Eddy covariance measurements of carbon dioxide,latent and sensible energy fluxes above a meadow on a mountain slope

Carbon dioxide, latent and sensible heat fluxes were measured by means of the eddy covariance method above a mountain meadow situated on a steep slope in the Stubai Valley in Austria, based on the hypothesis that, due to the low canopy height, measurements can be made in the shallow equilibrium layer where the wind field exhibits characteristics akin to level terrain. In order to test the validity of this hypothesis and to identify effects of complex terrain in the turbulence measurements, data were subjected to a rigorous testing procedure using a series of quality control measures established for surface-layer flows. The resulting high quality dataset comprised 36% of the original observations, the substantial reduction being mainly due to a change in surface roughness and associated fetch limitations in the wind sector dominating during nighttime and transition periods. The validity of the high quality dataset was further assessed by two independent tests: (i) a comparison with the net ecosystem carbon dioxide exchange measured by means of ecosystem chambers, and (ii) the ability of the eddy covariance measurements to close the energy balance. The net ecosystem CO₂ exchange measured by the eddy covariance method agreed reasonably well with ecosystem chamber measurements. The assessment of the energy balance closure showed that there was no significant difference in the correspondence between the meadow on the slope and another one situated on flat ground at the bottom of the Stubai Valley, available energy being underestimated by 28% and 29%, respectively. We thus conclude that, appropriate quality control provided, the eddy covariance measurements made above a mountain meadow on a steep slope are of similar quality as compared to flat terrain.     

Influence of artificial groundwater lakes on the abundance and activity of bacteria in adjacent subsurface systems

Bacterial abundances and activity, estimated by 4′,6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining (DAPI) and the reduction of 2-(p-iodophenyl)-3-(p-nitrophenyl)-5-phenyl tetrazolium chloride (INT), were investigated in two oligotrophic artificial groundwater lakes and the surrounding aquifers. To evaluate the effect of lake water on groundwater downstream, samples were taken from wells at different distances from the lakes, and the total number of bacteria and the number of active bacteria in these samples were compared with samples collected upstream. In addition, sterilized sandy sediments were exposed in groundwater wells to measure the number and activity of bacteria attached to particles. At one of the study sites, where the lake sediments were disturbed by dredging, total bacterial abundance and the number of respiring bacteria in the groundwater aquifer was clearly influenced by the lake water. The average bacterial abundances decreased from 2.6 ± 1.9 × 10⁵ cells ml⁻¹ in the well closest to the lake (S2) to 2.9 ± 3.8 × 10⁴ cells ml⁻¹ in the most distant one (S4), which was equivalent to cell numbers in the upstream well. The number of respiring bacteria showed a similar tendency with 1.3 ± 2.7 × 10⁴ active cells ml⁻¹ in S2 and 1.9 ± 1.5 × 10³ active cells ml⁻¹ in S4. At the second study site, which was not influenced by dredging, bacteria in the downstream wells seemed not to be affected by the lake water. The number and activity of bacteria, which colonized exposed sediments, were not significantly different in the upstream and downstream wells, indicating a minor influence of lake water on this habitat. Our results suggest that gravel-pit lakes may influence the free living bacterial assemblages in nearshore groundwater systems, but do not visibly affect numbers and activity of bacteria attached to the surface of aquifer sediments.     

Un gravimetro pneumatometrico

Riassunto L'Autore descrive il principio di un tipo di gravimetro statico col quale si possono ottenere sensibilità molto elevate e col quale possono essere registrate con continuità le minime variazioni del valore della gravità.

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Zusammenfassung Der Verf. beschreibt das Prinzip eines statischen Gravimeters, welches er seit 1928 vorgeschlagen hat und zeigt wie mit ihm höhe Empflindlichkeiten erreichen werden sollen.

     

Recenti progressi nella costruzione degli anemometri elettrici

Riassunto Dopo aver brevemente delineato le rispettive possibilità di impiego degli anemometri meccanici ed elettrici, l'Autore descrive un nuovo tipo di anemometro elettrico da lui ideato e costruito che presenta due importanti innovazioni: precisa segnalazione della direzione del vento e lettura diretta delle caratteristiche del vento. Difatti, le direzioni che possono essere indicate sono praticamente illimitate pur usando un cavo di collegamento a solo quattro conduttori tra la parte esterna dell'anemometro e gli indicatori situati presso l'opratore.

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Zusammenfassung Nach eine kurze Schilderung des Verwendungsmöglichkeiten der mechanischen und elektrischen windmesser, beschreibt der Verf. eine von ihm erdachten und konstruierten elektr. Anemometer, welcher die genaue Feststellung der Windrichtung sowie die direkte Ablesung der Eigentümlichkeiten der Windstärke gestattet.