Spatiotemporal aspects of silica buffering in restored tidal marshes

Losses of pelagic diatom production resulting from silica limitation have not only been blamed for toxic algal blooms, but for the reduction in ability of coastal food webs to support higher trophic levels. Recent research has shown the importance of advective seepage water fluxes of dissolved silica (DSi) from freshwater marshes to pelagic waters during moments of riverine Si-limitation. In this study, we investigated the potential impact of recently installed new tidal areas along the Schelde estuary, located in former polder areas and characterized by so-called controlled reduced tidal regimes (CRT). Nine mass-balance studies were conducted in a newly constructed CRT in the freshwater Schelde estuary. During complete tidal cycles both DSi and amorphous silica (ASi) concentrations were monitored at the entrance culverts and in different habitats in the marsh. A swift DSi-delivery capacity was observed despite the shifted spatiotemporal frame of exchange processes compared to reference marshes. As silica-accumulating vegetation is not yet present, and difference with reference marshes’ deliveries is surprisingly small, we indicate diatomaceous debris and phytoliths to be the main silica source. Although further research is necessary on the driving forces of the different processes involved, restoration of former agricultural areas under CRT-regime provide the potential to buffer silica in the estuary.     

深水等深流沉积中记录的米兰科维奇特性——以陕西富平地区上奥陶统赵老峪组为例

陕西富平地区上奥陶统赵老峪组为深水盆地边缘至深水斜坡沉积环境,发育深水原地沉积、等深流沉积及重力流沉积。以野外实测剖面、岩相特征等资料为基础,结合米兰科维奇理论、天文地层学、古海洋学以及古气候学,系统研究该地区等深流强度与古气候、海平面、古盐度的关系。结果表明:Fischer图解可以客观、准确地反映深水沉积地层相对海平面变化;深水沉积及等深流沉积中不同级次旋回垂向组合关系记录了米兰科维奇特性,即小级别旋回在垂向上有序地按照1∶4或者1∶5的形式叠加构成较大级别旋回;等深流强度受米兰科维奇旋回影响,呈多周期弱→强→弱递变;等深流强化周期约为0.1Ma。     

地幔不均一性与地幔循环的多维表征和原因思考

地幔早先经核- 幔- 壳分异形成,后受不同尺度对流和循环的影响,因而具有不均一性特征。近三十年来,地幔化学通过研究大洋玄武岩发现了多样地幔端元和非放射性同位素证据并证明了地幔不均一性,逐渐建全了地幔地球化学体系。然而,地幔不均一性如何对应于时空尺度的地幔循环,以及地球演化如何影响地幔不均一性等,仍不清楚。此外,地球物理研究显示,岩石圈厚度差异、中下地幔的波速异常体以及俯冲板片形态的观测为纵横向对流系统提供了空间不均一性证据支持。联合地球化学和地球物理手段对研究地幔不均一性至关重要,用好透视地幔成分与结构的“双目镜”已成为共识。本文从地幔不均一性结合地球化学场、地球物理的不同表现形式,以及现今及历史时期的洋陆格局的对比,多维度联系地幔循环和演化,思考了超大陆旋回与地幔不均一化的内在逻辑。强调了从全球演化角度看地幔不均一性的重要性和提出多手段联合建立地幔循环驱动模型的展望。     

中更新世气候转型时期南海生态环境的南北差异

中更新世气候转型在南海浮游有孔虫、氧同位素和其它生物记录上主要反映在900 ka BP前后发生高频率变化,特别是指示表层水骤然降温。北部冬季表层水温从24~25℃降至17~28℃,而南部也从26~27℃降至23~24℃。总的降温趋势与开放西太平洋一致,直接反映了西太平洋暖池在900 ka BP之后MIS22期间有明显的减弱。表层水大幅度降温还发生在后继的MIS 20、18、16几大冰期,说明主要冰期旋回周期由41 ka转变为100 ka经历了长达400 ka的过渡时期,并且冬季风增强也在过渡时期的后半段最明显。南海南北生物组合和δ18O值的差异,突出了中更新世气候转型期边缘海区南北气候梯度反差和冬季风在冰期增强的讯号。结论是：生态环境系统反应总体表现与冰期旋回一致的同时,还包含了独特的地区性系统演变特征。但是,南海—西太平洋地区在0.9 Ma BP前后表层海水盐度因东亚冬季风和海平面下降的定量变化,以及这些变化对气候转型时期海—气耦合过程和生态环境系统的影响,尚缺乏足够的资料和证据。     

A New Interpretation of the Corallian (Upper Jurassic) Cycles of the Dorset Coast,Southern England

The Corallian Group of the Dorset coast is reinterpreted as representing four regressive–transgressive cycles in contrast to previous interpretations which recognized four asymmetric regressive cycles. Each regressive sequence is separated at its top from each transgressive sequence by a sharp erosional contact. Overall, the regressive, coarsening-up sequences are characterized by relatively low faunal diversity, dominantly vertical burrows, relatively coarse sediments with cross-bedding and swaley cross-stratification, and the diagenesis predominantly influenced by meteoric water. In comparison, the transgressive, fining-up sequences are generally characterized by relatively high faunal diversity, dominantly horizontal burrows, basal lag deposits (1–2m in thickness) overlying a sharp, erosional surface, followed by clay or nodular wackestone and dominantly deep burial diagenesis. The consistence of the four regressive-transgressive cycles with the eustatic sea-level curve suggests that the sedimentary cycles of the Corallian outcrops may have been mainly produced by the eustatic sea-level changes. Tectonic movements may have been important in generating localized unconformity, relatively coarse clastic sediment influxes and rapid lateral facies variations. The recognition of storm- and tidally-related sedimentary features suggests that the Corallian Group of the Dorset coast may have been deposited in a storm- and tidally-influenced shallow epicontinental shelf.     

河流-河口-近海连续体碳循环研究进展

河流-河口-近海连续体(简称连续体)是连接陆地和大洋的过渡地带,也是目前全球碳收支估算的薄弱环节.这个复杂的海陆交互生态系统不仅可以通过光合作用、溶解作用吸收大气中的CO2,陆地和流域光合作用或化学风化作用固定的碳也可以被横向输送到陆架和大洋中.本文以国际上著名的切萨皮克湾以及长江-长江口-东海等为例,综述了连续体碳循...     

Application of an ecosystem model for the environmental assessment of the reclamation and mitigation plans for seagrass beds in Atsumi Bay

An ecosystem model was used to evaluate the effects of reclaiming seagrass beds and creating artificial shallows with seagrass beds to mitigate the effects of the reclamation. The applied model can simulate the pelagic and benthic ecosystems including seagrass beds and tidal flats. The objectives of this study were (a) to investigate the likelihood of cultivating and maintaining seagrass beds in artificial shallows (Part 1), and (b) to understand the effects of the reclamation of seagrass beds and the creation of artificial shallows on the water quality in the estuary (Part 2). In Part 1, first, the nutrient turnover rates due to both biochemical and physical processes in the natural seagrass beds where reclamation is proposed were analyzed. Biological processes rather than physical processes were the most significant driving forces of nutrient cycles in seagrass beds. Second, the effects of filter feeding benthic fauna (suspension feeders) in the seagrass beds were analyzed. The scenario with suspension feeders resulted in higher transparency of the water column (8.7% decrease in the light attenuation coefficient) and an increase in nutrient supply (24.9% increase in NH₄-N in the water column) contributing to the high specific growth rate of seagrass. Third, the specific growth rate of seagrass on the proposed artificial shallows was measured. The value on the artificial shallows set at a depth of datum line minus 0.8 m (D.L. − 0.8 m) was approximately the same as that of the natural seagrass beds. In Part 2, first, water quality in the estuary was compared among the scenarios with/without natural seagrass beds and artificial shallows. Then, the defined values of the water purification capability of (a) artificial shallows with/without seagrass beds, and (b) natural seagrass beds per unit area were evaluated. The reclamation of the natural seagrass beds resulted in a decrease of the removal of phytoplankton and detritus from the pelagic system (i.e. resulted in a loss in the purification rate). In contrast, the creation of artificial shallows resulted in an increase of the removal of phytoplankton and detritus from the pelagic system (i.e. resulted in a gain in the purification rate). Based on an annual average, approximately twice as much phytoplankton was removed from the artificial shallows at the depth D.L. − 0.8 m, than at the depth, D.L. − 1.5 m, and the artificial shallows with seagrass beds removed pelagic DIN and DIP at a rate 120% higher than that without seagrass beds.     

干旱半干旱地区草原灌丛荒漠化及其生物地球化学循环

干旱和半干旱地区草地生态系统木本植物入侵及其导致的草原灌丛化已经成为全球范 围普遍发生的现象, 是草地沙化和荒漠化的一个重要标志。干旱生态系统中, 此种类型的植被变 化将对区域和全球生物地球化学循环产生显著影响。过度放牧、区域气候干旱化和自然火过程是 导致灌丛入侵和发展的主要控制因子。草原灌丛化过程中, 草地生态系统分布较为均匀的土壤养 分及相关元素在水平和垂直方向发生分异, 关键生命元素C、N、P 、S 生物地球化学循环的变化 将对全球气候变化产生显著作用。全球气候变化与草原灌丛荒漠化之间存在潜在的反馈机制, 人 类扰动的影响将使这种反馈作用变得更加迅速和灵敏。     

Paleoclimate studies and natural-resource management in the Murray-Darling Basin I: past,present and future climates

This paper provides an incisive review of paleoclimate science and its relevance to natural-resource management within the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB). The drought of 1997–2010 focussed scientific, public and media attention on intrinsic climate variability and the confounding effect of human activity, especially in terms of water-resource management. Many policy and research reviews make statements about future planning with little consideration of climate change and without useful actionable knowledge. In order to understand future climate changes, modellers need, and demand, better paleoclimate data to constrain their model projections. Here, we present an insight into a number of existing long-term paleoclimate studies relevant to the MDB. Past records of climate, in response to orbital forcing (glacial–interglacial cycles) are found within, and immediately outside, the MDB. High-resolution temperature records, spanning the last 10⁵ years, exist from floodplains and cave speleothems, as well as evidence from lakes and their associated lunettes. More recently, historical climate records show major changes in relation to El Niño–Southern Oscillation cycles and decadal shifts in rainfall regimes. A considerable body of research currently exists on the past climates of southeastern Australia but, this has not been collated and validated over large spatial scales. It is clear that a number of knowledge gaps still exist, and there is a pressing need for the establishment of new paleoclimatic research within the MDB catchment and within adjacent, sensitive catchments if past climate science is to fulfil its potential to provide policy-relevant information to natural-resource management into the future.