Hydrochemical characteristics and salinity of groundwater in the Ejina Basin, Northwestern China

A hydrochemical investigation was conducted in the Ejina Basin to identify the hydrochemical characteristics and the salinity of groundwater. The results indicate that groundwater in the area is brackish and are significantly zonation in salinity and water types from the recharge area to the discharge area. The ionic ration plot and saturation index (SI) calculation suggest that the silicate rock weathering and evaporation deposition are the dominant processes that determine the major ionic composition in the study area. Most of the stable isotope δ¹⁸O and δD compositions in the groundwater is a meteoric water feature, indicating that the groundwater mainly sources from meteoric water and most groundwater undergoes a long history of evaporation. Based on radioactive isotope tritium (³H) analysis, the groundwater ages were approximately estimated in different aquifers. The groundwater age ranges from less than 5 years, between 5 years and 50 years, and more than 50 years. Within 1 km of the river water influence zone, the groundwater recharges from recent Heihe river water and the groundwater age is about less than 5 years in shallow aquifer. From 1 km to 10 km of the river water influence zone, the groundwater sources from the mixture waters and the groundwater age is between 5 years and 50 years in shallow aquifer. The groundwater age is more than 50 years in deep confined aquifer.     

How changes of groundwater level affect the desert riparian forest ecosystem in the Ejina Oasis,Northwest China

Groundwater is a key factor controlling the growth of vegetation in desert riparian systems. It is important to recognise how groundwater changes affect the riparian forest ecosystem. This information will not only help us to understand the ecological and hydrological process of the riparian forest but also provide support for ecological recovery of riparian forests and water-resources management of arid inland river basins. This study aims to estimate the suitability of the Water Vegetation Energy and Solute Modelling(WAVES) model to simulate the Ejina Desert riparian forest ecosystem changes,China, to assess effects of groundwater-depth change on the canopy leaf area index(LAI) and water budgets, and to ascertain the suitable groundwater depth for preserving the stability and structure of desert riparian forest. Results demonstrated that the WAVES model can simulate changes to ecological and hydrological processes. The annual mean water consumption of a Tamarix chinensis riparian forest was less than that of a Populus euphratica riparian forest, and the canopy LAI of the desert riparian forest should increase as groundwater depth decreases. Groundwater changes could significantly influence water budgets for T. chinensis and P. euphratica riparian forests and show the positive and negative effects on vegetation growth and water budgets of riparian forests. Maintaining the annual mean groundwater depth at around 1.7-2.7 m is critical for healthy riparian forest growth. This study highlights the importance of considering groundwater-change impacts on desert riparian vegetation and water-balance applications in ecological restoration and efficient water-resource management in the Heihe River Basin.     

内蒙古西部额济纳旗地区X井油气显示特征与油气源探讨

根据内蒙古额济纳旗地区X井白垩系额济纳旗组、侏罗系麻木乌苏组、古生界顶面风化壳等不同层段的油气显示特征和钻井泥浆烃类气体组分、甲烷C同位素的分析结果,认为侏罗系和白垩系油气显示特征相同,为油与气显示,气体样品的干燥系数(C1/C总)为0.80~0.87,甲烷C同位素δ13C1为-48.19‰~-50.87‰,表现了低成熟热解气的特征;古生界风化壳为气显示,天然气干燥系数(C1/C总)为0.91~0.92,甲烷C同位素δ13C1为-21.56‰~-30.91‰,表现了高成熟热解气的特征。该井及邻区的中生界、古生界烃源岩干酪根类型及其演化程度具有显著的差别,中生界烃源岩以低成熟混合型干酪根为主,古生界烃源岩为成熟—高成熟(或过成熟)的混合型-腐泥型干酪根。表明该区存在以中生界侏罗系—白垩系低成熟烃源岩为油气源的油气系统和古生界高成熟(或过成熟)烃源岩为气源的油气系统,指示了古生界油气资源前景。     

黑河下游额济纳绿洲现代荒漠化过程及其驱动机制

额济纳绿洲是发育在黑河下游内陆河三角洲上著名的天然绿洲。20世纪50年代以来,额济纳绿洲现代荒漠化过程加剧,绿洲萎缩,生态恶化。绿洲现代荒漠化过程是由水环境恶化过程、土壤干燥化过程、植被退化与生物多样性衰减过程、土地沙漠化过程和土壤盐碱化过程构成的地表动力学过程。导致额济纳绿洲荒漠化的驱动力是区域气候暖干化、强盛的风蚀侵蚀力、上中游过度开发水土资源的人为活动和额济纳绿洲内的“三滥”活动等。荒漠化驱动力的第一主成分与第二主成分的贡献率分别为59．276％和28．083％,反映出绿洲荒漠化驱动因子的多面性和综合性,绿洲内外过度的人为活动是其主导驱动因素。内在、外在驱动力在时间与空间上的耦合性是绿洲荒漠化的区域机制,驱动力因子团的互动-激发作用形成荒漠化的动力机制,驱动力与荒漠化土地间的响应形成正反馈机制,三种作用机制组合成绿洲现代荒漠化过程的复杂的驱动机制。     

额济纳绿洲近20年来土地覆被变化

土地利用/土地覆被变化研究是近年来全球环境变化研究的焦点之一。根据黑河下游额济纳绿洲土地生态分类,利用1982年与2000年2期TM遥感数据对比和野外实地调查,采用景观生态空间分布格局分析方法,分为河岸乔木林、河岸灌草林、荒漠稀疏灌丛、荒漠稀疏草地、河道与水域、盐碱化土地、城镇、戈壁、流动沙丘和剥蚀地山丘陵, 从各类土地分布面积变化和类型转移趋向与幅度两个方面,分析了额济纳绿洲20年来土地覆被变化。结果表明：①土地覆被类型结构发生了较大变化,河岸乔木林面积萎缩了0.97％、斑块数减小了376,而河岸灌草林增加了0.92％,数量减小1 316;而％LAND指数荒漠稀疏灌丛由4.49％增加到5.65％,由于中游来水量的锐减,河道和水域的斑块数由40个减少到6个,％LAND指数减小了0.15％。与此同时流动沙丘％LAND指数增加了0.42％。②近20年来以胡杨为主的河岸乔木林和荒漠稀疏草地减小了45.02％和14.55％,相应地以柽柳为主的河岸稀疏灌草地和荒漠稀疏灌丛增加了35.03％和25.88％;河岸乔灌林向河岸灌草林景观转移概率为45.95％,向荒漠稀疏灌丛和稀疏草地转移了0.78%和3.01％,向戈壁转移了10.87%;河岸灌草林景观类型向河岸乔灌林转移8.06％,向稀疏灌丛和稀疏草地转移10.95%和19.64%,向戈壁转移11.88％;③额济纳绿洲具有从河岸乔木→河岸灌草地→荒漠稀疏灌丛快速演化的趋势。     

Environmental isotopic and hydrochemical study of groundwater in the Ejina Basin,northwest China

The study investigates the groundwater evolution and its residence time in the Ejina Basin, northwest China according to isotope and hydrochemical analyses results. The groundwater chemistry is mainly controlled by the dissolution of halite, Glauber’s salt, gypsum, dolomite and calcite, also influenced by other processes such as evaporation, ion exchange, and deposition. Based on tritium content in atmospheric precipitation and by adopting a model with exponential time distribution function, the mean residence time of the unconfined aquifer groundwater with fairly high tritium activities (21–49 TU) is evaluated. The results show that these groundwaters have low residence time (5–120 years) and are renewable. In contrast, the deep confined groundwaters are tritium-free and radiocarbon values range from 18.3 to 26.7 pmc. According to the most commonly used ¹⁴C correction models, the radiocarbon groundwater ages were calculated which yield ages of approximately 4,087–9,364 years BP. Isotopic signatures indicate formation of deep confined groundwaters in a colder and wetter climate during the late Pleistocene and Holocene. It is suggested that long-term, rational water usage guide should be set up for the Heihe River Basin as a whole to permit a considerable discharge to the Ejina Basin.     

EVIDENCE OF NEOTECTONIC IMPACT ON A LARGE SEDIMENTARY BASIN BETWEEN TIBETAN PLATEAU AND GOBI ALTAY,NW CHINA

The Ejina(Gaxun Nur)Basin­enclosed by the Tibetan Plateau in the south and the Gobi Altay in the north has continuously evolved as a strong continental endorheic depositional environment. Medium scale geomorphological mapping by Landsat­ and Corona­Images as well as SRTM­topographic data,combined with field­surveys and geophysical investigation provides evidence for tectonic impact on sedimentary processes during the Late Quaternary.
Analyses of SRTM­Data and Landsat­Images reveal a system of up to 20m high inverted channels developed on the inactive eastern part of the large Hei river drainage delta south of the ancient lake Juyanze. The complex evolution of these landforms requires a relative lowering of the lake basin at least two times since the last 40ka. A 26m high cliff section of gravel­covered lake sediments within the Juyanze paleolake indicates a strong subsidence of the lake bottom of 10m/1000yrs since 18kaB.P.
North of Ejina river oasis a distinct north­south striking scarp up to 13m high constitutes the eastern margin of the Gaxun Nur. Palaeodrainage channels derived from the Gobi Altay. They display a sinistral offset of some decametres along a set of WE­trending faults. The rhombic shape of the modern dry Gaxun Nur,fossil cliffs,well preserved beach ridges along the margins of the palaeolake system as well as gravel covered topsets of lacustrine sediments indicate local displacements of morphological features. The displacements of lake sediments at the southern margin of the modern Gaxun Nur Basin imply a subsidence of at least 0.81m/1000 yrs since 25kaB.P.as a result of a pull­apart development due to the left stepping faults in a sinistral system.     

黑河下游额济纳绿洲生态需水关键期及需水量

黑河流域中生态最为脆弱、植被退化最为严重而对全流域生态治理目标的实现极为关键的地区在下游额济纳绿洲。黑河分水方案主要控制年总量,由来水过程确定分水时机,采用“全线闭口、集中下泄” 的分水方式,这容易导致分水与下游绿洲需水的时间错位。要实现黑河分水对下游天然绿洲的作用和意义,不仅要充分保证分水量,更要选择适宜的分水时间,如果分水错过了下游绿洲生态需水的关键期,将会直接影响绿洲植被的正常生长。要维持黑河下游额济纳绿洲健康、稳定和持续发展,确定生态需水的关键期是首当其冲的问题。本文通过对黑河下游额济纳绿洲地下水位时空动态变化过程、天然植被耗水过程和绿洲生态过程及水文过程的关系研究,确定了黑河下游额济纳绿洲生态需水的关键期。建议在生态关键期保障输送必需的水量,合理调节水库出水量与河道径流量,保障4月和8月关键期的需水量,其中4月至少要保证0.80亿m3的输水量,8月至少要保证1.08亿m3的输水量,确保下游绿洲植被的生理需水,同时考虑到前期缺水和随后的月份水量消耗,尽可能增加关键月的配水量。     

Influence of environmental, root, and stand parameters on soil surface CO2 efflux in a Populus euphratica of desert forest in extreme arid region

Spatial variation in soil surface CO2 efflux was measured in a stand of Populus euphratica in the Ejina Oasis of desert riparian forest in the extreme arid region in northwestern China from April 2007 through October 2007.Measurements were taken with a gas-exchange analyzer linked to a soil-respiration chamber.The mean soil CO2 efflux in the stand was 2.71 μmol/(m2·s) during the growing season and 1.38 μmol/(m2·s) in the nongrowing season.The seasonal maximum (end of May through early June) andminimum (October) CO2 efflux were 3.38 and 0.69 μmol/(m2·s),respectively.The diurnal fluctuation of CO2 efflux was relatively small (< 20 percent),with theminimum appearing around 05:00 and the maximum around 15:00.Linear regression analysis showed soil-surface CO2 efflux to be most highly correlated with soil temperature (R2=0.435) and soil moisture (R2=0.213).When all variables were considered simultaneously,only soil temperature (R2=0.378),soil moisture (R2=0.147),and root volume density (R2=0.021) explained a significant amount of variance in soil surface CO2 efflux.Stand volumes were not correlated with soil CO2 efflux on our sites.     

额济纳蒙古族民间景观格局反映的区域环境状况

以内蒙古额济纳旗为例,对当地土尔扈特蒙古族自18世纪初定牧于此开始,至20世纪之前形成的水域、植被和沙丘3大类蒙古族民间自然景观类型进行了研究.水域景观格局特征表明,相对于现代生态环境状况,在20世纪之前,额济纳冲积平原水环境较为优越,整个地区水域景观广布,地下水埋藏较浅.在植被景观格局方面,两河地区主要以胡杨-沙枣河岸林和河岸湿地为主;两湖地区主要以芦苇沼泽-芨芨草草甸和湖岸梭梭林为主;整个地区植被景观处于早期演替阶段.绿洲内部荒漠沙丘景观分布格局体现了干旱荒漠地区的景观基质特征.