Download or read book Sediment Dynamics and Associated Heavy Metals in a Small River and Wave dominated Inner Shelf Barcelona City NW Mediterranean written by Laura López Fernández and published by . This book was released on 2013 with total page 122 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Wave storms and river inputs have been found to be the dominant forcing mechanism of sediment transport in continental shelves dominated by medium to large rivers around the world (e.g. Drake and Cacchione, 1985; Sherwood et al., 1994; Ogston and Stemberg, 1999; Traykovski et al., 2000; Wadman and McNinch, 2008) and in the northwestern Mediterranean Sea (Jiménez et al., 1999; Puig et al., 2001; Guillén et al., 2002, 2006; Palanques et al., 2002, 2011; Ferré et al., 2005; Roussiez et al., 2005; Ulses et al., 2008). However, the contribution of "small" Mediterranean river systems in fine-grained sediment dynamics is not well known. Flood and storm events redistribute not only sediment but also all the associated matter as well, such a heavy metals, which are indicators of the impact of industrial and urban activities. For these reasons, the present thesis project involves studying the dynamics of sediments and associated heavy metals across the inner continental shelf off the Besòs River (Barcelona), and in particular determining the effect of floods and storms in a littoral system affected by industrial and urban activities. To this end, several oceanographic surveys were carried out between 20 and 40 m water depths in the Barcelona continental shelf to obtain a variety of data: to register vertical hydrographical profiles (temperature, salinity and turbidity); to record time series of physical parameters (currents, salinity, temperature, turbidity and seabed variation) by deploying oceanographic equipment; and to take sediment samples (short cores and Van Veen grabs) and suspended and downward particulate matter from water samples and sediment traps for further sedimentological and geochemical analysis. The time period of the present study comprised three seasons, from autumn 2007 to spring 2008, which showed distinct features between them. The purpose of section 3 was to describe the main hydrographic and hydrodynamic conditions during the study period to support the interpretation of sediment transport processes. Three different periods in terms of storm and river activity matched the natural seasons of the year: The period comprised between end of September 2007 and December 2007 (autumn) was characterized by an intense frequency of northeastern-eastern storms mostly coupled with high but short river discharges and a convergence of the across-shelf current between 20 m and 30 m water depths; between January and early March 2008 (winter), the wave and river activity and frequency were reduced significantly with offshore currents dominating the across component; and finally, from March to mid June 2008 (spring), specially between May and June 2008, river discharges lasted more than one month and occurred under low wave energy conditions or in conjunction with S-SE and SW wave storms. The sediment response to the forcing conditions observed during the study period was analyzed in section 4. The grain size and porosity measurements taken in all the sediment samples collected during the experiment (sediment cores, sediment grabs and sediment traps) showed a high spatial and temporal variability of the bottom sediment properties, downward sediment fluxes and near-bottom sediment concentrations across the inner-shelf. Those changes were associated to periods of high wave shear stress, river and current energy and therefore, were more intense in autumn 2007 and spring 2008. However, an across shelf spatial variability was observed during this period which was associated to the sediment availability (i.e. critical shear stress gradients). As a result, the same storm produced larger nearbottom sediment concentration in deeper waters due to the limitation on the availability of resuspendable sediment in the near-shore. The resultant sediment dynamics across the inner shelf and results in sediment transport modeling during a resuspension event were then addressed in section 5. In the inner shelf off Barcelona, the general circulation of sediment transport was mainly directed towards the southwest (along-shelf) during the study period, however, the seaward component was considerably relevant and favored the segregation of coarse and fine sediment from the nearshore towards deeper areas. Nonetheless, noticeable differences in sediment transport patterns were observed across the inner shelf. Nearbottom sediment transport at 20 m water depth was mainly offshore, while in deeper parts of the inner shelf the along-shelf component dominated the sediment transport. The resulting sediment transport and its variability across the shelf, deposited riverine and storm-derived fine sediment in an along-shelf path towards the southwest between 20 m and 30 m water depth and only under the strong storms were transferred seaward toward the 40 m water depth site and to deeper areas. These differences had in turn a strong seasonal component related to the availability of fine sediments from river inputs and the energy of waves and currents. In this sense, autumn and spring registered events affected mostly at 20 m water depth and autumn and early winter months were more energetic at deeper waters reversing the sing of sediment transport gradients across the shelf. During this event, the sediment transport model captured adequately the transport rates across the inner shelf and allowed the estimation of the integrated vertical sediment flux in 10 meters of the water column above the seabed. Consequently with the observed and modelled pattern of sediment transport, the seabed variation was higher at 30 m than at 20 m water depth, with a total seabed erosion of about 10 cm and 4 cm, respectively. The implications of the sediment dynamics during the study period in the transference of heavy metals from the Besòs River across the shelf was analyzed in section 6. The Besòs River introduced heavy metal pollutants into the nearshore continuously associated with the regular regime and sporadically during increments in river discharge. Only during high wave and current energy the anthropogenic contamination, previously deposited in the shallow inner-shelf, reached deeper areas. As a result, the most contaminated sediment accumulated southwestward from the river and sewer mouths along the inner shelf decreasing offshore. The most affected area associated to the Besòs river influence was located around the tripod sites, especially between 20 m and 30 m water depths decreasing offshore.Finally, the main conclusions and proposals for future research of this thesis are discussed in section 7. In it, the importance of "small" Mediterranean river systems in the transfer of sediment across the continental shelf is highlighted from the sediment transport events observed during the study period.
Download or read book Bedforms and Associated Sediment Dynamics on the Inner Shelves at Different Spatio temporal Scales written by Queralt Guerrero Sánchez and published by . This book was released on 2019 with total page 169 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This Thesis conducts the study of bedform development and dynamics in the inner shelf integrating observations at different spatial and temporal scales. An initial assumption is that different scales of sedimentary processes strongly interact between them and small-scale sedimentary processes intended to foster those of larger scale. The potential contribution of small-scale bedforms to the sediment transport is particularly addressed. The study includes the monitoring and analysis of sand ridges, ripples and near-bottom suspended sediment variations at the Ebro Delta (NW Mediterranean Sea) and Perranporth (Atlantic Ocean) inner shelves. A sand ridge field with maximum ridges heights of 2.5 m and 400 m spaced is located over a retreating lobe in the Ebro Delta. Ridges are mostly symmetric arranging obliquely to the shoreline. The change of the main Ebro River channel led to the progressive abandonment of the former river mouth and to the severe coastal retreatment, providing large amount of sediment available in the coastal zone. NW winds induce strong near-bottom currents flowing towards the SE, which are able to transport sediment and produce ridge formation and migration towards the SE at ̃10 m/y. The characteristics of the Ebro sand ridges match well with those of shoreface-connected sand ridges and, particularly, with the initial stages of sand ridge development on storm-dominated continental shelves. Time-scales related to their genesis can be within a few decades. The presence of ripples on the different inner shelves is the most usual situation under low- to moderate-energetic conditions. In the wave-dominated and tideless coast (Ebro Delta) ripples were observed superimposed on sand ridges. Four types were identified: small undulations that were the precursor ripples, 2D wave-ripples, current-dominated 2D-3D-ripples, and combined wave-current 3D-ripples. The wave-ripples were static while the current-dominated ripples migrated. In a macro-tidal sandy beach exposed to high-energetic Atlantic storms (Perranporth), only wave-ripples were developed arranging orthogonal to wave approach and they were static. The size of ripples changed from larger (developed in equilibrium conditions) to smaller ripples, the latter interpreted as degraded ripples in wash-out conditions. The ripple prediction did not well-adjust to neither ripple appearance nor dimension. However, if the observed thresholds of seabed states are applied the model improves ripple appearance forecast. The near-bottom suspended sediment variability from seconds to months in the Ebro Delta is described distinguishing between waves, currents, and combined wave-currents conditions. In general, waves dominated the sediment resuspensions although strong currents also have an important contribution in the suspended sediment concentration (SSC) increases. The time-averaged SSC usually showed redundant structure by forming three layers with different patterns. In the lower and intermediate layers the SSC oscillated at gravity and infragravity wave frequencies. Time-varying and instantaneous profiles exhibit sediment patterns potentially related to ripples. The potential role of ripple migration as an additional long-term mechanism of sediment transport was analysed. In Perranporth, wave ripples are stationary and did not contribute to beach recovery because of wave orbital symmetry. The sediment transport is alongshore during low-energetic regimes and cross-shore during more energetic regimes when ripples are washed-out. In the Ebro Delta, 3D-ripples migration agrees with sand ridges migration direction towards the SE. The respective migration rates and their differences in size, support that a subordinate part of sand ridge migration can be the result of ripple migration contribution under low-, moderate-regimes, suggesting that in specific environments, dynamics of small-scale bedforms can play a subordinate but not negligible role in the evolution of larger bedforms.
Download or read book Heavy Metal Sediments written by Lucía H. Sanz and published by . This book was released on 2012 with total page 0 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Metals are naturally present in our environment and trace amounts of metals are essential micronutrients for the growth of many marine organisms. However, excessive amounts of heavy metal can be toxic to marine life. In this book, the authors gather topical research from around the globe in the study of heavy metal sediments. Topics discussed in this compilation include the distribution of heavy metals and total petroleum hydrocarbons in soils near a petrochemical complex in China; heavy metals in coastal sea sediments of the eastern Adriatic Sea; environmental assessments of metal concentrations in select rivers, estuaries and coastal sediments; iron contamination in the Bizerte Lagoon of Tunisia and the correlation between millennial mining activities and heavy metal pollution in Spanish estuaries.
Download or read book Geochemical Behaviour of Heavy Metals in a Sedimentation Area of the Rivers Rhine and Meuse written by Geert Arend van den Berg and published by . This book was released on 1998 with total page 154 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Catchment Dynamics and River Processes written by Maria Sala and published by . This book was released on 2005 with total page 226 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Maria Sala introduced experimental and field-based studies on soil and fluvial processes in Spain during the late 1970s and early 1980s. Research on this broad topic has grown remarkably worldwide since then. This title shows some of these advances and documents the latest research, although with a particularity: it gives special treatment to research on Mediterranean climate regions, an ever-present issue in Maria Sala's research career. It contains the latest research on slope and river processes with a special emphasis on rivers and catchments with a Mediterranean climate. Papers cover a gamut of topics describing research and applied studies, mainly in Spain, but also in Israel, the USA, Canada, the UK and New Zealand. The book examines natural and anthropogenic processes operating in drainage basins and includes coverage of current experimental and fieldwork investigations on soil erosion, river and catchment hydrology, suspended sediment transport and bedload dynamics in gravel-bed rivers, and present-day diagnosis and future key-paths for catchment and river management. * Examines the natural and anthropogenic processes operating in drainage basins and river channels, and covers current investigations on Process Geomorphology and Catchment Hydrology, including management issues * Topics covered include soil erosion, catchment hydrology, suspended sediment transport, bedload dynamics in gravel-bed rivers, and sediment yield * Emphasis is on the Mediterranean region.The geomorphology and management of a dynamics, unstable gravel-bed river : the Feshie-Spey confluence, Scotland / Alan Werritty, Trevor B. Hoey and Andrew R. Black.The long-term effects on soil properties from a forest fire of varying intensity in a Mediterranean environment / Xavier Úbeda, Sara Bernia and Elisabeth Simelton -- Landscape disturbance and organic carbon in alluvium bordering steepland rivers, East Coast Continental Margin, New Zealand / Basil Gomez and Noel A. Trustrum -- A decade of sediment transport measurements in a large Mediterranean river (the Tordera, Catalan Ranges, NE Spain) / Ramon J. Batalla, Celso Garcia and Albert Rovira -- Upland gravel-bed rivers with low sediment transport / Michael Church and Marwan A. Hassan -- Maintenance of an obstruction-forced pool in a gravel-bed channel : streamflow, channel morphology, and sediment transport / Richard D. Woodsmith and Marwan A. Hassan / Hydrological effects of dams and water diversions on rivers of Mediterranean-climate regions : examples from California / G. Mathias Kondolf and Ramon J. Batalla --
Download or read book The Spanish Coastal Systems written by Juan A. Morales and published by Springer. This book was released on 2018-09-03 with total page 809 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This monograph presents the state of art of the geologic knowledge about the Spanish coast obtained through scientific research in the last 30 years.From a general point of view, coasts are the most quickly changing systems of the Earth. This is critical, since many human resources, such as the main part of economic and social activities, are located in the coastal areas. Especially in the case of Spain these coasts include cities, wide industrial areas (including harbor complexes), important ecologic systems, and our main economic resource: tourism. Understanding the dynamic functioning of each element of this coast is vital for correct future coastal management, so as to solve problems derived from bad plans developed in the last decades of the twentieth century. This is a valuable text for advanced graduate students and coastal researchers, which connects the specific dynamic functioning of the main Spanish coastal environments and their relationships with human activities.
Download or read book Encyclopedia of Coastal Science written by M. Schwartz and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2006-11-08 with total page 1243 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This new Encyclopedia of Coastal Science stands as the latest authoritative source in the field of coastal studies, making it the standard reference work for specialists and the interested lay person. Unique in its interdisciplinary approach. This Encyclopedia features contributions by 245 well-known international specialists in their respective fields and is abundantly illustrated with line-drawings and photographs. Not only does this volume offer an extensive number of entries, it also includes various appendices, an illustrated glossary of coastal morphology and extensive bibliographic listings.
Download or read book World Atlas of Seagrasses written by Frederick T. Short and published by Univ of California Press. This book was released on 2003 with total page 336 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Seagrasses are a vital and widespread but often overlooked coastal marine habitat. This volume provides a global survey of their distribution and conservation status.
Download or read book Perspectives on Integrated Coastal Zone Management written by Wim Salomons and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 393 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: All coastal areas are facing a growing range of stresses and shocks, the scale of which now poses threats to the resilience of both human and environmental coastal systems. Responsible agencies are seeking better ways of managing the causes and consequences of the environmental change process in coastal zones. This volume discusses the basic principles underpinning a more integrated approach to coastal management and highlights the obstacles that may be met in practice in both developed and developing countries. Successful strategies will have to encompass all the elements of management, from planning and design through financing and implementation, as highlighted in this book.
Download or read book Limnogeology Progress Challenges and Opportunities written by Michael R. Rosen and published by Springer Nature. This book was released on 2021-04-24 with total page 592 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book honors the career of Professor Elizabeth Gierlowski-Kordesch who was a pioneer and leader in the field of limnogeology since the 1980s. Her work was instrumental in guiding students and professionals in the field until her untimely death in 2016. This collection of chapters was written by her colleagues and students and recognize the important role that Professor Gierlowski-Kordesch had in advancing the field of limnogeology. The chapters show the breadth of her reach as these have been contributed from virtually every continent. This book will be a primary reference for scientists, professionals and graduate students who are interested in the latest advances in limnogeologic processes and basin descriptions in North and South America, Europe, Africa, and China. *Free supplementary material available online for chapters 3,11,12 and 13. Access by searching for the book on link.springer.com
Download or read book Biogeochemistry of Wetlands written by K. Ramesh Reddy and published by CRC Press. This book was released on 2022-09-10 with total page 926 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: The globally important nature of wetland ecosystems has led to their increased protection and restoration as well as their use in engineered systems. Underpinning the beneficial functions of wetlands are a unique suite of physical, chemical, and biological processes that regulate elemental cycling in soils and the water column. This book provides an in-depth coverage of these wetland biogeochemical processes related to the cycling of macroelements including carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, and sulfur, secondary and trace elements, and toxic organic compounds. In this synthesis, the authors combine more than 100 years of experience studying wetlands and biogeochemistry to look inside the black box of elemental transformations in wetland ecosystems. This new edition is updated throughout to include more topics and provide an integrated view of the coupled nature of biogeochemical cycles in wetland systems. The influence of the elemental cycles is discussed at a range of scales in the context of environmental change including climate, sea level rise, and water quality. Frequent examples of key methods and major case studies are also included to help the reader extend the basic theories for application in their own system. Some of the major topics discussed are: Flooded soil and sediment characteristics Aerobic-anaerobic interfaces Redox chemistry in flooded soil and sediment systems Anaerobic microbial metabolism Plant adaptations to reducing conditions Regulators of organic matter decomposition and accretion Major nutrient sources and sinks Greenhouse gas production and emission Elemental flux processes Remediation of contaminated soils and sediments Coupled C-N-P-S processes Consequences of environmental change in wetlands# The book provides the foundation for a basic understanding of key biogeochemical processes and its applications to solve real world problems. It is detailed, but also assists the reader with box inserts, artfully designed diagrams, and summary tables all supported by numerous current references. This book is an excellent resource for senior undergraduates and graduate students studying ecosystem biogeochemistry with a focus in wetlands and aquatic systems.
Download or read book Ecological Regions of North America written by and published by . This book was released on 1997 with total page 92 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This volume represents a first attempt at holistically classifying and mapping ecological regions across all three countries of the North American continent. A common analytical methodology is used to examine North American ecology at multiple scales, from large continental ecosystems to subdivisions of these that correlate more detailed physical and biological settings with human activities on two levels of successively smaller units. The volume begins with an overview of North America from an ecological perspective, concepts of ecological regionalization. This is followed by descriptions of the 15 broad ecological regions, including information on physical and biological setting and human activities. The final section presents case studies in applications of the ecological characterization methodology to environmental issues. The appendix includes a list of common and scientific names of selected species characteristic of the ecological regions.
Download or read book Environmental Risk Assessment of Soil Contamination written by Maria C. Hernandez Soriano and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2014-03-26 with total page 922 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Soil is an irreplaceable resource that sustains life on the planet, challenged by food and energy demands of an increasing population. Therefore, soil contamination constitutes a critical issue to be addressed if we are to secure the life quality of present and future generations. Integrated efforts from researchers and policy makers are required to develop sound risk assessment procedures, remediation strategies and sustainable soil management policies. Environmental Risk Assessment of Soil Contamination provides a wide depiction of current research in soil contamination and risk assessment, encompassing reviews and case studies on soil pollution by heavy metals and organic pollutants. The book introduces several innovative approaches for soil remediation and risk assessment, including advances in phytoremediation and implementation of metabolomics in soil sciences.
Download or read book Advances in the Studies of the Benthic Zone written by Luis Soto and published by BoD – Books on Demand. This book was released on 2020-06-10 with total page 142 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: This book is an unpretentious editing venture to fill the gap in our current knowledge on the ecological implications caused by anthropogenic disturbances upon benthic communities in several regions of the world, including the Western Atlantic, the Mediterranean Sea, and the Eastern Pacific Ocean, as well as the pristine environments of the Andes in South America. The common goal of the contributing authors in this book was to unravel the complex processes that make possible the life existence of bottom-living animals in different environmental scenarios. To achieve such a goal, the authors focus their attention on the emerging issues inherent to global climate change or the pollution of aquatic systems. These are all themes that might be of interest to scientists active in a wide range of oceanographic subdisciplines. Well-established researchers would appreciate the innovative approach adopted in each chapter of the book, which extends from the ecosystem level to refined molecular interpretations.
Download or read book Case Studies of Submarine Tailings Disposal written by G. W. Poling and published by . This book was released on 1993 with total page 168 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
Download or read book Mediterranean Coastal Lagoons written by S. Cataudella and published by Food & Agriculture Organization of the UN (FAO). This book was released on 2015 with total page 294 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: "The Mediterranean region hosts around 400 coastal lagoons, covering a surface of over 641 000 ha differing in both their typology and use. Fisheries and various forms of aquaculture have been traditionally carried out in Mediterranean coastal lagoons since ancient times and are part of the cultural heritage of the region. Traditional lagoon management linked to extensive aquaculture and fish harvesting has certainly contributed, over time, to preserve these peculiar ecosystems, although much of the coastal lagoon areas have progressively disappeared due to land reclamation and other uses. Recently, coastal lagoons have become a relevant environmental concern: land claiming, pollution and the lack of management, among other factors, have strongly modified both the structure and functioning of these sensitive coastal ecosystems. In particular, the management of traditional aquaculture and capture fisheries activities has been identified as the main instrument to maintain lagoons' ecological features and to prevent the degradation of their sensitive habitats, both from an environmental and socioeconomic point of view. To guarantee the sustainability of aquaculture and capture fisheries in lagoons, proper management plans should be established so as to ensure the preservation of both biodiversity and local knowledge. This should also be considered as a fundamental pillar for any programme aiming at the preservation and restoration of lagoons' environment."--Publisher's description.
Download or read book Metals in the Hydrocycle written by Wim Salomons and published by Springer Science & Business Media. This book was released on 2012-12-06 with total page 366 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt:
