Increased Frequency of Low‐Magnitude Floods in New England1

Armstrong, William H., Mathias J. Collins, and Noah P. Snyder, 2012. Increased Frequency of Low‐Magnitude Floods in New England. Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 48(2): 306‐320. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752‐1688.2011.00613.x Abstract: Recent studies document increasing precipitation and streamflow in the northeastern United States throughout the 20th and early 21st Centuries. Annual peak discharges have increased over this period on many New England rivers with dominantly natural streamflow – especially for smaller, more frequent floods. To better investigate high‐frequency floods (<5‐year recurrence interval), we analyze the partial duration flood series for 23 New England rivers selected for minimal human impact. The study rivers have continuous records through 2006 and an average period of record of 71 years. Twenty‐two of the 23 rivers show increasing trends in peaks over threshold per water year (POT/WY) – a direct measure of flood frequency – using the Mann‐Kendall trend test. Ten of these trends had p < 0.1. Seventeen rivers show positive trends in flood magnitude, six of which had p < 0.1. We also investigate a potential hydroclimatic shift in the region around 1970. Twenty‐two of the 23 rivers show increased POT/WY in the post‐1970 period when comparing pre‐ and post‐1970 records using the Wilcoxon rank‐sum test. More than half of these increases have p < 0.1, indicating a shift in flow regime toward more frequent flooding. Region wide, we found a median increase of one flood per year for the post‐1970 period. Because frequent floods are important channel‐forming flows, these results have implications for channel and floodplain morphology, aquatic habitat, and restoration.     

Quantification of centimeter-scale spatial variation in PAH, glucose and benzoic acid mineralization and soil organic matter in road-side soil

The aim of the study was to determine centimeter-scale spatial variation in mineralization potential in diffusely polluted soil. To this end we employed a 96-well microplate method to measure the mineralization of ¹⁴C-labeled organic compounds in deep-well microplates and thereby compile mineralization curves for 348 soil samples of 0.2-cm³. Centimeter-scale spatial variation in organic matter and the mineralization of glucose, benzoic acid, and PAHs (phenanthrene and pyrene) was determined for urban road-side soil sampled as arrays (7 × 11 cm) of 96 subsamples. The spatial variation in mineralization was visualized by means of 2-D contour maps and quantified by means of semivariograms. The geostatistical analysis showed that the easily degradable compounds (glucose and benzoic acid) exhibited little spatial variation in mineralization potential, whereas the mineralization was highly heterogeneous for the PAH compounds that require specialized degraders. The spatial heterogeneity should be taken into account when estimating natural attenuation rates.     

A contribution for the evaluation of the territorial impact of transport infrastructures in the early stages of the EIA: application to the Huelva (Spain)–Faro (Portugal) rail link

The Environmental Impact Assessment (EIA) procedure should predict and identify the major impacts of a project development that may cause specific spatial and temporal effects. Early in the EIA, the scoping stage provides all the relevant information on the impacts of the project alternatives. In particular, potential effects on the territorial network such as habitat connectivity loss and accessibility improvements should be taken into account in the various proposed layout alternatives when evaluating transport infrastructure projects. However, several authors have identified deficiencies in practice. The aim of this article is to provide a methodology for the assessment of these territorial impacts using adequate indicators in the early stages of the EIA procedure.

The proposed method is based on a comparison of a range of alternative layouts for a railway line linking two population centres, using indicators calculated with geographic information systems. The methodology was applied to a case study – the rail link between Huelva (Spain) and Faro (Portugal) – and the high speed rail (HSR) and conventional rail were evaluated in different layouts. The method was effective in spatially identifying significant impacts on accessibility improvements, which occurred closer to the cross border area. The conventional railway alternatives have similar accessibility values to the HSR. The results also reveal that connectivity loss is not limited to the area around the infrastructure, but extends throughout the territory. The results are at variance with the initiative proposed by Spanish and Portuguese transport decision-makers, and raise the possibility of selecting a conventional railway option. An adequate territorial evaluation methodology enables the new action to be correctly assessed, and supplies the information required to propose the most suitable alternative from a socio-economic and environmental standpoint, regardless of whether this proposal was initially included in the transport policy.     

Shoreline development and degradation of coastal fish reproduction habitats

Coastal development has severely affected habitats and biodiversity during the last century, but quantitative estimates of the impacts are usually lacking. We utilize predictive habitat modeling and mapping of human pressures to estimate the cumulative long-term effects of coastal development in relation to fish habitats. Based on aerial photographs since the 1960s, shoreline development rates were estimated in the Stockholm archipelago in the Baltic Sea. By combining shoreline development rates with spatial predictions of fish reproduction habitats, we estimated annual habitat degradation rates for three of the most common coastal fish species, northern pike (Esox lucius), Eurasian perch (Perca fluviatilis) and roach (Rutilus rutilus). The results showed that shoreline constructions were concentrated to the reproduction habitats of these species. The estimated degradation rates, where a degraded habitat was defined as having ≥3 constructions per 100 m shoreline, were on average 0.5 % of available habitats per year and about 1 % in areas close to larger population centers. Approximately 40 % of available habitats were already degraded in 2005. These results provide an example of how many small construction projects over time may have a vast impact on coastal fish populations.

Electronic supplementary material

The online version of this article (doi:10.1007/s13280-014-0522-y) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

鄱阳湖典型洲滩湿地土壤质地与水分特征参数研究

频繁干湿交替增强了鄱阳湖洲滩土壤水对湿地系统的动态调节作用。以鄱阳湖吴城国家自然保护区的一个典型洲滩湿地为研究区,调查分析了土壤质地沿高程梯度的分布特征,确定了不同土壤质地的水分特征参数,并阐述了土壤质地与其水分特征参数的空间异质性。结果发现:该洲滩湿地主要分布砂土、粉壤土和粘土三种类型。水平断面方向上,粒径较粗的砂土和粉壤土主要分布在高位滩地,而粒径相对较细的粘土主要分布在近湖区开阔水面的低位滩地;土壤剖面方向上,土壤质地呈现出固有分层特性。van Genuchten模型应用于鄱阳湖洲滩湿地土壤水分特征曲线拟合,证实了该模型在鄱阳湖洲滩湿地的适用性。模型结果表明土壤残余含水率θr变化约9%~19%,饱和含水率θs变化约42%~57%,土壤进气值的倒数α约0.01 cm~(–1),水分特征曲线形状参数n介于1.11~4.65之间。土壤含水率变化对van Genuchten模型中参数α和n较为敏感,而对θr和θs的敏感性相对较弱。研究成果可为后续该区域以及全湖区湿地生态水文模型的构建和发展提供背景信息和参数资料。     

岷江上游植被生境适应性空间分异格局的间隙度分析

了解岷江上游不同植被生境适宜性类型在整体和局部上的空间分异格局对植被生境管理和修复具有非常重要的意义。基于岷江上游4类植被生境适宜性类型空间分布图借助分形和贝叶斯理论,建立间隙度指数模型和多水平贝叶斯模型,实现定量表征不同植被生境适宜性类型在整体和局部空间上的聚簇和分异程度。结果表明:1)汶川在Ⅰ~Ⅳ类、Ⅲ类和Ⅳ类生境适宜性下的间隙度指数最大,其对应的空间分异尺度为3 000 m(即为30倍网格边长,网格边长为100 m)、2 900 m、2 800 m,而松潘在Ⅰ类和Ⅱ类型下的间隙度指数最大,其空间分异尺度为3 000 m、2 700 m。2)Ⅰ~Ⅳ类、Ⅰ类和Ⅱ类生境适宜性分别在汶川、松潘和理县的间隙度维数最大,空间格局聚簇性较小,进一步证明空间分异尺度较大,而Ⅲ类和Ⅳ类生境适宜性在茂县的间隙度维数最大。岷江上游植被生境空间分异格局的间隙度分析,可以为研究生境空间格局及其生境管理尺寸在整体和局部上的差异提供必备的条件和依据。     

Sustainability evaluation of the Grain for Green Project: from local people's responses to ecological effectiveness in Wolong Nature Reserve

This article examines the sustainability of the Grain for Green Project in the Wolong Nature Reserve. Pertinent data were collected through a questionnaire survey and a spatial analysis of reforested lands. The study results identified four critical issues that may influence the sustainability of the project in the study area. The first issue is concerned with the project’s impacts on local sustenance. Because local grain consumption depends greatly on compensation awarded by the project, the potential for sustainability of the project is compromised. The second issue is that the project causes negative effects on local incomes in the Wolong Nature Reserve, which may undermine local economic prospects. The third issue is that the project failed to deliver suitable habitat for the giant panda, although two of the suitability requirements that deal with landform features were met. Lastly, the project neglects great differences among geographical areas in the country, providing the same compensation and length of compensation period to all participants. Appropriate compensation mechanisms should be established and adapted to local economic, environmental, and social conditions. In managing nature reserves and moving toward sustainability, ensuring all aspects of local socioeconomic and ecological/environmental issues are properly addressed is a real challenge. Based on our study, some recommendations for improving sustainability of the project are given.     

大伙房水库入库河流物理生境评价及其对水质状况的影响

2012年8—9月对大伙房水库入库河流39个河段的物理生境特征和水质状况进行调查,并运用相关分析和冗余分析的方法识别物理生境特征与水质状况的响应关系.研究结果表明,大伙房水库入库河流物理生境质量等级为较好以上的河段占43.6%,一般河段占48.7%,较差河段占5.1%,物理生境质量好的河段主要位于浑河上游地区,质量较差的河段主要位于大伙房水库周边地区.大伙房水库入库河流总磷(TP)、氨氮(NH+4-N)、总氮(TN)多符合国家Ⅱ类地表水环境标准,五日生化需氧量(BOD5)和化学耗氧量(CODCr)较高,部分点位超过了国家Ⅲ类地表水环境标准.大伙房水库入库河流物理生境特征与水质状况显著相关,物理生境综合评价指数与水体中TP、NH+4-N、溶解性固体总量(TDS)、电导率和硅酸盐呈显著负相关.物理生境指标中人类活动、土地利用方式、植被多样性和栖境复杂性对水质影响较大,在流域水生态管理中应以减少人为活动干扰、合理配置土地类型、控制农业面源污染和恢复自然植被为主要对策.     

福建西部山地水土流失区土壤呼吸的空间异质性

土壤呼吸(Rs)作用的空间异质性对于准确估算水土流失区碳收支具有重要意义.通过对长汀县河田镇59个样地的土壤呼吸及土壤全氮(TN)、碳氮比(C/N)、有机碳含量(SOC)、叶面积指数(LAI)、土壤温度(T_(10))、土壤湿度(W)等影响因子测定的基础上,运用传统和地统计学的方法分析了土壤呼吸及其影响因子的空间异质性.结果表明,Rs及其影响因子的变异程度大小依次为:LAISOCTNRsC/NT_(10)W;Rs与T_(10)呈极显著正相关(P0.01),与TN呈显著正相关(P0.05),与其他因子的相关性不显著(P0.05);TN、SOC和T_(10)这3个因子可以解释土壤呼吸27%的空间变化.地统计学分析结果表明:Rs具有中等程度的空间自相关性,结构性因子引起的空间异质性占52.89%,与随机因素的占比(47.11%)相当;Rs及其影响因子的分维数大小依次为:RsLAIC/NT_(10)SOCWTN;Rs的空间分布格局与TN和T_(10)的空间分布格局较为一致,而与C/N、SOC、LAI的空间分布格局不同.在95%置信水平和90%估计精度下,Rs的合理采样数量为62个.     

广西北海中国鲎资源现状以及保育工作进展

中国鲎种群数量近年来急剧下降,资源面临枯竭.位于北部湾的广西北海作为中国鲎理想栖息地,是我国中国鲎的主要产地,因此在北海开展中国鲎的保育工作尤为重要.本文调查分析了广西北海地区中国鲎幼体集聚地西背岭潮间带(21°24′30″N-21°25′24″N及109°11′12″E-109°13′14″E)中国鲎幼体分布现状以及...