Alpine soil infiltration process is an important part of the hydrological characteristics of alpine soil in permafrost. This research is carried out in the source region of the Yellow River where the permafrost is severely degraded, using various methods for choos- ing typical sample areas, and to experiment, study and simulate the soil water curve, soil saturated hydraulic conductivity, soil in- filtration and soil moisture under different characteristics of degraded vegetation. The results indicate that the empirical equation θ=AS B, proposed by Gradner and Visser, is very reliable in simulating the soil moisture curve; soil saturated hydraulic conductiv- ity and soil infiltration are significantly different under different vegetation coverage: in the soil surface within 0-10 cm, the satu- rated hydraulic conductivity and infiltration intensity of Black Beach are the strongest; respectively, in soil layers below 30 cm, vegetation has almost no impacts on the saturated hydraulic conductivity, infiltration intensity and soil moisture content. Signifi- cant reduction of soil moisture occurs in soil surfaces with degraded vegetation. The more serious the degradation, the more water loss, and it can be up to 38.6% in the worst situation. Soil moisture of developed vegetation root systems in depths within 10-20 cm has the greatest impact on the soil environment, and the loss of moisture induces difficulty in the restoration of degraded meadows. Through a comparative study, the Kostiakov infiltration equation f(t) = at b is more applicable for studies on the process of soil moisture infiltration of the alpine meadow in the source region of the Yellow River.
Climate change and engineering activities are the leading causes of permafrost temperature increase,active layer thickening,and ground-ice thaw,which trigger changes in the engineering stability of embankments.Based on the important research advances on permafrost changes and frozen soil engineering in Qinghai-Xizang Plateau,the changes in permafrost temperature and active layer thickness,their relationships with climate factors,the response process of engineering activities on permafrost,dynamic change of engineering stability of Qinghai-Xizang Railway,and the cooling mechanism and process of crushed-rock layers are discussed using the monitoring data of permafrost and embankment deformation.Finally,solutions to the key scientific problems of frozen soil engineering under climate change are proposed.
The sideward permafrost along the Qinghai-Tibet Highway (QTH) contains massive ground-ice and is at a relatively high temperature.Under the influence of the steady increase of human activities,the permafrost environment has been changed greatly for a long time.At present,the permafrost becomes warm and rapidly degenerates,including the decline of the permafrost table,rising of the ground temperature,shortening of the length of frozen section,and extension of range of melting region.Some thaw hazards (e.g.thaw slumping and thermokarst pond) have widely occurred along both sides of the roadbed.In addition,due to the incomplete construction management,the vegetation adjacent to the highway is seriously damaged or eradicated,resulting in the land desertification and ecosystem out of balance.The dust,waste and garbage brought by drivers,passengers,maintenance workers,and transportations may also pollute the permafrost environment.
