Understanding root-zone soil moisture in agricultural regions of Central Mexico using the ensemble Kalman filter,satellite-derived information,and the THEXMEX-18 dataset

An Ensemble Kalman Filter(EnKF)-based assimilation algorithm was implemented to estimate root-zone soil moisture(RZSM)using a Soil-Vegetation-Atmosphere Transfer(SVAT)model during a complete growing season of corn in Central Mexico.Synthetic and field soil moisture(SM)observations and NASA SMAP SM retrievals were used to understand the effect of vertically spatial updates and uncertainties in meteorological forcings on RZSM estimates.Assimilation of RZSM every 3 days using SM observations at 4 depths lowered the averaged standard deviation(ASD)and the root mean square error(RMSE)by 60%and 50%,respectively,compared to the open-loop ASD.The assimilation of synthetic SM at the top 0-5 cm obtained RZSM closer to observations compared to THEXMEX-18 SM measurements and SMAP SM retrievals.Differences between EnKF estimates and SM observations and SMAP SM retrievals are mainly due to misrepresentation of vegetation conditions.The results improved SM estimates up to 10-cm depth using SMAP SM retrievals;however,additional studies are needed to improve SM at deeper layers.The implemented methodology can estimate SM at the top 10 cm of the soil every 3 days to mitigate the impact of the climate change on agricultural production over rainfed areas,particularly in developing countries.

Groundwater quality and land use change in a typical karst agricultural region:a case study of Xiaojiang watershed,Yunnan

Taking the typical karst agricultural region, Xiaojiang watershed in Luxi of Yurman Province as a research unit, utilizing the groundwater quality data in 1982 and 2004, the aerial photos in 1982 and TM images in 2004, supported by the GIS, we probe into the law and the reason of its space-time change of the groundwater quality over the past 22 years in the paper. The results show： （1） There were obvious temporal and spatial changes of groundwater quality during the past 22 years. （2） Concentrations of NH4^＋, SO4^2- , NO3, NO2^-, Cl^- and the pH value, total hardness, total alkalinity increased significantly, in which NH4^2-, NO3, and NO2^- of groundwater exceeded the drinking water standards as a result of non-point pollution caused by the expansion of cultivated land and mass use of the fertilizer and pesticide. （3） Oppositely, Ca^2＋ and HCO3^- showed an obvious decline trend due to forest reduction and degradation and stony desertification. Meantime, there was a dynamic relation between the groundwater quality change and the land use change.

The impact of land use on soil properties in a karst agricultural region of Southwest China: a case study of Xiaojiang watershed, Yunnan

Supported by RS and GIS, the land use change from 1982 to 2003 were analyzed and the impacts of land use changes on pH value, organic matter, total N, total P, total K, available N, available P, and available K in soil of Xiaojiang watershed, a typical karst agricultural region of Yunnan Province, Southwest China were assessed. The following aspects are concluded. （1） The total land use converted during the past 20 years in Xiaojiang watershed covers an area of 610.12 km^2, of which 134.29 km^2 of forestland was converted into cultivated land, and 210 km^2 of.unused land was converted into cultivated land. （2） The rapid growth of population and the economic development were the main driving forces of land use change. （3） With the change in land use, the soil properties have been changed significantly. The pH, organic matter, total N, total P, total K, available N, available P and available K in soil in 1982 were 6.3, 38.02 g·kg^-1, 1.86 g·kg^-1, 1.63 g·kg^-1, 10.94 g·kg^-1, 114.42 g·kg^-1, 11.65 mg·kg^-1 and 64.69 mg·kg^-1g, respectively; and those in 2003 were 6.73, 25.26 g·kg^-1, 1.41 g·kg^-1, 0.99 g·kg^-1, 12.6 g·kg^-1, 113.43 mg·kg^-1, 11.11 mg·kg^-1 and 151.59 mg·kg^-1, respectively. Pared samples t-test of the tested indices of soil properties indicate that those indices have changed significantly during the last 20 years. But the soil properties changed differently, due to the differences in land use change. （4） Also, with the change in land use and management measures of soil, the modifications in soil properties which developed from carbonate rocks were more sensitive than those in the soil developed from sandstone.

Harmony Coefficient and Regional Agricultural Systems

The regional agricultural system （RAS） can be divided into three subsystems： ecological, economic, and social. This article examines the use of the harmony coefficient （HC）, efficacy coefficient, rank of the harmony coefficient （RHC）, and its appraising index system within the RAS. The harmony coefficient function was developed using a variance coefficient and then applied to Ziyang District, Yiyang City in Hunan Province （ZYH）, China, as a test case. From 1995 to 2002, the HC of RAS increased from 0.2982 to 0.4826 and the RHC increased from 3 to 5, although the HC trend was an ＂n＂ type in general. This suggests that the HC was weakly maladjusted and the RAS was not harmonious. The HC of the ecological subsystem decreased from 0.3898 to 0.2850, and its RHC from 4 to 3, with the HC trend following the ＂n＂ type. For the economic subsystem, the HC value increased from 0.5767 to 0.7458 and the RHC from 6 to 8. However, the trend in HC for the economic subsystem was of the ＂U＂ type. The HC of the social subsystem increased slightly from 0.4948 to 0.4663, and the RHC did not change in value. From the HC trends, the HC curve of the economic subsystem is above the HC curve of ZYH and the HC curve of the ecological subsystem is below the HC curve of ZHY. Hence, the ZHY environment has been destroyed by economic development. Environment and social building should be regarded as important issues in the future and promoting RAS harmony development should be considered. The results of the theoretical analysis match fairly closely with reality, and suggest that the harmony theory is feasible in appraising RAS development phases.

Regional Agricultural Input-Output Model and Countermeasure for Production and Income Increase of Farmers in Southern Xinjiang,China

Agricultural input and output status in southern Xinjiang,China is introduced,such as lack of agricultural input,low level of agricultural modernization,excessive fertilizer use,serious damage of environment,shortage of water resources,tremendous pressure on ecological balance,insignificant economic and social benefits of agricultural production in southern Xinjiang,agriculture remaining a weak industry,agricultural economy as the economic subject of southern Xinjiang,and backward economic development of southern Xinjiang.Taking the Aksu area as an example,according to the input and output data in the years 2002-2007,input-output model about regional agriculture of the southern Xinjiang is established by principal component analysis.DPS software is used in the process of solving the model.Then,Eviews software is adopted to revise and test the model in order to analyze and evaluate the economic significance of the results obtained,and to make additional explanations of the relevant model.Since the agricultural economic output is seriously restricted in southern Xinjiang at present,the following countermeasures are put forward,such as adjusting the structure of agricultural land,improving the utilization ratio of land,increasing agricultural input,realizing agricultural modernization,rationally utilizing water resources,maintaining eco-environmental balance,enhancing the awareness of agricultural insurance,minimizing the risk and loss,taking the road of industrialization of characteristic agricultural products,and realizing the transfer of surplus labor force.

气候变化对青海海东农业区的影响评估与适应对策(英文)

[Objective] The aim was to study climate changes and its effects on agriculture in Haidong agricultural region.[Method] Based on meteorology and agricultural observation data in Haidong agricultural region from 1961 to 2009,the characteristics of climate change and its effects on agriculture were analyzed,and the possible effects of future climate change on Haidong agriculture were predicted according to the future climate scenarios provided by down-scaling climate model.[Result] Annual mean temperature in Haidong agricultural region during 1961-2009 showed obvious increase trend,with the rising rate of 0.37 ℃/10 a;annual mean precipitation and annual total sunshine duration went down slightly,with the climatic tendency of 3.70 mm/10 a and-27.55 h/10 a,respectively;climate extreme event occurred less frequently but became severer in recent 49 years.In future 100 years,temperature in Haidong agricultural region would go up significantly,with the slight increase of rainfall,and climate changes would affect agricultural production environment,arrangement,structure and productivity,namely increasing yield fluctuation of agricultural production,cost and investment and changing arrangement and structure.In order to adapt climate change,it was necessary to adjust agricultural structure,strengthen management,improve agricultural infrastructure,adopt new technology,increase the resistance ability of agricultural production to climate change actively and designedly,so as to improve adaptability,furthest reduce loss and realize potential benefit.[Conclusion] Our study could provide references for the decision of government and agricultural sector.

Effects of biodegradable mulch on soil water and heat conditions,yield and quality of processing tomatoes by drip irrigation

To combat the problem of residual film pollution and ensure the sustainable development of agriculture in oasis areas,a field experiment was carried out in 2019 at the Wuyi Farm Corps Irrigation Center Test Station in Urumqi,Northwest China.Four types of biodegradable mulches,traditional plastic mulchs and a control group(bare land;referred to as CK)were compared,including a total of six different treatments.Effects of mulching on soil water and heat conditions as well as the yield and quality of processing tomatoes under drip irrigation were examined.In addition,a comparative analysis of economic benefits of biodegradable mulches was performed.Principal component analysis and gray correlation analysis were used to evaluate suitable mulching varieties for planting processing tomatoes under drip irrigation.Our results show that,compared with CK,biodegradable mulches and traditional plastic mulch have a similar effect on retaining soil moisture at the seedling stage but significantly increase soil moisture by 0.5%-1.5%and 1.5%-3.0%in the middle and late growth periods(P<0.050),respectively.The difference in the thermal insulation effect between biodegradable mulch and plastic mulch gradually reduces as the crop grows.Compared with plastic mulch,the average soil temperature at 5-20 cm depth under biodegradable mulches is significantly lowered by 2.04°C-3.52°C and 0.52°C-0.88°C(P<0.050)at the seedling stage and the full growth period,respectively,and the water use efficiency,average fruit yield,and production-investment ratio under biodegradable mulches were reduced by 0.89%-6.63%,3.39%-8.69%,and 0.51%-6.33%(P<0.050),respectively.The comprehensive evaluation analysis suggests that the black oxidized biological double-degradation ecological mulch made from eco-benign plastic is the optimal film type under the study condition.Therefore,from the perspective of sustainable development,biodegradable mulch is a competitive alternative to plastic mulch for large-scale tomato production under drip irrigation in the oasis.

A primary study of nitrous oxide emission in agriculture region of Northern China

Significance of nitrous oxide in atmospheric chemistry is reviewed briefly. Background concentration of N2O at Wudaoliang in Qinghai Province of Western China has been measured by collecting gas samples and analysing them with electron capture-gas chromatography. The atmospheric concentration fluctuates in the range of 303-315 ppb with the mean value of 308 ppb. The emission rate of N2O in agriculture region of Northern China has been studied primarily. Fertilization, rain and temperature of soil appear conductible to N2O emission. The interactions between greenhouse effect and N2O emission have been discussed. The catalytic action of N2O in stratospheric ozone depletion processes and the effect of high N2O concentration on ozone depletion in stratosphere have been considered and discussed.

Phosphorus losses via surface runoff in rice-wheat cropping systems as impacted by rainfall regimes and fertilizer applications

Phosphorus（P） losses from agricultural soils contribute to eutrophication of surface waters. This field plot study investigated effects of rainfall regimes and P applications on P loss by surface runoff from rice（Oryza sativa L.） and wheat（Triticum aestivum L.） cropping systems in Lake Taihu region, China. The study was conducted on two types of paddy soils（Hydromorphic at Anzhen site, Wuxi City, and Degleyed at Xinzhuang site, Changshu City, Jiangsu Province） with different P status, and it covered 3 years with low, high and normal rainfall regimes. Four rates of mineral P fertilizer, i.e., no P（control）, 30 kg P ha^（–1） for rice and 20 kg P ha^（–1） for wheat（P_（30＋20））, 75 plus 40（P_（75＋40））, and 150 plus 80（P_（150＋80））, were applied as treatments. Runoff water from individual plots and runoff events was recorded and analyzed for total P and dissolved reactive P concentrations. Losses of total P and dissolved reactive P significantly increased with rainfall depth and P rates（P〈0.0001）. Annual total P losses ranged from 0.36–0.92 kg ha^–1 in control to 1.13–4.67 kg ha^–1 in P150＋80 at Anzhen, and correspondingly from 0.36–0.48 kg h^–1 to 1.26–1.88 kg ha^–1 at Xinzhuang, with 16–49% of total P as dissolved reactive P. In particular, large amounts of P were lost during heavy rainfall events that occurred shortly after P applications at Anzhen. On average of all P treatments, rice growing season constituted 37–86% of annual total P loss at Anzhen and 28–44% of that at Xinzhuang. In both crop seasons, P concentrations peaked in the first runoff events and decreased with time. During rice growing season, runoff P concentrations positively correlated（P〈0.0001） with P concentrations in field ponding water that was intentionally enclosed by construction of field bund. The relative high P loss during wheat growing season at Xinzhuang was due to high soil P status. In conclusion, P should be applied at rates balancing crop removal（20–30 kg P ha^–1 in this study） and at time excluding heavy rains. Moreover, irrigation and drainage water should be appropriately managed to reduce runoff P losses from rice-wheat cropping systems.

Problem regions and regional problems of socioeconomic development in China： A perspective from the coordinated development of industrialization, informatization, urbanization and agricultural modernization

Identifying the problem regions and regional problems, and thus improving regional policies, are crucial for the sustainable development of various economic entities. The coordinated development of industrialization, informatization, urbanization and agricultural modernization（hereinafter referred to as ＂Sihua＂） is not only a practical need but an important strategic direction of integrating urban-rural development and regional development in recent China, and it also provides a significant perspective for identifying problem regions and regional problems so as to improve the regional policies. This study mainly aims to： firstly, establish a comprehensive evaluation index system so as to explore the spatial pattern of coordinated development of Sihua in China at prefecture level; secondly, to develop an evaluation criteria system to identify the problem regions and regional problems from the perspective of coordinated development of Sihua. This paper comes first in the scientific community to evaluate the coordinated development state of Sihua in China at prefecture level and identify the problem regions and regional problems from the perspective of Sihua development by quantitative analysis. This study may benefit the improvement of regional policies and thus contribute to the sustainable socio-economic development of China.

THE FEATURE AND EVALUATION OF ECOTONE IN CHINA

Based on explicating the definition of ecotone, this paper discussed emphatically the distribution and features of joint zone between land and water, transition zone between mountains and plains, and intersection zone between agricultural and animal husbandry regions. The geographic environment of the three ecotones were evaluated, their developing tendency predicted and the corresponding measures to be taken in the 21st century pointed out.

Comparative Study on Settlement Systems under Different Land Systems——Structure and Optimization

Based on the data of the second national land survey and GIS method, this paper takes Fujin City as a study area to refl ect the similarities and differences of settlement system characteristics between reclamation and agricultural region in Heilongjiang Province, in order to discover the effect of land system on structure of settlement system. The results are as follows:(1) In the aspect of the spatial distribution pattern, settlement systems of both reclamation and agricultural region show clustered distribution, but those in reclamation region are denser;(2) The settlement systems of reclamation and agricultural regions can be divided into 4 levels, and their settlement systems are not incompatible with the 3 distribution patterns proposed in the center place theory, and show completely different hierarchical orders;(3) The average scale of reclamation settlement is smaller than that of agricultural settlement, but the difference is much more signifi cant;(4) The settlement systems in reclamation and agricultural regions have some problems, such as high proportion of the mini-settlements, and unreasonable space network system. Some measures should be taken, such as accelerating the reconstruction of the settlement system, optimizing the layout of settlement network system and transportation network, and promoting the connection between settlement systems in reclamation and agricultural regions in near future.

The spatio-temporal variations of frost-free period in China from 1951 to 2012

The frost-free period（FFP）first frost date（FFD） and last frost date（LFD） have been regard as the important climate variables for agricultural production. Understanding the spatio-temporal variations of the FFPFFD and LFD is beneficial to reduce the harmful impacts of climate change on agricultural production and enhance the agricultural adaptation. This study examined daily minimum temperatures for 823 national-level meteorological stationscalculated the values of FFDLFD and FFP for station-specific and region-specific from 1951 to 2012estimated the gradients of linear regression for station-specific moving averages of FFDLFD and FFPand assessed station-specific time series of FFP and detected the abrupt change. The results as follows： at both the station level and the regional levelthe FFP across China decreases with the increase of latitude from south to northand with the increase of altitude from east to west generally. At the station levelthe inter-annual fluctuations of FFDLFD and FFP in south and west agricultural regions are greater than those in north and east. At the regional levelexcluding the QT regiontemporal changes of FFP are relatively small in both the low-latitude and the high-latitude regionsbut for the mid-latitude regions. According to the linear trend gradients of the moving average values of station-specific FFDLFD and FFPFFD was delayedLFD advancedand FFP extended gradually over the 80% of China. Furthermorethe change magnitudes for FFDLFD and FFP in the north and east agricultural regions are higher than that in the southern and western. Among the 659 station-specific time series of FFP examined by the Mann-Kendall test341 stationslocated mainly in the north regionhave one identifiable and significant abrupt change. And at the 341 stations with identified abrupt changesmost（57%） abrupt changes occurred during 1991–2012followed by the periods of 1981–1990（28%）1971–1980（12%）and 1951–1970（3%）. The spatio-temporal variations of FFDLFD and FFP would provide important guidance to agricultural practices.