Although time-dependent deformation of geomaterials underpins slope-failure prediction models,the influence of strain rate on shearing strength and deformation behavior of loess remains unclear.The consolidated undrai...Although time-dependent deformation of geomaterials underpins slope-failure prediction models,the influence of strain rate on shearing strength and deformation behavior of loess remains unclear.The consolidated undrained(CU)and drained(CD)triaxial testing elucidated the impact of strain rate(0.005–0.3 mm/min)on strength envelopes,deformation moduli,pore pressures,and dilatancy characteristics of unsaturated and quasi-saturated loess.Under drained conditions with a controlled matric suction of 50 kPa,increasing strain rates from 0.005 mm/min to 0.011 mm/min induced decreases in failure deviatoric stress(qf),initial deformation modulus(Ei),and cohesion(c),while friction angles remained unaffected.Specimens displayed initial contractive volumetric strains transitioning to dilation across varying confining pressures.Higher rates diminished contractive volumetric strains and drainage volumes,indicating reduced densification and strength in the shear zone.Under undrained conditions,both unsaturated and quasi-saturated(pore pressure coefficient B=0.75)loess exhibited deteriorating mechanical properties with increasing rates from 0.03 mm/min to 0.3 mm/min.For unsaturated loess,reduced contractive volumetric strains at higher rates manifested relatively looser structures in the pre-peak stress phase.The strength decrement in quasi-saturated loess arose from elevated excess porewater pressures diminishing effective stresses.Negative porewater pressures emerged in quasi-saturated loess at lower confining pressures and strain rates.Compared to previous studies,the qf and Ei exhibited rate sensitivity below threshold values before attaining minima with marginal subsequent influence.The underlying mechanism mirrors the transition from creep to accelerated deformation phase of landslides.展开更多
In this study,compacted loess samples with varying compaction water content but identical dry density were prepared to investigate the evolution of their hydraulic conductivity and compression behavior.Additionally,en...In this study,compacted loess samples with varying compaction water content but identical dry density were prepared to investigate the evolution of their hydraulic conductivity and compression behavior.Additionally,environmental scanning electron microscopy(ESEM)and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)analyses were conducted to gain microstructural insights into loess behavior at the laboratory scale.The results indicate that the maximum saturated hydraulic conductivity is observed at the lowest compaction water content,particularly in the early stage of permeability tests.In particular,for loess compacted at water contents below the optimum(as determined by the modified Proctor compaction test),the hydraulic conductivity decreases throughout the permeability tests.Conversely,when the water content exceeds the optimum level,the hydraulic conductivity shows an increasing trend.In terms of compression behavior,when the as-compacted samples are loaded in oedometer conditions,an increase in material compressibility is observed with increasing compaction water content.Again,a different phenomenological behavior was observed when the compaction water content exceeded the optimum,i.e.an abrupt increase in loess compressibility.ESEM tests provide microstructural confirmation of this evidence,as the surface morphology of the compacted loess changes significantly with increasing compaction water content.The microstructural evolution was also quantified in terms of area ratio using image processing software.Finally,NMR was used to quantify the intra-and inter-aggregate water at different compaction water contents,once again highlighting a threshold for the presence or absence of inter-aggregate water similar to the optimum water content.展开更多
Loess slopes in cold and arid regions are susceptible to shallow soil degradation,which may trigger severe environmental problems related to soil erosion.To address this environmental challenge,this study selected a c...Loess slopes in cold and arid regions are susceptible to shallow soil degradation,which may trigger severe environmental problems related to soil erosion.To address this environmental challenge,this study selected a compound ecological curing agent composed of gellan gum and guar gum for stabilizing shallow loess slopes.Triaxial compression and disintegration tests were employed to comparatively analyze the effects of compound gum content,mass mix ratio,and curing age on the mechanical and disintegration properties of solidified loess.The curing mechanism was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and the ecological protection effect was monitored for a 60-day period.The results indicate that gellan gum,guar gum,and the compound gum can enhance the mechanical and disintegration properties of loess,promote plant growth,and optimize the ecological environment.However,the combination of gellan gum and guar gum proves more effective than using either gellan gum or guar gum alone.Considering the effects on mechanical properties,disintegration performance,and material economy,the disintegration rate of loess decreases by 75.72%compared to plain loess when the compound glue content is 0.5%,the mixing ratio of gellan gum to guar gum is 3:7 and the curing age is 7 days.Meanwhile,the cohesion and internal friction angle increase by 118.06%and 10.97%,respectively.Moreover,the disintegration performance and mechanical properties of the samples first increase and then decrease with the increase in compound glue and the mix ratio and are basically stabilized after the curing age reaches 7d.展开更多
Loess landforms in the Loess Plateau are typical landforms in arid and semiarid areas and have a significant impact on the environment and soil erosion.Quantitative analyses on loess landform have been employed from v...Loess landforms in the Loess Plateau are typical landforms in arid and semiarid areas and have a significant impact on the environment and soil erosion.Quantitative analyses on loess landform have been employed from various perspectives.Peak intervisibility can provide the potential topographic information implied in the visual connectivity of peaks,however,its application in loess landform analysis remains unexplored.In this study,the interwoven sightlines among peaks,representing peak intervisibility,were extracted from the digital elevation model and simulated into a peak intervisibility network(PIN).Nine indices were proposed to quantify the PIN.Through a case study in Northern Shaanxi,China,three tasks were conducted,including,landform interpretation,spatial pattern mining,and landform classification.The main findings are as follows:(1)PIN responds to terrain morphology and is beneficial for loess landform interpretation.(2)The spatial patterns of PIN indices are heterogeneous and strongly coupled with the terrain morphologies,showing anisotropy and autocorrelation in spatial variations.(3)Using the light gradient boost machine classifier,the PIN index-based classification reaches a mean accuracy of 86.09%,an overall accuracy of 86%and a kappa coefficient of 0.84.These findings shed light on the applicability of PIN in loess landform analysis.Peak intervisibility not only enriches the theories and methodologies of relation-based digital terrain analysis,but also enhances our comprehension of loess landform genesis,morphology,distribution,and evolution.展开更多
Understanding the local ecological security status and its underlying drivers can be used as an effective reference for balancing ecosystem development with societal needs. This study assesses the ecological security ...Understanding the local ecological security status and its underlying drivers can be used as an effective reference for balancing ecosystem development with societal needs. This study assesses the ecological security of the Loess Plateau(LP) by integrating ecosystem health and ecosystem services, explores the varying impacts of ecosystem structure, quality, and services on ecological security index(ESI), and identifies the key driving factors of ESI using the Geodetector model. The results show that:(1) the average ESI indicates a relatively safe ecological status in LP with a significant increase in ESI observed in 50.21% of the region, largely due to the ecological restoration programs.(2) Natural factors predominantly influence ESI, although human factors play a significant role in the earthy-rocky mountain region and plateau wind-sand region.(3) The interactions between driving factors have a much greater impact on ESI than any single factor, with the interactions between precipitation and human factors being the most influential combination. This study provides a novel perspective on assessing ecological security in LP. We recommend that future ecological restoration efforts should consider the varying roles of ecosystem structure, quality, and services in ESI while tailoring strategies to the primary driving factors based on local conditions.展开更多
Surface albedo,as one of the important properties of the underlying surface,has a significant impact on the surface energy balance in cold regions.However,due to the complexity of the factors affecting surface albedo,...Surface albedo,as one of the important properties of the underlying surface,has a significant impact on the surface energy balance in cold regions.However,due to the complexity of the factors affecting surface albedo,existing calculations still contain inaccuracies.Therefore,this study conducted surface albedo experiments on loess with different water contents and temperatures.By analyzing the surface albedo measurements of samples with varying temperature and water content levels,as well as the soil freezing characteristic curve(SFCC)and soil-water characteristic curve(SWCC)of loess,the study explores the influence of soil temperature and water content on the surface albedo of loess.The results indicate that both the temperature and water content of loess jointly affect surface albedo.During the process of albedo change,there exists a water content threshold that alters the trend of surface albedo.Soil temperature influences surface albedo by affecting the content of pore ice and liquid water within the soil.When the water content of loess is relatively low,the surface albedo decreases as the unfrozen water content decreases.However,this trend changes as the water content of loess increases.Additionally,a decrease in soil temperature lowers the moisture content threshold during the changes in surface albedo.This study provides a reference for exploring and determining the surface energy balance in cold regions under the background of warm and humid climates,as well as for establishing thermal calculation boundaries.展开更多
Tafoni are globally developed on cliffy slopes,and many of them are favorable places for the preservation of stone historical relics.However,the characteristics and formation processes of tafoni in the Loess Plateau a...Tafoni are globally developed on cliffy slopes,and many of them are favorable places for the preservation of stone historical relics.However,the characteristics and formation processes of tafoni in the Loess Plateau are yet to be understood.This paper studied the features of the tafoni on conglomerate slopes in Huoshizhai National Geopark of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and discussed its formation processes by field investigation and morphometry,insitu relative humidity(RH)measurement,salt chemistry and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer(XRF)experiments of 24 samples.The bedrock of the tafoni is dominated by reddish fluvial conglomerates of the Lower Cretaceous Heshangpu Formation with abundant chemically unstable components including feldspars,lithic fragments,and calcite cements.The RH values vary from 5%to 100%,but the backwalls of the tafoni have higher RH values than outer surfaces.The more moisture on the backwalls is possibly generated by water influx from the rock interior,resulting in more salt precipitation on the backwalls.As a result,the backwalls have been subject to predominant salt weathering.The dominant salts involved in salt weathering are probably derived from the dissolution of the salt interbeds in the basin,although the chemical dissolution of the unstable components such as feldspars,lithic fragments,and calcite cements might have produced small amounts of salts.The salt types dominantly include nitrates,sulfates,and halite.In the progression of tafoni,the moisture maintenance on the backwalls gives rise to the accretion of salts,which in turn enhance the weathering rates of the backwalls.As a result,the volumes of the tafoni have become enlarged owing to inward growth and coalescence of adjacent smaller ones.展开更多
A gigantic project named Gully Land Consolidation(GLC)was launched in the hillgully region of the Chinese Loess Plateau in 2011 to cope with land degradation and create new farmlands for cultivation.The dynamic change...A gigantic project named Gully Land Consolidation(GLC)was launched in the hillgully region of the Chinese Loess Plateau in 2011 to cope with land degradation and create new farmlands for cultivation.The dynamic change of groundwater table and loess subsidence in the backfilled farmland are the main causes of site disasters and soil disease,but there is a lack of research on these issues.Based on this,the Shijiagou(SJG)backfilled farmland which is a typical GLC engineering site located in Ansai District,Yan'an City,Shaanxi Province was selected as the study area in this paper.Field site monitoring was carried out in this area,including four aspects of monitoring:rainfall,groundwater table,soil moisture and soil settlement displacement.The following findings were obtained from the analysis of the monitoring data in 2019-2020:(1)The backfilled farmlands have suffered a significant groundwater table rise.And the percentage increase of groundwater table increased from the upstream of F-1(such as 49.2%,46.3%,26.4%)to the downstream of F-5(90.0%,52.3%,34.2%correspondingly),which is related to the terrain of the valley channel and dam seepage.It is also revealed that rainfall characteristics are positively correlated with the depth of water infiltration and groundwater table.(2)The influence depth of rainfall infiltration on soil moisture of the backfilled loess in the GLC study area is no more than 2.5 m,and that within 1.5 m depth is significantly affected by rainfall.In addition,the dramatic rise in the groundwater table led to a steep increase in soil moisture,thus the soil underwent collapse deformation due to water immersion,and the farmland experienced large subsidence displacement.(3)The backfilled loess of the GLC farmland was in a continuous consolidation and settlement stage after the filling completion.With the passage of time,the settlement displacement and settlement rate of the backfilled loess gradually decreased,from 1.0-1.9 mm/d in 2019 to 0.4-0.8 mm/d in 2020,which indicates the GLC farmland tended to be stable.This study reveals the hydrological evolution characteristics and settlement deformation laws of the backfilled loess,which is important for the stability of the farmland and the management of the GLC project.展开更多
In the realm of slope monitoring and reinforcement,traditional prestressing anchor cables are extensively used.However,these conventional methods often face limitations when applied to loess slopes,such as potential i...In the realm of slope monitoring and reinforcement,traditional prestressing anchor cables are extensively used.However,these conventional methods often face limitations when applied to loess slopes,such as potential issues with stress concentration and insufficient adaptability to the unique mechanical properties of loess,which may lead to challenges in ensuring long-term stability and effective reinforcement.Negative Poisson's ratio(NPR)anchor cables with constant resistance have emerged as a promising alternative,which can better match the engineering demands of loess slopes by providing more uniform stress distribution and adaptive deformation characteristics.The NPR cable's ability to maintain a constant resistance during deformation offers a distinct advantage over traditional methods as it can more effectively accommodate the complex and variable conditions of loess slopes.To investigate the anchoring performance of NPR cables in loess slope,the stress characteristics of NPR cable in loess medium were simulated and analysed by ABAQUS finite element software.First,static and general quasi-static analysis methods were used to simulate the NPR cable under static tensile conditions.The consistency of the simulated constant resistance deformation characteristics with experimental results found in the literature was verified.Second,the interaction model between the NPR cable coupled with the loess medium was established.Its constant resistance was calculated to be about 24.08%larger than that of NPR anchor cable while its plastic deformation was reduced by about 37.14%.The compressive stress on the contact surface between NPR cable and loess was concentrated near the free end of the sleeve,which indicated that the loess was prone to severe damage at the free end.The research results reveal the typical shear failure mechanism of NPR cable in loess medium,which provides an important theoretical basis for prevention of landslides and monitoring of loess slopes.展开更多
Loess is susceptible to loading effects such as significant changes in strength and volume variation caused by loading and wetting.In this study,considering the different connection states of pore water and gas in loe...Loess is susceptible to loading effects such as significant changes in strength and volume variation caused by loading and wetting.In this study,considering the different connection states of pore water and gas in loess fabric,the gas phase closure case is incorporated into a unified form of the generalized effective stress framework,introducing a damage parameter considering the effects of closed pore gas.The loading effects of unsaturated loess under wide variations in saturation are described in a unified way,and the model performance is verified by corresponding stress and hydraulic path tests.The results indicated that the collapse response involves the initial void ratio of loess,and the coupled outwards motion of the loading-collapse(LC)yield surface under loading enhances its structural strength.Suction-enhanced yield stress requires a greater"tensile stress"to counteract its structural stability.The nucleation of bubbles at high saturation causes a decrease in yield stress.The loading effect exhibits a smaller collapse behavior when the influence of closed gas is considered,whereas the suction path does not cross the LC in the stress space under hydraulic action for the same parameters,which amplifies the influence of closed gas on loess deformation.展开更多
Uneven terrain significantly increases the seismic risk of tunnels in loess deposits.To investigate the variations in optimal intensity measures(IMs)for shallowly buried loess tunnels considering biased terrain,nonlin...Uneven terrain significantly increases the seismic risk of tunnels in loess deposits.To investigate the variations in optimal intensity measures(IMs)for shallowly buried loess tunnels considering biased terrain,nonlinear dynamic analyses were conducted to obtain seismic responses validated by the actual damage pattern.Then IMs were evaluated based on the automatic calculation of the time history damage index fulfilled by a compiled Python program.Results showed that the plastic strain zone progressively developed and extended from the vault to the central slope surface with increasing seismic intensities,ultimately causing shear failure to the tunnel.For IMs at the slope top,peak ground velocity(PGV)(ζ=0.15),velocity spectrum intensity(VSI)(ζ=0.20),and peak spectrum velocity(PSv)(ζ=0.22)were all suitable for seismic fragility assessment.The VSI(ζ=0.17)was optimal,followed by PGV(ζ=0.19)and PSv(ζ=0.2)for those at the slope foot.Acceleration-related IMs were more sensitive to terrain variation.Comparative analyses demonstrated smaller damage probabilities for the IMs at the slope top than those at the slope foot under the same intensity level.The impact of unfavorable terrain on tunnels was accentuated as those located in uneven mountainous regions became more vulnerable to ground shaking.展开更多
This study presents an experimental investigation into the effects of microbial induced carbonate precipitation(MICP)treatment factors on the shear behavior of MICP-treated loess soil.Several groups of loess samples w...This study presents an experimental investigation into the effects of microbial induced carbonate precipitation(MICP)treatment factors on the shear behavior of MICP-treated loess soil.Several groups of loess samples were prepared and subjected to MICP treatment with varying cementation reagent concentration,calcium source,and curing duration across three levels.The results indicate that the shear strength of MICP-treated loess achieves optimal performance when treated with the cementation reagent concentration of 1.0 M,cured for 14 days,and using calcium chloride as the calcium source.Compared to untreated loess,the cohesion and internal friction angle increased by approximately 77%and 26%,respectively.To evaluate the influence of these treatment variables,orthogonal analysis was performed on the obtained shear strength parameters.The analysis indicates that the cementation reagent concentration is the primary factor influencing shear strength,followed by the calcium source and curing duration.Additionally,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)tests were performed to investigate the microstructure of the MICP-treated samples.The results reveal that calcium carbonate significantly enhances the loess structure by creating large effective bonding areas,which in turn increases the bridging force.As a result,the overall shear strength of the treated loess shows a marked improvement compared to the untreated samples.展开更多
The loess plains cover approximately 2000.00 km2 of the northern Negev Desert,accounting for about 9%of Israel's total land area.As elsewhere,the loess in the Negev Desert is composed of wind-transported dust and ...The loess plains cover approximately 2000.00 km2 of the northern Negev Desert,accounting for about 9%of Israel's total land area.As elsewhere,the loess in the Negev Desert is composed of wind-transported dust and sand particles that have been deposited in sink sites.The loess deposits are characteristically covered by biocrusts,which constitute a substantial share of the region's primary productivity.The biocrusts regulate the vascular vegetation communities,including herbaceous and woody plants,many of which are endemic and/or endangered plant species.Throughout history,the region's main land-uses have been based on extensive livestock grazing and runoff-harvesting agriculture,which both still exist to some extent.These land-uses did not challenge the sustainability of the geo-ecosystems over centuries and millennia.At present,predominant land-uses include intensive rangelands(1016.81 km2,encompassing 51%of the loess plains'area),croplands(encompassing both rainfed and irrigated cropping systems:930.92 km2,47%of the loess plains'area),and afforestation lands(158.75 km2).These current land-uses impose substantial challenges to the functioning of the loess plains.Further,urban and rural settlements have expanded considerably in the last decades(158.45 km2),accompanied by mass construction of infrastructures.Altogether,these new land-uses have caused widespread soil erosion,soil structure deformation,depletion of soil organic carbon,environmental contamination,native vegetation removal,invasion of plant species,and habitat fragmentation.Recent climate change has intensified these stressors,exacerbating adverse impacts and forming feedback loops that intensify land degradation and desertification.The declining ecosystem functioning over recent decades emphasizes the urgent need for passive and active restoration schemes.While some of these efforts have proven to be successful,other have failed.Therefore,proactive policy making and environmental legislation are needed to plan and develop schemes aimed at halting land degradation,while simultaneously maximizing nature conservation and restoration of degraded lands across the loess plains.Such actions are expected to increase the regions'capacity for climate change mitigation and adaptation.展开更多
Check dams are widely constructed on China's Loess Plateau,which had a total number of 58,776 by the end of 2019.Great achievements in check dam construction have been gained regarding the economic and environment...Check dams are widely constructed on China's Loess Plateau,which had a total number of 58,776 by the end of 2019.Great achievements in check dam construction have been gained regarding the economic and environmental impacts.This study reviews the remarkable benefits of check dams on the land reclamation and environmental improvement on the Loess Plateau,and sediment reduction entering the Yellow River.However,the flood incidents on check dams have been frequently reported for the past decades,which has attracted more attention in the context of climate change and extreme rainfall events recently.Advances in the flood migration techniques achieved by the research group led by the first author have been highlighted to migrate the breach risk of check dams due to floods.The“family tree method”has been proposed to determine the survival status and critical rainfall threshold of each check dam in the complicated dam system.An updated dam breach flood evaluation framework and the corresponding numerical algorithm(i.e.,DB-IWHR)have been developed.Moreover,innovative types of water-release facilities for check dams,including geobag stepped spillway and prestressed concrete cylinder pipe in the underlying conduit,have been proposed and developed.Finally,the perspectives concerning the check dam construction on the Loess Plateau have been put forward.展开更多
Crude oil pollution is a significant global environmental challenge.The eastern Gansu Province on the Loess Plateau,an important agricultural region containing the Changqing Oilfield,is facing increasing crude oil con...Crude oil pollution is a significant global environmental challenge.The eastern Gansu Province on the Loess Plateau,an important agricultural region containing the Changqing Oilfield,is facing increasing crude oil contamination.Understanding how microbial communities respond to varying pollution levels is critical for developing effective bioremediation strategies.This study examined how different concentrations of crude oil affect soil properties and microbial communities in Qingyang City,eastern Gansu Province,China by comparing lightly polluted(1895.84-2696.54 mg/kg total petroleum hydrocarbons(TPH)),heavily polluted(4964.25-7153.61 mg/kg TPH),and uncontaminated(CK)soils.Results revealed that petroleum contamination significantly increased total organic carbon(TOC),pH,C:N:P ratio,and the activities of dehydrogenase(DHA)and polyphenol oxidase(PPO),while reducing total nitrogen(TN),available nitrogen(AN),total phosphorus(TP),available phosphorus(AP),available potassium(AK),soil organic matter(SOM),soil water content(SWC),the activities of urease(URE)and alkaline phosphatase(APA),and microbial alpha diversity(P<0.050).Light pollution(LP)soils demonstrated an increase in culturable microorganisms,whereas heavy pollution(HP)soils exhibited increased hydrocarbon-degrading microbes and higher expression of key functional genes,such as alkane monooxygenase(AlkB),cytochrome P450 alkane hydroxylases(P450),catechol 2,3-dioxygenase(C23O),and naphthalene dioxygenase(Nah)(P<0.050).Non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)and redundancy analysis(RDA)indicated evident variations in microbial community structure across different oil contamination levels.LP soils were dominated by bacterial genera Pseudoxanthomonas and Solimonadaceae,whereas Pseudomonas,Nocardioides,and hydrocarbon-degrading genera(Marinobacter,Idiomarina,and Halomonas)were predominant in HP soils.The fungal genus Pseudallescheria exhibited the most pronounced abundance shift between LP and HP soils(P<0.050).Environmental factor analysis identified AN,SWC,TN,SOM,and alpha diversity indices(Shannon index and Chao1 index)as the key differentiators of CK soils,whereas the pollutant levels and metal content were characterized in HP soils.Hydrocarbon-degrading microbial abundance was a defining trait of HP soils.Metabolic pathway analysis revealed enhanced aromatic hydrocarbon degradation in HP soils,indicating microbial adaptation to severe contamination.These findings demonstrated that crude oil pollution suppressed soil nutrients while reshaping the structure and function of microbial communities.Pollution intensity directly affected microbial composition and degradation potential.This study offers valuable insights into microbial responses across contamination gradients and supports the development of targeted bioremediation strategies for oil-contaminated loess soils.展开更多
Livelihood improvement and sustainable natural resource utilization are among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;however,most farm households either randomly select or just imitate livelihood strategies ...Livelihood improvement and sustainable natural resource utilization are among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;however,most farm households either randomly select or just imitate livelihood strategies being practiced in other areas.As the livelihoods of farm households are vulnerable to several challenges in ecologically fragile areas,identifying the livelihood strategies of farm households in arid and semi-arid areas will help for promoting both livelihood security and environmental conservation.Hence,in this study,we constructed a sustainable evaluation index system for the livelihood of farmers in the Loess Plateau region of China by conducting field research and interviews.We employed the composite index method to measure the livelihood capital and the livelihood strategies chosen by farmers,and then analyzed the resource endowment of farmers under different livelihood strategies using logistic regression and structural equation modeling.The results revealed that under the combined influences of livelihood capital and government policy,farm households in the Loess Plateau region selected agro-dependent,agro-pastoral,agro-industrial,non-agricultural livelihood strategies.The key factors influencing the selection of these household livelihood strategies included the household labor capacity,the farmland owned per household,the number of livestock,and the grassland forage-supply ratio.The grassland forage-supply ratio was a crucial factor influencing the choice between agricultural and non-agricultural livelihood strategies.In this context,the grassland forage-supply ratio increased with the stocking rate.However,once the stocking rate exceeded 56.5 sheep/hm^(2),the grassland forage-supply ratio no longer increased rapidly under the agriculture-based livelihood strategy.The strategy of ecological resource conservation and moderate utilization based on the quality and quantity of natural resources ensures win-win benefits for the environment and human well-being in arid and semi-arid areas.Moderate grazing therefore has the potential to improve farmers’livelihoods without causing grassland degradation.These results contribute to the synergistic co-adaptation of livelihood improvement and ecological conservation in arid and semi-arid areas.展开更多
Climate change brings new challenges to the sustainable development of agriculture in the new era.Accurately grasping the patterns of climate change impacts on agricultural systems is crucial for ensuring agricultural...Climate change brings new challenges to the sustainable development of agriculture in the new era.Accurately grasping the patterns of climate change impacts on agricultural systems is crucial for ensuring agricultural sustainability and food security.Taking the Loess Plateau(LP),China as an example,this study used a coupling coordination degree model and spatial autocorrelation analysis to portray the spatial and temporal features of crop-cropland coupling relationship from 2000 to 2020 and explored the impact law of climate change through geographically and temporally weighted regression(GTWR).The results were as follows:1)the crop-cropland coupling coordination degree of the LP showed a gradual upward trend from 2000 to 2020,forming a spatial pattern with lower values in the central region and higher values in the surrounding areas.2)There was a positive correlation in the spatial distribution of cropcropland coupling coordination degree in the LP from 2000 to 2020,and the high value-low value(H-L)and low value-low value(L-L)agglomerations continued to expand eastward,while the spatial and temporal evolution of the high value-high value(H-H)and low value-high value(L-H)agglomerations was not obvious.3)The impacts of climatic elements on crop-cropland coupling coordination degree in the LP showed strong heterogeneity in time scales.The inhibitory impacts of summer days(SU)and frost days(FD)accounted for a higher proportion,while the annual average temperature(TEM)had both promoting and inhibiting impacts.The impacts proportion and intensity of extreme heavy precipitation day(R25),continuous drought days(CDD),and annual precipitation(PRE)all experienced significant changes.4)In space,the impacts of SU and FD on the crop-cropland coupling coordination degree varied with latitude and altitude.The adaptability of the LP to R25 gradually strengthened,and the extensions of CDD and increase of PRE led to the increasing inhibition beyond the eastern region of LP,and TEM showed a promoting impact in the Fenwei Plain.As an important grainproducing area in China,the LP should actively deal with the impacts of climate change on the crop-cropland coupling relationship,vigorously safeguard food security,and promote sustainable agricultural development.展开更多
The Loess Plateau(LP),one of the most ecologically fragile regions in China,is affected by severe soil erosion and environmental degradation.Despite large-scale ecological restoration efforts made by Chinese governmen...The Loess Plateau(LP),one of the most ecologically fragile regions in China,is affected by severe soil erosion and environmental degradation.Despite large-scale ecological restoration efforts made by Chinese government in recent years,the region continues to face significant ecological challenges due to the combined impact of climate change and human activities.In this context,we developed a kernal Remote Sensing Ecological Index(kRSEI)using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)products on the Google Earth Engine(GEE)platform to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns and trends in ecological environmental quality(EEQ)across the LP from 2000 to 2022 and project future trajectories.Then,we applied partial correlation analysis and multivariate regression residual analysis to further quantify the relative contributions of climate change and human activities to EEQ.During the study period,the kRSEI values exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity,with a stepwise degradation pattern in the southeast to northwest across the LP.The maximum(0.51)and minimum(0.46)values of the kRSEI were observed in 2007 and 2021,respectively.Trend analyses revealed a decline in EEQ across the LP.Hurst exponent analysis predicted a trend of weak anti-persistent development in most of the plateau areas in the future.A positive correlation was identified between kRSEI and precipitation,particularly in the central and western regions;although,improvements were limited by a precipitation threshold of 837.66 mm/a.A moderate increase in temperature was shown to potentially benefit the ecological environment within a certain range;however,temperature of-1.00°C-7.95°C often had a negative impact on the ecosystem.Climate change and human activities jointly influenced 65.78%of LP area on EEQ,primarily having a negative impact.In terms of contribution,human activities played a dominant role in driving changes in EEQ across the plateau.These findings provide crucial insights for accurately assessing the ecological state of the LP and suggest the design of future restoration strategies.展开更多
The China Loess Plateau is subjected to severe soil erosion triggered by intense rainfall,resulting in significant harm and losses to both human society and the natural surroundings.In this study,a novel technique for...The China Loess Plateau is subjected to severe soil erosion triggered by intense rainfall,resulting in significant harm and losses to both human society and the natural surroundings.In this study,a novel technique for managing loess erosion is introduced,which involves the utilization of a combined polymer SH and ryegrass.A comprehensive series of tests were undertaken,including rainfall erosion tests,disintegration experiments,and scanning electron microscopy examinations,to assess the accumulative sediment yield(ASY),disintegration ratio,and microstructural features of both untreated and treated loess samples.The results showed a significant reduction in ASY with increased dry density of untreated loess.Furthermore,the combined technique effectively controlled erosion,limiting ASY to 266.2 g/cm^(2)in 60 minutes.This was approximately one-sixth,one-ninth,and one-fifteenth of the ASY in SH-treated loess(L-SH),ryegrass-treated loess(L-R),and untreated loess,respectively.It resisted disintegration better than ryegrass alone but slightly less than SH.This improvement was due to the combined effect of SH and ryegrass,which reduced raindrop impact,improved loess microstructure,and boosted ryegrass growth.The innovative technique holds the potential to be applied as a field-scale technique in the Loess Plateau region of China.展开更多
The Chinese Loess Plateau has long been plagued by severe soil erosion and water scarcity.In this study,we proposed a technique involving the combined use of polymer SH and ryegrass and evaluated its effectiveness in ...The Chinese Loess Plateau has long been plagued by severe soil erosion and water scarcity.In this study,we proposed a technique involving the combined use of polymer SH and ryegrass and evaluated its effectiveness in modifying the water-holding characteristics of loess on the Chinese Loess Plateau(Chinese loess).We analysed the volumetric water content and water potential of untreated loess,treated loess with single polymer SH,treated loess with single ryegrass,and treated loess with both polymer SH and ryegrass using the loess samples collected from the Chinese Loess Plateau in July 2023.Moreover,fractal theory was used to analyse the fractal characteristics of the soil structure,and wet disintegration tests were conducted to assess the structural stability of both untreated and treated loess samples.The results showed that the loess samples treated with both polymer SH and ryegrass presented much higher volumetric water content and water potential than the untreated loess samples and those treated only with ryegrass or polymer SH.Moreover,the planting density of ryegrass affected the combined technique,since a relatively low planting density(20 g/m2)was conducive to enhancing the water-holding capacity of Chinese loess.The fractal dimension was directly correlated with both volumetric water content and water potential of Chinese loess.Specifically,since loess treated with both polymer SH and ryegrass was more saturated with moisture,its water potential increased,thus improving its water-holding capacity and fractal dimension.The combined technique better resisted disintegration than ryegrass alone but had slightly less resistance than polymer SH alone.This study provides insight into soil reinforcement and soil water management using polymetric materials and vegetation on the Chinese Loess Plateau.展开更多
文摘Although time-dependent deformation of geomaterials underpins slope-failure prediction models,the influence of strain rate on shearing strength and deformation behavior of loess remains unclear.The consolidated undrained(CU)and drained(CD)triaxial testing elucidated the impact of strain rate(0.005–0.3 mm/min)on strength envelopes,deformation moduli,pore pressures,and dilatancy characteristics of unsaturated and quasi-saturated loess.Under drained conditions with a controlled matric suction of 50 kPa,increasing strain rates from 0.005 mm/min to 0.011 mm/min induced decreases in failure deviatoric stress(qf),initial deformation modulus(Ei),and cohesion(c),while friction angles remained unaffected.Specimens displayed initial contractive volumetric strains transitioning to dilation across varying confining pressures.Higher rates diminished contractive volumetric strains and drainage volumes,indicating reduced densification and strength in the shear zone.Under undrained conditions,both unsaturated and quasi-saturated(pore pressure coefficient B=0.75)loess exhibited deteriorating mechanical properties with increasing rates from 0.03 mm/min to 0.3 mm/min.For unsaturated loess,reduced contractive volumetric strains at higher rates manifested relatively looser structures in the pre-peak stress phase.The strength decrement in quasi-saturated loess arose from elevated excess porewater pressures diminishing effective stresses.Negative porewater pressures emerged in quasi-saturated loess at lower confining pressures and strain rates.Compared to previous studies,the qf and Ei exhibited rate sensitivity below threshold values before attaining minima with marginal subsequent influence.The underlying mechanism mirrors the transition from creep to accelerated deformation phase of landslides.
基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(Grant No.2024MD753992)Shaanxi Geotechnical Mechanics and Engineering Young Talent Support Program Project(Grant No.YESS2024005)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41931285).
文摘In this study,compacted loess samples with varying compaction water content but identical dry density were prepared to investigate the evolution of their hydraulic conductivity and compression behavior.Additionally,environmental scanning electron microscopy(ESEM)and nuclear magnetic resonance(NMR)analyses were conducted to gain microstructural insights into loess behavior at the laboratory scale.The results indicate that the maximum saturated hydraulic conductivity is observed at the lowest compaction water content,particularly in the early stage of permeability tests.In particular,for loess compacted at water contents below the optimum(as determined by the modified Proctor compaction test),the hydraulic conductivity decreases throughout the permeability tests.Conversely,when the water content exceeds the optimum level,the hydraulic conductivity shows an increasing trend.In terms of compression behavior,when the as-compacted samples are loaded in oedometer conditions,an increase in material compressibility is observed with increasing compaction water content.Again,a different phenomenological behavior was observed when the compaction water content exceeded the optimum,i.e.an abrupt increase in loess compressibility.ESEM tests provide microstructural confirmation of this evidence,as the surface morphology of the compacted loess changes significantly with increasing compaction water content.The microstructural evolution was also quantified in terms of area ratio using image processing software.Finally,NMR was used to quantify the intra-and inter-aggregate water at different compaction water contents,once again highlighting a threshold for the presence or absence of inter-aggregate water similar to the optimum water content.
基金funded by the Natural Science Foundation of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region(2023JQ03,2023QN05014)the Youth Science and Technology Talents Project of Autonomous Region Colleges and Universities(NJYT22108)。
文摘Loess slopes in cold and arid regions are susceptible to shallow soil degradation,which may trigger severe environmental problems related to soil erosion.To address this environmental challenge,this study selected a compound ecological curing agent composed of gellan gum and guar gum for stabilizing shallow loess slopes.Triaxial compression and disintegration tests were employed to comparatively analyze the effects of compound gum content,mass mix ratio,and curing age on the mechanical and disintegration properties of solidified loess.The curing mechanism was analyzed using scanning electron microscopy(SEM),and the ecological protection effect was monitored for a 60-day period.The results indicate that gellan gum,guar gum,and the compound gum can enhance the mechanical and disintegration properties of loess,promote plant growth,and optimize the ecological environment.However,the combination of gellan gum and guar gum proves more effective than using either gellan gum or guar gum alone.Considering the effects on mechanical properties,disintegration performance,and material economy,the disintegration rate of loess decreases by 75.72%compared to plain loess when the compound glue content is 0.5%,the mixing ratio of gellan gum to guar gum is 3:7 and the curing age is 7 days.Meanwhile,the cohesion and internal friction angle increase by 118.06%and 10.97%,respectively.Moreover,the disintegration performance and mechanical properties of the samples first increase and then decrease with the increase in compound glue and the mix ratio and are basically stabilized after the curing age reaches 7d.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41771423)the Natural Science Foundation of Fujian Province(Grant No.2023J01421).
文摘Loess landforms in the Loess Plateau are typical landforms in arid and semiarid areas and have a significant impact on the environment and soil erosion.Quantitative analyses on loess landform have been employed from various perspectives.Peak intervisibility can provide the potential topographic information implied in the visual connectivity of peaks,however,its application in loess landform analysis remains unexplored.In this study,the interwoven sightlines among peaks,representing peak intervisibility,were extracted from the digital elevation model and simulated into a peak intervisibility network(PIN).Nine indices were proposed to quantify the PIN.Through a case study in Northern Shaanxi,China,three tasks were conducted,including,landform interpretation,spatial pattern mining,and landform classification.The main findings are as follows:(1)PIN responds to terrain morphology and is beneficial for loess landform interpretation.(2)The spatial patterns of PIN indices are heterogeneous and strongly coupled with the terrain morphologies,showing anisotropy and autocorrelation in spatial variations.(3)Using the light gradient boost machine classifier,the PIN index-based classification reaches a mean accuracy of 86.09%,an overall accuracy of 86%and a kappa coefficient of 0.84.These findings shed light on the applicability of PIN in loess landform analysis.Peak intervisibility not only enriches the theories and methodologies of relation-based digital terrain analysis,but also enhances our comprehension of loess landform genesis,morphology,distribution,and evolution.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.42371103Natural Science Basic Research Plan in Shaanxi Province of China,No.2023-JC-YB-229。
文摘Understanding the local ecological security status and its underlying drivers can be used as an effective reference for balancing ecosystem development with societal needs. This study assesses the ecological security of the Loess Plateau(LP) by integrating ecosystem health and ecosystem services, explores the varying impacts of ecosystem structure, quality, and services on ecological security index(ESI), and identifies the key driving factors of ESI using the Geodetector model. The results show that:(1) the average ESI indicates a relatively safe ecological status in LP with a significant increase in ESI observed in 50.21% of the region, largely due to the ecological restoration programs.(2) Natural factors predominantly influence ESI, although human factors play a significant role in the earthy-rocky mountain region and plateau wind-sand region.(3) The interactions between driving factors have a much greater impact on ESI than any single factor, with the interactions between precipitation and human factors being the most influential combination. This study provides a novel perspective on assessing ecological security in LP. We recommend that future ecological restoration efforts should consider the varying roles of ecosystem structure, quality, and services in ESI while tailoring strategies to the primary driving factors based on local conditions.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42261028)the Chinese Academy of Sciences“Light of West China”Program for Western Young Scholars(23JR6KA027)+3 种基金the Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars of Gansu Province(24JRRA167)the Key Research and Development Program on Ecological Civilization Construction of Gansu Province(25YFFA012)Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Plan Fund Project(24CXGA063)Scientific Research Projects on Ecological and Environmental Protection in Heilongjiang Province in 2023(Grant No.:HST2023ZR005)。
文摘Surface albedo,as one of the important properties of the underlying surface,has a significant impact on the surface energy balance in cold regions.However,due to the complexity of the factors affecting surface albedo,existing calculations still contain inaccuracies.Therefore,this study conducted surface albedo experiments on loess with different water contents and temperatures.By analyzing the surface albedo measurements of samples with varying temperature and water content levels,as well as the soil freezing characteristic curve(SFCC)and soil-water characteristic curve(SWCC)of loess,the study explores the influence of soil temperature and water content on the surface albedo of loess.The results indicate that both the temperature and water content of loess jointly affect surface albedo.During the process of albedo change,there exists a water content threshold that alters the trend of surface albedo.Soil temperature influences surface albedo by affecting the content of pore ice and liquid water within the soil.When the water content of loess is relatively low,the surface albedo decreases as the unfrozen water content decreases.However,this trend changes as the water content of loess increases.Additionally,a decrease in soil temperature lowers the moisture content threshold during the changes in surface albedo.This study provides a reference for exploring and determining the surface energy balance in cold regions under the background of warm and humid climates,as well as for establishing thermal calculation boundaries.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.42361002)the Fund of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region(Grant No.2022AAC03665).
文摘Tafoni are globally developed on cliffy slopes,and many of them are favorable places for the preservation of stone historical relics.However,the characteristics and formation processes of tafoni in the Loess Plateau are yet to be understood.This paper studied the features of the tafoni on conglomerate slopes in Huoshizhai National Geopark of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region and discussed its formation processes by field investigation and morphometry,insitu relative humidity(RH)measurement,salt chemistry and X-ray fluorescence spectrometer(XRF)experiments of 24 samples.The bedrock of the tafoni is dominated by reddish fluvial conglomerates of the Lower Cretaceous Heshangpu Formation with abundant chemically unstable components including feldspars,lithic fragments,and calcite cements.The RH values vary from 5%to 100%,but the backwalls of the tafoni have higher RH values than outer surfaces.The more moisture on the backwalls is possibly generated by water influx from the rock interior,resulting in more salt precipitation on the backwalls.As a result,the backwalls have been subject to predominant salt weathering.The dominant salts involved in salt weathering are probably derived from the dissolution of the salt interbeds in the basin,although the chemical dissolution of the unstable components such as feldspars,lithic fragments,and calcite cements might have produced small amounts of salts.The salt types dominantly include nitrates,sulfates,and halite.In the progression of tafoni,the moisture maintenance on the backwalls gives rise to the accretion of salts,which in turn enhance the weathering rates of the backwalls.As a result,the volumes of the tafoni have become enlarged owing to inward growth and coalescence of adjacent smaller ones.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China for Distinguished Young People(No.41825018)the Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.XDA23090402)the Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41790442)。
文摘A gigantic project named Gully Land Consolidation(GLC)was launched in the hillgully region of the Chinese Loess Plateau in 2011 to cope with land degradation and create new farmlands for cultivation.The dynamic change of groundwater table and loess subsidence in the backfilled farmland are the main causes of site disasters and soil disease,but there is a lack of research on these issues.Based on this,the Shijiagou(SJG)backfilled farmland which is a typical GLC engineering site located in Ansai District,Yan'an City,Shaanxi Province was selected as the study area in this paper.Field site monitoring was carried out in this area,including four aspects of monitoring:rainfall,groundwater table,soil moisture and soil settlement displacement.The following findings were obtained from the analysis of the monitoring data in 2019-2020:(1)The backfilled farmlands have suffered a significant groundwater table rise.And the percentage increase of groundwater table increased from the upstream of F-1(such as 49.2%,46.3%,26.4%)to the downstream of F-5(90.0%,52.3%,34.2%correspondingly),which is related to the terrain of the valley channel and dam seepage.It is also revealed that rainfall characteristics are positively correlated with the depth of water infiltration and groundwater table.(2)The influence depth of rainfall infiltration on soil moisture of the backfilled loess in the GLC study area is no more than 2.5 m,and that within 1.5 m depth is significantly affected by rainfall.In addition,the dramatic rise in the groundwater table led to a steep increase in soil moisture,thus the soil underwent collapse deformation due to water immersion,and the farmland experienced large subsidence displacement.(3)The backfilled loess of the GLC farmland was in a continuous consolidation and settlement stage after the filling completion.With the passage of time,the settlement displacement and settlement rate of the backfilled loess gradually decreased,from 1.0-1.9 mm/d in 2019 to 0.4-0.8 mm/d in 2020,which indicates the GLC farmland tended to be stable.This study reveals the hydrological evolution characteristics and settlement deformation laws of the backfilled loess,which is important for the stability of the farmland and the management of the GLC project.
基金the State Key Laboratory of Deep Geotechnical Mechanics and Underground Engineering(SKLGDUEK2124)of China University of Mining and Technology(Beijing)for its support for this research。
文摘In the realm of slope monitoring and reinforcement,traditional prestressing anchor cables are extensively used.However,these conventional methods often face limitations when applied to loess slopes,such as potential issues with stress concentration and insufficient adaptability to the unique mechanical properties of loess,which may lead to challenges in ensuring long-term stability and effective reinforcement.Negative Poisson's ratio(NPR)anchor cables with constant resistance have emerged as a promising alternative,which can better match the engineering demands of loess slopes by providing more uniform stress distribution and adaptive deformation characteristics.The NPR cable's ability to maintain a constant resistance during deformation offers a distinct advantage over traditional methods as it can more effectively accommodate the complex and variable conditions of loess slopes.To investigate the anchoring performance of NPR cables in loess slope,the stress characteristics of NPR cable in loess medium were simulated and analysed by ABAQUS finite element software.First,static and general quasi-static analysis methods were used to simulate the NPR cable under static tensile conditions.The consistency of the simulated constant resistance deformation characteristics with experimental results found in the literature was verified.Second,the interaction model between the NPR cable coupled with the loess medium was established.Its constant resistance was calculated to be about 24.08%larger than that of NPR anchor cable while its plastic deformation was reduced by about 37.14%.The compressive stress on the contact surface between NPR cable and loess was concentrated near the free end of the sleeve,which indicated that the loess was prone to severe damage at the free end.The research results reveal the typical shear failure mechanism of NPR cable in loess medium,which provides an important theoretical basis for prevention of landslides and monitoring of loess slopes.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.42230712,42472357)the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant No.2023MD734211).
文摘Loess is susceptible to loading effects such as significant changes in strength and volume variation caused by loading and wetting.In this study,considering the different connection states of pore water and gas in loess fabric,the gas phase closure case is incorporated into a unified form of the generalized effective stress framework,introducing a damage parameter considering the effects of closed pore gas.The loading effects of unsaturated loess under wide variations in saturation are described in a unified way,and the model performance is verified by corresponding stress and hydraulic path tests.The results indicated that the collapse response involves the initial void ratio of loess,and the coupled outwards motion of the loading-collapse(LC)yield surface under loading enhances its structural strength.Suction-enhanced yield stress requires a greater"tensile stress"to counteract its structural stability.The nucleation of bubbles at high saturation causes a decrease in yield stress.The loading effect exhibits a smaller collapse behavior when the influence of closed gas is considered,whereas the suction path does not cross the LC in the stress space under hydraulic action for the same parameters,which amplifies the influence of closed gas on loess deformation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant numbers 52208392,52068044,and 52168058)China Post-doctoral Science Foundation(Grant number 2021M693843)+1 种基金Tianyou Youth Talent Lift Program of Lanzhou Jiaotong University(Grant number 1520260306)Key Laboratory of Road and Bridge and Underground Engineering of Gansu Province(Grant number GSDQ-KF2020-5).
文摘Uneven terrain significantly increases the seismic risk of tunnels in loess deposits.To investigate the variations in optimal intensity measures(IMs)for shallowly buried loess tunnels considering biased terrain,nonlinear dynamic analyses were conducted to obtain seismic responses validated by the actual damage pattern.Then IMs were evaluated based on the automatic calculation of the time history damage index fulfilled by a compiled Python program.Results showed that the plastic strain zone progressively developed and extended from the vault to the central slope surface with increasing seismic intensities,ultimately causing shear failure to the tunnel.For IMs at the slope top,peak ground velocity(PGV)(ζ=0.15),velocity spectrum intensity(VSI)(ζ=0.20),and peak spectrum velocity(PSv)(ζ=0.22)were all suitable for seismic fragility assessment.The VSI(ζ=0.17)was optimal,followed by PGV(ζ=0.19)and PSv(ζ=0.2)for those at the slope foot.Acceleration-related IMs were more sensitive to terrain variation.Comparative analyses demonstrated smaller damage probabilities for the IMs at the slope top than those at the slope foot under the same intensity level.The impact of unfavorable terrain on tunnels was accentuated as those located in uneven mountainous regions became more vulnerable to ground shaking.
基金This work is supported by the Young Talent Fund of Association for Science and Technology in Shaanxi,China(20240722)the Shaanxi Province Postdoctoral Research Project(2023BSHYDZZ138)+2 种基金the Open Research Fund of Key Laboratory of Construction and Safety of Water Engineering of the Ministry of Water Resources,China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research(NO.IWHR-ENGI-202305)Open project of Engineering Research Center of Concrete Technology under Marine Environment,Ministry of Education(2024KFKT-YB12)Shandong Youth Innovation Team(No.2023KJ324).
文摘This study presents an experimental investigation into the effects of microbial induced carbonate precipitation(MICP)treatment factors on the shear behavior of MICP-treated loess soil.Several groups of loess samples were prepared and subjected to MICP treatment with varying cementation reagent concentration,calcium source,and curing duration across three levels.The results indicate that the shear strength of MICP-treated loess achieves optimal performance when treated with the cementation reagent concentration of 1.0 M,cured for 14 days,and using calcium chloride as the calcium source.Compared to untreated loess,the cohesion and internal friction angle increased by approximately 77%and 26%,respectively.To evaluate the influence of these treatment variables,orthogonal analysis was performed on the obtained shear strength parameters.The analysis indicates that the cementation reagent concentration is the primary factor influencing shear strength,followed by the calcium source and curing duration.Additionally,scanning electron microscopy(SEM)tests were performed to investigate the microstructure of the MICP-treated samples.The results reveal that calcium carbonate significantly enhances the loess structure by creating large effective bonding areas,which in turn increases the bridging force.As a result,the overall shear strength of the treated loess shows a marked improvement compared to the untreated samples.
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technologfunded by the Deshe Institute(Order Number 17-7480430).
文摘The loess plains cover approximately 2000.00 km2 of the northern Negev Desert,accounting for about 9%of Israel's total land area.As elsewhere,the loess in the Negev Desert is composed of wind-transported dust and sand particles that have been deposited in sink sites.The loess deposits are characteristically covered by biocrusts,which constitute a substantial share of the region's primary productivity.The biocrusts regulate the vascular vegetation communities,including herbaceous and woody plants,many of which are endemic and/or endangered plant species.Throughout history,the region's main land-uses have been based on extensive livestock grazing and runoff-harvesting agriculture,which both still exist to some extent.These land-uses did not challenge the sustainability of the geo-ecosystems over centuries and millennia.At present,predominant land-uses include intensive rangelands(1016.81 km2,encompassing 51%of the loess plains'area),croplands(encompassing both rainfed and irrigated cropping systems:930.92 km2,47%of the loess plains'area),and afforestation lands(158.75 km2).These current land-uses impose substantial challenges to the functioning of the loess plains.Further,urban and rural settlements have expanded considerably in the last decades(158.45 km2),accompanied by mass construction of infrastructures.Altogether,these new land-uses have caused widespread soil erosion,soil structure deformation,depletion of soil organic carbon,environmental contamination,native vegetation removal,invasion of plant species,and habitat fragmentation.Recent climate change has intensified these stressors,exacerbating adverse impacts and forming feedback loops that intensify land degradation and desertification.The declining ecosystem functioning over recent decades emphasizes the urgent need for passive and active restoration schemes.While some of these efforts have proven to be successful,other have failed.Therefore,proactive policy making and environmental legislation are needed to plan and develop schemes aimed at halting land degradation,while simultaneously maximizing nature conservation and restoration of degraded lands across the loess plains.Such actions are expected to increase the regions'capacity for climate change mitigation and adaptation.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:42330719National Natural Science Foundation of China,Grant/Award Number:U2443228+1 种基金Power Construction Corporation of China,Grant/Award Number:DJ-ZDXM-2021-51China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research,Grant/Award Number:GE121003A0042022。
文摘Check dams are widely constructed on China's Loess Plateau,which had a total number of 58,776 by the end of 2019.Great achievements in check dam construction have been gained regarding the economic and environmental impacts.This study reviews the remarkable benefits of check dams on the land reclamation and environmental improvement on the Loess Plateau,and sediment reduction entering the Yellow River.However,the flood incidents on check dams have been frequently reported for the past decades,which has attracted more attention in the context of climate change and extreme rainfall events recently.Advances in the flood migration techniques achieved by the research group led by the first author have been highlighted to migrate the breach risk of check dams due to floods.The“family tree method”has been proposed to determine the survival status and critical rainfall threshold of each check dam in the complicated dam system.An updated dam breach flood evaluation framework and the corresponding numerical algorithm(i.e.,DB-IWHR)have been developed.Moreover,innovative types of water-release facilities for check dams,including geobag stepped spillway and prestressed concrete cylinder pipe in the underlying conduit,have been proposed and developed.Finally,the perspectives concerning the check dam construction on the Loess Plateau have been put forward.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province(23JRRM0752,22JR5RA345,21JR1RM333)the Project of Science and Technology Specialist in Gansu Province(24CXGM002)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31860148)the Research Fund Project for PhD of Longdong University(XYBYZK2208)the Natural Science Foundation of Longdong University(HXZK2488).
文摘Crude oil pollution is a significant global environmental challenge.The eastern Gansu Province on the Loess Plateau,an important agricultural region containing the Changqing Oilfield,is facing increasing crude oil contamination.Understanding how microbial communities respond to varying pollution levels is critical for developing effective bioremediation strategies.This study examined how different concentrations of crude oil affect soil properties and microbial communities in Qingyang City,eastern Gansu Province,China by comparing lightly polluted(1895.84-2696.54 mg/kg total petroleum hydrocarbons(TPH)),heavily polluted(4964.25-7153.61 mg/kg TPH),and uncontaminated(CK)soils.Results revealed that petroleum contamination significantly increased total organic carbon(TOC),pH,C:N:P ratio,and the activities of dehydrogenase(DHA)and polyphenol oxidase(PPO),while reducing total nitrogen(TN),available nitrogen(AN),total phosphorus(TP),available phosphorus(AP),available potassium(AK),soil organic matter(SOM),soil water content(SWC),the activities of urease(URE)and alkaline phosphatase(APA),and microbial alpha diversity(P<0.050).Light pollution(LP)soils demonstrated an increase in culturable microorganisms,whereas heavy pollution(HP)soils exhibited increased hydrocarbon-degrading microbes and higher expression of key functional genes,such as alkane monooxygenase(AlkB),cytochrome P450 alkane hydroxylases(P450),catechol 2,3-dioxygenase(C23O),and naphthalene dioxygenase(Nah)(P<0.050).Non-metric multidimensional scaling(NMDS)and redundancy analysis(RDA)indicated evident variations in microbial community structure across different oil contamination levels.LP soils were dominated by bacterial genera Pseudoxanthomonas and Solimonadaceae,whereas Pseudomonas,Nocardioides,and hydrocarbon-degrading genera(Marinobacter,Idiomarina,and Halomonas)were predominant in HP soils.The fungal genus Pseudallescheria exhibited the most pronounced abundance shift between LP and HP soils(P<0.050).Environmental factor analysis identified AN,SWC,TN,SOM,and alpha diversity indices(Shannon index and Chao1 index)as the key differentiators of CK soils,whereas the pollutant levels and metal content were characterized in HP soils.Hydrocarbon-degrading microbial abundance was a defining trait of HP soils.Metabolic pathway analysis revealed enhanced aromatic hydrocarbon degradation in HP soils,indicating microbial adaptation to severe contamination.These findings demonstrated that crude oil pollution suppressed soil nutrients while reshaping the structure and function of microbial communities.Pollution intensity directly affected microbial composition and degradation potential.This study offers valuable insights into microbial responses across contamination gradients and supports the development of targeted bioremediation strategies for oil-contaminated loess soils.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(2022YFF1300802)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42130717)the“Light of the West”Cross Team-Key Laboratory Cooperative Research Project(A314021402-1912).
文摘Livelihood improvement and sustainable natural resource utilization are among the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals;however,most farm households either randomly select or just imitate livelihood strategies being practiced in other areas.As the livelihoods of farm households are vulnerable to several challenges in ecologically fragile areas,identifying the livelihood strategies of farm households in arid and semi-arid areas will help for promoting both livelihood security and environmental conservation.Hence,in this study,we constructed a sustainable evaluation index system for the livelihood of farmers in the Loess Plateau region of China by conducting field research and interviews.We employed the composite index method to measure the livelihood capital and the livelihood strategies chosen by farmers,and then analyzed the resource endowment of farmers under different livelihood strategies using logistic regression and structural equation modeling.The results revealed that under the combined influences of livelihood capital and government policy,farm households in the Loess Plateau region selected agro-dependent,agro-pastoral,agro-industrial,non-agricultural livelihood strategies.The key factors influencing the selection of these household livelihood strategies included the household labor capacity,the farmland owned per household,the number of livestock,and the grassland forage-supply ratio.The grassland forage-supply ratio was a crucial factor influencing the choice between agricultural and non-agricultural livelihood strategies.In this context,the grassland forage-supply ratio increased with the stocking rate.However,once the stocking rate exceeded 56.5 sheep/hm^(2),the grassland forage-supply ratio no longer increased rapidly under the agriculture-based livelihood strategy.The strategy of ecological resource conservation and moderate utilization based on the quality and quantity of natural resources ensures win-win benefits for the environment and human well-being in arid and semi-arid areas.Moderate grazing therefore has the potential to improve farmers’livelihoods without causing grassland degradation.These results contribute to the synergistic co-adaptation of livelihood improvement and ecological conservation in arid and semi-arid areas.
基金Under the auspices of Major Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42293271)Alliance of International Science Organizations(No.ANSO-PA-2023-16)。
文摘Climate change brings new challenges to the sustainable development of agriculture in the new era.Accurately grasping the patterns of climate change impacts on agricultural systems is crucial for ensuring agricultural sustainability and food security.Taking the Loess Plateau(LP),China as an example,this study used a coupling coordination degree model and spatial autocorrelation analysis to portray the spatial and temporal features of crop-cropland coupling relationship from 2000 to 2020 and explored the impact law of climate change through geographically and temporally weighted regression(GTWR).The results were as follows:1)the crop-cropland coupling coordination degree of the LP showed a gradual upward trend from 2000 to 2020,forming a spatial pattern with lower values in the central region and higher values in the surrounding areas.2)There was a positive correlation in the spatial distribution of cropcropland coupling coordination degree in the LP from 2000 to 2020,and the high value-low value(H-L)and low value-low value(L-L)agglomerations continued to expand eastward,while the spatial and temporal evolution of the high value-high value(H-H)and low value-high value(L-H)agglomerations was not obvious.3)The impacts of climatic elements on crop-cropland coupling coordination degree in the LP showed strong heterogeneity in time scales.The inhibitory impacts of summer days(SU)and frost days(FD)accounted for a higher proportion,while the annual average temperature(TEM)had both promoting and inhibiting impacts.The impacts proportion and intensity of extreme heavy precipitation day(R25),continuous drought days(CDD),and annual precipitation(PRE)all experienced significant changes.4)In space,the impacts of SU and FD on the crop-cropland coupling coordination degree varied with latitude and altitude.The adaptability of the LP to R25 gradually strengthened,and the extensions of CDD and increase of PRE led to the increasing inhibition beyond the eastern region of LP,and TEM showed a promoting impact in the Fenwei Plain.As an important grainproducing area in China,the LP should actively deal with the impacts of climate change on the crop-cropland coupling relationship,vigorously safeguard food security,and promote sustainable agricultural development.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42361017)the Gansu Provincial Science and Technology Program-Special Program for Key Research and Development(R&D)on Ecological Civilization Construction in Gansu Province(24YFFA050)the Gansu Agricultural University-Gansu Provincial Academy of Natural Resources Planning Joint Graduate Training Base Project(GAU2024-003)。
文摘The Loess Plateau(LP),one of the most ecologically fragile regions in China,is affected by severe soil erosion and environmental degradation.Despite large-scale ecological restoration efforts made by Chinese government in recent years,the region continues to face significant ecological challenges due to the combined impact of climate change and human activities.In this context,we developed a kernal Remote Sensing Ecological Index(kRSEI)using Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer(MODIS)products on the Google Earth Engine(GEE)platform to analyze the spatiotemporal patterns and trends in ecological environmental quality(EEQ)across the LP from 2000 to 2022 and project future trajectories.Then,we applied partial correlation analysis and multivariate regression residual analysis to further quantify the relative contributions of climate change and human activities to EEQ.During the study period,the kRSEI values exhibited significant spatial heterogeneity,with a stepwise degradation pattern in the southeast to northwest across the LP.The maximum(0.51)and minimum(0.46)values of the kRSEI were observed in 2007 and 2021,respectively.Trend analyses revealed a decline in EEQ across the LP.Hurst exponent analysis predicted a trend of weak anti-persistent development in most of the plateau areas in the future.A positive correlation was identified between kRSEI and precipitation,particularly in the central and western regions;although,improvements were limited by a precipitation threshold of 837.66 mm/a.A moderate increase in temperature was shown to potentially benefit the ecological environment within a certain range;however,temperature of-1.00°C-7.95°C often had a negative impact on the ecosystem.Climate change and human activities jointly influenced 65.78%of LP area on EEQ,primarily having a negative impact.In terms of contribution,human activities played a dominant role in driving changes in EEQ across the plateau.These findings provide crucial insights for accurately assessing the ecological state of the LP and suggest the design of future restoration strategies.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Qinghai Province(Grant No.2024-ZJ-987).
文摘The China Loess Plateau is subjected to severe soil erosion triggered by intense rainfall,resulting in significant harm and losses to both human society and the natural surroundings.In this study,a novel technique for managing loess erosion is introduced,which involves the utilization of a combined polymer SH and ryegrass.A comprehensive series of tests were undertaken,including rainfall erosion tests,disintegration experiments,and scanning electron microscopy examinations,to assess the accumulative sediment yield(ASY),disintegration ratio,and microstructural features of both untreated and treated loess samples.The results showed a significant reduction in ASY with increased dry density of untreated loess.Furthermore,the combined technique effectively controlled erosion,limiting ASY to 266.2 g/cm^(2)in 60 minutes.This was approximately one-sixth,one-ninth,and one-fifteenth of the ASY in SH-treated loess(L-SH),ryegrass-treated loess(L-R),and untreated loess,respectively.It resisted disintegration better than ryegrass alone but slightly less than SH.This improvement was due to the combined effect of SH and ryegrass,which reduced raindrop impact,improved loess microstructure,and boosted ryegrass growth.The innovative technique holds the potential to be applied as a field-scale technique in the Loess Plateau region of China.
基金supported by the Natural Science Foundation of Qinghai Province(2024-ZJ-987)the Natural Science Foundation of Qinghai University(2023-QGY-9).
文摘The Chinese Loess Plateau has long been plagued by severe soil erosion and water scarcity.In this study,we proposed a technique involving the combined use of polymer SH and ryegrass and evaluated its effectiveness in modifying the water-holding characteristics of loess on the Chinese Loess Plateau(Chinese loess).We analysed the volumetric water content and water potential of untreated loess,treated loess with single polymer SH,treated loess with single ryegrass,and treated loess with both polymer SH and ryegrass using the loess samples collected from the Chinese Loess Plateau in July 2023.Moreover,fractal theory was used to analyse the fractal characteristics of the soil structure,and wet disintegration tests were conducted to assess the structural stability of both untreated and treated loess samples.The results showed that the loess samples treated with both polymer SH and ryegrass presented much higher volumetric water content and water potential than the untreated loess samples and those treated only with ryegrass or polymer SH.Moreover,the planting density of ryegrass affected the combined technique,since a relatively low planting density(20 g/m2)was conducive to enhancing the water-holding capacity of Chinese loess.The fractal dimension was directly correlated with both volumetric water content and water potential of Chinese loess.Specifically,since loess treated with both polymer SH and ryegrass was more saturated with moisture,its water potential increased,thus improving its water-holding capacity and fractal dimension.The combined technique better resisted disintegration than ryegrass alone but had slightly less resistance than polymer SH alone.This study provides insight into soil reinforcement and soil water management using polymetric materials and vegetation on the Chinese Loess Plateau.
