Stable isotope analysis of water sources for Tamarix laxa in the mega-dunes of the Badain Jaran Desert,China

The complex interactions in desert ecosystems between functional types and environmental conditions could be reflected by plant water use patterns. However, the mechanisms underlying the water use patterns as well as the water sources of Tamarix laxa in the mega-dunes of the Badain Jaran Desert, China, remain unclear. This study investigated the water sources and water use patterns of T. laxa using the stable oxygen isotope method. The δ¹⁸O values of xylem water, soil water in different layers (0-200 cm), rainwater, snow water, lake water, atmospheric water vapor, condensate water, and groundwater were measured. The sources of water used by T. laxa were determined using the IsoSource model. The results indicate that T. laxa mainly relies on soil water. At the beginning of the growing season (in May), the species is primarily dependent on water from the middle soil layer (60-120 cm) and deep soil layer (120-200 cm). However, it mainly absorbs water from the shallow soil layer (0-60 cm) as the rainy season commences. In September, water use of T. laxa reverts to the deep soil layer (120-200 cm). The water use patterns of T. laxa are closely linked with heavy precipitation events and soil water content. These findings reveal the drought resistance mechanisms of T. laxa and are of significance for screening species for ecological restoration.     

Surface energy and water vapor fluxes observed on a megadune in the Badain Jaran Desert,China

The Badain Jaran Desert is the second-largest area of shifting sands in China. Our first measurements of the energy components and water vapor fluxes on a megadune using eddy covariance technology were taken from April 2012 to April 2013. The results indicate that the longwave and shortwave radiative fluxes exhibited large fluctuations and seasonal dynamics. The total radiative energy loss by longwave and shortwave radiation was greater on the megadune than from other underlying surfaces. The radiation partitioning was different in different seasons. The land-atmosphere interaction was primarily represented by the sensible heat flux. The average sensible heat flux(40.1 W/m2) was much larger than the average latent heat flux(14.5 W/m2). Soil heat flux played an important role in the energy balance. The mean actual evaporation was 0.41 mm/d, and the cumulative actual evaporation was approximately 150 mm/a. The water vapor would transport downwardly and appear as dew condensation water. The amount of precipitation determined the actual evaporation. The actual evaporation was supposed to be equal to the precipitation on the megadune and the precipitation was difficult to recharge the groundwater. Our study can provide a foundation for further research on land-atmosphere interactions in this area.     

Change of lake area in the southeastern part of China’s Badain Jaran Sand Sea and its implications for recharge sources

Understanding the relationship between the changes in lake water volume and climate change can provide valuable information to the recharge sources of lake water. This is particularly true in arid areas such as the Badain Jaran Sand Sea, an ecologically sensitive area, where the recharge sources of lakes are heatedly debated. In this study, we determined the areas of 50 lakes(representing 70% of the total permanent lakes in this sand sea) in 1967, 1975, 1990, 2000 and 2010 by analyzing remote-sensing images using image processing and Ar GIS software. In general, the total lake area decreased from 1967 to 1990, remained almost unchanged from 1990 to 2000, and increased from 2000 to 2010. Analysis of the relationship between these changes and the contemporaneous changes in annual mean temperature and annual precipitation in the surrounding areas suggests that temperature has significantly affected the lake area, but that the influence of precipitation was minor. These results tend to support the palaeo-water recharge hypothesis for lakes of the Badain Jaran Sand Sea, considering the fact that the distribution and area of lakes are closely related to precipitation and the size of mega-dunes, but the contemporaneous precipitation can hardly balance the lake water.     

Wind regimes and associated sand dune types in the hinterland of the Badain Jaran Desert,China

Wind controls the formation and development of sand dunes. Therefore, understanding the wind regimes is necessary in sand dune research. In this study, we combined the wind data from 2017 to 2019 at four meteorological stations (Cherigele and Wuertabulage stations in the lake basins, and Yikeri and Sumujilin stations on the top of sand dunes) in the hinterland of the Badain Jaran Desert in China, with high resolution Google Earth images to analyze the correlation between the wind energy environments and dune morphology. The results of data analysis indicated that both the wind direction and sand drift intensity exhibited notable spatial and temporal variations. The highest level of wind activity was observed in spring. Northwesterly and northeasterly winds were the dominant in the Badain Jaran Desert. At the Cherigele, Wuertabulage, and Yikeri stations, the drift potential (DP) was below 200.00 vector units (VU). The wind energy environments in most areas could be classified as low-energy environments. The resultant drift direction differed at different stations and in different seasons, but the overall direction was mainly the southeast. The resultant drift potential (RDP)/DP ratio was greater than 0.30 in most parts of the study area, suggesting that the wind regimes mainly exhibited unimodal or bimodal characteristics. Differences between the thermodynamic properties and the unique landscape settings of lakes and sand dunes could alter the local circulation and intensify the complexity of the wind regimes. The wind regimes were weaker in the lake basins than on the top of sand dunes. Transverse dunes were the most dominant types of sand dunes in the study area, and the wind regimes at most stations were consistent with sand dune types. Wind was thus the main dynamic factor affecting the formation of sand dunes in the Badain Jaran Desert BJD. The results of this study are important for understanding the relationship between the wind regimes and aeolian landforms of the dune field in the deserts.     

巴丹吉林沙漠植被群落特征与土壤水分关系研究

通过对巴丹吉林沙漠周边及腹地进行野外调查采样,归纳出该区植被的生活型和群落类型,分析其植被多样性、优势度及均匀度指数,进而探讨该地区植被群落特征对土壤水分的响应.结果表明:(1)本次调查共记录到20科52属56种植物,分属于乔木、小乔木、灌木、小灌木、半灌木、草质藤本、多年生草本、一年生草本8类生活型,群落多以灌木和多...     

巴丹吉林沙漠第四纪研究评述与讨论

近20年来巴丹吉林沙漠第四纪研究倍受地学界的关注,取得了较大的进展,但在一些主要问题的认识和结论上,分歧和争论极大。在综合分析大量研究成果的基础上,对第四纪研究进行了系统的评述和讨论,指出了这些研究中存在的问题、以及出现分歧和相互矛盾的原因。在沙漠形成的时代上,现有的研究主要是对沙漠部分地区的地层断代和沙丘浅部的测年,尚没有系统的工作,为此这里特别对影响沙漠时代研究的几个主要因素进行了详细的讨论。关于高大沙山和其间湖泊的形成机制,前者有多因素理论和地下水理论,后者有沙山间负地形理论说和断裂构造理论。尽管这些理论的依据和手段主要是运用不同的地球化学元素来示踪水源,但得出的结论迥异。通过对这些结果的分析,认为彼此的适用性还需进一步的证实。湖泊水源争论的原因主要是缺乏对沙漠地貌、下部地质、沙山钙结层和植物根套的综合研究所致,沙漠下部地质的进一步研究是解决这些问题的关键。在沙漠气候及其演化的研究上,西风环流和东亚季风对沙漠的形成和演化的影响程度还不清楚。最后对巴丹吉林沙漠的未来研究进行了展望。     

1960-2009年中国天山现代冰川末端变化特征

基于冰川定位观测、野外考察、航空摄影、遥感影像和地形图分析方法,研究了1960-2009年中国天山8条冰川末端变化特征。结果表明：1960-2009年,在天山地区气温与降水呈上升趋势的背景下,8条冰川均处于退缩状态,退缩速率由西向东逐渐减缓,其变化幅度因气候环境、地理位置、冰川规模和冰川形态等的不同而存在明显的区域性与阶段性差异。其中,乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川1962-1973年冰川末端退缩速率为5.96 m•a^-1,1973-1980年为3.28 m•a^-1,1980-1993年为3.93 m•a^-1,在1993年完全分离成东、西两支独立的冰川;博格达峰四工河4号冰川末端1962-1981年退缩速率为6 m•a^-1,1981-2006年为8.9 m•a^-1,2006-2009年为13.3 m•a^-1。表碛覆盖的青冰滩72号冰川和74号冰川末端1964-2009年退缩速率分别为41 m•a^-1和30 m•a^-1,远较无表碛覆盖的庙儿沟平顶冰川退缩迅速（1972-2007年冰川末端退缩速率为2.32 m•a^-1）。表面特征（表碛）亦是造成冰川变化差异的一个主要原因。     

巴丹吉林沙漠南缘沙地芦苇种群生态特征

对天然分布在巴丹吉林沙漠南缘2种沙地生境(盐渍沙地、普通沙地)芦苇(Phragmites australis)分株种群的构件特征、种群年龄结构、动态特征及种群空间分布格局进行调查,研究表明:(1)盐渍沙地土壤含水量和含盐量都显著大于普通沙地,普通沙地芦苇的株高、生物量以及各构件的生物量整体上都高于盐渍沙地的芦苇,土壤含...     

Eddy covariance measurements of water vapor and energy flux over a lake in the Badain Jaran Desert,China

Exploring the surface energy exchange between atmosphere and water bodies is essential to gain a quantitative understanding of regional climate change, especially for the lakes in the desert. In this study, measurements of energy flux and water vapor were performed over a lake in the Badain Jaran Desert, China from March 2012 to March 2013. The studied lake had about a 2-month frozen period(December and January) and a 10-month open-water period(February–November). Latent heat flux(LE) and sensible heat flux(Hs) acquired using the eddy covariance technique were argued by measurements of longwave and shortwave radiation. Both fluxes of longwave and shortwave radiation showed seasonal dynamics and daily fluctuations during the study period. The reflected solar radiation was much higher in winter than in other seasons. LE exhibited diurnal and seasonal variations. On a daily scale, LE was low in the morning and peaked in the afternoon. From spring(April) to winter(January), the diurnal amplitude of LE decreased slowly. LE was the dominant heat flux throughout the year and consumed most of the energy from the lake. Generally speaking, LE was mostly affected by changes in the ambient wind speed, while Hs was primarily affected by the product of water-air temperature difference and wind speed. The diurnal LE and Hs were negatively correlated in the open-water period. The variations in Hs and LE over the lake were differed from those on the nearby land surface. The mean evaporation rate on the lake was about 4.0 mm/d over the entire year, and the cumulative annual evaporation rate was 1445 mm/a. The cumulative annual evaporation was 10 times larger than the cumulative annual precipitation. Furthermore, the average evaporation rates over the frozen period and open-water period were approximately 0.6 and 5.0 mm/d, respectively. These results can be used to analyze the water balance and quantify the source of lake water in the Badain Jaran Desert.     

New evidence for the links between the local water cycle and the underground wet sand layer of a mega-dune in the Badain Jaran Desert,China

Scientists and the local government have great concerns about the climate change and water resources in the Badain Jaran Desert of western China. A field study for the local water cycle of a lake-desert system was conducted near the Noertu Lake in the Badain Jaran Desert from 21 June to 26 August 2008. An underground wet sand layer was observed at a depth of 20–50 cm through analysis of datasets collected during the field experiment. Measurements unveiled that the near surface air humidity increased in the nighttime. The sensible and latent heat fluxes were equivalent at a site about 50 m away from the Noertu Lake during the daytime, with mean values of 134.4 and 105.9 W/m2 respectively. The sensible heat flux was dominant at a site about 500 m away from the Noertu Lake, with a mean of 187.7 W/m2, and a mean latent heat flux of only 26.7 W/m2. There were no apparent differences for the land surface energy budget at the two sites during the night time. The latent heat flux was always negative with a mean value of –12.7 W/m2, and the sensible heat flux was either positive or negative with a mean value of 5.10 W/m2. A portion of the local precipitation was evaporated into the air and the top-layer of sand dried quickly after every rainfall event, while another portion seeped deep and was trapped by the underground wet sand layer, and supplied water for surface psammophyte growth. With an increase of air humidity and the occurrence of negative latent heat flux or water vapor condensation around the Noertu Lake during the nighttime, we postulated that the vapor was transported and condensed at the lakeward sand surface, and provided supplemental underground sand pore water. There were links between the local water cycle, underground wet sand layer, psammophyte growth and landscape evolution of the mega-dunes surrounding the lakes in the Badain Jaran Desert of western China.     

Spatiotemporal changes of typical glaciers and their responses to climate change in Xinjiang,Northwest China

Glaciers are highly sensitive to climate change and are undergoing significant changes in mid-latitudes. In this study, we analyzed the spatiotemporal changes of typical glaciers and their responses to climate change in the period of 1990-2015 in 4 different mountainous sub-regions in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of Northwest China: the Bogda Peak and Karlik Mountain sub-regions in the Tianshan Mountains; the Yinsugaiti Glacier sub-region in the Karakorum Mountains; and the Youyi Peak sub-region in the Altay Mountains. The standardized snow cover index (NDSI) and correlation analysis were used to reveal the glacier area changes in the 4 sub-regions from 1990 to 2015. Glacial areas in the Bogda Peak, Karlik Mountain, Yinsugaiti Glacier, and Youyi Peak sub-regions in the period of 1990-2015 decreased by 57.7, 369.1, 369.1, and 170.4 km², respectively. Analysis of glacier area center of gravity showed that quadrant changes of glacier areas in the 4 sub-regions moved towards the origin. Glacier area on the south aspect of the Karlik Mountain sub-region was larger than that on the north aspect, while glacier areas on the north aspect of the other 3 sub-regions were larger than those on the south aspect. Increased precipitation in the Karlik Mountain sub-region inhibited the retreat of glaciers to a certain extent. However, glacier area changes in the Bogda Peak and Youyi Peak sub-regions were not sensitive to the increased precipitation. On a seasonal time scale, glacier area changes in the Bogda Peak, Karlik Mountain, Yinsugaiti Glacier, and Youyi Peak sub-regions were mainly caused by accumulated temperature in the wet season; on an annual time scale, the correlation coefficient between glacier area and annual average temperature was -0.72 and passed the significance test at P<0.05 level in the Karlik Mountain sub-region. The findings of this study can provide a scientific basis for water resources management in the arid and semi-arid regions of Northwest China in the context of global warming.     

新疆霍城地区树轮年表的建立及气候意义

通过对霍城地区5个树轮年表多项统计特征参数的对比,表明差值树轮年表对气候变化研究具有应用潜力.在5个差值树轮年表中,阿里比萨依和霍尔果斯年表包含了较多的气候信息.将5个差值树轮年表与附近的霍城和霍尔果斯气象站1960-2005年逐月降水和气温资料进行相关普查.结果发现:2个低海拔树轮差值年表的平均年表与2站当年5月降水呈正相关,且相关性好;而3个上树线树轮差值年表的平均年表与2站上年12月的平均气温呈正相关,且相关性好,其正相关均具有明显的树木生理学意义.对代表性较好的阿里比萨依差值树轮年表进行31年滑动平均发现,其年轮指数具有6高5低的阶段性变化,其变化与伊犁河1818-1990年的丰枯变化具有较好的一致性.     

新疆伊犁地区夏季平均最高气温的重建和分析

根据采自伊犁地区天山的树木年轮样本,建立了该地区的树轮年表。通过单相关普查发现,自回归树轮年表序列与夏季(6~8月)的平均最高气温呈明显的负相关关系。并且具有明确的树木生理学意义。利用新源上限(XNAUt 1)、巩留下限(GUt 1)和特克斯上限(TUt 1)3个自回归树轮年表序列,可较好地重建伊犁天山东部在该时段的月平均最高气温。经交叉检验可知,所得重建方程是稳定可靠的,重建的温度序列是可信的。通过分析发现:伊犁天山东部300年来夏季月平均最高气温大致经历了8个偏暖阶段和8个偏冷阶段;具有2.9,3.4,4,49.5,58,59,68年的变化准周期;存在5次气温突变:1729-1733年、1867-1871年、1929-1934年前后气温由高向低突变;1841-1846年、1903-1906年前后气温由低向高突变。     

天山奎屯哈希勒根51号冰川变化及其对气候的响应

哈希勒根51号冰川位于新疆奎屯市以南的天山依连哈比尔尕山北坡,即奎屯河上游支流哈希勒根河源区。继1998年对冰川末端和运动速度的首次观测之后,相继开展了多次重复测量,完成了冰川面积测量和首次雷达厚度测量。结合冰川实测资料和已有相关研究,对自20世纪60年代以来的变化特征进行了详细分析,结果表明：1964-2006年哈希勒根51号冰川面积共减小了0.123 km2,年平均退缩率约为0.19%,相比低于天山地区的整体水平（0.31%）。冰川末端累计退缩84.51 m,年平均退缩率为2.01 m。对于冰川运动速度,1999-2006年整体偏低,各流速点的年际变化较小,且略微有下降的趋势;7 a间物质平衡年际变化较小,整体表现出沿海拔高度增加而增加的趋势。1964-2010年冰川厚度减薄了约10 m,年均变化率约为0.22 m。与天山乌鲁木齐河源1号冰川相比,整体消融趋势稍弱。     

近20 a中国天山东段典型冰川变化及其气候响应

冰川作为重要的淡水资源的存储体,也是气候变化的敏感"指示器"。在干旱半干旱区,冰川变化对人们的生产、生活和生态产生重要的影响。本文基于1990—2015年Landsat TM及ETM+遥感影像数据,利用雪盖指数法(NDSI)和阈值法,分析博格达峰及喀尔力克山的冰川面积变化,结合长时间序列的气温、降水数据分析天山东段典型冰川的气候响应。结果表明:(1)博格达峰与喀尔力克山的冰川均呈现退缩趋势,与气温和降水的变化趋势一致。(2)博格达峰和喀尔力克山冰川面积变化在东南坡向有波动增加趋势,其他坡向则未出现该现象。(3)从两个冰川不同坡向的面积和面积重心分布变化分析,博格达峰冰川面积在东坡方向退缩速率最大,而喀尔力克山的冰川在东北坡方向退缩速率最大。(4)根据栅格气象资料分析,近四五十年博格达地区冰川面积退缩速率大于喀尔力克山地区,并且博格达峰降水量的增加对冰川的退缩起到的作用不大,喀尔力克山的降水量对冰川面积的退缩起到了一定的抑制作用。(5)通过对博格达峰地区和喀尔力克山地区不同坡向的冰川面积与年均气温、年均降水量进行Person相关性分析,博格达峰地区、喀尔力克山地区各个坡向的冰川面积变化与降水相关系数均很小。但博格达峰地区北、东北、东南坡向的冰川面积与区域气温变化相关系数较高,喀尔力克山地区东南、东北坡向的冰川面积与区域气温的相关系数高且显著性明显。分析其原因,在年内尺度上,博格达峰地区、喀尔力克山地区是湿季气温升高所致,干湿两季降水量的增多,并没有使得冰川整体的退缩有所减缓。     

基于RS和GIS的沙漠湖泊动态变化研究——以巴丹吉林沙漠为例

沙漠湖泊动态变化的常规观测方法在沙漠的大部分地区无法实施,遥感(RS)与地理信息系统(G IS)技术的发展为研究沙漠湖泊动态变化提供了有效的技术手段。及时准确地掌握和研究沙漠湖泊资源的现状和动态变化过程,对于沙漠湖泊的合理开发、保护和可持续发展都有着及其重要的意义。因此,以巴丹吉林沙漠为例,利用1973年、1990年、2000年、2007年的(多光谱扫描仪)MSS、(专题制图仪)TM、(增强型专题制图仪)ETM+、(中巴地球资源卫星)CBERS_CCD遥感资料为信息源,综合监督分类与目视判读方法提取沙漠湖泊信息,以G IS为工具对湖泊动态变化信息进行分析。结果表明:研究区1973年湖泊面积为28.56km2,2007年的湖泊面积为17.01km2,减少了11.55km2,减少的速度为0.34km2/a,其中1973-1990年间减少的速率最快,为0.66km2/a,1990-2007年间几乎没有发生变化。     

Simulating hydrological responses to climate change using dynamic and statistical downscaling methods: a case study in the Kaidu River Basin,Xinjiang, China

Climate change may affect water resources by altering various processes in natural ecosystems. Dynamic and statistical downscaling methods are commonly used to assess the impacts of climate change on water resources. Objectively, both methods have their own advantages and disadvantages. In the present study, we assessed the impacts of climate change on water resources during the future periods (2020-2029 and 2040-2049) in the upper reaches of the Kaidu River Basin, Xinjiang, China, and discussed the uncertainties in the research processes by integrating dynamic and statistical downscaling methods (regional climate models (RCMs) and general circulation modes (GCMs)) and utilizing these outputs. The reference period for this study is 1990-1999. The climate change trend is represented by three bias-corrected RCMs (i.e., Hadley Centre Global Environmental Model version 3 regional climate model (HadGEM3-RA), Regional Climate Model version 4 (RegCM4), and Seoul National University Meso-scale Model version 5 (SUN-MM5)) and an ensemble of GCMs on the basis of delta change method under two future scenarios (RCP4.5 and RCP8.5). We applied the hydrological SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model which uses the RCMs/GCMs outputs as input to analyze the impacts of climate change on the stream flow and peak flow of the upper reaches of the Kaidu River Basin. The simulation of climate factors under future scenarios indicates that both temperature and precipitation in the study area will increase in the future compared with the reference period, with the largest increase of annual mean temperature and largest percentage increase of mean annual precipitation being of 2.4°C and 38.4%, respectively. Based on the results from bias correction of climate model outputs, we conclude that the accuracy of RCM (regional climate model) simulation is much better for temperature than for precipitation. The percentage increase in precipitation simulated by the three RCMs is generally higher than that simulated by the ensemble of GCMs. As for the changes in seasonal precipitation, RCMs exhibit a large percentage increase in seasonal precipitation in the wet season, while the ensemble of GCMs shows a large percentage increase in the dry season. Most of the hydrological simulations indicate that the total stream flow will decrease in the future due to the increase of evaporation, and the maximum percentage decrease can reach up to 22.3%. The possibility of peak flow increasing in the future is expected to higher than 99%. These results indicate that less water is likely to be available in the upper reaches of the Kaidu River Basin in the future, and that the temporal distribution of flow may become more concentrated.     

巴丹吉林沙漠腹地湖泊水面蒸发模拟的特殊性

巴丹吉林沙漠腹地的湖泊形成机理一直存在较大争论。其中,湖泊蒸发估算的不确定性可能是导致这一争论的重要原因。采用沙漠腹地的气象观测数据,分析了沙漠腹地湖泊蒸发估算所具有的特殊性,亦即沙漠腹地与外围的风速差异、腹地湖泊"冷岛效应"和"盐度效应"。具体而言,腹地风速较外围风速小,可引起传统的彭曼模型估算的蒸发偏大,腹地湖泊的冷岛效应则使平流项在湖泊能量平衡过程中不可忽视,腹地湖泊的盐度效应使得其蒸发速率要小于淡水蒸发。因此,开展系统的定位观测是准确获取湖巴丹吉林沙漠腹地泊蒸发的一个合理途径,并有助于揭示沙漠腹地湖泊的形成机理。     

全球变暖背景下天山地区近地面水汽变化研究

利用天山地区44个站1961-2009年水汽压数据,采用线性趋势估计、距平分析、Mann-Kendall趋势统计突变检验和功率谱等方法,分析天山地区近地面水汽变化及其与区域气候变化的关系。结果表明：天山地区近49 a来水汽总体呈增多趋势,年和四季水汽变化具有年际和年代际差异,最大增多趋势均出现在20世纪90年代中后期至21世纪初,最小值出现在70年代中后期和80年代中期,最大值出现在21世纪初。突变和周期分析得出,水汽年变化与西北地区气候变化趋势具有明显一致性。年降水变化与水汽相关最高,温度和青藏高原指数次之,其他因子相关一般。     

1960-2009年巴丹吉林沙漠南北缘气候变化分析

利用巴丹吉林沙漠北缘的额济纳旗、拐子湖和南缘的阿拉善右旗、雅布赖4个气象站,1960-2009年逐月平均气温、降水量和相对湿度资料,运用一元线性回归、趋势系数分析和5年滑动平均方法,分析近50年来沙漠南北缘气候变化趋势.结果发现:近50年来,巴丹吉林沙漠南北缘年平均气温显著升高,升温速率为0.27～0.48℃/10 a...