Influence of dew on biomass and photosystem II activity of cyanobacterial crusts in the Hopq Desert, northwest China

Dew is an important water source for desert organisms in semiarid and arid regions. Both field and laboratory experiments were conducted to investigate the possible roles of dew in growth of biomass and photosynthetic activity within cyanobacterial crust. The cyanobacteria, Microcoleus vaginatus Gom. and Scytonema javanicum (Kutz.) Born et Flah., were begun with stock cultures and sequential mass cultivations, and then the field experiment was performed by inoculating the inocula onto shifting sand for forming cyanobacterial crust during late summer and autumn of 2007 in Hopq Desert, northwest China. Measurements of dew amount and Chlorophyll a content were carried out in order to evaluate the changes in crust biomass following dew. Also, we determined the activity of photosystem II(PSII) within the crust in the laboratory by simulating the desiccation/rehydration process due to dew. Results showed that the average daily dew amount as measured by the cloth-plate method (CPM) was 0.154 mm during fifty-three days and that the crust biomass fluctuated from initial inoculation of 4.3 mu g Chlorophyll a cm(-2) sand to 5.8-7.3 mu g Chlorophyll a cm(-2) crust when dew acted as the sole water source, and reached a peak value of approximately 8.2 mu g Chlorophyll a cm(-2) crust owing to rainfalls. It indicated that there was a highly significant correlation between dew amounts and crust moistures (r = 0.897 or r = 0.882, all P < 0.0001), but not a significant correlation between dew and the biomass (r = 0.246 or r = 0.257, all P > 0.05), and thus concluded that dew might only play a relatively limited role in regulating the crust biomass. Correspondingly, we found that rains significantly facilitated biomass increase of the cyanobacterial crust. Results from the simulative experiment upon rehydration showed that approximately 80% of PSII activity could be achieved within about 50 min after rehydration in the dark and at 5 degrees C, and only about 20% of the activity was light-temperature dependent. This might mean that dew was crucial for cyanobacterial crust to rapidly activate photosynthetic activity during desiccation and rehydration despite low temperatures and weak light before dawn. It also showed in this study that the cyanobacterial crusts could receive and retain more dew than sand, which depended on microclimatic characteristics and soil properties of the crusts. It may be necessary for us to fully understanding the influence of dew on regulating the growth and activity of cyanobacterial crust, and to soundly evaluate the crust's potential application in fighting desertification because of the available water due to dew. (C) 2009 Published by Elsevier Ltd.

Man-made desert algal crusts as affected by environmental factors in Inner Mongolia, China

Man-made desert algal crusts were constructed on a large scale (3000m(2)) in Inner Mongolia, China. Microcoleus vaginatus was mass cultivated and inoculated directly onto unconsolidated sand dune and irrigated by automatic sprinkling micro-irrigation facilities. The crusts were formed in a short time and could resist the erosion of winds and rainfalls 22 days after inoculation. The maximum biomass in the man-made algal crusts could also reach 35 mu g Chl a/cm(2) of soil. Effects of environmental factors such as temperature, irrigation, rainfall and soil nutrients on algal biomass of man-made algal crusts were also studied. It was found that rainfalls and lower light intensity had significantly positive effects on the biomass of man-made algal crusts. The preliminary results suggested that man-made algal crusts could be formed rapidly, and thus it might be a new feasible alternative method for fixing unconsolidated sand. (c) 2006 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geostatistical analysis of chlorophyll a in freshwater ecosystems

Horizontal spatial patterns of chlorophyll a in Meiziya Reservoir, Hubei Province, China were analyzed once each month during May, June and July 1997. Two geostatistical techniques, semivariance and fractal analysis, were used to determine variation in chlorophyll a over the whole study area (isotropic) and in different directions (anisotropic). Both techniques provided useful information for detecting and assessing spatial pattern changes of chlorophyll a in freshwater environments. Based on our case study, the distribution of chlorophyll a shifted from aggregated to random distribution in the case of small rainfall event, and then returned to the aggregated distribution after a large rainfall event. On the other hand, the distribution of chlorophyll a became more heterogeneous or random in the direction of water flow (S-N direction) when rainfall events occurred, which was enhanced by rainfall intensity. In contrast, the influence of water flow on the spatial patterns was weak in the E-W direction, and thus the distribution of chlorophyll a remained aggregate with a moderate spatial heterogeneity.

A non-linear perturbation model considering catchment wetness and its application in river flow forecasting

A non-linear perturbation model for river flow forecasting is developed, based on consideration of catchment wetness using an antecedent precipitation index (API). Catchment seasonality, of the form accounted for in the linear perturbation model (the LPM), and non-linear behaviour both in the runoff generation mechanism and in the flow routing processes are represented by a constrained nan-linear model, the NLPM-API. A total of ten catchments, across a range of climatic conditions and catchment area magnitudes, located in China and in other countries, were selected for testing daily rainfall-runoff forecasting with this model. It was found that the NLPM-API model was significantly more efficient than the original linear perturbation model (the LPM). However, restric tion of explicit nan-linearity to the runoff generation process, in the simpler LPM-API form of the model, did not produce a significantly lower value of the efficiency in flood forecasting, in terms of the model efficiency index R-2. (C) 1997 Elsevier Science B.V.

田间含碎石土壤水分入渗及再分布试验研究

为探明碎石存在于田间土壤中如何改变土壤水分运移通道、影响土壤水分运动,揭示田间含碎石土壤水分运动的复杂过程,采用便携式针头降雨器在铜川崾岘梁修建的临时小区进行模拟降雨实验,测定含碎石浅层土体的入渗和水分再分布过程,采用土壤水分运动通量法计算浅层土体不同深度各截面面积的水量在雨后不同时间段的变化,分析含碎石土壤再分布特征及碎石含量对浅层土体入渗和水分再分布的影响。结果表明:碎石有利于田间浅层土壤入渗和蓄存;室内较田间测定的含碎石土壤入渗率小一个数量级以上;降雨后较短时段,碎石含量相对高的林地小区的浅层土体水分在降雨停止后呈增加趋势,表现了蓄水过程,碎石含量较低的撂荒地则表现了释水过程;降雨后较长时段,多数小区浅层土体(0-30 cm)水量变化呈现了"排水-存储交换-排水"过程,少数小区仅呈现了"排水"过程;雨后16 h左右的土体各截面面积的水量与碎石含量呈现了以直线y=0.4873为轴对称的递增和递减的指数为1/2的幂函数关系,说明碎石对黄土区典型土石区土体水分运动具有促进和阻滞双面影响。本文的研究结果可为含碎石土壤的水分利用及水分循环提供参考。

草本植物对土质路面径流水动力学特征及水沙过程的影响

通过室内人工模拟降雨,研究了草本植物不同覆盖度土质路面的径流水动力学特征以及路面的产流产沙过程。结果表明,路面径流的弗劳德数和雷诺数属层流的急流范畴,并且二者与径流流速及过水断面单位能量相同,均随草本植物覆盖度的增大而减小。而Darcy-weisbach阻力系数以及曼宁糙率系数则均随覆盖度的增大而增大。在不同覆盖度土质路面上,径流量随径流时间急剧增大后趋于稳定,且二者符合移轴双曲线关系,而输沙率则经历了先增大后减小的过程。随着植被覆盖度的增大,土质道路的水分入渗率逐渐增大,而径流量、输沙率及含沙率均逐渐减小。该研究表明土质路面种植的草本植物具有较好的水土保持功能,为阐明草本植物与土壤侵蚀的关系提供了理论依据。

红壤坡面降雨入渗及产流产沙特征试验研究

采用室内模拟降雨研究了不同降雨强度和坡度对红壤坡面降雨入渗、产流产沙的影响。结果表明:产流时间随降雨强度和坡度的增大而提前。对于入渗率较低的红壤坡面,径流强度主要受坡面承雨强度的影响,径流强度随雨强增大而增大,随坡度增大而减小。坡面入渗率随降雨强度的增大表现为先增大后减小。降雨强度增大能够增加水分入渗,但这种促进作用仅在一定的降雨强度范围内起作用。坡面入渗率随坡度增大表现为先增大后减小,20°左右存在一个坡面入渗率变化的临界坡度。坡面细沟侵蚀发展状况对稳定坡面入渗率有比较大的影响。径流率和入渗率与降雨历时的关系分别可以用幂函数和对数函数描述。在75,100 mm/h降雨强度下,产沙量随坡度的增大而增大,而50 mm/h降雨强度下,产沙量在20°时达到最大值而后出现下降,在20°附近存在一个侵蚀产沙量变化的临界坡度。

典型黄土坡面天然草地产流产沙规律试验

通过野外模拟降雨试验,研究黄土区天然草坡的产流、产沙规律。试验设2个地类(草地和裸地)、3个降雨强度水平和3个坡度水平。结果表明:坡面初始产流时间与降雨强度呈负相关关系,与裸地相比,草地在降雨强度较大时(>2.0 mm/min)加快坡面产流,在中(1.0~2.0 mm/min)、小等级降雨强度(<1.0 mm/min)下则延缓产流;降雨强度较大时,裸地大坡度的产流强度随时间呈对数函数形式增长,中小等级降雨强度下的增长方式不符合这一规律;与中、小等级降雨强度不同,裸地在降雨强度较大时的产流产沙过程不一致;与裸地相比,草地的产流过程更为复杂,并不符合产流强度随时间呈对数函数形式增长的一般规律,草地产沙过程线与产流过程线的相对吻合程度受降雨强度的影响不明显。

植物路与土质路产流产沙过程的比较试验

通过室内人工降雨+放水冲刷相结合的方法,对5个坡度(3~18°),5种雨强(1~3mm.min-1),5组放水流量(1.4~9.0kg.m-2.s-1)下的黄棉土土质路面和早熟禾植物路面进行了共60余场次试验,对比分析了植物路相对于土质路侵蚀过程差异及产水、减沙效果。结果表明:在放水冲刷条件下,植物路侵蚀率随放水历时降低,其过程可用对数函数描述;土质路面侵蚀率变化复杂。两类道路的放水流量与侵蚀强度均呈现幂函数变化,且植物道路表现出明显的防蚀作用。雨强增加引起径流量、侵蚀强度增加,土质路的增加快于植物路;坡度增大时,侵蚀强度增大,径流深则为植物路稳定,土质路有小幅增加。植物路相对土质路的减沙幅度为26.24%~47.22%,减少能力可用抛物线方程描述,但植物路较土质路面有利于产生径流,径流深增加幅度平均为58.7%~144.1%,由于径流的泥沙含量大大降低,道路的侵蚀产沙反而有一定降低。

黄土高原降雨径流调控利用潜力定量评价模型

降雨径流的调控利用是缓解黄土高原干旱缺水与控制水土流失的有效手段,研究区域降雨径流调控利用潜力的定量评价对黄土高原降雨径流合理利用的宏观决策与规划设计具有重要意义。以黄土高原为例,将可以调控利用的最大降雨径流量作为资源化潜力值,从宏观尺度上,系统分析了影响该潜力的各个因素,确定出黄土高原降雨径流调控利用潜力的各项评价指标,利用GIS技术,建立了降雨径流各个影响因素的专题图层,提取出各个影响因素专题信息。在上述基础上,引入人工神经网络建模方法,建立了黄土高原降雨径流调控利用潜力BP网络模型,并利用实际资料对网络模型进行了训练和预测,取得了较好的结果。评价模型可供黄土高原降雨径流调控利用及其生态与环境保护工作参考。

黄土坡面下坡位土壤侵蚀过程的模拟试验

在中国科学院水利部水土保持研究所,采用2个不同坡长小区室内模拟降雨试验方法,对黄土坡面下坡位侵蚀过程进行研究。结果表明:1)坡面下坡位侵蚀模数随降雨过程、降雨强度及坡度的变化均具有大小交错,上下波动的特征,侵蚀模数随降雨过程的变化总体呈先上升后趋于稳定的态势,随降雨强度的增大而增加,随坡度的增大而先增大后减小,再增大再减小;2)坡面上、下坡位侵蚀模数随降雨过程、坡度及降雨强度的变化均具有明显差异,下坡位明显不如上坡位;3)坡面上坡位汇流和下坡位产流与坡面上坡位输沙对坡面下坡位侵蚀模数的影响可用二元线性方程很好地描述,前者的贡献率为47.8%,后者为20.4%;只通过观测分析小区平均侵蚀特征得出的坡面侵蚀过程,掩盖了坡面下坡位的真实侵蚀过程,采取水土保持措施减少坡面上坡位汇流及增加降雨就地入渗,可以有效地治理坡面下坡位的水土流失。

辽河流域降雨侵蚀力的时空变化分析

降雨侵蚀力是反映流域降雨侵蚀能力的综合指标之一。根据辽河流域10个气象站的日降雨量资料,利用日降雨侵蚀力模型估算辽河流域的降雨侵蚀力。结果表明:辽河流域降雨侵蚀力的空间变异与降雨量的空间分布趋势基本一致,由东南向西北递减,变化于1 000~3 800 MJ.mm/(hm2.h.a)之间;降雨侵蚀力年内集中度高,6—8月3个月约占全年的80%;降雨侵蚀力年际变化大,年际变率Cv在0.367~0.649之间,采用时序系列的Mann-Kendall检验表明,降雨侵蚀力并无显著变化趋势;特别是在流域水土流失严重的西辽河地区,年降雨侵蚀力较小,但年内集中程度大,年际变化更突出。

草地植被恢复对次降雨土壤水分动态的影响分析

通过对宁南典型草原植被恢复过程次降雨土壤水分动态的研究,阐明植被恢复对次降雨后土壤水分的影响及机理。结果表明,次降雨提高了土壤含水率和贮水量,均表现出1 d>3 d>7 d。草地封育能够提高次降雨资源化效率,随封育时间延长,次降雨后0-60 cm土壤含水率和0-100 cm土壤贮水量不断提高。降雨对封育草地土壤水分的影响范围在100 cm土层内,100 cm以下不能得到降雨的补充。封育时间延长土壤水分活跃层加深,坡耕地仅为40 cm,封育17 a后达到60 cm。土壤持水能力越强,表层土壤饱和导水率越大,雨后1 d在0-100 cm土壤贮水量越大。地上生物量愈大,雨后1~7 d在0-200 cm土壤耗水量越大。

~7Be示踪坡耕地次降雨细沟与细沟间侵蚀

对于坡面细沟与细沟间侵蚀过程的了解是建立侵蚀预报模型的基础,但传统方法难以对其进行深入研究。利用7Be示踪技术并结合人工模拟降雨,考虑坡脚沉积作用,研究了25°坡耕地径流小区次降雨过程中细沟与细沟间侵蚀动态。结果表明:根据流出径流小区泥沙7Be含量变化计算坡面明显细沟出现时间,由于坡脚沉积作用使得A、B两试验小区这一时间比实际细沟出现分别延迟了45min和11min;根据坡面-侵蚀泥沙中7Be总量守恒和泥沙质量平衡原理,坡面细沟间侵蚀及细沟侵蚀在坡面总侵蚀、坡脚沉积区泥沙及流出径流小区泥沙中的比例被定量区分开;总体上,细沟间侵蚀量在径流泥沙中的比例逐渐减少,而细沟侵蚀量逐渐增加。两试验小区中7Be示踪计算坡面细沟侵蚀量和坡脚沉积量与实测值相比相对误差均较小,因此7Be示踪技术可以对土壤侵蚀进行较为准确地定量研究。

黄土丘陵区不同土地利用方式下土壤水分入渗的对比试验

为更好地掌握黄土丘陵区不同土地利用方式下的土壤水分入渗性能,采用双环法和人工降雨法,分别对陕西省延安市燕沟流域林地、草地、农地3种土地利用方式的土壤水分入渗过程进行了对比试验。结果表明:双环法能较好的反映水向土中的入渗过程;而人工降雨法可以较为真实地反映天然降雨过程中雨水向土中的入渗过程, 两者有很大的不同,主要表现在土壤水分的入渗速率变化过程方面。前者测定的土壤水分入渗速率主要受制于土壤的物理性状,而后者:不但与土壤物理性状有关,还与降雨强度有较密切的关系。在人工模拟短历时暴雨条件下, 对于林地和荒坡草地,土壤水分入渗速率有随雨强增大而增大的趋势,而对于裸耕农地,随着雨强的增大,土壤水分入渗速率有降低的趋势。