元谋干热河谷冲沟不同部位土壤质量评价

【目的】对元谋干热河谷冲沟侵蚀活跃区土壤质量进行评价。【方法】通过野外调查和室内分析,测定了干热河谷区3条发育相当的典型冲沟土壤理化性质,采取模糊数学方法和多元统计分析方法相结合,分析了冲沟不同部位土壤质量的综合性指标值。【结果】(1)冲沟侵蚀增加了土壤理化性质的分布差异,使土壤紧实化,造成有机质含量显著下降,加剧土壤有效性氮素和磷素损失,导致各土壤养分不同程度的贫瘠化。(2)冲沟侵蚀加剧了土壤退化程度,土壤质量指数(SQI)表现为:沟床(0.406)>集水区(0.357)>沟头(0.289)>沟岸(0.252),其中以沟岸和沟头土壤退化程度最高。(3)冲沟侵蚀引起制约土壤质量的因素由土壤化学性质转变为土壤物理性质,但冲沟土壤质量尚未退化到最低水平,适宜进行生态治理。【结论】冲沟生态治理中应抓住冲沟各部位土壤质量的关键限制性因子因地制宜、综合防治,这对进一步研究该区土壤退化过程及制定冲沟生态治理技术体系具有重要意义。

雅江河谷防沙治沙工程近地表特性——林下植被特性、生物结皮及土壤养分变化特征

采用对比分析和时空互代法,从植被配置模式(杨树+砂生槐、砂生槐、花棒、藏沙蒿)、工程年限(6,10,30a)2个方面,研究了雅鲁藏布江(简称雅江)河谷防沙治沙生态工程实施过程中林下植被特性、地表生物结皮及土壤养分等变化特征.结果表明,工程年限为10a的乔灌(杨树+砂生槐)、灌木(砂生槐、花棒)型样地较草本(藏沙蒿)更有利于提高林下植物多样性,且杨树+砂生槐样地的林下植被地上生物量、枯落物量、地下生物量、土壤有机质、全氮与全磷含量均显著高于其他3种样地.藏沙蒿样地的生物结皮最为发育,花棒样地次之,杨树+砂生槐样地无结皮.随年限延长,杨树+砂生槐样地林下植物多样性、枯落物量、地下生物量、土壤有机质、全氮及全磷含量呈增加趋势,生物结皮仅在6a样地中有发育;砂生槐样地地上生物量、地下生物量、生物结皮逐渐增加,但植物多样性、全氮含量呈下降趋势,枯落物量、有机碳及全氮含量呈先增加后减小规律.不同配置模式中,杨树+砂生槐乔灌型样地各项指标综合表现最佳,并随工程年限延长,对促进河谷沙地植被演替、提高植被生产力、提升沙地肥力等作用愈强.建议该区防沙治沙工程中应推广杨树+砂生槐乔灌型模式为主.

元谋干热河谷区不同年限平沟建园地土壤水分物理性质研究

【目的】探究平沟建园工程实施不同年限后土壤水分物理性质的变化规律。【方法】选取了4个相邻的不同年限(0.5、5、10、15年)平沟建园典型样地及1个自然荒沟坡面对照样地(CK),对0~60 cm土层土壤的基本理化性质和持、蓄水性能进行研究。【结果】平沟建园工程实施后各土层容重较对照均显著提高,实施后期(10、15年)40~60 cm土层容重增加更为显著,且该土层总孔隙度、毛管孔隙度较对照显著降低;随实施年限增加容重呈增加趋势,孔隙度呈减小趋势,且容重5~10年内急剧增加后趋于稳定,孔隙度则在10年后急剧减小。饱和导水率在工程实施前期(0.5、5年)呈增加趋势,后期则呈减小趋势,且其40~60 cm土层下降趋势更显著;随年限增加,饱和导水率呈先增加后减小趋势,实施5年样地达最大值。工程实施前期仅0~40 cm土层饱和持水量、毛管持水量、田间持水量、饱和蓄水量和毛管蓄水量较对照呈减小趋势,后期则各土层均一致减小,且后期40~60 cm土层上述指标下降趋势更显著;上述指标均随年限呈先增加后减小趋势,建园伊始持、蓄水量缓慢上升,实施5年达最大值后逐渐下降。【结论】不同年限平沟建园工程的实施对0~60 cm土层水分物理性质均有一定影响,且对10、15年样地40~60 cm土层影响更为显著,开发10年后土壤结构明显变差,土壤质量有退化趋势。本研究结果可为综合评估平沟建园工程影响提供基础数据,也能为后续平沟建园地的开发和利用提供指导。

Using two contrasting methods with the same tracers to trace the main sediment source in a mountainous catchment

Assessing the contribution of sediments from different sources is essential to understand erosive processes and formulate further soil conservation strategies to address environmental problems.In this study,we combined the source fingerprinting approach with geochemistry,including comparison of potential sources,and distribution pattern of major elements,to estimate the different land-use relative contributions to streambed sediment in the Luowugou catchment(13.5 km^2)located on the Heishui River,the first branch of the Jinsha River,China.A total of 57 samples from stream bank,cropland,grassland,forest land,and sediments were collected,and then,15 elements were analyzed foreach sample.The fingerprinting results demonstrated that the stream bank(62.4%)had the greatest relative contribution to the bed sediment yield,while cropland,grassland,and forest land contributed 18.6%,14.9%,and 4.1%to the bed sediments,respectively.In comparison to the fingerprinting method,even though the results upon geochemistry only provide a qualitative assessment,the ranking of sediment contributions based on geochemistry was consistent with the sediment fingerprinting ranking,that is,stream bank>cropland>grassland>forest land.Our findings suggest that the focal point for sediment control practices should be the stream bank rather than cropland in the region.Geochemistry can result in an important means in validating the fingerprinting results.

^137Cs tracing dynamics of soil erosion,organic carbon,and total nitrogen in terraced fields and forestland in the Middle Mountains of Nepal

The Middle Mountains is one of the regions of Nepal most vulnerable to water erosion, where fragile geology, steep topography, anomalous climatic conditions, and intensive human activity have resulted in serious soil erosion and enhanced land degradation. Based on the 137 Cs tracing method, spatial variations in soil erosion, organic carbon, and total nitrogen(TN) in terraced fields lacking field banks and forestland were determined. Soil samples were collected at approximately 5 m and 20 m intervals along terraced field series and forestland transects respectively. Mean 137 Cs inventories of the four soil cores from the reference site was estimated at 574.33 ± 126.22 Bq m-2(1 Bq(i.e., one Becquerel) is equal to 1 disintegration per second(1 dps)). For each terrace, the 137 Cs inventory generally increased fromupper to lower slope positions, accompanied by a decrease in the soil erosion rate. Along the entire terraced toposequence, 137 Cs data showed that abrupt changes in soil erosion rates could occur between the lower part of the upper terrace and the upper part of the immediate terrace within a small distance. This result indicated that tillage erosion is also a dominant erosion type in the sloping farmland of this area. At the same time, we observed a fluctuant decrease in soil erosion rates for the whole terraced toposequence as well as a net deposition at the toe terrace. Although steep terraces(lacking banks and hedgerows) to some extent could act to limit soil sediment accumulation in catchments, soil erosion in the terraced field was determined to be serious. For forestland, with the exception of serious soil erosion that had taken place at the top of slopes due to concentrated flows from a country road situated above the forestland site, spatialvariation in soil erosion was similar to the "standard" water erosion model. Soil organic carbon(SOC) and TN inventories showed similar spatial patterns to the 137 Cs inventory for both toposequences investigated. However, due to the different dominant erosion processes between the two, we found similar patterns between the <0.002 mm soil particle size fraction(clay sized) and 137 Cs inventories in terraced fields, while different patterns could be found between 137 Cs inventories and the <0.002 mm soil particle size fraction in the forestland site. Such results confirm that 137 Cs can successfully trace soil erosion, SOC and soil nitrogen dynamics in steep terraced fields and forestland in the Middle Mountains of Nepal.

Effects of vegetation coverage and seasonal change on soil microbial biomass and community structure in the dry-hot valley region

Soil microorganisms are sensitive indicator of soil health and quality. Understanding the effects of vegetation biomass and seasonal change on soil microorganisms is vital to evaluate the soil quality and implement vegetation restoration. This study analyzed the soil phospholipid fatty acids(PLFAs) in fresh and withered Kudzu(Pueraria montana var. lobata) vegetation conditions in different seasons. The results showed that vegetation biomass and seasonal change significantly affected microbial biomass and its community structure. Both fresh and withered Kudzu cover significantly increased soil microbial biomass, and the growth effect of microbes in the soil with fresh Kudzu cover was more obvious than that with withered Kudzu cover. Compared with the dry season, the rainy season significantly increased the microbial biomass and the B/F(the ratio of bacterial to fungal PLFAs) ratio but dramatically reduced the G+/G-(the ratio of gram-positive to gram-negative bacteria PLFAs). Kudzu cover and seasonal change had a significant effect on microbial structure in soil covered by higher vegetation biomass. Furthermore, soil temperature and moisture had different correlations with specific microbial biomass in the two seasons. Our findings highlight the effect of Kudzu vine cover on the soil microenvironment and soil microhabitat, enhancing the soil quality in the Dry-hot Valley of Jinsha River, Southwest China.

Land use intensity dynamics in the Andhikhola watershed, middle hill of Nepal

Land use intensity is a valuable concept to understand integrated land use system, which is unlike the traditional approach of analysis that often examines one or a few aspects of land use disregarding multidimensionality of the intensification process in the complex land system. Land use intensity is based on an integrative conceptual framework focusing on both inputs to and outputs from the land. Geographers’ non-stationary data-analysis technique is very suitable for most of the spatial data analysis. Our study was carried out in the northeast part of the Andhikhola watershed lying in the Middle Hills of Nepal, where over the last two decades, heavy loss of labor due to outmigration of rural farmers and increasing urbanization in the relatively easy accessible lowland areas has caused agricultural land abandonment. Our intention in this study was to ascertain factors of spatial pattern of intensity dynamism between human and nature relationships in the integrated traditional agricultural system. High resolution aerial photo and multispectral satellite image were used to derive data on land use and land cover. In addition, field verification, information collected from the field and census report were other data sources. Explanatory variables were derived from those digital and analogue data. Ordinary Least Square(OLS) technique was used for filtering of the variables. Geographically Weighted Regression(GWR) model was used to identify major determining factors of land use intensity dynamics. Moran’s I technique was used for model validation. GWR model was executed to identify the strength of explanatory variables explaining change of land use intensity. Accordingly, 10 variables were identified having the greatest strength to explain land use intensity change in the study area, of which physical variables such as slope gradient, temperature and solar radiation revealed the highest strength followed by variables of accessibility and natural resource. Depopulation in recent decades has been a major driver of land use intensity change but spatial variability of land use intensity was highly controlled by physical suitability, accessibility and availability of natural resources.

Wind erodibility indices of aeolian sandy soils impacted by different vegetation restoration:a case study from the Shannan valley of the Yarlung Zangbo River

Controlling aeolian desertification is a key ecological target on the Tibetan Plateau,especially within the widespread river valleys.Vegetation recovery can change the near-soil surface characteristics,which thus may influence wind erodibility of soils.However,these potential effects are not sufficiently evaluated for aeolian sandy soils.This study selected the Shannan valley of the Yarlung Zangbo River on the southern Tibetan Plateau as a case to investigate the variations in wind erodibility of aeolian sandy soils impacted by different vegetation restoration,since many ecological measures have been implemented in recent decades in the river valley.Eight vegetated sandy lands with different restoration types and ages and two bare sandy lands(as controls)were chosen as test sites.Four vegetated sandy lands were covered by Artemisia wellbyi,Hedysarum scoparium,Sophora moorcroftiana,and Populus L.with the similar restoration age of 10 years.For Sophora moorcroftiana and Populus L.communities,two restoration ages of 6 and over 30 years were also selected respectively.Wind erodibility was reflected by wind erodible fraction(EF),mean weight diameter of dry aggregates(MWD),capillary water capacity(CWC),soil cohesion(CS),and soil penetration resistance(PR)from different aspects.A comprehensive wind erodibility index(CWEI)was further produced by a weighted summation method to combine those five indices together and comprehensively quantify the effects of vegetation restoration on wind erodibility of aeolian sandy soils.The results showed that revegetation was efficient to reduce wind erodibility of aeolian sandy soils.EF generally decreased,while MWD,CWC,CS,and PR increased after vegetation restoration on the aeolian sandy lands.The CWEI of vegetated sandy lands varied greatly from 0.850 to 0 under different restoration types and ages and decreased by 14.4%to 100%compared to the control.Under the four different restoration types,Populus L.had the relatively minimum CWEI,followed by Artemisia wellbyi,Sophora moorcroftiana and Hedysarum scoparium.With succession from 6 to over 30 years,CWEI gradually declined for both the Populus L.and Sophora moorcroftiana restored sandy lands.The decreases in wind erodibility(reflected by CWEI)on vegetated sandy lands were dominantly controlled by the improvement of soil texture and the increases of organic matter and calcium carbonate contents with vegetation restoration.The combined vegetation measure of Populus L.mixed with shrubs and grasses was suggested as the optimal restoration type for mitigating wind erodibility of aeolian sandy soils in the Shannan valley of the Yarlung Zangbo River.