Glacier changes in the eastern Nyainqêntanglha Range of Tibetan Plateau from 1975 to 2013

Maritime-type glaciers in the eastern Nyainqêntanglha Range, located in the southeastern part of the Tibetan Plateau, are an important water source for downstream residents and ecological systems. To better understand the variability of glaciers in this region, we used the band ratio threshold(TM3/TM5 for the Landsat TM /ETM+ and TM4/TM6 for Landsat OLI) to extract glacier outlines in ~1999 and ~2013. After that, we also generated a series of glacier boundaries and monitored glacier variations in the past 40 years with the help of the Chinese Glacier Inventory data(1975) and Landsat TM, ETM+ and OLI data. The total glacier area decreased by 37.69 ± 2.84% from 1975 to 2013. The annual percentage area change(APAC) was ~1.32% a-1 and ~1.29% a-1 in the periods 1975-1999 and 1999-2013, respectively. According to the lag theory, the reaction time is probably about 10 years and we discuss the variations of temperature and precipitation between 1965 and 2011. Temperature and precipitation increased between 1965 and 2011 at a rate of 0.34°C /10 a and 15.4 mm/10 a, respectively. Extensive meteorological data show that the glacier shrinkage rate over the period may be mainly due to increasing air temperature, while the increasing precipitation partly made up for the mass loss of glacier ice resulting from increasing temperature may also lead to the low APAC between 1999 and 2013. The lag theory suggests that glacier shrinkage may accelerate in the next 10 years. Small glaciers were more sensitive to climate change, and there was a normal distribution between glacier area and elevation. Glaciers shrank in all aspects, and south aspects diminished faster than others.     

Surface mass balance and ice flow of the glaciers Austre Lovénbreen and Pedersenbreen, Svalbard, Arctic

The glaciers Austre Lovenbreen and Pedersenbreen are located at Ny-Alesund, Svalbard. The surface mass balance and ice flow velocity of both glaciers have been determined from the first year of observations (2005/2006), while the front edge of Austre Lovenbreen was also surveyed. The results are as follows : (1) The net mass balances of Austre Lovenbreen and Pedersenbreen are -0. 44 and -0. 20 m w. e. , the annual ablation is -0. 99 and -0. 94 m w. e. . and the corresponding equilibrium line altitudes are 478. 10 and 494. 87 m, respectively. (2) Austre Lovenbreen and Pedersenbreen are characterized as ice flow models of surge-type glaciers in Svalbard. The horizontal vectors of the ice flow velocities are parallel or converge to the central lines of both glaciers, with lower velocities in the lower ablation areas and higher velocities in the middle and upper reaches of the glaciers. The vertical vectors of ice flow velocities show that there is a mass loss in the ablation areas, which reduces with increasing altitude, while there is a mass gain near the equilibrium line of Austre Lovenbreen. (3) The front edge of Austre Lovenbreen receded at an average rate of 21. 83 m·a-1, with remarkable variability-a maximum rate of 77. 30 m·a-1 and a minimum rate of 2. 76 m·a-1.     

A MODEL SIMULATING THE PROCESSES IN RESPONSES OF GLACIER AND RUNOFF TO CLIMATIC CHANGE─A Case Study of Glacier No.1 in the ■rümqi River, China

①TheprojectsupportedbytheNationalNaturalScienceFoundationofChina.Mountainglacierisaproductofmutuallyjointactionofclimateandtopography.AtthisPOint,climaticchangemakeglacieradapttoitschangethroughadjustingglacierareaandlengthfollowingtheglacierinnermovementlaw.Intheory,glacieralwayscorreSpondstoastablestateunderacertainclimaticcondition.Becauseoflimitationoftheglaciermovementlaw,theglacierhastograduallyadapttOclimaticchange.Also,climateisalwaysinchange.So,itisalmostimPOSSibleforglaciertor…     

Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay, China Ⅳ: Study on cross-bay transect from estuary to ocean

1 INTRODUCTION Terrestrial matter is continuously loaded into ocean by rivers and up taken by myriad organisms who would ultimately sink to the sea bottom, whichconstitutes a complete process of transferring terrestrial matter from land to sea. Among this dynamic process, diatoms are very important in theNo.1 YANG et al.: Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny 73material cycle. Phytoplankton is a prime mover in the conversion from inorganic matter to organic in marine…     

Provenance and Tectonic Implications of Paleozoic Strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin,China–Revealed from the Borehole CSDP-2

Well CSDP-2 is a fully coring deep drilling hole, penetrating the thick Paleozoic marine strata in the South Yellow Sea Basin(SYSB) in the lower Yangtze Block(LYB). Based on the petrological and geochemical analysis of 40 sandstone samples from the core CSDP-2, the provenance and tectonic features of Paleozoic detrital rocks from SYSB are analyzed and systematically delineated in this article. The results show that the Silurian – Carboniferous sandstones are mature sublitharenite, while the Permian sandstones are unstable feldspathic litharenite. The average CIA(chemical index of alteration) is 74.61, which reflects these sediments were derived from source rocks with moderate chemical weathering. The REE(rare earth element) patterns are characterized by LREE enrichment, flat HREE and obviously negative Eu anomaly, which are similar to that of the upper continental crust. Dickinson QFL discrimination results indicate the recycled orogeny provenance. Various diagrams for the discrimination of sedimentary provenance based on major and trace element data show all the sediments were derived predominantly from quartz sedimentary rocks, of which the Permian strata contain more felsic sedimentary rocks. Geochemical data for these detrital rocks suggest they occur at the passive continental margin and island arc settings, and the Permian sandstone presents active continental margin setting.     

A preliminary application GIS in glaciological research along the traverse route from Zhongshan Station to Dome A, Antarctica

1　IntroductionGeographicalinformationsystem (GIS)isanefficientwayandimportanttechniquetomanage,displayandanalyzeAntarcticspatialdata.GIScanbeusedtomakeandre newmapproductsquickly ,evaluateenvironment,supportlogisticmanagementandfieldoperation,providechancetoextractnewknowledge,andtopromoteinformationex changeamongnationsunderthedemandoftheMadridProtocol(AADC 2 0 0 1 ;MAGIC1 998;1 999) .WorkingGroupofGeodesyandGeographicInformation (WG GGI)ofScientificCommitteeonAntarcticResearch (…     

Silicon limitation on primary production and its destiny in Jiaozhou Bay, China——Ⅳ：Study on cross-bay transect from estuary to ocean

The authors analyzed the data collected in the Ecological Station Jiaozhou Bay from May 1991 to November 1994, including 12 seasonal investigations, to determine the characteristics, dynamic cycles and variation trends of the silicate in the bay. The results indicated that the rivers around Jiaozhou Bay provided abundant supply of silicate to the bay. The silicate concentration there depended on river flow variation. The horizontal variation of silicate concentration on the transect showed that the silicate concentration decreased with distance from shorelines. The vertical variation of it showed that silicate sank and deposited on the sea bottom by phytoplankton uptake and death, and zooplankton excretion. In this way, silicon would endlessly be transferred from terrestrial sources to the sea bottom. The silicon took up by phytoplankton and by other biogeochemical processes led to insufficient silicon supply for phytoplankton growth. In this paper, a 2D dynamic model of river flow versus silicate concentration was established by which silicate concentrations of 0.028–0.062 μmol/L in seawater was yielded by inputting certain seasonal unit river flows (m³/s), or in other words, the silicate supply rate; and when the unit river flow was set to zero, meaning no river input, the silicate concentrations were between 0.05–0.69 μmol/L in the bay. In terms of the silicate supply rate, Jiaozhou Bay was divided into three parts. The division shows a given river flow could generate several different silicon levels in corresponding regions, so as to the silicon-limitation levels to the phytoplankton in these regions. Another dynamic model of river flow versus primary production was set up by which the phytoplankton primary production of 5.21–15.55 (mgC/m²·d)/(m³/s) were obtained in our case at unit river flow values via silicate concentration or primary production conversion rate. Similarly, the values of primary production of 121.98–195.33 (mgC/m²·d) were achieved at zero unit river flow condition. A primary production conversion rate reflects the sensitivity to silicon depletion so as to different phytoplankton primary production and silicon requirements by different phytoplankton assemblages in different marine areas. In addition, the authors differentiated two equations (Eqs. 1 and 2) in the models to obtain the river flow variation that determines the silicate concentration variation, and in turn, the variation of primary production. These results proved further that nutrient silicon is a limiting factor for phytoplankton growth. This study was funded by NSFC (No. 40036010), and the Director's Fund of the Beihai Sea Monitoring Center, the State Oceanic Administration.     

Ecohydrology from Concepts to On-ground Actions： Report of Special Side Event on Ecohydrology--An Interdisciplinary Challenge, January 5-7, 2009 in Bangkok, Thailand

International Hydrological Programme Ⅶ (IHP-Ⅶ) directs the research objectives of hydrologists all over the world from 2008 to 2013. As a key programme contributed to the IHP Ⅶ, UNESCO's Ecohydrology Programme (EHP) has evolved into a trans-disciplinary scientific programme to analyze dynamic relationships between hydrological, social and ecological systems. Twenty international experts from 12 countries were invited by UNESCO to attend the side event on "Ecohydrology--An Interdisciplinary Challenge" in Bangkok, Thailand. It aimed to synthesize knowledge gaps for addressing issues related to critical water systems. This event focused on how better knowledge of the interrelationships between the hydrological cycle, livelihoods and ecosystems could be contributed to more cost-effective and environmental-friendly management. The five themes of the event with 20 keynote lectures were given as fellows.     

Source Evolution and Its Relationship to Climate Change Since the Middle–Late Pleistocene in Laizhou Bay,China

Through the geochemical analysis of two hundred-meters cores KD4 and ZK3 from Laizhou Bay,in this study,we determined the distribution law and controlling factors of the geochemical elements.We analyzed 24 elements with respect to their R factors and major principal components,which were combined with the source discrimination functions DFCr/Th and DFCa/Al to obtain the sediment source index and its variation with depth for this area.A comparison of the changes in climate indicators suggests a clear correlation between the source and climate changes.The results show that the Yellow River and surrounding short-term rivers are the main sediment sources in this area.The PC3 of the KD4 core and PC2 of the ZK3 core(e.g.,CaO,MnO,SiO2)exhibit significant variations and reflect the relative contributions of Yellow River sources.The deposition process can be divided into six stages:in Phase I(MIS 5c–MIS 5a),the Yellow River formed,and the composition of the Yellow River had a greater influence on the sedimentary composition of the study area.In Phase II(MIS 5a–MIS 3),the sediment sources of the Yellow River and the short-term streams in this area were wavering,with the sediments derived from short-term rivers playing a more important role.In Phase III(MIS 3),with a sharp drop in temperature,the study area was in the process of retreat,and the sediment source changed from the Yellow River to short-term rivers,after which the Yellow River source material remained the main sediment source for the region.A similar process occurred three more times in Phase IV(MIS 3–MIS 2),Phase V(MIS 2–MIS 1),and Phase VI(MIS 1).With changes in climate,especially during alternating sea-land phases,the sediment source varied in marine-terrestrial-marine phases,and the changes are observed as Yellow River source-surrounding provenance-Yellow River source.However,this process of change is not synchronized with the sea-land strata alternation.     

Gradient effect on farmers’ income in the mountain areas and its implication for poverty alleviation strategies: Empirical analysis from the upper reach of Minjiang River, China

Using four types of settlements in the upper reach of Minjiang River as case,we establish structural models in farmers’ income of different settlement patterns based on rural household panel data to reveal the gradient effect on farmers’ income and determinants.The results indicate that:(1) except the resettlement area,the incomes for farmers living in river valley,semi-mountain,and high-mountain settlements present a decreasing trend with the elevation increasing;on the contrary,their nonfarm earnings show an increasing trend with the elevation decreasing;(2) from the effect on farmers’ income,there is a common feature that the nonfarm earnings and farming incomes have significant positive effects,and family size and productive expenditure have significant negative effects.One exception to this is the productive expenditure,which becomes insignificant in the model of resettlement area;(3) from the way of increasing farmers’ income and alleviating poverty,there are great differences for four types of settlements in mountain areas,however,the improvement of agricultural product sales,agricultural production subsidies,the expansion for nonfarm employment,and the control of the family’s size are the most effective approaches for poverty alleviation.