The effect of biological soil crusts of different successional stages and conditions on the germination of seeds of three desert plants

Biological soil crusts greatly affect soil surface properties, which, in turn, may alter seed germination of vascular plants. We investigated the effects of two types of biological soil crusts (moss crust and algal crust) at different ages on the seed germination of Bassia dasyphylla and Artemisia ordosica. We also investigated the effects of crust conditions (living crust and dead crust) on seed germination of B. dasyphylla, A. ordosica and Eragrostis poaeoides. The presence of both algal and moss crusts significantly enhanced the germination of B. dasyphylla and A. ordosica compared with uncrusted soil. Crust age had no significant effect on the germination of either B. dasyphylla or A. ordosica for both moss and algal crusts. Germination of B. dasyphylla differed significantly between moss and algal crusts, but germination of both A. ordosica and E. poaeoides did not. Germination of A. ordosica, E. poaeoides and B. dasyphylla was significantly higher on living algal crust than on dead crust and uncrusted soil, while living moss crust enhanced the germination of both A. ordosica and B. dasyphylla but had no significant effect on E. poaeoides.     

A data collection and analysis system for research on rock fracturing

We have made a data collection and analysis system for recording microcracks in rock to study the three dimensional pattern of fracture and the dynamic properties of rock during pressurization. This system, with 8 channel data detection, records in real-time, from the initial microcracks to the final vibration waveform excited by the master fracture. The detected data are recorded digitally at the hard disk of an IBM computer (or 286, 386 personal computer) as well as transmitted to disk. The sampling rate for each channel is 10 MHz. Collecting every acoustic emission events in the loaded rock sample with 8 channels by this system, mathematically modelling the AE event travel time, and taking the coordinates of the AE event hypocenter and the three components of P wave velocity as unknown parameters, we set up a set of residual equations for joint inversion, so that the three dimensional localization of AE event hypocenters can be completed under variable velocities, which will lay foundations for the research on rock fracture clearly. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismological Sinica,13, 489–495, 1991. The design and development of the system, and the experiments are sponsored by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation.     

In situ infiltration test using a reclaimed abandoned river bed: managed aquifer recharge in Shijiazhuang City,China

Managed aquifer recharge (MAR) is necessary for water resources management in arid and semiarid regions. Infiltration rate is often a decisive limiting factor in site selection for MAR. In order to avoid scale effects in the application of infiltration rate parameters, the largest in situ infiltration test in China was undertaken between August 19 and August 30, 2009 to measure the infiltration rate of the field selected for MAR in Shijiazhuang City, China. The in situ test lasted for 10 days, and about 1.82 × 10⁷ m³ of water was introduced into the infiltration field. Groundwater level variations were monitored during the test. Monitoring showed that the infiltration rate of surface water was 1.5 m/day, which means that about 10–15 × 10⁸ m³/a of water could be injected into the target aquifer. Also, groundwater level variations showed that the northern part of the infiltration field had a higher infiltration rate, as predicted, and the test result supplied a sound foundation for validation of the groundwater numerical simulation, which will be of benefit for future predictions of the response of the groundwater level to artificial recharge engineering. Finally, an artificial recharge plan was proposed based on the infiltration test results and the water source conditions, which would be useful for the development of MAR programs and management of local water resources.     

Water Cycle Analysis of Social and Economic System in Tarim River Basin

Water cycle includes natural water circulation and social economic system water cycle. The concept of virtual water provides a new method and means for studying social water circulation. This paper is based on the theory of water circulation in social and economic system, using input-output analysis method quantitatively describes the Tarim River basin of social water cycle paths and analysis of water resources management in Tarim River basin sustainable development process of the key issues. The results show that the main sectors of virtual water export in the Tarim River Basin are agriculture, petroleum, natural gas and food industry. Agricultural water accounts for more than 98% of total water consumption, most of which is transferred to the food and textile industries, and the food industry export water from the agricultural sector. Shandong Province is the largest virtual water transport area in the Tarim River Basin. The main sector of virtual water input in the Tarim River Basin is the metallurgical industry. Finally, in view of the problems arising from the inter-industrial and inter-regional social water circulation in the Tarim River basin, the paper puts forward the ways and strategies of regulating agricultural and industrial water use in the Tarim River Basin.     

The environmental impacts of pollutants generated by routine shipping operations on ports

The environmental impacts generated by shipping operations have increasingly become an important research topic, where its pollutants often pose negative externalities to natural habitats and economic losses to coastal areas. While the environmental impact costs generated by shipping disasters, notably large scale accidental oil spills, have been widely studied, hitherto, works dedicated to the assessment of environmental impact costs of pollutants generated by routine shipping operations remain scarce due to their relatively implicit nature and thus delays of consequential risks. Hence, by proposing an economic model and calibrating it to Port of Rotterdam, this paper assesses the environmental impact costs generated by routine shipping operations on ports. By shedding light on this important, but under-researched, issue critical to the well-being of the global shipping industry, this paper provides a decent framework for further research in sustainable shipping and port management for future generations.     

Computational homogenization of uncoupled consolidation in micro‐heterogeneous porous media

Variationally consistent homogenization is exploited for the analysis of transient uncoupled consolidation in micro‐heterogeneous porous solids, whereby the classical approach of first‐order homogenization for stationary problems is extended to transient problems. Homogenization is then carried out in the spatial domain on representative volume elements (RVE), which are introduced in quadrature points in standard fashion. Along with the classical averages, a higher‐order conservation quantity is obtained. An iterative FE²‐algorithm is devised for the case of nonlinear permeability and storage coefficients, and it is applied to pore pressure changes in asphalt‐concrete (particle composite). Various parametric studies are carried out, in particular, with respect to the influence of the ‘substructure length scale’ that is represented by the size of the RVE's. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Measurement of rock mass deformation with grouted coaxial antenna cables

Summary Techniques presented herein show how reflected voltage pulses from coaxial antenna cable grouted in rock masses can be employed to quantify the type and magnitude of rock mass deformation. This measurement is similar to that obtained from a combined full profile extensometer (to measure local extension) and inclinometer (to measure local shearing). Rock mass movements deform the grouted cable, which locally changes cable capacitance and thereby the reflected wave form of the voltage pulse. Thus, by monitoring changes in these reflection signatures, it is possible to monitor rock mass deformation.This paper presents laboratory measurements necessary to quantitatively interpret the reflected voltage signatures. Cables were sheared and extended to correlate measured cable deformation with reflected voltage signals. Laboratory testing included development of grout mixtures with optimum properties for field installation and performance of a TDR (Time Domain Reflectometry) monitoring system. Finally, the interpretive techniques developed through laboratory measurements were applied to previously collected field data to extract hitherto unrealized information.     

临汾盆地现代地震活动特征及其与深部构造关系初探

本文分析了临汾盆地现代地震在时序分布上的阶段性，平面分布上的丛集性，及其震源三维分布与分布地深部构造的关系，指出盆地北部的临汾－洪洞凹陷为该区未来若干年内的主要发震区，而２０－３０ｋｍ深度则是主要发震层次。     

Studies of Nitrous Oxide Emission from Farmlands in North China

Measurements of nitrous oxide emission from agricultural lands were conducted. The results show that nitrous oxide fluxes on several soils are at the range of 2-60 μg . N / m2 h. Factors influencing the production rates of nitrous oxide from the soils, such as soil temperature, soil moisture and fertilization, are discussed. The calculated amount of nitrous oxide emission from China farmlands is 9.8 × 107 Kg . N per year, which accounts for about 10% of the total source strength in China areas.