Coupling near-surface geomorphology with mangrove community diversity at the estuarine scale: A case study at Dongzhaigang Bay,China

Coastal wetlands are key features of the Earth's surface and are characterized by a diverse array of coupled geomorphological and biological processes. However, the links between the distribution of biodiversity (for example, species and structural diversity) and the formation of coastal geomorphology are not well-understood on a landscape scale most useful to coastal zone managers. This study describes the relationship between select geomorphological and biological mangrove community features (i.e. species composition and functional root type) in a landscape-distributed coastal zone of Dongzhaigang Bay, north-eastern Hainan Island, China. A total of 11 mangrove species and five functional aerial root types were encountered, with the location of species by root types being controlled by the elevation of the soil surface. Plank roots, prop roots and pneumatophores occupied the lowest intertidal elevations, while knee roots and fibrous roots of the mangrove fern, Acrostichum aureum, preferred the highest intertidal elevations. Surface sediment deposition in areas with mangroves was greater than deposition in non-mangrove forest zones, establishing an important biological mechanism for this large-area response because surface erosion/compaction was also more prominent within mangrove roots. Indeed, functional root type influenced the magnitude of deposition, erosion and compaction, with knee roots and pneumatophores being more effective in promoting deposition and preventing surface erosion/compaction than prop roots. These results indicate a potential role for vegetation type (especially functional root type) to influence coastal geomorphological processes at large landscape scales. While soil surface elevation is correlated to the distribution of mangrove species and functional root types, a significant feedback exists between elevation change and the capacity of those root types to influence coastal geomorphological differentiation within sustainable intertidal elevations. An enhanced understanding of geomorphological development, mangrove species distribution and functional root type may improve management to support nature-based solutions that adjust more effectively to sea-level rise through feedbacks.     

惠民凹陷中央隆起带古近系地震浊积岩特征研究

通过大量岩心、薄片、粒度和成像测井资料分析,首次提出山东惠民凹陷中央隆起带沙三段上部浊积岩与典型的原地震积岩(包括震裂岩、震褶岩、自碎屑角砾岩等)紧密伴生,当属于地震成因浊积岩,地震浊积岩与原地震积岩之间被震积不整合面分割。地震浊积岩与非地震浊积岩具有类似的鲍玛序列,不同的是地震浊积岩鲍玛序列底部的含砾砂岩中颗粒具有碎裂结构。根据地震浊积岩所处位置,垂向上一般可组成完整的原地震积岩—“似海啸岩”—震浊积岩序列、原地震积岩—震浊积岩序列或者未震层—地震浊积岩序列。地震成因浊积岩的发现和研究,将为研究陆相湖盆地震事件沉积及正确判断济阳坳陷储集砂体的“多元”性提供地质理论依据。      

Numerical modeling of seismic triggering,evolution, and deposition of rapid landslides: Application to Higashi–Takezawa (2004)

A mathematical model is developed for the dynamic analysis of earthquake‐triggered rapid landslides, considering two mechanically coupled systems: (a) the accelerating deformable body of the slide and (b) the rapidly deforming shear band at the base of the slide. The main body of the slide is considered as a one‐phase mixture of Newtonian incompressible fluids and Coulomb solids sliding on a plane of variable inclination. The evolution of the landslide is modeled via a depth‐integrated model of the Savage–Hutter type coupled with: (a) a cyclic hysteretic constitutive model of the Bouc–Wen type and (b) Voellmy's rheology for the deformation of the material within the shear band. The original shallow‐water equations that govern the landslide motion are appropriately reformulated to account for inertial forces due to seismic loading, and to allow for a smooth transition between the active and the passive state. The capability of the developed model is tested against the Higashi–Takezawa landslide. Triggered by the 2004 Niigata‐ken Chuetsu earthquake, the slide produced about 100m displacement of a large wedge from an originally rather mild slope. The mechanism of material softening inside the shear band responsible for the surprisingly large run‐out of the landslide is described by a set of equations for grain crushing‐induced pore‐water pressures. The back‐analysis reveals interesting patterns on the flow dynamics, and the numerical results compare well with field observations. It is shown that the mechanism of material softening is a crucial factor for the initiation and evolution of the landslide, while viscoplastic frictional resistance is a key requirement for successfully reproducing the field data. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

弓长岭铁矿床物质来源及沉积古地理环境研究

弓长岭沉积变质型铁矿床是中国鞍山式铁矿床的典型代表.研究表明,该铁矿床赋存于反S型褶皱中,局部矿体出现褶曲现象.矿体产于主要由磁铁石英岩、斜长角闪岩、黑云母变粒岩和“蚀变岩”组成的含铁岩系中.文章通过研究该地区铁矿石的构造、结构和矿物组合,结合常量、微量及稀土元素研究,揭示了该地区形成铁矿床的物质来源与海底热液活动密切相关,在其形成过程中,很少或者没有含铝碎屑物质的加入,是由海洋化学沉积形成的,形成于还原环境.通过研究与铁矿床空间关系密切的斜长角闪岩、黑云母变粒岩和“蚀变岩”的构造和结构等,并利用常量、微量及稀土元素的测试结果,对斜长角闪岩、黑云母变粒岩和“蚀变岩”进行了原岩恢复研究,研究结果显示,该区斜长角闪岩的原岩应为洋中脊拉斑玄武岩,黑云母变粒岩的原岩应为大陆岛弧的杂砂岩,而“蚀变岩”的形成则与磁铁石英岩有着密切的关系.最后,提出了该地区铁矿床沉积的古地理环境为洋壳边缘、大陆岛弧附近,其形成环境应相当于弧后盆地.     

兰州-民和盆地早白垩世的沉积环境分析

兰州-民和盆地早白垩世充填了巨厚的陆源碎屑物。笔者通过对碎屑物组合方式的研究,陆盆内为冲积扇相※湖泊相※湖控三角洲相的充填序列;通过对陆盆的基底特征、古流向、物源区和陆盆演化的分析,揭示了盆地的沉积特征。     

The impact of landslides and salt weathering on Roman structures at high latitudes—Conway Castle, Great Britain: a case study

Conway Castle is an immense historical structure, dating back to 1289 AC. It was built on highly dipping thickbeds of indurated shale (argillite) and sandstone. It is surrounded by Conway Bay, railway lines, and tall dense forests indicating high relative humidity and rainfall in this coastal area. The castle suffers from weathering noted as honeycomb, black crust, exfoliation, and discoloration with white salt efflorescence at some parts; these are diagnostic features for salt weathering as confirmed by the laboratory investigations using scanning electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction (XRD), point XRD, and hydrochemical analysis. The salt is found to be from three sources, namely, water spray from Conway Bay that is part of the Irish Sea, chemical alteration of the mortars carbonate content into sulfate salts by acid rain, and wet deposition of air pollutants on the surface of the stone. The cracks noted in the southwestern tower of this castle are a result of landslides in this area that resulted from three factors: (a) high dip angle of the indurated sandstone and shale thickbeds (about 60–65° to the south) under this castle, (b) undercutting of these beds in the dip direction by the surface water of Conway Bay, and (c) seismic waves generated by the trains passing close to this castle. All these factors result in land sliding even at a low rate; however, the net result is cracks in the tower close to these factors.     

平潭岛岚湖沉积环境和成因的研究

在中全新世后阶段，当海岸风沙正处于始发状态，平潭西南的岗湖还是一个由多叉的山谷组成的洼地。到全新世晚期，由于全球气候的变化和优势的北北东方向风力的逐渐增强，河谷洼地与海湾相联结的地区长时间风沙的堆积而形成岚湖。     

山西五台山地区太古宙条带状铁建造地球化学特征及成因

五台山地区是中国典型的太古宙条带状铁建造发育区。 系统的稀土、微量元素地球化学研究结果表明, 本区条带状铁建造稀土元素组成与北美页岩相比, 具明显的正铕异常, HREE相对富集, 而Zr、Ba、Sr、Pb等属酸性岩类强烈富集的不相容元素,相对于 上陆壳明显亏损, 结合现代海底热流沉积地球化学的研究成果,认为本区条带状铁建造为古海底热流化学沉积作用的产物, 其形成与五台山地区太古宙基性火山活动密切相关。     

Depositional and Ecological Features of Permian Oxygen Deficient Deposits at Shangsi Section, Northeast Sichuan, China

Because oxygen deficient conditions enhance the preservation of depositional organic matter, analysis on paleooxygenation conditions of depositional environments becomes a routine work in evaluations of potential hydrocarbon source rocks. The article focuses on depositional and ecological features relating to oxygen deficient shelfal environments at the Shangsi (上寺) Section, as a part of multidiscipline collaboration to reevaluate the hydrocarbon potential of the Middle and Upper Permian, Guangyuan (广元), Northeast Sichuan (四川) Province. Icbnofabric Zoophycos, sepioilte-bearing limestones (SBL) were interpreted as indicators of dysaerobic environments. Laminated calcareous and/or siliceous mudstones with pelagic ammonites and radiolarians were believed to be the deposits of anaerobic environments. When rhythmic succession was considered, average strategy was adopted for the oxygenation explanation of a given intervaL The anaerobic condition in this Permian section was observed in the upper part of the latest Permian Dalong (大隆) Formation, in which siliceous mudstones with ammonite, radiolarians develop in association with lower U/Mo ratio, lower biomarker ratio of Pr/Ph, and the highest TOC content. The topmost Maokou (茅口) Formation, featured by thin-bedded calcareous and siliceous mudstones with ammonite, thin-shelled bivalves, and laminations would be deposits of the quasianaerobic condition. The middle part of the Members and Ⅲ of the Chihsia Formation is proposed to be dysaerobic condition as indicated by occurrences of SBL and ichnofabric features, with the Member Ⅲ being the severe dysaerobic condition.     

Linking submarine channel–levee facies and architecture to flow structure of turbidity currents: insights from flume tank experiments

Submarine leveed channels are sculpted by turbidity currents that are commonly highly stratified. Both the concentration and the grain size decrease upward in the flow, and this is a fundamental factor that affects the location and grain size of deposits around a channel. This study presents laboratory experiments that link the morphological evolution of a progressively developing leveed channel to the suspended sediment structure of the turbidity currents. Previously, it was difficult to link turbidity current structure to channel–levee development because observations from natural systems were limited to the depositional products while experiments did not show realistic morphodynamics due to scaling issues related to the sediment transport. This study uses a novel experimental approach to overcome scaling issues, which results in channel inception and evolution on an initially featureless slope. Depth of the channel increased continuously as a result of levee aggradation combined with varying rates of channel floor aggradation and degradation. The resulting levees are fining upward and the grain‐size trend in the levee matches the upward decrease in grain size in the flow. It is shown that such deposit trends can result from internal channel dynamics and do not have to reflect upstream forcing. The suspended sediment structure can also be linked to the lateral transition from sediment bypass in the channel thalweg to sediment deposition on the levees. The transition occurs because the sediment concentration is below the flow capacity in the channel thalweg, while higher up on the channel walls the concentration exceeds capacity resulting in deposition of the inner levee. Thus, a framework is provided to predict the growth pattern and facies of a levee from the suspended sediment structure in a turbidity current.