Acetylene reducing activity at a tropical seagrass bed in Papua New Guinea

Acetylene reduction activity at a tropical seagrass bed in Papua New Guinea was studied. Blades of every species of seagrass studied (Enhalus acoroides, Thalassia hemprichii, Halodule uninervis, Syringodium isoetifolium) at the bed showed active acetylene reduction in the rage of 0.025–0.050 mol cm^–2d^–1. It is suggested that epiphytic blue-green algae would be responsible for active acetylene reduction. Acetylene reducing activity was observed also at rhizosphere of seagrasses, microbial communities on the detritus and periphyton on snail shells. It is estimated that total nitrogen fixed at the seagrass bed will be equivalent to 6.7% of that required for the growth of seagrasses.     

Geology and geochemistry of lavas at Nekoma volcano: Implications for origin of Quaternary low-K andesite in the north-eastern Honshu arc, Japan

Abstract Nekoma volcano forms part of the arc axis volcanic array of the North-eastern Honshu arc, Japan, which is commonly characterized by medium-K lava suites. However, Nekoma is exceptional because many of its lavas are low-K. This anomaly has been a matter of debate. Nekoma was active from 1.1 to 0.35 Ma. The volcano consists of thick andesite flows and domes associated with block and ash flow deposits produced during lava dome formation. A horseshoe-shaped collapse caldera was formed at the summit and small lava domes extruded into the caldera. Stratigraphy, published K–Ar ages, and tephrochronology define three stages of volcanic activity, about 1.1 Ma (Stage 1), 0.8–0.6 Ma (Stage 2) and 0.45–0.35 Ma (Stage 3; post caldera stage). Low-K andesites occur in all stages. Extremely low-K andesite was also associated in Stage 2 and medium-K andesite was dominant in Stage 3. In general, lavas changed from low-K to medium-K after caldera formation. Geochemical study of the Nekoma lavas shows that both low-K and medium-K lavas are isotopically similar and were derived from a common source. Adatara and Azuma volcanoes, which lie close to Nekoma, also have both low-K and medium-K andesites. However, Sr isotope ratios or temporal-spatial variations in K-level lava classification vary between the three centers. Comparisons of K suites and Sr isotope ratios with frontal arc volcanoes in North-east–Honshu suggest source heterogeneity existed in both medium- and low-K suites. The K contents of lavas and their Sr isotopes are not simply related. This requires re-examination of models for chemical variation of andesites in arcs.     

Spatial variations of Sr and Nd isotope ratios of Cretaceous-Paleogene granitoid rocks,Southwest Japan Arc

Cretaceous-Paleogene granitoid rocks and contemporaneous volcanic rocks are widely distributed in the Inner Zone of Southwest Japan. This intense intermediate to felsic magmatism is considered to have taken place on the eastern margin of the Eurasian Continent, before the Southwest Japan Arc drifted away from the continent in the middle Miocene, resulting in the opening of the Japan Sea. The granitoid rocks show regional variations in terms of their radiometric age, petrography, Sr, Nd and O isotope ratios. Based on Sr and Nd isotope ratios, granitoid rocks can be divided into three zones (South, Transitional and North) between the Median Tectonic Line and the Japan Sea. Granitoid rocks and associated gabbros of the North Zone have low initial Sr isotope ratios (0.7048 to 0.7068) and high initial Nd values (+3 to-2.2), whereas granitoid rocks and gabbros from the South Zone have high initial Sr isotope ratios (0.7070 to 0.7088) and low initial Nd values (-3.0to-8.0). Most granitoid rocks from the Transitional Zone have Sr and Nd isotope ratios that lie between those of the North and South Zones, although there is some overlap. Contamination of magmas by upper crust cannot explain this geographical variation in Sr and Nd isotopes. Instead, the regional variation is attributed to compositionally different, magma sources (probably upper mantle and lower crust), beneath the North and South Zones. This is supported by the Sr and Nd isotopic ratios of upper mantle and lower crustal xenoliths included in Cenozoic volcanic rocks in the North and South Zones. These ratios are similar to those of the granitoid rocks in the respective zones. It is suggested that a micro-continent or island arc consisting of continental crust was underthrust beneath the South Zone before or during the Cretaceous, resulting in compositionally distinct sources for granitoid rocks of the North and South Zones. The large variation observed in Sr and Nd isotope ratios for Transitional Zone granitoid rocks is explained by variable proportions of the two different crustal and upper mantle components.     

Rb - Sr Whole Rock-Mineral Isochron Ages of Plutonic Rocks from the Wanni Complex, Sri Lanka

Granitoid plutons in different East Gondwana fragments give evidence for vigorous felsic magmatism during the Pan-African period (800 to 500 Ma). The Sri Lankan basement, which is mainly composed of Proterozoic high-grade metamorphic rocks, was intruded by a few late- to post-tectonic syenitic and granitic plutons. Reliable geochronological data for these plutons are few, and some of the available data are inconsistent with the ages of the surrounding metamorphic country rocks.This report presents five Rb-Sr whole-rock-mineral isochron (WRMI) ages and initial Sr isotope ratios of three granitoid plutons from the Wanni Complex, Sri Lanka, namely the Ambagaspitiya, Tonigala and Kotadeniya Granites. Two samples from the Ambagaspitiya Granite yielded ages of 520±5 and 502±15 Ma, with initial Sr ratios of 0.7103±0.0003 and 0.7125±0.0009 respectively, whereas ages of 467±27 and 497±11 Ma and initial Sr ratios of 0.7070±0.0004 and 0.7085±0.0008 were determined for two Tonigala Granite plutons. A single sample from the Kotadeniya Granite gave an age of 533±19 Ma and an initial Sr ratio of 0.7202±0.0018.These ages are consistent with the geological relations between the granitoids and their country rocks, which underwent granulite facies metamorphism between 650 and 550 Ma, and also with available U-Pb zircon ages (550 Ma). The present study gives improved chronological correlation of the felsic magmatism in East Gondwana fragments in Sri Lanka, India, Madagascar, Antarctica and Western Australia. Each of the Sri Lankan plutons exhibits different initial Sr isotope ratios, indicating that their magmas were derived from distinct source materials.     

Sr–Nd isotope ratios of gabbroic and dioritic rocks in a Cretaceous-Paleogene granite terrain, Southwest Japan

Abstract Whole‐rock chemical and Sr and Nd isotope data are presented for gabbroic and dioritic rocks from a Cretaceous‐Paleogene granitic terrain in Southwest Japan. Age data indicate that they were emplaced in the late Cretaceous during the early stages of a voluminous intermediate‐felsic magmatic episode in Southwest Japan. Although these gabbroic and dioritic rocks have similar major and trace element chemistry, they show regional variations in terms of initial Sr and Nd isotope ratios. Samples from the South Zone have high initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7063–0.7076) and low initial Nd isotope ratios (?_Nd, ?2.5 to ?5.3); whereas those from the North Zone have lower initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (usually less than 0.7060) and higher Nd isotope ratios (?_Nd, ?0.8 to + 3.3). Regional variations in Sr and Nd isotope ratios are similar to those observed in granitic rocks, although gabbroic and dioritic rocks tend to have slightly lower Sr and higher Nd isotope ratios than granitic rocks in the respective zones. Limited variations in Sr and Nd isotope ratios among samples from individual zones may be attributed partly to a combination of upper crustal contamination and heterogeneity of the magma source. Contamination of magmas by upper crustal material cannot, however, explain the observed Sr and Nd isotope variations between samples from the North and South Zones. Between‐zone variations would reflect geochemical difference in magma sources. The gabbroic and dioritic rocks are enriched in large ion lithophile elements (LILE) and depleted in high field strength elements (HFSE), showing similar normal‐type mid‐ocean ridge basalt (N‐MORB) normalized patterns to arc magmas. Geochronological and isotopic data may suggest that some gabbroic and dioritic rocks are genetically related to high magnesian andesite. Alternatively, mantle‐derived mafic or intermediate rocks which were underplated beneath the crust may be also plausible sources for gabbroic and dioritic rocks. The magma sources (the mantle wedge and lower crust) were isotopically more enriched beneath the South Zone than the North Zone during the Cretaceous‐Paleogene. Sr and Nd isotope ratios of the lower crustal source of the granitic rocks was isotopically affected by mantle‐derived magmas, resulting in similar initial Sr and Nd isotope ratios for gabbroic, dioritic and granitic rocks in each zone.     

Probabilistic evaluation of climate change impacts on paddy rice productivity in Japan

Projecting the impacts of climate change includes various uncertainties from physical, biophysical, and socioeconomic processes. Providing a more comprehensive impact projection that better represents the uncertainties is a priority research issue. We used an ensemble-based projection approach that accounts for the uncertainties in climate projections associated with general circulation models (GCMs) and biophysical and empirical parameter values in a crop model. We applied the approach to address the paddy rice yield change in Japan in the 2050s (2046–2065) and 2090s (2081–2100) relative to the 1990s (1981–2000). Seventeen climate projections, nine (eight) climate projections performed by seven (six) GCMs conditional on the Special Report on Emission Scenarios (SRES) A1B (A2), were included in this projection. In addition, 50 sets of biophysical and empirical parameter values of a large-scale process-based crop model for irrigated paddy rice were included to represent the uncertainties of crop parameter values. The planting windows, cultivation practices, and crop cultivars in the future were assumed to be the same as the level in the baseline period (1990s). The resulting probability density functions conditioned on SRES A1B and A2 indicate projected median yield changes of +?17.2% and +?26.9% in Hokkaido, the northern part of Japan, in the 2050s and 2090s with 90% probability intervals of (??5.2%, +?40.3%) and (+?6.3%, +?51.2%), relative to the 1990s mean yield, respectively. The corresponding values in Aichi, on the Pacific side of Western Japan, are 2.2% and ??0.8%, with 90% probability intervals of (??15.0%, +?14.9%) and (??33.4%, +?17.9%), respectively. We also provided geographical maps of the probability that the future 20-year mean yield will decrease and that the future standard deviation of yield for 20 years will increase. Finally, we investigated the relative contributions of the climate projection and crop parameter values to the uncertainty in projecting yield change in the 2090s. The choice of GCM yielded a relatively larger spread of projected yield changes than that of the other factors. The choice of crop parameter values could be more important than that of GCM in a specific prefecture.     

K–Ar age and geochemistry of the SW Japan Paleogene cauldron cluster: Implications for Eocene–Oligocene thermo-tectonic reactivation

Systematic K–Ar dating and geochemical analyses of Paleogene cauldrons in the Sanin Belt of SW Japan have been made to explore the relationship between the timing of their formation and the Paleogene subduction history of SW Japan documented in the Shimanto accretionary complex. We also examine the magma sources and tectonics beneath the backarc region of SW Japan at the eastern plate boundary of Eurasia.Fifty-eight new K–Ar ages and 19 previously reported radiometric age data show that the cauldrons formed during Middle Eocene to Early Oligocene time (43–30 Ma), following a period of magmatic hiatus from 52 to 43 Ma. The hiatus coincides with absence of an accretionary prism in the Shimanto Belt. Resumption of the magmatism that formed the cauldron cluster in the backarc was concurrent with voluminous influx of terrigenous detritus to the trench, as a common tectono-thermal event within a subduction system.The cauldrons are composed of medium-K calc-alkaline basalts to rhyolites and their plutonic equivalents. These rocks are characterized by lower concentrations of large ion lithophile elements (LILE) including K₂O, Ba, Rb, Th, U and Li, lower (La/Yb)_n ratios, lower initial Sr isotopic ratios (0.7037–0.7052) and higher ε_Nd(T) values (?0.5 to +3.5) relative to Late Cretaceous to Early Paleogene equivalents. There are clear trends from enriched to depleted signatures with decreasing age, from the Late Cretaceous to the Paleogene. The same isotopic shift is also confirmed in lower crust-derived xenoliths, and is interpreted as mobilization of pre-existing enriched lithospheric mantle by upwelling depleted asthenosphere.Relatively elevated geothermal gradients are presumed to have prevailed over wide areas of the backarc and forearc of the SW Japan arc-trench system during the Eocene to Oligocene. Newly identified Late Eocene low silica adakites and high-Mg andesites in the Sanin Belt and Early Eocene A-type granites in the SW Korea Peninsula probably formed due to upwelling of hot asthenosphere and subduction of a young plate.The backarc region was an extensional tectonic setting, and some Paleogene rift basins and Sanin Belt cauldrons occur in linear arrays. The Eocene–Oligocene Sanin-SE Korea continental arc lies on the NE extension of the East China Sea Basin, the initial stage of which probably formed by continental arc rifting. This rifting may have been triggered by upwelling of hot asthenosphere into the wedge space created by rollback of the subducted slab, in response to decreased convergence rate between the Pacific and Eurasian plates.     

Wind-dependent formation of phytoplankton spring bloom in Otsuchi Bay,a ria in Sanriku,Japan

Spring blooms of phytoplankton composed of centric diatoms developed in late February, March, and April in Otsuchi Bay on Sanriku ria coast, Japan. During this period, associated with prolonged seasonal west wind (>1 day), intense exchange of waters occurred between inside and outside the bay: outflow of nearsurface brackish water over inflow of oceanic water at depth. This circulation interrupted formation of the blooms, and transported phytoplankton populations seaward. By such water movements, a significant amount of nutrients in the bay was carried out, otherwise replenished into the bay, depending on water masses located outside the bay. Owing to irregular features of wind events, a bloom lasted from several days to a week. From February to April, supply of nutrients seemed to be replete except for the latter half of the bloom period, and estimates of the critical depth exceeded the depth of the bottom consistently. Thus, net growth of phytoplankton was expected throughout the observation period, and potentially blooms could be formed. However, the blooms were only formed under calm weather. We hypothesize that the exchange of waters dilutes populations in the bay, and that formation of the bloom, that is, accumulation of biomass depends on a balance between the growth of phytoplankton and the dilution of bay water.     

Seagrasses from the Nansei Islands, Southern Japanese Archipelago: species composition, distribution and biogeography

The Nansei Islands in the southern Japanese Archipelago have 15 taxa of seagrasses from seven genera within three families. Seagrasses in this region grow on coral sands or coral debris in shallow reefs and on sandy or muddy substrata in the shallow areas of bays and inlets. Certain Halophila species grow in deep water off some islands. Enhalus acoroides only reaches to Ishigaki I. with winter sea water temperature (WST) at 23 °C, while Okinawa I. (WST at 21.6 °C) is the northern biogeographic limit for Halophila decipiens, H. okinawensis, H. major and H. gaudichaudii. Amami‐oshima I. (WST at 20.7 °C) is the northern border for Thalassia hemprichii, H. minor, H. ovalis, Cymodocea serrulata, Cymodocea rotundata, Syringodium isoetifolium, Halodule uninervis and Halodule pinifolia. Halophila mikii the sole seagrass collected from Yakushima I. (WST at 19.3 °C), is of volcanic origin. The distribution of tropical seagrasses in the Nansei Islands is clearly associated with the warm Kuroshio Current, WST and habitat availability. Zostera japonica is the only temperate species occurring in the region. Meadows of Z. japonica, H. ovalis and Halodule pinifolia have disappeared from certain localities in the Archipelago, due probably to human activities and natural siltation.