Late Quaternary palaeoenvironment of northern Guatemala: evidence from deep drill cores and seismic stratigraphy of Lake Petén Itzá

Long sediment cores were collected in spring 2006 from Lake Petén Itzá, northern Guatemala, in water depths ranging from 30 to 150 m, as part of an International Continental Scientific Drilling Program project. The sediment records from deep water consist mainly of alternating clay, gypsum and carbonate units and, in at least two drill sites, extend back >200 kyr. Most of the lithostratigraphic units are traceable throughout the basin along seismic reflections that serve as seismic stratigraphic boundaries and suggest that the lithostratigraphy can be used to infer regional palaeoenvironmental changes. A revised seismic stratigraphy was established on the basis of integrated lithological and seismic reflection data from the basin. From ca 200 to ca 85 ka, sediments are dominated by carbonate‐clay silt, often interbedded with sandy turbidites, indicating a sediment regime dominated by detrital sedimentation in a relatively humid climate. At ca 85 ka, an exposure horizon consisting of gravels, coarse sand and terrestrial gastropods marks a lake lowstand or partial basin desiccation, indicating dry climate conditions. From ca 85 to ca 48 ka, transgressive carbonate‐clay sediments, overlain by deep‐water clays, suggest a lake level rise and subsequent stabilization at high stage. From ca 48 ka to present, the lithology is characterized by alternating clay and gypsum units. Gypsum deposition correlates with Heinrich Events (i.e. dry climate), whereas clay units coincide with more humid interstadials.     

贵阳喀斯特地区植被类型与季节变化对土壤微生物生物量和微生物呼吸的影响

土壤微生物特性是土壤修复的指示因子,近年来西南喀斯特地区退化土壤的相关研究较多,但不同植被类型的土壤微生物特性的变化研究相对较少。对贵阳郊区耕作土壤、灌丛、女贞人工纯林和马尾松人工纯林表层土壤（0～10cm）微生物生物量碳（SMBC）、微生物呼吸（MR）和微生物代谢熵（qCO2）的研究结果表明,土壤SMBC和MR均表现为次生林高于耕作土壤,灌丛最高;与qCO2相反,马尾松林土壤微生物活动显著弱于其他样地,不同植被类型土壤微生物活动均表现为在秋季相对较强。与植被类型的显著影响相比,季节变化、植被与季节的交互作用对SM—BC和MR的影响不明显。SMBC与土壤温度不相关,与土壤含水量呈极显著相关而土壤含水量季节变化不明显。MR与土壤温度和含水量均无显著相关性可能是季节变化对两者影响不明显的主要原因,但需要大量区域样本进一步证实。认为演替初期的灌丛比人工阔叶或针叶纯林更有利于土壤微生物群落的生长,土壤有机质积累较快,植被自然恢复是喀斯特退化土壤恢复初期更适合的徐径．