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Urbanisation is widely considered as having a large impact on most native species. However, the species response to urbanisation varies among taxonomic groups, and its generalisation might lead to contradictory or incorrect management decisions in urban planning. Land snails, as an understudied group in this sense, are good subjects to study the impact of urbanisation due to their low dispersal capabilities and mobility. The study aimed to determine how land snail diversity patterns and community structure are influenced by urbanisation through an urban-to-rural gradient. A total of 59 terrestrial gastropod species and more than 4600 individuals were recorded at 24 alluvial sites distributed along an urban-to-rural gradient in three Slovak cities (Bratislava, Zvolen and Prešov). Most species belonged to euryecious, hygrophilous and forest specialist ecological groups; seven species were non-native to Slovakia. The results clearly highlight the negative effect of densely built areas on land snail community structure, since the proportion of indigenous and specialist species decreased progressively towards urban sites. The highest mean number of species was found in suburban zones and the lowest in urban zones, suggesting that most species favour intermediate levels of urbanisation. Some species (e.g. Arion vulgaris) were evenly distributed along the urbanisation gradient, supporting the importance of river floodplains as bio-corridors for the dispersal of gastropods. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the alluvial plain spanning between the Turia and Jucar rivers (486 km2) in Valencia, Spain - a highly productive agricultural area that also involves a Natural Park (La Albufera). Thirty-five points across different water sources and land uses were sampled to map the spatial distribution of 14 heavy metals (Al, As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Ni, Pb, Sr, Tl, and Zn), and to study the potential influence of water characteristics and environmental factors on them. Two pollution indexes were applied, Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI) and Water Pollution Index (WPI), to assess the water quality state in the area. High levels were predominantly found in the southern region, particularly within rice farming areas. For B, Sr, and Tl, all samples exceeded WHO limits, EU legislation, or EPA benchmarks, with 61.76 % and 85.71 % of samples surpassing standards for Al and Li, respectively. Water salinization parameters greatly influenced the dynamics of Al, As, B, Li, Sr, and Tl. Analysis using both indexes (HEI and WPI) revealed poor water quality in the area, particularly in rice fields, posing potential toxic effects on ecosystems and human health. The findings of this work are valuable for understanding elements of concern in coastal wetlands under global change.

Copyright of Geology & Exploration is the property of Geology & Exploration Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Study region: Lower Yangtze River alluvial plain, China. Study focus: The uneven subsidence caused by dewatering in underground engineering constructions in densely populated areas of alluvial plains with an unevenly distributed medium has caused increased concerns. This study applied the transition probability geostatistical software (T-PROGS) geostatistical models based on data from 31 boreholes to characterize a three-dimensional (3D) heterogeneous aquifer (8.8×105 m2 in area and 56 m in depth) in an underground construction area in the alluvial plain of the lower Yangtze River. The SUB model was constructed to simulate the pumping-induced subsidence processes based on a reliable MODFLOW transit flow model. New hydrological insights: The simulation results indicated that surface subsidence increased with pumping and reached a maximum of 33 mm by the end of the extraction (the 14th day). Surface subsidence development exhibited spatial anisotropy around the pumping center, consistent with the observations. Furthermore, the proposed model indicates that hydraulic head evolution and soil compressibility distributions significantly influence the spatial–temporal development of subsidence, implying the significance of the aquifer heterogeneity. The compressible soft soil overlying the pumping section was identified as a vulnerable subsidence zone, suggesting its significance for engineering geological surveys and dewatering designs in underground construction in alluvial plains.

Copyright of Mountain Research (10082786) is the property of Mountain Research Editorial Office and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The study of deformation signals associated with seismicity in alluvial plain areas is a challenging topic that, however, is increasingly studied thanks to the great aid given by remote sensing techniques that exploit Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. This study focuses on the determination of the deformation field within the Emilia-Romagna Region (northern Italy), in the area comprising Modena, Reggio Emilia, and Parma cities. SAR data acquired along both orbits during the Sentinel-1 and Cosmo-SkyMed satellite missions were processed with the Small Baseline Subset interferometric technique from June 2012, after the serious seismic swarm of May 2012, to January 2022, just before the two earthquakes occurred in February 2022. The results, validated with Global Navigation Satellite System measurements, do not highlight displacements correlated with the seismicity but, thanks to their high spatial resolution, it was possible to discriminate areas affected by noticeable subsidence phenomena: (i) the highly industrialized areas located north of the municipalities of Reggio Emilia and Modena cities and (ii) a sector of the high-speed railway sited north of the Reggio Emilia city centre, close to the Reggio Emilia AV Mediopadana station. Here we show that, at least since 2012, the latter area is affected by subsidence which can be related to the secondary consolidation process of the fine soils loaded by the railway embankment. The piezometric level analysis also suggests that the lowering of the groundwater table could accelerate the subsidence rate, affecting the stability of infrastructures in highly populated and industrialized areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The identification of terrestrial water bodies and underground water interaction is crucial in the effective management and development of aquifer resources as the process affects both the quantity and quality. For the current work plan, 32 water samples were gathered from rivers, lake, pond, swamp and groundwater located in an alluvial plain of Dimapur Valley of Nagaland, India, to investigate the possible mechanisms of terrestrial water bodies and groundwater interaction adopting multivariate statistical procedure and hydrochemistry. Hierarchical cluster analysis (HCA) resulted in two major clusters and five sub-clusters based on their similarities on ionic composition reflecting ion interaction between the surface water and groundwater. The results were supported by PCA, which signified the stream and groundwater hydrochemistry by the sub-clusters. Graphical ionic plots indicated that the provenance of dissolved ions was identified as physical weathering and disaggregation of rock mechanism especially from sedimentary rocks and subsequent ion exchange process. Spatial distribution of hydrochemical facies showed that the Chathe River in its upstream reach was characterized by a similar water type (Ca2+-Mg2+-HCO3−) with the surrounding groundwater indicating the process of chemical interaction. The hydrogeologic section along with the water table inferred that the Chathe River exists as an influent river while the Dhansiri River flows as an effluent river. The isotope δ18O− values suggested that the terrestrial water bodies got recharged through underground water. The overall study, thus, provided insights into the mechanism of terrestrial water bodies and underground water interaction in the area of interest which will help in designing suitable effective strategic action plans to stakeholders for the development of water resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Groundwater plays an important role in sustaining the streamflow in cold alpine area, but is poorly understood due to a lack of direct access. About 98 groups of springs are observed at the upper reaches of Heihe River Basin, which provide an opportunity to explore the main aquifers. Springs are clustered in three groups according to locations: (1) springs on the moraine and talus deposits; (2) springs at the end of alluvial plain in lower topography; (3) springs along the river bank. The hydrometric, geochemical and isotopic data of springs in a representative catchment were integrated and used to elucidate the groundwater flow paths. Results indicate the Quaternary porous aquifers in the alpine catchment have a profound influence on the regional groundwater flow paths and the groundwater and surface water (GW-SW) interactions. The aquifer consisting of alluvial-pluvial deposits has a great capacity of groundwater storage and plays a vital role in regulating discharge by attenuating the seasonal variation and maintaining the main stream in cold seasons. This is different from the fast recharge and discharge mode of the moraine and talus deposits. Our work highlights the importance of loose deposits in controlling the GW-SW interactions in the cold alpine area. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of History / Habaršy Tarihi Seriâsy is the property of Al-Farabi Kazakh National University and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The paper presents the results of palynological and geoarchaeological investigation carried out on the Greek-Roman site of Pantanello – ancient Metapontum – in the Metaponto Plain (southern Italy). This area, archaeologically investigated since the '70s, is an example of the long-term interaction between human communities and the environment. A total of 29 pollen samples and 43 bulk samples for sedimentological and mineralogical analyses were collected from three 2-m-deep trenches excavated in the vicinity of the archaeological complex of Pantanello and the alluvial plain of the Basento River. Our multidisciplinary investigation permitted to elucidate the main natural and human-controlled sedimentary processes that took place in the last two millennia. Large part of sedimentation occurred in fluvial environments and led to the accumulation of fine and organic matter-rich deposits. This happened in alluvial to swampy environments at the margin of the Basento River plain. Since the Greek occupation of the area, human communities contributed to the sedimentation with different degree of intensity. In fact, human agency (herding and cultivation) tuned the intensity of soil erosion and slope processes, thus activating the colluvial mobilization of coarse sediments into the sedimentary sequence. Pollen analyses allowed exhaustive landscape reconstructions of the site, giving specific details on the land use and its transformations during the Greek and Roman phases. The increased human exploitation of the area altered the intensity of surface processes (erosion and sedimentation) and the evolution of plant cover promoted by natural dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological changes attributed to anthropogenic activities is one of the fundamental drivers of local, regional and global environmental changes. Studies of morphology has become vital in enhancing the understanding and monitoring of environmental changes. On this aspect, the present study details the spatio-temporal status of the alluvial and coastal plains of the Kandaleru river of Nellore district using Landsat, LISS III and Sentinel 2A satellite images for the years 1973, 1988 and 2020. The study utilized Remote Sensing (RS), Geographical Information System (GIS) and Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) capabilities to identify the morphological changes and their impacts. Interpretation of morphological features from temporal satellite images were carried out using Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) technique of remote sensing and the impacts were studied using spatial analyst tools of ArcGIS and river bank dynamics was assessed and quantified using DSAS model. The study indicated a decrease in the spatial extent of both alluvial and coastal plains of the Kandaleru river during the study period. The alluvial plain decreased from 106.98 km2 in 1973 to 64.34 km2 in 2020 predominantly due to growth of aquaponds and other anthropogenic human interventions such as the growth of commercial and habitation areas. The coastal plain decreased by 13% during the study period due to the development of port and its related activities. The study revealed the regional stress of morphological features around the river which is one of the vital data to allude restrictions in such fertile landforms.

The alluvial plain of wadi Nador is a semi-arid coastal area where groundwater resources have been widely affected by marine saltwater intrusion. This phenomenon is probably not the only one responsible for the excessive salinity of the water. To better understand the origin of this mineralization, nineteen water samples were collected from the study area in October 2018, and physico-chemical analyzes were done. The results show that the electrical conductivity values vary between 1.4 and 4.2 mS/cm, as well as a clear dominance of chloride, calcium and sodium ions. Significant contamination by nitrates also occurs, since more than 42% of the samples exceed the potability standard of the World Health Organization (set at 50 mg/L). Statistical and hydrogeochemical studies have highlighted the existence of several natural and anthropogenic factors involved in the acquisition of the mineralization mechanisms of these waters, such as minerals dissolution (calcite, halite, gypsum, etc.), leaching of the unsaturated zone, the return of irrigation water as well as nitrate pollution, which can have multiple sources (natural, agricultural or domestic). [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the alluvial plain spanning between the Turia and Jucar rivers (486 km 2 ) in Valencia, Spain - a highly productive agricultural area that also involves a Natural Park (La Albufera). Thirty-five points across different water sources and land uses were sampled to map the spatial distribution of 14 heavy metals (Al, As, B, Cd, Co, Cr, Cu, Fe, Li, Ni, Pb, Sr, Tl, and Zn), and to study the potential influence of water characteristics and environmental factors on them. Two pollution indexes were applied, Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI) and Water Pollution Index (WPI), to assess the water quality state in the area. High levels were predominantly found in the southern region, particularly within rice farming areas. For B, Sr, and Tl, all samples exceeded WHO limits, EU legislation, or EPA benchmarks, with 61.76 % and 85.71 % of samples surpassing standards for Al and Li, respectively. Water salinization parameters greatly influenced the dynamics of Al, As, B, Li, Sr, and Tl. Analysis using both indexes (HEI and WPI) revealed poor water quality in the area, particularly in rice fields, posing potential toxic effects on ecosystems and human health. The findings of this work are valuable for understanding elements of concern in coastal wetlands under global change., Competing Interests: The authors declare the following financial interests/personal relationships which may be considered as potential competing interests: Vicente Andreu reports financial support was provided by Generalitat Valenciana. If there are other authors, they declare that they have no known competing financial interests or personal relationships that could have appeared to influence the work reported in this paper., (© 2024 Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The study of deformation signals associated with seismicity in alluvial plain areas is a challenging topic that, however, is increasingly studied thanks to the great aid given by remote sensing techniques that exploit Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) data. This study focuses on the determination of the deformation field within the Emilia-Romagna Region (northern Italy), in the area comprising Modena, Reggio Emilia, and Parma cities. SAR data acquired along both orbits during the Sentinel-1 and Cosmo-SkyMed satellite missions were processed with the Small Baseline Subset interferometric technique from June 2012, after the serious seismic swarm of May 2012, to January 2022, just before the two earthquakes occurred in February 2022. The results, validated with Global Navigation Satellite System measurements, do not highlight displacements correlated with the seismicity but, thanks to their high spatial resolution, it was possible to discriminate areas affected by noticeable subsidence phenomena: (i) the highly industrialized areas located north of the municipalities of Reggio Emilia and Modena cities and (ii) a sector of the high-speed railway sited north of the Reggio Emilia city centre, close to the Reggio Emilia AV Mediopadana station. Here we show that, at least since 2012, the latter area is affected by subsidence which can be related to the secondary consolidation process of the fine soils loaded by the railway embankment. The piezometric level analysis also suggests that the lowering of the groundwater table could accelerate the subsidence rate, affecting the stability of infrastructures in highly populated and industrialized areas.

Alluvial plains are highly vulnerable to floods and ground disasters. Recent rapid urbanization and climate change have heightened disaster risks in urban areas. Geomorphological maps, crucial for estimating disaster risks, delineate landform boundaries based on patterns of concave breaks of slope and micro-landforms. However, enhancing the accuracy of such maps requires data extraction methods capable of capturing these features with greater precision. Traditional topographic measurements derived from adjacent elevation points in airborne light detection and ranging (LiDAR) digital terrain models (DTMs) fail to accurately represent slope variations on low ground surfaces due to the inclusion of numerous noise-like artificial terrain features. Consequently, analyzing natural terrain becomes challenging. To address this issue, our study devised a method to automatically identify and eliminate noise-like artificial terrain from LiDAR DTMs. We achieved this by removing major artificial terrain features from land-use vector data, creating an edge-preserving smooth DTM, and selectively removing and interpolating only those areas where were large differences between the smooth DTM and the LiDAR DTM. This method minimizes the interpolation of artificial terrain and quotes the LiDAR DTM for other areas, thereby minimizing the data quality loss. It is possible to identify and demarcate topographic boundaries in plains with a longitudinal gradient of approximately 1% or less at a high resolution, which can be used to investigate the relationship between flood and ground characteristics and landform volume in the plains. This method can be easily processed using only QGIS and free open data. This approach enhances the precision of disaster risk estimation and facilitates more effective urban planning in vulnerable areas. [Display omitted] • LiDAR DTM and smooth DTM difference is used to extract artificial terrain regions. • NDTM can identify lowland slopes of 1% or less even at resolutions higher than 15 m. • High-resolution NDTM enables automated lowland terrain classification using DTMs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides information on selected physico-chemical properties, including soil colour, texture, electrical conductivity, pHH2O, pHCaCl2, content of total carbon and Q4/6 quotient, of the topsoil and subsoil of former flood sediments at three diverse vegetation plots in a floodplain and in two reference plots unaffected by floods, and changes of some soil properties caused by a new subsequent flood. Aggradation of flood sediments in the area was controlled both by local terrain morphology and vegetation type cover. Differences in the properties of sediments in the individual plot types were caused by the different production of litter, root biomass and carbon cycling before the new flood. Vertical distributions and inventories of 137Cs in soils revealed the position and proportion of modern sediments in soil profiles, man-made filling of former erosion grooves and ploughing depths. The new flood of a lower hydrological power aggraded a thin layer of organo-clay sediment on the soil surface but showed minor effects on the investigated soil properties. The lowest dry bulk density and highest total porosity values were found in the topsoil of woody and grassy plots after the flood implying no substantial break down of soil aggregates by the flood. The highest dry bulk density values in the subsoil of fields indicated soil compaction from agricultural machinery. No increased soil salinity was found after the flood. The flood did not significantly affect the pHH2O of the topsoil and subsoil; however, a significant increase in pHCaCl2 was found for the topsoil of grassy plots and for all topsoil samples from the park. No significant increases in total carbon (Ctot) contents were found in topsoils of any plot types after the flood in spite of an accumulation of thin organo-clay material on the soil surface after the flood. However, significant increases in Ctot in subsoils of all plot types indicate the vertical migration of colloidal and dissolved organic carbon in soils during the flood. Ctot contents positively correlated with electrical conductivity values and negative correlated with pH values. The relatively minor changes in soil physico-chemical properties found after the flood can be explained by the short duration and small dynamic power of the flood, and the timing of sampling when the flood had receded and soil aeration was already being restored.

Finkl, C.W. and Makowski, C., 2022. Identification of domain complexes in the Danube Delta Coastal Belt using the Biophysical Cross-shore Classification System (BCCS), based on interpretation of satellite imagery. Journal of Coastal Research, 38(1), 1–18. Coconut Creek (Florida), ISSN 0749-0208. The Biophysical Cross-shore Classification System (BCCS) was applied to the Danube Delta on the NW margin of the Black Sea to ascertain whether this method of classification was applicable to extensive low-lying and low-relief wetland coastalscapes. For organizational purposes, the coastal belt study area was broken into four previously recognized delta lobes (Kilia, Sulina, St. George II, and Cosna–Sinoie) and the Chituc Formation (beach ridge plain) because these provided distinctive coastal segments that were manageable for cross-shore classification. The village of Prymors'ke in the Lyman municipality of Ukraine and the onshore Chituc Formation beach ridge strandplain on the southern margin of the delta marked the northern- and southernmost extents of the Danubian classification effort, respectively. Codified cross-shore catenary sequences were based on the occurrence of recurring archetypes (i.e. Barrier, Beach, Beach Ridge, Delta, Developed, Lagoon, and Wetland) that had alongshore extent and could be identified as domains. Sub archetypes were also interpreted and added to the cross-shore sequences to further refine the Danube Delta classification. Because long cross-shore catenary sequences included inland biophysical and anthropogenic units that often differed dramatically from immediate onshore features, the conflated catenas were bifurcated into onshore (seaward) and inland (landward) domains, sections, or branches that were collectively referred to as domain complexes. Extension of cross-shore transects up to 20 km inland to incorporate all salient aspects of the delta provided useful subdivision of delta landscapes. Sixteen cross-shore transects were used to derive 12 domain complexes extending 167.5 km along the Danubian coastal belt that reached from the approximate latitudes of Prymors'ke, Ukraine, in the north to about Corbu in Romania to the south. Classification of the Danube Delta coastal belts showed that it is possible to apply the BCCS to large-area delta regions using extended cross-shore transects with bifurcated catenary sequences that together describe seaward (onshore) and landward (inland) sections of the delta in the form of domain complexes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Morphological changes attributed to anthropogenic activities is one of the fundamental drivers of local, regional and global environmental changes. Studies of morphology has become vital in enhancing the understanding and monitoring of environmental changes. On this aspect, the present study details the spatio-temporal status of the alluvial and coastal plains of the Kandaleru river of Nellore district using Landsat, LISS III and Sentinel 2A satellite images for the years 1973, 1988 and 2020. The study utilized Remote Sensing (RS), Geographical Information System (GIS) and Digital Shoreline Analysis System (DSAS) capabilities to identify the morphological changes and their impacts. Interpretation of morphological features from temporal satellite images were carried out using Maximum Likelihood Classifier (MLC) technique of remote sensing and the impacts were studied using spatial analyst tools of ArcGIS and river bank dynamics was assessed and quantified using DSAS model. The study indicated a decrease in the spatial extent of both alluvial and coastal plains of the Kandaleru river during the study period. The alluvial plain decreased from 106.98 km2 in 1973 to 64.34 km2 in 2020 predominantly due to growth of aquaponds and other anthropogenic human interventions such as the growth of commercial and habitation areas. The coastal plain decreased by 13% during the study period due to the development of port and its related activities. The study revealed the regional stress of morphological features around the river which is one of the vital data to allude restrictions in such fertile landforms. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The response of vegetation to variable flood regimes is an important research question for floodplains in semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa experiencing climate change. The Inland Niger Delta (IND), located within the Sahelian zone of Central Mali, is a large floodplain that has experienced a historically-significant period of recurrent drought from 1970 to 1994 followed by a recovery of floods since. Vegetation associations, as determined through 2014 fieldwork at 538 IND sites, were compared to the sites' vegetation associations as mapped in 1982. Site-specific flood histories were constructed through the analysis of Landsat imagery across the 1982–2014 period. In more deeply flooded portions of the floodplain, observations of vegetation associations in 2014 show remarkable consistency with those existing in 1982. In areas flooded infrequently and for the shortest duration, vegetation trajectories are more complicated with evidence for bush encroachment noted at 4.5% of all sites. Flood history explains only a portion of the few site-specific changes observed over the study period. Significant changes were more likely to be associated with more recent flood history (post 1999) rather than the flood history during the preceding abnormally dry period (1982–1991). These findings point to remarkable resiliency of IND vegetation to widely fluctuating levels of flooding that are driven not only by rainfall and run-off across the watershed but also by land use, water withdrawals and damming upstream. Given the low species diversity of IND vegetation, its resiliency derives from the combination of the seasonal plasticity of perennial grass growth in relation to rainfall and flood regimes and the efficiency of their vegetative and reproductive propagation in the context of highly seasonal grazing. The co-occurrence of interannual resiliency of the IND vegetation with annual vegetation production varying significantly with annual rainfall-flood conditions is consistent with non-equilibrium ecosystem dynamics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article argues that the anthropocentric perspective applied in the literature on humans and the environment has produced invalid, biased conclusions, which have caused errors in the measures taken to mitigate natural disasters. Taking the case of the residents of Kampung Laut, this study synergizes the concept of culture and nature. The residents live in an area facing landscape changes due to massive sedimentation. Their first problem is related to land tenure. The other relates to agricultural activities which require reciprocal interactions between humans and the environment in the ecological system. Kampung Laut residents, who once lived harmoniously with marine biota, must now adapt and cultivate new varieties of rice, mangroves and albizia. The result of this research reveals that the balance between humans and nature requires a cause and several forms of interaction such as threats, conflicts, compromises and harmony, which may occur simultaneously and not gradually. This article asserts that anthropology as science can contribute to humanitarian issues through a holistic and integrative multispecies understanding that enables humans and nature to develop a balanced and sustainable ecological system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article provides information on selected physico-chemical properties, including soil colour, texture, electrical conductivity, pHH2O, pHCaCl2, content of total carbon and Q4/6 quotient, of the topsoil and subsoil of former flood sediments at three diverse vegetation plots in a floodplain and in two reference plots unaffected by floods, and changes of some soil properties caused by a new subsequent flood. Aggradation of flood sediments in the area was controlled both by local terrain morphology and vegetation type cover. Differences in the properties of sediments in the individual plot types were caused by the different production of litter, root biomass and carbon cycling before the new flood. Vertical distributions and inventories of 137Cs in soils revealed the position and proportion of modern sediments in soil profiles, man-made filling of former erosion grooves and ploughing depths. The new flood of a lower hydrological power aggraded a thin layer of organo-clay sediment on the soil surface but showed minor effects on the investigated soil properties. The lowest dry bulk density and highest total porosity values were found in the topsoil of woody and grassy plots after the flood implying no substantial break down of soil aggregates by the flood. The highest dry bulk density values in the subsoil of fields indicated soil compaction from agricultural machinery. No increased soil salinity was found after the flood. The flood did not significantly affect the pHH2O of the topsoil and subsoil; however, a significant increase in pHCaCl2 was found for the topsoil of grassy plots and for all topsoil samples from the park. No significant increases in total carbon (Ctot) contents were found in topsoils of any plot types after the flood in spite of an accumulation of thin organo-clay material on the soil surface after the flood. However, significant increases in Ctot in subsoils of all plot types indicate the vertical migration of colloidal and dissolved organic carbon in soils during the flood. Ctot contents positively correlated with electrical conductivity values and negative correlated with pH values. The relatively minor changes in soil physico-chemical properties found after the flood can be explained by the short duration and small dynamic power of the flood, and the timing of sampling when the flood had receded and soil aeration was already being restored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Khetri Copper Belt (KBC), India, lies in the semi-arid region at the confluence of Aravalli ranges and alluvial soil. A study is designed to understand the influence of aeolian processes on soil geochemistry (major oxides, trace elements and REE) at the edge of desert. Mines of copper, quartzite and granite are active in the region and for the study the region is divided into three zones such as copper mine zone (CMZ), quartzite mine zone (QMZ) and granite mine zone (GMZ). CMZ is located in the windward of Aravalli hills (considering Thar desert as a reference point) and significantly influenced by strong winds from Thar desert. Low values of CIA (60) at CMZ compared to PAAS (CIA = 70) are attributed to significant impact of aeolian processes. QMZ is quartzite enriched zone and low average value of CIA (60) is due to less weathering of parent quartzite rocks. Cu and Zn are major nutrient for plants and a positive correlation of Cu and Zn with N and C at QMZ indicates high fertility of soil (alluvial soil) and negligible influence of aeolian processes is attributed to its leeward location from Aravalli hills, the physical barrier. Eu anomaly and variations in trace elements (La/Th, Th/Sc and La/Sc) confirm the felsic source of soil. The UCC normalised plot for ∑REE shows the enrichment of REE at QMZ and GMZ as compared to CMZ is due to presence of heavy minerals. Thus, less impact of aeolian processes on QMZ lies in the leeward of Aravalli ranges indicating that the Aravalli ranges shield the transportation of aeolian sand. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study aims to create a terrain classification of Japan that allows both geomorphological and geoengineering classifications coexist without large contradictions and to distinguish landform elements even in urban plains which include noise associated with digital elevation models (DEMs). Because Japan is susceptible to natural disasters, we designed the classification to reflect the ground vulnerability of both alluvial plains and mountains through the application of terrain classification data to landslide susceptibility and seismic zoning. We updated an existing DEM-based terrain classification method for application in the high-resolution 30 m DEM. We used topographic measurements that do not amplify manmade unevenness or noise, which are usually the main problems associated with the use of high-resolution DEMs with high vertical accuracies. We selected the height above the nearest drainage (HAND), slope gradient, surface texture, and local convexity as geometric signatures, which were devised so as not to detect noise. Segment polygon data of terrain units were derived from the raster data of slope and HAND. The polygon data were classified into 40 clusters using the attributes of slope, HAND, and surface texture; then they were grouped into 16 legends following comparisons with the existing geological and geomorphological maps and supplementary reclassification by HAND and local convexity. The derived terrain classification, except for manmade cuts and fills, showed similarities with the existing expert-driven maps and some association with areas where shallow landslides or floods frequently occur. Based on a trial in California using a 30 m DEM, we concluded that the proposed method can be adopted in other regions outside of Japan. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Alluvial soils are rich in mineral nutrients, and contain high heavy metals, especially Cd. The interactions of mineral nutrients with Cd in soil-rice grain systems on natural condition of alluvial plain are highlighted in this study. 110 pairs of rice grain and soil (0–20 cm) samples from the Pearl River Delta were investigated and measured. The results indicated that pH, organic matter, cation exchange capacity, clay, Ca, Cd, Fe, Mn and Zn are the most important soil characteristics controlling Cd uptake by rice grain. There are synergetic interactions between Cd and mineral elements in the soils, and antagonistic interactions between them in the rice grains. It could provide useful information for the risk assessment of heavy metals in the soils of alluvial plain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Land subsidence is the lowering of ground surface due to natural and/or anthropogenic processes. Land subsidence in the Semarang-Demak plain has been going on for more than thirty years, however the contribution of natural and anthropogenic causes is relatively unknown. The Semarang-Demak plain has only been formed recently, as a result of rapid sedimentation during the Holocene. The basin mainly consists of underconsolidated thick clay, vulnerable to excessive settlement due to its own weight and additional pressures. The rate of natural subsidence is quantified by modelling the delayed dissipation of measured overpressure and the resulting vertical deformation, resulting in natural compaction rate of less than 0.8 cm/year in Semarang City and more than 0.8 cm/year in Demak Regency. The subsidence computed for parts of the Semarang-Demak plain were compared to the measured geodetic rate, and the relative contributions of natural and anthropogenic causes are derived. Modelling results show that natural subsidence is more significant at the eastern part of the plain (Demak region) with compaction rate reaching 0.9 - 2.2 cm/year that counts for 48 - 92% of the total land subsidence. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Featured Application: Spatial variability has always been a hot topic in soil science. Through an example of calculation, we compare and analyse the results of four methods: classical statistics, geostatistics, fractal and multifractal. Given this research scale, different methods have different conclusions. Considering that classical statistics, geostatistics and the fractal method have different disadvantages in application, we think that the multifractal method has broad prospects in the quantitative evaluation of spatial variability. The spatial variability of soil properties has always been a significant research field in geoscience. The types of soil properties cover a wide range, but most studies have focused on the spatial variability of soil physicochemical properties over the past decades. Studies on soil hydraulic characteristics are limited, and most of them are limited to the farmland scale. However, the spatial variability of regional soil properties (soil texture and hydraulic properties) is valuable for the study of sedimentation processes and soil water transport. Therefore, here, the spatial variation of six soil properties (sand, silt, clay content, bulk density, saturated water content and saturated hydraulic conductivity) in the typical alluvial plain area of the lower Yellow River is quantitatively studied, by using classical statistics, geostatistics and single fractal and multifractal methods. This study mainly quantitatively analysed the spatial variability of different soil properties and compared four research methods. Although the coefficient of variation, nugget coefficient, single fractal dimension and multifractal spectral width can reflect spatial variability, diverse conclusions are drawn (on variability) if different methods are used, and the different soil properties show large disparities. These four methods show a different variation order of soil properties, but there are some common conclusions based on analysis and judgment. In general, the silt content in the study area is stable, mainly originating from loess transported by Yellow River erosion, which is also reflected in the Kriging interpolation maps under the geostatistical models. The variation in bulk density and saturated water content is weak, and the spatial variability of sand and clay content is moderate. In addition, the saturated hydraulic conductivity fluctuates violently. This may be related to the differences in local topography, human activity and the content of sand and clay, each of which significantly affects the saturated hydraulic conductivity. Classical statistics has a limitation because it fails to corelate with spatial location. Due to the small sample capacity and calculation error of lag distance, the accuracy of geostatistics and single fractal dimensions needs to be improved. Multifractal spectral analysis does not need to consider the normality of data and can quantitatively represent local characteristics; therefore, its results have high reliability. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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In this study, we want to clarify the driving factors of phytoplankton community in a set of eutrophic lakes in the lowland areas of Huaihe River, one of seven biggest rivers in China. We analyzed the phytoplankton community of five lakes located in the lowland areas of Huaihe River using Reynolds functional groups (RFG) approach, with simultaneous measurement of several environmental variables in monthly sampling campaigns during 2 years. The annual average phytoplankton biovolume of the five lakes ranged from 3.7 to 9.9 mm3/L, with the highest values occurring during warm seasons. The shallow eutrophic lakes primarily contained mixing and low-light adaptive species with C and D groups as dominant all-round the year. Representatives of X2, Y, and W1 were predominant during the spring and the autumn with high nutrients and organic matter concentrations. Cyanobacteria were mainly represented by group S1 especially during the summer. Mixing, temperature, together weak light caused by phytoplankton biomass, could shape phytoplankton assemblage more than nutrients in the shallow eutrophic lakes with warm-temperate climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Atti della Società dei Naturalisti e Matematici di Modena is the property of Societa dei Naturalisti e Matematici di Modena and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

We present a geomorphological map (Main Map) of the lower plain of the Ceyhan River (Adana province, Turkey). Data from three field campaigns and remote sensing observations were managed in a GIS to produce a 1:25,000 scale map. The area, mostly formed by alluvial sediments, is characterized by intense fluvial dynamics with superimposed agricultural activity. Erosional processes prevail on rocky ridges partially bordering the plain on the north-eastern side. The alluvial plain is flanked by large alluvial fans on its eastern side, whereas the western limit consists of a smoothed and undistinguishable watershed. Alluvial and deltaic deposits close to the river mouth are bordered southward by nested coastal dunes, lagoons, swamps and marshes punctuating the coastal belt. This area was an important historical site, as documented by evidence of settlements from the Neolithic. The map is a useful tool to support further archaeological research.

Crustal movements on a millennial timescale (103–104 years) are important data for assessing the deformation of subduction zones during megathrust earthquake cycles. Such data did not exist until recently for the Sanriku coast, near the source region of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake. Since the 2011 earthquake, studies of Holocene sedimentary successions have documented subsidence on the central to southern segment of the Sanriku coast on a millennial timescale, but comparable data are lacking for the northern Sanriku coast. This study derived millennial-scale crustal movements from a well-dated Holocene sedimentary succession in the Omoto plain on the northern Sanriku coast. Sedimentary and fossil evidence record the following sequence of environmental changes influenced by sea-level changes: upward growth and landward progradation of a barrier and flood tidal delta from 10,000–9000 cal BP, an estuarine environment from 9000 to 8000 cal BP after growth and progradation of the barrier and flood tidal delta ceased, and a regressive delta and subsequent fluvial environment after 8000 cal BP. Thick deposit of delta to floodplain sediment since mid-Holocene is not apparent in the Omoto plain, whereas this feature typical of subsidence area is documented along the central Sanriku coast. Although the absolute direction of the vertical deformation trend could not be well constrained in the study area because of compaction effects, the evidence indicates that subsidence during the mid and late Holocene was either absent or not noticeable on the Omoto plain. This difference in deformation histories corresponds to a contrast in coseismic subsidence during the 2011 earthquake between the northern Sanriku coast (small subsidence) and the central to southern Sanriku coast (large subsidence). The results of this study suggest that the northern and central to southern parts of the Sanriku coast should be considered separately when assessing regional crustal deformation related to subduction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The thick ' Xiashu loess' in southern China is distributed not only in the Yangtze River valley, but also and most extensively in the region between the Qinling Mountains and the lower reaches of the Yangtze River. However, there are few studies of the provenance and climatic implications of the Xiashu loess in this latter region. Here we present the results of a provenance study of Last Glacial loess samples from twenty-two typical Xiashu loess sections, using the major and trace element composition as a provenance indicator. Seventeen of the sites are located to the north of the Yangtze River and our primary aim was to determine the provenance of the Xiashu loess within this region. Our results indicate that the alluvial plain located mainly in the present drainage area of the Huai River was the primary dust source for the Xiashu loess in this region. The occurrence of multiple local dust sources within this alluvial plain, suggested by their geochemical heterogeneity, indicates that the alluvial plain experienced intensified aridity which caused it to become a dust source for local loess deposits in northern subtropical China during the Last Glacial. Our study provides strong evidence to challenge the long-held view that the occurrence of Xiashu loess resulted from the southward incursion of the CLP loess deposits sourced from deserts of the Asian interior, and it confirms the substantial role of aridification of the present humid northern subtropical region for dust emission to the climate system during the Last Glacial. • Major and trace element composition of samples from 22 Xiashu loess sections. • The Xiashu loess was not primarily derived from the Asian interior deserts. • Geochemical heterogeneity indicates local dust sources in the alluvial plain. • Alluvial plain in northern subtropical China aridified during the Last Glacial. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In the Parma Functional Urban Area, hydro-geo-ecology was investigated through an interdisciplinary approach, with emphasis on the shallow aquifer system. The study pointed out that domestic wells and fontanili are both fed by shallow groundwater affected by PCE and nitrate contamination, upgradient of the rural area located north of Parma City. Moreover, Folsomia candida tests suggested the possibility that other types of contaminants (not analysed in this study) can affect the shallow groundwater. Nowadays, PCE concentrations in the city centre are slightly higher than the limit set by law. Moreover, PCE aerobic biodegradation can be due to the local microbial community and then an effective natural attenuation can be expected along the groundwater flow pathway. These results suggest a very low risk for human health, linked to the groundwater consumption in the rural area north of Parma City. Conversely, no forecasts can be made at present about the possible impact of low PCE concentrations on the aquatic ecosystem observed at the fontanili. Concerning nitrate contamination, the higher concentrations detected in some wells and fontanili suggest a high risk for both human health and aquatic ecosystems. In a wider context, thanks to the interdisciplinary approach that combines successfully well-established investigation methods, the present study allows a better knowledge of the hydro-geo-ecological behaviour of groundwater-dependent ecosystems. At the same time, through purpose-designed experimental investigations and simulation models, this approach could be used as a sort of guideline useful in studying such complex environmental systems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]