Reaction time scales for sulphate reduction in sediments of acidic pit lakes and its relation to in-lake acidity neutralisation

Sulphate reduction is a key reaction to remove acidity from water bodies affected by acid mine drainage. In this study, ³⁵SSO₄²⁻ reduction rates determined in sediments from a variety of acidic lignite pit lakes have been compiled. The rates decreased with pH and are strongly dependent on carbon substrate. The rates were fitted to a Monod model adapted to the specific conditions of acidic pit lakes (APL) sediments: i) sulphate reduction rate is independent from sulphate concentration due to the high concentration typically observed in APL systems (10–30 mM), ii) the observed pH dependency of sulphate reduction was accounted for by an inhibition function F_inihibt which considers the occurrence of low cell numbers of sulphate reducing bacteria at pH values < 4.75. Simulated steady-state sulphate reduction rates are predicting measured rates at carbon substrate concentrations of <10 μM. Estimated steady-state reaction time scales range between 2.4 h at pH 7 and 41 h at pH 3 at a carbon half-saturation constant of K_C−S = 100 μM and are increasing with increasing K_C−S values. Time scales at low pH are too long to allow for significant generation of alkalinity during the time of residence of groundwater passing through the top and hence most reactive zone of APL sediments which has important implications for the remediation of acidic pit lakes.     

具有不同到达率的带有启动时间及不耐烦策略的多级适应性休假M^X/G/1排队

研究了具有不同到达率的带有启动时间及不耐烦策略的多级适应性休假M^X/G/1排队模型,通过嵌入马尔可夫链方法推导出稳态队长的母函数、等待时间的LST（先到先服务规则）,并验证了稳态队长和稳态等待时间具有随机分解性,而且给出了忙期、全忙期及在线期均值。     

A simulation study of the role of raindrop erosion in the formation of desert pavements

A simple model of raindrop erosion—the combined effects of the detachment of sediment by raindrops and its transport by splash or by overland flow—is developed to examine the role of this process in the formation of desert pavements. Application of the model to soils in areas of existing pavement initially simulates the formation of pavements, but the changing sediment size distributions lead to the subsequent destruction of these modelled surfaces. An improved model that accounts for the feedback effects of the changing size distributions on infiltration and microtopography is then developed. Incorporating these effects allows simulated pavements to be maintained over longer periods. The model yields desert pavements whose particle size compositions differ in response to differences in initial soil characteristics, slope and rainfall intensity. This model is tested against empirical data from a site where there is intershrub pavement and associated mounds of fines beneath desert shrubs. The results successfully predict the accumulation of fines under shrubs but underestimate the development of the pavement between shrubs. These findings suggest that the raindrop erosion mechanism on its own cannot account for the development of the pavement and that some other mechanism leading to the surface concentration of coarse particles must also be operating.     

Distribution of large-scale detachment faults on mid-ocean ridges in relation to spreading rates

Large-scale detachment faults on mid-ocean ridges （MORs） provide a window into the deeper earth. They have megamullion on their corrugated surfaces, with exposed lower crustal and upper mantle rocks, rela- tively high residual Bouguer gravity anomaly and P-wave velocity, and are commonly associated with ocean- ic core complex. According to 30 detachment faults identified on MORs, we found that their distances to the axis mostly range from 5 to 50 km, half-spreading rates range from 6.8 to 17 mm/a, and activity time ranges from recent to 3 Ma. Most of the detachment faults are developed on the slow spreading Mid-Atlantic Ridge （MAR） and ultra-slow spreading Southwest Indian Ridge （SWIRl, with the dominant half-spreading rates of 7-13 mm/a, especially 10-13 mm/a. Furthermore, they mostly occur at the inside corner of one segment end and result in an asymmetric seafloor spreading. The detachment faults on MORs are mainly controlled by the tectonism and influenced by the magmatism. Long-lived detachment faults tend to be formed where the ridge magma supply is at a moderate level, although the tectonism is a first-order controlling factor. At the slow spreading ridges, detachment faults tend to occur where local magma supply is relatively low, whilst at the ultra-slow spreading ridges, they normally occur where local magma supply is relatively high. These faults are accompanied by hydrothermal activities, with their relationships being useful in the study of hydrothermal polymetallic sulfides and their origin.     

两种造礁石珊瑚对海水酸化和溶解有机碳加富的响应*

文章选择鹿回头近岸海域常见的板叶角蜂巢珊瑚(Favites complanata)和十字牡丹珊瑚(Pavona decussata)为研究对象, 采用室内连续培养的方法, 探究两种不同造礁石珊瑚对酸化和溶解有机碳(DOC)加富的响应。结果表明: 酸化(pH 7.6)并不会影响两种珊瑚的钙化速率和生长速率; 但DOC加富(524.03±78.42μmol•L^-1)使两种珊瑚的钙化速率分别降低67%和47%、生长速率降低59%和40%。当二者共同作用时, 两种珊瑚的钙化速率降低30%和11%、生长速率降低46%和59%, 大多没有DOC单独作用时强烈, 表现出一定的拮抗作用。两种珊瑚共生虫黄藻叶绿素荧光指数(F_v/F_m)均升高后降低, 板叶角蜂巢珊瑚F_v/F_m最先降低。实验表明, 这两种珊瑚虽然对海洋酸化的敏感度不高, 但是对有机物加富有不同的响应, 板叶角蜂巢珊瑚更为敏感, 可能导致这两种珊瑚在未来环境变化中有不同命运。     

中国对虾(Fenneropenaeus Chinensis)自然感染与人工感染WSSV抗病力的比较

取30个通过人工授精和自然交尾建立的中国对虾家系,分别进行人工感染和自然感染实验。实验过程中,两实验组样本总体存活率在35%左右时统计各家系的存活率,以分析其抗白斑综合征病毒情况。用四格表的卡方检验分析中国对虾各家系存活率,结果发现23个家系的存活率在两种感染方式实验间差异不显著(P0.05),两种感染方式实验间家系存活率一致性为77%。用独立样本T检验对两种感染方式实验中4个杂交组合的存活率进行比较,结果发现4个杂交组合的存活率在两种感染方式实验间差异不显著(P0.05),说明人工感染和自然感染实验对中国对虾抗病力的反映情况基本是一致的。另外,对两个实验中各家系的抗病力进行分析,综合结果表明有5个家系对WSSV可能有较强的抗病力。     

新村湾海黾草（Thalassia hemprichii）的生长策略研究

海草的种内差异是它在特定环境中形成生长策略的关键因素。本研究通过将现场实测数据和文献记录进行类比以探讨新村湾海黾草（Thalassia hemprichii）的生长策略。研究结果表明海黾草地下茎伸长速率的差异可以解释该海草生物量和生长的大部分种内差异;新村湾海黾草垂直地下茎和水平地下茎的伸长速率在夏季分别为2．38cm／yr和24．4cm／yr,在冬季分别为1．87cm／yr和29．2cm／yr。海黾草茎枝密度的变化范围是822shootsm^-2至941shoots m^-2,最大值出现在夏季而最小值出现在冬季,生物量的季节变化与此类似。新村湾海黾草通过交替调节垂直地下茎和水平地下茎的伸长速率以适应光照强度和温度的季节变化,从而导致茎枝密度和地上生物量的相应变化。通过这样的生长策略,海黾草可以把夏季干旱和冬季光照强度下降对其生长造成的消极影响降低到最小程度。     

The age,extent and geomorphological significance of the Sassafras basalt,south‐eastern New South Wales

Basalt at Sassafras was erupted in the Middle Eocene. The K‐Ar ages average 45.3 ± 4.9 Ma on whole rock and 48.4 ± 1.9 Ma on plagioclase. The basalt is not limited to a plateau capping, but extends 150 m down into adjacent valleys. Comparison with nearby Eocene basalts shows that there was in excess of 250 m of local relief in the central Shoalhaven valley by the Early Tertiary. The basalts were extruded at high elevation, and denudation of the coastal margin of the upland was already well advanced. Post‐basaltic denudation has been very slow, and the Early Tertiary landscape is well preserved.     

周期性潮积岩及其研究意义

回顾了最近十余年来国外对周期性潮汐沉积物，特别是潮汐韵律层的研究进展，系统介绍了几种从古代沉积物中识别出来的潮汐周期，包括基本潮汐（半日潮，全日潮和混合潮），大一小潮周期以及一些长周期波动等。最后，对潮汐韵律层在推测地史时期地－月系的演化历史及计算短期沉积速率中的意义作了评述。     

How reliable is the210Pb dating method? Old and new results from Switzerland

We present a historical overview of applications of²¹⁰Pb dating in Switzerland with a special emphasis on the work performed at the University of Bern. It is demonstrated that the average specific activity of²¹⁰Pb in the lower atmosphere is very constant and does not show seasonal variations. We then concentrate on new results from Lobsigensee, a very small lake, and on published and new data from Lake Zurich. Several²¹⁰Pb profiles from these lakes show obvious disturbances and a disagreement of the resulting sedimentation rate when compared to that for the 23 years defined by¹³⁷Cs peaks of 1986 (Chernobyl) and 1963 (bomb fallout).A mean sedimentation rate of about 0.14 g cm^–2 y^–1 is found in the oxic and suboxic center part of Lake Zurich. In the oxic locations, the²¹⁰Pb flux to the sediments was close to the atmospheric input of about 1/60 Bq cm^–2 y^–1. In other parts of the lake a significant deficit in the inventory of²¹⁰Pb was found in the sediments. This could be due to a chemical redissolution of²¹⁰Pb together with Mn under reducing conditions. In contrast, in the suboxic part of the lake (135 m depth) the flux of²¹⁰Pb was about twice the atmospheric input. This excess is not caused by allochthonous contributions and is tentatively explained by the transport of sediment material resulting from small slides at the very steep lake shores or more probably by reprecipitation of²¹⁰Pb together with Mn when the conditions in the lake water become locally and seasonally more oxidizing. Dissolved²¹⁰Pb may migrate from locations with reducing conditions and reprecipitate under more oxic conditions. Indeed, a correlation of Mn and²¹⁰Pb in sediments of Lake Zurich was found.This is the first of a series of papers to be published by this journal following the 20^th anniversary of the first application of²¹⁰Pb dating of lake sediments. Dr P. G. Appleby is guest editing this series.