应用多种数据融合方法对多时相SPOT图像处理提取三峡工程大坝区地面动态变化信息

三峡库区三斗坪大坝区及其周围地区在1994到1998年期间，由于大坝的施工地面发生了巨大变化。这些变化在1990、1997和1998年获取的SPOT遥感图像上都有明显的记录，其中一些地面变化细节在分辨率10m的全波段（P）图像更为清楚。这里利用三种方法（高通滤波算法（HPF algorithm，Chavezet al．1991）、RWM—ARSIS方法（Ranchin and Wald，1999）和P＋XS算法（Anonymous 1986））对三峡工程三斗坪大坝区的多时相高空间分辨率的SPOT图像（获取时闻为1990，1997和1998年，包括全波段P图像和多波段XS图像）进行融合处理，在提取测区地面动态变化信息的同时，从理论和实际应用的角度探讨了不同数据融合方法的效果。     

Deforestation in the Buea-Limbe and Bertoua regions in southern Cameroon (1984–2000): modernization,world-systems,and neo-Malthusian outlook

This paper characterizes changes in land use and forest cover in southern Cameroon. In doing so, we use remotely sensed data to define the rates and area of forest loss and cover change in two reference areas over a period of 16 years (from 1984 to 2000)—the Buea-Limbe area in the southwest province and the Bertoua area in the east province. We relate socio-economic data of these study areas with results from the empirical spatial analysis to explain causes of deforestation. A second set of explanations, which we call the theoretical perspective, attributes deforestation in southern Cameroon to the intricacies of modernization, world-systems, and neo-Malthusian theories.     

Dynamic analysis of eco-environmental changes based on remote sensing and geographic information system: an example in Longdong region of the Chinese Loess Plateau

The Chinese Loess Plateau is suffering from severe soil erosion. The eco-environmental changes of the plateau are believed to have an important influence on global eco-environmental sustainability; hence, this problem has attracted considerable attention from scientists around the world. This study has two purposes; application of remote sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) techniques in the dynamic analysis of eco-environmental changes in the semiarid zone; and using the Longdong region of the Chinese Loess Plateau as an example, to make dynamic analysis of the eco-environmental changes of the region during the 1986–2004 period and identify controlling factors. Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) data at a spatial resolution of 30 m were used for analysis. Two training areas were selected in Jingning and Qingcheng counties for analysis using 10-m resolution SPOT and Landsat TM data. The satellite RS images were obtained from the Institute of Remote Sensing Application (IRSA), Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). Each images was rectified by Albers Equal Area Conic projection based on 1:50,000 scale topographic maps after spectrum preparation of the images. To make the precision within 1 or 2 pixels, the accurate coordinative control points of the two systems were identified. Then the interpretation key was established based on the land use/cover survey in the study area. The images were classified into six primary environmental types (farmland, forest, grassland, water, construction area, and desert) and 25 sub-types using a visual image interactive interpretation method to obtain vector and attribute data. The resultant accuracy of the land use/cover classification reached 95%. Finally, the transformation areas and ratios of various eco-environmental types in the region were calculated to obtain the transition matrixes of eco-environmental types in the two training areas, Jingning and Qingcheng. This study demonstrates that satellite RS and GIS techniques are effective tools to monitor and analyze the eco-environmental changes in the semiarid region. Visual image interactive interpretation based on GIS technique provides comprehensive information on the direction, rate, and location of eco-environmental changes. The transition matrix model can be used to precisely analyze the variation and rates of the eco-environmental types and their spatial distribution. Great land use changes have taken place Longdong during the 1986–2004 period. These eco-environmental changes were driven by natural and human factors. Natural factors influencing the Longdong region of the Chinese Loess Plateau mainly include temperature, water condition, terrain, soil, and erosion; while human activities include over-cultivation, overgrazing, and fuelwood cutting. As viewed from the extent and severity of the influences, human activities play a very important role in altering the eco-environment of the semiarid region. The study results indicate a need for future research and observation in the semiarid region.     

The impact of land use and land cover changes on soil moisture and hydraulic conductivity along the karst hillslopes of southwest China

The understanding of the temporal and spatial dynamics of soil moisture and hydraulic property is crucial to the study of several hydrological and ecological processes. Karst environments are extremely fragile because of thin soil and small soil water holding capacity. A marked intensification of agricultural land use and deforestation due to increase of population and thus expansion of agricultural areas has made the karst environment even more delicate. In this study, the soil moisture contents (SMC) and hydraulic conductivities (K) along four karst hillslopes were measured in situ by time domain reflectometry and the Guelph Permeameter, respectively, at test plots, each of which has a different vegetative cover, landform, land surface slope, soil property and content of rock fragment. The statistical results from the measurements show that land cover changes strongly affect the distribution of soil moisture and hydraulic properties. Compared with SMC in the bare soil areas, SMC values are 30.5, 20.1 and 10.2% greater in the forest, shrub and grass areas, respectively. Vegetation roots significantly increase permeability of low-layer silt soils. Measured K values were 0.8, 0.6 and 0.01 cm/min for the forest, agriculture and bare soil areas, respectively. When the forest was destroyed by fire or cut to become an agricultural area or bare soils, SMC would be reduced by 13.1 and 32.1%, respectively. If deforestation leads to strong rock desertification, SMC was reduced by 70%. Bedrock fractures significantly reduce the SMC in the overlying layer, but increase K values. SMC values of 30–45% would be reduced to 17–30% for the soil layer embedding rocks with and without fractures, respectively. K values could be increased from 1.0 to 8.5 cm/min. SMC are sensitive to terrain. A slope angle increase of 1° would reduce SMC about 0.82%. These changes resulting from land cover and land use alterations offer useful information to further investigate the response of ecosystem evolution to hydrodynamic processes.     

Cyclic activity of the H2O maser emission towards NGC 2071

A catalog of maser spectra in the 1.35-cm water-vapor line towards the maser source NGC 2071 in a region of massive star formation is presented for 1994–2010. The observations were carried out using the 22-m antenna of the Pushchino Radio Astronomy Observatory with a spectral resolution of 0.101 km/s (0.0822 km/s after the end of 2005). Based on the data throughout the monitoring since 1980, two very different cycles of maser activity were found. The first (1980–1992) is characterized by high activity within a broad range of radial velocities. Emission at velocities near 7 km/s predominated in 1980–1986, and emission near 14–16 km/s, in 1987–1992. In 1997–2008, the maser intensity was appreciably lower than in the first activity cycle. Numerous flares of individual emission features were observed. Identifications based on VLA data show that strong flares took place in both maser sources, IRS1 and IRS3. Both sources demonstrated a low level of maser activity during essentially the same epochs (1977, 1995–1997, and the close of 2009 through the beginning of 2010), although the sources are separated by at least 2000 AU.     

Temporal and spatial variations in the magnitude of completeness for homogenized moment magnitude catalogue for northeast India

Northeast India region is one of the most seismically active areas in the world. Events data for the period 1897–2010, used in this study has been largely compiled from global ISC, NEIC and GCMT databases. Historical seismicity catalogue of Gupta et al (1986) and some events data from the bulletins of India Meteorological Department are also used. Orthogonal regression relations for conversion of body and surface wave magnitudes to M _w,HRVD based on events data for the period 1978–2006 have been derived. An Orthogonal Standard Regression (OSR) relationship has also been obtained for scaling of intensity estimates to M _w,NEIC using 126 global intensity events with intensity VI or greater during the period 1975–2010.     

Climate change and local adaptation strategies in the middle Inner Mongolia,northern China

According to records of 17 meteorological stations distributed in the study area, climate change of the middle Inner Mongolia in northern China was analyzed in this paper. Based on SPOT VGT data, combined with field investigation, local vegetation change was detected in the last 10 years. The results show that annual mean air temperature obviously rose, while precipitation slightly decreased in fluctuation in the study area during the last 50 years. Air temperature increasing rates are +0.318°C 10 year⁻¹ during 1960-2009 and +0.423°C 10 year⁻¹ during 1980–2009, while precipitation decreasing rates are −2.91 mm 10 year⁻¹ during 1960–2009. There were five different dry or wet periods from the 1960s to the 2000s in order, and the wetter 1990s and the drier 2000s changed dramatically in the study area. Local climate totally tend to warm–dry conditions during the last 50 years. According to coefficient of variation (Cv) of yearly growing-season cumulative NDVI value and yearly NDVI maximum in pixel scale, vegetation had experienced huge temporal and spatial variation during the last 10 years. Recently, frequent droughts and dust storms seriously affected local agriculture and grazing activities, and resulted in heavy economic loss, especially over the drought period of 1999–2001. Faced with those drought disasters accompanied with strong dust storms, the local authorities proposed the enclosing-transferring strategy and made great efforts to adapt overt climate change and improve environment, including making selective emigration, decreasing livestock numbers, fencing grasslands and building forage production bases with irrigation instruments and actively adjusting industry structure. However, some effects and potential problems of this adaptation strategy still need to be comprehensively assessed further in longer time scales and aimed at different sub-regions.     

Land-use change versus natural controls on stream water chemistry in the Subandean Amazon,Peru

This study evaluates the effects of deforestation and land-use change, as compared to natural controls, on stream water chemistry in the Subandean Amazon. Dissolved major and trace elements were determined near the stream outlet of 48 independent watersheds with varying morphology, bed rock composition and intactness of forest cover (pristine to highly exploited). Geomorphological characteristics were derived from a digital elevation model, geological formations from digitalized maps and forest cover from digital classification of SPOT satellite images. Partial least square regression and multiple linear regression showed that watershed average elevation, which ranged between 396 and 1649 m, was the strongest control on stream water chemistry, explaining >70% of the variation in K and a considerable part also for Mn, U, Mg and HCO₃ with near exponential concentration increases down the altitude gradient. Forest cover, which ranged between 7% and 99%, correlated strongly with average elevation (Spearman correlation coefficient, r_s = 0.8), but had no statistically significant impact on stream solute concentrations. Thus, in the studied Subandean region, watershed scale deforestation has not resulted in measurable impacts on stream water chemistry which is dominated by the spatial variation in natural controls.     

The prehistoric and preindustrial deforestation of Europe

Humans have transformed Europe's landscapes since the establishment of the first agricultural societies in the mid-Holocene. The most important anthropogenic alteration of the natural environment was the clearing of forests to establish cropland and pasture, and the exploitation of forests for fuel wood and construction materials. While the archaeological and paleoecological record documents the time history of anthropogenic deforestation at numerous individual sites, to study the effect that prehistoric and preindustrial deforestation had on continental-scale carbon and water cycles we require spatially explicit maps of changing forest cover through time. Previous attempts to map preindustrial anthropogenic land use and land cover change addressed only the recent past, or relied on simplistic extrapolations of present day land use patterns to past conditions. In this study we created a very high resolution, annually resolved time series of anthropogenic deforestation in Europe over the past three millennia by 1) digitizing and synthesizing a database of population history for Europe and surrounding areas, 2) developing a model to simulate anthropogenic deforestation based on population density that handles technological progress, and 3) applying the database and model to a gridded dataset of land suitability for agriculture and pasture to simulate spatial and temporal trends in anthropogenic deforestation. Our model results provide reasonable estimations of deforestation in Europe when compared to historical accounts. We simulate extensive European deforestation at 1000 BC, implying that past attempts to quantify anthropogenic perturbation of the Holocene carbon cycle may have greatly underestimated early human impact on the climate system.     

Geophysical imaging of municipal solid waste contaminant pathways

Surface electrical and electromagnetic surveys were conducted on top of a solid waste facility in Unguwan Dosa, Kaduna State, Northwest Nigeria. The aim of the geophysical survey was to detect vertical and subvertical fractures that may provide pathways for groundwater and contaminant transport. Results from the 2D electrical resistivity imaging showed vertical and subvertical contacts overlain by 6–10 m thick overburden. Quantitative interpretation of the VLF-EM data correlates well with the results of the 2D resistivity imaging delineating the vertical and subvertical contacts as good and weak conductors (fractures zones) with resistivity values of 40–220 and 300–420 Ω m, respectively. Azimuthal Schlumberger VES measurements yield apparent anisotropy values ranging from 1.01 to 1.47 for electrode spacings of 1–45 m with the highest value recorded at spacing of 2 m. However, azimuthal variations at large spacings (30–45 m) showed no fracture anisotropy due possibly to the array’s low sensitivity to anisotropy at these spacings. The result of the study showed that pollutants in the leachate can reach and contaminate the groundwater. Therefore, urgency for leachate treatment at this site is recommended to prevent contamination of groundwater.     

Spatial variability of soil moisture at typical alpine meadow and steppe sites in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region

Permafrost degradation has the potential to significantly change soil moisture. The objective of this study was to assess the variability of soil moisture in a permafrost region using geostatistical techniques. The experiment was conducted in August 2008 in alpine steppe and meadow located in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau permafrost region. Four soil depths (0–10, 10–20, 20–30 and 30–40 cm) were analyzed using frequency domain reflectometry, and sampling made of 80 points in a 10 m × 10 m grid were sampled. Soil moisture was analyzed using classical statistics to appropriately describe central tendency and dispersion, and then using geostatistics to describe spatial variability. Classical statistical method indicated that soil moisture in the permafrost region had a normal distribution pattern. Mean surface soil moisture in alpine meadow was higher than that in alpine steppe. The semivariograms showed that soil moisture variability in alpine cold steppe was larger than that in alpine meadow, which decreased with depths. Nugget values in alpine steppe were low (0.1–4.5), in contrast to alpine cold meadow. Soil moisture in alpine steppe had highly structured spatial variability with more than 93.4% spatial heterogeneity, and the range decreased with depth. Soil moisture content in alpine cold meadow had a moderate spatial dependence with a range of 51.3–169.2 m, increasing with depth.     

Speleothems as high-resolution paleoenvironment archives: Records from northeastern China

The isotopic compositions of oxygen and carbon and trace concentrations of magnesium and strontium in speleothems formed in limestone caves respond to climate changes outside the caves. Measurements of these properties on a stalagmite from Shihua Cave near Beijing, China, allowed reconstruction of the regional changes in precipitation, temperature and nature of vegetation. Over the last ∼ 500 years, there were fourteen precipitation cycles with a periodicity of 30–40 years, which may well reflect fluctuations in the strength of the East Asian summer monsoons reaching northeastern China. Relative to the mean temperature of this time interval, the period 1620–1900 AD was cold and periods 1520–1620 and 1900–1994 were warm. Over the last ∼ 3000-years, about eight wet/cool-dry/warm climatic cycles of 300–400 years duration occurred, the latest wet/cool half cycle corresponding to the Little Ice Age. The δ¹³C record registers the anthropogenic activities of fossil fuel CO₂ combustion in recent decades and regional deforestation between 13 and 16 centuries when Beijing was bustling with palatial constructions and being developed into the world’s most populated city.     

Strong ground motions from the 2011 off-the Pacific-Coast-of-Tohoku, Japan (Mw?=?9.0) earthquake obtained from a dense nationwide seismic network

The dense recordings of the K-NET and KiK-net nationwide strong motion network of 1,189 accelerometers show clearly the radiation and propagation properties of the strong ground motions associated with the 2011 off-the-Pacific Coast-of-Tohoku, Japan (Mw = 9.0) earthquake. The snapshots of seismic wave propagation reveal strong ground motions from this earthquake that originate from three large slips; the first two slips occurred over the plate interface of off-Miyagi at the southwest and the east of the hypocenter, and the third one just beneath the northern end of Ibaraki over the plate interface or in the crust. Such multiple shocks of this event caused large accelerations (maximum 1–2 G) and prolonged ground shaking lasting several minutes with dominant high-frequency (T < 1 s) signals over the entire area of northern Japan. On the other hand, ground motions of relatively longer–period band (T = 1–2 s), which caused significant damage to wooden-frame houses, were about 1/2–1/3 of those observed near the source area of the destructive 1995 Kobe, Japan (M = 7.3) earthquake. Also, the long-period (T = 6–8 s) ground motion in the Kanto (Tokyo) sedimentary basin was at an almost comparable level of those observed during the recent Mw = 7 inland earthquakes, but not as large as that from the former M = 8 earthquakes. Therefore, the impact of the strong ground motion from the present M = 9 earthquake was not as large as expected from the previously M = 7–8 earthquakes and caused strong motion damage only to short-scale construction and according to instruments inside the buildings, both have a shorter (T < 1 s) natural period.     

Canopy dieback in the upper montane rain forests of Sri Lanka

In 1978 a patch of dying upper montane rain forest had been observed on the slope of Thotupolakanda above Horton Plains. Patches in the upper montane rain forests of Sri Lanka were also recorded in 1980/81. All these sites were on windswept western slopes and ridges with stunted tree growth and shallow soil. From 1971 to 1983 Sri Lanka experienced some exceptionally dry years. The severe droughts of 1976 might have cause or “triggered” that dieback. After heavy rains between 1983 and 1986, these forests showed signs of recovery. Some trees had survived and sprouted again. Tree saplings were found, but regeneration was very low and further impeded by serious frost in February 1986. The influence of drought and frost clearly indicates the vulnerability of the stunted upper montane rain forest in the highest and wind-exposed regions of Sri Lanka.     

Results of geodetic and geotechnical monitoring of subsidence for Taiwan High Speed Rail operation

Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR), which began operations in January 2007, passes through an area in Yunlin County where the largest cumulative subsidence measured during 1992–2006 exceeds 100 cm. Leveling benchmarks, GPS pillars and multi-level monitoring wells were deployed in this area to collect detailed subsidence data from October 2003 to 2006. Leveling is carried out on both ground benchmarks and survey bolts attached to THSR columns. Minimum constraint solutions of leveling networks produce estimated heights accurate to a few mm. Special attention is paid to code smoothing, ionospheric, tropospheric and ocean tidal loading (OTL) effects, so that height estimates from GPS are optimal. Leveling and GPS-derived height changes are consistent to 1 cm, and show that from Stations 210 to 240K of TSHR, the subsidence is bowl shaped. Measurements of sediment compaction in specific depth intervals at three monitoring wells indicate that most of the subsidence is caused by sediment compaction at depths from 50 to 300 m. The major compaction occurs in the interval 220–300 m and is attributed to ground water withdrawal. Large angular deflections as determined from subsidence measurements are detected at some columns, but are below the upper bound (1/1,000) of tolerance specified in the safety code. With the current subsidence and sediment compaction, no significantly reduced loading capacity of the columns is expected to occur. For a safe THSR operation, subsidence and sediment-compaction monitoring should be continued, and current ground water withdrawal in Yunlin must be reduced or stopped.     

Radar remote sensing for monitoring of dynamic ecosystem processes related to biogeochemical exchanges in tropical peatlands

Peatlands are an important multipurpose ecosystem, supporting huge quantities of biomass and peat soil carbon. A time series of Japanese Earth Resource Satellite-1 (JERS-1) L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data was employed to monitor two dynamic ecosystem processes; deforestation and inundation patterns. Using a change detection analysis for three images acquired during dry seasons of 1994, 1997 and 1998, we detected the deforestation that has occurred in the region due to the anthropogenic and natural causes. At a threshold of ±2 dB change in backscattering response, an area of about 98 km² of these forests was found to have been cleared during 1994–1997 for conversion to cultivatable lands. However, the agricultural crops miserably failed to grow on these cleared lands because of the adverse water and soil chemistry conditions. The deliberate draining of these lands, by laying and extension of a huge network of canals, created congenial ecological conditions for the spread of forest fires, particularly during the 1997 El Niño period. An area of 250 km² of forests was thus detected to have been destroyed by these fires between September 1997 and January 1998. These deforested lands are rapidly regenerating since their abandonment and the regenerating carbon stocks were simulated using the CENTURY ecosystem dynamics model. Furthermore, the L-band SAR was able to detect the pixel-wise seasonal and spatial inundation information for particular forest types where the transmissivity of the L-band SAR signals was quite significant. These forest types corresponded to comparatively low biomass areas. The SAR derived information about these two important dynamic processes would be useful for improving the accuracy of modelling the spatial and temporal distribution of the carbon and other trace gases in these ecosystems.Edited by D. Boyd     

Assessing changes in the rainfall regime in Nigeria between 1961 and 2004

The study assessed changes in the rainfall regime in Nigeria between 1961 and 2004 in terms of (a) absolute seasonality—the length of dry and wet season; (b) relative seasonality—rainfall contrast during the year; (c) number of rainfall maxima and minima; and (d) timing of rainfall maxima and minima. Trends in the mean monthly surface locations of the Inter-tropical Discontinuity (ITD) were also examined as a prominent factor of the rainfall regime. Changes in the regime were examined over four time slices: 1961–1971, 1972–1982, 1983–1993 and 1994–2004. The results show that, in the area of single rainfall maximum regime, the length of the wet season has increased from 4 months (in 1961–1971) to 5 months (since 1972–1982). The rainfall relative seasonality has consistently been ‘most rain in 3 months or less’. The rainfall maxima still indicate single rainfall maximum but shift in the peak from August to July. Rainfall during the months of June to September appears to have witnessed declining trends over the first three time slices. The last time slice however indicates trends towards a wetter condition. For the area of double maxima rainfall regime, the length of the wet season has consistently been 8 months. The rainfall relative seasonality has consistently been ‘rather seasonal with a short drier season’. The rainfall maxima and minima still indicate double rainfall maxima with August as the month of the minimum but shift in the primary peak from July to September. The northward latitudinal distance of the surface location of the ITD from the equator indicates significant upward trends during the months of May to September only and for a period of 1983–2000. The trend results of the ITD appears to account for most of the observed changes in the rainfall regime in Nigeria.     

Attenuation of photosynthetically available radiation (PAR) in Florida Bay: Potential for light limitation of primary producers

Light attenuation in marine ecosystems can limit primary production and determine the species composition and abundance of primary producers. In Florida Bay, the importance of understanding the present light environment has heightened as major upstream water management restoration projects have been proposed and some are already being implemented. We analyzed a 2-yr (2001–2003) data set of the light attenuation coefficient (K_t) and its principal components (water, chromophoric dissolved organic matter [CDOM], tripton, phytoplankton) obtained at 40 stations within Florida Bay, calibrated synoptic underway data to produce high spatial resolution maps, examined the potential for light limitation, and quantified the individual effect of each component upon light attenuation. Tripton was the dominant component controlling light attenuation throughout Florida Bay, whereas the contribution of chlorophylla and CDOM to K_t was much smaller in all regions of Florida Bay. It was possible to accurately estimate the light attenuation coefficient from component concentrations, using either a mechanistic or a statistical model with root mean square errors of 0.252 or 0.193 m⁻¹, respectively. Compared to other estuaries, Florida Bay had the lowest overall K_t and the greatest relative contribution from tripton. Comparing the recent data to a study of Florida Bay’s light environment conducted in 1993–1994, we found that overall water clarity in the Bay increased significantly, indicated by a nearly 3-fold decrease in K_v as a result of lower tripton concentrations, although the percent contribution of each of the components to K_t is unchanged. Only the northwest corner of Florida Bay, an area comprised of approximately 8% of the Bay’s total area, was found on average to have sufficient light attenuation to limit the growth of seagrasses. This is much less extensive than in 1993–1994, when seagrass growth was potentially limited by light at over 50% of the stations sampled.     

Slope failures and stability analysis of shallow water prodeltas in the active margins of Western Greece,northeastern Mediterranean Sea

Sediment instabilities are common on the prodeltas of the seismically active continental margins of Western Greece. Sediment failures on the low-angle (0.5°–2°) prodelta slopes manifest themselves as successions of peripheral rotational block slumps restricted to the foresets of the late highstand systems tract (HST). The individual slump blocks are about 80–150 m long and are bounded by growth faults acting as curved slip planes that extend to a mean depth of 10–15 m below seafloor. Shear planes develop in the lower part of muddy and/or gas charged HST foresets. Deeper basal transparent muddy layers of the early HST bottomset, together with the late Pleistocene transgressive systems tract sequences (TST), are mostly unaffected. On the steeper (2^°–6^°) fan delta slopes of the western Gulf of Corinth debris flows and avalanches with a significant retrogressive component dominate slope destabilisation. Sediment cores taken from landslide scarps and slide planes penetrated gas bubble releasing sediments thereby indicating that failure planes are in the late HST foresets/upper part of the early HST bottomsets gas charged zone. The foresets of the HST prodelta deposits display high water content (30–80%), low bulk density (1.4–1.9 g cm⁻³) and relatively low values of undrained shear strength (3–20 kPa). The water content of the HST distal muddy bottomsets is relatively higher (50–110%) and bulk density relatively lower (1.3–1.7 g cm⁻³) with low values of shear strength (2–10 kPa). The shear strength of the gas releasing sediment layer displays lower values (2–9 kPa) relative to the overlying, post failure, muddy sediments of the late 100–300 years. Slope stability was calculated using the normalised soil parameter (NSP) method under undrained conditions for normally consolidated prodelta sediments. This analysis indicates that instabilities could be induced by critical earthquake ground accelerations of 26.6–29.6% g for the HST foresets and 12.4–14.1% g for the basal transparent layer belonging to the early HST bottomsets. Consequently the early HST bottomsets has to be considered a potentially unstable layer since the regional peak ground accelerations (PGAs) for the next 50 years are expected to range from 19 to 30% g. Moreover, our results show that new glide planes in the prodeltaic sediment bodies of the seismically active continental margins of Western Greece will likely develop from the gas charged sediments of the lower part of the HST foresets to the upper part of early HST bottomsets.     

Trace elements in sub-alpine forest soils on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau,China

Industrial development has increased fast in China during the last decades. This has led to a range of environmental problems. Deposition of trace elements to forest ecosystems via the atmosphere is one potential problem. In this paper, we report the results from a pilot study where the trace element levels of the sub-alpine forest soils on the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau have been measured. Possible relationships between soil properties and trace element concentrations have also been investigated. The obtained concentrations (mg kg⁻¹) were boron (B) 48.06–53.70, molybdenum (Mo) 1.53–2.26, zinc (Zn) 68.18–79.53, copper (Cu) 36.81–42.44, selenium (Se) 0.33–0.49, cadmium (Cd) 0.16–0.29, lead (Pb) 25.80–30.71, chromium (Cr) 96.10–110.08, nickel (Ni) 30.16–45.60, mercury (Hg) 0.05–0.11, and arsenic (As) 3.09–4.17. With a few exceptions, the element concentration can be characterized as low in the investigated sub-alpine forest soils. No clear differences in trace element levels were found between topsoil and subsoil samples, indicating that the atmospheric deposition of trace element has been low. The soil parent material plays a key role to determine trace element levels. Soil properties, including pH_w, organic carbon (OC), clay fraction, cation-exchange capacity (CEC), total iron (Fe), and total aluminum (Al) concentrations were related to trace element concentration using correlation analysis. Total Fe and Al showed the strongest relationships with concentrations of most trace elements in the sub-alpine forest soils. PCA analyses indicated that a significant increase in the number of cars with the fast development of local tourism may result in higher Pb concentration in the future.