Effects of peat on the shapes of alluvial channels: examples from the Cumberland Marshes, Saskatchewan, Canada

An avulsion of the lower Saskatchewan River in the 1870s inundated a large segment of peat-covered floodplain that subsequently has become aggraded with a broad (500 km²) belt of alluvium deposited by the redirected flow. Routing of water and sediment discharge through the avulsion-affected area has been accomplished mainly by networks of sandy bedded anastomosed channels that have formed, evolved, and abandoned as the alluvial belt prograded down the floodplain slope. These processes continue today, though at a much-reduced rate. New channels, formed by crevassing and basinward extension of distributaries, are initially small and shallow, with bottom elevations situated within the avulsive alluvium but above the pre-avulsion peat (floodplain) surface. Subsequent enlargement and downcutting of many of these channels eventually uncovers the underlying peat layer whose resistance to erosion exerts significant influence on cross-sectional shape and further channel development. Peat-floored channels tend to have rectangular cross-sections, high ratios of average to maximum depth (D/D_max), and a large range of width-to-depth ratios. If the channel continues to enlarge, the peat layer eventually becomes breached, commonly leading to temporarily irregular cross-sections caused by localized scouring at the breach sites. Eventually, the peat layer is completely eroded from the channel floor by undercutting and slumping, after which channel shape becomes governed mainly by other perimeter characteristics. Channels unaffected by peat, either before the peat layer is encountered during early channel development or after it is entirely removed, tend to have low width/depth ratios and a large range of D/D_max values.     

Potential toxicity of resuspended particulate matter and sediments: Environmental samples from the Bay of Banyuls-sur-Mer and Thermaikos Gulf

This contribution attempts to determine whether, and to what degree, environmental samples of resuspended particulate matter and sediments exert a toxicological impact. Further, an attempt is made also to screen the toxic level of potentially hazardous sites, based upon established sediment toxicity criteria. Therefore, a rapid, cost-effective and highly sensitive biotest (bioluminescence assay, based upon marine bacteria) has been applied on: biological fluid extracts; bottom sediments; and sediment trap samples. Samples were taken either from the Bay of Banyuls-sur-Mer (northwestern Mediterranean, France) or Thermaikos Gulf (northeastern Mediterranean, Greece). Biological fluid extracts and sediment trap samples corresponded to periods of resuspension events, or preceding and following such events.The results have revealed that the sampling strategy and biotest implemented in this study might be a useful tool for screening the toxicity of resuspended matter and sediments. Resuspension events appear to be able to exert an influence on the chemical forms of the micro-pollutants; thus on their bioavailability and toxicity. Nevertheless, based upon chemical analysis combined with the bioassay, the toxic level of the sediment samples could be determined, with the level at potentially hazardous sites being characterised.     

Employment mobility in high-technology agglomerations: the cases of Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire

This paper examines labour market behaviour of the highly skilled in high-tech local economies, taking the UK examples of Oxfordshire and Cambridgeshire as case studies. It reports on data from a survey of members of three scientific institutes to compare rates of employee mobility in the two locations and considers the likely explanations and implications of those patterns.     

Détermination expérimentale des paramètres équivalents d'un milieu poreux hétérogène en écoulements uniforme ou radial

Tracer tests are carried out in a heterogeneous porous medium that has a 3D correlated random distribution of the permeabilities. The fitting of numerical models provides the values of equivalent permeability and macrodispersivity characterizing a 2D homogeneous horizontal medium. Different flow configurations are studied: uniform, radial and pump and treat (doublet). The fitted parameter sets are independent of the flow type, except for the doublet. They are greater than the values predicted by stochastic theories, due to the small number of correlation lengths explored by the tracer and the limited extension of the experimental set-up. To cite this article: C. Danquigny, P. Ackerer, C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Analysis of pressuremeter geometry effects in clay using critical state models

The conventional interpretation methods of pressuremeter testing effectively approximate pressuremeter membranes as infinitely long. As a result, the effects of the two‐dimensional geometry of pressuremeters are ignored, leading to an overestimation of soil shear strength by pressuremeter testing, as demonstrated in several previous studies. This paper presents results of a numerical study of two‐dimensional geometry effects on self‐boring pressuremeter tests in undrained clay. The results are obtained using critical state soil models with an effective stress formulation. This is in contrast to most (if not all) existing studies on pressuremeter geometry effects, which were based on perfectly plastic soil models (e.g. Yu (Cavity expansion theory and its application to the analysis of pressuremeters. DPhil Thesis, The University of Oxford, 1990), Yeung and Carter (Proc. 3rd Int. Symp. on Pressuremeters, 1990), and Houlsby and Carter (Géotechnique, 1993; 43 (4):567–576)). The present study suggests that the overestimation of soil strength due to the neglect of finite pressuremeter length is significantly affected by the soil model used in the calculations. It is found that for clays with a high overconsolidation ratio (OCR) the strength overestimation predicted using critical state soil models could be considerably smaller than that predicted using perfectly plastic soil models. The main conclusion of this numerical study is that care must be exercised before directly applying any numerically determined pressuremeter geometry correction factors in practice. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Groundwater control of mangrove surface elevation: Shrink and swell varies with soil depth

We measured monthly soil surface elevation change and determined its relationship to groundwater changes at a mangrove forest site along Shark River, Everglades National Park, Florida. We combined the use of an original design, surface elevation table with new rod-surface elevation tables to separately track changes in the mid zone (0–4 m), the shallow root zone (0–0.35 m), and the full sediment profile (0–6 m) in response to site hydrology (daily river stage and daily groundwater piezometric pressure). We calculated expansion and contraction for each of the four constituent soil zones (surface [accretion and erosion; above 0 m], shallow zone [0–0.35 m], middle zone [0.35–4 m], and bottom zone [4–6]) that comprise the entire soil column. Changes in groundwater pressure correlated strongly, with changes in soil elevation for the entire profile (Adjusted R² = 0.90); this relationship was not proportional to the depth of the soil profile sampled. The change in thickness of the bottom soil zone accounted for the majority (R² = 0.63) of the entire soil profile expansion and contraction. The influence of hydrology on specific soil zones and absolute elevation change must be considered when evaluating the effect of disturbances, sea level rise, and water management decisions on coastal wetland systems.     

Thallium diagenesis in lacustrine sediments

Dated sediment cores and porewaters from two Canadian Shield lakes, located 40 km from Québec City (L. Tantaré) and 25 km downwind from an important smelter in northwestern Québec (L. Vose), were analyzed for thallium and other geochemical variables. Atmospheric deposition is the only source of anthropogenic Tl to these lakes. The porewater Tl concentration profiles in L. Tantaré display a peak below the sediment-water interface that suggests post-depositional Tl remobilization and transport to the overlying water and deeper sediments; such a dissolved Tl peak occurs just above the sediment-water interface in L. Vose. Modeling the porewater Tl profiles with a diagenetic reaction-transport equation reveals a zone of dissolved Tl production lying above a zone of Tl consumption in L. Tantaré sediments. In contrast, in L. Vose, Tl diffuses across the sediment-water interface from the anoxic hypolimnion and is fixed to the surficial sediments. The localization of the consumption zones, the shape of the dissolved Tl, sulfide and iron profiles, as well as calculations of saturation states are all consistent with the removal of Tl from porewater by co-precipitation with and/or adsorption to Fe sulfides. The concentrations of Tl removed from or added to sediments after their deposition (i.e., diagenetic Tl) amount to up to 36% of measured sediment Tl concentrations. Comparison of the reconstructed historical Tl records with those of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and of Pb originating from coal burning or from smelting activities indicate that coal combustion is the major source of atmospheric Tl to L. Tantaré and that an additional important Tl source to L. Vose is the nearby smelter.     

Deformation and patterns of sedimentation,South San Clemente Basin,California Borderland

Seismic reflection profiling in the South San Clemente Basin and the southern portion of the San Diego Trough has revealed at least six sedimentary units exhibiting varying stages of deformation. Four of the units are interpreted to be marine turbidites supplied by adjacent submarine canyons. Sediments comprising the Descanso Plain and correlative material within the South San Clemente Basin are attributed to a southerly source (Banda Canyon), while the more recent Quaternary turbidites from Coronado Canyon filled the southern San Diego Trough and then spilled over into South San Clemente Basin. The relatively high but intermittent rates of sedimentation, together with shifting sources and areas of deposition, have resulted in sedimentary units that were emplaced in comparatively short episodes but which were subjected to relatively continuous tectonic activity. Consequently, the sedimentary layers of each unit appear uniformly affected by deformation which increases in successively older units.     

Natural background and pollution levels of some heavy metals in soils from the area of Dayton,Ohio

In a reconnaissance study, trace amounts of Cd, Cu, Pb, and Zn were determined in “A-zone” soil from 22 locations in the Dayton, Ohio, area. Soil samples were collected at high-volume air monitoring sites in urban, suburban, and rural areas. Measurable amounts of the elements were found in all of the samples. Positive correlations occur between each metal and particulate matter, with correlation coefficients of aboutr=0.70, at the 99% confidence level. Natural background values for the elements were measured in soil from rural areas. Theoretical background values, which are very close to those measured, were calculated from the individual regression equations. Natural background levels do not exceed 1.00 ppm Cd, 15 ppm Cu, 25 ppm Pb, and 55 ppm Zn. The heavy metal contents of most soils in the area exceed background by factors of up to 3.0 for Cd, up to 4.5 for Cu, up to 11 for Pb, and up to 4.5 for Zn. Significant positive correlations among the metals suggest a common source (or sources) for at least some, if not most, of the heavy metals. For the most part, the highest metal values are found in soils near coal-burning plants. Fly ash from a local plant contains substantial amounts of the elements. The high lead values are largely due to vehicular exhaust. However, there is evidence that the metals can also come from the normal deterioration of vehicles. It appears that airborne pollution is an important source of heavy metals in Dayton area soils.