Impacts of Hypoxia on Zooplankton Spatial Distributions in the Northern Gulf of Mexico

The northern Gulf of Mexico (NGOMEX) was surveyed to examine the broad-scale spatial patterns and inter-relationships between hypoxia (<2?mg?L^?1 dissolved oxygen) and zooplankton biovolume. We used an undulating towed body equipped with sensors for conductivity, temperature, depth, oxygen, fluorescence, and an optical plankton counter to sample water column structure, oxygen, and zooplankton at high spatial resolution (1?m??vertical; 0.25?C1?km??horizontal). We contrast the distribution of zooplankton during summer surveys with different freshwater input, stratification, and horizontal and vertical extent of bottom-water hypoxia. Bottom-water hypoxia did not appear to influence the total amount of zooplankton biomass present in the water column or the areal integration of zooplankton standing stock in the NGOMEX region surveyed. However, where there were hypoxic bottom waters, zooplankton shifted their vertical distribution to the upper water column during the day where they normally would reside in deeper and darker waters. When bottom waters were normoxic (>2?mg?L^?1 dissolved oxygen), the daytime median depth of the water column zooplankton was on average 7?m deeper than the median depth of zooplankton in water columns with hypoxic bottom waters. A reduction in larger zooplankton when there were hypoxic bottom waters suggests that if zooplankton cannot migrate to deeper, darker water under hypoxic conditions, they may be more susceptible to size-selective predation by visual predators. Thus, habitat compression in the northern Gulf of Mexico due to hypoxic bottom water may have implications for trophic transfer by increasing the contact between predators and prey.     

Groundwater supply of lakes: the case of Lake Raduńskie Górne (northern Poland,Kashubian Lake District)

ABSTRACT

The aim of the study was to locate and describe groundwater outflows in a selected lake basin and measure the spring output of water and the physical characteristics of the studied waters (temperature and conductivity). The final aim was to gauge the effects of the spring output on the lake hydrology. The time scope of the work included the period from January 2011 to September 2012. The spatial scope of the work included the area of Lake Raduńskie Górne and its direct catchment located in the Kashubian Lake District in northern Poland. Four groundwater outflows were located in the course of the study. Their total output was 4.6 L s^?1 and ranged between 0.5 and 2.5 L s^?1. This produces an annual yield of about 145 000 m³ year^?1. These results confirm that one of the forms of supply to the lakes are the under-lake springs. For lakes located in the area of young glacial accumulation this can be decisive.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis Associate editor D. Gerten     

Failed magmatic eruptions: late-stage cessation of magma ascent

When a volcano becomes restless, a primary question is whether the unrest will lead to an eruption. Here we recognize four possible outcomes of a magmatic intrusion: “deep intrusion”, “shallow intrusion”, “sluggish/viscous magmatic eruption”, and “rapid, often explosive magmatic eruption”. We define “failed eruptions” as instances in which magma reaches but does not pass the “shallow intrusion” stage, i.e., when magma gets close to, but does not reach, the surface. Competing factors act to promote or hinder the eventual eruption of a magma intrusion. Fresh intrusion from depth, high magma gas content, rapid ascent rates that leave little time for enroute degassing, opening of pathways, and sudden decompression near the surface all act to promote eruption, whereas decreased magma supply from depth, slow ascent, significant enroute degassing and associated increases in viscosity, and impingement on structural barriers all act to hinder eruption. All of these factors interact in complex ways with variable results, but often cause magma to stall at some depth before reaching the surface. Although certain precursory phenomena, such as rapidly escalating seismic swarms or rates of degassing or deformation, are good indicators that an eruption is likely, such phenomena have also been observed in association with intrusions that have ultimately failed to erupt. A perpetual difficulty with quantifying the probability of eruption is a lack of data, particularly on instances of failed eruptions. This difficulty is being addressed in part through the WOVOdat database. Papers in this volume will be an additional resource for scientists grappling with the issue of whether or not an episode of unrest will lead to a magmatic eruption.     

Mercury sources and bioavailability in lakes located in the mining district of Chibougamau, eastern Canada

The presence of Hg in the fish of the lakes from the Cu-Zn-Au mining region of Chibougamau (Canada) represents a serious source of concern for the health of local sports and subsistence fishers. This study focuses on identifying the origin of Hg present in the sediments of lakes with mine wastes stored in tailing facilities located on their shores. In addition to C/N ratios and determination of total Hg, Methyl Hg and other metals, a series of lignin biomarkers were used to contrast the history of the mining contamination with the nature and the intensity of terrigenous organic matter (TOM) inputs from the watersheds to the sampled lakes. It appears that sediments located nearest to mine tailings are as expected most enriched in total Hg and other metals (Cu, As, Al, Fe, Pb). Nevertheless, the presence of only small amounts of refractory TOM in these contaminated sediments could explain why only a very small fraction of Hg is found as Methyl Hg. In sediments with little or no impact by mining activities, a relationship was observed between logging activities in the lake watershed and increased TOM derived from inorganic gymnosperms soils horizons and increased Hg transport to the lakes. Nevertheless, it appears that the additional TOM transported to logged lakes is refractory enough not to promote high levels of Methyl Hg. The highest fractions of Methyl Hg relative to total Hg in lake sediments of the studied area were thus observed in relatively pristine environments where least degraded TOM is brought from the watersheds.     

Plane Strain Testing with Passive Restraint

A plane strain condition for testing rock is developed through passive restraint in the form of a thick-walled cylinder. The so-called biaxial frame generates the intermediate principal stress that imposes a triaxial state of stress on a prismatic specimen. Major and minor principal stresses and corresponding strains are accurately measured, providing data to calculate the elastic (Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio), inelastic (dilatancy angle), and strength (friction angle and cohesion) parameters of the rock. Results of experiments conducted on Indiana limestone in plane strain compression are compared with the results of axisymmetric compression and extension. With proper system calibration, Young’s modulus and Poisson’s ratio are consistent among the tests. The plane strain apparatus enforces in-plane deformation with the three principal stresses at failure being different, and it allows one to determine the Paul-Mohr-Coulomb failure surface, which includes an intermediate stress effect.     

Large displacement FEM modelling of the cone penetration test (CPT) in normally consolidated sand

A new finite element model based on a large strain formulation has been developed to study cone penetration in normally consolidated sand. An auto‐adaptive remeshing technique was utilized for handling the very large distortion of sand surrounding the cone tip. A frictional contact interface utilizing Mohr–Coulomb's theory was chosen to represent interactions between the surface of the cone and sand. To model the sand behaviour, the non‐associated Drucker–Prager constitutive model was selected. ABAQUS, a commercial finite element software package, was used to implement the model. The explicit solution algorithm was chosen due to its effectiveness for complicated contact problems. Analysis results proved that the model successfully captured the cone penetration behavior in sand. In addition, a chart to predict internal friction angles based on cone tip resistance for different vertical effective stresses was provided. This paper also shows a typical distribution of sleeve resistance, tip resistance—penetration relationship, and typical contours of vertical, horizontal, and shear stresses in normally consolidated sand. Finally, a non‐uniform resistance was found along the length of the friction sleeve. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

贺兰山中段奥陶系米钵山组砂岩磁组构特征及古水流分析

文章研究了贺兰山中段奥陶系米钵山组砂岩的磁组构特征,首次运用砂岩磁组构判断米钵山组砂岩沉积期的古水流方向。采集12件具有代表性的古地磁定向标本进行原生剩磁处理,发现米钵山组砂岩磁化率强度中等,天然剩磁微弱;磁化率各向异性结果表明米钵山组砂岩沉积期的古水流方向为由NE向SW,认为砂岩沉积物可能来自贺兰山海槽NE侧的华北陆块西缘。     

Monitoring food web changes in tide-restored salt marshes: A carbon stable isotope approach

Primary producer (angiosperms, macroalgae, submerged aquatic vegetation), suspended particulate matter, andFundulus heteroclitus isotope values (δ¹³C, δ¹⁵N, δ³⁴S) were examined to assess their use as indicators for changes in food web support functions in tidally-restored salt marshes. Study sites, located throughout the southern New England region (USA), ranged fromSpartina alterniflora-dominated reference marshes, marshes under various regimes and histories of tide restoration, and a severely tide-restrictedPhragmites australis marsh.Fundulus δ¹³C values were greater for fish from referenceSpartina marshes than for fish from adjacent tide-restricted or tide-restored marshes where higher percent cover of C₃ plants, lower water column salinities, and more negative dissolved inorganic δ¹³C values were observed. The difference inFundulus δ¹³C values between a tide-restrictedPhragmites marsh and an adjacent referenceSpartina marsh was great compared to the difference between marshes at various stages of tide restoration and their respective reference marshes, suggesting that food web support functions are restored as the degree of tidal restriction is lessened. While a multiple isotopic approach can provide valuable information for determining specific food sources to consumers, this study demonstrates that monitoringFundulus δ¹³C values alone may be useful to evaluate the trajectory of ecological change for marshes undergoing tidal restoration.     

Asymmetric continuum and anisotropy

We present a relation between stress moments and antisymmetric part of stresses and the related constitutive law joining those stresses with the particle/point rotations. Correspondence of the asymmetric continuum theory to the micromorphic theory is considered. An extension of the asymmetric continuum theory for the case of 2D anisotropy for antisymmetric stresses leads us to the problems of friction anisotropy and fracture pattern.