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.     

Sedimentation rates in the Wanggang salt marshes, Jiangsu

1 IntroductionLand-ocean interaction in coastalzone is one of the key m atters of the International G eosphereand Biosphere Program (IG BP). The key problem s of the second phase in the next decadeinclude the m aterial cycle, the system evolution process …     

137Cs示踪法土壤侵蚀量估算的本底值问题

137Cs示踪法因能快速、相对简便地估算土壤侵蚀量而在土壤侵蚀定量研究中得到广泛应用。本底值获取是137Cs示踪法的关键和基础。在具有空间异质性多因素综合作用下,本底值呈现高度的空间异质性。针对本底值空间变异性,从气候气象要素、地形、土壤属性、土地利用/覆被四个方面阐明各因素与本底值空间变异的作用机理。分析了当前137Cs示踪法应用中在本底值获取时参考点存在性及选点的准确性、单个或几个本底值对研究区本底值的代表性和参考点采样设计。提出划分侵蚀测定单元、建立多本底值体系和进行地形校正解决当前137Cs示踪法中本底值存在问题的对策。侵蚀测定计算单元的划分原则和方法、根据已有参考点的137Cs本底值推算各单元137Cs本底值的技术方法、定量化研究各因素对137Cs的作用是今后需要深入的工作。     

Impact of natural reforestation on floodplain sedimentation in the Dragonja basin,SW Slovenia

Changes in floodplain sediment dynamics have profound effects on riverine habitats and riparian biodiversity. Depopulation due to socio‐economic changes in the Dragonja catchment (91 km²) in southwestern Slovenia resulted in the abandonment of agricultural fields, followed by natural reforestation since 1945. This profoundly changed the water and sediment supply to the streams, as well as floodplain sediment deposition. This paper presents a reconstruction of the development of the Dragonja floodplain due to these land use changes during the last 60 years. The reconstruction is based on dating of floodplain sediments using ¹³⁷Cs profiles, measurement of actual sedimentation rates using artificial grass sedimentation mats, and linking this information to the present‐day hydrological behaviour of the river. The sedimentation mats showed that floodplain sedimentation was restricted to peak flows of considerable magnitude. Due to the reforestation, the return period of such high flows increased from 0·31 year in the period 1960–1985 to 0·81 year between 1986 and 2003, with commensurate changes in sedimentation rates. At the 1·5 m river terrace (formed about 60 years ago), ¹³⁷Cs‐based sedimentation rates (1960–1986) were roughly twice the rates inferred from the artificial grass mats (2001–2003). This finding matches the increase in the return period for larger peak events during the 1986–2003 period, which caused fewer major inundations at this level. Conversely, sedimentation rates determined for the lowest terrace at 0·5 m were similar for both techniques (and periods) because the return periods of the peak events responsible for sediment deposition at this lower level did not change much over the period 1986–2003. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

江苏王港盐沼的现代沉积速率

江苏海岸湿地总面积超过5000km^2，但围垦活动的加剧使盐沼湿地面积迅速减少；为了达到海岸防护、保滩促淤的目的，先后引种了大米草和互花米草。通过采集江苏王港潮滩盐沼湿地9处柱状样和挖取探槽剖面，以及对沉积剖面样品进行^210Pb和^137Cs测年分析，探讨了^210Pb的本底及影响^210Pb富集的因素，估算了王港盐沼湿地的现代沉积速率。王港潮滩盐沼沉积物对^210Pb的吸附作用较弱；受风暴潮、生物扰动、物源变化及实验误差等因素的影响，在^210Pbex剖面上出现了数据异常点，将这些数据点剔除后计算得到的沉积速率为33cm yr^-1，^137Cs测年显示，该地区1963年以来的平均沉积速率3．1cm yr^-1，与^210Pb法及前人研究结果相一致。根据一个典型剖面的^137Cs测年数据分析，王港潮滩盐沼的沉积过程根据地貌特征的不同可分3个阶段，大米草覆盖阶段滩面高程迅速增加，互花米草的生长提高了滩面淤积速率。     

近百年来东平湖沉积通量变化与环境

根据210Pb、137Cs法建立的东平湖现代沉积年代序列,结合沉积物粒度与烧失量变化特征以及黄河变迁与流域人类活动的特点,分析探讨了1889年以来东平湖沉积通量的变化。研究表明,百年来东平湖沉积环境不稳定,沉积通量变化较大:1889~1938年,沉积通量较高且基本稳定,1938~1965年,沉积通量逐年下降,1965~2000年,沉积通量整体较低且基本稳定,2000年以来,沉积通量呈逐年上升趋势。早期的高沉积通量与东平湖作为黄河自然滞蓄洪区有关,后期由于人类活动（湖区治理、黄河水利工程建设等）控制了黄河水的自然倒灌,导致了沉积通量的下降并趋于稳定,近期沉积通量的上升是湖区经济活动增强的反映。     

环境演变研究时间序列的建立方法评述

对环境演变时间序列建立的几种主要方法的纪年原理、应用状况及应用的优点、范围、局限性进行了阐述和比较，包括长寿命宇宙成因核素在内的同位素纪年方法主要判别第四纪以来大时间尺主的沉积物的地质年龄，且能很好地应用于全球变化的研究，但百余年来沉积物的年龄及侵蚀历史变化的研究只能通过^210Pbex、^137Cs等半衰期相对较短的核素来进行；指出^210Pbex可望在现代流域侵蚀环境演变以及其效应评价的研究中获得新的突破。     

有关湖泊沉积137Cs深度分布资料解译的探讨

讨论了国内有关湖泊沉积^137Cs断代资料解译的一些问题。一些高寒地区的湖泊,上世纪60年代主核爆期以后,入湖泥沙的^137Cs含量变化不大,因此沉积剖面^137Cs浓度达峰值后无明显降低趋势。一些浅水湖泊,由于人类活动扰动湖底表层泥沙,剖面表层泥沙的^137Cs浓度比较均一。根据核尘埃沉降监测资料,中国湖泊沉积应存在明显的1963年^137Cs蓄积峰,不应存在所谓的1974年^137Cs次蓄积峰,可能存在不很明显的1986年次蓄积峰。沉积剖面中^137Cs浓度的深度变化,不仅和”’CS大气沉降通量变化有关,也和流域内近几十年来的环境变化有关,1963年以后的^137Cs次蓄积峰的确定要慎重。黔中红枫湖沉积物^137Cs面积活度高于滇西湖泊,主要是由于石漠化严重的喀斯特山地,裸岩面积大,裸岩坡地几无土壤吸附^137Cs尘埃,核爆期间^137Cs降尘随降雨径流直接流失进入湖泊比例高的缘故,不是青藏高原的大气污染物散落屏蔽效应的结果。     

From water to tillage erosion dominated landform evolution

While water and wind erosion are still considered to be the dominant soil erosion processes on agricultural land, there is growing recognition that tillage erosion plays an important role in the redistribution of soil on agricultural land. In this study, we examined soil redistribution rates and patterns for an agricultural field in the Belgian loess belt. ¹³⁷Cs derived soil erosion rates have been confronted with historical patterns of soil erosion based on soil profile truncation. This allowed an assessment of historical and contemporary landform evolution on agricultural land and its interpretation in relation to the dominant geomorphic process. The results clearly show that an important shift in the relative contribution of tillage and water erosion to total soil redistribution on agricultural land has occurred during recent decades. Historical soil redistribution is dominated by high losses on steep midslope positions and concavities as a result of water erosion, leading to landscape incision and steepening of the topography. In contrast, contemporary soil redistribution is dominated by high losses on convex upperslopes and infilling of slope and valley concavities as a result of tillage, resulting in topographic flattening. This shift must be attributed to the increased mechanization of agriculture during recent decades. This study shows that the typical topographical dependency of soil redistribution processes and their spatial interactions must be accounted for when assessing landform and soil profile evolution.     

137Cs示踪技术在土壤侵蚀估算中的应用研究进展

137Cs示踪技术目前已被广泛用于长期的土壤侵蚀(水蚀)估算。该技术要解决的两个关键问题是土壤137Cs基准值的确定,以及土壤的137Cs损失量与土壤侵蚀量之间的定量模型的建立。对现有的主要的定量模型进行了简述,并提出了各自的局限性。这些模型可分为经验模型和理论模型两大类,其中以理论模型中的质量平衡模型较为成熟,综合考虑了较多的侵蚀因子,如137Cs年沉降分量、土壤颗粒粒径分布差异、地表富集作用、耕作土壤在耕作活动前新沉降137Cs的侵蚀损失等。对现有模型的改进也进行了探讨,并提出了今后的一些研究重点。