High connectivity and directional gene flow in European Atlantic and Mediterranean populations of Ciona intestinalis sp. A

Understanding the factors that cause population divergence has long been of interest to marine biologists in their attempts to interpret the effect of human‐mediated vectors. Broadcast‐spawning species with limited dispersal capability are excellent candidates to measure the present‐day patterns of genetic diversity. The tunicate Ciona intestinalis (Ascidiacea) is comprised of a complex of morphologically cryptic species that form vigorous aggregates in eutrophic habitats (harbors, gulfs and lagoons) where they can compete with the epibenthic community and cause biofouling problems. This study investigated biogeographic variability and migration patterns of C. intestinalis sp. A along Northeast Atlantic and Mediterranean coasts using microsatellite markers. Data presented here on 371 specimens collected from 17 populations reveal high genetic polymorphism, but with a deficit of heterozygote deficiency. Absence of evidence for isolation by distance suggests that the genetic patterns do not reflect the geographic distribution of sampled populations. Substantial gene flow and artificial potential for dispersal boost high levels of within‐population genetic variability and prevent genetic differentiation within and between seas. A predominant eastward migration pattern was revealed by the data set, with very limited opportunity for C. intestinalis sp. A to travel westward. This directional movement indicates that other properties (e.g. habitat quality, genetic traits, mating system, life cycle) may cause adaptive divergence at a large biogeographic scale.     

雷州半岛局部地热异常及其形成机制

雷州半岛地热场主要受基底构造格局的控制和地下水活动的影响,隐伏花岗岩体放射性元素生热对盖层地温的贡献不可忽视,第四纪更新世火山喷发活动的岩浆余热已几乎完全散失,岩浆体和围岩温度已趋于平衡。由火山喷发而形成的雷北螺岗岭和雷南石峁岭两个玄武岩台地,为半岛地下水的主要补给区,由于冷水流下渗的地温效应,新生界盖层浅部地温梯度<3℃/100m,呈现地热负异常。在以传导传热为主的区域,地热场特点与华北盆地相似,新生界盖层地温梯度与基底岩面的埋深密切相关。由于地壳深部较均一的热流在地壳表部再分配的结果,若干凸起区盖层地温梯度为4—5℃/100m,呈现地热正异常。某些控制凸起区的边界断裂,当深层热水沿其上涌,造成附加热源,和传导传热相叠加,盖层地温梯度可高达5—8℃/100m,形成更鲜明的地热正异常。     

北京山区泥石流灾害预警方法研究

北京山区泥石流灾害较为频繁,总体以暴雨型沟谷泥石流为主,受地形、地貌、地质、降雨以及松散物类型等因素的影响比较明显。在调查分析北京山区泥石流灾害发育特征的基础上,从泥石流的形成和启动条件入手,对泥石流灾害的预警方法进行研究与探讨。     

Response of low‐angle dunes to variable flow

Current understanding of bedform dynamics is largely based on field and laboratory observations of bedforms in steady flow environments. There are relatively few investigations of bedforms in flows dominated by unsteadiness associated with rapidly changing flows or tides. As a consequence, the ability to predict bedform response to variable flow is rudimentary. Using high‐resolution multibeam bathymetric data, this study explores the dynamics of a dune field developed by tidally modulated, fluvially dominated flow in the Fraser River Estuary, British Columbia, Canada. The dunes were dominantly low lee angle features characteristic of large, deep river channels. Data were collected over a field ca 1·0 km long and 0·5 km wide through a complete diurnal tidal cycle during the rising limb of the hydrograph immediately prior to peak freshet, yielding the most comprehensive characterization of low‐angle dunes ever reported. The data show that bedform height and lee angle slope respond to variable flow by declining as the tide ebbs, then increasing as the tide rises and the flow velocities decrease. Bedform lengths do not appear to respond to the changes in velocity caused by the tides. Changes in the bedform height and lee angle have a counterclockwise hysteresis with mean flow velocity, indicating that changes in the bedform geometry lag changes in the flow. The data reveal that lee angle slope responds directly to suspended sediment concentration, supporting previous speculation that low‐angle dune morphology is maintained by erosion of the dune stoss and crest at high flow, and deposition of that material in the dune trough.     

Nitrate dynamics in a rural headwater catchment: measurements and modelling

This study was designed to improve our understanding of, and mechanistically simulate, nitrate (NO₃) dynamics in a steep 9.8 ha rural headwater catchment, including its production in soil and delivery to a stream via surface and subsurface processes. A two‐dimensional modelling approach was evaluated for (1) integrating these processes at a hillslope scale annually and within storms, (2) estimating denitrification, and (3) running virtual experiments to generate insights and hypotheses about using trees in streamside management zones (SMZs) to mitigate NO₃ delivery to streams. Total flow was mathematically separated into quick‐ and slow‐flow components; the latter was routed through the HYDRUS software with a nitrogen module designed for constructed wetlands. Flow was monitored for two years. High surface‐soil NO₃ concentrations started to be delivered to the stream via preferential subsurface flow within two days of the storm commencing. Groundwater NO₃‐N concentrations decreased from 1.0 to less than 0.1 mg l^?1 from up‐slope to down‐slope water tables, respectively, which was attributed to denitrification. Measurements were consistent with the flushing of NO₃ mainly laterally from surface soil during and following each storm. The model accurately accounted for NO₃ turnover, leading to the hypotheses that denitrification was a minor flux (<3 kg N ha^?1) compared to uptake (98^?127 kg N ha^?1), and that SMZ trees would reduce denitrification if they lowered the water table. This research provides an example of the measurement and modelling of NO₃ dynamics at a small‐catchment scale with high spatial and temporal resolution. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The effect of bed mobility on resistance to overland flow

When sediment grains are transported as bed load in overland flow, there is a net transfer of momentum from the flow to the grains. When these grains collide with other grains, whether on the bed or in the flow, streamwise flow velocity decreases and resistance to flow increases. Resistance to flow generated in this manner is termed bed‐load transport resistance. Resistance to flow f over a plane bed may be partitioned into grain resistance f_g and bed‐load transport resistance f_bt. We use the symbols f_btf and f_btm to denote f_bt for flows over fixed beds and over mobile beds, respectively, and we compute the effect of bed mobility on flow resistance f_mob by subtracting f_btf from f_btm. The data for this study come from 54 flume experiments with fixed beds and 38 with mobile beds. On average f_mob is approximately equal to half of f_btm, which is about one‐quarter of f. Hence, f_mob is about one‐tenth of f. Predictive equations are developed for f_btf, f_btm and f_mob using dimensional analysis to identify the relevant independent variables and regression analysis to evaluate the coefficients associated with these variables. Values of f_mob are always positive which implies that mobile beds offer greater resistance to flow than do fixed beds. Evidently bed‐load grains colliding with mobile beds lose more momentum to the bed than do grains colliding with fixed beds. In other words, grain collisions with mobile beds are less elastic than those with fixed beds. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The dynamics of a channel-fed lava flow on Pico Partido volcano, Lanzarote

A short length of channel on Pico Partido volcano, Lanzarote, provides us the opportunity to examine the dynamics of lava flowing in a channel that extends over a sudden break in slope. The 1–2-m-wide, 0.5–2-m-deep channel was built during the 1730–1736 eruptions on Lanzarote and exhibits a sinuous, well-formed channel over a steep (11° slope) 100-m-long proximal section. Over-flow units comprising smooth pahoehoe sheet flow, as well as evidence on the inner channel walls for multiple (at least 11) flow levels, attest to unsteady flow in the channel. In addition, superelevation is apparent at each of the six bends along the proximal channel section. Superelevation results from banking of the lava as it moves around the bend thus causing preferential construction of the outer bank. As a result, the channel profile at each bend is asymmetric with an outer bank that is higher than the inner bank. Analysis of superelevation indicates flow velocities of ~8 m s^–1. Our analysis of the superelevation features is based on an inertia-gravity balance, which we show is appropriate, even though the down-channel flow is in laminar flow. We use a viscosity-gravity balance model, together with the velocities calculated from superelevation, to obtain viscosities in the range 25–60 Pa s (assuming that the lava behaved as a Newtonian liquid). Estimated volume fluxes are in the range 7–12 m³ s^–1. An apparent down-flow increase in derived volume flux may have resulted from variable supply or bulking up of the flow due to vesiculation. Where the channel moves over a sharp break in slope and onto slopes of ~6°, the channel becomes less well defined and widens considerably. At the break of slope, an elongate ridge extends across the channel. We speculate that this ridge was formed as a result of a reduction in velocity immediately below the break of slope to allow deposition of entrained material or accretion of lava to the channel bed as a result of a change in flow regime or depth.     

包兰铁路沙坡头段不同编制结构的枝条阻沙栅栏防护效应风洞模拟

对包兰铁路沙坡头段枝条阻沙栅栏流场结构进行风洞模拟试验。结果表明:气流在经过横向、竖向阻沙栅栏时均出现了明显的流速分区。气流在经过阻沙栅栏时速度会减弱,但是竖向枝条阻沙栅栏的综合阻风防沙效果明显优于横向阻沙栅栏,同时竖向枝条阻沙栅栏制作上具有工序简单、原材料广泛及不受枝条长度限制的特性,因此,在防沙治沙应用中,竖向枝条阻沙栅栏更适合推广。虽然孔隙度是阻沙栅栏设计的重要技术参数,但栅栏结构对风沙流场产生直接影响,是决定着其对风沙活动防护效应高低的关键因子。     

离岸型背景风和海陆风对珠江三角洲地区灰霾天气的影响

不同类型的背景场和海陆风对珠江三角洲地区大气灰霾有不同的影响。作者主要利用空气质量模式系统Models-3 (MM5/SMOKE/CMAQ)研究离岸型背景风和海陆风对珠江三角洲一次灰霾天气的影响, 结果表明, 中尺度气象模式MM5对珠江三角洲地区这次灰霾天气的气象模拟, 较好地模拟了风速和风向的变化。多尺度空气质量模式CMAQ模拟出了PM10浓度的变化, 与观测值比较一致。在这次灰霾天气过程中, 由于离岸型背景风与陆风风向一致, 在陆风维持的情况下, 内陆源区的PM10被输送到沿海地区, 导致沿海城市和海面上PM10浓度比较高; 而在海风维持的情况下, 海风与离岸型背景风方向相反, 造成海风较小, 致使整个珠江三角洲地区灰霾天气都比较严重。敏感性试验结果表明离岸背景风和海陆风的相互作用对灰霾天气的生成与分布有重大的影响。     

2008汶川Ms8.0地震发生的深层过程和动力学响应

汶川M_s8.0强烈地震发生在一条现今并不活动的龙门山构造带上,造成了以汶川、映秀为中心及其周边地域的严重破坏和人员的重大伤亡.然而强烈震发生前却未见有可能的确切征兆或浅表层异常活动,即浅层过程与地震发生的深层过程并不匹配.为此对这次强烈地震“孕育”、发生和发展的深层过程进行了分析和探讨,初步研究表明：①在印度洋板块与欧亚板块陆—陆碰撞、挤压作用下,喜马拉雅造山带东构造结向NNE方向顶挤、楔入青藏高原东北缘,迫使高原深部物质向东流展,在受到以龙门山为西北边界的四川盆地阻隔下,一部分物质则转而向东南侧向运移;②龙门山地带在地形上差达3500±500 m左右,而地壳厚度在龙门山西北部为60±5 km左右,四川盆地为40±2 km左右,而龙门山地带与其东、西两侧相比则为地壳厚度变化幅度达15~20 km的突变地域,即为应力作用的耦合地带;③中、下地壳和地幔盖层物质以地壳低速层、低阻层（深20~25 km）为第一滑移面,以上地幔软流层顶面为第二滑移面,且在四川盆地深部“刚性”物质阻 隔下,深部壳、幔物质以高角度在龙门山构造带和四川盆地的耦合地带向上运移（或称逆冲）,且在龙门山地表三条断裂构成的断裂系向下延伸到20 km左右深处汇聚,二者强烈碰撞、挤压、震源介质破裂;在物质与能量的强烈交换下,应力得到释放,故形成了这次M_s.0强烈地震.为此从深部初步揭示了这次强烈地震“孕育”、发生和发展的深层动力过程.