Intertidal fauna of the industrialized Forth estuary

The estuarine Firth of Forth on the East Coast of Scotland receives a considerable volume of industrial and domestic effluent. This report summarizes the present status of intertidal invertebrates and their bird predators.     

The spatio-temporal distribution and population structure of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in New Zealand

Despite being endangered internationally and protected nationally, little consideration has been given to the occurrence of green turtles (Chelonia mydas) in New Zealand. New Zealand lies on the southern boundary of the distributional range of green turtles in the southwestern Pacific, with individuals found within these waters historically considered to be occasional visitors or stragglers incidentally carried by ocean currents. However, the present work shows that green turtles are present year round in New Zealand’s northern waters (c. 34°–38° S). A review of sighting, stranding and incidental capture data collected between 1895 and 2013 illustrate New Zealand’s green turtle population comprises post-pelagic immature juveniles to large subadults. The female:male sex ratio of 1.7:1 is similar to those reported from warm temperate foraging grounds in eastern Australia. A subsample of new recruits indicates green turtles recruit to neritic habitats at approximately 40.8?cm curved carapace length. This study suggests that New Zealand’s neritic habitats constitute a transitional developmental ground for post-pelagic immature green turtles. We observed an exponential increase in the number of documented records over time, though whether this is due to increased numbers of turtles or increased reporting rates, or both, is unclear and warrants further investigation. More broadly, this work provides a baseline understanding of the ecology of green turtles at the edge of their range, providing opportunities to investigate regional niche modelling and connectivity of this highly mobile species, while also monitoring broad-scale effects of climate-induced environmental change.     

Etmopterus alphus n. sp.: a new lanternshark (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae) from the south-western Indian Ocean

A new species of lanternshark, Etmopterus alphus (Squaliformes: Etmopteridae), is described from the south-western Indian Ocean. The new species resembles other members of the ‘Etmopterus lucifer’ clade in having linear rows of dermal denticles and most closely resembles E. molleri from the south-western Pacific. The new species is fairly common along the upper continental slopes off central Mozambique, at depths between 472 and 558?m, and is also found on the southern Madagascar Ridge in 650–792?m depth. It can be distinguished from other members of the E. lucifer clade by a combination of characteristics, including arrangement of flank and caudal markings, dimension of flank markings and shape, size and arrangement of dermal denticles along the body. Molecular analysis further supports the distinction of E. alphus from other members of the E. lucifer clade.     

Albany K-Feldspar: A New Pb Isotope Reference Material

Lead isotopes are a powerful and versatile tool to elucidate fundamental geological problems related to the formation and evolution of continental crust. K-feldspar is a popular target for Pb isotope measurement as it is prevalent in many rock types and tends to capture the initial Pb isotope composition of its parental magma. We present data for a new Pb isotope reference material: Albany K-feldspar; as well as updated data for Shap K-feldspar. Results of Pb double-spike TIMS for Albany K-feldspar are ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 16.7872 ± 0.0062, ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 15.5640 ± 0.0056, and ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb = 36.6600 ± 0.0168 (2s). TIMS measurement results for Shap K-feldspar indicate two isotopically distinct Pb populations. LA-MC-ICP-MS, with a spatial resolution as high as 15 μm, indicates a homogeneous Pb isotopic composition in Albany K-feldspar. In accord with previous studies, our results show that scatter in the measured Pb isotope ratios, related to the low natural isotopic abundance of ²⁰⁴Pb, along with the effect of isobaric ²⁰⁴Hg-²⁰⁴Pb interference, increases at lower count rates. However, the mean Pb isotope ratios measured via LA-MC-ICP-MS using a range of spot sizes are in excellent agreement with TIMS results thus highlighting the feasibility of Pb isotope determination via LA-MC-ICP-MS to access geological information preserved in small crystals, including mineral inclusions.     

1957—2019年昆仑山北麓车尔臣河流域水文情势及其对气候变化的响应

气候变暖背景下干旱区水文、水资源的变化仍是影响区域水资源利用和洪水灾害防治的关键科学问题。基于1957—2019年长序列的水文、气象资料,系统分析了昆仑山北麓车尔臣河流域的水文变化特征及其对气候变化的响应。总体上,车尔臣河流域的水文过程的显著变化发生在1990s末期,变化前后年径流量约增加了54.67%,所有季节径流的增加共同造成了年径流的增加,其中夏季径流的增加对年径流增加的贡献最大,其次依次为秋季、春季和冬季。降水增加（第一控制因素）和气温升高（第二控制因素）共同造成了车尔臣河流域水文过程的变化。具体到径流年内变化,降水是春夏季径流变化的主控因素,而秋冬季径流变化的主控因素是气温。径流增加为中下游提供更多水资源的同时,也导致年际间水文洪涝和干旱事件发生的频率增加、强度增强。冰冻圈在该地区水文循环中起着重要的作用,但其对水文过程的影响仍不明确,加强阿尔金高山区的冰川、多年冻土监测将为进一步预估水文对气候变化的响应提供基础数据支撑。     

西藏狮泉河地区高钾-钾玄质火山岩的岩石学、地球化学及锆石U-Pb年龄

报道的高钾-钾玄质火山岩位于狮泉河镇南东方向约20km处,向东延伸。高钾-钾玄质火山岩Si O2变化于60.35%~68.68%之间,属中酸性岩范畴;具有高的K2O+Na2O含量(8.8%~10.66%),K2O/Na2O值在1.92~2.49之间,Mg O含量较低,介于0.88%~3.47%之间,Al2O3含量为14.02%~14.91%,属于高钾-钾玄质系列。岩石强烈富集大离子亲石元素(LILE)Rb、Ba、Th、U和轻稀土元素(LREE),高场强元素(HFSE)Nb、Ta、Ti具有明显负异常,Cr、Ni、Co相容元素含量低于或接近地壳的平均含量,结合Th/Yb-Ta/Yb、(Th×100)/Zr-(Nb×100)/Zr判别图及La-La/Yb图解,暗示岩浆源区可能为下地壳。在左左乡南东约2km处和狮泉河水泥厂北东约1km处各采集1个高钾-钾玄质火山岩样品,对其中的锆石进行LA-ICP-MS U-Pb同位素测定,得到的206Pb/238U年龄加权平均值分别为22.04±0.42Ma和22.29±0.31Ma,此年龄被解释为狮泉河一带高钾-钾玄质火山岩的喷发时代,即中新世阿启塔期。由此表明,该火山岩是印度板片向北俯冲时在狮泉河一带俯冲板片断离,岩浆发生部分熔融的产物。     

内蒙古赤峰南窝铺铀矿床英安岩的SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄、地球化学特征及地质意义

南窝铺铀矿床位于西拉木伦缝合带以南、康宝—围场—赤峰断裂带（华北北缘断裂带的一部分）以北的白乃庙加里东期岛弧带和华北古板块北缘海西期俯冲—碰撞带,属沽源—红山子铀成矿带北东段红山子—广兴铀成矿亚带的一个铀矿床,铀矿体赋存在额里图组安山岩—英安岩—流纹岩组合中。该组合中的英安岩SHRIMP锆石n(206Pb)/n(238U)加权平均年龄为268.1±2.5 Ma（N=15,MSWD=0. 85）,结合安山质角砾凝灰岩的锆石U-Pb年龄为277.1±0.9 Ma,指示额里图组安山岩—英安岩—流纹岩的地质时代属早二叠世（乌拉尔世）—中二叠世（瓜德鲁普世）早期;英安岩SiO2=65. 49%~68.23%,K2O=1.83%~2.56%,Na2O=4.13%~5.01%,(K2O+Na2O)=5.96%~7.47%,K2O/Na2O=0.43~0.59,(FeO+Fe2O3)=3.13%~4.63%,MgO=1.25%~1.79%,在TAS图解上落入亚碱性系列英安岩区,在FAM图解上落入钙碱性系列范围,在SiO2—K2O图解上落入中钾钙碱性系列范围,在Na2O—K2O图解上落入I型花岗岩区;Al2O3=15. 74%~16. 77%,CaO=2. 87%~3. 59%,A/CNK=0. 95~1. 12（平均为1.04,<1.1）,标准矿物刚玉（C）的含量为0~1.74%,平均为0.96%,指示源岩为I型岩浆岩;英安岩稀土元素总量低,富集轻稀土,Eu无明显负异常,ΣREE=76.5×10-6~95.4×10-6,(La/Yb)N=4.97~12.5（平均8.95）,δEu=0.80~1.13（平均0.94）,稀土配分模式为右倾型,与安第斯型钙碱性系列火山岩基本一致。英安岩明显富集大离子亲石元素Rb、Th、U、K、Sr等和亏损高场强元素Nb、Ta、P、Ti等,微量元素蛛网图与安第斯型钙碱性系列火山岩的形式一致,在Ce—SiO2、Al2O3—Ga图解上均落入I型花岗岩区,在Ta—Yb、Nb—Y构造环境判别图解上落入火山弧花岗岩区域（VAG）及同碰撞花岗岩（syn- COLG）交界处,在Rb—(Y+Nb)、Rb—(Yb+Ta)构造环境判别图解上落入火山弧花岗岩区域（VAG）,指示英安岩形成于俯冲作用下的岛弧环境。南窝铺铀矿床英安岩地质时代、岩石系列和形成构造环境的确定,不仅证实了早二叠世—中二叠世早期额里图组是红山子—广兴铀成矿亚带一个新的赋矿层位,而且揭示了岛弧型安山岩—英安岩—流纹岩组合也赋存有与火山岩有关的热液型铀矿,为深入开展热液型铀矿成矿理论的研究和进一步扩大铀矿勘查范围提供了新的基础资料。     

Assessment of future climate change impact on rainfed wheat yield in the semi-arid Eastern High Plain of Algeria using a crop model

Natural Hazards - Maintaining sustainability in rainfed wheat production under changing climate is a grave concern for food security in Algeria. This study aims to assess the impact of future...