Amphipod-supported food web: Themisto gaudichaudii, a key food resource for fishes in the southern Patagonian Shelf

The trophic role of the hyperiid amphipod Themisto gaudichaudii in the southern Patagonian shelf food web was assessed from the analysis of stomach contents of the local fish assemblage. A total of 461 trawl samples were collected during seven seasonal cruises. A total of 17 out of 38 fish species were found to ingest T. gaudichaudii. This amphipod was a main prey item in five of these species, showing high values of alimentary index: Seriolella porosa (99.9%), Macruronus magellanicus (68.8%), Micromesistius australis (59.1%), Patagonotothen ramsayi (48.6%), and Merluccius hubbsi (10.9%). The contribution of T. gaudichaudii, in weight, to their summer diet was 60%, on average. This contribution was minimal in winter and maximal in summer. Fisheries studies have indicated that these five species, mainly M. magellanicus, account for almost 85% of the fish biomass in the area. Although the remaining 15% did not feed heavily on T. gaudichaudii, they are known to prey on the main hyperiid predators. Our study shows that T. gaudichaudii contributes greatly, both directly and indirectly, to supporting the fish community. We thus proposed that T. gaudichaudii plays a key role as a “wasp-waist” species in the sub-Antarctic region, similar to that of krill in Antarctic waters, channeling the energy flow and enabling a short and efficient food chain.     

西南印度洋中脊50°E基性超基性岩石地球化学特征及其成因初探

西南印度洋中脊是典型的慢速扩张洋中脊之一。对采自西南印度洋中脊50°E附近的7件玄武岩和蛇纹石化橄榄岩样品所作的分析表明,基性玄武岩类SiO2含量为43.72%～48.40%,TiO2含量较少,为1.14%～1.52%;MgO含量为5.96%～10.98%;TFe2O3含量为4.55%～5.2%;Mg#值为0.53～0.64,里特曼指数σ为2.34～20.10。微量元素Zr/Nb和Y/Nb比值为显示N-MORB的性质,但是其他微量元素的比值(Ba/Nb,Ba/Th,La/Nb,Nb/U,Nb/Pb)均不显示正常洋中脊玄武岩的特征,微量元素原始地幔标准化蛛网图显示强烈富集K和Pb,亏损Nb,稀土元素显示较为平缓的分配模式。超基性蛇纹石化橄榄岩的主量元素特征为SiO2为38.91～45.49;TiO2含量为0.02～0.28;MgO含量很高,为36.87～40.61,TFe2O3含量为2.82～3.91,Mg#值为0.92～0.94。微量元素中Ni,Cr的含量很高,原始地幔标准化蛛网图显示橄榄岩强烈富集K和Pb,Ba,Th,La,Ce,Ti中等程度富集,而亏损Nb,Sr。稀土元素总量较低,标准化曲线显示轻稀土元素富集模式。结合地球化学特征及前人研究资料分析认为,西南印度洋中脊的基性岩和超基性岩属同源性质,其原始地幔物质可能为部分正常洋中脊亏损地幔混染了陆壳或远洋沉积物的结果。     

河北省一次强对流天气机理分析

利用常规天气资料、气象自动站加密观测资料及乡镇加密雨量站资料、其它物理量资料及卫星云图资料等,对2009-06-08河北省的强降水及强对流天气进行了分析。研究表明,蒙古低涡携带强的正涡度平流和冷空气,为强对流天气提供了良好的动力条件;南风与偏东风急流为大暴雨提供了良好的水汽,同时,低涡底部的西北风急流与2支暖风急流汇合,为暴雨、冰雹、大风等强对流的形成提供了条件。暴雨落区处于低层次大值能量场的顶部,能量场剖面具有鞍形场结构,高层、低层具有大值能量,中层为中性结构,为深对流的发展提供了初始热力条件。自动气象站加密风场资料分析表明,长时间的中小尺度风场辐合增强了地面空气的辐合抬升,同时也是造成此次局地大暴雨的中尺度系统和触发条件。     

Does a one point sample adequately characterize the lake environment for paleoenvironmental calibration studies?

A major goal of paleolimnological studies is the quantification of past environmental conditions. This is accomplished by computing transfer functions relating organism assemblages to environmental factors. The environmental data are typically comprised of a point sample of water chemistry and other environmental parameters that are collected at the same time as a surface sediment sample. We explore whether the year of sampling of the environmental variables affects the parameterization of organism-environment relations, in particular chironomids, ostracodes and diatoms. Canonical correspondence analyses revealed that the year of sampling is of secondary importance when relating the organism assemblages to environmental variables, but only with the major explanatory variables. A chironomid-inferred bottom water temperature partial least squares transfer function revealed similar performance statistics between the years. Taxon optima and tolerances were computed for both years using weighted averaging, and the results are comparable. A paired t-test computed on the proxy-inferred bottom water temperature values indicated that the results between the 2 years are not statistically different. The results of this study provide guarded optimism that the methodology of estimating transfer functions as currently applied is not entirely determined by the particular year when the data were collected, although more case studies are needed.     

Dating of altered mafic intrusions by applying a zircon fission track thermochronometer to baked country rock,and implications for the timing of volcanic activity during the opening of the Japan Sea

Once a mafic intrusive rock has become altered, it is generally difficult to obtain a reliable intrusion age using conventional isotopic dating methods. To overcome this problem, this study used zircon fission track (ZFT) thermochronometry to determine the timing of crystallization of altered mafic intrusions. ZFT dating was carried out on samples of baked granite country rock adjacent to dolerite dikes (5–10 m thick) in the Takato area of central Japan. Three granite samples collected within 8 mm of a dike contact yielded consistent ZFT ages of 17–16 Ma, with confined track lengths indicative of the complete annealing of pre‐existing tracks by reheating due to dike intrusion. An older ZFT age was obtained for one granite sample collected within 20 mm of the contact, but confined track length measurements indicate that this is an incompletely reset age that lies between the ZFT age of the unbaked granitic country rocks (ca. 55 Ma) and the emplacement age of the dike. Petrographic examinations suggest that post‐intrusion hydrothermal activity did not influence the ZFT ages. We conclude that the 17–16 Ma ZFT age represents the emplacement age of the dikes. Our results show that ZFT dating of baked country rock is an effective tool for dating altered mafic intrusions, for which other dating techniques are not applicable. In the eastern part of Southwest Japan, dispersed volcanic activity occurred in the late Early to early Middle Miocene (18–15 Ma), and the volcanic belt extended into the forearc. This pulse of activity was possibly related to the injection of asthenospheric material into the trench‐side mantle wedge beneath the Japan arc. We also present young apatite fission track ages (ca. 4 Ma) that may reflect a Middle Miocene or later thermal event associated with local magmatic activity near the Takato area.     

民国时期滇西南地区三次强震补充调查

本文通过对民国时期发生在滇西南地区的1938年5月14日澜沧MS6.0级、1941年5月16日耿马MS7.0级和1941年12月26日澜沧MS7.0级3次地震历史资料的系统收集和整理,并在前人已有研究的基础上,通过现场采访和补充调查获得的新资料,修改和完善了这3次地震的等震线图和极震区范围,并结合该区地形地貌特征和断裂最新活动性研究结果,综合分析评述了其发震构造特征。结果表明,这3次强震发生在腾冲-澜沧新生地震带附近,分别与黑河断裂、南汀河断裂西支及澜沧断裂勐遮段的新活动密切相关。     

辽宁花坤头营子旋卷构造中侵入岩特征与构造演化的关系

花坤头营子侵入岩是花坤头营子旋卷构造的重要组成部分,共分出4个侵入体,分别为早石炭世辉绿岩、早三叠世闪长岩、中侏罗世二长花岗岩、早白垩世花岗斑岩,最晚还有一期流纹斑岩脉侵入.岩浆来源除早石炭世辉绿岩来自上地幔,余下几个序次来源于下地壳,并熔融了部分陆壳物质.以被动就位机制为特征.     

Multi-scale variation characteristics of polar vortex at 10 hPa in the Southern Hemisphere

By use of 1948-2007 NCEP/NCAR reanalysis monthly geopotential data, a set of circulation indices are defined to characterize the polar vortex at 10 hPa in the Southern Hemisphere, including area-(S), intensity-(P) and centre position-(λc , φc) indices. Sea-sonal variation, interannual anomalies and their possible causes of 10 hPa polar vortex in the Southern Hemisphere are analyzed by using these indices, the relationship between 10 hPa polar vortex strength and the Antarctic Oscillation are analyzed as well. The results show that: (1) the polar region at 10 hPa in the Southern Hemisphere is controlled by anticyclone (cyclone) from Dec. to Jan. (from Mar. to Oct.), Feb. and Nov. are circulation transition seasons. (2) Intensity index (P) and area index (S) of anticy-clone (cyclone) in Jan. (Jul.) show a significant spike in the late 1970s, the anticyclone (cyclone) enhances (weakens) from ex-tremely weak (strong) oscillation to near the climatic mean before a spike, anticyclone tends to the mean state from very strong oscillation and cyclone oscillates in the weaker state after the spike. (3) There is significant interdecadal change for the anticyclone center in Jan., while markedly interannual variation for cyclone center in July. (4) The ozone anomalies can cause the interannual anomaly of the polar anticyclone at 10 hPa in the Southern Hemisphere in Jan. (positive correlation between them), but it is not related to the polar cyclone anomalies. (5) There is notable negative correlation between the polar vortex intensity index P and the Antarctic Oscillation index (AAOI), thus AAOI can be represented by P.     

Potential land for plantation of Jatropha curcas as feedstocks for biodiesel in China

As a renewable energy,biofuel has attracted great attention in China and the rest of world.Concerned with the national food security,China recently has shifted its biofuel development priority from grain-based to non-grain-based biofuels,including forest-based biodiesel,since 2007.Jatropha curcas is one of major biodiesel feedstocks.However,there is rising debate on availability of land for expanding Jatropha curcas areas.The overall goal of this paper is to evaluate potential land for Jatropha curcas used ...     

高原低涡结构特征模拟与诊断的初步研究

利用二重嵌套的非静力中尺度数值模式MM5对2005年7月28—29日的一次高原低涡过程进行了数值模拟,并利用模拟结果对此次低涡的结构进行了初步分析。结果表明：MM5模式对此次低涡过程有较好的模拟能力,模拟出的位势高度场分布和涡度场结构与实况基本吻合。此次高原低涡具有同热带气旋相似的涡眼（空心）结构和暖心结构。在流场上,高原低涡在涡眼区下层表现为辐散下沉运动,上层为辐合上升运动;而在涡心四周下层表现为辐合上升运动,上层为辐散下沉运动;在涡度场上,高原低涡下层为正涡度区,上层为负涡度区。