Species richness,diversity and density of understory vegetation along disturbance gradients in the Himalayan conifer forest

We investigated whether species richness, diversity and density of understory herbaceous plants differed along logging(gap) and grazing(primarily by cattle) disturbance gradients, and sought to identify drivers of richness, diversity and density of understory vegetation of logged sites. A factorial experiment was conducted in the mixed conifer forest of Gidakom in Western Bhutan. Levels of the logging treatment included small(0.15 – 0.24 ha), medium(0.25 – 0.35 ha) and large(0.36 – 1.31 ha) gaps. The grazing treatment included grazed(primarily by cattle) and ungrazed(where herbivores were excluded by a fence) plots nested within each gap. Data were collected from 12 gaps(4 replicates at each level of logging) using the point intercept method. Shannon Weaver Diversity and Margalef's indices were used to estimate species diversity and describe species richness, respectively. Soil samples were analyzed for pH and nutrients. The interaction effect of logging and grazing was significant(p≤0.001) only on species diversity. Relative to ungrazed areas, species diversity was significantly higher(0.01≤p≤0.05) in medium grazed gaps. Under grazed conditions, soil P was negatively correlated with gap size and species diversity. While species diversity was positivelycorrelated(0.01≤p≤0.05) with soil N in grazed plots species richness was positively correlated(0.001≤p≤0.01) with soil N in ungrazed plots. Relative density of Yushania microphylla and Carex nubigena were higher under ungrazed conditions. Our study suggests that the combined effect of cattle grazing and logging results in higher species diversity of understory vegetation in medium and grazed gaps in mixed conifer forests of Bhutan,whereas increase or decrease in relative density of major species is determined primarily by the independent effects of grazing and logging. From management perspective, forest managers must refrain from creating large gaps to avoid loss of nutrients(mainly P and N), which may eventually affect tree regeneration. Managers intending to maintain understory vegetation diversity must consider the combined effects of grazing and logging, ensuring low to moderate grazing pressure.     

Petrological evidence for the development of refolded folds during a single deformational event

The Pelona Schist, which forms the lower plate of the Vincent thrust in the San Gabriel Mountains of southern California, has undergone a complex history of folding. The youngest folds in the schist (style 2 folds) range in shape from open to tight and fold both compositional layering and schistosity. These are superposed upon isoclinal folds with axial-plane schistosity (style 1 folds) that, in turn, overprint older isoclinal folds (also called style 1 folds). Samples from the hinges of style 2 folds contain two generations of muscovite. Muscovites of the older generation are parallel to the folded (style 1) schistosity. The newer muscovites recrystallized during and/or after style 2 folding. Microprobe analysis indicates that the two generations of muscovite are very similar in composition, although the new muscovites tend to have slightly higher paragonite and celadonite contents than the old muscovites. From the gross similarity of the two groups of muscovite, it is concluded that the style 1 and style 2 folds were produced during a single progressive deformation. The slightly higher paragonite and celadonite contents of the new muscovites are thought to indicate that both pressure and temperature were increasing during the deformation. This is consistent with the deformation being due to underthrusting of the Pelona Schist beneath the upper plate of the Vincent thrust.     

Influence d'un changement climatique dû à une hausse de gaz à effet de serre sur l'agriculture au quebec

Abstract

This study, using a climate change scenario generated by the Canadian Climate Centre (CCC) general circulation model (GCM) examines the impacts of such a climate change on agriculture in southern Quebec. Using a crop model from the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), yield responses of a variety of cereals, legumes, oleaginous and special crops to climate change are analysed and discussed.

Results show that under the 2 × CO₂ climate scenario the growing season would be longer and accumulation of corn heat units and growing degree days would be more important than under actual climate (1961–1990). One of the more important results of this study is that, on the one hand yield of C₃ cereals would be lower and that of C₄ cereals higher in most agricultural regions. On the other hand, the direct fertilisation effect of increased CO₂ is not considered. It must be cautioned however that we can not generalise results obtained for one legume crop to all legumes.     

Concentration profiles of particles settling in the neutral and stratified atmospheric boundary layer

An expression for the vertical equilibrium concentration profile of heavy particles, including the effects of canopy on the eddy diffusivity as well as corrections for atmospheric stability, is proposed. This expression is validated against measurements of vertical concentration profiles of corn pollen above a corn field. The fitted theoretical profiles show that particle settling is correctly accounted for. The sensitivity to variations in the turbulent Schmidt number, settling velocity and stability corrections are explicitly characterized. The importance of independent measurements of the surface flux of pollen in future experiments is noted.     

Assessment of global warming on the island of Tenerife, Canary Islands (Spain). Trends in minimum, maximum and mean temperatures since 1944

Temperature variation is studied at different altitudes and orientation on the island of Tenerife, according to the trends in the mean, maximum and minimum at 21 meteorological stations. Reference series are obtained by sectors, along with a representative overall series for Tenerife, in which temperature shows a statistically significant growth trend of 0.09?±?0.04°C/decade since 1944. Night-time temperatures have risen most (0.17°C?±?0.04°C/decade), while by day they have been more stable. Consequently, the diurnal temperature range between day and night has narrowed. By regions, warming has been much more intense in the high mountains than the other sectors below the inversion layer between 600 and 1,400?m altitude, and progressively milder towards the coast. The temperature rise on the windward (north-northeast) slopes is greater than on the leeward side and could be related to the increase in cloudiness on the northern side. The general warming of the island is less than in continental areas at between 24 and 44oN, being closer to the sea surface temperature in the same area. This is probably explained largely by the insular conditions. In fact warming is more evident in the high mountains (0.14?±?0.07°C/decade), where the tempering effect of the ocean and the impact of changes in the stratocumulus is weaker, being similar to the mean continental values in the northern hemisphere.     

Climatological study of ionospheric irregularities over the European mid-latitude sector with GPS

High-frequency variability of the ionosphere, or irregularities, constitutes the main threat for real-time precise positioning techniques based on Global Navigation Satellite Systems (GNSS) measurements. Indeed, during periods of enhanced ionospheric variability, GNSS users in the field—who cannot verify the integrity of their measurements—will experience positioning errors that can reach several decimeters, while the nominal accuracy of the technique is cm-level. In the frame of this paper, a climatological analysis of irregularities over the European mid-latitude region is presented. Based on a 10 years GPS dataset over Belgium, the work analyzes the occurrence rate (as a function of the solar cycle, season and local time) as well as the amplitude of ionospheric irregularities observed at a single GPS station. The study covers irregularities either due to space weather events (solar origin) or of terrestrial origin. If space weather irregularities are responsible for the largest effects in terms of ionospheric error, their occurrence rate highly depends on solar activity. Indeed, the occurrence rate of ionospheric irregularities is about 9 % during solar maximum, whereas it drops to about 0 % during medium or low solar activity periods. Medium-scale ionospheric disturbances (MSTIDs) occurring during daytime in autumn/winter are the most recurrent pattern of the time series, with yearly proportions slightly varying with the solar cycle and an amplitude of about 10 % of the TEC background. Another recurrent irregularity type, though less frequent than MSTIDs, is the noise-like variability in TEC observed during summer nighttime, under quiet geomagnetic conditions. These summer nighttime irregularities exhibit amplitudes ranging between 8 and 15 % of the TEC background.     

Fractal properties of simulated bed profiles in coarse-grained channels

Bed roughness characteristics in coarse-grained channels are fairly complex. A hierarchy of roughness elements can be observed, ranging from variable particle sizes and shapes and small-scale sedimentary structures, to large-scale bedforms such as riffle-pool sequences. The effects of these scales of roughness on the flow geometry still remain to be thoroughly investigated. The semivariogram has been suggested in the past as a means of quantifying bed roughness effects on streamflow, as well as for distinguishing between scales of roughness. However, field measurements are rather time-consuming. The low number of bed profiles measured in the field precludes the identification of generally applicable relationships between the statistical properties derived from the semivariograms (such as the Hausdorff dimensions and the scale of autocorrelation corresponding to each fractal band) and the bed configuration itself (geometrical and sedimentological properties). Simulation results of gravel-bed profiles are, therefore, presented in order to complement the original investigation of Robert (1988a). The simulation experiments, based on grain characteristics of sizes and shapes and on morphological properties of small-scale bedforms, yield very significant information on boundary roughness at the microscale and give insight into the interpretation of empirical semivariograms (derived from field measurements). Bed-material sorting, variable grain shapes, and height and spacing of cluster bedforms control the fractal dimensions obtained from the semivariograms, as well as the location of the break of slope and the range of the process.     

Capture Zones for Simple Aquifers

Abstract. The protection and cleanup of aquifers is a matter of high priority for all states and the federal government. One concept that is receiving increased attention is that of wellhead protection. Capture zones showing the area influenced by a well within a certain time are useful for both aquifer protection and cleanup. If hydrodynamic dispersion is neglected, a deterministic curve defines the capture zone. Analytical expressions for the capture zones can be derived for simple aquifers. However, the capture zone equations are transcendental and cannot be explicitly solved for the coordinates of the capture zone boundary. Fortunately, an iterative scheme allows the solution to proceed quickly and efficiently even on a modest personal computer. Three forms of the analytical solution must be used in an iterative scheme to cover the entire region of interest, after the extreme values of the x coordinate are determined by an iterative solution. The resulting solution is a discrete one, and usually 100-1000 intervals along the x-axis are necessary for a smooth definition of the capture zone. The presented program is written in FORTRAN and has been used in a variety of computing environments. No graphics capability is included with the program; it is assumed the user has access to a commercial package. The superposition of capture zones for multiple wells is expected to be satisfactory if the spacing is not too close. Because this program deals with simple aquifers, the results rarely will be the final word in a real application. However, the program is useful as a first phase in developing wellhead protection or aquifer cleanup schemes.     

K-Ar dating of ring complexes and fault systems in Northern Kordofan,Sudan: evidence for independent magmatic and tectonic activity

From an area of brittle shearing and ring complexes in Northern Kordofan, Sudan 28 K-Ar ages were calculated to determine the geochronology of tectonic and magmatic events. The age results for deformational episodes are 560, 340 and 255 Ma, whereas alkaline magma was intruded at 280, 220 and 165 Ma. The incompatibility of age marks leads to the conclusion that magmatic and tectonic activity in this area have to be regarded as independent events. This holds true even when all dated intrusions from the entire region are compared with post-Pan-African continental tectonic features.