The lateglacial Quercus expansion in the southern European Alps: rapid vegetation response to a late Allerød climate warming?

A pollen‐inferred vegetation shift, from pioneer birch–pine woodland to mixed pine–summergreen oak forests, in the southern Alpine forelands, is commonly attributed to a centennial‐scale warming that occurred between the Gerzensee Oscillation (GO) and the Younger Dryas. Two microtephra layers bracketing the Younger Dryas onset (the Laacher See Tephra and the Vedde Ash) improve the chronology at Lago Piccolo di Avigliana (northern Italy) and allowed accurate correlation with Central European records where the GO is clearly detected. We used pollen percentages, pollen accumulation rates (PARs) and plant macrofossils to assess the population dynamics of Quercus, and leaf‐cuticle analysis for a better taxonomic identification of Quercus. Our results indicate that the species that was locally present was probably Quercus robur. PARs suggest that the population expansion started as early as the Bølling and followed an exponential increase through time. We attribute this gradual shift to increasing summer temperatures and longer growing seasons which contrast with a gradually decreasing temperature trend as recorded in Greenland ice cores and in Central Europe. Breaks or set‐backs in the PAR record may indicate the biotic response to minor Lateglacial cooling events of different life‐history stages in the Quercus population. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The variation of crustal stretching and different modes of rifting along the Australian southern continental margin

The southern margin of Australia is a passive continental margin, formed during a Late Jurassic–Cretaceous rifting phase. The development of this passive margin is mainly associated with extensional processes that caused crustal thinning. In this work, we have measured the amount of extension and the stretching factor (β factor) across seven transect profiles approximately evenly distributed across the margin. The obtained results show that the amount of extension and the β factor along the margin vary from west to east. The lowest amount of extension, low–intermediate β factors and a very narrow margin are observed in the western part with 80 km of extension and is underlain mostly by the Archean Yilgarn Craton and the Albany–Fraser Orogen. The Gawler Craton in the centre of the south Australian margin is another region of low extension and low–intermediate β factor. The largest amount of extension (384 km) and the largest β factor (β = 1.88) are found in the eastern part of the passive margin in an area underlain by Phanerozoic Tasman Orogen units. Our results imply that there is a strong control of the age and thickness of the continental lithosphere on the style of rifting along the Australian passive margin. Rifting of old and cold lithosphere results in a narrow passive margin, with the formation of relatively few faults with relatively wide spacing, while rifting of younger, warmer lithosphere leads to wide rifting that is accommodated by a large number of faults with small spacing.     

从藏南陆-陆碰撞带深部结构构造演化探讨斑岩铜矿的成岩成矿问题

本文以INDEPTH项目对印度大陆与欧亚大陆碰撞带深部成像结果为基础,从构造演化角度探讨藏南陆-陆碰撞带冈底斯斑岩铜矿带的成矿作用问题。深部探测给出的碰撞带深部结构与侯增谦等地质学家提出的深部结构有较大的异同,如何协调起来以深化对藏南陆-陆碰撞条件下成矿作用的认识,这是本文讨论的中心。藏南碰撞带成矿实际上是在新特提斯大洋岩石圈俯冲形成的冈底斯岩浆弧成矿作用的基础上,再经过陆-陆碰撞挤压强烈改造后的再成矿。碰撞带的深部结构构造演化的特点是:(1)新特提斯大洋岩石圈板块向北连续俯冲了约120 Ma,形成的冈底斯陆缘火山岩浆弧带,这导致了陆缘带地壳增厚并含有大量的地幔岩浆流体物质(如南美安第斯成矿带那样);(2)在印度大陆与冈底斯陆缘弧接近碰撞时,在对挤中新特提斯大洋洋壳与大洋岩石圈地幔发生向上挤出与向下拆沉,并使部分洋壳残片和大洋岩石圈物质保存在中上地壳内;(3)两大陆岩石圈碰撞对接后,印度岩石圈地幔加深达70~80 km并沿地壳底部向北推进,并将加厚地壳内大量的成矿物质、钙碱性岩浆,洋壳及新生的下地壳,以及部分地幔物质从地壳底部将其围限起来,成为后期再成矿的物质基础;(4)查明了碰撞带深部壳/幔间产生了一层中间速度层(相当于MASH层),在中上地壳部位出现一层巨大的部分熔融层;(5)在碰撞挤压下冈底斯带内产生多组断裂构造,大型逆冲断裂系与背冲断裂,并引发了含矿岩浆的再活动,并在浮力(下地壳内)和挤压力作用下多次活动上升生成斑岩型铜矿床;(6)成矿后地表遭受过强烈的风化剥蚀作用,使矿床出露地表。     

华北克拉通南缘鲁山太古宙基底的形成和演化

鲁山地区保存和出露很好的太古宙基底岩石。文章报道了2件魏庄片麻岩的原岩年龄分别为(2867±5)Ma和(2768±5)Ma,变质作用时代分别为(2775±6)Ma和(2775±56)Ma。结合已发表数据,魏庄片麻岩原岩形成时代可大致分为2867~2928 Ma和2765~2768 Ma两个阶段;榆树庄片麻岩原岩形成于2829~2897 Ma、2752~2778 Ma和2723 Ma;斜长角闪岩原岩形成于2838~2845 Ma、2747~2794 Ma和2730 Ma。尽管三者岩性上存在差异,但原岩形成的期次和时代相当,指示它们在成因上可能存在联系。鲁山多地陆续发现2.8~2.9 Ga的岩石,表明该地区存在一定规模的中太古代基底。通过与胶东、霍邱等地对比,笔者认为华北克拉通南缘可能存在中太古代的古老陆块,其重要的初生地壳生长事件发生在2.9~3.0 Ga。     

我国南方西南和中东部区域两次持续性低温雨雪过程与关键环流系统的关系研究

利用NCEP再分析资料和国家气象信息中心提供的753站逐日气温和降水资料,对比分析了我国南方西南和中东部区域两次持续10 d以上的低温雨雪过程,结果表明:(1)两次过程中欧亚大陆中高纬东亚大槽均加深,但环流形势有差异。西南过程呈现"北高南低"形势,关键脊区在贝加尔湖,而中东部区域过程"北高南低"和"西高东低"形势共存,关键脊区从乌拉尔山延伸至贝加尔湖。两次过程异常的环流与北大西洋向东传播的波列有关。(2)西南过程关键脊区提前过程3 d发展并东移至贝加尔湖,形成稳定形势;而中东部区域过程关键脊区提前过程一周发展,在开始日达最强。两次过程均伴随蒙古高压东移南压使地面降温,500 hPa关键脊区超前蒙古高压2 d变化。西南过程降温主要受到冷平流和绝热冷却影响,而中东部区域过程主要受到冷平流的影响。(3)西南过程水汽来自孟加拉湾,只受南支槽支配。中东部区域过程水汽来自孟加拉湾、南海和西太平洋,由南支槽和西太平副热带高压的共同影响。两次过程水汽正收支主要来自南边界。     

南海南部表层沉积物中生物硅的分布及其环境意义

对南海南部25个表层沉积样进行了生物硅的测定分析,试图揭示南海南部表层沉积生物硅的分布及其对现代海洋环境的指示意义,以便为古海洋学研究提供进一步的科学依据。研究发现,表层沉积物中生物硅含量与其所处水深呈显著正相关关系,相关系数达到0．782。陆架浅水区表层沉积物中生物硅含量非常低,不能反映表层水体中硅质生物生产力情况,这可能与沉积类型和陆源物质输入影响有关。深水区表层沉积物中生物硅的含量分布表明,其不仅能反映出表层水体中硅质生物的古生产力水平,而且还能指示上升流的强弱,从而进一步证实了利用沉积物中生物硅含量来追踪上升流发育和变化的有效性与可信度。研究结果还显示,在研究区域中北部表层沉积生物硅中放射虫和海绵骨针较硅藻占有更大的比重,这可能是由于硅藻易被溶解并易被其他生物体摄食的缘故。在有上升流发育的海域,放射虫、硅藻和海绵骨针基本上均表现出较高的丰度,这与高的生物硅含量相一致。     

Extension of a qualitative model on nutrient cycling and transformation to include microtidal estuaries on wave-dominated coasts: Southern hemisphere perspective

Estuaries are dynamic transition zones acting as filters and transformers of nutrients passing from catchments to the sea. We propose an extension to an existing southern hemisphere model on nutrient dynamics in estuaries to include the relatively constricted, microtidal estuaries located along wave-dominated coasts in the region, specifically focusing on the limiting macronutrients nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) and on key processes, including physical (e.g. flushing, mixing and sedimentation), geochemical (e.g. flocculation), biochemical (e.g. remineralisation) and biological (e.g. primary production) processes. A simplified model of the physical states (primarily controlled by hydrological characteristics) is used as the basis for the qualitative model, where these are defined in terms of characteristic salinity-induced stratification of the water column, flushing time and the mouth condition. Four physical states are identified: a freshwater-dominated state, freshwater pulsed/recovery state, marine-dominated state and the closed mouth state. The states and their physical characteristics largely resemble that of the earlier model, except that the extended model reflects the dynamics of restricted inlets and introduces the closed mouth state. This model specifically explores the variation within southern African estuarine systems to better inform research and management programmes on the appropriate trophic, temporal and spatial scales at which uncertainties in ecosystem functioning need resolving. It can also be applied to other regions in the southern hemisphere, and even the northern hemisphere, with similar hydrological and estuarine geomorphological characteristics (e.g. the Mediterranean coast, the west coasts of North and South America, and the south-west and south-eastern coasts of Australia).     

南海南部断裂的分形研究

分形几何作为定量描述自然界中复杂非线性现象的强有力工具,将其应用于南海南部断裂体系的研究中,通过数盒子法计算了断裂分布的分维值。研究结果表明这种方法是可行的,断裂分布的分维值能有效地描述断裂的空间分布特征。南海南部断裂体系在标度区间25～250km内具有很好的统计自相似性,全部断裂的分维值为1．6601,北东向断裂的为1．3875,北西向断裂的为1．2693。根据断裂分维等值线,沿西南海盆扩张轴,两侧断裂呈对称展布;北东向的与北西向的在空间上有一定的互补性,这反映了两组断裂在发育过程中的相互制约性。结合南海的构造演化及南海南部油气盆地的分布,初步探讨了断裂分形特征与南海的构造演化及断裂分形特征与油气盆地分布之间的关系。