The Q value variations in the preparing pro－cess of rock rupture

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Sensitive response of desert vegetation to moisture change based on a near-annual resolution pollen record from Gahai Lake in the Qaidam Basin, northwest China

We present a 50-year pollen record at near-annual resolution from Gahai Lake in the Qaidam Basin on the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Chronology of a 22-cm short core was established by ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs analysis. The pollen results at 0.5 cm intervals show large changes in Artemisia/Chenopodiaceae (A/C) ratios from < 0.2 to 0.95 in the last 50 years. High (low) A/C ratios represent increase (decrease) in steppe pollen production, which correspond to high (low) relative humidity observed at nearby Delingha weather station. On the basis of good correspondence with instrumental records and carbonate content from Gahai Lake, we conclude that A/C ratio is sensitive to moisture change and can be a very useful index in reconstructing paleoclimate of arid regions. Comparison with pollen and snow accumulation data from Dunde ice core suggests that effective moisture at low and high elevations shows the opposite relationship when mountain precipitation was extremely high, possibly due to topography-induced uplifting and subsiding air dynamics.     

Photosynthetic performance,epiphyte biomass and nutrient content of two seagrass species in two areas with different level of nutrients along the Dar es Salaam coast

Heavy nutrient loads in coastal waters often lead to excessive growth of microalgal and macroalgal epiphytes on seagrass leaves, with varying effects on the underlying seagrasses. This study evaluates the photosynthetic performance, epiphytic biomass and tissue nutrient content of two tropical seagrasses, Cymodocea serrulata and Thalassia hemprichii, in two intertidal areas along the Dar es Salaam coast in the Indian Ocean, a nutrient-rich region at Ocean Road (near the city centre), and a nutrient-poor region at Mjimwema (south of the city centre). Epiphyte biomass was significantly higher at the nutrient-rich site, and epiphytes were associated with reduced photosynthetic performance in both seagrass species at both sites. Likewise, nitrogen and phosphorus tissue content was higher in both species at the nutrient-rich site than at the nutrient-poor site. Epiphytic species composition on the seagrass leaves varied between seagrass species and between sites. Cymodocea serrulata had a higher number of epiphytic species at Mjimwema than at Ocean Road, whereas Thalassia hemprichii had more epiphytic species at Ocean Road than at Mjimwema. Seagrass photosynthetic performance, epiphytic biomass and nutrient content of the seagrasses were shown to be affected by nutrient concentration in the water column. Thus, for the future monitoring of the seagrass meadow, we recommend the use of combined measures such as seagrass performance, epiphytic biomass, nutrient contents and nutrient concentration levels in the water column.     

Impact of protective shark nets on sea turtles in KwaZulu-Natal,South Africa, 1981–2008

Shark nets were established along the KwaZulu-Natal coast in 1952 to protect bathers against shark encounters. Sea turtle bycatch data for the period 1981–2008 in these shark nets indicated that loggerheads Caretta caretta were caught most frequently at 40.9 y^–1 or 1.11 km-net^–1 y^–1, followed by green turtles Chelonia mydas at 0.32 km-net^–1 y^–1 and leatherbacks Dermochelys coriacea at 0.14 km-net^–1 y^–1. Catch rate of loggerheads increased throughout the study period, and was positively correlated with the increase in the number of nesting females from the recovering population in Maputaland, South Africa (r = 0.52, p < 0.05, n = 28). This increase is ascribed to successful nest conservation. Leatherback bycatch remained stable, following their nesting trends, although they receive similar conservation efforts on nesting beaches as loggerheads. Bycatch of green turtles, although not a nesting species in South Africa, was stable over time. Mortality varied between species (from 53.2% to 70.6%) with loggerheads being the most hardy, followed by leatherbacks and green turtles. Few hawksbills Eretmochelys imbricata and olive ridleys Lepidochelys olivacea were caught in the shark nets. Fewer sea turtles are caught by shark nets than by longlines and because the nesting populations of loggerheads, green turtles and leatherbacks are either stable or increasing in the South-West Indian Ocean, shark net bycatch was considered negligible and sustainable.     

Nitrogen utilisation by size‐fractionated phytoplankton assemblages associated with an upwelling event off Westland,New Zealand

Abstract

Uptake rates of ammonium (NH₄ ⁺ ), nitrate (NO₃ ^? ), and urea by three subgroups of phytoplankton (< 200, < 20, < 2 μm) off Westland, were measured using ¹⁵ N tracer techniques in midwinter 1988, after a recent upwelling. For all size fractions at surface irradiance (I₁₀₀), nitrogen (N) was taken up primarily as NO₃ ^?. This accounted for 67–85% of total N uptake (SρN), whereas at 40 and 7% of surface irradiance, the regenerated N (NH₄ ⁺ ) and urea) made up 31–72% of SρN. Depth profile experiments for all three size components showed that uptake of NO₃ ^? was most light‐sensitive, followed by that of NH₄ ⁺ and urea. The irradiance and nutrient availability plot indicated that light was substantially more important than the nutrient concentrations in controlling the assimilation of N by microplankton (20–200 μm). Nano‐ (2–20 μm) and picoplankton (< 2 μm) however, were not as sensitive to either light or nutrient concentrations. High winds and the resulting deep mixing, combined with offshore and alongshore advection in the midwinter, were suggested to be the major cause of the low biomass and N productivity.     

Influence of salinity on permeability characteristics of marine sediments

Abstract

Laboratory tests were conducted on compacted marine sediments to study the effect of salt concentration of permeating fluid on its permeability characteristics. Deep sea sediment samples were collected from water depths varying from 3700 to 4500 m off Mauritius coast. Liquid limit and plasticity index varied widely from 45 to 75 and 10 to 35, respectively. Permeability was found at different void ratios with distilled water and 0.2, 0.4, and 0.8 N NaCl solutions as permeating fluid. It was found that permeability increases with an increase in salt concentration for a given void ratio. This is explained by diffused double layer theory. Also, the rate of increase in permeability decreases with increase in salt concentration. The effect of salt concentration seemed to be less at higher void ratios.     

Suction force below plate anchors in soft clay

The results of a number of laboratory model tests for the short‐term ultimate uplift capacity of a circular plate anchor embedded in saturated soft kaolinite and montmorillonite are presented. The tests were conducted with and without venting the bottom of the plate anchor in order to determine the variation of the suction force with embedment ratio. The variation of the suction force is presented in terms of the undrained shear strength of the clay and also the net ultimate uplift capacity.     

Understory and small trees contribute importantly to stemflow of a lower montane cloud forest

Stemflow (Sf) measurements in tropical rain and montane forests dominated by large trees rarely include the understory and small trees. In this study, contributions of lower (1‐ to 2‐m height) and upper (>2‐m height and <5‐cm diameter at breast height [DBH]) woody understory, small trees (5 < DBH < 10 cm), and canopy trees (>10‐cm DBH) to Sf per unit ground area (Sf_a) of a Mexican lower montane cloud forest were quantified for 32 days with rainfall (P) during the 2014 wet season. Rainfall, stemflow yield (Sf_y), vegetation height, density, and basal area were measured. Subsequently, stemflow funneling ratios (SFRs) were calculated, and three common methods to scale up Sf_y from individual trees to the stand level (tree‐Sf_y correlation, P‐Sf_y correlation, and mean‐Sf_y extrapolation) were used to calculate Sf_a. Understory woody plants, small trees, and upper canopy trees represented 96%, 2%, and 2%, respectively, of the total density. Upper canopy trees had the lowest SFRs (1.6 ± 0.5 Standard Error (SE) on average), although the lower understory had the highest (36.1 ± 6.4). Small trees and upper understory presented similar SFRs (22.9 ± 5.4 and 20.2 ± 3.9, respectively). Different Sf scaling methods generally yielded similar results. Overall Sf_a during the study period was 22.7 mm (4.5% of rainfall), to which the understory contributed 70.1% (15.9 mm), small trees 10.6% (2.4 mm), and upper canopy trees 19.3% (4.4 mm). Our results strongly suggest that for humid tropical forests with dense understory of woody plants and small trees, Sf of these groups should be measured to avoid an underestimation of overall Sf at the stand level.     

基于Copula理论的粗粒土渗透破坏临界水力比降估值

破坏水力比降是土体渗透稳定性分析和渗流控制的基础。以渗透变形试验为基础,分析了粗粒土临界水力比降与孔隙比、级配不均匀系数和曲率系数间的相关性。利用Copula理论适合建立多个非独立变量间联合分布函数的优点,构造了拟合粗粒土临界水力比降 、孔隙比e、级配不均匀系数 和曲率系数 间相关关系的最优Copula函数,并将其应用于粗粒土临界水力比降估值。结果表明：具有单参数的四维对称Archimedean Copula函数的Nelsen No 6为最优Copula函数。利用构造的最优Copula函数求条件概率,便可得到粗粒土临界水力比降估值的保证率,或者计算在一定保证率条件下临界水力比降估值。通过比较临界水力比降试验值与Copula理论方法、Terzaghi公式及刘杰公式估值,阐述了Copula理论的可靠性,为建立粗粒土临界水力比降与孔隙比及级配特征的多变量统计概率关系及临界水力比降估值提供了一种新途径。     

大湾铀矿田铀-镭平衡系数及迁移富集特征研究

从分析大湾铀矿田各矿床(点)的铀镭平衡系数变化特征出发,结合放射性同位素比值特征分析铀镭迁移富集行为,指出了各矿床(点)氧化带的深度,以了解各铀矿床(点)潜在的工业价值.