Spatio-temporal differentiation of landscape ecological niche in western ecological frangible region: A case study of Yan’an region in northwestern China

In this study, we attempt to put forward a conception of landscape ecological niche, enlightened by international scholars on extending the ecological niche theory from spatial niche to functional niche. That is helpful for comprehensively appraising landscape spatial patterns and ecological functions, also, presents a new method for analyzing landscape fea-tures from multidimensional aspects. The practice process is demonstrated by taking Yan’an region in northwestern China as a case. Firstly, the indices system including spatial attribute and functional attribute is established for assessing landscape ecological niche. Additionally, two-dimensional figures are drawn for comparing the spatio-temporal features of landscape ecological niche in 1987 and 2000 among the 13 administrative counties. The results show that from 1987 to 2000, towards Yan’an region, spatial attribute value of landscape ecological niche changes from 1.000 to 1.178 with an obvious increment, and functional attribute value changes from 0.989 to 1.069 with a little increment, both of which enhance the regional landscape ecological niche. Towards each county, spatial attribute value of landscape eco-logical niche increases to different extent while functional attribute value changes dissimilarly with an increment or a decrement.     

Spatio-temporal differentiation of landscape ecological niche in western ecological frangible region： A case study of Yan＇an region in northwestern China

In this study, we attempt to put forward a conception of landscape ecological niche, enlightened by international scholars on extending the ecological niche theory from spatial niche to functional niche. That is helpful for comprehensively appraising landscape spatial patterns and ecological functions, also, presents a new method for analyzing landscape features from multidimensional aspects. The practice process is demonstrated by taking Yan＇an region in northwestern China as a case. Firstly, the indices system including spatial attribute and functional attribute is established for assessing landscape ecological niche. Additionally, two-dimensional figures are drawn for comparing the spatio-temporal features of landscape ecological niche in 1987 and 2000 among the 13 administrative counties. The results show that from 1987 to 2000, towards Yan＇an region, spatial attribute value of landscape ecological niche changes from 1.000 to 1.178 with an obvious increment, and functional attribute value changes from 0.989 to 1.069 with a little increment, both of which enhance the regional landscape ecological niche. Towards each county, spatial attribute value of landscape ecological niche increases to different extent while functional attribute value changes dissimilarly with an increment or a decrement.     

Effect of agricultural land use on the chemistry of groundwater from basaltic aquifers, Jeju Island, South Korea

Geochemical processes were identified as controlling factors of groundwater chemistry, including chemical weathering, salinization from seawater and dry sea-salt deposition, nitrate contamination, and rainfall recharge. These geochemical processes were identified using principal component analysis of major element chemistry of groundwater from basaltic aquifers in Jeju Island, South Korea, a volcanic island with intense agricultural activities. The contribution of the geochemical processes to groundwater chemistry was quantified by a simple mass-balance approach. The geochemical effects due to seawater were considered based on Cl contributions, whereas the effects due to natural chemical weathering were based on alkalinity. Nitrogenous fertilizers, and especially the associated nitrification processes, appear to significantly affect groundwater chemistry. A strong correlation was observed between Na, Mg, Ca, SO₄ and Cl, and nitrate concentrations in groundwater. Correspondingly, the total major cations, Cl, and SO₄ in groundwater were assessed to estimate relative effect of N-fertilizer use on groundwater chemistry. Cl originates more from nitrate sources than from seawater, whereas SO₄ originates mostly from rainwater. N-fertilizer use has shown the greatest effect on groundwater chemistry, particularly when nitrate concentrations exceed 6–7 mg/L NO₃–N. Nitrate contamination significantly affects groundwater quality and 18% of groundwater samples have contamination-dominated chemistry.     

Rockfall hazard in the Daisekkei Valley, the northern Japanese Alps, on 11 August 2005

This paper describes a rockfall event in the Daisekkei Valley of Mount Shirouma-dake (2,932 m), the northern Japanese Alps. The rockfall occurred on a steep cliff comprising well-jointed felsites and produced debris of ≥8,000 m³. Most debris was deposited on an elongated snowpatch located immediately beneath the cliff, and it caused casualties among people who were trekking along a trail on the snowpatch. Additionally, a large rock block slipped 1 km on the snowpatch. The rockfall could have been due to the differential retreat of the rockwall, which contains areas of high- and low-density joints. Seasonal and diurnal freeze–thaw activities and snow avalanches and wash appear to be important factors responsible for the retreat. Although some rock blocks that can collapse further remain on the rockwall, the position of the mountain trail in the Daisekkei Valley is fixed. Fundamental reform of tourism systems for climbers, including education on natural hazards, is required.     

高山树线交错带的景观格局与生态过程

由于对气候变化的敏感性, 近年来高山树线交错带成为全球变化研究中的热点问题。高 山树线交错带所指示的是一个复杂生态系统的特征, 反映出了由低处植被向高山植被的转化, 其 景观格局是综合了种子定居, 树木生长以及树木繁殖等多个树木生态过程和特定高山环境下的 地理特征格局的适应结果。一方面, 树木通过自身生理生态学上的调整对高山极端环境进行适 应。一方面, 高山特定地理环境特征对树线的景观格局进行影响, 因而高山树线交错带成为研究 景观格局- 生态过程相互关系的一个重要载体。通过运用3S 技术, 可以将高山树线交错带研究中 的树线景观结构和生理生态过程结合在一起, 并验证在其景观格局形成过程中地理特征和人为 因子的相对重要性。     

论文化景观的特性

文化景观是人类活动的产物，文化景观研究是文化地理学的主要研究领域之一，而作为文化景观研究的重要组成部分的文化景观特性研究无疑将推动这一领域研究的进一步发展。运用比较分析方法，根据文化景观的定义，探讨文化景观具有时代性、继承性、叠加性、区域性、民族性等五大特性，并对这些特性进行科学的界定和详细的阐述，展示出这五大特性之间所存在的矛盾统一关系和其内在的紧密联系，进一步说明这些特性的实际意义和利用价值。     

典型岩溶流域不同地貌类型景观结构分析——以云南小江流域为例

利用2003年小江流域的TM影像，结合实地调查，再根据流域地质分布和地貌发育情况，将流域地貌类型划分为岩溶地貌和非岩溶地貌两个一级类型景观，在此基础上，根据地貌发育程度结合高程情况，将岩溶区又划分为6个岩溶景观，非岩溶地貌分为两个二级类型景观。应用景观生态学原理，并通过Fragstats 3．3软件在流域尺度上计算了一些相关指标。结果表明：岩溶区的景观生态特征总体上体现了其生态环境的特殊性和脆弱性，地表水资源溃乏，土层薄、土壤资源零星分布且易流失，造成未利用地面积大，石漠化现象严重，土地利用程度低的特点。非岩溶区景观生态由于耕地和林地占绝对优势，石漠化面积少，香农多样性指数和均匀度低，景观的异质性较低，结构较为简单。     

Recent Geochemical Variation of the Hot-Spring Gases from the Tianchi Volcano, Changbai Mountains, Northeast China

Recent fluid monitoring work shows that the contents of mantle-derived CO_2,He and CH_4 increased anomalously in 2002 and 2003. The 3He/4He ratio of the deep-fault-type Jinjiang hot springs increased highly anomalously in 2003, and then decreased in 2004. The 3He/4He ratio from the thermal-reservoir-type Changbaijulong hot springs increased slowly in 2003, and the increase continued in 2004. The mantle-derived He content of the He released from the Changbaijulong springs increased obviously in 2004. The anomaly of the released gases and the isotopic He was consistent with the trends of seismic activities in the Tianchi volcanic area between 2002 and 2004. The abnormal release of the Jinjiang hot springs apparently decreased after the seismic activities ceased in the second half of 2004, while the abnormal release from the Changbaijulong increased significantly after these seismic activities. It shows that the abnormal release of magmas-derived gases from the thermal-reservoir-type springs lags behind that of the deep-fault-type springs. These characteristics may be of great significance for identifying deep magmatic activity and predicting volcanic earthquakes in the future.     

Determining magma flow in sills,dykes and laccoliths and their implications for sill emplacement mechanisms

Three-dimensional seismic data from the Faeroe-Shetland Basin provides detailed information on the relationships between sills, dykes, laccoliths and contemporaneous volcanic activity. The data shows that sills are predominantly concave upwards, being complete or partial versions of radially or bilaterally symmetrical forms that possess flat inner saucers connected to a flat outer rim by a steeply inclined sheet. Such morphologies are only partially modified by pre-existing faults. Sills can be sourced from dykes or the steep climbing portions of deeper sills. Both sills and dykes can provide magma to overlying volcanic fissures and sills can be shown to feed shallow laccoliths. Magma flow patterns, as revealed by opacity rendering, suggest that sills propagate upwards and outwards away from the magma feeder. As an individual sill can consist of several leaves emplaced at different stratigraphic levels, and as a sill or dyke can provide magma to volcanic fissures, other sills and laccoliths, the data suggests that neutral buoyancy concepts may not provide a complete explanation for the mechanism and level of sill emplacement. Instead, the data suggests that the presence of lithological contrasts, particularly ductile horizons such as overpressured shales may permit sill formation at any level below the neutrally buoyant level. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users. Ken Thomson–deceased, April 2007     

PRINCIPLES OF RIVER TRAINING AND MANAGEMENT

River regulation and river training have been performed for various purposes and negative effects have been shown in numerous cases. In some cases the negative effects are so serious that humans have to consider to "renaturalize" the regulated rivers. Only by using the strategy of integrated river management the diverse river uses and natural fluvial processes and ecological systems may be harmonized. Based on analysis of case studies and data collected from literatures this paper presents the concept of integrated river management and four principles of river training. The integrated river management comprises: 1) taking the watershed, upper stream basin including the tributaries, middle and lower reaches and the estuary as an integrated entity in the planning, design and management; and 2) mitigating or controlling the negative impacts on hydrology, erosion and sedimentation, fluvial processes, land use and river use, environment and ecology while in achieving economic benefit from water resources development, flood safety management and hydropower exploitation. River training and management should be in accordance with the four principles: 1) extending the duration of river water flowing on the continent, which may be achieved by extending the river course or reducing the flow velocity; 2) controlling various patterns of erosions and reducing the sediment transportation in the rivers; 3) increasing the diversity of habitat and enhancing the connectivity between the river and riparian waters; and 4) restoring natural landscapes.