BASE FLOW TRENDS IN URBANIZING WATERSHEDS OF THE DELAWARE RIVER BASIN1

Rapid land development is raising concern regarding the ability of urbanizing watersheds to sustain adequate base flow during periods of drought. Long term streamflow records from unregulated watersheds of the lower to middle Delaware River basin are examined to evaluate the impact of urbanization and imperviousness on base flow. Trends in annual base flow volumes, seven‐day low flows, and runoff ratios are determined for six urbanizing watersheds and four reference watersheds across three distinct physiographic regions. Hydrograph separation is used to determine annual base flow and stormflow volumes, and nonparametric trend tests are conducted on the resulting time series. Of the watersheds examined, the expected effects of declining base flow volumes and seven‐day low flows and increasing stormflows are seen in only one watershed that is approximately 20 percent impervious and has been subject to a net water export over the past 15 years. Both interbasin transfers and hydrologic mechanisms are invoked to explain these results. The results show that increases in impervious area may not result in measurable reductions in base flow at the watershed scale.     

Hydromorphological and socio-cultural assessment of urban rivers to promote nature-based solutions in Jarabacoa,Dominican Republic

In Latin America and the Caribbean, river restoration projects are increasing, but many lack strategic planning and monitoring. We tested the applicability of a rapid visual social–ecological stream assessment method for restoration planning, complemented by a citizen survey on perceptions and uses of blue and green infrastructure. We applied the method at three urban streams in Jarabacoa (Dominican Republic) to identify and prioritize preferred areas for nature-based solutions. The method provides spatially explicit information for strategic river restoration planning, and its efficiency makes it suitable for use in data-poor contexts. It identifies well-preserved, moderately altered, and critically impaired areas regarding their hydromorphological and socio-cultural conditions, as well as demands on green and blue infrastructure. The transferability of the method can be improved by defining reference states for assessing the hydromorphology of tropical rivers, refining socio-cultural parameters to better address river services and widespread urban challenges, and balancing trade-offs between ecological and social restoration goals.Supplementary InformationThe online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1007/s13280-021-01565-3.     

How effective are River Basin Management Plans in reaching the nutrient load reduction targets?

Riverine nutrient loads are among the major causes of eutrophication of the Baltic Sea. This study applied the Soil & Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) in three catchments flowing to the Baltic Sea, namely Vantaanjoki (Finland), Fyrisån (Sweden), and Słupia (Poland), to simulate the effectiveness of nutrient control measures included in the EU’s Water Framework Directive River Basin Management Plans (RBMPs). Moreover, we identified similar, coastal, middle-sized catchments to which conclusions from this study could be applicable. The first modelling scenario based on extrapolation of the existing trends affected the modelled nutrient loads by less than 5%. In the second scenario, measures included in RBMPs showed variable effectiveness, ranging from negligible for Słupia to 28% total P load reduction in Vantaanjoki. Adding spatially targeted measures to RBMPs (third scenario) would considerably improve their effectiveness in all three catchments for both total N and P, suggesting a need to adopt targeting more widely in the Baltic Sea countries.Electronic supplementary materialThe online version of this article (10.1007/s13280-020-01393-x) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

黄河岸边土壤中类二(口恶)英类多氯联苯污染现状及风险

研究了全黄河范围内40个国家重点控制断面岸边土壤样品中类二噁英类多氯联苯(dioxin-like polychlorinated biphenyls,DL-PCBs)的污染现状,并利用毒性当量法和健康风险评价模型定量描述黄河岸边土壤中DL-PCBs对沿岸居民的毒性风险、致癌风险和非致癌风险.结果表明,黄河岸边土壤中各采样断面岸边土壤中ΣDL-PCBs的含量(以dw计,下同)范围为:0.37~7.17 ng·g~(-1),均值为0.38 ng·g~(-1).毒性风险计算表明,黄河岸边土壤中DL-PCBs的毒性当量范围为:0.00~30.31 pg·g~(-1),均值是13.63 pg·g~(-1),基本不会对沿岸居民产生毒性风险;健康风险模型计算表明,黄河岸边土壤中DL-PCBs对儿童和成人的致癌风险、非致癌风险均未超过美国EPA规定的限值,基本不会产生明显的健康风险.相比而言,黄河中游沿岸居民更易受到DL-PCBs危害.     

长江口海域底栖生态环境质量评价——AMBI和M-AMBI法

AMBI(AZTI’s Marine Biotic Index)和M-AMBI(Multivariate-AMBI)指数可以有效地评价河口和近岸海域软底质海洋大型底栖动物群落对人为和自然扰动的响应.本研究根据2009年4月在长江口采集的大型底栖动物资料,首次在长江口海域同时运用栖息密度和生物量计算AMBI(BAMBI)和M-AMBI(M-BAMBI),对其进行底栖生态质量评价.结果表明,长江口底栖生态环境皆受到不同程度的干扰,其中受干扰最严重的区域集中在杭州湾、舟山及长江口门区附近海域,与该海域的陆源排污、富营养化以及大量的海岸工程建设等有密切的关系.单因素方差分析表明,运用栖息密度和生物量计算出的两个指数值,评价结果无明显的差异.与AMBI相比,M-AMBI与本研究生物群落结构参数以及环境因子的匹配度更高,能够更有效地评价长江口底栖生态环境质量.Pearson相关分析和一元线性回归分析表明,M-AMBI与底层水体的富营养化指数之间存在线性显著负相关关系,而与表层水体的呈非线性显著负相关;AMBI与富营养化指数之间却无显著相关关系,说明M-AMBI更适合指示长江口水域的富营养化压力.     

应用相平衡分配法建立湘江衡阳段沉积物重金属质量基准

采集湘江衡阳段29个站点的表层沉积物样品,测定沉积物中4种重金属(Cu、Pb、Zn和Cd)含量及赋存形态、以及孔隙水中重金属含量,根据相平衡分配法的基本理论,考虑参与沉积物-水相平衡分配的重金属组成,实测法计算重金属的沉积物-水相平衡分配系数(Kp),分别引用美国EPA制定保护水生生物不受重金属慢性毒性影响的基本连续浓度(CCC)和我国地表水环境质量标准(GB 3838-2002)Ⅰ类水质标准,建立两种湘江衡阳段沉积物重金属质量基准(SQC)进行对比分析,其中基于美国CCC建立的湘江衡阳段沉积物重金属质量基准与国内外研究成果相比可比性较好,4种重金属(Cu、Pb、Zn和Cd)的SQC值分别为64.62、55.57、1 360.40和2.34μg.g-1,此SQC具有保护长期生活于沉积物中的底栖生物不受重金属慢性毒性影响的意义.通过单因子评价法将湘江衡阳段沉积物中重金属总量与沉积物质量基准值(SQC)进行比较,结果表明,湘江衡阳段沉积物中Cd和Pb含量水平对底栖生物具有较大的慢性毒性影响,Cd污染不容忽视.     

极端干旱水文年(2011年)夏季珠江口溶解氧的分布特征及影响因素研究

气候变化背景下,极端气候事件对河口生态环境的影响已引起许多研究者的关注.基于2011年夏季的调查资料,分析了珠江口在极端干旱情况下溶解氧的分布特征及其与海水稳定性、营养盐和浮游植物分解之间的关系,并对河口底层低氧区的成因进行初步探讨.调查结果发现,在珠江特低径流量的情况下,珠江口邻近海域底层明显出现低氧状态,DO的最低值仅为1.38 mg.L-1.相关性分析显示,表层水和底层水之间的ΔDO与ΔT、ΔS、ΔDIN、ΔSS和ΔPOC都达到显著相关的水平,其中ΔDO与ΔT和ΔPOC呈极显著的正相关,而与ΔS呈极显著的负相关关系.研究表明,与1999年和2009年夏季不同,2011年夏季珠江口底层低氧环境的形成主要与极端干旱气候下低径流导致河口水体滞留时间延长及颗粒态有机物质在沉降过程中的分解耗氧有关.另外,从最低DO值的角度分析,珠江口季节性缺氧程度在过去20 a间并未呈现显著的变化趋势.     

塔里木河上游典型绿洲土壤酶活性与环境因子相关分析

土壤酶能反映土壤生物化学过程的强度与方向,深入解析土壤酶活性与环境因子的相关性,有助于探索土壤生态过程,为开展土壤系统的科学调控提供科学依据.以塔里木河上游阿拉尔垦区为研究区,选择新开棉田、10 a棉田、30 a棉田、果园、人工林、天然林、荒草地、盐碱地及沙地等不同土地利用类型为研究对象,运用经典统计学分析绿洲土壤酶活性及环境因子的分异规律,并结合冗余分析技术研究土壤酶活性与环境因子相关关系.经典统计学分析显示,土壤过氧化氢酶、脲酶、转化酶、碱性磷酸酶活性均值分别为4.27 m L·g-1、0.34 mg·g-1、2.08 m L·g-1、0.08 mg·g-1.冗余分析结果表明:全氮、有机质、有效磷、土壤含水量、全盐与土壤酶活性呈极显著相关性(P0.01);土壤容重与土壤酶活性表现为显著相关性;其他环境因子与土壤酶活性的相关性均不显著(P0.05).环境因子与土壤酶活性相关性大小排序为全氮有机质有效磷土壤含水量全盐容重速效钾p H.     

“引江济太”过程中长江-望虞河-贡湖氮、磷输入特征研究

为了解"引江济太"调水过程中长江、望虞河对贡湖营养盐输入特征,于2013年8月和2013年12月引水期间对20个采样点各形态N、P质量浓度的沿程和时间变化以及百分含量占比进行研究.结果表明,两个不同的引水期,长江-望虞河-贡湖段水体各形态N、P沿程和时间变化均表现不一:长江引水经望虞河入贡湖后,水体NO-2-N、NO-3-N、NH+4-N和TN质量浓度均较长江和望虞河段有不同程度的降低,而贡湖段DON质量浓度显著高于长江和望虞河段,但长江-望虞河段水体各形态N中NO-3-N质量浓度最高.长江和望虞河TP质量浓度总体表现平稳,而各形态P质量浓度在两个引水时期内有所变化.从时间变化来看,2013年8月水体的DON和TP质量浓度总体上高于12月;而NO-3-N和DOP质量浓度总体上低于12月.总体来说,两个引水时期内,NO-3-N和TPP是望虞河经长江引水的主要N、P形态;而贡湖经望虞河水体输入的N、P主要形态分别为NO-3-N、PO3-4-P和TPP.     

广西都安县耕地土壤重金属污染风险评价

为全面了解广西都安瑶族自治县耕地土壤重金属污染特征和生态风险状况,通过实地调查采样及土壤重金属含量分析,利用单因子指数、内梅罗综合指数、Hakanson潜在生态危害指数对都安县耕地土壤中Cd、As、Ni、Zn、Cr、Sb、Cu、Pb这8种重金属进行污染和生态风险评价.结果表明,都安县耕地土壤重金属总体污染严重,74.6%的耕地土壤点位超标,Cd、As、Ni、Zn、Cr、Sb、Cu、Pb的超标率依次为70.6%、42.9%、34.9%、19.8%、19.6%、2.94%、1.59%、0.79%,其中Cd和As超标率远远超过全国和广西水平,是都安县主要的污染元素.都安县耕地土壤总体呈现"中度"生态风险,其中Cd对生态风险贡献率达到88%;九渡乡东南部和保安乡与东庙乡结合部存在高生态风险.都安县耕地土壤重金属污染来自两个主要污染源,其中刁江流域两岸受污灌耕地土壤中As、Sb污染可能主要来源于刁江上游的矿业活动.