Influence of afforestation on water regime in Jizera Catchments,Czech Republic

This paper studies the influence of afforestation on the water regime in two catchments in the Jizera Mountains that are similar in size and altitude but have different afforestation pattern. In this paper a range of different modelling tools is used to establish whether the differences in catchment water regime can be quantified and attributed to differences in catchment characteristics. Frequency analysis of low and high flows and a number and duration of flows over a threshold value are used to look for the differences in flow regime in both catchments. Low flow conditions are modelled using the Wittenberg nonlinear store approach. A rainfall-runoff process is modelled using a Data Based Mechanistic approach. The results indicate that the differences in the catchment response to external climatic factors outweigh the influence of land use apart from the low flows, where the changes in the response might be attributed to afforestation.     

Development of the mixed conifer forest in northern New Mexico and its relationship to Holocene environmental change

Chihuahueños Bog (2925 m) in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico contains one of the few records of late-glacial and postglacial development of the mixed conifer forest in southwestern North America. The Chihuahueños Bog record extends to over 15,000 cal yr BP. An Artemisia steppe, then an open Picea woodland grew around a small pond until ca. 11,700 cal yr BP when Pinus ponderosa became established. C/N ratios, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values indicate both terrestrial and aquatic organic matter was incorporated into the sediment. Higher percentages of aquatic algae and elevated C/N ratios indicate higher lake levels at the opening of the Holocene, but a wetland developed subsequently as climate warmed. From ca. 8500 to 6400 cal yr BP the pond desiccated in what must have been the driest period of the Holocene there. C/N ratios declined to their lowest Holocene levels, indicating intense decomposition in the sediment. Wetter conditions returned after 6400 cal yr BP, with conversion of the site to a sedge bog as groundwater levels rose. Higher charcoal influx rates after 6400 cal yr BP probably result from greater biomass production rates. Only minor shifts in the overstory species occurred during the Holocene, suggesting that mixed conifer forest dominated throughout the record.     

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.     

Composition of barian mica in multiphase solid inclusions from orogenic garnet peridotites as evidence of mantle metasomatism in a subduction zone setting

Multiphase solid inclusions in minerals formed at ultra-high-pressure (UHP) provide evidence for the presence of fluids during deep subduction. This study focuses on barian mica, which is a common phase in multiphase solid inclusions enclosed in garnet from mantle-derived UHP garnet peridotites in the Saxothuringian basement of the northern Bohemian Massif. The documented compositional variability and substitution trends provide constraints on crystallization medium of the barian mica and allow making inferences on its source. Barian mica in the multiphase solid inclusions belongs to trioctahedral micas and represents a solid solution of phlogopite KMg₃(Si₃Al)O₁₀(OH)₂, kinoshitalite BaMg₃(Al₂Si₂)O₁₀(OH)₂ and ferrokinoshitalite BaFe₃(Al₂Si₂)O₁₀(OH)₂. In addition to Ba (0.24–0.67 apfu), mica is significantly enriched in Mg (X_Mg ~ 0.85 to 0.95), Cr (0.03–0.43 apfu) and Cl (0.04–0.34 apfu). The substitution vector involving Ba in the I-site which describes the observed chemical variability can be expressed as BaFe^IVAlClK_?1Mg_?1Si_?1(OH)_?1. A minor amount of Cr and ^VIAl enters octahedral sites following a substitution vector ^VI(Cr,Al)₂□^VI(Mg,Fe)_?3 towards chromphyllite and muscovite. As demonstrated by variable Ba and Cl contents positively correlating with Fe, barian mica composition is partly controlled by its crystal structure. Textural evidence shows that barian mica, together with other minerals in multiphase solid inclusions, crystallized from fluids trapped during garnet growth. The unusual chemical composition of mica reflects the mixing of two distinct sources: (1) an internal source, i.e. the host peridotite and its garnet, providing Mg, Fe, Al, Cr, and (2) an external source, represented by crustal-derived subduction-zone fluids supplying Ba, K and Cl. At UHP–UHT conditions recorded by the associated diamond-bearing metasediments (c. 1100 °C and 4.5 GPa) located above the second critical point in the pelitic system, the produced subduction-zone fluids transporting the elements into the overlying mantle wedge had a solute-rich composition with properties of a hydrous melt. The occurrence of barian mica with a specific chemistry in barium-poor mantle rocks demonstrates the importance of its thorough chemical characterization.     

Colloidal Stability and Toxicity of Gold Nanoparticles and Gold Chloride on <Emphasis Type="Italic">Chlamydomonas reinhardtii</Emphasis>

Here we have examined interactions of gold nanoparticles differing in primary particle size and coating with the green algae Chlamydomonas reinhardtii as function of the colloidal stability of the particles in the experimental media used for toxicity studies. Interactions of dissolved Au³⁺ ions with algae were also examined. Included endpoints were photosynthetic yield and algal growth. Morphological and structural effects were examined microscopically and by flow cytometry. The results indicate no significant toxicity of gold nanoparticles to C. reinhardtii. Analysis of published data suggests toxicity of gold nanoparticles on algal growth to relate rather to particular coatings than to the gold core.     

Ab initio study of MgSiO3 C2/c enstatite

We have used a newly developed ab initio constant-pressure molecular dynamics with variable cell shape technique to investigate the zero temperature behaviour of high pressure clinoenstatite (MgSiO₃-C2/c) from 0 up to 30 GPa. The optimum structure at 8 GPa, as well as structural trends under pressure, compare very well with experimental data. At this pressure, we find noticeable “fluctuations” in the chain configuration which suggests the structure is on the verge of a mechanical instability. Two distinct compressive behaviours then appear: one below and another above 8 GPa. This phenomenon may be related to the observed transition to a lower symmetry P2₁/c phase which involves a reconfiguration of the silicate chains, and suggests that the C2/c structure at low pressures found here, may be an artifact of the dynamical algorithm which preserves space group in the absence of symmetry breaking fluctuations. Comparison with calculations in other magnesium silicate phases, indicates that the size and shape of the silicate units (isolated and/or linked tetrahedra and octahedra) are generally well described by the local density approximation; however, the weaker linkages provided by the O-Mg-O bonds, are not as well described. This trend suggests that, as in the recently studied case of H₂O-ice, the structural properties of more inhomogeneous systems, like enstatite, may be improved by using gradientcorrected density functionals.