The relationship between saline groundwater within the Arava Rift Valley in Israel and the present and ancient base levels as detected by deep geoelectromagnetic soundings

The time domain electromagnetic (TDEM) geophysical method was employed to detect saline groundwater bodies within and in the close margins of the Arava Rift Valley. The Arava Valley aquifers are known to occupy fresh to saline groundwater. The lateral subsurface inflow to the Arava from west and east is characterized by fresh to brackish waters. The results of the present study indicate that salination of groundwater is controlled by both present day and ancient base levels, namely by the Dead Sea in the north and by the Gulf of Elat in the south. The configuration obtained by the TDEM survey exhibits interfaces and palaeo-interfaces between fresh to brackish waters and underlying seawater or diluted seawater intruded inland from both base levels as well as brines intruded from the northern base level. The central Arava structural and hydrological divide seems to escape seawater or brine encroachment at least to the considerable depth of the TDEM measurements.     

An analysis of sponge diversity and distribution at three taxonomic levels in the Thousand Islands/Jakarta Bay reef complex, West-Java, Indonesia

Very few coral reefs are located close enough to large cities to study the influence of large urban populations on reef assemblages. An exception is the Thousand Islands reef complex to the north of Jakarta, the capital city of Indonesia, and one of the largest conurbations in the world. Here we present data from a detailed survey where sponge assemblages were assessed at 30 patch reefs associated with islands in three coastal zones along an in-to-offshore gradient. Sponge assemblages are described at three taxonomic levels of detail (species, genus and family level). We recorded a total of 118 sponge species, 64 genera and 36 families, Aaptos suberitoides (Brønsted, 1934), Clathria (Thalysias) reinwardti (Vosmaer, 1880), Petrosia (Petrosia) nigricans (Lindgren, 1897) and Xestospongia testudinaria (Lamarck, 1813) were the most common species overall. There was a pronounced difference in composition among zones with the most distinct difference between the inshore zone and the other two zones. The inshore environment was characterised by very high turbidity and low live coral cover; the dominant substrate consisted of algal turf and sand. Environmental conditions improved and sponge diversity increased further offshore, although most areas appeared to have been affected by some form of disturbance. Ordinations were also largely congruent, at species, generic and family levels of taxonomic resolution. This indicates that variation in composition at higher taxonomic levels is a good indicator of variation at lower taxonomic levels, at least when there is a pronounced environmental gradient.     

Sand-mediated divergence between shallow reef communities on horizontal and vertical substrata in the western Indian Ocean

Distinctions are rarely made between vertical and horizontal surfaces when assessing reef community composition, yet physical differences are expected because of hydrodynamic differences and sediment accumulation on flat surfaces. As sand often diminishes biotic cover, we hypothesised that vertical surfaces will support a greater biomass but have lower diversity due to domination by a few species. To test this, we quantified sessile communities on vertical and horizontal surfaces at three sites in the Delagoa Bioregion on the east coast of South Africa. Community composition consistently differed: vertical communities were dominated by various filter feeders, especially the ascidian Pyura stolonifera, whereas those on horizontal reef comprised a mixture of filter feeders and various algae. The total number of species and all diversity metrics were significantly greater for horizontal reef surfaces. Contrastingly, Simpson’s dominance and biomass were significantly greater for vertical reef surfaces. Percentage cover of sand explained much of the variation in community composition whereas depth did not. Small-scale topographic differences in substratum orientation associated with differences in sand inundation will therefore influence both α and β diversity. Coastal developments and activities that alter sand movements and delivery to the coastal zone are therefore likely to have a profound influence on the maintenance and diversity of shallow subtidal communities.     

Discovery and features of vertical zonations of tidal salt-marsh foraminifera in Jianchuan, North Jiangsu Province, China

Through densified surface sampling of foraminifera and accurate elevation measurement a-long three transect lines in open-coast tidal salt-marsh of Jianchuan, particular salt-marsh foraminifera assemblages were found. The salt-marsh foraminifera assemblages are distributed in well-defined vertical zonations with respect to elevation and closely parallel marsh floral zonations. At the top of the vertical zonation all foraminifera disappear abruptly which are accurately located at the highest high water datum. This distribution pattern can be used to relocate former sea levels accurately (to an accuracy of within± 5 cm). A modern regional criterion of foraminifera for relocating the former sea levels in high resolution in our country is provided, and deficiencies of studying the vertical zonation only in sheltered coast salt-marsh abroad are filled up.     

Changes in water quality following tidal inundation of coastal lowland acid sulfate soil landscapes

This study examines the remediation of surface water quality in a severely degraded coastal acid sulfate soil landscape. The remediation strategy consisted of partial restoration of marine tidal exchange within estuarine creeks and incremental tidal inundation of acidified soils, plus strategic liming of drainage waters. Time-series water quality and climatic data collected over 5 years were analysed to assess changes in water quality due to this remediation strategy. A time-weighted rainfall function (TWR) was generated from daily rainfall data to integrate the effects of antecedent rainfall on shallow groundwater levels in a way that was relevant to acid export dynamics. Significant increases in mean pH were evident over time at multiple monitoring sites. Regression analysis at multiple sites revealed a temporal progression of change in significant relationships between mean daily electrical conductivity (EC) vs. mean daily pH, and TWR vs. mean daily pH. These data demonstrate a substantial decrease over time in the magnitude of creek acidification per given quantity of antecedent rainfall. Data also show considerable increase in soil pH (2–3 units) in formerly acidified areas subject to tidal inundation. This coincides with a decrease in soil pe, indicating stronger reducing conditions. These observations suggest a fundamental shift has occurred in sediment geochemistry in favour of proton-consuming reductive processes. Combined, these data highlight the potential effectiveness of marine tidal inundation as a landscape-scale acid sulfate soil remediation strategy.     

渤海天文-风暴潮数值模拟和一种多年一遇极值水位的计算方法

在渤海选用了82个强天气过程,利用三维模式模拟了海区的天文-风暴潮,模式经实测资料检验,获得了较满意的模拟结果。根据渤海沿岸主要验潮站观测年极值高(低)水位和年极值风增(减)水所得到的多年一遇高(低)水位和多年一遇风增(减)水,以及天文最高(最低)潮位,建立了由多年一遇风增(减)水和天文最高(最低)潮位的线性组合计算多年一遇高(低)水位的计算公式,并以此公式推算了渤海海区5个典型地区的多年一遇高(低)水位,供海洋工程设计时使用。     

我国锂铍钽矿床调查研究进展及相关问题简述

稀有金属是极重要的战略性矿产资源,尤其是高端装备制造业、新能源汽车等新兴产业的发展对其需要量的日益增加,带动了该领域找矿工作取得了一系列新进展。锂、铍、钽是当前最受关注的稀有金属,迄今,我国对于锂等稀有金属成矿机制的研究还不够深入且争论不断。在多年实践的基础上,该文对于锂矿的成矿机制提出了“多旋回深循环内外生一体化”的新认识,并以此拓展了“五层楼+地下室”的勘查模型,进而指导四川可尔因伟晶岩矿田、甲基卡矿田及湘鄂赣交界地区的幕阜山-九岭矿集区、中央造山带的秦巴山区等地在寻找伟晶岩型锂辉石矿床、花岗岩体型锂铍铌钽矿床及层控热液型铍矿床等方面取得新进展,指出了新方向,有助于打开稀有金属找矿的新局面。     

三种海洋微藻叶绿素a含量对抗生素胁迫的响应变化

实验室条件下,研究不同抗生素胁迫对小球藻(Chlorella vulgarisBeij.)、金藻8701(Isochrysis galbana Parke8701.)和小新月菱形藻(Nitzschia closteriumEhr.)生长的影响。结果表明:1)低于100μg.mL-1的氯霉素作用下,小球藻和金藻8701叶绿素a含量变化与对照组无明显差异;小新月菱形藻叶绿素a含量显著降低。2)不同浓度梯度的遗传霉素(G418),均显著抑制3种微藻叶绿素a含量的增加。3)青霉素浓度低于100μg.mL-1时,能够促进3种藻叶绿素a的增加,但不同微藻间叶绿素a含量的相对增长率存在明显差异。试验结果可为微藻的基因工程选择标记和无菌培养体系的建立提供参考。