The effect of climate warming and permafrost thaw on desertification in the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Four sets of remote sensing images from 1987, 1994, 2000, and 2006, 50 years of meteorological and soil moisture data corresponding to different desertified lands were combined with populations and livestock data to analyze the process and cause of desertification in a portion of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP). It showed that surface soil temperature in the region has increased at an average rate of 0.6 °C per decade between 1980 and 2005, the thawing days on the surface have increased by 60 days from 1983 to 2001, and the depth of the seasonal thawing layer has increased by 54 cm, 102 cm and 77 cm in April, May and June, respectively, from 1983 to 2003. As a result, the upper soil layer has become drier due to the thickening active layer and soil water infiltration. These changes, in turn, have inhibited the growth of alpine meadow vegetation that has shallow root systems. It is concluded that climate warming and permafrost thawing have caused desertification in grazing regions of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau (QTP).     

Development of tongue-shaped and multilobate rock glaciers in alpine environments – Interpretations from ground penetrating radar surveys

Rock glaciers occur as lobate or tongue-shaped landforms composed of mixtures of poorly sorted, angular to blocky rock debris and ice. These landforms serve as primary sinks for ice and water storage in mountainous areas and represent transitional forms in the debris transport system, accounting for ~ 60% of all mass transport in some alpine regions. Observations of active (flowing) alpine rock glaciers indicate a common association between the debris that originates from cirque headwalls and the depositional lobes that comprise them. The delivery of this debris to the rock glacier is regulated primarily by the rate of headwall erosion and the point of origin of debris along the headwall. These factors control the relative movement of individual depositional lobes as well as the overall rate of propagation of a rock glacier. In recent geophysical studies, a number of alpine rock glaciers on Prins Karls Forland and Nordenskiöldland, Svalbard, Norway, and the San Juan Mountains of southwest Colorado, USA, have been imaged using ground penetrating radar (GPR) to determine if a relationship exists between the internal structure and surface morphology. Results indicate that the overall morphologic expression of alpine rock glaciers is related to lobate deposition during catastrophic episodes of rockfall that originated from associated cirque headwalls. Longitudinal GPR profiles from alpine rock glaciers examined in this study suggests that the difference in gross morphology between the lobate and tongue-shaped rock glaciers can be attributed primarily (but not exclusively) to cirque geometry, frequency and locations of debris discharge within the cirque, and the trend and magnitude of valley gradient in relation to cirque orientation. Collectively, these factors determine the manner in which high magnitude debris discharges, which seem to be the primary mechanism of formation, accumulate to form these rock glaciers.     

多年冻土区桥梁桩基础地震响应的模型振动试验研究

以青藏铁路高温不稳定多年冻土区"以桥代路"工程——清水河特大桥的桩基础为研究目标,在负温条件下对该桥梁桩基础结构的缩尺模型进行了地震荷载作用的模型振动试验,研究了地震荷载作用下桩-冻土相互作用,分析了结构的地震响应特征,明确了桩体动荷响应对桩周冻土地温和应变的影响规律,最后对地震荷载作用下高温不稳定多年冻土区桥梁桩基础的稳定性作出了评价.     

Thermal and settlement analyses under a riverbank over permafrost

Thermal regime evolution and settlement behavior of a riverbank over ice-rich permafrost in 20 years were estimated by numerical simulation and layerwise summation calculation. The results show that the permafrost under the riverbank will undergo a thawing process at a dramatically rate under the conditions of practical geology and construction structure, which is responsible for a remarkable settlement. The cases on different conditions of concrete hydration, backfilled soil temperature, seepage and mean annual ground temperature were also discussed, suggesting that these factors have the capability in improving the riverbank performance, among them seepage may be of the most importance.     

Response of biomass spatial pattern of alpine vegetation to climate change in permafrost region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Alpine ecosystems in permafrost region are extremely sensitive to climate changes.To determine spatial pattern variations in alpine meadow and alpine steppe biomass dynamics in the permafrost region of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China,calibrated with historical datasets of above-ground biomass production within the permafrost region's two main ecosystems,an ecosystem-biomass model was developed by employing empirical spatialdistribution models of the study region's precipitation,air temperature and soil temperature.This model was then successfully used to simulate the spatio-temporal variations in annual alpine ecosystem biomass production under climate change.For a 0.44°C decade-1 rise in air temperature,the model predicted that the biomasses of alpine meadow and alpine steppe remained roughly the same if annual precipitation increased by 8 mm per decade-1,but the biomasses were decreased by 2.7% and 2.4%,respectively if precipitation was constant.For a 2.2°C decade-1 rise in air temperature coupled with a 12 mm decade-1 rise in precipitation,the model predicted that the biomass of alpine meadow was unchanged or slightly increased,while that of alpine steppe was increased by 5.2%.However,in the absence of any rise in precipitation,the model predicted 6.8% and 4.6% declines in alpine meadow and alpine steppe biomasses,respectively.The response of alpine steppe biomass to the rising air temperatures and precipitation was significantly lesser and greater,respectively than that of alpine meadow biomass.A better understanding of the difference in alpine ecosystem biomass production under climate change is greatly significant with respect to the influence of climate change on the carbon and water cycles in the permafrost regions of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau.     

青海高原多年冻土对气候增暖的响应

利用青海高原气象台站的年平均地温资料,建立了年平均地温与海拔和经纬度的关系模型,结合地理信息分析系统和DEM数据模拟出青海高原的冻土分布图,分析了青海高原多年冻土对气候变化的响应。结果表明：气候变暖已引起高原多年冻土面积的减少和冻土下界的升高,特别是在多年冻土边缘不衔接或岛状冻土区发生比较明显的退化。20世纪60年代与90年代相比,高原多年冻土下界分布高度上升约71m,季节性冻土厚度平均减小20cm。年最大冻土深度变化的空间分布特征与青海高原近40年来气温变化的空间特征相一致。     

三峡库区近30年土地利用时空变化特征分析

利用三峡库区1975年、1987年、1995年、2000年和2005年的遥感影像数据,提取各期土地利用图。以各期土地利用图为基础图件,利用G IS技术,分析了三峡库区各期土地利用类型的数量、空间分布及变化趋势,分析表明库区的耕地、林地和草地都在减少,库区近30年建设用地和河流水面的增加最为明显。同时引入土地利用变化的景观特征指数、土地利用变化速度、土地利用程度指数来总结三峡库区近30年来土地利用变化的主要时空变化特征。采用多种特征指数相结合的研究方法,有利于了解三峡库区土地利用变化的特征,可以进一步指导库区的土地利用规划,为库区的生态环境保护提供参考。     

生态脆弱矿区采煤对泉的影响

陕北榆神府矿区地处毛乌素沙漠和黄土丘陵两大结构系统接壤地带,是典型的生态脆弱带。矿区沙漠区多有泉水出露,泉的分布对陕北煤炭基地供水,维持矿区生态环境及揭示矿区水文地质条件变化,有着至关重要的作用。通过分析采煤后典型泉域地下径流量的变化特征,将矿区煤炭开采对泉的影响分为四级:强烈影响、较强影响、中等影响和轻微影响,并从采煤后上覆岩层移动变形规律、地下水流场变化和地下水位变化三个方面探讨了煤炭开采对泉的影响机理,提出了在保护生态水位条件下科学采煤思路。     

Enclosed Extent of the Saline Water and its Constraints on the Sedimentary and Salt Forming Characteristics: A Case Study of the Paleogene Playas in?Hoh Xil Basin

正1 Introduction There is a long period of hot,arid climates in the Jurassic-Neogene,in the eastern of the Neo-Tethys where is been called Western Yunnan—Qiangtang tectonic belt(Zheng et al.,2010).Especially in the Paleogene,under the control of the planetary winds and the north subtropical high pressure belts,a ribbon arid,semi-arid     

顺层岩质边坡顺层滑动岩体范围分析

顺层滑移-拉裂是顺层岩质边坡中常见的一种破坏模式,顺层滑动岩体范围大小是该类边坡稳定性分析及其加固支挡结构设计的基础,是设计人员最关心的问题。考虑边坡开挖卸荷效应对边坡岩体力学参数的影响,建立了顺层岩质边坡顺层滑动岩体范围的计算式,利用重庆至怀化铁路沿线顺层岩质路堑边坡失稳破坏的调查资料进行对比分析,结果吻合较好。