Monitoring desertification processes in Mongolian Plateau using MODIS tasseled cap transformation and TGSI time series

Most remote sensing studies assess the desertification using vegetation monitoring method. But it has the insufficient precision of vegetation monitoring for the limited vegetation cover of the desertification region. Therefore, it offers an alternative approach for the desertification research to assess sand dune and sandy land change using remote sensing in the desertification region. In this study, the indices derived from the well-known tasseled cap transformation(TCT), tasseled cap angle(TCA),disturbance index(DI), process indicator(PI), and topsoil grain size index(TGSI) were integrated to monitor and assess the desertification at the thirteen study sites including sand dunes and sandy lands distributed in the Mongolian Plateau(MP) from 2000 to 2015. A decision tree was used to classify the desertification on a regional scale. The average overall accuracy of 2000, 2005, 2010 and 2015 desertification classification was higher than 90%. Results from this study indicated that integration of the advantages of TCA, DI and TGSI could better assess the desertification. During the last 16 years, Badain Jaran Desert, Tengger Desert, and Ulan Buh Desert showed a relative stabilization. Otindag Sandy Land and the deserts of Khar Nuur, Ereen Nuur, Tsagan Nuur, Khongoryn Els, Hobq, and Mu Us showed a slow increasing of desertification, whereas Bayan Gobi, Horqin and Hulun Buir sandy lands showed a slow decreasing of desertification. Compared with the other 11 sites, the fine sand dunes occupied the majority of the Tengger Desert, and the coarse sandy land occupied the majority of the Horqin Sandy Land. Our findings on a three or four years' periodical fluctuated changes in the desertification may possibly reflect changing precipitation and soil moisture in the MP. Further work to link the TCA, DI,TGSI, and PI values with the desertification characteristics is recommended to set the thresholds and improve the assessment accuracy with field investigation.     

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.     

Does sand content in spawning substrate result in early larval emergence? Evidence from a lithophilic cyprinid fish

The spawning success of lithophilic salmonids is strongly influenced by the fine sediment content (“fines”) of spawning substrates, yet knowledge on the impacts of fines on the spawning of non‐salmonid lithophiles remains limited, despite their ecological and socio‐economic importance in European rivers. Consequently, the aim here was to use an ex‐situ experiment to investigate the impact of sand content on egg survival and timing of larval emergence of the surface‐spawning cyprinid European barbel Barbus barbus. Thirty incubator boxes within a recirculating system were filled with one of five experimental sediment mixtures (0%–40% sand by mass) that each contained 300 fertilised eggs at a depth of 50 mm. Emerged, free‐swimming larvae were captured and counted daily to assess grain‐size effects on larval survival and emergence. Specifically, total proportion of emerged larvae, cumulative daily proportion of emerged larvae and time required to reach 50% emergence were measured during the study. Whilst the proportion of sand in the sediments did not have a significant impact on egg‐to‐emergence survival (mean survival per treatment 75%–79%), it significantly affected the timing of larval emergence to the water column; early emergence was detected in treatments with elevated sand content (on average, 50% emergence after 12–13 days versus 19 days in the control). Similar to findings from salmonid studies, these results suggest high sand content in spawning gravels can influence timing of larval emergence and potentially cyprinid lithophilic fish survival.     

覆膜防沙治沙方法

沙漠、沙尘暴和沙化问题已经成为威胁人类生存的头号敌人，如何根治沙漠、沙尘暴和沙化是摆在人类面前的十分紧迫的任务。覆膜防沙治沙方法的研究和提出，成功地解决了人类面临的重大防沙治沙难题。为人类征服自然，征服沙漠树立了信心。介绍了覆膜防沙治沙的技术方式、方法、原理和覆膜栽培技术，供防沙治沙工程参考和推广。     

A new galago species for South Africa (Primates: Strepsirhini: Galagidae)

The primate fauna of South Africa has historically been viewed as comprising three diurnal cercopithecoid taxa – chacma baboons (Papio ursinus), vervet (Chlorocebus pygerythrus) and samango monkeys (Cercopithecus albogularis) – and two nocturnal lorisoid species – the thick-tailed greater galago (Otolemur crassicaudatus) and the southern lesser galago (Galago moholi). Here we report the positive identification of a third galago species within South Africa’s borders: the Mozambique dwarf galago or Grant’s galago, Galagoides granti (Thomas and Wroughton, 1907). The taxon was previously held to be restricted to Mozambique, eastern Zimbabwe, Malawi and Tanzania, but we have also observed it in the sand forest of Tembe Elephant Park and the Tshanini Community Reserve, near the Mozambique border. The species was formerly mistaken for Galago moholi, erroneously (we believe) extending the range of the latter species into northern KwaZulu-Natal. In South Africa the two small galagos are unlikely to have overlapping ranges: Galago moholi prefers dry savanna woodlands, whereas Galagoides granti is apparently confined to dry sand forest. However, both species may coexist with the larger and more widespread Otolemur crassicaudatus, an inhabitant of moist savanna, forest edge and thicket. The true South African ranges of both small galago species need to be ascertained.     

沙对高尔夫果岭坪床物理特性的影响

对28种沙与泥炭按75∶25混配而成的高尔夫果岭坪床材料的物理特性进行了评价。不同类型沙的粒径、均一性和形状有所不同。高尔夫果岭坪床的物理特性主要取决于所使用的沙的特性。对沙 泥炭混配的坪床来说,其导水率在95~827 mm/h范围内变化,总孔隙度变化范围为38.8%~47.2%,而通气孔隙度(在-3 kPa水势下)为0.9%~24.6%,毛管孔隙度(在-3 kPa水势下)为17.7%~42.1%。结果表明,排水速率和通气孔隙度与毛管孔隙度的平衡主要受沙的粒径大小的影响,起决定作用的是粒径最大和最小的沙所占的比例,而容重、总孔隙度和抗剪切强度取决于沙的均一性。当沙粒较圆且较为光滑时,坪床材料孔隙度趋向减少。沙表面越粗糙,坪床抗剪切能力就越强,而沙对坪床硬度的作用不显著。     

人工降雨条件下不同坡度红壤坡面迳流泥沙变化特征研究

在人工模拟降雨强度为1.44 mm/min的条件下,研究了不同坡度(β)红壤近似裸地坡面迳流、泥沙的变化特征,研究结果表明:①地表迳流量随坡度的增大而迅速增加。②当β≤23°时,土壤侵蚀量随坡度的增大而迅速增加;当25°≤β≤40°时,土壤侵蚀量随坡度变化较小。③坡面土壤侵蚀的临界坡度则介于23°~25°之间。④坡度与侵蚀量关系可用函数表示为:S=199.1×L1.65×tan1.4β(0°≤β≤23°)。     

三峡库区花岗岩母质石英砂土不同经济林模式土壤养分特征研究

为了解三峡库区花岗岩母质不同经济林模式的土壤养分状况,研究了各模式下土壤pH、有机质、全量养分和速效养分的特征,并利用主成分分析法对不同模式的土壤质量进行了综合评价。结果表明,除土壤pH外,经济林土壤有机质、全氮、全磷、全钾、碱解氮、有效磷、速效钾等含量的变异较宽,为中等变异。随土壤层次的增加,各模式下土壤有机质、全氮、速效氮、速效磷和速效钾含量呈递减趋势,而全磷和全钾则存在不规律变化。土壤有机质、全氮和速效钾对经济林土壤质量的高低产生着主要作用,土壤养分综合排名表现为柑橘（精细管理）>柑橘（常规管理）>板栗林>茶园。因此,利用生物措施和精细化管理措施,可有效提高该区域经济林的土壤质量。     

4种荒漠植物种子出苗和幼苗生长对沙埋深度的响应

通过室内试验测定了黑果枸杞、沙冬青、沙蒿、霸王4种荒漠植物的种子生理特征以及沙埋深度（0、1、2、3、4、5 cm）对4种荒漠植物种子出苗及幼苗生长的影响。结果表明,体积较大的沙冬青和霸王种子萌发率与其重量、含水量、形状及活性间存在正相关关系;体积较小的黑果枸杞、沙蒿萌发率与种子重量、含水量、形状之间为正相关关系,与种子活性负相关。随着沙埋深度增加,4种植物种子出苗率下降、首次出苗时间延迟,茎高、绝对株高和根长及根冠比总体呈先增大后减小的趋势;幼苗生长方面,黑果枸杞和沙蒿分别适宜于1～2、0～1 cm的浅层沙埋,均在沙埋深度5 cm时种子几乎不萌发;沙冬青、霸王则适宜于3～4 cm较深层沙埋,在沙埋0 cm时均不萌发。此外,在荒漠区采用这4种植物进行植被恢复时,除考虑种子自身性状外,还应充分考虑当地的沙埋、降雨等条件,以提高出苗率、增大幼苗定植率。