Nebkhas are isolated mounds vegetated with burial-tolerant desert plants that trap windborne sediment within their canopies.Nebkhas are critical to desertification control and biodiversity protection of oases in arid ...Nebkhas are isolated mounds vegetated with burial-tolerant desert plants that trap windborne sediment within their canopies.Nebkhas are critical to desertification control and biodiversity protection of oases in arid and semi-arid regions of China,as they(ⅰ)trap windborne sediments and ensure oasis security;(ⅱ)as“fertile islands,”nebkhas can trap and provide a suitable micro-environment for seeds,birds,and small soil animals,and increase biodiversity;(ⅲ)increase the soil surface roughness and significantly reduce soil erosion following heavy rain.However,the establishment of sand-fixing vegetation and over-grazing significantly limits the development and accelerate the degradation of nebkhas,threatening oasis ecosystems.We provide background and recommendations for protective measures for nebkha landscapes in arid and semi-arid areas of China to aid managers in oasis protection.展开更多
A wetland ecosystem's value may be considered as the value derived from its natural resources, the value derived from its eco-environment, the value for special protection and values in cultural, research and educ...A wetland ecosystem's value may be considered as the value derived from its natural resources, the value derived from its eco-environment, the value for special protection and values in cultural, research and educational aspects. Lake Honghu, in the heartland of Hubei Province, covers a vast but shallow body of water and surrounding marshlands. It is conducive to farmland irrigation, flooding regulation, adjustment of the local climate and self-purification of the water quality. Because of its benign functions, the native ecosystem of the lake is ecologically sound, and the thriving wildlife in its ecosystem makes it a primordial pool of biodiversity. Besides, it is possible to transform it into a national base for environmental education and an R&D center for freshwater organisms, so that it can play a constructive role in heightening the public's awareness of environmental protection.展开更多
基金This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China subsidization project[41701600]National basic resource survey:Survey on the desert major plant communities in China[2017FY100200].
文摘Nebkhas are isolated mounds vegetated with burial-tolerant desert plants that trap windborne sediment within their canopies.Nebkhas are critical to desertification control and biodiversity protection of oases in arid and semi-arid regions of China,as they(ⅰ)trap windborne sediments and ensure oasis security;(ⅱ)as“fertile islands,”nebkhas can trap and provide a suitable micro-environment for seeds,birds,and small soil animals,and increase biodiversity;(ⅲ)increase the soil surface roughness and significantly reduce soil erosion following heavy rain.However,the establishment of sand-fixing vegetation and over-grazing significantly limits the development and accelerate the degradation of nebkhas,threatening oasis ecosystems.We provide background and recommendations for protective measures for nebkha landscapes in arid and semi-arid areas of China to aid managers in oasis protection.
基金An R&D project funded by the National Natu-ral Science Foundation of China(No.49871071).
文摘A wetland ecosystem's value may be considered as the value derived from its natural resources, the value derived from its eco-environment, the value for special protection and values in cultural, research and educational aspects. Lake Honghu, in the heartland of Hubei Province, covers a vast but shallow body of water and surrounding marshlands. It is conducive to farmland irrigation, flooding regulation, adjustment of the local climate and self-purification of the water quality. Because of its benign functions, the native ecosystem of the lake is ecologically sound, and the thriving wildlife in its ecosystem makes it a primordial pool of biodiversity. Besides, it is possible to transform it into a national base for environmental education and an R&D center for freshwater organisms, so that it can play a constructive role in heightening the public's awareness of environmental protection.