Modeling the photosynthetically active radiation in South West Amazonia under all sky conditions

Accurate estimates of photosynthetically active radiation (PAR) are critical for the development of realistic models of plant productivity. However, in many areas such as the vast Amazon region of South America, there have been few empirical studies of PAR. Here, we analyzed the relationship between PAR and broadband solar irradiance (R _s) and formulated models to estimate PAR in two experimental sites (pasture and forest) in the Brazilian Amazon. Three different models of increasing complexity were developed based on information from R _s (model 1), R _s and clearness index (k _t; model 2), and R _s, k _t, and water vapor pressure (model 3). Estimates of PAR were generated for each season and for the entire year. All models had very high determination coefficients and indices of agreement for both pasture and forest sites. This strongly supports the use of R _s and k _t to produce robust estimates of PAR. The results obtained by annual models were close than that found by seasonal models, demonstrating that a single annual model is able to estimate PAR, albeit with lower accuracy.     

Palaeomagnetic constraints on the age of deformation of the Sierras Australes thrust and fold belt, Argentina

A palaeomagnetic study has been carried out on late Palaeozoic rocks exposed in the Sierras Australes thrust and fold belt of Buenos Aires province (Argentina), in the early Permian red sandstones and clay siltstones of the Tunas Formation. The sections sampled are exposed in the eastern parts of the belt, in Sierra de las Tunas (north) and Sierra de Pillahuincó (south). More than 300 specimens were collected from 25 sites, in three localities with different structural attitudes. Demagnetization at high temperatures isolated a characteristic remanence at 20 sites. All the localities have a reverse characteristic remanence, suggesting that the magnetization was acquired during the Kiaman interval. Stepwise tectonic tilt correction suggests that the Tunas Formation in these localities acquired its magnetization during folding in early Permian times. Palaeomagnetic poles were computed for each locality based on partial tilt-corrected remanence directions. Taking into account the fact that these localities are close to one another and that the rocks are all of reverse polarity, a group syntectonic palaeomagnetic pole called Tunas was calculated: longitude: 13.9°E, latitude: 63.0°S; A ₉₅ = 5.4°, K = 39.7, N = 19. This pole is consistent with previously calculated poles from South America assigned to the early Permian. In age it corresponds to the early Permian San Rafaelic tectonic phase of the Sierras Australes. Independent geological evidence indicates that the Tunas Formation underwent syndepositional deformation. We conclude that the Tunas Formation was deposited, deformed and remagnetized, all during the early Permian.     

A basal slip model for Lagrangian finite element simulations of 3D landslides

A Lagrangian numerical approach for the simulation of rapid landslide runouts is presented and discussed. The simulation approach is based on the so‐called Particle Finite Element Method. The moving soil mass is assumed to obey a rigid‐viscoplastic, non‐dilatant Drucker–Prager constitutive law, which is cast in the form of a regularized, pressure‐sensitive Bingham model. Unlike in classical formulations of computational fluid mechanics, where no‐slip boundary conditions are assumed, basal slip boundary conditions are introduced to account for the specific nature of the landslide‐basal surface interface. The basal slip conditions are formulated in the form of modified Navier boundary conditions, with a pressure‐sensitive threshold. A special mixed Eulerian–Lagrangian formulation is used for the elements on the basal interface to accommodate the new slip conditions into the Particle Finite Element Method framework. To avoid inconsistencies in the presence of complex shapes of the basal surface, the no‐flux condition through the basal surface is relaxed using a penalty approach. The proposed model is validated by simulating both laboratory tests and a real large‐scale problem, and the critical role of the basal slip is elucidated. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of the effects of different storm events on shoreline dynamics of an artificially embayed beach

A five‐year dataset of Argus‐derived mean intertidal positions has been analysed to characterize the shoreface variability in a beach protected by a system of groynes and a parallel low crested structure (Lido di Dante Ravenna, Italy). For the period 2004–2009, 84 intertidal beach bathymetries and shorelines at the zero sea level were used as indicators to assess beach changes in between a number of selected surveys and to determine characteristic patterns of the beach response to storm events from different directions. Variations in the shoreline at the zero sea levels have been quantified and analysed in conjunction with nearshore wave conditions and provenance linked to storm events. These fall into two categories: (1) storm events occurring during Bora (north‐eastern) wind conditions and (2) storm events occurring during Scirocco (south‐eastern) wind conditions. The results show that, apart from main beach advances of the whole protected beach due to nourishments periodically carried out, a marked variability is observed among the four sub‐cells into which the shoreface behaviour has been separately analysed. In particular, a dependence of beach rotation in the ‘artificially embayed’ area on the substantially bi‐directional wave climate has been shown: Bora and Scirocco storm events produce shoreline rotation in counterclockwise and clockwise directions, respectively, due to the occurrence of longshore currents in the opposite direction in the nearshore. An attempt was made to correlate the shoreface dynamics for the main rotation events (14 selected ones) to the wave attack intensity (as the total energy flux due to storm events). A relationship seems to occur (for each storm category) between the shoreline displacements estimated for each sub‐cell and the total energy flux computed for inter‐survey periods, supporting the occurrence of a link between the observed morphological changes and the hydrodynamic forcing associated with storm events in the five‐year monitoring period. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Intermediate-term seismic precursors for some coupled subduction zones

The paper discusses model results and then reviews observational data concerning some aspects of the mechanics of mature seismic gaps in coupled subduction zones. The concern is with space-and time-varying stresses, as signalled by the presence and mechanisms of earthquakes in the outer-rise zones adjacent to main thrust areas of large subduction events, and down-dip from such areas, in the downgoing slab. Observations are shown to be consistent with the expectation that in mature seismic gaps, as a result of interplate boundary locking in presence of sustained gravitational driving forces, at least the deeper portions of the ocean plate in the outer-rise zones are under increased compression, and the downgoing slab is under increased tension. The observational data cover two cases of closed seismic gaps, namely the region of the Chilean Valparaiso earthquake of March 3, 1985, and the earthquake of October 4, 1983. Four other cases concern still to-be-closed gaps in northern Chile and along the coast of Guatemala, and also the Kurile Islands Trench gap and the northern New Hebrides gap. It is concluded that the intermediate-term precursor, consisting of a combination of compressional outer-rise earthquake(s) and tensional intermediate-depth, intra-plate events in the downgoing slab, which mechanically signals the latter part of the earthquake cycle, could be useful in evaluating the maturity, and hence great earthquake potential of a seismic gap.     

Quantitative observations of a major coral bleaching event in Barbados, Southeastern Caribbean

In late summer 2005 a mass coral bleaching event occurred in the Caribbean. Here we quantify coral bleaching in Barbados at six sites on the island’s sheltered west and exposed southwest coasts, including nearshore fringing and patch reefs and offshore bank reef habitats. Onset of coral bleaching occurred in late August 2005 and persisted for many months after temperatures cooled. All reef habitats and virtually all coral taxa were affected, with an average of 70.6% of all colonies bleaching. Nearshore reefs (<10 m depth) were affected more severely than offshore deeper reefs (>15 m) with an average of 80.6% of all coral colonies bleaching compared with 60.5% on the latter. Inter-species variation in susceptibility to bleaching was marked with >90% of colonies bleaching in some species whilst <10% bleached in others. Follow-up surveys revealed low coral mortality, with an overall mean of 3.8% partial colony death across all species and reefs by February 2006. However, bleached condition has persisted with a mean of 37.7% of all coral colonies still bleached after 5 1/2 months, indicating that loss of live coral is likely to continue for some time. This event represents the most severe bleaching episode ever witnessed on Barbados’ reefs and emphasises the vulnerability of small island states, with a high reliance on healthy coral reef ecosystem services, to elevated sea water temperatures associated with climate variability and global climate change.     

Neotectonic evolution of the Brazilian northeastern continental margin based on sedimentary facies and ichnology

Quaternary post-Barreiras sediments are widespread along Brazil's passive margin. These deposits are well exposed in the onshore Paraíba Basin, which is one of the rift basins formed during the Pangean continental breakup. In this area, the post-Barreiras sediments consist of sandstones with abundant soft-sediment deformation structures related to seismicity contemporaneous with deposition. The trace fossils Thalassinoides and Psilonichnus are found up to 38 m above modern sea level in sandstones dated between 60.0 (± 1.4) and 15.1 (± 1.8) ka. The integration of ichnological and sedimentary facies suggests nearshore paleoenvironments. Such deposits could not be related to eustatic sea-level rise, as this time coincides with the last glaciation. Hence, an uplift of 0.63 mm/yr, or 1.97 mm/yr if sea level was 80 m lower in the last glaciation, would have been required to ascend the post-Barreiras sediments several meters above the present-day sea level during the last 60 ka. This would suggest that the post-rift stage of the South American eastern passive margin may have experienced tectonic reactivation more intense than generally recognized. Although more complete data are still needed, the information presented herein may play an important role in studies aiming to decipher the Quaternary evolution of this passive margin.     

Occurrence of triterpenyl acetates in soil and their potential as chemotaxonomical markers of Asteraceae

As a part of a wider study aimed at determining new molecular biomarkers in soils and sediments that could be specific for distinct vegetation types with respect to unravelling past changes in land use, we analysed the neutral lipid content of soil developed in the catchment of a small lake in central France. The ketone/acetate lipid fraction of soil under pasture or meadow contained a series of pentacyclic triterpenyl acetates with wide structural diversity, most being reported in soil for the first time. The restricted number of potential plant sources of triterpenyl acetates (some produced by a single species) underlines the potential of triterpenyl acetates as new biomarkers to track past vegetation change in palaeoenvironmental studies, when found in natural archives such as soil, sediments or peat.     

Mediterranean commercial sponges: over 5000 years of natural history and cultural heritage

This paper deals with the history of the exploitation of a natural resource made up of various types of Mediterranean horny sponges. It also provides an update on trends in the trade of these sponges. The distribution and taxonomic status of Mediterranean species of commercial interest belonging to the genera Spongia and Hippospongia are reported upon and partly emended by (i) the selection of neotypes for Spongia mollissima , Hippospongia communis , and Spongia agaricina from the Indo-Pacific Ocean versus the Mediterranean Spongia lamella , and (ii) the discussion regarding the problematic status of Spongia zimocca . Attention is also focused upon species that have been of recent commercial interest as sources of metabolites with biomedical potential, such as Dysidea avara, which is considered endangered due to a pressing demand for the industrial extraction of chemicals it produces ( e.g . Avarol). The wild harvesting of new target sponges is also discussed, together with a proposal for a rational, sustainable, long-term strategy for Mediterranean sponge management. Sponge culture in situ is suggested as a useful approach that may allow eco-compatible management and conservation of this natural resource.