Predicting changes in the suitable habitats of six halophytic plant species in the arid areas of Northwest China

In the context of changes in global climate and land uses,biodiversity patterns and plant species distributions have been significantly affected.Soil salinization is a growing problem,particularly in the arid areas of Northwest China.Halophytes are ideal for restoring soil salinization because of their adaptability to salt stress.In this study,we collected the current and future bioclimatic data released by the WorldClim database,along with soil data from the Harmonized World Soil Database(v1.2)and A Big Earth Data Platform for Three Poles.Using the maximum entropy(MaxEnt)model,the potential suitable habitats of six halophytic plant species(Halostachys caspica(Bieb.)C.A.Mey.,Halogeton glomeratus(Bieb.)C.A.Mey.,Kalidium foliatum(Pall.)Moq.,Halocnemum strobilaceum(Pall.)Bieb.,Salicornia europaea L.,and Suaeda salsa(L.)Pall.)were assessed under the current climate conditions(average for 1970-2000)and future(2050s,2070s,and 2090s)climate scenarios(SSP245 and SSP585,where SSP is the Shared Socio-economic Pathway).The results revealed that all six halophytic plant species exhibited the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values higher than 0.80 based on the MaxEnt model,indicating the excellent performance of the MaxEnt model.The suitability of the six halophytic plant species significantly varied across regions in the arid areas of Northwest China.Under different future climate change scenarios,the suitable habitat areas for the six halophytic plant species are expected to increase or decrease to varying degrees.As global warming progresses,the suitable habitat areas of K.foliatum,S.salsa,and H.strobilaceum exhibited an increasing trend.In contrast,the suitable habitat areas of H.glomeratus,S.europaea,and H.caspica showed an opposite trend.Furthermore,considering the ongoing global warming trend,the centroids of the suitable habitat areas for various halophytic plant species would migrate to different degrees,and four halophytic plant species,namely,S.salsa,H.strobilaceum,H.glomeratus,and H.capsica,would migrate to higher latitudes.Temperature,precipitation,and soil factors affected the possible distribution ranges of these six halophytic plant species.Among them,precipitation seasonality(coefficient of variation),precipitation of the warmest quarter,mean temperature of the warmest quarter,and exchangeable Na+significantly affected the distribution of halophytic plant species.Our findings are critical to comprehending and predicting the impact of climate change on ecosystems.The findings of this study hold significant theoretical and practical implications for the management of soil salinization and for the utilization,protection,and management of halophytes in the arid areas of Northwest China.

Suitable region of dynamic optimal interpolation for efficiently altimetry sea surface height mapping

The dynamic optimal interpolation(DOI)method is a technique based on quasi-geostrophic dynamics for merging multi-satellite altimeter along-track observations to generate gridded absolute dynamic topography(ADT).Compared with the linear optimal interpolation(LOI)method,the DOI method can improve the accuracy of gridded ADT locally but with low computational efficiency.Consequently,considering both computational efficiency and accuracy,the DOI method is more suitable to be used only for regional applications.In this study,we propose to evaluate the suitable region for applying the DOI method based on the correlation between the absolute value of the Jacobian operator of the geostrophic stream function and the improvement achieved by the DOI method.After verifying the LOI and DOI methods,the suitable region was investigated in three typical areas:the Gulf Stream(25°N-50°N,55°W-80°W),the Japanese Kuroshio(25°N-45°N,135°E-155°E),and the South China Sea(5°N-25°N,100°E-125°E).We propose to use the DOI method only in regions outside the equatorial region and where the absolute value of the Jacobian operator of the geostrophic stream function is higher than1×10^(-11).

Potentially Suitable Area and Change Trends of Tulipa iliensis under Climate Change

Tulipa iliensis,as a wild plant resource,possesses high ornamental value and can provide abundant parental materials for tulip breeding.The objective of this research was to forecast the worldwide geographical spread of Tulipa iliensis by considering bioclimatic,soil,and topographic variables,the findings of this research can act as a benchmark for the conservation,management,and utilization of Tulipa iliensis as a wild plant resource.Research results indicate that all 12 models have an area under curve(AUC)of the receiver operating characteristic curve(ROC)values greater than 0.968 for the paleoclimatic,current,and future climate scenarios,this suggests an exceptionally high level of predictive accuracy for the models.The distribution of Tulipa iliensis is influenced by several key factors.These factors include the mean temperature of the driest quarter(Bio9),calcium carbonate content(T_CACO3),slope,precipitation of the driest month(Bio14),Basic saturation(T_BS),and precipitation of the coldest quarter(Bio19).During the three paleoclimate climate scenarios,the appropriate habitats for Tulipa iliensis showed a pattern of expansion-contraction expansion.Furthermore,the total suitable area accounted for 13.38%,12.28%,and 13.28%of the mainland area,respectively.According to the current climate scenario,the High-suitability area covers 61.78472×10^(4)km^(2),which accounts for 6.57%of the total suitable area,The Midsuitability area covers 190.0938×10^(4)km^(2),accounting for 20.2%of the total suitable area,this represents a decrease of 63.53%~67.13%compared to the suitable area of Tulipa iliensis under the paleoclimate scenario.Under the Shared Socioeconomic Pathways(SSP)scenarios,in 2050 and 2090,Tulipa iliensis is projected to experience a decrease in the High,Mid,and Low-suitability areas under the SSP126 climate scenario by 7.10%~12.96%,2.96%~4.27%and 4.80%~7.96%,respectively.According to the SSP245 scenario,the high suitability area experienced a slight expansion of 2.26%in 2050,but a reduction of 6.32%in 2090.In the SSP370 scenario,the High-suitability areas had a larger reduction rate of 11.24%in 2050,while the Mid-suitability and Low-suitability areas had smaller expansion rates of 0.36%and 4.86%,respectively.In 2090,the High-suitability area decreased by 4.84%,while the Mid and Low-suitability areas experienced significant expansions of 15.73%and 45.89%,respectively.According to the SSP585 scenario,in the future,the High,Mid,and Low-suitability areas are projected to increase by 5.09%~7.21%,7.57%~17.66%,and 12.30%~48.98%,respectively.The research offers enhanced theoretical direction for preserving Tulipa iliensis’genetic variety amidst evolving climatic scenarios.

Development of a Suitable,Cultural,and Life-Oriented Kindergarten Curriculum

The technological revolution and the explosion of information have created a diverse world.More and more so-called advanced cultures are entering kindergartens,prompting us to think about how to correctly develop the existing local cultures in the cultural context,while simultaneously accepting and absorbing the appropriate parts of foreign cultures.It is also necessary to maintain a balance between diversity and localization to prevent kindergartens from becoming a“colony”of foreign cultures.The development of suitable,cultural,and life-oriented kindergarten curricula from different perspectives is the focus of such a balance.Only in this way can kindergartens truly fulfill their educational functions and provide a vibrant and colorful environment for children.

Forest use suitability:Towards decision-making-oriented sustainable management of forest ecosystem services

Management of forest lands considering multi-functional approaches is the basis to sustain or enhance the provi-sion of specific benefits,while minimizing negative impacts to the environment.Defining a desired management itinerary to a forest depends on a variety of factors,including the forest type,its ecological characteristics,and the social and economic needs of local communities.A strategic assessment of the forest use suitability(FUS)(namely productive,protective,conservation-oriented,social and multi-functional)at regional level,based on the provision of forest ecosystem services and trade-offs between FUS alternatives,can be used to develop management strategies that are tailored to the specific needs and conditions of the forest.The present study assesses the provision of multiple forest ecosystem services and employs a decision model to identify the FUS that sup-ports the most present and productive ecosystem services in each stand in Catalonia.For this purpose,we apply the latest version of the Ecosystem Management Decision Support(EMDS)system,a spatially oriented decision support system that provides accurate results for multi-criteria management.We evaluate 32 metrics and 12 as-sociated ecosystem services indicators to represent the spatial reality of the region.According to the results,the dominant primary use suitability is social,followed by protective and productive.Nevertheless,final assignment of uses is not straightforward and requires an exhaustive analysis of trade-offs between all alternative options,in many cases identifying flexible outcomes,and increasing the representativeness of multi-functional use.The assignment of forest use suitability aims to significantly improve the definition of the most adequate management strategy to be applied.

Suitable Site Selection and Location Allocation of Solid Waste Col­lection Bin by Using Geographic Information Systems:A Case of Nekemte Town

The problem of environmental pollution and health hazards due to inappropriate solid waste disposal is critical in developing countries like Ethiopia,Nekemte town is one of the town in Ethiopia facing from environmental pollution due to lack of appropriate dumping site which leads pollution of surface and ground water and environment in and around dumping area.The key objective of this study was the selection of appropriate sites for disposal,solid waste using Geographic Information System tools.Selection the most suitable landfill site was determined through the integration of geographic information system tools,multi-criteria decision investigation and remote sensing techniques.To select a suitable landfill site several parameters were considered for example slope,constructed area,road,water bodies,land uses,geology and soil.After analysis of the suitability of a solid waste-dumping site used GIS tools,weighted analyzed methods selected 36 areas for medium solid waste Bins.Suitability map was prepared by overlay analyzed with GIS based Weighted Linear Combination analysis to select the suitable sites and assigned as the value as unsuitable,less suitable,moderately suitable,suitable and highly suitable were determined.Using this method selected,highly suitable areas for land fill and inclination area.

Systematic Arrangement and Mechanism Exploration of Clinical Suitable Diseases Treated by Thumb-Tack Acupuncture

Objective:To sort out and analyze the domestic and foreign literature on thumb-tack acupuncture in the past fifteen years using bibliometrics methods,summarize the dominant diseases of thumb-tack acupuneture,explore the mechanism of thumb-tack acupuncture and further the researches of this therapy.It is expected to provide references for policy formulations of current and future development,research hotspots and selection of scientific research topics of thumb-tack acupuncture.Methods:China National Knowledge Infrastructure(CNKI),VIP,Chinese Biomedical Literature(CBM)and PubMed were retrieved by computer,and the literature retrieval results were imported into NoteExpress 3.2 software for mana gement.Then,according to the literature inclusion criteria,the literature that met the standard was included,and the literature results were extracted and statistically analyzed by Excel.Results:Through the integration of 559 Chinese and English papers that met the standards,it was found that the thumb-tack acupuncture was suitable for mental behavior disorder system disea-ses,musculoskeletal connctive tissue diseases,neurological diseases,and genitourinary system diseases;insomnia and herpes zoster were the dominant diseases,and through mec hanism exploration,it was found that there was 8 corresponding relationship with the dominant system diseases in the disease spectrum.Conclusion:The thumb-tack acupuncture has the advantages of solid theoretical basis,definite climical curative effect,wide range of ap-plication and large application area.The current and future researches may require further explorations in the basic experimental studies of the mechanism,clinical contraindications,interdisciplinary researches,improvement of the equipments and standardized clinical operation techniques of thumb-tack acupuncture.

Daylighting the Role of Soil Ecosystem Services (SoESs) for Climate Change Adaptation

Soil plays a critical role in providing various Ecosystem Services (ESs) that are beneficial to humanity. Services such as clean air, water, and food production are directly or indirectly provided through soils. The soil ecosystem is considered as the most important Carbon (C) sink in terrestrial systems, and human activities, particularly land use, impact ESs and increase carbon emissions into the atmosphere. Mapping ESs and assessing the risks associated with climate-related hydro-meteorological hazards and soil degradation can contribute to making spatial decisions for planning more climate-resilient. Indeed, strategies based on soil ecosystem services provide valuable insight for enhancing the resilience of spatial decision-making in adapting to climate change. The aim of this article is to illuminate the significance of SoES in the spatial planning decision-making for better integration and adaptation into climate change adaptation policies as a decision support tool. In this regard, ESs related to climate change were highlighted and mapped, and their suitability for settlement development decisions and relation with ESs’ integrity were assessed through weighted multi-criteria analysis, while discussing the contributions of this process to climate change adaptation. Incorporating Social-Ecological Systems (SoESs) factors into suitability analysis is crucial for comprehensive urban planning, particularly in the context of climate change adaptation and environmental protection. In this study, two settlement suitability analyses were conducted. The first analysis considered various factors, such as land use, soil classification, DEM (Digital Elevation Model), and slope. The second analysis utilized weighted climate-related SoES indicators, including soil depth, soil carbon sequestration capacity, soil loss, flood risk, temperature, and precipitation. The results revealed that the SoES-based suitability analysis was more stringent in identifying suitable areas for urban development and offered a more holistic perspective for urban planners.

THE BEST SYSTEM FOR CHINA

It makes more sense to look at which is better for their own people.During a debate comparing Chinese and Western systems of governance,held in Cambridge,Massachusetts,by the American nonprofit educational organization Intercollegiate Studies Institute on April 5,French entrepreneur and Internet influencer Arnaud Bertrand made a case for the suitability of China’s system for promoting the flourishing of its people.Edited excerpts of his presentation follow.

Landfill Site Suitability Assessment Using Geographic Information System (GIS) and Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) in Butuan City, Philippines

Landfilling is one of the most effective and responsible ways to dispose of municipal solid waste(MSW).Identifying landfill sites,however,is a challenging and complex undertaking because it depends on social,environmental,technical,economic,and legal issues.This study aims to map the optimal sites that were environmentally suitable for locating a landfill site in Butuan City,Philippines.With reference to the policy requirements from DENR Section I,Landfill Site Identification Criteria and Screening Guidelines of National Solid Waste Management Commission,the integration of a Geographic Information System(GIS)model builder and Analytical Hierarchy Process(AHP)has been used in this study to address the aforementioned challenges related to the landfill site suitability analysis.Based on the generated sanitary landfill suitability map,results showed that Barangay Tungao(1131.42967 ha)and Florida(518.48 ha)were able to meet and consider the three(3)main components,namely economic,environmental,and physical criteria,and are highly suit­able as landfill site locations in Butuan City.It is recommended that there will conduct a geotechnical evaluation,involv­ing rigorous geological and hydrogeological assessment employing a combination of site investigation and laboratory techniques.In addition,additional specific social,ecological,climatic,and economic factors need to be considered(i.e.including impact on humans,flora,fauna,soil,water,air,climate,and landscape).

Index Identification of Suitable Temperature at the Booting Stage and Accumulated Temperature over 10℃ during the Whole Growth Period in Rice in the South of China

According to phenological observation data of fourteen stations in Hunan,Hubei and Jiangxi provinces from 1994 to 2006,indices of suitable temperature at the booting stage and accumulated temperature(≥10 ℃)during the whole growth period in early or late rice in the south of China were analyzed by statistics and biological relationship between factors.Indices of the optimum daily mean temperature and the minimum temperature at the booting stage were as follows:Early convention rice variety was 25.7 ℃ and 22.3 ℃ respectively,hybrid variety was 26.5 ℃ and 23.3℃ respectively;while late convention rice variety was 25.6 ℃ and 22.3 ℃ respectively,hybrid variety was 25.8 ℃ and 22.6 ℃ respectively.Indexes of accumulated temperature during the whole growth period were as follows:The early-maturing variety,the middle-maturing variety and the late-maturing variety of early rice was 2 512.1 ℃,2 528.4 ℃ and 2 651.3 ℃ respectively,while the early-maturing variety,the middle-maturing variety and the late-maturing variety of late rice was 3 126.2 ℃,3 031.5 ℃ and 3 335.2 ℃ respectively.The above indexes all met the requirements of identification,which could provide reference for formulating the meteorological standard of rice in the south of China.

Ecological Regionalization of Suitable Trees, Shrubs and Herbages for Vegetation Restoration in the Farming-Pastoral Zone of Northern China

To provide materials for the selection of plant species for vegetation restoration and reconstruction in the farming-pastoral zone in northern China, where the eco-environment has been already deteriorated by over-farming and over-grazing, the suitable trees, shrubs and herbages were examined, screened and identified under the guidance of four principles of taking precedence for ecological conservation, being beneficial to economic production, matching species (trees, shrubs and herbages) with the site, and giving consideration to the integrity of local administrative division. According to the key ecological factors that determine species growth and distribution in the zone, i.e., the lowest daily mean temperature in a year, annual accumulated temperature, and water regimes represented by the moist index, the ratio between annual rainfall and accumulated temperature (>0 degreesC), as well as the soil type influenced by climate, surface substances and landform, the farming-pastoral zone was regionalized into seven parts: ( I) Western Songliao Plain and Da Hinggan Mountain Region; (II) Upper Liaohe River Sandy Region; (III) Mid-Eastern Nei Mongol Plateau and Northwestern Heibei Mountain Region; (IV) Luliang, Taihang and Yanshan Mountain Region; ( V) Ordos Plateau Sandy Region; (VI) Northern Shaanxi to Eastern Gansu Loess Plateau Region; and (VII) Mid Gansu to Eastern Qinghai Plateau Loess Region. And the suitable trees, shrubs and herbages for each region were selected and tabularly introduced in detail.

Projected impacts of climate change on the habitat of Xerophyta species in Africa

Climate change poses a serious long-term threat to biodiversity.To effectively reduce biodiversity loss,conservationists need to have a thorough understanding of the preferred habitats of species and the variables that affect their distribution.Therefore,predicting the impact of climate change on speciesappropriate habitats may help mitigate the potential threats to biodiversity distribution.Xerophyta,a monocotyledonous genus of the family Velloziaceae is native to mainland Africa,Madagascar,and the Arabian Peninsula.The key drivers of Xerophyta habitat distribution and preference are unknown.Using 308 species occurrence data and eight environmental variables,the MaxEnt model was used to determine the potential distribution of six Xerophyta species in Africa under past,current and future climate change scenarios.The results showed that the models had a good predictive ability(Area Under the Curve and True Skill Statistics values for all SDMs were more than 0.902),indicating high accuracy in forecasting the potential geographic distribution of Xerophyta species.The main bioclimatic variables that impacted potential distributions of most Xerophyta species were mean temperature of the driest quarter(Bio9)and precipitation of the warmest quarter(Bio18).According to our models,tropical Africa has zones of moderate and high suitability for Xerophyta taxa,which is consistent with the majority of documented species localities.The habitat suitability of the existing range of the Xerophyta species varied based on the climate scenario,with most species experiencing a range loss greater than the range gain regardless of the climate scenario.The projected spatiotemporal patterns of Xerophyta species help guide recommendations for conservation efforts.

Potential distribution of Haloxylon ammodendron in Central Asia under climate change

Understanding the spatial distribution of plant species and their dynamic changes in arid areas is crucial for addressing the challenges posed by climate change.Haloxylon ammodendron shelterbelts are essential for the protection of plant resources and the control of desertification in Central Asia.Thus far,the potential suitable habitats of H.ammodendron in Central Asia are still uncertain in the future under global climate change conditions.This study utilised the maximum entropy(MaxEnt)model to combine the current distribution data of H.ammodendron with its growth-related data to analyze the potential distribution pattern of H.ammodendron across Central Asia.The results show that there are suitable habitats of H.ammodendron in the Aralkum Desert,northern slopes of the Tianshan Mountains,and the upstream of the Tarim River and western edge of the Taklimakan Desert in the Tarim Basin under the current climate conditions.The period from 2021 to 2040 is projected to undergo significant changes in the suitable habitat area of H.ammodendron in Central Asia,with a projected 15.0% decrease in the unsuitable habitat area.Inland areas farther from the ocean,such as the Caspian Sea and Aralkum Desert,will continue to experience a decrease in the suitable habitats of H.ammodendron.Regions exhibiting frequent fluctuations in the habitat suitability levels are primarily found along the axis stretching from Astana to Kazakhskiy Melkosopochnik in Kazakhstan.These regions can transition into suitable habitats under varying climate conditions,requiring the implementation of appropriate human intervention measures to prevent desertification.Future climate conditions are expected to cause an eastward shift in the geometric centre of the potential suitable habitats of H.ammodendron,with the extent of this shift amplifying alongside more greenhouse gas emissions.This study can provide theoretical support for the spatial configuration of H.ammodendron shelterbelts and desertification control in Central Asia,emphasising the importance of proactive measures to adapt to climate change in the future.

Disentangling the effects of management and climate change on habitat suitability for saproxylic species in boreal forests

Forest degradation induced by intensive forest management and temperature increase by climate change are resulting in biodiversity decline in boreal forests.Intensive forest management and high-end climate emission scenarios can further reduce the amount and diversity of deadwood,the limiting factor for habitats for saproxylic species in European boreal forests.The magnitude of their combined effects and how changes in forest management can affect deadwood diversity under a range of climate change scenarios are poorly understood.We used forest growth simulations to evaluate how forest management and climate change will individually and jointly affect habitats of red-listed saproxylic species in Finland.We simulated seven forest management regimes and three climate scenarios(reference,RCP4.5 and RCP8.5)over 100 years.Management regimes included set aside,continuous cover forestry,business-as-usual(BAU)and four modifications of BAU.Habitat suitability was assessed using a speciesspecific habitat suitability index,including 21 fungal and invertebrate species groups.“Winner”and“loser”species were identified based on the modelled impacts of forest management and climate change on their habitat suitability.We found that forest management had a major impact on habitat suitability of saproxylic species compared to climate change.Habitat suitability index varied by over 250%among management regimes,while overall change in habitat suitability index caused by climate change was on average only 2%.More species groups were identified as winners than losers from impacts of climate change(52%–95%were winners,depending on the climate change scenario and management regime).The largest increase in habitat suitability index was achieved under set aside(254%)and the climate scenario RCP8.5(>2%),while continuous cover forestry was the most suitable regime to increase habitat suitability of saproxylic species(up to+11%)across all climate change scenarios.Our results show that close-to-nature management regimes(e.g.,continuous cover forestry and set aside)can increase the habitat suitability of many saproxylic boreal species more than the basic business-as-usual regime.This suggests that biodiversity loss of many saproxylic species in boreal forests can be mitigated through improved forest management practices,even as climate change progresses.

The interaction between temperature and precipitation on the potential distribution range of Betula ermanii in the alpine treeline ecotone on the Changbai Mountain

Alpine treeline ecotones are highly sensitive to climate warming.The low temperature-determined alpine treeline is expected to shift upwards in response to global warming.However,little is known about how temperature interacts with other important factors to influence the distribution range of tree species within and beyond the alpine treeline ecotone.Hence,we used a GF-2 satellite image,along with bioclimatic and topographic variables,to develop an ensemble suitable habitat model based on the species distribution modeling algorithms in Biomod2.We investigated the distribution of suitable habitats for B.ermanii under three climate change scenarios(i.e.,low(SSP126),moderate(SSP370)and extreme(SSP585)future emission trajectories)between two consecutive time periods(i.e.,current-2055,and 2055-2085).By 2055,the potential distribution range of B.ermanii will expand under all three climate scenarios.The medium and high suitable areas will decline under SSP370 and SSP585scenarios from 2055 to 2085.Moreover,under the three climate scenarios,the uppermost altitudes of low suitable habitat will rise to 2,329 m a.s.l.,while the altitudes of medium and high suitable habitats will fall to 2,201 and2,051 m a.s.l.by 2085,respectively.Warming promotes the expansion of B.ermanii distribution range in Changbai Mountain,and this expansion will be modified by precipitation as climate warming continues.This interaction between temperature and precipitation plays a significant role in shaping the potential distribution range of B.ermanii in the alpine treeline ecotone.This study reveals the link between environmental factors,habitat distribution,and species distribution in the alpine treeline ecotone,providing valuable insights into the impacts of climate change on high-elevation vegetation,and contributing to mountain biodiversity conservation and sustainable development.

Spatial and Temporal Differences of Climate Suitability of Ice and Snow Sports in Major Ski Tourism Destinations in China

Ice and snow tourism in China has grown significantly since the country successfully hosted the Beijing Winter Olympics.Climatic conditions profoundly impact the development of ice and snow tourism;however,most studies have focused on constructing different climate suitability indicators for ice and snow tourism to evaluate individual regions,lacking horizontal comparative studies across multiple regions.This study aims to enrich the connotation of climate suitability for ice and snow sports,establish an evaluation model based on snowfall amount,temperature,and wind speed,and use daily meteorological data from 1991 to 2021 to horizontally compare the climate suitability for ice and snow sports in major ski tourism destinations in China.This study boasts four major findings:1)the average ice and snow sports climate index of each region decreases over time,and the overall suitability of the climate for ice and snow sports is reducing;2)northern Xinjiang exhibits the most evident regional differentiation from‘very suitable’to‘generally suitable’;3)the spatial zoning of climate suitability for ice and snow sports exhibits heterogeneity,as northern Xinjiang is divided into two‘suitable and above’zones with rotating empirical orthogonal function(REOF).Correspondingly,the four provinces of Hebei,Heilongjiang,Jilin,and Liaoning are divided into three‘generally suitable and above’zones;4)snowfall amount is the main factor affecting the climate suitability of ice and snow sports in the major ski tourist destinations in China.

Suitable Region for Flue-cured Tobacco (Nicotiana glauca L.) Planting Based on Spatial Scene Similarity

[Objective] The aim was to establish a model based on spatial scene similarity, for which soil, slope, transport, water conservancy, light, social economic factors in suitable planting areas were all considered. A new suitable planting area of flue-cured tobacco was determined by comparison and analysis, with consideration of excellent area. [Method] Totaling thirty natural factors were chosen, which were clas- sified into nine categories, from Longpeng Town （LP） and Shaochong Town （SC） in Shiping County in Honghe Hani and Yi Autonomous Prefecture. [Result] According to weights, the factors from high to low were as follows： soil〉light〉elevation〉slope〉 water conservancy〉transport〉baking facility〉planting plans over the years〉others. The similarity of geographical conditions in the area was 0.894 3, which indicated that the planting conditions in the two regions are similar. If farmer population in unit area, farmland quantity for individual farmer, labors in every household, activity in planting flue-cured tobacco and work of local instructor were considered, the weights of different factors were as follows： farmer population in unit area〉farmland quantity for individual farmer〉farmers＇ activity in planting flue-cured tobacco〉educational back- ground〉labor force in every household〉instructor〉population of farmers＇ children at- tending school. The similarity of geographical conditions was 0.703 1, which indicated that it is none-natural factors that influence yield and quality of flue-cured tobacco. [Conclusion] According to analysis on suitable planting area of flue-cured tobacco based on assessment of spatial scene similarity, similarity of growing conditions in two spatial scenes can be analyzed and evaluated, which would promote further exploration on, influencing factors and effects on tobacco production.

Loading Stress Analysis of Cement Concrete Pavement in Mountainous Areas

The suitable cement concrete pavement for mountainous areas is a form of low-cost cement concrete pavement that uses unconventional graded stones in different proportions in ordinary concrete,allowing the concrete to fully contact the stones and form a stable and well-bonded slab with large particle stones.As large particle stones replace a certain volume of cement concrete,they have good economic performance and are a low-cost form of cement concrete pavement.This study researches the use of ANSYS tools to analyze the influence of geometric dimensions and material properties of rigid pavement structural layers on the mechanical properties of pavement structures.

Suitable growing zone and yield potential for late-maturity type of Yongyou japonica/indica hybrid rice in the lower reaches of Yangtze River, China

Late-maturity type of Yongyou japonica/indica hybrids series （LMYS） have shown great yield potential, and are being widely planted in the lower reaches of Yangtze River, China. Knowledge about suitable growing zone and evaluation of yield advantage is of practicall importance for LMYS in this region. Fifteen LMYS, two high-yielding inbred japonica check varieties （CK-J） and two high-yielding hybrid indica check varieties （CK-I） were grown at Xinghua （119.57°E, 33.05°N） of Lixiahe region, Yangzhou （119.25°E, 32.30°N）of Yanjiang region, Changshu （120.46°E, 31.41°N）of Taihu Lake region, and Ningbo （121.31°E, 29.45°N） of Ningshao Plain in 2013 and 2014. The results showed that maturity dates of the 15 were later than the secure maturity date at Xinghua and 6, 14 and 15 LMYS were mature before the secure maturity date at Yangzhou, Changshu and Ningbo, respectively. One variety was identified as high-yielding variety among LMYS （HYYS） at Yangzhou, 8 HYYS in 201：3 and 9 HYYS in 2014 at Changshu, 9 HYYS at Ningbo. HYYS here referred to the variety among LMYS that was mature before the secure maturity date and had at least 8% higher grain yield than both CK-J and CK-I at each experimental site. Grain yield of HYYS at each experimental site was about 12.0 t ha-1 or higher, and was significantly higher than CK varieties. High yield of HYYS was mainly attributed to larger sink size due to more spikelets per panicle. Plant height of HYYS was about 140 cm, and was significantly higher than check varieties. Significant positive correlations were recorded between duration from heading to maturity stage and grain yield, and also between whole growth periods and grain yield. HYYS had obvious advantage over check varieties in biomass accumulation and leaf area duration from heading to maturity stage. Comprehensive consideration about safe matudty and yield performance of LMYS at each experimental site, Taihu Lake region （representative site Changshu） and Ningshao Plain （representative site Ningbo） were thought suitable growing zones for LMYS in the lower reaches of Yangtze River. The main factors underlying high yield ofHYYS were larger sink size, higher plant height, longer duration from heading to maturity stage and whole growth periods, and higher biomass accumulation and leaf area duration during grain filling stage.