Rapid vegetation change during the early Holocene in the Faroe Islands detected in terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems

High‐resolution pollen, plant macrofossil and sedimentary analyses from early Holocene lacustrine sediments on the Faroe Islands have detected a significant vegetation perturbation suggesting a rapid change in climate between ca. 10 380 cal. yr BP and the Saksunarvatn ash (10 240±60 cal. yr BP). This episode may be synchronous with the decline in δ¹⁸O values in the Greenland ice‐cores. It also correlates with a short, cold event detected in marine cores from the North Atlantic that has been ascribed to a weakening of thermohaline circulation associated with the sudden drainage of Lake Agassiz into the northwest Atlantic, or, alternatively, a period with distinctly decreased solar forcing. The vegetation sequence begins at ca. 10 500 cal. yr BP with a succession from tundra to shrub‐tundra and increasing lake productivity. Rapid population increases of aquatic plants suggest high summer temperatures between 10 450 and 10 380 cal. yr BP. High pollen percentages, concentrations and influx of Betula, Juniperus and Salix together with macrofossil leaves indicate shrub growth around the site during the initial phases of vegetation colonisation. Unstable conditions followed ca. 10 380 cal. yr BP that changed both the upland vegetation and the aquatic plant communities. A decrease in percentage values of shrub pollen is recorded, with replacement of both aquatics and herbaceous plants by pioneer plant communities. An increase in total pollen accumulation rates not seen in the concentration data suggests increased sediment delivery. The catchment changes are consistent with less seasonal, moister conditions. Subsequent climatic amelioration reinitiated a warmth‐driven succession and catchment stabilisation, but retained high precipitation levels influencing the composition of the post‐event communities. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial variability of soil nutrients in Punta Fort William,Greenwich Island,maritime Antarctic

This study aims to report baseline soil nutrients, specifically the organic carbon, nitrogen and phosphorus profile, in soil samples collected from Puntta Fort William on Greenwich Island in maritime Antarctic. Samples were collected along two transect lines during the early summer of 2008. Ward＇s method of hierarchical agglomerative clustering was employed to group the sampling points based on their physico-chemical properties. In this context, the soil samples can be grouped into three major clus- ters： （1） Samples with intensive biological activities, （2） samples from the area recently exposed by glacial retreat and （3） samples from barren and dried areas. Nutrient contents in Punta Fort William are driven by the intensity of biological activities as well as melt water from the Qnito glacier.     

Biomarker characterisation and hydrous pyrolysis of bitumens from Tertiary volcanics, queen Charlotte islands, British Columbia, Canada

A number of bitumen samples have been recovered from vugs and fractures in outcropping Tertiary basalts of the Queen Charlotte Islands off the west coast of British Columbia, Canada. n-Alkanes and acyclic isoprenoids are not present and the polycyclic biomarker distribution of the four samples analyzed by GC and GC-MS has been altered. One sample contains no remaining recognizable biomarkers. Two bitumens were also obtained from Lower Jurassic potential source rocks, including one from the Sandilands Formation, which was considered previously to be the most likely source of the Tertiary bitumens. Although these two bitumens were also taken from outcrops, they are considerably less biodegraded. The Sandilands Formation bitumen contains 28, 30-bisnorhopanes and since these compounds were not detected in the Tertiary bitumens, there is no evidence from the initial results for a Sandilands Formation contribution to the hydrocarbons in the Tertiary basalts. The presence of 18α(H)-oleanane in the saturate fraction of two of the Tertiary bitumens from widely separated locations indicates that they are at least partially sourced from Tertiary organic matter.Because the distribution of biomarkers in some samples has been severely affected by biodegradation, the asphaltenes of the bitumens were hydrously-pyrolysed and the saturate fractions of the resulting pyrolysates analysed for possible additional information on the origin of the bitumens. The pyrolysates from the more degraded samples contain compounds not detected in the saturate fractions of the original bitumen and show some of the expected characteristics of the original non-degraded bitumen. However, the compounds most useful for correlation are not present in the pyrolysates apparently due to their non-incorporation into the kerogen macromolecule. Our results suggest that hydrous-pyrolysis of asphaltenes is of limited use in the correlation of biodegraded samples and in determining their origins.     

南海南部大陆架14ka来微型双壳类营养结构与海流活动

双壳类食悬浮物类与食沉积物类的发育变化是反映水动力环境的一种指标。对南海南部NS93- 1 2 - 58柱样 1 4ka来微型双壳类营养结构分析表明 ,晚更新世末次冰期向冰后期全新世转化阶段 ,食沉积物类一度较为发育 ,表明南海南部表层环流很不活跃 ,从这一转化阶段到全新世早期 ,双壳类食悬浮物类与食沉积物类的比例有规律地变大 ,表明随着气候转暖 ,海水温度增高 ,海平面上升 ,海流作用显著增强。该柱样整样分析表明 ,双壳类食悬浮物类占据着明显的优势 ,显示了 1 4ka来南海海流作用一直比较强烈。在全新世中晚期 ,双壳类主要栖息在次表层水团的海底 ,仍以食悬浮物类为主 ,可能与南海南部陆坡上升流发育有关     

利用珊瑚生长率重建西沙海域罗马暖期中期海温变化

珊瑚生长率是记录海水表层温度（SST）的一个重要代用指标。本文以南海中北部西沙永兴岛罗马暖期期间发育的3个澄黄滨珊瑚（Porites lutea）为材料,测量它们的骨骼生长率,并利用珊瑚骨骼生长率与SST的关系式定量重建海温年际变化序列。结果显示：3个滨珊瑚（生长于120-59 BC、46 BC-14 AD和30 BC-28 AD期间）的平均生长率分别为0.88 cm/a（变化于0.53~1.24 cm/a之间）、0.90 cm/a（变化于0.58~1.53 cm/a之间）和1.12 cm/a（变化于0.71~1.46 cm/a之间）。据此重建同时段年平均SST,相应结果分别为26.7℃、26.8℃和27.3℃。2 kaBP前后（120-59 BC,46 BC-28 AD）西沙海域平均SST为26.9±0.4℃,低于现代（1981-2010 AD）约0.7℃。     

Long-term seismic noise investigations on Shikotan Island: First results

In 2003–2004, long-term seismic noise observations were launched on Shikotan Island (Lesser Kuril Range) based on the “Shikotan” dormant regional seismic station. The geological and geophysical data on the registration area are reported. Information about the equipment and its technical specifications is given. The precursors to the strongest local earthquakesthat occurred in the Shikotan Island region in January 2005–March 2007 are identified.     

The sheltering effect of the Balearic Islands in the hindcast wave field

The sheltering effect of the Balearic Islands in the hindcast wave field was studied for typical Mediterranean wave situations of Llevant, Tramuntana and Mestral and for mild conditions such as the Garbí and Ponent winds. For this purpose, a third generation wave model was applied to the Mediterranean Sea and different patterns of the sheltered areas were found for the various representative situations depending on the wind variability and on the magnitude of the wind speed. From the analysis it was concluded that the sheltered zones created during storms generally persist for short periods of time of the order of 6 h, possibly reaching a maximum of 12 h. In contrast with earlier results obtained for swell dominated ocean areas, it was observed that in this area, due to the short fetches the sea states are mainly local wind seas and thus the wave field behind the islands depends on the local wind.     

Characteristics of horizontal crustal deformation in Japan as deduced from frequency distribution of maximum shear strain rate

In order to study characteristics of horizontal crustal strains, we divide the Japanese Islands into 14 tectonic provinces consistent with the suggestion given byMatsuda (1990). We calculate frequency distribution of strain rates using the results of the Precise Control Survey initiated by the Geographical Survey Institute in 1973. This survey is a revision of old first- and second-order triangulation networks by trilateration. The principal axes and principal strains inside all the geodetic triangles are deduced from the comparison of the old triangulation and the new trilateration networks. The maximum shear strain rates are calculated by dividing the accumulated strains with the time intervals. The frequency distribution of strain rates is counted for each tectonic province and for the entire Japanese Islands. It is proved that the maximum shear strain rate with highest frequency ranges from 0.10–0.15 microstrain/a for 4409 data in the Japanese Islands. The mean value of the strain rates throughout the Japanese Islands is deduced to be 0.18 microstrain/a. We also calculated a mean value of strain rates for each tectonic province. Comparison is made between mean geodetic strain rates in the provinces and Quaternary strain rates estimated by geomorphic data. It is found that 0.3–0.4 microstrain/a of the highest order strain rate is now prevailing in the Izu province, the south Fossa-Magna collision zone, and some special provinces along the eastern part of the Japan Sea coast.     

南沙他国侵占岛礁战略价值及空间格局评价

从建岛潜力、岛礁辐射能力和岛礁承载能力3个方面选取26个指标,采用主客观综合赋权法确定各因子权重,利用线性加权法获得被越南、菲律宾、马来西亚、文莱等国所侵占的南沙44个岛礁的战略价值,并对结果进行空间插值,分析其空间格局特征。结果表明：1）被马来西亚侵占的弹丸礁、越南侵占的南威岛、以及菲律宾侵占的中业岛,其战略价值位列前3,评价得分分别为100、98.42和97.09。2）岛礁辐射能力空间分布格局呈现“NW—SE条带式”,“最高”和“高”等级的区域由研究区西北延伸至东南,然后向东北、西南两侧递减,辐射能力格局中有2个核心区域和2个次级核心区域。承载能力空间分布格局呈现“横向条带式”,由北向南越来越低,有1个核心区域和2个次级核心区域。建岛潜力空间分布格局有3个核心区域及2个次级核心区域。3）岛礁战略价值空间分布格局有3个核心区域,分布于研究区中部、北部及南部,与越南、菲律宾、马来西亚密切相关的核心区域各有1个。越南侵占岛礁最多且空间分布较广,有2个次级核心区域也与越南密切相关,越占岛礁若进一步建设,将形成多核心协同的战略格局,需密切关注。     

南沙群岛海域构造地层及构造运动

根据对“实验2”号调查船1987—1991年测得的反射地震剖面的解释,论述了南沙群岛海域的构造层划分、时代属性与分布发育特征。提出本区自白垩纪中期以来发生过两次重大的构造运动,形成两个裂谷作用构造旋回。