Recent and projected increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide and the potential impacts on growth and alkaloid production in wild poppy (Papaver setigerum DC.)

In the current study, we quantified changes in the growth and alkaloid content of wild poppy, (Papaver setigerum) as a function of recent and projected changes in global atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration, [CO₂]. The experimental [CO₂] values (300, 400, 500 and 600μmol mol^?1) correspond roughly to the concentrations that existed during the middle of the twentieth century, the current concentration, and near and long-term projections for the current century (2050 and 2090), respectively. Additional carbon dioxide resulted in significant increases in leaf area and above ground biomass for P. setigerum at all [CO₂] relative to the 300μmol mol^?1 baseline. Reproductively, increasing [CO₂] from 300 to 600μmol mol^?1 increased the number of capsules, capsule weight and latex production by 3.6, 3.0 and 3.7×, respectively, on a per plant basis. Quantification of secondary compounds (i.e. those not involved in primary metabolism) included the alkaloids morphine, codeine, papaverine and noscapine. The amount of all alkaloids increased significantly on a per plant basis, with the greatest relative increase occurring with recent increases in atmospheric carbon dioxide (e.g. from 300 to 400μmol mol^?1). Overall, these data suggest that as atmospheric [CO₂] continues to increase, significant effects on the production of secondary plant compounds of pharmacological interest (i.e. opiates) could be expected.     

Oxidation of the Kaapvaal lithospheric mantle driven by metasomatism

The oxidation state, reflected in the oxygen fugacity (fO₂), of the subcratonic lithospheric mantle is laterally and vertically heterogeneous. In the garnet stability field, the Kaapvaal lithospheric mantle becomes progressively more reducing with increasing depth from Δlog fO₂ FMQ-2 at 110 km to FMQ-4 at 210 km. Oxidation accompanying metasomatism has obscured this crystal-chemical controlled depth-fO₂ trend in the mantle beneath Kimberley, South Africa. Chondrite normalized REE patterns for garnets, preserve evidence of a range in metasomatic enrichment from mild metasomatism in harzburgites to extensive metasomatism by LREE-enriched fluids and melts with fairly unfractionated LREE/HREE ratios in phlogopite-bearing lherzolites. The metasomatized xenoliths record redox conditions extending up to Δlog fO₂ = FMQ, sufficiently oxidized that magnesite would be the stable host of carbon in the most metasomatized samples. The most oxidized lherzolites, those in or near the carbonate stability field, have the greatest modal abundance of phlogopite and clinopyroxene. Clinopyroxene is modally less abundant or absent in the most reduced peridotite samples. The infiltration of metasomatic fluids/melts into diamondiferous lithospheric mantle beneath the Kaapvaal craton converted reduced, anhydrous harzburgite into variably oxidized phlogopite-bearing lherzolite. Locally, portions of the lithospheric mantle were metasomatized and oxidized to an extent that conversion of diamond into carbonate should have occurred. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Panta Rhei 2013–2015: global perspectives on hydrology,society and change

ABSTRACT

In 2013, the International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) launched the hydrological decade 2013–2022 with the theme “Panta Rhei: Change in Hydrology and Society”. The decade recognizes the urgency of hydrological research to understand and predict the interactions of society and water, to support sustainable water resource use under changing climatic and environmental conditions. This paper reports on the first Panta Rhei biennium 2013–2015, providing a comprehensive resource that describes the scope and direction of Panta Rhei. We bring together the knowledge of all the Panta Rhei working groups, to summarize the most pressing research questions and how the hydrological community is progressing towards those goals. We draw out interconnections between different strands of research, and reflect on the need to take a global view on hydrology in the current era of human impacts and environmental change. Finally, we look back to the six driving science questions identified at the outset of Panta Rhei, to quantify progress towards those aims.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor not assigned     

Development of FLEMOcs – a new model for the estimation of flood losses in the commercial sector

Abstract

The estimation of flood damage is an important component for risk-oriented flood design, risk mapping, financial appraisals and comparative risk analyses. However, research on flood-loss modelling, especially in the commercial sector, has not gained much attention so far. Therefore, extensive data about flood losses were collected for affected companies via telephone surveys after the floods of 2002, 2005 and 2006 in Germany. Potential loss determining factors were analysed. The new Flood Loss Estimation MOdel for the commercial sector (FLEMOcs) was developed on the basis of 642 loss cases. Losses are estimated depending on water depth, sector and company size as well as precaution and contamination. The model can be applied to the micro-scale, i.e. to single production sites as well as to the meso-scale, i.e. land-use units, thus enabling its countrywide application.

Citation Kreibich, H., Seifert, I., Merz, B. & Thieken, A. H. (2010) Development of FLEMOcs – a new model for the estimation of flood losses in the commercial sector. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(8), 1302–1314.     

Application and validation of FLEMOcs – a flood-loss estimation model for the commercial sector

Abstract

The estimation of flood loss is difficult, especially in the commercial sector, because of its great inhomogeneity. However, the reliability of loss modelling is fairly unknown, since flood-loss models are scarcely validated. The newly developed Flood Loss Estimation MOdel for the commercial sector (FLEMOcs) was validated on the micro-scale using a leave-one-out cross-validation procedure. Additionally, different meso-scale loss functions were compared. Meso-scale model application was undertaken in 19 municipalities which were affected during the 2002 flood in Germany. Model results were compared with the results of three other loss models, as well as with official loss records. The micro-scale validation shows very good results, with no bias and mean absolute errors between 23 and 31%. The meso-scale validation indicates that FLEMOcs provides good results, especially in large areas with many affected companies where high losses are expected.

Citation Seifert, I., Kreibich, H., Merz, B. & Thieken, A. H. (2010) Application and validation of FLEMOcs – a flood-loss estimation model for the commercial sector. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(8), 1315–1324.     

Stratigraphic spatial variation on the inner shelf of a high-yield river,Waiapu River,New Zealand: Implications for fine-sediment dispersal and preservation

The inner shelves of active, energetic continental margins are frequently defined as regions of sediment segregation and fine-sediment bypassing. The Waiapu River, North Island, New Zealand presents an opportunity to study fine-sediment segregation and strata formation in a spatially constrained, highly energetic, aggradational setting, with one of the highest sediment yields on earth. We present evidence that the inner shelf of the Waiapu River plays a significant role in both the fate of fine-grained (<63 μm) riverine sediments and the formation of continental margin stratigraphy. Results obtained from high-resolution interferometric bathymetry and high-frequency seismic mapping ground-truthed by cores show significant stratigraphic spatial variation preserved on the Waiapu inner shelf. This spatial variation is likely controlled by spatially-distinct sediment deposition and resuspension processes as well as antecedent geology. Two distinct depositional regions are interpreted as: (1) surface plume-dominated with partial resuspension, characterized by acoustically transparent seismic reflection profiles and muddy sands; and (2) event-layer dominated, characterized by thickly laminated sediments. A modern-day bathymetric low overlying an observed paleochannel may influence the fate of hyperpycnal flows transiting the shelf via bathymetric steering. Fining-upward sequences found over the entire shelf are interpreted to represent deforestation-induced sedimentation that has overwhelmed the ability of the energetic system to resuspend and segregate fine sediments. We conclude that the primary control on strata formation on the inner shelf of the Waiapu River is local sediment supply.     

Resource management regimes and innovation in peripheral nature-based tourism: The case of North Cape tourism and sea-fishing tourism

The study objective was to analyse how capitalized and non-capitalized resource rents act as mechanisms of innovation in nature-based tourism within a centre–periphery context dominated by distance, instability, and dependency. The authors studied 55 out of 64 businesses engaged in tourism in Nordkapp Municipality in Norway in the period 2002–2012. Data were collected from a survey, interviews, and empirical observations, and then analysed using both deductive and inductive methodological approaches. The main findings were that tourism in the Nordkapp Municipality had suffered from a lack of local innovation initiatives caused by the capitalized resource rent of tourism to North Cape and its leakage. Nevertheless, local tourism had increased partly because of the inclusion of new and more attractive products, due to the open-access, non-capitalized resource management in fishing tourism that operated simultaneously with the closed and capitalized context of North Cape tourism. The authors conclude that this open-access regime of fishing tourism stimulated innovation and further development of coastal tourism, and even affected traditional North Cape tourism. Non-capitalized resource rent had not leaked out because it had not been collected by external companies and because it had acted as an innovation mechanism on the periphery.