Reviews

Abstract

North American Exploration: A Continent Defined, Volume 2, John Logan Allen, editor, Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. 1997. 480 pp. Illustrations, maps. ISBN 080321023x. $75.00 (Cloth).

North American Exploration: A Continent Defined, Volume 3, John Logan Allen, editor, Lincoln, Nebraska: University of Nebraska Press. 1997. 656 pp. Illustrations, maps. ISBN 0803210434. $75.00 (Cloth).

Space, Gender, and Knowledge, Linda McDowell and Joanne P. Sharp, editors, New York, NY John Wiley & Sons. 1997. 468 pp. ISBN 0470236698. $34.95 (paper).

The Japanese City, P.P. Karan and Kristin Stapleton, editors, Lexington, Kentucky: The University Press of Kentucky. 1997. 264 pp. ISBN 0813120357. $31.95 (cloth).

Education, Environment and Economy: Reporting Research in a New Academic Grouping, Frances Slater, David Lambert, and David Lines, editors, London, England: Institute of Education, University of London. 1997. 210 pp. Figures., ISBN 0854734996. £11.99 (paper).

The Peopling of Africa: A Geographic Interpretation, James L. Newman New Haven, Connecticut: Yale University Press. 1997., 252 pp. Maps., ISBN 0300072805. $15.00 (paper).     

河南省境内淮河南北气候变化的小麦适应度比较

适应度是气候变化下适应性研究的关键环节,本文提出气候变化适应度的概念及其定量评价方法,并对淮河南北的小麦适应度进行比较分析。结果表明,目前河南省境内的南北气候分界线并非淮河干流区,而是由原位置北移约300 km处的最大支流地带,冬小麦的适应度空间变化大致围绕该分界线呈经向分布。淮河分界线以南地域适应度为62.57%,高于以北地域的56.81%,研究结果表明,欲达到河南农业可持续发展,距离完全适应仍有较大空间需要人为调控,且北部相比较南部其调控压力更大。在年际变化上,随着20世纪80年代气候的突变,各地小麦温度适应度骤增,水分适应度骤减,之后随着气候的日趋稳定,各气候要素的适应度不断上升,但在21世纪初上升速度下降,甚至有降低趋势,表明气候变暖的环境对小麦的负面影响日渐突出。     

青藏高原江河源区近40年来气候变化特征及其对区域环境的影响

以江河源区12个气象台站1971-2008年间的逐月气温、风速和降水资料为基础,对该区气候变化特征进行了分析,结果表明:近40年来,江河源区气候持续变暖,年均气温的增温率为0.37℃/(10 a),1987年和1998年气温由低向高突变;年均风速显著降低,每10 a降幅为0.24 m/s,1981年和1992年风速由高向低突变,年均风速与年均气温间呈负相关关系;1980年代降水偏多,1970和1990年代偏少,21世纪以来降水量有所回升,增幅因区域而异;年陆面蒸发量整体显著增加.结合前人研究,探讨了气候变化对环境的影响:持续升温导致江河源区内冰川退缩、多年冻土退化;1980年代气候相对暖湿,水资源量较丰;气候暖干化、水资源量减少、生态环境恶化是该区在1990年代和21世纪最初几年的显著特征;2004年左右以来,江河源区气候转湿,水资源量增加,生态环境有所好转.     

试论未来极端气候事件发展趋势的不确定性

极端气候事件是在一定时间尺度上发生的不同于气候系统平均状态的气候突变.早第三纪的最热事件（PETM）,第四纪中国黄土高原古土壤S4、S5记录的暖湿事件,砂黄土L9、L15记录的干冷事件等都是在轨道时间尺度上发生的极端气候事件.末次冰消期的YD冷事件、全新世9次冷事件是在千—百年尺度上发生的极端气候事件.这些极端气候事件出现于地球气候系统不同的冷暖背景下,它们的成因机制和表现形式有很多不确定性.20世纪以来发生的干旱、洪水、飓风、雪灾、沙尘暴等极端气候事件,无法用持续增加的温室气体的变化来解释.关于极端气候事件发生频率和强度随＂全球变暖＂而增加的结论也存在一定程度的不确定性.因此,简单地将现代极端气候事件统统归因于＂气候变暖＂既不科学也不合理.深入研究各个时间尺度上发生的极端气候事件的波动性、周期性和不确定性特征,有助于科学预测未来气候变化背景下极端气候事件的发展趋势.     

中国中世纪暖期气候变化的基本特征

对中世纪暖期（MWP）的时空分异和区域影响进行综合分析,关系到对近百年来全球气候变暖驱动力的正确认识,也有助于客观地解析20世纪气候变化增暖的历史地位.本研究对中国疆域内各个地区MWP的一些成果进行梳理和再思考,表明MWP在中国疆域内的存在是毋庸置疑的,但不同地区MWP表现出明显的时空差异.中国中东部地区在800—1300 AD存在明显温暖期,各种地质记录和文献记载都有较明显反映;虽然西北部MWP表现不很明显,但是众多石笋、湖泊沉积和风沙沉积也记录了500—1500 AD间呈现温暖湿润的气候特征;青藏高原各地MWP的表现差异明显,其中800—1100 AD暖期是高原东北部最暖的时期,而南部和西部最暖期分别出现于1150—1400 AD和1250—1500 AD.太阳辐射变化和火山活动可能是形成MWP的基本原因,而中国三大自然区下垫面条件的复杂多样性造成MWP发生过程和表现形式的时空分异.     

从沙尘暴变化趋势看全球气候变化

近年来人们对全球气候变化的问题尤为关注,因为,如今气候变化不仅仅是科学问题、环境问题,还是一个国际政治问题、经济问题,事关社会的长远发展.本研究以沙尘暴为切入点,在前人研究的基础上,总结了近年来沙尘暴及沙尘天气发生频率的变化趋势及其地域性差异,并进一步讨论了沙尘暴发生频率变化趋势与温度变化的响应机制,认为沙尘暴发生频率变化与气温变化呈负相关关系.近年来中国沙尘暴发生频率呈整体下降趋势,表明近年来中国气温有整体升高的趋势,这可能是全球变冷大趋势中的次级波动.     

1961-2008年中国西南地区极端气候变化幅度的海拔效应(英文)

A total of 12 indices of temperature extremes and 11 indices of precipitation ex-tremes at 111 stations in southwestern China at altitudes of 285-4700 m were examined for the period 1961-2008. Significant correlations of temperature extremes and elevation in-cluded the trends of diurnal temperature range, frost days, ice days, cold night frequency and cold day frequency. Regional trends of growing season length, warm night frequency, coldest night and warmest night displayed a statistically significant positive correlation with altitude. These characteristics indicated the obvious warming with altitude. For precipitation extreme indices, only the trends of consecutive dry days, consecutive wet days, wet day precipitation and the number of heavy precipitation days had significant correlations with increasing alti-tude owing to the complex influence of atmospheric circulation. It also indicated the increased precipitation mainly at higher altitude areas, whereas the increase of extreme precipitation events mainly at lowers altitude. In addition, the clearly local influences are also crucial on climate extremes. The analysis revealed an enhanced sensitivity of climate extremes to ele-vation in southwestern China in the context of recent warming.     

基于方志资料重建1644-1949年长江三角洲地区台风频次序列(英文)

The proxy records on typhoons in the Yangtze River Delta from 1644 to 1949AD were extracted from historical chorographies in the Qing Dynasty and the Republic of China Period.In reference to the basic principles for identifying historical typhoons,time series on the Yangtze River Delta over a period of 306 years were developed.The conclusions are as follows.(1) There were a total of 241 typhoons from 1644 to 1949AD.Using the historical chorographies from 1884 to 1949AD,the number of typhoons was 65,equal to 87.8% recorded by meteorological observation.The number of years with differences in typhoon activities reconstructed using two ways no more than once is 55,reaching 83.3% in the period from 1884 to 1949AD.This result means the series of historical typhoons reconstructed using historical chorographies can represent the change of typhoon activities over years.(2) The average number of typhoon activities is 0.79 times per year from 1644 to 1949AD,and they show an increasing trend.These 306 years can be divided into three periods by the average number of typhoon activities:it is low from 1644 to 1784AD,and more typhoon activities are found from 1785 to 1904AD.It is worth noting that the number of typhoon activities reaches the summit in the last period,which is 1.2 times per year from 1905 to 1949AD.(3) Before the 20th century,the number of typhoon activities in warm periods is less than the number of cold periods.However,the number of typhoon activities increased dramatically in the early 20th century.Comparing the typhoon activities with El Ni o events,the data show that the number of typhoon activities did not increase when El Ni o occurred.     

Adaptation models of mountain glacier tourism to climate change: a case study of Mt. Yulong Snow scenic area

Mountain glaciers have an obvious location advantage and tourist market condition over polar and high latitude glaciers. Due to the enormous economic benefit and heritage value, some mountain glaciers will always receive higher attention from commercial media, government departments and mountain tourists in China and abroad. At present, more than 100 glaciers have been developed successfully as famous tourist destinations all over the world. However, global climate change seriously affects mountain glaciers and its surrounding environment. According to the current accelerated retreat trend, natural and cultural landscapes of some glaciers will be weakened, even disappear in the future. Climate change will also inevitably affect mountain ecosystems, and tourism routes under ice and glacier experience activities in these ecosystems. Simultaneously, the disappearance of mountain glaciers will also lead to a clear reduction of tourism and local economic benefits. Based on these reasons, this paper took Mt. Yulong Snow scenic area as an example and analyzed the retreat trend of a typical glacier. We then put forward some scientific and rational response mechanisms and adaptation models based on climate change in order to help future sustainable development of mountain glacier tourism.