Survey evaluations to assess marine bioinvasions

Countries need to know what species are present within their waters to effectively manage the issue of non-indigenous marine species. Five survey methods are currently employed to detect introduced marine species: the Hewitt and Martin protocols (66% of effort; 73 ports, 12 countries); Rapid Assessment Surveys (7% of effort; 8 regions, 4 countries); the Bishop Museum protocols (7% of effort; 8 ports, 3 countries); the Chilean aquaculture surveys (1% of effort; numerous regions; 1 country); and Passive Sampling protocols (18% of effort; 20 ports, 2 countries). These methods use either quantitative, qualitative, or a mixture of the two sampling techniques and tend to target locations that are potential inoculation sites (i.e., such as ports, marinas and aquaculture facilities). To date, introduced marine species surveys have been implemented in 19 countries and have detected more than 1185 non-indigenous, 735 cryptogenic and 15,315 native species.     

Paleomagnetic and rock magnetic results from the Twin Creek Formation (Middle Jurassic), Wyoming

A magnetization which passes the fold test has been observed in 73 limestone samples (10 sites) from the Middle Jurassic Twin Creek Formation. The pole calculated from the site mean poles is located at 68.4°N, 145.0°E (K = 31.8,A₉₅ = 8.7°). This pole lies in a segment of the North American apparent polar wander (APW) path for which there are only a few reliable poles in the literature. The results corroborate earlier studies which conclude that the Jurassic segment of the APW path does not include the present north pole. However, the position of the Twin Creek pole suggests that significantly more APW took place prior to the late Jurassic than previous studies indicated.     

The Influence of Path Corrections and a Three-dimensional Global <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis>-wave Velocity Model on Seismic Event Location in Kazakhstan

We relocate 81 large nuclear explosions that were detonated at the Balapan and Degelen Mountain subregions of the Semipalatinsk test site in Kazakhstan during the years 1978 to 1989. The absolute locations of these explosions are available, as well as very accurate estimates of their origin times. This ground truth information allows us to perform a detailed analysis of location capability. We use a sparse network of stations with highly accurate first arrival picks measured using a waveform cross-correlation method. These high quality data facilitate very accurate location estimates with only a few phases per event. We contrast two different approaches: 1) a calibration-based approach, where we achieve improved locations by using path corrections, and 2) a model-based approach, where we achieve improved locations by relocating in a recently published global 3-D P-velocity model. Both methods result in large improvements in accuracy of the obtained absolute locations, compared to locations obtained in a 1-D reference earth model (ak135). The calibration-based approach gives superior results for this test site, in particular when arrival times from regional stations are included. Estimated locations remain well within a 1000 km² region surrounding the ground truth locations when the path corrections for the Balapan and Degelen Mountain subregions are interchanged, but even for the short separation between these two regions, we find variations in the path corrections that cause systematic mislocations. The model-based approach also results in substantially reduced mislocation distances and has the distinct advantage that it is, in principle, transportable to other source regions around the world.     

Spatial Discontinuities in Support for Hydraulic Fracturing: Searching for a “Goldilocks Zone”

Recent research suggests that those located closer to energy development are, on average, more supportive of this development. However, case studies in specific locations reveal additional nuance. In a case study of Bakken Shale residents, Junod et al. identified a “Goldilocks Zone” of unconventional oil and gas development (UOGD) acceptance—an area on the periphery of development that is “just right” because residents feel close enough to receive economic benefits but far enough away to avoid negative impacts. We explore whether this Goldilocks Zone extends nationally by combining geocoded public opinion data (N?=?23,154) with UOGD locations. Using multilevel regression modeling, we find that respondents located within 115?km of newly active UOGD are more supportive of hydraulic fracturing while those located within 115–305?km are comparatively less supportive. While we do not uncover a national-level Goldilocks Zone, our work highlights innovative approaches for examining spatial relationships in energy development opinion.     

Strontium Isotope Analysis of Kimberlitic Groundmass Perovskite via LA-MC-ICP-MS

Strontium isotopic composition is a potentially powerful tracer in studies of kimberlitic rocks but the results from even the most carefully collected and stringently prepared bulk-rock samples are still hampered by contamination and alteration effects. Here we describe a LA-MC-ICP-MS technique which can obtain accurate, high precision Sr_i ratios from 50–150 μm kimberlitic groundmass perovskite without requiring time-consuming mineral separation procedures. Since perovskite is a robust magmatic phase with an extremely low Rb/Sr ratio, the effects of late-stage crustal contamination, post-emplacement alteration and age correction are minimised and results are more representative of primary melt compositions, while additionally preserving powerful grain-scale spatial and textural information. We demonstrate that the adopted protocol overcomes isobaric interferences from Kr⁺, Rb⁺, Er²⁺ and Yb²⁺, and that Ca dimers and Ca argides do not detectably affect the quality of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios produced. To illustrate the utility of the technique, contrasting bulk-rock and in situ perovskite results from eleven Proterozoic kimberlites are documented.     

Deprotonation energies of a model fulvic acid. I. Carboxylic acid groups

A model Suwannee fulvic acid (SFA [Leenheer, J.A., 1994. In: Baker, L.A. (Ed.), Chemistry of Dissolved Organic Matter in Rivers, Lakes and Reservoirs. Advances in Chemistry Series, vol. 237. American Chemical Society]) was energy minimized in various deprotonation states using semi-empirical methods. The structures were minimized in the isolated SFA phase and SFA with 60 water molecules to mimic the first solvation sphere. The relative energies of deprotonation were calculated at four carboxylic acid sites with Hartree-Fock (HF/6-31G(d)) and density functional theory (B3LYP/6-31G(d)) methods. Comparisons were made between the theoretical methods and states of solvation. Isolated and solvated models resulted in different relative deprotonation orders. The energy changes calculated for removing a H⁺ from a given carboxylic acid group as a function of overall model molecule charge are large enough to explain the large variations of carboxyl group pK_as in dissolved natural organic matter. Analysis of the SFA structure as a function of molecular charge is also discussed.     

Methylmercury cycling in sediments on the continental shelf of southern New England

Exposure of humans to monomethylmercury (MMHg) occurs primarily through consumption of marine fish, yet there is limited understanding concerning the bioaccumulation and biogeochemistry of MMHg in the biologically productive coastal ocean. We examined the cycling of MMHg in sediments at three locations on the continental shelf of southern New England in September 2003. MMHg in surface sediments is related positively to inorganic Hg (Hg(II) = total Hg − MMHg), the geographical distribution of which is influenced by organic material. Organic matter also largely controls the sediment-water partitioning of Hg species and governs the availability of dissolved Hg(II) for methylation. Potential gross rates of MMHg production, assayed by experimental addition of ²⁰⁰Hg to intact sediment cores, are correlated inversely with the distribution coefficient (K_D) of Hg(II) and positively with the concentration of Hg(II), most probably as HgS⁰, in 0.2-μm filtered pore water of these low-sulfide deposits. Moreover, the efflux of dissolved MMHg to overlying water (i.e., net production at steady state) is correlated with the gross potential rate of MMHg production in surface sediments. These results suggest that the production and efflux of MMHg from coastal marine sediments is limited by Hg(II), loadings of which presumably are principally from atmospheric deposition to this region of the continental shelf. The estimated diffusive flux of MMHg from the shelf sediments averages 9 pmol m⁻² d⁻¹. This flux is comparable to that required to sustain the current rate of MMHg accumulation by marine fish, and may be enhanced by the efflux of MMHg from near-shore deposits contaminated more substantially with anthropogenic Hg. Hence, production and subsequent mobilization of MMHg from sediments in the coastal zone may be a major source of MMHg to the ocean and marine biota, including fishes consumed by humans.