Recovery approach affects soil quality in the water level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir,China: implications for revegetation

Plants in the water level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir Region disappeared due to winter-flooding and prolonged inundation. Revegetation (plantation and natural recovery) have been promoted to restore and protect the riparian ecosystem in recent years. Revegetation may affect soil qualities and have broad important implications both for ecological services and soil recovery. In this study, we investigated soil properties including soil pH values, bulk density, soil organic matter (SOM), soil nutrients and heavy metals, soil microbial community structure, microbial biomass, and soil quality index under plantation and natural recovery in the Three Gorges Reservoir Region. Most soil properties showed significant temporal and spatial variations in both the plantation and natural recovery areas. Higher contents of SOM and NO₃-N were found in plantation area, while higher contents of soil pH values, bulk density, and total potassium were observed in the natural recovery area. However, there were no significant differences in plant richness and diversity and soil microbial community structure between the two restoration approaches. A soil quality index derived from SOM, bulk density, Zn, Cd, and Hg indicated that natural recovery areas with larger herbaceous coverage had more effective capacity for soil restoration.     

Plant community characteristics and their responses to environmental factors in the water level fluctuation zone of the three gorges reservoir in China

The annual water level regulating of the Three Gorges Reservoir prolonged the submerged duration (from 2 to 8 months) and resulted in the reversal of natural flood rhythms (winter submerged). These changes might alter plant community characteristics in the water level fluctuation zone (WLFZ). The aim of this study was to determine the plant community characteristics in the WLFZ and their responses to the environmental factors (i.e., annual hydrological regulation, topographic characteristics, soil physical properties and soil nutrients). The height, coverage, frequency and biomass of each plant species and the soil properties at each elevation zone (150, 155, 160, 165 and 170 m) were measured from March to September in 2010. Univariate two-factor analysis and redundancy analysis (RDA) were used to analyze the spatial and temporal variations of the community characteristics and identify the key environmental factors influencing vegetation. We found that 93.2 % of the species analysed were terrestrial vascular plants. Annual herbs made up the highest percentage of life forms at each altitude. The differences in the species number per square metre, the Shannon–Wiener diversity index and the biomass of vegetation demonstrated statistical significance with respect to sampling time but not elevation. The most dominant species at altitudes of 150, 155, 160, 165 and 170 m were Cynodon dactylon, Cyperus rotundus, Digitaria sanguinalis, Setaria viridis and Daucus carota, respectively. The concentrations of soil nutrients appeared to be the lowest at an altitude of 150 m, although the differences with respect to elevation were not significant. The results of the RDA indicated that the key factors that influenced the species composition of vegetation were elevation, slope, pH and the concentration of soil available phosphorus.     

The littoral zone in the Three Gorges Reservoir, China: challenges and opportunities

For flood control purpose, the water level of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) varies significantly. The annual reservoir surface elevation amplitude is about 30 m behind the dam. Filling of the reservoir has created about 349 km² of newly flooded riparian zone. The average flooding period lasts for more than 6 months, from mid-October to late April. The dam and its associated reservoir provide flood control, power generation, and navigation, but there are also many environmental challenges. The littoral zone is the important part of the TGR, once its eco-health and stability are damaged,which will directly endanger the ecological safety of the whole reservoir area and even the Yangtze River Basin. So, understanding the great ecological opportunities which are hidden in littoral zone of TGR (LZTGR) and putting forward approaches to solve the environmental problems are very important. LZTGR involves a wide field of problems, such as the landslides, potential water pollution, soil erosion, biodiversity loss, land cover changes, and other issues. The Three Gorges dam (TGD) is a major trigger of environmental change in the Yangtze River. The landslides, water quality, soil erosion, loss of biodiversity, dam operation, and challenge for land use are closely interrelated across spatial and temporal scales. Therefore, the ecological and environmental impacts caused by TGD are necessarily complex and uncertain. LZTGR is not only a great environmental challenge but also an ecological opportunity for us. In fact, LZTGR is an important structural unit of TGR ecosystem and has special ecosystem services function. Vegetation growing in LZTGR is therefore a valuable resource due to accumulation of carbon and nutrients. Everyone thinks that the ecological approach to the problem is needed. If properly designed, dike–pond systems, littoral woods systems, and re-created waterfowl habitats will have the capacity to capture nutrients from uplands and obstruct soil erosion. Ecological engineering approaches can therefore reduce environmental impacts of LZTGR and optimize ecological services. In view of the current situation and existing ecological problems of LZTGR, according to function demands such as environmental purification, biodiversity conservation, and vegetation carbon sink enhancement, we should explore the eco-friendly utilization mode of resources in LZTGR. Ecological engineering approaches might minimize the impacts or optimize the ecological services. Natural regeneration and ecological restoration in LZTGR are valuable for soil erosion decrease, pollutant purification, biodiversity conservation, carbon sink increase, and ecosystem health maintenance in TGR.     

Prospects for cultivating white mulberry (Morus alba) in the drawdown zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Restoration of vegetation is the most viable management approach for restoring ecological functions in the drawdown zone (hydro-fluctuation belt) of the Three Gorges Reservoir. The selection of plants for this purpose is therefore critically important. Most indigenous plants are not adapted, however, to the counter-seasonal fluctuation of water levels and rapid changes of up to 30 m in water depth that characterize the management of the reservoir. As a result, the reservoir drawdown zone tends to be vegetation deficient. Mulberry (Morus alba L.) has attracted attention as a suitable woody plant for restoring woody vegetation because of its strong adaptation to environmental stresses and the finding that it survives up to 7 m of flooding in parts of the drawdown zone. Comprehensive evaluation of research is therefore required in order to provide guidance for the rational use of mulberry in vegetation restoration strategies for the drawdown zone. Knowledge of the physiology of mulberry adaptation to stress is reviewed here, along with a detailed review of the ecology and agricultural benefits and limitations of mulberry in the context of the Three Gorges Reservoir. It is proposed that a cultivation model for mulberry plants based on ecological principles should be adopted for use within the drawdown zone and that a wider range of biophysical and socio-economic research to develop this model further should be conducted in the future.     

三峡水库135 m蓄水前后水体重金属环境健康风险评价

三峡水库135 m蓄水后,水体中各重金属的单因子污染指数和Nemerow综合污染指数均有不同程度的增大,特别是Pb污染应该引起重视.健康风险评价结果表明,成库前后非致癌有毒化学物质(Hg、Pb和Cu)所引起的健康危害的个人年风险为Pb＞Cu＞Hg,致癌物质对人体健康危害的个人年风险均大于非致癌物.各类污染物所致个人平均健康危害成库前后均低于国际辐射防护委员会(ICRP)推荐的标准,为可接受水平.     

三峡库区城市污水处理厂工艺特征分析

为了分析三峡库区（重庆）城市污水处理厂的工艺特性,对库区现有45座城市污水处理厂进行了调研。发现库区以5万m3/d以下规模的污水处理厂为主,占总数的89%。A/A/O系列工艺、氧化沟系列工艺和SBR及其变型工艺为主流主体工艺,其中占总数64%的污水处理厂选用了氧化沟系列工艺。水质参数的设置与工艺密切相关。污水中无机物含量较高,59%的污水处理厂的MLSS在4~6 g/L之间,71%的污水处理厂的MLVSS/MLSS在0.7以下。三峡库区城市污水处理厂进水水质波动大,碳源较充足,可生化性较好。另外,总结了污水处理厂运行中易出现的问题及建议措施。     

Occurrence and distribution of organic trace substances in waters from the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

This study deals with the evaluation of water quality of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) in order to assess its suitability as a raw water source for drinking water production. Therefore, water samples from (1) surface water, (2) tap water, and (3) wastewater treatment plant effluents were taken randomly by 2011–2012 in the area of the TGR and were analyzed for seven different organic contaminant groups (207 substances in total), applying nine different analytical methods. In the three sampled water sources, typical contaminant patterns were found, i.e., pesticides and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) in surface water with concentrations of 0.020–3.5 μg/L and 0.004–0.12 μg/L, disinfection by-products in tap water with concentrations of 0.050–79 μg/L, and pharmaceuticals in wastewater treatment plant effluents with concentrations of 0.020–0.76 μg/L, respectively. The most frequently detected organic compounds in surface water (45 positives out of 57 samples) were the pyridine pesticides clopyralid and picloram. The concentrations might indicate that they are used on a regular basis and in conjunction in the area of the TGR. Three- and four-ring PAH were ubiquitously distributed, while the poorly soluble five- and six-ring members, perfluorinated compounds, polychlorinated biphenyls, and polybrominated diphenyl ethers, were below the detection limit. In general, the detected concentrations in TGR are in the same range or even lower compared to surface waters in western industrialized countries, although contaminant loads can still be high due to a high discharge. With the exception of the two pesticides, clopyralid and picloram, concentrations of the investigated organic pollutants in TGR meet the limits of the Chinese Standards for Drinking Water Quality GB 5749 (Ministry of Health of China and Standardization Administration of China 2006) and the European Union (EU) Council Directive 98/83/EC on the quality of water intended for human consumption (The Council of the European Union 1998), or rather, the EU Directive on environmental quality standards in the field of water policy (The European Parliament and The Council of the European Union 2008). Therefore, the suggested use of surface water from TGR for drinking water purposes is a valid option. Current treatment methods, however, do not seem to be efficient since organic pollutants were detected in significant concentrations in purified tap water.     

三峡水库万州段沉积土粪便污染分析

为了探究三峡水库沉积土粪便污染情况,以万州段为例,在蓄水期采集了9个采样点的沉积土,分析了理化性质和微生物指标。结果发现,三峡水库万州段沉积土的pH为6.24～7.01,含水率为9.00%～25.70%,有机质质量分数为1.90%～3.70%,细菌总数为1.30×10~6～9.37×10~8 cfu/g,真菌总数为1.12×10~3～1.44×10~5 cfu/g,放线菌总数为8.33×10~4～8.85×10~8 cfu/g,总大肠菌群数为120～3 500MPN/g,耐热大肠菌群数为20～790MPN/g,大肠埃希氏菌数为20～210MPN/g。结果表明,三峡水库万州段沉积土受到了不同程度的粪便污染。总体而言,属于干流回水区或支流且位于江北、城市排污口下游的沉积土粪便污染较属于干流且位于江南、周围无排污口的沉积土严重。沉积土的理化性质与微生物指标基本没有相关性。但微生物指标之间基本可以相互印证,指示沉积土的粪便污染情况。     

Plant communities in relation to flooding and soil contamination in a lowland Rhine River floodplain

Using canonical correspondence analysis (CCA), relationships were investigated between plant species composition and flooding characteristics, heavy metal contamination and soil properties in a lowland floodplain of the Rhine River. Floodplain elevation and yearly average flooding duration turned out to be more important for explaining variation in plant species composition than soil heavy metal contamination. Nevertheless, plant species richness and diversity showed a significant decrease with the level of contamination. As single heavy metal concentrations seemed mostly too low for causing phytotoxic effects in plants, this trend is possibly explained by additive effects of multiple contaminants or by the concomitant influences of contamination and non-chemical stressors like flooding. These results suggest that impacts of soil contamination on plants in floodplains could be larger than expected from mere soil concentrations. In general, these findings emphasize the relevance of analyzing effects of toxic substances in concert with the effects of other relevant stressors.     

Impacts of groundwater level fluctuation on soil microbial community,alkane degradation efficiency and alkane-degrading gene diversity in the critical zone: Evidence from an accelerated water table fluctuation simulation

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Petroleum hydrocarbons are hazardous to ecosystems and human health, commonly containing n-alkanes and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Previous...     

三峡库区重点支流水华现状、成因及防控对策

自2003年6月三峡水库蓄水以来,库区支流富营养化和水华问题备受关注。对库区12条重点支流2010—2020年的水质、水华监测数据进行了统计分析,结果表明：12条重点支流均发生过典型水华,近几年水华发生次数减少;水华主要发生在3—9月,以蓝藻和硅藻水华为主。暴发水华的根本原因是水体营养盐充足。支流监测数据表明,水体均处于中营养状态及以上。适宜的温度、光照和缓慢的水动力条件则是暴发水华的重要原因。目前,开展营养盐削减是控制三峡库区重点支流库湾水华的根本途径;通过物理方法、化学方法和生物操控方法消除水华的应用尚且较少;而通过水库生态调度抑制水华为可行方法。     

Impact of land use changes on water quality in headwaters of the Three Gorges Reservoir

The assessment of spatial and temporal variation of water quality influenced by land use is necessary to manage the environment sustainably in basin scales. Understanding the correlations between land use and different formats of nonpoint source nutrients pollutants is a priority in order to assess pollutants loading and predicting the impact on surface water quality. Forest, upland, paddy field, and pasture are the dominant land use in the study area, and their land use pattern status has direct connection with nonpoint source (NPS) pollutant loading. In this study, two land use scenarios (1995 and 2010) were used to evaluate the impact of land use changes on NPS pollutants loading in basins upstream of Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR), using a calibrated and validated version of the soil and water assessment tool (SWAT) model. The Pengxi River is one of the largest tributaries of the Yangtze River upstream of the TGR, and the study area included the basins of the Dong and Puli Rivers, two major tributaries of the Pengxi River. The results indicated that the calibrated SWAT model could successfully reproduce the loading of NPS pollutants in the basins of the Dong and Puli Rivers. During the 16-year study period, the land use changed markedly with obvious increase of water body and construction. Average distance was used to measure relative distribution patterns of land use types to basin outlets. Forest was mainly distributed in upstream areas whereas other land use types, in particular, water bodies and construction areas were mainly distributed in downstream areas. The precipitation showed a non-significant influence on NPS pollutants loading; to the contrary, interaction between precipitation and land use were significant sources of variation. The different types of land use change were sensitive to NPS pollutants as well as land use pattern. The influence of background value of soil nutrient on NPS pollutants loading was evaluated in upland and paddy field. It was found that total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorous (TP) in upland were more sensitive to NPS pollutants loading than in paddy fields. The results of this study have implications for management of the TGR to reduce the loading of NPS pollutants into downstream water bodies.     

Distribution,sources, and risk assessment of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface water in industrial affected areas of the Three Gorges Reservoir,China

Water samples were collected from wastewater treatment plant (WWTP), drain water (DW), major tributaries (MT), and main course of the Yangtze River (MY) in areas of three industrial parks (IPs) in Chongqing city in the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). Sixteen EPA priority polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) pollutants were quantified to identify the effects of industrial activities on water quality of the TGR. The results showed that 11 individual PAHs were quantified and 5 PAHs (naphthalene (Nap), acenaphthylene (Acy), benzo[k]fluoranthene (BkF), indeno[1,2,3-cd]pyrene (InP), and benzo[g,h,i]perylene (BgP)) were under detection limits in all of the water samples. Three-ring and four-ring PAHs were the most detected PAHs. Concentrations of individual PAHs were in the range of not detected (nd) to 24.3 ng/L. Total PAH concentrations for each site ranged from nd to 42.9 ng/L and were lower compared to those in other studies. The mean PAH concentrations for sites WWTP, DW, MT, and MY showed as follows: DW (25.9 ng/L) > MY (15.5 ng/L) > MT (14.0 ng/L) > WWTP (9.3 ng/L), and DW contains the highest PAH concentrations. Source identification ratios showed that petroleum and combustion of biomass coal and petroleum were the main sources of PAHs. The results of potential ecosystem risk assessment indicated that, although PAH concentrations in MT and MY are likely harmless to ecosystem, contaminations of PAHs in DW were listed as middle levels and some management strategies and remediation actions, like strengthen clean production processes and banning illegal sewage discharging activities, etc., should be taken to lighten the ecosystem risk caused by PAHs especially risks caused by water discharging drains.     

三峡水库水生态环境保护与增殖渔业发展对策研究

三峡水库试验性蓄水175m成功后,水库水生态环境的管护成为水库管理的重点工作之一。针对目前三峡水库渔业的现状、取得的进展、存在的问题展开调研。在实地考察调研的基础上,提出了巩固取消三峡水库网箱养鱼的成果,防止反弹;开展三峡水库增殖渔业研究;建立三峡水库渔业开发总公司,实行公司化运作,实现渔业科学、有序、可持续的良性发展;加强水库增殖渔业的行政管理等建议。为政府在完善保护三峡水库水质和发展增殖渔业决策时提供参考。     

Temporal variation and spatial distribution of PAH in water of Three Gorges Reservoir during the complete impoundment period

Bioavailable concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were investigated in water of Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR) using semipermeable membrane devices during the period of completely impounding water. ∑PAH concentrations in water of TGR in the period of completely impounding water were 15–381 ng?L^?1. ∑PAH concentrations increased from town or counties to big industrialized cities in TGR, indicating urbanization effects on PAH pollution in the water. Tributaries in TGR have a certain contribution of PAH pollution to the mainstream of Yangtze River and their pollution could not be neglected. An obvious decrease of PAH concentration was observed after 175-m water impounding in 2011 in TGR. Several factors may account for this decrease, including execution of comprehensive treatment and management measures in TGR, less rainfall in 2011, and sedimentation effect caused by the dam. Passive sampling method has been successfully applied in the investigation of trace PAH in water of TGR and proved to be a useful and efficient tool for the management and sustainable development of the big reservoir. The results of the study provide valuable information about PAH pollution in the whole reservoir including some tributaries, and the pollution status is dynamically related with human activities. Therefore, PAH could be used as a marker compound or indicator in the network monitoring system to surveil and trace the pollution status in TGR.     

Citrus stand ages regulate the fraction alteration of soil organic carbon under a citrus/Stropharua rugodo-annulata intercropping system in the Three Gorges Reservoir area,China

Environmental Science and Pollution Research - Soil carbon fractionation is a valuable indicator in assessing stabilization of soil organic matter and soil quality. However, limited studies have...     

三峡水库泄水期香溪河库湾营养盐动态及干流逆向影响

为了研究水库干流对支流库湾营养盐动态的影响,于2009年春季三峡水库汛前泄水期,通过监测分析了库湾水流特点及叶绿素a、总氮、总磷和溶解性硅酸盐的时空动态。研究发现:三峡水库汛前泄水期,库湾水体表现为分层异向流动,干流水体以异重流形式倒灌入库湾;特定的水流特性为泄水期库湾营养物质运移提供了水动力基础,水库干流对库湾营养盐的补给及水华暴发范围有明显逆向作用;受干流影响,氮和硅自河口至回水末端呈递减趋势,磷主要受上游来水影响,空间分布趋势与氮、硅相反;叶绿素a浓度峰值向上游移动,水华范围向上游收缩,河口处叶绿素a浓度的时间均值明显低于回水末端,表明三峡水库泄水期香溪河库湾下游水体水华受到干流逆向影响的抑制。     

Conservation and ecofriendly utilization of wetlands associated with the Three Gorges Reservoir

The Three Gorges Dam on the Yangtze River in China has created a major reservoir in which the water level fluctuates annually by about 30 m, generating a drawdown zone of up to 350 km² in summer. Since construction of the dam, there has been scientific and public interest in how to use the drawdown zone resources in environmentally sustainable ways. To this end, and with government support, an international conference was held in Chongqing Municipality (China) in October 2011 on the subject of conservation and ecofriendly utilization of wetlands in the Three Gorges Reservoir. The conference proceedings were subsequently published in the Journal of Chongqing Normal University. The proceedings reports are reviewed here in the context of other relevant literature. The proceedings included papers on ecology, ecodesign and ecological engineering, erosion control, plant production and carbon sequestration, phytoremediation of pollution, hydrosystem management, and others. Several of the reports derive from experimental work conducted at a research field station on the Three Gorges Reservoir situated in Kaixian County, Chongqing Municipality. Plant communities in the drawdown zone are declining in diversity and evolving. Experimental plantings of flood-tolerant edible hydrophytes in a dike–pond system reveal their potential to provide economic returns for farmers, and flooding-tolerant trees, such as cypresses, also show promising results for stabilizing soils in the drawdown zone. Flood-tolerant natural plant communities vary strongly with depth and their composition provides useful indicators for revegetation strategies. In the region surrounding the reservoir, remnant natural broad-leaved evergreen forests are most effective in sequestering carbon, and within the drawdown zone, carbon is mostly stored below ground. There is strong interest in the potential of aquatic plants for removal of pollutants, notably N and P, from the reservoir water by means of floating beds. Other examples of applying ecodesign and ecological engineering strategies for restoration and management of rivers and lakes are also given. Scientific studies have provided valuable advice for ecofriendly utilization of the reservoir drawdown zone and further studies of the evolving condition of the reservoir can be expected to pay additional practical dividends.     

The effects of Herba Andrographitis hedgerows on soil erodibility and fractal features on sloping cropland in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

To evaluate if hedgerows could improve the soil physicochemical properties and enhance the soil anti-scouring and anti-shearing capabilities, the effects of Herba Andrographitis hedgerows on soil erodibility and fractal features on sloping cropland in the Three Gorges Reservoir Area were investigated. Results showed that: (1) the clay particle accumulation around the hedgerows was significantly affected by the hedgerows; (2) the fractal dimension of soil particles was positively correlated with both silt and clay contents and had a negative linear correlation with sand content; (3) fine-grained content significantly influenced fractal dimension of the soil particles; (4) soil erodibility K was significantly and positively correlated with the sand content (correlation coefficient r?=?0.870), but significantly and negatively correlated with the silt content (r?=??0.538), clay content (r?=??0.739), organic carbon content (r?=??0.603), the aggregation degree (r?=??0.486), and soil fractal dimension (r?=??0.538); and (5) the contents of organic matter and clay particles in the soil were found to be the effective indicators for soil erodibility at the Three Gorges Reservoir Area. The hedgerows may improve soil fractal features and decrease soil erodibility. The effective distance between hedgerows on a slope of 10° was less than 6 m.