Does one size fit all? An evaluation of length–weight relationships for New Zealand's freshwater fish species

Length–weight relationships are a fundamental tool for assessing populations and communities in fisheries science. Many researchers have collected length–weight data throughout New Zealand, yet parameters describing these relationships remain unpublished for many species of freshwater fish. We compiled 285,124 fish records from researchers and institutions across New Zealand to parameterise length–weight equations, using both power and quadratic models, for 53 freshwater species belonging to 13 families. The influence of location and sex on length–weight relationships was also assessed. Location, in particular, generated different length–weight relationships for 65% of the species examined. Length–weight equations were validated by comparing predicted weights against independently measured weights from 25 electrofished sites across New Zealand and the equations were highly accurate (R²>0.99). Recommendations are made about how to robustly apply this new resource which should assist freshwater fisheries researchers throughout New Zealand.     

A review of volatile compounds in tektites,and carbon content and isotopic composition of moldavite glass

Abstract– Tektites, natural silica‐rich glasses produced during impact events, commonly contain bubbles. The paper reviews published data on pressure and composition of a gas phase contained in the tektite bubbles and data on other volatile compounds which can be released from tektites by either high‐temperature melting or by crushing or milling under vacuum. Gas extraction from tektites using high‐temperature melting generally produced higher gas yield and different gas composition than the low‐temperature extraction using crushing or milling under vacuum. The high‐temperature extraction obviously releases volatiles not only from the bubbles, but also volatile compounds contained directly in the glass. Moreover, the gas composition can be modified by reactions between the released gases and the glass melt. Published data indicate that besides CO₂ and/or CO in the bubbles, another carbon reservoir is present directly in the tektite glass. To clarify the problem of carbon content and carbon isotopic composition of the tektite glass, three samples from the Central European tektite strewn field—moldavites—were analyzed. The samples contained only 35–41 ppm C with δ¹³C values in the range from ?28.5 to ?29.9‰ VPDB. This indicates that terrestrial organic matter was a dominant carbon source during moldavite formation.     

Application of soil-gas geochemistry to mineral exploration in Africa

Field methods of soil-gas analysis for CO₂, O₂, Rn and Tn are described and applied to the exploration for copper sulphide and gold/sulphide mineralisation in terrains ranging from tropical rain forest to sand desert in Africa. CO₂ concentrations are high in soil gases overlying sulphide-bearing mineralisation and the patterns can be followed under increasing cover of sand to a depth of several tens of metres. The radioactive gases show promise in the mapping of basic rocks which are potential hosts to gold mineralisation. Strong seasonal effects on the CO₂ distribution are noted in tropical rain forests, the absolute levels being much higher during or following the rainy season.     

Soil erosion assessment and mapping of the algar river watershed (uttar pradesh) using remote sensing technique

This study was undertaken to prepare an inventory on soil erosion of a hilly river watershed — the Aglar watershed, part of Tehri Garhwal and Dehradun districts (U.P.), using terrain physiography and soil survey data obtained from interpretation and analysis of Landsat TM FCC (1:62,500 scale) and limited ground investigations. The watershed is divided into four broad physiographic units viz. higher Himalayas (> 2000m elevation); lower Himalayas (< 2000m elevation); river terraces and flood plains. Each physiographic unit has been further divided into subunits on the basis of aspects and landuse. Three major orders of soils viz. Inceptisols, Mollisols and Entisols were found in different physiographic units. Soil, and land properties of soilscape units viz. soil depth, texture, structure, slope, landuse and soil temperature regime were evaluated for soil-erosion hazard. The results indicate that in the whole watershed 19.13%, 45.68%, 26.51% and 7.92% areas have been found to be under none to slight, moderate, severe and very severe soil erosion hazard categories, respectively.     

The role of strike-slip faulting in the history of the Hukawng Block and the Jade Mines Uplift,Myanmar

The Hukawng Basin is bounded on its east by splays of the still-active Sagaing Fault. Palinspastically restoring Myanmar's blocks to their positions before the widely-accepted c.400?km dextral strike-slip fault displacement, places the Hukawng Block alongside the Tengchong Block, suggesting they were formerly connected. Additionally the Cretaceous–Paleogene Medial-Myanmar Shear Zone then aligns with the NW-SE Jade Mines Belt. Jadeitite formed there under HP/LT conditions in a Mesozoic subduction zone. It was exhumed at the intersection of the dextral Medial-Myanmar Shear Zone with the subduction-zone at the continental margin of Sundaland. The later Sagaing Fault played no part in that exhumation.     

Structure of Sumatra and its implications for the tectonic assembly of Southeast Asia and the destruction of Paleotethys

It is now generally accepted that Southeast Asia is composed of continental blocks which separated from Gondwana with the formation of oceanic crust during the Paleozoic, and were accreted to Asia in the Late Paleozoic or Early Mesozoic, with the subduction of the intervening oceanic crust. From east to west the Malay peninsula and Sumatra are composed of three continental blocks: East Malaya with a Cathaysian Permian flora and fauna; Sibumasu, including the western part of the Malay peninsula and East Sumatra, with Late Carboniferous–Early Permian 'pebbly mudstones' interpreted as glaciogenic diamictites; and West Sumatra, again with Cathaysian fauna and flora. A further unit, the Woyla nappe, is interpreted as an intraoceanic arc thrust over the West Sumatra block in the mid Cretaceous. There are varied opinions concerning the age of collision of Sibumasu with East Malaya and the destruction of Paleotethys. In Thailand, radiolarites have been used as evidence that Paleotethys survived until after the Middle Triassic. In the Malay peninsula, structural evidence and the ages of granitic intrusions are used to support a Middle Permian to Early Triassic age for the destruction of Paleotethys. It is suggested that the West Sumatra block was derived from Cathaysia and emplaced against the western margin of Sibumasu by dextral transcurrent faulting along a zone of high deformation, the Medial Sumatra Tectonic Zone. These structural units can be traced northwards in Southeast Asia. The East Malaya block is considered to be part of the Indochina block, Sibumasu can be traced through Thailand into southern China, the Medial Sumatra Tectonic Zone is correlated with the Mogok Belt of Myanmar, the West Burma block is the extension of the West Sumatra block, from which it was separated by the formation of the Andaman Sea in the Miocene, and the Woyla nappe is correlated with the Mawgyi nappe of Myanmar.     

Application of Microtremor Horizontal-to-Vertical Spectral Ratio (MHVSR) Analysis for Site Characterization: State of the Art

Nakamura (Q Rep Railway Tech Res Inst 30:25–33, 1989) popularized the application of the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio (HVSR) analysis of microtremor (seismic noise or ambient vibration) recordings to estimate the predominant frequency and amplification factor of earthquake shaking. During the following quarter century, popularity in the microtremor HVSR (MHVSR) method grew; studies have verified the stability of a site’s MHVSR response over time and validated the MHVSR response with that of earthquake HVSR response. Today, MHVSR analysis is a popular reconnaissance tool used worldwide for seismic microzonation and earthquake site characterization in numerous regions, specifically, in the mapping of site period or fundamental frequency and inverted for shear-wave velocity depth profiles, respectively. However, the ubiquity of MHVSR analysis is predominantly a consequence of its ease in application rather than our full understanding of its theory. We present the state of the art in MHVSR analyses in terms of the development of its theoretical basis, current state of practice, and we comment on its future for applications in earthquake site characterization.     

Detection of temperature variability and trends in the lower troposphere over Delhi: A study of joint influence of ENSO and Land use/ Land cover during 1980–2015

A study of radiosonde observations for temperature at 850 hPa over Delhi for a period of 35 years was conducted. The influence of atmospheric oscillations and geophysical events like El Niño‐Southern Oscillation (ENSO) on tropospheric temperature variability showed indicative trends for changing urban climate in Delhi. The inter‐annual variation in surface temperature and its relationship with land use changes and land cover changes (LULCC) was also examined. LULCC and urban expansion into peripheral areas of Delhi (towards the West, North, North‐West and South) at the cost of agricultural and wasteland was found to be extensive. The upper range of the surface temperature has shifted by ~6°C. The post‐monsoon and winter months from November to February have experienced a considerable increase in the average temperature in the period examined. The monsoon months from June to September have undergone cooling of ~0.5°C–1°C at 850 hPa. An inverse relationship exists between the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) and the monthly averaged temperature. The temperature of the atmosphere over Delhi at 850 hPa has increased only marginally (~ 0.3°C) for the time period 1980–2015. Bi‐modal peaks were the most peculiar features observed in mean monthly temperature variation during 2000–2009.     

Seismic site characterization with shear wave (SH) reflection and refraction methods

Journal of Seismology - Reflection and critically refracted seismic methods use traveltime measurements of body waves propagating between a source and a series of receivers on the ground surface to...     

Effects of mechanical macrophyte control on suspended sediment concentrations in streams

Suspended sediment (SS) is an important pollutant in freshwater ecosystems and can be detrimental to fish communities. Although macrophytes mediate sediment deposition, little effort has been put into determining how their removal affects sediment resuspension. The present study examined the immediate and long-term impacts of mechanical macrophyte removal on SS concentrations in streams. The results of this study suggest that bed disturbance during mechanical excavation of macrophytes significantly increases SS in the short term, and concentrations were found to increase by as much as 15,687 mg L^–1 immediately after macrophyte removal. Significant long-term (77 day) increases in SS were also observed, indicating that without macrophytes, disturbed material is continually resuspended after excavation by fluvial processes. These results demonstrate that macrophyte removal can result in SS levels that have previously been shown to harm fish, and indicate that this activity may be more detrimental to fish than previously thought.