Applying landscape-ecological concept and GIS modelling for assessing and mapping of ecological situation of mountainous landscapes (on the case of Syunik marz,Armenia)

Regional landscape-ecological studies have acquired a special topicality as they assure efficient environmental conservation and sustainable use of natural resources. A landscape-ecological analysis was performed based on four basic integral indices: (1) ecological potential, (2) ecological stability, (3) ecological load and (4) ecological tension. The values of basic integral indices of the landscape-ecological analysis were calculated as sums of respective factors expressed in scores and multiplied by their significance reflecting coefficients. In agreement with that rule, a formula was derived of calculation of basic indices of landscape-ecological analysis. Subsequently, those factors were integrated by ‘Model Builder’ in ArcGIS applying ‘Weighted Sum’ functions. Finally, through geographic information systems modelling, maps of basic indices of landscape-ecological analysis were produced. In conclusion – ecological potential, stability, load and tension are best indicators for the assessment of the landscape-ecological situation of the studied territory.     

基于坐标差分的山体变形监测方法探讨

在本文中提出了全站仪自由设站坐标差分的观测方法,论述了该方法的原理、误差分析,以及其在山体变形监测中的应用。对在特殊环境下的变形观测有一定的指导意义。     

龙门山南段(芦山段)旅游资源遥感调查与评价

芦山县地处龙门山南段,是成都平原向龙门山山地过渡的地带,特殊的地质、地貌条件和人类活动造就了区内山体、峡谷、岩溶、瀑布、湖泊、河流、森林和花卉等一大批自然景观,同时孕育了大批极具旅游价值的人文景观。这些旅游景观多以点状方式散布在全县范围内,人们对于全县的旅游资源,尤其是自然景观的分布范围和规模没有一个全面的认识,为此必须对芦山县的旅游资源进行大范围的调查。但是逐一调查每个景观难度较大,也难以从宏观和微观两个层次上去把握资源的分布和特征,本文利用ETM遥感图像,按照先解译自然景观,再结合其他资料间接判定人文景观的方法,实现了对区内旅游资源的调查和评价。     

Numerical Simulation of Andhra Severe Cyclone (2003): Model Sensitivity to the Boundary Layer and Convection Parameterization

The Andhra severe cyclonic storm (2003) is simulated to study its evolution, structure, intensity and movement using the Penn State/NCAR non-hydrostatic mesoscale atmospheric model MM5. The model is used with three interactive nested domains at 81, 27 and 9 km resolutions covering the Bay of Bengal and adjoining Indian Peninsula. The performance of the Planetary Boundary Layer (PBL) and convective parameterization on the simulated features of the cyclone is studied by conducting sensitivity experiments. Results indicate that while the boundary layer processes play a significant role in determining both the intensity and movement, the convective processes especially control the movement of the model storm. The Mellor-Yamada scheme is found to yield the most intensive cyclone. While the combination of Mellor-Yamada (MY) PBL and Kain-Fritsch 2 (KF2) convection schemes gives the most intensive storm, the MRF PBL with KF2 convection scheme produces the best simulation in terms of intensity and track. Results of the simulation with the combination of MRF scheme for PBL and KF2 for convection show the evolution and major features of a mature tropical storm. The model has very nearly simulated the intensity of the storm though slightly overpredicted. Simulated core vertical temperature structure, winds at different heights, vertical winds in and around the core, vorticity and divergence fields at the lower and upper levels—all support the characteristics of a mature storm. The model storm has moved towards the west of the observed track during the development phase although the location of the storm in the initial and final phases agreed with the observations. The simulated rainfall distribution associated with the storm agreed reasonably with observations.     

Hydrocarbon degraders from tropical marine environments

Analysis of 20 samples of marine mud and water around Mumbai resulted in the isolation of 17 bacteria and yeasts all of which were able to degrade more than 10% of the supplied crude oil. The yeasts strains were important degraders of the aliphatic fraction of crude. All the isolated yeasts belonged to the genus Candida. Using biochemical tests these were identified as Candida parapsilosis, C. albicans, C. guilliermondii, Yarrowia lipolytica, C. tropicalis and C. intermedia. Y. lipolytica was the best degrader utilizing 78% of the aliphatic fraction of Bombay High crude oil. None of these isolates degraded the aromatic or ashphaltene fractions. All the isolates required aeration, nitrogen and phosphate supplementation for optimal degradation. Four out of the six yeasts are human pathogens.     

青海南山断裂茶卡北山－大水桥形变带地震地质特征

本文是根据１９９４年中国－法国在青海的联合地震地质考察的结果，对于位于共和盆地北缘的青海南山断裂做了简要描述，确定这是一条既古老又长期复活的断裂，且具有分段性。同时作者对于芬卡北山－大水桥形变带做了系统阐述，并根据该地区的地震地质特征，初步估定了这里曾为古地震震中所在。作者也对该地区的一组活褶皱做了介绍，并提出对于活褶皱的研究应该得到我们的充分重视。     

Water vapour transport of the pre-monsoon period and the general performance of the Indian summer monsoon

The advective monthly mean transfer of water vapour in the layer below 700 mbar is investigated for India for the years 1962 to 1972 and for the months January to September. The average zonal and meridional components of the transfer of water vapour for India are obtained. They are further averaged for different combinations of the pre-monsoon months from January to May and are correlated with the summer monsoon rainfall. The correlation coefficients for zonal transfer of water vapour are either negative or small positive for different combinations of the months mentioned above. The correlation coefficients for the meridional transfer of water vapour are positive. The maximum value is 0.74 for the March to May combination and is statistically significant at the 1% level.An extensive investigation is, therefore, made for the March to May averages of water vapour transfer for four broad regions of India. The parameters of water vapour transfer for these regions are compared with the threshold values and the prediction category, normal or drought, for the subsequent summer monsoon season is determined for all years. The correlation coefficient between the index of drought, as determined from parameters of water vapour transport and rainfall departure, is statistically significant at the 2% level.     

The impacts of mountain pine beetle disturbance on the energy balance of snow during the melt period

Mountain snowpacks provide most of the annual discharge of western US rivers, but the future of water resources in the western USA is tenuous, as climatic changes have resulted in earlier spring melts that have exacerbated summer droughts. Compounding changes to the physical environment are biotic disturbances including that of the mountain pine beetle (MPB), which has decimated millions of acres of western North American forests. At the watershed scale, MPB disturbance increases the peak hydrograph, and at the stand scale, the ‘grey’ phase of MPB canopy disturbance decreases canopy snow interception, increases snow albedo, increases net shortwave radiation, and decreases net longwave radiation versus the ‘red’ phase. Fewer studies have been conducted on the red phase of MPB disturbance and in the mixed coniferous stands that may follow MPB‐damaged forests. We measured the energy balance of four snowpacks representing different stages of MPB damage, management, and recovery: a lodgepole pine stand, an MPB‐infested stand in the red phase, a mixed coniferous stand (representing one successional trajectory), and a clear‐cut (representing reactive management) in the Tenderfoot Creek Experimental Forest in Montana, USA. Net longwave radiation was lower in the MPB‐infested stand despite higher basal area and plant area index of the other forests, suggesting that the desiccated needles serve as a less effective thermal buffer against longwave radiative losses. Eddy covariance observations of sensible and latent heat flux indicate that they are of similar but opposite magnitude, on the order of 20 MJ m^?2 during the melt period. Further analyses reveal that net turbulent energy fluxes were near zero because of the temperature and atmospheric vapour pressure encountered during the melt period. Future research should place snow science in the context of forest succession and management and address important uncertainties regarding the timing and magnitude of needlefall events. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Water and nutrient fluxes in a cool temperate rainforest at the Cordillera de la Costa in southern Chile

Water and nutrient fluxes were studied during a 12-month period in an alerce (Fitzroya cupressoides) forest, located in a remote site at the Cordillera de la Costa (40°05′S) in southern Chile. Measurements of precipitation, throughfall, stemflow, effective precipitation, soil infiltration and stream flow were carried out in an experimental, small watershed. Simultaneously, monthly water samples were collected to determine the concentrations and transport of organic-N, NO₃-N, total-P, K⁺, Ca²⁺, Na⁺ and Mg²⁺ in all levels of forest. Concentration of organic-N, NO₃-N, total-P and K⁺ showed a clear pattern of enrichment in the throughfall, stemflow, effective precipitation and soil infiltration. For Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺, enrichment was observed in the effective precipitation, soil infiltration and stream flow. Annual transport of K⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ showed that the amounts exported from the forest via stream flow (K⁺=0·95, Na⁺=32·44, Ca²⁺=8·76 and Mg²⁺=7·16 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) are less than the inputs via precipitation (K⁺=6·39, Na⁺=40·99, Ca²⁺=15·13 and Mg²⁺=7·61 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹). The amounts of organic-N and NO₃-N exported via stream flow (organic-N=1·04 and No₃-N=3·06 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹) were relatively small; however, they represented greater amounts than the inputs via precipitation (organic-N=0·74 and NO₃-N=0·97 kg ha⁻¹ yr⁻¹), because of the great contribution of this element in the superficial soil horizon, where the processes of decomposition of organic material, mineralization and immobilization of the nutrients occurs. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

冷空气入侵对热带气旋发生发展的影响

本文从梯度风方程出发,证明温度梯度增强对涡度起到增强作用.因此当冷空气侵入热带气旋外围时,只要没有破坏热带气旋的暖心结构,就会引起温度梯度的增长,从而促进热带气旋的发生发展.本文采用NCAR/PSU研制的非静力中尺度模式MM5,研究北半球冷暖空气入侵在热带气旋形成和加强过程中的作用.通过研究冷暖空气对热带气旋发展影响的试验发现,冷暖空气在入侵热带气旋外围时,最主要改变的是外围的环流场.北半球冷空气的入侵将会增强热带气旋北面的北风,形成指向热带气旋中心的推力,即辐合增强,暖空气入侵减弱北面的北风,形成背向热带气旋中心的拉力,即辐合减弱.由于拉力作用,一方面把边界上由于冷空气入侵而生成的能量往热带气旋中心输送,另一方面导致温度梯度的增加.因此从天气学形势来看,在热带气旋发生发展的过程中,北方的冷高压将会增强热带气旋北面的风速,从而导致热带气旋的增强;南半球澳高的增强,将使越赤道气流增强,热带气旋南面的风速也因此增强,从而引起热带气旋的增强.