Identifying Source Soils in Contemporary Estuarine Sediments: A New Compound-Specific Isotope Method

A new method is proposed for the identification and apportionment of contemporary source soils contributing to estuarine sediments. The method uses compound-specific isotopic analysis of naturally occurring biomarkers (fatty acids) derived from plants to link source soils to land use within a single catchment. For identification and apportionment of source soils in the estuarine samples, the method uses the isotopic mixing model, IsoSource. The feasible proportions obtained from IsoSource are then scaled to allow for the percent organic carbon in the source soils. With this approach, the estimation of each source soil contribution to a location in the estuary is independent of any degradation of the biomarkers through microbial or biogeochemical processes. Identification relies on the evaluation of the sediment sample relative to a “library” of reference source soils from different land use within the catchment. Selection of potential sources is geographically constrained by the requirement for a natural linkage between each source soil and the sediment site sampled. A case study, using this method, mapped the distribution of three main land use source soils (pasture, native forest, and pine forest) across the river delta in a small estuary fringed with mangroves. Rather than being uniformly distributed, the results indicated that the source soil contributions varied markedly across the delta, raising concerns about the validity of taking single cores to characterize the sediments of an estuary. Coupling the source apportionment results with land use data indicated that the mean percent contribution of pine forest soil in the river delta sediments was almost three times greater than the percent land use area of pine forest in the catchment. Furthermore, isotopic signatures indicated that most of the pine forest soil came from the much smaller areas exposed to erosion by clear cut harvesting and that the soil contribution from recently harvested areas of pine forest could be as much as 20 times greater than that land use area in this catchment. This is the first method that can identify and apportion, by land use on a catchment scale, the sources of soil contributing to the sediment at a location of an estuary. The results are given as a “best estimate”, within definable limits, of the proportional contribution of each potential source soil. Information obtained using this method will allow development of management strategies to alter land use practices to reduce the sediment load to rivers, and thus, the impact on the aquatic ecosystem downstream in estuaries.     

Spatial Heterogeneity Created by Burrowing Crabs Affects Human Impact on Migratory Shorebirds

We show that, as previously described, there are conflicts between areas used by people and shorebirds. However, we propose that burrowing organisms add complexity to the shorebird–human interaction that should be taken into account for management and conservation. This is because SW Atlantic mudflats are dominated by high densities (up to 60 crabs m⁻²) of a strong bioturbator, the burrowing crab Neohelice granulata (=Chasmagnathus granulatus). These crabs affect the habitat use and foraging performance of shorebird species. The two-banded plover Charadrius falklandicus feed more in burrow areas whereas the yellowlegs Tringa spp. and the white-rumped sandpiper Calidris fuscicollis tend to avoid burrow areas. We evaluated the effect of human recreational activities on shorebirds, taking into account shorebird–crab interaction, during shorebird migratory periods (November to April) of 2001, 2002, and 2003. This study was performed at the Mar Chiquita coastal lagoon (37° 40′ S, Argentina). Results showed that people only rarely used the extensive soft bottom intertidals dominated by burrowing assemblages of N. granulata because the soft sediments make walking difficult. Therefore, human impact is reduced for the two-banded plover. However, for several migratory shorebirds that also avoid burrow areas, these areas act as suboptimal alternative areas when human impact is important in their preferred habitats. When human activity is low, shorebirds remain foraging in the area but they decrease their feeding intakes. The extensions of burrow areas differ among estuaries and are likely to generate between-estuaries differences as stopover sites for shorebirds. Also, other species that form large burrowing assemblages can have a similar impact on shorebird–human interactions.     

Light Requirements for Growth and Survival of Eelgrass (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Zostera marina</Emphasis> L.) in Pacific Northwest (USA) Estuaries

We developed light requirements for eelgrass in the Pacific Northwest, USA, to evaluate the effects of short- and long-term reductions in irradiance reaching eelgrass, especially related to turbidity and overwater structures. Photosynthesis-irradiance experiments and depth distribution field studies indicated that eelgrass productivity was maximum at a photosynthetic photon flux density (PPFD) of about 350–550 μmol quanta m⁻² s⁻¹. Winter plants had approximately threefold greater net apparent primary productivity rate at the same irradiance as summer plants. Growth studies using artificial shading as well as field monitoring of light and eelgrass growth indicated that long-term survival required at least 3 mol quanta m⁻² day⁻¹ on average during spring and summer (i.e., May-September), and that growth was saturated above about 7 mol quanta m⁻² day⁻¹. We conclude that non-light-limited growth of eelgrass in the Pacific Northwest requires an average of at least 7 mol quanta m⁻² day⁻¹ during spring and summer and that long-term survival requires a minimum average of 3 mol quanta m⁻² day⁻¹.     

Neoproterozoic trace fossils vs. microbial mat structures: Examples from the Tandilia Belt of Argentina

The Tandilia Belt in northeast Argentina includes a Neoproterozoic sequence of sediments (Sierras Bayas Group), in which the Cerro Largo Formation, ca. 750 Ma in age, forms a siliciclastic, shallowing upward succession of subtidal nearshore to tidal flat deposits. Trace fossils Palaeophycus isp. and Didymaulichnus isp. have been described from the upper part of this succession. Specific sedimentary structures consisting of round-crested bulges, arranged in a reticulate pattern, and networks of curved cracks are associated with the trace fossils. These structures are considered to be related to epibenthic microbial mats that once colonized the sediment surface. They reflect stages of mat growth and mat destruction, if compared to analogous structures in modern cyanobacterial mats of peritidal, siliciclastic depositional systems. Also the trace fossils are interpreted as mat-related structures, partly forming components of networks of shrinkage cracks, partly representing the upturned and involute margins of shrinkage cracks or circular openings in desiccating and shrinking, thin microbial mats.

The definition of Didymaulichnus miettensis Young as a Terminal Proterozoic trace fossil is questioned, and it may be considered to interpret the ‘bilobate’ structure as the upturned, opposite margins of microbial shrinkage cracks which have been brought back into contact by compaction after burial.     

An evaporitic facies in Neoproterozoic post-glacial carbonates: The Gifberg Group, South Africa

A geological study of the hitherto poorly described Neoproterozoic Gifberg Group, with emphasis on lithogeochemistry and O, C and Sr isotopic composition of the carbonate-dominated Widouw Formation (Vredendal Outlier, westernmost South Africa) revealed that the entire group is an equivalent of the relatively well constrained Port Nolloth Group in the external, paraautochthonous part of the Pan-African Gariep Belt further north. Thus, the Vredendal Outlier can be regarded as the southern extension of the Port Nolloth Zone. Two diamictite units are recognised in the Vredendal Outlier, which can be correlated respectively with the c. 750 Ma Kaigas Formation diamictite and the 583 Ma, syn-Gaskiers Numees Formation diamictite in the Gariep Belt proper. The dominating carbonate unit in the studied area is post-glacial with respect to the older of the two diamictite units. The combined textural, structural and geochemical evidence suggests that parts of the variably dolomitised limestone succession represent former evaporite beds. Sedimentation in a restricted, very shallow and proximal basin led to a wide range in C isotope ratios (δ¹³C_PDB from − 4.2 to + 4.8‰), very high Sr concentrations (derived from original anhydrite) and initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios that are significantly higher (0.70785) than those of coeval seawater. As C and Sr isotopes are commonly used for chemostratigraphic correlation, and high Sr concentrations in Neoproterozic carbonates are often interpreted as evidence of former aragonite, the findings of this study should be used as warning against uncritical use of geochemical and isotopic parameters for describing ancient seawater composition. Thus C and Sr isotope ratios alone in Neoproterozoic carbonates may be less powerful proxies of ancient seawater composition, and high Sr contents are not necessarily indicative of an “aragonite sea”, as previously inferred.     

Mineral assemblages of titanium-zirconium sands at the Central deposit,the east European platform

The study of mineral assemblages at the Central deposit allowed us to substantially refine the evolutionary model of the deposit and reveal the two main factors that control the variability of its mineralic space: (1) heterogeneity of the ore layer, consisting of a sublittoral bottom placer (the lower part) and a subaerial dune complex partly reworked in the course of a new transgression (the upper part), and (2) postore epigenetic alteration of the ore constituent of sands, which affected the quality of ore concentrates. The results obtained will be used in geological and technological mapping and development of the production program.     

Solar flares associated with singularities in the differential characteristics of magnetic fields

We analyze the flare events of October 28 and May 27, 2003 to examine the possible connection of solar flares with singularities in the differential characteristics of solar magnetic fields. The relation between flares and the behavior of F indicators (which describe structural singularities of the magnetic fields) introduced earlier is analyzed. It is shown that the generation of flares can be associated with self-intersections (or reconnection) of the F = 0 curves, where magnetic reconnection can occur. Consequently, the current sheets generated in such regions can be sources of energy release.     

Temporal variations in the position of the heliospheric equator

It is shown that the centroid of the heliospheric equator undergoes quasi-periodic oscillations. During the minimum of the 11-year cycle, the centroid shifts southwards (the so-called bashful-ballerina effect). The direction of the shift reverses during the solar maximum. The solar quadrupole is responsible for this effect. The shift is compared with the tilt of the heliospheric current sheet.     

Rotational and magnetic corrections to the g-mode frequencies in a one-dimensional MHD model

The central magnetic field and rotation of the solar radiative zone are responsible for corrections to the g-mode frequencies. Magnetogravitational spectra are calculated analytically in a simple one-dimensional MHD model that goes beyond the WKB approximation and avoid any cusp resonances that trap the wave within the radiative zone in the presence of a weak magnetic background. The calculations are compared with spacecraft observations of the 1% frequency shifts for candidate g-modes found in the SOHO GOLF experiment. The magnetic correction is the main contribution for a strong magnetic field satisfying the approximation used. It is shown that a constant magnetic field of 700 kG in the radiative zone provides the required frequency shift for the n = ?10 g-mode. The rotational correction, which is due to the Coriolis force in the one-dimensional model used, is much less than a percent (α_Ω ≤ 0.003).