Thesis (PhD (Civil Engineering))--University of Stellenbosch, 2005. / Estuaries are complex water bodies and differ considerably from fluvial river systems. In estuaries the flow reverses regularly due to the tidal currents and flow depths depend primarily on the tides and not the flow. An estuary has two sources of sediment: the river during floods and the ocean that supplies marine sediment through littoral drift which is transported by tidal currents into the estuary. Oversimplified models cannot be used to investigate the hydrodynamics and geomorphology of an estuary due to its complexity. Sedimentation of South African estuaries has created several environmental and social problems. Sediment transport imbalances have been caused by changes in the river catchments such as increased sediment yields and flood peak attenuation due to dam construction. Historically floods used to flush estuaries to maintain the long-term sediment balance in the river-estuary system, but with reduced flood peaks, sediment transport capacities at the estuaries are reduced and flushing efficiency decreased, resulting in marine transport dominating in many estuaries. Two-dimensional (horizontal, 2DH) numerical models have been found to be appropriate tools for studying hydro- and sediment dynamics in SA estuaries. The modelling shows that the sediment balance in the estuary relies on a delicate balance between dominant flood and ebb flows. Although the models performed very well, there are still additional processes to include such as time varying roughness changes and cohesive sediments. For long-term and long reach simulations, onedimensional (or quasi-two-dimensional) models will also be required in future. Mathematical modeling can be used to simulate the flushing of sediments during floods, but attempts should be made to calibrate these models when adequate field data become available in the future. The modelling has shown that floods play a very important part in estuarine sediment transport processes. Physical modelling was undertaken of the breaching of an estuary mouth. The main aim was to illustrate the merits of breaching at higher water levels as well as to investigate the changes in the mouth during breaching. The data obtained from the experiments were used to calibrate and verify a mathematical model. Mathematical modelling of the breaching process at the Klein River estuary confirms what has been observed during numerous breachings in the field, i.e. that breaching at higher water levels and towards the southeast side is more effective. Sediment transport by both waves and currents was investigated. It was found that with increasing wave and stream power, sediment transport rates would increase if both waves and currents travelled in the same direction. In contrast, it seems that with the current direction opposing that of the waves, Hydraulics of Estuarine Sediment Transport Dynamics in South Africa iii greater wave heights resulted in lower sediment transport rates. A new sediment transport equation, based on stream power, wave power, as well as sediment size was calibrated and verified, and compared to the well-known Bijker formula.

This thesis investigated the population structure and spatial distribution of the cockle Austrovenus stutchburyi in estuaries and bays around the Canterbury coastline. Surveys investigated population attributes (average density and density of small cockles (< 10mm)) of Austrovenus stutchburyi in relation to physical environmental characteristics such as trace metals (copper, cadmium and zinc), sediment particle size, nitrogen and phosphorus levels, pore water and percentage organic matter of the sediment. Surface cover of flora and number of fauna present was also correlated with the density of cockles and small cockles < 10mm. MDS and PCA ordination showed that the biota was similar at 14 sites but differed significantly at the Pleasant Point Yacht Club (PPY) site. There was a positive correlation between fine sand (125 μm) and the average density of cockles and small cockles < 10 mm. High population densities of Austrovenus stutchburyi were also positively correlated with phosphorus levels, and percentage cover of Sea Grass (Ulva sp). However, Austrovenus stutchburyi density was negatively correlated with cadmium and zinc concentration, and percentage of mud present. The density of small cockles < 10 mm was negatively correlated with copper and cadmium concentration in the sediment and positively correlated with Topshell (Diloma subrostrata) numbers, Sea grass (Zostera muelleri) percentage cover, Sea lettuce (Ulva sp), percentage cover, and sediment particles sizes of < 63 μm (mud), 63 μm (very fine sand), and 125 μm (fine sand). Survival and behavioural changes of juvenile Austrovenus stutchburyi were investigated in relation to increased levels of copper, cadmium, and zinc in aqueous solution and sediment in the laboratory, and artificially increased levels in the field. In laboratory experiments in contaminated seawater it was found that, over time, copper and zinc had a detrimental effect on the percentage of juvenile cockles with their siphons extended as did copper concentration. Cockles 10 - 12 mm shell length exposed to different concentrations of copper had the lowest survival rate (25%) whilst cockles that were 5 - 7 mm in length had the greatest survival rate (69%). Cadmium did not affect survival or siphon extension in aqueous experiments. In the contaminated sediment experiments in the laboratory, the concentration of zinc (0, 20, 40, 80, 160 mg Zn/kg (dry weight)) and cadmium (0, 1.8, 5.6, 18, 36 mg Cd/kg (dry weight)) both decreased survival and burial of juvenile cockles in higher concentrations. Copper concentration (0, 5, 10, 25, 50 mg Cu /kg (dry weight)) decreased burial rates of juvenile cockles but did not affect survival. Transfer of juvenile Austrovenus stutchburyi within three sites in the Avon Heathcote Estuary during May 2007, found that site and exposure to copper, cadmium and zinc decreased the survival of the juvenile cockles. However, transfer of cockles between estuaries (Takamatua, Saltwater Creek and Avon – Heathcote Estuary) in May 2007 found that exposure to copper, cadmium and zinc had the main effect on survival of juvenile cockles. In July 2007 transfers of cockles between estuaries, site and exposure to copper, cadmium and zinc had an effect of survival on juvenile cockles. Cockle populations in the present research have shown a strong correlation with environmental variables, which can be used for management and conservation. The research in this thesis is a start to understanding the effects and implications of contaminants on survival, behaviour and recruitment of juvenile cockles. This research will benefit management strategies for increasing population numbers of Austrovenus stutchburyi.

The main goal of this thesis was to develop a multi-technique approach to characterise high molecular weight (colloidal) dissolved organic matter (DOM) occurring in estuarine and coastal marine environments and to investigate how these bulk properties may relate to their ability to influence the physicochemical speciation of metals such as iron and copper. This characterisation was undertaken systematically on the pre-filtered (0.4 μm) estuarine or marine sample, referred to here as the ‘bulk’, as well as on the ultrafiltered (< 5 kDa) and colloidal (> 5 kDa) fractions. Three successive studies were carried out. The first one took place in the estuarine mixing zone of a high pH, low turbidity black water river (River Thurso) and the other two in the receiving coastal waters (Thurso Bay). The optical and size distribution properties of these waters were examined in detail in the first study while their iron and copper-binding properties were examined in the second and third studies, respectively. Size fractionation results showed that the proportion of colloidal to soluble organic carbon (DOC) tended to decrease from the upper estuary (~ 60%) to coastal waters (~ 20%). With respect to trace metals, similar trends were observed as one progressed from the mouth of the river towards the open sea. In relation to their molecular absorption, fluorescence and size fractionation properties, both River Thurso DOM and Nordic Reservoir NOM Reference Material presented the same characteristics and mixing behaviour, indicating the dominance of humic and fulvic substances in the Thurso river-ocean system. The river-borne, humic colloids underwent two types of transformations upon mixing with the seawater end-member. The first one was the coiling or contraction of individual macromolecules ―monomers― with increasing salinity. The second one was the concurrent aggregation of these small monomer units (d = 2 – 4 nm) to form entities that were still colloidal, i.e. smaller than 0.4 μm. As a result of extensive association of iron and copper with the colloidal and soluble fractions respectively, not only organic carbon but also iron and copper behave conservatively in the River Thurso estuary. Throughout the coastal region of freshwater influence (S = 29 - 35) colloidal iron accounted for 30 - 80% of total dissolved iron and was present as iron-humic complexes supplied by the river and showing a uniform stability constant (log KFe’HS’ = 11.3  0.1, i.e. log KFe3+ HS’ = 21.3  0.1). Soluble iron was found to be largely complexed to ligands of marine origin with log K’Fe’HS’ = 11.9  0.1, thus revealing for the first time a difference between the iron-binding strengths of colloidal and soluble ligands. Terrestrial colloidal iron was found to be entirely, if slowly (~ 10 hours), accessible to the added competing ligand 2-(2-thiazolylazo)-pcresol (TAC) used for the determination of K’Fe’HS’. Furthermore, iron appeared to play a role in holding these terrestrial colloids together. Evidence for this came from variations in humic fluorescence intensity over time in response to dissociation of the ironhumic colloidal associations induced by a chelating resin. These results are consistent with the concept that iron derived from a peat-draining river is strongly but reversibly bound to humic substances and remains so under marine conditions. In the same coastal region, two types of high-affinity ligands binding over 99.99% of total copper were detected. The stronger ligand (L1, log KCu2+L1’ = 15.5 - 16.1), of riverine origin, was present in very low concentrations of 1 - 4 nM that correlated with ―but systematically fell short of― total copper concentrations. Its conditional binding constant tended to increase with salinity, with most of the increase taking place in the near-field portion of the river plume. The weaker, more abundant ligand (L2, log KCu2+L2’ = 11.8 - 12.8) was present in total concentrations of 60 – 170 nM and had a controlling influence on the value of the labile (i.e. inorganic) copper concentration which ranged from 0.001 to 0.0001 nM. Both organic ligands were fairly evenly partitioned between soluble and colloidal phases but their sources appeared to differ significantly. Ligand L1 appeared to be of riverine origin (although one cannot exclude active microbial production, as opposed to passive release from peat) while ligand L2 distributions suggested in situ production within Thurso Bay.

Muitos dos poluentes lançados diariamente no ambiente apresentam capacidade de bioacumulação e potencial altamente tóxico, induzindo danos em diversos níveis de organização. O peixe demersal Cathorops spixii e o pelágico Centropomus parallelus se alimentam de invertebrados bentônicos e pequenos peixes e são importantes itens alimentares para a população em geral. Neste estudo foram avaliadas as respostas citogenotóxicas através da análise de micronúcleos (MN) e anomalias nucleares (AN) em eritrócitos e a bioacumulação de PAHs e organoclorados (em fígado) e metais (em tecido muscular) em 207 exemplares dessas espécies, coletados nos Complexos Estuarinos de Cananéia, Paranaguá e Santos/São Vicente durante o inverno/08 e verão/09. Os tecidos foram extraídos para análises químicas. Na maioria dos casos, os níveis de danos citogenotóxicos obtidos nos exemplares de Paranaguá se colocaram de maneira intermediária, enquanto os da região de Santos estiveram acima dos obtidos nas outras áreas. Ficou evidenciado que os níveis de contaminação destes estuários são capazes de causar danos moleculares nos organismos. C. parallelus respondeu de maneira mais efetiva às análises dos biomarcadores utilizados. A bioacumulação refletiu principalmente a influência de fatores intrínsecos aos organismos e apresentou correlação com os dados citogenotóxicos. A ocorrência de metais e PAHs sobressaíram aos outros compostos. / Several pollutants that are daily discharged in environment are able to bioaccumulate in organism tissues and present highly toxic potential inducing damages in different levels of biological organization. The demersal Cathorops spixii catfish and the pelagic snooks Centropomus parallelus feeds on small fishes and benthic invertebrates and represent an important food source for local populations. In this study the cytogenotoxic responses in erythrocytes were evaluated by micronucleus (MN) and nuclear abnormalities (AN) analysis, and bioaccumulation of PAHs and organochloride compounds (in liver) and metals (in muscle) in 207 organisms of C. spixii and C. parallelus, collected in Cananéia, Paranaguá and Santos/São Vicente Estuarine Systems, during winter/2008 and summer/2009. In the majority of the cases, the cytogenotoxic rates found in Paranaguá were average, while in Santos region rates were higher than the others study areas, evidencing that the pollution levels between both estuaries were high enough to induce genetic damages. C. parallelus are more sensible to biomarkers responses. The bioaccumulation level was influenced by inherent factors from organisms and presented correlation with the cytogenotoxic rates. The occurrence of metals (in muscular tissue) and PAHs (in liver) were more pronounced than other compounds.

Muitos dos poluentes lançados diariamente no ambiente apresentam capacidade de bioacumulação e potencial altamente tóxico, induzindo danos em diversos níveis de organização. O peixe demersal Cathorops spixii e o pelágico Centropomus parallelus se alimentam de invertebrados bentônicos e pequenos peixes e são importantes itens alimentares para a população em geral. Neste estudo foram avaliadas as respostas citogenotóxicas através da análise de micronúcleos (MN) e anomalias nucleares (AN) em eritrócitos e a bioacumulação de PAHs e organoclorados (em fígado) e metais (em tecido muscular) em 207 exemplares dessas espécies, coletados nos Complexos Estuarinos de Cananéia, Paranaguá e Santos/São Vicente durante o inverno/08 e verão/09. Os tecidos foram extraídos para análises químicas. Na maioria dos casos, os níveis de danos citogenotóxicos obtidos nos exemplares de Paranaguá se colocaram de maneira intermediária, enquanto os da região de Santos estiveram acima dos obtidos nas outras áreas. Ficou evidenciado que os níveis de contaminação destes estuários são capazes de causar danos moleculares nos organismos. C. parallelus respondeu de maneira mais efetiva às análises dos biomarcadores utilizados. A bioacumulação refletiu principalmente a influência de fatores intrínsecos aos organismos e apresentou correlação com os dados citogenotóxicos. A ocorrência de metais e PAHs sobressaíram aos outros compostos. / Several pollutants that are daily discharged in environment are able to bioaccumulate in organism tissues and present highly toxic potential inducing damages in different levels of biological organization. The demersal Cathorops spixii catfish and the pelagic snooks Centropomus parallelus feeds on small fishes and benthic invertebrates and represent an important food source for local populations. In this study the cytogenotoxic responses in erythrocytes were evaluated by micronucleus (MN) and nuclear abnormalities (AN) analysis, and bioaccumulation of PAHs and organochloride compounds (in liver) and metals (in muscle) in 207 organisms of C. spixii and C. parallelus, collected in Cananéia, Paranaguá and Santos/São Vicente Estuarine Systems, during winter/2008 and summer/2009. In the majority of the cases, the cytogenotoxic rates found in Paranaguá were average, while in Santos region rates were higher than the others study areas, evidencing that the pollution levels between both estuaries were high enough to induce genetic damages. C. parallelus are more sensible to biomarkers responses. The bioaccumulation level was influenced by inherent factors from organisms and presented correlation with the cytogenotoxic rates. The occurrence of metals (in muscular tissue) and PAHs (in liver) were more pronounced than other compounds.

Compostos butílicos de estanho (BTs) estão na lista dos contaminantes impactantes relacionados ao ambiente marinho. Sua ampla distribuição associada à elevada toxicidade faz com que o monitoramento desses compostos no ambiente costeiro seja de fundamental importância. A ocorrência de BTs foi verificada em sedimentos superficiais, material particulado em suspensão e nos tecidos (fígado e brânquias) de três espécies de bagres estuarinos: Cathorops spixii, Aspistor luniscutis e Genidens genidens; amostrados em 8 estuários da região sul e sudeste brasileira. As análises foram realizadas através de GC-PFPD, seguindo padrões de controle de qualidade analítico e onde foi constatada a ocorrência de efeito matriz sobre o sistema analítico a partir da quantificação das amostras de tecido. Dentre os estuários amostrados, verificou-se um maior impacto dos BTs sobre os sistemas estuarinos de Paranaguá e Itajaí, em decorrência da presença destes compostos em todos os compartimentos ambientais analisados. As três espécies investigadas puderam ser consideradas como biomonitoras da presença de BTs no ambiente, uma vez que são passíveis de assimilação destes compostos, mesmo em organismos amostrados em regiões distantes de potencias fontes de entrada. Os efeitos sobre a fisiologia de C. spixii amostrado em Paranaguá também foi investigada a partir do uso de biomarcadores no fígado desses organismos, constatando um impacto associado à presença destes contaminantes no sistema. / Butyltin compounds (BTs) are in the list of related contaminants striking marine environment. Their widespread distribution associated with high toxicity causes the monitoring of fundamental importance. The occurrence of BTs were checked through superficial sediments, suspended particulate matter and tissues (liver and gill) analysis on three estuarine catfishes: Cathorops spixii, Aspistor luniscutis e Genidens genidens; sampled in eight estuaries from Brazilian south and southeast coast. Analysis were carried by GC-PFPD, following quality control procedures, where was verified the presence of matrix effect over the system from tissues quantification. Among estuaries, the major impact was found in Paranaguá-PR and Itajaí-SC, due the presence of these compounds in all investigated compartments. These three catfish species have shown good biomonitors of BTs presence once were liable of uptake, even in groups sampled far from potential BTs sources. The effects over C. spixii physiology were also checked in Paranaguá from the use of biomarkers on liver of these organisms, noting the impact related with the presence of these compounds on the system.

Thesis (M.S.)--East Carolina University, 2009. / Presented to the faculty of the Department of Geological Sciences. Advisor: D. Reide Corbett. Title from PDF t.p. (viewed May 3, 2010). Includes bibliographical references.

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) is crucial to carbon and nutrient biogeochemical cycling in the marine environment because it helps fuel heterotrophic microbial activity by providing substrates for degradation and remineralization. This study shows that substantial production of DOM in Texas estuaries can result from the solar radiation-enhanced dissolution (photodissolution) of particulate organic matter (POM). Experimental results showed that 0.4-6.6 mg C L⁻¹gsed⁻¹ of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and 0.03-0.93 mg N L⁻¹gsed⁻¹ of total dissolved nitrogen (TDN) can be produced from irradiated sediment suspensions within 24 hours, and further that photodissolution may augment DOC and TDN loads in Texas estuarine waters by as much as 3-85% and 4-75%, respectively. Photodissolution can also enhance the optical thickness of the water column via the release of chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), which may subsequently further enhance photochemical processes in surrounding waters. Photoproduced CDOM appears to be of relatively high molecular weight and dominantly exhibits humic-like fluorescence, suggesting that photodissolution primarily occurs for humic moieties. Photodissolution was also observed for sterilized sediment suspensions, indicating that photochemical degradation of POM is the primary pathway of DOM production during photodissolution, as opposed to microbial mediated degradation or stimulation of benthic primary production by benthic phytoplankton or algae. Environmental and mechanistic factors controlling the extent of photodissolution in Texas estuaries may include sediment desiccation, water organic content, and sediment characteristics (organic content and lability of POM). Desiccated-rewetted sediments suspended in artificial seawater under solar irradiation produced ~40% more DOC and TDN than wet sediments, indicating the sediment dry-wet cycle may alter the 3-D structure of sediment grain matrices and thus might be a major controlling factor of photodissolution in salt marsh systems. The organic content of water used in sediment suspensions did not significantly influence DOC or TDN photoproduction by itself, but the combined influence of water organic content and sediment dry-rewet event played a substantial role in controlling the extent of photodissolution. In contrast to the results in artificial seawater, wet sediments produced slightly more DOC ([Delta]DOC=0.10 mg C gsed⁻¹) and substantially more TDN ([Delta]TDN=0.14 mg N gsed⁻¹) than dry-rewetted sediments in organic-rich Nueces Marsh water during 24 hours of photoincubation. Photodissolution dominantly produced humic-like DOM even though biologically labile organic matter was available in sediments, indicating that photochemical reactions preferentially occur with humic-like rather than protein-like organic matter. DOC and TDN production during photodissolution was strongly proportional to the amount of POC in sediment suspensions. On average, 69.2 ± 11.0 mg C of DOC and 9 ± 3.1 mg N of TDN was produced from 1 g of organic carbon in sediment suspensions after 24 hours of photodissolution. / text

There is a strong interest to develop a method to estimate mean annual ungaged streamflow with varying precipitation. A method was developed utilizing GIS and other statistical analysis to estimate ungaged mean annual streamflow. This method utilizes a normalized streamflow fraction (NSF) method previously developed which relies on drainage basin area, coupled with mean annual local precipitation, to estimate the ungaged streamflow variability. This method has been applied to west central Florida.The test of the method yielded an R squared value of 0.9894, proceeded by a verification that yielded an R squared value of 0.998. This method is believed to be generally applicable to other areas and the particular results should be useful in and around west central Florida and perhaps, other coastal plain environments.

The world's marine and coastal ecosystems are under threat and single-sector management efforts have failed to address those threats. Scientific consensus suggests that management should evolve to focus on ecosystems and their human, ecological, and physical components. Estuaries are recognized globally as one of the world's most productive and most threatened ecosystems and many estuarine areas in British Columbia (BC) have been lost or degraded. To help prioritize activities and areas for management efforts at a regional scale, spatial information on human activities that adversely affect BC estuaries was compiled. Using statistical analyses, estuaries were assigned to groups facing related threats that could benefit from similar management. The relationships between estuaries, their biological importance, and their protected status were examined. This research is timely as it will inform ongoing marine planning efforts as well as land acquisition and stewardship activities undertaken by organizations such as the Pacific Estuary Conservation Program.