Sediment provenance and routing evolution in the Late Cretaceous–Eocene Ager Basin,south-central Pyrenees,Spain

This study constrains the sediment provenance for the Late Cretaceous–Eocene strata of the Ager Basin, Spain, and reconstructs the interplay between foreland basin subsidence and sediment routing within the south-central Pyrenean foreland basin during the early phases of crustal shortening using detrital zircon (DZ) U-Pb-He double dating. Here we present and interpret 837 new DZ U-Pb ages, 113 of which are new DZ (U-Th)/He double-dated zircons. U-Pb-He double dating results allow for a clear differentiation between different foreland and hinterland sources of Variscan zircons (280–350 Ma) by leveraging the contrasting thermal histories of the Ebro Massif and Pyrenean orogen, recorded by the zircon (U-Th)/He (ZHe) ages, despite their indistinguishable U-Pb age signatures. Cretaceous–Paleocene sedimentary rocks, dominated by Variscan DZ U-Pb age components with Permian–Triassic (200–300 Ma) ZHe cooling ages, were sourced from the Ebro Massif south of the Ager Basin. A provenance shift occurred at the base of the Early Eocene Baronia Formation (ca. 53 Ma) to an eastern Pyrenean source (north-east of the Ager Basin) as evidenced by an abrupt change in paleocurrents, a change in DZ U-Pb signatures to age distributions dominated by Cambro-Silurian (420–520 Ma), Cadomian (520–700 Ma), and Proterozoic–Archean (>700 Ma) age components, and the prominent emergence of Cretaceous–Paleogene (<90 Ma) ZHe cooling ages. The Eocene Corçà Formation (ca. 50 Ma), characterized by the arrival of fully reset ZHe ages with very short lag times, signals the accumulation of sediment derived from the rapidly exhuming Pyrenean thrust sheets. While ZHe ages from the Corçà Formation are fully reset, zircon fission track (ZFT) ages preserve older inherited cooling ages, bracketing the exhumation level within the thrust sheets to ca. 6–8 km in the Early Eocene. These DZ ZHe ages yield exhumation rate estimates of ca. 0.03 km/Myr during the Late Cretaceous–Paleocene for the Ebro Massif and ca. 0.2–0.4 km/Myr during the Eocene for the eastern Pyrenees.     

Germination ecology of a Maryland population of saltmarsh bulrush (Scirpus robustus)

Germination and growth responses ofScirpus robustus Pursh were determined for a variety of environmental conditions. A period of after-repening was required for seed germination; the most effective pretreatment was chilling at 2 C. Alternate freezing and thawing, freezing, and warm dry storage resulted in lower germination. Scarification was effective in increasing seed germination. Low concentrations of salt depressed germination and growth. A definite light requirement was found, but photoperiod length had no effect on germination responses. Alternating temperatures promoted germination; the best overall response occurred with 35 C day/25 C night. Presence ofS. robustus within the marsh community is discussed in relation to germination and seedling establishment characteristics of the species.     

Geodetic results from ISAGEX data

Laser and camer data taken during the International Satellite Geodesy Experiment (ISAGEX) have been used in dynamical solutions to obtain center-of-mass coordinates for the Astro-Soviet camera sites at Helwan, Egypt and Oulan Bator, Mongolia and East European camera sites at Potsdam, German Democratic Republic and Ondrejov, Czechoslovakia. The results are accurate to about 20 m in each coordinate. The orbit of PEOLE (i=15^o) has also been determined from ISAGEX data and mean Kepler elements suitable for geodynamic investigations are presented.     

Growing up with rivers? Rivers in London children's worlds

This paper presents the results from exploratory research which set out to investigate London children's perceptions and uses of river environments. Mainly qualitative, multi-method research was carried out in four primary schools with children aged 9–11, focusing on two rivers near to the schools. Rivers were found to be marginal to the children's everyday lives and outdoor play, being perceived as polluted, neglected, and initially dangerous places. However, when experienced on visits observed as part of the research, some of these perceptions changed and rivers were also found to afford many special activities and experiences for the children. The visits were generally seen to have a positive effect on the children's perceptions of rivers, at least in the short term. This suggests that, if managed appropriately, rivers could be potentially rewarding play areas for children. Moreover, children could provide valuable input for river managers in suggesting ways of improving suitable local rivers for increased recreational uses.     

Prehistoric human settlement patterns in a tectonically unstable environment: Outer shumagin islands,southwestern alaska

Human population movements into and around the outer Shumagin Islands of southwestern Alaska during the last 5000 years, and temporal gaps in Shumagin habitation correlate inversely with geologically inferred prehistoric earthquakes. Clusters of inferred seismic activity correlate with temporal gaps or with small, sparsely distributed archaeological sites; periods of relative seismic quiescence coincide with settlement florescence. Variations in terrace and archaeological site heights across the study area indicate differential uplift of the outer Shumagin Islands when corrected for the Holocene sea level rise and post-glacial isostatic adjustments.