Desalinization of running waters: III. Changes in the structure of diatom assemblages caused by a decreasing salt load and changing ion spectra in the river Wipper (Thuringia, Germany)

Salt-loaded effluents were introduced into the river Wipper during the mining period for almost a century. Beginning with the year 1990, the waste water load was strongly reduced due to the termination of the potash industry. Prior to 1990, monthly means of the chloride concentrations at times exceeded 6,000 mg l⁻¹ in the strongly polluted sections. Maximum concentrations reached twice these values. Up to 1998, mean annual chloride concentrations decreased to values below 2,000 mg l⁻¹. This led to more balanced fluctuations in salinity which had been pronounced before, depending on discharge and short-term changes in production. Similarly, the physiologically adverse ion conditions improved due to decrasing potassium and increasing calcium proportions.

In 1963/64, 1986 and 1998, samples of epilithic, epiphytic and epipsammic diatoms were taken at locations of different salinities along the river and examined for the effects of the salinization on the structure of the diatom assemblages. These structures changed in dependence on salinity. Increasing salt concentrations coincided with decreasing oligohalophilic and increasing mesohalophilic and polyhalophilic species numbers. Above a chloride concentration of about 3,000 mg l⁻¹, the proportion of the latter exceed that of the former (halobion index > 50). Corresponding to different conditions of salinization along the river, characteristic diatom assemblages occur differring from each other and which are specific for the river section. Spring and autumn aspects of the diatom assemblages show also salt-dependent differences. The assemblages found in 1998 after decrease of salinization have changed markedly in comparison to those from 1963/64 and 1986. Halobiontic species predominating formerly occurred only occasionally or not at all. They were replaced by oligohalobic-indifferent forms.

An ecological assessment of the changes was performed based on the halobion index calculated from all the samples. For the strongly salinized section of the river Wipper, a shift from -mesohalobic/polyhalobic conditions in 1963/64 and 1986 to -oligohalobic/β-mesohalobic conditions in 1998 was found. However, constant -oligohalobic conditions are still not given. With regard to the transition from -oligohalobic (limnetic) to β-mesohalobic (brackish) conditions, a maximum chloride concentration of 600 mg l⁻¹ was found. To guarantee -oligohalobic conditions, a maximum chloride concentration of 400 mg l⁻¹ should not be exceeded.     

Modeling ocean–atmosphere carbon budgets during the Last Glacial Maximum–Heinrich 1 meltwater event–Bølling transition

Benthic carbon isotope data indicate that the rate of North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) formation and the mode of oceanic thermohaline circulation (THC) varied considerably across the transition from the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM) to the Heinrich 1 meltwater event (MWE) and, subsequently, to the Bølling warm period. We simulate changes in the Ocean-atmosphere carbon cycle induced by and linked to these oceanic fluctuations by means of a carbon cycle box model which resolves the major oceanic basins. The output from an ocean general circulation model (OGCM), which is forced by observed or reconstructed boundary conditions at its surface, serves to constrain the physical parameters of the carbon cycle model. The OGCM depicts three modes of Atlantic THC: an interglacial mode with vigorous NADW formation; a glacial mode with active, although weaker (-65%) NADW formation; and an MWE mode characterized by the complete lack of NADW formation. The carbon cycle model is forced from the LGM scenario into the MWE and finally into the Bølling interstadial. The glacial circulation mode accounts for approximately half (i.e., 37Dž µatm, depending on parameterization of biological productivity) of the observed glacial reduction in atmospheric CO₂ partial pressure (pCO₂). Approximately 70% of this pCO₂ decline is linked to changes in sea-surface temperature and salinity. The MWE circulation mode has only a small effect on atmospheric pCO₂ (ǃ µatm) but goes along with a massive redistribution of carbon from the Indo-Pacific and Southern oceans to the Atlantic Ocean, which stores 85NJ Gt (gigatons) excess carbon during the MWE. The onset of NADW formation after a meltwater event, has the potential to release 81Lj Gt carbon from the model ocean to the atmosphere, corresponding to an atmospheric pCO₂ increase by 38Dž µatm, equivalent to approximately half of the modern, man-made pCO₂ load.     

Das erdmagnetische Feld im Jahr 1992 nach Messungen des Erdmagnetischen Observatoriums Wingst

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Unterwasserbeobachtungen im sublitoralen Solfatarenfeld von Vulcano (Äolische Inseln,Italien)

Zusammenfassung Unterwasserbeobachtungen im sublitoralen Solfatarenfeld von Vulcano brachten Einzelheiten über die verschiedene Gestaltung des Meeresbodenreliefs im Bereich der Gasaustritte und über die Anlagerung von kolloidalem Schwefel. Die Befunde werden anhand mehrerer Unterwasserphotographien erläutert und es wird auf die Ähnlichkeit der rezenten Bodengestaltung mit gewissen aus triadischen Pb-Zn-Erzlagerstätten bekannten Gefügen hingewiesen. Hinweise auf Flora und Fauna im Bereich der submarinen Vulkanexhalationen ergänzen die Untersuchungen.

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Underwater studies in the sublitoral field of solfataras of Vulcano revealed details on the relief of the sea bottom in areas with volcanic exhalations and on the deposition of colloidal sulphur. The observations made are illustrated by several underwater photographs. The similarity between the recent shape of the ground and certain fabrics known from Triassic Pb-Zn- ore deposits is pointed out. These studies are supplemented by short data on the abundant flora and fauna in the area of the submarine volcanic exhalations.

     

Quasi-exospheric heat flux of solar-wind electrons

Density, bulk-velocity, and heat-flow moments are calculated for truncated maxwellian distributions representing the cool and hot populations of solar-wind electrons, as realized at the base of a hypothetical exosphere. The electrostatic potential is thus calculated by requiring charge quasineutrality and the absence of electrical current. Plasma-kinetic coupling of the cool-electron and proton bulk velocities leads to an increase in the electrostatic potential and a decrease in the heat-flow moment. If the velocities differ by the Alfvén speed along the magnetic field, for example, the potential rises to 72.6 V and the heat flux falls to 2.72×10^–2 erg cm^–2 s^–1. In each case the heat flux is carried mainly by the quasi-exospherichot electrons.     

Nutrient dynamics in Mediterranean temporary streams: A case study in Pardiela catchment (Degebe River, Portugal)

Most of the streams in the Mediterranean region are temporary, following predictable seasonal of flooding and drying, with a transition from lotic conditions to shallow lentic conditions. The goal of our study was to assess the nitrogen and phosphorus dynamics in channel-bed processes of temporary streams between floods. Results show that, during winter, temperatures ranged between 9.5 and 11.2 °C and oxygen concentration ranged from 8.0 to 9.5 mg L⁻¹, whereas, during summer, temperatures varied between 21.2 and 26.8 °C and oxygen between 1.2 and 5.3 mg L⁻¹, with oxygen depletion in the pools during the night. The nitrate concentrations were far more abundant during winter (February), while ammonium concentration increased after stream fragmentation into pools (especially in July when oxygen depletion conditions favoured ammonification). Results on sediment profiles showed that the most active sediment layers for NH₄-N are the top 2–3 cm, corresponding to the sediment depositional sites of the stream. Phosphate concentrations had larger variability, yet concentrations decreased from winter to spring and increased again in summer, when the shallow water pools were formed. Sediment profiles at the sediment depositional sites showed that PO₄-P was more dynamic in the first 6 cm.

In Mediterranean temporary streams, nutrient dynamics vary seasonally, as the system transits from lotic conditions to shallow lentic conditions, evidencing the regeneration of nutrients from organic and inorganic matter during the flow cessation period.     

Biochronology and biochron boundaries: A real dilemma or a false problem? An example based on the Pleistocene large mammalian faunas from Italy

Reconstructing the Neogene-Quaternary biostratigraphy in continental environments and recognising ‘boundaries’ between successive mammalian faunal complexes is a problematic task. The definition and application of biochronology has been often tainted by references to and inferences from biostratigraphy. Actually, the discontinuities in the continental sedimentary record, environmental conditions, taphonomic and sampling biases are responsible for the fact that the stratigraphical order of the lowest and highest occurrences of fossil remains (stratigraphic datum) does not necessarily reflect the temporal order of actual first/last appearances of taxa (palaeobiological events) in time. Nonetheless, the first/last appearance bioevents (recorded by lowest/highest occurrences of fossil remains in fossiliferous levels of different continental stratigraphical successions) have been the principal foundation for establishing the biochronological setting of continental mammal faunas. Therefore, from a theoretical point of view, ‘boundaries’ should be defined by the oldest and/or youngest ‘historical occurrence’ of one or more taxa. What about an operational approach?Some examples of the Italian faunas are presented, focusing on the transition from the Villafranchian to the Galerian and from the Galerian to the Aurelian Land-Mammal Ages. The results obtained indicate the difficulty of defining a stable scheme that can be applied for correlation by the international scientific community.     

Alternative Validation of a LC-MS/MS-Multi-Method for Pesticides in Drinking Water

The development of instrumental analytics such as the LC-MS/MS has made it possible to quickly determine many component concentrations in a single chromatogram. However, the validation of such multi-methods needs new strategies for robustness and optimization. Statistical execution of analytical tests is one tool that can be utilized to meet this requirement. A Central Composite Design (CCD) was utilized for the validation of an LC-MS/MS multi-method for 84 analytes. The experimental design includes six design variables and two non-design variables (response variables). Concentration, ionization temperature, dwell time, gradient, flow (of eluent), and spraying/curtain gas (continuous design variables) were varied on five different levels; the whole design encompassed 91 runs. To investigate the robustness of a LC-MS/MS method both peak sensitivity and chromatographic separation had to be verified. Therefore, two non-design variables were necessary. The distribution of the peaks over analysis time was applied to describe the quality of the chromatographic separation. The sensitivity was described with the signal to noise ratio (S/N). The evaluation of the measured data was accomplished with the Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) and the Response Surface Methodology (RSM). Three main effects (concentration, ionization temperature, dwell time) and no significant interaction effect were found for the response variable “S/N”. The variables of concentration, ionization temperature, and dwell time had no significant effects for the response variable “S/N”. The ANOVA of the response variable chromatographic separation abandoned no significant effects as well. Therefore, robustness of the method can be guaranteed for all non significant design variables.