Landsat images, real-time kinematic GPS measurements, and topographic maps were used to determine changes in ice elevation, volume, and areal extent of the Laohugou No. 12 glacier (Qilian Mountains, China) between 195...Landsat images, real-time kinematic GPS measurements, and topographic maps were used to determine changes in ice elevation, volume, and areal extent of the Laohugou No. 12 glacier (Qilian Mountains, China) between 1957 and 2007. The glacier experienced significant thinning and areal shrinkage in the ablation zone, but slight thickening in part of the accumulation zone. Elevation decreased by 18.6±5.4 m between 1957 and 2007 in the regions covered by the GPS measurements. The total volume loss for the entire glacier was estimated to be 0.218 km3 using a third-order polynomial fit method. The area diminished by 0.28 km2 between 1957 and 1994, 0.26 km2 between 1994 and 2000, and 0.28 km2 between 2000 and 2007, suggesting that the rate of loss in glacial coverage has increased since the mid-1990s. Significant increases in annual mean air temperature may have contributed to shrinkage and thinning of the glacier.展开更多
Shrublands serve as an important component of terrestrial ecosystems, and play an important role in structure and functions of alpine ecosystem.Accurate estimation of biomass is critical to examination of the producti...Shrublands serve as an important component of terrestrial ecosystems, and play an important role in structure and functions of alpine ecosystem.Accurate estimation of biomass is critical to examination of the productivity of alpine ecosystems, due to shrubification under climate change in past decades.In this study, 14 experimental plots and 42 quadrates of the shrubs Potentilla fruticosa and Caragana jubata were selected along altitudes gradients from 3220 to 3650 m a.s.l.(above sea level) on semi-sunny and semi-shady slope in Hulu watershed of Qilian Mountains, China.The foliage, woody component and total aboveground biomass per quadrate were examined using a selective destructive method, then the biomass were estimated via allometric equations based on measured parameters for two shrub species.The results showed that C.jubata accounted for 1–3 times more biomass(480.98 g/m2) than P.fruticosa(191.21 g/m2).The aboveground biomass of both the shrubs varied significantly with altitudinal gradient(P<0.05).Woody component accounted for the larger proportion than foliage component in the total aboveground biomass.The biomass on semi-sunnyslopes(200.27 g/m2 and 509.07 g/m2) was greater than on semi-shady slopes(182.14 g/m2 and 452.89g/m2) at the same altitude band for P.fruticosa and C.jubata.In contrast, the foliage biomass on semi-shady slopes(30.50 g/m2) was greater than on semi-sunny slopes(27.51 g/m2) for two shrubs.Biomass deceased with increasing altitude for P.fruticosa, whereas C.jubata showed a hump-shaped pattern with altitude.Allometric equations were obtained from the easily descriptive parameters of height(H), basal diameter(D) and crown area(C) for biomass of C.jubata and P.fruticosa.Although the equations type and variables comprising of the best model varied among the species, all equations related to biomass were significant(P < 0.005), with determination coefficients(R2) ranging from 0.81 to 0.96.The allometric equations satisfied the requirements of the model, and can be used to estimate the regional scale biomass of P.fruticosa and C.jubata in alpine ecosystems of the Qilian Mountains.展开更多
The aboveground biomass allocation and water relations in alpine shrubs can provide useful information on analyzing their ecological and hydrological functions in alpine regions. The objectives of this study were to c...The aboveground biomass allocation and water relations in alpine shrubs can provide useful information on analyzing their ecological and hydrological functions in alpine regions. The objectives of this study were to compare the aboveground biomass allocation, water storage ratio and distribution between foliage/woody components,and to investigate factors affecting aboveground biomass allocation and water storage ratio in alpine willow shrubs in the Qilian Mountains, China. Three experimental sites were selected along distance gradients from the riverside in the Hulu watershed in the Qilian Mountains. The foliage, woody component biomass, and water allocation of Salix cupularis Rehd.and Salix oritrepha Schneid. shrubs were measured using the selective destructive method. The results indicated that the foliage component had higher relative water and biomass storage than the woody component in the upper part of the crown in individual shrubs. However, the woody component was the major biomass and water storage component in the whole shrub level for S. cupularis and S.oritrepha. Moreover, the foliage/woody component biomass ratio decreased from the top to the basal level of shrubs. The relative water storage allocation was significantly affected by species types, but was not affected by sites and interaction between species and sites. Meanwhile, relative water storage was affectedby sites as well as by interaction between sites and species type.展开更多
Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in precipitation have been widely used as effective traces to investigate hydrological processes such as evaporation and atmospheric moisture source. This study analyzed δD and δ^(18)O o...Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in precipitation have been widely used as effective traces to investigate hydrological processes such as evaporation and atmospheric moisture source. This study analyzed δD and δ^(18)O of precipitation in continuous event-based samples at three stations of Pailugou Catchment from November 2012 to December 2013. The δ^(18)O and δD values ranged from-32.32‰ to +3.23‰ and from-254.46‰ to +12.11‰, respectively. Results show that the δ^(18)O displayed a distinct seasonal variation, with enriched values occurring in summer and relatively depleted values in winter, respectively. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the δ^(18)O and δD values and local surface air temperature at all the three stations. The nearest Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation(GNIP) station(Zhangye), compared to the Meteoric Water Lines for this study, showed the obvious local evaporation effects with lower intercept and slope. Additionally, d-excess(δD- 8δ^(18)O) parameter in precipitation exhibited an anti-phase seasonal variability with the δ^(18)O. The 96-h back trajectories for each precipitation event using Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory(HYSPLIT) model indicated a dominant effect of westerly air masses in summer and the integrated influence of westerly and polar air masses in winter.展开更多
In this study, 39 leaf samples of three angiosperms （Betula albo-sinensis, tree species; and Caragana jubata and Berberis diaphana, shrub species） were collected in the middle-east parts at 2300-3640 m asl of the Qi...In this study, 39 leaf samples of three angiosperms （Betula albo-sinensis, tree species; and Caragana jubata and Berberis diaphana, shrub species） were collected in the middle-east parts at 2300-3640 m asl of the Qilian Mountains to study the varia- tions of leaf characteristics of angiosperms with altitude change in inland high-altitude regions of China. Five leaf indexes, viz. epidermal cell density （ED）, stomatal density （SD）, stomatal index （SI）, leaf vein density （VD） and carbon isotopic ratio （c^13C） were analyzed in laboratory. The results show that there are significant or even very significant linear correlations between the five indexes and altitude, of which SD, SI and VD exhibit a negative correlation with altitude, while ED and Ot3C exhibit a positive correlation with altitude. Such a correlation assemblage is quite different from the situation in the low-altitude humid environment. Generally, only an assemblage of positive correlations can be observed between the indexes （viz. SD, SI and （~3C, etc.） and the altitude in the low-altitude humid environment, which were caused mainly by the plants＇ responses to the change of atmospheric CO2 concentration （Co）. However, an assemblage of the negative and positive correlations found here may be attributed mainly to the plants＇ responses to the change of physiological drought caused by change of low temperature, and here it is preliminarily called the inland high-altitude pattern of plant leaf variations.展开更多
A type of authigenic pyrites that fully fill or semi-fill the rock fractures of drillholes with gas hydrate anomalies are found in the Qilian Mountain permafrost; this type of pyrite is known as ＂fracture-filling＂ p...A type of authigenic pyrites that fully fill or semi-fill the rock fractures of drillholes with gas hydrate anomalies are found in the Qilian Mountain permafrost; this type of pyrite is known as ＂fracture-filling＂ pyrite. The occurrence of ＂fracture-filling＂ pyrite has a certain similarity with that of the hydrate found in this region, and the pyrite is generally concentrated in the lower part of the hydrate layer or the hydrate anomaly layer. The morphology, trace elements, rare earth elements, and sulfur isotope analyses of samples from drillhole DK-6 indicate that the ＂fracture-filling＂ pyrites are dominated by cubic ones mainly aligned in a step-like fashion along the surfaces of rock fractures and are associated with a circular structure, lower Co/Ni and Sr/Ba, lower ZREE, higher LREE, significant Eu negative anomalies, and 634ScDT positive bias. In terms of the pyrites＇ unique crys- tal morphology and geochemical characteristics and their relationship with the hydrate layers or abnormal layers, they are closely related with the accumulation system of the gas hydrate in the Qilian Mountain permafrost. As climate change is an important factor in affecting the stability of the gas hydrate, formation of fracture-filling pyrites is most likely closely related to the secondary change of the metastable gas hydrate under the regional climate warming. The distribution intensity of these py- rites indicates that when the gas hydrate stability zone （GHSZ） is narrowing, the hydrate decomposition at the bottom of the GHSZ is stronger than that at the top of the GHSZ, whereas the hydrate decomposition within the GHSZ is relatively weak. Thus, the zone between the shallowest and the deepest distribution of the fracture-filling pyrite recorded the largest possible original GHSZ.展开更多
基金supported by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China (Grant No. 2006FY110200)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-GJ04)the Global Change Research Program of China (Grant No. 2010CB951401)
文摘Landsat images, real-time kinematic GPS measurements, and topographic maps were used to determine changes in ice elevation, volume, and areal extent of the Laohugou No. 12 glacier (Qilian Mountains, China) between 1957 and 2007. The glacier experienced significant thinning and areal shrinkage in the ablation zone, but slight thickening in part of the accumulation zone. Elevation decreased by 18.6±5.4 m between 1957 and 2007 in the regions covered by the GPS measurements. The total volume loss for the entire glacier was estimated to be 0.218 km3 using a third-order polynomial fit method. The area diminished by 0.28 km2 between 1957 and 1994, 0.26 km2 between 1994 and 2000, and 0.28 km2 between 2000 and 2007, suggesting that the rate of loss in glacial coverage has increased since the mid-1990s. Significant increases in annual mean air temperature may have contributed to shrinkage and thinning of the glacier.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.91025011,91125013,41222001)the Project for Incubation of Specialists in Glaciology and Geocryology of National Natural Science Foundation of China(J1210003/J0109)
文摘Shrublands serve as an important component of terrestrial ecosystems, and play an important role in structure and functions of alpine ecosystem.Accurate estimation of biomass is critical to examination of the productivity of alpine ecosystems, due to shrubification under climate change in past decades.In this study, 14 experimental plots and 42 quadrates of the shrubs Potentilla fruticosa and Caragana jubata were selected along altitudes gradients from 3220 to 3650 m a.s.l.(above sea level) on semi-sunny and semi-shady slope in Hulu watershed of Qilian Mountains, China.The foliage, woody component and total aboveground biomass per quadrate were examined using a selective destructive method, then the biomass were estimated via allometric equations based on measured parameters for two shrub species.The results showed that C.jubata accounted for 1–3 times more biomass(480.98 g/m2) than P.fruticosa(191.21 g/m2).The aboveground biomass of both the shrubs varied significantly with altitudinal gradient(P<0.05).Woody component accounted for the larger proportion than foliage component in the total aboveground biomass.The biomass on semi-sunnyslopes(200.27 g/m2 and 509.07 g/m2) was greater than on semi-shady slopes(182.14 g/m2 and 452.89g/m2) at the same altitude band for P.fruticosa and C.jubata.In contrast, the foliage biomass on semi-shady slopes(30.50 g/m2) was greater than on semi-sunny slopes(27.51 g/m2) for two shrubs.Biomass deceased with increasing altitude for P.fruticosa, whereas C.jubata showed a hump-shaped pattern with altitude.Allometric equations were obtained from the easily descriptive parameters of height(H), basal diameter(D) and crown area(C) for biomass of C.jubata and P.fruticosa.Although the equations type and variables comprising of the best model varied among the species, all equations related to biomass were significant(P < 0.005), with determination coefficients(R2) ranging from 0.81 to 0.96.The allometric equations satisfied the requirements of the model, and can be used to estimate the regional scale biomass of P.fruticosa and C.jubata in alpine ecosystems of the Qilian Mountains.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 91025011, 91125013)National Science Fund for the Excellent Youth Scholars of China (Grant No. 41222001)
文摘The aboveground biomass allocation and water relations in alpine shrubs can provide useful information on analyzing their ecological and hydrological functions in alpine regions. The objectives of this study were to compare the aboveground biomass allocation, water storage ratio and distribution between foliage/woody components,and to investigate factors affecting aboveground biomass allocation and water storage ratio in alpine willow shrubs in the Qilian Mountains, China. Three experimental sites were selected along distance gradients from the riverside in the Hulu watershed in the Qilian Mountains. The foliage, woody component biomass, and water allocation of Salix cupularis Rehd.and Salix oritrepha Schneid. shrubs were measured using the selective destructive method. The results indicated that the foliage component had higher relative water and biomass storage than the woody component in the upper part of the crown in individual shrubs. However, the woody component was the major biomass and water storage component in the whole shrub level for S. cupularis and S.oritrepha. Moreover, the foliage/woody component biomass ratio decreased from the top to the basal level of shrubs. The relative water storage allocation was significantly affected by species types, but was not affected by sites and interaction between species and sites. Meanwhile, relative water storage was affectedby sites as well as by interaction between sites and species type.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41501085,41461003)Postdoctoral Science Foundation of China(No.2013M532094)
文摘Hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in precipitation have been widely used as effective traces to investigate hydrological processes such as evaporation and atmospheric moisture source. This study analyzed δD and δ^(18)O of precipitation in continuous event-based samples at three stations of Pailugou Catchment from November 2012 to December 2013. The δ^(18)O and δD values ranged from-32.32‰ to +3.23‰ and from-254.46‰ to +12.11‰, respectively. Results show that the δ^(18)O displayed a distinct seasonal variation, with enriched values occurring in summer and relatively depleted values in winter, respectively. There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the δ^(18)O and δD values and local surface air temperature at all the three stations. The nearest Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation(GNIP) station(Zhangye), compared to the Meteoric Water Lines for this study, showed the obvious local evaporation effects with lower intercept and slope. Additionally, d-excess(δD- 8δ^(18)O) parameter in precipitation exhibited an anti-phase seasonal variability with the δ^(18)O. The 96-h back trajectories for each precipitation event using Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory(HYSPLIT) model indicated a dominant effect of westerly air masses in summer and the integrated influence of westerly and polar air masses in winter.
基金supported by National Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2012CB822003)National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41172022)Specialized Research Fund for the Doctoral Program of Higher Education(Grant No.20120211110022)
文摘In this study, 39 leaf samples of three angiosperms （Betula albo-sinensis, tree species; and Caragana jubata and Berberis diaphana, shrub species） were collected in the middle-east parts at 2300-3640 m asl of the Qilian Mountains to study the varia- tions of leaf characteristics of angiosperms with altitude change in inland high-altitude regions of China. Five leaf indexes, viz. epidermal cell density （ED）, stomatal density （SD）, stomatal index （SI）, leaf vein density （VD） and carbon isotopic ratio （c^13C） were analyzed in laboratory. The results show that there are significant or even very significant linear correlations between the five indexes and altitude, of which SD, SI and VD exhibit a negative correlation with altitude, while ED and Ot3C exhibit a positive correlation with altitude. Such a correlation assemblage is quite different from the situation in the low-altitude humid environment. Generally, only an assemblage of positive correlations can be observed between the indexes （viz. SD, SI and （~3C, etc.） and the altitude in the low-altitude humid environment, which were caused mainly by the plants＇ responses to the change of atmospheric CO2 concentration （Co）. However, an assemblage of the negative and positive correlations found here may be attributed mainly to the plants＇ responses to the change of physiological drought caused by change of low temperature, and here it is preliminarily called the inland high-altitude pattern of plant leaf variations.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41102021,41202099)National Special Research Fund(Grant No.GZHL20110308)
文摘A type of authigenic pyrites that fully fill or semi-fill the rock fractures of drillholes with gas hydrate anomalies are found in the Qilian Mountain permafrost; this type of pyrite is known as ＂fracture-filling＂ pyrite. The occurrence of ＂fracture-filling＂ pyrite has a certain similarity with that of the hydrate found in this region, and the pyrite is generally concentrated in the lower part of the hydrate layer or the hydrate anomaly layer. The morphology, trace elements, rare earth elements, and sulfur isotope analyses of samples from drillhole DK-6 indicate that the ＂fracture-filling＂ pyrites are dominated by cubic ones mainly aligned in a step-like fashion along the surfaces of rock fractures and are associated with a circular structure, lower Co/Ni and Sr/Ba, lower ZREE, higher LREE, significant Eu negative anomalies, and 634ScDT positive bias. In terms of the pyrites＇ unique crys- tal morphology and geochemical characteristics and their relationship with the hydrate layers or abnormal layers, they are closely related with the accumulation system of the gas hydrate in the Qilian Mountain permafrost. As climate change is an important factor in affecting the stability of the gas hydrate, formation of fracture-filling pyrites is most likely closely related to the secondary change of the metastable gas hydrate under the regional climate warming. The distribution intensity of these py- rites indicates that when the gas hydrate stability zone （GHSZ） is narrowing, the hydrate decomposition at the bottom of the GHSZ is stronger than that at the top of the GHSZ, whereas the hydrate decomposition within the GHSZ is relatively weak. Thus, the zone between the shallowest and the deepest distribution of the fracture-filling pyrite recorded the largest possible original GHSZ.
