The Taconite Inlet Lakes Project: a systems approach to paleoclimatic reconstruction

A comprehensive study of meteorological, hydrological, limnological and sedimentological conditions in the watersheds of density-stratified (meromictic) lakes around Taconite Inlet, Northern Ellesmere Island, N.W.T., Canada was carried out from 1990–1992. Lakes C1 and C2 contain seawater trapped by isostatic uplift as the former embayments became isolated from the sea. These lakes, and Lake C3, contain varved sediments which provide an annually resolvable paleoclimatic record. By studing the major systems influencing sedimentation in one of these lakes (Lake C2) a better understanding of the climatic controls on varve formation, and hence on the paleoclimatic signal in the varved sediment record, was obtained. The varves of Lake C2 provide a proxy record of summer temperature for the region.This is the first in a series of papers published in this issue on the Taconite Inlet Lakes Project. These papers were collected by Dr R. S. Bradley.     

红壤丘陵小区域水平上不同时段土壤质量变化的评价和分析

引相相对土壤质量指数的概念，应用地理信息系统技术，为小区域水平上土壤质量时空变化的评价提供了一种方法，并用于千烟洲试验站开垦利用１１ａ后土壤质量变化的评价。统计分析服农田，桔园，牧草地，人工林，天然林等多种土地利用方式下土壤质量变化的特征。     

论冷战后国际政治的基本态势及世界政治地理的研究任务与重点

本文立足于政冶地理学的基本理论，从冷战后国际政治基本态势的分析入手，系统阐述了当前世界政治地理研究的基本任务，并在此基础上提出了当前及今后一段时期世界政治地理研究应以世界政治地理格局的演变、国家形成与消亡的地理政治背景、国际领土及边界争端和各国行政区划的基本原则为重点。     

祁连山讨赖河流域1957—2012年极端气候变化

全球气候变化背景下,极端气候事件发生的频率逐年增大,由此引发的气象灾害事件也随之增加。鉴此,本文利用祁连山讨赖河流域1957—2012年的气象观测资料,对该流域23个极端气候指数的时空变化特征做了研究。结果表明：（1）极端气温升高趋势明显,夜间和白天极端低温日数显著减少,极端气温昼指数显著增大;气温日较差变化幅度很小,霜冻日数显著减少,生长季长度明显加长,冰冻日数2000年后增加;夜指数增大幅度大于昼指数,秋、冬季极端气温升高幅度大于春、夏季。（2）极端降水指数增大趋势明显,雨日降水总量、连续五日降水总量和中雨天数均展现出增大态势,反映出连续降水事件的增加;极端降水量事件增大显著,但雨日降水强度变化不大;除最多连续无降水日数外,极端降水日数指数展现出增大趋势;降水日数夏、秋季节分配趋向均匀化;降水量的增加主要是单次降水时间持续加长和中雨日数增加的贡献;高海拔区极端降水事件发生的频次较大。     

A new MODIS daffy cloud free snow cover mapping algorithm on the Tibetan Plateau

Because of similar reflective characteristics of snow and cloud, the weather status seriously affects snow monitoring using optical remote sensing data. Cloud amount analysis during 2010 to 2011 snow seasons shows that cloud cover is the major limitation for snow cover monitoring using MOD10A1 and MYD10A1. By use of MODIS daily snow cover products and AMSR-E snow wa- ter equivalent products （SWE）, several cloud elimination methods were integrated to produce a new daily cloud flee snow cover product, and information of snow depth from 85 climate stations in Tibetan Plateau area （TP） were used to validate the accuracy of the new composite snow cover product. The results indicate that snow classification accuracy of the new daily snow cover product reaches 91.7% when snow depth is over 3 cm. This suggests that the new daily snow cover mapping algorithm is suitable for monitoring snow cover dynamic changes in TP.     

Land use and disturbance effects on the dynamics of natural ecosystems of the Monte Desert: Implications for their management

The complex interactions between human activity and natural processes determine non-linear dynamics in ecosystems that can difficult their management. Human settlements in arid lands contribute to the modification of disturbance regimes, including the introduction of new disturbances and the elimination of others. In consequence, they can alter the functional mechanisms that allow systems to overcome limiting factors, leading to desertification. In this revision, we evaluated the effects of the changes on disturbance regimes produced by the different forms of land transformation on the structure and function of ecosystems of the Monte Biogeographical Province, in Argentinean arid west. Two approaches were used: the analysis of land use history and the analysis of the effects of the main disturbances on the dynamics of different communities. We concluded that throughout the history of the Monte Desert, the joint action of natural and anthropic agents has resulted in complex dynamics that lead most area of the Monte to a moderate to severe status of desertification. The modification of the disturbance regime had strong consequences for several aspects of the dynamics of communities, such as species composition and diversity, water dynamics, soil conditions, trophic structure and productivity of Monte Desert ecosystems. However, disturbance regimes could be managed to promote favorable transitions in ecosystems and, therefore, could be a tool for optimizing productivity of agro-ecosystems, and recovering and conserving natural ecosystems.     

Insights into syndepositional fault movement in a foreland basin; trends in seismites of the Upper Cretaceous,Wahweap Formation,Kaiparowits Basin,Utah, USA

The Upper Cretaceous Wahweap Formation accumulated in the active Cordilleran foreland basin of Utah. Soft‐sediment deformation structures are abundant in the capping sandstone member of the Wahweap Formation. By comparing with well‐established criteria, a seismogenic origin was determined for the majority of structures, which places these soft‐sediment deformation features in a class of sedimentary features referred to as seismites. A systematic study of the seismite trends included their vertical and horizontal distribution and a semi‐quantitative intensity analysis using a scale from 1 to 5 that is based on magnitude, sedimentary structure type, and the predominance of inferred process of hydroplastic deformation, liquefaction or fluidization. In addition, orientations of soft‐sediment fold axes were recorded. Construction of a northwest‐to‐southeast stratigraphic and seismite intensity cross‐section demonstrates: (1) reduction in stratigraphic thickness and percentage of conglomerates to the southeast, (2) the presence of lower seismite, middle nonseismite, and upper seismite zones within the capping sandstone (permitting subdivision of the capping sandstone member), and (3) elimination of the nonseismite zone and amalgamation of the lower and upper seismite zones to the southeast. Regional isoseismal contour maps generated from the semi‐quantitative analysis indicate a decrease in overall intensity from northwest to southeast in the upper and lower seismic zones and in sandstone within 5 m stratigraphically of the contact between the upper and capping sandstone members. In addition, cumulative seismite fold orientations support a west–northwest direction towards regional epicentres. Isoseismal maps are used to distinguish the effects of intrabasinal normal faulting from those of regional orogenic thrusting. Thus, this study demonstrates the utility of mapping seismites to separate the importance of regional vs. local tectonic activity influencing foreland basin sedimentation by identifying patterns that delineate palaeoepicentres associated with specific local intrabasinal normal faults vs. regional trends in soft‐sediment deformation related to Sevier belt earthquakes.     

Comparison of flood hazard assessments on desert piedmonts and playas: A case study in Ivanpah Valley, Nevada

Accurate and realistic characterizations of flood hazards on desert piedmonts and playas are increasingly important given the rapid urbanization of arid regions. Flood behavior in arid fluvial systems differs greatly from that of the perennial rivers upon which most conventional flood hazard assessment methods are based. Additionally, hazard assessments may vary widely between studies or even contradict other maps. This study's chief objective was to compare and evaluate landscape interpretation and hazard assessment between types of maps depicting assessments of flood risk in Ivanpah Valley, NV, as a case study. As a secondary goal, we explain likely causes of discrepancy between data sets to ameliorate confusion for map users. Four maps, including three different flood hazard assessments of Ivanpah Valley, NV, were compared: (i) a regulatory map prepared by FEMA, (ii) a soil survey map prepared by NRCS, (iii) a surficial geologic map, and (iv) a flood hazard map derived from the surficial geologic map, both of which were prepared by NBMG. GIS comparisons revealed that only 3.4% (33.9 km²) of Ivanpah Valley was found to lie within a FEMA floodplain, while the geologic flood hazard map indicated that ~ 44% of Ivanpah Valley runs some risk of flooding (Fig. 2D). Due to differences in mapping methodology and scale, NRCS data could not be quantitatively compared, and other comparisons were complicated by differences in flood hazard class criteria and terminology between maps. Owing to its scale and scope of attribute data, the surficial geologic map provides the most useful information on flood hazards for land-use planning. This research has implications for future soil geomorphic mapping and flood risk mitigation on desert piedmonts and playas. The Ivanpah Valley study area also includes the location of a planned new international airport, thus this study has immediate implications for urban development and land-use planning near Las Vegas, NV.     

Geochemical constraints on the Palaeocene–Miocene evolution of eastern Azerbaijan,with implications for the South Caspian basin and eastern Paratethys

Fine‐grained Palaeogene–early Neogene strata of the South Caspian basin, specifically the Oligocene–Lower Miocene Maikop Series, are responsible for the bulk of hydrocarbon generation in the region. Despite the magnitude of oil and gas currently attributed to the source interval offshore, geochemical evaluation of 376 outcrop samples from the northern edge of the Kura basin (onshore eastern Azerbaijan) indicates that depositional conditions in these proximal strata along the basin margins were dominantly oxic to mildly suboxic/anoxic throughout three major depositional stages: the Palaeocene–Eocene, Oligocene–early Middle Miocene and late Middle–Late Miocene. Palaeocene–Eocene samples have low average total organic carbon (TOC) values (0.3%), with higher total inorganic carbon (TIC) values (average=2.6%), extremely low sulphur content (0.2%) and relatively high detrital input as indicated by Fe/Al and Ti/Al ratios. C–S–Fe associations, along with relatively lower concentrations of redox‐sensitive trace elements (e.g. V, Ni, Mo, U) indicate dominantly oxic environments of deposition during much of the Palaeocene–Eocene. A pronounced geochemical shift occurred near the Eocene–Oligocene boundary, and continued through the Early Miocene. Specifically, this interval is characterized by a distinct increase in TOC (ranging from 0.1 to 6.3% with an average of 1.5%), C–S–Fe associations that reveal an abrupt relative increase of carbon and sulphur with respect to iron‐dominated Palaeocene–Eocene samples, and higher concentrations of redox‐sensitive trace metals. These changes suggest that a shift away from unrestricted marine conditions and towards more variable salinity conditions occurred coincident with the initial collision of the Arabian plate and partial closure of the Paratethys ocean. Despite periodic basin restriction, the majority of Upper Eocene–Lower Miocene strata in the northern Kura basin record oxic to slightly dysoxic conditions.     

辽宁省港口城市地带空间结构及区域作用研究

以辽宁省港口城市地带作为研究对象,从区域作用格局和内部空间组织两方面考察其空间结构。引入场强模型,以城市综合实力水平和最短时间距离为评价变量,通过区域作用力的评价反映港口城市的区域作用格局;运用网络分析方法,通过β指数、γ指数和α指数分析构建港口城市内部空间组织拓扑结构来反映港口城市地带内部组织结构。研究结果:①区域作用格局可将辽宁省港口城市区域作用划分为实力型、区位型和弱势型3种类型;②内部空间组织结构上,丹东空间联系能力相对较好,大连、营口、盘锦、锦州空间联系能力各有侧重,葫芦岛能力较差;③大连市在港口城市地带中处于核心地位,带动6市协调互动共同形成和发挥对外窗口的作用。