Causes of Forest Encroachment: An Analysis of Bangladesh

Deforestation is a major cause of environmental degradation. Tropical countries with huge population pressure and widespread poverty are main frontier of deforestation. Bangladesh, being one the most densely populated country with diminishing tropical forestland, supports lowest per capita forestland. The forests are depleting mainly due to illegal logging and conversion to non-forestry uses. In this paper encroachment of forestland by individuals has been dealt with. The socioeconomic causes and pattern of encroachment have been analyzed. Limited land availability and unemployment have been identified as the major proximate causes of encroachment and, if no measures are adopted within next three decades the existing natural forests might be encroached.Part of thesis of the first author submitted for the partial fulfillment of the Master of Science in Forestry in the Khulna University, Bangladesh in 2001 (Iftekhar, 2001). Some of the findings have been presented in the World Forestry Congress XIII, Canada, held from 21 to 28 September 2003 (Iftekhar et al., 2003).     

MULTIDISCIPLINARY INVESTIGATIONS ON THREE ROCK GLACIERS IN THE SWISS ALPS: LEGACIES AND FUTURE PERSPECTIVES

This paper recognizes the contribution of Professor Wilfried Haeberli for his inspiration and leadership in the field of permafrost science and his generous encouragement, both direct and indirect, to the ETH Researchers who have, through him, endeavoured to contribute to this fascinating research area. The multidisciplinary investigations described in this paper have focused on three rock glaciers, Muragl, Murtèl‐Corvatsch and Furggwanghorn, all of which have been subject to a varying degree of prior study, and which are continuing to attract new generations of researchers to understand and explain the processes and predict future behaviour. This paper marks a stage at which it is possible to summarize some advances in the state of the art and associated innovations that can be attributed to early motivation by Wilfried Haeberli and offers a tribute as well as gratitude for his ongoing feedback and advice. Some thoughts on the development of thermokarst due to water ponding and flow, and a conceptual model of geotechnical mechanisms that aim to explain some aspects of rock glacier kinematics, are also introduced.     

三江源地区草地退化对中国区域气候影响的数值模拟研究

人类活动导致的土地利用变化是区域气候变化的一个重要驱动因素.位于青藏高原腹地的三江源地区,生态系统十分脆弱,其独特的地理位置决定了源区的生态环境对中国乃至全球的气候变化、生态环境均有十分重要的影响.该研究应用区域气候模式RegCM3,通过两组数值模拟试验结果的对比分析,探讨三江源地区的草地退化对中国区域气候的影响.模拟试验的区域模式水平分辨率为60 km,模拟区域中心位于35°N,105°E,水平格点数为92×82,相当于5520 km×4920 km的范围.研究结果表明:RegCM3对中国区域气候具有较好的模拟能力,能够用于定量研究土地利用变化对区域气候的影响.三江源地区的草地退化引起的气候变化在不同的地区是不一致的,变化最明显的地区是青藏高原地区.草地退化将会引起青藏高原地区的冬季降温和其他季节升温,气温变化最显著的季节是春季(0.46℃),冬季变化最小(0.03℃);三江源地区的草地退化对中国中、东部地区的气候影响较复杂,主要表现为夏季长江以北地区有不同程度的升、降温现象.由于青藏高原夏季热源作用的加强,导致夏季青藏高原低层大气的热低压有所加强,太平洋副热带高压向东退缩.降水量的变化主要表现在夏季降水的普遍减少.草地退化后,青藏高原地区的气候有向暖于方向发展的趋势.     

Soil erosion and sediment transport in Tanzania: Part II – sedimentological evidence of phased land degradation

Soil resources in parts of Tanzania are rapidly being depleted by increased rates of soil erosion and downstream sediment transport, threatening ecosystem health, water and livelihood security in the region. However, incomplete understanding to what effect the dynamics of soil erosion and sediment transport are responding to land-use changes and climatic variability are hindering the actions needed to future-proof Tanzanian land-use practices. Complementary environmental diagnostic tools were applied to reconstruct the rates and sources of sedimentation over time in three Tanzanian river systems that have experienced changing land use and climatic conditions. Detailed historical analysis of sediment deposits revealed drastic changes in sediment yield and source contributions. Quantitative sedimentation reconstruction using radionuclide dating showed a 20-fold increase in sediment yield over the past 120 years. The observed dramatic increase in sediment yield is most likely driven by increasing land-use pressures. Deforestation, cropland expansion and increasing grazing pressures resulted into accelerating rates of sheet erosion. A regime shift after years of progressive soil degradation and convergence of surface flows resulted into a highly incised landscape, where high amounts of eroded soil from throughout the catchment are rapidly transported downstream by strongly connected ephemeral drainage networks. By integrating complementary spatial and temporal evidence bases, this study demonstrated links between land-use change, increased soil erosion and downstream sedimentation. Such evidence can guide stakeholders and policy makers in the design of targeted management interventions to safeguard future soil health and water quality.     

爱沙尼亚干酪根催化降解生烃过程及动力学研究

以爱沙尼亚油页岩干酪根为对象,利用热模拟实验方法和化工催化原理,考察了不同介质对干酪根热解生烃过程的影响,从热解生烃量、生烃组成特征及生烃动力学等方面进行了探讨。结果表明:膏岩对干酪根的生烃具有明显催化作用,碳酸盐岩对干酪根的生烃具有一定反催化作用,各种盐类对干酪根的生烃量影响较小。干酪根热解动力学研究表明,生烃动力学参数表观活化能E与视频率因子A两者之间不是独立变化的,而是具有一定的关系,即:E与lnA之间服从直线关系(R=0.99),这些认识对于深入探讨爱沙尼亚油页岩干酪根的化学结构、建立热解动力学模型具有一定的参考价值。     

洱海沉积物中有机质和DNA的分布特征

测定了洱海沉积物中有机碳、氮,提取了沉积物中的DNA。有机碳氮呈现相同的变化趋势降解主要发生在表层10cm;7cm前后氧化-还原条件变化,微生物电子受体改变,所以有机质的降解方式不同,出现不同的特征。利用分子生物学和地球化学相结合的方法,能更全面的认识和理解早期成岩过程。     

基于MODIS数据的松辽平原土地退化宏观评估

该文利用植被指数、最小噪声化变换、纯净像元指数和匹配滤波等遥感信息定量分析方法,从MDDIS陆地观测数据中提取反映松辽平原土地退化状况的植被覆盖、盐碱化和沙漠化信息,实现土地退化制图及土地退化格局分析。MODIS数据及其定量分析技术,对干旱区与半干旱区土地退化的宏观监测具有重要作用。     

腈菌唑在茶园土壤中的对映体选择性降解与碳同位素分馏

运用对映体分馏分析(EFA)与单体同位素分析(CSIA)技术研究了三唑类杀菌剂腈菌唑在4种不同种植年限茶园土壤中的对映体选择性降解规律。腈菌唑的降解符合一级反应动力学方程,半衰期为28.4~70.5 d。4种茶园土壤中均表现为(+)腈菌唑优先降解,并均有碳同位素富集,表明发生了显著的微生物降解。腈菌唑在茶园土壤中的降解半衰期和对映体比在50年茶园土中最小,显著低于100年、20年和2年茶园土壤(P<0.05)。降解半衰期与砂粒含量显著相关(P<0.05),对映体选择性与粉粒含量显著相关(P<0.05)。运用Rayleigh方程计算各土壤中腈菌唑的碳同位素富集因子,并建立生物降解评估模型。应用两种方法评估生物降解所得结果与总降解率趋势相同。     

祁连山疏勒河源区冻土退化对土壤微生物生物量碳氮的影响

对青藏高原东北缘祁连山西段疏勒河源区多年冻土区0~50 cm土壤微生物生物量碳氮分布特征及其影响因素进行分析。结果表明:稳定型和极不稳定型多年冻土区0~50 cm土壤中微生物量碳含量范围分别为0.015~0.620 g/kg和0.019~0.411 g/kg,微生物量氮含量范围分别为0.644~12.770 mg/kg和0.207~3.725 mg/kg;土壤微生物量总体呈现出稳定型显著高于极不稳定型多年冻土,表明多年冻土退化（多年冻土由稳定型退化为极不稳定型）对土壤微生物量积累有明显抑制作用。土壤微生物生物量碳占有机碳、微生物生物量氮占全氮的比值在稳定型多年冻土中显著高于极不稳定型,表明多年冻土退化对土壤微生物的矿化能力有明显抑制作用。土壤微生物量及其与土壤养分的比值有显著的剖面变化特征,随土壤深度增加而减小。土壤微生物量碳氮均与土壤温度显著负相关,与地下生物量显著正相关。稳定型多年冻土中,土壤微生物量碳氮与碳氮比正相关、与氧化还原电位负相关;不稳定型多年冻土中,土壤微生物量碳氮与pH正相关。土壤微生物量碳氮与土壤温度和pH在剖面变化上显著相关。逐步回归分析表明驱动微生物生物量碳氮在不同多年冻土类型和土层之间变化的因子是不同的。