Yield and soil system changes from conservation tillage in dryland farming: A case study from North Eastern Tanzania

Yield levels in smallholder farming systems in semi-arid sub-Saharan Africa are generally low. Water shortage in the root zone during critical crop development stages is a fundamental constraining factor. While there is ample evidence to show that conservation tillage can promote soil health, it has recently been suggested that the main benefit in semi-arid farming systems may in fact be an in situ water harvesting effect. In this paper we present the result from an on-farm conservation tillage experiment (combining ripping with mulch and manure application) that was carried out in North Eastern Tanzania from 2005 to 2008. Special attention was given to the effects of the tested treatment on the capacity of the soil to retain moisture. The tested conservation treatment only had a clear yield increasing effect during one of the six experimental seasons (maize grain yields increased by 41%, and biomass by 65%), and this was a season that received exceptional amounts of rainfall (549 mm). While the other seasons provided mixed results, there seemed to be an increasing yield gap between the conservation tillage treatment and the control towards the end of the experiment, and cumulatively the yield increased with 17%. Regarding soil system changes, small but significant effects on chemical and microbiological properties, but not on physical properties, were observed. This raises questions about the suggested water harvesting effect and its potential to contribute to stabilized yield levels under semi-arid conditions. We conclude that, at least in a shorter time perspective, the tested type of conservation tillage seems to boost productivity during already good seasons, rather than stabilize harvests during poor rainfall seasons. Highlighting the challenges involved in upgrading these farming systems, we discuss the potential contribution of conservation tillage towards improved water availability in the crop root zone in a longer term perspective.     

基于CanESM2的渭河流域干旱演变特征研究

【目的】解析气候变化下渭河流域干旱事件发生频率与强度以及时空演变趋势,预估未来区域干旱发生发展情势,为渭河流域未来旱灾防控和水安全保障提供参考依据。【方法】基于CMIP5统计降尺度数据集NEX GDDP中的CanESM2全球气候模式数据,采用象限转换校正方法实施校准,并利用游程分析等方法,从干旱指标标准化降水蒸散发指数（SPEI）与干旱事件特征的角度,分析渭河流域历史基准期（1966-2005年）与未来期（2021-2060年）2种排放情景（RCP4.5与RCP8.5）下的干旱时空演变特征,研究渭河流域干旱事件频率的空间特征与持续性变化。【结果】历史基准期与未来期SPEI在年际尺度下均呈下降趋势,其中RCP8.5情景下渭河流域春旱会显著加剧;未来干旱事件发生频率将呈现“两头减少,中间增多”的态势,即轻旱与特旱高频区域减少,中旱与重旱高频区域增多;流域尺度上,未来发生短历时干旱事件的频率有所减小,中长历时干旱事件频率增加,其中流域北部与渭河源头区的长持续性干旱事件发生频率会显著减小;未来不同间隔干旱事件的发生频率变化不大,依旧以1～6个月间隔的干旱事件为主,局地会有一定差异性。【结论】春季与冬季将是渭河流域未来干旱风险防范的重点季节,流域西部是冬旱防范的重点区域;未来轻旱与中旱仍是渭河流域最主要的干旱类型,但要警惕发生频率持续走高的中旱与重旱灾害所带来的风险;未来期流域中长历时干旱事件会有所增加,应采取应对措施减轻长持续性干旱事件给流域工农业生产带来的不利影响。     

渭河流域干旱指标空间分布研究

基于月降水数据,运用干旱指标研究渭河流域的干旱特征。以西安站为例,详细对比了Z指数与SPI计算结果的一致性和差异;分别采用1、3、6、9、12个月和24个月时间尺度SPI分析了该站历史旱涝状况及持续时间,并探讨了其季节旱涝特征。计算了渭河流域1995年11月不同时间尺度的SPI值,并绘制了相应的空间分布图。结果表明：多时间尺度SPI[WTBZ]能够反映出降水的分散情况,并给出降水量区间与干旱指标的对应关系,是进行旱涝监测和预报的一种有效手段;发生于1995年的渭河全流域干旱具有季节性和多年特征,干旱程度总体上由东南部向西北部递减。     

黄土高原不同水平年旱涝时空分布特征分析

全球气候变暖大背景下,黄土高原总体呈现暖干化趋势,未来干旱还可能会加剧。为了全面了解黄土高原旱涝时空变化特征,为黄土高原应对旱涝灾害提供决策依据,根据黄土高原及周边263个气象站的降水数据划分降水水平年,以标准化降水指数（SPI）为指标,分析了黄土高原地区不同水平年年际及年内旱涝特征。结果显示,黄土高原在丰、平、枯水年均有不同程度的干旱发生。丰水年黄土高原干旱面积占5.7%,雨涝面积占40.9%;平水年干旱面积占12.7%,雨涝面积占19.3%;枯水年干旱面积占44.4%,雨涝面积占17.9%。不同水平年的干旱区域存在差异。不同水平年内春旱较重,丰水年和平水年雨季开始后干旱逐渐缓解,枯水年雨季不能有效缓解春季以来的干旱,且秋涝明显,各水平年年内干旱的时空分布存在显著差异。不同水平年年际和年内旱涝差异大且变化频繁,为了确保黄土高原农业生产旱涝保收,应合理布设小型水利工程与田间灌溉设施。      

明清时期北盘江流域水旱灾害的时空分布特征探析

基于长时段视角,根据史料记载并结合GIS技术,对明清时期北盘江流域水旱灾害的时空分布特征进行分析。结果显示:明清时期北盘江流域水旱灾害频发,并且明代发生次数及频率均小于清代;水旱灾害季节分布明显,分别集中在夏、秋季与春、夏季;水旱灾害的发生具有阶段性,但间歇时间总体呈波浪式缩短趋势;水旱灾害并发与交替发生情况明显;水旱灾害空间分布特征显著,主要分布在贵州普定县、镇宁州、永宁州、安南县、普安县、盘州厅一线,及北盘江流域云南境内部分。研究旨在深化对北盘江流域水旱灾害的时空分布及规律的认知,也为相关部门开展防灾、减灾工作提供参考。     

渭河平原2 205年旱涝灾害发生规律及演变特征分析

【目的】分析渭河平原旱涝灾害的演变特征及趋势,为区域防灾减灾措施的制定提供依据。【方法】基于旱涝灾害史料,重建渭河平原2 205年(BC193-AD2012年)的旱涝灾害等级序列,通过绘制旱涝灾害等级图谱,统计不同时间段灾害的分布及持续性规律,并利用累积距平法、滑动T检验法结合小波分析法探究旱涝灾害的阶段性和周期性特征。【结果】2 205年内渭河平原共有796年发生了各类洪涝灾害,旱灾发生总频次为480年,高于涝灾的316年,且旱涝交替现象明显,但近200年旱灾的发生频率有所下降,涝灾则呈上升趋势;2 205年中连旱灾害发生总频率高于连涝灾害,但连涝灾害的发生频率在近300年有增强趋势;旱涝灾害序列可划分为2个干旱期和2个洪涝期,且干旱期的最长持续时间为997年,远高于洪涝期的484年;旱涝灾害在全时间尺度上,存在24年、67～76年、92年和178～198年的显著周期。【结论】渭河平原2 205年的历史中,旱涝灾害发生频繁,且旱涝灾害序列具有明显的阶段性和周期性。     

The role of floods and droughts on riverine ecosystems under a changing climate

Floods and droughts are key driving forces shaping aquatic ecosystems. Climate change may alter key attributes of these events and consequently health and distribution of aquatic species. Improved knowledge of biological responses to different types of floods and droughts in rivers should allow the better prediction of the ecological consequences of climate change‐induced flow alterations. This review highlights that in unmodified ecosystems, the intensity and direction of biological impacts of floods and droughts vary, but the overall consequence is an increase in biological diversity and ecosystem health. To predict the impact of climate change, metrics that allow the quantitative linking of physical disturbance attributes to the directions and intensities of biological impacts are needed. The link between habitat change and the character of biological response is provided by the frequency of occurrence of the river wave characteristic—that is the event's predictability. The severity of impacts of floods is largely related to the river wave amplitude (flood magnitude), while the impact of droughts is related to river wavelength (drought duration).     

贵州省水资源安全问题及战略性对策研究

通过多年来水资源状况数据分析,发现贵州省主要河流和湖(库)水环境功能较差,主要城市地下水受到一定污染,水、旱灾害交织频发、灾害损失较大,水利基础建设滞后,水资源安全问题严峻。体制性和机制性障碍突出,水资源分配和管理效率低下;污水排放量加大,治污能力不足;强烈溶岩发育,生态脆弱性和水利设施建设难度大是导致贵州省水资源安全问题的主要原因。因此,通过建立有效的水污染防治体系,加快节水型社会建设,实施"三三结合"的生态建设战略和开展水环境保护补偿机制探索,是缓解贵州省水资源安全问题主要途径。     

旱作物旱灾估测方法初探

以吉林省玉米为例，分析探讨了依据作物产量与蒸散量之间的相互关系，并以减产幅度为指标对自然状态下旱作物受旱灾情进行了估测。与干旱指数法、受旱面积统计法相比，该法更能较真实地反映干旱对农业生产的影响程度，可为旱田抗旱灌溉决策提供科学的依据。经实测资料检验，该方法具有较好的估测精度和区域代表性。     

降雨特征分析及其与旱涝关系的探讨

以河北省雄县试区为代表。进行了雨量资料的合理性检验和年雨量周期性变化趋势的分析，计算了丰、平、枯３种降雨状态的转移概率及最大１日和最大３日设计雨量，并对降雨的时空分布特性及其与旱涝的关系进行了初步探讨。