Transpiration and plant water relations of evergreen woody vegetation on a recently constructed artificial ecosystem under seasonally dry conditions in Western Australia

Understanding transpiration and plant physiological responses to environmental conditions is crucial for the design and management of vegetated engineered covers. Engineered covers rely on sustained transpiration to reduce the risk of deep drainage into potentially hazardous wastes, thereby minimizing contamination of water resources. This study quantified temporal trends of plant water potential (ψ_p), stomatal conductance (g_s), and transpiration in a 4‐year‐old evergreen woody vegetation growing on an artificial sandy substrate at a mine waste disposal facility. Transpiration averaged 0.7 mm day^?1 in winter, when rainfall was frequent, but declined to 0.2 mm day^?1 in the dry summer, when the plants were quite stressed. In winter, the mean ψ_p was ?0.6 MPa at predawn and ?1.5 MPa at midday, which were much higher than the corresponding summer values of ?2.0 MPa and ?4.8 MPa, respectively. The g_s was also higher in winter (72.1–95.0 mmol m^?2 s^?1) than in summer (<30 mmol m^?2 s^?1), and negatively correlated with ψ_p (p < 0.05, r² = 0.71–0.75), indicating strong stomatal control of transpiration in response to moisture stress. Total annual transpiration (147.2 mm) accounted for only 22% of the annual rainfall (673 mm), compared with 77% to 99% for woody vegetation in Western Australia. The low annual transpiration was attributed to the collective effects of a sparse and young vegetation, low moisture retention of the sandy substrate, and a superficial root system constrained by high subsoil pH. Amending the substrate with fine‐textured materials should improve water storage of the substrate and enhance canopy growth and deep rooting, while further reducing the risk of deep drainage during the early stages of vegetation establishment and in the long term. Overall, this study highlights the need to understand substrate properties, vegetation characteristics, and rainfall patterns when designing artificial ecosystems to achieve specific hydrological functions. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

降雨形式对毛细阻滞覆盖层防渗性能的影响研究

毛细阻滞覆盖层的防渗性能对于控制渗滤液和减轻垃圾填埋场周边环境的污染具有重要意义,因此得到广泛研究。前人在研究中多采用恒定降雨强度来模拟降雨气象条件,而对降雨形式对毛细阻滞覆盖层防渗性能的影响关注较少。因此,采用自主研发的土柱降雨入渗试验系统,分别对短时强降雨和长时弱降雨两种降雨情况下,降雨形式对毛细阻滞覆盖层防渗性能的影响开展了研究,并揭示了最不利降雨形式。同时,采用SEEP/W软件对各试验工况进行数值模拟,以使模拟结果与试验结果能够相互印证。研究结果表明：试验结果与模拟结果基本一致,最大误差不大于3%;在短时强降雨情况下,降雨形式仅对覆盖层上部的体积含水率和孔隙水压力有较大影响;而在长时弱降雨条件下,降雨形式对整个覆盖层的体积含水率和孔隙水压力均有显著影响;降雨形式对覆盖层突破时间及渗漏量均有影响,前锋型降雨的突破时间最短,产生的渗漏量最大,后锋型降雨的突破时间最长,产生的渗漏量最小;前锋型降雨更易造成覆盖层突破失效而产生较大的渗漏量,为最不利降雨形式。该研究结果可为毛细阻滞覆盖层设计提供参考依据。     

Characteristics of stone covers on the surface of basalt flows in arid, northeast Jordan

Variations in the stone covers on desert surfaces have implications for the operation of hydrological processes. Some recent attention has been given to the difficulties of identifying and quantifying relevant characteristics of stone covers. Investigation of how such characteristics vary in relation to geological and topographical controls are limited. Results are presented of a field study of the characteristics of stone covers on four lithologies in the late Tertiary to Quaternary basalt plateau of northeast Jordan. Marked variations occur in clast dimensions and the characteristics of sorting between lithologies which are likely to affect hydrological response. A more subtle control, relating to slope conditions, is superimposed on the lithological differences. R- and Q-mode factor analysis identifies groupings within the data, which demonstrate the distinctiveness of different lithologies. Characteristics of the stone covers on sites affected by human occupation are markedly different from undisturbed sites on the same lithology.     

THE STABILITY OF ROCK-VENEERED HILLSLOPES

1　ＩＮＴＲＯＤＵＣＴＩＯＮ　Ｕｎｄｅｒｓｔａｎｄｉｎｇｈｉｌｌｓｌｏｐｅｄｅｖｅｌｏｐｍｅｎｔｒｅｍａｉｎｓａｎｅｌｕｓｉｖｅｇｏａｌｆｏｒｅａｒｔｈｓｃｉｅｎｔｉｓｔｓ.Ｔｈｅｏｒｉｅｓｂａｓｅｄｕｐｏｎｏｂｓｅｒｖａｔｉｏｎ,ｌｏｇｉｃ,ａｎｄｓｐ...     

塔里木河下游不同生活型植被对地表的防护效果

在干旱区植被生态建设过程中,需要进行决策并经常引起争论的问题是,究竟应该选择哪种生活型植被才能获得最大的防护效果.为比较不同生活型植被对地表防护效果的差异,本文选取塔里木河下游6种常见乔灌草植被,以降低风速百分比的平均值作为植被对地表防护效果的评价指标,对不同生活型植被对地表防护效果进行定量比较.结果表明:上述6种植被防风性能大小次序依次为:花花柴>罗布麻>骆驼刺>柽柳>盐穗木>胡杨.花花柴对地表防护效果最好,降低地表风速百分比的平均值达44.00%,胡杨对地表防护效果最差,降低地表风速百分比平均值13.21%.就乔、灌、草不同生活型植被而言,防护效果大小次序为:多年生草本>灌木>乔木.因此,从生态防护效应角度来说,在干旱区植被生态建设中,应坚持灌、草先行的原则,乔木植被只能在水分条件较优越的地区适度发展.只有这样才能充分利用有限的水资源, 取得最佳的生态防护效应.     

基于混合像元分解提取多种类覆盖区遥感蚀变信息 ——以甘肃省岷县寨上金矿区为例

在多种类覆盖区,由于植被、河道、阴影、第四系等干扰因素影响,难于客观有效提取与成矿有关的遥感蚀变信息。应用混合像元分解的方法技术可以区分出混合像元中各类干扰信息的反射率值及其所占丰度值,从混合像元光谱中减去各干扰因素的反射率值及其所占份额,可以获取土壤或岩石的反射率值及其所占丰度值,将土壤或岩石反射率值除以其所占的份额...     

我国南方岩溶区和北方黄土区的大气CO2效应

我国南方岩溶区与北方黄土区都是巨大的碳库。碳酸盐的溶蚀及再结晶是两个碳库与大气ＣＯ２交换的重要过程;碳的区域平衡是评价化学风化消耗或逸散ＣＯ２的基础,岩溶区与黄土区在地球化学风化的环境背景。溶蚀过程,产物运移和归宿等差异很大。黄土区化学风化消耗大气ＣＯ２通量较岩溶区小。目前评价两类地区土壤与大气ＣＯ２的源汇关系尚不成熟,需要定量认识土壤ＣＯ２与下伏碳酸盐岩溶蚀或与下伏黄土次生碳酸盐化作用。岩溶区湖     

Biogeomorphological influence of slope processes and sedimentology on vascular talus vegetation in the southern Cascades, California

The vascular vegetation of alpine talus slopes between 2035 and 3095 m altitude was studied at Lassen Volcanic National Park (California) in the Cascade Range. Taluses show a diverse flora, with 79 plant species; growth forms include coniferous trees, shrubs, suffrutices, herbs, graminoids, and ferns. Spatial patterns of plant distribution were studied along 40 point-intercept transects. Plant cover was low (0-32.7%) on all slopes, spatially variable, and showed no consistent trends. Sedimentological characteristics were determined by photosieving next to 1500 plants; this census indicated preferential plant growth on blocks and cobbles, with 43.2% and 23.3% of the plants growing on these stones, respectively; fewer specimens were rooted on pebbles (13%) or on stone-free gravel areas (20.5%). Growth forms displayed different substrate preferences: 92.5% of the shrubs and 83% of the suffrutices colonized blocks or cobbles, but only 57.2% of the herbs and 59.8% of the graminoids grew on large stones. Plants are associated with large clasts because (1) coarse talus is more stable than fine sediment areas, which are more frequently disturbed by various geomorphic processes, and (2) large stones help conserve substrate water beneath them while moisture quickly evaporates from fine debris.Root patterns were studied for 30 plant species; 10 specimens for each species were excavated and inspected, and several root growth ratios calculated. All species exhibited pronounced root asymmetry, as roots for most plants grew upslope from their shoot base. For 23 species, all specimens had 100% of their roots growing upslope; for the other 7 species, 92.2-99.3% of below-ground biomass extended uphill. This uneven root distribution is ascribed to continual substrate instability and resulting talus shift; as cascading debris progressively buries roots and stems, plants are gradually pushed and/or stretched downhill. Various disturbance events affect root development. Slope erosion following rubble removal often exposes plant roots. Debris deposition can completely bury plants; some may survive sedimentation, producing new shoots that grow through accumulated debris. Shrubs may propagate by layering, as adventitious roots develop along buried stems; or produce new clones along their roots. Slope processes may damage and transport plant pieces downhill; some species can sprout from severed, displaced root or stem fragments. Vegetation interacts with several geomorphic processes, including debris flows, grain flows, rockfall, snow avalanches, frost creep, and runoff. Larger plants may alter local patterns of debris movement and deposition, damming cascading debris on their upslope side and deflecting sediments laterally to plant margins, where they form narrow elongated stone stripes.     

三维快速拉格朗日法在安全顶板厚度研究中的应用

为了合理选择厦门海底隧道的最小顶板厚度。在厦门海底隧道轴线的地质部面图上，选取了6个典型剖面，在不同的剖面及同一剖面的隧道的不同深度，应用三维快速拉格朗日法，分两个步骤：第1步，在较大的深度范围内初选隧道的顶板厚度：第2步，在第1步初选结果的基础上，在较小的深度范围内，进一步选择。通过对开挖后的应力分布、洞周位移、塑性区等的分析，最后得出厦门隧道的最小顶板厚度。同时，得到一些对后续施工和其他工程有一定指导意义的有益结论。     

Water storage mapping of pyroclastic covers through electrical resistivity measurements

The knowledge of the geological setting of pyroclastic covers and their water content distribution represents crucial information for stability analyses of slopes potentially subject to debris-flow phenomena. The study we here present would provide a contribution to this issue by means of an approach based on electrical resistivity measurements. Specifically, we describe the results of high-resolution 2D resistivity surveys carried out in a test area on Sarno Mountains (Campania Region – Southern Italy), where shallow landslides involving pyroclastic soils periodically occur triggered by critical rainfall events. We discuss the results in relation to the geology of the area in order to locate characteristic horizons of pyroclastic soils below the ground surface. Then, on the basis of a laboratory characterization of pyroclastic samples collected from the same test area at representative depths, we provide an estimation of the soil water content distribution in the field. Finally, we analyze temporal variations of the soil water content distribution by comparing the data of two surveys carried out in the autumnal and spring seasons, respectively.