Late Maastrichtian carbon isotope stratigraphy and cyclostratigraphy of the Newfoundland Margin (Site U1403, IODP Expedition 342)

Earth’s climate during the Maastrichtian (latest Cretaceous) was punctuated by brief warming and cooling episodes, accompanied by perturbations of the global carbon cycle. Superimposed on a long-term cooling trend, the middle Maastrichtian is characterized by deep-sea warming and relatively high values of stable carbon-isotope ratios, followed by strong climatic variability towards the end of the Cretaceous. A lack of knowledge on the timing of climatic change inhibits our understanding of underlying causal mechanisms. We present an integrated stratigraphy from Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) Site U1403, providing an expanded deep ocean record from the North Atlantic (Expedition 342, Newfoundland Margin). Distinct sedimentary cyclicity suggests that orbital forcing played a major role in depositional processes, which is confirmed by statistical analyses of high resolution elemental data obtained by X-ray fluorescence (XRF) core scanning. Astronomical calibration reveals that the investigated interval encompasses seven 405-kyr cycles (Ma4051 to Ma4057) and spans the 2.8 Myr directly preceding the Cretaceous/Paleocene (K/Pg) boundary. A high-resolution carbon-isotope record from bulk carbonates allows us to identify global trends in the late Maastrichtian carbon cycle. Low-amplitude variations (up to 0.4‰) in carbon isotopes at Site U1403 match similar scale variability in records from Tethyan and Pacific open-ocean sites. Comparison between Site U1403 and the hemipelagic restricted basin of the Zumaia section (northern Spain), with its own well-established independent cyclostratigraphic framework, is more complex. Whereas the pre-K/Pg oscillations and the negative values of the Mid-Maastrichtian Event (MME) can be readily discerned in both the Zumaia and U1403 records, patterns diverge during a ~ 1 Myr period in the late Maastrichtian (67.8–66.8 Ma), with Site U1403 more reliably reflecting global carbon cycling. Our new carbon isotope record and cyclostratigraphy offer promise for Site U1403 to serve as a future reference section for high-resolution studies of late Maastrichtian paleoclimatic change

The Costs of Drought: the Exceptional 2007-2008 Case of Barcelona

The drought affecting Catalonia between 2007 and 2008 was the most severe of the last century and serves as a case study for the assessment of the economic costs of such an event. The main focus is the drought affecting the so-called Ter-Llobregat system which serves the Metropolitan area of Barcelona, where most of the population is concentrated (approximately 5.5 million people). The 2007-2008 drought is a good illustrative case study due to its extreme severity and the availability of economic information both on the impacts (damages) and the measures taken. Moreover, important communication campaigns were put into place and led to significant reduction of the demand and the set up of mechanisms for public participation for future water management. Direct costs of the affected sectors, indirect costs of the Catalan economy and non-market welfare losses due to the worsening of the environmental quality and restrictions on water supply to households due to scarcity conditions are reported here. The total losses are estimated at 1,661,000,000 Euros (for a one year period), almost 1% of Catalonian´s GDP. The results of this study point out the need for further research on the estimation of the costs of drought (especially at European level) that needs to be embedded into the assessment of the costs of adaptation to climate change.drought, direct costs, indirect costs, non-market welfare losses, Barcelona

Wetland restoration and nitrate reduction: the example of the periurban wetland of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country, North Spain)

Changes in land use and agricultural intensification caused wetlands on the quaternary aquifer of Vitoria-Gasteiz (Basque Country) to disappear some years ago and nitrate concentration in groundwaters increased very quickly. The Basque Government recently declared the East Sector of this aquifer a Vulnerable Zone according to the 91/676/CEE European Directive. Recently, the wetlands have been restored through the closure of the main drainage ditches, the consequent elevation of the water table and the abondonment of agricultural practices near the wetlands. This is the case of the Zurbano wetland. Restoration has allowed the recovery of its biogeochemical function, which has reduced nitrate concentrations in waters. Nitrate concentrations which exceed 50 mg l–1 in groundwaters entering into the wetland are less than 10 mg l–1 at the outlet. Conditions in the wetland are conducive to the loss of nitrates: organic matter rich wetted soils, clay presence allowing a local semiconfined flow and very low hydraulic gradient. Water quality monitoring at several points around the wetland showed the processes involved in nitrate loss, although some aspects still remain unresolved. However, during storm events, the wetland effectively reduces the nitrate concentration entering the Alegria River, the most important river on the quaternary aquifer

Petroleum in the Spanish Iberian Peninsula

The main events of the history of petroleum in Spain are the following: 1) The mining concession of petroleum named El Progreso is the first one in Spain and occurred only seven years after Edwin Drake (1819-1880) drilled the first oil well in Pennsylvania. 2) The first survey of oil production in Spain, well known as the Tejon borehole, was conducted by the Sondeos de Huidobro Company in 1900, in Huidobro (Burgos), and reached 501 m of depth. 3) In 1964 CAMPSA and AMOSPAIN found petroleum in the Ayoluengo field (Burgos), with a borehole of 1,349 m of depth. This was the first and only petroleum field in the continental Spain in this zone. The Ayoluengo petroleum field has been active during 35 years. In this paper we will review the history of petroleum in peninsular Spain

Groundwater pollution in quaternary aquifer of Vitoria - Gasteiz (Basque Country, Spain)

As a result of diverse changes in land use and in water-resource management in the high basin of the Zadorra River (Basque Country), an important loss of water resources and an intense contamination by nitrogen compounds has taken place. The purpose of this paper is to detail the land transformations that have taken place on the aquifer since the 1950s: increase of drainage network, change from dry to irrigated farming, and diversion of rivers at the aquifer unit inlet. Furthermore, we analyze the impact of these transformations on the hydrodynamics and water quality of this aquifer system

Assessment of trace element pollution and its environmental risk to freshwater sediments influenced by anthropogenic contributions: The case study of Alqueva reservoir (Guadiana Basin)

The Guadiana Basin.(SW Iberian Peninsula) is affected by acid mine drainage (AMD), a consequence of ancient mining activities in the Iberian Pyrite Belt (IPB). Consequently, the sedimerits at the Alqueva reservoir (SE Portugal) in the Guadiana Basin are potentially contaminated by trace elements, which make important: (i) to characterize the status of trace element pollution of the sediments; (ii) to evaluate the mobility and the bioavailability of As, Cd, Cu, Cr, Pb and Zn; and (iii) to assess the environmental risk associated with the total and bioavailable concentrations of trace elements, using the sediment quality guidelines (SQGs) and the risk assessment code (RAC). Metal enrichment factors (EF) and geoaccumulation indexes (I-geo), determined taking into account the regional background levels, revealed that, among the metals analyzed, Cd contributed the highest to pollution levels followed by Pb and As. Despite the trace element contamination of the Alqueva sediments, the sequential extraction showed that Most of them are found in the oxidizable and residual fractions, which indicates that they are sparingly bioavailable, with exception of Cd (acid-labile fraction) and Pb (reducible fraction). Based on the RAC, Cd was the only metal that presented a high risk, while Pb, As and Zn showed a medium risk. Moreover, the SQGs revealed the existence of certain areas of extremely high risk, particularly related to high concentrations of total As and, in less extent, of Pb and Cd, associated with AMD, wastewater discharges and runoff of plant protection products from agricultural fields located near the reservoir. (C) 2015 Elsevier By. All rights reserved.FCT (Fundacao para a Ciencia e Tecnologia) [PTDC/AAC-AMB/103547/2008]; FEDER, through POFC (Eixo I - Programa Operacional Fatores de Competitividade) from QREN [COMPETE Re: FCOMP-01-0124-FEDER-008582]info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Characterization of asphaltic oil occurrences from the southeastern margin of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin, Spain

A geochemical investigation has been undertaken on biodegraded hydrocarbons in outcropping reservoirs of the south-eastern margin of the Basque-Cantabrian Basin (Álava sector). The aims of the study were the characterization of the geochemical features and biodegradation level of these hydrocarbons, and the evaluation of their resemblance to oils from the Ayoluengo onshore oil field by means of isotopic analyses and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry techniques. Most of the samples lack n-alkanes, soprenoids, low molecular weight aromatic compounds, steranes, homohopanes, diasteranes and triaromatic steroids, whereas hexacyclic and heptacyclic alkanes appear as key compounds although some structures were not totally elucidated. Thermal maturity has been assessed with several parameters and a calculated-equivalent vitrinite reflectance value of around 0.8% was estimated. In addition, gammacerane content, diasterane-to-sterane ratio and C35 to C34 hopanes ratio suggest that the Álava oil shows were derived from a carbonate rock deposited in a reducing, water-stratified and possibly hypersaline environment. Isotopic signatures and other data confirmed that these hydrocarbons are not genetically related to the oils from Ayoluengo and, consequently, their origin is associated with a yet unknown source rock in the basin

Impacts of Climate Change on European Critical Infrastructures: The Case of the Power Sector

Anthropogenic emissions of greenhouse gases cause climate change and this change in turn induces various direct impacts, e.g., changes in regional weather patterns. The frequency of heat waves and droughts in Europe is likely to rise. Yet, beyond these immediate effects of climate change, there are more indirect effects: Droughts may cause water scarcity and a lack of water supply which in turn would affect further sectors and critical infrastructures. A rising lack of water supply for cooling purposes, for example, will negatively affect electricity generation in power plants. In this paper we analyse such interplays between climate-change affected sectors. We investigate whether and to which extent power generation and supply in Europe is threatened by climate change because of the higher risk of water supply shortages due to more frequent drought and heat-wave incidences. Our proposed approach cannot only be applied to analyse the climate change effects on individual power plant sites or the overall economy but also on electricity exchanges between countries.adaptation, climate change, critical infrastructures, electricity trading, energy security, nuclear power plants, vulnerability