Impacts of groundwater flow on the evolution of a thermokarst lake in the permafrost–dominated region on the Qinghai–Tibet plateau

As a result of global warming induced permafrost degradation in recent decades, thermokarst lakes in the Qinghai–Tibet plateau (QTP) have been regulating local hydrological and ecological processes. Simulations with coupled moisture–heat numerical models in the Beiluhe basin (located in the hinterland of permafrost regions on the QTP) have provided insights into the interaction between groundwater flow and the freeze–thaw process. A total of 30 modified SUTRA scenarios were established to examine the effects of hydrodynamic forces, permeability, and climate on thermokarst lakes. The results indicate that the hydrodynamic condition variables regulate the permafrost degradation around the lakes. In case groundwater recharges to the lake, a low–temperature groundwater flow stimulates the expansion of the surrounding thawing regions through thermal convection. The thawing rate of the permafrost underlying the lake intensifies when groundwater is discharged from the lake. Under different permeability conditions, spatiotemporal variations in the active layer thickness significantly influence the occurrence of an open talik at the lake bottom. A warmer and wetter climate will inevitably lead to a sharp decrease in the upper limit of the surrounding permafrost, with a continual decrease in the duration of open talik events. Overall, our results underscore that comprehensive consideration of the relevant hydrologic processes is critical for improving the understanding of environmental and ecological changes in cold environments.     

Analysis of Main Controlling Factors of Overburden Failure in Coal Mining Under Thick Coal Seam Geological Conditions

According to the theory of elastic mechanics half plane, the mechanical model of roof overburden failure is established. Based on the numerical simulation software FLAC^3D, the failure process of roof overburden in 1308 working face is numerically simulated according to the orthogonal experimental design scheme. Matrix analysis and variance analysis are used to analyze and calculate the simulation results to determine the sensitivity of the main control factors to the failure height of overlying rock of mining roof. The results show that: (1) with the increase of mining depth and the advancing distance of working face, the subsidence of roof overburden increases. (2) The order of influence of main controlling factors on roof overburden failure height is: mining depth > working face length > internal friction angle > mining thickness > coal seam dip angle > cohesion > tensile strength. (3) Variance analysis showed that the mining depth height was significant, the working face length and internal friction angle were significant, and the significance of working face length was slightly greater than that of internal friction angle, and other factors were not significant.

     

Quantifying the impact of landscape changes on hydrological variables in the alpine and cold region using hydrological model and remote sensing data

Quantifying the impact of landscape on hydrological variables is essential for the sustainable development of water resources. Understanding how landscape changes influence hydrological variables will greatly enhance the understanding of hydrological processes. Important vegetation parameters are considered in this study by using remote sensing data and VIC-CAS model to analyse the impact of landscape changes on hydrology in upper reaches of the Shule River Basin (URSLB). The results show there are differences in the runoff generation of landscape both in space and time. With increasing altitude, the runoff yields increased, with approximately 79.9% of the total runoff generated in the high mountains (4200–5900 m), and mainly consumed in the mid-low mountain region. Glacier landscape produced the largest runoff yields (24.9% of the total runoff), followed by low-coverage grassland (LG; 22.5%), alpine cold desert (AL; 19.6%), mid-coverage grassland (MG; 15.6%), bare land (12.5%), high-coverage grassland (HG; 4.5%) and shrubbery (0.4%). The relative capacity of runoff generation by landscapes, from high to low, was the glaciers, AL, LG, HG, MG, shrubbery and bare land. Furthermore, changes in landscapes cause hydrological variables changes, including evapotranspiration, runoff and baseflow. The study revealed that HG, MG, and bare land have a positive impact on evapotranspiration and a negative impact on runoff and baseflow, whereas AL and LG have a positive impact on runoff and baseflow and a negative impact on evapotranspiration. In contrast, glaciers have a positive impact on runoff. After the simulation in four vegetation scenarios, we concluded that the runoff regulation ability of grassland is greater than that of bare land. The grassland landscape is essential since it reduced the flood peak and conserved the soil and water.     

Zircon U–Pb ages and Hf isotope compositions of migmatites from the North Qinling terrane and their geological implications

Migmatites are predominant in the North Qinling (NQ) orogen, but their formation ages are poorly constrained. This paper presents a combined study of cathodoluminescence imaging, U–Pb age, trace element and Hf isotopes of zircon in migmatites from the NQ unit. In the migmatites, most zircon grains occur as new, homogeneous crystals, while some are present as overgrowth rims around inherited cores. Morphological and trace element features suggest that the zircon crystals are metamorphic and formed during partial melting. The inherited cores have oscillatory zoning and yield U–Pb ages of c. 900 Ma, representing their protolith ages. The early Neoproterozoic protoliths probably formed in an active continental margin, being a response to the assembly of the supercontinent Rodinia. The migmatite zircon yields Hf model ages of 1911 ± 20 to 990 ± 22 Ma, indicating that the protoliths were derived from reworking of Palaeoproterozoic to Neoproterozoic crustal materials. The anatexis zircon yields formation ages ranging from 455 ± 5 to 420 ± 4 Ma, with a peak at c. 435 Ma. Combined with previous results, we suggest that the migmatization of the NQ terrane occurred at c. 455–400 Ma. The migmatization was c. 50 Ma later than the c. 490 Ma ultra‐high‐P (UHP) metamorphism, indicating that they occurred in two independent tectonic events. By contrast, the migmatization was coeval with the granulite facies metamorphism and the granitic magmatism in the NQ unit, which collectively argue for their formation due to the northward subduction of the Shangdan Ocean. UHP rocks were distributed mainly along the northern margin and occasionally in the inner part of the NQ unit, indicating that they were exhumed along the northern edge and detached from the basement by the subsequent migmatization process.     

Energy partitioning over a semi‐arid shrubland in northern China

During the last decade, the widely distributed shrublands in northern China have shown significant signs of recovery from desertification, the result of widespread conservation practices. However, to support the current efforts in conservation, more knowledge is needed on surface energy partitioning and its biophysical controls. Using eddy‐covariance measurements made over a semi‐arid shrubland in northwest China in 2012, we examined how surface energy‐balance components vary on diurnal and seasonal scales, and how biophysical factors control bulk surface parameters and energy exchange. Sensible heat flux (H) exceeded latent heat flux (λE) during most of the year, resulting in an annual Bowen ratio (β, i.e. H/λE) of 2.0. λE exceeded H only in mid‐summer when frequent rainfall co‐occurred with the seasonal peak in leaf area index (LAI). Evapotranspiration reached a daily maximum of 3.3 mm day^?1, and summed to 283 mm yr^?1. The evaporative fraction (EF, i.e. λE/R_n), Priestley–Taylor coefficient (α), surface conductance (g_s) and decoupling coefficient (Ω) were all positively correlated with soil water content (SWC) and LAI. The direct enhancement of λE by high vapour pressure deficit (VPD) was buffered by a concurrent suppression of g_s. The g_s played a direct role in controlling EF and α by mediating the effects of LAI, SWC and VPD. Our results highlight the importance of adaptive plant responses to water scarcity in regulating ecosystem energy partitioning, and suggest an important role for revegetation in the reversal of desertification in semi‐arid areas. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于决策树分类的大屯矿区地物信息提取及矿区污染分析

本文在对国内外遥感图像分类方法充分研究分析的基础上,选择决策树分类法对大屯矿区的Landsat 8遥感图像进行分类研究。选取样本提取并分析研究区典型地类光谱特征曲线,依据光谱曲线特征和归一化植被指数建立了土地利用分类决策树模型,通过反复试验和修正,筛选出适宜大屯矿区地物分类的决策树最优阈值,对研究区进行分类和精度评价,最后通过分类结果对研究区的水体污染状况进行简要分析。     

桂林毛村不同植被类型土壤微生物数量与碳酸酐酶活性比较

以非岩溶区林地为对比,分析了桂林毛村岩溶区4种不同植被类型土壤微生物数量及碳酸酐酶(CA)活性的季度动态变化规律,发现以下主要结果:1随着植被的正向演替,岩溶区弃耕地、草地、灌丛及林地微生物数量及CA活性逐渐升高,微生物总数从64.07×10~4cfu/g上升到178.23×10~4cfu/g,CA活性从0.77 U/g上升到1.82 U/g,岩溶区林地大于非岩溶区林地。2在岩溶区不同植被类型,微生物组成均表现为细菌最多(平均值95.14%),放线菌次之(平均值2.79%),真菌数量最少(平均值1.75%)。而在非岩溶区表现为细菌最多(平均值90.95%),真菌次之(平均值5.32%),放线菌最少(平均值3.73%)。3微生物数量季节动态整体表现为春季至夏季逐渐上升,至秋季达到最高,冬季下降,微生物总数的增长依赖于细菌的倍数增长,真菌和放线菌影响较小。CA活性整体表现为夏季和冬季低于春季和秋季,秋季达到最大值。4 CA活性与细菌及微生物总数呈极显著的正相关,表明土壤CA主要来源于细菌的分泌。