Effects of climatic changes on anisakid nematodes in polar regions

Anisakid nematodes are common in Antarctic, sub-Antarctic, and Arctic areas. Current distributional knowledge of anisakids in the polar regions is reviewed. Climatic variables influence the occurrence and abundance of anisakids, directly influencing their free-living larval stages and also indirectly influencing their predominantly invertebrate (but also vertebrate) hosts. As these parasites can also be pathogenic for humans, the paucity of information available is a source of additional hazard. As fish are a major human dietary component in Arctic and Antarctic areas, and are often eaten without heat processing, a high risk of infection by anisakid larvae might be expected. The present level of knowledge, particularly relating to anisakid larval stages present in fishes, is far from satisfactory. Preliminary molecular studies have revealed the presence of species complexes. Contemporary climate warming is modifying the marine environment and may result in an extension of time during which anisakid eggs can persist and hatch, and of the time period during which newly hatched larvae remain viable. As a result there may be an increase in the extent of anisakid distribution. Continued warming will modify the composition of the parasitic nematode fauna of marine animals, due to changes in feeding habits, as the warming of the sea and any localised reduction in salinity (from freshwater runoff) can be expected to bring about changes in the species composition of pelagic and benthic invertebrates.     

Longitudinal ultrasonic waves in DC electric field

The results of experimental studies of the propagation of longitudinal waves in saturated rock samples in which there is a flow of electric charges are presented. It is shown that the electric field affects elastic parameters in heterophase media by changing their dynamic characteristics. The aim of the study of the effect of electric field on the propagation of elastic waves in saturated porous media was to determine the optimum conditions for this effect, and to construct a set of effective parameters which could be used to increase the effectiveness of seismoacoustic prospecting methods, particularly acoustic logging, and be helpful for developing new methods of increasing the effectiveness of oil extraction from productive wells.     

The Younger Dryas climatic conditions in the Za Mnichem Valley (Polish High Tatra Mountains) based on exposure‐age dating and glacier‐climate modelling

Cosmogenic ³⁶Cl was measured in bedrock and moraine boulders in the Za Mnichem Valley (High Tatra Mountains). The post‐LGM deglaciation of the study area occurred about 15.9 ka ago. The northernmost part of the valley slopes was ice‐free around 15 ka ago. The terminal moraine on the valley threshold was finally stabilized 12.5 ka ago during the Younger Dryas cold event (Greenland Stadial 1). At that time, the Za Mnichem glacier was 1.3 km long and had an area of 0.57 km². The AAR equilibrium line of the glacier was located at 1990 m a.s.l., which corresponds to an ELA depression of ～500 m compared to today. The mean summer temperature was colder by 4°–4.5°C than the present‐day temperature. The mean annual temperature was colder by 6°C than today. Such conditions suggest a decrease of the annual precipitation by ～15–25% compared with the present‐day annual average. These data indicate a probable uniform temperature change across central and western Europe, with the precipitation being the most significant factor affecting the mass balance of mountain glaciers. The spatial distribution of balance data suggests increasing continentality towards the east during the Younger Dryas.     

Zinc–germanium ores of the Tres Marias Mine,Chihuahua, Mexico

The Tres Marias carbonate-hosted Zn–Ge deposit in Chihuahua, Mexico contains sphalerite with the highest average Ge (960 ppm) and willemite with the highest reported Ge contents of Mississippi-Valley-type (MVT) deposits worldwide. This has prompted current exploration efforts to focus on the deposit as a high-grade source of germanium. The sulfide-rich ore type (>125,000 t at 20% Zn and 250 g/t Ge) contains Fe-rich botryoidal sphalerite (type I) associated with solid hydrocarbons. This type exhibits distinctive intimately intergrown lamellar texture of high-Fe sphalerite (average 9.9 wt.% Fe and 800 ppm Ge) and a somewhat less Fe-rich sphalerite phase (average 5.5 wt.% Fe and 470 ppm Ge). Reddish-brown banded sphalerite (type II, average 5.7 wt.% Fe and 1,320 ppm Ge) is subordinately followed by galena and pyrite. The sulfide-poor “oxidized” zinc ore (up to 50 wt.% Zn; 250 to 300 ppm Ge) is a fine-grained, often friable, alteration product of the sulfide ore and associated limestone and breccia host. While some areas are dominated by carbonates and sulfates, others are enriched in silicates such as hemimorphite and willemite. The gangue assemblage includes goethite, hematite, and amorphous silica or quartz. Minor wulfenite, greenockite, cinnabar, and descloizite also occur. Willemite occurs as interstitial replacement of sphalerite and fracture fillings in the oxidized ore and can be unusually rich in Pb (up to 2.0 wt.%) and Ge (up to 4,000 ppm). Oscillatory zonation reflects trace element incorporation into willemite from the oxidation of primary Ge-bearing sphalerite and galena by siliceous aqueous fluids. The Tres Marias deposit has hybrid characteristics consisting of a primary low-temperature MVT Ge-rich Zn–Pb sulfide ore body, overprinted by Ge-rich hemimorphite, willemite, and Fe oxide mineralization.     

Fractionation of heavy metals in bottom sediments using Tessier procedure

The study presents the results of Cu, Pb, Zn, Mn and Fe determination in the samples of bottom sediments collected from the Oder and Warta rivers. The sequential extraction of metals in the samples of bottom sediments was performed after introducing the modification of the extraction scheme suggested by Tessier et al. (Anal Chem 51(7):844–851, 1979). The extraction times of particular stages were optimised. The fifth stage was altered by introducing the new methods of performing extraction. The samples of bottom sediments submitted the following granulometric analyses: dry, wet and wet with (HMP) dispersing reagent. Seven granulometric fractions with the following grain sizes were isolated: >2.0, 2.0–1.0, 1.0–0.5, 0.5–0.25, 0.25–0.1, 0.1–0.063 and <0.063 mm. The sequential extraction of particular granulometric fractions was performed. The concentration of metals variability was analysed depending on the method of sample preparation for the chemical analysis, granulometric fraction of sediments subjected to the analysis, extraction conditions and the site of samples collection. The lack of linearity between the metal concentration and the size of granulometric fraction was observed. The highest concentrations of metals were observed in fractions >2.0, 2.0–1.0 and 0.1–0.063 and <0.063 mm while the lowest concentrations occurred in fractions 1.0–0.5, 0.5–0.25, and 0.25–0.1 mm. The atomic absorption spectrometry with flame atomisation (F-AAS) was used for the determination of the investigated elements.     

Saline groundwater seepage zones and their impact on soil and water resources in the Spicers Creek catchment,central west,New South Wales,Australia

Saline seepage zone development and hence dryland salinity is a major environmental problem which many arid to semiarid landscapes in Australia are experiencing. Due to the geological complexity of the regional aquifer system and the heterogeneous nature of the local groundwater system, each groundwater seepage zone in the Spicers Creek catchment, central west, New South Wales, Australia possesses different mechanisms which control its development. Saline seepage zones have formed adjacent to a fault zone, and two experimental sites were established through these groundwater discharge zones to understand geochemical processes which have led to the development of soil sodicity, gully erosion and the flushing of salts into the surface water systems. Seepage zone groundwaters contain a distinctive geochemical signature with elevated concentrations of Na, Cl, HCO₃, Ca, Sr, B, As and Li. The mixing of deep saline groundwaters together with ion exchange processes lead to a distinctive seepage zone groundwater chemistry being developed. Altering the landscape features within this rural groundwater system has developed water toxicity for crops, soil sodicity leading to land degradation, and waterlogging problems.     

Chosen aspects of sustainable development on the Polish, Czech and German borderland

The shift to market forces in Poland, East Germany and Czech Republic has fundamentally reconfigured its economic geography. In particular, spatial inequalities between neighboring Polish, Czech and German border regions have re-emerged forcefully in response to new values, expectations and preferences. In this paper the example of coal mines illustrates the potency of spatial planning. The abundance of coal mines in the Polish, Czech and German borderland at or near abandonment and their proximity to ecological corridors make them candidates for renewed uses in industry or conservation. Attention will also be given to the main environmental problems caused by wrongly conducted spatial policy on this borderland. Transforming a landscape requires continuation of guidance and financial assistance of the European Union.     

A Simplified, Accurate and Fast Method for Lithium Isotope Analysis of Rocks and Fluids, and δ7Li Values of Seawater and Rock Reference Materials

We report a new approach to conduct fast and accurate lithium isotope ratio measurements by MC-ICP mass spectrometry after wet chemical sample preparation. In contrast to most previously published methods our MC-ICP-MS set-up did not use a desolvating system to achieve appropriate ion beam intensities and, therefore, was less affected by matrix-induced shifts of the instrumental mass bias. As the total lithium background and build-up in the sample introduction system was low, previous sample residues could be washed out by an extended uptake of the new sample. Elimination of a nitric acid rinse step increased the sample throughput by a factor of two and allowed the instrumental mass bias drift to be tracked more precisely. δ⁷Li values of powdered silicate rock reference materials and seawater obtained in this study revealed good accuracy and an overall analytical uncertainty of typically 0.5‰ (2s). On the basis of a comparison between our lithium isotope data and compiled literature data, we recommend preliminary average δ⁷Li values for seawater (+30.8‰) and several silicate rock reference materials (BHVO-1: +5.0‰; JA-1: +5.6‰; JB-2: +4.8‰). The compilation of published δ⁷Li values for seawater suggests that the observed large lithium isotope differences are due to inter-method and/or interlaboratory bias. Most recently published δ⁷Li values for seawater show little variation and confirm a constant lithium isotope composition (at the sub ‰ level) of seawater in well mixed ocean basins.