Influence of climate change on soil erosion in high mountain area: a case study of upper Heihe river basin

<p>The impact of climate change on soil erosion is pronounced in high mountain area. In this study, the revised universal soil loss equation (RUSLE) model was improved for better calculation of soil erosion during snowmelt period by integrating a distributed hydrological model in upper Heihe river basin (UHRB). The results showed that the annual average soil erosion rate from 1982 to 2015 in the study area was 8.1 t ha<sup>-1 </sup>yr<sup>-1</sup>, belonging to the light grade. To evaluate the influence of climate change on soil erosion, detrended analysis of precipitation, temperature and NDVI was conducted. It was found that in detrended analysis of precipitation and temperature, the soil erosion of UHRB would decrease 26.5% and 3.0%, respectively. While in detrended analysis of NDVI, soil erosion would increase 9.9%. Compared with precipitation, the effect of temperature on total soil erosion was not significant, but the detrended analysis of temperature showed that the effect of temperature on soil erosion during snowmelt period can reach 70%. These finding were helpful for better understanding of the impact of climate change on soil erosion and provide a scientific basis for soil management in high mountain area under climate change in the future.</p>

GROWING TENSIONS ON INDIA-CHINA BORDER: VIEW FROM INDIA

On June 15, 2020, China and India had a border clash in Galwan Valley. Galwan Valley is a disputed territory in the high mountain area of the Himalayas. Although no fi rearms were used and most fi ghting was carried out by using stones and sticks, the clash resulted in human casualties for the fi rst time since 1975. Both countries accused each other’s border patrolling military of transgressing the line of actual control (LAC). The line of actual control, 4057 km long, is the name of the de facto border between India and China: there was in fact never any offi cial legal border between the two countries because “international borders” is not a concept that either Indian or Chinese civilizations developed but rather a result of Western colonization and decolonization of the area.

Estructura del bosque altoandino y páramo en el Macizo de Bijagual, Boyacá, Colombia

Structure of the high Andean forest and paramo in the Bijagual Massif, Boyacá, Colombia. Introduction: Colombia has increased research due to the necessity of knowing the country´s biodiversity and ecosystems, as well as to establish priorities for their protection throughout the national territory. The knowledge of the Boyacá ecosystems and the high Andes are not an exception. Objective: this work provides information on diversity and structure of the Bijagual Massif, a high mountain area defined as a biological corridor, with paramo (2 900 - 3 460 masl) and high Andean forest (2 682 -3 268 masl) ecosystems. Methods: Sampling consisted of 27 random transects in the high Andean forest (100 x 2.5 m) and 13 in the paramo (10 x 5 m). We recorded abundance data, growth form, height, coverage, DAP and basal area. We calculated diversity analyses (H’, D and Jaccard), of vertical and horizontal structure. Results: Estimated species richness of 429 species in 86 families. Similarity does not exceed 46 % between sampling units, data that supports the heterogeneity of the Bijagual Massif. We recorded 10 777 individuals in the forest. The most abundant and richest growth forms were herbs (2 595/104) and trees (2 189/67), while lower in abundance and richness were vines (466/29). In the paramo 3 337 individuals, with a dominance of herbs (in frailejonal, shrubs and pajonal), rosettes (in frailejonal and pajonal) and shrubs. Species with ecological representativeness are: Clusia multiflora, C. elliptica, C. alata, Weinmannia rollottii, Brunellia comocladifolia and Viburnum triphyllum. Conclusion: These results confirm the uniqueness of these high mountain ecosystems and the need to maintain the heterogeneity before the occurence of soil transformation processes. The last, is supported by the high species turnover among sampling units, the dominance per physiognomic type, and the ecological significance of arboreal and shrub species in the forest and those that reoccur in the paramo. Here we define Bijagual, as a biological corridor with great biodiversity.

The viability of the crustacean Eurycercus lamellatus (Branchiopoda, Cladocera) in a high mountain area in southern Norway

The branchiopod Eurycercus lamellatus is widely distributed in Norwegian lakes, ranging from coastal to alpine areas. On the Hardangervidda mountain plateau in southern Norway, E. lamellatus was searched for in 144 lakes in 11 catchments in the western and 16 catchments in the central and eastern areas. Their occurrence is mainly based on the diet of brown trout Salmo trutta. Eurycercus lamellatus was recorded in 25% and 70% of the lakes in these two areas, respectively. This may be due to striking differences in the environmental conditions, with more dilute water and lower water temperatures in western areas, and hence shorter growing seasons. The occurrence of E. lamellatus in central and eastern catchments increased with lake size, being found in 65% and 85% of lakes with a surface area of <2.0 and ≥2.0 km2, respectively. In the western area, E. lamellatus occurred less frequently in lakes above 1000 m a.s.l. That was not the case for lakes in central and eastern catchments. In this central part of Hardangervidda, the relative abundance of E. lamellatus in the diet of brown trout was obtained from five different lakes, showing that they were preyed upon throughout the growing season (June to October). When the two big crustaceans Gammarus lacustris and Lepidurus arcticus are at low densities in these lakes, E. lamellatus became the staple food item for brown trout, except for larger fish (>400 mm). However, under high predation pressure, E. lamellatus also contributed significantly to the diet of larger fish. The abundance of E. lamellatus seems to vary highly on a yearly basis in one of the lakes (Sandvatn). Even though E. lamellatus is described as a typical littoral species, it was common down to depths of 15 m.

SPECIFIC FEATURES OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF SCHOOL-AGED CHILDREN LIVING IN A HIGH-MOUNTAIN REGION IN THE KYRGYZ REPUBLIC

The study included 10,480 urban and rural schoolchildren aged 7-17 years, born in the high-mountain area of the Naryn oblast of the Kyrgyz Republic, located at more than 2500 m above sea level. Statistical parameters of body length and weight, chest circumference were studied. The greatest increment in the body length in urban boys falls to 14 years (rate of increase 5.69%), and that for rural boys - to 13 years of age (rate of increase 5.18%), the annual increase in the body length in urban and rural schoolgirls is lower than the average increase in boys by 31% and 16 % respectively. The greatest gender differences between boys and girls are found at the age of 12 years, after which the rate of longitudinal growth of girls decreases. In boys, increments in longitudinal height sharply rise at the age of 14 years. Average arithmetic indices of body length and weight of schoolchildren in Bishkek (2013) are significantly higher in all age groups as compared to the body length and weight of schoolchildren in the city of Naryn.