Soil processes and ecological services in the karst critical zone of Southwest China
Lead Research Organisation:
University of Bristol
Department Name: Earth Sciences
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Planned Impact
In the long term the indirect beneficiaries of this research will be the general population of the Guizhou karst region (~35 million people). This is one of the poorest regions in China with a GDP less than 50% of the national average. The karst landscapes of the region are very susceptible to perturbation, and many parts of Guizhou province have suffered severe land degradation due to deforestation and inappropriate agricultural practices. Subsequently, this area currently has very limited potential for the development of sustainable agriculture to meet the demands of contemporary local population pressures. The region has also seen the migration of young adults to the cities, leaving the elderly and very young responsible for much of the agricultural production. Thus, the Chinese government is planning to implement appropriate land management policies to address this situation, which need to be informed by robust science that quantifies current and potential ecosystem service delivery. There is, therefore, significant potential for our research to inform improved land management strategies that will meet these demands. This will in turn lead to improved delivery of ecosystem services to the communities in this region and higher environmental quality, addressing poverty and the welfare of the population through development of sustainable land resource management and long-term sustainable economic development.
More immediate and specific users of this research include state government officials, and policy makers, land managers and land users in the Guizhou region. They will benefit from a rich evidence base on which to make land management and planning decisions. At meetings in China, we will communicate the results of our research directly to these key stakeholders including the Soil and Water Conservation Monitoring Station of Guizhou and the Puding Karst Ecosystem Observation Station. At these meetings we will engage in design and development of sustainable land use strategies and policies. We will build on the highly successful farmer-scientist participant model of extension 'Science and Technology Backyard' (STB) by developing the first such programme in Guizhou. We have already engaged with and, have the support of, each of the local stakeholders and the lead scientist of the nationwide STB programme.
The integration of the new China karst CZO within the international CZ programme will provide unprecedented feedback and expertise from the whole network, linking experience across scales, from the Guizhou citizen challenged by land degradation and poverty, to others across the world engaged in understanding and developing solutions to ecosystem service delivery and maintenance in a multitude of environments.
Schoolchildren in the Guizhou region of China and in the UK will also benefit from increased awareness of threats in both countries to the environment, their country's 'environmental footprint' and the need for sustainable land management, as well as educational links with schools in other countries.
Ultimately, human society stands to benefit from a deeper understanding of the karst CZ, and the need to preserve its very high aesthetic value which is depicted in many Chinese art forms. Karst is an outstanding cultural landscape because it has seen thousands of years of human occupation in harmony with the landscape, until very recently. Areas of karst in Guizhou province are part of the South China Karst UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the region boasts the world reference site for a mature karst landscape called 'cone karst'. For the local population of Guizhou, active maintenance of this unique landscape will deliver economic benefits through the national and international leisure and tourism industry.
More immediate and specific users of this research include state government officials, and policy makers, land managers and land users in the Guizhou region. They will benefit from a rich evidence base on which to make land management and planning decisions. At meetings in China, we will communicate the results of our research directly to these key stakeholders including the Soil and Water Conservation Monitoring Station of Guizhou and the Puding Karst Ecosystem Observation Station. At these meetings we will engage in design and development of sustainable land use strategies and policies. We will build on the highly successful farmer-scientist participant model of extension 'Science and Technology Backyard' (STB) by developing the first such programme in Guizhou. We have already engaged with and, have the support of, each of the local stakeholders and the lead scientist of the nationwide STB programme.
The integration of the new China karst CZO within the international CZ programme will provide unprecedented feedback and expertise from the whole network, linking experience across scales, from the Guizhou citizen challenged by land degradation and poverty, to others across the world engaged in understanding and developing solutions to ecosystem service delivery and maintenance in a multitude of environments.
Schoolchildren in the Guizhou region of China and in the UK will also benefit from increased awareness of threats in both countries to the environment, their country's 'environmental footprint' and the need for sustainable land management, as well as educational links with schools in other countries.
Ultimately, human society stands to benefit from a deeper understanding of the karst CZ, and the need to preserve its very high aesthetic value which is depicted in many Chinese art forms. Karst is an outstanding cultural landscape because it has seen thousands of years of human occupation in harmony with the landscape, until very recently. Areas of karst in Guizhou province are part of the South China Karst UNESCO World Heritage Site, and the region boasts the world reference site for a mature karst landscape called 'cone karst'. For the local population of Guizhou, active maintenance of this unique landscape will deliver economic benefits through the national and international leisure and tourism industry.
Organisations
- University of Bristol (Lead Research Organisation)
- Tianjin Normal University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF ABERDEEN (Collaboration)
- Chinese Academy of Sciences (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF GLASGOW (Collaboration)
- Lancaster University (Collaboration)
- Rothamsted Research (Collaboration)
- Peking University (Collaboration)
- Beijing Normal University (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF LEEDS (Collaboration)
- UNIVERSITY OF EXETER (Collaboration)
Publications
Gao Y
(2020)
Cascading multiscale watershed effects on differential carbon isotopic characteristics and associated hydrological processes
in Journal of Hydrology
Green S
(2019)
Soil functions and ecosystem services research in the Chinese karst Critical Zone
in Chemical Geology
Hao Z
(2019)
Using d13C to reveal the importance of different water transport pathways in two nested karst basins, Southwest China
in Journal of Hydrology
Jia J
(2020)
Identifying the main drivers of change of phytoplankton community structure and gross primary productivity in a river-lake system
in Journal of Hydrology
Quine T
(2017)
Ecosystem service delivery in Karst landscapes: anthropogenic perturbation and recovery
in Acta Geochimica
Wang R
(2017)
Base cations and micronutrients in soil aggregates as affected by enhanced nitrogen and water inputs in a semi-arid steppe grassland
in Science of The Total Environment
| Description | We have discovered that the soils overlying karst limestone in the agricultural field site of the SPECTRA CZO in Guizhou, China, is formed from the silicate mineral impurities left behind when the limestone and dolostone rock dissolves away during weathering. Therefore, natural soil nutrients and soil fertility in this context depend on the distribution of these impurities in the rock. Furthermore, the fertility of such soils is very sensitive to disturbance because the production of nutrients by rock weathering is a much slower process than the human-driven activities that deplete them. We also discovered that the soils in this environment are severely limited by phosphorus availability and this affects the overall health and growth of plants. We found that the addition of oxalic acid to simulate the action of organic acids exuded by mycorrhizal fungi (commonly thought to be the dominant way plants obtain phosphorus in such environments) did not significantly affect the amount of phosphorus taken up by plants. We found a statistically significant difference in concentrations across land-use for soil bacteria, fungi and archaea, with lowest overall concentrations of bacteria and fungi biomarkers in agricultural sites and highest bacteria biomarker concentrations in abandoned croplands and secondary forests. Plant succession across the recovering sites may play a large role in determining the distribution and abundance of soil microbial communities. |
| Exploitation Route | These findings will be useful in assessing the sensitivity of soils formed on carbonate bedrock to degradation and will be helpful in designing strategies to protect and rehabilitate such soils. |
| Sectors | Agriculture, Food and Drink,Environment |
| Description | PhD Scholarship |
| Amount | £140,000 (GBP) |
| Organisation | PTDF Petroleum Technology Development Fund Nigeria |
| Sector | Public |
| Country | Nigeria |
| Start | 12/2017 |
| End | 12/2021 |
| Title | N-fixation by 15N2 stable isotope probing |
| Description | We have been developing a novel method for assessing biological N-fixation in soils using 15N2 stable isotope probing. Soils are incubated with 15N2 with the assimilation by N-fixing bacteria being assessed using GC-C-IRMS of amino acids, which are the primary biochemical site of biological nitrogen fixation from any N-containing substrate. We have develop the method initially using a peaty soil in which metagenomic analysis had shown high expression of the nif genes. The results are extremely promising with high level of 15N-incorporation being achievable after ca. 10 days of incubation. Incubations are in progress using agricultural soils including those from the CZO the results of which will be reported in due course. |
| Type Of Material | Technology assay or reagent |
| Year Produced | 2019 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | This new method will provide a cheaper and easier method than the metagenomic analyses currently in use. |
| Title | Soil pore water lysimeters |
| Description | Installed two nests of suction pore water lysimeters into two different fields in Chenqi, Puding, China. Lysimeters will enable depth dependent soil pore water sampling. |
| Type Of Material | Improvements to research infrastructure |
| Year Produced | 2017 |
| Provided To Others? | No |
| Impact | Lysimeters will enable depth dependent soil pore water sampling to enable assessment of nutrient flows in soils. |
| Description | CZO - Peri Urban Chinese Team - Geomicrobiology |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Department | Institute of Urban Environment |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Discussion of deep critcal zone microbiota |
| Collaborator Contribution | Metagenomics analysis of samples from my SPECTRA field sites. |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary - environmental engineering, earth sciences, molecular biology. Outputs - large data set |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Karst UK Partners beyond award team |
| Organisation | Lancaster University |
| Department | Lancaster Environment Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | University of Glasgow's CZO project is closely tied with SPECTRA. We are co-located within the same karst region in southwest China. In essence, SPECTRA fouses on soil processes, whilst the University of Glasgow focusses on the hydrogeochemsitry of the CZO. Both teams have maintained close ties (discussion groups/meetings) to ensure that we are complementary in our approaches. We also share a common programme of works with Lancaster University, as part of the additional NERC-NEWTON captial bid, we were able to purchase a series of geophysical equipment and a portable gamma spectrometer. We designed a a joint programme of works and both sets of equipment have been mobilised to all four Chinese CZO's. |
| Collaborator Contribution | As above. In addition, the University of Glasgow also host the KE funded personnel. So provide additional support in this area for our project as part of the wider programme. |
| Impact | Several academic oral/poster papers (GSA 2016, GES-17 & EGU 2017) have been produced as a result of the collaboraiton between SPECTRA and Lancaster University. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Karst UK Partners beyond award team |
| Organisation | University of Glasgow |
| Department | School of Geographical and Earth Sciences Glasgow |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | University of Glasgow's CZO project is closely tied with SPECTRA. We are co-located within the same karst region in southwest China. In essence, SPECTRA fouses on soil processes, whilst the University of Glasgow focusses on the hydrogeochemsitry of the CZO. Both teams have maintained close ties (discussion groups/meetings) to ensure that we are complementary in our approaches. We also share a common programme of works with Lancaster University, as part of the additional NERC-NEWTON captial bid, we were able to purchase a series of geophysical equipment and a portable gamma spectrometer. We designed a a joint programme of works and both sets of equipment have been mobilised to all four Chinese CZO's. |
| Collaborator Contribution | As above. In addition, the University of Glasgow also host the KE funded personnel. So provide additional support in this area for our project as part of the wider programme. |
| Impact | Several academic oral/poster papers (GSA 2016, GES-17 & EGU 2017) have been produced as a result of the collaboraiton between SPECTRA and Lancaster University. |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Karst: Chinese Collaborators - Institutions |
| Organisation | Beijing Normal University |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Joint programme of research on the karst CZO (Puding, China) including joint planning, fieldwork, data discussions, academic publications, and IMPACT assessment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint programme of research on the karst CZO (Puding, China) including joint planning, fieldwork, data discussions, academic publications, and IMPACT assessment. |
| Impact | Joint publications (Moore et al., 2017; Quine et al., 2017; Song et al., 2017; Ma et al., 2018, Li et al., 2018, Hao et al., 2019 ), workshops (CZO Karst sister projects, May 2017; CZO Guiyang, June 2017; Aberdeen 2018) and oral/poster presentations (GSA 2016, GES-17, EGU 2017; AGU 2017 and EGU 2018). |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | CZO Karst: Chinese Collaborators - Institutions |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Public |
| PI Contribution | Joint programme of research on the karst CZO (Puding, China) including joint planning, fieldwork, data discussions, academic publications, and IMPACT assessment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint programme of research on the karst CZO (Puding, China) including joint planning, fieldwork, data discussions, academic publications, and IMPACT assessment. |
| Impact | Joint publications (Moore et al., 2017; Quine et al., 2017; Song et al., 2017; Ma et al., 2018, Li et al., 2018, Hao et al., 2019 ), workshops (CZO Karst sister projects, May 2017; CZO Guiyang, June 2017; Aberdeen 2018) and oral/poster presentations (GSA 2016, GES-17, EGU 2017; AGU 2017 and EGU 2018). |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | CZO Karst: Chinese Collaborators - Institutions |
| Organisation | Peking University |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Joint programme of research on the karst CZO (Puding, China) including joint planning, fieldwork, data discussions, academic publications, and IMPACT assessment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint programme of research on the karst CZO (Puding, China) including joint planning, fieldwork, data discussions, academic publications, and IMPACT assessment. |
| Impact | Joint publications (Moore et al., 2017; Quine et al., 2017; Song et al., 2017; Ma et al., 2018, Li et al., 2018, Hao et al., 2019 ), workshops (CZO Karst sister projects, May 2017; CZO Guiyang, June 2017; Aberdeen 2018) and oral/poster presentations (GSA 2016, GES-17, EGU 2017; AGU 2017 and EGU 2018). |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | CZO Karst: Chinese Collaborators - Institutions |
| Organisation | Tianjin Normal University |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Joint programme of research on the karst CZO (Puding, China) including joint planning, fieldwork, data discussions, academic publications, and IMPACT assessment. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Joint programme of research on the karst CZO (Puding, China) including joint planning, fieldwork, data discussions, academic publications, and IMPACT assessment. |
| Impact | Joint publications (Moore et al., 2017; Quine et al., 2017; Song et al., 2017; Ma et al., 2018, Li et al., 2018, Hao et al., 2019 ), workshops (CZO Karst sister projects, May 2017; CZO Guiyang, June 2017; Aberdeen 2018) and oral/poster presentations (GSA 2016, GES-17, EGU 2017; AGU 2017 and EGU 2018). |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | CZO Loess Plateau Chinese and UK collaborators |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Department | Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resource Research |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Charity/Non Profit |
| PI Contribution | Artificial radionuclides were deposited worldwide due to nuclear testing during the 1950s and early 60s. Caesium-137 and other fallout radionuclides have been used to track the last ~50 years of soil erosion and redistribution on a catchment scale. Traditionally, this method has involved coring, sub-sampling, and laboratory analyses using large HPGe detectors, which can be costly and time-consuming. This application and study tested a portable gamma spectrometer (PGS), allowing for in situ field measurements of 137Cs. Data on soil redistribution patterns could be accessed more rapidly, e.g. to inform conservation projects or to target areas for additional focus. We are currently reviewing the soil models to improve the estilation of soil erosion rates using this in field-based approach. Across the CZOs we are comparing portable gamma spectrometer outputs with lab. analyses, as well as providing each research group an estimation of erosion rates for experimental areas. We designed a programme of works across the four CZO, deployed our portable gamma spectrometer, collected soil cores and conducted the necessary lab determinations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our Chinese partners have supported fieldwork and provided additional supporting data for assessments. |
| Impact | Successful completed joint fieldwork in 2017, and we presented initial findings at AGU 2017 (poster presentation). |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Loess Plateau Chinese and UK collaborators |
| Organisation | Lancaster University |
| Department | Lancaster Environment Centre |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Artificial radionuclides were deposited worldwide due to nuclear testing during the 1950s and early 60s. Caesium-137 and other fallout radionuclides have been used to track the last ~50 years of soil erosion and redistribution on a catchment scale. Traditionally, this method has involved coring, sub-sampling, and laboratory analyses using large HPGe detectors, which can be costly and time-consuming. This application and study tested a portable gamma spectrometer (PGS), allowing for in situ field measurements of 137Cs. Data on soil redistribution patterns could be accessed more rapidly, e.g. to inform conservation projects or to target areas for additional focus. We are currently reviewing the soil models to improve the estilation of soil erosion rates using this in field-based approach. Across the CZOs we are comparing portable gamma spectrometer outputs with lab. analyses, as well as providing each research group an estimation of erosion rates for experimental areas. We designed a programme of works across the four CZO, deployed our portable gamma spectrometer, collected soil cores and conducted the necessary lab determinations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our Chinese partners have supported fieldwork and provided additional supporting data for assessments. |
| Impact | Successful completed joint fieldwork in 2017, and we presented initial findings at AGU 2017 (poster presentation). |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Loess Plateau Chinese and UK collaborators |
| Organisation | Rothamsted Research |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Artificial radionuclides were deposited worldwide due to nuclear testing during the 1950s and early 60s. Caesium-137 and other fallout radionuclides have been used to track the last ~50 years of soil erosion and redistribution on a catchment scale. Traditionally, this method has involved coring, sub-sampling, and laboratory analyses using large HPGe detectors, which can be costly and time-consuming. This application and study tested a portable gamma spectrometer (PGS), allowing for in situ field measurements of 137Cs. Data on soil redistribution patterns could be accessed more rapidly, e.g. to inform conservation projects or to target areas for additional focus. We are currently reviewing the soil models to improve the estilation of soil erosion rates using this in field-based approach. Across the CZOs we are comparing portable gamma spectrometer outputs with lab. analyses, as well as providing each research group an estimation of erosion rates for experimental areas. We designed a programme of works across the four CZO, deployed our portable gamma spectrometer, collected soil cores and conducted the necessary lab determinations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our Chinese partners have supported fieldwork and provided additional supporting data for assessments. |
| Impact | Successful completed joint fieldwork in 2017, and we presented initial findings at AGU 2017 (poster presentation). |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Peri-Urban Chinese and collaborators |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Department | Institute of Urban Environment |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Artificial radionuclides were deposited worldwide due to nuclear testing during the 1950s and early 60s. Caesium-137 and other fallout radionuclides have been used to track the last ~50 years of soil erosion and redistribution on a catchment scale. Traditionally, this method has involved coring, sub-sampling, and laboratory analyses using large HPGe detectors, which can be costly and time-consuming. This application and study tested a portable gamma spectrometer (PGS), allowing for in situ field measurements of 137Cs. Data on soil redistribution patterns could be accessed more rapidly, e.g. to inform conservation projects or to target areas for additional focus. We are currently reviewing the soil models to improve the estilation of soil erosion rates using this in field-based approach. Across the CZOs we are comparing portable gamma spectrometer outputs with lab. analyses, as well as providing each research group an estimation of erosion rates for experimental areas. We designed a programme of works across the four CZO, deployed our portable gamma spectrometer, collected soil cores and conducted the necessary lab determinations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our Chinese partners have supported fieldwork and provided additional supporting data for assessments. |
| Impact | Successful completed joint fieldwork in 2017, and we presented initial findings at AGU 2017 (poster presentation). |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Peri-Urban Chinese and collaborators |
| Organisation | University of Leeds |
| Department | School of Earth and Environment |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Artificial radionuclides were deposited worldwide due to nuclear testing during the 1950s and early 60s. Caesium-137 and other fallout radionuclides have been used to track the last ~50 years of soil erosion and redistribution on a catchment scale. Traditionally, this method has involved coring, sub-sampling, and laboratory analyses using large HPGe detectors, which can be costly and time-consuming. This application and study tested a portable gamma spectrometer (PGS), allowing for in situ field measurements of 137Cs. Data on soil redistribution patterns could be accessed more rapidly, e.g. to inform conservation projects or to target areas for additional focus. We are currently reviewing the soil models to improve the estilation of soil erosion rates using this in field-based approach. Across the CZOs we are comparing portable gamma spectrometer outputs with lab. analyses, as well as providing each research group an estimation of erosion rates for experimental areas. We designed a programme of works across the four CZO, deployed our portable gamma spectrometer, collected soil cores and conducted the necessary lab determinations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our Chinese partners have supported fieldwork and provided additional supporting data for assessments. |
| Impact | Successful completed joint fieldwork in 2017, and we presented initial findings at AGU 2017 (poster presentation). |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Red Soil - Chinese and UK Collaborators |
| Organisation | Chinese Academy of Sciences |
| Department | Institute of Soil Science |
| Country | China |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Artificial radionuclides were deposited worldwide due to nuclear testing during the 1950s and early 60s. Caesium-137 and other fallout radionuclides have been used to track the last ~50 years of soil erosion and redistribution on a catchment scale. Traditionally, this method has involved coring, sub-sampling, and laboratory analyses using large HPGe detectors, which can be costly and time-consuming. This application and study tested a portable gamma spectrometer (PGS), allowing for in situ field measurements of 137Cs. Data on soil redistribution patterns could be accessed more rapidly, e.g. to inform conservation projects or to target areas for additional focus. We are currently reviewing the soil models to improve the estilation of soil erosion rates using this in field-based approach. Across the CZOs we are comparing portable gamma spectrometer outputs with lab. analyses, as well as providing each research group an estimation of erosion rates for experimental areas. We designed a programme of works across the four CZO, deployed our portable gamma spectrometer, collected soil cores and conducted the necessary lab determinations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our Chinese partners have supported fieldwork and provided additional supporting data for assessments. |
| Impact | Successful completed joint fieldwork in 2017, and we presented initial findings at AGU 2017 (poster presentation). |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Red Soil - Chinese and UK Collaborators |
| Organisation | University of Aberdeen |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Artificial radionuclides were deposited worldwide due to nuclear testing during the 1950s and early 60s. Caesium-137 and other fallout radionuclides have been used to track the last ~50 years of soil erosion and redistribution on a catchment scale. Traditionally, this method has involved coring, sub-sampling, and laboratory analyses using large HPGe detectors, which can be costly and time-consuming. This application and study tested a portable gamma spectrometer (PGS), allowing for in situ field measurements of 137Cs. Data on soil redistribution patterns could be accessed more rapidly, e.g. to inform conservation projects or to target areas for additional focus. We are currently reviewing the soil models to improve the estilation of soil erosion rates using this in field-based approach. Across the CZOs we are comparing portable gamma spectrometer outputs with lab. analyses, as well as providing each research group an estimation of erosion rates for experimental areas. We designed a programme of works across the four CZO, deployed our portable gamma spectrometer, collected soil cores and conducted the necessary lab determinations. |
| Collaborator Contribution | Our Chinese partners have supported fieldwork and provided additional supporting data for assessments. |
| Impact | Successful completed joint fieldwork in 2017, and we presented initial findings at AGU 2017 (poster presentation). |
| Start Year | 2017 |
| Description | SPECTRA team |
| Organisation | University of Exeter |
| Department | Department of Geography |
| Country | United Kingdom |
| Sector | Academic/University |
| PI Contribution | Sample sharing, data sharing, joint logistics coordination, shared interactions with Chinese collaborators, joint publications, lab sharing |
| Collaborator Contribution | Sample sharing, data sharing, joint logistics coordination, shared interactions with Chinese collaborators, joint publications, lab sharing |
| Impact | Multidisciplinary - Earth Sciences, Geography, Chemistry. Outputs: Quine et al. 2017; Moore et al. 2017; presentations at GES-11, AGU, EGU, Biogeomon, GSA |
| Start Year | 2016 |
| Description | BIOGEOMON 2017 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Research presentation sparked discussion of the scientific results and potential new collaborations |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | CZO Aberdeen conference - 2018 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Series of talks/posters from the SPECTRA team to an international audidence, which lead to questions/discussion thereafter: - Production and retention of mineral nutrients in soils of the agricultural karst critical zone in southwest China A.M. Lawal, H.L. Buss, O.W. Moore, S.M. Green, C. Tu, K. Xing - Contributions of Soil Microbial Residual Carbon to Soil Organic Carbon Densities During Vegetation Recovery in Karst Ecosystems of Southwest China Zhiming Guo, Xinyu Zhang, Sophie M. Green, Jennifer A. J. Dungait, Xuefa Wen, Timothy A. Quine - Soil phosphorus availability strongly controls microbial denitrification during vegetative recovery in the southwest China Karst CZO Dandan Li, Xinyu Zhang, Sophie M. Green, Jennifer A.J. Dungait, Xuefa Wen, Timothy A. Quine, Qiubing Wang - Effect of bedrock geochemistry on karst vegetation composition and productivity Hongyan Liu, Zihan Jiang, Jingyu Dai, Hongya Wang, Jian Peng, Jeroen Meersmans, Sophie M. Green, Timothy Quine, Xiuchen Wu, Zhaoliang Song - Urbanization, food security and the Grain for Green Policy - China's poverty challenge Jian Peng, Sijing Qiu, Jeroen Meersmans, Timothy A Quine, Sophie M Green, Hongyan Liu, Yanxu Liu, Jiansheng Wu, Yanglin Wang - Effects on nitrogen and phosphorus availability differs between plants with arbuscular or ectomycorrhizal associations in primary karst forest in the southwest China CZO Yang Yang, Xinyu Zhang, Xuefa Wen, Dandan Li, Sophie M. Green, Jennifer A.J. Dungait, Timothy A. Quine - A soil microbe's eye-view of karst ecosystem recovery under the "Grain for Green Programme" in the Puding Karst Critical Zone Observatory Sophie M. Green, Xinyu Zhang, Jennifer A. J. Dungait, Dandan Li, Yang Yang, Zhiming Guo, Simon J. Hawkes, Xianwei Song, Yang Gao, Zhaoliang Song, Nianpeng He, Hongyan Liu, Iain Hartley, Richard P. Evershed, Penny Johnes, Xufua Wen, Timothy A. Quine. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2018 |
| Description | Chenqi Agricultural Group Discussions |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | Participation in an activity, workshop or similar |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Other audiences |
| Results and Impact | A discussion forum was helf with local farmers from the study site to understand the social-economic dynamics and pressures on agricultural practices within Chenqi. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | Cross-CZO project meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | National |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Meetings held between Quine and Waldron CZO project teams (Karst - soil & hydrology/water quality) to discuss and exchange results. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017 |
| Description | EGU 2017 - oral presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Scientific conference oral presentation entitled: "Soil microbial community as a proxy for the ecological service condition in karst soils of SW China". Sparked discussions with other Karst delegates interested in karst soil processes. Abstract: Karst is a key landscape covering extensive areas of Southwest China that has undergone rapid intensive land use change and degradation over the last 50 years. Clear evidence of environmental degradation and its damaging consequences for the reduction of intrinsic value of the land for local human populations has led to an increasing focus on landscape rehabilitation. This has included unmanaged abandonment and attempts to re-vegetate denuded surfaces. However, this has achieved limited success and there is a clear need to develop restoration strategies underpinned by robust quantitative and mechanistic understanding of critical zone (CZ) functioning. Thus, a karst Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) was established in June 2016 in Chenqi, Guizhou Province, along a gradient through three levels of human perturbed landscapes: sloping farmland; recovery phase 1 (recently abandoned, within 5 years); and, recovery phase 2 (secondary forest, abandoned > 5 years). We hypothesise that there is a tipping point along the degradation gradient beyond which key biological controls over CZ function are lost, resulting in declining nutrient cycling and rock weathering rates, and increased soil erosion rates. This paper will present preliminary data from the application of the CZ approach using space-for-time substitution. We characterised soil microbial community dynamics along the degradation gradient using geochemical biomarkers and soil properties measured in soil profiles (<1.5 m depth; n = 3) at three slope positions at contrasting topographical aspects around the Chenqi catchment. We integrate measurements of mycorrhizal fungi and free-living soil microbes, and pools of soil carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), with estimations of soil erosion rates using radionuclide 137Cs/Pb210, within the karst ecosystem to evaluate the status of key ecosystem functions (e.g. nutrient cycling, carbon sequestration, soil stabilisation). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | GES-11 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Research poster at GES-11 conference. Sparked substantial discussions about the scientific results and overall project aims and goals. Moore et al., 2017. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | GES-17 |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Geochemistry of the Earth's Surface (GES-11) conference. Attended by Tim Quine, Sophie Green, Heather Buss and Jenni Dungait. Keynote presentation given by Tim Quine and poster led by Heather Buss. Variety of discussions/debate held during the week long conference. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2017 |
| Description | GSA 2016 Oral presentation |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A talk or presentation |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | INVITED TALK AT THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY OF AMERICA GENERAL MEETING (SEPTEMBER 2016) SOIL PROCESSES AND ECOLOGICAL SERVICES IN THE KARST CRITICAL ZONE OF SW CHINA GREEN, Sophie M.1, DUNGAIT, Jenni2, ZHANG, Xinyu3, BARROWS, Tim1, BUSS, Heather L.4, LIU, Taoze5, HARTLEY, Iain1, SONG, Zhaoliang6, WEN, Xuefa3, LIU, Hongyan7, TU, Chenglong5, EVERSHED, Richard P.8, JOHNES, Penny J.9, MEERSMANS, Jeroen1, GUO, Dali3 and QUINE, Tim1, (1)Geography, College of Life and Environmental Sciences, University of Exeter, Amory Building, Rennes Drive, Exeter, EX4 4RJ, United Kingdom, (2)Rothamsted Research - North Wyke, Okehampton, EX20 2SB, United Kingdom, (3)Institute of Geographic Sciences and Natural Resources Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, 100101, China, (4)School of Earth Sciences, University of Bristol, Wills Memorial Building, Queen's Rd, Bristol, BS8 1RJ, United Kingdom, (5)State Key Lab of Environmental Geochemistry, Institute of Geochemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Guiyang, 550002, China, (6)Institute of the Surface-Earth System Science Research, Tianjin University, Tianjin, 300072, China, (7)College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing, 100871, China, (8)School of Chemistry, University of Bristol, Cantock's Close, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1TS, United Kingdom, (9)School of Geographical Sciences, University of Bristol, University Road, Clifton, Bristol, BS8 1SS,, United Kingdom, s.green2@exeter.ac.uk Covering extensive parts of Southwest China, karst is a key landscape that is exceptional because rapid land use change has caused severe ecosystem degradation within only the last 50 years. This environmental degradation comprises rocky desertification, and is comparable to that caused by the better known extreme rates of erosion of the sandy loess soils in North China. Therefore, establishment of a critical zone observatory (CZO) in the karst landscape of SW China along a dynamic perturbation gradient in varying states of transition between states of rocky desertification to natural forest would fill a significant gap in the current database and research effort. Furthermore, there is a socioeconomic imperative to establish a CZO in the karst landscapes of SW China. The population of 36 million are amongst the poorest in China, with regional GDP less than 50% of the national average, and sustainable solutions to land management, potentially including abandonment and economic compensation, will be integral to lifting the population out of poverty. The CZO was established in June 2016. We investigate the integrated geophysical-geochemical-ecological and social responses of the CZO to past perturbations, along a gradient from undisturbed natural vegetation through human perturbed landscapes at 3 levels of use - sloping farmland, recovery phase 1 (recently abandoned, within 5 years) and recovery phase 2 (secondary forest, abandoned > 5 years). We integrate measurements of: (1) plant, soil, mycorrhizal fungi and free-living soil microbes; (2) rates of rock weathering, elemental release and soil formation processes; (3) rates of erosion and soil redistribution; and, (4) pools and fluxes of soil organic C (SOC), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) within the karst ecosystem. Through explicit consideration of plant-microbe-soil and plant-microbe-rock interactions, we will identify the biological controls on nutrient availability, soil formation and loss in the CZO. This talk encompasses the early stages of the project and presents some preliminary results. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| URL | https://gsa.confex.com/gsa/2016AM/webprogram/Paper279592.html |
| Description | NERC-NSFC CZO Programme Launch Workshop |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | NERC-NSFC CZO Programme Launch Workshop: 'Using Critical Zone science to understand sustaining the ecosystem services of soil and water': Two-day workshop. The workshop programme: 1. Introduce the funded project teams to each other and to the NERC and NSFC programme teams; 2. Elaborate the objectives of international development and impact outcomes that will be met by the projects; 3. Identify programme integration goals, methods and timetable of activities including dissemination, outreach and data sharing and management; 4. Present the national infrastructures and joint UK-China strengths in CZ science; and 5. Define the key steps and timetable for the research programme impact to support sustainable development in China and long-term strategy for joint CZ research. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | UK-China Karst project start up |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | Formal Uk-China project start up meeting to discuss the project and field site selection (includes PIs/CO-I's). |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016 |
| Description | UK-China team meetings |
| Form Of Engagement Activity | A formal working group, expert panel or dialogue |
| Part Of Official Scheme? | No |
| Geographic Reach | International |
| Primary Audience | Professional Practitioners |
| Results and Impact | UK-China workpage update meeting to discuss fieldwork, results and fieldwork planned. |
| Year(s) Of Engagement Activity | 2016,2017,2018 |