Rapid economic growth in China has brought about great economic-social changes in rural areas, having considerable impact on the society in economy and environment. With a per capita possession of about 0.08 ha of cro...Rapid economic growth in China has brought about great economic-social changes in rural areas, having considerable impact on the society in economy and environment. With a per capita possession of about 0.08 ha of cropland, Chinese farmers in rural areas adopt various ways in response to these changes in a bit to maintain their livelihood, wherein the agricultural system is facing one more options possible. To understand how rural communities have used different mechanisms to adapt to the economic and natural changes, we joined a survey in dry valleys of the Min upriver area under Maoxian county of western Sichuan province, southwestern China and visited the local people. Changes in the main crop cultivation have shown up an important means to keep up their household income. Farm households start seeking economic growth through diversified cultivating of cereal and economic crops in five lines, namely cereal, apple monoculture, apple and vegetables, plum and vegetables, mixed fruits and vegetables. These new lines mirror farmers' flexibility to cope with today's economic-social and climatic changes. The farming operation has changed all the more from a subsistence on grain to special agricultural products. Economic reforms in the early 1980 s motivated theprogress first in conversion of production from grain to fruits, and the desire to increase family income turned out to be an impetus for the subsequent events. At present, more farmers moving out of the rural areas, uneasy availability of labor force, increased opportunity cost of labors and their wages, increased farm size, and the urgent demand for the agricultural labor force, all these combine into the trend of the agricultural system of China on facing further economic-social reforms and reconstruction of the countryside across China.展开更多
One of the fundamental questions in community ecology is whether communities are random or formed by deterministic mechanisms. Although many efforts have been made to verify non-randomness in community structure, litt...One of the fundamental questions in community ecology is whether communities are random or formed by deterministic mechanisms. Although many efforts have been made to verify non-randomness in community structure, little is known with regard to co-occurrence patterns in above-ground and below-ground communities. In this paper, we used a null model to test non-randomness in the structure of the above-ground and below-ground mite communities in farmland of the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. Then, we used four tests for non-randomness to recognize species pairs that would be demonstrated as significantly aggregated or segregated co-occurrences of the above-ground and below-ground mite communities. The pattern of the above-ground mite commu- nity was significantly non-random in October, suggesting species segregation and hence interspecific competition. Additionally, species co-occurrence patterns did not differ from randomness in the above-ground mite community in August or in below-ground mite com- munities in August and October. Only one significant species pair was detected in the above-ground mite community in August, while no significant species pairs were recognized in the above-ground mite community in October or in the below-ground mite communities in August and October. The results indicate that non-randomness and significant species pairs may not be the general rule in the above-ground and below-ground mite communities in farmland of the Sanjiang Plain at the fine scale.展开更多
Within the context of a never ended Cold War in the energy field, the discoveries of natural gas resources in the Southern Eastern Mediterranean definitely create new impetus for the resolution of the longstanding Cyp...Within the context of a never ended Cold War in the energy field, the discoveries of natural gas resources in the Southern Eastern Mediterranean definitely create new impetus for the resolution of the longstanding Cyprus issues. After the failure of the last negotiations talks in July 2017, there is common strategic reason that calls for a mutually accepted resolution among all the parties involved. The situation calls to put aside national feelings and the burden of history and move forward. What is of crucial importance is not only the maintenance of international peace and regional stability but also the enhancement of the welfare of the people of this turbulent region. Whether the path of reason will be followed is remained to be seen.展开更多
Following the M w 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, the M w 6.6 Lushan earthquake is another devastating earthquake that struck the Longmenshan Fault Zone (LFZ) and caused severe damages. In this study, we collected continuous...Following the M w 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, the M w 6.6 Lushan earthquake is another devastating earthquake that struck the Longmenshan Fault Zone (LFZ) and caused severe damages. In this study, we collected continuous broadband ambient noise seismic data and earthquake event data from Chinese provincial digital seismic network, and then utilized ambient noise tomography method and receiver function method to obtain high resolution shear wave velocity structure, crustal thickness, and Poisson ratio in the earthquake source region and its surroundings. Based on the tomography images and the receiver function results, we further analyzed the deep seismogenic environment of the LFZ and its neighborhood. We reveal three main findings: (1) There is big contrast of the shear wave velocities across the LFZ. (2) Both the Lushan earthquake and the Wenchuan earthquake occurred in the regions where crustal shear wave velocity and crustal thickness change dramatically. The rupture faults and the aftershock zones are also concentrated in the areas where the lateral gradients of crustal seismic wave speed and crustal thickness change significantly, and the focal depths of the earthquakes are concentrated in the transitional depths where shear wave velocities change dramatically from laterally uniform to laterally non-uniform. (3) The Wenchuan earthquake and its aftershocks occurred in low Poisson ratio region, while the Lushan earthquake sequences are located in high Poisson ratio zone. We proposed that the effect of the dramatic lateral variation of shear wave velocity, and the gravity potential energy differences caused by the big contrast in the topography and the crustal thickness across the LFZ may constitute the seismogenic environment for the strong earthquakes in the LFZ, and the Poisson ratio difference between the rocks in the south and north segments of the Longmenshan Fault zone may explain the 5 years delay of the occurrence of the Lushan earthquake than the Wenchuan earthquake.展开更多
Polarization analysis of teleseismic data has been used to determine the XKS(SKS,SKKS,and PKS)fast polarization directions and delay times between fast and slow shear waves for 59 seismic stations of both temporary an...Polarization analysis of teleseismic data has been used to determine the XKS(SKS,SKKS,and PKS)fast polarization directions and delay times between fast and slow shear waves for 59 seismic stations of both temporary and permanent broadband seismograph networks deployed in the eastern Himalayan syntaxis(EHS)and surrounding regions.The analysis employed both the grid searching method of the minimum tangential energy and stacking analysis methods to develop an image of upper mantle anisotropy in the EHS and surrounding regions using the newly obtained shear wave splitting parameters and previously published results.The fast polarization directions are oriented along a NE-SW azimuth in the EHS.However,within the surrounding regions,the fast directions show a clockwise rotation pattern around the EHS from NE-SW,to E-W,to NW-SE,and then to N-S.In the EHS and surrounding regions,the fast directions of seismic anisotropy determined using shear wave splitting analysis correlate with surficial geological features including major sutures and faults and with the surface deformation fields derived from global positioning system(GPS)data.The coincidence between structural features in the crust,surface deformation fields and mantle anisotropy suggests that the deformation in the crust and lithospheric mantle is mechanically coupled.In the EHS,the coherence between the fast directions and the NE direction of the subduction of the Indian Plate beneath the Tibetan Plateau suggests that the lithospheric deformation is caused mainly by subduction.In the regions surrounding the EHS,we speculate that a westward retreat of the Burma slab could contribute to the curved anisotropy pattern.The Tibetan Plateau is acted upon by a NE-trending force due to the subduction of the Indian Plate,and also affected by a westward drag force due to the westward retreat produced by the eastward subduction of the Burma slab.The two forces contribute to a curved lithospheric deformation that results in the alignment of the upper mantle peridotite lattice parallel to the deformation direction,and thus generates a curved pattern of fast directions around the EHS.展开更多
Based on the well-preserved specimens from the Nanba section in Yiyang, Hunan Province, the definition of the graptolite ge- nus Acrograptus is revised here. The revised Acrograptus is a dichograptid form with stipes ...Based on the well-preserved specimens from the Nanba section in Yiyang, Hunan Province, the definition of the graptolite ge- nus Acrograptus is revised here. The revised Acrograptus is a dichograptid form with stipes subborizontal to deeply declined, sicula long and slender; th 11 budding from the top of the metasicula, proximal development of isograptid type with th 12 as the dicalycal theca; asymmetric proximal end resulting from the divergence of thl1 and thl2 from the sicula at different levels; slender crossing canals composed of extremely slender Acrograptus is assigned to the subfamily Sigmagraptinae prothecae of thlt and thl2. According to the revised definition, of the family Dichograptidae, including six species, i.e., A. affinis (Nicholson), A. filiformis (Tullberg), A. gracilis (Tornquist), A. nicholsoni (Lapworth), A. pusillus (Tullberg), and A. saukros (Ni). During the Early-Middle Ordovician, these six species were widely distributed in South China, especially in the Upper Yangtze Region as well as the central and eastern Jiangnan Region. This study further indicates that Acrograptus first appeared in a deep-water setting on the Jiangnan Slope in South China during early Floian (Tetragraptus approximatus Biozone), and subsequently expanded into the shallow-water region on the Yangtze Platform due to a remarkable dispersion event in middle Floian (Pendeograptus fruticosus Biozone). It is here indicated that the dispersal of Acrograptus may be directly controlled by the large-scale transgression event occurring in middle Floian.展开更多
Marine red beds occur frequently in China through geological time.Despite their complex environments,the red beds are found in three depositional settings:1) oceanic,deep water,as in the Upper Cretaceous of southern T...Marine red beds occur frequently in China through geological time.Despite their complex environments,the red beds are found in three depositional settings:1) oceanic,deep water,as in the Upper Cretaceous of southern Tibet;2) outer shelf,deeper water,as in the Lower-Middle Ordovician of South China;and 3) inner shelf,shallow water,as in the Silurian and Triassic in South China.The Silurian marine red beds are recurrent in the lower Telychian,upper Telychian,and upper Ludlow.This paper is to document the marine nature of the lower Telychian red beds (LRBs) in the Upper Yangtze Region and to discuss the spatial and temporal distribution of the LRBs and their depositional environments.The LRBs are best developed on the north side of the Cathaysian Oldland,which can be interpreted as the source area.It is inferred that they were deposited during a marine regression,characterized by the lack of upwelling,low nutrition and organic productivity with a decrease of biodiversity and a high rate of sedimentation.The iron-rich sediments may have been transported by rivers on the oldland into the Upper Yangtze Sea,as rates of deposition were rapid enough to counteract normal reducing effect around sediment-water interface.The LRBs are different from the off-shore,deeper water red beds of lower Telychian in Avalonia and Baltica and further from the oceanic,deep water red beds of Upper Cretaceous in southern Tibet chiefly in palaeogeographic settings,biotic assemblages and marine environments.展开更多
From the 1960 s to 1970 s, North China has been hit by a series of large earthquakes. During the past half century,geophysicists have carried out numerous surveys of the crustal and upper mantle structure, and associa...From the 1960 s to 1970 s, North China has been hit by a series of large earthquakes. During the past half century,geophysicists have carried out numerous surveys of the crustal and upper mantle structure, and associated studies in North China.They have made significant progress on several key issues in the geosciences, such as the crustal and upper mantle structure and the seismogenic environment of strong earthquakes. Deep seismic profiling results indicate a complex tectonic setting in the strong earthquake areas of North China, where a listric normal fault and a low-angle detachment in the upper crust coexist with a high-angle deep fault passing through the lower crust to the Moho beneath the hypocenter. Seismic tomography images reveal that most of the large earthquakes occurred in the transition between the high-and low-velocity zones, and the Tangshan earthquake area is characterized by a low-velocity anomaly in the middle-lower crust. Comprehensive analysis of geophysical data identified that the deep seismogenic environment in the North China extensional tectonic region is generally characterized by a low-velocity anomalous belt beneath the hypocenter, inconsistency of the deep and shallow structures in the crust, a steep crustalal-scale fault,relative lower velocities in the uppermost mantle, and local Moho uplift, etc. This indicates that the lithospheric structure of North China has strong heterogeneities. Geologically, the North China region had been a stable craton named the North China Craton or in brief the NCC, containing crustal rocks as old as ~3.8 Ga. The present-day strong seismic activity and the lower velocity of the lower crust in the NCC are much different from typical stable cratons around the world. These findings provide significant evidence for the destruction of the NCC. Although deep seismic profiling and seismic tomography have greatly enhanced knowledge about the deep-seated structure and seismogenic environment, some fundamental issues still remain and require further work.展开更多
基金financially supported by the Program of Introducing Talents of Discipline to Universities or "111 Project" of China (B08037)
文摘Rapid economic growth in China has brought about great economic-social changes in rural areas, having considerable impact on the society in economy and environment. With a per capita possession of about 0.08 ha of cropland, Chinese farmers in rural areas adopt various ways in response to these changes in a bit to maintain their livelihood, wherein the agricultural system is facing one more options possible. To understand how rural communities have used different mechanisms to adapt to the economic and natural changes, we joined a survey in dry valleys of the Min upriver area under Maoxian county of western Sichuan province, southwestern China and visited the local people. Changes in the main crop cultivation have shown up an important means to keep up their household income. Farm households start seeking economic growth through diversified cultivating of cereal and economic crops in five lines, namely cereal, apple monoculture, apple and vegetables, plum and vegetables, mixed fruits and vegetables. These new lines mirror farmers' flexibility to cope with today's economic-social and climatic changes. The farming operation has changed all the more from a subsistence on grain to special agricultural products. Economic reforms in the early 1980 s motivated theprogress first in conversion of production from grain to fruits, and the desire to increase family income turned out to be an impetus for the subsequent events. At present, more farmers moving out of the rural areas, uneasy availability of labor force, increased opportunity cost of labors and their wages, increased farm size, and the urgent demand for the agricultural labor force, all these combine into the trend of the agricultural system of China on facing further economic-social reforms and reconstruction of the countryside across China.
基金Under the auspices of National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.41101049,40601047,41371072,31101617,41171047)China Postdoctoral Science Foundation(No.2012M511361)+2 种基金Excellent Youth Scholars of Northeast Institute of Geography and Agroecology,Chinese Academy of Sciences(No.DLSYQ2012004)Fund for Distinguished Young Scholar of Harbin Normal University(No.KGB201204)Scientific Innovation Project for Doctoral Candidate of Harbin Normal University(No.HSDBSCX2012-07)
文摘One of the fundamental questions in community ecology is whether communities are random or formed by deterministic mechanisms. Although many efforts have been made to verify non-randomness in community structure, little is known with regard to co-occurrence patterns in above-ground and below-ground communities. In this paper, we used a null model to test non-randomness in the structure of the above-ground and below-ground mite communities in farmland of the Sanjiang Plain, Northeast China. Then, we used four tests for non-randomness to recognize species pairs that would be demonstrated as significantly aggregated or segregated co-occurrences of the above-ground and below-ground mite communities. The pattern of the above-ground mite commu- nity was significantly non-random in October, suggesting species segregation and hence interspecific competition. Additionally, species co-occurrence patterns did not differ from randomness in the above-ground mite community in August or in below-ground mite com- munities in August and October. Only one significant species pair was detected in the above-ground mite community in August, while no significant species pairs were recognized in the above-ground mite community in October or in the below-ground mite communities in August and October. The results indicate that non-randomness and significant species pairs may not be the general rule in the above-ground and below-ground mite communities in farmland of the Sanjiang Plain at the fine scale.
文摘Within the context of a never ended Cold War in the energy field, the discoveries of natural gas resources in the Southern Eastern Mediterranean definitely create new impetus for the resolution of the longstanding Cyprus issues. After the failure of the last negotiations talks in July 2017, there is common strategic reason that calls for a mutually accepted resolution among all the parties involved. The situation calls to put aside national feelings and the burden of history and move forward. What is of crucial importance is not only the maintenance of international peace and regional stability but also the enhancement of the welfare of the people of this turbulent region. Whether the path of reason will be followed is remained to be seen.
基金supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos.41074052,41174086,40974034)Key project from Institute of Geodesy and Geophysics,Chinese Academy of Sciences,and Foundation for Innovative Research Groups of the National Science Foundation of China (Grant No.41021003)
文摘Following the M w 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, the M w 6.6 Lushan earthquake is another devastating earthquake that struck the Longmenshan Fault Zone (LFZ) and caused severe damages. In this study, we collected continuous broadband ambient noise seismic data and earthquake event data from Chinese provincial digital seismic network, and then utilized ambient noise tomography method and receiver function method to obtain high resolution shear wave velocity structure, crustal thickness, and Poisson ratio in the earthquake source region and its surroundings. Based on the tomography images and the receiver function results, we further analyzed the deep seismogenic environment of the LFZ and its neighborhood. We reveal three main findings: (1) There is big contrast of the shear wave velocities across the LFZ. (2) Both the Lushan earthquake and the Wenchuan earthquake occurred in the regions where crustal shear wave velocity and crustal thickness change dramatically. The rupture faults and the aftershock zones are also concentrated in the areas where the lateral gradients of crustal seismic wave speed and crustal thickness change significantly, and the focal depths of the earthquakes are concentrated in the transitional depths where shear wave velocities change dramatically from laterally uniform to laterally non-uniform. (3) The Wenchuan earthquake and its aftershocks occurred in low Poisson ratio region, while the Lushan earthquake sequences are located in high Poisson ratio zone. We proposed that the effect of the dramatic lateral variation of shear wave velocity, and the gravity potential energy differences caused by the big contrast in the topography and the crustal thickness across the LFZ may constitute the seismogenic environment for the strong earthquakes in the LFZ, and the Poisson ratio difference between the rocks in the south and north segments of the Longmenshan Fault zone may explain the 5 years delay of the occurrence of the Lushan earthquake than the Wenchuan earthquake.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41174070,41474088,41274063)China National Special Fund for Earthquake Scientific Research in Public Interest(Grant Nos.201308011,201008001)the Scientific Investigation of the April 14,2010 M7.1 Yushu,Qinghai Earthquake
文摘Polarization analysis of teleseismic data has been used to determine the XKS(SKS,SKKS,and PKS)fast polarization directions and delay times between fast and slow shear waves for 59 seismic stations of both temporary and permanent broadband seismograph networks deployed in the eastern Himalayan syntaxis(EHS)and surrounding regions.The analysis employed both the grid searching method of the minimum tangential energy and stacking analysis methods to develop an image of upper mantle anisotropy in the EHS and surrounding regions using the newly obtained shear wave splitting parameters and previously published results.The fast polarization directions are oriented along a NE-SW azimuth in the EHS.However,within the surrounding regions,the fast directions show a clockwise rotation pattern around the EHS from NE-SW,to E-W,to NW-SE,and then to N-S.In the EHS and surrounding regions,the fast directions of seismic anisotropy determined using shear wave splitting analysis correlate with surficial geological features including major sutures and faults and with the surface deformation fields derived from global positioning system(GPS)data.The coincidence between structural features in the crust,surface deformation fields and mantle anisotropy suggests that the deformation in the crust and lithospheric mantle is mechanically coupled.In the EHS,the coherence between the fast directions and the NE direction of the subduction of the Indian Plate beneath the Tibetan Plateau suggests that the lithospheric deformation is caused mainly by subduction.In the regions surrounding the EHS,we speculate that a westward retreat of the Burma slab could contribute to the curved anisotropy pattern.The Tibetan Plateau is acted upon by a NE-trending force due to the subduction of the Indian Plate,and also affected by a westward drag force due to the westward retreat produced by the eastward subduction of the Burma slab.The two forces contribute to a curved lithospheric deformation that results in the alignment of the upper mantle peridotite lattice parallel to the deformation direction,and thus generates a curved pattern of fast directions around the EHS.
基金supported by National Natural ScienceFoundation of China (Grant No. 40972009)
文摘Based on the well-preserved specimens from the Nanba section in Yiyang, Hunan Province, the definition of the graptolite ge- nus Acrograptus is revised here. The revised Acrograptus is a dichograptid form with stipes subborizontal to deeply declined, sicula long and slender; th 11 budding from the top of the metasicula, proximal development of isograptid type with th 12 as the dicalycal theca; asymmetric proximal end resulting from the divergence of thl1 and thl2 from the sicula at different levels; slender crossing canals composed of extremely slender Acrograptus is assigned to the subfamily Sigmagraptinae prothecae of thlt and thl2. According to the revised definition, of the family Dichograptidae, including six species, i.e., A. affinis (Nicholson), A. filiformis (Tullberg), A. gracilis (Tornquist), A. nicholsoni (Lapworth), A. pusillus (Tullberg), and A. saukros (Ni). During the Early-Middle Ordovician, these six species were widely distributed in South China, especially in the Upper Yangtze Region as well as the central and eastern Jiangnan Region. This study further indicates that Acrograptus first appeared in a deep-water setting on the Jiangnan Slope in South China during early Floian (Tetragraptus approximatus Biozone), and subsequently expanded into the shallow-water region on the Yangtze Platform due to a remarkable dispersion event in middle Floian (Pendeograptus fruticosus Biozone). It is here indicated that the dispersal of Acrograptus may be directly controlled by the large-scale transgression event occurring in middle Floian.
基金supported by Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-Q05-01)National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2012CB821901)China Geological Survey (Grant No. 1212011120116)
文摘Marine red beds occur frequently in China through geological time.Despite their complex environments,the red beds are found in three depositional settings:1) oceanic,deep water,as in the Upper Cretaceous of southern Tibet;2) outer shelf,deeper water,as in the Lower-Middle Ordovician of South China;and 3) inner shelf,shallow water,as in the Silurian and Triassic in South China.The Silurian marine red beds are recurrent in the lower Telychian,upper Telychian,and upper Ludlow.This paper is to document the marine nature of the lower Telychian red beds (LRBs) in the Upper Yangtze Region and to discuss the spatial and temporal distribution of the LRBs and their depositional environments.The LRBs are best developed on the north side of the Cathaysian Oldland,which can be interpreted as the source area.It is inferred that they were deposited during a marine regression,characterized by the lack of upwelling,low nutrition and organic productivity with a decrease of biodiversity and a high rate of sedimentation.The iron-rich sediments may have been transported by rivers on the oldland into the Upper Yangtze Sea,as rates of deposition were rapid enough to counteract normal reducing effect around sediment-water interface.The LRBs are different from the off-shore,deeper water red beds of lower Telychian in Avalonia and Baltica and further from the oceanic,deep water red beds of Upper Cretaceous in southern Tibet chiefly in palaeogeographic settings,biotic assemblages and marine environments.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 91014006, 90914005 & 41474073)
文摘From the 1960 s to 1970 s, North China has been hit by a series of large earthquakes. During the past half century,geophysicists have carried out numerous surveys of the crustal and upper mantle structure, and associated studies in North China.They have made significant progress on several key issues in the geosciences, such as the crustal and upper mantle structure and the seismogenic environment of strong earthquakes. Deep seismic profiling results indicate a complex tectonic setting in the strong earthquake areas of North China, where a listric normal fault and a low-angle detachment in the upper crust coexist with a high-angle deep fault passing through the lower crust to the Moho beneath the hypocenter. Seismic tomography images reveal that most of the large earthquakes occurred in the transition between the high-and low-velocity zones, and the Tangshan earthquake area is characterized by a low-velocity anomaly in the middle-lower crust. Comprehensive analysis of geophysical data identified that the deep seismogenic environment in the North China extensional tectonic region is generally characterized by a low-velocity anomalous belt beneath the hypocenter, inconsistency of the deep and shallow structures in the crust, a steep crustalal-scale fault,relative lower velocities in the uppermost mantle, and local Moho uplift, etc. This indicates that the lithospheric structure of North China has strong heterogeneities. Geologically, the North China region had been a stable craton named the North China Craton or in brief the NCC, containing crustal rocks as old as ~3.8 Ga. The present-day strong seismic activity and the lower velocity of the lower crust in the NCC are much different from typical stable cratons around the world. These findings provide significant evidence for the destruction of the NCC. Although deep seismic profiling and seismic tomography have greatly enhanced knowledge about the deep-seated structure and seismogenic environment, some fundamental issues still remain and require further work.