Afforestation effects on soil microbial abundance, microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activity in dunes of Horqin Sandy Land, northeastern China

In order to investigate the effects of afforestation on soil microbial abundance, microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activity in sandy dunes, 20-year-old Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica Litv. (PSM) and Populus simonii Carrière (PSC) mature forests were selected in Horqin Sandy Land, and mobile dunes was set as a control (CK). Results show that PSM and PSC plantations can improve soil physicochemical properties and significantly increase microbiological activity in mobile dunes. Soil microbial abundance, microbial biomass carbon and enzyme activity show an order of PSPSMCK. Total soil microbial abundance in PSM and PSC was respectively 50.16 and 72.48 times more than that in CK, and the differences were significant among PSM, PSC and CK. Soil microbial biomass carbon in PSM and PSC was respectively 23.67 and 33.34 times more than that in CK, and the difference was insignificant between PSM and PSC. Soil enzyme activity, including dehydrogenase (DEH), peroxidase (PER), protease (PRO), urease (URE) and cellobiohydrolase (CEL) in PSM and PSC were respectively 19.00 and 27.54, 4.78 and 9.89, 4.05 and 8.67, 29.93 and 37.46, and 9.66 and 13.42 times of that in CK. P. sylvestris and P. simonii can effectively improve soil physicochemical and microbiological properties in sandy dunes and fix mobile dunes in Horqin Sandy Land. The C mic :C ratio is an applicable indicator to estimate soil stability and soil water availability, and based on an overall consideration of plantation stability and sustainability, P. sylvestris is better than P. simonii in fixing mobile dunes in sandy land.     

Guidelines to Authors

1. Aims and scope
Sciences in Cold andArid Regions （SCAR） is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions. Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of glacier, snow, river, lake, sea ice, permafrost and seasonal frozen ground, and periglacial geomorphology, etc.; and think much of cold regions engineering and technology. Researches in arid regions emphasize particularly on the arid-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of arid regions to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of desert, oasis, loess, and aeolian landforms, etc.; and support integrated studies on mountain-desert-oasis system in arid watershed with water resources as masterstroke, so as to provide reliable technological support for water safety, ecology safety and food safety in arid regions.     

Guidelines to Authors

1. Aims and scope Sciences in Cold andArid Regions （SCAR） is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions, Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of glacier, snow, river, lake, sea ice, pemaaffost and seasonal frozen ground, and periglacial geomorphology, etc.; and think much of cold regions engineering and technology. Researches in arid regions emphasize particularly on the arid-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of arid regions to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of desert, oasis, loess, and aeolian landforms, etc.; and support integrated studies on mountain-desert-oasis system in arid watershed with water resources as masterstroke, so as to provide reliable technological support for water safety, ecology safety and food safety in arid regions.     

A study on scheme of soil and water conservation regionalization in China

Regionalization of soil and water conservation is a base for the planning of soil and water conservation in China. It can provide scientific basis for constructing healthy eco-environment and regional management and development. It makes a brief review of related regionalization of study and makes clear the concept of regionalization of soil and water conservation. In this paper, based on synthetical analysis of the characteristics of eco-environments of China, the principles, indices and nomenclature of the regionalization of soil and water conservation are proposed. Through the construction of the regionalization of soil and water conservation collaboration platform and data reporting system, combined with existing soil and water conservation research, this paper uses the top-down and bottom-up and the combination of qualitative and quantitative methods to build soil and water conservation regionalization preliminary scheme, with 8 regions, 41 sub-regions and 117 sections divided in China.     

Guidelines to Authors

正1.Aims and scope Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions(SCAR)is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions.Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical,chemical and biological processes and their interactions,and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies;focus on the objects of glacier,snow,river,lake,sea ice,permafrost and seasonal frozen ground,and periglacial geomorphology,etc.;and think much of cold regions     

Guidelines to Authors

1. Aims and scope
Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions （SCAR） is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions. Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-charactefized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of glacier, snow, fiver, lake, sea ice, permafrost and seasonal frozen ground, and periglacial geomorphology, etc.; and think much of cold regions engineering and technology. Researches in arid regions emphasize particularly on the arid-region-characterized physical,     

Advance in Research of Ecology and Landscape Reconstruction of the River Floodplain In China

The research of ecology and landscape reestablishment of river floodplain is considered favorable to its conservation and development.The similarity and difference among river floodplain,wetland,riverside and shore have been reviewed,as well as the progress in the research of floodplain ecology reestablishment in quantitative evaluation,vegetation restoration,the influence on animal habitat and the application of eco-engineering;and of the landscape reestablishment in resource development and utilization,landscape feature and changes,landscape function,structure and control.The potentially important fields are expected to be the change of landscape pattern in different scales,the reasonable protection and utilization in the floodplain tourism,the simulating and monitoring of landscape dynamics,the planning and designing methods of floodplain landscape and the management of floodplain ecosystems.     

Guidelines to Authors

1. Aims and scope Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions （SCAR） is a bimonthly journal that publishes in English the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions. Researches in cold regions emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of cryosphere to global change and human activities as well as their effects on environment and the acclimatizable strategies; focus on the objects of glacier, snow, river, lake, sea ice, permafrost and seasonal frozen ground, and periglacial geomorphology, etc.;     

SCIENCES IN COLD AND ARID REGIONS

Aims and Scope Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions, an international Engiish-language journal, is devoted to publishing the latest research achievements on the process and the pattern of Earth surface system in cold and arid regions. Researches in cold regions 1) emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical, chemical and biological processes and their interactions, and on the response of Cryosphere to Global change and Human activities as well as its effect to environment and the acclimatizable     

SCIENCES IN COLD AND ARID REGIONS

正Aims and Scope The international journal Sciences in Cold and Arid Regions,is devoted to publishing the latest research achievements in processes and the patterns of the Earth surface system in cold and arid regions.Research in cold regions 1) emphasize particularly on the cold-region-characterized physical,chemical and biological processes and their interactions,and on the response of cryosphere to global change and     

Land cover change along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Railway from 1981 to 2001

Based on the NOAA AVHRR-NDVI monthly data from 1981 to 2001, the spatial distribution and dynamic change of land cover along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway and Railway were studied. The results of the analytical data indicate that the NDVI values in July, August and September are rather high during a year, and a linear trend by calculating NDVI of each pixel computed based on the average values of NDVI in July, August and September were obtained. The results are as follows: 1) Land cover of the study area by NDVI displays high at two sides of the area and low in the center, and agriculture area > alpine meadow > alpine grassland > desert grassland. 2) In the study area, the amount of pixels with high increase, slight increase, no change, slight decrease and high decrease account for 0.29%, 14.86%, 67.61%, 16.7% and 0.57% of the whole area, respectively. The increase of land cover pixels is mainly in the agriculture and alpine meadow and the decrease pixels mainly in the alpine grassland, desert grassland and hungriness. Grassland and hungriness contribute to the decrease mostly and artificial land and meadow contribute to the increase mostly. 3) In the area where human beings live, the changing trend is obvious, such as the valleys of Lhasa River and Huangshui River and area along the Yellow River; in the high altitude area with fewer people living, the changing trend is relatively low, like the area of Hoh Xil. 4) Human being’s behaviors are a key factor followed by the climate changes affecting land cover.     

1982~2013年青藏高原高寒草地覆盖变化及与气候之间的关系

利用GIMMS NDVI数据和地面气象站台观测数据,对青藏高原1982~2013年高寒草地覆盖时空变化及其对气象因素的响应进行研究,结果表明：青藏高原高寒草地生长季NDVI表现为从东南到西北逐渐减少的趋势,近32 a来,整个高原草地生长季NDVI呈上升趋势,增加速率为0.000 3/a (p<0.05);高寒草地生长季NDVI年际变化具有空间异质性,整体为增加趋势,呈增加趋势的面积约占研究区域面积的75.3%,其中显著增加的占26.0% （p<0.05）,类型主要为分布在青藏高原东北部地区的高寒草甸;比例为4.7%,草地类型主要为高寒草原,主要分布在高原西部地区;基于生态地理分区的分析显示,青藏高原草地与降水、温度的相关关系具有明显的空间差异,高寒草地生长季NDVI均值与降水呈显著正相关,对降水的滞后效应显著;高原东北部温度较高,热量条件较好,降水为高寒草地生长季NDVI变化的主导因子;东中部地区降水充沛,温度则为高寒草地生长的制约因子;南部地区降水和温度都较适宜,均与高寒草地生长季NDVI相关性显著(p< 0.05),共同作用于草地的生长;中部和西部地区,气候因子与高寒草地生长季NDVI关系均不显著。     

中国草原区植被变化及其对气候变化的响应

利用1982~2006年GIMMS NDVI和气象数据,探究中国草原区植被变化及对气候的响应。结果表明,近25 a中国草原区植被覆盖总体呈上升趋势,但季节变化空间差异明显。春季温度对温带典型草原、高寒草甸草原和高寒典型草原植被生长有重要影响,而夏季和秋季温度同样对高寒草甸草原影响显著;夏季降水增多能明显促进夏季温带荒漠草原植被生长。除8月份以外,温带草原5~9月NDVI均与前一个月降水显著正相关;在生长季内,高寒草原NDVI与同期温度显著正相关,但8月份除外。此外高寒草原植被在生长最旺盛时期对降水变化存在1~3个月滞后期。     

基于Landsat TM/ETM数据的锡林河流域土地覆盖变化

根据1987年、1991年、1997年和2000年4期Landsat TM/ETM影像的土地利用/土地覆盖分类结果,运用地理信息系统空间分析方法,分析了内蒙古锡林河流域1987~2000年间各土地利用类型及草甸草原、典型草原、荒漠草原的数量变化和空间变化特征。分析结果显示,锡林河流域土地利用/土地覆盖变化的主要特征为草甸草原、典型草原面积的大幅减少和荒漠草原、农田和沙漠化土地面积的大幅增加及城镇的扩张。其中面积增加最大的是荒漠草原,增加了2328 km²;相当于1987年荒漠草原面积的56 %。农田和城镇面积逐年增大,分别从1987年的114.3 km²和25.2 km²增加到2000年的332.1 km²和43.6 km²。面积减少最多的是羊草＋丛生禾草、羊草＋杂类草等优良高产温带典型草原类型,共减少2040 km²。草甸草原面积亦呈逐年减少的趋势,从1987年的1103 km²减少到2000年375 km²,面积减少了65.9 %。农田、沙化地及城镇等非草原土地利用类型面积增加了62.5 %。     

青藏高原高寒草地净初级生产力(NPP)时空分异

基于1982-2009 年间的遥感数据和野外台站生态实测数据,利用遥感生产力模型(CASA模型) 估算青藏高原高寒草地植被净初级生产力(NPP),分别从地带属性(自然地带、海拔高程、经纬度)、流域、行政区域(县级) 等方面对其时空变化过程进行分析,阐述了1982 年以来青藏高原高寒草地植被NPP的时空格局与变化特征。结果表明:① 青藏高原高寒草地NPP多年均值的空间分布表现为由东南向西北逐渐递减;1982-2009 年间,青藏高原高寒草地的年均总NPP为177.2×10¹² gC·yr^-1,单位面积年均植被NPP为120.8 gC·m^-2yr^-1;② 研究时段内,青藏高原高寒草地年均NPP 在112.6~129.9 gC·m^-2yr^-1 间,呈波动上升的趋势,增幅为13.3%;NPP 增加的草地占草地总面积的32.56%、减少的占5.55%;③ 青藏高原多数自然地带内的NPP呈增加趋势,仅阿里山地半荒漠、荒漠地带NPP呈轻微减低趋势,其中高寒灌丛草甸地带和草原地带的NPP增长幅度明显大于高寒荒漠地带;年均NPP增加面积比随着海拔升高呈现"升高—稳定—降低"的特点,而降低面积比则呈现"降低—稳定—升高"的特征;④ 各主要流域草地年均植被NPP均呈现增长趋势,其中黄河流域增长趋势显著且增幅最大。植被NPP和盖度及生长季时空变化显示,青藏高原高寒草地生态系统健康状况总体改善局部恶化。     

青藏高原植被覆盖对水热条件年内变化的响应及其空间特征

利用1982-2000年NOAA/AVHRR卫星的NDVI数据(时间分辨率旬,空间分辨率8 km×8 km),结合同时期的气温和降水资料,基于时滞互相关方法和GIS工具,分析了青藏高原植被覆盖对水、热条件年内变化的时滞响应及其空间特征。结果如下:①除高寒荒漠、森林外,青藏高原植被NDVI与同期旬均温和旬降水相关性均呈高度正相关。其中,中等覆盖度的植被受水、热影响表现更为强烈。②青藏高原植被NDVI对气温和降水有滞后效应,且滞后水平存在空间差异,高原北部(柴达木盆地、昆仑山北冀)和高原南部植被对降水、和温度的响应比较迟缓,而高原中、东部地区植被对温度和降水的响应比较敏感。③不同植被类型对水热条件的响应程度也存在差异,由高到低依次是草甸、草原、灌丛、高寒垫状植被、荒漠,最后是森林。     

气候和土地利用变化对塔里木河干流区植被覆盖变化的影响

基于遥感和地理信息系统技术,利用1998—2008年SPOT-VEGETATION归一化植被指数（NDVI）数据对塔里木河干流区1998—2007年植被覆盖的时空变化进行了监测,并从气候变化和土地利用变化双重角度分析了植被覆盖变化的原因。研究表明,塔里木河干流区植被覆盖变化经历了两个阶段:1998—2001年植被覆盖严重退化时期;2002—2007年植被覆盖度由急剧上升到缓慢下降再到持续升高时期,NDVI明显高于20世纪末期水平。塔里木河干流区植被覆盖变化存在显著的空间差异,绿洲农业灌溉区和退耕还林还草生态恢复区的植被覆盖度显著提高,天然草地植被区的植被退化严重。塔里木河干流区植被覆盖变化是气候和土地利用变化共同作用的结果。温度对植被覆盖变化的影响表现为对植被生长年内韵律的控制和秋季植被生长期的延长,年降水量的波动式上升是导致塔里木河干流区植被覆盖变化两个阶段呈现差异的主导因素。     

雅鲁藏布江流域植被格局与NDVI分布的空间响应

雅鲁藏布江流域海拔高差约达7 000 m,气候条件复杂、生态系统类型多样,植被格局空间变化显著.笔者基于1:100万植被类型图、SPOT_VEGETATION NDVI数据集和数字高程模型(DEM),综合运用GIS空间分析技术,提取与定量分析了流域主要植被类型、空间分布特征,并结合海拔梯度、气候条件变化探讨了流域植被格局与NDVI空间变化的耦合关系.结果表明:(1) 雅鲁藏布江流域植被类型包括针叶林、阔叶林、灌丛、荒漠、草原、草丛、草甸、高山植被等11个植被型组,21个植被型,其中米林宽谷的植被型最多,自下游至上游的山南宽谷、日喀则宽谷及马泉河宽谷随着海拔梯度的变化,植被类型多样性总体呈下降趋势.(2) 随着海拔的增加,植被型组和植被型的个数均呈先增大后减小的趋势,以海拔3000～4 000 m和4 000～5 000 m最多,流域植被格局的垂直地带性显著.(3) 流域植被格局与NDVI变化表现出较好的空间一致性.针叶林、阔叶林和草丛等3个植被型组的NDVI值均以10-12月最大,其余8个植被型组的NDVI值均以7-9月最大、1-3月最小.海拔3 000 m是流域尺度植被格局变化的一个转折点.     

Grassland coverage inter-annual variation and its coupling relation with hydrothermal factors in China during 1982-2010

GIMMS (Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies) NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) from 1982 to 2006 and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) NDVI from 2001 to 2010 were blended to extract the grass coverage and analyze its spatial pattern. The response of grass coverage to climatic variations at annual and monthly time scales was analyzed. Grass coverage distribution had increased from northwest to southeast across China. During 1982-2010, the mean nationwide grass coverage was 34% but exhibited apparent spatial heterogeneity, being the highest (61.4%) in slope grasslands and the lowest (17.1%) in desert grasslands. There was a slight increase of the grass coverage with a rate of 0.17% per year. Increase in slope grasslands coverage was as high as 0.27% per year, while in the plain grasslands and meadows the grass coverage increase was the lowest (being 0.11% per year and 0.1% per year, respectively). Across China, the grass coverage with extremely significant increase (P<0.01) and significant increase (P<0.05) accounted for 46.03% and 11% of the total grassland area, respectively, while those with extremely significant and significant decrease accounted for only 4.1% and 3.24%, respectively. At the annual time scale, there are no significant correlations between grass coverage and annual mean temperature and precipitation. However, the grass coverage was somewhat affected by temperature in alpine and sub-alpine grassland, alpine and sub-alpine meadow, slope grassland and meadow, while grass coverage in desert grassland and plain grassland was more affected by precipitation. At the monthly time-scale, there are significant correlations between grass coverage with both temperature and precipitation, indicating that the grass coverage is more affected by seasonal fluctuations of hydrothermal conditions. Additionally, there is one-month time lag-effect between grass coverage and climate factors for each grassland types.     

Grassland coverage inter-annual variation and its coupling relation with hydrothermal factors in China during 1982–2010

GIMMS (Global Inventory Modeling and Mapping Studies) NDVI (Normalised Difference Vegetation Index) from 1982 to 2006 and MODIS (Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer) NDVI from 2001 to 2010 were blended to extract the grass coverage and analyze its spatial pattern. The response of grass coverage to climatic variations at annual and monthly time scales was analyzed. Grass coverage distribution had increased from northwest to southeast across China. During 1982–2010, the mean nationwide grass coverage was 34% but exhibited apparent spatial heterogeneity, being the highest (61.4%) in slope grasslands and the lowest (17.1%) in desert grasslands. There was a slight increase of the grass coverage with a rate of 0.17% per year. Increase in slope grasslands coverage was as high as 0.27% per year, while in the plain grasslands and meadows the grass coverage increase was the lowest (being 0.11% per year and 0.1% per year, respectively). Across China, the grass coverage with extremely significant increase (P<0.01) and significant increase (P<0.05) accounted for 46.03% and 11% of the total grassland area, respectively, while those with extremely significant and significant decrease accounted for only 4.1% and 3.24%, respectively. At the annual time scale, there are no significant correlations between grass coverage and annual mean temperature and precipitation. However, the grass coverage was somewhat affected by temperature in alpine and sub-alpine grassland, alpine and sub-alpine meadow, slope grassland and meadow, while grass coverage in desert grassland and plain grassland was more affected by precipitation. At the monthly time-scale, there are significant correlations between grass coverage with both temperature and precipitation, indicating that the grass coverage is more affected by seasonal fluctuations of hydrothermal conditions. Additionally, there is one-month time lag-effect between grass coverage and climate factors for each grassland types.