Long‐Term Trends of Nutrients and Sediment from the Nontidal Chesapeake Watershed: An Assessment of Progress by River and Season

To assess historical loads of nitrogen (N), phosphorus (P), and suspended sediment (SS) from the nontidal Chesapeake Bay watershed (NTCBW), we analyzed decadal seasonal trends of flow‐normalized loads at the fall‐line of nine major rivers that account for >90% of NTCBW flow. Evaluations of loads by season revealed N, P, and SS load magnitudes have been highest in January‐March and lowest in July‐September, but the temporal trends have followed similar decadal‐scale patterns in all seasons, with notable exceptions. Generally, total N (TN) load has dropped since the late 1980s, but particulate nutrients and SS have risen since the mid‐1990s. The majority of these rises were from Susquehanna River and relate to diminished net trapping at the Conowingo Reservoir. Substantial rises in SS were also observed, however, in other rivers. Moreover, the summed rise in particulate P load from other rivers is of similar magnitude as from Susquehanna. Dissolved nutrient loads have dropped in the upland (Piedmont and above) rivers, but risen in two small rivers in the Coastal Plain affected by lagged groundwater input. In addition, analysis of fractional contributions revealed consistent N trends across the upland watersheds. Finally, total N:total P ratios have declined in most rivers, suggesting the potential for changes in nutrient limitation. Overall, this integrated study of historical data highlights the value of maintaining long‐term monitoring at multiple watershed locations.     

The Aging of America's Reservoirs: In‐Reservoir and Downstream Physical Changes and Habitat Implications

Reservoirs are important for various purposes including flood control, water supply, power generation, and recreation. The aging of America's reservoirs and progressive loss of water storage capacity resulting from ongoing sedimentation, coupled with increasing societal needs, will cause the social, economic, environmental, and political importance of reservoirs to continually increase. The short‐ and medium‐term (<50 years) environmental consequences of reservoir construction and operation are well known and include an altered flow regime, lost connectivity (longitudinal, floodplain), an altered sediment regime, substrate compositional change, and downstream channel degradation. In general, reservoir‐related changes have had adverse consequences for the natural ecosystem. Longer term (>50 years) environmental changes as reservoirs enter “old” age are less understood. Additional research is needed to help guide the future management of aging reservoir systems and support the difficult decisions that will have to be made. Important research directions include assessment of climate change effects on aging and determination of ecosystem response to ongoing aging and various management actions that may be taken with the intent of minimizing or reversing the physical effects of aging.     

Resolution and Analysis of Spatial Variations and Patterns in an Urban Lake with Rapid Profiling Instrumentation

Rapid response vertical profiling instrumentation was used to document spatial variability and patterns in a small urban lake, Onondaga Lake, associated with multiple drivers. Paired profiles of temperature, specific conductance (SC), turbidity (T_n), fluorometric chlorophyll a (Chl_f), and nitrate nitrogen (NO₃^?) were collected at >30 fixed locations (a “gridding”) weekly, over the spring to fall interval of several years. These gridding data are analyzed (1) to characterize phytoplankton (Chl_f) patchiness in the lake's upper waters, (2) to establish the representativeness of a single long‐term site for monitoring lake‐wide conditions, and (3) to resolve spatial patterns of multiple tracers imparted by buoyancy effects of inflows. Multiple buoyancy signatures were resolved, including overflows from less dense inflows, and interflows to metalimnetic depths and underflows to the bottom from the plunging of more dense inputs. Three different metrics had utility as tracers in depicting the buoyancy signatures as follows: (1) SC, for salinity‐enriched tributaries and the more dilute river that receives the lake's outflow, (2) T_n, for the tributaries during runoff events, and (3) NO₃^?, for the effluent of a domestic waste treatment facility and from the addition of NO₃^? solution to control methyl mercury. The plunging inflow phenomenon, which frequently prevailed, has important management implications.     

新形势下我国环境管理与改革取向

在"十三五"我国经济新常态的大逻辑下,环境管理机遇和挑战并存。污染欠账多、污染随着产业转移、政策执行走样、排污收费覆盖面窄、收取率低等,制约环境管理和环保产业的发展。对环境污染的严重性和复杂性、生态环境形势的十分严峻性,以及对污染治理的艰巨性和长期性,应当有一个清醒认识。扭转环境保护与经济发展不协调、不可持续状况,满足城乡居民日益高涨的环境诉求,必须调整环境管理思路,加快改革步伐,扭转环境保护"弱势"格局,厘清环境管理、环境事业和环境市场之间的关系,形成以排污许可证为依据的管理主线、以环境标准为准绳的倒逼机制,以环境司法裁定为常态的终身责任追究制度,创造一个人人守法、企业自觉治理污染和保护环境的社会氛围。     

基于环境保护的机动车税优化建议

当前区域性大气污染问题突出,机动车使用造成的污染问题不可忽视。为解决区域性的大气污染问题,机动车税费的污染减排调控功能日益被政府和学者重视。研究围绕"如何使机动车税更好发挥环境保护的效果"的问题,比较了中日机动车税的结构和性质,分析了在购买、保有和使用等不同环节的机动车税的特点以及环保效果,并基于问卷调查分析中国私家车主不同环节机动车税的负担情况。研究表明,在机动车使用环节征收的成品油消费税污染调控效果要优于其他环节的税收;对商业用途的机动车使用征税仅有收入功能没有调控功能,建议将机动车相关税的作用重心从购买环节转移到使用环节上,并对商业用途和私人用途的机动车实施差别税率。     

关于国家环境保护“十三五”规划的战略思考

在对我国当前环境形势以及未来重大环境保护问题识别的基础上,结合国家生态文明建设新要求,提出了"十三五"环境保护规划体系以及规划目标的设想,并从国民经济绿色化、国土空间功能化、保护环境法治化、环境供给市场化、决策监管科学化、治理主体多元化、环境信息公开化等7个方面给出了基本策略建议,可为制定国家"十三五"环境保护规划提供参考。     

绿洲边缘新月形沙丘表层沉积物粒度与重金属分布特征

本文以乌兰布和沙漠绿洲边缘工业化城市乌海市下风向典型新月形沙丘为研究对象,分析了新月形沙丘各部位0~10 cm沙物质、沙丘前50 m处大气降尘的粒度及重金属元素变化特征,探讨了重金属物质的来源及其与粒径的相关性,评价了重金属的潜在生态风险.结果表明:沙丘各部位沉积物粒度均以细砂为主,较对照沙丘极细砂含量增高而中砂含量减少.而降尘主要以极细砂、粉粒为主,降尘在沙丘表面的沉降堆积使沙丘表层沙物质细化.沙丘与降尘的重金属含量均为FeMnCrZnCu;Mn、Cu、Zn、Cr含量均高于背景值且发生富集.Mn、Zn含量在空间分布上呈中等变异;Fe、Cu含量在空间分布上为高度变异.Mn、Zn、Cu含量与细颗粒含量呈显著正相关,Zn、Cu含量与中砂含量呈负相关,Fe含量与细砂和中砂含量均呈负相关.Cu、Zn、Cr为人为污染因子,Mn、Fe为自然源因子,但Cr、Mn、Fe又受到自然地质背景和人类活动的共同控制.乌海市下风向新月形沙丘属于低生态风险状态,为轻度污染,需加强废气的治理控制以防重金属污染的进一步加深.     

江苏洋口港地区地下水的环境同位素组成及其形成演化研究

江苏洋口港地区是江苏沿海开发重点建设的深水港区,水质优良的地下水是港区经济社会发展的重要基础.本研究利用近期获得的钻孔剖面地层对比数据资料,沿水文径流剖面分层采集水样,通过识别地表水、各含水层地下水的环境同位素(δD、δ~(18)O、~3H、~(14)C)组成指纹特征,以揭示研究区地下水的形成演化规律.结果表明,研究区浅层地下水主要来源于现代大气降水的入渗补给,大气降水在补给地下水过程中经历了明显的蒸发过程;研究区深层地下水的放射性~(14)C年龄主要为15000~26000 a,其稳定同位素δ~(18)O、δD值比现代降水低,是晚更新世末次冰期(大理冰期)的盛冰期降水入渗补给.地下水含水层的氘、氧、碳同位素分布具有明显的呈层性,随着地下水埋藏深度增加,地下水中的δD、δ~(18)O值呈下降趋势.浅层地下水与地表水水力联系紧密,可更新能力较强;深层地下水径流缓慢,总体上处于封闭-半封闭状态,可更新能力弱.江苏沿海平原天然地下水流动是自晚更新世末期以来,伴随着冰退、海平面上升而调整到目前的模式.末次盛冰期以来的自然地理及地质发展史,决定着研究区第四系地下水流系统的演变格局,现代人类活动加强了浅层与深层地下水之间的水力联系.研究在高强度开发地下水条件下的区域水文循环特征,可为沿海地区地下水演变机理和调控研究提供技术支持.     

渭河陕西段沉积物中总磷、总氮时空分布特征及其影响因素研究

为探究沉积物中总磷、总氮的时空分布特征及其影响因素,以渭河陕西段5个研究点为例,分别于2013年夏季(6月)和冬季(12月)进行两次采样,通过野外实验对水温、p H、电导率、溶解氧、流速等环境因子的测定,结合室内实验对沉积物中总磷、总氮含量的测定和粒度分析,研究沉积物中总磷、总氮的时空分布特征,以及各环境因子与其相关性.结果表明,大多数研究点沉积物中总磷、总氮含量在垂向上呈现先减小后增大再减小的趋势;在季节上呈现夏季含量高于冬季含量的趋势,其中各研究点夏季沉积物中总磷含量平均值为15.79 g·kg-1,总氮含量平均值为5.50 g·kg-1,而冬季沉积物中总磷含量平均值为5.91 g·kg-1,总氮含量平均值为2.46 g·kg-1;通过沉积物氮、磷元素含量与各环境因子的相关性分析,发现影响沉积物中总磷、总氮含量的环境因子主要有温度、p H、电导率和溶解氧.     

重庆主城区次级河流表层沉积物重金属污染特征及风险评价

山地城市次级河流因季节性降雨容易导致沉积物中污染物形成"二次污染",沉积物可能具有重金属潜在生态风险.本文采集了重庆市主城区19条次级河流表层沉积物,分析了7种重金属元素(V、Cr、Ni、Cu、Zn、Cd和Pb)的污染水平,解析了重金属污染来源,并从流域层面评价次级河流表层沉积物重金属的潜在生态风险.结果表明,与背景值(中国土壤元素背景值)相比,除V外,其它6种重金属元素超标1.1~6.7倍.富集系数分析和主成分分析显示,沉积物中重金属V、Ni和Pb均未发生富集(富集系数小于1.5),且主要来源于自然源.Cd、Zn、Cu和Cr平均富集系数分别为6.63、2.31、1.90和1.40,均存在不同程度的富集;Cr、Zn和Cu主要来源于工业废水的排放.主城区次级河流表层沉积物重金属潜在生态风险指数RI值范围为77~382,均值为228,总体属于中等生态风险等级.空间分布上,重庆主城区西北部汇入嘉陵江的次级河流表层沉积物重金属表现出较高的生态风险,东南部汇入长江的次级河流表层沉积物表现为相对较低的风险.