Arid regions are vital components of Earth’s land surface.Clarifying the area/boundary of arid region is crucial for comprehending area changes and potential mechanisms.However,the accuracy and applicability of arid ...Arid regions are vital components of Earth’s land surface.Clarifying the area/boundary of arid region is crucial for comprehending area changes and potential mechanisms.However,the accuracy and applicability of arid region boundary delineated by different indices remain unclear.In this study,the annual precipitation(AP),humidity index(H),and aridity index(K)were calculated for delineating arid region of China using 106 meteorological stations during 1990–2019.The results suggest that AP and H can accurately delineate arid region,because they are consistent with the distribution of typical soil and vegetation in arid region,whereas K is not.Moreover,AP is the best index for delineating arid region in regions with limited meteorological data,especially in studying long-term patterns and mechanisms of area changes.The accuracy of delineating arid region using H is enhanced in regions with abundant meteorological data.Over the past 30 years,influenced by the increase of atmospheric moisture influx and precipitation,the area in arid region of northwestern China decreased by 70×10^(3)–90×10^(3)km^(2),resulting in the present area of approximately 1.55×10^(6)km^(2).This study provides appropriate indices for delineating arid region,contributing to improving our knowledge of regional responses difference to climate change.展开更多
Stable carbon isotopes(δ^(13)C)are extensively utilized to study intrinsic water use efficiency(iWUE)at the leaf-scale in terrestrial ecosystems,serving as a crucial metric for assessing plant adaptation to climate c...Stable carbon isotopes(δ^(13)C)are extensively utilized to study intrinsic water use efficiency(iWUE)at the leaf-scale in terrestrial ecosystems,serving as a crucial metric for assessing plant adaptation to climate change.However,there is currently a lack of consensus regarding the leaf-scale iWUE variation characteristics among different functional types.In this study,we measured theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values of different functional plants(i.e.,life forms,leaf types,and mycorrhizal types)from 120 species across distinct habitat types(i.e.,hillside,nearpeak,and peak)in a subtropical forest on the western slope of Wuyi Mountains,southern China.The results showed that theδ^(13)Cleaf values of plants on the western slope of Wuyi Mountains ranged from-34.63‰to-30.04‰,and iWUE ranged from 5.93μmol mol^(-1)to 57.34μmol mol^(-1).Theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values differed significantly among plant life forms,following the order of herbs>vine plants>shrubs>trees.Theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values of ectomycorrhizal(ECM)species were greater than those of arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM)species despite there being no significant difference between plants with different leaf types(Simple leaves(SL)vs.Compound leaves(CL)).From the hillside to the peak,both at the community level and at the species level,theδ^(13)C values of leaves and iWUE values of plants exhibited an upward trend.The regression analysis revealed that leaf-scale iWUE was significantly negatively correlated with soil water content and significantly positively correlated with leaf phosphorus content.The findings indicated that leaf carbon isotope fractionation and corresponding iWUE can be influenced by life form,mycorrhizal type,and soil water availability.These insights provide a deeper understanding of the coupling mechanisms of carbon,water,and nutrients among different functional plant types in subtropical forests,and offer insights into predicting plant adaptability under climate change.展开更多
The Kalatongke Cu-Ni sulfide deposits located in the East Junggar terrane, northern Xinjiang, western China are the largest magmatic sulfide deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt （CAOB）. The chemical and carbo...The Kalatongke Cu-Ni sulfide deposits located in the East Junggar terrane, northern Xinjiang, western China are the largest magmatic sulfide deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt （CAOB）. The chemical and carbon isotopic compositions of the volatiles trapped in olivine, pyroxene and sulfide mineral separates were analyzed by vacuum stepwise-heating mass spectrometry. The results show that the released volatiles are concentrated at three temperature intervals of 200-400°C, 400-900°C and 900-1200°C. The released volatiles from silicate mineral separates at 400-900°C and 900-1200°C have similar chemical and carbon isotopic compositions, which are mainly composed of H2O （av. ~92 mol%） with minor H2, CO2, H2S and SO2, and they are likely associated with the ore-forming magmatic volatiles. Light δ13CCO2 values （from -20.86‰ to -12.85‰） of pyroxene indicate crustal contamination occurred prior to or synchronous with pyroxene crystallization of mantlederived ore-forming magma. The elevated contents of H2 and H2O in the olivine and pyroxene suggest a deep mantle-originated ore-forming volatile mixed with aqueous volatiles from recycled subducted slab. High contents of CO2 in the ore-forming magma volatiles led to an increase in oxygen fugacity, and thereby reduced the solubility of sulfur in the magma, then triggered sulfur saturation followed by sulfide melt segregation; CO2 contents correlated with Cu contents in the whole rocks suggest that a supercritical state of CO2 in the ore-forming magma system under high temperature and pressure conditions might play a key role in the assemblage of huge Cu and Ni elements. The volatiles released from constituent minerals of intrusion 1# have more CO2 and SO2 oxidized gases, higher CO2/CH4 and SO2/H2S ratios and lighter δ13CCO2 than those of intrusions 2# and 3#. This combination suggests that the higher oxidation state of the volatiles in intrusion 1# than intrusions 2# and 3#, which could be one of key ore-forming factors for large amounts of ores and high contents of Cu and Ni in intrusion 1#. The volatiles released at 200-400°C are dominated by H2O with minor CO2, N2＋CO and SO2, with δ13CCO2 values （-25.66‰ to -22.98‰） within the crustal ranges, and are considered to be related to secondary tectonic-hydrothermal activities.展开更多
Tectonic and environmental patterns and evolution of the present North Tibetan Plateau （NTP） prior to the India collision with Asia is significant to understand the formation of the Tibetan Plateau and its influence...Tectonic and environmental patterns and evolution of the present North Tibetan Plateau （NTP） prior to the India collision with Asia is significant to understand the formation of the Tibetan Plateau and its influence on the environment.In this study,we integrated and analyzed the tectonostratigraphy and the special sedimentary layers whose climatic implications are clear in the NTP.Additionally,we stressed the tectonic and environmental events and their evolutions from the Mesozoic to the Early Cenozoic.Our results show that four tectonic phases,which sequentially took place during the Triassic,Jurassic,Cretaceous and Paleogene,played an important role on the formation of the North Tibet.The climate was basically dry and hot from the Triassic to the Eocene and became dry and cool since the Oligocene in this region.The climatic evolution was characterized by a transition from a wet and hot phase during the Triassic-Middle Jurassic,to a dry and hot phase during the Late Jurassic-Eocene.Both phases encompassed 5 wet and hot periods followed by 5 dry and hot climate events,respectively.In addition,we found that the tectonic deformation and the climatic conditions were spatially and temporally different.In detail,in the regions north of the PaleoTian Shan and Paleo-Qilian Mts.the tectonic deformation and climatic condition were stronger and wetter than in regions south of the Paleo-Tian Shan and Paleo-Qilian Mts.during the Late Triassic-Jurassic.Whereas in the Cretaceous,the tectonic movement was intensive in the west but steady in the east,and climate was dry in the south but wet in the north of NTP.The formation of the tectonic and climatic patterns in NTP were the consequence of either global climate change or regional tectonics,including the Paleo-Asian Ocean closure and the Qiangtang block,Lhasa block and India plate collision subsequently to Asia.Furthermore,the regional tectonic events occurred before any global climate change and drove the climatic change in the NTP.展开更多
The western Qinling （秦岭） orogenic belt is one of the outermost ranges in the northeas- tern Tibetan Plateau. Its tectonic uplift history is therefore essential to insight on the evolution history of the plateau. H...The western Qinling （秦岭） orogenic belt is one of the outermost ranges in the northeas- tern Tibetan Plateau. Its tectonic uplift history is therefore essential to insight on the evolution history of the plateau. However, the timing of deformation and uplift history is still poorly known. Fortunately, its Cenozoic orogenic history is recorded in an excellent synorogenic sedimentary sequence exposed in the Tianshui （天水）Ba- sin, the northeastern foot of western Qinling. Ac- cording to sedimentary-tectonic analysis of the Yaodian （尧店） and Lamashan （喇嘛山） sections based on the previous magnetostratigraphy stu- dies, we speculated that two stages （occurred at 9.2-7.4 and -3.6 Ma） of variation in depositional facies were attributed to the uplift and deforma- tion of the western Qinling, and the modern structure geomorphic frame of the northeastern Tibet formed after 2.6 Ma. Furthermore, four stages of active processes along the western Qinling occurred at 49--41, 34-27, 25-19 and -13 Ma, are deciphered from an integrated detrital apatite fission-track data of the Ganquan （甘泉）, Yaodian main sections and seven small ones. The former two are represents the exhumation episodes triggered by tectonism and the others attributed to the volcanic signals.展开更多
The integration of farmers and nomads in northwestern China during the Han Dynasty(206 BCE ~ 220 CE) provides a crucial opportunity to reconstruct the material exchanges, formation and development of the Silk Road in ...The integration of farmers and nomads in northwestern China during the Han Dynasty(206 BCE ~ 220 CE) provides a crucial opportunity to reconstruct the material exchanges, formation and development of the Silk Road in antiquity. The subsistence strategy is arguably an effective proxy for the integration of various groups of people(e.g. farmers and nomads). In this paper, we have reported new stable isotope data from the Huangwan tombs dated to the Han dynasty in middle Gansu, which was the key juncture between the Han and Xiongnu empire, in order to fill the gap and further understand the substance strategies employed by the local people. According to the results of plant remains and stable isotopic data, millet farming, the typical agricultural activities for the Han Chinese in the Central Plains, was also the primary lifestyle for the Huangwan people in the mid Gansu. More importantly, this shows fundamentally remarkable difference from the agricultural practices in the Bronze Age Gansu Corridor, which were based on a variety of crops, including wheat, barley and millet. This major shift in the subsistence production at Huangwan can be correlated to a wider historical background in which the Han empire showed increasing political and military presence in the Gansu Corridor, indicating that local indigenous nomads followed the lifestyle of Han Chinese(e.g., millet farming), and/or the Han immigrates maintained millet farming.展开更多
Precipitation chemistry analysis is essential to evaluate the atmospheric environmental quality and identify the sources of atmospheric pollutants. In this study, we collected a total of 480 precipitation samples at 6...Precipitation chemistry analysis is essential to evaluate the atmospheric environmental quality and identify the sources of atmospheric pollutants. In this study, we collected a total of 480 precipitation samples at 6 sampling sites in the northern and southern slopes of Wushaoling Mountain from May 2013 to July 2014 to analyze the chemical characteristics of precipitation and to identify the main sources of ions in precipitation. Furthermore, we also explored the indicative significance for sand dust events in the northern and southern slopes of Wushaoling Mountain based on the precipitation chemistry analysis.During the sampling period（from May 2013 to July 2014）, the p H values, EC（electrical conductivity）values and concentrations of cations（Ca^（2＋）, Mg^（2＋）, Na~＋, K~＋ and NH_4~＋） and anions（SO_4^（2–）, NO_3~–, Cl~–, NO_2~– and F~–） in precipitation were different in the northern and southern slopes at daily and seasonal time scales, with most of the values being higher in the northern slope than in the southern slope. The chemical type of precipitation in the southern and northern slopes was the same, i.e.,SO_4^（2–）-Ca^（2＋）-NO_3~–-Na~＋. The concentrations of ions in precipitation were mainly controlled by terrigenous material and anthropogenic activities（with an exception of Cl~–）. The concentration of Cl~– in precipitation was mainly controlled by the sea salt fraction. The concentrations of Na＋ and Cl~– showed an increasing trend after the occurrence of sand dust events both in the northern and southern slopes. In addition, after the occurrence of sand dust events, the concentrations of K~＋, Mg^（2＋）, SO_4^（2–）, NO_3~– and Ca^（2＋） showed an increasing trend in the southern slope and a decreasing trend in the northern slope. It is our hope that the results may be helpful to further understand the atmospheric pollution caused by sand dust events in the Wushaoling Mountain and can also provide a scientific basis for the effective prevention of atmospheric pollution.展开更多
In this Erratum, we corrected the Figure 10 of ＂Distribution of isotopes and chemicals in precipitation in Shule River Basin, northwestern China： an implication for water cycle and groundwater recharge＂, which was ...In this Erratum, we corrected the Figure 10 of ＂Distribution of isotopes and chemicals in precipitation in Shule River Basin, northwestern China： an implication for water cycle and groundwater recharge＂, which was published in Journal of Arid Land Vol. 8 No. 6 and was not a correct graphic. The correction is as follow：展开更多
This study analyzed soil moisture,soil erosion,and vegetation in the source region of the Yangtze River from 2005 to 2016.We found that soil moisture showed an increasing trend from 2005 to 2009 but decreased from 200...This study analyzed soil moisture,soil erosion,and vegetation in the source region of the Yangtze River from 2005 to 2016.We found that soil moisture showed an increasing trend from 2005 to 2009 but decreased from 2009 to 2016.The surface soil moisture was severely affected by seasonal changes in the source region of the Yangtze River,especially in the soil from 0 to 40 cm.However,seasonal variation of soil moisture deeper than 40 cm was different from that in the upper layer.Soil moisture below 40 cm wasn't affected by the seasonal variation.Soil moisture from 0 to 50 cm and the average thickness of wind deposition showed a positive correlation in the study area from 2005 to 2016.For environmental protection in the source region of the Yangtze River,wind deposition played a role in water retention.Similarly,a positive correlation also existed between the average thickness of wind erosion and soil moisture.Deep-soil moisture was the key factor for vegetation structure on the Qinghai?Tibet Plateau.The results are also helpful for further understanding the variation of soil moisture on the Tibetan Plateau and providing a scientific basis for effectively protecting and controlling the ecological environment in the future.展开更多
Actual net primary production(ANPP)is affected by both natural conditions and human activities in many areas,while the contributions of these factors to NPP remain unknown because it is difficult to isolate their effe...Actual net primary production(ANPP)is affected by both natural conditions and human activities in many areas,while the contributions of these factors to NPP remain unknown because it is difficult to isolate their effects.This knowledge gap hinders our implementation of environmental protection and restoration.In this study,we selected three basins of the Hexi Corridor,North-western China,as the study area.Based on the monthly growth of grassland and field observations,we identified the undisturbed grids and then calculated the potential net primary productivity(PNPP)of these grids.Using the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford-Approach(CASA)model,we calculated the ANPP in these areas.The influence of human activities on NPP(HNPP)was then calculated as the difference between ANPP and PNPP.The results showed that from 2001 to 2017,the mean grassland HNPP was−236.25 gC m^(−2) a^(−1).The area with a relative contribution index(RCI)of human activity greater than 0.5 accounted for more than 50%of the total,indicating that human activities were a dominant factor in the NPP change.After the implementation of ecological governance projects in the Hexi Corridor in 2006,HNPP exhibited a negative weakening rate of 2.79 gC m^(−2) a^(−1)(p<0.05),and the RCI decreased from 0.708 at the beginning of the study period to 0.522 at the end(p<0.01),indicating that reducing human interference with nature was an effective measure for ecological restoration.Based on these findings,we concluded that the changes in NPP in the three basins of the Hexi Corridor was dominated by human activities.Our results suggest that future studies pertaining to the response of NPP to climate change should consider the impact of human activities in semi-arid regions.展开更多
Climate warming and humidification trends have significantly influenced vegetation growth patterns in Chinese semi-arid areas.Exploring vegetation dynamics is crucial for understanding regional ecosystem structure and...Climate warming and humidification trends have significantly influenced vegetation growth patterns in Chinese semi-arid areas.Exploring vegetation dynamics is crucial for understanding regional ecosystem structure and improving the efforts of ecosystem restoration.However,the applicability of various vegetation indices(VIs)in these arid areas remains uncertain.Evaluating the applicability of multiple VIs for vegetation monitoring can elucidate the variability of VIs performance at regional scale.Therefore,this study selected the Zuli River Basin(ZLRB),a typical loess hilly watershed in the semi-arid areas of China.Using Landsat data,we calculated the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI),Enhanced Vegetation Index(EVI),and kernel NDVI(kNDVI)for the ZLRB from 1990 to 2020.We analyzed the spatiotemporal variations of these VIs using trend analysis and the Mann-Kendall test,and quantified the contributions of climate change(considering time-lag effects)and human activities to VIs changes through wavelet and residual analyses.Results indicated that VIs generally exhibited an upward trend in the ZLRB,with significant improvements observed in 54.91% of the area for NDVI,31.69% for EVI,and 33.71% for kNDVI.Among them,NDVI outperformed EVI and kNDVI in capturing vegetation changes in the semi-arid area.VIs responded to precipitation with 1-month time lag and no time lag to temperature during growing season.Moreover,precipitation had a stronger positive correlation with VIs than temperature.Climate change was identified as the dominant driver of vegetation dynamics in the ZLRB,accounting for 93.12% of NDVI variation,while human activities contributed only 6.88%.Comparative analysis of VIs suggests that NDVI was more suitable for describing vegetation changes in the typical arid area of the ZLRB.Our findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate VIs for targeted ecological restoration and sustainable land management.展开更多
Flash drought is characterized by a period of rapid drought intensification with impacts on agriculture,water resources,ecosystems,and human environment.In the Qilian Mountains,northwestern China,flash droughts are be...Flash drought is characterized by a period of rapid drought intensification with impacts on agriculture,water resources,ecosystems,and human environment.In the Qilian Mountains,northwestern China,flash droughts are becoming more frequently due to the global climate warming.However,the spatiotemporal variations and their driving factors of flash droughts are not clear in this region.In this study,the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF)Reanalysis v5-Land(ERA5-Land)dataset was utilized to identify two types of flash drought events(heatwave-induced and water scarcity-induced flash drought events)that occurred in the growing season(April‒September)during 1981-2020 in this area.The results showed that the frequency of heatwave-induced flash droughts has decreased since 2010,while the frequency of water scarcity-induced flash droughts has declined markedly.Spatially,heatwave-induced flash droughts were predominantly concentrated in the western Qilian Mountains,whereas water scarcity-induced flash droughts were primarily concentrated in the central and eastern Qilian Mountains.A significantly increasing temporal trend in both types of flash droughts in the eastern Qilian Mountains was found.Meanwhile,there was a decreasing temporal trend of heatwave-induced flash droughts in the southwestern part of the region.Additionally,the influence of two major atmospheric modes,i.e.,the El Niño‒Southern Oscillation(ENSO)and North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO),on these two types of flash droughts was explored by the Superposed Epoch Analysis.The ENSO mainly influences flash droughts in the central and eastern parts of the Qilian Mountains by altering the strength of the East Asian monsoon,while the NAO mainly affects flash droughts in the entire parts of the Qilian Mountains by inducing anomalous westerlies activity.Our findings have important implications for predicting the evolution of flash drought events in the Qilian Mountains region under continued climate warming.展开更多
The response of lake environments in arid Central Asia to climate change during the Late Holocene over the centennial to millennial timescales remains contentious.The reason that primarily paleoenvironmental proxies d...The response of lake environments in arid Central Asia to climate change during the Late Holocene over the centennial to millennial timescales remains contentious.The reason that primarily paleoenvironmental proxies diverse and the scarcity of accurate quantitative reconstruction records.In this study,we employed diatoms and pollen records from lacustrine sediment in the Aibi Lake of Southwest Junggar Basin to quantitatively reconstruct salinity and watershed precipitation amounts while exploring the associated forcing mechanisms.The results indicate that Aibi Lake salinity varied between 2 and 47 g/L during the Late Holocene Period,indicating a generally brackish environment,and corresponding to prevailing Tryblionella granulata diatom in the lake basin.Westerly-dominated annual precipitation varied between 250 and 320 mm during the Late Holocene Period in the basin,exhibiting a generally semi-arid environment and prevailing desert steppe vegetation.The Aibi Lake has a low salinity of average value of~15 g/L and exhibits elevated precipitation(average value of~280 mm)during the periods of the 2900-1990,1570-1140,and 590-120 cal yr BP.The reconstructed precipitation and salinity exhibit a periodicity of~200 years,which is consistent with the cycle of phase changes of the North Atlantic oscillation(NAO)and total solar irradiance(TSI).This correlation suggests that variations in NOA and TSI significantly influence the precipitation and salinity changes in Central Asia over centennial to millennial timescales.展开更多
Mountains in western China, hosted rich biodiversity and millions of people and inhabitant with vital ecosystem services, had experienced the most serious biodiversity loss with fragile ecological problems. Even thoug...Mountains in western China, hosted rich biodiversity and millions of people and inhabitant with vital ecosystem services, had experienced the most serious biodiversity loss with fragile ecological problems. Even though increasing attentions had been paid to this issue, we still lacked efficient methods to assess the change of plant biodiversity at medium/large scale due to the poor data and co-existing multiple habitat types. This study proposed an integrated method combining InVEST-habitat quality model, NPP and landscape pattern indexes to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of plant biodiversity and its spatiotemporal change on raster cell scale. The results indicated that plant biodiversity service was high in Bailongjiang watershed with obvious spatial pattern variations. The land area containing higher plant biodiversity were 3161 km2, which mainly distributed in the National Nature Reserve and forestry area. While the areas with lower plant biodiversity accounted for 37.67% and mainly distributed in the valleys between Zhouqu-Wudu-Wenxian County, the valley of Minjiang in Tanchang County and alpine mountain snow-covered regions. During 1990–2010, plant biodiversity level tended to increase and the higher plant biodiversity area increased from 14.13% to 17.15% due to ecological restoration and afforestation, while plant biodiversity decreased in the area with intensive human activities, such as cultivated land, urban and rural land. The results showed that combining InVEST-habitat quality model, NPP and landscape pattern indexes can effective reveal mountain plant biodiversity change. The study was useful for plant biodiversity conservation policy-making and human activity management for the disaster-impacted mountainous areas in China.展开更多
Paleoenvironmental history in the monsoonal margin in the northeast Tibetan Pla- teau provides important clue to the regional climate. Previous researches have been limited by either poor chronology or low resolution....Paleoenvironmental history in the monsoonal margin in the northeast Tibetan Pla- teau provides important clue to the regional climate. Previous researches have been limited by either poor chronology or low resolution. Here we present a high-resolution pollen record from a 40.92-m-long sediment core （DLH） taken from Dalianhai, a terminal lake situated in the Gonghe Basin, the northeast Tibetan Plateau for reconstructing the vegetation and climate history since the last deglacial on the basis of a chronology controlled by 10 AMS 14C dates on plant remains preserved in the core sediments. The pollen assemblages in DLH core can be partitioned into 6 pollen zones and each zone is mainly characterized by the growth and decline of tree or herb pollen percentage. During the periods of 14.8-12.9 ka and 9.4-3.9 ka, the subalpine arboreal and local herbaceous pollen increased, indicating the subalpine forest developed in the surrounding mountains and a desert steppe or typical steppe developed in Gonghe Basin under a relatively moister climate. During the periods of 15.8-14.8 ka, 12.9-9.4 ka and 3.9-1.4 ka, the forest shrank or disappeared according to different degrees of aridity, and the desert steppe degraded to a more arid steppe desert in the basin, indicating a dry climate. After 1.4 ka, vegetation type around Dalianhai was mainly dominated by steppe suggested by increased Artemisia. Our results suggested the climate history in this region was dry from 15.8-14.8 ka, humid from 14.8-12.9 ka and dry from 12.9-9.4 ka, after which the climate was humid during 9.4-3.9 ka, followed by dry conditions during 3.9-1.4 ka and humid conditions in the last 1.4 ka. The change of pollen percentage and the evolution of palaeovegetation in Dalianhai since the last deglacial were similar to those recorded in Qinghai Lake. The forest expanded in the mountains around Dalianhai during the Bol- ling-Aller^d period, shrank during the Younger Dryas and the early Holocene, then it devel- oped and reached its maximum in the mid-Holocene. During the late Holocene, the vegetation began to shrink till disappearance. However, the timing of forest expansion in the Holocene lagged behind that of Qinghai Lake, and this spatial heterogeneity was probably caused by the different forest species between these two places. The maximum of forest development in the mid-Holocene was inconsistent with the period of stronger summer monsoon in the early Holocene indicated by stalagmite records, the reason might be related to the complexity of vegetation response to a large-scale climatic change.展开更多
In this study, the daily observational precipitation data and NCEP reanalysis data during 1951e2014, Euler and Lagrangian method were used to investigate the moisture sources of summer extreme precipitation events in ...In this study, the daily observational precipitation data and NCEP reanalysis data during 1951e2014, Euler and Lagrangian method were used to investigate the moisture sources of summer extreme precipitation events in North Xinjiang. The results show that water vapor at low and upper levels of most summer heavy rain (more than 50 mm d1 and less than 100 mm d1) in North Xinjiang are mainly transported by westerly circulation from the North Atlantic Ocean and the Eurasian continent. However, rainstorms of more than 100 mm d1, which are rarely observed, are dominated by vertically integrated moisture from the North Atlantic, Arctic Oceans, and the Eurasian continent, in addition to lowlevel moisture from the Indian Ocean. Among these sources, the anomalous low-level moisture from the Indian Ocean, which is closely associated with stronger meridional circulation, is considered to be more important with respect to rainstorms. On the days prior to rainstorm days, stronger meridional circulation leads to an anomalous pressure gradient force, which can transport low-level moisture from the Indian Ocean along the eastern periphery of the Tibetan Plateau to North Xinjiang. Furthermore, moisture from the North Atlantic, Arctic Oceans, the Eurasian continent, and the Indian Ocean converge together to influence rainstorm development in this region.展开更多
The Altyn Tagh Fault（ATF） is the longest, lithospheric scale and strike-slip fault in East Asia. In the last three decades, multidisciplinary studies focusing on the timing, displacement of strikeslip and growth mec...The Altyn Tagh Fault（ATF） is the longest, lithospheric scale and strike-slip fault in East Asia. In the last three decades, multidisciplinary studies focusing on the timing, displacement of strikeslip and growth mechanics of the ATF have made great progresses. Most studies revealed that the ATF is a sinistral strike-slip and thrust fault, which underwent multiple episodes of activation. The fault is oriented NEE with a length of 1600 km, but the direction, timing of activity and magnitude of its extension eastward are still unclear. The AFT was predominately active during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, in relation to the Mesozoic collision of the Cimmerian continent（Qiangtang and Lhasa block） and Cenozoic collision of India with Asia. The AFT strike-slipped with a left-lateral displacement of ca. 400 km during the Cenozoic and the displacement were bigger in the western segment and stronger in the early stage of fault activation. The slip-rates in the Quaternary were bigger in the middle segment than in the western and eastern segment. We roughly estimated the Mesozoic displacement as ca. 150-300 km. The latest paleomagnetic data showed that the clockwise vertical-axis rotation did not take place in the huge basins（the Tarim and Qaidam） at both side of ATF during the Cenozoic, but the rotation happened in the small basins along the ATF. This rotation may play an important role on accommodating the tectonic deformation and displacement of the ATF. Even if we have achieved consensus for many issues related to the ATF, some issues still need to be study deeply; such as：（a） the temporal and spatial coupling relationship between the collision of Cimmerian continent with Asia and the history of AFT in the Mesozoic and（b） the tectonic deformation history which records by the sediments of the basins within and at both side of AFT and was constrained by a high-resolution and accurate chronology such as magnetostratigraphy and paleomagnetic data.展开更多
Changes in the status of freshwater resources are a topic of major global, regional and local concern. This is especially so in the arid and semi-arid regions of China, where shortage of water resources plays a crucia...Changes in the status of freshwater resources are a topic of major global, regional and local concern. This is especially so in the arid and semi-arid regions of China, where shortage of water resources plays a crucial role in limiting sustainable socioeconomic development, as well as in sustaining natural ecosystems. Recent climate change, as well as the effects of localized human activity, such as the use of water for irrigation agriculture, may have significant effects on the status of the water resources in the region. Here, we report the results of a study of changes in the areas of lakes in Gonghe Basin, northeastern Tibetan Plateau of China, over the last 60 years. The data were acquired from optical satellite images and demonstrate that the total water area of lakes in Gonghe Basin decreased significantly from the 1950s to 1980s. The cause is ascribed mainly to human activity including exploitation of farmland, against a background of increasing population; in addition, climatic data for the region demonstrate a minor drying trend during this period as the temperature increased slightly. After the construction of several reservoirs, significant amounts of water were redistributed to promote irrigation agriculture and we conclude that this caused a significant shrinkage of the natural lakes. However, both the area of farmland and the population size remained approximately constant after 1990. We conclude that the variation of the total area of lakes during the second period was mainly controlled by climatic factors （precipitation and temperature）. As the regional temperature reached a new high, the area of some of the lakes decreased sharply before finally maintaining a relatively steady state. We emphasize that anthropogenic climate change and human activity have both significantly influenced the status of water resources in the arid and semi-arid regions of China.展开更多
The northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP) of China is located at the triple junction of the Asian winter and summer monsoons and the westerlies, where paleoclimatic evolution has an important scientific significan...The northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP) of China is located at the triple junction of the Asian winter and summer monsoons and the westerlies, where paleoclimatic evolution has an important scientific significance for recognizing the spatial-temporal pattern of Asian monsoons in the past and predicting environmental change in the future. Nevertheless, the framework of the Holocene moisture variation and related mechanisms remain controversial, owing to complex hydroclimatic conditions triggered by the landform of the large mountain-arid basin. Here, we employed geochemical proxies from typical aeolian sand-palaeosol sequences in the Gonghe Basin, northeastern QTP, together with Optically Stimulated Luminescence(OSL) dating, to reconstruct the pattern of effective moisture variation and associated mechanisms in this region. Our results indicate that the regional effective moisture was at its lowest until 9–8 ka, and approached a maximum during 8–4/3 ka of the middle Holocene. Afterwards, the climate became relatively dry in general, but with a transient humid interval around 2–1 ka. Our geochemical evidence indicates that the dry early Holocene probably can be attributed to a strong winter monsoon forced by remnant ice sheet, combined with the high evaporation caused by solar insolation. Also, shifts of humid-dry are closely linked to the Asian summer monsoonal strength and therefore the balance of evaporation-precipitation in the middle and late Holocene. Thus, the pattern of the Holocene effective moisture variation is characterized as the ‘monsoon model’ in a closed intermontane arid and semi-arid basin near the western Asian monsoonal limit.展开更多
Proxy records of the oxygen isotopic composition of meteorological precipitation （δ^18Op） preserved in archives such as ice cores, lacustrine carbonates and stalagmite calcite are important for paleoclimatic studie...Proxy records of the oxygen isotopic composition of meteorological precipitation （δ^18Op） preserved in archives such as ice cores, lacustrine carbonates and stalagmite calcite are important for paleoclimatic studies. Therefore, knowledge of the variations and controlling mechanisms of modern δ^18Op on different time scales is necessary. Here, we investigate the linear correlations between δ^18Op and corresponding temperature and precipitation on monthly and inter-annual timescales, using data from the Urumqi （1986-2003） and Hotan stations of the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation （GNIP）, and δ^18O data from 4 ice cores in the adjacent Tianshan Mountains. Consistent with previous reported results, modern δ^18Op variations on a seasonal time scale in the Tianshan region are mainly controlled by a ＇temperature effect＇ （indicated by a significant positive correlation between δ^18Op and temperature）, with more positive δ^18Op values occurring in summer. However, on an inter-annual timescale, there is a weak inverse correlation between weighted average annual δ^18Op and annual average temperature at Urumqi station. This finding is supported by the inversely varying trends of δ^18Op data from 4 ice cores in the central and eastern Tianshan Mountains compared to annual average temperatures in the same region during the past 40-50 years. The data from Urumqi station and the 4 ice cores demonstrate that there is inverse correlation between δ^18Op and temperature on inter-annual to decadal time scales. Analysis of water vapor sources and pathways for the warm year of 1997 and the cold year of 1988 reveal that relatively more water vapor for the Tianshan region was derived from long-distance transport from high-latitude sources than during the warm year of 1997; and that more water vapor was transported from more proximal sources from mid- to low-latitude areas during the cold year of 1988. In addition, the δ^18Op values are more negative in the high latitude areas than those in mid- to low-latitude areas in the Eurasian continent at the upper wind direction of Tianshan Mountains region, according to the weighted averaged warm season （May to September）δ^18Op values for 14 GNIP stations in the years 1997 and 1988. Due to the distribution of δ^18Op within the Eurasian continent, the relative shift of water vapor sources between warm and cold years convincingly explains the observed variations of δ^18Op in the Tianshan Mountains region. Therefore, we conclude that variations in 518OD in this region are mainly controlled by changes in water vapor sources which are ultimately caused by northward and southward shifts in the Westerly circulation.展开更多
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42271003,42301001)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(No.lzujbky-2022-ey09)+1 种基金the China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.GZB20230275)Supercomputing Center of Lanzhou University。
文摘Arid regions are vital components of Earth’s land surface.Clarifying the area/boundary of arid region is crucial for comprehending area changes and potential mechanisms.However,the accuracy and applicability of arid region boundary delineated by different indices remain unclear.In this study,the annual precipitation(AP),humidity index(H),and aridity index(K)were calculated for delineating arid region of China using 106 meteorological stations during 1990–2019.The results suggest that AP and H can accurately delineate arid region,because they are consistent with the distribution of typical soil and vegetation in arid region,whereas K is not.Moreover,AP is the best index for delineating arid region in regions with limited meteorological data,especially in studying long-term patterns and mechanisms of area changes.The accuracy of delineating arid region using H is enhanced in regions with abundant meteorological data.Over the past 30 years,influenced by the increase of atmospheric moisture influx and precipitation,the area in arid region of northwestern China decreased by 70×10^(3)–90×10^(3)km^(2),resulting in the present area of approximately 1.55×10^(6)km^(2).This study provides appropriate indices for delineating arid region,contributing to improving our knowledge of regional responses difference to climate change.
基金supported by the Open Research Fund of Jiangxi Provincial Academy of Water Resources Sciences(2022SKTR05&2022SKTR03)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42067049&42367049),the Jiangxi Provincial Natural Science Foundation(20242BAB25350)+5 种基金the Research Project of the Jiangxi Provincial Department of Forestry(CXZX(2025)14 and JXTG(2023)15)the Ganpo Juncai Plan(QN2023018)the Ganpo Yingcai Plan(gpyc20240038)the Double Thousand Plan of Jiangxi Province(jxsq2023102213 and jxsq2023102214)the Jiangxi Province“Science and Technology+Water Resources”Joint Plan Project(2023KSG01001)the Major Discipline Academic and Technical Leaders Training Program of Jiangxi Province(20243BCE51025).
文摘Stable carbon isotopes(δ^(13)C)are extensively utilized to study intrinsic water use efficiency(iWUE)at the leaf-scale in terrestrial ecosystems,serving as a crucial metric for assessing plant adaptation to climate change.However,there is currently a lack of consensus regarding the leaf-scale iWUE variation characteristics among different functional types.In this study,we measured theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values of different functional plants(i.e.,life forms,leaf types,and mycorrhizal types)from 120 species across distinct habitat types(i.e.,hillside,nearpeak,and peak)in a subtropical forest on the western slope of Wuyi Mountains,southern China.The results showed that theδ^(13)Cleaf values of plants on the western slope of Wuyi Mountains ranged from-34.63‰to-30.04‰,and iWUE ranged from 5.93μmol mol^(-1)to 57.34μmol mol^(-1).Theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values differed significantly among plant life forms,following the order of herbs>vine plants>shrubs>trees.Theδ^(13)Cleaf and iWUE values of ectomycorrhizal(ECM)species were greater than those of arbuscular mycorrhizal(AM)species despite there being no significant difference between plants with different leaf types(Simple leaves(SL)vs.Compound leaves(CL)).From the hillside to the peak,both at the community level and at the species level,theδ^(13)C values of leaves and iWUE values of plants exhibited an upward trend.The regression analysis revealed that leaf-scale iWUE was significantly negatively correlated with soil water content and significantly positively correlated with leaf phosphorus content.The findings indicated that leaf carbon isotope fractionation and corresponding iWUE can be influenced by life form,mycorrhizal type,and soil water availability.These insights provide a deeper understanding of the coupling mechanisms of carbon,water,and nutrients among different functional plant types in subtropical forests,and offer insights into predicting plant adaptability under climate change.
基金financially supported by NSF of China(Grant 41072056, 40772058, 91014003, 40534020 and40772062)Key Projects of China Geological Survey(1212011121092)MOE (311010)
文摘The Kalatongke Cu-Ni sulfide deposits located in the East Junggar terrane, northern Xinjiang, western China are the largest magmatic sulfide deposits in the Central Asian Orogenic Belt （CAOB）. The chemical and carbon isotopic compositions of the volatiles trapped in olivine, pyroxene and sulfide mineral separates were analyzed by vacuum stepwise-heating mass spectrometry. The results show that the released volatiles are concentrated at three temperature intervals of 200-400°C, 400-900°C and 900-1200°C. The released volatiles from silicate mineral separates at 400-900°C and 900-1200°C have similar chemical and carbon isotopic compositions, which are mainly composed of H2O （av. ~92 mol%） with minor H2, CO2, H2S and SO2, and they are likely associated with the ore-forming magmatic volatiles. Light δ13CCO2 values （from -20.86‰ to -12.85‰） of pyroxene indicate crustal contamination occurred prior to or synchronous with pyroxene crystallization of mantlederived ore-forming magma. The elevated contents of H2 and H2O in the olivine and pyroxene suggest a deep mantle-originated ore-forming volatile mixed with aqueous volatiles from recycled subducted slab. High contents of CO2 in the ore-forming magma volatiles led to an increase in oxygen fugacity, and thereby reduced the solubility of sulfur in the magma, then triggered sulfur saturation followed by sulfide melt segregation; CO2 contents correlated with Cu contents in the whole rocks suggest that a supercritical state of CO2 in the ore-forming magma system under high temperature and pressure conditions might play a key role in the assemblage of huge Cu and Ni elements. The volatiles released from constituent minerals of intrusion 1# have more CO2 and SO2 oxidized gases, higher CO2/CH4 and SO2/H2S ratios and lighter δ13CCO2 than those of intrusions 2# and 3#. This combination suggests that the higher oxidation state of the volatiles in intrusion 1# than intrusions 2# and 3#, which could be one of key ore-forming factors for large amounts of ores and high contents of Cu and Ni in intrusion 1#. The volatiles released at 200-400°C are dominated by H2O with minor CO2, N2＋CO and SO2, with δ13CCO2 values （-25.66‰ to -22.98‰） within the crustal ranges, and are considered to be related to secondary tectonic-hydrothermal activities.
基金supported by the Chinese NSFC funds (Nos. 41272127, 41330745, 41021091)
文摘Tectonic and environmental patterns and evolution of the present North Tibetan Plateau （NTP） prior to the India collision with Asia is significant to understand the formation of the Tibetan Plateau and its influence on the environment.In this study,we integrated and analyzed the tectonostratigraphy and the special sedimentary layers whose climatic implications are clear in the NTP.Additionally,we stressed the tectonic and environmental events and their evolutions from the Mesozoic to the Early Cenozoic.Our results show that four tectonic phases,which sequentially took place during the Triassic,Jurassic,Cretaceous and Paleogene,played an important role on the formation of the North Tibet.The climate was basically dry and hot from the Triassic to the Eocene and became dry and cool since the Oligocene in this region.The climatic evolution was characterized by a transition from a wet and hot phase during the Triassic-Middle Jurassic,to a dry and hot phase during the Late Jurassic-Eocene.Both phases encompassed 5 wet and hot periods followed by 5 dry and hot climate events,respectively.In addition,we found that the tectonic deformation and the climatic conditions were spatially and temporally different.In detail,in the regions north of the PaleoTian Shan and Paleo-Qilian Mts.the tectonic deformation and climatic condition were stronger and wetter than in regions south of the Paleo-Tian Shan and Paleo-Qilian Mts.during the Late Triassic-Jurassic.Whereas in the Cretaceous,the tectonic movement was intensive in the west but steady in the east,and climate was dry in the south but wet in the north of NTP.The formation of the tectonic and climatic patterns in NTP were the consequence of either global climate change or regional tectonics,including the Paleo-Asian Ocean closure and the Qiangtang block,Lhasa block and India plate collision subsequently to Asia.Furthermore,the regional tectonic events occurred before any global climate change and drove the climatic change in the NTP.
基金supported by the "Strategic Priority ResearchProgram" of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No.XDB03020402)the National Basic Research Program (973) of China (No. 2013CB956403)+2 种基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 41201005, 41272128)the Funda-mental Research Funds for the Central Universities (No.lzujbky-2013-122)the NSFC National Innovative ResearchTeam Project (No. 41021091)
文摘The western Qinling （秦岭） orogenic belt is one of the outermost ranges in the northeas- tern Tibetan Plateau. Its tectonic uplift history is therefore essential to insight on the evolution history of the plateau. However, the timing of deformation and uplift history is still poorly known. Fortunately, its Cenozoic orogenic history is recorded in an excellent synorogenic sedimentary sequence exposed in the Tianshui （天水）Ba- sin, the northeastern foot of western Qinling. Ac- cording to sedimentary-tectonic analysis of the Yaodian （尧店） and Lamashan （喇嘛山） sections based on the previous magnetostratigraphy stu- dies, we speculated that two stages （occurred at 9.2-7.4 and -3.6 Ma） of variation in depositional facies were attributed to the uplift and deforma- tion of the western Qinling, and the modern structure geomorphic frame of the northeastern Tibet formed after 2.6 Ma. Furthermore, four stages of active processes along the western Qinling occurred at 49--41, 34-27, 25-19 and -13 Ma, are deciphered from an integrated detrital apatite fission-track data of the Ganquan （甘泉）, Yaodian main sections and seven small ones. The former two are represents the exhumation episodes triggered by tectonism and the others attributed to the volcanic signals.
基金This research was supported by the Major Program of the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.419912251)National Key Research&Development Program of China(Grant No.2018YFA0606402)+2 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41871076)Strategic Priority Research Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences,Pan-Third Pole Environment Study for a Green Silk Road(Pan-TPE)(Grant No.XDA2004010101)Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.lzujbky-2018-43).
文摘The integration of farmers and nomads in northwestern China during the Han Dynasty(206 BCE ~ 220 CE) provides a crucial opportunity to reconstruct the material exchanges, formation and development of the Silk Road in antiquity. The subsistence strategy is arguably an effective proxy for the integration of various groups of people(e.g. farmers and nomads). In this paper, we have reported new stable isotope data from the Huangwan tombs dated to the Han dynasty in middle Gansu, which was the key juncture between the Han and Xiongnu empire, in order to fill the gap and further understand the substance strategies employed by the local people. According to the results of plant remains and stable isotopic data, millet farming, the typical agricultural activities for the Han Chinese in the Central Plains, was also the primary lifestyle for the Huangwan people in the mid Gansu. More importantly, this shows fundamentally remarkable difference from the agricultural practices in the Bronze Age Gansu Corridor, which were based on a variety of crops, including wheat, barley and millet. This major shift in the subsistence production at Huangwan can be correlated to a wider historical background in which the Han empire showed increasing political and military presence in the Gansu Corridor, indicating that local indigenous nomads followed the lifestyle of Han Chinese(e.g., millet farming), and/or the Han immigrates maintained millet farming.
基金supported by the Gansu Province Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars (1506RJDA282)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41271039, 91547102)+2 种基金the Open Foundation of MOE Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental System of Lanzhou Universitythe Open Foundation from State Key Laboratory (SKLFSE201403)the West Light Program for Talent Cultivation of Chinese Academy of Sciences
文摘Precipitation chemistry analysis is essential to evaluate the atmospheric environmental quality and identify the sources of atmospheric pollutants. In this study, we collected a total of 480 precipitation samples at 6 sampling sites in the northern and southern slopes of Wushaoling Mountain from May 2013 to July 2014 to analyze the chemical characteristics of precipitation and to identify the main sources of ions in precipitation. Furthermore, we also explored the indicative significance for sand dust events in the northern and southern slopes of Wushaoling Mountain based on the precipitation chemistry analysis.During the sampling period（from May 2013 to July 2014）, the p H values, EC（electrical conductivity）values and concentrations of cations（Ca^（2＋）, Mg^（2＋）, Na~＋, K~＋ and NH_4~＋） and anions（SO_4^（2–）, NO_3~–, Cl~–, NO_2~– and F~–） in precipitation were different in the northern and southern slopes at daily and seasonal time scales, with most of the values being higher in the northern slope than in the southern slope. The chemical type of precipitation in the southern and northern slopes was the same, i.e.,SO_4^（2–）-Ca^（2＋）-NO_3~–-Na~＋. The concentrations of ions in precipitation were mainly controlled by terrigenous material and anthropogenic activities（with an exception of Cl~–）. The concentration of Cl~– in precipitation was mainly controlled by the sea salt fraction. The concentrations of Na＋ and Cl~– showed an increasing trend after the occurrence of sand dust events both in the northern and southern slopes. In addition, after the occurrence of sand dust events, the concentrations of K~＋, Mg^（2＋）, SO_4^（2–）, NO_3~– and Ca^（2＋） showed an increasing trend in the southern slope and a decreasing trend in the northern slope. It is our hope that the results may be helpful to further understand the atmospheric pollution caused by sand dust events in the Wushaoling Mountain and can also provide a scientific basis for the effective prevention of atmospheric pollution.
文摘In this Erratum, we corrected the Figure 10 of ＂Distribution of isotopes and chemicals in precipitation in Shule River Basin, northwestern China： an implication for water cycle and groundwater recharge＂, which was published in Journal of Arid Land Vol. 8 No. 6 and was not a correct graphic. The correction is as follow：
基金supported by the Discipline Construction Fund Project of Gansu Agricultural University(GSAU-XKJS-2018-109)the Open Foundation of MOE Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental System,Lanzhou University+3 种基金the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(lzujbky-2018-kb01)National"Plan of Ten Thousand People"Youth Top Talent Project,the Youth Innovation Promotion Association,CAS(2013274)Open funding from the Key Laboratory of Mountain Hazards and Earth Surface Process the open funding from State Key Laboratory of Loess and Quaternary Geology(SKLLQG1814)National Key R&D Program of China(2017YFC0404305)
文摘This study analyzed soil moisture,soil erosion,and vegetation in the source region of the Yangtze River from 2005 to 2016.We found that soil moisture showed an increasing trend from 2005 to 2009 but decreased from 2009 to 2016.The surface soil moisture was severely affected by seasonal changes in the source region of the Yangtze River,especially in the soil from 0 to 40 cm.However,seasonal variation of soil moisture deeper than 40 cm was different from that in the upper layer.Soil moisture below 40 cm wasn't affected by the seasonal variation.Soil moisture from 0 to 50 cm and the average thickness of wind deposition showed a positive correlation in the study area from 2005 to 2016.For environmental protection in the source region of the Yangtze River,wind deposition played a role in water retention.Similarly,a positive correlation also existed between the average thickness of wind erosion and soil moisture.Deep-soil moisture was the key factor for vegetation structure on the Qinghai?Tibet Plateau.The results are also helpful for further understanding the variation of soil moisture on the Tibetan Plateau and providing a scientific basis for effectively protecting and controlling the ecological environment in the future.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(41761083)Soft Science Research Project of Gansu Province(21CX6ZA020).
文摘Actual net primary production(ANPP)is affected by both natural conditions and human activities in many areas,while the contributions of these factors to NPP remain unknown because it is difficult to isolate their effects.This knowledge gap hinders our implementation of environmental protection and restoration.In this study,we selected three basins of the Hexi Corridor,North-western China,as the study area.Based on the monthly growth of grassland and field observations,we identified the undisturbed grids and then calculated the potential net primary productivity(PNPP)of these grids.Using the Carnegie-Ames-Stanford-Approach(CASA)model,we calculated the ANPP in these areas.The influence of human activities on NPP(HNPP)was then calculated as the difference between ANPP and PNPP.The results showed that from 2001 to 2017,the mean grassland HNPP was−236.25 gC m^(−2) a^(−1).The area with a relative contribution index(RCI)of human activity greater than 0.5 accounted for more than 50%of the total,indicating that human activities were a dominant factor in the NPP change.After the implementation of ecological governance projects in the Hexi Corridor in 2006,HNPP exhibited a negative weakening rate of 2.79 gC m^(−2) a^(−1)(p<0.05),and the RCI decreased from 0.708 at the beginning of the study period to 0.522 at the end(p<0.01),indicating that reducing human interference with nature was an effective measure for ecological restoration.Based on these findings,we concluded that the changes in NPP in the three basins of the Hexi Corridor was dominated by human activities.Our results suggest that future studies pertaining to the response of NPP to climate change should consider the impact of human activities in semi-arid regions.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(U21A2011).
文摘Climate warming and humidification trends have significantly influenced vegetation growth patterns in Chinese semi-arid areas.Exploring vegetation dynamics is crucial for understanding regional ecosystem structure and improving the efforts of ecosystem restoration.However,the applicability of various vegetation indices(VIs)in these arid areas remains uncertain.Evaluating the applicability of multiple VIs for vegetation monitoring can elucidate the variability of VIs performance at regional scale.Therefore,this study selected the Zuli River Basin(ZLRB),a typical loess hilly watershed in the semi-arid areas of China.Using Landsat data,we calculated the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index(NDVI),Enhanced Vegetation Index(EVI),and kernel NDVI(kNDVI)for the ZLRB from 1990 to 2020.We analyzed the spatiotemporal variations of these VIs using trend analysis and the Mann-Kendall test,and quantified the contributions of climate change(considering time-lag effects)and human activities to VIs changes through wavelet and residual analyses.Results indicated that VIs generally exhibited an upward trend in the ZLRB,with significant improvements observed in 54.91% of the area for NDVI,31.69% for EVI,and 33.71% for kNDVI.Among them,NDVI outperformed EVI and kNDVI in capturing vegetation changes in the semi-arid area.VIs responded to precipitation with 1-month time lag and no time lag to temperature during growing season.Moreover,precipitation had a stronger positive correlation with VIs than temperature.Climate change was identified as the dominant driver of vegetation dynamics in the ZLRB,accounting for 93.12% of NDVI variation,while human activities contributed only 6.88%.Comparative analysis of VIs suggests that NDVI was more suitable for describing vegetation changes in the typical arid area of the ZLRB.Our findings underscore the importance of selecting appropriate VIs for targeted ecological restoration and sustainable land management.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(42477481,42477483)the Science and Technology Program in Gansu Province(23JRRA599)the Chinese Academy of Sciences(CAS)"Light of West China"Program.
文摘Flash drought is characterized by a period of rapid drought intensification with impacts on agriculture,water resources,ecosystems,and human environment.In the Qilian Mountains,northwestern China,flash droughts are becoming more frequently due to the global climate warming.However,the spatiotemporal variations and their driving factors of flash droughts are not clear in this region.In this study,the European Centre for Medium-range Weather Forecasts(ECMWF)Reanalysis v5-Land(ERA5-Land)dataset was utilized to identify two types of flash drought events(heatwave-induced and water scarcity-induced flash drought events)that occurred in the growing season(April‒September)during 1981-2020 in this area.The results showed that the frequency of heatwave-induced flash droughts has decreased since 2010,while the frequency of water scarcity-induced flash droughts has declined markedly.Spatially,heatwave-induced flash droughts were predominantly concentrated in the western Qilian Mountains,whereas water scarcity-induced flash droughts were primarily concentrated in the central and eastern Qilian Mountains.A significantly increasing temporal trend in both types of flash droughts in the eastern Qilian Mountains was found.Meanwhile,there was a decreasing temporal trend of heatwave-induced flash droughts in the southwestern part of the region.Additionally,the influence of two major atmospheric modes,i.e.,the El Niño‒Southern Oscillation(ENSO)and North Atlantic Oscillation(NAO),on these two types of flash droughts was explored by the Superposed Epoch Analysis.The ENSO mainly influences flash droughts in the central and eastern parts of the Qilian Mountains by altering the strength of the East Asian monsoon,while the NAO mainly affects flash droughts in the entire parts of the Qilian Mountains by inducing anomalous westerlies activity.Our findings have important implications for predicting the evolution of flash drought events in the Qilian Mountains region under continued climate warming.
基金supported by the Gansu Province Outstanding Youth Fund(No.23JRRA1016)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.42422102,42071101,41907379)the National Key R&D Program of China(No.2022YFF0801501)。
文摘The response of lake environments in arid Central Asia to climate change during the Late Holocene over the centennial to millennial timescales remains contentious.The reason that primarily paleoenvironmental proxies diverse and the scarcity of accurate quantitative reconstruction records.In this study,we employed diatoms and pollen records from lacustrine sediment in the Aibi Lake of Southwest Junggar Basin to quantitatively reconstruct salinity and watershed precipitation amounts while exploring the associated forcing mechanisms.The results indicate that Aibi Lake salinity varied between 2 and 47 g/L during the Late Holocene Period,indicating a generally brackish environment,and corresponding to prevailing Tryblionella granulata diatom in the lake basin.Westerly-dominated annual precipitation varied between 250 and 320 mm during the Late Holocene Period in the basin,exhibiting a generally semi-arid environment and prevailing desert steppe vegetation.The Aibi Lake has a low salinity of average value of~15 g/L and exhibits elevated precipitation(average value of~280 mm)during the periods of the 2900-1990,1570-1140,and 590-120 cal yr BP.The reconstructed precipitation and salinity exhibit a periodicity of~200 years,which is consistent with the cycle of phase changes of the North Atlantic oscillation(NAO)and total solar irradiance(TSI).This correlation suggests that variations in NOA and TSI significantly influence the precipitation and salinity changes in Central Asia over centennial to millennial timescales.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41771196,No.41761039,No.41271199
文摘Mountains in western China, hosted rich biodiversity and millions of people and inhabitant with vital ecosystem services, had experienced the most serious biodiversity loss with fragile ecological problems. Even though increasing attentions had been paid to this issue, we still lacked efficient methods to assess the change of plant biodiversity at medium/large scale due to the poor data and co-existing multiple habitat types. This study proposed an integrated method combining InVEST-habitat quality model, NPP and landscape pattern indexes to analyze the spatial heterogeneity of plant biodiversity and its spatiotemporal change on raster cell scale. The results indicated that plant biodiversity service was high in Bailongjiang watershed with obvious spatial pattern variations. The land area containing higher plant biodiversity were 3161 km2, which mainly distributed in the National Nature Reserve and forestry area. While the areas with lower plant biodiversity accounted for 37.67% and mainly distributed in the valleys between Zhouqu-Wudu-Wenxian County, the valley of Minjiang in Tanchang County and alpine mountain snow-covered regions. During 1990–2010, plant biodiversity level tended to increase and the higher plant biodiversity area increased from 14.13% to 17.15% due to ecological restoration and afforestation, while plant biodiversity decreased in the area with intensive human activities, such as cultivated land, urban and rural land. The results showed that combining InVEST-habitat quality model, NPP and landscape pattern indexes can effective reveal mountain plant biodiversity change. The study was useful for plant biodiversity conservation policy-making and human activity management for the disaster-impacted mountainous areas in China.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.41102112 No.41021061+1 种基金 Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, No.CCNU12A01001 111 Program of Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology, No.B06026
文摘Paleoenvironmental history in the monsoonal margin in the northeast Tibetan Pla- teau provides important clue to the regional climate. Previous researches have been limited by either poor chronology or low resolution. Here we present a high-resolution pollen record from a 40.92-m-long sediment core （DLH） taken from Dalianhai, a terminal lake situated in the Gonghe Basin, the northeast Tibetan Plateau for reconstructing the vegetation and climate history since the last deglacial on the basis of a chronology controlled by 10 AMS 14C dates on plant remains preserved in the core sediments. The pollen assemblages in DLH core can be partitioned into 6 pollen zones and each zone is mainly characterized by the growth and decline of tree or herb pollen percentage. During the periods of 14.8-12.9 ka and 9.4-3.9 ka, the subalpine arboreal and local herbaceous pollen increased, indicating the subalpine forest developed in the surrounding mountains and a desert steppe or typical steppe developed in Gonghe Basin under a relatively moister climate. During the periods of 15.8-14.8 ka, 12.9-9.4 ka and 3.9-1.4 ka, the forest shrank or disappeared according to different degrees of aridity, and the desert steppe degraded to a more arid steppe desert in the basin, indicating a dry climate. After 1.4 ka, vegetation type around Dalianhai was mainly dominated by steppe suggested by increased Artemisia. Our results suggested the climate history in this region was dry from 15.8-14.8 ka, humid from 14.8-12.9 ka and dry from 12.9-9.4 ka, after which the climate was humid during 9.4-3.9 ka, followed by dry conditions during 3.9-1.4 ka and humid conditions in the last 1.4 ka. The change of pollen percentage and the evolution of palaeovegetation in Dalianhai since the last deglacial were similar to those recorded in Qinghai Lake. The forest expanded in the mountains around Dalianhai during the Bol- ling-Aller^d period, shrank during the Younger Dryas and the early Holocene, then it devel- oped and reached its maximum in the mid-Holocene. During the late Holocene, the vegetation began to shrink till disappearance. However, the timing of forest expansion in the Holocene lagged behind that of Qinghai Lake, and this spatial heterogeneity was probably caused by the different forest species between these two places. The maximum of forest development in the mid-Holocene was inconsistent with the period of stronger summer monsoon in the early Holocene indicated by stalagmite records, the reason might be related to the complexity of vegetation response to a large-scale climatic change.
文摘In this study, the daily observational precipitation data and NCEP reanalysis data during 1951e2014, Euler and Lagrangian method were used to investigate the moisture sources of summer extreme precipitation events in North Xinjiang. The results show that water vapor at low and upper levels of most summer heavy rain (more than 50 mm d1 and less than 100 mm d1) in North Xinjiang are mainly transported by westerly circulation from the North Atlantic Ocean and the Eurasian continent. However, rainstorms of more than 100 mm d1, which are rarely observed, are dominated by vertically integrated moisture from the North Atlantic, Arctic Oceans, and the Eurasian continent, in addition to lowlevel moisture from the Indian Ocean. Among these sources, the anomalous low-level moisture from the Indian Ocean, which is closely associated with stronger meridional circulation, is considered to be more important with respect to rainstorms. On the days prior to rainstorm days, stronger meridional circulation leads to an anomalous pressure gradient force, which can transport low-level moisture from the Indian Ocean along the eastern periphery of the Tibetan Plateau to North Xinjiang. Furthermore, moisture from the North Atlantic, Arctic Oceans, the Eurasian continent, and the Indian Ocean converge together to influence rainstorm development in this region.
文摘The Altyn Tagh Fault（ATF） is the longest, lithospheric scale and strike-slip fault in East Asia. In the last three decades, multidisciplinary studies focusing on the timing, displacement of strikeslip and growth mechanics of the ATF have made great progresses. Most studies revealed that the ATF is a sinistral strike-slip and thrust fault, which underwent multiple episodes of activation. The fault is oriented NEE with a length of 1600 km, but the direction, timing of activity and magnitude of its extension eastward are still unclear. The AFT was predominately active during the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, in relation to the Mesozoic collision of the Cimmerian continent（Qiangtang and Lhasa block） and Cenozoic collision of India with Asia. The AFT strike-slipped with a left-lateral displacement of ca. 400 km during the Cenozoic and the displacement were bigger in the western segment and stronger in the early stage of fault activation. The slip-rates in the Quaternary were bigger in the middle segment than in the western and eastern segment. We roughly estimated the Mesozoic displacement as ca. 150-300 km. The latest paleomagnetic data showed that the clockwise vertical-axis rotation did not take place in the huge basins（the Tarim and Qaidam） at both side of ATF during the Cenozoic, but the rotation happened in the small basins along the ATF. This rotation may play an important role on accommodating the tectonic deformation and displacement of the ATF. Even if we have achieved consensus for many issues related to the ATF, some issues still need to be study deeply; such as：（a） the temporal and spatial coupling relationship between the collision of Cimmerian continent with Asia and the history of AFT in the Mesozoic and（b） the tectonic deformation history which records by the sediments of the basins within and at both side of AFT and was constrained by a high-resolution and accurate chronology such as magnetostratigraphy and paleomagnetic data.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41372180)the Open Foundation of MOE Key Laboratory of Western China’s Environmental System,Lanzhou University and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (lzujbky-2015-bt01)
文摘Changes in the status of freshwater resources are a topic of major global, regional and local concern. This is especially so in the arid and semi-arid regions of China, where shortage of water resources plays a crucial role in limiting sustainable socioeconomic development, as well as in sustaining natural ecosystems. Recent climate change, as well as the effects of localized human activity, such as the use of water for irrigation agriculture, may have significant effects on the status of the water resources in the region. Here, we report the results of a study of changes in the areas of lakes in Gonghe Basin, northeastern Tibetan Plateau of China, over the last 60 years. The data were acquired from optical satellite images and demonstrate that the total water area of lakes in Gonghe Basin decreased significantly from the 1950s to 1980s. The cause is ascribed mainly to human activity including exploitation of farmland, against a background of increasing population; in addition, climatic data for the region demonstrate a minor drying trend during this period as the temperature increased slightly. After the construction of several reservoirs, significant amounts of water were redistributed to promote irrigation agriculture and we conclude that this caused a significant shrinkage of the natural lakes. However, both the area of farmland and the population size remained approximately constant after 1990. We conclude that the variation of the total area of lakes during the second period was mainly controlled by climatic factors （precipitation and temperature）. As the regional temperature reached a new high, the area of some of the lakes decreased sharply before finally maintaining a relatively steady state. We emphasize that anthropogenic climate change and human activity have both significantly influenced the status of water resources in the arid and semi-arid regions of China.
基金This study was supported by the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Pan-Third Pole Environment Study for a Green Silk Road (Grant No. XDA 2009000001)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grants No. 41977393 and 41671204)
文摘The northeastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau(QTP) of China is located at the triple junction of the Asian winter and summer monsoons and the westerlies, where paleoclimatic evolution has an important scientific significance for recognizing the spatial-temporal pattern of Asian monsoons in the past and predicting environmental change in the future. Nevertheless, the framework of the Holocene moisture variation and related mechanisms remain controversial, owing to complex hydroclimatic conditions triggered by the landform of the large mountain-arid basin. Here, we employed geochemical proxies from typical aeolian sand-palaeosol sequences in the Gonghe Basin, northeastern QTP, together with Optically Stimulated Luminescence(OSL) dating, to reconstruct the pattern of effective moisture variation and associated mechanisms in this region. Our results indicate that the regional effective moisture was at its lowest until 9–8 ka, and approached a maximum during 8–4/3 ka of the middle Holocene. Afterwards, the climate became relatively dry in general, but with a transient humid interval around 2–1 ka. Our geochemical evidence indicates that the dry early Holocene probably can be attributed to a strong winter monsoon forced by remnant ice sheet, combined with the high evaporation caused by solar insolation. Also, shifts of humid-dry are closely linked to the Asian summer monsoonal strength and therefore the balance of evaporation-precipitation in the middle and late Holocene. Thus, the pattern of the Holocene effective moisture variation is characterized as the ‘monsoon model’ in a closed intermontane arid and semi-arid basin near the western Asian monsoonal limit.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China,No.41372181,No.41171091,No.41130102Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities,No.lzujbky-2014-260
文摘Proxy records of the oxygen isotopic composition of meteorological precipitation （δ^18Op） preserved in archives such as ice cores, lacustrine carbonates and stalagmite calcite are important for paleoclimatic studies. Therefore, knowledge of the variations and controlling mechanisms of modern δ^18Op on different time scales is necessary. Here, we investigate the linear correlations between δ^18Op and corresponding temperature and precipitation on monthly and inter-annual timescales, using data from the Urumqi （1986-2003） and Hotan stations of the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation （GNIP）, and δ^18O data from 4 ice cores in the adjacent Tianshan Mountains. Consistent with previous reported results, modern δ^18Op variations on a seasonal time scale in the Tianshan region are mainly controlled by a ＇temperature effect＇ （indicated by a significant positive correlation between δ^18Op and temperature）, with more positive δ^18Op values occurring in summer. However, on an inter-annual timescale, there is a weak inverse correlation between weighted average annual δ^18Op and annual average temperature at Urumqi station. This finding is supported by the inversely varying trends of δ^18Op data from 4 ice cores in the central and eastern Tianshan Mountains compared to annual average temperatures in the same region during the past 40-50 years. The data from Urumqi station and the 4 ice cores demonstrate that there is inverse correlation between δ^18Op and temperature on inter-annual to decadal time scales. Analysis of water vapor sources and pathways for the warm year of 1997 and the cold year of 1988 reveal that relatively more water vapor for the Tianshan region was derived from long-distance transport from high-latitude sources than during the warm year of 1997; and that more water vapor was transported from more proximal sources from mid- to low-latitude areas during the cold year of 1988. In addition, the δ^18Op values are more negative in the high latitude areas than those in mid- to low-latitude areas in the Eurasian continent at the upper wind direction of Tianshan Mountains region, according to the weighted averaged warm season （May to September）δ^18Op values for 14 GNIP stations in the years 1997 and 1988. Due to the distribution of δ^18Op within the Eurasian continent, the relative shift of water vapor sources between warm and cold years convincingly explains the observed variations of δ^18Op in the Tianshan Mountains region. Therefore, we conclude that variations in 518OD in this region are mainly controlled by changes in water vapor sources which are ultimately caused by northward and southward shifts in the Westerly circulation.
