Monthly samples of sediment were collected from the Souss estuary, to determine the changes which have occurred in the concentrations of ten metals between 2001 when the low estuary was receiving the wastewaters from Agadir city and 2003 after stopping the sewage dumping. The annual contents of Cu, Fe, Zn (in 2001) and those of Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb, and Zn (in 2003) showed significant correla...

The seasonal distribution of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in Damietta estuary of the Nile was investigated to show the influence of organic pollution. The DOM values increased generally with depth. The vertical values of DOM varied from 0.23-9.97 mg O/l. The average DOM values gave noticeable local variations in each month and pronounced monthly variations at each station. The maximum monthly...

Unusual difficulties are encountered when characterizing the spatial distribution of the properties that collectively define the state of estuaries. Due to the variability of these estuarine conditions, greater sampling efforts are often necessary to describe estuarine environments, as compared to other aquatic systems. That is why in coastal management studies, where the collection of data is ...

In this study, factor analysis (FA) was applied to extract the hidden factors responsible for water quality variations during both wet and dry seasons. Water samples were collected from six sampling stations (St. 1 Lalang River, St. 2 Semeling River, St. 3 Jagung River, St. 4 Teluk Wang River, St. 5 Gelam River and St. 6 Derhaka River) in the Merbok estuary, Malaysia from January to December 20...

There is a well-tested theory for the computation of salt intrusion in alluvial estuaries that is fully analytical and predictive. The theory uses analytical equations to predict the mixing behaviour of the estuary based on measurable quantities, such as channel topography, river discharge and tidal characteristics. It applies to single-channel topographies and estuaries that demonstrate modera...

The distribution of heavy metals (Pb, Zn, Cd and As) in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary was investigated. The spatial distribution of heavy metals displayed a decreasing pattern from the turbidity maxima to both upstream and downstream of the estuary, which suggested that suspended sediments played an important role in the trace metal distribution in the Pearl River Estuary. In addition, m...

Suspension-feeding activities of oysters impart a potentially significant benefit to estuarine ecosystems via reduction of water column nutrients, plankton and seston biomass, and primary productivity which can have a significant impact on human well-being. This study considered nitrogen regulation by eastern oysters Crassostrea virginica in the Mission-Aransas Estuary, Texas, USA, as a functio...

Jenynsia multidentata is an important component of the fish assemblage of the Patos Lagoon estuary in southern South Brazil. In order to investigate its reproductive cycle and abundance patterns, standardized sampling was conducted over large spatial (marine, estuary and lagoon) and temporal (1996–2003) scales. Both females and males were significantly more abundant during summer (December–Marc...

The movements, abundance, age composition and growth of bass, Dicentrarchus labrax (L.), in the Severn Estuary and inner Bristol Channel have been described from regular samples offish taken from power-station intake screens between 1972 and 1977. Bass began to move into the estuary during late August or September and reached peak abundance between September and early November. The tendency for...

Sediments from the Mersey Estuary were analysed for polycylic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). Total PAH concentrations ranged from 626 to 3766 microg/kg and total PCB concentrations ranged from 36 to 1409 microg/kg. These concentrations are intermediate in comparison to other U.K estuaries with similar histories of industrialisation and urbanisation. The distr...