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At least 973 records · Page 54Linked to original sources
USGS1997

Spatial heterogeneity of mercury bioaccumulation by walleye in Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake and the upper Columbia River, Washington

We examined mercury concentration in muscle of walleye Stizostedion vitreum from three reaches in Franklin D. Roosevelt Lake, a reservoir on the Columbia River, and from the upper Columbia River, an area contaminated by wastes from metal mining and associated processing activities. Our objectives were to describe the relation between size and age of walleyes and tissue concentrations of mercury and to compare mercury concentrations within a single reservoir system among spatially segregated cohorts. Overall, mercury concentrations in walleye muscle ranged from 0.11 to 0.44 mg/kg (wet weight) and were positively correlated with age, weight, and length of the fish. Mercury concentrations in walleyes varied spatially within the system; the highest concentrations were in fish from the lower and middle reaches of the reservoir. Condition factor of age-2+ fish was inversely related to tissue concentration of mercury and was lower in fish from the lower and middle reaches than in fish from the upper reach. Spatial patterns in condition factor and mercury in walleyes were unrelated to concentrations of total mercury in surficial bed sediments, which ranged from less than 0.05 to 2.8 mg/kg (dry weight). We suggest that the observed spatial differences in the concentrations of mercury in walleyes may be attributed to the fish preferring to spawn and forage in specific areas where the bioavailability of mercury varies due to local differences in the physical and chemical environment.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2000

Associations among fish assemblage structure and environmental variables in Willamette Basin streams, Oregon

As part of the U.S. Geological Survey's National Water-Quality Assessment Program, fish were collected from 24 selected stream sites in the Willamette Basin during 1993-1995 to determine the composition of the fish assemblages and their relation to the chemical and physical environment. Variance in fish relative abundance was greater among all sites than among spatially distinct reaches within a site (spatial variation) or among multiple sampled years at a site (temporal variation). Therefore, data from a single reach in an individual year was considered to be a reliable estimator of the fish assemblage structure at a site when the data were normalized by percent relative abundance. Multivariate classification and ordination were used to examine patterns in environmental variables and fish relative abundance over differing spatial scales (among versus within ecoregions). Across all ecoregions (all sites), fish assemblages were primarily structured along environmental gradients of water temperature and stream gradient (coldwater, high-gradient forested sites versus warmwater, low-gradient Willamette Valley sites); this pattern superseded patterns that were ecoregion specific. Water temperature, dissolved oxygen, and physical habitat (e.g., riparian canopy and percent riffles) were associated with patterns of fish assemblages across all ecoregions; however, pesticide and total phosphorus concentrations were more important than physical habitat within the Willamette Valley ecoregion. Consideration of stream site stratification (e.g., stream size, ecoregion, and stream gradient), identification of fish to species level (particularly the sculpin family), and detailed measurement of habitat, diurnal dissolved oxygen, and water temperature were critical in evaluating the composition of fish assemblages in relation to land use. In general, these low-gradient valley streams typical of other agricultural regions had poor riparian systems and showed increases in water temperature, nutrients, and fine grain sediments that were associated with degradation in the native fish assemblages. There was an association of high abundances of introduced species and high percent external abnormalities in medium-sized river sites of mixed land use and high abundances of tolerant species in small streams of predominantly agricultural land use.

Oregon↗
USGS2011

Influence of gravel mining and other factors on detection probabilities of Coastal Plain fishes in the Mobile River Basin, Alabama

We used an information-theoretic approach to examine the variation in detection probabilities for 87 Piedmont and Coastal Plain fishes in relation to instream gravel mining in four Alabama streams of the Mobile River drainage. Biotic and abiotic variables were also included in candidate models. Detection probabilities were heterogeneous across species and varied with habitat type, stream, season, and water quality. Instream gravel mining influenced the variation in detection probabilities for 38% of the species collected, probably because it led to habitat loss and increased sedimentation. Higher detection probabilities were apparent at unmined sites than at mined sites for 78% of the species for which gravel mining was shown to influence detection probabilities, indicating potential negative impacts to these species. Physical and chemical attributes also explained the variation in detection probabilities for many species. These results indicate that anthropogenic impacts can affect detection probabilities for fishes, and such variation should be considered when developing monitoring programs or routine sampling protocols. ?? Copyright by the American Fisheries Society 2008.

Transactions of the American Fisheries Society↗
USGS2016

Germination and growth of native and invasive plants on soil associated with biological control of tamarisk (Tamarix spp.)

Introductions of biocontrol beetles (tamarisk beetles) are causing dieback of exotic tamarisk in riparian zones across the western United States, yet factors that determine plant communities that follow tamarisk dieback are poorly understood. Tamarisk-dominated soils are generally higher in nutrients, organic matter, and salts than nearby soils, and these soil attributes might influence the trajectory of community change. To assess physical and chemical drivers of plant colonization after beetle-induced tamarisk dieback, we conducted separate germination and growth experiments using soil and litter collected beneath defoliated tamarisk trees. Focal species were two common native (red threeawn, sand dropseed) and two common invasive exotic plants (Russian knapweed, downy brome), planted alone and in combination. Nutrient, salinity, wood chip, and litter manipulations examined how tamarisk litter affects the growth of other species in a context of riparian zone management. Tamarisk litter, tamarisk litter leachate, and fertilization with inorganic nutrients increased growth in all species, but the effect was larger on the exotic plants. Salinity of 4 dS m −1 benefitted Russian knapweed, which also showed the largest positive responses to added nutrients. Litter and wood chips generally delayed and decreased germination; however, a thinner layer of wood chips increased growth slightly. Time to germination was lengthened by most treatments for natives, was not affected in exotic Russian knapweed, and was sometimes decreased in downy brome. Because natives showed only small positive responses to litter and fertilization and large negative responses to competition, Russian knapweed and downy brome are likely to perform better than these two native species following tamarisk dieback.

Invasive Plant Science and Management↗
USGS2017

Local adaptation in Trinidadian guppies alters stream ecosystem structure at landscape scales despite high environmental variability

While previous studies have shown that evolutionary divergence alters ecological processes in small-scale experiments, a major challenge is to assess whether such evolutionary effects are important in natural ecosystems at larger spatial scales. At the landscape scale, across eight streams in the Caroni drainage, we found that the presence of locally adapted populations of guppies ( Poecilia reticulata ) is associated with reduced algal biomass and increased invertebrate biomass, while the opposite trends were true in streams with experimentally introduced populations of non-locally adapted guppies. Exclusion experiments conducted in two separate reaches of a single stream showed that guppies with locally adapted phenotypes significantly reduced algae with no effect on invertebrates, while non-adapted guppies had no effect on algae but significantly reduced invertebrates. These divergent effects of phenotype on stream ecosystems are comparable in strength to the effects of abiotic factors (e.g., light) known to be important drivers of ecosystem condition. They also corroborate the results of previous experiments conducted in artificial streams. Our results demonstrate that local adaptation can produce phenotypes with significantly different effects in natural ecosystems at a landscape scale, within a tropical watershed, despite high variability in abiotic factors: five of the seven physical and chemical parameters measured across the eight study streams varied by more than one order of magnitude. Our findings suggest that ecosystem structure is, in part, an evolutionary product and not simply an ecological pattern.

Copeia↗
USGS2010

Judging a brook by its cover: The relation between ecological condition of a stream and urban land cover in new England

The US Geological Survey conducted an urban land-use study in the New England Coastal Basins (NECB) area during 2001 to determine how urbanization relates to changes in the ecological condition of streams. Thirty sites were selected that differed in their level of watershed development (low to high). An urban intensity value was calculated for each site from 24 landscape variables. Together, these 30 values reppresented a gradient of urban intensity. Among various biological, chemical, and physical factors surveyed at each site, benthic invertebrate assemblages were sampled from stream riffles and also from multiple habitats along the length of the sampling reach. We use some of the NECB data to derive a four-variable urbanintensity index (NECB-UII), where each variable represents a distinct component of urbanization: increasing human presence, expanding infrastructure, landscape development, and riparian vegetation loss. Using the NECB-UII as a characterization of urbanization, we describe how landscape fragmentation occurs with urbanization and how changes in the invertebrate assemblages, represented by metrics of ecological condition, are related to urbanization. Metrics with a strong linear response included EPT taxa richness, percentage richness of non-insect taxa, and pollution-tolerance values. Additionally, we describe how these relations can help in estimating the expected condition of a stream for its level of urbanization, thereby establishing a baseline for evaluating possible affects from specific point-source stressors.

Northeastern Naturalist↗
USGS2005

The role of pH in structuring communities of Maine wetland macrophytes and chironomid larvae (Diptera)

Aquatic vascular plants, or macrophytes, are an important habitat component for many wetland organisms, and larvae of chironomid midges are ubiquitous components of wetland fauna. Many chironomids are primary consumers of algae and detritus and form an essential energetic link between allochthonous and autochthonous primary production and higher trophic levels, while others are predators and feed on smaller invertebrates. Live macrophytes serve mostly as habitat, whereas plant detritus serves as both habitat and as a food source. Assemblages of macrophytes and chrinomid larvae were surveyed in ten Maine wetlands, five with low pH (<5.0) and five with high pH (>5.5), and explained in terms of physical and chemical habitat variables. Macrophyte richness was significantly greater, and richness of chironomid larvae was lower, in low pH wetlands. There was no difference in chironomid abundance related to pH. However, community structure was related to pH, suggesting that competitive dominance of a few taxa was responsible for lower richness in low pH wetlands, whereas competition was weaker in high pH wetlands, making coexistence of more chironomid taxa possible. An examination of individual chironomid taxa by stepwise multiple regression showed that distribution of most taxa was controlled by water chemistry variables and macrophyte habit (i.e., floating, submergent).

Maine↗
USGS2010

Effects of Hurricane Katrina on an incipient population of giant salvinia Salvinia molesta in the lower Pascagoula River, Mississippi

The objectives of this study were to: 1) survey the lower Pascagoula River Basin and determine the post–storm distribution and abundance of giant salvinia; 2) control any remaining giant salvinia through physical and/or chemical means; 3) determine the fate of the bio–control agents; and 4) determine if re–introduction of salvinia weevils is needed and if so, to decide where best to release them.

Mississippi↗
USGS2010

Responses of benthic macroinvertebrates to environmental changes associated with urbanization in nine metropolitan areas

Responses of benthic macroinvertebrates along gradients of urban intensity were investigated in nine metropolitan areas across the United States. Invertebrate assemblages in metropolitan areas where forests or shrublands were being converted to urban land were strongly related to urban intensity. In metropolitan areas where agriculture and grazing lands were being converted to urban land, invertebrate assemblages showed much weaker or nonsignificant relations with urban intensity because sites with low urban intensity were already degraded by agriculture. Ordination scores, the number of EPT taxa, and the mean pollution‐tolerance value of organisms at a site were the best indicators of changes in assemblage condition. Diversity indices, functional groups, behavior, and dominance metrics were not good indicators of urbanization. Richness metrics were better indicators of urban effects than were abundance metrics, and qualitative samples collected from multiple habitats gave similar results to those of single habitat quantitative samples (riffles or woody snags) in all metropolitan areas. Changes in urban intensity were strongly correlated with a set of landscape variables that was consistent across all metropolitan areas. In contrast, the instream environmental variables that were strongly correlated with urbanization and invertebrate responses varied among metropolitan areas. The natural environmental setting determined the biological, chemical, and physical instream conditions upon which urbanization acts and dictated the differences in responses to urbanization among metropolitan areas. Threshold analysis showed little evidence for an initial period of resistance to urbanization. Instead, assemblages were degraded at very low levels of urbanization, and response rates were either similar across the gradient or higher at low levels of urbanization. Levels of impervious cover that have been suggested as protective of streams (5–10%) were associated with significant assemblage degradation and were not protective.

Alabama, Colorado, Georgia, Massachusetts, North C↗
USGS2011

Decomposition of heterogeneous organic matterand its long-term stabilization in soils

Soil organic matter is a complex mixture of material with heterogeneous biological, physical, and chemical properties. Decomposition models represent this heterogeneity either as a set of discrete pools with different residence times or as a continuum of qualities. It is unclear though, whether these two different approaches yield comparable predictions of organic matter dynamics. Here, we compare predictions from these two different approaches and propose an intermediate approach to study organic matter decomposition based on concepts from continuous models implemented numerically. We found that the disagreement between discrete and continuous approaches can be considerable depending on the degree of nonlinearity of the model and simulation time. The two approaches can diverge substantially for predicting long-term processes in soils. Based on our alternative approach, which is a modification of the continuous quality theory, we explored the temporal patterns that emerge by treating substrate heterogeneity explicitly. The analysis suggests that the pattern of carbon mineralization over time is highly dependent on the degree and form of nonlinearity in the model, mostly expressed as differences in microbial growth and efficiency for different substrates. Moreover, short-term stabilization and destabilization mechanisms operating simultaneously result in long-term accumulation of carbon characterized by low decomposition rates, independent of the characteristics of the incoming litter. We show that representation of heterogeneity in the decomposition process can lead to substantial improvements in our understanding of carbon mineralization and its long-term stability in soils.

Ecological Monographs↗
USGS2016

Measuring spatial variation in secondary production and food quality using a common consumer approach in Lake Erie

Lake Erie is a large lake straddling the border of the U.S. and Canada that has become increasingly eutrophic in recent years. Eutrophication is particularly focused in the shallow western basin. The western basin of Lake Erie is hydrodynamically similar to a large estuary, with riverine inputs from the Detroit and Maumee Rivers mixing together and creating gradients in chemical and physical conditions. This study was driven by two questions: How does secondary production and food quality for consumers vary across this large mixing zone? and Are there correlations between cyanobacterial abundance and secondary production or food quality for consumers? Measuring spatial and temporal variation in secondary production and food quality is difficult for a variety of logistical reasons, so here a common consumer approach was used. In a common consumer approach, individuals of a single species are raised under similar conditions until placed in the field across environmental gradients of interest. After some period of exposure, the response of that common consumer is measured to provide an index of spatial variation in conditions. Here, a freshwater mussel (Lampsilis siliquoidea) was deployed at 32 locations that spanned habitat types and a gradient in cyanobacterial abundance in the western basin of Lake Erie to measure spatial variation in growth (an index of secondary production) and fatty acid (FA) content (an index of food quality). We found secondary production was highest within the Maumee rivermouth and lowest in the open waters of the lake. Mussel tissues in the Maumee rivermouth also included more eicosapentaenoic and docosapentaenoic fatty acids (EPA and DPA, respectively), but fewer bacterial FAs, suggesting more algae at the base of the food web in the Maumee rivermouth compared to open lake sites. The satellite-derived estimate of cyanobacterial abundance was not correlated to secondary production, but was positively related to EPA and DPA content in the mussels, suggesting more of these important FAs in locations with more cyanobacteria. These results suggest that growth of secondary consumers and the availability of important fatty acids in the western basin are centered on the Maumee rivermouth.

Lake Erie↗
USGS2008

Biological assessments of Appalachian streams based on predictive models for fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages

We developed empirical models for fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages to assess the biological condition of 268 streams sampled from 1993 to 2002 in 7 major river basins in the Appalachian region of the USA. These models estimate the expected taxonomic composition at each site based on observed variation in taxonomic composition at reference sites. The index, O/E, is the ratio of the number of predicted taxa that were observed (O) to that expected (E) to occur at a site and is a measure of taxonomic completeness. We compared how O/E for each assemblage varied among major landuse settings and whether impaired assemblages were associated with particular physicochemical conditions. We also examined concordance among assemblages in their response to stress. Biological, chemical, and physical data were collected following consistent protocols. We used land-cover criteria, published data, and topographic maps to classify sites by major landuse setting. Fish, macroinvertebrate, and diatom assemblages had been sampled at 73, 108, and 52, respectively, of the least disturbed sites used to establish reference conditions. The models accounted for a substantial portion of the natural variation in taxonomic composition across sites that was associated with biogeographic, climatic, and basin-scale factors and generally were unbiased across the range of environmental gradients observed in the region. Assessments at nonreference sites showed that impairment of fish and macroinvertebrate assemblages was most strongly associated with agriculture and urban land uses, whereas impairment of diatom assemblages was most strongly associated with mining in the basin. Concordance in assessments among assemblages was not strong. Assessments based on 2 assemblages differed in 28 to 57% of cases, and assessments were never concordant for cases where all 3 assemblages were sampled. Furthermore, only 1/2 of these cases would have been assessed as ecologically impaired had only 1 assemblage been sampled. Differences between observed and predicted frequencies of occurrence for individual taxa were generally consistent with known tolerances to environmental stressors and might aid in identifying causes of biological impairment. ?? 2008 by The North American Benthological Society.

Journal of the North American Benthological Societ↗
USGS2006

The use of synthetic jarosite as an analog for natural jarosite

The presence of jarosite in soil or mining waste is an indicator of acidic sulfate-rich conditions. Physical and chemical properties of synthetic jarosites are commonly used as analogs in laboratory studies to determine solubility and acid-generation of naturally occurring jarosites. In our work we have mineralogically and chemically characterized both natural and synthetic jarosites. Analysis of 32 natural hydrothermal and supergene K- and Na-jarosites indicates no (< 5 mole %) solid solution between K and Na end members. Instead, our detailed study of cell dimensions and composition reveals discrete mixtures of K and Na end members. Hydronium-bearing jarosite was detected in only one natural sample, and it appears that hydronium-bearing jarosites are metastable. Although the presence of hydronium in jarosite cannot be directly measured, we found that when synthetic hydronium-bearing jarosites are heated at 120°C for 78 days or 240°C for 24 hours, Fe(OH)SO4 is formed. The Fe(OH)SO4 is easily detected by X-ray diffraction and, hence, can be used as a post-mortem indicator of the presence of hydronium jarosite. Results from our synthetic jarosite studies indicate that natural metastable hydronium-bearing jarosite or iron-deficient forms of natural jarosite likely play an important role in acid generation in some mining wastes, but are not accurately represented by synthetic jarosite prepared by commonly used methods. The widespread practice of heating to at least 110°C after jarosite synthesis appears to drive off structural waters from protonated hydroxyl sites, which changes the properties of the jarosite. Therefore, synthetic jarosite should not be heated above 95 oC if it is to be used as an analog for low-temperature natural jarosite in mining wastes.

Conference Paper↗
USGS2014

Carbonate margin, slope, and basin facies of the Lisburne Group (Carboniferous-Permian) in northern Alaska

The Lisburne Group (Carboniferous-Permian) consists of a carbonate platform that extends for >1000 km across northern Alaska, and diverse margin, slope, and basin facies that contain world-class deposits of Zn and Ba, notable phosphorites, and petroleum source rocks. Lithologic, paleontologic, isotopic, geochemical, and seismic data gathered from outcrop and subsurface studies during the past 20 years allow us to delineate the distribution, composition, and age of the off-platform facies, and to better understand the physical and chemical conditions under which they formed. The southern edge of the Lisburne platform changed from a gently sloping, homoclinal ramp in the east to a tectonically complex, distally steepened margin in the west that was partly bisected by the extensional Kuna Basin (~200 by 600 km). Carbonate turbidites, black mudrocks, and radiolarian chert accumulated in this basin; turbidites were generated mainly during times of eustatic rise in the late Early and middle Late Mississippian. Interbedded black mudrocks (up to 20 wt% total organic carbon), granular and nodular phosphorite (up to 37 wt% P 2 O 5 ), and fine-grained limestone rich in radiolarians and sponge spicules formed along basin margins during the middle Late Mississippian in response to a nutrient-rich, upwelling regime. Detrital zircons from a turbidite sample in the western Kuna Basin have mainly Neoproterozoic through early Paleozoic U-Pb ages (~900-400 Ma), with subordinate populations of Mesoproterozoic and late Paleoproterozoic grains. This age distribution is similar to that found in slightly older rocks along the northern and western margins of the basin. It also resembles age distributions reported from Carboniferous and older strata elsewhere in northwestern Alaska and on Wrangel Island. Geochemical and isotopic data indicate that suboxic, denitrifying conditions prevailed in the Kuna Basin and along its margins. High V/Mo, Cr/Mo, and Re/Mo ratios (all marine fractions [MF]) and low MnO contents (<0.01 wt%) characterize Lisburne black mudrocks. Low Qmf/Vmf ratios (mostly 0.8-4.0) suggest moderately to strongly denitrifying conditions in suboxic bottom waters during siliciclastic and phosphorite sedimentation. Elevated to high Mo contents (31-135 ppm) in some samples are consistent with seasonal to intermittent sulfidic conditions in bottom waters, developed mainly along the basin margin. High d 15 N values (6-120) imply that the waters supplying nutrients to primary producers in the photic zone had a history of denitrification either in the water column or in underlying sediments. Demise of the Lisburne platform was diachronous and reflects tectonic, eustatic, and environmental drivers. Southwestern, south-central, and northwestern parts of the platform drowned during the Late Mississippian, coincident with Zn and Ba metallogenesis within the Kuna Basin and phosphogenesis along basin margins. This drowning was temporary (except in the southwest) and likely due to eutrophication associated with upwelling and sea-level rise enhanced by regional extension, which allowed suboxic, denitrifying waters to form on platform margins. Final drowning in the southcentral area occurred in the Early Pennsylvanian and also may have been linked to regional extension. In the northwest, platform sedimentation persisted into the Permian; its demise there appears to have been due to increased siliciclastic input. Climatic cooling may have produced additional stress on parts of the Lisburne platform biota during Pennsylvanian and Permian times.

Alaska↗
USGS2009

Sediment characterization and dynamics in Lake Pontchartrain, Louisiana

Lake Pontchartrain in southeastern Louisiana is the largest of several shallow estuaries that together cover over 15,000 km 2 . Wetlands, forests, and large urban areas surround the lake. Primary transport mechanisms of sediments to Lake Pontchartrain include urban runoff, major diversions of the Mississippi River, discharge from streams along the north and west shores, and tidal circulation. Sediments deposited in Lake Pontchartrain are subjected to resuspension and mixing by natural and human activities. Bioturbation and water turbulence throughout the lake are the major mixing agents, and mechanical shell dredging has reworked much of the lake bottom over the last century. Sediment characterization through direct sampling and geophysical surveys indicates that these processes continually rework the top meter of sediment. The lake receives discharge from roadways and industrial and agricultural sources. Contaminants from these sources accumulate in the lake sediments and are an important contributor to the degradation of the estuary. Decline in populations of various benthic organisms, such as shrimp and clams, has been documented in the lake. To characterize the health of this important estuary, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) conducted a comprehensive evaluation of the geology, geomorphology, coastal processes, and environmental condition of the Pontchartrain Basin from 1994 to 1997. This report presents an assessment of sediment distribution and quality using a multidisciplinary approach to characterize the influence of various physical and chemical parameters: nearsurface stratigraphy, major trace metal concentrations (Cu, Pb, Zn, and Ni), and short-lived radionuclides ( 210 Pb, 7 Be, and 137 Cs). The results are compared with water-circulation patterns to determine high-resolution sedimentation patterns in the lake. The data show a significant increase in trace metals in the top 1 m of lake sediments. Above this horizon, pollen analysis indicates a correlation with land clearing in the area, a proxy for increasing human development of the surrounding landscape and an increase in surface run-off. The data also show that the top meter of sediment undergoes frequent resuspension during high-energy circulation events and via circulation gyres in the lake. This regular turnover does not allow stratification of recently deposited sediments, restricting the sequestration of contaminated material that enters the lake.

Louisiana↗
USGS1966

Stratified deposits of the oxides and carbonates of manganese

Compared with the stratified deposits of iron minerals, those of manganese minerals have received little attention until recent years. Before 1930, students of the stratified deposits of manganese minerals have generally concluded that the contained manganese was derived from the decomposition of the rocks that formed the borders of the basins. Only in a few places have geologists recognized that if these rocks were the principal source of the contained manganese the basins should contain also enormous quantities of iron minerals, whereas most of the large deposits of manganese contain little iron. Even though more than 100 years ago some geologists proposed that the iron contained in some deposits of stratified iron minerals was probably derived from hydrothermal waters related to centers of volcanism, not until about 1930 was this source of manganese in similar deposits seriously proposed. This mode of origin was given the name "volcanogene sedimentaire" by French geologists working in Morocco. Since then, other names, such as "exhalative sedimentaire," have been used by geologists working in several European districts. Because of the development of new techniques for the study of the chemical and physical features of the minerals, and because close attention to the lithologic environments of the beds is being given more and more during recent years, it has seemed advisable to review the features of stratified deposits of the manganese minerals in many parts of the world and over a wide range in age. This study indicates that at least three sources may have contributed the manganese in the large deposits of iron-free oxides and carbonates : (1) the rocks that form the borders of the basins, either marine or continental; (2) the nearby underlying sediments, largely of igneous origin, decomposed by warm waters largely derived from depth; and (3) waters of hydrothermal origin derived from great depths during epochs of volcanism from which iron minerals with little manganese are deposited in deep zones, then minerals with much iron and more manganese at intermediate depths, and, finally, manganese minerals with little iron near the surface. As the hot waters of many thermal springs contain more manganese than iron, such waters could yield the pure manganese oxides and carbonates found in stratified deposits . Several kinds of evidence indicate that most of the manganese in the large stratified deposits of the oxides and carbonates of manganese in many parts of the world has been derived from hydrothermal waters from depth related to centers of volcanism. Obviously, manganese derived from decay of the rocks on the lands adjacent to large basins-marine and continental -may have been added to that derived from centers of volcanism to form the sedimentary deposits found in the basins.

Economic Geology↗
USGS1973

Fluid-inclusion studies of the fluorspar and gold deposits, Jamestown district, Colorado

The Jamestown district, Boulder County, Colorado, is a major producer of fluorspar; prior to 1940, gold, gold-telluride, and lead-silver ores were mined. Fluorite occurs as a primary mineral in phases of the composite sodic granite stock at Jamestown and in breccia zones, stockworks, and pipe-shaped bodies in and adjacent to the stock. Gold and telluride mineralization occurs with and without fluorite in veins peripheral to the stock. A great variety of fluid-inclusion types is present in the district, reflecting chemically and physically diverse fluids. Fluid inclusions in early-stage quartz from the fluorspar deposits have filling temperatures of 250 degrees to 375 degrees C, salinities of 20 to 30%, and boiling is indicated at many locations. Most inclusions associated with the main fluorite stage have salinities of at least 26% to more than 50% and filling temperatures in the range of 250 degrees to 350 degrees C. Probable cognate fluorite on the inclusion walls and as many as ten daughter minerals precipitated from some primary inclusions in fluorite attest to the presence of salt and CaF 2 -rich polycomponent fluorspar-depositing fluids. Carbon dioxide-rich liquids and vapors were present during and after the main period of fluorspar deposition. Gold-bearing veins contain fluid inclusions indicating that two fundamentally different types of fluids were present. Inclusions in pregold quartz and fluorite have filling temperatures which range up to 375 degrees C, and most have very high salinities comparable to those from the fluorspar deposits, suggesting that early quartz and fluorite of the gold-bearing veins was roughly contemporaneous with the main period of fluorspar deposition. Fluid inclusion and other thermometric data (Kelly and Goddard, 1969) suggest that gold and telluride deposition occurred at temperatures below 300 degrees C. Fluid inclusions most directly associated with gold deposition have filling temperatures in the range 205 degrees to 270 degrees C and have about 4% salinity. These data suggest that the gold-bearing fluids either evolved from the fluorite-bearing fluids or were later unrelated hydrothermal pulses introduced on reopened structures. Boiling occurred at many locations that were at relatively high elevations or adjacent to the sodic granite stock. From the interpretation that boiling occurred and from the heterogeneity of CO 2 contents, we deduce that fluid pressures were low and variable, commonly near 150 bars, but ranging to as much as approximately 500 bars when CO 2 pressures were high; these determinations are compatible with the depth of cover estimated from geomorphic reconstruction using the Flattop peneplain. The absence of strong thermal or salinity zonation of fluids relative to the outcropping stock suggests that fluids were emanating from a larger intrusive body at depth.

Colorado↗
USGS2007

Crossing disciplines and scales to understand the critical zone

The Critical Zone (CZ) is the system of coupled chemical, biological, physical, and geological processes operating together to support life at the Earth's surface. While our understanding of this zone has increased over the last hundred years, further advance requires scientists to cross disciplines and scales to integrate understanding of processes in the CZ, ranging in scale from the mineral-water interface to the globe. Despite the extreme heterogeneities manifest in the CZ, patterns are observed at all scales. Explanations require the use of new computational and analytical tools, inventive interdisciplinary approaches, and growing networks of sites and people.

Elements↗