Are peatlands in different states with respect to their thermodynamic behaviour? A simple test of peatland energy and entropy budgets

Whilst all ecosystems must obey the second law of thermodynamics, these physical bounds and controls on ecosystem evolution and development are largely ignored across the ecohydrological literature. To unravel the importance of these underlying restraints on ecosystem form and function, and their power to inform our scientific understanding, we have calculated the entropy budget of a range of peat ecosystems. We hypothesize that less disturbed peatlands are ‘near equilibrium’ with respect to the second law of thermodynamics and thus respond to change by minimizing entropy production. This ‘near equilibrium’ state is best achieved by limiting evaporative losses. Alternatively, peatlands ‘far-from-equilibrium’ respond to a change in energy inputs by maximizing entropy production which is best achieved by increasing evapotranspiration. To test these alternatives this study examined the energy balance time series from seven peatlands across a disturbance gradient. We estimate the entropy budgets for each and determine how a change in net radiation (ΔR_n) was transferred to a change in latent heat flux (ΔλE). The study showed that: (i) The transfer of net radiation to latent heat differed significantly between peatlands. One group transferred up to 64% of the change in net radiation to a change in latent heat flux, while the second transferred as little as 27%. (ii) Sites that transferred the most energy to latent heat flux were those that produced the greatest entropy. The study shows that an ecosystem could be ‘near equilibrium’ rather than ‘far from equilibrium’.     

Characteristics of horizontal crustal deformation in Japan as deduced from frequency distribution of maximum shear strain rate

In order to study characteristics of horizontal crustal strains, we divide the Japanese Islands into 14 tectonic provinces consistent with the suggestion given byMatsuda (1990). We calculate frequency distribution of strain rates using the results of the Precise Control Survey initiated by the Geographical Survey Institute in 1973. This survey is a revision of old first- and second-order triangulation networks by trilateration. The principal axes and principal strains inside all the geodetic triangles are deduced from the comparison of the old triangulation and the new trilateration networks. The maximum shear strain rates are calculated by dividing the accumulated strains with the time intervals. The frequency distribution of strain rates is counted for each tectonic province and for the entire Japanese Islands. It is proved that the maximum shear strain rate with highest frequency ranges from 0.10–0.15 microstrain/a for 4409 data in the Japanese Islands. The mean value of the strain rates throughout the Japanese Islands is deduced to be 0.18 microstrain/a. We also calculated a mean value of strain rates for each tectonic province. Comparison is made between mean geodetic strain rates in the provinces and Quaternary strain rates estimated by geomorphic data. It is found that 0.3–0.4 microstrain/a of the highest order strain rate is now prevailing in the Izu province, the south Fossa-Magna collision zone, and some special provinces along the eastern part of the Japan Sea coast.     

气候变暖背景下祁连山区秋季层状云变化特征

利用祁连山区及周边29 个气象观测站近41 年秋季云形状和气温观测资料, 分析了祁连山区秋季层状云出现频率的空间分布与时间变化特征, 探讨了秋季层状云出现频率与气候变暖的关系, 并选用同期NCEP/NCAR全球再分析资料, 对祁连山区秋季层状云的环流特征和水汽输送进行了分析。结果表明:①祁连山区秋季层状云出现频率为8%～26%, 呈西少东多的空间分布。②近41 年来, 祁连山区秋季增温1.2℃, 气温变化的倾向率为0.29℃/10a, 80 年代中期以后发生了增温的突变。③祁连山区秋季层状云的出现频率呈明显的减少趋势, 近41 年来减少约11%, 倾向率为-2.7%/10a, 尤其在20 世纪80 年代中期以后与同期祁连山区显著增温相对应, 层状云出现频率减少更为明显, 层状云出现频率与气温呈明显的反相变化趋势。④在气候变暖的背景下, 祁连山区的层状云出现频率减少, 减少的幅度从西北向东南递增。当祁连山区秋季平均气温在升高1℃ 时, 祁连山区层状云出现频率减少2%～10%, 祁连山西段、中段减少2%～4%, 祁连山东段减少4%～10%。⑤祁连山区秋季层状云偏多与偏少年在欧亚500 hPa 环流场上存在明显的差异, 层状云偏多年, 极涡向亚洲北部伸展, 东亚大槽较偏弱, 乌拉尔山高压脊偏强, 脊前偏北气流引导极地冷空气沿偏西北路径向中国西北地区输送, 中亚地区到高原上不断有低值系统发展东移, 同时南支槽加强, 来自阿拉伯海、南海、东海的暖湿气流向内陆地区的输送明显加强, 与进入高原北部的冷空气交绥, 从而使祁连山区层状云出现频次增多;层状云偏少年, 中亚-中国西北地区暖性高压异常加强, 东亚大槽偏强, 冷空气活动路径偏东, 亚洲大陆至西太平洋冬季风特征明显, 偏北风加强, 不利于东南暖湿气流向西北内陆地区的输送, 冷暖气流在祁连山区交绥次数减少, 从而使祁连山区层状云出现频次减少。⑥印度洋沿孟加拉湾的向北的水汽输送, 副热带西太平洋的偏东气流在南海和中南半岛附近转为向北的水汽输送, 地中海、里海的西风带纬向水汽输送是3支影响祁连山区秋季层状云多寡的水汽输送通道, 进而对祁连山区秋季降水产生影响。     

新疆天池景区生态安全度时空分异特征与驱动机制

本研究基于2000、2010年新疆天池风景名胜区的TM遥感影像、2000-2010年新疆统计年鉴、野外实地调查等数据,构建研究区的景观生态安全度,采用ESDA、半变异函数空间分析、逐步回归等方法,分析各样点景观生态安全度的时空演变特征,探讨导致格局演变的驱动机制。结果表明:① 2000-2010年,高景观生态安全度范围由南向北转移;中景观生态安全度区域由南北向中部集中;低景观生态安全度呈现由南向北扩散的趋势。② 景观生态安全度全局空间自相关较显著,随时间演变,空间集聚水平降低;局域空间自相关呈现集群分布向随机分布转变的趋势。③ 变程范围内,景观生态安全度值的各向异性与弱空间相关性特点是结构性因素和随机性因素综合作用的结果。④ 经度、纬度、海拔因子对景观生态安全度的影响显著;放牧、旅游以及政策活动影响景观生态安全度中小尺度格局,对景观生态安全度的演变有重要影响。     

GIS在矿产资源潜力评价中的应用

GIS技术的广泛应用为矿产资源潜力评价提供了新的思路和手段,并对其产生了深远的影响。简要介绍了GIS、矿产资源潜力评价及GIS在矿产资源潜力评价中的应用现状,并根据基于GIS矿产资源潜力评价的3个步骤,详细阐述了GIS在矿产资源潜力评价中的具体应用及其优越性。     

Non-linear density evolution from an improved spherical collapse model

We investigate the evolution of non-linear density perturbations by taking into account the effects of deviations from spherical symmetry of a system. Starting from the standard spherical top hat model in which these effects are ignored, we introduce a physically motivated closure condition which specifies the dependence of the additional terms on the density contrast, δ . The modified equation can be used to model the behaviour of an overdense region over a sufficiently large range of δ . The key new idea is a Taylor series expansion in (1/ δ ) to model the non-linear epoch. We show that the modified equations quite generically lead to the formation of stable structures in which the gravitational collapse is halted at around the virial radius. The analysis also allows us to connect up the behaviour of individual overdense regions with the non-linear scaling relations satisfied by the two-point correlation function.     

耗散结构理论在我国北方农牧交错带人地系统分析中的应用

在分析了耗散结构形成的条件基础上,首先对我国北方农牧交错带人地系统进行了状态识别,指出:北方农牧交错带的大部分人地系统处于低序的耗散结构状态,有些地区的人地系统已退化到近平衡态线性区;沙漠化的成因是系统封闭和自组织混乱;点状治理有其自身的局限性;沙漠化的逆转也应遵循系统演化的分支理论。最后,指出我国北方农牧交错带的人地系统具有脆弱性、低耗散性和功能性的特点。     

Travel-time residuals and three-dimensional velocity structure of Italy

Jeffreys-Bullen P and PKP travel-time residuals observed at more than 50 seismic stations distributed along Italy and surrounding areas in the time interval 1962–1979, indicate the complex velocity pattern of this region. Strong lateral velocity inhomogeneities and low velocity zones are required to explain the observed pattern of residuals. In particular, late arrivals of about 1 sec are observed in the Apenninic mountain range, requiring both greater crustal thickness and low velocity layers, coherent with seismic refraction data and surface wave dispersion measurements. The seismic stations located in the Western and Eastern Alps indicate the presence of high velocities. In the Western Alps the strong azimuthal variation of residuals and the high values of early arrivals have a close relationship to the Ivrea body, an intrusive crustal complex characterized by a velocity as high as 7–7.2 km/sec.A travel-time inversion performed with theAki et al. (1977) block model, confirms the peculiar characteristics and the sharp variations in the lithosphere of the whole Italian region, with values of velocity perturbations between many adjacent blocks, ranging in size from 50 to 100 km, and independent from the earth parametrization chosen, reaching values up to 10% in the lithospheric part and 5% in the asthenosphere. 3-D inversion requires also high velocity along the Tyrrhenian coastal margin, equivalent to an uprise of major crustal and lithospheric discontinuities along this part of the Italian peninsula. Moreover low velocity material must be present in the northern part of the Adriatic foreland, in the lithosphere-asthenosphere system, closely related to the stress and seismicity pattern, and the lateral bending of the lithosphere in the same region.     

台风“利奇马”对钻孔体应变的扰动分析——以浙江地区为例

利用台风“利奇马”过境浙江期间,岱山地震台、东阳地震台钻孔体应变数据,采用数据滤波和线性回归等方法,分析了这2个台站钻孔体应变对台风的响应特征。结果表明,东阳地震台受台风引起的低气压的影响,钻孔体应变与气压同步变化;而岱山地震台受低气压和降水的共同影响,钻孔体应变与气压在变化的相关性和同步性上均有差异。气压和降水导致钻孔体应变的变化量可以通过负载力学模型进行估算求解。