42 research outputs found
Distribution of sulfur in power supply lignite from North Hungary
Abstract
The present article discusses the results of measurements carried out to assess the distribution of different sulfur types in lignite samples deriving from two opencast lignite mines near the villages of Bükkábrány and Visonta. These mines ensure the continuous supply of fuel for one of Hungary's largest thermal power plant. According to our findings no significant differences could be identified between the samples of the two mines based on their total sulfur (St) content. Both lignite types were classified as coals with medium-sulfur content according to the system of Chou (1990). A majority of total sulfur is accumulated in lignite, while in the intercalated carbonaceous shale total sulfur is present in minor amounts. Usually the sequence of the distribution of sulfur among the different bond forms in lignite collected from opencast mine of Visonta is as follows: pyritic sulfur (Sp) > organic sulfur (Sorg) > sulfate sulfur (SSOorg4).
In the samples collected from Visonta and Bükkábrány quantities of total sulfur were similar. However, some difference in their distribution among various sulfur types were noted. Although half of the samples were weathered and the amount of pyrite sulfur must have been higher in the weathered lignite of Bükkábrány preceding the oxidation process, the sequence of the distribution of sulfur was likely as follows Sorg ≥ Sp ≥ SSO4
Geographic variation in plant community structure of salt marshes: species, functional and phylogenetic perspectives.
In general, community similarity is thought to decay with distance; however, this view may be complicated by the relative roles of different ecological processes at different geographical scales, and by the compositional perspective (e.g. species, functional group and phylogenetic lineage) used. Coastal salt marshes are widely distributed worldwide, but no studies have explicitly examined variation in salt marsh plant community composition across geographical scales, and from species, functional and phylogenetic perspectives. Based on studies in other ecosystems, we hypothesized that, in coastal salt marshes, community turnover would be more rapid at local versus larger geographical scales; and that community turnover patterns would diverge among compositional perspectives, with a greater distance decay at the species level than at the functional or phylogenetic levels. We tested these hypotheses in salt marshes of two regions: The southern Atlantic and Gulf Coasts of the United States. We examined the characteristics of plant community composition at each salt marsh site, how community similarity decayed with distance within individual salt marshes versus among sites in each region, and how community similarity differed among regions, using species, functional and phylogenetic perspectives. We found that results from the three compositional perspectives generally showed similar patterns: there was strong variation in community composition within individual salt marsh sites across elevation; in contrast, community similarity decayed with distance four to five orders of magnitude more slowly across sites within each region. Overall, community dissimilarity of salt marshes was lowest on the southern Atlantic Coast, intermediate on the Gulf Coast, and highest between the two regions. Our results indicated that local gradients are relatively more important than regional processes in structuring coastal salt marsh communities. Our results also suggested that in ecosystems with low species diversity, functional and phylogenetic approaches may not provide additional insight over a species-based approach
Brain Structural Networks Associated with Intelligence and Visuomotor Ability
Increasing evidence indicates that multiple structures in the brain are associated with intelligence
and cognitive function at the network level. The association between the grey matter (GM) structural
network and intelligence and cognition is not well understood. We applied a multivariate approach
to identify the pattern of GM and link the structural network to intelligence and cognitive functions.
Structural magnetic resonance imaging was acquired from 92 healthy individuals. Source-based
morphometry analysis was applied to the imaging data to extract GM structural covariance. We
assessed the intelligence, verbal fluency, processing speed, and executive functioning of the
participants and further investigated the correlations of the GM structural networks with intelligence
and cognitive functions. Six GM structural networks were identified. The cerebello-parietal component
and the frontal component were significantly associated with intelligence. The parietal and frontal
regions were each distinctively associated with intelligence by maintaining structural networks with
the cerebellum and the temporal region, respectively. The cerebellar component was associated
with visuomotor ability. Our results support the parieto-frontal integration theory of intelligence by
demonstrating how each core region for intelligence works in concert with other regions. In addition,
we revealed how the cerebellum is associated with intelligence and cognitive functions
The morphological adaptation of Lithocodium aggregatum Elliott (calcareous green alga) to cryptic microhabitats (Lower Aptian, Spain): an example of phenotypic plasticity
222Rn and 226Ra activity concentrations in groundwaters of southern Poland: new data and selected genetic relations
Paleogeographic evolution of the Southern Pannonian Basin: 40Ar/39Ar age constraints on the Miocene continental series of notthern Croatia
The Pannonian Basin, originating during the
Early Miocene, is a large extensional basin incorporated
between Alpine, Carpathian and Dinaride fold-thrust belts.
Back-arc extensional tectonics triggered deposition of up to
500-m-thick continental fluvio-lacustrine deposits distributed
in numerous sub-basins of the Southern Pannonian
Basin. Extensive andesitic and dacitic volcanism accompanied
the syn-rift deposition and caused a number of
pyroclastic intercalations. Here, we analyze two volcanic
ash layers located at the base and top of the continental
series. The lowermost ash from Mt. Kalnik yielded an
40Ar/39Ar age of 18.07 ± 0.07 Ma. This indicates that the
marine-continental transition in the Slovenia-Zagorje
Basin, coinciding with the onset of rifting tectonics in the
Southern Pannonian Basin, occurs roughly at the Eggenburgian/
Ottnangian boundary of the regional Paratethys
time scale. This age proves the synchronicity of initial
rifting in the Southern Pannonian Basin with the beginning
of sedimentation in the Dinaride Lake System. Beside
geodynamic evolution, the two regions also share a biotic
evolutionary history: both belong to the same ecoregion,
which we designate here as the Illyrian Bioprovince. The
youngest volcanic ash level is sampled at the Glina and
Karlovac sub-depressions, and both sites yield the same
40Ar/39Ar age of 15.91 ± 0.06 and 16.03 ± 0.06 Ma,
respectively. This indicates that lacustrine sedimentation in
the Southern Pannonian Basin continued at least until the
earliest Badenian. The present results provide not only
important bench marks on duration of initial synrift in the
Pannonian Basin System, but also deliver substantial
backbone data for paleogeographic reconstructions in
Central and Southeastern Europe around the Early–Middle
Miocene transition
Cortical Brain Abnormalities in 4474 Individuals With Schizophrenia and 5098 Control Subjects via the Enhancing Neuro Imaging Genetics Through Meta Analysis (ENIGMA) Consortium
Facies dynamics in Eocene to Oligocene circumalpine carbonates
changes of specific carbonate facies types in time
and space, which are controlled by phylogenetic, ecological
and geological parameters), is introduced. This concept
aims to define and interpret spatial and temporal changes
of carbonate facies patterns. It is based on Middle Eocene
to Early Oligocene shallow-water carbonate facies types
from the circumalpine area (north-eastern Italy, northern
Slovenia, Austria and southern Bavaria), which are compared
with respect to dominating biogenic components and
their distributions along a shelf gradient. This comparison
has lead to the distinction and definition of 14 Major Facies
Types (MFTs), which are dominated by coralline algae,
larger and smaller foraminifera, corals and bryozoans.
The presence and distribution of these MFTs from three
different time slices (Middle Eocene, Late Eocene and
Early Oligocene) is compared. Nine aspects of facies
dynamics are distinguished: origination, extinction, immigration,
emigration, expansion, reduction, stasis, shift, and
replacement of MFTs. These changes are controlled by regional
changes in ecological parameters, but also by global
events, especially extinction patterns at the Middle/Late
Eocene boundary and at the Eocene/Oligocene boundary