Diversity and Habitat Distribution of Birds in Coastal Marshes and Comparisons with Surrounding Upland Habitats in Southeastern South America

We studied variation in bird assemblages with plant associations for three different coastal marshes from Southeastern South America (SESA) and assessed how marsh bird assemblages related to nearby upland bird assemblages. We surveyed bird species and plant structure along the tidal gradient of each locality from the low tide level to the upper habitats bordering coastal marshes. Twenty species frequently used coastal marshes, including relatively few migratory species. We found that birds occurring in SESA coastal marshes do not have distributions constrained to coastal marshes. Nonetheless, four bird assemblages were recognized in association with vegetation types and/or sites. Among the recorded coastal marsh species, the bay-capped wren-spinetail (Spartonoica maluroides) is both the most frequent and the most habitat constrained. Bird richness increases steadily along the tidal gradient associated with the increase in vegetation structure, suggesting that bird richness is directly explained by vegetation and indirectly by the physical conditions influencing vegetation structure. Results highlight the importance of SESA middle marshes as habitat for conservation of some threatened SESA grassland birds.     

Catastrophic,rainfall-induced debris flows in Andean villages of Tarapacá, Atacama Desert,northern Chile

In March 2012, during the rainy season in the Altiplano plateau, a >100-year return period rainfall event affected the deeply incised valleys of the Precordillera of the Tarapacá Region, northern Chile. This extreme event in a very arid region triggered a number of debris and mud flows that caused severe damage and destruction in several small villages along the Camiña and Tarapacá valleys. The highly vulnerable location of the villages on top of alluvial fans due to socioeconomic and cultural reasons is a key factor to explain the level of destruction in most villages. In this paper, this unusual, remarkable landslide event is described, and the hazard faced by these settlements for future rainfall episodes and possible mitigation measures are discussed.     

江西武宁县石门寺钨铜矿区风化作用过程中W、Cu等元素的表生地球化学行为(之一)

以江西省武宁县石门寺钨铜矿区燕山期和晋宁期岩体风化作用过程中W、Cu等元素的表生地球化学行为为研究对象,通过反映风化程度的化学风化指数CIA、风化作用过程中组分得失的估算、不同介质中W、Cu等成矿元素的含量变化及大离子亲石元素表生地球化学行为等方法的研究表明,石门寺钨铜矿区2个时期岩体元素淋失与风化强度有关,土壤剖面中碱金属、碱土金属元素大量淋失,而W、Cu等成矿元素在土壤B层中显著富集;从岩石到土壤、再到水系沉积物风化过程中,W、Cu等成矿元素含量逐渐升高,为此,一级水系沉积物和B层土壤是赣北九岭W、Sn、Cu、Mo多金属矿集区地球化学找矿的绝佳采样介质,是矿集区内找矿新突破的有效手段。     

Quick sulfide buffering in inner shelf sediments of the East China Sea impacted by eutrophication

In the eutrophic coastal ocean, quick formation of iron (Fe) sulfide is environmentally important to effectively prevent accumulation of dissolved sulfide and its detrimental effects on the benthic ecosystem. In this study, 0.5 N HCl-extractable labile Fe (LFe), acid volatile sulfide, and pyrite in the East China Sea inner shelf sediments were examined to investigate the mechanisms of quick sequestration of dissolved sulfide and potential impacts of frequent algal blooms on the capacity of quick sulfide-buffering in eutrophic coastal areas of the large-sized continental shelf subject to massive terrestrial input. The results indicate that sulfate reduction has been competitively suppressed by dissimilatory Fe reduction due to limited availability of labile organic matter. Dissolved sulfide can be quickly buffered by reaction with LFe and, therefore, is difficult to accumulate to a high level. The quick sulfide-buffering capacity has not become exhausted partly because of the formation of un-sulfidized LFe(II) via dissimilatory reduction of less reactive Fe oxides. It is expected that dissolved sulfide will not pose detrimental effects on the benthic ecosystem in the near future if the current biogeochemical/ecological state remains.     

Spatial evaluation of phosphorus retention in riparian zones using remote sensing data

Riparian zones act as important buffer zones for non-point source pollution, thus improving the health of aquatic ecosystems. Previous research has shown that riparian zones play an important role, and that land use has an important effect, on phosphorus (P) retention. A spatial basin-scale approach for analyzing P retention and land use effects could be important in preventing pollution in riparian zones. In this study, a riparian phosphorus cycle model based on EcoHAT was generated with algorithms from soil moisture and heat models, simplified soil and plant phosphorus models, plant growth models, and universal soil loss equations. Based on remote sensing data, model performance was enhanced for spatial and temporal prediction of P retention in the riparian zone. A modified soil and plant P model was used to simulate the soil P cycle of a riparian zone in a temperate continental monsoon climate in northern China. A laboratory experiment and a field experiment were conducted to validate the P cycle model. High coefficients of determination (R ²) between simulated and observed values indicate that the model provides reliable results. P uptake variations were the same as the net primary productivity (NPP) trends, which were affected by soil temperature and moisture in the temperate continental monsoon climate. Beginning in June, the monthly content increased, with the maximum appearing in August, when the most precipitation and the highest temperatures occur. The spatial distribution of P uptake rates from March to September showed that areas near water frequently had relatively high values from May to August, which is contrary to results obtained in March, April, and September. The P uptake amounts for different land uses changed according to expectation. The average monthly P uptake rates for farmlands and grasslands were more than those for orchards and lowlands, which had moderate P uptake rates, followed by shrubs and forests. The spatial distribution of soil erosion demonstrated that the soil erosion came primarily from high-intensity agricultural land in the western and central areas, while the northern and eastern study regions, which were less affected by human activity, experienced relatively slight soil erosion. From the point of view of P pollution prevention, the spatial structure of riparian zones and the spatial distribution of land use around the Guanting reservoir are thus not favorable.     

3D alluvial aquifer reconstruction in polluted areas by means of GPR (Sabiñánigo,N Spain)

Assumptions of simple geometries for alluvial deposits (related to main rivers) can preclude determination of complexities that are revealed as fundamental controls in underground flow. Although subhorizontal contacts between alluvial and substratum materials are expected, previous sedimentary or erosional processes can result in irregular geometries, only accessible through detailed analysis. The studied case presents the 3D reconstruction of a Quaternary terrace in the proximities of Sabiñánigo (Southern Pyrenees, Northeastern Spain), lying on homogeneous Eocene marls. The studied area is located in an industrialized area supporting strongly pollutant chemical industry (chlorinated pesticides) for the past 50 years. The objective of the study was to constrain the groundwater pathway along the area to subsequently analyze leakage of chemicals to the water table. In order to reveal preferred flow paths, a detailed characterization of the internal structure of the alluvial deposits (0.5–13 m thick) and their relations with the Tertiary substratum was carried out by means of ground penetrating radar (GPR, 50 and 100 MHz antennas). The obtained models permit identifying several topographic highs in the alluvial/substratum contact, determining preferred pathways in water flow, favoring particular conditions associated with low levels of the water table. The presented results support the interest of application of GPR surveys in order to characterize the groundwater pathways in expected homogeneous areas and their importance in order to establish the contaminant surveillance network.     

Archean to Recent aeolian sand systems and their sedimentary record: Current understanding and future prospects

The sedimentary record of aeolian sand systems extends from the Archean to the Quaternary, yet current understanding of aeolian sedimentary processes and product remains limited. Most preserved aeolian successions represent inland sand‐sea or dunefield (erg) deposits, whereas coastal systems are primarily known from the Cenozoic. The complexity of aeolian sedimentary processes and facies variability are under‐represented and excessively simplified in current facies models, which are not sufficiently refined to reliably account for the complexity inherent in bedform morphology and migratory behaviour, and therefore cannot be used to consistently account for and predict the nature of the preserved sedimentary record in terms of formative processes. Archean and Neoproterozoic aeolian successions remain poorly constrained. Palaeozoic ergs developed and accumulated in relation to the palaeogeographical location of land masses and desert belts. During the Triassic, widespread desert conditions prevailed across much of Europe. During the Jurassic, extensive ergs developed in North America and gave rise to anomalously thick aeolian successions. Cretaceous aeolian successions are widespread in South America, Africa, Asia, and locally in Europe (Spain) and the USA. Several Eocene to Pliocene successions represent the direct precursors to the present‐day systems. Quaternary systems include major sand seas (ergs) in low‐lattitude and mid‐latitude arid regions, Pleistocene carbonate and Holocene–Modern siliciclastic coastal systems. The sedimentary record of most modern aeolian systems remains largely unknown. The majority of palaeoenvironmental reconstructions of aeolian systems envisage transverse dunes, whereas successions representing linear and star dunes remain under‐recognized. Research questions that remain to be answered include: (i) what factors control the preservation potential of different types of aeolian bedforms and what are the characteristics of the deposits of different bedform types that can be used for effective reconstruction of original bedform morphology; (ii) what specific set of controlling conditions allow for sustained bedform climb versus episodic sequence accumulation and preservation; (iii) can sophisticated four‐dimensional models be developed for complex patterns of spatial and temporal transition between different mechanisms of accumulation and preservation; and (iv) is it reasonable to assume that the deposits of preserved aeolian successions necessarily represent an unbiased record of the conditions that prevailed during episodes of Earth history when large‐scale aeolian systems were active, or has the evidence to support the existence of other major desert basins been lost for many periods throughout Earth history?     

Geochemistry,and zircon U–Pb and molybdenite Re–Os geochronology of Jilongshan Cu–Au deposit,southeastern Hubei Province,China

The Jilongshan skarn Cu–Au deposit is located at the Jiurui ore cluster region in the southwestern part of the Middle–Lower Yangtze River valley metallogenic belt. The region is characterized by NW‐, NNW‐ and EW‐trending faults and the mineralization occurs at the contact of lower Triassic carbonate rocks and Jurassic granodiorite porphyry intrusions. The intrusives are characterized by SiO₂, K₂O, and Na₂O concentrations ranging from 61.66 to 67.8 wt.%, 3.29 to 5.65 wt.%, and 2.83 to 3.9 wt.%, respectively. Their A/CNK (A/CNK = n(Al₂O₃)/[n(CaO) + n(Na₂O) + n(K₂O)]) ratio, δEu, and δCe vary from 0.77 to 1.17, 0.86 to 1, and 0.88 to 0.96, respectively. The rocks show enrichment in light rare earth elements ((La/Yb)_N = 7.61–12.94) and large ion lithophile elements (LILE), and depletion in high field strength elements (HFSE), such as Zr, Ti. They also display a peraluminous, high‐K calc‐alkaline signature typical of intrusives associated with skarn and porphyry Cu–Au–Mo polymetallic deposits. Laser ablation inductively coupled plasma spectrometry (LA‐ICP‐MS) zircon U–Pb age indicates that the granodiorite porphyry formed at 151.75 ± 0.70 Ma. A few inherited zircons with older ages (677 ± 10 Ma, 848 ± 11 Ma, 2645 ± 38 Ma, and 3411 ± 36 Ma) suggest the existence of an Archaean basement beneath the Middle–Lower Yangtze River region. The temperature of crystallization of the porphyry estimated from zircon thermometer ranges from 744.3 °C to 751.5 °C, and 634.04 °C to 823.8 °C. Molybdenite Re–Os dating shows that the Jilongshan deposit formed at 150.79 ± 0.82 Ma. The metallogeny and magmatism are correlated to mantle–crust interaction, associated with the subduction of the Pacific Plate from the east. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

五河杂岩的变质岩石学及P-T条件分析钻孔的研究

五河杂岩是华北克拉通东部陆块东南缘最重要的岩石单元。然而,直至今日,人们对于该组杂岩一直缺乏足够的研究,特别是对于其形成的变质条件分歧较大。本文通过对蒙城南ZK02钻孔中五河杂岩的构成和地质特征详细研究表明五河杂岩分为上、下两段。上段主要为一套由云母片岩、大理岩和花岗片麻岩组成的变质表壳岩系,下段为一套基性变质岩,主要岩性为斜长角闪岩、角闪岩、石榴斜长角闪岩和少量的混合岩。同时,针对下段特征岩石（石榴斜长角闪岩）,进行了较为详细的岩相学和矿物化学分析,并应用不同的温压计进行P-T条件评价和比较,结合岩相学限定和前人的研究成果,认为五河杂岩的主体普遍经历了高压角闪岩相变质作用,其温压范围为：T=671 ℃～700 ℃和P=0.82～0.95 GPa,地温梯度约为25～28 ℃/km,与典型陆壳地温梯度类似。与同邻区主要岩石单元的变质级别相比,五河杂岩应当形成于板内变质环境,并不具备造山带变质特征。     

对流层大气温度"蝴蝶形"震前异常

利用美国国家和海洋大气管理局(NOAA)的大气温度数据, 分析陆地地震和海洋地震震前震中上空的大气温度变化, 研究其作为地震短临前兆的可能性.地震样本包括2014年2月12日于田M_s7.3地震、2008年5月12日汶川M_s8.0地震、2011年3月11日日本M_s9.0地震、2014年4月1日智利M_s8.1海洋地震、2013年3月27日台湾南投县M_s6.1地震和2014年5月30日云南盈江M_s6.1地震.结果表明: (1)震前, 震中位置300~1 000 hPa大气温度有较为一致的变化趋势; (2)200 hPa与400 hPa处(根据不同地点可选择其他, 诸如350 hPa、300 hPa等高度数据)温度折线图在震前趋近或者相交, 出现类似蝴蝶翅膀的"蝴蝶形"特殊曲线形状; (3)200 hPa与400 hPa温度差等值线图在(震前数月、数周或数天不等)震中附近区域的数值减小, 温度差等值线图的塌陷最低点对应震中位置.以上规律有望应用于地震短临预测的时间与震中的确定.