Seismic geomorphological analysis of deepwater gravity-driven deposits on a slope system of the southern Colombian Caribbean margin

Gravity-driven processes are important agents for transporting sediments downslope into deep-marine environments. The Pliocene to Holocene offshore succession of the Colombian Caribbean margin and its stratigraphic distribution, have been affected by faulting and mud diapirism, and have been characterized using 3D seismic data. Nine stratigraphic intervals were characterized within the study, and are interpreted to consist of a range of seismic geomorphologies, including slumps and debrites. Nine gravity-driven deposits were defined within the study area, interpreted to have been transported to the north and northwest. Slumps display high-amplitude, high continuity, elongated, stratified, lobate and confined morphologies, while debrites have a reflection-free pattern or show discontinuous, low-amplitude and chaotic reflections. Mixed slumps-turbidites-debrites deposits are composed by a succession of laterally and vertically interfingered slumps, debrites and turbidites. These deposits are morphologically lobate and broadly scattered. In addition, erosional features such as basal small scours, megascours, linear scours and rafted blocks were used as kinematic indicators within the gravity-driven deposits. There are several candidates triggering mechanism, including over-steepening of slope (related to high sediment supply or slope tectonism). In the study area, confined slumps and debrites with a main transport direction from south to north have been observed, while transport direction of the mixed slumps-turbidites-debrites was toward northwest. Additionally, the fact that slumps and debrites are found in depocenters between periclines suggests a confined environment of deposition. Finally, mixed slumps-turbidites-debrites are unconfined without evident structural control. We suggest that local intraslope sub-basin margin become over-steepened as a result of mud diapirism in the subsurface. In this situation, the paleobathymetry was sufficient to trap the resultant gravity-driven deposits within the sub-basins, suggesting a local origin. Seismic evidence of BSR (Bottom Simulating Reflector) suggests the presence of gas hydrate in the study area, and is taken as an additional potential mechanism to provide instability of slope and generate gravity-driven deposits.     

International targets and environmental policy integration: The 2010 Biodiversity Target and its impact on international policy and national implementation in Latin America and the Caribbean

International environmental policy has evolved from a focus on single issues to more integrated approaches under the framework of sustainable development. This transition has been accompanied by a growing use of targets among international organisations. Targets have long been used in industry and corporate planning, but some have questioned their relevance in the ambit of environmental and sustainable development policy. This paper addresses the question of whether international targets help advance environmental policy integration in international governance. It explores whether the international target of significantly reducing the rate of biodiversity loss by 2010, adopted by the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) in 2002, enabled co-ordination and coherence in international biodiversity governance. The effects of the Target on the cluster of biodiversity-related conventions and their implementation in countries of Latin America and the Caribbean are examined. The analysis is based on official documents and interviews with secretariat officials, international experts and national focal points conducted between September 2011 and April 2012. A claim is made that the 2010 Biodiversity Target was, in essence, a conservation goal that did not fully honour the CBD's sustainable development mission. The Target triggered increased co-operation in the biodiversity cluster without bringing greater alignment of policies and implementation activities around the CBD's sustainability principles. The study suggests that, if targets are to advance EPI among international institutions, they need to be appropriated by relevant stakeholders and supported by implementation strategies that secure their continuous commitment.     

A Review of “The Experience of Return Migration: Caribbean Perspectives”

Abstract

Commuting in Italy has always been addressed without regard to gender differences. Following the issuance of a comprehensive database by the National Statistical Institute, it is now possible to analyze gender differences in personal mobility for the first time in Italy. For our analyses we used Local Labor Systems (LLS) zoning in lieu of administrative zoning. LLSs are territorial subdivisions based on the principle of a self-contained labor market and are widely used in Italy. This article also reports the results of a multidimensional data analysis aimed at highlighting relations between different gender-based commuting patterns and a set of variables (education level, age, household structure, occupational category, and position, etc.). The analysis points out gender differences in the relationship among commuting and socioeconomic characteristics, reveals that these relationships are in turn related to the economic structure and geographical context of different regional labor markets, and suggests to analysts that they be sensitive to singular context when interpreting the meaning of gender differences in commuting.

     

Luquillo Experimental Forest: Catchment science in the montane tropics

Catchments in the Luquillo Experimental Forest (LEF) of Puerto Rico are warm, wet and tropical with steep elevational relief creating gradients in temperature and rainfall. Long-term objectives of research at the site are to understand how changing climate and disturbance regimes alter hydrological and biogeochemical processes in the montane tropics and to provide information critical for managing and conserving tropical forest ecosystems globally. Measurements of hydrology and meteorology span decades, and currently include temperature, humidity, precipitation, cloud base level, throughfall, groundwater table elevation and stream discharge. The chemistry of rain, throughfall, and streams is measured weekly and lysimeters and wells are sampled monthly to quarterly. Multiple data sets document the effects of major hurricanes including Hugo (1989), Georges (1998) and Maria (2017) on vegetation, biota and catchment biogeochemistry and provide some of the longest available records of biogeochemical fluxes in tropical forests. Here we present an overview of the findings and the data sets that have been generated from the LEF, highlighting their importance for understanding montane tropical watersheds in the context of disturbance and global environmental change.     

Trace metals, PAHs, and PCBs in sediments from the Jobos Bay area in Puerto Rico

This study provides baseline information on the extent of contamination in sediments of the Jobos Bay estuary and surrounding areas in Puerto Rico. Sediments from Jobos Bay area (n = 14) had higher overall average concentrations than those from La Parguera area (n = 5, used as reference site), in μg/g dw, for As (17 vs 9), Cu (29 vs 14), Pb (11 vs 4), and Zn (64 vs 28); and in %, for Fe (2.6 vs 0.6). Sediments (n = 8) screened for PAHs and PCBs exhibited total concentrations (ng/g dw) that ranged from 40.4 to 1912, and from not detected to 11.21, respectively. The quality of sediments of Jobos Bay could be classified as low to moderate pollution. The proximity to anthropogenic sources of contamination warrants a monitoring program for inorganic and organic pollutants in Jobos Bay area for an effective coastal management program of this tropical ecosystem.     

Communicating climate change: Climate change risk perceptions and rock lobster fishers, Tasmania

World fisheries, already vulnerable, are under increasing pressure from the impacts of climate change. Using the Tasmanian rock lobster industry as a case study, we considered the efficacy of risk perception as a tool to inform how to communicate the science of climate change and suggestions for management in relation to development of adaptation strategies for fisheries. Fishers surveyed in this study operate in a fishery that is expected to undergo large changes as a consequence of climate change. Fishers also reported observations of similar large changes in the marine environment and lobster fishery consistent with climate change; yet most fishers surveyed expressed doubts about whether climate change was a real process. The important point for adaption of the industry to climate change is that fisher perceptions of risk tended to create barriers to acceptance of climate change as an issue. This means that there is a barrier to communication and awareness about climate change and thus a barrier to future action on the issue. Improving acceptance of climate change and thus ability to adapt will require the development of communications that are culturally appropriate and palatable to fishers. We argue that the application of social learning principles in communications about climate change may be one constructive way forward.     

Trap‐based indicators of egg production following increases in minimum legal size in Homarus americanus fisheries

Minimum legal size (MLS) is an important conservation measure in trap fisheries for Homarus americanus. MLS has increased in several management areas in the Canadian Maritimes since 1987. A key conservation objective has been to increase egg production, with predictions of the effects of MLS increase based on egg‐per‐recruit models. We evaluated whether expectations of increases in ovigerous females (OF) were realised when MLS was increased. Data were examined from at‐sea samples of the commercial trap catch from 11 ports from 1986 to 2003. OF indicators were developed based on the OF catch‐per‐unit‐effort (CPUE) of different sizes, and on the percentage (PCT) of females that were ovigerous. Because there were within‐season increases in CPUE and PCT, annual indicators were based on regressions of CPUE on day in the season. There was considerable variability in all the time series of OF annual indicators and any effects of smaller MLS increases could not be detected. Increases in OF indicators were evident in areas that undertook the largest MLS increases (6–6.5 mm CL).     

Observations of temperatures in some Rotorua district lakes

A preliminary study has been made of temperatures in some of the lakes of the Rotorua district, in the North Island of New Zealand. Seasonal and diurnal variations are discussed. Two main thermal structure types are present. One, in which stratification is irregular or absent, is present in lakes that are relatively shallow and large in area, and the other, in which there is thermal Stratification from early summer to early winter, is present in lakes that are comparatively deep and large in area or else of medium depth and size.