Carbon Sequestration and Turnover in Semiarid Savannas and Dry Forest

Data on carbon and biomass budgets under different land use in tropical savannas and some dry forests are reviewed. Global data show wide ranges of biomass carbon stocks (20-150 Mg C ha-1), net primary production (2-15 Mg C ha-1y-1) and litter production (2-10 Mg C ha-1y-1) for the semiarid tropics. Although ranges for soil carbon are also wide, an average figure for the top 20 cm is probably 10 g C kg-1, or about 25 Mg C ha-1. In order to arrive at a better understanding of C budgets and their controls, two regional reviews are presented for NE Brazil and W. Africa.In NE Brazil approximately 40% of the lands have "near-climax" native vegetation. Less than 10% of the area is planted annually, but about 3-4 times that area is affected by shifting cultivation which has an average cycle of 5 y arable use followed by 20 y or more recovery. Standing biomass of native caatinga shows nearly the full global range with 2-50 Mg C ha-1. Litter fall around 1-2 Mg C ha-1y-1 is partly decomposed and partly consumed by animals, resulting in low average soil C levels near 8 g kg-1, or 20 Mg C ha-1. Under cultivation, C sequestration is decreased, and soils lose approximately half their C stocks before being abandoned.In W. Africa between 50-70% of the land is under a management regime with minimal C returns to the soils. Overgrazing and over-exploitation for fuel wood has resulted in land degradation. Short fallow periods on cultivated lands have caused serious declines in soil C stocks. Both C sequestration and stocks are therefore lower in W. Africa than in NE Brazil.Improvements in the C sequestration in these semi arid regions depend on an increase in crop production under suitable rotations, improved fallow and animal husbandry, and a limitation on biomnass burning. Use of fertilizer is required for improved productivities but socioeconomic constraints largely prevent such improvements, resulting in a very limited scope for changes in soil C management.     

中国北方半干旱农牧交错带小区域人地关系演变模式初探--以内蒙古奈曼旗尧勒甸子村为例

通过对内蒙古奈曼旗尧勒甸子村的微观研究,得出北方半干旱农牧交错带小区域人地关系演变的模式及原因,并在近年来这一地区实施"多元系统"整治的基础上,综合运用环境科学与经济学的理论,提出这一地带建设小区域高效经济生态系统的宏观发展模式.     

The relationship between sap flow of intercropped young poplar trees (Populus×euramericana cv. N3016) and environmental factors in a semiarid region of northeastern China

Estimating transpiration of the trees in agroforestry system is important in water management of the site. Sap flow of intercropped fast‐growing young poplar trees and microclimate factors in semiarid northeastern China was measured in two growing seasons (2008 and 2009). Sapwood growth and water storage of wood and leaf increment during the growing season were involved in the calculation of sap flow. The results showed that diurnal variation of sap flow followed to that of short wave solar radiation. Sap flows both in 10 min mean and daily gross values mainly depended on solar radiation and vapor pressure deficit, and the relations well fit hyperbolic function. The regression coefficients of monthly window data indicated that the seasonal variation of sap flow capacities decreased gradually from June to September. Moderate soil water stress of upper soil layer (0–50 cm) did not constrain the sap flow because the trees could use the water at deeper soil layer. The daily sap flow per tree ranged 0.8 to 18.1 and 3.7 to 23.8 kg d^?1 tree^?1, with averages of 8.7 and 14.3 kg d^?1 tree^?1 in 2008 and 2009 respectively. An empirical model was established to estimate the sap flow of the poplar trees by solar radiation, vapor pressure deficit, leaf area index and Julian days. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Role of dewfall in the water balance of a semiarid coastal steppe ecosystem

Dewfall is widely recognized as an important source of water for many ecosystems, especially in arid and semiarid areas, contributing to improve daily and annual water balances and leading to increased interest in its study in recent years. In this study, occurrence, frequency and amount of dewfall were measured from January 2007 to December 2010 (4 years study) to find out its contribution to the local water balance in a Mediterranean semiarid steppe ecosystem dominated by scattered tussocks of Stipa tenacissima (Balsa Blanca, Almería, SE Spain). For this purpose, we developed a dewfall measurement method, ‘The Combined Dewfall Estimation Method’ (CDEM). This method consists of a combination of the potential dewfall model, i.e. the single‐source Penman–Monteith evaporation model simplified for water condensation, with information from leaf wetness sensors, rain gauge data, soil surface temperature and dew point temperature. To assess the reliability of the CDEM, dewfall was measured in situ using weighing microlysimeters during a period of 3 months. Daily micrometeorological variables involved in a dewfall event were analysed in order to assess the significance of dewfall at this site. Dewfall condensation was recorded on 78% of the nights during the study period. Average monthly dewfall duration was 9.6 ± 3.2 h per night. Average dewfall was 0.17 ± 0.10 mm per night and was mostly dependent on dewfall duration. Dewfall episodes were longer in late autumn and winter and shorter during spring. Annual dewfall represented the 16%, 23%, 15% and 9% of rainfall on 2007, 2008, 2009 and 2010, respectively. Furthermore, when a wet period was compared to a dry one, the dewfall contribution to the water balance at the site was found to be 8% and 94%, respectively. Our results highlight the relevance of dewfall as a constant source of water in arid ecosystems, as well as its significant contribution to the local water balance, mainly during dry periods where it may represent the only source of water at the site. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Using magnetic susceptibility to assess soil degradation in the Eastern Rif,Morocco

The soil in the Rif, Morocco, is at serious risk because increasing anthropogenic pressures are gradually transforming large natural areas into farmland. The distribution of magnetic minerals within the soil profile can be used to assess soil development and degradation. The soils in the study area are severely eroded because of a combination of highly erodible soils, intense rainstorms and scarce vegetation cover. To sample of representative soil profiles, lithology, slope gradient and land use were considered. The ranges of magnetic susceptibility in the soil profiles distinguished between two primary soil groups. Magnetic susceptibility varied in the soil profile and along the soil toposequence, and the variations were related to the differences in the original magnetic composition and the influence of main erosion factors. Lithology is the main factor contributing to the variation in magnetic susceptibility. The magnetic susceptibility values in soils on Tertiary marls (χ = 13·5 × 10^?8 m³ kg^?1) differed significantly from those on Quaternary terraces (χ = 122·1 × 10^?8 m³ kg^?1). Slope affected the distribution of magnetic susceptibility because of the continuous loss of topsoil in some parts of the slope and the deposition of eroded soil in others. Elimination of the natural vegetation cover and a shift to cultivated land for cereals has had a negative impact on soil development and, on similar slopes and substrates, magnetic susceptibility decreased significantly in cultivated soils. The soils on steep slopes that had natural vegetation cover retained the magnetic minerals better than did those on gentler slopes that were under cultivation. Grazing, clearing and, especially, tilling has weakened the soil and made it much more vulnerable to erosion. An analysis of the main factors causing erosion will help to promote rational use of the land and to establish conservation strategies in such fragile agroecosystems. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Responses of water erosion to rainfall extremes and vegetation types in a loess semiarid hilly area,NW China

Rainfall extremes (RE) become more variable and stochastic in the context of climate change, increasing uncertainties and risks of water erosion in the real world. Vegetation also plays a key role in soil erosion dynamics. Responses of water erosion to RE and vegetation, however, remain unclear. In this article, on the basis of the data measured on 15 plots (area: 10 m × 10 m and 10 m × 5 m) and the definition of World Meteorological Organization (WMO) on rainfall extremes, 158 natural rainfall events from 1986 to 2005 were analysed, and rain depth and maximal 30‐min intensity (MI₃₀) were used to define RE. Then, water erosion process under RE and five vegetation types (spring wheat, alfalfa, sea buckthorn, Chinese pine, and wheatgrass) were studied in a key loess semiarid hilly area, NW China. The following findings were made: (1) The minimal thresholds of depth and MI₃₀ for defining RE were determined as 40·11 mm and 0·55 mm/min, respectively. Among the studied rainfall events, there were four events with both the variables exceeding the thresholds (REI), five events with depths exceeding 40·11 mm (REII), and four events with MI₃₀ exceeding 0·55 mm/min (REIII). Therefore, not only extreme rainstorm, but also events with lower intensities and long durations were considered as RE. Moreover, RE occurred mostly in July and August, with a probability of 46 and 31%, respectively. (2) Extreme events, especially REI, in general caused severer soil‐water loss. Mean extreme runoff and erosion rates were 2·68 and 53·15 times of mean ordinary rates, respectively. The effect of each event on water erosion, however, becomes uncertain as a result of the variations of RE and vegetation. (3) The buffering capacities of vegetation on RE were generally in the order of sea buckthorn > wheatgrass > Chinese pine > alfalfa > spring wheat. In particular, sea buckthorn reduced runoff and erosion effectively after 3–4 years of plantation. Therefore, to fight against water erosion shrubs like sea buckthorn are strongly recommended as pioneer species in such areas. On the contrary, steep cultivation (spring wheat on slopes), however, should be avoided, because of its high sensitivities to RE. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

中国北方半干旱和半湿润地区沙漠化的成因

通过对我国北方半干旱和半湿润地区沙质荒漠化的综合分析后认为,第四纪期间不同时间尺度沙漠化的成因是有差异的。1万年前的更新世期间,人类对生态环境的破坏作用甚微,沙漠化的出现和逆转主要受地球轨道要素制约的万年以上时间尺度的全球气候变化控制;1万年来的全新世特别是近2000年的历史时期,人类对生态环境的作用已越来越大,但沙漠化仍然主要受制于千年和百年尺度的气候波动;20世纪以来的现代时期,沙漠化过程既受数十年或数年的干湿气候波动作用,也受到人类不合理的经济活动的影响,但后者是主要的。     

蒙古中部地区植被覆盖衰退问题案例研究（英文）

本文选择蒙古中部地区的两个模型多边形对植被多样性进行调查研究。它们都位于干旱、半干旱少雨地区。基于Landsat TM影像,本文研究了多边形区域的NDVI随时间变化的多时相NDVI值制图,得到所选择的具备不同值NDVI区域的全尺度景观特征。这一特征在对耐旱环境组的植被分析中得到了证实。该过程中将近整个实验多边形区域的植被偏离得到了追踪。NDVI的时间分布分析呈现出数值的降低,这说明了在戈壁,稀疏植被存在耐旱趋势。在半干旱气候区域中偏离植被趋势与牧草地的重载负直接相关。     

Groundwater–surface water connectivity in a chain-of-ponds semiarid river

Semiarid rivers are often characterized by chains of small pools connected by riffles and wet meadows. The pools can be maintained by wet season surface runoff, groundwater discharge, or some combination thereof. Using synoptic surveys for several environmental tracers (δD and δ¹⁸O of H₂O, specific electrical conductance at 25°C [EC], chloride and ²²²Rn), we evaluated the groundwater—surface water connectivity of the Light River (South Australia) along an 8 km section in the vicinity of a proposed mining development. In all three surveys (representing spring, summer and winter conditions), the pools were maintained by regional groundwater discharge based on an elevated surface water EC (9–12 dS m⁻¹) similar to regional groundwater, elevated radon-222 activities (0.09–3.0 Bq L⁻¹) and low rainfall. Most pools were perennial, either because they directly received groundwater discharge or, indirectly, had an inflow originating from upstream groundwater-fed pools. The elevated salinity of regional groundwater is a key factor for the maintenance of perennial pools in the Light River because the potential for baseflow depletion by groundwater pumping is more limited.