Arctic ocean ventilation studied with a suite of anthropogenic halocarbon tracers

The chlorofluoromethanes (CFMs: CCl(2)F(2) and CCl(3)F), methyl chloroform (CH(3)CCl(3)), and carbon tetrachloride (CCl(4)) have been measured in deep waters of the Arctic Ocean. Oceanic and atmospheric inventories of these compounds result from known anthropogenic releases; because the CFMs and CCl(4) are also chemically nonreactive, they can be used as transient tracers of ocean circulation. The input history of CCl(4) is longer than that of any other transient tracer identified to date( approximately 70 years). This long input history, together with an e-folding time scale of increase(tau) of approximately 28 years, makes CCl(4) potentially the most useful tracer for calibrating models of the oceanic uptake of the fossil-fuel CO(2) transient(tau approximately 25 years). The bottom water of the Nansen Basin, Arctic Ocean, has detectable CCl(4) but undetectable CFM(s) and CH(3)CCl(3), which suggests either that the bottom water is approximately 50 years old, or that there is a small, nonanthropogenic component of atmospheric CCl(4)(<6 parts per trillion by volume).     

Comment on "Impacts of biodiversity loss on ocean ecosystem services"

Worm et al. (Research Articles, 3 November 2006, p. 787) investigated the importance of biodiversity to marine ecosystem services across temporal and spatial scales. In projecting the extent of future fisheries collapse, we argue that the authors inappropriately extrapolated beyond their available observations and used data on marine reserves and fishery closures that are not representative of global fisheries.     

Observation of a subsurface oil-rich layer in the open ocean

A layer of water at a depth of 200 meters containing 3 to 12 milligrams per liter of oil was found during February and March 1978 over a distance of 800 nautical miles in the southwest North Atlantic and the eastern Caribbean. The geochemistry and carbon-14 activity of the oil shows it to be a weathered crude, probably from a submarine seep. Although the dimensions of the oily layer were not determined, conservative estimates indicate that more than I megaton could have been present.     

A coherent signature of anthropogenic nitrogen deposition to remote watersheds of the Northern Hemisphere

Humans have more than doubled the amount of reactive nitrogen (Nr) added to the biosphere, yet most of what is known about its accumulation and ecological effects is derived from studies of heavily populated regions. Nitrogen (N) stable isotope ratios ((15)N:(14)N) in dated sediments from 25 remote Northern Hemisphere lakes show a coherent signal of an isotopically distinct source of N to ecosystems beginning in 1895 ± 10 years (±1 standard deviation). Initial shifts in N isotope composition recorded in lake sediments coincide with anthropogenic CO(2) emissions but accelerate with widespread industrial Nr production during the past half century. Although current atmospheric Nr deposition rates in remote regions are relatively low, anthropogenic N has probably influenced watershed N budgets across the Northern Hemisphere for over a century.     

Inorganic nitrogen compounds in ocean stagnation and nutrient resupply

The interrelations and time-dependence of nitrate, nitrite, and ammonia in a deep basin of the Baltic Sea yield a measurement of stagnation history and may provide a means of prediction of resupply of nutrients to the upper productive layers.     

氮沉降对杉木人工林凋落物微量元素含量的影响

在12年生的杉木人工林中开展4种水平的模拟氮沉降试验,分别为N0(对照)、N1、N2、N3,N沉降量依次为0、60、120、240 kg.hm-2.a-1。通过对凋落物的化学分析发现,4种微量元素在凋落物各组分中的年平均含量大小表现为Fe>Mn>Zn>Cu。氮沉降处理,尤其是中低水平的氮沉降(N1、N2)明显增加了凋落叶中Mn、Fe元素的含量,但在一定程度上降低了Zn元素含量。各微量元素在1 a中出现2个养分归还高峰期,第1次峰值大都出现在4月份,但第2次峰值出现的时间不一致。经N0、N1、N2、N3处理,Cu元素的年归还量分别为8.69、8.99、9.79和8.77 g.hm-2;Mn元素年归还量分别为244.91、293.95、278.68和200.99 g.hm-2;Zn元素年归还量分别为40.08、42.92、44.73和38.63 g.hm-2;Fe元素年归还量分别为459.00、614.09、598.81和406.28 g.hm-2。相对于N0处理,N1、N2处理表现出提高凋落物Cu、Mn、Zn、Fe元素归还量的正作用,而N3处理表现为负作用。     

Enhanced open ocean storage of CO2 from shelf sea pumping

Seasonal field observations show that the North Sea, a Northern European shelf sea, is highly efficient in pumping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere to the North Atlantic Ocean. The bottom topography-controlled stratification separates production and respiration processes in the North Sea, causing a carbon dioxide increase in the subsurface layer that is ultimately exported to the North Atlantic Ocean. Globally extrapolated, the net uptake of carbon dioxide by coastal and marginal seas is about 20% of the world ocean's uptake of anthropogenic carbon dioxide, thus enhancing substantially the open ocean carbon dioxide storage.     

Ammonium micas: possible sources of atmospheric ammonia and nitrogen

Ammonium muscovite, NH(4)Al(2)AlSi(3)O(10)(OH)(2), and ammonium phlogopite, NH(4)Mg(3)AlSi(3)O(10)(OH)(2), have been synthesized hydrothermally at gas pressures of 2 kilobars and temperatures between 550 degrees and 730 degrees C. Both micas are stable only in environments of high ammonia fugacity. Ammonia or nitrogen, or both, are released by thermal decomposition, cation exchange, or oxidation. The ammonia : nitrogen ratio in the gas depends primarily on the hydrogen fugacity and the temperature of the environment. Calculations show that, even in a predifferentiated Earth, nitrogen may have predominated. The total amount of nitrogen present on the surface of Earth could be accounted for by the decomposition of a layer of ammonium muscovite 170 meters thick.     

氮沉降对杉木林土壤有效氮和磷含量的影响

为探究长期氮沉降对土壤有效氮和磷含量的影响,以亚热带杉木人工林为研究对象,研究10 a 氮沉降对杉木人工林土壤有效氮、磷含量的影响,并探讨干、湿季土壤有效氮、磷含量对氮沉降的响应动态。试验分为对照(0 kg?hm－2?a－1)、低氮(60 kg?hm－2?a－1)、中氮(120 kg?hm－2?a－1)、高氮(240 kg?hm－2?a－1)4种处理模拟氮沉降试验,结果表明,随着施氮量的增加,土壤铵态氮、硝态氮和有效氮含量呈上升趋势,并且铵态氮和硝态氮表现出明显的季节动态。土壤pH值和NH＋4－N/NO－3－N值随着施氮量增加而降低,有效磷的含量在中氮处理中最高, N/P值均在一个较高的水平范围。     

氮沉降对杉木人工林土壤呼吸与土壤纤维素酶活性的影响

为研究森林土壤呼吸速率和纤维素酶活性对氮沉降增加的响应,以福建三明沙县官庄林场12年生杉木人工林为研究对象,设置了N0、N1、N2和N3四个水平,N沉降量以氮素计依次为0、60、120、240 kg.hm-2.a-1,对其林地土壤表层(0-20 cm)、中层(20-40 cm)和底层(40-60 cm)土壤进行了为期3 a的模拟氮沉降试验。结果表明:氮沉降抑制了林地表层土壤的呼吸作用,但明显促进了中层和底层土壤的呼吸作用。在N1、N2和N3处理下,林地表层土壤呼吸速率分别降低了28.34%、2.04%和15.31%,而中层土壤土壤呼吸速率分别增加了53.44%、62.22%和20.20%,底层土壤呼吸速率分别增加了117.46%、42.72%和72.86%。氮沉降在初始的2 a内使森林土壤纤维素酶活性提高,而在第3年,N1和N2处理对土壤纤维素酶活性的促进作用减弱,N3处理则显著降低了土壤纤维素酶活性。总体上看,经N1、N2处理后,土壤呼吸速率与土壤纤维素酶活性存在正相关性,而N3处理下两者的关系不显著。     

Ethane ocean on titan

It is proposed that Saturn's satellite Titan is covered by an ocean one to several kilometers deep consisting mainly of ethane. If the ocean is in thermodynamic equilibrium with an atmosphere of 3 percent (mole fraction) methane, then its composition is roughly 70 percent ethane, 25 percent methane, and 5 percent nitrogen. Photochemical models predict that ethane is the dominant end product of methane photolysis so that the evolving ocean is both the source and sink for continuing photolysis. The coexisting atmosphere is compatible with Voyager data.     

川南天然常绿阔叶林人工更新后枯落物对土壤供氮潜力的影响

该文通过实验室土壤培养试验,研究了天然常绿阔叶林及其人工更新成檫木林、柳杉林后0~20cm土层土壤在25℃、自然含水量和添加不同枯落物条件下,培养15、30、45、60、75、90d土壤供氮能力的差异.结果表明:在不添加枯落物时,土壤铵态氮、硝态氮、总无机氮和微生物量氮含量以及硝化速率、氮净矿化速率,均为天然常绿阔叶林>檫木林>柳杉林;各林分土壤添加其枯落物后,土壤铵态氮、硝态氮和总无机氮含量以及氨化速率、硝化速率、氮净矿化速率均高于不添加枯落物土壤,而且在檫木林、柳杉林土壤中添加天然常绿阔叶林枯落物比添加其自身林地枯落物高;微生物量氮含量与铵态氮、硝态氮和总无机氮含量以及硝化速率、氮净矿化速率均存在显著相关性.这说明了天然常绿阔叶林人工更新后土壤供氮能力和微生物生物量下降,天然常绿阔叶林枯落物与檫木林和柳杉林枯落物相比,对土壤供氮能力和微生物生物量的影响作用更大,微生物量氮含量的变化能较好地反映土壤供氮能力的变化.因此,枯落物数量和质量对林地土壤供氮能力和微生物生物量具有重要作用,研究结果为保护天然常绿阔叶林、选择适宜的更新树种和天然常绿阔叶林人工更新后林地土壤的科学管理提供依据,也为退耕还林中树种的选择提供参考.     

Nitrogen fixation by floating diatom mats: a source of new nitrogen to oligotrophic ocean waters

Nitrogen fixation, apparently by bacterial endosymbionts, is associated with intertwining chains of two species of the diatom Rhizosolenia. In situ fixation rates were enhanced by incubation in the dark, whereas concurrent shipboard experiments either underestimated or did not detect nitrogen fixation. This is the first example of nitrogen fixation associated with a bacteria-diatom symbiosis in the pelagic zone, and it indicates that these systems may contribute a significant amount of "new" nitrogen to oligotrophic waters.     

氮肥用量对江淮粳稻稻米品质及主要矿质元素含量的影响

通过田间试验,研究了3个氮肥水平下(0 kg/hm2、150 kg/hm2、300 kg/hm2)江淮粳稻(镇稻88、南粳44)主要稻米品质指标和精米中主要矿质元素含量的变化。结果表明,氮肥用量对稻米主要品质指标和矿质元素含量的影响显著,两个品种的变化趋势基本一致。随着氮肥用量的增加,水稻的出糙率、精米率、整精米率、垩白大小、垩白米率、垩白度均呈现下降趋势,但米粒的长宽比升高,外观品质改善的效应高于加工品质的下降效应,且在高氮水平下,整精米率、垩白米率显著下降,长宽比显著增加。籽粒中直链淀粉含量随氮肥用量的增加而下降,而蛋白质含量相反,且在高氮水平下,蛋白质含量明显提高。精米中的主要矿质元素(Mg、Ca、P、Fe、Mn、Zn、Cu)含量,除Mn之外,均随施氮水平的提高而呈现下降趋势,但有些矿质元素受到氮肥的影响程度因品种而异。上述结果表明,施氮量增加,将影响稻米的加工品质和矿质营养水平,但外观品质可以得到明显改善。在施氮水平确定中,不仅要考虑水稻高产与氮肥高效的协调,还应该兼顾产量与矿质营养品质的同步提高!。     

Impact of anthropogenic CO2 on the CaCO3 system in the oceans

Rising atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations over the past two centuries have led to greater CO2 uptake by the oceans. This acidification process has changed the saturation state of the oceans with respect to calcium carbonate (CaCO3) particles. Here we estimate the in situ CaCO3 dissolution rates for the global oceans from total alkalinity and chlorofluorocarbon data, and we also discuss the future impacts of anthropogenic CO2 on CaCO3 shell-forming species. CaCO3 dissolution rates, ranging from 0.003 to 1.2 micromoles per kilogram per year, are observed beginning near the aragonite saturation horizon. The total water column CaCO3 dissolution rate for the global oceans is approximately 0.5 +/- 0.2 petagrams of CaCO3-C per year, which is approximately 45 to 65% of the export production of CaCO3.