A first Holocene leaf wax isotope-based paleoclimate record from the semi-humid to semi-arid south-eastern Caucasian lowlands

The Holocene paleoclimate of the Caucasus region is rather complex and not yet well understood: while existing studies are mainly based on pollen records from high-altitude and humid lowland regions, no records are available from the semi-humid to semi-arid south-eastern Caucasian lowlands. Therefore, this study investigated compound-specific δ²H and δ¹³C isotopes of leaf wax biomarkers from Holocene floodplain soils in eastern Georgia. Our results show that the leaf wax δ²H signal from the paleosols mostly reflects changes in the moisture source and its isotopic composition. Depleted δ²H values before ~8 cal ka bp change towards enriched values after ~5 cal ka bp and become again depleted after ~1.6 cal ka bp. This trend could be caused by Holocene changes of the isotopic compositions of the Black and eastern Mediterranean Sea, and/or by varying contribution of both moisture sources linked with the North Atlantic Oscillation. The leaf wax δ¹³C signal from the paleosols directly indicates varying local water availability and drought stress. Depleted δ¹³C values before ~8 and after ~5 cal ka bp indicate wetter local conditions with higher water availability, whereas more enriched values during the middle Holocene (~8 until at least 5 cal ka bp ) indicate drier conditions with increased drought stress.     

A comparative study of the hopanoid hydrocarbons in sediments of two lakes (Fuxian and Changdang) with contrasting environments

Biologically configured ββ-hopanes, geologically configured αβ-hopanes and the biogenic hopenes were determined in dated sediment cores from Lake Fuxian in SW China and Lake Changdang in Eastern China in order to investigate anthropogenic influences on the abundance, composition and provenance of hopanoid hydrocarbons in lake sediments. Based on the results, hopenes were prevalent, with maximum values reaching 148.9 μg g⁻¹ TOC in sediments of Lake Fuxian, an oligotrophic deep lake (average depth 89.6 m), where the long water column provided ample potential for the growth of hopene-producing bacteria especially the cyanobacteria. Sediment hopenes have diminished in abundance to values of 13.4–78.5 μg g⁻¹ TOC in Lake Changdang, a eutrophic shallow (average 0.8–1.2 m) body, reflecting comparatively reduced importance of nutrient level on hopene production. Historical trends in hopenes input to the sediments of each lake are strongly dependent on nutrient status. During the last few decades, human-induced eutrophication has greatly boosted bacterial production, enhancing the accumulation of hopenes in sediments. Inputs of petroleum-derived αβ-hopanes were exceptionally high (average 71.2 μg g⁻¹ TOC) in post-1968 sediments from Lake Changdang, their increase coinciding with the advent and acceleration of petroleum product use around the lake, in particular by fishing boats. Lake Fuxian on the other hand, has undergone slower economic development and the appearance of petroleum-derived αβ-hopanes in sediments was delayed to 1990 since when the average value has been 27.1 μg g⁻¹ TOC. The abundance of αβ-hopanes in Lake Changdang has created a marked decrease in the relative contribution of hopenes to total hopanoids since 1968. Conversely, the amounts of αβ-hopanes introduced to Lake Fuxian since 1990 has yet to yield a clear change in the overall proportion of hopenes, but the abundance of ββ-hopanes has declined relative to total hopanoid levels for the period.     

南海北部和海南岛附近海域表层沉积物中有机质的分布和降解状态的差异

利用气相色谱法对南海北部和海南岛附近海域表层沉积物中正构烷烃(n-alkanes)和脂肪酸进行测定和分析,结合粒径、比表面积(specific surface area,SSA)、有机碳(OC%)、碳稳定同位素(δ~(13)C)等参数研究有机物来源和降解状态,并对其影响因素进行分析。研究结果表明:沉积物主要以粉砂为主,平均粒径分布范围在10.97—517.21μm之间,选取的16个站位的比表面积平均值为8.05m~2/g,最大值是S23站位的24.46m~2/g,最小值是S29站位的1.73m~2/g,OC%含量在0.15—1.18之间,δ~(13)C值为–23.05‰—–21.24‰。沉积物中正构烷烃碳链的分布范围是nC_(14)—nC_(33),低碳数峰群以nC_(16)、nC_(18)为主峰碳且具有偶碳数优势,高碳数峰群以nC_(29)为主峰碳。脂肪酸的碳数分布范围是nC_(14)—nC_(30),低碳数单峰型分布,短链饱和脂肪酸(short chain saturated fatty acids,SCSFA)和单不饱和脂肪酸(monounsaturated fatty acids,MUFA)的含量占总脂肪酸含量的70%以上,长链饱和脂肪酸(long chain saturated fatty acids,LCSFA)的含量不到10%,据此说明这两个区域有机质均以海源输入为主。在有机物保存和降解方面,海南岛附近海域有机质载荷(OC/SSA)和δ~(13)C之间的正相关,表现了良好的陆源和海源的有机物更替,但是珠江口附近海域系列样品却未见相似过程。不仅在物源更替方面,在有机质降解特征上珠江口附近海域中的有机物与海南岛附近海域和南海陆架深水区也有很大的差别。海南岛附近海域和南海陆架深水区有机质的降解符合一般规律,随着水深的增加降解程度逐渐变大,然而珠江口附近海域随着水深的增加有机质却越来越"新鲜"。结合前人对珠江口附近海域黏土矿物组成的研究,本文认为珠江口附近海域沉积物中有机质之所以会出现上述"异常"可能是因为该研究区域黏土矿物对有机质选择性吸附所导致。     

南海东北部冷泉区沉积物中有机质来源的生物标志物分析与环境指示意义

Multi-biomarker indexes were analyzed for two piston cores from potential cold seep areas of the South China Sea off southwestern Taiwan. Total organic carbon(TOC) normalized terrestrial(n-alkanes) and marine(brassicasterol, dinosterol, alkenones and iso-GDGTs) biomarker contents and ratios(TMBR, 1/Pmar-aq, BIT) were used to evaluate the contributions of terrestrial and marine organic matter(TOM and MOM respectively) to the sedimentary organic matter, indicating that MOM dominated the organic sources in Core MD052911 and the sedimentary organic matter in Core ORI-_(86)0-22 was mainly derived from terrestrial inputs, and different morphologies were the likely reason for TOM percentage differences. BIT results suggested that river-transported terrestrial soil organic matter was not a major source of TOM of sedimentary organic matter around these settings.Diagnostic biomarkers for methane-oxidizing archaea(MOA) were only detected in one sample at 172 cm depth of Core ORI-_(86)0-22, with abnormally high iso-GDGTs content and Methane Index(MI) value(0.94). These results indicated high anaerobic oxidation of methane(AOM) activities at or around 172 cm in Core ORI-_(86)0-22.However in Core MD052911, MOA biomarkers were not detected and MI values were lower(0.19–0.38), indicated insignificant contributions of iso-GDGTs from methanotrophic archaea and the absence of significant AOM activities. Biomarker results thus indicated that the discontinuous upward methane seepage and insufficient methane flux could not induce high AOM activities in our sampling sites. In addition, the different patterns of TEX_(86) and U_(37)~(K′) temperature in two cores suggested that AOM activities affected TEX_(86)37 temperature estimates with lower values in Core ORI-_(86)0-22, but not significantly on TEX_(86) temperature estimates in Core MD052911.     

香鱼(Plecoglossus altivelis)排卵后卵内油球、酶活、丙二醛及受精率、孵化率的变化

以香鱼卵母细胞为研究对象,采用观察卵内油球、有关酶的活力、以及卵的受精率和孵化率等变化的方法,研究了香鱼卵母细胞长时效演化的相关机理,结果表明,随着香鱼卵在腹腔内保存时间的延长,卵内油球从0h的油球直径≤10μm,且均匀分布,逐渐融合增大,至108h增大到120μm,油球数仅有5—6个。同时,SOD、POD的活力及MDA含量均呈先升后降的变化趋势,最大峰值分别出现在60h、36h和24h。随着油球和酶活的变化,卵子质量逐渐下降,表现为受精率和孵化率的降低:排卵后24h、48h、72h、96h的受精率分别为94.37%、88.19%、50.20%、10.83%,孵化率分别为85.78%、68.14%、25.54%、0.53%。     

滇东罗平地区中三叠统中发现液态油苗

通过1∶5万区调填图,在云南罗平地区中三叠统关岭组二段薄层泥晶灰岩中首次发现液态油苗。该稠油显示主要分布在层间晶洞中,表现为干沥青及稠油共存状态。有机地球化学研究表明,氯仿沥青“A”的含量为67×10-6,有机质类型以腐泥型Ⅰ型为主。镜质体干酪根反射率R0为2.84%,Tmax=568℃,表明有机质处于高成熟阶段。液态油苗的显示对于进一步评价南盘江盆地的油气勘探前景具有重要的价值和意义。     

Application of organic petrology and geochemistry to coal waste studies

Coal wastes produced during mining activities are commonly deposited in nearby dumps. These wastes mostly composed of minerals and variable amounts (usually 20-30%) of organic matter start to weather immediately after deposition. Oxidation of the organic matter can lead to self heating and self combustion as a result of organic and mineral matter transformations. The degree of alteration depends on the properties of the wastes, i.e., the maceral and microlithotype composition of the organic matter and its rank.Alteration of wastes also depends on the heating history, i.e., the rate of heating, final heating temperature, duration of heating, and the degree of air access. Although air is probably necessary to initiate and drive the heating processes, these usually take place under relatively oxygen depleted conditions. With slow heating, color of organic matter particles changes, irregular cracks and oxidation rims develop around edges and cracks, and bitumen is expelled. As a result, massive and detritic isotropic and strongly altered organic matter forms. On the other hand, higher heating rates cause the formation of devolatilization pores, oxidation rims around these pores and along cracks, vitrinite-bands-mantling particles, and bitumen expulsions.Organic compounds generated from the wastes include n-alkanes, iso-alkanes, alkylcyclohexanes, acyclic isoprenoids, mainly pristane, phytane and, in some cases, farnesane, sesquiterpanes, tri- and tetracyclic diterpanes, tri- and pentacyclic triterpanes, and steranes, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (mostly with two- to five rings, rarely six rings), and phenols. The compounds formed change during the heating history. The fact that phenols are found in dumps where heating has not yet been completed, but are absent in those where heating ceased previously suggests the presence of water washing. The organic compounds formed may migrate within the dumps. However, when they migrate out of the dumps, they become a hazard to environment.This paper is a review on transformations of organic matter (both maceral composition and reflectance and chemical composition) in coal wastes deposited in coal waste dumps. Immediately after deposition the wastes are exposed to weathering conditions and sometimes undergo self heating processes.     

Burial and degradation of organic carbon in Louisiana shelf/slope sediments

The primary focus of this paper is to better understand carbon burial on the Louisiana continental margin using spatial scales that covered various shelf depositional areas far-field and near-field (sediment and organic carbon inputs relative to river mouth proximity) and covering a variety of sedimentation rates. Box-cores samples were collected in July 2003; cores were collected along two depositional transects extending westward and southward from the Southwest Pass (SW Pass). A key difference between the two transects sampled in this study was the greater occurrence of mobile muds derived from spillover from shallower regions along the westward 50 m isobaths. The dominant mechanism for mixing in the surface active zone (SAZ) on the inner Louisiana shelf was due to physical, not biological, forces. Burial efficiencies for organic carbon (57.2–91.5%) and total nitrogen (44.2–86.9%) ranged widely across all shelf stations. Lower burial efficiencies for bulk organic carbon, total nitrogen, and pigment biomarkers were associated with mobile muds west of Southwest Pass. Chlorophyll a concentrations were significantly higher than pheopigments at depth at the Mississippi River and Southwest Pass stations, making up 40.4 and 77.4% of total pigment concentrations in the (SAZ) and 46.2 and 63.2% in the accumulation zone (AZ), respectively. These results are in agreement with earlier plant pigment studies which showed that a large fraction of the phytodetritus delivered to the inner shelf was derived from coastal and river diatoms. The amount of lignin preserved with depth decreased with increasing residence time in the SAZ and diagenetic zone (DZ) along the canyon transect but not along the western transect. Trends for lignin concentration followed previously identified surface sediment trends indicating overall lower burial of refractory terrestrial material at depth with greater distance offshore.     

双壳类分子生物标志物对海水重金属的响应评述

海洋双壳类动物的组织和器官对微量重金属具有高富集能力,诱导机体内的某些分子生物标志物(molecular biomarkers,MBMs)发生变化,可用于指示海水中的重金属污染水平。近10年来,许多学者在双壳类MBMs对海水重金属的响应规律方面进行了研究,其中,金属硫蛋白(MTs)、热激蛋白70(HSP70)、抗氧化防御系统等受到了较多的关注。本文在介绍这些MBMs结构和功能的基础上,重点评述了各种MBMs对海水重金属的响应特征,并提出了影响双壳类MBMs应用于海水重金属监测的因素及进一步研究的方向。