Atmospheric-induced variability of hydrological and biogeochemical signatures in the NW Alboran Sea. Consequences for the spawning and nursery habitats of European anchovy

The north-western Alboran Sea is a highly dynamic region in which the hydrological processes are mainly controlled by the entrance of the Atlantic Jet (AJ) through the Strait of Gibraltar. The biological patterns of the area are also related to this variability in which atmospheric pressure distributions and wind intensity and direction play major roles. In this work, we studied how changes in atmospheric forcing (from high atmospheric pressure over the Mediterranean to low atmospheric pressure) induced alterations in the physical and biogeochemical environment by re-activating coastal upwelling on the Spanish shore. The nursery area of European anchovy (Engraulis encrasicolus) in the NW Alboran Sea, confirmed to be the very coastal band around Malaga Bay, did not show any drastic change in its biogeochemical characteristics, indicating that this coastal region is somewhat isolated from the rest of the basin. Our data also suggests that anchovy distribution is tightly coupled to the presence of microzooplankton rather than mesozooplankton. Finally, we use detailed physical and biological information to evaluate a hydrological-biogeochemical coupled model with a specific hydrological configuration to represent the Alboran basin. This model is able to reproduce the general circulation patterns in the region forced by the AJ movements only including two variable external forcings; atmospheric pressure over the western Mediterranean and realistic wind fields.     

Abundance,distribution, and fluxes of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in four small sub-tropical rivers of the Tampa Bay Estuary (Florida,USA)

The delivery of organic carbon (C) from rivers to the coastal ocean via estuaries is recognized as an important component of the global C budget however, smaller river systems are often overlooked and modern flux estimates are not very different from historical estimates. Here, the seasonal (wet vs. dry) concentration and fluxes of dissolved organic C (DOC) were measured in five small sub-tropical rivers that drain into the Tampa Bay (FL, USA) estuary. DOC distributions were highly variable among riverine, mesohaline, and marine end-member samples in all river catchments and no significant differences were observed among or between DOC concentrations with respect to river catchment, season, or year of sampling. In general, DOC mixed non-conservatively during the wet seasons, and conservatively during the dry seasons, with the estuarine reaches of each river serving as a sink of DOC. Fluxes were strongly tied to discharge irrespective of season, and the estuaries removed 15–65% of DOC prior to export to coastal Bay and Gulf of Mexico waters. DOC concentrations were similar to others reported for low-elevation sub-tropical rivers, and a combination of elevation, residence time, and climate appear to control the abundance and variability of DOC in sub-tropical vs. tropical river systems. The characterization of DOC in small, sub-tropical rivers, which share characteristics with both their temperate and tropical counterparts, is critical for quantitatively constraining the importance of these systems in local-to-regional scale ocean C budgets. In addition to geomorphic properties, the role of past, present, and future land cover and other environmental change in small coastal rivers also exerts control on the quantity and flux of DOC in these systems.     

Late Pleistocene (MIS 3–4) climate inferred from micromammal communities and δO of rodents from Les Pradelles,France

The middle Paleolithic stratigraphic sequence of Les Pradelles (Charente, France) spans from the end of Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 4 until the middle of MIS 3. Micromammal remains are present in all the stratigraphic levels, offering a rare opportunity to address the questions of both environmental and climatic fluctuations throughout this period. Climate modes were studied through the taphonomy, biodiversity and oxygen isotope compositions of phosphate (δ¹⁸O_p) from 66 samples of rodent tooth enamel. The δ¹⁸O_p values from the lower sedimentary levels provide summer mean air temperatures of 19 ± 2°C (level 2/1) and of 16 ± 2°C (levels 2A, 2B and 4A). Within the middle of sequence (level 4B), a paleobiodiversity change can be identified with an increase of Dicrostonyx torquatus, which is associated with the largest amplitude in δ¹⁸O_p values and the highest maximal δ¹⁸O_p values. At the top of the sequence (level 5-2), a biodiversity change is observed with the increase of Microtus arvalis, but without any change in δ¹⁸O_p values. The association of cold rodent species with unexpected high and large amplitudes in the δ¹⁸O_p values of their teeth, possibly indicative of aridity, suggests their deposition during a Heinrich event.     

密云沙厂小流域土壤侵蚀GIS和RS评价方法研究

从GIS和RS研究的角度对沙厂小流域实测的土壤侵蚀数据进行分析,建立基于3S的土壤侵蚀综合评价指标模型,快速地计算出土壤侵蚀量,并对其侵蚀的动态过程进行监测,为沙厂小流域综合治理的快速决策提供科学的平台和依据.     

北京小西山及周边地区地质条件对土地利用的影响

通过调查研究区土地利用状况及地质地貌条件得到所需基础数据,然后根据调查数据利MAPGIS办的作出研究区地质图、地貌图及土地利用现状图,进行对比分析。认为不同地质条件下,对应不同的土地利用方式,应根据区域地质条件,规划设计合理的土地利用方式。     

东北地震区小震资料完整性分析及其对地震活动性参数的影响研究

以东北地震区为例,基于G-R关系的震级·频度分布原理,研究了东北地震区最小完整性震级MC的时间分布特征和各时段的空间分布特征,统计了研究区内的地震活动性参数,探讨了小震资料完整性分析对地震活动性参数和地震危险性计算结果的影响.研究表明,对区域小震资料进行完整性分析,可以在低水平地震活动地区获得较准确的地震活动性参数,更好地反映了该区未来的地震活动趋势.本文的研究方法和结论可供地震资料完整性分析和地震活动性分析时参考.     

天山南坡小尤尔都斯盆地表土孢粉初步研究

通过天山中部小尤尔都斯盆地南北方向采集的27个表土样品的孢粉分析, 探讨了孢粉和植被带的关系及盆地中美天鹅湖的孢粉来源问题. 结果表明: 孢粉组合主要成分是云杉属、 菊科、 禾本科、 蒿属、 藜科、 唐松草属、 莎草科、 水龙骨和其他蕨类孢子, 表土孢粉组合与各植被带之间有良好的对应关系.主成分分析表明, 研究区植被分布主要受温度因素控制. 上升气流和水流是影响针叶林带云杉属花粉传播的主要因素, 由山谷风从巩乃斯云杉林带来的云杉花粉受到美天鹅湖北侧小山阻挡, 沉降在湖泊以南的山坡上, 之后随降雨和雪山融水进入美天鹅湖. 大部分表土孢粉属种的空间分布与相应的植物分布一致, 而蒿属和藜科花粉百分含量在一定程度上代表了区域花粉雨的信号, 利用A/C比值重建古环境时须要谨慎.蒿、 藜花粉计数较少时, A/C比值波动较大, 计数值大于约280粒时, A/C比值趋于稳定.     

Social and ecological constraints on decision making by transhumant pastoralists: a case study from the Moroccan Atlas Mountains

Transhumant pastoralism is an important activity in southern Morocco. Migration pattern of transhumant pastoralists can be affected by physical factors (e.g. droughts and diseases) or socioeconomic factors (e.g. schooling options for children and migration costs). We studied the spatio-temporal rangeland usage of the three tribes Ait Mgoun, Ait Zekri, and Ait Toumert in the south-central Atlas region with a two-fold approach. First, we tracked the migration movements of one representative transhumant herd using the Advanced Research and Global Observation Satellite (ARGOS) collars, which record coordinates from satellite signals. Second, we interviewed herders to obtain information about general grazing practices of the respective tribe and to gain more direct information on motivations underlying decisions. For each tribe we observed small-, medium- and large-scale movements. We found that the most important drivers of migration decisions were seasonal fodder availability and weather conditions in combination with herd-specific risk and cost assessment, as well as personal factors. In conclusion, general migration patterns vary in time, both between and within the tribes, but according to a regulatory framework. Moreover, it appears that both the customary rules and its flexible adaptation to physical constraints are generally beneficial in terms of conservation of the arid and semiarid rangeland resources.     

Damping formulation for nonlinear 1D site response analyses

Measurements and observations of ground shaking during large earthquakes have demonstrated the predominant role of site effects in the response of infrastructure during a seismic event. Despite significant efforts to model the hysteretic response and nonlinearity of soils due to medium and large ground motions, the most widely accepted nonlinear site response methods are not able to represent simultaneously the changes of stiffness and energy dissipation (damping) observed in both laboratory tests and during earthquake events. This paper presents two new soil damping formulations implemented in nonlinear one-dimensional site response analysis for small and large strains. The first formulation introduces an approach to construct a frequency-independent viscous damping matrix which reduces the over-damping at high frequencies, and therefore, the filtering at those frequencies. The second formulation introduces a reduction factor that modifies the extended Masing loading/unloading strain–stress relationship to match measured modulus reduction and damping curves simultaneously over a wide range of shear strains. A set of examples are introduced to illustrate the effect of using the two proposed formulations, separately and simultaneously, in nonlinear site response analyses.