Factors influencing the presence or absence of tributary-junction fans in the Iberian Range, Spain

This paper analyses the factors which influence the presence or absence of tributary-junction fans in the Iberian Range, northern Spain. Two valleys were selected, both characterised by wide variations in lithology, altitude, land use and plant cover. Two groups of factors were studied: those related to the internal characteristics of the drainage basins, which particularly control sediment generation; and those related to the characteristics of the depositional area which control accommodation space and main river power. Among the internal factors, the development of alluvial fans was related to: (i) the capacity of the basin to yield large volumes of sediment, (ii) the occurrence of intense human pressure until recent times, a good indicator of sediment yield, and (iii) the capacity of the basin to quickly increase discharge during rainstorms (discharge density and torrentiality). It is suggested that the areas that were intensively cultivated in the past, and have therefore been affected by intense erosion, have played a decisive role on the development of alluvial fans. This would imply that many of these alluvial fans have a relatively recent origin, perhaps related to the beginning of a widespread deforestation. The basins without alluvial fans are characterised by relatively steep hillslope gradients (that is, slopes that never were subjected to historical cultivation), low drainage densities and dense forest and shrub cover, mostly coinciding with high altitude basins composed of quartzite and shale bedrocks. Regarding the external factors, the shape, size and longitudinal gradient of the main river to which the fans are tributary are the most relevant conditioning factors determining the development of alluvial fans.     

Mid and late Holocene forest fires and deforestation in the subalpine belt of the Iberian range,northern Spain

The conversion of subalpine forests into grasslands for pastoral use is a well-knownphenomenon, although for most mountain areas the timing of deforestation has not been determined. The presence of charcoal fragments in soil profiles affected by shallow landsliding enabled us to date the occurrence of fires and the periods of conversion ofsubalpine forest into grasslands in the Urbión Mountains, Iberian Range, Spain. We found that the treeline in the highest parts of the northwestern massifs of the Iberian Range(the Urbión, Demanda, Neila, and Cebollera massifs) is currently between 1500 and 1600 m a.s.l., probably because of pastoral use of the subalpine belt, whereas in the past it would have reached almost the highest divides(at approximately 2100–2200 m a.s.l.). The radiocarbon dates obtained indicate that the transformation of the subalpine belt occurred during the Late Neolithic, Chalcolithic, Bronze Age, Iron Age, and Middle Ages. Forest clearing was probably moderate during fires prior to the Middle Ages, as the small size of the sheep herds and the local character of the markets only required small clearings, and therefore more limited fires. Thus, it is likely that the forest recovered burnt areas in a few decades; this suggests the management of the forest and grasslands following a slash-andburn system. During the Middle and Modern Ages deforestation and grassland expansion affected most of the subalpine belt and coincided with the increasing prevalence of transhumance, as occurred in other mountains in the Iberian Peninsula(particularly the Pyrenees). Although the occurrence of shallow landslides following deforestation between the Neolithic and the Roman Period cannot be ruled out, the most extensive shallow landsliding processes would have occurred from the Middle Ages until recent times.     

Fungal colonies in open fractures of subseafloor basalt

The deep subseafloor crust is one of the few great frontiers of unknown biology on Earth and, still today, the notion of the deep biosphere is commonly based on the fossil record. Interpretation of palaeobiological information is thus central in the exploration of this hidden biosphere and, for each new discovery, criteria used to establish biogenicity are challenged and need careful consideration. In this paper networks of fossilized filamentous structures are for the first time described in open fractures of subseafloor basalts collected at the Emperor Seamounts, Pacific Ocean. These structures have been investigated with optical microscopy, environmental scanning electron microscope, energy dispersive spectrometer, X-ray powder diffraction as well as synchrotron-radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy, and interpreted as fossilized fungal mycelia. Morphological features such as hyphae, yeast-like growth and sclerotia were observed. The fossilized fungi are mineralized by montmorillonite, a process that probably began while the fungi were alive. It seems plausible that the fungi produced mucilaginous polysaccharides and/or extracellular polymeric substances that attracted minerals or clay particles, resulting in complete fossilization by montmorillonite. The findings are in agreement with previous observations of fossilized fungi in subseafloor basalts and establish fungi as regular inhabitants of such settings. They further show that fossilized microorganisms are not restricted to pore spaces filled by secondary mineralizations but can be found in open pore spaces as well. This challenges standard protocols for establishing biogenicity and calls for extra care in data interpretation.     

Characterisation of Two New Reference Materials: STL-1, the Stewart Lepidolite and ZA-1, the Zapot Amazonite

The analysis of granitic pegmatites still remains a challenge because suitable natural reference materials are scarce or not available. Two new reference materials were prepared at the Smithsonian Institution, to provide an avenue to pursue the geochemical analysis of micas and feldspars in granitic pegmatites: STL-1, the Stewart lepidolite (NMNH 174041) and ZA-1, the Zapot amazonite (NMNH 174042). STL-1 was prepared from lepidolite collected from the lithium-rich Stewart pegmatite, San Diego County, California (33°22'52'N, 117°03'41'W). ZA-1 was prepared from an amazonite from the topaz-bearing Zapot pegmatite, Mineral County, Nevada, (38° 41'N, 118 °33'W). The results of this study indicated that STL-1 and ZA-1 are homogeneous and could be used as reference materials that would allow the expansion of calibration curves in XRF analysis up to 16000 μg g⁻¹ for Rb, 2000 μg g⁻¹ for Cs and 100 μg g⁻¹ for Tl. STL-1 and ZA-1 also contain unusually high concentrations of Ga and Tl, and STL-1 of Nb.     

The influence of Cenozoic tectonics on the groundwater-production capacity of fractured zones: a case study in Sao Paulo, Brazil

A new procedure is developed to correlate structural lineaments recognised through air-photo interpretation with subsurface fracture features that are associated with zones of high groundwater production in fractured-rock environments. The analysis approach is referred to as the homogeneous tectonic domain (HTD) method and involves correlating the lineament features of a given area with the orientation of the primary stress fields and fracture structures associated with the recent tectonic history that affected the region of study. The main premise of the method is that the most recent tectonic events in a given area have had the most significant influence on the nature of the existing fracture network and subsequently on the regional groundwater flow characteristics. A study site was selected within the state of S?o Paulo, Brazil, where a complex tectonic history dating back to Precambrian time has generated significant fracture porosity in the bedrock environment. The bedrock is heavily used in this area as a domestic and industrial aquifer. The most recent tectonic activity is associated with five distinct Cenozoic events that generated fracture features through both shear and extension stress fields. Due to the mode of formation, fracture zones generated by extension tend to have the largest effective apertures and are the most conductive to groundwater. By applying the HTD method in a series of test areas where specific Cenozoic events were dominant, fracture trends generated by shear and extension mechanisms could be identified. Water-well production capacity was correlated with proximity to extension-type structures in most cases. Other factors, such as the type of rock the well was completed in, had a much weaker influence on well capacity. Through this application, the HTD approach is shown to provide a methodology for delineating fractured areas within rock environments that have high potential for groundwater-resource development by combining classical lineament analysis with a clear understanding of the tectonic history of a given area. Electronic Publication     

Geo-environmental mapping using physiographic analysis: constraints on the evaluation of land instability and groundwater pollution hazards in the Metropolitan District of Campinas,Brazil

Geo-environmental terrain assessments and territorial zoning are useful tools for the formulation and implementation of environmental management instruments (including policy-making, planning, and enforcement of statutory regulations). They usually involve a set of procedures and techniques for delimitation, characterisation and classification of terrain units. However, terrain assessments and zoning exercises are often costly and time-consuming, particularly when encompassing large areas, which in many cases prevent local agencies in developing countries from properly benefiting from such assessments. In the present paper, a low-cost technique based on the analysis of texture of satellite imagery was used for delimitation of terrain units. The delimited units were further analysed in two test areas situated in Southeast Brazil to provide estimates of land instability and the vulnerability of groundwater to pollution hazards. The implementation incorporated procedures for inferring the influences and potential implications of tectonic fractures and other discontinuities on ground behaviour and local groundwater flow. Terrain attributes such as degree of fracturing, bedrock lithology and weathered materials were explored as indicators of ground properties. The paper also discusses constraints on- and limitations of- the approaches taken.     

The planet formation imager

The Planet Formation Imager (PFI, www.planetformationimager.org) is a next-generation infrared interferometer array with the primary goal of imaging the active phases of planet formation in nearby star forming regions. PFI will be sensitive to warm dust emission using mid-infrared capabilities made possible by precise fringe tracking in the near-infrared. An L/M band combiner will be especially sensitive to thermal emission from young exoplanets (and their disks) with a high spectral resolution mode to probe the kinematics of CO and H₂O gas. In this paper, we give an overview of the main science goals of PFI, define a baseline PFI architecture that can achieve those goals, point at remaining technical challenges, and suggest activities today that will help make the Planet Formation Imager facility a reality.     

中国南方新元古代可能后生动物成因的硅化和磷酸盐化球状微化石Tianzhushania

对中国南方贵州瓮安地区上新元古界陡山沱组两种类型沉积：燧石夹层(切片法研究)和磷灰岩／含磷碳酸盐岩(切片法和浸解法研究)中微化石的比较研究表明,磷酸盐化的Megasphaera ornata与燧石中保存的Tianzhushania tuberifera可能代表由不同矿化过程保存下来的同一生物分类。磷酸盐化标本的外层壁经常脱落,而暴露其具纹饰的中问壁。在一些孤立于围岩基质的磷酸盐化标本和在磷灰岩薄片所见到的标本上显现部分带刺的外壳保存,它们可以同燧石夹层薄片中发现的化石进行比较。磷酸盐化标本的中间壁瘤突表面上普遍见到的凹坑,相当于外层壁刺饰所遗留下的附着点。而具有刺饰的外层壁形态是Tianzhushania Yin and Li,1978属的典型特征,因此建议Tianzhushania arnate(xiao等,2000)Yin et al．,2004为该种的有效名称。而主要依据其中间壁的纹饰形态所得出的该种为后生动物休眠卵的认识与目前结果并不矛盾。但是,外层壁具刺饰的形态说明该种为浮游性的,而不是底栖性的生态类型。     

Herbicide contamination and the potential impact to seagrass meadows in Hervey Bay, Queensland, Australia

Low concentrations of herbicides (up to 70 ng l(-1)), chiefly diuron (up to 50 ng l(-1)) were detected in surface waters associated with inter-tidal seagrass meadows of Zostera muelleri in Hervey Bay, south-east Queensland, Australia. Diuron and atrazine (up to 1.1 ng g(-1) dry weight of sediment) were detected in the sediments of these seagrass meadows. Concentration of the herbicides diuron, simazine and atrazine increased in surface waters associated with seagrass meadows during moderate river flow events indicating herbicides were washed from the catchment to the marine environment. Maximum herbicide concentration (sum of eight herbicides) in the Mary River during a moderate river flow event was 4260 ng l(-1). No photosynthetic stress was detected in seagrass in this study during low river flow. However, with moderate river flow events, nearshore seagrasses are at risk of being exposed to concentrations of herbicides that are known to inhibit photosynthesis.     

八臂仙母虫(Eoandromeda octobrachiata)新材料及其意义

在中国贵州江口地区陡山沱组新发现的化石材料表明,伊迪卡拉/震旦纪(Ediacaran/Sinian)的宏体化石——八臂仙母虫Eoandromeda octobrachiata的原始生活状态可能为一个较高的圆锥形生命体,具有沿着侧面锥状螺旋排列的八条旋臂.旋臂表面保存有与栉水母动物的栉板可能同源的横向有机质条带,规则排列...