Land‐use effects on the hyporheic ecology of five small streams near Hamilton,New Zealand

Although the importance of the subsurface saturated interstitial zone (hyporheic zone) to the ecological functioning and maintenance of water quality of stream ecosystems is well known, there is little information on the impacts of different forms of land use upon this zone. Hyporheic physico‐chemistry and invertebrates were compared among small streams draining hill‐country catchments under pasture, exotic pine forest, and native forest near Hamilton, New Zealand. In streams draining native forest, the hyporheic zone harboured a relatively diverse invertebrate fauna comprising mostly taxa common in the surface benthos, although a few apparently obligate hyporheic taxa (ostracods, blind amphipods) were collected. Few individuals and taxa occupied the hyporheic zones of streams draining pasture with some groups such as water mites conspicuously absent. The hyporheos of the stream in exotic pine forest was similar in richness and abundance to that of the pasture streams. Hyporheic water temperatures were significantly higher in the pasture streams than those in pine or native forest. There were strong positive correlations between percentage saturation of dissolved oxygen in the hyporheic zones of all streams and both species richness and total invertebrate abundance. We suggest that land clearance for pasture leads to hill slumping and siltation that bury the lateral bars along the stream channels, rendering this habitat unsuitable for hyporheic invertebrates. Channel narrowing and incision may physically remove further hyporheic habitat, and the reduction of flushing flows to remove interstitial silt and clay leads to low hyporheic dissolved oxygen concentrations and reduced colonisation by surface benthos.     

Integrating hydraulic conductivity with biogeochemical gradients and microbial activity along river–groundwater exchange zones in a subtropical stream

The pervious lateral bars (parafluvial zone) and beds (hyporheic zone), where stream water and groundwater exchange, are dynamic sites of hydrological and biological retention. The significance of these biogeochemical ‘hotspots’ to stream and groundwater metabolism is largely controlled by filtration capacity, defined as the extent to which subsurface flowpaths and matrix hydraulic conductivity modify water characteristics. Where hydraulic conductivity is high, gradients in biogeochemistry and microbial activity along subsurface flowpaths were hypothesized to be less marked than where hydraulic conductivity is low. This hypothesis was tested in two riffles and gravel bars in an Australian subtropical stream. At one site, gradients in chemical and microbial variables along flowpaths were associated with reduced hydraulic conductivity, longer water residence time and reduced filtration capacity compared with the second site where filtration capacity was greater and longitudinal biogeochemical trends were dampened. These results imply that factors affecting the sediment matrix in this subtropical stream can alter filtration capacity, interstitial microbial activity and biogeochemical gradients along subsurface flowpaths. This hydroecological approach also indicates potential for a simple field technique to estimate filtration capacity and predict the prevailing hyporheic gradients in microbial activity and biogeochemical processing efficiency, with significant implications for stream ecosystem function.     

Till and moraine emplacement in a deforming bed surge - an example from a marine environment

The glacier Sefstrombreen in Spitsbergen surged across an arm of the sea between 1882 and 1886 and rode up onto the island Coraholmen. Marine and terrestrial geological observations and archive records show that the glacier advanced on a deforming carpet of marine mud which was eroded from its original location, transported, and smeared over the sea bed and Coraholmen as a deformation till. The glacier emplaced about 210⁸M³ (0.2 km³) of drift in the terminal 2 km of its advance in a maximum of 14 years, leaving a thickness of up to 20 m on Coraholmen, which was doubled in size as a result.During the surge, subglacial muds were characterised by high water pressures, low effective pressures and low frictional resistance to glacier movement. Original sedimentary inhomogenities permit fold structures to be identified, but repeated refolding and progressive remoulding produce mixing and homogenisation of deformation tills.The surge was probably shortlived, and as the heavily crevassed glacier stagnated, underlying water saturated muds were intruded into crevasses and then extruded on the glacier surface. Reticulate “crevasse-intrusion” ridges on Coraholmen and the sea floor reflect the orientation of surge generated crevasses. Water and sediment was also extruded beyond the glacier at its maximum extent, to form extensive flows producing “till tongues” both on Coraholmen and the sea floor extending over 1.3 km from the glacier.It is argued that subglacial deformation of pre-existing sediment will almost invariably be associated with glaciation of marine areas and that this process will not only produce deformation tills through remoulding of pre-existing sediments, but will also play a fundamental role in glacier dynamics. Criteria which permit glacial tills produced by such events from marine and glaciomarine muds are discussed.     

Analysis of data from pumping tests in unconfined anisotropic aquifers

The errors involved in finding the coefficients of transmissibility and storage are briefly discussed. Distance-drawdown data are advocated as generally most suitable for finding the transmissibility.

Procedures based on the Author's previous papers are described, which combine distance-drawdown analysis with constant storage coefficient and time-drawdown analysis with delayed yield from storage. Anomalies which result from well-known methods of analysis, based on a constant coefficient of storage, are thus avoided. The discussion and analysis are illustrated by pumping test data reported by Wenzel.

The methods described assume a fully-penetrating pumped well and shallow observation wells, except in the case of a very deep aquifer. A computer is not required.

An exact equation, allowing for the vertical velocity-component of the flow and delayed yield from storage, is given in Appendix 3.     

The influence of delayed drainage on data from pumping tests in unconfined aquifers

Equations are derived for the flow to a pumped well in an aquifer having uniform anisotropy and overlain by a low-permeability aquitard. The water-table is assumed to be located in the aquitard. Drainage from the capillary zone above the water-table is taken into account.The differential equation for the flow in the aquifer is identical with that derived in a previous paper. The formation constants may therefore be evaluated by using type curves as described in that paper.A well-known pumping test is reanalysed, using the equations in the present paper. It is shown that the time-drawdown curves can be explained only by the existence of a low-permeability stratum in the vicinity of the water-table. In this example the slow draining of the unsaturated zone above the water-table seems to be a significant factor in determining the shape of the time-drawdown curves.     

准噶尔盆地南缘新生代构造特征及其与砂岩型铀矿成矿作用初析

准噶尔盆地南缘盆山结合部中新生界沉积巨厚,新生代变形强烈,是研究新盆山耦合的理想场所,也是我国砂岩型铀矿找矿的远景区段。本文在综合前人资料和野外观测分析基础上,根据新生代构造活动特征,将准噶尔盆地南缘划分为博格达山前和西部断褶带两个构造分区,博格达山前以强烈的逆冲推覆为特征,发育多条活动的逆冲推覆断裂; 乌鲁木齐以西至乌苏南的西部断褶带则发育三-四排的褶皱-逆冲断裂构造带。对采自博格达山前逆冲推覆断裂带内的方解石和断层泥,利用电子自旋共振测年手段,推测博格达山前的富康-吉木萨尔断裂带和北三台断裂带分别在0.7~1Ma和0.25Ma期间,经历了一期重要的逆冲推覆作用。结合盆地南缘砂岩型铀矿的展布规律及其成矿条件的分析,探讨了新生代构造运动对砂岩型铀矿成矿的控制作用,认为西部断褶带的第一排构造带具有较好的成矿前景,而博格达山前由于新生代构造活动强烈而相对成矿不利,为此提出了准噶尔盆地南缘砂岩型铀矿成矿“构造优先权”的构造控矿模式,进而指出了区域找矿的优选区段。     

Aquifers and hyporheic zones: Towards an ecological understanding of groundwater

Ecological constraints in subsurface environments relate directly to groundwater flow, hydraulic conductivity, interstitial biogeochemistry, pore size, and hydrological linkages to adjacent aquifers and surface ecosystems. Groundwater ecology has evolved from a science describing the unique subterranean biota to its current form emphasising multidisciplinary studies that integrate hydrogeology and ecology. This multidisciplinary approach seeks to elucidate the function of groundwater ecosystems and their roles in maintaining subterranean and surface water quality. In aquifer-surface water ecotones, geochemical gradients and microbial biofilms mediate transformations of water chemistry. Subsurface fauna (stygofauna) graze biofilms, alter interstitial pore size through their movement, and physically transport material through the groundwater environment. Further, changes in their populations provide signals of declining water quality. Better integrating groundwater ecology, biogeochemistry, and hydrogeology will significantly advance our understanding of subterranean ecosystems, especially in terms of bioremediation of contaminated groundwaters, maintenance or improvement of surface water quality in groundwater-dependent ecosystems, and improved protection of groundwater habitats during the extraction of natural resources. Overall, this will lead to a better understanding of the implications of groundwater hydrology and aquifer geology to distributions of subsurface fauna and microbiota, ecological processes such as carbon cycling, and sustainable groundwater management.

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Resumen Los entornos ecológicos en ambientes subsuperficiales están relacionados directamente con el flujo de agua subterránea, la conductividad hidráulica, biogeoquímica intersticial, tamaño de los poros, y vínculos hidrológicos con acuíferos adyacentes y ecosistemas superficiales. La ecología del agua subterránea ha evolucionado a partir de una ciencia que describe la biota subterránea única hasta alcanzar la forma actual que enfatiza estudios multidisciplinarios que integran hidrogeología y ecología. Este enfoque multidisciplinario busca clarificar la función de los ecosistemas de agua subterránea y sus roles en el mantenimiento de la calidad de agua superficial y subterránea. En ecotonos de agua superficial y de acuíferos, los gradientes geoquímicos y biopelículas microbiales median transformaciones de calidad de agua. La fauna subsuperficial (estigofauna) se alimenta de biopeliculas, altera el tamaño de los poros intersticiales mediante su movimiento, y transporta físicamente material a través del ambiente de aguas subterráneas. Además, los cambios en sus poblaciones aportan señales de decadencia de calidad de agua. La mejor integración de ecología de aguas subterráneas, biogeoquímica, e hidrogeología incrementará significativamente nuestro entendimiento de ecosistemas subterráneos, especialmente en términos de bioremediación de aguas subterráneas contaminadas, mantenimiento o mejoramiento de calidad de agua superficial en ecosistemas dependientes de agua subterránea, y protección mejorada de habitats de agua subterránea durante la extracción de recursos naturales. Sobretodo, esto conducirá a un mejor entendimiento de las implicaciones de la hidrología de aguas subterráneas y geología del acuífero, de las distribuciones de fauna subsuperficial y microbiota, procesos ecológicos tal como ciclado de carbono, y gestión sostenible de aguas subterráneas.

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Résumé Les contraintes écologiques dans les environnements de subsurface sont en relation directe avec les écoulements des eaux souterraines, la conductivité hydraulique, la biogéochimie des milieux interstitiels, la taille des pores, et les liens hydrologiques avec les aquifères et les écosystèmes adjacents. Lécologie des eaux souterraines a évolué dune science décrivant uniquement les biotopes souterrains à des études multidisciplinaires qui intègrent lécologie et lhydrogéologie. Lapproche multidisciplinaire cherche à élucider le fonctionnement des écosystèmes souterrains et leur rôle consistant à maintenir la qualité des eaux souterraines et de surface. Dans les écotones des eaux de la surfaces des aquifères, les gradients géochimiques et les biofilms microbiologiques contrôlent les transformations de la qualité de leau. La faune de subsurface (stygofauna) construisent les biofilms, altèrent la taille des pores interstitiels à travers leur mouvement, et transportent physiquement des matériaux à travers lenvironnement des eaux souterraines. Par ailleurs, les changements de leur population signalent un déclin de la qualité de leau.Une meilleure intégration de lécologie des eaux souterraines, de la biogeochimie, et de lhydrogéologie pourra faire avancer de manière efficace de notre compréhension des écosystèmes souterrains, et spécialement en terme de bioremédiation des eaux souterraines contaminées, de maintenance et damélioration de la qualité des eaux de surface dépendant des écosystèmes souterrains, et lamélioration de la protection des habitats des eaux souterraines durant lextraction des ressources naturelles. En général, cela conduira à une meilleure compréhension de limplication de lhydrogéologie et de la géologie des aquifères à la distribution de la faune de subsurface et aux microbiota, aux processus écologiques tels que les cycles du carbone, et la gestion durable des eaux souterraines.

     

北山柳园地区中志留世埃达克质花岗岩类及其地质意义

北山柳园地区发育的埃达克质片麻状花岗闪长岩为钙碱性岩浆系列,具有较高SiO₂ (>56%),Al₂O₃ (>15%)和较低的MgO (<3%)含量,Na₂O>K₂O; 并且具有高的Sr含量(>400×10^-6)和Sr/Y比值; 样品轻重稀土强烈分异(La/Yb)_N ＝18~86,强烈亏损重稀土Yb与Y,具有不明显的Eu异常(δEu＝0.90~0.95); 富集LREE和大离子亲石元素(LILE),而亏损HREE、高场强元素(HFSE: Nb、Ta),与世界上典型的俯冲洋壳熔融形成的埃达克岩相似。然而样品具有相对高的(⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr)_I (0.70635~0.70636)和相对低的ε_Nd(t) (-0.8~-0.9),以及锆石具有相对较低的ε_Hf (t) (-0.8~+2.7)同位素特征,比典型的俯冲洋壳熔融形成埃达克岩具有更多的放射成因,推测可能是源区加入了地壳物质/沉积物/或特殊的洋壳(OIB/E-MORB)熔融,以及侵位过程中地壳物质的混染所造成的。埃达克质片麻状黑云母花岗岩锆石LA-ICPMS年龄为424±4Ma,代表了花岗岩埃达克花岗岩的结晶年龄。花牛山岛弧带在中晚志留世时期具有较高的地热梯度,发育了大面积高ε_Nd(t)钙碱性花岗岩和区域围岩发生了高温变质作用。因此,柳园埃达克岩是由于热的洋壳向花牛山岛弧地体俯冲过程中熔融形成的,俯冲洋壳熔融是本地区早古生代大规模地壳增生的重要方式之一。     

Complex erosional response to uplift and rock strength contrasts in transient river systems crossing an active normal fault revealed by 10Be and 26Al cosmogenic nuclide analyses

Understanding the influence of bedrock lithology on the catchment-averaged erosion rates of normal fault-bounded catchments and the effect that different bedrock erodibilties have on the evolution of transient fluvial geomorphology remain major challenges. To investigate this problem, we collected 18 samples for ¹⁰Be and ²⁶Al cosmogenic nuclide analysis to determine catchment-averaged erosion rates along the well-constrained Gediz Fault system in western Türkiye, which is experiencing fault-driven river incision owing to a linkage event ~0.8 Ma and has weak rocks overlying strong rocks in the footwall. Combined with existing cosmogenic data, we show that the background rate of erosion of the pre-incision landscape can be constrained as <92 mMyr⁻¹, and erosion rates within the transient reach vary from 16 to 1330 mMyr⁻¹. Erosion rates weakly scale with unit stream power, steepness index and slip rate on the bounding fault, although erosion rates are an order of magnitude lower than slip rates. However, there are no clear relationships between erosion rate and relief or catchment slope. Bedrock strength is assessed using Schmidt hammer rebound and Selby Rock Mass Strength Assessments; despite a 30-fold difference in erodibility, there is no difference in the erosion rate between strong and weak rocks. We argue that, for the Gediz Graben, the strong lithological contrast affects the ability of the river to erode the bed, resulting in a complex erosional response to uplift along the graben boundary fault. Weak covariant trends between erosion rates and various topographic factors potentially result from incomplete sediment mixing or pre-existing topographic inheritance. These findings indicate that the erosional response to uplift along an active normal fault is a complex response to multiple drivers that vary spatially and temporally.     

The impact of glaciation on the groundwater regime of Northwest Europe

Growth of mid-latitude ice sheets during the glacial cycles of the Quaternary repeatedly reorganises the pattern of groundwater flow on a continent-wide scale. Relatively small scale non-glacial catchments are replaced by catchments which are integrated on the scale of continental ice sheets. Simulations are presented of the response to glaciation of a large part of the western European groundwater system during the last two (Saalian, Weichselian) glacial cycles. A two-dimensional model along an ice sheet flowline from western Sweden to The Netherlands illustrates the impact of glaciation on flow in the vertical plane, and a vertically integrated model illustrates its impact on areal patterns of flow.Hydraulics heads, hydraulic gradients and flow velocities are increased far above their modern values, and relatively shallow aquifers are completely flushed out during glacial periods. There are significant implications for groundwater chemistry and geological structures. Large seepage pressures generated near to ice sheet margins and major impacts on the distribution of effective pressures will produce structures such as hydrofractures, sediment dykes, sediment volcanoes, loading structures etc. The model can be readily applied to hydrocarbon resorvoirs.