CAUSES AND COUNTERMEASURES FOR CHAOHU LAKESHORE COLLAPSE

1INTRODUCTIONChaohu Lake (30°25′28"-31°43′28"N, 117°16′54"-117°51′46"E) is located in the center of Anhui Provin-ce, and is one of the five biggest freshwater lakes inChina. The lakeshore′s collapse is one of the main envi-ronmental hazards of th     

Morphology and distribution of the marine diatom Azpeitia africana (Janisch ex A. Schmidt) G. Fryxell & T. P. Watkins in the South China Sea

The purpose of the present paper is to study the morphological structure and variability of Azpeitia africana and to determine its geographical distribution in the surface sediments of the South China Sea(SCS). Sediment samples were collected with grabs or box corers in one cruise in 2001 and two cruises in 2007. The sampling stations were located between 3°56.61′–20°59.37′N and 108°30.68′–116°46.70′E,where the water depth ranged from 72 m to 4 238 m. The diatom was observed by phase contrast microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. Microscopical observation showed that A. africana had circular valves with the areolar lines radiating from the eccentric ring. The central rimoportula had an external tube recessed on the edge of a central ring. The marginal rimoportulae were not evenly spaced, and they were positioned more closely together in one quadrant than in the others. Azpeitia africana is the most abundant diatom species in the southern region of the SCS, and accounted for 0.9%–5.6% of all diatom species in the Xisha Islands area. Average cell density of A. africana was 1.1×10~5 valves/g. The percentage abundance of A.africana was low(0%–2.5%) in the northern regions of the SCS and the Sunda Shelf, and it was not detected in the northwestern continental shelf(shallow water area) and northern Kalimantan Island shelf. Our results suggested that A. africana is a typical warm water species and that it could be used as an indicator of the warm Paci?c Ocean water, including the Kuroshio Current, ?owing into the SCS.     

A singular spectrum analysis on Holocene climatic oscillation from lake sedimentary record in Minqin Basin, China

The total organic carbon (TOC) content series from the lake sediment of Minqin Basin (100°57′–104°57′E, 37°48′–39°17′N) in northwestern China, which has a 10 000-year-long paleo-climatic proxy record, was used to analyze the Holocene climate changes in the local region. The proxy record was established in the Sanjiaocheng (SJC), Triangle Town in Chinese, Section (103°20′25″E, 39°00′38″N), which is located at the northwestern boundary of the present Asian summer monsoon in China, and is sensitive to global environmental and climate changes. Applying singular spectrum analysis (SSA) to the TOC series, principal climatic oscillations and periodical changes were studied. The results reveal 3 major patterns of climate change regulated by reconstructed components (RCs). The first pattern is natural long-term trend of climatic change in the local area (Minqin Basin), indicating a relatively wetter stage in early Holocene (starting at 9.5 kaBP), and a relatively dryer stage with a strong lake desiccation and a declined vegetation cover in mid-Holocene (during 7–6 kaBP). From 4.0 kaBP to the present, there has been a gradually decreasing trend in the third reconstructed component (RC3) showing that the local climate changed again into a dryer stage. The second pattern shows millennial-centennial scale oscillations containing cycles of 1 600 and 800 years that have been present throughout almost the entire Holocene period of the last 10 000 years. The third pattern is a millennial-centennial scale variation with a relatively smaller amplitude and unclear cycles showing a nonlinear interaction within the earth’s climate systems.     

Reptilian vertebrates from Deccan volcanic associated sediments of Malwa Plateau in context to reptiles across Maastrichtian-Paleogene volcanic eruptions in Main Deccan Volcanic Province,India

The enormous eruptive volume of India's Deccan continental flood basalts has been linked to global mass extinction at Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary and destablilisation of both marine and terrestrial ecosystems before and after the Chicxulub bolide impact. Deccan Volcanic Province(DVP) currently covers around 500 000 km~2 of land between latitude 15°10′--24°30′N and longitude 70°10′--82°10′E over central India towards the west coast. The pre-erosional volume is estimated at around 1.6 million km~3 which is one of the largest volcanic eruptions on the Earth. The Deccan lava flows in geographically separated areas in DVP are considered to have separate sources and sites of eruptions and were outpoured in different magnetochrons viz. C30 n to C28 n of Maastrichtian to Paleocene. The Deccan volcanic sequences(DVS) in different provinces are associated with(i) sediments deposited before the arrival(Ground Zero) of the first lava flows-designated as infratrappean or Lameta sediments and(ii) sediments between the lava flows deposited during the period of quiescence at different stratigraphic levels designated as intertrappean(interflow) sediments. The Ground Zero Lameta sediments are the major dinosaur bearing sediments deposited in six inland basins viz. 1. Balasinor-Jhabua; 2. Sagar; 3. Jabalpur; 4. Ambikapur-Amarkantak; 5. Salburdi; 6. Nand-Dongargaon. The sediments represent mainly the terrestrial ecosystems destabilised by the volcanism and they record history of biotic and environmental changes impacted by the volcanism across the Deccan volcanic eruptions. The titanosaurs, crocodylimorphs and bothremydid turtles survived across the first flows in the region in the C30 n. The skeletal remains of the surviving reptiles are preserved in the Deccan volcanic associated intertrappean lake sediments at different stratigraphic levels higher-up in the sequence. Locally, in the Malwa region the Scincomorp and Anguimorph lizards make their first appearance during the earlier phase of volcanic eruptions in C30 n wherein their well preserved bones are found in the intertrappean/inter lsva lake sediments deposited between the lava flows. The lizard fauna is indicated to have better flourished after the initial Deccan eruptions possibly owing to increased humidity.     

Virtual Huanghe River System： Framework and Technology

1 Introduction Huanghe (Yellow) River basin is located in 32°–42°N, 96°–119°E. The area of the catchment is more than 752,000km2. The river is 5464km long with a drop in elevation of 4830m. Among the whole area, the moun- tainous and stone area accounts for 29%, loess and hills area 46%, sandy area 11% and plain area 14%, respec- tively. Different natural landscapes exist in this area. The Huanghe River flows through the Loess Plateau, where the soil is eroded seriously (Wang, 2002;…     

Distribution and diversity of microbial communities in meromictic soda Lake Doroninskoe (Transbaikalia,Russia) during winter

Meromictic soda and saline lakes are unique ecosystems characterized by the stability of physical,chemical and biological parameters,and they are distributed all over the world.Lakes located in regions with average annual negative air temperature are of particular interest because of the presence of two periods with intensive and dynamic processes:the so-called biological summer and the long ice season with the biological spring.Soda Lake Doroninskoe is located in Eastern Transbaikalia(51°14′N,112°14′E) in the permafrost zone in an extreme continental climate,and is covered by ice for seven months per year.The structure and diversity of the microbial communities throughout the water column of the lake was studied by 16 S r RNA gene amplicon metasequencing.Different species with specific functions were found to dominate at different depths.Metabolically flexible bacteria with a capacity to switch between anoxygenic photosynthesis and aerobic chemotrophic metabolism dominate in soda Lake Doroninskoe.     

Seasonal variations in the phytoplankton community and the relationship between environmental factors of the sea around Xiaoheishan Island in China

Seasonal variations in the phytoplankton community and the relationship between environmental factors of the sea area around Xiaoheishan Island are investigated in the present study. Xiaoheishan Island is located at 37°58′14″N and 120°38′46″E in Shandong Province, China. A total of 65 species of phytoplankton belonging to three phyla and 27 genera were identified, with Bacillariophyta having the largest number of species. The annual average chlorophyll a concentration for this area was 3.11 μg/L, and there occurs a Skeletonema costatum bloom in winter. The Shannon-Weaver indexes(log_2) of the phytoplankton from all stations were higher than 1, and the Pielou indexes were all higher than 0.3. The results of the canonical correspondence analysis(CCA) indicated that water temperature, PO_4~(3ˉ) and Cu were the environmental factors that had the greatest influence on the distribution of the phytoplankton community throughout the entire year. Although the concentration of heavy metal is well up to the state standards of the first grade of China(GB 3097-1997), these metals still have an impact on the phytoplankton community from this area.     

How Unique is ′China Model′: A Review of Theoretical Perspectives on China′s Urbanization in Anglophone Literature

As a major aspect of the ′China Model′, urbanization in China is being heatedly discussed in the Anglophone literature in the last two decades. By considering China′s urbanization as a ′testing ground′ of ′western′ theories, these studies are important for the understanding of China′s ongoing urban restructuring and exchanging knowledge with ′western′ insights. Based on a survey of existing studies, this paper identifies various endogenous and exogenous concepts and explanations of China′s urbanization. It is suggested that China′s urbanization is mainly driven by a combination of political decentralization and neoliberalization with various forms of social stratification and mobility. However, it is argued that the distinctness of the ′China Model′, which is usually used to support the legitimacy of studies of China′s urbanization, has led to many controversial arguments and diminished the due contributions of Chinese scholars in the knowledge production of China′s urbanization. To consolidate the legitimacy of studies on China′s urbanization and enhance the roles of Chinese scholars, we suggest future studies to pay more attentions to the fundamental theories with looser constraints and ′true questions′ on China′s urbanization.     

Physiological responses of Chinese longsnout catfish to water temperature

We evaluated the effect of water temperature on the growth and physiology of the Chinese longsnout catfish (Leiocassis longirostris Günther). The fish were reared at four temperatures (20, 25, 30, and 35°C) and sampled on days 7, 20, and 30. We measured plasma levels of insulin, free thyroxine (FT4), free 3,5,3′-triiodothyronine (FT3), lysozyme and leukocyte phagocytic activity. The optimum water temperature for growth was 27.7°C. The plasma levels of insulin and FT4 declined significantly (P<0.05) on day 30 at temperatures above 20°C. Lysozyme activity was significantly (P<0.05) lower at 25°C than at other temperatures. We conclude that final weight, insulin, FT4, and lysozyme were significantly affected by water temperature.     

Formation mechanism of a rainfall triggered complex landslide in southwest China

This case study is about a landslide that occurred after 4 days of heavy rainfall,in the morning of June 29,2012,in Cengong County,Guizhou Province of China,geographical coordinated 108°20′-109°03′E,27°09′-27°32′N,with an estimated volume of 3.3×106 m3.To fully investigate the landslide process and formation mechanism,detailed geotechnical and geophysical investigations were performed including borehole drilling,sampling,and laboratory tests coupled with monitoring of displacement.Also,a combined seepage-slope stability modeling was performed to study the behavior of the landslide.After the heavy rainfall event,the sliding process started in this area.The landslide development can be divided into different parts.The man-made fill area,spatially distributed in the south side of the landslide area with low elevations,slid first along the interface between the slope debris and the strongly weathered bedrock roughly in the EW direction.Consequently,due to severe lateral shear disturbance,the slope in the main sliding zone slid next towards the SW direction,along the sliding surface developed within the strongly weathered calcareous shale formation located at a depth of 25-35 m.This means it was a rainfall triggered deep-seated landslide.Finally,retrogressive failure of a number of upstream blocks occurred,which moved in more than one direction.The initial failure of the man-made fill area was the‘engine’of the whole instability framework.This artificial material with low permeability,piled up in the accumulation area of surface and sub-surface and destroyed the drainage capacity of the groundwater.The numerical modeling results agreed with the analysis results obtained from the laboratory and field investigations.A conceptual model is given to illustrate the formation mechanism and development process of the landslide.     

基于GIS的灌区管理信息系统的构建与开发

介绍了GIS在灌区的初步应用，实现地理信息与管理信息相结合，采用了B／S和C／S的混合架构，集成了空间数据管理，为灌区提供了一种新型的管理系统。     

Water Requirements and Irrigation Scheduling of Spring Maize Using GIS and CropWat Model in Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei Region

Due to the over use of available water resources, it has become very important to define appropriate strategies for planning and management of irrigated farmland. In this paper, Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei (Jing-Jin-Ji) region was chosen as the case study area for its special political and economic status and its severe water problem. To achieve effective planning, the information about crop water requirements, irrigation withdrawals, soil types and climatic conditions were obtained in the study area. In the meantime, a GIS method was adopted, which extends the capabilities of the crop models to a regional level. The main objectives of the study are: 1) to estimate the spatial distribution of the evapotranspiration of spring maize; 2) to estimate climatic water deficit; 3) to estimate the yield reduction of spring maize under different rainfed and irrigated conditions. Based on the water deficit analysis, recommended supplemental irrigation schedule was developed using CropWat model. Compared to the rainfed control, the two or three times of supplemental water irrigated to spring maize at the right time reduced the loss of yield, under different scenarios.     

Traditional farming in the mountainous region of Bangladesh and its modifications

Shifting cultivation is a traditional farming system practiced in the tropical mountainous areas. Although it has been widely perceived as an economically inefficient and environmentally harmful agricultural production system, recent science reviews, however, indicate that the deleterious impacts of shifting cultivation on environment may have been overestimated. Despite the pressures of agricultural intensification in areas where shifting cultivation occurs, farmers across the tropics still maintain this traditional farming system. The objective of this study was to explore existing traditional shifting cultivation practices and their various modifications including the innovative farming techniques developed by farmers in the Chittagong Hill Tracts (CHTs), the mountainous region of Bangladesh, and examine their importance with respect to recent socio-economic and environmental changes. The study revealed that shifting cultivation still exists as the most dominant farming method which supports livelihoods and culture of the hill ethnic people. However, demand for more food and household income to meet livelihood needs of an increasing population combined with a rapid deterioration of soil and water quality over decades contributed to development of innovative farming practices through fallow land farming, crop substitution, agroforestry and homestead gardening in the CHTs. Through these farming techniques farmers maintain a strong relationship with traditional knowledge system embedded in the age-old shifting cultivation practices. Today state policies and market forces act in favor of replacement of traditional farming with intensive cash crop agriculture. It seems that disappearance of traditional farming practices from the hills may threaten local biodiversity and food security. It may be recommended that shifting cultivation should be encouraged in areas where they have potential for contributing to preservation of native biodiversity and ecosystem services, and protection of local peoples’ food security and cultural identity.     

陕西省交口抽渭灌区劣质地下水的资源化研究

针对陕西省交口抽渭灌区灌溉渠网纵横，灌溉期渭河水源水量不足的实际，提出开采当地微咸与咸的地下水，注入引水渠道，使地表水与劣质地下水在渠道内混合，搭载淡水降低地下水的矿化度，增大供水水量，从而使部分劣质地下水直接资源化。其思路对西北及其他高矿化度地下水分布区，有引淡水条件的地区将具有实际意义，对扩大地下水资源的范围也将产生一定的影响。     

Traditional Ecological Knowledge and Community-based Natural Resource Management in Northeast India

Community-based natural resource management in northeast India has a long history. Indigenous knowledge and adaptation are the collective information, with improvement from generation to generation. The expectation is that under community control, local expertise on biodiversity will play a significant role in natural resource management through traditional practices. This paper discusses the characteristics and application of the traditional ecological knowledge of aboriginal peoples in northeast India and its role in natural resource management. Examples are provided in two different eco-cultural landscapes, i.e., Demazong (the Buddhist eco-cultural landscape in Sikkim Himalaya) and the Apatani eco-cultural landscape in Arunachal Pradesh, which illustrate the utility value of traditional ecological knowledge in sustainable natural resource management. Both eco-cultural landscapes are indeed very complex and highly evolved systems with high levels of economic and ecological efficiencies. The paper concludes that traditional ecological knowledge systems and institutions could serve as entry points into the sustainable utilization and management of natural resources. This could be achieved through the exploration of the cultural practices of the local people and integrating useful aspects into the modern natural resource management expertise. With rapidly depleting biodiversity in the developing tropic regions, there is a greater utilization today than ever before of the value of respecting the "Sacred" as a tool towards better conservation of natural resources.     

栖霞市丘陵区清洁能源节水灌溉新模式探索

栖霞市水务局为有效解决栖霞资源性缺水,减少农业灌溉成本,提高全市果品效益,2008年栖霞市水务局与中国水科院合作,选择具有典型山地丘陵贫水区,开展清洁能源节水灌溉模式研究与推广应用项目建设,取得初步成效。该项目建设费用少、效益高、省时省力,节水节能效益显著,符合广大农民的实际需要,在山地丘陵区具有非常广阔的发展前景。     

Spatial patterns of irrigation water withdrawals in China and implications for water saving

By considering numerical features, spatial variation, and spatial association, the spatial patterns of China's irrigation water withdrawals in 2001 and 2010 were explored at the regional, provincial, and prefectural scales. In addition, an overlay analysis was used to develop specific water-saving guidance for areas under different levels of water stress and with different degrees of irrigation water withdrawals. It was found that at the regional scale, irrigation water withdrawals were highest in the Middle-Lower Yangtze River region in both years, while at the provincial scale, the largest irrigation water withdrawals occurred in Xinjiang. During 2001–2010, the total of irrigation water withdrawals decreased; however, in the Northeast region, especially in Heilongjiang Province, it experienced a dramatic increase. The spatial variation was largest at the prefectural scale, with an apparent effect. The spatial association was globally negative at the provincial scale, and Xinjiang was the only significant high-low outlier. In contrast, the association displayed a significant positive relationship at the prefectural scale, and several clusters and outliers were detected. Finally, it was found that the water stress in the northern part of China worsened and water-saving irrigation techniques urgently need to be applied in the Northeast region, the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain region, and Gansu-Xinjiang region. This study verified that a multi-scale and aspect analysis of the spatial patterns of irrigation water withdrawals were essential and provided water-saving advice for different areas.     

Scarcity within opulence: Water management in the Karakoram Mountains revisited

Water management in general and in the Indus Basin in particular is concerned with the energy-efficient transportation of hydrologically exploitable resources from the upper zone to climatically favourable areas where irrigation helps to supersede arid conditions for the cultivation of crops and watering of meadows. In other words: Human intervention sets the stage for the allocation of water from a wider catchment area in a smaller habitat where this resource is deficient. Emphasis on mountain irrigation practices is counteracted with developments in the forelands where different frame conditions prevail and peculiar development problems occur. In dealing with the importance of water from the mountain regions three dimensions have to be evaluated: 1) natural factors and their validity for the environmental frame conditions and technological adaptation processes; 2) social factors and their impact on culture, economy and equitability; 3) institutional factors and their importance for sustainable growth and for the implementation of development projects. In the study of decentralized irrigation systems in high mountain regions of the Indus Basin a systems theoretical approach values the complexity of interrelationships between different systems elements. Human activities in arid mountain regions are restricted by limiting ecological factors and are characterized by certain utilization and adaptive strategies.     

河西走廊灌溉水田间入渗补给地下水机理研究

通过对灌溉水田间入渗机理的研究 ,确定灌溉水田间入渗系数 ,制定合理的灌溉定额与灌溉时间 ,对地下水资源评价以及节约用水 ,发展高效农业非常重要。 1985～ 1996年间 ,在河西走廊的张掖平原堡进行了针对包气带水分运移的专门研究试验工作 ,以此为基础 ,对灌溉水田间入渗补给地下水的机理进行探讨     

Reviving Ancient Water Tunnels in the Desert-Digging for Gold？

The water shortage in the Middle East is a well-known problem. The introduction of diesel operated pumps for irrigation has caused a severe drop in groundwater levels. At the same time the demand for groundwater is growing to alarming proportions. Alternative ways of groundwater supply and management need to be found to halt social and economical disaster in the future. Why not look at history？ Qanats are subterranean tunnels ancient civilizations built to access groundwater. The technique is a sustainable method of groundwater extraction. Throughout the Middle East some settlements still make use of these ancient systems. In the summer of 2000, a community rehabilitation of a qanat was executed International Center for Areas （ICARDA） and with support from the Agricultural Research in Dry international donors. The renovation served as a pilot community intervention within a participatory action research project aimed at evaluating the use of qanats in Syria. In a second stage of the project, the pilot was scaled up to a nation-wide survey of Syrian qanats in 2001. This resulted in qanat renovations on other sites executed in 2oo2 and 2oo3 with further international support. This paper compares the first pilot renovation with a recent qanat renovation that took place in Qarah, Syria.