Nitrogen and carbon cycling in the North Sea and exchange with the North Atlantic—A model study. Part I. Nitrogen budget and fluxes

The three-dimensional biogeochemical model ECOHAM was applied to the Northwest European Shelf (47°41′–63°53′N, 15°5′W–13°55′E) for the years 1993–1996. Nitrogen budgets were calculated for the years 1995 and 1996 for the inner shelf region, the North Sea (511,725 km²). Simulated temperatures as well as nitrate, oxygen, and chlorophyll concentrations are compared with observations.     

Implications of the Precambrian Non-stromatolitic Carbonate Succession Making up the Third Member of Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation in Yanshan Area of North China

A particular non-stromatolitic carbonate succession making up the third member of the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang (高于庄) Formation might demonstrate that a stromatolite decline of the Mesoproterozoic occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma besides other three events of the Proterozoic,respectively,occurred at ca. 2 000 Ma,ca. 1 000 Ma,and ca. 675 Ma. The forming duration of this non-stromatolitic carbonate succession can be generally correlative to that of a similar depositional succession in North America,i.e. a non-stromatolitic carbonate succession made up by the Helena Formation of the Belt Supergroup,which suggests that the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma may be a global event. This information endows the non-stromatolitic carbonate succession making up the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation in the Yanshan (燕山) area with important significance for the further understanding of Precambrian sedimentology. The Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation in Yanshan area is a set of more than 1 000 m thick carbonate strata that can be divided into four members (or subformations). The first member (or the Guandi (官地) subformation) is marked by a set of stromatolitic dolomites overlying a set of transgressive sandstones; the second member (or the Sangshu'an (桑树鞍) subformation) is a set of manganese dolomites with a few stromatolites; the third member (or the Zhangjiayu (张家峪) subformation) is chiefly made up of leiolite and laminite limestones and is characterized by the development of molar-tooth structures in leiolite limestone; the fourth member (or the Huanxiusi (环秀寺) subformation) is composed of a set of dolomites of stromatolitic reefs or lithoherms. Sequence-stratigraphic divisions at two sections,i.e. the Jixian (蓟县) Section in Tianjin (天津) and the Qiangou (千沟) Section of Yanqing (延庆) County in Beijing (北京),demonstrate that a particularly non-stromatolitic succession making up the third member of the Mesoproterozoic Gaoyuzhuang Formation is developed in the Yanshan area of North China,in which lots of grotesque matground structures (wrinkle structures and palimpsest ripples) are developed in beds of leiolite limestone at the Qiangou Section and lots of molar-tooth structures are developed in beds of leiolite limestone at the Jixian Section. The time scale of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation is deduced as 200 Ma (from 1 600 Ma to 1 400 Ma). The duration of an obvious hiatus between the Gaoyuzhuang Formation and the underlying Dahongyu (大红峪) Formation is deduced as 50 Ma to 100 Ma,thus the forming duration of the GaoyuzhuangFormation is thought as 100 Ma (1 500 Ma to 1 400 Ma). Furthermore,the age of the subface of the third member of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation that is just in the mid position of the Gaoyuzhuang Formation can be deduced as about 1 450 Ma,which is the basis to infer a stromatolite decline of the Mesoproterozoic occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma. Importantly,several features of both the molar-tooth structure and the stromatolite,such as the particular forming environment,the important facies-indicative meaning,and the episodic distribution in the earth history,might express the evolutionary periodicity of the surface environment of the earth and can provide meaningful clues for the understanding of the Precambrian world,although their origin and forming mechanism is highly contentious. Therefore,like other three stromatolitic declines,respectively,occurring at ca. 675 Ma,ca. 1 000 Ma,and ca. 2 000 Ma,the identification of the stromatolite decline occurring at ca. 1 450 Ma during the Golden Age of stromatolites (2 800 Ma to 1 000 Ma) has important meaning for the further understanding of the evolving carbonate world of the Precambrian.     

中国前陆盆地构造地质特征综述与油气勘探

中国特定环境下发育的前陆盆地和冲断带在地质构造上具有许多的特殊性。在综述前人认识的基础上,笔者通过对中国前陆盆地的构造演化历程、沉积充填特征、构造成因及其空间分布规律、构造变形特征等的研究,提出了中国前陆盆地构造地质发育的5个主要特征:(1)两种不同性质的原型盆地发生正反转的叠合性,即挤压构造下作为“本体”的前陆层序与拉张构造下作为“基础”的裂谷、断陷盆地之间的叠置;(2)显生宙以来中国大陆先后发生了4期前陆冲断构造演化的多期性,它们分别是加里东晚期、海西晚期、印支期和喜马拉雅晚期;(3)基于小克拉通基底拼贴后在造山带前缘复活再生的继承性,即统一拼合大陆内部的构造变形导致古造山带的复活,在古造山带边缘发育新生代前陆盆地或前陆冲断带;(4)在空间分布上受环青藏高原巨型盆山体系控制发生陆内变形的系统性,在环青藏高原巨型盆山体系内构造变形强度、盆地沉降幅度、盆山耦合程度等从内环向外环依次降低,从古造山带向克拉通方向构造变形强度依次降低,构造变形样式逐渐简单、构造变形时间依次变新;(5)前陆冲断带的构造样式由于受边界力学条件和沉积地层介质作用而具有多变性,存在沉积盖层内脆性变形的断层相关褶皱、造山带前缘韧性变形的基底卷入构造、与走滑构造相伴生的基底卷入的断层相关褶皱、盆地内部塑性变形的盐构造。正是因为上述地质构造的特殊性,决定了油气聚集与分布特征的规律性和复杂性,由此提出了相应的一些构造地质研究与油气勘探工作的建议。     

喀斯特地区土壤微生物功能多样性对生态演替的响应——以贵州茂兰国家自然保护区为例

利用BIOLOG ECO微平板法研究了喀斯特地区土壤微生物功能多样性对生态演替的响应情况。在研究区选取具有代表性的4个不同群落演替阶段：原生乔木林、次生乔灌混合林、灌丛、草坡,同时选择一个非喀斯特森林样地作为对照,对选取的不同生态系统土壤的微生物功能多样性进行研究。结果发现,随着乔木林逆向演替到灌丛的过程,微生物活性有逐渐降低的趋势,功能多样性对生态演替响应灵敏,土壤微生物在喀斯特地区比非喀斯特地区总体表现出更高的活性和丰富度,但群落均匀度较低,结构不稳定。主成分分析显示,演替使微生物的代谢模式产生了明显的分异,起主要分异作用的碳源是糖类、羧酸类和聚合物类。颜色变化率和主成分分析综合表明,演替进行到草坡阶段,较大的环境变化可能使土壤微生物采取了r-策略（r-strategistis）。根据逆向演替过程中土壤微生物功能多样性的变化,灌丛阶段可以视为岩溶生态系统整个演替阶段的阈值。     

现代黄河三角洲YRD-1401孔MIS 5以来沉积层序及其古环境意义

近年来渤海地区晚更新世以来沉积环境演化和地层划分存在争议。本文对现代黄河三角洲东南海岸带YRD-1401孔岩芯（长81.00 m）沉积物进行综合研究,旨在建立该孔晚更新世以来地层的沉积相序列和时间标尺,为解决地层划分争议提供新的证据。根据AMS ¹⁴C和光释光测年结果,并考虑到YRD-1401孔底部地层光释光年代的不精确性,本文主要研究YRD-1401孔MIS 5以来的沉积演化史。综合分析YRD-1401孔沉积地层的岩性特征和底栖有孔虫组合变化,结合测年结果,该孔可划分为6个沉积单元（从下往上DU 6~DU 1）：最底部的DU 6（51.35~81.00 m）为受潮流影响的河流沉积（其形成时间有待进一步研究）,DU 5（37.64~51.35 m）为MIS 5潮坪-近岸浅海沉积,DU 4（30.71~37.64 m）为MIS 3早期的潮坪沉积,DU 3（23.50~30.71 m）为MIS 3晚期至全新世早期形成的河流沉积,DU 2（14.22~23.50 m）为全新世早期（约10 cal.ka B.P.）至1855年形成的滨岸沼泽-滨岸浅水-近岸浅海~前三角洲沉积-海洋改造层,DU 1（0~14.22 m）为1855年以来发育的现代黄河三角洲沉积。晚更新世以来该孔有3个海相层（自下而上分别是DU 5、DU 4和DU 2）,分别形成于MIS 5、MIS 3早期和全新世,表明晚更新世以来全球海平面变化是其主要控制因素。研究区MIS 4的沉积地层出现缺失。渤海沿岸地区多个钻孔地层的对比表明,区域性的差异构造沉降、沉积物供给和地层完整性等因素也是影响研究区晚更新世以来沉积地层发育的重要因素。

     

Climate control on stacked paleosols in the Pleistocene of the Po Basin (northern Italy)

Paleosols are recurrent features in alluvial successions and provide information about past sedimentary dynamics and climate change. Through sedimentological analysis on six sediment cores, the mud-dominated succession beneath the medieval ‘Two Towers’ of Bologna was investigated down to 100 m depth. A succession of weakly developed paleosols (Inceptisols) was identified. Four paleosols (P1, P2, P3 and PH) were radiocarbon-dated to 40–10 cal ka bp . Organic matter and CaCO₃ determinations indicate low groundwater levels during soil development, which spanned periods < 5 ka. The development and burial of soils, which occurred synchronously in the Bologna region and in other sectors of the Po Plain, are interpreted to reflect climatic and eustatic variations. Climatic oscillations, at the scale of the Bond cycles, controlled soil development and burial during Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 3 (P1 and P2). Rapid sea-level oscillations probably induced soil development at the MIS 3/2 transition (P3) and favored burial of PH after 10 ka bp . Weakly developed paleosols in alluvial successions can provide clues to millennial-scale climatic and environmental variations. In particular, the paleosol-bearing succession of the Po Plain represents an unprecedent record of environmental changes across the Late Pleistocene (MIS 3 and 2) in the Mediterranean region.     

Early‐middle Holocene land snail shell stable isotope record from Grotta di Latronico 3 (southern Italy)

This paper compares stable isotope (δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C) records of early–middle Holocene land snail shells from the archaeological deposits of Grotta di Latronico 3 (LTR3; southern Italy) with modern shell isotopic data. No substantial interspecific variability was observed in shell δ¹⁸O (δ¹⁸Os) of modern specimens (Pomatias elegans, Cornu aspersum, Eobania vermiculata, Helix ligata and Marmorana fuscolabiata). In contrast, interspecific shell δ¹³C (δ¹³Cs) variability was significant, probably due to different feeding behaviour among species. The δ¹⁸Os values of living land snails suggest that species hibernate for a long period during colder months, so that the signal of ¹⁸O‐depleted winter rainfall in their δ¹⁸Os is lost. This suggests that δ¹⁸Os and δ¹³Cs values of Pomatias elegans from this archaeological succession provide valuable clues for seasonal (spring–autumn) climatic conditions during the early–middle Holocene. The δ¹⁸Os values of fossil specimens are significantly lower than in modern shells and in agreement with other palaeoclimatic records, suggesting a substantial increase of precipitation and/or persistent changes in air mass source trajectories over this region between ca. 8.8 cal ka BP and 6.2–6.7 ka ago. The δ¹³Cs trend suggests a transition from a slightly ¹³C‐enriched to a ¹³C‐depleted diet between early and middle Holocene compared to present conditions. We postulate that this δ¹³Cs trend might reflect changes in the C3 vegetation community, potentially combined with other environmental factors such as regional moisture increase and the progressive decrease of atmospheric CO₂ concentration. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Cascades of green: A review of ecosystem-based adaptation in urban areas

Climate change impacts increase pressure on challenges to sustainability and the developmental needs of cities. Conventional, “hard” adaptation measures are often associated with high costs, inflexibility and conflicting interests related to the dense urban fabric, and ecosystem-based adaptation (EbA) has emerged as a potentially cost-efficient, comprehensive, and multifunctional approach. This paper reviews and systematises research on urban EbA. We propose an analytical framework that draws on theory from ecosystem services, climate change adaptation and sustainability science. It conceptualises EbA in terms of five linked components: ecological structures, ecological functions, adaptation benefits, valuation, and ecosystem management practices.Our review identified 110 articles, reporting on 112 cities, and analysed them using both quantitative statistical and qualitative content analysis. We found that EbA research in an urban context is fragmented due to different disciplinary approaches and concepts. Most articles focus on heat or flooding, and the most studied ecological structures for reducing the risk of such hazards are green space, wetlands, trees and parks. EbA is usually evaluated in bio-geophysical terms and the use of economic or social valuations are rare. While most articles do not mention specific practices for managing ecological structures, those that do imply that urban EbA strategies are increasingly being integrated into institutional structures. Few articles considered issues of equity or stakeholder participation in EbA.We identified the following challenges for future EbA research. First, while the large amount of data generated by isolated case studies contributes to systems knowledge, there is a lack of systems perspectives that position EbA in relation to the wider socio-economic and bio-geophysical context. Second, normative and ethical aspects of EbA require more thought, such as who are the winners and losers, especially in relation to processes that put people at risk from climate-related hazards. Third, there is room for more forward-looking EbA research, including consideration of future scenarios, experimentation in the creation of new ecological structures and the role of EbA in transformative adaptation.     

Anthropogenic impacts on nitrogen fixation rates between restored and natural Mediterranean salt marshes

To test the effects of site and successional stage on nitrogen fixation rates in salt marshes of the Venice Lagoon, Italy, acetylene reduction assays were performed with Salicornia veneta‐ and Spartina townsendii‐vegetated sediments from three restored (6–14 years) and two natural marshes. Average nitrogen fixation (acetylene reduction) rates ranged from 31 to 343 μmol C₂H₄·m^?2·h^?1 among all marshes, with the greatest average rates being from one natural marsh (Tezze Fonde). These high rates are up to six times greater than those reported from Southern California Spartina marshes of similar Mediterranean climate, but substantially lower than those found in moister climates of the Atlantic US coast. Nitrogen fixation rates did not consistently vary between natural and restored marshes within a site (Fossei Est, Tezze Fonde, Cenesa) but were negatively related to assayed plant biomass within the acetylene reduction samples collected among all marshes. Highest nitrogen fixation rates were found at Tezze Fonde, the location closest to the city of Venice, in both natural and restored marshes, suggesting possible site‐specific impacts of anthropogenic stress on marsh succession.     

人为干扰对滨海湿地生态系统的影响

对滨海湿地生态系统的主要人为干扰方式进行了系统辨识,详细阐述了不同人为干扰方式对滨海湿地生态系统结构、功能及服务的影响。综合分析了人为干扰造成的滨海湿地生态系统的结构改变、功能破坏、服务减少,其中,城市化、工业化进程干扰对滨海湿地生态系统的影响最为严重,并提出了滨海湿地保护对策。