Microtopography,water storage and flow patterns in a fine‐textured soil under agricultural use

Agricultural use of soils implies tillage and often compaction and therefore influences processes on soil surface and affects infiltration of water into the subsoil. Although many studies on soil surface processes or flow patterns in soils exist, works relating both are rare in literature. We did two tracer experiments with Brilliant Blue FCF on a tilled and compacted plot and a non‐tilled one to investigate water storage on the soil surface during simulated rainfall and changes of soil microtopography, to analyse the associated flow patterns in the soil and to relate both to tillage and compaction. Our results show that storage was larger on the tilled and compacted plot than on the non‐tilled one. After tillage, transport processes above the plough pan were partly disconnected from those underneath because macropores were disrupted and buried by the tillage operation. However, preferential flow along cracks occurred on both plots and the macropores buried below the tillage pan still functioned as preferential flow paths. Therefore, we conclude that the studied soil is susceptible to deep vertical solute propagation at dry conditions when cracks are open, irrespective of tillage and compaction. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Roughness effect on the correction factor of surface velocity for rill flows

Flow velocity is one of the most important hydrodynamic variables for both channelized (rill and gullies) and interrill erosive phenomena. The dye tracer technique to measure surface flow velocity V_s is based on the measurement of the travel time of a tracer needed to cover a known distance. The measured V_s must be corrected to obtain the mean flow velocity V using a factor α_v = V/V_s which is generally empirically deduced. The V_s measurement can be influenced by the method applied to time the travel of the dye-tracer and α_v can vary in different flow conditions. Experiments were performed by a fixed bed small flume simulating a rill channel for two roughness conditions (sieved soil, gravel). The comparison between a chronometer-based (CB) and video-based (VB) technique to measure V_s was carried out. For each slope-discharge combination, 20 measurements of V_s, characterized by a sample mean V_m, were carried out. For both techniques, the frequency distributions of V_s/V_m resulted independent of slope and discharge. For a given technique, all measurements resulted normally distributed, with a mean equal to one, and featured by a low variability. Therefore, V_m was considered representative of surface flow velocity. Regardless of roughness, the V_m values obtained by the two techniques were very close and characterized by a good measurement precision. The developed analysis on α_v highlighted that it is not correlated with Reynolds number for turbulent flow regime. Moreover, α_v is correlated neither with the Froude number nor with channel slope. However, the analysis of the empirical frequency distributions of the correction factor demonstrated a slope effect. For each technique (CB, VB)-roughness (soil, gravel) combination, a constant correction factor was statistically representative even if resulted in less accurate V estimations compared to those yielded by the slope-specific correction factor.     

日照万平口沙滩质量评价及“蓝旗沙滩”建设建议

沙滩质量评价是有效的沙滩管理工具。“蓝旗”标准是目前世界上认可度最高的沙滩评价标准。文章基于“蓝旗”标准,根据国内外已有沙滩质量评价体系,结合实地调研和问卷调查,构建适用于万平口沙滩的质量评价体系。评价结果表明：(1)万平口环境因素、安全与教育和环境管理准则层评价结果均为良好,社会因素准则层达到优质等级,说明万平口风景区作为旅游地,其气候条件适宜,服务水平和安全及教育水平都较为发达。(2）万平口沙滩的自然条件本底优良,是最能体现日照“蓝天、碧海、金沙滩”的特色景区。但由于自然及人为因素造成的沙滩侵蚀退化现象严重,影响了沙滩的可持续发展。根据评价结果及万平口与“蓝旗沙滩”的对比差异,认为万平口建设“蓝旗沙滩”,需要完善景区水质监测、加强景区内及周边环境管理、重视沙滩养护、完善基础设施的投放、进一步提高景区的服务水平、重视景区内安全保障及加强景区的宣传,提高公众对“蓝旗”的认知度。     

From highly polluted inland city of China to “Lanzhou Blue”: The air-pollution characteristics

Air quality was improved considerably and the so-called "Lanzhou Blue" appeared frequently in Lanzhou due to implementation of some strict emission-control measures in recent years. To better understand whether the concentration of each air pollutant had decreased significantly and then give some suggestions as to urban air-quality improvement in the near future, the variations of the Air Quality Index (AQI) and six criterion air pollutants (PM_2.5, PM₁₀, CO, SO₂, NO₂, and O₃) at five state-controlled monitoring sites of Lanzhou were studied from 2013 to 2016. The AQI, PM_2.5, PM₁₀, and SO₂ gradually decreased from 2013 to 2016, while CO and NO₂ concentrations had slightly increasing trends, especially in urban areas, due to the large number of motor vehicles, which had an annual growth rate of 30.87%. The variations of the air pollutants in the no-domestic-heating season were more significant than those in the domestic-heating season. The increase of ozone concentration for the domestic-heating season at a background station was the most significant among the five monitoring sites. The vehicle-exhaust and ozone pollution was increasingly severe with the rapid increase in the number of motor vehicles. The particulate-matter pollution became slight in the formerly highly polluted Lanzhou City. Some synergetic measures in urban and rural areas of Lanzhou should be taken by the local government in the near future to control fine particulate-matter (PM_2.5) and ozone pollution.     

The origin of magnetization and geochemical alteration in a fault zone,Kilve, England

The origin of an apparently syndeformational chemical remanent magnetization (CRM) and geochemical alteration in a fault zone in the Bristol Channel Basin, southwest England, was investigated. Deformation in the fault zone occurs in Jurassic aged, organic-rich limestones and consists of numerous normal and oblique-slip faults and associated folds. Migration of basinal, radiogenic fluids is indicated by elevated ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values for calcite veins that occur throughout the fault zone. Some of the calcite veins contain hydrocarbons sourced from deeper strata. Elevated ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr values in the host Jurassic limestones indicate that they were also extensively altered by radiogenic fluids that migrated through microfractures in addition to major fault and fracture planes. Folded and tilted host limestones contain a pervasive secondary CRM residing in magnetite that was acquired during deformation in the Tertiary. The association between this pervasive CRM and the pervasive geochemical alteration is consistent with a genetic connection between the orogenic fluids and the CRM although the timing of CRM acquisition (Tertiary) is not consistent with structural interpretations for the timing of most veining. An alternative remagnetization mechanism which is not triggered by externally derived fluids, such as diagenesis of hydrocarbons, might account for the CRM. Hydrocarbon-bearing veins also contain a CRM that resides in magnetite, although the time for remanence acquisition is not well constrained by field tests. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

海洋生态文明视域下河口沙坝-潟湖生态修复思路探究

加大海岸整治修复力度是推进海洋生态文明建设的必然要求。沙坝-潟湖海岸具有典型的生态系统和独特的社会价值,同时也因人类活动受到不同程度破坏,是“蓝色海湾”等整治修复项目的重要对象。文章以辽宁省浮渡河口沙坝-潟湖为例,总结国内外河口沙坝-潟湖主要生态修复思路和方法,提出生态修复过程中沙坝-潟湖受损机制和生态修复评估体系构建两个关键技术问题。在此基础上,为深入推进我国海岸生态保护修复管理和海岸整治修复工程实践,需要做好顶层设计和提升整治修复能力两方面主要工作。     

Prevalence of Bacillus sp. among the biofilm forming community on Ti surface in marine environment

Prevalence of bacterial species involved in biomineralization of manganese on titanium (Ti) surfaces in marine environment was revealed in this research work. This study involves one year sea water exposure of Ti and their periodical biofilm characterization was carried out to quantify the manganese oxidizing bacterial (MOB) presence in the biofilm formed on titanium surfaces. The total viable count study of Ti coupons exposed to sea water for one year resulted in 60% of the MOB in overall biofilm population. The biochemical characterization of MOB isolates were performed for the genus level identification of the seven bacterial isolates. Further, the seven strains were subjected to 16S rRNA gene sequencing. Evolutionary analysis was performed using MEGA 7 to obtain closely related strains within the groups. The manganese oxidizing ability of the bacterial isolates were determined with Leucoberbelin Blue Assay (LBB) and Atomic Absorption Spectroscopy studies (AAS). The results show that among the isolated marine MOB species, Bacillus sp. and Leptothrix sp. have the maximum Mn oxidizing property. The microtitre plate assay was performed to determine the biofilm forming ability of the isolated marine MOB species. All the results have confirmed the prevalence of Bacillus sp. among the biofilm colonizers on Ti surfaces when exposed in sea water.     

Drivers of Australian dust: a case study of frontal winds and dust dynamics in the lower lake Eyre basin

The roles of pre‐frontal, frontal and post‐frontal winds as the primary wind systems for dust entrainment and transport in Australia are well established. While the relevance of each system has been observed across different wind erosion events in central Australia, the entrainment of dust by all three winds during the passage of an individual front has not been demonstrated until now. Synoptic information, satellite aerosol and imagery, meteorological and dust concentration data are presented for a single case study erosion event in the lower Lake Eyre Basin. This event demonstrates variable dust transport in three different directions from one of the southern Hemisphere's most significant source regions, and the changing nature of the active dust pathways during the passage of a frontal system. While only a single dust event is considered, the findings show the complexity of mineral aerosol emission and transport patterns even within an individual dust outbreak. For the lower Lake Eyre Basin, this appreciation of pathway behaviour is significant for better understanding the role of aeolian inputs from the dominant Australian source to surrounding marine systems. In a wider context, the findings exhibit the detailed insights into major dust source dynamics that can be obtained from high resolution spatial and particularly temporal data, as used in combination. This work highlights the importance of adequately resolved data for the accurate determination of dust entrainment and transport patterns of major dust sources. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Quantifying and modelling the carbon sequestration capacity of seagrass meadows – A critical assessment

Seagrasses are among the planet’s most effective natural ecosystems for sequestering (capturing and storing) carbon (C); but if degraded, they could leak stored C into the atmosphere and accelerate global warming. Quantifying and modelling the C sequestration capacity is therefore critical for successfully managing seagrass ecosystems to maintain their substantial abatement potential. At present, there is no mechanism to support carbon financing linked to seagrass. For seagrasses to be recognised by the IPCC and the voluntary C market, standard stock assessment methodologies and inventories of seagrass C stocks are required. Developing accurate C budgets for seagrass meadows is indeed complex; we discuss these complexities, and, in addition, we review techniques and methodologies that will aid development of C budgets. We also consider a simple process-based data assimilation model for predicting how seagrasses will respond to future change, accompanied by a practical list of research priorities.