Spatial and temporal controls on historical channel responses – study of an atypical case: Someşu Mic River,Romania

In this paper the spatial and temporal responses of the Some?u Mic River (Romania) to natural and anthropogenic controls over the past 150 years are analysed, based on a series of morphometric parameters extracted from five successive sets of topographic maps and one set of orthophotos. Prior to the intensive hydrotechnical interventions of the last four decades, the river was characterized by a complex alternation of different channel types, resulting in a mixture of alluvial and mixed sinuous – meandering – sinuous anabranched – meandering anabranched reaches, each a few hundred metres to a few kilometres long. The main cause for this spatial behaviour was the local geology. Its effects were intensified by a larger scale slope, slightly higher than along a longitudinal profile with normal concavity, as a consequence of the presence of a 400 m elevation knick‐point located in the catchment area. A generalized maintenance of river in the floodplain perimeter during the entire interval of study (centennial scale), with local planform adjustments and lack of median scale avulsion in lateral tilting areas and along the anabranched reaches, channel lengthening and meander development during hydrological stable periods and channel shortening and increasing of natural cutoffs during periods with higher incidence of floods (decadal scale), and the incapacity of local morphologic changes resulted from human interventions to completely counterbalance general trends (decadal scale), supports the idea of decreasing the amplitude and frequency of important floods, after the end of the Little Ice Age. Channel metamorphosis by canalization, diminishing/elimination of overflows and medium‐scale avulsions by changes in flow regimes (dams) and the presence of dykes in the floodplain perimeter, channel narrowing (43%) and incision (at least after 1945) downstream from dams, and probably because of in‐channel gravel mining are the main anthropically induced changes along the Some?u Mic River. Even if human impact is important, both at the drainage basin scale and along the Some?u Mic River, it has only local impacts, subordinated to climate. The low level of human impact on this river could be the consequence of the higher general slope downstream from 400 m elevation knick‐point, which probably forces the positioning of its effects under an important internal threshold of the fluvial system. This boundary condition defines Some?u Mic River as an atypical river. This study supports the idea that climate has a more important role in the post‐Little Ice Age (LIA) rivers' behaviour than currently accepted. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of portable X-ray fluorescence analyses to metabasalt stratigraphy,Plutonic Gold Mine,Western Australia

Stratigraphy, structure and host-rock chemistry are dominant controls on the location of Au in Archaean greenstone-hosted Au deposits, but the stratigraphy in such deposits is seldom obvious due to the monotonous nature of the host rocks or pervasive alteration associated with Au mineralisation. Portable, hand-held, X-ray fluorescence (pXRF) spectrometry provides a method to rapidly collect large amounts of whole-rock geochemical data that can yield new insights into both stratigraphy and Au localisation. Here we present results of pXRF analyses of samples from a representative section through Au-mineralised amphibolite-facies metabasaltic rocks at Plutonic Gold Mine, Western Australia. These data illustrate a geochemical stratigraphy in which individual lava flows can be identified on the basis of element concentrations. The most evolved basalts are at the structural base of the succession, and the least evolved at the top of the sequence, confirming previous geochemical interpretations and textural evidence that the sequence is overturned, and demonstrating for the first time that the presented section does not involve significant structural repetition. In conjunction with Au assay data, the pXRF data reveal that Au commonly occurs along basalt flow boundaries. The elemental concentration data clearly demonstrates for the first time the stratigraphic control on Au mineralisation that is not readily apparent at the macroscopic level. The methods described in this paper are readily applied, and have the potential to enhance the understanding of otherwise unclear stratigraphy and its control on mineralisation in many different types of deposits worldwide.     

From Predictive Mapping of Mineral Prospectivity to Quantitative Estimation of Number of Undiscovered Prospects

This paper proposes that the spatial pattern of known prospects of the deposit‐type sought is the key to link predictive mapping of mineral prospectivity (PMMP) and quantitative mineral resource assessment (QMRA). This proposition is demonstrated by PMMP for hydrothermal Au‐Cu deposits (HACD) and by estimating the number of undiscovered prospects for HACD in Catanduanes Island (Philippines). The results of analyses of the spatial pattern of known prospects of HACD and their spatial associations with geological features are consistent with existing knowledge of geological controls on hydrothermal Au‐Cu mineralization in the island and elsewhere, and are used to define spatial recognition criteria of regional‐scale prospectivity for HACD. Integration of layers of evidence representing the spatial recognition criteria of prospectivity via application of data‐driven evidential belief functions results in a map of prospective areas occupying 20% of the island with fitting‐ and prediction‐rates of 76% and 70%, respectively. The predictive map of prospective areas and a proxy measure for degrees of exploration based on the spatial pattern of known prospects of HACD were used in one‐level prediction of undiscovered mineral endowment, which yielded estimates of 79 to 112 undiscovered prospects of HACD. Application of radial‐density fractal analysis of the spatial pattern of known prospects of HACD results in an estimate of 113 undiscovered prospects of HACD. Thus, the results of the study support the proposition that PMMP can be a part of QMRA if the spatial pattern of discovered prospects of the deposit‐type sought is considered in both PMMP and QMRA.     

Holocene sedimentary environments in Lake Eyre,South Australia

In late Pleistocene time Lake Dieri (ancestral ‘Greater Lake Eyre') was permanently filled during a wet climatic phase. Towards the close of Pleistocene time the watertable fell, Lake Dieri dried up, and its sediments deflated. Later the watertable rose, establishing ephemeral Lake Eyre in the deflated area, and Holocene sedimentation commenced. At about this time Lake Eyre tilted to the south and three sedimentary environments developed: (1) a saline playa environment without saltcrusts in the northern end of the lake, where water drains away before wholly evaporating; (2) a terminal salina environment in the south end, where evaporation of brines leaves saltcrusts overlying gypseous sediments; and (3) a saline flocculation environment between the playa and salina environments, where sediments are deposited by flocculation when muddy floodwater from the north meets highly saline water of the southern salina.

In the northern playa environment, sedimentation is limited to the top of the capillary fringe above the watertable, below which sediments remain moist and protected from aeolian erosion, but above which they dry and blow out of the lake. In the southern salina environment sedimentation has not kept pace with the Holocene rise in watertable. If and when it does reach such a level, downward leaching of salt and deflation of exposed sediments is likely to occur. In the flocculation environment new deposits of clay are added but kept permanently wet by rising groundwater. When flocculated sediment builds too high, its excess is transferrred by surface water into the salina deposits to the south.     

Seasonal and spatial distribution of the microbenthic communities of the Rio de la Plata estuary (Argentina) and possible environmental controls

The relationship between microbenthic communities, the habitat characteristics, and physical and chemical gradients was studied in the Rio de la Plata estuary. Five replicates of the surface layer were collected seasonally, in 10 sampling sites influenced by different land uses. The distribution of microbenthic communities was governed by two gradients, the first one determined by anthropic factors, related to pollution, and the second one to conductivity and turbidity. The higher densities of producers were observed in sites characterized by fine sediments. During winter, spring, and summer cyanophytes were abundant, while in autumn the diatoms, particularly birraphideans, dominated. The ciliates were the most abundant group among consumers, particularly in winter, and their spatial distribution was influenced by the turbidity. The whole study area has an eutrophic condition. Turbidity and the enrichment with nutrients and organic matter explained 50% of the variability in the species’ distribution.     

Tropospheric Ozone in a Global-Scale Three-Dimensional Lagrangian Model and Its Response to NOX Emission Controls

A three-dimensional Lagrangian tropospheric chemistry modelis used toinvestigate the impact of human activities on the tropospheric distributionofozone and hydroxyl radicals. The model describes the behaviour of 50 speciesincluding methane, carbon monoxide, oxides of nitrogen, sulphur dioxide andnineorganic compounds emitted from human activities and a range of other sources.Thechemical mechanism involves about 100 chemical reactions of which 16 arephotochemical reactions whose diurnal dependence is treated in full. The modelutilises a five minute chemistry time step and a three hour advection timestepfor the 50,000 air parcels. Meteorological data for the winds, temperatures,clouds and so on are taken from the UK Meteorological Office global model for1994 onwards. The impacts of a 50% reduction in European NO_Xemissions onglobal ozone concentrations are assessed. Surface ozoneconcentrations decrease in summertime and rise in wintertime, but to differentextents.     

河南登封白坪铝土矿的古地貌控制

用趋势面分析法恢复登封白坪G层铝土矿沉积时的古地形;用相关分析法研究了古地形对含铝岩系厚度、植物分布、钛率以及矿体分布、矿石质量、矿石结构的控制作用,提出了古隆起控矿的观点。在成矿机理与找矿方法方面也提出了新看法。      

基于最佳用途的土地用途有偿管制机制探索

当前基于现状用途的管制存在管制方式偏行政化、管制手段无偿化导致农村集体土地收益偏向国有、非农产业和城市分配,重塑用途管制制度已显示出迫切性。本文探索基于最佳用途,通过"用途差"和"用途差"交易实现土地用途有偿管制的机制,认为通过用途有偿管制机制不仅可以保护农用地,特别是耕地资源,保障土地资源的可持续利用。而且,可激活土地资源价值,特别是有助于农用地资源资产、资本化,缩小农村、农业和农民家庭资产与收入与城镇的差距。     

BOOK REVIEWS

Book Reviewed in this article: Unfairly Structured Cities . Blair Badcock Religion and Rural Revolt . Janos M. Bak and Gerhard Benecke The Industrial Geography of Canada . Anthony Blackbourn and Robert G. Putnam The Cuban-American Experience, Culture, Images, and Perspectives. Thomas D. Boswell and James R. Curtis Quaternary Paleoclimatology . R. S. Bradley Development and Crisis in Brazil, 1930–1983 . Luiz Bresser Pereiras Centres of Origin in Biogeography . John C. Briggs Analytical Urban Geography . Martin Cadwallader Geomorphology . Richard J. Chorley , Stanley A. Schumm, and David E. Sugden South Africa: The Impact of Past Geographies . A. J. Christopher The Geography of Underdevelopment. A Critical Survey . D. K. Forbes Health Care in Developing Countries . Wilbert M. Gesler Place to Grow Old: The Meaning of Environment in Old Age . Stephen M. Golant The Emerging Marine Economy of the Pacific . Chennat Gopalakrishnan An Introduction to Agricultural Geography . David B. Grigg The Soviet Union: A Geographical Study . G. Melvyn Howe Geographical Aspects of Health: Essays in Honour of Andrew Learmonth . N. D. Mc Glashan and J. R. Blunden Physical Geography: A Landscape Appreciation . Tom L. Mc Knight Mountain Experience. The Psychology and Sociology of Adventure. Richard G. Mitchell Jr . Systematic and Regional Biogeography. Stanley A. Morain The Economic Transformation of American Cities. T. J. Noyelle and T. M. Stanback , Jr . Normal Accidents: Living With High-Risk Technologies. Charles Perrow Vanishing Farmland: A Legal Solution for the States. Sarah E. Redfield Applied Methods of Regional Analysis: The Spatial Dimensions of Development Policy. Dennis A. Rondinelli Urbanization in Romania. A Geography of Social and Economic Change Since Independence. Per Ronnas Statistical Techniques in Geographical Analysis. Gareth Shaw and Dennis Wheeler The Granite Garden: Urban Nature and Human Design. Anne Whiston Spirn Political Geography: Recent Advances and Future Directions. Peter Taylor and John House Geographia y Medio Ambiente. Manuel Valenzuela -Rubío Nãgara and Commandery: Origins of the Southeast Asian Urban Traditions. Paul Wheatley The Common Fisheries Policy of the European Community. Mark Wise Geography and Gender. Women and Geography Study Group of the IBG Technological Hazards. D. J. Zeigler , J. H. Johnson , S. D. Brunn     

Selection of coherent deposit-type locations and their application in data-driven mineral prospectivity mapping

Data-driven prospectivity mapping can be undermined by dissimilarity in multivariate spatial data signatures of deposit-type locations. Most cases of data-driven prospectivity mapping, however, make use of training sets of randomly selected deposit-type locations with the implicit assumption that they are coherent (i.e., with similar multivariate spatial data signatures). This study shows that the quality of data-driven prospectivity mapping can be improved by using a training set of coherent deposit-type locations. Analysis and selection of coherent deposit-type locations was performed via logistic regression, by using multiple sets of deposit occurrence favourability scores of univariate geoscience spatial data as independent variables and binary deposit occurrence scores as dependent variable. The set of coherent deposit-type locations and three sets of randomly selected deposit-type locations were each used in data-driven prospectivity mapping via application of evidential belief functions. The prospectivity map based on the training set of coherent deposit-type locations resulted in lower uncertainty, better goodness-of-fit to the training set, and better predictive capacity against a cross-validation set of economic deposits of the type sought. This study shows that explicit selection of training set of coherent deposit-type locations should be applied in data-driven prospectivity mapping.