Continuous real‐time analysis of the isotopic composition of precipitation during tropical rain events: Insights into tropical convection

To investigate stable isotopic variability of precipitation in Singapore, we continuously analysed the δ‐value of individual rain events from November 2014 to August 2017 using an online system composed of a diffusion sampler coupled to Cavity Ring‐Down Spectrometer. Over this period, the average value (δ¹⁸O_Avg), the lowest value (δ¹⁸O_Low), and the initial value (δ¹⁸O_Init) varied significantly, ranging from ?0.45 to ?15.54‰, ?0.9 to ?17.65‰, and 0 to ?13.13‰, respectively. All 3 values share similar variability, and events with low δ¹⁸O_Low and δ¹⁸O_Avg values have low δ¹⁸O_Init value. Individual events have limited intraevent variability in δ‐value (Δδ) with the majority having a Δδ below 4‰. Correlation of δ¹⁸O_Low and δ¹⁸O_Avg with δ¹⁸O_Init is much higher than that with Δδ, suggesting that convective activities prior to events have more control over δ‐value than on‐site convective activities. The d‐excess of events also varies considerably in response to the seasonal variation in moisture sources. A 2‐month running mean analysis of δ¹⁸O reveals clear seasonal and interannual variability. Seasonal variability is associated with the meridional movement of the Intertropical Convergence Zone and evolution of the Asian monsoon. El Niño–Southern Oscillation is a likely driver of interannual variability. During 2015–2016, the strongest El Niño year in recorded history, the majority of events have a δ¹⁸O value higher than the weighted average δ¹⁸O of daily precipitation. δ¹⁸O shows a positive correlation with outgoing longwave radiation in the western Pacific and the Asian monsoon region, and also with Oceanic Niño Index. During El Niño, the convection centre shifts eastward to the central/eastern Pacific, weakening convective activities in Southeast Asia. Our study shows that precipitation δ‐value contains information about El Niño–Southern Oscillation and the Intertropical Convergence Zone, which has a significant implication for the interpretation of water isotope data and understanding of hydrological processes in tropical regions.     

Small-scale patterns of meiofauna in a bryophyte covered tufa barrier (Plitvice Lakes,Croatia)

Meiobenthic fauna is complex and essential part of the stream benthos and it is known as intermediaries from bacteria to higher trophic levels. However, the dynamics and mechanisms regulating this community at small-scale largely have been neglected. This study was carried out to determine meiofaunal dynamics in a small scale-patterns influenced by flow velocity and other abiotic and biotic factors. We examined meiofauna within bryophytes on a tufa barrier in Plitvice Lakes National Park using a detailed taxonomic approach of various meiofaunal groups and their feeding guilds. We choose three microhabitats (slow, medium, fast) differing significantly in flow velocity above bryophytes. Bdelloid rotifers were the most abundant group in microhabitat with highest flow velocity, while in other two microhabitats nematodes and monogonont rotifers prevailed in abundance. Data on environmental variables and main meiofaunal taxa and feeding guilds were analyzed using redundancy analysis. This analysis indicated that microfilter feeding guild (e.g. bdelloid rotifers) was strongly affected by interaction of flow velocity and POM fractions. Other feeding guilds were influenced by temperature, oxygen and/or pH and did not prefer high flow velocity. Suction-feeder nematodes and microfilter-feeder rotifers were dominant on temporal and spatial scale, indicating their good adaptations on frequently disturbed conditions that prevailed on bryophyte covered tufa barrier. Our results provide comprehensive survey of diversity, density as well as trophic structure of meiofauna in aquatic bryophytes. Differences in meiofaunal composition and density between three microhabitats suggest that the meiofauna is relevant indicator of environmental changes even at small-scale pattern.     

Features in REE and Methane Anomalies Distribution in the East China Sea Water Column: a Comparison with the South China Sea

Water Resources - This paper presents review of dissolved Rare Earth Elements (REE) and methane anomalies distribution in the East China Sea water column. In general, the REE concentrations of the...     

The organisation of fish assemblages in the regulated Lima basin, Northern Portugal

In order to understand the structure of fish assemblages in the modified Lima basin (Northern Portugal), two distinct datasets concerning the presence and abundance of fish species were subjected to multivariate analysis. On the River Lima two types of flow modification are present within kilometres of one another: (a) a reduced and constant flow due to hypolimnetic release; and (b) an intense and irregular flow. A comparison of their influence on fish assemblages revealed a gradient of assemblage types from tributaries to main river sites. The latter were characterised by a strong dominance of cyprinids, particularly Iberian barbel (Barbus bocagei). The former harboured two kinds of fish assemblages: those closer to the river mouth were dominated by the cyprinids Iberian chub (Squalius carolitertii) and Iberian nase (Chondrostoma polylepis), which were also frequently present in the main river; while in those further upstream the predominant species was the brown trout (Salmo trutta). Although explanatory variables such as distance from source, altitude, substrate coarseness and width were the primary correlates of fish assemblage composition, dam construction and flow regulation also had a significant effect upon assemblage structure, particularly by: i) reducing the importance of migratory species; ii) constraining the presence of trout in the regulated segments; and iii) simplifying the community, especially in the case of the constant and reduced flow regime.     

Spatial and temporal controls on historical channel responses – study of an atypical case: Someşu Mic River,Romania

In this paper the spatial and temporal responses of the Some?u Mic River (Romania) to natural and anthropogenic controls over the past 150 years are analysed, based on a series of morphometric parameters extracted from five successive sets of topographic maps and one set of orthophotos. Prior to the intensive hydrotechnical interventions of the last four decades, the river was characterized by a complex alternation of different channel types, resulting in a mixture of alluvial and mixed sinuous – meandering – sinuous anabranched – meandering anabranched reaches, each a few hundred metres to a few kilometres long. The main cause for this spatial behaviour was the local geology. Its effects were intensified by a larger scale slope, slightly higher than along a longitudinal profile with normal concavity, as a consequence of the presence of a 400 m elevation knick‐point located in the catchment area. A generalized maintenance of river in the floodplain perimeter during the entire interval of study (centennial scale), with local planform adjustments and lack of median scale avulsion in lateral tilting areas and along the anabranched reaches, channel lengthening and meander development during hydrological stable periods and channel shortening and increasing of natural cutoffs during periods with higher incidence of floods (decadal scale), and the incapacity of local morphologic changes resulted from human interventions to completely counterbalance general trends (decadal scale), supports the idea of decreasing the amplitude and frequency of important floods, after the end of the Little Ice Age. Channel metamorphosis by canalization, diminishing/elimination of overflows and medium‐scale avulsions by changes in flow regimes (dams) and the presence of dykes in the floodplain perimeter, channel narrowing (43%) and incision (at least after 1945) downstream from dams, and probably because of in‐channel gravel mining are the main anthropically induced changes along the Some?u Mic River. Even if human impact is important, both at the drainage basin scale and along the Some?u Mic River, it has only local impacts, subordinated to climate. The low level of human impact on this river could be the consequence of the higher general slope downstream from 400 m elevation knick‐point, which probably forces the positioning of its effects under an important internal threshold of the fluvial system. This boundary condition defines Some?u Mic River as an atypical river. This study supports the idea that climate has a more important role in the post‐Little Ice Age (LIA) rivers' behaviour than currently accepted. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dynamics of phytoplankton associations in three reservoirs in northeastern Brazil assessed using Reynolds’ theory

The aim of the present study was to evaluate the influence of seasonality on the behavior of phytoplankton associations in eutrophic reservoirs with different depths in northeastern Brazil. Five collections were carried out at each of the reservoirs at two depths (0.1 m and near the sediment) at three-month intervals in each season (dry and rainy). The phytoplankton samples were preserved in Lugol's solution and quantified under an inverted microscope for the determination of density values, which were subsequently converted to biomass values based on cellular biovolume and classified in phytoplankton associations. The following abiotic variables were analyzed: water temperature, dissolved oxygen, pH, turbidity, water transparency, total phosphorus, total dissolved phosphorus, orthophosphate and total nitrogen. The data were investigated using canonical correspondence analysis. The influence of seasonality on the dynamics of the phytoplankton community was lesser in the deeper reservoirs. Depth affected the behavior of the algal associations. Variation in light availability was a determinant of changes in the phytoplankton structure. Urosolenia and Anabaena associations were more abundant in shallow ecosystems with a larger eutrophic zone, whereas the Microcystis association was more related to deep ecosystems with adequate availability of nutrients. The distribution of Cyclotella, Geitlerinema, Planktothrix, Pseudanabaena and Cylindrospermopsis associations was different from that seen in subtropical regions and the substitution of these associations was related to a reduction in the eutrophic zone rather than the mixture zone.     

Cotton Fiber/ZrO2, A New Material for Adsorption of Cr(VI) Ions in Water

The natural cotton fiber was used to synthesize an anion exchange, containing ZrO₂ film on its surface, NCFZC (natural cotton fiber/ZrO₂ composite). This anion exchanger was produced by the reaction of the zirconium oxychloride and hydroxyl groups on surface of the natural cotton fiber. The material was used for Cr(VI) ions adsorption studies. Adsorption equilibrium time and optimum pH for Cr(VI) adsorption were found to be 6 h and 4.0, respectively. The Langmuir and Temkin isotherms were used to models adsorption equilibrium data. The adsorption capacity of NCFZC was found to be 1.33 mmol/g. Kinetic studies showed that the rate of adsorption of Cr(VI) on NCFZC obeyed a pseudo‐second‐order kinetic model.     

Geodynamic Evolution of Northeastern Tunisia During the Maastrichtian–Paleocene Time: Insights from Integrated Seismic Stratigraphic Analysis

The Maastrichtian–Paleocene El Haria formation was studied and defined in Tunisia on the basis of outcrops and borehole data; few studies were interested in its three-dimensional extent. In this paper, the El Haria formation is reviewed in the context of a tectono-stratigraphic interval using an integrated seismic stratigraphic analysis based on borehole lithology logs, electrical well logging, well shots, vertical seismic profiles and post-stack surface data. Seismic analysis benefits from appropriate calibration with borehole data, conventional interpretation, velocity mapping, seismic attributes and post-stack model-based inversion. The applied methodology proved to be powerful for charactering the marly Maastrichtian–Paleocene interval of the El Haria formation. Migrated seismic sections together with borehole measurements are used to detail the three-dimensional changes in thickness, facies and depositional environment in the Cap Bon and Gulf of Hammamet regions during the Maastrichtian–Paleocene time. Furthermore, dating based on their microfossil content divulges local and multiple internal hiatuses within the El Haria formation which are related to the geodynamic evolution of the depositional floor since the Campanian stage. Interpreted seismic sections display concordance, unconformities, pinchouts, sedimentary gaps, incised valleys and syn-sedimentary normal faulting. Based on the seismic reflection geometry and terminations, seven sequences are delineated. These sequences are related to base-level changes as the combination of depositional floor paleo-topography, tectonic forces, subsidence and the developed accommodation space. These factors controlled the occurrence of the various parts of the Maastrichtian–Paleocene interval. Detailed examinations of these deposits together with the analysis of the structural deformation at different time periods allowed us to obtain a better understanding of the sediment architecture in depth and the delineation of the geodynamic evolution of the region.