咸海地区粉尘气溶胶动态变化及潜在扩散特征

咸海水位不断下降导致湖滨荒漠化加剧,尘暴频发,区域环境恶化。利用臭氧观测仪（OMI）气溶胶数据和HYSPLIT（Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory Model）模型,对咸海地区近期粉尘气溶胶变化及其潜在扩散特征进行了研究。结果表明：2005年以来,咸海地区粉尘活动不断增强,OMI气溶胶指数年平均值、方差、中值和最大值均呈现快速增加趋势,2013年OMI气溶胶指数平均值已经上升至1.47;OMI气溶胶指数具有明显的季节变化特征,春季（3-5月）和秋末初冬（11月-次年1月）是两个气溶胶指数峰值区;在相同时间内,春季和冬季的粉尘潜在扩散范围最大,秋季次之,夏季最小,且粉尘潜在扩散表现出明显的经向和纬向扩散特征;受气流和地形影响,粉尘潜在扩散主要有东北和西南两个方向。     

Measurement of PM2.5 emission potential from soil using the UC Davis resuspension test chamber

Human health effects have been linked to airborne concentrations of fine particulate matter. One source of fine particulate matter in the atmosphere is resuspended soil dust from a variety of activities, including agricultural operations. We have established a method to measure the potential of soil to emit fugitive dust in the PM₁₀ or PM_2.5 size range. The method is repeatable, and provides an index of PM₁₀ or PM_2.5 dust that is highly correlated to the soil texture. The ratio of the PM_2.5 Index to the PM₁₀ Index produced by this method is similar to field observations of ambient PM_2.5 and PM₁₀ concentrations downwind of agricultural operations in the San Joaquin Valley of California. The PM_2.5 or PM₁₀ Index will be a more useful parameter to estimate the potential of a soil to emit fugitive dust than the currently used dry silt content of soil. Research is currently underway to relate the PM₁₀ and PM_2.5 Index to measured emission factors, accounting for soil moisture and type of agricultural operation, so that a more reliable predictive equation can be developed for agricultural practices.     

Analysis on the temporal-spatial distribution character and effect factors of PM10 in the hinterland of Taklimakan Desert and surrounding area

In recent years, the physical and chemical properties of dust aerosols from the dust source area in northern China have attracted increased attention. In this paper, Thermo RP 1400a was used for online continuous observation and study of the hinterland of Taklimakan, Tazhong, and surrounding areas of Kumul and Hotan from 2004 to 2006. In combination with weather analysis during a sandstorm in the Tazhong area, basic characteristics and influencing factors of dust aerosol PM₁₀ have been summarized as below: (1) The occurrence days of floating dust and blowing dust appeared with an increasing trend in Kumul, Tazhong and Hotan, while the number of dust storm days did not significantly change. The frequency and intensity of dust weather were major factors affecting the concentration of dust aerosol PM₁₀ in the desert. (2) The mass concentration of PM₁₀ had significant regional distribution characteristics, and the mass concentration at the eastern edge of Taklimakan, Kumul, was the lowest; second was the southern edge of the desert, Hotan; and the highest was in the hinterland of the desert, Tazhong. (3) High values of PM₁₀ mass concentration in Kumul was from March to September each year; high values of PM₁₀ mass concentration in Tazhong and Hotan were distributed from March to August and the average concentration changed from 500 to 1,000 g/m³, respectively. (4) The average seasonal concentration changes of PM₁₀ in Kumul, Tazhong and Hotan were: spring > summer > autumn > winter; the highest average concentration of PM₁₀ in Tazhong, was about 1,000 g/m³ in spring and between 400 and 900 g/m³ in summer, and the average concentration was lower in autumn and winter, basically between 200 and 400 g/m³. (5) PM₁₀ concentration during the sandstorm season was just over two times the concentration of the non-sandstorm season in Kumul, Tazhong and Hotan. The average concentrations of sandstorm season in Tazhong were 6.2 and 3.6 times the average concentrations of non-sandstorm season in 2004 and 2008, respectively. (6) The mass concentration of PM₁₀ had the following sequence during the dust weather: clear day < floating dust < floating and blowing dust < sandstorm. The wind speed directly affects the concentration of PM₁₀ in the atmosphere, the higher the wind speed, the higher the mass concentration. Temperature, relative humidity and barometric pressure are important factors affecting the strength of storms, which could also indirectly affect the concentration change of PM₁₀ in the atmosphere.     

Salinity of surface waters in the Aral Sea region

An overview of recent changes in salinity in the surface waters of the Aral sea basin is given. Total dissolved salts (salinity) in most waters are higher than admissible values for drinking water, and ionic composition has changed with time. Salinity of the ‘Big Sea’ of the Aral was 48 g L⁻¹ in 1998, but has decreased to below 21 g L⁻¹ in the ‘Small Sea’ due to the building of a new dam between the two parts of the Aral Sea.     

Macrozoobenthos in the inshore zone of the Northern Aral Sea

The macrozoobenthos was investigated at eight sites in the Aral Sea inshore zone and in the lower reaches of the Syrdaria river. In the sea, the benthos comprised bivalve molluscsSyndosmya segmentum Recluz andCerastoderma isthmicum Issel, gastropods fromCaspiohydrobia Starob., the polychaeteNereis diversicolor O.F. Müller and the crabRhithropanopeus harrisii tridentatus (Maitland). In the Syrdaria, MysidaeParamysis lacustris (Czern.) and GammaridaeDikerogammarus aralensis (Uljanin) were found. These taxa have not been recorded from the Sea since the 1970s. The total zoobenthos biomass and density varied between the investigated Sea areas from 92 to 582 g/m² and from 1,600 to 39,000 ind./m², respectively. Spatial and temporal salinity changes within the range 20–41 g/L did not affect macrozoobenthos composition and structure. The conclusion is that the benthic ecosystem of the Aral Sea was in a state of comparative stability from the middle of the 1980s to the middle of the 1990s. Analysis of the zoobenthos in the inshore zone is proposed as a convenient and accessible method for monitoring the status of the zoobenthos of the entire Aral Sea.     

The dynamics and characteristics of aeolian dust in dryland Central Asia: possible impacts on human exposure and respiratory health in the Aral Sea basin

The drying up of the Aral Sea has been described as one of the most staggering environmental disasters of the twentieth century. Over the last 40 years over 36 000 km² of the former seabed have been exposed, creating a potentially significant aeolian dust source. It is widely believed, but little researched, that increased dust storm activity in the region has had a major impact on human health. In this paper we report the findings of a study into the link between dust exposure and respiratory health amongst children in the Autonomous Republic of Karakalpakstan, Uzbekistan located on the southern shore of the Aral Sea. The findings indicate that dust deposition rates across the region are high, with sites located near the former shore of the sea being the worst affected. For these northerly regions the former bed of the Aral Sea is the most likely source of dust. The situation for the rest of the country appears to be far more complex. In these regions it appears that local sources and more distant sources to the south and south-west represent significant sediment providers, particularly in the early summer. Provisional analysis of the respiratory health data suggests that children living in the north of the country, where aeolian dust deposition rates are greater, show a lower frequency of respiratory problems. This inverse relationship requires further investigation, but highlights the complexities of environmental and human health inter-relationships.     

The salinity tolerance of benthic invertebrates of the Aral Sea

Experiments to determine the upper limits of potential salinity tolerance of four species of Aral Sea benthic macroinvertebrates were carried out. Invertebrates of marine origin tolerate salinity increases up to 70–90 g L^–1, and the gastropodCaspiohydrobia, up to 100–110 g L^–1. It was concluded that the express-method based on the estimation of salinity resistance of isolated tissues cannot be used to estimate the limits of tolerance. The prediction is made that bivalve molluscs and polychaetes will remain in the Aral Sea until the salinity increases to 60–70 g L^–1, but perhaps gastropods will tolerate salinity increases to 100–110 g L^–1.     

Influence of understory removal, thinning and P fertilization on N2fixation in a mature mesquite (Prosopis glandulosavar.glandulosa) stand

The natural abundance¹⁵N/¹⁴N method was used to estimate the influence of silvicultural and P fertilization treatments on N accretion, N₂fixation and N partitioning among tissues in a mature mesquiteProsopis glandulosavar.glandulosastand in Texas. The silvicultural treatments consisted of understory removal, herbicide treatment of brushy resprouts, thinning trees to single stems and 100 kg ha⁻¹P fertilization. The trees had a mean basal diameter of 17·8 cm with 8 to 35 cm range. The stand was slow growing with the increase in dry matter ranging from 0·465 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹to 0·701 Mg ha⁻¹year⁻¹for the 8 years after the treatments were applied. N accretion after 8 years ranged from 3·1 kg ha⁻¹year⁻¹to 4·4 kg ha⁻¹year⁻¹.Due to the range in δ¹⁵N of the leaves, twigs, branches and trunk, we used the weighted (by biomass) average δ¹⁵N per tree in calculations of the percent N derived from N₂fixation (%Ndfa). There was considerable variability in δ¹⁵N of the reference plants, i.e. from 3·3 to 5·9. In contrast there was low variability in the background δ¹⁵N of nearby soils (7·0±1·0). As the total above-ground biomass δ¹⁵N of a grass grown outside the influence of mesquite (7·8±0·58) had the same δ¹⁵N as the soil (7·5±1·0), we used the grass outside the influence of mesquite and the weighted tree mean δ¹⁵N to calculate % of N derived from N₂fixation.The decrease in intraspecific competition by thinning multistemed trees to single stemmed trees was the only treatment that significantly (p= 0·0001) increased growth. Interspecific competition, i.e. understory removal, did not increase growth. There were no significant differences in total N production or N fixation among treatment means. The most striking result was the highly positive correlation between tree δ¹⁵N and total N per tree and biomass per tree (R²= 0·90,F= 164·4, df. = 18, mean square error (MSE) = 0·155,p= 0·0001). This implies that the younger trees colonizing infertile soils relied more heavily on N₂fixation than larger trees which accumulated 1200 kg ha⁻¹more N under their canopies. The percentage N derived from N₂fixation ranged from 63 to 73% in the various treatments. Despite the high percentage of N derived from N₂fixation, the N₂fixation of the stand was very low, i.e. 1·98 to 2·80 kg N ha⁻¹year⁻¹, due to the low growth of the stand. We believe that comparisons of the whole tree weighted δ¹⁵N to background soil δ¹⁵N provides a more reasonable approach to estimate % N₂fixation than comparisons of leaves of fixers and reference plants.     

Geomorphological evidence for the Late Holocene evolution and the Holocene lake level maximum of the Aral Sea

During the Holocene the Aral Sea underwent various transgressive and regressive phases of different magnitudes. However, previous work has not yet fully clarified the evolution and chronology of the individual phases. Research presented here throws light on the evolution of the Aral Sea during the past  2000 years. It includes field surveys, tachymetric and DGPS-derived altitude measurements, analysis of sediments from two areas of the northern and southern Aral Basin (Tastubek Bay and Karaumbet Bay), and their correlation with GIS-based lake area models. Geomorphological and sedimentological evidence from the study areas shows a transgression of the Aral Sea around 200 AD, ending at a lake level maximum of 54 to 55 m. After a medieval regression, the lake reached this level again between the late 16th and early 19th century AD. The digital elevation model SRTM-3 was used to estimate a lake size of 72,400 km² for the lake level maximum.Elevated palaeoshorelines, specifically at 72–73 m, are completely absent in the study areas. Local remains of escarpments at elevations of 66 m and 73 m are due to resistant Miocene caprock and are therefore not interpretable as shoreline features.     

The fauna of the Aral Sea in 1989. 2. The zooplankton

Data are presented on the composition and biomass of the Aral Sea zooplankton in August and October, 1989. As salinity gradually increased, a decrease in zooplankton species composition occurred at a salinity of 25–30 g L⁻¹. Because the Aral has now divided into two water-bodies, the zooplankton communities in these lakes have begun to conform with their individual hydrological and biological regimes.     

The phytoplankton of some saline lakes in Central Asia

The Aral Sea, Lake Balkhash, and Lake Kamyslybas are closed lakes in Central Asia. They range from oligosaline to metasaline. The salinity of the Aral Sea has increased by more than 30 g L⁻¹ since widespread irrigation began in its catchment area. Few studies of the phytoplankton have been conducted on these lakes since extensive irrigation started. The investigation reported here compares the flora of phytoplankton in these saline lakes. In the Small Aral Sea, phytoplankton density gradually decreased with increasing electrical conductivity (EC) (∼ salinity), but there was no such relation in Lake Balkhash and Lake Kamyslybas. In the Aral Sea, Dinophyceae and Bacillariophyceae were frequently observed in most areas of high EC value, and Cyanophyceae were most conspicuous in the area of medium and lower EC values. In Lake Balkhash, Cyanophyceae were most conspicuous, but Chlorophyceae were also noticeable. Most Cyanophyceae in Aral Sea formed filaments with heterocysts. The distinct characteristic of the phytoplankton of the Lake Balkhash was that all dominant species form colonies covered with a gelatinous film. Siliceousplankton diversity gradually decreased with increasing EC values in the Aral Sea and Lake Balkhash.     

Exploring some relationships between biological soil crusts, soil aggregation and wind erosion

A portable wind tunnel was used to test the contribution of biological and physical elements to overall soil aggregation on a soil dominated by biological soil crusts in south-eastern Australia. After moderate disturbance and simulated wind erosion, 90% of surface aggregates on the loamy soil and 76% on the sandy soil were dominated by biological elements (cryptogams). Lower levels of biological bonding were observed on the severely disturbed treatment. Linear regression indicated a significant positive relationship (r²=0·72) between biological soil crust cover and dry aggregation levels greater than 0·85mm. To maintain sediment transport below an erosion control target of 5gm⁻¹s⁻¹ for a 65kmh⁻¹ wind at 10m height, a crust cover of approximately 20% is required. When a multiple regression model which sequentially fitted biological crust cover and dry aggregation greater than 0·85mm was applied to the data, dry aggregation accounted for more of the variation in sediment transport rate than biological crust cover. These data were used to develop a conceptual model which integrates crust cover and dry aggregation, and provides a useful framework within which to predict the likely impacts of changes in soil crust cover and aggregation.     

Recent sedimentation processes in the Northern Aral Sea

A survey of recent bottom sediments in the Northern Aral Sea was undertaken to elucidate the main direction of the alteration of sedimentation processes as a result of the significant decrease in the level of the sea from the beginning of the 1960s. Investigations were carried out in August–September 1991 from on board helicopter MI-8 MTV-1 which was equipped with the navigation system “LORAN-OMEGA”. Sediments were sampled by means of gravity coring and grab sampling. The frequency of sampling was about 1 station per 10 km². At several sites, water samples were collected. Grain-size analysis was undertaken and the mineralogy of the sediments was determined by optical means, using an SEM energy dispersive X-ray microanalysis, and X-ray diffractometry using a DRON-2.0 diffractometer.     

咸海流域社会经济用水分析与预测

1960年以来咸海流域大规模的水土资源开发使得社会经济用水激增,致使至1990年咸海面积萎缩50%,引发咸海生态危机。目前对引起咸海生态危机的社会经济用水的时空变化特征和趋势尚不清楚。本文在整合了多途径获取的1960—2016年咸海流域国家/州级水资源和社会经济数据的基础上,利用系统动力学模型,仿真模拟和分析了1960—2016年咸海流域社会经济和用水时空变化特征,并多情景预测2016—2030年咸海流域社会经济用水。1960—2016年咸海流域人口增幅267%,GDP增幅1100%,社会经济用水量从410亿m³增长至910亿m³。咸海流域的工农业用水效益在1991年苏联解体后明显增加,但仍处于较低水平。对未来的情景预测表明：若延续现有社会经济用水效率、农作物种植面积持续扩张（S1）,至2030年咸海流域社会经济用水量达到962亿m³;而在滴灌普及率达到70%、种植面积不变的情景下（S10）,社会经济用水量降至681亿m³,可有效缓解咸海危机。     

Chemical weathering and CO2 consumption in the Xijiang River basin, South China

Monthly samples of riverine water were collected and analyzed for the concentrations of major ions (Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, K⁺, Na⁺, HCO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻, Cl⁻, NO₃⁻), dissolved silicon, and total dissolved solids (TDS) at Wuzhou hydrological station located between the middle and lower reaches of the Xijiang River (XJR) from March 2005 to April 2006. More frequent sampling and analysis were carried out during the catastrophic flooding in June 2005. Stoichiometric analysis was applied for tracing sources of major ions and estimating CO₂ consumption from the chemical weathering of rocks. The results demonstrate that the chemical weathering of carbonate and silicate rocks within the drainage basin is the main source of the dissolved chemical substances in the XJR. Some 81.20% of the riverine cations originated from the chemical weathering processes induced by carbonic acid, 11.32% by sulfuric acid, and the other 7.48% from the dissolution of gypsum and precipitates of sea salts within the drainage basin. The CO₂ flux consumed by the rock chemical weathering within the XJR basin is 2.37 × 10¹¹ mol y^− 1, of which 0.64 × 10¹¹ mol y^− 1 results from silicate rock chemical weathering, and 1.73 × 10¹¹ mol y^− 1 results from carbonate rock chemical weathering. The CO₂ consumption comprises 0.38 × 10¹¹ mol during the 9-d catastrophic flooding. The CO₂ consumption from rock chemical weathering in humid subtropical zones regulates atmospheric CO₂ level and constitutes a significant part of the global carbon budget. The carbon sink potential of rock chemical weathering processes in the humid subtropical zones deserves extra attention.     

20世纪60年代以来中亚地区的盐尘暴

中亚是盐尘暴高发地区之一,由自然因素和人文因素引起的沙质和盐质荒漠广泛分布。据初步估计,平均每年从干涸的咸海盆地通过空气输送出的盐尘为05×10⁶t到20×10⁶~30×10⁶t不等。这些盐尘的沉降受地形、风力和距源地的距离的影响。中亚地区盐尘暴的季节性和频率受降雨的影响很大。盐尘不仅影响气候,还会给人们的健康与经济活动带来不利影响。通过对过去近40年研究工作的总结和分析,对中亚地区盐尘暴的现状及其未来变化有了基本的认识:(1)盐尘的产生、搬运和沉积在中亚地区是目前的普遍现象,特别是在咸海区域。(2)过去近40年的咸海危机证明:适当的自然保护需要很长的时间和大量的资本投入。(3)要缓和目前的现状并创建一个稳定的、健康的环境,在实施各项计划中需要综合考虑社会、经济与生态问题。     

A large daylight geodesic dome for quantification of whole-ecosystem CO2 and water vapour fluxes in arid shrublands

We designed, constructed, calibrated and field-tested a lightweight (30 kg), 4.2 m diameter, 16.4 m³ polyethylene-covered dome static chamber ecosystem gas exchange cuvette that can quantify ecosystem CO₂ and water vapour fluxes as low as 0.1 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ and 0.1 mmol H₂O m⁻² s⁻¹ with little impact on environmental conditions. Fluxes measured in May 2001 in an intact Great Basin sagebrush ecosystem at midday were significantly higher than in an adjacent post-wildfire successional ecosystem, with observed ranges from –0.71 to 1.49 μmol CO₂ m⁻² s⁻¹ for CO₂ and from –0.09 to 0.53 mmol H₂O m⁻² s⁻¹ for water vapour.     

The evaluation of PM10, PM2.5, and PM1 concentrations during the Middle Eastern Dust (MED) events in Ahvaz,Iran, from april through september 2010

In this study, PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁ concentrations were measured from April through September 2010. These measurements were made every six days and on days with dust events using a Grimm Model 1.177 aerosol spectrometer. Meteorological data were also collected. Overall mean values of 319.6 ± 407.07, 69.5 ± 83.2, and 37.02 ± 34.9 μg/m³ were obtained for PM₁₀, PM_2.5, and PM₁, respectively, with corresponding maximum values of 5337.6, 910.9, and 495 μg/m³. The presence of the westerly prevailing wind implied that Iraq is the major source of dust events in this area. A total of 72 dust days and 711 dust hours occurred in the study area. The dust events occurred primarily during July. The longest dust event during the study period occurred in July, lasted five days, and had a peak concentration of 2028 μg/m³. These high concentrations produced AQI values of up to 500. A total estimated mortality and morbidity of 1131 and 8157 cases, respectively, can be attributed to these concentrations. The results of this study indicated the importance of dust events in Ahvaz and their possible health impacts. The study also demonstrated the need to design and implement intergovernmental management schemes to effectively mitigate such events.     

艾比湖干涸湖底不同地表类型风蚀强度及粉尘输移通量的风洞试验研究

以新疆准格尔盆地西部艾比湖干涸湖底及相关邻近地区7种不同形态的原状土为研究对象,通过风洞模拟试验,揭示干涸湖底不同地表类型的风蚀强度和沙/盐尘低空输送通量。结果表明：粉状盐漠和含盐量较低的淤泥-粘土混合物临界启动风速最低,硬质盐壳的临界启动风速最大;大于16 m·s-1的大风是造成艾比湖干涸湖底风蚀的主要动力,7种地表类型中湖相沉积物、风积物、粉状盐漠的风蚀率最大,是风蚀尘暴的主要尘源;风蚀过程中颗粒的初始运动主要集中在0~10 cm高度范围内,以近地面跃移为主,风积物、湖相沉积物和粉状盐漠的输移通量最大。     

中亚干旱区咸海的湖面变化及其环境效应

由于气候和人类活动的影响,近百年来成海水位出现了明显的波动,湖泊面积波动幅度近6×10<'4>km<'2>,由此产生了严重的区域生态环境问题.尤其是近50年来,随着流域人口增加、社会经济发展、工农业及生活用水造成的流域水资源匮乏,导致成海面积快速萎缩,引起一系列区域环境问题,威胁当地居民的生存.成海水位下降、面积萎缩主要引发了两个方面的生态环境效应:(1)绿洲的荒漠化.干涸的湖底直接成为荒地,形成新的沙源地;同时,区域地下水位下降,植被退化,草地沙化,加之风力从干涸湖底及临近沙漠区带来的风沙覆盖,形成新的沙漠带.改变的下垫面,影响湖泊对气候的调节功能,造成流域人居环境的恶化.(2)湖滨湿地的消失及湖水的成化,使得湿地资源与渔业资源等周围居民赖以生存的经济来源消失,同时由于来自裸露湖底的污染尘暴影响,使得流域原有土地功能退化.另外,污染的空气与饮用水直接威胁当地居民的健康.