Ph.D. thesis represents summary of multidiciplinary palaeoenvironmental and palaeoclimatic research of the most significant Late Pennsylvanian lacustrine horizon of the central and western Bohemian basins - the Malesice Member of the Slaný Formation. Two cores from new shallow drills, situated 80 km apart, were analysed. Multidisciplinary approach is based on description of lamination structure and periodicity; mineral and isotopic composition of autigennic carbonates, namely siderite; compositiona of detrital minerals including clay mineral assemblages; and composition of autochthonous and allochthonous organic particles including palynospectra. Detailed analysis of drill cores lead to the identification of individual phases of lake development linked with lake-level fluctuation and water-column stratification, which were driven by a sume of precipitation and its seasonal distribution. Changes in precipitation also affected compostion and density of vegetational cover in the lake surroundings, weathering intesity of source rocks and degradation of organic matter in the drainage basin, and so precipitation affected final grain-size and composition of detrital material deposited in the lake. Beside common environmental signatures at both studied sites, there are also significant...

Le but de cette étude est de retracer l’évolution de l’hydrologie dans la partie occidentale de l’Océan Pacifique subtropical en utilisant le proxy εNd analysé sur les foraminifères et sur les oxydes de ferromanganèse authigéniques dans les sédiments. Ceux-ci proviennent de carottes sédimentaires prélevées au nord de la Mer de Chine du Sud (MCS). Avant d’utiliser l’εNd dans les sédiments profonds de la MCS, 16 profils d’eau de mer, collectés au nord de la MCS et dans le Mer des Philippines, ont été analysés afin d’établir la distribution d’εNd des masses d’eau dans l’ouest du Pacifique tropical et dans la MCS, qui jusqu’à aujourd’hui n’était pas documentée. Les valeurs d’εNd des masses d’eau profondes et intermédiaires varient de -2,7 à -4,4 et augmentent légèrement avec la profondeur. Dans la mer des Philippines, les valeurs d’εNd de l’eau intermédiaire du Pacifique Nord (North Pacific Intermediate Water, NPIW) atteint -2.7±0.4 à moyenne profondeur (500 à 1400m). En-dessous de de 1800m, l’eau profonde Pacifique (Pacific Deep Water, PDW) est caractérisée par du Nd moins radiogénique (-4.1±0.5), indiquant l’intrusion de masses d’eau australes. Pour la plupart des stations du nord de la MCS, les masses d’eau en-dessous de 1500m (PDW) affichent des valeurs d’εNd homogènes (~ -4.1), similaires à celles de la PDW dans la Mer des Philippines. Les valeurs d'εNd pour l'eau intermédiaire de la mer de Chine du Sud (South China Sea Intermediate Water, SCSIW, 500-1500m) varient entre -3.0 et -3.9 dû au mélange vertical de la NPIW avec la PDW. Les valeurs d'εNd de l'eau de mer dans la MCS (-5.3 à -7.0) affichent des modifications locales dans des zones où l'eau s'écoule au-dessus de systèmes de dépôt sédimentaire. Ceci implique que "l'échange à la marge" avec des sédiments non radiogéniques (autour de -11) peut se produire dans le temps et dans l'espace sans modifier la composition isotopique du Nd de la PDW dans le Nord de la MCS. Dans un second temps, l’εNd extrait des foraminifères planctoniques G. ruber a été étudié sur la carotte MD05-2904, collectée à 2000m de profondeur sur la marge nord-ouest de la MCS. Cette étude a été conduite dans le but de retracer les variations hydrologiques depuis le Dernier Maximum Glaciaire (DMG) dans la partie occidentale du Pacifique Nord subtropical. Les enregistrements d'εNd ainsi obtenus couvrent les derniers 25 000 ans. Ils affichent une large gamme de valeurs de -4±0.2 à -6.7±0.3, suggérant d'importants changements dans la contribution de la NPDW (εNd=-4) et de la UCDW (Upper circumpolar Deep Water, εNd -6 to -8) dans la zone étudiée. Durant la déglaciation, les enregistrements d'εNd indiquent une diminution des excursions négatives de l'εNd impliquant une plus forte proportion de SSW (Southern-sourced Water) entre 17 et 15 ka BP ainsi qu'entre 10 et 8 ka BP. Ces intervalles de temps sont contemporains de l’évènement Heinrich 1 (HS1) et de l’Holocène inférieur. Les shifts négatifs centrés sur le HS1 coïncident avec un phénomène d'upwelling renforcé dans l'océan austral, associé à un déplacement vers le pôle des vents d'ouest. Ceci implique une augmentation de la formation de la SSW qui se propage dans l'Ouest du Pacifique subtropical. L'excursion négative de l'εNd durant l’Holocène inferieur (~10-8 cal ka BP) indique une plus grande proportion de SSW qui pourrait être associée avec une plus forte production de SSW, comme observé récemment dans l'atlantique Sud, et/ou avec une possible réduction de la NPIW. Nos données suggèrent que le schéma de circulation actuel dans la partie occidental du Pacifique subtropical s'est mis en place il y a 4600 ans. / The aim of this study is to reconstruct the evolution of the hydrology of the western subtropical North Pacific Ocean by using εNd proxy analysed on foraminifera and dispersed authigenic ferromanganese oxide precipitates in sediments from deep-sea cores collected in the northern SCS. Before using the εNd proxy on deep sea sediments of the SCS, Nd of 16 seawater profiles collected in the northern South China Sea (SCS) and the Philippine Sea were investigated to establish the εNd distribution of water masses along the tropical western Pacific and the SCS that, until now have not been documented. εNd values for mid- and deep-water masses of the Philippine Sea and the SCS range from -2.7 to -4.4 and generally increase slightly with water depth. In the Philippine Sea, εNd values for the North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) reach- 2.7±0.4 at mid-depths (500 to 1400 m). Below ~1800 m, the Pacific Deep Water (PDW) is characterized by less radiogenic Nd (-4.1±0.5) indicating the instrusion of southern sourced water masses. For most of the stations in the Northern SCS, water masses below 1500m (PDW) display homogenous εNd values (~ -4.1) similar to those of the PDW in the Philippine Sea. εNd values for the South China Sea Intermediate Water (SCSIW, 500-1500m) vary from -3.0 to -3.9 as a result of the vertical mixing of the NPIW with the PDW in the SCS. Seawater εNd values for the SCS (~5.3 to -7.0) display local modification in areas where the water lies above sediment drift deposit systems. This implies that “boundary exchange” with unradiogenic sediments (around~11) may occur temporally and spatially and does not modify he Nd isotopic composition of the PDW in the Northern SCS. In a second step, seawater εNd extracted from cleaned planktonic foraminifera G. ruber has been investigated on core MD05-2904, collected at a deph of 2000m on the north-western margin of the SCS. This study was undertaken in order to reconstruct hydrological variations since the LGM in the western subtropical North Pacific. The εNd records obtained from foraminifera spanning the past 25kyr. Display a wide range of values, ranging from -4±0.2 to -6.7±0.3, suggesting important changes in the contribution of the NPDW (εNd=-4) and the UCDW (εNd -6 to -8) in the subtropical western Pacific. During the period of deglaciation, εNd records indicate a relative decrease in the negative excursions of the εNd implying a higher proportion of SSW during the time intervals 17-15 cal kyr BP and 10-8 cal kyr BP; these intervals are coeval with the HS1 and early Holocene. The negative shifts centered on the HS1coincide with an enhanced upwelling in the Southern Ocean, associated with a polewards shift of the southern westerlies, inducing an enhanced formation of the SSW that propagates to the subtropical western Pacific. The negative excursion of the εNd during the Early Holocene (~10-8 cal kyr BP) indicates a higher relative proportion of SSW that could be associate with higher production of the SSW, as has been recently observed in the South Atlantic, and/or with a possible reduction of the NPIW. Our data suggest that the present modern circulation pattern in the western subtropical Pacific Ocean was fully established after 4.6 cal kyr BP.

The Pimpama estuarine plain in subtropical southeast Queensland is comprised of Quaternary sediments infilling older bedrock. These multilayered unconsolidated sediments have various depositional origins, and are highly heterogeneous. The plain is low-lying and the surface drainage is controlled by flood mitigation measures including tidal gates and channelised streams. The control of surface drainage potentially affects the shallow water table. This modification of hydrology has implications for future viability of agriculture and also the environmental health of waterways. Increased landscape modification and water management is likely in the coming years. The combination of sediment heterogeneity, low hydraulic gradients, and artificial drainage modification result in the plain being hydrogeologically complex. In order to understand hydrologic processes in this setting, a multi-disciplinary research programme was conducted which included a drilling program, overland electromagnetic induction and other geophysical surveys (downhole gamma log, electromagnetic induction and magnetic susceptibility) to initially establish the geologic framework. These surveys were followed by hydrogeochemical testing which includes for major and minor ions and also stable isotopes, and mineralogical analysis of drillhole material. Underlying basement rock occurs at up to 60 m depth. Unconsolidated gravel and sand deposits occur within incised paleo-valleys and are overlain by predominantly low-permeability fluvial sandy clays and estuarine and lagoonal muds. Fine-grained delta sands occur in the top 15 m of the sub-surface. Within the unconsolidated sediments, hydrodynamic trends clearly discriminated between upper unconfined and lower semi-confined aquifer systems. A comparison of surface water and shallow groundwater levels indicate limited interaction of groundwater and surface water. Hydrogeochemical analysis effectively distinguished between groundwater bodies, and also distinguished saline groundwater from seawater. Trends in major ion chemistry in the semi-confined system (particularly Na/Cl and Ca/Cl ratios) showed ion exchange accompanying saline intrusion. However, due to factors such as mineral dissolution, major ion chemistry does not clearly identify solute flux trends in the shallow aquifer system. Water stable isotope analysis (δ18O and δ2H) indicated the provenance of fresh and saline groundwater and also the relative importance of the principal hydrologic processes, i.e. evaporation and water uptake by plants. Groundwater exhibited a wide range in salinity, from very fresh to hypersaline. The formation of hypersaline groundwater was attributed largely to uptake of water by mangrove forests. Since mangrove forests were more extensive at the time of the Holocene maximum sea level (approximately 6,000 years ago) than at present, some of this groundwater may represent relict salinity from this earlier time. The relationship of relict salinity to low permeability sediments, particularly at intermediate depths, and their depositional history was examined. Vertical salinity gradients and hydrogeochemistry within these sediments varied according to position within the plain, suggesting deposition under various hydrological and sea level regimes. A preliminary investigation using analysis of stable sulfate isotopes (δ34S and δ18OSO4) was made. This study shows substantial potential for the application of this technique for quantification of solute flux and sulfur chemical transformations within settings such as this coastal plain. To establish shallow groundwater flow processes, a MODFLOW-based numerical model was used to inversely estimate aquifer parameters under various recharge scenarios. The model was designed to examine the relative importance of evapotranspiration and discharge to surface waters. However, largely due to the complexity of the drainage network and non-uniform surface water flows, the quantification of surface water- groundwater interaction by consideration of hydrodynamics is problematic. Therefore, the chemistry of groundwater and surface water was compared. While the estimated contribution of rainfall to groundwater level fluctuations was significant (46%), high evapotranspiration rates reduced net recharge and it was concluded that baseflow to drains and creeks during dry periods was insignificant, and groundwater velocities in the shallow aquifer are low. The study illustrates the value of both hydrodynamic and hydrogeochemical analyses in estuarine settings where relict salinity and groundwater-aquifer interactions impact significantly on water quality. Saline groundwater is chemically distinct from theoretical mixtures of seawater and freshwater. The study also demonstrates the value of particular chemical parameters, e.g. Na/Cl and SO4/Cl ratios and stable water isotopes, for identifying hydrologic processes in this setting.