Clustering gully profiles for investigating the spatial variation in landform formation on the Chinese Loess Plateau

The gully is the most dynamic and changeable landform unit on the Loess Plateau, and the characteristics of gully landforms are key indicators of gully evolution. Different gully profiles are connected and combined through runoff nodes. Thus, it is necessary to cluster gully profiles into a gully profile combination(GPC) to reveal the spatial variation in gully landforms throughout the Loess Plateau. First, the gradient and gully evolution index(GEI) of two sample areas in Changwu and Suide in Shaanxi Province, China are calculated and analysed based on GPC. Then, the gradient and GEI are calculated by using 90-m-resolution digital elevation model(DEM) data for the severe soil erosion area with the basin as the research unit. On this basis, the spatial variation in the development degree is analysed with Getis-Ord Gi*. The results show that the degree of gully undercutting decreases from southeast to northwest under the influence of rainfall. Due to the soil properties, the loess in the northwest is more prone to collapse, resulting in the decrease of GEI from northwest to southeast. The development degree of gullies is closely related to rivers. The strong erosive capacity of rivers leads to greater differences in gullies within the basin. At the same time, the skewness and kurtosis of the gully index in the basin are correlated; when the distribution of the gully index in the basin is less normal, the distribution of the gully index is more concentrated. These results reveal the spatial variation characteristics of the Loess Plateau based on GPC.     

Soil erosion differences in paired grassland and forestland catchments on the Chinese Loess Plateau

In this study, two adjacent gauged catchments on the Chinese Loess Plateau were selected, in which one catchment was afforested and one was restored with natural vegetation in 1954. The distributions of soil erosion rates were estimated between 2010 and 2020 with a high spatial resolution of 2 m in the paired catchments based on the Revised Universal Soil Loss Equation model(RUSLE) and Geographic Information Systems(GIS). The results showed that the simulated soil erosion rates in 2010-2020 aver...     

Red Clay Sediment in the Central Chinese Loess Plateau and Its Implication for the Uplift of the Tibetan Plateau

Introduction A set of reddish clay-silt-sized sediments named red clay underlying the Quaternary loess-paleosol sequence widely distribute in the Chinese Loess Plateau. The thickness of the red clay sediments ranges from decades of meters to over 100 m (Evan et al.1991,Mo and Derbyshire 1991, SUN et al. 1997&1998, DING et al. 1999, GUO et al. 2001, QIANG et al. 2001). Previous studies show that not only loess-paleosol (e.g.LIU et al.1985,AN et al.1990,DING et al.1992),but also red …     

Stability analysis unit and spatial distribution pattern of the terrain texture in the northern Shaanxi Loess Plateau

Terrain texture analysis is an important method of digital terrain analysis in quantitative geomorphological research and in the exploration of the spatial heterogeneity and autocorrelation of terrain features. However, a major issue often neglected in previous studies is the calculation unit of the terrain texture, that is, the stability analysis unit. As the test size increases, the derived terrain textures become increasingly similar so that their differences can be ignored. The test size of terrain texture is defined as the stability analysis unit. This study randomly selected 48 areas within the Loess Plateau in northern Shaanxi in China as the study sites and used the gray level co-occurrence matrix to calculate the terrain texture. The stability analysis unit of the terrain texture was then extracted, and its spatial distribution pattern in the Loess Plateau was studiedusing spatial interpolation method. Four terrain texture metrics, i.e., homogeneity, energy, correlation, and contrast, were extracted on the basis of the stability analysis unit, and the spatial variation patterns of these parameters were studied. Results showed that the spatial distribution pattern and the terrain texture metrics reflected a trend of high–low–high from north to south, which correlated with the spatial distribution of the landforms at the Loess Plateau. In addition, the terrain texture measures was significantly correlated with the terrain factors of gully density and slope, and this relationship showed that terrain texture measures based on the stability analysis unit could reflect the basic characteristics of terrain morphology. The stability analysis unit provided a reasonable analytical scale for terrain texture analysis and could be used as a measure of the regional topography to accurately describe basic terrain characteristics.     

Characteristics of loess landslides triggered by different factors in the Chinese Loess Plateau

Loess landslides are one of the most serious geological disasters in the Chinese Loess Plateau.Research has revealed that earthquake,rainfall,and human activiti...     

黄土高原地区公路路基土性参数统计分析

选取黄土高原地区公路路基黄土的物理力学参数为研究对象,采用统计分析的方法,分析了黄土物理力学参数在太原—潼关、靖边—铜川和兰州—西安公路一线的变化,得出了粒度组成自西北向东南逐渐变细,ω、ρd、Ipc、逐渐增大;e、a、sδ、φ逐渐减小的变化规律;对黄土的物理力学参数进行了统计,得出了各区路基土性参数的统计表,从而为黄土高原地区的公路建设提供了最基本的科学依据。     

Spatial variation and soil nitrogen potential hotspots in a mixed land cover catchment on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Soil nitrogen(N) is critical to ecosystem services and environmental quality. Hotspots of soil N in areas with high soil moisture have been widely studied, however, their spatial distribution and their linkage with soil N variation have seldom been examined at a catchment scale in areas with low soil water content. We investigated the spatial variation of soil N and its hotspots in a mixed land cover catchment on the Chinese Loess Plateau and used multiple statistical methods to evaluate the effects of the critical environmental factors on soil N variation and potential hotspots. The results demonstrated that land cover, soil moisture, elevation, plan curvature and flow accumulation were the dominant factors affecting the spatial variation of soil nitrate(NN), while land cover and slope aspect were the most important factors impacting the spatial distribution of soil ammonium(AN) and total nitrogen(TN). In the studied catchment, the forestland, gully land and grassland were found to be the potential hotspots of soil NN, AN and TN accumulation, respectively. We concluded that land cover and slope aspect could be proxies to determine the potential hotspots of soil N at the catchment scale. Overall, land cover was the most important factor that resulted in the spatial variations of soil N. The findings may help us to better understand the environmental factors affecting soil N hotspots and their spatial variation at the catchment scale in terrestrial ecosystems.     

Sediment Delivery across Multiple Spatio-temporal Scales in an Agriculture Watershed of the Chinese Loess Plateau

There is a consensus that sediment delivery ratio in the Chinese Loess Plateau is close to 1at the inter-annual timescale. However, little information is available about the sediment delivery at finer timescales. We evaluated the sediment delivery from plots to watersheds at the event or intra-annual, annual, and inter-annual timescales within the Wudinghe river basin, a 30,261 km2 basin in the Loess Plateau. We calculated the ratio of sediment output to sediment input and presented the temporal change of the channel morphology to determine whether sediment deposition occurs.Although a single flood event frequently has a sediment yield exceeding 10,000 t km-2, sediment deposition rarely occurs except during some small runoff events(sediment yield 5000 t km-2) or dry years(sediment yield 10,000 t km-2) when moving from slopes up to the main channels of the Wudinghe River. This observation suggests a sediment delivery ratio close to 1 even at the event or intra-annual and the annual timescales, but not necessarily at the interannual timescale. Such a high sediment delivery ratio can be related to hyper-concentrated flows, which have very strong sediment transport capacity even at low flow strength. Because hyper-concentrated flows are well-developed in the whole Loess Plateau, a sediment delivery ratio close to 1 below the interannual timescale possibly remains true for other rivers in the Loess Plateau.     

Quantifying spatial scale of positive and negative terrains pattern at watershed-scale: Case in soil and water conservation region on Loess Plateau

The positive and negative terrains (P-N terrains) widely distributed across China’s Loess Plateau constitute the dual structure characteristic of loess landforms. Analysis of loess P-N terrains at the watershed scale can serve to elucidate the structural characteristics and spatial patterns of P-N terrains, which benefits a better understanding of watershed evolution and suitable scales for loess landform research. The Two-Term Local Quadrat Variance Analysis (TTLQV) is calculated as the average of the square of the difference between the block totals of all possible adjacent pairs of block size, which can be used to detect both the scale and the intensity of landscape patches (e.g., plant/animal communities and gully networks). In this study, we determined the latitudinal and longitudinal spatial scale of P-N terrain patterns within 104 uniformly distributed watersheds in our target soil and water conservation region. The results showed that TTLQV is very effective for examining the scale of P-N terrain patterns. There were apparently three types of P-N terrain pattern in latitudinal direction (i.e., Loess Tableland type, Loess Hill type, and Transitional Form between Sand and Loess type), whereas there were both lower and higher values for P-N terrain pattern scales in all loess landforms in the longitudinal direction. The P-N terrain pattern also clearly presented anisotropy, suggesting that gully networks in the main direction were well-developed while others were relatively undeveloped. In addition, the relationships between the first scales and controlling factors (i.e., gully density, nibble degree, watershed area, mean watershed slope, NDVI, precipitation, loess thickness, and loess landforms) revealed that the first scales are primarily controlled by watershed area and loess landforms. This may indicate that the current spatial pattern of P-N terrains is characterized by internal force. In selecting suitable study areas in China’ Loess Plateau, it is crucial to understand four control variables: the spatial scale of the P-N terrain pattern, the watershed area, the main direction of the watershed, and the loess landforms.     

Comprehensive development of agriculture in the Loess Plateau Area

The Loess Plateau is one of China s developing areas where socio-econ-omy is backward, ecological environment deteriorated and people's life difficult.The purpose of carrying out comprehensive development of the area's agriculture is, in essence, to open up new fields of agro-production, to intensify the utilization of related resources, to raise productivity and to win bigger output. The decision is important, as by so doing, the physical landscape could be tranformed, the local economy could be flourished, and the people's standard of living could be improved, and moreover the national development strategy of "depending on the East and shifting to the West" and building Shanxi Province into an energy and chemical industrial base could be realized.Based on field investigations in recent years, the auther proposed the purpose, target, principles, steps, tactics and strategies for the comprehensive development of the are's agriculture.     

Weathering of pisha-sandstones in the wind-water erosion crisscross region on the Loess Plateau

Two types of pisha-sandstones of purple sandstones and gray sandstones, widely distributing in the wind-water erosion crisscross region of China, were selected and used in laboratory experiments for a better understanding of the drying-wetting-freezing weathering process resulting from the apportionment of water or salt solution to rock samples. Weathering experiments were carried out under the conditions of environment control （including temperature, moisture and salt solution）. All rock samples were frequently subjected to 140 drying-wetting-freezing cycles. The influences of weathering process were evaluated. It was found that the different treatments of moisture and salt solution applications could affect the nature of the weathering products resulting from drying-wetting-freezing. It was also observed that salt solution could effectively alleviate the weathering of pisha-sandstones. Although not all the observations could be explained, it was apparent that simulated environmental factors had both direct and indirect effects on the weathering of rocks.     

基于区域生长的黄土地貌沟沿线提取方法与实验

沟沿线是黄土地貌正负地形的分界线,地形在沟沿线处存在较大的高程变化和坡度转折。坡面畸变邻域法是一种有效提取沟沿线的方法,但该方法对正负地形进行分割时,往往会产生大量的碎屑多边形和分类错误,严重影响沟沿线的提取精度。为了解决这个问题,本文采用区域生长方法来改进坡面畸变邻域法的提取结果。首先,分别以DEM提取的山顶点和出水口点作为正负地形的生长点进行4邻域生长,生长至正负地形边界或大于坡度阈值为止;然后,采用边缘检测方法提取正负地形分界线;最后,依据形态学图像处理方法去除"毛刺"得到最终的沟沿线。结果显示,该方法实现了对沟沿线的自动提取,解决了由于正负地形分类错误造成的沟沿线定位不准确的问题,提高了沟沿线的提取精度,同时该方法也较好地保持了沟沿线的完整性和连续性,对黄土高原不同地貌类型具有普遍的适用性。     

黄土高原地貌类型界线划定研究进展

区分地理实体最直接有效的方式在于对其界线作出划定。目前,黄土高原地貌类型界线划定多是在分类基础上按照分类界线、自然区划界线来界定。基于不同数据源及其表达方式,本文追踪前人对黄土高原地貌类型界线划定的研究进展,从形态成因的地貌分类、数字地貌分类等分类体系中总结了黄土地貌类型界线的内涵,分析了基于自然语言和数字环境下定量描述的优缺点和存在的问题;并梳理了黄土地貌类型界线的表示方法以及基于数字地形分析技术的地貌类型定量识别及其划分方法;从地貌界线确定与分类体系的关系、地貌界线划定的理论与方法参考、地貌界线划定的尺度效应3个方面对地貌类型界线做出了讨论分析与展望,以期为黄土地貌区划的相关理论研究提供背景基础,为当地实践工作等提供理论依据和支撑。     

Soil moisture response to land use and topography across a semi-arid watershed:Implications for vegetation restoration on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Soil moisture is a limiting factor of ecosystem development in the semi-arid Loess Plateau.Characterizing the soil moisture response to its dominant controlling...     

复杂网络理论在黄土高原沟谷地貌特征研究中的应用

沟谷侵蚀是塑造黄土地表侵蚀形态的主要动力,沟谷的发育过程深刻地影响着黄土地貌的发育及演化.本文在黄土高原选择6个典型地貌样区,以样区的数字高程模型为基本数据源提取沟谷系统.将沟谷系统中的沟谷节点、沟谷源点和流域出水口点作为网络节点,网络节点之间的空间拓扑关系为边,高程差为权值,构建黄土高原沟谷加权复杂网络模型.对黄土沟...     

HUMAN IMPACTS ON THE ECOLOGICAL ENVIRONMENT AND MODERN URBAN CLIMATE CHANGE IN THE LOESS PLATEAU

The influence of human activities on environment and climate change is the most conspicuous problem of the Loess Plateau, and it may be divided into two aspects: firstly, the excessive utilization of land by the human race causes the destruction of vegetation, and consequently large expanse of land is under desertification and the characteristics of the ground surface and the water and heat exchange on the ground surface have changed; secondly, the use of coal by industries produces a huge amount of carbon dioxide and trace elements, which enter into the atmosphere to cause air pollution.Data of 1951-1990 are collected from 69 meteorological stations on the Loess Plateau. After analysis, the decadal variations of temperature and rainfall in the last 40 years are obtained as follows: (1) In the arid zone of the north- west of the Loess Plateau, the increase in temperature is the largest. For the past 40 years, the annual mean temperature has increased 0.7-1.0 ℃ . In the semiarid zone of the middle part     

基于DEM的黄土高原地貌分形美学图案研究

为进一步探索黄土高原千沟万壑、支离破碎的自然景观特征中蕴含的分形美学价值,本文基于黄土高原6个不同地貌类型区的数字高程模型,在分形图案设计软件Ultra Fractal中,利用多种标准化分形变换和Newton分形公式,设计并对比使用原始DEM数据提取出的地貌因子数据与不同分形变换集合得到的分形美学图案.结果 表明,对蕴...     

基于DEM的黄土高原地形纹理概念模型

黄土高原"千沟万壑"的地貌形态,在多尺度空间下表现出显著自相似性,具有"局部无规则,宏观有规律"的纹理特征.目前,黄土高原地形纹理的提取方法及应用已经得到初步发展,但依然缺乏在理论层面的框架体系.本文在已有学者研究成果的基础上,限定黄土高原为研究范围,明确提出黄土高原地形纹理的概念模型,即内涵、特征、分类及表达.将内涵...     

黄土高原生态退耕的时空分异特征

生态退耕是调整陆地生态系统结构与功能以应对土地利用过度干扰的重要途径之一,因此科学掌握退耕格局与耕地格局演变对黄土高原生态环境治理与生态修复具有深远意义。本文以位于黄土高原的延安市为典型区,从生态退耕的整体特征、地形因素及区域差异等角度,探究生态退耕以来其耕地变化及退耕状况的空间分异特征。结果表明：生态退耕致使延安市耕地面积由2000年的11 752.80 km²减少为2013年的9149.93 km²,退耕面积为2756.85 km²,退耕指数为22.15%,且退耕耕地主要转化为林地、草地,占退耕面积的95.29%;耕地与退耕面积主要分布于6~15°、15~25°坡度及第II级（925~1115 m）、第III级（1115~1275 m）,且2005-2013年的生态退耕速率均高于2000-2005年的生态退耕速率;县域退耕面积及退耕程度均呈现由北向南依次递减的分异特征,而退耕重心与耕地重心均在延安市几何中心以北的安塞县与宝塔区边界,且生态退耕的重心由东北向西南方向迁移,耕地重心则由北向南迁移。本文通过对延安市生态退耕的时空分异特征分析可为黄土高原更加科学合理地推进生态保育与生态文明建设提供参考。