Glacier mass balance in High Mountain Asia inferred from a GRACE release-6 gravity solution for the period 2002–2016

We provide estimates of glacier mass changes in the High Mountain Asia (HMA) area from April2002 to August 2016 by employing a new version of gravity solutions of the Gravity Recovery and ClimateExperiment (GRACE) twin-satellite mission. We find a total mass loss trend of the HMA glaciers at a rateof –22.17 (±1.96) Gt/a. The largest mass loss rates of –7.02 (±0.94) and –6.73 (±0.78) Gt/a are found forthe glaciers in Nyainqentanglha Mountains and Eastern Himalayas, respectively. Although most glaciers inthe HMA area show a mass loss, we find a small glacier mass gain of 1.19 (±0.55) and 0.77 (±0.37) Gt/a inKarakoram Mountains and Western Kunlun Mountains, respectively. There is also a nearly zero massbalance in Pamirs. Our estimates of glacier mass change trends confirm previous results from the analysisof altimetry data of the ICESat (ICE, Cloud and Land Elevation Satellite) and ASTER (AdvancedSpaceborne Thermal Emission and Reflection Radiometer) DEM (Digital Elevation Model) satellites inmost of the selected glacier areas. However, they largely differ to previous GRACE-based studies which weattribute to our different post-processing techniques of the newer GRACE data. In addition, we explicitlyshow regional mass change features for both the interannual glacier mass changes and the 14-a averagedseasonal glacier mass changes. These changes can be explained in parts by total net precipitation (netsnowfall and net rainfall) and net snowfall, but mostly by total net radiation energy when compared to datafrom the ERA5-Land meteorological reanalysis. Moreover, nearly all the non-trend interannual masschanges and most seasonal mass changes can be explained by the total net radiation energy data. The massloss trends could be partly related to a heat effect due to increased net rainfall in Tianshan Mountains, QilianMountains, Nyainqentanglha Mountains and Eastern Himalayas. Our new results for the glacier mass changein this study could help improve the understanding of glacier variation in the HMA area and contribute tothe study of global change. They could also serve the utilization of water resources there and in neighboringareas.     

Commuting distances to local non‐farm workplaces and out‐migration: The case of Northeast Thailand

The relationship between commuting distances and where people work has been studied for urban contexts in both developed countries and developing countries. However, few studies have examined the situation in rural areas, and none look at commuting distances to non‐farm workplaces in rural areas of developing countries. This paper investigates how commuting distance, and thus accessibility, to local non‐farm work influences non‐farm employment and out‐migration from rural villages in Northeast Thailand. The main issues examined are: (i) the distance that rural residents travel to work in local non‐farm jobs; and (ii) the influence that local non‐farm employment has on the number of outmigrants from rural villages. The study finds: (i) distance between villages and non‐farm work sites impact the number of villagers who are employed in regular wage work; (ii) beyond 20 km villagers are less likely to travel to non‐farm employment using their own means of transportation; and (iii) employment in regular wage work decreases outmigration. The findings from this study contribute to the debates over the drivers of rural out‐migration, rural livelihood changes, and agrarian changes that are taking place in Southeast Asia.     

A typology of agricultural production systems: Capability building trajectories of three Asian economies

Analysing the agricultural sectors of Taiwan, Malaysia and Singapore, this paper examines the capability‐building process that encourages productivity and innovation. It describes and explains the origins and subsequent evolution of three forms of agricultural production system, each generating different farming capabilities and distinct forms of competitive advantages. The paper argues that Taiwan's rice‐oriented agricultural production system stimulates both productivity and innovation, helping Taiwanese farmers raise their income level and living standards. The active deployment of state institutions and a malleable labour force, evidenced in the Malaysian palm oil industry, is effective in raising farming productivity but not the ability to innovate. Singapore's aquaculture‐oriented agricultural production system is somewhat useful in stimulating productivity and innovation. Yet the city‐state's inherent lack of space and open international trade regime have circumscribed the potential of its aquaculture industry. It now relies on the regional ethnic Chinese business networks to expand the aquaculture industry's knowledge base and its industrial commons. The principles discussed in this paper provide policy lessons, or at least some initial guidance, for other developing economies aspiring to modernise their agricultural sector.     

Geochronology,geochemistry, and Sr-Nd isotopes of Early Carboniferous magmatism in southern West Junggar,northwestern China: Implications for Junggar oceanic plate subduction

West Junggar is a key area for understanding intra-oceanic plate subduction and the final closure of the Junggar Ocean. Knowledge of the Carboniferous tectonic evolution of the Junggar Ocean region is required for understanding the tectonic framework and accretionary processes in West Junggar, Central Asian Orogenic Belt. A series of Early Carboniferous volcanic and intrusive rocks, namely, basaltic andesite, andesite, dacite, and diorite, occur in the Mayile area of southern West Junggar, northwestern China. Our new LA-ICPMS zircon U-Pb geochronological data reveal that diorite intruded at 334 (±1) Ma, and that basaltic andesite was erupted at 334 (±4) Ma. These intrusive and volcanic rocks are calc-alkaline, display moderate MgO (1.62%-4.18%) contents and Mg# values (40-59), and low Cr (14.5×10^-6-47.2×10^-6) and Ni (7.5×10^-6-34.6×10^-6) contents, and are characterized by enrichment in light rare-earth elements and large-ion lithophile elements and depletion in heavy rare-earth elements and high-field-strength elements, meaning that they belong to typical subduction-zone island-arc magma. The samples show low initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (range of 0.703649-0.705008), positive ε_Nd(t) values (range of 4.8-6.2 and mean of 5.4), and young T_DM Nd model ages ranging from 1016 to 616 Ma, indicating a magmatic origin from depleted mantle involving partial melting of 10%-25% garnet and spinel lherzolite. Combining our results with those of previous studies, we suggest that these rocks were formed as a result of northwestward subduction of the Junggar oceanic plate, which caused partial melting of sub-arc mantle. We conclude that intra-oceanic arc magmatism was extensive in West Junggar during the Early Carboniferous.     

Aphanomyces astaci presence in Japan: a threat to the endemic and endangered crayfish species Cambaroides japonicus?

1. Spread of the crayfish plague pathogen, Aphanomyces astaci, by North American crayfish species is considered one of the main reasons for substantial declines and local extinctions of native European crayfish populations. Owing to human introductions, several American crayfish species have become established throughout the world, and thus pose a potential threat to indigenous crayfish populations susceptible to crayfish plague.
2. In Japan, two such widespread alien species, Procambarus clarkii and Pacifastacus leniusculus, were introduced for aquaculture purposes in the late 1920s and since then successfully expanded their ranges.
3. Aggressive interactions with alien crayfish along with habitat modifications have been considered primarily responsible for drastic declines in populations of the Japanese endemic crayfish, Cambaroides japonicus, observed in the last few decades. However, the presence of the crayfish plague pathogen, to which Japanese crayfish are susceptible, may be expected, and could contribute to these declines.
4. Only recently, A. astaci has been reported from Taiwan, and to our knowledge no study focusing on its presence outside of the Western Palearctic has been conducted.
5. To fill this gap, 54 P. clarkii and 47 P. leniusculus individuals from five different Japanese locations were screened using molecular methods recommended by the World Organization for Animal Health. Aphanomyces astaci DNA was detected in all studied populations, altogether in 61% and 21% of examined individuals of P. clarkii and P. leniusculus, respectively.
6. The results provide the first evidence of A. astaci presence in Japan and highlight the threat of pathogen transmission to C. japonicus populations.

Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fecundity and egg dimension of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium assamense peninsulare (Tiwari, 1958) from Rawasan stream of Garhwal,Central Himalaya,India

The population of the freshwater animal was declined day by day due to the degradation of habitat and use of illegal fishing methods, which cause a great threat to these aquatic animals. The main purpose of this study was to scrutinize the wild population and fecundity of freshwater prawn Macrobrachium assamense peninsulare in Rawasan stream to assess the health status of prawn. Fecundity was estimated by a random sampling of prawn from five selected sites of Rawasan stream. A wild collection of a total of 35 ovigerous females was collected for an interval of 2 years (August 2013–July 2015) from May to September month, that is breeding session. The maximum number of eggs was 102 eggs in an individual having 52 mm total length and 2.66 g body weight. It was concluded that fecundity of Macrobrachium assamense peninsulare was low, and egg dimension was larger than other closely related species of freshwater prawn. Fecundity of Macrobrachium assamense peninsulare showed a positive relationship with a total weight (R² = .71) and moderate with the total length (R² = .38). A strong correlation exists between egg mass and total weight, and between egg mass and total length of female (R² = .849 and R² = .77 at p < .05) respectively. The numbers of eggs, that is fecundity, in a female were increased with the body growth of an individual, which results in a linear graph.     

中亚天然气C线管道SPS仿真模拟

中亚天然气C线管道属于典型的输送压力高、流量大、管道跨度大、压气站数目多、输送工艺复杂的输气管道。为研究中亚天然气C线管道正常工况和事故工况下水热力参数的变化规律以及各种事故下管道的自救时间,采用SPS软件建立了中亚天然气C线管道仿真模型。模拟了正常工况下管道全线压力和温度参数,模拟结果与实际运行数据最大相对误差分别为1.90%和12.24%,验证了模型的可靠性;在此基础上分析了环境温度和管道粗糙度变化对全线输气效率的影响规律,确定了各种事故工况下管道最长的自救时间,可为中亚天然气长输管道运行管理提供参考。     

新疆中亚生态群杏品种果实与叶片形态特征相关性

【目的】研究新疆中亚生态群杏品种果实和叶片的形态特性及相关性,为新品种选育提供理论依据。【方法】以隶属于该生态群的80个新疆杏品种为研究对象,测定其在果实成熟期的叶面积、叶片长、叶片宽、叶周长、单果重、果实纵横侧径,分析这些指标的分布特性和彼此间的相关性。【结果】80个新疆中亚生态群杏品种中,77.5%的杏品种叶面积分布在19.8~30.3 cm²,最大叶面积为44.18 cm²,最小叶面积为12.82 cm²,叶面积整体偏小;86.3%杏品种叶周长分布在16.7~22.7 cm,最大叶周长为24.44 cm,最小叶周长为13.66 cm;63.8%杏品种单果重分布在16.1~32.1 g FW,最大单果重为48.07 g FW,最小单果重为12.13 g FW,果实整体偏小。叶面积与叶片宽之间相关性最高(0.910^**),叶周长与叶片长之间相关性最高(0.870^**),单果重与果实横径之间相关性最高(0.913^**)。【结论】叶面积和叶周长与果实的单果重之间极显著正相关,可作为预测果实单果重的重要指标。     

基于GEE的东南亚主产区橡胶林分布遥感提取

为遥感监测全球橡胶主产区橡胶的长势,选取橡胶产量最大的泰国、马来西亚、印度尼西亚三国,开展基于Google Earth Engine（GEE）的橡胶林分布遥感提取研究。通过目视解译选择典型样本区,根据Landsat 7多波段光谱特征、MODIS NDVI反映的植被物候特征建立分类回归树CART分类模型提取橡胶林分布。精度评价显示模型总体分类精度为95.8%,Kappa系数为0.94,生产者精度达到94.8%,用户精度为88.2%,达到较高水平。模型提取结果显示：橡胶林在泰国中部、南部半岛,马来半岛的东部和南部地区,苏门答腊岛分布较为集中,而泰国北部、加里曼丹岛及其他岛屿橡胶林相对稀疏。