Geochemical, mineralogical and sedimentological studies on the Taklimakan Desert sands

Major-element composition, mineral composition and grain-size distribution have been studied for Quaternary aeolian sediments from the Taklimakan Desert, north-western China, together with the variation of chemical and mineralogical compositions of different grain-size fractions. Aeolian sediments from the Taklimakan Desert have higher ratios of feldspar/quartz and calcite/quartz, finer grain size, poorer roundness of quartz and feldspar grains and lower abundances of frosted quartz, than found in aeolian sediments from other deserts such as the Saudi Arabian Desert. In spite of these immature mineralogical and sedimentological features, the aeolian sediments from the Taklimakan Desert show low regional variations in major-element and mineral compositions and are homogenized. These observations confirm that two processes, glacial activity within surrounding mountains and aeolian activity at the Tarim Basin, are important in the homogenization of the Taklimakan Desert sands. Taklimakan Desert sediments are constantly and effectively supplied from basement rocks in the surrounding mountains by glacial erosion. The supplied sediments are further homogenized by aeolian activity in the desert and are partly blown away, serving as the source of Chinese aeolian loess. Compositional differences are observed between loess (mainly 10–40 μm particles) and the <45 μm fraction of the Taklimakan Desert sediments, as well as between loess and whole rock of the Taklimakan Desert sediments. These observations provide constraints for precise modelling of loess formation, and for assessment of the chemical composition of the upper continental crust based on the chemical composition of aeolian loess.     

Environmental conditions leading to the formation of Holocene soil layers in the Northern Taklimakan Desert,Tarim Basin,Northwest China

Radiocarbon‐dated palaeontological remains and bedding features suggests that climatic changes in the northern Taklimakan Desert since the beginning of the Holocene can be divided into four stages: (i) 12 000–10 000 BP, a cool–to temperate–dry climate resulting in apparent alluvial–fluvial and weak aeolian activities; (ii) 10 000–8000 BP, a dry cold climate, resulting in large‐scale sand dune activity under regional desert expansion; (iii) 8000–3000 BP dry, warm climate, with a decreased area of shifting sand and the fixation of many sand dunes; (iv) 3000 BP to present, rising aeolian activity resulting in sandstorms, under the combined influence of climatic warming and excessive exploitation of land and water resources. Holocene deposits from profiles in the Northern Taklimakan Desert consist mainly of fine‐grained aeolian sand and silty clay. The fine aeolian sand was formed from re‐sorting of aeolian sand during the cold period of the Holocene, while the silty clay was formed by flood deposition in the Holocene warm period. The desert and desert steppe arboreal species and high CaCO₃ content of the warm period strata suggest that the Holocene climate in the area, although generally dry, varied between warm/dry and cold/dry, and, especially in recent times, has become increasingly dry. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

土壤中空气对土结构和入渗过程的影响

分析了土壤表面积水入渗过程中压缩气体对土体结构的影响理论,并通过二维土柱入渗试验对其进行了分析及验证。在积水深度为2.8 cm的条件下,对2个初始含水量、3个孔隙率下的土柱进行了试验,测量出其在试验过程中的气体压力和入渗量,并同时观察土体结构的变化。理论和试验结果表明,气体出现突破之前,土壤内气体压缩产生的气压对湿润区土体的顶托作用会破坏土体的平衡,从而在湿润锋处产生水平裂缝,破坏入渗土体的连续性。试验还发现,入渗过程中土体结构变化大小受土壤初始结构和含水率的影响,初始结构越牢固、含水量越大,结构和气压变化越小,根据结构变化不同,可以划分出两种不同的试验过程。同时入渗土体内出现裂缝时,气压的减渗作用尤为显著,甚至会导致试验过程的停止。     

A wind tunnel simulation and field verification of desert dust deposition (Avdat Experimental Station, Negev Desert)

The deposition of natural dust in an area of 53 ha, situated in the northern Negev desert, is investigated in detail both in the wind tunnel (dust storm simulations over a topographic scale model) and in the field. The wind tunnel results and the field results show a high degree of agreement, indicating that scale-model simulation may be considered an important technique for future loess and desert research. More dust settles on windward slopes than on leeward slopes, which is in contradistinction with the widespread wind shadow concept. Air-flow separation zones immediately downwind of steep windward slopes have an important impact on dust deposition too. In the case of dust deposition on topographic scale models, a restricted height distortion of the model will not necessarily lead to serious problems. In addition, wind tunnel blockage percentages up to 13% may be allowed in order to obtain acceptable dust deposition patterns for the scale model. A mean gross dust deposition of about 200–250 g m^?2 year^?1 is calculated for the northern Negev desert for 1987. Thus, if the settled dust can be protected against erosion in the cultivated areas in the Negev, the dust content of the top soil will markedly increase with time. However, it has to be borne in mind that cultivation activities themselves may also contribute to a higher soil erosion and, hence, to a higher dust content in the atmosphere. At any rate, a higher dust content in the top soil will unquestionably have an important positive effect on agricultural yields. From the air dust concentration data and the dust deposition data, a deposition velocity of 4.7cms^?1 can be calculated for Avdat dust.     

Weathering, dust, and biocycling effects on soil silicon isotope ratios

Silicon isotope ratios (δ³⁰Si) of bulk mineral materials in soil integrate effects from both silicon sources and processing. Here we report δ³⁰Si values from a climate gradient of Hawaiian soils developed on 170 ka basalt and relate them to patterns of soil chemistry and mineralogy. The results demonstrate informative relationships between the mass fraction of soil Si depletion and δ³⁰Si. In upper (<1 m deep) soil horizons along the climate gradient, Si depletion correlates with decreases of residual δ³⁰Si values in low rainfall soils and increases in high rainfall soils. Strong positive correlation between soil δ³⁰Si and dust-derived quartz and mica content show that both trends are largely controlled by the abundance of these weathering-resistant minerals. The data also lend support to the idea that fractionation of Si isotopes in secondary phases is controlled by partitioning of silicon between dissolved and precipitated products during the initial weathering of primary basalt. Secondary mineral δ³⁰Si values from lower (>1 m deep) soil horizons generally correlate with the isotope fractionation predicted by a study of dissolved Si in basalt-watershed rivers and driven by preferential ²⁸Si removal from the dissolved phase during precipitation. In contrast, after correcting for the influence of dust, secondary mineral Si depletion and δ³⁰Si values in shallow (<1 m deep) soil horizons showed evidence of biocycling induced Si redistribution and substantially lower δ³⁰Si values than predicted. Low δ³⁰Si values in shallow soil horizons compared to predictions can be attributed to repeated fractionation as secondary minerals undergo additional cycles of dissolution and precipitation. Primary mineral weathering, secondary mineral weathering, dust accumulation, and biocycling are major processes in terrestrial Si cycling and these results demonstrate that each can be traced by δ³⁰Si values interpreted in conjunction with mineralogy and measures of Si depletion.     

Effects of temperature and humidity upon the transport of sedimentary particles by wind

Wind tunnel simulations of aeolian transport carried out over a range in mean temperature between 32 °C and ?9 °C suggest that cold airflows support higher mass transport rates (Q) than very warm air. The magnitude of this increase is larger than expected, so that analytical and semi‐empirical models underestimate Q. Extrapolation of the results suggests that, at ?40 °C, as for example in the dry valleys of Antarctica in winter, Q may be as much as 70% higher than for the equivalent wind speed in hot deserts at air temperatures of 40 °C. Temperature‐dependent changes in air density and turbulence contribute to this result. The decreased tension of water adsorbed onto particle surfaces at low temperatures is postulated to reduce interparticle cohesion and, thus, to increase the elasticity of particle impacts on cold beds. Definition of the roles that temperature and humidity play in aeolian transport is relevant to studies of palaeoenvironmental reconstruction and extraterrestrial (or planetary) geology. Investigation of present‐day, cold climate features and of climate change effects also requires knowledge of these fundamental relations.     

On the effect of moisture bonding forces in air-dry soils on threshold friction velocity of wind erosion

Wind erosion is a dominant geomorphological process in arid and semi-arid regions with major impacts on regional climate and desertification. The erosion process occurs when the wind speed exceeds a certain threshold value, which depends on a number of factors including surface soil moisture. The understanding and modelling of aeolian erosion requires a better understanding of the soil erodibility associated with different moisture conditions. In arid regions during the dry season, the atmospheric humidity plays an important role in determining the surface moisture content and the threshold shear velocity. By a series of wind tunnel tests and theoretical analyses, this dependence of threshold velocity on near surface air humidity is shown for three soils of different textures: sand, sandy loam, and clay loam. The results show that the threshold shear velocity decreases with increasing values of relative humidity for values of relative humidity between about 40% and 65%, while above and below this range the threshold shear velocity increases with air humidity. A theoretical framework is developed to explain these dependencies assuming an equilibrium between the surface soil moisture and the humidity of the overlying atmosphere. The conditions under which soil-atmosphere equilibrium occurs were tested experimentally in the laboratory for different soils in order to determine the effect of grain surface area and texture on the time required to reach equilibrium starting from different initial conditions.     

基于FBG技术的土体含水率测量方法试验

亲水橡胶是一种水敏性高分子聚合物,具有吸水膨胀、失水收缩的特性,同时其弹性、强度和持水能力保持不变。通过胶黏封装方法,将亲水橡胶与光纤耦合,利用FBG光纤传感技术,精确测量由于亲水橡胶吸水膨胀、失水收缩导致的光纤拉伸和压缩形变,当橡胶与土体含水率达到动态平衡时,可以通过测量光纤形变得到土体含水率。通过试验验证了亲水橡胶体变与其含水率之间的线性相关性,且在反复试验中亲水橡胶吸水、失水的能力基本保持不变,表明亲水橡胶可以作为含水率感测的换能材料;建立了FBG传感器中心波长与亲水橡胶含水率之间的对应关系;通过对黏土含水率的测试,发现该含水率传感器的FBG中心波长与黏土试样含水率呈分段线性关系,表明利用该传感器监测土体含水率的方法具有可行性,不仅可以实现含水率的原位监测,而且还能得到含水率的空间分布及其随时间的实时变化情况,为土体工程性质的评价、地质灾害的预测预报提供依据,具有广泛的应用前景。     

浅层包气带地温与含水量昼夜动态的实验研究

西北荒漠化地区,包气带中的水分除来自大气降水外,还来自凝结水。凝结水对维持荒漠地区的植被生态环境起到至关重要的作用,而凝结水的形成机制又反映在包气带地温与含水量的昼夜动态过程中。文中报告了室外沙坑浅层包气带地温与含水量观测的实验结果。土壤含水量变化采用原位测试的方法观测,避免了传统称重法产生的干扰和不确定性。实验中对深度0~30cm范围的土壤温度进行了高密度观测。结果表明,温度梯度对水汽的运移起到主控作用,温度梯度方向向下,土壤含水量增加,反之,含水量减少。通过热传导方程对土壤中的传热过程进行分析,得到傅立叶级数表示的温度波方程,用于预测不同深度土壤响应地表条件而产生的温度变化。实验中还对近地表微气象以及土壤负压等因素进行了观测。     

Geostatistical characterization of soil moisture and chloride distribution in deep vadose profiles of the Badain Jaran Desert,Northwestern China

Geostatistical analysis of soil moisture and ion accumulation can provide a deep understanding of aspects of a region’s hydrology such as recharge rates and flow paths. By combining this approach with detrended canonical correspondence analysis, the present study investigated the vertical and spatial variation of soil moisture and chloride (Cl^?) in vadose profiles of megadunes near lakes in the southeastern Badain Jaran Desert, northwestern China. Soil moisture varied vertically within the dune profiles following exponential, logarithmic, or log-normal distributions at different sites as a result of regulation by different local controls. The main local controls for Cl^? concentration were slope and orientation of the dune. Cl^? was not affected by local controls at depths >5 m. Sills of spatial variation in soil moisture and Cl^? in the variogram analysis were highly sensitive to local controls in the top 4 m of the profiles, and the values were three times those at depths >4 m. The lag for soil moisture was insensitive to local controls, and was 50–60 m in the top 4 m of the profiles and 20 m in deeper layers, whereas the lag for Cl^? was about 20 m at all depths. The results demonstrate that understanding recharge rates using factors such as Cl^? accumulation requires a careful survey to ensure that the local controls that regulate these factors are adequately accounted for.     

Effect of soil parameters on the threshold wind velocity and maximum eroded mass in a dry environment

The present study aims to investigate the relationships between several soil parameters (texture, organic matter and CaCO₃ content) and the threshold wind velocity and erodibility of different soil types. Our aim was to determine the role of these soil parameters play in soil loss due to wind erosion and also to statistically evaluate these correlations. The erodibility studies were carried out in wind tunnel experiments, and the resulting data were analysed with multiple regression analysis and the Kruskal-Wallis test. We found that both the threshold wind speed and the erodibility of soils were mostly determined by silt fraction (0.05–0.02 mm), while sand fractions had a lesser effect on it. Our experiences with organic matter and CaCO₃ similar, i.e. in spite of their correlation with the erosion, their contribution was not significant in the multivariate regression model. Consequently, based on mechanical composition of soils, one can predict threshold wind velocity and erodibility of soils.     

青藏高原玉树地区巴塘高寒草甸土壤温湿特征分析

在青藏高原腹地青海省玉树藏族自治州玉树县巴塘高寒草甸草场设立野外试验场, 进行土壤温、湿动态监测. 利用温、湿监测数据及同步气象数据资料, 采用对比分析及线性趋势等方法, 分析了巴塘高寒草甸日、年土壤温、湿变化状况. 结果表明: 土壤温度从10:00时左右开始上升, 至17:00-18:00时达到最高值, 然后开始下降, 在第二天9:00时左右到达最低; 土壤湿度在10:00时达到最低值, 在18:00时达到最大值, 随着土壤深度的增加, 土壤湿度逐渐降低. 土壤温、湿度在不同的季节表现出不同的变化趋势, 二个点不同土层表现出相对一致的变化, 随着土壤深度的增加, 土壤温、湿度逐渐降低; 随着与雪栅距离的增加, 土壤温、湿度的变化幅度减弱; 随着土壤深度的增加, 雪栅的影响也逐渐减小. 通过对土壤温、湿不同时期的特征分析, 5月中旬至8月中旬, 土壤湿度与土壤温度呈现相反的变化趋势, 而在其余时期土壤温湿变化趋势一致; 秋季向冬季转换时, 土壤温湿呈显著下降趋势, 而后土壤进入封冻时期; 冬季向春季转换时, 土壤温湿呈显著上升趋势, 土壤进入解冻时期. 冷季时, 25 cm土壤温度高于5 cm; 暖季时, 5 cm土壤温度高于25 cm.     

基于土壤水势变化的灌溉节水机理与调控阈值

大量试验结果表明,在农田灌溉过程中,土壤含水率及水势变化具有入渗排气、渗吸增能、吸脱水减能和缓慢脱水减能的阶段性特征。当土壤处于水分亏缺状态急需补充水分(土壤吸水)时,土壤水势梯度大于1.0 cmH2O/cm;当土壤水分得到充分补给达到过水(土壤含水率不变,且水通量不为零)状态时,土壤水势梯度等于1.0 cmH2O/cm;当土壤中水分过剩而处于脱水(流出大于流入水量)状态时,土壤水势梯度小于1 cmH2O/cm。由此,根据上述特征指导农田灌溉调控节水,其中土壤层下部(深度15~60 cm)的水势梯度等于或小于1.0 cmH2O/cm可作为监测及预警节水灌溉的阈值。     

青藏高原高寒草甸土壤水分运移机制

查明青藏高原高寒草甸区土壤水分运移机制,对正确理解土壤水分迁移过程、提高高寒草甸重建效率具有重要指导意义。通过开展土壤剖面负压、地温观测等原位试验,结合气象资料,对土壤剖面地温、含水率及总水头特征进行分析。结果表明,土壤的冻结期起始于10月,解冻期起始于4月;地温最高值出现在植物生长旺盛期8月,最低值出现在1月;1～3月土壤水分呈固态,6～10月土壤水分呈液态,处于稳定变化阶段,4～5月、11～12月土壤水分呈固液转化态,含水率变化幅度较大,处于过渡阶段。随着气温升高及降水量增加,6～8月水热同季有利于高寒草甸生长,属于高寒草甸主要生长阶段;春季土层由表及深土壤解冻,冻土层滞水性能保障了返青期春旱牧草生长的水分需求;深秋季节的由表及深的土壤冻结,深层土壤水分随水汽发生的表聚作用保障了牧草生长的水分需求,也是高原生态系统能够维持稳定的原因之一。     

科尔沁沙地人工固沙林土壤水分与植被适宜度探讨

依据水量平衡原理,分析不同密度、不同树龄人工小叶锦鸡儿固沙植被区土壤水分及蒸散量变化特点。结果表明:人工固沙小叶锦鸡儿林地土壤水分状况随着树龄增大和栽植密度的加大而不断恶化,流动沙丘和天然植被区土壤水分状况优于人工植被区;蒸散量与同期降水量之间存在显著正相关。1m×1m密度4年生植被区和2m×2m密度成龄植被区土壤含水量高于凋萎湿度,生长末期土壤贮水量有较多节余,土壤水分能够满足植物生长需求,建议小叶锦鸡儿固沙林幼年期采用1m×1m密植,其后通过间伐,成龄期保持2m×2m密度,为科尔沁沙地人工固沙植被建设提供科学依据。     

古尔班通古特沙漠树枝状沙丘土壤水分时空变异特征

认识沙漠土壤水分的时空变异性,是揭示沙漠生态系统生态-水文格局的基础。利用中子土壤水分仪的实测数据,对古尔班通古特沙漠树枝状沙丘土壤水分时空变异进行了系统分析。研究表明:① 沙丘不同部位土壤水分随时间具有一致性变化规律,上层土壤和下层土壤的变化趋势有所不同。0~1 m土层坡顶>坡中>坡脚,1~2 m土层坡脚>坡中>坡顶。② 土壤水分具有明显的季节变化和分层变化特征。春季是古尔班通古特沙漠土壤水分最丰富、变化最迅速的时期;0~40 cm、40~140 cm、140~200 cm土层土壤水分变异系数分别为13.56%、5.35%和0.80%,与不同土层水分来源和消耗以及植物根系分布相对应;不同土层土壤水分的变异强度要大于不同部位土壤水分的变异强度。③ 植被和地形对土壤水分的空间分异作用明显,沙丘坡脚处以及荒漠灌木梭梭根区始终存在土壤水分相对富集区。     

祁连山大野口流域土壤水热空间变化特征研究

土壤水热对水源涵养功能的发挥影响较大,为了研究流域空间上的水源涵养功能变化规律,在祁连山大野口流域布设90个土壤水热监测探头,对已取得的100多万个数据采取相关分析、变异系数等方法,研究土壤水热空间的变化特征.结果表明:随海拔增大,土壤水分呈波动性增大趋势,增大率约为2.35%·(100m)^-1,土壤温度呈波动性降低趋势,降低率约为0.74℃·(100m)^-1.半阴坡土壤水分比半阳坡高1.2倍、比阳坡高1.7倍,半阳坡土壤水分比阳坡高1.4倍.半阴坡土壤温度比半阳坡低1.6倍、比阳坡低2.2倍,半阳坡土壤温度比阳坡低1.3倍.土壤水分与其深度呈二次函数的抛物线变化关系,土壤温度与其深度呈线性函数关系,深度每增加10 cm,其温度降低约0.536℃.亚高山灌丛林比乔木林土壤水分高1.5倍、比草地高1.7倍,乔林比草地土壤水分高1.2倍.亚高山灌丛林比乔木林土壤温度低1.6倍、比草地低2.3倍,乔木林土壤温度比草地低1.4倍.高海拔半阴坡灌丛林土壤温度变化最剧烈,低海拔阳坡草地土壤变化较小.研究成果可为探索流域水资源管理及利用提供科学依据和参考资料.     

高寒阴湿区边坡浅层土体温湿响应规律研究

基于长期原位监测对高寒阴湿区边坡土体温湿响应规律研究存在的不足,选取甘肃双达高速公路沿线土-岩二元结构边坡为研究对象,构建远程监测系统对边坡浅层土体温温度及大气降雨开展了为期2年多的现场监测,结合傅里叶模型与Pearson相关性分析方法,揭示了边坡土体水热迁移及降雨入渗规律,分析了边坡土体温湿度相互作用效应。研究结果表明:(1)边坡浅层土体温湿度随时间呈简谐式周期变化,且变化幅度随埋深逐渐减小,2 m深度处土体月平均温度变化具有一定滞后性,滞后时间约为30 d。(2)年内3月与9月,土体月平均温度曲线出现“纽结”现象,使边坡呈现出由春夏季表热而内凉向秋冬季表寒而内温转变的趋势。(3)春季降雨期,土体含水率增长仅发生在50 cm深度以内;夏季降雨期,降雨引起更深层土体含水率变化,因雨水持续性补充,浅层土体湿度长时间保持在35%以上。(4)土体温湿度存在较高的正相关关系,随土体埋深增加温湿度相关性增强,不同时期温湿度相互影响程度不同,年内温湿度相关性表现出“循环圈”效应。研究成果可为进一步认识边坡土体水文响应规律、水-热相关性与坡面侵蚀机理提供一定参考。     

污染土壤石油生物降解与调控效应研究

为考察修复过程中土壤石油降解效应,选用中国北方某油田区现场的原油污染土壤,进行了投加除油菌、调节氮磷营养含量和水分含量等强化措施的修复试验。经过180d修复,结果表明,土壤石油污染物去除率达70·6%,去除速率达0·15g·kg-1·d-1,与自然条件相比,石油污染物半衰期由929d减少为103d。饱和烃去除率占总石油去除的75%以上,主要为十八烷、二十七烷、二十九烷、三十一烷与三十四烷。初期投菌对石油污染土壤的生物修复具有快速启动作用,但后期多次投菌对生物修复的促进作用不明显。对氮磷营养水平的适当调节有利于生物修复进行,本试验中对除油菌生长和石油去除最有利的有效态碳氮比为C∶N=100∶1~50∶1。在石油去除过程中,土壤石油去除速率的变化与除油菌数量变化趋势基本一致,表明微生态环境调控对于污染土壤中的石油降解具有显著的促进作用。