Airborne exposures of carcinogenic and co–carcinogenic pollutants, emitted from industries and various diffuse sources in a 10km radius of Gibraltar, were calculated at the west side of the Rock of Gibraltar facing the Bay. 2005 and 2008 industrial annual emission rates reported to E–PRTR and 2005 municipal diffuse annual emission rates were entered in OML–Multi, a multi–source version of an atmospheric Gaussian plume local scale dispersion model. The model results reveal that carcinogens PAH, represented by benzo[a]pyrene (BaP), arsenic and nickel, and potentially chromium are the priority pollutants with respect to human cancer risk and that the contribution from industrial sources on the Spanish coastal area exceeds that from the diffuse sources from adjacent Spanish municipalities. There is a decrease in annual mean air concentrations from industrial emissions between the years 2005 and 2008. The assessment of contribution to the Gibraltar air concentrations of the priority pollutants from industrial sources shows that refinery CEPSA, chemical industry Petresa and petroleum industry Lubricantes del Sur are significant for nickel. Chemical industry Interquisa is significant for PAHs with a notable decrease in PAH emissions from 2006 to 2007, whereas the contribution from CEPSA is more constant. For arsenic only CEPSA shows a continuous trend and contributes to the 2008 air concentration together with sewerage Edar de la Linea de la Concepcion. CEPSA and metal industry Acerinox contribute the most to the chromium air concentrations. NO2/NOx is the most critical co–carcinogen and electricity plant Central Termica Los Barrios, CEPSA, electricity plant Generacion Electrica Peninsular and electricity plant Cogeneracion de Interquisa are the most significant contributors to the air concentrations in Gibraltar. Pollutant contributions from CEPSA flaring, ship traffic in the Bay and Strait, local road traffic and local diesel generators are currently un–quantified.

The functional composition of reef fish assemblages is highly conserved across large biogeographic areas, but it is unknown whether assembly rules hold at biogeographical and environmental extremes for coral reefs. This study examined the functional composition of butterflyfishes in the Persian Gulf, Musandam Peninsula, and Gulf of Oman. Only five species of butterflyfishes were recorded during this study, and mostly just in the Gulf of Oman. Unlike most locations in the Indo–Pacific where butterflyfish assemblages are dominated by obligate corallivores, the only obligate corallivore recorded, Chaetodon melapterus, was rare or absent at all locations. The most common and widespread species was Chaetodon nigropunctatus, which is shown to be a facultative corallivore. The diversity of butterflyfishes in the Persian Gulf is likely to have been constrained by its’ biogeographical history and isolation, but functional composition appears to be further affected by limited abundance of prey corals and harsh environmental conditions.

Selenium concentrations have been measured in sediment, fucoid macroalgae and macroinvertebrates from four estuaries of SW England (Yealm, Plym, Looe, Fal). Sediment concentrations ranged from about 0.4μgg−1 in the Yealm to 1.49μgg−1 at one site in the Plym. Concentrations in Fucus vesiculosus (0.05–0.31μgg−1) and F. ceranoides (0.05–0.51μgg−1) were significantly lower than corresponding concentrations in sediment but there was no correlation between algal and sediment concentrations. Selenium concentrations in Littorina littorea (∼4μgg−1), Hediste diversicolor (2.82–12.68μgg−1), Arenicola marina (∼17μgg−1) and Scrobicularia plana (1.18–6.85μgg−1) were considerably higher than concentrations in macroalga or sediment, suggesting that Se is effectively accumulated from the diet. Although Se concentrations in some invertebrates exceed toxicity thresholds for the diet of predacious birds and fish, no specific evidence for Se toxicity exists in these estuaries.

Suspended particles (SP) are increasing dramatically in Bohai Bay, China and may affect the growth and composition of phytoplankton assembly. To determine the effects of SP on the growth of two dominant phytoplankton species, Phaeodactylum tricornutum Bohlin and Gymnodinium sp., we cultured and tested their growth characteristics under SP concentrations ranging from 0gL−1 to 0.8gL−1. Our results show that the increase in the SP concentrations results in significant decrease in the maximum cell densities and the maximum specific growth rates of these two species. The half maximal inhibitory concentration (IC50) of SP to P. tricornutum and Gymnodinium sp. were 1.07gL−1 and 0.68gL−1 respectively, indicating the inhibitory effect of SP on Gymnodinium sp. was greater than on P. tricornutum. These results suggest that SP inhibits the growth of the two algal species and P. tricornutum is more tolerant to SP than Gymnodinium sp.

This study compared 2 standardized protocols to monitor subtidal rocky shores. We tested 2 sampling methods (temporal unit and quadrat) to assess the efficiency of extracting biota parameters (diversity, abundance, and biomass) of macroalgae, Mollusca, and Porifera with respect to time–cost and the number of sampling units. Species richness and occurrence of rocky subtidal habitats were better described by visual censuses than by quadrats. The same estimated richness was provided by the 2 methods. The association of a visual census and a quadrat was the most efficient way for responding to the requirements. A minimum of 5 sampling units per discrete area is recommended for accurately describing habitats. Then, we tested the sensitivity of the proposed protocol on the Bizeux Islet to study the variations of community structures according to depth and station. Based on the results, recommendations for monitoring purposes have been proposed according to European directives.

This study refers to the performance of Phase I Toxicity Identification Evaluation (TIE) procedures to identify the contaminants (i.e. organic compounds, metals and ammonia) exerting toxicity in marine sediments from the Pasaia harbor (Oiartzun estuary, northern Spain). The effectiveness of the manipulations to reduce toxicity was proved with the marine amphipod survival test (whole-sediment) and the sea urchin embryo-larval assay (elutriates).By means of TIEs it was concluded that organic compounds were the major contaminants exerting toxicity, although toxic effects by metals was also demonstrated. Additionally, the combination of Phase I treatments allowed to investigate the toxicity changes associated to the mobility of contaminants during dredging activities. Therefore, the performance of TIE procedures as another line of evidence in the decision-making process is recommended. They show a great potential to be implemented at different steps of the characterization and management of dredged harbor sediments.

We investigated the effects of elevated pCO2 in seawater both on the acute mortality and the reproductive properties of the benthic copepod Tigriopus japonicus and gastropod Babylonia japonica with the purpose of accumulating basic data for assessing potential environmental impacts of sub-sea geological storage of anthropogenic CO2 in Japan. Acute tests showed that nauplii of T. japonicus have a high tolerance to elevated pCO2 environments. Full life cycle tests on T. japonicus indicated NOEC=5800μatm and LOEC=37,000μatm. Adult B. japonica showed remarkable resistance to elevated pCO2 in the acute tests. Embryonic development of B. japonica showed a NOEC=1500μatm and LOEC=5400μatm. T. japonicus showed high resistance to elevated pCO2 throughout the life cycle and B. japonica are rather sensitive during the veliger stage when they started to form their shells.

This study corresponds to preliminary work representing an initial assessment for spatial distribution of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in the Cilician Basin coastal sediments. The concentrations of PAHs in shelf sediments were determined from the three different regions of Cilician Basin (Eastern Mediterranean) in 2011. Concentrations of PAHs were low 5.43–271ngg−1 with respect to other coastal sediments in the Mediterranean and these results could be compared with concentrations found in open sea areas. PAH composed mainly of pyrolytic four and five-ring compounds. An abundance of high molecular weight PAHs indicated that atmospheric particles and urban aerosols are the major input route of hydrocarbons in the Cilician and Lattakia Basins. PAH levels were assessed in accordance with numerical Sediment Quality Guideline (SQG) of the USEPA. The results showed that no samples exceeded biological thresholds to pose biological impairments.

Jellyfish blooms are generally attributed to a biological response to the environment, neglecting the role of transport patterns in redistributing existing populations. Here, we use high-resolution (1.25km) ocean modeling to examine the role of transport in the onshore arrival and abundance of the pelagic stinging jellyfish Pelagia noctiluca on the Ligurian Sea coast. Jellyfish are modeled as Lagrangian particles with a 0–300-m diel vertical migration typical of P. noctiluca. Over the course of a year, onshore arrivals are not restricted to the summer. Arrivals are concentrated at capes, but abundance can reach maxima in bays and in the lee of capes. Two factors impact jellyfish arrivals at the coast: the position of the Northern Current and the wind. A comparison of summer 2006 and available onshore jellyfish observations suggests a correct capture of the main stranding events by the model. These results have implications for understanding long-term fluctuations.

Despite its EU-wide ban in 2004 the triazine herbicide atrazine (ATR) and its transformation products (TPs) are frequently detected in the aqueous environment. In this study, concentrations of ATR, two of its TPs, and terbuthylazine (TERB) are presented and discussed in coastal waters of the Northern Aegean Sea, the Dardanelles, the Baltic Sea (Germany), the Northern Adriatic Sea (Italy), and the coastline close to Barcelona (Spain). The water samples (n=132) were taken in 2009–2011. Sediment samples (n=7) were taken from Baltic Sea (Germany) and Thermaikos Gulf (Greece). Maximum ATR concentrations (31–41ngL−1) were detected in Istanbul and the Dardanelles. A concentration gradient from East to West in the Aegean Sea was observed, indicating ongoing ATR contamination via the Dardanelles. Low concentrations and detection frequencies were observed at the other locations, indicating the success of the prohibition. However, the presence of TERB in the Northern Adriatic Sea raises concern.