Editorial Foreword

Cold and arid regions cover the majority of the earth surface. Cold regions are characterized by low temperatures, whereas arid regions are lack of water, thus some unique landscapes such as glacier, frozen ground, desert and oasis are formed and developed under the particular physical, chemical and biological processes in these regions. These raise a series of scientific questions to be solved urgently in relation to the ecosystem productivity, biodiversity, stability and living environments of these     

中国沙漠化研究进展

Sandy desertification is land degradation characterized by wind erosion mainly resulted from the excessive human activities in arid, semiarid and part of sub-humid regions in northern China. The research on sandy desertification has experienced more than 5 decades of arduous course of the struggle along with the establishment and development of China‘s desert science. Researches in this field have made a great contribution to the national economic construction, and environmental protection. This paper focuses on presenting the major progress and achievements in the sandy desertification research during the last 50 years, including the stages of study on sandy desertification,background environment of sandy desertification and its changes, the conception, causes, process,monitoring and assessment of sandy desertification, the vegetation succession, landscape ecology, plant physiology, impacts on ecosystem, high-effective use of water and land resources and sustainable development in sandy desertified regions, sandy desertification control models and techniques etc.     

Discussion on wind factor influencing the distribution of biological soil crusts on surface of sand dunes

Biological soil crusts are widely distributed in arid and semi-arid regions, whose formation and development have an important impact on the restoration process of the desert ecosystem. In order to explore the relationship between surface airflow and development characteristics of biological soil crusts, we studied surface airflow pattern and development characteristics of biological soil crusts on the fixed dune profile through field observation. Results indicate that the speed of near-surface airflow is the lowest at the foot of windward slope and the highest at the crest, showing an increasing trend from the foot to the crest. At the leeward side, although near-surface airflow increases slightly at the lower part of the slope after an initial sudden decrease at upper part of the slope, its overall trend decreases from the crest. Wind velocity variation coefficient varied at different heights over each observation site. The thickness, shear strength of biological soil crusts and percentage of fine particles at crusts layer decreased from the slope foot to the upper part, showing that biological soil crusts are less developed in high wind speed areas and well developed in low wind speed areas. It can be seen that there is a close relationship between the distribution of biological soil crusts in different parts of the dunes and changes in airflow due to geomorphologic variation.     

Current developments of research on permafrost engineering and cold region environment: a report of the 8th International Symposium on Permafrost Engineering

The Eighth International Symposium on Permafrost Engineering was held in Xi’an,China,October 2009.The major topics discussed in the symposium included:permafrost engineering (involving design,construction and evaluation);mitigation of frost hazards in the regions affected by seasonally frozen ground;properties of frozen soils,model development and their applications;frost hazards and periglacial environments in mountain and plateau regions;climatic,environmental and cryospheric changes;and permafrost hydrology,cold regions water resources and land uses.The papers submitted to the symposium and lectures during the meeting represented some new developments of research on cold region engineering and environment.Here we summarized the works of the symposium in topics including:Permafrost engineering;General geocryology;Properties of frozen soils:model development and their applications;And climatic,environmental and cryospheric changes.During the symposium,the attendees pointed out that future studies should pay more attention to theoretical study and engineering mechanism study,and also on interaction between climate change and cold region environments and their engineering affects.     

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.     

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.     

中国城市公共游憩空间研究重要进展与展望（英文）

As the main sites of urban residents' recreational activity in a mass leisure era, urban public recreational space(UPRS) is the primary component of urban public spatial systems. To satisfy current demands for the construction of livable cities and to meet the challenges of UPRS development in an urbanizing context, a scientific and systematic review of the latest developments in UPRS research is important for developing this field. Based on 1264 papers from the China National Knowledge Internet and the Web of Science from 1985 to 2018, this study examined research developments on UPRS in China. Through a quantitative literature analysis, we divided UPRS-related research in China into three stages of development: the starting period(1985–2000), the growth period(2001–2009), and the consolidation period(2010–2018). Next, we identified nine "hot" research topics on UPRS and reviewed developments in each of these. These topics were the classification of UPRS, spatial structure and layout, comprehensive evaluation, planning and development, the impacts of UPRS development, spatial–temporal evolution laws and mechanisms, space imagery features, sustainable utilization, and governmental decision making on UPRS. We also systematically reviewed the research methods and spatial scales used in UPRS-related studies in China. In response to deficiencies in existing research, we put forward several suggestions regarding future research: Chinese UPRS studies should focus on basic theoretical research; construct a new research system that accounts for Chinese characteristics, based on interdisciplinary and multilevel spatial integration; develop a humanistic philosophy and build management systems for UPRS that can lead to the development of world-class cities based on a global vision.     

气候变率影响下博茨瓦纳河流流量的时空变化

The fourth assessment report of the IPCC highlights that the global average surface temperature is projected to increase by 1.8 to 4.0℃ by the year 2100 compared to current climate. Given that climate is the most important driver of the hydrological cycle, the rise in temperature could cause changes in occurrence patterns of extreme hydrologic events like streamflow droughts. An increase in frequency and severity of these events could pose seri-ous challenges for sustainable management of water resources particular in arid regions. However, the understanding of water resources dynamics and the possible impacts of climate change on these dynamics is hindered by uncertainties in climate change models and com-plex hydrological responses of streams and catchments to climatic changes. Therefore ob-servational evidence of streamflow dynamics at the local scale could play a crucial role in addressing these uncertainties and achieving a fuller reconciliation between model-based scenarios and ground truth. This paper determines spatial and temporal changes in stream-flow volumes and their association with climatic factors based on the non-parametric Mann-Kendall test and ANOVA to determine possible changes in streamflow over the years and their relation to climatic factors. Streamflow is generally stochastic highlighting the im-portance of factoring in temporal flow variability in water resources planning. There is no clear evidence that changes in climatic variables are related to streamflow behaviour.     

近600年来北极与中国气候变化的对比

A compilation of paleoclimate records from lake sediments, trees, ice cores, and historical documents provide a view of China and Arctic environmental changes in the last 600 years. Many of these changes have also been identified in sedimentary and geochemical signatures in deep-sea sediment cores from the North Atlantic Ocean, Arctic and Greenland and ice cores from the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, confirming the linkage of environmental changes of different time scales between the Arctic and China. It is shown that the changes of precipitation, temperature and sea ice cover in Arctic were correlated with climate changes in China. This paper also developed a comparative research on the climate changes between Arctic and China both during the Little Ice Age (LIA) and the instrumental observation period. Cycles and trend of temperature variations during LIA and temperature and precipitation during the instrumental observation period are performed. We found some similarities and differences of environmental changes between Arctic and China.     

The validity and international comparability of China's floating population concepts and data

The two concepts of “liudong renkou(floating population or FP)” and “renkou liudong(mobility of the floating population or MOFP)”, along with relevant data based on these two concepts, have long been used extensively in China’s research and policy making, playing a central role in Chinese studies of migration. Unlike the concepts of “migrant” and “migration” in the international literature, which are focused on people’s spatial mobility, “liudong renkou” and “renkou liudong” are identified and m...     

灌丛沙丘形成演化及环境指示意义研究的主要进展

干旱半干旱区风沙活动较强烈, 风沙地貌十分发育, 环境演变过程对气候变化响应敏感。由于缺乏高分辨率载体, 在这些地区进行环境变化重建的手段及获得的结果相对贫乏。但是在这些区域发育的灌丛沙丘是风沙堆积体, 其形成演化记录了相对丰富的区域环境演变信息。本文综述了目前在灌丛沙丘形态学特征、发育过程、以及其在区域环境变化重建中的意义等方面的研究进展。我们认为, 灌丛沙丘形成演化研究在揭示干旱区环境演变过程方面有重大的意义, 但还没有形成系统的体系, 这一方面的研究仍有较大的空间。     

The progress and prospects of nebkhas in arid areas

Nebkhas are often extensively distributed in arid and semi-arid areas, and play an important role in the stabilization of ecological environment in these areas. This paper reviews the following aspects, including formation and succession, spatial distribution, shape and surface airflow characteristics, balance between erosion and deposition, ecological and physiological characteristics of vegetation, response to precipitation and groundwater, soil properties as well as the protection measures. We found that nebkhas were studied without differentiation of succession periods, and shape characteristics, surface airflow, soil properties as well as vegetation dynamics in different succession periods were not fully understood, which made it difficult to explain the succession dynamics of nebkhas and its affecting factors. Previous studies of nebkhas were over-emphasized for its role as an indicator of land degradation, while its ecological functions in degraded ecosystems were neglected, which was unfavorable for the ecological restorations in arid and semi-arid areas. Future studies should pay more attention to the variation of vegetation, soil as well as hydrological process in the succession of nebkhas and its interaction between different influencing factors. In addition, positive role of nebkhas in degraded ecosystems in arid and semi-arid areas should be fully discussed. According to the data got from the above, effective protection measures of nebkhas should be explored.     

The progress and prospects of nebkhas in arid areas

Nebkhas are often extensively distributed in arid and semi-arid areas, and play an important role in the stabilization of ecological environment in these areas. This paper reviews the following aspects, including formation and succession, spatial distribution, shape and surface airflow characteristics, balance between erosion and deposition, ecological and physiological characteristics of vegetation, response to precipitation and groundwater, soil properties as well as the protection measures. We found that nebkhas were studied without differentiation of succession periods, and shape characteristics, surface airflow, soil properties as well as vegetation dynamics in different succession periods were not fully understood, which made it difficult to explain the succession dynamics of nebkhas and its affecting factors. Previous studies of nebkhas were over-emphasized for its role as an indicator of land degradation, while its ecological functions in degraded ecosystems were neglected, which was unfavorable for the ecological restorations in arid and semi-arid areas. Future studies should pay more attention to the variation of vegetation, soil as well as hydrological process in the succession of nebkhas and its interaction between different influencing factors. In addition, positive role of nebkhas in degraded ecosystems in arid and semi-arid areas should be fully discussed. According to the data got from the above, effective protection measures of nebkhas should be explored.     

干旱地区灌丛沙堆研究现状与展望(英文)

Nebkhas are often extensively distributed in arid and semi-arid areas,and play an important role in the stabilization of ecological environment in these areas.This paper reviews the following aspects,including formation and succession,spatial distribution,shape and surface airflow characteristics,balance between erosion and deposition,ecological and physiological characteristics of vegetation,response to precipitation and groundwater,soil properties as well as the protection measures.We found that nebkhas were studied without differentiation of succession periods,and shape characteristics,surface airflow,soil properties as well as vegetation dynamics in different succession periods were not fully understood,which made it difficult to explain the succession dynamics of nebkhas and its affecting factors.Previous studies of nebkhas were over-emphasized for its role as an indicator of land degradation,while its ecological functions in degraded ecosystems were neglected,which was unfavorable for the ecological restorations in arid and semi-arid areas.Future studies should pay more attention to the variation of vegetation,soil as well as hydrological process in the succession of nebkhas and its interaction between different influencing factors.In addition,positive role of nebkhas in degraded ecosystems in arid and semi-arid areas should be fully discussed.According to the data got from the above,effective protection measures of nebkhas should be explored.     

灌丛沙堆形成演化及年代学研究现状与进展

灌丛沙堆的形成演化与区域气候环境密切相关,是古环境演化领域的重要研究对象。灌丛沙堆多发育于晚全新世以来,可靠的、高分辨率测年数据及地层沉积序列是其演化得以重建的关键,但其形成演化及年代学研究在技术手段方面尚没有新的突破,有关其不同发育阶段高分辨率的年代数据缺乏。围绕灌丛沙堆的发育过程、年代学、地层沉积序列及其形成演化与区域环境等方面,综述了近年来国内外灌丛沙堆已有的研究成果,认为灌丛沙堆各发育阶段与年代学关系、高分辨率年代结果及其形成演化在反映高原内陆盆地古风沙活动、古环境变化等方面的研究还有待深入。     

干旱半干旱地区土壤微生物结皮的生态学意义及若干研究进展

土壤微生物结皮广泛存在于干旱半干旱地区，且具有重要的生态学意义。文章对微生物结皮的形成、发育过程的特点，以及它对微生境的影响，包括对土壤理化性质、风蚀水蚀的抗性、土壤水分时空分布特点、养分及微量元素地球生物化学循环等土壤学过程和对植被的影响与作用等方面的国内外研究进展进行了综述，并对一些有争议研究结论进行了分析；探讨了土壤微生物结皮在中国干旱沙漠地区生态恢复中的地位及作用。     

Changes in morphology and soil nutrient patterns of nebkhas in arid regions along a precipitation gradient

Nebkhas, discrete mounds of sand and vegetation, are a common landscape feature critical to the stability of desert ecosystems and supported by limited precipitation. Nebkha morphology and spatial pattern vary in landscapes, but it is unclear how they change along precipitation gradients in arid and semi-arid regions. In this study we determined morphology and soil nutrient patterns of nebkha from different regions of northwestern China. The objective of this study was to understand zonal differences among nebkhas and how morphological characteristics and soil nutrient patterns of nebkha change along a precipitation gradient in northwestern China. Our results shows that mean annual precipitation(MAP) had significant effects on morphological characteristics of nebkhas such as height, area, and volume which significantly decreased with an increase in MAP. MAP had significant positive effects on shrub cover and species richness of nebkha. Soil nutrients such as soil organic matter(SOM), total carbon(TC), total nitrogen(TN), and total phosphorus(TP) in the 0-10 cm layer increased with an increase of MAP, and soil nutrient content within nebkhas was higher than in inter-nebkha areas.We concluded that nebkhas are "fertile islands" with an important role in ecosystem dynamics in study regions. Further,MAP is a key factor which determined zonal differences, morphological, and soil nutrients patterns of nebkhas. However,disturbance, such as animal grazing, and planted sand-stabilizing vegetation accelerated the degeneration of nebkha landscapes. We recommend implementation of protective measures for nebkhas in arid and semi-arid areas of China.     

干旱半干旱区城市生态效率时空演变及区域差异分析

研究西北干旱半干旱区城市生态效率,对其经济、资源、环境的协调统一以及生态文明建设的推进具有重要的现实意义。以西北干旱半干旱区38个城市为研究对象,运用三阶段DEA方法客观地测度了各城市2005—2016年生态效率,同时运用ESDA方法全面分析了生态效率的区域差异。结果显示：干旱半干旱区城市生态效率普遍较低,并呈现正向全局空间自相关关系;热点区域主要以乌鲁木齐、克拉玛依等为中心,冷点区域主要以平凉、固原等为中心,热点区域数量呈现先增后减再增的N形变动趋势,冷点区域数量则呈现先减后增再减的倒N形变动趋势     

柴达木盆地灌丛沙丘稀土元素地球化学特征与物源

分析了柴达木盆地灌丛沙丘剖面风沙沉积物中稀土元素及其相关特征参数、分布模式和（La/Yb）_N-REE（稀土元素）物源特征。结果表明：灌丛沙丘剖面风沙沉积物中REE值100.52~163.47 μg·g^-1,接近于新疆灰钙土,而略低于中国黄土;LREE（轻稀土元素）值87.80~144.65 μg·g^-1,占总量86.62%~90.53%,决定了稀土总量的变化。总体表现为LREE相对富集,而HREE（重稀土元素）丰度相对较低,分馏特征基本相似,呈斜"L"型缓右倾斜,Eu大致呈现中度负异常的分配模式,而Ce未表现出明显异常,且更多地反映了其物源特性。其物源主要由东昆仑北麓冲积扇碎屑沉积物质经过风化、搬运、沉积而成,而并非来自于干旱期的湖底剥蚀物。总体而言,灌丛沙丘沉积过程稀土元素分异特征反映了灌丛沙丘发育时期柴达木盆地总体处于干燥的气候环境,化学风化作用弱,植被发育相对较差,成壤作用不明显。     

沙质草原灌丛沙堆研究综述

灌丛沙堆是干旱、半干旱及半湿润荒漠地区风沙流遇到灌丛阻拦而堆积形成的一种地貌形态。普遍的研究表明灌丛沙堆是伴随人类不合理的土地利用和环境的变化而出现,是土壤风蚀和土地退化的标志,也是沙漠化的一种表现形式。灌丛沙堆在我国分布范围很广,但目前研究还不够深入。笔者主要阐述了国内外对灌丛沙堆形态、沉积物、演变及其环境意义等几个方面研究所取得的进展及其存在的争议,并提出了灌丛沙堆研究的发展趋势,以期引起国内对灌丛沙堆研究的关注。