Sudden enhancement of sedimentation flux of <Superscript>210</Superscript>Pb<Subscript>ex</Subscript> as an indicator of lake productivity as exemplified by Lake Chenghai

The fundamental assumption of ²¹⁰Pb sediment dating is the stable flux of ²¹⁰Pb_ex, which was derived from atmosphere and then transferred into sediments via lake water. When the sedimentation rate is relatively constant, the ²¹⁰Pb_ex activity in sediments will be exponentially reduced with sedimentation age. ²¹⁰Pb_ex in lake water is incorporated into sediments mainly via organic particulates. If the sedimentation flux of organic matter in lake water is suddenly increased, ²¹⁰Pb_ex will be significantly deposited and then transferred into sediments. On the one hand such sudden purification effect is obviously unfit for the fundamental assumption of ²¹⁰Pb dating; on the other hand, the sudden enhancement of ²¹⁰Pb_ex flux would be indicative of the conspicuous variation of primary productivity of lake water. This problem will be discussed in accordance with the variation trend of ²¹⁰Pb_ex in the vertical profile of recent sediments of Lake Chenghai, Yunnan Province. The sediment core was collected from the deep-water area of Lake Chenghai in June 1997. The vertical profile of ¹³⁷Cs activity is characterized by a tree-peak pattern. This profile gave reliable ages, and also showed the stability of sediment accumulation in the recent ten years. The vertical profile of ²¹⁰Pb_ex activity displays a specific distribution of peaks, and is similar to the vertical profile of C_org. This phenomenon seems to be related to the mechanism of constraining the transfer of ²¹⁰Pb_ex into lake sediments. The average atomic ratios of H_org/C_org and C_org/N_org in Lake Chenghai sediments are 5.51 and 7.04, respectively, indicating that the organic matter was predominantly derived from the remains of endogenic algae. In terms of the three-stage evolutionary characteristics of organic matter in sediments, i.e., “deposition-de-composition-accumulation”, the sedimentation fluxes (F(C_org)) of organic carbon (C_org) since 1970 were calculated by modeling. The sedimentation fluxes of ²¹⁰Pb_ex (F(²¹⁰Pb_ex)) in different years display good synchronous relations with the sedimentation flux of organic carbon (F(C_org)), especially in the years of 1972–1974 and 1986–1989. The variation of F(C_org) led to the variation of F(²¹⁰Pb_ex); the variation of F(²¹⁰Pb_ex) reflects, to some extent, the historical variation of lake productivity.     

Nutrient concentrations and primary productivity at the Peros Banhos and Salomon atolls in the Chagos Archipelago

Coral atolls are areas of high biological productivity even though they are usually located in regions of the tropical ocean characterized by low primary production and extremely low levels of vital dissolved nutrient materials. Recent studies have indicated the possible importance of in situ dinitrogen fixation on shallow reef flats in supplementing low oceanic nitrate levels and thus contributing to the maintenance of high reef productivity. Variations in the structure of atolls may have a direct bearing on the accumulation of fixed nitrogen and other nutrient materials, and consequently on lagoonal and reefal primary productivity. This paper investigates the effect of differing atoll configurations by comparing neighbouring, but structurally dissimilar, mid-ocean atolls. The findings are discussed in terms of ecosystem function and possible influences on the structural evolution of atolls.     

Enteromorpha and the cycling of nitrogen in a small estuary

The nitrogen relations of Enteromorpha spp. growing on intertidal mud flats have been examined over a twelve-month period. Nitrogen assimilation rates using ¹⁵N have been used to calculate the production of the alga and were between 0·046 and 0·217 mg $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{N}$ (g dry wt alga)^?1 h^?1 A considerable quantity of the alga was buried beneath the sediment over the growth season and was calculated to be equivalent to an input of up to 9·52 g N m^?2 per month and 32 g N m^?2 over one complete growth season. Based on carbon, this latter value represented an input of approximately 320 g C m^?2 annually. Low rates of nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction) were found to be associated with the Enteromorpha. The organisms responsible for the nitrogenase activity were probably heterotrophic bacteria but they did not contribute significant quantities of nitrogen to the alga.     

The extent of desertification on Saudi Arabia

Desertification is the process that turns productive deserts into non-productive deserts as a result of poor land-management. Desertification reduces the ability of land to support life, affecting wild species, domestic animals, agricultural crops and humans. The reduction in plant cover that accompanies desertification leads to accelerated soil erosion by wind and water. South Africa is losing approximately 300–400 million tons of topsoil every year. As vegetation cover and soil layer are reduced, rain fall impact and run-off increases. This paper discusses the extent of desertification, its potential threat to sustained irrigated agriculture and possible measures adopted to control ongoing desertification processes to minimize the loss of agricultural productivity in an arid country such as the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.     

南海北部一百万年以来的表层古生产力变化：来自ODP1144站的蛋白石记录

通过南海北部ODP 1144站蛋白石含量测定及其堆积速率的计算,并结合氧同位素记录等相关资料,获得南海北部1050ka以来高分辨率的表层古生产力变化与冰期旋回和东亚季风的关系。约900ka以来,蛋白石含量及其堆积速率较900ka以前明显增加,反映了“中更新世革命”事件之后,全球气候变冷,并导致表层生产力的提高。由于第四纪冰期旋回中的冬、夏季风的加强,加上1144站特殊的地理位置,使该站在冰期时表层生产力增加,间冰期时表层生产力降低。浮游有孔虫氧同位素记录与蛋白石含量及其堆积速率的时间序列频谱分析结果显示,三者均出现了相对应的偏心率周期、斜率周期和岁差周期,说明该站表层生产力的变化主要受地球轨道周期的驱动。     

基于MODIS资料的2000-2004年江河源区陆地植被净初级生产力分析

基于EOS/MODIS卫星遥感资料的分析表明,2000-2004年江河源地区陆地植被平均年NPP为82.04 gC.m-2,相当于同期全国陆地植被年NPP的23%,其中2001年的年NPP最小,只有78.04gC.m-2,2002年最大,为85.44 gC.m-2.根据年NPP分布显示,黄河源区的植被生长状况要好于长江源区,其中在黄河源东南部陆地植被的年NPP>250 gC.m-2,为江河源区植被年生长最大的区域;该地区的植被年NPP最小值的区域分布在长江源的西北部地区,年NPP大部分<50 gC.m-2.江河源地区植被的年NPP表现为显著的年际变化特征,不同地区年NPP的变化特征各不相同;高寒草甸的年NPP为该地区所有陆地植被年NPP中最大,其5 a平均值为89.38 gC.m-2,其次为高寒草原和灌木及草本植被;由于地处高寒地区,温度成为影响该地区陆地植被净初级生产力的主要因素.     

New data of typomorphic features of diamonds from placers in North Timan

The morphological and spectral-optical properties of diamond crystals from placers in North Timan rivers have been studied with IR-spectroscopy and cathode luminescence methods. As a result, correlation between external characteristics of diamonds (size and degree of mechanical damage) and number of optically active centers has been revealed. The habit and the type of distribution of structural defects in diamond crystals studied are comparable with those in diamonds from the Archangelsk Region and North Timan’s placers. Based on the obtained data, origin issues and possible primary sources of diamonds from North Timan’s placers are discussed.     

遥感数据空间尺度分级模型与基本比例尺关系

多源遥感数据综合应用是遥感发展的必然趋势,统一的遥感数据空间尺度分级模型是多源数据集成与综合应用的基础。虽然已有多种空间尺度分级模型,但很多主流模型并非出于分尺度综合应用目的,缺乏客观的比较和评价。国家基本比例尺系统作为经过论证、中国应用面最广泛、接受度最高的一种尺度分级系统,是以应用为导向的遥感数据空间尺度分级模型的最优参照系。从不同视觉精度下国家基本比例尺对图像空间分辨率的需求出发,比较各空间尺度分级模型的层级分辨率与需求分辨率的匹配情况,包括OGC Well Known Scale Set的Global CRS84Pixel和Google Maps Compatible,以及NASA World Wind、Google Map、百度地图、天地图等软件平台采用的层级格网系统,以及"五层十五级"遥感数据组织模型,通过对数据信息冗余度的分析,对各个模型进行了评价。结果表明,在高视觉精度应用需求下,"五层十五级"模型与基本比例尺精度要求具有较明显的匹配优势,其次为OGC Google Maps Compatible模型和天地图模型,其余模型平均数据冗余倍数在2倍左右;在低视觉精度应用需求下,"五层十五级"模型平均数据冗余度仍为最低,其次为Google Map模型,其余模型平均数据冗余倍数都在2倍以上。     

Methane-rich fluid inclusions and their hosting volcanic reservoir rocks of the Songliao Basin, NE China

Methane-rich fluids were recognized to be hosted in the reservoir volcanic rocks as primary inclusions.Samples were collected from core-drillings of volcanic gas reservoirs with reversed δ12C of alkane in the Xujiaweizi depression of the Songliao Basin. The volcanic rocks are rhyolite dominant being enriched in the more incompatible elements like Cs, Rb, Ba, Th, U and Th with relative high LREE, depleted HREE and negative anomalies of Ti and Nb,suggesting a melt involving both in mantle source and crustal assimilation. Primary fluids hosted in the volcanic rocks should have the same provenance with the magma. The authors concluded that the enclosed CH4 in the volcanics are mantle/magma-derived alkane and the reversed δ13C of alkane in the corresponding gas reservoirs is partly resulted from mixture between biogenic and abiogenic gases.