 13 other possible pairs, indicating that the 4 porpoises chose their social partners. The adult males (#32, #29) tended to follow the immature female (#27) and juvenile male (#28), respectively. However, during synchronized diving, the role of an initiator often changed within the pair, and their body movements appeared to be non-agonistic, e.g., rubbing of bodies against one another instead of that on one-side, as observed with chasing and escaping behaviors. Conclusions/Significance The present study employed a time-synchronized bio-logging method to observe the social relationships of free-ranging aquatic animals based on swimming depth. The results suggest that certain individuals form associations even if they are not a mother and calf pair. Long synchronized dives occurred when particular members were reunited, and this suggests that the synchronized dives were not a by-product of opportunistic aggregation. PMID:22216123

Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Western North Atlantic: A Guide to Their Identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Leatherwood, Stephen; And Others

This field guide is designed to permit observers to identify the cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) they see in western North Atlantic, including the Caribbean Sea, the Gulf of Mexico, and the coastal waters of the United States and Canada. The animals described are not grouped by scientific relationships but by similarities in appearance…

78 FR 52753 - Taking of Marine Mammals Incidental to Commercial Fishing Operations; Harbor Porpoise Take...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-26

... strategy enacted in 2010 based on deliberations by the Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Team. This action is... information (e.g., name, address, etc.), confidential business information, or otherwise sensitive information... Protection Act (MMPA) to reduce the level of serious injury and mortality of the Gulf of Maine/Bay of Fundy...

Transfer pricing and safe harbours

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Veronika Solilová

2013-01-01

Full Text Available Transfer prices are significant for both taxpayers and tax administrations because they determine in large part taxable profits of associated enterprises in different tax jurisdictions. Moreover, in the context of taxation, transfer prices must be complied with the arm’s length principle. However, Multinational Enterprises have been faced daily by conflicting rules and approaches to applying the arm’s length principle, burdensome documentation requirements, inconsistent audit standards and unpredictable competent authority outcomes. Therefore, the Committee on Fiscal Affairs launched another project on the administrative aspects of transfer pricing in 2010. On 16 May 2013 as a partial solution of this project was approved by the OECD Council the Revised Section E on Safe Harbours in Chapter IV of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Authorities. The paper is focused on significant changes of newly approved chapter IV of the Transfer Pricing Guidelines for Multinational Enterprises and Tax Authorities, further on analysis of practice in this area, on advantages and disadvantages of safe harbours for taxpayers and competent authorities with aim to suggest recommendations on use of safe harbours in the Czech Republic.

Estimates of cetacean abundance in European Atlantic waters in summer

OpenAIRE

Hammond, P.S. (Phil) et al. (incl. Santos, M.B. (Maria Begoña)

2017-01-01

This report summarises design-based estimates of abundance for those cetacean species for which sufficient data were obtained during SCANS-III: harbour porpoise, bottlenose dolphin, Risso’s dolphin, white-beaked dolphin, white-sided dolphin, common dolphin, striped dolphin, pilot whale, all beaked whale species combined, sperm whale, minke whale and fin whale.

Pollution characteristics and water quality in the Visakhapatnam harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sarma, V.V.; Raju, G.R.K.; Babu, T.B.

The impact of organic pollution on the quality of waters in the Visakhapatnam harbour has been studied over a year at 8 stations. The enrichment of nutrients in these waters enhances the eutrophication. The construction of outer harbour retards...

Reuse of harbour sediments in the Greenlandic construction industry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Belmonte, Louise Josefine; Kirkelund, Gunvor Marie; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

2010-01-01

The purpose of this study is to investigate possibilities of using harbour sediments from the Greenlandic harbours as substitutes in the Greenlandic construction industry, mainly for concrete production and road construction. Materials for use in the Greenlandic construction industry are shipped...

77 FR 60319 - Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan; Coastal Gulf of Maine Closure Area Established With a...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-10-03

...-XC099 Harbor Porpoise Take Reduction Plan; Coastal Gulf of Maine Closure Area Established With a... Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), Commerce. ACTION: Establishment of the Coastal Gulf of Maine Closure Area... Service (NMFS) announces the establishment of the Coastal Gulf of Maine Closure Area under the Harbor...

The birds of Blyth Harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Still, D.; Carver, H.; Little, B.; Lawrence, S.G.

1995-01-01

Blyth Harbour Wind Farm, constructed upon an exposed pier, is not a Site of Special Scientific Interest and is designated to become a RAMSAR location because of the presence of a significant population of the Purple Sandpiper. A study of the effect of the wind farm on the birds was started before the wind farm was constructed and is ongoing. Initial evidence of how the wind turbines have affected the 110 varieties of birds recorded within the harbour will be presented and compared to previous research carried out in Europe and the USA. Methodology has included intensive beach surveys, visits to wind farms in the UK and USA and consultations with wildlife advisory bodies. The study will continue until 1996. (Author)

Linear Transect Surveys of Abundance and Density of Cetaceans in The Area Near the Dzharylgach Island in the North-Western Black Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Gladilina E. V.

2017-08-01

Full Text Available The first assessment of cetacean density and abundance by linear transect survey was conducted in 2016 and 2017 in the shallowest coastal area of the Ukrainian sector of the north-western Black Sea, in the Dzharylgach Gulf and the northern Karkinit Gulf, total area up to 259 km2. Three cetacean species were found present in the area in summer, and the harbour porpoise was the most abundant species with the abundance of at least a few hundred animals (estimated as 175 individuals in the Dzharylgach Gulf, whereas the common dolphins (59 and bottlenose dolphins (31 were present in lesser numbers. Common and bottlenose dolphins showed the clearest patterns of habitat preferences, being restricted respectively to the Dzharylgach and the northern Karkinit Gulf; an unusual trait is the preference of the shallowest habitat by common dolphins. Recorded density of harbour porpoises in the Dzharylgach Gulf is among the highest in the whole Black Sea. Thus, the studied area may be an important summer habitat for cetaceans.

Water Quality Observations in the Dekhaila Harbour, Alexandria, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fahmy, M.A.; Abdel-Aziz, N.E.; Dorgham, M.M.

2004-01-01

The Dekhaila Harbour, which was recently constructed in Alexandria, had become a highly eutrophied areas due to intensive maritime activities, and the effect of a mixture of nutrients and different pollutants reaching the harbour through land-based effluent. Environmental observations which were carried monthly from April 1998 to March 1999 demonstrated extremely high nutrient level and productive phytoplankton, showing wide temporal and spatial variations. The variability of surface salinity was one of the characteristic features of the harbour, falling within the range of 17.3-39.2 ppt. Nutrients sustained pronouncedly high values, with annual average of 19.22uM for nitrate, 4.16um for nitrite, 38.69uM for ammonia, 6.44uM for phosphate and 49.52 for silicate. Chlorophyll a was exceptionally high (up to 13.23ug/1), having an annual average of 107.5ug/1. The harbour water was relatively turbid most of the year. The concentrations of dissolved oxygen revealed the alternations of good (5-10ml/1) aeration conditions. Consequently, low zooplankton abundance was found in the Dekhalia Harbour (annual average: 22,640 ind./m3). Statistical analysis showed that the envirnomental factors controlling both phyplankton and zooplankton biomass had different seasonal patterns. (author)

Characterisation of dust material emitted during harbour operations (HADA Project)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moreno, N.; Alastuey, A.; Querol, X.; Artinano, B.; Guerra, A.; Luaces, J.A.; Lorente, A.; Basora, J. [CSIC, Institute of Earth Science ' Jaume Almera' , Barcelona (Spain)

2007-09-15

The aim of this work is to compile an inventory of the main characteristics (chemical, morphological, mineralogical and grain size parameters) of the bulk cargo materials and of the material emitted during different port operations for possible use as tracers of the fugitive PM emission sources. For all cases, the tracer characteristics determined for each bulk material were also identified in the corresponding PM material emitted. This inventory could assist the harbour authorities to identify the origin of high PM events recorded by air quality monitoring networks in harbour areas, and could also help modellers to predict the impact of harbour activities on ambient PM levels. The harbour of Tarragona (north-east Spain) was selected for this study given the high volume of solids in bulk handled. To this end, 12 handling operations of selected materials (clinker, phosphate, pyrite ash, Mn mineral, fine Si-Mn, coke (coal), bituminous coal, tapioca, soybean, alfalfa, corn, andalusite) were selected for the characterisation of suspended and deposited PM. In spite of the coarse grain size distribution of these bulk cargo materials, with a very low % in the fraction {lt}10 {mu}m, manipulation of these materials during harbour operations may result in high emissions of PM 10 with relatively high levels of potential toxic elements. Furthermore, ambient PM 10 in the area with the highest traffic density of the harbour was also sampled and characterised.

Vuosaari Harbour Road Tunnel Traffic Management and Incident Detection System Design Issues

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Caj Holm

2006-11-01

Full Text Available Helsinki is constructing in Vuosaari a new modem and effectivecargo harbour. All cargo harbour activities will be concentratedthere. The total project includes the harbour, a logisticsarea, traffic connections (road, railway and fairway and aBusiness Park. The road connection goes through the Porvarinlahtiroad tunnel. The harbour will commence operatingin 2008. This paper gives an oveTView of the tunnel design phasefunctional studies and risk analysis tunnel incident detectionsystem design issues and some specific environmental featuresof the tunnel.

Impact investigations of access channel modifications of Cochin harbour, India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

DineshKumar, P.K.

Though the modernization projects over the decades for harbour development also brought about several severe environmental modifications in Cochin harbour, along the west coast of India, so far, the physical processes involved are seldom...

Status of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in Atlantic Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mike O Hammill

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Harbour seals are associated with small islets, reefs and rocks exposed at low tide and estuarine habitats throughout eastern Canada. Evidence of harvesting by indigenous people has been found in pre-European contact archaeological excavations. A bounty harvest as well as subsistence and commercial hunting probably lead to a decline in the population from 1949 to the early 1970s. The bounty was removed in 1976, and harbour seals, in the southern parts of their range have been protected since then. There is little information available on total abundance and current population trend. Mitochondrial and microsatellite DNA research has shown separation between Northeast and Northwest Atlantic harbour seals. Within Canada, the subspecies Phoca vitulina concolor shows some population sub-structure with three distinct units that could be separated into Hudson Bay, Gulf of St. Lawrence and Sable Island. Urban development resulting in habitat degradation is probably the most important factor affecting harbour seal populations in AtlanticCanada, although other factors such as incidental catches in commercial fisheries and competition with grey seals may also be important.

Catch history and status of the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina in Greenland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Aqqalu Rosving-Asvid

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The number of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in West Greenland declined rapidly after the 1950s and the seals have now abandoned their traditional haulout locations along the Greenland west coast. However, in recent years, a previously undetected group of about 60-100 harbour seals has been observed approximately 80 km upstream in a large river, and some traditional hauloutlocations are still in use near the south-eastern tip of Greenland. A small number of harbour seals is caught annually far from any of these locations, indicating that other groups might live unnoticed. Catch statistics provide the best evidence of the presence and locations of these remnant harbour seals. Therefore efforts were made to validate the recent catch statistics and to describe the catch history for the past 60 years. The catch statistics were also used to estimate plausibleranges of past and present numbers of harbour seals based on the assumption that hunting has caused the observed decline. The total number of harbour seals in Greenland according to these estimates was about 3,000 in 1950 and fewer than 1,000 in 2007. The number of harbour seals caught in the southernmost part of Greenland has, unlike in the rest of Greenland, increased significantly in some of the recent years. This change seems to be related to changes in the amount of drift ice. Drift ice reduces the frequency of contact between hunters and harbour seals in South Greenland and above normal quantities of drift ice from the mid 1960s to the mid 1980s probably allowed these seals to increase in numbers. Record low inflow of drift ice in some of the recent years, however, has resulted in record high catches, which likely have reduced the seals again. The remaining harbour seals in Greenland are few and without protection these sealsare potentially in danger of extinction.

Fate and transport modelling of uranium in Port Hope Harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pinilla, C.E.; Garisto, N.; Peters, R.

2010-01-01

Fate and transport modelling of contaminants in Port Hope Harbour and near-shore Lake Ontario was undertaken in support of an ecological and human health risk assessment. Uranium concentrations in the Harbour and near-shore Lake Ontario due to groundwater and storm water loadings were estimated with a state-of-the-art 3D hydrodynamic and contaminant transport model (ECOMSED). The hydrodynamic model was simplified to obtain a first estimate of the flow pattern in the Harbour. The model was verified with field data using a tracer (fluoride). The modelling results generally showed good agreement with the tracer field data. (author)

A Holocene pollen and sediment record of Whangape Harbour, far northern New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horrocks, M.; Nichol, S.L.; Gregory, M.R.; Creese, R.; Augustinus, P.C.

2001-01-01

The sediment record of Whangape Harbour shows that there were significant fluctuations in depositional energy in the harbour during the period from c. >8000 cal. yr BP to some time within the last millenium, and that fluvial influences increased as the harbour infilled. The pollen record (highly discontinuous) from Whangape Harbour indicates that conifer-hardwood forest covered the hills surrounding the harbour during this period. The main canopy conifers were Dacrydium and Prumnopitys taxifolia, with some Libocedrus, Dacrycarpus, and Phyllocladus. Agathis was also present. Common canopy hardwoods were Metrosideros and, in the latter part of the period, Elaeocarpus. Ascarina and Cyathea were abundant in the sub-canopy. Leptospermum grew on disturbed areas fringing the estuary. Marsh or swamp environments probably never developed on a large scale in the harbour. Avicennia, extremely under-represented in the pollen flora, has been present on tidal flats in the harbour since at least c. 2500 cal. yr BP. Large-scale anthropogenic deforestation by burning commenced in the Whangape catchment some time during or since 700-430 cal. yr BP. The associated increase in erosion rates in the catchment resulted in a change towards a sandier sediment regime in the harbour which has continued to the present day. Weinmannia and Ackama, previously rare in the catchment, expanded in remaining forest. (author). 39 refs., 3 figs., 1 tab

Epizootics in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina: clinical aspects

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ursula Siebert

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Epizootic diseases causing considerable mortality in harbour seal populations have mainly been reported from the waters of the United States and Europe. Such die-offs were largely attributable to viral infections. Several hundred individuals died from respiratory infections caused by Influenza A viruses at the coast of New England, USA, in 1979, 1980 and 1982. More than 53,000 harbour seals were killed in European waters by Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV, a morbillivirus,in two outbreaks in 1988 and 2002. For several other epizootics of smaller scale in the waters of the Atlantic and Pacific coast of the USA and, most recently, in Danish and Swedish waters in 2007 the causes remain unclear, although characteristic respiratory symptoms and interstitial pneumonia suspicious of viral etiology were detected as well as occasionally bacterial infections caused by Erysipelothrix rhusiopathiae and Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Mass mortalities caused by biotoxins, direct human interactions or changes in oceanographic conditions have so far not been described for harbour seals. However, high organochlorine loads detected in European harbour seal populations and suspected to impede immune functions, were considered an aggravating factor in the 1988 morbillivirus epizootic. Establishing supranational stranding networks is a key prerequisite for the detection of future unusual die-offs in marine mammals. Detailed post-mortem investigations of all organ systems are essential for targeted etiological studies towards the causes of mass mortalities in seals.

Pollution effects on ecobiology of benthic polychaetes in Visakhapatnam Harbour (Bay of Bengal)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Raman, A.V.; Ganapati, P.N.

1983-02-01

Rapid urbanization and industrialization of Visakhapatnam and construction of an outer harbour, restricting water flow, have markedly increased the organic load in the inner harbour. Studies of the physico-chemical and biological characteristics of six selected stations along a decreasing gradient of organic pollution have been carried out over a period of two years. The predominantly polychaete benthic fauna occurs in three distinct assemblages: Capitella capitata-Nereis glandicincta in the inner harbour; Cossura coasta-Tharyx marioni in the outer harbour; and a Chloeia-Axiothella-Chaetozone-Nephtys assemblage in the open sea.

Organo chlorine pesticides (OCPs) contaminants in sediments from Karachi harbour, Pakistan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khan, N.; Khan, S.H.; Amjad, S.; Muller, J.; Nizamani, S.; Bhanger, M.I.

2010-01-01

Mangrove swamps, inter tidal mud flats and creeks of backwaters represent main feature of Karachi harbour area. Karachi harbour sediment is under continuous influence of untreated industrial effluents and domestic waste discharged into the Harbour area via Lyari River. Sediment samples from sixteen locations were collected to evaluate the levels of contamination of organo chlorine pesticides (OCPs) in Karachi harbour and adjoining areas. It has been observed that residual concentrations of various organo chlorine pesticides were considerably higher in the semi-enclosed area of the upper Harbour in the vicinity of the discharge point of Lyari River. The residue of DDT mainly its metabolites (DDE and DDD) were widely distributed and have been detected in most of the sediment samples in relatively higher concentrations as compared to other OCPs. The higher levels of the DDTs would attribute to low tidal flushing of the area. The high proportion of pp'-DDE in the most sediment sampled (41-95%) suggested old inputs of DDTs in the environment. Ratio of sigma DDT and DDT was in the range of 0.04 - 0.24 at all locations which also reflects that the discharges of DDT were negligible in the Harbour area. This may be due to the restrictions being implemented on the use of DDTs and Pakistan has also switched over to natural pest control or using safer formulas. The data obtained during the study showed that concentration levels of other pesticides such as HCHs, HCB and Cyclodienes in the sediment were generally lower than the threshold levels known to harm wildlife by OCPs. The results clearly indicate that elevated concentration of organo chlorine pesticides (OCPs) in the marine sediment of Karachi harbour and adjoining area was localized and much lower than the concentrations reported from neighbouring and regional countries which suggests/confirms that the present use of pesticide in Pakistan is environmentally safe. (author)

Whales, Dolphins, and Porpoises of the Eastern North Pacific and Adjacent Arctic Waters: A Guide to Their Identification.

Science.gov (United States)

Leatherwood, Stephen; And Others

This field guide is designed to permit observers to identify the cetaceans (whales, dolphins, and porpoises) they see in the waters of the eastern North Pacific, including the Gulf of California, Hawaii, and the western Arctic of North America. The animals described are grouped not by scientific relationships but by similarities in appearance in…

Status of the harbour seal (Phoca vitulina in Southern Scandinavia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Morten Tange Olsen

2013-09-01

Full Text Available The harbour seal population in Southern Scandinavia has experienced repeated declines caused by hunting and epizootics. These events have shaped the current distribution and abundance of the population. This paper assesses the current status of the population. We estimate trends in abundance of harbour seals from long term survey data, compare these with historic trends inferred from previously published material, and discuss past and potential threats to the harbour seal population of Southern Scandinavia. It is evident that harbour seals have disappeared from haulout areas along the Danish shores of Kattegat and in the westernmost part of the Baltic Sea, where they were previously numerous. In the 1920-30s, when abundance was at its lowest, the population is estimated to have been only a fraction of its original size. Following 30 years of protection the population is currently approaching historic abundance and might have reached the carrying capacity in some areas. Further development depends largely on effects of future epizootics, anthropogenic disturbance, and availability of suitable haulout sites.

Mercury in Thana creek, Bombay harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Zingde, M.D.; Desai, B.N.

weight) with marked increased from harbour to the creek region suggests substantial mercury input in the head region. Chemical extraction by hydrogen peroxide indicated that more than 70% of mercury was leachable and probably organically bound...

Sources of contamination and modelled pollutant trajectories in a Mediterranean harbour (Tarragona, Spain).

Science.gov (United States)

Mestres, M; Sierra, J P; Mösso, C; Sánchez-Arcilla, A

2010-06-01

The proximity of commercial harbours to residential areas and the growing environmental awareness of society have led most port authorities to include environmental management within their administration plan. Regarding water quality, it is necessary to have the capacity and tools to deal with contamination episodes that may damage marine ecosystems and human health, but also affect the normal functioning of harbours. This paper presents a description of the main pollutant sources in Tarragona Harbour (Spain), and a numerical analysis of several pollution episodes based on the Port Authority's actual environmental concerns. The results show that pollution generated inside the harbour tends to remain confined within the port, whereas it is very likely that oil spills from a nearby monobuoy may affect the neighbouring beaches. The present combination of numerical models proves itself a useful tool to assess the environmental risk associated to harbour activities and potential pollution spills.

Comparison of tropical nematode communities from three harbours, west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Nanajkar, M.; Ingole, B.S.

The three major harbours from the central west coast of India were investigated for their benthic environmental status using nematodes as surrogate community. As these three harbours have shown deteriorated conditions revealed from macrobenthic...

Stable isotope evidence of long-term changes in North Sea food web structure

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Richardson, Katherine; Christensen, Jens Tang

2008-01-01

coast. Porpoises collected after ~1960 had significantly lower d15N than porpoises collected earlier. This change in d15N implies that fundamental changes in food web structure in, or nutrient availability to, the North Sea have taken place over the last ~150 yr and that most of the change occurred over......, been feeding at a lower trophic level than during the preceding century, i.e. animals from lower trophic levels may now be more dominant than they were prior to the middle of the 20th century. There is no a priori reason to suspect that a change in isotope distributions at the base of the food web has...... occurred during this period and we have not been able to find material that would allow us to test the assumption that there has been no temporal development of d15N at the lowest levels of the food web. Thus, we cannot eliminate the possibility that the change in d15N in harbour porpoise skeletons...

Subsurface geology of the Bombay Harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Almeida, F.; Ramana, M.V.; Vora, K.H.; Bhattacharya, G.C.; Subrahmanyam, V.

As part of engineering pre-design investigations, high resolution geophysical surveys were carried out in and around Bombay harbour, India. The depth in the area varies from dries over the mudflats to about 14m towards the offshore end. The seabed...

Third Indian National Conference on Harbour and Ocean Engineering (INCHOE - 2004). Proceedings

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Mandal, S.; SanilKumar, V.; Jayakumar, S.

The two volumes contain 103 scientific papers in the field of harbour and ocean engineering, presented at the Third Indian National Conference on Harbour and Ocean Engineering (INCHOE - 2004), held at National Institute of Oceanography (NIO), Dona...

The Coffs Harbour 'Our Living City Settlement Strategy' Health Impact Assessment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tugwell, Andrew; Johnson, Pamela

2011-01-01

Aim: The short report reviews an experience of conducting a Health Impact Assessment (HIA) in the local government context. The aim of this review was to identify if carrying out an HIA would result in recommendations that could influence council planning and help establish ongoing working relationships between North Coast Area Health Service (NCAHS) staff and the Coffs Harbour City Council. Methods: A process and impact evaluation was conducted on the Coffs Harbour 'Our Living City Settlement Strategy' HIA, which focused on the Coffs Harbour City Council's strategic planning document. Information gained through the evaluation was themed and the findings were reviewed against published information on HIA experience. Main findings: HIA has reported benefits for both the Coffs Harbour City Council and NCAHS as it provides a tool to address many of the issues facing these organisations. Local council has increasing responsibilities including the environment, housing and urban planning, which all have health implications. HIA has been demonstrated as an effective tool for NCAHS staff and the Coffs Harbour City Council to engage and build relationships, increase the understanding of all planning aspects related to health, and most importantly utilise evidence to inform decision making. Conclusion: HIA should be adopted as a key tool to facilitate effective working partnerships between organisations. Improved engagement, partnerships and use of evidence to produce shared outcomes can result from utilising this tool.

n-Alkanes in surficial sediments of Visakhapatnam harbour, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Punyu, V.R.; Harji, R.R.; Bhosle, N.B.; Sawant, S.S.; Venkat, K.

-alkanes mainly at C15, C17 and C19 Keywords. Sediments; lipids; n-alkanes; Visakhapatnam harbour. J. Earth Syst. Sci. 122, No. 2, April 2013, pp. 467–477 c© Indian Academy of Sciences 467 468 V R Punyu et al while terrestrial plants exhibit predominance of long... steel plant, a fertilizer plant and a lead and zinc smelter in the vicinity are discharged into this harbour. The harbour handles items such as man- ganese and iron ore, coal and oil products. Added to this, it receives most of the urban run...

Fouling Bryozoa from some Alexandria harbours, EGYPT. (I Erect species

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

KH.M. ABDEL-SALAM

2008-05-01

Full Text Available The fouling erect Bryozoa settled on polystyrene test panels immersed half a meter deep in the water of Abu Qir Harbour, the Eastern Harbour and El-Dekheila Harbour were studied. The present study yields 5 species of erect bryozoa. These areAmathia pruvoti, Zoobotryon verticillatum, Bowerbankia gracilis,Bugula neritina and Bugula stolonifera. The first three ones pertain to 3 genera of the family Vesiculariidae belonging to suborder the Stolonifera; while the other two species affiliate to the genus Bugula belonging to the family Bugulidae of suborder Anasca. The present record of Amathia pruvoti is the first from the Egyptian Mediterranean waters. A re-description, supplied with full structural illustrations of the recorded species is given. Moreover, the temporal and spatial distributions of the species recorded are encountered.

A systematic study of wave conditions and sediment transport near Mormugao harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Reddy, M.P.M.

Wave conditions and the nature of sediment transport in the Mormugao Harbour area have been evaluated in view of the proposed development project of this harbour It has been found from this study that generally high waves will be experienced...

75 FR 4783 - Federal Consistency Appeal by Villa Marina Yacht Harbour, Inc.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-29

... DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Federal Consistency Appeal by Villa Marina Yacht Harbour, Inc. AGENCY: National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA... days, closure of the decision record in an administrative appeal filed by Villa Marina Yacht Harbour...

Metazoan parasites from odontocetes off New Zealand: new records.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehnert, Kristina; Randhawa, Haseeb; Poulin, Robert

2017-10-01

Information about the parasite fauna of spectacled porpoises and cetaceans from New Zealand waters in general is scarce. This study takes advantage of material archived in collections of the Otago Museum in Dunedin and Massey University in Auckland, sampled from cetacean species found stranded along the New Zealand coastline between 2007 and 2014. Parasites from seven species of cetaceans (spectacled porpoise, Phocoena dioptrica (n = 2 individuals examined); pygmy sperm whale (n = 1); long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas (n = 1); Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus (n = 1); short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis (n = 7); striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba (n = 3) and dusky dolphin, Lagenorhynchus obscurus (n = 2)) from the respiratory and gastro-intestinal tract, cranial sinus, liver, urogenital and mammary tract, fascia and blubber were investigated. Ten parasite species were identified, belonging to the Nematoda (Stenurus minor, Stenurus globicephalae, Halocercus sp. (Pseudaliidae), Anisakis sp. (Anisakidae), Crassicauda sp. (Crassicaudidae)), Cestoda (Phyllobothrium delphini and Monorygma grimaldii (Phyllobothriidae)), Trematoda (Brachicladium palliata and Brachicladium delphini (Brachicladiidae)) and Crustacea (Scutocyamus antipodensis (Cyamidae)). Some of the parasite species encountered comprises new records for their host. Although the material was not sampled within a systematic parasitological survey, the findings contain valuable new information about the parasite fauna of rare, vagile and vulnerable marine wildlife from a remote oceanic environment.

Phytoremediation of TBT-contaminated Harbour Sediment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trapp, Stefan; Novak, Jana; DeClercq, Bartel

This sub-project of the TBT CLEAN project investigated the feasibility of growing plants on dredged harbour sediments and the influence of vegetation on TBT degradation. The toxicity of TBT to vascular plants was determined with the willow tree transpiration test. Compared to other species, the t...

Biochemical indicators of pollution exposure in shorthorn sculpin (Myoxocephalus scorpius), caught in four harbours on the southwest coast of Iceland.

Science.gov (United States)

Stephensen; Svavarsson; Sturve; Ericson; Adolfsson-Erici; Förlin

2000-04-01

Shorthorn sculpins (Myoxocephalus scorpius) were caught in four Icelandic harbours, differing in size, use and traffic. Biochemical responses in liver were measured and chemicals analysed in bile. Eyrarbakki harbour, which has not been in use for many years was chosen as a control site. Njar partial differentialvík harbour is a small fishing harbour and a marina, Sandger partial differentiali harbour is a large fishing harbour, and Reykjavík harbour is a large fishing harbour and an international transport harbour. Higher levels of DNA-adducts and cytochrome P4501A (CYP1A) in the fish from the harbours in Sandger partial differentiali, Njar partial differentialvík and Reykjavík, compared to Eyrarbakki harbour, indicate PAH exposure. This was confirmed by PAH analysis in bile. The higher activities of the antioxidant enzymes catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and glutathione reductase (GR) in fish caught in Sandger partial differentiali, than in fish caught in the other harbours, indicate exposure of sculpin to prooxidative compounds in Sandger partial differentiali harbour. Shorthorn sculpin seems to be a convenient species for monitoring pollution in northern coastal areas.

Environmental assessment of metal exposure to corals living in Castle Harbour, Bermuda

Science.gov (United States)

Prouty, N.G.; Goodkin, N.F.; Jones, R.; Lamborg, C.H.; Storlazzi, C.D.; Hughen, K.A.

2013-01-01

Environmental contamination in Castle Harbour, Bermuda, has been linked to the dissolution and leaching of contaminants from the adjacent marine landfill. This study expands the evidence for environmental impact of leachate from the landfill by quantitatively demonstrating elevated metal uptake over the last 30 years in corals growing in Castle Harbour. Coral Pb/Ca, Zn/Ca and Mn/Ca ratios and total Hg concentrations are elevated relative to an adjacent control site in John Smith's Bay. The temporal variability in the Castle Harbour coral records suggests that while the landfill has increased in size over the last 35 years, the dominant input of metals is through periodic leaching of contaminants from the municipal landfill and surrounding sediment. Elevated contaminants in the surrounding sediment suggest that resuspension is an important transport medium for transferring heavy metals to corals. Increased winds, particularly during the 1990s, were accompanied by higher coral metal composition at Castle Harbour. Coupled with wind-induced resuspension, interannual changes in sea level within the Harbour can lead to increased bioavailability of sediment-bound metals and subsequent coral metal assimilation. At John Smith's Bay, large scale convective mixing may be driving interannual metal variability in the coral record rather than impacts from land-based activities. Results from this study provide important insights into the coupling of natural variability and anthropogenic input of contaminants to the nearshore environment.

Total fluorine, extractable organic fluorine, perfluorooctane sulfonate and other related fluorochemicals in liver of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) from South China

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yeung, L.W.Y. [Centre for Coastal Pollution and Conservation, Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (China); National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Onogawa 16-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569 (Japan); Miyake, Y. [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Onogawa 16-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569 (Japan); Wang, Y. [Centre for Coastal Pollution and Conservation, Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (China); National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Onogawa 16-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569 (Japan); Taniyasu, S. [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Onogawa 16-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569 (Japan); Yamashita, N. [National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology (AIST), Onogawa 16-1, Tsukuba, Ibaraki 305-8569 (Japan)], E-mail: nob.yamashita@aist.go.jp; Lam, P.K.S. [Centre for Coastal Pollution and Conservation, Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Kowloon Tong, Hong Kong (China)], E-mail: bhpksl@cityu.edu.hk

2009-01-15

The concentrations of 10 PFCs (perfluorinated compounds: PFOS, PFHxS, PFOSA, N-EtFOSA, PFDoDA, PFUnDA, PFDA, PFNA, PFOA, and PFHpA) were measured in liver samples of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) (n = 10) and finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) (n = 10) stranded in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2007. PFOS was the dominant PFC in the tissues at concentrations ranging at 26-693 ng/g ww in dolphins and 51.3-262 ng/g ww in porpoises. A newly developed combustion ion chromatography for fluorine was applied to measure total fluorine (TF) and extractable organic fluorine (EOF) in these liver samples to understand PFC contamination using the concept of mass balance analysis. Comparisons between the amounts of known PFCs and EOF in the livers showed that a large proportion ({approx}70%) of the organic fluorine in both species is of unknown origin. These investigations are critical for a comprehensive assessment of the risks of these compounds to humans and other receptors. - Comparison between the amounts of known PFCs and EOF in the livers of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin and finless porpoise in South China showed that a large proportion ({approx}70%) of the organofluorine is of unknown origin.

Total fluorine, extractable organic fluorine, perfluorooctane sulfonate and other related fluorochemicals in liver of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) from South China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yeung, L.W.Y.; Miyake, Y.; Wang, Y.; Taniyasu, S.; Yamashita, N.; Lam, P.K.S.

2009-01-01

The concentrations of 10 PFCs (perfluorinated compounds: PFOS, PFHxS, PFOSA, N-EtFOSA, PFDoDA, PFUnDA, PFDA, PFNA, PFOA, and PFHpA) were measured in liver samples of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) (n = 10) and finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) (n = 10) stranded in Hong Kong between 2003 and 2007. PFOS was the dominant PFC in the tissues at concentrations ranging at 26-693 ng/g ww in dolphins and 51.3-262 ng/g ww in porpoises. A newly developed combustion ion chromatography for fluorine was applied to measure total fluorine (TF) and extractable organic fluorine (EOF) in these liver samples to understand PFC contamination using the concept of mass balance analysis. Comparisons between the amounts of known PFCs and EOF in the livers showed that a large proportion (∼70%) of the organic fluorine in both species is of unknown origin. These investigations are critical for a comprehensive assessment of the risks of these compounds to humans and other receptors. - Comparison between the amounts of known PFCs and EOF in the livers of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphin and finless porpoise in South China showed that a large proportion (∼70%) of the organofluorine is of unknown origin

Seabed surveys of Victoria harbour, Mahe, Seychelles

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Hashimi, N.H.; Wagle, B.G.

The seabed surveys in the Victoria Harbour, Mahe, Seychelles shows that the prominent feature is the navigational channel aligned in the northeast-southwest direction with a width varying from 300 to 450m. The depth in the channel ranges from 14...

Role of commercial harbours and recreational marinas in the spread of non-indigenous fouling species.

Science.gov (United States)

Ferrario, Jasmine; Caronni, Sarah; Occhipinti-Ambrogi, Anna; Marchini, Agnese

2017-09-01

The role of commercial harbours as sink and source habitats for non-indigenous species (NIS) and the role of recreational boating for their secondary spread were investigated by analysing the fouling community of five Italian harbours and five marinas in the western Mediterranean Sea. It was first hypothesised that NIS assemblages in the recreational marinas were subsets of those occurring in commercial harbours. However, the data did not consistently support this hypothesis: the NIS pools of some marinas significantly diverged from harbours even belonging to the same coastal stretches, including NIS occurring only in marinas. This study confirms harbours as hotspots for marine NIS, but also reveals that numbers of NIS in some marinas is higher than expected, suggesting that recreational vessels effectively facilitate NIS spread. It is recommended that this vector of NIS introduction is taken into account in the future planning of sustainable development of maritime tourism in Europe.

Contamination level of mercury in red meat products from cetaceans available from South Korea markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Endo, Tetsuya; Yong-Un, Ma; Baker, C. Scott; Funahashi, Naoko; Lavery, Shane; Dalebout, Merel L.; Lukoschek, Vimoksalehi; Haraguchi, Koichi

2007-01-01

Levels of total mercury (T-Hg) were surveyed in red meat (n = 73) and liver (n = 3) from toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises (odontocetes) sold for human consumption in the coastal cities of South Korea. High concentrations of T-Hg were found in the liver products of finless porpoises (18.7 and 156 μg/wet g) and common dolphins (13.2 μg/wet g). The T-Hg concentrations in red meat products were highest in the false killer whale (9.66 ± 12.3 μg/wet g, n = 9), bottlenose dolphin (10.6 ± 12.6 μg/wet g, n = 3) and killer whale (13.3 μg/wet g, n = 1), and lowest in Cuvier's beaked whale and the harbour porpoise (0.4-0.5 μg/wet g). Thus, most of the products that originated from odontocetes exceeded the safety limit of 0.5 μg/wet g for T-Hg set by the South Korean health authorities for the fishery industry. Pregnant women and other vulnerable sectors of the population living in South Korea should therefore limit their consumption of odontocete products

Contamination level of mercury in red meat products from cetaceans available from South Korea markets

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Endo, Tetsuya [Faculty of Pharmaceutical Sciences, Health Sciences University of Hokkaido, 1757 Ishikari-Tobetsu, Hokkaido 061-0293 (Japan)]. E-mail: endotty@hoku-iryo-u.ac.jp; Yong-Un, Ma [Korean Federation for Environmental Movement, 251 Nuha-dong, Jongno-gu, Seoul 110-806, Republic of Korea (Korea); Baker, C. Scott [School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Marine Mammal Program and Department of Fisheries and Wildlife, Oregon State University, Newport, OR 97365 (United States); Funahashi, Naoko [International Fund for Animal Welfare, 1-6-10-203, Saiwaicho, Higashikurume, Tokyo 203-0052 (Japan); Lavery, Shane [School of Biological Sciences, University of Auckland, Private Bag 92019, Auckland (New Zealand); Dalebout, Merel L. [School of Biological, Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of New South Wales, Sydney, NSW 2052 (Australia); Lukoschek, Vimoksalehi [School of Tropical Biology, James Cook University, Townsville, QLD 4811 (Australia); Haraguchi, Koichi [Daiichi College of Pharmaceutical Sciences, 22-1 Tamagawa-Cho, Minami-Ku, Fukuoka 815-8511 (Japan)

2007-06-15

Levels of total mercury (T-Hg) were surveyed in red meat (n = 73) and liver (n = 3) from toothed whales, dolphins and porpoises (odontocetes) sold for human consumption in the coastal cities of South Korea. High concentrations of T-Hg were found in the liver products of finless porpoises (18.7 and 156 {mu}g/wet g) and common dolphins (13.2 {mu}g/wet g). The T-Hg concentrations in red meat products were highest in the false killer whale (9.66 {+-} 12.3 {mu}g/wet g, n = 9), bottlenose dolphin (10.6 {+-} 12.6 {mu}g/wet g, n = 3) and killer whale (13.3 {mu}g/wet g, n = 1), and lowest in Cuvier's beaked whale and the harbour porpoise (0.4-0.5 {mu}g/wet g). Thus, most of the products that originated from odontocetes exceeded the safety limit of 0.5 {mu}g/wet g for T-Hg set by the South Korean health authorities for the fishery industry. Pregnant women and other vulnerable sectors of the population living in South Korea should therefore limit their consumption of odontocete products.

The effect of Kingston Harbour outflow on the zooplankton populations of Hellshire, south-east coast, Jamaica

Science.gov (United States)

Lindo, Mona K.

1991-06-01

Zooplankton sampling was conducted at 16 stations located at the mouth of Kingston Harbour and throughout the Hellshire area from November 1985 to March 1987. Parameters examined included total biomass, total numbers and numbers of numerically important zooplankton species. Maximum values were recorded west of the Harbour mouth (station 1) and these gradually decreased with distance from the Harbour especially at the 'offshore' stations, producing a gradient effect in this area. Mean biomass and abundance for the period sampled ranged from 14 g m -3 and 16 313 individuals m -3 at the western side of the Harbour mouth to 0·4 g m -3 and 172 individuals m -3 at Wreck Reef. Stations within the bays of Hellshire occasionally had values similar to those recorded at the mouth of Kingston Harbour and here there was less evidence of a gradual decline. Considerable monthly fluctuation occurred in these parameters but there was no discernible seasonal pattern. Copepods dominated the population at most stations and the sergestid Lucifer faxoni also proved an important member at the western Harbour mouth station.

Survey of research on the optimal design of sea harbours

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hassan Diab

2017-07-01

Full Text Available The design of harbours, as with any other system design, must be an optimization process. In this study, a global examination of the different constraints in coastal engineering was performed and an optimization problem was defined. The problem has multiple objectives, and the criteria to be minimized are the structure cost and wave height disturbance inside a harbour. As concluded in this survey, the constraints are predefined parameters, mandatory constraints or optional constraints. All of these constraints are categorized into four categories: environmental, fluid mechanical, structural and manoeuvring.

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

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

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

2015-01-01

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

Phocine distemper virus (PDV) seroprevalence as predictor for future outbreaks in harbour seals.

Science.gov (United States)

Ludes-Wehrmeister, Eva; Dupke, Claudia; Harder, Timm C; Baumgärtner, Wolfgang; Haas, Ludwig; Teilmann, Jonas; Dietz, Rune; Jensen, Lasse F; Siebert, Ursula

2016-02-01

Phocine distemper virus (PDV) infections caused the two most pronounced mass mortalities in marine mammals documented in the past century. During the two outbreaks, 23,000 and 30,000 harbour seals (Phoca vitulina), died in 1988/1989 and 2002 across populations in the Wadden Sea and adjacent waters, respectively. To follow the mechanism and development of disease spreading, the dynamics of Morbillivirus-specific antibodies in harbour seal populations in German and Danish waters were examined. 522 serum samples of free-ranging harbour seals of different ages were sampled between 1990 and 2014. By standard neutralisation assays, Morbillivirus-specific antibodies were detected, using either the PDV isolate 2558/Han 88 or the related canine distemper virus (CDV) strain Onderstepoort. A total of 159 (30.5%) of the harbour seals were seropositive. Annual seroprevalence rates showed an undulating course: Peaks were seen in the post-epidemic years 1990/1991 and 2002/2003. Following each PDV outbreak, seroprevalence decreased and six to eight years after the epidemics samples were tested seronegative, indicating that the populations are now again susceptible to new PDV outbreak. After the last outbreak in 2002, the populations grew steadily to an estimated maximum (since 1975) of about 39,100 individuals in the Wadden Sea in 2014 and about 23,540 harbour seals in the Kattegat area in 2013. A re-appearence of PDV would presumably result in another epizootic with high mortality rates as encountered in the previous outbreaks. The current high population density renders harbour seals vulnerable to rapid spread of infectious agents including PDV and the recently detected influenza A virus. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Earlier pupping in harbour seals, Phoca vitulina

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Reijnders, P.J.H.; Brasseur, S.M.J.M.; Meesters, H.W.G.

2010-01-01

The annual reproductive cycle of most seal species is characterized by a tight synchrony of births. Typically, timing of birth shows little inter-annual variation. Here, however we show that harbour seals Phoca vitulina from the Wadden Sea (southeast North Sea) have shortened their yearly cycle,

Status of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in mainland Norway

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kjell Tormod Nilssen

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Harbour seals were counted along the entire Norwegian coast at known moulting haulout sites in the period mid-August to early September 2003-2006. In 2003-2005, almost all known moulting areas from Finnmark to Vestfold counties were covered by aerial photo surveys flown at altitudes of approximately 800-900 ft (243-274m, and at low tide (± 2 hours. Surveys in the Østfold County were flown in 2003-2006 at 300 ft (91m, and the small tidal amplitudes permitted counts to be carried out irrespective of the tidal cycle. In some sub-areas, two or three independent surveys were conducted. Visual counts using binoculars from smaller boats and islands were carried out in some selected areas. The surveys revealed a total minimum population of 6,705 harbour seals in Norwegian waters. Harbour seals were most abundant in the Nordland and Sør-Trøndelag counties with minimum estimates of approximately 2,500 and 1,500 seals, respectively. The presented minimum estimate is approximately 800 seals lower than an estimate obtained in a comparable study carried out during the moult in 1996-1999. Increased anthropogenic removals, and the phocine distemper virus (PDV epidemic in the Skagerrak region in 2002, may have contributed to the current lower estimate.

Shoreline stability in the vicinity of Cochin Harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

PrasannaKumar, S.; Vethamony, P.

, showing stability over a period of one year. The growth of shoreline north of Cochin harbour channel takes place at the cost of sediment that should have otherwise by-passed the estuarine mouth. During the southwest monsoon the development of opposing...

Identification of highly brominated analogues of Q1 in marine mammals

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teuten, Emma L. [Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 360 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States)]. E-mail: emma.teuten@plymouth.ac.uk; Pedler, Byron E. [Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 360 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States)]. E-mail: bpedler@whoi.edu; Hangsterfer, Alexandra N. [Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 360 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States)]. E-mail: ahangsterfer@whoi.edu; Reddy, Christopher M. [Department of Marine Chemistry and Geochemistry, Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, 360 Woods Hole Road, Woods Hole, MA 02543 (United States)]. E-mail: creddy@whoi.edu

2006-11-15

Three novel halogenated organic compounds (HOCs) have been identified in the blubber of marine mammals from coastal New England with the molecular formulae C{sub 9}H{sub 3}N{sub 2}Br{sub 6}Cl, C{sub 9}H{sub 3}N{sub 2}Br{sub 7}, and C{sub 9}H{sub 4}N{sub 2}Br{sub 5}Cl. They were identified using high and low resolution gas chromatography mass spectrometry (GCMS) and appear to be highly brominated analogues of Q1, a heptachlorinated HOC suspected to be naturally produced. These compounds were found in Atlantic white sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus), bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops truncatus), common dolphin (Delphinus delphis), Risso's dolphin (Grampus griseus), harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), grey seal (Halichoerus grypus), harp seal (Phoca groenlandica) and a potential food source (Loligo pealei) with concentrations as high as 2.7 {mu}g/g (lipid weight). The regiospecificity of C{sub 9}H{sub 3}N{sub 2}Br{sub 6}Cl is suggestive of a biogenic origin. Debromination of C{sub 9}H{sub 3}N{sub 2}Br{sub 6}Cl may be significant in the formation of C{sub 9}H{sub 4}N{sub 2}Br{sub 5}Cl. - Three novel bioaccumulated compounds were identified as C{sub 9}H{sub 3}N{sub 2}Br{sub 6}Cl, C{sub 9}H{sub 3}N{sub 2}Br{sub 7} and C{sub 9}H{sub 4}N{sub 2}Br{sub 5}Cl.

Assessing the responses of coastal cetaceans to the construction of offshore wind turbines.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, Paul M; Lusseau, David; Barton, Tim; Simmons, Dave; Rusin, Jan; Bailey, Helen

2010-08-01

The expansion of offshore renewables has raised concerns over potential disturbance to coastal cetaceans. In this study, we used passive acoustic monitoring to assess whether cetaceans responded to pile-driving noise during the installation of two 5MW offshore wind turbines off NE Scotland in 2006. Monitoring was carried out at both the turbine site and a control site in 2005, 2006 and 2007. Harbour porpoises occurred regularly around the turbine site in all years, but there was some evidence that porpoises did respond to disturbance from installation activities. We use these findings to highlight how uncertainty over cetacean distribution and the scale of disturbance effects constrains opportunities for B-A-C-I studies. We explore alternative approaches to assessing the impact of offshore wind farm upon cetaceans, and make recommendations for the research and monitoring that will be required to underpin future developments. Copyright 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Deciphering natural to anthropogenic control on sedimentation: the Late Holocene Magdala (Kinneret Lake, Israel) harbour hystory

Science.gov (United States)

Sarti, G.; Rossi, V.; Amorosi, A.; Bertoni, D.; Ribolini, A.; Sammartino, I.; Zanchetta, G.

2012-04-01

Using a multidisciplinary approach involving geologists, geomorphologists and archeologists, the late Holocene sedimentary succession buried beneath the ancient Magdala harbour area (Kinneret Lake, Israel) was studied, in order to highlight the strict relationships among harbour evolutive phases (e.g. foundation, siltation, abandonment), natural events (e.g. sea-level variations, climatic changes and earthquakes among the most important) and, obviously, archaeological history. Recent excavations performed within the "Magdala Project" have discovered a harbour structure with late Hellenistic-Roman mooring stones at altitudes of 208.100 m and 208.320 m bsl respectively, suggestive of a higher lake-level (about 212 m bsl) than previously hypothesized. Along the most representative sections of trenches, integrated sedimentological, micropalaeontological (benthic meiofauna and pollen) and geochemical analyses were carried out on sedimentary deposits underlying and overlying the harbour structures, to define the main depositional facies and evolution phases that took place during the last millennia. Spatial variability of coeval palaeoenvironments across the archaeological site allowed to reconstruct a comprehensive picture of the harbour complex, evidencing the occurrence of three main evolution phases, similar to those reported from several Mediterranean Sea harbour systems: 1) a pre-harbor foundation phase; 2) a sin-harbor activity phase and 3) an harbor-abandonment phase. The first phase corresponds to the development of a natural lacustrine sandy beach barren in archaeological remains and containing an ostracod fauna very similar to the one observed within the present-day lake basin at ca. 5 m water depth. The second phase was characterized by the formation of an early Hellenistic sheltered lacustrine basin, recording the first anthropogenic control exerted on coastal sedimentation by the construction of harbour structures ("anthropogenically forced sheltered basin

Detection and effects of harmful algal toxins in Scottish harbour seals and potential links to population decline.

Science.gov (United States)

Jensen, Silje-Kristin; Lacaze, Jean-Pierre; Hermann, Guillaume; Kershaw, Joanna; Brownlow, Andrew; Turner, Andrew; Hall, Ailsa

2015-04-01

Over the past 15 years or so, several Scottish harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) populations have declined in abundance and several factors have been considered as possible causes, including toxins from harmful algae. Here we explore whether a link could be established between two groups of toxins, domoic acid (DA) and saxitoxins (STXs), and the decline in the harbour seal populations in Scotland. We document the first evidence that harbour seals are exposed to both DA and STXs from consuming contaminated fish. Both groups of toxins were found in urine and faeces sampled from live captured (n = 162) and stranded animals (n = 23) and in faecal samples collected from seal haul-out sites (n = 214) between 2008 and 2013. The proportion of positive samples and the toxins levels measured in the excreta were significantly higher in areas where harbour seal abundance is in decline. There is also evidence that DA has immunomodulatory effects in harbour seals, including lymphocytopenia and monocytosis. Scottish harbour seals are exposed to DA and STXs through contaminated prey at potentially lethal levels and with this evidence we suggest that exposure to these toxins are likely to be important factors driving the harbour seal decline in some regions of Scotland. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Harborsim, a generally applicable harbour simulation model

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Groenveld, R.

1983-01-01

Every planning of a port development or design of a new harbour is confronted with the unique physical properties and related problems to be solved. On the other hand every port can be defined as a link in the transport chain involved in the transfer of cargo from one medium of transport to another.

Lungworm seroprevalence in free-ranging harbour seals and molecular characterisation of marine mammal MSP

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophia Arlena Ulrich

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina are frequently infected with the lungworms Otostrongylus circumlitus and Parafilaroides gymnurus. The infection is often accompanied by secondary bacterial infections and can cause severe bronchopneumonia and even death in affected animals. Hitherto, the detection of lungworm infections was based on post mortem investigations from animals collected within stranding networks and a valid detection method for live free-ranging harbour seals was not available. Recently, an ELISA was developed for detecting lungworm antibodies in harbour seal serum, using major sperm protein (MSP of the bovine lungworm, Dictyocaulus viviparus as recombinant diagnostic antigen. To determine lungworm seroprevalence in free-ranging harbour seals, serum was taken from four different seal age groups (n = 313 resulting in an overall prevalence of 17.9% (18.9% of males, 16.7% of females. 0.7% of harbour seals up to six weeks of age were seropositive, as were 89% of seals between six weeks and six months, 53.6% between six and 18 months and 24.2% of seals over 18 months of age. In the 18 months and over age group, seropositive animals showed statistically significant reductions in body weight (P = 0.003 and length (P < 0.001. Sera from lungworm infected harbour seals in rehabilitation (n = 6 revealed that duration of antibody persistence may be similar to that of lungworm infected cattle, but further studies are needed to confirm this. Phylogenetic analyses of MSP sequences of different marine and terrestrial mammal parasitic nematodes revealed that lungworm MSP of the genus Dictyocaulus (superfamily Trichostrongyloidea is more closely related to metastrongylid marine mammal lungworms than to trichostrongylid nematodes of terrestrial hosts.

Codes of Practice related to Harbour and Coastal Engineering in Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burcharth, H. F.

2000-01-01

Codes of practice for building and civil engineering works have been produced since 1893 by the "Danish Society of Engineers". Among the early codes are: Reinforces concrete structures (1908, 1943), calculation of reinforced concrete structures in harbour works (1926), Harbour Works (1927), Steel...... structures (1941). The codes were based on the principle of allowable stresses. However, already in 1948 a Danish consulting engineer used a partial safety factor concept for a power station design in order to secure satisfactory safety. The concept was in fact old as it was used by Gerber in his design...

Macro- and meiofaunal community features in the critical environmental system of a tourist harbour (Rapallo, Ligurian Sea, NW Mediterranean).

Science.gov (United States)

Harriague, Anabella Covazzi; Albertelli, Giancarlo; Misic, Cristina

2012-03-01

Two samplings were carried out in a tourist harbour, during low and high touristic activity periods, to study the macro- and meiofaunal communities in relation to the environmental features. A multivariate analysis showed close relationships: the maritime traffic disturbance and the food quality and availability drive the spatial differences of the assemblages, dividing the area into three sub-areas: the area near the Boate torrent that empties into the harbour, the harbour proper, and the external area (just outside the harbour). Macro- and meiofauna showed notably different temporal trends, indicating competition for the resources and the higher sensitivity of the macrofauna to environmental pressures. The macrofauna strongly decreased as a response to heavier harbour activities, with increasing turbidity also affecting the external station outside the harbour. Finally, comparing the macrofaunal communities to those sampled in the same area 10 years before, we found that their abundance, richness and biomass had notably decreased, highlighting the worsening of the harbour environment due to the increased organic load and turbidity. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The stranding anomaly as population indicator: the case of Harbour Porpoise

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Peltier, H.; Baagøe, H.J.; Camphuysen, K.C.J.; Czeck, R.; Dabin, W.; Daniel, P.; Deaville, R.; Haelters, J.; Jauniaux, T.; Jensen, L.F.; Jepson, P.D.; Keijl, G.O.; Siebert, U.; Van Canneyt, O.; Ridoux, V.

2013-01-01

Ecological indicators for monitoring strategies are expected to combine three major characteristics: ecological significance, statistical credibility, and cost-effectiveness. Strategies based on stranding networks rank highly in cost-effectiveness, but their ecological significance and statistical

Metal contamination in harbours impacts life-history traits and metallothionein levels in snails.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Maria Alexandra Bighiu

Full Text Available Harbours with limited water exchange are hotspots of contaminant accumulation. Antifouling paints (AF contribute to this accumulation by leaching biocides that may affect non-target species. In several leisure boat harbours and reference areas in the Baltic Sea, chronic exposure effects were evaluated using caging experiments with the snail Theodoxus fluviatilis. We analysed variations in ecologically relevant endpoints (mortality, growth and reproduction in concert with variation in metallothionein-like proteins (MTLP levels. The latter is a biomarker of exposure to metals, such as copper (Cu and zinc (Zn, which are used in AF paints as active ingredient and stabilizer, respectively. In addition, environmental samples (water, sediment were analysed for metal (Cu and Zn and nutrient (total phosphorous and nitrogen concentrations. All life-history endpoints were negatively affected by the exposure, with higher mortality, reduced growth and lower fecundity in the harbours compared to the reference sites. Metal concentrations were the key explanatory variables for all observed adverse effects, suggesting that metal-driven toxicity, which is likely to stem from AF paints, is a source of anthropogenic stress for biota in the harbours.

The spatial and temporal distribution of heavy metals in sediments of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tang, Chloe Wing-yee; Ip, Carman Ching-man; Zhang Gan; Shin, Paul K.S.; Qian Peiyuan; Li Xiangdong

2008-01-01

Victoria Harbour has received substantial loadings of pollutants from industrial and municipal wastewater discharged since the 1950s. Inputs of contaminants have declined dramatically during the last two decades as a result of better controls at the source and improved wastewater treatment facilities. To assess the spatial and temporal changes of metal contaminants in sediments in Victoria Harbour, core and grab sediments were collected. The central harbour areas were generally contaminated with heavy metals. The spatial distribution of trace metals can probably be attributed to the proximity of major urban and industrial discharge points, and to the effect of tidal flushing in the harbour. In the sediment cores, the highest concentrations of trace metals were observed to have accumulated during the 1950s-1980s, corresponding with the period of rapid urban and industrial development in Hong Kong. From the late 1980s, there has been a major decline in the concentrations of trace metals, due to a reduction in industrial activities and to the enactment of wastewater pollution controls in the territory. The Pb isotopic compositions of the sediments revealed the anthropogenic inputs of Pb to the harbour. The 206 Pb/ 207 Pb ratios varied from 1.154 to 1.190, which were lower than those of background geological materials in Hong Kong ( 206 Pb/ 207 Pb: 1.201-1.279). The data also indicated that the Pb in the harbour sediments most likely originated from mixed sources, including the leaded gasoline used in the past and other anthropogenic sources

The spatial and temporal distribution of heavy metals in sediments of Victoria Harbour, Hong Kong

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tang, Chloe Wing-yee; Ip, Carman Ching-man [Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Zhang Gan [State Key Laboratory of Organic Geochemistry, Guangzhou Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guangzhou 510640 (China); Shin, Paul K.S. [Department of Biology and Chemistry, City University of Hong Kong, Tat Chee Avenue, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Qian Peiyuan [Department of Biology and Coastal Marine Laboratory, Hong Kong University of Science and Technology, Clear Water Bay, Kowloon (Hong Kong); Li Xiangdong [Department of Civil and Structural Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University, Hung Hom, Kowloon (Hong Kong)], E-mail: cexdli@polyu.edu.hk

2008-07-01

Victoria Harbour has received substantial loadings of pollutants from industrial and municipal wastewater discharged since the 1950s. Inputs of contaminants have declined dramatically during the last two decades as a result of better controls at the source and improved wastewater treatment facilities. To assess the spatial and temporal changes of metal contaminants in sediments in Victoria Harbour, core and grab sediments were collected. The central harbour areas were generally contaminated with heavy metals. The spatial distribution of trace metals can probably be attributed to the proximity of major urban and industrial discharge points, and to the effect of tidal flushing in the harbour. In the sediment cores, the highest concentrations of trace metals were observed to have accumulated during the 1950s-1980s, corresponding with the period of rapid urban and industrial development in Hong Kong. From the late 1980s, there has been a major decline in the concentrations of trace metals, due to a reduction in industrial activities and to the enactment of wastewater pollution controls in the territory. The Pb isotopic compositions of the sediments revealed the anthropogenic inputs of Pb to the harbour. The {sup 206}Pb/{sup 207}Pb ratios varied from 1.154 to 1.190, which were lower than those of background geological materials in Hong Kong ({sup 206}Pb/{sup 207}Pb: 1.201-1.279). The data also indicated that the Pb in the harbour sediments most likely originated from mixed sources, including the leaded gasoline used in the past and other anthropogenic sources.

Settling fluxes and ecotoxicological risk assessment of fine sedimentary metals in Tema Harbour (Ghana).

Science.gov (United States)

Botwe, Benjamin O; Nyarko, Elvis; Lens, Piet N L

2018-01-01

Sediment traps were deployed in the Tema Harbour to estimate the settling fluxes of silt-clay particles and associated metals (Fe, Mn, Pb, Cr, Cu, Zn, Ni, Hg, Sn and As) and characterise their potential ecotoxicological risks. The mean daily settling fluxes of the silt-clay particles and associated metals ranged from 42.7 to 85.0gm -2 d -1 and 1.3×10 -2 to 49.4mgm -2 d -1 , respectively, and were characterised by large fluctuations at each station. The silt-clay and metal fluxes strongly correlated, indicating the important role of the silt-clay particles in metal transport and distribution in the harbour. Geochemical indices indicated anthropogenic influences on the harbour as the Pb, Cr, Zn, Hg, Sn and As content in the settling silt-clay particles exceeded their average crustal concentrations. Sediment quality guidelines indicated these metals pose appreciable ecotoxicological risks, particularly As. Increasing temporal trends in As necessitates increased pollution control efforts at the harbour. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pilot remediation of sediment from the Petroleum harbour in Amsterdam

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hakstege, A.L.; Geldermalsen, L.A. van

1998-01-01

The Petroleum Harbour project is the third pilot remediation, which was carried out within the framework of POSW (the national development programme for treatment processes of polluted sediments). The main objectives of the pilot remediation are: to demonstrate the biological treatment of dredged materials on a practical scale; and to gain knowledge and experience for the future remediation of the total Petroleum harbour. A strict tender procedure was carefully executed in order to select the most effective and 'state of the art' biodegradation technology. The selected remediation chain was a combination of 'standard' soil treatment technology and newly developed biotechnology. Dredging, biotechnological treatment and the effects of the remediation on the environment were monitored in detail. The quality of the treated sand fraction complied with the Dutch standards for re-use and was actually applied in a project of Rijkswaterstaat. Biodegradation resulted in a substantial decrease of the oil and PAH's contents, but due to the lack of breakdown of a few high-molecular PAH's, the quality requirements of the contract were not achieved. It is concluded that the two main objectives of the project have been attained. Finally some recommendations for the future clean-up of the Petroleum harbour are given. (author)

n-Alkanes in surficial sediments of Visakhapatnam harbour, east ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Visakhapatnam harbour, a semi-enclosed water body is one of the .... PDB − 1. } × 1000. 2.5 Extraction of lipids. Total lipids (TL) were extracted from lyophilized sediments following ..... 2010 Sources of OM and microbial community structure.

Seasonal, diel, tidal, and geographical variation in male harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) vocalizations in southern Scandinavia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Faxe Sabinsky, Puk; Tougaard, Jakob; Wahlberg, Magnus

Male harbour seals make underwater calls in the mating season but remarkable little is known about the circumstances under which the calls are made and the role of the calls in mating. This study reports on the first recordings of harbour seal calls from Danish waters and investigates...... calling behavior of harbour seals. This gives prospects of a tool, which can aid in identifying essential underwater areas used in mating behavior by the seals, and can allow assessment of the need for adequate protection of these areas as required by the Habitats Directive....

Mumbai harbour, India: Gateway for introduction of marine organisms

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Gaonkar, C.; Sawant, S.S.; Anil, A; Venkat, K.; Harkantra, S.N.

Ships have been identified as one of the important vectors in the translocation of organisms from one bioregion to another leading to bioinvasion. In this context, harbours serve as a gateway for the introduction of alien species. Surveys were...

Economic study for the establishment of A food irradiation facility at port said harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EL-Gameel, E.A.

2004-01-01

The present study discusses the economic aspects of establishing food irradiation facility at Port Said harbour and the effect of various parameters on the unit processing costs. The study is concerned with carrying out an economic evaluation for the application of food exports from Port Said harbour and the marketing and technical aspects where the suitable commodity mix has been determined for the agricultural crops which were proposed for irradiation. The investment criteria utilized for commercial evaluation were internal rate of return (IRR) and pay back period (PEP). The irradiation cost and the additional income are also discussed. The results of this analysis showed that the establishment of food irradiation unit in Port Said harbour in Egypt would be economically feasible

Development in Harbour Construction, Infrastructure and Topography on the Eve of the Early Modern Age in the Baltic (1450-1600)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Springmann, Maik Jens O R

2016-01-01

Ships are no Flying Dutchmen! They need a harbour. Therefore, the development of ship construction is pretty much connected with that of harbour construction, and beyond this, they influence the topography and infrastructure of a harbour. The transition between the Medieval period and the Early M...... construction, topography and infrastructure follow the development of ship construction. The paper focuses on the deep impact that larger multi-mast sailing ships had on the development of Baltic harbours...

Water quality effects of harbour activities assessed with integrated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Ecological tools were developed to study the water quality in Cochin harbour, a complex aquatic ecosystems, through the integration of microbiological monitoring (faecal coliforms and Pseudomonas species) and heavy metal contamination (lead, cadmium and mercury). One way ANOVA indicates statistically significant ...

Detection and direction discrimination of single vortex rings by harbour seals (Phoca vitulina).

Science.gov (United States)

Krüger, Yvonne; Hanke, Wolf; Miersch, Lars; Dehnhardt, Guido

2018-04-25

Harbour seals possess highly sensitive vibrissae that enable them to track hydrodynamic trails left behind by a swimming fish. Most of these trails contain vortex rings as a main hydrodynamic component. They may reveal information about their generator as the trails differ depending on the fish species, the fish's body shape, size and swimming style. In addition, fish generate single vortex rings in diverse natural situations. In this study, the ability of blindfolded stationary harbour seals to detect and analyse single vortex rings regarding directional information has been investigated. In three different behavioural experiments, the animals were trained to respond to single artificially generated vortex rings. The results show that harbour seals are able to respond to a variety of different vortex rings upon vibrissal stimulation. The investigation of the minimum hydrodynamically perceivable angle revealed that it is at least as small as 5.7 deg, which was the smallest adjustable angle. Moreover, harbour seals are capable of analysing the travel direction of a vortex ring perceived by the mystacial vibrissae irrespective of whether the vibrissae were stimulated ipsilaterally or contralaterally. In situations in which no complex hydrodynamic trail is available, it is advantageous for a hunting seal to be able to extract information from a single vortex ring. © 2018. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Distribution of 137Cs in sediments in Xiangshan, Xiamen and Yangpu harbours, China

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pan, S.; Xu, Q.

1999-01-01

Xiangshan Harbour (Zhejing Province), Xiamen Harbour (Fujian Province) and Yangpu Harbour (Hainan Province) are tide-channel type bays, located on the southeast coast of China. Six sediment cores were collected in the Harbours in several projects respectively. Sediment samples were collected with a Lehigh gravity corer which utilized a 10.3 cm diameter, PVC core barrel. Styrofoam sediment core retainers were fitted into the top of the core barrel following core recovery to facilitate core sampling without loss of sediment from the barrel. The core barrels were split lengthwise using a circular saw. Following visual inspection for geological parameters (colour, texture, etc.) and photography of the cores, they were subsampled at 1-2 cm or 5 cm intervals for the entire length of the core. The sediment samples were stored in air-tight, plastic containers and returned to Nanjing University for 137 Cs and other types of analysis. The sediment samples were oven dried at approximately 100 deg. C. at the Nanjing University isotope laboratory and the % loss of water used to determine the wet and dry densities. The contents of 137 Cs were counted using an n-type HPGe γ-ray spectrometry system. The coaxial detector has an efficiency of 25%, with a lead shield 12 cm thick. Each sample was measured for 12h

Geodetic infrastructure at the Barcelona harbour for sea level monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Benjamin, Juan Jose; Gili, Josep; Lopez, Rogelio; Tapia, Ana; Pros, Francesc; Palau, Vicenc; Perez, Begona

2015-04-01

The presentation is directed to the description of the actual geodetic infrastructure of Barcelona harbour with three tide gauges of different technologies for sea level determination and contribution to regional sea level rise and understanding past and present sea level rise in the Barcelona harbour. It is intended that the overall system will constitute a CGPS Station of the ESEAS (European Sea Level) and TIGA (GPS Tide Gauge Benchmark Monitoring) networks. At Barcelona harbour there is a MIROS radar tide gauge belonging to Puertos del Estado (Spanish Harbours).The radar sensor is over the water surface, on a L-shaped structure which elevates it a few meters above the quay shelf. 1-min data are transmitted to the ENAGAS Control Center by cable and then sent each 1 min to Puertos del Estado by e-mail. The information includes wave forescast (mean period, significant wave height, sea level, etc.This sensor also measures agitation and sends wave parameters each 20 min. There is a GPS station Leica Geosystems GRX1200 GG Pro and antenna AX 1202 GG. The Control Tower of the Port of Barcelona is situated in the North dike of the so-called Energy Pier in the Barcelona harbor (Spain). This tower has different kind of antennas for navigation monitoring and a GNSS permanent station. As the tower is founded in reclaimed land, and because its metallic structure, the 50 m building is subjected to diverse movements, including periodic fluctuations due to temperature changes. In this contribution the 2009, 2011, 2012, 2013 and 2014 the necessary monitoring campaigns are described. In the framework of a Spanish Space Project, the instrumentation of sea level measurements has been improved by providing the Barcelona site with a radar tide gauge Datamar 2000C from Geonica S.L. in June 2014 near an acoustic tide gauge from the Barcelona Harbour installed in 2013. Precision levelling has been made several times in the last two years because the tower is founded in reclaimed land and

Dredging up the past -- removal of historic low-level radioactive sediment from the Port Hope harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Case, G.; Kolberg, M.

2011-01-01

Port Hope is located on the northern shore of Lake Ontario at the confluence of the Ganaraska River and has existed as a Port of Entry since at least 1819. Once operated as a major Lake Ontario port, through periods of vibrant industrial growth, it is now a recreational anchorage for the local yacht club. The history of the Port Hope harbour from the early 1800s to today is typical of other small-town ports along Lake Ontario that have experienced growth and decline in direct relation to Great Lake shipping volumes and the shift in industry and commerce to larger urban areas. However, in the case of the Port Hope harbour, the presence of low-level radioactive sediment, resulting from a former radium and uranium refinery that operated alongside the harbour, currently limits redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. The presence of low-level radioactive waste is not limited to only harbour sediments. Several other on-land locations within the community are also affected by the low-level radioactive waste management practices of the past. To address these situations, the Port Hope Area Initiative project is currently underway to implement a local, safe, long-term waste management solution. The Port Hope Area Initiative is a community initiated undertaking that will result in the consolidation of an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres of the low-level radioactive waste from the various sites in Port Hope into a new engineered above ground long-term waste management facility. The remedial cleanup of the estimated 120,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediments from the Port Hope harbour is one of the more challenging components of the Initiative. This paper demonstrates how the historical development of the harbour over the past 200 years, the nature and extent of the contaminated sediments, and Municipality of Port Hope’s desires for future redevelopment of the waterfront area have all played a role in the design of the remedial cleanup plan for the Port Hope

Dredging up the past -- removal of historic low-level radioactive sediment from the Port Hope harbour

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Case, G. [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Port Hope, ON (Canada); Kolberg, M. [Baird, Oakville, ON (Canada)

2011-07-01

Port Hope is located on the northern shore of Lake Ontario at the confluence of the Ganaraska River and has existed as a Port of Entry since at least 1819. Once operated as a major Lake Ontario port, through periods of vibrant industrial growth, it is now a recreational anchorage for the local yacht club. The history of the Port Hope harbour from the early 1800s to today is typical of other small-town ports along Lake Ontario that have experienced growth and decline in direct relation to Great Lake shipping volumes and the shift in industry and commerce to larger urban areas. However, in the case of the Port Hope harbour, the presence of low-level radioactive sediment, resulting from a former radium and uranium refinery that operated alongside the harbour, currently limits redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. The presence of low-level radioactive waste is not limited to only harbour sediments. Several other on-land locations within the community are also affected by the low-level radioactive waste management practices of the past. To address these situations, the Port Hope Area Initiative project is currently underway to implement a local, safe, long-term waste management solution. The Port Hope Area Initiative is a community initiated undertaking that will result in the consolidation of an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres of the low-level radioactive waste from the various sites in Port Hope into a new engineered above ground long-term waste management facility. The remedial cleanup of the estimated 120,000 cubic metres of contaminated sediments from the Port Hope harbour is one of the more challenging components of the Initiative. This paper demonstrates how the historical development of the harbour over the past 200 years, the nature and extent of the contaminated sediments, and Municipality of Port Hope’s desires for future redevelopment of the waterfront area have all played a role in the design of the remedial cleanup plan for the Port Hope

Species interactions in the western Baltic Sea: With focus on the ecological role of whiting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ross, Stine Dalmann

, which potentially prey on and compete for food with whiting. Here, the growth dynamics and feeding ecology of whiting in the western Baltic Sea is investigated and discussed in an ecosystem context. Furthermore, the diet of the harbour porpoise is examined and the interactions between whiting, cod......, implementation of the models in strategic management advice for commercially important fish stocks and protected marine mammals is not common practice. This is due to the lack of sufficient information about species interactions including knowledge about the diet, food intake and growth dynamics. This thesis...

Danish offshore wind. Key environmental issues - a follow-up

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2013-02-15

This follow-up to the Danish environmental monitoring programme on large-scale offshore wind power builds on the result of the former programme of 2006 and focuses on updated knowledge on harbour porpoises, water birds and fish communities, and on the cumulative effects of wind farms. The scientific quality of the projects in this follow-up has been assessed by experts from the International Advisory Panel of Experts on Marine Ecology (IAPEME), who have commented on the results in an independent evaluation which is reproduced in this publication. (LN)

Chemical tracers of shipping emissions in a Mediterranean harbour

Science.gov (United States)

Viana, M.; Amato, F.; Alastuey, A.; Querol, X.; Román, A.; García, M.

2009-04-01

Particle emissions from transport-related activities are known as one of the most important sources contributing to the PM mass concentrations in urban environments. However, only limited information is currently available in the literature on the contribution to PM levels by specific transport related sources such as shipping emissions, even though according to the latest IPCC report (Ribeiro et al., 2007), shipping emissions are receiving increased scrutiny by international and regional regulatory agencies because of their potential impact on air quality and human health in communities downwind from major shipping lanes and ports (Dominguez et al., 2008). One of the main reasons for this lack of information is the complexity in the detection of shipping emissions, given that no specific emission tracers have so far been identified as a consequence of the vast variability of combustion fuels burnt by vessels. The city of Melilla was selected for the study of shipping emissions due to its location on the South-Western sector of the Mediterranean basin, on the Northern coast of Morocco and less than 200 km from the Gibraltar Strait (35°17´40" N, 2°56´30" W). The city covers an extension of 13.4 km2, with a population of 70000 inhabitants. The monitoring station selected for the present study is representative of urban background levels, and it is located at approximately 150 m from the Melilla harbour. The harbour is mainly characterised by commercial traffic (passanger and container), although minerals and other loose materials are also stocked on the docks located farthest away from the monitoring site. PM10, PM2.5 and PM1 levels were determined on an hourly basis between 12/01/2008 and 19/12/2008 using a GRIMM laser spectrometer, which produced more than 8000 data points for each size fraction (24000 data points in total). In addition, PM10 and PM2.5 levels were sampled on quartz fibre filter substrates (Munktell) by means of high-volume samplers (PM1025 MCV

Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT) in Barcelona harbour sediments and their impact on benthic communities

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Martinez-Llado, Xavier [Environmental Technology Area, CTM-UPC, Avda. Bases de Manresa 1, 08240 Manresa (Spain); Gibert, Oriol [Environmental Technology Area, CTM-UPC, Avda. Bases de Manresa 1, 08240 Manresa (Spain); Marti, Vicens [Environmental Technology Area, CTM-UPC, Avda. Bases de Manresa 1, 08240 Manresa (Spain)]. E-mail: vicens.marti@upc.edu; Diez, Sergi [Environmental Chemistry Department, IIQAB-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Environmental Geology Department, ICTJA-CSIC, Lluis Sole i Sabaris, s/n, 08028 Barcelona (Spain); Romo, Javier [Environmental Service of Barcelona Harbour Authority, Carretera de la Circumval.lacio, s/n, Tram VI, Sector 6, Barcelona (Spain); Bayona, Josep Maria [Environmental Chemistry Department, IIQAB-CSIC, c/Jordi Girona 18-26, 08034 Barcelona (Spain); Pablo, Joan de [Environmental Technology Area, CTM-UPC, Avda. Bases de Manresa 1, 08240 Manresa (Spain)

2007-09-15

Sediments have long been recognised as a sink for many contaminants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT), which by virtue of their nature can strongly adsorb onto sediments affecting the benthic community inhabiting them. Using geographical information systems, this study reports and combines the results of several already existing studies along Barcelona harbour in order to assess the potential ecological impacts of these contaminants on the benthos of the harbour ecosystem. Chemical analysis indicated low to moderate contents of PAHs and high contents of TBT in sediments in Barcelona harbour. Comparison against existing sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) indicated that acutely toxic effects would not be expected for PAHs but for TBT, which represents a serious environmental threat for the benthic community. Benthos surveys revealed a deterioration of the benthic community throughout the harbour, especially in the inner port. - A possible correlation exists between TBT concentration in sediments and ecological effects on benthos in Barcelona harbour.

Distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT) in Barcelona harbour sediments and their impact on benthic communities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez-Llado, Xavier; Gibert, Oriol; Marti, Vicens; Diez, Sergi; Romo, Javier; Bayona, Josep Maria; Pablo, Joan de

2007-01-01

Sediments have long been recognised as a sink for many contaminants like polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and tributyltin (TBT), which by virtue of their nature can strongly adsorb onto sediments affecting the benthic community inhabiting them. Using geographical information systems, this study reports and combines the results of several already existing studies along Barcelona harbour in order to assess the potential ecological impacts of these contaminants on the benthos of the harbour ecosystem. Chemical analysis indicated low to moderate contents of PAHs and high contents of TBT in sediments in Barcelona harbour. Comparison against existing sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) indicated that acutely toxic effects would not be expected for PAHs but for TBT, which represents a serious environmental threat for the benthic community. Benthos surveys revealed a deterioration of the benthic community throughout the harbour, especially in the inner port. - A possible correlation exists between TBT concentration in sediments and ecological effects on benthos in Barcelona harbour

Comparative sensitivity of harbour and grey seals to several environmental contaminants using in vitro exposure

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dufresne, M.M.; Frouin, H.; Pillet, S.; Lesage, V.; De Guise, S.; Fournier, M.

2010-01-01

In this study, we investigated the effects of cadmium chloride (CdCl 2 ), mercury chloride (HgCl 2 ), methylmercury chloride (CH 3 HgCl), and PCBs on lymphocyte proliferation in phocids. PBMCs isolated from harbour and grey seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of contaminants. A reduction of viability occurred when cells were exposed to 10 -4 M HgCl 2 or CH 3 HgCl or to 50 ppm of Aroclor 1254. In both grey and harbour seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was suppressed when their cells were incubated with 5 x 10 -5 M CdCl 2 or 10 -4 M HgCl 2 . An inhibition of proliferation occurred with CH 3 HgCl from 10 -6 M in grey seals and from 10 -5 M in harbour seals. In grey seals, Aroclor 1254 reduced lymphocyte proliferation at 15 ppm. In both harbour and grey seals, CH 3 HgCl was ten times more immunotoxic that HgCl 2 . From IC 50 , chemicals were ranked in terms of toxicity as followed: CH 3 HgCl > CdCl 2 > HgCl 2 > Aroclor 1254.

Seabed surveys of Mormugao Harbour, Central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Wagle, B.G.; Gujar, A.R.; Subrahmanyam, V.; Mislankar, P.G.

Detailed echosounding, side scan sonar and shallow seismics (125 line km) covering an area of 6.2 km2 in the Mormugao harbour provided information on seabed topography, surficial distribution of sediments, their thickness and rock outcrops along...

Investigations on oil patches around 'M.T.Lajpatrai' Bombay harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Kadam, A.N.; Zingde, M.D.

Samples from three oil patches observed around the burning tanker 'M. T. Lajpatrai' at Bombay Harbour were characterised using proton magnetic resonance spectroscopy (PMR). Two of them were found to be from used lubricating oils. As indicated by gas...

Effects of noise and by-catch on a Danish harbour porpoise population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nabe-Nielsen, Jacob; Sibly, Richard M.; Tougaard, Jakob

2014-01-01

Ships and wind turbines generate noise, which can have a negative impact on marine mammal popu- lations by scaring animals away. Effective modelling of how this affects the populations has to take account of the location and timing of disturbances. Here we construct an individual-based model of har...

Pollution studies on harbours and jetties in Nigeria | Agbagwa ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The distribution of bacteria in the surface waters and sediment of selected harbours and landing jetties in the city of Port Harcourt was investigated. Nine water and sediments samples were allocated on each trip and cultured for various organisms on the rainy and dry season. The total heterotrophic count of the water ...

Assessment of DDT, HCH and PAH contamination and associated ecotoxicological risks in surface sediments of coastal Tema Harbour (Ghana).

Science.gov (United States)

Botwe, Benjamin O; Kelderman, Peter; Nyarko, Elvis; Lens, Piet N L

2017-02-15

This study assessed DDTs, HCHs and PAHs contamination in sediments from the Tema Harbour (Ghana) and the associated ecotoxicological risks. The results showed widespread DDTs, HCHs and PAHs contamination in the harbour sediments with mean concentrations ranging from 6.0-12.8, 2.8-12.7 and 2750-5130μg·kg -1 d·w, respectively. The silt-clay and total organic carbon contents of the sediments poorly correlated with the pollutant concentrations. DDTs and HCHs contamination relate to past use of DDT and lindane, which under the anoxic harbour conditions resulted in disproportionately higher concentrations of p,p'-DDD and γ-HCH in the sediments. No conclusion could be drawn on the sources of PAHs as either petrogenic or pyrogenic. The pollutant concentrations in the harbour sediments, particularly γ-HCH, may pose high ecotoxicological risks. In comparison to a previous study, this study indicates there has been a considerable reduction in PAH contamination in the Tema Harbour since the last major oil spill in 2007. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The world's northernmost harbour seal population-how many are there?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin Merkel

Full Text Available This study presents the first abundance estimate for the world's northernmost harbour seal (Phoca vitulina population, which resides in Svalbard, Norway, based on three digital stereoscopic photographic surveys conducted in 2009 and 2010. The counts from these high resolution 3D images were combined with a novel method for estimating correction factors for animals that were in the water at the time of the surveys, in which extensive behavioural data from radio-tagged harbour seals were used together with age distribution data to estimate the proportion of seals of various age and sex classes hauled out at the times of the surveys. To detect possible seasonal shifts in age distribution between surveys, lengths of hauled out seals were measured from the stereoscopic images. No body-length differences were detected between the surveys; but, this may be due to a high degree of sexual dimorphism exhibited in this population. Applying the modelled correction factors, a total of 1888 (95% CI: 1660-3023, 1742 (1381-3549 and 1812 (1656-4418 harbour seals were estimated for the surveys flown on 01 August 2009, 01 August 2010 and 19 August 2010, respectively. The similarity between the three survey estimates (despite significant differences in the number of animals actually counted on the photos from each survey effort suggests that the variation in numbers of hauled out seals is reasonably accurately adjusted for by the haul-out probability model. The low population size, the limited spatial distribution of the population and its reduced genetic diversity make this population vulnerable to chance events, such as disease epidemics.

Patterns of Occurrence of Sharks in Sydney Harbour, a Large Urbanised Estuary.

Science.gov (United States)

Smoothey, Amy F; Gray, Charles A; Kennelly, Steve J; Masens, Oliver J; Peddemors, Victor M; Robinson, Wayne A

2016-01-01

Information about spatial and temporal variability in the distribution and abundance of shark-populations are required for their conservation, management and to update measures designed to mitigate human-shark interactions. However, because some species of sharks are mobile, migratory and occur in relatively small numbers, estimating their patterns of distribution and abundance can be very difficult. In this study, we used a hierarchical sampling design to examine differences in the composition of species, size- and sex-structures of sharks sampled with bottom-set longlines in three different areas with increasing distance from the entrance of Sydney Harbour, a large urbanised estuary. During two years of sampling, we obtained data for four species of sharks (Port Jackson, Heterodontus portusjacksoni; wobbegong, Orectolobus maculatus; dusky whaler, Carcharhinus obscurus and bull shark, Carcharhinus leucas). Only a few O. maculatus and C. obscurus were caught, all in the area closest to the entrance of the Harbour. O. maculatus were caught in all seasons, except summer, while C. obscurus was only caught in summer. Heterodontus portusjacksoni were the most abundant species, caught in the entrance location mostly between July to November, when water temperature was below 21.5°C. This pattern was consistent across both years. C. leucas, the second most abundant species, were captured in all areas of Sydney Harbour but only in summer and autumn when water temperatures were above 23°C. This study quantified, for this first time, how different species utilise different areas of Sydney Harbour, at different times of the year. This information has implications for the management of human-shark interactions, by enabling creation of education programs to modify human behaviour in times of increased risk of potentially dangerous sharks.

Review on utilization and research on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina in Iceland

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Erlingur Hauksson

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Harbour seals (Phoca vitulina have been harvested in Iceland since the first settlers arrived in the 9th century. Pups were generally netted, clubbed and harpooned until 1875 when general use of guns for hunting began. Seal-hunting has been traditional amongst the farms legal rights. Seal hunting was an important supplement to other economic resources. Harbour seal skins, salted ordried, were exported and large dataset of catch statistics is available from trading logbooks since the late 19th century. In the early 20th century catch was about 6,000. In the ‘bounty’ period 1982 – 1989, maximum catches were of 4,000 animals with about 350 hunters participated; in 2006 catches were only about 100 animals with 18 hunters. After 1989 the population continued to decline even though catches decreased markedly. Unreported by-catch in fishing gear, hunt for local consumption and shooting of seals swimming in salmon rivers estuaries may have kept the total removal from the stock above sustainable levels. A considerable Icelandic knowledge base had been compiled about the biology of the harbour seal since the late 16th century, with the first written reference in 1588-1589. In the last decades, research on various aspects of its biology and monitoring have been intensified, with focus on abundance, distribution, diet and nematode infestation. The main results show that the Icelandic harbour seal population - has declined annually about 5% in the period 1980-2006, - was most abundant on the NW-coast, - feeds mainly on sand-eels and gadoids, - and was less infected with anisakid nematodes than grey seals. Seal watching, as a low-consumptive indirect utilization, may represent a new economical opportunity if properly regulated.

Water quality effects of harbour activities assessed with integrated ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

moes2

Ecological tools were developed to study the water quality in Cochin harbour, a complex aquatic ecosystems ... contamination index is another important factor to assess ... Nutrient agar with the ... yeast extract 3.0 g; beef extract 2.0 g; agar 15.0 g; aged sea water .... ability to be incorporated into food chains (Kishe and.

Extractable organics in surface sediments from Thana creek and Bombay harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Rokade, M.A.; Bhosle, N.B.; Kadam, A.N.

Considerable variations in hydrocarbon and fatty acid levels in surface sediments from Thana creek and Bombay harbour were observed Sediments from the westernside nearshore locations yielded higher values The residues were characterised by infrared...

Radioactivity concentrations and their radiological significance in sediments of the Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana)

OpenAIRE

Benjamin O. Botwe; Antonio Schirone; Ivana Delbono; Mattia Barsanti; Roberta Delfanti; Peter Kelderman; Elvis Nyarko; Piet N.L. Lens

2017-01-01

Studies on environmental radioactivity in tropical Africa are scarce. Therefore, a baseline study of natural (238U, 210Pb, 226Ra, 232Th, 228Ra, 228Th, 40K) and anthropogenic (137Cs) radionuclides was carried out on Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana) surface sediments and on their radiological significance. Grab surface sediment samples were collected from 21 stations within the Tema Harbour and their radioactivity concentrations measured by gamma spectrometry. The mean sediment radioactivity...

Recolonization of macrofauna in unpolluted sands placed in a polluted yachting harbour: A field approach using experimental trays

Science.gov (United States)

Guerra-García, J. M.; García-Gómez, J. C.

2009-01-01

A field experiment using trays was conducted at Ceuta's yachting harbour, North Africa, to study the effect in recolonization of placing trays with unpolluted defaunate sediments (fine and gross sands with low contents of organic matter) inside an enclosed yachting harbour characterized by high percentages of silt and clay and high concentrations of organic matter. Sediment recolonization in the trays was mainly undertaken by the species living naturally at the yachting harbour, which recolonized both uncontaminated gross and fine sand trays (such as the crustaceans Corophium runcicorne, Corophium sextonae and Nebalia bipes, the mollusc Parvicardium exiguum and the polychaete Pseudomalacoceros tridentata). However, other species like the polychaetes Cirriformia tentaculata and Platynereis dumerilii, although also abundant in the yachting harbour, were unable to colonize the trays through transport of larvae and/or adults in the water column. The recolonization was very quick, and after the first month, the values of abundance, species richness, diversity and evenness were similar in the experimental trays and in the reference area (yachting harbour). Although the multivariate analysis showed that the species composition differed between the trays and the reference area, there were no significant differences in recolonization of gross and fine sands, indicating that other factors different from the granulometry are modulating the recolonization patterns.

Plastic ingestion by harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) in the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bravo Rebolledo, E.; Franeker, van J.A.; Jansen, O.E.; Brasseur, S.M.J.M.

2013-01-01

Abundance of ingested debris by seals has been mentioned as a potential indicator of marine litter in the European Marine Strategy Framework Directive (MSFD). A sample of 107 stomachs, 100 intestines and 125 scats of harbour seals from the Netherlands was analysed for the presence of plastics.

Variation in PAH inputs and microbial community in surface sediments of Hamilton Harbour: Implications to remediation and monitoring

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Slater, G.F.; Cowie, B.R.; Harper, N.; Droppo, I.G.

2008-01-01

Variations in concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and microbial community indicators were investigated in representative highly contaminated and less contaminated surface sediment sites of Hamilton Harbour. Inputs of PAH to the upper 3 cm of sediments up to four times the average upper sediment concentrations were observed. Associated PAH fingerprint profiles indicated that the source was consistent with the PAH source to the industrial region of the harbour. Increased PAH loadings were associated with decreased bacterial populations as indicated by phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) concentrations. However, relatively minor impacts on overall community composition were indicated. Porewater methane concentrations and isotopic data indicated a difference in the occurrence of methane oxidation between the two sites. This study confirms temporally limited transport of contaminants from highly impacted regions as a vector for contaminants within the harbour and the impact on microbial carbon cycling and bed stability. - Variations in PAH inputs to harbour sediments have implications to implementation and monitoring of mitigation/remediation efforts

Seasonal distribution and abundance of cetaceans within French waters- Part II: The Bay of Biscay and the English Channel

Science.gov (United States)

Laran, Sophie; Authier, Matthieu; Blanck, Aurélie; Doremus, Ghislain; Falchetto, Hélène; Monestiez, Pascal; Pettex, Emeline; Stephan, Eric; Van Canneyt, Olivier; Ridoux, Vincent

2017-07-01

From the Habitat Directive to the recent Marine Strategy Framework Directive, the conservation status of cetaceans in European water has been of concern for over two decades. In this study, a seasonal comparison of the abundance and distribution of cetaceans was carried out in two contrasted regions of the Eastern North Atlantic, the Bay of Biscay and the English Channel. Estimates were obtained in the two sub-regions (375,000 km²) from large aerial surveys conducted in the winter (November 2011 to February 2012) and in the summer (May to August 2012). The most abundant species encountered in the Channel, the harbour porpoise, displayed strong seasonal variations in its distribution but a stable abundance (18,000 individuals, CV=30%). In the Bay of Biscay, abundance and distribution patterns of common / striped dolphins varied from 285,000 individuals (95% CI: 174,000-481,000) in the winter, preferentially distributed close to the shelf break, to 494,000 individuals (95% CI: 342,000-719,000) distributed beyond the shelf break in summer. Baleen whales also exhibited an increase of their density in summer. Seasonal abundances of bottlenose dolphins were quite stable, with a large number of 'pelagic' encounters offshore in winter. No significant seasonal difference was estimated for pilot whales and sperm whale. These surveys provided baseline estimates to inform policies to be developed, or for existing conservation instruments such as the Habitats Directive. In addition, our results supported the hypothesis of a shift in the summer distributions of some species such as harbour porpoise and minke whale in European waters.

Oxygen levels versus chemical pollutants: do they have similar influence on macrofaunal assemblages? A case study in a harbour with two opposing entrances

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Guerra-Garcia, J.M.; Garcia-Gomez, J.C.

2005-01-01

Generally, harbours are polluted zones characterised by low values of hydrodynamism and oxygen in the water column and high concentrations of pollutants in sediments. The harbour of Ceuta, North Africa, has an unusual structure; it is located between two bays connected by a channel, which increases the water movement and exchange in the harbour, maintaining moderate oxygen levels in the water-sediment interface. Nevertheless, high concentration of organic matter, nutrients and heavy metals were measured in sediments from this harbour. Under these unusual conditions (high levels of pollution but total saturation of oxygen in the water column) we studied the responses of soft-bottom macrobenthic communities using uni and multivariate analyses. The number of species was similar inside and outside the harbour but the species composition differed between internal and external stations; oxygen levels seem to control the 'quantity' of species whereas pollutants control the 'quality' of them. - A high diversity of benthic animals was found in a polluted harbour where high oxygen levels occurred

Numerical simulation of ship motion in offshore and harbour areas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Erik Damgaard; Jensen, Bjarne; Mortensen, Simon Brandi

2008-01-01

A method for simulating the motions and mooring forces of a moored ship subject to wave forcing has been further developed and validated for both the open water case and inside harbour areas. The method was originally developed and reported in Bingham (2000). The simulation tool is named WAMSIM...

Empirical data and optimal monitoring policies: the case of four Russian sea harbours

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deissenberg, C. [CEFI-CNRS, Les Milles (France); Gurman, V.; Shevchuk, E. [RAS, Program Systems Inst., Pereslavl-Zalessky (Russian Federation); Ryumina, E. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation). Inst. of Economic Market Problems; Shevlyagin, K. [State Committee of the Environment Protection of the Russian Federation, Moscow (Russian Federation). Marine Environment Dept.

2001-07-01

In this paper, we describe the present state of empirical information about oil spills and oil monitoring activities in Russian harbours. We explain how we gathered, organized, and estimated the data needed to run the monitoring efforts optimization model of Deissenberg et al. (2001). We present, analyse, and discuss the results of the optimizations carried out with this model on the basis of the empirical data. These results show, in particular, that the economic efficiency of the monitoring activities decreases rapidly as the corresponding budget increases. This suggests that, rather urgently, measures other than monitoring should be initiated to control sea harbour pollution. (Author)

Phytoplankton characteristics in a polluted Bombay Harbour-Thana-Bassein creek estuarine complex

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ramaiah, Neelam; Ramaiah, N.; Nair, V.R.

Annual variations in phytoplankton characteristics were studied from Bombay Harbour-Thana creek-Bassein creek (BHTCBC) estuarine confluence to assess the levels of pigment concentration, productivity and, qualitative and qunatitative nature...

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) in marine mammals from Arctic and North Atlantic regions, 1986-2009.

Science.gov (United States)

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

2012-04-01

A selection of PBDE congeners was analyzed in pooled blubber samples of pilot whale (Globicephala melas), ringed seal (Phoca hispida), minke whale (Balaenoptera acutorostrata), fin whale (Balaenoptera physalus), harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena), hooded seal (Cystophora cristata) and Atlantic white-sided dolphin (Lagenorhynchus acutus), covering a time period of more than 20 years (1986-2009). The analytes were extracted and cleaned-up using open column extraction and multi-layer silica gel column chromatography, and the analysis was performed on a GC-MS system operating in the NCI mode. The highest PBDE levels were found in the toothed whale species pilot whale and white-sided dolphin, and the lowest levels in fin whales and ringed seals. One-sided analyses of variance (ANOVA) followed by Tukey comparisons of means were applied to test for differences between years and sampling areas. Due to inter-year sampling variability, only general comparisons of PBDE concentrations between different sampling areas could be made. Differences in PBDE concentrations between three sampling periods, from 1986 to 2007, were evaluated in samples of pilot whales, ringed seals, white-sided dolphins and hooded seals. The highest PBDE levels were found in samples from the late 1990s or beginning of 2000, possibly reflecting the increase in the global production of technical PBDE mixtures in the 1990s. The levels of BDE #153 and #154 increased relative to the total PBDE concentration in some of the species in recent years, which may indicate an increased relative exposure to higher brominated congeners. In order to assess the effect of measures taken in legally binding international agreements, it is important to continuously monitor POPs such as PBDEs in sub-Arctic and Arctic environments. Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

STREPTOCOCCUS PHOCAE IN MARINE MAMMALS OF NORTHEASTERN PACIFIC AND ARCTIC CANADA: A RETROSPECTIVE ANALYSIS OF 85 POSTMORTEM INVESTIGATIONS.

Science.gov (United States)

Taurisano, Nicole D; Butler, Brian P; Stone, Diana; Hariharan, Harry; Fields, Paul J; Ferguson, Hugh W; Haulena, Martin; Cotrell, Paul; Nielsen, Ole; Raverty, Stephen

2018-01-01

:  Streptococcus phocae is a pathogen of marine mammals, although its pathogenicity remains poorly understood. Recovery of this bacterium from asymptomatic carriers suggests that it is an opportunistic pathogen. We investigated the role of S. phocae in naturally occurring disease and its significance as a pathogen based on postmortem investigations. Between 2007 and 2012, 1,696 whole carcasses, tissue samples, or both were submitted from the northeastern Pacific and Arctic Canada for diagnostic testing. Streptococcus phocae was cultured from phocids ( n=66), otariids ( n=12), harbor porpoises ( Phocoena phocoena; n=5), and sea otters ( Enhydra lutris; n=2). Pathologic manifestations of S. phocae-associated disease included localized, as well as systemic, inflammatory lesions with common findings of suppurative bronchopneumonia ( n=17) and bacteremia ( n=27). Lung lesions were frequently culture-positive for S. phocae, suggesting commensal colonization of the oropharynx with subsequent opportunistic infection of the respiratory tract during tissue injury, coinfection, immunosuppression, or other debilitating conditions. The presence of a positive spleen culture, and interpretations at necropsy and histopathology, were used to determine the presence of S. phocae bacteremia. Less frequent lesions that were culture positive for S. phocae included abscesses ( n=9), meningitis ( n=7), and cellulitis ( n=1). The majority of cases with S. phocae lesions featured pre-existing conditions that presumably contributed to some degree of debilitation or immunosuppression, including emaciation ( n=29), liver mercury accumulation ( n=29), trauma ( n=22), severe pulmonary or cardiovascular nematodiasis ( n=9), concurrent bacterial or viral infections ( n=8), or sarcocystosis ( n=6). These findings suggest that S. phocae could be characterized as an opportunistic pathogen, associated with debilitating conditions in stranded and rehabilitating marine mammals. Wildlife investigators

Sydney harbourings, rehabilitations and the politics of procurement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catherine de Lorenzo

2002-09-01

Full Text Available In the last three years Sydney has been transformed to an unprecedented extent by public art projects, most of which have been developed by government instrumentalities, agencies or partnerships. The central city council has initiated a Sculpture Walk through the streets and around the rocky foreshores of the inner city; the Sydney Olympic site at Homebush Bay is home to a number of public art works; the government’s water utility company has sponsored an annual, temporary art installation walk along a spectacularly rugged ocean escarpment linking several medium-density suburbs; another instrumentality recently established to oversee the reuse of abandoned heavy industrial sites in the harbour, has established the ‘Promenart’ program along fifteen kilometres of harbour foreshores; and a government-appointed statutory authority responsible for the redevelopment of an extensive and highly polluted former industrial site between the CDB and the airport, has worked closely with designers and artists to develop comprehensive briefs addressing environmental rehabilitation and social interaction. This impressive list is by no means exhaustive. The surge in bureaucratic and artistic creative energy demands critical evaluation. In this paper I will contrast two sets of projects. This first concerns actual projects, in or near the spectacular Sydney Harbour setting, which are premised on placemaking principles and on the whole elicit actual or imagined histories for the delight and reverie of the promenader. Despite the popular and aesthetic success of these projects, one of them, the ambitious Sculpture Walk, is currently being re-evaluated. The second set, in more mundane suburban environments and centred on toxic waterways, concerns projects that at this stage are either being implemented or nearing commencement by interdisciplinary groups of artists, designers, engineers, environmentalists, community representatives, and other specialists. Their

The effect of wind turbines on the bird population at Blyth Harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Still, D.; Little, B.; Lawrence, S.

1996-01-01

Bird monitoring was carried out at Blyth Harbour Wind Farm which consists of a line of nine 300kW wind turbines distributed at 200m intervals along a 1.2km breakwater. The harbour breakwater is designated as part of a Site of Special Scientific Interest as it supports an internationally important winter population of Purple Sandpipers. The Blyth estuary is to be designated as part of a Special Protection Area under the EC Habitats Directive and as part of a proposed RAMSAR site due to its peak periods up to c.5000 bird movements/day occur adjacent to the windfarm. Mortality surveys (at one week intervals) were carried out on adjacent beaches to the wind farm in order to assess the background numbers of bird corpses and locate wind farm casualties. Supplementary mortality searches were carried out near power lines less than 2.5 km upstream from the wind farm. Tests of the efficiency of the mortality surveys have been carried out in order to assess the likely impact on the local bird populations. In spite of the large bird population supported by the harbour and its close proximity to the wind farm there have been relatively few collision victims (31) since the windfarm was commissioned. This is equivalent to less than 1.34 bird strike/wind turbine per annum. (author)

The National Trust and the Heritage of Sydney Harbour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cameron Logan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Campaigns to preserve the legacy of the past in Australian cities have been particularly focused on the protection of natural landscapes and public open space. From campaigns to protect Perth’s Kings Park and the Green Bans of the Builders Labourers Federation in New South Wales to contemporary controversies such as the Perth waterfront redevelopment, Melbourne’s East West Link, and new development at Middle Harbour in Sydney’s Mosman, heritage activists have viewed the protection and restoration of ‘natural’ vistas, open spaces and ‘scenic landscapes’ as a vital part of the effort to preserve the historic identity of urban places. The protection of such landscapes has been a vital aspect of establishing a positive conception of the environment as a source of both urban and national identity. Drawing predominantly on the records of the National Trust of Australia (NSW, this paper examines the formation and early history of the Australian National Trust, in particular its efforts to preserve and restore the landscapes of Sydney Harbour. It then uses that history as a basis for examining the debate surrounding the landscape reconstruction project that forms part of Sydney’s highly contested Barangaroo development.

TORONTO HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS (THC) SOIL RECYCLE TREATMENT TRAIN - APPLICATIONS ANALYSIS REPORT

Science.gov (United States)

The Toronto Harbour Commissioners (THC) have developed a soil treatment train designed to treat inorganic and organic contaminants in soils. THC has conducted a large-scale demonstration of these technologies in an attempt to establish that contaminated soils at the Toronto Port ...

Application of a Spectral Wave Model to Assess Breakwater Configurations at a Small Craft Harbour on Lake Ontario

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amelia H. Cooper

2016-08-01

Full Text Available A surface wave model using three nested grids is applied to the eastern end of Lake Ontario to investigate wave propagation from an open lake environment to a small craft harbour protected by a breakwater. The Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN spectral wave model, coupled with the Delft3D hydrodynamic model, is applied to simulate a series of storms in November, 2013. The model results are compared to observations from two pressure sensors, and used to quantify wave properties around existing and future breakwaters to evaluate the bulk changes to the harbour configuration. Overall, the results indicate that the rubblemound breakwater reduces wave heights in the existing harbour by 63% compared to no breakwater, and that the addition of a surface breakwater extension could reduce wave heights by an additional 54%. Wave height attenuation was found to be highly dependent on the incident wave direction relative to breakwater orientation. The spectral wave model is useful for simulating wave transformation for broad directional spectra in wind-sea conditions over large scales to semi-protected areas such as small craft harbours.

Radioactivity concentrations and their radiological significance in sediments of the Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin O. Botwe

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Studies on environmental radioactivity in tropical Africa are scarce. Therefore, a baseline study of natural (238U, 210Pb, 226Ra, 232Th, 228Ra, 228Th, 40K and anthropogenic (137Cs radionuclides was carried out on Tema Harbour (Greater Accra, Ghana surface sediments and on their radiological significance. Grab surface sediment samples were collected from 21 stations within the Tema Harbour and their radioactivity concentrations measured by gamma spectrometry. The mean sediment radioactivity concentrations (Bq kg−1 dw were 34 for 238U, 210 for 210Pb, 14 for 226Ra, 30 for 232Th, 29 for 228Ra, 31 for 228Th, 320 for 40K, and 1.5 for 137Cs. Large 238U/226Ra disequilibria were observed in the harbour sediments and a complex dynamics of several mixed sources of sediments within the Tema Harbour can be inferred from the spatial variations in the radioactivity concentrations. The estimated total absorbed dose rate in air (D, radium equivalent activity (Raeq, external hazard index (Hex, annual gonadal dose equivalent (AGDE and annual effective dose equivalent (AEDE indicated no significant radiological risks from the sediment radioactivity concentrations. Application of the Environmental Risk from Ionising Contaminants Assessment and Management tool (ERICA confirmed that the potential dose rates to biota from the sediment radioactivity concentrations are unlikely to pose appreciable ecological risks. The radioactivity levels are compared with levels reported in sediments from other coastal areas of the world.

The use of desorbing agents in electrodialytic remediation of harbour sediment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nystrøm, Gunvor Marie; Pedersen, Anne Juul; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

2006-01-01

Electrodialytic removal of Cu, Zn, Pb and Cd from contaminated harbour sediment was made with the emphasis of testing the effectiveness of different desorbing agents: HCl, NaCl, citric acid, lactic acid, ammonium citrate and distilled water. Extraction experiments with the desorbing agents were...

Uranium isotopes in El hamraween harbour sediments

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Salahel Din, K.

2009-01-01

Isotopes of uranium in marine sediments collected from El Hamraween harbour and Ras El-Bhar areas on the Egyptian coast of the Red Sea have been studied using radiochemical separation procedures and alpha-particle spectrometry. Activity concentrations of 238 U, 235 U, 234 U were calculated. The activities observed indicating the enhancement of radioactivity level in El Hamraween harbor area due to the activities of phosphate shipment operation. Secular equilibrium between 234 U and 238 U was found in the analyzed samples. The average activity ratio of 235 U/ 238 U was close to the value 0.046 for uranium in nature

Rapid reassessment of the eutrophication status of Kingston Harbour, Jamaica using the zooplankton community

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Patrice A. Francis

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Previous extensive studies of zooplankton distribution in the eutrophic Kingston Harbour established that it was being continuously contaminated. We assessed the community in 2011, 17 years after a previous study and five years after the introduction of a tertiary waste water system. Sampling was conducted for four weeks at eight stations identical to those sampled in a previous study. We used horizontal surface tows with a 200µm net. A total of 73 zooplankton taxa were identified and copepods dominated with 20 species. Mean total abundances were high, ranging from a minimum of 2 383 animals m-3 in the southern region of Hunts Bay to 194 166 animals m-3at the Inner Harbour. Five zooplankton taxa (Acartia tonsa, Paracalanus spp., Temora turbinata, Penilia avirostris and Lucifer faxoni that were previously identified as indicators, were again important in the Harbour. The overall zooplankton abundances were similar and in some cases higher than the previous study. There was no significant improvement in the water quality since the introduction of the treatment system at Soapberry. This may be a result of unknown nutrient inputs or of nutrient remaining in the sediments.

A Method for Identifying Pollution Sources of Heavy Metals and PAH for a Risk-Based Management of a Mediterranean Harbour

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ombretta Paladino

2017-01-01

Full Text Available A procedure for assessing harbour pollution by heavy metals and PAH and the possible sources of contamination is proposed. The procedure is based on a ratio-matching method applied to the results of principal component analysis (PCA, and it allows discrimination between point and nonpoint sources. The approach can be adopted when many sources of pollution can contribute in a very narrow coastal ecosystem, both internal and outside but close to the harbour, and was used to identify the possible point sources of contamination in a Mediterranean Harbour (Port of Vado, Savona, Italy. 235 sediment samples were collected in 81 sampling points during four monitoring campaigns and 28 chemicals were searched for within the collected samples. PCA of total samples allowed the assessment of 8 main possible point sources, while the refining ratio-matching identified 1 sampling point as a possible PAH source, 2 sampling points as Cd point sources, and 3 sampling points as C > 12 point sources. By a map analysis it was possible to assess two internal sources of pollution directly related to terminals activity. The study is the prosecution of a previous work aimed at assessing Savona-Vado Harbour pollution levels and suggested strategies to regulate the harbour activities.

Acoustic alarms reduce bycatch of harbour porpoises in Danish North Sea gillnet fisheries

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Larsen, Finn; Eigaard, Ole Ritzau

2014-01-01

that cod cpue was not affected negatively by pingers. It was furthermore estimated that the stony ground fishery had significantly lower (p cpue values (a factor 0.47) compared to the wreck fishery. The results of this experiment led to the introduction of pingers in Danish gillnet fisheries...

No serological evidence that harbour porpoises are additional hosts of influenza B viruses

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R. Bodewes (Rogier); M.W.G. van de Bildt (Marco); C.E. van Elk; P.E. Bunskoek (Paulien); D.A.M.C. van de Vijver (David); S.L. Smits (Saskia); A.D.M.E. Osterhaus (Albert); T. Kuiken (Thijs)

2014-01-01

textabstractInfluenza A and B viruses circulate among humans causing epidemics almost annually. While various hosts for influenza A viruses exist, influenza B viruses have been detected only in humans and seals. However, recurrent infections of seals in Dutch coastal waters with influenza B viruses

Integrating genetic data and population viability analyses for the identification of harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) populations and management units

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Olsen, Morten Tange; Andersen, Liselotte Wesley; Dietz, Rune

2014-01-01

present a novel approach, integrating genetic, life-history and demographic data to identify populations and management units in southern Scandinavian harbour seals. First, 15 microsatellite markers and model- and distance-based genetic clustering methods were used to determine the population genetic...... structure in harbour seals. Second, we used harbour seal demographic and life-history data to conduct population viability analyses (PVAs) in the VORTEX simulation model in order to determine whether the inferred genetic units could be classified as management units according to Lowe and Allendorf's (2010......, and that the combined use of genetic data and PVAs constitute a promising approach for delineating populations and management units. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved....

Removal of Historic Low-Level Radioactive Sediment from the Port Hope Harbour - 13314

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kolberg, Mark [Baird and Associates, 1267 Cornwall Rd., Suite 100, Oakville ON, L6J7T5 (Canada); Case, Glenn [Atomic Energy of Canada Limited, Port Hope, ON (Canada); Ferguson Jones, Andrea [MMM Group Limited, Thornhill, ON (Canada)

2013-07-01

At the Port Hope Harbour, located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, the presence of low-level radioactive sediment, resulting from a former radium and uranium refinery that operated alongside the Harbour, currently limits redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. These waste materials contain radium-226, uranium, arsenic and other contaminants. Several other on-land locations within the community of Port Hope are also affected by the low-level radioactive waste management practices of the past. The Port Hope Project is a community initiated undertaking that will result in the consolidation of an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres of the low-level radioactive waste from the various sites in Port Hope into a new engineered above ground long-term waste management facility. The remediation of the estimated 120,000 m{sup 3} of contaminated sediments from the Port Hope Harbour is one of the more challenging components of the Port Hope Project. Following a thorough review of various options, the proposed method of contaminated sediment removal is by dredging. The sediment from the dredge will then be pumped as a sediment-water slurry mixture into geo-synthetic containment tubes for dewatering. Due to the hard substrate below the contaminated sediment, the challenge has been to set performance standards in terms of low residual surface concentrations that are attainable in an operationally efficient manner. (authors)

Removal of Historic Low-Level Radioactive Sediment from the Port Hope Harbour - 13314

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kolberg, Mark; Case, Glenn; Ferguson Jones, Andrea

2013-01-01

At the Port Hope Harbour, located on the north shore of Lake Ontario, the presence of low-level radioactive sediment, resulting from a former radium and uranium refinery that operated alongside the Harbour, currently limits redevelopment and revitalization opportunities. These waste materials contain radium-226, uranium, arsenic and other contaminants. Several other on-land locations within the community of Port Hope are also affected by the low-level radioactive waste management practices of the past. The Port Hope Project is a community initiated undertaking that will result in the consolidation of an estimated 1.2 million cubic metres of the low-level radioactive waste from the various sites in Port Hope into a new engineered above ground long-term waste management facility. The remediation of the estimated 120,000 m 3 of contaminated sediments from the Port Hope Harbour is one of the more challenging components of the Port Hope Project. Following a thorough review of various options, the proposed method of contaminated sediment removal is by dredging. The sediment from the dredge will then be pumped as a sediment-water slurry mixture into geo-synthetic containment tubes for dewatering. Due to the hard substrate below the contaminated sediment, the challenge has been to set performance standards in terms of low residual surface concentrations that are attainable in an operationally efficient manner. (authors)

Geodetic Infrastructure in the Ibiza and Barcelona Harbours for Sea Level Monitoring

Science.gov (United States)

Martinez-Benjamin, J. J.; Gili, J.; Lopez, R.; Tapia, A.; Perez, B.; Pros, F.

2013-12-01

The presentation is directed to the description of the actual situation and relevant information of the geodetic infrastructure of Ibiza and Barcelona sites for sea level determination and contribution to regional sea level rise. Time series are being analysed for mean sea level variations www.puertos.es. .In the framework of a Spanish Space Project, the instrumentation of sea level measurements has been improved by providing the Barcelona site with a radar tide gauge Datamar 2000C from Geonica s.l. near an acoustic tide gauge. Puertos del Estado installed in 2007 a MIROS radar tide gauge and the Barcelona Harbour Authority a GPS referente station in the roof of the new Control Tower situated in the Energy Pier. The radar sensor is over the water surface, on a L-shaped structure which elevates it a few meters above the quay shelf. 1-min data are transmitted to the ENAGAS Control Center by cable and then sent each 1 min to Puertos del Estado by e-mail. There is a GPS station Leica Geosystems GRX1200 GG Pro and antenna 1202. Precision levelling has been made several times in the last two years because the tower is founded in reclaimed land. The measured settlement rate is about 1cm/year that may be could mask the values registered by the tide gauge. A description of the actual infrastructure at Ibiza harbour at Marina de Botafoch, is presented and its applications to sea level monitoring and altimeter calibration in support of the main CGPS at Ibiza harbour. It is described the geometrical precision levelling made in June 2013 between the radar tide gauge and the GPS station. In particular, the CGPS located at Ibiza harbour is essential for its application to the marine campaign Baleares 2013, near Ibiza island. The main objective is to determine the altimeter bias for Jason-2, about 9:09 UTC September 15, 2013, and Saral/AltiKa, about 05:30 UTC September 16, UTC. These activities has been received funding of the Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovacion under Spanish

Evaluation of trophic state and plankton abundance from the environmental parameters of Visakhapatnam Harbour and near-shore waters, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Tripathy, S.C.; KusumaKumari, B.A.V.L.; Sarma, V.V.; Murty, T.V.R.

The present work describes the nutrient indices of the Visakhapatnam harbour and near-shore waters. The inner channels of Visakhapatnam harbour are considered to be eutrophic while near-shore waters (coastal and inshore waters) associated...

An empirically tractable model of optimal oil spills prevention in Russian sea harbours

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Deissenberg, C. [CEFI-CNRS, Les Milles (France); Gurman, V.; Tsirlin, A. [RAS, Program Systems Inst., Pereslavl-Zalessky (Russian Federation); Ryumina, E. [Russian Academy of Sciences, Moscow (Russian Federation). Inst. of Economic Market Problems

2001-07-01

Based on previous theoretical work by Gottinger (1997, 1998), we propose a simple model of optimal monitoring of oil-related activities in harbour areas that is suitable for empirical estimation within the Russian-Ukrainian context, in spite of the poor availability of data in these countries. Specifically, the model indicates how to best allocate at the steady state a given monitoring budget between different monitoring activities. An approximate analytical solution to the optimization problem is derived, and a simple procedure for estimating the model on the basis of the actually available data is suggested. An application using data obtained for several harbours of the Black and Baltic Seas is given. It suggests that the current Russian monitoring practice could be much improved by better allocating the available monitoring resources. (Author)

Effects of waves and currents on the siltation problem of Damietta harbour, Nile Delta coast, Egypt

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

ABO BAKER.I. ABO ZED

2007-12-01

Full Text Available This study evaluates the effect of prevailing dynamic factors on the sedimentation process in Damietta Harbour along the Nile delta coast of Egypt. The monitoring program spanned the period between 1978 and 1999 and included measurements of waves, currents and bathymetric profiles. The evaluation was based on determination of erosion and accretion rates, current regime, sediment transport, wave characteristics and wave refraction. Results revealed that the predominant wave direction from N-NW sector (86 % throughout the year is responsible for generation of a longshore eastward current. Less frequent waves from the N-NE sector generate an opposing longshore westward current. The refraction pattern for the prevailing wave direction indicates that the harbour and its navigation channel are located within a divergence of wave orthogonal and in an accretion sediment sink area. The annual net rate of littoral drift on the western side of the harbour is about 1.43 * 105 m3 (accretion, while the annual net rate of littoral drift on the eastern side is about 2.54 * 105 m3 (erosion. Currents fluctuate tremendously in speed and direction, especially during the winter months. Hence, sediment transport takes place in offshore, eastward, and onshore directions. Progressive vector diagrams show that the largest near bottom offshore, onshore and easterly net drift occurs during summer, spring and winter respectively. The onshore sediment transport generated during spring and summer plays an important role in the redistribution of eroded sediments during the winter. The overall study of dynamic factors indicated that the harbour site is characterized by eastern, western, offshore and onshore sediment movements. Therefore, the north-south orientation of the navigation channel, with its depth greater than the surrounding area, interrupts sediment drift from different directions and reduces the current speed. Consequently, the sediments sink within the navigation

Dinoflagellate cyst assemblages in recent sediments of Visakhapatnam harbour, east coast of India: Influence of environmental characteristics

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

DeSilva, M.S.; Anil, A.C.; Sawant, S.S.

. There are 18 and 6 berths in the inner and outer harbour area with two moorings respectively. The climate in Visakhapatnam is governed by its location in the tropics and mainly affected by seasonal monsoons (south–west and north–east). There is inadequate... was classified based on geographic location and environmental characteristics into two zones; the inner (Stations 1–14) and outer (Stations 15–24) harbour stations (Fig. 1). 2.3. Sediment sampling, processing and analysis for dinocysts Sediment samples were...

Patterns of the non-indigenous isopod Cirolana harfordi in Sydney Harbour.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ana B Bugnot

Full Text Available Biological introductions can alter the ecology of local assemblages and are an important driver of global environmental change. The first step towards understanding the impact of a non-indigenous species is to study its distribution and associations in the invaded area. In Sydney Harbour, the non-indigenous isopod Cirolana harfordi has been reported in densities up to 0.5 individuals per cm(2 in mussel-beds. Abundances of this species have, however, been largely overlooked in other key habitats. The first aim of this study was to evaluate the abundances and distribution of C. harfordi across different habitats representative of Sydney Harbour. Results showed that C. harfordi occurred in oyster and mussel-beds, being particularly abundant in oyster-beds. We also aimed to determine the role of C. harfordi as a predator, scavenger and detritus feeder by investigating the relationships between densities of C. harfordi and (i the structure of the resident assemblages, and (ii deposited organic matter in oyster-beds. Densities of C. harfordi were not related to the structure of the assemblages, nor amounts of deposited organic matter. These findings suggested little or no ecological impacts of C. harfordi in oyster-beds. These relationships may, however, affect other variables such as growth of individuals, or be disguised by high variability of assemblages among different locations. Future studies should, therefore, test the impacts of C. harfordi on the size of organisms in the assemblage and use manipulative experiments to control for spatial variation. This study is the first published work on the ecology of the invasion of C. harfordi and provides the starting-point for the study of the impacts of this species in Sydney Harbour.

TECHNOLOGY EVALUATION REPORT: TORONTO HARBOUR COMMISSIONERS (THC) SOIL RECYCLE TREATMENT TRAIN. Project Summary

Science.gov (United States)

A demonstration of the Toronto Harbour Commissioners' (THC) Soil Recycle Treatment Train was performed under the Superfund Innovative Technology Evaluation (SITE) Program at a pilot plant facility in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The Soil Recycle Treatment Train, which consists of s...

Species composition, abundance and distribution of hydromedusae from Dharamtar estuarine system, adjoining Bombay Harbour

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Santhakumari, V.; Tiwari, L.R.; Nair, V.R.

Species composition, abundance and distribution of hydromedusae from Dharamtar estuarine system, adjoining Bombay Harbour, Maharashtra, India were investigated during 1984-1985. Twenty six species belonging to 19 genera were obtained from this area...

Estimation of Wave Disturbance in Harbours

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Helm-Petersen, Jacob

. Information on how the sponge layers perform with respect to reflection of short-crested waves are presented mainly in terms of overall reflection coefficients and main directions as functions of incident main direction relative to the structure. The influence of a irregular structure front has also been......The motivation for the present study has been to improve the reliability in using numerical wave propagation models as a tool for estimating wave disturbance in harbours. Attention has been directed towards the importance of the modelling of reflection in the applied mild-slope model. Methods have...... been presented for the analysis of reflected wave fields in 2D and 3D. The Bayesian Directional Wave Spectrum Estimation Method has been applied throughout the study. Reflection characteristics have been investigated by use of physical models for three types of coastal structures with vertical fronts...

Applicability of market-based instruments for safeguarding water quality in coastal waterways: Case study for Darwin Harbour, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Greiner, Romy

2014-02-01

Water pollution of coastal waterways is a complex problem due to the cocktail of pollutants and multiplicity of polluters involved and pollution characteristics. Pollution control therefore requires a combination of policy instruments. This paper examines the applicability of market-based instruments to achieve effective and efficient water quality management in Darwin Harbour, Northern Territory, Australia. Potential applicability of instruments is examined in the context of biophysical and economic pollution characteristics, and experience with instruments elsewhere. The paper concludes that there is potential for inclusion of market-based instruments as part of an instrument mix to safeguard water quality in Darwin Harbour. It recommends, in particular, expanding the existing licencing system to include quantitative pollution limits for all significant point polluters; comprehensive and independent pollution monitoring across Darwin Harbour; public disclosure of water quality and emissions data; positive incentives for landholders in the Darwin Harbour catchment to improve land management practices; a stormwater offset program for greenfield urban developments; adoption of performance bonds for developments and operations which pose a substantial risk to water quality, including port expansion and dredging; and detailed consideration of a bubble licensing scheme for nutrient pollution. The paper offers an analytical framework for policy makers and resource managers tasked with water quality management in coastal waterways elsewhere in Australia and globally, and helps to scan for MBIs suitable in any given environmental management situation.

Contribution of harbour activities to atmospheric aerosol in the Brindisi area

Science.gov (United States)

Donateo, Antonio; Cesari, Daniela; Nocioni, Alessandra; Grasso, Fabio M.; Merico, Eva; Giua, Roberto; Contini, Daniele

2013-04-01

The port areas are economic centres and transport hubs, that bring together different transport modes (sea, road, railway transport) and also industrial activities. Ship emissions when docked and during port manoeuvring can have a substantial negative effect on local air quality. The Fagerli and Tarrason (2001) simulation results indicated that ship traffic emissions contribute to 5% and 10% of PM10 concentrations in large parts of Great Britain, Portugal and Italy; similarly to what was obtained by Dalsoren et al. (2009). At the beginning of 2012 it was started the research project CESAPO (Contribution of Emission Sources on the Air quality of the POrt-cities in Greece and Italy), funded within the framework of Interreg Italy-Greece (2007/2013), having as objective the quantification of the contribution to atmospheric particles of emission sources in two important Mediterranean port-cities, namely Patra (Greece) and Brindisi (Italy). In this work the first results of the CESAPO project will be presented giving more emphasis on the analysis of the maritime transport and the activities within the harbour of Brindisi that is characterized by several emission sources operating concurrently. In 2010 and 2011, in the port of Brindisi freight traffic and total goods movement accounted for more than 9.5 million tons, with over 520,000 passengers. To recognize the contribution of harbour activities to PM2.5 and to the total number concentration of particles with respect to other emission sources (urban traffic and industrial pollution) it has been performed an intensive observation period (IOP) of 5 months (June 1 to October 31, 2012). During the IOP the data of 10 fixed monitoring stations (of the regional network managed by ARPA Puglia) and those from two additional stations specifically installed during the project inside the harbour area. A station was used to characterize the chemical composition of PM2.5 and PAHs (in the gaseous and aerosol phases) and the other was

Endoparasitic helminths of the harbour seal, Phoca vitulina, in the Netherlands

Science.gov (United States)

Borgsteede, F. H. M.; Bus, H. G. J.; Verplanke, J. A. W.; van Burg, W. P. J.

The endoparasitic helminth fauna of harbour seals which had died during the epidemic of the phocine distemper virus in 1988 was studied. Lungs, heart and gastrointestinal tracts of 94 animals collected along the Dutch coast were available for investigation. The following parasites and infection percentages were found: Nematoda: Dipetalonema spirocauda (24.5%), Otostrongylus circumlitus (6.4%), Parafilaroides gymnurus (24.5%), Ascaridoidea spec. (58.5%); Trematoda: Phagicola septentrionalis (66.0%), Cryptocotyle lingua (74.5%); Cestoda: Diphyllobothrium spec. (8.5%); Acanthocephala: Corynosoma strumosum (70.2%). The presence of worm species was not evenly distributed over the age classes. Seals younger than one year harboured fewer parasites. The highest percentages were found in 1 to 2 year old seals. The number of worms per seal varied greatly. The highest burden for ascarids was 253, for P. septentrionalis 123 000, for C. lingua 112 000 and for C. strumosum 251. A comparison of the present results with those described in the literature shows that in Dutch seals the same species were present and that numbers of worms were not higher than before the 1988 mass mortality. It is therefore concluded that helminth parasites did not cause the mass mortality.

Mixing in Visakhapatnam harbour and nutrient inputs to nearshore waters, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

RamaRaju, V.S.; Sarma, V.V.; Raju, G.R.K.; Rao, V.S.

The flushing time (t) and replacement time CD are computed for different seasons to understand mixing in Visakhapatnam harbour. Replacement times are higher than the flushing times indicating that the transverse mixing in the tidal flow...

Movements and site fidelity of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in Kattegat, Denmark, with implications for the epidemiology of the phocine distemper virus

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Dietz, R.; Teilmann, J.; Andersen, S.M.

2013-01-01

Twenty-seven harbour seals were caught and tagged at the island of Anholt in central Kattegat, Denmark, the epicentre of the phocine distemper virus (PDV) outbreaks in 1988 and 2002 that killed 50–60% of the populations. The satellite tagging shows that harbour seals from Anholt moved widely across...

Analysis of Wave Reflection from Wave Energy Converters Installed as Breakwaters in Harbour

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Zanuttigh, B.; Margheritini, Lucia; Gambles, L.

2009-01-01

loads on the structure, i.e. better survivability. Nevertheless these devices must comply with the requirements of harbour protection structures and thus cope with problems due to reflection of incoming waves, i.e. dangerous sea states close to harbors entrances and intensified sediment scour, which can...

A new species of Acartia (Copepoda, Calanoida) from Cochin Harbour, India, and adjacent areas

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Abraham, S.

During the course of a study of the family Acartiidae of Cochin harbour and its neighbourhood, a species of Acartia different from all other known species of Acartia, was found. Its characteristics, habitat and seasonal distribution form the theme...

Wave simulation for the design of an innovative quay wall: the case of Vlorë Harbour

Science.gov (United States)

Antonini, Alessandro; Archetti, Renata; Lamberti, Alberto

2017-01-01

Sea states and environmental conditions are basic data for the design of marine structures. Hindcasted wave data have been applied here with the aim of identifying the proper design conditions for an innovative quay wall concept. In this paper, the results of a computational fluid dynamics model are used to optimise the new absorbing quay wall of Vlorë Harbour (Republic of Albania) and define the design loads under extreme wave conditions. The design wave states at the harbour entrance have been estimated analysing 31 years of hindcasted wave data simulated through the application of WaveWatch III. Due to the particular geography and topography of the Bay of Vlorë, wave conditions generated from the north-west are transferred to the harbour entrance with the application of a 2-D spectral wave module, whereas southern wave states, which are also the most critical for the port structures, are defined by means of a wave generation model, according to the available wind measurements. Finally, the identified extreme events have been used, through the NewWave approach, as boundary conditions for the numerical analysis of the interaction between the quay wall and the extreme events. The results show that the proposed method, based on numerical modelling at different scales from macro to meso and to micro, allows for the identification of the best site-specific solutions, also for a location devoid of any wave measurement. In this light, the objectives of the paper are two-fold. First, they show the application of sea condition estimations through the use of wave hindcasted data in order to properly define the design wave conditions for a new harbour structure. Second, they present a new approach for investigating an innovative absorbing quay wall based on CFD modelling and the NewWave theory.

Hydrodynamic sensory threshold in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) for artificial flatfish breathing currents.

Science.gov (United States)

Niesterok, Benedikt; Dehnhardt, Guido; Hanke, Wolf

2017-07-01

Harbour seals have the ability to detect benthic fish such as flatfish using the water currents these fish emit through their gills (breathing currents). We investigated the sensory threshold in harbour seals for this specific hydrodynamic stimulus under conditions which are realistic for seals hunting in the wild. We used an experimental platform where an artificial breathing current was emitted through one of eight different nozzles. Two seals were trained to search for the active nozzle. Each experimental session consisted of eight test trials of a particular stimulus intensity and 16 supra-threshold trials of high stimulus intensity. Test trials were conducted with the animals blindfolded. To determine the threshold, a series of breathing currents differing in intensity was used. For each intensity, three sessions were run. The threshold in terms of maximum water velocity within the breathing current was 4.2 cm s -1 for one seal and 3.7 cm s -1 for the other. We measured background flow velocities from 1.8 to 3.4 cm s -1 Typical swimming speeds for both animals were around 0.5 m s -1 Swimming speed differed between successful and unsuccessful trials. It appears that swimming speed is restricted for the successful detection of a breathing current close to the threshold. Our study is the first to assess a sensory threshold of the vibrissal system for a moving harbour seal under near-natural conditions. Furthermore, this threshold was defined for a natural type of stimulus differing from classical dipole stimuli which have been widely used in threshold determination so far. © 2017. Published by The Company of Biologists Ltd.

Harbour porpoise movement strategy affects cumulative number of animals acoustically exposed to underwater explosions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aarts,G.; Benda-Beckmann, A.M. von; Lucke, K.; Özkan Sertlek, H.; Bemmelen, R. van; Geelhoed, S.C.V.; Brasseur, S.; Scheidat, M.; Lam, F.P.A.; Slabbekoorn, H.; Kirkwood, R.

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic sound in the marine environment can have negative consequences for marine fauna. Since most sound sources are intermittent or continuous, estimating how many individuals are exposed over time remains challenging, as this depends on the animals’ mobility. Here we explored how animal

Harbour porpoise movement strategy affects cumulative number of animals acoustically exposed to underwater explosions

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Aarts, Geert; Benda-Beckmann, Von Alexander M.; Lucke, K.; Özkan Sertlek, H.; Bemmelen, Van Rob; Geelhoed, Steve C.V.; Brasseur, Sophie; Scheidat, Meike; Lam, Frans Peter A.; Slabbekoorn, Hans; Kirkwood, Roger

2016-01-01

Anthropogenic sound in the marine environment can have negative consequences for marine fauna. Since most sound sources are intermittent or continuous, estimating how many individuals are exposed over time remains challenging, as this depends on the animals' mobility. Here we explored how animal

Cetacean noise criteria revisited in the light of proposed exposure limits for harbour porpoises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tougaard, Jakob; Wright, Andrew John; Madsen, Professor Peter Teglberg

2015-01-01

The impact of underwater noise on marine life calls for identification of exposure criteria to inform mitigation. Here we review recent experimental evidence with focus on the high-frequency cetaceans and discuss scientifically-based initial exposure criteria. A range of new TTS experiments sugge...

Echoes from the past: Regional variations in recovery within a harbour seal population.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sophie M J M Brasseur

Full Text Available Terrestrial and marine wildlife populations have been severely reduced by hunting, fishing and habitat destruction, especially in the last centuries. Although management regulations have led to the recovery of some populations, the underlying processes are not always well understood. This study uses a 40-year time series of counts of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in the Wadden Sea to study these processes, and demonstrates the influence of historical regional differences in management regimes on the recovery of this population. While the Wadden Sea is considered one ecologically coupled zone, with a distinct harbour seal population, the area is divided into four geo-political regions i.e. the Netherlands, Lower Saxony including Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark. Gradually, seal hunting was banned between 1962 and 1977 in the different regions. Counts of moulting harbour seals and pup counts, obtained during aerial surveys between 1974 and 2014, show a population growth from approximately 4500 to 39,000 individuals. Population growth models were developed to assess if population growth differed between regions, taking into account two Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV epizootics, in 1988 and 2002 which seriously affected the population. After a slow start prior to the first epizootic, the overall population grew exponentially at rates close to assumed maximum rates of increase in a harbour seal population. Recently, growth slowed down, potentially indicative of approaching carrying capacity. Regional differences in growth rates were demonstrated, with the highest recovery in Netherlands after the first PDV epizootic (i.e. 17.9%, suggesting that growth was fuelled by migration from the other regions, where growth remained at or below the intrinsic growth rate (13%. The seals' distribution changed, and although the proportion of seals counted in the German regions declined, they remained by far the most important pupping region, with approximately

Echoes from the past: Regional variations in recovery within a harbour seal population.

Science.gov (United States)

Brasseur, Sophie M J M; Reijnders, Peter J H; Cremer, Jenny; Meesters, Erik; Kirkwood, Roger; Jensen, Lasse Fast; Jeβ, Armin; Galatius, Anders; Teilmann, Jonas; Aarts, Geert

2018-01-01

Terrestrial and marine wildlife populations have been severely reduced by hunting, fishing and habitat destruction, especially in the last centuries. Although management regulations have led to the recovery of some populations, the underlying processes are not always well understood. This study uses a 40-year time series of counts of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) in the Wadden Sea to study these processes, and demonstrates the influence of historical regional differences in management regimes on the recovery of this population. While the Wadden Sea is considered one ecologically coupled zone, with a distinct harbour seal population, the area is divided into four geo-political regions i.e. the Netherlands, Lower Saxony including Hamburg, Schleswig-Holstein and Denmark. Gradually, seal hunting was banned between 1962 and 1977 in the different regions. Counts of moulting harbour seals and pup counts, obtained during aerial surveys between 1974 and 2014, show a population growth from approximately 4500 to 39,000 individuals. Population growth models were developed to assess if population growth differed between regions, taking into account two Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV) epizootics, in 1988 and 2002 which seriously affected the population. After a slow start prior to the first epizootic, the overall population grew exponentially at rates close to assumed maximum rates of increase in a harbour seal population. Recently, growth slowed down, potentially indicative of approaching carrying capacity. Regional differences in growth rates were demonstrated, with the highest recovery in Netherlands after the first PDV epizootic (i.e. 17.9%), suggesting that growth was fuelled by migration from the other regions, where growth remained at or below the intrinsic growth rate (13%). The seals' distribution changed, and although the proportion of seals counted in the German regions declined, they remained by far the most important pupping region, with approximately 70% of all pups

Screening of variable importance for optimizing electrodialytic remediation of heavy metals from polluted harbour sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Kristine B.; Lejon, Tore; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.

2015-01-01

Using multivariate design and modelling, the optimal conditions for electrodialytic remediation (EDR) of heavy metals were determined for polluted harbour sediments from Hammerfest harbour located in the geographic Arctic region of Norway. The comparative importance of the variables, current......) was computed and variable importance in the projection was used to assess the influence of the experimental variables. Current density and remediation time proved to have the highest influence on the remediation of the heavy metals Cr, Cu, Ni, Pb and Zn in the studied experimental domain. In addition......, it was shown that excluding the acidification time improved the PLS model, indicating the importance of applying a limited experimental domain that covers the removal phases of each heavy metal in the specific sediment. Based on PLS modelling, the optimal conditions for remediating the Hammerfest sediment were...

Establishment of gravity stations and inference of crustal thickness around Mormugao Harbour and NIO

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Subbaraju, L.V.; Krishna, K.S.

Complete descriptions and basic facts of nine gravity stations of Marmugao Harbour, Goa, India are presented. They exhibit a maximum Bouguer difference of 2.12 mGal in an overall distance of about 2 km. Keeping in view the limited amount of data...

Canine distemper virus ISCOMS induce protection in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) against phocid distemper but still allow subsequent infection with phocid distemper virus-1.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

I.K.G. Visser (Ilona); E.J. Vedder (Lies); C. Örvell; T. Barrett (Thomas); A.D.M.E. Osterhaus (Albert); M.W.G. van de Bildt (Marco)

1992-01-01

textabstractA candidate canine distemper virus (CDV) ISCOM vaccine has been shown to be effective in protecting harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) from phocid distemper in 1988. However, of the 35 harbour seals receiving this vaccine upon admission to a seal rehabilitation and research centre

Serratia marcescens harbouring SME-type class A carbapenemases in Canada and the presence of blaSME on a novel genomic island, SmarGI1-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Mataseje, L F; Boyd, D A; Delport, J; Hoang, L; Imperial, M; Lefebvre, B; Kuhn, M; Van Caeseele, P; Willey, B M; Mulvey, M R

2014-07-01

An increasing prevalence since 2010 of Serratia marcescens harbouring the Ambler class A carbapenemase SME prompted us to further characterize these isolates. Isolates harbouring bla(SME) were identified by PCR and sequencing. Phenotypic analysis for carbapenemase activity was carried out by a modified Hodge test and a modified Carba NP test. Antimicrobial susceptibilities were determined by Etest and Vitek 2. Typing was by PFGE of macrorestriction digests. Whole-genome sequencing of three isolates was carried out to characterize the genomic region harbouring the bla(SME)-type genes. All S. marcescens harbouring SME-type enzymes could be detected using a modified Carba NP test. Isolates harbouring bla(SME) were resistant to penicillins and carbapenems, but remained susceptible to third-generation cephalosporins, as well as fluoroquinolones and trimethoprim/sulfamethoxazole. Isolates exhibited diverse genetic backgrounds, though 57% of isolates were found in three clusters. Analysis of whole-genome sequence data from three isolates revealed that the bla(SME) gene occurred in a novel cryptic prophage genomic island, SmarGI1-1. There has been an increasing occurrence of S. marcescens harbouring bla(SME) in Canada since 2010. The bla(SME) gene was found on a genomic island, SmarGI1-1, that can be excised and circularized, which probably contributes to its dissemination amongst S. marcescens. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Characterization of contaminants in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from Canadian Lake Erie Areas of Concern: St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solla, Shane R. de; Fernie, Kimberly J

2004-11-01

PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins/furans in snapping turtle eggs and plasma (Chelydra serpentina) were evaluated at three Areas of Concern (AOCs) on Lake Erie and its connecting channels (St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour), as well as two inland reference sites (Algonquin Provincial Park and Tiny Marsh) in 2001-2002. Eggs from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs had the highest levels of p,p'-DDE (24.4 and 57.9 ng/g) and sum PCBs (928.6 and 491.0 ng/g) wet weight, respectively. Contaminant levels in eggs from St. Clair River AOC were generally higher than those from Algonquin Park, but similar to those from Tiny Marsh. Dioxins appeared highest from the Detroit River. The PCB congener pattern in eggs suggested that turtles from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs were exposed to Aroclor 1260. TEQs of sum PCBs in eggs from all AOCs and p,p'-DDE levels in eggs from the Wheatley Harbour and the Detroit River AOCs exceeded the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Furthermore, sum PCBs in eggs from Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour exceeded partial restriction guidelines for consumption. Although estimated PCB body burdens in muscle tissue of females were well below consumption guidelines, estimated residues in liver and adipose were above guidelines for most sites.

Characterization of contaminants in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from Canadian Lake Erie Areas of Concern: St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Solla, Shane R. de; Fernie, Kimberly J

2004-11-01

PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins/furans in snapping turtle eggs and plasma (Chelydra serpentina) were evaluated at three Areas of Concern (AOCs) on Lake Erie and its connecting channels (St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour), as well as two inland reference sites (Algonquin Provincial Park and Tiny Marsh) in 2001-2002. Eggs from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs had the highest levels of p,p'-DDE (24.4 and 57.9 ng/g) and sum PCBs (928.6 and 491.0 ng/g) wet weight, respectively. Contaminant levels in eggs from St. Clair River AOC were generally higher than those from Algonquin Park, but similar to those from Tiny Marsh. Dioxins appeared highest from the Detroit River. The PCB congener pattern in eggs suggested that turtles from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs were exposed to Aroclor 1260. TEQs of sum PCBs in eggs from all AOCs and p,p'-DDE levels in eggs from the Wheatley Harbour and the Detroit River AOCs exceeded the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Furthermore, sum PCBs in eggs from Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour exceeded partial restriction guidelines for consumption. Although estimated PCB body burdens in muscle tissue of females were well below consumption guidelines, estimated residues in liver and adipose were above guidelines for most sites.

Characterization of contaminants in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from Canadian Lake Erie Areas of Concern: St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour.

Science.gov (United States)

de Solla, Shane R; Fernie, Kimberly J

2004-11-01

PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins/furans in snapping turtle eggs and plasma (Chelydra serpentina) were evaluated at three Areas of Concern (AOCs) on Lake Erie and its connecting channels (St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour), as well as two inland reference sites (Algonquin Provincial Park and Tiny Marsh) in 2001-2002. Eggs from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs had the highest levels of p,p'-DDE (24.4 and 57.9 ng/g) and sum PCBs (928.6 and 491.0 ng/g) wet weight, respectively. Contaminant levels in eggs from St. Clair River AOC were generally higher than those from Algonquin Park, but similar to those from Tiny Marsh. Dioxins appeared highest from the Detroit River. The PCB congener pattern in eggs suggested that turtles from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs were exposed to Aroclor 1260. TEQs of sum PCBs in eggs from all AOCs and p,p'-DDE levels in eggs from the Wheatley Harbour and the Detroit River AOCs exceeded the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Furthermore, sum PCBs in eggs from Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour exceeded partial restriction guidelines for consumption. Although estimated PCB body burdens in muscle tissue of females were well below consumption guidelines, estimated residues in liver and adipose were above guidelines for most sites.

Characterization of contaminants in snapping turtles (Chelydra serpentina) from Canadian Lake Erie Areas of Concern: St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Solla, Shane R. de; Fernie, Kimberly J.

2004-01-01

PCBs, organochlorine pesticides and dioxins/furans in snapping turtle eggs and plasma (Chelydra serpentina) were evaluated at three Areas of Concern (AOCs) on Lake Erie and its connecting channels (St. Clair River, Detroit River, and Wheatley Harbour), as well as two inland reference sites (Algonquin Provincial Park and Tiny Marsh) in 2001-2002. Eggs from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs had the highest levels of p,p'-DDE (24.4 and 57.9 ng/g) and sum PCBs (928.6 and 491.0 ng/g) wet weight, respectively. Contaminant levels in eggs from St. Clair River AOC were generally higher than those from Algonquin Park, but similar to those from Tiny Marsh. Dioxins appeared highest from the Detroit River. The PCB congener pattern in eggs suggested that turtles from the Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour AOCs were exposed to Aroclor 1260. TEQs of sum PCBs in eggs from all AOCs and p,p'-DDE levels in eggs from the Wheatley Harbour and the Detroit River AOCs exceeded the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Furthermore, sum PCBs in eggs from Detroit River and Wheatley Harbour exceeded partial restriction guidelines for consumption. Although estimated PCB body burdens in muscle tissue of females were well below consumption guidelines, estimated residues in liver and adipose were above guidelines for most sites

The Westward Movement of Chinese Export Harbour Views : Significant Paintings with a Social Function

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Poel, van der R.H.M.

2012-01-01

Article (Chapter) in proceedings of the First Rombouts Graduate Conference Globalization and Glocalization in China, at Leiden University, held in Leiden on 6 and 7 September 2011. This article offers a closer examination of Chinese export harbour views and, in doing so, reveals that waterfronts and

Genetic variation in Phoca vitulina (the harbour seal) revealed by DNA fingerprinting and RAPDs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kappe, A.L.; van de Zande, L.; Vedder, E.J.; Bijlsma, R.; van Delden, Wilke

Genetic variation in two harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) populations from the Dutch Wadden Sea and Scotland was examined by RAPD analysis and DNA fingerprinting. For comparison a population of grey seals (Halichoerus grypus) was studied. The RAPD method revealed a very low number of polymorphic bands.

Petroleum hydrocarbons and trace metals in Visakhapatnam harbour and Kakinada Bay, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Sarma, V.V.; VaraPrasad, S.J.D.; Gupta, G.V.M.; Sudhakar, U.

High concentrations of PHC were observed in the inner channels (viz. South lighter canal, Northern arm, North Western arm and Western arm) of Visakhapatnam Harbour, Andhra Pradesh, India. The estimation of trace metals (Cu, Zn, Pb, Cd, Co, Ni and Cr...

Variation of physico-chemical characteristics with tide in Visakhapatnam harbour waters, east coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

RamaRaju, V.S.; Rao, T.V.N.; Rathod, V.

Variations in physico-chemical parameters (DO, BOD, NO2, SiO4, PO4 suspended solids, salinity and currents) observed in the waters of main channel of Visakhapatnam Harbour over a tidal cycle in different seasons from February 1982 to January 1983...

Modelling the distribution of hard seabed using calibrated multibeam acoustic backscatter data in a tropical, macrotidal embayment: Darwin Harbour, Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Siwabessy, P. Justy W.; Tran, Maggie; Picard, Kim; Brooke, Brendan P.; Huang, Zhi; Smit, Neil; Williams, David K.; Nicholas, William A.; Nichol, Scott L.; Atkinson, Ian

2018-06-01

Spatial information on the distribution of seabed substrate types in high use coastal areas is essential to support their effective management and environmental monitoring. For Darwin Harbour, a rapidly developing port in northern Australia, the distribution of hard substrate is poorly documented but known to influence the location and composition of important benthic biological communities (corals, sponges). In this study, we use angular backscatter response curves to model the distribution of hard seabed in the subtidal areas of Darwin Harbour. The angular backscatter response curve data were extracted from multibeam sonar data and analysed against backscatter intensity for sites observed from seabed video to be representative of "hard" seabed. Data from these sites were consolidated into an "average curve", which became a reference curve that was in turn compared to all other angular backscatter response curves using the Kolmogorov-Smirnov goodness-of-fit. The output was used to generate interpolated spatial predictions of the probability of hard seabed ( p-hard) and derived hard seabed parameters for the mapped area of Darwin Harbour. The results agree well with the ground truth data with an overall classification accuracy of 75% and an area under curve measure of 0.79, and with modelled bed shear stress for the Harbour. Limitations of this technique are discussed with attention to discrepancies between the video and acoustic results, such as in areas where sediment forms a veneer over hard substrate.

Environmental implications and spatial distribution of natural radionuclides and heavy metals in sediments from four harbours in the Egyptian Red Sea coast.

Science.gov (United States)

El-Taher, Atef; Zakaly, Hesham M H; Elsaman, Reda

2018-01-01

Measurements of natural radionuclides concentrations ( 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K) in sediments collected from sea, rivers or ocean is significant to protect the sea water ecosystem and to human health from radiation. Thirty-three sample of sediment have been collected from four ports in the Red Sea coast, Egypt for investigation by gamma-ray spectrometer using NaI(Tl) detector. The average and range activity concentrations of 226 Ra, 232 Th and 40 K were 26(5-58), 19(4-33) and 458(16-2665)Bqkg -1 in Quseir Harbour, 30(14-53), 20(14-34) and 430(378-511)Bqkg -1 in Abu-Tartour Harbour. However, the average and range activity concentrations were 23(14-35), 21(15-32), and 602(327-821)Bqkg -1 in Touristic Harbour and 14(5-26), 13(2-23) and 489(36-950)Bqkg -1 in Hurghada harbour. These results were compared with reported ranges in the literature from other location in the world. The radiation hazard parameters; radium equivalent activity annual dose, external hazard were also calculated and compared with the recommended levels by UNSCEAR reports. Eight heavy metals (Fe, Mn, Ni, Co, Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd) have been measured and analyzed by atomic absorption spectrometer. The concentration for the investigated heavy metals overtakes the allowable limits recommended by the Canadian Environmental Quality Guidelines. Because there are no existing databases for the natural radioactivity in the sediment samples from Egyptian Red Sea ports, our results are a start to establishing a database for Red Sea harbours environment. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A system shift in tidal choking due to the construction of Yangshan Harbour, Shanghai, China

Science.gov (United States)

Guo, Wenyun; Wang, Xiao Hua; Ding, Pingxing; Ge, Jianzhong; Song, Dehai

2018-06-01

Tidal choking is a geometric feature caused by a narrowed channel. Construction of the Yangshan Harbour, Shanghai, China obstructed three key channels and intensively changed the local geometry and topography. In this study nine numerical experiments based on the Finite-Volume Community Ocean Model are conducted to study the project's influence on tidal characteristics. Results show that stronger tidal choking happened at the East Entrance after project, mainly due to the jet induced water-level drop forced by Bernoulli law and the longer and narrower geometry. The stronger tidal choking forces a faster flow and larger tidal energy flux at the choked channel while reducing the tidal amplitude in the Inner Harbour Area (IHA). The scouring on this channel reduces the choking effect but further enlarges tidal energy flux. Moreover, damming the channels decrease the tidal amplitude at the lee side of tidal propagating direction while increasing the amplitude on the stoss side. The dams also decrease the tidal current on both sides, and meanwhile develop two patches with stronger current aside the dam. The project induced changes in tidal characteristics are complex in space, and perturbations in bathymetry increase this complexity. Yangshan Harbour's construction induces little changes in the total tidal energy density in the IHA, but induces obvious changes in the spatial distribution of tidal energy. Although this study is site-specific, the findings may be applicable to tidal dynamics in land reclamation close to open seas, such as the dramatic reclamation of islands in the South China Sea.

Characterisation of microcontaminants in Darwin Harbour, a tropical estuary of northern Australia undergoing rapid development.

Science.gov (United States)

French, Veronica A; Codi King, Susan; Kumar, Anu; Northcott, Grant; McGuinness, Keith; Parry, David

2015-12-01

The detection of microcontaminants in aquatic environments raises concerns about their potential to exert ecotoxicological effects and impact human health. In contrast to freshwater habitats, little information is available on environmental concentrations in urban estuarine and marine environments. This study investigated an extensive range of organic and inorganic microcontaminants in the Darwin Harbour catchment, a tropical estuary in northern Australia undergoing rapid urbanisation and industrial development. We sampled wastewater effluent and surface water from seven sites in Darwin Harbour for pharmaceuticals and personal care products, alkylphenols, hormones, pesticides, herbicides and metals. In vitro bioassays were used to estimate the (anti)estrogenic and (anti)androgenic activities of samples. Seventy-nine of 229 organic microcontaminants analysed were detected at concentrations ranging from 0.01 to 20 μg/L, with acesulfame, paracetamol, cholesterol, caffeine, DEET and iopromide detected at the highest concentrations in wastewater effluent (20 μg/L, 17 μg/L, 11 μg/L, 11 μg/L, 10 μg/L and 7.6 μg/L, respectively). Levels of estrogenic activity ranged from estradiol equivalency quotients (EEQs) of <0.10 to 6.29±0.16 ng/L while levels of androgenic activity ranged from dihydrotestosterone equivalency quotients (DHTEQs) of <3.50 to 138.23±3.71 ng/L. Environmental concentrations of organic microcontaminants were comparable to ranges reported from aquatic environments worldwide with sewage effluent discharges representing the dominant source of entry into Darwin Harbour. The measured concentration range of DEET was higher than ranges reported in previous studies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Determination of petroleum hydrocarbons in sediment samples from Bombay harbour, Dharamtar creek and Amba river estuary

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ingole, S.A.; Dhaktode, S.S.; Kadam, A.N.

The surface sediment samples were collected by van Veen grab sampler during premonsoon, monsoon and postmonsoon seasons from Bombay harbour, Dharamtar creek and Amba river estuary Moisture content of the samples ranges from 36 to 67.5...

The occurrence and position of the ”connecting sac” in the nasal tract complex of small odontocetes (Mammalia, Cetacea)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schenkkan, E.J.

1971-01-01

The aspects of the “connecting sac” are studied in Lagenorhynchus albirostris, Lagenorhynchus obliquidens, Lagenorhynchus acutus, Tursiops truncatus, Delphinus delphis, Phocoena phocoena, Sotalia guianensis, Stenella coeruleoalba and Stenella frontalis. Comparing the development of the connecting

Environmental Risk Assessment of dredging processes – application to Marin harbour (NW Spain)

OpenAIRE

A. G. Gómez; J. García Alba; A. Puente; J. A. Juanes

2014-01-01

ABSTRACT. A methodological procedure to estimate the environmental risk of dredging operations in aquatic systems has been developed. Environmental risk estimations are based on numerical models results, which provide an appropriated spatio-temporal framework analysis to guarantee an effective decision-making process. The methodological procedure has been applied on a real dredging operation in the port of Marin (NW Spain). Results from Marin harbour confirmed the suitabi...

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.

Oil spills in open seas and harbours - impact on marine environment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Siddiqui, S.H.

1995-01-01

In this article the environmental impacts of sea water near Karachi (Pakistan) harbour (Arabian Sea) are discussed. The water pollution is caused due to oil leakage from ships. The toxicity of various oils (crude oils and refined oils) to different species of marine varies greatly. The second main source of water is municipal waste water. For the control of sea water pollution, there must be education as lack of awareness of the public to ask for clean beaches and absence of coordination between concerned oil companies, tanker operating agencies, port authorities and government (A.B.)

Patterns of variability of retinol levels in a harbour porpoise population from an unpolluted environment

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Borrell, A.; Cantos, G.; Aguilar, A.

1999-01-01

Organochlorine compounds (OC) are known to induce vitamin A (retinoids) deficiency in mammals, which may be associated with impairment of immunocompetence, reproduction and growth. This makes retinoids a potentially useful biomarker of organochlorine impact on marine mammals. However, use of reti...

Tide dependent seasonal changes in water quality and assimilative capacity of anthropogenically influenced Mormugao harbour water

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Shirodkar, P.V.; Deepthi, M.; Vethamony, P.; Mesquita, A.M.; Pradhan, U.K.; Babu, M.T.; Verlecar, X.N.; Haldankar, S.R.

Water quality data from Mormugao harbour area at the mouth of Zuari estuary in Goa have been obtained over two tidal cycles monthly for the year 2003 to 2004. R-mode factor analyses of the data indicated strong positive loadings of coliforms...

On the occurrence of spondylosis deformans in white-beaked dolphins Lagenorhynchus albirostris (Gray, 1846) stranded on the Dutch coast

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kompanje, E.J.O.

1995-01-01

Fourty-three skeletons of Lagenorhynchus albirostris were examined for the occurrence of pathological changes in the vertebral column. In comparison, 83 skeletons of Phocoena phocoena and 18 of Tursiops truncatus were studied. The pathogenesis of spondylosis deformans is discussed.

A compact self-recording pressure based sea level gauge suitable for deployments at harbour and offshore environments

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Desa, E.; Peshwe, V.B.; Joseph, A.; Mehra, P.; Naik, G.P.; Kumar, V.; Desa, E.S.; Desai, R.G.P.; Nagvekar, S.; Desai, S.P.

A compact and lightweight self-recording pressure based sea level gauge has been designed to suit deployments from harbour and offshore environments. A novel hydraulic coupling device designed in-house was used to transfer the seawater pressure...

Monitoring water quality in Sydney Harbour using blue mussels during remediation of the Sydney Tar Ponds, Nova Scotia, Canada.

Science.gov (United States)

Walker, Tony R; MacAskill, Devin

2014-03-01

Using mussels as monitoring tools we measured water quality in Sydney Harbour during a large scale, multi-year remediation project of the Sydney Tar Ponds (STPs); one of Canada's most contaminated sites. Chemical contaminants were measured in blue mussels (Mytilus edulis) in Sydney Harbour, which were used as monitoring tools to assess the spatio-temporal distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs); polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs); metals (As, Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) and lipid content during baseline and 3 years of remediation. The overall spatio-temporal distribution of chemicals in mussels was also compared to contaminants in other marine indicators (e.g., sediment, water and crab tissue). Measured metal concentrations in mussels showed some minor temporal variability (4 years), but these did not appear to be directly related to remediation activities, with the highest concentrations of As, Hg and Zn measured at reference stations. Most measured contaminants showed stable or potentially decreasing concentrations during the study, except Pb and Zn. Individual PAH compounds were mostly undetected during baseline and remediation, except for fluoranthene and pyrene. Concentrations of fluoranthene in mussels and deep water samples were moderately related. Generally, PCBs were undetected (remediation at some near-field stations. Contaminants measured during this study were at much lower concentrations than previously reported in other studies of mussels in Sydney Harbour and eastern Canada. This is likely due to the ongoing natural recovery of Sydney Harbour and to a lesser extent because of the environmental mitigation protection measures implemented during remediation activities at the STPs. The lack of detection of most individual PAHs and PCBs, plus relatively low bio-accumulation of metals observed during baseline and remediation attest to the effectiveness of using mussels as monitoring tools for environmental quality.

Environmental Risk Assessment of dredging processes - application to Marin harbour (NW Spain)

Science.gov (United States)

Gómez, A. G.; García Alba, J.; Puente, A.; Juanes, J. A.

2014-04-01

A methodological procedure to estimate the environmental risk of dredging operations in aquatic systems has been developed. Environmental risk estimations are based on numerical models results, which provide an appropriated spatio-temporal framework analysis to guarantee an effective decision-making process. The methodological procedure has been applied on a real dredging operation in the port of Marin (NW Spain). Results from Marin harbour confirmed the suitability of the developed methodology and the conceptual approaches as a comprehensive and practical management tool.

Impact of water quality changes on harbour environment due to port activities along the west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Shirodkar, P.V.; Pradhan, U.K.; Vethamony, P.

modeling were used to understand the dominant parameters influencing water quality, trace the sources of contaminants, their impact on harbour environments and their fate. Factor analyses showed the dominance of anthropogenic nutrients, petroleum...

Coastal Changes due to the Construction of Artificial Harbour Entrances and Practical Solutions, including Beach Replenishment

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bijker, E.W.; Van der Leijé, J.P.; Pilon, J.J.; Svasek, J.N.; In 't Veld, J.K.; Verhagen, H.J.

1981-01-01

When longshore sediment transport is interrupted by a construction along a coast, e.g harbour moles or a dredged approach channel, the equilibrium of the coastline may be disturbed. When the disruption is caused by breakwaters, the longshore transport that is held back will cause accretion updrift

Hydrodynamic determination of the moving direction of an artificial fin by a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina).

Science.gov (United States)

Wieskotten, S; Dehnhardt, G; Mauck, B; Miersch, L; Hanke, W

2010-07-01

Harbour seals can use their vibrissal system to detect and follow hydrodynamic trails left by moving objects. In this study we determined the maximum time after which a harbour seal could indicate the moving direction of an artificial fish tail and analysed the hydrodynamic parameters allowing the discrimination. Hydrodynamic trails were generated using a fin-like paddle moving from left to right or from right to left in the calm water of an experimental box. The blindfolded seal was able to recognise the direction of the paddle movement when the hydrodynamic trail was up to 35 s old. Particle Image Velocimetry (PIV) revealed that the seal might have perceived and used two different hydrodynamic parameters to determine the moving direction of the fin-like paddle. The structure and spatial arrangement of the vortices in the hydrodynamic trail and high water velocities between two counter-rotating vortices are characteristic of the movement direction and are within the sensory range of the seal.

Distribution of uranium at Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugandhi, S.; Prabhu, S.P.; Mishra, D.G.; Ravi, P.M.; Hegde, A.G.

2010-01-01

Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB) is a recipient of low level treated effluents from BARC, Trombay. In addition, the Bay is also a recipient of domestic and industrial wastes from the city of Mumbai and adjoining areas. Uranium though considered as a rare element, occurs in seawater. The present study is dealt with the distribution of uranium in seawater of Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB). Uranium is mainly present as Tricarbanato uranyl anion ((UO 2 (CO 3 ) 3 ) 4- ) in seawater and its concentration varies with the locality and depth. The average value of uranium concentration reported for Indian Bay water at Tarapur and Mumbai is ∼ 3.0 ppb which is comparable with the reported value for Arabian sea. As such the global average is reported to be ∼ 3.3 ppb by Oceanologists. A total of 18 seawater samples covering the upstream, downstream and middle stream of MHB were collected and filtered through 0.22 μm filter paper. 10 L of filtered sample was subjected to chemical separation using ion-exchange technique which involved the following steps: the filtered samples were acidified with conc. HNO 3 and digested. Ca 3 (PO 4 ) 2 was precipitated at pH 8-9 by addition of liquid ammonia which coprecipitates uranium. The precipitate was allowed to settle overnight, supernatant discarded; precipitate was washed thoroughly with distilled water twice, dissolved in electronic grade conc. HNO 3 and evaporated to dryness. Residue formed was heated with electronic grade conc. HCI and taken up in 8M HCI and loaded on to Dowex 1x8 (Cl -1 for, 1.5 g, 100-200 mesh, anion exchanger), preconditioned with 8M HCI. Uranium adsorbed on the resin was eluted with 1 M HNO 3 . The eluant was evaporated to dryness and electrodeposited on a stainless steel planchette and the uranium content was estimated by alpha spectrometry (PIPS, Type IPC). The uranium activity in MHB by alpha spectrometry was found to be between 1.0-4.4 ppb with an average concentration of 2.5 ppb which is comparable with the earlier

Candidate gene molecular markers as tools for analyzing genetic susceptibility to morbillivirus infection in stranded Cetaceans

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Stejskalová, K.; Bayerova, Z.; Futas, J.; Hrazdilová, K.; Klumplerova, M.; Oppelt, J.; Šplíchalová, P.; Di Guardo, G.; Mazzariol, S.; Di Francesco, C. E.; Di Francesco, G.; Terracciano, G.; Paiu, R.M.; Ursache, T. D.; Modrý, David; Horin, P.

2017-01-01

Roč. 90, č. 6 (2017), s. 343-353 ISSN 2059-2302 Institutional support: RVO:60077344 Keywords : Cetacea * haplotype * immunity * innate * mhc-dqb * Phocoena phocoena * polymorphism * single nucleotide * Stenella coeruleoalba Subject RIV: EB - Genetics ; Molecular Biology OBOR OECD: Biochemistry and molecular biology

An X-Band Radar System for Bathymetry and Wave Field Analysis in a Harbour Area

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Giovanni Ludeno

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Marine X-band radar based systems are well tested to provide information about sea state and bathymetry. It is also well known that complex geometries and non-uniform bathymetries provide a much bigger challenge than offshore scenarios. In order to tackle this issue a retrieval method is proposed, based on spatial partitioning of the data and the application of the Normalized Scalar Product (NSP, which is an innovative procedure for the joint estimation of bathymetry and surface currents. The strategy is then applied to radar data acquired around a harbour entrance, and results show that the reconstructed bathymetry compares well with ground truth data obtained by an echo-sounder campaign, thus proving the reliability of the whole procedure. The spectrum thus retrieved is then analysed to show the evidence of reflected waves from the harbour jetties, as confirmed by chain of hydrodynamic models of the sea wave field. The possibility of using a land based radar to reveal sea wave reflection is entirely new and may open up new operational applications of the system.

A population on the edge: genetic diversity and population structure of the world's northernmost harbour seals (Phoca vitulina)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, Liselotte Wesley; Lydersen, Christian; Frie, Anne Kirstine

2011-01-01

insight into consequences of population declines in a broader conservation context. The harbour seal population at Svalbard is the world's northernmost harbour seal population. Nothing is known about the genetic diversity, distinctiveness or origin of this small, marginalized mammalian population. Thus......  It is crucial to examine the genetic diversity and structure of small, isolated populations, especially those at the edge of their distribution range, because they are vulnerable to stochastic processes if genetic diversity is low and isolation level high, and because such populations provide...... microsatellites and variation in the D-loop. Each of the four locations was a genetically distinct population. The Svalbard population was highly genetically distinct, had reduced genetic diversity, received limited gene flow, had a rather low effective population size and showed an indication of having...

Levels of polybrominated diphenyl ether (PBDE) flame retardants in animals representing different trophic levels of the North Sea food Web.

Science.gov (United States)

Boon, Jan P; Lewis, Wilma E; Tjoen-A-Choy, Michael R; Allchin, Colin R; Law, Robin J; De Boer, Jacob; Ten Hallers-Tjabbes, Cato C; Zegers, Bart N

2002-10-01

The levels of individual PBDE congeners were investigated in the invertebrate species whelk (Buccinum undatum), seastar (Asterias rubens), and hermit crab (Pagurus bernhardus), the gadoid fish species whiting (Merlangius merlangus) and cod (Gadus morhua), and the marine mammal species harbor seal (Phoca vitulina) and harbor porpoise (Phocoena phocoena). These species are all important representatives of different trophic levels of the North Sea food web. All six major PBDE congeners detected (BDEs 28, 47, 99, 100, 153, and 154) are most prevalent in the commercial Penta-BDE formulation. There is no evidence for the occurrence of the Octa-BDE formulation in the North Sea food web, since its dominant congener, BDE183, was never detected. BDE209, the main congener (> 97%) in the Deca-BDE formulation, was detected only in a minority of the samples and always in concentrations around the limit of detection. Since BDE209 is often the major BDE congener in sediments from the area, the main reason for its low concentrations in biota from the North Sea seems to be a relatively low bioaccumulation potential. This can either be due to a low uptake rate of the very large molecule or a relatively rapid excretion after biotransformation. Since all invertebrates investigated are sentinel species, they are highly representative for the area of capture. The highest lipid-normalized concentrations of PBDEs in the invertebrates occurred near the mouth of the river Tees at the East coast of the UK. The geographical distribution of the PBDEs can be explained by the residual currents in the area. The direction of these currents differs between the summer and the winter season as a result of the presence or absence of vertical summer stratification of the deeper waters north of the Dogger Bank. Summer stratification results in the development of a density-driven bottom water current formed after the onset of vertical stratification of the water column in May leaving the UK coast near

Toxic effects of tributyltin and its metabolites on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) immune cells in vitro

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Frouin, Heloise [Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique - Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7 (Canada); Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4 (Canada)], E-mail: heloise.frouin@iaf.inrs.ca; Lebeuf, Michel [Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4 (Canada); Saint-Louis, Richard [Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Universite du Quebec a Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec G5L 3A1 (Canada); Hammill, Mike [Fisheries and Oceans Canada, Maurice Lamontagne Institute, Mont-Joli, Quebec G5H 3Z4 (Canada); Pelletier, Emilien [Institut des Sciences de la Mer de Rimouski (ISMER), Universite du Quebec a Rimouski, Rimouski, Quebec G5L 3A1 (Canada); Fournier, Michel [Institut National de la Recherche Scientifique - Institut Armand-Frappier, Laval, Quebec H7V 1B7 (Canada)

2008-11-21

The widespread environmental contamination, bioaccumulation and endocrine disruptor effects of butyltins (BTs) to wildlife are well documented. Although suspected, potential effects of BTs exposure on the immune system of marine mammals have been little investigated. In this study, we assessed the effects of tributyltin (TBT) and its dealkylated metabolites dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) on the immune responses of harbour seals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from pup and adult harbour seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of BTs. DBT resulted in a significant decrease at 100 and 200 nM of phagocytotic activity and reduced significantly phagocytic efficiency at 200 nM in adult seals. There was no effect in phagocytosis with TBT and MBT. In pups, the highest concentration (200 nM) of DBT inhibited phagocytic efficiency. A reduction of tumor-killing capacity of adult natural killer (NK) cells occurred when leukocytes were incubated in vitro with 50 nM DBT and 200 nM TBT for 24 h. In adult seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was significantly suppressed when the cells were exposed to 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. In pups, the proliferative response increased after an exposure to 100 nM TBT and 50 nM DBT, but decreased with 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. The immune functions were more affected by BTs exposure in adults than in pups, suggesting that other unsuspected mechanisms could trigger immune parameters in pups. The toxic potential of BTs followed the order of DBT > TBT > MBT. BT concentrations of harbour seal pups from the St. Lawrence Estuary (Bic National Park) ranged between 0.1-0.4 ng Sn/g wet weight (ww) and 1.2-13.4 ng Sn/g ww in blood and blubber, respectively. For these animals, DBT concentrations were consistently below the quantification limit of 0.04 ng Sn/g ww in blood and 0.2 ng Sn/g ww in blubber. Results suggest that concentrations measured in pups are considered too low to induce toxic effects to their immune system

Toxic effects of tributyltin and its metabolites on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) immune cells in vitro

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frouin, Heloise; Lebeuf, Michel; Saint-Louis, Richard; Hammill, Mike; Pelletier, Emilien; Fournier, Michel

2008-01-01

The widespread environmental contamination, bioaccumulation and endocrine disruptor effects of butyltins (BTs) to wildlife are well documented. Although suspected, potential effects of BTs exposure on the immune system of marine mammals have been little investigated. In this study, we assessed the effects of tributyltin (TBT) and its dealkylated metabolites dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) on the immune responses of harbour seals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from pup and adult harbour seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of BTs. DBT resulted in a significant decrease at 100 and 200 nM of phagocytotic activity and reduced significantly phagocytic efficiency at 200 nM in adult seals. There was no effect in phagocytosis with TBT and MBT. In pups, the highest concentration (200 nM) of DBT inhibited phagocytic efficiency. A reduction of tumor-killing capacity of adult natural killer (NK) cells occurred when leukocytes were incubated in vitro with 50 nM DBT and 200 nM TBT for 24 h. In adult seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was significantly suppressed when the cells were exposed to 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. In pups, the proliferative response increased after an exposure to 100 nM TBT and 50 nM DBT, but decreased with 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. The immune functions were more affected by BTs exposure in adults than in pups, suggesting that other unsuspected mechanisms could trigger immune parameters in pups. The toxic potential of BTs followed the order of DBT > TBT > MBT. BT concentrations of harbour seal pups from the St. Lawrence Estuary (Bic National Park) ranged between 0.1-0.4 ng Sn/g wet weight (ww) and 1.2-13.4 ng Sn/g ww in blood and blubber, respectively. For these animals, DBT concentrations were consistently below the quantification limit of 0.04 ng Sn/g ww in blood and 0.2 ng Sn/g ww in blubber. Results suggest that concentrations measured in pups are considered too low to induce toxic effects to their immune system

Toxic effects of tributyltin and its metabolites on harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) immune cells in vitro.

Science.gov (United States)

Frouin, Héloïse; Lebeuf, Michel; Saint-Louis, Richard; Hammill, Mike; Pelletier, Emilien; Fournier, Michel

2008-11-21

The widespread environmental contamination, bioaccumulation and endocrine disruptor effects of butyltins (BTs) to wildlife are well documented. Although suspected, potential effects of BTs exposure on the immune system of marine mammals have been little investigated. In this study, we assessed the effects of tributyltin (TBT) and its dealkylated metabolites dibutyltin (DBT) and monobutyltin (MBT) on the immune responses of harbour seals. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells isolated from pup and adult harbour seals were exposed in vitro to varying concentrations of BTs. DBT resulted in a significant decrease at 100 and 200 nM of phagocytotic activity and reduced significantly phagocytic efficiency at 200 nM in adult seals. There was no effect in phagocytosis with TBT and MBT. In pups, the highest concentration (200 nM) of DBT inhibited phagocytic efficiency. A reduction of tumor-killing capacity of adult natural killer (NK) cells occurred when leukocytes were incubated in vitro with 50 nM DBT and 200 nM TBT for 24h. In adult seals, T-lymphocyte proliferation was significantly suppressed when the cells were exposed to 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. In pups, the proliferative response increased after an exposure to 100 nM TBT and 50 nM DBT, but decreased with 200 nM TBT and 100 nM DBT. The immune functions were more affected by BTs exposure in adults than in pups, suggesting that other unsuspected mechanisms could trigger immune parameters in pups. The toxic potential of BTs followed the order of DBT>TBT>MBT. BT concentrations of harbour seal pups from the St. Lawrence Estuary (Bic National Park) ranged between 0.1-0.4 ng Sn/g wet weight (ww) and 1.2-13.4 ng Sn/g ww in blood and blubber, respectively. For these animals, DBT concentrations were consistently below the quantification limit of 0.04 ng Sn/g ww in blood and 0.2 ng Sn/g ww in blubber. Results suggest that concentrations measured in pups are considered too low to induce toxic effects to their immune system during

Defining management units for cetaceans by combining genetics, morphlogy, acoustics and satellite tracking

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sveegaard, Signe; Galatius, Anders; Dietz, Rune

2015-01-01

Managing animal units is essential in biological conservation and requires spatial and temporal identification of such units. Since even neighbouring populations often have different conservation status and face different levels of anthropogenic pressure, detailed knowledge of population structure......, seasonal range and overlap with animals from neighbouring populations is required to manage each unit separately. Previous studies on genetic structure and morphologic separation suggests three distinct populations of harbour porpoises with limited geographic overlap in the North Sea (NS), the Belt Sea (BS...... with the least overlap between populations and thus the least error when abundance and population status is estimated. Discriminant analysis of the satellite tracking data from the BS and NS populations showed that the best fit of the management unit border during the summer months was an east-west line from...

Economic and marketing aspects of using food irradiation technology in treatment of Egyptian exports in domietta harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

EL-Khateeb, M.A.

2004-01-01

The present study discuss the economic and marketing aspects for the establishment of food irradiation facility in Domietta harbour and the effect of various parameters on unit processing costs. This study is concerned with carrying out an economic evaluation for the application of food exports from Domietta harbour. The study has been carried out according to the approach applied in the evaluation of economic projects and also considering the requirements of technology projects for food preservation.The study is divided into two sections.The first section: concerned with the marketing and technical aspects where the suitable commodity mix was determined for the agricultural crops which are proposed for irradiation. The marketing study comprised determination of the commodity mix, distributions of the commodity mix all over the year according to the harvest seasons and determination the type and capacity of the source. The second section: comprises the economic analysis according to the method adopted by the International Bank for Development taking into consideration the effect of applying radiation technology on the national income. It provides a model for calculating specific unit processing costs by correlating the known capital costs with the annual operation cost and annual throughputs. The cost benefit of the proposed food irradiation facility was analyzed taking into account the cost of the capital investment, operation cost and other additional parameters. The results of this study showed that there is no economic feasibility for the establishment of an irradiation facility for the radiation treatment of food commodities exported from Domietta harbour

Effects of granulometric gradient on macrofaunal assemblages in Los Cristianos harbour (Tenerife, Canary Islands)

OpenAIRE

Riera, Rodrigo; Monterroso, Óscar; Núñez, Jorge

2012-01-01

Along the rapid increase of coastal tourism worldwide, evidence is accumulating on the numerous environmental coastal impacts that it causes on marine environments. One of the most important anthropogenic pressures is the construction of marinas or recreational harbours. Typically, most of the studies provide snapshots of the spatial distribution of macrobenthic communities inside and outside of the marina area. However, there is no much information about sedimentary dynamics inside the harbo...

Hydrodynamic discrimination of wakes caused by objects of different size or shape in a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Wieskotten, S.; Mauck, B.; Miersch, L.

2011-01-01

Harbour seals can use their mystacial vibrissae to detect and track hydrodynamic wakes. We investigated the ability of a harbour seal to discriminate objects of different size or shape by their hydrodynamic signature and used particle image velocimetry to identify the hydrodynamic parameters...... that a seal may be using to do so. Hydrodynamic trails were generated by different sized or shaped paddles that were moved in the calm water of an experimental box to produce a characteristic signal. In a two-alternative forced-choice procedure the blindfolded subject was able to discriminate size differences...... of down to 3.6. cm (Weber fraction 0.6) when paddles were moved at the same speed. Furthermore the subject distinguished hydrodynamic signals generated by flat, cylindrical, triangular or undulated paddles of the same width. Particle image velocimetry measurements demonstrated that the seal could have...

The harbours in Bremen as a 'neutral zone' for nuclear fuels?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ruttloff, Marc

2013-01-01

The federal legislator has delivered his energy policy commitment as part of the energy turnaround with the decision on the forced backing out from nuclear energy to be completed until the end of 2022 at the latest. This was obviously not enough for the parliamentary groups of the SPD and Die Gruenen (Green party) of the Bremen City Parliament. With an Act dated 25 January 2012, the Bremen Parliament decided to amend the Harbour Operation Act insofar as '..the turnover of nuclear fuels in the sense of paragraph 2 Para. 1 of the Nuclear Act is excluded..'. This means that the turnover of nuclear fuels in the Bremer harbours is principally forbidden, unless the senate grants an explicit exception. However: Can a federal legislator enforce its energy policies like that? In order to receive an answer to this question, the representatives of the CDU parliamentary group of the Bremen Parliament lodged a complaint of unconstitutionality at the Bremen State Court of Justice. The decision was delivered on 12 April 2013 (AZ: St 1/12). And what answer did the CDU parliamentary group receive to their question? None. The Bremen State Court of Justice did not make a decision on this politically controversial issue. As its position, the State Court stated that the rules of the Basic Law on the limitations for the legislative jurisdiction between the Federation and the federal states do not constitute a component of the Bremen federal state constitution. And the legal criterion of the State Court of Justice is solely the Bremen constitution, not however, the Basic Law. In short: The State Court of Justice declares itself de facto not competent. (orig.)

Proliferation and survival molecules implicated in the inhibition of BRAF pathway in thyroid cancer cells harbouring different genetic mutations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Preto, Ana; Soares, Paula; Sobrinho-Simões, Manuel; Gonçalves, Joana; Rebocho, Ana P; Figueiredo, Joana; Meireles, Ana M; Rocha, Ana S; Vasconcelos, Helena M; Seca, Hugo; Seruca, Raquel

2009-01-01

Thyroid carcinomas show a high prevalence of mutations in the oncogene BRAF which are inversely associated with RAS or RET/PTC oncogenic activation. The possibility of using inhibitors on the BRAF pathway as became an interesting therapeutic approach. In thyroid cancer cells the target molecules, implicated on the cellular effects, mediated by inhibition of BRAF are not well established. In order to fill this lack of knowledge we studied the proliferation and survival pathways and associated molecules induced by BRAF inhibition in thyroid carcinoma cell lines harbouring distinct genetic backgrounds. Suppression of BRAF pathway in thyroid cancer cell lines (8505C, TPC1 and C643) was achieved using RNA interference (RNAi) for BRAF and the kinase inhibitor, sorafenib. Proliferation analysis was performed by BrdU incorporation and apoptosis was accessed by TUNEL assay. Levels of protein expression were analysed by western-blot. Both BRAF RNAi and sorafenib inhibited proliferation in all the cell lines independently of the genetic background, mostly in cells with BRAF V600E mutation. In BRAF V600E mutated cells inhibition of BRAF pathway lead to a decrease in ERK1/2 phosphorylation and cyclin D1 levels and an increase in p27 Kip1 . Specific inhibition of BRAF by RNAi in cells with BRAF V600E mutation had no effect on apoptosis. In the case of sorafenib treatment, cells harbouring BRAF V600E mutation showed increase levels of apoptosis due to a balance of the anti-apoptotic proteins Mcl-1 and Bcl-2. Our results in thyroid cancer cells, namely those harbouring BRAF V600E mutation showed that BRAF signalling pathway provides important proliferation signals. We have shown that in thyroid cancer cells sorafenib induces apoptosis by affecting Mcl-1 and Bcl-2 in BRAF V600E mutated cells which was independent of BRAF. These results suggest that sorafenib may prove useful in the treatment of thyroid carcinomas, particularly those refractory to conventional treatment and

Sporadic diffuse segmental interstitial cell of Cajal hyperplasia harbouring two gastric gastrointestinal stromal tumours (GIST mimicking hereditary GIST syndromes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mafalda Costa Neves

2015-01-01

Conclusion: We describe a diffuse form of sporadic ICC hyperplasia harbouring multifocal GISTs, mimicking diffuse ICC hyperplasia in hereditary GIST syndromes. Detection of somatic c-KIT exon 11 mutation ruled out a hereditary disorder.

In search of virus carriers of the 1988 and 2002 phocine distemper virus outbreaks in European harbour seals

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kreutzer, M.; Kreutzer, R.; Siebert, U.; Muller, G.; Reijnders, P.J.H.; Brasseur, S.M.J.M.; Harkonen, T.; Dietz, R.; Sonne, C.; Born, E.W.; Baumgartner, W.

2008-01-01

European harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) populations decreased substantially during the phocine distemper virus (PDV) outbreaks of 1988 and 2002. Different hypotheses have stated that various seals and terrestrial carnivore species might be the source of infection. To further analyse these hypotheses,

Vaccination of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) against phocid distemper with two different inactivated canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccines.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

I.K.G. Visser (Ilona); M.W.G. van de Bildt (Marco); H.N. Brugge; P.J.H. Reijnders; E.J. Vedder (Lies); J. Kuiper; P. de Vries (Petra); J. Groen (Jan); H.C. Walvoort; F.G.C.M. Uytdehaag (Fons); A.D.M.E. Osterhaus (Albert)

1989-01-01

textabstractTwo inactivated canine distemper virus (CDV) vaccines--an adjuvanted whole inactivated virus and a subunit ISCOM preparation--were tested for their ability to induce protective immunity in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) against phocid distemper, a disease that recently killed greater

Environmental quality assessment of Grand Harbour (Valletta, Maltese Islands): a case study of a busy harbour in the Central Mediterranean Sea.

Science.gov (United States)

Romeo, Teresa; D'Alessandro, Michela; Esposito, Valentina; Scotti, Gianfranco; Berto, Daniela; Formalewicz, Malgorzata; Noventa, Seta; Giuliani, Silvia; Macchia, Simona; Sartori, Davide; Mazzola, Angelo; Andaloro, Franco; Giacobbe, Salvatore; Deidun, Alan; Renzi, Monia

2015-12-01

Contamination levels by plastic debris, trace elements and persistent organic pollutants were assessed and related to macrobenthic diversity within soft bottoms of Grand Harbour (Malta, Central Mediterranean). Sediment toxicity was evaluated by ecotoxicological method, deploying Bacteria (Vibrio fischeri), Echinodermata (Paracentrotus lividus) and Crustacea (Corophium orientale). Univariate analysis (Pearson's test) was used to test relationships between biodiversity indices, pollutants and grain size. A multivariate approach (PERMANOVA) was applied to investigate for any significant differences among sampling stations concerning plastic abundances and to test the relationship between infaunal abundances and pollutant concentrations (the BIOENV test). Significant differences in the plastic abundances were found between sampling stations. The lowest value for Shannon-Wiener biodiversity index was associated to the highest sediment pollution level. Multivariate analyses suggest that MBT and TBT were factors that most influenced macrozoobenthic abundance and biodiversity. The bivalve Corbula gibba and the introduced polychaete Monticellina dorsobranchialis were the most abundant found species.

Chlorinated hydrocarbon contaminants in arctic marine mammals.

Science.gov (United States)

Norstrom, R J; Muir, D C

1994-09-16

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

Respiratory transmission of an avian H3N8 influenza virus isolated from a harbour seal

Science.gov (United States)

Karlsson, Erik A.; Ip, Hon S.; Hall, Jeffrey S.; Yoon, Sun W.; Johnson, Jordan; Beck, Melinda A.; Webby, Richard J.; Schultz-Cherry, Stacey

2014-01-01

The ongoing human H7N9 influenza infections highlight the threat of emerging avian influenza viruses. In 2011, an avian H3N8 influenza virus isolated from moribund New England harbour seals was shown to have naturally acquired mutations known to increase the transmissibility of highly pathogenic H5N1 influenza viruses. To elucidate the potential human health threat, here we evaluate a panel of avian H3N8 viruses and find that the harbour seal virus displays increased affinity for mammalian receptors, transmits via respiratory droplets in ferrets and replicates in human lung cells. Analysis of a panel of human sera for H3N8 neutralizing antibodies suggests that there is no population-wide immunity to these viruses. The prevalence of H3N8 viruses in birds and multiple mammalian species including recent isolations from pigs and evidence that it was a past human pandemic virus make the need for surveillance and risk analysis of these viruses of public health importance.

Spatio-temporal variation of organotin compounds in seawater and sediments from Cape Town harbour, South Africa using gas chromatography with flame photometric detector (GC-FPD

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hussein K. Okoro

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The spatio-temporal variation of two organotin compounds (OTCs of tributyltin and triphenyltin in the seawater and sediment of Cape Town harbour was investigated. The organotin compounds were determined by GC-FPD following prior extraction with 0.02% tropolone. The concentration of OTCs varies for locations in Cape Town harbour. The concentration of OTCs in seawater ranges from 0.067 ± 0.01 to 111.290 ± 32.20 × 10−3 μg/l for TBT while that of TPT ranges between between ND ± SD and 23008.0 ± 0.03 × 10−3 μg/l respectively between locations. Relatively higher concentrations were measured for TBT and TPT during summer than in winter and spring seasons (p ⩽ 0.05. Apparently, the observed high or low values recorded for TBT in Cape Town harbour could be the result of an increase or decrease in the traffic of ships and boats. TBT was detected in all the sediment samples analysed except for location 9 (entrance to harbour, the two control sites (which are located far away from the inner harbour where boating activities are taking place, and location 12 (Robinson dry dock 2 where the samples were not at all found. For the control sites, antifouling compounds TBT and TPT were not detected throughout except for TBT that was found in control A during summer. The seasonal variation of OTC abundance in sediment was also investigated. The results indicated that TBT is present throughout the seasons but is predominantly present in this order summer > winter > spring.

Personal exposure to benzene and 1,3-butadiene during petroleum refinery turnarounds and work in the oil harbour.

Science.gov (United States)

Akerstrom, M; Almerud, P; Andersson, E M; Strandberg, B; Sallsten, G

2016-11-01

Petroleum refinery workers' exposure to the carcinogens benzene and 1,3-butadiene has decreased during normal operations. However, certain occupational groups or events at the refineries still involve a risk of higher exposures. The aim of this study was to examine the personal exposure to benzene and 1,3-butadiene at refinery turnarounds and during work in the oil harbour. Personal exposure measurements of benzene and 1,3-butadiene were taken during work shifts, with a priori assumed higher benzene exposure, using PerkinElmer diffusive samplers filled with Carbopack X. Mean exposure levels were calculated, and repeated exposure measurements, when available, were assessed using mixed effect models. Group and individual compliance with the Swedish occupational exposure limit (OEL) was tested for the different exposure groups. Mean benzene exposure levels for refinery workers during the three measured turnarounds were 150, 610 and 960 µg/m 3 , and mean exposures for oil harbour workers and sewage tanker drivers were 310 and 360 µg/m 3 , respectively. Higher exposures were associated with handling benzene-rich products. Most occupational groups did not comply with the Swedish OEL for benzene nor did the individuals within the groups. The exposure to 1,3-butadiene was very low, between Work within the petroleum refinery industry, with potential exposure to open product streams containing higher fractions of benzene, pose a risk of personal benzene exposures exceeding the OEL. Refinery workers performing these work tasks frequently, such as contractors, sewage tanker drivers and oil harbour workers, need to be identified and protected.

Contradictory genetic make-up of Dutch harbour porpoises: Response to van der Plas-Duivesteijn et al.

Science.gov (United States)

Kopps, Anna M.; Palsbøll, Per J.

2016-02-01

The assessment of the status of endangered species or populations typically draw generously on the plethora of population genetic software available to detect population genetic structuring. However, despite the many available analytical approaches, population genetic inference methods [of neutral genetic variation] essentially capture three basic processes; migration, random genetic drift and mutation. Consequently, different analytical approaches essentially capture the same basic process, and should yield consistent results.

Fostering Ecological Literacy: A Case Study of the Saint John Harbour in Two High School English Language Arts Classrooms

Science.gov (United States)

Douglas, Velta

Integrating environmental education into curriculum in a way that tackles the holistic and complicated nature of multi-dimensional issues continues to be a challenge for educators and administrators. There is potential in using ecological literacy to introduce local environmental case studies into English Language Arts high school classrooms. This research examines the experiences of two ELA classrooms in one Saint John, NB, high school with a two-week unit based on stakeholder relationships within the Saint John Harbour. Through presentations by guest speakers and research sourced from local community groups, students learned about the highly complex environmental issues that inform management decisions for the Harbour. Using these materials as background, students participated in a mock stakeholders meeting. Case study methodology was used to explore student learning in both a higher-level and a lower-level grade 10 ELA class. Data for the analysis included: cognitive mapping exercises; oral and written classroom assignments and activities; a videotape of the mock stakeholder meetings; a focus group interview with selected students; and researcher field notes. Data demonstrated significant student learning about environmental issues including increased sophistication in describing links between and among environmental issues affecting the harbour, and much more complex understandings of the positions and roles of the various stakeholder groups. Some important areas of resistance to new learning were also evident. Implications for practice and policy and recommendations for future research are discussed.

Comparison of 2-compartment, 3-compartment and stack designs for electrodialytic removal of heavy metals from harbour sediments

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Kristine B.; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Jensen, Pernille Erland

2015-01-01

Comparisons of cell and stack designs for the electrodialytic removal of heavy metals from two harbour sediments, were made. Multivariate modelling showed that sediment properties and experimental set-ups had the highest influence on the heavy metal removal indicating that they should be modelled...

High-yielding Wheat Varieties Harbour Superior Plant Growth Promoting-Bacterial Endophytes

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehwish Yousaf

2017-06-01

Full Text Available Background and Objective: The purpose of this study was to compare the endophytic microbial flora of different wheat varieties to check whether a better yielding variety also harbours superior plant growth promoting bacteria. Such bacteria are helpful in food biotechnology as their application can enhance the yield of the crop.Material and Methods: Three wheat varieties (Seher, Faisalabad and Lasani were selected, Seher being the most superior variety. endophytic bacteria were isolated from the histosphere of the leaves and roots at different growth phases of the plants. The isolates were analyzed for plant growth promoting activities. Isolates giving best results were identified through 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Statistical analysis was done using Microsoft Excel 2013. All the experiments were conducted in triplicates.Results and Conclusion: The endophytes of Seher variety showed maximum plant growth promoting abilities. Among the shoot endophytes, the highest auxin production was shown by Seher isolate SHHP1-3 up to 51.9μg ml-1, whereas in the case of root endophytes, the highest auxin was produced by SHHR1-5 up to 36 μg ml-1. The bacteria showing significant plant growth promoting abilities were identified by 16S rRNA sequencing. Bacillus, Proteobacteria and Actinobacteria species were the dominant bacteria showing all the traits of plant growth promotion. It can be concluded that Seher variety harbours superior plant growth promoting endophytes that must be one of the reasons for its better growth and yield as compared to the other two varieties. The investigated results support possible utilization of the selected isolates in wheat growth promotion with respect to increase in agro-productivity. The application of such bacteria could be useful to enhance wheat yield and can help in food biotechnology.Conflict of interest: The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Developing a Social, Cultural and Economic Report Card for a Regional Industrial Harbour.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean Pascoe

Full Text Available Report cards are increasingly used to provide ongoing snap-shots of progress towards specific ecosystem health goals, particularly in coastal regions where planners need to balance competing demands for coastal resources from a range of industries. While most previous report cards focus on the biophysical components of the system, there is a growing interest in including the social and economic implications of ecosystem management to provide a greater social-ecological system understanding. Such a report card was requested on the Gladstone Harbour area in central Queensland, Australia. Gladstone Harbour adjoins the southern Great Barrier Reef, and is also a major industrial and shipping port. Balancing social, economic and environmental interests is therefore of great concern to the regional managers. While environmental benchmarking procedures are well established within Australia (and elsewhere, a method for assessing social and economic performance of coastal management is generally lacking. The key aim of this study was to develop and pilot a system for the development of a report card relating to appropriate cultural, social and economic objectives. The approach developed uses a range of multicriteria decision analysis methods to assess and combine different qualitative and quantitative measures, including the use of Bayesian Belief Networks to combine the different measures and provide an overall quantitative score for each of the key management objectives. The approach developed is readily transferable for purposes of similar assessments in other regions.

Sources of ambient concentrations and chemical composition of PM 2.5-0.1 in Cork Harbour, Ireland

Science.gov (United States)

Hellebust, S.; Allanic, A.; O'Connor, I. P.; Jourdan, C.; Healy, D.; Sodeau, J. R.

2010-02-01

Particulate matter (PM 10-2.5 and PM 2.5-0.1) has been collected over a period of one year in Cork Harbour, Ireland, using a high-volume cascade impactor and polyurethane foam collection substrate. Collected PM 2.5-0.1 was analysed for water-soluble inorganic ions and metal content using ion chromatography and inductively coupled plasma-optical emission spectroscopy. On average approximately 50% by mass of the chemical content of PM was identified. The motivation for the study was to assess the potential impact of shipping emissions on air quality in Cork Harbour and City, with a view to informing public health impacts. The average ambient concentration of PM 10 between May 2007 and April 2008 was 4.6 µgm - 3 and the maximum concentration measured in one sample, representing a 4 day collection period, was 16 µgm - 3 . The major inorganic constituents identified in PM collected in Haulbowline Island in Cork Harbour were sulfate, ammonium, nitrate, chloride and sodium ions, which were mainly attributable to sea salt and secondary inorganic aerosols from regional sources. The results were analysed by principal component analysis for the purpose of source apportionment. Four factors were identified explaining over 80% of the data set variance. The factors were: shipping, sea salt, crustal material and secondary inorganic aerosols (SIA). The smaller size fraction was frequently observed to dominate, as the average concentration was 2.77 µgm - 3 for PM 2.5-0.1 compared to 1.9 µgm - 3 for PM 10-2.5. Fresh ship plumes were not found to make a significant contribution to primary PM 2.5-0.1 concentrations adjacent to the shipping channel. However, this was partially attributed to the ultrafine nature of ship emissions and the majority of the toxic metal content was attributed to emissions associated with heavy oil combustion sources, which include ship engines.

Numerical simulation of possible resonance phenomena in the future eastern external dock of the harbour of Malaga

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Garcia Manes, M.; Martin Soldevilla, M. J.

2009-01-01

Resonant frequencies of the new recreational external eastern dock of the harbour of Malaga (Spain), have been analyzed with a Biuniqueness numerical model. The computational area includes an important part of the Malagueta beach, placed in front of the mouth of the future dock, and considered as a possible generation source of infra gravity energy. In order to determined all possible oscillations modes of the sheltered area, a previous simulation with a colour spectrum with equal energy into 25s - 1 to 350s - 1 frequency range, was carried out. the analysis of the response spectra gotten in the control points showed an important application at 70s - 1. the simulation with monochromatic wave of 70s period pointed out a second transversal oscillation mode among the Malagueta beach and the inner quay of the new dock. Additional numerical running using measured data coming from Malaga Spanish buoy network, placed near of the harbour, leads similar amplifications in the range of 70s 1 -80s - 1 close to that obtained theoretically. (Author) 3 refs

Source apportionment of PAH in Hamilton Harbour suspended sediments: comparison of two factor analysis methods.

Science.gov (United States)

Sofowote, Uwayemi M; McCarry, Brian E; Marvin, Christopher H

2008-08-15

A total of 26 suspended sediment samples collected over a 5-year period in Hamilton Harbour, Ontario, Canada and surrounding creeks were analyzed for a suite of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and sulfur heterocycles. Hamilton Harbour sediments contain relatively high levels of polycyclic aromatic compounds and heavy metals due to emissions from industrial and mobile sources. Two receptor modeling methods using factor analyses were compared to determine the profiles and relative contributions of pollution sources to the harbor; these methods are principal component analyses (PCA) with multiple linear regression analysis (MLR) and positive matrix factorization (PMF). Both methods identified four factors and gave excellent correlation coefficients between predicted and measured levels of 25 aromatic compounds; both methods predicted similar contributions from coal tar/coal combustion sources to the harbor (19 and 26%, respectively). One PCA factor was identified as contributions from vehicular emissions (61%); PMF was able to differentiate vehicular emissions into two factors, one attributed to gasoline emissions sources (28%) and the other to diesel emissions sources (24%). Overall, PMF afforded better source identification than PCA with MLR. This work constitutes one of the few examples of the application of PMF to the source apportionment of sediments; the addition of sulfur heterocycles to the analyte list greatly aided in the source identification process.

Recent changes in estuarine benthic and suprabenthic communities resulting from the development of harbour infrastructure.

Science.gov (United States)

Dauvin, J C; Desroy, N; Janson, A L; Vallet, C; Duhamel, S

2006-01-01

Using a Before/During/After sampling protocol, the effects of the Le Havre harbour extension, which was started at the end of 2001, on the macrobenthic and suprabenthic communities in the eastern Bay of Seine (English Channel) were examined. As the construction phase has not yet been completed, the results presented here reflect only the data collected before and during the operations (September 2000 and 2002 for benthos sampling and March 2001, September 2001, October 2002 and March 2003 for suprabenthos sampling). Although bio-sedimentary changes did occur at the mouth of the Seine river, an analysis of benthic assemblages reveals that the dredging and construction operations do not seem to have influenced assemblage structure or the spatial distribution of organisms. Comparisons of the suprabenthic assemblages at each sampling date indicate that seasonal dynamics was mainly responsible for determining species distribution. We conclude that, 1 year into the harbour management plan, the observed changes in benthic and suprabenthic assemblage abundance do not exceed the range of spatial variability that exists naturally in the Seine estuary. Despite this compensatory actions designed to protect the aquatic habitats and to preserve a sustainable and healthy ecosystem have been added to the infrastructure development plan.

Variations of the entrepreneurial city: Goals, roles visions in Rotterdam’s Kop van Zuid and the Glasgow Harbour megaprojects

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Doucet, B.M.

2013-01-01

Both Rotterdam’s Kop van Zuid and the Glasgow Harbour waterfront developments are examples of different forms of European urban entrepreneurial megaprojects. They are both situated on formerly vacant land in older industrial cities. In Rotterdam, the municipality has taken the initiative in

Structure and amount of genetic variation at minisatellite loci within the subspecies complex of Phoca vitulina (the harbour seal)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kappe, A.L.; Bijlsma, R.; Osterhaus, ADME; van Delden, W.; van de Zande, L.

The structure and amount of genetic variation within and between three subspecies of the harbour seal Phoca vitulina was assessed by multilocus DNA fingerprinting. Bandsharing similarity indicates that the subspecies Phoca vitulina richarhsi (Alaska, East Pacific) is clearly separated from the other

Particular intervention plan of Cherbourg's military harbour

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2014-01-01

The Particular intervention plan (PPI in French) is an emergency plan which foresees the measures and means to be implemented to address the potential risks of the presence and operation of a nuclear facility. This plan is implemented and developed by the Prefect in case of nuclear accident (or incident leading to a potential accident), the impact of which extending beyond the facility perimeter. It represents a special section of the organisation plan for civil protection response (ORSEC plan). The PPI foresees the necessary measures and means for crisis management during the first hours following the accident and is triggered by the Department Prefect according to the information provided by the facility operator. Its aim is to protect the populations leaving within 10 km of the facility against a potential radiological hazard. The PPI describes: the facility, the intervention area, the protection measures for the population, the conditions of emergency plan triggering, the crisis organisation, the action forms of the different services, and the post-accident stage. This document is the public version of the Particular intervention plan of the military harbour of Cherbourg (Manche, France) which hosts several nuclear facilities devoted to the construction and dismantling of nuclear submarines (without weapons)

Listeria monocytogenes isolates from food and food environment harbouring tetM and ermB resistance genes.

Science.gov (United States)

Haubert, L; Mendonça, M; Lopes, G V; de Itapema Cardoso, M R; da Silva, W P

2016-01-01

Listeria monocytogenes is a foodborne pathogen that has become an important cause of human and animal diseases worldwide. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the serotypes, virulence potential, antimicrobial resistance profile, and genetic relationships of 50 L. monocytogenes isolates from food and food environment in southern Brazil. In this study, the majority of L. monocytogenes isolates belonged to the serotypes 1/2b (42%) and 4b (26%), which are the main serotypes associated with human listeriosis. In addition, all isolates harboured internalin genes (inlA, inlC, inlJ), indicating a virulence potential. The isolates were sensitive to most of the antimicrobial compounds analysed, and five isolates (10%) were multi-resistant. Two isolates harboured antimicrobial resistance genes (tetM and ermB) and in one of them, the gene was present in the plasmid. Moreover, according to the pulsed field gel electrophoresis assay, two multi-resistant isolates were a single clone isolated from food and the processing plant. The isolates were susceptible to the most frequently used antibiotics for listeriosis treatment. However, the presence of multidrug-resistant isolates and antimicrobial resistance genes including in the plasmid could even be transferred between bacterial species, suggesting a potential health risk to consumers and a potential risk of spreading multi-resistance genes to other bacteria. Listeria monocytogenes is an important agent of foodborne diseases. The results of this study suggest a potential capacity of L. monocytogenes isolates from food and food environment to cause human infections. Antimicrobial multi-resistance profiles were detected in 10%, and two isolates harboured tetM and ermB resistance genes. Moreover, the present research can help to build up a better knowledge about antimicrobial resistance of L. monocytogenes. Additionally, we found one isolate carrying tetM resistance gene in a plasmid, that suggests a possible transmission

What a jerk: prey engulfment revealed by high-rate, super-cranial accelerometry on a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ydesen, Kristina S; Wisniewska, Danuta Maria; Hansen, Janni D

2014-01-01

in particular shaped dives or when the animal remains in an area for an extended interval. However, fast movements of the head and jaws may provide reliable feeding cues that can be detected by small low-power accelerometers mounted on the head. To test this notion, a harbour seal (Phoca vitulina) was trained...

Characterization of lepidopteran-specific cry1 and cry2 gene harbouring native Bacillus thuringiensis isolates toxic against Helicoverpa armigera

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Showkat Ahmad Lone

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt based biopesticides are feasible alternatives to chemical pesticides. Here, we present the distribution of lepidopteran-specific cry1 and cry2 genes in native B. thuringiensis. Forty four out of 86 colonies were found to harbour crystals by phase contrast microscopy exhibiting a Bt index of 0.51. PCR analysis resulted in the amplification of cry1 in 24 and cry2 in 14 isolates. Twelve of the isolates showed presence of both cry1 and cry2, while 18 isolates did not show presence of either of the genes. Toxicity screening using spore-crystal mixtures against 2nd instar larvae of Helicoverpa armigera revealed that the isolates (50% were either mildly toxic or not toxic (36.36%, and only 13.63% were toxic. The results are interesting, particularly so because the same isolates were previously reported to contain lepidopteran specific vip3A genes also, hence can complement the toxicity of the isolates harbouring vip3A genes.

First case of bacteraemia due to Acinetobacter schindleri harbouring blaNDM-1 in an immunocompromised patient

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S. Montaña

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Clinically significant NDM-1-producing Acinetobacter schindleri has not yet been described in the literature. We report the first case of bacteraemia due to an A. schindleri strain harbouring blaNDM-1 recovered from an immunocompromised patient. Our report reinforces the fact that NDM-1 can easily be acquired by Acinetobacter species. Keywords: Acinetobacter schindleri, bacteraemia, blaNDM-1, clinically significant isolate, immunocompromised patient

Measurements of boat motion in waves at Durban harbour for qualitative validation of motion model

CSIR Research Space (South Africa)

Mosikare, OR

2010-09-01

Full Text Available in Waves at Durban Harbour for Qualitative Validation of Motion Model O.R. Mosikare1,2, N.J. Theron1, W. Van der Molen 1 University of Pretoria, South Africa, 0001 2Council for Scientific and Industrial Research, Meiring Naude Rd, Brummeria, 0001... stream_source_info Mosikare_2010.pdf.txt stream_content_type text/plain stream_size 3033 Content-Encoding UTF-8 stream_name Mosikare_2010.pdf.txt Content-Type text/plain; charset=UTF-8 Measurements of Boat Motion...

Biological and chemical characterization of harbour sediments from the Stockholm area

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Eklund, Britta; Elfstroem, Maria; Bengtsson, Bengt-Erik; Breitholtz, Magnus [Dept. of Applied Environmental Science (ITM), Stockholm Univ. (Sweden); Gallego, Irene [Granada Univ. (Spain)

2010-01-15

Purpose: The main objective of the current study was to assess the impact of pleasure boat activities on harbour sediment quality in the Stockholm area. Sediment contamination is a growing ecological issue, and there is consequently a need to use sediment bioassays in combination with chemical analysis to determine the impact on the ecosystem. To generate sediment toxicity data relevant for the Baltic Sea, a secondary objective was to further develop and evaluate two well-established bioassays for saltwater, with the macroalga Ceramium tenuicorne and the crustacean Nitocra spinipes, to be useful also for toxicity testing of whole sediment. A major concern has been to minimize any manipulation of the sediments. A third objective was to assess whether a simple leaching procedure could be used to simulate sediment toxicity by comparing results from whole sediment and leachate tests. Materials and methods: Surface sediments (0-2 cm) from five different types of pleasure boat harbours were collected. Chemical measurements of boat related compounds, i.e. tin organic substances (tributyltin (TBT), dibutyl tin, and monobutyl tin), polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), copper, zinc, lead, tin and irgarol were conducted. The sediments were tested for toxic effects using the established Microtox {sup registered} test as well as the developed sediment tests with C. tenuicorne and N. spinipes. The endpoints are growth inhibition for the algal test and for the crustacean test mortality of larvae and rate of development expressed as the ratio between nauplia and copepodites. Two different procedures have been compared with both organisms, i.e. exposure to whole sediment and to leachate. The duration of both tests is around 1 week. Results and discussion: All harbour locations were more or less heavily contaminated with remnants from use of antifouling paints. The sediment in a smaller marina (ca. 250 boats) contained the highest levels of TBT (max 1,400 {mu}g/kg dry weight (dw

MULTIFUNCTIONAL LAND USE IN THE RENEWAL OF HARBOUR AREAS: PATTERNS OF PHYSICAL DISTRIBUTION OF THE URBAN FUNCTIONS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antoni Remesar

2004-09-01

Full Text Available Being one of the most representative spatial processes of the last 30 years, which frequently occur in strategic parts of the cities and justify special financing investments, the operations of renewal of harbour areas can be seen as a laboratory of contemporary urban design. In the context of the activity developed by the IFHP Working Party on Multifunctional and Intensive Land Use, these operations are also an high potential field of research, justifying its closer analysis, as it has been done in the last two years with the technical visits to Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Oslo, and now to Barcelona. Focusing on the multifunctional use of spaces, this paper analyses several operations of renewal of harbour areas, trying to identify the urban design solutions adopted in those operations regarding the physical distribution of the proposed urban functions. The case-study comparative analysis is the applied method, based on which are identified: (1 the different urban functions present on these operations, and; (2 the concept under which these different functions are disposed in the area and combined between themselves. The hypothesis is that it can be established a general classification on the forms how different functions are combined in these operations. The paper previously distinguishes two types of functions, regarding the relative its importance in the area: the dominant urban functions and the located urban functions. The dominant urban functions are those functions that generally dominate an urban area, although it can contain located urban functions within its perimeter on specific locations, e.g., residential areas, offices and shopping areas, industrial areas, public equipment areas and special use areas. The located urban functions are those specific functions that aren’t dominating functions and exist within the perimeter of a dominant urban function, e.g., schools, museums, public services, local shopping’s and others. The papers

OPINIONS REGARDING THE TOURISTIC POTENTIAL OF THE DANUBIAN HARBOURS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena MATEI

2013-12-01

Full Text Available In the context of European integration, the creation of transnational tourism products represents the brand of an inter-state collaboration, which, based on a common strategy, implies objectives that aim at achieving the global development of a destination, making thus possible an efficient and effective allocation of resources, in order to achieve a sustainable development, both from a touristic point of view and from an economic, social, cultural, technological, etc. one. The route of the Danube could represent one of the most important European destinations, appertaining to more than one country; therefore, in order to develop and sustain its touristic potential, a common strategy is necessary, with an integrated marketing image, associated to a consistent tourism product, inspiring common values, regardless of the territory of the country it is located in. In this direction, a quantitative marketing research, conducted on 992 respondents, aged 18-24, in order to determine the opinions concerning the touristic potential of the Danubian harbours – as a fundamental element, precursory to the market analysis.

Options for modulating intra-specific competition in colonial pinnipeds: the case of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in the Wadden Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rory P. Wilson

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Colonial pinnipeds may be subject to substantial consumptive competition because they are large, slow-moving central place foragers. We examined possible mechanisms for reducing this competition by examining the diving behaviour of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina after equipping 34 seals (11 females, 23 males foraging from three locations; Rømø, Denmark and Lorenzenplate and Helgoland, Germany, in the Wadden Sea area with time-depth recorders. Analysis of 319,021 dives revealed little between-colony variation but appreciable inter-sex differences, with males diving deeper than females, but for shorter periods. Males also had higher vertical descent rates. This result suggests that males may have higher overall swim speeds, which would increase higher oxygen consumption, and may explain the shorter dive durations compared to females. Intersex variation in swim speed alone is predicted to lead to fundamental differences in the time use of three-dimensional space, which may help reduce consumptive competition in harbour seals and other colonial pinnipeds.

Passive acoustic monitoring of toothed whales with implications for mitigation, management and biology

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kyhn, Line Anker

these differences to successfully differentiate the species in Monte Carlo simulations, which means that it may also be possible to separate sympatric NBHF species with acoustic monitoring. Secondly, I was interested in examining the species differences in an evolutionary light to see if there were differences...... that describes the probability of detecting an acoustic cue at a given distance from the datalogger? In chapter II I describe one such possibility where we tracked harbour porpoises visually around dataloggers by means of a theodolite and following compared the visual and acoustic detections in a mark...... is in accordance with new molecular phylogenies. In chapter I use the information I have gathered on spectral source properties as well as on source levels and directionality and use this information to challenge the theories for the evolution of the NBHF click type. I conclude that the NBHF signals likely evolved...

The diet of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina at the southern limit of its European distribution (Normandy, France

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jérôme Spitz

2010-09-01

Full Text Available Changes in habitat availability or resources are likely to have the biggest impact on survival or abundance of individuals found at the extremity of the population’s range. In the case of such marginal populations, the first step in designing appropriate conservation plans is the identification of potential risks to the viability of the population, or subpopulation. For example, the interaction between coastal seals and fisheries is often considered as a major conservation issue, due to the potential co-exploitation of the same resources by both fishermen and seals. The diet of harbour seals was investigated by scat analysis at the southern extremity of their European range, in Baie des Veys (Normandy, France. A total of 121 scats, analysed following standard methodologies, revealed a diet largely dominated by mullets, Mugilidae (49% by mass, plaice Pleuronectes platess (29% by mass and garfish, Belone belone (19% by mass. The diet of harbour seals at the edge of their European distribution differs from all previous studies conducted elsewhere, in terms of species composition, but shows a similar balance between fat and lean fish. Overall dietcomposition suggests a low potential for interaction with fisheries as commercial fishery target species are almost absent.

Are toxins from harmful algae a factor involved in the decline of harbour seal populations in Scotland?

OpenAIRE

Jensen, Silje-Kristin

2015-01-01

Firstly this study builds on the investigation initiated by Hall and Frame (2010), which found that Scottish harbour seals were exposed to domoic acid (DA), a potent natural neurotoxin produced by phytoplankton. Using the same sample collection technique to gather urine and faecal material from various populations around Scotland with differing population trajectories (Lonergan et al., 2007), the objective was to investigate not only exposure to DA, but also other groups of ...

Assessment of heavy metal and petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in the Sultanate of Oman with emphasis on harbours, marinas, terminals and ports.

Science.gov (United States)

Jupp, Barry P; Fowler, Scott W; Dobretsov, Sergey; van der Wiele, Henk; Al-Ghafri, Ahmed

2017-08-15

The assessment here includes data on levels of contaminants (petroleum hydrocarbons and heavy metals) in sediments and biomonitor organisms, including the eulittoral rock oyster Saccostrea cucullata and subtidal biomonitors, the barnacle Balanus trigonus and the antipatharian coral Antipathes sp., at harbours, marinas, terminals and large ports along the coastline of Oman. TBT levels in harbour and port sediments up to a maximum of 100ppb TBT dry weight are highlighted. Oysters contained concentrations up to 367ppm mg TPH/kg dry weight. The maximum levels of Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn were found in the subtidal sediments and barnacles at the oil tanker loading Single Buoy Mooring stations in Mina Al Fahal. In general, the levels of most of the contaminants analysed are at low to moderate concentrations compared to those in highly contaminated sites such as shipyards and dry docks, but continued monitoring is recommended especially during any dredging campaigns. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Source apportionment of PM(2.5) in the harbour-industrial area of Brindisi (Italy): identification and estimation of the contribution of in-port ship emissions.

Science.gov (United States)

Cesari, D; Genga, A; Ielpo, P; Siciliano, M; Mascolo, G; Grasso, F M; Contini, D

2014-11-01

Harbours are important for economic and social development of coastal areas but they also represent an anthropogenic source of emissions often located near urban centres and industrial areas. This increases the difficulties in distinguishing the harbour contribution with respect to other sources. The aim of this work is the characterisation of main sources of PM2.5 acting on the Brindisi harbour-industrial area, trying to pinpoint the contribution of in-port ship emissions to primary and secondary PM2.5. Brindisi is an important port-city of the Adriatic Sea considered a hot-spot for anthropogenic environmental pressures at National level. Measurements were performed collecting PM2.5 samples and characterising the concentrations of 23 chemical species (water soluble organic and inorganic carbon; major ions: SO4(2-), NO3(-), NH4(+), Cl(-), C2O4(2-), Na(+), K(+), Mg(2+), Ca(2+); and elements: Ni, Cu, V, Mn, As, Pb, Cr, Sb, Fe, Al, Zn, and Ti). These species represent, on average, 51.4% of PM2.5 and were used for source apportionment via PMF. The contributions of eight sources were estimated: crustal (16.4±0.9% of PM2.5), aged marine (2.6±0.5%), crustal carbonates (7.7±0.3%), ammonium sulphate (27.3±0.8%), biomass burning-fires (11.7±0.7%), traffic (16.4±1.7 %), industrial (0.4±0.3%) and a mixed source oil combustion-industrial including ship emissions in harbour (15.3±1.3%). The PMF did not separate the in-port ship emission contribution from industrial releases. The correlation of estimated contribution with meteorology showed directionality with an increase of oil combustion and sulphate contribution in the harbour direction with respect to the direction of the urban area and an increase of the V/Ni ratio. This allowed for the use of V as marker of primary ship contribution to PM2.5 (2.8%+/-1.1%). The secondary contribution of oil combustion to non-sea-salt-sulphate, nssSO4(2-), was estimated to be 1.3 μg/m(3) (about 40% of total nssSO4(2-) or 11% of PM2

Interdisciplinary Archaeological Research Programme Maasvlakte 2, Rotterdam : Twenty meters deep! The mesolithic period at the Yangtze Harbour site - Rotterdam Maasvlakte, the Netherlands

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boon, J.J.; Brinkhuizen, D.C.; Bunnik, F.P.M.; Cohen, K.M.; Cremer, H.; Exaltus, R.P.; van Kappel, K.; Kooistra, L.I.; Koolmees, H.; de Kruyk, H.; Kubiak-Martens, L.; Moree, J.M.; Niekus, M.J.L.Th.; Peeters, J.H.M.; Schiltmans, D.E.A.; Verbaas, A.; Verbruggen, F.; Vos, P.C.; Zeiler, J.T.

2015-01-01

In 2011 a systematic underwater field survey and an invasive investigation were executed in the Yangtze Harbour planning area, Maasvlakte, Rotterdam, commissioned by Port of Rotterdam Authority. The aim of the work was to locate and document any archaeological remains in submerged Late Pleistocene

INNOVATIVE SOLUTIONS FOR SMALL SCALE VERTICAL AXIS WIND TURBINES USED IN HARBOURS AND SHORE AREAS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

IONESCU Raluca Dora

2014-09-01

Full Text Available The paper aims to analyse the wind turbine solutions implemented in harbours and on shore areas. Also a thorough study of the blade design solutions for small power Vertical axis wind turbines (VAWTs has been conducted, with their advantages and disadvantages, in order to find the best solution that minimises the loads and helps with the self-starting capabilities of the wind turbine. First are presented all the solutions, next are discussed several research results for each solution and, in the end, a combination of solutions is chosen for our new small power VAWT with a pre-dimensioning analysis.

The impact of glide phases on the trackability of hydrodynamic trails in harbour seals (Phoca vitulina).

Science.gov (United States)

Wieskotten, S; Dehnhardt, G; Mauck, B; Miersch, L; Hanke, W

2010-11-01

The mystacial vibrissae of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) constitute a highly sensitive hydrodynamic receptor system enabling the seals to detect and follow hydrodynamic trails. In the wild, hydrodynamic trails, as generated by swimming fish, consist of cyclic burst-and-glide phases, associated with various differences in the physical parameters of the trail. Here, we investigated the impact of glide phases on the trackability of differently aged hydrodynamic trails in a harbour seal. As fish are not easily trained to swim certain paths with predetermined burst-and-glide phases, the respective hydrodynamic trails were generated using a remote-controlled miniature submarine. Gliding phases in hydrodynamic trails had a negative impact on the trackability when trails were 15 s old. The seal lost the generated trails more often within the transition zones, when the submarine switched from a burst to a glide moving pattern. Hydrodynamic parameter analysis (particle image velocimetry) revealed that the smaller dimensions and faster decay of hydrodynamic trails generated by the gliding submarine are responsible for the impaired success of the seal tracking the gliding phase. Furthermore, the change of gross water flow generated by the submarine from a rearwards-directed stream in the burst phase to a water flow passively dragged behind the submarine during gliding might influence the ability of the seal to follow the trail as this might cause a weaker deflection of the vibrissae. The possible ecological implications of intermittent swimming behaviour in fish for piscivorous predators are discussed.

Strandings of cetaceans and sea turtles in the Alboran Sea and Strait of Gibraltar: a long–time glimpse of the north coast (Spain and the south coast (Morocco

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rojo–Nieto, E.

2011-06-01

Full Text Available A total of 13 species of cetaceans and three species of marine turtles were found in this study. Data were collected by eight independent and self-regulated stranding networks, providing information about 1,198 marine mammal (10 odontocetii, three mysticetii and one phocidae and 574 sea turtle stranding events between 1991 and 2008. Trends in the strandings were analysed in relation to species composition and abundance, and their geographic and seasonal distribution. The most abundant species recorded were the striped dolphin and the loggerhead turtle. Some of the strandings, such as the humpback whale, harbour porpoise, hooded seal and olive ridley turtle, were considered ‘rare’ because their distribution did not match the pattern of the study. When the north and south coasts in the study area were compared, pilot whales stranded more frequently in the north, while delphinid species stranded more in the south coast, and loggerhead turtles stranded more frequently in the north while leatherback turtles stranded more in south coast.

Vertical distribution of tritium in core sediment of Mumbai Harbour Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rupali, C.K.; Joshi, Vikram; Jha, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.; Sonali, B.; Priyanka, R.

2014-01-01

In the past few years there has been an increasing interest in the study of behavior of tritium in the environment, worldwide many countries have initiated monitoring of organically bound tritium in the environmental samples as part of their radiological assessments. Tritium ( 3 H) is ubiquitous in the aquatic environment and has a various sources of origin. It is transported to the earth's surface via hydrological cycle. 3 H is produced in variety of processes in nuclear power plants. Discharges to aquatic environment from these establishment results in locally enhanced water concentrations. Levels of 3 H have been further elevated due to atmospheric weapons testing between 1952 and 1962. Recent studies have demonstrated significant accumulation of tritium in both organic-rich sediments and food chain. The present study describes the vertical profile of tritium distribution in core sediment collected from Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB). This will help in better understanding of the biogeochemical behavior and ecological impacts of tritium in the sediment

Distribution and population structure of North Atlantic harbour seals (Phoca vitulina

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liselotte Andersen

2010-09-01

Full Text Available A review of the known geographical distribution and current knowledge on the genetic population structure of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in the North Atlantic is presented. Based on a synthesis of the results fromfive different studies of neutral geneticmarkers (mtDNAand nuclear microsatellites, mainly twelve genetically distinct populations were identified in the North Atlantic: USA/Canada, Iceland, west coast of Norway, Ireland-Scotland, English east coast, Channel area, Wadden Sea, Limfjord, Skagerrak, Kattegat, West Baltic, and East Baltic. Most of the studies addressed the population structure at the regional level, while only a few addressed the structuring at a local level, i.e. within countries. Due to the limited number of studies conducted, the identified population units were considered preliminary andmore detailed, local studieswould probably reveal structuring on a finer scale. The choice of genetic markers, their properties, resolution in time and applicability in population structure studies is shortly discussed and compared to ecological methods used to delineate populations.

Population development and status of harbour seals (Phoca vitulina in the Wadden Sea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Peter JH Reijnders

2010-09-01

Full Text Available An index for the condition of a population should include a measure of the recuperative power or resilience of the population in question. This measure needs to cover both the demographic and physiological condition of the population. Applied to the harbour seal population in the Wadden Sea we therefore address respectively the population development and distribution, and its health condition, and relate these to environmental conditions. The harbour seal population has been severely depleted by hunting in the first half of the 20th century. After hunting was stopped in the mid-1970s the population recovered gradually. This recovery was twice interrupted by Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV outbreaks in 1988 and 2002. These PDV-epizootics reduced the population by 57% and 50% respectively. They also lead to changes in age and sex structure of the population, which gradually returned to a stable age-structure. Despite the reduction in population size by respectively 57% and 50%, the population showed a strong recovery with a growth rate close to the considered maximum possible for this species. The observed changes in the distribution of the population over the 4 sub-regions indicate that distribution is not a static phenomenon. Long term field and pathological investigations point out that the general health status of the population has improved, particularly that of newborn seals (0-6months old. The increasing prevalence of parasites in lungs and intestine warrants continued monitoring of the health status of seals. This is especially relevant in view of the exponential increase of the population, which may finally approach the carrying capacity of the area. Concluding, we canstate that the condition of the population in terms of demographic and health parameters is satisfactory. The best guarantee for maintaining such a favourable conservation status is to abstain from human interferences (e.g. rescue, rehabilitation and release with natural

Insect symbiotic bacteria harbour viral pathogens for transovarial transmission.

Science.gov (United States)

Jia, Dongsheng; Mao, Qianzhuo; Chen, Yong; Liu, Yuyan; Chen, Qian; Wu, Wei; Zhang, Xiaofeng; Chen, Hongyan; Li, Yi; Wei, Taiyun

2017-03-06

Many insects, including mosquitoes, planthoppers, aphids and leafhoppers, are the hosts of bacterial symbionts and the vectors for transmitting viral pathogens 1-3 . In general, symbiotic bacteria can indirectly affect viral transmission by enhancing immunity and resistance to viruses in insects 3-5 . Whether symbiotic bacteria can directly interact with the virus and mediate its transmission has been unknown. Here, we show that an insect symbiotic bacterium directly harbours a viral pathogen and mediates its transovarial transmission to offspring. We observe rice dwarf virus (a plant reovirus) binding to the envelopes of the bacterium Sulcia, a common obligate symbiont of leafhoppers 6-8 , allowing the virus to exploit the ancient oocyte entry path of Sulcia in rice leafhopper vectors. Such virus-bacterium binding is mediated by the specific interaction of the viral capsid protein and the Sulcia outer membrane protein. Treatment with antibiotics or antibodies against Sulcia outer membrane protein interferes with this interaction and strongly prevents viral transmission to insect offspring. This newly discovered virus-bacterium interaction represents the first evidence that a viral pathogen can directly exploit a symbiotic bacterium for its transmission. We believe that such a model of virus-bacterium communication is a common phenomenon in nature.

Impacts of Underwater Noise on Marine Vertebrates: Project Introduction and First Results.

Science.gov (United States)

Liebschner, Alexander; Seibel, Henrike; Teilmann, Jonas; Wittekind, Dietrich; Parmentier, Eric; Dähne, Michael; Dietz, Rune; Driver, Jörg; van Elk, Cornelis; Everaarts, Eligius; Findeisen, Henning; Kristensen, Jacob; Lehnert, Kristina; Lucke, Klaus; Merck, Thomas; Müller, Sabine; Pawliczka, Iwona; Ronnenberg, Katrin; Rosenberger, Tanja; Ruser, Andreas; Tougaard, Jakob; Schuster, Max; Sundermeyer, Janne; Sveegaard, Signe; Siebert, Ursula

2016-01-01

The project conducts application-oriented research on impacts of underwater noise on marine vertebrates in the North and Baltic Seas. In distinct subprojects, the hearing sensitivity of harbor porpoises and gray seals as well as the acoustic tolerance limit of harbor porpoises to impulsive noise from pile driving and stress reactions caused by anthropogenic noise is investigated. Animals are equipped with DTAGs capable of recording the actual surrounding noise field of free-swimming harbor porpoises and seals. Acoustic noise mapping including porpoise detectors in the Natura 2000 sites of the North and Baltic Seas will help to fully understand current noise impacts.

Relating desorption of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons from harbour sludges to type of organic material

Science.gov (United States)

Heister, K.; Pols, S.; Loch, J. P. G.; Bosma, T.

2009-04-01

For decades, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) cause great concern as environmental pollutants. Especially river and marine harbour sediments are frequently polluted with PAH derived from surface runoff, fuel and oil spills due to shipping and industrial activities, industrial waste and atmospheric deposition. Harbour sediments contain large amounts of organic carbon and clay minerals and are therefore not easy to remediate and have to be stored in sludge depositories after dredging to maintain sufficient water depth for shipping. The organic contaminants will be adsorbed to particles, leached in association with dissolved organic material or microbially degraded. However, compounds of high molecular weight are very persistent, particularly under anaerobic conditions, thus giving rise to the potential to become desorbed again. PAH adsorb mainly to organic material. It has been shown that components of the organic material with a low polarity and a high hydrophobicity like aliphatic and aromatic components exhibit a high sorption capacity for hydrophobic organic contaminants like PAH. Accordingly, not only the amount but also the type of organic material needs to be determined in order to be able to predict contaminant behaviour. In this study, desorption behaviour of the 16 EPA-PAH in two different harbour sludges from the port of Rotterdam, the Netherlands, has been investigated. The Beerkanaal (BK) site is located relatively close to the North Sea and represents a brackish environment; the Beneden Merwede River (BMR) site originates from a fresh water environment and is close to industrial sites. The samples were placed in dialysis membranes and brought into contact with water for a period of 130 days. At several time intervals, water samples were retrieved for analysis of pH, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) content, electrical conductivity and PAH concentrations. The experiment was conducted at 4 and at 20°C. Although the samples were initially treated with

Analysis Of Macrobenthic Community Structure In Relation To Different Environmental Conditions In Three Harbours In The North Tyrrhenian Sea (Italy. Preliminary Study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. BEDINI

2003-12-01

Full Text Available Studies on benthic communities are being widely used in monitoring pollution effects, using both the methodologies provided from the national laws in various countries and experimental innovative methodologies of research. We have carried out a preliminary study on macrobenthic communities (zoobenthos and phytobenthos in three harbours, one of which (Piombino receives wastewater from industry and is also subject to heavy shipping traffic. The other two (Porto Santo Stefano and Portoferraio enjoy great tourist traffic but no industrial waste, and they have been selected in order to find possible differences between populations of animals present in unpolluted and polluted areas. The results show that there are no outstanding differences in the sessile and sedentary bentological population parameters of the studied harbours. We probably do not have an adequate historical data set of the species living in the study areas to detect the effects of pollution, and the sessile living animal species we found may have adapted to the current situation, since living species typical of very clean waters were found.

Ranking harbours in the maritime provinces of Canada for potential to contaminate American lobster (Homarus americanus) with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Prouse, N.J.

1994-01-01

Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) comprise a suite of contaminants that enter the marine environment through a variety of natural and anthropogenic sources. PAHs, including carcinogenic compounds, bioaccumulate in the tissues of exposed American lobsters (Homarus americanus). High PAH concentrations in lobster tissues necessitated the closure of the lobster fishery in the South Arm of Sydney Harbour, Nova Scotia, in 1982. A study was conducted to assess harbors in Nova Scotia, New Brunswick, and Prince Edward Island to determine if there might be a reason for concern about PAH contamination of lobsters. Adjacent commercial and industrial activity, harbor uses, the surrounding population, and PAH point sources were evaluated for each harbor selected for study. Areas of lobster fishing and the number of permanent lobster holding facilities within each harbor were also determined. Harbors were then ranked according to their potential for PAH contamination. Point sources for PAHs within these harbors included petroleum and coal products plants, oil refineries, chemical plants, coal-fired generating stations, and fuel combustion in land vehicles and ships. After Sydney, the harbors with the highest potential for PAH contamination were determined to be Halifax, Saint John, Pictou, and Port Hawkesbury Ship Harbour. 60 refs., 15 figs., 7 tabs.

Wave and tidal level analysis, maritime climate change, navigation's strategy and impact on the costal defences - Study case of São Paulo State Coastline Harbour Areas (Brazil)

Science.gov (United States)

Alfredini, P.; Pezzoli, A.; Cristofori, E. I.; Dovetta, A.; Arasaki, E.

2012-04-01

São Paulo State Coastline Harbour Area concentrates around of 40% of Brazilian GNP, Santos Harbour is the America South Atlantic Hub Port and São Sebastião Oil Maritime Terminal is the most important oil and gas facility of PETROBRAS, the Brazilian National Petroleum Company. Santos Harbour had in the last decade increased rapidly the container handling rate, being the first in Latin America. In the last decade important oil and gas reserves were discovered in the Santos Oceanic Basin and São Paulo Coastline received a big demand for supplier ships harbours for the petroleum industry. Santos Metropolitan Region is one of the most important of Brazilian Coastline, also considering the turism. For that great economic growth scenario it is very important to have the main maritime hydrodynamics forcing processes, wave climate and tidal levels, well known, considering the sea hazards influence in ship operations. Since the hindcast just represents the deep water wave climate, to make time-series of the waves parameters in coastal waters, for evaluation of sea hazards and ship operations, it is necessary to take into acount the variations of those parameters in shallow waters with coastal instrumental data. Analysis of long term wave data-base (1957-2002) generated by a comparison between wave's data modeled by a "deep water model" (ERA40-ECMWF) and measured wave's data in the years 1982-1984 by a coastal buoy in Santos littoral (São Paulo State, Brazil) was made. Calibration coefficients according to angular sectors of wave's direction were obtained by the comparison of the instrument data with the modeled ones, and applied to the original scenarios. Validation checking procedures with instrumental measurements of storm surges made in other years than 1982-1984 shows high level of confidence. The analysis of the wave climate change on the extreme storm surge wave's conditions, selecting cases of Hs > 3,0 m, using that virtual data-base shows an increase in the Hs

How can dolphins recognize fish according to their echoes? A statistical analysis of fish echoes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yossi Yovel

Full Text Available Echo-based object classification is a fundamental task of animals that use a biosonar system. Dolphins and porpoises should be able to rely on echoes to discriminate a predator from a prey or to select a desired prey from an undesired object. Many studies have shown that dolphins and porpoises can discriminate between objects according to their echoes. All of these studies however, used unnatural objects that can be easily characterized in human terminologies (e.g., metallic spheres, disks, cylinders. In this work, we collected real fish echoes from many angles of acquisition using a sonar system that mimics the emission properties of dolphins and porpoises. We then tested two alternative statistical approaches in classifying these echoes. Our results suggest that fish species can be classified according to echoes returning from porpoise- and dolphin-like signals. These results suggest how dolphins and porpoises can classify fish based on their echoes and provide some insight as to which features might enable the classification.

Are conventional statistical techniques exhaustive for defining metal background concentrations in harbour sediments? A case study: The Coastal Area of Bari (Southeast Italy).

Science.gov (United States)

Mali, Matilda; Dell'Anna, Maria Michela; Mastrorilli, Piero; Damiani, Leonardo; Ungaro, Nicola; Belviso, Claudia; Fiore, Saverio

2015-11-01

Sediment contamination by metals poses significant risks to coastal ecosystems and is considered to be problematic for dredging operations. The determination of the background values of metal and metalloid distribution based on site-specific variability is fundamental in assessing pollution levels in harbour sediments. The novelty of the present work consists of addressing the scope and limitation of analysing port sediments through the use of conventional statistical techniques (such as: linear regression analysis, construction of cumulative frequency curves and the iterative 2σ technique), that are commonly employed for assessing Regional Geochemical Background (RGB) values in coastal sediments. This study ascertained that although the tout court use of such techniques in determining the RGB values in harbour sediments seems appropriate (the chemical-physical parameters of port sediments fit well with statistical equations), it should nevertheless be avoided because it may be misleading and can mask key aspects of the study area that can only be revealed by further investigations, such as mineralogical and multivariate statistical analyses. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of the Critically Endangered Yangtze Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis as Revealed by Mitochondrial and Microsatellite DNA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Minmin Chen

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Ecological surveys have indicated that the population of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise (YFP, Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis is becoming increasingly small and fragmented, and will be at high risk of extinction in the near future. Genetic conservation of this population will be an important component of the long-term conservation effort. We used a 597 base pair mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA control region and 11 microsatellite loci to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of the YFP. The analysis of both mtDNA and microsatellite loci suggested that the genetic diversity of the YFP will possibly decrease in the future if the population keeps declining at a rapid rate, even though these two types of markers revealed different levels of genetic diversity. In addition, mtDNA revealed strong genetic differentiation between one local population, Xingchang–Shishou (XCSS, and the other five downstream local populations; furthermore, microsatellite DNA unveiled fine but significant genetic differentiation between three of the local populations (not only XCSS but also Poyang Lake (PY and Tongling (TL and the other local populations. With an increasing number of distribution gaps appearing in the Yangtze main steam, the genetic differentiation of local populations will likely intensify in the future. The YFP is becoming a genetically fragmented population. Therefore, we recommend attention should be paid to the genetic conservation of the YFP.

Genetic Diversity and Population Structure of the Critically Endangered Yangtze Finless Porpoise (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) as Revealed by Mitochondrial and Microsatellite DNA

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Minmin; Zheng, Jinsong; Wu, Min; Ruan, Rui; Zhao, Qingzhong; Wang, Ding

2014-01-01

Ecological surveys have indicated that the population of the critically endangered Yangtze finless porpoise (YFP, Neophocaena asiaeorientalis asiaeorientalis) is becoming increasingly small and fragmented, and will be at high risk of extinction in the near future. Genetic conservation of this population will be an important component of the long-term conservation effort. We used a 597 base pair mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region and 11 microsatellite loci to analyze the genetic diversity and population structure of the YFP. The analysis of both mtDNA and microsatellite loci suggested that the genetic diversity of the YFP will possibly decrease in the future if the population keeps declining at a rapid rate, even though these two types of markers revealed different levels of genetic diversity. In addition, mtDNA revealed strong genetic differentiation between one local population, Xingchang–Shishou (XCSS), and the other five downstream local populations; furthermore, microsatellite DNA unveiled fine but significant genetic differentiation between three of the local populations (not only XCSS but also Poyang Lake (PY) and Tongling (TL)) and the other local populations. With an increasing number of distribution gaps appearing in the Yangtze main steam, the genetic differentiation of local populations will likely intensify in the future. The YFP is becoming a genetically fragmented population. Therefore, we recommend attention should be paid to the genetic conservation of the YFP. PMID:24968271

XRF scanners as a quick screening tool for detecting toxic pollutant elements in sediments from Marín harbour in the Ría de Pontevedra (NW Spain)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rodríguez-Germade, I.; Rubio, B.; Rey, D.

2014-01-01

Highlights: • Itrax is able to detect trace metals using an appropriate exposure time. • Metal pollution levels can be estimated from Itrax peak areas saving time and money. • Marín harbour is highly polluted by Hg, but most of it is bound to organic matter. • Organic matter variations can be quickly detected by using the inc/coh ratio. • Itrax is a fast option for monitoring pollution in harbours and coastal areas. - Abstract: X-ray fluorescence scanners, such as the Itrax™ Core Scanner (Itrax) (Cox Analytical Systems, Mölndal, Sweden), provide high-resolution geochemical data within several hours. However, the semi-quantitative nature of these analysers has hampered their use to study pollution. This study explores Itrax’s capabilities to detect trace metals, such as Hg and Cd, in the Ría de Pontevedra harbour (NW Spain). A set of Itrax detection levels were proposed for each metal after comparison with quantitative measurements obtained from Inductively Coupled Plasma Optical Emission Spectrometry (ICP-OES) and Vapour Atomic Absorption Spectrometry (CVAAS) analyses. These quantitative data obtained after a sequential extraction were used to evaluate pollutant bioavailability and to determine metal pollution levels exhibiting Hg pollution. The reliability of inc/coh and Br/Cl ratios to assess the total organic matter variability was also evaluated. The results indicated that the Itrax is an efficient and fast option to monitor contamination, thereby avoiding laborious discrete analyses and reducing analytical cost and time

A comparative study of macrobenthic community from harbours along the central west coast of India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Ingole, B.S.; Sivadas, S.; Nanajkar, M.; Sautya, S.; Nag, A.

and exploitation for sustainable development and conservation on fish stocks, V.S. Somvanshi, (Ed.)), Fishery Survey of India, (pp 54-58). 17. Hines, A.H., Hadden, A.E. & Weichest, L.A. 1990. Guild structure and foraging impact of blue crabs and epibenthic fish...) between the harbours A 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 s p eci es r i ch n ess ± S E B 0 0.5 1 1.5 2 2.5 Rat1 Rat2 Goa 1 Goa 2 Kar 1 Kar 2 Stations D i ve r s it y ± S E 0 0.2 0.4 0.6 0.8 1 E ven n ess ± S E H J 23 Fig. 6: ABC curve...

Abundance and recruitment data for Undaria pinnatifida in Brest harbour, France: Model versus field results

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James T. Murphy

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The data presented in this article are related to the research article entitled “A modelling approach to explore the critical environmental parameters influencing the growth and establishment of the invasive seaweed Undaria pinnatifida in Europe” [1]. This article describes raw simulation data output from a novel individual-based model of the invasive kelp species Undaria pinnatifida. It also includes field data of monthly abundance and recruitment values for a population of invasive U. pinnatifida (in Brest harbour, France that were used to validate the model. The raw model output and field data are made publicly available in order to enable critical analysis of the model predictions and to inform future modelling efforts of the study species.

Electrodialytic remediation of harbour sediment in suspension - Evaluation of effects induced by changes in stirring velocity and current density on heavy metal removal and pH

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kirkelund, Gunvor Marie; Ottosen, Lisbeth M.; Villumsen, Arne

2009-01-01

Electrodialytic remediation was used to remove heavy metals from a suspension of dredged harbour sediment. The studied metals Cu, Pb, Zn and Cd are normally strongly bound in anoxic sediment. Six electrodialytic laboratory remediation experiments were made, lasting 14 days and under oxic conditions...

Use of the North Sea by harbour seal with special emphasis on the Horns Reef area. Test of prototype GPS/GSM-transmitter on harbour seals in the Sealarium Esbjerg

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tougaard, S.; Tougaard, J.

2004-04-01

A combined GPS-receiver and GSM mobile phone transmitter designed for deployment on wild seals was tested on a captive harbour seal. The unit has been under development in recent years and consists of a GPS-unit for positioning and a GSM mobile phone unit for transmission of logged positions to land. The test took place in the Sealarium at the Fisheries and Maritime Museum, Esbjerg. The unit was glued onto the fur on the head of the seal, where it stayed on for 13 days. Only one position was acquired by the unit and it failed to connect to the GSM-net during the test. Technical information from the constructor of the unit is not available and it is thus not possible to conclude on the reasons why the unit did not function as intended. The behaviour of the seal can however, be ruled out, as close observation and registration of the seals dive behaviour during the first days of deployment showed that the unit was free of the water for sufficiently long periods for positions to be acquired. (au)

Summary of Synoptic Meteorological Observations (SSMO). Australian Coastal Marine Areas. Volume 1. Area 1 - Princess Charlotte Bay. Area 2 - Cairns. Area 3 - Cumberland Islands. Area 4 - Rockhampton. Area 5 - Brisbane. Area 6 - Coffs Harbour. Area 7 - Sydney. Area 8 - Cape Howe NE

Science.gov (United States)

1977-09-01

Weather Service Detachment Asheville, N. C. 8. CONTRACT OR GRANT NUMBERf«) 9. PERFORMING ORGANIZATION NAME AND ADDRESS National Climatic Center...Australian East Coast, Princess Charlotte Bay, Cairns, Cumberland Islands, Rockhampton, Brisbane, Coffs Harbour, Sydney and Cape Howe NE. ^ 20...OVER-ALL) 1»S«-1973 AREA 0006 COFFS HARBOUR 30.3S 193.36 fERCENT FR60UENCY OF MSATHER OCCURRENCE BY NINO OIRECTION

Growth of plants on TBT-contaminated harbour sludge and effect on TBT removal.

Science.gov (United States)

Novak, Jana; Trapp, Stefan

2005-11-01

Worldwide, large amounts of sediments have to be dredged annually from waterways and harbours. These sediments are sometimes polluted with a variety of toxic compounds. In some countries, including Belgium, the load with the biocide tributyltin (TBT) from ship coatings prohibits the dumping of harbour sludge into the sea. Land-based dumping is a commonly used alternative. This research investigated the feasibility to use land-deposited harbour sludge for plant production. In a field trial, the growth of 38 more or less salt-tolerant plant species on low and high TBT-contaminated sediments was studied. The elimination of TBT from sludge with and without vegetation was compared. The uptake of TBT and its degradation products di- and monobutyltin (DBT and MBT) into harvest products under field conditions was determined. EXPERIMENTAL SET-UP: Sediments dredged in May 2003 from the brackish waters of the port of Antwerp were analysed in the laboratory for soil texture, pH, electroconductivity, sodium, magnesium, potassium, calcium, ammonium, nitrate, total nitrogen, chloride, sulphur and the organotins TBT, DBT and MBT. The sediments were lagooned for one year to dewater, desalinate and improve their structure. Salt-tolerant domestic and wild plants were selected and sown in May 2004. In August 2004, plants were harvested and the produced biomass was determined. Samples were taken from vegetated and non-vegetated top and bottom sediments and from plants growing above soil and analysed for TBT, DBT and MBT. The fresh sediments showed a good supply with nutrients and a neutral pH, but were rather saline (EC 14 mS cm(-1) of the saturated paste extract). The salinity decreased to 3.7 mS cm(-1) during lagoonation. The high and the low contaminated sediment had initially 43 and 1.6 mg TBT kg(-1) dry weight, respectively. Besides TBT, several other contaminants were present in the sediments at critical levels. The biomass production of the plant species from the field trial

Use of the North Sea by harbour seal with special emphasis on the Horns Reef area. Test of prototype GPS/GSM-transmitter on harbour seals in the Sealarium Esbjerg[Denmark

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tougaard, S.; Tougaard, J.

2004-04-15

A combined GPS-receiver and GSM mobile phone transmitter designed for deployment on wild seals was tested on a captive harbour seal. The unit has been under development in recent years and consists of a GPS-unit for positioning and a GSM mobile phone unit for transmission of logged positions to land. The test took place in the Sealarium at the Fisheries and Maritime Museum, Esbjerg. The unit was glued onto the fur on the head of the seal, where it stayed on for 13 days. Only one position was acquired by the unit and it failed to connect to the GSM-net during the test. Technical information from the constructor of the unit is not available and it is thus not possible to conclude on the reasons why the unit did not function as intended. The behaviour of the seal can however, be ruled out, as close observation and registration of the seals dive behaviour during the first days of deployment showed that the unit was free of the water for sufficiently long periods for positions to be acquired. (au)

Plants of the fynbos biome harbour host species-specific bacterial communities.

Science.gov (United States)

Miyambo, Tsakani; Makhalanyane, Thulani P; Cowan, Don A; Valverde, Angel

2016-08-01

The fynbos biome in South Africa is globally recognised as a plant biodiversity hotspot. However, very little is known about the bacterial communities associated with fynbos plants, despite interactions between primary producers and bacteria having an impact on the physiology of both partners and shaping ecosystem diversity. This study reports on the structure, phylogenetic composition and potential roles of the endophytic bacterial communities located in the stems of three fynbos plants (Erepsia anceps, Phaenocoma prolifera and Leucadendron laureolum). Using Illumina MiSeq 16S rRNA sequencing we found that different subpopulations of Deinococcus-Thermus, Alphaproteobacteria, Acidobacteria and Firmicutes dominated the endophytic bacterial communities. Alphaproteobacteria and Actinobacteria were prevalent in P. prolifera, whereas Deinococcus-Thermus dominated in L. laureolum, revealing species-specific host-bacteria associations. Although a high degree of variability in the endophytic bacterial communities within hosts was observed, we also detected a core microbiome across the stems of the three plant species, which accounted for 72% of the sequences. Altogether, it seems that both deterministic and stochastic processes shaped microbial communities. Endophytic bacterial communities harboured putative plant growth-promoting bacteria, thus having the potential to influence host health and growth. © FEMS 2016. All rights reserved. For permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Toxic effects of various pollutants in 11B7501 lymphoma B cell line from harbour seal (Phoca vitulina)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Frouin, Heloise; Fortier, Marlene; Fournier, Michel

2010-01-01

Although, heavy metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) have been reported at high levels in marine mammals, little is known about the toxic effects of some of these contaminants. In this study, we assessed the immunotoxic and genotoxic effects of seven heavy metals (arsenic, vanadium, selenium, iron, zinc, silver and chromium) and one PAH (benzo[a]pyrene or B[a]P) on a lymphoma B cell line from harbour seal (Phoca vitulina). A significant reduction in lymphocyte proliferation was registered following an exposure to 0.05 μM of B[a]P, 5 μM of arsenic or selenium, 50 μM of vanadium, 100 μM of silver and 200 μM of iron. On the contrary, zinc increased the lymphoproliferative response at 200 μM. Decreased phagocytosis was observed at 20 μM of arsenic, 50 μM of B[a]P or selenium, 200 μM of zinc and 500 μM of vanadium. Micronuclei induction occurred with 0.2 μM of B[a]P, 100 μM of vanadium and with 200 μM of arsenic or selenium. Exposure to 50 μM of arsenic decreased G 2 /M phase of the cell cycle. Chromium did not induce any effects at the concentrations tested. Concentrations of heavy metals (except silver and vanadium) and B[a]P inducing an toxic effect are within the environmental ranges reported in the blood tissue of pinnipeds. The reduction of some functional activities of the harbour seal immune system may cause a significant weakness capable of altering host resistance to disease in free-ranging pinnipeds.

Determination of selected antibiotics in the Victoria Harbour and the Pearl River, South China using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xu Weihai; Zhang Gan; Zou Shichun; Li Xiangdong; Liu Yuchun

2007-01-01

Nine selected antibiotics in the Victoria Harbour of Hong Kong and the Pearl River at Guangzhou, South China, were analyzed using high-performance liquid chromatography-electrospray ionization tandem mass spectrometry. The results showed that the concentrations of antibiotics were mainly below the limit of quantification (LOQ) in the marine water of Victoria Harbour. However, except for amoxicillin, all of the antibiotics were detected in the Pearl River during high and low water seasons with the median concentrations ranging from 11 to 67 ng/L, and from 66 to 460 ng/L, respectively; and the concentrations in early spring were about 2-15 times higher than that in summer with clearer diurnal variations. It was suggested that the concentrations of antibiotics in the high water season were more affected by wastewater production cycles due to quick refreshing rate, while those in the low water season may be more sensitive to the water column dynamics controlled by tidal processes in the river. - Antibiotics were found at high concentrations in an urban reach of Pearl River in southern China with contrast diurnal variations between the high and low water seasons

Autonomously hyperfunctioning cystic nodule harbouring thyroid carcinoma - Case report and literature review.

Science.gov (United States)

Lima, Maria João; Soares, Virgínia; Koch, Pedro; Silva, Artur; Taveira-Gomes, António

2018-01-01

Hyperthyroidism is rarely associated with malignancy, but it cannot rule out thyroid cancer. Although there is published data describing this coexistence, thyroid carcinomas inside autonomously functioning nodules are uncommon. A 49-year-old woman presented with a cervical mass, unexplained weight loss and anxiousness, sweating and insomnia. On physical examination, she had a palpable left thyroid nodule. Thyroid function tests showed suppressed TSH (nodule. 99mTC thyroid scintigraphy showed a hyperfunctioning nodule with suppression of the remainder parenchyma. Fine-needle aspiration cytology was nondiagnostic (cystic fluid). The patient was started on thiamazole 5 mg daily with subsequent normalization of thyroid function, but she developed cervical foreign body sensation and a left hemithyroidectomy was performed. Histology showed a 4 cm cystic nodule with a follicular variant papillary carcinoma and the patient underwent completion thyroidectomy, followed by radio-iodine ablation. Published literature showed an increased prevalence of autonomously functioning nodules, harbouring thyroid carcinomas in adults. Papillary carcinoma is the most frequently described but the follicular variant is rare. Although rare, thyroid cancer is not definitively excluded in hyperthyroid patients and it should always be considered as differential diagnosis. Copyright © 2018. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

MOCCA-SURVEY Database I: Galactic Globular Clusters Harbouring a Black Hole Subsystem

Science.gov (United States)

Askar, Abbas; Sedda, Manuel Arca; Giersz, Mirek

2018-05-01

There have been increasing theoretical speculations and observational indications that certain globular clusters (GCs) could contain a sizeable population of stellar mass black holes (BHs). In this paper, we shortlist at least 29 Galactic GCs that could be hosting a subsystem of BHs (BHS). In a companion paper, we analysed results from a wide array of GC models (simulated with the MOCCA code for cluster simulations) that retained few tens to several hundreds of BHs at 12 Gyr and showed that the properties of the BHS in those GCs correlate with the GC's observable properties. Building on those results, we use available observational properties of 140 Galactic GCs to identify 29 GCs that could potentially be harbouring up to a few hundreds of BHs. Utilizing observational properties and theoretical scaling relations, we estimate the density, size and mass of the BHS in these GCs. We also calculate the total number of BHs and the fraction of BHs contained in a binary system for our shortlisted Galactic GCs. Additionally, we mention other Galactic GCs that could also contain significant number of single BHs or BHs in binary systems.

Underwater recordings of the whistles of bottlenose dolphins in Fremantle Inner Harbour, Western Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Marley, Sarah A.; Erbe, Christine; Kent, Chandra P. Salgado

2017-09-01

Dolphins use frequency-modulated whistles for a variety of social functions. Whistles vary in their characteristics according to context, such as activity state, group size, group composition, geographic location, and ambient noise levels. Therefore, comparison of whistle characteristics can be used to address numerous research questions regarding dolphin populations and behaviour. However, logistical and economic constraints on dolphin research have resulted in data collection biases, inconsistent analytical approaches, and knowledge gaps. This Data Descriptor presents an acoustic dataset of bottlenose dolphin (Tursiops aduncus) whistles recorded in the Fremantle Inner Harbour, Western Australia. Data were collected using an autonomous recorder and analysed using a range of acoustic measurements. Acoustic data review identified 336 whistles, which were subsequently measured for six key characteristics using Raven Pro software. Of these, 164 'high-quality' whistles were manually measured to provide an additional five acoustic characteristics. Digital files of individual whistles and corresponding measurements make this dataset available to researchers to address future questions regarding variations within and between dolphin communities.

Differential leaching of 137Cs from sediment core depth fractions of Bombay harbour bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hemalatha, P.; Desai, M.V.M.

1998-01-01

Bombay harbour bay receives 137 Cs from the effluents of research reactors, fuel reprocessing plant and isotope laboratories. 137 Cs is strongly taken up by suspended particulates and sediments and is trapped in the layer lattices of the clay minerals. As the siltation rate is high in the bay, 137 Cs gets distributed vertically along the depth of sediment. NaCl solution has been proved to desorb 137 Cs from clay minerals effectively. NaCl solution of ionic strength 1.6 was used to desorb 137 Cs from depth fractions of a sediment core to obtain a possible gradient of leaching with the depth. A definite rate of leaching was observed for the 137 Cs in the core sediment depth fractions. About 13% to 56% of 137 Cs was leached. As the depth increases removal rate of cesium decreases. This is expected to bring out a relation between age of 137 Cs and rate of its leaching. (author)

Incidence of Child cancers in the Finistere and around the Brest harbour between 1991 and 2005

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-01-01

The objective of the study was to describe the temporal variations of child cancers incidence in the Finistere department and around the Brest harbour between 1991 and 2005 looking for any excess. In case of identification of an aggregate of cases, the secondary objective was to describe the aggregate by seeking common risk factors for cases in particular in relation to the activities of 'Ile Longue'. A leukemia excess was highlighted in Brest on the period 200-2005 and more particularly in 200-2001. This peak of incidence seems isolated in time, that is not in favour of a persistent environmental cause but should be the object of a follow-up in the future. Besides, no argument in favour of an occupational exposure of the parents of suffering children was highlighted. (N.C.)

77 FR 69797 - Small Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Pile Driving in Port Townsend...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-11-21

... harbor seals (Phoca vitulina richardii), California sea lions (Zalophus californianus), northern elephant... some time of year in the vicinity of the ferry terminal: Harbor porpoise, Dall's porpoise, Pacific..., California sea lion, northern elephant seal, and Steller sea lion. The Steller sea lion, Southern Resident...

First report of Panton–Valentine leukocidin-positive methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus ST88 harbouring ΦSa2usa isolated from refractory breast abscesses in Japan

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A. Togashi

2016-09-01

Full Text Available A methicillin-susceptible Staphylococcus aureus with Panton–Valentine leukocidin (PVL genes was isolated from refractory breast abscesses of 12-year-old girl in Japan, and classified into ST88, spa-t1245 and coa-IIIa. This strain harboured PVL phage ΦSa2usa, which is usually found in ST8 community-acquired methicillin-resistant S. aureus clone USA300.

Impacts of underwater noise on marine vertebrates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Liebschner, Alexander; Seibel, Henrike; Teilmann, Jonas; Wittekind, Dietrich; Parmentier, Eric; Dähne, Michael; Dietz, Rune; Driver, Jörg; Elk, van Cornelis; Everaarts, Eligius; Findeisen, Henning; Kristensen, Jacob; Lehnert, Kristina; Lucke, Klaus; Merck, Thomas; Müller, Sabine; Pawliczka, Iwona; Ronnenberg, Katrin; Rosenberger, Tanja; Ruser, Andreas; Tougaard, Jakob; Schuster, Max; Sundermeyer, Janne; Sveegaard, Signe; Siebert, Ursula

2016-01-01

The project conducts application-oriented research on impacts of underwater noise on marine vertebrates in the North and Baltic Seas. In distinct subprojects, the hearing sensitivity of harbor porpoises and gray seals as well as the acoustic tolerance limit of harbor porpoises to impulsive noise

Characterization of the novel In1059 harbouring VIM gene cassette

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Dongguo Wang

2017-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background VIM-type enzyme encodes the most widely acquired metallo-β-lactamases in Gram- negative bacteria. To obtain current epidemiological data for integrons from enterobacteriae in hospital, the study characterizes the genetic structure in In1059 by comparison with In846 integrons harbouring VIM gene and other class 1 integrons including In37, In62, In843 and In1021 with the aim of identifying the putative mechanisms involved integron mobilization and infer evolution of relevant integrons. Methods Six of 69 recombinant plasmids from clinical strains were found to be class 1 integrons by digestion with BamHI, drug susceptibility testing, conjugation experiments, PCR amplification, integron cloning and sequencing, genome comparison, and detection of carbapenemase activity. Results The sequences of the six recombinant plasmids encoding In1021, In843, In846, In37, In62, and the novel In1059 integron had approximate lengths of ~4.8-, 4.1-, 5.1-, 5.3-, 5.3- and 6.6- kb, respectively. The genetic structures of these integrons were mapped and characterized, and the carbapenemase activities of their parental strains were assessed. Conclusions Our results suggest that the six variable integron structures and regular variations that exist in the gene cassettes provide a putative mechanism for the integron changes. Our study has also shown that the genetic features in the integrons named above fall within a scheme involving the stepwise and parallel evolution of class 1 integron variation likely under antibiotic selection pressure in clinical settings.

Kidnapping small icy asteroids in Earth near encounter to harbour life and to deflect trajectory

Science.gov (United States)

Fargion, Daniele

2016-07-01

The inter-planetary flight for human being is under danger because of unscreened and lethal solar flare radioactive showers. The screening of the astronauts by huge superconducting magnetic fields is unrealistic by many reasons. On the contrary the ability to reach nearby icy asteroids, to harbour there a complete undergound room where ecological life systems are first set, this goal may offer a later natural and safe currier for future human stations and enterprise. The need to deflect such a small size (a few thousands tons objects) maybe achieved by micro nuclear engines able to dig the asteroid icy skin, to heat and propel the soil by a synchronous jet engine array, bending and driving it to any desired trajectories. The need for such a wide collection of icy asteroid stations, often in a robotic ibernated state, it will offer the safe help station, raft in the wide space sea, where to collect material or energy in long human planetary travels.

Homogenous stands of a wetland grass harbour diverse consortia of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi.

Science.gov (United States)

Wirsel, Stefan G R

2004-05-01

A molecular approach was applied to investigate the colonisation of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the wetland grass Phragmites australis. A PCR assay targeting the traditional families of the Glomeromycota yielded products that were used to construct libraries of 18S rDNA. Five hundred and forty six clones were typed by restriction analysis and 76 representatives were sequenced. The majority corresponded to a wide range of taxa within Glomus group A, a few belonged to the "Diversisporaceae" and none to the genera Scutellospora or Acaulospora. Among these sequences, some were very similar to those reported earlier, e.g. Glomus mosseae and G. fasciculatum, other pointed to various new taxa. Although this wetland habitat harboured just one single plant species, phylogenetic analysis exhibited 21 AMF phylotypes, which is in the same range as reported for other natural ecosystems composed of more diverse host communities. Diversity indices supported the perception that the AMF mycoflora associated with this natural grass "monoculture" is not depauperate as it had been described for grasses of crop monocultures. Soil conditions determined the mycorrhizal state of the host, since AMF were not detected at the lakeward front of the reed belt, which is permanently waterlogged.

MOCCA-SURVEY Database I: Is NGC 6535 a dark star cluster harbouring an IMBH?

Science.gov (United States)

Askar, Abbas; Bianchini, Paolo; de Vita, Ruggero; Giersz, Mirek; Hypki, Arkadiusz; Kamann, Sebastian

2017-01-01

We describe the dynamical evolution of a unique type of dark star cluster model in which the majority of the cluster mass at Hubble time is dominated by an intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH). We analysed results from about 2000 star cluster models (Survey Database I) simulated using the Monte Carlo code MOnte Carlo Cluster simulAtor and identified these dark star cluster models. Taking one of these models, we apply the method of simulating realistic `mock observations' by utilizing the Cluster simulatiOn Comparison with ObservAtions (COCOA) and Simulating Stellar Cluster Observation (SISCO) codes to obtain the photometric and kinematic observational properties of the dark star cluster model at 12 Gyr. We find that the perplexing Galactic globular cluster NGC 6535 closely matches the observational photometric and kinematic properties of the dark star cluster model presented in this paper. Based on our analysis and currently observed properties of NGC 6535, we suggest that this globular cluster could potentially harbour an IMBH. If it exists, the presence of this IMBH can be detected robustly with proposed kinematic observations of NGC 6535.

Assessing the phytoplankton and water quality of Kingston Harbour and Hellshire coast, Jamaica, after the implementation of a waste water treatment facility

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Helen A. Liu

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Deteriorating water quality of Kingston Harbour, due primarily to sewage discharge and its effect on nearby Hellshire Coast, has been an issue since the 1970s. The implementation of a new sewage treatment facility in 2007 to receive the harbour’s waste at Soapberry was expected to make a positive difference. Physico-chemical and biological parameters were used to assess water quality to determine the effect of the facility. Eleven stations used in earlier studies (1990 to 1998 were re-sampled to represent Kingston, Hunts Bay and North East Hellshire coastline over a four week sampling regime between May and June 2011. While temperature, salinity, turbidity, dissolved oxygen and pH remained unchanged between the 1990’s and 2011, BOD5, faecal coliform and nitrate concentrations indicated that the water quality had improved minimally in Kinsgton and Hellshire,and deteriorated significantly in Hunts. Phytoplankton biomass decreased in Kingston (from 3.84 mg m-3 in 1998 to 2.81 mg m-3 in 2011 and increased significantly in Hunts (from 14.69 mg m-3 in 1998 to 24.17 mg m-3 in 2011. Biomass along Hellshire was similar (2.15 mg m-3 in 1998; 2.45 mg m-3 in 2011. In 1998 the nanoplankton biomass (2.7 to 20μm dominated throughout the Harbour. In 2011 Hunts Bay was dominated by net-plankton (>20μm, indicative of eutrophic waters.

Relationships between in vitro lymphoproliferative responses and levels of contaminants in blood of free-ranging adult harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) from the North Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dupont, Aurélie; Siebert, Ursula; Covaci, Adrian; Weijs, Liesbeth; Eppe, Gauthier; Debier, Cathy; De Pauw-Gillet, Marie-Claire; Das, Krishna

2013-01-01

Highlights: •Blood samples were taken from adult harbour seals in good body condition. •Trace element and POP levels, as well as haematological parameters were determined. •Peripheral blood leucocytes were isolated from the same blood samples. •The in vitro lymphocyte stimulation indices were calculated. •No clear correlation between the lymphocyte stimulation indices and pollutants could be highlighted. -- Abstract: In vitro culture of peripheral blood leucocytes (PBLs) is currently used in toxicological studies of marine mammals. However, blood cells of wild individuals are exposed in vivo to environmental contaminants before being isolated and exposed to contaminants in vitro. The aim of this study was to highlight potential relationships between blood contaminant levels and in vitro peripheral blood lymphocyte proliferation in free-ranging adult harbour seals (Phoca vitulina) from the North Sea. Blood samples of 18 individuals were analyzed for trace elements (Fe, Zn, Se, Cu, Hg, Pb, Cd) and persistent organic contaminants and metabolites (ΣPCBs, ΣHO-PCBs, ΣPBDEs, 2-MeO-BDE68 and 6-MeO-BDE47, ΣDDXs, hexachlorobenzene, oxychlordane, trans-nonachlor, pentachlorophenol and tribromoanisole). The same samples were used to determine the haematology profiles, cell numbers and viability, as well as the in vitro ConA-induced lymphocyte proliferation expressed as a stimulation index (SI). Correlation tests (Bravais-Pearson) and Principal Component Analysis with multiple regression revealed no statistically significant relationship between the lymphocyte SI and the contaminants studied. However, the number of lymphocytes per millilitre of whole blood appeared to be negatively correlated to pentachlorophenol (r = −0.63, p = 0.005). In adult harbour seals, the interindividual variations of in vitro lymphocyte proliferation did not appear to be directly linked to pollutant levels present in the blood, and it is likely that other factors such as age, life

Indirect effects of conservation policies on the coupled human-natural ecosystem of the upper Gulf of California.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hem Nalini Morzaria-Luna

Full Text Available High bycatch of non-target species and species of conservation concern often drives the implementation of fisheries policies. However, species- or fishery-specific policies may lead to indirect consequences, positive or negative, for other species or fisheries. We use an Atlantis ecosystem model of the Northern Gulf of California to evaluate the effects of fisheries policies directed at reducing bycatch of vaquita (Phocoena sinus on other species of conservation concern, priority target species, and metrics of ecosystem function and structure. Vaquita, a Critically Endangered porpoise endemic to the Upper Gulf of California, are frequently entangled by finfish gillnets and shrimp driftnets. We tested five fishery management scenarios, projected over 30 years (2008 to 2038, directed at vaquita conservation. The scenarios consider progressively larger spatial restrictions for finfish gillnets and shrimp driftnets. The most restrictive scenario resulted in the highest biomass of species of conservation concern; the scenario without any conservation measures in place resulted in the lowest. Vaquita experienced the largest population increase of any functional group; their biomass increased 2.7 times relative to initial (2008 levels under the most restrictive spatial closure scenario. Bycatch of sea lions, sea turtles, and totoaba decreased > 80% in shrimp driftnets and at least 20% in finfish gillnet fleets under spatial management. We found indirect effects on species and ecosystem function and structure as a result of vaquita management actions. Biomass and catch of forage fish declined, which could affect lower-trophic level fisheries, while other species such as skates, rays, and sharks increased in both biomass and catch. When comparing across performance metrics, we found that scenarios that increased ecosystem function and structure resulted in lower economic performance indicators, underscoring the need for management actions that consider

Investigation of radioactivity levels in the surroundings of the Brest harbour 2012-2013 - Study performed on the request of the Information Commission to the exploitation sites of nuclear installations of the military harbours of Brest and Ile Longue

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2013-01-01

After a brief recall of the military nuclear activity within the Brest harbour, and the organisation of the regulatory control, this report first describes the means used by the ACRO to measure radioactivity in this environment (on the ground as well as in the sea), and presents and comments the obtained results in the sea (wildlife, flora, sediments, water), on the ground (rain fall, vegetation, soil), and in the Penfeld river (sediments and water). The second part presents and comments the evolution of artificial radioactivity during the last ten years for caesium-137 and cobalt-60 in marine sediments, for iodine-131 in sea flora, for silver-110 in oysters, for tritium in sea water, for carbon-14 in ground environment, for tritium and artificial gamma emitters in rain water, and for artificial gamma emitters in the vegetation

Pathogenicity of pan-drug-resistant Serratia marcescens harbouring blaNDM-1.

Science.gov (United States)

Gruber, Teresa M; Göttig, Stephan; Mark, Laura; Christ, Sara; Kempf, Volkhard A J; Wichelhaus, Thomas A; Hamprecht, Axel

2015-04-01

To characterize a pan-drug-resistant Serratia marcescens clinical isolate carrying the New Delhi metallo-β-lactamase (NDM)-1. The presence of β-lactamase genes was examined by PCR and sequencing. Antibiotic susceptibility was determined by antibiotic gradient test. Transformation assays, transconjugation assays, PFGE and PCR-based replicon typing were used for plasmid analysis. Horizontal gene transfer was evaluated by liquid mating using Escherichia coli J53 as a recipient. Pathogenicity of NDM-1 expressing S. marcescens was analysed using the Galleria mellonella infection model. S. marcescens isolate SM1890 was non-susceptible to all tested antibiotics, with minocycline retaining intermediate activity. blaNDM-1 was located on a 140 kb IncA/C-type plasmid which was transferable to E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae by conjugation. The LD50 of the NDM-positive, SM1890 isolate was higher than that of other, NDM-1 negative, S. marcescens strains. The presence of a blaNDM-1-harbouring IncA/C plasmid resulted in marked resistance to β-lactam antibiotics, but had no significant effect on virulence of isogenic strains. Because of the intrinsic resistance of S. marcescens to colistin and reduced susceptibility to tigecycline, treatment options for infections by NDM-1-positive isolates are extremely limited in this species. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial Chemotherapy. All rights reserved. For Permissions, please e-mail: journals.permissions@oup.com.

Bt rice harbouring cry genes controlled by a constitutive or wound-inducible promoter: protection and transgene expression under Mediterranean field conditions.

Science.gov (United States)

Breitler, Jean Christophe; Vassal, Jean Michel; del Mar Catala, Maria; Meynard, Donaldo; Marfà, Victoria; Melé, Enric; Royer, Monique; Murillo, Isabel; San Segundo, Blanca; Guiderdoni, Emmanuel; Messeguer, Joaquima

2004-09-01

Seven homozygous transgenic lines of two European commercial cultivars of rice (Ariete (A) and Senia (S)), harbouring the cry1B or cry1Aa Bacillus thuringiensis (Bt) delta-endotoxin genes, were field evaluated for protection from striped stem borer (SSB) (Chilo suppressalis) damage during the 2001 and 2002 summer crop seasons in the Delta de l'Ebre region, Spain. The plant codon-optimized toxin gene was placed under the control of the promoter of either the constitutive ubi1 gene or the wound-inducible mpi gene from maize. Stable, high-level, insecticidal protein accumulation was observed throughout root, leaf and seed tissues of field-grown plants harbouring the cry1B (lines A64.1, A33.1, A3.4 and S98.9) or cry1Aa (lines S05.1 and A19.14) genes under the control of the ubi1 promoter. Conversely, no toxin was detected in unwounded vegetative tissues of the A9.1 line harbouring the cry1B gene controlled by the mpi promoter, indicating that natural environmental stresses did not trigger the activity of the wound-inducible promoter. However, the toxin accumulated at 0.2% total soluble proteins in A9.1 sheath tissue exhibiting brown lesions resulting from SSB damage. The agronomical traits and performance of the transgenic lines were generally comparable with parental controls, except in the two lines accumulating Cry1Aa, which exhibited a high frequency of plants non-true to type. Natural infestation was assisted with manual infestations of L2/L3 SSB larvae in border control plants surrounding the experimental plots, which served as a reservoir for the second-cycle SSB population. The observation of damage (brown lesions and dead hearts) during the crop season and dissection of plants at harvest stage revealed a range of protection amongst the transgenic lines, which was highly consistent with the level of toxin accumulation and with previous experience in greenhouse assays. Lines A3.4 and S05.1 were found to exhibit stable and full protection against SSB attacks

Avoidance of wind farms by harbour seals is limited to pile driving activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Russell, Debbie J F; Hastie, Gordon D; Thompson, David; Janik, Vincent M; Hammond, Philip S; Scott-Hayward, Lindesay A S; Matthiopoulos, Jason; Jones, Esther L; McConnell, Bernie J

2016-12-01

As part of global efforts to reduce dependence on carbon-based energy sources there has been a rapid increase in the installation of renewable energy devices. The installation and operation of these devices can result in conflicts with wildlife. In the marine environment, mammals may avoid wind farms that are under construction or operating. Such avoidance may lead to more time spent travelling or displacement from key habitats. A paucity of data on at-sea movements of marine mammals around wind farms limits our understanding of the nature of their potential impacts.Here, we present the results of a telemetry study on harbour seals Phoca vitulina in The Wash, south-east England, an area where wind farms are being constructed using impact pile driving. We investigated whether seals avoid wind farms during operation, construction in its entirety, or during piling activity. The study was carried out using historical telemetry data collected prior to any wind farm development and telemetry data collected in 2012 during the construction of one wind farm and the operation of another.Within an operational wind farm, there was a close-to-significant increase in seal usage compared to prior to wind farm development. However, the wind farm was at the edge of a large area of increased usage, so the presence of the wind farm was unlikely to be the cause.There was no significant displacement during construction as a whole. However, during piling, seal usage (abundance) was significantly reduced up to 25 km from the piling activity; within 25 km of the centre of the wind farm, there was a 19 to 83% (95% confidence intervals) decrease in usage compared to during breaks in piling, equating to a mean estimated displacement of 440 individuals. This amounts to significant displacement starting from predicted received levels of between 166 and 178 dB re 1 μPa (p-p) . Displacement was limited to piling activity; within 2 h of cessation of pile driving, seals were distributed as

Tissue partition and risk assessments of trace elements in Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) from the Pearl River Estuary coast, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Xiyang; Lin, Wenzhi; Yu, Ri-Qing; Sun, Xian; Ding, Yulong; Chen, Hailiang; Chen, Xi; Wu, Yuping

2017-10-01

Throughout the last few decades, an increased number of stranded marine mammals, particularly the Indo-Pacific Finless Porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides), were observed in the Pearl River Estuary (PRE). As long-lived, apex predators vulnerable to bioaccumulation of contaminants, the tissue residue levels and health risk of trace elements (TEs) in N. phocaenoides from the PRE have been little studied. Eleven typical TEs distributed in skin, liver and kidney tissues were investigated from 25 specimens stranded along the PRE from 2007 to 2015 in the present study. It revealed that most TEs were highly accumulated in internal organs (liver and kidney), except for Zn with high residue levels in external skin. Compared with the TEs in prey items, the residue levels of Hg, Se, Zn, Cu, Cd and Cr in N. phocaenoides increased 4-618 times, indicating a potentially significant biomagnification. Sex-related differences of TE accumulation were not obvious, except for renal Mn, in which the females showed lower mean concentrations than males. Significantly positive correlations between body length and TE levels were found for Hg, Se and Cd. Results of the calculated risk quotients (RQ) suggested that the risks to N. phocaenoides from consumption of prey items were generally low, but further attentions should be paid to Cd, Cr, Cu, Hg and As due to the elevated RQ values. The concentrations of Hg, Cd and Se in the epidermis were positively correlated with the levels found in internal organs. Our investigation provides evidence to support the use of skin as one biomonitoring approach on Hg, Cd and Se contamination of internal tissues in this species. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

A combined DNA-microsatellite and isozyme analysis of the population structure of the harbour porpoise in Danish waters and west Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Andersen, L W; Holm, L E; Siegismund, Hans Redlef

1997-01-01

deviations from the expected Hardy-Weinberg distribution were only observed in the total sample and at a single locus in the North Sea-summer sample and at two loci in the West Greenland sample. Whenever this occurred a surplus of homozygotes was observed, suggesting a Wahlund effect, a null allele...

Depth profile distribution of Cr, Cu, Co, Ni and Pb in the sediment cores of Mumbai Harbour Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Madhuparna, D.; Hemalatha, P.; Raj, Sanu S.; Jha, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.

2014-01-01

Estuarine and coastal sediments act as ultimate sink for trace metals that are discharged into the aquatic environment. Sources of environmental contaminants to the coastal system are numerous and may enter the estuarine environment via a number of pathways Mumbai Harbour Bay on the western coast of India, receives low level nuclear wastes and industrial and domestic sewage waste from the surrounding dwellings. Also, the bay is extensively exploited for various other local activities. The present study was carried out in the bay sediment cores to investigate the depth profile distribution of trace element concentration. Biologically significant toxic elements such as Cr, Cu, Co, Ni and Pb were estimated in the sediment cores to find out pattern of distribution in the sediment bed to follow the accumulation of elements with respect to depth

Effects of meteorological factors on the temporal distribution of red tides in Tolo Harbour, Hong Kong.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Jiansheng; Liu, Hao; Yin, Kedong

2018-01-01

Red tides represent a major environmental issue in coastal waters globally. However, few studies have examined the relationship between red tides and meteorological factors. Thus, we used a 32-year time-series of frequent red tide events in Tolo Harbour and Channel, to study their relationship with meteorological factors. Most red tides are dominated by dinoflagellates in March, while most diatom red tides in May. Dinoflagellate and diatom red tides respond differently to different meteorological factors. Warming air temperatures in spring favor the generation of dinoflagellate red tides, while precipitation hinders them. The optimum temperature range is approximately 17-23°C and 26-29°C for dinoflagellate and diatom red tides, respectively. Moderate northeasterly winds promote the formation of dinoflagellate red tides. Dinoflagellate red tides are not hindered by cloudy weather and occur in sunlight of varying brightness, whereas diatoms red tides require a certain amount of bright sunlight. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

The Identification of Land Subsidance by Levelling Measurement and GPR Data at Tanjung Emas Harbour, Semarang

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Purnomo Raharjo

2017-10-01

Full Text Available Recently, the main problem in Semarang City is flood. This area has low relief that consists of coastal alluvial deposits, swamp and marine sediments. The coastline is characterized by muddy, sandy, and rocky coasts, and mangrove coast. Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR records, show that subsurface geological condition of northern part of Semarang is coastal alluvial deposit and in the south is volcanic rocks. The aims of this this research is to determine land subsidence by levelling measurement in 2005 in Tanjung Emas Harbour area built on 1995. During ten years, there are various land subsidance in this area: in Coaster Street (21 – 41 cm, container wharf (62 – 94 cm, north breakwater (64 – 79 cm, west breakwater (74 – 140 cm, east groin (76 – 89 cm, and stacking area ( 77 – 109 cm. According to this research, it is concluded that one reason causes of flooding in this area is land subsidence.

Radiotracer investigations on dispersion of low level effluents discharged into Mumbai Harbour Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Jacob, Noble; Mendhekar, G.N.; Singh, Sanjay

2015-01-01

Two radiotracer investigations (using radioactive 82 Br) were carried out near the CIRUS jetty in the Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB) to evaluate the dilution and dispersion of low level liquid effluents discharged from the BARC Effluent Treatment Plant (ETP). The first experiment was conducted during an ebb tide while the second was conducted during a flood tide. In both the experiments, about 1.55Ci (57 GBq) of 82 Br was injected into one of the aeration tanks of the ETP. The labelled effluent was discharged into the bay and the movement of the plume in the coastal water was monitored using underwater γ-scintillation detectors. Contour map depicting the spread of the radioactive plume was prepared and dilution factors were estimated. The extent of spread of the tracer was comparatively higher during the ebb tide than in flood tide. A 2-D advection dispersion (analytical) model was used to obtain the system parameters D x and D y (for the ebb tide D x is ∼ 5 m 2 s -1 and D y : 0.7 m 2 s -1 ; for flood tide D x is 5 m 2 s -1 and D y : 0.15 m 2 s -1 ). (author)

Distribution of polychlorinated biphenyl residues in sediments and blue mussels (Mytilus galloprovincialis) from Port Elizabeth Harbour, South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Kampire, E; Rubidge, G; Adams, J B

2015-02-15

Sediment and Mytilus galloprovincialis samples collected from the Port Elizabeth Harbour were analysed for six indicator PCB congeners to assess their contamination status. The concentrations of total PCBs in sediments and M. galloprovincialis ranged from 0.56 to 2.35 ng/g dry weight and 14.48 to 21.37 ng/g wet weight, respectively. Congeners 138 and 153 were dominant and accounted for an average of 29% and 24% of total PCBs in M. galloprovincialis; 32% and 30% in sediments, respectively. Sediments are home to a wide variety of aquatic life. None of the sediments analysed exceeded the PCB limits recommended the Canadian interim sediment quality guideline and the South African recommended sediment guidelines (21.6 ng/g). Both humans and aquatic life are sensitive to the toxic effects of PCBs. Copyright © 2014 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Generation of mice harbouring a conditional loss-of-function allele of Gata6

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Duncan Stephen A

2006-04-01

Full Text Available Abstract The zinc finger transcription factor GATA6 is believed to have important roles in the development of several organs including the liver, gastrointestinal tract and heart. However, analyses of the contribution of GATA6 toward organogenesis have been hampered because Gata6-/- mice fail to develop beyond gastrulation due to defects in extraembryonic endoderm function. We have therefore generated a mouse line harbouring a conditional loss-of-function allele of Gata6 using Cre/loxP technology. LoxP elements were introduced into introns flanking exon 2 of the Gata6 gene by homologous recombination in ES cells. Mice containing this altered allele were bred to homozygosity and were found to be viable and fertile. To assess the functional integrity of the loxP sites and to confirm that we had generated a Gata6 loss-of-function allele, we bred Gata6 'floxed' mice to EIIa-Cre mice in which Cre is ubiquitously expressed, and to Villin-Cre mice that express Cre in the epithelial cells of the intestine. We conclude that we have generated a line of mice in which GATA6 activity can be ablated in a cell type specific manner by expression of Cre recombinase. This line of mice can be used to establish the role of GATA6 in regulating embryonic development and various aspects of mammalian physiology.

Contaminant accumulation and biomarker responses in caged mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, to evaluate bioavailability and toxicological effects of remobilized chemicals during dredging and disposal operations in harbour areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bocchetti, Raffaella; Fattorini, Daniele; Pisanelli, Barbara; Macchia, Simona; Oliviero, Lisa; Pilato, Fabiano; Pellegrini, David; Regoli, Francesco

2008-01-01

Remobilization of chemicals from contaminated sediments is a major risk associated with dredging and disposal operations in harbour areas. In this work caged mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, were chosen as bioindicator organisms to reveal the impact and recovery of organisms from these activities in the harbour of Piombino (Tuscany, Italy) where approximately 100,000 m 3 of sediments were removed and disposed in a local confined disposal facility (CDF). Organisms were deployed before, during and after the end of operations, selecting sites differently impacted by these activities. Temporal changes in environmental bioavailability and biological effects of pollutants were assessed by integrating analyses of trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) accumulated in tissues of caged mussels with a wide array of biomarkers reflecting exposure to specific classes of pollutants and different levels of cellular unbalance or toxicity. Such biological responses included levels of metallothioneins, activity of acyl CoA oxidase (AOX) as a marker of peroxisome proliferation, oxidative stress biomarkers (content of glutathione, enzymatic activities of catalase, glutathione S-transferases, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidases), total oxyradical scavenging capacity (TOSC) toward peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals, lysosomal membrane stability and genotoxic effects measured as DNA strand breaks and frequency of micronuclei. Obtained results indicated that a general disturbance was already present in the whole harbour area and especially in the inner site before the beginning of operations, when caged mussels exhibited a significant accumulation of PAHs and Pb, lower TOSC values and higher levels of both lysosomal and genotoxic damages. Bioavailability of trace metals and PAHs markedly increased during dredging activities with values up to 40 μg/g for Pb and up to 2200 ng/g for PAHs in tissues of caged mussels, a significant inhibition of antioxidant

Contaminant accumulation and biomarker responses in caged mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, to evaluate bioavailability and toxicological effects of remobilized chemicals during dredging and disposal operations in harbour areas

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bocchetti, Raffaella; Fattorini, Daniele; Pisanelli, Barbara [Istituto di Biologia e Genetica, Universita Politecnica delle Marche, Via Ranieri Monte d' Ago, 60100 Ancona (Italy); Macchia, Simona; Oliviero, Lisa; Pilato, Fabiano; Pellegrini, David [Istituto Centrale per la Ricerca Scientifica e Tecnologica Applicata al Mare (ICRAM), Viale Nazario Sauro 4, 57128 Livorno (Italy); Regoli, Francesco [Istituto di Biologia e Genetica, Universita Politecnica delle Marche, Via Ranieri Monte d' Ago, 60100 Ancona (Italy)], E-mail: f.regoli@univpm.it

2008-09-29

Remobilization of chemicals from contaminated sediments is a major risk associated with dredging and disposal operations in harbour areas. In this work caged mussels, Mytilus galloprovincialis, were chosen as bioindicator organisms to reveal the impact and recovery of organisms from these activities in the harbour of Piombino (Tuscany, Italy) where approximately 100,000 m{sup 3} of sediments were removed and disposed in a local confined disposal facility (CDF). Organisms were deployed before, during and after the end of operations, selecting sites differently impacted by these activities. Temporal changes in environmental bioavailability and biological effects of pollutants were assessed by integrating analyses of trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) accumulated in tissues of caged mussels with a wide array of biomarkers reflecting exposure to specific classes of pollutants and different levels of cellular unbalance or toxicity. Such biological responses included levels of metallothioneins, activity of acyl CoA oxidase (AOX) as a marker of peroxisome proliferation, oxidative stress biomarkers (content of glutathione, enzymatic activities of catalase, glutathione S-transferases, glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidases), total oxyradical scavenging capacity (TOSC) toward peroxyl and hydroxyl radicals, lysosomal membrane stability and genotoxic effects measured as DNA strand breaks and frequency of micronuclei. Obtained results indicated that a general disturbance was already present in the whole harbour area and especially in the inner site before the beginning of operations, when caged mussels exhibited a significant accumulation of PAHs and Pb, lower TOSC values and higher levels of both lysosomal and genotoxic damages. Bioavailability of trace metals and PAHs markedly increased during dredging activities with values up to 40 {mu}g/g for Pb and up to 2200 ng/g for PAHs in tissues of caged mussels, a significant inhibition of antioxidant

Accelerated low water corrosion of carbon steel in the presence of a biofilm harbouring sulphate-reducing and sulphur-oxidising bacteria recovered from a marine sediment

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Beech, Iwona B. [Applied Microbiology and Electrochemistry Group, University of Portsmouth, St. Michael' s Building, White Swan Road, Portsmouth PO1 2DT (United Kingdom)], E-mail: iwona.beech@port.ac.uk; Campbell, Sheelagh A. [Applied Microbiology and Electrochemistry Group, University of Portsmouth, St. Michael' s Building, White Swan Road, Portsmouth PO1 2DT (United Kingdom)

2008-12-01

Investigations were undertaken to elucidate causes of accelerated low water corrosion (ALWC) of steel piling in a harbour in Southern England. Visual inspection revealed features characteristic of ALWC such as the presence of poorly adherent, thick corrosion products of varying morphology, often seen as large blisters randomly located on sections of the structure at the low water mark. Upon the removal of blisters, a bright surface covered with shallow pits was exposed. Representative samples of the corrosion products were collected from the structure and water and sediment specimens were retrieved from selected areas in the harbour for microbiological, chemical and microscopy testing. In the laboratory, field samples were enriched to detect and enumerate communities of sulphur-oxidising bacteria (SOB) and sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Biofilms, comprising SRB and SOB populations isolated from a sediment sample were grown under static conditions on surfaces of electrodes manufactured from steel piling material. Linear polarisation resistance (LPR) measurements revealed that the corrosion rate of steel with biofilms (0.518 mm y{sup -1}) was higher than that recorded in sterile seawater alone (0.054 mm y{sup -1}) and in sterile seawater to which nutrient was added (0.218 mm y{sup -1}). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging demonstrated enhanced pitting under biofilms. The results of our investigation revealed for the first time that the attack on steel piling in the presence of sediment SRB and SOB populations was characteristic of ALWC.

Accelerated low water corrosion of carbon steel in the presence of a biofilm harbouring sulphate-reducing and sulphur-oxidising bacteria recovered from a marine sediment

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Beech, Iwona B.; Campbell, Sheelagh A.

2008-01-01

Investigations were undertaken to elucidate causes of accelerated low water corrosion (ALWC) of steel piling in a harbour in Southern England. Visual inspection revealed features characteristic of ALWC such as the presence of poorly adherent, thick corrosion products of varying morphology, often seen as large blisters randomly located on sections of the structure at the low water mark. Upon the removal of blisters, a bright surface covered with shallow pits was exposed. Representative samples of the corrosion products were collected from the structure and water and sediment specimens were retrieved from selected areas in the harbour for microbiological, chemical and microscopy testing. In the laboratory, field samples were enriched to detect and enumerate communities of sulphur-oxidising bacteria (SOB) and sulphate-reducing bacteria (SRB). Biofilms, comprising SRB and SOB populations isolated from a sediment sample were grown under static conditions on surfaces of electrodes manufactured from steel piling material. Linear polarisation resistance (LPR) measurements revealed that the corrosion rate of steel with biofilms (0.518 mm y -1 ) was higher than that recorded in sterile seawater alone (0.054 mm y -1 ) and in sterile seawater to which nutrient was added (0.218 mm y -1 ). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) imaging demonstrated enhanced pitting under biofilms. The results of our investigation revealed for the first time that the attack on steel piling in the presence of sediment SRB and SOB populations was characteristic of ALWC

Rb-Sr geochronology of coarse-grained greywackes and argillites from the Coffs Harbour Block, eastern Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Graham, I.J.; Korsch, R.J.

1985-01-01

The Coffs Harbour Block, eastern Australia, includes a sequence of turbidity-current-deposited greywackes and argillites dominated by quartz-poor to quartz-intermediate, volcanic-lithic and feldspathic types. The rocks have a common provenance consisting of dacite with minor andesite and rhyolite, derived from a continental margin volcanic arc. Rb-Sr whole-rock dating of coarse-grained greywackes and argillites suggests that low-grade regional metamorphism (prehnite-pumpellyite to lowest greenschist facies) has completely equilibrated sediments of all grain sizes, giving an age of 318 +- 8 Ma. A subsequent metamorphism which produced thermal biotite on a regional scale over the southern part of the area, re-equilibrated only the fine-grained sediments 238 +- 5 Ma ago; the coarse-grained sediments were unaffected isotopically and still lie on the older isochron. The wide variations in sandstone petrographic modes imply that the older isochron represents neither the age of volcanism in the magmatic arc nor the age of sedimentation at the deposition site, but rather dates the time of earlier metamorphism. (orig.)

Harbour dredging in the Townsville region: a cross-evaluation between proxy records in coral skeletons and environmental monitoring records (GBRMPA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Esslemont, G.

2000-01-01

Full text: The hypothesis tested is whether coral skeletons provide a proxy-record of copper and zinc bio-availability in inner-neritic environments, which corresponds with conventionally obtained records of harbour dredging. Trace metal concentrations in a colony of the massive-branching coral Pocillopora damicornis were measured along two calice walls that grew at a relatively uniform rate of ∼1 mm/year. Each calice wall represented tracking surfaces for the SIMS micro-sampling beam, along which a complete series of measurements were made over two annual cycles, at approximately monthly increments. Measurements were located temporally using annual couplets of high and low density growth-bands, representing 1991-92. Sub-annual resolution was achieved using proxy temperature (Sr/Ca) and salinity records (Ba/Ca) in the coral skeleton, which were related to conventionally obtained GBRMPA records taken nearby. Proxy records of copper and zinc in coral skeletons were related to the 1991 dredging of Townsville Harbour, recorded in detail by GBRMPA. Records include six temporal measurements of labile copper and zinc in fine sediment resuspended by two dredging episodes, resulting in metal-rich sediment plumes (2-3 x background) settling onto reefs fringing Magnetic Island. The P. damicornis colony was obtained from an exposed reef. Both dredging episodes were clearly recorded by the coral skeleton, using copper and zinc tracers measured by the SIMS micro-beam, and sediment-biota accumulation coefficients were derived for these metals. Calibration of the SIMS instrument was achieved from a standard in a pseudo 'coral skeleton' matrix. We attempted to co-precipitate a four point series of multi-metal standards in an aragonite matrix, to provide an external calibration series verified by cross-instrument measurement (AAS). However, metal concentrations were heterogenous at the micron scale, and precise calibration could not be achieved using the SIMS instrument. This

Assessing the tangible and intangible benefits of tourism: perceptions of economic, social, and cultural impacts in Labrador’s Battle Harbour Historic District

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Howard Ramos

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Literature on rural and small island tourism critically questions the commodification of culture and landscapes, showing that replacing rural resource based industries with tourism often leads to a mummification of culture and questionable economic payoffs. Using original survey and qualitative data from three communities in Labrador’s Battle Harbour Historic District, this paper explores how rural and island communities perceive the benefits of tourism and interactions with tourists. The paper finds that residents value the cultural showcasing of their communities and history, but are ambiguous about the economic rewards of tourism. We conclude by questioning whether the cultural rewards of tourism, around meaning making, outweigh other rewards around promoting economically and socially viable communities.

Seasonal changes in circulating gonadal steroid levels and physiological evidence for the presence of intrinsic circannual reproductive cycles in captive finless porpoises Neophocaena asiaeorientalis from the western Inland Sea, Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Funasaka, Noriko; Yoshioka, Motoi; Ishibashi, Toshiaki; Tatsukawa, Toshiyuki; Shindo, Hideaki; Takada, Koji; Nakamura, Masayuki; Iwata, Tomohiko; Fujimaru, Kaoru; Tanaka, Taira

2018-04-13

We monitored annual fluctuations of gonadal steroid levels in three sexually mature captive finless porpoises (Neophocaena asiaeorientalis; two males and one female) from two different facilities over 56-91 months. Two animals (one male and one female) were held in an indoor tank with a sunroof (facility A) and the other male was held in an indoor tank without a sunroof (facility B). Water temperatures in both facilities reflected seasonal changes during the study period with a minor difference in the fluctuation pattern. Testosterone levels of the male in facility A were higher from spring to summer every year and exhibited a 12-month cycle. The female showed estrus cycles in 1-month intervals from summer to winter, excluding 2 anestrus years. In contrast, the period of higher testosterone levels of the male in facility B gradually initiated earlier over the years under a constant photoperiod (11.5L:12.5D) and exhibited a 9-month cycle during the first 52 months. After changing the light conditions to a natural photoperiod, its testosterone levels were high from early spring to summer for 3 consecutive years and exhibited a 12-month cycle. Our results showed that under a constant artificial photoperiod, the male in facility B failed to recognize the seasonal changes of a natural external environment, resulting in a 9-month, free-running hormone cycle.

PCB pollution continues to impact populations of orcas and other dolphins in European waters

Science.gov (United States)

Jepson, Paul D.; Deaville, Rob; Barber, Jonathan L.; Aguilar, Àlex; Borrell, Asunción; Murphy, Sinéad; Barry, Jon; Brownlow, Andrew; Barnett, James; Berrow, Simon; Cunningham, Andrew A.; Davison, Nicholas J.; Ten Doeschate, Mariel; Esteban, Ruth; Ferreira, Marisa; Foote, Andrew D.; Genov, Tilen; Giménez, Joan; Loveridge, Jan; Llavona, Ángela; Martin, Vidal; Maxwell, David L.; Papachlimitzou, Alexandra; Penrose, Rod; Perkins, Matthew W.; Smith, Brian; de Stephanis, Renaud; Tregenza, Nick; Verborgh, Philippe; Fernandez, Antonio; Law, Robin J.

2016-01-01

Organochlorine (OC) pesticides and the more persistent polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have well-established dose-dependent toxicities to birds, fish and mammals in experimental studies, but the actual impact of OC pollutants on European marine top predators remains unknown. Here we show that several cetacean species have very high mean blubber PCB concentrations likely to cause population declines and suppress population recovery. In a large pan-European meta-analysis of stranded (n = 929) or biopsied (n = 152) cetaceans, three out of four species:- striped dolphins (SDs), bottlenose dolphins (BNDs) and killer whales (KWs) had mean PCB levels that markedly exceeded all known marine mammal PCB toxicity thresholds. Some locations (e.g. western Mediterranean Sea, south-west Iberian Peninsula) are global PCB “hotspots” for marine mammals. Blubber PCB concentrations initially declined following a mid-1980s EU ban, but have since stabilised in UK harbour porpoises and SDs in the western Mediterranean Sea. Some small or declining populations of BNDs and KWs in the NE Atlantic were associated with low recruitment, consistent with PCB-induced reproductive toxicity. Despite regulations and mitigation measures to reduce PCB pollution, their biomagnification in marine food webs continues to cause severe impacts among cetacean top predators in European seas.

PCB pollution continues to impact populations of orcas and other dolphins in European waters.

Science.gov (United States)

Jepson, Paul D; Deaville, Rob; Barber, Jonathan L; Aguilar, Àlex; Borrell, Asunción; Murphy, Sinéad; Barry, Jon; Brownlow, Andrew; Barnett, James; Berrow, Simon; Cunningham, Andrew A; Davison, Nicholas J; Ten Doeschate, Mariel; Esteban, Ruth; Ferreira, Marisa; Foote, Andrew D; Genov, Tilen; Giménez, Joan; Loveridge, Jan; Llavona, Ángela; Martin, Vidal; Maxwell, David L; Papachlimitzou, Alexandra; Penrose, Rod; Perkins, Matthew W; Smith, Brian; de Stephanis, Renaud; Tregenza, Nick; Verborgh, Philippe; Fernandez, Antonio; Law, Robin J

2016-01-14

Organochlorine (OC) pesticides and the more persistent polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) have well-established dose-dependent toxicities to birds, fish and mammals in experimental studies, but the actual impact of OC pollutants on European marine top predators remains unknown. Here we show that several cetacean species have very high mean blubber PCB concentrations likely to cause population declines and suppress population recovery. In a large pan-European meta-analysis of stranded (n = 929) or biopsied (n = 152) cetaceans, three out of four species:- striped dolphins (SDs), bottlenose dolphins (BNDs) and killer whales (KWs) had mean PCB levels that markedly exceeded all known marine mammal PCB toxicity thresholds. Some locations (e.g. western Mediterranean Sea, south-west Iberian Peninsula) are global PCB "hotspots" for marine mammals. Blubber PCB concentrations initially declined following a mid-1980s EU ban, but have since stabilised in UK harbour porpoises and SDs in the western Mediterranean Sea. Some small or declining populations of BNDs and KWs in the NE Atlantic were associated with low recruitment, consistent with PCB-induced reproductive toxicity. Despite regulations and mitigation measures to reduce PCB pollution, their biomagnification in marine food webs continues to cause severe impacts among cetacean top predators in European seas.

A comparative study of seasonal variation of 137CS concentration in mangroves and sediment around Mumbai Harbour Bay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dutta, Madhuparna; Raj, Sanu S.; Jha, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.

2016-01-01

Mangroves are various large and extensive types of trees up to medium height and also shrubs, which belong to the genus Rhizophora, that grow in saline coastal sediment habitats in the tropics and subtropics mainly between latitudes 25 ° N and 25° S. Mangrove ecosystems play a key role in nutrient and metal cycling. Because of their variable physical and chemical properties. Mangroves can act as a sink or a source of heavy metals in coastal environments. The level of trace metal which accumulate in mangroves differ seasonally and spatially varying with saline environment that may affect uptake and distribution of metals in the plants. Hence the estimation of 137 Cs activity in samples of mangrove and the surrounding sediment collected round the year will give us pattern of seasonal uptake. The study was carried out in Mumbai Harbour Bay (MHB), to estimate the 137 Cs activity concentration in mangrove leaves and the surrounding sediment and to compare the two

Rapid differentiation of Staphylococcus aureus isolates harbouring egc loci with pseudogenes psient1 and psient2 and the selu or seluv gene using PCR-RFLP.

Science.gov (United States)

Collery, Mark M; Smyth, Cyril J

2007-02-01

The egc locus of Staphylococus aureus harbours two enterotoxin genes (seg and sei) and three enterotoxin-like genes (selm, seln and selo). Between the sei and seln genes are located two pseudogenes, psient1 and psient2, or the selu or seluv gene. While these two alternative sei-seln intergenic regions can be distinguished by PCR, to date, DNA sequencing has been the only confirmatory option because of the very high degree of sequence similarity between egc loci bearing the pseudogenes and the selu or seluv gene. In silico restriction enzyme digestion of genomic regions encompassing the egc locus from the 3' end of the sei gene through the 5' first quarter of the seln gene allowed pseudogene- and selu- or seluv-bearing egc loci to be distinguished by PCR-RFLP. Experimental application of these findings demonstrated that endonuclease HindIII cleaved PCR amplimers bearing pseudogenes but not those with a selu or seluv gene, while selu- or seluv-bearing amplimers were susceptible to cleavage by endonuclease HphI, but not by endonuclease HindIII. The restriction enzyme BccI cleaved selu- or seluv-harbouring amplimers at a unique restriction site created by their signature 15 bp insertion compared with pseudogene-bearing amplimers, thereby allowing distinction of these egc loci. PCR-RFLP analysis using these restriction enzymes provides a rapid, easy to interpret alternative to DNA sequencing for verification of PCR findings on the nature of an egc locus type, and can also be used for the primary identification of the intergenic sei-seln egc locus type.

Study on distribution of 239+240Pu in sediment of Mumbai Harbour Bay over a quinquennial period (2010-2014)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sugandhi, S.; Joshi, V.M.; Jha, S.K.; Tripathi, R.M.

2016-01-01

The anthropogenic radionuclide, Plutonium was introduced into the environment mainly from the fallout of atmospheric nuclear weapon tests, particularly in late 1950's and early 1960's, from which the total fallout of 330TBq( 238 Pu), 7.4PBq ( 239 Pu), 5.2PBq ( 240 Pu), 170PBq( 241 Pu), 16TBq ( 242 Pu) were estimated. Pu and its status in environment is less investigated than other fallout radionuclides in environment. Fallout 239 Pu(t ½ : 24410 years), 240 Pu (t ½ :6563 years) is regarded highly hazardous pollutants in the environment due to its long half life, which lead to its persistence in the environment. The current investigation aimed at the study on distribution of 239+240 Pu in sediment of Mumbai Harbour Bay(MHB) over a quinquennial period (2010-2014) to assess the impact in coastal marine environment which will serve as a benchmark

Lichens as indicators of fluoride emission from a phosphorus plant, Long Harbour, Newfoundland, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, B.A.; Thompson, L.K.

1980-01-01

Fluoride concentrations in the terrestrial lichens Cladina rangiferina (L.) Harm. and Cladina stellaris (Opiz.) Brodo. were correlated inversely with distance from an industrial plant producing elemental phosphorus at Long Harbour, Nfld., in the direction (NE) of the prevailing wind. The fluoride concentrations ranged from 2830 ppm dry weight in a severely damaged area close to the emission source to 15.5 ppm (dry weight) 12 km NE of the industrial plant. Control samples from unpolluted areas had an average fluoride content of 6.4 ppm dry weight. The minimum observed damage symptoms occurred when these lichens had a fluoride content of 25 ppm dry weight. Damage symptoms included discolouration and structure loss. Discolouration effects were not as pronounced as observed on Abies balsamea (L.) Mill. or on Polytrichum commune (Hedw.) but combined with structure loss allowed the degree of damage to be readily identified in the field. Fluoride concentrations in these terrestrial lichens are compared with levels in soil humus, A. balsamea and some terrestrial bryophytes in four damage zones. The lichen tissue had, on average, twice as much fluoride as occurred in soil humus from the same site and about one half the amount of fluoride found in the terrestrial bryophyte P. commune. The effects of fluoride emissions on the epiphytic lichens Hypogymnia physodes (L.) W. Wats. and Alectoria sarmentosa (Ach.) Ach. in this area are also discussed.

Benthic foraminifera and heavy metals distribution: A case study from the Naples Harbour (Tyrrhenian Sea, Southern Italy)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ferraro, L.; Sprovieri, M.; Alberico, I.; Lirer, F.; Prevedello, L.; Marsella, E.

2006-01-01

The analysis of 90 surficial sediments from three docks of the Naples Harbour (Levante, Granili, and Diaz) permits to compare the distribution modes of heavy metals with grain sizes, total organic carbon content (TOC) and distribution patterns of benthic foraminifera. Foraminiferal density and species richness decrease with the increasing toxic elements concentrations from the Levante to the Diaz dock. Median concentrations of Ni, Pb, Zn, and Hg (medians of 21.43 mg/kg, 270.24 mg/kg, 489.65 mg/kg, and 1.18 mg/kg, respectively) were reported for the Diaz dock where foraminifera are absent, thus suggesting a possible impact of toxic elements on the benthic ecosystem balance. Compared to the unpolluted marine sediments of the Granili dock, the Levante area shows higher heavy metals levels and a quasi-oligotypic benthic assemblage. This is dominated by the tolerant species Ammonia tepida that may be used as bio-indicator of pollution of anthropised marine sediments. - Benthic foraminiferal density and species distribution may be used as pollution indicators

Sequential survey of the occurrence and the possible effects of a 226Ra surplus in harbour slurry polder grounds: Definition study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stoop, P.; Lembrechts, J.

1993-11-01

Sediments in the harbors of Rotterdam contain relatively large amounts of naturally occurring radionuclides resulting from emissions of the ore-processing industries (88Be, 92Be). Using harbour sludge as a landfill for polders has locally caused the 226 Ra contents of the soil to be a factor of 4 higher than the expected 226 Ra background. In polders where 226 Ra was measured, the 226 Ra surplus was found to be proportional to the cadmium contents (92Mo). Data on cadmium contents are available for many polders and therefore, cadmium may be useful as a tracer for enhanced levels of 226 Ra. Enhanced levels of 226 Ra may cause higher radon concentrations in dwellings that are built on these soils. Therefore, an extensive research programme is started to study the relation between the 226 Ra contents of the soil and radon concentrations in dwellings. The Laboratory of Radiation Research of RIVM has proposed to set up a sub-programme, focusing on the sites where harbour sludges have been dumped, with the following goals: 1) to investigate if there are dwellings with enhanced radon concentrations as a result of a 226 Ra surplus and 2) to investigate if the relation between the 226 Ra-surplus and the cadmium contents found is generally valid and useful. In this report we describe how this sub-programme may be set up and we give specific advice on the answers to various choices. We propose a.o. to use soil samples from 30 polders to investigate the relation between the 226 Ra surplus and the cadmium contents and to study in eight polders the possible consequences of enhanced 226 Ra levels for the radon concentrations in dwellings. Because the radon measurements take one year (four measurements averaged over three month) we propose that simple diagnostic measurements are made simultaneously with the radon measurements. These additional measurements include measurements of the groundwater table and of the effective ventilation pattern in the dwelling. 1 fig., 5 tabs., 16

Glas Journal: Deep Mappings of a Harbour or the Charting of Fragments, Traces and Possibilities

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Silvia Loeffler

2015-09-01

Full Text Available With reference to a hybrid ethnographic project entitled Glas Journal (2014–2016, this article invites readers to reflect on the cultural mapping of spaces we intimately inhabit. Developed with the participation of local inhabitants of Dún Laoghaire Harbour, Ireland, Glas Journal seeks to explore the maritime environment as a liminal space, whereby the character of buildings and an area’s economic implications determine our relationship to space as much as our daily spatial rhythms and feelings of safety. Deep mapping provides the methodological blueprint for Glas Journal. In order to create a heteroglossic narrative of place and belonging, I will contextualise the project with references to seminal works in the visual arts, literature, film and geography that emotionally map spaces. Chronotopes of the threshold will be used to elaborate on spatial and cultural phenomena that occur when crossings from public to private and interior to exterior take place. Touching upon questions such as “What is a space of protection?”, “Who am I in it?”, and “Who is the Other?”, this article traces forms of liquid mapping that do not strive to conquer but rather to gain insight into the inner landscapes that are reflected in outer space.

Exposure of harbour seals Phoca vitulina to Brucella in declining populations across Scotland.

Science.gov (United States)

Kershaw, Joanna L; Stubberfield, Emma J; Foster, Geoffrey; Brownlow, Andrew; Hall, Ailsa J; Perrett, Lorraine L

2017-09-20

Since 2000 there has been a major decline in the abundance of Scottish harbour seals Phoca vitulina. The causes of the decline remain uncertain. The aim of this study was to establish the extent to which the seals in the regions of greatest decline have been exposed to Brucella, a bacterial pathogen that causes reproductive failure in terrestrial mammalian hosts. Tissues from dead seals collected between 1992 and 2013 were cultured for Brucella (n = 150). Serum samples collected from live capture-released seals (n = 343) between 1997 and 2012 were tested for Brucella antibodies using the Rose Bengal plate agglutination test (RBT) and a competitive enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (cELISA). In total, 16% of seals cultured had Brucella isolated from one or more tissues, but there were no pathological signs of infection. The cELISA results were more sensitive than the RBT results, showing that overall 25.4% of seals were seropositive, with the highest seroprevalence in juveniles. As there was no evidence of either a higher seroprevalence or higher circulating antibody levels in seropositive animals in the areas with the greatest declines, it was concluded that Brucella infection is likely not a major contributing factor to recent declines. However, the consistently high proportion of seals exposed to Brucella indicates possible endemicity in these populations, likely due to B. pinnipedialis, which has demonstrated a preference for pinniped hosts. Importantly, given the close proximity between seals, humans and livestock in many areas, there is the potential for cross-species infections.

Parasites in harbour seals ( Phoca vitulina) from the German Wadden Sea between two Phocine Distemper Virus epidemics

Science.gov (United States)

Lehnert, K.; Raga, J. A.; Siebert, U.

2007-12-01

Parasites were collected from 107 harbour seals ( Phoca vitulina) found on the coasts of Schleswig-Holstein, Germany, between 1997 and 2000. The prevalence of the parasites and their associated pathology were investigated. Eight species of parasites, primarily nematodes, were identified from the examined organs: two anisakid nematodes ( Pseudoterranova decipiens (sensu lato) , Contracaecum osculatum (sensu lato)) from the stomach, Otostrongylus circumlitus (Crenosomatidae) and Parafilaroides gymnurus (Filaroididae) from the respiratory tract, one filarioid nematode ( Acanthocheilonema spirocauda) from the heart, two acanthocephalans, Corynosoma strumosum and C. semerme (Polymorphidae), from the intestine and an ectoparasite, Echinophthirius horridus (Anoplura, Insecta). Lungworm infection was the most prominent parasitological finding and secondary bacterial bronchopneumonia the most pathogenic lesion correlated with the parasites. Heavy nematode burdens in the respiratory tract were highly age-related and more frequent in young seals. A positive correlation was observed between high levels of pulmonary infection and severity of bronchopneumonia. The prevalence of lungworms in this study was higher than in seals that died during the 1988/1989 Phocine Distemper Virus epidemic, and the prevalence of acanthocephalans and heartworms had decreased compared to findings from the first die-off.

Whole-genome typing and characterization of blaVIM19-harbouring ST383 Klebsiella pneumoniae by PFGE, whole-genome mapping and WGS.

Science.gov (United States)

Sabirova, Julia S; Xavier, Basil Britto; Coppens, Jasmine; Zarkotou, Olympia; Lammens, Christine; Janssens, Lore; Burggrave, Ronald; Wagner, Trevor; Goossens, Herman; Malhotra-Kumar, Surbhi

2016-06-01

We utilized whole-genome mapping (WGM) and WGS to characterize 12 clinical carbapenem-resistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains (TGH1-TGH12). All strains were screened for carbapenemase genes by PCR, and typed by MLST, PFGE (XbaI) and WGM (AflII) (OpGen, USA). WGS (Illumina) was performed on TGH8 and TGH10. Reads were de novo assembled and annotated [SPAdes, Rapid Annotation Subsystem Technology (RAST)]. Contigs were aligned directly, and after in silico AflII restriction, with corresponding WGMs (MapSolver, OpGen; BioNumerics, Applied Maths). All 12 strains were ST383. Of the 12 strains, 11 were carbapenem resistant, 7 harboured blaKPC-2 and 11 harboured blaVIM-19. Varying the parameters for assigning WGM clusters showed that these were comparable to STs and to the eight PFGE types or subtypes (difference of three or more bands). A 95% similarity coefficient assigned all 12 WGMs to a single cluster, whereas a 99% similarity coefficient (or ≥10 unmatched-fragment difference) assigned the 12 WGMs to eight (sub)clusters. Based on a difference of three or more bands between PFGE profiles, the Simpson's diversity indices (SDIs) of WGM (0.94, Jackknife pseudo-values CI: 0.883-0.996) and PFGE (0.93, Jackknife pseudo-values CI: 0.828-1.000) were similar (P = 0.649). However, the discriminatory power of WGM was significantly higher (SDI: 0.94, Jackknife pseudo-values CI: 0.883-0.996) than that of PFGE profiles typed on a difference of seven or more bands (SDI: 0.53, Jackknife pseudo-values CI: 0.212-0.849) (P = 0.007). This study demonstrates the application of WGM to understanding the epidemiology of hospital-associated K. pneumoniae. Utilizing a combination of WGM and WGS, we also present here the first longitudinal genomic characterization of the highly dynamic carbapenem-resistant ST383 K. pneumoniae clone that is rapidly gaining importance in Europe. © The Author 2016. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the British Society for Antimicrobial

Citrus-orchard ground harbours a diverse, well-established and abundant ground-dwelling spider fauna

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Monzo, C.; Molla, O.; Vanaclocha, P.; Monton, H.; Melic, A.; Castanera, P.; Urbaneja, A.

2011-07-01

Ground-dwelling spider assemblages comprise one of the most representative predatory groups to be found in many crops. There is some evidence of the role that ground-dwelling spiders play in controlling certain citrus pests; however, there are almost no studies about the abundance and composition of this predatory group in citrus orchards. A three-year survey conducted using pitfall traps in three citrus orchards in Eastern Spain yielded more than five-thousand ground-dwelling spiders belonging to more than 50 species and 20 families. Wandering families such as Lycosidae, Gnaphosidae and Zodariidae were the most numerous in terms of captures. The generalist predator Pardosa cribata Simon (Araneae: Lycosidae) was the most common species, representing a quarter of all captures, followed by Zodarion cesari Pekar. (Araneae: Zodariidae) and Trachyzelotes fuscipes (Koch) (Araneae: Gnaphosidae). Spiders were active throughout the year with a peak population in summer. The species abundance data for the three spider assemblages sampled fitted a log normal statistical model which is consistent with a well-established community. The presence of a cover crop provided higher abundance of alternative prey and consequently higher abundance and diversity of ground-dwelling spiders. This work demonstrates that the citrus-orchard ground harbours a diverse and abundant ground-dwelling spider fauna, which is also active throughout the year. A challenge for future studies will be to establish conservation management strategies for these predators, that will improve biological control of those citrus pests that inhabit or spend part of their life cycle on the orchard floor. (Author) 49 refs.

Brucella ceti and Brucellosis in Cetaceans

Science.gov (United States)

Guzmán-Verri, Caterina; González-Barrientos, Rocío; Hernández-Mora, Gabriela; Morales, Juan-Alberto; Baquero-Calvo, Elías; Chaves-Olarte, Esteban; Moreno, Edgardo

2012-01-01

Since the first case of brucellosis detected in a dolphin aborted fetus, an increasing number of Brucella ceti isolates has been reported in members of the two suborders of cetaceans: Mysticeti and Odontoceti. Serological surveys have shown that cetacean brucellosis may be distributed worldwide in the oceans. Although all B. ceti isolates have been included within the same species, three different groups have been recognized according to their preferred host, bacteriological properties, and distinct genetic traits: B. ceti dolphin type, B. ceti porpoise type, and B. ceti human type. It seems that B. ceti porpoise type is more closely related to B. ceti human isolates and B. pinnipedialis group, while B. ceti dolphin type seems ancestral to them. Based on comparative phylogenetic analysis, it is feasible that the B. ceti ancestor radiated in a terrestrial artiodactyl host close to the Raoellidae family about 58 million years ago. The more likely mode of transmission of B. ceti seems to be through sexual intercourse, maternal feeding, aborted fetuses, placental tissues, vertical transmission from mother to the fetus or through fish or helminth reservoirs. The B. ceti dolphin and porpoise types seem to display variable virulence in land animal models and low infectivity for humans. However, brucellosis in some dolphins and porpoises has been demonstrated to be a severe chronic disease, displaying significant clinical and pathological signs related to abortions, male infertility, neurobrucellosis, cardiopathies, bone and skin lesions, strandings, and death. PMID:22919595

Preservation of a Late Glacial terrestrial and Holocene estuarine record on the margins of Kaipara Harbour, Northland, New Zealand

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nichol, S.; Deng, Y.; Horrocks, M.; Zhou, W.; Hume, T.

2009-01-01

Subtidal to intertidal deposits from the margins of Kaipara Harbour in Northland preserve a c. 23,000 year incomplete sedimentary record of the transition from terrestrial to estuarine conditions. Cores are used to reconstruct the depositional setting for this transition, interpreted as a succession from dune and freshwater wetland to shallow estuarine environments. The fossil pollen record provides a proxy of Last Glacial Maximum and Late Glacial vegetation for the area. Stability of the Pleistocene dune landscape during the postglacial marine transgression is interpreted on the basis of strong dominance of tall forest taxa (Dacrydium) in the pollen record and soil development in dune sands, with preservation aided by location along the estuary margin. During the Holocene, reworking of the buried dune and wetland sediments has only reached to a depth of 1.5 m below the modern tidal flat. As such, the site provides a rare example of good preservation of Pleistocene deposits at the coast, where extensive reworking and loss of record are more typical. (author). 41 refs., 6 figs., 1 tab

Dynamic habitat corridors for marine predators; intensive use of a coastal channel by harbour seals is modulated by tidal currents.

Science.gov (United States)

Hastie, Gordon D; Russell, Deborah J F; Benjamins, Steven; Moss, Simon; Wilson, Ben; Thompson, Dave

2016-01-01

Previous studies have found that predators utilise habitat corridors to ambush prey moving through them. In the marine environment, coastal channels effectively act as habitat corridors for prey movements, and sightings of predators in such areas suggest that they may target these for foraging. Unlike terrestrial systems where the underlying habitat structure is generally static, corridors in marine systems are in episodic flux due to water movements created by tidal processes. Although these hydrographic features can be highly complex, there is generally a predictable underlying cyclic tidal pattern to their structure. For marine predators that must find prey that is often patchy and widely distributed, the underlying temporal predictability in potential foraging opportunities in marine corridors may be important drivers in their use. Here, we used data from land-based sightings and 19 harbour seals ( Phoca vitulina ) tagged with high-resolution GPS telemetry to investigate the spatial and temporal distribution patterns of seals in a narrow tidal channel. These seals showed a striking pattern in their distribution; all seals spent a high proportion of their time around the narrowest point of the channel. There was also a distinctive tidal pattern in the use of the channel; sightings of seals in the water peaked during the flood tide and were at a minimum during the ebb tide. This pattern is likely to be related to prey availability and/or foraging efficiency driven by the underlying tidal pattern in the water movements through the channel. To maximise foraging efficiency, predators often make use of narrow constrictions in habitat to intercept prey using these corridors for movement. In the marine environment, narrow channels may act as corridors, and sightings of predators suggest that they may target these for foraging. Despite this, there is little information on how individual predators use such areas. Here, we investigate how individual harbour seals use a

Biological effects of rice harbouring Bph14 and Bph15 on brown planthopper, Nilaparvata lugens.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jie; Chen, Qiuhong; Wang, Liangquan; Liu, Jia; Shang, Keke; Hua, Hongxia

2011-05-01

Brown planthopper (Nilaparvata lugens Stål; BPH) resistance genes Bph14 and Bph15 have been introgressed singly or pyramided into rice variety Minghui 63 (MH63). The antibiosis and antixenosis effects of these rice lines on BPH and the expression of five P450 genes of BPH regulated by these rice lines were investigated in this study. The resistance level of rice lines harbouring resistance genes was improved compared with MH63. MH63::14 (carrying Bph14) had negative effects on the development of males, honeydew excretion of females, the female ratio and the copulation rate compared with MH63. MH63::14 also exhibited antixenosis action against BPH nymphs, female adults and oviposition. Besides these negative effects, MH63::15 (carrying Bph15) could also retard the development of females, lower the fecundity and shorten the lifespan of females. The antixenosis action of MH63::15 was stronger than that of MH63::14. When Bph14 and Bph15 were pyramided, antibiosis and antixenosis effects were significantly enhanced relative to single-introgression lines. Among the five P450 genes of BPH, expression of three genes was upregulated, one gene was downregulated and one gene was unchanged by resistant hosts. Both Bph14 and Bph15 could improve resistance levels of MH63. MH63::15 and MH63::14&15 had greater potential to control BPH infestations than MH63::14. Copyright © 2011 Society of Chemical Industry.

Investigation of the radiological impact due to the dredging of sediments in the Minimes harbour of La Rochelle. Workers and population exposure to reinforced natural radioactivity

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2010-01-01

As the city of La Rochelle is implementing a project of expansion of the Minimes yachting harbour which comprises the dredging of sediments (which may have been polluted by a rare earth production plant), this document reports the assessment of the radiological impact of this dredging activity on workers and on the population. A campaign of sediment coring has been performed in order to validate the reference coring station selection, to measure sand radiological activity and to measure the activity of the sediments to be dredged. The computed maximum efficient doses for the workers and for the population appear to be low, and very much less to the 1 mSv/year threshold

Harbor porpoise - Passive acoustic monitoring of harbor porpoises in Puget Sound

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Drs. Marla Holt, Brad Hanson, and Candice Emmons of the NWFSC, along with efforts from the NWFSC dive team (coordinated by Nick Tolimieri), are currently conducting...

Harmful algal blooms (HABs), dissolved organic matter (DOM), and planktonic microbial community dynamics at a near-shore and a harbour station influenced by upwelling (SW Iberian Peninsula)

Science.gov (United States)

Loureiro, Sofia; Reñé, Albert; Garcés, Esther; Camp, Jordi; Vaqué, Dolors

2011-05-01

The surface microalgal community, including harmful species, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and bacterial and viral populations were studied during an annual cycle (November 2007-October 2008) in a Near-shore (NS) and a Harbour (H) station located in an upwelling area (Sagres, SW Iberian Peninsula). The higher water residence time, water stability and shallowness of harbours in comparison with open waters likely contributed to the differences found between stations regarding chemical variables, statistical correlations and harmful algal proliferations. Also, several differences were noticed from a previous assessment ( Loureiro et al., 2005) including higher SST, lower nitrate and chlorophyll a concentrations, along with a shift in the microplankton community structure from diatom to nanoflagellate predominance. These variations feasibly reflect the response of this dynamic system to regional environmental modifications contributing to the understanding of common patterns in environmental change trends. The division of the sampling period into (1) non-upwelling (Non-Uw), (2) "spin-up" of upwelling (SU-Uw), and (3) "spin-down" and relaxation-downwelling (SD-Rel) stages allowed the identification of natural groupings of microplankton samples by Multi Dimensional Scaling (MDS) analysis. Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and viruses were the most significant abiotic and biotic variables, respectively, contributing to the dissimilarities between these stages (SIMPER analysis) and, therefore, potentially affecting the microplankton community structure. Harmful algal species and a stable viral community appeared to be favoured by SD-Rel conditions. Data seem to indicate that both Gymnodinium catenatum and Heterosigma akashiwo, the most abundant potentially harmful species, have been imported into the sampling area. Also, the H location, together with potential retention sites developing around the Cabo de São Vicente upwelling centre, may contribute to the local

Elsam. Offshore Wind Turbines. Horns Rev. Annual status report for the environmental monitoring programme 1. January 2004 - 31. December 2004

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2005-07-01

demonstrate any potential impacts resulting from the construction of the wind farm. This report presents results from 2004, in the second year of monitoring after the construction of the wind farm. For the Horns Rev offshore wind farm, the monitoring comprises: bottom flora and fauna; hard substrate habitat; fish; sandeel; birds; marine mammals (seals and harbour porpoises); socioeconomic and environmental economic effects. Monitoring programmes in 2004: Due to problems with the turbines, Vestas and Elsam decided to dismantle the turbines and bring them to shore to make the necessary adjustments and replacements. Thus, extensive boat traffic and work took place in the wind farm area between June and October 2004. Since these conditions did not resemble what could be considered a normal operational phase the Environmental Group decided to temporarily suspend the bird and harbour porpoise monitoring programmes planned for the second half of 2004. The biological and marine environments have been monitored continuously since the very first EIA survey and throughout the construction period. The monitoring was expected to continue until the end of 2004 in order to cover the post-construction period. This period has been extended until the end of 2005 in order to provide sufficient data from the operational phase, since some 2004 programmes were cut short by the replacement activities. The present report describes the results of the surveys conducted in 2004. (au)

Elsam. Offshore Wind Turbines. Horns Rev. Annual status report for the environmental monitoring programme 1. January 2004 - 31. December 2004

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2005-07-15

demonstrate any potential impacts resulting from the construction of the wind farm. This report presents results from 2004, in the second year of monitoring after the construction of the wind farm. For the Horns Rev offshore wind farm, the monitoring comprises: bottom flora and fauna; hard substrate habitat; fish; sandeel; birds; marine mammals (seals and harbour porpoises); socioeconomic and environmental economic effects. Monitoring programmes in 2004: Due to problems with the turbines, Vestas and Elsam decided to dismantle the turbines and bring them to shore to make the necessary adjustments and replacements. Thus, extensive boat traffic and work took place in the wind farm area between June and October 2004. Since these conditions did not resemble what could be considered a normal operational phase the Environmental Group decided to temporarily suspend the bird and harbour porpoise monitoring programmes planned for the second half of 2004. The biological and marine environments have been monitored continuously since the very first EIA survey and throughout the construction period. The monitoring was expected to continue until the end of 2004 in order to cover the post-construction period. This period has been extended until the end of 2005 in order to provide sufficient data from the operational phase, since some 2004 programmes were cut short by the replacement activities. The present report describes the results of the surveys conducted in 2004. (au)

Terrestrial bryophytes as indicators of fluoride emission from a phosphorus plant, Long Harbour, Newfoundland, Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roberts, B.A.; Thompson, L.K.; Sidhu, S.S.

1979-01-01

A study of the effects of fluoride emissions (HF, SiF/sub 4/) on certain species of bryophytes was carried out in the vicinity of an industrial palnt producing elemental phosphorus at Long Harbour, Nfld. Damage symptoms varied from mild phyllid chlorosis (yellowing) to severe browning of up to 95% of the phyllids. Polytrichum commune Hedw. was the main bryophyte species used in the survey. Random collections from 45 sample sites were analysed for total fluoride. The fluoride concentrations in phyllid tissue ranged from a high of 6066 ppm (dry weight) at a distance of 1 km northeast of the emission source to 44 ppm (dry weight) 11.7 km northeast of the emission source in the direction of the prevailing wind. Control samples were obtained from similar sites in areas far removed from the industrial plant and contained, on average, 11.3 ppm (dry weight). The concentration of fluoride in the bryophyte phyllid tissue was inversely correlated with distance from the emission source, in the direction of the prevailing wind. The severity of acropetal scorching was found to be correlated with the concentration of fluoride in the bryophyte phyllid tissue, and in addition, samples high in fluoride had fewer sporophytes. Fluoride concentrations in bryophyte tissue are compared with concentrations of fluoride in the needles of balsam fir, Abies Balsamea I., in four damage zones, and also with available and total fluoride in soil humus and concentrations of fluoride in air. The total area affected by fluoride emissions was increased using bryophytes as the pollution indicator species, especially in areas far from the industrial plant.

St. John's Harbour's South Side Hills internal development concept: going underground for multi-use space

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kierans, T W

1979-03-01

The advantages of underground locations for space saving, security, stability, environmental, aesthetic, and weather protection reasons with regard to power plants, municipal transport facilities, liquid fuel storage, national defence structures, public utilities and parking garages have been recognized for many years. The municipal, provincial, and federal authorities responsible for the city and seaport of St. John's, Newfoundland should consider the short-, medium-, and long-term benefits of the comprehensive concept proposed in this paper for the internal development of the South Side Hills - the rocky, sandstone hills that rise steeply to over 220 m between the crowded St. John's Harbour and Freshwater Bay. This proposal outlines a plan of excavation, space utilization, organization, financing, rock support, ventilation, water and energy supply, transportation arrangements and, not of least of all, the important use of the excavated rock to create a system of bottom-founded and floating concrete breakwaters at the entrance to Freshwater Bay. The proposed breakwaters would make it possible for St. John's to claim one of the finest deep-water harbors on the eastern seaboard of North America. Its location close to the North Atlantic main shipping lanes and on the threshold of the potential energy corridor to the Easten Arctic makes it an outstanding and natural location for such a facility. Other benefits include environmental protection and conservation of the natural beauty of the Hills and much improved utilization of the existing harbor. The employment opportunities and the potential for substantial city growth using existing untapped natural resources appear fully to merit the detailed economic cost studies that the concept now requires.

Mechanics and Hydrodynamics of Acrobatics and Aquabatics by Whales and Dolphins

Science.gov (United States)

Fish, Frank

2017-11-01

Cetaceans (whales, dolphins) are extremely energetic, fast swimming, and highly maneuverable in both water and air. Behaviors that cross the interface include breaching, porpoising, tail stands, and spin-leaps. The mechanics of breaching and porpoising entails propulsive movements of the caudal flukes to accelerate the animal vertically through the water surface to become airborne. Porpoising is beneficial to reduce the energetic cost of swimming at high speeds. Tail stands have a vertically oriented dolphin with half or more of its body out of the water. Bubble DPIV was used to quantify the propulsive force matching the weight of the animal supported above the water surface. The propulsive movements produced a jet flow and associated vorticity directed downward. Spin-leaps require a rapid vertical ascend from underwater by a rolling dolphin. Out of the water, the spin rate increases due to conservation of angular momentum and an imbalance between driving and resistive torques. The spin rate is associated with the moment of inertia of the animal's morphology. The physics of these high-energy maneuvers have engineering application for understanding ballistic performance across the air/water interface. Funded from ONR-MURI Grant N0001141410533.

Malignant melanoma arising from a perianal fistula and harbouring a BRAF gene mutation: a case report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martinez-Cadenas, Conrado; Lozoya, Rafael; Boldó, Enrique; Bosch, Nuria; Peñas, Lucas; Flores-Couce, Esther; Ochoa, Enrique; Munárriz, Javier; Aracil, Juan P; Tajahuerce, Marcos; Royo, Ramón

2011-01-01

Melanoma of the anal region is a very uncommon disease, accounting for only 0.2-0.3% of all melanoma cases. Mutations of the BRAF gene are usually absent in melanomas occurring in this region as well as in other sun-protected regions. The development of a tumour in a longstanding perianal fistula is also extremely rare. More frequent is the case of a tumour presenting as a fistula, that is, the fistula being a consequence of the cancerous process, although we have found only two cases of fistula-generating melanomas reported in the literature. Here we report the case of a 38-year-old male who presented with a perianal fistula of four years of evolution. Histopathological examination of the fistulous tract confirmed the presence of malignant melanoma. Due to the small size and the central location of the melanoma inside the fistulous tract, we believe the melanoma reported here developed in the epithelium of the fistula once the latter was already formed. Resected sentinel lymph nodes were negative and the patient, after going through a wide local excision, remains disease-free nine years after diagnosis. DNA obtained from melanoma tissue was analysed by automated direct sequencing and the V600E (T1799A) mutation was detected in exon 15 of the BRAF gene. Since fistulae experience persistent inflammation, the fact that this melanoma harbours a BRAF mutation strengthens the view that oxidative stress caused by inflammatory processes plays an important role in the genesis of BRAF gene mutations

Malignant melanoma arising from a perianal fistula and harbouring a BRAF gene mutation: a case report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tajahuerce Marcos

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Melanoma of the anal region is a very uncommon disease, accounting for only 0.2-0.3% of all melanoma cases. Mutations of the BRAF gene are usually absent in melanomas occurring in this region as well as in other sun-protected regions. The development of a tumour in a longstanding perianal fistula is also extremely rare. More frequent is the case of a tumour presenting as a fistula, that is, the fistula being a consequence of the cancerous process, although we have found only two cases of fistula-generating melanomas reported in the literature. Case Presentation Here we report the case of a 38-year-old male who presented with a perianal fistula of four years of evolution. Histopathological examination of the fistulous tract confirmed the presence of malignant melanoma. Due to the small size and the central location of the melanoma inside the fistulous tract, we believe the melanoma reported here developed in the epithelium of the fistula once the latter was already formed. Resected sentinel lymph nodes were negative and the patient, after going through a wide local excision, remains disease-free nine years after diagnosis. DNA obtained from melanoma tissue was analysed by automated direct sequencing and the V600E (T1799A mutation was detected in exon 15 of the BRAF gene. Conclusion Since fistulae experience persistent inflammation, the fact that this melanoma harbours a BRAF mutation strengthens the view that oxidative stress caused by inflammatory processes plays an important role in the genesis of BRAF gene mutations.

HLA-G 14-bp Ins/Ins Genotype in Patients Harbouring Helicobacter pylori Infection: A Potential Risk Factor?

Science.gov (United States)

Genre, J; Reginaldo, F P Santos; Andrade, J Marco de Leon; Lima, F P; da Camara, A V Coutinho; Donadi, E A; Crispim, J C

2016-01-01

H. pylori is a potent pathogen due to its capacity to successfully evade host defence mechanisms. Despite inducing immune responses in infected individuals, sometimes these responses fail to clear the infection and the bacterium establishes a persistent infection leading to chronic inflammation. In this context, we hypothesized that human leucocyte antigen G (HLA-G), a non-classical major histocompatibility complex molecule that has the ability to regulate immune responses both in physiological and in pathological conditions, may play an important role in promoting tolerance and helping H. pylori to subvert host defence and consequently establish a chronic infection. Therefore, we evaluated the expression of HLA-G 14-bp Ins/Del polymorphism in patients harbouring H. pylori infection, as well as their relationship with histological and demographic variables, to gain a better understanding of the actual role of HLA-G and its genetic polymorphisms in bacterial infection. Sixty-eight patients with clinical symptoms suggestive of H. pylori infection were enrolled to assess HLA-G 14-bp Ins/Del polymorphism allele and genotype frequencies. After adjustment for covariates (age and gender), the odds of having the genotype Ins/Ins, compared to Del/Del, were 3.77 times greater among HP+ cases than among controls. These findings suggest that the 14-bp Ins/Ins genotype, already associated with inflammatory and autoimmune diseases as well as some viral and parasitic infections, could confer a greater risk of developing H. pylori infection. © 2015 The Foundation for the Scandinavian Journal of Immunology.

Coral colonisation of an artificial reef in a turbid nearshore environment, Dampier Harbour, western Australia.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Blakeway

Full Text Available A 0.6 hectare artificial reef of local rock and recycled concrete sleepers was constructed in December 2006 at Parker Point in the industrial port of Dampier, western Australia, with the aim of providing an environmental offset for a nearshore coral community lost to land reclamation. Corals successfully colonised the artificial reef, despite the relatively harsh environmental conditions at the site (annual water temperature range 18-32°C, intermittent high turbidity, frequent cyclones, frequent nearby ship movements. Coral settlement to the artificial reef was examined by terracotta tile deployments, and later stages of coral community development were examined by in-situ visual surveys within fixed 25 x 25 cm quadrats on the rock and concrete substrates. Mean coral density on the tiles varied from 113 ± 17 SE to 909 ± 85 SE per m(2 over five deployments, whereas mean coral density in the quadrats was only 6.0 ± 1.0 SE per m(2 at eight months post construction, increasing to 24.0 ± 2.1 SE per m(2 at 62 months post construction. Coral taxa colonising the artificial reef were a subset of those on the surrounding natural reef, but occurred in different proportions--Pseudosiderastrea tayami, Mycedium elephantotus and Leptastrea purpurea being disproportionately abundant on the artificial reef. Coral cover increased rapidly in the later stages of the study, reaching 2.3 ± 0.7 SE % at 62 months post construction. This study indicates that simple materials of opportunity can provide a suitable substrate for coral recruitment in Dampier Harbour, and that natural colonisation at the study site remains sufficient to initiate a coral community on artificial substrate despite ongoing natural and anthropogenic perturbations.

Dinoflagellate cyst abundance is positively correlated to sediment organic carbon in Sydney Harbour and Botany Bay, NSW, Australia.

Science.gov (United States)

Tian, Chang; Doblin, Martina A; Dafforn, Katherine A; Johnston, Emma L; Pei, Haiyan; Hu, Wenrong

2018-02-01

There is growing public concern about the global expansion of harmful algal bloom species (HABs), with dinoflagellate microalgae comprising the major portion of the harmful taxa. These motile, unicellular organisms have a lifecycle involving sexual reproduction and resting cyst formation whereby cysts can germinate from sediments and 'seed' planktonic populations. Thus, investigation of dinoflagellate cyst (dinocyst) distribution in sediments can provide significant insights into HAB dynamics and contribute to indices of habitat quality. Species composition and abundance of dinocysts in relation to sediment characteristics were studied at 18 stations in two densely populated temperate Australian estuaries, Sydney Harbour (Parramatta River/Port Jackson; PS) and Botany Bay (including Georges River; GB). Eighteen dinocyst taxa were identified, dominated by Protoceratium reticulatum and Gonyaulax sp.1 in the PS estuary, together with Archaeperidinium minutum and Gonyaulax sp.1 in the GB estuary. Cysts of Alexandrium catenella, which is one of the causative species of paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP), were also detected in both estuaries. Out of the measured sediment characteristics (TOC, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Pb, Mn, Ni, Zn and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons), TOC was the parameter explaining most of the variation in dinocyst assemblages and was positively correlated to most of the heavy metals. Given the significant relationship between sediment TOC and dinocyst abundance and heavy metal concentrations, this study suggests that sediment TOC could be broadly used in risk management for potential development of algal blooms and sediment contamination in these estuaries.

Measuring drifted dust near coal transhipment in the harbour of Amsterdam, Netherlands; Meten aan verwaaiend stof bij kolenoverslag in het Amsterdams havengebied

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Weijers, E.P.; Rodink, R.; Hensen, A. [ECN Environment and Energy Engineering, Petten (Netherlands)

2013-02-15

For two months, particulate matter measurements were performed at the Rietlanden coal terminal in the Africa harbour in Amsterdam. At eight places around the coal terminal particulate matter concentrations were measured with relatively simple (and relatively inexpensive) optical sensors (which have been further developed by ECN). The primary purpose of the measurement campaign was to determine the performance and robustness of the sensors 'in the field'. After the satisfactory performance, the feasibility of a monitoring c.q. alarm system were studied and an estimate was made of particulate matter emissions from the terminal with a dispersion model during the measurement period [Dutch] Gedurende twee maanden zijn bij de Rietlanden kolenterminal in de Afrikahaven te Amsterdam fijnstofmetingen uitgevoerd. Op een achttal plaatsen rondom het bedrijf zijn fijnstofconcentraties gemeten met relatief eenvoudige (en relatief goedkope) optische sensoren (die door ECN verder zijn ontwikkeld). In de eerste plaats had de meetcampagne ten doel de prestatie en robuustheid van de sensoren 'in het veld' vast te stellen. Na gebleken geschiktheid is de haalbaarheid van een monitoring- c.q. alarmeringssysteem bestudeerd en is de fijnstofemissie afkomstig van de terminal geschat voor de periode van de metingen met een verspreidingsmodel.

High terbinafine resistance in Trichophyton interdigitale isolates in Delhi, India harbouring mutations in the squalene epoxidase gene.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Ashutosh; Masih, Aradhana; Khurana, Ananta; Singh, Pradeep Kumar; Gupta, Meenakshi; Hagen, Ferry; Meis, Jacques F; Chowdhary, Anuradha

2018-03-25

In the last few years, infections caused by dermatophytes along with a concomitant increase in the number of difficult to treat cases have increasingly been recognised, indicating that dermatophytosis remains a challenging public health problem. The majority of infections are caused by Trichophyton rubrum and Trichophyton mentagrophytes complex. Terbinafine, an allylamine antifungal used orally and topically is considered to be a first-line drug in the therapy of dermatophyte infections. Terbinafine resistance has been predominately attributed to point mutations in the squalene epoxidase (SQLE) target gene a key enzyme in the ergosterol biosynthetic pathway leading to single amino acid substitutions. Here, we report the largest series of 20 terbinafine-resistant Trichophyton interdigitale isolates obtained predominately from cases of tinea corporis/cruris in three hospitals in Delhi, India exhibiting elevated MICs (4 to ≥32 μg/mL) to terbinafine and all harbouring single-point mutations Leu393Phe or Phe397Leu in the SQLE gene. In 12 (60%) T. interdigitale isolates, the Phe397Leu substitution was observed, whereas in the remaining 8 (40%) isolates the substitution Leu393Phe was reported for the first time in T. interdigitale. Furthermore, 10 susceptible T. interdigitale isolates (0.125-2 μg/mL) had a wild-type genotype. Remarkably, considerably high terbinafine resistance rate of 32% was observed among 63 T. interdigitale isolates identified by sequencing of the internal transcribed spacer region. This high level of terbinafine resistance of Indian dermatophyte isolates is worrisome warranting antifungal susceptibility testing and mutation analysis for monitoring this emerging resistance. © 2018 Blackwell Verlag GmbH.

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: North Carolina: M_MAMMAL (Marine Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for whales, porpoises, dolphins, manatees, and pinnipeds in North Carolina. Vector polygons in this data...

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: Northern California: M_MAMMAL (Marine Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seals, whales, dolphins, porpoises, sea otters, and sea lions in Northern California. Vector polygons...

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: Southern California: M_MAMMAL (Marine Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seals, sea lions, whales, dolphins, porpoises, and sea otters in Southern California. Vector polygons...

Simulation-Augmented Methods for Safe and Efficient Manoeuvres in Harbour Areas

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Knud Benedict

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Safety of navigation is especially challenging and critical when a ship approaches and manoeuvres in harbour areas. Improving the safety especially in the first and last phase of a voyage is crucial and requires measures addressing both the human and technical-technological elements including support systems that shall provide human operators with information relevant for decision making. The present situation is characterized by the introduction of numerous sophisticated technical and support systems often integrated with several components becoming increasingly complex. On the users end, changes are not that obvious and not that rapid as for technology. However, new approaches are under development or already in use. They are characterized by applying and adapting solutions from other transport modes. In this way, tasks and procedures on ships, that are highly safety-relevant and containing high portions of manoeuvring activities have been changed to high back-up procedures as in air planes. For port manoeuvres e.g. the system of pilot/co-pilot was introduced on ferries in a sense that one officer is operating and the other is monitoring and checking the safe performance. In cruise shipping, new structures replacing the traditional rank-based with a flexible system based on job functions. This system creates a kind of a safety net around the person conning the vessel. Each operation is cross checked before execution by one or two other persons. The first obvious consequence is higher costs due to doubling personnel. On the other hand there is also a need for a technology appropriately supporting the checking officer by enabling her or him to monitor what the conning officer is doing. “Fast-Time Manoeuvring Simulation Technology” (FTS developed at the Institute for Innovative Ship Simulation and Maritime Systems (ISSIMS has huge potential to fulfil this task. FTS calculates within one second of computing time up to 1000 seconds of real

Modular organizations of novel cetacean papillomaviruses.

Science.gov (United States)

Gottschling, Marc; Bravo, Ignacio G; Schulz, Eric; Bracho, Maria A; Deaville, Rob; Jepson, Paul D; Van Bressem, Marie-Françoise; Stockfleth, Eggert; Nindl, Ingo

2011-04-01

The phylogenetic position of cetacean papillomaviruses (PVs: Omikron-PVs and Upsilon-PVs) varies depending on the region of the genome analysed. They cluster together with Alpha-PVs when analysing early genes and with Xi-PVs and Phi-PVs when analysing late genes. We cloned and sequenced the complete genomes of five novel PVs, sampled from genital and oesophageal lesions of free-ranging cetaceans: Delphinus delphis (DdPV1), Lagenorhynchus acutus (TtPV3 variant), and Phocoena phocoena (PphPV1, PphPV2, and PphPV3). Using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian approaches, all cetacean PVs constituted a monophyletic group with Alpha-, Omega-, and Dyodelta-PVs as inferred from E1-E2 early genes analyses, thus matching the shared phenotype of mucosal tropism. However, cetacean PVs, with the exception of PphPV3, were the closest relatives of Xi-PVs and Phi-PVs in L2-L1 late genes analyses, isolated from cow and goat, thus reflecting the close relationship between Cetacea and Artiodactyla. Our results are compatible with a recombination between ancestral PVs infecting the Cetartiodactyla lineage. Our study supports a complex evolutionary scenario with multiple driving forces for PV diversification, possibly including recombination and also interspecies transmission. Copyright © 2010 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: Central California: M_MAMMAL (Marine Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for dolphins, porpoises, whales, seals, sea lions, and sea otters in Central California. Vector polygons in...

Virginia ESI: M_MAMMAL (Marine Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for dolphin, seals, whales, and porpoise in Virginia. Vector polygons in this data set represent marine...

SWFSC/MMTD: Vaquita Abundance Survey 1997

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — In 1997, the Southwest Fisheries Science Center (SWFSC) conducted a survey designed to estimate the abundance of vaquita, the Gulf of California harbor porpoise...

Maryland ESI: M_MAMMAL (Marine Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seals, whales, porpoise, and dolphin in Maryland. Vector polygons in this data set represent marine...

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: New Hampshire: M_MAMMAL (Marine Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seals, porpoise, and whales in New Hampshire. Vector polygons in this data set represent marine mammal...

Bristol Bay, Alaska Subarea ESI: M_MAMMAL (Marine Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seals, whales, porpoises, walruses, sea otters, and Steller sea lions in the Bristol Bay Subarea. The...

Investigation of Immune Function in Naval Marine Mammals

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Romano, Tracy

2000-01-01

... (dolphins, whales, and porpoises). This is due in part to obtaining access to animals and tissue samples as well as the lack of cetacean-specific reagents to carry out investigations of the immune system...

Coastal Resources Atlas: Long Island: M_MAMMAL (Marine Mammal Polygons)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for seals, whales, and porpoises for Long Island, New York. Vector polygons in this data set represent...

Questing Dermacentor reticulatus harbouring Babesia canis DNA associated with outbreaks of canine babesiosis in the Swiss Midlands.

Science.gov (United States)

Schaarschmidt, Daniel; Gilli, Urs; Gottstein, Bruno; Marreros, Nelson; Kuhnert, Peter; Daeppen, Jérôme A; Rosenberg, Gertrud; Hirt, Didier; Frey, Caroline F

2013-06-01

In 2011 and 2012, outbreaks of clinical canine babesiosis were observed in 2 areas of the Swiss Midlands that had no history of this disease so far. In one area, cases of canine babesiosis occurred over 2 consecutive tick seasons. The outbreaks involved 29 dogs, 4 of which died. All dogs were infected with large Babesia sp. as diagnosed in Giemsa-stained blood smears and/or PCR. These were identified as B. canis (formerly known as B. canis canis) by subsequent partial sequencing of the 18S rRNA gene of Babesia sp. Interestingly, the sequence indicated either a genotype with heterogeneity in the ssrRNA gene copies or double infection with different B. canis isolates. None of the dogs had a recent travel history, but one had frequently travelled to Hungary and had suffered twice from clinical babesiosis 18 and 24 months prior to the outbreak in autumn 2011. Retrospective sequencing of a stored blood DNA sample of this dog revealed B. canis, with an identical sequence to the Babesia involved in the outbreaks. For the first time in Switzerland, the partial 18S rRNA gene of B. canis could be amplified from DNA isolated from 19 out of 23 adult Dermacentor reticulatus ticks flagged in the same area. The sequence was identical to that found in the dogs. Furthermore, one affected dog carried a female D. reticulatus tick harbouring B. canis DNA. Our findings illustrate that, under favourable biogeographic and climatic conditions, the life-cycle of B. canis can relatively rapidly establish itself in previously non-endemic areas. Canine babesiosis should therefore always be a differential diagnosis when dogs with typical clinical signs are presented, regardless of known endemic areas. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

[Folklore and popular medicine in the Amazon].

Science.gov (United States)

Henrique, Márcio Couto

2009-01-01

This discussion of the relations between folklore and popular medicine in the Amazon takes Canuto Azevedo's story "Filhos do boto" (Children of the porpoise) as an analytical reference point. Replete with elements of cultural reality, folk tales can serve as historical testimonies expressing clashes between different traditions. Folk records are fruit of what is often a quarrelsome dialogue between folklorists, social scientists, physicians, and pajés and their followers, and their analysis should take into account the conditions under which they were produced. Based on the imaginary attached to the figure of the porpoise--a seductive creature with healing powers--the article explores how we might expand knowledge of popular medicine as practiced in the Amazon, where the shamanistic rite known as pajelança cabocla has a strong presence.

Small cetacean aerial survey conducted in Alaskan waters by Alaska Fisheries Science Center, National Marine Mammal Laboratory from 1997-05-08 to 1999-07-04 (NCEI Accession 0131991)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Aerial surveys were conducted to produce abundance estimates for the three Alaska stocks of harbor porpoise. Surveys occurred from May to July 1997 for the Southeast...

AFSC/NMML: Small cetacean aerial survey in Alaskan waters, 1997-1999

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Aerial surveys were conducted to produce abundance estimates for the three Alaska stocks of harbor porpoise. Surveys occurred from May to July 1997 for the Southeast...

Environmental radionuclide monitoring of Canadian harbours: a decade of analyses in support of due diligence activities by the Royal Canadian Navy.

Science.gov (United States)

Kelly, David G; Mattson, Kristine M; McDonald, Curtis; Nielsen, Kathy S; Weir, Ron D

2014-12-01

The Royal Canadian Navy has conducted a comprehensive programme of safety, security and environmental monitoring since the first visits of nuclear powered and nuclear capable vessels (NPV/NCVs) to Canadian harbours in the late 1960s. The outcomes of baseline monitoring and vessel visit sampling for the period 2003-2012 are described for vessel visits to Halifax (NS), Esquimalt (BC) and Nanoose (BC). Data were obtained by gamma-ray spectroscopy using high purity germanium detectors. No evidence was found for the release of radioactive fission or activation products by NCV/NPVs during the study period, although anthropogenically produced radionuclides were observed as part of the study's baseline monitoring. Background activities of Cs-137 can be observed in sediments from all three locations which are derived from well-documented radioactivity releases. The detection of I-131 in aquatic plants is consistently observed in Halifax at activities as high as 15,000 Bq kg(-1) dry weight. These data are tentatively assigned to the release of medical I-131, followed by bioaccumulation from seawater. I-131 was also observed in aquatic plants samples from Esquimalt (33 Bq kg(-1)) and Nanoose (20 Bq kg(-1)) for a single sampling following the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Crown Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Age- and sex-specific mortality patterns in an emerging wildlife epidemic: the phocine distemper in European harbour seals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tero Härkönen

Full Text Available Analyses of the dynamics of diseases in wild populations typically assume all individuals to be identical. However, profound effects on the long-term impact on the host population can be expected if the disease has age and sex dependent dynamics. The Phocine Distemper Virus (PDV caused two mass mortalities in European harbour seals in 1988 and in 2002. We show the mortality patterns were highly age specific on both occasions, where young of the year and adult (>4 yrs animals suffered extremely high mortality, and sub-adult seals (1-3 yrs of both sexes experienced low mortality. Consequently, genetic differences cannot have played a main role explaining why some seals survived and some did not in the study region, since parents had higher mortality levels than their progeny. Furthermore, there was a conspicuous absence of animals older than 14 years among the victims in 2002, which strongly indicates that the survivors from the previous disease outbreak in 1988 had acquired and maintained immunity to PDV. These specific mortality patterns imply that contact rates and susceptibility to the disease are strongly age and sex dependent variables, underlining the need for structured epidemic models for wildlife diseases. Detailed data can thus provide crucial information about a number of vital parameters such as functional herd immunity. One of many future challenges in understanding the epidemiology of the PDV and other wildlife diseases is to reveal how immune system responses differ among animals in different stages during their life cycle. The influence of such underlying mechanisms may also explain the limited evidence for abrupt disease thresholds in wild populations.

Bosaso Harbour

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Burcharth, H. F.; Toschi, P.B; Turrio, E.

1991-01-01

The paper deals with some design and construction aspects related to the new port at Bosaso, which is the terminal of the newly completed road system which connects northern Somalia with Mogadishu in the south. The port and the road project was financed by The Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Funding...

Pacific Continental Shelf Environmental Assessment (PaCSEA): aerial seabird and marine mammal surveys off northern California, Oregon, and Washington, 2011-2012

Science.gov (United States)

Adams, Josh; Felis, Jonathan J.; Mason, John W.; Takekawa, John Y.

2014-01-01

(-2) and similar during winter (37.4 ± 4.6 birds km-2) and summer (37.5 ± 6.4 birds km-2). Within the outer-shelf domain (100 – 200-m depth), average densities for all marine birds combined were greatest during winter (34.6 ± 4.2 birds km-2), lesser during fall (16.2 ± 1.7 birds km-2), and least during summer (6.9 ± 1.1 birds km-2). Within the farthest offshore waters over the continental slope domain (200 – 2000-m depth) average densities for all marine birds combined were greatest during fall (10.0 ± 2.2 birds km-2) and winter (9.3 ± 1.5 birds km-2), and lesser during summer (6.2 ± 1.4 birds km-2). We observed 16 cetacean species and five pinniped species. Among the Mysticeti (baleen whales), humpback whales (Megaptera novaeangliae) were most frequently observed (114 sightings of 264 individuals) during summer and fall mostly over the outer-shelf and slope waters, however, individuals were also seen within the Siltcoos, Nehalem, Fort Bragg, and Eureka Focal Areas. We recorded 11 Odontoceti (toothed whale) species. Harbor porpoises (Phocoena phocoena) were the most frequently sighted (164 sightings of 270 individuals). Harbor porpoises were present year-round and most frequently sighted within the inner-shelf domain throughout the entire study area in all seasons. Harbor porpoises occurred in all six Focal Areas, with noteworthy aggregations within the Eureka, Siltcoos, and Grays Harbor Focal Areas. We recorded 246 sightings of 375 individual pinnipeds (5 species). California sea lions (Zalophus californianus) were the most frequently sighted and were present year-round with slightly more sightings recorded during the fall. California sea lions showed a decreasing frequency of sightings and relative abundance with distance from shore across the bathymetric domains surveyed, being most frequently observed over the inner-shelf. Northern elephant seals (Mirounga angustirostris), harbor seals (Phoca vitulina), and northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) were

14 CFR 29.75 - Landing: General.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... conditions; and (3) The landing must be made without excessive vertical acceleration or tendency to bounce, nose over, ground loop, porpoise, or water loop. (b) The landing data required by §§ 29.77, 29.79, 29...

Dolutegravir versus placebo in subjects harbouring HIV-1 with integrase inhibitor resistance associated substitutions: 48-week results from VIKING-4, a randomized study.

Science.gov (United States)

Akil, Bisher; Blick, Gary; Hagins, Debbie P; Ramgopal, Moti N; Richmond, Gary J; Samuel, Rafik M; Givens, Naomi; Vavro, Cindy; Song, Ivy H; Wynne, Brian; Ait-Khaled, Mounir

2015-01-01

The Phase III VIKING-3 study demonstrated that dolutegravir (DTG) 50 mg twice daily was efficacious in antiretroviral therapy (ART)-experienced subjects harbouring raltegravir- and/or elvitegravir-resistant HIV-1. VIKING-4 (ING116529) included a placebo-controlled 7-day monotherapy phase to demonstrate that short-term antiviral activity was attributable to DTG. VIKING-4 is a Phase III randomized, double-blind study in therapy-experienced adults with integrase inhibitor (INI)-resistant virus randomized to DTG 50 mg twice daily or placebo while continuing their failing regimen (without raltegravir or elvitegravir) for 7 days (clinicaltrials.gov identifier NCT01568892). At day 8, all subjects switched to open-label DTG 50 mg twice daily and optimized background therapy including ≥1 fully active drug. The primary end point was change from baseline in plasma HIV-1 RNA at day 8. The study population (n=30) was highly ART-experienced with advanced HIV disease. Patients had extensive baseline resistance to all approved antiretroviral classes. Adjusted mean change in HIV-1 RNA at day 8 was 
-1.06 log10 copies/ml for the DTG arm and 0.10 log10 copies/ml for the placebo arm (treatment difference -1.16 log10 copies/ml [-1.52, -0.80]; PVIKING-3 study.

The petrology, geochronology and significance of Granite Harbour Intrusive Complex xenoliths and outcrop sampled in western McMurdo Sound, Southern Victoria Land, Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Martin, A.P.; Cooper, A.F.; Price, R.C.; Turnbull, R.E.; Roberts, N.M.W.

2015-01-01

Granite Harbour Intrusive Complex xenoliths in McMurdo Volcanic Group rocks and in situ outcrops have been studied from Mount Morning, western McMurdo Sound, Antarctica. Calc-alkalic samples have whole rock signatures and normative compositions similar to the Dry Valleys 1b suite, and zircon grains in one specimen yield a 545.2 ± 4.4 Ma crystallisation age. This supports subduction-related magmatism initiating in Southern Victoria Land by 545 Ma. A second group of xenoliths is alkalic, with titanite grains in one xenolith from this group dated at 538 ± 8 Ma. Whole rock chemistry, normative compositions and geochronology of the alkalic group are comparable to the Koettlitz Glacier Alkaline Suite (KGAS). The position of a proposed lower crustal discontinuity that may form a significant basement suture in the McMurdo Sound region is newly constrained to the east of Mount Morning, perhaps along the trace of the Discovery Glacier. The boundary between East and West Antarctica may also pass along the trace of the Discovery Glacier if, as previously hypothesised, its location is controlled by the basement suture. A significant basement suture may also have provided the necessary egress for the (regionally) early and sustained magmatic activity observed at Mount Morning over the last 24 million years. (author).

[Definition of parameters of the condition of oxidizing stress in smooth muscle cells under influence of exogenous nitroso-glutatyon in vitro].

Science.gov (United States)

Kapilevich, L V; Nosarev, A V; D'iakova, E Iu; Andrushkevich, V V; Nasedkina, A K; Nosareva, O L; Davlet'iarova, K V; Ogorodova, L M; Kovalev, I V; Baskakov, M B; Medvedev, M A

2007-08-01

Influence of exogenous nitroso-glutatyon on intensity of oxidizing processes in smooth muscles of colon and bronchial tubes in intact and atopic sensitised porpoises (guinea pigs) was studied. In sensitised porpoises, antioxidant protection has been initially reduced against the background of increased maintenance of products of oxidizing that reflects a picture of oxidizing damage and can be associated with an inflammatory process. In incubation with nitroso-glutatyon, a decrease in activities of syperoxiddismutase and catalase is marked and, in sensitised animals, this effect has been expressed to a lesser degree. Syperoxiddismutase and catalase are antioxidant for the enzymes participating in protection of cells from free-radical damage. A dose-dependence decrease in activity catalase and syperoxiddismutase is defined by a parity of the enzymes participating in disintegration of nitrosoglutatyon and the enzymes which have kept antioxidant activity.

Diffusion in coastal and harbour zones, effects of Waves,Wind and Currents

Science.gov (United States)

Diez, M.; Redondo, J. M.

2009-04-01

As there are multiple processes at different scales that produce turbulent mixing in the ocean, thus giving a large variation of horizontal eddy diffusivities, we use a direct method to evaluate the influence of different ambient parameters such as wave height and wind on coastal dispersion. Measurements of the diffusivity are made by digital processing of images taken from from video recordings of the sea surface near the coast. The use of image analysis allows to estimate both spatial and temporal characteristics of wave fields, surface circulation and mixing in the surf zone, near Wave breakers and inside Harbours. The study of near-shore dispersion [1], with the added complexity of the interaction between wave fields, longshore currents, turbulence and beach morphology, needs detailed measurements of simple mixing processes to compare the respective influences of forcings at different scales. The measurements include simultaneous time series of waves, currents, wind velocities from the studied area. Cuantitative information from the video images is accomplished using the DigImage video processing system [3], and a frame grabber. The video may be controlled by the computer, allowing, remote control of the processing. Spectral analysis on the images has also used n order to estimate dominant wave periods as well as the dispersion relations of dominant instabilities. The measurements presented here consist mostly on the comarison of difussion coeficients measured by evaluating the spread of blobs of dye (milk) as well as by measuring the separation between different buoys released at the same time. We have used a techniques, developed by Bahia(1997), Diez(1998) and Bezerra(2000)[1-3] to study turbulent diffusion by means of digital processing of images taken from remote sensing and video recordings of the sea surface. The use of image analysis allows to measure variations of several decades in horizontal diffusivity values, the comparison of the diffusivities

Prey capture by harbor porpoises

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Miller, Lee; Verfuss, Ursula

2009-01-01

their ultrasonic clicks as biosonar for orientation and detection of prey (mostly smaller pelagic and bottom dwelling fish), and for communication. For studying wild animals, hydrophone arrays and acoustic (time/depth) tags have been used. For studying captive animals, arrays and video techniques as well...

Environmental Assessment: Proposed U.S. Air Force Military Family Housing Privatization Initiative Patrick Air Force Base, Florida

Science.gov (United States)

2008-11-03

mockingbird , other songbirds, and white ibis (Eudocimus albus). Cormorants (Phalacrocorax auritus) were observed resting on old dock pilings in the...surfacing, nursing, breeding, feeding or sheltering), hunting, capturing, or killing of polar bears, sea otters, marine otters, whales, porpoises, walruses

Municipal water quantities and health in Nunavut households: an exploratory case study in Coral Harbour, Nunavut, Canada

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kiley Daley

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Background: Access to adequate quantities of water has a protective effect on human health and well-being. Despite this, public health research and interventions are frequently focused solely on water quality, and international standards for domestic water supply minimums are often overlooked or unspecified. This trend is evident in Inuit and other Arctic communities even though numerous transmissible diseases and bacterium infections associated with inadequate domestic water quantities are prevalent. Objectives: Our objective was to explore the pathways by which the trucked water distribution systems being used in remote northern communities are impacting health at the household level, with consideration given to the underlying social and environmental determinants shaping health in the region. Methods: Using a qualitative case study design, we conducted 37 interviews (28 residents, 9 key informants and a review of government water documents to investigate water usage practices and perspectives. These data were thematically analysed to understand potential health risks in Arctic communities and households. Results: Each resident receives an average of 110 litres of municipal water per day. Fifteen of 28 households reported experiencing water shortages at least once per month. Of those 15, most were larger households (5 people or more with standard sized water storage tanks. Water shortages and service interruptions limit the ability of some households to adhere to public health advice. The households most resilient, or able to cope with domestic water supply shortages, were those capable of retrieving their own drinking water directly from lake and river sources. Residents with extended family and neighbours, whom they can rely on during shortages, were also less vulnerable to municipal water delays. Conclusions: The relatively low in-home water quantities observed in Coral Harbour, Nunavut, appear adequate for some families. Those living in

Whale Preservation. Grades Five to Nine.

Science.gov (United States)

Racicot, Darlene

Dedicated to the conservation and preservation of whales, dolphins, and porpoises through public education, this instructional unit for grades 5-9 provides current (1993) facts, lesson plans, activities, and conservation and preservation techniques. Interdisciplinary activities involve students in debates, critical thinking, research, and…

Bio-optic characterization of Discosphaera tubifer bloom occurs in an overcrowded fishing harbour at Veraval, India.

Science.gov (United States)

Mandal, Subir Kumar; Patel, Vipul R; Temkar, Ganesh; George, Basil M; Raman, Mini

2015-09-01

Discosphaera tubifer, a coccolithophore has been first time reported as a bloom-forming organism from an over-crowded fishing harbour at Veraval, west coast of India. Physiochemical and optical parameters were measured following standard protocols. Average concentration of inorganic nutrients, such as NO2-N (17.26 ± 2.92 μM), NO3-N (643.80 ± 215.99 μM), PO4-P (74.10 ± 26.52 μM) and SiO3-Si (137.66 ± 25.83 μM) were recorded as very high at Veraval port as compared to other coastal stations i.e., 1.48 ± 0.66, 49.16 ± 13.73, 10.03 ± 5.31 and 96.23 ± 22.74 μM, respectively. The pH and salinity (‰) were observed to be low (7.80 ± 0.15 and 28.00 ± 4.54 ‰) as compared to coastal seawaters (8.34 ± 0.06 and 33.24 ± 2.32 ‰). Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and spectral signature (absorbance and reflectance) study revealed that the bloom-forming organism was D. tubifer. High-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) study detected that chlorophyllide-a represent nearly 47.53 % of total pigment composition followed by chlorophyll c2 (27.40 %) and chlorophyll c3 (14.25 %). Four prominent absorption peaks were observed within 350 to 700 nm. The first peak was very wide and ranged from 350 to 530 nm and the rest of the three peaks ranged from 550 to 590, 590 to 650 and 650 to 690 nm, respectively. In case of reflection, three peaks appeared between 550 and 590, 590 and 630 and 630 and 670 nm. Nearly 100 % reflection was observed after 720 nm. The eutrophic condition of the port water along with low salinity and low pH might be the reason for D. tubifer bloom formation. This species-specific spectral signature of the D. tubifer bloom may be helpful for developing algorithm of remote sensing data analysis.

Annual report of the Marine Mammal Commission, calendar year 1992. Report to the Congress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

This is the 20th Annual Report of the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors on Marine Mammals. The Commission was established under Title II of the Marine Mammal Protection Act to provide an independent source of guidance on Federal activities and policies, both domestic and international, affecting marine mammal protection and conservation. Each year, the Marine Mammal Commission and its Committee of Scientific Advisors devote particular attention to marine mammal species or populations that are or may be in jeopardy. Chapter III describes efforts to conserve: sea otters in California and Alaska; Steller sea lions; Hawaiian monk seals; harbor seals; northern fur seals; Pacific walruses; northern right whales; humpback whales; gray whales; bowhead whales; harbor porpoises; vaquitas or Gulf of California harbor porpoises; bottlenose dolphins; killer whales; and polar bears. Activities related to West Indian manatees, Hawaiian monk seals, vaquitas, and gray whales are summarized

Environmental impact of wind energy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mann, Jakob; Teilmann, Jonas

2013-01-01

One purpose of wind turbines is to provide pollution-free electric power at a reasonable price in an environmentally sound way. In this focus issue the latest research on the environmental impact of wind farms is presented. Offshore wind farms affect the marine fauna in both positive and negative...... ways. For example, some farms are safe havens for porpoises while other farms show fewer harbor porpoises even after ten years. Atmospheric computer experiments are carried out to investigate the possible impact and resource of future massive installations of wind turbines. The following questions...... are treated. What is the global capacity for energy production by the wind? Will the added turbulence and reduced wind speeds generated by massive wind farms cool or heat the surface? Can wind farms affect precipitation? It is also shown through life-cycle analysis how wind energy can reduce the atmospheric...

Temporal trends of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) and polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) and detection of two novel flame retardants in marine mammals from Hong Kong, South China.

Science.gov (United States)

Lam, James C W; Lau, Ridge K F; Murphy, Margaret B; Lam, Paul K S

2009-09-15

Concentrations of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs), polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), and three novel flame retardants, namely2-ethylhexyl 2,3,4,5-tetrabromobenzoate (TBB), bis-(2-ethylhexyl)-tetrabromophthalate (TBPH), and hexachlorocyclopentadienyldibromocyclooctane (HCDBCO), were determined in blubber samples of Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) and finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides). The levels of HBCDs and PBDEs in cetacean samples ranged from 4.1 to 519 and 103 to 51,100 ng/g lw, respectively. A significant increasing trend of SigmaHBCDs was observed in dolphin samples from 1997 to 2007 with an estimated annual rate of 5%, whereas no significant temporal trends of SigmaPBDEs appeared over the sampling period. This pattern may be attributed to the increasing usage of HBCDs following the restriction/voluntary withdrawal of the production and use of PBDE commercial mixtures in several countries. HCDBCO was not found in the blubber samples. This is the first report of the presence of TBB and TBPH, two new flame retardants that have previously been identified in house dust from the U.S., in marine mammals; concentrations of these compounds in dolphins and porpoises ranged from the instrumental detection limit (IDL) (<0.04) to 70 and IDL (<0.04) to 3859 ng/g lw, respectively. Levels of TBPH were comparable to SigmaHBCDs in porpoise samples. The presence of these novel flame retardants in top-trophic-level marine organisms raises concern about their release into the environment and indicates the need for further monitoring of these compounds in other environmental matrices.

Evaluating the influence of epidemiological parameters and host ecology on the spread of phocine distemper virus through populations of harbour seals.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Catriona M Harris

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: Outbreaks of phocine distemper virus (PDV in Europe during 1988 and 2002 were responsible for the death of around 23,000 and 30,000 harbour seals, respectively. These epidemics, particularly the one in 2002, provided an unusual opportunity to estimate epidemic parameters for a wildlife disease. There were marked regional differences in the values of some parameters both within and between epidemics. METHODOLOGY AND PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We used an individual-based model of seal movement that allowed us to incorporate realistic representations of space, time and animal behaviour into a traditional epidemiological modelling framework. We explored the potential influence of a range of ecological (foraging trip duration, time of epidemic onset, population size and epidemiological (length of infectious period, contact rate between infectious and susceptible individuals, case mortality parameters on four readily-measurable epidemic characteristics (number of dead individuals, duration of epidemic, peak mortality date and prevalence and on the probability that an epidemic would occur in a particular region. We analysed the outputs as if they were the results of a series of virtual experiments, using Generalised Linear Modelling. All six variables had a significant effect on the probability that an epidemic would be recognised as an unusual mortality event by human observers. CONCLUSIONS: Regional and temporal variation in contact rate was the most likely cause of the observed differences between the two epidemics. This variation could be a consequence of differences in the way individuals divide their time between land and sea at different times of the year.

Water changed the cities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elle, Morten; Jensen, Marina Bergen

An improvement in water infrastructure and cleaning up the waters changed many harbour cities in Denmark at the beginning of the 90s. The harbour cities changed from drity, run-down industrial harbours to clean and attractive harbour dwelling creating new city centres and vital city areas...

77 FR 14736 - Takes of Marine Mammals Incidental to Specified Activities; Pile Placement for Fishermen's...

Science.gov (United States)

2012-03-13

... animal, carcass with moderate to advanced decomposition, or scavenger damage), Fishermen's would report... animals. Population trends for all U.S. stocks of harbor porpoises are currently unknown. Gulf of Maine... earthquakes, and animals are natural sound sources throughout the marine environment. Marine mammals produce...

Long-term tag retention on two species of small cetaceans

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Heide-Jorgensen, Mads Peter; Nielsen, Nynne H.; Teilmann, Jonas

2017-01-01

transmitters. The transmitters were mounted by pins that were pushed through the fins of the porpoises or the backs of the narwhals. Overall body condition seemed unaffected by the instrumentations. Macroscopical examination revealed that umbilicalization of the tissue surrounding the pins was almost complete...

Brucella ceti Infection in a Common Minke Whale ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) with Associated Pathology.

Science.gov (United States)

Davison, Nicholas J; Perrett, Lorraine L; Dawson, Claire; Dagleish, Mark P; Haskins, Gary; Muchowski, Jakub; Whatmore, Adrian M

2017-07-01

There are three major lineages of marine mammal strains of Brucella spp.: Brucella ceti ST23, found predominantly in porpoises; B. ceti ST26, in pelagic delphinids and ziphiids; and Brucella pinnipedialis ST24/25, predominantly in seals. The isolation of Brucella spp. in mysticetes has been described only in common minke whales ( Balaenoptera acutorostrata ) in Norway and Scotland. We report a third case of Brucella infection and isolation in a minke whale associated with a large abscess. In contrast to the two previous reports that involved isolates of B. pinnipedialis ST24 or the porpoise-associated B. ceti complex ST23, this case was associated with the dolphin-associated B. ceti ST26. Thus, minke whales can be infected naturally with members of all the distinct major lineages of Brucella associated with marine mammals. This report is unique in that the B. ceti ST26 did not originate from a pelagic delphinid or a beaked whale.

Seasonal and diel patterns in cetacean use and foraging at a potential marine renewable energy site.

Science.gov (United States)

Nuuttila, Hanna K; Bertelli, Chiara M; Mendzil, Anouska; Dearle, Nessa

2018-04-01

Marine renewable energy (MRE) developments often coincide with sites frequented by small cetaceans. To understand habitat use and assess potential impact from development, echolocation clicks were recorded with acoustic click loggers (C-PODs) in Swansea Bay, Wales (UK). General Additive Models (GAMs) were applied to assess the effects of covariates including month, hour, tidal range and temperature. Analysis of inter-click intervals allowed the identification of potential foraging events as well as patterns of presence and absence. Data revealed year-round presence of porpoise, with distinct seasonal and diel patterns. Occasional acoustic encounters of dolphins were also recorded. This study provides further evidence of the need for assessing temporal trends in cetacean presence and habitat use in areas considered for development. These findings could assist MRE companies to monitor and mitigate against disturbance from construction, operation and decommissioning activities by avoiding times when porpoise presence and foraging activity is highest in the area. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.