Search Results (70)

The Kekeya oilfield is located at the southwestern edge of the Tarim Basin, in the southern margin of the Yecheng depression, at the western end of the second structural belt of the northern foothills of the Kunlun Mountains. It is one of the important oil and gas fields in western China, with significant oil and gas resource potential in the X4-X5 section of the Xihepu Formation. This study focuses on the edge of the alluvial fan depositional system, employing various techniques, including core data and well logging data, to precisely characterize the sand body architecture and comprehensively analyze the reservoir architecture in the study area. First, the regional geological background of the area is analyzed, clarifying the sedimentary environment and evolutionary process of the Xihepu Formation. Based on the sedimentary environment and microfacies classification, the sedimentary features of the region are revealed. On this basis, using reservoir architecture element analysis, the interfaces of the reservoir architecture are finely subdivided. The spatial distribution characteristics of the planar architecture are discussed, and the spatial distribution and internal architecture of individual sand body units are analyzed. The study focuses on the spatial combination of microfacies units along the profile and their internal distribution patterns. Additionally, a quantitative analysis of the sizes of various types of sand bodies is conducted, constructing the sedimentary model for the region and revealing the control mechanisms of different sedimentary architectures on reservoir properties and oil and gas accumulation patterns. This study pioneers a quantitative model for alluvial fan fringe in gentle-slope basins, featuring the following: (1) lobe width-thickness ratios (avg. 128), (2) four base-level-sensitive boundary markers, and (3) a retrogradational stacking mechanism. The findings directly inform reservoir development in analogous arid-climate systems. This research not only provides a scientific basis for the exploration and development of the Kekeya oilfield but also serves as an important reference for reservoir architecture studies in similar geological contexts. Full article

This paper presents the results of studies on intra-annual runoff changes in the Ile River basin based on data from gauging stations up to 2021. Changes in climatic characteristics that determine runoff formation in the mountainous and foothill areas of the river catchment have led to alterations in the water regime of the watercourses. The analysis of the temporal and spatial patterns of river flow formation in the basin, as well as its distribution by seasons and months, is essential for solving applied water management problems and assessing the risks of hazardous hydrological phenomena, such as high floods and low water levels. The statistical analysis of annual and monthly river runoff fluctuations enabled the identification of relatively homogeneous estimation periods during stationary observations under varying climatic conditions. The obtained characteristics of annual and intra-annual river runoff in the Ile River basin for the modern period provide insights into changes in average monthly water discharge and, more broadly, runoff volume during different phases of the water regime. In the future, these characteristics are expected to guide the design of hydraulic structures and the rational use of surface runoff in this intensively developing region of Kazakhstan. Full article

The response mechanisms of vegetation dynamics to climate change in arid regions, particularly under extreme low-altitude and high-temperature environments, remain unclear. Focusing on China’s lowest and hottest Turpan-Hami Basin, this study investigates the spatiotemporal evolution of vegetation cover (using MODIS NDVI) and its response to temperature, precipitation, and potential evapotranspiration (PET) based on data from 2001 to 2020. Theil–Sen trend analysis, the Mann–Kendall test, and Pearson correlation were employed. Key findings include the following: (1) NDVI exhibited a significant increasing trend, with the largest rise in winter and peak values in summer. Spatially, high NDVI was concentrated in oasis and mountainous forest-grassland zones, while low values prevailed in desert Gobi regions; 34.2% of the area showed significant improvement, though localized degradation occurred. (2) Temperature showed no significant overall correlation with NDVI, except for strong positive correlations in limited high-altitude cold zones (2.9%). Precipitation had minimal influence (no correlation in 75.4% of the area), with localized positive responses in northwestern foothills linked to runoff. PET exhibited positive correlations (weak or strong) with NDVI across nearly half of the region (46.8%), predominantly in oasis-desert and piedmont transition zones. (3) Human activities, notably irrigation and shelterbelt projects, are key drivers of oasis vegetation restoration. Critically, the positive PET-NDVI correlation challenges the conventional paradigm viewing evapotranspiration solely as water stress. This study elucidates the compound responses of vegetation dynamics to climatic and anthropogenic factors in a low-altitude arid region, providing a scientific basis for ecological restoration and water resource management optimization. Full article

As the ecological security barrier in northwestern China, understanding how natural grassland (NG) utilization pattern transformation in the northern Qilian foothills affects soil quality and ecosystem multifunctionality supports regional ecosystem management. The study compared soil chemical and biological properties, soil quality index (SQI), and soil ecosystem multifunctionality (SMF) among four grassland utilization patterns in the northern foothills of the Qilian Mountains, Gansu Province, China. Soil samples were collected in early October 2024 following crop harvest from the following systems: traditionally grazed NG, monocropping Hordeum vulgare (barley; MHV), monocropping Avena sativa (oat; MAS), and Hippophae rhamnoides shrubland (sea buckthorn; HRS). The results showed that compared with NG, SQI was decreased by 52.69% (p = 0.000059) under MHV treatment and by 18.78% (p = 0.03) under MAS treatment, while HRS did not have a significant reduction in SQI. Under the three patterns of transformative utilization of NG, SMF followed the order of HRS (0.11) > MAS (−0.06) > MHV (−0.51). Overall, the establishment of restoration vegetation (sea buckthorn shrubland) retained SQI under different grassland utilization patterns in the study area, whereas long-term monocropping resulted in significant reductions in SQI and SMF due to compromised chemical and biological properties. Full article

Organic farming is becoming increasingly important in agricultural production, especially in mountain and foothill areas. In organic farms, unlike conventional ones, no mineral fertilization or chemical plant protection is used, which often limits the economic efficiency of production. It is commonly believed that conventional farming poses a threat to biodiversity due to the use of mineral fertilization, chemical plant protection, and highly productive crop varieties, and the products obtained are in many respects of lower quality than those from organic farms. The aim of this work is to compare the quality and fertility of soils and the biodiversity of grasslands in organic and conventional farms, using the example of a foothill area within the commune of Kamienna Góra located in the Western Sudetes. Thirty-three areas representing 11 farms that produce dairy cattle in a grazing system were selected for analysis. The properties of soils in organic and conventional farms and their nutrient status did not differ significantly, except for the content of available potassium, which was higher in the group of organic farms. This fact seems to be related to the type of parent rock. All soils had acidic, slightly acidic, or strongly acidic pH levels. The greatest differences between pastures in organic and conventional farms concerned the sward species composition and biodiversity indices. Grasslands in organic farms were much richer in species, which was reflected by the species richness (SR) index and the F-fidelity index. The species inventoried clearly formed two groups that are characteristic of organic and conventional grasslands. The greater biodiversity of grasslands in organic farms did not have a significant effect on the fodder value of the sward, which should be considered good, allowing producers to participate in short supply chains. However, in all farms, regardless of their type, it would be advisable to carry out gentle liming. Full article

This study assesses the current status of selected soil properties of an expanding equatorial agricultural region (Arauca, Colombia) across six landscapes, with the final focus being on evaluating overall soil quality. Field surveys, morphological descriptions, and laboratory analyses of 133 soil profiles were investigated. The landscapes include mountains (25 profiles), foothills (17), hills (11), alluvial plains (43), alluvial plains with dunes (21), and alluvial valleys (16). Soils are classified into six Reference Soil Groups (WRB FAO): Gleysols, Acrisols, Arenosols, Ferralsols, Leptosols, and Cambisols. The findings indicate high acidity, low fertility, and deficient exchangeable bases. Indeed, pH ranges from extremely acid to slightly acid (3.5–6.4), and exchangeable acidity saturation percentage (%SAI) values reach 100% in some areas. Soil textures vary from clay loam to sandy loam and clay. Nutrient contents are ranked in the order Cambisols > Gleysols > Arenosols > Ferralsols > Acrisols > Leptosols. Correlation analysis reveals that clay content positively influences the exchangeable basis percentage, while organic matter (OM) negatively correlates with the nutrients phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium. This study highlights that landscape position influences soil quality, with lower landscape positions having better quality than upper ones. These results provide insights into soil fertility and nutrient availability, which helps to predict suitable plant cultivation areas when increasing areas for agricultural use versus forestry in Arauca. The inclusion or maintenance of diverse tree species is a key element in maintaining the production of organic matter and, consequently, generating better soil quality. Full article

Due to climate change, providing the population with clean drinking water, increasing the productivity of agricultural products in terms of quality and quantity, and the timely supply of necessary water to crops has become one of the main problems in the world. The water shortage in the Republic of Uzbekistan is increasing year by year. With the increase in the population of the republic, the need for water and energy resources has increased significantly. The main goal of this scientific research is to use water and energy-saving technologies in fruit orchards growing in the mountain and foothill areas of the Republic of Uzbekistan (Republic of Karakalpakstan and the Bukhara, Kashkadarya, Namangan, Surkhandarya, and Khorezm regions), where water resources and electricity are scarce. The methodology used for the research is comprehensive in nature, using both analytical and experimental research methods. In evaluating and comparing the efficiency of the proposed technical solution, comparison with traditional methods and methods of absolute and comparative economic efficiency of capital investments are used. The obtained results showed drip irrigation of fruit orchards 8–10 times alongside pumping units with a capacity of N = 4.0 kW (8 PTBs of 500 W each) provided enough water for cultivation; the power utilization ratio increased by 30–40% compared to stationary systems; the water savings in fruit orchards compared to traditional irrigation was 67.4 percent (Republic of Karakalpakstan)—76.1 percent (Bukhara region) (for the whole republic—60–70 percent). The use of such combined devices based on drip irrigation systems, mobile solar energy installation and automation system saves significant amounts of water and energy resources and increases the reliability of irrigation. Full article

Overwintering frost damage is a major challenge for the wine grape industry in northern China. This study investigates overwintering treatments to improve survival rates and mitigate frost damage in the wine grape production area of the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains. Seven overwintering treatments were tested: soil-covered striped cloth, striped cloth, sandwiched striped cloth, thickened striped cloth, double-layered striped cloth, heat-insulating striped cloth, and heat-insulating sandwich striped cloth. Temperature and humidity were continuously monitored during the overwintering period, both aboveground and at depths of 20 and 40 cm underground. By analyzing temperature trends, the duration of low temperatures, and temperature fluctuations, comprehensive overwintering indices were derived through principal component analysis to assess heat retention, moisture preservation, and the impact on grapevine survival. The results showed that the sandwiched striped cloth treatment provided the best insulation, with a 4.4 °C higher minimum daily temperature and a 356% increase in overwintering indices compared to striped cloth alone. The double-layer striped cloth treatment also improved safety, with a 130% increase in overwintering indices. Other treatments, including the soil-covered and the heat-insulating striped cloth, showed reduced performance. The sandwiched striped cloth and double-layer striped cloth treatments are recommended for northern China’s wine grape regions, with further research needed to evaluate their economic viability. Full article

Background: The wine industry in arid area serves as a crucial livelihood source at the frontiers of anti-desertification and anti-poverty. By making use of a carbon footprint (CF) management system, formerly untapped climate values can be explored, embedded, and cherished to connect rural communities with the global goals of sustainable development. However, the current standards of CF management mainly represent the traditional wine grape growing areas of Europe, Oceania, and North America. Limited study of the arid areas in lower-income regions exists, which offers a kind of potential development knowledge regarding creating climate-related livelihoods. Methods: This paper attempts to construct a cradle-to-gate CF Life Cycle Assessment (LCA) framework based on the prominent emission factors in three GHG emission phases (raw material input, planting management, and transportation) of a wine grape variety, Cabernet Sauvignon (chi xia zhu), planted at the Eastern Foothills of the Helan Mountains in the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region of China. Results: It is found that viticulture processes (instead of wine-making, bottling, or distribution) account for a larger proportion of GHG emissions in Ningxia. Due to the large amount of irrigation electricity usage, the less precipitation wine producers have, the larger CF they produce. By using organic fertilizer, the CF of Ningxia Cabernet Sauvignon, being 0.3403 kgCO₂e/kg, is not only lower than that of the drier areas in Gansu Province (1.59–5.7 kgCO₂e/kg) of Western China, but it is even lower than that of the Israel Negev Region (0.342 kgCO₂e/kg) that experiences more rainfall. Conclusions: The measurement of CF also plays a role in understanding low-carbon experience sharing. As the largest wine grape production area in China, CF analysis of the Ningxia region and its commercial value realization might practically fill in the knowledge gap for desert areas in developing countries. It is inspiring to know that by applying green agricultural technologies, the viticulture CF can be effectively reduced. For the potential exchanges in global carbon markets or trading regulations under the Carbon Border Adjustment Mechanism (CBAM), positive variations in CF and soil organic carbon (SOC) storage volume need to be considered within financial institutional design to lead to more participation toward SDGs. Full article

The aim of this study was to assess the impact of the method of use and different fertilization of the foothill soil on the manganese (Mn), copper (Cu), cadmium (Cd) and lead (Pb) concentration in leachates and the loads of trace elements leached from the soil profile. An experiment was carried out in Wiśnicz Foothills (Malopolska Province, Poland). In each plot, three lysimeters were installed, placed at a depth of 0–30 cm. The experiment included six variants, five on meadow, without fertilization (A—control); with mineral fertilization (B); with liquid manure (C) and with manure application (D); non-fertilized and non-mowed (E); and on arable land with mineral fertilization (F), in three repetitions each. Leachates were collected for three years in three periods: I—intensive growing, II—slow growing, and III—non-growing seasons. In general, the highest concentrations of Mn, Cu, Cd and Pb were recorded in leachates during period III. The lowest amounts of Cu and Cd were found in leachates in period II and Mn and Pb in period I. The exception were leachates from the following treatments: fertilized with liquid manure, which contained the most Mn and Cd in period II and the least Cd in period I; unused meadow, which contained the least Pb in period I; and leachates from arable land contained the least Cd in period I. The differences in the content of trace elements in the leachates were significant and amounted to 150–200% for Cd and Pb and about 20% for Mn and Cu. Mineral fertilization generally did not affect significantly Mn, Cu, Pb and Cd content in relation to the control, and the contents of Mn, Cu and Pb were even lower than in the leachates from the control. There was a significant increase in Mn concentration in leachates from unused meadow and arable land, Cu, Pb and Cd after both natural fertilizer applications and from arable land compared to other objects, in addition to Cd from unused meadow. Generally, the highest loads of trace elements were removed in period II and the smallest in period I of the study. Differences in leached loads during these periods were 2- to 8-fold and greater after liquid manure and manure application. The differences in Mn, Cd and Pb loads in subsequent years were 1.5- to 2-fold, and Cu loads in all years were similar. Natural fertilizers increased the trace element loads 1.5–4-fold compared to the control. Smaller differences concerned Mn and Cu and larger Pb loads. The method of land use significantly affected the quantity and quality of water percolates through the soil profile. Contrary to popular belief, the leachates from the unused meadow were not of the best quality, which resulted from their increased permeability into the soil under these conditions. Due to the quantity and quality of leachate waters and surface runoff in the foothill and mountain areas, it is advisable to limit tillage treatments, and the rational use of meadows and pastures with moderate fertilization is recommended. It is important to emphasize the importance of the proper management of the use of foothill and mountain areas for the optimal supply of plants with trace elements. Substantial losses of microelements necessary for optimal plant development may require their use in the form of fertilizers, which will result in increased agricultural production expenditures, reduce economic effects and slow down the pace of achieving sustainable agriculture. Full article

For the past 20 years, reintroduction efforts have been underway to re-establish a migratory population of Northern Bald Ibises (Geronticus eremita) in Central Europe, which now consists of more than 250 birds. They breed both north and south of the Alps and migrate to a common wintering ground in Tuscany. Recently, the start of autumn migration has been increasingly delayed, which correlates with extended warm periods in autumn. Later in the year, however, the birds no longer find sufficient thermals to cross the Alps and remain in the northern Alpine foothills. In order to save their lives, we had to capture the affected birds before the onset of winter, which is not a sustainable solution. A new approach to solving the problem is the establishment of a second migration route to a wintering area in Andalusia, Spain, connecting our population with a sedentary population there. The new migration route bypasses mountain barriers and also allows the birds to reach the wintering grounds later in the year. The modelling of a pan-European population will provide the birds with high ecological and spatial flexibility. Our project exemplifies the consequences of advancing global warming for animal populations and the associated challenges for conservation projects. Full article

We developed a tree ring width chronology from 1797 to 2020 (224 years) for the northwestern foothills of the Greater Khingan Mountains (GKMs) in northeastern China using 51 tree ring sample cores from 24 Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (PSM). Pearson’s correlation analysis was used to analyze the relationship between tree ring width and regional climate factors. The standardized chronology was positively associated with the minimum temperature (T_min) in the previous May (r = 0.721, p < 0.01), indicating that this parameter was the main climatic factor limiting PSM growth in the region. We established a secure reconstruction equation for the May T_min from 1797 to 2020. There were 31 warm and 43 cold years in the 224-year reconstructed temperature series, accounting for 13.8% and 19.2% of the total years, respectively. Warm periods were observed in 1820–1829, 1877–1898, 1947–1958, and 1991–2020, whereas cold periods occurred in 1820, 1829–1870, 1899–1927, 1934–1947, and 1960–1988. The observed temperature sequence was highly consistent with the reconstructed sequence from the tree rings, which verified the reliability of the reconstructed results. The spatial correlation analysis indicated that the reconstructed temperature sequence accurately represented the temperature changes in the northwestern foothills of the GKM and surrounding areas. Multi-window spectral analysis and wavelet analysis revealed significant periodic fluctuations from 2 to 6 years, 21.2 years, 48.5 years, and 102.2 years. These periodic variations may be related to the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO), the Atlantic Multi-Year Intergenerational Oscillation (AMO), the Pacific Decadal Oscillation (PDO), and solar activity. This study expands the existing climate records in the region and provides valuable data support for understanding climate change patterns in the GKM and the scientific predictions of future climate changes. Full article

The combination of volatile compounds endows wines with unique aromatic characteristics and is closely related to their geographical origins. In the pursuit of origin identification and the subdivision of homogeneous production areas, clarifying the characteristics of production areas is of great significance for improving wine quality and commercial value. In this study, GC×GC-TOFMS technology was used to analyze the aroma characteristics of “Cabernet Sauvignon” wines from 26 wineries in the Helan (HL), Yinchuan (YC), Yongning (YN), Qingtongxia (QTX), and Hongsibu (HSP) sub-producing areas in the eastern foothills of Helan Mountain in Ningxia, China. The results indicate a gradual increase in relative humidity from the southern part of Ningxia, with the YN sub-region showing optimal fruit development and the QTX region having the highest maturity. A total of 184 volatile compounds were identified, with 36 compounds with an OAV > 1, crucial for the aroma profiles of primarily fermentation-derived alcohols and esters. An aromatic vector analysis revealed that “floral” and “fruity” notes are the primary characteristics of Cabernet Sauvignon wines from the Helan Mountain East region, with lower maturity aiding in the retention of these aromas. By constructing a reliable OPLS-DA model, it was determined that 15 substances (VIP > 1) played a crucial role in identifying production areas, among which phenylethyl alcohol and isoamyl alcohol were the main contributors. In addition, a Pearson correlation analysis showed a negative correlation between sunlight duration during the growing season and benzyl alcohol accumulation, while a significant positive correlation was observed during the ripening period. Due to the critical role of phenyl ethanol in identifying producing areas, this further demonstrates that sunshine conditions may be a key factor contributing to the differences in wine flavor across regions. This study offers a theoretical foundation for understanding the relationship between climatic factors and flavor characteristics, addressing the issue of wine homogenization in small production areas, clarifying typical style characteristics, and establishing a traceability technology system based on characteristic aroma. Full article

The Aksu River Basin is located in the western region of the middle part of the southern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and the northwestern edge of the Tarim Basin in Xinjiang, China. High-arsenic (As)/high-fluoride (F) groundwater is widely distributed in this area and is harmful to the life of local residents and to agricultural production. It is of great importance to understand the distribution and causes of As-F co-enrichment in the groundwater in this area. Based on the test results of 138 groundwater samples in the plain area of the Aksu River Basin, the hydrochemical characteristics of groundwater and the spatial distribution of As-F co-enrichment groundwater were analyzed under the following conditions: a single-structure phreatic aquifer (SSPA), a phreatic aquifer in a confined groundwater area (PACGA), a shallow confined aquifer (SCA), and a deep confined aquifer (DCA), all in a recharge area, transition area, and an evaporation area. The hydrogeochemical processes affecting the source, migration, and enrichment of As-F in the groundwater were revealed. The results showed that the chemical types of groundwater in the study area were mainly HCO₃·SO₄-Ca·Mg and SO₄·Cl-Na·Mg. Horizontally, high-As-F groundwater was mainly distributed in the transition area and evaporation area in the middle and lower reaches of the Aksu River Basin. The area is close to the edge of the desert, where the groundwater runoff is sluggish and in an alkaline-reducing groundwater environment. Vertically, high-As groundwater was mainly distributed in the PACGA at a depth of 10–20 m and in the SCA at a depth of 80–100 m. High-F groundwater was mainly concentrated in the PACGA at a depth of 10–30 m and in the SCA at a depth of 80–100 m, and As-F co-enrichment groundwater was mainly concentrated in the PACGA at a depth of 10–20 m and in the SCA at a depth of 80–100 m. The hydrochemical characteristics of the groundwater in the Aksu River Basin were closely related to geological conditions, hydrogeological conditions, and the hydrochemical environment of the groundwater. As-F co-enriched groundwater was mainly affected by the combination of a small topographic gradient, a shallow groundwater burial depth, a weak reducing alkaline groundwater environment, strong evaporation and concentration, the weathering and dissolution of evaporated salt rock, and the alternating adsorption of cations. Full article

The northern Tianshans region in the arid zone of northwestern China plays a key role in promoting high-quality development of the ecological environment. In recent years, ecological environmental protection in this region has encountered major challenges due to the dual impacts of human activities and natural changes. In order to accurately assess the current status of the ecological environment in the northern Tianshans, this study analyzed the spatial and temporal changes in land use and ecological and environmental effects using land use data from 2000 to 2020 and explored the current status of land use, land use dynamic process, and ecosystem service value (ESV) in the region. Two-factor spatial autocorrelation analysis revealed the spatio-temporal characteristics of the value changes over the 20-year period as well as their spatial heterogeneity. The results show that: (1) land use changes are dominated by increases in cultivated land, forest land, watershed, and wetland, and decreases in grassland, glacier snow, and bare land. Of these changes, the expansion of cultivated land area is the most significant, showing a total increase of 1136.13 × 10³ hm². (2) The ESV increased and then decreased, reaching the highest value in 2005 and the lowest in 2020. The value of individual ecosystem services is dominated by regulating services, accounting for about 67% of the total value. (3) The overall regional balance of ecological environment quality and the contribution rate of the conversion from bare land to other land types is as high as 82.7986%, constituting the main factor in regional ecological environment improvement. The spatial distribution pattern exhibits the characteristic of “high in the northeast and low in the southwest”. (4) There is a positive correlation between the ESV, the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI), and the Anthropogenic Impact Composite Index, with the NDVI being the main cause of spatial heterogeneity in the ESV. The research results provide a scientific basis for ecological protection, land management, and policy formulation in the northern foothills of the Tianshan Mountains and are of great significance for promoting regional sustainable development. Full article