News
4DEMON Workshop on data analysis on January 26th 2016
Added on 14 Mar 2016
During the workshop on data analysis, each WP presented its progress and the results were discussed in the frame of further analyses within the project.
WP3 Contamination: need for normalization of pollutant concentrations
In order to determine temporal or spatial changes in pollutant concentrations in sediments, a correction is needed for the grain size effect. In fact, coarse components in sediments (which normally have low levels of heavy metals and organic pollutants) produce a downward shift of the concentration in the total sample. Since sediments of different origin vary in grain size composition, this shift in non-uniform between locations. Therefore, pollutant concentrations should be normalized. One way of doing this is normalizing all data towards a “standard seafloor”.
The figure above shows the relation between the concentration of the contaminant Hg and the normalizing parameter (TOC in this example) on different locations on the Belgian Part of the North Sea. For each location, different grain size compositions were analyzed for Hg concentration and for TOC. In this way, the concentration of Hg for each location can be standardized towards the standard seafloor (which contains 2.5% TOC) and results can be compared between each other.
WP4 Eutrophication: zonation of the BCZ
For the statistical analysis and to investigate spatial and temporal variations in the phytoplankton composition and dynamics, it was decided to divide the BCP into 6 zones (see Figure below). Zonation was based on a ‘common sense’ approach in order to cover as much as possible geomorphological (e.g. the inshore-offshore depth gradient) and environmental (e.g. the impact of the Scheldt river plume on water turbidity and nutrient concentrations) gradients in the BCP. The study in variations of CHL dynamics in the BCP between different pixels observed in the Earth Observation supports the chosen zonation.
The results on data analysis for WP4 will be presented by Anja Nohe on the 16th VLIZ Marine Scientist Day (see poster above).
Two main trends were observed:
WP5 Ocean acidification: seasonal pH variations in the Belgian Coastal Zone
The analysis of pH data shows seasonal variations that seems consistent with the biological activity (see Figure).
In order to determine temporal or spatial changes in pollutant concentrations in sediments, a correction is needed for the grain size effect. In fact, coarse components in sediments (which normally have low levels of heavy metals and organic pollutants) produce a downward shift of the concentration in the total sample. Since sediments of different origin vary in grain size composition, this shift in non-uniform between locations. Therefore, pollutant concentrations should be normalized. One way of doing this is normalizing all data towards a “standard seafloor”.
The figure above shows the relation between the concentration of the contaminant Hg and the normalizing parameter (TOC in this example) on different locations on the Belgian Part of the North Sea. For each location, different grain size compositions were analyzed for Hg concentration and for TOC. In this way, the concentration of Hg for each location can be standardized towards the standard seafloor (which contains 2.5% TOC) and results can be compared between each other.
WP4 Eutrophication: zonation of the BCZ
For the statistical analysis and to investigate spatial and temporal variations in the phytoplankton composition and dynamics, it was decided to divide the BCP into 6 zones (see Figure below). Zonation was based on a ‘common sense’ approach in order to cover as much as possible geomorphological (e.g. the inshore-offshore depth gradient) and environmental (e.g. the impact of the Scheldt river plume on water turbidity and nutrient concentrations) gradients in the BCP. The study in variations of CHL dynamics in the BCP between different pixels observed in the Earth Observation supports the chosen zonation.
The results on data analysis for WP4 will be presented by Anja Nohe on the 16th VLIZ Marine Scientist Day (see poster above).
Two main trends were observed:
- An upward trend can be observed on the dinoflagellate/diatom abundance ratio for the last decade; higher ratios are also observed during summer months
- A shift in genera composition between 1970s and 2000s
WP5 Ocean acidification: seasonal pH variations in the Belgian Coastal Zone
The analysis of pH data shows seasonal variations that seems consistent with the biological activity (see Figure).
[Overview] [Login]
