Selected Geosites for Geoheritage, Geotourism, and Geoconservation in Songkhla Province, Southern Thailand

A systematic investigation has been conducted in several selected geosites in Songkhla Province (Southern Thailand) including inventory, characterization, classification, assessment, and evaluation to study their potentials for geoheritage, geotourism, and geoconservation. A list of geosites have been established for this study, consisting of Songkhla Lagoon/Lake, Samila Beach, Tone Nga Chang (Elephant’s Tusk) Waterfall, Khao Rup Chang (Dragon and Elephant) Cave, and Khao Daeng Hot Spring. Characterization of all these sites have showed that most of the sites have unique and interesting landforms (geomorphological sites), except only a hot spring site (hydrogeological site). The geosites have features of small to large scales (tens meter to larger than 10 km). Qualitative and quantitative assessments have been carried out based on geoheritage values (scientific & educational, aesthetic, recreational, cultural, etc.), with the state/provincial to national levels of significance. Geoconservation efforts should be conducted in all these sites for some purposes, such as research and education as well as geotourism in the province and the region.

Species composition of macrozoobenthos in lagoons of Sakhalin Island

Species composition of macrozoobenthos in lagoons of Sakhalin Island (in total, 637 species) is described on the base of cited data and results of author’s surveys. Its species composition is formed under influence of wide spectrum of environmental factors, as size of lagoon, water salinity, periodicity of connection with the sea and type of the water exchange, river discharge regime, climatic and geographical isolation, etc. Generally, 6 types of lagoons are determined on the coast of Sakhalin differed by composition of benthic fauna: 1) large semiclosed salty lagoon (Lake Busse in southern Sakhalin); 2) small semiclosed salty lagoons with water stratification and periodic connection with the sea (Lake Izmenchivoe and Lake Ptichye in southern Sakhalin); 3) large shallow semiclosed lagoons (in northern Sakhalin); 4) small isolated brackish lagoon (Kuegda Bay in northern Sakhalin); 5) closed oligosaline lagoons (Lake Tunaicha and Lake Aynskoe in southern Sakhalin); 5) isolated freshwater lagoons (Vavaysko-Chibisanskaya lake system in southern Sakhalin). Salty and freshwater lagoons are distinguished by the highest species diversity.

Daily cycle of variability contents of phosphorus forms in surface microlayer of a light salinity Baltic Sea Lagoon lake (North Poland) — Part II

A daily cycle of tests was conducted to specify the concentration variation of phosphorous compounds and other chemical parameters at surface microlayers of a shallow lagoon lake located on the Baltic Coast. The water for analyses was collected from Lake Dołgie Wielkie in one hour cycles for the period of 24 hours. Samples were collected from the surface microlayers that had a thickness of 80–115 µm and 250–300 µm as well as from the subsurface water at the depth of 15 cm. Data analysis shows information concerning the migration of phosphorous compounds between the analyzed layers. Correlations were estimated for the obtained concentrations of phosphorous compounds and the nitrogen compounds and other physico-chemical values which were described in the first part of the cycle. The content of nutrients in the examined surface water layers correlated with the oxygen consumption due to the value of the oxygen consumption mostly depending on the concentration of organic matter.

Parasites of juvenile golden grey mullet Liza aurata Risso, 1810 in Sarıkum Lagoon Lake at Sinop, Turkey

Juvenile golden grey mullet, Liza aurata were collected from Sarıkum Lagoon Lake which connected to the Black Sea at Sinop, Turkey and examined for parasitic fauna. A total of 219 fish were investigated throughout a 1-year period. Parasite species recovered were Trichodina lepsii, T. puytoraci, Gyrodactylus sp., Ligophorus cephali, Ligophorus mediterraneus, Solostamenides mugilis, Ascocotyle sp. (metacercaria) and Ergasilus lizae. Overall infection prevalence (%) and mean intensity values were 95.9% and 412.65 ± 85.31 parasites per infected fish, respectively. Infection prevalence and mean intensity values for each parasite species in relation to season and fish size were also determined and discussed. While Ligophorus cephali and L. mediterraneus are new records for Turkish parasite fauna, the juvenile Liza aurata is a new host record for Ligophorus cephali and L. mediterraneus.