Desert networks: A conceptual model for the impact of scarce, variable and patchy resources

Social actors in arid regions must develop strategies to respond to available resources, which are scarce, variable, patchy and unpredictable relative to other regions. We explore our observations of relationships amongst people and organisations in Australian deserts using a stylised network model of the structure of social networks in arid systems. Results suggest that temporal resource variability drives increased network density, but with fewer strong ties; sparse populations drive a relatively higher proportion of strong ties, and that networks develop a hub configuration as resource endowments become more patchy spatially. These ideas highlight some issues that warrant improved understanding by actors seeking to enhance livelihoods and local resilience in these extreme environments.     

Control of dust emissions by geomorphic conditions, wind environments and land use in northern China: An examination based on dust storm frequency from 1960 to 2003

The degree to which dust emissions are controlled by geomorphic conditions, wind environments and land use was investigated using the dust storm frequency (DSF) and data from more than 300 meteorological stations throughout northern China. Our analysis showed that most dust emissions originated in gobi deserts that developed in piedmont alluvial fans of the Kunlun, Qilian and Helan mountains. Dust emissions are low from other gobi desert regions, such as the northern Gurbantunggut and eastern Taklimakan, where high vegetation coverage restrained dust emissions or where dust-size particles are not abundant after a long period of strong wind erosion. Sandy deserts with relatively high vegetation coverage or an extensive cover by mobile sands are not a major dust source. Although the highest dust emissions did not appear in regions with the highest wind energy, DSF trends in each region from 1960 to 2003 were closely related to local wind activity. DSF was low in regions with high levels of human activity, where the mean DSF from 1960 to 2003 did not exceed 4 days/year; even from the 1960s to the early 1970s, the period with the greatest DSF, frequency did not exceed 8 days/year, which indicates that extensive land use did not contribute to DSF. The low DSF in these areas might result from the fact that although land use could produce abundant fine soil fractions, vegetation coverage and soil moisture remained higher than in the gobi deserts of arid China, thereby decreasing dust-storm occurrence.     

Lichen-dominated soil crusts as arthropod habitat in warm deserts

Soil crust lichens can be the dominant vegetation in arid lands, yet their importance as habitat to secondary producers is relatively unknown. This study examines the distribution of arthropod communities in the northern Namib Desert to evaluate whether a lichen-rich area is more or less productive than adjacent habitats in terms of the consumers each supports. Arthropods are diverse and highly endemic in the Namib Desert and lichens dominate this desert's extensive gravel plains. We sampled lichen-rich, dwarf shrub, and unvegetated sites and found distinct arthropod assemblages in the lichen-dominated sites, including species unique to lichen sites. Arthropod assemblages in two of the lichen sites were similar to those found in the dwarf shrub site. In a canonical correspondence analysis, crustose lichens and overall lichen cover were key in driving the variance in arthropod assemblages within the lichen sites. Furthermore, lichen morphotypes, overall lichen cover and species richness, were significantly correlated with the representation of arthropod subgroups and arthropod species richness. These findings provide evidence that lichen-dominated soil crusts in the Namib Desert are important supporters of secondary production, warranting more in-depth studies into the ecology and conservation of this lichen-rich habitat in warm deserts.     

Green travellers? Exploring the spatial context of sustainable mobility styles

In developed nations a growing emphasis is being placed on the promotion of environmental behaviours amongst individuals, or ‘citizen-consumers’, as a means to reduce personal carbon emissions in the light of climate change. Within the UK, focus has tended towards the segmentation of consumers into ‘lifestyle groups’ and the subsequent development of so-called social marketing behaviour change strategies, promoted as a way to encourage environmental behaviours. In the context of travel and tourism research, this approach has been operationalised through the notion of ‘mobility styles’ as a way of understanding the motivations and barriers different groups of consumers face when making pro-environmental travel decisions. However, this paper argues that the issue of climate change presents a major challenge for those attempting to promote behavioural changes using a single ‘mobility styles’ approach because of the ways in which issues such as climate change transcends the spatial and motivational contexts for travel behaviours. Using data gathered as part of a UK-based project on sustainable travel, the paper will demonstrate the potential conflicts that emerge when exploring daily travel behaviour and travel for short-breaks and holidays using a single mobility styles approach. The paper will argue that the discord between daily and holiday travel raises important questions for adopting a single and asptatial mobility styles approach for promoting behaviour change. This in turn highlights the challenges faced by a wider community of both researchers and policy makers in the environmental social sciences who seek to use segmentation as the basis for understanding and promoting behavioural change.     

The mammals of the Monte Desert revisited

Great part of ecological thought in desert ecology is based on research findings in the northern hemisphere, and these have led to generalizations to other drylands. However, South American aridlands constitute an important scenario of aridland evolution in the Neotropical temperate biota. The degree of distinctiveness of the South American dryland biota is the result of the history of lineages and place (diverse topography, climates, vegetation) in the southern part of the continent since the Oligocene. The aim of our contribution is to provide an updated review of some aspects of the latest biogeographical, ecological, physiological, and behavioral research of the Monte Desert mammals and reassessment of their evolutionary ecology. The temperate Monte Desert extends from 24° to 43° south latitude and resembles parts of the North American warm deserts. The Monte is a heterogeneous mosaic of landscapes, from open sand dune habitats to Larrea shrublands and dense vegetation patches of Prosopis woodlands. The mammal assemblages show variations in richness, diversity and endemicity. The structure of mammal assemblages is closely related to vegetation structure over different spatial scales. The Monte mammal assemblages show a great diversity of niche types and ecological, physiological and behavioral attributes for desert existence, convergent, in greater or lesser degree, with ecological counterparts from other deserts of the world. We point out the need to be cautious when comparing heterogeneous arid ecosystems.     

中国戈壁综合自然区划研究

中国戈壁广泛分布于北方的干旱与极干旱区域,直至目前尚未系统地开展戈壁分区研究。本文在综合分析戈壁特征与形成发生机制关系后认为,我国戈壁的最主要特征是地表砾质覆盖;表层具孔状漆漠结皮,其下具棕红色紧实层及石膏层;植物覆盖度极低,生长旱生极旱生灌木—半灌木。戈壁形成发生的区域仅限于干燥度4以上的干旱、极干旱区域。根据戈壁特征及发生条件的区域分异,选取干温指标、区域地质地貌建造指标、地表物质成因形态指标,将中国戈壁分布区划分为温性干旱极干旱戈壁区、暖性干旱极干旱戈壁区和青藏高原北部亚寒干旱极干旱戈壁区3个一级区(区),其下按区域地质地貌建造特征划分出9个二级区(地区),再按戈壁地表物质成因与形态差异划分出19个三级区(亚地区)。还可根据土壤和植被的地域分异进一步划分出若干个四级区(小区)。     

黑河流域荒漠区土壤水分对降水脉动响应

 利用气象站资料,对黑河流域荒漠区降水特征及其土壤水分对降水脉动响应进行了系统研究。结果表明,荒漠区降水属于降水脉动事件,降水前后土壤水分特征存在显著差异,且随土层增加差异逐渐变小。土壤水分在降水量、土壤深度和降水前后的差异极显著,交互效应也极显著(P<0.0001),表明荒漠区土壤水分对降水脉动具有显著的响应现象。土壤水分的降水脉动响应表现为降水后土壤含水量激增,在蒸散作用下缓慢减小。降水前后土壤含水量的时间序列变异规律均能较好地拟合成变异函数的理论模型。降水前后土壤含水量随机变异均小于结构性变异,反映出荒漠区土壤水分在时间尺度上具有较强的自相关性格局。降水使土壤水分空间结构差异呈现下降趋势,在时间序列上异质性降低。     

Patterns of accessing variable resources across time and space: Desert plants,animals and people

Key resources in arid and semi-arid systems are highly variable in time and space. Biophysical variability is mainly driven directly or indirectly by rainfall. Arid-dwelling people are also exposed to variability – indirectly from their biophysical environments, and directly as a result of sparse, mobile populations and variable, distant signals from policy and markets. The tradeoffs between the benefits and costs of increasing the scale of resource use are comparatively more critical in shaping system dynamics in arid systems than mesic environments. Understanding the strategies employed to scale resource use is vital for arid-system management. We contribute to this discussion using a conceptual model, based on modern portfolio theory, to explore how variability is managed by diversifying access to resources across space and time. The model is developed using ecological ideas and our Australian case knowledge, but demonstrates general learning on how optimal investment in strategies changes with resource distribution, and with the physical characteristics of the entity (e.g. plant, animal) and resource (e.g. water, nutrients) in question. Using pastoral enterprise, arid-system administration and policy cases, we argue that people and organisations need variability-coping strategies that are comparable with biophysical responses, and that strategy behaviour needs greater acknowledgement in managing arid systems.     

Effect of daylength on flowering and seed morphology ofSpergularia diandraoccurring in the Negev Desert, Israel

Spergularia diandrais a common annual plant in the deserts of Israel. It displays a quantitative long-day response to flowering. The longer the daylength, from 8 to 18 h, the earlier the time of flowering. Tiny wind-dispersed seeds, which mature on plants under these daylengths, differed in their seed coat structure and size. In addition, in natural populations nine types of seeds were found: three plant genotypes with smooth, hairy or partially hairy seeds; and within each genotype there are three seed phenotypes: black, brown and yellow. The flowering and ‘escape’ strategy of seed dispersal diversity are discussed.     

Factors controlling regeneration in a rare desert tree Acacia peuce: Limits to soil seed bank accumulation in time and space

We assessed reasons for rare recruitment in Acacia peuce, an Australian arid zone tree, by testing recruitment-limitation hypotheses relating to seed bank inputs and losses. Viable seed occurred in low density in the soil (<1 seed m²) whereas freshly produced seed was non-dormant and germination was high and fast, indicating small rain events can deplete seed banks without providing sufficient moisture for seedling survival. Seed bank seed had lower viability than fresh seed. Insect predation of seed was negligible but seed pod production and seed number/pod were low. Thus, seed bank accumulation is limited by low inputs and continual high seed losses through germination and potentially seed death. No seed shadow effect under adult canopies was found, but dispersal beyond existing stands was negligible. Seed dispersal from parent plants occurred by wind movement of unopened pods whereas the resident ant fauna did not transport seed. Microsite parameters strongly influenced horizontal distribution of buried seed, with all seed being retrieved from vegetated sandy mounds. Overall, we found that seedling recruitment is likely to be confined to large above average rainfall events because the species is unlikely to maintain a seed bank in below-average and average rainfall phases.     

Invasive potential of the winter grass Schismus barbatus during the winter season of a predominantly summer-rainfall desert in Central-Northern Monte

Biological invasions are a major threat for natural ecosystems. Deserts are characterized by their scarce, highly variable rainfall and thus considerably susceptible to invasions, especially by annual plants that can quickly capitalize sporadic rainfall events. In this study we evaluated the potential of an invasive winter-annual species native to the Mediterranean region (Schismus barbatus) to invade a summer-rainfall desert in the Central-Northern Monte Phytogeographical Province, Argentina, where the native annual flora is mainly composed of summer species. We recorded the number of germinated seeds from soil samples collected in four seasons (during one year) coinciding with four important life-stages of Schismus (pre-germination, post-germination I and II and post-dispersal), and contrasted our results with data obtained from the literature. Almost 33,000 Schismus seeds were estimated to germinate per m², and about 90% percent of them germinated from samples collected in the pre-germination stage. Compared to deserts in USA and Australia, where Schismus has been a successful invader, the density of germinated seeds we observed was especially high even though the amount of rainfall for the vegetative period of Schismus was considerable lower. Our results suggest that S. barbatus has a great invasive potential in the Central-Northern Monte. The low number of annual plant populations that are able to compete for highly variable cool-season rains may be a key feature determining the invasibility of these deserts during the winter.     

Bird assemblages of arid Australia: Vegetation patterns have a greater effect than disturbance and resource pulses

Arid birds are known to be highly responsive to spatio-temporal changes in food and water availability, and it is thought that this ‘resource tracking’ will obscure predictable patterns of community structure. Here we examine this resource hypothesis by assessing assemblage structure of birds in relation to landscape-scale environmental variation in the Finke bioregion of arid inland Australia, during an exceptionally high and extended rainfall period. We surveyed 197 sites stratified according to land system, run-off/run-on elements and distance to water, and recorded 106 resident and nomadic species. Cluster analysis produced five assemblages, four of which could be readily linked to a specific habitat type. Constrained ordination (CCA) was carried out using 38 variables that measured environmental gradients, vegetation attributes, food and water availability, and disturbance level. Species patterns correlated most strongly with vegetation variables (woodland, chenopod, grassland, and % mulga cover), and % weed cover. By contrast resource variables (flowering, fruiting, and water proximity), introduced herbivores, and most structural variables were poor predictors of species presence. Thus, we showed that resource availability and grazing disturbance are not major drivers of Australian arid bird assemblage patterns. Instead, patterning relates more to the interaction between bird foraging behaviour and breeding requirements and vegetation assemblages.     

The late Cenozoic diatom stratigraphy and paleolimnology of Tule Lake,Siskiyou Co. California

Lacustrine diatoms are diverse, well preserved and abundant in cores of lake sediment to 334 m depth near the town of Tulelake, Siskiyou County, northern California. The cores have been dated by radiometric, tephrochronologic and paleomagnetic techniques, which indicate a basal age of about 3 million years (Ma) and a nearly continuous depositional record for the Tule Lake basin for the last 3 million years (My). Fossil diatoms document the late Cenozoic paleolimnologic and paleoclimatic history for the northwestern edge of the Basin and Range Province. During the last 3 My, Tule Lake was typically a relatively deep, extensive lake. The Pliocene is characterized by a diatom flora dominated by Aulacoseira solida suggesting more abundant summer precipitation and warmer winters. Increases in Fragilaria at 2.4 Ma and between 2.0 and 1.7 Ma imply cooler summers that correlate to glacial environments recorded elsewhere in the world. Stephanodiscus niagarae and Fragilaria species dominate the Pleistocene. Benthic diatoms of alkalineenriched, saline waters occur with S. niagarae between 100 and 40 m depth (0.90–0.14 Ma). Tephrochronology indicates slow deposition and possible hiatuses between about 0.6 and 0.2 Ma. Overall, the Pleistocene diatom flora reflects cooler and sometimes drier climates, especially after major glaciations began 0.85 Ma. The chronology of even-numbered oxygen isotope stages approximately matches fluctuations in the abundance in Fragilaria species since 1 Ma, suggesting that glacial periods at Tule Lake were expressed by relatively cool summers with enhanced effective moisture. Interglacial periods are represented by variable mixtures of freshwater planktonic and benthic alkaline diatom assemblages that suggest seasonal environments with winter-spring precipitation and summer moisture deficits.Glacial-interglacial environments since 150 ka were distinct from, and more variable than, those occurring earlier. The last full glacial period was very dry. Aulacoseira ambigua characterizes the late glacial and early Holocene record of Tule Lake. Its distribution indicates that warmer and wetter climates began about 15 ka in this part of the Great Basin.Fluctuations in diatom concentration suggests a 41000-yr. cycle between 3.0 and 2.5 Ma and 100000-yr. cycles after 1.0 Ma. In the late Pliocene and early Pleistocene, Aulacoseira solida percentages wax and wane in an approximately 400000-yr. cycle. The apparent response of Tule Lake diatom communities to orbitally induced insolation cycles underscores the importance of this record for the study of late Cenozoic paleoclimate change.The diatom stratigraphy records the evolution and local extinction of several species that may be biochronologically important. Stephanodiscus niagarae first appeared and became common in the Tule Lake record shortly after 1.8 Ma. Stephanodiscus carconensis disappeared about 1.8 Ma, while Aulacoseira solida is rare in the core after about 1.35 Ma. Cyclotella elgeri, a diatom characteristic of some outcrops referred to the Yonna Formation (Pliocene), is common only near the base of the core at an age of about 3 Ma. Detection of local extinctions is complicated by reworking of distinctive species from Pliocene diatomites surrounding Tule Lake.A new species, Aulacoseira paucistriata, is described from Pliocene lake deposits in the Klamath Basin.     

中国沙漠和沙地的资源优势与农业发展

人口、粮食、土地之间的矛盾已成为今后我国几十年的主要问题。我国后备土地资源的68%分布在干旱、半干旱地区,其中沙漠和沙地面积辽阔,类型繁多,涉及212个县(旗)、48×106人。我国的沙漠和沙地具备适度开发利用的水资源依托,具有灌溉、雨养和高寒农业等特殊环境,是栽培作物和养殖家畜的集中区,许多尚无饲养或尚无栽培种类可以取代的野生动植物具有独特经济价值和高度的抗性。我国的沙地持续利用技术体系已初步建立,形成了一整套具有中国特色的流沙固定技术,结合各地的具体条件创建了许多成功的区域开发治理模式。沙漠和沙地开发必须摆脱传统的农业利用模式,依靠科技进步,多采光、少用水,结合资源条件、市场需求、投资能力,有计划、有步骤地规模开发。     

A review of the research on complex erosion by wind and water

Complex erosion by wind and water, which is also called aeolian-fluvial interactions, is an important erosion process and landscape in arid and semiarid regions. The effectiveness of links between wind and water process, spatial environmental transitions and temporal environmental change are the three main driving forces determining the geomorphologic significance of aeolian-fluvial interactions. As a complex interrelating and intercoupling system, complex erosion by wind and water has spatial- temporal variation features. The process of complex erosion by wind and water can be divided into palaeoenvironmental process and contemporary process. Early work in drylands has often been attributed to one of two schools advocating either an ‘aeolianist’ or a ‘fluvialist’ perspective, so it was not until the 1930s that the research on complex erosion by wind and water had been conducted. There are two obstacles restricting the research of complex erosion by wind and water. Firstly, how to transform in different temporal and spatial scales is still unsettled; and secondly, the research methodology is still immature. In the future, the mechanism and control of erosion, the complex soil erodibility in wind and water erosion will be the focus of research on complex erosion by wind and water.     

Factors affecting the interpretation of caddisfly assemblages from Quaternary sediments

The use of assemblages of caddisflies (Trichoptera) in paleoecology has been explored over the past ca. 12 years. During this time, sites in North America, Great Britain and Europe have been studied and progress has been made in both the mechanics of identification and in the understanding of factors relevant to the interpretation of assemblages of this wholly aquatic group. Quaternary caddisfly fossils are abundant and usually well-preserved in waterlaid sediments. Individual larval sclerites can be identified by reference to shapes, textures, colour patterns muscle scar patterns and setal distributions. The flat frontoclypeus is particularly easily identified.Study of the biological and distributional data relevant to a caddisfly assemblage yields information at two levels. First the probable local habitat and second the climate can be described. This information is derived from both modern collections and the literature as the morphology of species, and hence it is assumed their environmental requirements, have not changed during the Quaternary. Comparisons with fossil assemblages of other plant and animal groups suggest that there are important factors to be considered in interpreting caddisfly assemblages, particularly those from sediments deposited during cold periods: for example, caddisflies may be slower to migrate than certain terrestrial insects, in particular the beetles (Coleoptera), and some glacial assemblages may therefore be dominated by hangers on. Lotic and lentic species also may migrate at different rates.Although caddisflies have not yet been fully exploited as paleoecological indicators, they have already contributed to our understanding of past environments and warrant much greater use.     

Spatial distribution dynamics of topsoil moisture in shrub microenvironment after rain events in arid and semi-arid areas by means of high-resolution maps

Understanding the dynamic patch mosaic of topsoil moisture on arid hillsides has implications for understanding eco-geomorphic processes. The present study used high-resolution maps to investigate the spatial distribution of moisture in the topsoil on the shrub microenvironment scale, and its dynamics during the first days after rain events. These maps were acquired by a thermal infrared (TIR) method, based on close-range TIR imaging and on a model in which spatially consecutive TIR data are converted into soil moisture values. The main results show that, in addition to the general diminishing trend of topsoil moisture content, and in spite of the specific differences between the two research sites, there was, in both arid and semi-arid zones, a general spatio-temporal pattern of topsoil moisture in a shrub microenvironment during the first days after rainfall. This pattern is manifested in the presence of a changing moist patch under the shrub, and diminishing moisture content gradients, from the shrub center towards the bare soil that vary over space and time. An improved understanding of surface water resources is gained from investigations of the spatio-temporal patterns of soil moisture during and following rainfall events.     

中国沙漠(地)深层渗漏量及动态特征

土壤水分深层渗漏是沙区水循环的重要环节,深层渗漏的定量测定对沙区水资源评估及水量平衡研究具有重要意义。本文采用YWB-01型土壤深层水量渗漏测试记录仪对中国毛乌素沙地等六大沙漠(地)降雨入渗到深层土壤的渗漏水量进行实时动态监测。结果表明:流动沙丘降雨渗漏补给量存在明显的时空差异,与降雨时空变化特征具有相对一致性,降雨格局是影响深层渗漏过程的主要因素,随降雨增大渗漏补给量增加,半干旱区降雨量与渗漏量显著正相关(p<0.05),干旱区相关性不显著(p>0.05);观测期内正镶白旗、伊金霍洛旗、阜康流动沙丘土壤200 cm以下渗漏量为48.5、146.8、1.0 mm,分别占同期降雨的21.4%、33.3%、1.3%;乌审旗、磴口150 cm以下渗漏量为1009.6、52.6mm,分别占同期降雨的55.7%、12.7%。不同气候区固定沙丘渗漏量基本没有差异,降雨格局不是影响水分深层渗漏的主导因素,而植被覆盖的影响占主要作用,且沙丘植被盖度>45%时深层渗漏量不超过同期降雨的2.0%。中国沙区深层土壤水分补给主要来自于强降雨或高频次小降雨事件,特别是干旱区降水少、频次低,其深层土壤水分补给更加依赖于强降水。     

青海共和盆地土地沙漠化及其防治

共和盆地在自然带上属半湿润森林草原地带与干旱荒漠地带之间的高原温带内半干旱干草原和干旱荒漠草原的过渡生物气候亚带, 高寒干旱的气候和丰富的第四纪砂物质是我国沙漠化得以发生、发展的地区之一, 这对当地农牧业生产, 特别是龙羊峡库区造成巨大威胁。为此, 本文探讨了该区土地沙漠化现状、危害的基础上, 并提出土地沙漠化的初步区划、防治原则、途径和措施。     

Geomorphological evidence for late Holocene climatic change in northern Australia

The hypothesis that the late Holocene climate of northern Australia has been characterised by periods of reduced rainfall has been examined by constructing a detailed chronostratigraphy of climatically sensitive geomorphological sites, in particular dunefields and lake deposits. There is clear evidence of aridity during the last glacial period (c. 18,000 BP), and disturbance of coastal deposits by rising sea level until 5500 BP. Following the flooding of the shallow Sunda and Sahul shelves, the climate of northern Australia appears to have become increasingly variable with an arid trend interrupted by periods of increased rainfall between 3500 and 2800 BP, again between 2100 and 1600 BP and possibly twice during the last 1000 years. It is proposed that the dry episodes are associated with persistent, large‐scale sinking, dry south‐easterly flows over the Australian tropics inhibiting the onset of the north Australian monsoon. These are similar to flows associated with present‐day ENSO events. The pattern suggests that ENSO may be associated with a larger process which may not have begun to operate until the flooding of the shallow Sunda and Sahul shelves and the opening of the Indonesian throughflow between the Pacific and Indian oceans.