Antarctic ice sheet discharge driven by atmosphere-ocean feedbacks at the Last Glacial Termination

Reconstructing the dynamic response of the Antarctic ice sheets to warming during the Last Glacial Termination (LGT; 18,000–11,650 yrs ago) allows us to disentangle ice-climate feedbacks that are key to improving future projections. Whilst the sequence of events during this period is reasonably well-known, relatively poor chronological control has precluded precise alignment of ice, atmospheric and marine records, making it difficult to assess relationships between Antarctic ice-sheet (AIS) dynamics, climate change and sea level. Here we present results from a highly-resolved ‘horizontal ice core’ from the Weddell Sea Embayment, which records millennial-scale AIS dynamics across this extensive region. Counterintuitively, we find AIS mass-loss across the full duration of the Antarctic Cold Reversal (ACR; 14,600–12,700 yrs ago), with stabilisation during the subsequent millennia of atmospheric warming. Earth-system and ice-sheet modelling suggests these contrasting trends were likely Antarctic-wide, sustained by feedbacks amplified by the delivery of Circumpolar Deep Water onto the continental shelf. Given the anti-phase relationship between inter-hemispheric climate trends across the LGT our findings demonstrate that Southern Ocean-AIS feedbacks were controlled by global atmospheric teleconnections. With increasing stratification of the Southern Ocean and intensification of mid-latitude westerly winds today, such teleconnections could amplify AIS mass loss and accelerate global sea-level rise

Phosphate amendment of metalliferous tailings, Cannington Ag–Pb–Zn mine, Australia: implications for the capping of tailings storage facilities

This study appraised the use of phosphate fertilisers in immobilising metals in mine tailings to prevent their uptake into Curly Mitchell grass (Astrebla lappacea), when grown on capped, phosphate-amended tailings. Leaching experiments showed that Pb mobility was reduced by both bone meal and superphosphate amendment. Bone meal amendment also reduced Cd mobility. By contrast, Cd, Mn and Zn mobility increased in superphosphate-amended tailings due to increased acid production and, Cu was mobilised in bone meal-amended tailings possibly through the formation of soluble metal-complexing organic compounds. Arsenic and Sb were mobilised in both treatments due to phosphate ligand exchange. Greenhouse trials used Curly Mitchell grass grown on 1-m-high columns stacked with waste materials and different amendments overlain by clean topsoil. Curly Mitchell grass showed substantial uptake of Cd, Mn, Pb and Zn from unamended tailings and waste rock, where these were penetrated by the plant's root system. Addition of phosphate fertilisers to the surface of tailings did not result in reduced metal uptake by Curly Mitchell grass. In tailings capped with limestone, the limestone layer formed an effective physical barrier preventing root penetration into the tailings and led to substantially reduced metal uptake in grass. The study demonstrates that thorough mixing of waste materials and fertilisers as well as irrigation may be required for successful phosphate immobilisation of metals in base metal tailings. Alternatively, the placement of a thin layer of crushed limestone on top of the tailings pile prior to capping may lead to the formation of a chemical and physical barrier and prevent the transfer of environmentally significant elements into the above-ground biomass of Mitchell grasses

Effects of wood bark and fertilizer amendment on trace element mobility in mine soils, Broken Hill, Australia: implications for mined land reclamation

Soil amendments can immobilize metals in soils, reducing the risks of metal exposure and associated impacts to flora, fauna and human health. In this study, soil amendments were compared, based on "closed system" water extracts, for reducing metal mobility in metal-contaminated soil from the Broken Hill mining center, Australia. Phosphatefertilizer (bovine bone meal, superphosphate, triple superphosphate, potassium orthophosphate) and pine bark (Pinus radiata) were applied to two soils (BH1, BH2) contaminated with mining waste. Both soils had near neutral to alkaline pH values, were sulfide- or sulfate-rich, and contained metal and metalloid at concentrations that pose high environmental risks (e.g., Pb = 1.25 wt% and 0.55 wt%, Zn = 0.71 wt% and 0.47 wt% for BH1 and BH2, respectively). The addition of fertilizers and/or pine bark to both soil types increased water extractable metals and metalloids concentrations (As, Cd, Cu, Fe, Mn, Pb, Sb, Zn) compared with nonamended soils. One or more of the elements As, Cd, Cu, Mn, Pb, and Zn increased significantly in extracts of a range of different soil+pine bark and soil+fertilizer+piner+pine bark tests in response to increased pine bark doses. By contrast, Fe and Sb concentrations in extracts did not change significantly with pine bark addition. Solution pH was decreased by phosphate fertilizers (except for bovine bone meal) and pine bark, and pine bark enhanced dissolved organic carbon. At least in the short-term, the application of phosphate fertilizers and pine bark proved to be an ineffective method for controlling metal and metalloid mobility in soils that contain admixtures of polymetallic, polymineralic mine wastes

Biogeochemistry of Pb–Zn gossans, northwest Queensland, Australia: implications for mineral exploration and mine site rehabilitation

The concentration and distribution of metals were studied in metallophytes, growing on and in the vicinity of Pb–Zn\ud gossans, NW Queensland. The study investigated the accumulation of metals in plant species and assessed their potential use as indicators in geobotanical and biogeochemical prospecting and as metal excluders in mine site rehabilitation. Plant species colonising the gossans tolerate high concentrations of metals. Total mean metal concentrations of soils ranged from minima of 14 ppm Cu, 28 ppm Pb and 34 ppm Zn in background areas to maxima of 660 ppm Cu, 12000 ppm Pb and 2100 ppm Zn over mineralised soils. Over the gossans, the grass species Eriachne mucronata forma, Enneapogon lindleyanus and Paraneurachne muelleri replace the characteristic grass Triodia molesta where the soils have high Pb and Zn concentrations. Of the 16 plant species identified, 3 of them, Hybanthus aurantiacus, Clerodendrum tomentosum and Bulbostylis\ud barbata, were confined to the gossan sites. B. barbata appears to be of particular use in geobotanical prospecting as it indicates base metal mineralisation in the region.\ud \ud The biogeochemical analyses indicate significant enrichment of Cd, Pb and Zn in the tissue of all plant species, with the abundance of Cd, Pb and Zn in dried vegetation from the gossans being up to one order of magnitude above background. In particular, the uptake of Cd, Pb and Zn by Sida sp., T. molesta, Cleome viscosa and Eriachne mucronata forma increases linearly with DTPA-extractable soil metal concentrations. The biogeochemistry of these plants provides the best anomaly definition of the exposed gossans. Furthermore, the analysis of roots demonstrate that the plant species T. molesta, Eriachne mucronata forma and P. muelleri allow the transport of Cd, Pb and Zn from the roots to the above-ground biomass. Hence,the species best suited for biogeochemical prospecting for base metals in the region and semi-arid inland northern Australia are Eriachne mucronata and the genus Triodia. The analyses also reveal differences in the ability of each species to accumulate metals. Among all gossan plants, Eremophila latrobei displays distinctly low Pb concentrations and low correlations with soil DTPA extractable Pb. This plant is the most efficient in excluding Pb from its biomass, making it most suitable for the revegetation of Pb contaminated soils. This study demonstrates that biogeochemical examinations of gossans can reveal indicator and excluder plants, which are of potential use in mineral exploration as well as mined land reclamation

Stable isotopic signature of Australian monsoon controlled by regional convection

The aim of this study was to identify the main meteorological drivers of rainfall isotopic variation in north Australia in order to improve the interpretation of isotopic proxy records in this region. An intense monitoring program was conducted during two monsoonal events that showed significant and systematic isotopic change over time. The results showed a close link between isotopic variation in precipitation and variability in monsoon conditions, associated with the presence of large convective envelopes propagating through the study site. The largest negative amplitudes in the isotopic signal were observed when eastward and westward moving precipitation systems within the convective envelope merged over the measurement site. This suggests that the amplitude of the isotopic signal is related to the size and activity of the convective envelope. The strong correlation between rainfall isotopic variation, regional outgoing longwave radiation and regional rainfall amount supports this conclusion. This is further strengthened by the strong relationship between isotopic variation and the integrated rainfall history of air masses prior to arriving at the measurement locations. A local amount effect was not significant and these findings support the interpretation of δ¹⁸O as proxy for regional climatic conditions rather than local rainfall amount. Meteorological parameters that characterize intra-seasonal variability of monsoon conditions were also found to be strongly linked to inter-seasonal variability of the monthly based δ¹⁸O values in the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation (GNIP) database. This leads to the conclusion that information about the Australian monsoon variability can likely be inferred from the isotopic proxy record in North Australia on short (intra seasonal) and long (inter seasonal or longer) timescales

Multiple approaches to assess the safety of artisanal marine food in a tropical estuary

In this study, metal and metalloid concentrations and pathogens were measured in shellfish at different locations in a tropical estuary, including sites impacted by sewage and industry. Oyster, mangrove snails and mud snails did not exceed Australian and New Zealand Food Standards maximum levels for copper, lead or estimated inorganic arsenic at any site although copper concentrations in oysters and mud snails exceeded generally expected levels at some locations. Bacterial community composition in shellfish was species-specific regardless of location and different to the surrounding water and sediment. In the snails Telescopium telescopium, Terebralia palustris and Nerita balteata, some bacterial taxa differed between sites, but not in Saccostrea cucullata oysters. The abundance of potential human pathogens was very low and pathogen abundance or diversity was not associated with site classification, i.e. sewage impact, industry impact and reference

Comments on manuscript—Zheng, J., Huynh, T., Gasparon, M., Ng, J. and Noller, B., 2013. Human health risk assessment of lead from mining activities at semi-arid locations in the context of total lead exposure. Environmental Science and Pollution Research, 20, 8404–8416

[Extract] Zheng et al. (2013) examined the total concentration and in vitro bioaccessibility of Pb in air (PM10), soil and carpet dust samples from an unnamed Australian mining community. The Integrated Exposure Uptake Biokinetic (IEUBK) model was used to estimate the potential Pb exposure in young children (0–7 years) residing in the community from five measured Pb pathways (air, diet, water, soil and dust). The results showed that the ingestion of soils and settled dusts is the driving factor in terms of Pb exposure by children. We reviewed Zheng et al. (2013) and identified significant issues with respect to transparency, disclosure of funding, disclosure of the study location and lack of citation of relevant research. Consequently, we request that the manuscript be withdrawn from Environmental Science and Pollution Research, pending further independent blind peer review to address our concerns, which are detailed below

Multiobjective optimization with genetic algorithms and fuzzy-control

We present a new fuzzy-controlled genetic algorithm for multiobjective optimization problems. In each generation the fuzzy-controller decides what transformation of the cost components into an one-dimensional fitness function is taken. (orig.)Available from TIB Hannover: RO 8347(1996,9)+a / FIZ - Fachinformationszzentrum Karlsruhe / TIB - Technische InformationsbibliothekSIGLEDEGerman