Prime controls on Archaean–Palaeoproterozoic sedimentation: Change over time

Although the principle of uniformitarianism may be applied to the Precambrian sedimentary record as a whole, certain periods of the Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic witnessed a changing pattern of prime influences controlling the depositional systems. This paper examines the major controls on sedimentation systems and environments during the Archaean and Palaeoproterozoic within the broader perspective of Earth evolution. Earth's earliest sedimentary system (4.4?-3.7 Ga) was presumably comprised of deep oceanic realms and probably influenced primarily by bolide impacts, major tsunamis, localized traction and global contour current patterns, and bathymetry. As continental crust began to form, the impact-dominated, tsunami type sedimentation gave way to wider varieties of sedimentary environments, known from the oldest sedimentary records. During early continental crustal evolution (c. 3.7–2.7 Ga), sedimentation was essentially of greenstone-type. Volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks were the major components of the greenstone belts, associated with thin carbonates, stromatolitic evaporites, BIF, pelites and quartzites and lesser synorogenic turbidites, conglomerates and sandstones. Volcanism and active tectonism (reflecting dynamic depositional settings during island arc and proto-continental nucleus formation) were the predominant factors influencing sedimentation during this phase of Earth evolution. Transgressions and regressions under the combined influence of tectonics and eustasy are reflected in fining- and coarsening-upwards successions from the proto-cratonic settings; low freeboard enabled the transgression to affect large areas of the proto-cratons. As the earliest, relatively stable craton formed, through a combination of plate tectonic and mantle-thermal processes, continents and supercontinents with the potential for supercontinental cycles started to influence sedimentation strongly. Major controls on Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic sedimentation systems (2.7–1.6 Ga) were provided by a combination of superplume events and plate tectonics. Two global-scale ‘superevents’ at c. 2.7 Ga and c. 2.2–1.8 Ga were accompanied by eustatic rise concomitant with peaks in crustal growth rates, and large epeiric seas developed. The operation of first-order controls leading to development of vast chemical sedimentary platforms in these epeiric seas and concomitant palaeo-atmospheric and palaeo-oceanic evolution combined to provide a second-order control on global sedimentary systems in the Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic period. The supercontinental cycle had become well established by the end of the Palaeoproterozoic, with the existence of large cratons across broad spectrums of palaeolatitude enabling erg development. The entire spectrum of sedimentary systems and environments came into existence by c. 1.8 Ga, prime influences on sedimentation and depositional system possibly remaining essentially uniform thereafter.     

The paleoecological record of human disturbance in wetlands of the Lake Tahoe Basin

Increased human activities since discovery of gold in northern California have changed the structure and function of many ecosystems. To reconstruct the changes in watershed environmental conditions, sediment cores were collected from three montane marshes in northern Sierra Nevada, CA. Pollen analysis was conducted, and water content, bulk density, ash, carbon, nitrogen, phosphorus, major cations, and lead concentrations of sediments were determined. Cores were dated by the 210Pb method. Pollen analyses showed changes in plant communities in this region due to severe logging in the late-1800s and moderate logging in the 1900s. The local changes were more clearly recorded in small marsh pollen profiles than regional changes. The water milfoil (Myriophyllum spicatum L.) introduction into Tahoe Basin was inferred from the pollen record and ²¹⁰Pb dating. Road construction and maintenance activities were recorded in physical and chemical characteristics, such as increases in sodium, calcium, and magnesium concentrations. Pollen and physical and chemical records also documented the time line of the expansion of dry meadow, and the decrease of pine forest in one of the watersheds. This study showed that sediments in small marshes were especially useful to reconstruct local disturbance by human activities.     

Using raw regional climate model outputs for quantifying climate change impacts on hydrology

General circulation model outputs are rarely used directly for quantifying climate change impacts on hydrology, due to their coarse resolution and inherent bias. Bias correction methods are usually applied to correct the statistical deviations of climate model outputs from the observed data. However, the use of bias correction methods for impact studies is often disputable, due to the lack of physical basis and the bias nonstationarity of climate model outputs. With the improvement in model resolution and reliability, it is now possible to investigate the direct use of regional climate model (RCM) outputs for impact studies. This study proposes an approach to use RCM simulations directly for quantifying the hydrological impacts of climate change over North America. With this method, a hydrological model (HSAMI) is specifically calibrated using the RCM simulations at the recent past period. The change in hydrological regimes for a future period (2041–2065) over the reference (1971–1995), simulated using bias‐corrected and nonbias‐corrected simulations, is compared using mean flow, spring high flow, and summer–autumn low flow as indicators. Three RCMs driven by three different general circulation models are used to investigate the uncertainty of hydrological simulations associated with the choice of a bias‐corrected or nonbias‐corrected RCM simulation. The results indicate that the uncertainty envelope is generally watershed and indicator dependent. It is difficult to draw a firm conclusion about whether one method is better than the other. In other words, the bias correction method could bring further uncertainty to future hydrological simulations, in addition to uncertainty related to the choice of a bias correction method. This implies that the nonbias‐corrected results should be provided to end users along with the bias‐corrected ones, along with a detailed explanation of the bias correction procedure. This information would be especially helpful to assist end users in making the most informed decisions.     

澜沧江—湄公河水电梯级开发的生态影响

针对次澜沦江－湄公河区域快速增长的能源需求,以及国际社会对该流域水电开发的经济、生态和社会问题的关注,集中分析了流域干流水电梯级开发对生态环境的综合影响,提出了能满足各流域国对能源、防洪、灌溉、水生生态保护和减轻海水倒灌等多方面需求的对策措施。     

旅游业的发展对丽江古城社会文化的影响

旅游业的发展对旅游目的地的社会文化产生的影响是巨大的.丽江古城也遭受着同样的命运,这种影响集中表现在丽江古城功能的转变、社会网络的变迁和文化的涵化.这些影响都是由于旅游业的迅速发展引起的,而且还在加深.只有认识到以上的影响才能为下一步采取措施来控制这些影响提供前提保障.     

MOTION AND INTENSITY AND IMPACT CHARACTERISTICS OF TROPICAL CYCLONE AFFECTING THE LIAODONG PENINSULA

Conventional data and the Yearbook on Tropical Cyclones (TC) data from 1971 to 2000 are used to study the climate and disaster features of TC affecting the Liaodong Peninsula. Results indicate that interannual change of TC activities is obvious. Different sources of TC have different impacts on the area of interest. Intensity and moving speed of TC vary substantially in the progress of northward movement. Besides, tracks and damage distributions of TC are quite different.     

柴达木盆地盐尘暴及其资源生态环境影响

在干旱和半干旱地区,盐尘暴是一种常见的极端气象灾害。柴达木盆地频发的沙尘暴实质上就是盐尘暴。柴达木盆地盐尘暴已经对区域大气、土壤、植被、人类健康乃至全球气候变化都产生了不同程度的影响。由于柴达木盆地盐尘暴中可溶盐成分来源复杂,尽管目前对其形成过程和机制还缺乏深刻理解,但人类的资源开发活动对盐尘暴显然具有促进作用。有必要从系统的角度来考虑柴达木盆地盐尘暴对区域乃至全球的影响,这对于区域生态环境的正确评估和后期恢复治理具有重要意义。     

北京不同区域气溶胶辐射效应

采用大气辐射传输模式SES2以及2013年1月—2015年10月欧洲中期天气预报中心细网格再分析资料计算了北京地区4个观测站地面接收的短波辐射通量,分析了晴天和云天北京城郊气溶胶对总辐射的定量影响时空变化特征。结果表明:北京城区和近郊区气溶胶对总辐射的影响约为远郊区的2倍,北京南部和西部气溶胶对辐射的影响较大,晴天和云天北京城区和近郊区气溶胶对总辐射的削减值分别为146.23~180.99 W·m-2和202.11~217.02 W·m-2,晴天总辐射削减空间差异较大;秋冬季气溶胶对总辐射的影响明显大于春夏季,北京市观象台秋冬季气溶胶对总辐射的削减作用最大可达60%,较春夏季高10%~20%;北京城郊总辐射和直接辐射削减率与气溶胶光学厚度变化均呈线性关系,近地面PM_2.5浓度对辐射的影响不容忽视。     

印度洋通道及其对中国地缘环境影响

印度洋通道是中国获取能源和其他资源、出口工业产品并同南亚、西亚、非洲和欧洲国家交流合作的生命线。随着中美关系和中国周边地缘态势的深刻变化,中国需要积极谋划逐渐降低对传统的南海—马六甲海峡通道的依赖,建设新的印度洋通道,从而降低自身的地缘环境风险,并由此优化国内经济发展布局,推动西南沿边地区进一步开发与开放,并提升中国同印度洋沿岸国家和地区的交流与合作水平。本研究从通道的定义和特征出发,梳理了现有及潜在的印度洋通道,比较分析了各条通道的战略意义、前景及地缘环境影响,从而为中国的印度洋战略构建和“一带一路”倡议推进提供新的视角和见解。