Influences of sand cover on erosion processes of loess slopes based on rainfall simulation experiments

Aeolian-fluvial interplay erosion regions are subject to intense soil erosion and are of particular concern in loess areas of northwestern China.Understanding the composition,distribution,and transport processes of eroded sediments in these regions is of considerable scientific significance for controlling soil erosion.In this study,based on laboratory rainfall simulation experiments,we analyzed rainfall-induced erosion processes on sand-covered loess slopes(SS)with different sand cover patterns(including length and thickness)and uncovered loess slopes(LS)to investigate the influences of sand cover on erosion processes of loess slopes in case regions of aeolian-fluvial erosion.The grain-size curves of eroded sediments were fitted using the Weibull function.Compositions of eroded sediments under different sand cover patterns and rainfall intensities were analyzed to explore sediment transport modes of SS.The influences of sand cover amount and pattern on erosion processes of loess slopes were also discussed.The results show that sand cover on loess slopes influences the proportion of loess erosion and that the compositions of eroded sediments vary between SS and LS.Sand cover on loess slopes transforms silt erosion into sand erosion by reducing splash erosion and changing the rainfall-induced erosion processes.The percentage of eroded sand from SS in the early stage of runoff and sediment generation is always higher than that in the late stage.Sand cover on loess slopes aggravates loess erosion,not only by adding sand as additional eroded sediments but also by increasing the amount of eroded loess,compared with the loess slopes without sand cover.The influence of sand cover pattern on runoff yield and the amount of eroded sediments is larger than that of sand cover amount.Furthermore,given the same sand cover pattern,a thicker sand cover could increase sand erosion while a thinner sand cover could aggravate loess erosion.This difference explains the existence of intense erosion on slopes that are thinly covered with sand in regions where aeolian erosion and fluvial erosion interact.     

东北黑土区坡耕地斜坡垄作与顺坡垄作土壤侵蚀的对比分析

斜坡垄作是东北黑土区最普遍的垄作方式之一，但当前关于斜坡垄作对坡耕地土壤侵蚀的影响鲜见报道。为此，本研究基于室内模拟试验，设计2个降雨强度（50和100 mm/h）以及2种垄作方式（斜坡垄作和顺坡垄作），分析东北黑土区坡耕地斜坡垄作与顺坡垄作坡面土壤侵蚀的差异。结果表明：（1）在50和100 mm/h降雨强度下，斜坡垄作断垄前坡面侵蚀速率分别是顺坡垄作的0.46%和0.35%；但在45 min的降雨过程中，由于斜坡垄作发生断垄现象，造成50和100 mm/h两种降雨强度下斜坡垄作坡面侵蚀速率分别是顺坡垄作的1.24和1.03倍。（2）斜坡垄作径流强度和侵蚀速率随降雨历时的变化均从断垄开始发生突变。在50和100 mm/h降雨强度下，随着降雨历时的变化斜坡垄作断垄前的径流强度和侵蚀速率值均低于顺坡垄作,其平均径流强度分别为顺坡垄作的8.42%和3.75%、平均侵蚀速率分别为顺坡垄作的0.46%和0.35%，但斜坡垄作断垄后坡面径流和侵蚀速率明显增大，其平均径流强度分别为顺坡垄作的1.33和1.47倍、平均侵蚀速率分别是顺坡垄作的2.03和1.62倍。（3）在50和100 mm/h降雨强度下，斜坡垄作断垄前坡面径流量和侵蚀量存在显著的线性关系（P<0.01），而断垄后两者的相关关系则不显著（P>0.05）；而顺坡垄作在两种降雨强度下坡面径流量和侵蚀量存在显著的线性关系。（4）在两种降雨强度下斜坡垄作坡面90%以上的径流泥沙均来自断垄后。因此，提高垄丘稳定性和防止断垄现象发生，是减少斜坡垄作坡面土壤侵蚀的关键所在。     

河北省山区降雨侵蚀力的时空变化特征

[目的] 探究河北省山区降雨侵蚀力时空变化特征，为该区水土流失治理措施的制定和实施提供科学依据。[方法] 应用时间变化分析和空间分布分析对河北省山区2000-2018年降雨侵蚀力进行分析。[结果] 时间趋势中燕山山区年降雨侵蚀力呈波动上升趋势，主周期为11 a，在2009年发生突变，春、秋两季呈波动下降趋势，主周期分别为8和11 a，春季无突变点，秋季在2001年发生突变，夏季呈波动波动上升趋势，9 a为主周期，在2010年发生突变；太行山区年降雨侵蚀力呈波动下降趋势，主周期为6 a，无突变点，夏、秋两季呈波动上升趋势，主周期分别为8和10 a，均无突变点，春季呈波动下降趋势，主周期为8 a，在2006年发生突变；空间分布中，年均降雨侵蚀力范围为1 063.39~5 127.44 MJ·mm/（hm²·h），燕山山区由西到东年及夏季平均降雨侵蚀力先增长后降低再增长，太行山区中由南向北年、夏季平均降雨侵蚀力逐渐降低，春、秋两季降雨侵蚀力分布规律较为多变。[结论] 通过对河北省山区降雨侵蚀力的分析，得出河北省山区夏季水土流失最为严重，燕山山区部分地区尤为突出。     

基于实地和遥感调查的离子型轻稀土尾砂土壤侵蚀对植被修复措施响应

稀土开采产生大量尾砂,导致严重土壤侵蚀,伴生水质和地质灾害,评价植被修复措施对稀土尾砂土壤侵蚀治理效果可为措施优选提供理论依据。以寻乌县离子型轻稀土尾砂区为研究区,基于1982—2015年GIMMS NDVI 3 g、DEM等遥感和尾砂理化性状现场调查数据,采用空间代时间方法,结合RUSLE模型及其全微分公式探究不同修复年限土壤侵蚀量对植被修复措施的响应机理。结果表明:1982—2015年研究区土壤侵蚀模数显著下降,倾向率为-60 t/(km~2·10a),突变年份为2008年;在植被修复措施实施年(2008年)前后,多年平均土壤侵蚀量减幅超过60%;土壤侵蚀模数呈现上升、平稳、上升、平稳、上升和下降的阶段性变化,与NDVI时程变化呈负相关;水土保持措施、植被覆盖、土壤可蚀性和降雨变化对土壤侵蚀量减小的贡献率分别为33.18%,32.19%,19.95%,13.19%。植被修复过程中,矿区土壤侵蚀量减少的主要影响因子为水土保持措施因子和植被覆盖因子。     

华北平原地下水压采区冬小麦种植综合效应探讨

华北平原冬小麦-夏玉米一年两熟种植模式为维护国家粮食安全发挥了重要作用。但冬小麦生长期正处于华北平原降水较少的干旱季节,实现高产依赖于灌溉,是华北平原地下水超采的主导因素之一。随着国家地下水限采政策的实施,在地下水超采区如何稳定冬小麦的种植面积和产量是面临的一个重要问题。本文通过综述以往研究并结合典型地点田间试验结果,从冬小麦种植可减少休闲期土壤蒸发损失、具有的深根系系统可充分利用土壤储水、可利用微咸水替代淡水灌溉、通过限水灌溉发展优质麦生产、冬春形成覆盖层美化和防沙尘效应等方面论述了华北平原种植冬小麦的优势,提出华北平原冬小麦生产需要转变传统高耗水高产量理念,充分发挥冬小麦抗旱、耐盐能力强的特点,在不实施大规模压缩冬小麦种植面积条件下,通过冬小麦限水灌溉和微咸水利用满足对地下水压采需求,充分发挥华北平原冬小麦种植冬春防风沙、美化环境的生态功能,同时满足区域口粮安全的保障功能。     

Determinants of groundnut rosette virus disease occurrence in Uganda

Groundnut rosette virus disease (GRVD) is the major constraint to groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) production in Uganda. It is principally transmitted by the groundnut aphid (Aphis craccivora Koch). The disease is known to cause total crop failure in cases where susceptible varieties are used. During any particular season, GRVD displays variations in incidence and severity in different agro-ecologies within the country, but the reasons for the varying disease patterns remain unclear. This study was aimed at establishing the factors influencing the occurrence of GRVD in Uganda. Trials were established for three seasons in four groundnut growing locations situated in different agro-ecologies in Uganda. Four groundnut genotypes were used as treatments in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Disease progress and aphid populations were assessed at 4, 8 and 12 weeks after planting. Data on environmental factors; particularly rainfall, temperature and wind speed were obtained from standard meteorological stations located at/near the study sites. Soil samples and yield data were also obtained in each season. The study revealed that disease incidence; severity and groundnut yields were significantly affected by season, location and genotype. The same applied to their three way interactions. Levels of disease infection were found to be majorly influenced by rainfall and wind speed. Disease incidence and severity were generally higher in conditions with less rainfall and low wind speeds. The Pearson's two tailed correlation between total rainfall and disease incidence for all trial sites was negative and highly significant (r = −0.280, P ≤ 0.01). The same was true for wind speed and disease incidence (r = −0.476, P ≤ 0.01). However, there was no conclusive trend between temperature and disease incidence with the Pearson's two tailed correlation showing significantly positive and negative trends depending on location.     

风电开发对坝上地区生态环境的影响研究

在分析坝上地区生态环境现状的基础上,对坝上地区风力发电的优势进行了相关研究,并提出了开发风电的思路。     

树轮地貌学方法在坡面土壤侵蚀调查中的应用——以河北省环首都山地为例

通过对树根解剖法的综合分析,提出了基于全树龄的坡面土壤侵蚀调查方法。利用该方法,选择河北省涞源县、兴隆县两地作为典型调查点,对河北省环首都山地的坡面土壤侵蚀进行了调查,探讨了树龄分析法在不同地貌部位、不同岩性、不同树种条件下土壤侵蚀研究的可行性。结果表明,利用全树龄分析方法所取得的坡面水土流失数据与RUSLE模型具有一定的可比性,而且基于全树龄的树轮地貌学方法对研究区土壤侵蚀情况的时空变化特征具有更强的指示性和分辨率,实用性更高。     

Estimation of Runoff,Peak Discharge and Sediment Load at the Event Scale in a Medium‐Size Mediterranean Watershed Using the Annagnps Model

In this paper, the Annualized Agricultural Non‐Point Source (AnnAGNPS) model has been used to estimate runoff, peak discharge and sediment load at the event scale in a Mediterranean watershed. The study area is the Carapelle torrent, Southern Italy (area = 506 km²), where continuous rainfall, streamflow and sediment load data are available. Nineteen flood events have been registered in the period 2007–2009 and were used for the application of the model. The aim of the paper is to evaluate the predictive accuracy of the model at the event scale, in a medium‐size watershed, given the specific conditions of the semi‐arid environments. A sensitivity analysis has been carried out to assign the correct parameterization: the mean normalized output variation of the most meaningful input parameters pointed out the influence of the curve number on runoff, peak discharge and sediment load predictions (values greater than 1); the MN Manning's roughness coefficient and K, C and P factors of the universal soil loss equation showed a moderate influence on sediment load simulations (values between 0·5 and 1). The selection of the Soil Conservation Service synthetic storm types has been based on the observed storm events analysis to improve the peak discharge simulations. The model prediction has proved to be good for runoff (R² = 0·74, NSE = 0·75, W = 0·92) and peak discharge (R² = 0·85, NSE = 0·70, W = 0·94), and satisfactory for sediment yield (R² = 0·70, NSE = 0·63, W = 0·91). The relative error is lower for high events; this result is quite interesting in semi‐arid environments, where most of the annual sediment yield is concentrated in a few, severe events. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effect of Prosopis (mesquite) invasion and clearing on vegetation cover in semi-arid Nama Karoo rangeland,South Africa

The Nama-Karoo is the largest of the three biomes that comprise the semi-arid Karoo-Namib ecoregion of southern Africa. Large tracts of Nama-Karoo rangeland have been invaded by alien leguminous trees of the genus Prosopis. We assessed the impact of Prosopis invasion and clearing on vegetation cover in heavily grazed Nama-Karoo rangeland on two sheep farms in the Beaufort West district of the Western Cape province of South Africa. Our results suggest that, below critical threshold cover levels, Prosopis trees do not affect indigenous vegetation and add to overall rangeland vegetation cover. However, once Prosopis cover exceeds critical thresholds, the trees begin to negatively impact on indigenous vegetation (especially grasses) and overall vegetation cover. In addition, our data suggest that vegetation cover recovers after Prosopis clearing, being temporarily higher than pre-invasion levels possibly as a result of enhanced post-invasion soil fertility. Lastly, our results suggest that Prosopis trees reduce rangeland erosion potential at low cover and increase it after they exceed critical threshold cover. Information about thresholds of Prosopis impact can be used to direct clearing efforts for maximum benefit when resources are limited.