Does sediment resuspension by storms affect the fate of polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs) in the benthic food chain? Interactions between changes in POM characteristics, adsorption and absorption by the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis

Environmental parameters and gross sedimentation rates (GSR) were monitored at a fixed site located in the Bay of Banyuls-sur-Mer (NW Mediterranean), between March 1997 and April 1998, together with the main biochemical characteristics of both sedimenting and sedimented particulate organic matter (POM). Three storms which occurred during this time period resulted in natural sediment resuspension. This is indicated by the corresponding increase in GSR and a decrease in the enzymatically hydrolysable amino acids/totally hydrolysable amino acids ratio (EHAA/THAA), within the sedimenting POM. Only the strongest storm resulted in (1) a transitory increase in fine-grained particles, (2) concomitant increases in organic carbon, carbohydrates, lipids and THAA, and (3) a decrease in the EHAA/THAA ratio in surficial sediments. For most of the assayed parameters, the values recorded after the December 1997 storm corresponded to extremes for the whole period under study. This emphasises the role of storms in controlling the characteristics of sedimented and sedimenting POM.Ten sediment types, with contrasting biochemical characteristics, were selected for experiments; these were based on the results of the monitoring survey and were used during adsorption and absorption experiments involving ¹⁴C tetrachlorobiphenyl (TCB). Adsorption rates differed significantly between the sediment types, but did not correlate with any of the assayed biochemical parameters. Absorption efficiency by the mussel Mytilus galloprovincialis also differed between the sediment types; it correlated positively with all the assayed biochemical parameters, except lipids. Comparison between the magnitudes of the increase in GSR, together with the decrease in absorption efficiency during resuspension events, suggests that resuspension tends to enhance the transfer of organic pollutants in the benthic food chain.     

Expansion and contraction of Chinese deserts during the Quaternary

Episodic dune formations during the Quaternary are found in many deserts of China.The causes of desert expansions on different time scales are not the same. Desert extension atabout 1.1 and 0.9 Ma ago were the response to the active tectonic movements, whereas the de-sert evolutions on the ten-thousand years time scale were the response to the orbital scale climaticchanges. Spatial scale studies on desert evolution indicate that desert margins shifted greatly dur-ing the last glacial maximum (LGM) and the Holocene optimum, its changing from 125°E of theLGM to 105°E of the climatic optimum. Historical desertification in the semiarid China is not a re-sponse to climate drought but largely associated with the human impacts (mainly over-cultivation)since about 2300 years ago, which leads to the reworking of the underlying LGM sands.     

北魏(AD386——534)鄂尔多斯高原的自然一人文景观

通过使用历史地理学研究方法，对北魏时期（ＡＤ３８６－５３４）历史文献记录进行断代考证研究，参用研究精度较高的第四纪地质实验分析资料，围绕鄂尔多斯高原景观问题按地理要素展开探讨，取得的结果是本时段内库布齐沙漠沙深，面积广大，毛乌素沙地已有风成沙丘，植被不丰，干燥气候条件下多个季节仍有雨雪冷湿天气，高原上呈现沙草并存的荒漠－荒漠草原景观，居住其上的人民在套上黄河支流发育地段务农，牧民和载畜量由北向南增多，东南缘边最为集中。     

巴丹吉林沙漠高大沙山的形成发育研究

通过对巴丹吉林沙漠高大沙山的考察，以及沙丘形态和风况、沙山TL测年、古沙丘层理产状等的研究表明，高大沙山的形成发育受沙源、风系、底基地形和灌草植被等因素的影响。第四纪以来弱水古水系的变迁为沙漠及沙山的发育提供了丰富的沙物质来源。沙山发育的受西风和西北风两大盛行风系的控制，末次冰期以前为西风环流主导时期，地表盛行风向为西风，次为西北风；末次冰期以来为季风环流主导时期，地表盛 行风为西北风，次为西风。沙山底基地形的起伏不仅诱发近地表气流产生波伏运动，同时也是风沙流运行的障碍。气候湿润期发育的沙丘灌草植被通过抑制风蚀、扑捉风沙等作用加速沙山的发育。高大沙山是新月形沙丘和沙丘链、复合新月形沙丘和沙丘链演进而形成的大型稳定风积床面形态。     

沙漠砂承载力室内综合性原位测试模拟试验研究

为更好地满足沙漠油田地面工程建设的需要 ,对沙漠砂采用平板振动器分层制样 ,进行了平板载荷、静力触探和标准贯入等一系列室内模拟试验。试验数据回归分析表明 :静力触探试验中 ,《TJ2 1- 77规范》与《JTJ2 40 - 97规范》等规范建议的承载力值偏小。标准贯入试验中 ,《GBJ7- 89规范》、《TJ7- 74规范》与《JTJ2 40 - 97规范》等规范砂土承载力推荐值与本文试验回归值相差较大 ,偏于保守 ,如将其用于沙漠地基勘查评价和基础设计中将造成很大浪费 ;现有一些规范在用SPT和CPT确定粉细砂承载力时存在矛盾 ,不够协调 ,因此不适用于沙漠地区 ,必须制定新的标准。     

Primary study on pattern of general circulation of atmosphere before uplift of the Tibetan Plateau in eastern Asia

The Tibetan Plateau is a key factor for the pattern of the general circulation of the atmosphere (GCA) in eastern Asia. The pattern of the GCA after the uplift of the plateau is well known, while the pattern of the GCA before the uplift of the plateau is lack of direct evidences. Based on the knowability of desert, a section recording wind directions across the Cretaceous northern hemisphere mid-low latitude desert belt is measured and the pattern of the GCA in the Cretaceous is revealed. The result shows that the eastern Asia was really controlled by the planetary circulation before the uplift of the plateau, i.e. westerlies in the north and northeast trades in the south. The convert belt between westerlies and trades had drifted northwards and southwards. The possibility of existence of paleo-monsoon is also dealt with and a possibly imposed paleo-monsoon is suggested.     

How special are Etendeka mesas? Flora and elevation gradients in an arid landscape in north-west Namibia

Seven mesas (i.e. flat-topped, isolated mountains) and the Grootberg mountain in arid north-west Namibia were investigated with regard to floristic relationships in relation to environmental gradients. Relationships between mesas and their surrounding, species richness and number of mesa specialists were used as measures to explore the influence of elevation on these floristic parameters. Also soil properties were investigated along these elevation gradients. The overall questions were designed to investigate the importance, i.e. ‘special status’, of these mesas in terms of contributing to species diversity and to elucidating ecological processes in this arid landscape.With regard to special floristic status, the tops of mesas supported different plant communities than their surrounding plains, while slopes indicated various levels of intermingling with plain vegetation. Differences between mesas and plains became more pronounced with increasing elevation. There were, however, no clear vegetation belts related to elevation. Plant species richness and number of mesa specialists showed a trend of increasing numbers with elevation, but these trends were statistically poorly supported, largely due to high variability between samples.Do soil gradients and elevation, as two important environmental variables, affect this ‘special’ status? Pronounced soil gradients were evident for many soil properties. These in combination with altitudinal effects of increased moisture and lower temperatures were believed to directly influence plant species composition and richness. The soil gradients may also indicate nutrient flow from the mesas to the surrounding lowlands, a process of ecological importance, particularly should degradation due to over grazing become a problem in the lowland areas.     

中更新世全球最大冰期与中国沙漠扩张

位于青藏高原和西北干旱区交界带的沙沟黄土剖面, 详细记录了0.8 Ma BP以来东亚季风系统和沙漠演化的历史. L6黄土层中, 中值粒径和砂粒含量表明当时冬季风极端强盛, 沙漠大规模扩张, 其范围仅次于末次冰期最盛期. 在0.6～0.7 Ma BP以前(即深海氧同位素MIS16阶段), 北半球高纬度大陆冰盖大规模扩展, 全球冰量达到最大, 并且西伯利亚冰盖的扩展, 还使得西伯利亚高压增强; 同时, 青藏高原上也发育了最大规模的冰川, 从而强化了西风和东亚冬季风. 其结果造成了中国季风边缘区的沙漠扩张. 虽然全球冰量和青藏高原是影响沙漠演化的重要因素, 但在不同的时段其机制可能有所不同, 也不能忽略其它因素的影响.     

广西耕地资源可持续利用与粮食安全问题研究

1978～ 1999年 ,广西耕地总量相对稳定 ,但人均耕地面积下降趋势明显 ,人地矛盾突出。耕地利用程度、集约经营程度和利用效益偏低 ,粮食安全形势严峻。预测 2 0 10年耕地总面积可保有 2 5 8 2 3× 10 4hm2 ,仅可满足耕地总需求量的下限要求。采取保护耕地、促进耕地可持续利用和加大对耕地的投入等有效措施 ,是提高粮食单产水平和粮食产量 ,实现粮食安全保障的关键。