Exploring the spatial distribution patterns of South African Cape hakes using generalised additive models

We developed delta generalised additive models (GAMs) to predict the spatial distribution of different size classes of South African hakes, Merluccius capensis and M. paradoxus, using demersal trawl survey data and geographical (latitude and longitude) and environmental features (depth, temperature, bottom dissolved oxygen and sediment type). Our approach consists of fitting, for each hake size class, two independent models, a binomial GAM and a quasi-Poisson GAM, whose predictions are then combined using the delta method. Delta GAMs were validated using an iterative cross-validation procedure, and their predictions were then employed to produce distribution maps for the southern Benguela. Delta GAM predictions confirmed existing knowledge about the spatial distribution patterns of South African hakes, and brought new insights into the factors influencing the presence/absence and abundance of these species. Our GAM approach can be used to produce distribution maps for spatially explicit ecosystem models of the southern Benguela in a rigorous and objective way. Ecosystem models are critical features of the ecosystem approach to fisheries, and distribution maps constructed using our GAM approach will enable a reliable allocation of species biomasses in spatially explicit ecosystem models, which will increase trust in the spatial overlaps and, therefore, the trophic interactions predicted by these models.     

Ecohydrographic constraints on biodiversity and distribution of phytoplankton and zooplankton in coral reefs of the Red Sea,Saudi Arabia

An integral concept of ecological research is the constraint of biodiversity along latitudinal and environmental gradients. The Red Sea features a natural example of a latitudinal gradient of salinity, temperature and nutrient richness. Coral reefs along the Red Sea coasts are supported with allochthonous resources such as oceanic and neritic phytoplankton and zooplankton; however, relatively little is known about how the ecohydrography correlates with plankton biodiversity and abundance. In this article we present the biodiversity of phytoplankton and zooplankton in Red Sea coral reefs. Oceanographic data (temperature, salinity), water samples for nutrient analysis, particulate organic matter, phytoplankton and zooplankton, the latter with special reference to Copepoda (Crustacea), were collected at nine coral reefs over ~1500 km distance along the Red Sea coast of Saudi Arabia. The trophic state of ambient waters [as indicated by chlorophyll a (Chl a)] changed from strong oligotrophy in the north to mesotrophy in the south and was associated with increasing biomasses of Bacillariophyceae, picoeukaryotes and Synechococcus as indicated by pigment fingerprinting (CHEMTAX) and flow cytometry. Net‐phytoplankton microscopy revealed a Trichodesmium erythraeum (Cyanobacteria) bloom north of the Farasan Islands. Several potentially harmful algae, including Dinophysis miles and Gonyaulax spinifera (Dinophyceae), were encountered in larger numbers in the vicinity of the aquaculture facilities at Al Lith. Changes in zooplankton abundance were mainly correlated to the phytoplankton biomass following the latitudinal gradient. The largest zooplankton abundance was observed at the Farasan Archipelago, despite high abundances of copepodites, veligers (Gastropoda larvae) and Chaetognatha at Al Lith. Although the community composition changed over latitude, biodiversity indices of phytoplankton and zooplankton did not exhibit a systematic pattern. As this study constitutes the first current account of the plankton biodiversity in Red Sea coral reefs at a large spatial scale, the results will be informative for ecosystem‐based management along the coastline of Saudi Arabia.     

Isochron‐burial dating of glaciofluvial deposits: First results from the Swiss Alps

In this study, we use isochron‐burial dating to date the Swiss Deckenschotter, the oldest Quaternary deposits of the northern Alpine Foreland. Concentrations of cosmogenic ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al in individual clasts from a single stratigraphic horizon can be used to calculate an isochron‐burial age based on an assumed initial ratio and the measured ²⁶Al/¹⁰Be ratio. We suggest that, owing to deep and repeated glacial erosion, the initial isochron ratio of glacial landscapes at the time of burial varies between 6.75 and 8.4. Analysis of 22 clasts of different lithology, shape, and size from one 0.5 m thick gravel bed at Siglistorf (Canton Aargau) indicates low nuclide concentrations: <20 000 ¹⁰Be atoms/g and <150 000 ²⁶Al atoms/g. Using an ²⁶Al/¹⁰Be ratio of 7.6 (arithmetical mean of 6.75 and 8.4), we calculate a mean isochron‐burial age of 1.5 ± 0.2 Ma. This age points to an average bedrock incision rate between 0.13 and 0.17 mm/a. Age data from the Irchel, Stadlerberg, and Siglistorf sites show that the Higher Swiss Deckenschotter was deposited between 2.5 and 1.3 Ma. Our results indicate that isochron‐burial dating can be successfully applied to glaciofluvial sediments despite very low cosmogenic nuclide concentrations. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evolution of sedimentary basins from the standpoint of petroleum origin and accumulation—an approach for a quantitative basin study

Generation, migration and accumulation of petroleum in a sedimentary basin is a function of geologic, hydrodynamic and thermodynamic development of the basin and the type and amount of organic matter. Temperature history not only determines rate of hydrocarbon generation, but also affects paleohydrodynamics and physical and thermal properties vs depth relationships. Therefore, paleotemperature is the most important parameter. Paleohydrodynamics together with geologic history of the basin is important in shaping secondary migration patterns and accumulation of hydrocarbons.Quantification of all the above processes is complicated. Steps in constructing a deterministic dynamic model for calculation of petroleum potential during a sedimentary basin development are stated and analyzed in this paper. The effect of paleotemperature variations on petroleum generation and on physical properties of sedimentary sequences are illustrated by numerical examples. Computer models will enable exploration geologists to make quantitative exploration predictions in sedimentary basins.     

Chemical composition of spinel from Uralian-Alaskan-type Mafic–Ultramafic complexes and its petrogenetic significance

Uralian-Alaskan-type mafic–ultramafic complexes are recognized as a distinct class of intrusions regarding lithologic assemblage, mineral chemistry and petrogenetic setting. In the present study, we discuss new data on the distribution of major elements in minerals of the spinel group in rocks from Uralian-Alaskan-type complexes in the Ural Mountains, Russia. Cr-rich spinel (Cr₂O₃ = 20–53 wt%) in dunite with interstitial clinopyroxene and in wehrlite cumulates indicate that it reacted with interstitial liquid resulting in the progressive substitution of Al₂O₂ and Cr₂O₃ by Fe₂O₃ and TiO₂. A distinct change in the spinel chemistry in dunite (Cr₂O₃ = 47–53 wt%), towards Al₂O₃- and Cr₂O₃-poor but Fe₂O₃-rich compositions monitors the onset of clinopyroxene fractionation in wehrlite (Cr₂O₃ = 15–35 wt%, Al₂O₃ = 1–8 wt%, Fe₂O₃ = 25–55 wt%). In more fractionated mafic rocks, the calculated initial composition of exsolved spinel traces the sustained crystallization of clinopyroxene by decreasing Cr₂O₃ and increasing FeO, Fe₂O₃ and fO₂. Finally, the initiation of feldspar crystallization buffers the Al₂O₃ content in most of the spinels in mafic rocks at very low Cr₂O₃ contents (<5 wt%). The fractionation path all along and the reaction with interstitial liquid are accompanied by increasing Fe₂O₃ contents in the spinel. This likely is caused by a significant increase in the oxygen fugacity, which suggests closed system fractionation processes. Spinel with Cr₂O₃ < 27 wt% is exsolved into a Fe₂O₃-rich and an Al₂O₃-rich phase forming a variety of textures. Remarkably, exsolved spinel in different lithologies from complexes 200 km apart follows one distinct solvus line defining a temperature of ca. 600°C. This indicates that the parental magmas were emplaced and eventually cooled at similar levels in the lithosphere, likely near the crust–mantle boundary. Eventually, these 600°C hot bodies were rapidly transported into colder regions of the upper crust during a regional tectonic event, probably during the major active phase of the Main Uralian Fault.     

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Common Proper Motion Search for Faint Companions Around Early-Type Field Stars – Progress Report

The multiplicity of early-type stars is still not well established. The derived binary fraction is different for individual star forming regions, suggesting a connection with the age and the environment conditions. The few studies that have investigated this connection do not provide conclusive results. To fill in this gap, we started the first detailed adaptive-optic-assisted imaging survey of early-type field stars to derive their multiplicity in a homogeneous way. The sample has been extracted from the Hipparcos Catalog and consists of 341 BA-type stars within ∼300 pc from the Sun. We report the current status of the survey and describe a Monte-Carlo simulation that estimates the completeness of our companion detection.     

山东济南下寒武统朱砂洞组软沉积变形中燧石的Sm-Nd年龄测定及其意义

在济南南部下寒武统朱砂洞组丁家庄段硅质白云岩中,发育地震引起的硅质触变脉、硅质触变沉陷构造和触变楔等软沉积变形构造。从同一地震触变沉陷构造中,采得一组灰黑色燧石样品。使用英国VG354同位素质谱仪和同位素质谱分析方法,测得每个样品的 ¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd 和 ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd 同位素值。采用Sm-Nd 等时线法,对燧石进行了测年。获得燧石的成岩年龄为530.8±6.1 Ma,由于软燧石(硅胶体)成岩至少经历了0.1 Ma的时间,所以,地震沉积事件发生在530.7±6.1 Ma,属早寒武世早期。由于测年结果与沧浪铺阶的下界年龄接近,山东朱砂洞组丁家庄段无化石且河南省标准地层剖面中的整个朱砂洞组属沧浪铺阶,这暗示济南地区朱砂洞组丁家庄段属沧浪铺阶。本次测年得到了鲁西地区第1个下寒武统的同位素年龄值,这对确定该地区早寒武世地震沉积事件发生的时间具有参考价值和意义,也为深入研究鲁西地区寒武纪地层提供了新资料。     

Hydrothermale Lösungen

Zusammenfassung Das hydrothermale Auflösungsverhalten der vorwiegend als Gangarten auf-tretenden Mineralphasen Fluorit (CaF₂), Baryt (BaSO₄), Cölestin (SrSO₄) und Anglesit (PbSO₄) läßt sich übersichtlich in einem Temperatur-Löslichkeitsdiagramm darstellen und mit dem bekannten, qualitativ ähnlichen System SiO₂-H₂O vergleichen.Gegenüber dem molekulardispers gelösten SiO₂ ergeben sich aber für die in Ionen dissoziierten Lösungen der schwerlöslichen Sulfate und des Fluorits beträchtliche Verschiebungen der Sättigungsgleichgewichte, insbesondere bei Anwesenheit von Elektrolyten als Lösungsgenossen.Diese Beeinflussung, die für die genetischen Verhältnisse der Minerallagerstätten von entscheidender Bedeutung ist, wird für 0,1–2,0 normale NaCl-Lösungen im NaCl-Konzentrations-Löslichkeits-Diagramm der Minerale Fluorit, Baryt, Cölestin und Anglesit isotherm bis zum Siedepunkt der wäßrigen Mischphasen untersucht.Ferner wird das Löslichkeitsverhalten in den ternären Systemen BaSO₄-NaCl-H₂O und SrSO₄-NaCl-H₂O für Baryt und Cölestin gegen 2,0n NaCl-Lösungen entlang der Grenzkurve des Dreiphasengebietes und für die Isochoren 0,326 bis 0,6 bis 600° C und 2000 Bar dargestellt und mit den entsprechenden Verhältnissen der reinen wäßrigen Systeme verglichen.Ein abweichendes inkongruentes Auflösungsverhalten von Alumosilikaten mit Schichtgitterstruktur läßt sich am Beispiel des Muskovits durch die experimentelle Bestimmung der nichtstöchiometrischen Molekularverhältnisse SiO₂/K₂O und SiO₂/Al₂O₃ in den gesättigten Lösungen für den hydrothermalen Existenzbereich des Muskovits nachweisen.

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The behaviour of solubility for some minerals, which were for the most part found as vein minerals, was determined experimentally and is represented by summarizing diagrams.In the temperature-solubility diagram the hydrothermal solubility of fluorite, barite, celestine and anglesite is compared to the solubility of quartz and muskovite for the boundary curve of the three-phase region and for some isochores. As opposed to SiO₂, which is molecularly dispersed in solution, the ionic solutions of the systems CaF₂-H₂O, BaSO₄-H₂O, SrSO₄-H₂O and PbSO₄-H₂O show considerable displacement of the saturation equilibrium when other components are present in the solution.This influence on the solubility, significant for the genetic relations of mineral deposits, was quantitatively analyzed for 0.1–0.2 n-NaCl solutions. The results are isothermally shown in the NaCl-concentration solubility diagram within the boundaries of room temperature and the boiling point of the aqueous mixed phases.In the tenary systems BaSO₄-NaCl-H₂O and SrSO₄-NaCl-H₂O, the hydro-thermal solubility of barite and celestine in 2.0 n-NaCl solutions is also shown for the range of the boundary curve of the three-phase region and for the isochores 0.326–0.6 up to a temperature of 600° C and a pressure of 2000 bar. These solubilities are then compared with the diagrams of solubility for pure aqueous solutions.The irregular and incongruent behaviour of the solubility of aluminium-silicates of a layered-lattic structure is demonstrated for the system KAl₂(OH)₂-AlSi₂O₁₀-H₂O in the presence of muscovite by experimental determination of the non-stoechiometric molecular proportions of SiO₂K₂O and SiO₂ Al₂O₃. Such determination was conducted in saturated solutions for the hydrothermal range of the existence of muscovite.The geological importance of the knowledge of hydrothermal data of solubility and their application to the process of the hydrothermalmagmatic series and hydrothermalmetamorphosis is discussed.

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Résumé Le comportement de dissolution expérimentalement déterminé de certains minéraux trouvés surtout en filons est exposé en le résumant par diagrammes.La solubilité hydrothermique de fluorine, barytine, célestine et anglésite est comparée pour la courbe limitante (de la région triphasée) et pour les isochores 0,326–0,6 g.cm³ du diagramme température-solubilité avec le comportement de dissolution du quartz et de la muscovite. Les solutions ioniques des systèmes CaF₂H₂O, BaSO₄-H₂O, SrSO₄-H₂O et PbSO₄-H₂O montrent, comparées au SiO₂ dissous en dispersion moléculaire, de différences importantes d'équilibres de saturation en présence d'associés de solution.Cette influence sur la solubilité qui est d'une importance décisive pour les conditions génétiques des gisements de minéraux, a été examinée quantitativement pour les solutions 0,1–0,2—normales de NaCl. La présentation s'est faite isothermiquement dans le diagramme de concentration-solubilité de NaCl entre la température de chambre et le point d'ébullition des phases mixtes aqueuses.Dans les systèmes ternaires BaSO-NaCl-H₂O et SrSO₄-NaCl-H₂O la solubilité hydrothermique de barytine et de célestine en des solutions 2,0-normales de NaCl est présentée également pour l'espace des courbes limitantes de la région triphase et pour les isochores 0,326–0,6 jusqu'à 600° C et 2000 Bar. Elle est comparée avec les courbes de solubilité de systèmes purement aqueux. Le comportement de dissolution divergeant incongruent des silicates d'alumine à structure stratifiée en treillis est démontré pour le systême KAl₂(OH)₂-AlSi₃O₁₀-H₂O par exemple de la muscovite en déterminant expérimentalement les proportions moléculaires non-stochiométriques SiO₂ K₂O et SiO₂Al₂O₃ dans les solutions saturées pour la domaine d'existence hydrothermique de la muscovite.Importance géologique de la connaissance des dates de solubilité hydrothermique et leur application sur les événements des conséquences hydrothermiques-magmatiques et sur les événements de la métamorphose hydrothermique sont discutées.

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y 600° 2000 . (CaF₂), ( SO₄), . (SrSO₄) (PbSO₄) - Sio₂-₂.