Nitrogen uptake in light versus darkness of the seagrass Zostera noltei: integration with carbon metabolism

We conducted a study that shows that light and dark conditions do not affect the uptake rates of ammonium and nitrate by the seagrass Zostera noltei. This is an important advantage over some seaweed species in which these rates are severely reduced at night. In the light, the ammonium uptake rates were initially higher (15 and 20 μmol·g^?1·h^?1) and stabilized at a rate of 5 μmol·g^?1·h^?1 after 1 h, whereas in the dark the rates remained constant at a rate of 10 μmol·g^?1·h^?1 over the first 180 min of incubation. The rates of nitrate uptake in the light were high within the first 120 min of incubation (7.2–11.1 μmol·g^?1·h^?1) and decreased afterwards to lower values (0.8–3.9 μmol·g^?1·h^?1), whereas in the dark the rates fluctuated around 0.0–11.1 μmol·g^?1·h^?1 throughout the whole incubation time (7 h). The soluble sugar content of Z. noltei leaves increased significantly with both ammonium and nitrate incubations in the light, indicating the metabolic outcome of photosynthesis. In the dark, there was no significant variation in either the soluble sugar or in the starch content of leaves, rhizomes or roots in either the ammonium or nitrate incubations. However, the total starch content of plants decreased at night whereas the total soluble sugars increased, suggesting a process of starch catabolism to generate energy with the consequent production of smaller monosaccharide products. The starch content of rhizomes decreased significantly during the light incubations with nitrate but not with ammonium. These results suggest that carbohydrate mobilization is necessary for Z. noltei to account for extra energetic costs needed for the uptake and assimilation of nitrate. Furthermore, our results suggest that nitrate uptake, at least during the day, requires the mobilization of starch whereas the uptake of ammonium does not.     

Assessment of physical vulnerability and potential losses of buildings due to shallow slides

Physical vulnerability (PV) of buildings and associated potential losses (PLs) due to the occurrence of shallow slides are semi-quantitatively assessed at the regional scale in a municipality located in the North of Portugal. This work has four main purposes: (1) to identify and characterize the built environment exposed to shallow slides in the study area; (2) to assess the PV of each building type taking into account the building resistance (BR) and the landslide magnitude (LM); (3) to evaluate the economic value (EV) of each single exposed building using cadastral and market values; and (4) to estimate PLs on buildings due to landslide activity. The analysis is made for each single building of the study area, and this is an innovative contribution of this work. The semi-quantitative methodology to assess PV of buildings exposed to shallow translational slides combines the LM and the BR, which is empirically obtained weighting a set of parameters related to building characteristics. The quantification of the EV of buildings was carried out using an adaptation of the calculation formula used by the Portuguese Tax Services to determine the taxable value of buildings in Portugal. PLs result from the product between PV of the exposed buildings and their EV in euros. The overlapping of PLs of buildings with an available landslide susceptibility map, although does not provides any quantified risk analysis, provides valuable information to be used by spatial planning and civil protection stakeholders.     

Geochemical comparison of waters and stream sediments close to abandoned Sb-Au and As-Au mining areas,northern Portugal

Waters from abandoned Sb-Au mining areas have higher Sb (up to 2138 μg L⁻¹), As (up to 1252 μg L⁻¹) and lower Al, Zn, Li, Ni and Co concentrations than those of waters from the As-Au mining area of Banjas, which only contain up to 64 μg L⁻¹ As. In general, Sb occurs mainly as SbO₃⁻ and As H₂AsO₄⁻. In general, waters from old Sb-Au mining areas are contaminated in Sb, As, Al, Fe, Cd, Mn, Ni and NO₂⁻, whereas those from the abandoned As-Au mining area are contaminated in Al, Fe, Mn, Ni, Cd and rarely in NO₂⁻. Waters from the latter area, immediately downstream of mine dumps are also contaminated in As. In stream sediments from Sb-Au and As-Au mining areas, Sb (up to 5488 mg kg⁻¹) and As (up to 235 mg kg⁻¹) show a similar behaviour and are mainly associated with the residual fraction. In most stream sediments, the As and Sb are not associated with the oxidizable fraction, while Fe is associated with organic matter, indicating that sulphides (mainly arsenopyrite and pyrite) and sulphosalts containing those metalloids and metal are weathered. Arsenic and Sb are mainly associated with clay minerals (chlorite and mica; vermiculite in stream sediments from old Sb-Au mining areas) and probably also with insoluble Sb phases of stream sediments. In the most contaminated stream sediments, metalloids are also associated with Fe phases (hematite and goethite, and also lepidocrocite in stream sediments from Banjas). Moreover, the most contaminated stream sediments correspond to the most contaminated waters, reflecting the limited capacity of stream sediments to retain metals and metalloids.     

Early Cambrian granitoids of North Gondwana margin in the transition from a convergent setting to intra-continental rifting (Ossa-Morena Zone,SW Iberia)

Two distinct Cambrian magmatic pulses are recognized in the Ossa-Morena Zone (SW Iberia): an early rift-(ER) and a main rift-related event. This Cambrian magmatism is related to intra-continental rifting of North Gondwana that is thought to have culminated in the opening of the Rheic Ocean in Lower Ordovician times. New data of whole-rock geochemistry (19 samples), Sm–Nd–Sr isotopes (4 samples) and ID–TIMS U–Pb zircon geochronology (1 sample) of the Early Cambrian ER plutonic rocks of the Ossa-Morena Zone are presented in this contribution. The ER granitoids (Barreiros, Barquete, Calera, Salvatierra de los Barros and Tablada granitoid Massifs) are mostly peraluminous granites. The Sm–Nd isotopic data show moderate negative εNdt values ranging from ?3.5 to +0.1 and TDM ages greatly in excess of emplacement ages. Most ER granitoids are crustal melts. However, a subset of samples shows a transitional anorogenic alkaline tendency, together with more primitive isotopic signatures, documenting the participation of lower crust or mantle-derived sources and suggesting a local transient advanced stage of rifting. The Barreiros granitoid is intrusive into the Ediacaran basement of the Ossa-Morena Zone (Série Negra succession) and has yielded a crystallization age of 524.7 ± 0.8 Ma consistent with other ages of ER magmatic pulse. This age: (1) constrains the age of the metamorphism developed in the Ediacaran back-arc basins before the intrusion of granites and (2) defines the time of the transition from the Ediacaran convergent setting to the Lower Cambrian intra-continental rifting in North Gondwana.     

Tectonically controlled sedimentation: impact on sediment supply and basin evolution of the Kashafrud Formation (Middle Jurassic,Kopeh-Dagh Basin,northeast Iran)

The Kashafrud Formation was deposited in the extensional Kopeh-Dagh Basin during the Late Bajocian to Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) and is potentially the most important siliciclastic unit from NE Iran for petroleum geology. This extensional setting allowed the accumulation of about 1,700 m of siliciclastic sediments during a limited period of time (Upper Bajocian–Bathonian). Here, we present a detailed facies analysis combined with magnetic susceptibility (MS) results focusing on the exceptional record of the Pol-e-Gazi section in the southeastern part of the basin. MS is classically interpreted as related to the amount of detrital input. The amount of these detrital inputs and then the MS being classically influenced by sea-level changes, climate changes and tectonic activity. Facies analysis reveals that the studied rocks were deposited in shallow marine, slope to pro-delta settings. A major transgressive–regressive cycle is recorded in this formation, including fluvial-dominated delta to turbiditic pro-delta settings (transgressive phase), followed by siliciclastic to mixed siliciclastic and carbonate shoreface rocks (regressive phase). During the transgressive phase, hyperpycnal currents were feeding the basin. These hyperpycnal currents are interpreted as related to important tectonic variations, in relation to significant uplift of the hinterland during opening of the basin. This tectonic activity was responsible for stronger erosion, providing a higher amount of siliciclastic input into the basin, leading to a high MS signal. During the regressive phase, the tectonic activity strongly decreased. Furthermore, the depositional setting changed to a wave- to tide-dominated, mixed carbonate–siliciclastic setting. Because of the absence of strong tectonic variations, bulk MS was controlled by other factors such as sea-level and climatic changes. Fluctuations in carbonate production, possibly related to sea-level variations, influenced the MS of the siliciclastic/carbonate cycles. Carbonate intervals are characterized by a strong decrease of MS values indicates a gradual reduction of detrital influx. Therefore, the intensity of tectonic movement is thought to be the dominant factor in controlling sediment supply, changes in accommodation space and modes of deposition throughout the Middle Jurassic sedimentary succession in the Pol-e-Gazi section and possibly in the Kopeh-Dagh Basin in general.     

Carbon isotopes and geochemical processes in CO2-rich cold mineral water,N-Portugal

This paper summarizes a new outlook on the conceptual model of Melgaço–Messegães CO₂-rich cold (≈18 °C) mineral water systems, issuing in N of Portugal, based on their isotopic (²H, ³H, ¹³C, ¹⁴C and ¹⁸O) and geochemical features. Stable isotopes indicate the meteoric origin of these CO₂-rich mineral waters. Based on the isotopic fractionation with the altitude, a recharge altitude between 513 up to 740 m a.s.l. was estimated, corroborating the tritium results. The lowest ³H content (0 TU) is found in the groundwater samples with the highest mineralization. The mineral waters circulation are mainly related to a granitic and granodioritic environment inducing two different groundwater types (Ca/Na–HCO₃ and Na/Ca–HCO₃), indicating different underground flow paths. Calcium dissolution is controlled by hydrolysis of rock-matrix silicate minerals (e.g. Ca-plagioclases) and not associated to anthropogenic sources. The shallow dilute groundwaters exhibit signatures of anthropogenic origins (e.g. NO₃) and higher Na/Ca ratios. The stable isotopes together with the geochemistry provided no indication of mixing between the regional shallow cold dilute groundwater and mineral water systems. The heavy isotopic signatures identified in the δ¹³C data (δ¹³C = 4.7 ‰, performed on the total dissolved inorganic carbon (TDIC) of CO₂-rich mineral waters) could be derived from a deep-seated (upper mantle) source or associated to methanogenesis (CH₄ source). The negligible ¹⁴C content (≈2 pmC) determined in the TDIC of the mineral waters, corroborates the hypothesis of a mantle-derived carbon source to the mineral groundwater systems or dissolution of carbonate layers at depth.     

Small-scale landfills: impacts on groundwater and soil

In Brazil, the large quantities of solid waste produced are out of step with public policies, technological developments, and government budgets for the division. In small municipalities, the common lack of technological knowledge and financial conditions for suitable waste disposal has resulted in a large number of illegal dumps. Therefore, small sanitary landfill facilities are working with simplified operations focusing on cost reduction and meeting the economic and technological standards of the city without endangering the environment or public health. Currently, this activity is regulated at a federal level although there is some uncertainty regarding the risk of soil and aquifer contamination as theses facilities do not employ liners. Thus, this work evaluates a small landfill to identify changes in soil and groundwater using geotechnical parameters, monitoring wells, and geophysical tests performed by electrical profiling. It is verified that based on current conditions, no contaminants have migrated via underground water aquifers, and overall no significant changes have occurred in the soil. It is concluded that, despite its simplicity, the method investigated is a viable alternative for the final disposal of municipal solid waste from small cities, especially in developing countries.     

Reproductive traits of Euterpina acutifrons in a coastal area of Southeastern Brazil

We investigated the reproductive biology of the planktonic harpacticoid copepod Euterpina acutifrons, including morphometric data, egg production rates (EPR) and viability, and weight‐specific egg production. Experiments were carried out during 1 year in an inner‐shelf area off Ubatuba (SE Brazil), a site seasonally influenced by bottom intrusions of the relatively cold and nutrient‐rich South Atlantic Central Water (SACW). We hypothesized that E. acutifrons attain higher reproductive rates when SACW penetrates in this region. Live females were incubated individually in cell culture plates during two periods of 24 h each, under controlled temperature and light conditions. Euterpina acutifrons carried on average 16.9 ± 6.9 eggs·sac^?1, ranging between 10.8 ± 5.7 and 30.8 ± 7.4 eggs·sac^?1. Estimated EPRs ranged from 6.3 ± 3.4 to 13.6 ± 4.2 eggs·female^?1·day^?1, with mean weight‐specific egg production rates of 0.06 ± 0.04 and 0.17 ± 0.08 per day. Euterpina acutifrons was not directly influenced by SACW intrusions, but body length and clutch size were positively related to temperature and chlorophyll content. Egg hatching time was clearly dependent on water temperature, as a 2 °C increase resulted in a decrease of 15 h in egg hatching time. This shows that even a small variation in temperature may considerably affect E. acutifrons population dynamics. Reproductive traits of this pelagic harpacticoid seem, therefore, to be controlled by the trade‐offs between increased food supply and the metabolic demands at low temperatures associated with SACW bottom intrusions toward this coastal area.