Stability Behavior and Thermodynamic States of Iron and Manganese in Sandy Soil Aquifer,Manukan Island,Malaysia

A total of 20 soil samples were collected from 10 boreholes constructed in the low lying area, which included ancillary samples taken from the high elevation area. Redox processes were investigated in the soil as well as groundwater in the shallow groundwater aquifer of Manukan Island, Sabah, Malaysia. Groundwater samples (n = 10) from each boreholes were also collected in the low lying area to understand the concentrations and behaviors of Fe and Mn in the dissolved state. This study strives to obtain a general understanding of the stability behaviors on Fe and Mn at the upper unsaturated and the lower-saturated soil horizons in the low lying area of Manukan Island as these elements usually play a major role in the redox chemistry of the shallow groundwater. Thermodynamic calculations using PHREEQC showed that the groundwater samples in the study area are oversaturated with respect to goethite, hematite, Fe(OH)₃ and undersaturated with respect to manganite and pyrochroite. Low concentrations of Fe and Mn in the groundwater might be probably due to the lack of minerals of iron and manganese oxides, which exist in the sandy aquifer. In fact, high organic matters that present in the unsaturated horizon are believed to be responsible for the high Mn content in the soil. It was observed that the soil samples collected from high elevation area (BK) comprises considerable amount of Fe in both unsaturated (6675.87 mg/kg) and saturated horizons (31440.49 mg/kg) compared to the low Fe content in the low lying area. Based on the stability diagram, the groundwater composition lies within the stability field for Mn²⁺ and Fe²⁺ under suboxic condition and very close to the FeS/Fe²⁺ stability boundary. This study also shows that both pH and Eh values comprise a strong negative value thus suggesting that the redox potential is inversely dependent on the changes of pH.     

Ground water hydrochemical characteristics:seawater intruded area in eastern and southern coast of Laizhou Bay

Eastern and southern coastal zones of Laizhou Bay are the most representative seawater intruded areas in the world, with two intrusion sources of contemporary seawater and paleobrine. In order to reveal the complicated hydrochemical changing process and the mechanism of fresh groundwater being polluted by saltwater, we conducted long-term observation and hydrochemical analysis at four observing sections of typical salt-fresh water transitional zone. The study indicates that seawater and brine intrusion processes have different hydrochemical features, and that ion exchange and adsorption actions between water and aquifer produce great influence on the intrusion.     

Ground water hydrochemical characteristics: seawater intruded area in eastern and southern coast of Laizhou Bay

Seawater intrusion is a special process of groundwater pollution. The contemporary seawater intrusion and buried paleobrine intrusion especially the latter in eastern and southern coasts of Laizhou Bay are the most representative ones in the world [1]. According to the research on seawater intrusion at home and abroad, In-depth studies on change process and mechanism of hydrochemical composition, while ion adsorption and exchange between the permeable stratum and groundwater are studied shall…     

Groundwater Balance and Safe Yield of the coastal aquifer system in NEastern Korinthia, Greece

The northern coastal part of Korinthia prefecture can be characterized as an agrotourism center that has grown and urbanized rapidly. The area is formed of recent unconsolidated material consisting of sands, pebbles, breccias and fine clay to silty sand deposits. These deposits host the main aquifer system of the area, which depends on groundwater as a water resource. Groundwater is the main source for irrigation in the area. A total water volume of 29.2×10⁶–34.3×10⁶ m³ yr⁻¹ was estimated to recharge the aquifer system from direct infiltration of rainfall, streambed infiltration, irrigation return, artificial recharge via flood irrigation and lateral subsurface inflows. The present annual abstraction ranges between 39.2×10⁶ and 44.6×10⁶ m³ yr⁻¹. Groundwater abstraction in dry years exceeds renewable freshwater resources by more than 38%. Approximately 79% of the total abstraction is consumed for agriculture supply. Water balance in the coastal aquifer system is in disequilibrium; a deficit, which ranges from 4.9×10⁶ to 15.4×10⁶ m³ yr⁻¹ exists. The safe yield of the coastal aquifer system has been estimated at 37.1×10⁶ m³ yr⁻¹ for normal hydrological year and 32×10⁶ m³ yr⁻¹ for severely dry hydrological year. The total abstraction is greater than the recharge and the safe yield of the aquifer. The aquifer system has shown signs of depletion, seawater intrusion and quality contamination. The integrated water resources management, securing water in the future, should include measures that augment groundwater budget in the coastal aquifer of the study area.     

潮汐作用下的滨海浅层地下水水质变化

利用雷州半岛东部滨海浅层地下水的逐时采样数据,分析潮汐作用下该区浅层地下水水质变化特征,结果表明：1）研究区地下水中主要离子均以Na⁺和Cl^-为主,K⁺和 CO₃ ^2-的质量浓度则低至可以忽略。其中,东海岛地下水水质较为稳定,各离子不具有明显的相关性,而南渡河和新寮地下水中各离子的变化具有准同步特征。2）南渡河地下水对于土壤的平均碱化危害程度最低,其次是东海岛,新寮地下水对于土壤的平均碱化危害程度最高,且大潮期尤甚。东海岛地下水对土壤的碱化危害程度随潮汐变化不大;南渡河和新寮则表现出大潮期地下水的土壤碱化危害程度大于小潮期的特点,意味着潮动力的增强导致海水入侵强度变大,进而加剧了地下水对土壤的碱化危害。3）就地下水受海水入侵强度而言,东海岛的平均受侵强度最大,但随潮动力变化不大,危害具有常态化特征;新寮地下水大潮期受海水入侵的最大强度高于东海岛,但平均危害则小于后者;南渡河受海水入侵程度最低,部分时段不存在海水入侵情况。4）各监测井地下水中Na⁺和Cl^-具有同源性,是溶解性固体总量（TDS）的主要成分,也是引起TDS 变化的主要原因。就TDS 变化的剧烈程度而言,南渡河的水质波动最为显著,其次是新寮,东海岛水质维持在稳定的水平。5）南渡河和新寮可以通过监测地下水电导率的长期变化间接实现对水体矿化度及Na⁺和Cl^-的长期监测;东海岛则不适合做精确的点监测,但可以考虑进行区间监测。     

珊瑚礁岛屿淡水透镜体研究综述

淡水透镜体是珊瑚礁岛屿上重要的地下淡水资源,对于满足人们的日常生活需要和维护珊瑚礁岛屿的生态系统非常关键。文章回顾了国内外珊瑚礁岛屿淡水透镜体的研究历程,介绍了它的理论和特征,综述了其发育和演化与岛屿的水文地质、气候、潮汐、地形和植被等的关系。另外,自然压力,诸如干旱、海水入侵、海平面升高和岛的机械侵蚀等,以及人为压力,如过多抽取淡水、污染、地形改变和海岸工程等,都对珊瑚礁岛屿淡水透镜体的稳定造成了威胁,对这类干扰方面的研究也有很多。文章还介绍了常用的淡水透镜体研究模型,包括物理模型、解析模型和数学模型,并对其在淡水透镜体中的研究应用作了概述。对中国珊瑚礁岛屿淡水透镜体的研究现状也作了介绍,研究涉及西沙群岛永兴岛珊瑚礁淡水透镜体的厚度、抽取地下水导致的倒锥现象和生物修复等方面。最后,文章对南海珊瑚礁岛屿淡水透镜体的研究作出展望,提出开展对南海其他珊瑚礁岛屿淡水透镜体的研究工作,以及如何使抽取的地下水除污并可供饮用。     

Characterization of Mechanisms and Processes Controlling Groundwater Recharge and its Quality in Drought-Prone Region of Central India (Buldhana,Maharashtra) Using Isotope Hydrochemical and End-Member Mixing Modeling

A thorough study on understanding of groundwater recharge sources and mechanisms was attempted by integrating the hydrogeological, geochemical and isotopic information along with groundwater dating and end-member mixing analysis (EMMA). This study was necessitated due to prolonged dryness and unavailability of freshwater in semi arid Deccan trap regions of Central India. In addition, groundwater resources are not characterized well in terms of their geochemical nature and recharge sources. The hydrogeochemical inferences suggest that aquifer I consists of recently recharged water dominated by Ca–Mg–HCO₃ facies, while groundwater in aquifer II shows water–rock interaction and ion exchange processes. Presence of agricultural contaminant, nitrate, in both aquifers infers limited hydraulic interconnection, which is supported by unconfined to semi-confined nature of aquifers. Groundwater in both aquifers is unsaturated with respect to carbonate and sulfate minerals indicating lesser water–rock interaction and shorter residence time. This inference is corroborated by tritium age of groundwater (aquifer I: 0.7–2 years old and aquifer II: 2–4.2 years old). Stable water isotopes (δ²H, δ¹⁸O) suggest that groundwater is a mixture of rainwater and evaporated water (surface water and irrigation return flow). EMMA analysis indicates three groundwater recharge sources with irrigation return flow being the dominant source compared to others (rainwater and surface waters). A conceptual model depicting groundwater chemistry, recharge and dynamics is prepared based on the inferences.

     

Hydrogeochemistry of Groundwater and Its Suitability for Drinking and Agricultural Use in Nahavand,Western Iran

Groundwater is the major source of drinking water in Nahavand city. However, the groundwater quality at the agricultural areas has been deteriorating in recent years. Ground water quality monitoring is a tool which provides important information for water management and sustainable development of the water resources in Nahavand. Hydrochemical investigations were carried out in an agricultural area in Nahavand, western Iran, to assess chemical composition of groundwater. In this study, 64 representative groundwater samples were collected from different irrigation wells and analyzed for pH, electrical conductivity, major ions, and nitrate. The results of the chemical analysis of the groundwater showed that concentrations of ions vary widely and the most prevalent water type is Ca–Mg–HCO₃, followed by other water types: Ca–HCO₃, Ca–Na–HCO₃, and Na–Cl, which is in relation with their interactions with the geological formations of the basin, dissolution of feldspars and chloride and bicarbonate minerals, and anthropogenic activities. Thirty-seven percent of the water samples showed nitrate (NO₃ ⁻) concentrations above the human affected value (13 mg L⁻¹). The phosphorous (P) concentration in groundwater was between 0.11 and 0.90 mg L⁻¹, with an average value of 0.30 mg L⁻¹, with all of the samples over 0.05 mg L⁻¹. The most dominant class C2-S1 (76.5%) was found in the studied area, indicating that sodicity is very low and salinity is medium, and that these waters are suitable for irrigation in almost all soils. Agronomic practices, such as cultivation, cropping, and irrigation water management may decrease the average NO₃ ⁻ concentration in water draining from the soil zone.     

Geospatial Information and Environmental Isotopes for Hydrogeological Evaluation: Ras Alam El Rum,Northwestern Coast of Egypt

The present study demonstrates the potential of the geospatial information as well as isotopes and chemical analyses to elucidate the hydrogeological setting of the study area. The main objective of this research is to identify factors affecting the occurrence and quality of groundwater in the study area. The Ras Alam El Rum is the pilot area chosen in the northwestern coast of Egypt to evaluate the carbonate aquifer with emphasis on the Middle Miocene aquifer, which has been explored recently. The average of annual precipitation and surface runoff amounts were estimated to indicate possibility of groundwater recharge, where the water-bearing rocks are mainly fractured. The isotope data indicate that the groundwater was derived from rainwater, the recharge source is local precipitation, and no indication of seawater intrusion was recorded. The salinity of the groundwater is attributed to interaction between the water and aquifer rocks represented by limestone, dolomitic limestone, and marl. The mineral indices obtained from the geochemical model reveal that the groundwater is over-saturated with aragonite, calcite, dolomite, strontianite, and barite. The hydrogeological evaluation of the study area led to recommendations to determine of the suitable areas for exploration of the Middle Miocene aquifer and to protect groundwater from deterioration.     

Hydrochemical Characteristics and Sodification of Groundwater in the Shirin Sou, Hamedan, Western Iran

Salinity and sodicity of groundwater are the principal water quality concerns in irrigated areas of arid and semi-arid regions. The hydrochemical characteristics and sodicity of groundwater in the Shirin Sou area, western Iran were investigated in this study by chemical analyses of groundwater samples from 49 wells. Chemical analysis of the groundwater showed that the mean concentration of the cations was in the order: Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺, while that for anions was SO₃ ²⁻ > Cl⁻ > HCO₃ ⁻ > NO₃ ⁻. The most prevalent water type is Na–SO₄ followed by water types Na–Cl and Ca–SO₄. The chemical evolution of groundwater is primarily controlled by water–rock interactions: mainly weathering of aluminosilicates, dissolution of sulfate minerals, and cation exchange reactions. Sulfate dissolution and pyrite weathering may both contribute to the SO₄ ²⁻ load of the groundwater. High Na⁺ concentrations in groundwater participate in ion-exchange processes, resulting in the displacement of base cations into solution and raised concentrations in groundwater. The principal component analysis (PCA) performed on groundwater identified three principal components controlling variability of groundwater chemistry. Electrical conductivity, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, SO₄ ²⁻, and Cl⁻ content were associated in the same component (PC1) (salinity), most likely linked to anthropogenic activities.     

南海珊瑚礁人工岛淡水透镜体形成过程及影响因素

中国目前在珊瑚礁上建设人工岛的目标是建成生态宜居岛屿,人工岛地下海水在降雨入渗驱替作用下逐渐淡化,形成的淡水透镜体是支撑岛屿生态系统的重要水源。本文针对南海珊瑚礁普遍存在的上土下岩的二元地质结构,考虑不同测量方法得到的南海人工岛填筑所用珊瑚砂渗透系数存在较大差异,建立了珊瑚礁人工岛淡水驱替海水形成淡水透镜体的动态模拟模型,对南海某珊瑚礁人工岛开展了系列数值模拟研究。结果表明,人工岛礁二元地质结构不同的渗透性对人工岛淡水开始形成时间无明显影响,填岛完成2年左右的时间可观测到淡水,估计（或理论计算）在10~20年内可形成相对稳定的淡水透镜体;在人工岛面积达到一定规模的前提下,全新世珊瑚砂沉积物渗透性是控制人工岛礁淡水透镜体的主要因素,能够形成的淡水透镜体体积随渗透系数增大而呈对数减小,并且淡水透镜体体积随全新世沉积物渗透性增大而减小的速率较淡水透镜体厚度更加显著;淡水透镜体越过不整合面进入更新世礁灰岩后,由于含水层渗透系数突然增大,淡水透镜体向水平方向扩展,在礁灰岩顶界形成“髭”状淡水体。     

Palaeovariations in the East-Asian Monsoon Regime Geochemically Recorded in Varved Sediments of Lake Sihailongwan (Northeast China, Jilin Province). Part 2: a 200-Year Record of Atmospheric Lead-210 Flux Variations and its Palaeoclimatic Implications

Palaeovariations of the atmospheric ²¹⁰Pb flux in Northeast China (Long Gang area, Jilin province), quantified by high resolution ²¹⁰Pb measurements on seasonally laminated sediments of Lake Sihailongwan are presented on decadal scale. The mean flux of unsupported ²¹⁰Pb between 1790 and 1970 for the centre of the lake basin is 517 Bq m⁻² yr⁻¹ with maximum deviations between −23% and +27% of this value. Flux rates above this average were found between 1783 and 1813, around 1836, and between 1860 and 1901. The mean ²¹⁰Pb^exc flux rates derived were clearly lower around 1821, 1908, 1930, and 1953. The ²¹⁰Pb^exc flux reached its minimum of 344 Bq m⁻² yr⁻¹ during the period 1977–1982. The atmospheric flux of unsupported ²¹⁰Pb is correlated with the precipitation frequency during the summer monsoon and shows coinciding variability with geochemical proxies that document the groundwater inflow into the lake. Al₂O₃-rich dust of remote provenance scavenged by wet-deposition in the rainy season is the major carrier of the atmospheric ²¹⁰Pb^exc flux.     

上海市崇明岛农田土壤重金属的环境质量评价(英文)

The environmental quality of heavy metals (Pb,Cd,Cr,As,Hg) in agricultural surface soil of Chongming Island was assessed by national,local and professional standards based on a large scale investigation,in which 28 samples from vegetable plots,65 samples from paddy fields and 9 samples from watermelon fields were collected from whole island area. Results showed that the average concentration of Pb,Cd,Cr,As and Hg was 21.6 mg·kg-1,0.176 mg·kg-1,69.4 mg·kg-1,9.209 mg·kg-1 and 0.128 mg·kg-1,respectively. Compared with the background value of Shanghai City soil,except for Pb and Cr,all the other heavy metals average concentrations in Chongming Island agricultural surface soil exceeded their corresponding natural-background values. The concentrations of Cd,As and Hg were 33.0%,1.2% and 26.3% higher than the background value of Shanghai City,respectively. In addition,inverse distance interpolation (IDW) tool of GIS was also applied to study the spatial variation of heavy metals. The results indicated that most of agricultural soil quality was good,and the ratio of ecological,good soil,certified soil and disqualified soil were 1.26%,97.1%,1.47% and 0.12%,respectively. About 10.1%,85.7%,27.0%,55.4% and 55.2% soil samples exceeded the Pb,Cd,Cr,As and Hg background value of Shanghai City,respectively. Among these three land use type soils,vegetable soil was most seriously polluted by heavy metals,which is probably related to the over-application of pesticides. The annual deposition fluxes of Pb,Cd,As and Hg were 7736 μg.m-2.a-1,208 μg.m-2.a-1,2238 μg.m-2.a-1 and 52.8 μg.m-2.a-1,respectively. Crop straw burning was the important source of heavy metals of atmospheric deposition,and atmospheric deposition contributed a lot to heavy metals in agricultural soil in Chongming Island.     

基于熵权的属性识别模型在海水入侵现状评价中的应用

针对海水入侵现状评价中单指标(Cl^-或矿化度)评价方法的片面性和不确定性等问题,本文将熵值理论和属性识别模型相结合,建立了熵权属性识别模型,并将其应用于滨海地区海水入侵现状评价中。以潍北平原8 个海水入侵实测点为应用实例进行研究。结果表明,潍北平原大部分地区海水入侵属于轻度侵染,水质为微咸水,东部地区(6、8 号点位)在5 月份海水入侵属于较严重侵染,但在11 月份侵染程度减缓,可能的原因是气候因素(降水增加、海平面上升)以及人为因素(地下水抽水量减少)等共同影响的结果。同时,5 月及11 月各个测点海水入侵侵染排序略有差异,但是差异较小。通过实例证明,该方法通俗易懂,计算方法简洁明了,便于掌握和应用,为海水入侵现状评价提供了一种可行有效的方法。     

Groundwater regime and calculation of yield response in North China Plain: a case study of Luancheng County in Hebei Province

The groundwater table has been declining at a rate of 0.65 m/yr in Luancheng County since large scale groundwater extraction carried out in the 1960s. The drop of precipitation, substantial increase in agricultural output, variations of crop planting structure and construction of water conservancy projects in the headwater area all tie up with the decline of the groundwater table. On the basis of analyzing the hydrogeological conditions and the water resources utilization of Luancheng County, a three-dimensional groundwater flow model was developed to simulate the county’s groundwater flow through finite-difference method using Visual Modflow software. We divide the research field into four parts after analyzing the hydrogeological condition. Based on parameter calibration and adjustment using measured data, the hydraulic conductivity and specific yield were simulated. Using the calibrated model, we analyze the agricultural water saving potentiality and its influence on the groundwater. The results are as follows: (1) if we decrease the amount of water extracted by 0.14xl0⁸ m³, the average groundwater table of the five observation wells in December will rise by 0.33 m; (2) if we decrease the water by 0.29x 10⁸m³, the average groundwater table of the five observation wells in December will rise by 0.64 m; and (3) if we increase the water by 0.29 x 10⁸m³, the average groundwater table of the five observation wells in December will decline by 0.45 m. So we can draw a conclusion that controlling the agricultural water use is an important way to prevent the decline of groundwater table.     

Groundwater resources and quality in northeastern Jordan: safe yield and sustainability

Over-abstraction of groundwater is one concern of the Badia Research and Development Programme. The upper aquifer of the Azraq basin forms the largest resource of good-quality water, but current abstraction exceeds both average recharge and the safe yield of the aquifer, which is over-exploited. Although there has been no deterioration in water quality and only minor drawdown, the springs at Azraq have dried up, with severe, undesirable environmental impacts. Total abstraction of 20 × 10⁶ m³ yr⁻¹ appears to be sustainable and would allow some springflow, but this leaves a shortfall of 40 × 10⁶ m³ yr⁻¹ for domestic supply and agriculture.     

Dynamic evaluation of groundwater resources in Zhangye Basin

Groundwater resource is vital to the sustainable development of socio-economics in arid and semi-arid regions of Northwest China. An estimation of the groundwater resources variation in Zhangye Basin was made during 1985–2013 based on long-term groundwater observation data and geostatistical method. The results show that from 1985 to 2013, groundwater storage exhibited tremendous dissimilarity on temporal and spatial scale for the whole Zhangye Basin, especially before and after implementation of the water diversion policy. Trend of groundwater storage varied from quick to slow decline or increase. The accumulative groundwater storage decreased nearly 47.52×10~8 m~3, and annual average depletion rate reached 1.64×10~8 m~3/a. Among which, the accumulative groundwater storage of the river and well water mixed irrigation district decreased by 37.48×10~8 m~3, accounting for about 78.87% of the total groundwater depletion of the Zhangye Basin. Accumulative depletion of groundwater storage varied in respective irrigation districts. Though groundwater resources depletion rate slowed down from 2005, the overall storage in the whole basin and respective districts during 1985–2013 was still in a severe deficit such that, the groundwater resource was in a rather negative balance, which could threaten the local aquifer. This is the joint effect of climate change and human activities, however human activities, such as water diversion policy and groundwater exploitation, became increasingly intense. Our research results could provide a reasonable estimation for the groundwater balance in Zhangye Basin, providing a scientific basis for water resources unified planning and, this method can provide a relatively reliable way of estimation for large scale groundwater resources.     

Groundwater Assessment for Current and Future Water Demand in the Daka Catchment,Northern Region,Ghana

The use of untreated surface water for domestic purposes has resulted in the infection of some people by guinea worm and other water borne diseases in the Northern Region of Ghana. The aim of this study is to assess the current groundwater quantity and quality conditions in the 7,820 km² Daka catchment and project the water demand in 2025. Results of groundwater analyses generally show good water quality for domestic use. Borehole analyses indicate that the catchment’s groundwater system can be characterized by a regolith aquifer underlain by a deeper fractured rock aquifer in some areas. The current per capita water demand is estimated at 40 l/day although 60 l/day is the desired amount, indicating that with the current population of 363,350, the projected water demand for the communities is 21,800 m³/day. With a projected population of 555,500 in 2025, an expected 33,300 m³/day of water is required. The estimated optimum potential groundwater available for use in the catchment is 154 × 10⁶ m³/year (4.24 × 10⁵ m³/day). However, the current total groundwater abstraction is only 8,876 m³/day or 2% of the optimum. In comparison, the projected total current and 2025 water demands are only 5 and 8%, respectively, of the optimum potential groundwater available for use in the catchment. In addition, only 1,780 m³/day (0.65 × 10⁶ m³/year) or 0.06% of the average annual flow of 1,016 × 10⁶ m³/year of the Daka River is treated for domestic use. These figures reveal that a significantly very large water resource potential exists for both surface and groundwater development in the Daka catchment. It is suggested that their development should proceed conjunctively.     

Oxygen isotope fractionation in three freshwater ostracod species from early Holocene lacustrine tufa in northern Estonia

We quantified differences in oxygen isotope fractionation among three biostratigraphically important subfossil ostracod species (Metacypris cordata, Pseudocandona rostrata and Candonopsis kingsleii) from an early Holocene freshwater tufa layer in northern Estonia. Estimated mean δ¹⁸O values are −10.05‰ for M. cordata, −9.34‰ for C. kingsleii and −8.75‰ for P. rostrata. All three species exhibit positive offset from the weighted mean annual δ¹⁸O of contemporary precipitation (−10.7‰ in δ¹⁸O_V-PDB) and from the mean δ¹⁸O value of authigenic tufa carbonate (−10.64‰) in the ostracod-bearing layer. Assuming that the known oxygen isotope fractionation in P. rostrata (+2.5‰) and M. cordata (+1.5‰) has remained constant over time, the theoretical δ¹⁸O_V-SMOW of the early Holocene lake water was calculated to have been between −11.52 and −11.92‰, slightly less negative than the local Ordovician groundwater (−11.7 to −12.2‰). δ¹⁸O values of the tufa carbonate differ by +0.6 to +1.0‰ from the calculated theoretical isotope composition (δ¹⁸O_V-PDB) of lake water, indicating that the tufa also did not precipitate in isotopic equilibrium with ambient waters. Results show that the greater the δ¹⁸O offset from the calculated, theoretical isotope composition of lake water for an ostracod species, the lower is its preferred mean July temperature. Both our data and earlier published results on δ¹⁸O values in Holocene lacustrine carbonates and ostracods from north-eastern Europe, display pronounced decreases in δ¹⁸O with an increase in latitude of the study site. This suggests that temperature-dependent, and therefore latitude-dependent isotopic composition of meteoric waters controlled the δ¹⁸O values in lacustrine tufa and ostracods throughout the Holocene.     

The influence of floodplain geohydrology on the distribution of Sarcocornia pillansii in the Olifants Estuary on the West Coast, South Africa

The distribution of Sarcocornia pillansii (Moss) A.J. Scott was determined by water-table depth and electrical conductivity (EC) of the groundwater. Where the groundwater was accessible (<1.5 m) and had a low EC (<80 mS cm⁻¹), S. pillansii extended its roots down to the water-table where a suitable water potential gradient was shown to exist between the soil and roots. In areas where the groundwater was too deep and/or hypersaline, the plants grew on hummocks. The unconfined aquifer below the floodplain is linked to the estuary and although diurnal tidal waves were dampened, water-table level fluctuations were recorded between tidal events. The complex geomorphology of the floodplain influences groundwater flow, in turn affecting the distribution of the salt marsh vegetation.