A Before–After–Control–Impact Analysis of the Effects of a Mississippi River Freshwater Diversion on Estuarine Nekton in Louisiana, USA

Since 1991, the Caernarvon Freshwater Diversion has been reintroducing Mississippi River water into a previously hydrologically isolated estuary in an effort to restore wetlands. To determine the effect of freshwater inflow on estuarine nekton community structure, a Before?CAfter?CControl?CImpact study design was applied. As a result of the opening, salinities in the impact area decreased, and the nekton community structure in the estuary changed significantly. Species of economical or ecological importance either increased in biomass or exhibited no response to the opening of the diversion. Higher abundances of small fish were observed in the area receiving freshwater flow, which is an indication that the area serves as a refuge from large marine predators. Because a salinity gradient was established, as opposed to a uniform but lower salinity regime, aquatic habitat was available to nekton species from a wide spectrum of salinity tolerances.     

Long-Term Variability of Nutrients and Chlorophyll in the Chesapeake Bay: A Retrospective Analysis, 1985–2008

A retrospective analysis of freshwater discharge, riverine dissolved nutrient loads, dissolved nutrients, and chlorophyll in the Chesapeake Bay from 1985 to 2008 is presented. It is evident that each field displays an interannual variability averaged over the Bay. The N and P loads peaked in 1997 and have fluctuated with a decreasing trend since early 2004. Dissolved nutrient concentrations in the Bay appear to be largely controlled by riverine nutrient loads. The temporal variability of chlorophyll is positively correlated with nutrient loads and concentrations. Over the study period, N:P (DIN:DIP) molar ratios were consistently higher than the Redfield ratio (N:P?=?16:1) and strongly correlated with river discharge (R ²?=?0.68, p??16:1), and N is the limiting nutrient in summer and early autumn (N:P?4 from anoxic sediments. Long-term climate indices, such as El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), appear to exert only a moderate control over the riverine discharge to the Bay or over the ecosystem response in terms of chlorophyll in the Bay. While not all related mechanisms can be inferred from available data, this analysis should help in determining future data needs for monitoring water quality and human and climate influence on the health of the Bay.     

Riverine carbon fluxes and soil erosion in the Zhujiang(Pearl)River Drainage Basin, South China

This paper deals with the water and suspension in the Zhujiang(Pearl)River and its three tributaries: the Xijiang River, the Beijiang River and the Dongjiang River where samples were collected. The authors calculated the riverine carbon fluxes and measure…     

Major ion composition and carbonate equilibrium in the sediment pore water of the Razdol’naya River estuary of Amur Bay,the Sea of Japan

The complex study of the river water and pore solutions from the bottom sediments in the lower reaches of the Razdol’naya River was conducted in February 2010. The major ion composition of the waters indicates the submarine origin of the near-bottom and pore waters in the lower reaches of the Razdol’naya River in the winter. The river estuary extends upstream for more than 20 km. It was established that the studied sediments are reduced oozes containing pyrite, hydrotroilite, and iron monosulfide, which is direct evidence for sulfate-reduction in the sediments. The diagenesis of organic matter is the main reason for the considerable decrease in the amount of sulfates and the increase in the alkalinity of the sediment pore water. The sedimentary pore water sampled from the deep river pits is characterized by excess alkalinity that cannot be explained by sulfate-reduction and methane genesis. It was suggested that the chemical weathering of silicate minerals and the bacterial mineralization of salts of organic acids could result in the excess alkalinity of the sediment pore water.     

The distribution of trace elements and Sr isotopes across the coal and its partings in the Wyodak sea, Powder River Basin, Wyoming, USA

The spatial distribution of major, minor and trace elements in a coal basin is important for exploitation strategy and for the understanding of processes of coal formation and diagenesis. The 35400 km2 intermontane Powder River Basin, NW USA, is a major s…     

Freshwater Sources in the Bays of Yuzhnyi Island of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago According to Isotopic (δD, δ18O) Data

Doklady Earth Sciences - An isotope–geochemical study was performed on the waters of Abrosimov and Stepovoi bays along the southeastern coasts of the Novaya Zemlya Archipelago. The waters...     

Identifying sources of groundwater in the lower Colorado River valley, USA, with δ18O, δD, and 3H: implications for river water accounting

Isotope measurements (¹⁸O, D, ³H) indicate groundwater origin in the Lower Colorado River Valley (LCRV) and provide an alternative, or supplement, to the US Bureau of Reclamations proposed accounting surface method. The accounting surface method uses a hydraulic criterion to identify certain wells away from the flood plain that will eventually yield mainstream Colorado River water. New isotope data for 5 surface-water and 18 groundwater sites around Topock Marsh, Arizona, are compared with river-water data (1974–2002) from 11 sites between Utah and Mexico and with groundwater data from previous LCRV studies. Three groundwater sources are repeatedly identified in the LCRV: (1) local recharge derived from precipitation, usually winter rain, plots slightly below the global meteoric water line (GMWL) and has D values that are 20 greater than those of recent river water; (2) older (pre-1950) upper basin river-water plots on or near the GMWL, distinct from local rainfall and recent river water; and (3) recent (post-1950) Colorado River water, including Topock Marsh samples, plots below the GMWL along an evaporation trend. Large floods, as in 1983, complicate interpretation by routing less evaporated upper basin water into the LCRV; however, tritium content can indicate the age of a water. River-water tritium has declined steadily from its peak of 716 TU in 1967 to about 11 TU in 2002. Mixtures of all three groundwater sources are common.

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Resumen Mediciones isotópicas (¹⁸O, D, ³H) indican cual es el origen del agua subterránea en el Valle Bajo del Río Colorado (LCRV) y aportan una alternativa, o complemento, para el método superficie de conteo propuesto por el Buró de Reclamación de Estados Unidos. El método superficie de conteo utiliza un criterio hidráulico para identificar ciertos pozos alejados de la planicie de inundación que eventualmente producirán agua a partir de la corriente principal del Río Colorado. Los nuevos datos isotópicos para 18 sitios de agua subterránea y 5 sitios de agua superficial cerca de los Pantanos Topock, Arizona, se comparan con datos de agua de río (1974–2002) provenientes de 11 sitios localizados entre Utah y México, y con datos de aguas subterráneas de estudios previos realizados en el LCRV. Se identifican reiteradamente tres fuentes de aguas subterráneas en el LCRV: (1) recarga local derivada de precipitación, generalmente lluvia de invierno, cuya composición cae ligeramente por debajo de la línea de agua meteórica global (GMWL) y tiene valores D que son 20 mayores que los reportados para agua de río reciente; (2) el agua de río más vieja (pre-1950) de la cuenca alta cuya composición cae sobre o cerca de la GMWL, diferente de la lluvia local y del agua de río reciente; (3) agua reciente (post-1950) del Río Colorado, incluyendo muestras de los Pantanos Topock, con composición por debajo de la GMWL a lo largo de una tendencia a la evaporación. Inundaciones grandes, como en 1983, complican la interpretación al transmitir menos agua evaporada de la cuenca alta hacia el LCRV; sin embargo, el contenido de tritio puede indicar la edad del agua. El contenido de tritio en agua de río ha disminuido constantemente desde la concentración pico de 716 TU en 1967 a cerca de 11 TU en 2002. Es común que exista mezclas de las tres fuentes de agua subterránea.

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Résumé Les mesures isotopiques (d18O, dD, 3H) indiquent les origine de leaux souterraines dans la Vallée de la Rivière du Bas Colorado (LCRV) et sont une alternative, ou un supplément, à la méthode des bilans hydrologiques proposée par du «US Bureau of Reclamation». Cette méthode de bilan hydrologique utilise un critère hydraulique permettant didentifier certains puits hors de la plaine dinondation qui pomperaient une part non négligeable de leur eau dans la rivière Colorado. De nouvelles données isotopiques provenant de 5 sites deau de surface et 18 deaux souterraines autour de Topock Marsh en Arizona, sont comparées avec les données (1974–2000) de 11 sites localisés entre Utah et Mexico, ainsi que des données dautres études sur la LCRV. Ces sources deaux souterraines sont identifiées à plusieurs reprises dans la LCRV: (1) la recharge locale dérivant des précipitations, généralement les pluies hivernales, se retrouvent légèrement sous la ligne deau météoritique globale (GMWL) et possède des valeurs de dD 20% supérieures aux valeurs des eaux récentes de la rivière; (2) les eaux vieilles (pre-1950) du bassin supérieur de la rivière possèdent une valeurs très proches de la GMWL, distinctes des valeurs de la pluie locale et des eaux récentes de la rivière; et (3) les eaux récentes (post-1950) de la Rivière Colorado, incluant les échantillons de Topock Marsh, se positionnent à côté de la GMWL sur une droite dévaporation. Les grandes inondations, par exemple celle de 1983, compliquent linterprétation en reprenant dans la LCRV moins deaux marquées comme évaporées et provenant du bassin supérieur; par ailleurs le pic de tritium est descendu de 716 TU en 1967 à 11 TU en 2002. Les mélanges de ces trois sources sont assez fréquentes.

     

Age and origin of uranium mineralization in the Camie River deposit (Otish Basin,Québec,Canada)

The Camie River uranium deposit is located in the southeastern part of the Paleoproterozoic Otish Basin (Québec). The uranium mineralization consists of disseminated and vein uraninite and brannerite precipitated close to the unconformity between Paleoproterozoic fluviatile, pervasively altered, sandstones and conglomerates of the Matoush Formation and the underlying sulfide-bearing graphitic schists of the Archean Hippocampe greenstone belt. Diagenetic orange/pink feldspathic alteration of the Matoush Formation consists of authigenic albite cement partly replaced by later orthoclase cement, with the Na₂O content of clastic rocks increasing with depth. Basin-wide green muscovite alteration affected both the Matoush Formation and the top of the basement Tichegami Group. Uraninite with minor brannerite is mainly hosted by subvertical reverse faults in basement graphitic metapelites ± sulfides and overlying sandstones and conglomerates. Uranium mineralization is associated with chlorite veins and alteration with temperatures near 320 °C, that are paragenetically late relative to the diagenetic feldspathic and muscovite alterations. Re-Os geochronology of molybdenite intergrown with uraninite yields an age of 1724.0 ± 4.9 Ma, whereas uraninite yields an identical, although slightly discordant, 1724 ± 29 Ma SIMS U-Pb age. Uraninite has high concentrations in REE with flat REE spectra resembling those of uraninite formed from metamorphic fluids, rather than the bell-shaped patterns typical of unconformity-related uraninite. Paragenesis and geochronology therefore show that the uranium mineralization formed approximately 440 million years after intrusion of the Otish Gabbro dykes and sills at ∼2176 Ma, which constrains the minimum age for the sedimentary host rocks. The post-diagenetic stage of uraninite after feldspathic and muscovite alterations, the paragenetic sequence and the brannerite-uraninite assemblage, the relatively high temperature for the mineralizing event (∼320 °C) following the diagenetic Na- and K-dominated alteration, lack of evidence for brines typical of unconformity-related U deposits, the older age of the Otish Basin compared to worldwide basins hosting unconformity-related uranium deposits, the large age difference between basin fill and mineralization, the older age of the uranium oxide compared to ages for worldwide unconformity-related U deposits, and the flat REE spectra of uraninite do not support the previous interpretation that the Camie River deposit is an unconformity-associated uranium deposit. Rather, the evidence is more consistent with a PaleoProterozoic, higher-temperature hydrothermal event at 1724 Ma, whose origin remains speculative.     

Revisiting climate change and palaeoenvironments in the Purbeck Limestone Group (Tithonian – Berriasian) of Durlston Bay,southern UK

Durlston Bay in Dorset, southern UK, type section of the Tithonian-Berriasian Purbeck Limestone Group, has been intensely studied with regard to its marginal marine palaeoenvironments, rich fossil biota and evidence for earliest Cretaceous climate change. Here we appraise aspects of these topics, incorporating new field observations. We offer changes in charcoal density as a further line of support for a mid-Berriasian moistening of the climate, but suggest that the primary driver of palaeoenvironmental and biotic changes observed through the Purbeck succession was varying input of marine water, with climate change having an overlying and often more subtle influence.     

High-resolution fluvial records of Holocene environmental changes in the Sahel: the Yamé River at Ounjougou (Mali,West Africa)

The Yamé river, in the Bandiagara Plateau, Dogon Country, Mali, is characterised by extensive alluvial sedimentary records, particularly in the 1 km long Ounjougou reach where Holocene floodplain pockets are inset in the Pleistocene formations. These alluvial records have been investigated via geomorphologic fieldwork and sedimentologic and micromorphologic analyses and are supported by 79 radiocarbon dates. The alluvial deposits of the valley floor correspond to a vertical accretion of 3–10 m. The reconstruction of fluvial style changes provides evidence of four main aggradation periods. From 11,500 to 8760 cal. BP, the alluvial architecture and grain-size parameters indicate a wandering river. This period included phases of pulsed high-energy floods and avulsion related to a northward shift of the summer monsoon to around 14°N after 11,500 cal. BP. From 7800 to 5300 cal. BP, a swampy floodplain environment with standing water pools within a Sudanian savanna/woodland mosaic corresponds to the culmination of the Holocene humid period. From 3800 cal. BP onwards, rhythmic sedimentation attests to an increase in the duration and/or intensity of the dry season, giving a precise date for the local termination of the Holocene Optimum period. During the last two millennia and for the first time during the Holocene, the alluvial formations are progressively restricted whereas the colluvial deposits increase, indicating strong soil erosion and redeposition within the watershed related to an increase in human impact. Four major periods are characterised by incision (I1: ante 11,500, I2: 8760–7800; I3: 6790–6500 cal. BP; I4; 2400–1700 cal. BP) pointing to dramatic changes in fluvial style. They result from high-energy flood flows during dry spells and confirm the capacity of the floodplain pocket in the upstream reach of the Sahelian belt to record rapid Holocene climatic change.     

Diurnal variability of upper ocean temperature and heat budget in the southern Bay of Bengal during October–November, 1998 (BOBMEX-Pilot)

Time-series data on upper-ocean temperature, Vessel-Mounted Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (VM-ADCP) measured currents and surface meteorological parameters have been obtained for the first time in the southern Bay of Bengal at 7‡N, 10‡N, and 13‡N locations along 87‡E during October–November, 1998 under BOBMEX-Pilot programme. These data have been analysed to examine the diurnal variability of upper oceanic heat budget and to estimate the eddy diffusivity coefficient of heat in the upper layer. Diurnal variation of near-surface temperature is typical at northern location (13‡N) with a range of 0.5‡C while the diurnal range of temperature is enhanced to 0.8‡C at the central location (10‡N) due to intense solar radiation (1050 W/m²), clear skies and low wind speeds. At the southern location (7‡N), the diurnal variation of temperature is atypical with the minimum temperature occurring at 2000 hrs instead of at early morning hours. In general, the diurnal curve of temperature penetrated up to 15 to 20 m with decreasing diurnal range with depth. The VM-ADCP measured horizontal currents in the upper ocean were predominantly easterly/northeasterly at southern location, north/northerly at central location and northwesterly at northern location, thus describing a large-scale cyclonic gyre with the northward meridional flow along 87‡E. The magnitudes of heat loss at the surface due to air-sea heat exchanges and in the upper 50 m layer due to vertical diffusion of heat are highest at the southern location where intense convective activity followed by overcast skies and synoptic disturbance prevailed in the lower atmosphere. This and the estimated higher value (0.0235 m²/s) of eddy diffusivity coefficient of heat in the upper ocean (0–50 m depth) suggest that 1-D processes controlled the upper layer heat budget at the southern location. On the other hand, during the fair weather conditions, at the central and northern locations, the upper layer gained heat energy, while the sea surface lost (gained) heat energy at northern (central) location. This and lower values of eddy diffusivity coefficient of heat (0.0045 and 0.0150 m²/s) and the northward intensification of horizontal currents at these locations suggest the greater role of horizontal heat advection over the 1-D processes in the upper ocean heat budget at these two locations.     

Sedimentological,mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the ooids in Cleopatra (Sedir Island,Gökova Bay,SW Turkey) and Alexandria (NW Egypt) Beach sediments: A comparison and reality of myth of the love

According to the myth, ooid-rich sediments in Cleopatra Beach (Sedir Island, Turkey) were brought by ships from Alexandria Beach (Egypt) by the Roman leader, Marcus Antonius, for his lover Cleopatra. Ooids of both beaches have been compared in terms of sedimentology, mineralogy and geochemistry to determine reality of the myth of love. Sieve analyses exhibit that sediments of Cleopatra Beach are slightly better sorted than Alexandria Beach sediments, and have relatively smaller sized ooids, interpreted to represent a relatively less agitated environment. All ooids are composed mainly of aragonite characterized by high Sr contents (>8600 mg/kg). Hierarchical Cluster Analysis, the cross-plot of δ¹⁸Oaragonite versus δ¹³C_aragonite values of ooids, and the presence of detrital grains such as gneiss and schist hint on two distinct groups of samples that correspond to the Cleopatra and Alexandria Beach ooids. These results suggest that the myth may not be realistic, and the ooids on the shore of Sedir Island were formed in-situ, e.g., during the Late Holocene.     

The 238U/235U Ratio as an Indicator of Redox Conditions in the Ediacaran Paleobasin (Sequence of the Chaya River,Baikal–Patom Highland,Southern Part of Central Siberia)

Doklady Earth Sciences - Abstract—This article is devoted to a study of variations in the U isotopic composition (238U/235U) in the section of clastic–carbonate Ediacaran sediments...     

Environmental factors controlling the spatiotemporal distribution of microbial communities in a coastal, sandy aquifer system (Doñana, southwest Spain)

Currently, aquifers are considered to be ecosystems that interchange materials and energy with other systems located in their surroundings. The aquifer system of Doñana (southwest Spain) has been studied over recent decades from a hydrogeological point of view, although nothing is known about its biological or ecological aspects. In order to describe the general characteristics of its microbial communities, bacterial abundance, cell biomass, bacterial biomass and microbial activities of functional groups were investigated by sampling, over a 2-year period, 13 wells located in the vicinity of four very productive shallow lakes in the most superficial part of this coastal, sandy aquifer system. Multivariate analysis of variance (MANOVA) indicated differences in abundance and biomass variables among sampling locations, seasons and sampling locations × seasons. Principal component analysis showed that temperature and dissolved oxygen appeared to be the most important factors controlling the temporal variability of microbial communities. Hydrological connectivity between surface water and groundwater was important in the control of the spatiotemporal distribution of microbial communities. Due to this hydrological connection, the aquifer system and the wetlands constitute a unique entity, a unique ecosystem, called the “hydroecosystem”, where microbial communities could play a central ecological role.     

The Use of Stable Sulfur, Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotope Ratios as Geochemical Tracers of Sulfates in the Podwiśniówka Acid Drainage Area (South-Central Poland)

The paper presents the results of determinations of stable S and O isotopes of dissolved sulfates and O and H stable isotopes of waters from three ponds, that is, Marczakowe Do?y acid pond, Marczakowe Do?y fish pond and Podwi?niówka acid pit pond, located in the Holy Cross Mountains (south-central Poland). The δ³⁴S_V-CDT and δ¹⁸O_V-SMOW of SO₄ ^2? in waters of three ponds (n = 14) varied from ?16.2 to ?9.5 ‰ (mean of ?13.6 ‰) and from ?8.1 to ?3.2 ‰ (mean of ?4.8 ‰), respectively. The mean δ³⁴S–SO₄ ^2? values were closer to those of pyrite (mean of ?25.4 ‰) and efflorescent sulfate salts (mean of ?25.6 ‰), recorded previously in the Podwi?niówka quarry, than to sulfates derived from other anthropogenic or soil and bedrock sources. The SO₄ ^2? ions formed by bacterially induced pyrite oxidation combined with bacterial (dissimilatory) dissolved sulfate reduction, and presumably with subordinate mineralization of carbon-bonded sulfur compounds, especially in both Marczakowe Do?y ponds. In addition, the comparison of δ¹⁸O–SO₄ ^2? and δ¹⁸O–H₂O values indicated that 75–100 % of sulfate oxygen was derived from water. Due to the largest size, the Podwi?niówka acid pit pond revealed distinct seasonal variations in both δ¹⁸O–H₂O (?9.2 to ?1.6) and δD–H₂O (?29.7 to ?71.3) values. The strong correlation coefficient (r ² = 0.99) was noted between δ¹⁸O–H₂O and δD–H₂O values, which points to atmospheric precipitation as the only source of water. The sediments of both acid ponds display different mineral inventory: the Marczakowe Do?y acid pond sediment consists of schwertmannite and goethite, whereas Podwi?niówka acid pit pond sediment is composed of quartz, illite, chlorite and kaolinite with some admixture of jarosite reflecting a more acidic environment. Geochemical modeling of two acid ponds indicated that the saturation indices of schwertmannite and nanosized ε-Fe₂O₃ (Fe³⁺ oxide polymorph) were closest to thermodynamic equilibrium state with water, varying from ?1.44 to 3.05 and from ?3.42 to 6.04, respectively. This evidence matches well with the obtained mineralogical results.     

Groundwater flow in an ‘underfit’ carbonate aquifer in a semiarid climate: application of environmental tracers to the Salt Basin,New Mexico (USA)

The Salt Basin is a semiarid hydrologically closed drainage basin in southern New Mexico, USA. The aquifers in the basin consist largely of Permian limestone and dolomite. Groundwater flows from the high elevations (～2,500 m) of the Sacramento Mountains south into the Salt Lakes, which are saline playas. The aquifer is ‘underfit’ in the sense that depths to groundwater are great (～300 m), implying that the aquifer could transmit much more water than it does. In this study, it is speculated that this characteristic is a result of a geologically recent reduction in recharge due to warming and drying at the end of the last glacial period. Water use is currently limited, but the basin has been proposed for large-scale groundwater extraction and export projects. Wells in the basin are of limited utility for hydraulic testing; therefore, the study focused on environmental tracers (major-ion geochemistry, stable isotopes of O, H, and C, and ¹⁴C dating) for basin analysis. The groundwater evolves from a Ca–HCO₃ type water into a Ca–Mg (Na) – HCO₃–Mg (Cl) water as it flows toward the center of the basin due to dedolomitization driven by gypsum dissolution. Carbon-14 ages corrected for dedolomitization ranged from less than 1,000 years in the recharge area to 19,000 years near the basin center. Stable isotopes are consistent with the presence of glacial-period recharge that is much less evaporated than modern. This supports the hypothesis that the underfit nature of the aquifer is a result of a geologically recent reduction in recharge.     

The Disastrous Water—Stone Flow in the Kyngarga River (Republic of Buryatia) on June 27–29, 2014, according to Seismological Data

Doklady Earth Sciences - This paper reports on the results of the seismic studies on the disastrous water-stone flow passing down the Kyngarga River (Republic of Buryatia) on June 27–29,...     

Long-core profiles of137Cs,134Cs,60Co and210Pb in sediment near the Rhône River (Northwestern Mediterranean Sea)

Various anthropogenic radionuclides and²¹⁰Pb were analyzed in a 4.3-m-long core, sampled near the Rhône River mouth in March 1991, to evaluate the extent of industrial releases that accumulate in this area. The whole core was significantly marked by radionuclide inputs from the nuclear facilities located along the river (¹³⁷Cs,¹³⁴Cs,⁶⁰Co). Irregular profiles in natural and artificial radionuclides should be related to variations in their respective inputs from the Rhône River to the Mediterranean Sea. Minimum concentrations were found during high flow periods. Using both the¹³⁷Cs/¹³⁴Cs profile in the core and the range of this ratio in Rhône waters, mean apparent accumulation rates were estimated to range between 37 cm yr^?1 and 48 cm yr^?1. This core would then represent a sedimentary record over a 7–10 year period. However, the presence of a signal from the Chernobyl accident, which occurred on April 26, 1986, was not clearly observed in the core. Inventories of both artificial and natural radionuclides were greater than expected from atmospheric inputs. The increased sedimentation occurring in close vicinity to the mouth of the Rhône River is thus responsible for trapping of elements transported by the river to the Mediterranean Sea. In this area, inventories of artificial radionuclides are well in excess of aerial deposition from Chernobyl and atmospheric weapons tests and are linked primarily to industrial releases.     

NEW DATA ON NEOLITHIC CULTURE IN NORTHERN MANCHURIA(Report on some excavation work in the valley of the Nonni River, near Tsitsihar Station on the Chinese Eastern Railway)

Since the publication in 1928 of the work of E. I. Titoff and V. Ya. Tolma cheff ("Remains of Neolithic Culture near Hailar," edited by the Manchuria Research Society, Harbin) no further discovery of Neolithic settlements in Manchuria has been reported either from China or from Russia as far as it is