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At least 73 records · Page 4Linked to original sources
USGS1962

Behaviour of calcium carbonate in sea water

Anomalies in the behaviour of calcium carbonate in natural solutions diminish when considered in context. Best values found by traditional oceanographie methods for the apparent solubility product constant K ' CaCO 3 in sea water at atmospheric pressure are consistent mineralogically—at 36 parts per thousand salinity and T-25°C, K ' aragonlte is estimated as 1.12 × 10 −6 and K ' calcite as 0.61 × 10 −6 . At 30°C the corresponding values are 0.98 × 10 −6 for aragonite and 0.53 × 10 −6 for calcite. Because the K ' computations do not compensate for ionic activity, however, they cannot give thermodynamically satisfactory results. It is of interest, therefore, that approximate methods and information now available permit the estimation from the same basic data of an activity product constant K CaCO 3 close to that found in solutions to which Debye-Hückel theory applies. Such methods indicate approximate K aragonite 7.8 × 10 −9 for surface sea water at 29°C; K calcite would be proportionately lower. Field data and experimental results indicate that the mineralogy of precipitated CaCO 3 depends primarily on degree of supersaturation, thus also on kinetic or biologic factors that facilitate or inhibit a high degree of supersaturation. The shallow, generally hypersaline bank waters west of Andros Island yield aragonitic sediments with O 18 O 16 "> O18O16 ratios that imply precipitation mainly during the warmer months, when the combination of a high rate of evaporation, increasing salinity (and ionic strength), maximal temperatures and photosynthetic removal of CO 2 result in high apparent supersaturation. The usual precipitate from solutions of low ionic strength is calcite, except where the aragonite level of supersaturation is reached as a result of diffusion phenomena ( e.g. dripstones), gradual and marked evaporation, or biologic intervention. Published data also suggest the possibility of distinct chemical milieus for crystallographic variations in skeletal calcium carbonate. It appears that in nature aragonite precipitates from solutions that are supersaturated with respect to both calcite and aragonite and calcite between saturation levels for the two species. Such a relation is consistent with Ostwald's rule of successive reactions. Aragonitc of marine origin persists in contact with supersaturated interstitial solutions at ordinary temperature and pressure. Conversion to calcite follows transfer to solutions undersaturated with respect to aragonite or upon exposure to the moist atmosphere.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS1996

Comparison of the partitioning behaviours of yttrium, rare earth elements, and titanium between hydrogenetic marine ferromanganese crusts and seawater

In order to evaluate details of the partitioning behaviours of Y, rare earth elements (REEs), and Ti between inorganic metal oxide surfaces and seawater, we studied the distribution of these elements in hydrogenetic marine ferromanganese (Fe-Mn) crusts from the Central Pacific Ocean. Nonphosphatized Fe-Mn crusts display shale-normalized rare earths and yttrium (REY SN ) patterns (Y inserted between Dy and Ho) that are depleted in light REEs (LREEs) and which show negative anomalies for Y sn , and positive anomalies for La SN , Eu SN , Gd SN , and in most cases, Ce sn . They show considerably smaller Y/ Ho ratios than seawater or common igneous and clastic rocks, indicating that Y and Ho are fractionated in the marine environment. Compared to P-poor crusts, REY SN patterns of phosphatized Fe-Mn crusts are similar, but yield pronounced positive Y sn anomalies, stronger positive La SN anomalies, and enrichment of the HREEs relative to the MREEs. The data suggest modification of REY during phosphatization and indicate that studies requiring primary REY distributions or isotopic ratios should be restricted to non-phosphatized (layers of) Fe-Mn crusts. Apparent bulk coefficients, K d m , describing trace metal partitioning between nonphosphatized hydrogenetic Fe-Mn crusts and seawater, are similar for Pr to Eu and decrease for Eu to Yb. Exceptionally high values of K D Ce , which are similar to those of Ti, result from oxidative scavenging of Ce and support previous suggestions that Ce (IV) is a hydroxide-dominated element in seawater. Yttrium and Gd show lower K D values than their respective neighbours in the REY series. Results of modelling the exchange equilibrium between REY dissolved in seawater and REY sorbed on hydrous Fe-Mn oxides corroborate previous studies that suggested the surface complexation of REY can be approximated by their first hydroxide binding constant. Negative “anomalies” occur for stabilities of bulk surface complexes of Gd, La, and particularly Y. The differences in inorganic surface complex stability between Y and Ho and between Gd and its REE neighbours are similar to those shown by the stabilities of complexes with aminocarboxylic acids and are significantly larger than those shown by stabilities of complexes with carboxylic acids. Hence, sorption of Y and REEs onto hydrous Fe-Mn oxides may contribute significantly to the positive Y SN and Gd SN anomalies in seawater.

Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta↗
USGS2006

Influence of layer charge and charge distribution of smectites on the flow behaviour and swelling of bentonites

The influence of layer charge and charge distribution of dioctahedral smectites on the rheological and swelling properties of bentonites is examined. Layer charge and charge distribution were determined by XRD using the LayerCharge program [Christidis, G.E., Eberl, D.D., 2003. Determination of layer charge characteristics of smectites. Clays Clay Miner. 51, 644-655.]. The rheological properties were determined, after sodium exchange using the optimum amount of Na2CO3, from free swelling tests. Rheological properties were determined using 6.42% suspensions according to industrial practice. In smectites with layer charges of - 0.425 to - 0.470 per half formula unit (phfu), layer charge is inversely correlated with free swelling, viscosity, gel strength, yield strength and thixotropic behaviour. In these smectites, the rheological properties are directly associated with the proportion of low charge layers. By contrast, in low charge and high charge smectites there is no systematic relation between layer charge or the proportion of low charge layers and rheological properties. However, low charge smectites yield more viscous suspensions and swell more than high charge smectites. The rheological properties of bentonites also are affected by the proportion of tetrahedral charge (i.e. beidellitic charge), by the existence of fine-grained minerals having clay size, such as opal-CT and to a lesser degree by the ionic strength and the pH of the suspension. A new method for classification of smectites according to the layer charge based on the XRD characteristics of smecites is proposed, that also is consistent with variations in rheological properties. In this classification scheme the term smectites with intermediate layer charge is proposed. ?? 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Applied Clay Science↗
USGS2011

Silver nanoparticles: Behaviour and effects in the aquatic environment

This review summarises and evaluates the present knowledge on the behaviour, the biological effects and the routes of uptake of silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs) to organisms, with considerations on the nanoparticle physicochemistry in the ecotoxicity testing systems used. Different types of Ag NP syntheses, characterisation techniques and predicted current and future concentrations in the environment are also outlined. Rapid progress in this area has been made over the last few years, but there is still a critical lack of understanding of the need for characterisation and synthesis in environmental and ecotoxicological studies. Concentration and form of nanomaterials in the environment are difficult to quantify and methodological progress is needed, although sophisticated exposure models show that predicted environmental concentrations (PECs) for Ag NPs in different environmental compartments are at the range of ng L − 1 to mg kg − 1 . The ecotoxicological literature shows that concentrations of Ag NPs below the current and future PECs, as low as just a few ng L − 1 , can affect prokaryotes, invertebrates and fish indicating a significant potential, though poorly characterised, risk to the environment. Mechanisms of toxicity are still poorly understood although it seems clear that in some cases nanoscale specific properties may cause biouptake and toxicity over and above that caused by the dissolved Ag ion. This review concludes with a set of recommendations for the advancement of understanding of the role of nanoscale silver in environmental and ecotoxicological research.

Environment International↗
USGS2024

Season of death, pathogen persistence and wildlife behaviour alter number of anthrax secondary infections from environmental reservoirs

An important part of infectious disease management is predicting factors that influence disease outbreaks, such as R , the number of secondary infections arising from an infected individual. Estimating R is particularly challenging for environmentally transmitted pathogens given time lags between cases and subsequent infections. Here, we calculated R for Bacillus anthracis infections arising from anthrax carcass sites in Etosha National Park, Namibia. Combining host behavioural data, pathogen concentrations and simulation models, we show that R is spatially and temporally variable, driven by spore concentrations at death, host visitation rates and early preference for foraging at infectious sites. While spores were detected up to a decade after death, most secondary infections occurred within 2 years. Transmission simulations under scenarios combining site infectiousness and host exposure risk under different environmental conditions led to dramatically different outbreak dynamics, from pathogen extinction ( R < 1) to explosive outbreaks ( R > 10). These transmission heterogeneities may explain variation in anthrax outbreak dynamics observed globally, and more generally, the critical importance of environmental variation underlying host–pathogen interactions. Notably, our approach allowed us to estimate the lethal dose of a highly virulent pathogen non-invasively from observational studies and epidemiological data, useful when experiments on wildlife are undesirable or impractical.

Etosha National Park↗
USGS2010

Global positioning system and associated technologies in animal behaviour and ecological research

Biologists can equip animals with global positioning system (GPS) technology to obtain accurate (less than or equal to 30 m) locations that can be combined with sensor data to study animal behaviour and ecology. We provide the background of GPS techniques that have been used to gather data for wildlife studies. We review how GPS has been integrated into functional systems with data storage, data transfer, power supplies, packaging and sensor technologies to collect temperature, activity, proximity and mortality data from terrestrial species and birds. GPS 'rapid fixing' technologies combined with sensors provide location, dive frequency and duration profiles, and underwater acoustic information for the study of marine species. We examine how these rapid fixing technologies may be applied to terrestrial and avian applications. We discuss positional data quality and the capability for high-frequency sampling associated with GPS locations. We present alternatives for storing and retrieving data by using dataloggers (biologging), radio-frequency download systems (e.g. very high frequency, spread spectrum), integration of GPS with other satellite systems (e.g. Argos, Globalstar) and potential new data recovery technologies (e.g. network nodes). GPS is one component among many rapidly evolving technologies. Therefore, we recommend that users and suppliers interact to ensure the availability of appropriate equipment to meet animal research objectives.

Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society B:↗
USGS2022

Behavioural adjustments in the social associations of a precocial shorebird mediate the costs and benefits of grouping decisions

Animals weigh multiple costs and benefits when making grouping decisions. The cost-avoidance grouping framework proposes that group density, information quality and risk affect an individual’s preference for con or heterospecific groups. However, this assumes the cost–benefit balance of a particular grouping is constant spatiotemporally, which may not always be true. Investigating how spatiotemporal context influences grouping choices is therefore key to understanding how animals contend with changing conditions. Changes in body size during development lead to variable conditions for individuals over short time-scales that can influence their ecological interactions. Hudsonian godwits Limosa haemastica , for instance, form a protective nesting association with a major predator of young godwit chicks, colonial short-billed gulls Larus brachyrhynchus . Godwit broods may avoid areas of higher gull densities when chicks are susceptible to gull predation but likely experience higher risk from alternative predators as a result. Associating with conspecifics could allow godwits to buffer these costs but requires enough other broods with whom to group. To determine how age-dependent predation risk and conspecific density influence godwit grouping behaviours, we first quantified the time-dependent effects of con- and heterospecific interactions on the mortality risk for godwit chicks throughout development. We then determined how godwit density and chick age affected their associations with con- and heterospecific. We found that younger godwit chicks' survival improved with closer association with conspecifics, earlier hatch dates and lower gull densities, whereas older chicks survived better with earlier hatch dates, though this effect was less clear. Concomitantly, godwit broods avoided gulls early in development and when godwit densities were high but maintained loose associations with conspecifics throughout development. We identified how individuals can optimally shift with whom they group according to risks that vary spatially and temporally. Investigating the effects of a species' ecological interactions across spatiotemporal contexts in this way can shed light on how animals adjust their associations according to the costs and benefits of each association.

Journal of Animal Ecology↗
USGS2014

Diverse juvenile life-history behaviours contribute to the spawning stock of an anadromous fish population

Habitat quality often varies substantially across space and time, producing a shifting mosaic of growth and mortality trade-offs across watersheds. Traditional studies of juvenile habitat use have emphasised the evolution of single optimal strategies that maximise recruitment to adulthood and eventual fitness. However, linking the distribution of individual behaviours that contribute to recruitment at the population level has been elusive, particularly for highly fecund aquatic organisms. We examined juvenile habitat use within a population of sockeye salmon (Oncorhynchus nerka) that spawn in a watershed consisting of two interconnected lakes and a marine lagoon. Otolith microchemical analysis revealed that the productive headwater lake accounted for about half of juvenile growth for those individuals surviving to spawn in a single river in the upper watershed. However, 47% of adults had achieved more than half of their juvenile growth in the downstream less productive lake, and 3% of individuals migrated to the estuarine environment during their first summer and returned to freshwater to overwinter before migrating back to sea. These results describe a diversity of viable habitat-use strategies by juvenile sockeye salmon that may buffer the population against poor conditions in any single rearing environment, reduce density-dependent mortality and have implications for the designation of critical habitat for conservation purposes. A network of accessible alternative habitats providing trade-offs in growth and survival may be important for long-term viability of populations.

Alaska↗
USGS2025

Consistent individual differences and plasticity in migration behaviour of three North American ungulates

Migratory herbivores often time spring migration to coincide with the green-up of plants. When the timing of green-up changes across years, herbivores can respond directly and be plastic to changing conditions or populations may adapt via inherent differences among individuals that may allow for an evolutionary response. We quantified plasticity and individual variation in the timing of spring migration and selection for high-quality forage as a function of the timing of spring green-up using behavioural reaction norms for three North American ungulate species. The timing of arrival to summer range (but not departure from winter range) was plastic to the timing of green-up, and both arrival and departure timing were repeatable. Our results suggest that herbivores synchronise migration with the timing of green-up by adjusting the pace of migration and may be buffered against change via individual differences. Quantifying plasticity and differences in responses represents a crucial step to elucidating the fate of species in a changing world.

Wyoming↗
USGS2014

Mortality, movement and behaviour of native mussels during a planned water-level drawdown in the Upper Mississippi River

Managers in the Upper Mississippi River (UMR) are using reductions in the River's water levels during summer to mimic historical water regimes and rehabilitate habitats for vegetation and other species. Concerns for the unintended effects of these actions on mussel populations threatened to halt these projects. Our objective was to characterise the survival and movement of two mussel species in the UMR associated with a water level drawdown. During 2009 (no drawdown) and 2010 (0.3 m summer drawdown), we glued passive integrated transponder tags to 10 Amblema plicata and 10 Lampsilis cardium at each of 11 sites. Five sites were in shallow areas expected to be minimally affected by the drawdown (reference sites), and six sites were in shallow areas expected to be directly affected by the drawdown (treatment sites). About equal numbers of sites within both the reference and treatment areas had low and high slopes. Tagged mussels were randomly allocated across sites (within years). Recovery of tagged mussels was >88% in 2009 and 2010. Mortality was similar and low (mean, c . 5% in both species) among reference sites but was variable and relatively high (means, c . 27% in L. cardium and c . 52% in A. plicata ) among treatment sites; variation in mortality among treatment sites appeared related to slope. The study found evidence of drawdown associations with net horizontal movements in A. plicata but not L. cardium . Weekly horizontal movements in both species were significantly correlated with changes in water elevation. We observed significant slope associations related to the drawdown for mortality and net horizontal movement in A. plicata . There were strong species-specific differences in the effects of the drawdown on mortality, vertical movement and horizontal movement. These results suggest that A. plicata responded to the drawdown by vertical movement into the substratum, whereas L. cardium responded by horizontal movement to deeper water. No directionality of movement was observed in either species. Collectively, these data suggest that drawdowns can influence the mortality, movement and behaviour of mussels in the UMR. However, more information on spatial and temporal distributions of mussels is needed to better understand the magnitude of these effects. Results from this study are being used by resource managers to better evaluate the effects of this management tool on native mussel assemblages.

Minnesota, Wisconsin↗
USGS2017

Meteorological and environmental variables affect flight behaviour and decision-making of an obligate soaring bird, the California Condor Gymnogyps californianus

The movements of animals are limited by evolutionary constraints and ecological processes and are strongly influenced by the medium through which they travel. For flying animals, variation in atmospheric conditions is critically influential in movement. Obligate soaring birds depend on external sources of updraft more than do other flying species, as without that updraft they are unable to sustain flight for extended periods. These species are therefore good models for understanding how the environment can influence decisions about movement. We used meteorological and topographic variables to understand the environmental influences on the decision to engage in flight by obligate soaring and critically endangered California Condors Gymnogyps californianus . Condors were more likely to fly, soared at higher altitudes and flew over smoother terrain when weather conditions promoted either thermal or orographic updrafts, for example when turbulence and solar radiation were higher and when winds from the east and north were stronger. However, increased atmospheric stability, which is inconsistent with thermal development but may be associated with orographic updrafts, was correlated with a somewhat higher probability of being in flight at lower altitudes and over rougher terrain. The close and previously undescribed linkages between Condor flight and conditions that support development of thermal and orographic updrafts provide important insight into the behaviour of obligate soaring birds and into the environmental parameters that may define the currently expanding distribution of Condors within and outside the state of California.

California↗
USGS2020

Behavioural responses of female lake trout Salvelinus namaycush to male chemical stimuli and prostaglandin F2α

Male olfactory cues may guide aggregation on spawning reefs, mate evaluation, and synchronized gamete release in lake trout Salvelinus namaycush, but a lack of information on the source and identity of the cues precludes direct tests of their function. Using a two-channel flume assay, we found female lake trout increased time spent in the channel treated with male-conditioned water, urine, and bile but not synthesized prostaglandin F2α. We suggest future efforts to characterize male olfactory cues focus on urine and postulate that bile acids contribute to its behavioural activity.

Journal of Fish Biology↗
USGS2020

Effect of water velocity and temperature on energy use, behaviour and mortality of pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus larvae

Natural reproduction of pallid sturgeon Scaphirhynchus albus has been limited for decades and a recruitment bottleneck is hypothesized to occur during the larval stage of development. In this study, we evaluated the effects of water velocity and temperature on the swimming activity, energy use, settling behaviour and mortality of endogenously feeding larvae. The swimming activity of drifting sturgeon larvae ( i.e. , fish exhibiting negative rheotaxis) increased at low water velocity. In subsequent experiments, we observed greater energy depletion and resultant mortality of larvae in no-flow environments (0 cm s −1 ) compared to tanks with water velocity ranging from 3.5 to 8.3 cm s −1 . The growth rate of drifting larvae was positively related to water temperature (18.7–23.3°C), but reduced growth rate at low water temperature (18.7°C) resulted in protracted development that extended average drift duration by ~4 days compared to larvae reared at 23.3°C. This study provides evidence that cooler summer water temperatures, characteristic of present-day conditions in the upper Missouri River, can reduce larval development and extend both the drift duration and distance requirements of S. albus . Moreover, if dispersed into low velocity environments, such as in reservoir headwaters, larvae may experience increased mortality owing to a mismatch between early life stage drift requirements and habitat conditions in the river. Manipulation of water releases to increase seasonal water temperature below dams may aid survival of S. albus larvae by shortening the time and distance spent drifting.

Journal of Fish Biology↗
USGS2002

Behavioural and physiological response of trout to winter habitat in tailwaters in Wyoming, USA

Fisheries managers have often suggested that survival of trout during the winter is a major factor affecting population densities in many stream ecosystems in the Rocky Mountains. In Wyoming, trout population reductions from fall to spring in excess of 90% have been documented in some reservoir tailwaters. Though biologists have surmised that these reductions were the result of either mortality or emigration from some river sections, the specific mechanisms have not been defined and the factors leading to the trout loss are unknown. This is a review of four studies that were conducted or funded between 1991 and 1998 by the Wyoming Game and Fish Department to understand the extent of overwinter losses, identify some of the mechanisms leading to those conditions and develop management strategies to help avoid those impacts. Winter studies were conducted on tailwater fisheries in the Green, North Platte, Bighorn and Shoshone rivers to document trout population dynamics, assess physical habitat availability, evaluate trout movement and habitat selection, and understand the relationships between food availability and bioenergetic relationships. Results indicate that winter trout losses are extreme in some years, that trout movement and habitat selection are affected by supercooled flows, and that mortality is probably not directly due to starvation. The combination of physiological impairment with frequently altered habitat availability probably leads to indirect mortality from predators and other factors. Copyright ?? 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Hydrological Processes↗
USGS1977

Uranium and coexisting element behaviour in surface waters and associated sediments with varied sampling techniques used for uranium exploration

Optimum sampling methods in surface water and associated sediments for use in uranium exploration are being studied at thirty sites in Colorado, New Mexico, Arizona and Utah. For water samples, filtering is recommended to increase sample homogeneity and reproducibility because for most elements studied water samples which were allowed to remain unfiltered until time of analysis contained higher concentrations than field-filtered samples of the same waters. Acidification of unfiltered samples resulted in still higher concentrations. This is predominantly because of leaching of the elements from the suspended fraction. U in water correlates directly with Ca, Mg, Na, K, Ba, B, Li and As. In stream sediments, U and other trace elements are concentrated in the finer size fractions. Accordingly, in prospecting, grain size fractions less than 90 μm (170 mesh) should be analyzed for U. A greater number of elements (21) show a significant positive correlation with U in stream sediments than in water. Results have revealed that anomalous concentrations of U found in water may not be detected in associated sediments and vice versa. Hence, sampling of both surface water and coexisting sediment is strongly recommended.

Journal of Geochemical Exploration↗
USGS2025

Are behavioural ecotoxicity endpoints relevant at the population level? Evidence-based insights for environmental protection

A substantial body of evidence exists demonstrating that exposure to environmental contaminants can alter animal behavior. Moreover, methodological and technological advancements, as well as increasing standardization, mean that behavioral ecotoxicity studies are more rigorous and reliable than ever before. Despite this, behavioral data are still seldom used in the risk assessment and regulation of chemicals. This is partly due to a lack of clarity among some stakeholders about whether changes in behavior at the individual level result in population-level outcomes. To address this, we first consider the state of evidence within the field of behavioral ecotoxicology linking individual-level behavioral alterations with population-level consequences. We then assess the evidence from behavioral ecology and other neighboring fields that supports this link. Further, we evaluate whether some behavioral endpoints are more easily tied to population-level changes than others. In this regard, we propose combining insights from two complementary ecological frameworks─the functional trait framework and the limiting traits framework─to evaluate which behaviors should be prioritized in ecotoxicological research and regulatory efforts. We contend that the link between behavioral changes and population-level outcomes is evident, with behavioral endpoints representing a highly valuable yet so far underutilized line of evidence in applied environmental protection.

Environmental Science and Technology↗
USGS1962

Study of natural glasses through their behaviour as membrane electrodes

THE low-temperature chemical alteration of natural glass occurs in two stages: an initial stage in which it remains glassy but absorbs as much as 6 per cent water 1 , and a final stage in which devitrification to clay minerals, with release of silica, occurs 2,3 . During the first stage the composition of the glass may change, with gain of K 2 O and water and loss of Na 2 O (Smith, R. L., personal communication). This change is due to ion exchange.

Nature↗