Holocene climate of New England

Stratigraphic studies of pollen and macrofossils from six sites at different elevations in the White Mountains of New Hampshire demonstrate changes in the distributions of four coniferous tree species during the Holocene. Two species presently confined to low elevations extended farther up the mountain slopes during the early Holocene: white pine grew 350 m above its present limit beginning 9000 yr B.P., while hemlock grew 300–400 m above its present limit soon after the species immigrated to the region 7000 yr. B.P. Hemlock disappeared from the highest sites about 5000 yr B.P., but both species persisted at sites 50–350 m above their present limits until the Little Ice Age began a few centuries ago. The history of the two main high-elevation conifers is more difficult to interpret. Spruce and fir first occur near their present upper limits 9000 or 10,000 yr B.P. Fir persisted in abundance at elevations similar to those where it occurs today throughout the Holocene, while spruce became infrequent at all elevations from the beginning of the Holocene until 2000 yr B.P. These facts suggest a more complex series of changes than a mere upward shift of the modern environmental gradient. Nevertheless, we conclude that the minimum climatic change which would explain the upward extensions of hemlock and white pine is a rise in temperature, perhaps as much as 2°C. The interval of maximum warmth started 9000 yr B.P. and lasted at least until 5000 yr B.P., correlative with the Prairie Period in Minnesota.     

Metal binding capacity of northern European surface waters for Cd,Cu, and Pb

Total concentrations of and binding capacities for Cd, Cu, and Pb were measured in selected surface waters from northwestern Europe. Linear multiple regression predictive models explained 97, 93, and 96% of the observed variation in Cd, Cu and Pb binding capacities, respectively. The models constructed used (CO₂^3?) and (SO₂^2?) to predict Cd binding capacity, (OH^?) and (SO₄^2?) to predict Cu binding capacity and (OH^?), (CO₃^2?) and (SO₄^2?) to predict Pb binding capacity. Organic carbon was not significantly correlated with binding capacities for Cd, Cu, and Pb and was unimportant in explaining a significant amount of the variability in binding capacities for the metals of northern European surface waters. Thus, the effects of these organics on trace metal speciation can be ignored and predictive models of trace metal speciation constructed, using inorganic solubility equilibria only. Ratios of total Cd, Cu, and Pb concentrations to their respective binding capacities were much less than unity for all waters studied. Copper exhibited the greatest metal concentrations: binding capacity ratio in all waters investigated.     

Organic geochemistry of the 9.6 km Bertha Rogers No. 1. well,Oklahoma

Organic geochemical analyses of fine-grained rocks from the 9.590 km Bertha Rogers No. 1 well have been carried out: total organic carbon, Soxhlet extraction and silica gel chromatography, C₁₅₊ saturated and aromatic hydrocarbon gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, pyrolysis, kerogen analysis, X-ray diffraction and visual kerogen analysis.Rocks ranged in age from Permian to Ordovician; the well has an estimated bottom hole temperature of 225°C. Some data from this study are inconsistent with conventional theories concerning the generation and thermal destruction of hydrocarbons. For example, appreciable amounts of C₁₅₊ gas-condensate-like hydrocarbons are present in very old rocks currently at temperatures where current theory predicts that only methane and graphite should remain. Also, substantial amounts of pyrolyzable C₁₅₊ hydrocarbons remain on the kerogen in these deeply buried Paleozoic rocks. This suggests, at least in somes cases, that temperatures much higher than those predicted by current theory are required for generation and thermal destruction of hydrocarbons. The data from this well also suggest that original composition of organic matter and environment of deposition may have a much stronger influence on the organic geochemical characteristics of fine-grained sediments than has previously been ascribed to them. The results from this well, from other deep hot wells in which temperatures exceed 200°C, and from laboratory experiments, suggest that some of the basic concepts of the generation and maturation of petroleum hydrocarbons may be in error and perhaps should be reexamined.     

Composition of the Precambrian Llano Uplift,central Texas,U.S.A.

The Llano uplift exposes rocks of approximately 1000 m.y. age. The weighted average composition of the exposed crust is: 70.7% SiO₂; 0.35% TiO₂; 13.6% A1₂O₃; 3.4% total Fe as Fe₂O₃; 1.1% MgO; 2.6% CaO; 3.3% Na₂O; and 4.4% K₂O. This composition is similar to, but more potassic, than equivalent estimates for the Canadian shield.     

Eutrophication and some European waters of restricted exchange

Regions of Restricted Exchange (RREs) are an important feature of the European coastline. They are historically preferred sites for human settlement and aquaculture and their ecosystems, and consequent human use, may be at risk from eutrophication. The OAERRE project (EVK3-CT1999-0002) concerns ‘Oceanographic Applications to Eutrophication in Regions of Restricted Exchange’. It began in July 2000, and studies six sites. Four of these sites are fjords: Kongsfjorden (west coast of Spitzbergen); Gullmaren (Skagerrak coast of Sweden); Himmerfjärden (Baltic coast of Sweden); and the Firth of Clyde (west coast of Scotland). Two are bays sheltered by sand bars: Golfe de Fos (French Mediterranean); and Ria Formosa (Portuguese Algarve). Together they exemplify a range of hydrographic and enrichment conditions. The project aims to understand the physical, biogeochemical and biological processes, and their interactions, that determine the trophic status of these coastal marine RRE through the development of simple screening models to define, predict and assess eutrophication. This paper introduces the sites and describes the component parts of a basic screening model and its application to each site using historical data. The model forms the starting point for the OAERRE project and views an RRE as a well-mixed box, exchanging with the sea at a daily rate E determined by physical processes, and converting nutrient to phytoplankton chlorophyll at a fixed yield q. It thus uses nutrient levels to estimate maximum biomass; these preliminary results are discussed in relation to objective criteria used to assess trophic status. The influence of factors such as grazing and vertical mixing on key parameters in the screening model are further studied using simulations of a complex ‘research’ model for the Firth of Clyde. The future development of screening models in general and within OAERRE in particular is discussed. In addition, the paper looks ahead with a broad discussion of progress in the scientific understanding of eutrophication and the legal and socio-economic issues that need to be taken into account in managing the trophic status of RREs.     

Response of Soybean and Sorghum to Varying Spatial Scales of Climate Change Scenarios in the Southeastern United States

This study examines how uncertainty associated with the spatial scale of climate change scenarios influences estimates of soybean and sorghum yield response in the southeastern United States. We investigated response using coarse (300-km, CSIRO) and fine (50-km, RCM) scale climate change scenarios and considering climate changes alone, climate changes with CO₂ fertilization, and climate changes with CO₂ fertilization and adaptation. Relative to yields simulatedunder a current, control climate scenario, domain-wide soybean yield decreased by 49% with the coarse-scale climate change scenario alone, and by26% with consideration for CO₂ fertilization. By contrast, thefine-scale climate change scenario generally exhibited higher temperatures and lower precipitation in the summer months resulting in greater yield decreases (69% for climate change alone and 54% with CO₂fertilization). Changing planting date and shifting cultivars mitigated impacts, but yield still decreased by 8% and 18% respectively for the coarse andfine climate change scenarios. The results were similar for sorghum. Yield decreased by 51%, 42%, and 15% in response to fine-scaleclimate change alone, CO₂ fertilization, and adaptation cases, respectively– significantly worse than with the coarse-scale (CSIRO) scenarios. Adaptation strategies tempered the impacts of moisture and temperature stress during pod-fill and grain-fill periods and also differed with respect to the scale of the climate change scenario.     

Implications of a 24,000-Yr Palynological Record for a Younger Dryas Cooling and for Boreal Forest Development in Northeastern Siberia

A sediment core from Smorodinovoye Lake (SML), northeastern Siberia (area to the east of the Verkhoyansk Range) spanning the last 24,000 ¹⁴C yr indicates that vegetational and climatic changes in the upper Indigirka basin resemble those in eastern Siberia (Lena basin and westward). For example, maximum postglacial summer temperatures at SML probably occurred 6000–4000 ¹⁴C yr B.P., an age more in accordance with eastern than northeastern records. Larix arrived near the lake by 9600 ¹⁴C yr B.P., approximately when forests expanded in the east but ca. 1500 ¹⁴C yr later than forests were established in the neighboring upper Kolyma basin. Paleobotanical data further suggest that Larix possibly migrated southward from populations in the arctic lowlands of eastern Siberia and did not originate from interior refugia of the upper Kolyma basin. Although a Younger Dryas cooling has been noted in eastern Siberia, SML provides the first evidence from the northeast for a similar climatic reversal. Climatic variations seemingly have persisted between the Indigirka and Kolyma basins over at least the last 11,000 ¹⁴C yr, despite the proximity of the two drainages and the occurrence of major changes in boundary conditions (e.g., seasonal insolation, sea levels) that have influenced other regional climatic patterns.     

Felsic lavas or rheomorphic ignimbrites: is there a chemical distinction?

In the environment of felsic magma generation associated with continental flood basalt (CFB) provinces there is a close association between magma composition, phenocryst assemblage, temperature and eruption mechanism. In this paper we propose that by examining the chemical composition and, in particular the high field strength element (Zr and Nb) contents of the high silica rocks, we can identify those that contained halogen-rich volatiles and which degassed at different levels (deep versus shallow). The degassing depth has a direct influence on the type of eruption, with shallow degassing promoting explosive rather than effusive behaviour and consequentially the former is more likely to give rise to ignimbrites. Thus, we can infer likely eruption mechanisms, as high concentrations of F and Cl dramatically decrease magma viscosities and should favour deep degassing and hence promote lava effusion rather than explosive pyroclastic eruption. This hypothesis is tested by constraining the other possible variables which have an effect on the mode of eruption, and by examining the nature and composition of melt and fluid inclusions in quartz from CFB-associated felsic volcanic rocks.     

Mesozoic and Cenozoic reconstructions of the South Atlantic

The movement of Antarctica with respect to South America has a number of implications for paleocirculation as well as for the reconstructions of Gondwanaland. Recent papers on the Southwest Indian Ridge have published new or revised poles of opening for Africa and Antarctica which can be combined with the poles of opening between South America and Africa to give resultant motions between South America and Antarctica.The first indication of a complete closure between South America and the Antarctic Peninsula is at anomaly 28 time (64 Ma) as the two continents are now configured. Between anomaly 28 time (64 Ma) and anomaly M0 time (119 Ma) the amount of closure does not change greatly, and the small computed overlap can be explained by minor uncertainties in the rotation poles used for the reconstructions or some slight extension between East and West Antarctica. By 135 Ma some rotation or translation of the Antarctic Peninsula with respect to East Antarctica must be postulated in addition to any presumed extension between East and West Antarctica in order to avoid an overlap of South America with the Antarctic Peninsula.Having determined what we feel to be a viable reconstruction of Western Gondwanaland and holding South America fixed, we rotated Africa and Antarctica, with respect to South America, for eight different times during the past. Africa moved away from South America in a more or less consistent manner throughout the time period, closure to present, while Antarctica moved away from Africa in a consistent manner only between 160 Ma and 64 Ma. At 64 Ma its motion changed abruptly: it slowed its north-south motion with respect to Africa and began slow east-west extension with respect to South America. This change supports the hypothesis that a major reorganization of the triple junction between Africa, Antarctica and South America occurred between 60 and 65 Ma. The triple junction changed from ridge-ridge-ridge to ridge-fault-fault at the time of the major westward jump of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge just south of the Falkland-Agulhas Fracture Zone.The Mesozoic opening of the Somali Basin moved Madagascar from its presumed original position with Africa in Gondwanaland. The closure of Sri Lanka with India produces a unique fit for India and Sri Lanka with respect to Africa, Madagascar and Antarctica. This fit juxtaposes geological localities in Southeast India against similar localities in Enderhy Land. East Antarctica. The late Jurassic opening in the Somali Basin is tied to opening of the same age in the Mozambique Basin. Since this late Jurassic movement represents the initial break-up of Gondwanaland, it is assumed that similar movement must have occurred in what is now the western Weddell Sea and may also explain the opening evidenced by the Rocas Verdes region of southern South America.     

Reconstructed summer degree days in central Alaska and northwestern Canada since 1524

Three time series based on precisely dated annual tree-ring widths have been used to reconstruct June plus July degree days for the central Alaska and northwestern Canada region. The time series are the longest recently developed chronologies for the area and represent 57 core samples from 27 trees. The degree-day reconstruction, extending back to A.D. 1524, exhibits much year-to-year variation and extended warming and cooling trends including a general warming trend from about 1840 to 1960. The reconstruction is in agreement with some subaretic glacial information and with data of percentage melting from arctic ice cores. This and similar reconstructions can provide quantitative information to compare with general circulation and energy budget models for longer time periods than are available in recorded meteorological data.