Holocene environmental history in high‐Arctic North Greenland revealed by a combined biomarker and macrofossil approach

In this study, we use a combined biomarker and macrofossil approach to reconstruct the Holocene climate history recorded in Trifna Sø, Skallingen area, eastern North Greenland. Chronological information is derived from comparison of lithological, biogeochemical and macrofossil characteristics with a well‐dated record from nearby Lille Sneha Sø. Following local deglaciation around c. 8 cal. ka BP, the local peak warmth occurred between c. 7.4 and 6.2 cal. ka BP as indicated by maximum macrofossil abundances of warmth‐demanding plants (Salix arctica and Dryas integrifolia) and invertebrates (Daphnia pulex and Chironomidae). Warm conditions were dominated by terrestrial organic matter (OM) sedimentation as implied by the alkane‐based P_aq ratio, but increased aquatic productivity is indicated when temperature was highest around 6.5 cal. ka BP. The n‐C₂₉/n‐C₃₁ alkane ratio shows that vegetation in the catchment was dominated by shrubs after deglaciation, but shifted towards relatively more grassy/herbaceous vegetation during peak warmth. After 5.4 cal. ka BP, the disappearance of warmth‐demanding plant and invertebrate macrofossils indicates cooling in the Skallingen area. This cooling was characterized by a significant shift towards dominance of aquatic OM sedimentation in Trifna Sø as implied by high P_aq ratios. Cooling was also associated with a shift in vegetation type from dwarf‐shrub heaths towards relatively more herbaceous vegetation in the catchment, stronger erosion and more oligotrophic conditions in the lake. Our data show that mean air temperatures inferred using branched glycerol dialkyl glycerol tetraethers (brGDGTs) do not seem to accurately reflect the local climatic history. Irrespective of calibration, methylation of branched tetraethers (MBT) palaeothermometry cannot be reconciled with the macrofossil evidence and seems to be biased by either changing brGDGT sources (in situ vs. soil‐derived) or changing species assemblages and/or an unknown physiological response to changing environmental conditions at high latitude.     

Unravelling evapotranspiration controls and components in tropical Andean tussock grasslands

The study of the environmental factors that control evapotranspiration and the components of evapotranspiration leads to a better understanding of the actual evapotranspiration (ET) process that links the functioning of the soil, water and atmosphere. It also improves local, regional and global ET modelling. Globally, few studies so far focussed on the controls and components of ET in alpine grasslands, especially in mountainous sites such as the tussock grasslands located in the páramo biome (above 3300 m a.s.l.). The páramo occupies 35 000 km² and provides water resources for many cities in the Andes. In this article, we unveiled the controls on ET and provided the first insights on the contribution of transpiration to ET. We found that the wet páramo is an energy-limited region and net radiation (Rn) is primarily controlling ET. ET was on average 1.7 mm/day. The monthly average evaporative fraction (ET/Rn) was 0.47 and it remained similar for wet and dry periods. The secondary controls on ET were wind speed, aerodynamic resistance and surface resistance that appeared more important for dry periods, where significantly higher ET rates were found (20% increase). During dry events, transpiration was on average 1.5 mm/day (range 0.7–2.7 mm/day), similar to other tussock grasslands in New Zealand (range 0.6–3.3 mm/day). Evidence showed interception contributes more to ET than transpiration. This study sets a precedent towards a better understanding of the evapotranspiration process and will ultimately lead to a better land-atmosphere fluxes modelling in the tropics.     

Together we survive: the role of social messaging networks in building social capital and disaster resilience among minority communities

Natural Hazards - Ethnic and racial minority communities often suffer more from disasters due to a lack of access to resources from governmental agencies and other organizations that provide...     

Wind-tunnel Modelling of Dispersion from a Scalar Area Source in Urban-Like Roughness

A wind-tunnel study was conducted to investigate ventilation of scalars from urban-like geometries at neighbourhood scale by exploring two different geometries a uniform height roughness and a non-uniform height roughness, both with an equal plan and frontal density of λ _p = λ _f = 25%. In both configurations a sub-unit of the idealized urban surface was coated with a thin layer of naphthalene to represent area sources. The naphthalene sublimation method was used to measure directly total area-averaged transport of scalars out of the complex geometries. At the same time, naphthalene vapour concentrations controlled by the turbulent fluxes were detected using a fast Flame Ionisation Detection (FID) technique. This paper describes the novel use of a naphthalene coated surface as an area source in dispersion studies. Particular emphasis was also given to testing whether the concentration measurements were independent of Reynolds number. For low wind speeds, transfer from the naphthalene surface is determined by a combination of forced and natural convection. Compared with a propane point source release, a 25% higher free stream velocity was needed for the naphthalene area source to yield Reynolds-number-independent concentration fields. Ventilation transfer coefficients w _T /U derived from the naphthalene sublimation method showed that, whilst there was enhanced vertical momentum exchange due to obstacle height variability, advection was reduced and dispersion from the source area was not enhanced. Thus, the height variability of a canopy is an important parameter when generalising urban dispersion. Fine resolution concentration measurements in the canopy showed the effect of height variability on dispersion at street scale. Rapid vertical transport in the wake of individual high-rise obstacles was found to generate elevated point-like sources. A Gaussian plume model was used to analyse differences in the downstream plumes. Intensified lateral and vertical plume spread and plume dilution with height was found for the non-uniform height roughness.     

Dissolution kinetics of biogenic silica collected from the water column and sediments of three Southern California borderland basins

Understanding biogenic silica (bSi) dissolution kinetics in margin environments is important in assessing the global silicon cycle, a cycle closely linked to the global carbon cycle. This understanding is also essential to answer the question of whether bSi content in marine sediment is a valid indicator of productivity in the overlying surface ocean. In this study, plankton tow, sediment trap, and sediment samples were collected at sites in three Southern California borderland basins. Batch dissolution experiments with plankton tow and sediment trap materials (conducted in the laboratory at 22 °C) showed linear dissolution kinetics, from which mean dissolution rate constants of 0.05 d^? 1 for plankton tow samples and 0.07 d^? 1 for sediment trap samples could be calculated. The dissolution rate constants for both types of samples showed seasonal variability but not the same seasonal patterns. Faster dissolution was observed with sediment trap samples collected at 800 m than at 550 m. With sediment multi-core samples, non-linear dissolution kinetics was observed, which complicates the direct comparison of dissolution rates. Nonetheless, dissolution appeared to be slower for the sediments samples than for samples collected from the water column and to decrease with depth in the sediments. Rate constants for surface sediment (0–0.5 cm) were at least 3–5 times less, and sediments at depths > 2 cm had rate constants at least 6–13 times less than those for material sinking to the sediment surface at these sites. Dissolution experiments conducted with Santa Barbara Basin surface sediment samples amended with dissolved aluminum (Al) and San Pedro Basin trap samples amended with enriched detrital materials (obtained by leaching bSi from sediment samples) suggested that dissolution was inhibited by Al and that the sediments from the different basins varied in the extent of Al release.     

Petrological and organic geochemical investigation of recent peats with known environments of deposition

A series of recent peat samples from tropical, sub-tropical and temperate locations were investigated using coal petrographical and organic geochemical techniques. Maceral and biomarker compositions were examined to see if they correlated or diverged from the known environment of deposition of the peats.The proportion of humotelinite was related to the water depth and the frequency of dry periods. The pH and trophic level have a modifying influence on the preservation of tissues. Furthermore, the proportions of sclerotinite in the peats seem to reflected the oxygen status in the mire, which was also mirrored in the abundance of humic and fulvic acids.A facies diagram was calculated for the peat samples to see how maceral indices would fare in interpreting their known environments of deposition. The results proved to be generally unsuccessful as the herbaceous and woody peats did not always give the predicted high humodetrinite and humotelinite compositions, respectively.The aliphatic hydrocarbon fraction from the extracts of the peat samples show that mainly odd-numbered n-alkanes are present. Diterpenoids, triterpenoids and hopanoids were found in most samples and were mainly unsaturated in nature. The relative proportion of hopanoids in pears appears to be related to bacterial activity in acidic environments. De-A-triterpenoids were also detected in the peat stage of diagenesis.In an angiosperm dominated peat type (Mariscus), polycyclic aromatic triterpenoids were present in the aromatic fraction of the extract. Their occurrence and proportion appears to be related to the degree of humification. In a Taxodium peat, mono-, di-and triaromatic diterpenoids were detected. The presence of these aromatic biomarkers indicate the rapid formation of these compounds in the peat stage, mainly mediated by microbial activity.     

A possible effect of salinity fluctuation on abundance of benthic vegetation and associated fauna in Northeastern Florida Bay

In southern Florida, a vast network of canals and water control structures mediate freshwater discharge into the coastal zone. Management protocol for one such canal network (C-111) is being modified in part to try to improve habitat for estuarine fish and wading birds in northeastern Florida Bay, an estuarine part of Everglades National Park. Changes in canal management could alter the spatial and temporal salinity regime in the estuary. To better predict the effect of such changes on estuarine habitat, abundances of submersed vegetation and benthic animals were sampled repeatedly at 12 stations that differed in salinity. A variety of other parameters were also measured (nutrients, light, temperature, oxygen, sediment characteristics, and others). Mean salinity among stations ranged from 11.4‰ to 33.1‰. Densities of benthic plants and animals differed among stations by several orders of magnitude. The standard deviation of salinity was the best environmental correlate with mean plant biomass and benthic animal density: less biota occurred at stations with greater fluctuations in salinity. The two stations with the least plant biomass also had the highest mean water temperatures. In a stepwise multiple regression analysis, standard deviation of salinity accounted for 59% of the variation in the logarithm of mean plant biomass among stations. For every 3‰ increase in the standard deviation, total benthic plant biomass decreased by an order of magnitude. Mean water temperature accounted for only 14% of the variation, and mean salinity was not included for lack of significance. At stations with widely fluctuating salinities, not only was biomass low, but species dominance also frequently changed. Severe fluctuation in salinity may have prevented abundant benthos by causing physiological stress that reduced growth and survival. Salinity may not have remained within the range of tolerance of any one plant species for long enough to allow the development of a substantially vegetated benthic community. Hence, gaining control over salinity fluctuation may be the key to estuarine habitat improvement through canal management in southern Florida.