Distribution characteristics and factors influencing microbial communities in the core soils of a seawater intrusion area in Longkou City,China

Microbes live throughout the soil profile. Microbial communities in subsurface horizons are impacted by a saltwater–freshwater transition zone formed by seawater intrusion (SWI) in coastal regions. The main purpose of this study is to explore the changes in microbial communities within the soil profile because of SWI. The study characterizes the depth-dependent distributions of bacterial and archaeal communities through high-throughput sequencing of 16S rRNA gene amplicons by collecting surface soil and deep core samples at nine soil depths in Longkou City, China. The results showed that although microbial communities were considerably impacted by SWI in both horizontal and vertical domains, the extent of these effects was variable. The soil depth strongly influenced the microbial communities, and the microbial diversity and community structure were significantly different (p < 0.05) at various depths. Compared with SWI, soil depth was a greater influencing factor for microbial diversity and community structure. Furthermore, soil microbial community structure was closely related to the environmental conditions, among which the most significant environmental factors were soil depth, pH, organic carbon, and total nitrogen.

     

Deep-seated toppling deformations of rock slopes in western China

Toppling is the foremost failure pattern of anaclinal rock slopes, and deep-seated toppling deformations (DSTDs) are common on high anaclinal slopes on the sides of gorges in western China. The DSTDs can develop to depths of more than 200 m, and may show distinct signs of zonal failure. Many DSTDs undergo transformation to large landslides involving rock volumes of more than 10⁶ m³. However, the conditions for the formation and the basic evolving processes of DSTDs remain unclear. This study seeks to develop an inventory to classify the distribution, and the conditioning factors which govern the formation and deformation modes of DSTDs in western China and to analyze the effect of the geological and geomorphological variables on the toppling intensities. To this end, forty-nine DSTDs were analyzed. The results indicate that DSTDs in western China are commonly distributed along large deeply incised rivers in the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. The steep-dip anaclinal metamorphic soft or soft-hard-interbedded strata with near parallel strikes in the river channel, V-shaped deeply incised river channels, and convex slopes are favorable conditions for the formation of DSTDs in these settings. The dip angle, the gradient, and the height of most slopes which develop DSTDs are 60–90°, 30–50°, and 200–800 m, respectively. There is a highly positive relationship between the depth of toppling and the height of the slope. The toppled rock masses can be classed as extremely intense, intense, moderate, and weak toppling zones characterized by complete block detachment, tensile-shear fracture, tensile fracture, and reverse slip along foliations, respectively. Each zone corresponds to a specific range of the dip angle of the toppled strata, the aperture of the tensile cracks, the P-wave velocity, the state of rock weathering, and the degree of unloading. The extremely intense and the intense toppling zones tend to evolve into sliding failures. Overall, 94% of the DSTDs were derived from flexural toppling and 33% have developed into large landslides.

     

Towards a rapid assessment of highway slope disasters by using multidisciplinary techniques

Mega-earthquakes and extreme climate events accompanied by intrinsic fragile geology lead to numerous landslides along mountain highways in Taiwan, causing enormous life and economic losses. In this study, a system for rapid slope disaster information integration and assessment is proposed with the aim of providing information on landslide occurrence, failure mechanisms, and subsequent landslide-affected areas to the highway authority rapidly. The functionality of the proposed system is deployed into three units: (1) geohazard rapid report (GeoPORT I), (2) multidisciplinary geological survey report (GeoPORT II), and (3) site-specific landslide simulation report (GeoPORT III). After landslide occurrence, the seismology-based monitoring network rapidly provides the initial slope disaster information, including preliminary location, event magnitude, earthquake activity, and source dynamics, within an hour. Within 3 days of the landslide, a multidisciplinary geological survey is conducted to collect high-precision topographical, geological, and remote-sensing data to determine the possible failure mechanism. After integrating the aforementioned information, a full-scale three-dimensional landslide simulation based on the discrete element method is performed within 10 days to reveal the failure process and to identify the areas potentially affected by subsequent disasters through scenario modeling. Overall, the proposed system can promptly provide comprehensive and objective information to relevant authorities after the event occurrence for hazard assessment. The proposed system was validated using a landslide event in the Central Cross-Island Highway of Taiwan.

     

贵州都匀下泥盆统蟒山群Zosterophyllum australianum(澳大利亚工蕨)新材料及其古地理意义*

Zosterophyllum(工蕨属)是早期陆生植物的代表性类群之一,全球广泛分布。Z.australianum(澳大利亚工蕨)产自华南和澳大利亚,是东北冈瓦纳古植物地理区系的典型分子。文中描述了产自贵州都匀包阳剖面蟒山群中的Z.australianum新材料。该标本的孢子囊具短柄,呈椭圆形或扇形,宽2.6~4.1 mm,高可达3.9 mm,加厚带宽约0.6 mm,紧密螺旋排列形成孢子囊穗,与云南文山早泥盆世坡松冲植物群中的Z. australiaunum极为相似。依据目前对Z. australianum时代延限的认识,并结合蟒山群其他植物属种的发现(如Adoketophyton subverticillatum),推断该群下段的时代为早泥盆世布拉格期。Z. australianum在蟒山群中的发现,扩展了该植物的地理分布范围,反映出蟒山群中的植物组合与坡松冲植物群存在一定联系。     

加里曼丹岛南缘中中新世沉积特征及其主控因素探讨

加里曼丹岛地处东南亚区域中心位置,新生代以来其最显著的构造特征是伴随东南亚板块构造运动经历了逆时针旋转过程。重点针对中新世时期东南亚区域大规模构造事件,开展区域构造—沉积响应特征研究。基于加里曼丹岛东南部库泰盆地中新世三角洲沉积体系特征研究成果,结合加里曼丹岛南部东爪哇盆地中新世半深海斜坡—盆底沉积体系特征分析,综合探讨加里曼丹岛南缘中新世区域构造反转—沉积响应特征。中中新世时期15 Ma左右,形成了大规模马哈坎进积型三角洲沉积体系雏形;依据钻井与地震数据约束,推断东爪哇盆地中新世半深海斜坡—盆底沉积体系初始发育时间为16～15 Ma,2种沉积体系初始发育时间基本一致。推断东南亚区域中中新世时期大规模构造反转事件是加里曼丹岛南缘2种沉积体系发育的主要控制因素;而同时期库泰盆地开阔深水环境和东爪哇盆地东西向狭长延伸半深海环境,分别为库泰盆地大规模进积型三角洲沉积体系和东爪哇盆地半深海浊积体发育创造了充足的可容纳空间。     

华北平原高氟地下水中稀土元素分布和分异特征

高氟地下水是世界各国研究者广泛关注的重大环境问题。尽管对高氟地下水的化学特征、形成机理和扩散机制等已有不少研究,但其稀土元素(REE)的含量和分异特征以及这些特征能否反映高氟地下水的形成和分布尚不清楚,这在一定程度上限制了REE在高氟地下水中的运用。本研究以地下水氟离子异常严重地区——华北平原为研究区,沿地下水流向采集浅层和深层地下水样,研究分析了水中氟离子和REE的地球化学特征。浓度分析结果表明地下水氟离子浓度介于0.28 mg/L和9.33 mg/L之间,其中55%超出我国饮用水标准规定值1.0 mg/L;PHREEQC计算结果反映地下水中氟以NaF、CaF⁺、MgF⁺和自由态F^-形式存在,其中自由态F^-含量占主导(85.42%99.39%);高氟地下水主要分布于中部冲积湖积平原以及东部冲积海积平原,60%高氟地下水样分布在180 m深度以下;水化学图件分析结果指示浅层高氟地下水的形成主要受蒸发浓缩作用的控制,而深层高氟地下水是水岩相互作用下的矿物溶解和离子竞争吸附共同作用的结果。研究区地下水REE含量处于pmol/L至nmol/L级别,PHREEQC模拟计算结果表明REE主要以碳酸络合物( {\mathrm{REECO}}_3^{+}和$REE(CO_{3})_{2}^{-})$的形式存在,与氟离子络合的稀土元素(REEF²⁺和 {\mathrm{REEF}}_2^{+})占01.18%;上陆壳(UCC)标准化结果显示,所有地下水均呈重REE(HREE)和中REE(MREE)相对于轻REE(LREE)富集的模式,且具有显著Ce负异常(0.11* = Ce_UCC/(La_UCC×Pr_UCC)^0.5<2.29)特性;地下水富HREE主要归因于HREE比LREE优先与碳酸根络合,并且形成更加稳定的碳酸络合物。沿地下水流向,深层地下水中总REE含量与地下水中氟浓度均呈现不断上升的变化趋势,同时高氟地下水比低氟地下水更易富集重稀土元素,说明稀土元素对深层含水层富氟行为具有一定的指示作用。     

浑河断裂带地质灾害发育特征及其成因机制

浑河断裂带是辽宁抚顺地区最为重要的一条活动断裂。为了深入调查沿浑河断裂带地质灾害发育情况,了解灾害形成与先存断裂之间的关系,为同类型灾害的防治和预警提供科学依据。本文采用现场调查方法,结合地面变形监测资料,厘清了浑河断裂带灾害类型和发育规律,剖析了断裂带灾害的形成机理。研究结果表明：断裂隐伏区地裂缝发育,主要沿浑河断裂带分支断裂展布,裂缝延伸长度300～2 400 m;其成因是抚顺城区南部采矿活动诱发了先存软弱断裂面局部拉裂、张开,进而向地表扩展、贯通,形成地裂缝。在断裂延伸的基岩地区沿断裂破碎带及影响带发育小型滑坡,主滑方向与断裂走向垂直或大角度斜交;其形成机制与岩体内部发育的结构面有关,尤其是顺坡向优势结构面的发育,其与坡体耦合形成易滑结构体,在长期降雨作用下,结构面软化、贯通及岩土体加速蠕滑,最终形成滑坡。     

Reverse fault slip through soft rock and sand strata by centrifuge modeling tests

The devastating damage after the 1999 Chi-Chi and 1999 Izmit earthquakes has greatly motivated soil–reverse fault interaction studies. However, most centrifuge modeling studies have employed a single homogeneous soil layer during testing, which does not represent in situ conditions. Indeed, while geological conditions vary spatially, engineering soils are often underlain by soft rocks. Therefore, four centrifuge models were developed to evaluate the effect of soft rock layers on the ground surface and subsurface deformation. Sand–cement mixtures of varying thicknesses with a uniaxial compressive strength of 0.975 MPa, simulating extremely soft rock, were overlain by pluviated sandy soil. The model thickness was 100 mm, corresponding to 8 m in the prototype scale when spun at 80 g. Every model was subjected to a vertical offset of 50 mm/4 m (0.5 H; H: total sedimentary deposit thickness) along a reverse fault with a 60° dip. The results indicate that the presence of a soft rock stratum results in the creation of a horst profile at the ground surface. Additionally, the thinner the soil layer on top of the soft rock stratum is, the longer and higher the horst created at the ground surface. Consequently, the fault deformation zone lengthens proportionally with the increasing thickness ratio of the soft rock. Furthermore, the presence of soft rock as an intermediary stratum between bedrock and soil causes the deformation zone boundary on the hanging wall side to move in the direction of fault movement.

     

Fabric evolution and liquefaction resistance in multiple-liquefaction process: a micromechanical study using DEM-clump

Acta Geotechnica - Recent earthquake case histories in Japan and New Zealand revealed that soil sites can experience liquefaction multiple times under a sequence of earthquake shaking. Field...     

Hybrid machine learning model with random field and limited CPT data to quantify horizontal scale of fluctuation of soil spatial variability

Acta Geotechnica - The scale of fluctuation (SOF) is the critical parameter to describe the soil spatial variability, which significantly influences the embedded geostructures. Due to the limited...