Search publications of the members of the Royal Belgian institute of natural Sciences
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Miscellanea Herpetologica Gabonica XVI
- We present new Gabonese locality records, ecological and morphological data or unpublished material for Kinixys erosa (Testudinidae), Trachylepis albilabris (Scincidae), Calabaria reinhardtii (Boidae), Dasypeltis fasciata, Hapsidophrys smaragdinus, Philothamnus carinatus, P. heterodermus and P. nitidus nitidus, Thrasops flavigularis,Toxicodryas blandingii and T. pulverulenta (Colubridae), Dendroaspis jamesoni jamesoni,Naja melanoleuca (Elapidae), Mehelya poensis, Polemon collaris (Lamprophiidae), Natriciteres fuliginoides (Natricidae), Python sebae (Pythonidae), Bitis gabonica and Causus maculatus (Viperidae). One snake species is newly recorded from Loango National Park, and three from Estuaire Province.
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Book review. Snakes of Central and Western Africa
- We analyze an important new opus on the snakes of West and Central Africa co-authored by Jean-Philippe Chippaux and Kate Jackson. We correct the identification of some of the illustrated snakes of the genera Dipsadoboa, Grayia, Limaformosa and Philothamnus. We provide more detailed localities for more than 30 photographs of snakes of the genera Atractaspis, Bitis, Boaedon, Bothrophthalmus, Causus, Dasypeltis, Dendrolycus, Eryx, Gonionotophis, Grayia, Hydraethiops, Leptotyphlops, Limaformosa, Mehelya, Myriopholis, Natriciteres, Philothamnus, Polemon, Python, Thelotornis, Tricheilostoma and Xenocalamus, from Botswana, Cameroon, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Republic of the Congo and Tanzania. An interval of four years between the submission of the manuscript of the book and its publication explains the inaccuracy of many distribution maps, and the fact that recent taxonomic changes and numerous recently described species and genera were not included.
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Miscellanea Herpetologica Gabonica XV
- We present new Gabonese locality records, ecological and morphological data and unpublished material for Pelusios gabonensis (Pelomedusidae), Kinixys erosa (Testudinidae), Hemidactylus mabouia (Gekkonidae), Lepidothyris striatus, Trachylepis affinis (Scincidae), Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia, Dipsadoboa underwoodi and D. viridis (Colubridae), Dendroaspis jamesoni, Naja annulata annulata, N. melanoleuca and N. nigricollis (Elapidae), Atractaspis boulengeri, Limaformosa savorgnani, Polemon fulvicollis, Psammophis mossambicus (Lamprophiidae) and Natriciteres fuliginoides (Natricidae). One skink and two snake species are newly recorded from Haut-Ogooué and Ngounié provinces, respectively. We attribute all records of Psammophis spp. in Gabon to P. mossambicus. We report a case of predation by a Common chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes) on Kinixys erosa in Lopé National Park, by Crotaphopeltis hotamboeia on the Cameroon toad Sclerophrys camerunensis (Anura: Bufonidae), and by a Naja annulata annulata on Thollon's robber tetra Brycinus tholloni (Characiformes: Alestidae).
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Colonization of artificial islands in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea by the aquatic snake Natrix tessellata (Squamata: Natricidae)
- We report the colonization by the aquatic Dice snake Natrix tessellata of five artificial islands (A Island, D Island, DC 05, EPC 03 and EPC 04), built in the 2000s to house oil industry activities in the Kazakh sector of the Caspian Sea, western Kazakhstan. We discuss possible modes of colonization (e.g., accidental transport by boat originating from the Bautino harbor in Mangystau Region; active swimming from the coast). We present several observations of predation on fish (Cyprinidae: Carassius auratus; Gobiidae: Neogobius caspius, N. fluviatilis and N. melanostomus) and on the Laughing frog (Ranidae: Pelophylax ridibundus).
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Modelling Low Sulphur Fuel Oil Weathering
- The main objective of the IMAROS task 3.5 “modelling the weathering of low Sulphur fuel oil” was to demonstrate the ability or the inability of the existing oil weathering parameterizations to predict the weathering of the new fuel oil types. In case the current parameterizations turn out to be inaccurate, new parametrizations had to be suggested. Finally, since each European countries operate their own oil spill drift, fate and behavior model, the findings and conclusions of this task had to be reported independently of these models but as best practices that could be implemented in the different national models. To achieve all these objectives, a 3-step methodology was followed. First, a literature review has been performed to identify the state-of-the-art oil weathering parametrizations. Then, the selected weathering parameterizations were implemented in a so-called “toy model” (i.e., a light 0D oil weathering model whose only purpose was to play with the implemented weathering parameterizations). Finally, the toy model results were validated / invalidated against observations from several experiments carried out at CEDRE’s polludrome (tank filled with water able to simulate the weathering of oil at sea). The present reports strictly follow this 3-step approach. In section 2 , we define the concept of oil weathering and give a comprehensive introduction to the concept of weathering model and weathering process parametrizations. Interested readers shall find the equations of the weathering processes parametrizations in Annex I. In section 3, we present the physicochemical characteristics of the LSFO oils tested in the framework of the IMAROS project. 13 oils referred as IM1 to IM13 have been initially tested in Lab. Their properties were quite diverse, for instance with a pour point ranging between -27°C and +30°C. In a second step, weathering of 3 VLSFO oils have been tested at pilot scale (flume tank). This report focuses on these 3 oils referenced as IM-5, IM-14, and IM-15. In section 4, we present the numerical experiences we performed with our toy model to simulate the oil weathering as in CEDRE’s flume tank. In section 5, we compare and discuss the model simulation results with the observation in CEDRE’s flume tank. Finally, in section 6, we draw some conclusions and present some recommendations in the form of best practices.
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A Quasi-Monte Carlo based flocculation model for fine-grained cohesive sediments in aquatic environments
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Acoustic Seafloor Classification Using the Weyl Transform of Multibeam Echosounder Backscatter Mosaic.
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Numerical Simulation of Deep-Sea Sediment Transport Induced by a Dredge Experiment in the Northeastern Pacific Ocean
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Near-field changes in the seabed and associated macrobenthic communities due to marine aggregate extraction on tidal sandbanks: A spatially explicit bio-physical approach considering geological context and extraction regimes
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Effects of marine aggregate extraction on seafloor integrity and hydrographical conditions. New insights and developments
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Near-field changes in the seabed and associated macrobenthic communities due to marine aggregate extraction on tidal sandbanks: a spatially explicit biophysical approach considering geological context and extraction regimes
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The impact of sand extraction on the wave height near the Belgian coast
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The characteristics of the organic matter in biomineral flocs
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Multi-source seamless maps and composite data products serving multiple end users - Seabed geology in the southern North Sea.
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Joint acoustic and sediment fingerprinting during a period of intensified sand extraction in sector 4a on the Noordhinder sandbank.
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Mapping gravel beds combining multibeam data, underwater video, and grab samples with continuous spatial modeling by random forest
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Spatio-temporal patterns of particulate organic matter in coastal oceans
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Quantifying sediment plumes induced by human activities by using MBES and SBES water column data combined with in situ measurement and water sampling: Feasible?
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Seabed Community Initiative: communicating sustainability challenges of marine sand use in a changing world <Seabed4U>. Interactive presentation.
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Understanding the spatio-temporal variability of SPM dynamics from observations and model analysis.
