Drought and institutional adaptation in the Great Plains of Alberta and Saskatchewan, 1914–1939

Agriculture in the southern Great Plains of Canada has been particularly vulnerable to prolonged episodes of drought. Using climate data and a precipitation minus potential evapotranspiration index, the extent of the region’s exposure to drought is examined. Between 1914 and 1917, the Dry Belt was particularly vulnerable to drought, whereas after 1928, a much larger region known as the Palliser Triangle covering most of southern Alberta and Saskatchewan was much more exposed to drought. These droughts provoked major institutional adaptation, in particular the establishment of the Special Areas Board by the Government of Alberta, and the creation of the Prairie Farm Rehabilitation Administration by the Government of Canada. Both organizations have proved to be relatively permanent public adaptations to the natural hazard of drought in the region. Moreover, these earlier experiences with prolonged drought as well as institution-building may be of value in helping the residents of the Palliser Triangle adapt to predicted climate changes in the future as well as anticipate some of the barriers to effective institutional adaptation.     

廉州湾南部海域泥沙来源及运移趋势分析

重矿物组合、含量变化和特征矿物的分布及变化规律是沿海泥沙来源和运移趋势判断的重要手段之一。通过对廉州湾南部海域海底表层沉积物的重矿物分析 ,发现该区重矿物分布以北海地角为界 ,其百分含量和特征矿物南北有别 ,可能分别代表不同的物质来源区。其中廉州湾北部南流江流域来沙是该区主要物源 ,运移趋势为自 NE向 SW;地角西南岸段、岭南侧海岸侵蚀及银滩来沙也为该区提供了部分物源 ,运移趋势为绕过冠头岭沿海岸向 N方向运移。由于缺乏北海陆域陆相地层重矿物含量等相关资料 ,暂未做物质来源区的具体判断     

长江口基础生物资源现状及年际变化趋势分析

探讨长江口生物资源可持续利用和对生物栖息环境的保护措施,2004年对长江口海域的基础生物资源进行4次监测。结果表明:浮游植物5月份有5门39属86种,8月份有6门48属139种,河口锋附近水域的浮游植物种类、数量较多,中肋骨条藻(Skeletonema costatum)在数量上处于绝对优势;浮游动物5月份为77种,8月份为91种,中小型浮游动物的数量在河口锋附近水域较高,主要优势种有针刺拟哲水蚤(Paracalanus aculeatus)等,大型浮游动物种类数量较高的区域位于长江冲淡水以外的海域,主要优势种为中华哲水蚤(Calanus sinicus)、五角水母(Muggiaea atlantica)、真刺唇角水蚤(Labidocera euchaeta);2004年共鉴定底栖生物146种,5月份63种,8月份108种,其中多毛类41种、甲壳类41种、软体动物32种、棘皮动物6种、鱼类21种、其他4种;长江口沿岸的崇明东滩、南汇边滩和嵊山岛共鉴定潮间带生物126种,其中5月份86种,8月份71种;鱼卵仔鱼计8目20科30属34种,鱼卵中绝大部分为凤鲚,其数量占95.7%,仔鱼以中华小公鱼出现频次最多。通过年际变化分析表明,长江口门以内区域浮游生物种类明显下降,长江冲淡水区域的生物资源基础饵料生物种类数基本保持稳定,浮游生物群落结构发生变化,硅藻比重减少,甲藻增加,长江口区域的潮下带和潮间带底栖生物种类数也存在不同程度的下降,以口门以内区域下降明显。     

新鲜煤和氧化煤自燃倾向性的FTIR对比分析

利用傅立叶变换红外光谱（FTIR）分析技术,对乌达矿区低温氧化和新鲜煤样进行了红外光谱测试,通过两类煤样的特征官能团吸光度的对比分析．揭示了煤在氧化前后特征官能团的变化规律：氧化后的煤样中脂肪族和芳烃CH减少,酸酐C=O从无到有,芳烃骨架C=C基本不变,进而研究了其对煤自燃倾向性的影响。结果表明脂肪族和羟基含量越高,煤自燃倾向性越大。     

A pronounced dry event recorded around 4.2 ka in brine sediments from the northern Red Sea

Partly laminated sediments were sampled from the brine-filled, anoxic Shaban Deep basin in the northern Red Sea. At about 4200 cal yr BP more than two millennia of anoxic sedimentation is replaced by a sub-oxic facies strongly suggesting the episodic absence of the brine. At the same time stable oxygen isotopes from surface dwelling foraminifera show a sharp increase (within less than 100 yr) pointing to a strong positive salinity anomaly at the sea surface. This major evaporation event significantly enhanced the renewal of deep water and the subsequent ventilation of the small Shaban Deep basin. The timing and strength of the reconstructed environmental changes around 4200 cal yr BP suggest that this event is the regional expression of a major drought event, which is widely observed in the neighboring regions, and which strongly affected Middle East agricultural civilizations.     

The changing role of hydrogeology in semi-arid southern and eastern Africa

Much of southern and eastern Africa is semi-arid and heavily groundwater dependent. Borehole drilling commenced over a hundred years ago with magnetic and electrical resistivity surveys for borehole siting being introduced from 1936. Formalised training of hydrogeologists led in the 1970s to an almost standard approach to hydrogeological investigation and a period of stability followed, during which some major investigations were carried out. A period of decentralisation and fragmentation has since taken place in many parts of southern and eastern Africa, and groundwater monitoring and management are inadequate in many countries. All but six of the 14 SADC (Southern African Development Community) member states reportedly have an adequate monitoring network in place. However, groundwater demand is increasing and hydrogeologists need to promote the use of appropriate methodologies as an essential part of tackling the severe issues now facing the water sector in the region.     

西藏地区旱涝等级划分及时空分布特征

利用西藏22个站点1969-1998年逐日降水资料，采用d指数旱涝等级方法。按夏季（5-9月），初夏（5-6月），盛夏（7-8月）时段进行了旱涝等级划分。采用EOF分析方法对全区22个站点旱涝等级展开分解，得出西藏地区的旱涝时空分布特征，主要类型和周期，而且对西藏地区夏季（5-9月）的旱涝做了预测。     

青藏高原对其东北侧干旱形成的数值试验

应用再分析资料，指出高原边界层内存在北高南低偶极子型涡旋对的独特气候现象。根据当雄站1998年5月31日至6月4日感热通量的连续观测资料，确定了高原热力作用的时变特征，分别用不同的理想高原初始涡度场加定常热源强迫和时变热源强迫代入正压准地转涡度模式，研究了高原东北侧干旱的形成。认为有三种过程在起着重要作用，它们是：基流对上游反气旋涡旋的平流输送、南侧气旋涡旋的能量频散以及高原热力强迫引起的频散生成高值系统的增强。     

台风活动对副热带高压位置和强度的影响

利用一个浅水模式，实施了6组时间积分为4－5个模式日的试验，研究了台风对副热带高压中心位置及强度的影响。结果表明：台风和副热带高压的相互作用可以使高压中心位置西移,强度增加。据此讨论了台风活动和西北地区东部干旱之间统计联系的可能机制。     

云南水汞在姚安6.5级地震前的异常特征分析

对2000年1月15日姚安6．5级地震前后云南水汞异常进行分析研究，结果表明：在9个观测台站中，地震前有1个观测台站的水汞出现中期趋势异常，1个台站的水汞出现远震异常，4个台站的水汞出现短期异常，1个台站的水汞出现临震异常。地震前3个月内，水汞短期异常有活跃，平静的过程，在平静中(仅1个台站出现临震异常)发生姚安6．5级地震。姚安地震发生在距出现远震异常的水汞观测台站70km的地方。出现远震异常的水汞观测台站附近，可能是未来强震的发震地区。