100 Myr record of sequences, sedimentary facies and sea level change from Ocean Drilling Program onshore coreholes, US Mid-Atlantic coastal plain

We analyzed the latest Early Cretaceous to Miocene sections (～110–7 Ma) in 11 New Jersey and Delaware onshore coreholes (Ocean Drilling Program Legs 150X and 174AX). Fifteen to seventeen Late Cretaceous and 39–40 Cenozoic sequence boundaries were identified on the basis of physical and temporal breaks. Within‐sequence changes follow predictable patterns with thin transgressive and thick regressive highstand systems tracts. The few lowstands encountered provide critical constraints on the range of sea‐level fall. We estimated paleowater depths by integrating lithofacies and biofacies analyses and determined ages using integrated biostratigraphy and strontium isotopic stratigraphy. These datasets were backstripped to provide a sea‐level estimate for the past ～100 Myr. Large river systems affected New Jersey during the Cretaceous and latest Oligocene–Miocene. Facies evolved through eight depositional phases controlled by changes in accommodation, long‐term sea level, and sediment supply: (1) the Barremian–earliest Cenomanian consisted of anastomosing riverine environments associated with warm climates, high sediment supply, and high accommodation; (2) the Cenomanian–early Turonian was dominated by marine sediments with minor deltaic influence associated with long‐term (10⁷ year) sea‐level rise; (3) the late Turonian through Coniacian was dominated by alluvial and delta plain systems associated with long‐term sea‐level fall; (4) the Santonian–Campanian consisted of marine deposition under the influence of a wave‐dominated delta associated with a long‐term sea‐level rise and increased sediment supply; (5) Maastrichtian–Eocene deposition consisted primarily of starved siliciclastic, carbonate ramp shelf environments associated with very high long‐term sea level and low sediment supply; (6) the late Eocene–Oligocene was a starved siliciclastic shelf associated with moderately high sea‐level and low sediment supply; (7) late early–middle Miocene consisted of a prograding shelf under a strong wave‐dominated deltaic influence associated with major increase in sediment supply and accommodation due to local sediment loading; and (8) over the past 10 Myr, low accommodation and eroded coastal systems were associated with low long‐term sea level and low rates of sediment supply due to bypassing.     

Progress in the analytical theories for the orbital motion of the Moon

For the last 15 years, an important effort has been done by several authors to produce new and precise analytical solutions for the Moon's orbital motion. This construction is still in a very growing phase. Achieved works are described and compared. Some indications are given about what remains to be done.Proceedings of the Conference on Analytical Methods and Ephemerides: Theory and Observations of the Moon and Planets. Facultés universitaires Notre Dame de la Paix, Namur, Belgium, 28–31 July, 1980.     

Luquillo Experimental Forest: Catchment science in the montane tropics

Catchments in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) of Puerto Rico are warm, wet and tropical with steep elevational relief creating gradients in temperature and rainfall. Long-term objectives of research at the site are to understand how changing climate and disturbance regimes alter hydrological and biogeochemical processes in the montane tropics and to provide information critical for managing and conserving tropical forest ecosystems globally. Measurements of hydrology and meteorology span decades, and currently include temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloud base level, throughfall, groundwater table elevation and stream discharge. The chemistry of rain, throughfall, and streams is measured weekly and lysimeters and wells are sampled monthly to quarterly. Multiple data sets document the effects of major hurricanes including Hugo (1989), Georges (1998) and Maria (2017) on vegetation, biota and catchment biogeochemistry and provide some of the longest available records of biogeochemical fluxes in tropical forests. Here we present an overview of the findings and the data sets that have been generated from the LEF, highlighting their importance for understanding montane tropical watersheds in the context of disturbance and global environmental change.     

The Lamprey River Hydrological Observatory: Suburbanization and changing seasonality

The Lamprey River Hydrological Observatory (LRHO) is a lowland coastal watershed in southeastern New Hampshire (USA). The LRHO offers a platform to investigate the effects of suburbanization and changing seasonality on watershed hydrology, biogeochemistry, and nutrient export to an estuarine ecosystem. The LRHO utilizes a nested-watershed design to examine headwater stream and main-stem river dynamics distributed across a mixed land-use environment. Data sets from the LRHO now comprise over 20 years of weekly grab sample data as well as 7 years of high-frequency sensor data. Collectively these data sets include measures of discharge, dissolved organic matter, nutrients, cations and anions, greenhouse gases, and other physio-chemical properties. Here we share information on the setting and motivating questions of the LRHO and data availability.     

Rural change and tourism in remote regions: Developments and Indigenous endeavour in Westland,Te Tai o Poutini,Aotearoa New Zealand

Remote rural areas have encountered significant change and the need for renegotiation of economic and social priorities in the late 20th and early 21st century. In our broader research, we ask how have such communities been responding to this change? What role have different organisations and agencies played? And, how have they acted on the aspirations of marginalised communities? In this paper we examine these issues through a case study of Westland District on the west coast of Aotearoa New Zealand's South Island. We probe the general shift towards prioritising tourism in the District, and highlight particular experiences in regard to Indigenous endeavour in tourism. We find that those engaged in leading local development and tourism have not collaborated strategically across the sector and have not established meaningful partnerships with the community that recognise both economic and socio‐cultural aspirations.     

Global streamflow and thermal habitats of freshwater fishes under climate change

Climate change will affect future flow and thermal regimes of rivers. This will directly affect freshwater habitats and ecosystem health. In particular fish species, which are strongly adapted to a certain level of flow variability will be sensitive to future changes in flow regime. In addition, all freshwater fish species are exotherms, and increasing water temperatures will therefore directly affect fishes’ biochemical reaction rates and physiology. To assess climate change impacts on large-scale freshwater fish habitats we used a physically-based hydrological and water temperature modelling framework forced with an ensemble of climate model output. Future projections on global river flow and water temperature were used in combination with current spatial distributions of several fish species and their maximum thermal tolerances to explore impacts on fish habitats in different regions around the world. Results indicate that climate change will affect seasonal flow amplitudes, magnitude and timing of high and low flow events for large fractions of the global land surface area. Also, significant increases in both the frequency and magnitude of exceeding maximum temperature tolerances for selected fish species are found. Although the adaptive capacity of fish species to changing hydrologic regimes and rising water temperatures could be variable, our global results show that fish habitats are likely to change in the near future, and this is expected to affect species distributions.     

Synoptic conditions and potential causes of the extreme heavy rainfall event of January 2009 over Mindanao Island,Philippines

Natural Hazards - This study investigates the synoptic conditions that led to the heavy rainfall/flood (HRF) event in Mindanao Island, Philippines (122??127°E;...     

Differentiating past events on a cone influenced by debris‐flow and snow avalanche activity – a dendrogeomorphological approach

Dendrogeomorphology was used to investigate past events on a cone affected by both debris flows and snow avalanches. We report on results of 520 cores from 251 injured Larix decidua Mill. and Picea abies (L.) Karst. trees sampled on the Birchbach cone (Swiss Alps). Detailed analysis of tree‐ring sequences allowed dating of 561 growth disturbances in individual trees for a 252 yr period, extending from 1750 to 2002, which could be attributed to 30 different event years. We then localized the position of rows of traumatic resin ducts (TRDs) within the tree ring so as to assess the intra‐seasonal position of damage. In agreement with data on the local growth period, TRDs located at the beginning of the new growth ring were considered the result of avalanche impacts that occurred during the dormant season or in earliest earlywood between late October and early May. In contrast, TRD found in late earlywood or within latewood were considered the result of periglacial debris‐flow activity, as these layers of the tree ring are locally formed between July and early October. For nine out of the 30 reconstructed event years, the intra‐seasonal timing of TRDs indicated that reactions must be the result of past snow avalanche activity. In 19 other event years, TRDs showed that damage has been caused between July and early October and, thus, through debris flows in the Birchbach torrent. Finally, the spatial patterns of trees showing reactions as a result of particular events were assessed so as to approximate the extent of past debris flows and snow avalanches. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.