Deep soil water dynamics in an undisturbed primary forest in central Amazonia: Differences between normal years and the 2005 drought

Understanding how Amazonian rainforests deal with extended droughts is critical in the face of changing climate. This research analyze the physical properties and the soil water dynamics of a deep soil profile in an area of primary forest in central Amazonia to elucidate these processes under drought and nondrought conditions. Physical soil properties derived from soil cores exhibited a distinctive layer between 480 and 880 cm deep, characterized by higher microporosity and low plant water availability. In situ soil moisture measurements collected during the period from January 2003 through February 2006 and for depths ranging from 10 to 1,430 cm suggest that, in the study site, the top 480 cm of the soil profile satisfied most of the transpirational demands in normal climatological years. However, during exceptionally dry periods, such as the 2005 drought, root uptake occurs below 480 cm. As concluded by previous studies, most of the uptake is concentrated in the first meter of the soil profile: More than 40% of the total demand for transpiration is supplied by the top meter of soil. Because deep root uptake occurred at greater depths than normal during the 2005 drought, our results suggest that this is a fundamental mechanism to cope with prolonged droughts.     

Transport of moderately sorted gravel at low bed shear stresses: The role of fine sediment infiltration

A reliable estimation of sediment transport in gravel‐bed streams is important for various practical engineering and biological studies (e.g., channel stability design, bed degradation/aggradation, restoration of spawning habitat). In the present work, we report original laboratory experiments investigating the transport of gravel particles at low bed shear stresses. The laboratory tests were conducted under unsteady flow conditions inducing low bed shear stresses, with detailed monitoring of the bed topography using a laser scanner. Effects of bed surface arrangements were documented by testing loose and packed bed configurations. Effects of fine sediments were examined by testing beds with sand, artificial fine sand or cohesive silt infiltrated in the gravel matrix. Analysis of the experimental data revealed that the transport of gravel particles depends upon the bed arrangement, the bed material properties (e.g., size and shape, consolidation index, permeability) and the concentration of fine sediments within the surface layer of moving grains. This concentration is directly related to the distribution of fine particles within the gravel matrix (i.e., bottom‐up infiltration or bridging) and their transport mode (i.e., bedload or suspended load). Compared to loose beds, the mobility of gravel is reduced for packed beds and for beds clogged from the bottom up with cohesive fine sediments; in both cases, the bed shear stress for gravel entrainment increases by about 12%. On the other hand, the mobility of gravel increases significantly (bed shear stress for particle motion decreasing up to 40%) for beds clogged at the surface by non‐cohesive sand particles. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fault geometrical model of Dujiangyan section in Longmenshan fault zone

The focal mechanism solution on the seismic fault plane can reflect the geometric and kinematic characteristics of faults, and it is an important way to further study the fine structure of fault plane. From the focal mechanism solution of the earthquakes around the Dujiangyan fault in Longmenshan fault zone, we derived the average dip angle of Dujiangyan fault is 45.1° based on the seismic moment tensor theory. In order to refine the fault geometry structure, this paper decomposed it into multiple sub-fault planes along the length and width of the fault plane and forms a number of models A13, B13, A23 a, A23 b, A23 c, B23 a,B23 b and B23 c, then calculated the sub-fault's dip of each model. In order to clarify exactly which one of the fault models is closest to the real fault model, the fault slip was carried out for each model in turn, then compared the surface displacement of each model with GPS observations. The results show that B23 c model with high dip in shallow and small dip in deep is the best model, the lengths of each subfault of Dujiangyan fault from south to north are 33 km, 21 km and 46 km, respectively. When the depth of the fault bottom is about 11 km, the dip angles are 70.56°, 67.41° and 45.55°.When the depth of the fault bottom is about 30 km, The fault dip angles are 44.55°, 29.18° and 44.25°.     

实景三维精细建模优化方法探索与实践

对比分析目前常用的几种实景三维建模方法及适用性,剖析倾斜摄影三维建模技术在几何结构和模型纹理等方面存在的问题,提出了实景三维精细建模的优化方法和技术路线,着重阐述了高低空航摄相结合的关键技术,明显改善了模型效果,提高了建模的质量与效率,为实景三维数字城市建设提供了技术参考.     

The effect of riparian tree roots on the mass‐stability of riverbanks

Plants interact with and modify the processes of riverbank erosion by altering bank hydrology, flow hydraulics and bank geotechnical properties. The physically based slope stability model GWEDGEM was used to assess how changes in bank geotechnical properties due to the roots of native Australian riparian trees affected the stability of bank sections surveyed along the Latrobe River. Modelling bank stability against mass failure with and without the reinforcing effects of River Red Gum (Eucalyptus camaldulensis) or Swamp Paperbark (Melaleuca ericifolia) indicates that root reinforcement of the bank substrate provides high levels of bank protection. The model indicates that the addition of root reinforcement to an otherwise unstable bank section can raise the factor of safety (F _s) from F _s = 1·0 up to about F _s = 1·6. The addition of roots to riverbanks improves stability even under worst‐case hydrological conditions and is apparent over a range of bank geometries, varying with tree position. Trees growing close to potential failure plane locations, either low on the bank or on the floodplain, realize the greatest bank reinforcement. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于EC细网格产品在乌鲁木齐机场低能见度预测中的释用

利用2015—2018年乌鲁木齐机场航空例行天气报告(METAR报)、ECMWF(European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting)细网格数值预报产品对影响能见度的主要因子进行分析,提取与低能见度相关性高的物理量作为预报因子,采用SVM方法,分别基于Poly、RBF核函数建立乌鲁木齐机场未来21 h能见度预报模型。结果表明:(1)基于预报因子区间分类的SVM模型物理意义明确,试验结果较好;以RBF为函数建立的SVM模型(SVM-RBF)预报能力更好,其训练样本预测的TS评分0.84,准确率89.20%。(2)SVM-RBF模型的检验样本中,预报准确样本的预报误差整体偏小;在漏报样本中则有能见度越低、预报误差越大的特点,模型的振荡性明显。(3)结合NCEP/NCAR再分析资料研究SVM-RBF模型对天气过程的预报表现,发现模型对于特定天气形势下引发的低能见度天气,预报误差较小且预报提前量较大。     

联合Delaunay三角网的等高线群综合研究

采用"联合Delaunay三角网"来提取成组等高线的弯曲,在弯曲处利用平三角形连接法进行局部地形结构线的连接,并建立起地形结构线的树状结构。运用方根模型确定谷地选取的数量指标,并提出了一种新的数学模型以确定谷地选取的质量指标,完成等高线群的自动综合。研究和实验表明,该方法充分顾及了地貌形态特征,谷地选取合理,概括程度适当,并完全避免了相邻等高线相交,综合效果较好。     

Provenance discrimination of fine sediments by mid-infrared spectroscopy: Calibration and application to fluvial palaeo-environmental reconstruction

Determining sediment provenance allows a better understanding of fluvial palaeo-dynamics, and identifying involved watersheds, at broad spatio-temporal scales. Conventional approaches for source identification are usually based on the physical, mineralogical, geochemical, magnetic or isotopic properties of sediments. Rapid, non-destructive and, in well-established contexts, highly accurate, mid-infrared spectroscopy is an alternative method for investigating sediment sources. The present research objectives are: (i) to use the mid-infrared spectroscopy method to discriminate the provenance of fine sediments, by applying discriminant analysis on a large set of reference samples from three different watersheds in the Upper Rhine area (associated with the Rhine, Ill and Vosges tributaries); (ii) to clarify whether the provenance spectra signatures are influenced by riverine depositional contexts (bars versus banks) and, to some extent, by grain size and/or high organic matter content; and (iii) to apply the mid-infrared spectroscopy – discriminant analysis method to a study of fluvial palaeo-dynamics and determine the provenance of palaeo-channel infillings. Three main sedimentary sources, divided into eight sub-categories, have been characterized by 196 modern reference samples from 78 collecting sites. Discriminant analysis displayed a strong separating power by classifying correctly the origin of samples without any inter-group overlap, independently from the geomorphological context (bar or bank) and associated slight changes in organic matter contents or grain size. Mid-infrared spectroscopy – discriminant analysis investigations of the palaeo-channel infill, complemented by radiocarbon dates and mineralogical data, allowed reconstructing general trends for the local morpho-sedimentary dynamics over the last ca 12 millennia.     

三峡水库消落区典型草本植物氮、磷养分计量特征

为明确消落区土壤养分对植物生长的影响,通过室内栽培试验,研究三峡库区秭归消落区土壤3种氮磷水平下4种草本植物—鬼针草(Bidens pilosa)、苍耳(Xanthium sibiricum)、水蓼(Polygonum hydropiper)、藜(Chenopodium album)长势及氮、磷计量特征.结果表明,消落区土壤中生长的植物氮含量为7.98~19.4 mg/g,磷含量为0.740~3.880 mg/g,氮磷比为3.48~13.70,判别植物生长受氮限制.外源氮磷的添加促进植物氮、磷含量明显升高,但氮磷比没有明显变化;外源氮磷添加解除植物受氮的限制作用.4种植物对消落区土壤低氮环境具有一定的适应能力.比较消落区土壤中4种植物长势,鬼针草生物量、相对生长率、根茎生物量比最高,氮磷养分丰富对鬼针草生长促进作用最明显,表明鬼针草更易于在氮、磷贫乏的三峡库区消落区形成优势群落.     

Plant root and rhizome strength: Are there differences between and within species and rivers?

The strength and architecture of roots and other below-ground organs of riparian and aquatic plants affect plant resistance to uprooting and contribute to reinforcing river bank, bar and bed materials. Therefore, root properties are an important element in models for estimating river bank stability and such models may focus on the role of plants by using root strength–diameter relationships for the particular plant species that are present. Here we explore the degree to which there appear to be significant differences in strength–diameter relationships between and within species-specific data sets obtained for two riparian tree/shrub (Populus nigra, Salix alba) and two emergent aquatic macrophyte (Sparganium erectum, Phalaris arundinacea) species in different European river environments. While the analysed data sets were not specifically collected to answer these research questions, the results are sufficiently compelling to make the case for the collection of a more comprehensive data set and its rigorous analysis. This would allow recommendations to be made on the degree to which (i) species-specific or more general relationships between root/rhizome strength and diameter are appropriate, (ii) such relationships are applicable within and between rivers in different geographical regions and subject to different local environmental conditions, and (iii) further (minimalist) field observations are needed to calibrate such relationships for investigations of new locales or species. © 2018 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.