Modelling of long-term ground response to tunnelling under St James's Park, London

Following a tunnel excavation in low-permeability soil, it is commonly observed that the ground surface continues to settle and ground loading on the tunnel lining changes, as the pore pressures in the ground approach a new equilibrium condition. The monitored ground response following the tunnelling under St James's Park, London, shows that the mechanism of subsurface deformation is composed of three different zones: swelling, consolidation and rigid body movement. The swelling took place in a confined zone above the tunnel crown, extending vertically to approximately 5 m above it. On the sides of the tunnel, the consolidation of the soil occurred in the zone primarily within the tunnel horizon, from the shoulder to just beneath the invert, and extending laterally to a large offset from the tunnel centreline. Above these swelling and consolidation zones the soil moved downward as a rigid body. In this study, soil-fluid coupled three-dimensional finite element analyses were performed to simulate the mechanism of long-term ground response monitored at St James's Park. An advanced critical state soil model, which can simulate the behaviour of London Clay in both drained and undrained conditions, was adopted for the analyses. The analysis results are discussed and compared with the field monitoring data. It is found that the observed mechanism of long-term subsurface ground and tunnel lining response at St James's Park can be simulated accurately only when stiffness anisotropy, the variation of permeability between different units within the London Clay and non-uniform drainage conditions for the tunnel lining are considered. This has important implications for future prediction of the long-term behaviour of tunnels in clays.

Mitochondrial cytochrome b gene sequence diversity in the Korean hare, Lepus coreanus Thomas (Mammalia, Lagomorpha)

Partial sequences of the mitochondrial cytochrome b gene of the Korean hare (Lepus coreanus) were analyzed to determine the degree of genetic diversity. Nine haPlotyes were observed, and the maximum Tamura-Nei nucleotide distance among them was 2.8%, indicating that genetic diversity of L. coreanus is moderate. In order to clarify the Korean hare's taxonomic status and relationship with the Manchurian hare (L. mandshuricus) and the Chinese hare (L. sinensis), these nine haplotypes of the Korean hare were compared with 13 haplotypes from five other species of eastern Asian Lepus including L. mandshwicus and L. sinensis. The Korean hare was distinct in its cytochrome b gene, and it is confirmed that L. coreanus is a valid species, as noted by Jones and Johnson (1965, Univ. Kansas Publ. (Mus. Nat. Hist.) 16:357). Further analyses of mtDNA cytochrome b gene with additional specimens of L. coreanus from North Korea and other species of Lepus from eastern Asia are needed to clarify the taxonomic status of the divergent mtDNA clades of L. mandshuricus and L. sinensis.

Status of the biodiversity of St. Martin's Island, Bay of Bengal, Bangladesh

A total of 234 species of fish have been recorded from the St Martin Island. Of which, 98 species are coral associated. The total number of recorded mollusc and crab species stands at 187 and 7 species respectively. A total of 66 coral species were recorded, of which 19 are fossil corals, 36 living corals and the rest are under 6 families of subclass Octocorallia (soft corals). A total of 14 species of algae have been recorded from the St. Martin's Island. There is an estimated amount of 1500 MT red sea weed biomass available around the St. Martin's Island. The island contains some of the most unique, benthic community associations in Bangladesh, not found anywhere else in the South Asian region. The unique marine communities have very high scientific value for research and monitoring and there are only a few examples worldwide, where coral-algal communities dominate rocky reefs. The economy of the island is based on fishing. It is estimated that, about 1650 MT of fish are caught annually. Over-exploitation of renewable marine and coastal resources (e.g., rocky reef fisheries, coral and shell extraction; removal of coastal vegetation from inter-tidal and sub-tidal habitats) is a major threat to this ecosystem. Destructive fishing practices, mainly the use of rock-weighted gill nets over the inshore boulder reefs is of prime aggravates. Proper implementation of the rules and regulation for Ecologically Critical Areas (ECA's), alternative livelihood for the local people and further research should be immediately taken for sustainable utilization and to save the rich biodiversity of the only coral island in Bangladesh.

亚洲南部球果蝠Sphaerias blanfordi(Thomas,1891)的亚种分化

球果蝠Sphaerias blanfordi(Thomas,1891)是亚洲南部喜马拉雅-印度支那地区的特有种,甚为罕见而少有报道.曾被认为是单型种,几乎无雄性特征的描述.蔡桂全和张遁治(1980)根据采自西藏东南部墨脱的2只雄性标本订了一亚种一墨脱亚种Sphaerias blanfordi motuoensis,其主要特征是颈下侧有一对灰黄色的圆形毛斑.中国科学院昆明动物研究所先后在云南西北部高黎贡山地区采获25号标本(9♂♂,16♀♀),发现球果蝠两性在外形上有明显的性别差异,雄性的颈下侧有一对圆形、灰黄色的刷状毛斑,但雌性均无;对比墨脱标本,认为墨脱亚种的鉴别特征不可靠,亚种不能成立.Lunde(2003)曾报道采自越南北部Mt.Tay Con Linh Ⅱ地区的43号标本,其前臂长和上犬齿外宽明显与印度、缅甸和云南西北部高黎贡山地区的标本不同,可能是真正的地理亚种.

Report of the SocMon capacity development workshop for the Bay of Bengal Large Marine Ecosystem countries in South Asia, St Martin's Island, Bangladesh, 2-11 January, 2015

Socio-economic Monitoring (SocMon) is an approach and set of tools for conducting socio-economic monitoring of changes in coastal communities. Planned outputs of the workshop included: training of local staff i SocMon methodologies; draft a SocMon report for St. Martin's Island; a workplan for implementing the SocMon; a communication strategy; and key inputs to a regional SocMon strategy

Socio-economic monitoring report for St Martin's Island, Bangladesh

This report was based on fieldwork conducted by trainees at the Socio-economic Monitoring (SocMon) workshop held at St Martin's Island. Topics included: community infrastructure; educational services; health services; water and sewerage; coastal and marine activities; material style of life; status of women; governance; and perceptions

Geographic variation of the Anderson's Niviventer (Niviventer andersoni) (Thomas, 1911) (Rodentia: Muridae) of two new subspecies in China verified with cranial morphometric variables and pelage characteristics

A total of 66 specimens of Niviventer andersoni with intact skulls was investigated on pelage characteristics and cranial morphometric variables. The data were subjected to principal component analyses as well as to discriminant analyses, and measurement

Numerical simulation of long-term twin-tunnel behaviour at St James's park

The twin-tunnel construction of the Jubilee Line Extension tunnels beneath St James's Park was simulated using coupled-consolidation finite-element analyses. The effect of defining different permeabilities for the final consolidation stage was investigated, and the performance of a fissure softening model was also evaluated. The analyses suggested an unexpectedly high permeability anisotropy for soil around the tunnel crown, possibly due to stress-induced permeability changes, or low-permeability laminations. Also, the permeability profile and lining conductivity were found to differ between the tunnels. Inclusion of the fissure model gave a narrower settlement trough, more alike that in the field, by preferentially softening simple shear behaviour. Long-term settlements at the site continue to increase at an unexpectedly high rate, suggesting the possibility of creep or unexpected soil softening during excavation. © 2012 Taylor & Francis Group.

Modeling the effect of ozone loss on photobleaching of chromophoric dissolved organic matter in the St. Lawrence estuary

Temporal trends in total ozone for the St. Lawrence estuary were estimated from ground-based measurements at the NOAA/CMDL station in Caribou, Maine. Linear regression analysis showed that from 1979 to 1999 total ozone has decreased by about 3.3% per decade on an annual basis and ≤6.2% per decade on a monthly basis relative to unperturbed (pre-CFC) levels. The influence of increased ultraviolet-B (280–320 nm) radiation associated with ozone depletion on water column photochemical processes was evaluated by modeling the photobleaching of chromophoric dissolved organic material (CDOM). Linear regression analysis showed small (<0.5% per decade), but statistically significant upward trends in maximum noontime photobleaching rates. Most notably, positive trends in relative rates for May, June, and July, when maximum absolute rates are expected, were predicted. A global model based on TOMS ozone data revealed increases in photobleaching of ≤3% per decade at high latitudes in the Southern Hemisphere. Radiation amplification factors for increases in photochemically weighted UV (280–400 nm) in response to ozone depletion were estimated at 0.1 and 0.08 for photobleaching of CDOM absorbance at 300 and 350 nm, respectively. Application of the laboratory-based model to conditions that more closely resembled those in situ were variable with both overestimation and underestimation of measured rates. The differences between modeled rates and observed rates under quasi-natural conditions were as large or larger than the predicted increases due to ozone depletion. These comparisons suggest that biological activity and mixing play an important, but as yet ill-defined, role in modifying photochemical processes.