Spatial and temporal variability of Mehlich-1 extractable Fe, Mn and Zn over a rice field as a function of lime amendment

This study compares the effect of lime additions on the spatial variability of Fe, Mn and Zn extracted by Mehlich-1 during three different growth stages from an acid paddy soil, a Typic Plintacualf, in Corrientes, Argentina. Field trials were set up involving three treatments: control, without lime addition, plus two different dolomite doses of 625 and 1250 kg ha⁻¹. Soil was sampled first before sowing in aerobic conditions and then two more times in anaerobic conditions, i.e. by bunch formation and flowering. Ninety-six samples per plot were taken per lime treatment and sampling period, using a nested sampling strategy. Liming significantly increased extractable Fe and Mn, but decreased extractable Zn. The spatial variability of the studied soil properties was assessed using semivariogram analysis and examination of kriging maps. Models were fitted to experimental semivariograms for 27 data sets, i.e. three different soil properties, each of them sampled in three treatments and during three dates. Soil extractable and Fe, Mn and Zn exhibited a rather strong spatial dependence, as nugget variance was either null or a small proportion of the total variance, and this all over the three different study periods and for the three lime treatments. Geostatistical analysis provided insight into possible processes responsible of the observed spatial variability patterns within the rice soil. Kriging was useful in mapping soil micronutrient variability allowing identifying microrregions with high or low Fe, Mn and Zn concentrations, which showed the presence of small scale variability. These findings indicate the potential for applying the principles of precision agriculture to control spatiotemporal variability in rice fields.     

Numerical modeling of stress effects on solute transport in fractured rocks

The effects of stress/deformation on fluid flow and contaminant transport in fractured rocks is one of the major concerns for performance and safety assessments of many subsurface engineering problems, especially radioactive waste disposal and oil/gas reservoir fields. However, very little progress has been made to study this issue due to difficulties in both experiments and numerical modeling. The objective of this study is to systematically investigate the influence of stress on solute transport in fractured rocks for the first time, considering different stress and hydraulic pressure conditions. A hybrid approach combining discrete element method (DEM) for stress-flow simulations and a particle tracking algorithm is developed. The impact of matrix diffusion (diffusion of molecular size solutes in and out of the rock matrix, and sorption onto the surface of micropores in rock matrix) is also included. The numerical results show that stress not only significantly changes the solute residence time through the fracture networks, but also changes the solute travel paths. Matrix diffusion plays a dominant role in solute transport when the hydraulic gradient is small, which is often encountered in practice.     

Response of west Indian coastal regions and Kavaratti lagoon to the November-2009 tropical cyclone Phyan

Response of the coastal regions of eastern Arabian Sea (AS) and Kavaratti Island lagoon in the AS to the tropical cyclonic storm `Phyan??, which developed in winter in the south-eastern AS and swept northward along the eastern AS during 9?C12 November 2009 until its landfall at the northwest coast of India, is examined based on in situ and satellite-derived measurements. Wind was predominantly south/south-westerly and the maximum wind speed (U<sub>10</sub>) of ~16 m/s occurred at Kavaratti Island region followed by ~8 m/s at Dwarka (Gujarat) and ~7 m/s at Diu (located south of Dwarka) as well as two southwest Indian coastal locations (Mangalore and Malpe). All other west Indian coastal sites recorded maximum wind speed of ~5?C6 m/s. Gust factor (i.e., gust-to-speed ratio) during peak storm event was highly variable with respect to topography, with steep hilly stations (Karwar and Ratnagiri) and proximate thick and tall vegetation-rich site (Kochi) exhibiting large values (~6), whereas Island station (Kavaratti) exhibiting ~1 (indicating consistently steady wind). Rainfall in association with Phyan was temporally scattered, with the highest 24-h accumulated precipitation (~60 mm) at Karwar and ~45 mm at several other west Indian coastal sites. Impact of Phyan on the west Indian coastal regions was manifested in terms of intensified significant waves (~2.2 m at Karwar and Panaji), sea surface cooling (~5°C at Calicut), and moderate surge (~50 cm at Verem, Goa). The surface waves were south-westerly and the peak wave period (T <sub>p</sub>) shortened from ~10?C17 s to ~5?C10 s during Phyan, indicating their transition from the long-period `swell?? to the short-period `sea??. Reduction in the spread of the mean wave period (T _z) from ~5?C10 s to a steady period of ~6 s was another manifestation of the influence of the cyclone on the surface wave field. Several factors such as (1) water piling-up at the coast supported by south/south-westerly wind and seaward flow of the excess water in the rivers due to heavy rains, (2) reduction of piling-up at the coast, supported by the upstream penetration of seawater into the rivers, and (3) possible interaction of upstream flow with river run-off, together resulted in the observed moderate surge at the west Indian coast. Despite the intense wind forcing, Kavaratti Island lagoon experienced insignificantly weak surge (~7 cm) because of lack of river influx and absence of a sufficiently large land boundary required for the generation and sustenance of wave/wind-driven water mass piling-up at the land?Csea interface.     

The use of multivariate statistical analysis of geochemical data for assessing the spatial distribution of soil contamination by potentially toxic elements in the Aljustrel mining area (Iberian Pyrite Belt,Portugal)

Aljustrel mine is located in SW Portugal, in the western sector of the Iberian Pyrite Belt. The Aljustrel village was developed around the exploitations of massive polymetallic sulphides that occur in the area (4 orebodies mined, 2 in exploration phase). The pyrite ore was extensively exploited from 1850 to 1993, when production was discontinued. A mining restart occurred in 2008, only during a few months. The objectives of the study were to assess the levels of soil contamination, to determine associations between the different chemical elements and their spatial distribution, as well as to identify possible sources of contamination that can explain the spatial patterns of soil pollution in the area. Principal component analysis combined with spatial interpretation successfully grouped the elements according to their sources and provided evidence about their geogenic or anthropogenic origin. From this study, it is possible to conclude that soils around Algares/Feitais tailing deposits, Estéreis and Águas Claras mine dams and S. João mine show severe contamination. The highest concentrations of As (up to 3,936 mg kg^?1) and certain heavy metals (up to 321.7 mg kg^?1 for Bi, 5,414 mg kg^?1 for Cu, 20,000 mg kg^?1 for Pb, 980.6 mg kg^?1 for Sb, and 22 mg kg^?1 Cd) were obtained near Algares area while the highest concentration of Cd (up to 61.6 mg kg^?1) and Zn (up to 20,000 mg kg^?1) were registered in samples collected in the S. João area. The highest pollution load index (>4.0) was recorded at the Algares area where the metal concentrations exceed typical soil background levels by as much as two orders of magnitude.     

Short-term variability of multiple biomarker response in fish from estuaries: Influence of environmental dynamics

Short-term variability in biomarker responses and the effects of temperature and salinity variation were explored in three fish species (Dicentrarchus labrax, Solea senegalensis and Pomatoschistus microps) occurring in the Tejo estuary. Short-term variability in biomarkers was observed in all species although no pattern was discerned over time (days to weeks). Antioxidant enzymes activity (superoxide dismutase (SOD) and catalase (CAT)) showed low temporal variability, indicating some constancy or baseline level in antioxidant responses. Only CAT activity in S.?senegalensis was correlated with temperature, suggesting that exposure to contaminants triggered antioxidant acclimation. Higher short-term variability was observed in xenobiotic biotransformation enzymes activity (phase I ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase (EROD) and phase II glutathione S-transferase (GST)). Yet a significant correlation between EROD and GST in D.?labrax and S.?senegalensis suggests a concomitant response to contaminants. Moreover the lack of correlation between xenobiotic biotransformation enzymes and abiotic variables on concordant time scales, suggest a high specificity of these biomarkers to chemical exposure, rather than high variability due to environmental dynamics.     

Fatty acid profiles indicate the habitat of mud snails Hydrobia ulvae within the same estuary: Mudflats vs. seagrass meadows

Mud snails Hydrobia ulvae occupy different habitats in complex estuarine ecosystems. In order to determine if fatty acid profiles displayed by mud snails can be used to identify the habitat that they occupy within the same estuary, fatty acids of H. ulvae from one mudflat and one seagrass meadow in the Ria de Aveiro (Portugal) were analyzed and compared to those displayed by microphytobenthos (MPB), the green leaves (epiphyte-free) of Zostera noltii, as well as those exhibited by the epiphytic community colonizing this seagrass. MPB and epiphytic diatom-dominated samples displayed characteristic fatty acids, such as 16:1n-7 and 20:5n-3, while 18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3 were the dominant fatty acids in the green leaves of Z. noltii. Significant differences between the fatty acid profiles of H. ulvae specimens sampled in the mudflat and the seagrass meadow could be identified, with those from the mudflat displaying higher levels of fatty acids known to be characteristic of MPB. This result points towards the well known existence of grazing activity on MPB by mud snails. The fatty acid profiles displayed by H. ulvae inhabiting the seagrass meadows show no evidence of direct bioaccumulation of the two most abundant polyunsaturated fatty acids of Z. noltii (18:2n-6 and 18:3n-3) in the mud snails, which probably indicates that either these compounds can be metabolized to produce energy, used as precursors for the synthesis of essential fatty acids, or that the snails do not consume seagrass leaves at all. Moreover, the fatty acid profiles of mud snails inhabiting the seagrass meadows revealed the existence of substantial inputs from microalgae, suggesting that the epiphytic community colonizing the leaves of Z. noltii displays an important role on the diet of these organisms. This assumption is supported by the high levels of 20:5n-3 and 22:6n-3 recorded in mud snails sampled from seagrass meadows. In conclusion, fatty acid analyses of H. ulvae can be successfully used to identify the habitat occupied by these organisms within the same estuary (e.g. mudflats and seagrass meadows) and reveal the existence of contrasting dietary regimes.     

Mexico’s coasts: Half-way to sustainability

Sustainability was estimated through a Sustainable Capacity Index defined as the combination of three aspects (state of the environment, quality of life of the human population, and pressure applied by human activities), used as a guideline for the differentiation of sustainability situations. We identified five different municipality groups, in terms of sustainability, as well as two thresholds, beyond which sustainable capacity was not present: below the sustainable capacity lower threshold, close to the sustainable capacity threshold, optimum situation, close to the sustainable capacity higher threshold, and above the sustainable capacity higher threshold. In general Mexico was found to be in an apparent balanced situation, in the sense that it is not overweighed around extreme values, the majority of the coastal municipalities falling in the optimum sustainable situation, within the cross comparison, characterized by medium coastal cities. We can conclude that Mexico has reached a critical point where it has to decide about the direction its coastal development has to take, since our results suggest that Mexican’s municipalities are half way to sustainability. The ideal situation would be that the optimum situation would maintain its actual low pressure with high state, but could increase its quality of life. This work provided a rapid monitoring and cross comparison tool for an estimation of the sustainable situation of Mexico’s coasts, repeatable in time, and in phase with the recent national coastal zone management principles and strategies.     

Effect of block rotation on the pitch of slickenlines

Rotation of faults or pre-existing weakness planes produce two effects on the slickenlines of fault planes. First, the rotation leads to changes in the pitch of slickenlines. As a result, the aspect of the pre-existing fault may change. For example, after rotation, a normal fault may show features of an oblique fault, a strike-slip fault, or a thrust fault. Second, due to rotation, stress states on the fault planes are different from those before the rotation. As a consequence some previous planes may be reactivated. For an isolated plane, the reactivation due to rotation can produce new sets of slickenlines. With block rotation, superimposed slickenlines can be generated in the same tectonic phase. Thus, it is not appropriate to use fault-slip data from slickenlines to analyze the stress tensor in a region where there is evidence of block rotation. As an example, we present the data of slickenlines from core samples in the Tunich area of the Gulf of Mexico. The results wrongly indicate that the calculated stress tensor deviates from the far-field stress tensor.     

Volatile (sulphur and chlorine), major,and trace element geochemistry of mafic to intermediate tephras from the Chilean Southern Volcanic Zone (33–43°S)

Here we present the first systematic investigation of volatile geochemistry along the Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ) of Chile. Holocene olivine-hosted melt inclusions in the most mafic tephras sampled from 16 volcanoes along the volcanic front of the SVZ between 33°S and 43°S were analysed for pre-eruptive sulphur, chlorine, and major element contents. These results are combined with trace element compositions of the host whole rocks. The highest fractionation-corrected gas contents occur in the least-degassed melt inclusions from small monogenetic cones of Los Hornitos, Cabeza de Vaca, and Apagado from both the transitional and the southern-central SVZ, reaching ~3,000 μg/g S and 1,400 μg/g Cl, while the lowest abundances of ~1,100 μg/g S and ~600 μg/g Cl were found in the central SVZ at Volcán Lonquimay, Volcán Llaima, and Volcán Villarrica. Chlorine co-varies with trace element indicators for the degree of melting and/or source enrichment, such that the lowest Cl contents are found in high-degree melts from the most depleted mantle sources. The size of the volcanic edifices correlates inversely with Cl abundances in the melt. This could reflect more extensive degassing during ascent through the complex magma plumbing systems beneath the stratovolcanoes or greater dilution during larger degrees of melting of more depleted sources, or a combination of these factors. Compared to other subduction zones, the SVZ melt inclusions exhibit Cl and S abundances in the same range as most of those from the Central American and those from the Marianas arcs.     

Distributions of total,inorganic and organic phosphorus in surface and recent sediments of the sub-tropical and semi-pristine Guaratuba Bay estuary,SE Brazil

This study addresses the distribution of total phosphorus (TP) and its inorganic (IP) and organic (OP) fractions, grain-size and organic matter of surface and recent sediments, coupled to the behavior of total and dissolved inorganic phosphorus (TP and DIP) of the water column, of the semi-pristine Guaratuba Bay estuary, SE Brazil. Surface sediment samples were taken at 43 sites spread along the estuarine gradient and recent sediments from 3 short (35 cm long) cores from the upper, central and lower portions of the estuary, respectively. Highest TP and IP concentrations of surface sediments were detected within the upper sector and the transition zone between the upper and central sectors, all characterized by fine sediments, low salinities and water depths. In contrast, the lower sector and its narrow and deep tidal channel, subject to more intense tidal forcing, exhibited a higher fraction of sandy sediments with lower TP, IP and OP contents. In spite of the spatial variability in sediment grain size, IP corresponded to the major fraction of TP in all estuarine sectors and both TP and IP correlated significantly with the fine sedimentary (silt + clay) grain-size fraction. The fine surface sediments acted as a trap for IP at the fresh water–low salinity interface, which also corresponded to the region of a DIP sink in surface waters. In general, the short sediment cores showed that TP and IP contents increased from 15 cm depths to the top layer. Published sedimentation rates from additional cores taken at the sites of the short cores of this study, implied that depositional alterations of TP and IP increased during the early 1970s, which corresponded to the onset of anthropogenic disturbances from crop plantations in the lowland plains of the river end-member and urbanization at the estuary’s mouth and along the adjacent coast.