Potential Mortality Effects of Off-Highway Vehicles on the Flat-Tailed Horned Lizard (<Emphasis Type="Italic">Phrynosoma mcallii</Emphasis>): A Manipulative Experiment

Southern California desert public lands receive especially high levels of off-highway recreation due to large population centers nearby and popular riding environments such as sand dunes. Controversy has developed over the flat-tailed horned lizard (Phrynosoma mcallii), previously a candidate for listing under the Endangered Species Act. Some evidence suggests lower lizard abundance in areas of higher recreational use than in areas with low or no use. We designed a manipulative experiment to ensure maximum inference in evaluating the direct impact of recreational riding of off-highway vehicles on lizards. Thirty-six lizards, in situ, were treated with an off-highway vehicle treatment during hibernation season in three treatment groups: high impact, low impact, and control. Treatments consisted of timed riding by off-highway vehicles. In all treatment groups survival was 100%, despite hibernation of lizards at very shallow depths. Consequently, indirect effects of off-highway vehicles deserve increased attention. The relative importance of direct versus indirect (i.e., degradation of lizard habitat) impacts caused by off-highway vehicles remains unknown. These indirect effects may include the altering of vegetation, substrate, and prey. We recommend that a manipulative approach be adopted to investigate these possibilities.     

A System to Monitor Climate Change with Epilithic Lichens

The issue of biological monitoring of the local consequences of anticipated global climate change is considered for the Central Negev Highlands, Israel. Epilithic lichens are suggested as biological monitors. The proposed methodology of such monitoring consists of a sampling scheme, including lichen measurement along transects on flat calcareous rocks, and construction of a trend detection index (TDI). TDI is a sum of lichen species cover with coefficients chosen so as to ensure maximum ability to detect global climate trends. Coefficients have been estimated in a study of lichens along an altitudinal gradient from 500 to 1000 m a.s.l. The gradient study demonstrated that the TDI index is performed better than other integrated indices. Recommendations on this system to monitor climate change with epilthic lichens are given. Measuring, for instance, a hundred transects in fifty plots (two transet per plot scheme) allows one to detect a climate-driven change in the epilithic lichen community corresponding to a 0.8 °C shift in annual mean temperature. Such resolution appears sufficient in view of global warming of 2.5 °C considered by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change as a realistic prediction for the end of the next century.     

Adaptation of Nitraria sphaerocarpa to wind-blown sand environments at the edge of a desert oasis

This study addresses the adaptation of Nitraria sphaervcarpa to blown sand at the edge of a desert oasis with regard to the aspects of soil seed banks, seedlings, and population. Horizontally, the total number of seeds per unit area decreased from the shrub canopy center to intershrub areas, and most seeds were found under shrub canopies. Vertically, the highest proportion of seeds was found at depths of 5-10 cm. The emergence percentage, seedling mass, and seedling height, which were significantly affected by both burial depth and seed size, were highest at the optimal burial depth of 2 cm, and decreased with increasing burial depth in each seed size-class. Although seedling mass was usually greatest for large seeds and least for small seeds at each burial depth, little difference was observed in seedling height at shallow burial depths of 0-3 cm. The population shows a patchy and discontinuous distribution pattern. Population height increases with increasing sand depth. Also the density increases with increasing depth of sand in the desert; however, there is a steady decrease when the depth of sand is more than 100 cm. This result indicates that the depth of sand that is most suitable for the growth of Nitraria sphaervcarpa is 100 cm. The size of the population is significantly correlated with the sand depth, which increases with increasing depth in the desert.     

腾格里沙漠东南缘春季降尘量和粒度特征

根据腾格里沙漠东南缘风沙科学观测场实测的降尘资料,对该地区春季(3~5月)降尘量和降尘粒度特征进行了研究.结果表明:该地区5月的降尘量最大,其次为4月和3月.春季降尘量的平均值为1053.3kg/hm2.研究区降尘平均粒径较粗,以沙物质为主.分选性较差至很好.偏度近对称至极正偏.峰度中等至很窄.受风速、地表粗糙度和沙源的影响,降尘粒级分布既有单峰,又有双峰和三峰,主要以双峰为主,同时,所有粒径中跃移颗粒约占90%,近距离输送的悬移颗粒占7%左右,而远距离输送的悬移颗粒仅占不到4%.因此可以认为,该地区跃移颗粒的跳跃高度高于前人的研究结果.同时,在腾格里沙漠东南缘的沙漠地区,大气降尘主要以局地的沙粒为主,远源沙尘贡献并不多.     

干旱和半干旱荒漠矿区环境问题与治理对策

介绍了我国西部干旱和半干旱荒漠地区的煤炭在长期的开发活动中引发的一系列的环境问题。通过对这些问题的分析，提出了系统性、持续性的环境保护对策，以使荒漠矿区的环境得到持续性改善，实现可持续发展。     

干旱沙区人工固沙植被演变过程中土壤有机碳氮储量及其分布特征

通过测定干旱沙区不同年代人工植被固沙区土壤剖面1 m深度容重和有机碳、全氮含量,估算了人工固沙植被演变过程中土壤有机碳和全氮储量特征及其垂直分布格局.研究表明,干旱沙区人工固沙植被演变过程中,0～100 cm深土壤有机碳和全氮储量均呈增加趋势;有机碳氮储量表现出了固沙初期的显著增加期(<16 a),随后的缓慢增加积累期(16～25 a),及后期的显著增加期(>25 a),该变化趋势主要体现在0～20 cm的表层.土壤有机碳氮储量增加程度随深度增加有降低趋势,并且表层土壤(0～20 cm)有机碳和全氮储量远大于深层土壤(20～100 cm);固沙初期土壤有机碳和全氮储量的增加体现在0～100 cm各个深度,而随后积累期主要体现在0～20 cm深度,固沙后期的增加也主要在0～20 cm深度,20 cm以下增加不明显;0～100 cm深土壤有机碳氮储量表聚性随固沙植被演变越来越明显.明确了降水<200 mm的沙区人工固沙过程中植被和土壤特征的改变对土壤有机碳氮储量及分布特征的影响,为更好地理解干旱人工植被区的碳循环特征和预测该生态系统与气候变化间的反馈关系奠定了基础.     

干旱区绿洲灌漠土Cu、Zn和Pb的吸附解吸特征

土壤重金属吸附解吸是影响土壤系统中重金属移动性和归宿的主要过程,影响重金属的生物有效性以及重金属在食物链中的传递等.配制一系列不同浓度的重金属,灌漠土对重金属溶液进行吸附实验24 h以达到平衡,再用硝酸铵和乙酸铵进行解吸实验24 h以达到平衡.利用热力学吸附平衡法,对西北干旱区绿洲灌漠土重金属Cu、Ni和Pb的吸附解吸行为进行序批实验研究.实验结果表明:(1)灰漠土在常温下对铜、锌和铅重金属离子的吸附等温线符合Freundlich型吸附模式,灰漠土对重金属铜、锌和铅的吸附能力由强到弱的顺序为:铅,铜,锌.(2)硝酸铵和乙酸铵解吸重金属的量与灰漠土吸附重金属量呈现出线性正相关,乙酸铵解吸重金属的量比硝酸铵解吸重金属的量大,两种解吸剂对铜、锌和铅重金属离子的解吸能力由大到小的顺序都为:铜,锌,铅,说明了一般外源的铜、锌和铅进入土壤以后,铜和锌可能比铅容易向四周转移.(3)硝酸铵和乙酸铵的解吸率呈谷形曲线,开始时硝酸铵和乙酸铵解吸重金属量的百分比随灰漠土吸附重金属量的增加而减小,在吸附量达到某一特定值时,解吸率随吸附量的增加而增加.灰漠土对铜、锌和铅的吸附作用以专性吸附为主,被灰漠土吸附的铜、锌和铅重金属离子较难解吸.     

塔克拉玛干4种荒漠植物气体交换与环境因子的关系初探

研究了4种荒漠植物）胡杨，疏叶骆驼刺，头状沙拐枣，多枝柽柳）气体交换的季节变化及其与环境因子的关系。结果：（1）外界环境因子中，无论是对光合速率还是蒸腾速率，光照强度都是最重要的主导因子，其次是气温，大气湿度与植物的蒸腾速率成负相关，影响程度因不同植物及其环境因子的情况而有所不同。（2）在气温越高的地方，荒漠植物的温度生态位（包括最适温度和极限温度）也随之增高。（3）水分胁迫影响气温和叶温的差异，4种植物都能调整其叶温，使之低于沙漠地区的极度高温。     

戈壁荒漠上大气稳定度分类方法探讨和大气湍流变化特征

为了研究戈壁荒漠上大气扩散规律和边界层结构。根据气象铁塔常规气象观测和湍流观测的结果,分析戈壁荒漠大气边界层温度梯度和湍流变化的一些特征。分析结果表明,同其它下垫面相比温度梯度日变化大,与风速的关系较为奇特。采用通常P─T分类标准直接应用该地区作大气稳定度分类,与实际情况有较大误差,须经适当修改后才能使用。湍流统计量的日夜变化强,表明戈壁荒漠下垫面的热力作用对湍流混合的助长和抑制。这些特征为进一步分析戈壁荒漠上大气边界层结构和大气扩散研究提供了依据。     

准噶尔盆地荒漠区工程建设与水土流失的关系初探

新疆北部的准噶尔盆地的荒漠地区是生态环境脆弱地区,环境极易遭到破坏,随着建设项目的增加,由于工程建设引起的水土流失现象也逐渐增多.目前对该问题的研究尚需深入.本文通过对准噶尔盆地荒漠地区工程建设与水土流失的关系的分析,并借鉴其它地区的经验,指出新疆北部的荒漠地区由于环境脆弱,各类工程均可引发水土流失, 工程建设引起的水土流失也能影响工程本身的安全,工程建设应采取措施,防止水土流失,促进环境保护与经济发展.