The existence of massive (10(11) solar masses) elliptical galaxies by redshift z approximate to 4 (refs 1-3; when the Universe was 1.5 billion years old) necessitates the presence of galaxies with star-formation rates exceeding 100 solar masses per year at z > 6 (corresponding to an age of the Universe of less than 1 billion years). Surveys have discovered hundreds of galaxies at these early cosmic epochs, but their star-formation rates are more than an order of magnitude lower(4). The only known galaxies with very high star-formation rates at z > 6 are, with one exception(5), the host galaxies of quasars(6-9), but these galaxies also host accreting supermassive (more than 10(9) solar masses) black holes, which probably affect the properties of the galaxies. Here we report observations of an emission line of singly ionized carbon ([C II] at a wavelength of 158 micrometres) in four galaxies at z > 6 that are companions of quasars, with velocity offsets of less than 600 kilometres per second and linear offsets of less than 100 kiloparsecs. The discovery of these four galaxies was serendipitous; they are close to their companion quasars and appear bright in the far-infrared. On the basis of the [C II] measurements, we estimate star-formation rates in the companions of more than 100 solar masses per year. These sources are similar to the host galaxies of the quasars in [C II] brightness, linewidth and implied dynamical mass, but do not show evidence for accreting supermassive black holes. Similar systems have previously been found at lower redshift(10-12). We find such close companions in four out of the twenty-five z > 6 quasars surveyed, a fraction that needs to be accounted for in simulations(13,14). If they are representative of the bright end of the [C II] luminosity function, then they can account for the population of massive elliptical galaxies at z approximate to 4 in terms of the density of cosmic space.

Elevated atmospheric nitrogen (N) depcisition has significantly influenced aquatic ecosystems, especially with regard to their N budgets and phytoplankton growth potentials. Compared to a considerable number of studies on oligotrophic lakes and oceanic waters, little evidence for the importance of N deposition has been generated for eutrophic lakes, even though emphasis has been placed on reducing external N inputs to control eutrophication in these lakes. Our high-resolution observations of atmospheric depositions and riverine inputs of biologically reactive N species into eutrophic Lake Dianchi (the sixth largest freshwater lake in China) shed new light onto the contribution of N deposition to total N loads. Annual N deposition accounted for 15.7% to 16.6% of total N loads under variable precipitation conditions, 2-fold higher than previous estimates (7.6%) for the Lake Dianchi. The proportion of N deposition to total N loads further increased to 27-48% in May and June when toxic blooms of the ubiquitous non-N-2 fixing cyanobacteria Microcystis spp. are initiated and proliferate. Our observations reveal that reduced N (59%) contributes a greater amount than oxidized N to total N deposition, reaching 56-83% from late spring to summer. Progress toward mitigating eutrophication in Lake Dianchi and other bloom-impacted eutrophic lakes will be difficult without reductions in ammonia emissions and subsequent N deposition.

Spatial patterns and temporal trends of nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) deposition are important for quantifying their impact on forest carbon (C) uptake. In a first step, we modeled historical and future change in the global distributions of the atmospheric deposition of N and P from the dry and wet deposition of aerosols and gases containing N and P. Future projections were compared between two scenarios with contrasting aerosol emissions. Modeled fields of N and P deposition and P concentration were evaluated using globally distributed in situ measurements. N deposition peaked around 1990 in European forests and around 2010 in East Asian forests, and both increased sevenfold relative to 1850. P deposition peaked around 2010 in South Asian forests and increased 3.5-fold relative to 1850. In a second step, we estimated the change in C storage in forests due to the fertilization by deposited N and P (Delta C-v (dep)), based on the retention of deposited nutrients, their allocation within plants, and C:N and C:P stoichiometry. Delta C-v (dep) for 1997-2013 was estimated to be 0.27 +/- 0.13 Pg C year(-1) from N and 0.054 +/- 0.10 Pg C year(-1) from P, contributing 9% and 2% of the terrestrial C sink, respectively. Sensitivity tests show that uncertainty of Delta C-v (dep) was larger from P than from N, mainly due to uncertainty in the fraction of deposited P that is fixed by soil. Delta C-P (dep) was exceeded by Delta C-N (dep) over 1960-2007 in a large area of East Asian and West European forests due to a faster growth in N deposition than P. Our results suggest a significant contribution of anthropogenic P deposition to C storage, and additional sources of N are needed to support C storage by P in some Asian tropical forests where the deposition rate increased even faster for P than for N.

We present an analysis of long-term (1988-2013; 26 years) total phosphorus (TP) concentration trends in 81 Swedish boreal lakes subject tominimal anthropogenic disturbance. Near universal increases in dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations and a widespread but hitherto unexplained decline in TP were observed. Over 50% of the lakes (n = 42) had significant declining TP trends over the past quarter century (Sen's slope = 2.5% y(-1)). These declines were linked to catchment processes related to changes in climate, recovery from acidification, and catchment soil properties, but were unrelated to trends in P deposition. Increasing DOC concentrations appear to be masking in-lake TP declines. When the effect of increasing DOC was removed, the small number of positive TP trends (N = 5) turned negative and the average decline in TP increased to 3.9% y(-1). The greatest relative TP declines occurred in already nutrient poor, oligotrophic systems and TP concentrations have reached the analytical detection limit (1 mu L-1) in some lakes. In addition, ongoing oligotrophication may be exacerbated by increased reliance on renewable energy from forest biomass and hydropower. It is a cause of significant concern that potential impairments to lake ecosystem functioning associated with oligotrophication are not well handled by a management paradigm focused exclusively on the negative consequences of increasing phosphorus concentrations. (C) 2017 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.

There is high uncertainty in the direct radiative forcing of black carbon (BC), an aerosol that strongly absorbs solar radiation. The observation-constrained estimate, which is several times larger than the bottom-up estimate, is influenced by the spatial representativeness error due to the mesoscale inhomogeneity of the aerosol fields and the relatively low resolution of global chemistry-transport models. Here we evaluated the spatial representativeness error for two widely used observational networks (AErosol RObotic NETwork and Global Atmosphere Watch) by downscaling the geospatial grid in a global model of BC aerosol absorption optical depth to 0.1 degrees x0.1 degrees. Comparing the models at a spatial resolution of 2 degrees x2 degrees with BC aerosol absorption at AErosol RObotic NETwork sites (which are commonly located near emission hot spots) tends to cause a global spatial representativeness error of 30%, as a positive bias for the current top-down estimate of global BC direct radiative forcing. By contrast, the global spatial representativeness error will be 7% for the Global Atmosphere Watch network, because the sites are located in such a way that there are almost an equal number of sites with positive or negative representativeness error.

Bright high-redshift quasars (z > 6) hosting supermassive black holes (M-BH > 10(8)M circle dot) are expected to reside in massive host galaxies embedded within some of the earliest and most massive galaxy overdensities. We analyze 1.2 mm ALMA dust continuum maps of 35 bright quasars at 6 < z < 7 and search the primary beam for excess dust continuum emission from sources with L-IR greater than or similar to 10(12) L circle dot as evidence for early protoclusters. We compare the detection rates of continuum sources at >= 5 sigma significance in the fields surrounding the quasars (A(eff).= 4.3 arcmin(2)) with millimeter number counts in blank field surveys. We discover 15 mm sources in the fields excluding the quasars themselves, corresponding to an overdensity of delta(gal) = (N-gal -N-exp)/N-exp= -0.07 +/- 0.56, consistent with no detected overdensity of dusty galaxies within 140 physical kpc of the quasars. However, the apparent lack of continuum overdensity does not negate the hypothesis that quasars live in overdense environments, as evidenced by strong [C II] overdensities found on the same scales as similarly selected quasars. The small field of view of ALMA could miss a true overdensity if it exists on scales larger than 1 cMpc, if the quasar is not centered in the overdensity, or if quasar feedback plays a role close to the quasar, but it is most likely that the large line-of-sight volume probed by a continuum survey will wash out a true overdensity signal. We discuss the necessary factors in determining the bias with which dusty star-forming galaxies trace true dark matter overdensities in order to improve upon overdensity searches in the dust continuum.

We present a survey of the [C II] 158 mu m line and underlying far-infrared (FIR) dust continuum emission in a sample of 27 greater than or similar to 6 quasars using the Atacama Large Millimeter Array (ALMA) at similar to 1 '' resolution. The [C II] line was significantly detected (at > 5-sigma) in 23 sources (85%). We find typical line luminosities of L-[C (II]) = 10(9-10) L-circle dot, and an average line width of similar to 385 km s(-1). The [C II]-to-far-infrared luminosity ratios ([C II]/FIR) in our sources span one order of magnitude, highlighting a variety of conditions in the star-forming medium. Four quasar host galaxies are clearly resolved in their [C II] emission on a few kpc scales. Basic estimates of the dynamical masses of the host galaxies give masses between 2 x 10(10) and 2 x 10(11) M-circle dot, i.e., more than an order of magnitude below what is expected from local scaling relations, given the available limits on the masses of the central black holes (> 3 x 10(8) M-circle dot, assuming Eddington-limited accretion). In stacked ALMA [C II] spectra of individual sources in our sample, we find no evidence of a deviation from a single Gaussian profile. The quasar luminosity does not strongly correlate with either the [C II] luminosity or equivalent width. This survey (with typical on-source integration times of 8 minutes) showcases the unparalleled sensitivity of ALMA at millimeter wavelengths, and offers a unique reference sample for the study of the first massive galaxies in the universe.

We present Atacama Large Millimeter Array 1 mm observations of the rest-frame far-infrared (FIR) dust continuum in 27 quasars at redshifts 6.0 less than or similar to z < 6.7. We detect FIR emission at greater than or similar to 3 sigma in all quasar host galaxies with flux densities at similar to 1900 GHz in the rest-frame of 0.12 < S-rest,S- (1900) (GHz) < 5.9 mJy, with a median (mean) flux density of 0.88 mJy (1.59 mJy). The implied FIR luminosities range from L-FIR = (0.27-13) x 10(12) L-circle dot, with 74% of our quasar hosts having L-FIR > 10(12) L-circle dot The estimated dust masses are M-dust = 10(7)-10(9) M-circle dot. If the dust is heated only by star formation, then the star formation rates in the quasar host galaxies are between 50 and 2700 M-circle dot yr(-1). In the framework of the host galaxy-black hole coevolution model a correlation between ongoing black hole growth and star formation in the quasar host galaxy would be expected. However, combined with results from the literature to create a luminosity-limited quasar sample, we do not find a strong correlation between quasar UV luminosity (a proxy for ongoing black hole growth) and FIR luminosity (star formation in the host galaxy). The absence of such a correlation in our data does not necessarily rule out the coevolution model, and could be due to a variety of effects (including different timescales for black hole accretion and FIR emission).

We present Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array band 8 observations of the [O III] 88 mu m line and the underlying thermal infrared continuum emission in the z = 6.08 quasar CFHQS J2100-1715 and its dust-obscured starburst companion galaxy (projected distance: similar to 60 kpc). Each galaxy hosts dust-obscured star formation at rates >100 M-circle dot yr(-1), but only the quasar shows evidence for an accreting 10(9) M-circle dot black hole. Therefore we can compare the properties of the interstellar medium in distinct galactic environments in two physically associated objects, similar to 1 Gyr after the big bang. Bright [O III] 88 mu m emission from ionized gas is detected in both systems; the positions and linewidths are consistent with earlier [C II] measurements, indicating that both lines trace the same gravitational potential on galactic scales. The [O III] 88 mu m/far-infrared (FIR) luminosity ratios in both sources fall in the upper range observed in local luminous infrared galaxies of similar dust temperature, although the ratio of the quasar is smaller than in the companion. This suggests that gas ionization by the quasar (expected to lead to strong optical [0 III] 5008 angstrom emission) does not dominantly determine the quasar's FIR [O III] 88 mu m luminosity. Both the inferred number of photons needed for the creation of O++ and the typical line ratios can be accounted for without invoking extreme (top-heavy) stellar initial mass functions in the starbursts of both sources.

Precipitation is one of the most important factors determining the occurrence of extreme hydro-meteorological events and water resource availability. Precipitation in different grades has diverse ecological effects, and slight precipitation (SP, defined as 0.1-1.0 mm/day) is the minimal level among them. In this study, we investigated SP trends from 1961 to 2013, as well as the relationship between SP and advanced very high radiometric resolution (AVHRR) normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) in China during growing season from 1981 to 2006. The distributions and trends of SP were analysed by calculating the daily precipitation data. The average annual slight precipitation amount (SPA) and the number of slight precipitation days (SPD), derived from 839 monitoring stations in China, show a decreasing trend over the last five decades, which is in agreement with total precipitation (TP) but in different rates. When the trend was analysed seasonally, SP in most stations decreases significantly in September-October-November (SON) and June-July-August (JJA), and the largest decrease is found in SON. About 49.5 and 68.7% of monitoring stations show a decreasing trend in SON, in both SPA and SPD, whereas the trend is less popular in March-April-May (MAM, SPA: 19.7%, SPD: 41.4%) and December-January-February (JJF, SPA: 25.6%, SPD: 43.1%). Moreover, our analysis indicates that the decrease of SP is mainly due to the decrease of SPD as the median amount of daily SP was unchanged over the past five decades (close to 0.3 mm/day). Based on 26-year (1981-2006) semi-monthly AVHRR NDVI data and the records of SP data, the relationship between AVHRR NDVI and SP was also investigated. In regions with lower (< 600 mm) TP, the correlation coefficients between NDVI and SP tend to be higher. These results highlight that SP has different effects than TP on vegetation growth. We also analysed time lag effects and concluded that the sensitivity of NDVI to SP for grass vegetation (the correlation coefficient is 0.327) is more noticeable than for trees (0.211) or shrubs (-0.058). The relationship between SP and NDVI also provides us new insights on the dependence of vegetation growth on meteorological factors.