Sandy soils in arid,rain-fed environments have low and limited water content,which is a principal factor limiting vegetation development,and a key constraint controlling the structure and functions of the ecological s...Sandy soils in arid,rain-fed environments have low and limited water content,which is a principal factor limiting vegetation development,and a key constraint controlling the structure and functions of the ecological systems in arid areas.The spatial heterogeneity of soil water content is a major soil property,and a focus of soil science and hydrology.On the southern edge of the Tengger Desert,sample plots were selected from mobile sand dunes in desertified lands that had been enclosed for 5,15 and 25 years,respectively.This study explored the dynamic and spatial heterogeneity of soil water content in these different layers of soil that were also in the reversion process of desertification.The results showed that the soil water content of the mobile sand dunes was highest when in the initial stages of the reversion process of desertification,while the soil water content in the 0-20 cm,20-40 cm and 40-60 cm layers of soil was 1.769%,3.011%,and 2.967% respectively,presenting a restoring tendency after 25 years of enclosure.There were significant differences,as a whole,in the soil water content among different restoration stages and different soil layers,respectively.Changes in soil water content,in different soil layers,at different restoration stages,exhibited exponential or spherical patterns.The spatial distribution of soil water content exhibited a mosaic patch pattern with obvious spatial heterogeneity.The ratio of the heterogeneity of spatial autocorrelation to gross spatial heterogeneity was greater than 50%.The gross spatial heterogeneity of the 0-20 cm layer of soil improved gradually,while those of the 20-40 cm and 40-60 cm layers improved initially,then weakened in the reversion process of desertification.This study revealed that restoration with sand-binding vegetation reduced soil water content,and increased its spatial heterogeneity in arid areas.However,after 25 years of vegetation-soil system restoration,the soil water content started to increase and its spatial heterogeneity started to weaken.These results will further benefit the understanding of the ecological mechanism between soil water and sand-binding vegetation.展开更多
The embankment and bridge are the basic forms of railway lines.To date,no reports have addressed the optimal form to adopt when passing through sandy areas.Therefore,models of railway embankment and bridge were create...The embankment and bridge are the basic forms of railway lines.To date,no reports have addressed the optimal form to adopt when passing through sandy areas.Therefore,models of railway embankment and bridge were created,and wind tunnel experiments were conducted to compare the differences in wind speed,flow field,sand transport rate,and other wind–sand environmental effects of railway embankment and bridge.Results show that wind speed reduction areas in the upwind and downwind directions were observed for the railway embankment and bridge.In these areas,the extent and degree of wind speed reduction on the embankment were greater than those on the bridge.At the top of the embankment,especially on the windward slope shoulder,an obvious area of wind speed increase was observed.Similarly,a distinct area of wind speed increase was found between the top of the windward side slope shoulder and 3H downwind of the bridge.Within these regions,the range of wind speed increase on the embankment was smaller than that on the bridge,but the degree of increase was greater than that on the bridge.The range of variation in wind speed on the embankment was generally greater than that on the bridge.The wind–sand flow field around the embankment exhibited greater variability than that around the bridge.Moreover,higher wind–sand flow passage rates on the embankment than on the bridge.This study aims to offer recommendations to assist in the route selection,surveying,and design of railways in sandy regions.展开更多
The use of living mulch in orchards is a widely accepted management strategy for improving soil quality and enhancing tree productivity.Although the effects of living mulch on soil organic carbon(C)and nutrients have ...The use of living mulch in orchards is a widely accepted management strategy for improving soil quality and enhancing tree productivity.Although the effects of living mulch on soil organic carbon(C)and nutrients have been previously investigated,changes in the stoichiometric ratios of C,soil total nitrogen(N),and soil total phosphorous(P)under different climatic,edaphic,and biotic conditions are currently unknown.These factors are important indicators of elemental balance associated with ecological interactions.In order to examine the effects of living mulch in orchards on soil C:N:P stoichiometry under different conditions,a meta-analysis was undertaken.The results showed that in general,living mulch significantly(P<0.05)increased C:P and N:P ratio,while the impact on C:N ratio was not significant,a result that was related to the coupled increase of C and N.Phosphorous limitation occurred shortly after the addition of living mulch;after four years this effect receded.In contrast,an increase in C occurred simultaneously with N increase at all stages.Specifically,the treatment effect was context-dependent.The living mulch did not change soil stoichiometry in orchards with old trees(>10 years),an occurrence which may be related to changes in the amount of fungi.Grass life history also had a significant influence on the treatment effect on soil stoichiometry,while N-fixing characteristics did not.The treatment effect was significant in areas with moderate mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation,which might be related to the litter ratio of grass and trees.Effects on stoichiometric ratios were significant in the top soil layer(0–20 cm),in contrast to the deep soil layers.Therefore,grass species and management practices,such as fertilization,should be selected according to the specific soil and climatic conditions of the management area.展开更多
Large areas of Artemisia ordosica Krasch., Caragana korshinskii Kom., and Caragana intermedia Kuang and H. C. Fu plantations were established on moving sand dunes in the Gonghe Basin （northeastern Tibetan Plateau） f...Large areas of Artemisia ordosica Krasch., Caragana korshinskii Kom., and Caragana intermedia Kuang and H. C. Fu plantations were established on moving sand dunes in the Gonghe Basin （northeastern Tibetan Plateau） for vegetation restoration. Elevating our understanding of the changes in soil characteristics after the establishment of different plantation types can be useful in the context of combating deserdfication. To assess the effects of these plantation types on the restoration of sandy land, we measured soil physical-chemical properties at four depths （0-5, 5-10, 10-20, and 20-50 cm） in each of the three plantation types and also in non-vegetated moving sand dunes （as control sites）. Generally, the establishment of A. ordosica, C korshinskii and C intermedia plantations on sand dunes has greatly ameliorated soil quality in the Gonghe Basin. Specifically, relative to the moving sand dunes, shrub plantation has increased the silt and clay contents, total porosity and water holding capacity, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium contents. The calculated soil quality index suggested that in the Gonghe Basin, C. intermedia is the best choice for soil amelioration. In all the three plantation types, soil amelioration mainly occurred in the shallow depths.展开更多
Kumtagh Desert is one of the eight biggest deserts in China, but poorly investigated before our interdisciplinary study because of the difficulty of access. In this paper, 33 representative surface sediment samples we...Kumtagh Desert is one of the eight biggest deserts in China, but poorly investigated before our interdisciplinary study because of the difficulty of access. In this paper, 33 representative surface sediment samples were collected from the Kumtagh Desert and analyzed in the laboratory to obtain heavy mineral components and geochemical element contents. Results show that various kinds of heavy minerals are present in these samples, with high levels of epidote and hornblende. Si and AI take up a large part of chemical composition. Compared with the average composition of geochemical elements of the upper continental crust （UCC）, except Si and Ca, all elements are depleted to a certain degree; Fe, Mg, Ca, P, Ti and Mn have high correlation coefficients in their contents. The mineral and geochemical composition of the Kumtagh Desert sediments have a similarity with that of rocks of Altyn Tagh Mountains, and the surface sediments of the alluvial/diluvial fans around the Altyn Tagh Mountains and that of the Taklamakan Desert, indicating that one major source of the Kumtagh Desert sediments is located in the Altyn Tagh Mountains. Alluvial deposits and lake sediments in Aqik valley and lower reaches of Shule River are prone to be eroded and transported by the strong northeasterly wind into the Kumtagh Desert, forming another source of the desert deposits. An A-CN-K ternary diagram shows that a weak degree chemical weathering by the loss of Na and K occurred in these sediments, whereas A-CNK-FM ternary diagram suggests that Fe and Mg have undergone a significant chemical differentiation. Physical weathering processes cause easy erosion and enrichment in fine particles for mafic minerals, thus coarse desert sand particles can be relatively depleted in Fe and Mg. The mineral and geochemical composition of sediments in arid regions experiencing less chemical weathering are mostly affected by physical weathering.展开更多
Estimation of the transpiration rate for a tree is generally based on sap flow measurements within the hydro-active stem xylem. In this study, radial variation of sap flow velocity（Js） was investigated at five depth...Estimation of the transpiration rate for a tree is generally based on sap flow measurements within the hydro-active stem xylem. In this study, radial variation of sap flow velocity（Js） was investigated at five depths of the xylem（1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 cm under the cambium） in three mature Xinjiang poplar（Populus alba L. var. pyramidalis） trees grown at the Gansu Minqin National Studies Station for Desert Steppe Ecosystem from May to October 2011. Thermal dissipation probes of various lengths manufactured according to the Granier＇s design were installed into each tree for simultaneous observation of the radial patterns of Js through the xylem. The radial patterns were found to fit the four-parameter GaussAmp equation. The peak Js was about 27.02±0.95 kg/（dm2？d） at approximately 3 to 5 cm deep from the cambium of the three trees,and the lowest Js appeared at 1 cm deep in most of the time. Approximately 50% of the total sap flow in Xinjiang poplar occurred within one-third of the xylem from its outer radius, whereas 90% of the total sap flow occurred within two-fifth of the xylem. In addition, the innermost point of the xylem（at 8-cm depth）, which appeared as the penultimate sap flow in most cases during the study period, was hydro-active with Js,8 of 7.55±3.83 kg/（dm2？d）. The radial pattern of Js was found to be steeper in midday than in other time of the day, and steeper diurnal fluctuations were recorded in June, July and August（the mid-growing season）. Maximum differences between the lowest Js（Js,1 or Js,8） and the highest Js（Js,3 or Js,5） from May through October were 12.41, 17.35, 16.30, 18.52, 12.60 and 16.04 g/（cm2？h）, respectively. The time-dependent changes of Js along the radial profile（except at 1-cm depth） were strongly related to the reference evapotranspiration（ET0）. Due to significant radial variability of Js, the mean daily sap flow at the whole-tree level could be over-estimated by up to 29.69% when only a single probe at depth of 2 cm was used. However, the accuracy of the estimation of sap flow in Xinjiang poplar could be significantly improved using a correction coefficient of 0.885.展开更多
Trees growing in a semi-arid sandy environment are often exposed to drought conditions due to seasonal variations in precipitation, low soil water retention and deep groundwater level.However, adaptability and plastic...Trees growing in a semi-arid sandy environment are often exposed to drought conditions due to seasonal variations in precipitation, low soil water retention and deep groundwater level.However, adaptability and plasticity of individuals to the changing drought conditions greatly vary among tree species.In this study, we estimated water use(Ts) of Mongolian Scots pine(MSP;Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica Litv.) based on sap flux density measurements over four successive years(2013–2016) that exhibited significant fluctuations in precipitation in a semi-arid sandy environment of northern China.The results showed that fluctuations in daily Ts synchronously varied with dry-wet cycles of soil moisture over the study period.The daily ratio of water use to reference evapotranspiration(Ts/ET0) on sunny days in each year showed a negative linear relationship with the severity of drought in the upper soil layer(0–1 m;P<0.01).The decrease in Ts induced by erratic drought during the growing season recovered due to precipitation.However, this recovery ability failed under prolonged and severe droughts.The Ts/ET0 ratio significantly declined with the progressive reduction in the groundwater level(gw) over the study period(P<0.01).We concluded that the upper soil layer contributed the most to the Ts of MSP during the growing season.The severity and duration of droughts in this layer greatly reduced Ts.Nevertheless, gw determined whether the Ts could completely recover after the alleviation of long-term soil drought.These results provide practical information for optimizing MSP management to stop ongoing degradation in the semi-arid sandy environments.展开更多
Wind erosion is a key global environmental problem and has many adverse effects.The Mu Us Sandy Land of northern China is characterized by an arid climate,where vegetation patches and bare sand patches are usually dis...Wind erosion is a key global environmental problem and has many adverse effects.The Mu Us Sandy Land of northern China is characterized by an arid climate,where vegetation patches and bare sand patches are usually distributed mosaically,and aeolian activities occur frequently.Vegetation plays a significant role in controlling wind erosion.Artemisia ordosica is the most dominant native plant species in the Mu Us Sandy Land.It is urgent to study the wind-proof and sand-fixing effects of Artemisia ordosica in the Mu Us Sandy Land.This study analyzed the wind-proof and sand-fixing effects of Artemisia ordosica based on the field data of wind regimes,aeolian sediment transport,and surface change of Artemisia ordosica plots with four coverages(denoted as site A,site B,site C,and site D)in the Mu Us Sandy Land during the period from 1 June 2018 to 29 June 2019.The coverages of Artemisia ordosica at site A,site B,site C,and site D were 2%,16%,29%,and 69%,respectively.The annual average wind speeds at 2.0 m height above the ground for site A,site B,site C,and site D were 3.47,2.77,2.21,and 1.97 m/s,respectively.The annual drift potentials were 193.80,69.72,15.05,and 6.73 VU at site A,site B,site C,and site D,respectively.The total horizontal aeolian sediment fluxes during the period from 2-3 June 2018 to 6 June 2019 at site A,site B,site C,and site D were 4633.61,896.80,10.54,and 6.14 kg/m,respectively.Site A had the largest surface changes,and the surface changes at site B were significantly weaker than those at site A,whereas the surface changes at site C and site D were minimal.The results indicated that Artemisia ordosica significantly reduced the wind speed,drift potential,aeolian sediment transport,and surface changes.The higher the coverage of Artemisia ordosica is,the more obvious the effects of wind-proof and sand-fixing.Wind erosion would be effectively controlled in the Mu Us Sandy Land if the coverage of Artemisia ordosica is greater than 29%.These results provide a scientific basis for evaluating the ecosystem service function of Artemisia ordosica and the vegetation protection and construction projects in the Mu Us Sandy Land.展开更多
Soil water is the main form of water in desert areas, and its primary source is precipitation, which has a vital impact on the changes in soil moisture and plays an important role in deep soil water recharge(DSWR) in ...Soil water is the main form of water in desert areas, and its primary source is precipitation, which has a vital impact on the changes in soil moisture and plays an important role in deep soil water recharge(DSWR) in sandy areas. This study investigated the soil water response of mobile sand dunes to precipitation in a semi-arid sandy area of China. Precipitation and soil moisture sensors were used to simultaneously monitor the precipitation and the soil water content(SWC) dynamics of the upper 200-cm soil layer of mobile sand dunes located at the northeastern edge of the Mu Us Sandy Land of China in 2013. The data were used to analyze the characteristics of SWC, infiltration, and eventually DSWR. The results show that the accumulated precipitation(494 mm) from April 1 to November 1 of 2013 significantly influenced SWC at soil depths of 0-200 cm. When SWC in the upper 200-cm soil layer was relatively low(6.49%), the wetting front associated with53.8 mm of accumulated precipitation could reach the 200-cm deep soil layer. When the SWC of the upper 200-cm soil layer was relatively high(10.22%), the wetting front associated with the 24.2 mm of accumulated precipitation could reach the upper 200-cm deep soil layer. Of the accumulated 494-mm precipitation in 2013, 103.2 mm of precipitation eventually became DSWR, accounting for 20.9% of the precipitation of that year. The annual soil moisture increase was 54.26 mm in 2013. Accurate calculation of DSWR will have important theoretical and practical significance for desert water resources assessment and ecological construction.展开更多
Drought and shortage of water resources, which restrict the economy, society development and environmental protection, are key factors in arid zones of China. In the arid zones of Western China, researching plant drou...Drought and shortage of water resources, which restrict the economy, society development and environmental protection, are key factors in arid zones of China. In the arid zones of Western China, researching plant drought resistance mechanism, selecting plant species with higher drought resistance, and developing water-saving techniques, are important for environmental improvement and economic development. This paper reviews research advances on drought resistance mechanism of plant species, based on research of morphological, physiological, and ecological adaptation mechanism of plant species under drought stress, such as anatomical structure of root systems and leaves, photosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme system, malondialdehyde （MDA）, osmotic adjustment, endogenous hormone, drought-induced proteins and δ^13C. Finally, this paper points out the key field of future research.展开更多
Otindag Sandy Land in China is an important ecological barrier to Beijing;the changes in its ecological quality are major concerns for sustainable development and planning of this area.Based on principal component ana...Otindag Sandy Land in China is an important ecological barrier to Beijing;the changes in its ecological quality are major concerns for sustainable development and planning of this area.Based on principal component analysis and path analysis,we first generated a modified remote sensing ecological index(MRSEI)coupled with satellite and ground observational data during 2001–2020 that integrated four local indicators(greenness,wetness,and heatness that reflect vegetation status,water,and heat conditions,respectively,as well as soil erosion).Then,we assessed the ecological quality in Otindag Sandy Land during 2001–2020 based on the MRSEI at different time scales(i.e.,the whole year,growing season,and non-growing season).MRSEI generally increased with an upward rate of 0.006/a during 2001–2020,with clear seasonal and spatial variations.Ecological quality was significantly improved in most regions of Otindag Sandy Land but degraded in the southern part.Regions with ecological degradation expanded to 18.64%of the total area in the non-growing season.The area with the worst grade of MRSEI shrunk by 15.83%of the total area from 2001 to 2020,while the area with the best grade of MRSEI increased by 9.77%of the total area.The temporal heterogeneity of ecological conditions indicated that the improvement process of ecological quality in the growing season may be interrupted or deteriorated in the following non-growing season.The implementation of ecological restoration measures in Otindag Sandy Land should not ignore the seasonal characteristics and spatial heterogeneity of local ecological quality.The results can explore the effectiveness of ecological restoration and provide scientific guides on sustainable development measures for drylands.展开更多
Dendroremediation,a novel strategy for cleaning up contaminants from the environment by using special woody plant species and microbes,is a popular phytoremediation approach.It is a cost-effective and environmentally ...Dendroremediation,a novel strategy for cleaning up contaminants from the environment by using special woody plant species and microbes,is a popular phytoremediation approach.It is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method that is being increasingly adopted.Poplar species(Populus L.)have been suggested for use in remediation because of their characteristics of high biomass production,fast growth,and potential for removing pollutants.Our environment is often contaminated by toxic substances produced by human activities,and remediation of contamination is therefore a global issue.Atrazine is one of the most widely used herbicides in China.In the present study,‘I-69/55’poplar(P.deltoides cv.‘I-69/55’)and hybrid poplar(Populus deltoides×nigra,DN34)grown in pots were assayed for their ability to remediate atrazine-contaminated soils.The degradation dynamics of atrazine were assessed with a high-performance liquid chromatography system using materials from a greenhouse with different rhizosphere environments.We studied the dynamic variation in microbes and microbial biomass carbon to elucidate the rhizosphere effects and mechanism of remediation of atrazine-contaminated soil by poplar.Our four treatments included a control with uncontaminated soil without a tree,atrazine pollution without a tree,atrazine pollution with‘I-69/55’poplar,and atrazine pollution with hybrid poplar.Hybrid poplar showed potential for remediation of atrazine-contaminated soil,and the degradation of atrazine in the rhizosphere was faster than that in non-rhizosphere soil.Atrazine significantly inhibited bacteria growth in nonrhizosphere soil.The high concentration of bacteria in the hybrid poplar rhizosphere might be key to atrazine degradation.Trends of change among fungi and actinomyces did not correspond to trends in atrazine degradation throughout the trial period.Further research is needed to predict the effects of atrazine on cultivable microorganisms in various soils.Atrazine had significant inhibitory effects on microbial biomass carbon in non-rhizosphere soil,and the rhizosphere environment of poplars enhanced the recovery of microbial biomass carbon.The potential for hybrid poplar as a dendroremediation material needs further study.展开更多
The seif dune field over the gravel desert surface in the eastern margin of the Kumtagh Desert is a valuable experimental site for the observation of dune formation and dynamics.We used high-resolution remote sensing ...The seif dune field over the gravel desert surface in the eastern margin of the Kumtagh Desert is a valuable experimental site for the observation of dune formation and dynamics.We used high-resolution remote sensing and station observation approaches,combined with wind and grain size data,to study the characteristics of the aeolian environment and the morphologies of and dynamic changes in seif dunes.We observed the ratio of the resultant drift potential(RDP)to the drift potential(DP),which was 0.37,associated with an obtuse bimodal wind regime.The drift potentials in the west-northwest(WNW)and east-northeast(ENE)directions were dominant,and the angle between the two primary DP directions was 135.00°.The dune orientations ranged from 168.75°-213.75°,which were parallel to the resultant drift direction(186.15°).The dune lengths ranged from 51.68 to 1932.1 m with a mean value of 344.91 m.The spacings of the dunes ranged from 32.34 to 319.77 m with a mean value of 93.39 m.The mean grain size of the sediments became finer,and the sorting became better from upwind tail to downwind tip,which indicated that the sediment of the seif dunes in the study region may be transported from northward to southward.The rate of increase in the length,the mean longitudinal migration rate of the dune tail,and the mean longitudinal extension rate of the dune tip(also called elongation rate)were 4.93,4.63,and 9.55 m/a,respectively.The mean lateral migration vector of the seif dunes was approximately 0.11 m/a towards the west(-0.11 m/a),while the mean amplitude of lateral migration was 0.53 m/a,ignoring the direction of lateral migration.We found that the seif dune field formed first beside seasonal rivers,which can provide sediment,and then expanded downwind.展开更多
Water is a limiting factor in the restoration and construction of desert steppe.Exploring plant water sources is necessary to understand soil-plant interactions and species coexistence;however,water sources of major p...Water is a limiting factor in the restoration and construction of desert steppe.Exploring plant water sources is necessary to understand soil-plant interactions and species coexistence;however,water sources of major plant communities within the desert steppe of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,China remain poorly understood.In this study,we analyzed the water uptake of plants in four typical communities:Agropyron mongolicum Keng.;Sophora alopecuroids Linn.;Stipa breviflora Griseb.,and Achnatherum splendens(Trin.)Nevski communities.Stable isotopesδD andδ^(18)O in the xylem of plant and soil water at different soil depths were analyzed.An IsoSource model was used to determine the soil depths from which plants obtained water.Results showed that A.mongolicum community obtained water predominantly from 0–20 and 40–80 cm depth,S.alopecuroids community from 0–20 cm depth,S.breviflora community from 0–40 cm depth,and A.splendens community from 0–20 and 80–140 cm depths.S.alopecuroides had a wider range of soil depths for water extraction,i.e.,utilizing different water sources depending on habitat,and the plasticity of its water uptake pattern determined its role in different communities.Water source of plants relayed heavily on the distribution of their roots.Competition for soil water exists between different plant life forms in the sierozem habitat(A.mongolicum,S.alopecuroids,and S.breviflora communities),and in the sandy soil habitat(A.splendens community).The use of soil water by A.splendens community is more spatially differentiated,and shrubs and herbs can coexist stably.Under the pattern of extended drought period in the future,sierozem habitat may be more favorable for the formation of a dominant monoculture community type of perennial fibrous plants.In aeolian sandy soil habitat,A.splendens had a strong competitive advantage,and the growth of shallow-rooted plants was easily suppressed.展开更多
Sand hazards are serious at the Danghe Reservoir of Dunhuang,and efforts to control sand are ineffective because disaster-causing mechanisms are currently unclear.The source of sandy materials,dynamic environment of b...Sand hazards are serious at the Danghe Reservoir of Dunhuang,and efforts to control sand are ineffective because disaster-causing mechanisms are currently unclear.The source of sandy materials,dynamic environment of blown sand,and controlling measures of the reservoir area are investigated using different methods,such as granularity analyses,wind regime and sand transport field observation and analyses,sand drift potential calculation.Accordingly,the sandy materials are found to derive chiefly from the Mingsha Mountain on the north side of the reservoir area.In addition,sand grain in the range of 0.50-0.25 mm and 0.25-0.10 mm are dominant.The prevailing sand-moving wind originates from the N direction,accounting for 15.38% of the yearly total,which coincides in the same direction with sand source,thereby increasing the severity of sand hazards in the reservoir area.The yearly sand DP is 1386.59 VU,the yearly RDP is 567.31 VU,the yearly RDP/DP is 0.41,and the yearly RDD is 183.15°.In the windy season(mainly in summer),sand materials are blown by wind from north to south,and then blocked by the Danghe River.The sand materials then move with an approximate east-west trend into the river channel and produce sediment,thereby causing adisaster.We propose that the sand-controlling pattern of the Danghe Reservoir is dominated by sand blocking in the outer fringe and sand fixing in the inner fringe.Applying windbreak and sand fixation to control sandy material movement into the river channel plays an important role in retarding sedimentation and extending the useful life of the Danghe Reservoir.展开更多
In order to analyze the effect of rain enrichment on soil respiration rate of a Nitraria sphaerocarpa community, we measured soil respiration rate in bare and vegetated areas in a hyperarid area （Dunhuang） during th...In order to analyze the effect of rain enrichment on soil respiration rate of a Nitraria sphaerocarpa community, we measured soil respiration rate in bare and vegetated areas in a hyperarid area （Dunhuang） during the growing season. Results show that rain enrichment can increase bare and vegetated soil respiration rates. The more rainfall enrichment, the greater the increment and the longer duration time effect for soil respiration rate. 200% （16 mm） and 300% （24 mm） of rain enrichment can significantly increase bare soil respiration rates by 90% and 106% （P〈0.01）, respectively. By contrast, areas with 100% （8 mm）, 200% （16 mm） and 300% （24 mm） of rain enrichment can significantly increase shrub area respiration rates by 68%, 157% and 205% （P〈0.01）, respectively. The response time of bare and vegetated soil respiration to rainfall enrichment is asynchronous. Response variable of soil respiration in vegetated soil is higher （118%） than in bare soil. There was significant positive correlation between soil respiration rate and soil water content during the growing season （P〈0.01）. For every 1 mm increment of precipitation, soil respiration rate increased by 0.01 and 0.04 pmol/（m2.s）, respectively in vegetated and bare soils.展开更多
Soil CO_2 emissions of terraces and slope farmland in loess hilly and gully regions were measured by using Infra Red Gas Analysis(IRGA),and the diurnal variation characteristics of soil respiration rate in different s...Soil CO_2 emissions of terraces and slope farmland in loess hilly and gully regions were measured by using Infra Red Gas Analysis(IRGA),and the diurnal variation characteristics of soil respiration rate in different slope positions of terraces and slope farmland were analyzed.The results show that the diurnal variation curves of soil respiration rate of terraces and slope farmland in loess hilly and gully regions had a single peak.The soil respiration rate of terraces reached the peak during 13:00-15:00,while the soil respiration rate of slope farmland reached the peak from 11:00 to13:00,and it was the lowest at next 07:00.The daily average of soil respiration rate in slope farmland was 0.86μmol/(m^2·s),accounting for 93.48% of that of terraces.The daily average of soil respiration rate in different slope positions of terraces and slope farmland is shown as follows:the bottom of the slope>the middle of the slope>the top of the slope.At the top of the slope,the daily averages of soil respiration rate in terraces and slope farmland were the same;at the middle and bottom of the slope,the daily average of soil respiration rate in terraces was larger than that of slope farmland.展开更多
There is a consensus that sediment delivery ratio in the Chinese Loess Plateau is close to 1at the inter-annual timescale. However, little information is available about the sediment delivery at finer timescales. We e...There is a consensus that sediment delivery ratio in the Chinese Loess Plateau is close to 1at the inter-annual timescale. However, little information is available about the sediment delivery at finer timescales. We evaluated the sediment delivery from plots to watersheds at the event or intra-annual, annual, and inter-annual timescales within the Wudinghe river basin, a 30,261 km2 basin in the Loess Plateau. We calculated the ratio of sediment output to sediment input and presented the temporal change of the channel morphology to determine whether sediment deposition occurs.Although a single flood event frequently has a sediment yield exceeding 10,000 t km-2, sediment deposition rarely occurs except during some small runoff events(sediment yield < 5000 t km-2) or dry years(sediment yield < 10,000 t km-2) when moving from slopes up to the main channels of the Wudinghe River. This observation suggests a sediment delivery ratio close to 1 even at the event or intra-annual and the annual timescales, but not necessarily at the interannual timescale. Such a high sediment delivery ratio can be related to hyper-concentrated flows, which have very strong sediment transport capacity even at low flow strength. Because hyper-concentrated flows are well-developed in the whole Loess Plateau, a sediment delivery ratio close to 1 below the interannual timescale possibly remains true for other rivers in the Loess Plateau.展开更多
With the improvement of agricultural mechanization equipment levels, the mechanized wheat harvesting level has been above 80% and the rate of wheat straw returned has increased significantly in the main wheat producti...With the improvement of agricultural mechanization equipment levels, the mechanized wheat harvesting level has been above 80% and the rate of wheat straw returned has increased significantly in the main wheat production of wheat of northern countryside in China. Chinese government popularized the beneficial agronomic measures in the process of wheat straw returned field by mechanization. The agronomic measure was reducing the wheat straw stubble height(WSSH) not more than 20 cm.However, local government didn't apply and disseminate the measure, because in practice the cost of fuel consumption was high, and the operation time of harvesting was longer than ever. The machinery operators and farmers needed to support extra fuel cost and time if they took government's advice. In fact, the objective subsidy policy of fuel cost on reducing WSSH was not been formulated by all levels of government. Therefore, the set of agronomic measure couldn't be popularized in main wheat production area of North China. Our research addressed to master the changing feature of fuel cost and mechanical efficiency,seeking suitable subsidy standard, providing some useful and constructive suggestions to improve subsidy policy of fuel consumption cost for national government department. The study carried out the tracking experiments of the operation efficiency and fuel costs of farm harvester in the situation of different WSSH in 2010 in Xushui District of Hebei Province. In conclusion, the operation time of harvesting decline and machinery fuel consumption cost increased along with the decreasing of WSSH. First for the older harvester, the operation efficiency would decline by 18.7% when the WSSH changed from 20 cm to 10 cm, the cost would increase 4.7%, exact cost was 152.2CNY per hectare. For the new harvester, the operation efficiency would decline by 39.9% when the WSSH changed from 20 cm to 15 cm, the cost would increase 4.6%, exact cost was 368.4CNY per hectare. We provided about 375 CNY per hectare to the mechanical operators and farmer who attended this project, and they were willing to accept the subsidies. We also put forwards some policy suggestions on promoting agronomic measures of reducing WSSH including strengthen the construction of agricultural machinery service system, practise a special fuel consumption subsidies of agricultural machinery and open up new paths for combine sales and circulation.展开更多
Lamto Reserve area is a savannah landscape threatened by periodic drought, and anthropogenic activities leading to natural ecological imbalance. The ecological support services of the landscape had been significantly ...Lamto Reserve area is a savannah landscape threatened by periodic drought, and anthropogenic activities leading to natural ecological imbalance. The ecological support services of the landscape had been significantly impacted by the grassland ecosystem. The Breaks for Additive Season and Trend Algorithms have been implemented in R to analyze the land cover/land use dynamic in relation to the climatic driver of Lamto forest from 2000 to 2020. We examine the vegetation state breaks using vegetation phenological patterns, and several time series including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and the Enhanced Vegetation Index, were studied utilizing Breaks for Additive Season and Trend. The findings indicate that the phenological changes in the vegetation in 2020 resulted from an increased temperature from (27.7°C) to (32.17°C), and a decrease in precipitation (71.75 millimeters). The analysis of variance ANOVA of the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test reveals a strong correlation between Precipitation/Evapotranspiration Grass (p mperature/Evapotranspiration Grass (p < 0.311), and Temperature/Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (p in vegetation detected by the Breaks for Additive Season and Trend Algorithms were caused by temperature extremes and reduced rainfall.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41061030)the "West Light" Talent Cultivation Program,the National Basic Research Program of China(2009CB421303)the National Key Technologies R&D Program of China (2006BAD26B0802 and 2007BAD46B03)
文摘Sandy soils in arid,rain-fed environments have low and limited water content,which is a principal factor limiting vegetation development,and a key constraint controlling the structure and functions of the ecological systems in arid areas.The spatial heterogeneity of soil water content is a major soil property,and a focus of soil science and hydrology.On the southern edge of the Tengger Desert,sample plots were selected from mobile sand dunes in desertified lands that had been enclosed for 5,15 and 25 years,respectively.This study explored the dynamic and spatial heterogeneity of soil water content in these different layers of soil that were also in the reversion process of desertification.The results showed that the soil water content of the mobile sand dunes was highest when in the initial stages of the reversion process of desertification,while the soil water content in the 0-20 cm,20-40 cm and 40-60 cm layers of soil was 1.769%,3.011%,and 2.967% respectively,presenting a restoring tendency after 25 years of enclosure.There were significant differences,as a whole,in the soil water content among different restoration stages and different soil layers,respectively.Changes in soil water content,in different soil layers,at different restoration stages,exhibited exponential or spherical patterns.The spatial distribution of soil water content exhibited a mosaic patch pattern with obvious spatial heterogeneity.The ratio of the heterogeneity of spatial autocorrelation to gross spatial heterogeneity was greater than 50%.The gross spatial heterogeneity of the 0-20 cm layer of soil improved gradually,while those of the 20-40 cm and 40-60 cm layers improved initially,then weakened in the reversion process of desertification.This study revealed that restoration with sand-binding vegetation reduced soil water content,and increased its spatial heterogeneity in arid areas.However,after 25 years of vegetation-soil system restoration,the soil water content started to increase and its spatial heterogeneity started to weaken.These results will further benefit the understanding of the ecological mechanism between soil water and sand-binding vegetation.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42077448 and 42477505)the Western Young Scholars project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences of China(Grant No.xbzglzb2022024)+2 种基金the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province for Distinguished Young Scholars(Grant No.22JR5RA049)the Ordos Science and Technology Plan(Grant No.2021EEDSCXQDFZ013)the Longyuan Youth Talent Project of Gansu Province(Grant No.E339020101)。
文摘The embankment and bridge are the basic forms of railway lines.To date,no reports have addressed the optimal form to adopt when passing through sandy areas.Therefore,models of railway embankment and bridge were created,and wind tunnel experiments were conducted to compare the differences in wind speed,flow field,sand transport rate,and other wind–sand environmental effects of railway embankment and bridge.Results show that wind speed reduction areas in the upwind and downwind directions were observed for the railway embankment and bridge.In these areas,the extent and degree of wind speed reduction on the embankment were greater than those on the bridge.At the top of the embankment,especially on the windward slope shoulder,an obvious area of wind speed increase was observed.Similarly,a distinct area of wind speed increase was found between the top of the windward side slope shoulder and 3H downwind of the bridge.Within these regions,the range of wind speed increase on the embankment was smaller than that on the bridge,but the degree of increase was greater than that on the bridge.The range of variation in wind speed on the embankment was generally greater than that on the bridge.The wind–sand flow field around the embankment exhibited greater variability than that around the bridge.Moreover,higher wind–sand flow passage rates on the embankment than on the bridge.This study aims to offer recommendations to assist in the route selection,surveying,and design of railways in sandy regions.
基金financial support provided by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41803008,41807091,and 41563007)the Forestry Science and Research Program of Guizhou Province,China(No.GZFSTC[2015]NO.6)Special Foundation for Excellent Young Scientist of Guizhou Province,China(No.[2015]21)。
文摘The use of living mulch in orchards is a widely accepted management strategy for improving soil quality and enhancing tree productivity.Although the effects of living mulch on soil organic carbon(C)and nutrients have been previously investigated,changes in the stoichiometric ratios of C,soil total nitrogen(N),and soil total phosphorous(P)under different climatic,edaphic,and biotic conditions are currently unknown.These factors are important indicators of elemental balance associated with ecological interactions.In order to examine the effects of living mulch in orchards on soil C:N:P stoichiometry under different conditions,a meta-analysis was undertaken.The results showed that in general,living mulch significantly(P<0.05)increased C:P and N:P ratio,while the impact on C:N ratio was not significant,a result that was related to the coupled increase of C and N.Phosphorous limitation occurred shortly after the addition of living mulch;after four years this effect receded.In contrast,an increase in C occurred simultaneously with N increase at all stages.Specifically,the treatment effect was context-dependent.The living mulch did not change soil stoichiometry in orchards with old trees(>10 years),an occurrence which may be related to changes in the amount of fungi.Grass life history also had a significant influence on the treatment effect on soil stoichiometry,while N-fixing characteristics did not.The treatment effect was significant in areas with moderate mean annual temperature and mean annual precipitation,which might be related to the litter ratio of grass and trees.Effects on stoichiometric ratios were significant in the top soil layer(0–20 cm),in contrast to the deep soil layers.Therefore,grass species and management practices,such as fertilization,should be selected according to the specific soil and climatic conditions of the management area.
基金supported by the Forestry Public Benefit Scientific Research Special Project of China(201504420)the National Science&Technology Pillar Program during the 12th Five-year Plan Period(2012BAD16B0102)
文摘Large areas of Artemisia ordosica Krasch., Caragana korshinskii Kom., and Caragana intermedia Kuang and H. C. Fu plantations were established on moving sand dunes in the Gonghe Basin （northeastern Tibetan Plateau） for vegetation restoration. Elevating our understanding of the changes in soil characteristics after the establishment of different plantation types can be useful in the context of combating deserdfication. To assess the effects of these plantation types on the restoration of sandy land, we measured soil physical-chemical properties at four depths （0-5, 5-10, 10-20, and 20-50 cm） in each of the three plantation types and also in non-vegetated moving sand dunes （as control sites）. Generally, the establishment of A. ordosica, C korshinskii and C intermedia plantations on sand dunes has greatly ameliorated soil quality in the Gonghe Basin. Specifically, relative to the moving sand dunes, shrub plantation has increased the silt and clay contents, total porosity and water holding capacity, soil organic matter, total nitrogen, total phosphorus and total potassium contents. The calculated soil quality index suggested that in the Gonghe Basin, C. intermedia is the best choice for soil amelioration. In all the three plantation types, soil amelioration mainly occurred in the shallow depths.
基金The Global Change Program of China, No.2010CB950203 China National S＆T Basic Work Program, No.2006FY110800 Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40930103, 41021002
文摘Kumtagh Desert is one of the eight biggest deserts in China, but poorly investigated before our interdisciplinary study because of the difficulty of access. In this paper, 33 representative surface sediment samples were collected from the Kumtagh Desert and analyzed in the laboratory to obtain heavy mineral components and geochemical element contents. Results show that various kinds of heavy minerals are present in these samples, with high levels of epidote and hornblende. Si and AI take up a large part of chemical composition. Compared with the average composition of geochemical elements of the upper continental crust （UCC）, except Si and Ca, all elements are depleted to a certain degree; Fe, Mg, Ca, P, Ti and Mn have high correlation coefficients in their contents. The mineral and geochemical composition of the Kumtagh Desert sediments have a similarity with that of rocks of Altyn Tagh Mountains, and the surface sediments of the alluvial/diluvial fans around the Altyn Tagh Mountains and that of the Taklamakan Desert, indicating that one major source of the Kumtagh Desert sediments is located in the Altyn Tagh Mountains. Alluvial deposits and lake sediments in Aqik valley and lower reaches of Shule River are prone to be eroded and transported by the strong northeasterly wind into the Kumtagh Desert, forming another source of the desert deposits. An A-CN-K ternary diagram shows that a weak degree chemical weathering by the loss of Na and K occurred in these sediments, whereas A-CNK-FM ternary diagram suggests that Fe and Mg have undergone a significant chemical differentiation. Physical weathering processes cause easy erosion and enrichment in fine particles for mafic minerals, thus coarse desert sand particles can be relatively depleted in Fe and Mg. The mineral and geochemical composition of sediments in arid regions experiencing less chemical weathering are mostly affected by physical weathering.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31070628)Field support for this research was provided by Gansu Minqin National Studies Station for Desert Steppe Ecosystem
文摘Estimation of the transpiration rate for a tree is generally based on sap flow measurements within the hydro-active stem xylem. In this study, radial variation of sap flow velocity（Js） was investigated at five depths of the xylem（1, 2, 3, 5 and 8 cm under the cambium） in three mature Xinjiang poplar（Populus alba L. var. pyramidalis） trees grown at the Gansu Minqin National Studies Station for Desert Steppe Ecosystem from May to October 2011. Thermal dissipation probes of various lengths manufactured according to the Granier＇s design were installed into each tree for simultaneous observation of the radial patterns of Js through the xylem. The radial patterns were found to fit the four-parameter GaussAmp equation. The peak Js was about 27.02±0.95 kg/（dm2？d） at approximately 3 to 5 cm deep from the cambium of the three trees,and the lowest Js appeared at 1 cm deep in most of the time. Approximately 50% of the total sap flow in Xinjiang poplar occurred within one-third of the xylem from its outer radius, whereas 90% of the total sap flow occurred within two-fifth of the xylem. In addition, the innermost point of the xylem（at 8-cm depth）, which appeared as the penultimate sap flow in most cases during the study period, was hydro-active with Js,8 of 7.55±3.83 kg/（dm2？d）. The radial pattern of Js was found to be steeper in midday than in other time of the day, and steeper diurnal fluctuations were recorded in June, July and August（the mid-growing season）. Maximum differences between the lowest Js（Js,1 or Js,8） and the highest Js（Js,3 or Js,5） from May through October were 12.41, 17.35, 16.30, 18.52, 12.60 and 16.04 g/（cm2？h）, respectively. The time-dependent changes of Js along the radial profile（except at 1-cm depth） were strongly related to the reference evapotranspiration（ET0）. Due to significant radial variability of Js, the mean daily sap flow at the whole-tree level could be over-estimated by up to 29.69% when only a single probe at depth of 2 cm was used. However, the accuracy of the estimation of sap flow in Xinjiang poplar could be significantly improved using a correction coefficient of 0.885.
基金supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Nonprofit Research Institution of Chinese Academy of Forestry (CAFYBB2014MA013)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (31570704)the Major State Basic Research Development Program of China (2013CB429901)
文摘Trees growing in a semi-arid sandy environment are often exposed to drought conditions due to seasonal variations in precipitation, low soil water retention and deep groundwater level.However, adaptability and plasticity of individuals to the changing drought conditions greatly vary among tree species.In this study, we estimated water use(Ts) of Mongolian Scots pine(MSP;Pinus sylvestris var.mongolica Litv.) based on sap flux density measurements over four successive years(2013–2016) that exhibited significant fluctuations in precipitation in a semi-arid sandy environment of northern China.The results showed that fluctuations in daily Ts synchronously varied with dry-wet cycles of soil moisture over the study period.The daily ratio of water use to reference evapotranspiration(Ts/ET0) on sunny days in each year showed a negative linear relationship with the severity of drought in the upper soil layer(0–1 m;P<0.01).The decrease in Ts induced by erratic drought during the growing season recovered due to precipitation.However, this recovery ability failed under prolonged and severe droughts.The Ts/ET0 ratio significantly declined with the progressive reduction in the groundwater level(gw) over the study period(P<0.01).We concluded that the upper soil layer contributed the most to the Ts of MSP during the growing season.The severity and duration of droughts in this layer greatly reduced Ts.Nevertheless, gw determined whether the Ts could completely recover after the alleviation of long-term soil drought.These results provide practical information for optimizing MSP management to stop ongoing degradation in the semi-arid sandy environments.
基金the Fundamental Research Funds of Chinese Academy of Forestry(CAFYBB2019MA009)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41701010)+1 种基金the Key Special Project on'Science and Technology Promoting the Development of Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region'(KJXM-EEDS-2020006)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences(2018459)。
文摘Wind erosion is a key global environmental problem and has many adverse effects.The Mu Us Sandy Land of northern China is characterized by an arid climate,where vegetation patches and bare sand patches are usually distributed mosaically,and aeolian activities occur frequently.Vegetation plays a significant role in controlling wind erosion.Artemisia ordosica is the most dominant native plant species in the Mu Us Sandy Land.It is urgent to study the wind-proof and sand-fixing effects of Artemisia ordosica in the Mu Us Sandy Land.This study analyzed the wind-proof and sand-fixing effects of Artemisia ordosica based on the field data of wind regimes,aeolian sediment transport,and surface change of Artemisia ordosica plots with four coverages(denoted as site A,site B,site C,and site D)in the Mu Us Sandy Land during the period from 1 June 2018 to 29 June 2019.The coverages of Artemisia ordosica at site A,site B,site C,and site D were 2%,16%,29%,and 69%,respectively.The annual average wind speeds at 2.0 m height above the ground for site A,site B,site C,and site D were 3.47,2.77,2.21,and 1.97 m/s,respectively.The annual drift potentials were 193.80,69.72,15.05,and 6.73 VU at site A,site B,site C,and site D,respectively.The total horizontal aeolian sediment fluxes during the period from 2-3 June 2018 to 6 June 2019 at site A,site B,site C,and site D were 4633.61,896.80,10.54,and 6.14 kg/m,respectively.Site A had the largest surface changes,and the surface changes at site B were significantly weaker than those at site A,whereas the surface changes at site C and site D were minimal.The results indicated that Artemisia ordosica significantly reduced the wind speed,drift potential,aeolian sediment transport,and surface changes.The higher the coverage of Artemisia ordosica is,the more obvious the effects of wind-proof and sand-fixing.Wind erosion would be effectively controlled in the Mu Us Sandy Land if the coverage of Artemisia ordosica is greater than 29%.These results provide a scientific basis for evaluating the ecosystem service function of Artemisia ordosica and the vegetation protection and construction projects in the Mu Us Sandy Land.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41661006)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Non-Profit Research Institution of Chinese Academy of Forestry(Grant No.CAFYBB2014QB046)Chinese Scholarship Council
文摘Soil water is the main form of water in desert areas, and its primary source is precipitation, which has a vital impact on the changes in soil moisture and plays an important role in deep soil water recharge(DSWR) in sandy areas. This study investigated the soil water response of mobile sand dunes to precipitation in a semi-arid sandy area of China. Precipitation and soil moisture sensors were used to simultaneously monitor the precipitation and the soil water content(SWC) dynamics of the upper 200-cm soil layer of mobile sand dunes located at the northeastern edge of the Mu Us Sandy Land of China in 2013. The data were used to analyze the characteristics of SWC, infiltration, and eventually DSWR. The results show that the accumulated precipitation(494 mm) from April 1 to November 1 of 2013 significantly influenced SWC at soil depths of 0-200 cm. When SWC in the upper 200-cm soil layer was relatively low(6.49%), the wetting front associated with53.8 mm of accumulated precipitation could reach the 200-cm deep soil layer. When the SWC of the upper 200-cm soil layer was relatively high(10.22%), the wetting front associated with the 24.2 mm of accumulated precipitation could reach the upper 200-cm deep soil layer. Of the accumulated 494-mm precipitation in 2013, 103.2 mm of precipitation eventually became DSWR, accounting for 20.9% of the precipitation of that year. The annual soil moisture increase was 54.26 mm in 2013. Accurate calculation of DSWR will have important theoretical and practical significance for desert water resources assessment and ecological construction.
基金supported by the Key Project of Research Institute of Forestry,Chinese Academy of Forestry(ZD200908)the National Eleventh "Five-year Plan" Science and Technology Funded Project of the State Forestry Administration,P.R.of China (2006BAD26B0101)
文摘Drought and shortage of water resources, which restrict the economy, society development and environmental protection, are key factors in arid zones of China. In the arid zones of Western China, researching plant drought resistance mechanism, selecting plant species with higher drought resistance, and developing water-saving techniques, are important for environmental improvement and economic development. This paper reviews research advances on drought resistance mechanism of plant species, based on research of morphological, physiological, and ecological adaptation mechanism of plant species under drought stress, such as anatomical structure of root systems and leaves, photosynthesis, antioxidant enzyme system, malondialdehyde （MDA）, osmotic adjustment, endogenous hormone, drought-induced proteins and δ^13C. Finally, this paper points out the key field of future research.
基金the financial support given by the Special Funds for Science and Technology Innovation on Carbon Peak Carbon Neutral of Jiangsu Province,China(BK20220017)the Innovation Development Project of China Meteorological Administration(CXFZ2023J073)the National Key R&D Program of China(2018YFC1506606).
文摘Otindag Sandy Land in China is an important ecological barrier to Beijing;the changes in its ecological quality are major concerns for sustainable development and planning of this area.Based on principal component analysis and path analysis,we first generated a modified remote sensing ecological index(MRSEI)coupled with satellite and ground observational data during 2001–2020 that integrated four local indicators(greenness,wetness,and heatness that reflect vegetation status,water,and heat conditions,respectively,as well as soil erosion).Then,we assessed the ecological quality in Otindag Sandy Land during 2001–2020 based on the MRSEI at different time scales(i.e.,the whole year,growing season,and non-growing season).MRSEI generally increased with an upward rate of 0.006/a during 2001–2020,with clear seasonal and spatial variations.Ecological quality was significantly improved in most regions of Otindag Sandy Land but degraded in the southern part.Regions with ecological degradation expanded to 18.64%of the total area in the non-growing season.The area with the worst grade of MRSEI shrunk by 15.83%of the total area from 2001 to 2020,while the area with the best grade of MRSEI increased by 9.77%of the total area.The temporal heterogeneity of ecological conditions indicated that the improvement process of ecological quality in the growing season may be interrupted or deteriorated in the following non-growing season.The implementation of ecological restoration measures in Otindag Sandy Land should not ignore the seasonal characteristics and spatial heterogeneity of local ecological quality.The results can explore the effectiveness of ecological restoration and provide scientific guides on sustainable development measures for drylands.
基金supported by the Central Non-profit Research Institution of Chinese Academy of Forestry(CAFYBB2017MA027,CAFYBB2014QB046)the Overseas Outstanding Scholars Lecture Program+2 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Non-profit Research Institution of CAF(CAFYBB2017ZF005)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.30700637,31460133)‘‘948’’ Project(No.2013-4-80)
文摘Dendroremediation,a novel strategy for cleaning up contaminants from the environment by using special woody plant species and microbes,is a popular phytoremediation approach.It is a cost-effective and environmentally friendly method that is being increasingly adopted.Poplar species(Populus L.)have been suggested for use in remediation because of their characteristics of high biomass production,fast growth,and potential for removing pollutants.Our environment is often contaminated by toxic substances produced by human activities,and remediation of contamination is therefore a global issue.Atrazine is one of the most widely used herbicides in China.In the present study,‘I-69/55’poplar(P.deltoides cv.‘I-69/55’)and hybrid poplar(Populus deltoides×nigra,DN34)grown in pots were assayed for their ability to remediate atrazine-contaminated soils.The degradation dynamics of atrazine were assessed with a high-performance liquid chromatography system using materials from a greenhouse with different rhizosphere environments.We studied the dynamic variation in microbes and microbial biomass carbon to elucidate the rhizosphere effects and mechanism of remediation of atrazine-contaminated soil by poplar.Our four treatments included a control with uncontaminated soil without a tree,atrazine pollution without a tree,atrazine pollution with‘I-69/55’poplar,and atrazine pollution with hybrid poplar.Hybrid poplar showed potential for remediation of atrazine-contaminated soil,and the degradation of atrazine in the rhizosphere was faster than that in non-rhizosphere soil.Atrazine significantly inhibited bacteria growth in nonrhizosphere soil.The high concentration of bacteria in the hybrid poplar rhizosphere might be key to atrazine degradation.Trends of change among fungi and actinomyces did not correspond to trends in atrazine degradation throughout the trial period.Further research is needed to predict the effects of atrazine on cultivable microorganisms in various soils.Atrazine had significant inhibitory effects on microbial biomass carbon in non-rhizosphere soil,and the rhizosphere environment of poplars enhanced the recovery of microbial biomass carbon.The potential for hybrid poplar as a dendroremediation material needs further study.
基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Non-profit Research Institution of Chinese Academy of Forestry(CAFYBB2019MA009,CAFYBB2017ZE005)the New Project of Surplus Project Fund for Institute of Desertification Studies,Chinese Academy of Forestry(IDS2019JY-4)+1 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China(41471151,41701010,41877530)the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of Chinese Academy of Sciences(2018459).
文摘The seif dune field over the gravel desert surface in the eastern margin of the Kumtagh Desert is a valuable experimental site for the observation of dune formation and dynamics.We used high-resolution remote sensing and station observation approaches,combined with wind and grain size data,to study the characteristics of the aeolian environment and the morphologies of and dynamic changes in seif dunes.We observed the ratio of the resultant drift potential(RDP)to the drift potential(DP),which was 0.37,associated with an obtuse bimodal wind regime.The drift potentials in the west-northwest(WNW)and east-northeast(ENE)directions were dominant,and the angle between the two primary DP directions was 135.00°.The dune orientations ranged from 168.75°-213.75°,which were parallel to the resultant drift direction(186.15°).The dune lengths ranged from 51.68 to 1932.1 m with a mean value of 344.91 m.The spacings of the dunes ranged from 32.34 to 319.77 m with a mean value of 93.39 m.The mean grain size of the sediments became finer,and the sorting became better from upwind tail to downwind tip,which indicated that the sediment of the seif dunes in the study region may be transported from northward to southward.The rate of increase in the length,the mean longitudinal migration rate of the dune tail,and the mean longitudinal extension rate of the dune tip(also called elongation rate)were 4.93,4.63,and 9.55 m/a,respectively.The mean lateral migration vector of the seif dunes was approximately 0.11 m/a towards the west(-0.11 m/a),while the mean amplitude of lateral migration was 0.53 m/a,ignoring the direction of lateral migration.We found that the seif dune field formed first beside seasonal rivers,which can provide sediment,and then expanded downwind.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32171872,31901367)the Key R&D Projects in Ningxia,China(2019BFG02022)+2 种基金the Young Science and Technology Talents Promotion Project(the fifth batch)in Ningxia,Chinathe Agricultural Science and Technology Funding Innovation Project,in Ningxia,China(NGSB-2021-14-03)the Ningxia Natural Science Foundation(2021AAC03015)。
文摘Water is a limiting factor in the restoration and construction of desert steppe.Exploring plant water sources is necessary to understand soil-plant interactions and species coexistence;however,water sources of major plant communities within the desert steppe of Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,China remain poorly understood.In this study,we analyzed the water uptake of plants in four typical communities:Agropyron mongolicum Keng.;Sophora alopecuroids Linn.;Stipa breviflora Griseb.,and Achnatherum splendens(Trin.)Nevski communities.Stable isotopesδD andδ^(18)O in the xylem of plant and soil water at different soil depths were analyzed.An IsoSource model was used to determine the soil depths from which plants obtained water.Results showed that A.mongolicum community obtained water predominantly from 0–20 and 40–80 cm depth,S.alopecuroids community from 0–20 cm depth,S.breviflora community from 0–40 cm depth,and A.splendens community from 0–20 and 80–140 cm depths.S.alopecuroides had a wider range of soil depths for water extraction,i.e.,utilizing different water sources depending on habitat,and the plasticity of its water uptake pattern determined its role in different communities.Water source of plants relayed heavily on the distribution of their roots.Competition for soil water exists between different plant life forms in the sierozem habitat(A.mongolicum,S.alopecuroids,and S.breviflora communities),and in the sandy soil habitat(A.splendens community).The use of soil water by A.splendens community is more spatially differentiated,and shrubs and herbs can coexist stably.Under the pattern of extended drought period in the future,sierozem habitat may be more favorable for the formation of a dominant monoculture community type of perennial fibrous plants.In aeolian sandy soil habitat,A.splendens had a strong competitive advantage,and the growth of shallow-rooted plants was easily suppressed.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.41401611)one of Special Fund for Forest Scientific Research in the Public Welfare (201504401)+1 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation (Grant Nos.2014M560817 and 2015T81069)the science and technology program of Gansu Province (Grant No.145RJZA118)
文摘Sand hazards are serious at the Danghe Reservoir of Dunhuang,and efforts to control sand are ineffective because disaster-causing mechanisms are currently unclear.The source of sandy materials,dynamic environment of blown sand,and controlling measures of the reservoir area are investigated using different methods,such as granularity analyses,wind regime and sand transport field observation and analyses,sand drift potential calculation.Accordingly,the sandy materials are found to derive chiefly from the Mingsha Mountain on the north side of the reservoir area.In addition,sand grain in the range of 0.50-0.25 mm and 0.25-0.10 mm are dominant.The prevailing sand-moving wind originates from the N direction,accounting for 15.38% of the yearly total,which coincides in the same direction with sand source,thereby increasing the severity of sand hazards in the reservoir area.The yearly sand DP is 1386.59 VU,the yearly RDP is 567.31 VU,the yearly RDP/DP is 0.41,and the yearly RDD is 183.15°.In the windy season(mainly in summer),sand materials are blown by wind from north to south,and then blocked by the Danghe River.The sand materials then move with an approximate east-west trend into the river channel and produce sediment,thereby causing adisaster.We propose that the sand-controlling pattern of the Danghe Reservoir is dominated by sand blocking in the outer fringe and sand fixing in the inner fringe.Applying windbreak and sand fixation to control sandy material movement into the river channel plays an important role in retarding sedimentation and extending the useful life of the Danghe Reservoir.
基金supported by the key projects of the central public research institutes for basic research funds(CAFYBB2007008)Forestry public sector specific research(201104077)
文摘In order to analyze the effect of rain enrichment on soil respiration rate of a Nitraria sphaerocarpa community, we measured soil respiration rate in bare and vegetated areas in a hyperarid area （Dunhuang） during the growing season. Results show that rain enrichment can increase bare and vegetated soil respiration rates. The more rainfall enrichment, the greater the increment and the longer duration time effect for soil respiration rate. 200% （16 mm） and 300% （24 mm） of rain enrichment can significantly increase bare soil respiration rates by 90% and 106% （P〈0.01）, respectively. By contrast, areas with 100% （8 mm）, 200% （16 mm） and 300% （24 mm） of rain enrichment can significantly increase shrub area respiration rates by 68%, 157% and 205% （P〈0.01）, respectively. The response time of bare and vegetated soil respiration to rainfall enrichment is asynchronous. Response variable of soil respiration in vegetated soil is higher （118%） than in bare soil. There was significant positive correlation between soil respiration rate and soil water content during the growing season （P〈0.01）. For every 1 mm increment of precipitation, soil respiration rate increased by 0.01 and 0.04 pmol/（m2.s）, respectively in vegetated and bare soils.
基金Supported by"948"Project of the Ministry of Water Resources(2015-22)Key Technology R&D Program Project of Gansu Province(1204FKCA069)Key Scientific Research Project of Water Resources of Gansu Province(2012-255)
文摘Soil CO_2 emissions of terraces and slope farmland in loess hilly and gully regions were measured by using Infra Red Gas Analysis(IRGA),and the diurnal variation characteristics of soil respiration rate in different slope positions of terraces and slope farmland were analyzed.The results show that the diurnal variation curves of soil respiration rate of terraces and slope farmland in loess hilly and gully regions had a single peak.The soil respiration rate of terraces reached the peak during 13:00-15:00,while the soil respiration rate of slope farmland reached the peak from 11:00 to13:00,and it was the lowest at next 07:00.The daily average of soil respiration rate in slope farmland was 0.86μmol/(m^2·s),accounting for 93.48% of that of terraces.The daily average of soil respiration rate in different slope positions of terraces and slope farmland is shown as follows:the bottom of the slope>the middle of the slope>the top of the slope.At the top of the slope,the daily averages of soil respiration rate in terraces and slope farmland were the same;at the middle and bottom of the slope,the daily average of soil respiration rate in terraces was larger than that of slope farmland.
基金funded by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 41230746, 41271306)the National Key Technology Research and Development Program (Grant No. 2012BAC09B03)the Open-fund Project of Jiangxi Provincial Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Prevention (Grant No. JXSB201301)
文摘There is a consensus that sediment delivery ratio in the Chinese Loess Plateau is close to 1at the inter-annual timescale. However, little information is available about the sediment delivery at finer timescales. We evaluated the sediment delivery from plots to watersheds at the event or intra-annual, annual, and inter-annual timescales within the Wudinghe river basin, a 30,261 km2 basin in the Loess Plateau. We calculated the ratio of sediment output to sediment input and presented the temporal change of the channel morphology to determine whether sediment deposition occurs.Although a single flood event frequently has a sediment yield exceeding 10,000 t km-2, sediment deposition rarely occurs except during some small runoff events(sediment yield < 5000 t km-2) or dry years(sediment yield < 10,000 t km-2) when moving from slopes up to the main channels of the Wudinghe River. This observation suggests a sediment delivery ratio close to 1 even at the event or intra-annual and the annual timescales, but not necessarily at the interannual timescale. Such a high sediment delivery ratio can be related to hyper-concentrated flows, which have very strong sediment transport capacity even at low flow strength. Because hyper-concentrated flows are well-developed in the whole Loess Plateau, a sediment delivery ratio close to 1 below the interannual timescale possibly remains true for other rivers in the Loess Plateau.
基金Supported by National Nonprofit Institute Research Grant of CAAS(IARRP-2015-7)Key Laboratory of Nonpoint Source Pollution Control,Ministry of Agriculture,P.R.China,Chinese Academy of Agricultural Sciences Science and Technology Innovation Project in 2017the Public Welfare Industry Science and Technology Projects for financing the research (no.200903011)
文摘With the improvement of agricultural mechanization equipment levels, the mechanized wheat harvesting level has been above 80% and the rate of wheat straw returned has increased significantly in the main wheat production of wheat of northern countryside in China. Chinese government popularized the beneficial agronomic measures in the process of wheat straw returned field by mechanization. The agronomic measure was reducing the wheat straw stubble height(WSSH) not more than 20 cm.However, local government didn't apply and disseminate the measure, because in practice the cost of fuel consumption was high, and the operation time of harvesting was longer than ever. The machinery operators and farmers needed to support extra fuel cost and time if they took government's advice. In fact, the objective subsidy policy of fuel cost on reducing WSSH was not been formulated by all levels of government. Therefore, the set of agronomic measure couldn't be popularized in main wheat production area of North China. Our research addressed to master the changing feature of fuel cost and mechanical efficiency,seeking suitable subsidy standard, providing some useful and constructive suggestions to improve subsidy policy of fuel consumption cost for national government department. The study carried out the tracking experiments of the operation efficiency and fuel costs of farm harvester in the situation of different WSSH in 2010 in Xushui District of Hebei Province. In conclusion, the operation time of harvesting decline and machinery fuel consumption cost increased along with the decreasing of WSSH. First for the older harvester, the operation efficiency would decline by 18.7% when the WSSH changed from 20 cm to 10 cm, the cost would increase 4.7%, exact cost was 152.2CNY per hectare. For the new harvester, the operation efficiency would decline by 39.9% when the WSSH changed from 20 cm to 15 cm, the cost would increase 4.6%, exact cost was 368.4CNY per hectare. We provided about 375 CNY per hectare to the mechanical operators and farmer who attended this project, and they were willing to accept the subsidies. We also put forwards some policy suggestions on promoting agronomic measures of reducing WSSH including strengthen the construction of agricultural machinery service system, practise a special fuel consumption subsidies of agricultural machinery and open up new paths for combine sales and circulation.
文摘Lamto Reserve area is a savannah landscape threatened by periodic drought, and anthropogenic activities leading to natural ecological imbalance. The ecological support services of the landscape had been significantly impacted by the grassland ecosystem. The Breaks for Additive Season and Trend Algorithms have been implemented in R to analyze the land cover/land use dynamic in relation to the climatic driver of Lamto forest from 2000 to 2020. We examine the vegetation state breaks using vegetation phenological patterns, and several time series including the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index and the Enhanced Vegetation Index, were studied utilizing Breaks for Additive Season and Trend. The findings indicate that the phenological changes in the vegetation in 2020 resulted from an increased temperature from (27.7°C) to (32.17°C), and a decrease in precipitation (71.75 millimeters). The analysis of variance ANOVA of the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test reveals a strong correlation between Precipitation/Evapotranspiration Grass (p mperature/Evapotranspiration Grass (p < 0.311), and Temperature/Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (p in vegetation detected by the Breaks for Additive Season and Trend Algorithms were caused by temperature extremes and reduced rainfall.
