Modelling the effect of changing precipitation inputs on deep soil water utilization

Forests in the Southeastern United States are predicted to experience future changes in seasonal patterns of precipitation inputs as well as more variable precipitation events. These climate change‐induced alterations could increase drought and lower soil water availability. Drought could alter rooting patterns and increase the importance of deep roots that access subsurface water resources. To address plant response to drought in both deep rooting and soil water utilization as well as soil drainage, we utilize a throughfall reduction experiment in a loblolly pine plantation of the Southeastern United States to calibrate and validate a hydrological model. The model was accurately calibrated against field measured soil moisture data under ambient rainfall and validated using 30% throughfall reduction data. Using this model, we then tested these scenarios: (a) evenly reduced precipitation; (b) less precipitation in summer, more in winter; (c) same total amount of precipitation with less frequent but heavier storms; and (d) shallower rooting depth under the above 3 scenarios. When less precipitation was received, drainage decreased proportionally much faster than evapotranspiration implying plants will acquire water first to the detriment of drainage. When precipitation was reduced by more than 30%, plants relied on stored soil water to satisfy evapotranspiration suggesting 30% may be a threshold that if sustained over the long term would deplete plant available soil water. Under the third scenario, evapotranspiration and drainage decreased, whereas surface run‐off increased. Changes in root biomass measured before and 4 years after the throughfall reduction experiment were not detected among treatments. Model simulations, however, indicated gains in evapotranspiration with deeper roots under evenly reduced precipitation and seasonal precipitation redistribution scenarios but not when precipitation frequency was adjusted. Deep soil and deep rooting can provide an important buffer capacity when precipitation alone cannot satisfy the evapotranspirational demand of forests. How this buffering capacity will persist in the face of changing precipitation inputs, however, will depend less on seasonal redistribution than on the magnitude of reductions and changes in rainfall frequency.     

Study of the flood control scheduling scheme for the Three Gorges Reservoir in a catastrophic flood

The Three Gorges Project is the world's largest water conservancy project. According to the design standards for the 1,000‐year flood, flood diversion areas in the Jingjiang reach of the Yangtze River must be utilized to ensure the safety of the Jingjiang area and the city of Wuhan. However, once these areas are used, the economic and life loss in these areas may be very great. Therefore, it is vital to reduce this loss by developing a scheme that reduces the use of the flood diversion areas through flood regulation by the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), under the premise of ensuring the safety of the Three Gorges Dam. For a 1,000‐year flood on the basis of a highly destructive flood in 1954, this paper evaluates scheduling schemes in which flood diversion areas are or are not used. The schemes are simulated based on 2.5‐m resolution reservoir topography and an optimized model of dynamic capacity flood regulation. The simulation results show the following. (a) In accord with the normal flood‐control regulation discharge, the maximum water level above the dam should be not more than 175 m, which ensures the safety of the dam and reservoir area. However, it is necessary to utilize the flood diversion areas within the Jingjiang area, and flood discharge can reach 2.81 billion m³. (b) In the case of relying on the TGR to impound floodwaters independently rather than using the flood diversion areas, the maximum water level above the dam reaches 177.35 m, which is less than the flood check level of 180.4 m to ensure the safety of the Three Gorges Dam. The average increase of the TGR water level in the Chongqing area is not more than 0.11 m, which indicates no significant effect on the upstream reservoir area. Comparing the various scheduling schemes, when the flood diversion areas are not used, it is believed that the TGR can execute safe flood control for a 1,000‐year flood, thereby greatly reducing flood damage.     

深水铺管船托管架疲劳分析及动态监测点选取研究

作为S型铺管作业的关键性装备,托管架长期承受着交变载荷的作用,随着海洋开发向超深水发展,结构疲劳破坏问题不容忽视。采用疲劳谱分析的方法并结合线性累积损伤理论,对托管架结构频域下的变形进行了分析,计算了正常海况下和极端海况下托管架疲劳损伤度并对疲劳寿命进行了评估。研究发现托管架在正常海况下作业符合安全要求,在极端海况下局部结构会受到破坏。并从托管架结构安全监测角度,筛选了结构疲劳分析关键点位,为监测点位的选取提供了依据。     

乌兰布和沙漠典型植物群落土壤风蚀可蚀性研究

为探明植被恢复对乌兰布和沙漠土壤风蚀可蚀性的影响，以乌兰布和沙漠内不同沙地固 定阶段的 8 种典型植物群落及群落内表土作为研究对象，对土壤物理因子（可蚀性颗粒含量、土壤 含水量、有机质含量）、土壤结皮因子、植被因子 3 类土壤风蚀可蚀性因子指标进行监测，分析土壤 风蚀可蚀性因子在不同植物群落类型间、沙地固定阶段间的差异。结果表明：（1）在乌兰布和沙漠 典型植物群落中，沙蓬、沙生针茅、盐爪爪等草本植物群落的土壤风蚀可蚀性最强，白刺、梭梭、沙 冬青等灌木植物群落土壤风蚀可蚀性弱于草本植物群落，说明灌木林能显著降低土壤风蚀作用。 （2）随着沙地的不断固定，土壤结构不断发育，土壤可蚀性不断降低，土壤风蚀可蚀性强弱表现为 固定沙地<半固定沙地<流动沙地。（3）土壤可蚀性颗粒含量、土壤有机质含量、土壤含水量、土壤结 皮、植被因子与植被类型及沙地固定阶段具有显著相关关系。因此，在沙区生态建设工程中，为了 减少土壤风蚀量，不仅要考虑物种的选择，还要促进人工生态系统的演替和恢复，从而有效降低土 壤风蚀可蚀性。研究结果可为乌兰布和沙区植被生态系统服务功能的科学评价、防沙治沙工程的 建设与管理提供一定参考。     

陕北地区退耕还林还草工程土壤保护效应的时空特征

This paper looks at the Green for Grain Project in northern Shaanxi Province.Based on remote sensing monitoring data,this study analyzes the locations of arable land in northern Shaanxi in the years 2000,2010 and 2013 as well as spatio-temporal changes over that period,and then incorporates data on the distribution of terraced fields to improve the input parameters of a RUSLE model and simulate and generate raster data on soil erosion for northern Shaanxi at different stages with a accuracy verification.Finally,combined with the dataset of farmland change,compared and analyzed the characteristics of soil erosion change in the converted farmland to forest(grassland)and the unconverted farmland in northern Shaanxi,so as to determine the project’s impact on soil erosion over time across the region.The results show that between 2000 and 2010,the soil erosion modulus of repurposed farmland in northern Shaanxi decreased 22.7 t/ha,equivalent to 47.08%of the soil erosion modulus of repurposed farmland in 2000.In the same period,the soil erosion modulus of non-repurposed farmland fell 10.99 t/ha,equivalent to 28.6%of the soil erosion modulus of non-repurposed farmland in 2000.The soil erosion modulus for all types of land in northern Shaanxi decreased by an average of 14.51 t/ha between 2000 and 2010,equivalent to 41.87%of the soil erosion modulus for the entire region in 2000.This suggests that the Green for Grain Project effectively reduced the soil erosion modulus,thus helping to protect the soil.In particular,arable land that was turned into forest and grassland reduced erosion most noticeably and contributed most to soil conservation.Nevertheless,in the period 2010 to 2013,which was a period of consolidation of the Green for Grain Project,the soil erosion modulus and change in volume of soil erosion in northern Shaanxi were significantly lower than in the previous decade.     

西南矿区山体崩塌成因机制分析及防治对策

西南地区的矿区具有相似的地理、地质环境,通过四川芙蓉煤矿白岩崩塌的典型实例,对西南矿区山体崩塌的成灾环境进行调查研究,揭示了西南矿区山体崩塌的成因机制,并简要提出了对该煤矿开发与综合治理建议,指出了加强防治工作的紧迫性,强调开展系统工程防灾的重要性,并为该煤矿解决正常采掘接替及工作面的布置问题作出了科学的指导.     

Age and early metamorphic history of the Sanbagawa belt: Lu–Hf and P–T constraints from the Western Iratsu eclogite

Two distinct age estimates for eclogite-facies metamorphism in the Sanbagawa belt have been proposed: (i) c.  120–110 Ma based on a zircon SHRIMP age for the Western Iratsu unit and (ii) c.  88–89 Ma based on a garnet–omphacite Lu–Hf isochron age from the Seba and Kotsu eclogite units. Despite the contrasting estimates of formation ages, petrological studies suggest the formation conditions of the Western Iratsu unit are indistinguishable from those of the other two units—all ∼20 kbar and 600–650 °C. Studies of the associated geological structures suggest the Seba and Western Iratsu units are parts of a larger semi-continuous eclogite unit. A combination of geochronological and petrological studies for the Western Iratsu eclogite offers a resolution to this discrepancy in age estimates. New Lu–Hf dating for the Western Iratsu eclogite yields an age of 115.9 ± 0.5 Ma that is compatible with the zircon SHRIMP age. However, petrological studies show that there was significant garnet growth in the Western Iratsu eclogite before eclogite facies metamorphism, and the early core growth is associated with a strong concentration of Lu. Pre-eclogite facies garnet (Grt1) includes epidote–amphibolite facies parageneses equilibrated at 550–650 °C and ∼10 kbar, and this is overgrown by prograde eclogite facies garnet (Grt2). The Lu–Hf age of c.  116 Ma is strongly skewed to the isotopic composition of Grt1 and is interpreted to reflect the age of the pre-eclogite phase. The considerable time gap ( c.  27 Myr) between the two Lu–Hf ages suggests they may be related to separate tectonic events or distinct phases in the evolution of the Sanbagawa subduction zone.     

Reliability assessment of granular filters in embankment dams

Empirical criteria have been used successfully to design filters of most embankment large dam projects throughout the world. However, these empirical rules are only applicable to a particular range of soils tested in laboratory and do not take into account the variability of the base material and filter particle sizes. In addition, it is widely accepted that the safety of fill dams is mainly dependent on the reliability of their filter performance. The work herein presented consists in a new general method for assessing the probability of fulfilling any empirical filter design criteria accounting for base and filter heterogeneity by means of first‐order reliability methods (FORM), so that reliability indexes and probabilities of fulfilling any particular criteria are obtained. This method will allow engineers to estimate the safety of existing filters in terms of probability of fulfilling their design criteria and might also be used as a decision tool on sampling needs and material size tolerances during construction. In addition, sensitivity analysis makes possible to analyse how reliabilities are influenced by different sources of input data. Finally, in case of a portfolio risk assessment, this method will allow engineers to compare the safety of several existing dams in order to prioritize safety investments and it is expected to be a very useful tool to evaluate probabilities of failure due to internal erosion. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

超基性岩中含铜、钴块状硫化物矿床——德尔尼铜矿成因新认识

长期以来对德尔尼铜矿的成因存在着不同认识。从矿石组成和结构、构造来看,应属典型的块状硫化物矿石,矿床亦应属于含铜黄铁矿型矿床。但从其地质产状来看又与一般的黄铁矿型矿床大不相同,与一般的岩浆熔离铜镍硫化物矿床也有较多差异。这就是本矿床类型独特之处。近年来通过工作又取得一些新资料,特别是超基性岩和矿石的同位素年龄数据。本文在综合新老资料基础上,提出新看法,认为该矿床形成于上地幔,再就位于地壳浅部。其成因类型暂定为:“深部熔离—构造侵位矿床”。鉴于本矿床与一般块状硫化物矿床相比有其独特性,建议命名为“德尔尼型”。     

柴达木盆地东北缘古元古代变质镁铁—超镁铁质岩的地质特征及成因探讨

1:5万区域地质调查工作中,在柴达木陆块北缘首次发现古元古代变质镁铁—超镁铁质岩,获得成岩年龄为1952±15Ma,其岩石化学、地球化学特征反映出岩浆来源于亏损地幔,反映出该地区克拉通在古元古代(19亿年)发生了一次强烈的裂解(洋)事件,对于研究柴达木盆地北缘元古代结晶基底地质构造演化及进一步探讨柴达木盆地的起源及构造演化过程提供了重要地质线索。