Littoral cladoceran community reassembly following the cessation of disturbance

The process of recovery from environmental impact provides insights into factors that drive community assembly. This study investigated community reassembly following perturbation, using littoral cladoceran microfossils. Whole-lake experimental manipulations of acids and nutrients in Lake 302N (L302N; 1972–1997) and acids in Lake 223 (L223; 1976–1994) at the Experimental Lakes Area (ELA; Ontario, Canada), provided an opportunity to use the sediment record to reconstruct the trajectory of recovery. Comparison was made to unmanipulated Lake 377 (L377) to estimate changes in regional baseline conditions. Recovery was evaluated at both the species and community level, using univariate and multivariate metrics. Up to 14 years after cessation of acid and nutrient additions, and following chemical recovery to pH > 6.5, both L302N and L223 littoral cladoceran communities failed to recover to their pre-manipulation states. Multivariate metrics demonstrated hysteresis along the recovery trajectory, and the movement to alternative states in littoral cladoceran communities in both lakes. The most recent littoral cladoceran community structure, reconstructed from the paleorecord, is driven by the persistence of species from the acidification period, suggesting biological resistance. Recovery states differed between L302N and L223, although their initial, pre-manipulation littoral cladoceran community structures were similar, reflecting multiple, independent recovery trajectories. Independent recovery trajectories are at odds with previous findings, which suggest that dispersal from an egg bank should support deterministic recovery trajectories. We conclude that littoral cladoceran microfossils can be used effectively to determine the community state with recovery and compare it to the pre-manipulation condition, particularly with the use of multivariate metrics.     

Classification of hydrological regimes of northern floodplain basins (Peace–Athabasca Delta,Canada) from analysis of stable isotopes (δ18O, δ2H) and water chemistry

We used stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) and water chemistry to characterize the water balance and hydrolimnological relationships of 57 shallow aquatic basins in the Peace‐Athabasca Delta (PAD), northern Alberta, Canada, based on sampling at the end of the 2000 thaw season. Evaporation‐to‐inflow ratios (E/I) were estimated using an isotope mass‐balance model tailored to accommodate basin‐specific input water compositions, which provided an effective, first‐order, quantitative framework for identifying water balances and associated limnological characteristics spanning three main, previously identified drainage types. Open‐drainage basins (E/I < 0·4; n = 5), characterized by low alkalinity, low concentrations of nitrogen, dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and ions, and high minerogenic turbidity, include large, shallow basins that dominate the interior of the PAD and experience frequent or continuous river channel connection. Closed‐drainage basins (E/I ≥ 1·0; n = 16), in contrast, possess high alkalinity and high concentrations of nitrogen, DOC, and ions, and low minerogenic turbidity, and are located primarily in the relict and infrequently flooded landscape of the northern Peace sector of the delta. Several basins fall into the restricted‐drainage category (0·4 # E/I < 1·0; n = 26) with intermediate water chemistries and are predominant in the southern Athabasca sector, which is subject to active fluviodeltaic processes, including intermittent flooding from riverbank overflow. Integration of isotopic and limnological data also revealed evidence for a new fourth drainage type, mainly located near the large open‐drainage lakes that occupy the central portion of the delta but within the Athabasca sector (n = 10). These basins were very shallow (<50 cm deep) at the time of sampling and isotopically depleted, corresponding to E/I characteristic of restricted‐ and open‐drainage conditions. However, they are limnologically similar to closed‐drainage basins except for higher conductivity and higher concentrations of Ca²⁺ and Na⁺, and lower concentrations of SiO₂ and chlorophyll c. These distinct features are due to the overriding influence of recent summer rainfall on the basin water balance and chemistry. The close relationships evident between water balances and limnological conditions suggest that past and future changes in hydrology are likely to be coupled with marked alterations in water chemistry and, hence, the ecology of aquatic environments in the PAD. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial analysis of the reliability of transport networks subject to rainfall‐induced landslides

A methodology is developed to examine the susceptibility of a transport system to rainfall‐induced landslides and is demonstrated for part of the UK rail network with regard to the potential changes that might occur with climate change. A mathematical model is given for the system failure and a statistical model is formulated for the joint distribution of rainfall at different points along the railway line. These are used to investigate the response of earth embankments along the railway line to current and future climate scenarios, including the effects of rainfall and evapotranspiration on slope hydrology and stability. It is shown that, for the system of clay embankments in question, the moisture profile through the embankment at the end of the summer months has a critical effect on system stability, both in terms of expected failure timing and probability of failure. Further, it is seen that, with changing climate, the system stability is likely to increase unless the degradation of embankment material properties, another potential effect of changed climate, is taken into account. The spatial distribution of failures is also likely to change. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

An approach to using snow areal depletion curves inferred from MODIS and its application to land surface modelling in Alaska

Snowcover areal depletion curves inferred from the moderate resolution imaging spectroradiometer (MODIS) are validated and then applied in NASA's catchment‐based land surface model (CLSM) for numerical simulations of hydrometeorological processes in the Kuparuk River basin (KRB) of Alaska. The results demonstrate that the MODIS snowcover fraction f derived from a simple relationship in terms of the normalized difference snow index compares well with Landsat values over the range 20 ≤ f ≤ 100%. For f < 20%, however, MODIS 500 m subpixel data underestimate the amount of snow by up to 13% compared with Landsat at spatial resolutions of 30 m binned to equivalent 500 m pixels. After a bias correction, MODIS snow areal depletion curves during the spring transition period of 2002 for the KRB exhibit similar features to those derived from surface‐based observations. These results are applied in the CLSM subgrid‐scale snow parameterization that includes a deep and a shallow snowcover fraction. Simulations of the evolution of the snowpack and of freshwater discharge rates for the KRB over a period of 11 years are then analysed with the inclusion of this feature. It is shown that persistent snowdrifts on the arctic landscape, associated with a secondary plateau in the snow areal depletion curves, are hydrologically important. An automated method is developed to generate the shallow and deep snowcover fractions from MODIS snow areal depletion curves. This provides the means to apply the CLSM subgrid‐scale snow parameterization in all watersheds subject to seasonal snowcovers. Improved simulations and predictions of the global surface energy and water budgets are expected with the incorporation of the MODIS snow data into the CLSM. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multiproxy Devensian Late‐glacial and Holocene environmental records at an Atlantic coastal site in Shetland

Marine erosion at Clettnadal, West Burra island off the west coast of Shetland, caused the drainage of a small water body at Clettnadal, exposing deposits of Late Devensian and Holocene age. Pollen, diatom and invertebrate analyses have provided variable records of environmental change during stratigraphical event GI‐1. Event GS‐1 is revealed by the non‐pollen evidence, especially by Coleoptera, by sediment stratigraphy, and by radiocarbon dating. In contrast, the pollen evidence indicates that an arctic tundra flora, in which dwarf shrubs were prominent, persisted throughout the Late‐glacial. The Holocene brought colonisation by tree birch, but by ca. 9000 ¹⁴C yr BP the taxon had almost disappeared. This contrasts strongly with other Holocene pollen records for Shetland where both Betula and Corylus avellana‐type survived longer—at some sites, for example, until ca. 2900 yr BP. The extreme westerly and exposed coastal situation of Clettnadal appears to be responsible both for a muted Late‐glacial response in the pollen record of terrestrial vegetation and for the early replacement of woodland by a maritime grassland. The results provoke questions concerning biological stability at times of marked climatic change. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of TBT on the structure of a marine sediment comunity--a Boxcosm study

The effect of tri-n-butyl tin (TBT) on an intact marine sediment community after five months exposure was investigated. Changes in the structure of macro- and meiofauna communities were determined, as well as the functional diversity of the microbial community using BIOLOG microplates for Gram negative bacteria. Development of tolerance in the microbial community was investigated using Pollution Induced Community Tolerance (PICT) experiments with fluxes of nutrients as effect indicators. TBT affected the structure and recruitment of the macro- and meiofauna at nominal additions of 30-137 micromol TBT/m2 sediment. Number of species, diversity, biomass and community similarity was reduced at these concentrations compared to control. Species that molt seemed to be the most tolerant since they were predominant in boxes that had received the highest TBT addition and echinoderms were the most sensitive species. Renewed addition of TBT in PICT experiments with sediment from each boxcosm showed that TBT had an effect on individual nutrient fluxes from all sediments. Analyses of the flux patterns revealed a memory of previous TBT exposure, either due to induced tolerance or other community conditioning.     

HR 7275: A new variable star

Differential photometry of the KI IV-III RS CVn-type binary HR 7275 in 1978, 1979, and 1980 at nine different observatories shows it definitely to be variable, thus confirming the suspicion of Herbst. The photometric period determined two ways was 27 _. ^d 91 or 27 _. ^d 65, thus about 3% shorter than the spectroscopically determined orbital period of 28 _. ^d 59. The total variation observed during the three years was 0 _. ^m 22 in theV. The light curve was always asymmetrical, with a stillstand on the rising branch in 1978 but on the falling branch in 1980.Kitt Peak National Observatory, operated by the Association of Universities for Research in Astronomy, under contract with the National Science Foundation.Of the AAVSO.     

Characterization of the near-Earth Asteroid 2002 NY40

In August 2002, the near-Earth Asteroid 2002 NY₄₀, made its closest approach to the Earth. This provided an opportunity to study a near-Earth asteroid with a variety of instruments. Several of the telescopes at the Maui Space Surveillance System were trained at the asteroid and collected adaptive optics images, photometry and spectroscopy. Analysis of the imagery reveals the asteroid is triangular shaped with significant self-shadowing. The photometry reveals a 20-h period and the spectroscopy shows that the asteroid is a Q-type.