This study explores the impact of intergenerational differences on farmers' terrace abandonment in response to increasing intergenerational differentiation among rural households and the practical issue of terrace...This study explores the impact of intergenerational differences on farmers' terrace abandonment in response to increasing intergenerational differentiation among rural households and the practical issue of terrace abandonment. Logit and Tobit models are employed to conduct empirical analysis and it is found that terrace abandonment increases sequentially among the new, middle, and old generations, confirming that intergenerational differences significantly influence whether farmers abandon terraces and the terrace abandonment scale. Village characteristics and government subsidies significantly influence farmers' terrace abandonment. An increase in the number of migrant workers in the village increases terrace abandonment among new and middle generation farmers, whereas an increase in the distance from the village to the county significantly increases terrace abandonment among old generation farmers. An increase in the village's total population significantly reduces terrace abandonment among new generation farmers. An increase in government subsidies significantly reduces terrace abandonment among middle and old generation farmers. The impact of intergenerational differences on terrace abandonment is more pronounced in low-altitude areas. To reduce terrace abandonment, it is necessary to promote terrace transfer, develop characteristic agriculture, improve terrace farming subsidies, and propose targeted strategies for the different generations of farmers.展开更多
AS twilight descended,a screen rose.Locals and tourists converged spontaneously on the open-air cinema on the second-floor terrace of Chang’an Mills shopping plaza,in the iconic Shougang Park,Beijing.If anything riva...AS twilight descended,a screen rose.Locals and tourists converged spontaneously on the open-air cinema on the second-floor terrace of Chang’an Mills shopping plaza,in the iconic Shougang Park,Beijing.If anything rivals the magic of a summer night sky,it’s the jovial atmosphere brought about by the silver screen.展开更多
Agricultural terraces are significant for food provision,environmental stability and sustainable resource management.However,the spatiotemporal evolution of terraces and their influence on food productivity in mountai...Agricultural terraces are significant for food provision,environmental stability and sustainable resource management.However,the spatiotemporal evolution of terraces and their influence on food productivity in mountainous landscapes remain poorly understood.Taking the Chinese Loess Plateau(LP)as an example,this study conducted multitemporal mapping of terraces and sloping croplands over three decades(1990-2020),systematically assessing their impacts on food output through terrain gradient analysis.The results indicated that:(1)the terraced area expanded in the past 30 years,particularly across steeper terrain gradients(third to fifth gradients);(2)sloping croplands predominantly occupied gentle slopes(first to second gradients),exhibiting area reduction correlating with urbanization processes;(3)the food provision increased extensively,with yield decreasing from southeast to northwest and regions of high yielding mainly in terraced fields;(4)over time,the variation of food provision correlated positively with the area of sloping cropland at low gradients,while at higher gradients,the expansion of terraces dominated the increase in food provision;(5)spatial clustering analysis revealed significant food productivity associated with high-density terrace distribution across steeper slope gradients.Low yields could be attributed to improper terrace management.This study clarified the impact of long-term terrace patterns on food provision and offered large-scale perspectives for terrace-based agriculture to enhance food security.Furthermore,the findings underscore the imperative of integrated land management in topographically complex regions,informing evidence-based policymaking for rational allocation and optimal utilization of terrace resources.展开更多
The interplay between human and ecological systems has evolved from traditional conservation approaches to integrated socio-ecological frameworks that emphasise the co-production of ecosystem services.This paper aims ...The interplay between human and ecological systems has evolved from traditional conservation approaches to integrated socio-ecological frameworks that emphasise the co-production of ecosystem services.This paper aims to inspire new research pathways to advance the Nature's Contributions to People(NCP)perspective by focusing on terraced agroecosystems as emblematic landscapes that exemplify this co-production.Informed by recent studies in sustainability science,and drawing on our experience in Mediterranean environments,we explore the transformative potential of these frameworks for understanding and managing terraced landscapes.Addressing their multifunctionality,the challenges they face,and their socio-cultural and ecological significance,we highlight the importance of bridging scientific insights with local knowledge and participatory practices.We examine the use of advanced biophysical assessments,mapping tools,and stakeholder-driven approaches to enhance field assessment,monitoring capabilities and tackle management challenges under changing socio-economic conditions.We stress the urgent need for education and capacity-building initiatives to counteract indigenous knowledge loss and sustain traditional practices.Looking to the future,we propose potential avenues for research and practice that integrate ecological,cultural,and governance dimensions,contributing to the long-term sustainability of terraced landscapes and informing broader efforts for sustainable land management in an era of rapid environmental change.展开更多
French photographer Yann Layma first captured a moment at the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces in 1993.The tiered fields climbed like stairways into the sky.Glints of water appeared and disappeared through drifting clouds.Ha...French photographer Yann Layma first captured a moment at the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces in 1993.The tiered fields climbed like stairways into the sky.Glints of water appeared and disappeared through drifting clouds.Hani farmers could be seen quietly tending the land.Deeply moved,Layma spent six months producing Mountain Sculptors-a collection that included a film,a photo album,a travel diary,and nearly 10,000 photographs.展开更多
Agricultural heritage systems have the characteristics of ecological fragility and cultural sensitivity.For a long time,the conservation and sustainable development of agricultural heritage systems have received atten...Agricultural heritage systems have the characteristics of ecological fragility and cultural sensitivity.For a long time,the conservation and sustainable development of agricultural heritage systems have received attention from all sectors.However,there are few measurements of tourism disturbance(TD)and community resilience(CR)in agricultural heritage sites,and research on the relationship between the two is even more lacking.This study selects six villages in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraced System(HHRTS)as examples and constructs an evaluation system for TD and CR.Through questionnaires and in-depth interviews,it explores the response relationship between TD and CR of heritage site,and compares the response relationship of villages in different stages of tourism development.The results indicate that the heritage site's current response relationship between TD and CR shows a positive response type,and the development of tourism has brought positive responses and effects.There are differences in the interactive relationship between TD and CR among communities with different levels of tourism development.In communities with poor tourism development,CR is more susceptible to the impact of TD than other communities.The stability of the relationship between TD and CR response gradually tends to stabilize from poor,good,and moderate tourism development.展开更多
The timing and mechanisms of fluvial terrace formation along the Yangtze River in the Yichang region provide critical insights into the interplay between tectonics,climate,and river evolution.In this study,we present ...The timing and mechanisms of fluvial terrace formation along the Yangtze River in the Yichang region provide critical insights into the interplay between tectonics,climate,and river evolution.In this study,we present new cosmogenic nuclide isochron burial ages for the fifth(T5)and fourth(T4)terraces,yielding ages of 0.49±0.05 Ma and 0.35±0.04 Ma,respectively.By integrating our data with existing 14C and ESR ages for lower terraces,we reconstruct a detailed incision history,showing~85 m of river downcutting since the Middle Pleistocene.Incision rates varied over time,with a notable acceleration after 0.1 Ma coinciding with the Gonghe movement of the Tibetan Plateau,highlighting the role of tectonic uplift in driving fluvial incision.The formation of the fifth terrace is associated with the Kunlun–Huanghe uplift,while the development of the fourth terrace corresponds to the phase of regional uplift in the Qinling Mountains.Sedimentological evidence further indicates that terrace formation was influenced by both climatic and tectonic controls:while T4 aggraded during a glacial period,T5 formed during the interglacial MIS 13 under strong monsoonal conditions—demonstrating that major aggradation can occur during warm phases.However,sustained incision required tectonic forcing,as climatic transitions alone were insufficient to drive deep bedrock erosion.Our results also constrain the longdebated integration of the Three Gorges.The 0.49 Ma age for T5 provides a robust minimum age for the hydrological connection between the Sichuan and Jianghan Basins.This timing,combined with the earlier formation of the"First Bend of the Yangtze"(Eocene–Miocene),contradicts the classical east-towest headward erosion model.Instead,geomorphic analysis of the gorges—showing diachronous valley development from east to west—supports a progressive,bottom-to-top integration,initiated in the Xiling Gorge and culminating in the incision of the Qutang Gorge.This sequence aligns with knickpoint migration driven by base-level fall and regional tectonic uplift.We conclude that the evolution of the Yangtze River through the Three Gorges is the result of a complex interplay between climate,tectonics,and base-level dynamics,with terraces serving as key archives of landscape response to these forces.展开更多
Where the Yellow River flows through the Haiyuan-Tongxin arc-form tectonic region on the northeastern side of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, as many as 10～21 basis and erosion terraces have been produced, among ...Where the Yellow River flows through the Haiyuan-Tongxin arc-form tectonic region on the northeastern side of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, as many as 10～21 basis and erosion terraces have been produced, among which the biggest altitude above river level is 401m and the formation age of the highest terrace is 1.57 Ma B.P. Based on comparative analysis of the Yellow River terraces located separately in the Mijiashan mountain, the Chemuxia gorge, the Heishanxia gorge and the other river terraces in the vast extent of the northern part of China, it has been found that the tectonic processes resulting in the formation of the terrace series is one of multi-gradational features, i.e., a terrace series can include the various terraces produced by tectonic uplifts of different scopes or scales and different ranks. The Yellow River terrace series in the study region can be divided into three grades. Among them, in the first grade there are 6 terraces which were formed separately at the same time in the vast extent of the northern part of China and represent the number and magnitude of uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau since 1.6 Ma B. P.; in the second grade there are 5 terraces which were separately and simultaneously developed within the Haiyuan-Tianjingshan tectonic region and represent the number and magnitude of uplift of this tectonic region itself since 1.6Ma B.P.; in the third grade there are 10 terraces which developed on the eastern slope of the Mijiashan mountain and represent the number and amplitude of uplift of the Haiyuan tectonic belt itself since 1.6Ma B.P. Comparison of the terrace ages with loess-paleosoil sequence has also showed that the first grade terraces reflecting the vast scope uplifts of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau are very comparable with climatic changes and their formation ages all correspond to the interglacial epochs during which paleosoils were formed. This implies that the vast extent tectonic uplifts resulting in river down-cutting are closely related to the warm-humid climatic periods which can also result in river downward erosion after strong dry and cold climatic periods, and they have jointly formed the tectonic-climatic cycles. There exists no unanimous and specific relationship between the formation ages of the second and third grade terraces and climatic changes and it is shown that the formation of those terraces was most mainly controlled by tectonic uplifts of the Tianjingshan block and the Haiyuan belt. The river terraces in the study region, therefore, may belong to 2 kinds of formation cause. One is a tectonic-climatic cyclical terrace produced jointly by vast extent tectonic uplifts and climatic changes, and the terraces of this kind are extensively distributed and can be well compared with each other among regions. Another is a pulse-tectonic cyclical terrace produced by local tectonic uplifts as dominant elements, and their distribution is restricted within an active belt and can not be compared with among regions.展开更多
The ecology system of Hani Terraced Paddy Fields is the typical repre-sentative of the ecological agriculture in the southwestern mountainous areas of our country. After long-term development, Hani ecology system has ...The ecology system of Hani Terraced Paddy Fields is the typical repre-sentative of the ecological agriculture in the southwestern mountainous areas of our country. After long-term development, Hani ecology system has developed, cored by＂forest-vil age-terrace-river＂, including paddy cultivation system, forests and ecologi-cal maintenance, folk culture and construction of water facilities. This research ex-plored the details of the structure and functions of the ecology system of Hani ter-raced fields. And il ustrates that the system is a new model of agriculture ecological civilization and deserves further study and more applications.展开更多
The objective evaluation to the terrace cultural landscape heritage value can provide targeted scientific basis for continuation of terrace culture landscape and establishment of protection measures. On the basis of f...The objective evaluation to the terrace cultural landscape heritage value can provide targeted scientific basis for continuation of terrace culture landscape and establishment of protection measures. On the basis of field investigation, expert consultation and literature review, combined with the AVC （Attraction、Vitality and Ca-pacity）theory and Analytic Hierarchy Process based on Fuzzy Comprehensive Evalu-ation, the terrace cultural landscape heritage protection evaluation system and eval-uation model, which selects 22 indicators from three levels including terrace culture landscape resources attraction, resources vitality and resources bearing capacity were structured. Based on col ection of data, material from field survey of China＆#39;s most representative Yunnan Yuanyang Hani terrace, Hunan Ziquejie terrace and Longsheng Longji terrace and relevant mathematical calculation to determine evalua-tion index weights, organical y combined of qualitative with quantitative analysis, the diversity, reasonableness and accuracy of evaluation system is improved. Compre-hensive result of mathematical statistics showed that the rank of the cultural land-scape heritage value with the three most representative terraces in southern China is： γ（Hani）〉γ（Longji）〉γ（Ziquejie）.展开更多
Having outlined evolution and tour value of Dragon Back Terraces in Longsheng County,Guilin,the author puts forward following proposals for tour development in policy-making:(1) With improving the villages of the Mino...Having outlined evolution and tour value of Dragon Back Terraces in Longsheng County,Guilin,the author puts forward following proposals for tour development in policy-making:(1) With improving the villages of the Minority community,to set up ecological museums in which the cultures of Minority are preserved,the primitive local "live humanity heritages" are shown as the key display on the basis of typical agricultural complex ecological system;(2) To encourage the citizens of the community to participate in the tour industry development,including the participation both in the decision-making in tour planning and preservation of the terrace agricultural civilization heritages as well as the allocation of the income of the local tour industry;(3)To promote the mutual development of both folkways and sightseeing tour,to enhance the exploitation of the present natural scenic and historical landscapes through the making full advantages of the present tour market.The Dragon Back Terraces are characterized by the important tour values,including the rich and colorful natural landscapes,typical complex agricultural ecological system,and the combination of the Minority folkways and agricultural civilization.展开更多
Formation and development of ancient terraces proves that slope-to-terrace project is a signifi cant measure for conserving water and soil in mountainous areas. UAV remote sensing technology was applied to obtain RS i...Formation and development of ancient terraces proves that slope-to-terrace project is a signifi cant measure for conserving water and soil in mountainous areas. UAV remote sensing technology was applied to obtain RS images with a resolution ratio of 0.1–0.5 m, Arc GIS was applied for data processing, and Fragstats3.3 was used to calculate characteristic indexes, to study landscape pattern of 4 ancient terraces in Huangping County, Guizhou Province. The results showed that terrace landscapes and woodland landscapes in the study area account for nearly 80% of the whole landscape(terrace 30%, woodland 50%); mean area of single fi eld is mainly concentrated between 100 m^2 and 200 m^2, and height between 0.7 m and 1.7 m, breadth 0.5 m and 0.6 m; most terraces have a gradient of 5–25°, accounting for 70% of the total number of fi eld. The water and soil conservation concept in the ancient terraces provides references for the slope-to-terrace project and the water and soil loss control of slope farmland.展开更多
Traditional eco-agriculture provides many ecosystem services which are important for the local environment, especially in mountain areas. In order to encourage the farmers to engage in coo-agriculture, it is necessary...Traditional eco-agriculture provides many ecosystem services which are important for the local environment, especially in mountain areas. In order to encourage the farmers to engage in coo-agriculture, it is necessary to establish an eco-compensation mechanism for them. As the compensation standard is one of key issues in establishing eeo-compensation mechanism, this paper calculated the standard based on the farmers＇ willingness to accept （WTA） and the input-output analysis of eco-compensation. We took the traditional rice-fish eco-agriculture as the research object, conducting field surveys in Hani Terrace of Honghe County. Through the questionnaires in 2o11, we obtained the farmers＇ willingness to accept government compensation and market compensation. Then, the research evaluated the output of eco-compensation, the economic value of rice-fish paddy ecosystem services. Finally, under different market compensation standards, we compared the input and output of government compensation. The results show that, in 2011 the government should to pay farmers 7462 yuan.ha^-1·a^-1 to meet their willingness, but the output （ecological benefit） was only 7393 yuan.ha^-1·a^-1. However, whenthe rice price increases 1 yuan·kg-1 because of the limited use of chemicals in the next year, the government just has to pay farmers 4062 yuan.ha^-1·a^-1 and the surplus will be 3331 yuan.ha^-1·a^-1.展开更多
De-farming slope farmland has been an effective measure in recent years to improve environment and prevent soil and water loss on the Loess Plateau.There are different views about the defarming method,and also various...De-farming slope farmland has been an effective measure in recent years to improve environment and prevent soil and water loss on the Loess Plateau.There are different views about the defarming method,and also various de-farming patterns have been put into practice.This paper takes the Yangou Watershed in Shaanxi Province of China as a case for studying the comprehensive benefits of transforming slope farmland to terraces.Based on the day-by-day meteorological data of the Yan'an station in 2005 and the data of terrain features,soil and land use data of the Yangou Watershed,the impact of transforming slope farmland on terraces were simulated and analyzed in aspects of yield increase and water-soil conservation under different topographic conditions with the aid of software WIN-YIELD.Furthermore,an empirical analysis was applied to study the effects of transforming slope farmland to terraces in the Yangou Watershed.The results show that:(1) The bigger the topographic gradient is,the more remarkable benefits it has in yield increase and water-soil conservation.(2) Farmland with slope below 5° could be retained,but farmland with slope above 15° should be converted to forest or grassland as soon as possible.(3) Transforming slope farmland to terraces has the same remarkable effects as the current policy of "Relieving and de-farming" in improving agricultural production conditions,safeguarding food security,raising permanent vegetation coverage rate,and preventing soil and water loss.Besides,it is more cost-effective than the policy of "Relieving and de-farming".It's strongly suggested that the policy of transforming slope farmland to terraces be carried out on the Loess Plateau without delay.展开更多
Many agricultural landscapes have been formed through the interaction and co-evolution of nature and people, and represent the living landscapes shaped over time through intensive and continuous human cultivation. Ter...Many agricultural landscapes have been formed through the interaction and co-evolution of nature and people, and represent the living landscapes shaped over time through intensive and continuous human cultivation. Terraced paddy fields are being re-evaluated to take into account the multiple functions they fill beyond only rice cultivation, particularly their contribution to the national biodiversity strategy of Japan. Since the 1990 s, terraced paddy fields have been considered a representative cultural landscape of Japan and, at the same time, multi-stakeholder conservation activities have been conducted throughout Japan to reverse the increasing abandonment of terraces. Shiroyone Senmaida is an outstanding cultural landscape and a major tourist attraction in Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, which was designated through an initiative by the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems(GIAHS) pilot site in 2011. It is important to clarify tourist preference for terraced paddy field landscapes to contribute to future policy making toward improved agricultural landscape conservation. A key finding of this study is that tourists visiting toenjoy the agricultural landscape are also concerned on the sustainability of the farming methods and preferred to maintain the naturalness of the landscape. Respondents with higher educational levels and greater concern for the biological and traditional farming knowledge aspects of the rice terraces were also more inclined to favor sustainable farming practices. Tourists preferred to maintain the naturalness and rurality of the agricultural landscape, and indicated that construction of excessive tourist facilities would cause the landscape to deteriorate. It was suggested that the local community and surroundings, including rural settlements, hills, and forests, should also be conserved together with the scenic terrace.展开更多
The Yalong River is an important river that runs across the abruptly changing terrain of the SE Tibetan Plateau. The terraces and Quaternary sediments in its valleys preserve the information of tectonic uplift, climat...The Yalong River is an important river that runs across the abruptly changing terrain of the SE Tibetan Plateau. The terraces and Quaternary sediments in its valleys preserve the information of tectonic uplift, climate changes, and landform evolution since the Middle Pleistocene. Based on geomorphological, sedimentological, and chronological investigations, 6-8 terraces are identified in the lower reaches of Yalong catchment and its tributary--the Anning River. The electron spin resonance （ESR） or optically stimulated luminescence （OSL） data on the alluvial sediments in the upper portion of terraces indicate that they formed in 1.10, 0.90, 0.72, 0.06-0.04, 0.03-0.02, and 0.01 Ma. Tectonic uplift and the climatic cycle controlled the formation of the Yalong River terraces. The former dominated the dissection depths and incision rates, whereas the latter controlled the transformation between accumulation, which developed during the glacial period, and incision, which developed during the glacial-interglacial transition. The Yalong downstream incised rapidly from 1.10 to 0.72 Ma and rapidly from 0.06 Ma until the present; the terraces developed during these two periods. The incision rates in space during the two periods indicate the uplifting extent of the Jinpingshan area, which decreases toward the east and the south. The results reveal two rapidly uplifting stages in the SE Tibetan Plateau, including an accelerated uplifting since 0.06 Ma. Since the Middle Pleistocene, the tectonic uplift of the SE and NE parts of the Tibetan Plateau is synchronous, according to the same development stages of the river terraces of the Yalong downstream and the Yellow River in the Lanzhou area of the NE Tibetan Plateau. The difference in the horizontal displacement between the Xianshuihe Fault and the Anninghe Fault bend resulted in the rapid uplift of the Jinpingshan area. The incision rate for the spatial distribution of the Yalong downstream is the geomorphologicai response of crustal shortening and uplift differences in the SE margin block of the Tibetan Plateau. The southeastward diffusion process of the Tibetan Plateau was recorded.展开更多
Based on the study of magnetostratigraphy,magnetic susceptibility and grain size of Garze A section on the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau since the late early-Pleistocene,the basal age of Garze loe...Based on the study of magnetostratigraphy,magnetic susceptibility and grain size of Garze A section on the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau since the late early-Pleistocene,the basal age of Garze loess is located at～1.16 MaBP and a series of abrupt paleoclimatic changes is detected.The times of abrupt changes are of distinct series features,and the interval between each two adjacent abrupt changes is～50 kyr or～100 kyr.The most significant abrupt changes occur at around 1.06,0.85,0.6,0.46,0.39 and 0.14 MaBP.There is a chronological link between the abrupt changes of paleoclimate and the formation of river terraces and it is almost simultaneous with a strengthening trend of neotectonic activities.Therefore,maybe the climatic transition controll the timing of terrace formation,and the tectonic uplift originate potential energy and has a direct effect on channel incision, both the climatic transition and the tectonic uplift are important.Terraces are the products of the interaction of instable climatic variations and tectonic uplift.Like the loess-paleosol sequences,river terrace sequences are also controlled by the climate-tectonic coupling system and are ruled by climate-tectonic gyration with a～100 kyr paracycle,which may be the short eccentricity period of the earth.展开更多
Driven by urbanization and industrialization,arable land in hilly and mountainous regions of China is gradually becoming marginalized,with the extent of arable land abandonment rapidly expanding from poor-quality slop...Driven by urbanization and industrialization,arable land in hilly and mountainous regions of China is gradually becoming marginalized,with the extent of arable land abandonment rapidly expanding from poor-quality sloping arable land to high-quality terraces.The abandonment of large-scale terraces will lead to a series of socio-economic and ecological effects.A national sample survey was used to investigate the extent and spatial distribution of terrace abandonment in China,and a total of 560 valid village questionnaires from 329 counties were collected in the mountainous areas of China.The main findings are as follows:(1)The phenomenon of terrace abandonment was widespread throughout the country,with 54% of the total surveyed villages exhibiting terrace abandonment,and the area of abandoned terraces accounting for 9.79% of the total.(2) The degree of terrace abandonment is high in the south and low in the north.The most serious region with abandonment was the hilly and mountainous areas in the south,especially in the middle and lower Yangtze River region.(3)The main driving factors of terrace abandonment were rural labor migration,agricultural mechanization level,irrigation conditions,and transportation conditions for cultivation.Targeted measures should be taken based on the specific conditions of each area to alleviate terrace abandonment.Measures such as improving terrace mechanization are universally applicable.Specifically,low-quality terraces can be withdrawn orderly,and for high-quality terraces,multiple measures are needed to consolidate agricultural production,such as adjusting the planting structure,strengthening agricultural infrastructure construction,and encouraging the transfer of land-use rights as well as large-scale operation.展开更多
Based on field landscape investigations, thermoluminescence （TL）, magnetostratigraphy and Ioess-paleosol sequence, we found that there are at least four Yellow River terraces, whose ages are 0.86 Ma, 0.62 Ma, 0.13 M...Based on field landscape investigations, thermoluminescence （TL）, magnetostratigraphy and Ioess-paleosol sequence, we found that there are at least four Yellow River terraces, whose ages are 0.86 Ma, 0.62 Ma, 0.13 Ma and 0.05 Ma, in Yuxi Fault-Uplift （from Sanmen Gorge to Mengjin） and at least three Yellow River terraces, whose ages are 1.24 Ma, 0.25 Ma and 0.05 Ma, in Huabei Fault Depression （from Mengjin to Kouma）. All the terraces have a similar structure that several meters of paleosols directly develop on the top of fluvial silt. It shows that the Yellow River incised and consequently abandoned floodplain converted to terrace during the interglacial period. Therefore, there may be a link between the formation of terraces and glacial-interglacial climatic cycles. However, the differences in the Yellow River terrace sequences and ages between Yuxi Fault-Uplift and Huabei Fault Depression indicate that the surface uplift should play an important role in the formation of these terraces.展开更多
The Huang Shui River, a main tributary of the Yellow River, crosses a series of tectonically subsided and uplifted areas that show different patterns of terrace formation. The distribution of fluvial terrace of the Hu...The Huang Shui River, a main tributary of the Yellow River, crosses a series of tectonically subsided and uplifted areas that show different patterns of terrace formation. The distribution of fluvial terrace of the Huang Shui River is studied through topographic and sedimentologic terrace mapping. Three terraces in the Haiyan Basin, four terraces in the Huangyuan Basin, 19 terraces in the Xi＇ning Basin （the four high terraces may belong to another river）, nine terraces in the Ping＇an Basin, five terraces in the Ledu Basin and 12 terraces in the Minhe Basin are recognized. Sedimentology research shows that the geomorphologic and sedimentological pattern of the Huang Shui River, which is located at the margin of Tibet, are different from that of the rivers at other regions. The formation process of the terrace is more complicated at the Huang Shui catchment： both accumulation terrace and erosion terrace were formed in each basin and accumulation terraces were developed in some basins when erosion terraces were formed in other basins, indicating fluvial aggradation may occur in some basins simultaneously with river incision in other basins. A conceptual model of the formation process of these two kinds of fluvial terraces at Huang Shui catchment is brought forward in this paper. First, the equilibrium state of the river is broken because of climatic change and/or tectonic movement, and the river incises in all basins in the whole catchment until reaching a new equilibrium state. Then, the downstream basin subsides quickly and the equilibrium state is broken again, and the river incises at upstream basins while the river accumulates at the subsidence basin quickly until approaching a new equilibrium state again. Finally, the river incises in the whole catchment because of climatic change and/or tectonic movement and the accumulation terrace is formed at the subsidence basin while the erosion terrace is formed at other basins. The existence of the accumulation terrace implied the tectonic subsidence in the sub-basins in Huang Shui catchment. These tectonic subsidence movements gradually developed from the downstream Minhe Basin to the upstream Huangyuan Basin. Dating the terrace sequence has potential to uncover the relationship between the subsidence in the catchment and the regional tectonic at the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.展开更多
基金Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41930757National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.42371285。
文摘This study explores the impact of intergenerational differences on farmers' terrace abandonment in response to increasing intergenerational differentiation among rural households and the practical issue of terrace abandonment. Logit and Tobit models are employed to conduct empirical analysis and it is found that terrace abandonment increases sequentially among the new, middle, and old generations, confirming that intergenerational differences significantly influence whether farmers abandon terraces and the terrace abandonment scale. Village characteristics and government subsidies significantly influence farmers' terrace abandonment. An increase in the number of migrant workers in the village increases terrace abandonment among new and middle generation farmers, whereas an increase in the distance from the village to the county significantly increases terrace abandonment among old generation farmers. An increase in the village's total population significantly reduces terrace abandonment among new generation farmers. An increase in government subsidies significantly reduces terrace abandonment among middle and old generation farmers. The impact of intergenerational differences on terrace abandonment is more pronounced in low-altitude areas. To reduce terrace abandonment, it is necessary to promote terrace transfer, develop characteristic agriculture, improve terrace farming subsidies, and propose targeted strategies for the different generations of farmers.
文摘AS twilight descended,a screen rose.Locals and tourists converged spontaneously on the open-air cinema on the second-floor terrace of Chang’an Mills shopping plaza,in the iconic Shougang Park,Beijing.If anything rivals the magic of a summer night sky,it’s the jovial atmosphere brought about by the silver screen.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grants No.U21A2011,41971129)the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2022YFF1300403)the Distinguished Membership Project of the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of CAS(Grant No.Y201812)。
文摘Agricultural terraces are significant for food provision,environmental stability and sustainable resource management.However,the spatiotemporal evolution of terraces and their influence on food productivity in mountainous landscapes remain poorly understood.Taking the Chinese Loess Plateau(LP)as an example,this study conducted multitemporal mapping of terraces and sloping croplands over three decades(1990-2020),systematically assessing their impacts on food output through terrain gradient analysis.The results indicated that:(1)the terraced area expanded in the past 30 years,particularly across steeper terrain gradients(third to fifth gradients);(2)sloping croplands predominantly occupied gentle slopes(first to second gradients),exhibiting area reduction correlating with urbanization processes;(3)the food provision increased extensively,with yield decreasing from southeast to northwest and regions of high yielding mainly in terraced fields;(4)over time,the variation of food provision correlated positively with the area of sloping cropland at low gradients,while at higher gradients,the expansion of terraces dominated the increase in food provision;(5)spatial clustering analysis revealed significant food productivity associated with high-density terrace distribution across steeper slope gradients.Low yields could be attributed to improper terrace management.This study clarified the impact of long-term terrace patterns on food provision and offered large-scale perspectives for terrace-based agriculture to enhance food security.Furthermore,the findings underscore the imperative of integrated land management in topographically complex regions,informing evidence-based policymaking for rational allocation and optimal utilization of terrace resources.
基金supported by the projects REACT4MED—Inclusive Outscaling of Agro-Ecosystem Restoration Actions for the Mediterranean,which is part of the PRIMA Programme supported by the European Union under Horizon 2020(Grant No.2122,Horizon 2020)SELINA—Science for Evidence-based and Sustainable Decisions about Natural Capital,funded by the European Union’s Horizon Europe Research and Innovation Programme(Grant No.101060415)。
文摘The interplay between human and ecological systems has evolved from traditional conservation approaches to integrated socio-ecological frameworks that emphasise the co-production of ecosystem services.This paper aims to inspire new research pathways to advance the Nature's Contributions to People(NCP)perspective by focusing on terraced agroecosystems as emblematic landscapes that exemplify this co-production.Informed by recent studies in sustainability science,and drawing on our experience in Mediterranean environments,we explore the transformative potential of these frameworks for understanding and managing terraced landscapes.Addressing their multifunctionality,the challenges they face,and their socio-cultural and ecological significance,we highlight the importance of bridging scientific insights with local knowledge and participatory practices.We examine the use of advanced biophysical assessments,mapping tools,and stakeholder-driven approaches to enhance field assessment,monitoring capabilities and tackle management challenges under changing socio-economic conditions.We stress the urgent need for education and capacity-building initiatives to counteract indigenous knowledge loss and sustain traditional practices.Looking to the future,we propose potential avenues for research and practice that integrate ecological,cultural,and governance dimensions,contributing to the long-term sustainability of terraced landscapes and informing broader efforts for sustainable land management in an era of rapid environmental change.
文摘French photographer Yann Layma first captured a moment at the Honghe Hani Rice Terraces in 1993.The tiered fields climbed like stairways into the sky.Glints of water appeared and disappeared through drifting clouds.Hani farmers could be seen quietly tending the land.Deeply moved,Layma spent six months producing Mountain Sculptors-a collection that included a film,a photo album,a travel diary,and nearly 10,000 photographs.
基金funded by the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41971264)。
文摘Agricultural heritage systems have the characteristics of ecological fragility and cultural sensitivity.For a long time,the conservation and sustainable development of agricultural heritage systems have received attention from all sectors.However,there are few measurements of tourism disturbance(TD)and community resilience(CR)in agricultural heritage sites,and research on the relationship between the two is even more lacking.This study selects six villages in the Honghe Hani Rice Terraced System(HHRTS)as examples and constructs an evaluation system for TD and CR.Through questionnaires and in-depth interviews,it explores the response relationship between TD and CR of heritage site,and compares the response relationship of villages in different stages of tourism development.The results indicate that the heritage site's current response relationship between TD and CR shows a positive response type,and the development of tourism has brought positive responses and effects.There are differences in the interactive relationship between TD and CR among communities with different levels of tourism development.In communities with poor tourism development,CR is more susceptible to the impact of TD than other communities.The stability of the relationship between TD and CR response gradually tends to stabilize from poor,good,and moderate tourism development.
基金supported by the Ministry of Education of the Republic of Korea and the National Research Foundation of Korea(NRF2023S1A5A2A01077716)。
文摘The timing and mechanisms of fluvial terrace formation along the Yangtze River in the Yichang region provide critical insights into the interplay between tectonics,climate,and river evolution.In this study,we present new cosmogenic nuclide isochron burial ages for the fifth(T5)and fourth(T4)terraces,yielding ages of 0.49±0.05 Ma and 0.35±0.04 Ma,respectively.By integrating our data with existing 14C and ESR ages for lower terraces,we reconstruct a detailed incision history,showing~85 m of river downcutting since the Middle Pleistocene.Incision rates varied over time,with a notable acceleration after 0.1 Ma coinciding with the Gonghe movement of the Tibetan Plateau,highlighting the role of tectonic uplift in driving fluvial incision.The formation of the fifth terrace is associated with the Kunlun–Huanghe uplift,while the development of the fourth terrace corresponds to the phase of regional uplift in the Qinling Mountains.Sedimentological evidence further indicates that terrace formation was influenced by both climatic and tectonic controls:while T4 aggraded during a glacial period,T5 formed during the interglacial MIS 13 under strong monsoonal conditions—demonstrating that major aggradation can occur during warm phases.However,sustained incision required tectonic forcing,as climatic transitions alone were insufficient to drive deep bedrock erosion.Our results also constrain the longdebated integration of the Three Gorges.The 0.49 Ma age for T5 provides a robust minimum age for the hydrological connection between the Sichuan and Jianghan Basins.This timing,combined with the earlier formation of the"First Bend of the Yangtze"(Eocene–Miocene),contradicts the classical east-towest headward erosion model.Instead,geomorphic analysis of the gorges—showing diachronous valley development from east to west—supports a progressive,bottom-to-top integration,initiated in the Xiling Gorge and culminating in the incision of the Qutang Gorge.This sequence aligns with knickpoint migration driven by base-level fall and regional tectonic uplift.We conclude that the evolution of the Yangtze River through the Three Gorges is the result of a complex interplay between climate,tectonics,and base-level dynamics,with terraces serving as key archives of landscape response to these forces.
文摘Where the Yellow River flows through the Haiyuan-Tongxin arc-form tectonic region on the northeastern side of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, as many as 10～21 basis and erosion terraces have been produced, among which the biggest altitude above river level is 401m and the formation age of the highest terrace is 1.57 Ma B.P. Based on comparative analysis of the Yellow River terraces located separately in the Mijiashan mountain, the Chemuxia gorge, the Heishanxia gorge and the other river terraces in the vast extent of the northern part of China, it has been found that the tectonic processes resulting in the formation of the terrace series is one of multi-gradational features, i.e., a terrace series can include the various terraces produced by tectonic uplifts of different scopes or scales and different ranks. The Yellow River terrace series in the study region can be divided into three grades. Among them, in the first grade there are 6 terraces which were formed separately at the same time in the vast extent of the northern part of China and represent the number and magnitude of uplift of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau since 1.6 Ma B. P.; in the second grade there are 5 terraces which were separately and simultaneously developed within the Haiyuan-Tianjingshan tectonic region and represent the number and magnitude of uplift of this tectonic region itself since 1.6Ma B.P.; in the third grade there are 10 terraces which developed on the eastern slope of the Mijiashan mountain and represent the number and amplitude of uplift of the Haiyuan tectonic belt itself since 1.6Ma B.P. Comparison of the terrace ages with loess-paleosoil sequence has also showed that the first grade terraces reflecting the vast scope uplifts of the Qinghai-Xizang Plateau are very comparable with climatic changes and their formation ages all correspond to the interglacial epochs during which paleosoils were formed. This implies that the vast extent tectonic uplifts resulting in river down-cutting are closely related to the warm-humid climatic periods which can also result in river downward erosion after strong dry and cold climatic periods, and they have jointly formed the tectonic-climatic cycles. There exists no unanimous and specific relationship between the formation ages of the second and third grade terraces and climatic changes and it is shown that the formation of those terraces was most mainly controlled by tectonic uplifts of the Tianjingshan block and the Haiyuan belt. The river terraces in the study region, therefore, may belong to 2 kinds of formation cause. One is a tectonic-climatic cyclical terrace produced jointly by vast extent tectonic uplifts and climatic changes, and the terraces of this kind are extensively distributed and can be well compared with each other among regions. Another is a pulse-tectonic cyclical terrace produced by local tectonic uplifts as dominant elements, and their distribution is restricted within an active belt and can not be compared with among regions.
基金Supported by Project of Ministry of Human Resources and Social Security~~
文摘The ecology system of Hani Terraced Paddy Fields is the typical repre-sentative of the ecological agriculture in the southwestern mountainous areas of our country. After long-term development, Hani ecology system has developed, cored by＂forest-vil age-terrace-river＂, including paddy cultivation system, forests and ecologi-cal maintenance, folk culture and construction of water facilities. This research ex-plored the details of the structure and functions of the ecology system of Hani ter-raced fields. And il ustrates that the system is a new model of agriculture ecological civilization and deserves further study and more applications.
基金Supported by Guangxi Scientific Research and Technology Development Program(14124005-2-4)Youth Tourism Expert Training Program of National Tourism Administration Operation System(TYETP201548,TYETP201445)+2 种基金Guangxi Education Department Qualification and Postgraduate Education Reform and Development Program(JGY2014077)Guangxi Superior and Characteristic Key Subject Open-end Fund(LYKF05)Guilin S&T Research and Development Program(20150110-5)~~
文摘The objective evaluation to the terrace cultural landscape heritage value can provide targeted scientific basis for continuation of terrace culture landscape and establishment of protection measures. On the basis of field investigation, expert consultation and literature review, combined with the AVC （Attraction、Vitality and Ca-pacity）theory and Analytic Hierarchy Process based on Fuzzy Comprehensive Evalu-ation, the terrace cultural landscape heritage protection evaluation system and eval-uation model, which selects 22 indicators from three levels including terrace culture landscape resources attraction, resources vitality and resources bearing capacity were structured. Based on col ection of data, material from field survey of China＆#39;s most representative Yunnan Yuanyang Hani terrace, Hunan Ziquejie terrace and Longsheng Longji terrace and relevant mathematical calculation to determine evalua-tion index weights, organical y combined of qualitative with quantitative analysis, the diversity, reasonableness and accuracy of evaluation system is improved. Compre-hensive result of mathematical statistics showed that the rank of the cultural land-scape heritage value with the three most representative terraces in southern China is： γ（Hani）〉γ（Longji）〉γ（Ziquejie）.
文摘Having outlined evolution and tour value of Dragon Back Terraces in Longsheng County,Guilin,the author puts forward following proposals for tour development in policy-making:(1) With improving the villages of the Minority community,to set up ecological museums in which the cultures of Minority are preserved,the primitive local "live humanity heritages" are shown as the key display on the basis of typical agricultural complex ecological system;(2) To encourage the citizens of the community to participate in the tour industry development,including the participation both in the decision-making in tour planning and preservation of the terrace agricultural civilization heritages as well as the allocation of the income of the local tour industry;(3)To promote the mutual development of both folkways and sightseeing tour,to enhance the exploitation of the present natural scenic and historical landscapes through the making full advantages of the present tour market.The Dragon Back Terraces are characterized by the important tour values,including the rich and colorful natural landscapes,typical complex agricultural ecological system,and the combination of the Minority folkways and agricultural civilization.
基金Sponsored by Guizhou Provincial Scientifi c and Technological Fund(2007NO21642014NO2123)
文摘Formation and development of ancient terraces proves that slope-to-terrace project is a signifi cant measure for conserving water and soil in mountainous areas. UAV remote sensing technology was applied to obtain RS images with a resolution ratio of 0.1–0.5 m, Arc GIS was applied for data processing, and Fragstats3.3 was used to calculate characteristic indexes, to study landscape pattern of 4 ancient terraces in Huangping County, Guizhou Province. The results showed that terrace landscapes and woodland landscapes in the study area account for nearly 80% of the whole landscape(terrace 30%, woodland 50%); mean area of single fi eld is mainly concentrated between 100 m^2 and 200 m^2, and height between 0.7 m and 1.7 m, breadth 0.5 m and 0.6 m; most terraces have a gradient of 5–25°, accounting for 70% of the total number of fi eld. The water and soil conservation concept in the ancient terraces provides references for the slope-to-terrace project and the water and soil loss control of slope farmland.
基金supported by the China National Natural Science Foundation (Grant Nos. 41201586, 41201580)Visiting Professorship for Senior International Scientists (2013T2Z0011)
文摘Traditional eco-agriculture provides many ecosystem services which are important for the local environment, especially in mountain areas. In order to encourage the farmers to engage in coo-agriculture, it is necessary to establish an eco-compensation mechanism for them. As the compensation standard is one of key issues in establishing eeo-compensation mechanism, this paper calculated the standard based on the farmers＇ willingness to accept （WTA） and the input-output analysis of eco-compensation. We took the traditional rice-fish eco-agriculture as the research object, conducting field surveys in Hani Terrace of Honghe County. Through the questionnaires in 2o11, we obtained the farmers＇ willingness to accept government compensation and market compensation. Then, the research evaluated the output of eco-compensation, the economic value of rice-fish paddy ecosystem services. Finally, under different market compensation standards, we compared the input and output of government compensation. The results show that, in 2011 the government should to pay farmers 7462 yuan.ha^-1·a^-1 to meet their willingness, but the output （ecological benefit） was only 7393 yuan.ha^-1·a^-1. However, whenthe rice price increases 1 yuan·kg-1 because of the limited use of chemicals in the next year, the government just has to pay farmers 4062 yuan.ha^-1·a^-1 and the surplus will be 3331 yuan.ha^-1·a^-1.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.40771086)National Key Technology R&D Program of China (No.2006BAD09B10)Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences (No.KZCX2-XB2-05-01)
文摘De-farming slope farmland has been an effective measure in recent years to improve environment and prevent soil and water loss on the Loess Plateau.There are different views about the defarming method,and also various de-farming patterns have been put into practice.This paper takes the Yangou Watershed in Shaanxi Province of China as a case for studying the comprehensive benefits of transforming slope farmland to terraces.Based on the day-by-day meteorological data of the Yan'an station in 2005 and the data of terrain features,soil and land use data of the Yangou Watershed,the impact of transforming slope farmland on terraces were simulated and analyzed in aspects of yield increase and water-soil conservation under different topographic conditions with the aid of software WIN-YIELD.Furthermore,an empirical analysis was applied to study the effects of transforming slope farmland to terraces in the Yangou Watershed.The results show that:(1) The bigger the topographic gradient is,the more remarkable benefits it has in yield increase and water-soil conservation.(2) Farmland with slope below 5° could be retained,but farmland with slope above 15° should be converted to forest or grassland as soon as possible.(3) Transforming slope farmland to terraces has the same remarkable effects as the current policy of "Relieving and de-farming" in improving agricultural production conditions,safeguarding food security,raising permanent vegetation coverage rate,and preventing soil and water loss.Besides,it is more cost-effective than the policy of "Relieving and de-farming".It's strongly suggested that the policy of transforming slope farmland to terraces be carried out on the Loess Plateau without delay.
文摘Many agricultural landscapes have been formed through the interaction and co-evolution of nature and people, and represent the living landscapes shaped over time through intensive and continuous human cultivation. Terraced paddy fields are being re-evaluated to take into account the multiple functions they fill beyond only rice cultivation, particularly their contribution to the national biodiversity strategy of Japan. Since the 1990 s, terraced paddy fields have been considered a representative cultural landscape of Japan and, at the same time, multi-stakeholder conservation activities have been conducted throughout Japan to reverse the increasing abandonment of terraces. Shiroyone Senmaida is an outstanding cultural landscape and a major tourist attraction in Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Prefecture, which was designated through an initiative by the Food and Agriculture Organization(FAO) as a Globally Important Agricultural Heritage Systems(GIAHS) pilot site in 2011. It is important to clarify tourist preference for terraced paddy field landscapes to contribute to future policy making toward improved agricultural landscape conservation. A key finding of this study is that tourists visiting toenjoy the agricultural landscape are also concerned on the sustainability of the farming methods and preferred to maintain the naturalness of the landscape. Respondents with higher educational levels and greater concern for the biological and traditional farming knowledge aspects of the rice terraces were also more inclined to favor sustainable farming practices. Tourists preferred to maintain the naturalness and rurality of the agricultural landscape, and indicated that construction of excessive tourist facilities would cause the landscape to deteriorate. It was suggested that the local community and surroundings, including rural settlements, hills, and forests, should also be conserved together with the scenic terrace.
基金supported by the Project of China Geological Survey (grant nos.1212011120071,201211077-3 and 1212011120182)
文摘The Yalong River is an important river that runs across the abruptly changing terrain of the SE Tibetan Plateau. The terraces and Quaternary sediments in its valleys preserve the information of tectonic uplift, climate changes, and landform evolution since the Middle Pleistocene. Based on geomorphological, sedimentological, and chronological investigations, 6-8 terraces are identified in the lower reaches of Yalong catchment and its tributary--the Anning River. The electron spin resonance （ESR） or optically stimulated luminescence （OSL） data on the alluvial sediments in the upper portion of terraces indicate that they formed in 1.10, 0.90, 0.72, 0.06-0.04, 0.03-0.02, and 0.01 Ma. Tectonic uplift and the climatic cycle controlled the formation of the Yalong River terraces. The former dominated the dissection depths and incision rates, whereas the latter controlled the transformation between accumulation, which developed during the glacial period, and incision, which developed during the glacial-interglacial transition. The Yalong downstream incised rapidly from 1.10 to 0.72 Ma and rapidly from 0.06 Ma until the present; the terraces developed during these two periods. The incision rates in space during the two periods indicate the uplifting extent of the Jinpingshan area, which decreases toward the east and the south. The results reveal two rapidly uplifting stages in the SE Tibetan Plateau, including an accelerated uplifting since 0.06 Ma. Since the Middle Pleistocene, the tectonic uplift of the SE and NE parts of the Tibetan Plateau is synchronous, according to the same development stages of the river terraces of the Yalong downstream and the Yellow River in the Lanzhou area of the NE Tibetan Plateau. The difference in the horizontal displacement between the Xianshuihe Fault and the Anninghe Fault bend resulted in the rapid uplift of the Jinpingshan area. The incision rate for the spatial distribution of the Yalong downstream is the geomorphologicai response of crustal shortening and uplift differences in the SE margin block of the Tibetan Plateau. The southeastward diffusion process of the Tibetan Plateau was recorded.
基金support was provided by the National Science Foundation of China grant (40472088)
文摘Based on the study of magnetostratigraphy,magnetic susceptibility and grain size of Garze A section on the southeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau since the late early-Pleistocene,the basal age of Garze loess is located at～1.16 MaBP and a series of abrupt paleoclimatic changes is detected.The times of abrupt changes are of distinct series features,and the interval between each two adjacent abrupt changes is～50 kyr or～100 kyr.The most significant abrupt changes occur at around 1.06,0.85,0.6,0.46,0.39 and 0.14 MaBP.There is a chronological link between the abrupt changes of paleoclimate and the formation of river terraces and it is almost simultaneous with a strengthening trend of neotectonic activities.Therefore,maybe the climatic transition controll the timing of terrace formation,and the tectonic uplift originate potential energy and has a direct effect on channel incision, both the climatic transition and the tectonic uplift are important.Terraces are the products of the interaction of instable climatic variations and tectonic uplift.Like the loess-paleosol sequences,river terrace sequences are also controlled by the climate-tectonic coupling system and are ruled by climate-tectonic gyration with a～100 kyr paracycle,which may be the short eccentricity period of the earth.
基金Key Program of National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41930757GDAS’ Project of Science and Technology Development,No.2020GDASYL-20200104005。
文摘Driven by urbanization and industrialization,arable land in hilly and mountainous regions of China is gradually becoming marginalized,with the extent of arable land abandonment rapidly expanding from poor-quality sloping arable land to high-quality terraces.The abandonment of large-scale terraces will lead to a series of socio-economic and ecological effects.A national sample survey was used to investigate the extent and spatial distribution of terrace abandonment in China,and a total of 560 valid village questionnaires from 329 counties were collected in the mountainous areas of China.The main findings are as follows:(1)The phenomenon of terrace abandonment was widespread throughout the country,with 54% of the total surveyed villages exhibiting terrace abandonment,and the area of abandoned terraces accounting for 9.79% of the total.(2) The degree of terrace abandonment is high in the south and low in the north.The most serious region with abandonment was the hilly and mountainous areas in the south,especially in the middle and lower Yangtze River region.(3)The main driving factors of terrace abandonment were rural labor migration,agricultural mechanization level,irrigation conditions,and transportation conditions for cultivation.Targeted measures should be taken based on the specific conditions of each area to alleviate terrace abandonment.Measures such as improving terrace mechanization are universally applicable.Specifically,low-quality terraces can be withdrawn orderly,and for high-quality terraces,multiple measures are needed to consolidate agricultural production,such as adjusting the planting structure,strengthening agricultural infrastructure construction,and encouraging the transfer of land-use rights as well as large-scale operation.
基金Science and Technology Planning Project of Yunnan Province,No.2007D199MNational Natural Science Foundation of China,No.40462002No.40161002
文摘Based on field landscape investigations, thermoluminescence （TL）, magnetostratigraphy and Ioess-paleosol sequence, we found that there are at least four Yellow River terraces, whose ages are 0.86 Ma, 0.62 Ma, 0.13 Ma and 0.05 Ma, in Yuxi Fault-Uplift （from Sanmen Gorge to Mengjin） and at least three Yellow River terraces, whose ages are 1.24 Ma, 0.25 Ma and 0.05 Ma, in Huabei Fault Depression （from Mengjin to Kouma）. All the terraces have a similar structure that several meters of paleosols directly develop on the top of fluvial silt. It shows that the Yellow River incised and consequently abandoned floodplain converted to terrace during the interglacial period. Therefore, there may be a link between the formation of terraces and glacial-interglacial climatic cycles. However, the differences in the Yellow River terrace sequences and ages between Yuxi Fault-Uplift and Huabei Fault Depression indicate that the surface uplift should play an important role in the formation of these terraces.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant no.40901002 and 40325007)the 985 project to Nanjing University and the CAS-KNAW PhD project(05-PhD-10)
文摘The Huang Shui River, a main tributary of the Yellow River, crosses a series of tectonically subsided and uplifted areas that show different patterns of terrace formation. The distribution of fluvial terrace of the Huang Shui River is studied through topographic and sedimentologic terrace mapping. Three terraces in the Haiyan Basin, four terraces in the Huangyuan Basin, 19 terraces in the Xi＇ning Basin （the four high terraces may belong to another river）, nine terraces in the Ping＇an Basin, five terraces in the Ledu Basin and 12 terraces in the Minhe Basin are recognized. Sedimentology research shows that the geomorphologic and sedimentological pattern of the Huang Shui River, which is located at the margin of Tibet, are different from that of the rivers at other regions. The formation process of the terrace is more complicated at the Huang Shui catchment： both accumulation terrace and erosion terrace were formed in each basin and accumulation terraces were developed in some basins when erosion terraces were formed in other basins, indicating fluvial aggradation may occur in some basins simultaneously with river incision in other basins. A conceptual model of the formation process of these two kinds of fluvial terraces at Huang Shui catchment is brought forward in this paper. First, the equilibrium state of the river is broken because of climatic change and/or tectonic movement, and the river incises in all basins in the whole catchment until reaching a new equilibrium state. Then, the downstream basin subsides quickly and the equilibrium state is broken again, and the river incises at upstream basins while the river accumulates at the subsidence basin quickly until approaching a new equilibrium state again. Finally, the river incises in the whole catchment because of climatic change and/or tectonic movement and the accumulation terrace is formed at the subsidence basin while the erosion terrace is formed at other basins. The existence of the accumulation terrace implied the tectonic subsidence in the sub-basins in Huang Shui catchment. These tectonic subsidence movements gradually developed from the downstream Minhe Basin to the upstream Huangyuan Basin. Dating the terrace sequence has potential to uncover the relationship between the subsidence in the catchment and the regional tectonic at the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.
