A new chronological framework for Middle and Upper Pleistocene landscape evolution in the Sussex/Hampshire Coastal Corridor, UK

The unique Middle and Late Pleistocene sedimentary record preserved along the Sussex/Hampshire Coastal Corridor between Romsey and Brighton contains a wealth of deposits including highstand marine sediments associated with a variety of different aged beaches, fluvial sediments associated with rivers crossing the coastal plain and cold stage deposits accumulating above the marine and fluvial sediments. Although quarrying activity has been extensive across much of the area it has been undertaken in flooded workings due to the high level of the watertable. Consequently little is known in detail about the sequences except where they outcrop on the foreshore around the coast. This paper examines recent work from the lower coastal plain using a multi-disciplinary approach these deposits to elucidate the age of the sequences and their associated environments of deposition.OSL dates from two of the beaches, the Aldingbourne and Brighton/Norton Beaches, place both within MIS 7. Although these OSL dates cannot differentiate between sub-stages within MIS 7, coupling these results with inferences from local geography, lithology and contained microfossils it is clear that the beaches belong to two different phases within MIS 7. These two beaches are clearly divided by a major phase of erosion and downcutting associated with a fall in sea-level. Fluvial sediments from Solent Terrace 2 and Arun Terrace 4 also date within MIS 7 and are tentatively ascribed to the downcutting event between the beaches. Together this information allows us to propose, for the first time, a robust independently dated framework for the lower parts of the coastal plain integrating for the first time the marine and terrestrial record.     

Evidence from the Trent terrace archive, Lincolnshire, UK, for lowland glaciation of Britain during the Middle and Late Pleistocene

The late Middle Pleistocene fluvial terrace sequence of the lower Trent system, Lincolnshire (eastern England), provides an excellent record of environmental change, including evidence for the last two interglacial episodes. It also provides important stratigraphical evidence for the timing and extent of three separate glaciations. Two of these, the Anglian and Devensian, are well-established correlatives of Marine Isotope Stages (MIS) 12 and 2 respectively; the third is a hitherto un-named post-Anglian-pre-Devensian glaciation in eastern England that has been the subject of much previous speculation, but can now be attributed with some confidence to MIS 8. Crucially, the recognition of MIS 7 interglacial deposits within the Balderton-Southrey terrace of the proto-Trent indicates that the underlying Wragby Till, which is ascribed to this additional glaciation, was emplaced no later than MIS 8. The oldest terrace preserved within the lower Trent staircase, the Eagle Moor-Martin Terrace, is considered to be a complex glacial outwash terrace related to the Wragby Till glaciation. It is suggested that deposits representing MIS 11-9, which are conspicuously absent throughout the Trent system, were removed by this glaciation. This is a departure from previous interpretations, which have suggested MIS 10 or MIS 6 as the most likely stages in which an extensive post-Anglian-pre-Devensian lowland glaciation might have occurred in Britain. However, the widespread preservation of undisrupted post-MIS 8 fluvial sequences throughout the Trent valley and in neighbouring systems, within which MIS 7 interglacial deposits have now been recognized at a number of localities, indicates that ice sheets are unlikely to have advanced further into this catchment during MIS 6 than during the Devensian (MIS 2). Recognition of a British glaciation during MIS 8 corresponds with widespread evidence in Europe, which suggests that glacial deposits classified as ‘Saalian’ represent both MIS 8 and MIS 6; in many areas, distinguishing these remains controversial, as confident correlation with either stage is often only possible where glacial sediments interdigitate with well-constrained fluvial records.     

Extrinsic and intrinsic forcing of fluvial development: understanding natural and anthropogenic influences

This paper introduces a special issue arising from the biennial meeting of the Fluvial Archives Group (FLAG) that took place in September 2008 in Budapest, Hungary. Combining a two-day conference and three-day field excursion, this meeting provided an excellent opportunity for presentation and discussion of recent advances in research on fluvial evolution from the Plio-Pleistocene to the historical period. This editorial seeks to place these advances within the contexts both of long-term geomorphological research and the achievements of FLAG. It thus highlights progress towards a better understanding of fluvial responses to internal and external (including anthropogenic) forcing. It also points out some of the main obstacles, which can be targeted as goals for further research. Typically these relate to observed discrepancies in fluvial system responses, such as in patterns of lateral erosion and the timing of terrace incision, despite apparently similar fluvial parameters. Possible explanations for these discrepancies are mentioned, and the potential of new methods (especially in geochronology and modelling) to clarify such discrepancies is underlined. Finally the editorial provides brief reviews of the ten papers in this special issue (many of them developed from presentations in Budapest), which cover various areas in Europe (Hungary, England, Germany, Portugal, Russia), Asia (India) and South America (Bolivian Andes), placing them, in turn, within the context of this wider review of fluvial research.     

Morphology and Histology of Lattice-like Ossified Epaxial Tendons in Psittacosaurus (Dinosauria: Ceratopsia)

<正>Epaxial tendons play an important role in the study of the musculoskeletal system and locomotory style of dinosaurs.Although the ossified epaxial tendon lattice is fairly well known in Iguanodontoidea,only recently has knowledge of this complex been extended to ceratopsians.This study concerns the gross morphology and microstructure of the tendon lattice in Psittacosaurus,a basal ceratopsian.As in the neoceratopsian Chasmosaurus,the ossified tendons of Psittacosaurus form a three-layered, lattice-like structure.The microstructure of the tendons in large psittacosaur individuals retains an early stage of ossification,as in juvenile birds and nestling hadrosaurs,suggesting a slow developmental rate of ossification of the tendons in psittacosaur ontogeny.Comparative study indicates that a lattice-like arrangement of three-layered epaxial tendons is widely distributed in Cerapoda.This pattern also extends to Ankylosauria,implying a similar pattern of the epaxial muscles through the ornithischian clade.In addition,comparison with crocodiles implies that the different morphology of ossified tendons in dinosaurs may be associated with adaptive aspects of their paleobiology,not simply a side effect of skeletal ossification.In contrast to the short tendons in quadrupedal Chasmosaurus and Protoceratops,the elongated tendons in Psittacosaurus may be related to the bipedal locomotion characteristic of this taxon.     

冀东平原土壤重金属元素的存在形态及有效性分析

通过对冀东平原根系土中8种重金属元素形态含量的统计与分析,总结出其形态组成特征,初步分析了各重金属元素在土壤中的地球化学行为。笔者运用相关性分析方法,对重金属元素有效态含量与全量及土壤pH、TOC的相关性进行分析,从而得出重金属元素有效态含量的高低不仅受其全量的影响,而且与土壤pH、TOC亦有密切关系,这为表层土壤重金属元素污染程度的科学合理评价提供了理论依据。     

南海3种小型砗磲的外壳形态差异分析

本研究对中国南海3种小型砗磲(Tridacnaspp.)[番红砗磲(Tridacnacrocea,包括2种外壳形态)、长砗磲(Tridacna maxima)和诺亚砗磲(Tridacna noae)]的外壳形态性状进行生物统计学差异分析。研究表明,4组砗磲外壳存在显著形态学差异。单因素方差分析发现9个外壳比例性状能够较好区分3种砗磲,且2种不同外壳形态的番红砗磲在壳宽/壳长、足丝孔宽/壳长、壳质量/壳长和左右壳厚比壳长存在显著性差异(P<0.05);在基于欧氏距离Ward法且指定聚类数k=4的条件下,4组砗磲层次聚类效果较好;主成分分析提取3个主成分建立散点图,累计主成分贡献率73.85%,各主成分贡献率依次为50.47%,13.78%和9.60%;线性判别分析得出3个判别函数,方差解释率依次为70.13%、20.97%和8.90%。3种多元统计方法从不同角度解释各组砗磲的外壳形态差异,结果均显示两组番红砗磲的外壳形态更为接近,同时长砗磲与诺亚砗磲的外壳形态较为接近。     

腾格里沙漠南部格状沙丘的形态演变及移动特征

沙丘的形态变化与移动蕴含区域风沙环境和地貌演化的关键信息,是风沙地貌研究的重要内容。以腾格里沙漠南缘的长格状和方格状沙丘为研究对象,利用风况资料和Google Earth卫星影像,监测2009—2020年两种格状沙丘的形态变化并分析其移动特征。结果表明：(1)腾格里沙漠西南缘和东南缘的主风向均为西北风,长格状沙丘分布区的次风向为东南风,方格状沙丘分布区次风向为东风和东南风,都属于低风能环境、中变率风况。西南部风能环境大于东南部,研究区近10年风动力呈衰减趋势。(2)格状沙丘的主副梁长度和间距在增加,其中,长格状沙丘高度增加,方格状沙丘高度在降低。沙丘主梁向东偏移,副梁向南偏移,形态整体保持稳定。(3)长格状沙丘平均移动速率为1.57～1.71 m·a^-1,方格状沙丘平均移动速率为1.63～2.01 m·a^-1,沙丘平均移动方向与合成输沙方向基本一致,沙丘的体积是造成移动速率差异的主因。     

中龄和老龄杉木人工林细根序级形态和呼吸特征

以福建省南平市王台镇溪后村安曹下19年生和91年生杉木人工林为研究对象,对其1~5级细根的形态及呼吸特征进行了比较研究。结果表明:2个林分细根直径、根长、组织密度随序级升高逐渐增大,比根长及比根呼吸随序级升高则减小;2个林分细根仅在4级根之间和5级根之间的直径以及5级根之间的比根呼吸具有显著差异(P0.05)。方差分析表明林龄仅对细根直径有极显著影响(P0.01),对根长、比根长、组织密度及比根呼吸的影响均不显著;林龄和序级的交互作用对细根直径,比根长及比根呼吸有显著影响(P0.05,P0.01),对根长和组织密度的影响不显著;序级对两个林分细根直径、根长、比根长、组织密度及比根呼吸的影响均达到极显著水平(P0.01)。回归分析表明2个林分细根直径、根长、比根长、组织密度及比根呼吸与序级之间具有三次函数,指数函数,或者幂函数关系。