Mangrove forest is one of the most important ecological and environmental resources by effectively promoting tidal flat deposition and preventing the coastal region from typhoon.However,there have been mass loss of ma...Mangrove forest is one of the most important ecological and environmental resources by effectively promoting tidal flat deposition and preventing the coastal region from typhoon.However,there have been mass loss of mangrove forests due to anthropogenic activities.It is an urgent need to explore an effective way for mangrove restoration.Here,three rows of bamboo fences with hydro-sedimentary observation set over Aegiceras corniculatum mangrove tidal flat of the Nanliu Delta,the largest delta of Beibu Gulf,China,were conducted to analyze the hydro-sedimentary variations induced by bamboo fences.Results identified that the mean horizontal velocity Um per burst(20 min)decreased by as much as 71%and 40%in comparison with those without bamboo fences in March and November,respectively,when the tidal current entering the bamboo area during flood.The maximum of mean horizontal flow velocity Um-max at bamboo area was 50%–75%of that without bamboo fences during ebb tide.The suspended sediment concentration of bamboo area suggested a maximum reduction of 57%relative to bare flat during flood,and was 80%lower than bare flat at ebb peak.Moreover,the turbulent kinetic dissipationεat flood tide was significantly higher than that at ebb tide,while the bamboo fences greatly increased the turbulent kinetic dissipationεby 2 to 5 times relative to bare flat,resulting in an increase of the bed elevation by inhibiting the sediment incipient motion and intercepting suspended sediment.The siltation rate at the bamboo area was 140%and 29.3%higher than that at the bare flat and the region covered with A.corniculatum,respectively.These results highlight that bamboo fences can effectively attenuate tidal current and thus promote siltation over mangrove flat,which contribute great benefit to mangrove survival.展开更多
Human activities have impacted 77%of the terrestrial ecosystems(excluding Antarctica),and the remaining areas are becoming increasingly endangered.Mapping spatiotemporal dynamics of Human Footprint has been used to ev...Human activities have impacted 77%of the terrestrial ecosystems(excluding Antarctica),and the remaining areas are becoming increasingly endangered.Mapping spatiotemporal dynamics of Human Footprint has been used to evaluate the cumulative interference on terrestrial environments globally.However,fences and hydropower,two widespread and rapidly expanding infrastructures,have not been considered regarding Human Footprint,despite their complicated and extensive effects on ecosystem functioning and species survival.Previous work has proved that fences increase habitat fragmentation,disrupt migratory routes,inadvertently trap and kill wildlife,and hinder genetic exchange.Hydropower construction also caused habitat loss,fragmentation,and degradation.These impacts have received global concern,but fences around the world are difficult to be detected due to the limitations of current cartographic technologies.Furthermore,the effect of hydropower on the terrestrial environment has been underestimated,making the research on this topic at a global scale still in its infancy.Therefore,building an observation network of global fences and hydropower is a necessary step to move forward in the assessment of the impact of human activities on our planet,but also to better provide scientific support for policy-making regarding global biodiversity conservation,the identification of protected areas,and the prioritization of ecological restoration areas.展开更多
Railways built in cold,snowy,and lightly populated areas are subjected to wind and snow disasters.In this study,we selected a snow hazard prevention and control section of the Altay–Zhundong Railway in Xinjiang Uygur...Railways built in cold,snowy,and lightly populated areas are subjected to wind and snow disasters.In this study,we selected a snow hazard prevention and control section of the Altay–Zhundong Railway in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China as the research object.We investigated the deposited snowfall variation characteristics on the two sides and in the embankment pavement area of snow fences with different porosities,fence heights,and arrangement distances using single-factor tests and orthogonal tests based on global atmospheric reanalysis climate data,field survey data,and a multi-phase flow analysis model.The results showed significant differences in the characteristics of snow cover distribution and snow cover thickness between the embankment and the cutting in the absence of snow protection measures.The maximum snow cover thickness of the embankment pavement decreased by 12.6%relative to the cutting pavement.The snow cover thickness of the embankment exhibited an increasing trend from windward shoulder to leeward shoulder,whereas the snow cover thickness of the cutting presented a declining trend from windward shoulder to leeward toe.In the collaborative prevention and control of snow fences and embankments,the three factors can be ranked in terms of their sensitivity to deposited snowfall within the influence scope of snow fences as follows:fence height>arrangement distance>porosity.At the same time,fence height yielded a significant relationship for the influence scope of snow fences(P<0.05).The three factors can also be ranked in terms of their sensitivity to deposited snowfall on the pavement as follows:porosity>fence height>arrangement distance.For the embankment protection of the Altay–Zhundong Railway against wind and snow,snow fence with a porosity of 75%,a fence height of 4.8 m,and an arrangement distance from the embankment of 60 m produced the best snow control effect.By revealing the characteristics of snow cover distribution along railway subgrade and the protective effect of snow fences,this study provides valuable references for the engineering applications of railway construction in areas prone to wind and snow disasters.展开更多
Concrete-plate fences have been widely adopted for windblown sand control and mitigation along railways.However,the inclination angles of inserting the concrete plate with respect to the vertical direction,i.e.,straig...Concrete-plate fences have been widely adopted for windblown sand control and mitigation along railways.However,the inclination angles of inserting the concrete plate with respect to the vertical direction,i.e.,straight or obliquely inserted concrete plates(SIP or OIP),significantly influence the efficiency of sand-control.This study performs a comparative evaluation of the SIP and OIP sand-control fences using wind tunnel testing and field monitoring data collected from the Lanzhou–Wulumuqi High-Speed Railway Project.The results show that the fence’s ability to reduce the wind speed and the sand-retaining efficiency gradually weakens with the increasing wind speed.Compared with the SIP fence,the OIP fence has a better wind speed reduction capability,stronger ability to capture fine particles below the top of the fence;it is more efficient for sand-retaining and induces stronger eddy intensity.Generally,the wind tunnel test and field monitoring results are consistent,whereas wind tunnel tests incline to overestimate wind speed reduction and sand-control efficiency.The study also finds that the aeolian sand accumulated around the fence can weaken the protection efficiency,and hence cleaning the aeolian sand accumulated around the fence should be done periodically to ensure the designed functions.展开更多
Fences is one of the masterpieces of August Wilson's plays, and Wilson tells a story about a black family's life experiences. In this play, Cory, the second son in this family is seeking for his identity in th...Fences is one of the masterpieces of August Wilson's plays, and Wilson tells a story about a black family's life experiences. In this play, Cory, the second son in this family is seeking for his identity in the society. From Cory's conflict and compromise with his father, it's obvious to see Cory's pursuance for his American identity and his acceptance of his African identity.With the two identity, he finally becomes an intact man in the society.展开更多
As the third play in August Wilson’s ten-play series,Fences marks a milestone for Wilson in the commercial arena and unquestionably affirms his mastery of the art of play-writing.Under the theoretical framework of Ju...As the third play in August Wilson’s ten-play series,Fences marks a milestone for Wilson in the commercial arena and unquestionably affirms his mastery of the art of play-writing.Under the theoretical framework of Julia Kristeva’s broad-sensed intertextuality,this paper explores the intertextual features of Fences to reveal that to survive in a hostile white-dominated environment where the idea of melting pot was advocated and racial discrimination remained widespread in 1950s,African Americans must discover the value of their true self.展开更多
The Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway runs through an expansive windy area in a Gobi Desert, and sand-blocking fences were built to protect the railway from destruction by wind-blown sand. However, the shielding eff...The Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway runs through an expansive windy area in a Gobi Desert, and sand-blocking fences were built to protect the railway from destruction by wind-blown sand. However, the shielding effect of the sand-blocking fence is below the expectation. In this study, effects of metal net fences with porosities of 0.5 and 0.7 were tested in a wind tunnel to determine the effectiveness of the employed two kinds of fences in reducing wind velocity and restraining wind-blown sand. Specifically, the horizontal wind velocities and sediment flux densities above the gravel surface were measured under different free-stream wind velocities for the following conditions: no fence at all, single fence with a porosity of 0.5, single fence with a porosity of 0.7, double fences with a porosity of 0.5, and double fences with a porosity of 0.7. Experimental results showed that the horizontal wind velocity was more significantly decreased by the fence with a porosity of 0.5, especially for the double fences. The horizontal wind velocity decreased approximately 65% at a distance of 3.25 m(i.e., 13 H, where H denotes the fence height) downwind the double fences, and no reverse flow or vortex was observed on the leeward side. The sediment flux density decreased exponentially with height above the gravel surface downwind in all tested fences. The reduction percentage of total sediment flux density was higher for the fence with a porosity of 0.5 than for the fence with a porosity of 0.7, especially for the double fences. Furthermore, the decreasing percentage of total sediment flux density decreased with increasing free-stream wind velocity. The results suggest that compared with metal net fence with a porosity of 0.7, the metal net fence with a porosity of 0.5 is more effective for controlling wind-blown sand in the expansive windy area where the Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway runs through.展开更多
Fences are one of the most effective measures to prevent and control wind-blown sand disasters,and the blocking effect of fences is largely determined by their porosity and height(H).This study employed wind tunnel ex...Fences are one of the most effective measures to prevent and control wind-blown sand disasters,and the blocking effect of fences is largely determined by their porosity and height(H).This study employed wind tunnel experiments to measure wind velocities on both sides of wire mesh sand fences with porosities of 75%,63%,56%,36%and heights of 10,5 and 2 cm.The effects of porosity and height on the blocking effect of the fences were evaluated on the basis of velocity variability,flow field,and the wind velocity reduction coefficient.Results show that the smaller the porosity,the stronger the blocking effect.The fence with a porosity of 36%had the strongest windproof efficiency of 0.70 and longest protection range of 9 H,and thus showed the best applicability in preventing and controlling wind-blown sand disasters.The fence with a porosity of 56%showed a windproof efficiency of 0.31 and a protection range of 7 H,which could be considered for adoption.However,fences with porosities of 75%and 63%were not recommended to be adopted,because their windproof efficiency and protection range were very small.Overall,the higher the fence,the stronger the blocking effect.The highest fence(10 cm)had the longest protection range of 90 cm,which was the best in application.Nevertheless,the 5 and 2 cm fences were almost consistent with 10 cm fence in windproof efficiency,which was still suitable for wind and sand fixation.展开更多
This study investigated the flow characteristics altered by Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station using computational fluid dynamics(CFD) modeling. The topography and buildings around Jang Bogo Station were constructed...This study investigated the flow characteristics altered by Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station using computational fluid dynamics(CFD) modeling. The topography and buildings around Jang Bogo Station were constructed with computeraided-design data in the CFD model domain. We simulated 16 cases with different inflow directions, and compared the flow characteristics with and without Jang Bogo Station for each inflow direction. The wind data recorded by the site's automatic weather station(AWS) were used for comparison. Wind rose analysis showed that the wind speed and direction after the construction of Jang Bogo Station were quite different from those before construction. We also investigated how virtual wind fences would modify the flow patterns, changing the distance of the fence from the station as well as the porosity of the fence. For westerly inflows, when the AWS was downwind of Jang Bogo Station, the decrease in wind speed was maximized(-81% for west-northwesterly). The wind speed reduction was also greater as the distance of the fence was closer to Jang Bogo Station. With the same distance, the fence with medium porosity(25%–33%) maximized the wind speed reduction.These results suggest that the location and material of the wind fence should be selected carefully, or AWS data should be interpreted cautiously, for particular prevailing wind directions.展开更多
Recently,sand fences,made of high density polyethylene(HDPE)board,which is resistant against harsh plateau environmental conditions,could possibly be used to control the wind-blown sand along the Qinghai section of th...Recently,sand fences,made of high density polyethylene(HDPE)board,which is resistant against harsh plateau environmental conditions,could possibly be used to control the wind-blown sand along the Qinghai section of the Golmud-Korla Railway.In this paper,wind tunnel simulation was performed on the protective effect of multiple rows of HDPE board sand fences on wind-blown sand.Two parameters have been used to reflect the protective effect of sand fences,that is,windproof efficiency and sand control efficiency,referring to the reduction rates of wind speed at a height of 0.04 m and sand flux in a run of test with the fence compared those in the control run of test without it,respectively.The test results showed that when the porosity was 30%,the single-row sand fence had the best wind proof and sand control efficiency with respective values of 46%and 65.3%.The windproof efficiencies of double-row and triple-row sand fences at 20H were 59%and 62%,respectively.Compared with the windproof effi-ciency of the single-row sand fence,those of the two-row and three-row fences increased by 13%and 16%,respectively:The maximum sand control efficiency of the double-row and triple-row sand fences were 92.1%and 96.5%,increased by 26.8%and 31.2%,respectively,compared with that of the single-row sand fence.This study indicates that the sand control efficiency after adding one or two rows was not double or triple that of the single-row fence,while the first-row sand fence played a major protective role.Compared with the double-row sand fences,the effect of the third row sand fence in triple-row sand fences is limited,and thus double-row HDPE board sand fences with the porosity of 30%are rec-ommended to control wind-blown sand along the Qinghai section of the Golmud-Korla Railway.展开更多
Whether climate change or anthropogenic activities play a more pivotal role in regulating vegetation growth on the Tibetan Plateau is still controversial.A better understanding on grassland changes at a fine scale may...Whether climate change or anthropogenic activities play a more pivotal role in regulating vegetation growth on the Tibetan Plateau is still controversial.A better understanding on grassland changes at a fine scale may provide important guidance for local government policy and grassland management.Using two of the most reliable satellite NDVI products(MODIS NDVI and SPOT NDVI),we evaluated the dynamic of grasslands in the Zhegucuo valley on the southern Tibetan Plateau from 2000 to 2020,and analyzed its driving factors and relative influences of climate change and anthropogenic activities.Here,the key indicators of climate change were assumed to be precipitation and temperature.The main results were:(1)the grassland NDVI in Zhegucuo valley did not reflect a significant temporal change during the last 21 years.The variation of precipitation during the early growing season(GSP)resembled that of NDVI,and the GSP was positively correlated with NDVI.At the pixel level,the partial correlation analysis showed that 37.79%of the pixels depicted a positive relationship between GSP and NDVI,while 11.32%of the pixels showed a negative relationship between temperature during the early growing season(GST)and NDVI.(2)In view of the spatial distribution,the areas mainly controlled by GSP were generally distributed in the southern part,while those affected by GST stood in the eastern part,mainly around the Zhegucuo lake where most population in Cuomei County settled down.(3)Decreasing NDVI trends were mainly occurred in alpine steppe at lower elevations rather than alpine meadow at higher elevations.(4)The residual trend(RESTREND)analysis further indicated that the anthropogenic activities played a more pivotal role in regulating the annual changes of NDVI rather than climate factors in this area.Future studies should pay more attention on climate extremes rather than the simple temporal trends.Also,the influence of human activities on alpine grassland needs to be accessed and fully considered in future sustainable management.展开更多
The latticed dunes in the Tengger Desert are widely distributed,and the sand-blocking fence placed here are highly susceptible to local failure due to complex wind-sand activities,posing a serious threat to the safe o...The latticed dunes in the Tengger Desert are widely distributed,and the sand-blocking fence placed here are highly susceptible to local failure due to complex wind-sand activities,posing a serious threat to the safe operation of the highway.To explore the local failure mechanism of sand-blocking fence in the latticed dune area,the local failure of sand-blocking fence in the latticed dune areas along the Wuhai-Maqin Highway in China was observed.Taking the first main ridge of the latticed dune as the placement location,the structure of the wind-sand flow field of sand-blocking fence placed at top,the bottom and the middle of windward slope was analyzed by Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD).The results show that when placed at top of the first main ridge,the wind speed near the sand-blocking fence is the highest,up to 15.23 m/s.Therefore,the wind load strength on the sand barrier is correspondingly larger,up to 232.61 N∙m-2.As the strength of material continues to decrease,the nylon net is prone to breakage.The roots of the angle steel posts are susceptible to hollowing by vortex action,which can cause sand-blocking fence to fall over in strong wind conditions.When placed at the bottom of windward slope,wind speed drop near sand-blocking fence is greatest,with the decrease of 12.48-14.32 m/s compared to the original wind speed.This is highly likely to lead to large-scale deposition of sand particles and burial of the sand-blocking fence.When placed in the middle of windward slope,sand-blocking fence is subjected to less wind load strength(168.61N∙m-2)and sand particles are mostly deposited at the bottom of windward slope,with only a small amount of sand accumulating at the root of sand-blocking fence.Based on field observations and numerical modelling results,when the sand-blocking fence is placed in latticed dune area,it should be placed in the middle of the windward slope of the first main ridge as a matter of priority.Besides the sand-blocking fence should be placed at the top of the first main ridge,and sand fixing measures should be added.展开更多
One of the goals of grazing management in the desert steppe is to improve its ecosystem.However,relatively little is known about soil microbe communities in the desert steppe ecosystem under grazing management.In this...One of the goals of grazing management in the desert steppe is to improve its ecosystem.However,relatively little is known about soil microbe communities in the desert steppe ecosystem under grazing management.In this study,we investigated the diversity and aboveground biomass of Caragana korshinskii Kom.shrub communities in long-term fencing and grazing areas,combined with an analysis of soil physical-chemical properties and genomics,with the aim of understanding how fence management affects plant-soil-microbial inter-relationships in the desert steppe,China.The results showed that fence management(exclosure)increased plant diversity and aboveground biomass in C.korshinskii shrub area and effectively enhanced soil organic carbon(233.94%),available nitrogen(87.77%),and available phosphorus(53.67%)contents.As well,the Shannon indices of soil bacteria and fungi were greater in the fenced plot.Plant-soil changes profoundly affected the alpha-and beta-diversity of soil bacteria.Fence management also altered the soil microbial community structure,significantly increasing the relative abundances of Acidobacteriota(5.31%-8.99%),Chloroflexi(3.99%-5.58%),and Glomeromycota(1.37%-3.28%).The soil bacterial-fungal co-occurrence networks under fence management had higher complexity and connectivity.Based on functional predictions,fence management significantly increased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrification and nitrate reduction functions and decreased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrate and nitrite respiration functions.The relative abundances of ecologically functional fungi with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,ectomycorrhizal fungi,and saprotrophs also significantly increased under fence management.In addition,the differential functional groups of bacteria and fungi were closely related to plant-soil changes.The results of this study have significant positive implications for the ecological restoration and reconstruction of dry desert steppe and similar areas.展开更多
Wind and sand hazards are serious in the Milan Gobi area of the Xinjiang section of the Korla Railway. In order to ensure the safe operation of railroads, there is a need for wind and sand protection in heavily sandy ...Wind and sand hazards are serious in the Milan Gobi area of the Xinjiang section of the Korla Railway. In order to ensure the safe operation of railroads, there is a need for wind and sand protection in heavily sandy areas. The wind and sand flow in the region is notably bi-directional. To shield railroads from sand, a unique sand fence made of folded linear high-density polyethylene(HDPE) is used, aligning with the principle that the dominant wind direction is perpendicular to the fence. This study employed field observations and numerical simulations to investigate the effectiveness of these HDPE sand fences in altering flow field distribution and offering protection. It also explored how these fences affect the deposition and erosion of sand particles. Findings revealed a significant reduction in wind speed near the fence corner;the minimum horizontal wind speed on the leeward side of the first sand fence(LSF) decreased dramatically from 3 m/s to 0.64 m/s. The vortex area on the LSF markedly impacted horizontal wind speeds. Within the LSF, sand deposition was a primary occurrence. As wind speeds increased, the deposition zone shrank, whereas the positive erosion zone expanded. Close to the folded corners of the HDPE sand fence, there was a notable shift from the positive erosion zone to a deposition zone. Field tests and numerical simulations confirmed the high windproof efficiency(WE) and sand resistance efficiency(SE) in the HDPE sand fence. Folded linear HDPE sheet sand fence can effectively slow down the incoming flow and reduce the sand content, thus achieving good wind and sand protection. This study provides essential theoretical guidance for the design and improvement of wind and sand protection systems in railroad engineering.展开更多
Diminishing the appearance of a fence in an image is a challenging research area due to the characteristics of fences(thinness, lack of texture, etc.) and the need for occluded background restoration. In this paper, w...Diminishing the appearance of a fence in an image is a challenging research area due to the characteristics of fences(thinness, lack of texture, etc.) and the need for occluded background restoration. In this paper, we describe a fence removal method for an image sequence captured by a user making a sweep motion, in which occluded background is potentially observed. To make use of geometric and appearance information such as consecutive images, we use two well-known approaches: structure from motion and light field rendering. Results using real image sequences show that our method can stably segment fences and preserve background details for various fence and background combinations. A new video without the fence, with frame coherence, can be successfully provided.展开更多
Fences have been widely used in coastal protection engineering for their low cost,simple deployment,and easy integration with ecosystems.The effects of fence porosity and height on dune development have been investiga...Fences have been widely used in coastal protection engineering for their low cost,simple deployment,and easy integration with ecosystems.The effects of fence porosity and height on dune development have been investigated while not much attention has been paid to the effects of fence opening configurations,such as opening size and geometry,and porosity distributions.In this study,we deployed eight fences with same height and similar porosity,but different opening configurations on a sandy beach in Pingtan,Fujian Province.Results indicate that there is a similar two-dune-one-trough pattern for all fences at the beginning of dune development,and opening size,orientation,and geometry,and porosity distribution control the leeward dune peak locations.Fences with small openings and non-uniform porosity have high trapping efficiency,and upper denser porosity may be the optimal design as these fences have the highest trapping efficiency and capacity.The conclusions from this study can provide guidance on practical fence design.展开更多
Supported metal catalysts,particularly for precious metals,have gained increasing attention in green synthetic chemistry.They can make metal-catalyzed organic synthesis more sustainable and economical due to easy sepa...Supported metal catalysts,particularly for precious metals,have gained increasing attention in green synthetic chemistry.They can make metal-catalyzed organic synthesis more sustainable and economical due to easy separation of product with less metal residue,as well as reusability of the high-cost catalysts.Although great effort has been spent,the precise catalytic mechanism of supported metal-catalyzed reactions has not been clearly elucidated and the development of efficient and stable recyclable catalysts remains challenging.This highlight reveals a“molecular fence”metal stabilization strategy and discloses the metal evolution in Pd-catalyzed C-C bond formation reactions using Nheterocyclic carbene(NHC)-functionalized hypercrosslinked polymer support,wherein the polymeric skeleton isolates or confines the metal species involved in the catalytic reactions,and NHC captures free low-valent metal species in solution and stabilizes them on the support via strong metal-support coordination interaction.This strategy creates a novel route for the development of supported metal catalysts with high stability and provides insights into the reaction mechanism of heterogeneous catalysis.展开更多
基金The National Natural Science Key Foundation of China under contract No.41930537the Key Research and Development Plan of Guangxi under contract No.AB21076016+1 种基金the Marine Science Program for Guangxi First-Class Discipline,Beibu Gulf Universitythe China Postdoctoral Science Foundation under contract No.2022M721150.
文摘Mangrove forest is one of the most important ecological and environmental resources by effectively promoting tidal flat deposition and preventing the coastal region from typhoon.However,there have been mass loss of mangrove forests due to anthropogenic activities.It is an urgent need to explore an effective way for mangrove restoration.Here,three rows of bamboo fences with hydro-sedimentary observation set over Aegiceras corniculatum mangrove tidal flat of the Nanliu Delta,the largest delta of Beibu Gulf,China,were conducted to analyze the hydro-sedimentary variations induced by bamboo fences.Results identified that the mean horizontal velocity Um per burst(20 min)decreased by as much as 71%and 40%in comparison with those without bamboo fences in March and November,respectively,when the tidal current entering the bamboo area during flood.The maximum of mean horizontal flow velocity Um-max at bamboo area was 50%–75%of that without bamboo fences during ebb tide.The suspended sediment concentration of bamboo area suggested a maximum reduction of 57%relative to bare flat during flood,and was 80%lower than bare flat at ebb peak.Moreover,the turbulent kinetic dissipationεat flood tide was significantly higher than that at ebb tide,while the bamboo fences greatly increased the turbulent kinetic dissipationεby 2 to 5 times relative to bare flat,resulting in an increase of the bed elevation by inhibiting the sediment incipient motion and intercepting suspended sediment.The siltation rate at the bamboo area was 140%and 29.3%higher than that at the bare flat and the region covered with A.corniculatum,respectively.These results highlight that bamboo fences can effectively attenuate tidal current and thus promote siltation over mangrove flat,which contribute great benefit to mangrove survival.
基金the Second Scientific Expedition to the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau(Grant No.2019QZKK0405)the investiga-tion and monitoring project on Rational construction and utilization of grassland fence in China National Park(QHXH-2021-07-19-package 2).
文摘Human activities have impacted 77%of the terrestrial ecosystems(excluding Antarctica),and the remaining areas are becoming increasingly endangered.Mapping spatiotemporal dynamics of Human Footprint has been used to evaluate the cumulative interference on terrestrial environments globally.However,fences and hydropower,two widespread and rapidly expanding infrastructures,have not been considered regarding Human Footprint,despite their complicated and extensive effects on ecosystem functioning and species survival.Previous work has proved that fences increase habitat fragmentation,disrupt migratory routes,inadvertently trap and kill wildlife,and hinder genetic exchange.Hydropower construction also caused habitat loss,fragmentation,and degradation.These impacts have received global concern,but fences around the world are difficult to be detected due to the limitations of current cartographic technologies.Furthermore,the effect of hydropower on the terrestrial environment has been underestimated,making the research on this topic at a global scale still in its infancy.Therefore,building an observation network of global fences and hydropower is a necessary step to move forward in the assessment of the impact of human activities on our planet,but also to better provide scientific support for policy-making regarding global biodiversity conservation,the identification of protected areas,and the prioritization of ecological restoration areas.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(52168065).
文摘Railways built in cold,snowy,and lightly populated areas are subjected to wind and snow disasters.In this study,we selected a snow hazard prevention and control section of the Altay–Zhundong Railway in Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region of China as the research object.We investigated the deposited snowfall variation characteristics on the two sides and in the embankment pavement area of snow fences with different porosities,fence heights,and arrangement distances using single-factor tests and orthogonal tests based on global atmospheric reanalysis climate data,field survey data,and a multi-phase flow analysis model.The results showed significant differences in the characteristics of snow cover distribution and snow cover thickness between the embankment and the cutting in the absence of snow protection measures.The maximum snow cover thickness of the embankment pavement decreased by 12.6%relative to the cutting pavement.The snow cover thickness of the embankment exhibited an increasing trend from windward shoulder to leeward shoulder,whereas the snow cover thickness of the cutting presented a declining trend from windward shoulder to leeward toe.In the collaborative prevention and control of snow fences and embankments,the three factors can be ranked in terms of their sensitivity to deposited snowfall within the influence scope of snow fences as follows:fence height>arrangement distance>porosity.At the same time,fence height yielded a significant relationship for the influence scope of snow fences(P<0.05).The three factors can also be ranked in terms of their sensitivity to deposited snowfall on the pavement as follows:porosity>fence height>arrangement distance.For the embankment protection of the Altay–Zhundong Railway against wind and snow,snow fence with a porosity of 75%,a fence height of 4.8 m,and an arrangement distance from the embankment of 60 m produced the best snow control effect.By revealing the characteristics of snow cover distribution along railway subgrade and the protective effect of snow fences,this study provides valuable references for the engineering applications of railway construction in areas prone to wind and snow disasters.
基金This research was supported by the Science and Technology Development Plan of China Railway Group Limited(Grant No.2015-kj035-g004-03).
文摘Concrete-plate fences have been widely adopted for windblown sand control and mitigation along railways.However,the inclination angles of inserting the concrete plate with respect to the vertical direction,i.e.,straight or obliquely inserted concrete plates(SIP or OIP),significantly influence the efficiency of sand-control.This study performs a comparative evaluation of the SIP and OIP sand-control fences using wind tunnel testing and field monitoring data collected from the Lanzhou–Wulumuqi High-Speed Railway Project.The results show that the fence’s ability to reduce the wind speed and the sand-retaining efficiency gradually weakens with the increasing wind speed.Compared with the SIP fence,the OIP fence has a better wind speed reduction capability,stronger ability to capture fine particles below the top of the fence;it is more efficient for sand-retaining and induces stronger eddy intensity.Generally,the wind tunnel test and field monitoring results are consistent,whereas wind tunnel tests incline to overestimate wind speed reduction and sand-control efficiency.The study also finds that the aeolian sand accumulated around the fence can weaken the protection efficiency,and hence cleaning the aeolian sand accumulated around the fence should be done periodically to ensure the designed functions.
文摘Fences is one of the masterpieces of August Wilson's plays, and Wilson tells a story about a black family's life experiences. In this play, Cory, the second son in this family is seeking for his identity in the society. From Cory's conflict and compromise with his father, it's obvious to see Cory's pursuance for his American identity and his acceptance of his African identity.With the two identity, he finally becomes an intact man in the society.
文摘As the third play in August Wilson’s ten-play series,Fences marks a milestone for Wilson in the commercial arena and unquestionably affirms his mastery of the art of play-writing.Under the theoretical framework of Julia Kristeva’s broad-sensed intertextuality,this paper explores the intertextual features of Fences to reveal that to survive in a hostile white-dominated environment where the idea of melting pot was advocated and racial discrimination remained widespread in 1950s,African Americans must discover the value of their true self.
基金financially supported by the Scientific and Technological Services Network Planning Project of Northwest Institute of Eco-Environment and Resources, Chinese Academy of Sciences (HHS-TSS-STS-1504)the Technological Research and Developmental Planning Projects of China Railway Corporation (2015G005-B)the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41501010, 41401611)
文摘The Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway runs through an expansive windy area in a Gobi Desert, and sand-blocking fences were built to protect the railway from destruction by wind-blown sand. However, the shielding effect of the sand-blocking fence is below the expectation. In this study, effects of metal net fences with porosities of 0.5 and 0.7 were tested in a wind tunnel to determine the effectiveness of the employed two kinds of fences in reducing wind velocity and restraining wind-blown sand. Specifically, the horizontal wind velocities and sediment flux densities above the gravel surface were measured under different free-stream wind velocities for the following conditions: no fence at all, single fence with a porosity of 0.5, single fence with a porosity of 0.7, double fences with a porosity of 0.5, and double fences with a porosity of 0.7. Experimental results showed that the horizontal wind velocity was more significantly decreased by the fence with a porosity of 0.5, especially for the double fences. The horizontal wind velocity decreased approximately 65% at a distance of 3.25 m(i.e., 13 H, where H denotes the fence height) downwind the double fences, and no reverse flow or vortex was observed on the leeward side. The sediment flux density decreased exponentially with height above the gravel surface downwind in all tested fences. The reduction percentage of total sediment flux density was higher for the fence with a porosity of 0.5 than for the fence with a porosity of 0.7, especially for the double fences. Furthermore, the decreasing percentage of total sediment flux density decreased with increasing free-stream wind velocity. The results suggest that compared with metal net fence with a porosity of 0.7, the metal net fence with a porosity of 0.5 is more effective for controlling wind-blown sand in the expansive windy area where the Lanzhou-Xinjiang High-speed Railway runs through.
基金supported by the National Natural Sciences Foundation of China(41871016)。
文摘Fences are one of the most effective measures to prevent and control wind-blown sand disasters,and the blocking effect of fences is largely determined by their porosity and height(H).This study employed wind tunnel experiments to measure wind velocities on both sides of wire mesh sand fences with porosities of 75%,63%,56%,36%and heights of 10,5 and 2 cm.The effects of porosity and height on the blocking effect of the fences were evaluated on the basis of velocity variability,flow field,and the wind velocity reduction coefficient.Results show that the smaller the porosity,the stronger the blocking effect.The fence with a porosity of 36%had the strongest windproof efficiency of 0.70 and longest protection range of 9 H,and thus showed the best applicability in preventing and controlling wind-blown sand disasters.The fence with a porosity of 56%showed a windproof efficiency of 0.31 and a protection range of 7 H,which could be considered for adoption.However,fences with porosities of 75%and 63%were not recommended to be adopted,because their windproof efficiency and protection range were very small.Overall,the higher the fence,the stronger the blocking effect.The highest fence(10 cm)had the longest protection range of 90 cm,which was the best in application.Nevertheless,the 5 and 2 cm fences were almost consistent with 10 cm fence in windproof efficiency,which was still suitable for wind and sand fixation.
基金funded by a Korea Polar Research Institute project (PE16250)Hateak KWON is financially supported by PE17010 of Korea Polar Research Institute
文摘This study investigated the flow characteristics altered by Jang Bogo Antarctic Research Station using computational fluid dynamics(CFD) modeling. The topography and buildings around Jang Bogo Station were constructed with computeraided-design data in the CFD model domain. We simulated 16 cases with different inflow directions, and compared the flow characteristics with and without Jang Bogo Station for each inflow direction. The wind data recorded by the site's automatic weather station(AWS) were used for comparison. Wind rose analysis showed that the wind speed and direction after the construction of Jang Bogo Station were quite different from those before construction. We also investigated how virtual wind fences would modify the flow patterns, changing the distance of the fence from the station as well as the porosity of the fence. For westerly inflows, when the AWS was downwind of Jang Bogo Station, the decrease in wind speed was maximized(-81% for west-northwesterly). The wind speed reduction was also greater as the distance of the fence was closer to Jang Bogo Station. With the same distance, the fence with medium porosity(25%–33%) maximized the wind speed reduction.These results suggest that the location and material of the wind fence should be selected carefully, or AWS data should be interpreted cautiously, for particular prevailing wind directions.
基金supported by the Young Scholars Science Foundation of Lanzhou Jiaotong University,China(2018016)the Chang Jiang Scholar and Innovation Team Development Plan of China(IRT_15R29)。
文摘Recently,sand fences,made of high density polyethylene(HDPE)board,which is resistant against harsh plateau environmental conditions,could possibly be used to control the wind-blown sand along the Qinghai section of the Golmud-Korla Railway.In this paper,wind tunnel simulation was performed on the protective effect of multiple rows of HDPE board sand fences on wind-blown sand.Two parameters have been used to reflect the protective effect of sand fences,that is,windproof efficiency and sand control efficiency,referring to the reduction rates of wind speed at a height of 0.04 m and sand flux in a run of test with the fence compared those in the control run of test without it,respectively.The test results showed that when the porosity was 30%,the single-row sand fence had the best wind proof and sand control efficiency with respective values of 46%and 65.3%.The windproof efficiencies of double-row and triple-row sand fences at 20H were 59%and 62%,respectively.Compared with the windproof effi-ciency of the single-row sand fence,those of the two-row and three-row fences increased by 13%and 16%,respectively:The maximum sand control efficiency of the double-row and triple-row sand fences were 92.1%and 96.5%,increased by 26.8%and 31.2%,respectively,compared with that of the single-row sand fence.This study indicates that the sand control efficiency after adding one or two rows was not double or triple that of the single-row fence,while the first-row sand fence played a major protective role.Compared with the double-row sand fences,the effect of the third row sand fence in triple-row sand fences is limited,and thus double-row HDPE board sand fences with the porosity of 30%are rec-ommended to control wind-blown sand along the Qinghai section of the Golmud-Korla Railway.
基金funded by the Second Tibetan Plateau Scientific Expedition and Research program(2019QZKK0301)the Natural Science Foundation of Xizang Autonomous Region(XZ202301ZR0027G).
文摘Whether climate change or anthropogenic activities play a more pivotal role in regulating vegetation growth on the Tibetan Plateau is still controversial.A better understanding on grassland changes at a fine scale may provide important guidance for local government policy and grassland management.Using two of the most reliable satellite NDVI products(MODIS NDVI and SPOT NDVI),we evaluated the dynamic of grasslands in the Zhegucuo valley on the southern Tibetan Plateau from 2000 to 2020,and analyzed its driving factors and relative influences of climate change and anthropogenic activities.Here,the key indicators of climate change were assumed to be precipitation and temperature.The main results were:(1)the grassland NDVI in Zhegucuo valley did not reflect a significant temporal change during the last 21 years.The variation of precipitation during the early growing season(GSP)resembled that of NDVI,and the GSP was positively correlated with NDVI.At the pixel level,the partial correlation analysis showed that 37.79%of the pixels depicted a positive relationship between GSP and NDVI,while 11.32%of the pixels showed a negative relationship between temperature during the early growing season(GST)and NDVI.(2)In view of the spatial distribution,the areas mainly controlled by GSP were generally distributed in the southern part,while those affected by GST stood in the eastern part,mainly around the Zhegucuo lake where most population in Cuomei County settled down.(3)Decreasing NDVI trends were mainly occurred in alpine steppe at lower elevations rather than alpine meadow at higher elevations.(4)The residual trend(RESTREND)analysis further indicated that the anthropogenic activities played a more pivotal role in regulating the annual changes of NDVI rather than climate factors in this area.Future studies should pay more attention on climate extremes rather than the simple temporal trends.Also,the influence of human activities on alpine grassland needs to be accessed and fully considered in future sustainable management.
文摘The latticed dunes in the Tengger Desert are widely distributed,and the sand-blocking fence placed here are highly susceptible to local failure due to complex wind-sand activities,posing a serious threat to the safe operation of the highway.To explore the local failure mechanism of sand-blocking fence in the latticed dune area,the local failure of sand-blocking fence in the latticed dune areas along the Wuhai-Maqin Highway in China was observed.Taking the first main ridge of the latticed dune as the placement location,the structure of the wind-sand flow field of sand-blocking fence placed at top,the bottom and the middle of windward slope was analyzed by Computational Fluid Dynamics(CFD).The results show that when placed at top of the first main ridge,the wind speed near the sand-blocking fence is the highest,up to 15.23 m/s.Therefore,the wind load strength on the sand barrier is correspondingly larger,up to 232.61 N∙m-2.As the strength of material continues to decrease,the nylon net is prone to breakage.The roots of the angle steel posts are susceptible to hollowing by vortex action,which can cause sand-blocking fence to fall over in strong wind conditions.When placed at the bottom of windward slope,wind speed drop near sand-blocking fence is greatest,with the decrease of 12.48-14.32 m/s compared to the original wind speed.This is highly likely to lead to large-scale deposition of sand particles and burial of the sand-blocking fence.When placed in the middle of windward slope,sand-blocking fence is subjected to less wind load strength(168.61N∙m-2)and sand particles are mostly deposited at the bottom of windward slope,with only a small amount of sand accumulating at the root of sand-blocking fence.Based on field observations and numerical modelling results,when the sand-blocking fence is placed in latticed dune area,it should be placed in the middle of the windward slope of the first main ridge as a matter of priority.Besides the sand-blocking fence should be placed at the top of the first main ridge,and sand fixing measures should be added.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(32061123006,32360426).
文摘One of the goals of grazing management in the desert steppe is to improve its ecosystem.However,relatively little is known about soil microbe communities in the desert steppe ecosystem under grazing management.In this study,we investigated the diversity and aboveground biomass of Caragana korshinskii Kom.shrub communities in long-term fencing and grazing areas,combined with an analysis of soil physical-chemical properties and genomics,with the aim of understanding how fence management affects plant-soil-microbial inter-relationships in the desert steppe,China.The results showed that fence management(exclosure)increased plant diversity and aboveground biomass in C.korshinskii shrub area and effectively enhanced soil organic carbon(233.94%),available nitrogen(87.77%),and available phosphorus(53.67%)contents.As well,the Shannon indices of soil bacteria and fungi were greater in the fenced plot.Plant-soil changes profoundly affected the alpha-and beta-diversity of soil bacteria.Fence management also altered the soil microbial community structure,significantly increasing the relative abundances of Acidobacteriota(5.31%-8.99%),Chloroflexi(3.99%-5.58%),and Glomeromycota(1.37%-3.28%).The soil bacterial-fungal co-occurrence networks under fence management had higher complexity and connectivity.Based on functional predictions,fence management significantly increased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrification and nitrate reduction functions and decreased the relative abundance of bacteria with nitrate and nitrite respiration functions.The relative abundances of ecologically functional fungi with arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi,ectomycorrhizal fungi,and saprotrophs also significantly increased under fence management.In addition,the differential functional groups of bacteria and fungi were closely related to plant-soil changes.The results of this study have significant positive implications for the ecological restoration and reconstruction of dry desert steppe and similar areas.
基金financially supported by the Chang Jiang Scholar and Innovation Team Development Plan of China (IRT_15R29)the Basic Research Innovation Group Project of Gansu Province, China (21JR7RA347)the Natural Science Foundation of Gansu Province, China (20JR10RA231)。
文摘Wind and sand hazards are serious in the Milan Gobi area of the Xinjiang section of the Korla Railway. In order to ensure the safe operation of railroads, there is a need for wind and sand protection in heavily sandy areas. The wind and sand flow in the region is notably bi-directional. To shield railroads from sand, a unique sand fence made of folded linear high-density polyethylene(HDPE) is used, aligning with the principle that the dominant wind direction is perpendicular to the fence. This study employed field observations and numerical simulations to investigate the effectiveness of these HDPE sand fences in altering flow field distribution and offering protection. It also explored how these fences affect the deposition and erosion of sand particles. Findings revealed a significant reduction in wind speed near the fence corner;the minimum horizontal wind speed on the leeward side of the first sand fence(LSF) decreased dramatically from 3 m/s to 0.64 m/s. The vortex area on the LSF markedly impacted horizontal wind speeds. Within the LSF, sand deposition was a primary occurrence. As wind speeds increased, the deposition zone shrank, whereas the positive erosion zone expanded. Close to the folded corners of the HDPE sand fence, there was a notable shift from the positive erosion zone to a deposition zone. Field tests and numerical simulations confirmed the high windproof efficiency(WE) and sand resistance efficiency(SE) in the HDPE sand fence. Folded linear HDPE sheet sand fence can effectively slow down the incoming flow and reduce the sand content, thus achieving good wind and sand protection. This study provides essential theoretical guidance for the design and improvement of wind and sand protection systems in railroad engineering.
基金supported in part by Grant-in-Aid from the Japan Society for the Promotion of Science, following Grant No. 16J05114
文摘Diminishing the appearance of a fence in an image is a challenging research area due to the characteristics of fences(thinness, lack of texture, etc.) and the need for occluded background restoration. In this paper, we describe a fence removal method for an image sequence captured by a user making a sweep motion, in which occluded background is potentially observed. To make use of geometric and appearance information such as consecutive images, we use two well-known approaches: structure from motion and light field rendering. Results using real image sequences show that our method can stably segment fences and preserve background details for various fence and background combinations. A new video without the fence, with frame coherence, can be successfully provided.
基金The National Natural Science Foundation of China under contract Nos 41871005 and 42076211the Research Development Fund of Xi’an Jiaotong-Liverpool University under contract No.RDF 14-01-26the High-Level Talent Research Startup Fund of West Anhui University under contract No.WGKQ2022053.
文摘Fences have been widely used in coastal protection engineering for their low cost,simple deployment,and easy integration with ecosystems.The effects of fence porosity and height on dune development have been investigated while not much attention has been paid to the effects of fence opening configurations,such as opening size and geometry,and porosity distributions.In this study,we deployed eight fences with same height and similar porosity,but different opening configurations on a sandy beach in Pingtan,Fujian Province.Results indicate that there is a similar two-dune-one-trough pattern for all fences at the beginning of dune development,and opening size,orientation,and geometry,and porosity distribution control the leeward dune peak locations.Fences with small openings and non-uniform porosity have high trapping efficiency,and upper denser porosity may be the optimal design as these fences have the highest trapping efficiency and capacity.The conclusions from this study can provide guidance on practical fence design.
基金support of the Start-up Research Fund of Dongguan University of Technology(KCYKYQD2017015).
文摘Supported metal catalysts,particularly for precious metals,have gained increasing attention in green synthetic chemistry.They can make metal-catalyzed organic synthesis more sustainable and economical due to easy separation of product with less metal residue,as well as reusability of the high-cost catalysts.Although great effort has been spent,the precise catalytic mechanism of supported metal-catalyzed reactions has not been clearly elucidated and the development of efficient and stable recyclable catalysts remains challenging.This highlight reveals a“molecular fence”metal stabilization strategy and discloses the metal evolution in Pd-catalyzed C-C bond formation reactions using Nheterocyclic carbene(NHC)-functionalized hypercrosslinked polymer support,wherein the polymeric skeleton isolates or confines the metal species involved in the catalytic reactions,and NHC captures free low-valent metal species in solution and stabilizes them on the support via strong metal-support coordination interaction.This strategy creates a novel route for the development of supported metal catalysts with high stability and provides insights into the reaction mechanism of heterogeneous catalysis.
