The roles of bryozoans in modern coral reefs

Contrary to impressions gained from the literature, collecting in the living reefs of Bermuda, Eniwetok, and Eleuthera implies that bryozoans are common and diversified in at least some modern coral reefs.In all the reefs examined, encrusting cheilostomes are the most abundant and diversified bryozoans. Tuft-like cheilostomes, and lichenoporid and idmoneid cyclostomes, frequently are moderately important. Reteporid and aeteid cheilostomes, and crisiid cyclostomes, are also occasionally encountered.Never the principal frame-builders, the bryozoans do reinforce the reef mass by encrusting the undersides of coral heads, rock ledges, and rock fragments, and by locally partially filling cavities deep within the reef. These animals do not form significant amounts of loose carbonate sediment, nor do they trap or bind such sediment. A few bryozoans drift epiplanktonically through the surface waters around some reefs. Some cyclostome bryozoans may participate in the cryptic sclerosponge-brachiopod community of modern reefs. Correlation of bryozoan morphologic variations with environmental-factor fluctuations may eventually be possible.Of interest to students of living reefs and bryozoans, clarification of the roles played by bryozoans in modern reefs will also be valuable for paleontologists studying both fossil reefs and bryozoan evolutionary history.

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Zusammenfassung Sammlungen an lebenden Korallenriffen in der Nähe Bermudas, Eniwetoks und Eleutheras weisen darauf hin, daß Bryozoen hier häufig und differenziert in den Korallenriffen vorkommen, was bisher in der Literatur wenig beachtet wurde.In all den hier untersuchten Riffen sind die inkrustierenden Cheilostomen die häufigsten und vielfältigsten Bryozoen. Büschel-ähnliche Cheilostome sowie lichenoporide und idmoneide Cyclostome besitzen häufig einige Bedeutung. Außerdem werden dort ab und zu auch reteporide und aeteide Cheilostome und crisiide Cyclostome gefunden.Obwohl sie niemals das primäre Riffgerüst bilden, unterstützen die Bryozoen den Aufbau des Riffes erheblich dadurch, daß sie die Unterseite der Korallenstöcke sowie Felsenkanten und -fragmente inkrustieren. Teilweise füllen die Bryozoen auch Hohlräume, die tief im Riff eingelagert sind. Diese Tiere bilden keine bedeutenden Mengen von Karbonatablagerungen; sie können auch kein loses Sediment einfangen und binden. Manche Bryozoen treiben epiplanktonisch in den oberen Wasserschichten in der Umgebung von Riffen. Einige cyclostome Bryozoen sind in geschützten Bereichen zusammen mit Sclerospongien und Brachiopoden vergesellschaftet. Wahrscheinlich lassen sich einmal Beziehungen zwischen der Morphologie der Bryozoen und der Veränderungen im Biotop herstellen.Die Klärung der Rolle, welche Bryozoen in rezenten Riffen spielen, wird nicht nur das Interesse der Forscher wecken, die die lebenden Riffe und Bryozoen untersuchen, sondern es wird auch den Paläontologen anziehen, der sich mit fossilen Riffen oder der Bryozoen-Evolution befaßt.

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Résumé Contrairement aux impressions données par la littérature, il apparait d'après des collections faites dans les récifs vivants de Bermuda, Eniwetok, et Eleuthera que les bryozoaires s'y présentent souvent et de façons diverses.Dans tous les récifs examinés, les cheilostomes incrustés sont des bryozoaires se présentant le plus souvent et sous des aspects les plus différents. Les cheilostomes comme des touffes, les cyclostomes lichenoporides et idmoneides sont fréquemment de quelque importance. Par ailleurs les cheilostomes rétéporides et aétéides, et les cyclostomes crisides n'y sont rencontrées qu'occasionnellement.Bien qu'ils n'aient jamais bâti le cadre du récif, les bryozoaires en renforcent la masse en s'incrustant au-dessous des têtes coralliennes, des bords et fragments de rochers; ils remplissent aussi en partie des cavités profondes du récif. Ces animaux ne forment pas de quantités significatives de carbonate et ils ne peuvent ni capter ni lier des sédiments détachés. Quelques bryozoaires flottent epiplanktoniquement dans les eaux de surface de quelques récifs. Quelques bryozoaires cyclostomes participent à la communauté cryptique des sclérosponges et brachiopodes dans les récifs modernes. Des corrélations entre les variations morphologiques des bryozoaires et les fluctuations environnantes seront éventuellement possibles.Intéressante pour les chercheurs étudiant les récifs vivants et les bryozoaires, la clarification des rôles joués par les bryozoaires dans les récifs modernes aura aussi de la valeur pour le paléontologue s'occupant de récifs fossiles et d'évolution des bryozoaires.

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Bermuda, Eniwetok Eleuthera , , . ( Cheilostoma, Lichenoporida Idmoneida — Cyclostomata -, Reteporida Aeteida — Cheilostomata -, Cyclostomata. , , , . , . , . . . . , Cyclostomata, Sclerospongia chiopoda. , . - , , , .

     

The sustainability of Australian agricultural production systems: a realistic objective or simply a desirable aim?

Whilst the term sustainability has undergone considerable transformation from its original intended meaning, in the context of agriculture it is considered to have relevance to four aspects of the activity; the maintenance of production, financial returns, employment opportunities, and the stability of the ecosystem. This article's appraisal of market trends suggests that the key issue of substantially improved financial returns for Australian agriculturalists is at present unlikely for some enterprises. What is particularly discouraging is that downward trends have persisted, despite the many efficiency gains in agriculture. Further gains from technological developments and trade liberalisation will be limited for many agricultural sectors. Whilst initiatives to reduce land degradation have achieved a high public profile, greater effectiveness can be achieved in this area. There is some scope for significant improvements in the overall performance of agriculture, but the most achievable gains will probably be confined to those specific enterprises that can use geography to greatest advantage.     

Atmospheric chemistry of the monoterpene reaction products nopinone,camphenilone, and 4-acetyl-1-methylcyclohexene

Rate constants for the gas-phase reactions of OH radicals with nopinone (6,6-dimethylbicyclo[3.1.1]heptan-2-one) and camphenilone (3,3-dimethylbicyclo[2.2.1]heptan-2-one) and for the reactions of 4-acetyl-1-methylcyclohexene with OH and NO₃ radicals and O₃ have been measured at 296±2 K. The rate constants (cm³ molecule^–1 s^–1 units) obtained were, for reaction with the OH radical: nopinone, (1.43±0.37)×10^–11; camphenilone, (5.15±1.44)×10^–12; and 4-acetyl-1-methylcyclohexene, (1.29±0.33)×10^–10; for reaction with the NO₃ radical: 4-acetyl-1-methylcyclohexene, (1.05±0.38)×10^–11; and for reaction with O₃: 4-acetyl-1-methylcyclohexene, (1.50±0.53)×10^–16. These data are used to calculate the tropospheric lifetimes of these monoterpene atmospheric reaction products.     

Fan and playa areas in southern California and adjacent parts of Nevada

In bolsons in the desert regions of southern California and adjacent parts of Nevada, the area underlain by alluvial fan gravels and playa sediments is generally ?1·2 times the area being eroded to produce those sediments. In certain larger basins in the vicinity of Death Valley, however, the depositional area is only about half the size of the erosional area. This reflects the more active tectonic environment in these bolsons. Of the areas underlain by recent sediments in these bolsons, playas make up 2–6 per cent. Smaller playas are found in the Mojave region, and seem to be associated with sedimentary terranes. Conversely, igneous terranes support larger playas. Larger deviations of playa area from these averages are attributable to incorrect identification of bolson boundaries. Fine sediment is either able to pass through the bolson to the next down stream, or is being collected from areas upstream that were not considered to be part of the system. For example, the playa in Death Valley is unusually large. This is in part because the Death Valley playa has been deformed tectonically so parts of it are now eroding, and in part because the outlet of Lake Tecopa was downcut in the geologically recent past, so sediment once trapped there now reaches Death Valley. The size of the playa in Death Valley is still adjusting to these changes.     

Numerical modelling of the saline interface in coastal karstic aquifers within a conceptual model uncertainty framework

Numerical modelling is increasingly used as a tool for improving management strategies in aquifers and to support the design of comprehensive projects considering natural and anthropogenic processes. Overall, numerical simulation in karstic aquifers poses a major scientific challenge due to the non-Darcian groundwater flow dynamics. In specific cases, the equivalent porous medium approach has shown acceptable results, particularly in poorly karstified aquifers with regional/subregional scales such as this case. The Yucatan coastal karstic aquifer (Mexico) has been defined as a complex regional heterogeneous system, partially confined, thus allowing the discussion of multiple conceptual models. In this research, a two-dimensional numerical model of flow and transport was implemented using SEAWAT for the NW Yucatan aquifer. Four likely conceptual models were audited, calibrated and verified using hydrogeological field data, to select the best one, considering their fit and complexity. The numerical model accuracy was evaluated using the root-mean-square error, Nash Sutcliffe efficiency and the Pearson coefficient. The Akaike information criterion and Bayesian information criterion were included for evaluating the complexity of the numerical models. In addition, the signal of tide propagation into the aquifer was assessed as a proxy to improve the numerical calibration process. Results show that the most complex numerical model has a better calibration than the simpler models, but the model accuracy is worse when compared to less complex numerical models in the verification exercise. This research offers enhancement in the knowledge of numerical modelling in heterogeneous coastal aquifers within a conceptual-model uncertainty setting.

     

Timing and duration of partial melting and magmatism in the Variscan Montagne Noire gneiss dome (French Massif Central)

International Journal of Earth Sciences - Unravelling the detailed pressure–temperature–time-deformation (P–T–t-D) evolution of magmatic and metamorphic rocks provides...     

Further observations of quasars in ESO/SERC field 927

We present the spectra and redshifts of 62 quasars, from observations made with the Cerro Tololo Inter-American Observatory (CTIO) 4-m Blanco Telescope. These quasars form part of a total sample of 118 (with 56 having been published previously), which is being used for analysis of structure in the early universe. Quasars of particular interest are noted, including eight broad absorption line (BAL) quasars and two quasars with unusual emission spectra. Finally, we include a short summary of the present status of the large quasar group (LQG) that was discovered by Clowes & Campusano from the earlier observations. The quasars are from an area ∼25.3 deg² of ESO/SERC field 927, which is centred at (1950) 10^h40^m00^s, 05°00'00'.