Proturan Communities under Three Different Vegetations in Adjacent Area

Dissolved methane (CH4) was measured in the waters of the Changjiang (Yangtze River) Estuary and its adjacent marine area during five surveys from 2002 to 2006. Dissolved CH4 concentrations ranged from 2.71 to 89.2 nM and had seasonal variation with the highest values occurring in summer and lowest in autumn. The horizontal distribution of dissolved CH4 decreased along the freshwater plume from the river mouth to the open sea. Dissolved CH4 in surface waters of the Changjiang was observed monthly at the most downstream main channel station Xuliujing (121o2′E, 31o46′N), which ranged from 16.2 to 126.2 nM with an average of 71.6 ± 36.3 nM. The average annual input of CH4 from the Changjiang to the Estuary and its adjacent area was estimated to be 2.24 mol s−1 equal to 70.6 × 106 mol year−1. Mean CH4 emission rate from the sediments of the Changjiang Estuary in spring was 1.97 μmol m−2 day−1, but it may be higher in summer due to hypoxia in the bottom waters and higher temperatures. The annual sea to air CH4 fluxes from the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent marine area were estimated to be 61.4 ± 22.6 and 16.0 ± 6.1 μmol m−2 day−1, respectively, using three different gas exchange models. Hence the Changjiang Estuary and its adjacent marine area are net sources of atmospheric CH4.

It is generally agreed that the aeolian loess on the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) is derived from adjacent upwind arid areas, mainly including the Qaidam Desert, Alxa arid area, and Ordos Desert. However, the mineralogical and geochemical compositions of aeolian materials show several inconsistencies between these adjacent source areas and the CLP. Here, we compare the distribution of carbonate minerals in bulk samples and the <63‐μm fraction from upwind deserts to six loess sections from the CLP. The results show that the detrital dolomite and total carbonate, which are abundant in the loess of the CLP, are concentrated in the Taklimakan Desert rather than adjacent source areas. This finding suggests that the distant Taklimakan Desert is an important source of aeolian deposits on the CLP, reconciling the mineralogical and geochemical inconsistencies between CLP and adjacent areas.

A transection of the chorda tympani results in loss of spatial gustatory function on the ipsilateral tongue. Most patients do not notice anymore this alteration. The cause is unclear. Do adjacent gustatory areas become more sensitive or is the gustatory perception rather independent of the size of stimulated area? 51 patients with proven unilateral transection of the chorda tympani and 51 healthy subjects were tested for gustatory recognition thresholds. The methods used were the "three-drops-choice-technique" by Henkin to evaluate the whole mouth taste (global taste examination) and the "spatial taste test" to evaluate the local gustatory function on 4 areas of the tongue. The taste solutions were sweet, sour, salty and bitter with increasing concentrations. The global gustatory function of the patients and of the control group did not differ in either the 4 taste qualities but the composite score was increased within the group of patients. Most patients did not realize that. The spatial taste examination showed reduction of taste perception on 3 of the 4 gustatory areas of the tongue in the patients. The decreased gustatory function on the area of the transected chorda remained unchanged over time. The taste attenuation on the ipsilateral back area and the contralateral front area improved over time. Transection of chorda tympani also leads to an attenuation of spatial gustatory function in adjacent areas. Therefore, adjacent areas cannot be taken as reference. Instead, taste function has to be compared to the results of healthy probands.

Content and distribution of trace metals in surface sediments from the northern Bering Sea, Chukchi Sea and adjacent Arctic areas

The study used the SCHISM ocean model combined with the WWM III wind wave model to quantify the interaction between wind waves and tides in the coastal zone of the Changjiang River Estuary and its adjacent areas. The wave and storm surge during Typhoon Ampil, which made landfall in July 2018 in Shanghai, were simulated by using the Climate Forecast System Version 2 (CFSv2) and Medium-Range Weather Forecasts (ECMWF) latest reanalysis (ERA5) wind dataset from 1 July to 31 July. Model results with CFSv2 forcing show better performance in terms of significant wave height and storm surge than those with ERA5 forcing. To investigate the interactions between waves, water levels, currents, and their combined effects on significant wave and surge variations, six numerical sensitivity experiments were designed according to the different coupling methods between SCHISM and WWMIII. The research shows that in coastal areas with water depths of less than 10 m, waves are affected by water levels and currents. The differences in the effect on significant wave height between wave-tide coupling and one-way coupling with water levels and currents are negligible. Wave setup is an important physical term which cannot be ignored during the variations of storm surge caused by Typhoon Ampil. The contributions of wave set up were concentrated in coastal areas with water depths less than 10 m. The peak wave setup occurred in the Changjiang River Estuary, reaching 0.15 m. In Xiangshan Bay and Sanmen Bay, wave radiation stress makes the proportion of wave setup to the total surge reached more than 30%. The consideration of wave-tide interaction can effectively improve the accuracy of numerical wave and storm surge simulations, which can provide more accurate hindcasts of wave and storm surge variations in the Changjiang River Estuary and its adjacent coastal areas.

Previously unrecognized potential threat to children from manganese in groundwater in rohingya refugee camps in Cox’s Bazar, Bangladesh

Terpios hoshinota is an encrusting sponge and a fierce space competitor. It kills stony corals by overgrowing them and can impact reefs on the square kilometer scale. We investigated an outbreak of T. hoshinota in 2014 at the island of Mauritius to determine its impacts on coral community structure. Surveys were conducted at the putative outbreak center, an adjacent area, and around the island to determine the extent of spread of the sponge and which organisms it impacted. In addition, quadrats were monitored for 5 months (July–December) to measure the spreading rates of T. hoshinota and Acropora austera in areas both with and without T. hoshinota. The photosynthetic capabilities of T. hoshinota and A. austera were also measured. Terpios hoshinota was well established, covering 13% of an estimated 416 m2 of available hard coral substrate at the putative outbreak center, and 10% of an estimated 588 m2 of available hard coral substrate at the adjacent area. The sponge was observed at only one other site around Mauritius. Terpios hoshinota and A. austera increased their planar areas by 26.9 and 13.9%, respectively, over five months. No new colonies of T. hoshinota were recorded in adjacent sponge-free control areas, suggesting that sponge recruitment is very low during austral winter and spring. The sponge was observed to overgrow five stony corals; however, it showed a preference for branching corals, especially A. austera. This is the first time that a statistically significant coral substrate preference by T. hoshinota has been reported. Terpios hoshinota also had a significantly higher photosynthetic capacity than A. austera at irradiance >500 μmol photons m−2 s−1, a possible explanation for its high spreading rate. We discuss the long-term implications of the proliferation of T. hoshinota on community structure and dynamics of our study site.

The purpose of this study is to investigate the effect of the construction of innovative cities on the changes of population and industrial structure in the existing urban areas. The population distribution and industrial spatial structure of Jinju city where Gyeongnam innovation city was built were analyzed based on demographic data, industrial location quotient, and spacial analysis of GIS program from 2007 to 2016. The pattern of population decline by region type(original city center, suburbs, adjacent area, innovative city) is different according to the distance from the innovative city. Population inflow to the innovative city showed a sharp decrease in the population of the adjacent and suburban areas, but no significant change was observed in the region located relatively far away. The industrial location showed more changes in the adjacent areas than in the original city center located in remote region from the innovative city. The changes in the industrial location of the innovative city and the old city region showed different quantitative and qualitative aspects. Relatively high added value industries have grown in innovative city, while they decreased in adjacent urban area and central regions. The construction of innovative city had a significant impact on the population and industrial location changes in the neighboring areas, however in the case of the relatively remote regions, it seems to have affected only the changes in industrial location. That is, it can be interpreted that the innovative city gave more influence to the change of the employment population than the change of the settlement population.

The hydrogeology of the valley-fill aquifer system along a 32-mile reach of the Susquehanna River valley and adjacent areas was evaluated in eastern Broome and southeastern Chenango Counties, New York. The surficial geology, inferred ice-marginal positions, and distribution of stratified-drift aquifers were mapped from existing data. Ice-marginal positions, which represent pauses in the retreat of glacial ice from the region, favored the accumulation of coarse-grained deposits whereas more steady or rapid ice retreat between these positions favored deposition of fine-grained lacustrine deposits with limited coarse-grained deposits at depth. Unconfined aquifers with thick saturated coarse-grained deposits are the most favorable settings for water-resource development, and three several-mile-long sections of valley were identified (mostly in Broome County) as potentially favorable: (1) the southernmost valley section, which extends from the New York–Pennsylvania border to about 1 mile north of South Windsor, (2) the valley section that rounds the west side of the umlaufberg (an isolated bedrock hill within a valley) north of Windsor, and (3) the east–west valley section at the Broome County–Chenango County border from Nineveh to East of Bettsburg (including the lower reach of the Cornell Brook valley). Fine-grained lacustrine deposits form extensive confining units between the unconfined areas, and the water-resource potential of confined aquifers is largely untested. Recharge, or replenishment, of these aquifers is dependent not only on infiltration of precipitation directly on unconfined aquifers, but perhaps more so from precipitation that falls in adjacent upland areas. Surface runoff and shallow groundwater from the valley walls flow downslope and recharge valley aquifers. Tributary streams that drain upland areas lose flow as they enter main valleys on permeable alluvial fans. This infiltrating water also recharges valley aquifers. Current (2012) use of water resources in the area is primarily through domestic wells, most of which are completed in fractured bedrock in upland areas. A few villages in the Susquehanna River valley have supply wells that draw water from beneath alluvial fans and near the Susquehanna River, which is a large potential source of water from induced infiltration.

Woodland caribou (Rangifer tarandus caribou Gmelin) occupy the Mackenzie and Selwyn Mountains of the Yukon and N.W.T, Canada. During the warm weather months they move into alpine areas and are frequently observed to utilize late-lying snowpatches. Microclimatic observations confirm that at 0.5 m height the snowpatch is consistently 3?C cooler than adjacent areas. Insect trap data indicated that significant differences in numbers and species occur between snowpatches and adjacent snow-free areas at the same and lower elevations. Indices of harassment correlated with biting insect numbers and with higher air temperatures (11.3 to 20.4?C, shielded temperatures) and below-average wind speeds (<2.5 m s-1). Group size on snowpatches was significantly greater than on adjacent snow-free areas. While on snowpatches animals ingested snow and otherwise spent most of their time standing or lying. These activities we interpreted as behavioral thermoregulation. However, based on our data it was not possible to separate definitively microclimatic conditions from insect harassment as cause for snowpatch selection as relief habitat.

The vegetation cover of a sand dune was surveyed ten years after the improvement of a restoration project that utilized seed sowing, seedling planting and seedling transplantation from an adjacent area with watering in the first months. On the upper part of the restored dune, the vegetation was sparse (53%) but more developed than that of the adjacent control area (34%), both presenting herbaceous/subshrub physiognomy with predominance of Panicum racemosum. On the slope of the restored dune, a shrub vegetation developed, presenting a percentage cover (90%) similar to that of the control area (100%). Dodonaea viscosa was the dominant species on this restored face. The establishment of arboreal and shrub species seedlings on the upper dune was good. In part, this improved the species richness, but contributed to dissimilarity between this area and the control site.&nbsp; A lower species richness was presented on the slope and the similarity to the control area was even lower. Plants introduced by sowing and seedling transplantation showed success and contributed to the similarity with the adjacent vegetation. Seedlings of arboreal and shrub plants survived on the upper dune. These species are represented in a more developed stage of succession, differing from the adjacent control area.

This report describes the geography, geology, and ground-water resources of Hamilton and Kearny counties in southwestern Kansas. The area embraces a total of 51.5 townships, or 1,856 square miles, and had a population of 5,170 in 1940. It is relatively flat and is drained by Arkansas river and its tributaries. The climate is semiarid, the average annual precipitation being about 17 inches. Wheat farming, some cattle raising, and general farming are the principal occupations in the area. The report contains a map of the area showing by means of shading the depth to water level. The water table ranges in depth from than 10 feet in parts of the Arkansas valley to more than 200 feet in parts of the upland north of Arkansas river. The report also contains a map of the area showing by means of contours the shape and slope of the water table. The water table slopes east-southeastward. The steepest slopes of the water table are in the upland north of Arkansas river and the most gentle slopes are in the sand hills in southern Kearny County. Arkansas river has cut its valley below the general level of the water table in adjacent upland areas with the result that some ground water moves toward the stream along a part of its course. Flowing wells are obtained in a small area in the Arkansas valley near Coolidge. The flows range from less than one gallon to more than 25 gallons a minute. The artesian heads were found to range from less than 1 foot to about 10 feet above land surface. The ground-water reservoir is recharged principally by precipitation that falls within the area, by the addition of water from Arkansas river in the eastern part of the area, and by underflow from adjacent areas. Water is discharged from the ground-water reservoir mainly by underflow eastward and southward into adjacent areas, by transpiration and evaporation in areas of shallow water table, and by wells. All of the domestic, stock, and public water supplies and a part of the irrigation water supplies are obtained from wells. Most of the wells in the area are drilled, but some are dug, driven, or bored. The water is used principally for irrigation, but much is used for domestic, stock, public, and railroad supplies. Of the 96 irrigation plants visited, 85 were in use in 1939. They supplied about 23,600 acre-feet of water to irrigate approximately 12,650 acres (including 2,000 acres in Finney County; includes also land irrigated by surface water and by a supplementary supply of ground water). Most of these wells are in the Arkansas valley, but a few are in the upland north of Deerfield. It is believed that additional irrigation supplies could be developed in the shallow-water area north of Deerfield, in parts of the Arkansas valley, and in southwestern Hamilton County. The report includes a discussion of the fluctuations of water levels in wells as determined by periodic measurement of water levels in representative wells. Water levels in this area were relatively low in 1939, but the water levels in most wells rose in 1940, 1941, and 1942 as a result of above-normal precipitation. The ground water in this area is hard but it is suitable for most ordinary uses. The waters from the Cheyenne sandstone, the Dakota formation, and the undifferentiated Pliocene and Pleistocene deposits are similar in composition and hardness. Waters from the alluvium generally are very hard. The report also contains a map showing the rock formations that crop out in this area. The rocks discussed in this report range in age from Permian to Recent, but rocks older than the Dakota formation do not crop out in this area. The principal water-bearing formations are the alluvium, the undifferentiated Pliocene (Ogallala formation) and Pleistocene deposits, the Dakota formation, and the Cheyenne sandstone. The field data upon which most of this report is based are given in tables, and include records of 361 wells and chemical analyses of the water from 50 representative wells. Logs of 70 test holes, water wells, and oil and gas wells in the area are given, including 27 test holes put down by the State and Federal Geological Surveys.

Suo, A.; Cao, K.; Zhao, J., and Lin, Y., 2015. Study on impacts of sea reclamation on fish community in adjacent sea areas: a case in Caofeidian, North China.To reveal the impacts of sea reclamation on fish communities in adjacent areas, Caofeidian in north China was chosen as a case study in this paper. A total of 19 sample points were set in offshore areas reclaimed in 2004, 2008, and 2010, which represents the beginning, middle and ending phase of reclamation works. Species richness, density, biomass, and biodiversity index were analyzed to describe changes of adjacent fish community during the reclamation process. It is found that the fish density declined by 22.66% from 2004 to 2010 due to sea reclamation. The fish biomass decreased from 46.07 kg·m−2·h−1 in 2004 to 25.35 kg·m−2·h−1 in 2010, which was mainly caused by body miniaturization of dominated fish and increased density of other fish species. The sea reclamation also reduced the eggs and fries in adjacent areas. The density of fish eggs decreased from 5.42 ind·m−3·h−1 to 0.13 ind·m−3·h−1and the density of fries decreased from 2.29 ind·m−3·h−1to 0.19 ind·m−3·h−1. These changes of fish community were mainly due to the plenty of suspended sand diffused to adjacent waters. Besides, the impact of reclamation on fish community was bigger in autumn than in spring.

In some parts of tropical Africa, termite mound locations are traditionally used to site groundwater structures mainly in the form of hand-dug wells with high success rates. However, the scientific rationale behind the use of mounds as prospective sites for locating groundwater structures has not been thoroughly investigated. In this paper, locations and structural features of termite mounds were mapped with the aim of determining the aquifer potential beneath termite mounds and comparing the same with adjacent areas, 10 m away. Soil and species sampling, field surveys and laboratory analyses to obtain data on physical, hydraulic and geo-electrical parameters from termite mounds and adjacent control areas followed. The physical and hydraulic measurements demonstrated relatively higher infiltration rates and lower soil water content on mound soils compared with the surrounding areas. To assess the aquifer potential, vertical electrical soundings were conducted on 28 termite mounds sites and adjacent control areas. Three (3) important parameters were assessed to compute potential weights for each Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES) point: Depth to bedrock, aquifer layer resistivity and fresh/fractured bedrock resistivity. These weights were then compared between those of termite mound sites and those from control areas. The result revealed that about 43% of mound sites have greater aquifer potential compared to the surrounding areas, whereas 28.5% of mounds have equal and lower potentials compared with the surrounding areas. The study concludes that termite mounds locations are suitable spots for groundwater prospecting owing to the deeper regolith layer beneath them which suggests that termites either have the ability to locate places with a deeper weathering horizon or are themselves agents of biological weathering. Further studies to check how representative our study area is of other areas with similar termite activities are recommended.

First posted September 18, 2015 For additional information, contact: Director, Utah Water Science CenterU.S. Geological Survey2329 Orton CircleSalt Lake City, Utah 84119-2047http://ut.water.usgs.gov The water resources of Deep Creek Valley were assessed during 2012–13 with an emphasis on better understanding the groundwater flow system and groundwater budget. Surface-water resources are limited in Deep Creek Valley and are generally used for agriculture. Groundwater is the predominant water source for most other uses and to supplement irrigation. Most groundwater withdrawal in Deep Creek Valley occurs from the unconsolidated basin-fill deposits, in which conditions are generally unconfined near the mountain front and confined in the lower-altitude parts of the valley. Productive aquifers are also present in fractured bedrock that occurs along the valley margins and beneath the basin-fill deposits. The consolidated-rock and basin-fill aquifers are hydraulically connected in many areas with much of the recharge occurring in the consolidated-rock mountain blocks and most of the discharge occurring from the lower-altitude basin-fill deposits. Average annual recharge to the Deep Creek Valley hydrographic area was estimated to be between 19,000 and 29,000 acre-feet. Groundwater recharge occurs mostly from the infiltration of precipitation and snowmelt at high altitudes. Additional, but limited recharge occurs from the infiltration of runoff from precipitation near the mountain front, infiltration along stream channels, and possible subsurface inflow from adjacent hydrographic areas. Groundwater moves from areas of recharge to springs and streams in the mountains, and to evapotranspiration areas, springs, streams, and wells in the basins. Discharge may also occur as subsurface groundwater outflow to adjacent hydrographic areas. Average annual discharge from the Deep Creek Valley hydrographic area was estimated to be between 21,000 and 22,000 acre-feet, with the largest portion of discharge occurring as evapotranspiration. Groundwater samples were collected from 10 sites for geochemical analysis. Dissolved-solids concentrations ranged from 126 to 475 milligrams per liter, and none of the sites sampled during this study had dissolved-solids concentrations that exceeded the Environmental Protection Agency secondary standard for drinking water of 500 milligrams per liter. Tritium concentrations from 1.6 to 10.1 tritium units at 3 of the 10 sample sites indicate the presence of modern (less than 60 years old) groundwater, and apparent tritium/helium-3 ages calculated for these sites ranged from 7 to 29 years. The other seven sample sites had tritium concentrations less than or equal to 0.4 tritium units and are assumed to be pre-modern. Adjusted minimum radiocarbon ages of these seven pre-modern water samples ranged from 1,000 to 8,000 years with the ages of at least four of the samples being more than 3,000 years. Noble-gas recharge temperatures indicate that groundwater sampled along the valley axis recharged at both mountain and valley altitudes, providing evidence for both mountain-block and mountain-front recharge. Water-level altitude contours and groundwater ages indicate the potential for a long flow path from southwest to northeast between northern Spring and Deep Creek Valleys through Tippett Valley. Although information gathered during this study is insufficient to conclude whether or not groundwater travels along this interbasin flow path, dissolved sulfate and chloride data indicate that a small fraction of the lower altitude, northern Deep Creek Valley discharge may be sourced from these areas. Despite the uncertainty due to limited data collection points, a hydraulic connection between northern Spring Valley, Tippett Valley, and Deep Creek Valley appears likely, and potential regional effects resulting from future groundwater withdrawals in northern Spring Valley warrant ongoing monitoring of groundwater levels across this area.