Mobility of rare earth elements in the system soils–plants–groundwaters: a case study of an arid area (Oman)

Groundwater samples from six wells and various species of plants from soils developed on ophiolites were collected from an arid area (AlKhod area, Oman) and analyzed for trace elements including rare earth elements (REEs). The distribution patterns of REEs in plants indicated an enrichment in middle REEs (MREEs?=?Sm to Dy) and heavy REEs (HREEs?=?Ho to Lu), when they are normalized to the REE composition of the Post Archean Australian Shale (PAAS), with a significant negative anomaly in Ce and a positive anomaly in Eu. Compared to Oman ophiolites, the REEs in different species of plants are depleted in Ce and enriched in MREEs and slightly enriched in light REE (LREE?=?from La to Nd). Relative to PAAS, the distribution of REEs in groundwaters revealed similar patterns to the REE distribution in plants. The distribution patterns of REEs in plants relative to those in waters are nearly flat. These patterns suggest that the transfer of REEs from soil solutions to the groundwaters in Oman occurs without any significant fractionation.     

Multifunctional intervention and market rationality in agricultural governance: a comparative study of England and South Australia

Critiques of the neoliberal governance of agricultural systems have led to a number of political responses which attempt to address the socio-environmental consequences of the dominant regime. In this paper two case study regions (South Australia and England) have been chosen to represent variations in agricultural policy and to highlight subsequent outcomes on the sustainability of agriculture. Interviewed governance stakeholders highlighted issues in regard to the agricultural governance of each area, from social and environmental consequences of minimal policy intervention in South Australia, to issues created by greater economic support in England. As such, the distinct variations in agricultural regimes will continue to demand scholarly attention, in order for the value of diversity within the sector to be more widely understood. The study concludes that it is likely agricultural support will continue to decline in both case study regions. Importantly, however, innovative policy mechanisms that aim to reduce local risks and value local agricultural priorities, without requiring significant financial support, might be the most promising way forward in regard to agricultural system sustainability.     

Nitrate in groundwater and N circulation in eastern Botswana

Nitrate pollution due to deep leaching from pit latrines has caused water supply wells in eastern Botswana to exceed health limits concerning nitrate. It was deduced from the estimated intake of salt and protein by the population that, as an average, about 10 percent of the human nitrogen excretion is leached to the groundwater. This fraction was also found in southern India, where on-the-ground excretion is customary. The nitrogen circulation in general in the savanna ecosystem is not appreciably affected in spite of a large livestock density. Overall nitrate leaching is in the order of 1.5 kg N/ha/y, similar to that in another semiarid area in southern India. However, in India, there seems to be a more diffuse areal leaching from agriculture as well as from villages.Measures to minimize the nitrate leaching could be to plant deep-rooted trees adjacent to pit latrines or to use latrines that separate the urine from the faces for a more near-surface infiltration facilitating plant uptake. Measures to minimize leaching will also lessen the rick for bacterial pollution of the groundwater.     

西安市地裂缝对长安路立交桥致灾机理调查研究

西安地裂缝作为一种特殊的城市地质灾害,已经对基础设施造成很大的危害。长安路立交的破坏最为严重和典型,文章结合西安地裂缝的分布及活动特点,详细分析了地裂缝活动引起的长安路立交的破坏形式和特点。并对引起长安路立交破坏的原因做了进一步分析,得出了由于长安立交没有很好的排水措施导致地裂缝的异常活动从而引起桥梁破坏的结论。同时,文章还结合长安路立交的结构措施给出了在地裂缝带修建立交的结构措施建议。并最终得出了在地裂缝带修建城市立交等基础设施,应从采取措施减少地裂缝活动和采取合理的结构措施以适应地裂缝活动两方面进行综合考虑的结论。     

“四深”微生物的地质作用：从气候环境变化到生态灾难

“四深”微生物是指深海、深地、深空和深时环境的微生物,特别是细菌、古菌、真菌、病毒等。人们对“四深”微生物的了解非常有限,是亟待突破的地球生物学前沿领域。“四深”微生物的研究对理解地球生命起源、界定生物圈的边界条件、促进地球科学与生命科学以及行星科学之间的交叉融合具有不可替代性的贡献。随着我国深海、深空、深地等重大工程计划的推进,一系列与“四深”微生物有关的前沿科学问题不断提出,包括地质微生物与气候环境的相互作用、地质微生物的生物安全与生态安全、地质微生物参与的隐匿地质过程等。特别是,“四深”环境活性氧自由基对微生物的影响、地质病毒对生物演化和地质过程的影响等前沿领域都亟待突破。活性氧自由基能对生物分子、细胞、组织和器官,乃至整个生物圈的演化以及微生物地质作用都产生重要影响。病毒引发了现代和近代诸多全球性疫情爆发,地质病毒则可能对生物的背景灭绝和大灭绝以及一些地质过程产生影响。     

Dedication: Dr. Scott W. Nixon (1943–2012)

The availability of suspended sediments will be a dominant factor influencing the stability of tidal wetlands as sea levels rise. Watershed-derived sediments are a critical source of material supporting accretion in many tidal wetlands, and recent declines in wetland extent in several large river delta systems have been attributed in part to declines in sediment delivery. Little attention has been given, however, to changes in sediment supply outside of large river deltas. In this study, significant declines in suspended sediment concentrations (SSCs) over time were observed for 25 of 61 rivers examined that drain to the East and Gulf Coasts of the USA. Declines in fluvial SSC were significantly correlated with increasing water retention behind dams, indicating that human activities play a role in declining sediment delivery. There was a regional pattern to changes in fluvial sediment, and declines in SSCs were also significantly related to rates of relative sea level rise (RSLR) along the coast, such that wetlands experiencing greater RSLR also tend to be receiving less fluvial sediment. Tidal wetlands in the Mid-Atlantic, Mississippi River Delta, and Texas Gulf especially may become increasingly vulnerable due to rapid RSLR and reductions in sediment. These results also indicate that past rates of marsh accretion may not be indicative of potential future accretion due to changes in sediment availability. Declining watershed sediment delivery to the coastal zone will limit the ability of tidal marshes to keep pace with rising sea levels in some coastal systems.     

江西银山矿伊利石化过程中围岩化学成分变化及其成矿意义

江西银山热液多金属矿床矿体围岩发生了强烈的伊利石化,研究这些伊利石化是认识本矿床成矿作用的关键之一。通过伊利石的化学成分和矿体围岩蚀变前后的化学成分比较等方面的研究,本文得出以下认识:银山矿矿体围岩千枚岩、英安质流纹岩和中酸性次火山岩都发生了强烈的伊利石化,矿石与蚀变千枚岩中伊利石的化学成分最为相近。银山矿矿体蚀变围岩的化学成分以K2O的含量较高、Na2O和CaO的含量都很低(平均值都在0.11%左右)为特征,矿体围岩在伊利石化过程中Ca和Na被大量带出。综合各方面的证据推测,引起强烈伊利石化的热液是以H2O+CO2为主要组份的氧化性火山-次火山热液。     

北京怀柔云蒙山地区花岗岩风化过程的地球化学基因

地球化学基因是近两年提出的一种新的地球化学示踪技术,本文选择北京怀柔云蒙山地区两个邻近的花岗岩风化剖面(编号为B和C)来分析岩性地球化学基因和金矿化地球化学基因的属性特征.剖面B样品的化学蚀变指数CIA变化为51.3～58.9,WIG的范围为89.4～68.6,属于初始风化程度;剖面C样品的CIA变化为52.4～78....     

水文网络模型在分布式流域水文模拟中的应用

水文网络模型是地理信息系统对流域实际河网水系的一种规范化描述,它采用拓扑关系来确定流域水流的空间聚合与分散。准确地描述水文网络对成功模拟流域水流的空间分布起着至关重要的作用。水文网络数据模型的关键在于如何表达水文网络的构成要素,以及如何建立要素间的拓扑关系。本文重点阐述了水文网络模型在分布式流域水文模拟中的应用。实例研究证明,采用水文网络模型来表达流域河网水系结构有助于准确地模拟流域上水流的空间与时间分布。     

关于沉积学发展的思考

笔者对地质学领域中一些学科近10多年以来的突破性进展做了扼要的评述,以及对沉积学发展中一些重要事件做了简短的回顾之后,提出了在当前高新科技时代有关研究工作的一些看法。认为在沉积学的研究中,必须采用高新技术,与其它学科同步进入高科技时代;要更新传统的观念;研究中注意学科渗透交叉,发展新的学科分支;注意全球变化的研究;研究工作要更加密切结合经济发展的需要。     

Land use change assessment in coastal mangrove forests of Iran utilizing satellite imagery and CA–Markov algorithms to monitor and predict future change

Mangrove forest stores large organic carbon stocks in a setting that is highly vulnerable to climate change and direct anthropogenic influences. As such there is a need to elucidate the causes and consequences of land use change on these ecosystems that have high value in terms of ecosystem services. We examine the areal pattern of land types in a coastal region located in southern Iran over a period of 14 years to predict future loss and gain in land types to the year 2025. We applied a CA–Markov model to simulate and predict mangrove forest change. Landsat satellite images from 2000 to 2014 were used to analyze the land cover changes between soil, open water and mangroves. Major changes during this period were observed in soil and water which could be attributed to rising sea level. Furthermore, the mangrove area in the more seaward position was converted to open water due to sea-level rise. A cellular automata model was then used to predict the land cover changes that would occur by the year 2025. Results demonstrated that approximately 21 ha of mangrove area will be converted to open water, while mangroves are projected to expand by approximately 28 ha in landward direction. These changes need to be delineated to better inform precise mitigation and adaptation measures.     

Fabric development in shear zones: theoretical controls and observed phenomena

It is suggested that the kinematic framework controls the orientation of crystallographic fabrics developed in plastically deformed quartzites. Important directions in this framework are those of the instantaneous stretching axes, and the flow plane and flow direction if these can be uniquely defined. Rotation of the crystal axes takes place at any instant of time dependent on the orientation of the grain relative to the stretching axes. Because of this dependence the skeletal outline^* of a pattern of preferred orientation is sensitive to the closing stages of deformation. Thus fabrics measured in major movement zones cannot be related to early thrust or shear displacements without considering the effects of the geological history subsequent to those events.Nevertheless, asymmetric fabrics in movement zones may allow determination of the shear direction and sense of shear. Asymmetry in the intensity distribution is less susceptible to modification than asymmetry in the fabric skeleton, and may remain as a persistent measure of the sense of shear in mylonites subjected to coaxial deformation after non-coaxial events. However, fabric asymmetry need not always be related to the deformation history, and effects related to the population of initial grain-orientations must be considered, as well as the influence of recrystallization and grain growth.A problem of scale is involved in extrapolating the movement picture inferred from the behaviour of a few hundred crystal grains to larger dimensions. This question is also encountered when trying to specify deformation paths in mesoscopic shear zones. It is difficult to obtain simple shear experimentally because of the role discontinuities play in deformation. In certain cases in natural shear zones the quartz grains may be subjected to a coaxial deformation path while the bulk deformation is progressive simple shear. Caution must therefore be exercised when attempting to use quartz fabrics to infer characteristics of the bulk kinematics or movement picture applicable during deformation.     

21世纪中国煤地质与勘探展望

中国煤炭资源量49000余亿t,实际探明储量6000余亿t,其中可供建并使用的精查储量390亿t。由于油气资源有限,加上近年煤炭在降低成本。减少污染方面取得进展,21世纪初可望成为廉价、洁净和可靠的能源,在能源构成中重居领先地位。煤炭在中国化石能源资源中约占95％,在能源构成中将长期占据主导地位。煤田地质工作直加速东部勘探,突出西部找水,提高勘探程度和煤矿地质研究精度,为煤炭开发、洁净煤技术提供可靠信息。     

“四深”微生物的地质作用——从气候环境变化到生态灾难

“四深”微生物是指深海、深地、深空和深时环境的微生物,特别是细菌、古菌、真菌、病毒等。人们对“四深”微生物的了解非常有限,是亟待突破的地球生物学前沿领域。“四深”微生物的研究对理解地球生命起源、界定生物圈的边界条件、促进地球科学与生命科学以及行星科学之间的交叉融合具有不可替代性的贡献。随着我国深海、深空、深地等重大工程计划的推进,一系列与“四深”微生物有关的前沿科学问题不断提出,包括地质微生物与气候环境的相互作用、地质微生物的生物安全与生态安全、地质微生物参与的隐匿地质过程等。特别是,“四深”环境活性氧自由基对微生物的影响、地质病毒对生物演化和地质过程的影响等前沿领域都亟待突破。活性氧自由基能对生物分子、细胞、组织和器官,乃至整个生物圈的演化以及微生物地质作用都产生重要影响。病毒引发了现代和近代诸多全球性疫情爆发,地质病毒则可能对生物的背景灭绝和大灭绝以及一些地质过程产生影响。     

我国过去50a来降水变化趋势及其对水资源的影响(Ⅱ):月系列

应用全国范围内的678个气象站1951-1998年长系列逐月降水资料, 用线性回归方法研究降水量的变化趋势, 同时结合长江、黄河和松花江主要控制水文站同期的径流资料, 研究径流对气候变化的响应. 结果表明: 降水的年内变化表现出较大的区域特性, 最显著的变化特点是秋冬季 (8～12月) 东部地区降水量普遍减少, 1～3月江南地区降水有增加趋势. 气候的上述变化趋势对我国干旱的西北地区有利, 该区河流径流量有明显增加; 另一方面, 夏季降水的增加可能会导致洪水事件的濒发, 与此同时, 降水量的年内不均匀变化, 特别是在 8～12月长时间的降水减少趋势, 导致枯水期径流的减少, 从而加剧秋冬季水资源的供需矛盾. 长江、黄河和松花江主要控制水文站6个站1～4月径流基本上表现为增加趋势, 而6～12月大多表现为减少趋势, 只有黄河上游唐乃亥站6月, 长江下游大通站7月和松花江哈尔滨站8月径流为增加; 另外, 气候变暖使发源于青藏高原的长江(宜昌站3、 4月)和黄河上游(唐乃亥站4～6月)的春季的融雪过程提前, 融雪期径流增加.     

Rice research for food security and sustainable agricultural development in Asia: Achievements and future challenges

Rice is the major staple food of Asia, and an important source of employment and income in rural areas, particularly in low-income countries. Research has contributed significantly in achieving food security by increasing the yield potential of rice in irrigated systems, reducing the crop maturity period and achieving yield stability by developing resistance against major insects and diseases in the modern high-yielding varieties. Poverty is, however, still extensive in fragile rainfed rice ecosystems where rice yield has remained low, as scientists have yet to develop high-yielding varieties resistant to abiotic stresses and problem soils. Rice production needs to be increased by another 70% over the next 30 years to meet growing food needs. This has to be achieved with less land, less water, and less labor to accommodate the demand for these inputs from the expanding nonagricultural sectors. The challenge to the rice research community is to make further shifts in yield potential of rice for the irrigated systems, to close the yield gaps in the rainfed systems through developing resistance of high yielding varieties to abiotic stresses, and greater understanding of the interactions between genotypes and environment, developing durable resistance against pests and diseases to reduce farmers' dependence on harmful agrochemicals, and to increase efficiency in the use of water, labor and fertilizers. As further intensification of rice cultivation is inevitable, scientists must understand the negative environmental side-effects of increasing rice productivity, to develop appropriate mitigation options.     

Geochemical Aspects of Hypogene Hydrothermal Alteration Zones in the Chol-qeshlaghi Area, NW Iran: Constrains on REEs

Chol-qeshlaghi altered area lies in the northwestern part of the post-collisional Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic arc, NW Iran. Pervasive silicic, argillic, phyllic and propylitic altered zones appears to be intimately affiliated to the fluids derivative of upper Oligocene Khankandi granodiorite. This paper is dedicated to the identification of geochemical characteristics of hydrothermal alterations, focusing on the determination of the mass gains and losses of REEs, to gain significant insights regarding the chemical exchanges prevailed between the host rocks and hydrothermal fluids. The low pH and high activity of SO_4~(-2) ligands in silicic alteration fluids, resulting in depletion of entire REEs. Decreasing of LREEs appeared in argillic zone may attributed to reduce in adsorption ability of clay minerals in low pH; whereas HREEs enrichment in phyllic zone was inclined to put it down to the abundance of sericite(± Fe oxides). A significant reduction of Eu/Eu* ratio in silicic zone can be attributed to negligible sulfides and clay minerals as some effective agents in adsorption of released Eu~(+2). Factors such as changes in pH, the abundance of absorptive neomorph mineral phases, activity of ligands play an important role in controlling the distribution and concentration of REEs in Chol-qeshlaghi alteration system.     

泥质岩盖层对水溶相天然气封闭能力的综合评价方法及其应用

为了研究泥质岩盖层对水溶相天然气封闭能力,在泥质岩盖层对水溶相天然气封闭机理分析的基础上,利用达西定律建立了一套单位压差下水溶相天然气通过泥质岩盖层相对渗滤速度的研究方法,根据水溶相天然气通过泥质岩盖层渗滤速度的相对大小,建立了泥质岩盖层对水溶相天然气封闭能力的综合评价指标———CSWI。CSWI既可以反映泥质岩盖层本身特征对水溶相天然气封闭能力的影响,又可以反映地层水特征对水溶相天然气封闭能力的影响。将CSWI应用于大庆长垣以东地区泉一、二段泥质岩盖层对水溶相天然气封闭能力的综合评价中,结果得到该区泉一、二段泥质岩盖层在西部具有好的封闭水溶相天然气能力,向东部其封闭能力逐渐降为中等。评价结果与该区西部天然气相对富集的地质条件吻合,这表明该方法用于泥质岩盖层对水溶相天然气封闭能力的综合评价是可行的。     

Quantification of microcrack anisotropy in quartzite — a comparison between experimentally undeformed and deformed samples

In this paper, microcrack patterns in a quartzite are quantified using fractal geometry based methods. Since the quartzite does not show a mesoscopic foliation, the fabric was recognized using anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS) analysis. Microcracks were investigated in thin sections prepared along the three principal planes of the AMS ellipsoid. Point load tests were performed on cores drilled parallel as well as perpendicular to the magnetic foliation. After experimental deformation, thin sections were prepared in two orientations — (a) parallel to the plane of failure (i.e., parallel to the direction of loading), (b) perpendicular to the plane of failure (i.e., perpendicular to the direction of loading), and microcrack patterns in these sections were investigated. The box-counting method of fractal analysis was first applied to microcracks traced from SEM images from each thin section of the experimentally undeformed as well as deformed samples to establish the fractal nature of the microcrack pattern. It was found that in thin sections perpendicular to the direction of loading, the box (fractal) dimension tends to marginally increase. This is inferred as a manifestation of the increase in complexity of the pattern. The software AMOCADO, which is based on the modified Cantor Dust method of fractal analysis, was applied to microcrack pattern from each thin section in order to quantify the pattern anisotropy. It is noted that the anisotropy significantly reduces in sections perpendicular to the loading direction. SEM data are presented to demonstrate that this reduction in anisotropy is on account of generation and/or growth of new cracks in random orientations. It is envisaged that the approach adopted in this investigation maybe useful in rock mechanics and mineral-resource applications in future.     

矿业城市矿产资源可持续力比较评价

从发展和循环经济的观点看, 由于科技进步的贡献, 矿产资源不仅取决于现今已发现的矿产资源, 还依赖于未来新的和潜在的矿产资源以及替代资源.基于此, 提出“矿产资源可持续力”新概念, 以表征其对人类社会发展的贡献能力.以系统论与可持续发展理论为基石, 建立了“矿产资源可持续力”概念模型及其指标体系, 以及区际间矿产资源可持续力的六因子评价模型, 对中国50座典型矿业城市进行了比较评价, 指出其可持续力演变规律为: 从矿业类型来看, 可持续力沿着石油、综合、冶金、煤炭类逐渐劣化; 从城市发展阶段来看, 沿着中、幼、老年顺序依次下降; 从城市地理分布来看, 沿着东、西、中部逐渐下降; 从城市规模来看, 按照小型、大型及以上、中型城市顺序依次下降.为国家开发矿业城市和矿业城市可持续发展提供了科学的决策依据.