Testate amoebae as estuarine water‐level indicators: modern distribution and the development of a transfer function from a freshwater tidal marsh (Scheldt estuary,Belgium)

Little is known about the century‐scale response of water levels in inland estuaries to sea‐level change and human modifications to estuarine morphology. This study explored the ability of using testate amoebae (Protozoa, Rhizopoda) from sediments of a freshwater tidal marsh as indicators of water level in an inland estuary. The hypothesis was that modern testate amoeba assemblages change with surface elevation (approximately the duration of tidal flooding) within a freshwater tidal marsh. Variation in testate amoeba assemblages in relation to multiple environmental variables and sediment characteristics was studied through redundancy analysis. This demonstrated that a significant part of the variation in modern testate amoeba assemblages could be explained by flooding frequency, surface elevation, organic content and particle size of the soil. Transfer functions, partial least squares and weighted average regressions were made to show that testate amoebae can be used for reconstruction of water level (with an accuracy of 0.05 Normalized Elevation). A preliminary test of application of the transfer function to palaeo testate amoeba assemblages showed promising results. Testate amoebae from a freshwater tidal marsh provide a potentially powerful new tool for estuarine water‐level reconstructions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

How Much Physiology is Needed in Forest Gap Models for Simulating Long-Term Vegetation Response to Global Change? Challenges, Limitations, and Potentials

Gap models were introduced over 30 years ago to examine the dynamics of forestvegetation structure and species composition based on plant populationdynamics. While there have been many advances, gap models remain heavilycriticized for their lack of attention to physiology, particularly as itaffects their ability to simulate forest response to elevated CO₂concentration and climatic change. In this paper we provide a summary andsynthesis of the results from the Gap Model Comparison Workshop that was heldin July, 1999 at Pingree Park, Colorado (U.S.A.). We identify some grandchallenges for the future development of forest gap models and discusslimitations as well as potentials of this modeling approach.     

Water budget and vertical conductance for Lowry (Sand Hill) Lake in north-central Florida, USA

Water-budget components and the vertical conductance were determined for Lowry (Sand Hill) Lake in north-central Florida, USA. In this type of lake, which interacts with both the surface-water and groundwater systems, the inflow components are precipitation, surface-water inflow, groundwater inflow, and direct runoff (i.e. overland flow), and the outflow components are evaporation, groundwater outflow, and surface-water outflow. In a lake and groundwater system that is typical of many karst lakes in Florida, a large part of the groundwater outflow occurs by means of vertical leakage through an underlying confining unit to a deeper, highly transmissive aquifer called the upper Floridan aquifer. The water-budget component that represents vertical leakage to the upper Floridan aquifer was calculated as a residual using the water-budget equation. For the 13 month period from August 1994 to August 1995, relative to the surface area of the lake, rainfall at Lowry Lake was 1.55 m yr⁻¹, surficial aquifer inflow was 0.79 m yr⁻¹, surface-water inflow was 1.92 m yr⁻¹, and direct runoff was 0.01 m yr⁻¹. Lake evaporation was 1.11 m yr⁻¹, and surface-water outflow was 1.61 m yr⁻¹. The lake stage increased 0.07 m yr⁻¹, and the vertical leakage to the upper Floridan aquifer was 1.48 m yr⁻¹. Surficial aquifer outflow from the lake was negligible. At Lowry Lake, vertical leakage is a major component of the water budget, comprising about 35% of the outflow during the study period. The vertical conductance (K_V/b), a coefficient that represents the average of the vertical conductances of the hydrogeologic units between the bottom of a lake and the top of the upper Floridan aquifer, was determined to be 2.51 × 10⁻⁴ day⁻¹ for Lowry Lake.     

Some problems of the tectonic framework of the Guiana Shield with special regard for the Roraima Formation

Zusammenfassung Die Arbeit diskutiert Probleme der tektonischen Entwicklung des Guyana-Schildes, eines gro\en kratonischen Gebietes archaischen Alters. Seine Konsolidation fand viel früher statt als die Konsolidation des Brasilianischen Schildes. Guyana stabilisierte sich schon wÄhrend des Älteren Proterozoikums vor 1800 M. J. Vulkanite und Molasse der Roraima-Formation füllten die Depressionen der gefalteten archaischen Gebiete auf. Der Sockel des Guyana-Schildes wird durch die Guyano Eburnéenne Geosynclinal (Choubert, 1969), die Transamazonische Geosynklinale, gebildet, welche sich von Venezuela bis Französisch-Guyana mit gleichem Streichen über eine Entfernung von mehr als 1000 km verfolgen lÄ\t. Eine archaische Geosynklinale von diesem Ausma\ ist bisher aus anderen Schildgebieten der Erde unbekannt.Die archaischen Metasedimente, Metavulkanite und kristallinen Gesteine von Guyana haben allgemein eine E—W-Streichrichtung und unterscheiden sich damit von der vorherrschenden N—S-Streichrichtung der oberprÄkambrischen Gesteine des Brasilianischen Schildes.Jung-prÄkambrische Geosynklinalen und Orogenesen scheinen im Guyana-Schild zu fehlen. Die in Brasilien aktive jung-proterozoische Assynthische (Baikalische oder Brasilianische) Orogenese hat den Guyana-Schild nicht erfa\t. Dort war die letzte Orogenèse die Post-Barama-Mazaruni-Bartica-Orogenese vor 2000 M. J. Zwischen 2000 M. J. und 1800 M. J. entwickelte sich die PrÄ-Roraima-ErosionsflÄche. Dieser Phase folgte die Ablagerung der tafeligen Roraima-Formation vor 1750 M. J. mit dem anorogenen Post-Roraima-Vulkanismus (Dolerite und Gabbro-Intrusionen). Die gro\e Verbreitung der fast nicht verformten Roraima-Sedimente beweist, da\ der grö\te Teil des Guyana-Schildes wÄhrend des Älteren Proterozoikums stabilisiert war.Das Problem der Entstehung des Amazonas-Beckens und die Rolle der Transcurrent-Verwerfungen sowie das VerhÄltnis zwischen den kontinentalen Transcurrent-Verwerfungen und den Bruchzonen des mittelozeanischen Rückens werden dargestellt.

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In this paper some problems of tectonical evolution of the Guiana Shield are discussed that represents a large cratonic area of Archaic age. Its consolidation took much earlier place than the consolidation of the Brazilian Shield. The Guianas were already settled at early Proterozoic time, 1.800 m. y., when molasse and volcanic deposits had been accomplished at depressions of areas folded during the Archaic time 2.000 m. y. The basement of the Guiana Shield is formed by rocks of the vast Guiana-Eburneana Geosyncline (Choubert, 1969), named also Trans-amazonian Geosyncline which has an extension of more than 1.000 km, with the same direction. Such a huge Archaic geosyncline is unknown at an other cratonic area of the world.The predominant trend and structural lineament of the Archaic rocks is quite different than in the Brazilian Shield. The characteristic trend of the early Precambrian rocks of the Guiana Shield is approximately E-W, contrary to the main N-S structural alignement of the Brazilian Shield.Late Precambrian geosynclines and orogeny seem to be absent in the Guiana Shield. The young Proterozoic Assynthic (Baicalian) Orogeny has not more affected the Guiana Shield, where the last orogeny was the Post-Barama-Mazaruni-Bartica Orogeny, which occurred at the Archaic, 2.000 m. y.Between 2.000 m. y. and 1.800 m. y. took place the development of Pre-Roraima erosion surface. It was followed by the deposition of the tabular Roraima Formation, manifesting the stabilisation of the central part of the Shield before 1.750 m. y., when the emplacement of the gabbroic and doleritic volcanites succeeded. The large distribution of the not metamorphosed flat lying Roraima sediments proves that the Guiana Shield was already consolidated during the old Proterozoic time and was never more affected by younger orogenic movements.It is also discussed the problem of origin of the Amazonas Basin, and the important role of the Transcurrent Faults in the tectonic framework of the Guiana Shield and the probable genetic relationship between the transcurrent faults and the fracture zones of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge.

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Resumo O Escudo das Guianas representa uma ampla área cratÔnica da Era Arcaica. Sua consolidaÇÃo já ocorrera muito antes de consolidaÇÃo do Escudo Brasileiro. As Guianas tornaram-se estáveis durante a Era Proterozóica inferior, 1.700 m. a. quando deposiÇÕes vulcânicas e molasse de Roraima foram concluidas em depressÕes de áreas dobradas durante a Era Arcaica, O embasamento do Escudo das Guianas é formado pelo imenso Geossinclínio Guiano-Eburneano (Choubert, 1969) ou Transamazoniano, que representa um geossinclinal de mais de 1.000 km de extensÃo, de mesma direÇÃo. Geossinclinal Arqueano de tamanha amplitude nÃo é conhecido em outra regiÃo cratÔnica de mundo.As rochas metassedimentares, metavulcânicas e cristalinas arcaicas tÊm um alinhamento aproximadamente E-W, diferindo do principal alinhamento estrutural N—S do Escudo Brasileiro.Geossinclínos e orogÊnia do Pré-Cambriana superior parecem estar ausentas no Escudo das Guianas. A orogénia do Proterozóico superior (Assíntica ou Baicaliana) nÃo mais afetou o Escudo das Guianas, onde a Última orogÊnia foi a orogÊnia Barama-Mazaruni-Bartica, que ocorreu há 2000 m. a. Entre 2000 m. a. e 1800 m. a. deu-se o desenvolvimento da superfície de erosÃo Pré-Roraima. Esta fase foi seguida pela deposiÇÃo da FormaÇÃo Roraima tabular, o que revela a estabilizaÇÃo da parte central do Escudo, há 1.750 m. a. quando ocorreu o emplacement dos vulcanitos gabróicos e doleríticos. A grande distribuiÇÃo dos sedimentos Roraima quase horizontals nÃo metamorfizados, prova que o Escudo de Guianas já estava consolidado durante o Proterozóico inferior e nÃo foi mais afetado por movimentos orogÊnicos mais jovens.Foi discutido também o papel importante das falhas transcorrentes na constituiÇÃo tectÔnica do Escudo das Guianas; o problema da origem da Bacia AmazÔnica, e a provável relaÇÃo genética entre as falhas transcorrentes as zonas de fratura da Cadeia Meio-Atlântica.

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— - . , . , . . 1800 . Roraima , . - (Choubert, 1969), , , 1000 . . , E-W N-S .- , , . - — — . Post Barama-Mazaruni-Bartica Orogenese 2000 . 2000 1800 - — . Roraima — 1700 - ( ). - , . Transcurrent, Transcurrent .

     

87Rb-87Sr age of fragments and soils from the lunar sea of fertility

The Luna 16 materials were dated by the Rb-Sr method.An internal isochron age of 3.4 ± 0.2 has been determined for a 6 mg fragment.The Luna 16 total soil is poorer in radiogenic Sr than any other analyzed soil from the Moon. Apollo 14 and 15 soils have also been studied; all of them fall nearly on a 4.65 b.y. isochron with the ADOR initial ${}^{87}\text{Sr}{}^{86}\text{Sr}$ ratio.A comparison of the integrated $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ of the basalt source region and the $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ of the rocks suggests that these basaltic fragments have been generated with only minor $\text{Rb}\text{Sr}$ fractionation.The existence of an old Rb-rich subcrust which contaminated the basalts is also in agreement with the present results.     

The effect of heating on the propagation speed of tropospheric equatorial waves

Summary An earlier investigation concerning the effect of vertical wind shear in the basic current on the propagation speed and divergence of tropospheric equatorial waves is extended to include the effect of parameterized heating. The combined effct of shear and heating is to decrease the propagation speed, particularly at wavelengths greater than 2000 km. Further, the effect of the heating is to increase the divergence to the correct order of magnitude. As in the no-heating case, the divergence decreases with increasing wavelength.     

Residues of environmental pollutants and necropsy data for Eastern United States ospreys, 1964–1973

Thirty-three ospreys (Pandion haliaetus) that were found dead or moribund in the Eastern United States between 1964 and 1973 were necropsied. The brains and carcasses of 26 of these birds were analyzed for organochlorines. The livers of 18 and the kidneys of 7 were analyzed for selected metals. Most adults were recovered in April and May and most immatures were recovered in August through October. The adult sex ratio was highly unbalanced in favor of females. Major causes of mortality were impact injuries, emaciation, shooting, and respiratory infections. Of special interest were two birds with malignant tumors and one with steatitis. Many birds had undergone marked weight losses resulting in mobilization and redistribution of organochlorine residues. Organochlorines were detected in the birds at the following percentages: DDE 100%, PCB 96%, DDD 92%, dieldrin 88%, chlordanes (including nonachlors) 82%, DDT 65%, and heptachlor expoxide 38%. Organochlorine levels tended to be higher in adults than in immatures. One adult from South Carolina had a potentially dangerous level of dieldrin in its brain, which might have contributed to its death. Immature ospreys from Maryland had extremely elevated levels of copper in their livers compared with immatures from other areas and all adults. One immature from Maryland had an elevated level of arsenic in its liver, which might have contributed to its death. One adult from Florida that had died of impact injuries had potentially dangerous levels of mercury in both liver and kidney and slightly elevated levels of cadmium in these tissues. Additional birds appeared to have been exposed to contamination of the environment by arsenic and mercury. The levels of chromium, zinc, and lead in livers appeared normal.     

Molybdenite in calcium-aluminum-rich inclusions in the Allende meteorite

The first observations of molybdenite in a meteorite have been made in two CaAl-rich inclusions in the Allende chondrite. The mineral occurs as single individuals completely enclosed in high Ni metal (62–64.5 wt. % Ni). The association with refractories is consistent with thermodynamic calculations which predict that Mo is a high temperature condensate even when nucleation constraints are imposed on the formation of a metal phase. Kinetic factors (including nucleation constraints) appear to have played an important role in the formation of molybdenite and the associated sulfides, magnetite and high nickel metal.     

Palynological studies in the western arm of Lake Superior

Lake Superior sediments contain pollen whose changes through time can be corelated with dated pollen diagrams from small lakes in the region. A core collected in 1972 from the deep trough (265 m) off Silver Bay (47° 09′N, 91°20′W) penetrated 6.25 cm of taconite tailings, 55 cm of postglacial silty clay, and 93.5 cm of late-glacial varves. Seven levels in the core were dated by stratigraphic and palynological techniques. The varves stopped forming about 9000 years ago, probably when glacial ice retreated to the north shore. The last 100 varves accumulated at about 10 mm/yr, but the average net sedimentation rate subsequently slowed to 0.05 mm/yr until the time of settlement about 1890. The sedimentation rate then increased by a factor of 10, to 0.5 mm/yr until 1956 when taconite processing began. The postsettlement interval can be recognized by marked increases of ragweed and chenopod pollen that result from land disturbance caused by forest clearance and agriculture. The postsettlement interval is also present at the top of six cores from four other sites in western Lake Superior, collected in water from 25–140 m deep. The postsettlement sedimentation rate varies from 0.1–0.8 mm/yr, suggesting that man has greatly increased sediment yield to the lake in the last 80 years.     

226Ra and222Rn contents of Galapagos Rift hydrothermal waters —the importance of low-temperature interactions with crustal rocks

Hydrothermal waters collected by “Alvin” from the Galapagos Spreading Center are enriched in²²²Rn by factors of 50–200 over bottom waters. The²²⁶Ra in the same samples, however, is enriched by less than a factor of four over bottom waters. Enrichments of²²²Rn result primarily from α-recoil from rock surfaces while²²⁶Ra enrichments are dominantly produced by high-temperature alteration of cooling ridge volcanics. The abundances of both nuclides exhibit positive correlations with temperature. The data extrapolate to bottom water temperatures and compositions, demonstrating the importance of seawater mixing. Different vents, however, have different mixing lines, and vents with high²²²Rn have low²²⁶Ra. We propose these patterns result from variations in the extent of low-temperature crustal interaction with the hydrothermal fluids. Low-temperature crustal waters can maintain high steady state²²²Rn contents due to the α-recoil additions to the fluids. The²²⁶Ra, however, is strongly adsorbed at low-temperatures resulting in low concentrations of this nuclide in low-temperature crustal waters. Thus, physical mixing of a crustal water component with hydrothermal waters or variable crustal path lengths of the hydrothermal fluids can account for the variable mixing lines and²²²Rn/²²⁶Ra values of the hot springs.The²²²Rn/²²⁶Ra value appears to be a sensitive indicator of low-temperature crustal interaction. Values > 100 have experienced extensive crustal interaction and are indicative of diffuse hydrothermal flow. Values between 1 and 10 are indicative of primary hydrothermal fluids which have not experienced significant interaction with the crust. Values of²²²Rn/²²⁶Ra between 10³ and 10⁴ are indicative of interaction of the hydrothermal fluids with sediments. Such values are observed in water samples from the Galapagos hydrothermal mounds.