Study on rain-runoff process in the peripheral mountainous area of the Sichuan Basin

Studies on rain-runoff process in the peripheral mountainous area of the Sichuan Basin, which is regarded as a key ecological shelter, will contribute to flood control and environmental protection for the Upper Yangtze River Basin. In two typical catchments--the Fujiang River Catchment and the Wujiang River Catchment, rainfall simulations have been conducted to study the rain-runoff processes of yellow soil and limestone soil in three types of land use--forestland, farmland and grassland. Results showed that （1） within the same rainfall process, overland flow occurs first on farmland, then on grassland, and finally on forestland; （2） soil surface coverage has a great impact on the occurrence and amount of overland flow. The runoff amount can increase 2-4 times after the coverage is removed; （3） the infiltration before the occurrence of overland flow will decrease because of higher gravel contents of soil, but it takes no effect on infiltration once overland flow becomes stable; （4） the runoff coefficient of the limestone soil forestland is greater than that of the yellow soil forest land, but less than that of the farmland; （5） three empirical infiltration models, including Horton＇ model, Kostiakov＇ model, and modified Kostiakov＇ model, were compared by using the observed results under rainfall simulation. The results showed that the Kostiakov＇ model performed better than both the Horton＇ model and modified Kostiakov model. According to the results of this research, the Kostiakov＇s model can be used to simulate rainfall infiltration when water erosion is modeled in the peripheral mountainous area of the Sichuan Basin.     

The distribution and geological significance of carbazole compounds in Silurian paleo-pools of the Tarim Basin,Northwest China

The results presented in this paper indicated that the carbazole-type compounds have high thermal stability and also show stability in oxidation and bio-degradation. This kind of compounds still has high concentrations and a complete distribution in the analyzed dry asphalt samples, showing that they are particularly useful in the study of hydrocarbon migration of the paleo-pools. The difference in the contents of nitrogen compounds in the Silurian dry asphalts from the Awati, Tabei and Tazhong areas is attributed to the difference in the extent of oxidation and （or） bio-degradation for the areas; the Awati and Tabei areas underwent relatively strong oxidation and bio-degradation. During the first stage of hydrocarbon pool formation in the Silurian system in the Tazhong and Tabei areas of the Tarim Basin （at the end of the Silurian period） and at the second stage in the Awati area （in Permian）, the hydrocarbons experienced a long-distance migration.     

The characteristics and sources of natural gases from Ordovician weathered crust reservoirs in the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin

The Central Gas Field is a famous large-sized gas field in the Ordos Basin of China. However, identification of main gas sources of the Ordovician reservoirs in this gas field remains puzzling. On the basis of a lot of geochemical data and geological research on natural gases, the characteristics and sources of natural gases from Ordovician weathered crust reservoirs in the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin were studied. The results indicated that natural gases from Ordovician weathered crust reservoirs in the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin have similar chemical and isotopic compositions to highly mature and over-mature dry gases. Both coal-derived gases and oil-type gases coexist in the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin. The former was derived mainly from Carboniferous-Permian coal measures and the latter from Lower Paleozoic marine carbonates. It is suggested that coal-derived gases occur in the eastern part of the Central Gas Field while oil-type gases may be produced mainly in the northern, western and southern parts of the Central Gas Field in the Ordos Basin.     

Fractal-like adsorption kinetics of Pb^2＋ in rocks

The adsorption kinetics of Pb^2＋ in rocks has been studied using ion selective electrodes and atomic absorption spectrophotometer. The results showed that the adsorption process is a fractal-like reaction. The adsorption rate was relatively high before 30 minutes, and then dropped. The saturated adsorption capacity （a） of Pb^2＋ and kinetic parameters （b, a, D and k） increased with increasing initial concentrations of Pb^2＋. These parameters （except a） decreased while Na^＋ was present in the solution. Furthermore, the smaller the rocks were in grain size, the bigger these kinetic parameters would be, though the parameter a was almost constant.     

A New Female Cone, Araucaria beipoiaoensis sp. nov. from the Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation, Beipiao, Western Liaoning, China and Its Evolutionary Significance

A new species of Araucaria, Araucaria beipiaoensis sp. nov., collected from the Middle Jurassic Tiaojishan Formation, southern hill of Shebudai village, near Beipiao city, western Liaoning is based on a permineralized female cone, which is ovate to elliptical in shape, about 11 cm × 7 cm × 4.5 cm in size. The cone bears rhomboid bracts that are spirally attached, texture thicker, with wings on both sides, with a detached lamina-like apex at the tip. In inner structure the ovuliferous scales are thicker and fused with bracts at the end with a ligular sulcns. There is one wingless ovule/seed per seed-scale complex embedded in the ovuliferous scale tissue, with the micropyle directed toward the cone axis. The ovules/seeds are long ovate or elliptical in shape, 1 cm long and near the base about 3 mm in diameter; the ovule/seed integuments have begun differentiation into 3 layers： the sarcotesta, sclerotesta, and endotesta. The nucellus is free from the enclosing integuments except in the chalazal region where it is fused to the inner layer （endotesta） of integument. Some ovules show cellularized nucellar tissue. Mature seeds exhibit the papery-thin wavy nucellus characteristically near to the micropyle. The embryonic tissue appears to be four cotyledons. The morphology and structure of the cone shows a close relationship to the araucarian cones of fossil and living genera but differs from any known species. The new species is distributed in the Middle Jurassic of the northern hemisphere, especially Asia, and has important significance for the evolution of the Family Araucariaceae.     

Benthic nutrient fluxes in the intertidal flat within the Changjiang （Yangtze River） Estuary

In an annual cycle from March 2005 to February 2006, benthic nutrient fluxes were measured monthly in the Dongtan intertidal flat within the Changjiang （Yangtze River） Estuary. Except for NH4^＋, there always showed high fluxes from overlying water into sediment for other four nutrients. Sediments in the high and middle marshes, covered with halophyte and consisting of macrofauna, demonstrated more capabilities of assimilating nutrients from overlying water than the low marsh. Sampling seasons and nutrient concentrations in the overlying water could both exert significant effects on these fluxes. Additionally, according to the model provided by previous study, denitrification rates, that utilizing NO3- transported from overlying water （Dw） in Dongtan sediments, were estimated to be from -16 to 193 μmol·h^-1·m^-2 with an average value of 63 μmol·h^-1·m^-2 （n=18）. These estimated values are still underestimates of the in-situ rates owing to the lack of consideration of DN, i.e., denitrification supported by the local NO3^- production via nitrification.     

Geochemistry and environmental effect of cadmium in the super-large Jinding Pb-Zn deposit,Yunnan Province,China

The Jinding Pb-Zn deposit in Yunnan Province is the representative of a Cd-enriched area and mining activities lead to the release of Cd into the hypergenic ecosystem, resulting in Cd pollution. The concentrations of Cd vary greatly from one type to another type of rocks in the mining district. In the host rock, Cd concentrations range from 50×10^-6 to 650×10^-6 with an average of 310×10^-6. In primary ores, Cd concentrations range from 14×10^-6 to 2800×10^-6 with an average of 767×10^-6. However, in oxidized ores, Cd concentrations are highest, varying within the range of 110×10^-6 to 8200×10^-6 , averaging 1661×10^-6. It is shown that the oxidized ores are the main carder and environmental source of Cd. Leaching test showed that Pb/Zn ores are easy to oxidize and thereafter release Cd and other harmful elements. These leached elements in the leachate may be precipitated rapidly in the order of Zn〉Pb〉Cd. As for the concentration distribution of Cd in the Bijiang River, it is estimated to be 15.7 μg/L Cd in water, 49.3 mg/L in suspended substances, and 203.7 mg/L in sediments. The average value of Cd in soil from the polluted area is 83.0 mg/kg. Natural weathering of Cd-rich rocks and minerals imposes a potential environmental risk on the aquatic ecosystem of the Bijiang catchment.     

Changes in nutrient uptake of phytoplankton under the interaction between sunlight and phosphate in the Changjiang （Yangtze） River Estuary

We conducted ship-board incubation experiments to investigate changes in nutrient uptake of phytoplankton under different phosphate concentrations and irradiances in the Changjiang River Estuary and its adjacent waters in China. Under 100% natural irradiance the uptake rates of phosphate, silicate, and nitrate were accelerated at high phosphate levels （1.84 μM）, while under low irradiance （about 50% natural irradiance） their uptake rates were restrained at the high but stimulated greatly at the intermediate phosphate concentrations （1.26 μM）, as the growth of phytoplankton, changes in nitrite and ammonium uptake didn＇t follow an obvious pattern. Our results also showed that there were linear relationships between nitrate, silicate and phosphate uptake at different phosphate concentrations under low and high irradiances, and the growth period of phytoplankton was prolonged both at the high phosphate concentrations under high irradiance and at the intermediate concentrations under low irradiance, suggesting that the limitation of phytoplankton growth mainly reflected changes in its growth period, and because no such environment （low irradiance and low phosphate concentrations） actually existed in a high turbidity zone, phytoplankton blooms hardly occurred there. In the absence of irradiance, denitrification occurred readily and phytoplankton was kept decreasing, which resulted in phosphate regeneration.     

Early Uplift History of the Tibetan Plateau:Records from Paleocurrents and Paleodrainage in the Hoh Xil Basin

Paleocurrent indicator data collected in field work were used to study the early Cenozoic regional paleodrainage patterns in the Hob Xil basin in northern Tibetan plateau. The paleocurrent directions of the Eocene Fenghuoshan Group obviously show that the flows were northward with a unidirectional dispersal pattern. This probably reflects the uplift of the Qiangtang terrain during the initial basin deposition period and indicates that the Tanggula Moutains occurred as topographic highlands at least in the Eocene. Paleoflows of the Oligocene Yaxicuo Group were dominantly oriented to the north and then flowed eastwards during its late deposition. This regional variability of paleodrainage patterns of the Yaxicuo Group is interpreted to record the dispersal style of sediments from transverse rivers to longitudinal river systems. It is inferred that the Oligocene uplift of the Kunlun Mountains obstructed by northward paleoflows and created longitudinal river systems parallel to the orogenic belts. The temporal and spatial changes of the paleodrainage patterns suggest that the northern boundary of the Tibetan plateau during the early Cenozoic was situated in the Hoh Xil area and its uplift has progressed northwards through time.     

Simulation experiment on hydrocarbon generating potential of various source rocks on the northern margin of the Qaidam Basin,Qinghai, China

The northern margin of the Qaidam Basin is one of the main oil-gas exploration areas in western China, where source rocks are composed mostly of Middle and Lower Jurassic dark mud shale, carbargillite and coal. A large number of subsurface and outcrop samples differing in lithology with different types of organic matter were selected for resource evaluation, research and calculation. And among them, 13 samples were used for simulation experiment on hydrocarbon generating potential of various source rocks. At first, two kinds of heating modes were compared through simulation experiment, including single temperature-step heating and continual heating. Perhaps, the process of hydrocarbon generation and expulsion occurred naturally between a close system and an open system. In addition, the first heating mode was convenient, and all its reaction products were involved in the whole thermal evolution, and the final simulation experimental results were basically in consistency with the natural evolution trend Therefore, the first heating mode was adopted and the hydrocarbon yield of every sample was worked out. According to the type and lithology of organic matter and the hydrocarbon yield of samples for simulation experiment, hydrocarbon generation and expulsion mode with three kinds of lithology and five types of source rock has been established to provide the basis for hydrocarbon generation evaluation, research and resource calculation.