Anthropogenic impacts on the water and salt budgets of St Lucia estuarine lake in South Africa

Lake St Lucia in South Africa is part of a UNESCO World Heritage site and a Ramsar wetland of international importance. Like many coastal wetlands worldwide, anthropogenic activities including catchment land-use changes, water diversions/abstractions, and manipulation of the mouth state have significantly affected its functioning over the past century. Questions concerning its sustainability have motivated a re-evaluation of management decisions made in the past and of options for the future. A model for the water and salt budgets has therefore been used to investigate “what if” scenarios in terms of past anthropogenic interventions. In particular, simulations allow us to evaluate the effects of diverting the Mfolozi river from St Lucia on the functioning of the system and on the occurrence of various water level/salinity states that drive the biological functioning of the ecosystem. In the past, when the St Lucia estuary and the Mfolozi river had a combined inlet, the mouth was predominantly open. The lake had relatively stable water levels but variable salinities that increased during dry conditions due to evaporative losses and saltwater inflows from the sea. If the mouth closed, the Mfolozi flow was diverted into the lake which reduced salinities and maintained or increased water levels. Simulations indicate that without a link to the Mfolozi the lake system would naturally have a mainly closed inlet with lower average salinities but more variable water levels. During dry conditions water levels would reduce and result in desiccation of large areas of the lake as has recently occurred. We conclude that the artificial separation of the St Lucia and Mfolozi inlets underpins the most significant impacts on the water & salt budget of the lake and that its reversal is key to the sustainability of the system.     

全球变化背景下暖水珊瑚礁生态系统的适应性与修复研究

暖水珊瑚礁生态系统是热带海域最具生物多样性和代表性的生态系统之一。本研究分析了全球变化背景下暖水珊瑚礁生态系统的变化和风险,开展了受损暖水珊瑚礁生态系统退化和消失的致灾因子归因分析,综述了暖水珊瑚礁生态系统的适应性与修复技术研究。分析表明:①过去几十年来,暖水珊瑚礁生态系统快速退化,包括大面积白化和死亡、多样性明显减少和生态功能显著衰退,主要归因于海洋升温与人类活动等致灾因子的影响;②在温室气体高排放浓度情景下(RCP 8.5),相比工业革命前,到本世纪中叶,南海升温将可能远超过2℃,这表明南海暖水珊瑚礁生态系统正在逼近其气候临界点,即全球升温高于2℃时,90%~99%以上的暖水珊瑚将消失;③1980年代以来,海洋升温、海洋热浪和强热带气旋等海洋气候变化致灾因子对南海暖水珊瑚的危害性(影响的强度、范围和时间)明显增加,对暖水珊瑚礁生态系统产生了严重的影响;与此同时,近岸海域的过度或破坏性捕捞、采挖和潜水等人类活动,对暖水珊瑚造成了严重损害,增加了暖水珊瑚的气候脆弱性,而这种人类活动既是局部的,也是全球性的现象,使得暖水珊瑚更难以适应全球变暖的影响。分析还表明,为了增强暖水珊瑚适应气候与环境变化的恢复力(韧性),人们开展了诸多受损珊瑚礁生态系统的适应性与修复研究,但主要是采用无性繁殖或结合人工基质的修复方式,而应用有性繁殖技术恢复受损珊瑚礁的方式仍较少;最近,暖水珊瑚耐热的基因适应性研究取得了重要进展,为暖水珊瑚适应全球变暖提供了一种新的途径。本研究最后探讨了中国受损珊瑚礁生态系统的修复问题与对策。     

Modeling impacts of vegetation in western China on the summer climate of northwestern China

Using the monthly NCEP-NCAR reanalysis dataset, the monthly temperature and precipitation at surface stations of China, and the MM5 model, we examine impacts of vegetation cover changes in western China on the interdecadal variability of the summer climate over northwestern China during the past 30 years. It is found that the summer atmospheric circulation, surface air temperature, and rainfall in the 1990s were different from those in the 1970s over northwestern China, with generally more rainfall and higher temperatures in the 1990s. Associated with these changes, an anomalous wave train appears in the lower troposphere at the midlatitudes of East Asia and the low-pressure system to the north of the Tibetan Plateau is weaker. Meanwhile, the South Asian high in the upper troposphere is also located more eastward. Numerical experiments show that change of vegetation cover in western China generally forces anomalous circulations and temperatures and rainfall over these regions. This consistency between the observations and simulations implies that the interdecadal variability of the summer climate over northwestern China between the 1990s and 1970s may result from a change of vegetation cover over western China.     

一种基于全局优化的交错网格有限差分法

在地震波场数值模拟中, 交错网格有限差分技术得到了广泛的应用, 但是在弹性模量变化较大时, 通常会因插值而导致模拟误差增大. 旋转交错网格可以很好地克服这个缺点, 因而适合于各向异性介质正演模拟. 但是对于同样大小的网格单元, 旋转交错网格需要的步长比常规交错网格要大, 这会使梯度和散度算子的误差增大因而更易产生空间数值频散. 针对这些问题, 本文提出了旋转交错网格与紧致有限差分相结合的方法, 并基于模拟退火算法进行全局优化, 压制数值频散, 拓宽波数范围. 数值模拟结果表明, 此方法可以有效地压制数值频散, 且具有较高的模拟精度.      

Modelling long-term HFC emissions from India's residential air-conditioning sector: exploring implications of alternative refrigerants,best practices,and a sustainable lifestyle within an integrated assessment modelling framework

India's growing role in the global climate debate makes it imperative to analyse emission reduction policies and strategies across a range of GHGs, especially for under-researched non-CO₂ gases. Hydrofluorocarbons' (HFCs) usage in cooling equipment and subsequent emissions are expected to increase dramatically in India with the phase-out of hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HCFCs) as coolants in air-conditioning equipment. We focus on the residential air-conditioning sector in India and analyse a suite of HFC and alternative coolant gas scenarios for understanding the implications for GHG emissions from this sector within an integrated assessment modelling framework. We find that, if unabated, HFC410A emissions will contribute to 36% of the total global warming impact from the residential air-conditioner sector in India in 2050, irrespective of the future economic growth trajectory, and the remaining 64% is from energy to power residential air-conditioners. A move towards more efficient, low global warming potential (GWP) alternative refrigerants will significantly reduce the cumulative global warming footprint of this sector by 37% during the period 2010–2050, due to gains both from energy efficiency as well as low GWP alternatives. Best practices for reducing direct emissions are important, but only of limited utility, and if a sustainable lifestyle is adopted by consumers with lower floorspace, low GWP refrigerants, and higher building envelope efficiencies, cumulative emissions during 2010–2050 can be reduced by 46% compared to the Reference scenario.

Policy relevance

Our analysis has important implications for Indian climate policy. We highlight that the Indian government's amendment proposal to the Montreal Protocol is a strong signal to the Indian market that the transition away from high GWP refrigerants towards low/zero GWP alternatives will happen sooner or later. The Bureau of Energy Efficiency should extend building energy conservation code policy to residential buildings immediately, and the government should mandate it. Government authorities should set guidelines and mandate reporting of data related to air-conditioner coolant recharge frequency and recovery of scrapped air-conditioner units. For contentious issues like flammability where there is no consensus within the industry, the government needs to undertake an independent technical assessment that can provide unbiased and reliable information to the market.     

近50年云南区域气候变化特征分析

利用云南气温和降水资料, 分析了云南气候变化特征及强降水极端天气和高温干旱事件对全球气候变暖的响应。以云南香格里拉、西双版纳、昆明地区为代表, 分析了区域气象要素变化趋势。结果表明: 云南近50 年气温变化与全球、北半球、中国变化趋势基本一致, 气温变化幅度略大于全球, 弱于北半球和全国变化。云南20 世纪80 年代中后期以后出现增暖现象, 以90 年代后期增温最明显, 1986 年以来出现13 年暖冬, 大部分地区冬春季降霜日数减少。随气候变暖, 香格里拉地区降雪日数呈下降趋势, 西双版纳地区雾日明显减少, 全省降雨日数逐渐减少, 大雨频率变化不大, 暴雨、大暴雨频率上升, 高温干旱事件频率增加。进入21 世纪以后, 云南降水减少, 高温干旱事件有增强增多趋势, 由2～3 年一遇变为1～2 年一遇。2005 年春夏连旱和2006 年春旱是云南近50 年和20 年来最严重的旱灾。     

Contribution to the Global Warming Mitigation of Marshlands Conversion to Croplands in the Sanjiang Plain,Northeast China

Based on the estimation of greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions and carbon sequestration of the total conversion of marshlands (TMC), marshlands conversion to paddy fields (MCPFs) and marshlands conversion to uplands (MCULs), this study revealed the contribution to the global warming mitigation (CGWM) of paddy fields versus uplands converted from marshlands in the Sanjiang Plain (excluding the Muling‐Xingkai Plain on south of Wanda Mountain), Heilongjiang Province, northeast China. The results showed that the total area of MCPFs and MCULs was 504.23 × 10³ ha between 1982 and 2005. The CGWM per unit area was 45.53 t CO₂eq/ha for MCPFs and that was 23.95 t CO₂eq/ha for MCULs, with an obvious 47.40% reduction. The MCPFs and MCULs ecosystems acted as the carbon sink all of the year. As far as CGWM per unit area is concerned, MCPFs mitigated the greenhouse effect which was greater than MCULs. And it was effective that the implementation of the uplands transformed into paddy fields in Northeast China with regard to marshlands protection and croplands (including paddy fields and uplands) reclamation.     

2000年以来黑龙江省浓雾气候特征及秋季浓雾天气异常环流特征

探讨了黑龙江省2000年以来浓雾时空分布特征以及秋季浓雾异常环流特征和环流分型。结果表明：黑龙江省浓雾春季和冬季少,夏季最多,但多发生在山区,持续时间短,局地性强;范围大、持续时间长、灾害重的浓雾天气主要出现在秋季,其中10—11月持续性浓雾天气过程均发生在2010年以后。黑龙江省秋季浓雾多发生在暖湿空气较强的环境条件下,根据500 hPa高度场和距平场特征把秋季偏暖背景下浓雾发生的主要环流型分为西低东高型和纬向型,黑龙江省中低层正高度距平、850 hPa距平风场上反气旋环流以及西北太平洋副热带高压常偏北偏强等异常环流特征对浓雾中短期预报有较好的指示意义。     

黑河中游荒漠绿洲农业适应气候变化技术研究

以我国第二大内陆河流域——黑河流域的中游荒漠绿洲为例,基于长期定位试验成果,研究了绿洲农业适应气候变化的技术及其潜力。结果表明,在田间水平上,垄沟灌溉种植、主栽作物与伴生植物混播种植、优化水肥管理、建立枣粮复合系统是绿洲农业适应气候变化的有效技术;在绿洲水平上,调整农业种植结构、加大农田林网规格和减少农田林网的灌溉次数、降低防风固沙体系中高耗水树种——杨树的比例等技术是应对气候变化的重要途径。综合评价结果表明,在黑河中游绿洲,通过推广上述技术,在不降低绿洲农业产值和不影响绿洲生态系统稳定性的前提下,初步估算每年可节水2.96×108m3,抵消了气温上升大约1℃所带来的蒸散发消耗量。     

赤峰地区近50a气候变化诊断分析

利用线性回归、累积距平和多项式回归法,对赤峰地区1951—1990年12个气象台站的月、季、年平均气温、最高气温、最低气温序列进行连续性变化趋势分析,确定该区域的气候变化趋势。应用Mann-Kendall法和滑动t检验法检验气温序列变化的不连续性,确定突变时间。结果表明:赤峰地区12个月的平均气温均有升温趋势,增温幅度从0.56℃/10a到0.15℃/10a,其中2月份最强。季节增温最显著的是冬季,其次是秋季和春季,夏季最弱。年平均气温增温率是0.28℃/10a,1988年是变暖的第一年,突变时间在1993年;年平均最低气温增温率是0.29℃/10a,1988年是变暖的第一年,突变时间在1988年;年平均最高气温增温率是0.26℃/10a,1993年是变暖的第一年,突变时间在1993—1996年附近;平均最低气温和最高气温的变暖时间具有不对称性。