A landscape analysis of the candelaria watershed in mexico: Insights into paleoclimates affecting upland horticulture in the southern yucatan peninsula semi-karst

Biocultural systems adapt to global climate change through its regional manifestations. Subsistence customs are the cultural interface between regional climate and culture at large. Swidden horticulturalists in Campeche, Mexico report that dry April followed by early onset of the wet season enhances the productivity of upland tropical gardens, or milpas. To relate regional seasonality of moisture to global climate, growing season discharge for Mexico's Candelaria River from 1958 to 1990 was analyzed relative to global average temperature. Analysis of covariance revealed a statistically significant relationship (p < 0.001). Further analysis showed that hot global climate eliminates the dry season, which lowers milpa productivity by preventing burning of the slash. Cold global climate delays the wet season and planting, also at cost of productivity. Intermediate global temperature fosters optimal wet—dry season combinations. Productivity of milpas is therefore directly related to global climate through the intervening mechanism of seasonality of moisture. A regression model reflecting these findings is used to retrodict paleohydrology for the last 3000 years. The pattern of ascendancy and decline of ancient southern Maya lowland urban centers is reviewed in the perspective of changing hydrological conditions. The model indicates that fluorescence occurred with optimal balance of wet and dry season duration and catastrophes unfolded during extended wet or dry periods. We suggest that the southern Maya lowlands have had a precipitous record of urban development and collapse in part because of complex interactions of global climate and upland horticulture. The most productive conditions for milpa issue from an inherently unstable overlay of global climate on a relatively narrow band of partially developed karst (semikarst) geological formations.     

Spatial and Physical Characteristics of Rejolladas in Northern Yucatán,Mexico: Implications for Ancient Maya Agriculture and Settlement Patterns

This study evaluates the importance of rejolladas to the Ancient Maya in and around the Classic Maya center of Xuenkal, Yucatán State, Mexico. Rejolladas are collapse sinkholes with bases above the local water table. We present a spatial and physical analysis of 186 rejolladas in a 10 × 10 km area centered on Xuenkal. Basal diameters range from ∼22 to 264 m, areas range from 0.04 to 5.48 ha, and depths range from 4 to 12 m. Spatial density ranges from 0 to 8 rejolladas/km² with higher densities coinciding with known Ancient Maya settlements. Within Xuenkal, residential groups tend to be organized around and focused on the rejolladas. Some rejolladas have modified slopes that may be remnants of terraces or entry paths. High‐resolution satellite imagery analysis demonstrates that rejolladas have denser and healthier vegetation than the surrounding landscape especially in the dry season. Microclimate data demonstrate that the bottom of rejolladas has less extreme diurnal temperature ranges, lower daytime highs, higher atmospheric moisture, and significantly higher and more stable soil moisture. Based on the archaeology at Xuenkal, it appears that the Ancient Maya recognized and actively exploited these environmental microniches for intensive cultivation both locally and regionally.     

开发四川盆地"红层"地下水,解决人畜饮水问题

四川盆地红层区由于季节性降水差异，时常发生春旱和伏旱，笔者根据数十年对区内水文地质条件的研究，提出了，充分利用已有小型和微型水利工程(小水库、堰塘、栏水坝等)栏蓄雨季降水，把“今天的水蓄起来明天用”；针对农家分散居住特点，打小浅井(10m左右)解决旱季人畜饮用水；在场镇居民聚居区可用中江改水经验，打机井，建水厂，以集中供水。在财力和技术上需要政府和有关部门大力支持。     

Maya utilization of karst groundwater resources

Much of the Maya civilization in pre-Columbian Meso-America was established on karst terrain that included parts of what are now Belize, Guatemala, northern Honduras and southern Mexico. By definition, little surface water exists in karst, so for the Maya to flourish on that terrain they had to effectively and efficiently utilize all their water resources. Access to groundwater was by means of springs and caves. Maya life, urban and rural, lay and elite, religious and secular was often a function of groundwater exploitation and surface water development. The Maya's use of groundwater was predominantly to supplement enhanced surface water supplies and was used more often in semiarid zones than in humid zones. The pattern of Maya settlements, especially in the semiarid zones, occurred in areas with greater access to the groundwater. Maya groundwater retrieval methods were primitive, inefficient, labor intensive, and uninnovative, as compared to their other technologic achievements. Groundwater contamination, from human effluent, could have resulted in widespread disease and contributed to the Maya's downfall.     

四川汉源永定桥水库坝区岩溶渗漏的水文地球化学特征研究

在坝区水文地质调查及岩溶发育研究的基础上,对区域中地表水、地下水的宏量组份、稀土元素含量、碳酸盐的碳、氧同位素组成的调查结果表明:雨季前后地下水水化学的变化表明存在断裂带或岩溶通道深部埋藏水向地表排泄的特征;稀土元素含量的变化证实了坝址上游和下游均具有河水补给泉水现象的存在;碳、氧同位素组成的测定为进一步划分出相关的地下水系统提供了依据。本研究结果为坝区岩溶渗漏的工程处理方案提供理论依据。     

Assessment of interconnection between surface water and groundwater in Sawa Lake area,southern Iraq,using stable isotope technique

Interaction between surface water represented by the Euphrates River, natural springs, and Sawa Lake with groundwater (11 wells) in southern Iraq was investigated in this study. Water samples were collected for hydrochemistry and stable isotope (²H and ¹⁸O) analysis. Sampling of water from determined stations (10 stations along the Euphrates, 3 springs, and Sawa Lake) were carried out during two stages; the first was in October 2013(dry season) and the second one was in March 2014 (wet season). The aim of the research is to assess the interaction of groundwater–surface water, which includes Al-Atshan River (branch of the Euphrates River), Sawa Lake, and the groundwater in the study area by using hydrochemistry and stable isotope techniques. The results indicate that surface waters have a different type of water from that of groundwater. In δ ²H and δ ¹⁸O diagrams, all groundwater, springs, and Sawa Lake waters are plotted below the Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL) and the local meteoric water line (LMWL) indicating the influence of evaporation processes and seasonal variation. The LMWL deviates by a d-excess about +13.71 toward the East Mediterranean meteoric water line (EMWL) indicating that the origin of the vapor source is the Mediterranean Sea. The river water has different isotopic compositions from that of groundwater, springs, and Sawa Lake. The final conclusion is that there is no clear influence of the groundwater on the river water while there is an intermixing between the groundwater in the different locations in the study area.     

Assessment of well design and sustainability in hard-rock formations in northern Ghana

Some of the main problems in well construction are associated with installation of casing, especially in the overburden. A total of 1,485 lined and open wells, drilled in the hard rocks of the Precambrian basement complex and Palaeozoic sedimentary (Voltaian) formations in northern Ghana were studied. Of these, 500 were directly monitored. It was observed that the surfaces within the production zones of open wells had weathered, leading to silting and reductions in depth and yield, posing physical water-quality challenges. Also, the average life span of the open wells is about 15 years. The fully lined wells, on the other hand, perform very well with time, lasting for over 40 years on average, with a more sustainable physical water quality over their life span. The comparative cost of constructing an open well was found to be about 26% less than that of a lined well due to less construction material requirements. Although open wells may be relatively cheaper than lined wells to construct in hard rocks, the life span is shorter and should not be encouraged for groundwater exploitation especially in community or rural water supply schemes.     

Climate change and population history in the Pacific Lowlands of Southern Mesoamerica

Core MAN015 from Pacific coastal Guatemala contains sediments accumulated in a mangrove setting over the past 6500 yr. Chemical, pollen, and phytolith data, which indicate conditions of estuarine deposition and terrigenous inputs from adjacent dry land, document Holocene climate variability that parallels the Maya lowlands and other New World tropical locations. Human population history in this region may be driven partly by climate variation: sedentary human populations spread rapidly through the estuarine zone of the lower coast during a dry and variable 4th millennium B.P. Population growth and cultural florescence during a long, relatively moist period (2800–1200 B.P.) ended around 1200 B.P., a drying event that coincided with the Classic Maya collapse.     

Geophysical investigation of a mineral groundwater resource in Turkey

The hydrogeological conditions in Uludag (Nilufer River catchment, Bursa, Turkey) were assessed, using time-domain electromagnetic soundings, electrical resistivity and induced polarisation tomography, to detect the most promising zones for new water-well siting, in order to increase the quantity of water for bottling. The hydrogeological model is quite complex: deep mineral and thermal water rises from a main vertical fault which separates two lithological complexes. The highly mineralised (deep) water is naturally mixed with low mineralised water at a shallow depth, 30–40 m; the mixed mineral water is found in some surface springs and shallow wells, while the highly mineralised water is found at depth in some unused deep wells located close to the main fault. All the water points (springs and wells) are located inside a “mineral water belt” on the north side of the Nilufer River. The geophysical survey confirmed the hydrogeological model and highlighted four promising zones for well siting (zones with very low electrical resistivity and high induced polarisation anomalies, corresponding to the main water-bearing faults). One of the geophysical anomalies, the furthest from the exploited sources, was verified by means of a test well; the drilling results have confirmed the water mixing model.     

A near‐annual palaeohydrological study based on testate amoebae from a sub‐alpine mire: surface wetness and the role of climate during the instrumental period

We present the first testate amoeba‐based palaeohydrological reconstruction from the Swiss Alps, and the first depth to the water table (DWT) calibration dataset for this region. Compared to existing models, our new calibration dataset performs well (RMSEP = 4.88), despite the length of the water table gradient covered (53 cm). The present‐day topography and vegetation of the study mire Mauntschas suggest that it is partly ombrotrophic (large Sphagnum fuscum hummocks, one of which was the coring site) but mostly under the minerotrophic influence of springs in the mire and runoff from the surrounding area. Ombrotrophic Sphagnum fuscum hummocks developed at the sampling site only during the last 50 years, when testate amoebae indicate a shift towards dry and/or acid conditions. Prior to AD 1950 the water table was much higher, suggesting that the influence of the mineral‐rich water prevented the development of ombrotrophic hummocks. The reconstructed DWT correlated with Pinus cembra pollen accumulation rates, suggesting that testate amoebae living on the mire and P. cembra growing outside of it partly respond to the same factor(s). Finally, temperature trends from the nearby meteorological station paralleled trends in reconstructed DWT. However, contrary to other studies made on raised bogs of northwestern Europe, the highest correlation was observed for winter temperature, despite the fact that testate amoebae would more logically respond to moisture conditions during the growing season. The observed correlation with winter temperature might reflect a control of winter severity on surface moisture during at least the first part of the growing season, through snow melt and soil frost phenomena influencing run‐off. More ecohydrological work on sub‐alpine mires is needed to understand the relationships between climate, testate amoebae and peatland development. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Toxic (aluminum, beryllium, boron, chromium and zinc) in groundwater: health risk assessment

The objective of this study is to determine the seasonal water quality variations of the major springs of the Yarmouk Basin (YB) of north Jordan. A total of 36 water samples were collected in October 2006 (dry season) and in May 2007 (wet season) and analyzed for temperature, hydrogen ion concentration, electrical conductivity, aluminum, beryllium, boron, chromium and zinc. The hydrogen ion concentration was found in the alkaline ranges (7.01?C7.87) and (7.01?C8.09) for the pre and post-wet season water samples, respectively. Electrical conductivity varied from 300 to 1199???S/cm and from 424 to 962???S/cm for the dry and wet season water samples, respectively. The results of heavy metals analysis indicated that some water samples exceeded the Jordanian Standards for drinking water. Overall, the results showed that the water springs of the Yarmouk Basin in north Jordan is contaminated with heavy metals that might affect human health as well as the health of the ecosystem.     

Geothermometry and circulation depth of groundwater in Semnan thermal springs,Northern Iran

Semnan thermal springs with high TDS and moderate temperature are located northwest of Semnan, the northern part of Iran. The spatial and temporal variations of physicochemical characteristics of the thermal and cold springs were investigated for the recognition of origin and dominant hydrogeochemical processes. Results show that the thermal springs have the same origin, but due to different ascending flow paths and different conductive cooling mechanism, their temperatures vary. The chemical composition of thermal waters is controlled by dolomite, halite and sulfate minerals dissolution and calcite precipitation and bacterial sulfate reduction. The concentration of major and trace elements in the thermal springs does not change in wet and dry seasons notably because they are derived from old groundwater with deep circulation and high temperature. Seasonal change in the concentration of some trace elements is due to the seasonal variation of pH, Eh, temperature and dilution by shallow waters. Decreasing SO₄ and carbonate saturation index and increasing Na/Cl ratios and Ca content in the dry season show dilution effect caused by the previous heavy rainfall events. The temperature of the heating reservoir based on K–Mg, chalcedony, quartz and chemical equilibrium approach was approximately estimated in the range of 60–80 °C. Hydrogeologically, a conceptual model was suggested for the thermal springs. The general groundwater flow direction is probably from the dolomite Lar Formation in Chenaran anticline toward the adjacent syncline in a confined condition, and then a thrust fault acts as a conduit and redirects the thermal water to the emerging springs at the surface.     

Water table characterization for environmental hydrogeologic monitoring in fault zones: examples from California, potential applications in Chile

Potentially contaminating activities such as mining and waste disposal, which require environmental hydrogeologic monitoring, may be located in or above fault zones. Two case studies of ground water monitoring at waste disposal sites in California illustrate the effect such fault zones may have on water tables. A fault gouge area in the Garlock fault zone has a potentiometric surface (a conceptual surface plotted using water elevations in monitoring wells and springs) which intersects the ground surface. The planar Kern Bluff fault produces a stepped water tabel. It is suggested that due to geologic and other environmental similarities, studies of environmental impacts of projects along the Ataca fault zone and Pocuro fault zone in Chile may encounter similar hydrogeologic phenomena.     

An 810‐year history of cold season temperature variability for northern Poland

Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) is a widely used tree species in European dendroclimatology studies due to its common distribution across much of the continent. Almost all studies find radial growth strongly related to summer temperature, a result reflecting site selection at high elevation/latitude environments where trees grow at their ecophysiological limits. Due to the amount of attention spent on these sites there is a geographical and seasonal bias in temperature reconstructions based upon tree‐ring proxies in Europe. To overcome the limited availability of tree‐ring data in temperate lowlands, we present a northern Poland ring‐width chronology developed from living and historic Scots pine material with a strong common growth signal going back to AD 1200. Investigations into climate‐growth relationships found year‐to‐year ring‐width variability to be more strongly correlated to cold season temperature (November to April) prior to the growing season than summer temperatures during tree‐ring formation. Based on this relationship it was possible to reconstruct cold season temperature conditions for the last 810 years. Spatial field correlations with gridded instrumental records indicated that the reconstruction provides relevant cold season temperature information across the land regions bordering the North Atlantic Ocean and Baltic Sea, lowlands and uplands of western and central Europe, and the eastern and central interior of Russia. Despite an unsuccessful attempt to find a stationary relationship with the North Atlantic Oscillation, comparisons with several cold season temperature reconstructions confirmed the long‐term connection between our reconstructed temperature series for northern Poland and the wider area.     

济南四大泉群泉水补给来源混合比探讨

济南泉水众多闻名于世,人类活动造成泉水断流。为恢复名泉,多年来一直实施地下水自备井限采、集中开采的水源地禁采、回灌补源等措施,但保泉效果并不明显。根据泉水位观测、示踪试验、水质指标测试、岩溶发育程度分析、数理统计等方法,研究泉水补给来源的混合比例。研究结果表明：泉水位及泉水电导率动态变化特征揭示泉水补给来源存在季节性差异,丰水期泉水以东南方向管道流补给为主,枯水期泉水以西南方向裂隙流补给为主;岩溶水系统排泄区的水位动态与泉水位具有明显的相关性,奥陶系灰岩补给区地下水位与泉水位的相关性高于张夏组岩溶水水位与泉水位的相关性,枯水期在张夏组灰岩含水层进行回灌补源并不能遏制泉水位下降的势态;根据42组水质资料计算,泉水的Ca2+、Mg2+、Cl-、SO2-4、总硬度等常规离子组分含量介于寒武系张夏组岩溶水和奥陶系岩溶水之间,四大泉群流量中,来自于张夏组含水层的补给比例占11%~32%,凤山组-奥陶系含水层的补给比例占24%~60%,历阳湖占5%~10%,兴济河占0~6%,玉符河占1%~8%,市区回灌对五龙潭的流量有重要影响。可见,北方岩溶发育极其不均,泉水动态变化反映出北方岩溶的管道流与裂隙流并存,济南保泉回灌补源地点宜选择在奥陶系灰岩分布区。     

Structural geology controls on groundwater flow: Lembang Fault case study, West Java, Indonesia

Field evidence has shown that Lembang Fault (West Java, Indonesia) can act as a groundwater flow barrier. There are outcrops along the footwall comprising consolidated brecciated rock with very low permeability, springs and hot springs occurring along down-thrown hanging-wall rock adjacent to the fault, and a high permeability layer of old and young Tangkuban Parahu eruptive materials (hanging wall) juxtaposed against the low permeability of the older volcanic layer of Bukit Tunggul unit (footwall). Two different environmental tracers were utilized in the study: electrical conductivity measurement and stable isotope analysis. Hydraulic head was measured at some wells along the fault and water electrical conductivity measurements were carried out in a small catchment, the upper part of Cikapundung River basin, which is located just north of Bandung City. Water samples for stable isotope composition analysis were taken from 19 observation wells distributed randomly inside the basin. All analysis data lead to the recognition that Lembang Fault blocks the groundwater flow. No indication was found for water being recharged at higher elevation in the northern part of Bandung Basin, which means the recharged water in Mount Tangkuban Parahu area does not reach Bandung Plain.     

Pollution characteristics of alluvial groundwater from springs and bore wells in semi-urban informal settlements of Douala,Cameroon, Western Africa

Alluvial groundwater from springs and bore wells, used as the major source of water for drinking and other domestic purposes in the semi-urban informal settlements of Douala, Cameroon, has been studied. Six representative springs, four bore wells and two hand dug wells, situated in the Phanerozoic basin were selected, from which a total of 72 water samples were analyzed for chemical characteristics and indicators of bacterial contamination. The results showed anthropogenic pollution, evident from high concentrations of organic (up to 94.3 mg NO₃/l nitrate) fecal coliform and fecal streptococcus detected in the springs and bore wells (with values of 2,311 and 1,500 cfu/100 ml, respectively). The pH ranged from 3.4–6.5, which is lower than the guidelines for drinking water. Groundwater samples from background upstream inland natural areas W1 and W2 had low electrical conductivity (54.2 and 74.8 μs/cm, respectively) and major ions, which increased downstream in the valleys, peaking in the more densely settled areas. An acceptable concentration of solutes was observed for the bore wells except for a single sample from B4. The bore-well sample B4 registered the highest microbial content (2,130 cfu/100 ml) and nitrate level(26 mg/l), which could be due to the bottom of this well lying just at or close to the zone of mixing between sewage and groundwater. The absence of a direct correlation between nitrate and fecal matter suggests multiple sources of contamination. The shallow alluvial aquifer consists of unconsolidated deposits of gravel, sand, silt and clay. The springs, therefore, receive direct recharge from the ground surface with limited contaminant attenuation, which leads to water quality deterioration, especially during the rainy season. This shows the urgent need to put basic service infrastructures in place. The local population should be sensitized to the importance of chlorinating and boiling drinking water to prevent health hazards.     

Arsenic in the groundwater of Ouro Preto (Brazil): its temporal behavior as influenced by the hydric regime and hydrogeology

In the city of Ouro Preto (MG), water catchment for public supply originates from superficial drainage, springs, old abandoned mines and some driven wells. In the rocks of the region, As is originally found in gold-enriched sulphide-bearing mineral deposits. The weathering process introduces As into the hydrological system by dissolution of this element into the leachate. Measurement of the As content in the groundwater of some catchments was carried out during 1 year and these measurements demonstrated high As content—up to 224 μg L⁻¹ of As(V)—during the rainy season (the maximum concentration limit according to World Health Organization is 10 μg L⁻¹). Lower values were observed during the dry season and in some sampling stations, As was not even detected. The As concentration variability during 1 year shows a strict and direct relationship to seasonal and hydrological conditions. For city authorities, responsible for public water supply, it is necessary to perform a complete inventory of the water sources used and constantly monitor the As content in the water.     

Anthropogenic influences on Hong Kong streams

The Hong Kong countryside has experienced centuries of intense human impact, and none of the native climax forest remains. Anthropogenic influences upon Hong Kong freshwaters reflect, on the one hand, pollution and degradation of rivers and wetlands as a consequence of urbanization of rural lowlands. On the other hand, the need to preserve pristine catchments for the supply of water for human consumption has ensured the protection of upland streams which are typically unpolluted. Hong Kong has no natural lakes, limited ground-water reserves, and marked seasonal and inter-year rainfall variation. Most upland streams are impounded, and water is transferred from them into reservoirs by underground tunnels. Hong Kong's 17 reservoirs collect insufficient water from local catchments to meet the territory's needs. To satisfy the shortfall, large amounts of water (1.1 billion m³ in 1994) are piped each year from the Dongjiang (a tributary of the Zhujiang or Pearl River) in Guangdong Province (southern China) into reservoirs in Hong Kong where it mixes with water from local streams. The natural seasonality of flow in Hong Kong streams is heightened by aggressive water extraction during the dry season. No consideration is given to maintenance of the minimum in-stream flows necessary to conserve ecosystem integrity below extraction points and, in extreme cases, surface flow ceases during the dry season. Water extraction also causes dry-season increases in pollution load as flows are reduced and the ability of streams to dilute pollution is diminished. The cumulative impact of such modifications is severe, and lowland freshwaters now support a depauperate flora and fauna of adaptable generalists, including a significant proportion of exotic or alien species.