Simulation of Morphological Development of Soil Cracks in Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley Region, Southwest China

Soil cracking is an important process influencing water and solutes transport in the Yuanmou Dry-hot Valley region of Southwest China. Studying the morphological development of soil cracks helps to further reveal the close relationship between the soil cracking process and water movement in such semi-arid regions. Here we report regular changes on surface morphology of soil cracks with decreasing water in four different soils (Typ-Ustic Ferrisols,Ver-Ustic Ferrisols,Tru-Ustic Vertisols and Typ-Ustic Vertisols) through simulation experiments. Our results indicate the following: 1) Different soils ultimately have different development degrees of soil cracks,according to their various values of crack area density. Soil cracks in Typ-Ustic Ferrisols can only develop to the feeble degree,while those in the other three soils are capable of developing into the intensive degree,and even into the extremely intensive degree. 2) Soil crack complexity,as expressed by the value of the area-weighted mean of crack fractal dimension (AWMFRAC),is found to continuously decrease as a whole through the whole cracking process in all the studied soils. 3) Soil crack connectivity shows a uniform trend in the studied soils,that is to say,connectivity gradually increases with soil crack development.

Selection of Adaptive Grass and Frutex and Their Planting Benefits in the Arid-Hot Valleys of Yuanmou

In view of the environment character of the soil and content of the soil organic carbon, 278 species of grass and frutex were introduced from abroad and China, Some were selected by applied production and plantation benefit investigations. The results showed that： In the arid-hot valleys of Yuanmou the selected species showed the characteristics of fast growth and high yield （38 227.00 kg/hm2）, high nutrition value （CP% content of legu- minous grass and frutex were 22.47%）, as well as the strong ad- versity resistance to high air temperature and arid climate （soil humidity was 3.4%）. The selected species not only effectively meliorated soil and increased fertility, but also improved small environment weather.

Responses of Dodonaea viscosa growth and soil biological properties to nitrogen and phosphorus additions in Yuanmou dry-hot valley

Nitrogen(N) and phosphorus(P) are limited nutrients in terrestrial ecosystems, and their limitation patterns are being changed by the increase in N deposition. However, little information concerns the plant growth and the soil biological responses to N and P additions among different soils simultaneously, and these responses may contribute to understand plant-soil interaction and predict plant performance under global change. Thus, this study aimed to explore how N and P limitation changes in different soil types, and reveal the relationship between plant and soil biological responses to nutrient additions. We planted Dodonaea viscosa, a globally distributed species in three soil types(Lixisols, Regosols and Luvisols) in Yuanmou dry-hot valley in Southwest China and fertilized them factorially with N and P. The growth and biomass characters of D. viscosa, soil organic matter, available N, P contents and soil carbon(C), N, P-related enzyme activities were quantified. N addition promoted the growth and leaf N concentration of D. viscosa in Lixisols; N limitation in Lixisols was demonstrated by lower soil available N with higher urease activity. P addition promoted the growth and leaf P concentration of D. viscosa in Luvisols; severe P limitation in Luvisols was demonstrated by a higher soil available N: P ratio with higher phosphatase activity. Urease activity was negatively correlated with soil available N in Nlimited Lixisols, and phosphatase activity was negatively correlated with soil available P in P-limited Luvisols. Besides, the aboveground biomass and leaf N concentration of D. viscosa were positively correlated with soil available N in Lixisols, but the aboveground biomass was negatively correlated with soil available P. Our results show similar nutrient limitation patterns between plant and soil microorganism in the condition of enough C, and the nutrient limitations differ across soil types. With the continued N deposition, N limitation of the Lixisols in dry hot valleys is expected to be alleviated, while P limitation of the Luvisols in the mountaintop may be worse in the future, which should be considered when restoring vegetation.

A Quantification of the Effects of Erosion on the Productivity of Purple Soils

Research on the effects of soil erosion on soil productivity has attracted increasing attention.Purple soil is one of the main soil types in China and plays an important role in the national economy.However,the relationship between erosion and the productivity of purple soils has not been well studied.The purpose of this research was to determine if soil depth,which is dependent on the rate of erosion,has an influence on crop yield and growth.Plot and pot experiments at different soil depths were performed.Results indicate that soils from different parental materials had different growth features and crop yields due to the differential fertility of the derived soils.The yield reduction rate increases exponentially with the depth of eroded soil(level of erosion).The yield reduction rate per unit eroded soil horizon(10 cm) is approximately 10.5% for maize and wheat.

Landscape Ecological Evaluation on the Artificial Forest of Leucaena leucocephala——Taking the Example of Xiaokua Hill of Yuanmou

Based on the theory of ecology, this article conducted a landscape ecological evaluation on Leucaena leucocephala artificial forest in the add-hot valley, Yuanmou Xiaokua hill, using a combination method of qualitative analysis and landscape comprehensive evaluation. The comprehensive evaluation indexes of landscape include forest coverage, biodiversity, stability, soil erosion, environmental quality, availability, scientific research characteristic, economic benefits. Using AHP （analytical hierarchy process）, determine the grade of ecological evaluation factors and the weight of evaluation index and calculate the CEI （comprehensive evaluation index） on ecological evaluation. Evaluation results showed that the area CEI was 0.714 225, a better quality of the ecological level, but biodiversity indicators was the lowest. To sum up, it was difficult to maintain ecological restoration effectiveness and process but also guarantee a good biodiversity in the add-hot valleys. We must reasonably arrange the alien species and the native species, in order to obtain a stable and sustainable eco-system.

Vegetation Restoration Technique System and Its Ecological Functions of the Degraded Ecosystem in the Arid-Hot Valleys——Taking the Example of Typical Mode in Small Watershed of Yuanmou

This paper concluded the vegetation restoration technique system in the arid-hot valleys and studied the anti-erosion function, environmental function and biological diversity effects of vegetation restoration on the ecosystem in the arid-hot valleys. The results showed that the soil erodibility decreased significantly after the vegetation restoration. The climate environment of the small watershed had a great improvement after the vegetation restoration, of which the temperature decreased, the humidity increased, the harsh environment of dry and hot in this region changed. The studies of the ecosystem biodiversity were mainly on the analysis of the relations between biodiversity and ecological function of the artificial ecological forest pattern and the natural enclosed treatment mode on the severely of degraded land. It could conclude that the natural enclosed treatment mode is helpful to the biodiversity of the ecosystem and the improvement and stability of the ecosystem, and Leucaena artificial forest restoration pattern reduced the species diversity but optimized the ecological function. Therefore, as to the severely and extremely severely degraded ecosystem in the arid-hot valleys, Leucaena pattern of gully control and natural enclosed treatment mode are the relatively optimal choices.

Rainfall-Interception Effect of Vegetation Restored Region of Gully in Arid-Hot Valley of Jinshajiang River

This paper divides the process of rainfall redistribution into four levels in vegetation restored region of gully in arid-hot valley of Jinshajiang River. These levels include arbor interception, litter interception, soil interception and surface runoff. The results showed that the maximum of interception was 8.10 mm, the mean interception was 4.53 mm, the maximum of interception rate was 56.10 % and the mean interception rate was 32.63 %.When the rainfall is over 20 mm, the interception rate descends rapidly along with the rainfall increasing. The maximum of water-holding content of litter was 8.14-20.33 t/hm^2, the mean of which is 12.52 t/hm^2 and the maximum of water-holding content was over two times of it own weight. The rainfall of litter interception was 150.24 mm, accounted for the rainfall income 24.48%.The maximum water-holding capacity of soil achieves 2 198.54 t/hm^2, but that of the barren land is 1 825.60 t/hm^2. The rainfall of soil interception was 219.87 mm, accounted for the rainfall income 35.82%. The surface runoff of vegetation restored region was 43.41 mm, accounted for 7.07% of the rainfall income, but the surface runoff of non-forest land was 413,24 mm, accounts for 70.26% of the rainfall income.The surface runoff of the planted forest community was by 63.19% lower than that of the non-forest land. Through the interception of the forest land that reduced the soil erosion effectively, good hydrology effect was obtained.

Simulation of the landform change process on a purple soil slope due to tillage erosion and water erosion using UAV technology

Both tillage erosion and water erosion are severe erosional forms that occur widely on sloping agricultural land.However,previous studies have rarely considered the process of landform change due to continuous simulation experiments of alternating tillage erosion and water erosion.To identify such changes,we applied a scouring experiment(at a 60 L min-1 water discharge rate based on precipitation data from the local meteorological station and the catchment area in the Yuanmou County,Yunnan Province,China)and a series of simulated tillage experiments where plots were consecutively tilled 5,10,and 15 times in rotation(representing 5 yr,10 yr,and 15 yr of tillage)at slope gradients of 5°,10°,and 20°.Close-range photogrammetry(CRP)employing an unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)and a real-time kinematic global positioning system(RTK-GPS)was used to measure landform changes,and highresolution digital elevation models(DEMs)were generated to calculate net soil loss volumes.Additionally,the CRP was determined to be accurate and applicable through the use of erosion pins.The average tillage erosion rates were 69.85,131.45,and 155.34 t·hm-2·tillage pass-1,and the average water erosion rates were 1892.52,2961.76,and 4405.93 t·hm-2·h-1 for the 5°,10°,and 20°sloping farmland plots,respectively.The water erosion rates increased as tillage intensity increased,indicating that tillage erosion accelerates water erosion.Following these intensive tillage treatments,slope gradients gradually decreased,while the trend in slope gradients increased in runoff plots at the conclusion of the scouring experiment.Compared to the original plots(prior to our experiments),interactions between tillage and water erosion caused no obvious change in the landform structure of the runoff plots,while the height of all the runoff plots decreased.Our findings showed that both tillage erosion and water erosion caused a pseudo-steady-state landform evolutionary mechanism and resulted in thin soil layers on cultivated land composed of purple soil in China.

Transpiration of the Tamarind Artificial Forest in the Arid-Hot Valleys of Jinshajiang River,Yunnan

The transpiration characteristics of the tamarind artificial forest in the arid-hot valleys of Jinshajiang River, Yunnan were investigated through the measurement of the transpiration rate, stomatal conductance of tamarind leaf and the related envi- ronmental factors. The results showed that the transpiration of the tamarind in the clear sky had the close positive correlations with photosynthetically active radiation and air temperature and negative correlation with atmosphere moisture in the whole growth period. The daily change tendency of the transpiration rate was the similar with stomatal conductance, and the transpiration had the positive correlation with stomatal conductance. The transpiration rate of tamarind was highest in the rainy season of June and July and was relatively low in the drought season of March and April. The transpiration water consumption in rainy season of June and July was obviously higher than that in drought season of March and April. It fully suggested that the tamarind showed very good drought resistance and adaptability to the arid-hot valleys of Yunnan .

Photosynthesis Characteristics of Three Species of Forages in the Arid-Hot Valleys

By using TPS-1 portable photosynthesis measuring system, the photosynthesis characteristics of three kinds of high quality forages used in the arid-hot valley eco-agricultural models in Yuanmou were measured. The paper shows that Pennisetum purpureum Schumach is the heliophilous shade tolerance C4 plant and Styiosanthes guianensis is the heliophilous shade tolerance plant, both of them could make full use of the light energy under the weak light environment and have relatively strong CO2 assimilation capacity. Cajanus cajan（L.） Millspaugh is the strong heliophilous plant with high requirement for light and has a relatively weak CO2 assimilation capacity. Generally, these three kinds of high quality forages are drought resistant and show a relatively good adaptability to the arid-hot valley environment. To improve cultivation administration level and to interplant timely in the forest can be helpful to the ecological niche and to improve the productivity force.

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.