XU Wensheng, NIE Wenting, WANG Yifeng, SHEN Shengyu, ZHANG Pingcang
On a supervising scheme of soil and water conservation for super large disposal areas in production and construction projects
[Background] Along with deepening of the Ecological Civilization and the reform of Streamlining Administration, Delegating Power, Strengthening Regulation and Improving Services, effective supervising of disposed slags, especially the super large disposal areas, becomes one of the most important technical focuses in soil and water conservation monitoring. At present, based on the combined techniques of remote sensing, UAV and ground observation, monitoring of soil and water conservation has gained great achievements. However, subjecting to limitations of endurance and flying requirements, the existing technologies could not provide real-time and effective monitoring results for super large disposal areas.[Methods] Technologies of video surveillance, survey monitoring, ground observation and UAV remote sensing were combined to establish a supervising scheme of soil and water conservation for super large disposal areas according to related technical specification and regulations. Because methods of survey monitoring, ground observation and UAV remote sensing have been proverbially understood by technicians, the key technical points of video surveillance were selectively expounded.[Results] 1) First, a general scheme of soil and water conservation monitoring was put forward for super large slag disposal field. 2) Then, the video surveillance technologies were stated from three aspects:information collection, information storage and transmission, and information management and use. Information collection is accomplished by the front-end camera, and the cameras should be arranged reasonably according to the disposal area scene. Information storage is completed by the large capacity storage hard disk installed in the front-end camera. Information transmission is based on the 4G wireless network technology, information is computed to determine timing or selective transmission, and the computation is carried out with the intelligent monitoring software installed in the front-end camera. Information management and use is accomplished by the information management centre. The centre receives, stores, aggregates and analyzes information transferred from the front-end unit camera. Based on the centre, the information from the client unit can be exchanged with that from the front-end camera, and then the client unit may effectively monitor the slag disposed field. 3) Finally, the integration of video surveillance technology and other methods is analyzed. Based on the information management centre, different types of data information are divided into 3 categories:data layer, feature layer and decision layer. The data layer is original information, and the feature layer is formed by logical association of original information, which has a unified data format. The decision layer is the result of soil and water conservation monitoring, which is acquired from the feature layer computation. It corresponds to specific indicators. Based on the decision level, the information management centre outputs the monitoring results of soil and water conservation, including quarterly results, annual results, summative results or thematic results. At the same time, the centre can realize three-dimensional browsing, analysis and in-situ monitoring of the slag field.[Conclusions] The established scheme can be used in practical soil and water conservation supervising for super large disposal areas, and it is simple and practical. More importantly, it can effectively improve the monitoring skill of super large disposal areas, as to promote the construction and development of ecological civilization in China.
Research advances on soil erosion and ecological restoration in the riparian zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir
[Background] Compared to the riparian zones of unregulated rivers, the riparian zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) experiences relatively longer-duration artificial flooding and with high dynamic morphological changes. Reservoir riparian zone represents a hydrogeomorphological and biogeochemical ecotone between aquatic and terrestrial ecosystems and have been well recognized as a key area for maintaining ecosystem goods and services. However, this zone is ecologically fragile due to issues caused by frequent water level fluctuations. Little knowledge of successful management of environmental problems related to reservoirs riparian zone is currently available. Furthermore, there is lack of low-cost, high-benefit and easy-to-implement management technology.[Methods] Soil erosion intensities along 12 transects in the reservoir riparian zone were continuously measured between 2008 and 2016 using erosion pins. The factors mainly influencing soil erosion were assessed using hydrological data, survey data, and long-term in situ soil erosion observation data. Based on authors' sci-tech achievements, combined with literatures, various ecological restoration technologies and site-specific modes were summarized.[Results] Soil erosion modulus on riparian-zone slope was up to 94 887 t/(km2·a), 16 times on the counterpart of upland slope. Soil erosion intensity fortunately has been decreasing in recent years. The dominant driving force was wave erosion which was generated by wind and ship transportation, especially in mainstream riparian zone. The main measures for controlling soil erosion, stabilizing slope and restoring eco-system was to rebuild vegetation. Species selection for planting should be emphasized on the mechanisms attributing to adaptation of species to the extreme submergence stress, the growth recovery ability of species following release from submergence. In addition to focusing on improving the survival rate of plants and vegetation coverage, the effects of vegetation restoration on the bank stability, surface runoff regulation, sediment trapping, pollutant absorption, and plant diversity conservation should be considered. Six modes of ecological restoration at the TGR riparian zone were suggested:natural restoration, landscape vegetation ecological restoration, zonal soil consolidation and bank protection, ecological wetland, seasonal environment-friendly land utilization, and forage planting of ecological fishery.[Conclusions] The TGR riparian zone is a new geomorphological unit, and its structure and function are still unstable. Soil erosion, landscape changing and ecological degrading have been all remarkable during the study period. Long-term monitoring and studies are needed to figure out the landscape processes and the ecosystem evolution.