Area Of Inner Mongolia Research Articles

Crop rotation to diversify the soil microbiome in the semi-arid area of Inner Mongolia, China

ABSTRACT The introduction of leguminous crops for crop rotation can mitigate the negative effects of continuous cropping on soil health. In this experiment, we designed ten cropping patterns to optimise the rotation effect with different combinations of crop types, planting years, and order in a mainly potato-growing region. A 5-year cycle with three crops, undertaken in Inner Mongolia since 2009, was used to test soil properties and microbial structure. The relative abundance of plant growth-promoting bacteria (PGPB) was 32.1% in the cycle oats oats alfalfa alfalfa alfalfa and 22.4% in 5-year mono-cropping of alfalfa, which was higher than that of mono-cropping of potatoes and other crop rotations. Soil moisture was the main factor influencing bacterial and fungal communities. The effect of the type of plant introduced into the rotation on soil was greater than that of the number of years a certain crop was planted in the rotation, and this effect was greater than that of planting order. The findings suggest that the rotation of oats and alfalfa mixed → alfalfa → oats → potatoes → potatoes is a suitable 5-year cycle to maintain biodiversity and better soil physico-chemical properties for sustainable agriculture.

Analysis on the Difference of Reconstructed Soil Moisture Content in a Grassland Open-Pit Mining Area of China

To reveal the variability of different reconstructed soil ratios and different vegetation growth grades on the water holding capacity of recon-structed soil, the most suitable ratio of reconstructed soil materials was explored. Taking the inner dump of Shengli mining area in Inner Mongolia of China as the research area, the reconstructed soil of reclaimed land was investigated and sampled. One-way analysis of variance was used to analyze the difference of the moisture content of the reconstructed soil, and the reasons for the difference were discussed. The results showed that: (1) Among the different soil reconstructions, soil moisture content was higher when soil reconstructions were rock and soil stripping material: coal gangue: fly ash = 3:4:3. The soil moisture content of un-reclaimed land was mostly at a high level when the soil reconstruction method was rock and soil stripping material; and the soil moisture content was not at the highest level when the vegetation growth grade was higher. This indicates that it was not the case that the better the vegetation growth condition was, the higher the soil moisture content was. (2) In the case where the soil reconstruction method was rock and soil stripping material: coal gangue = 2:3, the soil moisture content of the reclaimed land decreased with the reduction of tillage frequency when the vegetation growth condition was optimal (vegetation growth grade was 4). (3) In the case where the soil reconstruction method was rock and soil stripping material: coal gangue: fly ash = 3:4:3, when the vegetation growth condition was better (vegetation growth grade was 3 and 4), the soil moisture content of the re-claimed land was highest when it was tilled once every 15 days. It was also found in combination with other soil reconstruction methods that it was not always the case that the higher the frequency of tillage, the higher the soil moisture content. The study of coal gangue, fly ash and rocky soil stripping as topsoil substitute materials with their different ratios on reconstructed soil provides support for the reclamation work in topsoil scarce mines and provides technical reference for the ecological restoration project of grassland open-pit mines in the same climate zone.

Raman Spectroscopy Analysis of the Mural Pigments in Lam Rim Hall of Wudang Lamasery, Baotou Area, Inner Mongolia, China

This paper presents scientific analyses of the wall paintings in Wudang Lamasery, which is located in the Baotou area of Inner Mongolia, China. Raman spectroscopy was used to analyze the pigments of the mural of the Lam rim Hall. The results show that vermilion, red lead, chrome yellow, emerald green and synthetic ultramarine were used. The existence of synthetic pigments provides a clue for the date the mural was painted.

Can wind farms change the phenology of grassland in China?

Wind energy has attracted worldwide attention as a clean energy source and wind farms are rapidly increasing in number. However, operation of wind farms can affect the local climate and, consequently, local vegetation phenology. Hence, the influence of wind farms on phenology needs to be understood. In this paper, we use remote sensing MOD09GQ data to calculate phenological indexes of vegetation near a large wind farm in a semi-arid grassland area of Inner Mongolia, China. The vegetation phenology before and wind farm construction is compared, with a control area used to account for long-term climate change. The results show that the wind farm extended the growing season of vegetation in areas upwind and downwind of the wind farm. In the prevailing wind direction, the growing season was extended by 11.7 days within 4 km of the wind farm in the upwind area, by 10.0 days within the wind farm, and by 5.5 days within 4 km of the wind farm in the downwind area. The extension of the growing season is due to an earlier start of the growing season, which was mainly influenced by increases in local land surface temperatures. And such an extension will increase the evaporation from vegetation transpiration in study area, which is very likely to bring about decreases in soil moisture here. Such effects should be considered when assessing the ecological impacts of planned wind farms.

Study on flow distribution of irrigation canal system based on image velocimetry

• The YOLOV5 algorithm combined with the monocular ranging principle is used for fast flow measurement of UAV images for UAV hovering type measurement of local river surface flow fields. • Based on the smooth circular arc channel distribution model, the velocity distribution law of Yongji section, Yonggang section and Yonglan section is studied and summarized. • Based on The Rule of Tyson polygon, combined with the representative point of average velocity, the measurement of flow through water section is calculated, and the contactless measurement is realized. With the development of computer technology, it has become possible to measure surface flow velocity using video technology. Ripples are produced when flowing, and flow velocity can be determined based on the ripples and floating objects in water. A UAV velocity measurement system based on optical flow method and YOLOV5 algorithm in deep learning has been established, to realize the monitoring of surface flow field of large rivers. The optical flow method and the deep learning algorithm are used to track the target, convert the pixel distance to actual distance by monocular ranging, and calculate the actual flow velocity. The method was successfully applied to the surface flow field measurement of the Yongji canal in the river-loop irrigation area of Inner Mongolia, and the results showed that the orthophoto graphic images obtained by the method were of high quality, the flow field calculation results were reasonable, and the calculation results agreed well with the measurements.

Impact of Extreme Climate on the NDVI of Different Steppe Areas in Inner Mongolia, China

The frequency of extreme climate events has increased resulting in major changes to vegetation in arid and semi-arid areas. We selected 12 extreme climate indices and used trend analysis and multiple linear regression models to analyze extreme climate trends in steppe areas of Inner Mongolia and their impact on the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI). From 1998 to 2017, the NDVI of the Inner Mongolia steppe increased overall; however, there was a small area of decrease. Extreme climate indices related to warming exhibited increasing trends, particularly in the desert steppe. Although the extreme precipitation index did not change significantly overall, it increased in the northeastern and southwestern regions of the study area and decreased in the central region. The established model showed that the extreme climate explained the highest NDVI variation in desert steppe (R2 = 0.413), followed by typical steppe (R2 = 0.229), and meadow steppe (R2 = 0.109). In desert steppe, TX90P (warm days index) had the greatest impact; in typical steppe, R10 (number of heavy precipitation days index) had the greatest impact; in meadow steppe, R95P (very wet days index) had the greatest impact. This study offered new insights into dynamic vegetation changes in steppe areas of Inner Mongolia and provided a scientific basis for implementing environmental protection strategies.

Characterization of drinking groundwater quality in rural areas of Inner Mongolia and assessment of human health risks

Groundwater is an important natural resource of drinking water in rural areas in Inner Mongolia, China. In this study, 4438 drinking groundwater samples were collected from the rural areas of 81 counties in Inner Mongolia, and were analyzed for 16 parameters, including pH, total hardness (TH), chemical oxygen demand (COD), total dissolved solids (TDS), sulfate (SO42-), chloride (Cl-), fluoride (F-), iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), arsenic (As), cadmium (Cd), hexavalent chromium (Cr), lead (Pb), aluminum (Al), cuprum (Cu), zinc (Zn). The groundwater quality was evaluated with water quality index (WQI) and human health risk assessment (HRA). Monte Carlo simulation were applied for the uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in the health risk assessment. The spatial map was employed based on the inverse distance weighted (IDW) interpolation technique. The results reveal that while the hazard quotient (HQ) suggests that the risk of single element contamination is feeble, the hazard index (HI) indicates a potential health risk for the local population. The observed cumulative carcinogenic risk (CCR) indicates a probable risks of carcinogenic health hazards in the study area. The sensitivity analysis revealed that daily ingestion rate (IR), exposure frequency (EF), and the concentrations of As, Mn, F-, and Cr are the most influential parameters for health hazards. The highly polluted areas are mainly distributed in the central and western regions of Inner Mongolia, including Xianghuangqi, New Barag Zuoqi, and Togtoh. It is observed that the groundwater may cause a potential health risk after long-term ingestion. The results of this study will contribute to groundwater management and protection in Inner Mongolia.

Spatial Heterogeneity of Household Food Consumption and Nutritional Characteristics of Grassland Transects in Inner Mongolia, China.

Household food consumption is the associative link between ecosystems and anthropogenic activities. In grassland areas, inappropriate food consumption patterns will cause irreversible damage to vulnerable local ecosystems. For this study, we selected three typical transitional grassland areas of Inner Mongolia, China (i.e., meadow steppe, typical steppe, and desert steppe), to analyze spatial heterogeneity in household food consumption and nutritional characteristics. Results showed that: (a) Food consumption structures exhibited zonal gradients from east to west alongside a reduction in grassland conditions. Additionally, the average food consumption quantity also decreased. Available food supplies altered household preferences for vegetables and fruits, meat, dairy products, and other food consumption category types. (b) The nutritional structure implied that grains provided the main source of energy, proteins, and fat for local rural households, while meat, dairy products, beans (including bean byproducts), and oils caused a fluctuation in the nutritional structure of residents. (c) Local food supplies affect short-term local food consumption patterns, while socioeconomic development affects long-term food consumption patterns. This study is intended to provide a reference for the development of sustainable strategies for regional resource management.

Substitution versus wealth: Dual effects of non-pastoral income on livestock herd size

This study examines the non-linear impact of non-pastoral income on livestock herd size using balanced panel data collected through surveys in 2013, 2016, and 2018 in pastoral areas in Inner Mongolia, China. Unlike previous studies, this analysis proposes that non-pastoral income has both substitution and wealth effects on livestock herd size. Our theoretical model and empirical result reveal a U-shaped relationship between non-pastoral income and livestock herd size. Initial increase in non-pastoral income and employment partially substitutes out livestock production, resulting in decreased livestock herd size. However, with continued increase in non-pastoral income, the wealth effect begins to dominate. Due to the inability to trade pasture ownership and inefficient transfer of use rights given the current Chinese land tenure system, wealth accumulated through non-pastoral income may enable additional animal production, which leads to increased livestock herd size and possible overgrazing. Our findings suggest sustainable use and management of pastures should consider the nonlinear impact of non-pastoral income under the prevailing land tenure system.

Forage mixed planting can effectively improve soil enzyme activity and microbial community structure and diversity in agro-pastoral interlacing arid zone

Aiming at the problems of serious soil desertification and continuous reduction of effective soil nutrients in the agricultural and animal husbandry interlaced arid area in Inner Mongolia, this study used Aohan alfalfa, old awn wheat, and fodder oats at the Siziwang Banner, Ulanchabu City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region. There were a total of five treatments, namely, single seeding alfalfa, single seeding old awn wheat, single seeding fodder oats, alfalfa and old awn wheat mixed sowing, and control. The results showed that the urease activity and microbial biomass nitrogen content of mixed planting were higher than other treatments. With the advancement of the growth period, the bacteria α-diversity index showed an upward trend; β-diversity analysis showed that planting method was the main factor affecting bacteria diversity and sampling time was the main factor affecting fungi diversity. In summary, mixed planting treatment was more helpful to improve soil enzyme activity, microbial biomass, and enrich soil microbial diversity, which was of great significance to maintain the balance of soil ecosystem. It is hoped that this study will contribute to the theoretical basis and practical experiences for efficient utilization of microbial resources in the field of soil improvement.

Revealing the Structure and Composition of the Restored Vegetation Cover in Semi-Arid Mine Dumps Based on LiDAR and Hyperspectral Images

Remotely sensed images with low resolution can be effectively used for the large-area monitoring of vegetation restoration, but are unsuitable for accurate small-area monitoring. This limits researchers’ ability to study the composition of vegetation species and the biodiversity and ecosystem functions after ecological restoration. Therefore, this study uses LiDAR and hyperspectral data, develops a hierarchical classification method for classifying vegetation based on LiDAR technology, decision tree and a random forest classifier, and applies it to the eastern waste dump of the Heidaigou mining area in Inner Mongolia, China, which has been restored for around 15 years, to verify the effectiveness of the method. The results were as follows. (1) The intensity, height, and echo characteristics of LiDAR point cloud data and the spectral, vegetation indices, and texture features of hyperspectral image data effectively reflected the differences in vegetation species composition. (2) Vegetation indices had the highest contribution rate to the classification of vegetation species composition types, followed by height, while spectral data alone had a lower contribution rate. Therefore, it was necessary to screen the features of LiDAR and hyperspectral data before classifying vegetation. (3) The hierarchical classification method effectively distinguished the differences between trees (Populus spp., Pinus tabuliformis, Hippophae sp. (arbor), and Robinia pseudoacacia), shrubs (Amorpha fruticosa, Caragana microphylla + Hippophae sp. (shrub)), and grass species, with classification accuracy of 87.45% and a Kappa coefficient of 0.79, which was nearly 43% higher than an unsupervised classification and 10.7–22.7% higher than other supervised classification methods. In conclusion, the fusion of LiDAR and hyperspectral data can accurately and reliably estimate and classify vegetation structural parameters, and reveal the type, quantity, and diversity of vegetation, thus providing a sufficient basis for the assessment and improvement of vegetation after restoration.

Discussion on Integrated Sewage Treatment Model in Rural Areas of Inner Mongolia

Discussion on Integrated Sewage Treatment Model in Rural Areas of Inner Mongolia

Study on the development of sansheng space in pastoral areas of Inner Mongolia

We should take the initiative to seize opportunities, scientifically respond to challenges, reasonably solve problems existing in development. effectively promote the accelerated transformation of development mode and the optimization and upgrading of industrial structure in pastoral areas of Inner Mongolia, and promote their coordinated development, innovative development, green development and modernization. By analyzing the development status of ecology, production and life in pastoral areas of Inner Mongolia, this paper finds out the problems existing in its development, and puts forward policy suggestions.

Predictable Condition Analysis and Prediction Method of SBAS-InSAR Coal Mining Subsidence

The forward prediction of mining subsidence in coal mining areas is key to evaluating mining risk and improving mine management plans. At present, the conditions that ensure successful application of the time function method to predict future subsidence in coal mining areas remain poorly known, and a prediction method suitable for large-scale subsidence prediction during coal mining has not been established. Based on the characteristics of logistic model and simulation experiments, we determined its predictable conditions for coal mining subsidence prediction. We propose a small baseline subset-synthetic aperture radar interferometric (SBAS-InSAR) coal mining subsidence prediction method with a predictable dynamic range based on the predictable condition obtained. The method uses time-series subsidence data obtained by SBAS-InSAR as the fitting data. The logistic model parameters are obtained pixel-by-pixel via the Levenberg–Marquardt (LM) algorithm. The predictable range is subsequently determined based on the predictable condition. Finally, future subsidence in the predictable range is predicted. The methodology was tested in two coal mining areas in Inner Mongolia–one a single working face mine and one a parallel double working face mine. The predicted results agree well with the InSAR monitoring results. The average root mean square error (RMSE) of the predicted results was 0.0119 m. In addition, we used the Knothe model to conduct comparative experiments without considering predictable conditions. The results reflect the advantages of our proposed method and the necessity of predictable conditions. The new prediction method is beneficial for risk assessment and coal mining planning.

The effect of water source on cognitive functioning in Chinese adults: A cross-sectional and follow-up study

The effect of water source on cognitive functioning is poorly understood. The present study explored the associations between water source and cognition in 9921 participants from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS). Cognitive functioning was measured from three aspects: orientation and attention, episodic memory, and visuo-construction. Water sources included tap and non-tap water. Generalized linear models and multiple logistic regression models were conducted to investigate the associations of cognitive scores with water source among the whole population and different subgroups. Results from cross-sectional analysis reported that participants without access to tap water showed a lower cognitive score (β = − 0.57; 95% CI: − 0.74, − 0.39) than those with tap water as a water source; and this phenomenon was pronounced for both sexes and across all residences. During 4-years’ follow-up, a greater decline of cognitive score was associated with no tap water use in the lowest quartile of baseline cognitive scores (β = − 0.67; 95% CI: − 1.26, − 0.08). Additionally, the utilization rate of tap water was lower in rural areas compared to urban areas. The lowest utilization rates were observed in urban areas of the Anhui province (0.38 in 2011 and 0.55 in 2015) and in rural areas of Inner Mongolia (0.09 in 2011 and 0.20 in 2015). These findings suggest that having no tap water may be a risk factor for cognition impairment, particularly for those with a low basic cognition score. Additionally, our results support the need to expand tap water use in China.

Monitoring the Characteristics of Ecological Cumulative Effect Due to Mining Disturbance Utilizing Remote Sensing

This study conducted land cover classification and inversion analysis to estimate land surface temperature, soil moisture, specific humidity, atmospheric water vapor density, and relative humidity using remote sensing and multi-source mining data. Using 1990–2020 data from the Shendong mining area in Inner Mongolia, China, the eco-environmental evolution and the ecological cumulative effects (ECE) of mining operations were characterized and analyzed at a long-term scale. The results show that while the eco-environment was generally stable, mining activities affected the eco-environment at the initial stage (1990–2000) to a certain degree. During the rapid development stage of coal mining, the eco-environment was severely damaged, and the ECE were significant at the temporal scale. The absolute value of the change rate of ecological parameters was increasing. Due to an increased focus on ecological restoration, starting in 2010, the environmental indicators gradually stabilized and the eco-environment improved considerably, ushering in a period of stability for coal mining activities. The absolute value of the change rate of ecological parameters became stable. Analysis of the change in eco-environmental indicators with distance and comparison to the contrast area showed the ECE characteristics from mining disturbance at the spatial scale. This study shows that remote sensing technology can be used to characterize the ECE from mining operations and analyze eco-environmental indicators, providing crucial information in support of ecological protection and restoration, particularly in coal mining areas.

Development and application of a new package for MODFLOW-LGR-MT3D for simulating regional groundwater and salt dynamics with subsurface drainage systems

Subsurface drainage systems have been widely used to help manage soil salinization worldwide. However, designing a subsurface drainage system requires predictions of regional groundwater and salt dynamics. While these dynamics can be obtained using MODFLOW’s drain package (DRN), this package requires that the drain conductance be specified, which is difficult to determine for subsurface drainage systems with different layout parameters, including the pipe spacing, depth and radius. In this study, a new subsurface drainage (SDR) package based on the Hooghoudt equation was developed within the MODFLOW-LGR-MT3D framework to simulate the effects of subsurface drainage pipes on groundwater flow and salt dynamics. The accuracy and applicability of SDR were tested by a synthetic case, a published indoor experiment and two field experiments. Comparison with indoor experimental data shows that the RRMSE of cumulative drainage volume was 5.08% and the RRMSE of groundwater table depth was 3.69%. The simulation results of outdoor experiment show that the RRMSE of drainage volumes of a single pipe ranged from 3.14% to 4.69%, and the relative errors of cumulative drainage volumes were below 6% and the relative errors of drainage discharge were 3.1–16.3%. The results demonstrate that SDR can accurately simulate leaching water and solute transport under transient flow conditions. The model was then applied to the Yonglian irrigation area of Inner Mongolia, China, for subsurface drainage system design, and 3 different layout schemes of subsurface drainage systems were presented. The total salt discharge increased by 38–54% after the application of the subsurface drainage system, 36–45% of which was discharged by subsurface drainage pipes. This study provides a pilot example for regional subsurface drainage system design.

Social interaction effect of rotational grazing and its policy implications for sustainable use of grassland: Evidence from pastoral areas in Inner Mongolia and Gansu, China

Given the relative inefficiency of China's grassland utilisation compared to that of developed countries, this study analyses the social interaction effect of rotational grazing and its mechanisms of influence on the individual rotational grazing behaviour of herders from the perspective of social economics. In doing so, we conducted an empirical evaluation with micro survey data from 820 herders in Inner Mongolia and the Gansu pastoral areas. The results generally indicate that there is a positive social interaction effect of rotational grazing on the behaviour of herders. Specifically, social interaction affects herders’ rotational grazing behaviour via two channels: endogenous interaction and contextual interaction. Endogenous interaction increases the likelihood of rotational grazing being adopted through the information acquisition and experience communication mechanisms. Contextual interaction improves the likelihood of rotational grazing being adopted through the ecological demonstration effect. In addition, the social interaction effect on rotational grazing is heterogeneous due to differences in natural capital and the human capital of herders, and this effect is stronger in herders with more grassland plots, lower education levels, and a higher animal husbandry labour force. Finally, this study also discovered that rotational grazing improves herders’ evaluation of grassland ecology; this corresponds to the conclusions of grazing experiments. The policy implications of these findings regarding the sustainable use of grassland are as follows: first, rotational grazing can be considered to be an incentive item that should be included in China's Subsidy and Incentive System for Grassland Conservation (SISGC) in order to promote the sustainable use of grasslands. Second, policy incentives can generate a social multiplier effect through the social interaction effect of rotational grazing, which amplifies the effect of the policy, promotes the formation of a rotational grazing system, and improves the overall grazing method. Finally, this policy can prioritise pastoral areas with severe grassland fragmentation and animal husbandry as the main source of livelihood for herders.

RETRACTED ARTICLE: Input-output analysis of the integration of primary, secondary and tertiary industries in rural areas of Inner Mongolia under the background of big data

This article has been retracted from publication in the Taylor & Francis journal, Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B — Soil & Plant Science. Following publication, concerns were raised by multiple third-parties around the content of the special issue and the decision-making process. Following an investigation by the Taylor & Francis Publishing Ethics & Integrity team in full cooperation with the Editor-in-Chief, it was confirmed that this article included in Special Issue titled “ Envisage Computer Modelling and Statistics for Agriculture”, guest edited by Gunasekaran Manogaran was not peer-reviewed appropriately, in line with the Journal's peer review standards and policy. As the stringency of the peer review process is core to the integrity of the publication process, the Editor and Publisher have decided to retract all of the articles within the above-named Special Issue. The journal has not confirmed if the authors were aware of this compromised peer review process. The journal is committed to correcting the scientific record and will fully cooperate with any institutional investigations into this matter. The authors have been informed of this decision. We have been informed in our decision-making by our policy on publishing ethics and integrity and the COPE guidelines.

Fault Activity in Clay Rock Site Candidate of High Level Radioactive Waste Repository, Tamusu, Inner Mongolia

Tamusu area in Inner Mongolia is one of the favorable site candidates for high level radioactive waste (HLW) repository, which requires a stable regional tectonic environment. Field investigation, mossbauer spectroscopy, major elements, carbon and oxygen isotope and quartz micro morphology of fault gouge and host rock of three faults in the site candidate were conducted. The results show that the F2 and F7 faults on the north and south sides of the site candidate are in a relatively stable state with good sealing and weak activity. Part of the F4 fault is located in the site candidate, and the deportment of a small amount of pyrite in the fault zone and the difference of carbon and oxygen isotopes indicate that it may have experienced material exchange with the deep zone. Attention should be paid to induced earthquake risk.