EFFECTS OF WATERSHED REPRESENTATION ON RUNOFF AND SEDIMENT YIELD MODELING1

ABSTRACT: This paper evaluates the effects of watershed geometric representation (i.e., plane and channel representation) on runoff and sediment yield simulations in a semiarid rangeland watershed. A process based, spatially distributed runoff erosion model (KINEROS2) was used to explore four spatial representations of a 4.4 ha experimental watershed. The most complex representation included all 96 channel elements identifiable in the field. The least complex representation contained only five channel elements. It was concluded that oversimplified watershed representations greatly influence runoff and sediment yield simulations by inducing excessive infiltration on hillslopes and distorting runoff patterns and sediment fluxes. Runoff and sediment yield decrease systematically with decreasing complexity in watershed representation. However, less complex representations had less impact on runoff and sediment‐yield simulations for small rainfall events. This study concludes that the selection of the appropriate level of watershed representation can have important theoretical and practical implications on runoff and sediment yield modeling in semiarid environments.     

DRY AND WET WEATHER FLOW NUTRIENT LOADS FROM A LOS ANGELES WATERSHED1

Effective watershed management requires an accurate assessment of the pollutant loads from the associated point and nonpoint sources. The importance of wet weather flow (WWF) pollutant loads is well known, but in semi‐arid regions where urbanization is significant the pollutant load in dry weather flow (DWF) may also be important. This research compares the relative contributions of potential contaminants discharged in DWF and WWF from the Ballona Creek Watershed in Los Angeles, California. Models to predict DWF and WWF loads of total suspended solids, biochemical oxygen demand, nitrate‐nitrogen, nitrite‐nitrogen, ammonia‐nitrogen, total Kjeldahl nitrogen, and total phosphorus from the Ballona Creek Watershed for six water years dating from 1991 to 1996 were developed. The contaminants studied were selected based on data availability and their potential importance in the degradation of Ballona Creek and Santa Monica Bay beneficial uses. Wet weather flow was found to contribute approximately 75 percent to 90 percent of the total annual flow volume discharged by the Ballona Creek Watershed. Pollutant loads are also predominantly due to WWF, but during the dry season, DWF is a more significant contributor. Wet weather flow accounts for 67 to 98 percent of the annual load of the constituents studied. During the dry season, however, the portion attributable to DWF increases to greater than 40 percent for all constituents except biochemical oxygen demand and total suspended solids. When individual catchments within the watershed are considered, the DWF pollutant load from the largest catchment is similar to the WWF pollutant load in two other major catchments. This research indicates WWF is the most significant source of nonpoint source pollution load on an annual basis, but management of the effects of the nonpoint source pollutant load should consider the seasonal importance of DWF.     

Water sharing agreements sustainable to reduced flows

By signing a water sharing agreement (WSA), countries agree to release an amount of river water in exchange for a negotiated compensation. We examine the vulnerability of such agreements to reduced water flows. Among all WSAs that are acceptable to riparian countries, we find out the one which is self-enforced under the most severe drought scenarios. The so-called upstream incremental WSA assigns to each country its marginal contribution to its followers in the river. Its mirror image, the downstream incremental WSA, is not sustainable to reduced flow at the source. Self-enforcement problems can be solved by setting water releases and compensations contingent to water flow. We apply our analysis to the Aral Sea Basin. We compute the upstream incremental compensations for the Bishkek agreement and asses its vulnerability with historical flows.     

Prioritizing sites for conservation based on similarity to historical baselines and feasibility of protection

The concept of shifting baselines in conservation science implies advocacy for the use of historical knowledge to inform these baselines but does not address the feasibility of restoring sites to those baselines. In many regions, conservation feasibility varies among sites due to differences in resource availability, statutory power, and land‐owner participation. We used zooarchaeological records to identify a historical baseline of the freshwater mussel community's composition before Euro‐American influence at a river‐reach scale (i.e., a kilometer stretch of river that is abiotically similar) in the Leon River of central Texas (U.S.A.). We evaluated how the community reference position and the feasibility of conservation might enable identification of sites where conservation actions would preserve historically representative communities and be likely to succeed. We devised a conceptual model that incorporated community information and landscape factors to link the best conservation areas to potential cost and conservation benefits. Using fuzzy ordination, we identified modern mussel beds that were most like the historical baseline. We then quantified housing density and land use near each river reach identified to estimate feasibility of habitat restoration. Using our conceptual framework, we identified reaches of high conservation value (i.e., contain the best mussel beds) and where restoration actions would be most likely to succeed. Reaches above Lake Belton were most similar in species composition and relative abundance to zooarchaeological sites. A subset of these mussel beds occurred in locations where conservation actions appeared most feasible. Our results show how to use zooarchaeological data (biodiversity data often readily available) and estimates of conservation feasibility to inform conservation priorities at a local spatial scale.     

Planning nature-based solutions: Principles,steps, and insights

Nature-based solutions (NBS) find increasing attention as actions to address societal challenges through harnessing ecological processes, yet knowledge gaps exist regarding approaches to landscape planning with NBS. This paper aims to provide suggestions of how planning NBS can be conceptualized and applied in practice. We develop a framework for planning NBS by merging insights from literature and a case study in the Lahn river landscape, Germany. Our framework relates to three key criteria that define NBS, and consists of six steps of planning: Co-define setting, Understand challenges, Create visions and scenarios, Assess potential impacts, Develop solution strategies, and Realize and monitor. Its implementation is guided by five principles, namely Place-specificity, Evidence base, Integration, Equity, and Transdisciplinarity. Drawing on the empirical insights from the case study, we suggest suitable methods and a checklist of supportive procedures for applying the framework in practice. Taken together, our framework can facilitate planning NBS and provides further steps towards mainstreaming.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01365-1) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

河流CO2与CH4排放研究进展

河流作为连接海-陆两大碳库的主要通道,其水-气界面二氧化碳(CO_2)与甲烷(CH_4)排放构成全球碳循环的重要环节,对全球气候变暖的贡献不容小觑.明确河流水体CO_2与CH_4产排过程、时空特征以及控制因素是认识河流生态学功能以及其对变化环境响应的重要内容.基于当前河流CO_2与CH_4排放研究进展,构建河流碳排放动力学概念框架(内源代谢、陆源输入),并从全球尺度、区域尺度、流域尺度综述了河流碳排放时空变异性特征以及存在的研究不足.在理解碳排放动力学概念框架和时空变异特征的基础上,构建了河流CO_2与CH_4动力学控制因子分层框架(内部因子:有机质、温度、营养盐;外部因子:水文、地貌、人类活动),深入探讨了河流碳排放的关键影响因素.最后,根据当前研究中存在的不足,提出河流碳排放应将纳入区域陆地碳平衡过程,今后研究重点应包括流域尺度上河流CO_2与CH_4内源产生与陆源输入相对贡献的量化研究、不同界面CO_2与CH_4产生与排放过程研究、高时空分辨率的监测数据的补充以及变化环境与人类活动干扰下河流碳排放的响应过程等,为理解河流生态学过程及生态系统功能提供基础,同时为我国进一步深入开展相关研究提供借鉴.     

常规施肥条件下农田不同途径氮素损失的原位研究:以长江中下游地区夏玉米季为例

为了解农田常规施肥条件下的不同途径氮素损失特征,本文通过田间原位试验同步研究了长江中下游地区夏玉米生长季氮肥施用后的农田N2O排放、NH3挥发、氮渗漏和地表径流的变化.结果表明,在复合肥为基肥,尿素为追肥,基追肥氮素水平均为150 kg·hm-2的条件下,整个玉米生长季N2O排放系数为3.3%,NH3挥发损失率为10.2%,氮渗漏和地表径流损失率分别为11.2%和5.1%.此外,基肥施用以氮素渗漏损失为主,而追肥氮素损失以氨挥发和渗漏为主,表明不同途径化肥氮素损失主要受氮肥品种影响,玉米季追肥可改用低氨挥发氮肥品种以减少氮素损失.     

一种多介质层波形潜流人工湿地处理重污染河水试验

我国河流污染严重,城市黑臭水体的比率日益增加。人工湿地作为一种高效低耗能的绿色处理技术,已被广泛应用于污染河水的治理。通过对比分析分层装填复合填料的多介质层波形潜流人工湿地和单一砾石填料的普通人工湿地处理重污染河水的效果,研究了特种基质填料强化脱氮除磷作用以及不同水力负荷条件的影响。试验结果表明:在水力负荷为0.2 m~3/(m~2·d)时,普通湿地对COD、NH3-N、TN和TP的去除率分别达到55.95%、77.85%、39.80%和54.94%;多介质层湿地对COD、NH3-N、TN和TP的去除率分别达到58.52%、75.99%、67.08%和57.31%。在水力负荷为0.5 m~3/(m~2·d)时,普通湿地对COD、NH3-N、TN和TP的去除率分别达到68.46%、90.73%、42.13%和53.70%;多介质层湿地对COD、NH3-N、TN和TP的去除率分别达到69.61%、89.94%、77.58%和68.63%,其脱氮效果明显好于普通湿地。以复合填料包分层装填的波形潜流人工湿地系统具有良好的脱氮除磷效果,有很好的推广应用价值。     

基于WebGIS的水环境模拟关键技术研究

近年来随着水环境模拟领域的发展出现了较多水环境数学模型,目前日益成熟的WebGIS技术是使模型使用变得简单化和直观化的一大途径.是在通过Flex和ArcGIS Server搭建WebGIS系统平台的基础上,利用PHP进行WebGIS和水环境模拟模型的数据交互,实现系统平台和数值模型的松散耦合.用户在浏览器端进行模型输入条件的设置,模型在远程服务器端进行运行计算,反馈的模拟结果通过RIA在WebGIS中进行多元化动态展示.该方法对一般模型具有适用性,可降低模型使用门槛,提高模拟结果展示和分析能力.     

沂蒙山区典型小流域降雨径流的磷素输出特征

以沂蒙山区孟良崮小流域为研究对象,通过监测2010年自然降雨条件下流域出口污染物的流失状况,选取降雨量>2mm的10场降雨,分析降雨径流特征对磷素流失的影响.结果表明,次降雨径流中总磷(TP)、颗粒态全磷(PP)、水溶性全磷(DP)、水溶性无机磷(DIP)浓度变化与流量变化过程不一致,浓度峰值均出现于流量峰值之前,而磷素通量与流量变化过程较为一致,且两者呈较好的线性关系;次降雨径流TP、PP、DP、DIP的浓度最大值及平均浓度(EMCs)差异均较大,其主要受降雨量、最大雨强和平均雨强影响,与降雨历时无显著相关关系,而浓度最小值差异较小;TP以PP流失为主,DP以DIP流失为主,DIP/DP的动态变化与降雨历时、降雨量、最大雨强和平均雨强均无显著相关关系,而PP/TP的动态变化与最大雨强显著相关.DIP、DP、TP的输出受地表径流(DR)和基流(BF)的影响较大,DIP/DP的动态变化及DIP、DP、TP的EMCs与DR/TR(地表径流/总径流量)存在多项式关系,而PP/TP的动态变化和PP的EMCs受DR/TR影响较小.