Seasonal Variations In Water Temperature Research Articles

Observing changes of fish community in a semi-arid subtropical coastal lagoon subject to ecological conservation

El Soldado is a semi-arid subtropical coastal lagoon subject to ecological conservation in the Gulf of California, where we reviewed the changes in the fish community structure before (1972; 1978–79; 1990–92) and after (cycle 1, 2018–2019; cycle 2, 2019–2020) the decree as a protected area, and we determined spatio-temporal changes between two consecutive annual cycles. We conducted monthly fish sampling cycles 1 and 2 with a small trawl net at three sites, where water and sediment variables were recorded, and drift macroalgae biomass was estimated. Results showed 99 fish species have been recorded in previous studies, and our study added 11 species. The fish assemblage (2018–2020) comprised 34 marine species and nine of them were dominant in both cycles. In general, higher fish abundance, richness, and diversity were observed in the cycle 1. Spatial changes, in both cycles, showed higher fish abundance, richness, and diversity in the innermost area of the lagoon, characterized by silty sediment and higher drift macroalgae biomass. Temporal changes showed higher fish abundance, richness, and diversity in summer-autumn during cycle 1, while during cycle 2, the higher values were in winter-autumn, mainly associated with seasonal variations in water temperature and the biogeographic affinity of fish species, but were also attributed to changes in the density of species classified as dominant. There was notable a drastic decrease of fish richness, diversity, and density during summer in cycle 2, which was attributed to be a warmer year. El Soldado fish community showed changes before and after the decree as a protected area, but also in the contiguous cycles. These changes include the addition of species, the prevalence of common species over 48 years, and the current dominant species that belong to indicator groups, which exhibit effectiveness in the conservation of this ecosystem.

Prediction of movable bed resistance in open channels with dune forms incorporating the effects of flow separation and water temperature

Flow separation behind the dune forms may have reduced the contact area between the flows and the bed surface, in addition to producing form drag in open channels. In this study, a novel predictor is developed based on the underlying mechanism of movable bed resistance across a dune-dominated bed. The mechanism is derived to a new formula based on the energy loss division approach to generalize the relationships among the grain drag, form drag and flow separation. The flow separation length is expressed to quantify the flow separation effect with a modified empirical method. Additionally, the water temperature effect is incorporated into the novel predictor due to the inclusion of fluid viscosity in both the roughness function and suspension number. A global database with a wide spectrum of measurements from the available literature was created to test the novel predictor. Approximately 83.3 % of flume data fall within a range of ± 30 % error, and ∼ 80.0 % of field data plot within this range. The optimized predictor has a better accuracy than the other four previously developed models in all five evaluation indicators. Furthermore, this predictor effectively reflects the impacts of water temperature on flow resistance to reproduce four variation modes. The diverse modes are jointly determined by suspension number and roughness Reynolds number. In actual river management, this predictor is used to interpret the effects of lower water temperature on sediment carrying capacity and flood routing. Seasonal variations in water temperature and the underlying effects of water temperature occur in rivers worldwide, which implies the need to pay more attention to this aspect in river management strategies.

Temporal Variations in Plankton Communities and Environmental Factors in the Shipra, a Central Himalayan Tributary of the Kosi River in Uttarakhand, India.

The essential role of smaller streams and tributaries indigenous to the area is crucial in revitalizing and restoring the main river system. The present study unraveled the relationship between plankton communities and environmental variables in the Shipra River, a Central Himalayan tributary of the Kosi River in Uttarakhand, India. Plankton distribution, abundance, and presence were investigated at four locations: upstream (S1 and S2) and downstream (S3 and S4). Forty-eight genera of phytoplankton and zooplankton have been identified belonging to ten classes (Bacillariophyceae, Chlorophyceae, Zygnematophyceae, Cyanophyceae, Euglenopyceae, Protozoa, Rotifers, Copepoda, Cladocera, and Insecta) based on the findings. Winter was dominated by phytoplankton (Navicula spp., Nitzchia spp., Diatom spp.); summer and monsoon by zooplankton (Daphnia spp., Cyclops spp., Keratella spp., Brachionus spp.). Plankton communities of the tributary were assessed using diversity indices (Shannon-Weiner's index (H), Simpson's diversity index (1-D), and Evenness Index (E)). Seasonal variations in water temperature, specific conductivity, total dissolved solids, dissolved oxygen, nitrate, and ammonium ions were found to be statistically significant (p<0.05). Canonical Correspondence Analysis, K-dominance plots, cluster analysis, and NMDS analysis showed the dynamic nature of the plankton communities with seasonal physiochemical variations in the unexplored Himalayan tributary. The plankton communities exhibited significant temporal fluctuations with physicochemical factors.

Flow measurement in the southern coast of the Caspian Sea

Oceanographic monitoring was conducted in the southern basin of the Caspian Sea to evaluate the physical structure of seawater and sea currents. This monitoring aimed to gather data and analyze the characteristics of the seawater, including temperature, salinity, density, and other relevant parameters. Additionally, the monitoring also focused on studying the patterns and dynamics of sea currents in the region. The collected data and analysis from this monitoring period provided valuable insights into the oceanographic conditions of the southern basin of the Caspian Sea. During storm events, a high level of correlation between the current and wind data was observed in the southern basin of the Caspian Sea during the 2017-2018 monitoring period. The measured current data indicated that the predominant directions were north (N) and northwest (NW). It was observed that strong gusts predominantly originated from the north (N) and northwest (NW) directions. Additionally, a smaller portion of the strong gusts was observed to come from the South-Southeast (S-SE) direction. These findings indicate that the prevailing wind patterns during the monitoring period were primarily from the north and northwest, with a lesser contribution from the South-Southeast direction. The current profiles observed during the monitoring period in the southern basin of the Caspian Sea were primarily influenced by the general circulation pattern of the region. This circulation pattern played a significant role in shaping the current profiles observed during the measurements. In terms of the surface current speed, the maximum recorded value was approximately 200 cm/s, which occurred in January. This indicates that there were instances of relatively high-speed currents in the southern basin of the Caspian Sea during that time. The evaluation of inter-annual variability in vertical structure and seawater temperature profiles during the monitoring period confirmed the presence of seasonal stratification in the water column of the southern basin of the Caspian Sea. This stratification was observed to consist of different layers, including the surface mixed layer, thermocline, and deep-water layers. The formation of these layers is indicative of the seasonal variations in temperature and density within the water column. The vertical changes in the water’s physical parameters during the monitoring period revealed the formation of stratification in the southern basin of the Caspian Sea. In March, it was observed that the water temperature decreased from 11.5°C at the surface to 8.5°C at a depth of 100 m, indicating the presence of a temperature gradient. As the monitoring progressed into May, the stratification became stronger, with the surface water temperature reaching around 23°C. By August, the surface layer of the sea water experienced a significant increase in temperature, reaching 29°C. These observations highlight the development of stratification and the seasonal variations in water temperature during the monitoring period in spring and summer seasons. The water temperature beneath the thermocline layer, specifically at a depth of 100 meters, was recorded to be around 8-8.5 oC. Additionally, the water salinity in the water column exhibited fluctuations between 12-12.5 (psu). Monitoring and understanding physical properties variations are crucial for assessing the oceanographic conditions and their potential impact on marine ecosystems in the southern basin of the Caspian Sea.

Reconstruction of annual and seasonal variations in water temperature in the Haute-Dronne River of southwest France based on δ18O records of freshwater pearl mussel shells (M. margaritifera), and its palaeoenvironmental implications

The aragonitic shells of freshwater pearl mussels (Margaritifera margaritifera) contain annual growth increments, whose composition reflect the geochemistry of the river water and bivalve metabolism. The wide geographic distribution and the long lifespan of M. margaritifera coupled with a previously established relationship between the δ18O values of their shells and river temperature means this taxon is a potentially important environmental archive; such freshwater proxies are currently limited in both space and time. In this paper, we investigate the relationship between δ18O values and both in situ and modeled river temperature (2007–2015) for a population of M. margaritifera living in the Haute-Dronne River (southwest France). Our δ18O data permit the reconstruction of seasonal temperature variations in the river. Sclerochronology reveals that shells also record seasonal patterns and produce winter growth increments, contrary to other investigations carried out on the same mussel species from northern Europe where low winter temperatures (below 5 °C) interrupt shell growth. The presented calibration for M. margaritifera and host river temperature offers the potential for reconstructing palaeoenvironmental conditions based on fossil specimens of the same species. Such reconstructions may improve our understanding of past continental climate and help calibrate regional palaeoclimate models.

Betaproteobacteria are a key component of surface water biofilters that maintain sustained manganese removal in response to fluctuations in influent water temperature

The health risks associated with manganese (Mn) in drinking water, and an improved understanding of Mn accumulation within, and subsequent release from, distribution systems, have increased the need for robust, sustainable treatment options to minimize Mn concentrations in finished water. Biofiltration is an established and effective method to remove Mn in groundwater however, Mn removal in surface water biofilters is an emerging treatment process that has not been extensively studied. Seasonal variations in water temperature can present an operational challenge for surface water biofilters which may see reduced Mn removal under colder conditions. This study examined the microbiomes of surface water biofilters at three utilities (ACWD WTP, WTP B, and WTP D) which all experienced similar seasonal fluctuations in influent water temperature. High Mn removal was observed at the ACWD WTP for much of the year, but Mn removal decreased with a concurrent decrease in the influent water temperature (58% ± 22%). In contrast, both WTP B and WTP D achieved year-round Mn removal (84% ± 5% and 93% ± 8% respectively). Marker gene (16S rRNA) sequencing analysis of the biofilter microbiomes identified a high abundance of Betaproteobacteria in WTP B and WTP D (37% ± 12% and 21% ± 3% respectively), but a low abundance of Betaproteobacteria in the ACWD WTP (2% ± 2%). The microbiomes of new bench-scale biofilters, in operation at the ACWD WTP, were also investigated. The abundance of Betaproteobacteria was significantly greater (p < 0.05) after the biofilters had acclimated than before acclimation, and differential abundance analysis identified 6 genera within the Betaproteobacteria class were enriched in the acclimated microbiome. Additionally, the acclimated biofilters were able to maintain high Mn removal performance (87% ± 10%) when the influent water temperature decreased to 10 °C or less. Further analysis of previously published studies found the abundance of Betaproteobacteria was also significantly greater (p < 0.001) in biofilters with sustained Mn removal than in biofilters which did not treat for Mn as a contaminant, despite differences in design scale, source water, and media type. Microbiome network analysis identified multiple co-occurrence relationships between Betaproteobacteria and Mn oxidizing bacteria in the WTP B and WTP D biofilters, suggesting indirect contributions by Betaproteobacteria to biological Mn oxidation. These co-occurrence relationships were not present in the full-scale ACWD WTP microbiome. Whether the role of Betaproteobacteria in biological Mn oxidation is direct, indirect, or a combination of both, they are consistently present at a high abundance in both groundwater and surface water biofilters with sustained Mn removal, and their absence may contribute to the seasonal fluctuations in Mn removal observed at the ACWD WTP. This new insight to Betaproteobacteria and their role in Mn biofiltration could contribute to water innovation and design that would improve the reliability of Mn removal.

Aggregative Behaviour of Spiny Butterfly Rays (Gymnura altavela, Linnaeus, 1758) in the Shallow Coastal Zones of Gran Canaria in the Eastern Central Atlantic.

The presence of spiny butterfly rays, Gymnura altavela, in waters less than 20 m deep off the Canary Islands shows marked seasonality, with relatively high abundances in the summer and autumn. Large aggregations of sometimes hundreds of individuals, primarily females, appear in specific shallow areas of the archipelago and seem to be associated with the seasonal variation in water temperature. This seasonal pattern of presence or absence in shallow areas suggests that spiny butterfly rays migrate into deeper waters or other unknown areas during the rest of the year. G. altavela shows sexual dimorphism; in our study, females were larger and more abundant than males, with a sex ratio of 1:18.9. The species' estimated asymptotic length, L∞, was 183.75 cm and thus close to the common length reported for the species (200 cm). The von Bertalanffy growth constant (k) oscillated between 0.210 and 0.310 year-1, as similarly described for the species in the Western North Atlantic off the U.S. coast. From June to November, the seawater temperature oscillated between 19 and 24 °C, and massive aggregations of females occurred at 22-24 °C and in a few specific sandy beaches on the islands. Spiny butterfly rays, mostly females, show a preference for aggregating in shallow waters during summertime, probably conditionate to mating or breeding behaviour.

Multivariate Analysis of Rotifer Community and Environmental Factors Using the Decomposed Components Extracted from a Time Series

Zooplankton abundance patterns exhibit apparent seasonality depending on seasonal variations in water temperature. To analyze the abundance patterns of zooplankton communities, it is necessary to consider the environmental factors that are essential for zooplankton community succession. However, this approach is challenging due to the seasonal variability of environmental factors. In this study, all rotifer species inhabiting a water body were classified into three groups based on their abundance and frequency of occurrence, and decomposition method was used to classify them into groups that exhibit seasonal vs. non-seasonal variability. Multivariate analysis was performed on the seasonal, trend, and random components derived from the classical decomposition method of zooplankton abundance and related environmental factors. This approach provided more precise results and higher explanatory power for the correlations between rotifer communities and environmental factors, which cannot be clarified with a simple abundance-based approach. Using this approach, we analyzed the seasonality-based patterns of the abundance of rotifer species by dividing the environmental factors into those associated with seasonal and non-seasonal variabilities. Overall, the results demonstrated that the explanatory power of redundancy analysis was higher when using the three time series components than when using undecomposed abundance data.

A New Look at Physico-Chemical Causes of Changing Climate: Is the Seasonal Variation in Seawater Temperature a Significant Factor in Establishing the Partial Pressure of Carbon Dioxide in the Earth’s Atmosphere?

Seasonal oscillations in the partial pressure of carbon dioxide (pCO2) in the Earth’s atmosphere, stronger in northern latitudes, are assumed to show that terrestrial photosynthesis exceeds respiration in summer, reducing the pCO2 in air but increasing its value in winter when respiration exceeds photosynthesis. We disagree, proposing that variation in the temperature of the surface mixing zone of seawater also reversibly regulates the pCO2 in air as a non-equilibrium process between air and seawater. We predict by thermal modelling that carbonate (CO32−) concentration in the surface mixed layer seawater declines in winter by conversion to bicarbonate with CaCO3 (calcite or aragonite) becoming more soluble and, proportional to the fall of temperature, calcite decalcifying more strongly, allowing more CO2 emission to air. Paradoxically, the increasing CO2 concentration in seawater favoring photosynthesis peaking in mid-summer declines simultaneously in autumn and early winter, forced by boundary layer fugacity into phase transfer to the atmosphere, supporting peak atmospheric pCO2 by late winter. These physico-chemical processes reverse in late winter and spring as seawater warms favoring calcification, fugacity forcing CO2 from the atmosphere as bicarbonate declines and carbonate increases, augmenting suspended calcite particles by several percent. Our numerical computation predicts that the larger range of thermal fluctuations in the northern hemisphere could reversibly favor absorption from air of more than one mole of CO2 per square meter in summer with calcite formation potentially augmenting shallow limestone reefs, despite falling pH, if there is a trend for increasing seawater temperature. Another assumption we challenge is that upwelling and advection from deeper water is the sole cause of increases in dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and alkalinity in surface waters, even in the southern hemisphere. Instead, some calcite dissolution is favored as water temperature falls near the surface. Standard enthalpy analysis of key DIC reactions indicates why this oscillation is more obvious in the northern hemisphere with seasonal variations in water temperature (ca. 7.1 °C) being almost twice those in the southern hemisphere (ca. 4.7 °C) with a greater depth of the surface mixing zone of seawater in the southern oceans. Questions remain regarding the relative rates of biotic and abiotic inorganic precipitation and dissolution of CaCO3 in the mixing zone. In summary, rapid biogenic calcification is favored by summer photosynthesis, but slower abiotic calcification is also more likely in warmer water. We conclude that the relative significance of terrestrial biotic and seawater abiotic processes in seawater on the seasonal oscillation in the atmosphere can only be assessed by direct seasonal measurements in seawater.

Sexual reproduction and biometry of the non-zooxanthellate papillose cup coral Paracyathus pulchellus

Basic information on the reproductive biology of many scleractinian corals species is limited or entirely lacking, particularly from temperate zones, though it is essential for a better understanding of their ecology. This study describes the morphological aspects and the annual cycle of gametogenesis and biometric parameterss of the papillose cup coral Paracyathus pulchellus collected at Palinuro (Italy, Southern Tyrrhenian Sea), filling a knowledge gap about the reproductive biology of a widespread Mediterranean and Northern Atlantic coral. Samples of P. pulchellus were collected by SCUBA diving between 5- and 10-meters depth during 18 monthly collections from June 2010 to December 2011. Sexually active polyps displayed either oocytes or spermaries, indicating that P. pulchellus was gonochoric. The sex ratio of sexually active polyps was 1:1. Gametogenesis began with undifferentiated germ cells arose in the gastrodermis that migrated towards the mesoglea of the mesentery where they completed the development. During spermatogenesis, spermary diameter increased from 25 to 83 µm. Oocyte diameter ranged from 9 to 146 µm and during oogenesis the nucleus/cytoplasm ratio decreased due to the accumulation of yolk. The nucleus migrated to the periphery of the oocyte adhering closely to the cell membrane. No embryo was observed in the coelenteric cavity of the polyps, suggesting an external development of planktotrophic larvae due to the small-sized mature oocytes and a possible broadcast spawning reproductive mode. Gonadal index of both females and males increased significantly from August until November and fertilization took place from November to January. Only sexually inactive individuals were observed from February to April, suggesting a quiescence period in both males and females. Seasonal variations in water temperature and photoperiod may have a key role in regulating gametogenesis. The analysis of the main biometric parameters (polyp width, height, dry skeletal mass, volume, surface/volume ratio and bulk skeletal density) showed a negative correlation between size and skeletal density, and no sexual dimorphism.

Recent changes of the thermal structure in Three Gorges Reservoir, China and its impact on algal bloom in tributary bays

Despite the fact that the water temperature of the Yangtze River has changed substantially due to the construction of Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), little is known about how the thermal structure of TGR responded to the implementation of two large upstream reservoirs in 2013. We investigated the seasonal variations of water temperature and discharge in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River by analyzing multi-year (2004–2018) hydrological and water temperature data. The effects of upstream dams on the thermal regime, density currents and phytoplankton blooms in TGR were examined. The results show that water temperature in TGR increased in spring (+1.1 °C) and winter (+0.8 °C) seasons after the filling of upstream reservoirs compared to the years before. Longer duration of stratification is associated with a smaller discharge and a longer water residence time. Moreover, the increase of inflow, which was at least partially due to upstream dam construction, lead to the weakening of stratification during the spring season. As a consequence of the higher water temperature in TGR in spring, the density-driven exchange flows between the main reservoir and tributary bays have changed. Overflows became more frequent, which promoted the deepening of the surface mixing layer, and resulted in a dramatic reduction in the frequency and biomass of phytoplankton blooms in tributary bays of TGR.

Variable Freshwater Influences on the Abundance of Vibrio vulnificus in a Tropical Urban Estuary.

ABSTRACTTo better understand the controls on the opportunistic human pathogen Vibrio vulnificus in warm tropical waters, we conducted a year-long investigation in the Ala Wai Canal, a channelized estuary in Honolulu, HI. The abundance of V. vulnificus, as determined by quantitative PCR (qPCR) of the hemolysin gene (vvhA), varied spatially and temporally by nearly 4 orders of magnitude (≤3 to 14,000 mL−1). Unlike in temperate and subtropical systems, temperatures were persistently warm (19 to 31°C) and explained little of the variability in V. vulnificus abundance. Salinity (1 to 36 ppt) had a significant, but nonlinear, relationship with V. vulnificus abundance with the highest vvhA concentrations (>2,500 mL−1) observed only at salinities from 7 to 22 ppt. V. vulnificus abundances were lower on average during the summer dry season, when waters were warmer but more saline. The highest canal-wide average abundances were observed during a time of modest rainfall, when moderate salinities and elevated concentrations of reduced nitrogen species and silica suggested a groundwater influence. Parallel quantification of the vcgC gene suggested that C-type strains, which are responsible for most human infections, comprised 25% of the total V. vulnificus on average, but their relative contribution was greater at higher salinities, suggesting a broader salinity tolerance. Generalized regression models suggested that up to 67% of sample-to-sample variation (n = 202) in log-transformed V. vulnificus abundance was explained using the measured environmental variables, and up to 97% of the monthly variation in canal-wide average concentrations (n = 13) was explained with the best subset of four variables.IMPORTANCE Our data illustrate that, in the absence of strong seasonal variation in water temperature in the tropics, variation in salinity driven by rainfall becomes a primary controlling variable on V. vulnificus abundance. There is thus a tendency for a rainfall-driven seasonal cycle in V. vulnificus abundance which is inverted from the temperature-driven seasonal cycle at higher latitudes. However, stochasticity in rainfall and its nonlinear, indirect effects on V. vulnificus concentration means that high abundances can occur at any location in the canal at any time of year, making it challenging to predict concentrations of this pathogen at a high temporal or spatial resolution. Much of the variability in canal-wide average concentrations, on the other hand, was explained by a few variables that reflect the magnitude of freshwater input to the system, suggesting that relative risk of exposure to this pathogen could be predicted as an average for the system.

Reproductive dynamics of the invasive lionfish (Pterois miles) in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea.

The lionfish Pterois miles invaded the Mediterranean Sea in 2012 and spread fast to the entire eastern basin. This study provides evidence of successful spawning and the first detailed analysis of P. miles ovarian dynamics in the Mediterranean Sea. The ovarian reproductive phases of mature females collected from Cyprus (eastern Mediterranean) between September 2017 and August 2018 were analysed, both macroscopically and histologically. The results suggested a prolonged oocyte recruitment and development season, and a spawning season that primarily occurred during summertime, even though spawning-capable females were caught also in autumn. A year-round spawning activity may have been inhibited due to seasonal variations in water temperature. Multiple oocyte developmental stages co-occurred in females at different reproductive phases, indicating that more than one oocyte batches were released per spawning season. The analysis of the spawning batch formation enabled the batch fecundity estimation at 3225-63149 oocytes. The oocyte development pattern described in this study shared characteristics with the indeterminate fecundity type, where new oocytes are recruited to the secondary growth phase in parallel with spawning activity. Climate change is likely to extend the spawning season of lionfish in the Mediterranean Sea and further favour its invasion. The information provided in this study is vital for the design of strategic and effective management plans to restrain the expansion of this highly invasive fish.

Degradation of asbestos – Reinforced water supply cement pipes after a long-term operation

Potable water supply system in major countries still uses a large proportion of asbestos-cement (AC) pipes for fresh drinking water delivery. Generally, after installation and initial purging, the AC tubes are believed to self-passivate by calcite scale and bio-film, especially when conveying hard water. However, the overall performance of AC tubes after decades of operation is significantly reduced and is still mainly unknown. In the current research, we investigated the AC water supply tube after 56 years of operation with high-hardness conveyed water. Our results show that asbestos fibres are emitted from degraded AC pipes as a result of wall softening due to calcium leaching from hydrated cementitious materials, resulting in the loss of mechanical stability. Although the water pumped into the system is not considered aggressive, the seasonal variations of water temperature and chemistry results in an interplay of calcite scaling and Ca leaching, the latter being the dominating process. By comparing the experimental observations with the long-term chemistry reports of the water supplied through the pipes, a positive relationship was established between the temperature and quality of the conveyed water with the corrosion and the calcite scale formation, which are dictating the emission of the fibres into the drinking water. In addition to the health risks posed by asbestos, these processes have many adverse effects on drinking water supply, such as pipe malfunction and destruction resulting in water loss, reduction of hydraulic capacity, microbial proliferation, and water quality deterioration, a topic of interest for global water industries process.

Geochemical Study on the Annual Variation of Oxygen Isotope and Chemical Composition of Groundwater in the Sho River Alluvium Fan, Toyama, Japan, as an Investigation of Selected Qualitative Aspects of Efficient Utilization of Groundwater Heat

Seasonal variations of water temperature, electric conductivity, and oxygen isotope and chemical composition of shallow groundwaters and river waters were determined in the Sho River alluvial fan, western Toyama Prefecture, Japan, to examine groundwater heat utilization for indoor climate control. Samples were collected at 31 sites every 2 months for 1 year and at 11 representative sites monthly. In addition, the results of monthly precipitation amount and oxygen isotope composition of precipitation collected within the region during the same period were also taken into account. The sources of the shallow groundwaters are a mixture of river water and precipitation. The contribution of precipitation to groundwater is generally small along the Sho River but reaches as much as 80% along the Oyabe River and in the south and west of the alluvial fan. Though the origin of the groundwater differs regionally, water temperature is fixed at around 15 °C throughout the year in the northern part of the alluvial fan, and open-type ground source heat pump systems can be used for cooling and heating there, if adequate quantitative aquifer properties (exploitable groundwater amounts) are present.

Methyl-Cyclohexane Methanol (MCHM) Isomer-Dependent Binding on Amorphous Carbon Surfaces.

In January 2014, over 10,000 gallons of methyl-cyclohexane methanol (MCHM) leaked into the Elk River in West Virginia, in a chemical spill incident that contaminated a large portion of the state’s water supply and left over 300,000 residents without clean water for many days and weeks. Initial efforts to remove MCHM at the treatment plant centered on the use of granulated activated carbon (GAC), which removed some of the chemical from the water, but MCHM levels were not lowered to a “non-detect” status until well after the chemical plume had moved downstream of the intake. Months later, MCHM was again detected at the outflow (but not the inflow) at the water treatment facility, necessitating the full and costly replacement of all GAC in the facility. The purpose of this study is to investigate the hypothesis that preferential absorbance of one of the two MCHM isomers, coupled with seasonal variations in water temperature, explain this contrary observation. Calculated intermolecular potentials between ovalene (a large planar polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon) and the MCHM isomers were compared to physisorption potentials of MCHM onto an amorphous carbon model. While a molecular mechanics (MM) force field predicts no difference in the average interaction potentials between the cis- and trans-MCHM with the planar ovalene structure, MM predicts that the trans isomer binds stronger than the cis isomer to the amorphous carbon surface. Semi-empirical and density functional theory also predict stronger binding of trans-MCHM on both the planar and amorphous surfaces. The differences in the isomer binding strengths on amorphous carbon imply preferential absorbance of the trans isomer onto activated charcoal filter media. Considering seasonal water temperatures, simple Arrhenius kinetics arguments based on these predicted binding energies help explain the environmental observations of MCHM leeching from the GAC filters months after the spill. Overall, this work shows the important implications that can arise from detailed interfacial chemistry investigations.

Dam‐influenced seasonally varying water temperature in the Three Gorges Reservoir

AbstractWater temperature is a fundamental parameter for both hydrological and ecological processes in aquatic systems. Usually, a sinusoidal function is used to represent the seasonal variation of water temperature in natural surface water. However, a large number of dams have been built on rivers worldwide, and water mass transport is retarded due to the reservoir impoundment. As a result, the water temperature lags seasonally behind the natural cycle due to seasonal dam‐operation, and the ordinary sinusoidal function is no more valid in describing the thermal process. In this study, a composite cosine function (CCF) is introduced to address the dam‐influenced seasonally varying water temperature pattern, which includes a time varying phase‐lag for temperature variations. The proposed method is applied to the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), a major impoundment on the Yangtze River, China. It is found that the annual thermal process of warming and cooling becomes asymmetry during the post‐TGR stage, that is, the seasonally varying temperature follows an asymmetric sinusoidal wave pattern. In frequency spectrum, both annual and semi‐annual components are main contributors to the time varying water temperature. The minimum temperature of TGR's discharge has increased by 1.86°C after the normal operation of the reservoir, and the coldest water arrival timing is postponed by up to 40 days in the dry season. The benefit of using CCF in temperature reconstruction is that it can prevent the mistake of ascribing the semi‐annual component to short‐term fluctuations. The present study can help in improving the understanding of the asymmetric seasonal temperature processes due to dam operation.

Reconstruction of temperature experienced by Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis larvae using SIMS and microvolume CF-IRMS otolith oxygen isotope analyses

This study aimed to reconstruct temperatures experienced during the larval period by adult Pacific bluefin tuna Thunnus orientalis using high-resolution otolith stable oxygen isotope (δ18O) analysis. A novel otolith sample preparation protocol for secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS) analysis developed in this study reduced the background noise of SIMS measurements, enabling analyses of &gt;10 times higher resolution around the otolith core compared to previous studies using conventional isotope ratio mass spectrometry (IRMS). The values obtained from SIMS were compared to those obtained by microvolume δ18Ootolith analysis using micromilling and conventional continuous-flow IRMS (CF-IRMS). There was a systematic offset (average 0.41‰ with SIMS resulting in lower values) most likely caused by matrix effects on SIMS δ18Ootolith values that can be calibrated using a strong linear relationship between SIMS and CF-IRMS measurements (r2 = 0.78, p &lt; 0.001). The core-to-edge δ18Ootolith of 5 Pacific bluefin tuna revealed fine-scale seasonal variations in water temperature agreeing with known migration patterns. In addition, the ambient water temperature experienced during larval stages (about 10-20 d post hatch) estimated from otolith core δ18O ranged from 26.7 to 30.7°C, overlapping with temperatures associated with the occurrence of larval Pacific bluefin tuna. Combining SIMS and microvolume CF-IRMS δ18O otolith analyses offers a microscale examination of fish ecology that is not possible with conventional IRMS techniques. This novel method is particularly useful for understanding the early life history of fish that may be affected by climate change and reconstructing a well-resolved migration history for fish species that have small otoliths and/or narrow growth increments.

Effects of dams and reservoirs on organic matter decomposition in forested mountain streams in western Japan

AbstractDamming of streams and rivers alters downstream ecosystem processes, and understanding its effects is essential in managing forested mountain streams. This study examined the effects of dams with a reservoir on organic matter decomposition and its seasonality in two neighbouring mountain streams over five seasons. The cotton‐strip assay and measurement of tensile strength loss were used to evaluate decomposition rates. In addition, the environmental factors, such as water level, water temperature, inorganic nitrogen concentrations and contribution of macro invertebrates were measured. The dams with a reservoir lowered decomposition rates downstream compared to upstream and unregulated sites, in all seasons. The decomposition rates also varied by season at all sites, with higher rates in summer and lowest in winter, and the seasonal variation was larger than the effects by the reservoirs in both streams. Seasonal variation in decomposition rates coincided with water temperature variation, suggesting strong influence of water temperature. However, the temperature differences did not explain the effects of reservoirs because water temperature was always higher at downstream sites. The downstream sites had lower nitrate concentrations and contribution of macroinvertebrates, and these factors may have greater effects than water temperature. Thus, damming of streams may lower the decomposition rates at downstream sites due to altered nutrient and biological effects. However, seasonal variation in water temperature may have more pronounced effects, resulting in greater seasonal variation than the difference among sites.

Season-dependent effects of ocean warming on the physiological performance of a native and a non-native sea anemone

The effects of ocean warming on the physiological performance of marine organisms have been widely studied. However, few studies have considered the relevance of seasonal acclimation to elevated temperatures and whether native and non-native species have similar tolerances to warming. We tested the hypotheses that the susceptibility to warming in two species of sea anemones from temperate latitudes is (i) higher in winter than in summer, and (ii) higher in the native than in the non-native species. Seasonal variability in the upper thermal tolerance limit of Anthothoe chilensis (native) and Anemonia alicemartinae (non-native) individuals from the northern-central coast of Chile was assessed in laboratory experiments during the austral winter 2015 and summer 2016. In line with our predictions, seawater warming (up to 16 °C above natural levels) significantly suppressed individual performance proxies such as survival and asexual reproduction (longitudinal fission) in the native species, but not in the non-native species. However, asexual reproduction in the non-native sea anemone was rare across warming treatments, and the native species showed a stronger capacity to detach from the substratum under adverse thermal conditions. Negative effects of warming on survival and fission were evident only in winter, when asexual reproduction is more intense in these taxa. Finally, water temperatures of 30 °C or more were lethal for both native and non-native sea anemones. These results show that the non-native species may have a broader thermal tolerance (in terms of survival) than the native taxonomically related species, but the latter displays behavioral adaptations to avoid adverse conditions of high temperatures. We suggest that knowledge about life history traits related to seasonal variations in water temperature and the invasion status of a species can help to predict its performance in a warming ocean.