Priority sites and conservation gaps of wintering waterbirds in the Yangtze River floodplain

The Yangtze River floodplain is critical for migratory waterbirds along the East Asian-Australasian Flyway(EAAF). Greater awareness of its global importance is urgently needed to ensure waterbird populations remain in favourable conservation status, as well as the enhancement of wider wetland biodiversity within this region. The designation of protected wetland areas and building a green ecological corridor in the Yangtze floodplain is now becoming a critical issue of interest to the Chinese government. Priority sites in this area were identified based on the criteria used to identify sites that qualify as Wetlands of International Importance(Ramsar Sites) and Important Bird and Biodiversity Areas(IBAs) by using multi-source data. The results show that 140 of the sites surveyed are priority sites. The Importance Index(I) for the whole floodplain decreased slightly from 2001–2005 and an unbalanced distribution pattern is evident with Jiangxi and Hunan provinces significantly higher than the other provinces in the floodplain. Although more than 60% of the priority sites are currently located outside protected areas, the average Conservation Effectiveness Index(C) of the whole floodplain is 75.6%, which suggests the coverage of protected areas for most wintering waterbird population is reasonable. Conservation of the Yangtze River floodplain needs to be further strengthened due to declining waterbird abundances and the mismatch between the distribution of protected areas and their importance for wintering waterbirds. A comprehensive system for priority site identification and protection and scientific review is needed. Multi-sourced data from regular, systematic and coordinated monitoring of waterbird distribution and abundance across the EAAF, as well as national scale citizen science programmes are also critically important.     

Climbing‐ripple successions in turbidite systems: depositional environments,sedimentation rates and accumulation times

Climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination is most commonly deposited by turbidity currents when suspended load fallout and bedload transport occur contemporaneously. The angle of ripple climb reflects the ratio of suspended load fallout and bedload sedimentation rates, allowing for the calculation of the flow properties and durations of turbidity currents. Three areas exhibiting thick (>50 m) sections of deep‐water climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination deposits are the focus of this study: (i) the Miocene upper Mount Messenger Formation in the Taranaki Basin, New Zealand; (ii) the Permian Skoorsteenberg Formation in the Tanqua depocentre of the Karoo Basin, South Africa; and (iii) the lower Pleistocene Magnolia Field in the Titan Basin, Gulf of Mexico. Facies distributions and local contextual information indicate that climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination in each area was deposited in an ‘off‐axis’ setting where flows were expanding due to loss of confinement or a decrease in slope gradient. The resultant reduction in flow thickness, Reynolds number, shear stress and capacity promoted suspension fallout and thus climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination formation. Climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination in the New Zealand study area was deposited both outside of and within channels at an inferred break in slope, where flows were decelerating and expanding. In the South Africa study area, climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination was deposited due to a loss of flow confinement. In the Magnolia study area, an abrupt decrease in gradient near a basin sill caused flow deceleration and climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination deposition in off‐axis settings. Sedimentation rate and accumulation time were calculated for 44 climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination sedimentation units from the three areas using TDURE, a mathematical model developed by Baas et al. (2000) . For T_c divisions and T_bc beds averaging 26 cm and 37 cm thick, respectively, average climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination and whole bed sedimentation rates were 0·15 mm sec^?1 and 0·26 mm sec^?1 and average accumulation times were 27 min and 35 min, respectively. In some instances, distinct stratigraphic trends of sedimentation rate give insight into the evolution of the depositional environment. Climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination in the three study areas is developed in very fine‐grained to fine‐grained sand, suggesting a grain size dependence on turbidite climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination formation. Indeed, the calculated sedimentation rates correlate well with the rate of sedimentation due to hindered settling of very fine‐grained and fine‐grained sand–water suspensions at concentrations of up to 20% and 2·5%, respectively. For coarser grains, hindered settling rates at all concentrations are much too high to form climbing‐ripple cross‐lamination, resulting in the formation of massive/structureless S₃ or T_a divisions.     

The Chemistry of Niobium Mineralisation at Bayan Obo, Inner Mongolia, China: Constraints on the Hydrothermal Precipitation and Alteration of Nb-Minerals

As well as world class Fe and REE resources the Bayan Obo mineral deposits also hosts significant niobium resources(estimated as 2.2 Mt Nb with an average grade of 0.13 wt% Nb).Niobium in this study is primarily hosted in aeschynite-(Ce) and(Nd),but with subsidiary amounts of pyrochlore,fergusonite-(Ce),fersmite and columbite.Here we report on the paragenetic and textural setting of aeschynite,pyrochlore and fergusonite in the main ore bodies and in a carbonatite dyke.Niobium in a carbonatite sample is hosted in a phase tentatively(due to significant Ca,Mn and Ti contents) identified as fergusonite-(Ce).Aeschynite occurs overgrowing foliation in banded ores,in fractures and vugs in aegirine-rich rocks and in calcite veins.The composition in all settings is similar,but some examples in banded ores develop significant zonation in Y,Th and the REE,inferred to relate to buffering of halogen acid species to low levels by dissolution and fluoritisation of calcite,and the preferential precipitation of LREE from solution due to lower mineral solubility products compared to the HREE.Although lower in total concentration the ratios of REE in pyrochlore are similar to those of aeschynite and suggest the same metal source.The crystallisation of pyrochlore probably relates to growth in paragenetic settings where carbonates had already been eliminated and hence the buffering of F-species activities in the hydrothermal fluid was reduced.Both aeschynite and pyrochlore show evidence of alteration.Primary alteration of aeschynite resulted in leaching of A-site cations(Ca,REE,Th) and Nb,addition of Fe,and ultimately replacement by Ba-Ti phases(baotite and bafertisite).Secondary,metamictisation enhanced,possibly supergene alteration of pyrochlore resulted in hydration,leaching of A-site cations leading to the development of lattice vacancies and increases in Si.The presence of hydrothermal Nb resources at Bayan Obo suggests there may be potential for further Nb discoveries in the area,whilst the trends in element mobility during alteration have significant implications for the utility of A-B oxides as components of materials for immobilisation of radionuclides.     

G) Personalia

Abstract

This paper proposes a framework for identifying the parameters of a lumped routing model in small to medium sized catchments where lateral inflows can be large but poorly defined. In a first step, a priori estimates of the parameters are made based on topography, aerial photographs, flood marks and field surveys. In a second step, runoff data are analysed of reservoir release events and convective events where no rainfall in the direct catchments occurred. In a third step the routing model is calibrated to the results of hydrodynamic models for scenarios of different magnitudes. In a fourth step, these pieces of information are combined, allowing for soft expert judgement to be incorporated. In a fifth step, the routing parameters are fine tuned to observed flood events where lateral inflows are estimated by a rainfall—runoff model. The framework is illustrated by the Kamp flood forecasting system in Austria that has been in operational use since 2006.     

NWA 1152 and Sahara 00182: New primitive carbonaceous chondrites with affinities to the CR and CV groups

Abstract— We have investigated the mineralogy, petrography, bulk chemistry, and light element isotope composition of the ungrouped chondrites North West Africa (NWA) 1152 and Sahara 00182. NWA 1152 contains predominantly type 1 porphyritic olivine (PO) and porphyritic olivinepyroxene (POP) chondrules. Chondrule silicates are magnesium‐rich (Fo_{98.8 ± 1.2}, n = 36; Fs_{2.3 ± 2.1} Wo_{1.2 ± 0.3}, n = 23). Matrix comprises ?40 vol% of the sample and is composed of a micron sized silicate groundmass with larger silicate, sulfide, magnetite, and Fe‐Ni metal (Ni ?50 wt%) grains. Phyllosilicates were not observed in the matrix. Refractory inclusions are rare (0.3 vol%) and are spinel pyroxene aggregates or amoeboid olivine aggregates; melilite is absent from the refractory inclusions. Sahara 00182 contains predominantly type 1 PO chondrules, POP chondrules are less common. Most chondrules contain blebs of, and are often rimmed with, Fe‐Ni metal and sulfide. Chondrule phenocrysts are magnesium‐rich (Fo_{92.2 ± 0.6}, n = 129; Fs_{4.4 ± 1.8} Wo_{1.3 ± 1.1}, n = 16). Matrix comprises ?30 vol% of the meteorite and is predominantly sub‐micron silicates, with rare larger silicate gains. Matrix Fe‐Ni metal (mean Ni = 5.8 wt%) and sulfide grains are up to mm scale. No phyllosilicates were observed in the matrix. Refractory inclusions are rare (1.1 vol%) and melilite is absent. The oxygen isotope composition of NWA 1152 falls within the range of the CV chondrites with δ¹⁷O = ?3.43%0 δ¹⁸O = 0.70%0 and is similar to Sahara 00182, δ¹⁷O = ?3.89%0, δ¹⁸O = ?0.19%0 (Grossman and Zipfel 2001). Based on mineralogical and petrographic characteristics, we suggest NWA 1152 and Sahara 00182 show many similarities with the CR chondrites, however, oxygen isotopes suggest affinity with the CVs. Thus, neither sample can be assigned to any of the currently known carbonaceous chondrite groups based on traditionally recognized characteristics. Both samples demonstrate the complexity of inter‐ and intra‐group relationships of the carbonaceous chondrites. Whatever their classification, N WA 1152 and Sahara 00182 represent a source of relatively pristine solar system material.     

Ideal shocks in 2‐layer flow Part I: Under a rigid lid

Previous work on the classical problem of shocks in a 2‐layer density‐stratified fluid used either a parameterized momentum exchange or an assumed Bernoulli loss. We propose a new theory based on a set of viscous model equations. We define an idealized shock in two‐layer density stratified flow under a rigid lid as a jump or drop of the interface in which (1) the force balance remains nearly hydrostatic in the shock, (2) there is no exchange of momentum between the two layers except by pressure forces on the sloping interface, and (3) dissipative processes can be treated with a constant viscosity. We proceed in two steps. First, we derive a necessary condition for shock existence based on a requirement for wave steepening. Second, we formulate and solve a set of viscous model equations. Some results are the following: Shocks require strong layer asymmetry; one layer must be much faster and/or shallower than the other layer. The linearized equations describing the shock tails provide boundary conditions and a proof of shock uniqueness. It is possible to derive an analytical solution for weak shocks if the steepening condition is met. The weak shock solutions provide closed form expressions for the Bernoulli loss in each layer. Bernoulli losses are strongly concentrated in the expanding layer as the relative layer depth change is much larger in that layer. Bernoulli losses are independent of layer viscosity. A sudden cessation of shock existence is found for strong shocks when the possible end state migrates into the supercritical regime. Surprisingly, the new ideal shock theory compares well with a 2‐D, time‐dependent shallow water model (SWM) with a flux formulation, but with no viscous formulation. Both the Bernoulli drop and shock cessation condition agree quantitatively.