Impacts of anthropogenic activity on the recent evolution of the Huanghe (Yellow) River delta

Hydrological statistical data, remote sensing images, and bathymetric charts were used to study the recent evolution of the Huanghe (Yellow) River delta under human-induced interventions. It was clear that water and sediment discharge from the Huanghe River had dropped rapidly since 1970, particularly after 1986. The water and sediment discharges for the period of 1986-2000 were found to have been reduced to only 29.2% and 31.2% of those in the period of 1950-69. This was caused by human factors in the upper and middle reaches of the Huanghe River, including water diversion, damming and reservoir construction, and water and soil conservation. Based on the results from visual interpretation of processed Landsat (MSS or TMJETM+) images dated from 1976 to 2001 and two digital elevation models generated from bathymetric charts surveyed in 1976 and 1992, we found that human-induced reduction of water and sediment discharge led to coastline retrogradation, with the maximum mean recession rate of -0.51 km yr-1 over the period of 1976-98, and seabed erosion beyond the -20 m isobath between 1976 and 1992. Other impacts of human activities on the recent evolution of the Huanghe River delta, including tidal flats shrinking, artificial coastline increasing, land surface sinking and so on, were also analyzed. We found that: (i) the whole delta, including subaerial and subaqueous, has turned from a highly constructive period to a destructive phase; (ii) channelization and dredging were two of the main causes of delta destruction; (iii) land loss in the Huanghe River delta caused by submersion will be increased in the near future; (iv) the Huanghe River delta was becoming more fragile and susceptible to natural hazards.

Social and ecological influences on dispersal and philopatry in the plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae)

Benefits and costs of dispersal and philopatry of the social plateau pika (Ochotona curzoniae) were studied on the Tibetan plateau for 3 years. Although short-lived, plateau pikas live in cohesive family groups that occupy burrow systems in sedge meadow habitat Most (57.8%) plateau pikas were philopatric, and dispersal movements were extremely restricted. No juvenile females or adult pikas moved more than two family ranges between years; the greatest observed dispersal distances were by two juvenile males that moved five family ranges from the family of their birth. Traversing unfamiliar habitat was not a cost of pika dispersal because most dispersers settled in families that they could easily visit before dispersal. Dispersal movements appeared to result in equalization of density among pika families, an expected result if competition for environmental resources influenced dispersal. Males did not disperse to gain advantages in competition for mates, as evidenced by their moving to families with significantly fewer females. Females, however, moved to families with significantly more males. Males provide abundant paternal care, and significantly more offspring per female survived to become adults from families with more adult males per adult female. Evidence concerning the influence of inbreeding avoidance on natal dispersal was indirect. Some males exhibited natal philopatry; thus some families had opportunity for close inbreeding. Males and females that dispersed had no opposite-sex relatives in their new families. Philopatric pikas may have benefited by remaining in families that exhibited low local densities, and philopatric females might have benefited from social cooperation with relatives.