From Tethys to Eastern Paratethys: Oligocene depositional environments, paleoecology and paleobiogeography of the Thrace Basin (NW Turkey)

The Oligocene depositional history of the Thrace Basin documents a unique paleogeographic position at a junction between the Western Tethys and the Eastern Paratethys. As part of the Tethys, shallow marine carbonate platforms prevailed during the Eocene. Subsequently, a three-staged process of isolation started with the Oligocene. During the Early Rupelian, the Thrace Basin was still part of the Western Tethys, indicated by typical Western Tethyan marine assemblages. The isolation from the Tethys during the Early Oligocene is reflected by oolite formation and endemic Eastern Paratethyan faunas of the Solenovian stage. The third phase reflects an increasing continentalisation of the Thrace Basin with widespread coastal swamps during the Late Solenovian. The mollusc assemblages are predominated by mangrove dwelling taxa and the mangrove plant Avicennia is recorded in the pollen spectra. The final continentalisation is indicated by the replacement of the coastal swamps by pure freshwater swamps and fluvial plains during the Late Oligocene (mammal zone MP 26). This paleogeographic affiliation of the Thrace Basin with the Eastern Paratethys after ~32 Ma contrasts all currently used reconstructions which treat the basin as embayment of the Eastern Mediterranean basin.     

Reconstructing climate variability on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau since the last Lateglacial – a multi-proxy,dual-site approach comparing terrestrial and aquatic signals

A sediment core from a closed basin lake (Lake Kuhai) from the semi-arid northeastern Tibetan Plateau was analysed for its pollen record to infer Lateglacial and post glacial vegetation and climatic change. At Lake Kuhai five major vegetation and climate shifts could be identified: (1) a change from cold and dry to relatively warmer and more moist conditions at 14.8 cal ka BP; (2) a shift to conditions of higher effective moisture and a stepwise warmer climate at 13.6 cal ka BP; (3) a further shift with increased moisture but colder conditions at 7.0 cal ka BP; (4) a return to a significantly colder and drier phase at 6.3 cal ka BP; (5) and a change back to relatively moist conditions at 2.2 cal ka BP. To investigate the response of lake ecosystems to climatic changes, statistical comparisons were made between the Lake Kuhai pollen record and a formerly published ostracod and sedimentary record from the same sediment core. Furthermore, the pollen and lacustrine proxies from Lake Kuhai were compared to a previously published pollen and lacustrine record from the nearby Lake Koucha. Statistical comparisons were done using non-metric multidimensional scaling and Procrustes rotation. Differences between lacustrine and pollen responses within one site could be identified, suggesting that lacustrine proxies are partly influenced by in-lake or local catchment processes, whereas the terrestrial (pollen) proxy shows a regional climate signal. Furthermore, we found regional differences in proxy response between Lake Kuhai and Lake Koucha. Both pollen records reacted in similar ways to major environmental changes, with minor differences in the timing and magnitude of these changes. The lacustrine records were very similar in their timing and magnitude of response to environmental changes; however, the nature of change was at times very distinct. To place the current study in the context of Holocene moisture evolution across the Tibetan Plateau, we applied a five-scale moisture index and average link clustering to all available continuous palaeo-climate records from the Tibetan Plateau to possibly find general patterns of moisture evolution on the Plateau. However, no common regional pattern of moisture evolution during the Holocene could be detected. We assign this to complex responses of different proxies to environmental and atmospheric changes in an already very heterogeneous mountain landscape where minor differences in elevation can cause strong variation in microenvironments.     

Identifying and characterizing solution conduits in karst aquifers through geospatial (GIS) analysis of porosity from borehole imagery: An example from the Biscayne aquifer,South Florida (USA)

We apply geospatial analysis to borehole imagery in an effort to develop new techniques to evaluate the spatial distribution and internal structure of karst conduits. Remote sensing software is used to classify a high resolution, digital borehole image of limestone bedrock from the Biscayne aquifer (South Florida, USA) into a binary image divided into cells of rock matrix and pores. Within a GIS, 2D porosity is calculated for a series of rectangular sampling windows placed over the binary image and then plotted as a function of depth. Potential conduits that intersect the borehole are identified as peaks of high porosity. A second GIS technique identifies a conduit as a continuous object that spans the entire borehole width. According to these criteria, geospatial analysis reveals ∼10 discrete conduits along the ∼15 m borehole image. Continuous sampling of the geologic medium intersected by the borehole provides insight into the internal structure of karst aquifers and the evolution of karst features. Most importantly, this pilot study demonstrates that GIS-based techniques are capable of quantifying the depths, dimensions, shapes, apertures and connectivity of potential conduits, physical attributes that impact flow in karst aquifers.     

Mercury in feathers from Chilean birds: influence of location,feeding strategy,and taxonomic affiliation

This study reports baseline concentrations of mercury (Hg) in feathers from different species of birds sampled at various locations off the Chilean coast (Southeastern Pacific). Hg concentrations were evaluated in relation to geographic location, taxonomic affiliation, and feeding strategies. Between January and March of 1995, we collected mature contour feathers from 116 birds belonging to 22 species, mostly seabirds. Birds were collected from 10 different locations (26 degrees 09'S, 70 degrees 40'W to 54 degrees 56'S, 67 degrees 37'W). Feather Hg concentrations ranged from 0.11 to 13 microg g(-1) dry weight. We found differences in feather Hg concentrations across taxonomic groups, with highest concentrations in petrels, shearwaters, and albatrosses (Procellaridae), followed by boobies (Sulidae), gulls, terns, skuas (Laridae) and cormorants (Phalacrocoracidae). Ibises and oystercatchers (Threskiornithidae and Charadriidae) had intermediate values, whereas ducks and geese (Anatidae) contained the least amount of Hg. Oceanic species preying on mesopelagic fish (the Procellariformes albatrosses, petrels, and fulmars) had over twice as much Hg (overall average of 3.9 microg g(-1)) when compared to the rest of the species sampled (overall average of 1.5 microg g(-1)). We did not find higher Hg concentrations in birds inhabiting the more heavily industrialized and urbanized areas of the country (central and northern regions), but in birds inhabiting the remote Juan Fernandez Archipelago. This is not surprising, since all the Procellariformes (the group with highest Hg values in this study) were collected from these islands. Except for Hg in Kermadec petrels (mean of 12 microg g(-1)), the range of Hg values reported here (0.11-7.3 microg g(-1)) fell below those known to cause adverse health and reproductive effects in birds.     

Some effects of deforestation on nocturnal drainage flow and local climate — A numerical study

The three-dimensional mesoscale model FITNAH has been modified to simulate effects of a tall tree canopy on airflow in complex terrain. Numerical experiments show the general features of meteorological variables inside a plant stand with low wind speeds and a nearly neutral thermal stratification during night. Available observations from the Finkenbach valley and the simulated temperatures near the ground show good agreeement.Comparison of model results for a nighttime situation for cases with and without a canopy (after complete deforestation) leads to the main results, viz., that surface wind speed will increase and the atmosphere near the ground will become colder after deforestation.However, the production rate of cooled air (expressed in m³m^–2h^–1) decreases; that means that forested slopes are more effective in ventilating a city than slopes covered with short vegetation.     

Comparison of the EMEP, RADM2 and RACM Mechanisms

A comparison of the atmospheric chemistry mechanisms EMEP (Co-operative Programme for Monitoring and Evaluation of the Long-Range Transmission of Air Pollutants in Europe), RADM2 (Regional Acid Deposition Model, version 2) and RACM (Regional Atmospheric Chemistry Mechanism) has been conducted. Each mechanism was used to simulate the PLUME case of Kuhn et al. (1998) and to simulate an additional 150 and 81 scenarios with and without emissions, respectively. These simulations covered scenarios that ranged from relatively clean, through rural and polluted urban conditions. Ozone isopleths and scatter plots were generated from the simulations. The mechanisms were compared primarily on the basis of calculated ozone and ozone precursor concentrations. For the gas-phase ozone precursors the differences between the mechanisms were rather small under clean conditions and more significant under polluted conditions. The differences were especially significant for the concentrations of NO₂ and organic peroxy radicals. In general the EMEP mechanism yielded the most ozone and the RADM2 mechanism yielded the least. Furthermore the results suggest that a broad range simulation conditions should be used to compare mechanisms and not just a few selected scenarios.     

Spectral reflectance measurements of estuarine waters

Shapes and variations of reflectance spectra in estuarine water were investigated for the purpose of monitoring chlorophyll in situ by optical means. A survey undertaken in an estuarine environment, using reflectance measurements between 400 and 850 nm with a full-width half maximum (FWHM) of about 2 nm, revealed that the first derivative in the neighbourhood of the chlorophyll absorption band shows a defined spectral region which can be used to estimate chlorophyll concentrations. Correlation between chlorophyll and the first derivative was found to be low, but a good relationship exists between the ratio of the reflectance R680/R670 and chlorophyll concentrations. Based on dissolved organic carbon measurements, it is assumed that chromophoric dissolved organic compounds mask the absorption band of chlorophyll in the blue part of the spectrum, resulting in a low correlation coefficient in that spectral range. Therefore, the use of the red bands is an alternative for measuring photosynthetic pigments in coastal water at longer wavelengths. Results presented here demonstrate that the spectral locations of bands in the visible are not adequate and that hyperspectral data are required for positioning the very narrow bands for measuring chlorophyll at longer wavelengths.