Rapid vegetation change during the early Holocene in the Faroe Islands detected in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

High‐resolution pollen, plant macrofossil and sedimentary analyses from early Holocene lacustrine sediments on the Faroe Islands have detected a significant vegetation perturbation suggesting a rapid change in climate between ca. 10 380 cal. yr BP and the Saksunarvatn ash (10 240±60 cal. yr BP). This episode may be synchronous with the decline in δ¹⁸O values in the Greenland ice‐cores. It also correlates with a short, cold event detected in marine cores from the North Atlantic that has been ascribed to a weakening of thermohaline circulation associated with the sudden drainage of Lake Agassiz into the northwest Atlantic, or, alternatively, a period with distinctly decreased solar forcing. The vegetation sequence begins at ca. 10 500 cal. yr BP with a succession from tundra to shrub‐tundra and increasing lake productivity. Rapid population increases of aquatic plants suggest high summer temperatures between 10 450 and 10 380 cal. yr BP. High pollen percentages, concentrations and influx of Betula, Juniperus and Salix together with macrofossil leaves indicate shrub growth around the site during the initial phases of vegetation colonisation. Unstable conditions followed ca. 10 380 cal. yr BP that changed both the upland vegetation and the aquatic plant communities. A decrease in percentage values of shrub pollen is recorded, with replacement of both aquatics and herbaceous plants by pioneer plant communities. An increase in total pollen accumulation rates not seen in the concentration data suggests increased sediment delivery. The catchment changes are consistent with less seasonal, moister conditions. Subsequent climatic amelioration reinitiated a warmth‐driven succession and catchment stabilisation, but retained high precipitation levels influencing the composition of the post‐event communities. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Morphological analysis of the drainage system in the Eastern Alps

We study the morphology of the major rivers draining the Eastern Alps to test whether the active tectonics of this part of the orogen is reflected in the shape of channel profiles of the river network. In our approach we compare channel profiles measured from digital elevation models with numerically modelled channel profiles using a stream power approach. It is shown that regions of high stream power coincide largely with regions of highest topography and largest uplift rates, while the forelands and the Pannonian Basin are characterised by a significantly lower stream power. From stream power modelling we conclude that there is young uplift at the very east of the Eastern Alps, in the Bohemian Massif and in the Pohorje Range. The impact of the Pleistocene glaciations is explored by comparing properties of rivers that drain in proximal and distal positions relative to the ice sheet during the last glacial maximum. Our analysis shows that most knick points, wind gaps and other non-equilibrium features of catchments covered by ice during the last glaciations (Salzach, Enns) can be correlated with glacial processes. In contrast the ice free catchments of the Mur and Drava are characterized by channels in morphological equilibrium at the first approximation and are showing only weak evidence of the strong tectonic activity within these catchments. Finally, the channel profiles of the Adige and the divide between the upper Rhine and Danube catchments differ significantly from the other catchments. We relate this to the fact that the Adige and the Rhine respond to different base levels from the remainder of the Eastern Alps: The Adige may preserve a record from the Messininan base level change and the Rhine is subject to the base level lowering in the Rhine Graben.     

Decision-support systems for groundwater protection: innovative tools for resource management

Governmental authorities are forced by law to make decisions within the framework of European, national and regional directives in the fields of spatial planning, groundwater and environmental protection. These tasks can be supported by a decision-support system, which integrates data from various sources and helps to make decision processes more effective and transparent. Basic work for such a decision support system has been done in a transnational and interdisciplinary project (Interreg II C: KATER), including metadata definition, metadata system, cartographic tools and GIS tools. The direct integration of these tools and information in the decision process will be implemented in the next few years (project KATER II).     

Phase Equilibria of the Lyngdal Granodiorite (Norway): Implications for the Origin of Metaluminous Ferroan Granitoids

The Proterozoic (950 Ma) Lyngdal granodiorite of southern Norwaybelongs to a series of hornblende–biotite metaluminousferroan granitoids (HBG suite) coeval with the post-collisionalRogaland Anorthosite–Mangerite–Charnockite (AMC)suite. This granitoid massif shares many geochemical characteristicswith rapakivi granitoids, yet granodiorites dominate over granites.To constrain both crystallization (P, T, fO₂, H₂O in melt) andmagma generation conditions, we performed crystallization experimentson two samples of the Lyngdal granodiorite (with 60 and 65 wt% SiO₂) at 4–2 kbar, mainly at fO₂ of NNO (nickel–nickeloxide) to NNO + 1, and under fluid-saturated conditions withvarious H₂O–CO₂ ratios for each temperature. Comparisonbetween experimental phase equilibria and the mineral assemblagein the Lyngdal granodiorite indicates that it crystallized between4 and 2 kbar, from a magma with 5–6 wt % H₂O at an fO₂of NNO to NNO + 1. These oxidized and wet conditions sharplycontrast with the dry and reduced conditions inferred for thepetrogenesis of the AMC suite and many other rapakivi granitesworldwide. The high liquidus temperature and H₂O content ofthe Lyngdal granodiorite imply that it is not a primary magmaproduced by the partial melting of the crust but is derivedby the fractionation of a mafic magma. Lyngdal-type magmas appearto have volcanic equivalents in the geological record. In particular,our results show that oxidized high-silica rhyolites, such asthe Bishop Tuff, could be derived via fractionation of oxidizedintermediate magmas and do not necessarily represent primarycrustal melts. This study underlines the great variability ofcrystallization conditions (from anhydrous to hydrous and reducedto oxidized) and petrogenetic processes among the metaluminousferroan magmas of intermediate compositions (granodiorites,quartz mangerites, quartz latites), suggesting that there isnot a single model to explain these rocks. KEY WORDS: ferroan granitoids; crystallization conditions; experiments; Norway; Sveconorwegian; Bishop Tuff     

The mesoscale convection life cycle: Building block or prototype for large-scale tropical waves?

A cumulonimbus cloud may ascend and spawn its anvil cloud, precipitation, and downdrafts within an hour or so. This paper inquires why a similar progression of events (life cycle) is observed for tropical weather fluctuations with time scales of hours, days, and even weeks. Regressions using point data illustrate the characteristic unit of rain production: the mesoscale convective system (MCS), covering tens of kilometers and lasting several hours, with embedded convective rain cells. Meanwhile, averages over larger spatial areas indicate a self-similar progression from shallow to deep convection to stratiform anvils on many time scales.Synthetic data exercises indicate that simple superpositions of fixed-structure MCS life cycles (the Building Block hypothesis) cannot explain why longer period life cycles are similar. Rather, it appears that an MCS may be a small analogue or prototype of larger scale waves. Multiscale structure is hypothesized to occur via a Stretched Building Block conceptual model, in which the widths (durations) of zones of shallow, deep, and stratiform anvil clouds in MCSs are modulated by larger scale waves.Temperature (T) and humidity (q) data are examined and fed into an entraining plume model, in an attempt to elucidate their relative roles in these large-scale convection zone variations. T profile variations, with wavelengths shorter than troposphere depth, appear important for high-frequency ( 2–5-day period) convectively coupled waves, as density directly links convection (via buoyancy) and large-scale wave dynamics (via restoring force). Still, the associated q anomalies are several times greater than adiabatic, suggesting a strong amplification by shallow convective feedbacks. For lower frequency (intraseasonal) variability, q anomalies are considerably larger compared to T, and may be dominant.     

(U-Th)/He年龄在沉积盆地构造-热演化研究中的应用——以塔里木盆地KQ1井为例

(U-Th)/He热定年技术是近年来用于沉积盆地热史研究的新技术,目前主要是利用磷灰石和锆石的He年龄来揭示地层的构造抬升和热历史.本文依据塔里木盆地钻井样品的实测磷灰石和锆石(U-Th)/He年龄数据,初步得出了该地区磷灰石(U-Th)/He年龄的封闭温度为85℃,并建立了深度/温度－年龄演化模式;锆石则未达到其较高的封闭温度.综合利用本次实测的He年龄数据结合磷灰石裂变径迹和等效镜质组反射率等古温标,模拟计算了塔里木盆地孔雀1井（KQ1）自奥陶纪末期以来的热历史.模拟结果表明,孔雀1井区奥陶纪末期的地温梯度可达35.5℃/km,志留纪—泥盆纪时期的地温梯度为33.3～34.5℃/km,白垩纪末期地温梯度27.6℃/km左右.因此,(U-Th)/He年龄结合其他古温标综合模拟的方法可以很好地揭示沉积盆地的热历史.特别是该技术为缺乏常规古温标的塔里木盆地下古生界碳酸盐岩层系所经受热史的恢复提供了新的方法.     

Cutting of Phragmites australis as a lake restoration technique: Productivity calculation and nutrient removal in Wuliangsuhai Lake, northern China

Reed is one of the most frequent and dominant species in wetlands all over the world, with common reed (Phragmites australis (Cav.) Trin. ex Steud.) as the most widely distributed species. In many wetlands, P. australis plays a highly ambivalent role. On the one hand, in many wetlands it purifies wastewater, provides habitat for numerous species, and is a potentially valuable raw material, while on the other hand it is an invasive species which expands aggressively, prevents fishing, blocks ditches and waterways, and builds monospecies stands. This paper uses the eutrophic reed-swamp of Wuliangsuhai Lake in Inner Mongolia, northern China, as a case to present the multiple benefits of regular reed cutting. The reed area and aboveground biomass production are calculated based on field data. Combined with data about water and reed nutrient content, the impact of reed cutting on the lake nutrient budget (N and P) is investigated. Currently, at this lake around 100,000 tons of reed are harvested in winter annually, removing 16% and 8% of the total nitrogen and phosphorus influx, respectively. Harvesting all available winter reed could increase the nutrient removal rates to 48% and 24%, respectively. We also consider the effects of summer harvesting, in which reed biomass removal could overcompensate for the nutrient influx but could potentially reduce reed regrowth.     

M L Determination for Local and Regional Events Using a Sparse Network in Southwestern Germany

A method for the determination of consistent local magnitude M _L values (Richter scale, or M _WA) for earthquakes with epicentral distances ranging from 10 km through 1000 km is demonstrated. The raw data consists of nearly 1300 amplitude readings from a network of six digital seismographs in Baden–Württemberg (Southwestern Germany) during 26 months starting in 1995, later extended by another 1000 amplitude readings until 1999. Relying on most of the basics introduced by C.F. Richter a three-parameter attenuation curve (distance correction, magnitude-distance relation) for Baden–Württemberg and adjacent areas is presented. Station corrections are evaluated and the attenuation curve is calibrated with respect to other agencies for distances greater than 650 km. Reasonable parametrisations are discussed and meaningful error bars are attributed. Finally, a seventh station is incorporated by means of its station correction alone, without needing to update the attenuation curve.