From sequential to parallel growth of cities: Theory and evidence from Canada

This paper examines city growth patterns and the corresponding city size distribution evolution over long periods of time using a simple New Economic Geography(NEG) model and urban population data from Canada. The main findings are twofold. First, there is a transition from sequential to parallel growth of cities over long periods of time: city growth shows a sequential mode in the stage of rapid urbanization, i.e., the cities with the best development conditions will take the lead in growth, after which the cities with higher ranks will become the fastest-growing cities; in the late stage of urbanization, city growth converges according to Gibrat′s law, and exhibits a parallel growth pattern. Second, city size distribution is found to have persistent structural characteristics: the city system is self-organized into multiple discrete size groups; city growth shows club convergence characteristics, and the cities with similar development conditions eventually converge to a similar size. The results will not only enhance our understanding of urbanization process, but will also provide a timely and clear policy reference for promoting the healthy urbanization of developing countries.     

Subduction/obduction rate in the North Pacific diagnosed by an eddy-resolving model

Ventilation in the North Pacifi c is examined using data from the eddy-resolving 1/12° global HYbrid Coordinate Ocean Model(HYCOM) and Quik SCAT wind stress data. For the period January 2004 to December 2006 and area 20°–40°N, the total annual subduction rate is estimated at 79 Sv, and the obduction rate 41 Sv. Resolving the small-scale and high-frequency components of the eddy fi eld can increase the subduction rate by 42 Sv, and obduction by 31 Sv. Lateral induction is the dominant contributor to enhancement of subduction/obduction, and temporal change of mixed layer depth has a secondary role. Further analysis indicates that the high-frequency components of the eddy fi eld, especially those with timescale shorter than 10 days, are the most critical factor enhancing subduction/obduction.     

Impact factors identification of spatial heterogeneity of herbaceous plant diversity on five southern islands of Miaodao Archipelago in North China

Herbaceous plants are widely distributed on islands and where they exhibit spatial heterogeneity. Accurately identifying the impact factors that drive spatial heterogeneity can reveal typical island biodiversity patterns. Five southern islands in the Miaodao Archipelago, North China were studied herein. The spatial distribution of herbaceous plant diversity on these islands was analyzed, and the impact factors and their degree of impact on spatial heterogeneity were identified using CCA ordination and ANOVA. The results reveal 114 herbaceous plant species, belonging to 94 genera from 34 families in the 50 plots sampled. The total species numbers on different islands were significantly positively correlated with island area, and the average α diversity was correlated with human activities, while the β diversity among islands was more affected by island area than mutual distances. Spatial heterogeneity within islands indicated that the diversities were generally high in areas with higher altitude, slope, total nitrogen, total carbon, and canopy density, and lower moisture content, pH, total phosphorus, total potassium, and aspect. Among the environmental factors, pH, canopy density, total K, total P, moisture content, altitude, and slope had significant gross effects, but only canopy density exhibited a significant net effect. Terrain affected diversity by restricting plantation, plantation in turn influenced soil properties and the two together affected diversity. Therefore, plantation was ultimately the fundamental driving factor for spatial heterogeneity in herbaceous plant diversity on the five islands.     

Enrichment characteristics and risk assessment of Hg in bird feathers from Caohai wetland in Guizhou Province,China

Based on the analysis of the enrichment characteristics of Hg and MeHg in bird feathers from Caohai National Nature Reserve in Guizhou, the risks of Hg pollution to the birds from Caohai wetland have been evaluated. The total Hg content of bird feathers ranges from 40 to 5058 ng/g with an average of 924 ng/g. The content of MeHg is significantly correlated with total Hg (r = 0.68, p < 0.01), and the content are among 0.75 and 113 ng/g. The total Hg content in the birds feathers is significantly dependent on their feeding habits, which is mainly in accordance with the following rule: carnivorous birds > omnivorous birds that are mainly carnivorous > omnivorous birds that are mainly herbivorous. There are also differences in the Hg enrichment ability in the different parts of bird feathers, and the total Hg and MeHg content in the wing feathers are significantly higher than that in the other parts of feathers. The bioaccumulation coefficients of aqueous Hg and MeHg by bird feathers are 0.9 × 10⁴–112.13 × 10⁴ (mean value is 20.47 × 10⁴) and 0.47 × 10⁴–70.4 × 10⁴ (mean value is 9.52 × 10⁴), respectively. Although the whole Hg level in Caohai bird feathers is not too high, the Hg content in some carnivorous birds exceeds over or approaches the abnormal threshold when birds are breeding (5 μg/g), which indicates that the birds in Caohai wetland are faced with some risks of ecological Hg pollution.     

New Zircon U‐Pb Age of Granodiorite in Chifeng at the Northern Margin of North China Craton and Constraints on Plate Tectonic Evolution

正Objective The North China Craton(NCC)is one of the oldest cratons in the world.The accretionary belt at its northern margin has been the focus of scholars both at home and abroad(Zhu Junbing and Ren Jishun,2017).In recent years,a series of Late Paleozoic–Mesozoic intrusions trending E–W have been discovered within the northern margin of the NCC,forming a magmatic belt.The study     

内蒙古科尔沁右翼中旗协和尔斯德中生代火山沉积地层时代研究

内蒙古科尔沁右翼中旗协和尔斯德一带出露一套中生代地层,岩石组合主要为酸性火山碎屑岩、火山碎屑沉积岩夹碎屑沉积岩及酸性火山熔岩。1∶50000区调依据在该套地层上部层位发现的木化石组合确定其时代为中—晚侏罗世,结合岩石组合,将该套地层划分为上侏罗统满克头鄂博组。为了准确厘定该套地层时代,为木化石延限研究及区域生物地层划分对比提供依据,本次研究在低于产木化石层位的酸性火山碎屑岩中采取了锆石测年样品(LA-ICP-MS),获得锆石U-Pb年龄(165±1)Ma,时代为中侏罗世。同时采取了侵入该套地层的斑状细晶闪长岩测年样品,获得锆石年龄(131±1)Ma,限定了地层形成的上限年龄。根据岩性组合的区域对比、测年结果、木化石组合时限、地层产状特征,认为该套地层应划为中侏罗统新民组,是突泉火山-沉积盆地充填物的一部分。     

The Middle Triassic evolution of the Bangong–Nujiang Tethyan Ocean: evidence from analyses of OIB-type basalts and OIB-derived phonolites in northern Tibet

International Journal of Earth Sciences - In this paper, we present new major and trace element chemical data for the basalts and phonolites of the Nare ocean island fragment (NaOI), as well as...     

Characterization of the mechanical properties of a claystone by nano-indentation and homogenization

Based on the analyses of mineralogical compositions by X-ray diffraction and microstructure by optical microscopy, the Young’ modulus and hardness of a claystone were characterized by the nano-indentation technique and homogenization method. Three distinct microstructural zones are identified in the claystone: clay matrix, a composite matrix of clay and small mineral grains and imbedded quartz grains. The elastic modulus and hardness of different zones were determined by nano-indentation testing. Based on the statistical analysis of nano-indentation results, the spatial mappings and frequency distributions of elastic modulus and hardness of the different zones were obtained. The elastic moduli of main constituent phases of the claystone are then estimated from the nano-indentation tests. These values were further used for the determination of the macroscopic elastic modulus of the claystone using two different homogenization schemes: the dilute scheme and Mori–Tanaka scheme. The predicted values by the homogenization schemes are compared with experimental data obtained from conventional uniaxial compression tests.