Mongolia Of China Research Articles

Regional geochemistry of mercury in the Sino-Mongolian border region

The Sino-Mongolian border region is a hotspot for international geoscience research and exploration. Mercury (Hg) can be used as a reference element for geochemical exploration and ore prospecting. This is because the change in Hg concentration and its spatial distribution can indirectly reflect the regional mineral distribution and regional environmental mercury pollution. Hg pollution caused by anthropogenic activities has received extensive attention because of its hazardous nature and Hg is generally regarded as a global pollutant. Although geochemical explorations have been conducted in the Sino-Mongolian border region, there have been relatively few studies with detailed and consolidated analyses of single elements such as Hg. To address this research gap we have examined the concentration and spatial distribution of Hg in this region. Influencing factors including the geological background, geomorphological landscapes, mineral distribution, development and use, and human activities, were also explored. The Hg concentration in the catchment sediment samples had a median value of 16.5 ng/g considered the geochemical background value, mean value of 18.9 ng/g, and a range of 0.5–712.5 ng/g. Low Hg concentrations are distributed in the Gobi Desert areas of Xinjiang, Inner Mongolia in China, and in the southern Gobi region of Mongolia because of the poor adsorption capacity for Hg by quartz-rich windblown sand. Areas with high Hg concentrations are distributed in the eastern and northwestern parts of the study region. Fifteen anomalous Hg enriched areas were delineated in the study region, among which 24 high Hg concentration centers (>25.4 ng/g, > Q85%) reached the scale of geochemical provinces. The high concentration of Hg in these centers is attributed to the widespread distribution of minerals containing elevated concentrations of Hg, minerals that produce substantial quantities of Hg as a by-product, and anthropogenic contributions such as mining and smelting activities. The enrichment of Hg in certain areas is an effective indicator of the occurrence of ore deposits. The Hg geochemical data obtained from the Sino-Mongolian border region is an important reference for further studies on geology, mineral exploration, and environmental protection.

MUSER and IPS telescopes for solar and space weather observations

This paper describes the recently built solar radio spectroscopy-imaging facilities, including near future developments and upgrades, as well as the IPS (Interplanetary Scintillation) telescopes under construction in China for solar and heliospheric studies. MUSER (Mingantu spectral radioheliograph), renamed from CSRH (Chinese spectral radioheliograph) after the construction, covers 400 MHz-15 GHz frequency range which was established during 2009–2016 in Mingantu Observing Station at Zhengxiangbaiqi, Inner Mongolia of China, under the National Major Scientific Research Facility Program of China. At moment MUSER is composed of two arrays with MUSER-I covering 400 MHz-2.0 GHz with 40 4.5 m mesh antennas and MUSER-II covering 2–15 GHz with 60 2 m dish antennas. MUSER will be extended to have its third array MUSER-L covering 30–400 MHz frequency regime with 224 LPDAs (log-periodic dipole antennas) under the Meridian-II Project, which is a National Science Infrastructure Project of China, to be constructed in the current two years. MUSER will provide solar radio images monitoring the solar eruptions from solar surface into interplanetary space. An IPS telescope array is going to be built in the current two years under the same National Science Infrastructure Project of China, with the main IPS telescope of three 140 m × 40 m cylinder antennas located in MUSER site and two 30 m antennas in two nearby counties each about 200 km away. The working frequency will be at 327 MHz and 654 MHz with dual linear polarizations. The cylinder antennas will have a sky zenith angle of 60 degrees and be able to observe thousands of radio sources. The IPS telescope will provide important information about solar wind and solar eruptions from the Sun to the Earth environment. The MUSER and IPS telescopes at Mingantu Observing Station, National Space Science Center of Chinese Academy of Sciences will play important role in solar and space weather studies.

Образование как инструмент «мягкой силы» КНР в Монголии

The experience of Mongolia over the past twenty years shows that the degree of popularity of certain foreign languages and foreign education is closely connected with the level of the country's relations with other countries, primarily in the economic sphere. The article examines the place and role of school and university education in relations between Mongolia and China. The author analyzes the process of popularization of the Chinese language in Mongolia and education in China among Mongolian citizens. The policy of soft power of the PRC, which uses education as an important tool of its international influence, is considered as a general context.

A new genus of Praemordellinae from the Middle Jurassic of China.

Juramordella asperula gen. et sp. nov. (Coleoptera: Tenebrionoidea) is described based on a specimen from the Middle Jurassic Daohugou Biota, Nincheng County, Inner Mongolia of China. Juramordella asperula is distinguished from other Praemordellinae mainly for roughly punctate elytra, absence of subapical or lateral ridgesonalltibiae and tarsi, simple, not bilobed protarsi and mesocoxa distant from procoxa, epicoxa not anterior to metacoxa, well-developed metafemur and absence of elongated pygidium. The morphology of Juramordella asperula demonstrates the early mordellid-like beetles have adopted the body shape with their way of movement since the Middle Jurassic, long before their flower-visiting behavior was established.

The first dog-origin porcine circovirus type 4 complete genomic sequence have high homology with that of pig-derived strains.

Introduction: Porcine circovirus 4 (PCV4) was discovered in 2019 and then proved to be pathogenic to piglets. Nevertheless, few studies were currently available about PCV4 infection in species other than pigs and there is no information about the prevalence of PCV4 in dogs. Methods: To fill this gap, 264 dog samples were collected from animal hospitals in the Southwest of China from 2021 to 2022 and screened for PCV4. Moreover, the complete genome of one PCV4 strain (SCABTC-Dog2022) were obtained successfully and shared a high identity (97.9-99.0%) with other PCV4 strains derived from pigs, dairy cows, raccoon dogs and foxes. The SCABTC-Dog2022 were analyzed together with 51 reference sequences. Results and Discussion: The detected results showed a low percentage of PCV-4 DNA (1.14%, 3/264), indicating that PCV4 could be identified in dogs in southwest China. Phylogenetic tree showed that SCABTC-Dog2022 strain derived from dog were clustered in a closed relative and geographically coherent branch with other PCV4 strains collected from four provinces (Sichuan, Fujian, Hunan and Inner Mongolia) of China. To our knowledge, it is the first detection of PCV4 in dogs globally. The association between PCV4 status and clinical syndromes in dogs deserves additional investigations.

Improved Management of Grassland to Promote Sustainable Use Based on Farm Size

Grassland farms form the basis of grassland resource management in China. Farm sizes in China are generally small, which obviously increases the risk of grassland ecosystems. It is necessary to analyze the impact of farm size on grasslands from the perspective of livestock production in order to improve grassland management. This study combines field investigations and statistical analysis from 2004 to 2020, using a total of 126 farms from the Xilinguole League of Inner Mongolia in China as samples. These sample farms are divided into large farms and small farms. Different production scale and management behaviors are explored, along with their different impacts on grassland resources use. The results show that the expansion of farm size is constrained by the government management policies. Different behaviors are adopted by large and small farms in terms of finance, grassland circulation, and overgrazing management. The differentiation mechanisms of different farm size and the utilization of grassland resources are clarified in this study. This work suggests that managers promote sustainable use based on farm size and build appropriate policies to avoid future risks. The results of this study can provide a framework for solving similar problems.

New Yuomys rodents from southeastern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau indicate low elevation during the Middle Eocene

Yuomysare medium-sized Hystricomorpha rodents. They are known for coming from areas of low elevation in China during the middle and late Eocene. Two newYuomyswere discovered from a locality near Xueshuo village in Litang County, Sichuan Province. The locality lies in the Gemusi pull-apart basin formed in the Litang Fault System (LTFS) in the Hengduan Mountains. The current average elevation is about 4200 m. One of the two newYuomysis larger and shows clear lophodont and unilateral hypsodont morphology, similar toYuomys yunnanensis, which was discovered as being from the early middle Eocene (Irdinmanhan, Asian Land Mammal Ages) in the Chake Basin of Jianshui County, Yunnan Province. The Chake Basin is one of the small pull-apart basins formed in the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang Fault system (XSH-XJF). The other newYuomysrodent is smaller, brachydont, and less lophodont than the larger new species. The small newYuomysis smaller than all knownYuomysexceptYuomys huheboerhensis, which is from the early middle Eocene Irdinmanhan of Inner Mongolia in Northern China. Given their narrow biochronological distribution and presumably preferred living environment, the occurrence ofYuomysin the pull-apart basins in LTFS and XSH-XJF suggests that the two deep fault systems probably started strike-slip movement by the early middle Eocene, about 49–45 million years ago. Well-studied middle Eocene mammalian faunas from Henan and Inner Mongolia includeYuomys, primates, and other low elevation forest mammals. We suggest that the two newYuomysspecies reported here probably also lived in a similar low elevation forest environment.

First Report of Trichotylenchus changlingensis infecting Maize in Shaanxi, China.

Maize (Zea mays L.) is one of the most important crops worldwide. In September 2020, five maize plants and soil samples were received from a farmer. The samples were collected from a maize field in Fugu County (N 39.02805, E 111.06723), Shaanxi Province, China. These maize plants had the symptoms of stunting or thinning. Soil nematodes were extracted from soils with modified Baermann funnel method for 48 h (Barker 1985). Trichotylenchus sp. were detected with populations ranging from 12 to 45 (in five soil samples) nematodes per 100 gram of fresh soil. Maize were planted in pots with soil samples containing Trichotylenchus sp. to propagate this plant-parasitic nematode at 20-28 °C in a greenhouse. After plants had grown for 60 days, active Trichotylenchus sp. were observed and picked under an anatomical lens (SZX16, Olympus, Tokyo, Japan) for an inoculation experiment. Freshly germinated maize (Limin 33) seeds were planted into paper pots with a sterilized mixture of soil and sand (4:1). Four plants were inoculated with approximately 2800 mixed-stage nematodes. The maize plants were allowed to grow under room conditions (15-20 °C) for two weeks and transferred to plastic pots (12 cm diameter × 10 cm deep) with the same soil mixture. After 30 days, all inoculated plants displayed the disease symptoms such as hypoplasia of fibrous roots and a hole at the base of the maize stem, but the Trichotylenchus sp. was not detected in maize roots and stems. The control plants did not exhibit any disease symptoms. The nematodes from the inoculated pots were identified by both morphological and molecular methods. The bodies of female and male were usually C-shaped when killed by hot water. The stylet was well developed with basal knobs. The posterior part of esophagus basal bulb did not overlap dorsally with the intestine. The female had a subcylindrical tail, but the male had a conical tail. The spicule of male was ventrally curved. The gubernaculum was well developed. Morphometric data based on females and males were presented as means (range). For female (n= 20): L = 1142.7 (1002.3 to 1313.4) μm, St = 26.5 (23.9 to 29.4) μm, a = 32.8 (27.4 to 38.7), b = 6.8 (6.0 to 7.9), c = 16.3 (14.9 to 19.4), c' = 2.7 (2.3 to 3.1), v = 51.3 (30.3 to 54.8), T = 70.1 (59.0 to 78.9) μm. For male (n= 20): L = 1093.3 (960.6 to 1183.7) μm, St = 24.3 (22.1 to 26.1) μm, a = 34.9 (31.1 to 39.1), b = 6.5 (5.6 to 7.4), c = 15.1 (13.6 to 16.7), c' = 3.6 (2.9 to 4.3), T = 72.5 (63.8 to 81.1) μm, SL = 28.8 (22.2 to 32.5) μm, GL = 11.5 (7.2 to 16.1) μm. The characteristics were coincident with the description of Trichotylenchus changlingensis (Guo et a., 2015). Genomic DNA was extracted from 10 nematodes, and PCR amplifications of the D2/D3 region of 28S rRNA were performed using universal primers D2A/D3B (Castillo et al. 2003), and that of the internal transcribed spacer (ITS)-rRNA region were amplified using universal primers TW81/AB28 (Amiri et al. 2002). A 780 bp amplicon of the 28S rRNA (GenBank accession no. OM276857.1) had 90.6% (Query Cover = 95%) identity with that of Tylenchorhynchus mediterraneus (KJ461557.1). Three ITS-rRNA region sequences (GenBank accession nos. OM294652.1, OM294653.1 and OM294654.1) were obtained, and the comparison revealed that sequences OM294652.1 and OM294653.1 had 98.90% (Query Cover = 100%) identity with the ITS-rRNA region sequence of T. changlingensis isolate (MH545694.1) from China, and OM294654.1 showed a 99.09 % (Query Cover = 99%) similarity to T. changlingensis sequence (MH545693.1). The morphological and molecular characterizations confirmed that the observed nematode was T. changlingensis, which is distributed in Heilongjiang, Jilin, Liaoning, Hebei, Gansu provinces and Inner Mongolia of China (Guo et al. 2020). To our knowledge, this is the first report of T. changlingensis infecting maize and causing disease in Shaanxi Province.

Promotion and sustainable development of beef cattle farming industry in agro-pasture ecotone areas, Inner Mongolia of China: A comparison between two fattening systems

The agro-pasture ecotone is distributed all around the world. In these areas, the productive land forces are decreasing, and due to the irrational economic activities and the vulnerable ecological environment in these regions occurs land degradation. This study focuses on the effect of two different fattening approaches of beef cattle and output from the economic point of view by using a cost-benefit analysis technique in the eastern agro-pasture ecotone of Inner Mongolia, China. This study considers the environmental, social, and economic costs as input factors and concludes that both fattening systems have different characteristics. The result shows that the intensive farming system has more fluctuation and instability in terms of the number of animals due to the feed shortage in the local area. In comparison, the continuous fattening system is much more efficient and sustainable in terms of cost management and benefit analysis due to the local condition of the area. The empirical results indicate that the beef cattle industry has a high marginal return. Our research highlights the need to prioritize local resources and incorporate feed-intensity analysis in livestock.

Evaluation of nutritional value, bioactivity and mineral content of quinoa bran in China and its potential use in the food industry

Quinoa bran is a by-product during quinoa processing, which is not well used due to its high content of antinutritional factors. The nutritional, antinutritional, antioxidative and mineral content were analyzed in quinoa bran from five producing areas (Hebei, Shanxi, Qinghai, Inner Mongolia and Gansu Province) in China. The results showed that the mean values of protein, starch, fat, fiber, reducing sugar, ash, moisture and energy in quinoa bran were 9.35%, 47.37%, 8.26%, 10.74%, 3.68%, 6.25%, 9.29% and 360.2 kcal/100 g, respectively. Although the protein content in quinoa bran is lower than that in quinoa grain, it is comparable to that in other grains (rice, corn, millet and sorghum) and brans (wheat, oat and rice), so it has the commercial potential to be processed into animal feed or other edible food. The contents of antioxidant flavonoids (460.9 mg/100g) and polyphenols (477.8 mg/100 g) in quinoa bran were higher than those in quinoa grain, suggesting that quinoa bran had better antioxidant capacity. The contents of saponins, tannins and phytic acid in quinoa bran were 18.65, 0.30 and 0.73%, respectively. The content of saponins was nearly one times higher than that in quinoa grain, the contents of tannins and phytic acid, however, were lower than those in quinoa grain. Therefore, the removal of saponins is the key to eliminate the antinutritional properties of quinoa bran. The contents of macroelements (sodium, potassium, calcium, magnesium, phosphorus) and microelements (iron, manganese, copper, zinc, cobalt, molybdenum, selenium, barium) in quinoa bran were generally higher than those in quinoa grain, which was consistent with the results of ash determination. In summary, quinoa bran was found to be a rich source of nutritional and bioactive components and minerals. If the antinutritional problem can be overcome, quinoa bran has great potential for application in the food industry.

Investigating the spatio-temporal pattern of PM2.5 concentrations in Jiangsu Province, China

PM2.5 is a typical air pollutant which has harmful health effects worldwide, particularly in the developing countries such as China due to significant air pollution. The objectives of this study were to investigate the spatio-temporal pattern of PM2.5 concentration in Jiangsu Province, China. The data were collected from 72 monitoring stations between 2018-21 and the HYSPLIT model was used to study the transport pathways of air masses. According to the obtained results, the concentration of PM2.5 was obvious during the study duration. The results show that the concentration of PM2.5 was constantly decreased from 2018 to 2021, while the level of PM2.5 was higher in winter and lower in summer in Jiangsu. The backward trajectory analysis revealed that the trajectories were originated from the Siberia, Russia and passed thorough Mongolia and northwestern parts of China then reached at the study spot. These air masses played a significant role in aerosol pathway and affect the air quality of Jiangsu.

Risk Factors and Prediction of the Probability of Wildfire Occurrence in the China–Mongolia–Russia Cross-Border Area

Wildfire is essential in altering land ecosystems’ structures, processes, and functions. As a critical disturbance in the China–Mongolia–Russia cross-border area, it is vital to understand the potential drivers of wildfires and predict where wildfires are more likely to occur. This study assessed factors affecting wildfire using the Random Forest (RF) model. No single factor played a decisive role in the incidence of wildfires. However, the climatic variables were most critical, dominating the occurrence of wildfires. The probability of wildfire occurrence was simulated and predicted using the Adaptive Network-based Fuzzy Inference System (ANFIS). The particle swarm optimization (PSO) model and genetic algorithm (GA) were used to optimize the ANFIS model. The hybrid ANFIS models performed better than single ANFIS for the training and validation datasets. The hybrid ANFIS models, such as PSO-ANFIS and GA-ANFIS, overcome the over-fitting problem of the single ANFIS model at the learning stage of the wildfire pattern. The high classification accuracy and good model performance suggest that PSO-ANFIS can be used to predict the probability of wildfire occurrence. The probability map illustrates that high-risk areas are mainly distributed in the northeast part of the study area, especially the grassland and forest area of Dornod Province of Mongolia, Buryatia, and Chita state of Russia, and the northeast part of Inner Mongolia, China. The findings can be used as reliable estimates of the relative likelihood of wildfire hazards for wildfire management in the region covered or vicinity.

Hydro-agro-economic optimization for irrigated farming in an arid region: The Hetao Irrigation District, Inner Mongolia

Water shortage and soil salinization are the key limiting factors in agricultural production of arid and semi-arid regions. Located in western Inner Mongolia of China, the Hetao Irrigation District (HID) is one of the top three largest irrigation districts in China. Irrigation water overuse and high level of soil salinity have curbed the agricultural productivity, adversely affected farmers’ revenues, and threatened long-term sustainability of irrigated farming in the HID. Nevertheless, opportunities still exist to improve the situation. Irrigation water allocation, salt accumulation and leaching, crop productivity and farming decisions are intrinsically connected and thus require taking a holistic approach to investigate into the interactions among all those factors and devise appropriate technological, management and policy interventions. Towards this goal, we develop an integrated hydro-agro-economic optimization model to reconcile agricultural net revenue, irrigation practices, and environmental sustainability in the HID. Positive Mathematical Programming is used for model calibration to ensure the model can replicate the base year observations of crop acreage, making the model suitable for evaluating alternative scenarios. Scenario analyses are conducted to analyze the effects of water supply reduction, reducing winter irrigation, water-saving irrigation, and crop commodity price change on optimal agricultural water management practices. Results show that water supply reduction without complementary measures increases land fallow, exacerbates soil salinization, and reduces net benefits. Winter irrigation can conserve soil moisture and increase the net salt leaching in the root zone, and a reduction in winter irrigation will incur a benefit loss to the HID. Water-saving irrigation can stabilize planting areas under water shortage but exacerbate soil salinization. Price increase of a cash crop, if it has a large area share, tends to “crowd out” grain crops growing in the same season. These results provide a holistic perspective and useful insights for water management and policy in the HID.

Virulence, Antibiotic Resistance, and Phylogenetic Relationships of Aeromonas spp. Carried by Migratory Birds in China.

This study aimed to evaluate antimicrobial resistance, virulence, and the genetic diversity of Aeromonas isolated from migratory birds from Guangxi Province, Guangdong Province, Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region, Jiangxi Province, and Inner Mongolia in China. A total of 810 samples were collected, including fresh feces, cloacal swabs, and throat swabs. The collected samples were processed and subjected to bacteriological examination. The resistance to 21 antibiotics was evaluated. A phylogenetic tree was constructed using concatenated gltA-groL-gyrB-metG-PPSA-recA sequences. Eight putative virulence factors were identified by PCR and sequencing, and a biofilm formation assay was performed using a modified microtiter plate method. In total, 176 Aeromonas isolates were isolated including A. sobria, A. hydrophila, A. veronii, and A. caviae. All isolates showed variable resistance against all 16 tested antibiotic discs, and only one antibiotic had no reference standard. Six kinds of virulence gene markers were discovered, and the detection rates were 46.0% (hlyA), 76.1% (aerA), 52.3% (alt), 4.5% (ast), 54.0% (fla), and 64.2% (lip). These strains were able to form biofilms with distinct magnitudes; 102 were weakly adherent, 14 were moderately adherent, 60 were non-adherent, and none were strongly adherent. Our results suggest that migratory birds carry highly virulent and multidrug-resistant Aeromonas and spread them around the world through migration, which is a potential threat to public health.

Seasonal Variations of Ecosystem Water Use Efficiency and Their Responses to Climate Factors in Inner Mongolia of China

Ecosystem water use efficiency (eWUE) is a useful metric to examine the interactions between water and carbon cycles in ecosystems. To reveal the response and adaptation characteristics of different vegetation types within the context of global warming on a regional scale, the spatiotemporal characteristics and influencing factors of the seasonal eWUE of various vegetation types in Inner Mongolia from 2001 to 2020 were explored. Based on MODIS gross primary productivity (GPP), evapotranspiration (ET) data and meteorological data, in this study, we estimated eWUE in different seasons in Inner Mongolia and used trend analysis and correlation analysis methods to analyze the relationship between eWUE in spring, summer and autumn and the temperature–precipitation. From 2001 to 2020, in this region, the GPP and ET in spring, summer and autumn showed increasing trends. In addition, the growth rates of GPP and ET in spring and summer were higher than those in autumn. Under the combined effect of GPP and ET, eWUE in different seasons showed a significant decreasing trend (p < 0.05)—this is ascribed to the extent of ET increasing more than GPP, especially in summer, with the most obvious decreasing rate. In terms of spatial trend, in spring and summer, there is a decreasing trend from northeast to southwest. The effects of precipitation and temperature on the eWUE in Inner Mongolia were mainly negatively correlated in the northeastern part of Inner Mongolia with higher altitudes during the spring and autumn seasons. In total, 95.096% of the total area had positive correlations between eWUE and temperature in spring. In summer, the region in which the WUE of the vegetation had an inverse relationship with both the temperature and the amount of precipitation was the largest compared to these regions in spring and autumn.

Experimental study on the physico-mechanical properties of Tamusu mudstone – A potential host rock for high-level radioactive waste in Inner Mongolia of China

Tamusu mudstone, located in Bayin Gobi Basin in Inner Mongolia of China, has been selected as a potential host rock for high-level radioactive waste (HLW) disposal in China. A series of tests has been carried out, including X-ray diffraction (XRD) tests, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) tests, disintegration tests, permeability tests and triaxial compression tests, to estimate the physico-mechanical properties of Tamusu mudstone in this work. The mineral composition of Tamusu mudstone was analyzed and it was considered as a stable rock due to its low disintegration rate, i.e. approximately 0.11% after several wet/dry cycles. Based on the results of permeability test, it was found that Tamusu mudstone has a low permeability, with the magnitude of about 10 –20 m 2 . The low permeability makes the mudstone well prevent nuclide migration and diffusion, and might be influenced by temperature. The triaxial tests show that Tamusu mudstone is a stiff mudstone with high compressive strength, which means that the excavation disturbed zone would be smaller compared to other types of mudstone due to construction and operation of HLW repositories. Finally, the properties of Tamusu mudstone were compared with those of Opalinus clay, Callovo-Oxfordian (COx) argillite, and Boom clay to further discuss the possibility of using Tamusu mudstone as a potential nuclear waste disposal medium.

Sedimentary Characteristics of the Permian Zhesi Formation in Eastern Inner Mongolia, China: Implications for Sedimentary Background and Shale Gas Resource Potential.

Eastern Inner Mongolia of China is located between the Siberian plate, the North China plate, and the Pacific plate and has a complex history of tectonic and sedimentary evolution. The sedimentary strata of the Zhesi Formation in the Middle Permian recorded rich environmental, structural, and petroleum geological information, which has great significance to the Paleozoic geological research in Northeast China. Through field outcrop observation and profile measurement, combined with geochemistry, mineralogy, and the reservoir physical property test, the sedimentary environment, tectonic setting, and shale gas resource potential of the Middle Permian Zhesi Formation are analyzed. The sedimentary facies of the Zhesi Formation are distributed in strips in the northeast direction, mainly developing littoral, shallow marine, and bathyal sedimentary environments. Clastic rock deposits are mainly developed in the littoral facies, carbonate platform and tempestite deposits are mainly developed in the shallow marine facies, and mudstone mixed with turbidite deposits are mainly developed in the bathyal facies. The sedimentary environment and chronological characteristics show that the Paleo-Asian Ocean was not completely closed in the Middle Permian, and its complete closure time should be later. The characteristics of source rocks and the shale gas resource potential in the Solon area are discussed. Controlled by the sedimentary environment, the Solon area mainly deposited thick dark shale mixed with turbidite sandstone, the accumulated thickness of the dark shale is more than 200 m, with an average vitrinite reflectance (Ro) of 2.44%, and the average residual total organic carbon (TOC) content is 0.85%. The average content of brittle minerals is 60.2% and the shale foliation fracture is developed, which is easy to form natural fractures and induced fractures, so the shale has good hydrocarbon generation potential, and the generated shale gas can exist in shale in an adsorbed state and a free state. In addition, the shale gas generated in the shale can migrate to the lenticular turbidite sand body in a short distance to form free shale gas. Therefore, there is a certain shale gas resource potential in the Solon area, and finding a favorable area with high TOC is the key to future exploration of Upper Paleozoic shale gas.

Using POI and time series Landsat data to identify and rebuilt surface mining, vegetation disturbance and land reclamation process based on Google Earth Engine

The development of coal resources is necessary, but it has a huge negative impact on land, ecology, and the environment. With the increasing awareness of environmental protection and the requirements of related regulations, the design and practice of reclamation projects run through the mining life cycle and continue for a long time after the coal production. High-precision monitoring of mining disturbance and reclamation, quantifying the degree and time of vegetation disturbance and restoration, is of great significance to minimize the environmental effect of mining. Remote sensing, widely used as efficient monitoring tool, but there is not enough research on disturbance and reclamation monitoring taking into account large-scale areas and high temporal and spatial accuracy. Especially when mining sites remain unknown, how to distinguish the disturbance of coal mining and other human activities affecting the surface land cover has become a challenge. Therefore, this paper proposed a method to reconstruct the time series of mining disturbance and reclamation in a large area by using the POI (point of interest) and Landsat time series images using multiple buffer analysis methods. The process includes: (1) Retrieval of POI in the study area based on the public mining list using Python crawler, and buffering 100 km for preliminary extraction of potential mining areas; (2) Using spectral index mask and random forest algorithm to accurately extract the exposed coal on the Google Earth Engine (GEE) platform; (3) Buffering 10 km to identify the occurrence of disturbance and reclamation, using pixel-based temporal trajectory identification of LandTrendr algorithm under GEE. The method successful detect the change points of surface coal mining disturbance and reclamation in eastern Inner Mongolia of China. The results show that: (1) The method can effectively identify the extent of surface coal mining disturbance and reclamation, and the overall extraction accuracy is 81%. (2) Surface coal mining disturbance in eastern Inner Mongolia was concentrated in 2006–2011. By 2020, the total disturbed area is 627.8 km2, with an average annual disturbance of 18.5 km2, and the annual maximum disturbance to the ground reached 64.6 km2 in 2008. With the total reclaimed area being 236.3 km2, the reclamation rate is about 37.6%. This study provides a systematic solution and process for monitoring the disturbance and reclamation of surface coal mining in a large range with little known about the mines’ location. It can effectively identify the mining disturbance and reclamation process which can also be extended to other areas, providing a quantitative assessment of mining disturbance and reclamation, which can support further ecological restoration decision-making.

Pathway and driving forces to complete forest transition in inner Mongolia of China

China has experienced an extensive forest transition. However, the biophysical conditions and socio-economic effects in different regions are quite different in such a large country. Few studies on the forest transition of China have focused on how forest transitions occur and what process of forest transition in quality experience at the regional level. This study conducts a regional analysis on forest transition in Inner Mongolia from the dual perspectives of forest quantity and quality using data from 1980 to 2018. Radial Basis Function Neural Network (RBFNN) modeling combining the sensitivity analysis method is used to comprehensively analyze potential socio-economic factors that may drive the forest transition observed in Inner Mongolia. The results show that the changing trend of the forest area in Inner Mongolia shaped a “N" curve, while the standing forest stock showed a general slow-growing trend. It is important to note that Inner Mongolia achieved a complete forest transition around 1993. The forest transition witnessed in Inner Mongolia mainly followed two pathways: the “economic development pathway” and the “national forest policy pathway.” The results suggest that the forest area in Inner Mongolia is changing into an “N" shaped curve with the number of live standing trees in the forests generally growing slowly. The results further suggest that, rather than only analyzing the spatial expansion of forest area, ecological construction is also an important determinant of future forest quality.

Changes in the moisture contribution over global arid regions

Arid regions have deficient precipitation, understanding the sources and transportation of moisture for precipitation are crucial. This study examined the major moisture contributions for global six arid regions, which are classified as inland arid region (China-Mongolia) and coastal arid regions (North Africa, West Asia, West United States, South Africa, South Africa and Australia). Results indicated that, the moisture for precipitation in coastal arid regions originates mostly from the ocean, which is influenced by the general circulation, particularly by the sinking branch of the Hadley cell. For inland arid region (China–Mongolia), the surrounding mountains supply more than 150 mm of moisture in wet months due to the ablation of glacial and snow melting. In arid regions, the moisture for precipitation is mostly contributed by advection of large-scale circulation, while the contribution of local moisture recycling is secondary. The moisture available for precipitation in wet and dry months depends on the general circulation. Moisture transportation in wet months is 10 times more than that in dry months, and the moisture sources differ greatly in wet and dry months. In both wet and dry months, the external moisture transported into arid regions has significantly decreasing trend during the period 1990–2019. The decreasing trend of precipitation recycling ratio in arid regions are greater than that in the globe. The decreased precipitation and moisture in arid regions suggest a potential drying trend.