Carbon and Noble Gas Isotopes in the Tengchong Volcanic Geothermal Area, Yunnan, Southwestern China

Carbon and noble gas isotope analyses are reported for bubbling gas samples from the Tengchong volcanic geothermal area near the Indo-Eurasian suture zone. All samples contain a resolvable component of mantle-derived 3He. Occurrence of mantle-derived 3He coincides with surface volcanism. However, 3He occurs over a larger geographic areathan do surface volcanics. δ13C values for CO2 and CH4 vary from -33.4‰ to 1.6 ‰ and from -52.8‰ to -2.8‰, respectively. He and C isotope systematics indicate that CO2 and CH4 in the CO2-rich gases originated predominantly from magmatic component mixed with crustal CO2 produced from carbonate. However, breakdown of organic matter and near-surface processes accounts for the CH4 and CO2 in N2-rich gases. 3He/4He ratio distribution pattern suggests that mantle-derived He and heat sources of high-temperature system in central Tengchong originate from a hidden magma reservoir at subsurface. CO2-rich gases with the highest 3He/4He ratio (5.2 Ra) may be representative of the     

Is there a link between deep‐sea biodiversity and ecosystem function?

Studying the diversity‐ecosystem function relationship in the deep sea is of primary importance in the face of biodiversity loss and for our understanding of how the deep sea functions. Results from the first study of diversity‐ecosystem function relationships in the deep sea (Danovaro et al. 2008; Current Biology, 18, 1–8) are unexpected and show an exponential relationship between deep‐sea nematode diversity and ecosystem function and efficiency, although this relationship appears largely restricted to relatively low diversities [ES(51) <25]. Here, we investigate the relationship between nematode diversity and several independent measures/proxies of ecosystem function (sediment community oxygen consumption, bacterial biomass, bacterial extracellular enzyme activity) and efficiency (ratio of bacterial/nematode carbon to organic C content of the sediment) on the New Zealand continental slope. Nematode diversity at our study sites was relatively high [ES(51) = 30–42], and there was no relationship between species/functional diversity and ecosystem function/efficiency after accounting for the effects of water depth and food availability. Our results are consistent with a breakdown of the exponential diversity‐function relationship at high levels of diversity, which may be due to increased competition or greater functional redundancy. Future studies need to take into account as many environmental factors and as wide a range of diversities as possible to provide further insights into the diversity‐ecosystem function relationship in the largest ecosystem on Earth.     

Under‐ice salinity and stable isotope distribution of Saroma‐ko Lagoon,Hokkaido, northern Japan

In winter, lakes and lagoons at high altitudes or high latitudes have interesting hydrological cycles that differ from those in other seasons or in other regions, because water surfaces are covered with ice. Hydrological balances of lakes and lagoons are complex dynamic systems, and to elucidate them, isotopic tracers of water have been used as effective tools along with observations of precipitation, evaporation, inflows, and outflows. Here, to understand hydrological processes during freezing periods in the brackish Saroma‐ko Lagoon, Hokkaido, northern Japan, we examined horizontal and vertical distributions of salinity and isotope compositions of lagoon water and ice in 2005 and 2006. Horizontal and vertical gradients of salinity and isotope compositions were observed from the river mouth to the sea channel, and factors determining these distributions were considered. The mixing of freshwater and seawater and a freezing effect were presumed to be factors in relationships between salinity and isotopes and in relationships between surface waters and ice just above the water. A simple box model for water balance was constructed based on these putative factors to reproduce the distributions of salinity and isotope compositions of surface waters and ice. An evaluation of the model revealed that this hydrological system is controlled primarily by horizontal advection of the epilimnion, freshwater influx, and the ice growth rate. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

我国西北地区多年降水的氢氧同位素分布特征研究

降水是干旱区水文循环研究不可缺少的水文要素,为了揭示我国西北地区大气降水的氢氧同位素时空分布特征,合理开展不同尺度水文循环研究和建立对比标准,系统搜集分析了乌鲁木齐、银川、张掖、兰州、平凉、西安和拉萨七个地区多年大气降水的氢氧同位素数据资料。分析结果表明:乌鲁木齐、银川、张掖和兰州四个地区的δ18O值夏半年明显高于冬半年,从全年尺度上来看只是受到了温度效应的影响;而位于关中盆地的西安地区则由于复杂的水汽来源,冬半年表现出受温度效应的控制,夏半年转为雨量效应控制为主。平凉地区δ18O与其它海拔相近地区(如兰州)相比5~9月份均偏负,这与平凉地区较弱的城市热岛效应有关。西北地区大气降水δD和δ18O的变化范围均在全球大气降水的变化范围之内,除平凉和拉萨外,其它几个地区大气降水线方程的斜率和截距均小于全球大气降水线,说明这些地区的降水是在干旱环境下经历较强程度的蒸发条件下进行的,且在降水过程中还可能受到了局地二次蒸发凝结等水汽循环的影响。而该区域大气降水的氘盈余(d值)表现出冬半年高、夏半年低的特点,表明冬半年和夏半年水汽来源不同或者水源地的蒸发条件不同。     

Paleo‐fires and Atmospheric Oxygen Levels in the Latest Permian: Evidence from Maceral Compositions of Coals in Eastern Yunnan,Southern China

Inertinite maceral compositions of the Late Permian coals from three sections in the terrestrial and paralic settings of eastern Yunnan are analyzed in order to reveal the paleo-fire events and the atmospheric oxygen levels in the latest Permian. Although the macerals in the studied sections are generally dominated by vitrinite, the inertinite group makes up a considerable proportion. Its content increases upward from the beginning of the Late Permian to the coal seam near the Permian-Triassic boundary. Based on the microscopic features and the prevailing theory that inertinite is largely a by-product of paleo-fires, we suggest that the increasing upward trend of the inertinite abundance in the latest Permian could imply that the Late Permian peatland had suffered from frequent wildfires. Since ignition and burning depend on sufficient oxygen, a model-based calculation suggests that the O2 levels near the Wuchiapingian/Changhsingian boundary and the Permian-Triassic boundary are 27% and 28% respectively. This output adds supports to other discoveries made in the temporal marine and terrestrial sediments, and challenges the theories advocating hypoxia as a mechanism for the Permian-Triassic boundary crisis.     

沁水盆地南部潘庄区块废弃矿井煤层气地球化学特征及成因

为了研究废弃矿井中煤层气成因,以沁水盆地南部潘庄区块废弃矿井为例,抽采废弃矿井中煤层气并进行化学组分和同位素测试,并采集部分废弃矿井水样品测试水中离子浓度、pH值等进行研究。结果表明：潘庄区块废弃矿井中煤层气CH₄体积分数平均值为91.99%,CO₂为1.26%,N₂为6.73%;甲烷碳同位素（δ¹³C₁）值为-31.36‰~-33.53‰,平均-32.25‰,氢同位素（δD）值为-182.76‰~-193.20‰,平均-187.538‰。废弃矿井排采水中阴阳离子主要为Mg²⁺、K⁺、HCO₃^-、Cl^-、Na⁺、SO₄^2-和NO₃^-等,产出水型为Mg-（HCO₃）₂型,表明矿井水受到地表水的强烈影响。废弃矿井中煤层气主要以热成因气为主,少量次生生物气。与附近未开采煤储层相比,研究区废弃矿井中的环境更有利于次生生物气的生成。     

Geochemistry and potential use of groundwater in the Rocca Busambra area (Sicily, Italy)

In the Rocca Busambra area (mid-west Sicily, Italy), from November 1999 to July 2002, 23 water points including wells and springs were sampled and studied for their chemical and isotopic compositions. Two rain gauges were also installed at different altitudes, and rainwater was collected monthly to determine the isotopic composition. The obtained results revealed the Rocca Busambra carbonate complex as being the main recharge area on account of its high permeability value. From a chemical view point, two main groups of water can be distinguished: calcium–magnesium–bicarbonate-type and calcium–magnesium–chloride–sulphate-type waters. The first group reflects the dissolution of the carbonate rocks; the second group probably originates from circulation within flyschoid sediments. Three water wells differ from the other samples due to their relatively high Na and K content, which probably is to be referred to a marked interaction with the “Calcareniti di Corleone” formation, which is rich in glauconite [(K, Na)(Fe³⁺, Al, Mg)₂(Si, Al)₄O₁₀(OH)₂]. In accordance with WHO guidelines for drinking water (2004), almost all the samples collected can be considered drinkable, with the exception of four of them, whose NO₃ ⁻, F⁻ and Na⁺ contents exceed the limits. On the contrary, the sampled groundwater studied is basically suitable for irrigation.     

硫氧同位素示踪污染物来源在济南岩溶水中的应用

近年来,济南岩溶水硫酸盐浓度逐年升高,为了对硫酸盐污染区域实施有效的防治措施,保障饮用水安全,识别硫酸盐的污染来源极其重要.在系统分析研究区水文地质条件的基础上,根据实际的采样测试数据,采用硫、氧(S、O)双同位素示踪技术,分析识别了济南趵突泉泉域硫酸盐的主要污染来源,并通过IsoSource质量守恒模型,估算了硫酸盐各污染来源的贡献率.结果表明:泉域内硫酸盐主要污染来源有大气沉降、污水和土壤;大气沉降来源贡献率最大,均值达到53.9%;其次是污水来源,均值为31%;土壤来源贡献率最小,均值为15.1%.该研究为北方岩溶区地下水硫酸盐来源的定量研究提供了一种新方法,为济南趵突泉泉域硫酸盐污染防治提供了科学依据.     

Molybdenum Mass Fractions and Isotopic Compositions of International Geological Reference Materials

The double‐spike method with multi‐collector inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry was used to measure the Mo mass fractions and isotopic compositions of a set of geological reference materials including the mineral molybdenite, seawater, coral, as well as igneous and sedimentary rocks. The long‐term reproducibility of the Mo isotopic measurements, based on two‐year analyses of NIST SRM 3134 reference solutions and seawater samples, was ≤ 0.07‰ (two standard deviations, 2s, n = 167) for δ^98/95Mo. Accuracy was evaluated by analyses of Atlantic seawater, which yielded a mean δ^98/95Mo of 2.03 ± 0.06‰ (2s, n = 30, relative to NIST SRM 3134 = 0‰) and mass fraction of 0.0104 ± 0.0006 μg g^?1 (2s, n = 30), which is indistinguishable from seawater samples taken world‐wide and measured in other laboratories. The comprehensive data set presented in this study serves as a reference for quality assurance and interlaboratory comparison of high‐precision Mo mass fractions and isotopic compositions.