CLIMATE IMPACTS ON URBAN WATER RESOURCES IN THE SOUTHWES THE IMPORTANCE OF CONTEXT1

ABSTRACT: Stresses on water resources in the Southwest take many forms and emanate from many different sources, among which are complex institutional arrangements, significant areal and temporal climatic variability, and high urban growth rates. Further challenges to managing supply and demand in this water‐scarce region are posed by environmental, social, and legal differences within and between the individual urban areas. Analysis of the sensitivity of the urban water sector in the Southwest to climatic variability requires careful consideration of these factors. Such analysis, in turn, provides an essential foundation for effective evaluation of the region's sensitivity to longer term climate change.     

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON NEW YORK CITY'S WATER SUPPLY SYSTEM1

ABSTRACT: It has been well established that the greenhouse gas loading of the atmosphere has been increasing since the mid 19th century. Consequently, shifts in the earth's radiative balance are expected with accompanying alterations to the earth's climate. With these anticipated, and perhaps already observable, changes in both global and regional climate, managers of regional water resources seek insight to the possible impacts climate change may have on their present and future water supplies. The types and degrees of impacts that climate change may have on New York City's water supply system were assessed in a study of a watershed at Allaben, New York. Hypothetical scenarios of future climate and climate change projections from three General Circulation Models (GCMs) were used in conjunction with the WatBal hydrological model and the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) to ascertain how runoff and soil moisture from this watershed may change in a warmer climate. For the worst case predictions, the results indicate that within the century of the 2000s, the watershed's air temperature may increase up to about 11°F, while its precipitation and runoff may decrease by about 13 and 30 percent, respectively. If this watershed is typical of the others within the New York City water supply system, the system's managers should consider implementing mitigation and adaptation strategies in preparation for the worst of these possible future conditions.     

故障树可视化分析系统

论述了自行研制设计的可视化故障树分析系统的功能及程序结构与设计原理。该系统由故障树生成、故障树分析计算、文件输出和系统管理 4个模块组成 ,可使故障树生成与分析变得非常直观而简便 ,只需用鼠标在屏幕上绘制出故障树图 ,系统就能自动识别并进行定性与定量分析。     

土地利用/覆被变化的水文效应研究进展

随着社会的不断进步和人口的迅速膨胀,土地利用/覆被变化对水文过程产生了重大影响,其研究已经成为国际热点问题和前沿领域。论文首先分析了LUCC水文效应的研究方法,然后从土地利用/覆被变化的驱动力方面:造林与毁林、城市化过程与农业开发活动以及水土保持等,概述了LUCC水文效应的研究进展。综合分析表明:关于城市化过程的水文影响研究,一般认为,在城市化快速发展的驱动下,不透水面积大量增加,改变了水量平衡状况,造成入渗减少,洪峰流量增大,但不同地区城市化发展程度的不同使得水文效应的表现也不相同;水土保持水文效应的研究一般认为,水土保持通过植树造林、种草、修建梯田、淤地坝等措施,使得区域/流域下垫面覆盖状况发生了很大的改变,造成年径流和洪峰流量减少,而使入渗和枯季径流增加,但因地理位置和气象条件等方面的差异,不同地区水土保持产生的水文影响也有所差别;造林与毁林、农业开发活动对水文过程的影响则因研究尺度、区域位置、气象条件、研究对象等因素的影响出现了较大的差异。因此,需考虑多方面因素的影响,正确评价土地利用/覆被变化的水文效应,为水土资源的合理配置和可持续利用提供科学依据。     

Slope,aspect and climate: Spatially explicit and implicit models of topographic microclimate in chalk grassland

The slope and aspect of a vegetated surface strongly affects the amount of solar radiation intercepted by that surface. Solar radiation is the dominant component of the surface energy balance and influences ecologically critical factors of microclimate, including near-surface temperatures, evaporative demand and soil moisture content. It also determines the exposure of vegetation to photosynthetically active and ultra-violet wavelengths. Spatial variation in slope and aspect is therefore a key determinant of vegetation pattern, species distribution and ecosystem processes in many environments. Slope and aspect angle may vary considerably over distances of a few metres, and fine-scale species’ distribution patterns frequently follow these topographic patterns. The availability of suitable microclimate at such scales may be critical for the response of species distributions to climatic change at much larger spatial scales. However, quantifying the relevant microclimatic gradients is not straightforward, as the potential variation in solar radiation flux under clear-sky conditions is modified by local and regional variations in cloud cover, and interacts with long-wave radiation exchange, local meteorology and surface characteristics.     

Sensitivity of stand dynamics to grazing in mixed Pinus sylvestris and Quercus pubescens forests: A modelling study

Only recently, studies of forest succession have started to include the effects of browsing by wild or domestic ungulates. We aim to contribute to this topic by analysing the influence of goat grazing on the long-term coexistence of Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris L.) and pubescent oak (Quercus pubescens Willd.) in the low-elevation forests of an inner-Alpine dry valley. The forest gap model ForClim was first adapted to these site conditions by examining the site-dependent sensitivity of the model with regard to the species-specific parameterisation of the drought tolerance as well as the light demand of establishing and adult trees. In a second step, the behaviour of the model was investigated with respect to different grazing intensities and species-specific browsing susceptibilities. The last step was the application of a grazing scenario based on forest history, with 150 years of heavy browsing (by goats) at the beginning of the simulated forest succession, followed by less intensive grazing pressure.     

Eco-hydrological modelling in a highly regulated lowland catchment to find measures for improving water quality

Water quality modelling in the meso-scale Rhin catchment in the German federal state Brandenburg was done (1) to answer some specific questions concerning identification of point and diffuse sources of nutrient pollution in the catchment, (2) to assess the influences of possible climate and land use changes on water quantity and quality and (3) to evaluate potential measures to be done in order to achieve a “good ecological status” of the river and its lakes as required by the Water Framework Directive (WFD).The Rhin catchment is a typical highly regulated lowland river basin in Northern Germany. The regulations complicate water quantity and quality modelling in the catchment. The research was done by using the eco-hydrological model SWIM (Soil and Water Integrated Model), which simulates water and nutrient fluxes in soil and vegetation, as well as transport of water and nutrients to and within the river network. The modelling period was from 1981 until 2005. After calibrating the hydrological processes at different gauges within the basin with satisfactory results, water quality (nitrogen and phosphorus) modelling was done taking into account the emissions of different point sources (sewage treatment plants, etc.) and identifying the amount of diffuse pollution caused mainly by agriculture.For suggesting some feasible measures to improve water quality and to reduce diffuse pollution considering possible climate and land use changes, different reasonable scenarios were applied in consultation with the Environmental Agency of Brandenburg (LUA). The study revealed that the amount of water discharge has significant influence on the concentration of nutrients in the river network, and that nitrogen pollution, caused mainly by diffuse sources, could be notably reduced by application of agricultural measures, whereas the pollution by phosphorus could be diminished most effectively by the reduction of point source emissions.     

吉林西部土地利用/覆被时空变化驱动力分析

针对吉林两部土地利用/覆被情况,基于TM影像,借助人机交互解译方法,结合1:10万地形图获得1986年、1996年、2000年和2004年的4期土地利用/覆被变化(LUCC)矢量数据.利用土地利用动态度模型、土地利用转移矩阵.全面揭示研究区15年的LUCC时空变化特征,结果表明.盐碱地扩张,湿地、水域萎缩和草地退化已经成为吉林西部生态环境恶化的突出表现.结合研究区的实际情况选取总人口数、农业人口数、粮食总产置等12个指标作为LUCC:变化的丰十会经济驱动因子,借助多元线性回归模型,建立主要土地利用类型的驱动力模型.结果表明吉林西部土地利用变化的最主要社会经济因子是农业人口数、农民人均纯收入、农业生产技术(农业机械总动力、化肥施用量)和农村用电量,同时提出相应的生态环境保护和社会经济措施.     

渭河上游天然径流变化及其自然与人为因素影响贡献量

从20世纪60年代开始,渭河上游入陕西境内的水量不断减少,90年代天然径流量仅为60年代的60%。分析天然径流与降水的相关关系,对降水与非降水因素对径流减少的贡献进行了定量分析。结果表明,降水与非降水因素共同作用使得渭河上游径流量不断减少,且从20世纪70年代开始,非降水因素的贡献率逐渐增强,成为影响渭河上游天然径流量减少的主要因素。分析天然径流量与气温的相关关系,两者的相关系数在0.47以上,采用假设法,将气温从非降水因素中提取出来,进一步分析自然因素与人为因素的影响,结果表明,80年代以前,以自然因素影响为主,80年代以后,以人为因素影响为主,且人为因素的影响程度在逐渐增强,其原因在于人类活动改变下垫面导致径流减少。     

“耕地总量动态平衡”政策驱动下中国的耕地变化及其生态环境效应

土地政策是影响土地利用及生态环境变化的一个重要的驱动因素。论文分析了“耕地总量动态平衡”政策对中国的耕地变化及其生态环境效应的影响,结果表明,“耕地总量动态平衡”政策对中国耕地的数量变化产生了积极作用,主要表现为:非农建设占用耕地的势头总体上得到遏制,全国及各省(市、区)基本实现耕地占补平衡,促进了农地整理工作的开展。但是,该政策对中国耕地的质量变化的影响却相反,在全国实现耕地占补平衡的情况下,耕地的总体生产能力呈下降趋势,同时,对生态环境产生了一定的负面效应。在此基础上,论文提出了重新审视“耕地总量动态平衡”政策的可行性,以“保护和提高耕地综合生产能力”替代“耕地总量动态平衡”以及根据土地资源区域差异采取不同的具体措施等对该政策加以调整的思路。