Southwest Coastline Research Articles

Extremozymes and compatible solute production potential of halophilic and halotolerant bacteria isolated from crop rhizospheric soils of Southwest Saurashtra Gujarat

Halophiles are one of the classes of extremophilic microorganisms that can flourish in environments with very high salt concentrations. In this study, fifteen bacterial strains isolated from various crop rhizospheric soils of agricultural fields along the Southwest coastline of Saurashtra, Gujarat, and identified by 16S rRNA gene sequencing as Halomonas pacifica, H. stenophila, H. salifodinae, H. binhaiensis, Oceanobacillus oncorhynchi, and Bacillus paralicheniformis were investigated for their potentiality to produce extremozymes and compatible solute. The isolates showed the production of halophilic protease, cellulase, and chitinase enzymes ranging from 6.90 to 35.38, 0.004–0.042, and 0.097–0.550 U ml−1, respectively. The production of ectoine-compatible solute ranged from 0.01 to 3.17 mg l−1. Furthermore, the investigation of the ectoine-compatible solute production at the molecular level by PCR showed the presence of the ectoine synthase gene responsible for its biosynthesis in the isolates. Besides, it also showed the presence of glycine betaine biosynthetic gene betaine aldehyde dehydrogenase in the isolates. The compatible solute production by these isolates may be linked to their ability to produce extremozymes under saline conditions, which could protect them from salt-induced denaturation, potentially enhancing their stability and activity. This correlation warrants further investigation.

Halocercus lagenorhynchi infection in a stranded striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) on the Southwest coastline of India.

Necropsy on a striped dolphin Stenella coeruleoalba (Meyen, 1833) entangled in ghost fishing net and dead while rescuing yielded some helminth parasites, later identified as Halocercus lagenorhynchi. DNA barcoding of the host and parasite and the phylogenetic analysis of the parasite was conducted. This study provides valuable information towards establishing basal data of marine mammal parasite diversity and distribution in the Indian waters. We believe this is the first report of the occurrence of Halocercus lagenorhynchi in marine mammals in India.

Middle and early upper Pleistocene human occupations in Southern Italy. A reassessment of the assemblages from Cala d’Arconte, Capo Grosso and Cala Bianca

In southern Italy, the number of Acheulean sites in a secure stratigraphic context is small and sites with control over the age of the deposit and of the artefacts are even less. The open-air sites of Cala d’Arconte, Capo Grosso and Cala Bianca, located along the Italian south-west coastline, represent, in this context, an important source of information for the Lower Paleolithic.These sites were discovered and preliminarily studied in 1967–70 by A. Palma di Cesnola and P. Gambassini of the University of Siena, who ascribed them to the Acheulean due to the recovery of several handaxes associated with flaking reduction systems part of which attributed to the Levallois technology. A small number of the handaxes was recovered in its stratigraphic position while Levallois artefacts were collected exclusively on surface, leaving the question about the relations between these two groups unsolved.Here, the sites of Cala d’Arconte, Capo Grosso and Cala Bianca and their lithic collections are reinvestigated by re-evaluating the stratigraphy at each locality and by analyzing the techno-typology of the available artefacts. During a test trench carried out at Cala Bianca, several Levallois artefacts were discovered in situ in the uppermost part of the sequence in a layer located above a tephra recently attributed to the X-6 marker of the Monticchio series dated to 108.33 ± 1.08 ka. We suggest that these in situ Levallois artefacts belong to a Mousterian layer that must be considered as the most plausible origin for the Levallois assemblage previously collected out of context at this site. In turn, we also suggest that the Levallois and biface components collected from the surface at Cala Bianca and Capo Grosso derive from distinct occupations in time.

Impact of physical parameterizations on simulation of the Caspian Sea lake-effect snow

The southwestern coast of the Caspian Sea often experiences heavy snowfall during winter season due to the lake effect. The accurate estimation of snowfall in this region is still a challenge for weather forecasters. This study attempts to investigate the simulation of lake-effect snow (LES) event occurring along the southwest coastline of the Caspian Sea from 31 January to 4 February 2014 using Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model. The study evaluates the sensitivity of four microphysics (WSM6, Goddard, Morrison, and Thompson) schemes and two planetary boundary layer (PBL) schemes (the Yonsei University (YSU) and the Mellor-Yamada-Janjic (MYJ)), yielding eight distinct combinations. The results indicated that all the simulations overestimated the precipitation. However, the best configurations for estimation of precipitation and snow in terms of their spatiotemporal variation were the Morrison-MYJ and the Goddard-MYJ, respectively. Analyses of the vertical profiles of hydrometeor species showed that the combination of Goddard and MYJ schemes created more snow and graupel than the other configurations. Although the combination of WSM-MYJ schemes revealed the least bias, it was not appropriate for the prediction of snow. A comparison of the two boundary layer schemes showed that the MYJ scheme simulated better intensity and distribution of precipitation than the YSU scheme compared to observations. Also, the maximum radar reflectivity of the model output was useful for identifying the location of maximum precipitation.

Identification of accretionary wedge at Sumatra subduction zone using 2D seismic reflection

This research is focusing on structure at Nias Islands subduction zone. Subduction zone Sumatra is the collision zone of Eurasia continental plate and Indo-Australia oceanic plate. Prior to the establishment of the subduction zone there is an event of the making of continental crust in which in this research area is marked by Wharton Fossil Ridge. An odd feature of the Sunda subduction zone is the non-volcanic forearc ridge that comes up raised sea level assemble a lot of islands betwixt the trench and the mainland. The forearc ridge is the cap of a chunky sequence of sediments and sections of sea floor, known as the accretionary wedge, that are folded, faulted and plastered into the upper plate. Accretionary wedge structure which has the melange rock characteristics because of the plates’ subduction, The accretionary wedge could be intrepred using seismic reflection data with characteristic reflector doesn’t formed or visible. The islands offshore southwestern Sumatra might have a akin origin. The most appropriate study of these is Nias, which its southwest coastline is 90 km form the subduction deformation front and 20 km above the dipping plate interface. Southwest of Nias, the oceanic seafloor is dipping at a homogeneous angle 6° to 7° against Nias for a horizontal distance of 25 km beneath the accretionary wedge, where it attaints a depth of just over 10 km. In this research it has been done 2D seismic reflection data processing and the interpretation of the Wharton fossil ridge establishment, subduction zone, and accretionary wedge.

DIE OË VAN DIE GEES IN DIE BOEK OPENBARING - 'N TEOLOGIESE PERSPEKTIEF

Christians living along the south-west coastline of Asia at the end of the first century experienced, among other things, ethic, cultural and spiritual deprivation. The primary questions that Christians asked were: 'Who is in control of history? Does God see the tragic events in the world? The author of Revelations is writing a crisis text in which he comforts the readers. Using the metaphor of the seven eyes of the seven Spirits' the author indicates that the Holy Spirit is, inter alia, the Spirit of perception. He is the eyes of God, of the Lamb, of the Church and of the believer. He sees all things in time and space - both the good and the bad. This is the consolation.

Cytotoxicity of Sargassum angustifolium Partitions against Breast and Cervical Cancer Cell Lines.

Background:Marine organisms produce a variety of compounds with pharmacological activities including anticancer effects. This study attempt to find cytotoxicity of hexane (HEX), dichloromethane (DCM), and butanol (BUTOH) partitions of Sargassum angustifolium.Materials and Methods:S. angustifolium was collected from Bushehr, a Southwest coastline of Persian Gulf. The plant was extracted by maceration with methanol-ethyl acetate. The extract was evaporated under vacuum and partitioned by Kupchan method to yield HEX, DCM, and BUTOH partitions. The cytotoxic activity of the extract (150, 450, and 900 μg/ml) was investigated against MCF-7 (breast cancer), HeLa (cervical cancer), and human umbilical vein endothelial cells cell lines by mitochondrial tetrazolium test assay after 72 h.Results:The cell survivals of HeLa and MCF-7 cell were decreased by increasing the concentration of extracts from 150 μg/ml to 900 μg/ml. The median growth inhibitory concentration value of HEX partition was 71 and 77 μg/ml against HeLa and MCF-7, dichloromethane partition was 36 and 88 μg/ml against HeLa and MCF-7, respectively. BUTOH partition was 25 μg/ml against MCF-7.Conclusion:This study reveals that different partitions of S. angustifolium have cytotoxic activity against cancer cell lines.

The bottom water exchange between the Singapore Strait and the West Johor Strait

As a part of the border between Singapore and Malaysia, the West Johor Strait (WJS) suffered newly from harmful algal blooms. There is no previous study showing the source of the nutrients in the WJS. This paper is investigating the possible water exchange between the water in the WJS and the bottom water in Singapore Strait.This paper adopts a two-level nesting atmosphere-ocean coupled models to downscale the global atmosphere-ocean model into the Singapore coastal water, keeping the large-scale and long-term ocean and climate circulation signals and the advantages of the high-resolution. Based on the high-resolution ocean circulation fields, a Lagrangian particle tracking model is used to trace the Singapore Strait's bottom water movement and the water mixing in the WJS.The results showed that the numerical models well resolved the Singapore coastal water regional circulation. There is a small but significant bottom water (1.25%) transport from the Singapore Strait to the WJS, which occurs from the southwest coastline of Singapore. The bottom water in the Singapore Strait prefers to enter the WJS during the spring tide and the flood period, and stay in Johor Strait for 6.4 days. The spring tide is the first-order factor for the water vertical mixing in the WJS, the wind is also very important for the vertical mixing especially in neap tide condition. An overall very important factor is the light perturbation. With the strongest vertical mixing of nutrients and bottom sediments due to the spring tide, the latter ones may inhibit the light penetration during the spring tide and reduce the algal bloom. The light penetration otherwise is greater during the neap tide, when the winds are the most important factor and hence favor the algal bloom. With the strongest wind in February and the longest permanence time in June and the sufficient nutrient supply in February and June, the most serious algal blooms may happen in February and June in the WJS.

Ringhals Unit 3 and 4—Fluence Determination in a Historic and Future Perspective

Abstract The Ringhals site is situated on the Swedish southwest coastline. At the site, there are four operating nuclear power plants. Historically, the Swedish policy has been that the nuclear power plants were to be closed in 2010. The present position is to operate the units until their technical and economic lifetime has run out. The units shall be maintained and invested in to ensure a lifetime of at least 50 years, but the actions taken shall not limit the time to this date. When the initial surveillance capsules were evaluated, it was noted that the material properties of the weld material of unit 3 and 4 showed some deviations from the expected behaviour. Currently there is an extensive project running for re-evaluating the embrittlement situation from a long-term operating perspective. One part of the project is aimed at more accurately determining the fluence levels of the reactor pressure vessels (RPVs). The basis for the early evaluations of the dosimeters in the surveillance capsules and the corresponding fluence evaluation had an operating lifetime of 25 years as a target value. Therefore, the accuracy and refinement of the measurement and calculation were taken to be good enough to suit this life span. Looking back at the results from the dosimetry measurements there are a few discrepancies. Some of the dosimeters were disintegrated and some measurements had comparatively large uncertainties. When starting this project there were some re-evaluations done with the old fluence prediction model. For every new run and refinement there appeared new difficulties, and the decision was to start the evaluation from scratch. Then there are two questions remaining regarding the fluence: What is the current fluence level? What will the resulting fluence be after 60 years of operation, when we have up-rated output power of both reactors? This paper aims to describe the view of the fluence evaluation in the surveillance program of the RPV, both in a historical and prospective view.

Estimating 21st century changes in extreme sea levels around Western Australia

Extreme sea levels are likely to increase in the future with an expected accelerated rise in mean sea level and through possible changes in storminess. Society is becoming more vulnerable to extreme sea levels due to considerable growth in human populations and economy at the coastal zone and this is particularly true for Western Australia, the fastest growing Australian state or region. This paper describes a novel approach used to estimate future changes in extreme sea level around the southwest coastline of Western Australia. Probabilities of extreme sea level for the present climate have been estimated using a 60 year hindcast of sea levels. The impact of climate change has been explored by adding a range of mean sea level rise projections to these probabilities. Estimates of possible future changes in recurrence intervals every decade over the 21st century are presented, showing that climate change has the potential to significantly reduce current average recurrence intervals and that the amount of reduction varies significantly around the coastline.

Coral barium/calcium record of mid-Holocene upwelling activity in New Caledonia, South-West Pacific

A variety of inimical factors, i.e. sea surface temperature, nutrient input, nature of substrates, were invoked previously to explain the retardation in reef settlement in New Caledonia during the Holocene. In order to clarify the respective role played by temperature and nutrient level in the growth of fringing reefs along the southwest coast of the island, trace element ratios, i.e. Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca, were used, respectively, as a paleothermometer and as a tracer of nutrient load from modern and mid-Holocene (about 6000 calendar years old) massive Porites coral colonies. The results obtained from the modern coral record indicate that, near the outer barrier reef, upwelling activity is controlled by southeast winds blowing in summer. By contrast, along the southwest coastline, the fringing reefs are subjected to barium input mainly derived from weathering of barite-rich rocks cropping out in the adjacent mainland. Comparison between the fossil and modern coral Sr/Ca and Ba/Ca records shed light on three different aspects of the mid-Holocene climate and coral reef evolution in New Caledonia: (1) the variability of paleo-sea surface temperature (SST) seems to have been similar to the modern one, although the island probably experienced SST about 1 °C higher than at present; (2) upwelling activity appears to have been greater than at present. Barium being supplied from the open sea to coastal zones by strong-wind generated upwelling currents, in relation to cooling events; (3) the onset of reef development in the southwest areas of New Caledonia was delayed due to the stronger upwelling of nutrient-enriched waters during the early–middle Holocene. The flowing of upwelled waters over the southwest coastal areas began at 8200 calendar years BP, and ceased at the time when the outer barrier reef crest reached present-day sea level, about 5500 to 5000 calendar years ago.

Using factor analysis to identify consumer preferences for the protection of a natural area in Portugal

This paper focuses on the application of factor analysis so as to identify consumer preferences for the protection of a Natural Area. We combine the use of factor analysis with the valuation data obtained by contingent valuation survey. The survey, conducted via in-person questionnaires in 1997, is targeted at the economic valuation of the protection benefits of the Parque Natural Alentejano e Costa Vicentina, a natural protected area along the southwest coastline of Portugal. Factor analysis results show that the consumer is characterized by a three-factor motivational structure: use, warm glow and non-use motivation factor, respectively. We introduce these motivation factors, together with the respondent's socio-economic characteristics, in the economic valuation function of such natural protected area. Estimation results show that consumer motivation factors have an econometrically robust role. Therefore, consumer motivations are interpreted as crucial information for accurate social cost-benefit analysis of alternative protection scenarios, and thus serve as an important cornerstone in designing an effective and broadly accepted management policy for the Parque Natural Alentejano e Costa Vicentina.

A census of maerl beds in Irish waters

1. Records of maerl beds in Irish waters were compiled from the following sources: Admiralty Charts, published/unpublished ecological/geological accounts, and personal communications/observations. 2. Geographic and depth distributions of maerl records in Irish waters are discussed. Two main areas, Galway Bay–Connemara and South West Ireland, were identified as harbouring the highest concentrations of confirmed records, with maximum depth of confirmed records being approximately 25–30 m. 3. Deposits shown as ‘crl’ markings on older Admiralty Charts may refer to maerl and are situated at greater depths (to 95 m) and are further offshore than confirmed deposits (to 32 m), the latter being based on more recent observations. 4. Although the precise number of maerl beds in Irish waters cannot be assessed from the available records, the minimum number of larger beds (>1 km2), based on confirmed records only, is 35–40 beds located in 18 areas. In addition, along the south-west coastline numerous smaller spatial aggregations (as small as 1–5 m2) occur. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Outline of Korean vascular plants

Korean peninsula extended from 33°40`N in the south to 43°2`N in the north; it is bordered on the north by Manchuria and Siberia. The land is mountaninous in the north and east, and flat in the west with numerous small islands off its southwest coastline. Because of the long north-south extension of the peninsula and its complicated topography, there are wide range of variations in temperature and rainfalls; the average temperature through the four seasons ranges from 5 to 14℃, and rainfall from 500 to 1,500㎜. Such a natural environment makes a diversified flora in the region. Takenoshin Nakai listed 223 families, 968 genera, 3,176 species, 841 varieties, and 174 formae, a total of 4,191 kinds of vascular plants, including 11 endemic genera, 642 endemic species, 402 varieties, and 74 formae. This means that more than 4,000 kinds of native vascular plants from Korean peninsula. The Flora is rich as compared with some 1,500 species in Denmark and some 2,000 species in England. Many northern plants show common elements with those growing in Manchuria, Siberia and Far-east Asia. While in the north and high mountain areas many alpine plants are seen, the central part and the western lowland show the prominent vegetation of the temperate zone such as broad-leaved deciduous trees. The southern coast and the offshore islands of Cheju and Ullung are regions where warm temperate plants grow abundantly. Many herbaceous and evergreen plants taxa growing in the southern parts, are identical or similar to those seen in the southwestern part of Japan. In addition, the unique natural environment has facilitated the emergence of many endemic species. In this review the Korean vascular flora is outlined.

Erratum to “Thermoluminescence dating tests of Pleistocene sediments from uplifted marine shorelines along the southwest coastline of the Calabrian Peninsula (southern Italy)” [Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol. 130 (1997) 25–41

Erratum to “Thermoluminescence dating tests of Pleistocene sediments from uplifted marine shorelines along the southwest coastline of the Calabrian Peninsula (southern Italy)” [Palaeogeogr., Palaeoclimatol., Palaeoecol. 130 (1997) 25–41

Thermoluminescence dating tests of Pleistocene sediments from uplifted marine shorelines along the southwest coastline of the Calabrian Peninsula (southern Italy)

Abstract This paper presents TL age estimates of Pleistocene raised marine terraces from southern Calabria (southern Italy). It focuses on the dating of last interglacial shallow-marine sand deposits, including several Tyrrhenian key reference deposits whose stratigraphic assignment is based on biostratigraphic evidence (presence of a Strombus bubonius fauna) and geochronometric data (amino-acid data calibrated with U Th dates on coral). The TL age estimates are obtained on alkali feldspar coarse grains using their blue TL emission. They are in good agreement with the IR-OSL age estimates obtained on the same feldspar samples. Our feldspar TL method is tested on two Tyrrhenian key reference sites, Ravagnese and Bovetto, in the Reggio di Calabria area. Their measured TL age estimates (97 ± 11 ka and 100 ± 10 ka) are lower than their estimated geological age (i.e. Oxygen Isotope Substage 5e). The correction for long-term fading suggested by Mejdahl (1988), is tested on these two samples using a lifetime of 446 ka as estimated from both Calabrian and Miocene sand collected within the same area. This correction would yield preliminary TL ages (116 ± 13 ka and 116 ± 12 ka) that are in better agreement with the expected geological age. The application of our TL method to paleoshorelines lying below the Tyrrhenian reference shoreline of Ravagnese-Bovetto, yields stratigraphically consistent TL age estimates. The TL method is also applied to two supposedly pre-last interglacial paleoshorelines which are geomorphologically older than the Tyrrhenian reference shorelines. They remain however chronologically undifferentiated, both by the TL and the amino-acid methods. Finally, the preliminary feldspar TL results obtained on the Miocene and the Calabrian sand deposits (> 1 Ma), suggest that our feldspar TL method is limited, in the SW Calabrian area, to about 200 ka.

An offshore winter seabird survey on the south coast of Korean Peninsula (Mogpo-Wando-Yeosu area)

1. This paper is the result of 11 observations made on the sea birds migrating for wintering to the south-west coast between Mogpo and Yeosu in Jeonranamdo during the winter periods of the early 1974 and 1975.2. Two observers aboard the regular passenger-cargo ship navigating along the south-west coastline observed from the deck and recorded species and individuals of sea birds identifiable within sight.3. During the 11 observations in the winter period, a total of 25 species, 8, 532 individuals of sea birds were sighted. Among these dominant species were the Velvet Scoter, 42.82%; the Wigeon, 15.17%; the Mallard, 9.40%; the Herring Gull, 5.81%; the Brant, 4.08%; and so on.4. On one of the two survey areas, between Mogpo and Wando in eonranamdo, a total of 21 species, 1, 330 individuals were sighted. Among these, the rare species, Brant, 21.05%, was the most dominant; and it was followed by the Herring Gull, 17.44%; the Tufted Duck and the Pochard, 14.66%, respectively; and so on. On the other survey area between Wando and Yeosu, a total of 22 species, 7, 202 individuals were sighted. Among these, the Velvet Scoter, 50.57%, occupied the major portion, and it was followed by the Wigeon, 17.84%; the Mallard, 10.37%; the Herring Gull, 3.67%; the Ancient Murrelet, 3.01%; and so on.5. It was known by this survey, as had been reported by the other surveys conducted on other south coasts that the dominant flocks of ducks, grebes, divers, gulls, cormorants and so forth were migrating to the vicinity of sea laver-farms.6. In particular, the Brant, the rare species, though in small flock, was regulary migrating for wintering to the sea laver-farms on the coasts of Soando, Bogildo, Nowhado, and so on in Wandogun, Jeonranamdo. It was also known for the first time that roughly 100 Brants migrate for wintering to the south-west coast of the Korean peninsula. On the other hand, a flock of 80 and another flock of 7 individuals of the Japanese Wood Pigeon were sighted on the stands of Machilus thunbergii on the Maengsanri coast in Soando, Nowhamyeon, Wandogun and another coast of Shingeumri in Naeranodo, Bongraemyeon, Goheunggun, Jeonranamdo, respectively. Thus, a new suitable breeding site was added to the previously discovered breeding places for the Japanese Wood Pigeon. The preservation and maintenance of this coast is urgently called for.

Southwest oregon radio system for the Bonneville Power Administration

THE southwest coast line of Oregon is rugged, primitive, and beautiful. From Gold Beach, near the Oregon-California border, the towns of Port Orford, Bandon, Coos Bay, Reedsport, and Mapleton lie on the sea at the foot of the coast range in a northward sweep of 144 miles.