Romanian marine centennial

This article explores an Antarctic expedition that led to the development of marine sciences in Romania, celebrating their one hundredth anniversary, and the creation of marine stations. Emil Racovitza participated in the Belgica Antarctic Expedition of de Gerlache which seems to have nurtured his interest in the marine sciences. He is credited with launching oceanography in Romania. Other major figures in the development of oceanography and the creation of marine research facilities are Borcea and Antipa, whose careers are retraced in the paper. Recently all research points have been regrouped to form the National Institute for Research and Development

Coastal zone under siege - Is there realistic relief available?

The coastal zone has been-and is-under siege from several angles for years. The shoreline, in most areas of the world is subject to erosion and regresses. The waters bathing it have been, and continue to be, polluted, mostly anthropogenically, and mainly due to agricultural practices. The coastal zone is, and will be even more intensely, under pressure from a population shift. It is wanted by industry, trade, tourism. These wants and uses are often in conflict with one another, and just as often not sustainable. What can the coastal zone manager and the decision-maker realistically do so that the heritage of mankind be passed on in a tolerable condition? What can be done so that economic development not be stymied and yet such development be sustainable

137Cs baseline levels in the Mediterranean and Black Sea: A cross-basin survey of the CIESM Mediterranean Mussel Watch programme

The common mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis was selected as unique biomonitor species to implement a regional monitoring programme, the CIESM Mediterranean Mussel Watch (MMW), in the Mediterranean and Black Seas. As of today, and upon standardization of the methodological approach, the MMW Network has been able to quantify 137Cs levels in mussels from 60 coastal stations and to produce the first distribution map of this artificial radionuclide at the scale of the entire Mediterranean and Black Seas. While measured 137Cs levels were found to be very low (usually <1 Bq kg-1 wet wt) 137Cs activity concentrations in the Black Sea and North Aegean Sea were up to two orders of magnitude higher than those in the western Mediterranean Basin. Such effects, far from representing a threat to human populations or the environment, reflect a persistent signature of the Chernobyl fallout in this area. © 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved