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During the flood season of 2016, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River suffered the worst flooding since 1999, involving Hunan, Hubei, Anhui, Jiangxi and Jiangsu provinces and the Taihu Basin. Based on the field survey at eight counties on both sides along the Yangtze River in Anhui Province, this paper analyses the features of rainstorm, flood and the resulting disaster in 2016 over there, and identifies problems and difficulties existing in flood prevention and disaster reduction under the new situation of social and economic development. Furthermore, this paper discusses the coping strategies and measures on advancing the comprehensive flood management mode of human-water harmony, managing middle and small rivers and strengthening the key basic research on flood control and disaster reduction under the new situation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Regional Studies is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

In the past decades, a multilayer transshipment network of bulk shipping has been formed along the Yangtze River so as to support the fast development of Chinese iron and steel industry. Yet with the decrease of iron ore trade in China since 2014, the bulk port system on Yangtze River probably will be subject to change in the future. Under this background, this paper aims to analyze the development potential of Yangtze River bulk ports system with a focus on iron ore transshipment. To realize this objective, we firstly sort out the main transshipment patterns of bulk shipping, and optimize the bulk-shipping network with an optimization model. Several scenarios are then proposed and examined in the model by changing corresponding parameters. Cooperation among ports as one scenario is analyzed by applying core theory in cooperative game. Based on the changes of transshipment plans observed under the various scenarios, we finally ascertain the different development potentials of the system, and provide suggestions to the port operators and local maritime authorities. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Copyright of Regional Studies is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Neoproterozoic I-type granites could provide vital insights into the crust–mantle interaction and the crustal evolution along the western Yangtze Block, South China. This paper presents new zircon U–Pb ages, bulk-rock geochemistry, and in situ zircon Lu–Hf isotope on the Dalu I-type granites from the southwestern Yangtze Block. Zircon U–Pb dating show the crystallization ages of 781.1 ± 2.8 Ma for granodiorites and 779.8 ± 2.0 Ma for granites, respectively. The Dalu granodiorites are Na-rich, calc-alkaline, metaluminous to slightly peraluminous (A/CNK = 0.94–1.08). Zircons from granodiorite have positive εHf(t) values (+2.16 to +7.39) with crustal model ages of 1.21–1.54 Ga, indicating juvenile mafic lower crust source. The Dalu granites are high-K calc-alkaline, peraluminous rocks. They have variable zircon εHf(t) values (−4.65 to +5.80) with crustal model ages of 1.31–1.97 Ga, suggesting that they were derived from the mature metasediment-derived melts by the mixing of newly formed mafic lower crust-derived melts. The geochemical variations in Dalu pluton is dominated not only by the different source rocks but also by the different melting temperatures. Combining with the geochemistry and isotopic compositions of I-type granitoids and tectonic setting in the western Yangtze Block, we propose that the Dalu I-type granodiorites–granites associations are the magmatic response from different crustal levels, which were induced by the heat anomaly due to the asthenosphere upwelling in the subduction-related setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this paper, we examine the genetic diversity, population structure and demographic history of Acrossocheilus yunnanensis inferred from four mitochondrial gene sequences. Twenty-two haplotypes were identified for A. yunnanensis. The total haplotype and nucleotide diversities of A. yunnanensis are 0.9206 and 0.024654, respectively. The monophyly of the haplotypes is supported by all phylogenetic analyses. All the haplotypes can be divided into four major lineages. The results of AMOVA and SAMOVA suggest that the best grouping pattern is to divide four groups, and that most of the variation of genetic divergence is present among these groups. The population expansion of A. yunnanensis is not supported by the analyses of population demography. Our results revealing the genetic background of A. yunnanensis will prove helpful in protecting its genetic diversity and utilizing this resource in a reasonable manner. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study examines the making of local climate governance in the Chinese setting where central-local inter-governmental relations continue to play critical part in almost every policy domain. Through analysing the climate responses of the three provincial-level governments at the Yangtze River Delta (YRD), the paper argues that the process of “experimentation under hierarchy” is relevant to understanding the evolving of the subnational climate regime in the YRD region. We find the preponderance of the central authorities in initiating national climate strategies and galvanising responses at the local level. Meanwhile, provincial governments have been able to leverage climate plans and actions to achieve their own gains. These findings suggest that any optimism about subnational climate activism in a Chinese setting has to be mixed with caution. In fact, the shadow of hierarchical authority structure lingers and plays important part in the initiation of subnational response and spurring climate responses and innovations from below. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article discusses the scroll titled "Three Gorges Dam Migration" by artist Yun-Fei Ji, which depicts the Three Gorges Dam on the Yangzi River in China. Aspects of the artwork are explored including the use of calligraphic colophon, interpersonal contact among the piece's subjects, and the depiction of families moving away from the Badong area of China. Materials used in the creation of the scroll are presented including ink, bamboo, and silk. The article also presents a translation of the colophon text of the work, originally written in Chinese.

The present paper provides a scientific assessment of the inter-decadal variability of the Asian summer monsoon and its significant effect on precipitation patterns in China. The paper consists of four parts. The first part shows the observed inter-decadal weakening of the Asian summer monsoon since the end of 1970s. The second part describes the impact of the weakening Asian summer monsoon on precipitation in China, which caused the major monsoon rainbelt to shift southward from North China to South China over about 30 years, with a 60-80 oscillation dominating. The third part projects the future change of the Asian summer monsoon in the warmer climate by using IPCC AR4 climate models. It has been found that major monsoon rainfall belts in East Asia will move northward in the 2040s, with summer precipitation in North China increasing considerably and stably. Finally, in the fourth part, the implication of the adaptation to the above climate change and related water management will be discussed including the water transport engineering project from the Yangtze River to the Yellow River and North China. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Excessive nitrogen (N) application has been considered as one of the reasons for restricting yield increases in rice-wheat rotation system in the Yangtze River area. From 2007 to 2009, field experiments were conducted to evaluate the effects of optimized N management on grain yield, nitrogen use efficiency (NUE) and N surplus of winter wheat in Jianghan Plain (Hubei province, China). Results indicated that grain yield and crop N uptake of treatments with reducing fertilizer N (N135(2)for the first year and N120(3)for the second season) did not significantly reduce yield compared to farmers’ practice (FP). Under the same amount of N application, three-time splitting improved grain yield and enhanced NUE as compared with two-time splitting. The optimized N treatment of N135(2)and N120(3)was observed with higher NUE parameters, i.e. recovery efficiency (REN), agronomic efficiency (AEN) and partial factor productivity (PFPN). Positive correlation between SPAD value and leaf N concentration provided the effective tool to evaluate N status during the growth season. The optimized N rate and top dressing frequency could reduce the residual N retained in the 0–20 cm soil layer after harvest, which could reduce the possibility of soil N loss to the environment. This paper provides insights into N management strategy based on farmers’ practices, which could be regarded as a guideline to improve agricultural management for wheat growth season. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The normalized difference water indices (NDWIs) were successfully used in map land surface water mapping (LSWM) from Landsat series multispectral images. This paper evaluates the potential of the recent Landsat satellite (Landsat-8) Operational Land Imager (OLI) multispectral images for LSWM using three NDWI models. We tested the accuracy and robustness of the three OLI NDWI models in the Yangtze River Basin and the Huaihe River Basin in China. The results demonstrate that the three OLI NDWI models achieve an overall accuracy of more than 95%, a kappa coefficient of 0.89 and a producer’s accuracy of 95% for LSWM. The results also demonstrate that the NDWI model using the green band (Band 3) and the SWIR1 band (Band 6) (referred to as NDWIO6,3) of the OLI sensor has a higher LSWM accuracy than the other two NDWI models. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shanghai, known as the economic, financial and cultural centre of China, lies in the southern portion of the Yangtze River Basin and is the largest and most prosperous city in mainland China. With a high rate of economic and population growth, Shanghai's demand for energy continues to rise. However, Shanghai is a city with a lack of traditional energy resources, and relies heavily on steady supplies of fossil fuels imported from other regions of China. In order to ensure the optimal use of energy resources and limit the environmental impact, the Shanghai government has launched a new energy strategy and is committed to the development of renewable energy, especially wind power. This paper assesses the wind energy resource in Shanghai, reviews the current status of wind power utilisation, and identifies the major challenges facing the development of a robust wind energy industry in this fastest growing city of China. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The present paper focuses on the variation of the annual streamflow and sediment fluxes in the Yangtze River basin from 1956 to 2009 using annual observations at 10 hydrological gauging stations. Both simple linear regression analysis and the Mann-Kendall test are applied to the time series for trend detection, and the relations between streamflow and precipitation and between sediment flux and precipitation are analyzed with the help of a double mass curve function. The results present differing trends of changes in streamflow and sediment. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

江苏省张家港市东山村崧泽文化早中期大墓的发现, 证明长江下游在距今 五千七、八百年以前已存在明显的社会分化, 初级王权已经产生, 社会已进入“古 国”1阶段。在中国古代文明演进过程中, 率先开始社会重大转型的不是黄河中游的 中原地区, 也不是以古长城地带为中心的北方地区, 而是崧泽文化所在的长江下游地 区。该遗址的发现还表明, 在文明化进程中, 中国古代最早出现的 “古国” 的性质和 表现形式并不完全一样, 有的是神权至上, 有的是王权至上, 从而导致其发展方向和 发展前途的不同。 1 “古国” (guguo), a concept put forward by Su Bingqi, literally means “ancient state.” This literal translation is adopted in this paper. However, the author believes that in Su’s theory, guguo is roughly equivalent to “chiefdom” in the West. 关键词: 崧泽文化 社会分化 王权 The discovery of large burial sites belonging to the early and middle stages of Songze Culture at Dongshan Village, Zhangjiagang, Jiangsu Province, shows that distinct social polarization had already emerged in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River 5,700 or 5,800 years ago, when the initial stage of kingly power had taken shape and society had entered the stage of the “ancient states.” In the course of the evolution of ancient Chinese civilization, this area—rather than the Central Plains in the middle reaches of the Yellow River or the northern area centered around the ancient Great Wall—was the first to experience significant social transformation. This discovery also indicates that when the “ancient states” first appeared, they varied in form and character: some took the form of theocracies while others were dominated by kingly power. These differences meant that they developed in different directions and had different outcomes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sand extraction from the mid-lower Yangtze has increased rapidly since the 1980s, in contrast to a rapid decrease in sediment discharge from the Yangtze River into the sea. In-channel sand extraction poses great risks to flood protection, navigation channels and railway bridges. This paper reviews the recent history of in-channel sand extraction, discussing the present status and potential problems in legislation and management. It is concluded that the share of interests, the involvement of local criminal gangs and official corruption were the main difficulties for the ban on illegal sand extraction. It is proposed that the sites and amounts permitted for in-channel sand extraction should be re-evaluated under the new sediment budget after closure of the Three-Gorges Dam. It is necessary to explore the use of alternative materials in order to reduce the demand for natural sand while meeting the market needs for socio-economic development. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Soil losses and soil deposits in the Upper Yangtze River watershed have been increasing for decades, with serious negative effects on the agriculture along the Yangtze River and the Three Gorges Dam. The Chinese Government has carried out the Return Farmland into Trees (Grass) Project since the early 1990s. The effectiveness of the project has been estimated in some testing sites in the Upper Yangtze River watershed. In this paper, we carried out a test in the Minjiang River Valley, one of the largest river valleys in the Upper Yangtze River watershed. It was very difficult to calculate the amount of soil losses for the valley when a traditional sample method was used to collect the data for the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE model). In order to develop the capability to monitor soil losses in the Minjiang River Valley, we assessed the use of remote sensing data, DEM data, land use and land cover GIS data. The key point of the procedure was data fusion, which was based on an image pixel un-mixing technique. The values of parameters extracted from satellite sensor data for soil erosion USLE model calculation was based on pixels. In this way it improves the accuracy for every parameter calculation. Before making the final calculation, we carried out a field survey along the river valley in July 2000. There was ±5% soil erosion difference between our calculation results from Landsat Enhanced Thematic Mapper (ETM) data in 2000 and in situ statistical results in 1999. The method used in the Minjiang River Valley can be used as an example for soil loss calculation for other rivers in the Upper Yangtze River watershed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the capacities of community-based labor nongovernment organizations (NGOs) in China to raise workers' consciousness and build solidarity among workers in the post-2018 era. It closely studies the transformation of a community-based labor NGO in the Yangtze River Delta and investigates the relationships among managers, workers, community members, NGO staff members, and volunteers. Although state repression and funding concerns limit the space for workers and subalterns to represent themselves and act politically in China, the internal organizational structure of labor NGOs such as this has exacerbated their stagnation. This is due to a top-down decision-making process, a lack of democratic participation and transparency, selective inclusion, a neglect of collective possibilities, and techno-social features such as social media technology. The result is maintenance of the status quo. These organizational limitations prevent community-based labor NGOs from functioning as a progressive force and turns them into marginal social forces that strive to survive and are incapable of representing workers and adjusting to workers changing needs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the panel data of eleven provinces and cities in the Yangtze River Economic Belt of China from 2008 to 2018, both the optimization index of the industrial structure and environmental performance indexes are calculated. Then, the impact of industrial structure optimization on the improvement of ecological environmental performance was investigated by applying the static panel model and threshold model. The results show that the optimization of the industrial structure of the Yangtze River Economic Belt has a significant role in promoting the improvement of environmental performance in general. Still, the rationalization of the industrial structure has a single threshold effect. The upgrading of regional industrial structure in the middle reaches of the Yangtze River and the rationalization of regional industrial structure in the Yangtze River's upper reaches are more conducive to improving ecological environment performance. Therefore, in the transformation and upgrading of the industrial structure of the Yangtze River Economic Belt, the downstream region should strengthen scientific and technological innovation, strive to break through the core and critical technologies, and mainly build clean and efficient green service industries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on analysis of the theoretical impact of energy consumption on air quality, taking 20 heavily polluted cities in the Yangtze River Delta of China as the object, we construct a Spatial Dubin Model, and estimate the effect of energy consumption on air quality and the spatial spillover effects of air pollution. We come to the following conclusions: First, the regional air quality has significant spatial dependence and spatial heterogeneity. Second, under three kinds of spatial associated mode, energy consumption has a negative impact on air quality, and the air pollution arising from energy consumption has a negative intra-regional spillover effect. The effect is strongest under the spatial distance weight matrix, followed by the economic distance, and the adjacent spatial weight matrix, which are −0.7926, −0.4547, and −0.4539, respectively. Third, in addition, under the adjacent space and economic distance space matrix, energy consumption has a significant negative effect on air quality, and the inter-regional spillover effects are −0.1513 and −2.5736, respectively. Meanwhile, considering spatial distance and economic development, the inter-regional spillover effect is much larger than is the intra-regional spillover effect. In general, the total spillover effect is at −0.6053 and −3.0284. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The operation of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) affects the evolution of the interactions between the Yangtze River and Dongting Lake in China and water diversions from the river, which are essential to water resources management in this large river–lake system. Due to the lack of up-to-date and detailed channel topographic/bathymetric data, a simplified flow model based on rating curves was developed to simulate discharges in the river system, and to further quantify and differentiate the contributions of river erosion and flow regulation of the TGR at a seasonal scale. The results indicate that the effect of channel alteration counteracts the effect of reservoir regulation in the high-flow periods. The impacts of TGR regulation on water diversions for both pre- and post-flood seasons were significant, but no obvious changes in the discharge diversion ratios were observed on an annual time scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Simulating urban landscape dynamics in metropolitan areas has attracted much attention lately, but the difficulty remains. Although large-scale urban simulation studies consider spatial interaction as an important factor, spatial interaction cannot be accurately measured based on a single element flow, and its effects may not strictly follow a distance decay function. Furthermore, different cities may require different transition rules. In this study, we combined bidirectional flows of population and information and an improved gravitational field model to model the urban spatial interaction, and we then integrated a partitioned cellular automata (CA) model to simulate the urban growth for different cities in the Yangtze River middle reaches megalopolis. It was found that the simulation results generated by the CA model considering spatial interaction are significantly improved. Furthermore, partitioned conversion thresholds can effectively improve the model performance. The proposed model showed a much better performance in the simulation of subordinate cities surrounding the core cities, than for the core cities and fringe cities. We suggest that large-scale urban simulation should pay more attention to the development of partitioned transition rules. The effects of intercity urban flows should also be considered in the simulation of small- and medium-sized cities near the regional cores. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The upper Ediacaran Miaohe Member (∼551 Ma) in South China contains exceptionally preserved macroscopic carbonaceous compression fossils that provide a crucial view of the marine ecosystem shortly before the Cambrian explosion. However, these fossils were previously known only from one locality near the Miaohe Village on the northern bank of the Yangtze River. It was puzzling that equivalent strata a short distance away contained no fossils, raising questions about the environmental, ecological and taphonomic restriction of these fossils. Here, we describe macroscopic fossils from the Miaohe Member at three new localities to the north and north-west of Miaohe Village. These fossils are taxonomically similar to those from Miaohe Village, and include mostly benthic multicellular algae, a few putative metazoans and several morphologically simple problematic taxa. Twenty-seven species are described, including one new genus (Maxiphyton gen. nov.) and six new species (Baculiphyca brevistipitata sp. nov., Doushantuophyton? laticladus sp. nov., Enteromorphites magnus sp. nov., Konglingiphyton? laterale sp. nov., Maxiphyton stipitatum sp. nov. and Sinocylindra linearis sp. nov.). Insofar as the new localities represent shallower palaeoenvironments than Miaohe Village in the late Ediacaran, the new fossils expand the palaeoenvironmental distribution of macrofossils in the Miaohe Member. Most of the new fossils are preserved as carbonaceous compressions through kerogenization, but pyritization and aluminosilicification also played an important role. This confirms the taphonomic model that there is a continuous preservational gradient among kerogenization, pyritization and aluminosilicification. This taphonomic window provides a glimpse of the late Ediacaran marine ecosystem and complements the cast-mould preservation that accounts for the much-celebrated Ediacara-type soft-bodied macrofossils. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Modern manufacturing for global markets tends to homogenize material culture through its centralized production and divisive production process. In contrast, craft practices usually have a strong local identity through their application of holistic making practices, context-based knowledge, culturally specific responses and community-centred production. This form of locally-based, customizable and responsive production is discussed here in terms of its relationship to sustainability and as a promising direction for future manufacturing. Despite the potentially strong relationship between craft and sustainability, there is still only limited research exploring this relationship and how craft can more effectively contribute to contemporary industry and life in general. This paper begins by developing an understanding of the relationship between craft and sustainability. From this, we identify: 1) barriers to craft’s development for sustainability, and 2) potential directions to which design can contribute. We then provide an analysis of the current state of crafts in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) and identify the challenges and potential for design interventions in this region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A typhoon is one of the most dangerous natural disasters in the Yangtze River Delta of China. Based on an integrated assessment of the disaster risk elements, including hazard factor, exposure, and vulnerability, the risk level of a typhoon disaster for the Yangtze River Delta as a county-level unit was ultimately determined. The result shows that the risk levels of typhoon hazard factor are gradually weakened from the southeastern coastal areas to the northwest, and the highest-risk areas are located in the southeastern coastal regions. Due to many towns, dense population, a developed economy, and a huge disaster-bearing body in the north of the Yangtze River Delta, which is also located on the plain for a high susceptibility to a disaster-breeding environment, the exposure risk level in the northern areas is higher than in the south. The most vulnerable counties are Chun'an, Xianju, Tiantai, and Sanmen in Zhejiang Province, and Baoying and Xinghua in Jiangsu Province. The highest-risk areas for a typhoon disaster are primarily located in the southeastern coastal areas of Zhejiang Province, Hangzhou Bay, and Shanghai near the Yangtze River Estuary, while the lowest-risk areas are distributed in the western portion of Hangzhou and the northern area of the Yangtze River Delta. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yangtze drainage basin is the most densely populated and prosperous area of China; however, it is frequently threatened by floods. The Holocene flood lines of the Yangtze River have been preserved on Mt. Mufu and Swallow Cliff in north-eastern Nanjing, and they are characterised by the presence of particular colour tones and the horizontal arrangement of erosional pits and holes. Four major paleo-flood lines at altitudes of 8.51, 9.43, 10.47, and 12.84 m were identified via a field survey along the river bank. Historical literature and instrumental flood records extend the paleo-flood stage to the contemporary era and indicate that the highest flood line of 12.84 m represents a maximum limit for future floods. Besides, the flood line at 10.47 m can be regarded as a foreseeable extreme flood risk level with a recurrence interval of 100–200 years, especially considering the current circumstances of rising sea levels and decreasing flood storage capacities caused by human activities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A vegetation filtering algorithm is proposed for unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)-borne lidar point clouds collected in the middle-lower Yangtze River riparian zone covered with multilayer and high-density vegetation. The proposed algorithm aims at generating digital elevation model, which consists of the following steps. First, multi-echo analysis is adopted for coarse filtering of point clouds. Then, morphological calculation is used to extract the ground seed points. Next, the trend surface of the local terrain is fitted. Meanwhile, the vegetation points are removed with the ground points preserved via random sample consensus. Experiments demonstrate that the performances of the algorithm were more accurate than Terrasolid’s TerraScan when dealing with UAV-borne lidar point clouds in limited sample of a multilayer and high-density vegetation covering areas. The research results also show that by using a special filtering approach it is possible to classify laser points into terrain and vegetation automatically even for thoroughly mixed vegetation and terrain points and penetration rate of below 15%. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Theories that explain the governance of water, such as integrated river basin management and multilevel water governance, point to scalar configurations of power as critical determinants of success (or failure). This article explains how the scalar configurations of power in water governance mirror those of the Chinese State, and influence water governance in powerful ways. We use the case of the Yangtze River and Shanghai, a megacity in the Yangtze estuary, as examples, showing how a local jurisdiction exercises its regulatory measures against different types of transjurisdictional water pollution and how these regulatory measures mirror the fluidity (or rigidity) of power configurations in hydropolitics in China. China’s evolving water resource management institutions are as yet unable to address the scalar configurations of power in water governance. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Climate change and its impact on hydrological processes are overarching issues that have brought challenges for sustainable water resources management. In this study, surface water resources in typical regions of China are projected in the context of climate change. A water balance model based on the Fu rational function equation is established to quantify future natural runoff. The model is calibrated using data from 13 hydrological stations in 10 first-class water resources zones of China. The future precipitation and temperature series come from the ISI-MIP (Inter-Sectoral Impact Model Intercomparison Project) climate dataset. Taking natural runoff for 1961–1990 as a baseline, the impacts of climate change on natural runoff are studied under three emissions scenarios: RCP2.6, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5. Simulated results indicate that the arid and semi-arid region in the northern part of China is more sensitive to climate change compared to the humid and semi-humid region in the south. In the near future (2011–2050), surface water resources will decrease in most parts of China (except for the Liaozhong and Daojieba catchments), especially in the Haihe River Basin and the middle reaches of the Yangtze River Basin. The decrement of surface water resources in the northern part of China is more than that in the southern part. For the periods 2011–2030 and 2031–2050, surface water resources are expected to decrease by 12–13% in the northern part of China, while those in the southern part will decrease by 7–10%.EDITOR D. KoutsoyiannisASSOCIATE EDITOR R. Hirsch [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

The relationship among magmatism, large-scale metallogenesis of Southeast China, and subduction of the Pacific plate has long been debated. The lower Yangtze River belt (LYRB) in the northeastern edge of Southeast China is characterized by intense late Mesozoic magmatism and associated polymetallic mineralization such as copper, gold, iron, tungsten, molybdenum, etc. The copper-related adakitic rocks (148–130 Ma) in this belt are the oldest episode of magmatism and intruded as small intermediate-acid intrusive bodies. The Huayuangong granitoids (HYG), located in the southern part of this belt, however, are copper-barren. Three granitoid samples from this pluton give zircon U–Pb ages of 126.4 ± 1.6 Ma, 125.9 ± 1.9 Ma, and 126.2 ± 1.2 Ma, respectively. The HYG has A-type affinity with metaluminous to weakly peraluminous, high FeOT/(FeOT+MgO) ratios, and high Zr+Nb+Ce+Yb contents. Meanwhile, 10 late Mesozoic mafic samples from the LYRB exhibit similar trace element characteristics to those of ‘continental arc andesite’ (CAA) and suggest an enriched lithospheric mantle source with depletion in high field strength elements (e.g. Nb, Ta, Zr, Hf, and Ti) and enrichment of large ion lithophile elements (e.g. Rb, Th, U, and Pb). Although the HYG exhibits similar Sr–Nd isotope composition with the mafic dikes, distinct whole-rock Pb isotope ratios imply that the granitoids and mafic magmas originated from heterogeneous mantle sources. Compared with coeval Baijuhuajian A-type rocks that are exposed along the Jiang–Shao fault of Southeast China, the HYG shows enriched Hf isotope ratios of zircon withεHf(t) values ranging from −4.8 to −11.1. In the Yb/TaversusY/Nb diagram, being different from the major asthenospheric mantle-origin Baijuhuajian pluton, a large range of and high Y/Nb ratios as well as high Zr contents of the HYG pluton suggest a magmatic source of mixing between the asthenospheric and enriched crustal component in the LYRB. Compared with early-stage copper-related adakitic rocks (148–130 Ma) with subduction-related affinities and high oxygen fugacity, the copper-barren HYG has with-plate A-type affinities and lower oxygen fugacity. Summarizing, the production of early-stage (i.e. subduction related) adakitic rocks followed by late-stage A-type granitoids in the LYRB is ascribed to the rollback of the Palaeo-Pacific plate beneath Southeast China and associated with asthenospheric upwelling and lithospheric thinning during the late Mesozoic era. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Under natural conditions, the evolution of lake trophic status is not only influenced by climatic and hydrological factors but also by the biological interactions and feedbacks occurring within the lake ecosystem. To envision long-term changes of lake trophic status in several shallow lakes from the Yangtze River basin, we focused on variations in nutrient level and attempted to use both hydrologic- and ecodynamic-based physical models. One was an equivalent-hydrology model with external driving forces from catchment climate and hydrology changes (Model 1), the other was a dynamic model with internal driving forces from the biological interactions within the lake ecosystem (Model 2). Two models were employed in order to distinguish the effects of climate change (by Model 1) from ecosystem feedbacks (by Model 2) on the long-term lake nutrients changes and to further determine which driver was the primary cause for the changes. Variations in lake producer biomass and total phosphorus (TP) were simulated for a historic 200-yr period (1640–1840 AD) in Lake Taihu and seven other similar lakes from the Yangtze River basin after calibration and validation of the control runs (1950–2000 AD). Results showed that (1) TP simulations by Model 1 and Model 2 were mostly consistent with the reconstructed nutrient records from lake sediment cores; (2) the long-term variations of lake nutrients were primarily affected by precipitation under the influence of climate change and the decreases in lake nutrients were more likely to respond to the dry climate; and (3) approximately 49% of the variability in nutrient concentrations were contributed by the feedback of biological interactions in the lake ecosystem. The study results provide a scientific basis for long-term control of nutrients in lakes along the middle–lower reaches of the Yangtze River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hydrological Sciences Journal/Journal des Sciences Hydrologiques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Social Sciences in China is the property of Routledge and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Recently, researchers have applied the multi-regional input–output (MRIO) approach to water footprint (WF) analysis. The concept of interregional input–output (R-MRIO) was developed to analyse regional issues. Researchers have concentrated on the development of global or international input–output (N-MRIO) tables. Using the N-MRIO and the R-MRIO approach allows the study of global and regional issues, respectively. The WF is an indicator influenced by trade among nations and regions. However, the treatment of imports in an R-MRIO approach differs in whether international imports are separated or combined. We evaluate the effects of the difference between these models and discuss policy implications for the Yangtze River, China. The WF calculated using the combined type model is 11% larger than that by the separated type model. This difference can be ascribed to international imports, mainly internal consumption and interregional trade. We find that this difference affects social equity in water-abundant areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyses the changing characteristics in the level of Poyang Lake during the period 1960–2010. Results show that the changing stage of annual lake level variations is evident, and average onset time of the lake dry season has advanced since the 1990s. Investigation indicates that the Yangtze River discharge has a greater impact on annual lake level variations than the lake’s catchment inflow. Climate change in the Yangtze River basin since the 1990s is possibly the precondition for the advance of the lake dry season, which is further aggravated by the effects of the Three Gorges Dam in the 2000s. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this article, a divide-and-combine approach and multiscale normalized cut techniques are combined to extract water–land boundaries from synthetic aperture radar (SAR) images. A validation study shows that waterline extraction from SAR using the proposed algorithm is consistent with that derived from Landsat optical remote-sensing imagery. Analysis of six European Remote Sensing-1/2 (ERS-1/2) satellite and Envisat SAR images acquired at spring tides in Lingang New City, a new land-reclamation city in the suburb of Shanghai, China, between 1993 and 2005 shows the shoreline movement of the study region. We find that the shoreline had minimum seaward movement in the region due to natural forces between 1993 and 1996. Between 1996 and 1999, the shoreline moved more in the eastern and slower in the western part due to artificial impelling siltation and deposition of silt in the Yangtze River. Later, between 1999 and 2005, the shoreline significantly changed following commencement of a tidal flat reclamation project. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Optical closure exercises are pivotal for evaluating the accuracy of water quality remote-sensing techniques. The agreement between radiometrically derived and inherent optical property (IOP)-derived above-water spectral remote-sensing reflectanceRrs(λ) is necessary for resolving IOPs, the diffuse attenuation coefficient, and biogeochemical parameters from space. We combined spectral radiometric and IOP measurements to perform an optical closure exercise for two optically contrasting Chinese waters – the Changjiang (Yangtze) River Estuary and its adjacent coastal area in the East China Sea. The final aim of our investigation was to compare two derivations ofRrs(λ):Rrs(λ), derived from radiometric measurements; andRrs(λ), derived from simultaneous IOP measurements. Five subsequent steps have been taken to achieve this goal, including (1) estimation of theRrs(λ) from radiometric measurements; (2) scattering correction for the non-water spectral absorption coefficientapd(λ); (3) estimation of the below-water spectral remote-sensing reflectancerrs(λ) from IOPs measurements; (4) the estimation of theRrs(λ) from therrs(λ) values; and (5) the comparison between theRrs(λ) derived from radiometric and IOP measurements. All steps were realized by using both direct measurements and different models based on radiative transfer theory. Results demonstrated that the impact of the errors caused by the scattering correction procedure and conversion of radiometric quantities intoRrs(λ) may be rather significant, especially in the long-wavelength spectrum range. Nevertheless, spectral features were similar between theseRrs(λ) sets for all waters – from relatively clear to very turbid. Exploiting this fact allows use of the spectral reflectance ratios for remote sensing of the estuarine and coastal Chinese waters. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Early Ordovician (late Tremadocian to early Floian) reefs on the Yangtze Platform margin of the Hunghuayuan Formation at Zhangzhai section in southeastern Guizhou, South China show three types of reefs in two broad categories: microbial-dominated (stromatolite and lithistid sponge-Calathium-calcimicrobial) reefs and metazoan-dominated (lithistid sponge-Calathium) reefs. These reef types represent different communities controlled by varying environmental settings. Stromatolites tended to develop in the shallow subtidal zone, whereas unlaminated calcimicrobial mounds and metazoan-dominated reefs thrived at greater depths. This is the first report on metazoan-dominated reefs at the platform margin of the Hunghuayuan Formation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Diverse and well-preserved latest Permian phytoplankton assemblages are described from four sections of the Yangtze Block, South China from localities in Zhongzhai (Guizhou Province), Shangsi (Sichuan Province), Xiakou (Hubei Province) and Dongpan (Guangxi Province). Most of the species have been reported previously from other upper Permian sections worldwide. The South Chinese phytoplankton taxa are generally very small in size, usually displaying diameters of about 20 μm and commonly include the generaMicrhystridium,VeryhachiumandLeiosphaeridia. However, larger taxa with vesicles often exceeding 80 μm in diameter, such asDictyotidium, are also abundant in the Shangsi section. Due to the presence of large populations ofMicrhystridiumandVeryhachium, a simple classification scheme for theMicrhystridium/Veryhachiumcomplex is proposed, based on the geometrical shape of the vesicle. We propose dividing the complex into five groups: theVeryhachium cylindricumgroup, representing all ellipsoidal specimens; theVeryhachium trispinosumgroup, all with triangular-shaped vesicles; theVeryhachium lairdiigroup, all with rectangular forms; theMicrhystridium pentagonalegroup, all with pentagonal specimens; and theMicrhystridium brevegroup, which includes all spherical forms. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Genetic diversity and population structure of yellow catfish Pelteobagrus fulvidraco were examined by using mitochondrial DNA control region sequences in 143 specimens sampled from five lakes in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, China; 151 polymorphic sites defined 72 distinct haplotypes. Haplotype diversity indices (0.903-0.953) and nucleotide diversity indices (0.00378-0.00970) demonstrated low genetic diversity of the yellow catfish populations in the five lakes. The analysis of molecular variance and the fixation index ( = 0.0896) revealed insignificant genetic difference between samples from different lakes. In addition, neutral tests and analysis of mismatch distribution suggested that yellow catfish might have undergone a population expansion. Neighbor-joining tree indicated a correlation between these population genetic differences and geographic distance. This study revealed the extant population genetic diversity and structure of the yellow catfish and was in favor of the related fishery management issues including fishery stock identification, conservation, and artificial breeding. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study analyzes changes in global radiation in the Yangtze River basin during 1961 to 2010. Global radiation decreased significantly from 1961 to 1989 and increased from 1990 to 2010, which has been described as “from dimming to brightening”. The analysis indicates that changes in fuel consumption were responsible for the variation in global radiation, while changes in meteorological variables had a limited contribution. The impact of changing global radiation on the water cycle is discussed. The change in global radiation was possibly the main cause of changes in potential evapotranspiration, which also decreased from 1961 to 1989 and increased from 1990 to 2010. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Outward expansion of urban lands in the developing nations is often associated with a substantial loss of environmental resources such as forests, wetlands, freshwater and cash crop fields. Yet, determining how different aspects of urbanisation – such as city population size and spread pattern of built-up lands – contribute to the cumulative loss of resources remains controversial. In this study, data sets were constructed describing changes to land cover across 65,200 grid cells at 1 km2 spatial resolution for China's Changjiang Delta Region over the past 60 years. The results showed that the region lost 12.2% of total resource sites. The distribution of resource degradation showed a highly dispersed pattern and was not confined to a few intense areas associated with large cities. No empirical evidence was found that city population size alone accurately predicts the distribution of resource loss. Very large cities (N = 4) contributed 35% to the total loss, demonstrating impacts similar to those of much more scattered towns (N = 230). Urban expansion of large cities may lead to extensive resource loss; however, a set of non-linear mechanisms, such as the diminishing effects of per-unit area urban spread on resources and interactions between urban patterns and the size of urban spread, can also play a significant role in downsizing the negative effects of large cities on resource sites. Thus, effective urban policies should carefully weigh the cumulative urban spread mechanisms of both large and small cities responsible for spatially dispersed degradation of environmental resources. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Tonglushan Cu–Fe deposit (1.12 Mt at 1.61% Cu, 5.68 Mt at 41% Fe) is located in the westernmost district of the Middle–Lower Yangtze River metallogenic belt. As a typical polymetal skarn metallogenic region, it consists of 13 skarn orebodies, mainly hosted in the contact zone between the Tonglushan quartz-diorite pluton (140 Ma) and Lower Triassic marine carbonate rocks of the Daye Formation. Four stages of mineralization and alterations can be identified: i.e. prograde skarn formation, retrograde hydrothermal alteration, quartz-sulphide followed by carbonate vein formation. Electron microprobe analysis (EMPA) indicates garnets vary from grossular (Ad20.2–41.6Gr49.7–74.1) to pure andradite (Ad47.4–70.7Gr23.9–45.9) in composition, and pyroxenes are represented by diopsides. Fluid inclusions identify three major types of fluids involved during formation of the deposit within the H2O–NaCl system, i.e. liquid-rich inclusions (Type I), halite-bearing inclusions (Type II), and vapour-rich inclusions (Type III). Measurements of fluid inclusions reveal that the prograde skarn minerals formed at high temperatures (>550°C) in equilibrium with high-saline fluids (>66.57 wt.% NaCl equivalent). Oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes of fluid inclusions from garnets and pyroxenes indicate that ore-formation fluids are mainly of magmatic-hydrothermal origin (δ18O = 6.68‰ to 9.67‰, δD = –67‰ to –92‰), whereas some meteoric water was incorporated into fluids of the retrograde alteration stage judging from compositions of epidote (δ18O = 2.26‰ to 3.74‰, δD= –31‰ to –73‰). Continuing depressurization and cooling to 405–567°C may have resulted in both a decrease in salinity (to 48.43–55.36 wt.% NaCl equivalent) and the deposition of abundant magnetite. During the quartz-sulphide stage, boiling produced sulphide assemblage precipitated from primary magmatic-hydrothermal fluids (δ18O = 4.98‰, δD = –66‰, δ34S values of sulphides: 0.71–3.8‰) with an extensive range of salinities (4.96–50.75 wt.% NaCl equivalent), temperatures (240–350°C), and pressures (11.6–22.2 MPa). Carbonate veins formed at relatively low temperatures (174–284°C) from fluids of low salinity (1.57–4.03 wt.% NaCl equivalent), possibly reflecting the mixing of early magmatic fluids with abundant meteoric water. Boiling and fluid mixing played important roles for Cu precipitation in the Tonglushan deposit. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Consumptive and non-consumptive ecological water requirements are quantified to meet different management objectives of terrestrial and wetland ecosystems in the source region of the Yangtze River. Consumptive uses are summed, while the rule of compatibility is used to estimate non-consumptive ecological water requirements. The volume of water needed to compensate for evaporative losses in terrestrial ecosystems is determined based on the complementary relationship between actual and potential evapotranspiration. For the riverine habitats, 89.6% of the natural river discharge should be maintained in order to maintain the aquatic ecosystems of the source region in their current state. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research was a case study of central Jianghan Plain targeting groundwater as well as river water from Han River, the tributary of Yangtze River. Organochlorine pesticide residues in different aquatic environments and water-soil interface were investigated. River water, groundwater, and soil samples were collected and analyzed. Endrin, Endosulfan2, o, p' -DDT and Endrin aldehyde were not detected in any water samples. The highest total concentrations were found in Han River water. The residue in the soil profile didn't follow the same trend in those three boreholes but depth from 10cm to 50cm should be the most active leaching path. Most of the targeted pesticides were not detected in those corresponding wells. Our field study indicated that highly toxic pesticides are still being used locally, and enforcement of regulations to manage pesticide production and application in the study area is urgently needed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Satellite estimation of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) concentration in the Changjiang Estuary is challenging for ocean-colour retrieval algorithms. The Changjiang Estuary is characterized by suspended-sediment-dominated waters in the mouth and optically complex case 2 waters offshore of the mouth. Satellite ocean-colour products show that high-sediment loads of estuarine waters can cause overestimations or invalid flags of Chl-a concentration. A synthetic chlorophyll index (SCI) was designed for extracting chlorophyll information and for minimizing the influence of sediments on the remote-sensing reflectance spectrum. An SCI algorithm, a quadratic polynomial function of the SCI versus Chl-a concentration, was applied to the estimation of Chl-a concentration from Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer (MERIS) images. The overestimation of Chl-a concentration was corrected. The SCI algorithm has applications for MERIS estimation of Chl-a concentration in turbid waters with a moderate to high suspended-sediment concentration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Hydrological Sciences Journal/Journal des Sciences Hydrologiques is the property of Taylor & Francis Ltd and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This article attempts to resolve the historical controversy over Stalin's attitude and action toward the Chinese Communist Party in early 1949. It specifically deals with the question of whether Stalin had indeed persistently tried to persuade the CCP not to cross the Yangtze River, a move that would have resulted in a divided China. With the aid of newly discovered telegrams sent to Moscow by the Soviet embassy in China, this article reinterprets the telegrams exchanged between Stalin and Mao Zedong in January 1949. On the basis of these, this article proposes a new analysis as to whether or not Stalin actually dissuaded the river-crossing; asserting that Stalin's telegram and the so-called 'coalition government' urged by Anastas Mikoyan in late January 1949, lend strong support for the argument in favour of Stalin's dissuasion of the river-crossing. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Three Gorges region, located on the upper reaches of the Yangtze River in central China, is considered one of the most important biodiversity hotspots in China. It harbours more than 6000 plant species, over 500 terrestrial vertebrates, and about 160 species of fish. In addition to this taxonomic richness, the region is home to many endemic and threatened taxa, which may be the result of its role as a glacial refuge. The construction of the Three Gorges Dam may have serious consequences for this biodiversity. The flooding of more than 600 km2 together with massive population resettlement will involve the loss and/or fragmentation of many terrestrial habitats in the reservoir area, affecting both plant and animal species. Furthermore, negative effects on downstream terrestrial biodiversity are expected due to the regression of floodplains and riparian wetlands after the dam is completed. The alteration of river flow caused by the dam will also have a severe impact on freshwater biodiversity throughout the whole Yangtze River system, especially on migratory fish but also on other aquatic life, such as the emblematic Yangtze River dolphin. The conservation measures implemented by the authorities, although valuable, may well be insufficient to mitigate the negative effects of the dam on biodiversity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Severe soil erosion in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the middle reaches of the Yellow River is a serious environmental problem in western China. In order to control this soil erosion, the national government implemented the Grain for Green Program (GGP) in Sichuan Province (in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River) and Shaanxi Province (in the middle reaches of the Yellow River) in 1999. To evaluate the effects of the GGP on soil erosion, the present study investigated the relationships between annual precipitation and three parameters, annual runoff, sediment concentration, and sediment discharge, for these rivers. As the area covered by the GGP increased, sediment concentration and sediment discharge both decreased, and the correlation with the GGP area was much stronger than the correlation with annual precipitation. Therefore, China's GGP appears to be controlling soil erosion in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the middle reaches of the Yellow River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]