Short-and long-term sediment transport in western Bohai Bay and coastal areas

Sediment cores (~40–100 cm) were collected at 12 locations in the western Bohai Bay, the Haihe River estuary, the Yongding River estuary and the Tianjin Harbor, China, during 24–26 July 2007, and analyzed for 7Be and 210Pb activities. Due to localized hydrodynamic patterns and frequent disturbance from dredging activities, steady-state sedimentation features were not observed in this study. As demonstrated in the 7Be and 210Pb profiles, the temporal and spatial variations of these radionuclides support a non-steady state depositional environment in the study area. By comparing 7Be and 210Pb inventories in the sediments with those of the atmospheric source, we found that: 1) sediments dredged from the Tianjin Harbor or eroded from nearby estuarine and coastal areas are retained in the western Bohai Bay for relatively short intervals (several months), as reflected in the relatively high 7Be inventories in the western Bohai Bay; 2) over the long-term (years to decades), 210Pb inventories in the sediments imply that there is a net on-shore transport of sediments, and the sediments are mass-balanced in the entire study area. Overall, our results suggest that the sediments are retained in the estuaries and the western Bohai Bay despite local variability in sediment dynamics and disturbance due to human activities.     

People’s perception and socioeconomic determinants of soil erosion:A case study of Samanalawewa watershed,Sri Lanka

Though soil erosion is an important concern in Sri Lanka, there is a dearth of baseline information on soil erosion in many ofits watersheds, which obstructs monitoring of soil erosion and mitigating its effects. In order to assess soil erosion in a critical watershed and to identify its determinants, the Samanalawewa watershed, which contains one of the main hydropower generating reservoirs in Sri Lanka, was selected for this study. Remote-sensing (RS) and geographic information system (GIS) based modeling...     

Sedimentation model and analysis for differential settling of two - particle - size suspensions in the Stokes region

A model is developed for predicting the settling velocity in suspensions of particles of two different sizes based on experimental data for the settling rate of two-size suspensions in various liquids using particles of equal density. In these experiments, the retarding effect of the smaller particles on the settling velocities of the larger ones is taken into account. The model considers Steinour’s fundamental equation and assumes a fixed arrangement of particles and constant velocity in a single-size susp...     

白垩纪以来米仓山-汉南穹窿剥蚀过程及其构造意义：磷灰石裂变径迹的证据

报道了米仓山-汉南穹窿一带磷灰石裂变径迹分析结果,以制约该区白垩纪以来的剥蚀-演化历史.露头样品磷灰石裂变径迹年龄分布显示从汉南穹窿南部的核部地区向南至四川盆地北部裂变径迹的年龄逐渐变新,这与米仓山地区逆冲断裂以背驮式扩展的构造样式从汉南穹窿向南经米仓山褶皱-逆冲带发育到四川盆地北缘的构造模式相吻合.热模拟的结果显示米仓山-汉南穹窿经历了两期快速的剥蚀,其分别发生在白垩纪（约90 Ma之前）和15 Ma以来.研究区白垩纪的快速剥蚀反映了秦岭-大别造山带白垩纪的区域性剥蚀事件,这可能是对临区诸多构造事件（如西伯利亚-蒙古-中朝板块的碰撞,拉萨-羌塘-思茅-印支块体的碰撞,太平洋板块向欧亚板块的俯冲及其相关的岩浆活动）远场效应的响应;约15 Ma以来的快速剥蚀是对青藏高原隆升向东北方向传递的响应.     

雅库茨克中部土壤受永久冻土影响的地理分布及成因特征

在特殊的地貌和气候条件下开发西伯利亚针叶林地区的土壤,尤其是永冻土区的土壤。大多数情况下,土壤的地理分布和特征不能局限在水平和垂直的区域性概念的框架内进行解释,我们甚至还要考虑当地土壤形成条件中的地表温度特征。这特性在于特定的土壤形成条件、特有的土壤和植被模式;雅库茨克正是这样一个地区,雅库茨克中部地带土壤类型的形态特征同样具有该特性。     

Cambrian trace fossils and worm like impressions from the Tal Group, Gopi-Chand-Ka Mahal section, Mussoorie syncline, Lesser Himalaya

Cambrian trace fossils and worm like impressions are described herein from the three stratigraphic units of Tal Group of rocks exposed along the track from Maldeota to Dhaulagiri in Gopi-Chand-Ka Mahal sec-tion, Mussoorie syncline. The upper 10 m thick sand-stone succession (Arenaceous Member) of Deo-Ka- Tibba Formation (lower Tal Group) contains high den-sity and low diversity Skolithos pipe rock. The Sko-lithos pipe rock in sandstone succession of Arenaceous Member (Deo-Ka-Tibba Formation) indicates shallow marine condition under sand shifting environment of deposition. Higher in the succession, in calcareous Member (Deo-Ka-Tibba Formation), Cruziana ichno-facies occurs in association with Monomorphichnus, Planolites and Paleophycus.     

Sources and composition of organic matter for bacterial growth in a large European river floodplain system (Danube, Austria)

Dissolved and particulate organic matter (DOM and POM) distribution, lignin phenol signatures, bulk elemental compositions, fluorescence indices and microbial plankton (algae, bacteria, viruses) in a temperate river floodplain system were monitored from January to November 2003. We aimed to elucidate the sources and compositions of allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter (OM) in the main channel and a representative backwater in relation to the hydrological regime. Additionally, bacterial secondary production was measured to evaluate the impact of organic carbon source on heterotrophic prokaryotic productivity. OM properties in the backwater tended to diverge from those in the main channel during phases without surface water connectivity; this was likely enhanced due to the exceptionally low river discharge in 2003. The terrestrial OM in this river floodplain system was largely derived from angiosperm leaves and grasses, as indicated by the lignin phenol composition. The lignin signatures exhibited significant seasonal changes, comparable to the seasonality of plankton-derived material. Microbially-derived material contributed significantly to POM and DOM, especially during periods of low discharge. High rates of bacterial secondary production (up to 135 μg C L(-1) d(-1)) followed algal blooms and suggested that autochthonous OM significantly supported heterotrophic microbial productivity.     

Spatial assessment of fishing effort around European marine reserves: implications for successful fisheries management

We examined the spatial dynamic of artisanal fishing fleets around five European marine protected areas (MPAs) to derive general implications for the evaluation of MPAs as fisheries management tools. The coastal MPAs studied were located off France, Malta and Spain and presented a variety of spatial designs and processes of establishment. We developed a standardized methodology to define factors influencing effort allocation and to produce fishing effort maps by merging GIS with geostatistical modelling techniques. Results revealed that in most cases the factors “distance to the no-take”, “water depth”, and “distance to the port” had a significant influence on effort allocation by the fishing fleets. Overall, we found local concentration of fishing effort around the MPA borders. Thus, neglecting the pattern of fishing effort distribution in evaluating MPA benefits, such as spillover of biomass, could hamper sound interpretation of MPAs as fisheries management tools.     

A new method for the interpretation of pumping tests in leaky aquifers

A novel methodology for the interpretation of pumping tests in leaky aquifer systems, referred to as the double inflection point (DIP) method, is presented. The method is based on the analysis of the first and second derivatives of the drawdown with respect to log time for the estimation of the flow parameters. Like commonly used analysis procedures, such as the type-curve approach developed by Walton (1962) and the inflection point method developed by Hantush (1956), the mathematical development of the DIP method is based on the assumption of homogeneity of the leaky aquifer layers. However, contrary to the two methods developed by Hantush and Walton, the new method does not need any fitting process. In homogeneous media, the two classic methods and the one proposed here provide exact results for transmissivity, storativity, and leakage factor when aquifer storage is neglected and the recharging aquifer is unperturbed. The real advantage of the DIP method comes when applying all methods independently to a test in a heterogeneous aquifer, where each method yields parameter values that are weighted differently, and thus each method provides different information about the heterogeneity distribution. Therefore, the methods are complementary and not competitive. In particular, the combination of the DIP method and Hantush method is shown to lead to the identification of contrasts between the local transmissivity in the vicinity of the well and the equivalent transmissivity of the perturbed aquifer volume.     

Sediment features, macrozoobenthic assemblages and trophic relationships (delta13C and delta15N analysis) following a dystrophic event with anoxia and sulphide development in the Santa Giusta lagoon (western Sardinia, Italy)

Macrozoobenthic assemblages and stable carbon (delta(13)C) and nitrogen (delta(15)N) isotope values of various primary producers (macroalgae and angiosperms) and consumers (macroinvertebrate filter/suspension feeders, deposit feeders, detritivores/omnivores and carnivores and fishes) were studied in the Santa Giusta lagoon (Sardinia, Italy) before (spring) and after (autumn) a dystrophic event which occurred in the summer of 2004. A few days after the dystrophy, the physico-chemical characteristics of sediments and macrozoobenthic assemblages were also investigated. In the latter occasion, high total organic carbon (3.9%) and organic matter (15.9%) contents of surface sediments went together with peaks in acid-volatile sulphide concentrations. Certain immediate effects were quite extreme, such as the drastic reduction in macrozoobenthos and the massive fish kill in August 2004. Among the macrozoobenthos, there were few individuals of chironomid larvae and Capitella cf. capitata left. However, by October, chironomid larvae were numerous, indicating a lack of predators (e.g. fish) and competitors. In addition, some bivalve species and polychaetes which were absent, or present in small numbers before the event, became relatively numerous. The results are discussed based on a knowledge of the sulphide tolerance of these species. Stable isotope analysis clearly showed that the basal level of the food web for most consumers consisted mainly of macroalgae and sedimentary organic matter, and that the values before and after the dystrophic event were not significantly different from one another. This indicates that the relations among different trophic levels were quickly restored following the dystrophic event.