Quaternary corals from reefs in the Wakatobi Marine National Park,SE Sulawesi,Indonesia, show similar growth rates to modern corals from the same area

We have used digital photography, image analysis and measurements in the field to determine the growth rates of Quaternary corals in the Wakatobi Marine National Park, Indonesia, and compared them to growth rates of similar corals in the same area. In the Quaternary deposits it was possible to measure the growth rates of two massive coral genera Porites and Favites. For each genus, the corals reworked from better‐illuminated upslope environments had higher growth rates than the in situ fossil corals. The calculated radial growth rates for the in situ Porites are slightly lower than, but of the same order of magnitude as, the modern Porites growing in 10 m water depth at Hoga (10.04 ± 3.34 mm yr^?1 ± 1 s.d.; n = 3) and Kaledupa (15.26 ± 4.83 mm yr^?1 ± 1 s.d.; n = 3). Sedimentation rates and underwater visibility are inferred to have been similar in the fossil site to that at the modern Kaledupa site. Decreasing light penetration due to increased water depth is inferred to have been a major influence on growth rates. The in situ massive corals with good growth banding are inferred to have grown in a comparable environment to modern Kaledupa and Hoga. The study highlights that it is possible to compare coral growth rates, and their influencing parameters, from modern and well‐preserved ancient examples. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

三峡水库蓄水初期近坝区淤积形态成因初步分析

三峡水库蓄水运用后,库区泥沙淤积将显著增加.基于三维水沙数值模型及实测资料分析,对水库蓄水初期近坝区泥沙淤积形态的成因进行了初步探讨.研究结果表明坝前淤积形态的成因既与坝前水流流态的三维特性有关,又与水库蓄水初期坝前淤积物颗粒特性有关.水库蓄水初期沉积在近坝区的泥沙颗粒较细,初始干容重较低,使得淤积物表现出一定的浮泥特性.坝前淤积总量较大主要是宽谷河段水流特性造成的;而基底深槽处淤积物厚度较大、淤积面呈水平状的主要原因则是浮泥状淤积物在重力作用下向河底运动、并沿深泓线在基底深槽中汇集.     

砂质碎屑流概念及其在鄂尔多斯盆地延长组深水沉积研究中的应用

砂质碎屑流是近年来日益受到重视的一种新的砂体成因类型,其相关理论是对"鲍玛序列"和"浊积扇"等深水沉积理论的部分否定和完善.阐述了砂质碎屑流概念精华与存在问题,指出只有进一步结合我国陆相盆地沉积不断完善该理论,才能提高勘探成功率,从而促进我国石油工业的发展.同时运用砂质碎屑概念,将鄂尔多斯盆地湖盆中心深水区延长组长6段...     

不同条件下凡纳滨对虾(Litopenaeus vannamei)能量代谢研究

通过设置不同温度、盐度、pH值和摄食状态的方法,研究凡纳滨对虾在不同条件下的无机磷、亚硝酸氮、硝酸氮、氨氮的释放率.结果表明,温度、体重、盐度、pH值和摄食状态对其代谢存在影响.无机磷、亚硝酸氮、硝酸氮、氨氮的释放率与体重呈负相关;在20-30℃的温度范围内,随着温度的上升,凡纳滨对虾磷、亚硝酸氮、氨氮的释放率均上升,...     

中国天山西部季节性森林积雪物理特性

积雪特殊的物理特性对冰雪水文过程、积雪生态系统、不同尺度的气候系统有重要影响。目前对林下积雪物理特性缺乏系统性研究,因此对天山雪岭云杉林下季节性积雪深度、沉降速率、密度和含水率进行观测分析。结果表明：林下积雪深度小于开阔地;林下积雪沉降速率和新雪密实化率小于开阔地,且稳定期沉降速率小于融雪期。稳定期林下积雪密度小于开阔地,林下雪层密度最大值位于中粒雪层,开阔地则位于粗粒雪层;融雪期则全层密度趋于一致。稳定期林下雪层含水率随深度递减,开阔地雪层最大值出现粗粒雪层;融雪期雪层汗水峰值出现在细粒雪层,新雪层最小,林下雪层由细粒雪层到深霜层始终呈减小趋势,开阔地雪层由细粒雪层至中粒雪层逐渐减小,粗粒雪层至深霜层逐渐增大;稳定期雪层含水率日变化随深度的递减逐渐减小,开阔地大于林下;开阔地的新雪层和细粒雪层含水率的日变化大于林下,粗粒雪层到深霜层则小于林下。     

Tree Population Dynamics of Three Altitudinal Vegetation Communities on Mount Cameroon(1989-2004)

Changes in permanent sample plots in the lowland,submontane and montane forests on Mount Cameroon(4,095 m above sea level),an active volcano,are described for 15 years from 1989 to 2004.Throughout the study period,the stocking level of trees with a diameter at breast height(DBH) ≥ 10 cm in the three forests were lower than in pan-tropical stands suggesting a significant impact of volcanic and human-related activities on the vegetation communities on the mountain.Annual mortality rates in the submontane and ...     

Assessing the utility of 210Pb geochronology for estimating sediment accumulation rates on river floodplains in Fiji

Low‐energy gamma ray spectroscopy has been employed to estimate floodplain sedimentation rates using measurements of ²¹⁰Pb in floodplain alluvium. The utility of the technique is assessed through the analysis of excess (unsupported) ²¹⁰Pb profiles in three sediment cores taken from the floodplain of the Labasa River on Vanua Levu in northern Fiji. A low‐energy germanium spectrometer (LEGe) was used for the nondestructive determination of excess ²¹⁰Pb in a region cultivated intensively with sugarcane. Measured average historical (c. 25 years) vertical accretion rates are between 2.2 and 4.4 cm yr^?1. The findings are broadly comparable with published sedimentation rates from analyses of radionuclide profiles elsewhere in the tropical South Pacific Islands, but the rates are higher than those measured previously at the same Labasa River sites using ¹³⁷Cs profiles. Accelerated soil erosion owing to cane burning and land tillage seems to be largely responsible for sediment production, although flood‐related effects such as channel accretion by coarse bedload and the emplacement of large organic debris also influence floodplain sedimentation. However, application of the ²¹⁰Pb technique in Fiji (and perhaps neighbouring island countries) is found to have serious drawbacks compared to the more robust ¹³⁷Cs method, owing principally to the low ²¹⁰Pb concentrations in the sandy alluvial sediment tested.     

Modelling floodplain sedimentation using particle tracking

Both climate change and river rehabilitation projects induce changes in floodplain sedimentation. Notably along the lower River Rhine, the sediment deposition patterns and rates are subject to change. To assess the magnitude of these changes, we developed the MoCSED model, a floodplain sedimentation model within a geographical information system for the lower Rhine River. We based MoCSED on the ‘method of characteristics’ (MoC), a particle tracking method that minimizes numerical dispersion. We implemented the MoCSED model in the PCRaster dynamic modelling language. The model input comprises initial suspended sediment concentrations, water levels, flow velocities, and longitudinal and transverse dispersivities. We used a combination of the Krone and Chen concepts to calculate the subsequent sedimentation (SED routine). We compared the model results with sediment trap data for the Bemmel floodplain along the Dutch Waal River during the 2003 inundation. This comparison showed that MoCSED was able to simulate the pattern of sediment deposition. In addition, the model proved to be an improvement in comparison with a conventional raster‐based floodplain sedimentation model for the lower River Rhine. In future, MoCSED may serve well to study the impact of a changing discharge regime due to climate change and floodplain rehabilitation plans on deposition of sediments. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Changes in Huanghe （Yellow） River estuary since artificial re-routing in 1996

With the combination of historical data, field observations and satellite remotely sensed images(Landsat TM/ETM and CBERS), changes in Huanghe (Yellow) River estuary since 1996 when artificial Chahe distributary was built up were studied, mainly including water and sediment discharge from the river, tides, tidal currents, suspended sediment diffusion, coastline changes and seabed development. During following six and half years (up to the end of 2002), runoff and sediment loads into the river mouth declined dramatically. At the beginning of the re-routing, abundant sediment loads from the river filled up nearshore shallow water areas so that the newborn delta prograded quickly. With rapid decrease of sediment loads transported to the estuary, the delta retrograded. In 1997, subaerial tip of the abandoned delta receded 1.5km; its annual mean recession rate was about 150 m in following years. In addition, marine dynamic condition near the artificial outlet had also changed. Under the interaction of ocean and river flow, most of incoming sediment loads deposited in the vicinity of the outlet. Seabed erosion occurred at the subaqueous delta front. Between 1999 and 2002, erosion thickness averaged at 0.3 m in the subaqueous delta of 585.5 km2.     

Sedimentation and Boundary Changes of Virginia Salt Marshes

Sediment collections on a mainland fringing marsh, a lagoon marsh and a barrier island fringing marsh were conducted in conjunction with Geographic Information Systems (GIS) analysis of aerial photographs to relate changes in marsh area to sedimentary processes. The island marsh lost 7·2% of its area in 8 years by overwash. The lagoon marsh lost 10·6% of its area over 41 years by recession of marsh edges. The mainland marsh area increased by 8·2% over 50 years, primarily by upland encroachment. Surface sediment was collected monthly at the mainland and lagoon marshes for 1 year to identify changes in the mean grain size, organic content and mass of sediment deposited on sampling plates. Short-term variability in these characteristics obscured seasonal differences. Grain size and monthly sediment accumulation decreased towards the interior of both marshes, while the organic matter content increased. On the lagoon marsh, coarse sediment at creekside stations, as well as grain size contrasts between surface and subsurface sediment, are consistent with erosion evident in GIS analysis. On the mainland marsh, sediment does not vary as much with location or depth, and topography appears stable. Tidal currents appear to be competent to resuspend most particle sizes represented in surface sediment samples, including aggregates, except at the edge of the lagoon site. Decreasing rates of marsh edge change reflect moderation of oceanic processes, while the interior of both lagoon and mainland marshes remained stable throughout the study. Both lagoon marsh losses to recession and mainland marsh gains from upland reflect the submergence which this shoreline experiences.