A quarry is a surface mining operated place, which produces enormous quantifies of gravel, limestone, and other materials for industrial and construction applications. Restoration and revegetation of deserted quarries...A quarry is a surface mining operated place, which produces enormous quantifies of gravel, limestone, and other materials for industrial and construction applications. Restoration and revegetation of deserted quarries are becoming increasingly important. Three areas of a typical quarry in South China： terrace for crushed materials （terrace）, spoiled mound, and remaining side slope, were investigated, to compare the existing plant species and to study the relationship between environmental factors and revegetation. The plant species composition of these three areas was found to differ significantly after eight years of natural recovery. The typical plant communities found over them were composed of gramineous herbs, ferns, and shrubs. Soil organic matter, soil moisture, and soil bulk density were considered to be the major determining factors for vegetation succession. There existed abiotic and biotic thresholds during quarrying restoration. Suggestions had been presented that could have accelerated the process of natural recovery in quarries.展开更多
Fragmentation and loss of habitats due to natural disasters, like earthquakes and earthquaketriggered debris flows are existing threats to the long- term survival of the giant panda （Ailuropoda melanoleuca）. To bett...Fragmentation and loss of habitats due to natural disasters, like earthquakes and earthquaketriggered debris flows are existing threats to the long- term survival of the giant panda （Ailuropoda melanoleuca）. To better understand natural recovery processes of the damaged habitat, field investigation and laboratory analysis were used to analyze relationships between plant colonization and soil characteristics in an over 3o-year natural recovery of a damaged giant panda habitat in a debris flow gully after the 1976 Songpan-Pingwu earthquake in Sichuan Province, China. Four different damaged sites were selected that located at the center of the gully （center）, on a flat alluvial fan （fan）, in a side slope of the gully （slope）, and at the ecotone between the gully and native forest （ecotone）. Vegetation characteristics, soil physicochemical properties, and microbial biomass in the different sites and soil depths were measured. After the natural recovery, the soil fertility, water retention, and microbial biomass were highest at ecotone, followed by fan, slope, and center. Only a few perennial herbs colonized at center; shrubs started to invade at fan and slope, and the native trees dominated the community of ecotone. Furthermore, Fargesia spathacea （food for the giant panda） started to be re-established at ecotone, and the community characteristic of ecotone recovered similarly to the native habitat. These results suggested that improving the soil fertility, water retaining capacity and microbial biomass is fundamental to the plant colonization, particular for F. spathacea＇s re- establishment in a damaged giant panda habitat.展开更多
Located on the mountainous western edge of Beijing Municipality,Mentougou District is renowned for its breathtaking natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage.On 22 June,I had the opportunity to visit the district,...Located on the mountainous western edge of Beijing Municipality,Mentougou District is renowned for its breathtaking natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage.On 22 June,I had the opportunity to visit the district,nearly two years after it was struck by a catastrophic flood that left widespread destruction in its wake.My visit provided a unique opportunity to observe the ongoing recovery e!orts and evaluate how the district has leveraged coordinated planning,technology and the resilience of its people to rebuild.The purpose of the visit was to witness these recovery e!orts firsthand and gain insight into the strategies that have helped Mentougou overcome the lingering e!ects of this environmental disaster.展开更多
A novel process to recovery natural gas liquids from oil field associated gas with liquefied natural gas (LNG)cryogenic energy utilization is proposed.Compared to the current electric refrigeration process,the propose...A novel process to recovery natural gas liquids from oil field associated gas with liquefied natural gas (LNG)cryogenic energy utilization is proposed.Compared to the current electric refrigeration process,the proposed process uses the cryogenic energy of LNG and saves 62.6%of electricity.The proposed process recovers ethane, liquid petroleum gas(propane and butane)and heavier hydrocarbons,with total recovery rate of natural gas liquids up to 96.8%.In this paper,exergy analysis and the energy utilization diagram method(EUD)are used to assess the new process and identify the key operation units with large exergy loss.The results show that exergy efficiency of the new process is 44.3%.Compared to the electric refrigeration process,exergy efficiency of the new process is improved by 16%.The proposed process has been applied and implemented in a conceptual design scheme of the cryogenic energy utilization for a 300 million tons/yr LNG receiving terminal in a northern Chinese harbor.展开更多
Mining can significantly alter landscapes,impacting wildlife and ecosystem functionality.Natural recovery in open-pit mines is vital for habitat restoration and ecosystem re-establishment,although few empirical studie...Mining can significantly alter landscapes,impacting wildlife and ecosystem functionality.Natural recovery in open-pit mines is vital for habitat restoration and ecosystem re-establishment,although few empirical studies have examined this process.Here,we assessed temporal and spatial responses of small rodents at the community,population,and individual levels during natural mine recovery.We examined the abundance,reproductive potential,and individual health of small rodents at active mines and at former mine sites left to recover naturally for approx.10 and 20 years.We also assessed the effects of disturbance on rodent recovery processes at three distances from the mine boundary.Rodent numbers peaked after 10–13 years of recovery and exhibited the strongest male bias in the sex ratio.The Chinese white-bellied rat(Niviventer confucianus)was the most abundant species,achieving its highest population abundance at sites abandoned for 10–13 years and thriving at locations closer to the mine boundary.Only Chevrier’s field mouse exhibited morphological responses to the mine recovery category.Ectoparasite load was unaffected by mine or distance-disturbance categories.Both Chevrier’s field mouse(Apodemus chevrieri)and the South China field mouse(Apodemus draco)were affected significantly by vegetation layer cover during recovery succession.Our study highlights the complexities of ecological succession,with a peak in abundance as pioneer communities transition toward a climax seral stage.Careful prior planning and active site management are necessary to optimize abandoned mine recovery.Efforts to accelerate mine recovery through technical restoration should promote conditions that initiate and perpetuate the establishment and succession of wildlife assemblages.展开更多
Background The rock cut slope(RCS)could cause damage to regional ecological functions and landscapes and requires recovery.Biological soil crusts(BSCs)are pioneer and dominant colonizers during the initial recovery st...Background The rock cut slope(RCS)could cause damage to regional ecological functions and landscapes and requires recovery.Biological soil crusts(BSCs)are pioneer and dominant colonizers during the initial recovery stage.To accelerate the natural recovery of RCS,the development process and influencing agents of BSC should be revealed.Thus,the area index of crevices(IR),BSC coverage(COV)and biomass(BM),soil weight(SW),and major soil nutrients[organic carbon(OC),total nitrogen(TN)and total phosphorus(TP)]content,collected from 164 quadrats on 13 RCSs in the mountainous area of west Sichuan Province,China,were measured,to explore the effect of crevice of RCS on BSC development.Results Soil OC,TN and TP on RCSs ranged from 18.61 to 123.03 g kg^(-1),0.96 to 6.02 g kg^(-1)and 0.52 to 2.46 g kg^(-1),respectively,and were approximately to or higher than those on natural slopes.The OC,TN and TP contents in soils elevated unsystematically with recovery time of RCSs.BSCs on RCS distributed along crevices generally and firstly.During the first 13 years of natural recovery,COV,BM and SW ranged from 6.5 to 28.2%,14.43 to 67.25 g m^(-2),and 127.69 to 1277.74 g m^(-2),respectively.COV,BM and SW increased linearly with IR on RCSs.The positive correlation between COV and BM and IR was insignificantly impacted by bedrock,slope aspect and altitude within the recovery time less than 13 years.COV and BM on RCSs increased significantly when the recovery time is more than 27 years.Conclusions Crevice on RCSs could be a major environmental factor which is conducive to BSC development and soil accumulation through creating a space for water and soil particle.Furthermore,with the increase of recovery time of RCSs,BSCs may grow and reach a stable state with the promotion of soil nutrients,plant growth and microbial activity.These results provide a development process of BSC that from inside to outside the crevices on RCSs.In the areas with stable rock strata and a low risk of geological disasters,purposeful improvement in crevice density on RCS may effectively accelerate BSC development.展开更多
文摘A quarry is a surface mining operated place, which produces enormous quantifies of gravel, limestone, and other materials for industrial and construction applications. Restoration and revegetation of deserted quarries are becoming increasingly important. Three areas of a typical quarry in South China： terrace for crushed materials （terrace）, spoiled mound, and remaining side slope, were investigated, to compare the existing plant species and to study the relationship between environmental factors and revegetation. The plant species composition of these three areas was found to differ significantly after eight years of natural recovery. The typical plant communities found over them were composed of gramineous herbs, ferns, and shrubs. Soil organic matter, soil moisture, and soil bulk density were considered to be the major determining factors for vegetation succession. There existed abiotic and biotic thresholds during quarrying restoration. Suggestions had been presented that could have accelerated the process of natural recovery in quarries.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation Project of China(Grant No.31100358)the Ministry of Science and Technology of China(Grant No.2011BAC09B0404)
文摘Fragmentation and loss of habitats due to natural disasters, like earthquakes and earthquaketriggered debris flows are existing threats to the long- term survival of the giant panda （Ailuropoda melanoleuca）. To better understand natural recovery processes of the damaged habitat, field investigation and laboratory analysis were used to analyze relationships between plant colonization and soil characteristics in an over 3o-year natural recovery of a damaged giant panda habitat in a debris flow gully after the 1976 Songpan-Pingwu earthquake in Sichuan Province, China. Four different damaged sites were selected that located at the center of the gully （center）, on a flat alluvial fan （fan）, in a side slope of the gully （slope）, and at the ecotone between the gully and native forest （ecotone）. Vegetation characteristics, soil physicochemical properties, and microbial biomass in the different sites and soil depths were measured. After the natural recovery, the soil fertility, water retention, and microbial biomass were highest at ecotone, followed by fan, slope, and center. Only a few perennial herbs colonized at center; shrubs started to invade at fan and slope, and the native trees dominated the community of ecotone. Furthermore, Fargesia spathacea （food for the giant panda） started to be re-established at ecotone, and the community characteristic of ecotone recovered similarly to the native habitat. These results suggested that improving the soil fertility, water retaining capacity and microbial biomass is fundamental to the plant colonization, particular for F. spathacea＇s re- establishment in a damaged giant panda habitat.
文摘Located on the mountainous western edge of Beijing Municipality,Mentougou District is renowned for its breathtaking natural landscapes and rich cultural heritage.On 22 June,I had the opportunity to visit the district,nearly two years after it was struck by a catastrophic flood that left widespread destruction in its wake.My visit provided a unique opportunity to observe the ongoing recovery e!orts and evaluate how the district has leveraged coordinated planning,technology and the resilience of its people to rebuild.The purpose of the visit was to witness these recovery e!orts firsthand and gain insight into the strategies that have helped Mentougou overcome the lingering e!ects of this environmental disaster.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(20876056,20536020)the PhD Program Fund from Ministry of Education of China(20100172110016)
文摘A novel process to recovery natural gas liquids from oil field associated gas with liquefied natural gas (LNG)cryogenic energy utilization is proposed.Compared to the current electric refrigeration process,the proposed process uses the cryogenic energy of LNG and saves 62.6%of electricity.The proposed process recovers ethane, liquid petroleum gas(propane and butane)and heavier hydrocarbons,with total recovery rate of natural gas liquids up to 96.8%.In this paper,exergy analysis and the energy utilization diagram method(EUD)are used to assess the new process and identify the key operation units with large exergy loss.The results show that exergy efficiency of the new process is 44.3%.Compared to the electric refrigeration process,exergy efficiency of the new process is improved by 16%.The proposed process has been applied and implemented in a conceptual design scheme of the cryogenic energy utilization for a 300 million tons/yr LNG receiving terminal in a northern Chinese harbor.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.32201545 and 3197130741)the Innovative Postdoctoral Research Project of Hubei Province,China(No.291200).
文摘Mining can significantly alter landscapes,impacting wildlife and ecosystem functionality.Natural recovery in open-pit mines is vital for habitat restoration and ecosystem re-establishment,although few empirical studies have examined this process.Here,we assessed temporal and spatial responses of small rodents at the community,population,and individual levels during natural mine recovery.We examined the abundance,reproductive potential,and individual health of small rodents at active mines and at former mine sites left to recover naturally for approx.10 and 20 years.We also assessed the effects of disturbance on rodent recovery processes at three distances from the mine boundary.Rodent numbers peaked after 10–13 years of recovery and exhibited the strongest male bias in the sex ratio.The Chinese white-bellied rat(Niviventer confucianus)was the most abundant species,achieving its highest population abundance at sites abandoned for 10–13 years and thriving at locations closer to the mine boundary.Only Chevrier’s field mouse exhibited morphological responses to the mine recovery category.Ectoparasite load was unaffected by mine or distance-disturbance categories.Both Chevrier’s field mouse(Apodemus chevrieri)and the South China field mouse(Apodemus draco)were affected significantly by vegetation layer cover during recovery succession.Our study highlights the complexities of ecological succession,with a peak in abundance as pioneer communities transition toward a climax seral stage.Careful prior planning and active site management are necessary to optimize abandoned mine recovery.Efforts to accelerate mine recovery through technical restoration should promote conditions that initiate and perpetuate the establishment and succession of wildlife assemblages.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Programme of China(Grant No.2017YFC0504902)the Project of Assessment on Post-quake Ecosystem and Environment Recovery in Jiuzhaigou(Grant No.5132202020000046).
文摘Background The rock cut slope(RCS)could cause damage to regional ecological functions and landscapes and requires recovery.Biological soil crusts(BSCs)are pioneer and dominant colonizers during the initial recovery stage.To accelerate the natural recovery of RCS,the development process and influencing agents of BSC should be revealed.Thus,the area index of crevices(IR),BSC coverage(COV)and biomass(BM),soil weight(SW),and major soil nutrients[organic carbon(OC),total nitrogen(TN)and total phosphorus(TP)]content,collected from 164 quadrats on 13 RCSs in the mountainous area of west Sichuan Province,China,were measured,to explore the effect of crevice of RCS on BSC development.Results Soil OC,TN and TP on RCSs ranged from 18.61 to 123.03 g kg^(-1),0.96 to 6.02 g kg^(-1)and 0.52 to 2.46 g kg^(-1),respectively,and were approximately to or higher than those on natural slopes.The OC,TN and TP contents in soils elevated unsystematically with recovery time of RCSs.BSCs on RCS distributed along crevices generally and firstly.During the first 13 years of natural recovery,COV,BM and SW ranged from 6.5 to 28.2%,14.43 to 67.25 g m^(-2),and 127.69 to 1277.74 g m^(-2),respectively.COV,BM and SW increased linearly with IR on RCSs.The positive correlation between COV and BM and IR was insignificantly impacted by bedrock,slope aspect and altitude within the recovery time less than 13 years.COV and BM on RCSs increased significantly when the recovery time is more than 27 years.Conclusions Crevice on RCSs could be a major environmental factor which is conducive to BSC development and soil accumulation through creating a space for water and soil particle.Furthermore,with the increase of recovery time of RCSs,BSCs may grow and reach a stable state with the promotion of soil nutrients,plant growth and microbial activity.These results provide a development process of BSC that from inside to outside the crevices on RCSs.In the areas with stable rock strata and a low risk of geological disasters,purposeful improvement in crevice density on RCS may effectively accelerate BSC development.
