Evaluation of the four potential Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) boundaries in the Nanxiong Basin based on evidences from volcanic activity and paleoclimatic evolution

Determining the location of the Cretaceous-Paleogene(K-Pg) boundary in terrestrial strata is highly significant for studying the evolution of terrestrial ecosystems at the end of the Cretaceous(especially the extinction of non-avian dinosaurs). At present, research on terrestrial K-Pg boundaries worldwide is concentrated in the middle and high latitudes, such as North America and Northeast China. Although many studies have also been carried out in the Nanxiong Basin, located at low latitudes(which has become the standard for dividing and comparing the continental K-Pg stratigraphy in China), many researchers have proposed four possible boundaries from different perspectives. Therefore, the exact location remains to be determined. In this study, the total mercury(Hg) content, environmental magnetism, geochemistry, and other parameters for the samples collected near the four boundaries were determined and compared with existing records. Results indicated that: 1) The total Hg content significantly increased in the upper part of the Zhenshui Formation and Pingling part of the Shanghu Formation with sharp fluctuations. As per latest dating results of Deccan Traps, the significantly high Hg value was attributed to the Deccan Traps eruption. Boundary 1 was located in the middle of the Hg anomaly interval, which was consistent with the relationship between the global K-Pg boundary and time of volcanic eruption. 2) The reconstructed paleoclimate evolution curve revealed that the red sediments in the basin recorded the late Maastrichtian warming event(66.2 Ma). Regarding the relationship between the four boundaries and this warming event, only boundary 1 was found to be closest to the real K-Pg boundary of the Nanxiong Basin.     

Sensitive and rapid detection of two toxic microalgae Alexandrium by loop-mediated isothermal amplification

A loop-mediated isothermal amplification (LAMP) assay was designed and evaluated for rapid detection of the toxic microalgae Alexandrium catenella and A. minutum, which can produce paralytic shellfish poisoning (PSP). Two sets of four specific primers targeting these two species were derived from the sequence of internal transcribed spacer (ITS) of ribosomal DNA. The method worked well in less than an hour under isothermal conditions of 65℃. LAMP specificity was validated in closely related algae as a comparison, suggesting the strict specificity of the LAMP primers. Two visual inspection approaches were feasible to interpret the positive or negative results. The detection limits of A. catenella and A. minutum samples using the LAMP assay were found to be 5.6 and 4.5 pg DNA, respectively. The sensitivity of this LAMP assay was 10 or 100-fold higher than Polymerase Chain Reaction (PCR) method in detecting the two microalgae. These characteristics of species specificity, sensitivity, and rapidity suggest that this method has the potentiality in the monitoring of red tide caused by A. catenella and A. minutum.     

The relationship between soft-bottom macrobenthic communities and environmental variables off Ningjin, eastern Shandong Peninsula

Macrobenthic infauna and associated environmental factors influencing the benthic community in the eastern coastal region of Shandong Peninsula were analyzed in four seasonal surveys from January 2007 to October 2007 (30 stations in winter, 20 stations in other three seasons), in order to understand the community structure and the factors unfluencing the benthic distribution. PRIMER 6.0 and SPSS 15.0 software packages were adopted to analyze the environmental and macrobenthic data. The results show that there were 260 macrobenthic species in total collected from the research region. The composition of species is:Polychaeta (94 species), Crustacea (75), Mollusca (56) and Echinoderm (12), among which, only 23 species were common species in the cruises of every season. The dominant species varied from season to season; however, the polychaete species Paralacydonia paradoxa Fauvel and Echinoderm species Amphioplus japonicus (Matsumoto) were always present year-round. The abundance and biomass of the macrobenthos in the research region were variable from season to season. The results of CLUSTER and MDS analysis show that the similarities of macrobenthic structures between the stations were low; most of the similarities were at about 30% of similarity value, only two stations were up to 70%. In accordance with the similarity values of the macrobenthic structures, we divided the 20 stations into five groups by arbitrary similarity level of 30%. The ABC curve indicates that the marcofauna communities in the research region had not been disturbed massively, except two stations, SB1 and SB3. Ecologically, benthos were controlled by a combination of factors such as salinity, phytoplankton, zooplankton, SiO₃-Si and temperature, and no single factor could be considered as an ecological master factor.     

Geochemical and Isotopic Techniques Constraints on the Origin, Evolution, and Residence Time of Low-enthalpy Geothermal Water in Western Wugongshan, SE China

Geothermal resources are increasingly gaining attention as a competitive, clean energy source to address the energy crisis and mitigate climate change. The Wugongshan area, situated in the southeast coast geothermal belt of China, is a typical geothermal anomaly and contains abundant medium- and low-temperature geothermal resources. This study employed hydrogeochemical and isotopic techniques to explore the cyclic evolution of geothermal water in the western Wugongshan region, encompassing the recharge origin, water–rock interaction mechanisms, and residence time. The results show that the geothermal water in the western region of Wugongshan is weakly alkaline, with low enthalpy and mineralization levels. The hydrochemistry of geothermal waters is dominated by Na-HCO3 and Na-SO4, while the hydrochemistry types of cold springs are all Na-HCO3. The hydrochemistry types of surface waters and rain waters are Na-HCO3 or Ca-HCO3. The δD and δ18O values reveal that the geothermal waters are recharged by atmospheric precipitation at an altitude between 550.0 and 1218.6 m. Molar ratios of major solutes and isotopic compositions of 87Sr/86Sr underscore the significant role of silicate weathering, dissolution, and cation exchange in controlling geothermal water chemistry. Additionally, geothermal waters experienced varying degrees of mixing with cold water during their ascent. The δ13C values suggest that the primary sources of carbon in the geothermal waters were biogenic and organic. The δ34S value suggests that the sulfates in geothermal water originate from sulfide minerals in the surrounding rock. Age dating using 3H and 14C isotopes suggests that geothermal waters have a residence time exceeding 1 kaBP and undergo a long-distance cycling process.     

差巴嘎蒿繁殖若干问题的探讨

差巴嘎蒿（Ａｒｔｅｍａｓｉａｈａｌｏｄｅｎｄｒｏｎ）营养繁殖的最佳材料是当年生带根基部营养枝；降水量是影响营养繁殖成活率的主导因子，栽植后５日内降水之和（ｘ）与成活率（ｙ）的相关系数为０．９７０１，回归方程为：ｙ＝３４．０２３６＋４１．０４６７１ｇｘ。营养繁殖应在有一定降水的条件下及时进行，最佳时间在６月中旬。不宜利用种子繁殖建立人工植被。     

河北坝上沙漠化土地综合整治优化模式

本文通过对河北丰宁坝上大滩村农业系统的环境条件、发展历史、结构现状及功能等的分析，针对存在的问题，提出了综合调整系统结构、提高系统功能的原则、对策及整治途径，建立了系统的优化模式并进行了效益分析。     

Ocean storage of nuclear wastes? Experiences from the Russian Arctic

An international demonstration (RD&D) project for ocean storage of radioactive wastes should be proposed, to study the feasibility of the concept of ocean storage of nuclear waste. This international project should utilize the scientific, engineering and technical capabilities of selected universities, oceanographic institutions, NGOs and industries. This project would need to be an independent (non-governmental) study, utilizing the capabilities of selected universities, oceanographic institutions, environmental NGOs (Non-Governmental Organizations) and industries. Scientists and engineers first need to conduct an engineering, environmental, and economic feasibility study of the concept. The goal of the project would be to determine if ocean-based storage reduced the risks to the environment and public health to a greater degree than land-based storage. This would require comparing the risks and factors involved and making the data and information available to anyone, anywhere, anytime on the internet. The mere presence of an investigation of the ocean storage option could facilitate scientific and engineering competition between the two options, could subsequently reduce environmental and public risks and provide better protection and cost benefits in the system utilized. One of the primary concerns of the scientific community would be related to the sensitivity and precision of the monitoring of individaul containers on the ocean bottom. An advantage of the land-based option is that if there is a release, its presence could be detected at very low levels and be contained in the storage facility. On the ocean bottom, a release from a container might not be easily detected due to dispersion. Therefore the containment system would have to be a system within a system with monitoring between the two providing greater protection. Ocean storage may have greater technical and political hurdles than land-based options, but it may provide greater protection over time, because it negates the threat of terrorism, it therefore merit further study. In the future if the use of nuclear energy and nuclear wastes increases, the global society could benefit from this international project, because it could reduce environmental and public health risks and promote energy independence.     

Managing coastal bathing water quality: the contribution of microbiology and epidemiology

The EU Bathing Water Directive with a life of 25 years (EEC, 1976) has contributed significantly to the improvement of the quality of coastal recreational waters throughout Europe and has successfully protected public health. Improvement of the standards of living and general public demands has made it necessary to consider updating it (EU, 1994) introducing important changes in microbiological parameters. Measurement of microbial pollution is of primary importance to this new proposal, as is to the regulatory schemes introduced by the very recent 'Annapolis Protocol' (WHO/US EPA, 1999). This report discusses the microbiological aspects of the health-related management of bathing seawater in the context of the scientific information available from epidemiological and microbiological studies.