Under the tectonodynamic process, crustal materials tend to experience two modes of adjustment: (1) structural (physical) adjustment, manifested by folding, faulting, uplifting, downwarping, etc.: (2) compositional ad...Under the tectonodynamic process, crustal materials tend to experience two modes of adjustment: (1) structural (physical) adjustment, manifested by folding, faulting, uplifting, downwarping, etc.: (2) compositional adjustment, represented by element migration, concentration and dispersion, crystalline and dynamic differentiation of crystals, metamorphism, etc. (Yang Kaiqing. 1986; Yang Kaiqing et al., 1986). The dynamic adjustment of crustal materials in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze mainly occurred in the Mesozoic under the conditions of intense collision between the North China (Dabie) massif and the Yangtze massif. The structural adjustment refers to various types of deformation within the two massifs and the intensive shortening of the stratigraphic coyer of the Yangtze massif, whereas the compositional adjustment implies the structural remelting of the basement and the ore. and rock- forming processes in the two massifs.展开更多
In the East Asian monsoon region, eolian deposits widely distributed in the middle-lower reaches of the Yantgze River are among the best materials available for studies on Quaternary climate change in the subtropical ...In the East Asian monsoon region, eolian deposits widely distributed in the middle-lower reaches of the Yantgze River are among the best materials available for studies on Quaternary climate change in the subtropical zone of Southern China. Typical eolian deposits in this region include upper Xiashu Loess (XL) and underlying Vermiculated Red Soil (VRS) layers. In this paper, chronological and paleoclimatic studies are conducted on an eolian deposit sequence near Jiujiang (J J) city in northern Jiangxi province. A magnetostratigraphic study, combined with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, is conducted on the JJ section and provides further evidence that eolian deposits in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River have been formed since the late Early Pleistocene, and that the boundary age between the XL and VRS layers is about 300-400 kaBP. In grain-size records of the JJ section, the median grain-size and content of the 〉30μn size fraction increase sharply after 300-400 kaBP, representing an East Asian winter monsoon intensification event. Further pollen analysis reveals differing pollen assemblages before and after 300-400 kaBP: there is an evident increase in plants adapted to grow in a warm humid environment after 300-400 kaBP, implying an increase in precipitation caused by intensification of the East Asian summer monsoon. Global ice volume and uplift of the Tibet Plateau (TP) are regarded as crucial factors influencing variations of the East Asian monsoon on a long-term scale. The deep-sea JlSO record, which reflects variations in global ice volume, shows no obvious change after 300-400 kaBP. Moreover, the influence of global ice volume changes on the East Asian summer and winter monsoons is inverse; the global ice volume increase (decrease) implies a strengthened (weakened) winter monsoon and weakened (strengthened) summer monsoon. We therefore interpret the coupled intensifications of the East Asian summer and winter monsoons at about 300-400 kaBP to the uplift of the TP in the Middle Pleistocene. This climate event is also documented in eolian deposits from the southern margin of the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) and from the desert-loess transitional belt. However, it is not recorded in the loess-paleosol sequences from the central part of the CLP, thereby indicating differing climate responses to TP uplift in different regions, which requires further study.展开更多
Based on the ERA-40 and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data,the NOAA Climate Prediction Center's merged analysis of precipitation(CMAP),and the fifth-generation PSU/NCAR Mesoscale Model version 3(MM5v3),we defined a monsoo...Based on the ERA-40 and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data,the NOAA Climate Prediction Center's merged analysis of precipitation(CMAP),and the fifth-generation PSU/NCAR Mesoscale Model version 3(MM5v3),we defined a monsoon intensity index over the East Asian tropical region and analyzed the impacts of summer(June-July) South China Sea(SCS) monsoon anomaly on monsoon precipitation over the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River(MLRYR) using both observational data analysis and numerical simulation methods.The results from the data analysis show that the interannual variations of the tropical monsoon over the SCS are negatively correlated with the southwesterly winds and precipitation over the MLRYR during June-July.Corresponding to stronger(weaker) tropical monsoon and precipitation,the southwesterly winds are weaker(stronger) over the MLRYR,with less(more) local precipitation.The simulation results further exhibit that when changing the SCS monsoon intensity,there are significant variations of monsoon and precipitation over the MLRYR.The simulated anomalies generally consist with the observations,which verifies the impact of the tropical monsoon on the monsoon precipitation over the MLRYR.This impact might be supported by certain physical processes.Moreover,when the tropical summer monsoon is stronger,the tropical anomalous westerly winds and positive precipitation anomalies usually maintain in the tropics and do not move northward into the MLRYR,hence the transport of water vapor toward southern China is weakened and the southwest flow and precipitation over southern China are also attenuated.On the other hand,the strengthened tropical monsoon may result in the weakening and southward shift of the western Pacific subtropical high through self-adjustment of the atmospheric circulation,leading to the weakening of the monsoon flows and precipitation over the MLRYR.展开更多
Profound understanding on the diversity of local residents’willingness to pay(WTP)for ecosystem services(ESs)may aid evaluation of policy impacts by uncovering trade-offs and synergies for achieving sustainable envir...Profound understanding on the diversity of local residents’willingness to pay(WTP)for ecosystem services(ESs)may aid evaluation of policy impacts by uncovering trade-offs and synergies for achieving sustainable environmental resource management.However,the reasons for the spatial preference heterogeneity of WTP are still unclear.In this study,an extensive survey with 4,580 residents in the Yangtze River Middle Reaches Megalopolis(YRMRM),central China,was carried out to investigate the public’s WTP to maintain and improve ESs.We identified key influencing factors and explored how they shaped the preference heterogeneity in WTP by random forest model and surface fitting method.Our results showed that 81.4% of residents reported WTP for ESs greater than zero.Water supply,waste treatment,food supply and raw material supply were the preferred ESs for residents.Living environment factors(i.e.,extent of farmland,water and forest near the residence)were found as the key drivers of WTP.Proximity to farmland,water and forests resulted in high WTP values for a series of specific ESs.The reasons for the heterogeneity of WTP are(1)the difference in proximity to farmland,water and forest(i.e.,the contributor to ESs),(2)the divergence of local residents’preferences for ESs.This study disclosed the heterogeneity and causes of public preferences in YRMRM,which could help policy and decision makers to develop eco-compensation initiatives towards conservative and sustainable use of the environmental resources.展开更多
Here,we analyze the characteristics and the formation mechanisms of low-level jets(LLJs)in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River during the 2010 mei-yu season using Wuhan station radiosonde data and the fifth genera...Here,we analyze the characteristics and the formation mechanisms of low-level jets(LLJs)in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River during the 2010 mei-yu season using Wuhan station radiosonde data and the fifth generation of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ERA5)reanalysis dataset.Our results show that the vertical structure of LLJs is characterized by a predominance of boundary layer jets(BLJs)concentrated at heights of 900-1200 m.The BLJs occur most frequently at 2300 LST(LST=UTC+8 hours)but are strongest at 0200 LST,with composite wind velocities>14 m s^(-1).Synoptic-system-related LLJs(SLLJs)occur most frequently at 0800 LST but are strongest at 1100LST,with composite wind velocities>12 m s^(-1).Both BLJs and SLLJs are characterized by a southwesterly wind direction,although the wind direction of SLLJs is more westerly,and northeasterly SLLJs occur more frequently than northeasterly BLJs.When Wuhan is south of the mei-yu front,the westward extension of the northwest Pacific subtropical high intensifies,and the low-pressure system in the eastern Tibetan Plateau strengthens,favoring the formation of LLJs,which are closely related to precipitation.The wind speeds on rainstorm days are greater than those on LLJ days.Our analysis of four typical heavy precipitation events shows the presence of LLJs at the center of the precipitation and on its southern side before the onset of heavy precipitation.BLJs were shown to develop earlier than SLLJs.展开更多
[Objective] Surveys of phytoplankton were taken during the autumn of 2009 along Anhui-Jiangsu reaches of the Yangtze River to understand the species com- position and their spatial distributions. [Method] Phytoplankto...[Objective] Surveys of phytoplankton were taken during the autumn of 2009 along Anhui-Jiangsu reaches of the Yangtze River to understand the species com- position and their spatial distributions. [Method] Phytoplankton species, their quanti- ties, biomass and the Mcnaughton's dominance indices were all measured and their spatial distribution characteristics were determined using cluster analysis. [Result] There were 27 species, belonging to 5 phyla, namely Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, Cyanophyta, Euglenophyta and Cryptophyta, of phytoplankton collected and identified from the surveys. Results showed that Bacillariophyta was the predominant phyto- plankton with 16 species collected which accounted for 59.3% of the total species identified. The number of species collected belonging to Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, Cryptophyta and Euglenophyta were 6, 2, 2, and 1, accounting for 22.2%, 7.4%, 7.4% and 3.7% of the total number identified, respectively. At the species level, the predominant species were Fragilaria crotonensis, Melosira italica, Navicula crypto- cephala, Cyclotella striata and Chroomonas acuta. Phytoplankton abundance was ranging from 5.68×10^4 to 7.08×10^4 cells/L with its average of 6.01×10^4 cells/L. Phyto- plankton biomass was ranging from 30.43 to 34.73 μg/L with its average of 32.46 μg/L. Compared with the previous reports, the number of phytoplankton species was decreased but its abundance and biomass was increased along the Jiangsu reach of the Yangtze River. However, Bacillariophyta species were still the predominant species and the phytoplankton community structure had not significantly changed from the previous studies. [Conclusion] These results might be explained as that the water quality in the Yangtze River was deteriorated but had not come to the worst. The results of similarity analysis gave two clusters of phytoplankton community as Nanjing, Wuhu and Jiangyin sampling sites were clustered into one group and Tongling and Anqing were clustered into another group.展开更多
The authors discussed the metallogenic conditions of goldbearing skarn deposits along the middlelower Yangtze River reaches. Gold was enriched in mantleoriginated magmas while copper was enriched in crustoriginated ma...The authors discussed the metallogenic conditions of goldbearing skarn deposits along the middlelower Yangtze River reaches. Gold was enriched in mantleoriginated magmas while copper was enriched in crustoriginated magmas. So the enrichment of gold in skarn deposits was decided by the M/C ratios of the intrusive rocks. The distribution of these deposits was controlled not only by the localization of the intrusive rocks which were decided by Mesozoic Eradeveloped largescaled and deepseated faults, but also by the favorable stratigraphic horizons.展开更多
After analysis of location feature of the south of lower reaches of Yangtze River and its construction of urban and rural integration,the paper pointed out harmonious combination between natural and artificial factors...After analysis of location feature of the south of lower reaches of Yangtze River and its construction of urban and rural integration,the paper pointed out harmonious combination between natural and artificial factors had been neglected in planning and design of farmers' residential area at the south of lower reaches of Yangtze River,"regional characteristic" losing,residential area in the form of "city community" and buildings in European style.In view of these problems,relevant planning and design thoughts and methods had been proposed as to how to create "regional characteristic" from the perspective of planning,architecture and landscape design.It discussed with emphasis the importance of construction base type and combination of environment with residential area construction;inspirations and design methods obtained from traditional architectures;and the content of landscape overall planning and specific design.It was hoped to enlighten designers to shoulder social and historical responsibility,make exploration unremittingly,and construct beautiful homelands for people.展开更多
The paper deals with the background features, formation and distribution of the chemical el-ements K, Na, Ca, Mg, Si, Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni,V, Co, Ti, Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Hg, Cd, Be, Li, Sr, B,F, Cl, Br and I in the groundwa...The paper deals with the background features, formation and distribution of the chemical el-ements K, Na, Ca, Mg, Si, Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni,V, Co, Ti, Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Hg, Cd, Be, Li, Sr, B,F, Cl, Br and I in the groundwater in the region of the middle and lower reaches of the YangtzeRiver and their relations to the composition of the water-bearing media, properties of the overly-ing rocks and soils, redox environment, and groundwater flow condition, mineralization and pHof groundwater.展开更多
Using geographic information system (GIS) techniques and the newest seasonal and annual average precipitation data of 679 meteorological stations from 1971 to 2000, the multiple regressions equations of the precipitat...Using geographic information system (GIS) techniques and the newest seasonal and annual average precipitation data of 679 meteorological stations from 1971 to 2000, the multiple regressions equations of the precipitation and topographical variables are established to extract the effect of topography on the annual and seasonal precipitation in the upper-middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Then, this paper uses a successive interpolation approach (SIA), which combines GIS techniques with the multiple regressions, to improve the accuracy of the spatial interpolation of annual and seasonal rainfall. The results are very satisfactory in the case of seasonal rainfall, with the relative error of 6.86%, the absolute error of 13.07 mm, the average coefficient of variation of 0.070, and the correlation coefficient of 0.9675; in the case of annual precipitation, with the relative error of 7.34%, the absolute error of 72.1 mm, the average coefficient of variation of 0.092, and the correlation coefficient of 0.9605. The analyses of annual mean precipitation show that the SIA calculation of 3-5 steps considerably improves the interpolation accuracy, decreasing the absolute error from 211.0 mm to 62.4 mm, the relative error from 20.74% to 5.97%, the coefficient of variation from 0.2312 to 0.0761, and increasing the correlation coefficient from 0.5467 to 0.9619. The SIA iterative results after 50 steps identically converge to the observed precipitation.展开更多
Thirteen sediment core samples(0-10 cm) were taken from the seven lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River to determine the contents and distributions of organic phosphorus(P) fractions in the sedime...Thirteen sediment core samples(0-10 cm) were taken from the seven lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River to determine the contents and distributions of organic phosphorus(P) fractions in the sediments of the shallow lakes in the area.The organic P fractions in the sediments were in the order of moderately labile organic P(MLOP) > moderately resistant organic P(MROP) > highly resistant organic P(HROP) > labile organic P(LOP),with average proportional ratios of 13.2:2.8:1.3:1.0.LOP,MLOP,and MROP were significantly related to the contents of total organic carbon(TOC),water-soluble P(WSP),algal-available P(AAP),NaHCO3-extractable P(Olsen-P),total P(TP),organic P(OP),and inorganic P(IP).However,HROP was significantly related to OP and weakly correlated with TOC,WSP,AAP,Olsen-P,TP or IP.This suggested that organic P,especially LOP and MLOP in sediments,deserved even greater attention than IP in regards to lake eutrophication.In terms of organic P,sediments were more hazardous than soils in lake eutrophication.Although OP concentrations were higher in moderately polluted sediment than those in heavily polluted sediment,LOP and MLOP were higher in the heavily polluted sediment,which indicated that heavily polluted sediment was more hazardous than moderately polluted sediment in lake eutrophication.展开更多
The Tongshankou Cu-Mo deposit, located in southeast Hubei province, is a typical skarn–porphyry type ore deposit closely related to the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry, characterized by a high Sr/Y ratio.Detailed i...The Tongshankou Cu-Mo deposit, located in southeast Hubei province, is a typical skarn–porphyry type ore deposit closely related to the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry, characterized by a high Sr/Y ratio.Detailed in situ analyses of the trace elements and U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes in zircons from the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry were performed.Scarcely any inherited zircons were observed, and the analyzed zircons yielded highly concordant results with a weighted mean 206Pb/238 U age of 143.5 ± 0.45 Ma(n=20, mean square weighted deviation was 0.75), which was interpreted to represent the crystallization age of the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry.The chondrite-normalized rare-earth element pattern was characterized by a slope that steeply rises from the light-group rare-earth elements(LREE) to the heavy-group rare-earth elements(HREE) with a positive Ce-anomaly and inconspicuous Eu-anomaly, which was coincident with the pattern of the zircons from the Chuquicamata West porphyry, Chile.The analyzed zircons also had relatively low 176Hf/177 Hf ratios of 0.282526–0.282604.Assuming t=143 Ma, the corresponding calculated initial Hf isotope compositions(εHf(t)) ranged from-5.6 to-2.9.The results of the in situ analysis of trace elements and U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes in zircons from the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry suggest that a deep-seated process involving a thickened-crust/enriched-mantle interaction may play an important role in the generation of high Sr/Y-ratio magma and potentially in the generation of porphyry Cu-Mo systems.展开更多
Characteristics of the spatiotemporal distributions of precipitation anomalies in the reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River (YHR) were studied using EOF method. Four main precipitation pat-terns for the YHR ...Characteristics of the spatiotemporal distributions of precipitation anomalies in the reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River (YHR) were studied using EOF method. Four main precipitation pat-terns for the YHR in summer identified by the first two modes: a region-wide flood over the entire YHR (RWF); a region-wide drought over the entire YHR (RWD); a flood in the south with a drought in the northern region of the Yangtze River (FS-DN); and a drought in the south with a flood in the northern region of the Yangtze River (DS-FN). Based on the first two modes and the actual precipitation departure percentage, a new precipitation index is defined in this paper. The typical flood/drought years associated with the various rainfall patterns defined by this precipitation index are more representative and closer to reality compared to some existing precipitation indexes which just use the area-mean precipitation or the EOF time components individually. The characteristics of atmospheric circulation in summer corresponding to the four main precipitation patterns over the YHR in summer show the features of atmospheric circulation differ in different precipitation pattern years. Although the different patterns share a common main influential circulation system, such as the blocking high over northeastern Asia, the low trough of westerly flows in the mid latitudes, the West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), and the high ridge over the Tibet Plateau, the difference in location and intensity of these systems can lead to different distributions of precipitation anomalies.展开更多
Using the daily data of temperature from China Meteorological Administration and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis from 1960 to 2005, we have analyzed the relationships between the summertime high/low temperature events in the...Using the daily data of temperature from China Meteorological Administration and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis from 1960 to 2005, we have analyzed the relationships between the summertime high/low temperature events in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR) and the related circulation anomalies in the Eastern Hemisphere. Our results have demonstrated that a significantly increasing trend is observed in daily minimum temperature in the past 50 years. And in some regions in the Northern Hemisphere, the opposite scenarios are observed in circulation anomalies in lower and upper parts of the troposphere in the years when the temperatures are higher than normal, as compared to those in the years when the temperatures are lower than normal in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR). Additionally, the anomalous circulation structure in vertical direction in both the high and lower temperature years are barotropic. It is found that the emergence and maintenance of the aforementioned anomalous circulations are related to three kinds of wave train teleconnection patterns. Further more, influences of the long wave surface radiation on the air temperature are stronger in the nighttime than that in the daytime. While both the maximum and minimum temperatures have negative relationships with the sensible heat flux but positive relationships with the latent heat flux. To some extent, the anomalous dynamic heating (cooling) caused by the vertical thermal advection as well as the diabatic heating (cooling) caused by diabatic processes can explain the formation of the high (low) temperature events in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR) in boreal summer.展开更多
Studies of the Pb, Sr and Nd isotopic composition of Mesozoic intrusive rocks indicate that the basement of the copper-gold metallogenic belt of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River has “two-layer struct...Studies of the Pb, Sr and Nd isotopic composition of Mesozoic intrusive rocks indicate that the basement of the copper-gold metallogenic belt of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River has “two-layer structure” and partly has “multi-layered structure”, and is inhomogeneous and shows the distinct feature of E-W provincialism. The calculated model lead ages (t1) are mostly greater than 2600 Ma, and the model neodymium ages (TDM) vary from 953 to 2276 Ma and concentrate in two time intervals: 1800–2000 Ma and 1200–1600 Ma. It is concluded that the basement of the MBYR is composed of the Late Archaeozoic to Middle Proterozoic metamorphic series and that the crust was initiated in the Archaean and continued to grow in the Early and Middle Proterozoic, and the proportion of new crust formed by mantle differentiation during the Late Proterozoic is low.展开更多
Anomalous characteristics of the atmospheric water cycle structure are highly significant to the mechanisms of seasonal-scale meteorological droughts.They also play an important role in the identification of indicativ...Anomalous characteristics of the atmospheric water cycle structure are highly significant to the mechanisms of seasonal-scale meteorological droughts.They also play an important role in the identification of indicative predictors of droughts.To better understand the causes of seasonal meteorological droughts in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River(MLRYR),characteristics of the atmospheric water cycle structure at different drought stages were determined using standardized anomalies.The results showed that the total column water vapor(TCWV)was anomalously low during drought occurrence periods.In contrast,there were no anomalous signals at the drought persistence and recovery stages in the MLRYR.Moreover,there was no significant temporal correlation between the TCWV anomaly and seasonal-scale drought index(the 3-month standardized precipitation index(SPI_(3))).During drought events,water vapor that mainly originated from the Bay of Bengal was transported southwest of the MLRYR.Meanwhile,the anomalous signal of water vapor transport was negative at the drought appearance stage.At the drought persistence stage,the negative anomalous signal was the most significant.Water vapor flux divergence in the MLRYR showed significant positive anomalous signals during drought events,and the signal intensity shifted from an increasing to a decreasing trend at different drought stages.In addition,a significant positive correlation existed between the anomaly of water vapor flux divergence and regional SPI_(3).Overall,water vapor flux divergence is more predictive of droughts in the MLRYR.展开更多
Thallium has been used geochemical exploration of gold deposits. However, as an indicator element in searching for hydrothermal the T1 minerals and mineralization are rare in nature. Lorandite T1AsS2, a relatively un...Thallium has been used geochemical exploration of gold deposits. However, as an indicator element in searching for hydrothermal the T1 minerals and mineralization are rare in nature. Lorandite T1AsS2, a relatively uncommon mineral, has been dominantly discovered in some Carlin gold deposits, and minor Sb- Hg, U and Pb-Zn-Ag deposits.展开更多
Land use/land cover change (LUCC) is a focus of the research of global environmental changes. The middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River, which are the most ecologically fragile mountainous area in China as wel...Land use/land cover change (LUCC) is a focus of the research of global environmental changes. The middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River, which are the most ecologically fragile mountainous area in China as well as one of the areas in China with most notable LUCC, have been on the Chinese Government's list of priority areas for ecological restoration. This paper is to reveal the trend of LUCC and the ecological degradation arising from it, and to provide a basis for the future sustainable use of land resources in the region based on a detailed analysis of Yiliang County. Based on the county's land use/cover maps in 1960, 1980 and 2000 drawn with the aid of aerial photograph interpretation, field investigation and GIS based spatial-temporal data analysis, LUCC during 1960~2000 period and the ecological degradation arising from it were analyzed. Using the Markv model, the paper brings out a forecast of what the county's LUCC would be like if the county's current land use continues, as well as the reasons and countermeasures for restoring degraded ecosystems.展开更多
As one of the most fragile alpine plateau and canyon areas in China,the upper reaches of the Yangtze River are the key areas of ecological construction in China.It is also a key area for poverty alleviation in the cou...As one of the most fragile alpine plateau and canyon areas in China,the upper reaches of the Yangtze River are the key areas of ecological construction in China.It is also a key area for poverty alleviation in the country.Therefore,it is necessary to take into account the dual goals of poverty reduction and ecological environment construction,and explore a win-win road of ecological construction and poverty alleviation in line with the reality of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.Taking Xueshan Township,Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County,Yunnan Province,which is located in the poor mountainous area of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River as an example,based on many field investigations and existing investigation and statistical data,this paper analyzes the current situation and main problems of land use in Xueshan Township,and then puts forward measures and suggestions for rational utilization of land resources in Xueshan Township.This can provide a necessary reference for the next implementation of rural revitalization strategy and ecological construction.展开更多
Waterfront resources are important and special kind of natural resources in the marginal area between land and wat er. The Yangtze River, the longest river in China, is not only rich in waterfront resources, but also ...Waterfront resources are important and special kind of natural resources in the marginal area between land and wat er. The Yangtze River, the longest river in China, is not only rich in waterfront resources, but also has favorable development conditions with gr eat potentiality. Aided by large-scale underwater topographic map, the maj or factors of the waterfront resources in the middle and lower reache s of the Yangtze River, such as the stability, the water depth and the natural conditions for port construction, are assessed in this pap er respectively on the basis of the overall investigations. The result s show that: (1) the waterfront resources are abundant in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, but lack of perfectly combined high grade waterfront; (2) there exists an obvious regional difference in the natural quality of the waterfront along the Yangtze; (3) the fore-bank water depth and waterfront stability are the main natural fa ctors related to the waterfront quality in the middle and lower reach es of the Yangtze River; (4) the waterfronts along the Yangtze are mainl y used for port, warehouse and industrial purposes; and (5) the waterfronts near important cities are highly used, especially the high-quality waterfronts. In addition, some suggestions for the development and utilization of the waterfron t resources are presented in this paper.展开更多
文摘Under the tectonodynamic process, crustal materials tend to experience two modes of adjustment: (1) structural (physical) adjustment, manifested by folding, faulting, uplifting, downwarping, etc.: (2) compositional adjustment, represented by element migration, concentration and dispersion, crystalline and dynamic differentiation of crystals, metamorphism, etc. (Yang Kaiqing. 1986; Yang Kaiqing et al., 1986). The dynamic adjustment of crustal materials in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze mainly occurred in the Mesozoic under the conditions of intense collision between the North China (Dabie) massif and the Yangtze massif. The structural adjustment refers to various types of deformation within the two massifs and the intensive shortening of the stratigraphic coyer of the Yangtze massif, whereas the compositional adjustment implies the structural remelting of the basement and the ore. and rock- forming processes in the two massifs.
基金supported by the National Department Public Benefit Research Foundation of China(grant no. 201211077)the Mineral Resources Investigation and Appraisal Project of the Ministry of Land and Resources (grant no.12120114001501)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(grant no. 53200859557)
文摘In the East Asian monsoon region, eolian deposits widely distributed in the middle-lower reaches of the Yantgze River are among the best materials available for studies on Quaternary climate change in the subtropical zone of Southern China. Typical eolian deposits in this region include upper Xiashu Loess (XL) and underlying Vermiculated Red Soil (VRS) layers. In this paper, chronological and paleoclimatic studies are conducted on an eolian deposit sequence near Jiujiang (J J) city in northern Jiangxi province. A magnetostratigraphic study, combined with optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating, is conducted on the JJ section and provides further evidence that eolian deposits in the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River have been formed since the late Early Pleistocene, and that the boundary age between the XL and VRS layers is about 300-400 kaBP. In grain-size records of the JJ section, the median grain-size and content of the 〉30μn size fraction increase sharply after 300-400 kaBP, representing an East Asian winter monsoon intensification event. Further pollen analysis reveals differing pollen assemblages before and after 300-400 kaBP: there is an evident increase in plants adapted to grow in a warm humid environment after 300-400 kaBP, implying an increase in precipitation caused by intensification of the East Asian summer monsoon. Global ice volume and uplift of the Tibet Plateau (TP) are regarded as crucial factors influencing variations of the East Asian monsoon on a long-term scale. The deep-sea JlSO record, which reflects variations in global ice volume, shows no obvious change after 300-400 kaBP. Moreover, the influence of global ice volume changes on the East Asian summer and winter monsoons is inverse; the global ice volume increase (decrease) implies a strengthened (weakened) winter monsoon and weakened (strengthened) summer monsoon. We therefore interpret the coupled intensifications of the East Asian summer and winter monsoons at about 300-400 kaBP to the uplift of the TP in the Middle Pleistocene. This climate event is also documented in eolian deposits from the southern margin of the Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) and from the desert-loess transitional belt. However, it is not recorded in the loess-paleosol sequences from the central part of the CLP, thereby indicating differing climate responses to TP uplift in different regions, which requires further study.
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40921003)National Basic Research and Development(973) Program of China (2009CB421404)
文摘Based on the ERA-40 and NCEP/NCAR reanalysis data,the NOAA Climate Prediction Center's merged analysis of precipitation(CMAP),and the fifth-generation PSU/NCAR Mesoscale Model version 3(MM5v3),we defined a monsoon intensity index over the East Asian tropical region and analyzed the impacts of summer(June-July) South China Sea(SCS) monsoon anomaly on monsoon precipitation over the middle-lower reaches of the Yangtze River(MLRYR) using both observational data analysis and numerical simulation methods.The results from the data analysis show that the interannual variations of the tropical monsoon over the SCS are negatively correlated with the southwesterly winds and precipitation over the MLRYR during June-July.Corresponding to stronger(weaker) tropical monsoon and precipitation,the southwesterly winds are weaker(stronger) over the MLRYR,with less(more) local precipitation.The simulation results further exhibit that when changing the SCS monsoon intensity,there are significant variations of monsoon and precipitation over the MLRYR.The simulated anomalies generally consist with the observations,which verifies the impact of the tropical monsoon on the monsoon precipitation over the MLRYR.This impact might be supported by certain physical processes.Moreover,when the tropical summer monsoon is stronger,the tropical anomalous westerly winds and positive precipitation anomalies usually maintain in the tropics and do not move northward into the MLRYR,hence the transport of water vapor toward southern China is weakened and the southwest flow and precipitation over southern China are also attenuated.On the other hand,the strengthened tropical monsoon may result in the weakening and southward shift of the western Pacific subtropical high through self-adjustment of the atmospheric circulation,leading to the weakening of the monsoon flows and precipitation over the MLRYR.
基金financially supported by the National Key Research and Development Plan,Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China(Grant No.2020YFC1908704)the Innovative Foundation of Huazhong University of Science and Technology(Grant No.2018KFYYXJJ133).
文摘Profound understanding on the diversity of local residents’willingness to pay(WTP)for ecosystem services(ESs)may aid evaluation of policy impacts by uncovering trade-offs and synergies for achieving sustainable environmental resource management.However,the reasons for the spatial preference heterogeneity of WTP are still unclear.In this study,an extensive survey with 4,580 residents in the Yangtze River Middle Reaches Megalopolis(YRMRM),central China,was carried out to investigate the public’s WTP to maintain and improve ESs.We identified key influencing factors and explored how they shaped the preference heterogeneity in WTP by random forest model and surface fitting method.Our results showed that 81.4% of residents reported WTP for ESs greater than zero.Water supply,waste treatment,food supply and raw material supply were the preferred ESs for residents.Living environment factors(i.e.,extent of farmland,water and forest near the residence)were found as the key drivers of WTP.Proximity to farmland,water and forests resulted in high WTP values for a series of specific ESs.The reasons for the heterogeneity of WTP are(1)the difference in proximity to farmland,water and forest(i.e.,the contributor to ESs),(2)the divergence of local residents’preferences for ESs.This study disclosed the heterogeneity and causes of public preferences in YRMRM,which could help policy and decision makers to develop eco-compensation initiatives towards conservative and sustainable use of the environmental resources.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.42230612,41620104009,41705019,42075186,and 41975058)the Projects of the S&T Development Foundation of the Hubei Meteorological Bureau(Grants No.2021Q04 and 2020Y04)。
文摘Here,we analyze the characteristics and the formation mechanisms of low-level jets(LLJs)in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River during the 2010 mei-yu season using Wuhan station radiosonde data and the fifth generation of the European Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasts(ERA5)reanalysis dataset.Our results show that the vertical structure of LLJs is characterized by a predominance of boundary layer jets(BLJs)concentrated at heights of 900-1200 m.The BLJs occur most frequently at 2300 LST(LST=UTC+8 hours)but are strongest at 0200 LST,with composite wind velocities>14 m s^(-1).Synoptic-system-related LLJs(SLLJs)occur most frequently at 0800 LST but are strongest at 1100LST,with composite wind velocities>12 m s^(-1).Both BLJs and SLLJs are characterized by a southwesterly wind direction,although the wind direction of SLLJs is more westerly,and northeasterly SLLJs occur more frequently than northeasterly BLJs.When Wuhan is south of the mei-yu front,the westward extension of the northwest Pacific subtropical high intensifies,and the low-pressure system in the eastern Tibetan Plateau strengthens,favoring the formation of LLJs,which are closely related to precipitation.The wind speeds on rainstorm days are greater than those on LLJ days.Our analysis of four typical heavy precipitation events shows the presence of LLJs at the center of the precipitation and on its southern side before the onset of heavy precipitation.BLJs were shown to develop earlier than SLLJs.
基金Supported by Fishery Germplasm Conservation Project of the Ministry of Agriculture(MOA)(No.6115048)State Specific Project on Fundamental Scientific Research Financed to Public Institutes(No.2009JBFB10)~~
文摘[Objective] Surveys of phytoplankton were taken during the autumn of 2009 along Anhui-Jiangsu reaches of the Yangtze River to understand the species com- position and their spatial distributions. [Method] Phytoplankton species, their quanti- ties, biomass and the Mcnaughton's dominance indices were all measured and their spatial distribution characteristics were determined using cluster analysis. [Result] There were 27 species, belonging to 5 phyla, namely Chlorophyta, Bacillariophyta, Cyanophyta, Euglenophyta and Cryptophyta, of phytoplankton collected and identified from the surveys. Results showed that Bacillariophyta was the predominant phyto- plankton with 16 species collected which accounted for 59.3% of the total species identified. The number of species collected belonging to Chlorophyta, Cyanophyta, Cryptophyta and Euglenophyta were 6, 2, 2, and 1, accounting for 22.2%, 7.4%, 7.4% and 3.7% of the total number identified, respectively. At the species level, the predominant species were Fragilaria crotonensis, Melosira italica, Navicula crypto- cephala, Cyclotella striata and Chroomonas acuta. Phytoplankton abundance was ranging from 5.68×10^4 to 7.08×10^4 cells/L with its average of 6.01×10^4 cells/L. Phyto- plankton biomass was ranging from 30.43 to 34.73 μg/L with its average of 32.46 μg/L. Compared with the previous reports, the number of phytoplankton species was decreased but its abundance and biomass was increased along the Jiangsu reach of the Yangtze River. However, Bacillariophyta species were still the predominant species and the phytoplankton community structure had not significantly changed from the previous studies. [Conclusion] These results might be explained as that the water quality in the Yangtze River was deteriorated but had not come to the worst. The results of similarity analysis gave two clusters of phytoplankton community as Nanjing, Wuhu and Jiangyin sampling sites were clustered into one group and Tongling and Anqing were clustered into another group.
文摘The authors discussed the metallogenic conditions of goldbearing skarn deposits along the middlelower Yangtze River reaches. Gold was enriched in mantleoriginated magmas while copper was enriched in crustoriginated magmas. So the enrichment of gold in skarn deposits was decided by the M/C ratios of the intrusive rocks. The distribution of these deposits was controlled not only by the localization of the intrusive rocks which were decided by Mesozoic Eradeveloped largescaled and deepseated faults, but also by the favorable stratigraphic horizons.
文摘After analysis of location feature of the south of lower reaches of Yangtze River and its construction of urban and rural integration,the paper pointed out harmonious combination between natural and artificial factors had been neglected in planning and design of farmers' residential area at the south of lower reaches of Yangtze River,"regional characteristic" losing,residential area in the form of "city community" and buildings in European style.In view of these problems,relevant planning and design thoughts and methods had been proposed as to how to create "regional characteristic" from the perspective of planning,architecture and landscape design.It discussed with emphasis the importance of construction base type and combination of environment with residential area construction;inspirations and design methods obtained from traditional architectures;and the content of landscape overall planning and specific design.It was hoped to enlighten designers to shoulder social and historical responsibility,make exploration unremittingly,and construct beautiful homelands for people.
文摘The paper deals with the background features, formation and distribution of the chemical el-ements K, Na, Ca, Mg, Si, Fe, Mn, Cr, Ni,V, Co, Ti, Mo, Cu, Pb, Zn, As, Hg, Cd, Be, Li, Sr, B,F, Cl, Br and I in the groundwater in the region of the middle and lower reaches of the YangtzeRiver and their relations to the composition of the water-bearing media, properties of the overly-ing rocks and soils, redox environment, and groundwater flow condition, mineralization and pHof groundwater.
基金The National 973 Project of China, No.2001CB309404 O versea O utstanding Youth Cooperation Project, N o. 40128001/D 05N ationalN aturalScience Foundation ofChina,N o.49375248 Zhejiang Province Science Research (C33)Project,N o.2004C33082
文摘Using geographic information system (GIS) techniques and the newest seasonal and annual average precipitation data of 679 meteorological stations from 1971 to 2000, the multiple regressions equations of the precipitation and topographical variables are established to extract the effect of topography on the annual and seasonal precipitation in the upper-middle reaches of the Yangtze River. Then, this paper uses a successive interpolation approach (SIA), which combines GIS techniques with the multiple regressions, to improve the accuracy of the spatial interpolation of annual and seasonal rainfall. The results are very satisfactory in the case of seasonal rainfall, with the relative error of 6.86%, the absolute error of 13.07 mm, the average coefficient of variation of 0.070, and the correlation coefficient of 0.9675; in the case of annual precipitation, with the relative error of 7.34%, the absolute error of 72.1 mm, the average coefficient of variation of 0.092, and the correlation coefficient of 0.9605. The analyses of annual mean precipitation show that the SIA calculation of 3-5 steps considerably improves the interpolation accuracy, decreasing the absolute error from 211.0 mm to 62.4 mm, the relative error from 20.74% to 5.97%, the coefficient of variation from 0.2312 to 0.0761, and increasing the correlation coefficient from 0.5467 to 0.9619. The SIA iterative results after 50 steps identically converge to the observed precipitation.
基金the China’s National Basic Research Program:"Studies on the Process of Eutrophication of Lakesand the Mechanism of the Blooming of Blue Green Alga" (No2002CB412304)
文摘Thirteen sediment core samples(0-10 cm) were taken from the seven lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River to determine the contents and distributions of organic phosphorus(P) fractions in the sediments of the shallow lakes in the area.The organic P fractions in the sediments were in the order of moderately labile organic P(MLOP) > moderately resistant organic P(MROP) > highly resistant organic P(HROP) > labile organic P(LOP),with average proportional ratios of 13.2:2.8:1.3:1.0.LOP,MLOP,and MROP were significantly related to the contents of total organic carbon(TOC),water-soluble P(WSP),algal-available P(AAP),NaHCO3-extractable P(Olsen-P),total P(TP),organic P(OP),and inorganic P(IP).However,HROP was significantly related to OP and weakly correlated with TOC,WSP,AAP,Olsen-P,TP or IP.This suggested that organic P,especially LOP and MLOP in sediments,deserved even greater attention than IP in regards to lake eutrophication.In terms of organic P,sediments were more hazardous than soils in lake eutrophication.Although OP concentrations were higher in moderately polluted sediment than those in heavily polluted sediment,LOP and MLOP were higher in the heavily polluted sediment,which indicated that heavily polluted sediment was more hazardous than moderately polluted sediment in lake eutrophication.
基金supported by geological survey projects of the China Geological Survey (1212011120863, 12120114039401, 12120114005901 and 12120115029401)
文摘The Tongshankou Cu-Mo deposit, located in southeast Hubei province, is a typical skarn–porphyry type ore deposit closely related to the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry, characterized by a high Sr/Y ratio.Detailed in situ analyses of the trace elements and U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes in zircons from the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry were performed.Scarcely any inherited zircons were observed, and the analyzed zircons yielded highly concordant results with a weighted mean 206Pb/238 U age of 143.5 ± 0.45 Ma(n=20, mean square weighted deviation was 0.75), which was interpreted to represent the crystallization age of the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry.The chondrite-normalized rare-earth element pattern was characterized by a slope that steeply rises from the light-group rare-earth elements(LREE) to the heavy-group rare-earth elements(HREE) with a positive Ce-anomaly and inconspicuous Eu-anomaly, which was coincident with the pattern of the zircons from the Chuquicamata West porphyry, Chile.The analyzed zircons also had relatively low 176Hf/177 Hf ratios of 0.282526–0.282604.Assuming t=143 Ma, the corresponding calculated initial Hf isotope compositions(εHf(t)) ranged from-5.6 to-2.9.The results of the in situ analysis of trace elements and U–Pb and Lu–Hf isotopes in zircons from the Tongshankou granodiorite porphyry suggest that a deep-seated process involving a thickened-crust/enriched-mantle interaction may play an important role in the generation of high Sr/Y-ratio magma and potentially in the generation of porphyry Cu-Mo systems.
基金supported by the projectof the National Basic Research Program of China (GrantNo. 2009CB421401)the Key Technologies R&D Program (Grant No. 2009BAC51B02)+2 种基金the Special Scientific Research Fund of the Meteorological Public Welfare Profession of China (Grant No. GYHY200906018)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No.40705039)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. IAP07415)
文摘Characteristics of the spatiotemporal distributions of precipitation anomalies in the reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River (YHR) were studied using EOF method. Four main precipitation pat-terns for the YHR in summer identified by the first two modes: a region-wide flood over the entire YHR (RWF); a region-wide drought over the entire YHR (RWD); a flood in the south with a drought in the northern region of the Yangtze River (FS-DN); and a drought in the south with a flood in the northern region of the Yangtze River (DS-FN). Based on the first two modes and the actual precipitation departure percentage, a new precipitation index is defined in this paper. The typical flood/drought years associated with the various rainfall patterns defined by this precipitation index are more representative and closer to reality compared to some existing precipitation indexes which just use the area-mean precipitation or the EOF time components individually. The characteristics of atmospheric circulation in summer corresponding to the four main precipitation patterns over the YHR in summer show the features of atmospheric circulation differ in different precipitation pattern years. Although the different patterns share a common main influential circulation system, such as the blocking high over northeastern Asia, the low trough of westerly flows in the mid latitudes, the West Pacific Subtropical High (WPSH), and the high ridge over the Tibet Plateau, the difference in location and intensity of these systems can lead to different distributions of precipitation anomalies.
基金The key technology R&D program of China, No.2007BAC29B02Project of Jiangsu Key Laboratory of Meteorological Disaster, No.KLME060101
文摘Using the daily data of temperature from China Meteorological Administration and the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis from 1960 to 2005, we have analyzed the relationships between the summertime high/low temperature events in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR) and the related circulation anomalies in the Eastern Hemisphere. Our results have demonstrated that a significantly increasing trend is observed in daily minimum temperature in the past 50 years. And in some regions in the Northern Hemisphere, the opposite scenarios are observed in circulation anomalies in lower and upper parts of the troposphere in the years when the temperatures are higher than normal, as compared to those in the years when the temperatures are lower than normal in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR). Additionally, the anomalous circulation structure in vertical direction in both the high and lower temperature years are barotropic. It is found that the emergence and maintenance of the aforementioned anomalous circulations are related to three kinds of wave train teleconnection patterns. Further more, influences of the long wave surface radiation on the air temperature are stronger in the nighttime than that in the daytime. While both the maximum and minimum temperatures have negative relationships with the sensible heat flux but positive relationships with the latent heat flux. To some extent, the anomalous dynamic heating (cooling) caused by the vertical thermal advection as well as the diabatic heating (cooling) caused by diabatic processes can explain the formation of the high (low) temperature events in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLRYR) in boreal summer.
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China grant 49802007.
文摘Studies of the Pb, Sr and Nd isotopic composition of Mesozoic intrusive rocks indicate that the basement of the copper-gold metallogenic belt of the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River has “two-layer structure” and partly has “multi-layered structure”, and is inhomogeneous and shows the distinct feature of E-W provincialism. The calculated model lead ages (t1) are mostly greater than 2600 Ma, and the model neodymium ages (TDM) vary from 953 to 2276 Ma and concentrate in two time intervals: 1800–2000 Ma and 1200–1600 Ma. It is concluded that the basement of the MBYR is composed of the Late Archaeozoic to Middle Proterozoic metamorphic series and that the crust was initiated in the Archaean and continued to grow in the Early and Middle Proterozoic, and the proportion of new crust formed by mantle differentiation during the Late Proterozoic is low.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grants No.2019YFC0409000,2017YFC1502403,and 2018YFC0407701)the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(Grant No.B200204045).
文摘Anomalous characteristics of the atmospheric water cycle structure are highly significant to the mechanisms of seasonal-scale meteorological droughts.They also play an important role in the identification of indicative predictors of droughts.To better understand the causes of seasonal meteorological droughts in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River(MLRYR),characteristics of the atmospheric water cycle structure at different drought stages were determined using standardized anomalies.The results showed that the total column water vapor(TCWV)was anomalously low during drought occurrence periods.In contrast,there were no anomalous signals at the drought persistence and recovery stages in the MLRYR.Moreover,there was no significant temporal correlation between the TCWV anomaly and seasonal-scale drought index(the 3-month standardized precipitation index(SPI_(3))).During drought events,water vapor that mainly originated from the Bay of Bengal was transported southwest of the MLRYR.Meanwhile,the anomalous signal of water vapor transport was negative at the drought appearance stage.At the drought persistence stage,the negative anomalous signal was the most significant.Water vapor flux divergence in the MLRYR showed significant positive anomalous signals during drought events,and the signal intensity shifted from an increasing to a decreasing trend at different drought stages.In addition,a significant positive correlation existed between the anomaly of water vapor flux divergence and regional SPI_(3).Overall,water vapor flux divergence is more predictive of droughts in the MLRYR.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation of China(grants No.41372090 and 41573042)the National Special Research Programs for Non-Profit Trades (grant No.201311136)Basic Scientific Research Operation Cost of State-Leveled Public Welfare Scientific Research Courtyard(grant No.K1203)
文摘Thallium has been used geochemical exploration of gold deposits. However, as an indicator element in searching for hydrothermal the T1 minerals and mineralization are rare in nature. Lorandite T1AsS2, a relatively uncommon mineral, has been dominantly discovered in some Carlin gold deposits, and minor Sb- Hg, U and Pb-Zn-Ag deposits.
基金the result of the project(No.400610o6)funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China.
文摘Land use/land cover change (LUCC) is a focus of the research of global environmental changes. The middle and upper reaches of the Yangtze River, which are the most ecologically fragile mountainous area in China as well as one of the areas in China with most notable LUCC, have been on the Chinese Government's list of priority areas for ecological restoration. This paper is to reveal the trend of LUCC and the ecological degradation arising from it, and to provide a basis for the future sustainable use of land resources in the region based on a detailed analysis of Yiliang County. Based on the county's land use/cover maps in 1960, 1980 and 2000 drawn with the aid of aerial photograph interpretation, field investigation and GIS based spatial-temporal data analysis, LUCC during 1960~2000 period and the ecological degradation arising from it were analyzed. Using the Markv model, the paper brings out a forecast of what the county's LUCC would be like if the county's current land use continues, as well as the reasons and countermeasures for restoring degraded ecosystems.
文摘As one of the most fragile alpine plateau and canyon areas in China,the upper reaches of the Yangtze River are the key areas of ecological construction in China.It is also a key area for poverty alleviation in the country.Therefore,it is necessary to take into account the dual goals of poverty reduction and ecological environment construction,and explore a win-win road of ecological construction and poverty alleviation in line with the reality of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River.Taking Xueshan Township,Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County,Yunnan Province,which is located in the poor mountainous area of the upper reaches of the Yangtze River as an example,based on many field investigations and existing investigation and statistical data,this paper analyzes the current situation and main problems of land use in Xueshan Township,and then puts forward measures and suggestions for rational utilization of land resources in Xueshan Township.This can provide a necessary reference for the next implementation of rural revitalization strategy and ecological construction.
文摘Waterfront resources are important and special kind of natural resources in the marginal area between land and wat er. The Yangtze River, the longest river in China, is not only rich in waterfront resources, but also has favorable development conditions with gr eat potentiality. Aided by large-scale underwater topographic map, the maj or factors of the waterfront resources in the middle and lower reache s of the Yangtze River, such as the stability, the water depth and the natural conditions for port construction, are assessed in this pap er respectively on the basis of the overall investigations. The result s show that: (1) the waterfront resources are abundant in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, but lack of perfectly combined high grade waterfront; (2) there exists an obvious regional difference in the natural quality of the waterfront along the Yangtze; (3) the fore-bank water depth and waterfront stability are the main natural fa ctors related to the waterfront quality in the middle and lower reach es of the Yangtze River; (4) the waterfronts along the Yangtze are mainl y used for port, warehouse and industrial purposes; and (5) the waterfronts near important cities are highly used, especially the high-quality waterfronts. In addition, some suggestions for the development and utilization of the waterfron t resources are presented in this paper.