Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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The Collection of Snakes Made by Benoît Mys and Jan Swerts in Northern Papua New Guinea in 1982–85
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A new biogeographically disjunct giant gecko (Gehyra: Gekkonidae: Reptilia) from the East Melanesian Islands
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Fish otoliths from the Rupelian (Early Oligocene) of Bad Freienwalde (NE Germany)
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The impact of disposal of fine grained sediments from maintenance dredging works on SPM concentration and fluid mud in and outside the harbor of Zeebrugge
- The amount of sediments to be dredged and disposed depends to a large part on the suspended particulate matter (SPM) concentration. Tidal, meteorological, climatological, and seasonal forcings have an influence on the horizontal and vertical distribution of the SPM in the water column and on the bed and control the inflow of fine-grained sediments towards harbors and navigation channels. About 3 million tons (dry matter) per year of mainly fine-grained sediments is dredged in the port of Zeebrugge and is disposed on a nearby disposal site. The disposed sediments are quickly resuspended and transported away from the site. The hypothesis is that a significant part of the disposed sediments recirculates back to the dredging places and that a relocation of the disposal site to another location at equal distance to the dredging area would reduce this recirculation. In order to validate the hypothesis, a 1-year field study was set up in 2013–2014. During 1 month, the dredged material was disposed at a new site. Variations in SPM concentration were related to tides, storms, seasonal changes, and human impacts. In the high-turbidity Belgian near-shore area, the natural forcings are responsible for the major variability in the SPM concentration signal, while disposal has only a smaller influence. The conclusion from the measurements is that the SPM concentration decreases after relocation of the disposal site but indicate stronger (first half of field experiment) or weaker (second half of field experiment) effects that are, however, supported by the environmental conditions. The results of the field study may have consequences on the management of disposal operations as the effectiveness of the disposal site depends on environmental conditions, which are inherently associated with chaotic behavior.
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Surface suspended particulate matter concentration in Taiwan Strait during summer and winter monsoon
- The Taiwan Strait (TS), situated between Taiwan and China, is shallow, relatively turbid, and characterized by strong tidal currents and winter and summer monsoon seasons. The aim of this study was to use images from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS)on board the Aqua satellite to investigate how local sediment sources in addition to the seasonality in wind, oceanographic currents, and waves influence the suspended particulate matter (SPM)dynamics in the TS. In winter, northeast (NE) winds drive the China Coastal Current southward. Cold water with a high SPM concentration is transported southward into the Strait. After the highest SPM concentration reaches its peak in December and January, the winds weaken and the SPM concentration decreases. During summer, winds are less strong and SPM concentration is lower. Although typhoons typically occur in summer, they generate only a weak signal in the surface SPM concentration data from MODIS because of the low number of cloud-free images during these periods. Typhoons result in a short-term increase in the SPM concentration but do not strongly influence the seasonal values in the satellite-derived SPM concentration maps.
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Synthesis report on the effects of dredged material disposal on the marine environment (licensing period 2012-2016).
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SPM concentration measurements in low and high turbulent conditions
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SPM concentration measurements in low and high turbulent conditions
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Environmental impact assessment in line with the EU Nature Directives
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Integrated monitoring of nonpolar compounds with the use of Passive Samplers
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Dynamics of suspended particulate matter in coastal waters (the Bay of Seine)
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Changes in bottom shear stress, due to aggregate extraction in the area of the Hinder Banks (Belgian Continental Shelf)
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Can suspended particulate matter traps be coupled with passive sampling in the North Sea?
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Integrated monitoring of nonpolar compounds with the use of Passive Samplers
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On best-practice for long-term observations of total suspended particulate matter
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Visievorming ONTMANTELING OFFSHORE WINDPARKEN in het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee.
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Élaboration d'une vision DÉMANTÈLEMENT DES PARCS ÉOLIENS OFFSHORE dans la partie belge de la mer du Nord.
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Vision paper DECOMMISSIONING OFFSHORE WINDPARKS in the Belgian part of the North Sea.
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Visievorming AQUACULTUUR in het Belgisch deel van de Noordzee.
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Élaboration d'une vision sur l'AQUACULTURE dans la partie belge de la mer du Nord.
