Stable isotopic composition of otoliths in identification of stock structure of small yellow croaker(Larimichthys polyactis) in China

Oxygen and carbon isotope ratios（δ^（18）O and δ^（13）C） in otoliths were used to identify the stock structure of small yellow croaker,Larimichthys polyactis.Otoliths were collected from fish at five locations across the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea representing most of their distributional range and fisheries areas.The significant differences in the isotopic signatures showed that the five locations could be chemically distinguished and clearly separated,indicating stock subdivision.Correlation of δ^（18）O and δ^（13）C values suggested that population of L.polyactis could be divided into the Bohai Sea group,the southern Yellow Sea group and the central Yellow Sea group.Discriminant analysis of δ^（18）O and δ^（13）C values demonstrated a high significant difference with 85.7% classification accuracy.The spatial separation of L.polyactis indicated a complex stock structure across the Yellow Sea and the Bohai Sea.These results indicate that optimal fisheries management may require a comprehensive consideration on the current spatial arrangements.This study has provided further evidence that measurement of the stable isotopes ratios in otolith can be a valuable tool in the delineation of fishery management units.

New Geological and Hydrogeological Information on the Eastern Border of the Gondo Plain （Burkina Faso）

The Gondo plain lies between Mali and Burkina Faso and it is in interland basin into the West African Craton. Since 2003, this study has been carried out two research projects on the southwest part of the plain, where the piezometric levels are very low （50 m to 100 m）. It has two main purposes： find water resources to provide drinking water supply to Ouahigouya town and assess the exploitation possibility of the deep aquifer for rural water supply. Combined methods were used to reach the objectives of this study--remote sensing, geology, geophysics （electromagnetism and resistivity methods）, hydrochemistry and isotope chemistry. So, the methodology allows to specify the geology and the tectonic of the eastern border of the basin, identify and characterize the different aquifers and their relationships. Through the implementation of 250 m deep drilled boreholes, this study reveals that the water level of the lower Cambrian limestones can be under pressure below the continental terminal deposits. The study highlights paleo-karstic zones in the Gondo plain and shows that water chemistry and isotope chemistry can be used to differentiate water sheets and evaluate their recharge.

Equilibrium and kinetic Si isotope fractionation factors and their implications for Si isotope distributions in the Earth's surface environments

Several important equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors among minerals,organic molecules and the H_4SiO_4 solution are complemented to facilitate the explanation of the distributions of Si isotopes in Earth's surface environments.The results reveal that,in comparison to aqueous H_4SiO_4,heavy Si isotopes will be significantly enriched in secondary silicate minerals.On the contrary,quadra-coordinated organosilicon complexes are enriched in light silicon isotope relative to the solution.The extent of ^(28)Si-enrichment in hyper-coordinated organosilicon complexes was found to be the largest.In addition,the large kinetic isotope effect associated with the polymerization of monosilicic acid and dimer was calculated,and the results support the previous statement that highly ^(28)Sienrichment in the formation of amorphous quartz precursor contributes to the discrepancy between theoretical calculations and field observations.With the equilibrium Si isotope fractionation factors provided here,Si isotope distributions in many of Earth's surface systems can be explained.For example,the change of bulk soil δ^(30)Si can be predicted as a concave pattern with respect to the weathering degree,with the minimum value where allophane completely dissolves and the total amount of sesquioxides and poorly crystalline minerals reaches their maximum.When,under equilibrium conditions,the well-crystallized clays start to precipitate from the pore solutions,the bulk soil δ^(30)Si will increase again and reach a constant value.Similarly,the precipitation of crystalline smectite and the dissolution of poorly crystalline kaolinite may explain the δ^(30)Si variations in the ground water profile.The equilibrium Si isotope fractionations among the quadracoordinated organosilicon complexes and the H_4SiO_4solution may also shed light on the Si isotope distributions in the Si-accumulating plants.