Quantitative evaluation of the depth of the western Mediterranean before, during and after the Late Miocene salinity crisis

Quantitative geophysical calculations which take into consideration the isostatic loading of sediment overburden, the overlying water cover, and the thermal cooling history of the continental edge, and its adjacent oceanic lithosphere, demonstrate the foundering of the margins of the western Mediterranean had already commenced in the Aquitanian stage of the early Miocene. The calculations are based on magnitudes and rates of sediment accumulation observed along a profile of three commercial boreholes into the subsurface of the continental shelf of southern France. By the time of the late Miocene (Messinian) salinity crisis, the depth of the seafloor within the Balearic basin exceeded 2.5 km. Sea-level fluctuations induced by evaporitic draw-down permitted the exposure of large tracts of the former submerged continental margins to subaerial processes. The measured magnitude of sediment removal by erosion and channel incision near the outer shelf of the modern Gulf of Lion surpasses 1 km. The subsidence history of this shelf platform south of France provides new evidence that the continental lithosphere behaves as if it is rigidly coupled to its oceanic counterpart commencing with the initial phase of the pull-apart. No major vertical fault displacements have subsequently offset their overlying crustal layers. The sedimentary shaping and construction of the margin seaward of the Rhône delta resulted in a pronounced shelf edge migration and slope progradation during the pre-salinity crisis Miocene. It has taken 5 million years of predominant upbuilding to establish a new equilibrium profile similar in cross-section to the precrisis depositional surfaces created by outbuilding.     

A geographical perspective on poverty–environment interactions

This paper examines prevailing wisdoms on the topic of poverty–environmental interactions, problematizes some standard assumptions and interrogates the geographical literature on the subject. Dominant development discourse has tended to blame the poor for environmental degradation, ignoring the role of other processes and actors at various scales in causing environmental degradation. We examine how definitions of poverty, institutional arrangements, conventional economic models and assumed feedback loops may influence our understanding of poverty–environment interactions. The article gives particular attention to the political ecology approach as a lens through which this dynamic may be understood. Recent work in political ecology has broadened views of poverty–environment interactions by focusing on issues of power, scale and discourse in influencing outcomes and policies.     

Chemical Diversity of the Ueno Basalts, Central Japan: Identification of Mantle and Crustal Contributions to Arc Basalts

The Ueno Basalts of central Japan comprise a monogenetic volcaniccone complex that was active between 2·76 and 1·34Ma. Basalts were erupted at more than 14 centers scattered overa region 40 km in diameter. Alkali basalt was erupted first,followed by sub-alkaline basalt. Quasi-concentric expansionof eruption centers coinciding with uplift and with decreasingalkalinity of the lavas suggests that Ueno magmatism originatedfrom a mantle diapir as it mushroomed at the base of the lithosphere.Depleted asthenospheric mantle (alkali basalt), enriched lithosphericmantle (sub-alkaline basalt), and crustal components are identifiedas chemical end-members in the petrogenesis of the Ueno Basalts.Incompatible trace element abundances indicate that the Uenoalkali basalts are typical within-plate basalts, whereas thesub-alkaline basalts show strong affinities with normal arclavas. Sr–Nd–Pb isotopic compositions indicate thatthe mantle source of the alkali basalts was more depleted thanthat of the sub-alkaline basalts. About 7% melting of asthenosphericmantle in the garnet-lherzolite stability field produced theprimitive alkali basalts and 12% melting of spinel lherzolitewithin the subcontinental lithosphere produced the primitivesub-alkaline basalts. Isotopic compositions and fluid mobile/immobileelement ratios broadly covary with SiO₂ contents in the sub-alkalinesuite, and increasing silica content is associated with strongerEMII (Enriched Mantle II) isotope affinities and fluid mobileelement abundances. A progressive AFC (assimilation–fractionalcrystallization) model assuming assimilation of a low-K silicicmelt reproduces the chemical variations observed in the sub-alkalinesuite. Melting of a flattening mantle diapir at the base ofthe lithosphere is the dominant cause of Ueno magmatism, accompaniedby the assimilation of older arc crust. KEY WORDS: arc basalt; crustal assimilation; mantle heterogeneity; Ueno Basalts     

Authigenic pyrite and gypsum in South West African continental slope sediments

An unusual association of authigenic pyrite and authigenic gypsum has been found in silty clays recovered from the South West African continental slope. Nannofossil content suggests that the sediments are Upper Miocene-Lower Pliocene in age. Pyrite occurs as (1) granular masses, (2) ‘worm’tubes, (3) foraminiferal infillings, and (4) framboids. Gypsum occurs as euhedral single or twinned crystals of selenite. ‘Worm’tubes and foraminiferal infillings of pyrite are partially or completely enclosed in some gypsum crystals. Electron microprobe analyses show a relatively high concentration of manganese in both the granular masses and tubes. Present-day waters off this coast are dominated by the upwelling of cold, nutrient-enriched waters (the Benguela Current). These rich waters support an enormous population of plankton. Death and decomposition of these plankton consume oxygen, thereby creating a belt of anaerobic sediments close to shore. An Upper Miocene-Lower Pliocene regression (Dingle & Scrutton, 1974) lowered sea level and shifted an older analogue of this upwelling zone seaward, eventually establishing an anaerobic environment in places on the present continental slope. Anaerobic bacteria thrived in these conditions. They reduced SO₄ dissolved in sea water, initiating the formation of H₂S. The H₂S reacted with iron minerals present in the sediment to form FeS. Addition of elemental sulphur produced pyrite. This strongly reducing, low pH, environment became saturated with calcium obtained by the dissolution of planktonic calcareous organisms. Gypsum was precipitated once the product of the concentrations of dissolved calcium and SO₄ exceeded the gypsum solubility product.     

Constant Ps-T Amphibolite to Granulite Facies Transition in Agto (West Greenland) Metadolerites: Implications and Applications

Within the Isortoq Complex of central West Greenland, doleritedykes have been metamorphosed in upper amphibolite to garnetgranulite facies. Detailed sampling and petrographic study ofthese dykes demonstrate that the entire sequence of assemblagesmay occur in individual dykes, with the amphibolite facies assemblagesnormally restricted to dyke margins, garnet granulite faciesrocks occurring in the dyke cores, and pyroxene granulite faciesrocks intervening between these two. Electron microprobe analysisof all coexisting phases demonstrates that the progression fromamphibolite facies to granulite facies assemblages results inthe extraction of edenite and tschermakite components from theamphibole in approximately a 2: 1 ratio. As amphibole breakdownproceeds, systematic changes in element abundance within amphiboleoccur when reactions are crossed, due to the development ofnew phases. The algebraic removal of small but systematic compositionalvariations within the dykes allows derivation of six equilibria,which provide a general model for metamorphism of basaltic rocksunder high grade metamorphic conditions. This model takes theform of the idealized assemblage sequences which will developalong (regional) gradients in X_H2O, temperature and/or solidpressure. Analysis of these equilibria demonstrates that variablesilica activity and Fe²⁺–Mg²⁺ exchange will modify reactionstoichiometry, will affect the ratio of edenite to tschermakitein amphibole breakdown reactions, and will modify the compositionof the product plagioclase. These variations together with variationsin water fugacity will locally modify the ideal assemblage sequences,and will explain the complex assemblage relationships observedin metabasic rocks of natural high grade terranes. ^*Present address: Instituttet for Teknisk Geologi, Danish Technical University, Building 204, DK–2800 Lyngby, Denmark     

NEITHER BIBLICAL PLAGUE NOR PRISTINE MYTH: A LESSON FROM CENTRAL EUROPEAN SPARROWS*

The historical superabundance of passenger pigeons in North America and of house sparrows in Central Europe is anthropogenic; that is, the result of human actions, in these cases with unintended consequences. In this article we concentrate on the superabundance of sparrows in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries and outline the reasons for it. Both the passenger pigeon and the sparrow examples serve as ideal types for misplaced understanding of historical numbers of individuals as indicators of assumed pristine natural situations. Both examples reflect severe human impacts on the metapopulations of the bird species. Historical data on abundance can be misleading when they are used as guides in current conservation efforts. Selections of “right” numbers are arbitrary, because no points of reference exist in natural systems.