Identification of Sediment Sources in Forested Watersheds With Surface Coal Mining Disturbance Using Carbon and Nitrogen Isotopes1

Abstract: Sediments and soils were analyzed using stable carbon and nitrogen isotope ratio mass spectrometry and carbon and nitrogen elemental analyses to evaluate the their ability to indicate land‐use and land management disturbance and pinpoint loading from sediment transport sources in forested watersheds disturbed by surface coal mining. Samples of transported sediment particulate organic matter were collected from four watersheds in the Southern Appalachian forest region of southeastern Kentucky. The four watersheds had different surface coal mining history that were classified as undisturbed, active mining, and reclaimed conditions. Soil samples were analyzed including reclaimed grassland soils, undisturbed forest soils, geogenic organic matter associated with coal fragments in mining spoil, and soil organic matter from un‐mined grassland soils. Statistically significant differences were found for all biogeochemical signatures when comparing transported sediments from undisturbed watersheds and surface coal mining disturbed watersheds, and the results were attributed to differences in erosion sources and the presence of geogenic organic matter. Sediment transport sources in the surface coal mining watersheds were analyzed using Monte Carlo mass balance un‐mixing and it was found that: δ¹⁵N showed the ability to differentiate streambank erosion and surface soil erosion; and δ¹³C showed the ability to differentiate soil organic matter and geogenic organic matter. Results from the analyses suggest that streambank erosion downstream of surface coal mining sites is an especially significant source of sediment in coal mining disturbed watersheds. Further, the results suggest that the sediment transport processes governing streambank erosion loads are taking longer to reach geomorphologic equilibrium in the watershed as compared with the surface erosion processes. The dual‐isotope technique provides a useful method for further investigation of the impact of surface coal mining in the uplands of the watershed upon the geomorphologic state of the channel and the source of organic matter in aquatic systems impacted by surface coal mining.     

珊瑚礁生态系统中的汞循环研究进展

珊瑚礁生态系统具有丰富的生物多样性、极高的初级生产力、快速的物质循环等特点，被称为"海洋中的热带雨林"，在维系全球生态环境方面发挥重要作用。由于绝大部分珊瑚礁位于近海，有害金属元素如汞能够通过各种渠道进入珊瑚礁生长水域，在珊瑚礁生物中富集并经过食物链放大，对珊瑚礁生态系统造成潜在危害。本文简单介绍了珊瑚礁系统的基本概念、组成和生态功能，并汇总了目前报道的珊瑚礁生态系统中海水、沉积物、食物网、珊瑚中的汞的含量与形态。总体上，珊瑚礁生态系统中的汞研究极其有限，目前对该重要系统中的汞循环并不清楚。未来可结合稳定汞同位素方法对珊瑚礁生态系统汞的来源、迁移与转化进行示踪，认清珊瑚礁的汞汇通量，发展珊瑚骨骼对生长水域汞污染的监测技术和理论。     

镁同位素示踪大陆风化：进展与挑战

大陆风化制约着地表物质循环及其从陆地向湖泊/海洋的迁移,并通过消耗大气CO2调节不同时间尺度的全球碳循环和气候变化,因此如何有效示踪大陆风化是地球表生过程研究的重要科学问题之一。镁（Mg）无化合价变化,不涉及氧化还原作用,主要赋存于硅酸盐岩和碳酸盐岩中,并且在表生地质过程中Mg同位素通常会发生显著的同位素分馏,这些优势赋予Mg同位素体系具备示踪大陆风化的广阔潜力。随着质谱技术的不断提高,高精度Mg同位素分析技术经历了快速且成熟的发展,并在示踪大陆风化作用研究中得到了广泛的应用。然而,风化体系中Mg的来源和同位素分馏的制约要素争议颇多,尚未达成共识。本文从Mg的储库、风化壳、流域体系、室内实验和模型模拟等方面综述了目前Mg同位素示踪大陆风化的研究进展与存在的挑战。最后指出,在示踪大陆风化方面,Mg同位素提供了独特的视角,建议细化岩石/矿物溶解及形成实验、大小流域相结合、加强多同位素体系联用并相互补充与验证,以及加强计算模型模拟,以此来约束Mg同位素示踪大陆风化的不确定性。