PRIESTLEY‐TAYLOR ALPHA COEFFICIENT: VARIABILITY AND RELATIONSHIP TO NDVI IN ARCTIC TUNDRA LANDSCAPES1

ABSTRACT: Average daily values of the Priestley‐Taylor coefficient (a) were calculated for two eddy covariance (flux) tower sites with contrasting vegetation, soil moisture, and temperature characteristics on the North Slope of Alaska over the 1994 and 1995 growing seasons. Because variations in a have been shown to be associated with changes in vegetation, soil moisture, and meteorological conditions in Arctic ecosystems, we hypothesized that a values would be significantly different between sites. Since variations in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) follow patterns of vegetation community composition and state that are largely controlled by moisture and temperature gradients on the North Slope of Alaska, we hypothesized that temporal variations in a respond to these same conditions and thus co‐vary with NDVI. Significant differences in a values were found between the two sites in 1994 under average precipitation conditions. However, in 1995, when precipitation conditions were above average, no significant difference was found. Overall, the variations in a over the two growing seasons showed little relationship to the seasonal progression of the regional NDVI. The only significant relationship was found at the drier, upland study site.     

Estimation of runoff and sediment yield in the Redrock Creek watershed using AnnAGNPS and GIS

Sediment has been identified as a significant threat to water quality and channel clogging that in turn may lead to river flooding. With the increasing awareness of the impairment from sediment to water bodies in a watershed, identifying the locations of the major sediment sources and reducing the sediment through management practices will be important for an effective watershed management. The annualized agricultural non-point sourcepollution(AnnAGNPS) model and newly developed GIS interface for it were applied in a small agricultural watershed, Redrock Creek watershed, Kansas, in this pilot study for exploring the effectiveness of using this model as a management tool. The calibrated model appropriately simulated monthly runoff and sediment yield through the practices in this study and potentially suggested the ways of sediment reduction through evaluating the changes of land use and field operation in the model for the purpose of watershed management.     

汽车环境风洞地面区域流场数值仿真

目的 探究汽车环境风洞地面区域流场规律,获取风洞边界层抽吸装置的最佳抽吸率和底盘测功机对风洞地面区域边界层厚度、风速、总压和静压的影响规律,并比较MRF法和旋转壁面法对底盘测功机转毂转动模拟的精度。方法 运用计算流体动力学方法对汽车环境风洞流场进行数值仿真计算。结果 边界层抽吸装置对应于喷口风速120 km/h时的最佳抽吸率为0.048。底盘测功机区域总压呈现下降趋势。相比于存在底盘测功机,汽车环境风洞无底盘测功机时,底盘测功机区域内相同位置的边界层厚度会增加1.28～12.22 mm。在前转毂的前侧、上侧、后侧和后转毂的上侧和后侧会有一个高风速区域,区域内风速比设定风速高1%～4%,与无底盘测功机相比,区域内静压值低0.32～46.02 Pa。在前后转毂前侧和后侧与地面相连接的凹部会有一个低风速区域,区域内风速比设定风速低1%～5%,与无底盘测功机相比,区域内静压值高0.08～49.34 Pa。底盘测功机转毂的转动会使附近区域的地面边界层厚度变大。在前转毂前侧,采用旋转壁面法进行模拟比MRF法地面边界层厚度增加近8 mm,而在其他位置,2种模拟方法对边界层厚度的模拟差别在1.5 mm...     

Effect of cerium on photosynthetic characteristics of soybean seedling exposed to supplementary ultraviolet-B radiation

Effects of cerium （Ce^3＋） on photosynthetic characteristics were investigated by hydroponics under laboratory conditions when soybean seedlings were exposed to two levels of supplementary UV-B radiation. UV-B radiation badly inhibited the photosynthesis in soybean seedling, leading to a reduction in net photosynthetic rate （Pn）, Hill reaction activity, light saturated photosynthetic rate （Ps） and apparent quanta yield （AQY）, as well as the CO2 and light saturated photosynthetic rate （Pro） and carboxulation efficiency （CE）. On the contrary, Ce obviously promoted the photosynthesis of plants by increasing Hill reaction activity, accelerating electron transport and photophosphorylation, and enhancing carboxylation efficiency. For Ce＋UV-B treatments, the values of photosynthetic parameters were still lower than those of the control, but obviously higher than those of UV-B treatment. The results indicated that Ce alleviated the inhibition of UV-B radiation on the photosynthesis in soybean seedling to a certain extent. In correlating of Pn with Hill activity, AQY and CE, we found that the changes of photosynthetic rate were mainly influenced by the regulating effect of Ce on Hill activity and AQY at low level （0.15 W/m^2） of UV-B radiation, but were dominated by the regulating effect of Ce on CE at high level （0.45 W/m^2）. Thus, Ce could regulate many aspects in photosynthesis of soybean seedling under UV-B stress. The regulating mechanism was close related with the dosage of UV-B radiation.     

Climate change and disaster management

Climate change, although a natural phenomenon, is accelerated by human activities. Disaster policy response to climate change is dependent on a number of factors, such as readiness to accept the reality of climate change, institutions and capacity, as well as willingness to embed climate change risk assessment and management in development strategies. These conditions do not yet exist universally. A focus that neglects to enhance capacity-building and resilience as a prerequisite for managing climate change risks will, in all likelihood, do little to reduce vulnerability to those risks. Reducing vulnerability is a key aspect of reducing climate change risk. To do so requires a new approach to climate change risk and a change in institutional structures and relationships. A focus on development that neglects to enhance governance and resilience as a prerequisite for managing climate change risks will, in all likelihood, do little to reduce vulnerability to those risks.     

Disaster risk, climate change and international development: scope for, and challenges to, integration

Reducing losses to weather-related disasters, meeting the Millennium Development Goals and wider human development objectives, and implementing a successful response to climate change are aims that can only be accomplished if they are undertaken in an integrated manner. Currently, policy responses to address each of these independently may be redundant or, at worst, conflicting. We believe that this conflict can be attributed primarily to a lack of interaction and institutional overlap among the three communities of practice. Differences in language, method and political relevance may also contribute to the intellectual divide. Thus, this paper seeks to review the theoretical and policy linkages among disaster risk reduction, climate change and development. It finds that not only does action within one realm affect capacity for action in the others, but also that there is much that can be learnt and shared between realms in order to ensure a move towards a path of integrated and more sustainable development.     

基于ABAQUS的强度折减有限元法边坡稳定性分析

将强度折减有限元法与ABAQU S软件相结合,充分利用ABAQU S软件强大的后处理功能,动态显示广义塑性应变和塑性区的开展情况,以此对边坡稳定性进行判定。在ABAQU S软件的模拟计算中,通过不断调整强度折减系数F的大小,改变土体的强度指标c、值,得到不同折减系数下边坡中广义塑性应变的发展情况;当塑性区趋于贯通,且广义塑性应变和位移发生突变时,则边坡处于破坏的临界状态,此时的折减系数就定义为边坡的最小稳定安全系数。通过天然直立边坡及开挖边坡的实例分析,表明该法可以较准确形象地预测边坡潜在滑裂面的位置及评价边坡的稳定性,在复杂条件下的基坑边坡稳定性分析中是简便实用的。     

黄土高原丘陵沟壑区坡面-沟道系统中的高含沙水流(Ⅰ)--地貌因素与重力侵蚀的影响

以黄河中游多沙粗沙区子洲径流站和离石王家沟试验站的径流场观测资料为基础,对黄土高原丘陵沟壑区坡沟系统中高含沙水流特征与地貌因素及重力侵蚀的关系进行了研究.研究结果表明,黄土坡面的地貌垂直结构和由此所决定的侵蚀作用垂直分异,对坡面高含沙水流的形成有很大的影响,高含沙水流形成于峁坡下部和沟坡,并在各级沟道中进一步发展.坡度对高含沙水流的形成有较大影响,如果侵蚀过程以溅蚀、面蚀、细沟侵蚀为主,不发生切沟及显著的重力侵蚀,则存在着一个坡度临界值,大于此值后,含沙量反而减小.重力侵蚀对坡沟系统高含沙水流的形成起着十分重要的作用,由于强烈的重力侵蚀的参与,高含沙水流的沙峰滞后于洪峰,落水阶段的含沙量常常大于同流量下涨水阶段的含沙量.     

GIS ASSESSMENT OF THE VULNERABILITY OF THE ROSETTA AREA, EGYPT TO IMPACTS OF SEA RISE

A study of the area, including Rosetta city and the estuary of the river Nile (Rosetta branch), has been carried out for assessment of the impact of sea level rise (slr). A geographic information system (GIS) has been built including layers of land use, topography, archeological sites, land cover and population. Analysis of data has been carried out to assess vulnerability of various land use and land cover classes to the impact of sea level rise.Because the area under study has geomorphic relief profiles just over the sea level, inundation of total land could reach 26% of total study area due to only half a meter rise in sea level. This lost area includes 32% of urban clusters mainly used for human shelter and contains 52% of present monuments, 25% of valuable high quality dense palm trees cultivation, 75% of beaches and 19% of lands suitable, 25% of valuable high quality dense palm trees cultivation, 75% of beaches and 19% of lands suitable for agricultural reclamation (although suffering from salt water intrusion and soil salinization). This is expected to cause a significant impact on the present population, economic activities, total regional revenue, and also on tourism. At 1.1 m sea level rise, 72% to total study area could be inundated. This area contains all beaches, half of the palm cultivation, 43% of total urban clusters, which includes 81% of the monumental sites and historic buildings.Other environmental problems such as solid waste management, sanitary disposal network, deteriorating conditions of some monumental structures, in addition to the sea level rise act negatively on the environmental quality of the urban community. Future plans for urban expansion in the area must be studied carefully in order to preserve valuable palm lands and maintain and protect monuments and historic sites which help the promotion of tourism. An environmental management program is essential for upgrading tourism, promoting urban development and protecting coastal lands.     

Influences of Climatic Change on Some Ecological Processes of an Insect Outbreak System in Canada's Boreal Forests and the Implications for Biodiversity

Insect outbreaks are a major disturbance factor in Canadian forests. If global warming occurs, the disturbance patterns caused by insects may change substantially, especially for those insects whose distributions depend largely on climate. In addition, the likelihood of wildfire often increases after insect attack, so the unpredictability of future insect disturbance patterns adds to the general uncertainty of fire regimes. The rates of processes fundamental to energy, nutrient, and biogeochemical cycling are also affected by insect disturbance, and through these effects, potential changes in disturbance patterns indirectly influence biodiversity. A process-level perspective is advanced to describe how the major insect outbreak system in Canadian forests, that of the spruce budworm (Choristoneura fumiferana Clem. [Lepidoptera: Tortricidae]), might react to global warming. The resulting scenarios highlight the possible importance of natural selection, extreme weather, phenological relationships, complex feedbacks, historical conditions, and threshold behavior. That global warming already seems to be affecting the lifecycles of some insects points to the timeliness of this discussion. Some implications of this process-level perspective for managing the effects of global warming on biodiversity are discussed. The value of process-level understanding and high-resolution, long-term monitoring in attacking such problems is emphasized. It is argued that a species-level, preservationist approach may have unwanted side-effects, be cost-ineffective, and ecologically unsustainable.