How conservative is arsenic in coastal marine environments? A study in Irish coastal waters

The conservative potential of arsenic in the relatively pristine waters of Galway Bay, an estuarine system in the west of Ireland, is examined through the inter-seasonal variations in the distribution of its total, hydride and non-hydride fractions. The arsenic concentrations in Galway Bay and local fresh water sources at all seasons were lower than what is considered the natural seawater concentration of 2 μg L⁻¹ (27 nM). The effects of physical mixing, biological uptake and regeneration of arsenic on its distribution are considered. The degree of biological uptake and regeneration of the element are determined by a first order speciation between total arsenic (a small part of which should be of organic origin) and hydride arsenic (mostly of inorganic origin). The structural similarity of arsenic species to phosphate in seawater causes arsenic to be taken up by biota, which then have to detoxify it, so results are presented against phosphate to determine the degree of biological transformation of arsenic at different seasons. An in-house, batch type system of hydride generation coupled to electro-thermal atomic absorption spectrometry is used for the analysis of arsenic; this is preceded by UV-digestion prior to the measurement of total arsenic. Results show only a small association of arsenic with phosphate but a near linear, positive distribution pattern between arsenic and salinity in Galway Bay (R² ∼ 0.6), which is reproducible among seasons, indicating that in this environment the biological uptake of arsenic is likely to be a much slower process than the physical mixing of the water masses.     

A stratigraphic review of the Eocene to Miocene rock units in the al Jabal al Akhdar,NE Libya

This paper presents a revision of the Eocene to Miocene rock units of al Jabal al Akhdar (northeast Libya), based on the study of several surface sections in the vicinity of Benghazi and on earlier studies. The gradual disappearance of deep water marine fauna during the Early Eocene (Apollonia Formation) combined with gradual appearances of large-sized nummulitids and coarsening upwards of allochems during the Middle Eocene (Darnah Formation) indicate a shallowing-up trend, which continued to the end of the Miocene. Upper Eocene deposits are missing in the Benghazi area. The Al Bayda Formation (Oligocene) rests disconformably on the Middle Eocene Darnah Formation. The lower part of the Shahhat Marl Member (lower member of the Al Bayda Formation) is detrital and contains reworked Eocene Nummulites together with in situ Early Oligocene N. fichteli and N. vascus. The Algal Limestone (upper member of the Al Bayda Formation) represents Wilson's facies SMF 4, 5 and 6. Cyclicity in this member is notable and it appears to be associated with the regressive and transgressive global fourth-order Cycles TA4.3 to TA4.4. The lower part of the Al Abraq Formation is attributed to the transgressive global fourth-order Cycle TA4.5 and the upper part to Cycle TB1.1. The lower and middle parts of the Al Faidiyah Formation are attributed to the Miocene transgressive Cycles TB1.4 and TB1.5, with the upper part a result of sea level lowering related to Cycle TB2.1. Wilson's facies SMF 7 and SMF 8 typify this formation.     

Artisanal fishing in Andalusia (and III): “The Day After…”

During the past 5 years researchers from the University of Cádiz have carried out several studies on artisanal fishing in Andalusia, with the object of determining the state of the fleet and safety on board vessels. These studies have been financed largely with help from the European Union. In this third approach to the topic, the census of the fleet is updated and the changes that have taken place are considered from two perspectives: the influence of the policies implemented by the various governmental authorities, and the dynamic of the new commercial scenarios. For this study special emphasis is given to those communities in the SW of the province of Cádiz where the policies associated with the Treaties with the Kingdom of Morocco have had a decisive impact.     

Balancing science and society through establishing indicators for integrated coastal zone management in the Balearic Islands

This paper explores the process by which indicators may be developed as tools for communicating science to decision-makers using the participatory approach demonstrated by the Balearic Indicators Project. This initiative reflects a series of compromises considered necessary to achieve the objective of generating an indicator system that is scientifically viable, comparative internationally yet locally relevant, and to facilitate its implementation. The article highlights questions regarding the utility of science for addressing current global issues related to sustainability and why science often fails to promote change at the societal level.     

碳酸盐岩台地边缘沉积结构差异及其油气勘探意义——以川东北早三叠世飞仙关期台地边缘带为例

随着研究的深入,逐渐认识到碳酸盐岩台地边缘带(简称台缘带)具有沉积结构和演化的差异性,其不但记录了古地理格局及其演化过程,同时也对相关油气储层的发育具有重要的影响。以四川盆地东北部早三叠世飞仙关期同期近平行的三排台缘带为研究对象,通过钻井、野外露头及地震等资料综合分析,揭示研究区早三叠世飞仙关早期台缘鲕粒滩带明显继承了晚二叠世长兴期台缘礁滩带的分布,并具有整体向东迁移的特点。不同台缘带之间具有明显差异,可识别出迁移型和加积型两种台缘结构样式,迁移型台缘带主要分布在元坝-龙岗-梁平台缘带(简称1号台缘带)、简池-鸡王洞-沙陀台缘带(简称3号台缘带),其具有台缘斜坡坡度缓、迁移明显,造成台缘带鲕粒滩整体分布宽但厚度薄、横向间互云化的特点;加积型台缘带主要分布在铁厂河-普光-罗家寨台缘带(简称2号台缘带),沉积结构总体上表现为加积特征,但晚期具有向东迁移特点,台缘带窄、台前滑塌普遍,鲕粒滩分布集中且厚度大、云化彻底。不同台缘带内部沉积和储层分布具有差异性,1号台缘带内部具有斜坡带陡缓相间,缓坡区台缘带鲕粒滩迁移明显,鲕粒滩累积厚度薄且云化弱或不发育,相对的陡坡区迁移幅度略小,鲕粒滩累计厚度略厚,且具有向上云化程度逐渐增强的特点;由于面对相对开阔的海域,3号台缘斜坡带风暴影响明显,具有横向上的云化间互及垂向云化增强特征明显,资料有限,横向地貌变化尚待进一步揭示;2号台缘带具有横向上的鲕粒滩厚薄变化,但加积和整体云化特征稳定。台缘沉积结构差异性明显受早期长兴期古地貌、海平面变化及古风向和沉积期差异沉降等因素的联合影响。研究建立了相关台缘带沉积和白云岩分布模式。     

Mixing of asthenospheric and lithospheric mantle-derived basalt magmas as shown by along-arc variation in Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of Early Miocene basalts from back-arc margin of the NE Japan arc

We report trace element and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions of Early Miocene (22–18 Ma) basaltic rocks distributed along the back-arc margin of the NE Japan arc over 500 km. These rocks are divided into higher TiO₂ (> 1.5 wt.%; referred to as HT) and lower TiO₂ (< 1.5 wt.%; LT) basalts. HT basalt has higher Na₂O + K₂O, HFSE and LREE, Zr/Y, and La/Yb compared to LT basalt. Both suite rocks show a wide range in Sr and Nd isotopic compositions (initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (SrI) = 0.70389 to 0.70631, initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd(NdI) = 0.51248 to 0.51285). There is no any systematic variation amongst the studied Early Miocene basaltic rocks in terms of Sr–Nd isotope or Na₂O + K₂O and K₂O abundances, across three volcanic zones from the eastern through transitional to western volcanic zone, but we can identify gradual increases in SrI and decreases in NdI from north to south along the back-arc margin of the NE Japan arc. Based on high field strength element, REE, and Sr–Nd isotope data, Early Miocene basaltic rocks of the NE Japan back-arc margin represent mixing of the asthenospheric mantle-derived basalt magma with two types of basaltic magmas, HT and LT basaltic magmas, derived by different degrees of partial melting of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle composed of garnet-absent lherzolite, with a gradual decrease in the proportion of asthenospheric mantle-derived magma from north to south. These mantle events might have occurred in association with rifting of the Eurasian continental arc during the pre-opening stage of the Japan Sea.     

吉林省敦化盆地地质特征及地质发展史

敦化盆地是由白垩—古近纪的新开岭盆地、大山嘴子—镜泊湖盆地和新近—第四纪敦化火山盆地的组合总称。它的形成严格受敦密断裂带地堑式两条平行断裂所控制。敦密断裂带在侏罗—白垩纪时期受伊佐奈歧板块的向西俯冲、挤压形成的火山造山带的地堑式断裂带,而新近—第四纪则主要受长白山火山地幔热柱和太平洋板块向西俯冲带而形成的不完整复式裂谷...     

Heterozoan carbonate deposition on a steep basement escarpment (Late Miocene,Almería,south‐east Spain)

Heterozoan temperate‐water carbonates mixed with varying amounts of terrigenous grains and muddy matrix (Azagador limestone) accumulated on and at the toe of an inherited escarpment during the late Tortonian–early Messinian (late Miocene) at the western margin of the Almería–Níjar Basin in south‐east Spain. The escarpment was the eastern end of an uplifting antiform created by compressive folding of Triassic rocks of the Betic basement. Channelized coralline‐algal/bryozoan rudstone to coarse‐grained packstone, together with matrix‐supported conglomerate, are the dominant lithofacies in the higher outcrops, comprising the deposits on the slope. These sediments mainly fill small canyon‐shaped, half‐graben depressions formed by normal faults active before, during and after carbonate sedimentation. Roughly bedded and roughly laminated coralline‐algal/bryozoan rudstone to coarse‐grained packstone are the main lithofacies forming an apron of four small (kilometre‐scale) lobes at the toe of the south‐eastern side of the escarpment (Almería area). Channelized and roughly bedded coralline‐algal/bryozoan rudstone to coarse‐grained packstone, conglomerates, packstone and sandy silt accumulated in a small channel‐lobe system at the toe of the north‐eastern side of the escarpment (Las Balsas area). Carbonate particles and terrigenous grains were sourced from shallow‐water settings and displaced downslope by sediment density flows that preferentially followed the canyon‐shaped depressions. Roughly laminated rudstone to packstone formed by grain flows on the initially very steep slope, whereas the rest of the carbonate lithofacies were deposited by high‐density turbidite currents. The steep escarpment and related break‐in‐slope at the toe favoured hydraulic jumps and the subsequent deposition of coarse‐grained, low‐transport efficiency skeletal‐dominated sediment in the apron lobes. Accelerated uplift of the basement caused a relative sea‐level fall resulting in the formation of outer‐ramp carbonates on the apron lobes, which were in turn overlain by lower Messinian coral reefs. The Almería example is the first known ‘base of slope’ apron within temperate‐water carbonate systems.     

黔东北石阡志留纪最早期生物礁的形态学和古生态学

上扬子区志留纪早期的浅水相灰岩和壳相动物分布,多局限于滇黔桂古陆之北陆浅海近岸带。黔东北石阡兰多维列世埃隆期香树园组上部记录了华南板块奥陶纪末生物灭绝事件之后最早后生动物礁群落的复苏,持续相对长时间清澈浅水环境是造礁的基本条件,南陆北海的古地貌塑造了礁体各亚相的展布方式,礁灰岩南北延伸出露宽度约为150m,最大保存厚度约为20余米,形态学上呈现点礁特征。棘屑滩之上的珊瑚—层孔虫格架礁具有较高的生物多样性,属全球志留纪最常见的礁灰岩类型;南侧为礁后薄层棘屑滩堆积;礁核部位的大量珊瑚—层孔虫原地生长格架具有抗浪性,并障积不同粒度的壳相化石和内碎屑颗粒,有利于加速沉积形成块状礁灰岩和正向地貌;礁体北端为薄层生屑灰岩夹少量粉砂—泥质薄层的礁前沉积区;礁顶薄层灰岩中粉砂质—泥质成分逐渐取代珊瑚—层孔虫格架岩,相变为雷家屯组下部的陆源碎屑岩沉积,海水浑浊度增高是终止生物礁群落栖居的主控因素。     

滇东北铅锌(银)矿矿集区成矿规律研究

滇东北铅锌(银)矿集区,是云南省重要的铅锌(银)产地,含6个矿带,总计上表(截止2008年底)Pb+Zn 766.9 180万t(Pb 291.0723万t、Zn 475.8475万t),占全省上表Pb+Zn储量的19.36%。其主体地质特征与MVT型相似,但也存在差异,可称为MVT型含氟、钡的新亚类———滇东北型。