Soil nutrients in relation to vertical roots distribution in the riparian zone of Three Gorges Reservoir,China

Since the impoundment of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), the riparian zone has been subjected to numerous environmental changes. This study was conducted to recognize the distribution of grass roots and its impacts on soil nutrients in the water level fluctuation zone of TGR. Roots of four predominant herbaceous plants in the study area, specifically, Cynodon dactylon, Hemarthria altissima, Hemarthria compressa, and Paspalum paspaloides, and their corresponding relation with soil nutrient contents were investigated. Root surface area density was determined with WinRHIZO, and the relationships of root distribution with soil depths and soil nutrient contents were studied. The results indicates that most roots are distributed in the top soil layer of 0–10 cm. Estimated root surface area density for the selected grass species ranges from 0.16 to 13.44 cm2/cm3, and decreases exponentially with an increase in soil depth. Soil organic matter and total nitrogen contents are significantly lower on bare control area than the corresponding values on the grasslands. Total nutrient contents on grasslands of C. dactylon and H. compressa are higher than those of other grass areas. Root length density and root surface area density are significantly correlated with soil organic matter and total nitrogen content for the four grasslands. The present results suggests that plant roots have significant effects on the distribution of soil nutrients in soil profiles in the riparian zone along the TGR. Nevertheless, additional investigations are needed to reveal the specific interactions between plant roots distribution, soil nutrients and water level fluctuations.     

The X10 Flare on 29 October 2003: Was It Triggered by Magnetic Reconnection between Counter-Helical Fluxes?

Vector magnetograms taken at Huairou Solar Observing Station (HSOS) and Mees Solar Observatory (MSO) reveal that the super active region (AR) NOAA 10486 was a complex region containing current helicity flux of opposite signs. The main positive sunspots were dominated by negative helicity fields, while positive helicity patches persisted both inside and around the main positive sunspots. Based on a comparison of two days of deduced current helicity density, pronounced changes associated with the occurrence of an X10 flare that peaked at 20:49 UT on 29 October 2003 were noticed. The average current helicity density (negative) of the main sunspots decreased significantly by about 50%. Accordingly, the helicity densities of counter-helical patches (positive) were also found to decay by the same proportion or more. In addition, two hard X-ray (HXR) “footpoints” were observed by the Reuven Ramaty High Energy Solar Spectroscopic Imager (RHESSI) during the flare in the 50 – 100 keV energy range. The cores of these two HXR footpoints were adjacent to the positions of two patches with positive current helicity that disappeared after the flare. This strongly suggested that the X10 flare on 29 October 2003 resulted from reconnection between magnetic flux tubes having opposite current helicity. Finally, the global decrease of current helicity in AR 10486 by ∼50% can be understood as the helicity launched away by the halo coronal mass ejection (CME) associated with the X10 flare. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article () contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Resolving the landfill siting impasse: modelling technocratic and indigenous perspectives using GIS multicriteria approach

Increase in waste generation calls for an effective waste management as this has become a necessity for environmental sustainability. Several methods are adopted in managing waste, which include waste reduction, reuse, thermal treatment, recycling and landfilling. The landfill method is recognised as the most used of all the waste management methods in developing countries such as Ghana. However, the selection of a suitable landfill site is very difficult and tedious. This is because it involves a consideration of many factors such as environmental, topographic, economic, socio-cultural and civil engineering. This research sought to identify a suitable landfill site by applying GIS multicriteria and weighted overlay approach in the Bongo District of Northern Ghana. The analysis relied on criteria and weights provided by the technocrats and the indigenes in the district as a way of demonstrating how landfill siting impasse can be resolved by incorporating the various stakeholders. The results obtained provided clear areas for landfill sites in the study area from the technocratic and the indigenous perspectives. However, the technocratic perspective failed to include an important cultural criterion, sacred groves, as a factor. The indigenous perspective also compromised on the factor related to nearness to residential areas, and is equally not sufficient on its own. The optimal landfill sites, which meets the expectations of both the technocrats and indigenes, was identified. This perspective has produced technically favourable and socio-culturally acceptable landfill site. However, it is recommended an environmental impact assessment (EIA) be conducted to identify the full environmental and social cost of the site. It is concluded that in landfill site selection much attention be given to cultural factors in the same way as the technical factors.     

The distribution of QSO absorption lines and its implications

The distribution of L absorption lines has been investigated in the fractal scheme. It is found that (1) the L absorption clouds distribute completely different from that of galaxies; (2) the L absorption clouds are anti-associated with galaxies and quasars. These results may imply that there are two kinds of objects formed by different processes of clustering. This is favourable for the cosmic-string theory on the formation of large-scale structure of the Universe. In the string model, the objects can be divided into two kinds according to their clustering with or without string loops as their initial density perturbation.On leave from the Center of Astrophysics, University of Science and Technology of China, Hefei, P.R. China. Y. Chu is a research fellow of Alexander von Humboldt-Foundation.     

2010年玉树Ms7.1地震前的重力变化

利用中国地壳运动观测网络1998—2008年绝对重力和相对重力观测资料,获得了玉树地震区域重力场及其动态变化,从动态的观点研究了2010年4月14日玉树Ms7.1地震前区域重力场演化特征及其与地震活动的关系。结果表明：1)重力变化与甘孜 玉树断裂构造活动存在密切的空间联系,重力测量较好地反映了伴随活动断层的物质迁移和构造变形引起的地表重力变化效应;2)区域重力场动态图像较完整地反映了2010年4月14日玉树7.1级地震孕育、发生过程中出现的流动重力观测得到的异常前兆信息;3)玉树震中附近重力点值时序变化累积量超过80× 10^-8 ms-2,较好地反映了玉树地震前重力测点随时间的剧烈波动性上升变化。     

基于深度学习的GF-1卫星WFV影像赤潮探测方法

赤潮是我国主要的海洋生态灾害,有效监测赤潮的发生和空间分布对于赤潮的防治具有重要意义。传统的赤潮监测以低空间分辨率的水色卫星为主,但是其对于频发的小规模赤潮存在监控盲区。GF-1卫星WFV影像具有空间分辨率高、成像幅宽大和重访周期短等优点,在小规模赤潮监测中表现出较大的潜力。然而,GF-1卫星WFV影像的光谱分辨率较低,波段少,传统面向水色卫星的赤潮探测方法无法应用于GF-1卫星WFV数据。而且赤潮具有形态多变、尺度不一的特点,难以精确提取。基于此,本文提出了一种面向GF-1卫星WFV影像的尺度自适应赤潮探测网络（SARTNet）。该网络采用双层主干结构以融合赤潮水体的形状特征与细节特征,并引入注意力机制挖掘不同尺度赤潮特征之间的相关性,提高网络对复杂分布赤潮的探测能力。实验结果表明,SARTNet赤潮探测精度优于现有方法,F1分数达到0.89以上,对不同尺度的赤潮漏提和误提较少,且受环境因素的影响较小。     

Initiation of primary cell culture from amphioxus <Emphasis Type="Italic">Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense</Emphasis>

Amphioxus, a cephalochordate, is an important model fish for studies in evolution and comparative biology. A successful cell culture from amphioxus tissues in vitro would help understanding some basic issues. To determine the optimal culture conditions for proliferation of amphioxus cells, primary cultures were initiated from buccal cirri, tail, gill, gut and metapleural fold of amphioxus Branchiostoma belcheri tsingtauense. The media tested were L-15, F-12, M 199, MEM, DMEM, PRMI 1640 and LDF, each was supplemented with 20% fetal bovine serum. The optimal conditions include tail tissue cultured in L-15 or F-12 with supplement of 20% FBS and 1.5% NaCl at about 25°C. Supported by Doctoral Initial Fund of Ludong University (No.43304)     

台湾海峡上升流区底栖生物数量动态的初步研究

不同季节底梄生物数量的动态由其组成种的种群特点所决定。在一些生命周期短(一年左右)、生长速度快(新生个体当年可以长成)的种处于优势的情况下,生物数量的季节变化就比较显著;而生命周期长、其种群由多个年龄组的个体构成的种占优势的情况下，一年之中种群数量就相对稳定。另一方面,底栖生物数量的急剧改变又决定于经济种的捕食活动和优势种的生物学过程。台湾海峡系经济鱼、虾类的集中分布区,尤以上升流区范围内的集群最密集。为了便于深入研究上升流与经济鱼、虾类资源的关系,本文着重探讨上升流范围内底栖生物数量的动态特点。     

石笋记录的西南地区MIS4阶段夏季风的演化

基于重庆市丰都县羊子洞石笋Y-02的12个²³⁰Th年龄和503个氧同位素数据重建了中国西南地区60~73ka B.P.时段夏季风的演化历史。Y-02的δ¹⁸O记录显示中国季风区D/O18、D/O19a和D/O19共3个千年尺度夏季风增强事件与格陵兰间冰阶（GIS）18~19相对应。此外,Y-02记录显示：紧接着D/O18事件以后,夏季风强度突然减弱,而此时北半球高纬度地区正经历着明显的降温过程。Y-02记录捕捉到的这次东亚夏季风突然且短暂的一次减弱过程,可能是H6事件或者是H6事件季风最弱的时段。Y-02的δ¹⁸O记录显示,D/O18事件是一次较强烈的千年尺度季风增强事件,持续时间近千年,而D/O19事件在持续时间和强度上不如D/O18事件,这不同于格陵兰冰芯记录。中国季风区气候变化与格陵兰地区存在着如此紧密的联系进一步支持：东亚夏季风演化受到北半球高纬度地区气候变化的影响,但是对具体的气候事件响应可能存在不同的模式。

     

The dependence of precipitation on wind direction over the Kuroshio front in the winter East China Sea

This study investigates atmospheric responses to the directions of surface wind over the Kuroshio front in the East China Sea, using wintertime satellite-derived data sets. Composite maps of sea surface temperature, wind speed, precipitation, turbulent heat flux, surface wind divergence, and the curl of wind vectors above the atmospheric boundary layer are depicted based on the classification of intense northeasterly (along the front) and northwesterly (across the front) winds over the East China Sea. When northeasterly winds prevail, considerable precipitation occurs on the offshore side of the Kuroshio front, in contrast to periods when northwesterly winds prevail. First, the northeasterly winds strengthen above the front because of the downward transfer of momentum from the fast-moving air at higher levels and/or an adjustment of sea level pressure over the oceanic front, although the process by which the influence of the Kuroshio penetrates beyond the marine atmospheric boundary layer remains unclear. Second, a cyclonic vortex forms above the marine atmospheric boundary layer (at 850-hPa height) on the offshore side of the front, and thereafter, surface wind convergence via Ekman suction (hence, enhanced precipitation) occurs over the East China Sea shelf breaks. The northeasterly winds blow over the East China Sea when the Aleutian Low retreats to the east and when high sea level pressure covers the northern Sea of Japan.