Diagnosing anomalous characteristics of atmospheric water cycle structure during seasonal-scale drought events:A case study in middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River

Anomalous characteristics of the atmospheric water cycle structure are highly significant to the mechanisms of seasonal-scale meteorological droughts.They also play an important role in the identification of indicative predictors of droughts.To better understand the causes of seasonal meteorological droughts in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River(MLRYR),characteristics of the atmospheric water cycle structure at different drought stages were determined using standardized anomalies.The results showed that the total column water vapor(TCWV)was anomalously low during drought occurrence periods.In contrast,there were no anomalous signals at the drought persistence and recovery stages in the MLRYR.Moreover,there was no significant temporal correlation between the TCWV anomaly and seasonal-scale drought index(the 3-month standardized precipitation index(SPI_(3))).During drought events,water vapor that mainly originated from the Bay of Bengal was transported southwest of the MLRYR.Meanwhile,the anomalous signal of water vapor transport was negative at the drought appearance stage.At the drought persistence stage,the negative anomalous signal was the most significant.Water vapor flux divergence in the MLRYR showed significant positive anomalous signals during drought events,and the signal intensity shifted from an increasing to a decreasing trend at different drought stages.In addition,a significant positive correlation existed between the anomaly of water vapor flux divergence and regional SPI_(3).Overall,water vapor flux divergence is more predictive of droughts in the MLRYR.

Distribution Regularity of Debris Flow and Its Hazard in Upper Reaches of Yangtze River and Other Rivers of Southwestern China

In the upper reaches of Yangtze River and other rivers of southwestern China, the debris flows develop and lead to most serious disasters because of the various landforms, complex geological structures and abundant rainfall. The distribution of debris flows has regularity in the regions with different landform, geological structure, and precipitation. The regularities of distribution of debris flows are as following： （1） distributed in transition belts of different morphologic regions; （2） distributed in the area with strong stream trenching; （3） distributed along fracture zones and seismic belts： （4） distributed in the area with abundant precipitation; （5） distribution of debris flow is azonal. The activity of abundant debris flows not only brings harm to Towns, Villages and Farmlands, Main Lines of Communication, Water-Power Engineering, Stream Channels etc., but also induces strong water and soil loss. According to the present status of debris flow prevention, the problems in disasters mitigation and soil conservancy are found out, and the key works are brought up for the future disasters prevention and soil conservancy.

Research and Application of Rainstorm Disaster Risk Assessment along the Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River

We explored and studied rainstorm disaster impact grade. Firstly,we selected average precipitation,precipitation intensity,coverage and duration during rainstorm process,and economic losses,the number of deaths and total casualties in rainstorm disaster situation as the pre-assessment indexes of rainstorm process impact grade along the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River. Then,normalized and dimensionless processing of each index was conducted. By using gray correlation method,we established rainstorm process grade and rainstorm disaster impact grade. At last,we conducted regression analysis of relevancy degree between rainstorm process grade and rainstorm disaster situation grade,and established a linear relationship between the two,thereby getting a rainstorm disaster pre-assessment method. On this basis,using rainstorm hazard factors in independent sample,we carried out pre-assessment test of disaster impact grade. The results show that this pre-assessment method is quick and easy,and the effect is better.

Analysis of Precipitation in the Middle and Lower Reaches of Yangtze River in the Summer of 2000-2007

Based upon the summer (June-August) precipitation data from 30 stations in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River in China, the spatial and temporal distribution of summer precipitation in the Yangtze River Basin was analyzed. As was shown in the results, the distribution of summer precipitation in the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River was mainly composed of four types: northern type (2005 and 2007), southern type (2001 and 2003), intermediate type (2000, 2004 and 2006) and integral type (2002). According to the correlation analysis of summer precipitation and atmospheric circulation in East Asia, the precipitation in the Yangtze River Basin and high-low level circulation anomalies were significantly related. In other words,with the increase of the meridional degree of circulation at mid-high latitudes in the middle and upper troposphere as well as anomaly by south of subtropical high at low latitudes,the center or ridge line remained steady in the south of 30° N,thus the precipitation in the Yangtze River Basin was obviously on the high side. The study could provide better guidance for the diagnosis and forecasting of precipitation in the Yangtze River Basin in the future.

Middle-late Holocene environment change induced by climate and human based on multi-proxy records from the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River,eastern China

Our knowledge about the interaction between human activities and the environment in the middle-late Holocene remains incomplete.Core C1 in Lake Chaohu from the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River (MLYR),eastern China,provides an opportunity to investigate vegetation and climate changes,human activities,and East Asian summer monsoon(EASM) evolution since 5100 cal.yr BP.These variables are assessed based on radiocarbon dating,pollen and charcoal records,and magnetic susceptibility (χ_(lf)),median grain size and TP.Results reveal a hiatus in sedimentation between 2080 and 730 cal.yr BP in the western part of Lake Chaohu,which is common in most lakes in the MLYR.Evergreen and deciduous broadleaved mixed forest retreated gradually after 3650 cal.yr BP,and was replaced by secondary Pinus forest after at least 730 cal.yr BP.Intense agricultural activities and vegetation clearance are first detected at 2520 cal.yr BP.Human settlements expanded from the lake front wetlands (during the period 2520–2080 cal.yr BP) to remote high-altitude areas(2080–400 cal.yr BP),and then returned to the lake front to reclaim the wetlands and lake (after 400 cal.yr BP).A gradual trend of recessional EASM strength from 4300 cal.yr BP and centennial-scale variations of EASM during the period5100–3650 cal.yr BP are revealed.The reduction of summer insolation,southward shift of the ITCZ,and El Ni?o Southern Oscillation may control the intensity of EASM and climate on a large regional scale.

A New Precipitation Index for the Spatiotemporal Distribution of Drought and Flooding in the Reaches of the Yangtze and Huaihe Rivers and Related Characteristics of Atmospheric Circulation

Characteristics of the spatiotemporal distributions of precipitation anomalies in the reaches of the Yangtze River and Huaihe River （YHR） were studied using EOF method. Four main precipitation pat-terns for the YHR in summer identified by the first two modes： a region-wide flood over the entire YHR （RWF）; a region-wide drought over the entire YHR （RWD）; a flood in the south with a drought in the northern region of the Yangtze River （FS-DN）; and a drought in the south with a flood in the northern region of the Yangtze River （DS-FN）. Based on the first two modes and the actual precipitation departure percentage, a new precipitation index is defined in this paper. The typical flood/drought years associated with the various rainfall patterns defined by this precipitation index are more representative and closer to reality compared to some existing precipitation indexes which just use the area-mean precipitation or the EOF time components individually. The characteristics of atmospheric circulation in summer corresponding to the four main precipitation patterns over the YHR in summer show the features of atmospheric circulation differ in different precipitation pattern years. Although the different patterns share a common main influential circulation system, such as the blocking high over northeastern Asia, the low trough of westerly flows in the mid latitudes, the West Pacific Subtropical High （WPSH）, and the high ridge over the Tibet Plateau, the difference in location and intensity of these systems can lead to different distributions of precipitation anomalies.

GIS-Based Risk Assessment of Debris Flow Disasters in the Upper Reach of Yangtze River

This paper discussed theory and methodologies of debris-flow risk assessment and established an implementation process according to indicators of debris-flow hazard degree, vulnerability, risk degree, etc. Among these methodologies, historical and potential hazard degree was comprehensively considered into hazard assessment and hazard index was presented to indicate the debris-flow hazard degree. Regarding debris-flow vulnerability assessment, its statistical data and calculating procedure were based on the hazard-degree regionalization instead of administrative divisions, which improved the assessing scientificity and precision. These quantitative methodologies integrated with Geography Information System （GIS） were applied to the risk assessment of debris flows in the upper reach of Yangtze River. Its results were in substantial agreement on investigation data and the actual distribution of debris flows, which showed that these principles and methodologies were reasonable and feasible and can provide basis or reference for debris-flow risk assessment and disaster management.

Engineering Strategies on Flood Control in Middle Reach of Yangtze River, China

Flood disaster has been a serious hidden danger since the ancient time. The essential cause for the fact that floods have not been eliminated for hundreds of years is that time honored strategies do not suit the cases of flood prevention. In the view of geological environmental analyses of flood formation and from the synthesis of experiences gained in flood control in the past hundreds of years, sluggish draining of flood, silt sedimentation in channel and building levee blindly constitute the main cause of intractable flood for a long time in the middle reach of the Yangtze River. Draining away silt and water is the only way to stamping out flood disaster. Opening up artificial waterways for flood diversion, draining away the silt of channel into the polders, and storing the flood water are important engineering measures for the flood control and damage reduction.

AN EAST ASIAN SUBTROPICAL SUMMER MONSOON INDEX DEFINED BY MOISTURE TRANSPORT

Using daily NCEP/NCAR reanalysis dataset and observation rainfall data in China for the 1971-2000 period, a subtropical summer monsoon index has been defined by meridional moisture transport of the total atmosphere column. Results show that the subtropical summer monsoon index defined by the difference of meridional moisture transport between South China and North China can be used to describe the intensity of the subtropical summer monsoon. High (low) index is corresponding to strong (weak) subtropical summer monsoon. And the new index is well related to the summer rainfall over the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River. In addition, the convergence of moisture transport from the west Pacific via the South China Sea and that from the North China may be responsible for the anomalously excessive summer rainfall over the middle and lower reaches of Yangtze River.

Improving Conservation of Cranes by Modeling Potential Wintering Distributions in China

Habitat management is essential for the conservation of wildlife, especially cranes. Here, we collected occurrence data at wintering grounds for four cranes （Leucogeranus leucogeranus, Grus monacha, Antigone vipio and G. grus） and analyzed associated environmental variables to model and project overall potential wintering habitat using Maxent. ENMTools was used to calculate the degree of niche overlap among cranes. Results showed that lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River are main habitats for the four focal species. Inland water and coastal wetlands in Jiangsu are also potential wintering areas. G. grus spreads over central and eastern China. The four cranes show tight niche overlap in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River. Poyang Lake is one of the most important habitat sites for all four cranes, according to modeling and niche overlap results. Poyang Lake is cut into a dozen nature reserves, but a bigger nature reserve or system would be more effective for cranes. The conservation of these four crane species will be improved on the basis of this study.