Palaeoclimatic studies in South Shetland Islands,Antarctica, based on numerous stratigraphic variables in lake sediments

The hitherto longest found lake sediment sequence on Byers Peninsula, Livingston Island, South Shetland Islands, was analysed with respect to lithology, chronology, diatoms, Pediastrum, pollen and spores, mosses, mineralogy, and sediment chemistry. During the ca. 5000 year long development the sediments were influenced by frequent tephra fall-outs. This volcanic impact played a major role in the lake's history during two periods, 4700–4600 and 2800–2500 BP, but was of importance during the lake's entire history with considerable influence on many of the palaeoenvironmentally significant indicators. The large and complex data set was analysed and zonated with different types of multivariate analysis. This resulted in a subdivision of the sequence into 8 time periods and 21 variables. Redundancy analysis (RDA) of this data set, both without and with the tephra periods, and with 4–6 of the variables as explanatory environmental variables, reveal that climatic/environmental signals are detectable. The palaeoclimatic picture that emerged out of the tephra noise suggests that the first 100 years were characterized by mild, humid conditions. This was followed by a less mild and humid climate until ca. 4000 BP when a gradual warming seems to have started, coupled with increased humidity. These mild and humid conditions seem to have reached an optimum slightly after 3000 BP. At ca. 2500 BP a distinct climatic deterioration occurred with colder and drier conditions and long seasons with ice cover. This arid, cold phase probably reached its optimum conditions at ca. 1500 BP, when slightly warmer conditions might have prevailed for a while. Except for the modern sample with rather mild climate, the last 1400 years seem to have been fairly arid and cold, and the effects of the frequent volcanic activity during this period is only vaguely seen in the records.     

Distribution coefficients of210Pb and210Po in laboratory and natural aquatic systems

We have measured the distribution coefficient (Kd) of²¹⁰Po and²¹⁰Pb in laboratory systems and in natural freshwater systems. In the laboratory systems, an inverse relationship was observed between the particle concentration of sand or lake sediment, and the distribution coefficients of²¹⁰Po and²¹⁰Pb. The slope of the log-linearK _d vs particle concentration relation is consistent with existingK _d-particle concentration theories. These laboratory observations are consistent with similar measurements in two lakes. TheK _d values of Po and Pb for the bottom sediment-pore water system with a high particle concentration were 10 to 100 times lower than those for dilute concentrations of particles suspended in the lake water. TheK _d of²¹⁰Pb in the sediments was >10⁴ so that the diffusive transport of²¹⁰Pb has only a small influence on the interpretation of²¹⁰Pb concentration-depth profiles and the²¹⁰Pb dating of these sediments.This is the second 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.     

河西走廊西端灌丛沙丘发育过程及其对沙漠化的指示意义

在风沙活动强烈的荒漠地区开展环境变化研究常缺乏符合要求的地质测年材料。灌丛沙丘是干旱区发育的一种特殊生物地貌类型,具有计年和储存环境信息的功能,可以用来重建沙丘的发育过程和过去的环境变化。以河西走廊西端花海盆地发育的灌丛沙丘沉积剖面为研究对象,基于AMS¹⁴C年代学及沉积物粒度、碳酸盐含量、地球化学元素等代用指标的分析,与文献记载、沙漠化监测数据和近几十年的器测气象资料对比分析,试图揭示区域灌丛沙丘的发育过程及其环境指示意义。结果表明：花海盆地灌丛沙丘的发育时间已超过800 年;20世纪60年代中后期至70年代早期人类活动的干扰曾使灌丛沙丘的堆积过程中断,但丰富的物源随后又促使灌丛沙丘再次快速发育。沙丘物源曾发生过剧烈的变化,使得灌丛沙丘沉积物中的粗颗粒组分和中值粒径并不适于作为环境代用指标重建区域的风沙环境变化,而细颗粒组分（<63 μm和<10 μm）和碳酸盐含量的变化,则揭示了研究区在20世纪70-80年代（沙丘高度300~420 cm）时获得了丰富的物质来源。灌丛沙丘沉积物中的Zr/Rb比值,能够作为良好的环境代用指标指示1970-1988年（沙丘高度300~420 cm）区域处在风沙活动较强烈的环境;近几十年花海盆地土地沙漠化明显,尤其是20世纪70年代和80年代。灌丛沙丘可以作为有较高可信度的地质记录载体,在河西走廊西端重建较长时间尺度的、高分辨率的区域气候环境演变历史。     

A sedimentary record of the rise and fall of the metal industry in Bergslagen,south central Sweden

Detailed stratigraphic analyses of sediments deposited in Lake Botjärnen, a small boreal forest lake in the shield terrain of central Sweden, clearly reflect progressively increasing human impact on terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems following settlement and establishment of an iron industry in the 17th century. Rising frequencies of pollen and spores from light-demanding plants provide evidence of extensive forest clearance for charcoal and timber production, which peaked in the early 20th century. An associated increase in catchment erosion is reflected by changing carbon and nitrogen elemental content and carbon–isotope composition of sediment organic matter and by increased magnetic susceptibility of the sediments. Records of air-borne pollutants (lead, zinc and sulphur) can be correlated to the development of local and regional mining and metal industry as inferred from historical accounts. Rapid recession of the iron industry led to re-forestation and recovery of the aquatic nutrient status to pre-industrial conditions over the past 100 years. The chronology of the sediment succession, which is based on ²¹⁰Pb and ¹³⁷Cs radionuclide data in combination with radiocarbon dating, is confirmed by historical lead pollution trends established for the region.     

某金矿区农田土壤重金属元素Pb的累积速率

以某金矿区农田土壤重金属Pb为研究对象,分别以2004和2012年采集样品的测试结果作为计算农田土壤重金属Pb累积速率的依据,以2004—2012年作为计算时间区间,以农田土壤重金属Pb的累积速率为研究内容,采用对比分析方法,分析区域Pb的累积速率特征,阐明人类工程活动极大地影响着农田土壤重金属Pb的累积过程。研究结果表明,全区农田土壤Pb平均累积速率为31.8mg/kg·a-1。选取选矿厂、冶炼厂、尾矿库、污水灌溉区、车载尾矿弃渣等典型污染源,对周边农田土壤Pb累积的时空变化特征进行分析。结果显示,选矿厂对农田土壤Pb累积的影响最大,其周边农田土壤Pb累积速率相当于全区Pb累积速率的4倍,该结论对防治重金属污染及保障人体健康具有实际指导意义。     

Discrete modeling of strain accumulation in granular soils under low amplitude cyclic loading

An advanced understanding of the strain accumulation phenomenon in granular soils subjected to low amplitude cyclic loading with relatively high frequency is needed to enhance the ability to predict the settlement of granular soils induced by vibrations. In the current study, the discrete element method is used to study this phenomenon. A loose and a medium dense sample composed of a relatively large number of spheres are considered. A series of stress controlled cyclic triaxial tests with different excitation amplitudes and frequencies is performed on these samples at different static stress states. The response of these samples at the macroscopic and microscopic scales is analyzed. The sample density, the cyclic stress amplitude and the static stress state importantly affect strain accumulation. However, the cyclic excitation frequency has a small effect on strain accumulation. At the microscopic scale, frictional sliding occurring at a few contacts continuously dissipates energy and the fraction of these contacts varies periodically during cyclic loading. The coordination number of these samples increases slightly as strain accumulates. However, the anisotropy remains almost constant during low amplitude cyclic excitation. A qualitatively good agreement between numerical and experimental results is found.     

Member 1 of Yongji Formation (Ey1) sedimentary characteristics and its origin analysis in Yitong Graben

Ey1 has the unique desultory-weak or gap seismic reflection structure as its one of the most important characteristics. It is very important to clarify sedimentary characteristics and its origin for Yitong Graben and its sedimentary facies and tectonic evolution. On the basis of the research of core analyses, well logging data analyses, sedimentary facies analyses and seismic reflection structure analyses, the authors have concluded the sedimentary characteristics of Ey1, and have carried out Ey1 sedimentary environments and its origin. The result shows that Ey1 desultory-weak or gap seismic reflection may be a series of small scale secondary sediment fans superimposition.     

湖泊沉积物的矿物组成、成因、环境指示及研究进展

湖泊沉积物是不同地质、气候、水文条件下各类碎屑、黏土、自生/生物成因矿物以及有机物质等的综合体。沉积矿物蕴含着丰富区域和全球环境演变信息,如湖水的化学组成、流域构造、气候、水文以及人类活动的相互作用等。相关信息可以赋存在矿物外部微形貌、内部微结构、化学组成、物理和化学性质、同位素组成、谱学特征、成因以及共生组合等方面。因此,湖泊科学的许多关键课题都离不开矿物学,特别是在利用湖泊沉积物进行区域及过去全球变化研究中,深入的机理研究归根到底都要涉及矿物学,如流域化学风化作用、粒度组成、生物壳体化学组成、测年材料的选择等。然而,由于湖泊沉积物中矿物的多源性、复杂性,如何有效提取和解译其中的环境信息,是一项长期困扰研究者的课题,湖泊沉积矿物学的研究往往被许多研究者所忽视,中国的相关研究也较为薄弱。笔者综述了湖泊沉积物中碎屑、黏土、自生/生物矿物的矿物组合、特征、成因在(古)环境反演中的作用及最新研究进展,提出除了继续加强对湖泊沉积物中矿物来源、成因和古环境示踪的深入研究以外,矿物相间的转变及其对湖水和孔隙水组成的响应、一些非晶质或隐晶质及低丰度矿物相在湖泊化学和动力学中的作用也是很有潜力的研究领域,最后提出了研究中存在的一些问题、面对的挑战以及对研究前景的展望。     

Lake-Level Fluctuations and Small-Scale Vegetation Patterns During the Late Glacial in The Netherlands

Late glacial changes in the vegetation were studied in and around a former lake on the southeastern side of a coversand ridge near Milheeze (southern Netherlands). Analyses of microfossils and macroremains and AMS ¹⁴C dating were performed on four sediment cores along a transect from sand ridge to the lake centre. Small-scale vegetation patterns and lake-level fluctuations were reconstructed in detail based on the information provided by the transect. For the first time in The Netherlands, cores along a transect within one lake were used to reconstruct the amplitude of late glacial lake-level fluctuations. Near Milheeze, a small and shallow lake was formed during the Bølling. The large increase in the water level during the Bølling and early Allerød, and the transition to more eutrophic conditions at the start of the Allerød, were probably related to the disappearance of permafrost. During the Allerød, open birch and pine woodlands developed in the area. In the lake, organic deposits accumulated, and the lake size and depth fluctuated. At the start of the Younger Dryas, higher lake water levels were recorded and woodlands became more open as a result of both a drop in the temperature and an increase in the effective precipitation. During the late Younger Dryas the lake water level dropped as the climate became drier and temperatures slightly increased. Accumulation of organic deposits in the lake ceased at the end of the Younger Dryas, which was caused by a drop in the water level in combination with the hydroseral succession process within the lake itself. The climatic signal reflected in the late glacial flora and lake-level fluctuations agree well with other published data from The Netherlands.     

A climatic-limnologic model of diatom succession for paleolimnological interpretation of varved sediments at Elk Lake,Minnesota

Sediment traps placed in the profundal region of Elk Lake, north central Minnesota during the 1979 spring and 1983–84 fall and spring seasons monitored seasonal diatom production for two climatically distinctive periods. The spring of 1979 was one of the coldest and wettest on record. Ice out at Elk Lake was 10 days later than average, and spring circulation was short. Fragilaria crotonensis dominated the late spring and early summer diatom production in association with Synedra and Cyclotella species, perhaps because rates of phosphorus supply were low compared to silica. The winter of 1983–84 was drier than usual, and the early but cold spring of 1984 caused ice out at Elk Lake to be about 1 week earlier than normal. Spring storms promoted a long and full circulation that allowed Stephanodiscus minulutus to bloom, presumably in response to increased phosphorus loading related to deep and vigorous circulation. The two dominant diatoms in Elk Lake, F. crotonensis and S. minutulus may reflect climatic patterns that control lake circulation. The climatically regulated occurrence of these diatoms is generally, but not specifically, comparable to their distribution in lake surface sediments throughout Minnesota. A combination of regional and lake-specific studies on the controls of diatom succession and distribution provides climatic insights for interpreting paleolimnogical records of diatoms.