Terrestrial discharge influences microbioerosion and microbioeroder community structure in coral reefs

Microbioerosion rates and microbioeroder community structure were studied in four Kenyan protected coral-reef lagoons using shell fragments of Tridacna giant clams to determine their response to the influence of terrestrial run-off. Fourteen different microbioeroder traces from seven cyanobacteria, three green algae and four fungi species were identified. The river discharge-impacted reef and ‘pristine’ reef showed similar composition but higher microbioeroder abundance and total cyanobacteria- and chlorophyte-bioeroded areas when compared with the other study reefs. Cyanobacteria dominated during the north-east monsoon (NEM) relative to the south-east monsoon (SEM) season, with algae and cyanobacteria being major microbioeroders in the river-impacted and pristine reefs. The rate of microbioerosion varied between 4.3 g CaCO3 m^?2 y^?1 (SEM) and 134.7 g CaCO₃ m^?2 y^?1 (NEM), and was highest in the river-impacted reef (127.6 g CaCO₃ m^?2 y^?1), which was almost double that in the pristine reef (69.5 g CaCO₃ m^?2 y^?1) and the mangrove-fringed reef (56.2 g CaCO₃ m^?2 y^?1). The microbioerosion rates measured in this study may not be high enough to cause concern with regard to the health and net carbonate production of Kenya’s coral reefs. Nevertheless, predicted increases in the frequency and severity of stresses related to global climate change (e.g. increased sea surface temperature, acidification), as well as interactions with local disturbances and their influence on bioerosion, may be increasingly important in the future.     

A comparison of the210Pb dating technique with three other independent dating methods in an oxic estuarine salt-marsh sequence

The²¹⁰Pb dates from a salt-marsh sediment sequence at Tites Point, Severn Estuary, southwest England, were compared with the results of three other independent dating techniques. These methods are inspection of dated topographic maps for the presence of absence of the salt marsh, dating of artifacts in a well-defined horizon within the sequence, and counting annual bands. All four sets of dates showed good agreement to about 30 cm depth from the present marsh surface; thereafter, dates from the²¹⁰Pb method are earlier than those from the other methods, which are themselves in agreement. It is concluded that a wide range of methods can be successfully used for dating salt-marsh sediments (e.g., radiometric techniques, topographic maps, archaeological evidence, annual banding). Where possible, it is important to confirm dates using at least two independent techniques.     

Ferromagnetic or antiferromagnetic Fe III spin configurations in sheet silicates

Mössbauer spectra of glauconite and nontronite recorded at temperatures down to 1.3K and in applied fields up to 4.5 T show that Fe III spin configurations are respectively ferromagnetic and antiferromagnetic. It is shown that in a particular material depending on the distribution and concentration of Fe III in the silicate sheet either mode might occur. A new model of competing nearest-neighbour (J ₁) and next-nearest-neighbour (J ₂) magnetic exchange interactions in the triangular lattice is introduced to account for the results. From available magnetic susceptibilities we estimate ∣J ₁∣～6∣J ₂∣. The results lead to the conclusion that the Fe III cations are highly ordered in glauconite and occupy cis sites so as to maximize their mutual separations.     

Magnetic interaction in biotites and oxidised biotites

Mössbauer spectra of biotites (1) and (2) with relative iron concentrations ～1:1·6 and of their oxidation products are recorded at 4 K in zero field and in applied fields up to 5 T. Magnetic susceptibility data are also reported. The results show that Fe III spins are in a ferromagnetic configuration in the c-plane in both biotites. Partial oxidation of biotite (1) leads to a canted ferromagnetic structure, while complete oxidation of biotite (2) yields an antiferromagnetic spin configuration. Nearest-neighbour antiferromagnetic Fe III-O-Fe III, and ferromagnetic Fe III-O-Fe II and Fe II-O-Fe II superexchange can account for the results. For biotites with higher concentrations of iron, Fe II and Fe III seem to be distributed randomly in the triangular lattice. From susceptibility results in biotites dilute in iron, an estimate of the ratio of nearest-neighbour and next-nearest neighbour magnetic interaction in the triangular lattice is derived.     

Field-induced ferromagnetism in minnesotaite

Minnesotaite, a 2:1 layer sheet silicate, is antifer-romagnetic below 30 K. A spin flop or metamagnetic transition occurs in a small applied magnetic field. Neutron diffraction and Mössbauer spectroscopy, in an external magnetic field of 4.0 T, show that the magnetic structure consists of Fe²⁺ spins coupled ferromagnetically in the c plane with alternate ferromagnetic planes coupled antiferromagnetically.     

Effect of sludge pretreatment on the performance of anaerobic/ anoxic/ oxic membrane bioreactor treating domestic wastewater

In the present study, two bench-scale anaerobic/ anoxic/ oxic submerged membrane bioreactors were used to study the effect of thermochemical sludge disintegration system on the excess sludge production. Among the two membrane bioreactors, one was named experimental membrane bioreactor and another one was named as control membrane bioreactor, where a part of the mixed liquor was treated with thermo chemical and was returned back to membrane bioreactor. Thermo chemical digestion of sludge was carried out at fixed pH (11) and temperature (75 °C) for 24 % chemical oxygen demand solution. The other one was named control membrane bioreactor and was used as control. The reactors were operated at three different mixed liquor suspended solids range starting from 7500 mg/L to 15000 mg/L. Both of membrane bioreactors were operated at a flux of 17 LMH over a period of 240 days. The designed flux was increased stepwise over a period of one week. During the 240 days of reactor operation, both of membrane bioreactors maintained relatively constant transmembrane pressure. The sludge digestion had no impact on chemical oxygen demand removal efficiency of the reactor. The results based on the study indicated that the proposed process configuration has potential to reduce the excess sludge production as well as it didn’t deteriorate the treated water quality.     

Linking lithology and land use to sources of dissolved and particulate organic matter in headwaters of a temperate, passive-margin river system

A number of rivers have been found to transport highly aged organic matter [OM]; however, the sources of this aged material remain a matter of debate. One potential source may be erosion and weathering of headwater lithologies rich in ancient sedimentary OM. In this study, waters, suspended particulates, streambed sediments, rocks and soils from fourteen small headwater watersheds of a mid-size, temperate, passive margin river were sampled and characterized by Δ¹⁴C, δ¹³C, and POC/TPN ratios to identify sources of particulate and dissolved OM delivered to the river mainstem. These headwater sites encompass a range in lithology (OM-rich shales, OM-lean carbonate/mudstone facies, and OM-free crystalline rocks) and land use types (forested and agricultural), and allow investigation of the influence of agriculture and bedrock types on stream OM characteristics. Streams draining large areas of both agricultural land use and OM-rich lithology contain particulate OM [POM] that is more ¹⁴C-depleted than streams draining forested, shale-free watersheds. However, this is not sufficient to account for the significantly lower Δ¹⁴C-POC measured in the river mainstem. Dissolved OM [DOM] Δ¹⁴C are in all cases enriched compared to POM from the same stream, but are otherwise highly variable and unrelated to either land use or lithology. POC/TPN ratios were likewise highly variable. POC and DOC δ¹³C signatures were similar across all watersheds. Based on isotope mass balance, ¹⁴C-free fossil OM sources contribute 0-12% of total stream POM. Although these results do not unequivocally separate the influences of land use and lithology, watershed coverage by shale and agriculture are both important controls on stream Δ¹⁴C-POC. Thus export of aged, particle-associated OM may be a feature of river systems along both passive and active continental margins.     

Sign of the magnetic coupling of Fe2+ and Fe3+ in biotite

Mössbauer spectra of biotite at 4 K are reported. The biotite crystals were oriented with the c-axis parallel to the γ-ray direction and some spectra were recorded with external magnetic fields of 40 kOe applied at right angles to the c-axis. Decrease of the magnetic-hyperfine field of both Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺ ions on application of the external field shows that both Fe³⁺-Fe³⁺ pairs and Fe²⁺-Fe²⁺ pairs are coupled ferromagnetically.