Blooms of the cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula in coastal Queensland, Australia: disparate sites, common factors

During the last decade there has been a significant rise in observations of blooms of the toxic cyanobacterium Lyngbya majuscula along the east coast of Queensland, Australia. Whether the increase in cyanobacterial abundance is a biological indicator of widespread water quality degradation or also a function of other environmental change is unknown. A bioassay approach was used to assesses the potential for runoff from various land uses to stimulate productivity of L. majuscula. In Moreton Bay, L. majuscula productivity was significantly (p<0.05) stimulated by soil extracts, which were high in phosphorus, iron and organic carbon. Productivity of L. majuscula from the Great Barrier Reef was also significantly (p<0.05) elevated by iron and phosphorus rich extracts, in this case seabird guano adjacent to the bloom site. Hence, it is possible that other L. majuscula blooms are a result of similar stimulating factors (iron, phosphorus and organic carbon), delivered through different mechanisms.     

Concentration and subcellular distribution of trace elements in liver of small cetaceans incidentally caught along the Brazilian coast

Concentrations of trace elements (V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, Cu, Zn, Ga, As, Se, Rb, Sr, Mo, Ag, Cd, Sb, Cs, Ba, T-Hg, Org-Hg, Tl and Pb) were determined in liver samples of estuarine dolphin (Sotalia guianensis; n = 20), Franciscana dolphin (Pontoporia blainvillei; n = 23), Atlantic spotted dolphin (Stenella frontalis; n = 2), common dolphin (Delphinus capensis; n = 1) and striped dolphin (Stenella coeruleoalba; n = 1) incidentally caught along the coast of Sao Paulo State and Parana State, Brazil, from 1997 to 1999. The hepatic concentrations of trace elements in the Brazilian cetaceans were comparable to the data available in literature on marine mammals from Northern Hemisphere. Concentrations of V, Se, Mo, Cd, T-Hg and Org-Hg increased with increasing age in liver of both estuarine and Franciscana dolphins. Very high concentrations of Cu (range, 262-1970 microg/g dry wt.) and Zn (range, 242-369 microg/g dry wt.) were observed in liver of sucklings of estuarine dolphin. Hepatic concentrations of V, Se, T-Hg, Org-Hg and Pb were significantly higher in estuarine dolphin, whereas Franciscana dolphin showed higher concentrations of Mn, Co, As and Rb. Ratio of Org-Hg to T-Hg in liver was significantly higher in Franciscana dolphin than estuarine dolphin, suggesting that demethylation ability of methyl Hg might be lower in liver of Franciscana than estuarine dolphins. High hepatic concentrations of Ag were found in some specimens of Franciscana dolphin (maximum, 20 microg/g dry wt.), and 17% of Franciscana showed higher concentrations of Ag than Hg. These samples with high Ag concentration also exhibited elevated hepatic Se concentration, implying that Ag might be detoxified by Se in the liver. Higher correlation coefficient between (Hg+0.5 Ag) and Se than between Hg and Se and the large distribution of Ag in non-soluble fraction in nuclear and mitochondrial fraction of the liver also suggests that Ag might be detoxified by Se via formation of Ag2Se in the liver of Franciscana dolphin.     

Numerical investigation of road salt impact on an urban wellfield

The impact of road salt on a wellfield in a complex glacial moraine aquifer system is studied by numerical simulation. The moraine underlies an extensive urban and industrial landscape, which draws its water supply from >20 wellfields, several of which are approaching or have exceeded the drinking water limit for chloride. The study investigates the mechanisms of road salt infiltration, storage, and transport in the subsurface and assesses the effectiveness of mitigation measures designed to reduce the impact. The three-dimensional transport model accounts for increases in salt loading, as well as growth of the urbanized area and road network over the past 50 years. The simulations, which focus on one impacted wellfield, show chloride plumes originating mainly at arterial roads and migrating through aquitard windows into the water supply aquifers. The results suggest that the aquifer system contains a large and heterogeneously distributed mass of chloride and that concentrations in the aquifer can be substantially higher than the concentrations in the well water. Future impact scenarios indicate that although the system responds rapidly to reductions in salt loading, the residual chloride mass may take decades to flush out, even if road salting were discontinued. The implications with respect to urban wellfields in typical snow-belt areas are discussed.     

Depth-related influences on biodegradation rates of phenanthrene in polluted marine sediments of Puget Sound, WA

A whole-core injection method was used to determine depth-related rates of microbial mineralization of (14)C-phenanthrene added to both contaminated and clean marine sediments of Puget Sound, WA. For 26-day incubations under micro-aerobic conditions, conversions of (14)C-phenanthrene to (14)CO(2) in heavily PAH-contaminated sediments from two sites in Eagle Harbor were much higher (up to 30%) than those in clean sediments from nearby Blakely Harbor (<3%). The averaged (14)C-phenanthrene degradation rates in the surface sediment horizons (0-3 cm) were more rapid (2-3 times) than in the deeper sediment horizons examined (>6 cm), especially in the most PAH polluted EH9 site. Differences in mineralization were associated with properties of the sediments as a function of sediment depth, including grain-size distribution, PAH concentration, total organic matter and total bacterial abundance. When strictly anaerobic incubations (in N(2)/H(2)/CO(2) atmosphere) were used, the phenanthrene biodegradation rates at all sediment depths were two times slower than under micro-aerobic conditions, with methanogenesis observed after 24 days. The main rate-limiting factor for phenanthrene degradation under anaerobic conditions appeared to be the availability of suitable electron acceptors. Addition of calcium sulfate enhanced the first order rate coefficient (k(1) increased from 0.003 to 0.006 day(-1)), whereas addition of soluble nitrate, even at very low concentration (<0.5 mM), inhibited mineralization. Long-term storage of heavily polluted Eagle Harbor sediment as intact cores under micro-aerobic conditions also appeared to enhance anaerobic biodegradation rates (k(1) up to 0.11 day(-1)).     

通化地区老岭群花山组与珍珠门组平行不整合的发现及意义

通化地区珍珠门组并非老岭群的顶部层位,其上确实存在花山(大栗子)组、临江组．并且与珍珠门组呈平行不整合接触。这一发现,为重新厘定集安岩群、老岭群的地层层序以及区域地层对比．提供了直接的地质依据,也为老岭群的古地理再造以及地质构造演化研究提供了新资料;同时也为在这一地区寻找古岩溶型矿产提供了重要线索。     

单裂缝不同传播方向Krauklis波振幅变化的实验研究

裂缝广泛分布于地壳岩石中并具有多尺度的特点,研究地震波在裂缝介质中的传播规律具有重要的科学意义和应用价值.含流体的裂缝中传播的Krauklis波(也曾被称为慢流体波、裂缝波、斯通利导波等)近年来逐渐成为地球物理学界的研究热点之一.本研究利用地震物理模型技术研究横波在单裂缝样品中传播时随传播方向变化的响应特征,在实验室用环氧树脂为基质构建模型样品,一个为不含裂缝的参考样品,一个为含直径30 mm、厚度0.2 mm的薄币状单裂缝的模型,利用0.5 MHz换能器测试了横波在模型中传播时透射信号的特征.实验结果显示在单裂缝样品中透射横波发生了波形的畸变和振幅降低,振幅谱显示透射信号的主频明显降低,在初至横波之后为具有一定能量的尾波.对尾波进行时频分析,发现在方位角较小时尾波能量较弱而方位角较大时尾波能量较强,尾波中信号的主频在0.1 MHz左右,与前人理论和实验研究结果一致.     

下扬子黄桥地区构造特征及其与油气的关系

下扬子黄桥地区位于下扬子对冲构造带上,记录了多期构造变形,并且保存了较完整的中古生界海相地层,发育多 套烃源岩,具有良好的油气前景。文中采用三维地震工区构造精细解释及运动学正演模拟方法,分析了研究区的构造变形 特征及其变形过程,结果表明黄桥地区中上古生界和下中生界地层在自SE向NW的挤压应力作用下,以前展式发育了多个 断层相关褶皱构造。在构造前锋,断层相关褶皱反向发育,于工区中部偏北西侧形成明显的对冲构造,地层遭受强烈的褶 皱、隆升,构造总缩短率高于47.55%;之后,区域应力场转变为NW-SE向拉张,工区南东侧发育负反转断层,且自南西 向北东负反转程度逐渐变大,由上正下逆复合型转变为似正断层型;此次拉伸正断作用导致断层回滑,形成上白垩统填充 的半地堑构造,对冲构造也受到了一定的破坏。在此基础上,结合前人油气成藏的研究成果,探讨了黄桥构造变形与其油 气成藏的关系,并提出了对冲构造背斜、对冲构造下盘及南东侧的广陵构造背斜为黄桥地区的有利油气区块。研究结果对 进一步认识黄桥及下扬子区的构造变形特征和演化、以及该区的油气勘探提供一定的参考。     

关于JCX 3型井磁仪器及其资料整理

经参加全国危机矿山示范项目的实际工作,认为目前重庆地质仪器厂生产的新型JCX 3井中三分量磁测仪探头倾斜面向北时X读数正值最大,倾斜面向南时X读数负值最大,X分量指向井斜方向。两者在直角坐标系中虽然同样符合左手法则,但新老仪器的井下磁测传感器x、y坐标相差90°。因而,对于当前广泛在用的数十台JCX 3型仪器的测量结果,如果仍然套用建立在垂向系统基础上的矢量计算公式,就会导致应用和解释错误,因此有必要共同探讨。     

中国东北兴蒙—吉黑造山带贝加尔运动、萨拉伊尔运动、兴凯运动及泛非运动等之比较

近一个世纪以来,中国东北兴蒙—吉黑造山带及毗邻地域发生在前寒武纪末期或寒武纪的一场造山运动,一直为国内外地质学家所关注。先后提出过:贝加尔运动、萨拉伊尔运动、兴凯运动、泛非运动等来描述或界定这场伟大的造山作用。本文综合区域已有实际资料:区域性角度不整合-磨拉石建造出现的时限,造山花岗岩的测年数据,变质热事件的记录,构造活动残留的遗迹等,界定该期构造运动相对最符合贝加尔运动或兴凯运动创建之原意。而创建兴凯运动的典型区,其时限的可确定性和认知度尤佳,故建议在这诸多用语中,精选"兴凯运动"一语为最宜。