Impacts of hydropower-induced flow alterations on composition and diversity of riparian vegetation in the Western Himalayas: A case study in Uttarakhand, India

The increasing demand for water and energy resources has led to widespread dam construction,particularly in ecologically sensitive regions like the Himalayan Range.This study focuses on the Uttarakhand state in the Western Himalayas,where hydroelectric projects(HEPs)have significantly altered river flow regimes.The research investigates the impact of flow alterations on the composition and structure of riparian vegetation in the Garhwal Himalayas,specifically analysing four rivers regulated by hydroelectric projects.Utilizing the paired-reach comparison method,control(undisturbed),diverted(downstream of barrage/dam),and altered flow conditions(downstream of water outlet)were examined.The research reveals diverse and unique riparian ecosystems,with 89 genera and 113 taxa identified,showcasing the dominance of families like Asteraceae and Lamiaceae.The study unveils the structural importance of key species such as Berberis asiatica and Artemisia nilagirica.The density,diversity,and richness of shrub and herb species vary significantly across flow conditions.Notably,altered flow conditions demonstrate resilience in vegetation structure,while diverted conditions exhibit decreased species richness and density.The study emphasizes the importance of nuanced environmental flow management for mitigating adverse effects on riparian biodiversity in the fragile Himalayan region.These findings contribute to the global discourse on dam impacts and riparian ecology,shedding light on the complexities of this dynamic relationship in a vulnerable ecosystem.

Influence of edaphic factors on distribution and condition of Himalayan silver birch(Betula utilis D.Don)communities in the northwestern Indian Himalayas

The basic concept of phytosociology is crucial for the assessment of species composition and dynamic ecological succession of forests supporting ecological services,functions,disturbance,and resilience that lead to the development of integrated areas such as ecological niche modeling and contribute to identifying the valuable bio-indicators which can be used in framing conservation and management planning.B.utilis is one of the most dominant tree species of treeline ecotone in the Himalayan Region.The species is also considered as indicator species for monitoring the past and recent climate change impact.The current study was carried out in the natural populations of B.utilis from the sub-alpine zone of North-western Indian Himalaya.The birch dominated forest harbors a total of 305 plant species comprising Angiosperms(51 families,160 genera and 277 species),Gymnosperms(03 families,05 genera and 07 species)and Pteridophytes(07 families,11 genera and 21 species)with Asteraceae,Ranunculaceae and Rosaceae as dominant family.Birch forests are found dominant in shady moist habitat and North West aspect.Geographical characteristics,anthropogenic and developmental activities affect the population structure of B.utilis and associated species.However,the species has fair regeneration status in the study area.The acidic nature of soil pH and spatial variation in edaphic characteristics may be due to geographical differences,rooting patterns and litter accumulation of below and above-ground vegetation.Biomass estimation of a representative population of B.utilis from each site showed that TAGBD,TCD and TBD were found maximum in ST3(Hamta Pass II site).The CCA analysis determined that environmental variables such as altitude,organic matter,available phosphorous,organic carbon,available nitrogen,and electrical conductivity played a significant role in determining tree species composition and distribution in B.utilis dominated forests.

Modeling glacio-hydrological processes in the Himalayas:A review and future perspectives

The Himalayas and their surrounding areas boast vast glaciers rivaling those in polar regions,supplying vital meltwater to the Indus,Ganges,and Brahmaputra rivers,supporting over a billion downstream inhabitants for drinking,power,and agriculture.With changing runoff patterns due to accelerated glacial melt,understanding and projecting glacio-hydrological processes in these basins is imperative.This review assesses the evolution,applications,and key challenges in diverse glacio-hydrology models across the Himalayas,varying in complexities like ablation algorithms,glacier dynamics,ice avalanches,and permafrost.Previous findings indicate higher glacial melt contributions to annual runoff in the Indus compared to the Ganges and Brahmaputra,with anticipated peak melting in the latter basins—having less glacier cover—before the mid-21st century,contrasting with the delayed peak expected in the Indus Basin due to its larger glacier area.Different modeling studies still have large uncertainties in the simulated runoff components in the Himalayan basins;and the projections of future glacier melt peak time vary at different Himalaya sub-basins under different Coupled Model Intercomparison Project(CMIP)scenarios.We also find that the lack of reliable meteorological forcing data(particularly the precipitation errors)is a major source of uncertainty for glacio-hydrological modeling in the Himalayan basins.Furthermore,permafrost degradation compounds these challenges,complicating assessments of future freshwater availability.Urgent measures include establishing comprehensive in situ observations,innovating remote-sensing technologies(especially for permafrost ice monitoring),and advancing glacio-hydrology models to integrate glacier,snow,and permafrost processes.These endeavors are crucial for informed policymaking and sustainable resource management in this pivotal,glacier-dependent ecosystem.

Spatial distribution characteristics of climate-induced landslides in the Eastern Himalayas

Climate warming is constantly causing hydro-meteorological perturbations,especially in high-altitude mountainous regions,which lead to the occurrences of landslides.The impact of climatic variables(i.e.,precipitation and temperature)on the distribution of landslides in the eastern regions of the Himalayas is poorly understood.To address this,the current study analyzes the relationship between the spatial distribution of landslide characteristics and climatic variables from 2013 to 2021.Google Earth Engine(GEE)was employed to make landslide inventories using satellite data.The results show that 2163,6927,and 9601 landslides were heterogeneously distributed across the study area in 2013,2017,and 2021,respectively.The maximum annual temperature was positively correlated with the distribution of landslides,whereas precipitation was found to have a non-significant impact on the landslide distribution.Spatially,most of the landslides occurred in areas with maximum annual precipitation ranging from 800 to 1600 mm and maximum annual temperature above 15℃.However,in certain regions,earthquake disruptions marginally affected the occurrence of landslides.Landslides were highly distributed in areas with elevations ranging between 3000 and 5000 m above sea level,and many landslides occurred near the lower permafrost limit and close to glaciers.The latter indicates that temperature change-induced freeze-thaw action influences landslides in the region.Temperature changes have shown a positive correlation with the number of landslides within elevations,indicating that temperature affects their spatial distribution.Various climate projections suggest that the region will experience further warming,which will increase the likelihood of landslides in the future.Thus,it is crucial to enhance ground observation capabilities and climate datasets to effectively monitor and mitigate landslide risks.

Himalayas as a global hot spot of springtime stratospheric intrusions:Insight from isotopic signatures in sulfate aerosols

Downward transport of stratospheric air into the troposphere(identified as stratospheric intrusions)could potentially modify the radiation budget and chemical of the Earth's surface atmosphere.As the highest and largest plateau on earth,the Tibetan Plateau including the Himalayas couples to global climate,and has attracted widespread attention due to rapid warming and cryospheric shrinking.Previous studies recognized strong stratospheric intrusions in the Himalayas but are poorly understood due to limited direct evidences and the complexity of the meteorological dynamics of the third pole.Cosmogenic^(35)S is a radioactive isotope predominately produced in the lower stratosphere and has been demonstrated as a sensitive chemical tracer to detect stratospherically sourced air mass in the planetary boundary layer.Here,we report 6-month(April–September 2018)observation of^(35)S in atmospheric sulfate aerosols(^(35)SO_(4)^(2-))collected from a remote site in the Himalayas to reveal the stratospheric intrusion phenomenon as well as its potential impacts in this region.Throughout the sampling campaign,the^(35)SO_(4)^(2-)concentrations show an average of 1,070±980 atoms/m^(3).In springtime,the average is 1,620±730 atoms/m^(3),significantly higher than the global existing data measured so far.The significant enrichments of^(35)SO_(4)^(2-)measured in this study verified the hypothesis that the Himalayas is a global hot spot of stratospheric intrusions,especially during the springtime as a consequence of its unique geology and atmospheric couplings.In combined with the ancillary evidences,e.g.,oxygen-17 anomaly in sulfate and modeling results,we found that the stratospheric intrusions have a profound impact on the surface ozone concentrations over the study region,and potentially have the ability to constrain how the mechanisms of sulfate oxidation are affected by a change in plateau atmospheric properties and conditions.This study provides new observational constraints on stratospheric intrusions in the Himalayas,which would further provide additional information for a deeper understanding on the environment and climatic changes over the Tibetan Plateau.

Physicochemical composition and climate response of surface sediments at different altitudes in Motuo on the southern slope of the Himalayas

Background,aim,and scope Certain physicochemical indexes of topsoil are closely related to climatic factors including temperature,and precipitation.Understanding the relationship between modern topsoil properties and climatic factors is essential for quantitative paleoclimate reconstruction.Motuo located in the eastern Himalayas,exhibits a significant elevation gradient of over 7000 m from Nnamjagbarwa Peak(7782 m a.s.l.)to the Baxika(150 m a.s.l.).This region features a complete vertical zonation of vegetation,from alpine meadow to tropical forest,presenting an ideal place to investigate the relationships among vegetation,soil and climate conditions across altitudinal gradients.This study aims to explore the vertical variations in the physicochemical composition of topsoil and its relationship with temperature and precipitation.Materials and methods Twenty-seven topsoil samples were collected at 100 m intervals from 800 m to 3600 m a.s.l.along the southern slope of the Himalayas.Grain size,magnetic susceptibility and geochemical elements were measured to discuss the vertical variation characteristics of topsoil composition and their correlation with climatic factors.Results(1)The grain size of topsoil at different altitudes in Motuo is mainly composed of sand accounting for an averaged 53.2%,followed by silt and clay.(2)In the mixed forest zone,frequency dependent magnetic susceptibility(χfd%)shows a clear relationship with altitude,and clay is positively correlated with both altitude and climatic factors.(3)The oxides of topsoil in this area mainly consist of SiO_(2),Al_(2)O_(3) and Fe_(2)O_(3),followed by MgO,CaO,Na_(2)O and K_(2)O,with slight variations in the primary components at different altitudes.The sensitivity of elements to climate varies across different altitudes and vegetation zone,likely due to the region’s complex topography and vegetation.(4)Physical and biological weathering dominates in the broad-leaved forest zone of Motuo,while chemical weathering is more prominent in the coniferous forest zone,with the mixed forest zone falling in between.Discussion The formation of topsoil across the three vegetation zones is influenced by various factors,including parent material,vegetation,and climate.In the broad-leaved forest zone,physical weathering(precipitation,root wedging etc.)and pedogenesis dominate,resulting in finer grain size.The χ_(fd)% increases with altitude likely due to the high temperature and abundant precipitation in this zone,which facilitate the transformation of strong magnetic miners into weaker ones,particularly when the soil is oversaturated.Zirconium(Zr),primarily found in zircon,is depleted at lower altitudes by strong current erosion.Barium(Ba)is similarly reduced at low altitudes in this zone.In mixed forest zone,clay content is the lowest,indicating weaker physical weathering conditions than broad-leaved forest zone.The coarser grain size may result from the combined effects of topography and vegetation coverage.Magnetic susceptibility and organic matter show a positive correlation with altitude.Zr concentration is higher than that in the broad-leaved forest zone,likely resulting from decreased precipitation.In the coniferous zone,the clay content shows considerable fluctuations,with grain size generally becoming finer as altitude increases.This trend may be explained by intensified soil disintegration from seasonal freeze-thaw cycles.The χ_(fd)% values lack a clear trend or pattern,possibly due to soil erosion causing the migration of magnetic minerals or insufficient iron precipitation,which reduces the concentration of magnetic minerals in the soil.Additionally,a positive correlation is observed between altitude and organic matter content,with higher altitudes associated with greater organic matter accumulation.This may be attributed to lower microbial activity in colder conditions,which slows the decomposition and transformation of organic matter.Conclusions The variations in grain size,magnetic susceptibility,and geochemical elements differ across altitudes and vegetation zones,closely connected to the complex interplay of terrain,vegetation,and climate in Motuo.In the mixed forest,altitude has a significant impact onχfd%,and the clay component is particularly sensitive to changes in altitude,mean annual temperature,and precipitation.Zr shows a strong correlation with altitude and climate factors,making it a valuable indicator for assessing changes in atmospheric precipitation within specific altitude ranges.Recommendations and perspectives This study enhances our understanding of the relationships between the physicochemical properties of topsoil and climate conditions,offering valuable insights for paleoclimate reconstruction in Motuo.

Siwalik plant megafossil diversity in the Eastern Himalayas: A review

The Eastern Himalayas are renowned for their high plant diversity.To understand how this modern botanical richness formed,it is critical to investigate past plant biodiversity preserved as fossils throughout the eastern Himalayan Siwalik succession(middle Miocene-early Pleistocene).Here,we present a summary of plant diversity records that document Neogene floristic and climate changes.We do this by compiling published records of megafossil plant remains,because these offer better spatial and temporal resolution than do palynological records.Analyses of the Siwalik floral assemblages based on the distribution of the nearest living relative taxa suggest that a tropical wet evergreen forest was growing in a warm humid monsoonal climate at the deposition time.This qualitative interpretation is also corroborated by published CLAMP(Climate Leaf Analysis Multivariate Program) analyses.Here,we also reconstruct the climate by applying a new common proxy WorldClim2 calibration.This allows the detection of subtle climate differences between floral assemblages free of artefacts introduced by using different methodologies and climate calibrations.An analysis of the Siwalik floras indicates that there was a gradual change in floral composition.The lower Siwalik assemblages provide evidence of a predominance of evergreen elements.An increase in deciduous elements in the floral composition is noticed towards the close of the middle Siwalik and the beginning of the upper Siwalik formation.This change reflects a climatic difference between Miocene and Plio-Pleistocene times.This review helps us to understand under what paleoenvironmental conditions plant diversity occurred and evolved in the eastern Himalayas throughout the Cenozoic.

Influence of slope position and aspect on the vegetation attributes and treewater relations in forests of the central Himalayas

While the need for understanding the effects of topographical factors on forest structure and function is well recognized,comprehensive studies are scarce.This study evaluates the effect of slope aspect and slope position on water relations and forest attributes across six forest types occurring between 400 m and 2600 m altitude in the Central Himalaya(27°-38°N).We found that predawn tree water potential and soil water potential were generally higher on moist north slope aspect(-0.78±0.05 MPa and-3.34±0.18 MPa,respectively)than dry south slope aspect(-0.82±0.18 MPa and-3.77±0.18 MPa,respectively).Across six different forests,these values were higher at hill base(-0.71±0.06 MPa and-2.77±0.19 MPa,tree predawn water potential and soil water potential,respectively)than other topographical positions.The favorable effect of north aspect and hill base was also observed in maintaining soil water and tree water potential during the dry season.Vegetation attributes,such as species richness,unique species and plant density were also generally higher on north slope and hill base than southern aspect and lowest at hill top.Across forest types,the hill base provided shelter to 46 unique species,compared to 16-18 at the other positions,thus emphasizing its importance as refugia for species to survive climate change induced perturbations.The favorable conditions of hill base position not only contribute to increase in alpha diversity,but also to extended species distributional range.

Analyzing geomorphological and topographical controls for the heterogeneous glacier mass balance in the Sikkim Himalayas

Glacier response patterns at the catchment scale are highly heterogeneous and defined by a complex interplay of various dynamics and surface factors.Previous studies have explained heterogeneous responses in qualitative ways but quantitative assessment is lacking yet where an intrazone homogeneous climate assumption can be valid.Hence,in the current study,the reason for heterogeneous mass balance has been explained in quantitative methods using a multiple linear regression model in the Sikkim Himalayan region.At first,the topographical parameters are selected from previously published studies,then the most significant topographical and geomorphological parameters are selected with backward stepwise subset selection methods.Finally,the contributions of selected parameters are calculated by least square methods.The results show that,the magnitude of mass balance lies between-0.003±0.24 to-1.029±0.24 m.w.e.a^(-1) between 2000 and 2020 in the Sikkim Himalaya region.Also,the study shows that,out of the terminus type of the glacier,glacier area,debris cover,ice-mixed debris,slope,aspect,mean elevation,and snout elevation of the glaciers,only the terminus type and mean elevation of the glacier are significantly altering the glacier mass balance in the Sikkim Himalayan region.Mathematically,the mass loss is approximately 0.40 m.w.e.a^(-1) higher in the lake-terminating glaciers compared to the land-terminating glaciers in the same elevation zone.On the other hand,a thousand meters mean elevation drop is associated with 0.179 m.w.e.a-1of mass loss despite the terminus type of the glaciers.In the current study,the model using the terminus type of the glaciers and the mean elevation of the glaciers explains 76% of fluctuation of mass balance in the Sikkim Himalayan region.

Emerging leishmaniasis in southern Himalayas:A mini-review

Leishmaniasis is a vector-borne parasitic disease affecting millions of people worldwide.However,in the last decade,the number of cases has been reduced from well-documented endemic parts,but sporadic cases have been reported widely from various non-endemic areas,especially from the southern Himalayan zone.This raises concerns about the emergence of new ecological niches.This warrants a critical evaluation of key factors causing this rapid spread and possibly indigenous transmission.This mini-review article is aimed to briefly address the parasite,the vector,and the environmental aspects in the transmission of leishmaniasis in these new foci against a background of worldwide endemic leishmaniasis with a special focus on the southern Himalayan zone.As the lack of knowledge about the causative parasites,vectors,reservoir hosts,atypical presentations,and their management make the problem serious and may lead to the emergence of public health issues.The present works also reviewed the existing information regarding clinical variations,diagnostic methods,treatment,its outcome,and ignite for further research in these aspects of the disease.

Crucial, But not Systematically Investigated: Rock Glaciers, the Concealed Water Reservoirs of the Himalayas: An Opinion

The current article is an opinion on the sensitivity of high mountain regions which are the most fragile,sensitive and vulnerable to ongoing climate change.Its impacts are especially severe on the high mountain communities owing to their weak socio-economic profile,limited livelihood resources and agricultural land.The melting of glaciers and changes in the snow cover under the climate change scenario is leading to the scarcity of freshwater supplies,affecting both local and downstream communities.Changes in the precipitation patterns have been suggested to cause droughts,impact restricted agriculture,and limit the availability of water for domestic use.Additionally,the high mountain areas contain distinct flora and fauna,and climate change is not just altering them,but also has resulted in biodiversity loss as species are unable to adapt to the changing climate.Because of its higher altitudes and semi-arid to arid climate,the consequences of climate change are more evident in the higher Himalayas.Climate change is affecting the availability of key resources,such as freshwater and agriculture and pasture lands,resulting in food and water insecurity and their reliance on imports from other regions.As a result,high mountain communities in the Himalayas are progressively shifting to higher glacier valleys in search of suitable cultivable land with adequate irrigation.People are engaging in agro-pastoral activities around thermokarst lakes(Oasis)atop rock glaciers as part of this endeavour.Such actions underscore the crucial role of rock glaciers in dealing with and adjusting to the consequences of climate change.Despite its relevance,rock glacier research in the Himalayan region is still in its infancy.The purpose of this work is to emphasise the significance of these major climate-resilient water resources,as well as the methodology that must be adopted for their systematic and compressive investigations.

藏南拆离系活动与淡色花岗岩就位——以希夏邦马峰地区为例

藏南拆离系是世界上最大的拆离断层系统,也是喜马拉雅造山带的重要构造边界,对喜马拉雅造山过程起着重要的控制作用。在拆离断层内部和断层下盘的高喜马拉雅单元,出露了大量的同构造淡色花岗岩;近期研究工作发现,这些淡色花岗岩具有良好的稀有金属成矿潜力,因此,研究藏南拆离系的活动历史和淡色花岗岩的就位过程,对理解拆离断层变形和演化过程、熔体-断层相互作用和成矿有着重要的启示意义。针对该问题,本文选择喜马拉雅造山带中段希夏邦马峰附近的两条经典剖面——吉隆和聂拉木,开展系统的构造地质学研究,就藏南拆离系的演化过程和淡色花岗岩的同构造迁移-就位机制进行初步探讨。研究表明,吉隆地区的拆离断层厚度数十米到上百米,影响范围小,下盘吉隆岩体和高喜马拉雅的向北拆离变形较弱;聂拉木拆离断层为藏南拆离系深部构造层次,拆离断层厚度达数千米,强烈的构造变形导致肉切村群和高喜马拉雅顶部发生强烈的糜棱岩化,韧性剪切后的淡色花岗岩以平行拆离断层的岩席或岩脉产出;由此,我们认为吉隆和聂拉木的拆离断层分别代表了藏南拆离系的不同构造层次,受控于后期不均一的构造隆升剥露过程,进而可以解释两个地区不同的构造特征。综合前人的研究工作,我们提出藏南拆离系内部拆离断层活动存在逐渐向上迁移现象,而淡色花岗岩的侵位对该过程有着重要的促进作用。早期藏南拆离系的主拆离断层层次较深,控制了淡色花岗岩的顺层迁移和就位;而晚期熔体向更浅层次的运移,也促使藏南拆离系的主拆离断层也向上部迁移。

希夏邦马峰地区始新世地壳加厚和隆升过程

中新世中期之前喜马拉雅山脉的隆升历史和深部动力机制,还存在极大的争议、缺乏基本的数据约束。喜马拉雅造山带核部高级变质岩的埋藏和折返过程可以约束地壳加厚和山脉隆升过程,但是现有的变质记录主要为渐新世晚期-中新世中期,始新世变质作用的分布范围、形成过程和地质意义仍然未被充分挖掘。本文首先厘定了希夏邦马峰(8027m)山体的基本岩石组成:下部为高喜马拉雅正/副片麻岩,上部为肉切村群变粒岩及贯入其中的淡色花岗岩席。进一步对1964年希夏邦马峰登山科考采集的眼球状片麻岩进行了变质作用相平衡模拟和独居石微区原位U-Th-Pb定年,确定了始新世变质记录的P-T-t演化轨迹:M1阶段中P/T型变质压力峰期,条件为~1.0GPa、~740℃(~22℃/km),变质年龄为~37Ma;后近等温降压至M2阶段低P/T型变质温度峰期,条件为0.5~0.4GPa、~760℃(45~57℃/km),变质年龄为~25Ma;在~18Ma左右冷却至固相线以下。希夏邦马峰~37Ma的中P/T型变质和地壳加厚事件与北喜马拉雅穹隆、高喜马拉雅主体、前陆飞来峰等地区的记录一致(40~37Ma,20~25℃/km),表明印度-亚洲初始碰撞约20Myr后中上地壳被堆叠埋藏至>33km以下,发生了广泛的整体性加厚和深熔作用。该事件与喜马拉雅内陆残留海最终退却的时间吻合,是喜马拉雅山脉初始隆升的诱因。喜马拉雅山脉不是晚新生代以来隆升的,而是经历了自始新世中期以来的长期地壳堆叠和隆升过程。

希夏邦马峰淡色花岗岩岩石成因初步研究

淡色花岗岩是研究碰撞造山带地球动力学过程的重要对象。本文对喜马拉雅造山带希夏邦马峰海拔5800m大本营附近的淡色花岗岩样品进行了独居石U-Th-Pb年代学和全岩地球化学初步分析。研究样品根据矿物组合可分为黑云母花岗岩和二云母花岗岩,二者地球化学特征以及变形程度都有所差异,全岩地球化学中弱变形的黑花岗岩表现出低Si和富Al、Mg、Fe、K、Ti的特征,铝饱和指数A/CNK为1.06;强变形和弱变形的二云母花岗岩均表现出高Si和贫Mg、Fe、K、Ti的特征,A/CNK为1.11~1.17。同黑云母花岗岩相比,二云母花岗岩稀土元素中Eu元素负异常明显,微量元素中富集Sn、U,亏损Ba、Sr、Zr、Hf、LREE等元素,暗示岩浆经历了斜长石、黑云母、锆石、独居石和磷灰石的分离结晶作用。黑云母花岗岩和二云母花岗岩中的独居石给出U-Th-Pb年龄为22.9±0.2Ma、22.7±0.5Ma和22.7±0.7Ma的一致结果,这一年龄略早于前人报道的结果,指示藏南拆离系活动时间在该区域与喜马拉雅中段具有一致性。本文认为希夏邦马淡色花岗岩岩浆作用与碰撞后伸展阶段发育的藏南拆离系活动具有同时性。

雅鲁藏布江下游鮡科鱼类分类整理及三新种和中国一新记录种

基于形态学和分子系统学方法,对1974、2019—2023年间采自雅鲁藏布江下游(我国实际控制区内,下同)的403尾鮡科鱼类标本进行分类整理。标本检视结果及结合历史记录表明,雅鲁藏布江下游共分布有鮡科鱼类6属10种,即黑斑原鮡Glyptosternon maculatum(Regan 1905)、穴形纹胸鮡Glyptothorax cavia(Hamilton1822)、墨脱纹胸鮡G.medogensis Chen&He sp.nov.、疑似细体纹胸鮡G.cf.gracilis(Günther 1864)、稀有纹胸鮡G.rara Chen&He sp.nov.、西仁褶鮡Pseudecheneis sirenica Vishwanath&Darshan 2007、扁头异鮡Creteuchiloglanis kamengensis(Jayaram 1966)、细尾鰋Exostoma tenuicaudatum Tamang,Sinha&Gurumayun2015、西藏鰋E.tibetanum Gong,Lin,Liu&Liu 2018和无斑平唇鮡Parachiloglanis immaculata Chen&He sp.nov.。新种墨脱纹胸鮡是安氏纹胸鮡G.annandalei Hora 1923种名的修订,其偶鳍具羽状皮褶,项背骨前突与上枕骨棘相离,腹鳍起点位于背鳍基后缘垂直下方之后,腹鳍末端远离臀鳍起点,更细的尾柄,以及更长的头长等联合特征区别于同属其他物种。新种稀有纹胸鮡其偶鳍腹面光滑,无羽状皮褶;胸部吸着器心形,皮纹向前延伸至咽部,附着器后缘中部微陷、开放,皮纹不明显;臀鳍不分枝鳍条11根;项背骨前突与上枕骨棘间隔距离远;上颌须延伸超过胸鳍基末端,达胸鳍长的1/2处,其长为头长的134.2%等特征区别于同属其他种。新种无斑平唇鮡是霍氏平唇鮡P.hodgarti(Hora 1923)种名修订,其上颌齿带两侧向后延伸,内侧内凹,呈弯月形,横向宽约为纵向深的2倍;下颌齿带前缘和后缘中部微凹,左右两块紧靠,无明显间隔;鳃孔下角限于胸鳍基前1/3处;脂鳍末端游离,与尾鳍起点有一缺刻;胸鳍分枝鳍条16—17根;尾鳍末端明显内凹;侧线明显,侧线孔周围具白色稀疏圆点,体表和各鳍无明显的斑纹等特征有别于同属其他物种。穴形纹胸鮡为我国新记录种。西仁褶鮡为黄斑褶鮡P.sulcata(McClelland 1842)种名的修订。文章对10种鮡科鱼类的主要鉴别特征进行了描述,并编制了属种分类检索表。

希夏邦马六十年

60年前的1964年5月2日,中国登山队10名登山队员成功登顶海拔8027m的希夏邦马峰。作为全球8000m以高的最高峰之一,希夏邦马也是一座完全位于我国境内的山峰。在这次登山过程中,中国科学院组织了希夏邦马峰科学考察,其在地质学方面取得的主要学术成果包括:(1)将区域上变质的岩石归类为希夏邦马群,并将其划分为下部的片麻岩(包括下段粗粒的片麻岩和上段细粒的变粒岩)和上部的片岩两类,相当于现今划分的高喜马拉雅结晶岩系和肉切村群浅变质岩系。同时认为,希夏邦马峰顶的岩石为上述片麻岩;(2)建立了区内显生宙地层系统,分别为上古生界港门穹群、中生界土隆群和雪拉群及新生界野博康加勒群;(3)在5800m营地附近的野博康加勒群下部砂砾岩中发现了高山栎植物化石,并据此提出了喜马拉雅山3Ma以来隆升了约3000m的认识;(4)运用K-Ar法获得的区内淡色花岗岩-伟晶岩的年龄为13~15Ma,而眼球状片麻岩的年龄为19~35Ma,表明希夏邦马形成于非常年轻的中新世。希夏邦马考察及取得的成果对后来我国喜马拉雅山其他地区的考察起到了很好的示范作用。但是,1964年登顶以后,很少再有地质学家对此山峰展开进一步的科学考察与研究。近30年来,珠穆朗玛峰及喜马拉雅地区其他山峰的研究已经基本明确,喜马拉雅由下部的高喜马拉雅深变质岩系和上部未变质的特提斯喜马拉雅沉积岩系构成,两者之间为遭受韧性伸展变形的构造岩系,即藏南拆离系。未来,应着重检查希夏邦马地区变质岩岩石性质、显生宙地层层序及区域构造特征,确定峰顶究竟是变质岩还是淡色花岗岩,并进一步研究含高山栎化石地层的时代及沉积物形成机制等。

移动音频平台中英语听力学习播客的实践图景研究

播客的发展前景受到多方关注,以喜马拉雅为代表的移动音频平台借助UGC+PGC+版权授权模式,为用户提供专业服务。本研究选定喜马拉雅APP英语听力分区中综合排名前100的账号,分别从中选取前三个作品,共300个样本进行研究,得出英语听力学习播客的现状为内容丰富、目的明确、呼应教材、系列出品,存在版权和资质的隐患。针对未来发展提出四条建议,以期为学习类播客行业发展实践图景增添新路径。

基于用户体验的有声出版平台发展策略研究——以喜马拉雅FM为例

随着互联网、声音存储等新技术的发展,有声阅读成为一种阅读新趋向,各类在线音频服务不断推陈出新。研究选取喜马拉雅FM作为典型案例,从感知知识性、感知实用性、感知娱乐性、感知社交性、感知独特性、感知易用性、感知性价比、感知可靠性8个方面调研用户体验,并验证用户体验与用户持续付费阅读意愿的相关性。结合用户体验,指出有声出版平台应优化内容资源,注重差异化发展,提升互动功能并完善付费体系与售后保障,以提升用户黏性,促进有声出版平台良性可持续发展。

喜马拉雅东段库曲锂辉石伟晶岩锡石研究及指示意义

锡石是花岗伟晶岩中重要的含锡矿物。喜马拉雅淡色花岗岩带中多个花岗岩-伟晶岩系统均产出锡石。富锂伟晶岩中锡石的显微结构与化学组成及其对岩浆分异演化的指示意义尚不清楚,亟待开展相关研究。本文调查了喜马拉雅东段库曲岩体西侧产出的多条含锂辉石伟晶岩脉,其规模不等,岩相分带简单,主要岩相带为锂辉石-石英-钠长石带或锂辉石-块体长石-石英-(白云母)带,也见钠质细晶岩。选取3处含锂辉石伟晶岩脉中的锡石开展阴极发光(CL)和原位微区分析测试(EPMA和LA-ICP-MS)研究。锡石的元素替代机制以2(Nb,Ta)^(5+)+Fe^(2+)→3Sn^(4+)和同价置换(Ti^(4+),Zr^(4+),Hf^(4+),U^(4+))→Sn^(4+)为主,部分锂辉石伟晶岩中的锡石出现Fe对Sn和Nb的置换。锡石呈现4种阴极发光特征(黑色、灰色、振荡环带以及白色):黑色区域具有明显高的Nb、Ta、Fe、Zr、U和Ga含量,相对高的Hf含量,以及较大的Ti含量变化范围;灰色区域和振荡环带区域的化学组成相近,振荡环带具有略高的Nb、Ta和Fe含量,相对低的U含量;白色区域具有相对低的Nb、Ta、Fe、Zr、U和Ga含量,以及略低的Hf含量。锡石阴极发光特征与化学组成密切相关,Zr、U、Ga、Hf含量与锡石阴极发光特征具有一定联系。锡石的阴极发光结构(CL结构)主要为均一结构和不均一结构(核-边正环带、补丁以及核-边反环带),包括黑色晶体、灰色晶体、振荡环带晶体,黑色核+振荡环带/灰色边及补丁、灰色核+振荡环带/灰色边及补丁、振荡环带/黑色区域+白色丝带状边/棉絮状补丁、以及振荡环带/灰色/黑色核+黑色边。锡石CL结构的演化序列自内向外表现为黑色核部/晶体→灰色或振荡环带区域/晶体→(白色/黑色区域),向亏损Nb、Ta、Fe、U、Ga,弱亏损Zr、Hf、Y、Ti元素,以及高Ta/(Nb+Ta)值和低Zr/Hf值的方向演化,晚期可出现Fe的富集。锡石的CL结构和化学组成对比发现:同一伟晶岩脉中的含锂辉石伟晶岩的分异演化程度低于锂辉石伟晶岩,共存矿物的结晶分异可能产生富Nb和富Ta两组锡石,不同含锂辉石伟晶岩脉在岩浆化学特征和演化过程具有明显差异。锡石CL结构与化学组成能够揭示锂辉石伟晶岩的化学特征与形成过程。

希夏邦马峰高山栎类化石的再发现及其意义

本文报道了采集于希夏邦马峰的高山栎类(壳斗科栎属冬青栎组)叶片化石新材料。经过两次野外工作,探明该化石产地位于希夏邦马峰北坡海拔约5800m的达索普冰川南侧5号冰川冰舌前端,化石产于野博康加勒群下部砂砾岩为主的粉砂岩夹层中。这批新发现的化石具有壳斗科栎属高山栎类的典型特征,包括叶片椭圆形或长椭圆形,叶柄粗短,叶缘全缘或具齿,二级脉5~6对,与前人报道的希夏邦马峰高山栎类叶片形态完全一致。通过与高山栎类现生种和化石种形态的详细比较,并结合几何形态测量法进行定量分析,希夏邦马峰的高山栎类化石叶片定为古帽斗栎(Quercus preguajavifolia Tao)。高山栎类可能起源于青藏高原东南缘,伴随青藏高原的抬升而逐渐繁盛并扩散到高原周边地区。由于现今的高山栎类植物海拔分布范围大(900~4500m),且化石产地的地质年代尚不清楚,希夏邦马峰高山栎类的古海拔意义仍有待进一步完善。希夏邦马峰高山栎类化石的再次发现,不但有助于厘清化石产出的具体层位,还进一步丰富了该化石记录的形态特征并明确其分类学位置。相关认识将为进一步探究新生代喜马拉雅山脉中段的生物多样性演化与环境变化提供重要依据。