A review on the research of modern aeolian dust in Central Asia

The Central Asian Arid Zone (CAAZ) located in the temperate desert belt of the Northern Hemisphere is one of the most important sources for global aeolian dust and aerosol. It is widely acknowledged that aeolian dust plays a vital role in the Earth system through participating in the energy and material budget of the planet. Except for the existed natural desert areas, the newly human-induced deserts that originally used to be the bed of terminal lakes (like the Aral Sea, Caspian Sea, Balkhash Lake, etc.) are becoming the much more significant sources for aeolian dust/salt in this region. Dust and associated aerosols have complex impacts on local ecological system and human health for its special chemical composition. In recent years, a slight declining trend of dust storm frequency in the region was reported, which may be explained by the weakened human disturbances in desert areas or climate variations. The dust dynamics in the CAAZ represent considerable variations in both spatial and temporal distribution, which makes it harder to forecast the dust events and mitigate its damages to ecosystems and social economics. Nevertheless, there is not much evidence of its climatic and environmental impacts both on the regional and global scales. Therefore, further related studies and regulation measures in the region are essential and emergent, as well as the strengthening cooperation between the associated countries and organizations.     

江苏中部海岸潮沟形态对滩涂围垦的响应

根据2001-2013年江苏中部海岸的遥感影像和野外观测数据,对滩涂围垦影响下潮沟的形态演变过程进行分析。结果显示,研究区潮沟在大规模滩涂围垦影响下整体有明显的退化和消亡趋势,潮沟集水面积由2001年的293.94 km2逐渐降低到2013年的103.40 km2,潮沟长度随着其集水面积的缩减呈幂函数减小(R2=0.98),而潮沟宽度随着潮沟长度和集水面积的变小呈指数方式变窄(R2分别为0.87、0.93),总体上研究区每围垦1 km2滩涂,潮沟长度和宽度分别减小约2.60 km和0.67 m,在整个滩涂围垦过程中,落潮后期潮滩的主要排水方式逐渐由潮沟排水向滩面排水方式转变。江苏中部海岸潮沟形态在统计上具有多尺度分形结构,总体上研究区分纬值从大到小依次为潮沟分维值、各潮沟系统分维值、单支潮沟分维值。研究区潮沟的分维值(无标度区间25~210内)在滩涂围垦影响下呈波动性降低,由2001年的1.26逐渐降低到2013年的1.13,各潮沟系统的分维值随着其分汊个数减少呈线性降低(R2=0.89),各单支潮沟的分维值随着其蜿蜒性减小呈线性降低(R2=0.86)。根据潮沟的退化和消亡过程反推潮沟的起源和发育过程,本研究认为研究区最早出现的一类潮沟可能是陆源水流侵蚀型潮沟,而滩面水流冲刷型和潮流辐聚侵蚀型潮沟是随着潮滩淤积变宽过程逐渐发育的,其最初的发育形态可能是潮滩下部的冲刷凹地。     

Effects of temperature on growth,photophysiology, Rubisco gene expression in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Prorocentrum donghaiense</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">Karenia mikimotoi</Emphasis>

To explore the effects of temperature changes on dinoflagellate bloom succession in the coastal waters of the East China Sea, changes in the growth, photophysiology, and Rubisco gene expression of Prorocentrum donghaiense and Karenia mikimotoi, two harmful algal species, were investigated at different temperatures (16 to 28°C). The maximal specific growth rate and the maximal mRNA expression of Rubisco gene in P. donghaiense and K. mikimotoi occurred at 20 and 24°C, respectively. The photosynthetic activity of P. donghaiense was generally stable, but K. mikimotoi photosynthesis increased when temperatures rose from 16 to 28°C. The effective photochemical efficiency (F _q ^′ /F _m ^′ ) and the maximal relative electron transfer rate (rETR_max) of K. mikimotoi increased significantly with increasing temperature, and the lowest and highest values occurred at 16 and 28°C, respectively. It seems that P. donghaiense has higher photosynthetic capacity than K. mikimotoi due to its higher F _q ^′ /F _m ^′ , rETR_max, and photosynthetic efficiency (α). However, K. mikimotoi has a higher growth rate than P. donghaiense. These results suggest that the photosynthetic activity and genetic responses of dinoflagellates are species-dependent. It is likely that temperature changes affect species composition during blooms, leading to the observed patterns of bloom succession.     

Long-term effects of di-octyl phthalate on the expression of immune-related genes in <Emphasis Type="Italic">Tegillarca granosa</Emphasis>

Di-octyl phthalate (DOP) is widely used as a plasticizer in the plastics industry. As a result, DOP is often found in marine water ecosystems where many species are exposed to it. Our objective was to evaluate the effect of long-term (14 d) DOP exposure (2.6, 7.8, or 31.2 mg/L) on the expression of immunerelated genes in Tegillarca granosa. The expression of small heat shock protein (sHSPs) and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase (TIMP) were highest in clams exposed to 31.2 mg/L DOP on days 7 and 14. The relative expression of Tg-ferritin, superoxide dismutase (SOD), and metallothionein (MT) increased initially then decreased as the concentration of DOP increased. The hemoglobin of T. granosa (Tg-HbI) exhibited two distinct expression patterns at two time points. Our results suggest that the immune response of T. granosa against DOP pollution varies depending on the dose. Additionally, we identified some immune-related genes that are promising candidates for biomarkers of DOP.     

Co-benefits of local air pollutants and greenhouse gas reduction achieved by hydropower development in Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region,China

Hydropower development in Xizang (Tibet) Autonomous Region plays a vital role in co-control of local air pollutants and greenhouse gas (GHG) in China. According to emission factors of local air pollutants and GHG of coal-fired power industry in different hydropower service regions, we estimate the effect and synergy of local air pollutants and GHG reduction achieved by hydropower development in Tibet, examine the main factors constraining the effect and synergy, using correlation analysis and multiple regression analysis. The results show that: 1) During the period from 2006 to 2012, the effect of local air pollutants and GHG reduction achieved by hydropower development in Tibet decreased as a whole, while the synergy increased first and decreased afterwards. 2) The effect and synergy of local air pollutants and GHG reduction achieved by hydropower development in Tibet vary significantly across different hydropower service regions. The effect based on emission levels of Central China power grid (CCPG) and Northwest China power grid (NCPG) was more significant than that based on emission level of national power grid (NPG) from 2006 to 2012, and the synergy based on emission levels of CCPG and NCPG was also more significant than that based on emission level of NPG from 2010 to 2012. 3) The main factors constraining the effect and synergy based on emission levels of NCPG and CCPG included SO₂ removal rate and NO _x removal rate, the effect and synergy based on emission level of NPG was mainly influenced by net coal consumption rate. 4) Transferring hydropower from Tibet to NCPG and CCPG, and substituting local coal-fired power with hydropower can greatly help to co-control local air pollutants and GHG, transform the emission reduction pattern of the power industry and optimize energy structure.     

Parameterization of Sheared Entrainment in a Well-developed CBL.Part Ⅱ:A Simple Model for Predicting the Growth Rate of the CBL

Following the parameterization of sheared entrainment obtained in the companion paper, Liu et al. (2016), the present study aims to further investigate the characteristics of entrainment, and develop a simple model for predicting the growth rate of a well-developed and sheared CBL. The relative stratification, defined as the ratio of the stratification in the free atmosphere to that in the entrainment zone, is found to be a function of entrainment flux ratio (A _e). This leads to a simple expression of the entrainment rate, in which A _e needs to be parameterized. According to the results in Liu et al. (2016), A _e can be simply expressed as the ratio of the convective velocity scale in the sheared CBL to that in the shear-free CBL. The parameterization of the convective velocity scale in the sheared CBL is obtained by analytically solving the bulk model with several assumptions and approximations. Results indicate that the entrainment process is influenced by the dynamic effect, the interaction between mean shear and environmental stratification, and one other term that includes the Coriolis effect. These three parameterizations constitute a simple model for predicting the growth rate of a well-developed and sheared CBL. This model is validated by outputs of LESs, and the results show that it performs satisfactorily. Compared with bulk models, this model does not need to solve a set of equations for the CBL. It is more convenient to apply in numerical models.     

Parameterization of sheared entrainment in a well-developed CBL. Part I: Evaluation of the scheme through large-eddy simulations

The entrainment flux ratio A _e and the inversion layer (IL) thickness are two key parameters in a mixed layer model. A _e is defined as the ratio of the entrainment heat flux at the mixed layer top to the surface heat flux. The IL is the layer between the mixed layer and the free atmosphere. In this study, a parameterization of A _e is derived from the TKE budget in the firstorder model for a well-developed CBL under the condition of linearly sheared geostrophic velocity with a zero value at the surface. It is also appropriate for a CBL under the condition of geostrophic velocity remaining constant with height. LESs are conducted under the above two conditions to determine the coefficients in the parameterization scheme. Results suggest that about 43% of the shear-produced TKE in the IL is available for entrainment, while the shear-produced TKE in the mixed layer and surface layer have little effect on entrainment. Based on this scheme, a new scale of convective turbulence velocity is proposed and applied to parameterize the IL thickness. The LES outputs for the CBLs under the condition of linearly sheared geostrophic velocity with a non-zero surface value are used to verify the performance of the parameterization scheme. It is found that the parameterized A _e and IL thickness agree well with the LES outputs.