Anoxia over the western continental shelf of India: bacterial indications of intrinsic nitrification feeding denitrification

Studies on the Arabian Sea coastal anoxia have been of immense interest, but despite its ecological significance there is sparse understanding of the microbes involved. Hence, observations were carried out off Goa (15 degrees 30'N, 72 degrees 40'E to 15 degrees 30'N, 72 degrees 59'E) to understand the processes that mediate the changes in various inorganic nitrogen species in the water column during anoxia. Water column chemistry showed a clear distinct oxic environment in the month of April and anoxic condition in October. Our study based on microbial signatures indicated that oxygen deficit appeared as a well-defined nucleus almost 40 km away from the coast during the oxic period (April) and spreads there after to the entire water column synchronizing with the water chemistry. Striking results of net changes in inorganic nitrogen species in nitrification blocked and unblocked experimental systems show that denitrification is the predominant process in the water column consuming available nitrate ( approximately 0.5 microM) to near zero levels within approximately 72 h of incubation. These observations have been supported by concomitant increase in nitrite concentration ( approximately 4 microM). Similar studies on denitrification-blocked incubations, demonstrate the potential of nitrification to feed denitrification. Nitrification could contribute almost 4.5 microM to the total nitrate pool. It was found that the relation between ammonium and total dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) pool (r=0.98, p<0.001, n=122) was significant compared to the latter with nitrite and nitrate. The occurrence of high ammonium under low phosphate conditions corroborates our observations that ammonium does not appear to be locked under low oxygen regimes. It is suggested that ammonium actively produced by detrital breakdown (ammonification) is efficiently consumed through nitrification process. The three processes in concert viz. ammonification, nitrification and denitrification appear to operate in more temporal and spatial proximity than hitherto appreciated in these systems and this gives additional cues on the absence of measurable nitrate at surface waters, which was earlier attributed only to efficient algal uptake. Hence we hypothesize that the alarming nitrous oxide input into the atmosphere could be due to high productivity driven tighter nitrification-denitrification coupling, rather than denitrification driven by extraneous nitrate.     

Diagnosis of trace metal contamination in sediments: the example of Ensenada and El Sauzal, two harbors in Baja California, Mexico

Total metal concentrations in sediments from within Ensenada and El Sauzal Harbors are generally higher than at the mouths. Grain-size analyses suggested that this enrichment could be due to the presence of fine-grained sediments in the inner part of the harbors rather than to anthropogenic perturbations. The (Me/Al)(sample) ratios for Pb, Co, Ni and Fe were significantly higher for Ensenada Harbor relative to El Sauzal Harbor, whereas the ratios for Cd, Mn, Zn and Cu were statistically equivalent for both harbors. Calculated enrichment factors [EF(Me)=(Me/Al)(sample)/(Me/Al)(shale)] indicated that the metals showing slight enrichment were those associated with anthropogenic contamination (Pb, Zn), or probably related to primary productivity in the water column (Cd, Co). The levels of most of the metals were not greatly enriched, a consideration that is of the utmost importance when contamination issues are at stake.     

61～50kaBP亚洲季风百年尺度气候振荡的黔西南石笋记录

12个U/Th年龄测试结果显示,黔西南普安县雾露洞长度分别为667mm和830mm的两支石笋覆盖了61～50kaBP时段。据两支石笋999个δ18O数据建立了平均分辨率达15年的亚洲夏季风强度变化序列。雾露洞δ18O记录揭示了4个振幅达1.7‰的千年尺度季风增强事件,对应于格陵兰冰心DO17—DO14事件。在总体特征上,该记录峰谷振荡特征及振幅与贵州董歌洞、南京葫芦洞记录一致,进一步证实亚洲季风区大气降水同位素组成变化在大范围空间内具有一致性。在百年尺度上,亚洲季风区石笋δ18O清晰记录了MIS3早期6个DO亚旋回事件,而且在更短时间尺度上具有类似高纬气温振荡特征。这种低纬季风系统与北高纬气候变化的耦合关系表明,大气环流快速重组和传输可能是连接高低纬DO旋回及亚旋回气候变化的主要纽带。     

松山-布容地磁极性倒转在黄土高原东南缘记录的可靠性探讨

中国黄土的剩磁获得机理和Lock-in深度问题是目前黄土古地磁研究的焦点和核心问题之一,它直接关系到黄土时间标尺的精确度和海陆古气候对比的可靠性.文章以黄土高原东南缘三门峡曹村剖面获得的高分辨率古地磁极性界线作为年代控制点,通过黄土-古土壤序列1.1Ma以来的磁气候记录与近年来中、高纬度大西洋ODP/DSDP钻孔中获得的具有高分辨率古地磁年代约束的深海氧同位素记录进行了详细对比分析,提出与传统的海陆对比不同的基于古地磁界线的海陆对比方案:松山/布容地磁极性转换界线记录在曹村剖面S8的顶部,可对应深海沉积的MIS 19,而不是前人认为的MIS 21.黄土高原不同地区记录东亚冬、夏季风的差异性和变化性可能是全球具同时性的松山/布容地磁极性转换在黄土高原不同地区产出层位不一致性的主要原因,而基于Lock-in模型的天文年代标尺则可能高估了黄土/古土壤的年龄.     

灌河口近岸海域春季海洋环境现状调查

【目的】调查灌河口邻近海域生态环境状况。【方法】2016年5月对该海域进行水质、沉积物和生物生态现状调查。【结果与结论】水质主要超标因子为无机氮、磷酸盐;沉积物质量监测项目全部符合一类沉积物质量标准。浮游植物生物多样性指数丰富(3.11),浮游动物、游泳动物的生物多样性指数较丰富(大于2),底栖生物较贫乏(0.97)。底栖生物密度与沉积物硫化物显著正相关。浮游植物密度与叶素绿a显著正相关。小型网浮游动物密度与水温、化学需氧量显著负相关,其种类与营养盐、化学需氧量显著负相关,二者均与盐度显著正相关。     

太平洋东北部水合物脊现代甲烷渗漏区有孔虫记录甲烷的碳同位素证据

俄勒冈州外海水合物脊现代甲烷渗漏区的发现,为研究甲烷对活体有孔虫生态和地球化学方面的影响提供了机会。2002年在水合物脊南部高点获取一批岩心。样品经保存和染色后用来测定Uvigerina peregrina、Cibicidoidesmckannai和Globobuliminaauriculata3个底栖有孔虫属种的活体（经染色）和死体的碳同位素（δ13C）组成。有孔虫样经光学显微镜和扫描电镜检查,未发现有成岩作用或自生碳酸盐沉淀作用的迹象。渗漏区活底栖有孔虫单体记录的乎δ13C值在-0．4％--21．2％0之间,说明受高浓度甲烷碳同位素的影响。渗漏区底栖有孔虫护C平均值（由单体样品计算）范围在-1．28％--5．64％0之间,而背景区（没有甲烷渗漏）的介于-0．81％--0．85％之间。为了解环境因素对底栖有孔虫δ13C值的影响,对细菌席和蛤床两种截然不同的甲烷渗漏环境的底栖有孔虫进行研究。细菌席区的有孔虫单体比蛤床区的具有更负的δ13C值。我们解释这种差异是食物来源或共生细菌对底栖有孔虫δ13C值影响的结果,通过溶解无机碳（DIC）作用于底栖有孔虫,使其δ13C值负偏移。对比活体和死体底栖有孔虫的δ13C值,并未发现统计上的差异。这说明自生碳酸盐沉淀作用未在观测到的同位素组成中起主导作用。然而,少量极度亏损δ13C（〈-12％）的死体底栖有孔虫确实显示了自生碳酸盐岩沉积对有孔虫δ13C值影响的潜在证据。     

回顾30年来的油气地球化学勘探

在美国采用地球化学方法勘探油气已有30年了,已经取得了大量的成果。壤中吸附烃抽提技术以及其测量分析都已得到了发展提高。实验表明,在首次测量后数年重新采样,异常可以重现;另一方面,随着油田的开采,烃异常逐渐变弱,最后趋于消失。尽管与大型油气藏相联系的晕圈(halo)这种基本异常模式继续被发现,亦已认识到其他类型的烃分布模式。烃测量技术有助于评价穹隆构造翼部的含油性,在获得适当的资料后,可以在构造顶部布钻。如例案所述,烃测量后指出在刺穿型穹隆构造的翼部有一油气藏分布。     

环太平洋带构造地层地体

引言近年来,北美克迪勒拉是通过分离的构造地层地体增生而形成的这一认识已经得到可资利用的新的地质、地球物理和古生物资料的支持(Jones等,1981;Jonts等,1983;Coney等,1980;Davis等,1978;Balke等,1983)。同样的增生过程似乎也影响了环太平洋边缘的大部分地区。为了探讨这一假说,我们已经编制了初步的环太平洋地体图。本文的目的是回顾Coney等(1980)和Jones等(1983)所提出的地体分析