Baguio Mineral District: An oceanic arc witness to the geological evolution of northern Luzon,Philippines

The Baguio Mineral District exposes rock formations that evince the geological and tectonic evolution of this district from a subduction‐related marginal basin to an island arc setting. Available onshore and offshore data are consistent with an Early (onset phase) to Middle (developed phase) Miocene arc polarity reversal from the east (termination of subduction along the proto‐East Luzon Trough) to the west (initiation of subduction along the Manila Trench). Geophysical modeling and geochemical data calculation showed a 30 ± 5 km crustal thickness for the mineral district. Subduction‐related multiple arc magmatism and ophiolite accretion contributed to crustal thickening. Recent information on the Oligo–Miocene Zigzag and Klondyke formations in the mineral district reveal that the marginal basin, where these rocks were deposited, has received eroded materials from adjacent terrains characterized by siliceous lithologies. Furthermore, adakitic rocks, high permeable zones and extensional zones which are exploration markers applied to identify possible mineralization targets, are prevalent in the mineral district. The geological evolution that the district had undergone mimics the evolution of island arcs worldwide in general and northern Luzon in particular.     

Effectiveness of bacterial inoculum and mangrove plants on remediation of sediment contaminated with polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons

The remediation of mangrove sediment contaminated with mixed polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) having 3-, 4- and 5-rings by natural attenuation, bioaugmentation, phytoremediation and its combination was compared by greenhouse microcosm studies. At Days 90 and 154, the decreases of PAHs in contaminated mangrove sediment by phytoremediation, planted with one-year old Aegiceras corniculatum, and bioaugmentation, the inoculation of PAH-degrading bacterial strains isolated from mangrove sediment, either SCSH (Mycobacterium parafortuitum) or SAFY (Sphingobium yanoikuyae), were not better than that by natural attenuation (the non-vegetated and un-inoculated microcosms). The populations of SCSH and SAFY in sediment could not be maintained even with repeated inoculation, suggesting that the two isolates were not able to compete with the indigenous microbes and had little enhancement effect. Although some PAHs were accumulated in roots, root uptake only accounted for <15% of the spiked PAHs and the effect of plants on remediation were also insignificant. At the end of the 154-day experiment, the mass balance calculation revealed that the overall losses of PAHs by phytoremediation were comparable to that by bioaugmentation but were lower than that by natural attenuation, especially for the high molecular weight PAHs. Under natural attenuation, around 90% fluorene, 80% phenanthrene, 70% fluoranthene, 68% pyrene and 32% benzo[a]pyrene in contaminated sediment were removed. These results demonstrated that the mangrove sediment itself had sufficient indigenous microorganisms capable of naturally remedying PAH contamination.     

Potential use of mangroves as constructed wetland for municipal sewage treatment in Futian, Shenzhen, China

A pilot-scale mangrove wetland was constructed in Futian, Shenzhen for municipal sewage treatment. Three identical belts (length: 33m, width: 3m, depth: 0.5m) were filled with stone (bottom), gravel and mangrove sand (surface). Seedlings of two native mangrove species (Kandelia candel, Aegiceras corniculatum) and one exotic species (Sonneratia caseolaris) were transplanted to the belts with one species for each belt. The hydraulic loading was 5m(3)d(-1) and hydraulic retention time 3d. High levels of removal of COD, BOD(5), TN, TP and NH(3)-N were obtained. The treatment efficiency of S. caseolaris and A. corniculatum was higher than that of K. candel. Faster plant growth was obtained for S. caseolaris. The substrate in the S. caseolaris belt also showed higher enzyme activities including dehydrogenase, cellulase, phosphatase, urease and beta-glucosidase. The removal rates of organic matter and nutrients were positively correlated with plant growth. The results indicated that mangroves could be used in a constructed wetland for municipal sewage treatment, providing post-treatment to remove coliforms was also included.     

Projected changes in the characteristics of the East Asian summer monsoonal front and their impacts on the regional precipitation

Summer monsoonal rainfall over East Asia is dominated by precipitation associated with the East Asian summer monsoonal front (EASMF). A Community Atmospheric Model (CAM5.1) with a high horizontal resolution of 50 km is employed in this study to investigate the interannual variability as well as projected future trends in the EASMF under the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 scenario. Seasonal march of the EASMF is reproduced reasonably well in the model’s present-day simulation despite a northward shift of the simulated front from its observed position. Based upon a suite of objectively-defined daily indices of the EASMF, we show that the EASMF in the late twenty-first century will be more intense and displaced eastward and southward from its present-day mean location. Moreover, EASMF events will exhibit a wider meridional expansion and a longer duration. Monsoonal precipitation over East Asia is particularly sensitive to the meridional displacements of EASMF. In conjunction with the projected southward shift of EASMF, an enhanced rain band is seen to extend northeastward from southern China to the northwestern Pacific south of Japan. This precipitation feature is associated with strengthened and southward-shifted westerly jet streams at 250 and 700 hPa, which are respectively linked to tropical warming in the upper troposphere and warming over the South China Sea in the lower troposphere during the twenty-first century. Within the latitudinal “gap” south of the upper-level jet and north of the lower-level jet, the local vorticity tendencies are maintained by upper-level divergence and lower-level convergence, thus accompanied by enhanced upward motion and precipitation. The site at which this “jet stream-precipitation” relationship prevails is notably modulated by long-term trends in the temperature and circulation patterns associated with climate change.

     

海洋微生物对甲胺磷农药的降解作用

作者从沿岸海域分离了38株有机磷农药的耐药菌,用分批培养法进行富集培养,得到有机磷农药的降解菌,并着重研究了其中两株菌对甲胺磷农药的降解情况,其结果表明,在10d内,降解菌株1对甲胺磷的降解率为59．1％,降解菌株2的降解率为53．3％,在各自的安磷培养液中,降解菌株1的数量大于降解菌株2;在甲胺降解过程中,其毒性逐渐减弱,降解菌株1所引起的毒性下降幅度大于降解菌株2。     

海南海莲红树林土壤CH4的产生及其某些影响因素

全球CH₄预算的估算表明,湿地是大气CH₄最大的生物排放源[1].旨在估算全球大气CH₄湿地源强的工作大多集中在内陆淡水环境,因为在此环境的CH₄通量较大[2].国外对海岸盐沼的CH₄排放也有一些报道,发现其通量变化范围较大,并进而研究了温度、土壤湿度、盐度以及土壤有机碳含量等因素对CH₄排放的影响[3].     

The effect of seismic uplift on the shell stresses of liquid‐storage tanks

Previous theoretical studies have shown that tank uplift, that is, separation of the tank base from the foundation, generally reduces the base shear and the base moment. However, there is a paucity of experimental investigations concerning the effect of uplift on the tank wall stresses, which is the principal parameter that controls the seismic design of liquid‐storage tanks. This paper reports a series of shake table experiments on a polyvinyl chloride model tank containing water. A comparison of the seismic behaviour of the tank with and without anchorage is described. Stochastically generated ground motions, based on a Japanese design spectrum, and three tank aspect ratios (liquid‐height/radius) are considered. Measurements were made of the stresses at the outer shell of the tank, the tank wall acceleration and the horizontal displacement at the top of the tank. While the top displacement and the tank shell acceleration increased when uplift was allowed, axial compressive stresses decreased by between 35% and 64% with tank uplift. The effect of uplift on the hoop stresses was variable depending on the aspect ratio. A comparison of experimental values with a numerical model is provided. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Late-stage volcano geomorphic evolution of the Pleistocene San Francisco Mountain, Arizona (USA), based on high-resolution DEM analysis and 40Ar/39Ar chronology

The cone-building volcanic activity and subsequent erosion of San Francisco Mountain, AZ, USA, were studied by using high-resolution digital elevation model (DEM) analysis and new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating. By defining remnants or planèzes of the volcano flanks in DEM-derived images, the original edifice can be reconstructed. We propose a two-cone model with adjacent summit vents which were active in different times. The reconstructed cones were 4,460 and 4,350 m high a.s.l., corresponding to ∼2,160 and 2,050 m relative height, respectively. New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data allow us to decipher the chronological details of the cone-building activity. We dated the Older and Younger Andesites of the volcano that, according to previous mapping, built the stage 2 and stage 3 stratocones, respectively. The new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar plateau ages yielded 589–556 ka for the Older and 514–505 ka for the Younger Andesites, supporting their distinct nature with a possible dormant period between. The obtained ages imply an intense final (≤100 ka long) cone-building activity, terminating ∼100 ka earlier than indicated by previous K-Ar ages. Moreover, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating constrains the formation of the Inner Basin, an elliptical depression in the center of the volcano initially created by flank collapse. A 530 ka age (with a ±58.4 ka 2σ error) for a post-depression dacite suggests that the collapse event is geochronologically indistinguishable from the termination of the andesitic cone-building activity. According to our DEM analysis, the original cone of San Francisco Mountain had a volume of about 80 km³. Of this volume, ∼7.5 km³ was removed by the flank collapse and subsequent glacial erosion, creating the present-day enlarged Inner Basin, and ∼2 km³ was removed from the outer valleys by erosion. Based on volumetric analysis and previous and new radiometric ages, the average long-term eruption rate of San Francisco Mountain was ∼0.2 km³/ka, which is a medium rate for long-lived stratovolcanoes. However, according to the new ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dates for the last ≤100 ka period, the final stratovolcanic activity was characterized by a greater ∼0.3 km³/ka rate.     

An individual-based model study of anchovy early life history in the northern Humboldt Current system

We used an individual-based model of anchovy (Engraulis ringens) early life history coupled with hydrodynamic outputs from the regional oceanic modeling system (ROMS) to investigate the factors driving variability in egg and larval survival rates in the northern Humboldt upwelling region off Peru. Individuals were released within a coastal area and followed for a period of 30 days. Those that were still in the coastal area at that time were considered as retained. We investigated the spatial and temporal variability in the release locations of the individuals retained, and compared these to observed egg concentration patterns reconstructed from a 40-year period of monitoring. A first set of simulations using passive particles to represent anchovy eggs and larvae revealed a large sensitivity of the results to the initial vertical distribution of particles. We then conducted two additional sets of simulations that included the effect of egg buoyancy, larval vertical swimming behavior and lethal temperature. We obtained (1) maximal coastal retention close to the surface in winter and in deeper layers in summer, (2) a large influence of egg buoyancy and of larval vertical behavior on coastal retention in all seasons, (3) a partial match between dates and locations of enhanced retention and observed egg concentration patterns and (4) a low effect of lethal temperature on survival except when associated with high egg density. The model suggests that an optimal temporal spawning pattern for maximizing coastal retention would have two maximums, the most significant in austral winter and the second in summer. This pattern agrees roughly with observed spawning seasonality, but with temporal discrepancy of about two months in the peaks of both series. Spatially, we obtained higher retention from 10 S to 20 S, whereas the observed maximum egg concentration was located between 6°S and 14°S. Among the three sets of simulations, the one taking into account larval vertical swimming behavior lead to the best match with the data.