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1.
Small, steep, uplifting coastal watersheds are prolific sediment producers that contribute significantly to the global marine sediment budget. This study illustrates how sedimentation evolves in one such system where the continental shelf is largely sediment-starved, with most terrestrial sediment bypassing the shelf in favor of deposition in deeper basins. The Santa Barbara–Ventura coast of southern California, USA, is considered a classic area for the study of active tectonics and of Tertiary and Quaternary climatic evolution, interpretations of which depend upon an understanding of sedimentation patterns. High-resolution seismic-reflection data over >570 km2 of this shelf show that sediment production is concentrated in a few drainage basins, with the Ventura and Santa Clara River deltas containing most of the upper Pleistocene to Holocene sediment on the shelf. Away from those deltas, the major factor controlling shelf sedimentation is the interaction of wave energy with coastline geometry. Depocenters containing sediment 5–20 m thick exist opposite broad coastal embayments, whereas relict material (bedrock below a regional unconformity) is exposed at the sea floor in areas of the shelf opposite coastal headlands. Locally, natural hydrocarbon seeps interact with sediment deposition either to produce elevated tar-and-sediment mounds or as gas plumes that hinder sediment settling. As much as 80% of fluvial sediment delivered by the Ventura and Santa Clara Rivers is transported off the shelf (some into the Santa Barbara Basin and some into the Santa Monica Basin via Hueneme Canyon), leaving a shelf with relatively little recent sediment accumulation. Understanding factors that control large-scale sediment dispersal along a rapidly uplifting coast that produces substantial quantities of sediment has implications for interpreting the ancient stratigraphic record of active and transform continental margins, and for inferring the distribution of hydrocarbon resources in relict shelf deposits.  相似文献   

2.
Latitudinal gradients in biodiversity are found in both terrestrial and marine environments, but little agreement exists on the mechanisms or ecological causes creating these patterns. Marine biodiversity patterns have been particularly challenging to document, because of the lack of appropriate data sets from ocean basins. We document latitudinal patterns of North Atlantic deep-sea benthic foraminifera and show that seasonality of primary productivity, as estimated from SeaWiFS satellite imagery, has a significant effect on diversity indices, with generally lower values of H(S), species ?, and species equitability found with high seasonality between 40 and 60°N. High foraminiferal diversity is not found in areas with phytodetritus deposition in the North Atlantic basin, which indicates that patch dynamics, biological disturbance, and sediment heterogeneity resulting from phytodetritus deposits do not create high deep-sea foraminiferal diversity. Annual resource stability, reflecting the timing of organic carbon flux and the mode of sedimentation, accounts for the benthic foraminiferal patterns found in this study and is an important variable structuring the deep-sea benthic foraminiferal community.  相似文献   

3.
Studying the diversity‐ecosystem function relationship in the deep sea is of primary importance in the face of biodiversity loss and for our understanding of how the deep sea functions. Results from the first study of diversity‐ecosystem function relationships in the deep sea (Danovaro et al. 2008; Current Biology, 18, 1–8) are unexpected and show an exponential relationship between deep‐sea nematode diversity and ecosystem function and efficiency, although this relationship appears largely restricted to relatively low diversities [ES(51) <25]. Here, we investigate the relationship between nematode diversity and several independent measures/proxies of ecosystem function (sediment community oxygen consumption, bacterial biomass, bacterial extracellular enzyme activity) and efficiency (ratio of bacterial/nematode carbon to organic C content of the sediment) on the New Zealand continental slope. Nematode diversity at our study sites was relatively high [ES(51) = 30–42], and there was no relationship between species/functional diversity and ecosystem function/efficiency after accounting for the effects of water depth and food availability. Our results are consistent with a breakdown of the exponential diversity‐function relationship at high levels of diversity, which may be due to increased competition or greater functional redundancy. Future studies need to take into account as many environmental factors and as wide a range of diversities as possible to provide further insights into the diversity‐ecosystem function relationship in the largest ecosystem on Earth.  相似文献   

4.
Profiles of the radioisotopes 210Pb and 137Cs were determined in 15 sediment cores collected from Sagami Bay, Japan. The activities of 210Pbex (unsupported) in core top sediments increased with water depth from 25 dpm g−1 on the upper continental slope off the mouth of Tokyo Bay to an average of 283 dpm g−1 at the deep-sea station SB. The high 210Pb trapping efficiency of settling particles expected from the results of the sediment trap experiment near the SB site suggests that effective 210Pb enrichment in surface sediments may occur during resuspension and lateral transportation of particles via the benthic nepheloid layer on the continental slope. In several cores, 137Cs profiles showed an increase, a distinct peak, and then a decrease to an undetectable level downcore. These profiles can be compared with the temporal change of bomb-produced 137Cs fallout.The mean sedimentation rates estimated by the 210Pbex inventory method, rather than using 210Pbex profiles, ranged from 0.06 g cm−2 y−1 to 0.14 g cm−2 y−1. The average value of the rates in SB cores was calculated to be 0.11 g cm−2 y−1, which was similar to that calculated under the assumption that the age of the 137Cs peak corresponds to its maximum fallout year in 1963.Although 137Cs inventories represented one tenth of the anthropogenic fallout of 137Cs until 1997, they correlated with the increase in 210Pbex inventory. This suggests that the scavenging of refractory 137Cs as well as 210Pb by settling particles in the water column can lead to the formation of a time marker layer even in deep-sea sediment core, such as at the SB site.  相似文献   

5.
The temporal variability of estuarine sedimentation has been investigated in the northernmost part of the Wadden Sea (Denmark), using an estuarine sedimentary sequence at Ho Havn. The sedimentary sequence appears to have been deposited within the last ∼ 2000 yr based on detailed luminescence dating of the estuarine mud, whose ages range between 225 ± 40 and 2050 ± 300 yr. The age-depth profile reveals that the sedimentation rate has varied considerably in the past. Estuarine sedimentation was very rapid ∼ 1400 yr ago; the ages over almost 1 m of sediment are indistinguishable. After this accretion rate of ∼ 9 mm a− 1, the rate dropped abruptly to ∼ 0.3 mm a− 1 some time between 1340 and 970 yr ago. This slow rate of accretion continued until ∼ 350 yr ago, when it accelerated to ∼ 1.3 mm a− 1. These abrupt changes in the accretion rate are possibly related to local sea level fluctuations, thus the period with low accretion rate most probably reflects a situation with a stable or decreasing relative sea level. The rapid deposition of ∼ 0.9 m of sediment within about one century some 1400 yr ago shows that large amounts of fine-grained sediment were available for deposition in the region at that time, and an increasing relative sea level was most probably responsible for the creation of the accommodation space for sedimentation. Recent studies on mudflats and salt marshes in the region also tend to show high accretion rates, indicating that the coastal lagoons could be less vulnerable and threatened by a future sea level rise than generally believed.  相似文献   

6.
Assemblages of live (Rose-Bengal-stained) and dead benthic foraminifera and stable oxygen and carbon isotopic composition of live benthic foraminifera were studied in and outside a bacterial mat composed of the large sulphur-oxidizing bacteria Thioploca and Beggiatoa from the oxygen-minimum zone off Pakistan (NE Arabian Sea). Two cores from the same Multicorer retrieved a bacterial mat and ambient sediment. The dominant species (Globobulimina affinis, G. turgida, Bolivina pacifica, B. pseudopunctata, Uvigerina peregrina and Buliminella tenuata) in both cores are characteristic for dysoxic oxygen minimum zone conditions. The most significant difference between the two cores is the reduced number of stained benthic foraminifera (SBF) in the top 0.5 cm of the bacterial mat. Faunal densities of stained species are more than four times higher in the sediment surface sample (0–0.5 cm) outside the bacterial mat, at a distance of only 1.5 m. All stained species, however, observed outside the Beggiatoa/Thioploca mat were also observed in the core with the mat. Two species, Virgulinella fragilis and Bolivina dilatata, occur exclusively in the core with the bacterial mat. The diversity within the bacterial mat core is thus slightly higher than outside. Furthermore, the abundances of the species Buliminella morgani, B. tenuata and Alliatina primitiva are substantially higher in the bacterial mat than outside. Globobuliminids, on the other hand, seem to prefer the conditions outside the bacterial mat and are five times more frequent in the core taken outside the bacterial mat. Benthic foraminifers inhabit a broader microhabitat range outside the bacterial mat (∼5 cm) than within (3.5 cm). A marked decrease in SBF abundances was observed at the level of a black sulphur-rich layer which is interpreted to mark the shallow redox front below the bacterial mat. Stable carbon isotope analyses on live benthic foraminifera do not support a relation of the investigated Beggiatoa/Thioploca mat to a constant or seasonal seepage of methane at the continental slope off Pakistan. Surprisingly, however, stable oxygen isotope values of many species and especially of U. peregrina decrease with depth, which calls into question the suitability of U. peregrina as a recorder of bottom-water δ18O.  相似文献   

7.
Assemblages of living deep-sea benthic foraminifera, their densities, vertical distribution pattern, and diversity, were investigated in the intermonsoon period after the northeast monsoon in the Arabian Sea in spring 1997. Foraminiferal numbers show a distinct gradient from north to south, with a maximum of 623 foraminifera in 50 cm3 at the northern site. High percentages of small foraminifera were found in the western and northern part of the Arabian Sea. Most stations show a typical vertical distribution with a maximum in the first centimeter and decreasing numbers with increasing sediment depths. But at the central station, high densities can be found even in deeper sediment layers. Diversity is very high at the northern and western sites, but reduced at the central and southern stations. Data and faunal assemblages were compared with studies carried out in 1995. A principal component analysis of intermonsoon assemblages shows that the living benthic foraminifera can be characterized by five principal component communities. Dominant communities influencing each site differ strongly between the two years. In spring 1997, stations in the north, west and central Arabian Sea were dominated by opportunistic species, indicating the influence of fresh sedimentation pulses or enhanced organic carbon fluxes after the northeast monsoon.  相似文献   

8.
During the SoJaBio expedition, the deep sea fauna of the north-western Sea of Japan was sampled in August–September 2010. From this study, 11 epibenthic sledge stations are analyzed, with a focus on species composition, diversity and distribution patterns of polychaetes. A total of 92 polychaete taxa belonging to 70 genera and 28 families and 3 indeterminate species were found. Twelve species and eight genera have not been reported from the Sea of Japan before, but were registered from other deep-sea basins. Calculation of diversity (Shannon–Wiener Index, Pielou's Evenness) showed that the upper bathyal of the Sea of Japan is an area of higher polychaete diversity than the abyssal plain. The increased richness and diversity here could possibly be explained by a zoogeographic overlapping with the shallower species' assemblages of the shelf. At a higher taxonomic level the polychaete fauna of the deep Sea of Japan does not seem to differ from that of other deep-sea regions world-wide. In depths below 2000 m about 30% polychaete species have wide distributional ranges.  相似文献   

9.
Faunal communities at the deep-sea floor mainly rely on the downward transport of particulate organic material for energy, which can come in many forms, ranging from phytodetritus to whale carcasses. Recently, studies have shown that the deep-sea floor may also be subsidized by fluxes of gelatinous material to the benthos. The deep-sea scyphozoan medusa Periphylla periphylla is common in many deep-sea fjords in Norway and recent investigations in Lurefjorden in western Norway suggest that the biomass of this jellyfish currently exceeds 50000 t here. To quantify the presence of dead P. periphylla jellyfish falls (hereafter termed jelly-falls) at the deep seafloor and the standing stock of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N) deposited on the seafloor by this species, we made photographic transects of the seafloor, using a ‘Yo-Yo’ camera system during an opportunistic sampling campaign in March 2011. Of 218 seafloor photographs taken, jelly-falls were present in five, which resulted in a total jelly-fall abundance of 1×10-2 jelly-falls m−2 over the entire area surveyed. Summed over the entire area of seafloor photographed, 1×10-2 jelly-falls m−2 was equivalent to a C- and N-biomass of 13 mg C m−2 and 2 mg N m−2. The contribution of each jelly-fall to the C- and N-amount of the sediment in the immediate vicinity of each fall (i.e. to sediment in each 3.02 m2 image in which jelly-falls were observed) was estimated to be 568±84 mg C m−2 and 88±13 mg N m−2. The only megafaunal taxon observed around or on top of the jelly-falls was caridean shrimp (14±5 individuals jelly-fall−1), and shrimp abundance was significantly greater in photographs in which a jelly-fall was found (14±5 individuals image−1) compared to photographs in which no jelly-falls were observed (1.4±0.7 individuals image−1). These observations indicate that jelly-falls in this fjord can enhance the sedimentary C- and N-amount at the deep-sea floor and may provide nutrition to benthic and demersal faunas in this environment. However, organic enrichment from the jelly-falls found in this single sampling event and associated disturbance was highly localized.  相似文献   

10.
I am deeply honored to have been awarded the 1988 Okada Prize of the Oceanographical Society of Japan. The present paper reviews my previous works regarding the ecology of deep-sea meiobenthos in the western Pacific area. The outline cen be summarized as follows:
1)  On the basis of multivariate analyses, it was found that the rate of the organic-matter flux to the sea bed and the amount of the interstitial space within the sediment are the main factors regulating the abundance of meiofauna in the deep sea.
2)  Two indices were proposed to characterize the vertical distribution of meiofauna in the sediment profile,i.e. their maximum depth in the sediment and the degree of their concentration in the surface layer of the sediment. The index of maximum depth was closely related to the oxygen concentration in the interstitial water. On the other hand, the index of degree of concentration in the surface of the sediment tended to be higher where the supply of food seemed lower.
3)  Some taxonomically important species were found from the axis of the Izu-Ogasawara Trench. They arePliciloricus hadalis, the first species of the newest phylum Loricifera from the Pacific area, from the hadal deep sea and the fine clay sediment, andOccultammina profunda, the first infaunal species of Xenophyophorea, a group of rhizopod Protozoa.
4)  The vertical distribution ofOccultammina profunda coincided well with the unusual distribution of210Pb in the sediment profile. The organisms concentrated as high as 500 dpm g–1 of210Pb in their stercomare and granellare. The steady state model confirmed that the species made the peculiar subsurface peak of210Pb in the sediment.
5)  The depth in the sediment profile where the distinct peak of MnO2 can be seen showed strong correlation with the vertical distribution of meiofauna. This relationship suggests that oxygen concentration in the interstitial water regulates the structure of the characteristic three layers of the calcareous ooze in the deep sea. This idea was proven by the vertical distribution of free oxygen in the sediment calculated on the basis of respiration rate of deep-sea meiofauna measured using the cartesian diver technique.
6)  Radio-isotope techniques used to measure the rates at which particulated organic matter was ingested and dissolved organic matter was absorbed, suggested that deep-sea meiofauna obtained a significant fraction of their energy by absorption.
7)  The work carried out so far has revealed the important role of meiofauna in the benthic ecosystem, and emphasized the necessity for intensive research from various points of views on these microscopic organisms.
  相似文献   

11.
Recent studies have revealed that lateral transport and focusing of particles strongly influences the depositional patterns of organic matter in marine sediments. Transport can occur in the water column prior to initial deposition or following sediment re-suspension. In both cases, fine-grained particles and organic-rich aggregates are more susceptible to lateral transport than coarse-grained particles (e.g., foraminiferal tests) because of the slower sinking velocities of the former. This may lead to spatial and, in the case of redistribution of re-suspended sediments, temporal decoupling of organic matter from coarser sediment constituents. Prior studies from the Argentine Basin have yielded evidence that suspended particles are displaced significant distances (100–1000 km) northward and downslope by strong surface and/or bottom currents. These transport processes result in anomalously cold alkenone-derived sea-surface temperature (SST) estimates (up to 6 °C colder than measured SST) and in the presence of frustules of Antarctic diatom species in surface sediments from this area. Here we examine advective transport processes through combined measurements of compound-specific radiocarbon ages of marine phytoplankton-derived biomarkers (alkenones) from core tops and excess 230Th (230Thxs)-derived focusing factors for late Holocene sediments from the Argentine Basin. On the continental slope, we observe 230Thxs-based focusing factors of 1.4–3.2 at sites where alkenone-based SST estimates were 4–6 °C colder than measured values. In contrast, alkenone radiocarbon data suggest coeval deposition of marine biomarkers and planktic foraminifera, as alkenones in core tops were younger than, or similar in age to, foraminifera. We therefore infer that the transport processes leading to the lateral displacement of these sediment components are rapid, and hence probably occur in the upper water column (<1500 m).  相似文献   

12.
It is essential to maximize the information that can be gathered in deep-sea studies by thoroughly assessing sample processing methods. Nematodes are commonly used for the study and monitoring of deep-sea floor habitats, but the potential effects of different methods on the quantification of community attributes remain to be quantified. Here, we consider key methodological elements by comparing the effect of sediment depth and mesh size (63, 45, and 32 μm) on: (1) estimates of nematode community attributes, and (2) the sampling effort required to detect changes in these attributes at a bathyal site on the Chatham Rise, south-west Pacific Ocean. The 63 μm mesh retained most (95%) of the nematode biomass but a lower proportion (53–71%) of the nematode abundance. Retention efficiency of common species on this mesh ranged from 12 (Hapalomus sp.) to >88% (Comesomatidae spp.). The 63 μm mesh yielded significantly lower diversity estimates than the finer meshes, and failed to detect differences in community structure observed using the 45 and 32 μm mesh sizes. Sediment depth had a substantial effect on all measured community attributes, highlighting the importance of sufficient core penetration into the sediment (≥5 cm) for adequately characterizing nematode distribution. Power analysis showed that using a 32 μm mesh and deepest core penetration led to relatively few (3–8) samples being required to detect significant changes in nematode diversity indices relative to coarser mesh sizes. Characterization of nematode diversity and community structure using appropriate and robust methods of sampling is suggested as a sensitive and efficient tool for the assessment of anthropogenic impacts on deep-sea ecosystems.  相似文献   

13.
This study investigated the spatial and temporal variations of sediment accumulation and their impacts on coral communities in four sites at two or three depths (3 m, 6 m and 9 m) at the Sanya Coral Reef Reserve by deploying sediment traps on the sea floor during 2007–2009. Rainfall and typhoon events, which appeared to control sediment accumulation in the sea floor of the coral reef, were positively correlated with total sediment and sand-sized (i.e. 63–2000 µm) sediment accumulation. Sediment accumulation rate significantly decreased with the distance far away from the coast in Sanya. The mean sediment accumulation rates in Ximaozhou, Luhuitou and Xiaodonghai during 2007 to 2009 were close to 20 mg cm−2 d−1, and they were significantly higher than that in Yalongwan, probably as a result of terrestrial soil erosion caused by strong coast human activities (e.g. coastal construction, dredging and hillside clearing). Correlation analysis revealed that silt-clay-sized sediment accumulation rate was highly negatively correlated with total live coral cover and coral cover in some taxa, such as Montipora and branching Porites. whereas, Diploastrea heliopora was positively correlated with silt-clay-sized sediment accumulation. Correlation analysis also suggested that silt-clay-sized sediment accumulation had a higher efficiency in predicting the spatial variation of total live coral cover in Sanya than did the total sediment accumulation. Based on this investigation, we conclude that high rates of sediment accumulation pose a severe threat to the Sanya Coral Reef Reserve, highlighting the importance of integrated watershed management practices in the Sanya Coral Reef Reserve.  相似文献   

14.
In order to study temporal variations of the genetic material in the continental shelf and deep-sea sediments of the extremely oligotrophic Cretan Sea, samples were collected on seasonal basis from August 1994 to September 1995, with a multiple corer, at seven stations (from 40 to 1540 m depth). Surface sediments (0–1 cm) were sub-sampled and analyzed for nucleic acid content (DNA, RNA) and bacterial density. DNA concentrations in the sediments were high (on annual average, 25.0 μg g-1) and declined with increasing water depth, ranging from 3.5 to 55.2 μg g-1. DNA concentrations displayed wide temporal changes also at bathyal depths confirming the recent view of the large variability of the deep-sea environments. Also RNA concentrations decreased with increasing water depth (range: 0.4–29.9 μg g-1). The ratio of RNA to DNA did not show a clear spatial pattern but was characterized by significant changes between sampling periods. DNA concentrations were significantly correlated with protein and phytopigment concentrations in the sediment, indicating a possible relationship with the inputs of primary organic matter from the photic layer. Bacterial densities were generally high (range: 0.9–4.6×108 cells g-1) compared to other deep-sea environments and decreased with increasing water depth. Estimates of the bacterial contribution to the sedimentary genetic material indicated that bacterial-DNA accounted, on annual average, for a small fraction of the total DNA pool (4.3%) but that bacterial-RNA represented a significant fraction of the total sedimentary RNA (26%). Bacterial contribution to nucleic acids increased, even though irregularly, with increasing depth. In deep-sea sediments, changes in RNA concentrations appear to be largely dependent upon bacterial dynamics. Estimates of the overall living contribution to the DNA pools (i.e. microbial plus meiofaunal DNA) indicated that the large majority (about 90%) of the DNA in continental and deep-sea sediments of the eastern Mediterranean was detrital. The non-living DNA pools reach extremely high concentrations up to 0.41 g DNA m-2 cm-1. Thus, especially in deep benthic habitats, characterized by low inputs of labile organic compounds, detrital DNA could represent a suitable and high quality food source or a significant reservoir of nucleic acid precursors for benthic metabolism.  相似文献   

15.
Within the framework of the multidisciplinary RECS project and with the aim of describing the particle flux transfer from the continental shelf to the deep basin, an array of five mooring lines equipped with a total of five pairs of PPS3/3 sequential-sampling sediment traps and RCM-7/8 current meters were deployed 30 m above the bottom from March 2003 to March 2004 inside and outside the Blanes Canyon. One mooring line was located in the upper canyon at 600 m depth, one in the canyon axis at 1700 m depth and other two close to the canyon walls at 900 m depth. A fifth mooring line was deployed in the continental open slope at 1500 m water depth.The highest near-bottom downward particle flux (14.50 g m−2 d−1) was recorded at the trap located in the upper canyon (M1), where continental inputs associated with the presence of the Tordera River are most relevant. On the other hand, the downward fluxes (4.35 g m−2 d−1) in the canyon axis (M2) were of the same order as those found in the western flank (M3) of the canyon. Both values were clearly higher than the value (1.95 g m−2 d−1) recorded at the eastern canyon wall (M4). The open slope (M5) mass flux (5.42 mg m−2 d−1) recorded by the sediment trap located outside the canyon system was three orders of magnitude lower than the other values registered by the inner canyon stations. The relevance of our data is that it explains how the transport pathway in the canyon occurs through its western flank, where a more active and persistent current toward the open ocean was recorded over the entire year of the experiment.Off-shelf sediment transport along the canyon axis showed clear differences during the period of the study, with some important events leading to strong intensifications of the current coupled with large transport of particle fluxes to the deepest parts of the canyon. Such events are primarily related to increases in river discharge and the occurrence of strong storms and cascading events during the winter.In summary, in this study it is shown that the dynamics of the water masses and the currents in the study area convert the sharp western flank of the Blanes Canyon in a more active region that favors erosion processes than the eastern flank, which has a smoother topography and where the absence of erosional conditions yields to steadier sedimentary processes.  相似文献   

16.
A model is presented for hemipelagic siliciclastic and carbonate sedimentation during the last glacial–interglacial cycle in the Capricorn Channel, southern Great Barrier Reef (GBR). Stable isotope ratios, grainsize, carbonate content and mineralogy were analysed for seven cores in a depth transect from 166 to 2892 m below sea level (mbsl). Results show variations in the flux of terrigenous, neritic and pelagic sediments to the continental slope over the last sea level cycle.During the glacial lowstand terrigenous sediment influenced all the cores down to 2000 mbsl. The percentages of quartz and feldspar in the cores decreased with water depth, while the percentage of clay increased. X-ray diffraction analysis of the glacial lowstand clay mineralogy suggests that the siliciclastic sediment was primarily sourced from the Fitzroy River, which debouched directly into the northwest sector of the Capricorn Channel at this time. The cores also show a decrease in pelagic calcite and an increase in aragonite and high magnesium calcite (HMC) during the glacial. The influx of HMC and aragonite is most likely from reworking of coral reefs exposed on the continental shelf during the glacial, and also from HMC ooids precipitated at the head of the Capricorn Channel at this time. Mass accumulation rates (MARs) are high (13.5 g cm? 3 kyr? 1) during the glacial and peak at ~ 20 g cm? 3 kyr? 1 in the early transgression (16–14 ka BP). MARs then decline with further sea level rise as the Fitzroy River mouth retreats from the edge of the continental shelf after 13.5 ka BP. MARs remain low (4 cm? 3 kyr? 1) throughout the Holocene highstand.Data for the Holocene highstand indicate there is a reduction in siliciclastic influx to the Capricorn Channel with little quartz and feldspar below 350 mbsl. However, fine-grained fluvial sediments, presumably from the Fitzroy River, were still accumulating on the mid slope down to 2000 mbsl. The proportion of pelagic calcite in the core tops increases with water depth, while HMC decreases, and is present only in trace amounts in cores below 1500 mbsl. The difference in the percentage of HMC in the deeper cores between the glacial and Holocene may reflect differences in supply or deepening of the HMC lysocline during the glacial.Sediment accumulation rates also vary between cores in the Capricorn Channel and do not show the expected exponential decrease with depth. This may be due to intermediate or deep water currents reworking the sediments. It is also possible that present bathymetry data are too sparse to detect the potential role that submarine channels may play in the distribution and accumulation of sediments.Comparison of the Capricorn Channel MARs with those for other mixed carbonate/siliciclastic provinces from the northeast margin of Australia indicates that peak MARs in the early transgression in the Capricorn Channel precede those from the central GBR and south of Fraser Island. The difference in the timing of the carbonate and siliciclastic MAR peaks along the northeast margin is primarily related to differences in the physiography and climate of the provinces. The only common trend in the MARs from the northeast margin of Australia is the near synchronicity of the carbonate and siliciclastic MAR peaks in individual sediment cores, which supports a coeval sedimentation model.  相似文献   

17.
The formation of incised valleys on continental shelves is generally attributed to fluvial erosion under low sea level conditions. However, there are exceptions. A multibeam sonar survey at the northern end of Australia's Great Barrier Reef, adjacent to the southern edge of the Gulf of Papua, mapped a shelf valley system up to 220 m deep that extends for more than 90 km across the continental shelf. This is the deepest shelf valley yet found in the Great Barrier Reef and is well below the maximum depth of fluvial incision that could have occurred under a − 120 m, eustatic sea level low-stand, as what occurred on this margin during the last ice age. These valleys appear to have formed by a combination of reef growth and tidal current scour, probably in relation to a sea level at around 30–50 m below its present position.

Tidally incised depressions in the valley floor exhibit closed bathymetric contours at both ends. Valley floor sediments are mainly calcareous muddy, gravelly sand on the middle shelf, giving way to well-sorted, gravely sand containing a large relict fraction on the outer shelf. The valley extends between broad platform reefs and framework coral growth, which accumulated through the late Quaternary, coincides with tidal current scour to produce steep-sided (locally vertical) valley walls. The deepest segments of the valley were probably the sites of lakes during the last ice age, when Torres Strait formed an emergent land-bridge between Australia and Papua New Guinea. Numerical modeling predicts that the strongest tidal currents occur over the deepest, outer-shelf segment of the valley when sea level is about 40–50 m below its present position. These results are consistent with a Pleistocene age and relict origin of the valley.

Based on these observations, we propose a new conceptual model for the formation of tidally incised shelf valleys. Tidal erosion on meso- to macro-tidal, rimmed carbonate shelves is enhanced during sea level rise and fall when a tidal, hydraulic pressure gradient is established between the shelf-lagoon and the adjacent ocean basin. Tidal flows attain a maximum, and channel incision is greatest, when a large hydraulic pressure gradient coincides with small channel cross sections. Our tidal-incision model may explain the observation of other workers, that sediment is exported from the Great Barrier Reef shelf to the adjacent ocean basins during intermediate (rather than last glacial maximum) low-stand, sea level positions. The model may apply to other rimmed shelves, both modern and ancient.  相似文献   


18.
The Northwest Atlantic margin is characterized by high biological productivity in shelf and slope surface waters. In addition to carbon supply to underlying sediments, the persistent, intermediate depth nepheloid layers emanating from the continental shelves, and bottom nepheloid layers maintained by strong bottom currents associated with the southward flowing Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC), provide conduits for export of organic carbon over the margin and/or to the interior ocean. As a part of a project to understand dynamics of particulate organic carbon (POC) cycling in this region, we examined the bulk and molecular properties of time-series sediment trap samples obtained at 968 m, 1976 m, and 2938 m depths from a bottom-tethered mooring on the New England slope (water depth, 2988 m). Frequent occurrences of higher fluxes in deep relative to shallower sediment traps and low Δ14C values of sinking POC together provide strong evidence for significant lateral transport of aged organic matter over the margin. Comparison of biogeochemical properties such as aluminum concentration and flux, and iron concentration between samples intercepted at different depths shows that particles collected by the deepest trap had more complex sources than the shallower ones. These data also suggest that at least two modes of lateral transport exist over the New England margin. Based on radiocarbon mass balance, about 30% (±10%) of sinking POC in all sediment traps is estimated to be derived from lateral transport of resuspended sediment. A strong correlation between Δ14C values and aluminum concentrations suggests that the aged organic matter is associated with lithogenic particles. Our results suggest that lateral transport of organic matter, particularly that resulting from sediment resuspension, should be considered in addition to vertical supply of organic matter derived from primary production, in order to understand carbon cycling and export over continental margins.  相似文献   

19.
南海火山玻璃的分布特征、化学成分及源区探讨   总被引：8，自引：2，他引：6  
研究了南海火山玻璃的分布特征、化学成分及源区,结果表明,表层沉积物中的火山玻璃含量基本呈南北向分布,由北部、西部、南部大陆架分别向中部、东部深海盆逐渐增加;柱样沉积物中的火山玻璃在深海盆出现的层数多、含量大.火山玻璃化学组分之间的相关性不显著,表层沉积物中的火山玻璃属于安山岩,柱样沉积物中的火山玻璃的岩石类型广泛,主要属于安山岩和流纹岩.菲律宾岛弧火山带、南海深海盆火山喷发以及印尼岛弧火山带是南海火山玻璃主要源区,火山玻璃搬运和沉积主要受台风、越赤道气流和环流的影响和控制.  相似文献   

20.
Modern foraminiferal assemblage zones can be used to reconstruct palaeo sea levels when applied to fossil foraminifera down a sediment core. Previous intertidal foraminiferal studies have predominantly focused on assemblages in surface sediments (0–1 cm), with the rationale that surface assemblages reflect the modern-day environment. Foraminifera live infaunally and therefore there is a need to document the infaunal vertical distribution of living foraminifera to fully capture the modern environment. Infaunal foraminiferal populations may compositionally differ from or be similar to those in the uppermost 1 cm of a core sample, but abundance is variable vertically, making it very complex to reconstruct and interpret past sea levels. This can have implications for the choice of assemblages to use as modern analogues for past sea-level reconstructions. This study documents the vertical infaunal distribution of living foraminifera, to allow for more informed interpretations of palaeo-reconstructions in mangrove environments. The down-core vertical distribution and abundance of living foraminifera, along with grain size and organic content, were documented using sediment cores along an elevational transect. Nine taxa were recorded as living at the time of collection, six of which were restricted to the top 4 cm. The majority of these were calcareous and found in the cores situated closer to the intertidal channel. Therefore, we argue that the diversity of living calcareous and agglutinated foraminifera could be restricted by grain size, with coarser grain sizes associated with lower species diversity. The findings suggest that foraminiferal species inhabiting the top 4 cm represent deeper living foraminiferal populations. Therefore, the top 4-cm interval can be used to establish a modern training set upon which reconstructions can be based. The findings from this study will provide guidance on the use of South African mangrove environments for future sea-level reconstructions.  相似文献   

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