Bacterial contribution to sedimentary organic matter; a comparative study of lipid moieties in bacteria and Recent sediments

A systematic study of the lipid composition of thirteen bacterial species and three Recent sediments (methanogenic sediment, cyanobacterial mat and evaporative gypsum crust) was undertaken in an attempt to recognize bacterial organic matter in sediments. A sequential method, which distinguishes between three different modes of occurrence of lipid moieties (free, OH⁻- and H⁺-labile), was applied. The acid-labile fractions are discussed.The three main groups of bacteria, archaebacteria, gram-positive eubacteria and gram-negative eubacteria, are easily distinguished. Methanogenic and extremely halophilic archaebacteria are characterized by the presence of diphytanyl glyceryl ether and the absence of fatty acids. The gram-positive eubacteria contain primarily iso- and anteiso-branched fatty acids whereas the gram-negative bacteria and sediments are dominated by β- and α-hydroxy fatty acids. A wide variety of H⁺-labile hydroxy fatty acids was observed which included several, as yet unknown, structures.β-Hydroxy fatty acids in this H⁺-labile mode of occurrence are exclusively present in bacteria. Their distribution patterns in sediments are considered “fingerprints” of past and present bacterial populations. The specific differences in β -hydroxy fatty acid compositions observed in the different bacteria and the three sediments investigated, suggest that amide-linked β-hydroxy fatty acid patterns are useful as markers of bacterial populations and therefore of environmental conditions.     

东海舟山QZ504孔古生物组合特征及地层划分

东海残留沉积区舟山ＱＺ５０４孔未发现上海地区普遍存在的全新世暗绿色硬粘土层。但通过对该孔微体古生物组合特征的分析与对比，划分了全新世与更新世的更线，反映了气候的变化，证实了滚流对本区的影响。     

造山后伸展构造研究的最新进展

本文综合介绍和比较分析了全球范围内不同时期造山带中的伸展构造样式；地壳尺度的拆离带或低角度正断层的性质、几何学和运动学；拆离带下盘变质核杂岩的抬升机理及其中各种韧性组构的成因和发展演变；后造山伸展塌陷过程中的岩浆活动和热演化；伸展平行褶皱的成因和构造几何学；后造山伸展盆地的形成过程；造山带地球物理剖面解释和岩石圈动力学；后造山伸展构造的物理和数字模拟等方面，当前开展的主要研究内容、研究方法和趋势。     

The fate of Chernobyl radiocesium in the River Öre catchment,northern Sweden

A¹³⁷Cs-balance for the catchment of the River Öre in central northern Sweden which received about 30 kBq m^–2 of radiocesium from the Chernobyl accident was calculated for the period 1986–1991. Altogether, slightly less than 10% of the total deposition in the catchment was estimated to be exported from the terrestrial parts during this period of time. More than 90% of this loss is transported with the River Öre to the outer sea of the Gulf of Bothnia. The retention in Lake Örträsket which is the only lake along the river course and the Öre Estuary outside the river mouth was thus slightly less than 10%. Nearly all of the radiocesium deposited in the lake is permanently retained in the sediments and successively covered with less radioactive sediment. A considerable export of radiocesium from the estuary to the outer sea takes place due to resuspension and subsequent transport by wind and wave generated currents.     

西藏扎布耶湖ZK91-2钻孔沉积特征与气候环境演化

扎布耶盐湖位于西藏高原腹地,1991年在其南部干盐滩中钻取了20m深湖相沉积,以5～10cm/个的密度进行高分辨率取样,详细探讨了沉积标志、矿物组合（尤其Mg、Ca、Li碳酸盐）、干旱与潮湿两种气候类型的元素组合等气候环境指标,推导了晚更新世以来该湖区湖面涨缩、水质咸谈及气温高低变化。     

论晋北石炭二叠系紫色高岭石粘土的成因

晋北地区石炭二叠系煤层中与四号及九号煤伴生的含有机质的软质耐火粘土,即高岭石粘上,俗称紫矸或紫木节。对紫矸的成因过去有两种看法:(1)原生沉积的;(2)后期风化残积“由煤变来的”。笔者认为除这两个因素同时存在外,还与成岩后生作用中有机酸的淋滤和高岭石的重结晶、有序化等有关,尤其是后期风化表生作用使有机质氧化淋滤去SiO_2形成一水软铝石、褪色、溶蚀多孔、质地疏松,形成今日所见紫色高岭石粘土。     

Pedogenic zones in postglacial sediment of lake manitoba,Canada

The postglacial sediment record of Lake Manitoba is composed dominantly of silty clay to clayey silt with little variation in most physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties. Distinct in the sedimentary sequence of this large lake, however, are four zones that have a low moisture content, blocky to pelletal structure, and gleyed colour. All of these zones formed during the warmest and driest postglacial period in the region, 9500 to 4500 years ago. Although several possible hypotheses can be formulated regarding the origin of these zones including changes in sedimentation rate, clay mineralogy, lake chemistry, and depth of winter freezing, the most likely explanation is that they represent pedogenic horizons. Formation by pedogenesis during dry or extremely low water conditions is not mutually exclusive of the other hypotheses, and several are favoured by low water conditions.     

Gully‐head erosion processes on a semi‐arid valley floor in Kenya: a case study into temporal variation and sediment budgeting

A three year monitoring programme of gully‐head retreat was established to assess the significance of sediment production in a drainage network that expanded rapidly by gully‐head erosion on the low‐angled alluvio‐lacustrine Njemps Flats in semi‐arid Baringo District, Kenya. This paper discusses the factors controlling the large observed spatial and temporal variation in gully‐head retreat rates, ranging from 0 to 15 m a^?1. The selected gullies differed in planform and in runoff‐contributing catchment area but soil material and land use were similar. The data were analysed at event and annual timescales. The results show that at annual timescale rainfall amount appears to be a good indicator of gully‐head retreat, while at storm‐event timescale rainfall distribution has to be taken into account. A model is proposed, including only rainfall (P) and the number of dry days (DD) between storms: which explains 56 per cent of the variation in retreat rate of the single‐headed gully of Lam1. A detailed sediment budget has been established for Lam1 and its runoff‐contributing area (RCA). By measuring sediment input from the RCA, the sediment output by channelized flow and linear retreat of the gully head for nine storms, it can be seen that erosion shifts between different components of the budget depending on the duration of the dry period (DD) between storms. Sediment input from the RCA was usually the largest component for the smaller storms. The erosion of the gully head occurred as a direct effect of runoff falling over the edge (GH_waterfall) and of the indirect destabilization of the adjacent walls by the waterfall erosion and by saturation (GH_mass/storage). The latter component (GH_mass/storage) was usually much larger that the former (GH_waterfall). The sediment output from the gully was strongly related to the runoff volume while the linear retreat, because of its complex behaviour, was not. Overall, the results show that the annual retreat is the optimal timescale to predict retreat patterns. More detailed knowledge about relevant processes and interactions is necessary if gully‐head erosion is to be included in event‐based soil erosion models. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lead analysis of sediment cores from seven Connecticut lakes

Lead analyses were performed on sediment cores from seven Connecticut lakes by dilute acid leaching. The absolute concentrations of lead varied from core to core, but the lead profiles were similar in all of the cores, and each depicted a point where the concentration of lead sharply increased above background levels. The background lead concentrations observed in the bottom portions of the cores ranged from 12-54 g Pb/g sediment with a mean of 30 g Pb/g, and increased to a mean maximum of 310 g Pb/g. In six of the lakes significant increases above background levels were not noted until between 1924 and 1952, suggesting that, at least for Connecticut lakes, the point in a lake sediment core where the concentration of lead began to increase was after ca. 1924, and on average about 1930. Lead concentrations declined in the surface sediments of only three of the lakes, mostly since the 1980's, and presumably in response to the phasing out of leaded gasoline. However, significant declines in lead concentrations were not observed in the remaining cores, possibly due to increased motor vehicle use within the airshed of the lakes and/or changes in the export of lead to the lakes from their watersheds.     

Hydrocarbons in surface sediments from the Changjiang (Yangtze River) Estuary, East China Sea

Sedimentary aliphatic (AH) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were studied in the Changjiang Estuary and the adjacent East China Sea. Total AH ranged from 2.20 to 11.82 μg g⁻¹ and consisted of n-alkanes and a dominant petroleum-related unresolved complex mixture (UCM). Within the n-alkanes, terrestrial plant wax compounds prevailed at nearly all stations. Of the PAHs, biogenic perylene dominated at stations receiving riverine inputs. Anthropogenic PAHs originating from combustion/pyrolysis processes varied from 17 to 157 ng g⁻¹, while fossil PAH concentrations ranged from 42 to 187 ng g⁻¹. Both biogenic and anthropogenic hydrocarbons are primarily derived from riverine discharges and accumulate at shallow-water stations. Distinct phase associations lead, nevertheless, to different sedimentation patterns. Fossil PAHs are enhanced at offshore stations where they are introduced directly by shipping activities. Biomarker fingerprints ascribe their source to Chinese crude oils. The overall levels of anthropogenic hydrocarbons are low compared to relevant areas worldwide and reveal a low/moderate level of hydrocarbon pollution.