Riparian alder fens — source or sink for nutrients and dissolved organic carbon? — 2. Major sources and sinks

Natural riparian forest wetlands are known to be effective in their ability to remove nitrate by denitrification and sediments with attached phosphorus via sedimentation. On the other hand, litter input and decomposition is a process of crucial importance in cycling of nitrogen and phosphorus in a forest ecosystem.In this study we investigated the amount of nitrogen and phosphorus entering the alder fen ecosystem through leaf litter and its decomposition and the removal capacity of nitrogen and phosphorus by measuring denitrification and sedimentation in the alder fen.We found an average input of leaf litter during fall 1998 of 226 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ DW with nutrient concentration of 0.17% P and 1.6% N. This means a yearly input of 0.4 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ P and 3.6 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ N. The decomposition of leaf litter using litter bags with small and large mesh size resulted in bags with macroinvertebrates (large mesh size) and without macroinvertebrates (small mesh size). After 57 days the litter bags with macroinvertebrates had a decomposition rate of 79%.Denitrification was measured in May and June of 1997 using the acetylene inhibition technique on intact soil cores and slurry-experiments. The average annual denitrification rate was 0.2 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ N using data from the core experiments. The denitrification rate was higher after addition of nitrate, indicating that denitrification in the riparian alder fen is mainly controlled by nitrate supply.The sedimentation rate in the investigated alder fen ranged from 0.47 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹ DW to 4.46 kg m⁻² yr⁻¹ DW in 1998 depending on the study site and method we used. Sedimentation rates were lower in newly designed plate traps than in cylinder traps. The alder fen also showed lower rates than the adjacent creek Briese. Average phosphorus removal rate was 0.33 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ P.Input sources for the surface water of the alder fen are sediment mineralization and decomposition of leaf litter; output sources are sedimentation and denitrification. This study showed that a nutrient input of 24.58 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ N, 8.8 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ P and 419 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹ DOC into the surface water of the alder fen is possible. Alder fens cannot improve water quality of an adjacent river system. This is only true for a nearly pristine alder fen with the hydrology of 10 months flooded conditions and 2 months non-flooding conditions a year.     

Research progress of socio-economic water cycle in China

China has made great progress in the study of socio-economic water cycle. She has completed national water resources appraisement and medium to long-term water supply planning. She has been engaging in study on water-deficient regions in North China and Northwest China for about half a century. For solving water shortage problem in northern China, she has put forward the famous South-to-North Water Transferring Projects, which has been set as one of the four biggest national projects in the Tenth Five-Year-Plan period although there are still debates. For promoting water use efficiency, China has been reforming her water management system, including water right system and water price system. There has already been a case of water right purchase. China has also done a lot of research on the interaction between human activity, water and ecosystem. For meeting the need of sustainability and coordinating water resources development and environmental protection, the study of ecological water requirement became very hot in recent years. There are three focuses of socio-economic water cycle study now in China: water transfer projects from the south to the north, water resources management and ecological water requirement.     

Sedimentary cycles of trace elements in Salawusu River Valley since 150 ka BP

The paper makes some analyses on 11 trace elements in the Milanggouwan stratigraphical section in the Salawusu River valley, which is regarded as a prototype geology-palaeoclimate record since 150 ka BP. The results show that the content and variation of trace elements has experienced remarkably regular changes in the pace with coarse and fine sedimentary cycles of palaeo-aeolian sands to its overlying fluvio-lacustrine facies or/and palaeosols. The trace elements with chemical properties of relatively active (V, Sr, Cu, Ni, As) and relatively stable (P, Pb, Rb, Mn, Nb, Zr) are a manifestation of the corresponding 27 changeable cycles between peak and valley values, appearing a multi-fiuctuational process line of relative gathering and migration since then. The low numerical value distribution of these two types of trace elements in the aeolian sand facies represents erosion and accumulation under wind force during the cold-dry climate. Whereas their enrichments in both fluvio-lacustrine facies and palaeosols are related to the valley’s special low-lying physiognomic position between the Ordos Plateau and the Loess Plateau under the warm and humid climate conditions. The above relatively migrated and gathered change of the trace elements is the result of 27 climatic cycles of cold-dry and warm-humid, which is probably caused by repeated alternations of winter monsoon and summer monsoon in the Mu Us Sandy Land influenced by the climate vicissitudes in northern hemisphere during glacial and interglacial periods since 150 ka BP.     

Upper Oligocene-Lower Miocene shallowing-upwardlacustrine sequences controlled by periodic and non-periodic processes(Ebro Basin, northeastern Spain)

The lacustrine facies from two sections (Candasnos and Fraga) ofthe Oligocene-Miocene Torrente de Cinca lithostratigraphic Unit in thecentral part of the Ebro Basin (Spain) have been analysed to determine theinfluence of orbital parameters in lacustrine sedimentation. The unit ispredominantly composed of limestones and marls, and represents a shallowlacustrine freshwater system. The sedimentological features of the faciesstudied demonstrate that the lower part of the Candasnos section representsoffshore lacustrine subenvironments whereas the upper part, and the whole ofthe Fraga section, characterise marginal lacustrine areas. Series of stratalthickness variations of limestone, marl, and limestone/marl couplets fromboth sections have been analysed using spectral analysis. This shows thatinformation corresponding to periodic cycles only appears in the offshorefacies, that is to say, in the lower part of Candasnos section, and disappearsin the marginal facies where non-periodic cycles exist. Furthermore, thespectral analysis of the offshore facies highlights the existence of a peak inthe power spectrum with a period of around 7 (6.8 to 7.8) that can berecognised in the field as shallowing-upward lacustrine sequences.Magnetostratigraphic data from the Candasnos section allow us to establish atime span of 2,808 years for the limestone/marl couplet from the lower partof this section, and between 19,000 and 22,000 years for the periodic cycleidentified, thus representing the climatic precession cycle. Shallowingsequences from marginal areas do not correspond with any periodiccycle.     

Fracturation d'âge Aptien supérieur sur la bordure orientale de la plate-forme arabique (Haushi-Huqf,Oman)Aptian faulting (Shu'aiba Formation) on the eastern edge of the Arabian Platform (Haushi-Huqf,Oman)

In the Haushi-Huqf (Eastern Central Oman) as in other parts of the Arabian platform, a major sedimentary break is recorded between the Early Aptian carbonates (Shu'aiba Formation) and the Albian orbitolinid-rich marls (Nahr Umr Formation). The unconformity corresponds to a succession of events: (1) a brusque interruption of the regressive sequence of the Shu'aiba limestone (algae and small rudistid build-ups); (2) a stratigraphic gap related to the Late Aptian; (3) the development of a thick ferruginous crust (hardground) that covered the top surface of the Shu'aiba; the hardground is related to a forced flooding surface; (4) the Shu'aiba was rapidly drowned and buried under the Nahr Umr marls. Moreover, the Shu'aiba limestone was subject to faulting NW–SE-trending normal faults before lithification and formation of the ferruginous crust. The faulting episode is clearly dated: post-Early Aptian and pre-Albian. The signification of the faulting remains hypothetical. The syndiagenetic NW–SE normal faults may correspond to ‘en echelon’ faults, combined with transcurrent fault movements (for example the Haushi-Nafun Fault). The possible causes of these intra-platform transcurrent movements are discussed. To cite this article: C. Montenat, P. Barrier, C. R. Geoscience 334 (2002) 781–787.     

Straight river: its formation and speciality

Straight river is generally regarded as one of the typical river patterns in conventional classifications in terms of their channel plain landforms. However, very few straight patterns were found to be distributed in wider spatial and temporal spans in the self-adjusted fluvial rivers. Thus, the questions occur such as that is it possible for a channel takes on a stable straight pattern? What are the main factors controlling the processes of the river pattern formation and transformation from a straight to other patterns? Various theories and hypotheses including geomorphic threshold hypothesis, the extreme hypothesis on energy dissipation rate, the stability theory, etc. have been developed to explain the aforementioned questions, but none of them is sound for the explanation to the straight-river formation. From the modern fluvial plain patterns, the straight patterns are not as stable as other typical patterns which occurred in nature; from the historic records of the river sedimentation, no apparent evidence was found to support the stable straight river evolution. Based on the analysis of existing theories, observations, evolvement processes of the channel patterns in the experimental results, this paper concluded that the straight pattern should not be included as one of the typical patterns that are self-formed and developed. This study is of importance to understanding of the river pattern formation and transformation.     

贵州寒武系底部黑色硅质岩成因及沉积环境探讨

贵州寒武系底部形成的黑色层状硅质岩，岩石展布广，层位稳定，厚度较大。硅质岩的δ^30Si值为—0．1‰～0．9‰，平均0．314‰；δ^18O值为12．8‰～21．2‰，通过δ^18O值计算出该区硅质岩形成温度82．2～162．5℃；硅质岩富含Ba、As、Sb、Bi和U，呈明显的Ce负异常。硅质岩的地球化学特征表明其主要成因是热水沉积作用。同时由于硅质岩主要是热水来源，所以在讨论其形成环境时还结合了岩相古地理的方法，指出该套硅质岩形成于深水缓坡至浅水滞流海环境之中。     

青海锡铁山热水沉积型铅锌矿床的地球化学特征

通过对锡铁山铅锌矿床的围岩(矿石)化学成分、稀土及微量元素特征的研究，发现矿区地层普遍具有铈负异常(δCe=0．47～0．90)，为海相沉积岩，近矿围岩中Ag、Hg、As、Sb、Ba等热水沉积指示元素偏高，显示成矿流体性质为热卤水，矿区火山岩不发育，矿床类型可以划为Sedex型。     

浙江天台地区赖家组的划分与分布

柴达木盆地是中国目前保存较为完整的、连续的、巨厚的河－湖相沉积记录的盆地，通过对ZK701＋801，水6孔，涩中6和涩深1井等典型剖面孢子花粉组合特征和分布规律的研究，详细地论述了第四纪孢粉组合带及其所代表的植被，气候演变进程，自1．87MaB.P.以来共识出了59个孢粉组合带，划分出29个完整的冷暖气候旋回，并且同中国西北第四纪黄土－古土壤系列的37个气候旋回以及深海钻孔氧同位素气候旋回进行了较好的对比。