Effects of inhibitors on ferricyanide uptake and assimilation by plants

Effects of inhibitors on uptake and assimilation of ferricyanide by different plants were investigated. Detached roots of plants were kept in a closed-dark hydroponic system with ferricyanide solution amended with various inhibitors. Dissociation of ferricyanide to free cyanide and iron in solution was negligible. The application of inhibitors affected both botanical assimilation and uptake of ferricyanide. Of the inhibitors tested, silver nitrate showed a significantly inhibitory effect on ferricyanide uptake by rice, soybean and maize (P < 0.01), while a negligible effect was found in willows spiked with the same inhibitor (P > 0.05). However, lanthanum chloride showed the most severe effect on botanical assimilation of ferricyanide by maize and rice (P < 0.01), whereas silver nitrate and tetraethylammonium chloride were the most sensitive inhibitors to soybean and willows, respectively (P < 0.01). Botanical assimilation of ferricyanide was observed positively in responses to temperatures, in which maize was more susceptible than other selected plants. In conclusion, application of inhibitors has a substantial influence on the uptake and assimilation of ferricyanide by plants, and the inhibitory efficiency is highly dependent on the species of inhibitors applied.     

High-resolution profiles of iron, manganese, cobalt, cadmium, copper and zinc in the pore water of estuarine sediment

The remobilization of iron, manganese, cobalt, cadmium, copper and zinc in the pore water of estuarine sediment cores at Yingkou was assessed using diffusive equilibrium in thin films and diffusive gradients in thin films techniques. A relatively anoxic system (+33.7 to ?224.1 mV) in the sediment cores might cause the reductive release of iron, manganese and cobalt into pore water from the estuarine sediment. High-average concentrations of iron (47.85 μg ml^?1) and manganese (3.81 μg ml^?1) were observed using diffusive equilibrium in thin films on the sediment core, but the concentration of cobalt (18.02 ng ml^?1) was relatively low. A strong correlation between iron and cobalt was observed based on the vertical profiles of the metals. Manganese and iron were more readily released from the solid phase to the solution. The peak cobalt, copper and zinc concentrations were observed in the upper layer (2–4 cm) measured using diffusive gradients in thin films. However, the peak iron, manganese and cobalt concentrations were located in the deeper layer (≥7 cm). In addition, the concentration profiles measured using diffusive gradients in thin films of cobalt, copper and zinc were independent of the iron, manganese and cobalt distribution with respect to depth.     

Practical estimation and distribution of diffuse pollutants arising from a watershed in Turkey

This study presents the diffuse pollution profile of a coastal watershed with respect to the dominating sector of agriculture including forestry. A rough estimation of the diffuse loads expressed by two major nutrients of nitrogen and phosphorous is realized by calculations based on unit loads obtained from the literature for each land-use activity. The key concern is to rank the different diffuse loads arising from the watershed. The major diffuse nitrogen loads are estimated to arise from agricultural activities with 54 %, followed by livestock breeding that contribute to the nitrogen budget by 11 %. Almost 7 % of the nitrogen loads come from meadows and pasture, and 5 % from forests. In the distribution of diffuse phosphorus loads, it is estimated that 48 % of the loads arise from agricultural activities, and 18 % from livestock breeding. Almost 14 % of the phosphorous loads come from septic tank effluents; however, 13 % of the loads are due to rural run-off. The future loads for 2028 and 2039 are also estimated; 30–40 % decrease is foreseen in the agricultural pollutants and animal manure through the stepwise application of ecological agriculture and livestock breeding. The basic aim of this study is to put forth a practical methodology for estimating diffuse loads in a watershed for the decision-makers and local administrative authorities with especially limited available data. Through such, distribution of various diffuse loads becomes available among the administrative units composing the watershed.     

Geochemistry of Riphean terrigenous rocks in the Southern Urals and Siberia and variations of the continental-crust maturity

We consider the general and specific features of the evolution of the composition of fine-grained terrigenous rocks in the Riphean sedimentary megasequences of the Southern Urals, Uchur-Maya region, and Yenisei Ridge. It has been established that the crust on the southwestern (in the modern frame of references) periphery of the Siberian craton was geochemically the most mature segment of the Riphean continental crust. For example, the fine-grained clastic rocks and metapelites of all Riphean lithostratigraphic units of the Yenisei Ridge have higher median contents of Th than the most mature Paleoproterozoic crust, and in median contents of Y and Cr/Th values they are the most similar to it. In the Southern Urals and Uchur-Maya region, some units of the Riphean sedimentary sequences show median contents of Y and Th and Cr/Th values close to those of primitive Archean crust. Analysis of Cr/Th variations in the fine-grained terrigenous rocks of all three megasequences shows that the minimum Cr/Th values, evidencing a predominance or the abundance of felsic rocks in provenances, are typical of the Riphean argillaceous shales and metapelites of the Yenisei Ridge. The distinct Cr/Th and Cr/Sc increase in the fine-grained clastic rocks of the Chingasan Group of the ridge reflects the large-scale destruction of continental crust during the formation of rift troughs as a result of the Rodinia breakup in the second half of the Late Riphean. The Cr/Th variations in the Lower and Middle Riphean argillaceous shales and mudstones of the Bashkirian mega-anticlinorium and Uchur-Maya region are in agreement, which evidences the subglobal occurrence of rifting in the early Middle Riphean (so-called “Mashak rifting”).     

环流效应： 中国季风区石笋氧同位素短尺度变化的气候意义——古气候记录与现代气候研究的一次对话

根据最近的研究结果,中国季风区同一洞穴或同一区域的晚全新世石笋氧同位素序列具有较好的重复性,表明中国季风区的石笋氧同位素短尺度(10～100年尺度,后同)变率所具有的信号强于噪音。通过进一步比较分析发现,一些石笋氧同位素记录虽然来自距离上千公里之遥的不同区域,但它们的波动形式在年代际至世纪尺度极其相似,说明它们是一致的大区域信号,但多数石笋氧同位素序列未能校准到本区器测的降水或温度记录上。通过与中国气候学家建立的各类季风指数比较,发现这些具有一致大区信号的中国石笋氧同位素序列与海平面气压差指数或海陆温差指数关系最好。再通过与印度洋－太平洋海域海平面气压差、以及许多海、气环流观测记录对比,发现中国季风区石笋氧同位素序列记录了20世纪后期最强的一次全球海、气环流年代际均值突变,由此初步确认了中国季风区石笋氧同位素短尺度变化的环流意义： 当印度洋海水和中东太平洋海水温度偏低时,西太平洋副热带高压偏北东缩而弱,中国季风区内来自印度洋的水汽份额增大,由于这些水汽的输送路程很远,导致中国季风区的雨水氧同位素及石笋氧同位素较轻; 而当印度洋海水和中东太平洋海水温度偏高时,西太平洋副热带高压偏南西伸而强,中国季风区内来自印度洋的远源水汽份额减少,而来自西太平洋的水汽份额增大,由于后者输送路程较近,导致中国季风区的雨水氧同位素及石笋氧同位素较重。由此命名瑞利分馏原理所决定、反映印度洋/太平洋海、气环流转变且大区域一致的中国季风区石笋氧同位素10～100年尺度变化为“环流效应”。     

塔中地区中上奥陶统台地镶边体系分析

塔里木盆地塔中地区中上奥陶统碳酸盐岩台地边缘以发育良好的多种粒屑滩和生物礁组成的镶边沉积体系为特征。通过精细的单井相分析,识别出砂屑滩、砾屑滩、生屑滩以及鲕粒滩等,并且区分出3种不同类型的生物礁：①隐藻灰泥丘;②主要由枝状苔藓虫、海绵或（和）珊瑚建造的障积礁;③由石质海绵、托盘类、层孔虫、珊瑚、管孔藻等建造的骨架礁。在面向深水盆地的台缘外带,以发育中～高能粒屑滩和骨架礁组合为特征。在背靠开阔海台地的台缘内带,主要表现为中低能粒屑滩、隐藻灰泥丘以及障积礁的组合。这个台缘镶边沉积体系总体上沿塔中1号断层西侧呈北西-南东向长带状展布,长度100多公里,是本区重要的油气聚集带之一。储层质量台缘外带总体上优于台缘内带,其中骨架礁礁核和粒屑滩灰岩最好,礁间海和滩间海沉积物较差。     

The problem of the Quaternary, geological environment and desertification

 The Quaternary geological environment supplied mankind with a habitat and rich natural resources such as forest, meadow, water, etc. Mankind has developed to modern civilization through a very long history. During the last 100 years the area of desertification has been expanding, natural resources have been consumed, and eco-environments plundered. Mankind felled forests, cultivated grassland, and increased farmland because of unceasing increasing population and the need for materials. In a period of 50–100 years, mankind's destruction could change good meadow into desert. The following examples are evidence: Shangdu grassland in Inner Mongolia and the west grassland of Jilin Province have been changing into desert rapidly. Two concepts of destructive power (D) and bearing capacity (B) can be used to describe this process. When D<B, the ecosystem keeps good circulation, D=B, eco-balance reaches critical state, and D>B, ecosystem loses balance, the environment is destroyed and developed toward desert. The law of destructive power increasing with time accords with logistic curves and can be expressed by a logistic model. Destructive power (D) increases with decrease of bearing capacity (B);D and B represent a reciprocal relation. With a logistic model the developing process of desertification can be studied and the developing rate and strength of change can be forecasted. Received: 20 July 1998 · Accepted: 1 December 1998     

Time-dependent behaviour of the rock mass

Summary The strength of intact rock and the rock mass is time-dependent. For intact rock experimental verification is available, for the rock mass the scale of time-dependence is a matter of judgement. Rock mass classifications do however emphasize the effect of time on tunnel stability. This paper examines the source of time-dependence in rocks and the rock mass and suggests a technique for estimating the long term strength. The long term strength of the rock mass is controlled by the time-dependent weakening of intact rock. Frictional resistance, a major source of rock mass strength, increases rather than decreases with time. Lifetime estimation for rocks can be accomplished phenomenologically or mechanistically. The first is a statistical process of wide applicability, the second is more restrictive in usage as its applies only to materials that suffer time-dependent strain (creep). Although the mechanistic route is more appealing, it has a major drawback as it concentrates on steady state creep. There is no strong evidence for steady state creep in rocks. The technique for long term prediction is developed through the analysis of the failure rate under constant load. The failure rate for a given load and environment is established from the frequency distribution of time-to-failure data as measured in static fatigue tests. As expected, the failure rate is strongly affected by both the loading and the environmental condition. The influence, however, is systematic and predictable.     

Dissolved trace elements in river water: spatial distribution and the influencing factor, a study for the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, China

Twenty-nine water samples were collected from different river channels of the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone, China. An inductively coupled plasma-mass spectromonitor (ICP-MS) was used to measure concentrations of the trace elements in these samples. The results suggest that the average concentrations of rare earth elements in river water show an increasing trend from the West River, the North River, the rivers of the Pearl River Delta, and the Shenzhen River to the East River. Relatively high concentrations of heavy metals appear in the East River, the rivers of the Pearl River Delta and the Shenzhen River, while the West River and the North River have relatively low heavy metal concentrations. Trace element concentrations in samples collected near urban or industrial areas are much higher than those of samples collected from distant areas, away from urban and industrial areas. After natural conditions, human activities have significant influence on the trace element concentrations in river water. This trace element concentration’s spatial distribution in the river water from the Pearl River Delta Economic Zone is actually an integrated effect of natural conditions and human activity.