Signatures of Restoration and Management Changes in the Water Quality of a Central California Estuary

Coastal managers and policy-makers are concerned with tracking improvements to water quality linked to management changes. Long-term water quality data acquired from two wetland areas in the upper reaches of the Elkhorn Slough estuary in central California were analyzed for signatures of land restoration or water control structure management. Post-restoration averaged NO₃, NH₃, and PO₄ concentrations were 50–70% less than before-restoration concentrations. Assessment of watershed-scale effects revealed that proximity of restoration to sampling locations had almost as strong an effect on water quality as the percentage of land restored relative to watershed size. Results also suggest that restoration of even 1% of an agriculturally intensive watershed such as that of the Elkhorn Slough may result in improvements to water quality. Finally, results indicate that tide gate function can dominate water quality in managed wetlands and must be carefully tracked and managed in the context of estuarine conservation targets.     

A conceptual template for integrative human–environment research

Knowledge integration, the blending of concepts from two or more disciplines to create innovative new worldviews, is a key process in attempts to increase the sustainability of human activities on Earth. In this paper, we describe a ‘conceptual template’ that can be used to catalyse this process. The template comprises (a) a list of high-level concepts that capture the essential aspects of any significant human–environment problem, plus (b) broad lists of low-level basic concepts drawn from a range of disciplines. Our high-level concepts, which we call ‘conceptual clusters’, are labelled Dynamics & System, Organisation & Scale, Controlling Models, Management & Policy, Adaptation & Learning, and History. Many of the clustered, lower-level concepts are synonyms and thus provide possible connections between disciplines—for this reason we call them ‘nexus concepts’. We suggest that a conceptual template like that presented here can provide strong support to the initial phases of integrative research programs.     

Equilibration temperatures of EL chondrites: A major downward revision in the ferrosilite contents of enstatite

Abstract A study of enstatite grains separated from EL6 chondrites shows ferrosilite contents to be ～0.02–0.04 mol%, about an order of magnitude lower than reported in the literature. The higher values reported earlier can probably be attributed to the excitation of Fe atoms in Fe-Ni and FeS, in part from μm-sized blebs of FeS and Fe-Ni commonly present in enstatite grains but mainly from large neighboring opaque grains excited by bremsstrahlung or by doubly backscattered electrons. Our EL6 ferrosilite contents are similar to those observed in coarse enstatite grains in some aubrites. The equilibrium between ferrosilite and Si-bearing kamacite is highly temperature dependent. At constant Si concentration in kamacite, the equilibrium ferrosilite mole fraction drops by a factor of roughly 2.5 for each 100 K decrease in the equilibrium temperature. As a result, the compositions of these two most common EL6 phases can be used to estimate metamorphic equilibration temperatures. The inferred temperatures are near 1200 K.     

Photoelectric photometry of the RS CVn binary EI Eridani = HD 26337

DifferentialUBV(RI) _KC andUBVRI photometry of the RS CVn binary EI Eridani obtained during December 1987 and January 1988 at fourteen different observatories is presented. A combined visual bandpass light curve, corrected for systematic errors of different observatories, utilizes the photometric period of 1.945 days to produce useful results. Analysis shows the visual light curve to have twin maxima, separated by about 0.4 phase, and a full amplitude of approximately 0.06 mag for the period of observation, a smaller amplitude than reported in the past. The decrease in amplitude may be due to a decrease or homogenization of spot coverage. To fit the asymmetrical light curve, a starspot model would have to employ at least two spotted regions separated in longitude.     

Compositional evidence regarding the influx of interplanetary materials onto the lunar surface

Siderophilic element/Ir ratios are higher in mature lunar soils from highlands sites than in those from mare sites. We infer that the population of materials responsible for the early intense bombardment of the Moon had high ratios, and that the population responsible for the essentially constant flux has low ratios. No group of chondrites has siderophile/Ir ratios identical to those in the mare or highlands soils; CM chondrites are the most similar, and CM-like materials may account for a major fraction of Earth-crossing materials during the past 3.7 b.y.Siderophile/Ir ratios may be used to determine the amount of highlands regolith in soils or breccias from the mare-highlands interface areas (Apollo 15 and 17), and to infer the time of formation of highlands breccias whose sideropbiles originated in mature soils. Arguments are summarized against the viewpoint that the siderophiles in most highlands breccias originated in basin-forming projectiles. Differences in mature soil siderophile concentrations at Apollo 14 and 16 indicate a substantially greater concentration at the latter site immediately following the Imbrium event.Siderophile concentrations are used to estimate mean regolith depths at the landing sites; as relative values these are more precise than estimates based on seismic or crater observations. The longlived flux is calculated to be 2.9 g cm^–2 b.y.^–1 averaged over the past 3.7 b.y. A consideration of the relationship between mass fluence and time indicates that the mass flux decreased with a half-life of about 40 m.y. immediately following the Imbrium event.     

Cooling rates of group IVA iron meteorites

Kamacite Ni profiles in low-Ni and high-Ni IVA irons are distinctly different, and cannot be fit with the same α/(α + γ) boundary in the low-temperature Fe-Ni phase diagram. This is attributed to an expansion of the α field to higher Ni contents resulting from the substantially higher P contents of the high-Ni irons. New α/(α + γ) boundaries are derived for P contents of 0.03 and 0.16%.Cooling rates of six group IVA iron meteorites were estimated by a taenite central Ni concentration-taenite half-width method similar to that of Wood [1]. Narrow (<20 μm) taenite lamellae were used to minimize uncertainties resulting from differences in nucleation temperatures. The calculated cooling rates range between 13 and 25°C/Myr, with an average of 20°C/Myr. No correlation between cooling rate and bulk Ni content is observed, and the data appear to be consistent with a uniform cooling rate as expected from an igneous core origin. This result differs from previous studies reporting a wide range in cooling rates that were strongly correlated with bulk Ni contents. The differences mainly result from differences in the phase diagram and the selected diffusion coefficients.Cooling rates inferred from taenite Ni concentrations at the interface with kamacite are consistent with those based on taenite central Ni contents.     

Element distribution in size fractions of Apollo-16 soils: Evidence for element mobility during regolith processes

Three Apollo-16 soils, 61220, 63500 and 65500, having diverse properties were separated into six size fractions and analyzed for 8 volatiles and siderophiles. Relative concentrations of an additional 20 elements were determined in 61220 and 63500. The volatile elements Cd, Zn, In and Ga increase in concentration with decreasing grain size; in the finest fractions the increase is roughly parallel to the increase in specific surface area, and a surface correlation is inferred. The total increase from coarsest (177–500 μm) to finest (<5 μm) fraction is by factors of 10–20 for Zn and Cd in soils 61220 and 63500. Concentrations of elements that are good indicators of KREEP (Sm), mare basalts (Fe) and anorthosites (Ca) show nearly no dependence on size. The preservation of the observed surface correlation throughout regolith evolution suggests that the volatile elements are labile on the lunar surface.Concentration-size distributions of siderophiles show peaks in the 80–300 μm range for each soil, independent of whether they are dominantly extralunar (Ni, Ge, Au, Ir) or lunar (Co) in origin. If this peak results from agglutinate formation, a viable mechanism must allow for incorporation of the extralunar siderophiles. Alternatively, the peak may result from a continuous growth of metal grain size during the evolution of the regolith.     

Distribution of 28 elements in size fractions of lunar mare and highlands soils

Four volatile, six siderophile and 18 generally lithophile elements were determined in six sieve fractions of mare soil 15100 and seven sieve fractions of highlands soil 66080; 15100 is a moderately and 66080 a highly mature soil.Two size fractions of 66080 were subjected to leaching with HCI and etching with HF. Leaching removed ca. 25% of the rare earths in both the 500-177 μm and 62-20 μm fractions; the soluble phase, probably a phosphate, is enriched in light rare earths relative to the bulk soil. The leach and etch removed a larger portion of Zn and Cd than expected on the basis of surface concentrations inferred from size distribution data apparently because of selective dissolution of minor volatile-rich phases.Lithophile concentrations in 66080 are nearly independent of grain size. In 15100 decreasing grain sizes show moderately increasing amounts of KREEP and anorthosite related elements, and decreasing amounts of basalt related elements. In 66080 a maximum in siderophile concentration occurs at ca 150 μm, as previously observed in our studies of 61220, 63500 and 65500. This peaking appears to result from a gradual increase with time in the size of metal grains as a result of welding during micrometeorite impacts. The coarse fraction maximum is not observed in the siderophile data for 15100, probably because of the much smaller fluence of extralunar projectiles at the Apollo 15 site. A modest rise in siderophile concentrations in the smallest size fractions of all soils probably results from recondensation of impact-vaporized materials.The concentrations of highly volatile Zn, Cd and In in 15100 and 66080 show a marked increase with decreasing size, but the fine/coarse ratios are about a factor of two lower than those in soils 61220 and 63500. The lower ratio in 66080 results entirely from higher concentrations in the coarser fractions. It appears that this is a reflection of the higher maturity of 66080, and that the volume-correlated component in lunar soils increases with increasing near-surface residency. The high amount of volume-correlated component in 15100 may be related to the more efficient formation of agglutinates in basalt-rich soils. The observed increase in rare gas and volatile metal concentration with decreasing grain size results from an increasing bias in surface exposure of fine grain sizes, probably as a result of the adhesion of smaller to larger grains.     

Petrology and chemistry of two “large” granite clasts from the moon

Pristine granite clasts in Apollo-14 breccias 14321 and 14303 have estimated masses of 1.8 and 0.17 g, respectively. The 14321 clast is ～ 60% K-feldspar and 40% quartz, with traces of extremely Mg-poor mafic silicates and ilmenite. The 14303 clast is roughly 33% plagioclase, 32% K-feldspar, 23% quartz, 11% pyroxene, and 1% ilmenite; pyroxene and ilmenite are moderately Mg-rich; plagioclase and pyroxene are strongly zoned. Both clasts are severely brecciated, but monomict (pristine). Both have abundant graphic intergrowths of K-feldspar with quartz. Unlike the majority of similar Earth rocks, both clasts are devoid of hydrous phases. The bulk composition of the 14321 clast is similar to those of several other lunar granitic samples, but the 14303 clast is unique: it bears as close a resemblance to KREEP as it does to other lunar granites. Silicate liquid immiscibility may explain why the granites are low in REE relative to KREEP.     

The compositional classification of some Chinese iron meteorites

Based on structural observations and the concentrations of Cr, Co, Ni, Cu, Ga, Ge, As, Sb, Re, Ir, and Au by neutron-activation analysis we have classified 14 Chinese iron meteorites. Thirteen are members of the large groups IAB, IIICD, IIIAB and IVA. Leshan is an ungrouped iron meteorite that falls within the IIE field on some element-Ni diagrams, but is distinctly outside this field on plots of Cu, W, and Ir vs. Ni; it is very similar in composition to Techado, another ungrouped iron. The high Cu content of Leshan in consistent with other evidence indicating that Cu is a valuable parameter for classifying iron meteorites. IIICD Dongling appears not to be a new meteorite, but to be paired with Nantan; Dongling was recovered about 50 km from the location of the Nantan shower. In view of the fact that Yongning is highly oxidized, we assign it to group IAB but cannot rule out IIICD. IVA-An Longchang has many characteristics of IVA irons, but has been remelted, probably in a terrestrial setting. Five irons belong to group IVA, a remarkably large number. Three are identical in composition, and we suspect that the two from Hubei, Guanghua and Huangling, are paired. Thus this set of 14 irons includes 12 independent falls.