Toothed whales in the northwestern Mediterranean: insight into their feeding ecology using chemical tracers

Risso’s dolphins, pilot whales and sperm whales rarely strand in the northwestern Mediterranean. Thus, their feeding ecology, through the analysis of stomach contents, is poorly known. The aim of this study was to gain further insight into the segregation/superposition of the diet and habitat of Risso’s dolphins, pilot whales and sperm whales using chemical tracers, namely, stable isotopes (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N) and organochlorines. Significantly different δ¹⁵N values were obtained in Risso’s dolphins (11.7 ± 0.7‰), sperm whales (10.8 ± 0.3‰) and pilot whales (9.8 ± 0.3‰), revealing different trophic levels. These differences are presumably due to various proportions of Histioteuthidae cephalopods in each toothed whale’s diet. Similar δ¹³C contents between species indicated long-term habitat superposition or corroborated important seasonal migrations. Lower congener 180 concentrations (8.20 vs. 21.73 μg.g⁻¹ lw) and higher tDDT/tPCB ratios (0.93 vs. 0.42) were observed in sperm whales compared with Risso’s dolphins and may indicate wider migrations for the former. Therefore, competition between these species seems to depend on different trophic levels and migration patterns.     

Measurement and modeling of mercury complexation by dissolved organic matter isolates from freshwater and effluents of a major wastewater treatment plant

Dissolved organic matter (DOM) samples were obtained from a low-density urbanized area located upstream of Paris (along the Marne River, France) and from the treated effluents at the Paris main wastewater treatment plant. These samples were then fractionated according to their hydrophobicity. DOM fractions consisted of nanomolar to sub-micromolar fresh organic substances with extremely strong Hg-complexing ligands. The conditional stability constants (i.e. ; pH ∼ 6.8, I_NaCl = 0.5 M, T = 25 °C) of the Hg-DOM complexes formed were greater than 10²⁴ M⁻¹, for the reaction Hg²⁺ + L = HgL (with L as ligand). For upstream of Paris, thermodynamic calculations indicated that the vast majority of Hg-DOM was associated with hydrophobic DOM. In contrast, in the Paris main wastewater treatment plant effluents, Hg-DOM was mainly bound to hydrophilic DOM. Simple dilution calculations highlighted that due to the large DOM loading of urban discharges, the hydrophilic urban DOM ligands may commonly dominate Hg-DOM speciation in the downstream Seine River, except under extreme dilution (i.e. high water episodes or floods).     

Age of river basins in Guadeloupe impacting chemical weathering rates and land use

The Lesser Antilles have very high chemical weathering rates, with values that can reach 1290 t/km²/a. The tropical environment induces high precipitation rates, high temperature, dense vegetation, with sharp relief and thick soils. Because of volcanic activity, frequent pyroclastic flows produce very erodible and porous materials. In addition, agriculture induces important land use changes which replace existing native forest cover with banana and sugar cane plantations. Their surface can cover as much as 40% of the total area of a river basin. The aim of this study is to identify key parameters, either natural or anthropogenic, that control chemical weathering rates. Among the combined impact of all parameters (climate, runoff, slopes, vegetation etc.), basin age seems to be the control parameter: the younger the basin, the higher the weathering rate. A correlation between the chemical weathering rate and the basin age suggests that young volcanic rocks are more easily weathered than old ones: young fresh material is easily mobilized by erosion, while for older rocks with thick soil covers, chemical rates are much lower. A combined effect between the higher erodibility and a higher climate erosivity of the younger relief could be observed. Moreover, a correlation between banana plantations and the chemical weathering rates that can be explained by an increase of infiltration, due to stem flow processes is shown here. Banana plantations also have a correlation with the basin age, older basins being more favorable terrains for cultivation.     

Mesozoic paleostress evolution in the Saharian platform (southern Tunisia)

Abstract

A detailed analysis of brittle deformations in the Saharian platform of southern Tunisia is based on studies of fault-slip data sets and joint sets. It allows reconstruction of the Mesozoic paleostress evolution. During the Permo-Triassic, N-S extensions occurred with high late Permian subsidence rates. During the Norian, strike-slip movements reactivated former normal faults. During the Jurassic and the Cretaceous a succession of extensional events was characterized by : (1) a N-S extension which dominated from late Triassic to early Aptian. We relate this extension to the Africa-Eurasia divergence; (2) a ENE-WSW extension during the Cenomanian. We relate this extension to the opening of «he African basins ; (3) a NE-SW Senonian extension that continued during the Cenozoic in the Jeffara and in the Gabes Gulf, during the further evolution of the northern African margin. The various compressional trends recorded in the platform are attributed to Cenozoic events.     

Paleofluid analysis from fracture-fill cements in the Asmari limestones of the Kuh-I-Mond field, SW Zagros, Iran

Kuh-I-Mond field in the Zagros foreland basin is a conventional heavy oil resource and is composed of fractured carbonates whose fractures were filled by calcite, dolomite, and anhydrite cements. Oil inclusions occurred within the fracture-fill cements indicate that fractures were open and played an active role during oil migration and charge. The highest measured values for secondary porosities belong to fractures in Asmari Formation, which is characterized by significant amounts of vug- and fracture-filling cements. Fractures facilitated fluid circulation and subsequently dissolution of allochems and high Mg carbonates. In contrast, fine-grained carbonate facies were less cemented, and thus, porosity enhancement by cement dissolution was insignificant. Temperature profiles of oil inclusions in the dolomite, calcite, and anhydrite minerals characterized by distinct variations in the homogenization temperatures (Th) that are divided into two ranges below 50°C in anhydrites and from 45°C to 125°C in dolomites and calcites. The lower Th ranges for anhydrite suggests that it may have formed at shallower burial depths during early to middle diagenesis. The oil inclusions display trend for increasing temperature downward which conform to Formation geothermal gradient. In other word, the decreasing trend of Th temperatures upward within Asmari Formation that can be observed in Th versus depth plot is consistent with the uplift events at Late Miocene time and later that caused removal of about 1,300 m of the crest of the Kuh-I-Mond anticline. Vitrinite reflectance data from source rock intervals in the field area do not support vertical migration of locally generated hydrocarbons into the Kuh-I-Mond accumulation, and long-distance lateral oil migration and charge from a source kitchen to the southwest is proposed. Vitrinite reflectance data from this dolomite and limestone reservoir suggest low maturation levels corresponding to paleotemperatures less than 50°C. The observed maturation level (<0.5% Ro) does not exceed values for simple burial maturation based on the estimated burial history. Also, homogenization temperatures from fluid inclusion populations in calcite and dolomites show expected good correlation with reflectance-derived temperatures. The Th data represent pore fluids became warmer and more saline during burial. As aqueous fluid inclusions in calcite veins were homogenized between 22°C and 90°C with a decrease in salinity from 22 to 18 eq.?wt.% NaCl. The Th values suggest a change in water composition and that dolomite and calcite cements might have precipitated from petroleum-derived fluids. The hydrocarbon fluid inclusions microthermometry data suggest that the reservoir was being filled by heavy black oils in reservoir during Cenozoic. Aqueous fluid inclusions hosted by calcite equant sparry/fossil cavity fills suggest low cementation temperatures (<45°C) and high salinities (19 eq.?wt.% NaCl), while those in dolostones are characterized by highly variable homogenization temperature (52°C to 125°C) and salinities (6.5 to 20 eq.?wt.% NaCl).     

Social classes and political behaviours: Directions for a geographical analysis

The pertinence of social classes to the understanding of political behaviour has been questioned. The purpose of this article is to propose some directions for a geographical approach of political behaviour centred on social classes. More precisely, we intend here to show how geography can participate in this major debate about the present relevance of social classes. To achieve this objective, a geographical analysis must integrate two major socio-political evolutions since the 1970s: the re-composition processes of social classes and the role of parties in the decline of class voting. Drawing on examples in Belgium, the paper proposes original multi-scalar analyses that take these evolutions into account. At local scale, we highlight fractures inside intermediate classes, which are associated to the fact that left wing segments of these classes are more inclined to live in core cities. At national level, we show the deepness of class and regional gaps in political attitudes despite relative dealignment in electoral behaviour, resulting in the difficulties for big national parties to keep together such a heterogeneous electoral support. Finally, we show how big left wing national parties are able to overcome these difficulties when they are associated to strong and dense local social networks.     

A GIS‐based Vehicle Mobility Estimator for Operational Contexts

A vehicle mobility estimator has been developed to produce decision aid maps for projecting civil or military forces on operational theatres. Based on the exploitation of classical geographical sources (e.g. digital elevation models, optical images, and vector databases) and thematic sources (e.g. climate, meteorological, pedological and land cover databases), the system computes speed maps for different kinds of vehicles moving both on‐road and off‐road. Such computations are realized through a ground‐vehicle interaction module that estimates the vehicle performance from experimental results, numerical simulations and empirical relationships. The system's architecture is built using a GIS interface that manages the data, the computation and the presentation layers. An operational version of this tool has been tested and validated on several operational theatres in France and in northern Africa. The results show good agreement between the predicted mobility performance of various vehicles and those observed on the field. A case study is presented to illustrate the mobility maps and demonstrate their relevance in the decision‐making chain depending on different climate contexts. A short application to itinerary optimization is presented as a promising future application.     

Jacques Bertin,from classical training to systematic thinking of graphic signs

ABSTRACT

Nearly 50 years after the publication of the first French edition of Sémiologie Graphique, Jacques Bertin’s thought is more than ever alive, in cartography as well as in various other disciplines, such as graphic design or visual data analysis. This article recalls the main elements of Bertin’s career and puts forward the salient points of his reflection on graphics. Beyond many conceptual or technical innovations, Bertin’s essential originality appears to be his attempt to propose a general framework for graphical representations.     

Numerical modelling of concrete flow: homogeneous approach

The aim of this paper is to model numerically concrete flow inside formworks like the Lbox. For this purpose, we use a finite element method with Lagrangian integration points (FEMLIP). We are able to follow in time and space material motion with any type of material behaviour, including non‐linear and time‐dependent ones. We also can deal with free surfaces or material interfaces. Bingham's rheology is used for fresh concrete behaviour. In order to compare with experiments, we have considered three concretes (OC, HPC and SCC) with contrasted rheologies. Their yield stress is identified by experimental slump tests and also compared with the value given by a formulation concrete software. Experimental data are found to be quite close to numerical predictions. We have also made some experimental flow tests in a LBOX. We measured the flow speed and the flow shape in the final stage. The numerical modelling of these experiments is very encouraging and shows the capability of the FEMLIP using the Bingham's law to model concrete flow and filling properties. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Progress on the Front of Pulsating Subdwarf B Stars

We briefly review the recent advances that have been made on the front of pulsating subdwarf B (sdB) stars. The first family of sdB pulsators, the EC 14026 stars, was discovered a few years ago and consists of short-period (～100?200 s) p-mode variables. The second type of pulsating sdB’s consists of the PG 1716+426 stars, a group of variables showing long-period (～1 h) g-mode pulsations. The existence of the latter was first reported less than a year ago. While the two types of sdB pulsators differ markedly in their observational characteristics, we recently found a unifying property in the sense that the observed modes in these objects are excited through the same driving process, a classic kappa mechanism associated with the radiative levitation of iron in the stellar envelope.