Arsenic and fluoride co-enrichment of groundwater in the loess areas and associated human health risks:A case study of Dali County in the Guanzhong Basin

This study aims to reveal the occurrence and origin of typical groundwater with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations in the loess area of the Guanzhong Basin—a Neogene faulted basin.Key findings are as follows:(1)Groundwater samples with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations collected from the loess area and the terraces of the Weihe River accounted for 26%and 30%,respectively,of the total samples,with primary hydrochemical type identified as HCO_(3)-Na.The karst and sand areas exhibit relatively high groundwater quality,serving as preferred sources for water supply.It is recommended that local governments fully harness groundwater in these areas;(2)groundwater with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations in the loess area and the alluvial plain of rivers in Dali County is primarily distributed within the Guanzhong Basin,which represents the drainage zone of groundwater;(3)arsenic and fluoride in groundwater originate principally from natural and anthropogenic sources;(4)the human health risk assessments reveal that long-term intake of groundwater with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations pose cancer or non-cancer risks,which are more serious to kids compared to adults.This study provides a theoretical basis for the prevention and treatment of groundwater with high arsenic and fluoride concentrations in loess areas.

Selection of Indigenous Plants in Roads in Northwestern Loess Plateau Area

[Objective] The aim was to study on resource utilization of indigenous plants in roads in order to solve resource shortage of indigenous plant in bioengi- neering. [Method] Based on northwestern loess plateau area, we conducted research on selection of indigenous plants and survey on the species which could live in adverse condition, mainly by surveying, with frequent tests as a supplement, to make a comprehensive observation and evaluation on plant combinations which are to be extensively applied. [Result] The research indicated that in central dividing strips, four arbors, including Platycladus orientalis （Linn.）Franco, Sabina chinensis, Sabinachinen- sis（Linn.）Ant., and Ulmus purnila L., and nine frutices, including Lycium chinense, Tamarix austromongolica, Rosa xanthina Lindl., Forsythia suspense, Atriplex canescens, Amygdalus triloba, Hippophae rharnnoides Linn., Arnorpha fruticosa L., and Syzygium aromaticum could be planted. In addition, Gleditsia sinensis Lain, Robinia pseudoacacia L, Elaeagnus angustifolia L., Rhus typhina, Salix babylonica, Salixmatsudana and Fraxinus chinensis, tall and strong, are suitable to be planted as border trees, presenting a good vision. Frutices, limited by height, are usually with more branches, which will provide a good landscape if grown with tall plants. Prunus dacidiana and Ulmus pumila L., prone to be damaged by insects, should be planted with other species to stop the infestation in space. [Conclusion] The research laid foundation for selection of indigenous plants in roads, providing references for resource shortage of indigenous plant for bioengineedng.

Mechanism of formation of sliding ground fissure in loess hilly areas caused by underground mining

Based on a shallow-buried coal seam covered with thick loose layers in hilly loess areas of western China,we developed a mechanical model for a mining slope with slope stability analysis, and studied the mechanism of formation and development of a sliding ground fissure by the circular sliding slice method.Moreover, we established a prediction model of a sliding fissure based on a mechanical mechanism,and verified its reliability on face 52,304, an engineering example, situated at Daliuta coal mine of Shendong mining area in western China. The results show that the stress state of a mining slope is changed by its gravity and additional stress from the shallow-buried coal seam and gully terrain. The mining slope is found to be most unstable when the ratio of the down-sliding to anti-sliding force is the maximum, causing local fractures and sliding fissures. The predicted angles for the sliding fissure of face 52,304 on both sides of the slope are found to be 64.2° and 82.4°, which are in agreement with the experimental data.

Erosion environment in the sediment-rich area on the Loess Plateau

Based on the investigation and analysis of characteristics of precipitation, natural environment, socio-economic factors and soil erosion, this paper indicates that the precipitation is the main driving force for the soil erosion in the sediment-rich area, its variability determines the characteristics of soil and water loss; the natural conditions such as the drainage systems, geological and topographic features, the composition of soil and land surface materials, vegetation and climate determine the seriousness of soil and water loss; irrational socio-economic activities of human beings usually accelerated soil and water loss; meanwhile, the low preservation rate and inferiority of soil and water conservation measures made it impossible to make rapid progress on soil and water loss control. Furthermore, the characteristics of erosion environment endowed this area with more sediment that is the main reason for the flooding disasters by the Yellow River. Therefore, more emphasis should be placed on the enhancement of soil and water conservation. The soil loss prediction models will provide scientific basis for the planning of soil and water conservation, the designing of soil and water conservation measures and the valuation of effects of soil and water loss control. According to the analysis of the previous studies on soil loss prediction, and the water-sediment variation features, it is thought that study on soil loss prediction under various rainfall conditions and soil-water conservation measures should be carried out.

Characteristics of root pullout resistance of Caragana korshinskii Kom.in the loess area of northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China

Roots exert pullout resistance under pullout force,allowing plants to resist uprooting.However,the pullout resistance characteristics of taproot-type shrub species of different ages remain unclear.In this study,in order to improve our knowledge of pullout resistance characteristics of taproot systems of shrub species,we selected the shrub species Caragana korshinskii Kom.in different growth periods as the research plant and conducted in situ root pullout test.The relationships among the maximum pullout resistance,peak root displacement,shrub growth period,and aboveground growth indices(plant height and plant crown breadth)were analyzed,as well as the mechanical process of uprooting.Pullout resistance of 4-15 year-old C.korshinskii ranged from 2.49(±0.25)to 14.71(±4.96)kN,and the peak displacement ranged from 11.77(±8.61)to 26.50(±16.09)cm.The maximum pullout resistance and the peak displacement of roots increased as a power function(R^(2)=0.9038)and a linear function(R^(2)=0.8242)with increasing age,respectively.The maximum pullout resistance and the peak displacement increased with increasing plant height;however,this relationship was not significant.The maximum pullout resistance increased exponentially(R^(2)=0.5522)as the crown breadth increased.There was no significant relationship between the peak displacement and crown breadth.The pullout resistance and displacement curve were divided into three stages:the initial nonlinear growth,linear growth,and nonlinear stages.Two modes of failure of a single root occurred when the roots were subjected to vertical loading forces:the synchronous breakage mode and the periderm preferential breakage mode.These findings provide a foundation for further investigation of the soil reinforcement and slope protection mechanisms of this shrub species in the loess area of northeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau,China.

Relationship Between Agriculture and Ecological Deterioration,Restoration and Reconstruction in Loess Plateau Areas of Northwest China

A comprehensive analysis was conducted on the current situation as well as historic succession processor agriculture and ecological conditions in Northwest China, in particular in the Loess Plateau, by means of a inter-disciplinary approach of ecology, agro-geohistory, and agronomy. It was concluded that the fundamental causes responsible for the ecological deterioration, signed by the poor agro-productivity and serious soil erosion, had been the extensive cropping system by ever-increasing reclamation on semi-drought slope land, where initiated a natural vegetation of brushy grasses with sparse trees, thus suitable only for animal husbandry. Based on an identification of specific actual status of China, several countermeasures of correctly dealing with the relationship between agricultural development and the ecological restoration and reconstruction were proposed, including to get breakthrough first in the transection area by means of the rational use of resources and the raising of agro-system productivity, to promoting 'water conservancy-type ecological agriculture' through the radical shift of traditional production pattern, and the adoption of a policy of proper degree of grain self-reliance, as well as to construct livestock industry base in Northwest China.

Migration and speciation transformation mechanisms of mercury in undercurrent zones of the Tongguan gold mining area, Shaanxi Loess Plateau and impact on the environment

In order to study the migration and transformation mechanism of Hg content and occurrence form in subsurface flow zone of gold mining area in Loess Plateau and its influence on water environment,the field in-situ infiltration test and laboratory test were carried out in three typical sections of river-side loess,alluvial and proluvial strata in Tongguan gold mining area of Shaanxi Province,and the following results were obtained:(1)The source of Hg in subsurface flow zone is mainly caused by mineral processing activities;(2)the subsurface flow zone in the study area is in alkaline environment,and the residual state,iron and manganese oxidation state,strong organic state and humic acid state of mercury in loess are equally divided in dry and oxidizing environment;mercury in river alluvial or diluvial strata is mainly concentrated in silt,tailings and clayey silt soil layer,and mercury has certain stability,and the form of mercury in loess is easier to transform than the other two media;(3)under the flooding condition,most of mercury is trapped in the silt layer in the undercurrent zone where the sand and silt layers alternate with each other and the river water and groundwater are disjointed,and the migration capacity of mercury is far less than that of loess layer and alluvial layer with close hydraulic connection;(4)infiltration at the flood level accelerates the migration of pollutants to the ground;(5)the soil in the undercurrent zone is overloaded and has seriously exceeded the standard.Although the groundwater monitoring results are safe this time,relevant enterprises or departments should continue to pay attention to improving the gold extraction process,especially vigorously rectify the small workshops for illegal gold extraction and the substandard discharge of the three wastes,and intensify efforts to solve the geological environmental problems of mines left over from history.At present,the occurrence form of mercury in the undercurrent zone is relatively stable,but the water and soil layers have been polluted.The risk of disjointed groundwater pollution can not be ignored while giving priority to the treatment of loess and river alluvial landform areas with close hydraulic links.The research results will provide a scientific basis for water conservancy departments to groundwater prevention and control in water-deficient areas of the Loess Plateau.

Impacts of Sloping Land Conversion Program on the vegetation in loess hilly and gully area of northern Shaanxi

Aiming at alleviating the serious soil erosion, the Chinese government initiated the Sloping Land Conversion Program （SLCP） in 1999. Now; after 8 years of project implementation, the ecological recovery effects of the SLCP have become the hot issue of academic circle. This paper; raking the loess hill and gully area of northern Shaanxi as an example, presents a methodology for assessing the vegetation restoration effect of SLCP with normalized difference vegetation index （NDVI）. The key components include calculation of the Growing Season NDVI （GSNDVI）, and estimation of the NVDI change induced by climate and SLCP, respectively. Based on the method, the NDVI change between 2000 and 2006 was obtained using the GSNDVI that excluded the noise from snow and ice. After the part of total NDVI change caused to： climate variation was estimated using empiric formulae, we obtained the part induced by human factors, i.e. the SLCP The human induced part of ND VI change was considered as an approximation indicating the effect of the SLCP on the vegetation. Finally, we analyzed the ND VI change characters of the whole study area, different slope lands and different land use types by spatial statistics method. Results show that the vegetation condition is significantly improved by the SLCP, particularly land types that directly involved in the SLCP, such as steeply slope farmlands, degraded grasslands, etc.

Soil erosion types in the loess hill and gully area of China

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SOC Vertical Distribution Pattern of Economic Plants in the Loess Gully Areas of China

Three economic plants from the loess gully areas in China to explore the changing vertical distribution characteristics of soil organic carbon.The results showed that:(1) with the increase of depth,the average SOC content of economic plants decreased from 13.98 to 1.39 g/kg on the 0-100 cm soil profile,in the form of a power function;(2) the constructed depth spatial distribution models for different plants could help accurately assess the spatial distribution pattern of soil organic carbon;(3) compared with traditional agricultural planting,the carbon sink function for walnut and grape at a soil depth of 100 cm increased by 92.8±8.98 t/hm^(2) and 45.7±7.7 t/hm^(2),respectively.The adjustment of agricultural planting structure increases the content of soil organic carbon,and economic plants are of great significance to enhance the carbon sink function of the agricultural ecosystem in the loess gully area.

宁南黄土区中庄小流域土壤密度坡面变化及尺度效应

[目的]分析土壤密度在坡面上的变化特征及尺度效应,探讨土壤密度坡面尺度转换路径,为精准监测土壤密度、科学评价土壤功能、指导土壤资源管理提供理论依据。[方法]在宁夏南部半干旱黄土丘陵区中庄小流域,选择3个退耕还林还草后的典型坡面,按坡位从上至下设置了5个样地,调查各样地的植被类型、土地利用、立地条件等,采用环刀法分层测定了200 cm深度的土壤密度。[结果]在东坡、西坡、南坡,土壤密度随土层加深基本表现为线性增加,土层每加深10 cm土壤密度平均增加0.0062,0.0036,0.0075 g/cm^(3),其原因为植被根系、土壤有机质、压实作用的土层差异。在0—200 cm土层,东坡和南坡土壤密度坡面均值均为1.22 g/cm^(3),低于西坡(1.26 g/cm^(3))。3个坡面土壤密度的坡面变化存在差异,东坡、西坡、南坡沿坡变化表现为逐渐增加或先增后减、先升后降、先降后升,整体上为坡面下部大于上部,主要原因包括植被类型、土地利用、人类活动、恢复年限等坡面差异。以离坡顶水平距离增加100 m土壤密度坡面滑动平均值的变化量评价坡面尺度效应,0—200 cm土层的平均土壤密度坡面尺度效应在东坡为0.032(g/cm^(3))/100 m,在西坡为0.024(g/cm^(3))/100 m(离坡顶0—250 m)和-0.007(g/cm^(3))/100 m(离坡顶250—329 m),在南部为-0.011(g/cm^(3))/100 m(离坡顶0—140 m)和0.018(g/cm^(3))/100 m(离坡顶140—368 m)。构建3个坡面不同坡位样地各土层的土壤密度与坡面均值的比值随离坡顶水平距离增加而变化的关系式(R2>0.80,p<0.0001),且基于拟合关系式预测的土壤密度坡面均值的相对误差均小于2.5%,藉此可由任一坡位样地土壤密度测定值准确便捷地估算坡面均值。[结论]半干旱黄土区土壤密度坡面变化和坡位差异明显,且植被类型、人为干扰、土地利用等对土壤密度坡面分布格局影响较大,未来应加强主要作用因子对土壤密度坡面变化及尺度效应的贡献研究。

黄土地区设诱导缝地铁车站地震响应特性研究

诱导缝已在我国地铁车站建设中广泛应用,但其地震响应规律尚不明确。以西安黄土地区地铁车站建设为背景,在前期研究基础上建立黄土场地-设诱导缝地铁车站动力相互作用三维数值模型,研究不同频谱特性及不同峰值加速度地震波作用下黄土场地中设诱导缝地铁车站的加速度响应和损伤演化过程。结果表明:(1)诱导缝同侧结构加速度反应基本一致,但其两侧结构的加速度反应有显著差异,质量较大一侧结构的峰值加速度较大;随着地震强度增大,土-结构动力相互作用更剧烈,地铁车站结构损伤程度不断加深,损伤范围逐渐扩大,且在低频成分丰富的地震波作用下其结构损伤更加严重;(2)诱导缝断面处结构损伤面积相对较大,容易出现局部破坏。研究结果将为黄土地区地铁\,地下结构诱导缝的地震响应进一步研究和工程设计提供参考。

大断面黄土隧道下穿地表建筑物沉降分析及对策

依托西延高铁某黄土隧道下穿地表建筑物工程实例,采用理论分析、数值模拟等手段,对大断面黄土隧道下穿地表建筑物施工中地表沉降范围及对策进行研究。结果表明:基于随机介质理论,隧道两侧的地表沉降范围可划分为强、弱、无影响区,隧道施工对地表强影响区范围约等于隧道埋深,弱影响区范围约为隧道埋深的2倍;在开挖面到达办公楼正下方时办公楼沉降值约占总沉降值的70%;穿过办公楼后,沉降速率趋于收敛,隧道施工中接近地表建筑物要加强施工质量,保证地表结构安全;隧道通过地表建筑物后,地表沉降趋于收敛,但沉降值仍不断增大,隧道穿越地表建筑物后,应持续开展建筑物沉降变形监测,掌子面二衬紧跟,保证地表建筑物结构安全;大断面黄土隧道下穿地表建筑物时,采用三台阶临时仰拱(腰梁)法、锁脚加强、初支加强等措施后,可保证隧道施工安全,相关措施可为相类似工程的施工提供借鉴意义。

湿陷性黄土地区复合土工膜人工湖防渗施工

复合土工膜具有强度高、延伸性能好、耐酸碱、耐老化、防渗性能好等特点,且有良好的耐热性和耐寒性,不受工程环境限制。通过对湿陷性黄土地区复合土工膜人工湖防渗施工的研究及实施,能够确保湖体无渗漏、无下沉,节约成本,提前工期。基于此,本文以实际工程为例,对湿陷性黄土地区复合土工膜人工湖防渗施工的施工工艺流程及操作要点进行分析,并提出相应的质量控制措施,希望能为相关人员提供参考。

黄土山地地区地震采集激发点位快速布设方法探讨

为提升复杂黄土山地地区大面积三维地震采集激发点位布设效率,降低野外作业成本,提出了一种激发点位快速布设方法。通过在室内对障碍物缓冲区进行合并来提升激发点位的自动偏移效率;利用自动生成的平行(或垂直)于接收线的等间距平行线与震源道路轨迹相交,快速形成可控震源激发点位;利用航拍生成的数字地表模型(DSM)转换成的坡度数据,来提升室内布点人员对悬崖、陡坡的识别效率;针对不同方位障碍物自动设置不同安全距离,分方位布设激发点。鄂尔多斯盆地黄土山地工区三维地震采集的实际应用效果证明,该方法能够显著减轻室内激发点位布设工作量,提升黄土山地地区三维激发点位布设工作效率,达到降本增效的目的。

The effects of land use and its patterns on soil properties in a small catchment of the Loess Plateau

Due to relatively strong human activities in the hilly area of Loess Plateau, the natural vegetation has been destroyed, and landscape pattern based on agricultural land matrix was land use mosaic composing of shrub land, grassland, woodland and orchard. This pattern has an important effect on soil moisture and soil nutrients. The Danangou catchment, a typical small catchment, was selected to study the effects of land use and its patterns on soil moisture and nutrients in this paper. The results are as follows: The comparisons of soil moisture among seven land uses for wet year and dry year were performed: (1) the average of soil moisture content for whole catchment was 12.11% in wet year, while it was 9.37% in dry year; (2) soil moisture among seven land uses was significantly different in dry year, but not in wet year; (3) from wet year to dry year, the profile type of soil moisture changed from decreasing type to fluctuation-type and from fluctuant type to increasing type; (4) the increasing trend in soil moisture from the top to foot of hillslope occurred in simple land use along slope, while complicated distribution of soil moisture was observed in multiple land uses along slope. The relationships between soil nutrients and land uses and landscape positions were analysed: (1) five nutrient contents of soil organic matter (SOM), total N (TN), available N (AN), total P (TP) and available P (AP) in hilly area were lower than that in other areas. SOM content was less than 1%, TN content less than 0.07%, and TP content between 0.05% and 0.06%; (2) SOM and TN contents in woodland, shrub land and grassland were significantly higher than that in fallow land and cropland, and higher level in soil fertility was found in crop-fruit intercropping land among croplands; (3) soil nutrient distribution and responses to landscape positions were variable depending on slope and the location of land use types.

An applied research on remote sensing classification in the Loess Plateau

Dae to complex terrain of the Loess Plateau, the classification accuracy is unsatisfactory when a single supervised classification is used in die remote sensing investigation of the sloping field. Taking the loess hill and gully area of northern Shaanxi Province as a test area, a research was conducted to extract sloping field and other land use categories by applying an integrated classification. Based on an integration of supervised classification aad unsupervised classification, sampling method is remarkably unproved. The results show that the classification accuracy is satisfactory by the method and is of critical significance in obtaining up-to-date information of the sloping field, which should be helpful in the state key project of converting farmland to forest and grassland on slope land in this area. This research sought to improve the application accuracy of image classification in complex terrain areas.

Aggregate Characteristics During Natural Revegetation on the Loess Plateau

Field investigations and laboratory analysis were conducted to study the characteristics of soil water-stable aggregates during vegetation rehabilitation in typical grassland soils of the hilly-gullied loess area. The relationship between water- stable aggregates and other soil properties was analyzed using canonical correlation analysis and principal component analysis. The results show that during the natural revegetation, the aggregates 〉 5 mm dominated and constituted between 50% and 80% of the total soil water-stable aggregates in most of the soil layers. The 2-5 mm aggregate class was the second main component. The mean value of water-stable aggregates 〉 5 mm within the 0-2 m soil profile under different plant communities decreased in the following order： Stipa grandis 〉 Stipa bungeana Trin. 〉 Artemisia sacrorum Ledeb. 〉 Thymus mongolicus Ronn. 〉 Hierochloe odorata （L.） Beauv. Clay, organic matter, and total N were the key factors that influenced the water stability of the aggregates. Total N and organic matter were the main factors that affected the water stability of the aggregates 〉 5 mm and 0.5-1 mm in size. The contents of Fe2O3, Al2O3, and physical clay （〈 0.01 mm） were the main factors which affected the water stability of the 1-2 and 0.25-0.5 mm aggregates.

Discovery of Wolitu Pb-Zn deposit through geochemical prospecting under loess cover in Inner Mongolia, China

We report the finding of the Wolitu Pb-Zn deposit in Inner Mongolia, China, through a series of geochemical surveys. The Wolitu area, located in the loess-cover area in the Hure Banner, Tongliao City,Inner Mongolia, and neighboring the Horqin Sandy Land to the north, had no previous history of Pb-Zn mining or record of Pb-Zn mineralization. Our study identified a large Pb-Zn anomaly with potential zones of mineralization by stream sediment survey. Random rock sampling reveals limonitization at sporadic outcrops in the gullies. The high concentrations of Pb in the residual debris provided guidelines to fix the position for exploratory trench. Oxidized concealed orebodies were identified by trenching.Blind orebodies in veins hosted within the structural zone between slates and marbles of the upper Carboniferous Shizuizi Formation and the Permian granite were discovered by drilling. It is computed that the ore reserve may reach up to 540,000 tones with Pb grade of 1.27% and Zn of 1.9%. This case study is an excellent example for identifying potential polymetallic deposits in loess covered terrains using geochemical exploration.

Effects of urban grass coverage on rainfall-induced runoff in Xi'an loess region in China

In this study, laboratory rainfall simulation experiments were conducted to investigate the regulatory effects of grass coverage on rainfallrunoff processes. A total of 80 grass blocks planted with well-grown manilagrass, together with their root systems, were sampled from an eastern suburban area of Xi'an City in the northwest arid area of China and sent to a laboratory for rainfall simulation experiments. The runoff and infiltration processes of a slope with different grass coverage ratios and vegetation patterns were analyzed. The results show that the runoff coefficient decreases with the increase of the grass coverage ratio, and the influence of grass coverage on the reduction of runoff shows a high degree of spatial variation. At a constant grass coverage ratio, as the area of grass coverage moves downward, the runoff coefficient, total runoff,and flood peak discharge gradually decrease, and the flood peak occurs later. With the increase of the grass coverage ratio, the flood peak discharge gradually decreases, and the flood peak occurs later as well. In conclusion, a high grass coverage ratio with the area of grass coverage located at the lower part of the slope will lead to satisfactory regulatory effects on rainfall-induced runoff.