Low temperature volatile production at the Lost City Hydrothermal Field, evidence from a hydrogen stable isotope geothermometer

Although commonly utilized in continental geothermal work, the water-hydrogen and methane-hydrogen isotope geothermometers have been neglected in hydrothermal studies. Here we report δD-CH₄ and δD-H₂ values from high-temperature, black smoker-type hydrothermal vents and low-temperature carbonate-hosted samples from the recently discovered Lost City Hydrothermal Field. Methane deuterium content is uniform across the dataset at − 120 ± 12‰. Hydrogen δD values vary from − 420‰ to − 330‰ at high-temperature vents to − 700‰ to − 600‰ at Lost City. The application of several geothermometer equations to a suite of hydrothermal vent volatile samples reveals that predicted temperatures are similar to measured vent temperatures at high-temperature vents, and 20-60 °C higher than those measured at the Lost City vents. We conclude that the overestimation of temperature at Lost City reflects 1) that methane and hydrogen are produced by serpentinization at > 110 °C, and 2) that isotopic equilibrium at temperatures < 70 °C is mediated by microbial sulfate reduction. The successful application of hydrogen isotope geothermometers to low-temperature Lost City hydrothermal samples encourages its employment with low-temperature diffuse hydrothermal fluids.     

Are the South and North Liaohe Groups of North China Craton different exotic terranes? Nd isotope constraints

The Liaohe Group is an important Paleoproterozoic stratigraphic unit in the northeastern part of the North China Craton and is traditionally subdivided into the North and South Liaohe Groups. Associated with both the North and South Liaohe Groups are voluminous Paleoproterozoic granitoid rocks, named the Liaoji granitoids. Different tectonic models, including terrane amalgamation, continent–arc collision and rift closure, have been proposed to interpret the tectonic setting and evolution of the North and South Liaohe Groups and associated Liaoji granitoids. At the centre of the controversy between these models is whether or not the North and South Liaohe Groups developed on the same Archean basement. Nd isotopic geochemistry of the Liaoji granitoids provides important constraints on this controversial issue. The Liaoji granitoids associated with the North and South Liaohe Groups display similar ε_Nd values, restricted to a narrow range from 0 to 2, implying that these granitoid rocks were derived from the same or a similar magma source. Moreover, the Liaoji granitoids associated with the North and South Liaohe Groups have similar Nd model ages (T_DM), ranging from 2.4 to 2.6 Ga, suggesting that the protoliths of the Liaoji granitoids associated with both groups may have formed simultaneously, and that the basement rocks underneath the Liaoji granitoids and associated North and South Liaohe Groups belong to the same continental block rather than two different blocks. Combining lithological, structural and geochronological considerations, we interpret the North and South Liaohe Groups as having developed on a single late Archean basement that underwent Paleoproterozoic rifting associated with the intrusion of the Liaoji granitoids and the formation of the Liaohe Group, and closed upon itself in the Paleoproterozoic.     

Boron isotopic geochemistry of karst groundwater in Guiyang City, China

Boron has two stable isotopes （^10B and ^11B） with relative abundances of about 20% and 80%, respectively. Boron isotopic ratios in natural materials show a huge range of variations, from -70‰ to ＋60‰, when expressed with the classical δ^11B notation. Most of these isotopic variations occur at the surface of the Earth. Hence, boron isotopic composition can be used as a sensitive tracer in geochemical study, for instance, to identify the different sources of contamination and factors controlling the salinity of groundwater. During the last decade, boron isotopes have been used to discriminate between the influences of seawater intrusion and anthropogenic discharge. But few of those researches can precisely identify the different sources of contamination. We measured the boron concentrations and boron isotopic ratios of groundwater samples collected in Guiyang City, as well as the major ions. The results indicate that the major ion composition of the groundwater in the investigated area is mainly controlled by the interactions between water and the dominant rock i.e. carbonates. All the water compositions are characterized by high concentrations of Ca^2＋, Mg^2＋, HCO3^-, SO4^2-, and NO3^-, which are the dominant contaminants. Both dissolved boron concentrations and isotopic ratios show large variations among the ground waters, from 2 μg/L to 90 μg/L and from -6‰ to ＋26‰, respectively. The boron concentrations and isotopic ratios indicate that the river across the studied city has been seriously contaminated by urban discharge. Boron concentrations of fiver water samples varied from 20 μg/L to 140 μg/L, with an average δ^11B value of ＋2.0‰. Using boron isotopic compositions and different geochemical indices allowed us to clearly identify and distinguish the two major sources of contamination, agricultural activity and urban wastewater. Both of the two sources are characterized by high boron concentrations but their boron isotopic compositions significantly differ.     

用于湿地气候效应模拟的三江平原下垫面数据获取

三江平原是我国沼泽湿地的重要分布区。在20世纪的后50 a中,三江平原在经过几次大规模的开荒后,其下垫面发生了明显的阶段性变化,湿地大面积消失,农田面积不断增加。为了认识20世纪下半叶不同时期三江平原湿地的气候效应,拟采用第三代区域气候模式(RegCM3)来开展研究。而目前被广泛用于RegCM3的GL-CC数据,所反映的研究区下垫面几乎不存在沼泽湿地,这与事实严重不符,所以必须获取三江平原有沼泽湿地存在的真实的下垫面数据,才能得到可靠的湿地气候效应的模拟结果。分别选择了4期(1954年、1985年、1996年和2000年)有阶段代表性的航片、TM影像数据为主要数据源,利用ERDAS8.7和Arcview3.2等软件,首先得到4期研究区的土地利用数据,然后通过土地利用数据类型向模式数据类型的转换,从4期研究区土地利用数据中提取出了三江平原下垫面的模式数据。经过误差分析,认为获取的4期三江平原下垫面模式数据准确的反映出研究区几个时期的湿地下垫面实况,可以作为三江平原湿地气候效应模拟的基础数据。     

三江平原旱田耕作对湿地土壤理化性质的累积影响初探

在中国科学院三江平原湿地生态试验站综合实验场,对不同耕作年限的湿地土壤(0~20 cm)进行环境累积效应分析。结果表明,随着开垦时间的增加,土壤的理化性质发生渐变,物理性质方面,土壤容重和比重逐渐增大,而孔隙度和田间持水量逐年减少;化学性质方面,土壤pH值随开垦时间的增加而增加,有机质和其他养分则随开垦时间的增加而逐年降低。弃耕后土壤性质有所恢复。土壤性质在开垦初期变化较明显,而后逐渐变缓。     

近10 a来松嫩平原湿地研究的回顾与展望

松嫩平原是中国内陆湿地集中分布区之一。该区湿地类型有沼泽、湖泊、盐沼和稻田,此外还有水库和少量泥炭地。概述了该区湿地的研究现状,并指出目前研究热点。重点探讨了未来本区湿地的研究趋势,主要体现在湿地生态系统结构、功能和过程研究,湿地的区域生态功能评价,湿地污染及其治理,退化湿地恢复和重建,湿地多样性与湿地保护,湿地资源综合利用,湿地对全球变化响应和全球变化对湿地影响,湿地-草地-盐碱地转换机制和过程和驱动力等方面。     

应用ISSR标记分析三江平原狭叶甜茅不同种群的遗传多样性

以三江平原狭叶甜茅(Glyceriaspiculosa)为研究对象,选取3个不同群落类型:狭叶甜茅优势种群落、狭叶甜茅和毛苔草(Carexlasiocarpa)为共建种的群落以及狭叶甜茅为主要伴生种的群落,共45个材料进行了ISSR分子标记分析。结果从41个引物中筛选出7个有效引物,扩增出80条清晰条带,平均每个引物扩增了11.4条带,其中70个位点是多态的,总的多态位点比率为87.5%,表明被测材料间ISSR标记多态性较高。利用Popgen(version1.32)软件分析了扩增结果,并得到了狭叶甜茅不同群落类型的遗传距离、遗传一致度、Nei和Shannon信息指数等遗传特征。结果表明,对于一个物种来说,当地理距离太近不能成为影响其遗传多样性水平的因素时,其构成的种群在群落中的地位将是影响遗传多样性水平的主要因素之一。     

煤炭城市生态环境可持续发展研究--以淮南市为例

根据城市生态学原理和方法,针对煤炭城市生态环境特点,构建了能够体现煤炭城市生态环境质量主要特征的,定性、定量考核的评价指标体系。利用层次分析、变权综合指数等方法,建立了煤炭城市生态环境质量综合评价模型。从自然、经济、社会三个方面对淮南市生态环境质量进行评价,并对淮南市生态环境可持续发展提出了相应对策。     

Precambrian fluvial deposits: Enigmatic palaeohydrological data from the c. 2–1.9 Ga Waterberg Group, South Africa

Precambrian fluvial systems, lacking the influence of rooted vegetation, probably were characterised by flashy surface runoff, low bank stability, broad channels with abundant bedload, and faster rates of channel migration; consequently, a braided fluvial style is generally accepted. Pre-vegetational braided river systems, active under highly variable palaeoclimatic conditions, may have been more widespread than are modern, ephemeral dry-land braided systems. Aeolian deflation of fine fluvial detritus does not appear to have been prevalent. With the onset of large cratons by the Neoarchaean–Palaeoproterozoic, very large, perennial braided river systems became typical. The c. 2.06–1.88 Ga Waterberg Group, preserved within a Main and a smaller Middelburg basin on the Kaapvaal craton, was deposited largely by alluvial/braided-fluvial and subordinate palaeo-desert environments, within fault-bounded, possibly pull-apart type depositories.

Palaeohydrological data obtained from earlier work in the Middelburg basin (Wilgerivier Formation) are compared to such data derived from the correlated Blouberg Formation, situated along the NE margin of the Main basin. Within the preserved Blouberg depository, palaeohydrological parameters estimated from clast size and cross-bed set thickness data, exhibit rational changes in their values, either in a down-palaeocurrent direction, or from inferred basin margin to palaeo-basin centre. In both the Wilgerivier and Blouberg Formations, calculated palaeoslope values (derived from two separate formulae) plot within the gap separating typical alluvial fan gradients from those which characterise rivers (cf. [Blair, T.C., McPherson, J.G., 1994. Alluvial fans and their natural distinction from rivers based on morphology, hydraulic processes, sedimentary processes, and facies assemblages. J. Sediment. Res. A64, 450–489.]). Although it may be argued that such data support possibly unique fluvial styles within the Precambrian, perhaps related to a combination of major global-scale tectono-thermal and atmospheric–palaeoclimatic events, a simpler explanation of these apparently enigmatic palaeoslope values may be pertinent. Of the two possible palaeohydrological formulae for calculating palaeoslope, one provides results close to typical fluvial gradients; the other formula relies on preserved channel-width data. We suggest that the latter will not be reliable due to problematic preservation of original channel-widths within an active braided fluvial system. We thus find no unequivocal support for a unique fluvial style for the Precambrian, beyond that generally accepted for that period and discussed briefly in the first paragraph.