Attitudes and behaviors of undergraduate students toward environmental issues

The studies carried out throughout the world have indicated that there are differences between environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors of undergraduate students. In what ways the environmental attitudes and behaviors of the students who will protect and manage the resources of the country in the future have changed is an important issue? This study was aimed at determining the environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors of the undergraduate students of Abant Ýzzet Baysal University toward environmental issues. In addition, the effects of the faculty in which the students are enrolled, locality and gender on the determined environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors of the students were investigated. The data were gathered from 507 students in 2005. To explain the environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors of undergraduate students toward environmental issues, factor analysis was used with Varimax Rotation method. To determine the changes of the environmental attitudes and environmentally responsible behaviors of the students with regard to the faculty, locality and gender, one-way analysis of variance was used. According to the results, students highly support the environmental attitudes and highly participate only in consumerism behaviors. Finally, it was determined if faculty and gender had an effect on the environmental attitudes and behaviors of the students.     

Accumulation of heavy metals in wild commercial fish from the Baotou Urban Section of the Yellow River,China

In this work we studied the accumulation of heavy metals in nine species of fish with different life and feeding habitats which are native and major commercial fish in the Baotou Urban Section of the Yellow River. The results showed that the concentration of heavy metals was significantly dependent on fish species; the pollution index of heavy metals in different species were ranked as Hemiculter leucisclus > Carassius auratus auratus > Hemibarbus maculatus > Megalobrama amblycephala > Abbottina rivularis > Cyprinus carpio > Squaliobarbus curriculus > Perccottus glehni > Saurogobio dabryi. Product–moment correlation coefficients among the metal pairs Pb–Zn, Cu–Cd, Cu–Zn, Cu–Pb, Pb–Cd, and Zn–Cd revealed there was no competitions between metals in each tissue. Correlations between heavy metal concentrations and fish length or weight indicated that accumulation of the heavy metals by the different fish species was related to their surrounding environments and their life and feeding habitats. According to the mean bioconcentration factors (BCFs), the heavy metal concentrations in these nine species were ranked Zn ≫ Cu > Cd ≈ Pb. In this work, the bioaccumulation factors (BAFs) were developed by using the sum of exchangeable and bound-to-carbonate heavy metals as Cs values. It was found that BAFs better reveal the accumulation characteristics of the heavy metals in the fish, which might provide an effective method for assessing bioaccumulation of heavy metals.     

Tectonic implications of transtensional supradetachment basin development in an extension‐parallel transfer zone: the Kocaçay Basin,western Anatolia,Turkey

The Kocaçay Basin (KÇB) is a key area in western Anatolia – a well‐known extended terrane where regional segmentation has received limited attention – for investigating strike‐slip faults kinematically linked to detachment faults. In this paper, we present results of an integrated sedimentologic, stratigraphic, and structural study of Miocene alluvial fan/fan‐delta/lacustrine deposits that accumulated in the KÇB, a NE‐trending basin with connections to the Menderes Metamorphic Core Complex (MCC). We mapped and evaluated most of the key faults in the KÇB, many for the first time, and recognised different deformation events in the study area near the E margin of the MCC. We also present field evidence for kinematic connections between low‐angle normal and strike‐slip faults which were developed in an intermittently active basement‐involved transfer zone in western Anatolia. We find that the KÇB contains a detailed record of Miocene transtensional sedimentation and volcanism that accompanied exhumation of the MCC. Structural data reveal that the basin was initially formed by transtension (D1 phase) and subsequently uplifted and deformed, probably as a result of early Pliocene wrench‐ to extension‐dominated deformation (D2 phase) overprinted by Plio‐Quaternary extensional tectonics (D3 phase). These results are consistent with progressive deformation wherein the axis of maximum extension remained in the horizontal plane but the intermediate and maximum shortening axes switched position in the vertical plane. Combining our results with published studies, we propose a new working hypothesis that the KÇB was a transtensional supradetachment basin during the Miocene. The hypothesis could provide new insights into intermittently active extension‐parallel zone of weakness in western Anatolia.These results also suggest that the termination of low‐angle normal fault systems within an extension parallel transfer zone may have resulted in a transtensional depressions which are different from classical supradetachment basins with respect to the sedimentation and deformational pattern of the basin infills.     

Implications of trace element composition of syntaxial quartz cements for the geochemical conditions during quartz precipitation in sandstones

A petrographic investigation revealed polyphase quartz cementation in the Finefrau Sandstone (Upper Carboniferous, Western Germany) and the Solling Sandstone (Lower Triassic, Central Germany). Three different cements could be distinguished in each sandstone based on their cathodoluminescence and trace element composition. The first quartz generation is suggested to have been formed during eogenesis due to dissolution and replacement of feldspar. The mesogenetic paragenesis comprises two generations of quartz and illite, which are accompanied by albite in the Solling Sandstone. Sharp luminescence zoning in quartz overgrowths points to distinct episodes of cementation in both sandstones. Significant amounts of Al, Li and H and traces of Ge and B have been detected in the quartz overgrowths. The Al‐content of the quartz cements in the Finefrau Sandstones exceeds that in the quartz cements in the Solling Sandstone by a factor of five. It is suggested that this compositional variation reflects the conditions in the pore‐water, such as temperature and pH. The Al‐concentration is generally correlated to the Li‐content with the exception of the latest quartz generation in the Finefrau Sandstones which is also most enriched in trace elements. The ratio of Li/Al varies between 0·11 and 0·25 in the two sandstones. The Li/H‐ratio, which ranges from 0·12 to 0·3, is controlled by the activity ratio of Li and H in the pore fluid. Clay minerals are the most important source for Li and high salinities favour the mobilization of Li during diagenesis. Thus, a relatively low salinity and low pH are responsible for the low Li/H‐ratio in the Finefrau Sandstone, while high salinity and neutral to alkaline pH results in a high Li/H‐ratio for the Solling Sandstone. The Ge‐contents are generally near the average of detrital quartz and indicate that pressure dissolution is a major source for quartz cementation. Different chemical compositions of distinct quartz generations indicate changes in the physico‐chemical conditions and point to mobilization of silica from different sources (for example, pressure solution and clay mineral transformations).     

The effects of elevation on thermal bioclimatic conditions in Uludağ (Turkey)

This study compares the thermal bioclimatic conditions recorded at Bursa (100 m) and Uluda? (1878 m) meteorological stations at 7:00, 14:00 and 21:00 LST (local standard time) between 1975 and 2006, by using the physiologically equivalent temperature (PET), which is calculated from meteorological parameters. The effects of elevation-dependent environmental and atmospheric conditions on thermal perception (i.e., PET) values were analyzed and assessed. The analysis showed that the mean annual difference between PET values in Bursa and Uluda? was 12 ºC. The difference was lower in winter (9 ºC PET) and higher in summer (15 ºC PET). The highest difference between PET values occurred in the afternoon (16 ºC PET) and the lowest difference occurred in the morning (8.4 ºC PET). The differences occur as a result of high altitude and higher surface albedo due to snowfall, which leads to lower PET values and thus to less comfortable thermal conditions. The mean PET values of Bursa and Uluda? decrease 0.67 ºC every 100 m.     

Ries crater and suevite revisited—Observations and modeling Part I: Observations

We report results of an interdisciplinary project devoted to the 26 km‐diameter Ries crater and to the genesis of suevite. Recent laboratory analyses of “crater suevite” occurring within the central crater basin and of “outer suevite” on top of the continuous ejecta blanket, as well as data accumulated during the past 50 years, are interpreted within the boundary conditions imposed by a comprehensive new effort to model the crater formation and its ejecta deposits by computer code calculations (Artemieva et al. 2013). The properties of suevite are considered on all scales from megascopic to submicroscopic in the context of its geological setting. In a new approach, we reconstruct the minimum/maximum volumes of all allochthonous impact formations (108/116 km³), of suevite (14/22 km³), and the total volume of impact melt (4.9/8.0 km³) produced by the Ries impact event prior to erosion. These volumes are reasonably compatible with corresponding values obtained by numerical modeling. Taking all data on modal composition, texture, chemistry, and shock metamorphism of suevite, and the results of modeling into account, we arrive at a new empirical model implying five main consecutive phases of crater formation and ejecta emplacement. Numerical modeling indicates that only a very small fraction of suevite can be derived from the “primary ejecta plume,” which is possibly represented by the fine‐grained basal layer of outer suevite. The main mass of suevite was deposited from a “secondary plume” induced by an explosive reaction (“fuel‐coolant interaction”) of impact melt with water and volatile‐rich sedimentary rocks within a clast‐laden temporary melt pool. Both melt pool and plume appear to be heterogeneous in space and time. Outer suevite appears to be derived from an early formed, melt‐rich and clast‐poor plume region rich in strongly shocked components (melt ? clasts) and originating from an upper, more marginal zone of the melt pool. Crater suevite is obviously deposited from later formed, clast‐rich and melt‐poor plumes dominated by unshocked and weakly shocked clasts and derived from a deeper, central zone of the melt pool. Genetically, we distinguish between “primary suevite” which includes dike suevite, the lower sublayer of crater suevite, and possibly a basal layer of outer suevite, and “secondary suevite” represented by the massive upper sublayer of crater suevite and the main mass of outer suevite.     

The Influence of Testing Procedures on Uniaxial Compressive Strength Prediction of Carbonate Rocks from Equotip Hardness Tester (EHT) and Proposal of a New Testing Methodology: Hybrid Dynamic Hardness (HDH)

The Equotip hardness tester (EHT) is a portable and non-destructive instrument used mainly for the dynamic rebound hardness testing of metals. Although various versions of the ‘single impacts’ and ‘repeated impacts’ testing procedures have been employed by different authors for different applications, it is not yet known whether a particular testing procedure is more relevant for a specific application in rock engineering. To be able to contribute to the subject, the present study was carried out to determine the suitability of different rebound testing procedures with this instrument for uniaxial compressive strength (UCS) estimations of some selected carbonate rocks. To achieve this goal, as well as four different existing rebound testing procedures, a newly proposed testing methodology involving the parameter hybrid dynamic hardness (HDH) was also employed. The statistical analyses performed on the experimental data, on the whole, showed that the test procedures which are based on single impacts test procedures outperformed the repeated impacts test procedures in terms of UCS prediction accuracy. The prediction capability of the newly introduced testing methodology was found to be superior to those of other procedures considered in this work, suggesting that it could be an efficient tool in practice for preliminary estimates of rock strength. The statistical analyses also indicated that, in practical applications of the EHT using different test procedures, it may be possible to predict the UCS more accurately when apparent density data is available. For the range of specimen sizes considered, no clear evidence of size effect was observed in the mean rebound values. The argument raised by some other authors that the EHT might not be a convenient instrument for the dynamic rebound hardness determination of relatively high-porosity rocks was not confirmed in this study.     

The petrogenesis of granitoid rocks unusually rich in apatite in the Western Tatra Mts. (S-Poland, Western Carpathians)

In the bottom part of the tongue-shaped, layered granitoid intrusion, exposed in the Western Tatra Mts., apatite-rich granitic rocks occur as pseudo-layers and pockets between I-type hybrid mafic precursors and homogeneous S-type felsic granitoids. The apatite-rich rocks are peraluminous (ASI?=?1.12–1.61), with P₂O₅ contents ranging from 0.05 to 3.41 wt.% (<7.5 vol.% apatite), shoshonitic to high-K calc-alkaline. Apatite is present as long-prismatic zoned crystals (Ap₁) and as large xenomorphic unzoned crystals (Ap₂). Ap₁ apatite and biotite represent an early cumulate. Feldspar and Ap₂ textural relations may reflect the interaction of the crystal faces of both minerals and support a model based on local saturation of (P, Ca, F) versus (K, Na, Al, Si, Ba) in the border zones. Chondrite-normalized REE patterns for the apatite rocks and for pure apatite suggest apatite was a main REE carrier in these rocks. Minerals characteristics and the whole rock chemistry suggest both reduced S-type and I-type magma influenced the apatite-rich rocks. The field observations, mineral and rock chemistry as well as mass-balance calculations point out that the presence of apatite-rich rocks may be linked to the continuous mixing of felsic and mafic magmas, creating unique phosphorus- and aluminium-rich magma portions. Formation of these rocks was initially dominated by the complex flowage-controlled and to some extent also gravity-driven separation of early-formed zoned minerals and, subsequently, by local saturation in the border zones of growing feldspar and apatite crystals. Slow diffusion in the phosphorus-rich magma pockets favoured the local saturation and simultaneous crystallization of apatite and feldspars in a crystal-ladden melt.     

Cu- and Mn-bearing tourmalines from Brazil and Mozambique: crystal structures, chemistry and correlations

Cu- and Mn-bearing tourmalines from Brazil and Mozambique were characterised chemically (EMPA and LA-ICP-MS) and by X-ray single-crystal structure refinement. All these samples are rich in Al, Li and F (fluor-elbaite) and contain significant amounts of CuO (up to ~1.8 wt%) and MnO (up to ~3.5 wt%). Structurally investigated samples show a pronounced positive correlation between the <Y-O> distances and the (Li + Mn²⁺ + Cu + Fe²⁺) content (apfu) at this site with R ² = 0.90. An excellent negative correlation exists between the <Y-O> distances and the Al₂O₃ content (R ² = 0.94). The samples at each locality generally show a strong negative correlation between the X-site vacancies and the (MnO + FeO) content. The Mn content in these tourmalines depends on the availability of Mn, on the formation temperature, as well as on stereochemical constraints. Because of a very weak correlation between MnO and CuO we believe that the Cu content in tourmaline is essentially dependent on the availability of Cu and on stereochemical constraints.     

Identification of maars and similar volcanic landforms in the West Eifel Volcanic Field through image processing of DTM data: efficiency of different methods depending on preservation state

The West Eifel Volcanic Field comprises 98 maars, tuff rings, and scoria rings of volcanoes younger than 700 ka. Digital Terrain Models (DTMs) allow to automatically measure morphologic parameters of volcanic edifices such as slope angles, diameters, elevations, floor, and slope surface areas. Based on their morphological characteristics, we subdivided the West Eifel volcanoes into five morphometric groups which reflect different stages of erosion. Group I, II, and IV comprise clear ring-shaped structures. The difference between these groups is that a tephra ring is well preserved in Group I, partially preserved in Group II and absent in Group IV. The original shapes of Group III maars have been lost more substantially than in Groups I, II, or IV, but they nevertheless retain a negative shape (a depression) and have characteristic channel systems, which can be used as search criteria. Maar-diatremes of Group V are eroded down to their feeder pipes and form hills. In order to locate potential volcanic depressions that are likely to be maar volcanoes, we defined common search criteria such as circular negative landforms or particular drainage system patterns for all groups except the least well-preserved Group V. These criteria were taken as the basis for further processing of the DTM data. The first processing step consisted of constructing a residual relief calculated as the difference between a filtered (smoothed) topographic surface and the original DTM data. This identifies local topographic features. We propose a method for regulating the degree of smoothing which is based on filtering of local maxima according to their distance from a surface constructed from local minima. The previously defined search criteria for Groups I to IV such as specific ranges of curvature, slope, circularity, density of the drainage network were then applied to the residual relief in order to extract maar shapes. Not all criteria work equally well for all morphological groups. Combinations of multiple search criteria therefore yield the best results and efficiently identify most known maars. They also separate some probable new, hitherto unrecognized maars from a large number of other local depressions. We also compared the erosional state of maars to their absolute ages. Published estimates of erosion rates for maars in the French Massif Central suggest a general trend of erosion rates decreasing with time elapsed since eruption. However, this cannot explain the strongly varying ages for maars of the same morphometric group (i.e., similar preservation state) in the West Eifel Volcanic Field. The spatial distribution of the morphometric groups shows some regularity. For example, strongly eroded maars are concentrated in the Gerolstein area (where maar density is highest), whereas most well-preserved maars are located east of the Eifel North–South Depression (ENSD). Most maars affected by fluvial erosion lie near the Kyll and Kleine Kyll streams. These observations suggest differential recent uplift of the West Eifel Volcanic Field, with stronger uplift occurring west of the ENSD.