Snow cover variation and streamflow simulation in a snow-fed river basin of the Northwest Himalaya

Snowmelt is an important component of any snow-fed river system.The Jhelum River is one such transnational mountain river flowing through India and Pakistan.The basin is minimally glacierized and its discharge is largely governed by seasonal snow cover and snowmelt.Therefore,accurate estimation of seasonal snow cover dynamics and snowmeltinduced runoff is important for sustainable water resource management in the region.The present study looks into spatio-temporal variations of snow cover for past decade and stream flow simulation in the Jhelum River basin.Snow cover extent(SCE) was estimated using MODIS(Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectrometer) sensor imageries.Normalized Difference Snow Index(NDSI) algorithm was used to generate multi-temporal time series snow cover maps.The results indicate large variation in snow cover distribution pattern and decreasing trend in different sub-basins of the Jhelum River.The relationship between SCE-temperature,SCE-discharge and discharge-precipitation was analyzed for different seasons and shows strong correlation.For streamflow simulation of the entire Jhelum basin Snow melt Runoff Model(SRM) used.A good correlation was observed between simulated stream flow and in-situ discharge.The monthly discharge contribution from different sub-basins to the total discharge of the Jhelum River was estimated using a modified version of runoff model based on temperature-index approach developed for small watersheds.Stream power - an indicator of the erosive capability of streams was also calculated for different sub-basins.     

Sedimentary Precambrian deposits in southwestern Transbaikalia (Siberia): phytoliths content, lateral correlations and geodynamics

The Baikal Group is one of the most important stratigraphic units in the geology of East Siberia (Upper Riphean). This paper focuses on litological-facies features based on the analysis of organic remains (stromatolites, microphitolites and microfossils), in order to better precise the age and environmental deposit conditions of the Baikal Group. The results are used to draw a correlation between all the Precambrian of deposits of the South of East Siberia. The stratigraphy of the Baikal Group is then compared to the geodynamic evolution of this region, characterized by the break-up of the supercontinent Rodinia and subsequent opening of the Paleo-Asian Ocean. Stratigraphic analogs to the Baikal Group display in most areas deposits of various minerals (complex ores, phosphoresces, bauxites etc. have been dated of the same age), so the present study would also provides an economic interest.     

Seasonal changes in Porteresia coarctata (Tateoka) beds along a subtropical coast

Shoot density, standing crop (above- and below-ground biomass) and habitat of salt marsh grass Porteresia coarctata were investigated along the coast of Bakkhali estuary, Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh from January to December 2006. Shoot density of P. coarctata was influenced by season and was found to be higher (>2 500 shoots/m 2 ) in post-monsoon and minimal in monsoon season; plants were particularly active in vegetative propagation during pre-monsoon. Above-ground biomass was greater along the protected coast compared with the exposed one in this estuary. Below-ground biomass was higher (7.75-269.53 g DW/m 2 ) than that above ground (2.20-114.75 g DW/m 2 ). Standing crops of P. coarctata showed a negative relationship (R=-0.77; P<0.05) with sedimentation rate, while seasonal activity influenced sedimentation. The recorded sedimentation rate was lower (6.09 mg/(cm 2 ·d)) in pre-monsoon and highest (14.55 mg/(cm 2 ·d)) in monsoon season. The mean value of pore water salinity was higher (34.25±5.05) during post-monsoon and lowest (18.0±3.71) in monsoon season. The soil was sandy clay in this P. coarctata bed; it consisted of 86% sand, 13% clay and 1% silt. Soil organic matter dropped during the monsoon season (0.78%-0.67%) and was highest ((2.17±1.42)%-(2.3±1.47)%) during post-monsoon, probably owing to accumulation of decomposed peat on the marsh surface. The mean pore water NH 4 -N concentration ranged from 2.44±1.65 to 3.33±1.82 μg/L, with a minimum air temperature of 22.09°C in post-monsoon and a maximum of 31.16°C in pre-monsoon. Variations of physico-chemical parameters in the soil, water, and climate governed biological parameters of P. coarctata in the Bakkhali estuary, and were comparable with estuarine environments elsewhere.     

NH4+ enrichment and UV radiation interact to affect the photosynthesis and nitrogen uptake of Gracilaria lemaneiformis (Rhodophyta)

Solar ultraviolet radiation (UVR, 280-400 nm) is known to inhibit the photosynthesis of macroalgae, whereas nitrogen availability may alter the sensitivity of the algae to UVR. Here, we show that UV-B (280-315 nm) significantly reduced the net photosynthetic rate of Gracilaria lemaneiformis. This inhibition was alleviated by enrichment with ammonia, which also caused a decrease in dark respiration. The presence of both UV-A (315-400 nm) and UV-B stimulated the accumulation of UV-absorbing compounds. However, this stimulation was not affected by enrichment with ammonia. The content of phycoerythrin (PE) was increased by the enrichment of ammonia only in the absence of UVR. Ammonia uptake and the activity of nitrate reductase were repressed by UVR. However, exposure to UVR had an insignificant effect on the rate of nitrate uptake. In conclusion, increased PE content associated with ammonia enrichment played a protective role against UVR in this alga, and UVR differentially affected the uptake of nitrate and ammonia.     

Long term monitoring of photosystem II herbicides--correlation with remotely sensed freshwater extent to monitor changes in the quality of water entering the Great Barrier Reef, Australia

Photosystem II (PSII) herbicides are used in large quantities on agricultural lands adjoining the Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Routine monitoring at 14 sites in inshore waters of the GBR using passive sampling techniques detected diuron (32-94% of sampling periods) at maximum concentrations of 1.7-430ng L(-1) in the relatively pristine Cape York Region to the Mackay Whitsunday Region, respectively. A PSII herbicide equivalent (PSII-HEq) index developed as an indicator for reporting was dominated by diuron (average contribution 89%) and typically increased during the wet season. The maximum PSII-HEq indicates the potential for photosynthetic inhibition of diatoms, seagrass and coral-symbionts. PSII herbicides were significantly positively correlated with remotely sensed coloured dissolved organic matter, a proxy for freshwater extent. Combining these methods provides for the first time the potential to cost-effectively monitor improvements in water quality entering the GBR with respect to exposure to PSII herbicides.     

Chronic herbicide exposures affect the sensitivity and community structure of tropical benthic microalgae

The effects of prolonged exposure to low concentrations of herbicides on tropical periphyton (biofilm) communities are largely unknown. Tropical estuarine biofilms established in microcosms were therefore exposed to diuron (photosystem-II-inhibitor) at 2-16μg L(-1) for 4 weeks. The biofilms, consisting of diatoms, filamentous brown algae and cyanobacteria, developed a tolerance to diuron during this period as measured by Phyto-PAM fluorometry. Microscopy and pigment analysis revealed that this decrease in sensitivity was accompanied by a shift in species composition towards communities dominated by diatoms. The combination of techniques enabled the first identification of pollution-induced community tolerance (PICT) in tropical estuarine periphyton in response to chronic herbicide exposures. Community composition changed compared to controls at environmentally relevant concentrations of 1.6μg L(-1), while development of PICT was evident at 6.5μg L(-1) diuron, with no recovery (over 2 weeks) in uncontaminated water, indicating chronic pollution induced shifts in community structure.     

漏阈值系统的自组织临界性: 近平均场的动力学影响及其对地震、神经生物学和预测方面的意义

阈值系统被看作是自然界中某些最重要的非线性自组织系统,包括地震断层系统、神经网络、超导和半导体、互联网以及政治、社会和生态系统。所有这些系统都具有与时、空、强相关的动力学,且都典型地显示了时空尺度的多重性。我们在两种不同尺度上讨论地震阈值系统自组织的物理学问题：(1)“微观”的实验室尺度,来自模拟结果的考虑导致了动力学方程,这些方程可以推导从滑动实验中得到的结果;(2)“宏观”的地震断层系统尺度,强相关地震断层系统的物理学可以通过应用定义在希尔伯特本征态空间有关的态向量来理解。所有的这些系统中,长程相关导致局部各态历经动力学的存在。耗损效应的存在导致了“漏阈值”动力学的出现,它等同于一个控制与背景涨落尺度有关的成核事件尺度的新的标度场的出现。在宏观地震断层尺度的框架下,这些作为一种预报未来地震活动方法的观念显示出了比较大的希望。     

The Changing Cold Regions Network:Observation,diagnosis and prediction of environmental change in the Saskatchewan and Mackenzie River Basins,Canada

Climate change is causing rapid and severe changes to many Earth systems and processes,with widespread cryospheric,ecological,and hydrological impacts globally,and especially in high northern latitudes.This is of major societal concern and there is an urgent need for improved understanding and predictive tools for environmental management.The Changing Cold Regions Network(CCRN)is a Canadian research consortium with a focus to integrate existing and new experimental data with modelling and remote sensing products to understand,diagnose,and predict changing land,water,and climate,and their interactions and feedbacks over the geographic domain of the Mackenzie and Saskatchewan River Basins in Canada.The network operates a set of 14 unique and focused Water,Ecosystem,Cryosphere and Climate(WECC)observatories within this region,which provide opportunities to observe and understand processes and their interaction,as well as develop and test numerical simulation models,and provide validation data for remote sensing products.This paper describes this network and its observational,experimental,and modelling programme.An overview of many of the recent Earth system changes observed across the study region is provided,and some local insights from WECC observatories that may partly explain regional patterns and trends are described.Several of the model products being developed are discussed,and linkages with the local to international user community are reviewed—In particular,the use of WECC data towards model and remote sensing product calibration and validation is highlighted.Some future activities and prospects for the network are also presented at the end of the paper.