Isotopic variations of the nitrogen in Lake Superior

The isotopic compositions of nitrogen in lake water, plankton samples and the organic-N fractions extracted from sediments at selected stations in Lake Superior are presented. The δ¹⁵N values of the Kjeldahl total-N and acid hydrolyzable-N in the lake sediments are similar (range, +4.7–+6.7; mean, +5.5 %.). The δ¹⁵N data for the various extracts are independent of the age and concentration of nitrogen in the sediments. On the other hand, the δ¹⁵N values of lake water (+ 0.6‰), phytoplankton (+ 1.6 %.) and Zooplankton (+ 5.0‰) in the water column suggest significant discrimination against the heavier nitrogen isotope in the food chain of the lacustrine environment. The data emphasize the need for a better understanding of the autogenous isotopic fractionation before the isotopic method can be used to fingerprint the sources of nitrogen in a limnetic ecosystem.     

Man-made turbidity currents in Lake Superior

The discharge of taconite tailings into Lake Superior at Silver Bay, Minnesota, produces turbidity current flow. The silty fine-sand tailings fraction transported to the deepest part of the lake has formed a small fan with valleys similar in gross morphology to a submarine fan. Current meters anchored 5 m above the lake floor over the wall and over the levee of a distributary valley on the fan recorded intermittent turbidity current flows during 30 weeks in 1972–73. At least twenty-five discrete periods of observation of turbidity current flow were obtained; single episodes lasted 4?328+ h. Only flows thick enough to overflow the eastern levee of the valley could be observed, and this accounts for the intermittent nature of our observations, as flow within the valleys is expected to be continuous as long as tailings are discharged. Flow velocities were higher near the valley axis where the flow is thicker. Velocities measured over the valley wall averaged 10.8 cm/s for eleven episodes; velocities measured over the levee, more than 1/2 km from the valley axis, only 3.3 cm/s. The maximum velocity during 1300 h of observation did not exceed 31 cm/s. This agrees reasonably well with velocities calculated from channel properties, as commonly done for turbidity currents on deep-sea fans. Current meters tethered above the bottom meters indicate that lake currents normally parallel the shore throughout the water column. With the onset of a turbidity current, currents higher in the water column remain unchanged but velocities near the bottom go to zero, currents then change azimuth by 90° to parallel the downslope (down-valley) direction of the fan, then increase in velocity. During a turbidity current episode, the direction of bottom flow stays relatively constant (± 20° of the down-valley trend) but the velocity oscillates (commonly with 10 cm/s amplitude), periods being of 1/2 h or less to several hours. Turbidity currents generated on Reserve Mining Company's delta are effective in carrying essentially all tailings discharged into the lake into deeper water, where they are deposited.     

Palynological studies in the western arm of Lake Superior

Lake Superior sediments contain pollen whose changes through time can be corelated with dated pollen diagrams from small lakes in the region. A core collected in 1972 from the deep trough (265 m) off Silver Bay (47° 09′N, 91°20′W) penetrated 6.25 cm of taconite tailings, 55 cm of postglacial silty clay, and 93.5 cm of late-glacial varves. Seven levels in the core were dated by stratigraphic and palynological techniques. The varves stopped forming about 9000 years ago, probably when glacial ice retreated to the north shore. The last 100 varves accumulated at about 10 mm/yr, but the average net sedimentation rate subsequently slowed to 0.05 mm/yr until the time of settlement about 1890. The sedimentation rate then increased by a factor of 10, to 0.5 mm/yr until 1956 when taconite processing began. The postsettlement interval can be recognized by marked increases of ragweed and chenopod pollen that result from land disturbance caused by forest clearance and agriculture. The postsettlement interval is also present at the top of six cores from four other sites in western Lake Superior, collected in water from 25–140 m deep. The postsettlement sedimentation rate varies from 0.1–0.8 mm/yr, suggesting that man has greatly increased sediment yield to the lake in the last 80 years.     

地质微生物学中几项最新研究进展

地质微生物学是地质学和微生物学之间的交叉学科,在过去的十几年中已取得了突飞猛进的发展。该研究领域涉及全球许多种极端环境,例如从地下深部结晶岩、古沉积岩、到现代超盐度湖泊、干旱的沙漠和热液喷口系统等。因为地质微生物学进展的综述可能要用一本专著方可阐述清楚,作者在此仅对地质微生物学几个活跃的前缘研究领域进行了综述,包括大陆深部、盐碱环境、干旱沙漠等极端环境中的微生物生态,白云石的微生物成因,古代沉积岩中的微生物古DNA及其环境意义以及海洋地质微生物学等几个方面。这些研究证明了将地质过程和微生物作用联系起来的重要性。     

北疆地区早全新世环境演化的湖泊沉积记录

通过对北疆地区艾比湖沉积物的孢粉组合及其碳酸盐δ^18O,δ^13C,δ^13Corg，TOC，TON和Rb/Sr比等地球化学指标分析，重点对全新世早期气候环境演化特征进行了研究。结果表明，研究时段（8.0-11.cal ka B.P.)温度总体偏低，初期（11.5-10.6cal ka B.P.)较为温湿；早全新世向中全新世转换时期（8.9-8.0cal ka B.P.)气候波动显著。特别是3层泥炭沉积显示了艾比湖地区早全新世气候的强烈不稳定性。泥炭的发育程度及其同位素、孢粉分析数据等都显示，8.2cal ka B.P.,8.6cal ka B.P.,10.5cal ka B.P.的气候状况具有显著的冷湿特征，反映了早全新世的3次冷湿事件。     

Sediment resuspension and transport in Lake Michigan during the unstratified period

Instrumented moorings were deployed during the winter of 1994–95 at three depths (28, 58 and 101 m) in southern Lake Michigan. Storms during the observation period were not unusually severe, so the processes observed are typical of those that occur during an average winter. Time series observations of water temperature, beam attenuation coefficient (a measure of water transparency) and current velocity show that local resuspension of bottom sediment occurred frequently after the breakdown of the thermocline. Resuspension was most frequent close to the shore but was also observed at the 58 m station. Local resuspension did not occur at the 101 m station, but advection to the site of material resuspended at shallower sites was observed. These observations do not support the hypothesis proposed by previous investigators that local resuspension at depths of 100 m or greater occurs during the unstratified period. It is more likely that fine-grained material resuspended by storm action in intermediate water depths (≈ 30–60 m) is transported into the deeper parts of the lake by the general lake circulation.     

基于扫描电镜分析的猪野泽全新世砂层成因探讨

猪野泽全新世沉积物剖面中存在砂层和灰绿色湖相沉积层相间分布的现象。本研究对猪野泽QTH01、QTH02剖面砂层的石英砂样品进行扫描电镜分析,且与古湖泊岸堤和现代沙丘砂样做了对比,探讨了猪野泽全新世剖面中部和底部砂层的成因。研究发现,猪野泽QTH01、QTH02剖面样品中大部分石英砂兼具风成结构和水成结构,且水成特征大都覆盖于风成特征之上,V型坑分布频率相对较小,磨圆度特征与现代沙丘样品较为相似,与岸堤石英砂具有相似的结构特征,但剖面砂层不具岸堤典型的斜纹层理。结果说明,猪野泽砂层先经历了风成环境,后期转向湖相沉积,也有少部分砂是通过河流沉积于剖面位置;剖面砂层与岸堤砂层的成因相似,但剖面所在位置并非湖泊岸堤;剖面砂层形成时期风沙活动强烈,湖泊水动力条件稳定,河流对湖泊影响较小。     

The deglaciation history of the Lake Superior region and its climatic implications

A zone of synchronous end moraines has been recognized in the Lake Superior region across northern Ontario and Michigan. The moraines were formed between 11,000 and 10,100 y.a. as cold climate resulted in successive halts in the general ice retreat. The cold climate is also indicated by the presence of tundra near Lake Superior until about 10,000 y.a. This episode is here referred to as the Algonquin Stadial. It was preceded and followed by rapid deglaciation. The Algonquin Stadial is comparable in age with the Younger Dryas Stadial of Europe, and indicates a reversal in the continuous trend toward a warmer climate during Late-Wisconsin (an) time. The apparent conflict between the present result (based on geologic evidence) and earlier pollen stratigraphical studies with no reversal is discussed.Glacial Lake Duluth formed in the western Lake Superior basin before 11,000 BP, followed by a series of Post-Duluth lakes between approximately 11,000 and over 10,100 BP. The Main Lake Algonquin stage in the Huron and Michigan basins terminated approximately 11,000 BP. The subsequent high-level post-Main Algonquin lakes, which were contemporaneous with the Post-Duluth lakes, existed in the southeastern Lake Superior basin. When the ice margin was along the north shore 9500 BP Lake Minong occupied the whole Lake Superior basin. By 9000 BP the ice had retreated north of Lake Superior-Hudson Bay divide.     

Lead-210 and pollen geochronologies on Lake Superior sediments

Rates of sedimentation in two Lake Superior deposits were determined by both ragweed pollen and ²¹⁰Pb geochronologies. The former yields an average rate over the time since the first appearance of enhanced concentrations of the pollen as a consequence of human settlement. Sedimentation rates derived on these two bases can be brought into accord if the first appearance of ragweed pollen in the sediments was around 1830 and if the sedimentation rates have been uniform over the past century.     

内蒙古乌梁素海底泥总氮空间分布特征

湖泊底泥作为湖泊湿地生态系统中氮素的主要源与汇,对氮素的生物地球化学循环具有重要意义。针对乌梁素海富营养化日趋严重和湿地面积逐渐萎缩的现象,研究了底泥总氮的分布规律及其地球化学特征。结果表明,底泥中总氮含量在水平方向上总体表现为西高东低的径向分异特征;其在乌梁素海沉积剖面上具有随深度增加含量递减的规律。乌梁素海底泥氮污染主要由人类活动引起;20世纪90年代,乌梁素海富营养化进程开始加速。通过研究湖泊底泥中氮素的分布规律及其地球化学特征,为乌梁素海富营养化的治理提供科学依据。      

洱海沉积物粒度记录与气候干湿变迁

通过对洱海现代沉积物的精细采样,将放射性核素精确计年与沉积物粒度研究相结合,重建了 6 0 0多年来洱海区域气候的干湿变迁,为恢复百年尺度的气候干湿变化提供了一条新途径。研究结果表明,15世纪是洱海地区最为湿润的一个世纪;洱海区域存在 10 0a、2 0 0a两种时间尺度的气候干湿准周期波动;自 19世纪末以来洱海区域气候整体上向干旱化方向发展,目前正处于干旱期末期,预计气候将由干旱转向湿润。     

Late-glacial and postglacial sedimentation in Lake Superior based on seismic-reflection profiles

Seismic reflection profiles (3.5 kHz) were obtained along more than 3500 km of shiptrack in Lake Superior within the last 2 yr. The acoustic character of profiles is categorized as: (I) a single, strong reflector at the lake floor, (II) a thick, acoustically transparent layer overlying a strong reflector, and (III) relatively thick sediment with internal acoustic reflectors. These profiles, in conjunction with sediment cores from the area, reveal that varved glacial-lacustrine sediment settled out preferentially in a trough between Isle Royale and the north shore, and to a lesser extent in other topographic depressions; bottom currents generated by storm waves prevent clay accumulation on till or bedrock in the open lake wherever the bottom is shallower than 100 m; bottom currents prevent deposition or erode bottom sediment in certain deep-water (> 200 m) valleys; and lacustrine sediment is disturbed by creep or slumping off Grand Portage, Minnesota, and by other processes such as dewatering in many other areas. These factors complicate sedimentation in Lake Superior, and must be considered when investigating any aspect of the lake sediment.     

太湖疏浚前后波浪扰动下的底泥再悬浮特征

在室内波浪水槽中,研究不同底泥容重、不同波浪动力条件下底泥的再悬浮特征.结果表明:静止状态下,水体垂向悬浮物浓度差别不大,小波作用时底泥未普遍起动,各层悬浮物浓度增加不明显.随着大波浪的作用,底部切应力远大于底泥起动临界切应力,水体悬浮物浓度急剧增加,10 min内悬浮物浓度增加10 ～ 15倍,60 min内再悬浮量...     

洱海沉积物粒度记录与气候干湿变迁

通过对洱海现代沉积物的精细采样,将放射性核素精确计年与沉积物粒度研究相结合,重建了600多年来洱海区域气候的干湿变迁,为恢复百年尺度的气候干湿变化提供了一条新途径。研究结果表明,15世纪是洱海地区最为湿润的一个世纪;洱海区域存在100a、200a两种时间尺度的气候干湿准周期波动;自19世纪末以来洱海区域气候整体上向干旱化方向发展,目前正处于干旱期末期,预计气候将由干旱转向湿润。     

海底热液活动区地微生物学研究中的分子生物学技术

海底热液活动区微生物生态及其相关研究一直是近年来海洋地微生物学研究的热点之一。有关发现不断挑战着人们对微生物的代谢机理、生存极限、元素地球化学循环作用等方面的传统认识。与传统的富集培养方法相比,主要基于16S rRNA基因和特征性功能基因系统的发育分析等技术为研究这一极端环境中栖息的微生物群落提供了更为系统和全面的手段。这些技术包括基因文库构建(16S rRNA和其它功能基因)、变性梯度凝胶电泳(DGGE)、末端限制性片段长度多态性分析(T-RFLP)、荧光原位杂交(FISH)以及定量PCR等。目前,上述技术手段广泛应用于全球海底热液活动区地微生物学的研究,在丰富地球物种多样性、调查微生物参与的元素地球化学循环过程、研究微生物与矿物的相互作用以及生命起源与演化等方面取得了大量的研究成果。简要介绍了常规分子生物学技术的基本原理及其在海底热液活动区地微生物学研究中的应用现状。     

山东峡山湖滩砂的现代沉积特征研究

山东省高密、安丘、昌邑之间的峡山湖发育的滩砂沉积体发育于滨浅湖地势平缓区,沉积物以中-细砂为主,分选好-较好,粒度概率曲线以冲洗二段式为特征,滩砂后缘可见砾石沉积。根据沉积特征可将滨浅湖滩砂微相从岸线向湖方向,依次划分为滩砂后缘、滩砂砂坪和滩砂前缘和滩前席状砂四个沉积单元。滩砂后缘粒度较粗,岩性混杂,风成改造较强,表层多为风积物,常见植被发育;滩砂砂坪是滩砂后缘和滩砂前缘的过渡区,为前期滩砂前缘沉积经风的改造而成,兼具浪成和风成的特点;滩砂前缘由滩脊和滩脊间沉积物构成,沉积构造以浪成和冲洗成因为特点;滩前席状砂表现为浪成特征,沉积物分选好、粒度略有变粗,为水动力和风动力综合作用的产物:丰水期波浪作用控制滩砂沉积体的形成,枯水期滩砂沉积体暴露接受风的改造。     

Sediment characteristics and water physicochemical parameters of the Lysimachia Lake, Western Greece

In the present paper, we present the sedimentological characteristics and the water physicochemical parameters of Lysimachia Lake, which is one of the most important lakes of Western Greece, as it is protected by international conventions and is listed in the Natura 2000 European Network. Sedimentological analysis involved grain size analyses, moment measures, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) measurements, as well as determination of the clay minerals content. Water physicochemical parameters such as pH, temperature, conductivity and dissolved oxygen were measured in situ with portable equipment, while nutrients such as nitrates, nitrites, phosphates and ammonium ions, as well as TOC and TN were analyzed in a time period of 1 year seasonal monitoring. Geographical distribution of grain size and geochemical parameters indicated a clear partition in the northern and southern parts of the lake. This phenomenon can related to the discharging of a channel into the lake, the discharging of sewage effluents from Agrinio city during the last years as well as the type of clay minerals distribution. Clay minerals analyses indicated that smectite predominates in the northern part of the lake, whereas chlorite is more abundant in the southern parts. This explain the higher amounts of TOC and TN observed in the northern part of the lake and can be correlated with the higher external surface and adsorption capacity of minerals in the smectite-rich sediments. The four seasons monitoring of water physicochemical parameters indicates a relatively higher values of TOC and TN in the northern part of the lake, while nutrient concentrations indicate a uniform geographical distribution along the lake.     

滇池现代沉积物中磷的地球化学及其对环境影响

湖泊沉积物中,磷是产生富营养化的重要元素.湖泊中磷元素含量、地球化学行为以及它的复杂矿物学特征,使人们对磷的研究极为重视.滇池湖中总磷超标10.3倍,底泥沉积物中P2O5平均含量0.52%,最高可达1.92%.滇池地处磷矿区,是磷质来源最丰富的湖泊,统计表明,磷含量每年在不断增长.滇池沉积物中磷主要以吸附态、有机态、铁结合态、钙结合态、铝结合态等几种形式存在.这些形态磷在底泥中是不稳定的,它们在环境改变条件下,又将磷释放到水体中.微生物在磷的循环过程中起了重要作用,乳酸菌对不溶性磷酸盐的分解,使湖泊中可溶磷含量增高.聚磷菌对磷元素的富集以及聚磷菌死亡后发生有机磷的矿化作用,是湖泊中水合磷酸盐矿物沉积的重要途径.当湖泊中这种不稳定的水合磷酸盐矿物在条件具备的情况下,经沉积物覆盖成岩作用后,最终形成磷灰石。