Root‐zone moisture replenishment in a native vegetated catchment under Mediterranean climate

The root‐zone moisture replenishment mechanisms are key unknowns required to understand soil hydrological processes and water sources used by plants. Temporal patterns of root‐zone moisture replenishment reflect wetting events that contribute to plant growth and survival and to catchment water yield. In this study, stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of twigs and throughfall were continuously monitored to characterize the seasonal variations of the root‐zone moisture replenishment in a native vegetated catchment under Mediterranean climate in South Australia. The two studied hillslopes (the north‐facing slope [NFS] and the south‐facing slope [SFS]) had different environmental conditions with opposite aspects. The twig and throughfall samples were collected every ~20 days over 1 year on both hillslopes. The root‐zone moisture replenishment, defined as percentage of newly replenished root‐zone moisture as a complement to antecedent moisture for plant use, calculated by an isotope balance model, was about zero (±25% for the NFS and ± 15% for the SFS) at the end of the wet season (October), increased to almost 100% (±26% for the NFS and ± 29% for the SFS) after the dry season (April and May), then decreased close to zero (±24% for the NFS and ± 28% for the SFS) in the middle of the following wet season (August). This seasonal pattern of root‐zone moisture replenishment suggests that the very first rainfall events of the wet season were significant for soil moisture replenishment and supported the plants over wet and subsequent dry seasons, and that NFS completed replenishment over a longer time than SFS in the wet season and depleted the root zone moisture quicker in the dry season. The stable oxygen isotope composition of the intraevent samples and twigs further confirms that rain water in the late wet season contributed little to root‐zone moisture. This study highlights the significant role of the very first rain events in the early wet season for ecosystem and provides insights to understanding ecohydrological separation, catchment water yield, and vegetation response to climate changes.     

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.     

莱州湾沿岸寿光、莱州和龙口地下水的稳定同位素与地球化学

依据地下水咸化机理:蒸发、溶解和混合,海水入侵是地下淡水与较之更咸的海水的混合,海水和淡水的混合包括水分子的混合和溶解盐分的混合。只有溶剂水分子和溶质溶解盐分都发生了相同比例的混合,才能确定二种水体发生了混合。地下淡水变咸并不能都归因于海水入侵,也有可能源于蒸发或溶解。鉴定是否存在海水入侵可运用惰性示踪剂和反应示踪剂来共同识别。惰性示踪剂包括δD、δ~(18)O、Cl~-和Br~-,反应示踪剂包括主要化学成分和微量元素。本研究对莱州湾沿岸寿光、莱州和龙口的地下水进行了化学成分形成过程的对比研究。莱州采集样品6件,龙口10件,寿光9件。莱州和龙口的碎屑沉积物以硅酸盐矿物为主,而寿光的沉积物来源于南部鲁中南山地的碳酸盐岩。根据莱州采样点地理条件和样品的稳定同位素δD-δ~(18)O分布域确定了当地降雨入渗的多年平均值,进而明确龙口样品也源于就地降雨入渗补给,根据高程效应和当地水文情况确定寿光样品补给来自南部山区的降水,经河道排入洼地后入渗地下。Cl~--δ~(18)O关系表明盐分都来源于淡水溶解的蒸发盐,而非与海水混合。Br~-/Cl~-比值证实了蒸发盐溶解,还存在人为污染物和海侵沉积物中有机质分解的影响。从三线图可看出龙口样品经历了离子交换反应。主要成分和微量元素(HCO_3~-,H_2SiO_3,F~-,Li~+,Sr~(2+)和Ba~(2+))的含量与样品所处含水层的矿物组成有关,反映出水岩作用。所有样品都没有淡水和海水混合的现象。惰性示踪剂分析提供了区域地下水补给的框架,明确了大气水源因溶解蒸发盐而咸化,排除了淡水和海水混合的可能性。用反应示踪剂中主要化学成分和微量元素来分析水中化学成分的形成过程,在和海洋盐分输入对比基础上,二者偏差值主要源自水-岩相互作用结果,包括溶解、沉淀、离子交换等,以及局部样品的污染物输入。所以沿海地带研究地下水咸化,先要解决溶剂的混合问题,在此基础上辅以水文地球化学分析,利用水化学的多种示踪剂,主要解决溶质混合以及盐分来源问题。     

Linking foraging behavior and diet in a diving seabird

Foraging behavior and diet of breeding seabirds may be analysed simultaneously with the combined use of remote sensing devices and stable isotope analysis. Imperial shag, Phalacrocorax atriceps, breeding at Punta León colony, Argentina, were equipped with global positioning system (GPS) loggers to record foraging trips and blood samples were taken after removal of the devices in order to analyse their nitrogen and carbon stable isotope composition in whole blood and plasma. Whole blood was correlated to plasma isotopic composition for each individual (n = 35), linking diet in the short and medium term. Sexes did not differ in isotopic signatures. The maximum distance reached and the total number of dives that individuals made on two consecutive foraging trips were correlated to their plasma nitrogen isotopic signature. Individuals that went further from the colony and dived fewer times presented more positive signatures, indicative of benthic prey consumption (e.g. Raneya brasiliensis). Diet was predominantly benthic with some individuals incorporating pelagic prey (Engraulis anchoita) and even cephalopods (Octopus tehuelchus). Within breeding pairs (n = 9), different combinations of foraging and prey preferences were observed. Estimated trophic levels of these individuals were similar to those of the same species in other colonies further south along the Patagonian coast.     

基于稳定同位素的东太平洋大青鲨(Prionace glauca)营养级研究

碳、氮稳定同位素为分析淡水和海洋生态系统的生物营养关系提供了有力手段,但在大洋鱼类中的应用还很少。本研究以热带东太平洋大青鲨(Prionace glauca)整节脊椎骨作为样品(叉长范围153—242cm),运用稳定同位素技术,分析大青鲨的δ~(13)C值和δ~(15)N值及其变化,比较不同基线生物的选择对营养级计算的影响。结果表明,大青鲨δ~(13)C范围为–15.76‰—–13.41‰,最大差值2.35‰;δ~(15)N范围为10.62‰—17.72‰,最大差值7.1‰;δ~(13)C值和δ~(15)N值随个体长度的变化不明显(可能原因是样品鱼均为较大个体),性别间的差异不显著,但不同基线生物的选择对营养级计算值的影响较大。本文研究表明,通过整节脊椎骨的稳定同位素测定来获得大青鲨的摄食特征信息是可行的。由于基线生物对营养级计算的影响问题难以在短期内解决,今后可将相对营养级或营养级的变化作为重点,研究人类活动(如捕捞)对大洋鱼类摄食和营养级的影响。     

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.     

Genesis and Metallogenic Process of the Lujing Uranium Deposit,Southwest Jiangxi Province,China: Constraints of Micropetrography and S–C–O Isotopes

The Lujing uranium deposit, located in the southeastern part of the Nanling metallogenic province, is one of the representative granite‐related hydrothermal uranium deposits in South China. Basic geology, geochemistry, and geochronology of the deposit have been extensively studied. However, there is still a chronic lack of systematic research on the genesis and metallogenic process of the deposit. Thus, we recently carried out an electron microprobe and stable isotopic analysis. The main research results and progresses are as follows: Uranium minerals in this deposit include coffinite, pitchblende, and uranothorite, and small amounts of uranium exist in accessory minerals in the form of isomorphism. Coffinite, which occurs predominantly as the pseudomorphs after pitchblende, also occurs as a primary mineral and is locally formed from the remobilization of uranium from adjacent uranium‐bearing minerals. The mineralizing fluid was originally composed of a magmatic fluid generated by late Yanshanian magmatism. The high As content of pyrite in ores may reflect the addition of meteoric water, or the formation water (or both), to the magmatic hydrothermal system. The δ³⁴S values vary from −14.4‰ to 13.9‰ (mean δ³⁴S = −3.9‰), showing a range that is similar to nearby Cambrian metamorphic strata and Indosinian granites, indicating that these host rocks represent the source of sulfur; however, the possibility of a mantle source cannot be completely ruled out. According to our new isotopic data and recent Pb isotopic data, we conclude that the uranium in ores was derived by leaching dominantly from the uranium‐rich host rocks, especially the Cambrian metamorphic strata. The δ¹³C_PDB values (−8.75‰ to 1.40‰; mean δ¹³C_PDB = −5.41‰) and δ¹⁸O_SMOW values (5.45–18.62‰; mean δ¹⁸O = 13.02‰) of reddish calcite from the ore‐forming stage suggest that the CO₂ in the mineralizing fluids was derived predominantly from the mantle, with a small component contributed by marine carbonates. Based on these new data and previous research results, this paper proposes that uranium metallogenesis in the Lujing deposit is closely associated with mafic magmatism resulting from crustal extension during the Cretaceous to Paleogene in South China.     

Meteoric diagenesis and dedolomite fabrics in precursor primary dolomicrite in a mixed carbonate–evaporite system

Dedolomitization is a common diagenetic process in shallow burial environments and is often associated with sulphates in mixed carbonate‐evaporite successions. In these settings, elevated Ca²⁺/Mg²⁺ ratios necessary for dedolomitization result from the dissolution of sulphate phases by the incursion of undersaturated groundwater. Reported dedolomite textures from other studies are varied, but the most prevalent is a rhombic texture interpreted to result from the partial to complete pseudomorphic replacement of secondary dolomite rhombs formed in the burial diagenetic realm. In this study of primary cryptocrystalline to finely crystalline dolomicrites in the Prairie Evaporite Formation of north‐eastern Alberta, dedolomitization has resulted in sutured to loosely packed mosaics of dedolomite that range from subhedral to distinctly euhedral (rhombic) crystal fabrics; however, no prior aggrading neomorphism producing dolomite rhombs is evident in the precursor dolomicrites. Non‐pseudomorphic dedolomitization of the dolomicrites results in textures that include rhombic dedolomite crystals with cloudy cores comprising remnant dolomicrite and clear rims. These textures are similar to those observed in the pseudomorphic dedolomitization of secondary dolomite rhombs. The Prairie Evaporite Formation of north‐eastern Alberta has experienced extensive karstification near the erosional margin of the sedimentary succession. Dedolomitization of dolomicrites occurs in marker beds within the Prairie Evaporite succession associated with evaporite karstification. Along with stratigraphic and petrographic considerations, stable isotope results support the interpretation of a shallow dedolomitization event influenced by meteoric waters derived from the basin margin. Negative δ ¹⁸O and low δ ¹³C values (averages of −13·6‰_VPDB and 0·5‰_VPDB, respectively) of the dedolomite, compared with those of the primary dolomicrite (averages of −6·0‰_VPDB and 1·2‰_VPDB, respectively), point to isotopically light diagenetic fluids. These results show that rhombic dedolomite textures can form through shallow, non‐pseudomorphic dedolomitization of dolomicrites by meteoric fluids in the presence of sulphates, with resulting textures that are similar to the pseudomorphic dedolomitization of secondary dolomite rhombs.     

Evidence for centennial-scale Lateglacial and early Holocene climatic complexity from Quoyloo Meadow,Orkney, Scotland

The influence of the North Atlantic on the margins of Europe means the region is particularly sensitive to changes in the ocean–atmospheric system. During the Last Glacial–Interglacial Transition (16–8 cal ka bp ) this system was repeatedly disrupted, leading to a series of abrupt and short-lived shifts in climate. Despite much research, the number and magnitude of these ‘centennial-scale’ events is not well understood. To address this, we expand upon investigations at Quoyloo Meadow, Orkney, Scotland, one of the best chronologically constrained palaeoclimate records in northern Britain. By coupling stable isotope and chironomid fossil analyses with existing data, this study identifies multiple phases of centennial-scale disturbance at: c. 14.0, 11.1, 10.8, 10.5, 10.45 and 10.3 cal ka bp , with the events at 14.0 and 10.3 exhibiting a particularly pronounced cold-climate signature. During the Holocene, the strongest response to climate forcing was at c. 10.3–10.0 cal ka bp , expressed as a two-stage drop in mean July temperatures, a shift in pollen spectra indicative of ‘less-stable’ climatic regimes, and a depletion in δ¹⁸O values. We interpret this as the first reliably dated incidence of the ‘10.3-ka event’ in the British Isles and consider the wider impact of this climatic reversal in other Holocene records.     

区块链稳定代币研究进展

作为一种具有价值稳定属性的特殊加密货币,稳定代币不仅能够成为链接区块链加密资产和现实世界资产的桥梁,而且有潜力降低金融行业的中介成本、提高资金转移的效率.自摩根大通、Facebook等国际知名企业宣布其稳定代币计划后,稳定代币成为监管机构、企业界和科研机构的研究热点.本文通过对比法币、加密货币与稳定代币,深入分析了稳定代币的特征,然后从区块链基础设施、价值稳定机制、运营机制3个方面详细介绍了稳定代币的系统架构和运行机制.最后结合稳定代币的技术特点,分析了稳定代币系统面临的缺陷和可能的解决方案.