Elemental carbon record of paleofire history on the Chinese Loess Plateau during the last 420 ka and its response to environmental and climate changes

An elemental carbon (EC) record, covering the last 420 ka, was reconstructed using chemical oxidation method on a loess and paleosol sequence from the Lingtai section on the Chinese Loess Plateau. The EC record reveals the paleofire history and its relationship with climate and vegetation changes on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Our results show that the EC abundance is generally higher in the paleosols than in the loess layers, showing a glacial/interglacial pattern, which is coincident with biomass changes. This variation pattern indicates that paleofires were intensified when biomass accumulated and climate changed abruptly especially from wet to dry conditions. The EC abundance increases sharply at similar to 130 kaB.P., indicating a dramatic change in the vegetation and climate variation patterns. The occurrence of a peak value with the highest average EC abundance in the Holocene may reflect the occurrence of a major climate event at similar to 6 kaB.P., and may also be partly due to more frequent anthropogenic fire usages. (c) 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Can the study of natural vegetation succession assist in the control of soil erosion on abandoned croplands on the Loess Plateau, China?

In the Loess Plateau, China, arable cultivation of slope lands is common and associated with serious soil erosion. Planting trees or grass may control erosion, but planted species may consume more soil water and can threaten long-term ecosystem sustainability. Natural vegetation succession is an alternative ecological solution to restore degraded land, but there is a time cost, given that the establishment of natural vegetation, adequate to prevent soil erosion, is a longer process than planting. The aims of this study were to identify the environmental factors controlling the type of vegetation established on abandoned cropland and to identify candidate species that might be sown soon after abandonment to accelerate vegetation succession and establishment of natural vegetation to prevent soil erosion. A field survey of thirty-three 2 × 2–m plots was carried out in July 2003, recording age since abandonment, vegetation cover, and frequency of species together with major environmental and soil variables. Data were analyzed using correspondence analysis, classification tree analysis, and species response curves. Four vegetation types were identified and the data analysis confirmed the importance of time since abandonment, total P, and soil water in controlling the type of vegetation established. Among the dominant species in the three late-successional vegetation types, the most appropriate candidates for accelerating and directing vegetation succession were King Ranch bluestem (Bothriochloa ischaemum) and Lespedeza davurica (Leguminosae). These species possess combinations of the following characteristics: tolerance of low water and nutrient availability, fibrous root system and strong lateral vegetative spread, and a persistent seed bank.

Glacial-interglacial changes in dust deposition on the Chinese Loess Plateau

The Chinese Loess Plateau (CLP) contains an extensive record of aeolian deposition through multiple glacial–interglacial cycles. Independent chronologies based on pedostratigraphy, magnetic susceptibility, radiocarbon and luminescence dating were developed for 79 sites and used to estimate aeolian mass accumulation rates (MARs) for marine isotope stages 1–5. The regional median value of MAR for Stage 2 is 310 g/m2/yr compared to an estimate of 65 g/m2/yr for Stage 5. Estimated MARs from individual sites for Stage 2 are approximately 4.3 times greater than MARs for Stage 5 and 2.1 times greater than for Stage 1. MAR values at individual sites are consistently highest in the northwest and lowest in the southwest of the CLP during all marine isotope stages. MARs estimated on sections through loess terraces are consistently higher than MAR estimates at other sites, indicating that local recycling of loess material from exposed river valley deposits has been significant throughout the last 130 kyr. Although the spatial and temporal patterns in MAR are robust, there are uncertainties about the magnitude of these changes due to (a) lack of bulk density measurements and uncertainties in the chronologies for individual sites, (b) site and chronological biases in the sampling used to derive regional estimates, and (c) the unquantified nature of human impact on accumulation rates during the late Holocene. Nevertheless, the records from the CLP pose a number of challenges which could be addressed by numerical models of the palaeo-dust cycle.

Magnetic susceptibility and particle size for the Shilou red clay section on the eastern Chinese Loess Plateau

The Chinese Loess Plateau red clay sequences display a continuous alternation of sedimentary cycles that represent recurrent climatic fluctuations from 2.58 Ma to the Miocene. Deciphering such a record can provide us with vital information on global and Asian climatic variations. Lack of fossils and failure of absolute dating methods made magnetostratigraphy a leading method to build age models for the red clay sequences. Here we test the magnetostratigraphic age model against cyclostratigraphy. For this purpose we investigate the climate cyclicity recorded in magnetic susceptibility and sedimentary grain size in a red clay section previously dated 11Myr old with magnetostratigraphy alone. Magnetostratigraphy dating based on only visual correlation could potentially lead to erroneous age model. In this study the correlation is executed through the iteration procedure until it is supported by cyclostratigraphy; i.e., Milankovitch cycles are resolved in the best possible manner. Our new age model provides an age of 5.2Ma for the Shilou profile. Based on the new age model, wavelet analysis reveals the well-preserved 400 kyr and possible 100 kyr eccentricity cycles on the eastern Chinese Loess Plateau. Further, paleomonsoon evolution during 2.58-5.2Ma is reconstructed and divided into three intervals (2.58-3.6Ma, 3.6-4.5Ma, and 4.5-5.2Ma). The upper part, the youngest stage, is characterized by a relatively intensified summer monsoon, the middle stage reflects an intensification of the winter monsoon and aridification in Asia, and the earliest stage indicates that summer and winter monsoon cycles may have rapidly altered. The use of cyclostratigraphy along withmagnetostratigraphy gives us an effectivemethod of dating red clay sequences, and our results imply that many presently published age models for the red clay deposits should be perhaps re-evaluated.

黄土丘陵区植被次生演替灌木初期的土壤养分特征

对黄土丘陵区植被次生演替灌木初期的土壤养分特征进行了研究。结果表明:灌木初期土壤养分含量总体上表现出0~20 cm土层明显高于20~60 cm土层,而20~40 cm和40~60 cm间无显著差异。0~60 cm土壤深度内,土壤养分因子含量平均值变化范围分别为:有机质4.66~9.83 g.kg-1,全氮0.33~0.61 g.kg-1,全磷0.49~0.52 g.kg-1,有效氮21.56~41.80 mg.kg-1,有效磷0.73~1.31 mg.kg-1,有效钾58.31~102.01 mg.kg-1。灌木初期的土壤养分条件略好于草本阶段,说明植被演替草本阶段对土壤的培肥作用为群落向灌丛演替阶段发展提供了一个较好的土壤养分环境。灌木初期不同,灌木树种间的土壤养分条件存在一定差异,表明不同灌木树种定居所需适宜的土壤养分条件也不同;灌木初期除土壤全磷外,其他各养分因子间均表现出极显著线性相关关系(P<0.01)。

黄土丘陵区植被次生演替灌木种群的土壤养分效应

研究黄土丘陵区植被次生演替灌木群落形成过程中土壤养分的变化情况。【方法】以白羊草群落为对照,选取杠柳、狼牙刺、丁香、虎榛子和柠条5种乡土树种为研究对象,测定其土壤养分含量,计算灌木群落形成变化过程中的土壤养分指数(Soil Nutrient Index,SNI),分析了各养分因子间的线性相关关系。【结果】不同灌木初期对土壤养分的适应能力大小顺序为:柠条(0.072)>狼牙刺(0.114)>杠柳(0.163)>丁香(0.172)>虎榛子(0.292)。不同植被物种群落土壤SNI值大小顺序为:虎榛子群落(0.979)>狼牙刺群落(0.535)>柠条群落(0.457)>丁香群落(0.341)>杠柳群落(0.333)>白羊草群落(0.145)。从不同灌木群落形成过程所产生的土壤养分改善效应来看,各参试群落相对于白羊草群落土壤养分的增幅分别为:虎榛子(4.740倍)、狼牙刺(2.909倍)、柠条(2.661倍)、杠柳(1.169倍)和丁香(1.168倍)。各土壤养分因子间除土壤全磷与有效磷和有效钾的相关性不显著外,其余各土壤养分因子间均表现出极显著的线性相关关系(P<0.01)。【结论】不同灌木种群所需的适宜土...

黄土丘陵区流域生物量和气体调节服务功能价值动态变化及评价

文章研究纸坊沟流域内草地、农地、林地、灌丛四种不同生态系统类型植被生产力及逐年生物量,估算各生态系统类型固定CO2和释放O2的能力,并根据生态学原理和生态经济学方法,运用碳税法、造林成本法和影子价格法,推算出各生态类型固定CO2和释放O2气体的生态、调节服务功能价值。研究表明,1985～2001年流域总生物量年均生物量和总体呈线性增加趋势。由于各种治理措施的实施和退耕还林(草)政策的正确导向,纸坊沟流域土地利用趋于合理,CO2/O2气体调节服务功能价值逐步增强,流域生态经济系统向良性演变。不同生态系统类型气体调节功能价值的估算为退耕还林(草)年限及生态补偿提供了科学决策依据。

黄土丘陵区梯田谷子养分循环特征与生产力关系的研究

以新修梯田7年长期肥料定位试验为依据,研究了不同施肥条件下谷子各部位生物量、养分携出量、养分平衡以及耕层土壤养分时空变化。结果表明,有机肥与N、P肥配合施用可提高谷子的籽粒产量和生物产量。养分携出量的大小顺序为籽粒>叶>糠秕>茎,为同类地区农业生产及生态环境建设提供科学依据。

黄土丘陵沟壑区人工林地的土壤抗蚀性评价

以延安、安塞、吴旗的人工刺槐林、柠条林为研究对象,选取同一地区的自然恢复草地和坡耕地为对照,通过对5个表征土壤抗蚀性的指标即>0.25 mm水稳性团粒含量、>0.5 mm水稳性团粒含量、平均重量直径、团聚状况和团聚度的比较分析,对人工刺槐林、人工柠条林相对于自然恢复草地和坡耕地改善土壤抗蚀性的效果进行了评价,同时分析了不同林龄人工林土壤抗蚀性的变化。研究表明,人工林地相对于坡耕地,显著提高了土壤抗蚀性,但不及自然恢复草地,尤其在安塞和吴旗表现更明显;随着林龄的增长,人工林地土壤抗蚀性能增强,并趋于稳定。并通过对样地的聚类分析,也得出与上述相似的结果。综合分析表明,封禁条件下的植被自然恢复是黄土丘陵沟壑区比较适宜的植被恢复方式和控制土壤侵蚀的有效措施。

黄土丘陵沟壑区坡沟植被生态序列研究

植被生态序列是小地形对植被空间分布影响的反映。采用样线法,对安塞纸坊沟支沟拐沟中南北向短坡面深沟谷和长坡面浅沟谷断面进行植被调查,分析其植被生态序列特征、物种组成及物种多样性。结果表明:短坡面深沟谷序列主要以灌乔木等演替后期物种为主,而长坡面浅沟谷序列则主要为草本物种;同一序列中,阴坡、沟谷地具有比阳坡、沟间地复杂的演替后期群落;序列中物种主要由菊科(Compositae)、豆科(Leguminoseae)和禾本科(Gramineae)构成,生活型主要为多年生草本,生态型以旱生、中旱生为主。α多样性指数在阴坡和短坡面深沟谷序列较高,β多样性指数在地形变化活跃的沟缘线区较高。研究结果可为黄土丘陵沟壑区植被建设人工调节提供参考依据。

黄土丘陵区影响生物结皮退化因素的初步研究

通过植被—枯落物—生物结皮的样方调查,分析植被、枯落物及结皮自身生长状况与结皮退化的关系。结果表明:1)植被盖度和基盖度的变化对生物结皮退化影响较大,而对枯落物下结皮退化度和枯落物下结皮盖度的影响不明显,说明高等植物对植物间空地生物结皮退化的影响不明显;2)生物结皮的自身生长状况与其退化过程的关系不明显,其退化主要是受到其他因素的作用影响;3)枯落物的厚度和盖度是枯落物下结皮退化的重要影响因素,也是影响结皮退化盖度的重要因素。

黄土区人工与天然植被对凋落物量和土壤有机碳变化的影响

在黄土丘陵区选择从耕地、草地、灌木林到乔木林样地,不同样地内设立1m×1m(乔木10m×10m)的样方,分析样方内凋落物积累量、碳氮含量、土壤有机碳(SOC)和可溶性碳(DOC)含量变化。结果表明:天然草地、灌木林、乔木林凋落物积累量依次为5.3,12.1和32.4t.hm-2;但人工灌木林和乔木林的凋落物积累量分别为6.7和11.4t.hm-2,分别是天然灌木林和乔木林的1/2和1/3。随着植被的恢复,天然植被凋落物的C/N高于人工植被(刺槐林除外)。与耕地SOC(4.67g·kg-1)相比,天然灌木林地SOC提高5.9倍,人工灌木林地提高1.8倍;天然乔木林地提高8.0倍,而人工乔木林地仅提高4.0倍。凋落物积累量与0～20cm土层土壤有机碳存在显著线性相关关系(R2>0.83),但20cm以下线性相关关系不显著。凋落物积累量与0～10cm土壤可溶性碳含量存在显著线性相关关系(R2>0.893),与10～60cm土层线性相关关系不显著,与80～100cm土壤可溶性碳存在显著线性负相关关系。

土丘陵沟壑区植被恢复过程中的土壤抗蚀与细沟侵蚀演变

对黄土丘陵沟壑区安塞纸坊沟和县南沟、延安燕沟3个流域不同恢复年限的植物群落的土壤抗蚀性和侵蚀程度进行了研究。对12个土壤抗蚀性指标进行主成分分析表明,土壤抗蚀性(主成分综合指数)强弱为灌木群落阶段>多年生草本和蒿类群落阶段>一二年生草本群落阶段,与一二年生草本群落阶段相比,灌木群落阶段与多年生草本和蒿类群落阶段的土壤抗蚀性分别增加了362.29%～673.33%和574.71%～930.00%;野外调查结果分析表明,随着植被的恢复演替,土壤侵蚀量呈现明显的下降趋势,灌木群落阶段的土壤侵蚀量仅为演替初期的1.42%～5.59%;通过回归分析,土壤侵蚀量和水稳性团聚类因子,以及有机质含量之间分别存在极显著与显著相关关系,鉴于土壤分析的易获性,可选择>0.5mm水稳性团聚体与有机质含量作为反映土壤侵蚀程度的指标。

黄土丘陵沟壑区纸坊沟小流域农业生态安全态势变化的驱动力分析

以黄土丘陵沟壑区纸坊沟小流域为研究对象,利用1985—2006年调查和监测资料,综合现有研究成果,将主成分分析和通径分析方法相结合,分析可能影响农业生态安全态势变化的各因子,探讨农业生态安全态势变化的驱动力。结果表明:自然条件是影响黄土丘陵沟壑区纸坊沟小流域农业生态安全态势变化的基础,人文社会经济条件是其变化的主要驱动力,具体可归纳为经济发展、人口压力、流域产业结构调整和农业科技进步4类因子;此外,国家和区域的相关政策、农业产业链与资源量相关度对农业生态安全也有一定影响。