A Numerical and Field Investigation of Surface Heat Fluxes from Small Wind-Sheltered Waterbodies in Semi-Arid Western Australia

Shelterbelts are used for a variety of purposes in agricultural environments, primarily because of their ability to improve the downwind microclimate. Excessive evaporative losses from small, agricultural water supply reservoirs in semi-arid Western Australia motivated a combined numerical modelling and field investigation into the potential for using shelterbelts to reduce evaporation from these open waterbodies. A numerical model of the disturbed momentum and turbulence fields in the region modified by the wind-shelter was employed and accounted for the presence of a waterbody downwind. The model was coupled with conservation equations for heat and moisture and sensible and latent heat fluxes were estimated from the simulated momentum, temperature and humidity fields. The numerical simulations were tested against four days of field data from two experiments conducted in the agricultural districts of southwest Western Australia that measured boundary-layer evolution over a variety of small waterbodies protected by artifical and natural wind-shelters. The model provided good predictions of windspeed during neutral conditions, but inadequate specification of the upwind boundary during non-neutral stabilities resulted in the model failing to capture any sensitivity to atmospheric stability as seen in the field data. Despite this limitation, the temperature and humidity fields were adequately captured by the model, and evaporative mass flux predictions also agreed well with estimates taken from water-balance measurements. It is concluded that well-designed wind-shelters can reduce evaporation from open waterbodies by 20–30% as a result of reductions in the velocity scales responsible for removing moisture from the water surface. The model can be used to estimate the values of various shelterbelt design parameters (e.g., porosity, height) that could be applied in the field to provide optimum evaporation reductions.     

沿海农田林网建设关键技术的经济学择优

对江苏沿海地区农田林网的经营类型、造林树种、林带配置进行了技术经济学分析和多目标灰色局势决策择优。结果表明：农田林网经营类型宜选择复合经营的果材兼用型林网。造林树种可选择速生丰产的杨树等用材树种和经济效益高的桃树等果树。林网配置在海堤河岸上选择用材树种，营造基干林带，筑起大网格框架；在道路沟渠上立体配置林果树种，营造主林带和副林带，构建中网格；在脱盐排水沟上添加果树辅助林带，建立小网格，形成多树种多林种合作、大中小网格配套、多道防线联防、多效益多产品产出的复合配置模式。     

福州市行道树对交通污染物扩散的影响

选择福州市中心城区3种典型的行道树结构作为研究对象,以CO为交通污染物的示踪气体,分别对绿化带两侧,即道路中央和人行道上CO浓度的时空变化进行了测定,分析了道路中央CO浓度与人行道上CO浓度的差值ΔC。研究结果表明:不同结构的行道树对交通污染物扩散有显著影响。主干道低覆盖度结构,最有利于交通污染物扩散;主干道高覆盖度结构和支路结构,则不利于交通污染物的扩散,使大量污染物涌入人行道,对行人健康构成危害。交通污染物的扩散效果取决于树冠结构,通过对各道路树冠结构的研究发现,疏透度与覆盖度均较小时,扩散效果最好;疏透度较大、覆盖度也较大时,扩散效果最差。     

Modeling the Potential of the Northern China Forest Shelterbelt in Improving Hydroclimate Conditions1

Abstract: The forest shelterbelt (afforestation) project in northern China is the most significant ecosystem project initiated in China during the past three decades. It aims to improve and conserve the ecological environment in the project areas. The tree belt stands along the southern edge of the sandy lands, nearly paralleling to the Great Wall. This study used a regional climate model to simulate the potential of improving regional hydroclimate conditions resulting from the afforestation project. Two simulations with preafforestation and postafforestation land cover were performed over East Asia from January 1987 to February 1988. The model resolution is 60 km. The differences between the two simulations suggest that the northern China forest shelterbelt project is likely to improve overall hydroclimate conditions by increasing precipitation, relative humidity, and soil moisture, and by reducing prevailing winds and air temperature. The effects are more significant in spring and summer than fall and winter. Changes in many hydrologic properties (e.g., evapotranspiration, soil moisture, and water yield), however, differ between the dry Northeast China and the moist Northeast China. The hydroclimate effects are also found in the surrounding areas, featured by noticeably moister conditions in the area south of the afforestation project. The results imply that the shelterbelt project would reduce water yield in afforested Northwest and North China during spring, but increase water yield in the afforested Northeast China as well as in the southern surrounding area, offset some greenhouse effects, and reduce the severity of dust storms. Possible improvements of this study by using actual afforestation data, modeling with higher resolution, longer integration and more detailed processes, and analyzing the physical mechanisms are discussed.     

A Regional Assessment of Windbreak Habitat Suitability

The Environmental Monitoring and Assessment Programwas initiated in 1989 by the United StatesEnvironmental Protection Agency to collect, analyze,and report quantitative, statistically unbiasedinformation about the state of the nation'senvironment on a regional basis. During a pilotprogram in Nebraska we measured a habitat suitabilityindex for a probability sample of 40 windbreaks andexpanded the results to estimate the potential valueof windbreaks as wildlife habitat in Nebraska. Theindex estimates the suitability of a windbreak ashabitat for wildlife including breeding birds, smallmammals, and deer. Index values range from zero toone, where a value of one indicates maximal habitatvalue. We estimated that 50% (±13% at 90%confidence) of windbreaks in Nebraska have a habitatsuitability index of 0.25 or less and that nowindbreaks have a suitability index greater than 0.6. Our results indicate that increasing the area ofindividual windbreaks is the most effective way toimprove their value as wildlife habitat. Monitoringwindbreak condition over time would alert wildlifemanagers to changes in the resource that might affectwildlife populations. Because our data were highlyvariable, the power to detect change in habitatcondition between two measurement periods was low. Amuch larger sample would be required to detect smallchanges in habitat condition. Variability may bereduced, and power increased, by carefully andconsistently constructing the sampling frame, keepingdata collection as simple as possible, appropriatelystratifying sample selection, and using a small numberof well-trained data collection teams. However, wesuggest adapting the index for use with aerialphotography in future efforts to evaluate windbreaksas wildlife habitat in extensive areas.     

苏北沿海防护林区域温度效应的研究

应用多元回归分析方法，研究了苏北沿海防护林的区域温度效应，初步结论是，防护林网冬季上午有增温效应，下午有降温作用，但不明显；夏季效应与冬季相反，且较强，效应强度与成熟付覆盖率及主导风向有关。     

宁夏盐池沙地农田防护林的防风阻沙效益

对宁夏盐池北部沙区典型农田防护林防风效能和阻沙效益的实地观测结果表明,小叶锦鸡儿(Caragana microphylla)灌木片林防护范围主要在林内和背风面距背风林缘0～3H(H表示树高)内,而背风面有效防护范围较小;沙柳(Salix psammophila)灌丛林带的迎风面和背风面风速均处于起沙风速(4.53 m·s-1)以上,对农田不能形成有效防护;榆树(Ulmus pumila)乔木林带残缺不全,严重影响防风效益.沙柳林带和榆树林带都是林带背风面大量积沙,未能有效地将风沙流中的来沙阻挡在农田以外;小叶锦鸡儿片林阻沙主要分布在林内,表明其能对农田形成有效防护.     

极端干旱区咸水灌溉人工防护林土壤可溶性碳的垂直分布及其影响因素

可溶性碳（DC）是土壤中最活跃的碳组分,植被恢复与重建加速了干旱荒漠区的碳循环过程.研究咸水灌溉下沙漠人工防护林地土壤剖面DC的分布,可为干旱荒漠区人工林的管理和开发利用提供理论支撑和决策依据.本研究选取塔克拉玛干沙漠公路沿线5个不同矿化度咸水滴灌林地作为研究样地,流沙地为对照（CK）,分析并讨论了0~1 m剖面土壤可溶性有机碳（SDOC）和可溶性无机碳（SDIC）的垂直分布特征及其与各因子间的相关关系.结果表明,CK与2.82 g·L^-1矿化度滴灌处理SDOC、SDIC呈"I"型分布,其分布满足线性函数关系,其他各样地SDOC和SDIC均呈"Γ"型分布,分布满足幂函数关系;所有处理表层SDOC、SDIC波动能力及贡献度均高于下层土壤,且SDOC波动及贡献度均大于SDIC,2.82 g·L^-1之外的各林地SDOC平均含量是SDIC的2~4倍;2.82 g·L^-1样地SDOC平均含量低于CK,其他各样地SDOC是CK的3~5倍,各样地SDIC含量较CK增加了15.0%~57.9%;矿化度高于2.82 g·L^-1的样地0~5 cm土层SDOC含量随灌溉水矿化度的增加而增加,各样地SDIC含量随矿化度的升高呈先增加后下降低趋势,4.82 g·L^-1样地达到最大.SDOC和SDIC与灌溉水矿化度、EC、SOC、SIC及土壤含水量均呈正相关关系,其中与土壤含水量表现出弱正相关,SDOC和SDIC与土层深度呈负相关关系;SDOC和SDIC与pH分别呈微弱的负相关和微弱的正相关.总之,灌溉水矿化度对SDOC和SDIC的垂直分布具有重要影响,同时与土壤含水量、土层深度、EC、SOC和SIC等因素紧密相关,这对极端干旱区人工林建设及管护具有重要意义.     

Investigation on the Degradation of Natural Heritage of Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring at Dunhuang City,China

Abstract

The main purpose of this study is to put forward a reasonable idea of the general protection for Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring, a rare and unique desert wonder, and of sustainable tourism development based on the research on the ecological environment around. Methods of documentation, case study and comparison were employed. Finally, aiming at solving the problems of natural environment and those existing after the exploitation of Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring the author puts forward three measures: the comprehensive treatment for Crescent Moon Spring (broadening resources of water and reducing expenditures, checking the decreasing depth of Crescent Moon Spring, and improving the geographical environment), the general protection envisions for Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring and establishing a dynamic monitoring and early-warning system of regional ecosystem.     

Investigation on the Degradation of Natural Heritage of Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring at Dunhuang City, China

The main purpose of this study is to put forward a reasonable idea of the general protection for Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring, a rare and unique desert wonder, and of sustainable tourism development based on the research on the ecological environment around. Methods of documentation, case study and comparison were employed. Finally, aiming at solving the problems of natural environment and those existing after the exploitation of Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring the author puts forward three measures： the comprehensive treatment for Crescent Moon Spring （broadening resources of water and reducing expenditures, checking the decreasing depth of Crescent Moon Spring, and improving the geographical environment）, the general protection envisions for Singing Sand Mountain and Crescent Moon Spring and establishing a dynamic monitoring and early-warning system of regional ecosystem.