Data are the backbone of science.This paper describes the construction of a complex database for social-ecological analysis in Mongolia.Funded through the National Science Foundation(NSF)Dynamics of Coupled Natural an...Data are the backbone of science.This paper describes the construction of a complex database for social-ecological analysis in Mongolia.Funded through the National Science Foundation(NSF)Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human(CNH)Systems program,the Mongolian Rangelands and Resilience(MOR2)project focused on Mongolian pastoral systems,community adaptive capacity,and vulnerability to climate change.We examine the development of a complex,multi-disciplinary research database of data collected over a three-year period,both in the field and from other sources.This data set captures multiple types of data:ecological,hydrological and social science surveys;remotely-sensed data,participatory mapping,local documents,and scholarly literature.The content,structure,and organization of the database,development of data protocols and issues related to data access,sharing and long-term storage are described.We conclude with recommendations for long-term data management and curation from large multidisciplinary research projects.展开更多
Understanding the rate of snowmelt helps inform how water stored as snow will transform into streamflow. Data from 87 snow telemetry （SNOTEL） stations across the Southern Rocky Mountains were used to estimate spatio...Understanding the rate of snowmelt helps inform how water stored as snow will transform into streamflow. Data from 87 snow telemetry （SNOTEL） stations across the Southern Rocky Mountains were used to estimate spatio-temporal melt factors. Decreases in snow water equivalent were correlated to temperature at these monitoring stations for eight half-month periods from early March through late June. Time explained 70% of the variance in the computed snow melt factors. A residual linear correlation model was used to explain subsequent spatial variability. Longitude, slope, and land cover type explained further variance. For evergreen trees, canopy density was relevant to find enhanced melt rates; while for all other land cover types, denoted as non- evergreen, lower melt rates were found at high elevation, high latitude and north facing slopes, denoting that in cold environments melting is less effective than in milder sites. A change in the temperature sensor about mid-way through the time series （1990 to 2013） created a discontinuity in the temperature dataset. An adjustment to the time series yield larger computed melt factors.展开更多
Collaborative work on increasingly complex hydroclimatic investigations often crosses disciplinary boundaries. Elements of scientific inquiry, such as data or the results of analyses can become objectified, or capable...Collaborative work on increasingly complex hydroclimatic investigations often crosses disciplinary boundaries. Elements of scientific inquiry, such as data or the results of analyses can become objectified, or capable of being adopted and/or adapted by users from multiple disciplinary realms. These objects often provide a bridge for collaborative endeavors, or are used as tools by individuals pursuing multi-disciplinary work. Boundary object terminology was first formalized and applied by social scientists. However, few examples of the application of this useful framework are found in the hydrologic literature. The construct is applied here to identify and discuss how common researcb products and processes are used both internally and externally through providing examples from a project examining the historical and paleo proxy-based hydroclimatology of a headwaters region of Mongolia. The boundary object concept is valuable to consider when conducting and critiquing basic research, collaborating across multiple disciplinary teams as when studying climate change issues, as an individual researcher working in a cross boundary sense using methods from differing disciplines to answer questions, and/or when one group adapts the work of another to their own research problems or interpretive needs, as occurred with selected products of this project.展开更多
Around the world human communities and natural ecosystems both rely on headwater regions for vital resources. Resources provided include groundwater sto- rage （Flint et al., 2008; Clilverd et al., 2011; Cao et al., 2...Around the world human communities and natural ecosystems both rely on headwater regions for vital resources. Resources provided include groundwater sto- rage （Flint et al., 2008; Clilverd et al., 2011; Cao et al., 2012） in addition to soil moisture and forest ecosystem dynamics （McNamara et al., 2005; Williams et al., 2009; Jencso and McGlynn, 2011; Smith et al., 2011; Harpold et al., 2015; Webb et al., 2015）. Furthermore these regions are ecologically vital zones （Schlosser, 1995; Lowe and Likens, 2005） that impact downstream water quality （Peterson et al., 2001; Alexander et al., 2007）.展开更多
The snowpack is changing across the globe,as the climate warms and changes.We used daily snow water equivalent(SWE)niveograph(time series of SWE)data from 458 snow telemetry(SNOTEL)stations for the period 1982 through...The snowpack is changing across the globe,as the climate warms and changes.We used daily snow water equivalent(SWE)niveograph(time series of SWE)data from 458 snow telemetry(SNOTEL)stations for the period 1982 through 2012.Nineteen indices based on amount,timing,time length,and rates were used to describe the annual temporal evolution in SWE accumulation and ablation.The trends in these annual indices were computed over the time period for each station using the Theil-Sen slope.These trends were then clustered into four groups to determine the spatial pattern of SWE trends.Temperature and precipitation data were extracted from the PRISM data set,due to the shorter time period of temperature measurement at the SNOTEL stations.Results show that SNOTEL stations can be clustered in four clusters according to the observed trends in snow indices.Cluster 1 stations are mostly located in the Eastern-and South-eastern most parts of the study area and they exhibit a generalized decrease in the indices related with peak SWE and snow accumulation.Those stations recorded a negative trend in precipitation and an increase in temperature.Cluster 4 that is mostly restricted to the North and North-west of the study area shows an almost opposite pattern to cluster 1,due to months with positive trends and a more moderate increase of temperature.Stations grouped in clusters 2 and 3 appear mixed with clusters 1 and 4,in general they show very little trends in the snow indices.展开更多
1 Introduction As the human population grows,the livelihoods and well-being of a significant portion of humanity will depend even more on the ability of freshwater ecosystems to provide essential services(Vör...1 Introduction As the human population grows,the livelihoods and well-being of a significant portion of humanity will depend even more on the ability of freshwater ecosystems to provide essential services(Vörösmarty et al.,2010),which will require the maintenance of biodiversity in these freshwater systems(Dudgeon et al.,2006).There are many competing demands on the available water resources,such as potable water,fish and wildlife habitat,agriculture,industrial use,and recreation,that are driven by different sectors;even within a specific sector there can be diverging interests.For example,water management of the Upper Arkansas River in Colorado has been mandated by the 1949 Arkansas River Compact between the US states of Colorado and Kansas which has led to stream-aquifer issues(Taylor and Luckey,1974),water transfers from agriculture to urban(Howe et al.,1990),and competing recreational uses(Wollmuth et al.,1985;Arkansas Basin Roundtable,2017).The recent Upper Arkansas Voluntary Flow Management Program tries to balance many users,including recreation by kayakers and rafters who want to maintain streamflow(at the Wellsville gauge)at or greater than 20 m3/s as well as anglers who want lower flows in the range of 7 to 11 m3/s to maintain fish habitat(Arkansas Basin Roundtable,2017).展开更多
In semi-arid regions,air temperatures have increased in the last decades more than in many other parts of the world.Mongolia has an arid/semi-arid climate and much of the population are herders whose livelihoods depen...In semi-arid regions,air temperatures have increased in the last decades more than in many other parts of the world.Mongolia has an arid/semi-arid climate and much of the population are herders whose livelihoods depend upon limited water resources that fluctuate with a variable climate.Herders were surveyed to identify their observations of changes in climate extremes for two soums of central Mongolia,Ikh-Tamir in the forest steppe north of the Khangai Mountains and Jinst in the desert steppe south of the mountains.The herders’indigenous knowledge of changes in climate extremes mostly aligned with the station-based analyses of change.Temperatures were warming with more warm days and nights at all stations.There were fewer cool days and nights observed at the mountain stations both in the summer and winter,yet more cool days and nights were observed in the winter at the desert steppe station.The number of summer days is increasing while the number of frost days is decreasing at all stations.The results of this study support further use of local knowledge and meteorological observations to provide more holistic analysis of climate change in different regions of the world.展开更多
基金supported by funds form the NSF Dynamics of Coupled and Human Systems(CNH)Program award BCS-1011801,The World Bank,USAID,American Association of University Women,Open Society Institute,Center for Collaborative Conservation,Colorado State University.
文摘Data are the backbone of science.This paper describes the construction of a complex database for social-ecological analysis in Mongolia.Funded through the National Science Foundation(NSF)Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human(CNH)Systems program,the Mongolian Rangelands and Resilience(MOR2)project focused on Mongolian pastoral systems,community adaptive capacity,and vulnerability to climate change.We examine the development of a complex,multi-disciplinary research database of data collected over a three-year period,both in the field and from other sources.This data set captures multiple types of data:ecological,hydrological and social science surveys;remotely-sensed data,participatory mapping,local documents,and scholarly literature.The content,structure,and organization of the database,development of data protocols and issues related to data access,sharing and long-term storage are described.We conclude with recommendations for long-term data management and curation from large multidisciplinary research projects.
文摘Understanding the rate of snowmelt helps inform how water stored as snow will transform into streamflow. Data from 87 snow telemetry （SNOTEL） stations across the Southern Rocky Mountains were used to estimate spatio-temporal melt factors. Decreases in snow water equivalent were correlated to temperature at these monitoring stations for eight half-month periods from early March through late June. Time explained 70% of the variance in the computed snow melt factors. A residual linear correlation model was used to explain subsequent spatial variability. Longitude, slope, and land cover type explained further variance. For evergreen trees, canopy density was relevant to find enhanced melt rates; while for all other land cover types, denoted as non- evergreen, lower melt rates were found at high elevation, high latitude and north facing slopes, denoting that in cold environments melting is less effective than in milder sites. A change in the temperature sensor about mid-way through the time series （1990 to 2013） created a discontinuity in the temperature dataset. An adjustment to the time series yield larger computed melt factors.
文摘Collaborative work on increasingly complex hydroclimatic investigations often crosses disciplinary boundaries. Elements of scientific inquiry, such as data or the results of analyses can become objectified, or capable of being adopted and/or adapted by users from multiple disciplinary realms. These objects often provide a bridge for collaborative endeavors, or are used as tools by individuals pursuing multi-disciplinary work. Boundary object terminology was first formalized and applied by social scientists. However, few examples of the application of this useful framework are found in the hydrologic literature. The construct is applied here to identify and discuss how common researcb products and processes are used both internally and externally through providing examples from a project examining the historical and paleo proxy-based hydroclimatology of a headwaters region of Mongolia. The boundary object concept is valuable to consider when conducting and critiquing basic research, collaborating across multiple disciplinary teams as when studying climate change issues, as an individual researcher working in a cross boundary sense using methods from differing disciplines to answer questions, and/or when one group adapts the work of another to their own research problems or interpretive needs, as occurred with selected products of this project.
文摘Around the world human communities and natural ecosystems both rely on headwater regions for vital resources. Resources provided include groundwater sto- rage （Flint et al., 2008; Clilverd et al., 2011; Cao et al., 2012） in addition to soil moisture and forest ecosystem dynamics （McNamara et al., 2005; Williams et al., 2009; Jencso and McGlynn, 2011; Smith et al., 2011; Harpold et al., 2015; Webb et al., 2015）. Furthermore these regions are ecologically vital zones （Schlosser, 1995; Lowe and Likens, 2005） that impact downstream water quality （Peterson et al., 2001; Alexander et al., 2007）.
基金Funding for this work was provided by the NASA Terrestrial Hydrology Program Project NNX11AQ66G“Improved Characterization of Snow Depth in Complex Terrain Using Satellite Lidar Altimetry”(Principal Investigator Dr.Michael Jasinski from NASA-Goddard Space Flight Center)
文摘The snowpack is changing across the globe,as the climate warms and changes.We used daily snow water equivalent(SWE)niveograph(time series of SWE)data from 458 snow telemetry(SNOTEL)stations for the period 1982 through 2012.Nineteen indices based on amount,timing,time length,and rates were used to describe the annual temporal evolution in SWE accumulation and ablation.The trends in these annual indices were computed over the time period for each station using the Theil-Sen slope.These trends were then clustered into four groups to determine the spatial pattern of SWE trends.Temperature and precipitation data were extracted from the PRISM data set,due to the shorter time period of temperature measurement at the SNOTEL stations.Results show that SNOTEL stations can be clustered in four clusters according to the observed trends in snow indices.Cluster 1 stations are mostly located in the Eastern-and South-eastern most parts of the study area and they exhibit a generalized decrease in the indices related with peak SWE and snow accumulation.Those stations recorded a negative trend in precipitation and an increase in temperature.Cluster 4 that is mostly restricted to the North and North-west of the study area shows an almost opposite pattern to cluster 1,due to months with positive trends and a more moderate increase of temperature.Stations grouped in clusters 2 and 3 appear mixed with clusters 1 and 4,in general they show very little trends in the snow indices.
文摘1 Introduction As the human population grows,the livelihoods and well-being of a significant portion of humanity will depend even more on the ability of freshwater ecosystems to provide essential services(Vörösmarty et al.,2010),which will require the maintenance of biodiversity in these freshwater systems(Dudgeon et al.,2006).There are many competing demands on the available water resources,such as potable water,fish and wildlife habitat,agriculture,industrial use,and recreation,that are driven by different sectors;even within a specific sector there can be diverging interests.For example,water management of the Upper Arkansas River in Colorado has been mandated by the 1949 Arkansas River Compact between the US states of Colorado and Kansas which has led to stream-aquifer issues(Taylor and Luckey,1974),water transfers from agriculture to urban(Howe et al.,1990),and competing recreational uses(Wollmuth et al.,1985;Arkansas Basin Roundtable,2017).The recent Upper Arkansas Voluntary Flow Management Program tries to balance many users,including recreation by kayakers and rafters who want to maintain streamflow(at the Wellsville gauge)at or greater than 20 m3/s as well as anglers who want lower flows in the range of 7 to 11 m3/s to maintain fish habitat(Arkansas Basin Roundtable,2017).
基金the National Science Foundation Dynamics of Coupled Natural and Human Systems(CNH)Program(award BCS-1011801 entitled Does Community-Based Rangeland Ecosystem Management Increase Coupled Systems'Resilience to Climate Change in Mongolia?).
文摘In semi-arid regions,air temperatures have increased in the last decades more than in many other parts of the world.Mongolia has an arid/semi-arid climate and much of the population are herders whose livelihoods depend upon limited water resources that fluctuate with a variable climate.Herders were surveyed to identify their observations of changes in climate extremes for two soums of central Mongolia,Ikh-Tamir in the forest steppe north of the Khangai Mountains and Jinst in the desert steppe south of the mountains.The herders’indigenous knowledge of changes in climate extremes mostly aligned with the station-based analyses of change.Temperatures were warming with more warm days and nights at all stations.There were fewer cool days and nights observed at the mountain stations both in the summer and winter,yet more cool days and nights were observed in the winter at the desert steppe station.The number of summer days is increasing while the number of frost days is decreasing at all stations.The results of this study support further use of local knowledge and meteorological observations to provide more holistic analysis of climate change in different regions of the world.
