Olive flowering phenology variation between different cultivars in Spain and Italy: modeling analysis

Phenology data are sensitive data to identify how plants are adapted to local climate and how they respond to climatic changes. Modeling flowering phenology allows us to identify the meteorological variables determining the reproductive cycle. Phenology of temperate of woody plants is assumed to be locally adapted to climate. Nevertheless, recent research shows that local adaptation may not be an important constraint in predicting phenological responses. We analyzed variations in flowering dates of Olea europaea L. at different sites of Spain and Italy, testing for a genetic differentiation of flowering phenology among olive varieties to estimate whether local modeling is necessary for olive or not. We build models for the onset and peak dates flowering in different sites of Andalusia and Puglia. Process-based phenological models using temperature as input variable and photoperiod as the threshold date to start temperature accumulation were developed to predict both dates. Our results confirm and update previous results that indicated an advance in olive onset dates. The results indicate that both internal and external validity were higher in the models that used the photoperiod as an indicator to start to cumulate temperature. The use of the unified model for modeling the start and peak dates in the different localities provides standardized results for the comparative study. The use of regional models grouping localities by varieties and climate similarities indicate that local adaptation would not be an important factor in predicting olive phenological responses face to the global temperature increase.     

Petrogenesis of the Late Cenozoic collision volcanism in the central part of the Lesser Caucasus (Azerbaijan)

The Late Cenozoic volcanics of the Lesser Caucasus have similar trace-element and REE patterns with negative anomalies of Nb, Ta, Hf, and Zr. They are highly enriched in Rb, Ba, Th, and La and depleted in Ti, Yb, and Y with respect to N-MORB, which indicates their formation from the subduction-metasomatized lithospheric mantle. Partial melting of the subcontinental mantle lithosphere and crustal assimilation and fractional crystallization controlled the magma evolution in the collisional magmatic belts.     

Acigöl rhyolite field,central Anatolia (part II): geochemical and isotopic (Sr–Nd–Pb, δ<Superscript>18</Superscript>O) constraints on volcanism involving two high-silica rhyolite suites

The Acigöl rhyolite field erupted the most recent high-silica rhyolites within the Cappadocian Volcanic Province of central Anatolia, Turkey. It comprises two sequences of domes and pyroclastic rocks with eruption ages of ~150–200 ka (eastern group) and ~20–25 ka (western group). Compositionally, the eastern rhyolite group lavas are less evolved (SiO₂ = 74–76 wt%), whereas the western group has higher silica abundance (SiO₂ = ~77 wt%) with extremely depleted feldspar-compatible trace elements. Within each group, compositional variability is small and ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.51257–0.51265) and Pb isotope compositions (²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.87–18.88, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.65–15.67 and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 38.94–38.98) are homogeneous. The western group rhyolites have δ¹⁸O(zircon) overlapping mantle values (5.7 ± 0.2‰), whereas eastern group rhyolites are enriched in δ¹⁸O by ~0.5‰, consistent with a tendency to lower εNd values. By contrast, western group rhyolites have markedly more radiogenic ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (0.7065–0.7091) compared to those of the eastern group (0.7059–0.7065). The presence of angular granitic xenoliths and a correlation between hydration (based on loss on ignition data) and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr in the western lavas, however, indicates that Sr was added during the eruption or post-eruption alteration. Isotope constraints preclude the possibility that the rhyolite magmas formed by partial melting of any known regional crystalline basement rocks. Basalts and andesites erupted in the periphery of the Acigöl field are characterised by ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios between 0.7040 and 0.7053, ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd = 0.51259–0.51300, ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 18.85–18.87, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.646–15.655, ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 38.90–38.97. The isotopic and trace element data favour an origin of the rhyolites by mixing of basaltic/andesitic magmas with minor amounts of crustal melts and followed by extensive fractional crystallization.     

3,4-benzopyrene and perylene in mussels, Mytilus sp., from the Laguna Veneta,North-East Italy

From July, 1975 to November, 1976 mussels from the Laguna Veneta, north-east Italy, and the adjacent Adriatic Sea were collected bimonthly at ten stations and analysed for 3,4-benzopyrene (BaP) and perylene (Pe) content. Mean concentrations were in the range 12·0–135·1 μg/kg dry weight for BaP and 1·5–16·9 μg/kg for Pe, but values as high as 327 μg/kg for BaP and 71 μg/kg for Pe have been measured. The distribution of BaP and Pe closely matches previous results on petroleum hydrocarbon contamination in mussels from this area and indicates that the major portion of BaP and Pe in these bivalves is due principally to human activities.     

Mapping and initial dilution estimation of an ocean outfall plume using an autonomous underwater vehicle

A monitoring mission to study the shape and estimate initial dilution of the S. Jacinto outfall plume using an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) was performed on July 30, 2002. In order to reduce the uncertainty about plume location and to concentrate the vehicle mission only in the hydrodynamic mixing zone, outputs of a near-field prediction model, based on effective real-time in situ measurements of current speed and direction and density stratification, were opportunistically used to specify in real time the mission transects. The surface characteristics of the outfall plume were found to be influenced strongly by the relatively weak stratification and low current velocities. Dilution was estimated using a temperature–salinity (TS-) diagram with initial mixing lines between wastewater and ambient waters. Effluent dilutions were at least 30:1 in this study. In order to efficiently map the plume dispersion we applied the least-squares collocation method technique. Our results demonstrate that AUVs can provide high-quality measurements of physical properties of effluent plumes in a quite effective manner and valuable considerations about the initial mixing processes under real oceanic conditions can be further investigated.     

Notes on late Cenomanian and Turonianammonites from Touraine,Western France

Recent collecting in the type area of the Turonian stage and adjacent parts of Touraine in western France provides new geographic and stratigraphic records as well as additional systematic information on species of the ammonite genera Puzosia, Watinoceras, Metoicoceras, Mammites, Prohauericeras, Collignoniceras, Lecointriceras, Subprionocyclus and Sciponoceras.     

Natural manganese oxide: Combined analytical approach for solid characterization and arsenic retention

To understand the retention of As on a natural manganese sand, the structural, textural and chemical properties of the solid were first investigated by combining scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), electron-energy-loss spectroscopy (EELS), X-ray diffraction (XRD), BET N₂ gas adsorption, diffuse reflectance Fourier transform infrared (FT-IR) spectroscopy and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) analysis. Manganese sand could be mainly described as a mixture of a phyllomanganate, lithiophorite [(Al,Li)MnO₂(OH)₂], and pyrolusite (MnO₂). Iron particle, kaolinite and gibbsite type-phases were also observed. Particles organization led to the presence of a mesoporosity with pore diameters ranging from 100 to 200 Å and a specific surface area of 23 m² g⁻¹. Contact with an As(V) solution (0.67 mmol L⁻¹) led to an average fractional surface coverage of 0.4. Both As (V) and (III) were present on the surface of the sand in a 1:1 ratio. As(V) was sorbed on lithiophorite-type particles through surface complexation type reaction. As(III) was thought to result from As(V) reduction mechanism on iron particles.     

Assessing the water resources and ecological state of the Samur river (Eastern Caucasus)

The behavior of long-term changes in water resources of the transboundary Samur river is considered. It is found that there has been taking place a decrease in the river water flow rate over the course of the last four decades. Results from analyzing the ecological releases indicate that they would suffice to maintain the ecosystem of the river near its mouth in an acceptable state.     

Diagenesis of silica-rich mound-bedded chalk,the Coniacian Arnager Limestone,Denmark

The Coniacian Arnager Limestone Formation is exposed on the Danish island of Bornholm in the Baltic Sea. It is composed of mound-bedded siliceous chalk, and X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy indicate a content of 30–70% insoluble minerals, including authigenic opal-CT, quartz, clinoptilolite, feldspars, calcite, dolomite, and barite. Opal-CT and clinoptilolite are the most common and constitute 16–53% and 2–9%, respectively. The content of insoluble minerals varies laterally both within the mounds and in planar beds, and the opal-CT content varies by up to 10% vertically. The mounds consist of two microfacies, spiculitic wackestone and bioturbated spiculitic wackestone, containing 10–22% and 7–12% moulds after spicules, respectively.Subsequent to deposition and shallow burial, dissolution of siliceous sponge spicules increased the silica activity of the pore water and initiated precipitation of opal-CT. The opal-CT formed at temperatures around 17 °C, the precipitation lowered the silica activity and the Si/Al ratio of the pore water, resulting in precipitation of clinoptilolite, feldspar and smectite. Calcite formed synchronously with the latest clinoptilolite. Minor amounts of quartz precipitated in pore water with low silica activity during maximum burial, probably to depths of 200–250 m. The dissolution of sponge spicules and decomposition of the sponge tissue also resulted in the release of Ba²⁺, Sr²⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺ and CO₃^2?, facilitating precipitation of barite and dolomite. Precipitation of especially opal-CT reduced the porosity to an average of 40% and cemented the limestone. The study highlights the diagenetic pathways of bio-siliceous chalk and the effects on preservation of porosity and permeability.