Characteristics of Piezometric heads and determination of fresh water–salt water interface in the coastal zone near Beihai,China

Changes in hydraulic heads with space and time and evolution of the location of fresh water–salt water interface are important for groundwater development in coastal aquifers. Measurements of piezometric heads at 11 well clusters consisting of three piezometric wells of different depths with a 5-day interval for 15 months show that the piezometric heads at nearly all the wells near the northwestern coast in Beihai decrease with increasing depth and increase with increasing distance from the coast. Changes in piezometric heads at the wells during the measurement period were caused by seasonal precipitation and induced by the tide. The depth of the sharp interface between fresh water–salt water can be estimated based on measurements of piezometric heads at a piezometric well tapping at a point in the salt water zone below the interface and measurements of the water table at the same well. The calculations of the interface for well H5 range from 40 to 80 m below sea level in the measurement period, which are believed to be more reasonable than those estimated with the Ghyben–Herzberg relation. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Response of a hypersaline salt marsh to a large flood and rainfall event along the west coast of southern Africa

The Orange Estuary lost 27% (276 ha) of its wetland area near the mouth as a result of bad management practices during the 1980s. The salt marsh has been unable to recover over the last 20 years because of the persistently high soil and groundwater salinity. In 2006, a 1 in 5 year flood occurred that completely covered the desertified salt marsh and floodplain with freshwater. The flood was followed by an above average (>45 mm) winter rainfall. Soil and groundwater sampled in April and August 2004 were compared with 2006 data to quantify the impact of the flood and rainfall event. It was hypothesised that the two freshwater events would significantly reduce the soil and groundwater salinity. However, the results showed no significant difference in sediment electrical conductivity throughout the soil profile over the four sampling periods. Soil moisture and organic content however increased significantly after these events in the surface soil layer. The flood deposited silt and scoured sand from the surface layers in significant quantities. The depth to groundwater in the desertified marsh retained a similar pattern after the flood despite 15 cm changes in depth in places. In 2004 a clear groundwater electrical conductivity gradient was present extending from the less saline north part of the marsh (0–15 mS cm⁻¹) to the central part (120–135 mS cm⁻¹) and decreasing again towards the south (60–75 mS cm⁻¹). The flood served to even out the groundwater salinity across the desertified marsh (60–90 mS cm⁻¹). The flood and high rainfall had a limited impact on the soil and groundwater characteristics. The few significant changes that were recorded were mostly restricted to the surface soil layers and on a small spatial scale. The rainfall did however create numerous pools of low salinity (<60 mS cm⁻¹) water on the marsh surface that provided a brief opportunity for salt marsh seeds to germinate. A further benefit of the flood was the increased tidal reach into the desertified marsh importing freshwater from the river mouth and exporting salt. Despite these responses it is unlikely that the hypersaline salt marsh will revegetate naturally. Human intervention is needed to ensure the rehabilitation of this important Ramsar site.     

长江三角洲地层中的冷杉和云杉花粉的来源推测

孢粉通常被用作古气候的代用指标,长江三角洲地区已经进行了许多相关的孢粉-古气候的研究工作。通过对长江三角洲地区7个晚更新世钻孔的孢粉资料进行提取对比,发现冷杉和云杉两种花粉在地层中分布有一定的规律性。现代长江流域这两种耐寒植物集中分布在青藏高原区,长江中下游地区极少分布,但其花粉确出现在近河口区的晚更新世以来的暖期地层中（MIS1,3和5期）,并且达到了一定数量,这很可能是长江从其上游地区搬运至此沉积下来的。同时,我们也发现西部内陆平原区由于受长江物源影响较少,其晚更新世以来地层中的冷杉和云杉花粉分布与河口区差别很大,这也为河流携带冷杉和云杉花粉至河口地区提供了证据。这一发现如果成立,冷杉和云杉花粉即可作为长江物源的一个判别指标。     

东濮凹陷濮卫环洼带沙三段沉积体系及储层发育规律

为了提高东濮凹陷濮卫环洼带隐蔽油气藏的勘探精度,以层序地层学理论和瓦尔特相律为指导,通过钻井岩芯、测井和地震的三元分析法,综合构造-地层分析,在东濮凹陷濮卫环洼带沙三段共识别出湖底扇、滨浅湖砂坝-风暴、低位盐湖、三角洲、深湖-半深湖等五种沉积体系,分析了主要储层发育期沉积体系的时空展布特征,探讨了层序地层体制下沙三段的沉积体系发育模式及储层发育规律,指出环洼带东部及北部水下河道与坡折带的交汇处是储层的主要发育地带,其沉积体系主要为湖底扇、三角洲沉积体系.     

试论湖相高频旋回水下间断面的成因:揭示湖盆短期沉降过程的突破口

在湖相条件下,常发育沉积水体单一向上变浅的高频旋回,旋回底部为水下间断面,间断面之上的古水深迅速增大。在陆相层序地层学研究中,常将这类间断面直接归为古气候变化引起湖泛和物源后退形成的水下无沉积作用面。但这种认识目前还难以得到圆满的解释,而如果将其归为盆地短周期的间歇性构造沉降成因似乎显得更为合理。针对湖相高频旋回水下间断面的成因研究,不仅可以进一步探讨盆地短周期的构造活动方式及其对湖相高频旋回沉积过程的影响,也为在湖相条件下更好地应用米兰柯维奇旋回理论提供研究基础。     

Effects of permafrost degradation on thermokarst lake hydrochemistry in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Thermokarst lakes play a key role in the hydrological and biogeochemical cycles of permafrost regions. Current knowledge regarding the changes caused by permafrost degradation to the hydrochemistry of lakes in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau (QTP) is limited. To address this gap, a systematic investigation of thermokarst lake water, suprapermafrost water, ground ice, and precipitation was conducted in the hinterland of the QTP. The thermokarst lake water in the QTP was identified to be of the Na-HCO₃-Cl type. The mean concentrations of HCO₃⁻ and Na⁺ were 281.8 mg L⁻¹ (146.0–546.2 mg L⁻¹) and 73.3 mg L⁻¹ (9.2–345.8 mg L⁻¹), respectively. The concentrations of Li⁺, NH₄⁺, K⁺, F⁻, NO₂⁻, and NO₃⁻ were relatively low. Freeze-out fractionation concentrated the dissolved solids within the lake water during winter, which was deeply deepened on lake depth and lake ice thickness. Owing to solute enrichment, the ground ice was characterized by high salinity. Conversely, repeated replenishment via precipitation led to lower solute concentrations in the ground ice near the permafrost table compared to that within the permafrost. Although lower solute concentration existed in precipitation, the soil leaching and saline ground ice melting processes enhanced the solute load in suprapermafrost water, which is considered an important water and solute resource in thermokarst lakes. The influencing mechanism of permafrost degradation on thermokarst lake hydrochemistry is presumably linked to: (1) the liberation of soluble materials sequestered in ground ice; (2) the increase of solutes in suprapermafrost water and soil pore water; and (3) the changes in lake morphometry. These results have major implications on the understanding of the effects of ground ice melting on ecosystem functions, biogeochemical processes, and energy balance in a rapidly changing climate.     

南极长城站地区西湖底沉积物化学元素分布规律及其环境意义

利用南极长城站地区西湖底沉积物的化学元素背景值，对西湖底沉积物元素的时序分布规律及其指示的环境意义作了较细致的研究。研究表明，湖底沉积物元素的时序变化规律与站区自然环境变化密切相关。尽管元素的时序变化滞后于自然环境的波动，但对研究长城站地区自然环境演变仍具有一定的指示意义。尤其是Ｓ元素的异常变化，可能揭示出长城站地区两次规模较大的火山活动。     

Monitoring of water surface temperature of Eurasian large lakes using MODIS land surface temperature product

In this study, data from MODIS land surface temperature product level 3 (MOD11A2) were used to investigate the spatiotemporal variation of Eurasian lakes water surface temperature (LSWT) from 2001 to 2015, and to examine the most influencing factors of that variation. The temperature of most lakes in the dry climate zone and in the equatorial climatic zone varied from 17 to 31°C and from 23 to 27°C, respectively. LSWTs in the warm temperate and cold climatic zones were in the range of 20 to 27°C and −0.6 and 17°C, respectively. The average day time LSWT in the polar climate zone was −0.71°C in the summer. Lakes in high latitude and in the Tibetan Plateau displayed low LSWT, ranging from −11 to 26°C during the night time. Large spatial variations of diurnal temperature difference (DTD) were observed in lakes across Eurasia. However, variations in DTDs were small in lakes located in high latitude and in tropical rainforest regions. The shallow lakes showed a rapid response of LSWT to solar and atmospheric forcing, while in the large and deep lakes, that response was sluggish. Results of this study demonstrated the applicability of remote sensing and MODIS LST products to capture the spatial–temporal variability of LSWT across continental scales, in particular for the vast wilderness areas and protected environment in high latitude regions of the world. The approach can be used in future studies examining processes and factors controlling large scale variability of LSWT.     

Sediment-chemistry response to land-use change and pollutant loading in a hypertrophic lake, southern Sweden

Responses to recent land-use changes and pollutant loading in the sediment of a hypertrophic lake in southern Sweden were studied by comparison of geochemical, pollen and magnetic records with historical land-use data. A chronology was constructed for the last two centuries by correlating changes in the pollen diagram to major events in the land-use history. Sediment accumulation was low (mean c. 0.2 g cm^-2 yr^-1) prior to 1800 AD, when less than 25% of the catchment was arable land. Reorganization of the agrarian system during the 19th century increased the annually tilled area by 300%, which accelerated soil erosion and substantially increased the accumulation of allochtonous matter in the lake. Since the turn of the century 90% of the catchment has been ploughed every year. The deposition of clastic matter in the lake has, however, decreased due to a gradual rerouting of the drainage system, which has reduced the effective catchment area by c. 85%.Authigenic vivianite (Fe3(PO4)2.8H2O) is a major P phase in the preindustrial non-sulphidic sediments, which suggests that the sediments at that time served as a fairly efficient sink for P. The arable expansion, increased manuring and, eventually, the introduction of artificial fertilizers during the 19th century led to a massive influx of nutrients, which elevated primary production in the lake. Subsequent development of bottom water anoxia around 1900, in combination with an additional pollutant burden of sulphate within the lake basin, led to major alterations of the biogeochemical cycles. The most critical change in the post-1900 sediments involved the cycling of Fe and P. The linkage between the lacustrine P and Fe cycles can explain that FeS formation was paralleled by a release of P from the sedimentary pool. This supply of P to the lake basin must have supplemented the nutrient supply by modern agriculture and contributed to recent hypertrophication. The bacterial sulphate reduction also affected the generation of alkalinity which supported a significant calcite precipitation in the post-1900 sediments.S is enriched 10-fold in the post-1900 sediments compared to preindustrial values. Along with the rise in S, soot particles derived from fossil fuel combustion appear in the sediments for the first time. Therefore, Bussj¨osj¨on is thought to be a good example of how a well-buffered, highly productive lake may respond to the pollution by sulphur from acid rain.