[Objective]This research aimed to compare arthropod communities in different cruciferous vegetable fields at high mountainous area and provide guidance for pest control. [Method] The main arthropod species in 3 kinds ...[Objective]This research aimed to compare arthropod communities in different cruciferous vegetable fields at high mountainous area and provide guidance for pest control. [Method] The main arthropod species in 3 kinds of erueiferous vegetable fields at high mountainous area were investigated, the composition of arthropod community in different vegetable fields were analyzed. [Result] The main arthropod species in erueiferous vegetables fields at high mountainous area were similar, but had different quantity compositions. The richness was the highest in radish field. [Conclusion] Crop species had great influence on biological community; we should focus on the main pests in the process of pest control.展开更多
Because of the distinction of soil property and humus content, soil water content is not ideal to indicate whether it is suitable to the growth of plant. Mainly based on the PF-a numerical value denoting the water reg...Because of the distinction of soil property and humus content, soil water content is not ideal to indicate whether it is suitable to the growth of plant. Mainly based on the PF-a numerical value denoting the water regime of soil and connected with the growth of plant, the study combined the moisture percentage of soil with PF to research in quantity the interrelation between the moisture percentage and PF in different succession phases of subalpine dark coniferous forest in Gongga Mountain. The results showed that: (1) In the same PF value, the moisture percentage in humus horizon increased gradually with the devel-opment of the succession of the dark coniferous forest; The moisture percentage of over-mature forest was the highest and>mature forest>half-mature forest>young growth forest; (2) With the increase of soil depth, the soil bulk density increased and the moisture percentage decreased, but the difference in the percentage of moisture was not notable in different succession phases. (3) In different succession series, the vegetation affected the soil water characteristics by increasing the soil organic matter, improving the soil construction, receding the soil bulk density and enhancing the soil porosity; (4) The humus horizon of the dark coniferous forest soil has the highest water holding capability in this region.展开更多
Mountains and plateaus in Southwest China contain many subalpine and alpine wetlands, with signifieant hydroecological functions. But ungauged or poorly gauged eonditions limit the study and understanding of hydrologi...Mountains and plateaus in Southwest China contain many subalpine and alpine wetlands, with signifieant hydroecological functions. But ungauged or poorly gauged eonditions limit the study and understanding of hydrological regimes of these wetland types. This study selects an ungauged subalpine wetland - Napahai in Northwest Yunnan, China - as a case for developing a practical approach to revealing its storage-area relationship of open water. A Trimble R8 GNSS (Global Navigation Satellites Systems) RTK (Real-time Kinematic system) and sonar fathometer were used to survey fine- resolution elevation data and generate a digital elevation model of the Napahai Wetland. Forty-four Landsat images from 1987 to 2Oll were collected, and the Normalized Difference Water Index was used to classify open water features in the area. The area of open water in Napahai was ealculated for each phase. With these data and a developed conceptual model, the storage of open water for each phase was estimated using ArcGIS tools. Both storage and area of open water showed significant intra-annual and inter-annual variations. In the rainy season, the monthly change of average storage of open water in Napahai showed about 1-2 months lag behind mean monthly rainfall. The storage-area relationship of open water was well fit by a power function equation (R2=0.91, n=44). This study indicates that if detailedelevations are available for similarly ungauged subalpine wetlands in Southwest China, researchers can use this practical approach to estimate multi- temporal areas and storages and reveal the storage- area relationship of open water in the wetlands. The study provided valuable information of this ease wetland for optimizing its hydro-ecological managements and a new method to wetland researchers and managers for the hydrological study of similarly ungauged wetland complex.展开更多
Aquaporins play a significant role in plant water relations. To further understand the aquaporin function in plants under water stress, the expression of a subgroup of aquaporins, plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (...Aquaporins play a significant role in plant water relations. To further understand the aquaporin function in plants under water stress, the expression of a subgroup of aquaporins, plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs), was studied at both the protein and mRNA level in upland rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Zhonghan 3) and lowland rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Xiushui 63) when they were water stressed by treatment with 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG). Plants responded differently to 20% PEG treatment. Leaf water content of upland rice leaves was reduced rapidly. PIP protein level increased markedly in roots of both types, but only in leaves of upland rice after 10 h of PEG treatment. At the mRNA level, OsPIP1,2, OsPIP1,3, OsPIP2;1 and OsPIP2;5 in roots as well as OsPIP1,2 and OsPIP1;3 in leaves were significantly up-regulated in upland rice, whereas the corresponding genes remained unchanged or down-regulated in lowland rice. Meanwhile, we observed a significant increase in the endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) level in upland rice but not in lowland rice under water deficit. Treatment with 60 μM ABA enhanced the expression of OsPIP1;2, OsPIP2;5 and OsPIP2;6 in roots and OsPIP1;2, OsPIP2;4 and OsPIP2;6 in leaves of upland rice. The responsiveness of PIP genes to water stress and ABA were different, implying that the regulation of PIP genes involves both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent signaling oathways during water deficit.展开更多
Although snow cover plays an important role in structuring plant diversity in the alpine zone, there are few studies on the relationship between snow cover and species diversity of alpine meadows on the eastern Qingha...Although snow cover plays an important role in structuring plant diversity in the alpine zone, there are few studies on the relationship between snow cover and species diversity of alpine meadows on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. To assess the effect of snow cover on plant species diversity of alpine meadows, we used ten parallel transects of 60 m × 1 m for this study and described the changes in species diversity and composition associated with snow depth. With the division of snow depth into six classes, the highest species richness (S) and species diversity (H′) occurred with an intermediate snow depth, i.e., class Ⅲ and class Ⅳ, showing a unimodal curve with the increase in snow depth. The relationship between snow depth and plant diversity (both richness and Shannon index) could be depicted by quadratic equations. There was no evident relationship between diversity (both S and H′) and soil water content, which implied that other more important factors influenced species diversity. The patterns of diversity found in our study were largely attributed to freeze-thaw alteration, length of growing season and disturbances of livestock grazing. Furthermore, snow depth affected species composition, as evaluated by the Sorensen's index of similarity. In addition, almost all species limited to one snow depth class were found only in class Ⅲand class Ⅳ, indicating that intermediate snow depth was suitable for the survival and growth of many alpine species.展开更多
On April 14,2010,an earthquake reaching Richter scale 7.1 struck Jiegu Town of Yushu,a mountain rescue operation promptly launched. All injurers had a direct assess to take medical care,and were immediately rescued an...On April 14,2010,an earthquake reaching Richter scale 7.1 struck Jiegu Town of Yushu,a mountain rescue operation promptly launched. All injurers had a direct assess to take medical care,and were immediately rescued and rapidly evacuated by air to Xining and Golmud at lower altitudes and admitted to advanced hospitals. Almost all of the injurers have been completely recovered. Yushu Earthquake was one of the highest earthquakes in the world,with a high incidence of acute altitude illness,which was observed in about 80 % of the lowland rescuers at an altitude of 4 000 m."Rescue the rescuers"became the major task of Qinghai-Tibetan rescue teams,all the severe patients were rapidly descended to Xining and treated promptly and effectively. The outcome was excellent,all patients survived. After the earthquake,it is a long and arduous task to reconstruct what has been destroyed. Medical teams continue to work in the Yushu Earthquake area because about 30 000 workers and carders are now here for rebuilding the earthquake center. Thus the prevention and treatment of altitude illness are still critical tasks for medical teams. Although all the fights are successful,there are more experiences and lessons we have learned from the medical mountain rescue during the earthquake and the reconstruction,and reports here are to sum up our experiences from the medical mountain rescue operation in Yushu Earthquake and draw the lessons that we should learn. With the increasing of earthquake probability occurring in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,we also should prepare against earthquake disasters and for further rescue training in the high mountains.展开更多
The study intended to describe the alpine vegetation of a protected area of the northwestern Himalaya and identify the important environmental variables responsible for species distribution.We placed random plots cove...The study intended to describe the alpine vegetation of a protected area of the northwestern Himalaya and identify the important environmental variables responsible for species distribution.We placed random plots covering different habitats and altitude to record species composition and environmental variables.Vegetation was classified using hierarchical cluster analysis and vegetation-environment relationships were evaluated with Canonical Correspondence Analysis.Four communities,each in alpine shrub and meadows were delineated and well justified in the ordination plots.Indicator species for the different communities were identified.Maximum species richness and diversity were found in community IV among shrub communities and community II among the meadows.Studied environmental variables explained 61.5% variation in shrub vegetation and 59.8% variation in meadows.Soil variables explained higher variability (~35%) than spatial variables (~21%) in both shrubs and meadows.Altitude,among the spatial variables and carbon/nitrogen ratio and nitrogen among the soil variables explained maximum variation.About 40% variations left unexplained.Latitude and species diversity among the other variables had significant correlation with ordination axes.Study showed that altitude and C/N ratio played a significant role in species composition.Extensive sampling efforts and inclusion of other non-studied variables are also suggested for better understanding.展开更多
Abies georgei var. smithii is a dominant species playing an important role in protecting biodiversity and sustaining the forestry ecosystems in Southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Stem sap flows of five different diameters ...Abies georgei var. smithii is a dominant species playing an important role in protecting biodiversity and sustaining the forestry ecosystems in Southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Stem sap flows of five different diameters at the breast height(DBH) A. georgei var. smithii samples were monitored continuously with the thermal dissipation probe for the entire growing period in order to understand the water transportation mechanism and the effects of environmental factors on its transpiration and growth. Relative environment factors, temperature and humidity of air, photosynthetically active radiation, rainfall, and wind speed, soil moisture, etc. were measured by the automatic weather stations. Diurnal and seasonal variations in sap flow rate with the different stem diameters and their correlations with meteorological factors were analyzed. The diurnal change in sap flow velocity showed a single-peak curve at the daily time scale, whereas a lower sap flow velocity can be observed in the largest DBH sample tree at night. The maximum average velocity was observed in August, whereas the minimum velocity was observed in January, and a large amount of water evaporated in summer owing to the higher sap flow velocity. In addition, sap flow velocity was closely related to changes in the micrometeorological factors, with average sap flow velocity showing significant linear correlations with air temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, rainfall, and vapor pressure deficit of air and soil moisture. Therefore, some measures, improving the light and temperature conditions, should be taken for protecting A. georgei var. smithii population in the Tibetan Plateau.展开更多
Agricultural practices are the main stay of the people of Uttranchal. Out of the total population, more than 75% people are engaged either with the main occupation of agriculture or its allied practices, dominated by ...Agricultural practices are the main stay of the people of Uttranchal. Out of the total population, more than 75% people are engaged either with the main occupation of agriculture or its allied practices, dominated by traditional subsistence cereal farming. Among them, the main crops are rice, wheat, millet, barley, all types of pulses, all types of oilseeds and almost all types of fruits. The crops, vegetables and fruits of all varieties are grown in the different climatic zones such as tropical, temperate, and cold because, the region is characterized by the different altitudinal zones elevated from 200 m to more than 8000m. As a result, different climates are found from hot tropical to sub temperate and chilly cold. Pulses varieties are grown extensively. Among vegetables, potato, onion, carrot, all types of green leaf vegetables, brinzal, pumpkin, ladyfinger, pea, gram, radish, ginger, garlic, etc, are grown widely. All fruit varieties are grown in the different altitudinal zones. The main fruits are orange, malta (a big size of orange), elephant citrus, lemon and all other types of citrus, apple, stone fruits including peach and pears, many kinds of nuts, and the fruits which are grown in the low lying areas. In spite of feasible climatic conditions, agricultural dominant society, and availability of all types of crops, the production and productivity of these crops are very low, even they are unable to meet the grain-need of the people in Uttaranchal. Agricultural crops are grown almost in all the altitudinal zones — from the low-lying areas, which are called ‘Gangarh’, to the highly elevated region, where the legendary term is given as ‘Danda’. The growing seasons vary according to the heights. The present paper aims to discuss the agricultural practices including cropping season, cropping pattern, land use, production of crops and ecological aspect of agricultural system in this Himalayan state and suggest some measures for developing farming system, which could lead the sustainability, in terms of meeting the food grain needs of the people on the one hand and restoring the ecological balance on the other.展开更多
Dam-break analysis is of great importance in mountain environment,especially where reservoirs are located upstream of densely populated areas and hydraulic hazard should be assessed for land planning purposes.Accordin...Dam-break analysis is of great importance in mountain environment,especially where reservoirs are located upstream of densely populated areas and hydraulic hazard should be assessed for land planning purposes.Accordingly,there is a need to identify suitable operative tools which may differ from the ones used in flat flood-prone areas.This paper shows the results provided by a 1D and a 2D model based on the Shallow Water Equations(SWE) for dam-break wave propagation in alpine regions.The 1D model takes advantage of a topographic toolkit that includes an algorithm for pre-processing the Digital Elevation Model(DEM) and of a novel criterion for the automatic cross-section space refinement.The 2D model is FLO-2D,a commercial software widely used for flood routing in mountain areas.In order to verify the predictive effectiveness of these numerical models,the test case of the Cancano dam-break has been recovered from the historical study of De Marchi(1945),which provides a unique laboratory data set concerning the consequences of the potential collapse of the former Cancano dam(Northern Italy).The measured discharge hydrograph at the dam also provides the data to test a simplified method recently proposed for the characterization of the hydrograph following a sudden dam-break.展开更多
AIM: To investigate the gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in people from lowland to high altitude and in workers on Mountain Tanggula and its causes as well as treatment and prophylaxis.METHODS: From 2001 to October 200...AIM: To investigate the gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in people from lowland to high altitude and in workers on Mountain Tanggula and its causes as well as treatment and prophylaxis.METHODS: From 2001 to October 2003, we studied GIB in 13 502 workers constructing the railroad on Mountain Tanggula which is 4905 m above the sea level. The incidence of GIB in workers at different altitudes was recorded. Endoscopy was performed when the workers evacuated to Golmud (2808 m) and Xining (2261 m). The available data on altitude GIB were analyzed.RESULTS: The overall incidence of GIB was 0.49% in 13 502 workers. The incidence increased with increasing altitude. The onset of symptoms in most patients was within three weeks after arrival at high altitude. Bleeding manifested as hematemesis, melaena or hematochezia, and might be occult. Endoscopic examination showed that the causes of altitude GIB included hemorrhage gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, and gastric erosion. Experimental studies suggested that acute gastric mucosal lesion (AGML) could be induced by hypoxic and cold stress, which might be the pathogenesis of altitude GIB. Those who consumed large amount of alcohol, aspirin or dexamethasone were at a higher risk of developing GIB. Persons who previously suffered from peptic ulcer or high-altitude polycythemia were also at risk of developing GIB. Early diagnosis, evacuation, and treatment led to early recovery. CONCLUSION: GIB is a potentially life threatening disease, if it is not treated promptly and effectively. Early diagnosis, treatment and evacuation lead to an early recovery. Death due to altitude GIB can be avoided if early symptoms and signs are recognized.展开更多
Based on the daily precipitation data of 83 stations in Guangxi and the NCEP/NCAR monthly reanalysis data from 1979 through 2008, the characteristics of spatial and temporal distribution and variation of the rainstorm...Based on the daily precipitation data of 83 stations in Guangxi and the NCEP/NCAR monthly reanalysis data from 1979 through 2008, the characteristics of spatial and temporal distribution and variation of the rainstorm concentration degree(RCD) and the rainstorm concentration period(RCP) are analyzed by using the methods of Monte Carlo test etc. The results are shown as follows. The rainstorm events are concentrated in April-September, taking up about 90% of the yearly rainfall total, and the percentages of rainstorms in the annual total precipitation have an increasing tendency. RCD in the east of Guangxi is larger than that in the west. The RCP in the northeast and southwest of Guangxi is later than that in the other regions, and has the earliest onset in the northern mountainous regions of Baise and southeast Guangxi. The RCD exhibits an increasing tendency in the northwest and the coastal region while showing a decreasing tendency in the other regions. On a long-term basis, the RCP in the east and coastal region has a postponing trend but tends to be earlier in the other regions. The proposed mechanism is as follows: If the geopotential height in the south of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the West Pacific has a highly negative anomaly in winter, the western Pacific subtropical high will be strong in summer, which increases the RCD in Guangxi. If the geopotential height has a highly positive anomaly in winter, the subtropical high will have a significant periodic oscillation in summer, which decreases the RCD in Guangxi. The value of RCD is high(low) in the area of northern mountainous regions of Guangxi and Beihai in strong(weak) South China Sea summer monsoon years, while in the other areas, the value of RCD is low(high).展开更多
In the Garhwal of Uttarakhand, India, the Bhotiya, an ethnically and culturally distinct tribal group, were historically engaged in seasonal migration(i.e. transhumance) to take advantage of scarce mountain resources ...In the Garhwal of Uttarakhand, India, the Bhotiya, an ethnically and culturally distinct tribal group, were historically engaged in seasonal migration(i.e. transhumance) to take advantage of scarce mountain resources and trade relations with Tibet. This livelihood practice has all but disappeared.Households are adapting to these changing circumstances by engaging in the collection and sale of the valuable alpine medicinal fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis, widely known as Cordyceps. The collection of this fungus has exploded, emerging as a lucrative yet high-risk livelihood strategy for many Bhotiya communities.The Bhotiyas' historic herding and trade-based interactions and knowledge of these alpine environments where Cordyceps are found uniquely positions them to access this valuable biological resource. Elsewhere in the Himalayan region, some households are earning as much as two-thirds of their income from the collection of Cordyceps; in China Cordyceps is now listed as an endangered species due to intense over-exploitation in the Tibetan Plateau.This paper seeks to fill the void in the scientific literature on the social, ecological and economic aspects of the emerging Cordyceps trade in the Garhwal. Our study investigates the socio-spatial dimensions of Cordyceps collection in the high alpine meadows. We document how a fusion of local knowledge and practice with alpine mountain systems has served to reinvigorate the economic integrity of mountain communities at a time of rapid socioeconomic change and to reimagine a new relationship between alpine resources and community well-being.The article offers suggestions to address the sustainability of both Cordyceps collection and livelihood activities which hinge on this fungus population. We find a need for(1) community-based conservation measures that are rooted in(2) secure resource access rights for local communities to continue sustainable collection and sale of Cordyceps and(3) participatory-and science-based processes for determining appropriate local collection numbers.展开更多
Guizhou Karst Plateau is located at the center of the karst region in Asia, where landslides are a typical disaster. Affected by the local karst environment, the landslides in this region have their own characteristic...Guizhou Karst Plateau is located at the center of the karst region in Asia, where landslides are a typical disaster. Affected by the local karst environment, the landslides in this region have their own characteristics. In this study, 3975 landslide records from inventories of the Guizhou karst plateau are studied. The geographical detector method is used to detect the dominant casual factor and predominant multi-factor combinations for the local landslides. The results show that landslides are prone to areas on slopes between 10° and 35°, of clay rock, in close proximity to gullies, and especially in areas of moderate vegetation, dryland, and mild rocky desertification. Continuous precipitation over 10 days has a great effect on landslide occurrence. Compared with the individual factors, the impact of two-factor interaction has greater explanatory power for landslide volume. The volume of earthquake-induced landslides is predominantly controlled by the interactions of faults and slopes, while that of humaninduced landslides is affected by the interactions of land cover and hydrological conditions. For rainfallinduced landslides, the dominant interactions vary in different regions. In the central karst basin, the interactions between faults and precipitation can explain over 90% of the variations in landslide volumes. In the southern hilly karst region, the interactions between lithology and slope can explain over 71% of the variations in landslide volume and those between fault and land-use can explain 50% of the variations of the landslide volumes in the northeastern mountainous karst region.展开更多
In arid regions, mountains fulfill important ecological and economic functions for the surrounding lowlands. In the scenario of global warming, mountain ecosystems change rapidly, especially in the arid region of nort...In arid regions, mountains fulfill important ecological and economic functions for the surrounding lowlands. In the scenario of global warming, mountain ecosystems change rapidly, especially in the arid region of northwestern China. This paper provides an assessment of the changes in temperature and precipitation in the historical records of climate on the northern slopes of the eastern Tianshan Mountains. A Mann-Kendall nonparametric trend and Sen's tests are employed to analyze the interannual changes and innerannual variability in temperature and precipitatiofi in the regions of low to high altitude. The present study finds that the largest increases in annual temperature are observed at stations in the low altitude regions. The significant increasing trends in temperature tend to occur mainly in late winter and early spring at stations from middle to high altitude, but in summer and autumn at stations of low altitudes. The increasing trends in annual precipitation are found from the middle to high altitude areas, but decreasing trends are found in the low altitude areas. The significant increasing trends in precipitation occur mostly in winter and earlier spring at stations from the middle to high altitudes, while the increasing and decreasing trend coexists at stations of low altitude with most of the significant trend changes occurring in March, June and August.展开更多
Migratory livestock raising has been one of the most important livelihood options for people residing in high mountain areas and has made a significant contribution to the economy of the Hindu Kush Himalayan(HKH) regi...Migratory livestock raising has been one of the most important livelihood options for people residing in high mountain areas and has made a significant contribution to the economy of the Hindu Kush Himalayan(HKH) region, both in terms of supporting households and in export earnings. However, in recent decades, changes in the socioeconomic situation and increasing climate variability have led to a need to enhance adaptation by building the resilience of local socio-ecological systems, including economic diversification and sustainable management of natural resources. Based on semistructured interviews with pastoral communities in six countries within the pastoral HKH region, this paper discusses the situation, trends and driving forces behind the diversification of pastoral livelihood. For internal diversification the study highlights the need for enhancement of pastoral livelihoods through value-adding activities in the pastoral sectors. For external diversification changes on policy changes are needed to support free out-migration, market exploitation, and multiple resource use. Finally the paper highlights the role of education in determining household adaptation strategies in the face of various socio-ecological pressures and recommends integrating innovative and indigenous knowledge to develop appropriate methods for risk management and resource management in the pastoral HKH region.展开更多
A high-altitude peat sequence from the heart of the Spanish Central System(Gredos range) was analysed through a multi-proxy approach to determine the sensitivity of high-mountain habitats to climate, fire and land use...A high-altitude peat sequence from the heart of the Spanish Central System(Gredos range) was analysed through a multi-proxy approach to determine the sensitivity of high-mountain habitats to climate, fire and land use changes during the last seven hundred years, providing valuable insight into our understanding of the vegetation history and environmental changes in a mountain pass close to a traditional route of transhumance. The pollen data indicate that the vegetation was dominated by shrublands and grasslands with scattered pines in high-mountain areas, while in the valleys cereals, chestnut and olive trees were cultivated. Strong declines of high-mountain pines percentages are recorded at 1540, 1675, 1765, 1835 and 1925 cal AD, which may be related to increasing grazing activities and/or the occurrence of anthropogenic fires. The practice of mountain summer farming and transhumance deeply changed and redesigned the landscape of the high altitudes in central Spain(Gredos range) since the Middle Ages, although its dynamics was influenced in some way by climate variability of the past seven centuries.展开更多
Changes of air temperatures and atmosphere circulation at three high mountainous stations in Bulgaria are investigated for the period of 1941-2008.The three stations are located on peaks Musala,Cherni vrah and Botev,w...Changes of air temperatures and atmosphere circulation at three high mountainous stations in Bulgaria are investigated for the period of 1941-2008.The three stations are located on peaks Musala,Cherni vrah and Botev,where air temperature data have good quality.Some missing data were recovered using the method of differences. A significant mean annual air temperature rise happened in high mountainous parts of Bulgaria- the warming is in the order of 0.7°C for the entire period.The increase is very prominent particularly in the last 30 years.Main contributors to this overall tendency are summer months-June,July and August.To some degree,January also could be included in this group.November trend shows temperature rise at the beginning of the investigated period.One of the causes for such a tendency is atmosphere circulation in respective months.It also shows signs of considerable reorganization in both winter and summer.There is an increase of the cases of warm atmosphere patterns typical for winter, summer and autumn seasons in Bulgaria.Meridional circulation has essential significance for air temperatures during the cold half of the year.In January and June atmosphere circulation has a substantial influence on the thermal regime of air in high mountains of Bulgaria.In July,August and November this influence is reduced.There are no cycles in air temperatures for the investigated period.展开更多
The objective of this study was to explore vegetation adaptability in a changing afro-alpine moorland terrestrial ecosystem on Mt. Rwenzori and to determine whether there were any links with response of vegetation to ...The objective of this study was to explore vegetation adaptability in a changing afro-alpine moorland terrestrial ecosystem on Mt. Rwenzori and to determine whether there were any links with response of vegetation to glacier recession. We analyzed the composition and distribution of plant species in relation to soils, geomorphic processes, and landscape positions in the Alpine zone. To accomplish this objective, archival data sources and published reports for this ecosystem were reviewed. A field trip was conducted in 2010 to study in detail seven vegetation sampling plots that were systematically selected using GIS maps and a nested-quadrat sampling design framework along an altitudinal gradient in the lower and upper alpine zones. Using these sampling plots, 105 vegetation and 13 soil samples were assessed in the alpine zone. Soil samples were taken for laboratory testing and analysis. The results show statistically significant differences in pH, OM, N, P, Ca, Mg, and K pools between soils samples drawn from the lower and upper alpine sites (p 〈 0.0033). Furthermore, we observed a significant vegetation formation with numerous structural forms, but there was a limited diversity of speeies. The most significant forms included Alchemilla carpets, Bogs, Dendrosenecio woodland, and Scree slopes. The lower alpine area (3500-3900 masl) had a more diverse plant species than other areas, especially Alchemilla argyrophylla and Dendrosenecio adnivalis species that were evident due to well-drained deeper soils. The Alchemilla subnivalis were evident at a higher altitude of above 4000 mask Shifts in the Astareeeae (e.g. Senecio species) were particularly prominent even on recently deglaciated areas. The spatial variations of species distribution, structure, and composition suggest there are serious implications in terms of ecosystem adaptability, resilience, and stability that require further evaluation.展开更多
基金Supported by Education Department of Hubei Province(D200512006)~~
文摘[Objective]This research aimed to compare arthropod communities in different cruciferous vegetable fields at high mountainous area and provide guidance for pest control. [Method] The main arthropod species in 3 kinds of erueiferous vegetable fields at high mountainous area were investigated, the composition of arthropod community in different vegetable fields were analyzed. [Result] The main arthropod species in erueiferous vegetables fields at high mountainous area were similar, but had different quantity compositions. The richness was the highest in radish field. [Conclusion] Crop species had great influence on biological community; we should focus on the main pests in the process of pest control.
基金The Development Plan of the State Key Fundamental Research of China (973), contract No. 2000046807 and by Knowledge Innovation Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-405)
文摘Because of the distinction of soil property and humus content, soil water content is not ideal to indicate whether it is suitable to the growth of plant. Mainly based on the PF-a numerical value denoting the water regime of soil and connected with the growth of plant, the study combined the moisture percentage of soil with PF to research in quantity the interrelation between the moisture percentage and PF in different succession phases of subalpine dark coniferous forest in Gongga Mountain. The results showed that: (1) In the same PF value, the moisture percentage in humus horizon increased gradually with the devel-opment of the succession of the dark coniferous forest; The moisture percentage of over-mature forest was the highest and>mature forest>half-mature forest>young growth forest; (2) With the increase of soil depth, the soil bulk density increased and the moisture percentage decreased, but the difference in the percentage of moisture was not notable in different succession phases. (3) In different succession series, the vegetation affected the soil water characteristics by increasing the soil organic matter, improving the soil construction, receding the soil bulk density and enhancing the soil porosity; (4) The humus horizon of the dark coniferous forest soil has the highest water holding capability in this region.
基金supported by the National Special Basic Research Fund(Grant No.2008FY110300)National Science and Technology Support Program(Grant No.2011BAC09B07)+1 种基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.40961003)Scientific Research Fund Project of Yunnan Education Department(Grant No.2011J018)
文摘Mountains and plateaus in Southwest China contain many subalpine and alpine wetlands, with signifieant hydroecological functions. But ungauged or poorly gauged eonditions limit the study and understanding of hydrological regimes of these wetland types. This study selects an ungauged subalpine wetland - Napahai in Northwest Yunnan, China - as a case for developing a practical approach to revealing its storage-area relationship of open water. A Trimble R8 GNSS (Global Navigation Satellites Systems) RTK (Real-time Kinematic system) and sonar fathometer were used to survey fine- resolution elevation data and generate a digital elevation model of the Napahai Wetland. Forty-four Landsat images from 1987 to 2Oll were collected, and the Normalized Difference Water Index was used to classify open water features in the area. The area of open water in Napahai was ealculated for each phase. With these data and a developed conceptual model, the storage of open water for each phase was estimated using ArcGIS tools. Both storage and area of open water showed significant intra-annual and inter-annual variations. In the rainy season, the monthly change of average storage of open water in Napahai showed about 1-2 months lag behind mean monthly rainfall. The storage-area relationship of open water was well fit by a power function equation (R2=0.91, n=44). This study indicates that if detailedelevations are available for similarly ungauged subalpine wetlands in Southwest China, researchers can use this practical approach to estimate multi- temporal areas and storages and reveal the storage- area relationship of open water in the wetlands. The study provided valuable information of this ease wetland for optimizing its hydro-ecological managements and a new method to wetland researchers and managers for the hydrological study of similarly ungauged wetland complex.
文摘Aquaporins play a significant role in plant water relations. To further understand the aquaporin function in plants under water stress, the expression of a subgroup of aquaporins, plasma membrane intrinsic proteins (PIPs), was studied at both the protein and mRNA level in upland rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Zhonghan 3) and lowland rice (Oryza sativa L. cv. Xiushui 63) when they were water stressed by treatment with 20% polyethylene glycol (PEG). Plants responded differently to 20% PEG treatment. Leaf water content of upland rice leaves was reduced rapidly. PIP protein level increased markedly in roots of both types, but only in leaves of upland rice after 10 h of PEG treatment. At the mRNA level, OsPIP1,2, OsPIP1,3, OsPIP2;1 and OsPIP2;5 in roots as well as OsPIP1,2 and OsPIP1;3 in leaves were significantly up-regulated in upland rice, whereas the corresponding genes remained unchanged or down-regulated in lowland rice. Meanwhile, we observed a significant increase in the endogenous abscisic acid (ABA) level in upland rice but not in lowland rice under water deficit. Treatment with 60 μM ABA enhanced the expression of OsPIP1;2, OsPIP2;5 and OsPIP2;6 in roots and OsPIP1;2, OsPIP2;4 and OsPIP2;6 in leaves of upland rice. The responsiveness of PIP genes to water stress and ABA were different, implying that the regulation of PIP genes involves both ABA-dependent and ABA-independent signaling oathways during water deficit.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (40671181, 30870396)the Chinese Academy of Sciences (KZCX2-YW-418, KZCX2-XB2-02)+1 种基金the Ministry of Science & Technology of China (2006BAC01A15, 2006BAC01A11)the Science & Technology Bureau of Sichuan, China (03ZQ026-043)
文摘Although snow cover plays an important role in structuring plant diversity in the alpine zone, there are few studies on the relationship between snow cover and species diversity of alpine meadows on the eastern Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. To assess the effect of snow cover on plant species diversity of alpine meadows, we used ten parallel transects of 60 m × 1 m for this study and described the changes in species diversity and composition associated with snow depth. With the division of snow depth into six classes, the highest species richness (S) and species diversity (H′) occurred with an intermediate snow depth, i.e., class Ⅲ and class Ⅳ, showing a unimodal curve with the increase in snow depth. The relationship between snow depth and plant diversity (both richness and Shannon index) could be depicted by quadratic equations. There was no evident relationship between diversity (both S and H′) and soil water content, which implied that other more important factors influenced species diversity. The patterns of diversity found in our study were largely attributed to freeze-thaw alteration, length of growing season and disturbances of livestock grazing. Furthermore, snow depth affected species composition, as evaluated by the Sorensen's index of similarity. In addition, almost all species limited to one snow depth class were found only in class Ⅲand class Ⅳ, indicating that intermediate snow depth was suitable for the survival and growth of many alpine species.
基金"973"National Key Basic Research and Development Program(No.2012CB518202)Project of Qinghai Development of Science and Technology(No.2011-N-150)
文摘On April 14,2010,an earthquake reaching Richter scale 7.1 struck Jiegu Town of Yushu,a mountain rescue operation promptly launched. All injurers had a direct assess to take medical care,and were immediately rescued and rapidly evacuated by air to Xining and Golmud at lower altitudes and admitted to advanced hospitals. Almost all of the injurers have been completely recovered. Yushu Earthquake was one of the highest earthquakes in the world,with a high incidence of acute altitude illness,which was observed in about 80 % of the lowland rescuers at an altitude of 4 000 m."Rescue the rescuers"became the major task of Qinghai-Tibetan rescue teams,all the severe patients were rapidly descended to Xining and treated promptly and effectively. The outcome was excellent,all patients survived. After the earthquake,it is a long and arduous task to reconstruct what has been destroyed. Medical teams continue to work in the Yushu Earthquake area because about 30 000 workers and carders are now here for rebuilding the earthquake center. Thus the prevention and treatment of altitude illness are still critical tasks for medical teams. Although all the fights are successful,there are more experiences and lessons we have learned from the medical mountain rescue during the earthquake and the reconstruction,and reports here are to sum up our experiences from the medical mountain rescue operation in Yushu Earthquake and draw the lessons that we should learn. With the increasing of earthquake probability occurring in the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau,we also should prepare against earthquake disasters and for further rescue training in the high mountains.
文摘The study intended to describe the alpine vegetation of a protected area of the northwestern Himalaya and identify the important environmental variables responsible for species distribution.We placed random plots covering different habitats and altitude to record species composition and environmental variables.Vegetation was classified using hierarchical cluster analysis and vegetation-environment relationships were evaluated with Canonical Correspondence Analysis.Four communities,each in alpine shrub and meadows were delineated and well justified in the ordination plots.Indicator species for the different communities were identified.Maximum species richness and diversity were found in community IV among shrub communities and community II among the meadows.Studied environmental variables explained 61.5% variation in shrub vegetation and 59.8% variation in meadows.Soil variables explained higher variability (~35%) than spatial variables (~21%) in both shrubs and meadows.Altitude,among the spatial variables and carbon/nitrogen ratio and nitrogen among the soil variables explained maximum variation.About 40% variations left unexplained.Latitude and species diversity among the other variables had significant correlation with ordination axes.Study showed that altitude and C/N ratio played a significant role in species composition.Extensive sampling efforts and inclusion of other non-studied variables are also suggested for better understanding.
基金supported by the Tibetan Natural Scientific Foundation of China (13-28)Tibetan Linzhi National Forest Ecological Research Station (2012-LYPT-DW-016)+1 种基金Promotion Plan of Plateau Basic Ecological Academic Team Abilitysupported by CFERN&GENE Award funds on ecological paper
文摘Abies georgei var. smithii is a dominant species playing an important role in protecting biodiversity and sustaining the forestry ecosystems in Southeastern Tibetan Plateau. Stem sap flows of five different diameters at the breast height(DBH) A. georgei var. smithii samples were monitored continuously with the thermal dissipation probe for the entire growing period in order to understand the water transportation mechanism and the effects of environmental factors on its transpiration and growth. Relative environment factors, temperature and humidity of air, photosynthetically active radiation, rainfall, and wind speed, soil moisture, etc. were measured by the automatic weather stations. Diurnal and seasonal variations in sap flow rate with the different stem diameters and their correlations with meteorological factors were analyzed. The diurnal change in sap flow velocity showed a single-peak curve at the daily time scale, whereas a lower sap flow velocity can be observed in the largest DBH sample tree at night. The maximum average velocity was observed in August, whereas the minimum velocity was observed in January, and a large amount of water evaporated in summer owing to the higher sap flow velocity. In addition, sap flow velocity was closely related to changes in the micrometeorological factors, with average sap flow velocity showing significant linear correlations with air temperature, photosynthetically active radiation, rainfall, and vapor pressure deficit of air and soil moisture. Therefore, some measures, improving the light and temperature conditions, should be taken for protecting A. georgei var. smithii population in the Tibetan Plateau.
文摘Agricultural practices are the main stay of the people of Uttranchal. Out of the total population, more than 75% people are engaged either with the main occupation of agriculture or its allied practices, dominated by traditional subsistence cereal farming. Among them, the main crops are rice, wheat, millet, barley, all types of pulses, all types of oilseeds and almost all types of fruits. The crops, vegetables and fruits of all varieties are grown in the different climatic zones such as tropical, temperate, and cold because, the region is characterized by the different altitudinal zones elevated from 200 m to more than 8000m. As a result, different climates are found from hot tropical to sub temperate and chilly cold. Pulses varieties are grown extensively. Among vegetables, potato, onion, carrot, all types of green leaf vegetables, brinzal, pumpkin, ladyfinger, pea, gram, radish, ginger, garlic, etc, are grown widely. All fruit varieties are grown in the different altitudinal zones. The main fruits are orange, malta (a big size of orange), elephant citrus, lemon and all other types of citrus, apple, stone fruits including peach and pears, many kinds of nuts, and the fruits which are grown in the low lying areas. In spite of feasible climatic conditions, agricultural dominant society, and availability of all types of crops, the production and productivity of these crops are very low, even they are unable to meet the grain-need of the people in Uttaranchal. Agricultural crops are grown almost in all the altitudinal zones — from the low-lying areas, which are called ‘Gangarh’, to the highly elevated region, where the legendary term is given as ‘Danda’. The growing seasons vary according to the heights. The present paper aims to discuss the agricultural practices including cropping season, cropping pattern, land use, production of crops and ecological aspect of agricultural system in this Himalayan state and suggest some measures for developing farming system, which could lead the sustainability, in terms of meeting the food grain needs of the people on the one hand and restoring the ecological balance on the other.
基金developed within the European Project Kulturisk (Grant agreement 265280)
文摘Dam-break analysis is of great importance in mountain environment,especially where reservoirs are located upstream of densely populated areas and hydraulic hazard should be assessed for land planning purposes.Accordingly,there is a need to identify suitable operative tools which may differ from the ones used in flat flood-prone areas.This paper shows the results provided by a 1D and a 2D model based on the Shallow Water Equations(SWE) for dam-break wave propagation in alpine regions.The 1D model takes advantage of a topographic toolkit that includes an algorithm for pre-processing the Digital Elevation Model(DEM) and of a novel criterion for the automatic cross-section space refinement.The 2D model is FLO-2D,a commercial software widely used for flood routing in mountain areas.In order to verify the predictive effectiveness of these numerical models,the test case of the Cancano dam-break has been recovered from the historical study of De Marchi(1945),which provides a unique laboratory data set concerning the consequences of the potential collapse of the former Cancano dam(Northern Italy).The measured discharge hydrograph at the dam also provides the data to test a simplified method recently proposed for the characterization of the hydrograph following a sudden dam-break.
基金Supported by the grant LS-CNNSF-30393130, and 973 Program 2006 CB 504100, CB708514, China
文摘AIM: To investigate the gastrointestinal bleeding (GIB) in people from lowland to high altitude and in workers on Mountain Tanggula and its causes as well as treatment and prophylaxis.METHODS: From 2001 to October 2003, we studied GIB in 13 502 workers constructing the railroad on Mountain Tanggula which is 4905 m above the sea level. The incidence of GIB in workers at different altitudes was recorded. Endoscopy was performed when the workers evacuated to Golmud (2808 m) and Xining (2261 m). The available data on altitude GIB were analyzed.RESULTS: The overall incidence of GIB was 0.49% in 13 502 workers. The incidence increased with increasing altitude. The onset of symptoms in most patients was within three weeks after arrival at high altitude. Bleeding manifested as hematemesis, melaena or hematochezia, and might be occult. Endoscopic examination showed that the causes of altitude GIB included hemorrhage gastritis, gastric ulcer, duodenal ulcer, and gastric erosion. Experimental studies suggested that acute gastric mucosal lesion (AGML) could be induced by hypoxic and cold stress, which might be the pathogenesis of altitude GIB. Those who consumed large amount of alcohol, aspirin or dexamethasone were at a higher risk of developing GIB. Persons who previously suffered from peptic ulcer or high-altitude polycythemia were also at risk of developing GIB. Early diagnosis, evacuation, and treatment led to early recovery. CONCLUSION: GIB is a potentially life threatening disease, if it is not treated promptly and effectively. Early diagnosis, treatment and evacuation lead to an early recovery. Death due to altitude GIB can be avoided if early symptoms and signs are recognized.
基金National Basic Research Program of China(973 Program)(2013CB430202)Guangxi Natural Science Foundation(0991060)Guangxi Natural Science Foundation(2013GXNSFAA019273)
文摘Based on the daily precipitation data of 83 stations in Guangxi and the NCEP/NCAR monthly reanalysis data from 1979 through 2008, the characteristics of spatial and temporal distribution and variation of the rainstorm concentration degree(RCD) and the rainstorm concentration period(RCP) are analyzed by using the methods of Monte Carlo test etc. The results are shown as follows. The rainstorm events are concentrated in April-September, taking up about 90% of the yearly rainfall total, and the percentages of rainstorms in the annual total precipitation have an increasing tendency. RCD in the east of Guangxi is larger than that in the west. The RCP in the northeast and southwest of Guangxi is later than that in the other regions, and has the earliest onset in the northern mountainous regions of Baise and southeast Guangxi. The RCD exhibits an increasing tendency in the northwest and the coastal region while showing a decreasing tendency in the other regions. On a long-term basis, the RCP in the east and coastal region has a postponing trend but tends to be earlier in the other regions. The proposed mechanism is as follows: If the geopotential height in the south of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and the West Pacific has a highly negative anomaly in winter, the western Pacific subtropical high will be strong in summer, which increases the RCD in Guangxi. If the geopotential height has a highly positive anomaly in winter, the subtropical high will have a significant periodic oscillation in summer, which decreases the RCD in Guangxi. The value of RCD is high(low) in the area of northern mountainous regions of Guangxi and Beihai in strong(weak) South China Sea summer monsoon years, while in the other areas, the value of RCD is low(high).
基金funded in part by the College of Forestry and Conservation at the University of Montana,MissoulaThe logistical support and research assistance provided by the Mountain Shepherds Initiative and the Nanda Devi Campaign based in Uttarakhand were paramount
文摘In the Garhwal of Uttarakhand, India, the Bhotiya, an ethnically and culturally distinct tribal group, were historically engaged in seasonal migration(i.e. transhumance) to take advantage of scarce mountain resources and trade relations with Tibet. This livelihood practice has all but disappeared.Households are adapting to these changing circumstances by engaging in the collection and sale of the valuable alpine medicinal fungus Ophiocordyceps sinensis, widely known as Cordyceps. The collection of this fungus has exploded, emerging as a lucrative yet high-risk livelihood strategy for many Bhotiya communities.The Bhotiyas' historic herding and trade-based interactions and knowledge of these alpine environments where Cordyceps are found uniquely positions them to access this valuable biological resource. Elsewhere in the Himalayan region, some households are earning as much as two-thirds of their income from the collection of Cordyceps; in China Cordyceps is now listed as an endangered species due to intense over-exploitation in the Tibetan Plateau.This paper seeks to fill the void in the scientific literature on the social, ecological and economic aspects of the emerging Cordyceps trade in the Garhwal. Our study investigates the socio-spatial dimensions of Cordyceps collection in the high alpine meadows. We document how a fusion of local knowledge and practice with alpine mountain systems has served to reinvigorate the economic integrity of mountain communities at a time of rapid socioeconomic change and to reimagine a new relationship between alpine resources and community well-being.The article offers suggestions to address the sustainability of both Cordyceps collection and livelihood activities which hinge on this fungus population. We find a need for(1) community-based conservation measures that are rooted in(2) secure resource access rights for local communities to continue sustainable collection and sale of Cordyceps and(3) participatory-and science-based processes for determining appropriate local collection numbers.
基金supported by high-level innovative talents training in Guizhou province(2016 No.4026)the Chinese National Natural Science Fund(Grant Nos.41671101,41671098)the Pioneer Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences(Grant No.XDA19040304)
文摘Guizhou Karst Plateau is located at the center of the karst region in Asia, where landslides are a typical disaster. Affected by the local karst environment, the landslides in this region have their own characteristics. In this study, 3975 landslide records from inventories of the Guizhou karst plateau are studied. The geographical detector method is used to detect the dominant casual factor and predominant multi-factor combinations for the local landslides. The results show that landslides are prone to areas on slopes between 10° and 35°, of clay rock, in close proximity to gullies, and especially in areas of moderate vegetation, dryland, and mild rocky desertification. Continuous precipitation over 10 days has a great effect on landslide occurrence. Compared with the individual factors, the impact of two-factor interaction has greater explanatory power for landslide volume. The volume of earthquake-induced landslides is predominantly controlled by the interactions of faults and slopes, while that of humaninduced landslides is affected by the interactions of land cover and hydrological conditions. For rainfallinduced landslides, the dominant interactions vary in different regions. In the central karst basin, the interactions between faults and precipitation can explain over 90% of the variations in landslide volumes. In the southern hilly karst region, the interactions between lithology and slope can explain over 71% of the variations in landslide volume and those between fault and land-use can explain 50% of the variations of the landslide volumes in the northeastern mountainous karst region.
基金supported by the National Key Technology R & D Program of China (No. 2006BAC01A01)the Innovation Group Project of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (N0. 40621061)
文摘In arid regions, mountains fulfill important ecological and economic functions for the surrounding lowlands. In the scenario of global warming, mountain ecosystems change rapidly, especially in the arid region of northwestern China. This paper provides an assessment of the changes in temperature and precipitation in the historical records of climate on the northern slopes of the eastern Tianshan Mountains. A Mann-Kendall nonparametric trend and Sen's tests are employed to analyze the interannual changes and innerannual variability in temperature and precipitatiofi in the regions of low to high altitude. The present study finds that the largest increases in annual temperature are observed at stations in the low altitude regions. The significant increasing trends in temperature tend to occur mainly in late winter and early spring at stations from middle to high altitude, but in summer and autumn at stations of low altitudes. The increasing trends in annual precipitation are found from the middle to high altitude areas, but decreasing trends are found in the low altitude areas. The significant increasing trends in precipitation occur mostly in winter and earlier spring at stations from the middle to high altitudes, while the increasing and decreasing trend coexists at stations of low altitude with most of the significant trend changes occurring in March, June and August.
基金The financial supports received from the ICIMOD innovation fundDeutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ)+1 种基金Austrian Development Agency (ADA)UK Department for International Development (DFID)
文摘Migratory livestock raising has been one of the most important livelihood options for people residing in high mountain areas and has made a significant contribution to the economy of the Hindu Kush Himalayan(HKH) region, both in terms of supporting households and in export earnings. However, in recent decades, changes in the socioeconomic situation and increasing climate variability have led to a need to enhance adaptation by building the resilience of local socio-ecological systems, including economic diversification and sustainable management of natural resources. Based on semistructured interviews with pastoral communities in six countries within the pastoral HKH region, this paper discusses the situation, trends and driving forces behind the diversification of pastoral livelihood. For internal diversification the study highlights the need for enhancement of pastoral livelihoods through value-adding activities in the pastoral sectors. For external diversification changes on policy changes are needed to support free out-migration, market exploitation, and multiple resource use. Finally the paper highlights the role of education in determining household adaptation strategies in the face of various socio-ecological pressures and recommends integrating innovative and indigenous knowledge to develop appropriate methods for risk management and resource management in the pastoral HKH region.
基金funded by the project HAR2013-43701-P (Spanish Economy and Competitiveness Ministry)Excellence Research Projects Program from the Andalusian Government P11-RNM-7033
文摘A high-altitude peat sequence from the heart of the Spanish Central System(Gredos range) was analysed through a multi-proxy approach to determine the sensitivity of high-mountain habitats to climate, fire and land use changes during the last seven hundred years, providing valuable insight into our understanding of the vegetation history and environmental changes in a mountain pass close to a traditional route of transhumance. The pollen data indicate that the vegetation was dominated by shrublands and grasslands with scattered pines in high-mountain areas, while in the valleys cereals, chestnut and olive trees were cultivated. Strong declines of high-mountain pines percentages are recorded at 1540, 1675, 1765, 1835 and 1925 cal AD, which may be related to increasing grazing activities and/or the occurrence of anthropogenic fires. The practice of mountain summer farming and transhumance deeply changed and redesigned the landscape of the high altitudes in central Spain(Gredos range) since the Middle Ages, although its dynamics was influenced in some way by climate variability of the past seven centuries.
文摘Changes of air temperatures and atmosphere circulation at three high mountainous stations in Bulgaria are investigated for the period of 1941-2008.The three stations are located on peaks Musala,Cherni vrah and Botev,where air temperature data have good quality.Some missing data were recovered using the method of differences. A significant mean annual air temperature rise happened in high mountainous parts of Bulgaria- the warming is in the order of 0.7°C for the entire period.The increase is very prominent particularly in the last 30 years.Main contributors to this overall tendency are summer months-June,July and August.To some degree,January also could be included in this group.November trend shows temperature rise at the beginning of the investigated period.One of the causes for such a tendency is atmosphere circulation in respective months.It also shows signs of considerable reorganization in both winter and summer.There is an increase of the cases of warm atmosphere patterns typical for winter, summer and autumn seasons in Bulgaria.Meridional circulation has essential significance for air temperatures during the cold half of the year.In January and June atmosphere circulation has a substantial influence on the thermal regime of air in high mountains of Bulgaria.In July,August and November this influence is reduced.There are no cycles in air temperatures for the investigated period.
基金financial support from START International for funding the project activities(Makerere University and University of Tennessee at Memphis) provided us with the necessary support
文摘The objective of this study was to explore vegetation adaptability in a changing afro-alpine moorland terrestrial ecosystem on Mt. Rwenzori and to determine whether there were any links with response of vegetation to glacier recession. We analyzed the composition and distribution of plant species in relation to soils, geomorphic processes, and landscape positions in the Alpine zone. To accomplish this objective, archival data sources and published reports for this ecosystem were reviewed. A field trip was conducted in 2010 to study in detail seven vegetation sampling plots that were systematically selected using GIS maps and a nested-quadrat sampling design framework along an altitudinal gradient in the lower and upper alpine zones. Using these sampling plots, 105 vegetation and 13 soil samples were assessed in the alpine zone. Soil samples were taken for laboratory testing and analysis. The results show statistically significant differences in pH, OM, N, P, Ca, Mg, and K pools between soils samples drawn from the lower and upper alpine sites (p 〈 0.0033). Furthermore, we observed a significant vegetation formation with numerous structural forms, but there was a limited diversity of speeies. The most significant forms included Alchemilla carpets, Bogs, Dendrosenecio woodland, and Scree slopes. The lower alpine area (3500-3900 masl) had a more diverse plant species than other areas, especially Alchemilla argyrophylla and Dendrosenecio adnivalis species that were evident due to well-drained deeper soils. The Alchemilla subnivalis were evident at a higher altitude of above 4000 mask Shifts in the Astareeeae (e.g. Senecio species) were particularly prominent even on recently deglaciated areas. The spatial variations of species distribution, structure, and composition suggest there are serious implications in terms of ecosystem adaptability, resilience, and stability that require further evaluation.