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The article discusses the paper, titled "Weathering of granite," by Bryan Ruxton and Leonard Berry, which emphasizes what they had seen in excavations across the territory of Hong Kong, China in 1957. The paper addresses various problems, the significance as well the relevance of which were augmented with time. The authors assert that this particular research offers a useful methodical approach to weathering mantles. They also observe that granite is altered to great depth. Moreover, they show that gully erosion, which is a threat in Hong Kong, developed in weathered in situ granite. The stability of the weathering mantle is likewise noted.

The paper explores the use of Resilience Theory to provide an improved theoretical framework for the analysis of socio-ecological interactions over decadal—millennial timescales. It identifies landscape system behaviour through analysis of proxy records for land use, erosion and monsoon intensity over the past 3000 years in the Erhai lake-catchment system, Yunnan, SW China. Analysis of the records shows the possibility of alternative steady states in the landscape, as expressed by the relationship between land use and erosion. In particular, a period of agricultural expansion ~1400 cal. yr BP triggered rapid gully erosion that led to the formation of an eroded landscape state that has existed since ~800 cal. yr BP to the present day. Comparison of detrended time-series data suggests that over 3000 years erosion and land use should be considered 'slow' processes relative to the 'faster' monsoon intensity and flooding. In the past, the effects of high monsoon variance on flooding have been suppressed by paddy farming and the maintenance of terraced field systems. Mapping the Adaptive Cycle on to the millennial record of land use and erosion suggests that the modern landscape may be approaching a 'conservation' phase characterized by minimum resilience. Such 'historical profiling' of modern landscapes offers a new dimension for hypothesis testing, for the development and testing of simulation models and for the creation of appropriate management strategies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Wind erosion is one of the most important processes associated with land degradation and desertification in the arid, semi-arid and portions of the subhumid regions of China. The total land area experiencing wind erosion is approximately 160.74 x 104 km2, which is 16.7% of the national territory. Wind erosion is recognized as a great threat to land utilization and sustainable social and economic development. Documentation of wind erosion and its negative impacts in China dates back over 2000 years. Since the 1950s Chinese scientists have carried out an integrated investigation of the principal lands susceptible to wind erosion, and have undertaken many laboratory tests and field observations with respect to the stabilization and utilization of soil in desert areas. Since the late 1970s there has been an increasing concern worldwide regarding land desertification caused by climatic changes and human activities. Hence, wind erosion, one of the main processes of desertification, has attracted the attention of Chinese scientists to an even greater extent. Studies have been conducted to investigate the mechanics, causes and control techniques related to wind erosion using wind tunnel simulation tests and field observations in typical areas. Some encouraging achievements have been made. In this paper we summarize the main research results on wind erosion that have come to light in China in recent decades, and put forward some perspectives and suggestions to deal with problems in both research into and control practices of wind erosion in China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]