In many arid ecosystems, vegetation frequently occurs in high-cover patches interspersed in a matrix of low plant cover. However, theoretical explanations for shrub patch pattern dynamics along climate gradients remain unclear on a large scale. This context aimed to assess the variance of the Reaumuria soongorica patch structure along the precipitation gradient and the factors that affect patch structure formation in the middle and lower Heihe River Basin (HRB). Field investigations on vegetation patterns and heterogeneity in soil properties were conducted during 2014 and 2015. The results showed that patch height, size and plant-to-patch distance were smaller in high precipitation habitats than in low precipitation sites. Climate, soil and vegetation explained 82.5% of the variance in patch structure. Spatially, R. soongorica shifted from a clumped to a random pattern on the landscape towards the MAP gradient, and heterogeneity in the surface soil properties (the ratio of biological soil crust (BSC) to bare gravels (BG)) determined the R. soongorica population distribution pattern in the middle and lower HRB. A conceptual model, which integrated water availability and plant facilitation and competition effects, was revealed that R. soongorica changed from a flexible water use strategy in high precipitation regions to a consistent water use strategy in low precipitation areas. Our study provides a comprehensive quantification of the variance in shrub patch structure along a precipitation gradient and may improve our understanding of vegetation pattern dynamics in the Gobi Desert under future climate change.
The seasonal prediction of sea surface temperature(SST) and precipitation in the North Pacific based on the hindcast results of The First Institute of Oceanography Earth System Model(FIO-ESM) is assessed in this study.The Ensemble Adjusted Kalman Filter assimilation scheme is used to generate initial conditions, which are shown to be reliable by comparison with the observations. Based on this comparison, we analyze the FIO-ESM 6-month hindcast results starting from each month of 1993–2013. The model exhibits high SST prediction skills over most of the North Pacific for two seasons in advance. Furthermore, it remains skillful at long lead times for midlatitudes. The reliable prediction of SST can transfer fairly well to precipitation prediction via air-sea interactions.The average skill of the North Pacific variability(NPV) index from 1 to 6 months lead is as high as 0.72(0.55) when El Ni?o-Southern Oscillation and NPV are in phase(out of phase) at initial conditions. The prediction skill of the NPV index of FIO-ESM is improved by 11.6%(23.6%) over the Climate Forecast System, Version 2. For seasonal dependence, the skill of FIO-ESM is higher than the skill of persistence prediction in the later period of prediction. 相似文献
为了改善低纬高原地区天气预报水平,利用WRF(Weather Research and Forecasting)模式及其变分同化系统进行雷达VAD(Velocity Azimuth Display)反演风场资料同化试验。通过设计不同的试验方案,对2009年6月30日00:00至7月1日00:00发生在云南的一次强降水过程进行数值模拟和对比分析,结果表明:同化VAD反演风场资料后对区域模式的风矢量初始场有明显影响。同化系统能把雷达反演风场信息有效地引入模式初始场,改善强降水区域的水汽输送和风场辐合强度;同化VAD反演风场资料后对区域模式累计降水预报有一定改进作用。从长时间累计降水量定量检验结果看,具体表现为25mm以上量级的降水准确率明显提高、漏报率下降,预报偏差更趋合理。不同的同化试验方案之间的模拟结果差异较大。同化频率越高、同化持续时间越长,对区域模式初始场和预报场的影响越明显。但同化持续时间不宜过长,否则可能导致系统移速过快、降水强度偏大、空报率增加等异常。 相似文献
