To understand the effects of sand grain size on habitat selection, we conducted a field study on the steppe toad-headed lizard in Hunshandake Desert northern China. Methods of mark-recapture and transect survey were u...To understand the effects of sand grain size on habitat selection, we conducted a field study on the steppe toad-headed lizard in Hunshandake Desert northern China. Methods of mark-recapture and transect survey were used to investigate the density of steppe toad-headed lizards and the environmental variables. The comparison on lizard densities among the habitats with different environmental factors revealed that： 1） population density of the steppe toad-headed lizard differed significantly among the habitats with different sand grain size indexes（SGSIs, representing roughness of sand substrate）： the highest lizard density was found in the group with an SGSI of 〉 0.30, whereas the lowest density was found in the group with an SGSI of 0–0.15; and 2） vegetation cover, soil moisture, invertebrate diversity index, and abundance had no significant effects on the lizard density. These results implied that the sand grain size was the most important determinant of habitat selection for steppe toad-headed lizards in Hunshandake Desert. Steppe toad-headed lizards could avoid structural habitats that have negative effects on their maximal sprinting capabilities. Considering the changing sand grain size in the development phase of sand dunes, the sand lizard could be used as an indicator of the process of desertification.展开更多
[Objective]The aim was to study the simulation test of hydrodynamics process of erosion.[Method]Through the runoff scouring experiment,the property of soil erosion in Damaoqi grassland in Inner Mongolia was studied.Th...[Objective]The aim was to study the simulation test of hydrodynamics process of erosion.[Method]Through the runoff scouring experiment,the property of soil erosion in Damaoqi grassland in Inner Mongolia was studied.The process and mechanism of soil erosion were studied.[Result]The results of runoff scouring experiment on inner Damaoqi steppe showed that the mean flow velocity of change slope increased with the discharge of flow and slope gradient.The mean silt content rate,the mean sediment transport rate and the mean sheer stress all increased when the discharge of flow increased,which changed in parabolic form with the increase of slope gradient and the critical gradient is 25°.The relationship between the mean sediment transport rate and the mean sheer stress was linear.[Conclusion]The study provided theoretic basis for the report of soil erosion in grassland in China.展开更多
基金financial support of the Key Basic Science and Technology Project of the Ministry of Science and Technology, China (2013FY110300)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 31572260)the Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KSCX2-EW-J-2)
文摘To understand the effects of sand grain size on habitat selection, we conducted a field study on the steppe toad-headed lizard in Hunshandake Desert northern China. Methods of mark-recapture and transect survey were used to investigate the density of steppe toad-headed lizards and the environmental variables. The comparison on lizard densities among the habitats with different environmental factors revealed that： 1） population density of the steppe toad-headed lizard differed significantly among the habitats with different sand grain size indexes（SGSIs, representing roughness of sand substrate）： the highest lizard density was found in the group with an SGSI of 〉 0.30, whereas the lowest density was found in the group with an SGSI of 0–0.15; and 2） vegetation cover, soil moisture, invertebrate diversity index, and abundance had no significant effects on the lizard density. These results implied that the sand grain size was the most important determinant of habitat selection for steppe toad-headed lizards in Hunshandake Desert. Steppe toad-headed lizards could avoid structural habitats that have negative effects on their maximal sprinting capabilities. Considering the changing sand grain size in the development phase of sand dunes, the sand lizard could be used as an indicator of the process of desertification.
基金Supported by the Scientific Research Program of China Institute of Water Resources and Hydropower Research (MKS2010001)
文摘[Objective]The aim was to study the simulation test of hydrodynamics process of erosion.[Method]Through the runoff scouring experiment,the property of soil erosion in Damaoqi grassland in Inner Mongolia was studied.The process and mechanism of soil erosion were studied.[Result]The results of runoff scouring experiment on inner Damaoqi steppe showed that the mean flow velocity of change slope increased with the discharge of flow and slope gradient.The mean silt content rate,the mean sediment transport rate and the mean sheer stress all increased when the discharge of flow increased,which changed in parabolic form with the increase of slope gradient and the critical gradient is 25°.The relationship between the mean sediment transport rate and the mean sheer stress was linear.[Conclusion]The study provided theoretic basis for the report of soil erosion in grassland in China.
