Impact of grassland contract policy on soil organic carbon losses from alpine grassland on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau

Carbon storage in the soils on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau plays a very important role in the global carbon budget. In the 1990s, a policy of contracting collective grasslands to smaller units was implemented, resulting in a change from the traditional collective grassland management to two new management patterns: a multi‐household management pattern (MMP: grassland shared by several households without enclosures) and a single‐household management pattern (SMP: grassland enclosed and used by only one household). In 2016, 50 MMP and 54 SMP winter pastures on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau were sampled to assess the differences in soil organic carbon (SOC) between the two management patterns. Results showed that average SOC was significantly greater under MMP than under SMP, with an estimated 0.41 Mg C/ha/yr lost due to SMP following the new grassland contract. Based on the government's grassland policy, four grassland utilization scenarios were developed for both summer and winter pastures. We found that if the grassland were managed under SMP, likely C losses ranged between 0.31 × 10⁷ and 6.15 × 10⁷ Mg C/yr across the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau relative to MMP, which more closely resembles pre‐1990s grassland management. Previous estimates of C losses have only considered land use change (with cover change) and ignored the impacts driven by land management pattern changes (without cover change). The new data suggest that C losses from the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau are greater than previously estimated, and therefore that the grassland contract policy should be reviewed and SMP households should be encouraged to reunite into the MMP. These findings have potential implications for land management strategies not only on the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau but also other grazing regions globally where such practices may exist.     

河西走廊荒漠绿洲过渡带沙丘不同生境沙拐枣种群扩张特征研究

本研究以河西走廊荒漠绿洲边缘关键天然固沙植物沙拐枣为研究对象,对流动沙丘、固定沙丘不同生境的沙拐枣种群扩张特征进行调查,旨在更全面地认识其种群扩张特征和对干旱高温环境的适应对策。结果表明：（1）沙丘不同生境,沙拐枣种群扩张方式存在显著差异：在流动沙丘,丘间低地和过渡带以有性繁殖为主,无性繁殖为辅;迎风坡和背风坡以无性繁殖为主;而随着流动沙丘固定,种群以有性繁殖为主,无性繁殖数量和所占比重显著下降,并导致种群数量下降。（2）不同生境中沙拐枣种群密度与年龄均呈显著负相关,种群以幼龄苗为主,种群最大年龄出现在丘间低地,为36龄。（3）流动沙丘不同生境根状茎主要为2年生,多年生根状茎长度较短;而固定沙丘不同生境根状茎年龄结构较为均衡。     

纹党和红芪加工废弃物活性多糖对衰老小鼠的抗氧化作用

为了研究陇南道地中药材纹党和红芪加工废弃物中活性多糖对衰老小鼠的抗氧化作用，用低糖低脂饲料适应性喂养小鼠15 d，以剂量为500 mg·kg^-1颈部皮下注射D-半乳糖（D-galactose）溶液构建小鼠亚急性衰老模型。将建模成功的小鼠随机分为正常对照组、衰老模型组、纹党多糖（Codonopisis pilosula polysaccharides, CPP）、红芪多糖（Hedysarum polybotrys polysaccharides ,CHP）剂量处理组和阳性（V_E170 mg·kg^-1）处理组。连续灌胃给药28 d，研究两种多糖对衰老小鼠体重及动物脏器指数、血清中超氧化物歧化酶（SOD）、过氧化氢酶(CAT)和谷胱甘肽过氧化物酶(GSH-Px)的活力变化以及丙二醛（MDA）的含量变化。经过测定，提取的纹党多糖和红芪多糖得率分别为16.52%和13.96%，纯度为 99.65%和99.38%，剂量在400 mg·kg^-1时纹党多糖对衰老小鼠治疗效果明显优于红芪多糖，其心脏和脾脏指数、血清中的SOD、CAT和GSH-Px活力均高于模型组，血清中的MDA含量均低于模型组，对衰老小鼠具有缓解体重下降的作用。结果表明，纹党多糖和红芪多糖均能提高衰老小鼠的抗氧化作用，且纹党多糖和红芪多糖联用后抗氧化和抗衰老能力最好。     

Physiological characteristics of high yield under cluster planting: photosynthesis and canopy microclimate of cotton

Cotton produces more biomass and economic yield when cluster planting pattern (three plants per hole) than in a traditional planting pattern (one plant per hole), even at similar plant densities, indicating that individual plant growth is promoted by cluster planting. The causal factors for this improved growth induced by cluster planting pattern, the light interception, canopy microclimate and photosynthetic rate of cotton were investigated in an arid region of China. The results indicated that the leaf area index and light interception were higher in cluster planting, and significantly different from those in traditional planting during the middle and late growth stages. Cotton canopy humidity at different growth stages was increased but canopy temperatures were reduced by cluster planting. In the later growth stage of cluster planting, the leaf chlorophyll content was higher and the leaf net photosynthetic rate and canopy photosynthetic rate were significantly increased in comparing with traditional planting pattern. We concluded that differences in canopy light interception and photosynthetic rate were the primary factors responsible for increased biomass production and economic yield in cluster planting compared with the traditional planting of cotton.     

Community Characteristics and Species Diversity of Wetland Plants in the Yangguan Nature Reserve of Dunhuang

As a typical inland wetland, Yangguan nature reserve wetland in Dunhuang is one of the important stops of migratory route for birds, which is vulnerable and particular. Study on the community characteristics and species diversity of wetland has great signifi cance for biodiversity protection. Based on the fi eld investigation, the fl oristic composition, geographical elements and species diversity of wetland plants were studied in Yangguan reserve of Dunhuang. The results showed that 26 families, 56 genera and 74 species were recorded in the study area. The largest families were the Gramineae and Chenopodiaceae, accounting for 29.73% of the total. Herbs were the most abundant life-form, accounting for 77.03% of the total. The fl oral geographical elements of the plants were mainly composed of temperate zone distribution type. By using two way indicator species analysis(TWINSPAN), the vegetation in 36 sampling plots could be classifi ed into 8 communities. The species diversity indexes of communities were relatively low, but had large differences among each other. According to the importance value, the Margalef richness index(Rm) ranged from 0 to 4.200. Simpson diversity index(D) was between 0 and 0.512; Shannon diversity index(H) ranged from 0 to 1.400, and Pielou evenness index(J) was within the range of 0.538 to 1.000. The results indicated that the plant species were relatively rare and simple in general, the species diversity of communities was low, and the ecological environment was fragile in Yangguan nature reserve of Dunhuang.     

Tree-ring-based reconstruction of temperature variability(1445–2011) for the upper reaches of the Heihe River Basin,Northwest China

Long-term temperature variability has significant effects on runoff into the upper reaches of inland rivers. This paper developed a tree-ring chronology of Qilian juniper(Sabina przewalskii Kom.) from the upper tree-line of the middle Qilian Mountains within the upper reaches of Heihe River Basin, Northwest China for a long-term reconstruction of temperature at the study site. In this paper, tree-ring chronology was used to examine climate-growth associations considering local climate data obtained from Qilian Meteorological Station. The results showed that temperatures correlated extremely well with standardized growth indices of trees(r=0.564, P0.001). Tree-ring chronology was highest correlated with annual mean temperature(r=0.641, P0.0001). Annual mean temperature which spans the period of 1445–2011 was reconstructed and explained 57.8% of the inter-annual to decadal temperature variance at the regional scale for the period 1961–2011. Spatial correlation patterns revealed that reconstructed temperature data and gridded temperature data had a significant correlation on a regional scale, indicating that the reconstruction represents climatic variations for an extended area surrounding the sampling sites. Analysis of the temperature reconstruction indicated that major cold periods occurred during the periods of 1450s–1480s, 1590s–1770s, 1810s–1890s, 1920s–1940s, and 1960s–1970s. Warm intervals occurred during 1490s–1580s, 1780s–1800s, 1900s–1910s, 1950 s, and 1980 s to present. The coldest 100-year and decadal periods occurred from 1490s–1580s and 1780s–1800s, respectively, while the warmest 100 years within the studied time period was the 20 th century. Colder events and intervals coincided with wet or moist conditions in and near the study region. The reconstructed temperature agreed well with other temperature series reconstructed across the surrounding areas, demonstrating that this reconstructed temperature could be used to evaluate regional climate change. Compared to the tree-ring reconstructed temperature from nearby regions and records of glacier fluctuations from the surrounding high mountains, this reconstruction was reliable, and could aid in the evaluation of regional climate variability. Spectral analyses suggested that the reconstructed annual mean temperature variation may be related to large-scale atmospheric–oceanic variability such as the solar activity, Pacific Decadal Oscillation(PDO) and El Ni?o–Southern Oscillation(ENSO).     

2013年夏季内蒙古干旱-半干旱区两次极端降水事件对比

2013年夏季,内蒙古中西部干旱-半干旱区多次出现极端降水事件,引发气象灾害.为探寻其特征及成因,选择“6·30”、“7·14”两次典型极端降水事件,从天气尺度系统、中尺度对流系统、热力动力条件、水汽来源等方面进行对比分析,得到以下结论:①“6 · 30”暴雨是华北小高压前的切变线产生;“7·14”暴雨是“北槽南涡”与台风北上共同作用的结果.②两次暴雨都是中尺度对流复合体(MCS)发展的结果.“6·30”暴雨突发性强,具有局地特点;“7·14”暴雨具有列车效应,持续时间长.③两次暴雨水汽来源不同.“6·30”暴雨水汽来源于南海;“7.14”暴雨是“北槽南涡”加上远距离台风输送的结果.④“6·30”暴雨是高压切变线西侧干、东侧湿,在锋区附近产生上升运动促发不稳定能量释放;高空“干侵入”是“7·14”暴雨的促发机制.⑤东亚夏季风偏强,西北太平洋副热带高压脊线位置偏北,是内蒙古中西部干旱-半干旱区极端降水事件的重要原因.     

Identification of genetic regions associated with black point in barley

Black point (BP) can cause severe losses to the barley industry through downgrading and discounting of malting barley. The genetic improvement in BP resistance of barley is complex, requiring reliable screening tools, an understanding of genotype by environment interactions and an understanding of the biochemical mechanisms of melanisation involved in BP development. Thus the application of molecular markers for resistance to BP may be a useful tool for plant breeders. We have investigated the genetic regions associated with BP resistance in the barley F₂ population, Valier/Binalong. Quantitative trait loci (QTLs) contributed by the resistant parent Valier, were detected on chromosomes 2HS, 2HC, 3HL, 4HL and a QTL contributed by the susceptible parent, Binalong was detected on 5HL. Three of the four QTLs were detected in two distinctly different environments. The differences observed in BP resistance between these two environments and the implications for accelerated screening are discussed. Identified SSR markers in these regions may be useful for selecting black point resistance in related breeding materials.     

Legume–grass species influence plant productivity and soil nitrogen during grassland succession in the eastern Tibet Plateau

In recent years, numerous studies have evaluated the effect of plant function diversity on ecosystem functions such as productivity and soil nutrient status. We performed a redundancy analysis (RDA) to examine the relationship between plant functional diversity, productivity and soil nitrogen in a chronosequence of abandoned fields in sub-alpine meadow in the eastern part of the Tibet Plateau, China. We found that along the secondary succession sequence, legume richness and aboveground biomass significantly increased and both were positively correlated with total species richness (S) and aboveground biomass (T-bio). This pattern suggests that legume richness increases community productivity. In addition, we found that total aboveground biomass, legume and grass richness were positively correlated with soil microbial nitrogen (MBN), the ratio of microbial nitrogen to soil total nitrogen (MBN/TN) and the ratio of soil organic carbon and soil total nitrogen (C/N), whereas they were negatively correlated with soil total nitrogen (TN), organic carbon (C_org), and microbial carbon (MBC). Contrary to our predictions grasses such as Stipa grandis, Scirpus tripueter, Koeleria cristata were more closely associated with MBN, MBN/TN than legumes such as Oxytropis ochrocephala, Thermopsis lanceolate and Astragalus polycladus. The late-successional grass Kobresio humilis had a stronger positive correlation with NH₄-N as compared to the legumes and NO₃-N was not associated with any legume species. This suggests that the grasses and legumes have a synergetic positive influence on the ecosystem properties, especially nitrogen. Therefore, in this N-limited, plant community diversity of both legumes and grasses has a strong influence on ecosystem changes during succession.     

近40年来托木尔峰南部地区气候及水文环境变化特征

西天山托木尔峰南部地区1987年以来出现了气候由暖干向暖湿转变趋势,在温度大幅上升的基础上,降水量和冰川融水量持续增加,相应的水文与生态环境也发生了显著的改善。本文在综合分析区域内水文、气象观测资料的基础上,对托木尔峰南部地区近40年来气温、降水以及径流量变化的基本趋势、不同海拔高度气温、降水变化差异,以及同一流域山区和平原区径流量变化的差异进行了深入分析。研究表明,受水汽输送途径和研究区地形地貌的影响,区域降水主要集中在托木尔峰南部山区;气候转型的原因是和北大西洋向东输送的水汽增加、西风气流加强有关;海拔2000m左右区域1987年以来气候向暖湿转化最为明显;近40年来由于气温升高,导致冰川消融补给河流量增加15%,但由于人类活动和粗放农业的发展,区域耗水量不断增加,导致塔里木河径流量不断减少,中下游生态环境急剧恶化。