Indicating appropriate groundwater tables for desert river-bank forest at the Tarim River, Xinjiang, China

Based on data collected over 2 years of monitoring the lower reaches of the Tarim River, the groundwater table depth was divided into six classes; 0 to 2 m, 2 to 4 m, 4 to 6 m, 6 to 8 m, 8 to 10 m, >10 m. We investigated the vegetation in this area to measure the influence of groundwater table depth on plant diversity and species ecological niche. The results indicated that plant diversity was highest at the 2 to 4 m groundwater table depth, followed by that at 4 to 6 m, and then that at 0 to 2 m. When the groundwater depth dropped to below 6 m, species diversity decreased dramatically, and the slope of Hill's index tended to level off. The ecological niche of the major species in this area initially expanded as the groundwater level dropped. The widest niche appeared at the 4 to 6 m groundwater table depth and gradually narrowed with deepening groundwater. Ecological niche analysis also revealed that the 4 to 6 m groundwater table depth was associated with the lowest degree of niche overlap and the richest variety of species. Our findings indicate that in the lower reaches of the Tarim River, the groundwater table depth must be a minimum of 6 m for vegetation restoration; it should be maintained at 2 to 4 m in the vicinity of the water path, and at 4 to 6 m for the rest of this arid area.     

Impacts of ecological water conveyance on groundwater dynamics and vegetation recovery in the lower reaches of the Tarim River in northwest China

The ecological water conveyance project (EWCP) in the lower reaches of the Tarim River provided a valuable opportunity to study hydro-ecological processes of desert riparian vegetation. Ecological effects of the EWCP were assessed at large spatial and temporal scales based on 13 years of monitoring data. This study analyzed the trends in hydrological processes and the ecological effects of the EWCP. The EWCP resulted in increased groundwater storage—expressed as a general rise in the groundwater table—and improved soil moisture conditions. The change of water conditions also directly affected vegetative cover and the phenology of herbs, trees, and shrubs. Vegetative cover of herbs was most closely correlated to groundwater depth at the last year-end (R?=?0.81), and trees and shrubs were most closely correlated to annual average groundwater depth (R?=?0.79 and 0.66, respectively). The Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) responded to groundwater depth on a 1-year time lag. Although the EWCP improved the NDVI, the study area is still sparsely vegetated. The main limitation of the EWCP is that it can only preserve the survival of existing vegetation, but it does not effectively promote the reproduction and regeneration of natural vegetation.     

Effect of the ecological water conveyance project on environment in the Lower Tarim River, Xinjiang, China

The dynamic response of groundwater level is examined in traverse and lengthways directions. Take the Yinsu section for an example, we have simulated groundwater levels before and after water-conveyance every time and calculated the incidence of groundwater on the both sides of the river. It is noted that the effect keeps growing with the water-delivery times increasing, from 570 m after the first times to 3,334 m after the eighth times. In addition, this paper involves the temporal response of the natural vegetation to water conveyance, vegetation coverage, planted-species number, dominant position and species diversity from 2002 to 2006. The findings indicate that the positive influence of ecological water conveyance project (EWCP) on the ecosystem in the Lower Tarim River is a long-term process. In this paper, we try to calculate water required for recovery of damaged ecosystem by using data available. This project is likely the base of research on water demand and the reference of measures for research on ecological water conveyance effect.     

Influence of intermittent water releases on groundwater chemistry at the lower reaches of the Tarim River, China

Based on the data of the depths and the chemical properties of groundwater, salinity in the soil profile, and the basic information on each delivery of water collected from the years 2000 to 2006, the varied character of groundwater chemistry and related factors were studied. The results confirmed the three stages of the variations in groundwater chemistry influenced by the intermittent water deliveries. The factors that had close relations to the variations in groundwater chemistry were the distances of monitoring wells from the water channel, the depths of the groundwater, water flux in watercourse, and the salinities in soils. The relations between chemical variation and groundwater depths indicated that the water quality was the best with the groundwater varying from 5 to 6 m. In addition, the constructive species in the study area can survive well with the depth of groundwater varying from 5 to 6 m, so the rational depth of groundwater in the lower reaches of the Tarim River should be 5 m or so. The redistribution of salts in the soil profile and its relations to the chemical properties and depths of groundwater revealed the linear water delivery at present combining with surface water supply in proper sections would promote water quality optimized and speed up the pace of ecological restoration in the study area.     

塔里木河下游植被指数的遥感监测

为了了解塔里木河下游9次应急输水的生态环境效益，利用MODIS—NDVI最大合成法、差值法，分析了塔里木河下游植被指数的年际变化情况，结果表明：（1）塔里木河下游地区植被覆盖度变化中增加区面积呈增加趋势。（2）2002年与输水初期相比，植被覆盖度增加区主要分布于上段和中段的老塔里木河及其文阔尔河河道两侧，下段河道覆盖度增加区仅零星分布于距河道0．3km左右的地势低洼区域。2003年以后，下段植被覆盖度增加区面积已达84．30km^2，是2002年的3．16倍，主要分布在距离河道0．5km左右的河道两侧。至2007年塔里木河下游河道两侧植被覆盖度增加区的变化是比较显著的，特别是下段植被覆盖增加区呈带状分布于距河道1．5km左右的范围内。植被指数遥感监测说明塔里木河下游地区的生态环境得到明显改善。     

紧急调水后塔河下游生态环境的改善恢复情况

塔里木河下游河道断流已经二十多年，地下水位持续下降，绿色走廊濒临绝境，抢救塔里木河下游绿色走廊已迫在眉睫，2001年4月1日第3次向塔河下游输水，并确保向下游输水3亿m^3至台特玛湖，对此分析了紧急调水后塔河下游生态环境的改善情况。     

孔雀河中下游生态环境治理探讨

孔雀河作为塔里木河流域的一条重要河流，被誉为巴音郭楞州人民的“母亲河”。近年来，由于博斯腾湖水位下降，孔雀河上游无序截水灌溉，导致其中下游极度干旱，巳严重威胁到绿色走廊的畅通以及下游农牧区的生产、生活和可持续发展。本文通过对孔雀河中下游环境现状的分析，从其治理的必要性、重要意义、基本原则、对策、建议等方面进行了探讨。     

CVOR在山区河道整治植被恢复综合评价中的应用研究

以石葵河生态河道治理为例，将工程扰动区划分为河道工程区（Q1）、临时施工道路区（Q2）、弃渣场区（Q3）、取土区（Q4）、临时表土堆场区（Q5）等5个分区。采用层次分析法和CVOR模型，构建山区河道整治工程扰动区植被恢复综合评价模型。结果表明：Q1区植被恢复潜力最强，生态健康等级为健康，属容易恢复区，Q4区、Q5区、Q2区生态健康等级为不健康，植被恢复潜力较弱，生态修复中须加大投资；植被恢复潜力与生态系统健康评价结果基本保持一致，基况条件对植被恢复潜力影响较大，可通过人工干扰提高扰动区植被恢复潜力，提升植被恢复效果。     

The threshold between natural recovery and the need for artificial restoration in degraded lands in Fujian Province, China

Whether to use artificial restoration or to allow natural recovery of degraded land has been an important topic in restoration ecology because of the need to determine the most appropriate way to restore degraded lands that have suffered from serious soil erosion. To identify the threshold between a need for artificial restoration and the possibility of natural recovery, we analyzed the vegetation cover, soil fertility parameters, erosion modulus, and runoff coefficient in 32 plots with different vegetation covers in China’s Fujian province from 1999 to 2009. In our study, 20 % vegetation cover appeared to be the threshold between natural recovery and artificial restoration. When vegetation cover dropped below 20 %, it was difficult to stabilize the original ecological structure and functions based on natural recovery mechanisms, and artificial restoration was needed. By monitoring sites to detect when vegetation cover is approaching this threshold, local managers could determine whether natural or assisted recovery represents the most appropriate strategy for ecological restoration.     

塔里木河流域生态脆弱性评价研究

塔里木河流域受自然及人为因素的影响,局部地区生态退化问题突出,从景观生态学的干扰性质理论和恢复生态学的观点出发,选择水资源系统、土地资源系统及植被资源系统及其10个综合性敏感因子对流域生态的敏感性及恢复力进行分析,并确定敏感因子的定量指标,定性代码及其权重和阈值,通过算术对数插值对敏感因子实际值进行规范化处理,并构建生态胁迫度。结果表明,塔里木河三源流阿克苏河流域、叶尔羌河流域、和田河流域及于流区的上、中、下游区生态胁迫度分别为0．13、0．25、0．30、0．31、0．57及0．84,在评价分级标准的限定下,其对应的生态脆弱性程度依次为轻微脆弱、一般脆弱、一般脆弱、一般脆弱、中等脆弱及严重脆弱。