Spatiotemporal Patterns of Subtidal Benthic Microalgal Biomass and Community Composition in Galveston Bay,Texas, USA

Many Gulf of Mexico estuaries have low ratios of water volume to bottom surface area, and benthic processes in these systems likely have a major influence on system structure and function. The purpose of this study was to determine the spatiotemporal distribution of biomass and community composition of subtidal benthic microalgal (BMA) communities in Galveston Bay, TX, USA, compare BMA community composition and biomass to phytoplankton in overlying waters, and estimate the potential contribution of BMA to the trophodynamics in this shallow, turbid, subtropical estuary. The estimates of BMA biomass (mean = 4.21 mg Chl a m⁻²) for Galveston Bay were within the range of the reported values for similar Gulf of Mexico estuaries. BMA biomass in the central part of the bay was essentially homogeneous, whereas biomass at the seaward and upper bay ends of the transect were significantly lower. Peridinin, fucoxanthin, and alloxanthin were the three carotenoids with the highest concentrations, with fucoxanthin having the highest mean concentration (1.82 mg m⁻²). The seaward and landward ends of the transect differed from the central region of the bay with respect to the relative abundances of chlorophytes, cyanobacteria, and photosynthetic bacteria. Benthic microalgal community composition also showed a gradual shift over time due to changes in the relative abundances of photosynthetic bacteria, cryptophytes, dinoflagellates, and cyanobacteria. Major changes in community composition occurred in the spring months (March to April). On an areal basis, BMA biomass in Galveston Bay occurred at minor concentrations (16.5%) relative to phytoplankton. Furthermore, the concentrations of carotenoid pigments for phytoplankton and BMA (fucoxanthin, alloxanthin, and zeaxanthin) were correlated (r = 0.48 to 0.61), suggesting a close linkage between microalgae in the water column and sediments. The contribution of BMA to the primary productivity of the deeper waters (>2 m) of Galveston Bay is probably very small in comparison to shallower waters along the bay margins. The significant similarities in the community composition of phytoplankton and BMA illustrate the potential importance of deposition and resuspension processes in this turbid, shallow estuary.     

华北克拉通东南缘约1.8 Ga高压麻粒岩相变质作用:岩石学和锆石U-Pb年代学证据

华北克拉通北邻中亚造山带,南接秦岭-大别-苏鲁造山带.它通常被认为是约18亿年固结形成的陆块.其基底的形成与演化,一直受到广泛关注(Zhao et al.,1998,2000,2005;Zhai et al.,2000,2005;Wilde et al.,2002,2005;Guo et al.,2005;Kroner et al.,2005,2006;Lu et al.,2008).大多数研究者都注重于华北克拉通内部、北部和东西陆块结合带(中间带),较少关注东南缘基底的形成与演化研究.     

A coupling of mixed and discontinuous Galerkin finite-element methods for poroelasticity

In this paper, we formulate a finite-element procedure for approximating the coupled fluid and mechanics in Biot’s consolidation model of poroelasticity. We approximate the flow variables by a mixed finite-element space and the displacement by a family of discontinuous Galerkin methods. Theoretical convergence error estimates are derived and, in particular, are shown to be independent of the constrained specific storage coefficient, c _o . This suggests that our proposed algorithm is a potentially effective way to combat locking, or the nonphysical pressure oscillations, which sometimes arise in numerical algorithms for poroelasticity.     

Accurate local upscaling with variable compact multipoint transmissibility calculations

We propose a new single-phase local upscaling method that uses spatially varying multipoint transmissibility calculations. The method is demonstrated on two-dimensional Cartesian and adaptive Cartesian grids. For each cell face in the coarse upscaled grid, we create a local fine grid region surrounding the face on which we solve two generic local flow problems. The multipoint stencils used to calculate the fluxes across coarse grid cell faces involve the six neighboring pressure values. They are required to honor the two generic flow problems. The remaining degrees of freedom are used to maximize compactness and to ensure that the flux approximation is as close as possible to being two-point. The resulting multipoint flux approximations are spatially varying (a subset of the six neighbors is adaptively chosen) and reduce to two-point expressions in cases without full-tensor anisotropy. Numerical tests show that the method significantly improves upscaling accuracy as compared to commonly used local methods and also compares favorably with a local–global upscaling method.     

Hydrogeologic assessment of escalating groundwater exploitation in the Indus Basin, Pakistan

Groundwater development has contributed significantly to food security and reduction in poverty in Pakistan. Due to rapid population growth there has been a dramatic increase in the intensity of groundwater exploitation leading to declining water tables and deteriorating groundwater quality. In such prevailing conditions, the hydrogeological appraisal of escalating groundwater exploitation has become of paramount importance. Keeping this in view, a surface water–groundwater quantity and quality model was developed to assess future groundwater trends in the Rechna Doab (RD), a sub-catchment of the Indus River Basin. Scenario analysis shows that if dry conditions persist, there will be an overall decline in groundwater levels of around 10 m for the whole of RD during the next 25 years. The lower parts of RD with limited surface water supplies will undergo the highest decline in groundwater levels (10 to 20 m), which will make groundwater pumping very expensive for farmers. There is a high risk of groundwater salinization due to vertical upconing and lateral movement of highly saline groundwater into the fresh shallow aquifers in the upper parts of RD. If groundwater pumping is allowed to increase at the current rate, there will be an overall decline in groundwater salinity for the lower and middle parts of RD because of enhanced river leakage.     

Zircon M257 ‐ a Homogeneous Natural Reference Material for the Ion Microprobe U‐Pb Analysis of Zircon

We introduce and propose zircon M257 as a future reference material for the determination of zircon U‐Pb ages by means of secondary ion mass spectrometry. This light brownish, flawless, cut gemstone specimen from Sri Lanka weighed 5.14 g (25.7 carats). Zircon M257 has TIMS‐determined, mean isotopic ratios (2s uncertainties) of 0.09100 ± 0.00003 for ²⁰⁶pb/²³⁸U and 0.7392 ± 0.0003 for ²⁰⁷pb/²³⁵U. Its ²⁰⁶pb/²³⁸U age is 561.3 ± 0.3 Ma (unweighted mean, uncertainty quoted at the 95% confidence level); the U‐Pb system is concordant within uncertainty of decay constants. Zircon M257 contains ～ 840 μg g^?1 U (Th/U ～ 0.27). The material exhibits remarkably low heterogeneity, with a virtual absence of any internal textures even in cathodoluminescence images. The uniform, moderate degree of radiation damage (estimated from the expansion of unit‐cell parameters, broadening of Raman spectral parameters and density) corresponds well, within the “Sri Lankan trends”, with actinide concentrations, U‐Pb age, and the calculated alpha fluence of 1.66 × 10¹⁸ g^?1. This, and a (U+Th)/He age of 419 ± 9 Ma (2s), enables us to exclude any unusual thermal history or heat treatment, which could potentially have affected the retention of radiogenic Pb. The oxygen isotope ratio of this zircon is 13.9%o VSMOW suggesting a metamorphic genesis in a marble or calc‐silicate skarn.     

Long-Term Changes in Water Quality and Productivity in the Patuxent River Estuary: 1985 to 2003

We conducted a quantitative assessment of estuarine ecosystem responses to reduced phosphorus and nitrogen loading from sewage treatment facilities and to variability in freshwater flow and nonpoint nutrient inputs to the Patuxent River estuary. We analyzed a 19-year dataset of water quality conditions, nutrient loading, and climatic forcing for three estuarine regions and also computed monthly rates of net production of dissolved O₂ and physical transport of dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) using a salt- and water-balance model. Point-source loading of DIN and DIP to the estuary declined by 40–60% following upgrades to sewage treatment plants and correlated with parallel decreases in DIN and DIP concentrations throughout the Patuxent. Reduced point-source nutrient loading and concentration resulted in declines in phytoplankton chlorophyll-a (chl-a) and light-saturated carbon fixation, as well as in bottom-layer O₂ consumption for upper regions of the estuary. Despite significant reductions in seaward N transport from the middle to lower estuary, chl-a, turbidity, and surface-layer net O₂ production increased in the lower estuary, especially during summer. This degradation of water quality in the lower estuary appears to be linked to a trend of increasing net inputs of DIN into the estuary from Chesapeake Bay and to above-average river flow during the mid-1990s. In addition, increased abundance of Mnemiopsis leidyi significantly reduced copepod abundance during summer from 1990 to 2002, which favored increases in chl-a and allowed a shift in total N partitioning from DIN to particulate organic nitrogen. These analyses illustrate (1) the value of long-term monitoring data, (2) the need for regional scale nutrient management that includes integrated estuarine systems, and (3) the potential water quality impacts of altered coastal food webs.     

A combined mathematical geophysical model for prediction of pyrite oxidation and pollutant leaching associated with a coal washing waste dump

The waste produced by coal washing process produces many environmental problems. In this study, the pollution problems associated with the waste produced by Alborz Sharghi Coal Washing Plant was investigated by mathematical modeling. The study area is located at 11 km. to Razmjah coal region and 45 km. to Tehran-Mashhad road in the north part od Iran. To achieve the goal, a few samples were taken from different depths at three points on the waste dump in order to investigate pyrite oxidation and pollution generation. The samples were then analysed, using an AA-670 Shimadzu atomic absorption to determine the fraction of pyrite remained within the waste particles. A numerical finite volume model using Phoenics package has been developed to simulate pyrite oxidation and pollution generation from the Alborz Sharghi coal washing waste dump. The pyrite oxidation reaction is described by the shrinking-core model. Gaseous diffusion is the main mechanism for the transport of oxygen through the waste. The results of numerical modelling were compared with the field observations and close agreement was achieved. A simple mathematical model incorporating advection and hydrodynamic dispersion processes was also presented in order to verify the results of geophysical time-laps method showing transportation of the pollutants through the downstream of the waste dump. Both mathematical model and geophysical time-laps method are agreed in the identification of pollutant transport emanated from the waste dump. The results of such investigations can be used for designing an effective environmental management program.     

LREE distribution in perovskite,apatite and titanite from South West Ugandan xenoliths and kamafugite lavas

Summary In-situ microprobe LREE analyses of perovskite and titanite (La, Ce, Nd), and apatite (La, Ce), from SW Ugandan clinopyroxenite xenoliths and kamafugite lavas indicate that LREE distribution in these minerals is determined by a number of factors related to their different parageneses: In particular LREE content is affected by whether the LREE-bearing minerals have crystallised from metasomatic carbonate or from silicate (i.e. metasomatic or magmatic) melts in the mantle. In this situation LREE partition favours carbonate over silicate melts. Distribution of LREE in perovskite and apatite crystallised from magmatic mantle melts or mantle-derived lavas is chiefly determined by preference of LREE for perovskite > apatite > titanite. LREE zoning in perovskite is influenced by changes in melt structure: increasing melt polymerisation enhancing mineral_LREE/melt_LREE partition into perovskite rims in magmatic xenoliths; decreasing melt polymerisation depleting LREE in lava perovskite rims. This zoning is reinforced by perovskite competition with apatite for LREE: perovskite (cores/rims) co-crystallising with apatite is reduced in LREE. There are 37 instances of perovskitewith Ce below detection while La and Nd levels are normal. These occur in both xenoliths and lavas; in grain zones or whole grains. Likewise Ce alone of the LREE is below detection in six out of ten titanite analyses. These observations are interpreted as evidence for increased f_{O 2}, Ce⁴ + being excluded from these mineral structures. Recognition of these various processes can elucidate the interpretation of bulk rock and bulk mineral LREE signatures in kamafugite volcanism.

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LREE Verteilung in Perovskit, Apatit und Titanit aus Xenolithen und kamafugitischen Laven Südwest-Ugandas

Zusammenfassung In-situ LREE Analysen von Perovskit und Titanit (La, Ce, Nd) und Apatit (La, Ce) aus Klinopyroxenit-Xenolithen und kamafugitischen Laven Südwest-Ugandas zeigen, daß die LREE Verteilung in diesen Mineralen durch eine Vielzahl von Faktoren, die mit Unterschieden in den Paragenesen zusammenhängen, bestimmt wird: Der LREE-Gehalt wird im besonderen davon bestimmt, ob die LREE-führenden Minerale aus metasomatischen Karbonat- oder aus (metasomatischen oder magmatischen) Silikatschmelzen im Mantel auskristallisierten. Dabei erfolgt die LREE Fraktionierung zu Gunsten der Karbonatschmelzen. Die LREE-Verteilung von Perovskit und Apatit, die aus magmatischen Mantelschmelzen oder -laven kristallisierten, wird vorrangig durch den bevorzugten Einbau der LREE in Perovskit > Apatit > Titanit kontrolliert. Der LREE Zonarbau von Perovskit wird durch die Änderungen der Schmelzstruktur beinflußt: Verstärkte Schmelzpolymerisation führt zu verstärkter Mineral_LFEE/Schmelze_LREE Fraktionierung in den Perovskiträndern magmatischer Xenolithe, eine Abnahme der Schmelzpolymerisation hingegen resultiert in einer Abreicherung der LREE in den Perovskiträndern. Diese Art der Zonierung wird durch den Wettbewerb von Perovskit mit Apatit um die LREE verstärkt. Perovskit (Kerne/Ränder), der mit Apatit gemeinsam auskristallisierte, ist ärmer an LREE. 37 Fälle, in denenCe nicht nachweisbar war, La und Nd aber in normaler Konzentration auftreten, wurden sowohl in den Xenolithen als auch in den Laven gefunden; und zwar entweder in Kornbereichen oder in ganzen Körnern. Vergleichsweise liegt Ce nur in sechs von zehn Titanitproben unterhalb der Nachweisgrenze. Diese Beobachtungen werden als Hinweise auf erhöhte SauerstoffFugazitäten, bei denen Ce^4– aus der Mineralstruktur ausgeschlossen wird, angesehen.Ein Verständnis dieser verschiedenen Prozesse kann zur besseren Interpretation von LREE Gesamtgesteins- und Gesamtmineral-Signaturen in Kamafugiten beitragen.

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With 3 Figures