The variability of δ34S and sulfur speciation in sediments of the Sulejów dam reservoir (Central Poland)

The study was carried out on the Sulejów dam reservoir (Central Poland). Water and sediment samples were collected between February and October 2006. Sulfur compounds in the sediment were chemically extracted and subjected to isotopic analysis.Large variability of SO₄²⁻ concentration in the water column (from 10.3 to 36.2 mg/dm³) and the isotopic composition of sulfur (δ³⁴S from 2.1 to 5.4‰) was observed. The main identified sources of SO₄²⁻ were watercourses, surface runoff, and phosphorus fertilizers.Both oxidized sulfur species (SO₄²⁻) and its reduced forms were found in sediments. Particular sulfur forms were characterized by large variations in both, concentrations and the isotopic composition of sulfur. SO₄²⁻ in the sediment and in the water column had different genesis. Bacterial oxidation of organic sulfur and its binding in SO₄²⁻ were observed in the sediment. Under reducing conditions, oxidized and organic sulfur is converted to H₂S which reacted with Fe or other metallic ions leading to metal sulfide precipitation. Monosulfides were shown to have a very low concentration, ranging up to 0.07 mg/g of sediment. The transformation of elemental sulfur from sulfides through their chemical oxidation occurred in the sediment.     

Geology,stratigraphy and palaeoenvironmental evolution of the Stephanorhinus kirchbergensis-bearing Quaternary palaeolake(s) of Gorzów Wielkopolski (NW Poland,Central Europe)

The sedimentary succession exposed in the Gorzów Wielkopolski area includes Eemian Interglacial (MIS 5e) or Early Weichselian (MIS 5d–e) deposits. The sedimentary sequence has been the object of intense interdisciplinary study, which has resulted in the identification of at least two palaeolake horizons. Both yielded fossil remains of large mammals, alongside pollen and plant macrofossils. All these proxies have been used to reconstruct the environmental conditions prevailing at the time of deposition, as well as to define the geological context and the biochronological position of the fauna. Optically stimulated luminescence dating of the glaciofluvial layers of the GS3 succession to 123.6 ± 10.1 (below the lower palaeolake) and 72.0 ± 5.2 ka (above the upper palaeolake) indicate that the site formed during the Middle–Late Pleistocene (MIS 6 – MIS 5). Radiocarbon-dating of the lacustrine organic matter revealed a tight cluster of Middle Pleniglacial Period (MIS 3) ages in the range of ~41–32 ka cal bp (Hengelo – Denekamp Interstadials). Holocene organic layers have also been found, with ¹⁴C ages within a range of 4330–4280 cal bp (Neolithic). Pollen and plant macrofossil records, together with sedimentological and geochemical data, confirm the dating to the Eemian Interglacial.     

Comparison of aquifer vulnerability assessment techniques. Application to the Néblon river basin (Belgium)

Five different methods for assessing intrinsic aquifer vulnerability were tested in a case study and their results compared. The test area was a slightly karstified district in the Condroz region of Belgium. The basin covers about 65 km² and the karst aquifer provides a water-supply of about 28,000 m³d^-1. The methods tested were: EPIK (Doerfliger et al. 1999), DRASTIC (Aller et al. 1987), 'German method' (von Hoyer and Söfner 1998), GOD (Foster 1987) and ISIS (Civita and De Regibus 1995). The results are compared and critically examined. From the analysis, it seems that reducing the number of parameters is unsatisfactory, due to the variety of geological conditions. The various methods produce very different results at any given site. As only physically-based methods can be checked for their reliability, it is clear that future vulnerability mapping techniques must incorporate such methods.     

The Myszków Porphyry Copper-Molybdenum Deposit,Poland

The porphyry copper-molybdenum deposit at Myszkow, south-central Poland, lies in the Cracow-Silesian orogenic belt, in the vicinity of a Paleozoic boundary between two tectonic plates. The deposit is hosted in a complex that includes early Paleozoic metasedimentary rocks intruded in the late Paleozoic by a predominantly granodioritic pluton. This deposit exhibits many features that are typical of porphyry copper deposits associated with calc-alkaline intrusive rocks, including ore- and alteration-mineral suites, zoning of ore and alteration minerals, fluid-inclusion chemistry, tectonic setting, and structural style of veining. Unusual features of the Myszkow deposit include high concentrations of tungsten and the late Paleozoic (Variscan) age.     

Geophysical characterization of the León-Chinandega aquifer,Nicaragua

Electrical geophysical surveys in the mode of vertical electrical soundings (VES) and continuous vertical electrical soundings (CVES) were conducted in the León-Chinandega plains, northwestern Nicaragua, in order to obtain detailed information about the geometry of the different hydrogeological layers in the aquifer and depth to the basement. A total of 51 VES were carried out within the plains. The results show a complex structure towards the north east of the area, and the southwestern part of the plains presents a smoother stratification. The geoelectrical measurements and borehole information indicate that the basement topography is characterized by hills and deep valleys with highly variable basement depths. Fifty CVES where done in a smaller area in the center of the plain. The resistivity data yielded considerable information revealing the existence of two main geo-electrical units. The combined interpretation of geological and geophysical data shows an environment typical of sedimentary volcanic coastal plains. The information collected during this investigation provides valuable data for estimating the fresh-water resources of the León-Chinandega aquifer system and for development of a groundwater management plan.     

Late Triassic aetosaur (Archosauria) from Krasiejów (SW Poland): new species or an example of individual variation?

An aetosaur discovery in Krasiejów (SW Poland), in Late Triassic deposits, was first described by Sulej in 2010 as a new species carrying the name Stagonolepis olenkae. However, new fossil material suggests that its taxonomical position is not as clear as was initially presumed. In the new material from the ‘Triassic’ site of Krasiejów, the typical features of Stagonolepis robertsoni, described by Walker in 1961 from the Elgin area of Scotland, were identified (i.e. frontal/prefrontal width ratio), as well as features of S. olenkae (i.e. angle between ventral edge of the maxilla and ventral edge of the antorbital fenestra). However, distinct features from both species, such as the shape of the canal at the dorsal surface of the frontal, are present. Some of the variation is similar to sexual dimorphism observed in recent amphibians and reptiles. These variations, as well as the fact that the postcranial skeleton was previously described as S. robertsoni by Lucas and co‐workers in 2007, suggest that the taxonomical affiliation of the Krasiejów aetosaur (and/or the number of aetosaur species) should be re‐considered. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Groundwater overexploitation: why is the red flag waved? Case study on the Kairouan plain aquifer (central Tunisia)

In many parts of the world, groundwater users regularly face serious resource-depletion threat. At the same time, “groundwater overexploitation” is massively cited when discussing groundwater management problems. A kind of standard definition tends to relegate groundwater overexploitation only as a matter of inputs and outputs. However, a thorough state-of-the-art analysis shows that groundwater overexploitation is not only a matter of hydrogeology but also a qualification of exploitation based on political, social, technical, economic or environmental criteria. Thus, an aquifer with no threat to groundwater storage can rightly be considered as overexploited because of many other prejudicial aspects. So, why is groundwater overexploitation so frequently only associated with resource-depletion threat and so rarely related to other prejudicial aspects? In that case, what really lies behind the use of the overexploitation concept? The case of the Kairouan plain aquifer in central Tunisia was used to analyze the way that the overexploitation message emerges in a given context, how groundwater-use stakeholders (farmers, management agencies and scientists) each qualify the problem in their own way, and how they see themselves with regard to the concept of overexploitation. The analysis shows that focusing messages on overexploitation conceals the problems encountered by the various stakeholders: difficulties accessing water, problems for the authorities in controlling the territory and individual practices, and complications for scientists when qualifying hydrological situations. The solutions put forward to manage overexploitation are at odds with the problems that arise locally, triggering tensions and leading to misunderstandings between the parties involved.     

Middle Triassic pteridosperms (Pinophyta) of the Timan–Pechora basin

The collection of fossil plants sampled by geologists from VNIGRI at the end of the 20th century from Triassic continental sections drilled by many wells and cropping out in several natural localities and stored at the Museum of Petroleum Geology and Paleontology of the same institute was critically revised. The use of the epidermal method for the study of plant remains with consideration of recent publications dedicated to continental sections of Central Europe made it possible to substantially broaden the taxonomic composition of the Triassic flora and first specify the composition of its pteridosperm representatives. Unlike the Triassic floras of Western Europe, the pteridosperms the Pechora region appeared to be relatively diverse. They number 37 species of 11 genera, which are confined to the upper part of the Triassic sequence: Anguran and Naryan-Mar formations and their analogs. The Middle Triassic, mainly, Ladinian, age of these formations is reliably substantiated both by paleontological (vertebrate and palynological) data and by results of the comparative analysis of the Anguran–Naryan-Mar taphofloras and coeval European type floras dated back to the Anisian–Ladinian by marine faunal remains. The stratigraphic significance of pteridospermous plant remains becomes undoubted for continental sections of the Timan–Pechora basin, while the genera Scytophyllum, Kalantarium, and Kirjamkenia may be considered with respect to their diversity and abundance as representing orthostratigraphic taxa.     

Groundwater flow in a transboundary fault-dominated aquifer and the importance of regional modeling: the case of the city of Querétaro,Mexico

The city of Querétaro, located near the political boundary of the Mexican states of Querétaro and Guanajuato, relies on groundwater as it sole water supply. Groundwater extraction in the city increased from 21?×?10⁶ m³/yr in 1970 to 104?×?10⁶ m³/yr in 2010, with an associated drawdown of 100 m in some parts of the aquifer. A three-dimensional numerical groundwater-flow model has been developed that represents the historical evolution of the aquifer’s potentiometric levels and is used to simulate the effect of two scenarios: (1) a 40 % reduction in the extraction rate from public water supply wells in early 2011 (thus reducing the extraction to 62?×?10⁶ m³/yr), and (2) a further reduction in 2021 to 1?×?10⁶ m³/yr. The modeling results project a temporary recovery of the potentiometric levels after the 40 % reduction of early 2011, but a return to 2010 levels by 2020. If scenario 2 is implemented in 2021, the aquifer will take nearly 30 years to recover to the simulated levels of 1995. The model also shows that the wells located in the city of Querétaro started to extract water from part of the aquifer beneath the State of Guanajuato in the late 1970s, thus showing that the administrative boundaries used in Mexico to study and develop water resources are inappropriate, and consideration should be given to physical boundaries instead. A regional approach to studying aquifers is needed in order to adequately understand groundwater flow dynamics.     

High-resolution aquifer analog of fluvial–aeolian sediments of the Guarani aquifer system

The Guarani aquifer system (GAS) represents one of the biggest aquifers in the world and is the most relevant groundwater resource in South America. For the first time, by combining field and laboratory measurements, a high-resolution aquifer analog model of fluvial–aeolian sediments of the GAS in São Paulo State (Brazil) is constructed. Three parallel sections of frontal outcrops, 28 m × 5.8 m, and two parallel sections of lateral outcrops, 7 m × 5.8 m, are recorded during open-pit mining of sandy sediments and describe in detail the three-dimensional distribution of the local lithofacies and hydrofacies. Variations of hydraulic conductivity, K, and porosity, n, are resolved on the centimeter scale, and the most permeable units of the fluvial–aeolian facies association are identified. The constructed aquifer analog model shows moderate hydraulic heterogeneity and a mean K value of 1.36 × 10^?4 m/s, which is greater than the reported range of K values for the entire GAS in São Paulo State. The results suggest that the examined sedimentary unit constitutes a relevant portion of the GAS in São Paulo State in the context of groundwater extraction and pollution. Moreover, the constructed aquifer analog is considered an ideal basis for future numerical model experiments, aiming at in-depth understanding of the groundwater flow and contaminant transport patterns at this GAS portion or at comparable fluvial–aeolian facies associations.     

First Record of Protorosaurid Reptile (Order Protorosauria) from the Middle Triassic of China

A new genus and species of the family Tanystropheidae, Dinocephalosaurus orientalis gen. et sp. nov., is described based on a nearly complete skull. This is the first record of the order Protorosauria from China. It also represents the only known occurrence of Tanystropheidae outside Europe, the Middle East and North America. Dinocephalosaurus is quite similar to Tanystropheus from Monte San Giorgio, Switzerland. Primarily it is distinguished from Tanystropheus in the shape of the premaxilla, maxilla, jugal and parietal. Although the family Tanystropheidae is now referred to the order Protorosauria, the new material from China indicates that the archosauromorph affinities of tanystropheids need further investigation. The discovery of Dinocephalosaurus provides new clues for the study of the evolution and radiation of Protorosauria and Tanystropheidae. It is also important for the study of the eastern Tethyan Fauna and the paleobiogeographical relationship between Europe and southern China in the Triassi     

Contributions of boron isotopes to understanding the hydrogeochemistry of the coastal detritic aquifer of Castellón Plain,Spain

The Castellón Plain alluvial aquifer, Spain, is intensively exploited to meet the demand for agricultural irrigation and industrial water supply. The geochemistry of its groundwater shows complex salinization in the northern and southern parts of the aquifer, with significant pollution from human origin in the central portion. Boron content and B isotope geochemistry are useful for distinguishing between various sources of pollution and their relative importance in different parts of this aquifer. Boron concentrations in the groundwater vary between 0.01 and 0.85 mg/L. In the more saline groundwaters, found at the northern and southern ends of the study area, the presence of B is linked to inputs from seawater and water with a calcium-magnesium sulphate facies, which feed the aquifer and clearly influence the chemistry of its waters. Evidence of B adsorption processes in some samples is shown by the low B/Cl ratios and the high values of δ¹¹B. In the central portion of the aquifer, the high B/Cl ratios and the strongly negative δ¹¹B are related to pollution of human origin.     

Late Triassic thickening of the Songpan–Ganzi Triassic flysch at the edge of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau

Growing geologic evidence documents incremental Mesozoic and early Cenozoic shortening and thickening of the Tibetan crust prior to the onset of the main Cenozoic orogenic event. The Tibetan crust shows spatial and temporal variability in thickness, style, and timing of thickening, and in plateau-forming processes. The Songpan–Ganzi area of northeastern Tibet provides evidence for shortening and thickening of the crust in Late Triassic time. An oil exploratory well (HC-1) of 7012.4 m located in the area shows at least six tectonic repetitions, resulting in more than ～46% thickening of the Triassic sequence. It indicates that the true thickness of the Songpan–Ganzi Triassic flysch is not 10–15 km as previously assumed, but not more than 3–5 km. Based on this evidence, combined with prior tectonostratigraphic studies, we propose that substantial crustal shortening and thickening, leading to initial plateau formation in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, had already occurred during the Late Triassic.     

Groundwater management based on GIS techniques, chemical indicators and vulnerability to seawater intrusion modelling: application to the Mahdia–Ksour Essaf aquifer, Tunisia

In arid and semi-arid countries worldwide, conflicts between human development activities and conservation of groundwater resources are widespread and attract many public debates. This research aims to propose groundwater management alternatives for a coastal aquifer by studying its vulnerability and in particularly the risk of seawater intrusion. An additional objective is to propose some agricultural policies aimed to conserve groundwater resources in Mahdia and Ksour Essaf. Intensive groundwater mining, for irrigation and for water drinking, has caused an overexploitation of the water resources. In addition, the degradation of water quality, caused by septic tanks and intensive agricultural activities, has given rise to notable crucial state of the groundwater resources. With the aim of tackling the groundwater degradation problem, integration into a common platform of vulnerability assessment, seawater intrusion modelling and hydrochemical analysis is proposed. This platform can considerably reflect the water resources state in order to propose some solutions reducing the contamination of the Mahdia–Ksour Essaf aquifer. The groundwater management alternatives, proposed in this study, were prepared within a geographical information system.     

Investigating pesticide transport in the León-Chinandega aquifer, Nicaragua

Nicaragua’s León-Chinandega aquifer has seen extensive contamination by persistent organochlorine pesticides applied over decades of intensive agricultural activity. Models of flow and transport of a 330 km² sub-region of the aquifer were developed to test conceptual models of contaminant transport, to constrain the value of certain key transport parameters, and to investigate contamination-related concerns raised in past studies. To support these models, a variety of hydrogeologic and geochemical data were collected. It was concluded that the organochlorine pesticides seen in groundwater originate in soils, and are transported to the water table through widespread preferential flow, through shortcutting around wells, or through wind-blown particles delivered to poorly protected hand-dug wells. The distribution coefficient (K _d) of these pesticides is estimated to be between 0.1 and 100 ml/g and the concentration of pesticides being delivered to the water table is estimated to be between 10² and 10⁵ ng/L. It was found that the distribution and concentration of pesticides in the aquifer would be affected by an increase in groundwater abstraction within the region.

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Résumé L’aquifère du León-Chinandega au Nicaragua a été soumis à des contaminations étendues par des pesticides organochlorés persistants qui ont été répandus pendant des dizaines d’années d’agriculture intensive. Des modèles d’écoulement et de transport d’une sous-région de 330 km² de l’aquifère ont été construits pour tester des modèles conceptuels du transport de contaminants, pour contraindre la valeur de certains paramètres de transport clefs, et pour étudier les problèmes liés au transport de contaminations qui avaient été rencontrés lors d’études précédentes. Différents types de données hydrogéologiques et géochimiques ont été collectés pour réaliser ces modèles. La conclusion montre que les pesticides organochlorés rencontrés dans les eaux souterraines proviennent des sols et qu’ils sont transportés jusqu’à l’aquifère via de grandes zones d’écoulement préférentiel, via des raccourcis hydrauliques autour des puits, ou encore via des particules emportées par le vent et tombées dans des puits creusés à la main et mal protégés. Le coefficient de distribution (K _d) de ces pesticides est estimé entre 0.1 et 100 ml/g et la concentration de pesticides arrivant dans la nappe est estimée entre 10² et 10⁵ ng/L. L’étude a montré qu’une augmentation des prélèvements d’eau souterraine dans la région aurait un impact sur la distribution et la concentration des pesticides dans l’aquifère.

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Resumen El acuifero León-Chinandega (Nicaragua) presenta una contaminación extensiva por la aplicación de plaguicidas organoclorados en la agricultura intensiva durante décadas. Se han desarrollado modelos de flujo y transporte de una subregión del acuífero de 330 km² para comprobar los modelos conceptuales del transporte de contaminantes, estimar los valores de ciertos parámetros clave de transporte e investigar los temas relacionados con la contaminación en estudios anteriores. Para elaborar estos modelos, se recogió una variedad de datos hidrogeológicos y geoquímicos. Se ha concluido que los plaguicidas organoclorados presentes en el agua subterránea se originan en el suelo y son transportados hacia el nivel freático a través de flujos preferentes generalizados, a través de cortes alrededor de los pozos o a través de partículas transportadas por el viento depositadas en pozos excavados a mano con poca protección. El coeficiente de distribución (K _d) de estos plaguicidas se ha estimado entre 0.1 y 100 ml/g y la concentración de plaguicidas que sale hacia el nivel freático se estima que puede estar entre 10² y 10⁵ ng/L. Se ha concluido que el incremento de la extracción de aguas subterráneas dentro de la región afectaría la distribución y concentración de plaguicidas en el acuífero.