A semi‐distributed parallel‐type linear reservoir rainfall‐runoff model and its application in Taiwan

The main purpose of this paper is to introduce a semi‐distributed parallel surface rainfall‐runoff conceptual model. In this paper, a general solution of the instantaneous unit hydrograph (IUH) has been derived successfully for N linearly connected reservoirs, each having a different storage constant. The solution is a function of geomorphologic parameters, meteorologic factors and roughness coefficients. The model also takes into account the hydrologic response which is influenced by outflow downstream of a reservoir. For calibration, the shuffled complex evolution (SCE) algorithm is used to search for the global optimal parameters of the model. Because of the parallel structure, the mean roughness parameter of the channel becomes a “conceptual” parameter without a real physical meaning. To evaluate the adaptability of the model adopted, three watersheds around the city of Taipei in Taiwan were chosen to test the effectiveness of the model. The study provides an appropriate rainfall‐runoff model for planning flood mitigation in Taiwan. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

East Asia winter monsoon variations on a millennial time‐scale before the last glacial–interglacial cycle

Grain size and magnetic susceptibility measurements on samples from a typical loess–palaeosol sequence on the central Chinese Loess Plateau are used to reconstruct the Pleistocene East Asian monsoon climate. The coarse‐grained fraction, i.e. the weight percentage > 30 μm of the bulk grain‐size distribution, is used as a sensitive proxy index of the East Asia winter monsoon strength. On the basis of an absolute time‐scale, time‐series variations of this proxy show that winter monsoon strengths varied on millennial time‐scales during the periods 145–165, 240–280, 320–350, 390–440, 600–640, 860–890, 900–930 and 1330–1400 kyr BP. The wavelength of these climatic oscillations varied between 1.89 and 4.0 kyr, as is shown by spectral analysis using the multitaper method. Although numerical simulation experiments show that high frequencies also can arise from measurement errors in the grain‐size analysis, the frequencies prove to be sufficiently stable when the spectral analysis is repeated with a different number of tapers. For the time being, we do not correlate these climatic oscillations with palaeoclimatic records in the North Atlantic deep‐sea sediments because both time‐scales need to be further improved. Our data, however, certainly demonstrate that millennial‐scale East Asian winter monsoon variations in the last 1.4 million years can be detected from terrestrial loess records. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Geological evidence for neotectonic activity during deglaciation of the southern Sperrin Mountains,Northern Ireland

In the southern Sperrin Mountains, Northern Ireland, stacked glacigenic sequences that accumulated during deglaciation (ca. 17000–13000 yr BP) overlie a basement of jointed and mascerated bedrock. The glacigenic sequences comprise interbedded glaciotectonic shears, diamictic breccias and rock rafts. At one site a normal fault with a metre‐scale vertical displacement cuts through part of the sequence and is overlain by a glacial diamict. Sediments at an adjacent site show that faulting and associated hydrothermal activity was related to neotectonic reactivation of pre‐existing Caledonian lineaments caused by ice unloading. From stratigraphical and directional evidence, fault reactivation occurred early in the deglaciation after north central Ireland ice had retreated southwards into lowland areas, but before Sperrin Mountain ice readvanced from the north. This relationship provides evidence for the relative timing of neotectonic activity in Northern Ireland, and demonstrates the effects of glacio‐isostatic unloading near ice‐sheet centres. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coleopteran evidence for a mosaic of environments at high altitude in the eastern Pyrénées,France, during the climatic transition between the Allerød and Younger Dryas

Late‐glacial environmental and climatic implications are inferred from an insect fauna from organic sediments infilling a palaeochannel on the banks of the River Têt, eastern Pyrénées, France. A pine cone in association with the insect fauna has been radiocarbon dated to 10 920 ± 60 yr BP, namely close to the Allerød – Younger Dryas boundary. Two distinct insect associations appear to be recognisable here. One is an assemblage typical of the high altitude forest and a second is characteristic of an alpine grassland. The close coexistence of these two assemblages is attributed to the climatic cooling towards the start of the Younger Dryas Stadial, when the forest cover broke up into remnant patches interspersed by alpine grassland. It is suggested that in a region of such high relief a mosaic of habitats may have been caused by patchy differences in insolation aspect, especially during a period of climatic deterioration. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Nitrifying and Denitrifying Bacteria in Epiphytic Communities of Submerged Macrophytes in a Treated Sewage Channel

A quantification of nitrifying and denitrifying bacteria present in different compartments (water, sediments, submerged macrophytes) of a treated sewage channel was made to estimate their influence on the nitrogen balance and to assess the significance of macrophytes for nitrification and nitrogen conversions in general. Considerable numbers of autotrophic and heterotrophic nitrifying and denitrifiying bacteria were found to be present in the epiphytic communities of different species of submerged macrophytes of a treated sewage channel. Comparing the influence of the different compartments on total stream nitrification and denitrification it could be concluded that dense beds of submerged macrophytes particularly positively influence nitrification. Epiphytic nitrifiers were estimated to be as important for the total nitrification as nitrifiers in the sediment. Denitrification was mainly taking place in the sediment. The influence of the suspended nitrifiers and denitrifiers on the nitrogen balance was assumed to be negligible.     

A small-scale field check on the Fisher–Lehmann and Bakker–Le Heux cliff degradation models

The paper considers the development of initially straight, steep rock cliffs, bounded above and below by horizontal surfaces, in which basal debris removal is zero and degradation occurs by the weathering away of fine debris from the cliff face to form a scree at its foot. Of the slope degradation models available, the two earliest and simplest, namely the Fisher–Lehmann and the Bakker–Le Heux models, are regarded as most relevant and are briefly summarized. The main purpose of the paper is to check the predictions of these models, particularly with regard to the shape of the rock surface buried beneath the scree, against field data. Such data are sparse. It is concluded that the best field case currently available, despite its small scale, is that provided by the 1·75 m deep ditch which forms part of the experimental earthwork in the chalk on Overton Down, Wiltshire. The predictions of the two models are checked against field measurements made of the stage of degradation reached on each face of the ditch by July 1968, eight years after its excavation. These stages were influenced to different degrees by the presence of a surface turf layer. For the NE face, where this influence was least, the agreement of the predictions of the Fisher–Lehmann model with the actual rock profile is excellent and that of the Bakker–Le Heux model only marginally less so. For the SW face, as expected, the agreements are somewhat less close. These results may be to some extent fortuitous because of the influence of the turves and because the scree slopes tend to be concave rather than rectilinear, as assumed. Also, the free faces decline with time in a manner intermediate between those assumed in the two models. Larger scale field checks are clearly desirable before firm general conclusions can be drawn. Rates of crest recession for the Overton Down ditch are logarithmic with time after a very rapid initial phase. Extrapolation from the early phase of this logarithmic behaviour leads to a close estimate of the time needed for the slope to develop fully. The associated ultimate crest recession is also closely predicted by equations derived from both models. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

饱和冻土中弹性体波传播特性影响参数研究

基于Leclaire对饱和双相孔隙弹性介质Biot模型的扩展,研究含有两种不同固相组分的三相多孔弹性介质中体波的传播特性。以饱和冻土为例,分析了各相体积分数、颗粒形状,接触参数等因素对波动方程中惯性参数、黏性参数、刚度参数的影响;对该三相介质模型进行了退化,分析了孔隙中只含液态水或固态冰时体波的特性;以饱和冻土为例,通过数值计算,探讨了饱和冻土中体波的相速度和衰减系数与胶结参数、接触参数、频率、饱和度、孔隙率等参数的关系。结果表明：与一般的饱和土不同,饱和冻土中存在5种体波,即3种纵波和2种横波;5种体波均具有弥散性和衰减性,且P1波、S1波弥散性和衰减性远小于P2、P3、S2波;胶结参数、饱和度、孔隙率对5种体波的传播特性影响显著,接触参数对传播特性影响较小。     

南海北部和海南岛附近海域表层沉积物中有机质的分布和降解状态的差异

利用气相色谱法对南海北部和海南岛附近海域表层沉积物中正构烷烃(n-alkanes)和脂肪酸进行测定和分析,结合粒径、比表面积(specific surface area,SSA)、有机碳(OC%)、碳稳定同位素(δ~(13)C)等参数研究有机物来源和降解状态,并对其影响因素进行分析。研究结果表明:沉积物主要以粉砂为主,平均粒径分布范围在10.97—517.21μm之间,选取的16个站位的比表面积平均值为8.05m~2/g,最大值是S23站位的24.46m~2/g,最小值是S29站位的1.73m~2/g,OC%含量在0.15—1.18之间,δ~(13)C值为–23.05‰—–21.24‰。沉积物中正构烷烃碳链的分布范围是nC_(14)—nC_(33),低碳数峰群以nC_(16)、nC_(18)为主峰碳且具有偶碳数优势,高碳数峰群以nC_(29)为主峰碳。脂肪酸的碳数分布范围是nC_(14)—nC_(30),低碳数单峰型分布,短链饱和脂肪酸(short chain saturated fatty acids,SCSFA)和单不饱和脂肪酸(monounsaturated fatty acids,MUFA)的含量占总脂肪酸含量的70%以上,长链饱和脂肪酸(long chain saturated fatty acids,LCSFA)的含量不到10%,据此说明这两个区域有机质均以海源输入为主。在有机物保存和降解方面,海南岛附近海域有机质载荷(OC/SSA)和δ~(13)C之间的正相关,表现了良好的陆源和海源的有机物更替,但是珠江口附近海域系列样品却未见相似过程。不仅在物源更替方面,在有机质降解特征上珠江口附近海域中的有机物与海南岛附近海域和南海陆架深水区也有很大的差别。海南岛附近海域和南海陆架深水区有机质的降解符合一般规律,随着水深的增加降解程度逐渐变大,然而珠江口附近海域随着水深的增加有机质却越来越"新鲜"。结合前人对珠江口附近海域黏土矿物组成的研究,本文认为珠江口附近海域沉积物中有机质之所以会出现上述"异常"可能是因为该研究区域黏土矿物对有机质选择性吸附所导致。     

Midlittoral polychaete communities in the Eastern Mediterranean Sea: new information from the implementation of the Natural Geography in Shore Areas (NaGISA) protocol and comparisons at local and regional scales

The aim of this study was to attempt to fill current knowledge gaps on midlittoral Mediterranean biodiversity at local and regional scales, by using benthic polychaetes as a model taxon. Two different data sets were analysed: (i) a quantitative data set from the two Natural Geography in Shore Areas (NaGISA) study sites in Crete and (ii) a qualitative data set from multiple sites across the Mediterranean. At the local scale, the results provide evidence that (i) discrete species communities are formed in midlittoral Mediterranean habitats, which vary by geographical location and year, depending on the scale of observation; (ii) macrophyte coverage and Chl‐a are the only environmental variables associated, albeit weakly, with the above pattern; (iii) although naturally disturbed, the Cretan NaGISA sites do not seem to experience any anthropogenic stress; (iv) environmental heterogeneity and history seem to be much less important in shaping the polychaete communities than inter‐specific interactions; however, it is not possible to specify at this stage whether local or regional processes or even their interactions may shape the polychaete communities. At the regional scale, the results indicate that (i) the only factor that seems to be involved in the regional pattern is the identity of the study providing the data sets, which implies variability and bias in how research projects are carried out, from the sampling design through to data collection and analysis; (ii) the Cretan NaGISA sites may be considered as representative of the habitat in the Mediterranean, under certain conditions.     

Symbiosis between the holothurian Scotoplanes sp. A and the lithodid crab Neolithodes diomedeae on a featureless bathyal sediment plain

Vulnerability to predation may be high for many megafaunal taxa in deep‐sea sedimentary habitats where physical heterogeneity is low. During ROV observations in a bathyal sediment plain off Central California, juveniles of the lithodid crab Neolithodes diomedeae were frequently observed on or under the holothurian (sea cucumber) Scotoplanes sp. A, and are hypothesized to benefit from this association as a nursery or refugium from predation. Ninety‐six percent (n = 574 of 599) of the juvenile N. diomedeae observed (density varied from 0.02–0.75/m² among sites and seasons) in the study area were associated with Scotoplanes sp. A. Of the 2596 Scotoplanes sp. A observed (density varied from 0.48 to 25.90/m²), 22% were attended by at least one juvenile crab, and rarely two crabs (n = 4). Solitary N. diomedeae were rarely observed. This decapod–holothurian symbiosis appears to be largely commensal, with juvenile crabs (carapace width = 0.03–0.31 ×  holothurian length) observed on or beneath Scotoplanes sp. A in a habitat with few refugia from epibenthic predators. Other hypotheses may explain or enhance the potential benefits of the association for N. diomedeae, such as elevated food availability due to the activities of Scotoplanes sp. A. The relationship may be mutualistic if there is a benefit for the holothurian, including the removal of epizoic parasites. Ultimately, the nursery or other effects on the population dynamics of N. diomedeae may be minimal in low‐relief, sediment‐dominated habitats, as very few sub‐adult crabs were observed in the study area and were likely consumed upon outgrowing their refugia. While sedimentary habitats may be a sink for N. diomedeae populations, growth of juvenile crabs during their association with Scotoplanes sp. A should increase energy flow to its predator populations. This association has not been reported previously but may be expected in sediment‐dominated habitats where these species overlap.