Agricultural land partitioning model based on irrigation efficiency using a multi‐objective artificial bee colony algorithm

In the process of agricultural land consolidation, the land parcels are optimally redesigned and rearranged in such a way that the dimensions of the resulting parcels are proportional to agricultural criteria such as irrigation discharge, soil texture, and cropping pattern. Besides these criteria, spatial factors like slope, road accessibility, volume of earthwork, and geometrical factors such as size and shape of parcels are also included in the design process of agricultural land partitioning. In this study, a land partitioning model was proposed using a multi‐objective artificial bee colony algorithm (MOABC‐LP) taking into consideration the mentioned factors. Initially, a feasible dimension range of parcels in a block was calculated based on irrigation efficiency. Two partitioning layouts were defined according to the topography and geometry of blocks. The proposed method was applied to a real study area and the results suggest that the land partitioning plan obtained by the MOABC‐LP model, in comparison with a designer's plan, not only makes the shape and size of parcels more compatible with the topographical and agricultural conditions of each block, but also reduces their cut‐and‐fill ratio.     

Changes in phytoplankton diversity and community composition along the salinity gradient of the Schelde estuary (Belgium/The Netherlands)

Phytoplankton diversity and community composition were studied along the Schelde river–estuary–coastal zone continuum during the summer of 2003. DCA analysis indicated a gradual compositional turnover of the phytoplankton community within the estuary. GAM modelling of species response curves along the estuarine gradient was used to identify taxa that had their population maximum in the river, the coastal zone or within the estuary. Taxa that had their population maximum within the estuary did not form a homogenous community but comprised species with different salinity optima and rather restricted salinity tolerances. The observed changes in community composition along the estuarine transition zone correspond more closely to an ecocline than to an ecotone model. Despite the fact that few taxa had their population maximum at or near the salinity gradient, alpha diversity did not display a minimum around the salinity gradient. This lack of a diversity minimum within the estuary was ascribed to an important contribution of taxa of riverine or coastal origin to alpha diversity within the estuary contributed. On average 55% of the alpha diversity in the estuarine samples was due to riverine or coastal taxa. Beta diversity displayed a clear maximum around the salinity gradient. For planktonic organisms which are subject to mass effects, beta diversity is probably a better indicator for the impact of the salinity gradient on diversity in estuaries than alpha diversity.     

Experimental constraints on the solidification of a hydrous lunar magma ocean

The identification of hydrogen in a range of lunar samples and the similarity of its abundance and isotopic composition with terrestrial values suggest that water could have been present in the Moon since its formation. To quantify the effect of water on early lunar differentiation, we present new analyses of a high‐pressure, high‐temperature experimental study designed to model the mineralogical and geochemical evolution of the solidification material equivalent to 700 km deep lunar magma oceans first reported in Lin et al. (2017a). We also performed additional experiments to better quantify water contents in the run products. Water contents in the melt phases in hydrous run products spanning a range of crystallization steps were quantified directly using a secondary ion mass spectrometry (SIMS). Results suggest that a significant but constant proportion (68 ± 5%) of the hydrogen originally added to the experiments was lost from the starting material independent of run conditions and run duration. The volume of plagioclase formed during our crystallization experiments can be combined with the measured water contents and the observed crustal thickness on the Moon to provide an updated lunar interior hygrometer. Our data suggest that at least 45–354 ppm H₂O equivalent was present in the Moon at the time of crust formation. These estimates confirm the inference of Lin et al. (2017a) that the Moon was wet during its magma ocean stage, with corrected absolute water contents now comparable to estimates derived from the water content in a range of lunar samples.     

Distinct patterns of bank erosion in a navigable regulated river

Distinct bankline patterns appeared after the removal of protection works along a navigable reach of the Meuse River. A series of oblique embayments now dominate the riverine landscape after ten years of bank erosion, but their location and asymmetry cannot be explained yet. This work analyses and integrates field measurements of flow, ship waves, bank composition, bed topography and historical maps to explain the observed patterns along two reaches of the river. An extraordinary low-water-level event generated by a ship accident provided the unique opportunity to also analyse the subaqueous bank topography. The results indicate that the formation of oblique embayments arises from the combination of floodplain heterogeneity, structured by scroll-bar deposits, and the regulation of water levels, resulting in ship-wave attack at a narrow range of bank elevation for 70% of the time. Substrate erodibility acts on the effectiveness of trees to slow down local bank erosion rates, which is possibly enhanced by a positive feedback between woody roots and cohesive soil. The strong regulation of water levels and the waves generated by the intense ship traffic produce an increasingly long mildly-sloping terrace at the bank toe and progressively dominate the bank erosion process. This study demonstrates the important role of floodplain and scroll bar formation in shaping later bank erosion, which has implications for predictive numerical models, restoration strategies, and understanding the role of vegetation in bank erosion processes. © 2019 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

Carbonate removal by acidification causes loss of nitrogenous compounds in continental margin sediments

This study reports on measurements of organic carbon (C_org) and total nitrogen (N_tot) in surface sediments originating from 6 transects along the northwest European continental margin. After elimination of carbonates by an acidification technique using sulphurous acid, both elements were analysed in the same sediment sample using an elemental analyser. C_org and N_tot in the sample were comparatively low, ranging between 1 and 10 mg C and 0.2 to 1 mg N g⁻¹ dry sediment. In a second analysis, the samples were analysed without acid addition, resulting in N_tot concentrations of 0–50% higher compared to their acidified counterparts. As a consequence, molar C/N ratios derived from the analysis of C_org and N_tot in the acidified sample ranged between 6 to 11, while the N_tot separate analysis reduced C/N ratios to 6 to 8. It is suggested that the addition of sulphurous acid to eliminate inorganic carbon volatilises nitrogenous organic matter.     

HEIFE非均匀陆面上区域能量平衡研究

卫星遥感在研究非均匀陆面上地－气间能量和水循环过程时有其独到的作用。本文介绍了一种利用陆地资源卫星ＴＭ资料进行非均匀陆面上区域能量平衡研究的参数化方案。以两个景的ＴＭ资料（１９９１年７月９日,夏季;１９９１年１０月２９日,近冬季）为个例,结合“黑河实验”（ＨＥＩＦＥ）期间的地面观测资料分析研究了实验区非均匀陆面上地表特征参数（地表反射率、标准化差值植被指数和地表温度）及能量平衡各分量（地表净辐射通量、土壤热通量、感热和潜热通量）的区域分布及季节差异,同时将所得的结果与地面观测的“真值”作了比较。结果表明：（１）由于黑河实验区下垫面状况十分复杂,戈壁、沙漠与绿洲交错分布,故在整个实验区内各地表特征参数及能量平衡各分量的分布范围亦比较宽;（２）地表特征参数及能量平衡各分量在实验区的绿洲、戈壁及沙漠上各有其特定的代表值;（３）地表能量平衡各分量的区域平均值在整个实验区内基本平衡;（４）夏季与近冬季的地表特征参数及能量平衡各分量的分布特征存在着显著差异。所得的这些结果与地面观测的“真值”和局地研究的结论基本一致。这些分析对非均匀下垫面中尺度模式陆面过程参数化方案的建立以及模式预报效果的检验都具有不可缺少的重要意义。     

Some aspects of coronal streamer dynamics

Observations of coronal streamers suggest that these configurations are stationary in terms of the convective time scale, but not with respect to the diffusive processes. In this paper, the diffusive time scale is estimated and the thickness of a stationary streamer where convective and diffusive processes are balanced turns out to be very small.Instead of balancing the terms in the magnetic equation to obtain a zero time derivative, we suggest that the diffusive part is negligible and therefore, the convective term must be zero in the largest part of the streamer. This can be obtained by introducing flux transport through the streamer.We show that the arising convective model is to be understood from evolutionary arguments; the upward flux transport leads to a time scale for the life of a streamer, related to the evolution of the underlying magnetic field. Slight differences occur between stationary models and the present model; these differences are shown not to be in conflict with radio observations.     

Alterations in guano phosphates and mio-pliocene carbonates of table mountain Santa Barbara,Curacao

The Table Mountain Santa Barbara, consisting of the Mio-Pliocene Seroe Domi Limestone Formation, was probably covered with a guano layer in the Pleistocene (?). Solutions, carrying guano-derived phosphate, percolated downwards, resulting in partial phosphatization of the underlying limestones. Only two phosphate minerals are present in the Table Mountain: apatite, and whitlockite.Phosphatization includes both replacement of the original carbonate or (pre-phosphate) dolomite, and cementation in primary- as well as secondary porosity (cryptocrystalline, isotropic phosphate cement, (micro)crystalline apatite, isopachous apatite fringe cement, multiple-zoned apatite crusts, rhombic whitlockite cements). Two factors controlled the final distribution of the phosphate within the Table Mountain. Firstly, changing positions of the sea level (and, therefore, of the diagenetic environments) determined the overall distribution of the phosphatized interval, a horizontal layer (98–128 m above sea level) sandwiched between two non-phosphatized limestone units.Original carbonate facies and -mineralogy was the second controlling factor causing the final variations in degree of phosphatization. The limestones comprise two lithofacies: (a) coralliferous limestone lenses erratically distributed amidst; and (b) micritic limestones. These coralliferous limestones are phosphatized preferentially forming so-called “phosphate pockets”, sharply outlined within a non-phosphatized micritic limestone “host”. These pockets are characteristically organized into five zones which are described in detail. Higher original porosity/permeability of the coralliferous limestone lenses as compared to the micrites, additionally enhanced by a phase of pre-phosphate dolomitization, determined preferential phosphatization of this facies type.A second controlling factor was the original carbonate mineralogy and resulting dia-