http://precedings.nature.com/subjects/earth-and-environment/ Recently posted documents in Earth & Environment Nature Publishing Group en Nature Precedings http://precedings.nature.com/images/header_logo.gif http://precedings.nature.com http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3944.1 In order to study the fossil contents of the Abderaz Formation for biostratigraphical purposes the 300 meters thick section was sampled at type section. The sequence is mainly made up of grey shales and marls with two units of chalky limestone in upper part. The lower contact of the formation with Aitamir Formation is disconform while the upper contact with Abtalkh is continuous. There are huge amounts of inoceramids and ammonite. In the chalk limestone bonds of this formation which is belong to Santonian time planktonic, would exist some foraminifera with a less diversity because during the Santonian, the members of morphotype group three (M3) shows a regression in the above-mentioned section, with association of tegilla shapes decreases in the area and sea water. The study of the planktonic foraminifera in isolated form led to differentiate three morphotype groups. The first group is characterized by trochospiral tests usually indicate shallow waters, the second group contains forms with strong ornamentations and the primary keels representing mid waters and finally compact trochospiral tests with keels known as deep water indices are included in the third group. Studies on the morphotypes showed a regressive cycle for Abderaz Formation. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3944.1 Fri, 20 Nov 2009 06:49:53 UTC Lithostratigraphy and study of planktonic foraminifera of the Abderaz Formation at type section, Kopet-Dagh basin, IRAN doi:10.1038/npre.2009.3944.1 2009-11-20 Meysam Shafiee Ardestani Nature Precedings 2009-11-20T06:49:53Z Manuscript Earth & Environment http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3957.1 Sustainable management of water resources requires quantitative description of spatio-temporal variability, and the map is a universal medium to reflect the spatio-temporal distribution of water resources. The long history of cartography and the recent digital revolution have culminated in the Google Earth web portal with unprecedented frequency of daily use. System analysis with combination of a cyber model of landscapes, multidimensional methods of data analysis, and GIS cartography of water resources in Minnesota started in 1996 with support from faculty of Department of Geology University of Minnesota-Duluth and has continued ever since. The “Water Resource Sustainability” project, funded by the Legislative Citizens Commission on Minnesota Resources (2007-2009) was the most resent phase of the research. Research using river flow monitoring data available from USGS for Minnesota and bordering areas of North Dakota, South Dakota, Iowa and Wisconsin was completed for the territory. Analysis of landscapes properties for watersheds taken from maps – Bailey’s Ecological Provinces, Soil Taxonomy Order, topographic characteristics (average altitude, average watershed slope, total, intermittent, and perennial drainage density), thickness of quaternary sediments, and Hydrogeological Hierarchical Regionalization – revealed control of geological conditions on water resource variability. The trends of interannual patterns and seasonality of river runoff depend on bedrock type and presence or absence of thick depositions of quaternary sediments in NE and SE of research territory and also on thickness of quaternary sediments in NW. The same parts of territory have main differences in annual and February monthly yields for interval of observations 1955-1978. The numbers of river discharge yield reach difference from 5 to 20 times. The control over water resource distribution and variability belongs to geological boundaries for types of bedrocks, lithology, and thickness of quaternary sediments. Groups of watersheds recognized by mutual landscape properties (geological conditions) with statistically proven influence on hydrologic characteristics provide a basis for regionalization and creation of a water resource map. The regionalization on the water resource map opens the way to study and climate change for regional level. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3957.1 Mon, 09 Nov 2009 16:16:03 UTC Geological Controls on Water Resource Variability in Minnesota, USA doi:10.1038/npre.2009.3957.1 2009-11-09 Boris Shmagin Nature Precedings 2009-11-09T16:16:03Z Presentation Ecology Earth & Environment http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3928/version/1 A systematic and comprehensive semiempirical, Hartree-Fock (HF) ab initio, and B3LYP density functional theory (DFT) study was conducted on the relative thermodynamic properties of various linear and branched perfluorinated and perhydrogenated alkyl compounds. The semiempirical AM1, PM3, and PM6 methods all consistently and accurately predict that branched alkyl compounds will generally be more thermodynamically stable than their linear counterparts. In contrast, HF and B3LYP calculations with the 6-31G(d,p), 6-31++G(d,p), and 6-311++G(d,p) basis sets predict that linear isomers will be more stable than branched analogs. These different linear versus branched perfluoroalkyl/perhydroalkyl thermodynamic property trends between semiempirical and ab initio/DFT methods were evident in both gas and aqueous phase calculations. Comparison of experimentally determined thermodynamic properties for several classes of linear and branched alkanes and alcohols with values calculated at the PM6 and B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) levels of theory supported the well known findings that such DFT and HF approaches incorrectly predict branched alkyl compounds will be less thermodynamically stable than linear isomers. Calculations at the MP2/6-311++G(d,p)//B3LYP/6-311++G(d,p) and M05-2X/6-311++G(d,p) levels of theory on a representative subset of the linear and branched perfluorinated compounds supported the thermodynamic conclusions from the PM6 method. Strong agreement between PM6 estimated thermodynamic properties and available experimental data supports use of this computational method for accurately calculating the well established higher thermodynamic stability of branched alkyl compounds. Branched perfluoroalkyl compounds are thus expected to be more thermodynamically stable than their linear analogs. http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3928/version/1 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 15:24:31 UTC Comparative semiempirical, ab initio, and DFT study on the thermodynamic properties of linear and branched PFSA/Fs, PFCA/Fs, and perhydroalkyl sulfonic acids, alkanes, and alcohols hdl:10101/npre.2009.3928.1 2009-11-03 Sierra Rayne Nature Precedings 2009-11-02T15:24:31Z Manuscript Chemistry Earth & Environment http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3892/version/1 Serial endosymbiosis theory provides a unifying paradigm for examining the interaction of cognitive modules at vastly different scales of biological, social, and cultural organization. A trivial but not unimportant model associates a dual information source with a broad class of cognitive processes, and punctuated phenomena akin to phase transitions in physical systems, and associated coevolutionary processes, emerge as consequences of the homology between information source uncertainty and free energy density. The dynamics, including patterns of punctuation similar to ecosystem resilience transitions, are largely dominated by the availability of ‘Roman roads’ constituting channels for the transmission of information between modules. http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3892/version/1 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:47:58 UTC Roman roads: The hierarchical endosymbiosis of cognitive modules hdl:10101/npre.2009.3892.1 2009-11-02 Rodrick Wallace Nature Precedings 2009-11-02T09:47:58Z Manuscript Ecology Neuroscience Earth & Environment Evolutionary Biology http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3926/version/1 Water scarcity in hot deserts, which cover about one-fifth of the Earth’s land area, along with rapid expansion of hot deserts into arable lands is one of the key global environmental problems. This paper proposes and substantiates an interdisciplinary approach to sustainable settlements in hot deserts using the accomplishments in the design of closed bioregenerative life support systems (CBLSS) for beyond-Earth (Lunar, Martian) settlements. Extensive space technology experience in the design of CBLSSes, which simultaneously produce food, water, nutrients, and fertilizers, process wastes, and revitalize air, has been analyzed and systematized with application to hot deserts, which represent extreme habitats with high input of solar energy, poor organic life, and nutrient/mineral-rich soils. A general flow diagram and design principles for hot-desert bioregenerative life support systems (BLSS), which may be considered as solar-powered “bioreactors” with accelerated cycles of carbon and nutrients, are formulated. Research and design guidelines for BLSS solar energy utilization, accelerated food production, water production and recycling, and wastes processing are suggested. Environmental and socioeconomic benefits of building hot-desert BLSSes are discussed. http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3926/version/1 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:47:51 UTC Application of space technology to the design of sustainable settlements in hot deserts: Bioregenerative life support systems hdl:10101/npre.2009.3926.1 2009-11-02 Yuriy Polyakov Nature Precedings 2009-11-02T09:47:51Z Manuscript Earth & Environment http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3839.1 In order to detailed study of Echinoids, some samples are collected from Brown limestone member of Seimare from Gurpi Formation with 213 meter thickness which located in the vicinity of Ilam province; settling over Ilam Formation continuously. Paleontological results indicated Campanian – maastrichtian age at this section. Detailed analyse of the 300 samples led to recognition of Bivalve especially Bivalve of Lofa, Brachiopods and five species of Echinoids such as: Salenia nutrix, Globator bleicheri، Orthopsis miliarisi, Goniopygus superbus, Conulus douville http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3839.1 Mon, 02 Nov 2009 09:42:00 UTC Study of Echinoids of Gurpi formation, Iran doi:10.1038/npre.2009.3839.1 2009-11-02 Behnaz Balmaki Nature Precedings 2009-11-02T09:42:00Z Manuscript Earth & Environment Evolutionary Biology http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3902/version/1 Generalizing Landau’s spontaneous symmetry breaking arguments using the standard groupoid approach to stereochemistry allows reconsideration of the origin of biological homochirality. On Earth, limited metabolic free energy density may have served as a low temperature analog to ‘freeze’ the system into the set of simplest homochiral transitive groupoids representing reproductive chemistries. These engaged in Darwinian competition until a single configuration survived. Subsequent path dependent evolutionary process licked in this initial condition. Astrobiological outcomes, in the presence of higher initial metabolic free energy densities, could well be considerably richer, perhaps of mixed chirality. One result would be a complicated distribution of biological chirality across a statistically large sample of extraterrestrial stereochemistry, in contrast with a recent prediction of a racemic average. http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3902/version/1 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 17:52:17 UTC On biological homochirality hdl:10101/npre.2009.3902.1 2009-10-26 Rodrick Wallace Nature Precedings 2009-10-26T17:52:17Z Manuscript Chemistry Earth & Environment Evolutionary Biology http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3901/version/1 Although the natural history of the Caribbean is better understood now than ever before, a general biogeographic explanation for the peculiar faunal composition of the islands remains elusive. New molecular phylogenetic and divergence analyses presented here show that dispersal and diversification in Caribbean bats are synchronous with sea level drops during inter-stage transitions in the Miocene. The phylogenies indicate that several continental bat species descended from West Indian ancestors, as the exceptionally low sea level of the Miocene transitions allowed for two-way biotic exchange between the islands and the continent. These results suggest a common mechanism underlies colonization and subsequent speciation in the Caribbean, and underscore the importance of geological history in all biogeographic scenarios, including dispersal. http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3901/version/1 Mon, 26 Oct 2009 14:04:29 UTC Earth History and the Evolution of Caribbean Bats hdl:10101/npre.2009.3901.1 2009-10-26 Liliana Dávalos Nature Precedings 2009-10-26T14:04:29Z Manuscript Earth & Environment Evolutionary Biology http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3882.1 The KOWWIN and ALOGPS octanol-water partition coefficient (Kow) estimation software programs were compared for their capacity to accurately predict log Kow values of 1596 organic compounds on the publicly available Domestic Substances List (DSL) from Environment Canada for which experimental data is available. KOWWIN contained a significantly lower number and magnitude of prediction errors compared to ALOGPS, particularly at experimental log Kow values ow data on the Canadian DSL. Predictive differences of up to 40 log Kow units were found between KOWWIN and ALOGPS, and in some cases, the discrepancies were sufficiently large that strongly opposing hydrophobicity classifications were obtained. http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/npre.2009.3882.1 Wed, 21 Oct 2009 15:02:21 UTC Performance of the ALOGPS 2.1 program for octanol-water partition coefficient prediction with organic chemicals on the Canadian Domestic Substances List doi:10.1038/npre.2009.3882.1 2009-10-21 Sierra Rayne Nature Precedings 2009-10-21T15:02:21Z Manuscript Chemistry Pharmacology Earth & Environment http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/ http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3847/version/1 During the 1960s, a study was made of the magnitude, frequency and distribution of intense rainfall over the UK, employing data from more than 120 daily-read rain gauges covering the period 1911 to 1960. Using the same methodology, that study was recently updated utilizing data for the period 1961 to 2006 for the same gauges, or from those nearby. This paper describes the techniques applied to ensure consistency of data and statistical modelling. It presents a comparison of patterns of extreme rainfalls for the two periods and discusses the changes that have taken place. Most noticeably, increases up to 20% have occurred in the north west of the country and in parts of East Anglia. There have also been changes in other areas, including decreases of the same magnitude over central England. The implications of these changes are considered. http://precedings.nature.com/documents/3847/version/1 Mon, 12 Oct 2009 07:56:27 UTC A Comparative Study of the Magnitude, Frequency and Distribution of Intense Rainfall in the United Kingdom hdl:10101/npre.2009.3847.1 2009-10-12 Nature Precedings 2009-10-12T07:56:27Z Manuscript Earth & Environment http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/