Land cover changes in small catchments in Slovakia during 1990–2006 and their effects on frequency of flood events

Statistical approach to the analysis of the relationship between the frequency of flood events and land cover (LC) changes in small catchments of Slovakia is presented in this paper. The data for identification of LC changes were taken from the 1990 and 2006 CORINE LC (CLC) data layers. They were derived by computer-aided visual interpretation of satellite images under the CLC Projects. The data about frequency of flood events in small catchments are from the period 1996–2006. Two hypotheses were formulated: (1) the greater the area of LC changes, the more frequent flood events; (2) in catchments where LC changes accelerating formation of direct runoff (e.g. urbanization, deforestation, farming) dominates, flood events are more frequent than in catchments where the prevailing LC changes (e.g. afforestation) reduce formation of direct runoff. Validity of hypotheses was tested in the framework of flood potential of catchments by two-factor ANOVA method. The obtained results indicate that (1) flood event frequency increases with the increasing total area of LC changes in a catchment. This tendency clearly manifests itself in catchments with very high flood potential. It is somewhat less distinct in catchments with moderate and high flood potentials. (2) There were no differences in flood event frequency between the group of catchments, where LC changes accelerating the formation of the direct runoff prevailed and the group of catchments where LC changes decelerating the formation of direct runoff were dominated.     

Diffuse and concentrated recharge evaluation using physical and tracer techniques: results from a semiarid carbonate massif aquifer in southeastern Spain

In the high-permeability, semiarid carbonate aquifer in the Sierra de Gádor Mountains (southeastern Spain), some local springs draining shallow perched aquifers were of assistance in assessing applicability of the atmospheric chloride mass balance (CMB) for quantifying total yearly recharge (R _T) by rainfall. Two contrasting hydrological years (October through September) were selected to evaluate the influence of climate on recharge: the average rainfall year 2003–2004, and the unusually dry 2004–2005. Results at small catchment scale were calibrated with estimated daily stand-scale R _T obtained by means of a soil water balance (SWB) of rainfall, using the actual evapotranspiration measured by the eddy covariance (EC) technique. R _T ranged from 0.35 to 0.40 of rainfall in the year, with less than a 5% difference between the CMB and SWB methods in 2003–2004. R _T varied from less than 0.05 of rainfall at mid-elevation to 0.20 at high elevation in 2004–2005, with a similar difference between the methods. Diffuse recharge (R _D) by rainfall was quantified from daily soil water content field data to split R _T into R _D and the expected concentrated recharge (R _C) at catchment scale in both hydrological years. R _D was 0.16 of rainfall in 2003–2004 and 0.01 in 2004–2005. Under common 1- to 3-day rainfall events, the hydraulic effect of R _D is delayed from 1 day to 1 week, while R _C is not delayed. This study shows that the CMB method is a suitable tool for yearly values complementing and extending the more widely used SWB in ungauged mountain carbonate aquifers with negligible runoff. The slight difference between R _T rates at small catchment and stand scales enables results to be validated and provides new estimates to parameterize R _T with rainfall depth after checking the weight of diffuse and concentrated mechanisms on R _T during moderate rainfall periods and episodes of marked climatic aridity.     

Effects of galaxy interactions in different environments

We analyse star formation rates (SFRs) derived from photometric and spectroscopic data of galaxies in pairs in different environments using the 2-degree field galaxy redshift survey (2dFGRS) and the Sloan digital sky survey (SDSS). The two samples comprise several thousand pairs, suitable to explore into detail the dependence of star formation activity in pairs on orbital parameters and global environment. We use the projected galaxy density derived from the fifth brightest neighbour of each galaxy, with a convenient luminosity threshold to characterize environment in both surveys in a consistent way. Star formation activity is derived through the η parameter in 2dFGRS and through the SFR normalized to the total mass in stars,  SFR/ M *  , given by Brinchmann et al. in the SDSS-second data release (SDSS-DR2). For both galaxy pair catalogs, the star formation birth rate parameter is a strong function of the global environment and orbital parameters. Our analysis on SDSS pairs confirms previous results found with the 2dFGRS where suitable thresholds for the star formation activity induced by interactions are estimated at a projected distance   r _p= 100  h ⁻¹ kpc  and a relative velocity  Δ V = 350 km s⁻¹  . We observe that galaxy interactions are more effective at triggering important star formation activity in low- and moderate-density environments with respect to the control sample of galaxies without a close companion. Although close pairs have a larger fraction of actively star-forming galaxies, they also exhibit a greater fraction of red galaxies with respect to those systems without a close companion, an effect that may indicate that dust stirred up during encounters could affect colours and, partially, obscure tidally induced star formation.     

Petrology,phase equilibria modelling,noble gas chronology and thermal constraints of the El Pozo L5 meteorite

We present the results of physical properties, petrography, bulk chemistry, mineral compositions, phase relations modelling and Noble gases study of the meteorite El Pozo. The petrography and mineral compositions indicate that the meteorite is an L5 chondrite with a low shock stage of S2-S3. Heterogenous weathering was preferentially along shock structures. Thermobarometric calculations indicate thermal equilibrium conditions between 768?°C and 925?°C at ～4 to 6?kb, which are substantially consistent with the petrological metamorphism type 5. A pseudosection phase diagram is relatively consistent with the mineral assemblage observed and PT conditions calculated. Temperature vs. fO₂ diagram shows that plagioclase compositional stability is very sensitive to Tschermack substitution in orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene and X_An plagioclase during the high temperature metamorphic process. Based on noble gases He, Ne, Ar and K contents a cosmogenic exposure age CRE of 1.9?Myr was calculated. The ²¹Ne would be totally cosmogenic, with no primordial Ne. The ²¹Ne/²²Ne value (0.97) is higher than solar value. According to the cosmogenic Ne content, we argue that El Pozo chondrite originally had a pre-atmospheric mass of 9–10?kg, which would have been produced by a later collision after the recognized collision of the L-chondrite parent body ～470?Ma ago.     

Phosphorus release kinetics in a soil amended with biosolids and vermicompost

Wastewater biosolids are large potential sources of macronutrients for agriculture, conservation and restoration of soils; there are, however, few studies on phosphorus (P) release in soils amended with biosolids. Biosolids and vermicomposted biosolids were tested in concentrations (5–30 g amendment kg^?1 soil) equivalent to 18–100 Mg ha^?1. Desorption of P was determined by successive extractions for 65 days. Soil P was low, and biosolid and vermicompost addition released 8 and 6 times more P, respectively, than soil alone. To describe the release of P, zero-, first- and second-order equations, simple Elovich and power functions and the parabolic diffusion law were compared based on their coefficient of determination (r ²) and standard error (SE). In all treatments, the power function and especially the parabolic diffusion law were the best fit, with 0.898–0.996 r ² and 0.022–0.732 SE. The general behavior of the kinetic parameters mostly depended on the amendment doses. Eutrophication posited to start beyond 16 mg P kg^?1 soil was more likely allayed by a maximum vermicompost dose of 50 Mg ha^?1, higher than the 36 Mg ha^?1 maximum biosolid dose. The higher vermicompost P addition and lower P release could favor gradual and longer-term P absorption by plants and may reduce leaching or runoff P losses.     

The impact of African aridity on the isotopic signature of Atlantic deep waters across the Middle Pleistocene Transition

A high resolution analysis of benthic foraminifera as well as of aeolian terrigenous proxies extracted from a 37 m-long marine core located off the Mauritanian margin spanning the last ~ 1.2 Ma, documents the possible link between major continental environmental changes with a shift in the isotopic signature of deep waters around 1.0–0.9 Ma, within the so-called Mid-Pleistocene Transition (MPT) time period. The increase in the oxygen isotopic composition of deep waters, as seen through the benthic foraminifera δ¹⁸O values, is consistent with the growth of larger ice sheets known to have occurred during this transition. Deep-water mass δ¹³C changes, also estimated from benthic foraminifera, show a strong depletion for the same time interval. This drastic change in δ¹³C values is concomitant with a worldwide 0.3‰ decrease observed in the major deep oceanic waters for the MPT time period. The phase relationship between aeolian terrigeneous signal increase and this δ¹³C decrease in our record, as well as in other paleorecords, supports the hypothesis of a global aridification amongst others processes to explain the deep-water masses isotopic signature changes during the MPT. In any case, the isotopic shifts imply major changes in the end-member δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of deep waters.     

The role of snow melting upon landslides in the central Argentinean Andes

This paper focuses on the historical range of variability of landslide activity and its relation to climate in the Aconcagua Park, Argentina. Landslide frequency data are obtained through historic compilation, including the review of more than 85 data sources and personal interviews with members of the local community. Based on these records, the study analyzes major landslide triggering mechanisms and evaluates the role of climate. Slope instability in Aconcagua Park appears to be mainly forced by the melting of snow accumulated during the winter season, which in turn promotes soil saturation and landslide occurrence the following spring–summer (December–February). This finding is supported by a strong correlation between landslides and stream flows of Andean rivers. These peaks occur during warmer seasons, fed by snow and ice‐glacier melting. In contrast, the correlation between landslide frequency and precipitation (diary/accumulative/monthly/annual) is less certain; and the relationship of landslide to temperature records (mean annual temperature/mean temperature during November–February period) is weak. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Esterases activities and lipid peroxidation levels in muscle tissue of the shanny Lipophrys pholis along several sites from the Portuguese Coast

This study is part of a project aiming to validate the use of the intertidal shanny Lipophorys pholis as a sentinel species in pollution monitoring in NW European marine ecosystems. To this end, a characterisation of acethylcholin (AChE), butyrylcholin (BChE) and propionylcholin (PrChE) esterases in L. pholis muscle was performed and the results indicated that AChE was predominant. Furthermore, the use of eserine sulphate and BW284c51 (0.64–800 μM), and iso-OMPA (0.08–16 mM), confirmed the measurement of true cholinesterases (ChEs) as well as the presence of pseudocholinesterases. The field application of these markers to L. pholis, sampled in seven locations along the Portuguese coast, revealed that fish were likely to be affected by neurotoxic compounds. This was indicated by the significant depletion of AChE (p < 0.05) in animals collected at urban and industrialised sites, compared with those from reference locations. The inclusion of a marker of effect, measured as lipid peroxidation levels in muscle tissue, also revealed the existence of site differences. Overall, the study further validates the utility of L. pholis in pollution monitoring studies.