Cold Freshwater Research Articles

Does Cabbeling Shape the Thermohaline Structure of High-Latitude Oceans?

Abstract Vertical exchange of heat and carbon in the ocean regulates Earth’s climate. Convection, a driver of near-surface exchange, occurs when dense water overlies light water. In a 1957 study, N. Fofonoff pointed out that when lighter overlying cold-fresh water mixes with denser underlying warm-salty water, the mixture can become denser than the underlying water due to a nonlinear process known as cabbeling. He suggested that such profiles, despite being gravitationally stable, could be classed as being unstable to cabbeling. Fofonoff hypothesized that, by mixing away such profiles, cabbeling may be shaping the thermohaline structure of polar oceans. We investigate this hypothesis here. In a one-dimensional model, we find that convective mixing occurs in temperature inverted profiles that are unstable to cabbeling even when they are initially gravitationally stable. In data from an observationally constrained global circulation model, we find profiles with a temperature inversion larger than −0.5°C are unstable to cabbeling less than 0.02% of the time, and in high-quality in situ observations, they are unstable less than 12% of the time. We find that due to cabbeling, larger temperature inversions, which should weaken stratification, make profiles more stable. Our results suggest that cabbeling limits the stability behavior of temperature inverted profiles and influences the thermohaline structure in parts of the ocean where cold-fresh water overlays warm-salty water.

Postvolcanic processes suggested by the minor and trace elements content of cold freshwater bodies located within the Ciomadul Quaternary volcano

Postvolcanic processes suggested by the minor and trace elements content of cold freshwater bodies located within the Ciomadul Quaternary volcano

On the Relation between Thermohaline Anomalies and Water Mass Transformation in the Eastern Subpolar North Atlantic

Abstract Decadal thermohaline anomalies carried northward by the North Atlantic Current are an important source of predictability in the North Atlantic region. Here, we investigate whether these thermohaline anomalies influence surface-forced water mass transformation (SFWMT) in the eastern subpolar gyre using the reanalyses EN4.2.2 for the ocean and the ERA5 for the atmosphere. In addition, we follow the propagation of thermohaline anomalies along two paths: in the subpolar North Atlantic and the Norwegian Sea. We use observation-based datasets (HadISST, EN4.2.2, and Ishii) between 1947 and 2021 and apply complex empirical orthogonal functions. Our results show that when a warm anomaly enters the eastern subpolar gyre, more SFWMT occurs in light-density classes (27.0–27.2 kg m−3). In contrast, when a cold anomaly enters the eastern subpolar gyre, more SFWMT occurs in denser classes (27.4–27.5 kg m−3). Following the thermohaline anomalies in both paths, we find alternating warm–salty and cold–fresh subsurface anomalies, repeating throughout the 74-yr-long record with four warm–salty and cold–fresh periods after the 1950s. The cold–fresh anomaly periods happen simultaneously with the Great Salinity Anomaly events. Moreover, the propagation of thermohaline anomalies is faster in the subpolar North Atlantic (SPNA) than in the Norwegian Sea, especially for temperature anomalies. These findings might have implications for our understanding of the decadal variability of the lower limb of the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and predictability in the North Atlantic region. Significance Statement Anomalously warm–salty or cold–fresh water, carried by the North Atlantic Current toward the Arctic, is a source of climate predictability. In this study, we investigate 1) how these ocean anomalies influence the transformation of water masses in the eastern subpolar gyre and 2) their subsequent propagation poleward and northwestward. The key findings reveal that anomalously warm waters entering the eastern subpolar gyre lead to increased transformation in lighter water masses, while cold anomalies affect denser water masses. These anomalies propagate more than 2 times faster toward the Greenland coast (northwestward) than toward the Arctic (poleward). Our findings contribute to enhancing the understanding of decadal predictability in the northern North Atlantic, including its influence on the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation.

Consistent Seasonal Hydrography From Moorings at Northwest Greenland Glacier Fronts

AbstractGreenland's marine‐terminating glaciers connect the ice sheet to the ocean and provide a critical boundary where heat, freshwater, and nutrient exchanges take place. Buoyant freshwater runoff from inland ice sheet melt is discharged at the base of marine‐terminating glaciers, forming vigorous upwelling plumes. It is understood that subglacial plumes modify waters near glacier fronts and increase submarine glacier melt by entraining warm ambient waters at depth. However, ocean observations along Greenland's coastal margins remain biased toward summer months which limits accurate estimation of ocean forcing on glacier retreat and acceleration. Here, we fill a key observational gap in northwest Greenland by describing seasonal hydrographic variation at glacier fronts in Melville Bay using in situ observations from moorings deployed year‐round, CTDs, and profiling floats. We evaluated local and remote forcing using remote sensing and reanalysis data products alongside a high‐resolution ocean model. Analysis of the year‐round hydrographic data revealed consistent above‐sill seasonality in temperature and salinity. The warmest, saltiest waters occurred in spring (April–May) and primed glaciers for enhanced submarine melt in summer when meltwater plumes entrain deep waters. Waters were coldest and freshest in early winter (November–December) after summer melt from sea ice, glacier ice, and icebergs provided cold freshwater along the shelf. Ocean variability was greatest in the summer and fall, coincident with increased freshwater runoff and large wind events before winter sea ice formation. Results increase our mechanistic understanding of Greenland ice‐ocean interactions and enable improvements in ocean model parameterization.

Odden Ice Melt Linked to Labrador Sea Ice Expansions and the Great Salinity Anomalies of 1970–1995

AbstractIn each of the last three decades of the 20th century there were unprecedented expansions of sea‐ice over the Labrador Sea basin and influxes of cold fresh water into the subpolar gyre (SPG) which have been described as the Great Salinity Anomalies (GSAs). Employing data for sea surface temperature, salinity, and sea‐ice cover, we propose that these events were downstream consequences of the expansion and subsequent melting of so‐called “Odden” ice formed over the deep basin of the Greenland‐Iceland‐Norway (GIN) Sea in the 1960s, 1970s, and 1980s and additional to the normal East Greenland shelf sea‐ice. We extend previous findings that Odden ice expansions were linked to winter episodes of high atmospheric pressure north of Greenland that directed freezing Arctic winds across the GIN Sea and may also have been associated with increased Arctic sea‐ice volume leading to enhanced ice export through Fram Strait. We show that cold water and ice derived from Odden melting in the summer passed through Denmark Strait and along the East Greenland shelf, and accumulated in the Labrador Sea, creating favorable conditions for winter ice formation during particularly cold years in southwest Greenland. Meltwater from Odden and Labrador Sea ice appeared to break out into the SPG in the fall of 1982 and 1984 respectively and this cold water represents the likely source of the 1982–1985 GSA. These findings further our understanding of the physical processes linking ice formation and melt with ocean circulation in this key component of the climate system.

Phylogenetic diversity of prokaryotes from the Churek-Dorgun cold spring (Tuva Republic)

For the first time, the composition of microbial communities in the sediments of the cold freshwater spring Churek-Dorgun, located in the Kaa-Khem district of the Republic of Tuva, was studied using high-throughput sequencing. According to the chemical composition, the water of the Churek-Dorgun spring belonged to the sulfate-hydrocarbonate calcium type with weak mineralization (0.39 g / L) and neutral pH values (6.8 - 7.3). According to the sequencing results, 38,066 reads of 16S rRNA gene belonging to the Bacteria and Archaea domains were identified in the sediments sample. Archaea accounted for 0.27% of the microorganisms, with the phylum Methanobacteriota predominating. In total, 23 phyla in the bacterial microbial community were identified. Three bacterial phyla - Pseudomonadota, Bacillota, and Bacteroidota - which are typical of freshwater microbial communities dominated. The basis of the silt microbial community was widespread widespread in different ecosystems microorganisms: Aeromonas, Psychrosinus, Malikia, Dechloromonas, Sunxiuqinia, Thiobacillus, Geobacter, Litorilinea, Giesbergeria and Rivibacter. They have different physiological properties and metabolism. Microorganisms involved in the sulfur cycle were also found in the silt, including chemolithotrophic sulfur-oxidizing bacteria of the genus Thiobacillus (class Betaproteobacteria, 3.02%), microaerophilic sulfur-reducing bacteria of the genus Geobacter (class Deltaproteobacteria, 2.86%), and sulfate-reducing Deltaproteobacteria.

Genome-wide identification and characterization of interleukin-18 gene family in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss)

Rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) are cold freshwater fish species belonging to the Salmonidae family, and they hold significant economic importance in the global aquaculture industry. The Interleukin-18 gene family plays a crucial role in the immune response of Rainbow trout when combating viral infections. A wide range of computational approaches were conducted to investigate the functions, phylogeny, and expressions of IL-18 family genes. The study found that there were nine IL-18 genes present on eight chromosomes of Rainbow trout, and their encoded proteins were predicted to be distributed in the cytoplasm and nucleus. Genetic structures, motif and conserved domains analysis revealed that IL-18 genes in the same group have similar exons, motifs, and conserved domains. The phylogenetic study demonstrates the divergence of 38 IL-18 genes from three fish species into three distinct subgroups across time. The synteny analysis revealed the evolutionary mechanisms, such as gene duplications and mutations. In addition, the research investigated the expression of IL-18 genes in the liver tissues of Rainbow trout following infection with infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV). These findings provide a comprehensive understanding of the role of IL-18 genes in O. mykiss in response to pathogenic infection.

Design and Long-Term Performance of a Pilot Wastewater Heat Recovery System in a Commercial Kitchen in the Tourism Sector

This paper assesses the performance of waste heat recovery from commercial kitchen wastewater in practice. A pilot study of heat recovery from the kitchen at Penrhyn Castle, a tourist attraction in North Wales (UK), is outlined. The pilot heat recovery site was designed and installed, comprising a heat exchanger, recirculation pumps, buffer tank and an extensive temperature/flow monitoring system for performance monitoring of the waste heat recovery system. Continuous monitoring was conducted for a period of 8 months, covering the 2022 tourist season. The recovered heat from the kitchen wastewater preheats the incoming cold freshwater supply and consequently reduces the amount of energy consumed for subsequent water heating. Retrofitting the pilot heat recovery system to the kitchen drains resulted in a heat saving of 240 kWh per month on average, a reduction of 928.8 kg CO2e per year, and a payback period for the investment costs of approximately two years, depending on the cost of energy supply. The presented results illustrate the potential of this form of renewable heat in reducing the carbon footprint of water heating activities in buildings and the hospitality sector.

Multi-variable study of a novel multigeneration system using biogas separation unit and LNG cold energy utilization, producing electricity, cooling, heat, fresh water, liquid CO2, biomethane, and methanol

Biogas fuel has gained recognition as a highly suitable alternative to fossil fuels, attributed to its renewable nature and remarkable energy density. Biogas fuel utilization facilitates the integration of combined energy systems equipped with multi-generational structures, rendering them suitable for long-term planning and management. Hence, this study presents a unique approach to using biogas for multigeneration, exhibiting enhanced thermodynamic efficiencies and negative carbon dioxide emissions. To achieve the stated objective, an innovative system is devised that involves the utilization of a biogas separation unit in integration with several other components, including a LNG cold energy utilization unit, an ammonia Rankine cycle, a desalination unit, a Kalina cycle, a solid oxide electrolyzer cell, a biomethane combined cycle, and a methanol synthesis unit. The newly devised configuration is simulated through the Aspen HYSYS software and assessed from energy, exergy, environmental, and economic considerations. Based on the research findings, the suggested methodology exhibits energy and exergy efficiencies of 91% and 83%, correspondingly. Furthermore, the evaluation of the entire unit cost of the product and the levelized energy cost reveals values of 4.81 $/GJ and 0.033 $/kWh, respectively. The carbon dioxide emission intensity of the newly implemented process is calculated to be − 0.1041 kg/kWh. The economic aspects reveal a favorable net present value of 1470.6 M$ and a payback period of 5.29 years.

Impact of Global Warming on Kryal Fauna: Thermal Tolerance Response of Diamesa steinboecki (Goetghebuer, 1933; Chironomidae)

The ice fly Diamesa steinboecki Goetghebuer, 1933 (Diptera: Chironomidae: Diamesinae) is exclusive to glacier-fed streams in the East Palaearctic region and is threatened by extinction due to global warming and glacier retreat. To date, no data are available on its thermal tolerance or ability to develop a heat shock response (HSR) or involve other biomarkers when exposed to higher-than-natural temperatures (i.e., >4–6 °C). Our study aimed to investigate the warmth resistance of IV-instar larvae of D. steinboecki in terms of (1) ability to survive heat shock and (2) gene expression of four genes known to be involved in the detoxification/stress response (cytochrome p450 (Cyp450), heat shock protein 70 (hsp70), hsp70 with intron and heat shock protein cognate 70 (hsc70)). Larvae were exposed to short-term shocks for 1 h at increasing temperatures (26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, 38, and 40 °C) to estimate the lethal temperature, obtaining high values (LT10 = 38.1 °C, LT50 = 39.2 °C, LT99 = 40.3 °C), suggesting a strong heat resistance up to 38 °C and a very rapid decline in survival thereafter. Moreover, gene expression analysis by real-time PCR was performed on larvae from the control (at 2 °C) and larvae found alive after the previous treatment at 26, 28, 30, 32, 34, 36, and 38 °C. Modulation of the expression was observed only for hsc70 and hsp70 genes. Specifically, hsc70 resulted in constitutive overexpression, even at 26 °C when all larvae were found alive without evidence of suffering. By contrast, hsp70 showed up and downregulation according to the specific temperature, suggesting the activation of an HSR at 28 °C, when some larvae were found alive but suffering (almost paralyzed). The results suggest that, based on LTs, D. steinboecki is more thermally tolerant than other Diamesa species (e.g., D. tonsa) from cold freshwaters, but, as in these, hsp70 and hsc70 are involved in surviving short-term heat shock. This makes the ice fly from the Alps different from Belgica antarctica and other cold-adapted organisms living in extremely cold habitats that, constantly exposed to cold, have lost the ability to develop an HSR. Further research is needed to investigate the response to prolonged exposure to temperatures higher that the natural one, giving new insights into the biological response to climate change of alpine species threatened by extinction.

RETRACTED: The hybrid absorption cooling–desalination and reverse osmosis system to boost energy utilization efficiency

The reverse osmosis (RO) process is the most widely used water softening system, which is used due to its high-performance efficiency. However, this method causes damage to the ecosystem by producing concentrated salt water. This research investigated the integration of the newly proposed absorption cooling–desalination (ACD) hybrid system and the reverse osmosis method. In this method, the brine that comes out of the reverse osmosis is introduced to the evaporator of the ACD system for further distillation. This work is a possible solution for the treatment of reverse osmosis output brine, increasing the recovery rate, minimizing the overall cost of operation, and preserving the ecosystem. Also, by the implementation of this novel unit, excessive cold fresh water is created. The results show that the cooling capacity of the ACD system alone is about 0.346 kW with a coefficient of performance (COP) of 0.774, and it can produce 13.887 cubic meters of water per day at a working temperature of 85 degrees Celsius, which can be easily obtained from low-temperature sources. Compared to the reverse osmosis method alone, the combined method of reverse osmosis and ACD unit proposed in this article causes an overall increase in recovery rate (RR) by 72% and a reduction in electrical energy consumption by 49%. Besides, the overall produced water salinity declined by 59% due to the integration of RO and ACD units.

Shift of phytoplankton and microbial communities cause seasonal dynamics of odor compounds in Oncorhynchus mykiss cultured in a freshwater reservoir

The presence of the odorous compounds geosmin (GSM) and 2-methylisoborneol (MIB) can cause off-flavor in aquacultural products and result in large economic losses. Here, we investigated the effects of various factors on the abundance of microorganisms that mediate the production of off-flavor compounds as well as the environmental conditions that promote the growth of these microorganisms. We monitored seasonal variation in water quality, odorous compounds, and phytoplankton and microbial communities in a cold freshwater reservoir with Oncorhynchus mykiss. All water quality parameters significantly differed among seasons with the exception of salinity and total suspended solids. The concentrations of GSM and MIB in fish varied among seasons, and the highest values were observed in the summer. Pearson correlation analysis revealed that Cyanophyta and Bacillariophyta in water were significantly related to both GSM and MIB concentrations in fish, and three genera in Cyanophyta, including Aphanizomenon, Oscillatoria, and Anabaena, were positively correlated with GSM and MIB concentrations (P < 0.05). Principal component analysis indicated that microbial communities were distinct among the four seasons. However, no significant correlations of both the order Myxococcales and phylum Actinobacteria with odorous compounds were detected (P > 0.05). Temperature, soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), and total phosphorus (TP) were significantly positively correlated with the phyla and genera that were significantly positively correlated with GSM and MIB concentrations (P < 0.05). Various water quality parameters (SRP and TP) could be managed to reduce the presence of GSM and MIB-induced off-flavor in this reservoir as well as other cold freshwater systems used for aquaculture.

Evaluation of the fish acute toxicity test for pesticide registration

The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA) uses the in vivo fish acute toxicity test to assess potential risk of substances to non-target aquatic vertebrates. The test is typically conducted on a cold and a warm freshwater species and a saltwater species for a conventional pesticide registration, potentially requiring upwards of 200 or more fish. A retrospective data evaluation was conducted to explore the potential for using fewer fish species to support conventional pesticide risk assessments. Lethal concentration 50% (LC50) values and experimental details were extracted and curated from 718 studies on fish acute toxicity submitted to USEPA. The LC50 data were analysed to determine, when possible, the relative sensitivity of the tested species to each pesticide. One of the tested freshwater species was most sensitive in 85% of those cases. The tested cold freshwater species was the most sensitive overall among cases with established relative sensitivity and was within 3X of the LC50 value of the most sensitive species tested in 98% of those cases. The results support potentially using fewer than three fish species to conduct ecological risk assessments for the registration of conventional pesticides.

Integration of desalination and energy conversion in a thermo-osmotic system using low-grade heat: Performance analysis and techno-economic evaluation

Freshwater and electricity cogeneration systems, using renewable energy sources, can play a crucial role at the water-energy nexus. By placing a hydrophobic, porous membrane between a hot saline water flow and a pressurized cold freshwater flow, thermal-osmotic energy conversion and thermal-osmotic desalination can be implemented simultaneously. A novel open-loop freshwater and electricity cogeneration system is proposed and evaluated, which consists of a hydrophobic membrane module, a seawater pump, two heat exchangers, and a hydraulic turbine. In the base case designed for a daily freshwater production of 3.9 × 104 m3/day, the net power output is estimated to be 2.15 MWe and the energy efficiency of power generation is 0.24%. Considering the economic benefits brought by the electricity production, the water production cost is 0.36 $/m3 with a global average industrial electricity price of 0.11 $/kWh. Compared with the commercial reverse osmosis desalination technology, the desalination cost of the hybrid system is reduced by over 28%. The parameter analysis is carried out and reveals that optimizing membrane properties and operating conditions can greatly improve the energy efficiency and reduce the water production cost. Improving the liquid entry pressure and permeability coefficient and reducing the thermal conductivity of the membrane are the key to improving the application prospect of the system.

The Thores Lake proglacial system: remnant stability in the rapidly changing Canadian High Arctic

We describe limnological data sets from Thores Lake, a large ice-contact proglacial lake in northern Ellesmere Island, Nunavut (82.65°N), including longitudinal and cross transects (vertical resolution 0.03 m, horizontal resolution 100–200 m). The lake is formed due to damming by Thores Glacier at its northwest margin, has multi-year ice cover and a cold (&lt;1.54 °C) fresh water column with a bottom layer of &lt;0 °C, high-conductivity water in the deepest basin. Thores Lake is ultraoligotrophic, with low nutrient and phytoplankton stocks. Accessory pigment data and metagenomics were used to describe the eukaryotic microbial community. Diversity and taxonomic composition in the water column were homogeneous down to a depth of 40 m, consistent with density profiles. Surface water at the glacier interface was characterized by high turbidity and total phosphorus concentrations, and a distinct phytoplankton community dominated by chlorophytes, whereas the lake water column had higher relative abundances of chrysophytes and photosynthetic dinoflagellates. Thores Lake has a contracted pelagic food web, with the highest trophic level occupied by phytoplankton-feeding rotifers, and no crustacean zooplankton; profiles showed that omega-3 fatty acids (FAs) ranged from &lt;1% (glacier interface) to 3.6% (central lake) of total seston FAs. Given the stability of the Thores Glacier ice dam and the persistence of cold water capped by perennial ice, Thores Lake provides a baseline to assess the impact of climate change on far northern lakes.

Propagation Speed of the Frontal Head Through Lock-Exchange Density Current in Cold Fresh Water: Simulations without the Effect of Back-reflected Waves

The behaviour of warm water discharged at 4\(^{\circ}\)C through lock-exchange in cold fresh water was investigated numerically, fixing lock volume at the centre of the domain. This investigation as presented here is practical and can also enhance policy making towards the protection of the aquatic ecosystems. Though, the aim of this study is to better fathom and as well, gain more insight into such ows. Our results have shown a speedy movement of the lock volume at the centre of the domain with a leading head at two front on the oor which resulted in a hat shape within the first few time frame. Fluid movement in the second phase is independent of the back reflected waves. We were able to identify two regimes of ow with a stepwise decreasing velocity in the second phase. Our results have shown that velocity with which the current travels with in the second regime is higher within the first time frame as compared to those with the effect of back reflected waves. One major factor that is responsible for decrease in the velocity here is mixing. Previous results have also shown that the front velocities in the collapsing phase are independent of lock volume. But this seem not to be the same here because fluid movement in the first phase (regime) is not totally independent of the lock volume and its position here, where density difference is as a result of temperature. However, our scaling power laws here in the second phase show some variations with previous studies where we have effect of back reflected waves. But results in the collapsing phase here are in strong agreement with those in the first phase of our previous simulations with small lock volume. Generally, the spreading behaviour here is dependent on lock volume, barrier position, density difference and Reynolds number.

A Numerical Study of the behaviour on Lock Volume Variations in Lock-Exchange Density Current in Cold Fresh Water

The behaviour of warm discharge through lock-exchange was investigated numerically, with the assumption that density was taken as a quadratic function of temperature. Simulations were conducted eleven different times varying barrier position. This work as presented here is practical and can also enhance policy making towards the protection of the aquatic ecosystems. Such behaviours are evident in lakes, especially in holomictic lakes and warm discharge from thermoelectric power generating plants. The sudden increase in water temperature after discharge may leads to ”thermal shock” killing aquatic life that has become acclimatised to living in a stable temperate environment. The aim of this investigation is to better fathom and as well, gain more insight into such flows. The results show that regimes of flow is dependent on the size of the lock volume. The general behaviours here are dependent on lock volume, density difference and Reynolds number. Effects of back reflected waves on the propagation speed was not significant for small lock volume simulations. A rapid collapsing behaviour of fluid was noticed for simulations with small lock volume, and the velocity decreases with increase in lock volume in this same phase. Propagation speed is not totally independent of the lock volume. Cabbeling was also key at the point where water masses meet, and as well the development of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities. Relations that describes the various regimes of flow are given in Table (1 - 11). Though, there are little variations in the scaling laws as compared to the earlier studied cases where density difference was by the means of salt water. Lastly, it will be interesting if measures can be taken to eliminate the effect of this back reflected waves in other to properly fathom the behaviour in thepropagation of the frontal speed after the slumping phase.

Eocene Sedimentary–Diagenetic Environment Analysis of the Pingtai Area of the Qaidam Basin

Based on the petrological characteristics and elemental geochemical analysis of core samples from the Pingtai area in the northern structural belt of the Qaidam Basin, this study shows that the clay mineral assemblage of Lulehe Formation sandstone is dominated by high contents of smectite, chlorite and illite, and does not contain illite–smectite mixed layers or kaolinite. The chlorite and illite in the Xiaganchaigou Formation decreased gradually and the smectite disappeared. In addition, illite–smectite mixed layers began to appear and kaolinite was not present. These results indicate that the diagenetic environment of the Pingtai area in the early Eocene was dominated by alkaline media poor in K+ and rich in Mg2+, Na+ and Ca2+. In the late Eocene, K+ content in the diagenetic medium increased significantly, and smectite began to transform into illite. From the early Eocene to the late Eocene, the overall climate and environmental characteristics showed a transition from cold and dry to a cold climate that alternated between dry and wet. The content changes of common oxides, such as CaO, MgO, K2O, Na2O, SiO2, Al2O3, Fe2O3 and TiO2, showed obvious correlation. Based on the content and ratio change tendencies of Sr, Ba, Cu, Zn, U, Th, Ce and other trace elements, combined with the variation characteristics of rare earth element contents, it is suggested that the Lulehe Formation was dominated by a dry and cold freshwater sedimentary environment, and that paleoclimatic conditions were relatively cold and arid during this sedimentary period. However, the climate in the sedimentary period of the Xiaganchaigou Formation was dominated by a cold environment alternating between dry and wet, which also reflected the finding that the global climate was mainly cold and dry in the early Eocene and gradually became warm and humid in the late Eocene.

The phylogeographical pattern of the Amur minnow Rhynchocypris lagowskii (Cypriniformes: Cyprinidae) in the Qinling Mountains.

In this study, the phylogeographical pattern of the Amur minnow (Rhynchocypris lagowskii) widely distributed in the cold freshwaters of the Qinling Mountains was examined. A total of 464 specimens from 48 localities were sequenced at a 540‐bp region of the mitochondrial cytochrome b (Cytb) gene, and 69 haplotypes were obtained. The mean ratio of the number of synonymous and nonsynonymous substitutions per site (dN/dS) was 0.028 and indicated purifying selection. Haplotype diversity (h) and nucleotide diversity (π) of natural populations of R. lagowskii varied widely between distinct localities. Phylogenetic trees based on Bayesian inference (BI), maximum likelihood (ML), and maximum parsimony (MP) methods, and network analysis showed five well‐differentiated lineages, but these did not completely correspond to localities and geographic distribution. Meanwhile, analysis of molecular variances (AMOVA) indicated the highest proportion of genetic variation was attributed to the differentiation between populations rather than by our defined lineages. In addition, there was no significant correlation between the pairwise Fst values and geographic distance (p > .05). Based on the molecular clock calibration, the time to the most recent common ancestor (TMRCA) was estimated to have emerged from the Late Miocene to the Early Pleistocene. Finally, the results of demographic history based on the neutrality test, mismatch distribution, and Bayesian skyline plot (BSP) analyses showed that collectively, the populations were stable during the Pleistocene while one lineage (lineage E) probably underwent a slight contraction during the Middle Pleistocene and a rapid expansion from the Middle to the Late Pleistocene. Therefore, the study suggests the current phylogeographical pattern of R. lagowskii was likely shaped by geological events that led to vicariance followed by dispersal and secondary contact, river capture, and climatic oscillation during the Late Miocene to the Early Pleistocene in the Qinling Mountains.

Numerical Simulations of the Cabbeling Phenomenon in Surface Gravity Currents in Cold Fresh Water

The behaviour of warm water discharge at a temperature higher then Tm horizontally into a homogeneous body of cold fresh water at a temperature lower then Tm was investigated by means of a numerical model. Water density here was taken to be a quadratic function of temperature. Thus cabbeling process was inevitable as positively buoyant water form surface current while penetrating the ambient water. The current halted as mixture became dense and sink. These results are very similar to the experimental study of warm discharge into cold water by Marmoush et al. [14] and Bukreev [22]. The results showed an initially sinking water at the point where the two water bodies meets within the first few time interval. Development of Rayleigh-Taylor instabilities was observed at the lower part of the surface current as lighter fluid penetrate further. The frontal head was found to being replenished by a surface flow of warm unadulterated water, but after much entrainment of ambient fluid and cabbeling then, this head halted and sink. On the floor, denser fluid advance in the same direction as the original surface current, with some degree of Kelvin-Helmholtz instability as it penetrates further. Relations were also drawn that describes the speed, the spread length of both surface current were obtained.&#x0D; Relation were also drawn that describes the final spread length of the surface current Lsm and the time taken to reach that final spread length Tsm as a function ϕin. This work as presented here is practical and relevant to many fields of study and also enhances policy making towards the protection of the aquatic ecosystems.