Trends and Composition—A Sedimentological-Chemical-Mineralogical Approach to Constrain the Origin of Quaternary Deposits and Landforms—From a Review to a Manual

In this study, six basic Quaternary landform series (LFS) and their sedimentary deposits (LFS1 aeolian, LFS 2.1 to 2.2 mass wasting, LFS 3 cryogenic-glacial, LFS 4.1 to 4.6 fluvial, LFS 5.1 to 5.2 coastal-marine, LFS 6.1 to 6.3 lacustrine) are subdivided into subtypes and examined with regard to their sedimentological parameters and their mineralogical and chemical compositions. Emphasis is placed on the textural (related to transport and deposition), compositional (sediment load/weight, Eh and pH) and geodynamic maturity of the sedimentary deposits which are influenced by the parent lithology and bedrock tectonic and by the climate during the last 2 Ma. To constrain the development of the LFS and their sediments, composite trend-line diagrams are designed combining sedimentological (x-axis) and chemical/mineralogical dataset (y-axis): (1) sorting vs. heavy mineral content; (2) sphericity of grains vs. silica/carbonate contents; and (3) median vs. Ti/Fe ratios. In addition, the x-y plots showing the log SiO2/Al2O3 vs. log Na2O/K2O are amended by a dataset of the three most common clay minerals, i.e., kaolinite-, mica-, and smectite-group clay minerals. Such joint sedimentological-chemical-mineralogical investigations focused on the depositional environment of unconsolidated clastic sediments of Quaternary age can be used to describe the economic geology and environmental geology of mineral deposits in the pre-Quaternary sedimentary series according to the phrase: “The Present is the key to the Past”. Both trend diagrams and compositional x-y plots can contribute to constraining the development of the full transect of landform series from the fluvial incision and slope retreat to reef islands fringing the coastal zone towards the open sea as far as they are built up of clastic sedimentary deposits enriched in siliceous and/or carbonate minerals. Climate zonation and crustal maturity are the exogenous and endogenous “drivers”, as can be deduced from the compositional (mineralogy and chemistry) and physical (transport and deposition) variations observed in the Quaternary sediments. The current study bridges the gap between a review only based on literature and a hybrid manual generated by practical field studies devoted to applied geosciences in economic and environmental geology (“E & E issue”).

Empirical Study of the Coupling Relationship Between Biodiversity and Environmental Geology Under Different Ecological Status: Evidence From Five Typical Areas in Guizhou, China

Analyzing the coupling relationship between biodiversity and environmental geology and exploring the factors affecting the coupling degree are of vital significance for the protection and restoration of the ecological environment. In this study, we selected five typical areas (i.e., Caohai, Chishui, Fanjingshan, Maolan, and Guanshanhu) to represent the whole Guizhou Province, China. Based on the coupling coordination degree model, we analyzed their coupling coordination trend. The results showed that the coordinated development stages of the Chishui and Fanjingshan areas both could be categorized as the synchronous development type of primary coordination because of their excellent nature conditions; the Maolan area was categorized as having restrained environmental geology because of its weak environmental geology condition; and the Guanshanhu and Weining areas were strongly affected by human activities, and both could be categorized as having restrained biodiversity. In combination with practical situation, Guizhou province can be categorized into the following three zones: an original ecological zone, a zone with fragile ecological environment, and a zone affected by human activities. Biodiversity conservation measures should be proposed according to the specific ecological situation of these different zones. In this way, the harmonious coexistence of economic development and the ecological environment can be realized.

Leveraging a Service Experience into a Course-Based Undergraduate Research Experience in an Introductory Geology Classroom

A local, nonprofit, organic farm (Growing Veterans n.d.) sought to partner with Whatcom Community College in a service opportunity examining its soil health. The outcome was a course-based undergraduate research experience (CURE) for students in an introductory environmental geology course for nonmajors.

Environmental geology assessment on the regional Pitay landfill site: a case study in Kupang, Indonesia

The Provincial Government of East Nusa Tenggara of Eastern Indonesia has intended to construct a new regional landfill site in Pitay–Kupang, which would accommodate municipal waste of two cities. Considering that environmental degradation in landfill sites has been a substantial issue for many developing cities in Indonesia, this study evaluates the pre-determined site on a local scale based on environmental geology parameters. It employs a conventional Geographical Information System based—Multi-Criteria Decision Analysis (GIS-MCDA) method which is based on the analysis of regional criterion, assessed by expressing values on each parameter presented on thematic maps and overlaid altogether as a screening process, and the exclusion criterion analysis, which sets a buffer zone to filter out irrelevant locations. The regional criterion parameters are: Lithology, groundwater depth, slope gradient and rainfall intensity, whilst the exclusion criterion parameters are: Distance from rivers and lakes, shorelines, settlements, main roads, airports and protected areas, distance from potential geological hazards such as fault zones, floods and mass movements, and distance from any geological potential which may be developed in the future. The biggest area reduction for suitable landfill site candidate is lithology, correlating with groundwater depths, and distance from rivers. Here we identified four potential sites located west and centre of Pitay, situated on Bobonaro scaly clay lithology unit, arguably possessing no groundwater with a slope gradient of 0–20%, rainfall intensity below 1000 mm, and is distant from any potential hazards, promising geological resources and other unfavorable criteria relating to environmental degradation.