U–Pb zircon dating and nature of metavolcanics and metarkoses from the Monte Grighini Unit: new insights on Late Ordovician magmatism in the Variscan belt in Sardinia, Italy

In the external units of the Sardinian Variscides Nappe Zone, volcanic and volcanoclastic successions of Middle Ordovician age follow Lower Paleozoic calc-alkaline magmatism developed at the northern Gondwana margin. We present geochemical and zircon U–Pb isotopic data for the Truzzulla Formation, a low-to-medium-grade metamorphic volcanic–volcanoclastic succession belonging to the Monte Grighini Unit, the deepest unit in the Nappe Zone. Geochemical and radiometric data allow us to define a Late Ordovician (Katian) magmatic (volcanic) event of calc-alkaline affinity. These new data, in conjunction with previously published data, indicate that in the Sardinian Variscides, the age of Lower Paleozoic Andean-type calc-alkaline magmatism spans from Middle to Late Ordovician. Moreover, the age distribution of calc-alkaline volcanics and volcanoclastic rocks in the Nappe Zone is consistent with a diachronous development of Middle–Late Ordovician Andean-type magmatic arc through the portion of the northern Gondwanian margin now represented by the Sardinian Variscides. This reconstruction of the Sardinian Variscides reflects the complex magmatic and tectonic evolution of the northern margin of Gondwana in the Lower Paleozoic.     

Bathonian (Middle Jurassic) crinoids of the Hidas Valley (Mecsek Mountains, S Hungary) and their biogeographic significance

The Bathonian crinoid fauna that occurs in red nodular limestone and argillaceous limestones from the Hidas Valley, Mecsek Mts (southern Hungary) consists of three isocrinid and six cyrtocrinid species. Isocrinids are represented by Balanocrinus inornatus (d’Orbigny), B. berchteni Hess and Pugin and Balanocrinus sp. Cyrtocrinids are represented by Phyllocrinus stellaris Zar?czny, P. birkenmajeri G?uchowski, P. malbosianus d’Orbigny, Apsidocrinus sp., Lonchocrinus sp., and the new species Psalidocrinus hidasinus sp. nov. This last species is the earliest occurrence of the genus Psalidocrinus previously known from the Early Tithonian to Valanginian. This is the first crinoid fauna described from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) of Hungary. The co-occurrence of isocrinids and cyrtocrinids indicates an environment subject to weak currents. The stratigraphical and geographical distribution of the identified cyrtocrinid genera and species suggests a Tethyan origin and subsequent migration to the northern Tethyan shelf.     

Numerical modeling and inverse parameter estimation of the large-scale mass movement Gradenbach in Carinthia (Austria)

This paper deals with the inverse problem of using time-displacement monitoring data to determine the material parameters of a numerical model of a large-scale mass movement. A finite element model for simulating the mechanical behavior is presented for the Gradenbach landslide in Carinthia, Austria. Particular attention is paid to the calibration of the constitutive relationships, which represent a prerequisite for a realistic quantitative analysis. After a short introduction to the concept of model-parameter identification, this paper demonstrates how to apply the proposed model identification strategy to determine model parameters for the Gradenbach example. The impact of the amount of reference data available for the inverse model-parameter analysis is evaluated by means of artificial reference data. Subsequently, the numerical model is calibrated using field measurement data. The results obtained are presented, and the benefits and drawbacks of the proposed concept are evaluated.     

Timing of the HT/LP transpression in the Neoproterozoic Seridó Belt (Borborema Province,Brazil): Constraints from UPb (SHRIMP) geochronology and implications for the connections between NE Brazil and West Africa

The Seridó schist belt is a classical domain of the Borborema Province (NE Brazil) recording crustal melting at HT/LP conditions in a tectonic setting dominated by dextral transpressive deformation. A comparable tectonometamorphic setting has been described in the Pan-African Igarra and Ilesha schist belts of south Nigeria (Africa). The HT‐transpression of the Seridó has previously been imprecisely dated by using a range of isotopic methods on a suite of syntectonic granites. We provide new UPb zircon ages of the Acari granite and Santa Luzia migmatite that constrain the HT/LP metamorphism of the Seridó at c. 575 Ma. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility of the Santa Luzia migmatite shows that the magnetic fabric records the NE-trending dextral kinematics similar to those previously described in the Acari pluton. On the other hand, the UPb ages of the Totoró pluton provide evidence for an older, mostly mafic to intermediate magmatism intruding the pelitic schist that precedes the HT/LP metamorphism by approximately 15 m.y. In contrast with the Acari pluton and Santa Luzia migmatite, the magnetic fabrics of Totoró show a concentric steep-dipping structure apparently related to magma ascent. Thermobarometric studies in the Seridó, Igarra and Ilesha schist belts indicate that a large domain in the northern Borborema and south of the Nigeria shields was deformed at a high temperature and at relatively shallow depths. Although the tectonic setting for such a post-collision HT event remains an open issue, it allows us nevertheless to refine the across-Atlantic geological correlation between the continents.     

Comments on “Confirmation of beach accretion by grain-size trend analysis: Camposoto beach, Cádiz, SW Spain” by E. Poizot et al. (2013) Geo-Marine Letters 33(4)

This Discussion provides comments on the application of grain-size trend analysis to Camposoto beach (SW Spain) reported by Poizot et al. (2013) in Geo-Marine Letters 33(4):263–272. Some of their results are updated or complemented by existing data from other studies carried out on Camposoto and other nearby beaches. For example, a detailed breakdown of beach nourishment volumes and costs is presented, and the influence of a horizontal reef flat on the tilting of the beach profile around the mean or the low water level is highlighted. Moreover, data from the displacement of dyed samples are used to evaluate the relationship between sediment transport speed (v_a) and current speed (V), the corresponding ratio being consistent with the range of values reported by several other authors. Finally, some minor, although still significant, differences are detected in some granulometric parameters as well as in the profile shape. Determining the reason for these discrepancies could enhance our current knowledge about the factors controlling short-term beach profile responses.     

Displacement trends of slow-moving landslides: Classification and forecasting

A framework is proposed to characterize and forecast the displacement trends of slow-moving landslides, defined as the reactivation stage of phenomena in rocks or fine-grained soils, with movements localized along one or several existing shear surfaces. The framework is developed based on a thorough analysis of the scientific literature and with reference to significant reported case studies for which a consistent dataset of continuous displacement measurements is available. Three distinct trends of movement are defined to characterize the kinematic behavior of the active stages of slow-moving landslides in a velocity-time plot： a linear trend-type I, which is appropriate for stationary phenomena; a convex shaped trend-type II, which is associated with rapid increases in pore water pressure due to rainfall, followed by a slow decrease in the groundwater level with time; and a concave shaped trend-type III, which denotes a non-stationary process related to the presence of new boundary conditions such as those associated with the development of a newly formed local slip surface that connects with the main existing slip surface. Within the proposed framework, a model is developed to forecast future displacements for active stages of trend-type II based on displacement measurements at the beginning of the stage. The proposed model is validated by application to two case studies.     

Relationship between physical and chemical soil attributes and plant species diversity in tropical mountain ecosystems from Brazil

Although the high diversity of plant species in the rupestrian fields has been primarily attributed to the existence of a set of distinct habitats, few studies support this assertion. The present study aimed to further investigate the relationship between physical and chemical attributes of soils with the diversity of plant species in this unique ecosystem. The rupestrian field is a unique vegetation formation that covers some of the southeastern Brazilian mountains in the transition of the Atlantic rain forest and the Cerrado （savanna）. Different habitats occur according to soil characteristics （e.g., presence of rocks, sand, fertility, hydrology, etc.）. These attributes ultimately influence the vegetation that is highly adapted to the harsh edaphic and climatic mountain conditions. Five distinct habitats were studied by us： rocky outcrops, peat bogs, sandy bogs, quartz gravelfields, and ＂cerrado＂ （savanna）. A floristic survey indicated that four families are found at greater frequency： Poaceae, Asteraceae, Cyperaceae, and Leguminosae. The greatest diversity of plant species was found in the rocky outcrops habitat, followed by cerrado, peat bog, quartz gravel grassland, and sandy bogs, respectively. The main difference in the floristic composition among these habitats was related to the dominant species. Trachypogon spicatus （Poaceae） was the most dominant species in the rocky outcrops, Axonopus siccus （Poaceae） in the peat bogs, Lagenocarpus rigidus （Cyperaceae） in the sandy bogs, Schizachyrium tenerum （Poaceae） in the cerrado, while Vellozia sp. 8 （Velloziaceae） dominated the vegetation in the quartz gravel grassland. This study demonstrated that physical and chemical soil properties strongly related the diversity of plant species occurring in the different habitats of rupestrian fields.     

Strategic coupling in ‘next wave cities’: Local institutional actors and the offshore service sector in the Philippines

The outsourcing and offshoring of services to developing countries has created new opportunities for economic development for countries in the global South. This paper looks at the scope for agency of local institutional actors in the investment attraction of business process outsourcing companies. Drawing on empirical work from the Philippines, an analysis of the process of integrating lower‐tier cities into global service production networks is presented. Specifically, the roles of local institutional actors in facilitating FDI attraction and strategically coupling local assets with the needs of multinational service corporations are discussed. Two contrasting cases, the cities of Baguio and Bacolod, show that considerable scope for intervention rests with local institutional actors. The findings have implications for policymaking and research concerned with the newest phase of outsourcing and offshoring in developing countries.     

The eutrophication history of a tropical water supply reservoir in Brazil

Guarapiranga Reservoir is the second most important public water supply in São Paulo, Brazil and has been eutrophic for several decades. We inferred the major ecological shifts for the period 1919–2010 related to multiple stressors (forest flooding, hydrological change, use of algicide and eutrophication), using geochemistry (TOC, TN, TP, C/N, δ¹⁵N, δ¹³C) and diatom assemblages in a short (75-cm) sediment core. Thirty-two diatom species were abundant in the core and stratigraphically constrained incremental sum of squares analysis enabled identification of three diatom zones and four subzones, i.e. depths at which marked changes in species composition occurred. Early diatom assemblages were dominated by benthic, oligotrophic taxa, mainly Eunotia, influenced by flooded vegetation after dam construction. A shift to dominance by a planktonic species (Eunotia tukanorum) occurred ca. 1932, during the period of initial physical disturbance and early use of the water body as a public water supply. Diatoms and geochemical variables show that the reservoir was oligotrophic from ~1919 to 1947. Eutrophication began ~1975 and by the early 1980s the reservoir had become eutrophic, in response to an explosive increase in human population in the watershed. Severe cultural eutrophication has persisted since ~1990. Higher concentrations of copper in the sediments, beginning in 1991, reflect the increased use of copper sulfate to control cyanobacteria blooms and provide a chronological marker. Higher δ¹⁵N values in recent sediments indicate greater sewage inputs and low C/N values reflect the predominant contribution of algae to sediment organic matter. Eutrophic taxa Cyclotella meneghiniana and Nitzschia sp. dominate recent diatom assemblages, along with Aulacoseira granulata, a species that is tolerant of copper sulfate. Diatom assemblages reflect multiple stressors, however, geochemical information provides a better understanding of the early phase of the reservoir. Paleolimnologically documented trophic state changes in this important drinking water supply are largely attributable to increased urbanization of the drainage basin and inputs of sewage. Management efforts should focus on mitigating this nutrient source.