Modeling Soil Organic Carbon Storage and Its Dynamics in Croplands of China

Soil organic carbon （SOC） is one of the centre issues related to not only soil fertility but also environmental safety. Assessing SOC dynamics in croplands has been a challenge in China for long due to the lack of appropriate methodologies and data sources. As an alternative approach for studying SOC dynamics, process-based models are adopted to meet the needs. In this paper, a process-based model, DeNitrification-DeComposition （DNDC）, was applied to quantify the SOC storage and the spatial distribution in croplands of China in 2003, with the support of a newly compiled county-level soil/ climate/land use database. The simulated results showed that the total SOC storage in the top layer （0-30 cm） of the 1.18 × 10^8 ha croplands of China is 4.7-5.2 Pg C in 2003 with an average value of 4.95 Pg C. The SOC storage in the northeastern provinces （1.3 Pg C） accounts for about 1/4 of the whole national totals due to their dominantly fertile soils with high organic matter content. SOC density ranges from 3.9 to 4.4 kg C m 2, with an average of 4.2 kg C m^-2, a level is much lower than the world average level. The model results also indicated that high rates of SOC losses occurred in the croplands with the most common cropping patterns in China as like single soybean 〉 maize 〉 paddy 〉 cotton 〉 winter wheat and corn rotation. The results reported in this paper showed that there was still a great potential for improving SOC status in most croplands of China by adopting proper farming practices and land-use pattern. Therefore, long-term policy to protect SOC is urgently needed.

Impact of enclosure management on soil properties and microbial biomass in a restored semi-arid rangeland, Kenya

Rangeland degradation is a serious problem throughout sub-Saharan Africa and its restoration is a challenge for the management of arid and semi-arid areas. In Lake Baringo Basin of Kenya, communities and individual farmers are restoring indigenous vegetation inside enclosures in an effort to combat severe land degradation and address their livelihood problems. This study evaluated the impact of enclosure management on soil properties and microbial biomass, being key indicators of soil ecosystem health. Six reseeded communal enclosures using soil embankments as water-harvesting structures and strictly regulated access were selected, varying in age from 13 to 23 years. In six private enclosures, ranging from 3 to 17 years in age, individual farmers emulated the communal enclosure strategy and restored areas for their exclusive use. Significant decreases in bulk density, and increases in the soil organic carbon, total nitrogen and microbial biomass contents and stocks were found in the enclosures as compared with the degraded open rangeland. In the private enclosures, the impact of rehabilitation on the soil quality was variable, and soil quality was in general lower than that obtained under communal management. The significant increase of absolute stocks of carbon, nitrogen and microbial biomass compared to the degraded open rangeland indicates the potential for the restoration of soil quality through range rehabilitation. Over-sowing with indigenous legume fodder species could improve total nitrogen content in the soil and nutritional value of the pastures as well.

Modeling the Impacts of Soil Organic Carbon Content of Croplands on Crop Yields in China

This study quantified the impacts of soil organic carbon （SOC） content on the grain yield of crops using a biogeochemical model （DNDC, denitrification-decomposition）. Data on climate, soil properties, and farming management regimes of cropping systems were collected from six typical agricultural zones （northeast, north, northwest, mid-south, east and southwest regions of China, respectively） and integrated into a GIS database to support the model runs. According to the model, if the initial SOC content in the cropland was increased by 1 g C kg^-1, the crop yield may be increased by 176 kg ha^-1 for maize in the northeast region, 454 kg ha^-1 for a maize-wheat rotation in the north region, 328 kg ha^-1 for maize in the northwest region, 185 kg ha^-1 for single-rice in the mid-south region, 266 kg ha^-1 for double-rice in east region, and 229 kg ha^-1 for rice and wheat rotation in southwest region. There is a great potential for enhancing the crop yield by improving the SOC content in each region of China.

Temperature and Precipitation Suitability Evaluation for the Winter Wheat and Summer Maize Cropping System in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain of China

The Huang-Huai-Hai Plain is the most important winter wheat and maize production region in China.In response to the increasing population pressure,the Chinese authorities strongly invested in improving the irrigation systems and increasing ground and surface water exploitation within the plain to increase the crop productivity.This resulted in a reduction of water resource availability and in turn indirectly affected the suitability of various agricultural ecosystems in the plain.The main purpose of this study was to review the suitability of temperature and precipitation for the winter wheat and summer maize cropping system in the Huang-Huai-Hai Plain,in order to provide a preliminary irrigation scheme.This analysis provides a first attempt to enhance the water resource management as well as to increase the water use efficiency.For this aim,a GIS-based multicriteria analysis procedure has been developed consisting of（1） definition of objectives（evaluated entities） and database building;（2） definition of evaluation criteria;（3） standardization of the criteria;（4） combination of the criteria;（5） classification of the objectives;and（6） integration of the objectives.The land suitability classification maps were transformed into maps of required irrigation amounts for each growing stage of the winter wheat and summer maize cropping system.The study also exemplified the limitations and proposed future research activities that will improve the detail and accuracy of the evaluation results.

Time-Series Modeling and Prediction of Global Monthly Absolute Temperature for Environmental Decision Making

A generalized, structural, time series modeling framework was developed to analyze the monthly records of absolute surface temperature, one of the most important environmental parameters, using a deterministicstochastic combined （DSC） approach. Although the development of the framework was based on the characterization of the variation patterns of a global dataset, the methodology could be applied to any monthly absolute temperature record. Deterministic processes were used to characterize the variation patterns of the global trend and the cyclic oscillations of the temperature signal, involving polynomial functions and the Fourier method, respectively, while stochastic processes were employed to account for any remaining patterns in the temperature signal, involving seasonal autoregressive integrated moving average （SARIMA） models. A prediction of the monthly global surface temperature during the second decade of the 21st century using the DSC model shows that the global temperature will likely continue to rise at twice the average rate of the past 150 years. The evaluation of prediction accuracy shows that DSC models perform systematically well against selected models of other authors, suggesting that DSC models, when coupled with other ecoenvironmental models, can be used as a supplemental tool for short-term （10-year） environmental planning and decision making.

Late Palaeogene emplacement and late Neogene-Quaternary exhumation of the Kuril island-arc root (Kunashir island) constrained by multi-method thermochronometry

The Kuril islands constitute a volcanic island arc-trench system, stretching from eastern Hokkaido （Japan） to Kamchatka （Russia） along the northwestern Pacific subduction system, The current arc consists of several volcanic islands mainly with Neogene basement and capped by several, predominantly andesitic, active subduction stratovolcanoes, Kunashir Island is the southwestern-most island of the arc, just off the Hokkaido coast and represents the study area in this paper. The island is composed of a Lower Complex of mainly late Miocene to Pliocene volcanic rocks, covered by an Upper Complex of younger （basaltic） andesitic lava flows and tuffs on which currently four active volcanic edifices are built. In the Lower Complex sub-volcanic and deeper-seated intrusives of the so-called Prasolov and Dokuchaev magmatic complexes are found, More differentiated, tonalitic-granodioritic rocks were collected from these small intrusive bodies. An early Oligocene zircon LA-ICP-MS U/Pb age of 31 Ma for the Prasolov Complex was obtained, showing that the basement of Kunashir Island is older than previously thought. Thermochronometry （apatite fission-track and U-Th-Sm/He and zircon U-ThJHe analyses） further shows that the magmatic basement of the island was rapidly exhumed in the Pleistocene to present levels in a differential pattern, with He-ages ranging from 1.9 to 0.8 Ma. It is shown that the northern section of the island was hereby exhumed more intensely.

Discovery of the chitinozoans Belonechitina capitata from the Shiala Formation of northeastern Garhwal-Kumaon Tethys Himalaya,Pithoragarh District, Uttrakhand, India

Belonechitina capitata, a typically middle to late Ordovician chitinozoan index taxon was for the first time recovered from the northeastern Kumaon region, a part of Garhwal-Kumaon Tethys basin of the Himalaya, India. This species is of great biostratigraphic importance and has already been reported from Avalonia, Baltica and northern Gondwana. The study area was during Ordovician, part of a lowpalaeolatitudinal Gondwana region. The vesicles of recovered forms are black and fragmentary. This is principally attributed to intense tectonic activity during the Himalayan orogenic movement which resulted into high thermal alteration. The chitinozoans are found along with melanosclerites.

Influence of environmental predispositions on temperate mountain forest damage at different spatial scales during alternating drought and flood periods:case study in Hruby Jeseník Mts.(Czech Republic)

Mountain forests are more prone to environmental predispositions(EPs)than submountain ones.While remote sensing of mountain forests enables instantaneous damage mapping,the investigation of the causes requires field data.However,a local field or regionally modeled environmental characteristics influence remote data evaluation differently.This study focused on the evaluation of EPs effects damaging mountain forests between various spatial resolutions during environmental change.The evaluation was divided into managed and natural forests in the Hruby Jeseník Mts.(Czech Republic;240-1491 m a.s.l.;50.082°N,17.231°E).Damage was assessed through the discrimination analysis of the normalised difference vegetation index(NDVI)by MODIS VI during alternating drought and flood periods 2003-2014.The local environmental influence was assessed using the discrimination function(DF)separability of forest damage in the training sets.The regional influence was assessed through map algebra estimated via the DF and a forest decline spatial model based on EPs from differences between risk growth conditions and biomass fuzzy sets.Management,EPs and soil influenced forest NDVI at different levels.The management afflicted the NDVI more than the EPs.The EPs afflicted the NDVI more than the soil groups.Strong winters and droughts had a greater influence on the NDVI than the flood events,with the winter of 2005/2006 inverting the DF direction,and the 2003 drought increasing differences in managed forest biomass and decreasing differences in natural forest biomasses.More than 50% of declining managed forests in the training sets occurred on Leptosols,Podzols and Histosols.On a regional scale,the soil influence was eliminated by multiple predispositions.The EPs influenced 96% of natural forest and 65% of managed forest,though managed forest damage was more evident.The mountain forest NDVI decline was dependent on both management and risk predispositions.

Chemical Weathering of New Pyroclastic Deposits from Mt. Merapi (Java), Indonesia

The Java Island, Indonesia with abundant amount of pyroclastic deposits is located in the very active and dynamic Pacific Ring of Fires. Studying the geochemical weathering indices of these pyroclastic deposits is important to get a clear picture about weathering profiles on deposits resulting from the eruption of Mt. Merapi. Immediately after the first phase of the eruption （March to June 2006）, moist and leached pyroclastic deposits were collected. These pyroclastic deposits were found to be composed of volcanic glass, plagioclase feldspar in various propoitions, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, olivine, amphibole and titanomagnetite. The total elemental composition of the bulk samples （including trace elements and heavy metals） was determined by wet chemical methods and X-ray fluorescence （XRF） analyses. Weathering of the pyroelastic deposits was studied using various weathering indices. The Ruxton ratio, weathering index of Parker, Vought resudual index and chemical index of weathering of moist pyroclastic deposits were lower than those of the leached samples, but the alteration indices （chemical and plagioclase） were slightly higher in the moist compared to the leached pyroelastic deposits.

Morpho-Structure of the 1982 Lava Flow Field at Mount Cameroon Volcano, West-Central Africa

Basaltic eruptions have been observed to produce structurally complex, compound 'a'ā lava flow fields but their morphometry has only rarely been systematically documented. We document the morphology and structures that developed during the emplacement of the 1982 basaltic lava flow field at Mount Cameroon (MC) volcano over a period of one month. Topographic cross-sections (13 in total) were made from the main vent (~2700 m above sea level (a.s.l)) down to a distance of 5.5 km on the cooled lava surface. Details obtained from these cross-sections include: channel width and depth, levee slope, lava surface morphology and structures. These details enabled us to describe the physical characteristics of the 1982 lava flow field. The inclined (12° - 19°) underlying slopes on which this flow field was emplaced resulted in a characteristic channelized basaltic 'a'ā flow field morphology. This includes a proximal zone characterised by reduced flow width and depth with no subsidiary channels. Slab-crusted lava dominates the proximal channel distinctively bent into convex upward shapes. 7 secondary vents were observed for the first time ~2.5 km from the main vent, with heights of 3 - 15 m. This is a very significant observation since it points to the fact that the flow field emplacement may have been a product of 2 eruption sites as observed at other historical MC lava flow fields. This supposition was ruled out by further evidence obtained from other surface features within the flow field. The presence of these secondary vents still has an important bearing in lava flow hazard assessment. Field observations also revealed the presence of tumulus. This is a novel feature for MC lava flow fields. It displayed a close similarity to those observed at other basaltic volcanoes occurring in association with clinker 'a'ā lava, lava tubes, squeeze-ups and pressure ridges. Channels are well-defined, bounded by levees. Accretional and overflow levees dominate in this flow field. This lava flow-field attained a final length of 7.5 km, an area of 2.6 × 106 m2 and volume of 1.3 × 107 m3. The presence of tumulus indicates internal inflation together with structures such as pressure ridges and squeeze-ups which are also attributed to compressive forces. Our observations suggest that real-time monitoring of compound lava flow fields evolution at MC may reveal the emplacement mechanisms of complex structures such as the secondary vents (~2180 - 2011 m a.s.l.) observed within the flow field. In addition, documenting the occurrence, morphology and link between lava tubes, tumulus and squeeze-ups may allow us to determine the risk of reactivation of a stalled flow front. This will thereby enhance the ability to track and assess hazards posed by lava flow emplacement from MC-like volcanoes.

Studying Tuff Rings and Volcanic Hazards in a Tropical Setting: The Case of the Batoke Tuff Ring, Limbe, SW Region Cameroon

In subtropical volcanic environments, there are often few accessible outcrops. These are often highly weathered and of very poor quality. Soil development is rapid (1 cm/y) and small eruptions are unlikely to be preserved in the geological record. Reconstructing past eruptions and assessing hazards is a challenge. Here, we studied a poorly outcropping tuff ring (very poor, incomplete sections) with the best outcrop observed at a beach cliff (up to ca. 5 - 10 m high) at Batoke, to the south of Mt Cameroon volcano. Mt Cameroon has a few tuff rings, currently of unknown ages, near the SW coast of Cameroon. In the Batoke case, the sequence is dominated by gently dipping tuff beds varying in the proportion of lithics, juvenile clasts, and accretionary lapilli (acc-laps). Several beds are close-packed with acc-laps of up to 10 - 15 mm diameter. Part of the section is gullied by mud flow deposits. The rocks are highly weathered but differential weathering enhances relationships. Quantitative data can be extracted from a detailed study of outcrops’ external surfaces. The preserved section is close to where the deposits were initially thickest and where acc-laps were most abundant and largest. There is an empirical correlation between maximum acc-lap size in the thickest outcrop and eruption column height. This and the deposit features suggest that the Batoke eruption was pulsating but dominated by fallout, with a water and ice-rich eruption column reaching 10 - 15 km high. Recycling of water drops and ice-coated fine ash accumulated during eruption. At switch off, wholesale gravitational collapse of this material produced the mud flows, which gullied the previously-laid down deposits. Such ash fall and mud flows can represent a substantial hazard, e.g. they can gully down through towns and roads and cut evacuation routes. This study illustrates how, at subtropical tuff rings, it is possible to extract key data needed for hazard assessment from only 1 - 2 poor outcrops.

The breakfast imperative： The changing context of global food security

The debate on global food security has regained vigor since the food crisis of 2008, when a sudden spike in the prices of staple food commodities dramatically demonstrated that securing the supply and accessibility of food for a world of nine billion people in 2050 cannot be taken for grant- ed （Godfray etal. 2010; Swinnen and Squicciarini 2012;

Effects of land use on the fungal spore richness in small crater-lake basins of western Uganda

Mycological tools to estimate the effects of diverse land-use practices on fungal diversity are scarce,because of poor knowledge of the taxonomic diversity of tropical fungi and their response to anthropogenic habitat change.Here,we investigate assemblages of fungal spores,recently deposited in the bottom sediments of 24 small crater lakes in western Uganda,to assess the relationship between the local richness of fungi and environmental variation in the crater basin along regional gradients of natural vegetation and land use.We recovered~9500 fungal spore specimens,which could be attributed to 216 morphotypes.Using an information-theoretic approach based on the corrected Akaike Information Criterion(AICc),we determined the environmental factors which best explained variation in the diversity of fungal spores among three datasets:(i)the full set of 24 crater basins,(ii)the subset of 22 basins with freshwater lakes,and(iii)the subset of 17 basins partly or completely in agricultural use(cropland,fallow land,pasture and plantation).In these 17 human-impacted crater basins our results revealed a negative relationship between fungal spore richness and the areal fraction of basins in agricultural use.However,this detrimental effect of land use on fungal spore richness was not apparent across the full set of both disturbed and(presently)undisturbed basins.This was due to large variation in fungal spore richness among the undisturbed basins covered either with forest or savannah vegetation,probably resulting from site-specific controls on fungal habitat diversity,such as climatic moisture balance and the composition of natural and/or secondary vegetation.The land-use effects on fungal spore diversity,as documented in this study,suggest that communities of tropical fungi progressively exposed to land-use practices are threatened by species loss.Hence,our study demonstrates the need to develop conservation strategies mitigating the impacts of agriculture on the biodiversity of tropical fungi.

农田土壤有机碳含量对作物产量影响的模拟研究

【目的】探求土壤有机碳含量对作物产量的影响,以期为保障国家粮食安全和耕地持续利用与管理提供决策依据。【方法】利用农田生态系统生物地球化学模型DNDC,针对中国东北、华北、西北、中南、华东和西南6个典型农业区域,每个区域选择各自典型的种植模式和现行的农田管理措施,在各自特定的土壤和气候条件下,输入并运行模型,模拟考察在其它投入条件不变的情况下,改变土壤有机碳本底值对作物产量的影响。【结果】当土壤有机碳含量(SOC)增加1g C.kg-1,东北地区玉米产量可增加176kg·hm-2;华北地区夏玉米与冬小麦轮作,产量可增加约454kg·hm-2;西北地区春玉米产量约可增加328kg·hm-2;中南地区单季水稻产量可增加约185kg·hm-2;华东地区双季稻产量可增加约266kg·hm-2;西南地区水稻与冬小麦轮作产量可增加约229kg·hm-2。【结论】在其它投入既定的条件下,全国各地区均存在通过提高耕地土壤有机碳含量来增加作物产量的潜力。保持较高水平的土壤有机碳含量对节本增效具有十分明显的作用。

Model-based analysis of spatio-temporal changes in land use in Northeast China

Spatially explicit modeling techniques recently emerged as an alternative to monitor land use changes. This study adopted the well-known CLUE-S(Conversion of Land Use and its Effects at Small regional extent) model to analyze the spatio-temporal land use changes in a hot-spot in Northeast China(NEC). In total,13 driving factors were selected to statistically analyze the spatial relationships between biophysical and socioeconomic factors and individual land use types. These relationships were then used to simulate land use dynamic changes during 1980–2010 at a 1 km spatial resolution,and to capture the overall land use change patterns. The obtained results indicate that increases in cropland area in NEC were mainly distributed in the Sanjiang Plain and the Songnen Plain during 1980–2000,with a small reduction between 2000 and 2010. An opposite pattern was identified for changes in forest areas. Forest decreases were mainly distributed in the Khingan Mountains and the Changbai Mountains between 1980 and 2000,with a slight increase during 2000–2010. The urban areas have expanded to occupy surrounding croplands and grasslands,particularly after the year 2000. More attention is needed on the newly gained croplands,which have largely replaced wetlands in the Sanjiang Plain over the last decade. Land use change patterns identified here should be considered in future policy making so as to strengthen local eco-environmental security.

Application of remote sensing for sustainable agriculture and forest management

Global warming resulting from greenhouse effect has threatened to the sustainability of agriculture,forest and land surface globally.A significant rise in extreme weather events has been observed worldwide,particularly in developing countries[1].In the changing climatic era,the economic importance of the remote sensing and geographical information system(GIS)to monitoring forests and agricultural resources is imperative to the development of agro-ecosystem services and the products responding to user needs[2].The applications of the remote sensing for forestry and agriculture,including the estimation of the land surface,biophysical variables,forest vegetation’s,methods for mapping land cover,primary soil properties,the estimation of the forest cover area,and the contribution of remote sensing for crop and water monitoring to manage adverse conditions.

Transferring Google Earth observations to GIS-software: example from gully erosion study

High-resolution images availableonGoogle Earth are increasingly beingconsulted in geographic studies.However,most studies limit themselves to visualizations or on-screen measurements.Google Earth allows users to create points,lines,and polygons on-screen,which can be saved as Keyhole Markup Language(KML)files.Here,the use of R statistics freeware is proposed to easilyconvertthese files to the shapefile format[or‘.shp file format’],which can be loaded into Geographic Information System(GIS)software(ESRI ArcGIS 9 in our example).The geospatial data integration in GIS strongly increases the analysis possibilities.