The identification and comparison of the bio-elements of the penguin ornithogenic sediments sample from Davis Station and Great Wall Station

During CHINARE-22 in austral summer of 2005-2006, a lake sediment core named DG4, which is impacted by penguin droppings, was retrieved from a lake catchment in Gardner Island of Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. In this study, the concentrations of characteristic elements in the core, local bedrocks and fresh penguin guanos were determined. P, Se, F, S, As, Sr and Cu in DG4 were identified as the bio-element assemblage by R-clustering analysis and compared with those in the local bedrocks and fresh guanos, the results are similar to Y2 in Ardley Island, Antarctic Peninsula. On this basis, P and Se were identified as the optimum bio-elements in DG4 and F, P and S were identified in Y2, respectively. This work will provides the foundation for reconstructing the past penguin populations in Gardner Island of Vest- fold Hills, East Antarctica and comparing the penguin population dynamics between East Antarctica and Antarctic Peninsula.

Feasibility of using reflectance spectroscopy for the analysis of bio-element concentrations in Antarctic ornithogenic sediments

Compared with traditional chemical analysis methods,reflectance spectroscopy has the advantages of speed,minimal or no sample preparation,non-destruction,and low cost.The present study explored the application of the reflectance spectroscopy within near ultraviolet-visible-near infrared region to predict bio-element compositions in the ornithogenic sediments from the maritime Antarctic.A total of 106 samples were taken from four ornithogenic sediment cores on the Ardley Island of Antarctica,68 samples were used for building calibration equation,and 38 for prediction of nine bio-elements including P,Ca,Cu,Zn,Se, Sr,Ba,F and S.Three multivariate statistical analysis techniques,including stepwise multiple linear regression（Stepwise-MLR）,principal component regression（PCR） and partial least squares regression（PLS） were used to develop mathematical relationships between the spectral data and the chemical reference data.The results showed that the regression models constructed by PCR and PLS models have no significant differences,and obviously supervisor to Stepwise-MLR.The correlations between spectra-predicted and chemically analyzed concentrations of nine bio-elements are statistically significant,and the concentration-versusdepth profiles predicted from reflectance spectra using PLS calibration model are consistent with those from actual chemical analysis.These results demonstrated the feasibility of using reflectance spectroscopy to infer bio-element concentrations in the ornithogenic sediments,and thus it is suggested that the reflectance spectroscopy could provide a rapid and valuable technique to indirectly identify whether the sediments were influenced by penguin droppings in the Antarctic region.

Identification of a female murder victim found in Burgenland,Austria in 1993

In 1993,the skeletal remains of a female corpse were found in Burgenland,Austria.Initial identification of the approximately 25–35-year-old female appeared impossible,but the case was reopened 23 years later.By applying biogeochemical isotope methods to her body tissues,the geographical origin of the unknown corpse could be predicted.The results of the C,N,S,H,Sr,and Pb isotope analyses suggested that the female did not originate from Europe and most likely spent her youth in the northern Caribbean.Using these findings,the police were able to identify the woman within 2 weeks.The female came from the Dominican Republic and resided in Austria for only a short period before she was murdered.This case shows that isotope biogeochemistry investigations can provide the police with crucial information that enables unknown persons to be identified.