Variability of dissolved organic carbon in precipitation during storms at the Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory

Organic compounds are removed from the atmosphere and deposited to the Earth's surface via precipitation. In this study, we quantified variations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in precipitation during storm events at the Shale Hills Critical Zone Observatory, a forested watershed in central Pennsylvania (USA). Precipitation samples were collected consecutively throughout the storm during 13 events, which spanned a range of seasons and synoptic meteorological conditions, including a hurricane. Further, we explored factors that affect the temporal variability by considering relationships of DOC in precipitation with atmospheric and storm characteristics. Concentrations and chemical composition of DOC changed considerably during storms, with the magnitude of change within individual events being comparable or higher than the range of variation in average event composition among events. Although some previous studies observed that concentrations of other elements in precipitation typically decrease over the course of individual storm events, results of this study show that DOC concentrations in precipitation are highly variable. During most storm events, concentrations decreased over time, possibly as a result of washing out of the below‐cloud atmosphere. However, increasing concentrations that were observed in the later stages of some storm events highlight that DOC removal with precipitation is not merely a dilution response. Increases in DOC during events could result from advection of air masses, local emissions during breaks in precipitation, or chemical transformations in the atmosphere that enhance solubility of organic carbon compounds. This work advances understanding of processes occurring during storms that are relevant to studies of atmospheric chemistry, carbon cycling, and ecosystem responses.     

Stratigraphy and Mesozoic–Cenozoic tectonic history of northern Sierra Los Ajos and adjacent areas,Sonora, Mexico

Geologic mapping in the northern Sierra Los Ajos reveals new stratigraphic and structural data relevant to deciphering the Mesozoic–Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the range. The northern Sierra Los Ajos is cored by Proterozoic, Cambrian, Devonian, Mississippian, and Pennsylvanian strata, equivalent respectively to the Pinal Schist, Bolsa Quartzite and Abrigo Limestone, Martin Formation, Escabrosa Limestone, and Horquilla Limestone. The Proterozoic–Paleozoic sequence is mantled by Upper Cretaceous rocks partly equivalent to the Fort Crittenden and Salero Formations in Arizona, and the Cabullona Group in Sonora, Mexico.Absence of the Upper Jurassic–Lower Cretaceous Bisbee Group below the Upper Cretaceous rocks and above the Proterozoic–Paleozoic rocks indicates that the Sierra Los Ajos was part of the Cananea high, a topographic highland during the Late Jurassic and Early Cretaceous. Deposition of Upper Cretaceous rocks directly on Paleozoic and Proterozoic rocks indicates that the Sierra Los Ajos area had subsided as part of the Laramide Cabullona basin during Late Cretaceous time. Basal beds of the Upper Cretaceous sequence are clast-supported conglomerate composed locally of basement (Paleozoic) clasts. The conglomerate represents erosion of Paleozoic basement in the Sierra Los Ajos area coincident with development of the Cabullona basin.The present-day Sierra Los Ajos reaches elevations of greater than 2600 m, and was uplifted during Tertiary basin-and-range extension. Upper Cretaceous rocks are exposed at higher elevations in the northern Sierra Los Ajos and represent an uplifted part of the inverted Cabullona basin. Tertiary uplift of the Sierra Los Ajos was largely accommodated by vertical movement along the north-to-northwest-striking Sierra Los Ajos fault zone flanking the west side of the range. This fault zone structurally controls the configuration of the headwaters of the San Pedro River basin, an important bi-national water resource in the US-Mexico border region.     

Using habitat suitability models for multiscale forensic geolocation analysis

Pollen is one of the most durable environmental materials that law enforcement agencies recover as trace evidence from people and objects. Although links between objects and geographic locations are essential during legal investigations, the approach of using pollen and other microbial fingerprints to build these links in an analytical framework is still underutilized. This study uses bees as objects that are mobile and collects environmental traces as a test case to determine the efficacy of predictive geolocation efforts with recovered pollen and species distribution models at both subcontinental and global scales. Results demonstrate promising performance in both the predictive capability of species distribution models and identification of possible location history of bees at both study extents. When coupling pollen with other categories of evidentiary items, this geographic attribution framework can aid law enforcement personnel in refining investigation priorities and optimizing search strategies.     

An analysis of cropland carbon sequestration estimates for North Central Monana

A pilot cropland carbon sequestration program within north central Montana has allowed farmers to receive carbon credit for management adjustments associated with changing from tillage-based agricultural systems to no-till. Carbon credit can also be obtained by adopting conservation reserve, where cropland is planted into perennial vegetation. Summer fallowing is also considered within the crediting process as credit is not given in years that a field is left un-vegetated. The carbon sequestration program has been advocated as a means to mitigate climate change while providing an added source of income for Montana farmers. There is lack of data, however, pertaining to the percentage of lands within this region that have not converted to no-till management, lands under certain crop intensities (e.g. those that are cropped every growing season vs. those that use a fallow-crop-fallow system), or cropland that have converted to perennial vegetation outside of the popular Conservation Reserve Program. Data is also sparse concerning the amount of soil organic carbon that might be sequestered given a conversion to no-till or conservation reserve. This study established regional percentage estimates of cropland under no-till, various degrees of crop intensity, and conservation reserve within north central Montana. Literature-based carbon sequestration estimates were used to generate carbon gain data associated with the conversation to no-till and to conservation reserve. These estimates were then applied to the area-based cropland statistics to estimate potential regional carbon sequestration associated with these management changes.     

Hypoxia in Manila Bay, Philippines during the northeast monsoon

Herein we present results from one of the first extensive bay-wide oceanographic surveys of Manila Bay, wherein 31 stations were sampled during the northeast monsoon (cold and dry season). A band of hypoxic bottom water (dissolved oxygen<2.8 mg/L) spanned the midsection of the bay from east to west. Bottom nitrate concentrations (5.7-16.8 μM; avg. 11.1 μM) and total organic carbon values in sediments (1.7-3.1%; avg. 2.4%) were high in the midsection, which coincided with the band of hypoxic bottom water. Physical processes and site-specific accumulation of organic material likely lead to hypoxic conditions in Manila Bay, even during the northeast monsoon period when the water column is relatively well mixed. The results of this study complement the previously reported widespread hypoxia that occurs during the rainy season. Thus, hypoxia may be pervasive in the bay throughout the year, although it varies in intensity and spatial extent.     

Re-assessing the surface cycling of molybdenum and rhenium

We re-evaluate the cycling of molybdenum (Mo) and rhenium (Re) in the near-surface environment. World river average Mo and Re concentrations, initially based on a handful of rivers, are calculated using 38 rivers representing five continents, and 11 of 19 large-scale drainage regions. Our new river concentration estimates are 8.0 nmol kg⁻¹ (Mo), and 16.5 pmol kg⁻¹ (Re, natural + anthropogenic). The linear relationship of dissolved Re and in global rivers (R² = 0.76) indicates labile continental Re is predominantly hosted within sulfide minerals and reduced sediments; it also provides a means of correcting for the anthropogenic contribution of Re to world rivers using independent estimates of anthropogenic sulfate. Approximately 30% of Re in global rivers is anthropogenic, yielding a pre-anthropogenic world river average of 11.2 pmol Re kg⁻¹. The potential for anthropogenic contribution is also seen in the non-negligible Re concentrations in precipitation (0.03-5.9 pmol kg⁻¹), and the nmol kg⁻¹ level Re concentrations of mine waters. The linear Mo- relationship (R² = 0.69) indicates that the predominant source of Mo to rivers is the weathering of pyrite. An anthropogenic Mo correction was not done as anthropogenically-influenced samples do not display the unambiguous metal enrichment observed for Re. Metal concentrations in high temperature hydrothermal fluids from the Manus Basin indicate that calculated end-member fluids (i.e. Mg-free) yield negative Mo and Re concentrations, showing that Mo and Re can be removed more quickly than Mg during recharge. High temperature hydrothermal fluids are unimportant sinks relative to their river sources 0.4% (Mo), and 0.1% (pre-anthropogenic Re). We calculate new seawater response times of 4.4 × 10⁵ yr (τ_Mo) and 1.3 × 10⁵ yr (τ_Re, pre-anthropogenic).     

Evolution of calc-alkaline magmas of the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanic belt

Petrological, geochemical, and isotope geochronological aspects of the evolution of calc-alkaline magmatism were investigated in the Western Okhotsk flank zone, the Okhotsk segment, and the Eastern Chukchi flank zone of the Okhotsk-Chukotka volcanic belt (OCVB). The OCVB is a tectonotype of continental margin volcanic belts comprising much greater volumes of felsic ignimbritic volcanics compared with mature island arcs (MIA, Kuril-Kamchatka and Aleutian) and the Andean continental margin. The volcanic rocks of continental margin volcanic belts (OCVB and Andean belt) are enriched in K, Ti, and P compared with the rocks of MIA and show a trend toward the field of high-potassium calc-alkaline series. Primitive andesite varieties (Mg# > 0.6) were not yet found in the OCVB, but there are relatively calcic varieties unknown in Andean-type structures and a significant fraction of moderately alkaline rocks, which are not typical of MIA. Variations in trace and major element characteristics in the basalts and andesites of the OCVB were interpreted as reflecting the competing processes of assimilation/mixing and fractional crystallization during the evolution of the parental basaltic magma. Significant lateral variations were established in the composition of the mantle sources of calc-alkaline magmas along the OCVB over more than 2500 km. The initial isotopic ratios of Sr, Nd, and Pb in the volcanics of the Okhotsk segment are relatively depleted and fall near the mixing line between PREMA and BSE. The magma source of the Western Okhotsk flank zone is most enriched and approaches EMI, whereas that of the central and eastern Chukchi zones contains an admixture of the EMII component. The geochronological characteristics of all the main stages of OCVB magmatism were comprehensively studied by U-Pb SHRIMP and ID-TIMS zircon dating (86 samples) and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar analysis (73 samples). In general, a discontinuous character was established for the OCVB magmatism from the middle Albian to the early Campanian (106–77 Ma). The volcanism is laterally asynchronous. There are several peaks of volcanism with modes at approximately 105, 100, 96, 92.5, 87, 82, and 77 Ma. The Coniacian-Santonian peaks correspond to the most extensive stages of the middle and late cycles of felsic volcanism. A decreases and a hiatus in magmatic activity were reconstructed for the end of the Cenomanian and the beginning of the Turonian. The volcanism was terminated by plateau basalts with ages of 76–78 Ma, which mark a change in the geodynamic setting from frontal subduction to the regime of a transform margin with local extension in zones normal to the slip direction. A catastrophic character of eruptions with rather narrow ranges of volcanism (<2 Myr) were established taking into account new reliable age estimates for some individual large calderas. The accumulation rate of volcanic materials in such structures was up to 0.15–0.36 km³/yr and even higher.     

Solid-phase considerations for the environmental fate of nitrobenzene and triazine munition constituents in soil

This paper focuses on the chemistry of DoD-relevant organic contaminants in soil. Most of the work presented here is based on the author’s experience with the environmental fate of the munition constituents, TNT and RDX, for DoD related issues. The principles and challenges of understanding the transport of nitrobenzene and triazine compounds in the environment are captured. In this work, disparities in the current scientific literature with respect to the construction of sorption experiments are discussed, in terms of soil sample handling, dispersion state of the soil, and sorption hysteresis/equilibrium. Here is discussed the concept of environmentally formulated compounds and its implications toward reduced accuracy of predicting the environmental fate of munition constituents. Also, further research linking simple but oft-forgotten basic concepts of soil fertility to the transport and environmental fate of munition constituents are discussed.     

Being beside the seaside: Beach use and preferences among coastal residents of south-eastern Australia

Beaches are the most popular recreational destinations in Australia yet how they are visited and valued by Australians is poorly known. We surveyed 385 people (13.8% of 2800 coastal residents) from south-eastern Australia to examine their use of beaches and the features that are important in their choice and enjoyment of a beach destination. Most respondents (90.3%) nominated beaches as one of their top three most valued natural recreational environments. Thirty-four recreational activities occurred at the beach (8.6 ± 0.3 [mean ± SE] activities per respondent), mostly walking (91.4%) and swimming (78.9%). Factor analyses revealed respondents valued clean, uncrowded beaches with opportunities to view wildlife (n = 338) but also desired facilities (e.g. toilets, shade, life savers, food outlets; n = 331). Difficult access and intrusive recreation activities (e.g. vehicles on beaches) detracted from people′s enjoyment. We describe a distinct dichotomy in use of ‘local’ versus ‘non-local’ beaches, where local beaches are visited more frequently, throughout more of the year, outside working hours and by smaller groups of people, compared with ‘non-local’ beaches. Coastal planners and managers not only face the challenge of increasing visitation to beaches but also the need to manage for somewhat conflicting values among beach-goers.     

The age of the Whin Sill

The Whin Sill and its related dykes are intruded into Carboniferous strata in the North of England. Together they form a distinct petrographical province in which basic magmatism appears to have been closely related to a single phase in the structural history of the area. The relevant stratigraphical, structural and isotopic evidence suggests to the authors that the Whin Sill suite was intruded during the Stephanian, around 295 ± 6 m.y. This conclusion is supported by twenty-one new potassium-argon age determinations accompanied by a petrographical study of the factors which cause discrepancy in isotopic results from Whin Sill rocks.