At 4 pm,the first cinema in the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County in Kashi Prefecture opened at the appointed time.The manager,He Xinyu,was prepared to welcome local filmgoers from various ethnic groups.Manager He can...At 4 pm,the first cinema in the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County in Kashi Prefecture opened at the appointed time.The manager,He Xinyu,was prepared to welcome local filmgoers from various ethnic groups.Manager He can feel that for local residents,the cinema is more than a venue for entertainment-it is a space for connections and inspiration.“The cinema and these screening films,which screen simultaneously with those in other places,offer local residents a sense of belonging to a larger world and a fresh feeling of appreciating cultural products,which means a lot,”said He.展开更多
This study presents an analysis of the CTD data and the turbulent microstructure data collected in 2014, the turbulent mixing environment above the Atlantic Water（AW） around the Chukchi Borderland region is studied....This study presents an analysis of the CTD data and the turbulent microstructure data collected in 2014, the turbulent mixing environment above the Atlantic Water（AW） around the Chukchi Borderland region is studied.Surface wind becomes more efficient in driving the upper ocean movement along with the rapid decline of sea ice,thus results in a more restless interior of the Arctic Ocean. The turbulent dissipation rate is in the range of4.60×10–10（–3.31×10–9 W/kg with a mean value of 1.33×10–9 W/kg, while the diapycnal diffusivity is in the range of1.45×10–6–1.46×10–5m2/s with a mean value of 4.84×10–6 m2/s in 200–300 m（above the AW）. After investigating on the traditional factors（i.e., wind, topography and tides） that may contribute to the turbulent dissipation rate, the results show that the tidal kinetic energy plays a dominating role in the vertical mixing above the AW. Besides, the swing of the Beaufort Gyre（BG） has an impact on the vertical shear of the geostrophic current and may contribute to the regional difference of turbulent mixing. The parameterized method for the double-diffusive convection flux above the AW is validated by the direct turbulent microstructure results.展开更多
Planktonic bacteria are abundant in the Chukchi Borderland region. However, little is known about their di- versity and the roles of various bacteria in the ocean. Seawater samples were collected from two stations K2S...Planktonic bacteria are abundant in the Chukchi Borderland region. However, little is known about their di- versity and the roles of various bacteria in the ocean. Seawater samples were collected from two stations K2S and K4S where sea ice was melting obviously. The analysis of water samples with fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） showed that DMSP-degrading bacteria accounted for 13% of the total bacteria at the station K2S. No aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic （AAP） bacteria were detected in both samples. The bacterial communities were characterized by two 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. Sequences fell into four major lineages of the domain Bacteria, including Proteobacteria （Alpha, Beta and Gamma subclasses）, Bac- teroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. No significant difference was found between the two clone li- braries. SAR11 and Rhodobacteraceae clades of Alphaproteobacteria and Pseudoalteromonas of Gammapro- teobacteria constituted three dominant fractions in the clone libraries. A total of 191 heterotrophic bacterial strains were isolated and 76% showed extracellular proteolytic activity. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the isolates fell into Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. The most common genus in both the bacterial isolates and protease-producing bacteria was Pseudoalteromonas. UniFrac data showed suggestive differences in bacterial communities between the Chukchi Borderland and the northern Bering Sea.展开更多
A series of sub-parallel linear glacial scours are identified on the crest of the Baoshi Seamount in the Northwind Abyssal Plain by compiling new multibeam data acquired during the 9 th Chinese Arctic Research Expedit...A series of sub-parallel linear glacial scours are identified on the crest of the Baoshi Seamount in the Northwind Abyssal Plain by compiling new multibeam data acquired during the 9 th Chinese Arctic Research Expedition(CHINARE-Arc9)in 2018 and previously published data.The new data reveal scours that developed at water depths of 850–1030 m with an orientation of about 75°/255°.The maximum water depth occurs in the southernmost scour and is deeper than that from previous investigations,which showed a maximum scouring depth of about 900 m on the seamount.The topographic and geomorphological characteristics suggest that these scours resulted from erosion by the ice shelf extending from the Chukchi margin and/or Laurentide Ice Sheet that grounded on the crest of the seamount and moved in a NE–SW direction.Other possibilities of their genesis include armadas of large icebergs/multi-keel icebergs calved from the Chukchi Shelf or the Laurentide Ice Sheet.The new data provide new constraints for assessing the extent and volume of the ice sheet in the Chukchi area during glacial maxima.展开更多
More than 240 items of historical records containing climatic information were retrieved from official historical books, local chronicles, annals and regional meteorological disaster yearbooks. By using moisture index...More than 240 items of historical records containing climatic information were retrieved from official historical books, local chronicles, annals and regional meteorological disaster yearbooks. By using moisture index and flood/drought （F/D） index obtained from the above information, the historical climate change, namely wet-dry conditions in borderland of Shaanxi Province, Gansu Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region （BSGN, mainly included Ningxialu, Hezhoulu, Gongchanglu, Fengyuanlu and Yan＇anlu in the Yuan Dynasty） was studied. The results showed that the climate of the region was generally dry and the ratio between drought and flood disasters was 85/38 during the period of 1208-1369. According to the frequencies of drought-flood disasters, the whole period could be divided into three phases. （1） 1208-1240： drought dominated the phase with occasional flood disasters. （2） 1240-1320： long-time drought disasters and extreme drought events happened frequently. （3） 1320-1369： drought disasters were less severe when flood and drought disasters happened alternately. Besides, the reconstructed wet-dry change curve revealed obvious transition and periodicity in the MongoI-Yuan Period. The transitions occurred in 1230 and 1325. The wet-dry change revealed 10- and 23-year quasi-periods which were consistent with solar cycles, indicating that solar activity had affected the wet-dry conditions of the study region in the Mongol-Yuan Period. The reconstructed results were consistent with two other study results reconstructed from natural evidences, and were similar to another study results from historical documents. All the above results showed that the climate in BSGN was characterized by long-time dry condition with frequent severe drought disasters during 1258 to 1308. Thus, these aspects of climatic change, might have profound impacts on local vegetation and socio-economic system.展开更多
Among the nine sub-species of giraffes, the Maasai giraffe is the most widespread and common in Northern and Southern Kenya. Although it’s considered by the IUCN to be a species of no conservation concern, they have ...Among the nine sub-species of giraffes, the Maasai giraffe is the most widespread and common in Northern and Southern Kenya. Although it’s considered by the IUCN to be a species of no conservation concern, they have been reported to have declined in some of their range areas mostly due to bush meat activities, habitat fragmentation and loss. There are also concerns recent climatic changes especially prevalence of droughts is increasingly becoming another threat to their survival. In this regard, this study examined the status and trend of the Maasai giraffe in the Kenya-Tanzania border after the 2007 to 2009 drought. Amboseli had the highest giraffe number (averaging 2, 062.5 ± 534.7 giraffes), followed by a distant Lake Natron area (725.8 ± 129.4 giraffes), Magadi/Namanga (669.5 ± 198.0 giraffes), and lastly West Kilimanjaro area (236.5 ± 47.8 giraffes). Further, the proportion of giraffes were highest in Amboseli (55.09% ± 5.65%) followed by Lake Natron area (20.98% ± 3.42%), Magadi/Namanga area (16.35% ± 3.83%), and lastly West Kilimanjaro (7.58% ± 2.12%). But in terms of population growth after droughts, giraffe had positive growth in all locations in the borderland, with Magadi leading (+339.82 ± 329.99) followed Lake Natron area (+37.62 ± 83.27), Amboseli area (+38.11 ± 7.09), and lastly West Kilimanjaro (+3.21 ± 57.95.27). Their wet season population and density was much higher than that of the dry season. However, though the species was widely spread in the borderland, they seemed to avoid the region between Lake Magadi and Amboseli which is traversed by the Nairobi-Namanga highway both in wet and dry season. There is a need to develop a collaborative management framework for cross-border conservation to enhance their protection, conservation and genetic linkage.展开更多
Even though over many years the IUCN has considered the African buffalo and waterbuck and abundant species in Africa with no conservation concern, the situation is rapidly changing. Using aerial counts in wet and dry ...Even though over many years the IUCN has considered the African buffalo and waterbuck and abundant species in Africa with no conservation concern, the situation is rapidly changing. Using aerial counts in wet and dry season in 2010 and 2013, this study assessed the trend, population status and distribution of the African buffalo and common waterbuck in the Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya borderland. Both species were rare in the borderland, with the Amboseli region had the highest number of buffalo (241.5 ± 29.9), followed by Magadi/Namanga (58.0 ± 22.0), West Kilimanjaro (38.8 ± 34.9), and lastly Lake Natron (14.5 ± 9.0) areas. In terms of density, Amboseli also led with 0.03 ± 0.00 (buffalo per km2), but rest had similar densities of 0.01 ± 0.00 buffalo per km2. In terms of percent changes in buffalo, Amboseli area had a positive increase (+10.59 ± 27.71), but with a negative growth of -17.12 in the dry season. All other changes in all locations had negative (decline) buffalo numbers over time. For waterbuck numbers, Amboseli area also led with 12.3 ± 3.9 waterbuck), followed by Magadi/Namanga (10.3 ± 3.7.0), Lake Natron (3.8 ± 3.4), and lastly West Kilimanjaro (0.5 ± 0.5) areas. In terms of waterbuck density, they were low and less than 0.00 ± 0.00 per km2. For percent changes in waterbuck numbers, Magadi/Namanga had higher positive change (+458.33 ± 291.67), but all other locations had negative (decline) changes with the worst being West Kilimanjaro and Lake Natron areas. Further, buffalo number was dependent (p = 0.008) on the season, with numbers being higher in the wet season than dry season. For waterbuck, numbers were independent (p = 0.72) of the season, with numbers being similar across seasons. The findings of this study showed that both species were negatively affected by drought. We recommend a constant joint monitoring program between Kenya and Tanzania, and jointly combat poaching, habitat fragmentation and encroachment to build viable populations in the borderland.展开更多
In the latter decades,biomathematics played an important role in life sciences.Today,a great variety of biomathematical methods are applied in biology and medicine.Practically every mathematical procedure that is usef...In the latter decades,biomathematics played an important role in life sciences.Today,a great variety of biomathematical methods are applied in biology and medicine.Practically every mathematical procedure that is useful in physics,chemistry,engineering,and economics has also found an important application in the life sciences.At present,many life scientists are really interested in going deeply into biomathematics.Any attempt to apply biomathematics to the life systems involves three stages.Firstly,we observe the phenomena and formulate a biomathematical description in the form of a differential equation,algebraic equation,statistic comparison or whatever.We then temporarily forget the real life system and use biomathematical reasoning to solve the equation.This stage may involve inventing new biomathematics or extending what exists.Finally,we return to the real life system and interpret this solution in terms of reality;this interpretation may require experimental testing.Commonly,the most difficult stage is the first one;this is certainly so in biology and medicine at present we hardly know enough about the“laws”governing the components of life systems to write down their appropriate relationships with confidence.展开更多
Biophysics as an immense spectrum comprehended by one of the most commonly applied borderland mental process embracing from the nature,through living systems up to spiritual processes brings it along inevitable that t...Biophysics as an immense spectrum comprehended by one of the most commonly applied borderland mental process embracing from the nature,through living systems up to spiritual processes brings it along inevitable that the reader will join issue here and there with the deductions of this book but in actual fact it was just one of the goals of this work.To get hold of the biophysical view is not an easy task,because it applies mathematical apparatus to biological systems;on the other hand as a reward it guides to fascinating results,recognizing theoretically which conformity of rules are valid on principle in the Universe in the inanimate-living-spiritual triple system from the lowest to the highest organizational level.In this way one can make up the reader’s claim to consider systematically those problems arising from the various fields of science and life in the countless variety of interrelations and in their very different consequences.展开更多
We examined the population status, trend and distribution of Gerenuk, Fringe-eared Oryx and Lesser kudu in the Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya borderland after the 2007 to 2009 drought. The species were character...We examined the population status, trend and distribution of Gerenuk, Fringe-eared Oryx and Lesser kudu in the Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya borderland after the 2007 to 2009 drought. The species were characterized by low numbers and sparsely distributed in the borderland but were more prevalent and abundant in the Amboseli region. However, West Kilimanjaro had the highest positive change in density between 2010 and 2013 [Gerenuk = +1650.48 ± 1150.31, lesser kudu = +912.78 ± 487.63 and Fringe-eared Oryx = +366.65 ± 233.32]. Changes in density and composition varied seasonally among the different sectors of the borderland, with Gerenuk having the highest change in the Amboseli area during the wet season. Lesser kudu had the highest change in Amboseli and Kilimanjaro during the wet season while Fringe-eared Oryx had the highest change in the wet season in West Kilimanjaro area. Spatial distribution of the species varied seasonally and across different sectors of the borderland. In the dry season, Gerenuk exhibited a clumped distribution mainly in Amboseli National Park, and between Natron and West Kilimanjaro but in the wet season, it spread out more though higher concentrations were still found Amboseli and West Kilimanjaro. Lesser concentrated in mostly in West Kilimanjaro and Amboseli during the dry season but was widely dispersed during the wet season. Similarly, during the dry season, the Fringe-eared Oryx was confined in the Amboseli and West Kilimanjaro areas but during the wet season, it much more spread out with clusters in the Mbirikani area of the Amboseli region and a few places in Magadi, Natron and West Kilimanjaro. Management implications of the findings obtained in this study area here-in discussed.展开更多
The Maasai ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a the largest avian species in East Africa and though it’s not considered to be a species of conservation concern, some populations are on the decline and this is attributed t...The Maasai ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a the largest avian species in East Africa and though it’s not considered to be a species of conservation concern, some populations are on the decline and this is attributed to bush meat activities, predation on their eggs illegal consumption by humans, habitat destruction and forage competition with other large wildlife species. Climate change is also emerging to be another major threat due to interference with food availability which in turn interferes with the breeding rhythm. Thus, this study examined the population status, trend and distribution of the Maasai ostrich in the Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania borderland after the 2007 to 2009 drought. The results showed that the species was found across the entire borderland but the Amboseli region had the highest number and density of Maasai ostrich (726.00 ± 100.9;0.08 ± 0.01 ostriches per km<sup>2</sup>), followed by Lake Natron area (330.8 ± 69.8;0.05 ± 0.01 ostriches per km<sup>2</sup>) and the least was in West Kilimanjaro (85.5 ± 18.0;0.03 ± 0.01 ostriches per km<sup>2</sup>). Drought caused a decline in the population of the Maasai ostrich but the Amboseli area experienced the highest decline in density (?13.44 ± 12.61) compared to other borderland sectors. However, the populations increased in most sectors after the drought, and wet season numbers and densities were higher than the dry season. The highest positive increase in number and density was in Lake Natron area (+85.65 ± 91.06) followed by West Kilimanjaro (+68.39 ± 59.54), and the least was in the Magadi area (+22.26 ± 32.05). There is a need to enhance conservation of avian species like the Maasai ostrich other than just focusing on the charismatic species such as the African elephant and black rhino. We therefore recommend joint collaboration in monitoring all large wildlife populations across the Kenya-Tanzania borderland with a view of understanding their status, trend and best management actions that can enhance their conservation.展开更多
As scholars have begun the digitization of the word＇s cultural materials, the understanding of what is to be digitized and how that digitization occurs remains narrowly imagined, with a distinct bias toward North Ame...As scholars have begun the digitization of the word＇s cultural materials, the understanding of what is to be digitized and how that digitization occurs remains narrowly imagined, with a distinct bias toward North American and European notions of culture, value and ownership. Humanists are well aware that cultural knowledge, aesthetic value and copyright/ownership are not monolithic, yet digital humanities work often expects the replication of narrow ideas of such. Drawing on the growing body of scholarship that situates the digital humanities in a broad global context, this paper points to areas of tension within the field and posits ways that digital humanities practitioners might resist such moves to homogenize the field. Working within the framework of border studies, the paper considers how working across national barriers might further digital humanities work. Finally, ideas of ownership and/or copyright are unique to country of origin and, as such, deserve careful attention. While open access is appealing in many digital humanities pro- jects, it is not always appropriate, as work with indigenous cultural artifacts has revealed.展开更多
As our understanding of the Qing empire and its various borderlands has evolved, so too have we come to appreciate China＇s early modem commercial sophistication. In recent North American studies of the Qing, the link...As our understanding of the Qing empire and its various borderlands has evolved, so too have we come to appreciate China＇s early modem commercial sophistication. In recent North American studies of the Qing, the links between commerce and conquest have come under investigation, and we are increasingly urged to pay attention to merchants and merchant capital. But how should we understand the relationship between merchants and the Qing empire in the borderlands？ This article surveys selected work on the borderlands and commercialization, primarily in the Northwest and Southwest. The goal is to initiate a more comprehensive discussion of how to understand the intersection of commerce and empire while also making some suggestions for ways that borderlands history might shape future work on China.展开更多
This paper studies several travel accounts featuring transcultural and transnational experiences in the Yunnan-Burma borderlands where the British, Chinese, French and various indigenous peoples encountered each other...This paper studies several travel accounts featuring transcultural and transnational experiences in the Yunnan-Burma borderlands where the British, Chinese, French and various indigenous peoples encountered each other, including Yangwentun xiaoyin, an anonymous ＂ballad＂ circulated in late Qing and Republican Yunnan, Ai Wu＇s （1904-92） early fiction based upon his wanderings in Yunnan and Burma from 1925 to 1931, and Xiao Qian＇s （1910-99） utopian ＂travelogue＂ featuring a European couple＇s futuristic travel to the area. These writings illustrate the intersection of issues of nation, ethnicity, and gender, which are intertwined with the discourse of barbarism： On the one hand, their authors often express anxiety over threats to China＇s dominance in this area; on the other, frequently resorting to the discourse of barbarism, these accounts, tinged with Sino-centrism, often exoticize and barbarize other cultures, particularly indigenous groups. The eroticized and racialized female body constitutes a privileged site of representation in these writings： On the one hand, travel writings often make a distinction between Han Chinese women and indigenous women, treating the latter as exotic, seductive, dangerous, and/or primitive; on the other hand, as the need to build a strong, modernized multi-ethnic nation became increasingly urgent, Republican authors began to ＂universalize＂ the female body, Chinese or indigenous, treating both as threatened and exploited by the Western ＂newcomer,＂ and thus are （potential） allies sharing a nationalist, anti-imperialist cause.展开更多
The cognition of borderland landscape constitutes an important aspect of understanding the overall geographical order and its internal structure,and is also one of the important contents of the intellectual history of...The cognition of borderland landscape constitutes an important aspect of understanding the overall geographical order and its internal structure,and is also one of the important contents of the intellectual history of frontier thought.It can facilitate us to think about the geographical spatial correlation of the relations between Chinese borderland regions,and further form a comprehensive control of the spatiotemporal structure of a certain borderland region.As an important ecological transition zone in China,the Xilin Gol region of Inner Mongolia is surrounded by unique cultural-geographical landscapes,such as the source of the Luanhe River,Yuan Dadu ruins,Duolun Huizong Temple and etc.It constitutes an important entry point for us to understand the unique landscape across the trans-Great Wall zone,and thus to understand the spatiotemporal correlation of the Yuan-Ming-Qing dynasties,the Tianxia space as a whole and its contemporary symbolic significance.This paper will conduct a specific discussion and interpretation focusing on this main issue,so as to propose corresponding broader perspectives addressing the issue.展开更多
文摘At 4 pm,the first cinema in the Taxkorgan Tajik Autonomous County in Kashi Prefecture opened at the appointed time.The manager,He Xinyu,was prepared to welcome local filmgoers from various ethnic groups.Manager He can feel that for local residents,the cinema is more than a venue for entertainment-it is a space for connections and inspiration.“The cinema and these screening films,which screen simultaneously with those in other places,offer local residents a sense of belonging to a larger world and a fresh feeling of appreciating cultural products,which means a lot,”said He.
基金The Key Project of Chinese Natural Science Foundation under contract No.41330960the National Basic Research Program(973 Program)of China under contract No.2015CB953902+1 种基金the PhD Programs Foundation of Ministry of Education of China under contract No.20130132110021the National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.41706211
文摘This study presents an analysis of the CTD data and the turbulent microstructure data collected in 2014, the turbulent mixing environment above the Atlantic Water（AW） around the Chukchi Borderland region is studied.Surface wind becomes more efficient in driving the upper ocean movement along with the rapid decline of sea ice,thus results in a more restless interior of the Arctic Ocean. The turbulent dissipation rate is in the range of4.60×10–10（–3.31×10–9 W/kg with a mean value of 1.33×10–9 W/kg, while the diapycnal diffusivity is in the range of1.45×10–6–1.46×10–5m2/s with a mean value of 4.84×10–6 m2/s in 200–300 m（above the AW）. After investigating on the traditional factors（i.e., wind, topography and tides） that may contribute to the turbulent dissipation rate, the results show that the tidal kinetic energy plays a dominating role in the vertical mixing above the AW. Besides, the swing of the Beaufort Gyre（BG） has an impact on the vertical shear of the geostrophic current and may contribute to the regional difference of turbulent mixing. The parameterized method for the double-diffusive convection flux above the AW is validated by the direct turbulent microstructure results.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.41076131the Youth Marine Science Foundation of State Oceanic Administration under contract No.2011104+3 种基金the Public Science and Technology Research Funds Projects of Ocean under contract No.201105022the Chinese Polar Environment Comprehensive Investigation and Assessment Program under contract No.CHINARE2012-02-01the National High-Tech Research and Development Program of China under contract No.2012AA021706supports for SH Lee were provided by grants for the Polar Academic Program(PAP)and Korea Polar Research Institute(KOPRI)under contract No.PM11080
文摘Planktonic bacteria are abundant in the Chukchi Borderland region. However, little is known about their di- versity and the roles of various bacteria in the ocean. Seawater samples were collected from two stations K2S and K4S where sea ice was melting obviously. The analysis of water samples with fluorescence in situ hybridization （FISH） showed that DMSP-degrading bacteria accounted for 13% of the total bacteria at the station K2S. No aerobic anoxygenic phototrophic （AAP） bacteria were detected in both samples. The bacterial communities were characterized by two 16S rRNA gene clone libraries. Sequences fell into four major lineages of the domain Bacteria, including Proteobacteria （Alpha, Beta and Gamma subclasses）, Bac- teroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. No significant difference was found between the two clone li- braries. SAR11 and Rhodobacteraceae clades of Alphaproteobacteria and Pseudoalteromonas of Gammapro- teobacteria constituted three dominant fractions in the clone libraries. A total of 191 heterotrophic bacterial strains were isolated and 76% showed extracellular proteolytic activity. Phylogenetic analysis reveals that the isolates fell into Gammaproteobacteria, Bacteroidetes, Actinobacteria and Firmicutes. The most common genus in both the bacterial isolates and protease-producing bacteria was Pseudoalteromonas. UniFrac data showed suggestive differences in bacterial communities between the Chukchi Borderland and the northern Bering Sea.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract No.41976079the Chinese Polar Environment Comprehensive Investigation and Assessment Programmes under contract No.CHINARE-03-03。
文摘A series of sub-parallel linear glacial scours are identified on the crest of the Baoshi Seamount in the Northwind Abyssal Plain by compiling new multibeam data acquired during the 9 th Chinese Arctic Research Expedition(CHINARE-Arc9)in 2018 and previously published data.The new data reveal scours that developed at water depths of 850–1030 m with an orientation of about 75°/255°.The maximum water depth occurs in the southernmost scour and is deeper than that from previous investigations,which showed a maximum scouring depth of about 900 m on the seamount.The topographic and geomorphological characteristics suggest that these scours resulted from erosion by the ice shelf extending from the Chukchi margin and/or Laurentide Ice Sheet that grounded on the crest of the seamount and moved in a NE–SW direction.Other possibilities of their genesis include armadas of large icebergs/multi-keel icebergs calved from the Chukchi Shelf or the Laurentide Ice Sheet.The new data provide new constraints for assessing the extent and volume of the ice sheet in the Chukchi area during glacial maxima.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40471047 No.40871033The Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, No.KZCX2-YW-315
文摘More than 240 items of historical records containing climatic information were retrieved from official historical books, local chronicles, annals and regional meteorological disaster yearbooks. By using moisture index and flood/drought （F/D） index obtained from the above information, the historical climate change, namely wet-dry conditions in borderland of Shaanxi Province, Gansu Province and Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region （BSGN, mainly included Ningxialu, Hezhoulu, Gongchanglu, Fengyuanlu and Yan＇anlu in the Yuan Dynasty） was studied. The results showed that the climate of the region was generally dry and the ratio between drought and flood disasters was 85/38 during the period of 1208-1369. According to the frequencies of drought-flood disasters, the whole period could be divided into three phases. （1） 1208-1240： drought dominated the phase with occasional flood disasters. （2） 1240-1320： long-time drought disasters and extreme drought events happened frequently. （3） 1320-1369： drought disasters were less severe when flood and drought disasters happened alternately. Besides, the reconstructed wet-dry change curve revealed obvious transition and periodicity in the MongoI-Yuan Period. The transitions occurred in 1230 and 1325. The wet-dry change revealed 10- and 23-year quasi-periods which were consistent with solar cycles, indicating that solar activity had affected the wet-dry conditions of the study region in the Mongol-Yuan Period. The reconstructed results were consistent with two other study results reconstructed from natural evidences, and were similar to another study results from historical documents. All the above results showed that the climate in BSGN was characterized by long-time dry condition with frequent severe drought disasters during 1258 to 1308. Thus, these aspects of climatic change, might have profound impacts on local vegetation and socio-economic system.
文摘Among the nine sub-species of giraffes, the Maasai giraffe is the most widespread and common in Northern and Southern Kenya. Although it’s considered by the IUCN to be a species of no conservation concern, they have been reported to have declined in some of their range areas mostly due to bush meat activities, habitat fragmentation and loss. There are also concerns recent climatic changes especially prevalence of droughts is increasingly becoming another threat to their survival. In this regard, this study examined the status and trend of the Maasai giraffe in the Kenya-Tanzania border after the 2007 to 2009 drought. Amboseli had the highest giraffe number (averaging 2, 062.5 ± 534.7 giraffes), followed by a distant Lake Natron area (725.8 ± 129.4 giraffes), Magadi/Namanga (669.5 ± 198.0 giraffes), and lastly West Kilimanjaro area (236.5 ± 47.8 giraffes). Further, the proportion of giraffes were highest in Amboseli (55.09% ± 5.65%) followed by Lake Natron area (20.98% ± 3.42%), Magadi/Namanga area (16.35% ± 3.83%), and lastly West Kilimanjaro (7.58% ± 2.12%). But in terms of population growth after droughts, giraffe had positive growth in all locations in the borderland, with Magadi leading (+339.82 ± 329.99) followed Lake Natron area (+37.62 ± 83.27), Amboseli area (+38.11 ± 7.09), and lastly West Kilimanjaro (+3.21 ± 57.95.27). Their wet season population and density was much higher than that of the dry season. However, though the species was widely spread in the borderland, they seemed to avoid the region between Lake Magadi and Amboseli which is traversed by the Nairobi-Namanga highway both in wet and dry season. There is a need to develop a collaborative management framework for cross-border conservation to enhance their protection, conservation and genetic linkage.
文摘Even though over many years the IUCN has considered the African buffalo and waterbuck and abundant species in Africa with no conservation concern, the situation is rapidly changing. Using aerial counts in wet and dry season in 2010 and 2013, this study assessed the trend, population status and distribution of the African buffalo and common waterbuck in the Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya borderland. Both species were rare in the borderland, with the Amboseli region had the highest number of buffalo (241.5 ± 29.9), followed by Magadi/Namanga (58.0 ± 22.0), West Kilimanjaro (38.8 ± 34.9), and lastly Lake Natron (14.5 ± 9.0) areas. In terms of density, Amboseli also led with 0.03 ± 0.00 (buffalo per km2), but rest had similar densities of 0.01 ± 0.00 buffalo per km2. In terms of percent changes in buffalo, Amboseli area had a positive increase (+10.59 ± 27.71), but with a negative growth of -17.12 in the dry season. All other changes in all locations had negative (decline) buffalo numbers over time. For waterbuck numbers, Amboseli area also led with 12.3 ± 3.9 waterbuck), followed by Magadi/Namanga (10.3 ± 3.7.0), Lake Natron (3.8 ± 3.4), and lastly West Kilimanjaro (0.5 ± 0.5) areas. In terms of waterbuck density, they were low and less than 0.00 ± 0.00 per km2. For percent changes in waterbuck numbers, Magadi/Namanga had higher positive change (+458.33 ± 291.67), but all other locations had negative (decline) changes with the worst being West Kilimanjaro and Lake Natron areas. Further, buffalo number was dependent (p = 0.008) on the season, with numbers being higher in the wet season than dry season. For waterbuck, numbers were independent (p = 0.72) of the season, with numbers being similar across seasons. The findings of this study showed that both species were negatively affected by drought. We recommend a constant joint monitoring program between Kenya and Tanzania, and jointly combat poaching, habitat fragmentation and encroachment to build viable populations in the borderland.
文摘In the latter decades,biomathematics played an important role in life sciences.Today,a great variety of biomathematical methods are applied in biology and medicine.Practically every mathematical procedure that is useful in physics,chemistry,engineering,and economics has also found an important application in the life sciences.At present,many life scientists are really interested in going deeply into biomathematics.Any attempt to apply biomathematics to the life systems involves three stages.Firstly,we observe the phenomena and formulate a biomathematical description in the form of a differential equation,algebraic equation,statistic comparison or whatever.We then temporarily forget the real life system and use biomathematical reasoning to solve the equation.This stage may involve inventing new biomathematics or extending what exists.Finally,we return to the real life system and interpret this solution in terms of reality;this interpretation may require experimental testing.Commonly,the most difficult stage is the first one;this is certainly so in biology and medicine at present we hardly know enough about the“laws”governing the components of life systems to write down their appropriate relationships with confidence.
文摘Biophysics as an immense spectrum comprehended by one of the most commonly applied borderland mental process embracing from the nature,through living systems up to spiritual processes brings it along inevitable that the reader will join issue here and there with the deductions of this book but in actual fact it was just one of the goals of this work.To get hold of the biophysical view is not an easy task,because it applies mathematical apparatus to biological systems;on the other hand as a reward it guides to fascinating results,recognizing theoretically which conformity of rules are valid on principle in the Universe in the inanimate-living-spiritual triple system from the lowest to the highest organizational level.In this way one can make up the reader’s claim to consider systematically those problems arising from the various fields of science and life in the countless variety of interrelations and in their very different consequences.
文摘We examined the population status, trend and distribution of Gerenuk, Fringe-eared Oryx and Lesser kudu in the Northern Tanzania and Southern Kenya borderland after the 2007 to 2009 drought. The species were characterized by low numbers and sparsely distributed in the borderland but were more prevalent and abundant in the Amboseli region. However, West Kilimanjaro had the highest positive change in density between 2010 and 2013 [Gerenuk = +1650.48 ± 1150.31, lesser kudu = +912.78 ± 487.63 and Fringe-eared Oryx = +366.65 ± 233.32]. Changes in density and composition varied seasonally among the different sectors of the borderland, with Gerenuk having the highest change in the Amboseli area during the wet season. Lesser kudu had the highest change in Amboseli and Kilimanjaro during the wet season while Fringe-eared Oryx had the highest change in the wet season in West Kilimanjaro area. Spatial distribution of the species varied seasonally and across different sectors of the borderland. In the dry season, Gerenuk exhibited a clumped distribution mainly in Amboseli National Park, and between Natron and West Kilimanjaro but in the wet season, it spread out more though higher concentrations were still found Amboseli and West Kilimanjaro. Lesser concentrated in mostly in West Kilimanjaro and Amboseli during the dry season but was widely dispersed during the wet season. Similarly, during the dry season, the Fringe-eared Oryx was confined in the Amboseli and West Kilimanjaro areas but during the wet season, it much more spread out with clusters in the Mbirikani area of the Amboseli region and a few places in Magadi, Natron and West Kilimanjaro. Management implications of the findings obtained in this study area here-in discussed.
文摘The Maasai ostrich (Struthio camelus) is a the largest avian species in East Africa and though it’s not considered to be a species of conservation concern, some populations are on the decline and this is attributed to bush meat activities, predation on their eggs illegal consumption by humans, habitat destruction and forage competition with other large wildlife species. Climate change is also emerging to be another major threat due to interference with food availability which in turn interferes with the breeding rhythm. Thus, this study examined the population status, trend and distribution of the Maasai ostrich in the Southern Kenya and Northern Tanzania borderland after the 2007 to 2009 drought. The results showed that the species was found across the entire borderland but the Amboseli region had the highest number and density of Maasai ostrich (726.00 ± 100.9;0.08 ± 0.01 ostriches per km<sup>2</sup>), followed by Lake Natron area (330.8 ± 69.8;0.05 ± 0.01 ostriches per km<sup>2</sup>) and the least was in West Kilimanjaro (85.5 ± 18.0;0.03 ± 0.01 ostriches per km<sup>2</sup>). Drought caused a decline in the population of the Maasai ostrich but the Amboseli area experienced the highest decline in density (?13.44 ± 12.61) compared to other borderland sectors. However, the populations increased in most sectors after the drought, and wet season numbers and densities were higher than the dry season. The highest positive increase in number and density was in Lake Natron area (+85.65 ± 91.06) followed by West Kilimanjaro (+68.39 ± 59.54), and the least was in the Magadi area (+22.26 ± 32.05). There is a need to enhance conservation of avian species like the Maasai ostrich other than just focusing on the charismatic species such as the African elephant and black rhino. We therefore recommend joint collaboration in monitoring all large wildlife populations across the Kenya-Tanzania borderland with a view of understanding their status, trend and best management actions that can enhance their conservation.
文摘As scholars have begun the digitization of the word＇s cultural materials, the understanding of what is to be digitized and how that digitization occurs remains narrowly imagined, with a distinct bias toward North American and European notions of culture, value and ownership. Humanists are well aware that cultural knowledge, aesthetic value and copyright/ownership are not monolithic, yet digital humanities work often expects the replication of narrow ideas of such. Drawing on the growing body of scholarship that situates the digital humanities in a broad global context, this paper points to areas of tension within the field and posits ways that digital humanities practitioners might resist such moves to homogenize the field. Working within the framework of border studies, the paper considers how working across national barriers might further digital humanities work. Finally, ideas of ownership and/or copyright are unique to country of origin and, as such, deserve careful attention. While open access is appealing in many digital humanities pro- jects, it is not always appropriate, as work with indigenous cultural artifacts has revealed.
文摘As our understanding of the Qing empire and its various borderlands has evolved, so too have we come to appreciate China＇s early modem commercial sophistication. In recent North American studies of the Qing, the links between commerce and conquest have come under investigation, and we are increasingly urged to pay attention to merchants and merchant capital. But how should we understand the relationship between merchants and the Qing empire in the borderlands？ This article surveys selected work on the borderlands and commercialization, primarily in the Northwest and Southwest. The goal is to initiate a more comprehensive discussion of how to understand the intersection of commerce and empire while also making some suggestions for ways that borderlands history might shape future work on China.
文摘This paper studies several travel accounts featuring transcultural and transnational experiences in the Yunnan-Burma borderlands where the British, Chinese, French and various indigenous peoples encountered each other, including Yangwentun xiaoyin, an anonymous ＂ballad＂ circulated in late Qing and Republican Yunnan, Ai Wu＇s （1904-92） early fiction based upon his wanderings in Yunnan and Burma from 1925 to 1931, and Xiao Qian＇s （1910-99） utopian ＂travelogue＂ featuring a European couple＇s futuristic travel to the area. These writings illustrate the intersection of issues of nation, ethnicity, and gender, which are intertwined with the discourse of barbarism： On the one hand, their authors often express anxiety over threats to China＇s dominance in this area; on the other, frequently resorting to the discourse of barbarism, these accounts, tinged with Sino-centrism, often exoticize and barbarize other cultures, particularly indigenous groups. The eroticized and racialized female body constitutes a privileged site of representation in these writings： On the one hand, travel writings often make a distinction between Han Chinese women and indigenous women, treating the latter as exotic, seductive, dangerous, and/or primitive; on the other hand, as the need to build a strong, modernized multi-ethnic nation became increasingly urgent, Republican authors began to ＂universalize＂ the female body, Chinese or indigenous, treating both as threatened and exploited by the Western ＂newcomer,＂ and thus are （potential） allies sharing a nationalist, anti-imperialist cause.
文摘The cognition of borderland landscape constitutes an important aspect of understanding the overall geographical order and its internal structure,and is also one of the important contents of the intellectual history of frontier thought.It can facilitate us to think about the geographical spatial correlation of the relations between Chinese borderland regions,and further form a comprehensive control of the spatiotemporal structure of a certain borderland region.As an important ecological transition zone in China,the Xilin Gol region of Inner Mongolia is surrounded by unique cultural-geographical landscapes,such as the source of the Luanhe River,Yuan Dadu ruins,Duolun Huizong Temple and etc.It constitutes an important entry point for us to understand the unique landscape across the trans-Great Wall zone,and thus to understand the spatiotemporal correlation of the Yuan-Ming-Qing dynasties,the Tianxia space as a whole and its contemporary symbolic significance.This paper will conduct a specific discussion and interpretation focusing on this main issue,so as to propose corresponding broader perspectives addressing the issue.
