A mid–late Holocene flood record from the alluvial reach of the Mahi River, Western India

Flooding of rivers in India is linked with the peak monsoons. Investigating the linkage between monsoonal patterns and flood history of various rivers is therefore of fundamental importance in the Indian context. In the present study, the slackwater deposits in the alluvial reaches of the Mahi river basin, western India have been documented. These occur in the ravines incised during the early Holocene on an alluvial surface comprising sediments of Late Pleistocene age. The slackwater deposits occur at elevations up to 20 m from the present river level and extend to about 500 m inland. The carbonate rich sediments forming the ravine cliffs have provided bank stability and the dissections in the ravines have helped in the accumulation of slackwater deposits due to backflooding of the floodwater from the main channel. Recent gullies have incised the sediments and exposed deposits related to major flood events. The best exposures of slackwater deposits have been observed at Dodka. The sediment succession of the slackwater deposits is dominated by bedsets and laminasets of silt and sand separated by colluvial sediments. Four events of flood deposition occurred during the mid to late Holocene. Two units of slackwater deposits, SWD 2 and 4 have been dated by IRSL at 4.6 ± 1 ka and 1.7 ± 0.5 ka. The stratigraphy of these deposits indicates that the first two slackwater units (SWD1 and SWD2) have resulted due to flooding in a regime of intense monsoon. The other two units, however, represent extreme high magnitude floods in a period of low average precipitation.     

Depositional environment and luminescence chronology of the Hoarusib River Clay Castles sediments,northern Namib Desert,Namibia

The Clay Castles in the Hoarusib River valley are fine-grained deposits in a tributary immediately upstream of a narrow gorge. Sedimentological analysis reveals three lithofacies associations: (1) Channel Facies Association near the mouth of the tributary, (2) Back-Flow Facies Association in the middle section, and (3) Silt and Massive Sand Facies Association in the head of the tributary. Overall sedimentary architecture shows that aggradation of the main Hoarusib channel led to back flooding into the tributary and the deposition of massive fine-grained deposits. Decreased discharge competency, increased sediment load and the presence of narrow gorges within the main valley are suggested as reasons for the aggradation. Inter-fingering of desert-derived sediments channeled down the tributary and backflow sediments from the main river indicate an increase in both upland and desert rainfall during the course of sedimentation. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) dating of these deposits indicates formation between 44 and 20 ka, with the possibility that deposition occurred during two phases of rapid sedimentation at ca. 42 and 25 ka.     

黄河乌兰布和沙漠段凌汛期河岸动态变化及影响因素

黄河凌汛期间河水的扩张与萎缩导致河岸带变化,影响沿岸植物的生态补水与沙漠沙入黄。研究以乌海水利枢纽至三盛公段冬凌夏汛期河岸为研究对象,分析了1989—2010年河岸带动态变化及其影响因素。结果表明:夏季4个时段,河岸呈现萎缩—扩张—扩张—萎缩动态变化;当左岸以向右摆动为主时,河岸呈右偏萎缩趋势;当左、右岸分别由两侧向外摆动时,河岸呈扩张趋势。冬季3个阶段黄河以左岸向左摆动为主,冰面呈萎缩—扩张—萎缩动态变化;且岸线萎缩时表现出向右偏移,扩张时表现出向左偏移。冬季冰封期河岸向同侧偏移变化较夏季更为明显,且左岸移动幅度显著大于右岸移动幅度。夏季汛期河岸变化与上游降水显著相关,冬季凌期河岸变化主要与下游温差和两岸地势相关。     

泾河下游全新世古洪水滞流沉积物研究

通过对泾河流域广泛的野外考察,在泾河下游高陵县段发现了典型的全新世古洪水滞流沉积剖面,系统地进行采集样品和粒度成分、磁化率、烧失量、吸湿水含量等多指标分析。从沉积学角度将古洪水滞流沉积物与全新世风成黄土和土壤进行对比,证明了该剖面所夹古洪水滞流沉积物的性质为细砂质粉砂,属于河流洪水悬移质泥砂沉积物。根据地层结构及与流域内其它剖面的对比,结合OSL测年数据,确定泾河在全新世中期4200~4000 a B.P.发生了第1期古洪水事件,在全新世晚期3200~2800 a B.P.发生了第2期洪水事件。这些古洪水事件都发生在全球性气候突变转折时期,表明在这些时期气候极端恶化,变率增大,洪水和干旱事件皆有发生。该研究对于泾河防洪减灾、水资源开发利用,对于揭示水文系统对于全球变化的响应规律,具有重要的科学意义。     

黄河平渡关段全新世古洪水滞流沉积物研究

通过对黄河中游晋陕峡谷段的深入调查研究,在山西省大宁县平渡关基岩峡谷河段左岸沟口岩棚内发现了全新世古洪水滞流沉积层剖面。根据野外宏观特征及沉积环境,鉴别出平渡关(PDG)剖面夹有4层古洪水滞流沉积物。结合粒度成分、磁化率、烧失量、CaCO³含量等室内分析测定结果,确定为河流悬移质和跃移质在高水位滞流环境当中的沉积物,是典型的古洪水滞流沉积物。不同层次沉积物是不同古洪水事件的客观记录,既有细沙质粉沙,也有细沙或者中沙,反映出其物质来源的不同或者水动力大小的差异。粒度自然分布频率曲线为正偏和极正偏,主峰高且尖锐,表明其分选良好,其粒度概率累积分布曲线为典型的两段式。沉积物磁化率和烧失量均低于全新世风成黄土和古土壤,CaCO³含量介于古土壤和黄土之间,说明在黄河晋陕峡谷段,洪水所携带的悬移质泥沙是流域内黄土区和风沙区水土流失物质的混合物。     

渭河流域全新世土壤剖面木炭屑记录及其古环境意义

通过野外采样及其磁化率、总有机碳(TOC)、木炭屑的分析,探讨全新世野火活动与生态环境演变的关系。研究结果表明:TOC并不能完全指示野火活动,木炭屑是指示野火活动的理想指标,木炭屑对生态环境演变特征具有环境指示意义。末次冰期11500aB.P.之前,渭河流域气候干旱,植被为半荒漠草原,自然野火频繁发生;全新世早期(11500～8500aB.P.)野火发生频率大大降低;全新世气候适宜期(8500～3100aB.P.),气候比较湿润,生物风化成壤作用强烈,自然野火发生几率明显下降,但不同地点人类活动引发的野火活动存在区域差异;全新世晚期近3100年以来,气候向干旱化发展,加之人类利用土地活动加剧,生物量燃烧的规模大幅度增加;1500aB.P.以后,木炭屑浓度大幅度减少,野火发生频率大大降低。可能由于渭河流域土地利用方式发生重大改变,人工自然复合生态景观基本形成,因而不再大规模放火烧荒。此外,木炭屑对人类活动的遗迹具有指示作用。     

A half-a-century record of annual energy expenditure and geomorphic effectiveness of the monsoon-fed Narmada River,central India

This case study presents quantitative data on the magnitude and variability of specific power and total energy expenditure over a period of 51 years for the monsoon-dominated Narmada River, which produced an impressive flood of the order of 69 400 m³ s^− 1 in 1970. Daily specific stream power (ω) for a gauging site located in the lower Narmada Basin was estimated by using daily discharge data available from 1949 to 1999, at-a-station hydraulic geometry equations and the relationship between discharge and water surface slope. The total amount of energy expended per unit area by all the monsoon flows was estimated by integrating the area under the ω-graph. The estimates of effective stream power were then checked against work thresholds.     

Influence of dew on biomass and photosystem II activity of cyanobacterial crusts in the Hopq Desert, northwest China

Dew is an important water source for desert organisms in semiarid and arid regions. Both field and laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the possible roles of dew in growth of biomass and photosynthetic activity within cyanobacterial crust. The cyanobacteria, Microcoleus vaginatus Gom. and Scytonema javanicum (Kütz.) Born et Flah., were begun with stock cultures and sequential mass cultivations, and then the field experiment was performed by inoculating the inocula onto shifting sand for forming cyanobacterial crust during late summer and autumn of 2007 in Hopq Desert, northwest China. Measurements of dew amount and Chlorophyll a content were carried out in order to evaluate the changes in crust biomass following dew. Also, we determined the activity of photosystem II(PSII) within the crust in the laboratory by simulating the desiccation/rehydration process due to dew. Results showed that the average daily dew amount as measured by the cloth-plate method (CPM) was 0.154 mm during fifty-three days and that the crust biomass fluctuated from initial inoculation of 4.3 μg Chlorophyll a cm⁻² sand to 5.8-7.3 μg Chlorophyll a cm⁻² crust when dew acted as the sole water source, and reached a peak value of approximately 8.2 μg Chlorophyll a cm⁻² crust owing to rainfalls. It indicated that there was a highly significant correlation between dew amounts and crust moistures (r = 0.897 or r = 0.882, all P < 0.0001), but not a significant correlation between dew and the biomass (r = 0.246 or r = 0.257, all P > 0.05), and thus concluded that dew might only play a relatively limited role in regulating the crust biomass. Correspondingly, we found that rains significantly facilitated biomass increase of the cyanobacterial crust. Results from the simulative experiment upon rehydration showed that approximately 80% of PSII activity could be achieved within about 50 min after rehydration in the dark and at 5 °C, and only about 20% of the activity was light-temperature dependent. This might mean that dew was crucial for cyanobacterial crust to rapidly activate photosynthetic activity during desiccation and rehydration despite low temperatures and weak light before dawn. It also showed in this study that the cyanobacterial crusts could receive and retain more dew than sand, which depended on microclimatic characteristics and soil properties of the crusts. It may be necessary for us to fully understanding the influence of dew on regulating the growth and activity of cyanobacterial crust, and to soundly evaluate the crust's potential application in fighting desertification because of the available water due to dew.     

Impact of protection and free grazing on sand dune vegetation in the Rajasthan Desert,India

In the Thar (Rajasthan) Desert of India, sand dunes and sandy plains dominate the landscape. Livestock raising and marginal land cultivation are the main occupations. Owing to the high growth rates of human and livestock populations and a decrease in pasture area and its primary productivity, these lands bear acute grazing pressure. Average rainfall is low and vegetation growth is restricted to the short rainy season of two to four months duration. Often there are years of lower than normal rainfall. In these circumstances, fenced areas, established to stabilize formerly active sand dunes, are increasingly opened to grazing to prevent high stock mortality during droughts. This study was conducted in four fenced and one open site, representative of the region's different vegetation types and grazing pressures. The impact of 2 and 5 per cent free grazing pressure on protected sand dune vegetation density and cover was tested in the two fenced sites. The vegetation data for grazed sites are compared with those for the two ungrazed fenced (protected) and one unfenced (open) site subjected to unlimited grazing pressure throughout the year. The vegetation sampling was carried out by the qaudrat and line-transect method before and after grazing from November 1984 to October 1986. It shows a significant reduction in the density and cover of many palatable species and an increase of unpalatable plants. The effect of vegetation degradation is greater in the unfenced area. The low grazing pressure on the fenced sand dunes sites can still cause drastic changes in the vegetation density and cover. Protection resulted in reduced sand erosion and enhanced growth of palatable plants in the fenced sites under similar climatic and edaphic conditions to the unfenced sites. The grazing pressure in the unfenced areas remains high to extreme during the year, due to low land productivity and high feed demand. The regeneration rate is very slow under the constant (3rd to 5th degree) overgrazing. Low intensity grazing pressure on the fenced sites during droughts can cause heavy utilization and mortality of palatable vegetation.     

塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘红柳沙包沙物质粒度特征与风沙环境变化

清晰的红柳沙包沉积纹层,不仅可以计数其年代,同时对还原区域历史气候环境有重要的指示意义。选取塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘地区三个采样点红柳沙包沉积纹层沙物质粒度参数、距平值和萨胡判别指数等指标,结合SPSS 17.0,Sigma Plot和Excel 2007等软件进行计算分析,目的在于还原该地区百年来的风沙环境变化情况。分析结果表明,塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘的红柳沙包沉积纹层沙物质以细沙占绝对优势,沙物质的粒度参数、粒级分布、粒度概率累计特征等都具有较强的相关性。从粒度数据中还可分析得出,B采样点风沙搬运动力最强,沉积物质以跃移和蠕移为主,说明B采样点的沉积环境更加稳定。C采样点的沉积物质则以悬移为主。通过采样点位置关系判断该地区红柳沙包的沙源主要是风成沙。沙物质粒度变化序列表明,近二百余年来该地区的气候从干旱逐渐转向湿润。塔克拉玛干沙漠南缘地区风沙环境变化阶段包括:1801—1872年,风沙作用较弱;1872—1902年,风沙作用明显变强;1903—1984年,风沙作用强度一般;1985—2010年,风沙作用明显回落。     

Human use of the sand dune ecosystem in the semiarid zone of the Rajasthan Desert,India

Sand dunes form one of the most fragile terrestrial ecosystems. in Rajasthan they have a diverse vegetation and are often utilized by considerable human and livestock populations. a thorough knowledge of the resource utilization by the human and animal populations is essential if the future potential of the ecosystem and its physical stability under changing environmental conditions are to be accurately assessed. This study examines the socio-economic aspect of land degradation at four sites in Churu and Jhunjhunu districts, northwest Rajasthan. an attempt is made to assess the socioeconomic factors leading to land degradation. Data on human use of the Rajasthan (Thar) Desert semiarid ecosystem were collected through individual interviews, group discussions and field measurements. the present exploitation of soil and vegetation resources, possible future biomass deficiency, its impact on sustainable development and role in land degradation are examined. The average number of people in each household in the study area, and the number of livestock each household maintains are too high to allow a satisfactory income to be sustained. the annual income of 50-90 per cent of households was less than 10 000 rupees ($US 1 = 17 rupees in 1987). Sale and consumption of milk, wool, surplus animals and wood provide livelihood, supplemented with income from wage labour. Rain-fed marginal land cultivation produces poor yields and the per capita production is too low to justify the huge soil erosion losses occurring. the number of goats, sheep and cattle owned by the inhabitants has increased tremendously in recent years. Stocking rates vary from 1.63 to 12.08 animals per hectare. the grazing pressure during the dry season, when forage availability decreases, reaches 34.9 animals per hectare. as a result of overgrazing, The land productivity has decreased considerably. the annual fodder deficit values in the study area are enormous. Demand for fuelwood at all the study sites is increasing, yet available forests have already largely been cut down. the distance travelled to collect fuelwood has been increasing, whereas the amount and quality of fuelwood is decreasing. Use of cattle dung to supplement fuelwood during the summer dry season and in drought periods has been decreasing due to low fodder availability and high livestock mortality. Human numbers are increasing, and livestock numbers are also multiplying (except in drought periods) and consequently the available resources are decreasing. Soil erosion and desertification will continue to increase during the next decade unless effective counter measures are undertaken.     

江河源区生物多样性问题研究

江河源区西部、南部、东南部和东北部都毗邻生物多样性中心,生态系统多样,物种较丰富。这种生物多样性是随着青藏高原的隆起而产生和发展起来的并以其环境为生存条件,因而比较独特,不乏特有种、珍禽异兽、名贵药材和受到国家保护的物种。全面了解江河源区特殊的生物多样性将有利于该区的生态环境保护和区内自然保护区的建设。     

晚全新世渭河西安段河道变迁与土壤侵蚀

据地貌特征、地质资料、文献记载、考古资料等综合分析 ,确定了渭河西安段春秋战国、唐代的河道位置 ;分析了春秋以来河道北移的平均速率为 1 .74～ 2 .71 m / a,并具有加速趋势 ,以及东西部河道北移速率差异的原因 ;计算了咸阳 -梁村 2 2 km长的河段春秋后期以来 (2 3 0 0 a B.P.- 0 a B.P.)、春秋后期至唐 (2 3 0 0 a B.P.- 1 2 5 3 aB.P.)以及唐以来 (1 2 5 3 a B.P.- 0 a B.P.)河流侧蚀形成的年均土壤侵蚀量分别为 2 4 1 1 87,1 4 2 1 4 9,3 2 3 94 2 t     

Sedimentary aggregates in the Peoria Loess of Nebraska, USA

Loess grain size data used to infer transport direction or wind strength are generally derived from vigorously disaggregated samples. However, these data may not adequately represent the effective particle size distribution during loess transport, if the transported dust contained aggregates of fine-grained material. Thin sections of minimally altered C and BC horizons in the late Pleistocene Peoria Loess of Nebraska, USA, indicate the presence of aggregates with diameters of 30–1000 μm. The larger aggregates (>250 μm) are unlikely to have been transported, and are interpreted as the result of soil faunal activity and other pedogenic processes after deposition. Aggregates smaller than 250 μm could have a similar origin, but laser diffraction particle size analysis suggests that many are sedimentary particles. Comparison of minimally and fully dispersed particle size distributions from each sampling site was used to estimate the modal diameter of aggregates. The aggregate modal diameter becomes finer with decreasing loess thickness, representing increasing distance from the source. A similar trend was observed in the modal diameter of fully dispersed particle size distributions, which represents the mode of sand and silt transported as individual grains. We interpret both trends as the result of sorting during transport, supporting the interpretation that many of the aggregates were transported rather than formed in place. Aggregate content appears to increase with distance from the source, explaining a much more rapid downwind increase in clay content than would be expected if clay were transported as particles smaller than 2 μm diameter. Although the Peoria Loess of Nebraska contains sedimentary aggregates, many of the coarse silt and sand grains in this loess were transported as primary particles, were thoroughly exposed to sunlight and are potentially well suited for luminescence dating.     

Anthropogenic influences on changes in the sediment load of the Yellow River,China, during the Holocene

Using data on formation of the Loess Plateau of central China,loess-palaeosol sequences,pollen analysis. historical geography,and long-term experimentation on rates of soil erosion,it is demonstrated that current srious erosion on the Loess Plateau is mai     

黄河乌兰布和沙漠段沿岸不同高度典型沙丘风沙特征

为探究乌兰布和沙漠沿黄段典型沙丘的风速流场与风沙运移特征,以3座不同高度的典型沙丘为研究对象,对沙丘不同部位5个高度的风速流场、风速廓线、风速加速率及输沙量进行了测定。结果表明:(1)风速从沙丘迎风坡脚至背风坡坡脚呈现先增大后减小再增大的"S"型趋势,沙丘顶部风速最大,背风坡中部最小。(2)沙丘各部位风速的垂直变化与高度的对数值呈V=aln(z)+b线性变化规律,风速廓线斜率a由沙丘顶部向迎风坡脚与背风坡脚逐渐增大。不同高度沙丘的摩阻流速与粗糙度变化趋势不一。(3)沙丘发育尺度对沙丘迎风坡风速加速率影响明显,其沙丘发育尺度越大,对气流的反馈作用越强,迎风坡低层20cm风速加速率明显高于高层风速加速率;(4)沙丘不同部位0~100cm的输沙率随高度呈幂函数规律递减,输沙量主要集中在0~10cm内,但不均匀,大部分集中在0~4cm,且在距地高度约4~5cm处是相对输沙量不随高程变化的不变层。     

黄河柳林滩段全新世古洪水滞流沉积物物源研究

通过对黄河中游进行古洪水沉积学研究和水文学研究,为超长尺度水文学提供数据基础。对黄河中游晋陕峡谷段进行详细的考察,在黄河窟野河口右侧柳林滩附近发现3层全新世古洪水滞流沉积物(SWD)。光释光(OSL)测年结果表明,这一期3次古洪水事件分别发生在11 800~11 000aB.P.,10 800~10 200a B.P.,10 600~9 600aB.P.。通过对样品进行磁化率、烧失量、粒度成分、化学元素和扫描电镜的试验分析,确定其为河流悬移质泥沙在高水位滞流环境下的产物,是典型的古洪水滞流沉积物。其中,古洪水SWD的磁化率和烧失量较古土壤低,说明其是新鲜的滞流沉积物,未受到风化成壤作用的影响。3层古洪水SWD的自然分布频率曲线都呈现单峰,峰态尖锐,为极正偏态,说明其分选性好。扫描电镜的分析表明,3层SWD属于河流沙,偏关县L0属于典型的黄土—风积粉砂。不同层次的沉积物记录了不同期次的古洪水事件,反映出其水动力大小的不同或物质来源的差异。结合粒度分析和化学元素的结果,确定古洪水SWD2、SWD3与现代洪水SWD均为细沙质粉沙,化学成分相同,表明是黄河主流大洪水悬移质沉积形成。古洪水SWD1为中沙,与SWD2、SWD3在常量元素和重金属元素含量上有显著差异,而与前人在毛乌素沙漠地区所进行的粒度和元素分析结果接近,说明本层古洪水SWD是支流窟野河流域暴雨洪水从毛乌素沙漠地区侵蚀搬运而沉积下来的物质。该研究成果为今后准确鉴别古洪水SWD及来源判断提供参考借鉴。     

绿洲化对土壤养分及化学计量特征的影响

为了阐明绿洲化过程中土壤养分含量及土壤碳氮磷生态化学计量值的动态变化特征,以乌兰布和沙漠东北部绿洲为研究对象,通过24 a的定位监测,分析了土壤有机碳（SOC）、全氮（TN）、全磷（TP）、碱解氮（AN）、速效磷（AP）及土壤C,N,P生态化学计量的动态变化特征。结果表明:（1）研究区土壤总体贫瘠,养分含量整体水平不高。但是随着绿洲建设时间的延长,土壤养分含量呈显著的线性增加趋势。（2）绿洲化过程中,土壤C:N,C:P,N:P,AN:AP的变化趋势总体上呈现先增大后减小的趋势,但是达到最大值的时间各不相同。（3）土壤C,N,P元素化学计量值与C,N,P元素之间的最优拟合关系显示C:N,C:P主要受SOC影响,N:P主要受N影响,表明SOC和N含量决定了研究区土壤中C,N,P化学计量特征的变化过程。     

Stages of the development of alluvial soils in the Bikin River valley (the Amur River basin) in the Middle and Late Holocene

The evolution of alluvial soils in the Bikin River basin in the Middle and the Late Holocene is discussed. On the basis of biostratigraphic data, four pollen zones have been identified in the soils: Pinus koraiensis-Picea, Pinus koraiensis-Quercus-Sphagnum, Betula-Alnus-Alnaster, and Quercus. A set of soil characteristics (texture, acid-base properties, and the organic matter content and group composition) have also been determined. These data allow us to distinguish between four stages of alluvial soil formation in the Bikin River basin. They characterize humus-forming conditions in the Middle and the Late Holocene. Reconstruction of ancient vegetation conditions makes it possible to conclude that climatic fluctuations were synchronous with changes in the soil characteristics. During the Holocene climatic optimum, humus was formed in a slightly acid medium, and humic acids predominated. In cold periods with increased precipitation, fulvic acids predominated in the composition of humus, and the portion of insoluble residue was high because of the more acid medium. The stages of alluvial pedogenesis in the Bikin River valley follow the sedimentation model of soil evolution. Alluvial gray humus soils evolved from typical gray humus soils under meadow communities during warm periods to gleyic and gleyed soils under birch shrubs and alder groves in colder and wetter periods.