Sensitivity of cool-temperate forests and their fossil pollen record to rapid temperature change

Simulations of cool-temperate forest growth in response to climatic change using the JABOWA computer model show that a decrease of 600 growing degree-days (equivalent to a 2°C decrease in mean annual temperature) causes red spruce (Picea rubens) to replace sugar maple (Acer saccharum) as the dominant tree. These changes are delayed 100–200 yr after the climatic cooling, producing gradual forest changes in response to abrupt temperature changes, and reducing the amplitude of response to brief climatic events. Soils and disturbances affect the speed and magnitude of forest response. The delayed responses are caused by the difference in sensitivity of adult trees and younger stages. The length of the delay depends on the life history characteristics of the dominant species. Delayed responses imply that fossil pollen deposits, even if they faithfully record the abundances of trees in forests, may not be able to resolve climatic changes within 100–200 yr, or to record very brief climatic events. This explains why pollen deposits do not as yet show responses to climatic changes during the past 100 yr. Only the Little Ice Age, which lasted several centuries, caused sufficient forest change to be recorded in fossil pollen, and only at certain sites.     

The discrete turbulent gust concept

Spectral factorization of the Wiener-Hermite representation of turbulence in the atmospheric surface layer leads to a natural gust form. Some characteristics of the gust structure and implied spectral dynamics are examined. It is found that several results concerned with the response and memory concepts agree with intuitive reasoning. Difficulties with different closure schemes are discussed in terms of the resulting spectral cascade process.     

A note on the interpretation of acoustic sounder returns

A method is outlined for estimating statistical characteristics of turbulence in the atmospheric boundary layer using pairs of observables derived from scattered acoustic energy. The procedure involves determining, from the observable pair, a local stability parameter and deducing from related similarity functions certain turbulence statistics not measured directly. The results are limited to heights small compared to the Ekman-layer depth and to flows which are neither fully developed convectively nor have imbedded gravity waves.     

Experimental study of rill bank collapse

Rill bank collapse is an important component in the adjustment of channel morphology to changes in discharge and sediment flux. Sediment inputs from bank collapse cause abrupt changes in flow resistance, flow patterns and downstream sediment concentrations. Generally, bank retreat involves gradual lateral erosion, caused by flow shear stress, and sudden bank collapse, triggered by complex interactions between channel flow and bank and soil water conditions. Collapse occurs when bank height exceeds the critical height where gravitational forces overcome soil shear strength. An experimental study examined conditions for collapse in eroding rill channels. Experiments with and without a deep water table were carried out on a meandering rill channel in a loamy sand and sandy loam in a laboratory flume under simulated rainfall and controlled runon. Different discharges were used to initiate knickpoint and rill incision. Soil water dynamics were monitored using microstandpipes, tensiometers and time domain reflectometer probes (TDR probes). Bank collapse occurred with newly developed or rising pre‐existing water tables near rill banks, associated with knickpoint migration. Knickpoint scour increased effective bank height, caused positive pore water pressure in the bank toe and reduced negative pore pressures in the unsaturated zone to near zero. Matric tension in unsaturated parts of the bank and a surface seal on the ‘interrill’ zone behind the bank enhanced stability, while increased effective bank height and positive pore water pressure at the bank toe caused instability. With soil water contents >35 per cent (sandy loam) and >23 per cent (loamy sand), critical bank heights were 0·11–0·12 m and 0·06–0·07 m, respectively. Bank toe undercutting at the outside of the rill bends also triggered instability. Bank displacement was quite different on the two soils. On the loamy sand, the failed block slid to the channel bed, revealing only the upper half of the failure plane, while on the sandy loam the failed block toppled forwards, exposing the failure plane for the complete bank height. This study has shown that it is possible to predict location, frequency and magnitude of the rill bank collapse, providing a basis for incorporation into predictive models for hillslope soil loss or rill network development. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Hydrogen isotope ratios of individual lipids in lake sediments as novel tracers of climatic and environmental change: a surface sediment test

We determined hydrogen isotope ratios of modern lake-waters and individual lipids from surface sediments of 36 lakes in the eastern North America. The lakes selected lie on two transects (south–north transect from Florida to Ontario and east–west transect from Wisconsin to South Dakota) and encompass large temperature and moisture gradients, and a wide range of lake water δD values (>100‰). The study allows a rigorous test of the applicability of using δD values of sedimentary lipids as paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental proxies. We examined a range of lipids including C₁₇ n-alkane, straight chain fatty acids, phytol and sterols in both free extracts and ester-bound fractions in the solvent extracted sediments. Useful isotopic indicators are expected to show a linear correlation and constant fractionation factor between their δD values in surface sediments and modern lake water. Our results demonstrate that several lipid compounds, free and ester-bound palmitic acid (16:0), C₁₇ n-alkane, and phytol are useful candidates for paleoclimate reconstructions, in addition to two sterols that have been suggested previously (. Compound-specific D/H ratios of lipid biomarkers from sediments as a proxy for environmental and climatic conditons. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta 65: 213–222). Authigenic or biogenic carbonate in sediments is conventional material for paleoclimatic study using ocean and lake sediments. However, because majority of lake sediments do not contain suitable carbonate materials for isotopic study, hydrogen isotope ratios of these lipids provide invaluable new sources of paleoclimatic and paleoenvironmental information.     

Paleoenvironments and cultural diversity in late Pleistocene South America

After a summary assessment of certain selected early man sites in various parts of America, the environment of the Venezuelan coastal plain is discussed in order to evaluate the stratigraphy and radiometric dating of the Taima-Taima site, near Coro, Venezuela, where mammals, many now extinct, were killed by people making El Jobo points about 13,000 years ago.Potentially important areas in Peru, Chile and Brazil are mentioned. Certain problems in the models and interpretation of South American paleoclimates are pointed out.The presence of at least four different bifacially flaked stone projectile point traditions in widely separated and environmentally diverse parts of America between 11,000 and 13,000 yr ago suggests that the immediate cultural antecedents of these traditions were essentially independent of one another. From this it is argued that several early American flaked-stone point traditions developed indigenously in America from technological bases which were present in the Old World Middle Paleolithic.