Soil cracking effects on hydrological and erosive processes: a study case in Mediterranean cultivated vertisols

Shrink–swell soils, such as those in a Mediterranean climate regime, can cause changes in terms of hydrological and erosive responses because of the changing soil water storage conditions. Only a limited number of long‐term studies have focused on the impacts on both hydrological and erosive responses and their interactions in an agricultural environment. In this context, this study aims to document the dynamics of cracks, runoff and soil erosion within a small Mediterranean cultivated catchment and to quantify the influence of crack processes on the water and sediment supplied to a reservoir located at the catchment outlet using water and sediment measurements at a cultivated field outlet as baseline. Detailed monitoring of the presence of topsoil cracks was conducted within the Kamech catchment (ORE OMERE, Tunisia), and runoff and suspended sediment loads were continuously measured over a long period of time (2005–2012) at the outlets of a field (1.32 ha) and a catchment (263 ha). Analysis of the data showed that topsoil cracks were open approximately half of the year and that the rainfall regime and water table level conditions locally control the seasonal cracking dynamics. Topsoil cracks appeared to seriously affect the generation of runoff and sediment concentrations and, consequently, sediment yields, with similar dynamics observed at the field and catchment outlets. A similar time lag in the seasonality between water and sediment delivery was observed at these two scales: although the runoff rates were globally low during the presence of topsoil cracks, most sediment transport occurred during this period associated with very high sediment concentrations. This study underlines the importance of a good prediction of runoff during the presence of cracks for reservoir siltation considerations. In this context, the prediction of cracking effects on runoff and soil erosion is a key factor for the development of effective soil and water management strategies and downstream reservoir preservation. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Response of Plant Community Carbon and Nitrogen Stoichiometry to Experimental Warming on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau

Low temperature is an important limiting factor for alpine ecosystems on the Tibetan Plateau. This study is based on data from on-site experimental warming platforms (open top chambers, OTC) at three elevations (4300 m, 4500 m, 4700 m) on the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. The carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry characteristics of plant communities, both above-ground and below-ground, were observed in three alpine meadow ecosystems in August and September of 2011 and August of 2012. Experimental warming significantly increased above-ground nitrogen content by 21.4% in September 2011 at 4500 m, and reduced above-ground carbon content by 3.9% in August 2012 at 4300 m. Experimental warming significantly increased below-ground carbon content by 5.5% in August 2011 at 4500 m, and the below-ground ratio of carbon to nitrogen by 28.0% in September 2011 at 4300 m, but reduced below-ground nitrogen content by 15.7% in September 2011 at 4700 m, below-ground carbon content by 34.3% in August 2012 at 4700 m, and the below-ground ratio of carbon to nitrogen by 37.9% in August 2012 at 4700 m. Experimental warming had no significant effect on the characteristics of community carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry under other conditions. Therefore, experimental warming had inconsistent effects on the carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry of plant communities at different elevations and during different months. Soil ammonium nitrogen and nitrate nitrogen content were the main factors affecting plant community carbon and nitrogen stoichiometry.     

Stormflow concentration–discharge dynamics of suspended sediment and dissolved phosphorus in an agricultural watershed

Concentration–discharge (C-Q) relationships are an effective tool for identifying watershed biogeochemical source and transport dynamics over short and long timescales. We examined stormflow C-Q, hysteresis, and flushing patterns of total suspended sediment (TSS) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) in two stream reaches of a severely impaired agricultural watershed in northeastern Wisconsin, USA. The upper watershed reach—draining a relatively flat, row crop-dominated contributing area—showed predominantly anti-clockwise TSS hysteresis during storms, suggesting that particulate materials were mobilized more from distal upland sources than near- and in-channel areas. In contrast, the incised lower watershed reach produced strong TSS flushing responses on the rising limb of storm hydrographs and clockwise hysteresis, signalling rapid mobilization of near- and in-channel materials with increasing event flows. C-Q relationships for SRP showed complex patterns in both the upper and lower reaches, demonstrating largely non-linear chemodynamic C-Q behaviour during events. As with TSS, anti-clockwise SRP hysteresis in the upper reach suggested a delay in the hydrologic connectivity between SRP sources and the stream, with highly variable SRP concentrations during some events. A broad range of clockwise, anti-clockwise, and complex SRP hysteresis patterns occurred in the lower watershed, possibly influenced by in-channel legacy P stores and connection to tile drainage networks in the lower watershed area. Total suspended sediment and SRP responses were also strongly related to precipitation event characteristics including antecedent precipitation, recovery period, and precipitation intensity, highlighting the complexity of stormflow sediment and phosphorus responses in this severely impaired agricultural stream.     

便携式Li-K分析仪的研制及其在锂辉石中锂的分析应用

我国锂钾主要矿产资源大多分布在西部偏远地区,其勘查找矿或综合利用迫切需要现场快速分析技术的支持。本文介绍了自行开发的便携式Li-K分析仪的主要性能及其在锂辉石中锂的分析应用。Li-K分析仪是一种基于大气压的液体阴极辉光放电光谱仪,以待测液体为放电阴极,实现了样品中Li、K等元素的原子化和激发。该仪器以光纤传导CCD光谱仪作为检测器,其波长范围为345~1015 nm,分辨率3 nm;以Li 670.78 nm和K 769.90 nm分析谱线,在仪器最佳工作条件下测定Li、K的精密度(RSD,n=14)均低于2%,检出限为0.03μg/m L,检测范围0.1~10μg/m L。研究表明,不同酸度和酸的类型对谱线强度影响较大,且存在显著的样品基体效应,标准曲线法分析锂辉石中Li的结果偏差高达267%;而标准加入法可克服基体效应的影响,获得与ICP-OES一致性较好的分析结果,为现场开展固体样品中Li的测定奠定了基础。     

Drivers of ecosystem and climate change in tropical West Africa over the past ∼540 000 years

A paucity of empirical non‐marine data means that uncertainty surrounds the impact of climate change on terrestrial ecosystems in tropical regions beyond the last glacial period. The sedimentary fill of the Bosumtwi impact crater (Ghana) provides the longest continuous Quaternary terrestrial archive of environmental change in West Africa, spanning the last ～1.08 million years. Here we explore the drivers of change in ecosystem and climate in tropical West Africa for the past ～540 000 years using pollen analysis and the nitrogen isotope composition of bulk organic matter preserved in sediments from Lake Bosumtwi. Variations in grass pollen abundance (0?99%) indicate transitions between grassland and forest. Coeval variations in the nitrogen isotopic composition of organic matter indicate that intervals of grassland expansion coincided with minimum lake levels and low regional moisture availability. The observed changes responded to orbitally paced global climate variations on both glacial–interglacial and shorter timescales. Importantly, the magnitude of ecosystem change revealed by our data exceeds that previously determined from marine records, demonstrating for the first time the high sensitivity of tropical lowland ecosystems to Quaternary climate change.

     

相对湿度和PM2.5浓度对大气能见度的影响研究:基于小时资料的多站对比分析

为了全面分析浙江省不同区域能见度变化基本特征及影响机理,基于杭州、宁波、温州3个国家基本气象站2013-2014年逐时能见度观测资料,比较分析了3市能见度变化的基本特征。发现3市不同等级能见度出现频率基本一致,随着能见度等级的提高,出现频率逐渐降低;从能见度的日变化来看,07时（北京时）前后最低,之后缓慢上升,14-15时达到最高,随后逐渐下降;全年有两个能见度较低时段,分别出现在12月-次年2月和5-6月;总体而言,宁波能见度最优,杭州和温州大体相当。功率谱分析结果表明,3市能见度均有显著的日周期,高频波段呈现出多个显著谱峰,低频波段存在若干显著谱峰。进一步开展机理分析,发现相对湿度和PM_2.5浓度是调制大气能见度的关键因子,相对湿度增大、PM_2.5浓度升高导致能见度降低。在同一相对湿度等级下,初始阶段能见度随PM_2.5浓度的升高迅速降低,到达“拐点”之后降低速率趋于缓慢。在同一PM_2.5浓度水平下,相对湿度越大,能见度越低,说明水汽对能见度也有重要影响。基于相对湿度和PM_2.5浓度两个因子,采用非线性拟合方案构建了大气能见度定量统计模型,总体而言模型拟合效果较好。最后针对研究中存在的不足和未来值得进一步发掘的科学问题进行了讨论。     

天津城区春节期间大气气溶胶污染特征 和数浓度分布

利用天津城区2009-2014年春节期间大气气溶胶观测资料和相关气象资料,重点分析2013和2014年春节期间气溶胶污染特征,探求燃放烟花爆竹以及气象条件对春节期间大气气溶胶的影响。结果表明,受燃放烟花爆竹影响,春节期间PM_(2.5)质量浓度最高值均发生在除夕夜间;持续雾霾天气条件下燃放烟花爆竹,造成2013年除夕夜间PM_(2.5)质量浓度峰值达到1240μg·m～(-3),是近年来最严重的一次;2014年春节期间烟花爆竹燃放量有所减少,加之空气扩散条件较为有利,PM_(2.5)质量浓度显著低于2013年;不同天气条件下,气溶胶数浓度谱分布特征存在明显差异,燃放烟花爆竹期间气溶胶数浓度水平与严重雾-霾天气相当。     

江苏盐城地区一次持续雾-霾天气过程的综合分析

2013年12月上旬江苏盐城地区出现了一次历史罕见的持续重度雾-霾天气,利用盐城市常规气象观测资料、NCEP再分析资料(1°×1°)及环境监测中心站的污染物浓度资料等,对此次过程的环流背景、气象要素、大气层结特征以及动力条件、污染情况等进行了综合性分析。结果发现:12月上旬中高层冷空气势力弱,以纬向环流为主;低层弱的水平风场为雾-霾的发生发展提供了有利的环流背景;稳定的层结特征,近地面高强度的贴地逆温和持续较低的混合层高度是此次雾-霾天气长时间维持的重要因素;边界层内弱正散度及负涡度是此次雾-霾天气得以维持发展的动力因子;通过后向轨迹分型和火点监测资料分析发现:污染物的长距离输送在此次重污染天气的形成过程中起到了一定作用。最后,文中建立了能见度和PM_(2.5)浓度、相对湿度的非线性回归方程,对能见度的预报效果较好,为实际业务应用中雾-霾的预报提供了有利的依据。     

上海市PM_(10)浓度四季遥感模型研究

通过分析2001—2012年上海市PM_(10)浓度(由API(Air Pollution Index)转化得到)的变化规律,构建了上海市PM_(10)浓度的遥感反演模型。结果表明:1)上海市PM_(10)浓度存在季节性变化,应分别建立遥感反演模型。2)分析MODIS气溶胶光学厚度(Aerosol Optical Depth,AOD)产品与PM_(10)浓度之间的相关性发现,AOD须经过垂直和湿度订正才可与PM_(10)建立较好的关系。3)结合垂直和湿度订正分别建立的上海市PM_(10)浓度春夏秋冬四季的遥感反演模型均通过了拟合度检验,其中春季模型采用指数函数、夏季和秋季模型采用二次多项式函数、冬季采用幂函数、全年采用二次多项式函数,利用此四季模型反演上海市PM_(10)浓度具有较高的可信度。