[Spatial Differentiation of Soil Organic Carbon Density and Influencing Factors in Typical Croplands of China].

Cropland soil organic carbon density (SOCD) is an important indicator for measuring soil fertility and soil quality. To understand the spatial differentiation characteristics of cropland SOCD and its influencing factors across China, a dataset on the cropland SOCD of 19 typical stations during 2005-2015 was collected from the China Ecosystem Research Network. The geodetector method was used to analyze the influencing factors affecting the spatial patterns of cropland SOCD. The results indicated that the mean cropland SOCD ranged from 0.83 kg·m-2 to 4.97 kg·m-2 in different stations across China, and was higher in humid monsoon regions than in arid and semi-arid regions. Under different land use patterns, the SOCD of paddy fields was higher than that of other croplands and showed a tendency of significant increase from 2005 to 2015, reaching 0.13 kg·(m2·a)-1. The soil physical and chemical properties and precipitation were important influencing factors that affected the spatial patterns of cropland SOCD. In particular, the soil alkaline nitrogen content had the greatest impact on the cropland SOCD patterns. Furthermore, the interaction forces between the soil alkaline nitrogen content and latitude, soil type, precipitation, and soil pH were clearly strengthened. The findings can provide an important scientific basis for reducing cropland greenhouse gas emissions and increasing soil carbon sequestration across China.

Analysis of meteorological dryness/wetness features for spring wheat production in the Ili River basin, China.

Understanding the impacts of climate change on crop yield is important for improving crop growth and yield formation in northwestern China. In this study, we evaluated the relationship between meteorological dryness/wetness conditions and spring wheat yield in the Ili river basin (IRB). The climate and yield data from 1961 to 2013 were collected to analyze characteristics and correlations between these two variables using the standardized precipitation evapotranspiration index (SPEI), yield detrending method, modified Mann-Kendall test and Spearman correlation analysis. Main results were as follows: (1) correlations between monthly SPEI values (MSV) and climatic yield of spring wheat indicated that the dryness/wetness condition in May was a key factor affecting yield in the whole region; (2) although the MSV in May and yield fluctuated from negative to positive values in time, the severely and extremely dryness events were in good agreement with the higher yield losses; (3) each increase of 0.5 MSV in May promoted over 3% increase of yield in most part of IRB; however, the larger variability of MSV in May resulted in larger yield fluctuations; and (4) the Tibetan Plateau index in April showed significant correlations with the MSV in May and yield, which provided a precursory signal for decision-makers to better understand potential yield fluctuations.

Remote sensing of the urban heat island effect in a highly populated urban agglomeration area in East China.

Increasingly urban agglomeration, representing a group of cities with a compact spatial organization and close economic links, can rise surface temperature in a continuous area due to decreasing distance between cities. Significant progress has been made in elucidating surface urban heat island intensity (SUHII) of a single city or a few big cities, but the SUHII's patterns remain poorly understood in urban agglomeration regions. Using Aqua/Terra MODIS data over 2010-2015, we examined the SUHII variations and their drivers in Yangtze River Delta Urban Agglomeration (YRDUA) of east China. Instead of using the widely-used suburban/rural areas as references, this study predicted the unaffected reference temperature wall-to-wall from natural forests by a simple planar surface model. Results indicated that urbanization warmed the land surface regardless of urban area size in YRDUA, with the SUHII clearly larger in the day (2.6±0.9°C) than night (0.7±0.4°C). The SUHII varied markedly by cities, yet the largest did not happen in the presumed core cities. Also, the SUHII differed greatly in a seasonal cycle, with summer-winter difference of 4.2±0.9°C and 2.0±0.5°C in the day and night, respectively. Particularly, cooling effects of urban areas were observed in winter for the majority of cities at night. These spatiotemporal patterns depend strongly on the background climate (precipitation and air temperature), vegetation activity, surface albedo, and population density, with contrast mechanisms during the day and night. Further, we showed that ignoring urban agglomeration effect (using suburban/rural areas as the unaffected references) would lead to large biases of SUHII estimates in terms of magnitude and spatial distribution. Our results emphasize the necessity of considering cities altogether when assessing the urbanization effects on climate in an urban agglomeration area.

[Spatial-temporal characteristics of land surface temperature in Tianshan Mountains area based on MODIS data].

Based on the MODIS/MOD11A2 data from 2001 to 2013, this paper researched the characteristics of land surface temperature (LST) of Tianshan Mountains area. The results indicated that the average of LST in the study area was 1.73 °C , and LST was much higher in the east than in the west. The inter-annual variation range of LST in the northwest was significantly large than in other regions, with the largest above 0.55 °C in some areas. The LST tended to slowly increase with time, and the increase rate was 0.147 °C . a-1. It showed a significant seasonal difference, and the fluctuation of winter was significantly larger than in other seasons with the coefficient of variation reaching 12.7%. The LST difference of day time was greater than that at night, and that in summer was greater than in other seasons. The LST differed with land use types, and the fitted results were inconsistent between the LST and NDVI. With the increase of NDVI of woodland and grassland, the LST decreased dramatically. The LST of construction land and cropland under the influence of human activities had higher sensitivity with NDVI than other land types.

Analysis of patterns and ecological security trend of modern oasis landscapes in Xinjiang, China.

Ecological security has become so important that it will affect the national security and social sustainable development. In this paper, a case study on the ecological security indexes of modern oasis landscapes in Beitun Oasis, Xinjiang, was carried out. The spatial neighbouring parameters, such as the contiguous length, measure of area and patch quantity of oasis landscape patches, affected by desert landscape patches were calculated by using GIS-based buffer analysis, the method of calculating ecological security indexes of oasis landscape was developed, and the dynamic changes of patterns and ecological security indexes of the oasis landscapes since recent 30 years were analyzed. The results showed that soil salinization or alkalization and paludification were major factors affecting the ecological security in Beitun Oasis. Therefore, measures should be taken actively to prevent and control secondary salinization and paludification. The ecological security indexes of the oasis landscape in 1972, 1990 and 2005 were 78.91, 82.28 and 83.86, respectively, which showed the degree of security is improving, and the environment was developing harmoniously between human and nature. The methods of evaluating ecological security based on the spatial neighbouring relations between landscape patches can be used to reflect preliminarily the ecological security patterns of landscapes.

[Aboveground biomass of Tamarix on piedmont plain of Tianshan Mountains south slope].

Based on the geo-morphological and hydro-geological characteristics, the piedmont plain of Tianshan Mountains south slope was classified into 4 geo-morphological belts, i.e., flood erosion belt, groundwater spill belt, delta belt, and the joining belt of piedmont plain and Tarim floodplain. A field investigation on the Tamarix shrub in this region showed that there was a significant difference in its aboveground biomass among the four belts, ranged from 1428.53 kg x hm(-2) at groundwater spill belt to 111.18 kg x hm(-2) at the joining belt of piedmont plain and Tarim floodplain. The main reason for such a big difference might be the different density of Tamarix shrub on different belts. Both the Tamarix aboveground biomass and the topsoil's salinity were decreased with increasing groundwater level. Groundwater level was the main factor limiting Tamarix growth, while soil salinity was not.

[Patterns and characteristics of ecological water demand in west arid zone of China--a case study of green corridor in the lower reaches of Tarim River].

Ecological water demand has some characteristics. The ecological water demand that was used for protection of the green corridor in the lower reaches of Tarim River was chiefly water demand by natural vegetation below Daxihaizi reservoir, and it included gross restoration water amount of ground water level and gross stand water amount in all over the lower reaches of Tarim River. The gross restoration water amount of ground water level mainly included restoration water amount of ground water level and lateral discharge, as well as evaporation of the course. Based on the drainage target of Alagan in 2005, gross ecological water demand was the gross water amount of restoration ground water level between Daxihaizi and Alagan, which would be 13.20 x 10(8) m3. Meanwhile, the annual average water demand would be 2.64 x 10(8) m3. Because the drainage target and vegetation protection target would be all Taitema lake in 2010, the gross ecological water demand included not only the gross water amount of restoration ground water level between Alagan and Taitema lake, but also the ecological stand water amount between Daxihaizi and Taitema lake, which would be 18.32 x 10(8) m3. Meanwhile, the annual average water demand would be 3.66 x 10(8) m3. From the year 2010 to 2030, the gross ecological water demand would be consisted of two parts (the gross stand water amount between Daxihaizi and Alagan, and the water demand by increased vegetation of 18.67 x 10(4) hm2), and the total ecological water demand during the 20 years would be 139.00 x 10(8) m3. Meanwhile, the annual average water demand would be 6.95 x 10(8) m3.

[Coupling relationship between water and salt of waters ecosystems in arid zone: a case study in Xinjiang Tarim River basin].

The pollution of waters ecosystems is caused by natural and artificial factors in Tarim River. Temporal and spatial variation of surface runoff is the main reason for changes of coupling relationship between water and salt. In the end of 1950s, mineralization degree was less than 1.0 g.L-1 from the upper reaches to the lower reaches of Tetema Lake in Tarim River. At present, only in July, August and October, mineralization degree is less than 1.0 g.L-1. During the other months, mineralization degree is more than 3.0 g.L-1 in Alaer Lake. In Qiala (the lower reaches of Tarim River), mineralization degree is more than 1.0 g.L-1 except in March. Moreover, mineralization degree is about 5.0 g.L-1 in July and December. It is showed that annual water quality belongs to the fifth seriously polluted water in Alaer, Xinquman and Yingbazha. Meanwhile, annual water quality in Qiala belongs to the fourth polluted water. In a word, water quality state and hydrological chemistry component are the most obviously indicator for coupling relationship between water and salt in Tarim River.