Root‐zone moisture replenishment in a native vegetated catchment under Mediterranean climate

The root‐zone moisture replenishment mechanisms are key unknowns required to understand soil hydrological processes and water sources used by plants. Temporal patterns of root‐zone moisture replenishment reflect wetting events that contribute to plant growth and survival and to catchment water yield. In this study, stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of twigs and throughfall were continuously monitored to characterize the seasonal variations of the root‐zone moisture replenishment in a native vegetated catchment under Mediterranean climate in South Australia. The two studied hillslopes (the north‐facing slope [NFS] and the south‐facing slope [SFS]) had different environmental conditions with opposite aspects. The twig and throughfall samples were collected every ~20 days over 1 year on both hillslopes. The root‐zone moisture replenishment, defined as percentage of newly replenished root‐zone moisture as a complement to antecedent moisture for plant use, calculated by an isotope balance model, was about zero (±25% for the NFS and ± 15% for the SFS) at the end of the wet season (October), increased to almost 100% (±26% for the NFS and ± 29% for the SFS) after the dry season (April and May), then decreased close to zero (±24% for the NFS and ± 28% for the SFS) in the middle of the following wet season (August). This seasonal pattern of root‐zone moisture replenishment suggests that the very first rainfall events of the wet season were significant for soil moisture replenishment and supported the plants over wet and subsequent dry seasons, and that NFS completed replenishment over a longer time than SFS in the wet season and depleted the root zone moisture quicker in the dry season. The stable oxygen isotope composition of the intraevent samples and twigs further confirms that rain water in the late wet season contributed little to root‐zone moisture. This study highlights the significant role of the very first rain events in the early wet season for ecosystem and provides insights to understanding ecohydrological separation, catchment water yield, and vegetation response to climate changes.     

Groundwater mixing between different aquifer types in a complex structural setting discerned by elemental and stable isotope geochemistry

Karst aquifers are well known for their intricate stratigraphy and geologic structures, which make groundwater characterization challenging because flowpaths and recharge sources are complex and difficult to evaluate. Geochemical data, collected from ten closely spaced production wells constructed in two karst aquifers (Bangor Limestone (Mb) and Tuscumbia Limestone/Fort Payne Chert (Mftp)) in Trussville, north‐central Alabama, illustrate two distinctive groundwater end‐members: (1) higher major ion, dissolved inorganic carbon, conductivity, alkalinity concentrations, heavier δ¹³C ratios (max: −10.2 ± 0.2‰ Vienna Pee Dee Belemnite (PDB)) and lower residence times (mean: 19.5 ± 2 years, n = 2) of groundwater in the Mb aquifer and (2) lower constituent concentrations, lighter δ¹³C ratios (min: −13.4 ± 0.2‰ PDB) and longer residence times of groundwater (mean: 23.6 ± 2 years, n = 4) in the Mftp aquifer. Summer and fall data and the binary mixing model show aquifer inter‐flow mixing along solution fractures and confirms the distinctive groundwater geochemistry of the two aquifers. Lowering of static water levels over the summer (drawdown from 2 to 5.2 m) leads to more reducing groundwater conditions (lower Eh values) and slightly enriched δ¹⁸O and δD ratios during the fall [δ¹⁸O: −4.8 ± 0.1 to −5.4 ± 0.1‰ Vienna Standard Mean Oceanic Water (VSMOW), n = 9; δD: −25.4 ± 1 to −27.4 ± 1‰ VSMOW, n = 9] when compared with summer season samples (δ¹⁸O: −5.1 ± 0.1 to −5.7 ± 0.1‰ VSMOW, n = 11; δD: −25.0 ± 1 to −30.6 ± 1‰ VSMOW, n = 11). GIS analyses confirm the localized origin of recharge to the investigated aquifers. The combination of GIS, field parameters and geochemistry analyses can be successfully used to identify recharge sources, evaluate groundwater flow and transport pathways and to improve understanding of how groundwater withdrawals impact the sustainability and susceptibility to contamination of karst aquifers. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Oxygen‐18 dynamics in precipitation and streamflow in a semi‐arid agricultural watershed,Eastern Washington,USA

Understanding flow pathways and mechanisms that generate streamflow is important to understanding agrochemical contamination in surface waters in agricultural watersheds. Two environmental tracers, δ¹⁸O and electrical conductivity (EC), were monitored in tile drainage (draining 12 ha) and stream water (draining nested catchments of 6‐5700 ha) from 2000 to 2008 in the semi‐arid agricultural Missouri Flat Creek (MFC) watershed, near Pullman Washington, USA. Tile drainage and streamflow generated in the watershed were found to have baseline δ¹⁸O value of ?14·7‰ (VSMOW) year round. Winter precipitation accounted for 67% of total annual precipitation and was found to dominate streamflow, tile drainage, and groundwater recharge. ‘Old’ and ‘new’ water partitioning in streamflow were not identifiable using δ¹⁸O, but seasonal shifts of nitrate‐corrected EC suggest that deep soil pathways primarily generated summer streamflow (mean EC 250 µS/cm) while shallow soil pathways dominated streamflow generation during winter (EC declining as low as 100 µS/cm). Using summer isotopic and EC excursions from tile drainage in larger catchment (4700‐5700 ha) stream waters, summer in‐stream evaporation fractions were estimated to be from 20% to 40%, with the greatest evaporation occurring from August to October. Seasonal watershed and environmental tracer dynamics in the MFC watershed appeared to be similar to those at larger watershed scales in the Palouse River basin. A 0·9‰ enrichment, in shallow groundwater drained to streams (tile drainage and soil seepage), of δ¹⁸O values from 2000 to 2008 may be evidence of altered precipitation conditions due to the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO) in the Inland Northwest. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Isotope geochemistry and Re–Os geochronology of the Yanjiagou Mo deposit in the central North China Craton

The Yanjiagou deposit, located in the central North China Craton (NCC), is a newly found porphyry‐type Mo deposit. The Mo mineralization here is spatially associated with the Mapeng batholith. In this study, we identify four stages of ore formation in this deposit: pyrite phyllic stage (I), quartz–pyrite stage (II), quartz–pyrite–molybdenite stage (III), which is the main mineralization stage, and quartz–carbonate stage (IV). We present sulphur and lead isotope data on pyrite, and rhenium and osmium isotopes of molybdenite from the porphyry deposit and evaluate the timing and origin of ore formation. The δ³⁴S values of the pyrite range from ‐1.1‰ to −0.6‰, with an average of −0.875‰, suggesting origin from a mixture of magmatic/mantle sources and the basement rocks. The Pb isotope compositions of the pyrite show a range of 16.369 to 17.079 for ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, 15.201 to 15.355 for ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, and 36.696 to 37.380 for ²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb, indicating that the ore‐forming materials were derived from a mixture of lower crust (or basement rocks) and mantle. Rhenium contents in molybdenite samples from the main ore stage are between 74.73 to 254.43 ppm, with an average of 147.9 ppm, indicating a mixed crustal‐mantle source for the metal. Eight molybdenite separates yield model ages ranging from 124.17 to 130.80 Ma and a mean model age of 128.46 Ma. An isochron age of 126.7 ± 1.1 Ma (MSWD = 2.1, initial ¹⁸⁷Os = 0.0032 ± 0.0012 ppb) is computed, which reveals a close link between the Mo mineralization and the magmatism that generated the Mapeng batholith. The age is close to the zircon U–Pb age of ca. 130 Ma from the batholith reported in a recent study. The age is also consistent with the timing of mineralization in the Fuping ore cluster in the central NCC, as well as the peak time of lithosphere thinning and destruction of the NCC. We evaluate the spatio‐temporal distribution of the Mo deposits in the NCC and identify three important molybdenum provinces along the northern and southern margins of the craton formed during three distinct episodes: Middle to Late Triassic (240–220 Ma), Early Jurassic (190–175 Ma), and Late Jurassic to Early Cretaceous (150–125 Ma). The third period is considered to mark the most important metallogenic event, coinciding with the peak of lithosphere thinning and craton destruction in the NCC. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Atmospheric palaeo-CO2 estimates based on the carbon isotope and stomatal data of Cheirolepidiaceae from the Lower Cretaceous of the Jiuquan Basin,Gansu Province

The stable carbon isotope compositions and the stomatal parameters (stomatal density and stomatal index) of four Cheirolepidiaceae species, Brachyphyllum ningxiaensis, Brachyphyllum obtusum, Pseudofrenelopsis dalatzensis and Pseudofrenelopsis gansuensis, were analyzed to recover the late Early Cretaceous atmospheric CO₂ levels. The fossil plants were collected from 5 consecutive sedimentary members of the uppermost Zhonggou Formation. Based on the stomatal data, the estimated palaeo-atmospheric CO₂ concentrations in the Jiuquan Basin during the late Early Cretaceous were 1060–882 ppmv based on the carboniferous standardization and were 641–531 ppmv based on the recent standardization; the pCO₂ values present at first a decreasing and then an increasing trend within the sedimentary time of the five members. The δ¹³Cp values based on the 21 Brachyphyllum specimens showed a large variation, which ranged from −20.98‰ to −25.69‰, with an average of −24.2‰. The values also identified a C3 photosynthetic pathway for the Brachyphyllum specimens. The predicted δ¹³Ca values varied from −2.1‰ to −6.38‰, with an average of −5.03‰. These two proxies were irregular within the different members; therefore, the correlation with the change in atmospheric CO₂ concentrations was not significant. Moreover, a water-stressed environment was proposed based on the δ¹³C values of the present fossil plants, a proposal that was also supported by the previous palaeobotanical, palynological and stratigraphical evidence. In the present study, an inconsistent relationship between the stable carbon isotope and the stomata values was apparent, which most likely indicated that the stomata numbers of the plant were more sensitive to the variation in the concentration of the atmospheric CO₂, whereas the δ¹³C values were sensitive to the moisture conditions.     

广西栗木钨锡铌钽矿区流体包裹体及氢氧同位素研究

本文通过对广西栗木矿区金竹源矿床和水溪庙矿床的流体包裹体研究,得出该矿区流体包裹体主要有两相H_2O-NaCl和H_2O-NaCl-CO_2两种类型。显微测温结果表明:两相H_2O-NaCl型流体包裹体均一温度主要集中于181.9~258.8℃,盐度w(Na Cleq)主要集中于4.01%~6.87%,密度0.690~0.988 g/cm3;H_2O-NaCl-CO_2型流体包裹体均一温度为178.5~331.1℃,主要集中在两个温度段,分别为高-中温段(265.3~315.5℃)和中-低温段(202.3~264.1℃),盐度w(NaCleq)主要集中在0.21%~5.05%,密度为0.678~0.886 g/cm3。栗木矿区成矿流体有两个温度集中段,且具有低盐度、低密度的特征。氢氧同位素研究结果表明:金竹源矿床钨锡铌钽矿化花岗岩石英δD值为-73.6‰~-62.8‰,δ~(18)OV-SMOW值为7.5‰~8.9‰,计算得δ~(18)OH2O值为6.00‰~7.40‰;水溪庙矿床钨锡铌钽矿化花岗岩石英δD值为-73.8‰~-58.3‰,δ~(18)OV-SMOW值为11.0‰~13.2‰,计算得δ~(18)OH2O值为9.50‰~11.70‰,水溪庙矿床含钨锡石英脉石英δD值为-75.3‰~-56.6‰,δ~(18)OV-SMOW值为11.8‰~14.1‰,计算得δ~(18)OH2O值为2.20‰~4.50‰。栗木矿区钨锡铌钽矿化花岗岩成矿流体来源于岩浆水,含钨锡石英脉成矿流体来源于岩浆水和大气降水的混合流体。     

内蒙古东升庙和炭窑口多金属硫化物矿床铁同位素地球化学特征及其成矿指示意义

本文报道了内蒙古狼山成矿带内两个最大的铅锌多金属硫化物矿床——东升庙矿床和炭窑口矿床中黄铁矿、黄铜矿单矿物的铁同位素研究结果。东升庙矿床绢云石墨片岩中不规则状黄铁矿的铁同位素组成δ~(56)Fe_(-IRMM)值在+0.04‰~+1.11‰之间,呈现铁的重同位素富集,指示了海水中的铁以氧化态沉淀并在成岩期转化成黄铁矿的矿化过程。东升庙和炭窑口矿床富硫化物矿石中黄铁矿和黄铜矿的铁同位素组成δ~(56)Fe_(-IRMM)值的变化范围为-1.33‰~+0.08‰,具有热液成矿特征,指示金属成矿物质来源于热液流体。另外,绢云石墨片岩中脉状黄铁矿的铁同位素组成δ~(56)Fe_(-IRMM)值的变化范围为-0.39‰~-0.04‰,处于矿石黄铁矿和围岩不规则状黄铁矿之间,指示脉状黄铁矿是热液矿化的产物,并在成矿过程中混入了围岩中早先形成的富集铁的重同位素的黄铁矿。绢云石墨片岩中广泛发育的不规则状黄铁矿与赋存在绢云石墨片岩中的富硫化物矿体具有完全不同的铁同位素组成,指示热液活动对不规则状黄铁矿没有明显成矿物质贡献,因此同沉积热液活动成矿的可能性不大。结合赋存在白云石大理岩中硫化物矿体的顶、底部常见硅化的白云石大理岩角砾,本文提出后生矿化是东升庙多金属硫化物矿体的主要成矿方式。另外,东升庙矿床和炭窑口矿床的矿石硫化物具有相似的铁同位素组成特征,指示两者的成矿物质来源具有相似性。     

川西义敦岛弧稻城花岗岩体和海子山花岗岩体锆石U-Pb年代学、Hf同位素特征及地质意义

义敦岛弧形成于晚三叠世大规模俯冲造山作用过程中,位于松潘-甘孜褶皱带和羌塘地体之间。稻城岩体和海子山岩体分别为义敦岛弧上出露的晚三叠世和白垩纪花岗质岩体。结合野外考察,本文对上述岩体进行岩相学、锆石U-Pb年代学和Hf同位素的研究,结果表明,1稻城岩体和海子山岩体主要矿物为斜长石、钾长石、石英和黑云母,副矿物为锆石、榍石、磁铁矿和磷灰石等;钠质斜长石颗粒,以及钾长石和石英不连续出现,表明二者均属于低熔线花岗岩,是含水条件下,在与造山事件有关的环境中形成。2稻城岩体的侵位年龄为217.4Ma,属晚三叠世花岗岩侵入体,εHf(t)为-7.1~-0.1,二阶段模式年龄(tDM2)为1.26~1.7Ga,表明在中元古代与扬子克拉通经历了共同的地壳演化历史;海子山岩体的形成时代为98.3 Ma,为白垩纪时期产物,εHf(t)变化于-12.1~+2.5,二阶段模式年龄(tDM2)变化于1.0~1.93Ga。3结合前人研究成果,本文认为稻城岩体源岩可能是与扬子克拉通有关的中元古代的下地壳物质,在甘孜-理塘洋俯冲闭合后的同碰撞造山阶段,因地幔岩浆底侵作用而发生了部分熔融,同时伴有少量的亏损地幔成分加入,之后上升侵位于中—上地壳,并且侵位后经历了快速的冷却过程。海子山岩体是与俯冲有关的造山后伸展环境下形成的A2型花岗岩,源岩主要为中元古代地壳物质,同样有少量地幔物质加入,在白垩纪时侵位于地壳较浅部位,之后亦同样经历了快速的冷却过程。     

Petrogenesis and geodynamic evolution of the Kajan Neogene subvolcanic rocks,Nain, Central Iran

Kajan subvolcanic rocks in the Urumieh–Dokhtar magmatic arc (UDMA), Central Iran, form a Late Miocene-Pliocene shallow-level intrusion. These subvolcanics correspond to a variety of intermediate and felsic rocks, comprising quartz diorite, quartz monzodiorite, tonalite and granite. These lithologies are medium-K calc-alkaline, with SiO₂ (wt.%) varying from 52% (wt.%) to 75 (wt.%). The major element chemical data also show that MgO, CaO, TiO₂, P₂O₅, MnO, Al₂O₃ and Fe₂O₃ define linear trends with negative slopes against SiO₂, whilst Na₂O and K₂O are positively correlated with silica. Contents of incompatible trace elements (e.g. Ba, Rb, Nb, La and Zr) become higher with increasing SiO₂, whereas Sr shows an opposite behaviour. Chondrite-normalized multi-element patterns show enrichment in LILE relative to HFSE and troughs in Nb, P and Ti. These observations are typical of subduction related magmas that formed in an active continental margin. The Kajan rocks show a strong affinity with calc-alkaline arc magmas, confirmed by REE fractionation (La_N/Yb_N = 4.5–6.4) with moderate HREE fractionation (Sm_N/Yb_N = 1.08–1.57). The negative Eu anomaly (Eu/Eu* <1), the low to moderate Sr content (< 400 ppm) and the Dy/Yb values reflect plagioclase and hornblende (+- clinopyroxene) fractionation from a calc-alkaline melt Whole–rock Sr and Nd isotope analyses show that the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr initial ratios vary from 0.704432 to 0.705989, and the ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd initial ratios go from 0.512722 to 0.512813. All the studied samples have similar Sr-Nd isotopes, indicating an origin from a similar source, with granite samples that has more radiogenic Sr and low radiogenic Nd isotopes, suggesting a minor interaction with upper crust during magma ascent. The Kajan subvolcanic rocks plot within the depleted mantle quadrant of the conventional Sr-Nd isotope diagram, a compositional region corresponding to mantle-derived igneous rocks.