Planar morphology and controlling factors of the gullies in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley based on field investigation

The plane form of a gully can provide a basis for evaluating the gully volume and erosion rate, acting process, and evolutionary stage. For describing the planar characteristics of a permanent gully and understanding their controlling factors, this study, utilizing a total station and GPS RTK, measured the shoulder lines and channel curves of 112 gullies in six sites of the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley and then mapped them by Arc GIS software and calculated nine parameters. The results showed that the channel lengths range from 10.88 to 249.11 m; the widths range from 6.20 to 40.99 m; the perimeters range from 54.11 to 541.67 m; the gully areas range from 153.02 to 6,930.30 m2; the left-side areas range from 92.93 to 4,027.20 m2; and the right-side areas range from 63.65 to 3,539.77 m2. The slightly sinuous and straight gullies account for 73.21% of the total gullies; the quantity of the right skewed gullies is 8.93% greater than that of the left skewed ones based on the symmetry ratio; the shape ratios range from 1.12 to 1.40 and the morphology ratios from 0.038 to 1.294; the fractal dimension is 1.192. Gullies in different sites have diverse planar characteristics. Except for the symmetry index, which was close to a negatively skewed distribution, all of the other parameters had the characteristic of positively skewed distribution. The gully area is related to the length and width, but the gully length has a weak correlation with the width. The evolutionary stage, topographic conditions, strata, soil properties, and piping erosion played very important roles in the gully planar morphology. This study could provide useful information for controlling gully erosion and safeguarding human habitation and engineering buildings.

Seasonal Dynamics of the Soil Moisture in Yuanmou Dry-Hot Valley of Yunnan

[ Objective] The research aimed to study seasonal dynamics of the soil moisture in Yuanmou Dry-Hot Valley of Yunnan. [ Method] We investigated soil moisture in rainy season in Yuanmou Dry-Hot Valley. By combining completed research about soil moisture in dry season, data in rainy and dry seasons were contrasted to study seasonal dynamics of the soil moisture in the zone. [ Resultl Soil moisture in rainy season increased with the depth of soil, but would decrease within 1.0 m below the root layer. The soil moisture of grassland was higher than that of the woodland, while soil moisture of the savanna was higher than that of the woodland but lower than that of the grassland. In addition, compared with soil mois- ture in dry season, it is clear that to avoid forming permanent soil desiccation, based on soil and hydrology conditions in Yuanmou, it is better to plant grass not tree in Yuanmou when we do something about ecological restoration. [ Condusion] The research had certain guidance significance for planting agricultural and economic crops and carrying out ecological restoration in Yuanmou Dry-Hot Valley.

Selection of Judging Indicators for Surface Morphology of Soil Crack under Different Development Degrees in Yuanmou Arid-Hot Valley Region

Quantification of complicated surface morphology of soil crack is a prerequisite and key to soil crack study. This paper takes soil crack quads in Yuanmou arid-hot valley region as examples, selecting several morphological indicators, and analyzes the soil crack＇s morphological features under various development degrees. By statistic analysis, three quantitative indicators for surface morphology are selected, namely soil crack area density, area weighted mean fractal dimension and connectivity index R, which can not only express the development intensity of soil cracks, but also effectively describe its morphological complexity and connectivity. The research results set a good base for the establishment of soil crack assessment system in Yuanmou arid-hot valley region.

Sap flow characteristics of three afforestation species during the wet and dry seasons in a dry-hot valley in Southwest China

Assessing and using tree species （exotic or native） with superior tolerance to environmental stresses （such as drought and high temperature） play an important role in afforestation practices. In the present study, stem sap flow characteristics and responses to ambient meteo- rological factors of three tree species, Albizzia kalkora （native）, Azadirachta indica （exotic）, and Acacia auriculaeformis （exotic）, in a dry-hot valley （Yuanmou, Yunnan Province, China） were investigated using thermal dissipation probes. The diurnal dynamics of sap flow in three studied species displayed an obvious circadian rhythm during the wet and dry seasons, with the exception of A. indica during the dry season. The sap flow velocity （SFV） in A. kalkora and A. auriculaeformis was significantly positively correlated with photosynthetically active radiation （PAR）, air temperature, vapour pressure deficit （VPD） and wind speed, but negatively correlated with atmospheric relative humidity over the two seasons. The cross-corre- lation analysis also revealed that the SFV of the three species was significantly correlated with PAR and VPD （P 〈 0.001）. Additionally, stem sap flow lagged behind PAR but ahead of VPD, and the diurnal sap flow was more dependent on PAR than on VPD. However, we found that the dominant climatic factor influencing the stem sap flow differed between daytime and nighttime. PAR was more influential than other meteorological factors during the daytime, while VPD or other factors were more influential overnight. When the nighttime refilling ability of the three tree species was compared, our results suggest that A. indica has higher drought resistance and better for afforestation of the studied region.

The morphological characteristics of gully systems and watersheds in Dry-Hot Valley, SW China

Gully systems and watersheds are geomorphic units with clear boundaries that are relatively independent of basin landscapes and play an important role in natural geography. In order to explore the morphological characteristics of gully systems and watersheds in the Dry-Hot Valley [South West(SW) China], gullies are interpreted from online Google images with high resolution and watersheds are extracted from digital elevation model at a scale of 1:50,000. The results show that:(1) There are17,382 gullies(with a total area of 1141.66 km2) and 42 watersheds in the study area.(2) The average gully density of the study area(D) is 4.29 km/km2, gully frequency(F) is 14.39 gullies/km2, the branching ratio(B) is 5.13, the length ratio(L) is 3.12, and the coefficient of the main and tributary gullies(M) is 0.06. The degree of gully erosion isstrong to extremely strong, the main development intensity of gully erosion ranges from intense to moderate, and the type of gully system is tributary.(3) The watershed areas(A) are between 0.39 and 96.43 km2, the relief ratio(R) is from 0.10 to 0.19, the circularity ratio(C) is from 0.30 to0.83, the texture ratio(T) is from 0.82 to 39.35, and the dominant geomorphological texture type is fine.(4) There is a quantitative relationship between F and D:F = 0.624 D2(R =0.84) and T is closely related to D, F, M(R2[ 0.7). A,R and C are related to M(R2[ 0.5). The development of gully systems is the result of coupling effects between multiple factors. In this area, the degree of erosion and the condition of the main and tributary gullies can be controlled by the degree of topographic breakage in the watershed, which provides some theoretical basis for the evaluation of gully erosion by the latter. In addition, the scale, relief, and shape have a significant impact on the locations of the main and tributary gullies. For tributary gullies, attention should be paid to the interception and control of runoff and sediment in the small confluence branches in order to prevent gully expansion and head advance. These features can inform the development of targeted measures for the control of soil erosion.

Effects of Land Use Change on the Ecosystem Services Value in the Dry-Hot Valley

The objective of the study reported here was to determine whether LANDSAT TM images could be used to quantify changes in land-use and ecosystem services in Yuanmou County. The sizes of six land use/land cover （LUCC） categories were estimated in Yuanmou County according to the LANDSAT TM images in the summer of 1986 and 2005. Coefficients published by Xie Gaodi and co-workers in 2003 were used to value changes in ecosystem services delivered by each land use/land cover category, and the ecosystem services sensitivity analysis was conducted to determine the effect of manipulating these coefficients on the estimated values. The important results are summarized as followings. （1） The estimated size of cultivated land, pasture land, water area and unused land decreased by 6.39%, 1.35%, 2.25% and 10.67% respectively between 1986 and 2005. By contrast, the estimated size of forest land and construction land increased by about 2.23% and 71.15% respectively between 1986 and 2005. （2） The total ecosystem services value （EVS） of the study area increased from 2 142 132 609.46 yuan to 2 146 416 621.00 yuan, with the net increase of 4 284 011.54 yuan during the 20-year time period. （3） The coefficient sensitivity （CS） of the study are less than unity in all cases （CS 〈 1）. This indicates that the total ecosystem values estimated for the study area are relatively inelastic with respect to the ecosystem service coefficients. While this implies that our estimates are robust and the coefficient is reasonable, highly under or over valued coefficients can substantially affect the veracity of estimated changes in ecosystem service values overtime even when the CS are less than unity（CS 〈 1）.

Industrial Poverty Alleviation Model in Deep Poverty-stricken Villages in the Dry-hot Valley of Jinsha River: A Case Study of Poverty Alleviation in the Green Prickleyash Planting Industry in Laopingzi Village,Luquan County

Industrial poverty alleviation is the core of poverty alleviation in rural areas of China,and it is the fundamental way for the rural poor to achieve stable income and poverty alleviation. Laopingzi Village,Jiaopingdu Town,Luquan County,Kunming County,Yunnan Province,located in the dry-hot valley area of Jinsha River,has become a typical deep poverty-stricken village due to its special natural conditions.In recent years,in the battle to win the fight against poverty,the people of Laopingzi Village have achieved a virtuous cycle of the ecological environment and an access to get rid of poverty and get rich through vigorously developing green prickleyash planting industry. By the end of 2018,the incidence of poverty in Laopingzi Village Committee dropped from 45. 62% in 2014 to 1. 11%,and the green prickleyash planting industry had achieved remarkable results in poverty alleviation. This article summarizes the specific practices of developing the green prickleyash planting industry in the village,analyzes the main results and successful experiences of the mode and discusses the inspiration of the implementation of green prickleyash cultivation on industrial poverty alleviation,so as to provide an effective practical example for the development and poverty alleviation of poverty-stricken areas.

Livelihood Capital and Livelihood Diversification for Different Farmers in Yuanjiang Dry-Hot River Valley

Under the analytical framework of sustainable livelihoods,we establish the evaluation indicator system for farmers' livelihood capital,to evaluate the current livelihood capital and livelihood diversification for different farmers in the Dai nationality region of Xinping County in the Yuanjiang dry-hot river valley area,and discuss the relationship between livelihood capital and livelihood diversification. Studies have shown that the mode dominated by agriculture,supplemented by non-agricultural activities,combined with breeding,is the commonly used livelihood strategy for farmers in this region. As farmers change from pure agriculture to non-agriculture,their total livelihood capital and nonagricultural livelihood diversification index will increase,while agricultural livelihood diversification index will decrease. In the meantime,their livelihood activities gradually shift from agricultural to non-agricultural ones,which is mainly reflected in the combination of both agricultural and non-agricultural activities. Regression analysis on livelihood capital and livelihood diversification shows that natural and physical capital is the basis of realizing agricultural livelihood diversification. Farmers with rich natural and physical capital will prefer agricultural livelihood strategies. While financial and human capital is the driving force for farmers' transition from pure agriculture to non-agriculture.

Poverty Alleviation Mode by Developing Sorghum Planting Industry in Dry-hot Valley Areas of Jinsha River in China:Taking Luquan Yi and Miao Autonomous County of Yunnan Province as an Example

There are many state-level poverty-stricken counties in the dry-hot valley areas of Jinsha River in China,with a wide range of poverty and extreme degree of poverty.The industry-supporting poverty alleviation ranks first in the"five batches"of China's targeted poverty alleviation strategy.The practice of planting in Luquan County since 2017 shows that the valleys and slopes on the dry-hot valley areas of Jinsha River with an altitude above 1800 m have wide land suitable for sorghum planting,and suitable for introduction and planting.In recent years,the county has adopted the mode of enterprise+government+cooperative+poor household,introduced the Langzhitang wine factory,developed sorghum planting with large-scale,industrialized and specialized features to achieve stable income growth for the poor,and significant results have been achieved.Based on many field surveys,household surveys,and interviews with county and village leaders,this paper analyzes the specific practices and main effects of the county's poverty alleviation model by developing sorghum planting industry,aiming to provide necessary reference for the targeted poverty alleviation and poverty alleviation in similar areas of Yunnan Province and other provinces.

Leaf habit differentiation explains trait tradeoffs across savanna woody plants

Identifying how leaf habit subdivisions link to the fast–slow and avoidance–tolerance trait tradeoffs can provide new insight into divergence in ecophysiological strategies among plant functional groups. Here, we tested a hypothesis that the differentiation across deciduous, semi-deciduous and evergreen woody species contributes to physiological trait tradeoffs in a dry-hot valley savanna. We investigated 11 photosynthetic, morphological and hydraulic traits of 24 species including 8 deciduous, 10 semi-deciduous and 6 evergreen species. Deciduous species were grouped in the fast and avoidance side associated with high values of maximum photosynthetic rates,stomatal conductance and leaf size, while evergreen species were grouped in the slow and tolerance side associated with high photosynthetic water use efficiency, leaf mass per area, sapwood density, Huber value, leaf water potential at turgor loss point and water potential causing 50% loss of stem hydraulic conductance. Semideciduous species generally had intermediate trait values and represented different physiological characteristics when compared to deciduous and evergreen species. The physiological trait tradeoffs showed a close linkage to the differentiation of these three leaf habits. Our findings clearly reveal trait tradeoffs related to fast–slow and avoidance–tolerance strategies among diverse savanna plants, suggesting a syndrome in multiple ecophysiology strategies across different leaf habits.

Soil Crevice Formation and Erosion in Yuanmou Dry-Hot Valley, Yunnan Province, China

The basic characteristics, X-ray analysis and micromorphology of soil developed from the parent rubified soil is probed. Results show that there are similarities among different types of the rubified soils. The soil clay （D〈0.002 mm） contents （Co） are relatively higher between 29.16% and 80.03%. In addition, organic matter contents are lower between 2.2-6.6 g/kg. The clay minerals in the rubified soils have a high content of 2：l type swelling minerals, e.g., smectite and vermiculite, which are the basic causes of formation of soil cracks and crevices. Soil micromorphology characteristics show that microcosmic crevices universally distributed within the tight and compact soil microstructure are the microcosmic characteristics of crevices formation. The soil cracks and crevices change the erosion process. Obviously, well developed soil crevice carries a significant connection with strong soil erosion in Yuanmou, Yunnan province, China. The term ＂soil crevice erosion＂ was coincided with the viewpoint put forward that soil crevice erosion plays a dominant role in regional and violent soil erosion in this area.

Rainfall infiltration on hilly slopes under various lithology and its effect on tree growth in the dry-hot valley

Revegetation is very difficult in dry-hot valleys in China. Rainfall infiltration capability on hilly slopes is one of the key factors determining soil moisture conditions and tree growth in the dry-hot valley. Low rainfall infiltration often results in soil drought on slopes under the dry-hot valleys climate. Rainfall infiltration capability varies greatly with the difference of slope lithologic porosity. The infiltration rates of five lithologic slope-types, Schist Slope, Grit Slope, Gravel Slope, the slightly eroded Mudstone Slope and the intensively eroded Mudstone Slope, are 1.40-8.67, 6.33, 0.69-2.20, 0.6-1.3 and 0.03-0.63 mm/min, respectively. With its viscid compact soil body and low infiltration capability which causes little infiltrating rainfall, mudstone slope can afford little effective supply to soil water and leads to serious drought of soil in dry seasons, resulting in cessation of growth or even wide-spread death of trees due to physiological damage for the excessive deficit of water in dry season and also the low productivity of stands. Hence, it is extremely difficult to restore vegetation on this type of slope. The other four lithologic slope-types, however, with well-developed soil crevice, high infiltration capability and thus more infiltrating rainfall, can afford more available soil water supply and the trees on them can obtain better growth and relatively higher productivity, compared with those on Mudstone Slope. Revegetation in dry-hot valleys is controlled by the soil moisture conditions of different slope-types, and it can be implemented by relying on the dominative life-form plant species, the suitable spatial arrangement of different life-forms of arbor-shrub-herb species, and the establishment of ecological community relationship between vegetation and soil moisture in habits. On the other hand, ground making measures for forestation and the runoff-collecting engineering measures to increase the rainfall infiltration are the major keys of revegetation techniques in dry-hot valleys.

Grass Litter Decomposition Rate and Water-Holding Capacity in Dry-Hot Valley of Jinshajiang River

The decomposition rate and the water-holding capacity of 6 kinds of grass litters were studied in the Jinshajiang river dry-hot valley. The results showed that the dry weight remains reduced with time but did not have a direct correlation with time. The decomposition litters were affected by climate, character of litter, animalcule and soil animal. The climate factors of temperature and humidity were important especially. The water-holding capacity was in the sequence ofN. wightii （336%）, P. notatum Flugge （248%）, H. contortus （L.） Beauv （209%）, B. pertusa （L.） A. Camus（206%）, L endecaphylla Jacq （174%）, D. annulatum （Forsk.） Stapf （168%）. After 24 months decomposition the remaining dry weight of the litter was in the sequence as follows： 15.12% for N. wightii, 26.38% for I. endecaphylla Jacq, 27.23% for B. pertusa （L.） A. Camus, 30.78% for P. notatum Flugge, 39.72% for H. contortus （L.） Beauv and 39.76% for D. annulatum （Forsk.） Stapf. The decomposition rate and water-holding capacity ofN. wightii are at the highest level. It is important for the development, improvement and conservation of the grassland soil.

Effects of Land Uses on Soil Organic Carbon and Carbon Pool Management Index

Carbon management index（ICM） is used to evaluate the scientificity of soil management.Soil organic carbon（SOC） and readily oxidized carbon （ROC） contents under Leucaena leucocephala stand, Acacia glauca stand,Acacia auriculiformis stand, Azadirachta indica stand,wasteland and dry cropland were determined and their ICM were calculated.The results showed that the SOC and ROC contents under the 6 land use types were 4.22-5.92 g·kg-1 and 1.34-2.33 g·kg-1,respectively.No significant differences in SOC contents among these land uses were observed.The ROC contents under the 4 types of woodland,however,were significantly higher than these under dry cropland or wasteland（P【0.05）. The ROC were high significantly（P【0.001） correlated（R2 is 66.3%） with SOC.Compared with wasteland,the ICM ranged from 1.77 to 2.36 under these woodlands,and 0.99 under dry cropland.It is revealed that the litter quantity and land management under these land uses may be the key factors resulting in the variation of ROC.At ecological fragile region of Dry-hot Valley,closure management is useful to sequestrate C in woodland soils.However,the management systems for soil carbon pool under dry cropland are not in a sound way.