Pesticide residues in birds at Lake Nakuru,Kenya

Specimens of three species of birds were collected from Lake Nakuru, Kenya, between September and October 1990. Samples of liver, kidney, muscle, fat and brain tissue were removed and analyzed for organochlorine pesticide residues. Fat was extracted and the content of three lindane (BHC/HCH) isomers (, and ), aldrin, heptachlor, heptachlorepoxide, endrin, dieldrin, DDD, DDE and DDT was determined. The samples contained varying residue levels of 12 organochlorine pesticides. No residues of 0, p'-DDD were detected. The most prevalent compounds were DDE and -BHC, found in 95.5 per cent and 66.4 per cent of the samples, respectively. The highest median residue concentration was 207 mg kg^–1×10^–3 of DDE in pelican fat tissue. White pelicanPelecanus onocrotalus, and the white-necked cormorant,Phalacrocorax carbo, showed greater concentrations of organochlorine residues than the lesser flamingo,Phoenicopterus minor. The mean DDE concentrations in pelican liver samples in 1970 and 1990 were 64 mg kg^–1×10^–3 and 274 mg kg^–1×10^–3, respectively. In cormorant liver samples the mean DDE concentration was 15 mg kg^–1×10^–3 in 1970 and 52 mg kg^–1×10^–3 in 1990. The mean DDE concentration in flamingo liver remained more or less similar at 2 mg kg^–1×10^–3 in 1970 and 1990.     

Water-quality trends in White Rock Creek Basin from 1912-1994 identified using sediment cores from White Rock Lake reservoir, Dallas, Texas

Historical trends in selected water-quality variables from 1912 to 1994 in White Rock Creek Basin were identified by dated sediment cores from White Rock Lake. White Rock Lake is a 4.4-km² reservoir filled in 1912 and located on the north side of Dallas, Texas, with a drainage area of 259 km². Agriculture dominated land use in White Rock Creek Basin before about 1950. By 1990, 72% of the basin was urban. Sediment cores were dated using cesium-137 and core lithology. Major element concentrations changed, and sedimentation rates and percentage of clay-sized particles in sediments decreased beginning in about 1952 in response to the change in land use. Lead concentrations, normalized with respect to aluminum, were six times larger in sediment deposited in about 1978 than in pre-1952 sediment. Following the introduction of unleaded gasoline in the 1970s, normalized lead concentrations in sediment declined and stabilized at about two and one-half times the pre-1952 level. Normalized zinc and arsenic concentrations increased 66 and 76%, respectively, from before 1952 to 1994. No organochlorine compounds were detected in sediments deposited prior to about 1940. Concentrations of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) and DDE (a metabolite of DDT) increased rapidly beginning in the 1940s and peaked in the 1960s at 21 and 20 µg kg^-1, respectively, which is coincident with their peak use in the United States. Concentrations of both declined about an order of magnitude from the 1960s to the 1990s to 3.0 and 2.0 µg kg^-1, respectively. Chlordane and dieldrin concentrations increased during the 1970s and 1980s. The largest chlordane concentration was 8.0 µg kg^-1 and occurred in a sediment sample deposited in about 1990. The largest dieldrin concentration was 0.7 µg kg^-1 and occurred in the most recent sample deposited in the early 1990s. Agricultural use of chlordane and dieldrin was restricted in the 1970s; however, both were used as termiticides, and urban use of chlordane continued at least until 1990. Recent use of dieldrin and aldrin, which degrades to dieldrin, has not been reported; however, increasing trends in dieldrin since the 1970s suggest recent urban use could have occurred.     

Impacts of Coal-Fired Power Plants on Trace Metals and Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Lake Sediments in Central Alberta, Canada

Trace metals and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) were analyzed in sediment cores from three central Alberta lakes to determine the contributions of local coal-fired power plants to contaminant loadings. In Wabamun Lake, with four power plants built since 1950 within a 35-km radius, sediment concentrations of mercury, copper, lead, arsenic and selenium have increased by 1.2- to 4-fold. Trace metal enrichments were less pronounced in Lac Ste. Anne and Pigeon Lake, situated 20 km north and 70 km south of Wabamun Lake, respectively. Total Hg flux to Wabamun Lake sediments (21–32μg m⁻² yr⁻¹) has increased 6-fold since 1950, compared to 2- and 1.5-fold increases in Lac Ste. Anne and Pigeon Lake, respectively, since circa 1900. Total PAH flux to surface sediments was 730–1100μg m⁻² yr⁻¹ in Wabamun Lake, 290–420μg m⁻² yr⁻¹ in Lac Ste. Anne, and 140–240μg m⁻² yr⁻¹ in Pigeon Lake. Without adoption of pollution-abatement technology that compensates for increases in generating capacity, continued expansion of coal-burning industry in Alberta will result in increased contaminant deposition, primarily from local sources.     

Recent heavy metal accumulation in Dongjiu and Xijiu lakes,East China

Taihu Lake has been recognized as a seriously contaminated waterbody with regard to Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn over the last two decades. The input of pollutants has increased due to economic and social development and population increase. Seventy percent of the pollutants in Taihu Lake comes from rivers, with the Yili River being a major source of pollutants. Lakes Xijiu and Dongjiu are connected to the Yili River and Taihu Lake and are sites where material is preferentially deposited because of hydrodynamic conditions. Sediment cores were collected from Xijiu Lake (core XJ-1) and Dongjiu Lake (core DJ-5) to investigate anthropogenic heavy metal contamination. Concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn gradually increased since the late 1930s, peaked in 1970, and then dropped slightly. A sudden increase in concentrations of Cu, Pb and Zn occurred in 1991 and peaked again in 1996, then dropped markedly. Maximum concentration of Cd in core XJ-1 was 21.2 mg kg⁻¹ and mean concentration was 12.1 mg kg⁻¹. In core DJ-5, the maximum and mean concentrations were 6.9 and 5.4 mg kg⁻¹, respectively. Cr showed a pattern of variation different from the other heavy metals, but its concentration also dropped after peaking in 1996. Enrichment factors and anthropogenic factors revealed that human activities in the catchment played a key role in the heavy metal contamination. Increases in Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentration were caused by industrial development, particularly from non-ferrous metal smelting industries. The recent drop in Cd, Cu, Pb and Zn concentrations is attributed to pollution reduction measures instituted by the government. Cr was influenced by both natural and anthropogenic processes.     

Zooplankton distribution and abundance in saline lakes of Alberta and Saskatchewan,Canada

Zooplankton collections were made during 1985, 1986, 1988 and 1989 from 17 lakes in Saskatchewan and 3 in Alberta. Salinity ranged from 2.8 to 269 g L⁻¹ (total filtrable residue). A total of 35 species was present in four taxa: Anostraca (3 species), Cladocera (11), Copepoda (7) and Rotifera (14). Species richness was greatest at salinities <7 g L⁻¹ (15–16 species). Lakes with salinities between 7 and 100 g L⁻¹ generally had 6–8 zooplankton species, while the most saline lakes (>100 g L⁻¹) had 2–5 species. The largest concentrations of zooplankton occurred at <30 g L⁻¹, but some species (Brachionus plicatilis, Hexarthra polyodonta, Artemia franciscana, Diaptomus connexus) were abundant at salinities >50 g L⁻¹. Eurysaline species included the rotifersAsplanchna girodi (3–111 g L⁻¹),Brachionus plicatilis (13–146) andKeratella quadrata (2.8–103).Artemia franciscana (33–269—but absent from Big Quill Lake, 49–82),Daphnia similis (3–104).D. connexus (9–82),Diacyclops thomasi (3–72), andCletocamptus albuquerquensis (17 to 126—but never abundant in the plankton). About half the species were restricted to hyposaline waters (3–20 g L⁻¹), but some (Hexarthra fennica, Moina hutchinsoni, Hexarthra polyodonta) occurred only at intermediate salinities. The latter two species were also only present at high pH values (>9.2). There was a trend of decreasing species richness with increasing salinity. TWINSPAN classification of 94 lake samples (six parameters) based on zooplankton species abundances yielded a dendrogram with 14 ‘indicator’ species characteristic of seven lake groups related partly to a salinity gradient, but with other environmental factors such as water column depth, pH, Secchi disk transparency, water temperature and month sampled also influenced lake separation. *** DIRECT SUPPORT *** A02GG004 00002     

Artemia parthenogenetica in Lake Hayward, Western Australia. I. Interrupted recruitment into adult stages in response to seasonal limnology

Lake Hayward, Western Australia, is a pristine, monomictic coastal lake with a residual brine (depth=1.5 m) of 200 gL⁻¹: stratification in winter (May to October) followed the input of ground water and rain. The epilimnion had temperature ranges of 10–30°C, and salinity from 65–110 g L⁻¹. Maximum depth in winter was 2.4 m. The population structure of the brine shrimpArtemia parthenogenetica, the dominant metazoan grazer in Lake Hayward, was studied from September, 1989, to February, 1991. The L. Hayward population ofA. parthenogenetica is predominantly ovoviviparous with little recruitment into the adult population. Cyst production occurs in summer, and there was evidence for recruitment from cyst hatching in the winters of 1989 and 1990. Nauplii were continuously present throughout the study period. Nevertheless, recruitment through to adult stages as defined by the presence of gravid females occurred only twice: in October–December, 1989 and in December, 1990. Based on limited observations of long-term survival of laboratory cultures, we believe that the major mechanism controlling nauplius survival and recruitment ofArtemia in Lake Hayward is food quality and quantity.     

Arsenic contamination of lake sediments in Florida: evidence of herbicide mobility from watershed soils

Organic arsenical herbicides, which include monosodium methylarsonate (MSMA), have been applied to golf courses and lawns throughout Florida, USA, since the 1950s. These products convert rapidly to inorganic forms of arsenic (As) in soils and are mobilized readily. Leachates have been known to contaminate groundwater and surface waters, although past studies have not examined whether use of these products has led to significant As accumulation in lake sediments. We used paleolimnological methods to document the depositional history and inventories of total As in sediments and porewaters of Little Lake Jackson in Florida, which is adjacent to three golf courses. Six sediment cores, four of which were ²¹⁰Pb dated, showed porewater total As concentrations as high as 435 μg l⁻¹, and dry-sediment total As concentrations as high as 148 mg kg⁻¹. Approximately 537 kg of total As is present in >19,000 metric tons of sediment (dry mass), and an additional 18 kg of As is dissolved in 10.8 × 10⁴ m³ of porewaters. Total As content in surface sediments (mean = 47.3 mg kg⁻¹) exceeds the consensus-based sedimentary concentration for probable toxicity effects in freshwater benthic fauna. Surface and subsurface waters flow to the lake from topographically higher areas to the west, where golf courses and residential areas are located. Total As concentrations were elevated highly in monitoring wells and in a stream that flows between the golf courses and lake, but As was below detection limits in wells that were located at the distal perimeter of the golf courses. Subsurface and surface waters exit the lake towards topographically lower areas to the east. Nearly all As in sediments remains bound in the solid phase, indicating that As sedimentary profiles largely reflect depositional history. Sedimentary As concentrations are correlated strongly with aluminum and iron, which suggests that As was scavenged from lake waters during the past. Sedimentary As concentrations increased until the 1980s, then declined somewhat to the present time. Dissolved As was scavenged efficiently from the water column when hypolimnetic waters were oxygenated persistently, but after eutrophication led to a seasonally anoxic hypolimnion in the 1980s, apparently less As was co-precipitated, and more was lost to hydrological outflow. Arsenic accumulation in sediments might be common in areas where As derived from organic arsenical herbicide applications is directed by shallow water tables towards adjacent lakes.     

Environmental variability in Lake Naivasha,Kenya, over the last two centuries

Lake Naivasha, Kenya, is one of a number of freshwater lakes in the East African Rift System. Since the beginning of the twentieth century, it has experienced greater anthropogenic influence as a result of increasingly intensive farming of coffee, tea, flowers, and other horticultural crops within its catchment. The water-level history of Lake Naivasha over the past 200 years was derived from a combination of instrumental records and sediment data. In this study, we analysed diatoms in a lake sediment core to infer past lacustrine conductivity and total phosphorus concentrations. We also measured total nitrogen and carbon concentrations in the sediments. Core chronology was established by ²¹⁰Pb dating and covered a ~186-year history of natural (climatic) and human-induced environmental changes. Three stratigraphic zones in the core were identified using diatom assemblages. There was a change from littoral/epiphytic diatoms such as Gomphonema gracile and Cymbella muelleri, which occurred during a prolonged dry period from ca. 1820 to 1896 AD, through a transition period, to the present planktonic Aulacoseira sp. that favors nutrient-rich waters. This marked change in the diatom assemblage was caused by climate change, and later a strong anthropogenic overprint on the lake system. Increases in sediment accumulation rates since 1928, from 0.01 to 0.08 g cm⁻² year⁻¹ correlate with an increase in diatom-inferred total phosphorus concentrations since the beginning of the twentieth century. The increase in phosphorus accumulation suggests increasing eutrophication of freshwater Lake Naivasha. This study identified two major periods in the lake’s history: (1) the period from 1820 to 1950 AD, during which the lake was affected mainly by natural climate variations, and (2) the period since 1950, during which the effects of anthropogenic activity overprinted those of natural climate variation.     

Using variations in the stable carbon isotope composition of macrophyte remains to quantify nutrient dynamics in lakes

The apparent isotope enrichment factor ε_macrophyte of submerged plants (ε_{macrophyte–DIC} = δ¹³C_macrophyte − δ¹³C_DIC) is indicative of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) supply in neutral to alkaline waters and is related to variations in aquatic productivity (Papadimitriou et al. in Limnol Oceanogr 50:1084–1095, 2005). This paper aims to evaluate the usage of ε_macrophyte inferred from isotopic analyses of submerged plant fossils in addition to analyses of lake carbonate as a palaeolimnological proxy for former HCO₃ ⁻ concentrations. Stable carbon isotopic analysis of modern Potamogeton pectinatus leaves and its host water DIC from the Tibetan Plateau and Central Yakutia (Russia) yielded values between −23.3 and +0.4‰ and between +14.0 and +6.5‰, respectively. Values of ε _{Potamogeton–DIC} (range −15.4 to +1.1‰) from these lakes are significantly correlated with host water HCO₃ ⁻ concentration (range 78–2,200 mg/l) (r = −0.86; P < 0.001), thus allowing for the development of a transfer function. Palaeo-ε _{Potamogeton–ostracods} values from Luanhaizi Lake on the NE Tibetan Plateau, as inferred from the stable carbon isotope measurement of fossil Potamogeton pectinatus seeds (range −24 to +2.8‰) and ostracods (range −7.8 to +7.5%) range between −14.8 and 1.6‰. Phases of assumed disequilibrium between δ¹³C_DIC and δ¹³C_ostracods known to occur in charophyte swards (as indicated by the deposition of charophyte fossils) were excluded from the analysis of palaeo-ε. The application of the ε _{Potamogeton–DIC}-HCO₃ ⁻ transfer function yielded a median palaeo-HCO₃ ⁻ -concentration of 290 mg/l. Variations in the dissolved organic carbon supply compare well with aquatic plant productivity changes and lake level variability as inferred from a multiproxy study of the same record including analyses of plant macrofossils, ostracods, carbonate and organic content.     

Strong Magnetic Levels in Lake Chapala Sediments (western Mexico): Their Mineralogy and Stratigraphic Significance

Lake Chapala, located 120 km northeast of Colima Volcano, lies at the north and northeast of the Citala rift in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt. It belongs to the watershed of the Lerma River, which originates from the Mexico City area, 450 km to the east. Sediment cores, 0.5–2 m long, were collected from the lake. Magnetic susceptibility of the lake sediments generally ranges from 400 to 800 × 10⁻⁹ m³ kg⁻¹; but in some layers it exceeds 1000 or 1500 × 10⁻⁹ m³ kg⁻¹. The magnetic susceptibility vertical profiles display a thin peak (2–5 cm) or a double peak with magnetic susceptibility > 2000 × 10⁻⁹ m³ kg⁻¹. Scanning electron microscope analysis shows that the main mineral responsible for the magnetic susceptibility is titano-magnetite, which is relatively abundant in the magnetic layers. In most of the cores, the layer with magnetic susceptibility > 2000 × 10⁻⁹ m³ kg⁻¹ is coarser grained than the directly under and overlying sediments, which are composed of fine silt. But not all coarser levels are magnetic nor are all magnetic levels bound to coarser layers. The high titano-magnetic concentration probably originates from volcanic ash falls. Sedimentation rates, evaluated for several sites by means of the ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs methods, allow a date approximation (between 1535 and 1670) for the strong magnetic layer deposition. Since important eruptions of Colima Volcano, with ash fall, were reported from 1576 to 1623, the main peak of magnetic susceptibility in the sediment profiles is assumed to be related to these events. The main magnetic layer extends to greater depth in the profiles of the eastern part of the lake plain than at the west. It can, therefore, be suggested that a relative subsidence occurs in the eastern part of the lake; the axis of the eastern plain overlaps the area displaying the maximum subsidence rate and seems therefore to correspond to the prolongation of Citala rift.     

Toxicity and bioaccumulation of sulphadimethoxine inArtemia (Crustacea,Anostraca)

To evaluate the effects of sulphonamide pollution in marine and brackish systems, and to assess the utility of a recently proposed test protocol, sulphadimethoxine toxicity was measured using naupli and cysts of anArtemia species. Nauplii mortality, evaluated between 24 and 96 h, indicated a relatively high toxicity of sulphadimethoxine toArtemia (96 h LC₅₀= 19.5 mg L⁻¹). In addition, test on cysts demonstrated that a nominal concentration of 300 mg L⁻¹ sulphadimethoxine significantly depressed hatching. Toxicity could depend on the high bioaccumulation rate of sulphadimethoxine measured in the organisms. The role of these tests in assessing the environmental risks of intensive farming and in determining suitable standards to improve water quality criteria is discussed together with the possible utilization of bioaccumulatingArtemia as ‘medicated feed’.     

北京市蔬菜和菜地土壤砷含量及其健康风险分析

通过对北京市蔬菜和菜地土壤砷含量状况进行大规模调查,研究了蔬菜和土壤砷含量及其健康风险,并筛选出抗砷污染能力强的蔬菜品种。根据蔬菜的消费量并兼顾品种多样性的原则,在北京市规模化蔬菜栽培基地 (采集蔬菜及土壤样品) 和蔬菜批发市场 (蔬菜样品) 共采集93种蔬菜400多份蔬菜样品和39个土壤样品系统地分析其砷含量。研究发现：北京市菜地土壤砷含量范围和平均含量分别为4.44~25.3和9.40 mg/kg,明显超过北京市土壤砷背景值;北京市蔬菜砷含量最高达0.479 mg/kg,平均含量为0.028 mg/kg,均未超过《食品中砷限量卫生标准》(GB4810-94) 的限量值,但其中有2个蔬菜样品 (萝卜和大蒜) 砷含量超过WHO/FAO制订的限量标准。北京市蔬菜砷含量在东偏北方向 (偏转11^o-30^o) 存在明显的"U"型趋势分布。裸露地蔬菜砷含量显著高于设施蔬菜。油菜、萝卜、小白菜、大葱、芥菜、黄瓜、大白菜和甘蓝抗砷污染能力较弱,而辣椒、云架豆、冬瓜、茄子、菠菜、西红柿、芹菜等抗砷污染能力则较强。北京市居民从蔬菜中摄入砷平均值为0.016 mg/(人·d),蔬菜砷对北京市部分人群存在一定的健康风险。     

Hydrochemical Characteristics and Sodification of Groundwater in the Shirin Sou, Hamedan, Western Iran

Salinity and sodicity of groundwater are the principal water quality concerns in irrigated areas of arid and semi-arid regions. The hydrochemical characteristics and sodicity of groundwater in the Shirin Sou area, western Iran were investigated in this study by chemical analyses of groundwater samples from 49 wells. Chemical analysis of the groundwater showed that the mean concentration of the cations was in the order: Na⁺ > Ca²⁺ > Mg²⁺ > K⁺, while that for anions was SO₃ ²⁻ > Cl⁻ > HCO₃ ⁻ > NO₃ ⁻. The most prevalent water type is Na–SO₄ followed by water types Na–Cl and Ca–SO₄. The chemical evolution of groundwater is primarily controlled by water–rock interactions: mainly weathering of aluminosilicates, dissolution of sulfate minerals, and cation exchange reactions. Sulfate dissolution and pyrite weathering may both contribute to the SO₄ ²⁻ load of the groundwater. High Na⁺ concentrations in groundwater participate in ion-exchange processes, resulting in the displacement of base cations into solution and raised concentrations in groundwater. The principal component analysis (PCA) performed on groundwater identified three principal components controlling variability of groundwater chemistry. Electrical conductivity, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, SO₄ ²⁻, and Cl⁻ content were associated in the same component (PC1) (salinity), most likely linked to anthropogenic activities.     

Biogeochemical records of paleoenvironmental changes in Nainital Lake,Kumaun Himalayas,India

Rapid urbanization and increased tourism around Nainital Lake in the Kumaun Himalayan region in north India has raised concerns about sediment and water pollution. Lead-210 dated sediment cores from the lake represent ~95 years of accumulation and yield a mean sedimentation rate of ~4.7 mm year⁻¹. Total organic carbon (TOC), percent N and S and their atomic C/N and C/S ratios, stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ³⁴S), and specific biomarkers (n-alkanes and pigments) were measured in the core. Organic matter is primarily derived from in-lake algal production and TOC flux varies from 1.0 to 3.5 g m⁻² year⁻¹. Sediments are anoxic (Eh −328 to −187 mV) and have low (0.10–0.30 g m⁻² year⁻¹) N, but high (0.37–1.0 g m⁻² year⁻¹) S flux. Shifts in δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, and δ³⁴S suggest in-lake microbial processes dominated by denitrification and sulfate reduction. The sediments are dominated by short-chain hydrocarbons with low Carbon Preference Index values. The pigments indicate a gradual shift to cyanobacterial domination of the phytoplankton community in recent years. Despite an increase in external input of nutrients, the trophic state of the lake has remained largely unchanged, and the perceived human-induced impacts are limited.     

Variations in the oxygen-isotope composition of ancient Lake Superior between 10,600 and 8,800 cal BP

Variations in the oxygen-isotope composition of paleo-water bodies in the Lake Superior Basin provide information about the timing and pathways of glacial meltwater inflow into and within the Lake Superior Basin. Here, the oxygen-isotope compositions of Lake Superior have been determined using ostracodes from four sediment cores from across the Basin (Duluth, Caribou and Ile Parisienne sub-basins, Thunder Bay trough). The δ¹⁸O values indicate that lake water (Lake Minong) at ~10,600–10,400 cal [~9,400–9,250] BP was dominated by glacial meltwater derived from Lake Agassiz and the Laurentide Ice Sheet (LIS). From that time to ~9,000 cal [~8,100] BP, a period associated with formation of thick varves across the Lake Superior Basin, the δ¹⁸O values of Lake Minong decreased even further (−24 to −28‰), symptomatic of an increasing influx of glacial meltwater. Its supply was reduced between ~9,000 and ~8,900 cal [~8,100–8,000] BP, and lake water δ¹⁸O values grew higher by several per mil during this period. Between ~8,900 and ~8,800 cal [~8,000–7,950] BP, there was a return to δ¹⁸O values as low as −29‰ in some parts of the Lake Superior Basin, indicating a renewed influx of glacial meltwater before its final termination at ~8,800–8,700 cal [~7,950–7,900] BP. The sub-basins in the Lake Superior Basin generally displayed very similar patterns of lake water δ¹⁸O values, typical of a well-mixed system. The final stage of glacial meltwater input, however, was largely expressed near its input (Thunder Bay trough) and recognizable in dampened form mainly in the Duluth sub-basin to the west. Water in the easternmost Ile Parisienne sub-basin was enriched in ¹⁸O relative to the rest of the lake, particularly after ~10,000 cal [~8,900] BP, probably because of a strong influence of local precipitation/runoff, and perhaps also enhanced evaporation. By ~9,200 cal [~8,250] BP, lake water δ¹⁸O values in the Ile Parisienne sub-basin were similar to the adjacent Lake Huron Basin, suggesting a strong hydraulic connection between the two water bodies, and common responses to southern Ontario’s shift to warmer and dry climatic conditions after ~9,000 cal [~8,100] BP.     

Uranium and Thorium Isotope Distribution in an Offshore Bottom Sediment Core of the Selenga Delta, Lake Baikal, Siberia

Distribution of uranium and thorium isotopes in a short sediment core obtained offshore of the Selenga Delta in Lake Baikal, Siberia, was investigated to establish their sedimentary behaviors and to look for a linkage to paleoenvironmental changes. The sediments were composed of dominantly fine detrital materials (70–85%) and a relatively high sedimentation rate (ca. 0.03 cm y⁻¹). The depth profile of ²³⁸U content in bulk sediment samples showed a large variation of 70–123 Bq kg⁻¹, while ²³²Th profile showed a relatively narrow range from 36 to 56 Bq kg⁻¹. The observed ²³⁴U/²³⁸U activity ratios revealed a marked disequilibrium ranging from 1.53 to 1.84 with a mean value of 1.71 ± 0.07, demonstrating the presence of 50–80% authigenic ²³⁸U in the bulk sediments. The distribution of this authigenic ²³⁸U did not display any clear correlation with variations in sediment composition (organic, carbonate, Bio-SiO₂ and mineral contents) including grain size median. The profile of terrigenous ²³⁸U showed a relatively similar pattern to that of ²³²Th. Results of sequential leaching indicate that ²³⁸U in Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides fractions were responsible for the distribution of authigenic ²³⁸U rather than in Bio-SiO₂ fraction. The distribution of authigenic ²³⁸U in the bottom sediments may be explained by the fluctuation of U adsorption capacity on particles including organic matter and Fe–Mn oxyhydroxides before they entered the lake. This study highlights the potential use of authigenic and terrigenous U (Th) signatures in sediments to trace the behavior of U (Th) and to reconstruct environmental (e.g., hydrological) changes in the lake catchment area.     

祁连山青海云杉(Picea crassifolia)林浅层土壤碳、氮含量特征及其相互关系

为阐明祁连山青海云杉(Picea crassifolia)林分布带对其土壤碳、氮含量的影响,以分布在祁连山东段和西段的典型青海云杉林为研究对象,通过野外取样和室内分析,论述了青海云杉林浅层土壤碳、氮含量特征及其相互关系。结果表明:(1)祁连山东、西段土壤剖面有机碳含量均随土壤深度的增加而减小,但不同土层差异显著性不同,0~40cm含量分别为73.57±17.17g·kg-1和45.85±11.93g·kg-1;东、西段土壤剖面有机碳储量没有明显的变化规律,0~40cm有机碳储量分别为205.51±39.44t·hm-2和134.93±25.80t·hm-2。(2)祁连山东、西段土壤全氮含量随土层深度变化和不同土层差异显著性变化规律同土壤有机碳含量,0~40cm全氮含量分别为4.56±0.88g·kg-1和2.81±0.66g·kg-1;东、西段土壤全氮储量亦同土壤有机碳储量变化规律,0~40cm储量分别为12.77±2.08t·hm-2和8.38±1.56t·hm-2。(3)祁连山东、西段土壤剖面不同土层C/N比差异显著性变化规律相同,其C/N值分别为15.92±1.24和16.10±2.07;C/N比值大小主要取决于有机碳含量;线性分析表明,土壤有机碳与全氮含之间呈极显著的正相关关系,可用乘幂曲线模型Y=aXb较好地描述(p0.01)。上述研究结果可为祁连山水源涵养林建群种青海云杉林的经营和管理提供理论依据和数据支撑。     

Carbon stable isotopes ratios of pelagic and littoral communities in Alchichica crater-lake, Mexico

Carbon stable isotope ratios were determined in dominant biotic components of pelagic and littoral systems in Alchichica crater-lake. Results showed that carbon signatures were significantly different between both systems. The pelagic environment was more depleted (−26.15 to −15.14 per mille) than the littoral zone (−21.03 to −17.91 per mille). The potential source end-point in the simplified pelagic community was established to be diatomaceous phytoplankton; its predicted value was −21.7 per mille. There is a clear evidence thatNodularia does not sustain the pelagic food chain. In contrast, the highly diverse littoral community was sustained by epiphytes. No allochthonous sources seemed to influence this food web.¹³C enrichment was observed along the components of both systems with fractionations of 0.8 to 1.4 per mille. The contribution of the seagrassRuppia maritima is probably associated with the detritus pathway. Carbon source partitioning between both systems was not recorded. The δ¹³C in Alchichica crater-lake was more enriched than in other saline lakes and could be attributed to different salinity and CO₂ concentrations among lakes.     

Lake Issyk-kul,Kirgizia

The main limnological features of Lake Issyk-kul are described. The lake is a large (6,236 km²), deep (z_m, 668 m), closed lake in eastern Kirgizia. It lies at ∼1,607 m above sea level, but water-levels have been dropping since the last century. It is slightly saline (salinity, ∼6g L⁻¹), with Na⁺, Mg²⁺, Cl⁻ and SO ₄ ²⁻ the dominant ions. Nutrient levels are low and the lake is considered ultra-oligotrophic. Characeae dominate the macrophytes. About 300 and 117 taxa of, respectively, phytoplankton and zooplankton have been identified, withArctodiaptomus salinus the most numerous in the zooplankton. Chironomids dominate the benthos. Several endemic taxa of fish occur, of whichLeuciscus bergi was dominant until the 1970s. The fish fauna has been supplemented by many introduced species. Three mysids were introduced in 1965–8 and are now a significant part of the ecosystem. The present annual fish catch permitted is 320 t. The most important value of the lake is as a recreational resource. To promote and sustain this value requires careful, ongoing management. The most significant threats to the lake are local pollution, visitor pressure, and declining water-levels.     

Sediment lithology and stable isotope composition of organic matter in a core from a cirque in the Krkonoše Mountains,Czech Republic

This study presents detailed lithostratigraphy and stable carbon and nitrogen isotopic variations in a 520-cm-long sediment core from a cirque basin in the Labsky důl Valley, Krkonoše Mountains, Czech Republic. Detailed study of the core reveals five major periods of sedimentation during the last 7600 years: silt and sand deposition during ~7.6–5.1 ka cal BP, Sphagnum peat accumulation during ~5.1–4.0 ka cal BP, sandy silt and sand during ~4.0–2.8 ka cal BP, raised peat bog during ~2.8–2.0 ka cal BP (Sphagnum peat), and sedimentation of sandy silt since ~2.0 ka cal BP. The δ¹³C values of the organic matter in the core vary in the range typical for C3 plants, from −24.35 to −27.68‰, whereas the δ¹⁵N values vary from −2.65 to +4.35‰. Core sections having ash contents ≥70% have δ¹⁵N > 1‰ and δ¹³C < −26‰, whereas those having ≤70% ash content have δ¹⁵N < 1‰ and δ¹³C > −26‰. Strong linear correlations are observed between δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values as well as between C:N ratios and δ¹⁵N values in the horizons with ash content >10%, primarily for sand and silt horizons. On the other hand, poor correlations between δ¹³C and C:N ratio, as well as δ¹⁵N and C:N ratio, were observed in Sphagnum peat layers (45–125 and 185–265 cm). We conclude that the primary stable isotope variations are not preserved in the layers where significant correlation between δ¹⁵N and C:N ratio is observed. The relatively small δ¹³C variation in the uppermost Sphagnum peat layer suggests stable temperature during ~2.8–2.0 ka cal BP.