Use of WorldView-2 time series to establish a wetland monitoring program for potential offsite impacts of mine site rehabilitation

The Ramsar-listed wetlands of the Magela Creek floodplain, situated in the World Heritage Kakadu National Park, in northern Australia are recognised for their biodiversity and cultural values. The floodplain is also a downstream receiving environment for Ranger uranium mine, which is entering closure and rehabilitation phases. Vegetation on the floodplain is spatially and temporally variable which is related to the hydrology of the region, primarily the extent and level of inundation and available soil moisture. Time-series mapping of the floodplain vegetation will provide a contemporary baseline of annual vegetation dynamics to assist with determining whether change is natural or a result of the potential impacts of mine closure activities such as increased suspended sediment moving downstream. The research described here used geographic object-based image analysis (GEOBIA) to classify the upper Magela Creek floodplain vegetation from WorldView-2 imagery captured over four years (2010–2013) and ancillary data including a canopy height model. A step-wise rule set was used to implement a decision tree classification. The resulting maps showed the 12 major vegetation communities that exist on the Magela Creek floodplain and their distribution for May 2010, May 2011, June 2012 and June 2013 with overall accuracies of over 80% for each map. Most of the error appears to be associated with confusion between vegetation classes that are spectrally similar such as the classes dominated by grasses. Object-based change detection was then applied to the maps to analyse change between dates. Results indicate that change between dates was detected for large areas of the floodplain. Most of the change is associated with the amount of surface water present, indicating that although imagery was captured at the same time of year, the imagery represents different stages of the seasonal cycle of the floodplain.     

Nature,origin and evolution of a Late Pleistocene incised valley‐fill,Sunda Shelf,Southeast Asia

Understanding the stratigraphic fill and reconstructing the palaeo‐hydrology of incised valleys can help to constrain those factors that controlled their origin, evolution and regional significance. This condition is addressed through the analysis of a large (up to 18 km wide by 80 m deep) and exceptionally well‐imaged Late Pleistocene incised valley from the Sunda Shelf (South China Sea) based on shallow three‐dimensional seismic data from a large (11 500 km²), ‘merge’ survey, supplemented with site survey data (boreholes and seismic). This approach has enabled the characterization of the planform geometry, cross‐sectional area and internal stratigraphic architecture, which together allow reconstruction of the palaeo‐hydrology. The valley‐fill displays five notable stratigraphic features: (i) it is considerably larger than other seismically resolvable channel forms and can be traced for at least 180 km along its length; (ii) it is located in the axial part of the Malay Basin; (iii) the youngest part of the valley‐fill is dominated by a large (600 m wide and 23 m deep), high‐sinuosity channel, with well‐developed lateral accretion surfaces; (iv) the immediately adjacent interfluves contain much smaller, dendritic channel systems, which resemble tributaries that drained into the larger incised valley system; and (v) a ca 16 m thick, shell‐bearing, Holocene clay caps the valley‐fill. The dimension, basin location and palaeo‐hydrology of this incised valley leads to the conclusion that it represents the trunk river, which flowed along the length of the Malay Basin; it connected the Gulf of Thailand in the north with the South China Sea in the south‐east. The length of the river system (>1200 km long) enables examination of the upstream to downstream controls on the evolution of the incised valley, including sea‐level, climate and tectonics. The valley size, orientation and palaeo‐hydrology suggest close interaction between the regional tectonic framework, low‐angle shelf physiography and a humid‐tropical climatic setting.     

Country-specific dietary shifts to mitigate climate and water crises

Undernutrition, obesity, climate change, and freshwater depletion share food and agricultural systems as an underlying driver. Efforts to more closely align dietary patterns with sustainability and health goals could be better informed with data covering the spectrum of countries characterized by over- and undernutrition. Here, we model the greenhouse gas (GHG) and water footprints of nine increasingly plant-forward diets, aligned with criteria for a healthy diet, specific to 140 countries. Results varied widely by country due to differences in: nutritional adjustments, baseline consumption patterns from which modeled diets were derived, import patterns, and the GHG- and water-intensities of foods by country of origin. Relative to exclusively plant-based (vegan) diets, diets comprised of plant foods with modest amounts of low-food chain animals (i.e., forage fish, bivalve mollusks, insects) had comparably small GHG and water footprints. In 95 percent of countries, diets that only included animal products for one meal per day were less GHG-intensive than lacto-ovo vegetarian diets (in which terrestrial and aquatic meats were eliminated entirely) in part due to the GHG-intensity of dairy foods. The relatively optimal choices among modeled diets otherwise varied across countries, in part due to contributions from deforestation (e.g., for feed production and grazing lands) and highly freshwater-intensive forms of aquaculture. Globally, modest plant-forward shifts (e.g., to low red meat diets) were offset by modeled increases in protein and caloric intake among undernourished populations, resulting in net increases in GHG and water footprints. These and other findings highlight the importance of trade, culture, and nutrition in diet footprint analyses. The country-specific results presented here could provide nutritionally-viable pathways for high-meat consuming countries as well as transitioning countries that might otherwise adopt the Western dietary pattern.     

Use of aviation by climate change researchers: Structural influences,personal attitudes,and information provision

Aviation is a fast-growing sector, releasing more carbon dioxide per passenger kilometre than other transport modes. For climate change researchers, work-related travel – including for conferences and fieldwork – is a major carbon-emitting activity. At the same time, many argue that climate scientists have an important role in curbing their own aviation emissions to align their practices with their assertions in relation to emissions reduction. We examine the tensions between competing professional demands in relation to flying; measure levels of flying by climate and non-climate researchers; assess influences on choices and attitudes; and consider how information provision and structural changes might enable changes in practice. Study 1 entails a large, international survey of flying undertaken by climate change (including sustainability and environmental science) researchers and those from other disciplines (N = 1408). Study 2 tests effects of varying information provision on researchers’ behavioural intentions and policy support to reduce flying (N = 362). Unexpectedly, we find climate change researchers – particularly professors – fly more than other researchers, but are also more likely to have taken steps to reduce or offset their flying. Providing information about the impacts of aviation increases behavioural intentions and support for institutional policies to reduce flying, particularly amongst more pro-environmental respondents. However, while attitudinal factors (e.g., personal norm) predict willingness to reduce flying, structural/social factors (e.g., family commitments, location) are more important in predicting actual flying behaviour. Recent initiatives to develop a low-carbon and more inclusive research culture within climate science and the broader research community thus need to be supported by broader policies and technologies to encourage and enable low-carbon and avoided travel.     

济南PM2.5质量浓度与气象条件相关性初步研究

通过对济南2013年12月—2018年2月PM2.5质量浓度数据分析得出,PM2.5质量浓度平均和最大值均为冬季最高,春秋季次之,夏季最低;PM2.5质量浓度值1月和12月最高,8月最低;其质量浓度呈明显的逐年递减趋势。在不同风向上PM2.5质量浓度存在显著差异性,在N风向和ESE(盛行)风向上均出现了质量浓度较大值,一方面与污染物的异地输送有关,另一方面与济南的特殊地形有关。研究表明,无论污染源在山脉的背风侧还是迎风侧,都很容易导致高浓度污染;尤其在冬季,山脉地形还会加重逆温影响,使污染程度加重。通过相关性研究发现,冬季、春季和秋季,PM2.5质量浓度与相对湿度和平均总云量均呈正相关,与日照时数及其距平呈负相关;冬季,PM2.5质量浓度与平均气温及其距平以及最高、最低气温均呈正相关,与平均、最高、最低气压均呈负相关;春季和秋季,PM2.5质量浓度与气温距平值呈正相关;夏季和秋季,PM2.5质量浓度与日降水量呈负相关,而且随着雨强的增大,对PM2.5的洗消作用越显著。上述变量间相关性均通过了P≤0.01显著性检验。     

近25 a气候变化对江苏省粮食产量的影响

利用1986-2010年江苏省63个气象站的常规气象数据和粮食单产统计资料,分析了苏北、苏中、苏南地区和江苏全省三种时间尺度的气候变化特征;基于自助抽样(bootstrap)和一元线性回归的方法,研究了各区和全省粮食产量对作物年(11月一次年10月)、夏粮—秋粮生长季(11月-次年5月和6-10月)和月尺度气候要素的响应;并定量评价了过去25 a气候变化对各区和全省粮食产量的影响以及各气候要素的贡献.结果表明:1)在作物年、夏粮—秋粮生长季以及月尺度上,三区和全省各气候要素均发生了不同程度的变化,且存在一定的时空差异.在不断发展的农业管理措施和技术以及气候的共同作用下,三区和全省粮食单产显著(p＞0.01)增加,其中,全省增加趋势为66.89 kg·hm-2·a-1.2)除苏南地区对作物年尺度上的气候变化响应不显著外,粮食产量对降水的不随时间变化的负响应关系(即随降水的增加而减小,减小而增加)均在不同时间尺度和地区得到了体现,说明降水对这些地区粮食生产的影响十分重要;其中,苏北、苏中和全省粮食产量随作物年降水的增加(减少)而减小(增加),平均速率分别为0.19％·(10 mm)-1、0.09％·(10 mm)-1和0.11％·(10 mm)-1.3)三类模型结果均显示气候变化使得苏北、苏南和江苏粮食产量减小,但结果略有差异,其中,利用月气候要素建立的模型C的结果显示气候变化对粮食单产(总产)的影响最大,其均值分别为-6.51％·(10 a)-1(-11.28×108kg· (10 a)-1)、-3.27％·(10 a)-1(-2.36×108 kg·(10 a)-1)和-1.34％·(10 a)-1(-4.45×108kg·(10 a)-1).另外,为了系统而全面地评估气候变化对粮食产量的影响,考虑月尺度的气候变化的影响是十分必要的.     

1981-2008年中国陆地植被NPP对气候变化响应的敏感性试验

在验证CENTURY模型对中国陆地植被净初级生产力(Net Primary Productivity,NPP)模拟能力的基础上,利用该模型探讨了1981-2008年中国陆地植被NPP的年际变异和变化趋势对CO₂浓度、温度和降水变化的响应。结果表明,中国陆地植被NPP对不同气候因子的响应程度存在明显不同。其中,CO₂浓度变化对植被NPP年际变异的影响不显著,但能够引起中国大部分地区植被NPP趋势系数增大;温度对中国中高纬度地区植被NPP的年际变化影响显著,但就全国范围而言,植被NPP年际变异对温度变化的响应程度总体低于对降水变化的响应程度;降水变化是对中国植被NPP变化趋势起主导作用的气候因子。此外,综合考虑温度和降水变化的影响发现,植被NPP变化趋势的响应特征类似于降水单独变化时植被NPP变化趋势的响应特征。     

An Interdecad l Change of Summer Atmospheric Circulation over Asian Mid-High Latitudes and Associated Effects

The atmospheric circulation over the mid-high latitudes in Asia has an important influence on regional climate, yet its long-term variation has not been fully explored. The main task of this study is to reveal the interdecadal variation features of summer atmospheric circulation over Asian mid-high latitudes in recent decades. The results show that the atmospheric circulation over mid-high latitudes of Asia has stronger interdecadal fluctuations than that over low latitudes and one significant change center appears near Lake Baikal. It is found that the atmospheric circulation near Lake Baikal has a significant interdecadal change around 1996 and a deep anomalous anticyclonic circulation has been controlling this region since then, which contributes to the significant increase in the surface temperature near Lake Baikal since 1997 and makes the region a remarkable warming center in Asia in recent 40 years. During 1997-2015, the pattern of less precipitation in the north and more precipitation in the south of east China is closely related to the anomalous anticyclonic circulation near Lake Baikal. Especially, this anomalous circulation near Lake Baikal has been found to contribute to the obvious interdecadal decrease of the precipitation in northeast China and north China near 1997. The sea surface temperature (SST) of northwestern Atlantic is an important influence factor to the interdecadal change in the atmospheric circulation near Lake Baikal around 1996.     

揭阳市低温的气候变化特征

选取了揭阳市4个市县1966-2015年50年国家站地面观测气温资料,采用线性回归、Mann-Kendall非参数检验和Morlet小波分析等方法,分析了揭阳市低温的气候变化特征,结果表明:50年来,揭西县低温日数最多,最主要影响时段在1月份。低温日数呈显著减少趋势;低温初日呈延后的趋势,低温终日则是提前的趋势。揭阳市区低温日数在1981年出现突变;揭阳市的低温期下降趋势不显著;揭阳市区低温日数在13年尺度上,平均周期约为8年,约经历了4个周期的从多到少的振荡,在2004年之后表现较平稳;在4年的尺度上,20世纪70年代之前经历了4个周期的从多到少的振荡,1978年之后振荡幅度变小,周期变化不明显。     

我国沿海城市应对气候变化的发展战略

我国沿海地区战略地位十分重要,并呈现“区域发展沿海化,沿海城市临海化”的趋势,但同时却面临着全球气候变化引起的海平面上升、极端气候灾害频发等诸多严峻挑战。为在战略层面解决我国向海发展的战略与全球气候变化的矛盾与冲突,文中提出了我国沿海城市应对气候变化的发展战略：确定了总体目标是建设适合我国国情的沿海气候弹性城市,提出了“规划引领、陆海统筹、主动适应、积极减排、适度冗余、增加弹性”的应对原则,明确了强化城市规划管控、控制空间发展方向、严控围填海造地、优化城市空间布局、提高规划设计标准、加强海岸防护设施、夯实城市基础设施和提升监测预警应急等8项重点任务。