Vulnerability of Kuwait coast to sea level rise

Assessing coastal vulnerability to sea level rise (SLR) at local and regional scales is a fundamental step for designing successful long-term coastal management plans. This study was thus designed to assess Kuwait coastal vulnerability to SLR at four scenarios (.5, 1, 1.5 and 2 m). Potential inundated areas and the number of people at risk were estimated based on these SLR scenarios. A coastal vulnerability index (CVI) map of Kuwait was then computed based on the lowest scenario using eight parameters: elevation, coastal slope, geomorphology, distance to 20-m isobath, population, land use, cultural heritage and transportation. The geographic distribution of inundated areas at an SLR of .5 m revealed that the northern islands of Kuwait and coastal areas along Kuwait Bay would be highly impacted, whereas the coastal area near Shuaibah Port was the most influenced among the southern coasts. Most of the coastal area exhibited a moderate vulnerability to SLR, especially the northern islands. This study presented an initial vulnerability assessment for Kuwait coasts to SLR, which can be extended with more variables. The integrated remote sensing and geographic information system methodology demonstrated in this study can be applied in similar studies elsewhere.     

Chironomids as indicators of climate change: a 100‐lake training set from a subarctic region of northern Sweden (Lapland)

Multivariate numerical analyses (DCA, CCA) were used to study the distribution of chironomids from surface sediments of 100 lakes spanning broad ecoclimatic conditions in northern Swedish Lapland. The study sites range from boreal forest to alpine tundra and are located in a region of relatively low human impact. Of the 19 environmental variables measured, ordination by CCA identified mean July air temperature as one of the most significant variables explaining the distribution and the abundance of chironomids. Lossonignition (LOI), maximum lake depth and mean January air temperature also accounted for significant variation in chironomid assemblages. A quantitative transfer function was created to estimate mean July air temperature from sedimentary chironomid assemblages using weightedaveraging partial least squares regression (WAPLS). The coefficient of determination was relatively high (r² = 0.65) with root mean squared error of prediction (RMSEP, based on jack-knifing) of 1.13 °C and maximum bias of 2.1 °C, indicating that chironomids can provide useful quantitative estimates of past changes in mean July air temperature. The paper focuses mainly on the relationship between chironomid composition and July air temperature, but the relationship to LOI and depth are also discussed.     

中国避暑型与避寒型宜人气候的分布特征及差异

宜人气候可以分为避暑型和避寒型两种类型,但现有研究鲜有关注国内两类气候的分布特征及差异。本文采用1981—2010年2132个国家气象观测站数据,基于温湿指数、风寒指数和着衣指数计算各个气象站点的气候综合舒适指数,结合协同克里金空间插值方法对全国避暑型和避寒型宜人气候的分布特征进行了研究,并对两类气候的地域差异进行了分析。结果表明：① 中国避暑型气候区包括40°N以北的西北边疆和东北地区、西北中部地区及西南地区三大集中分布区。中国避寒型气候区集中分布在北回归线以南的低纬地区。② 国内夏冬两季的气候不舒适地域广阔,包括环渤海、长三角等经济发达、人口稠密地区,避暑型与避寒型气候资源的开发潜力显著。③ 两类宜人气候呈现明显的地域分离特征,拥有避暑和避寒双重属性的地方极少。④ 国内避寒型气候是稀缺资源,具有垄断性特征;而避暑型气候相对分布广泛,是一种相对遍在性资源。本文不仅丰富了宜人气候分布特征研究的理论成果,而且可为地方气候资源的旅游开发提供科学依据。     

1990年以来中国小麦农业气象灾害时空变化特征(英文)

Agro-meteorological disasters(AMD) have become more frequent with climate warming. In this study, the temporal and spatial changes in the occurrence frequency of major meteorological disasters on wheat production were firstly explored by analyzing the observed records at national agro-meteorological stations(AMS) of China from 1991 to 2009. Furthermore, impact of climate change on AMD was discussed by comparing the warmer decade(2000–2009) with another decade(1991–2000). It was found that drought was the most frequent disaster during the last two decades, with a highest proportion of 79%. And the frequency of AMD increased significantly with climate change. Specifically, the main disasters occurred more frequently in the reproductive period than in the vegetative period. Besides, the spatial changes in the AMD frequency were characterized by region-specific. For example, the wheat cultivation areas located on the Loess Plateau and the middle-lower reaches of the Yellow River suffered mainly from drought. All these results were strongly linked to climate change in China. Therefore, sound adaptation options should be taken based on the latest changes of AMD under global warming to reduce agricultural damages.     

内蒙古黄旗海不同粒级湖泊沉积物Rb、Sr组成与环境变化

内蒙古黄旗海湖泊沉积物剖面层次结构清晰完整,通过对该剖面全样、77 μm~20 μm和小于20 μm三个不同粒级Rb、Sr含量和磁化率的系统测定,结果表明,湖泊沉积物中小于20 μm粒级成分的Rb、Sr含量和Rb/Sr值变化阶段明显,Rb/Sr值与磁化率分布曲线十分吻合,因此,小于20 μm粒级成分的Rb/Sr值与磁化率包含更加真实的古气候环境信息。Rb/Sr值反映了风化的强度,因而可以作为指示夏季风环流强度的代用指标。黄旗海湖泊沉积物的地球化学Rb、Sr元素含量和Rb/Sr值以及磁化率值波动特征具有深刻的环境演变背景,由此揭示的环境特征在一定程度上反映了全新世气候千百年尺度的波动变化,与全球气候波动有关。     

共和盆地黏土矿物与孢粉记录的末次冰消期以来的气候环境相位差

在青藏高原北缘共和盆地达连海钻取了40.92 m沉积柱,其¹⁴C年代有10个控制点,底部年龄最大值为14.5 cal ka BP,沉积柱为末次冰消期以来的湖泊沉积物。在沉积柱中按20 cm/70 a分辨率选出200个样品进行了黏土矿物、粒度、碳酸盐、沉积速率等非生物指标与生物指标的孢粉等多项指标的综合分析。结果表明：末次冰消期以来,达连海沉积柱中非生物指标与生物指标反映的气候和环境变化阶段的显著性不同,反映的气候环境的变化阶段也不尽一致,出现气候环境的相位差。冰消期黏土矿物非生物指标与孢粉生物指标有约1.0~1.2 ka的相位差;早、中全新世黏土矿物反映的气候变化时段较孢粉指标指示的时段滞后约1.0 ka;在晚全新世黏土矿物反映的气候变化较孢粉滞后约0.1 ka。造成黏土矿物和孢粉反映气候环境相位差的原因是孢粉和黏土矿物对气候响应的差异性、黏土矿物和孢粉搬运方式的不同、气候条件及其转换、地貌等多因素的综合影响。     

Tropical Deforestation and Climate Change: What Does the Record Reveal?

Tropical deforestation is widely believed to directly influence the climate at a number of scales. Yet while much has been written about the tropical forest-climate relationship, there is little empirical evidence showing if and how local and regional climates are modified by deforestation. This study presents the results of an analysis of deforestation and climate change in a rain forest in southern Mexico. Records from 18 climate stations in the Selva Lacandona of Chiapas, Mexico were examined and related to an analysis of deforestation based on Landsat images. The area surrounding some stations has been deforested since the stations were established, while the area surroundings others has remained forested. Strong climatic trends were generally evident at the deforested stations, including decreases in the average daily maximum temperature and temperature range. No precipitation changes were observed. A comparison of the results with microclimatic experiments and modeling studies suggests that the climatic impacts of deforestation are overgeneralized at the local scale. Landscape heterogeneity appears to influence the biophysical mechanisms linking tropical forests and climate, and should be explicitly represented in modeling studies.     

20世纪中国气候变化研究

Studies on the 20th century climate change in China have revealed that under the background of global warming over the past century,climate in China has also experienced significant change with mean annual temperature increased by about 0.5 °C.More reliable results for the latter part of the 20th century indicate that the largest warming occurred in Northwest China,North China and Northeast China,and the warming in winter is most significant.Although no obvious increase or decrease trends were detected for mean precipitation over China in the past half century,regional differences are very distinct.In the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River,precipitation increased,while that in the Yellow River Basin markedly decreased.Studies suggest that climate change in China seems to be related not only with the internal factors such as ENSO,PDO,and the others,but also with the anthropogenic effects such as greenhouse gas emissions,and land use.The future climate change studies in China seem to be important in narrowing understanding the nature of China's climate change and its main causes,since it is significant for projection and for impact assessment of climate change in the future.     

关中平原清代霜雪灾害特点与周期研究

通过对关中平原清代历史文献资料的搜集、整理和小波分析,对该区清代霜雪灾害等级、周期及其成因进行了研究,并恢复了该区清代霜雪灾害发生时的最低气温.结果表明:关中平原清代共发生霜雪灾害34次,其中轻度、中度、重度霜雪灾害分别为2、20、12次;关中平原清代霜雪灾害可分为3个阶段,1644~1733年为第1阶段,1734~1823年为第2阶段,1824~1912年为第3阶段;第1和第3阶段为霜雪灾害多发阶段,以中度和重度灾害为主,第2阶段为霜雪灾害少发阶段,以轻度和中度灾害为主;小波分析表明,关中平原清代霜雪灾害的发生存在不同的时间周期规律,其周期主要有9~15年、13年、34年左右和40年左右;降雪或寒流引起的气温骤降至0℃以下是造成关中平原清代霜雪灾害的主要原因;关中平原清代轻度和中度霜雪灾害的气温范围为-6.4℃~-1℃,重度的气温范围一般为-19℃~-17℃;关中平原清代共发生3次寒冷气候事件,分别为1690~1692年、1861~1865年和1893~1895年.     

Lake Area Changes and the main causes in the hinterland of Badain Jaran Desert during 1973–2010, China

Lake area information in the Badain Jaran Desert in 1973, 1990, 2000, and 2010 was obtained by visual interpretation and water index analysis of remote sensing images, based on the spatial and temporal characteristics of lake area changes during 37 years. Results indicated that the number of lakes declined from 94 to 82 and the total surface area was reduced by 3.69 km² during 1973–2010. The desert lake area reduced by different degrees in different periods, but this occurred most rapidly during 1973–1990. According to the statistics of lake area changes, lake area decreases mainly occurred in the lakes with areas less than 0.2 km², while the areas of lakes greater than 0.9 km² only fluctuated. The changes of lake areas were probably due to changes in the quantity of underground water supplies rather than the effects of local climate change or human factors.