Dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its carbon isotopic composition in sediment pore waters from the Shenhu area,northern South China Sea

The Shenhu area is one of the most favorable places for the occurrence of gas hydrates in the northern continental slope of the South China Sea. Pore water samples were collected in two piston cores (SH-A and SH-B) from this area, and the concentrations of sulfate and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) and its carbon isotopic composition were measured. The data revealed large DIC variations and very negative δ ¹³C-DIC values. Two reaction zones, 0–3 mbsf and below 3 mbsf, are identified in the sediment system. At site SH-A, the upper zone (0–3 mbsf) shows relatively constant sulfate and DIC concentrations and δ ¹³C-DIC values, possibly due to bioturbation and fluid advection. The lower zone (below 3 mbsf) displays good linear gradients for sulfate and DIC concentrations, and δ ¹³C-DIC values. At site SH-B, both zones show linear gradients, but the decreasing gradients for δ ¹³C-DIC and SO₄ ²⁻ in the lower zone below 3 mbsf are greater than those from the upper zone, 0–3 mbsf. The calculated sulfate-methane interface (SMI) depths of the two cores are 10.0 m and 11.1 m, respectively. The depth profiles of both DIC and δ ¹³C-DIC showed similar characteristics as those in other gas hydrate locations in the world oceans, such as the Blake Ridge. Overall, our results indicate an anaerobic methane oxidation (AMO) process in the sediments with large methane flux from depth in the studied area, which might be linked to the formation of gas hydrates in this area.     

Food web structure of two Mediterranean lagoons under varying degree of eutrophication

The food web structure and functioning of two north-western Mediterranean lagoons exhibiting contrasting degrees of eutrophication and marine influences were compared through δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N analysis of major potential food sources and consumers. The Lapalme Lagoon is well preserved and has kept a natural and temporary connection with the open sea. Conversely, the Canet Lagoon is heavily eutrophicated and its water exchange with the open sea has been artificially reduced. In Lapalme, all potential food sources and consumers exhibited δ¹⁵N values indicative of pristine coastal areas. Suspended particulate organic matter (POM) and sediment organic matter (SOM) pools seemed to constitute the main food sources of most primary consumers. Both primary producers and all consumers were much more ¹⁵N-enriched (by  10‰) and more ¹³C-depleted in Canet than in Lapalme. This reflected: (1) the assimilation of important amounts of anthropogenic nitrogen in the food web, and (2) a marked and uniform influence of ¹³C-depleted allochtonous sources of carbon. Based on the mean δ¹⁵N of primary consumers, we found rather similar food web lengths in both lagoons with top consumers at trophic levels 3.6 and 4.0 in Canet and Lapalme, respectively. However, the eutrophication of the Canet Lagoon resulted in a simplification of the food web structure (i.e., a single trophic pathway from a ¹⁵N-enriched fraction of the SOM pool to top predators) compared to what was observed in Lapalme Lagoon where additional ¹³C-enriched food sources played a significant trophic role. Moreover, some consumers of Canet tended to exploit primary producers to a larger extent (and thus to exhibit lower trophic levels) than in Lapalme.     

Stable isotope ratios in Cape gannets around the southern coasts of Africa reveal penetration of biogeographic patterns in oceanic signatures

The southern coasts of Africa are influenced by two major oceanic currents, leading to biogeographic patterns in inshore and offshore species assemblages, and in the stable isotope signatures of suspended particulate matter and filter-feeding mussels. We used the stable isotope ratios of carbon (¹³C/¹²C) and nitrogen (¹⁵N/¹⁴N) from the blood and feathers of adult and chick Cape gannets (Morus capensis) to investigate whether the geographic differences observed at the lower levels in the marine communities are deep penetrating effects that reach top predators. Additionally, we evaluated whether trophic segregation occurs between adult and reared chick gannets, and whether a shift to wintering habitat occurs in adults. The study was conducted during the 2006 breeding season on Bird Island in the Agulhas system, and on Malgas and Ichaboe Islands, in the south and north Benguela respectively. Our results showed significant differences in the isotope ratios of members of different colonies, but no intra-colony differences between tissues or age groups. These results indicate that there is neither age-related nor temporal segregation in the diet of members of the same colony. Feather isotopic values suggest that adults remain all year round in the same habitats, and do not undertake long migration after reproduction. Since all gannets tend to target similar prey, we attributed among-colony differences in isotope signatures mostly to the oceanic conditions experienced by the main prey of birds rather than substantial differences in diet composition. Overall, isotopic signatures segregate the two current systems, with depleted carbon values in the Agulhas and enriched nitrogen values in the upwelled waters of the Benguela. Within the Benguela birds from Ichaboe in the north had higher δ¹⁵N values than those from Malgas in the south, which we attributed to differences in the functioning of the upwelling cells in the vicinity of the two colonies. Finally, slight variation in the proportion of main prey and discards from fisheries may contribute to the variation in the stable-isotope signatures between colonies in the Benguela.     

赣江上游河流水化学的影响因素及DIC来源

对赣江上游38 处水体采样点的水化学特征和溶解无机碳稳定同位素的分析, 发现其总溶解质浓度较低, 其中, 阳离子以Na⁺、Ca²⁺ 为主, 阴离子以Cl^- 和HCO₃ ^- 为主, Si 的浓度较高, 表征了典型硅酸盐地区河流的水化学组成特征。通过海盐校正分析得出, 研究区大气降水对河水溶解质的贡献率为11.5%, 扣除降水的贡献部分, 利用主成分分析的方法, 计算得出赣南流域受硅酸盐岩风化作用强烈, 同时由于受附近盐矿的影响, 蒸发盐岩的风化作用显著。另外, 根据δ¹³C 溶解无机碳DIC 的测量值约为-8.35‰~-13.74‰, 平均为-11.65‰, 利用质量平衡计算得出, 研究区DIC 的主要来源, 约68.5%来自于土壤CO₂, 31.5%来自于碳酸盐矿物的溶解, 进而得出流域岩石化学风化过程消耗的土壤CO₂ 为2.11×105 mol/yr·km², 来自碳酸盐本身的HCO₃ ^-含量为9.6×104 mol/yr·km²。由于地理位置和流域环境以及人为因素的差异, 各支流DIC 来源的比例亦有所差异。     

Application of a Bayesian model to infer the contribution of coalbed natural gas produced water to the Powder River,Wyoming and Montana

The Powder River Basin (PRB) of Wyoming and Montana contains significant coal and coal bed natural gas (CBNG) resources. CBNG extraction requires the production of large volumes of water, much of which is discharged into existing drainages. Compared to surface waters, the CBNG produced water is high in sodium relative to calcium and magnesium, elevating the sodium adsorption ratio (SAR). To mitigate the possible impact this produced water may have on the quality of surface water used for irrigation, the State of Montana passed water anti‐degradation legislation, which could affect CBNG production in Wyoming. In this study, we sought to determine the proportion of CBNG produced water discharged to tributaries that reaches the Powder River by implementing a four end‐member mixing model within a Bayesian statistical framework. The model accounts for the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ¹³C_DIC, [Sr] and [DIC] of CBNG produced water and surface water interacting with the three primary lithologies exposed in the PRB. The model estimates the relative contribution of the end members to the river water, while incorporating uncertainty associated with measurement and process error. Model results confirm that both of the tributaries associated with high CBNG activity are mostly composed of CBNG produced water (70–100%). The model indicates that up to 50% of the Powder River is composed of CBNG produced water downstream from the CBNG tributaries, decreasing with distance by dilution from non‐CBNG impacted tributaries from the point sources to ~10–20% at the Montana border. This amount of CBNG produced water does not significantly affect the SAR or electrical conductivity of the Powder River in Montana. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Pyrolysis of immature Torbanite and of the resistant biopolymer (PRB A) isolated from extant alga Botryococcus braunii. Mechanism of formation and structure of torbanite

Immature Torbanite and the resistant biopolymer (PRB A) isolated from extant B. braunii were previously compared using bulk spectroscopic methods. In the present work, analysis of 400°C pyrolysis products and pyrolysis residues provided further information on their structure and possible relationships. It appears that such polymers are based upon unbranched, saturated, cross-linked hydrocarbon chains up to C₃₁. In addition to these bridging structures, a substantial part of the alkyl chains is singly bound, as esters of unbranched, saturated or cis unsaturated, even fatty acids. These esters are sterically protected, against chemical degradations, by the network of the bioand geopolymer.Quantitative and qualitative observations derived from 400°C pyrolysis confirm that the chemical structure of PRB A and immature Torbanite are closely related. The pyrolysis residues show a similar evolution and numerous common features are noted, with respect to the nature and the distribution of the major constituents of the pyrolysates (hydrocarbons and fatty acids). Accordingly, Botryococcus provides what seems to be the first example of a close structural relationship between a biopolymer produced in large amounts by an extant alga and the geopolymer of an immature kerogen. The essential role of PRB A in Torbanite formation is ascertained. Moreover, it is found that the resistant biopolymer does not undergo important structural changes during the first stages of diagenesis. Thus, owing to steric protection, the esters of immature Torbanite show a distribution quite close to the one of PRB A esters, with exclusively even constituents and a large contribution of unsaturated acids.Recent observations pointed to the possible genesis of some algal kerogens principally by selective preservation of resistant macromolecules. Such a type of formation is clearly predominant in Torbanite, where the bulk of the fossil organic matter corresponds to a selectively preserved and weakly altered, resistant biopolymer, while incorporation of lipids into the kerogen structure during diagenesis seems to play a minor role.     

莺－琼盆地YA13－1气田热流体活动与有机／无机成岩响应

根据钻井中途测试（ＤＳＴ）、重复地层测试（ＲＦＴ）、镜质体反射率（Ｒ０）、流体包裹体分析和粘土矿物Ｘ射线衍射全定量分析等综合研究发现，莺－琼盆地ＹＡ１３－１气田存在４期热流体活动；南侧的崖南地区和西侧的莺歌海盆地是其两个重要的热流体物质源和动力源；多期热流体活动在ＹＡ１３－１地区不仅造成热异常和物质迁移，而且还引起了不同的有机／无机成岩响应，如骨架颗粒的多期溶蚀作用、至少两期的次生加大作用、粘土矿物转化和有机质热成熟作用异常。第二、第三期热流体因出溶作用形成ＹＡ１３－１气田大规模的天然气聚集。     

中国西北C-3植物的碳同位素组成与年降雨量关系初探

 本文对不同年降雨量环境下生长的藜、独行菜、魁蓟和平车前这4种常见C-3植物的δ¹³C进行了分析,发现这4种C-3植物的δ¹³C组成都表现出随年降雨量减少而变重的趋势,其中藜和独行菜的碳同位素组成对降水变化的响应相对要较其它2种植物强烈得多。藜、独行菜和魁蓟的δ¹³C组成与年降雨量有显著的线性关系,平车前碳同位素组成与年降雨量没有显著的相关性,表明藜、独行菜和魁蓟的δ¹³C组成可作为年降雨量的替代性指标,平车前的δ¹³C组成不能作为年降水的替代性指标。     

环境中Al13的研究进展

铝的水解反应及其水解聚合铝形态的研究，特别是具有Keggin结构的Al13聚合形态一直是地球化学、环境科学、形态分析以及生物毒理学等众多领域的研究热点之一。综述了近20年来Al13的分析方法、形成和转化机制、影响因素以及动力学方面研究的进展。     

天目山柳杉树轮δ13C对华东地区降水序列的重建

对采自天目山的柳杉树轮进行交叉定年后,得到树轮的δ¹³C年序列。将δ¹³C年序列去除大气CO₂的影响,保留其高频振荡部分。利用华东地区部分气象站的降水资料,通过主成份分析,分析了降水与树轮δ¹³C之间的关系。考虑滞后效应,利用回归方法重建了过去一百多年来的华东地区不同时段的降水序列,并分析其变化特征。