Global land water storage change from GRACE over 2002–2009; Inference on sea level

Global change in land water storage and its effect on sea level is estimated over a 7-year time span (August 2002 to July 2009) using space gravimetry data from GRACE. The 33 World largest river basins are considered. We focus on the year-to-year variability and construct a total land water storage time series that we further express in equivalent sea level time series. The short-term trend in total water storage adjusted over this 7-year time span is positive and amounts to 80.6 ± 15.7 km³/yr (net water storage excess). Most of the positive contribution arises from the Amazon and Siberian basins (Lena and Yenisei), followed by the Zambezi, Orinoco and Ob basins. The largest negative contributions (water deficit) come from the Mississippi, Ganges, Brahmaputra, Aral, Euphrates, Indus and Parana. Expressed in terms of equivalent sea level, total water volume change over 2002–2009 leads to a small negative contribution to sea level of –0.22 ± 0.05 mm/yr. The time series for each basin clearly show that year-to-year variability dominates so that the value estimated in this study cannot be considered as representative of a long-term trend. We also compare the interannual variability of total land water storage (removing the mean trend over the studied time span) with interannual variability in sea level (corrected for thermal expansion). A correlation of ∼0.6 is found. Phasing, in particular, is correct. Thus, at least part of the interannual variability of the global mean sea level can be attributed to land water storage fluctuations.     

Variations in sediment yield over the advance and retreat of a calving glacier, Laguna San Rafael, North Patagonian Icefield

Bathymetric and sub-bottom acoustic data were collected in Laguna San Rafael, Chile, to determine sediment yields during the Little Ice Age advance and subsequent retreat of San Rafael Glacier. The sediment volumes and subaqueous landforms imaged are used to interpret the proglacial dynamics and estimate erosion rates from a temperate tidewater glacier over a complete advance-retreat cycle. Sediment yields from San Rafael Glacier averaged 2.7 × 10⁷ m³/a since the end of the Little Ice Age, circa AD 1898, corresponding to average basin-wide erosion rates of 23 ± 9 mm/a; the highest erosion rates, 68 ± 23 mm/a, occurred at the start of the retreat phase, and have since been steadily decreasing. Erosion rates were much lower during glacial advance, averaging at most 7 mm/a, than during retreat. Such large glacial sediment yields over two centuries of advance and retreat suggest that the contribution of sediments stored subglacially cannot account for much of the sediment being delivered to the terminus today. The detailed sub-bottom information of a proglacial lagoon yields important clues as to the timing of erosion, deposition and transfer of glacigenic sediments from orogens to the continental shelves, and the influence of glacier dynamics on this process.     

Glacimarine lithofacies,provenance and depositional processes on a West Greenland trough‐mouth fan

Along the West Greenland continental margin adjoining Baffin Bay, bathymetric data show a series of large submarine fans located at the mouths of cross‐shelf troughs. One of these fans, termed here ‘Uummannaq Fan’, is a trough‐mouth fan built largely by debris delivered from a fast‐flowing outlet of the Greenland Ice Sheet during past glacial maxima. Cores from this fan provide the first information on glacimarine sedimentary facies within a major West Greenland trough‐mouth fan and on the nature of Late Weichselian–Holocene glacigenic sediment delivery to this region of the Baffin Bay margin. Glacigenic debris flows deposited on the upper slope and extending to at least 1800 m water depth in front of the trough‐mouth are related to the remobilization of subglacial debris that was delivered onto the upper slope at times when an ice stream was positioned at the shelf edge. In contrast, sedimentary facies from the northern sector of the fan are characterized by hemipelagic and ice‐rafted sediments and turbidites; glacigenic debris flows are notably absent in cores from this region. Quantitative X‐ray diffraction studies of the <2‐mm sediment fraction indicate that the bulk of the sediment in the fan is derived from Uummannaq Trough but there are distinct intervals when sediment from northern Baffin Bay sources dominates, especially on the northern limit of the fan. These data demonstrate considerable variation in the nature of sediment delivery across the Uummannaq Fan when the Greenland Ice Sheet was at the shelf edge. They highlight the variability of glacimarine depositional processes operating on trough‐mouth fans on high‐latitude continental margins during the last glacial maximum and indicate that glacigenic debris flows are just one of a number of mechanisms by which such large depocentres form. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Controls on platform‐scale patterns of surface sediments,shallow Holocene platforms,Bahamas

Isolated carbonate platforms occur throughout geological history, and commonly exhibit considerable spatial variability. To evaluate the controls on the nature of sediment accumulation across the expansive, shallow platform tops, this study systematically compares and contrasts patterns in surface sediments from several shallow (<10 m) Holocene Bahamian examples. Remote‐sensing data, field observations, petrographic characterization and quantitative grain‐size analyses reveal the spatial patterns of sediment accumulation on Crooked–Acklins Platform and the Berry Islands Bank. Integration of these data with synoptic observations of waves, tides and currents, along with regional geochemical data, provides a means to explore the factors that influence platform‐scale sedimentary patterns. These data illustrate that the platform interiors of both Crooked–Acklins Platform and Berry Islands Bank are blanketed with medium to coarse sand size sediment. Peloids are most common in the interior of Crooked–Acklins Platform, whereas the Berry Islands Bank includes more abundant composite grains. In both areas, very little mud is present, with surface sediments averaging <2% mud. Comparison of these results with published data from Little Bahama Bank, Great Bahama Bank and Caicos Platform suggest that, contrary to previous interpretations, the presence of open margins and/or brisk winds are not necessary for the occurrence of a platform top with little mud. Although the muddy sediment fraction of the interior can be suspended by elevated wave energy, wind‐generated current speeds in protected platform interiors are relatively low. Instead, in parts of the platform interiors, transport and winnowing of fines is enhanced greatly by tidal currents, which carry suspended sediments off the shallow platforms, even if shielded by islands. Beyond physical influences, however, regional geochemical compilations suggest that the Bahamian tides supply highly supersaturated waters rich in dissolved oxygen to these platform interiors. This exchange is interpreted to facilitate favourable conditions for calcium carbonate precipitation in the form of ooids, marine cements and hardened peloids across vast expanses of the platform interiors. Such fundamental controls on Holocene platform‐scale sediment dynamics are likely to have influenced carbonate systems through the geological record.     

Holocene eolian activation as a proxy for broad-scale landscape change on the Gila River Indian Community, Arizona

Eolian sediments are common within the middle Gila River Valley, southern Arizona, and reflect variability in eolian and fluvial processes during the late Holocene. This study focuses on deciphering the stratigraphic record of eolian deposition and associated luminescence dating of quartz extracts by single aliquot regeneration (SAR) protocols. Stratigraphic assessment coupled with luminescence ages indicates that there are four broad eolian depositional events at ca. 3145 ± 220 yr, 1950-1360 yr, 800 ± 100 yr, and 690-315 yr. This nascent chronology, correlated with regional archeological evidence and paleoclimate proxy datasets, leads to two general conclusions: (1) loess deposits, transverse-dune formation and sand-sheet deposition in the late Holocene are probably linked to flow variability of the Gila River, though the last two events are concordant with regional megadroughts; and (2) the stability of eolian landforms since the 19th century reflects the lack of eolian sediment supply during a period of fluvial incision, resulting in Entisol formation on dunes. The prime catalyst of eolian activity during the late Holocene is inferred to be sediment supply, driven by climate periodicity and variable flow within the Gila River catchment.     

胶州湾沉积速率:多种分析方法的对比*

根据胶州湾内外海域采集的柱状岩芯样品的 ²¹⁰ Pb测试,结合物源分析方法,计算了1952年以来胶州湾的沉积物收支状况和胶州湾区域的平均沉积速率。结果表明,胶州湾百年尺度的沉积速率较高,达到了10⁰mm/a量级(7.43mm/a),沉积通量为10^-3g/mm²a量级(7.39×10^-3g/mm²a),而胶州湾外邻近海区沉积速率略低(4.46mm/a)。这与其他学者获得的海图地形对比法的结果大致相当。与胶州湾内钻孔岩芯的¹⁴ C测年对比表明,万年尺度的沉积速率为10^-1mm/a量级(0.25~0.92mm/a),比百年尺度的沉积速率约小一个数量级。分析结果表明,沉积体系的演化过程使沉积速率随时空尺度的不同而产生差异,这是导致不同分析方法所获结果之间存在复杂关系的主要因素。     

An empirical model for the development and equilibrium morphology of current ripples in fine sand

A flume study on the development and equilibrium morphology of current ripples in fine sand (D₅₀ = 0·238 mm) was performed to extend an empirical model for current ripple stability in 0·095 mm sand to larger grain sizes. The results of the flume experiments agree with the very fine sand model that current ripple development from a flat bed is largely independent of flow velocity. At all flow velocities, ripples evolve from incipient, through straight, sinuous and non-equilibrium linguoid, to equilibrium linguoid plan morphology. The time needed to achieve an equilibrium linguoid plan form is related to an inverse power of flow velocity and ranges from several minutes to more than hundreds of hours. Average equilibrium height and length are 17·0 mm and 141·1 mm respectively. These values are about 20% larger than in very fine sand. Equilibrium ripple height and length are proportional to flow velocity near the stability field of dunes. In the same velocity range, a characteristic grouping of ripples with smaller ripples migrating on the upstream face of larger ripples was observed. Bed-form development shows a conspicuous two-phase behaviour at flow velocities < 0·49 m s^?1. In the first phase of development, ripple height and length increase along an exponential path, similar to that at higher flow velocities, thus reaching intermediate equilibrium values of 14·8 mm and 124·5 mm respectively. After some time, however, a second phase commences, that involves a rapid increase in bed-form size to the typical equilibrium values for 0·238 mm sand. A comparison with literature data shows that the results obtained for 0·238 mm sand agree reasonably well with other flume studies at similar grain size. Yet considerable variability in the relationships between ripple dimensions and flow strength ensues from, among others, underestimation of equilibrium time, shallow flow depths and differences in sediment texture.     

Some rainfall-related thresholds for erosion and sediment yield in the upper Yangtze River basin

This study examines rainfall thresholds for erosion and sediment yield in the upper Yangtze River basin. Sediment reduction effects of soil conservation measures depend on the magnitudes of rainstorm. When the latter is less than a critical threshold, sediment reduction effects of soil conservation measures are positive; when this magnitude is exceeded, the effect is negative. An analysis based on data from the Jialingjiang River shows that the sediment reduction by soil conservation measures increased with annual precipitation to a peak, and then decreased to a negative value. The annual precipitation at the peak and zero values of sediment reduction are 970 and 1,180 mm, respectively, which can be regarded as two thresholds. Annual precipitation at the zero-value of sediment reduction has a return period of 25 years. In general, the design standard of soil conservation works in China is related with rainstorms with return periods of 10–20 years. When the magnitude of rainstorm exceeds this, the soil conservation works may be partly or totally destroyed by rainstorms, and the previously trapped sediment may be released, resulting in a sharp increase in sediment yield. It was also found in the lower Jinshajiang River that when annual precipitation exceeds 1,050 mm or high-flow season precipitation exceeds 850 mm, the annual sediment yield increased sharply. These can also be regarded as key rainfall thresholds for erosion and sediment yields. When precipitation is less than the two thresholds, dominant erosion types are sheet, rill and gully erosions. When precipitation crosses the two thresholds, debris flows may occur more frequently. As a result, the previously stored loose sediment is released and sediment yield increases sharply.     

Selective predation by blue crabs on the gastropod,Bittium varium: Confirmation from opercula found in the sediments

Small blue crabs (Callinectes sapidus Rathbun, 43–70 mm carapace width) can influence the size-distribution of the gastropod,Bittium varium, strongly reducing the contribution of snails >3 mm shell length in field enclosures. We test the hypothesis that these size-dependent effects are due to size-selective predation rather than size-dependent emigration from the field enclosures. In laboratory feeding trials, blue crabs showed negative selectivity for snails <2.5 mm and positive selectivity for snails >3.3 mm. When feeding, blue crabs crushBittium shells, but the opercula are deposited undamaged in the sediment. Sediment from a field enclosure experiment contained 6.5× moreBittium opercula from enclosures with blue crabs than from enclosures without blue crabs. We reconstructed the size distribution ofBittium killed by blue crabs from the opercula recovered from sediment. This distribution qualitatively matched those “missing” from the size frequency distribution of surviving snails. Estimates of selectivity from laboratory feeding trials predicted the pattern of size-selection fromBittium killed in the enclosures. We also estimated Strauss's linear index of selectivity and Chesson's α based on the size distribution of snails available during the field enclosure experiment. These indices predicted both the pattern of selectivity and the size distribution ofBittium killed in enclosures with blue crabs. We conclude that size-selective predation by blue crabs can explain the observed shifts inBittium size distributions.     

On the relationship between flow and suspended sediment transport over the crest of a sand dune, Río Paraná, Argentina

The links between large‐scale turbulence and the suspension of sediment over alluvial bedforms have generated considerable interest in the last few decades, with past studies illustrating the origin of such turbulence and its influence on flow resistance, sediment transport and bedform morphology. In this study of turbulence and sediment suspension over large sand dunes in the Río Paraná, Argentina, time series of three‐dimensional velocity, and at‐a‐point suspended sediment concentration and particle‐size, were measured with an acoustic Doppler current profiler and laser in situ scattering transmissometer, respectively. These time series were decomposed using wavelet analysis to investigate the scales of covariation of flow velocity and suspended sediment. The analysis reveals an inverse relationship between streamwise and vertical velocities over the dune crest, where streamwise flow deceleration is linked to the vertical flux of fluid towards the water surface in the form of large turbulent fluid ejections. Regions of high suspended sediment concentration are found to correlate well with such events. The frequencies of these turbulent events have been assessed from wavelet analysis and found to concentrate in two zones that closely match predictions from empirical equations. Such a finding suggests that a combination and interaction of vortex shedding and wake flapping/changing length of the lee‐side separation zone are the principal contributors to the turbulent flow field associated with such large alluvial sand dunes. Wavelet analysis provides insight upon the temporal and spatial evolution of these coherent flow structures, including information on the topology of dune‐related turbulent flow structures. At the flow stage investigated, the turbulent flow events, and their associated high suspended sediment concentrations, are seen to grow with height above the bed until a threshold height (ca 0·45 flow depth) is reached, above which they begin to decay and dissipate.     

Repeated palaeoseismic activity of the Ventas de Zafarraya fault (S Spain) and its relation with the 1884 Andalusian earthquake

One of the most destructive historical earthquakes (M 6.7) in Spain occurred in 1884 along the normal Ventas de Zafarraya Fault located in the Central Betic Cordilleras. Palaeoseismic and radiocarbon data presented in this study are the first to constrain the timing of the pre-1884 fault history in the last 10 ka. These data yield a recurrence interval of between 2 and 3 ka for major earthquakes, under the assumption of uniform return periods along the normal fault. The Holocene slip rate is estimated to be in the order of 0.35±0.05 mm/year, which is significantly higher than the mean slip rate of 0.17±0.03 mm/year since the Tortonian. Several of the most important deformations and secondary features, such as landslides and liquefaction, are related to strong ground motion and document the Holocene activity of the Ventas de Zafarraya Fault.     

Late Quaternary denudation of the Alps,valley and lake fillings and modern river loads

Erosional denudation of the Alps and their role as sediment source underwent major changes throughout the Quaternary, by repeated glaciation and deglaciation. The sediment fluxes of 16 major Alpine drainage basins were quantified by determining the sediment volumes which have been trapped in valleys and lake basins. These became sedimentologically closed after the last glacier retreat around 17 000 cal. BP. The sediment volumes distributed over their provenance areas yield mean mechanical denudation rates between 250 to 1060 mm ka^–1. In contrast, modern denudation rates, derived from river loads and delta surveys, range from 30 to 360 mm ka^–1. Relief, such as mean elevation and slope, turned out to be the primary control of both modern and Late Glacial mechanical denudation. Rock types seem to be responsible for some scatter of the data, but their role is masked by other factors. Modern denudation rates increase with higher proportions of bare rocks and glaciated area, but decrease with forest cover. An area-weighted extrapolation of the studied drainage basins to the entire Alps on the basis of major morphotectonic zones yields a mean denudation rate of 620 mm ka^–1 over the last 17 000 years. This rate clearly exceeds the modern rate of 125 mm ka^–1. Lake sediments and palaeoclimatic reconstructions confirm that the sediment yield of the Alps reached a maximum during deglaciation when large masses of unconsolidated materials were available, vegetation was scarse, and transport capacities were high. During the early Holocene sediment yield declined to a minimum before some climate deterioration and human activities again accelerated erosional processes. Assuming a denudation rate in the early Holocene half of the modern one, the Late Glacial denudation rates must have been in the order of 1100 to 2900 mm ka^–1. Consequently, denudation rates during a glacial/interglacial cycle probably varied by a factor of 14, which lies well within the range of other studies in central Europe, Scandinavia and North America. From large scale sediment budgets of perialpine sedimentary basins the overall denudation rate of the Alps during the Quaternary has been c. 400 mm ka^–1, i.e. about one third lower than the estimate for the last 17000 years. This can be well explained by the outstanding role which deglaciation played in the time span studied here.     

内蒙古扎鲁特旗地区更新世地层划分

根据孢粉组合特征及光释光测年结果,对分布在内蒙古东南部的第四系更新统做了进一步的划分和研究。研究结果表明,主要分布在内蒙古东南部的中更新统风积物,岩性为黄色亚砂土,含钙质结核,发育柱状节理,区域上称乌尔吉组,含Artemisia-Ephedra-Pinus孢粉组合,光释光测年结果为(40.4±1.9)~(110.0±7.5)ka; 下更新统沉积物,岩性为红褐色亚砂土及亚黏土,含钙质结核、砂砾透镜体,区域上称为赤峰黄土,含Artemisia-Polygonum-Betula孢粉组合,光释光测年结果为（200.9±9.6）~（220.4±13.2）ka。上述2套地层在内蒙古东南部广泛分布,更新世地层的划分为内蒙古东南部地区的第四系地层划分对比研究提供了基础地质资料。     

Late Quaternary downcutting rates of the Qianyou River from U/Th speleothem dates, Qinling mountains, China

Dating deposits in caves formed by rivers may yield insight into rates and processes of bedrock incision. Three cave passages at different levels have developed in the walls of the Qianyou River valley in the Qinling mountains, south of the city of Xian, China. Twelve speleothem samples near the position of palaeowater tables in three cave passages are dated by the ²³⁰Th dating method. The results show that the river cut down at the rate of 0.23 ± 0.02 mm/yr from 358,000 ± 38,000 to 247,000 ± 28,000 yr ago, 0.19 ± 0.03 mm/yr from 247,000 ± 28,000 to 118,000 ± 19,000 yr ago, and 0.51 ± 0.08 mm/yr from 118,000 ± 19,000 yr ago until today. These fall very close to the glacial-interglacial transition following marine oxygen isotope stages 10, 8, and 6, respectively. The increase in downcutting rates during the interglacial period is consistent with warm, wet weather, increasing rates of erosion. This may lead us toward an underlying mechanism for modulating incision that is not in a direct response to the presence of headwater glaciers.     

东昆仑断裂带库赛湖段晚第四纪古地震研究*

对东昆仑断裂带库赛湖段进行了断错地貌填图和古地震探槽揭露研究。除2001年昆仑山口西8.1级地震外,共揭露出9次古地震事件,它们的年龄分别为31900±1923aB.P. , 27990±1681aB.P. , 23635±1427aB.P. , 20345±1225aB.P. , 16865±1018aB.P. , 12935±774aB.P. , 9730±592aB.P. , 6955±425aB.P.和3100±201aB.P.;古地震重复间隔分别为3910±2554a,4355±2205a,3290±1881a,3480±1593a,3930±1279a,3205±975a,2775±728a,3855±470a和3100±201a。研究结果表明,库赛湖段晚第四纪古地震活动具有准周期性,其平均重复间隔为3544±416a。发生在距今3100年前的倒数第1次古地震事件的离逝时间与重复间隔非常接近,这意味着2001年11月14日发生在库赛湖段的8.1级大地震为该断裂地震活动在准周期上的再现。高的滑动速率和长周期复发间隔表明库赛湖段活动习性以重复发生大地震为特征。     

Grain-size sorting within river bars in relation to downstream fining along a wandering channel

The textural variability of river bed gravels at bar scales is poorly understood, as are the relations between variability at this scale and at reach and river scales. Surface and subsurface grain‐size distributions were therefore examined at reach, bar and bedform scales along lower Fraser River, British Columbia, Canada. Grain‐size variations within compound bars are conditioned by longitudinal position, elevation and morphological setting. Surface and subsurface sediments tend to decrease in median size from bar head to bar tail by 33% and 17%, respectively. Sediment size is constrained at some upper limit that is inversely related to bar surface elevation and which is consistent with competence considerations. The surface sediments on unit bars are finer and better sorted than the bed materials in bar‐top channels and along the main bar edges. Secondary unit bars tend to have a lower sand content than other features, a consequence of sediment resorting. Individual unit bars and gravel sheets exhibit streamwise grain‐size fining and lee‐side sand deposition. Over time, significant amounts of cut and fill do not ipso facto cause changes in surface grain sizes; yet, sediment characteristics can change without any significant morphological adjustment taking place. At the reach scale there is a clear downstream fining trend, but local variability is consistently high due to within‐bar variations. The surface median grain‐size range on individual bars is, on average, 25% of that along the entire 50 km reach but is 68% on one bar. While the overall fining trend yields a downstream change in surface median size of 0·76 mm km^?1, the average value for ‘head‐to‐tail’ size reduction on individual bars is 6·3 mm km^?1, an order of magnitude difference that highlights the effectiveness of bar‐scale sorting processes in gravel‐bed rivers. Possibilities for modelling bar‐scale variability and the interaction of the different controls that are identified are discussed.     

Age and evolution of scheelite-hosting rocks in the Felbertal deposit (Eastern Alps): U-Pb geochronology of zircon and titanite

U-Pb isotope analyses of zircon and titanite extracted from different rocks of the Felbertal scheelite deposit yield the following information: (1) An age of 593±22 Ma (2) is obtained for zircon crystallization in the scheelite-bearing matrix of an eruption breccia in the western ore field. (2) Discordant zircons from an elongated, up to 8 m thick scheelite-rich quartzite body in the eastern ore field give an upper intercept age of 544±5 Ma. This quartzite contains a laminated, fine-grained scheelite mineralization. (3) Zircons from a small granitoid intrusion of the western ore field reveal an age of 336±16 Ma, and concordant titanites document an age of 282±2 Ma for Variscan amphibolite facies metamorphism. Both events, granitoid intrusion and later metamorphism caused ore re-mobilization, including the formation of yellowish fluorescent (molybdo-) scheelite porphyroblasts. (4) For a narrow lamprop-1hyric dike in the western ore field, a concordant titanite age of 283±7 Ma is obtained. This age is identical with the titanites from the amphibolite facies metamorphic intrusion. Tiny scheelite grains were tapped by the dike from pre-existing scheelite mineralizations in the truncated host rocks. (5) Alpine metamorphism at 31±4 Ma did not exceed lowermost amphibolite facies conditions, and it caused scheelite re-mobilization on a minor scale only, producing bluish fluorescent porphyroblasts in quartz veinlets and veins, as well as bluish fluorescent scheelite rims around older scheelite grains. Moreover, crosscutting Alpine fissure fillings show bluish fluorescent, inclusion-free scheelite. (6) The preservation of Variscan titanites, the absence of Alpine titanite growth, and the large degree of Variscan scheelite re-mobilization demonstrate that amphibolite facies metamorphism in the Felbertal area has a Variscan age. This result clearly documents Variscan tectono-metamorphism to be the dominant event, instead of the hitherto surmised Alpine metamorphism. This multi-stage evolution of the Felbertal ore bodies corroborates the view that tungsten deposits are conditioned by several succeeding thermal events, leading to a series of stages that ultimately produce high-grade scheelite concentrations. These high-grade ores predominately occur along shear zones of different age, accompanied by the formation of large volumes of low-grade scheelite mineralizations along host rock foliations and quartz veinlets and veins.     

Oxygen and Nutrient Exchanges at the Sediment-Water Interface: a Global Synthesis and Critique of Estuarine and Coastal Data

Estuarine and coastal marine sediment-water fluxes are considered to be important ecological features, but a global-scale assessment has yet to be developed. Goals of this work were to assemble a global-scale database of net sediment-water flux measurements, examine measurement techniques, characterize the geographic distribution and magnitude of sediment fluxes, explore the data for controls on sediment flux magnitude, and assess the importance of sediment fluxes in ecosystem-level metabolism and primary production. We examined 480 peer-reviewed sources and found sediment flux data for 167 estuarine and coastal systems. Most measurements were made in North America, Europe, and Australia. Fluxes varied widely among systems, some by several orders of magnitude. Inter-annual variability within sites was less than an order of magnitude but time series flux data to evaluate this were rare. However, limited time series data exhibited large and rapid responses to decreased external nutrient loading rates, climate change effects (possible temperature effects), and variability in trophic conditions. Comparative analyses indicated organic matter supply to sediments set the upper limits of flux magnitude, with other factors playing secondary roles. Two metrics were developed to assess ecosystem-level importance of sediment-water fluxes. Sediments represented 30% or more of depth-integrated rates of aerobic system respiration at depths of <10 m. An annual phytoplankton production data set was used to estimate N and P demand; sediments supplied an average of 15–32% of N and 17–100% of P demand and, in some cases, was as large or larger than external nutrient inputs. The percent of demand supplied by sediments was highest in temperate latitudes and lower in high and tropical latitudes.     

Quantifying modern erosion rates and river-sediment contamination in the Bolivian Andes

We use petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical data on modern river sediments of the Tupiza basin in the Bolivian Andes to investigate the relationships among human activity, heavy-metal contamination of sediments and modern erosion rates in mountain fluvial systems. Forward mixing model was used to quantify the relative contributions from each main tributary to total sediment load of the Tupiza River. The absolute sediment load was estimated by using the Pacific Southwest Inter Agency Committee model (PSIAC, 1968) after two years of geological field surveys (2009; 2010), together with data obtained from the Instituto Nacional del Agua public authority (INA, 2007), and suspended-load data from Aalto et al. (2006).Our results indicate that the sediment yield in the drainage basin is 910 ± 752 ton/km²year and the mean erosion rate is 0.40 ± 0.33 mm/year. These values compare well with erosion rates measured by Insel et al. (2010) using ¹⁰Be cosmogenic radionuclide concentrations in Bolivian river sediments. More than 40% of the Tupiza river load is produced in the upper part of the catchment, where highly tectonized and weathered rocks are exposed and coupled with sporadic land cover and intense human activity (mines). In the Rio Chilco basin strong erosion of upland valleys produce an increase of erosion (∼10 mm/year) and the influx of large amounts of sediment by mass wasting processes. The main floodplain of the Tupiza catchment represents a significant storage site for the heavy metals (∼657 ton/year). Fluvial sediments contain zinc, lead, vanadium, chromium, arsenic and nickel. Since the residence time of these contaminants in the alluvial plain may be more than 100 years, they may represent a potential source of pollution for human health.     

Decade-scale coastal bluff retreat from LiDAR data: Lake Erie coast of NW Pennsylvania, USA

Bluff retreat is an ongoing problem on the southern Great Lakes coast of the United States where Pleistocene unconsolidated sediments overlie Devonian bedrock. This retreat results in loss of sediment from the coastal zone and a decrease in coastal water quality, and is of concern because evaluating landslide hazards and developing regulations on coastal construction setbacks must account for spatial variability in coastal retreat. The goal of this pilot study is to explain and quantify short to medium term spatial variability in bluff-retreat patterns, magnitudes, and rates along a 6 km littoral cell on the Pennsylvania coast of Lake Erie. High-resolution LiDAR data covering a one-decade time frame (1998–2007) permit mapping of the bluff-crest position on two comparable, high-quality data sets. The rates of bluff retreat range from unresolvable (~20% of coast) to 2.2 m/year, averaging 0.22 ± 0.1 m/year. Average-annual change rates and 9-year net movement values show an along-coast periodicity, with a spatial wavelength of ~1 km and an amplitude of 0.2 m/year. Observed variability is inferred to occur because variations in surface watershed size and groundwater recharge area, topographic shielding of the bluff from overland flow, and groundwater-table topography, cause groundwater discharge and overland flow to the bluff face to vary along the coast. In addition, short ravines (<300 m in length) fed by groundwater seepage distort groundwater equipotential lines and cause locally enhanced bluff retreat. While other factors likely influence bluff retreat spatially along this coast, their roles are relatively minor at the scale of this study.