盐湖沉积物的穆斯堡尔效应研究

对青海柴达木盆地察尔汗、昆特依盐湖以及新疆罗布泊盐湖一系列沉积物样品进行了穆斯堡尔效应的研究。对全部样品做了常温下的穆斯堡尔谱学测量,并对部分样品做了低温下的测量。从穆斯堡尔谱的解析结果可知,盐湖沉积物黏土矿中含二价铁的主要矿物是绿泥石,在察尔汗盐湖样品中有少量菱铁矿;三价铁存在于多种矿物和非晶态的氢氧化物中;某些样品中含有少量的赤铁矿,它在常温下即出现磁有序。不同盐湖的沉积物样品和同一盐湖不同深度样品的含铁矿物组成及相对含量不同,Fe2+/Fe3+的比值也不同。这些结果可以反映出盐湖沉积过程中地球化学和环境及气候的变化。     

Salt dissolution features in saline lakes of the northern Great Plains, western Canada

Large-scale salt dissolution is an important process affecting the sediments of many of the saline lakes in the northern Great Plains region of western Canada. The most easily recognized features of this salt karst are water-filled chimneys, vertical shafts, and collapse structures. The largest individual chimneys can be up to 20 m deep and 50 m in diameter, with volumes exceeding 25,000 m³. Large, mud-filled chimneys and cavities, and salt-filled chimneys have also been identified in both the modern lakes and in the Quaternary sediments of the basins, which can adversely affect the salt mining potential of the basins. Because these salt karst features can affect large vertical sections of the sediment fill in the lakes, their recognition is of fundamental importance in attempting to use the stratigraphic records of the basins for paleoenvironmental research.     

Controls on the contemporary distribution of lake thecamoebians (testate amoebae) within the Greater Toronto Area and their potential as water quality indicators

Thecamoebians were examined from 71 surface sediment samples collected from 21 lakes and ponds in the Greater Toronto Area to (1) elucidate the controls on faunal distribution in modern lake environments; and (2) to consider the utility of thecamoebians in quantitative studies of water quality change. This area was chosen because it includes a high density of kettle and other lakes which are threatened by urban development and where water quality has deteriorated locally as a result of contaminant inputs, particularly nutrients. Fifty-eight samples yielded statistically significant thecamoebian populations. The most diverse faunas (highest Shannon Diversity Index values) were recorded in lakes beyond the limits of urban development, although the faunas of all lakes showed signs of sub-optimal conditions. The assemblages were divided into five clusters using Q-mode cluster analysis, supported by Detrended Correspondence Analysis. Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA) was used to examine species-environment relationships and to explain the observed clusterings. Twenty-four measured environmental variables were considered, including water property attributes (e.g., pH, conductivity, dissolved oxygen), substrate characteristics, sediment-based phosphorus (Olsen P) and 11 environmentally available metals. The thecamoebian assemblages showed a strong association with phosphorus, reflecting the eutrophic status of many of the lakes, and locally to elevated conductivity measurements, which appear to reflect road salt inputs associated with winter de-icing operations. Substrate characteristics, total organic carbon and metal contaminants (particularly Cu and Mg) also influenced the faunas of some samples. A series of partial CCAs show that of the measured variables, sedimentary phosphorus has the largest influence on assemblage distribution, explaining 6.98% (P < 0.002) of the total variance. A transfer function was developed for sedimentary phosphorus (Olsen P) using 58 samples from 15 of the studied lakes. The best performing model was based on weighted averaging with inverse deshrinking (WA Inv, r_jack² = 0.33, RMSEP = 102.65 ppm). This model was applied to a small modern thecamoebian dataset from a eutrophic lake in northern Ontario to predict phosphorus and performed satisfactorily. This preliminary study confirms that thecamoebians have considerable potential as quantitative water quality indicators in urbanising regions, particularly in areas influenced by nutrient inputs and road salts.     

Tetraether membrane lipid distributions in water-column particulate matter and sediments: a study of 47 European lakes along a north–south transect

We studied the distribution of glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (GDGTs) in water-column particulate matter and the top 5 cm of sediment from 47 lakes along a transect from southern Italy to the northern part of Scandinavia. Our objective was to investigate the biological sources and potential palaeoenvironmental applications of GDGTs in lacustrine sediments. Both archaea-derived isoprenoid and bacteria-derived branched GDGTs, produced by yet unknown soil bacteria, were identified in all lake sediments. GDGT distributions varied substantially. Crenarchaeotal GDGTs, including the characteristic GDGT crenarchaeol, were found in varying relative concentrations, and were more dominant in lakes from the Alps and some of the lakes from the more southern part of the latitudinal transect. In some lakes, we observed high amounts of the GDGT with no cyclopentane moieties relative to crenarchaeol. As methanogenic Euryarchaeota are known to biosynthesise this GDGT predominantly, these Archaea, rather than Crenarchaeota, may be its dominant biological source. In most of the lakes, high amounts of soil-bacteria-derived, branched GDGTs (>40% of total GDGTs) indicated a substantial contribution from soil erosion. Branched GDGTs dominated, especially in the northern lakes, possibly related to high soil-erosion rates. In many of the lakes, soil input affects the distribution of isoprenoidal GDGTs and prevents the reliable application of the TEX₈₆ temperature proxy for lake water temperature, which is based on in situ crenarchaeotal GDGTs production. In 9 out of the 47 lakes studied, the TEX₈₆ temperature proxy could be used reliably. When we compared the TEX₈₆ correlation with annual and winter lake-surface temperature, respectively, the relationship between TEX₈₆ and winter temperature was slightly stronger. This may indicate the season in which these GDGT-producing organisms have their peak production.     

Sediment records of phosphorus-driven shifts to phytoplanktondominance in shallow Florida lakes

Primary producer community structure (PPCS) in shallow lakes isinfluenced by phosphorus (P) load and water column P concentration.Theoretically PPCS may shift between phytoplankton and macrophyte states withintermediate P loading, but phytoplankton dominate when P loading exceeds acritical threshold. We analyzed sediment cores from five shallow, eutrophiclakes (size range: 0.6 to 125 km²) that arephytoplankton dominated to determine whether the development of the currentstate was associated stratigraphically with an increase in sediment total P(TP) and a shift in PPCS. We used sponge biogenic silica(BSi_Sponges) concentrations and total carbon to total nitrogenratios (TC:TN) as proxies for macrophyte abundance and sediment organic mattersource, respectively. Three stratigraphic groups of sediments were identifiedwith k-means cluster analysis. These samples were grouped by increasing TPconcentrations and decreasing age and identified as macrophyte, transitionaland phytoplankton sediments. Results show that as P loading increased in thelate 19th and early 20th centuries, the lakes producedsediments with an increasing contribution from phytoplankton. Four of our lakesmay represent a subset of shallow lakes because of their large size (30 to 125km²) and relatively rapid historic P enrichment. Inthese Florida lakes, PPCS shifted to phytoplankton dominance with nopaleolimnological record of lake-wide alternating stable states or of lake-widephytoplankton dominance before anthropogenic P enrichment.     

Factors that contributed to recent eutrophication of two Slovenian mountain lakes

Increased eutrophication was recently observed in the 5th (5J) and 6th (6J) Triglav Lakes, two remote Slovenian mountain lakes. Sediment phosphorus (P) pools were analysed and potential external P sources affecting the lakes (atmospheric deposition, terrestrial export and nearby hut) evaluated, to assess the effects of internal and external changes on the lakes. A sequential extraction procedure was used to quantify five P fractions from the sediments: adsorbed (NH₄Cl–P), redox-sensitive (BD–P), aluminium- (NaOH–P) and calcium- (HCl–P) bound, and refractory organic (Res–P) P. Total phosphorus (TP) contents in surface sediment of 5J and 6J were 1430 and 641 µg P g^?1 dry weight sediment (dw), respectively. TP varied with depth in 5J sediments, but displayed no discernible pattern, whereas it decreased steadily downcore in 6J. Contents of all P forms were distinctly higher in 5J than 6J, but their rank order and relative abundances were similar in the two lakes. Res–P was the most abundant P fraction, followed by HCl–P. Together, the two P forms accounted for nearly 80 and 90% of TP in 5J and 6J sediments, respectively. BD–P and NaOH–P were less abundant, with each fraction accounting for 3 to 9% of TP, whereas NH₄Cl–P was least abundant. Atmospheric deposition and terrestrial export were substantial sources of P for the lakes. Delivery of the former was estimated to be at least 7.5 mg P m^?2 yr^?1 and the latter around 20 mg P m^?2 yr^?1. We concluded that P was not retained in the catchment effectively, likely because of only slightly acidic soil pH (5.9), relatively low aluminium content and high organic matter content (53%) in soils, resulting in higher vulnerability of the studied lakes to eutrophication. The mountain hut could also be a significant source of P for the lakes. Each year, it could potentially contribute ~12 kg of soluble P to the environment, but the true impact of the hut on lake trophic status remains unclear.     

Diatom-based transfer functions for western Quebec lakes (Abitibiand Haute Mauricie): the possible role of epilimnetic CO2 concentration in influencing diatom assemblages

Surficial sediments from 76 lakes from two western Quebec regions(Abitibi and Haute Mauricie) were sampled to identify the relationships betweendiatoms and environmental variables. Because the two regions containedradically different diatom communities, we then investigated which factors maybe responsible for the large community discrepancies in the two nearbygeographical areas. Standard lake chemistry variables showed little differencesbetween the regions, although epilimnetic light regimes were slightly lower inAbitibi. Nevertheless, lakes of the two regions with similar light regimes andchemistry still showed a clear separation in their diatoms, implying that otherimportant factors are influencing assemblages. We found that the calculatedconcentration of CO₂ in the open water can explain some of thediscrepancy in diatom assemblages. A pCCA constrained to the concentration ofCO₂ with alkalinity and pH as covariables explained 12.5% of speciesvariance and was significant. Given the lack of a relationship between DOC andCO₂, and because the lakes are heavily supersaturated withCO₂ in the calibration set, lake-to-lake variations inCO₂ concentrations are likely due to groundwater inputs; thepossibility that this environmental variable may be influencing diatomcommunities might allow, in some cases, the reconstruction of historicalchanges in groundwater inputs to lakes. Finally, new calibration models werebuilt in Quebec by using weighted averaging partial least square(WA-PLS) techniques in order to infer pH, CO₂, TP, TN, and, DOC fromdiatom assemblages preserved in the surface sediments.     

Distribution of diatom assemblages and their relationship to environmental variables in the surface sediments of three northern Egyptian lakes

Surficial sediments of three northern Egyptian lakes (Manzala, Burullus and Edku) show differences in diatom assemblages deposited in different sites of these lakes. A total of 172 species and varieties belonging to 58 genera were identified and counted from 62 samples. Of these, 163 diatom taxa were recorded from Manzala Lake sediments, 147 taxa were found in Burullus Lake sediments, and 117 taxa were identified in Edku Lake sediments. The considerable variation in the composition and distribution of the diatom assemblages among these lakes was mainly related to differences in the water quality, salinity, the concentration of nutrients and climatic changes. The planktonic diatom Cyclotella meneghiniana was dominant in the majority of the samples from Manzala Lake, but dominant in only a few samples from the middle parts of Burullus and Edku lakes. The non-planktonic epiphytic taxa Cocconeis placentula and Epithemia sorex were the subdominant species in the surface sediments, especially in shallow and marginal parts of the lakes. Multivariate statistical techniques (hierarchical ascending clustering and canonical correspondence analysis) were used to identify ecological groups of diatoms and to investigate which environmental variables were important in explaining the variation between these groups. Eight ecological groups containing distinctive diatom assemblages reflect current environmental conditions; especially saltwater intrusion in the north and nutrient-rich freshwater in the south.     

Fourier-transform Infrared Spectroscopy (FTIRS), a New Method to Infer Past Changes in Tree-line Position and TOC using Lake Sediment

This study tests the hypothesis that Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIRS) of lake sediments can be used to infer past changes in tree-line position and total organic carbon (TOC) content of lake water. A training set of 100 lakes from northern Sweden spanning a broad altitudinal and TOC gradient from 0.7 to 14.9 mg/l was used to assess whether vegetation zones and TOC can be modelled from FTIR spectra of surface sediments (0–1 cm) using principal component analysis (PCA) and partial least squares (PLS) regression. Preliminary results show that FTIRS of lake sediments can be used to reconstruct past changes in tree line and the TOC content of lake water, which is hardly surprising since FTIRS registers the properties of organic and minerogenic material derived from the water mass and the drainage area. The FTIRS model for TOC gives a root mean squared error (RMSECV) of calibration of 1.4 mg/l (10% of the gradient) assessed by internal cross-validation (CV) yielding an R_cv² of 0.64. This should be compared with a near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) and diatom transfer function for TOC from the same set of lakes, which have a R_cv² of 0.61 and 0.31, and RMSECV of 1.6 and 2.3 mg/l, respectively. The FTIRS-TOC model was applied to a Holocene sediment core from a tree-line lake and the results show similar trends as inferences from NIRS and pollen from the same core. Overall, the results indicate that changes in FTIR spectra from lake sediments reflect differences in catchment vegetation and TOC, and that FTIRS-models based on surface-sediment samples can be applied to sediment cores for retrospective analysis.     

Determination of carbon, carbonate, nitrogen, and phosphorus in freshwater sediments by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy: Rapid analysis and a check on conventional analytical methods

Sediments are typically analyzed for C, N, and P for characterization, sediment quality assessment, and in nutrient and contaminant studies. Cost and time required for analysis of these constituents by conventional chemical techniques can be limiting factors in these studies. Determination of these constituents by near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIRS) may be a rapid, cost-effective method provided the technology can be applied generally across aquatic ecosystems. In this study, we explored the feasibility of using NIRS to predict total C, CO₃ ^–2 organic C, N, and P in deep-water sediment cores from four Canadian lakes varying over 19 degrees of latitude. Concentration ranges of constituents in the samples (dry weight basis) were total C, 12-55; CO₃ ^–2, 6-26; organic C, 7-31; N, 0.6-3.1; and P, 0.22-2.1 mg g^–1. Coefficients of determination, r2, between results from conventional chemical analysis and NIR-predicted concentrations, based on calibrations across all the four lakes, were 0.97-0.99 for total C, organic C, and N. Prediction for CO₃ ^–2 was good for the hard water lake from a calibration across all four lakes, but this constituent in the three soft water lakes was better predicted by a calibration across the soft water lakes. The NIR calibration for P fell below acceptable levels for the technique, but proved useful in the identification of outliers from the chemical method that were later removed with the re-analysis of several samples. This study demonstrated that NIRS is useful for rapid, simultaneous, cost-effective analysis of total C, CO₃ ^–2, organic C, N, and P in dried sediments from lakes at widely varying latitudes. Also, this study showed that NIRS is an independent analytical tool useful for the identification of outliers that may be due to error during the analysis or to distinctive composition of the samples.     

A late Pleistocene and Holocene mineral magnetic record from sediments of Lake Aibi,Dzungarian Basin,NW China

We studied mineral magnetic properties of a 6-m-long, late Pleistocene through Holocene sediment sequence from Lake Aibi in Dzungaria (Zunggary, Junggar), northern Xinjiang, China. Results were used to infer environmental changes and are compared with previously studied cores from Lake Manas. Both water bodies occupy the deepest parts of the Dzungarian Basin and are remnants of large Holocene lakes. During the Late Pleistocene, the magnetic mineralogy in both lakes was dominated by detrital, iron oxide minerals. Oxic conditions, which dominated during sedimentation and early diagenesis, persisted over the Pleistocene–Holocene transition. Later, during the middle Holocene, lake bottom conditions enabled authigenic formation of iron sulphide minerals such as pyrite (FeS₂) in Lake Aibi, and pyrite and greigite (Fe₃S₄) in Lake Manas. This iron sulphide mineralogy suggests increased biological activity in stagnant, anoxic bottom waters. Anoxic bottom conditions started about 9.8 cal kyr BP in Lake Manas and at about 7.2 cal kyr BP in Lake Aibi. A short dry event recorded in Lake Manas between 6.8 and 5.2 cal kyr BP is not clearly observed in Lake Aibi. In the late Holocene, i.e. the last 2.8 cal kyr, sediments of both lakes are again characterised by iron oxides, suggesting well-mixed, shallow water bodies. For this recent period, it seems that the detrital material in the two lakes had a common origin. Magnetic properties of sediments in Lakes Aibi and Manas show broadly similar environmental evolution during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. Nevertheless, despite the close proximity of the two lakes (~200 km) in the same basin, they display some different magnetic properties and record environmental changes at different times.     

巴丹吉林沙漠盐湖面积变化对湖泊边缘表层沉积物盐类矿物组合影响

选择巴丹吉林沙漠17个代表性盐湖,采集了2013年春季和秋季湖泊边缘表层沉积物样品,通过X衍射分析其盐类矿物组成和百分含量;应用Landsat 8遥感数据提取了上述两时段湖泊面积。结果发现,自春季到秋季13个面积减小的湖泊中,碳酸盐类矿物百分含量均较低,变化不明显;氯化物矿物和总盐类矿物百分含量均有增加,其增加幅度与湖泊面积变化有关。面积减少超过10%的湖泊,氯化物矿物或硫酸盐矿物百分含量总体明显增加;其余面积减少的湖泊,氯化物矿物百分含量均较春季有一定的增加,盐类矿物总百分含量也有一定程度的增加,但与湖泊面积减小程度相比没有更为明显的规律。4个面积增大的湖泊中沉积物的总盐类矿物百分含量和各盐类矿物的百分含量并未呈现显著相关性,表明在该区域湖泊面积的变化过程中,湖泊边缘表层沉积物中的盐类矿物百分含量对盐湖萎缩的指示意义相对高于湖泊扩张时期,氯化物矿物百分含量变化对湖泊面积萎缩变化响应更为敏感。     

格尔木河流域河流地貌演化的研究进展

位于柴达木盆地南缘的格尔木河发源于东昆仑山脉,末端注入盆地中东部的察尔汗盐湖,是该盐湖最主要的补给河流,极大地影响着该盐湖的成盐演化过程。格尔木河的主要支流——昆仑河和雪水河都是由冰川融水形成,因此,该流域内的冰川进退对河流径流量变化和谷地填充地层物源有着重要影响。该河流域内主要的填充地层为昆仑河砾岩(河流相)、纳赤台沟组(冲洪积相)和三岔河组(河湖相)。在三岔河组之上,发育了四/五级阶地,除最高的T₅之外,其他均为以三岔河组为基底的内叠基座阶地。根据前人的研究,昆仑河砾岩沉积的年代为1269至1042 ka(ESR年龄);纳赤台沟组堆积于482至642 ka之间(ESR和TL年龄);三岔河组形成于355-95 ka(ESR和U系年龄)、90-16 ka(OSL年龄),T₅-T₁阶地基本形成于16- 4.6 ka之间。由于采用的测年方法不同,不同学者对三岔河组的形成时代存在争议,对阶地的划分也有所不同(四级或五级阶地)。但是对T₅-T₁阶地形成时代有较一致的观点,即末次冰消期和全新世早中期。对于格尔木河河流地貌过程的驱动因素,目前尚存在争论,大部分学者认为是气候变化驱动了该区域河流地貌的形成,但也有学者认为构造活动是主导因素。     

Variability in biomarkers of different saline basins in China

42 samples (sediments and crude oils) from 5 different saline/hypersaline basins of China were examined using variety of geochemical techniques. A pronounced even over odd distribution ofn-alkanes is observed for the Ejinur, Jianghan samples. Abundance of isoprenoid alkanes, dominated by phytane (C₂₀ up to 20 per cent in EOM), and C₂₅ and C₃₀ components is another outstanding feature of these studied lacustrine hypersaline settings, indicating important contributuions from archaebacteria. Gammacerane is a major component of some Eocene Jiangham samples and Cretaceous Taian sediments. Absolute concentration of phytane and gammacerane appears to be linearly related to chlorine and residual (reduced) sulfur contents of sediments from Jianghan basin, suggesting sulfur incoporation might have played an important role in the enhacement of these biomarkers in the anoxic hypersaline, alkaline settings. Wide range of organic sulfur compounds in immature samples of Jianghan Basin reflects a significant pathway for sulfur incorporation under hypersaline, extremely anoxic/reducing conditions, although for some structures a direct origin from some sulfur archaebacteria can not be excluded. Brackish salt marsh sediment and oil from Lenghu depression contain abundant lupane, strong OEP inn-alkane series, and predominance of C₂₉ steranes, suggesting a markedly input from vascular higher plants. The marginal marine evaporate sediments from the hypersaline Triassic Yangtze Platform is unique for its predominant, complete series of isoprenoid alkanes up to C₃₆ (abundant) and C₄₀ (trace). These long-chain isoprenoids are probably derived from phytoplanktons in addition to archaebacteria. The marked difference in biomarker distributions from the various suites of samples support that application of these biomarkers to help effectively characterize different saline basins. The molecular variation is, however, not only due to their discrepancy in biological sources, but also the extension of sulfate reduction and the availability of metal ions during early diagenesis.     

Biomonitoring past salinity changes in an athalassic subarctic lake

A short sediment core was taken from a small saline lake located on an intermontane plateau in the central Yukon Territory, Canada. In July 1990, chemical analyses indicated that, although the lake was shallow (Z_max=1.1 m), it was also chemically stratified, with hyposaline (9.9 to 10.0 g L⁻¹) surface waters and slightly mesosaline (22.0 g L⁻¹) deeper waters. The surface water was dominated by Na⁺ and HCO ₃ ⁻ . To our knowledge, this is the northernmost athalassic saline lake yet recorded. Quantification of algal (diatom, chrysophyte, and pigment) and invertebrate (chironomid, ceratopogonid, andChaoborus) fossils at four stratigraphic levels indicated that the lake sediments preserved numerous biological indicators that could be used to infer recent lake development. Many of the taxa are found in other athalassic salt lakes. The most striking stratigraphic change was a remarkable drop in the species richness of diatoms and invertebrates in the recent sediments, which parallels the elimination of species characteristic of less saline conditions. Halophilous taxa dominate the most recent sediments, indicating the development of more saline conditions. At the same time, a significant shift in chrysophyte cyst composition was observed. Fossil carotenoids and chlorophylls indicated a decrease in total algal abundance in recent sediments, as green and blue-green algae replaced diatoms and chrysophytes. Together, these paleolimnological data suggest a recent shift to drier conditions or increased evaporation in the central Yukon Territory.     

Multi-proxy paleolimnological assessment of biogeochemical versus food web controls on the trophic states of two shallow,mesotrophic lakes

The frequency of nuisance algal blooms has been increasing during the last two decades in the shallow, headwater East Pond (Smithfield, Maine, USA). Meanwhile, the hydrologically linked North Pond has not experienced an increase in algal blooms, despite similar morphometry and higher external nutrient loads. Possible explanations for this difference include stronger trophic cascade effects from planktivorous white perch (Morone americana) in East Pond as well as differences in phosphorus (P) release from the sediments of these two lakes. We conducted a paleolimnological investigation of these two lakes to assess whether sedimentary evidence supported trophic cascade effects based on cladoceran ephippia size, diatom fossils, and fossil pigments or biogeochemical controls based on potential sedimentary P release as the primary driver of these increased algal blooms in East Pond. At the time of white perch introduction (~1930–1950), ephippia size increases in East Pond, although no changes are observed in either diatom abundance or trends in the algal pigments. Instead, algal pigments increase in recent decades (~1980 to present) along with an increase in diatom taxa with higher TP optima These results suggest that predation by white perch is not resulting in top-down effects on algal abundance in East Pond, as predicted by the trophic cascade hypothesis. While the P content of sediments from both lakes is relatively equal, the releasable P in the top 10 cm of sediment in East Pond constitutes a greater percentage of the P extracted. Also, North Pond sediments exhibit a greater capacity to permanently bury P via the mechanisms of sorption to Al(OH)_3(s) and a slower mineralization of organic P compounds. The results of this investigation suggest that the ultimate driver of the recent algal blooms in East Pond is internal P release from the sediments instead of trophic cascade effects.     

The sedimentary record of spheroidal carbonaceous fly-ash particles in shallow Danish lakes

Spheroidal carbonaceous particles (SCP) from combustion of oil and coal have been quantified in cores from top sediments of Danish shallow lakes. Chronologies were provided by ²¹⁰Pb-dating supplemented by measurements of other radionuclides (¹³⁷Cs, ¹³⁴Cs, ²⁴¹Am). All cores show indications of sediment mixing but most still retain a characteristic SCP record. Deposition rates of SCP were low until the 1920s, increased strongly after World War II, reached maximum levels around 1970 and decreased thereafter. These results were used to infer a new chronology for a sediment core from a shallow lake, from which a ²¹⁰Pb chronology had previously been published.SCP inventories are positively correlated with ²¹⁰Pb inventories and dry matter accumulated since 1900, suggesting that absolute SCP accumulation rates may be more influenced by sedimentary processes than by atmospheric fluxes. The concentrations of SCP in surface sediments of the six lakes do, however, correlate with regional SO₂ emissions.     

Distribution and Autecology of Chrysophyte Cysts from High Arctic Svalbard Lakes: Preliminary Evidence of Recent Environmental Change

Chrysophycean stomatocyst assemblages were analysed from the sediments of 17 lakes and ponds from Svalbard as one component of a multi-proxy investigation of recent environmental change in the high Arctic. Sediment cores and water chemistry were collected from each of the study lakes, and chrysophyte stomatocysts were investigated from the top 0.25 cm of sediment (present-day) and bottom (i.e., bottom of short sediment core, pre-industrial) sediment samples. This study represents the first undertaking of chrysophyte cyst morphology and distribution on Svalbard. A total of 153 cyst morphotypes were described with light microscopy and/or scanning electron microscopy, of which 21 are new forms. Canonical correspondence analysis indicates that the present-day distribution of cysts is significantly related to pH (p= 0.02), altitude (p= 0.02), and Na⁺ (p= 0.04). Marked shifts in chrysophyte cyst assemblages were recorded between the top and bottom sediment samples of most lakes. A recent study has demonstrated that Svalbard lakes receive atmospheric contaminants from both local and remote sources. The observed assemblage shifts may be the result of the combined effects of these point sources and long-range pollutants, or the effects of recent climate change, or both.     

Quantitative reconstruction of lake conductivity in the Quaternary of the Near East (Israel) using ostracods

Surface sediments, water samples and environmental data from 37 lakes, ponds and streams in Israel were analysed to determine the main variables controlling ostracod species distributions. Multivariate statistical analysis revealed that the greatest amounts of variation in the distribution of the ostracod taxa among the 37 water bodies were explained by the host water δD value (12.9%), water temperature (11.0%), mean January air temperature (10.5%), electrical conductivity (9.5%), and the Mg and NO₃ concentrations (7.8 and 7.1%, ion concentrations as % of the anions or cations). A supplementary data set comprising ostracod species composition and electrical conductivity readings for 24 water bodies was available from previous research and was merged with the 37 samples data set to develop an ostracod-based transfer function for the reconstruction of electrical conductivities. A weighted averaging partial least squares regression (WA-PLS) provided the best results with a relatively high coefficient of determination (r ²) between measured and inferred electrical conductivity values of 0.73, a root mean square error of prediction of 0.13 (13.4% of gradient length) and a maximum bias of 0.24 (23.9% of gradient length), as assessed by leave-one-out cross-validation based on 56 water bodies. The application of the EC transfer function onto (sub)fossil ostracod assemblages from Holocene and early to mid Pleistocene lake sediments provided EC values consistent with other proxies and demonstrated that Quaternary ostracod assemblages from subaqueous sediments can now be used to trace the hydrological history of water bodies in the Near East. A better understanding of past hydrological conditions in response to the natural climate variability is crucial in regions that face restricted water resources and rising demands in times of rapid climate and environmental change.     

Spatial variability of chironomid death assemblages in the surface sediments of a fluctuating tropical lake (Lake Naivasha,Kenya)

Studies addressing within-lake variability of fossil chironomid assemblages are very few, and all deal with hydrologically stable temperate lakes where the question of spatial integration mostly relates to the mixing of faunal assemblages associated with shallow, warm-water habitat and those associated with deeper, cold-water habitat. Here we study within-lake variability of surface-sediment chironomid assemblages in the fairly large (∼100–170 km² since 1983) and shallow (Z _max = 5–8 m) fluctuating tropical lake basin of Lake Naivasha, Kenya, and compare the patterns observed with those in two smaller adjacent basins, one similarly shallow (Lake Oloidien, 5.1–5.7 km2, 5–8 m), the other deep and stratified (Crescent Island Crater, 1.9 km², 14–17 m). Chironomid assemblages were analysed in core-top samples and surface sediments along inshore to offshore transects, and how well individual samples represented the total (basin-wide mean) subfossil assemblage was considered both in terms of taxon richness and taxon percent composition. Within-lake variability of subfossil chironomid concentrations (with generally higher absolute values in nearshore samples) could be explained by effects of sediment winnowing and focusing, whereas between-lake variability reflected their relative susceptibility to wind-driven sediment disturbance or bottom anoxia. In all study lakes, but most significantly in lakes Naivasha and Oloidien, species distribution in the subfossil chironomid assemblages showed a strong nearshore to offshore gradient, which in these shallow lakes, reflects the dominant control of substrate and food quality on species distribution in the living community. Particularly in the larger basins, nearshore samples better represented the total lake assemblage than offshore samples, because the former always contained a component of mud-dwelling species whereas the latter often lacked a component of macrophyte-dwelling species. Our results show that although sedimentation dynamics in the shallow, wind-stressed Lake Naivasha is dominated by frequent resuspension and random sediment redistribution, the near- to offshore gradient in chironomid habitat remains imprinted on subfossil assemblages. We conclude that also in shallow fluctuating lakes, given sufficient size, incomplete pre-burial spatial integration of habitat-specific chironomid assemblages can be exploited for within-lake calibration of environmental gradients.