生态相关水文指标的优选及其演变归因分析

河流生态系统健康是流域可持续发展的基础，水文情势自然变化是维持河流生态健康的关键因素，因此需进行变化环境下水文情势演变归因研究。以老哈河流域为例，基于1964-2016年水文气象资料，利用趋势及突变检验方法，确定径流序列突变点，划分研究期，并结合可变下渗容量模型重建天然径流；通过主成分分析法确定生态最相关水文指标(ERHIs)，并利用变化范围法评估水文指标的改变程度；基于"观测-模拟"对比分析法，定量评估气候变化和人类活动对河道径流和ERHIs的影响。结果表明：流域年径流序列呈现显著减少趋势，突变点为1979年和1999年，将研究期划分为基准期、变化期Ⅰ和变化期Ⅱ；筛选出7个ERHIs，分别为2月流量、6月流量、最大7日流量、年最小流量出现时间、低流量年内发生次数、高流量年内平均历时、上升率； 7个ERHIs中，大部分表现为下降趋势，综合改变度在变化期Ⅰ和变化期Ⅱ分别为0.45和0.74；定量归因结果表明，人类活动是影响ERHIs变化的主要因素，其在变化期Ⅱ对水文情势的影响较变化期Ⅰ更为剧烈。研究提供了生态相关水文指标优选及其演变归因的综合方法，揭示了不同时期流域ERHIs变化的主要驱动因子，为河流适应性管理提供科学依据。     

气候变化对叶尔羌河流域极端水文事件的影响

通过选取叶尔羌河流域 4 个典型气象、水文观测站点的月值数据, 对比分析了气候变化背景下叶尔羌河流域气温、降水及径流的演变特征, 并探究了其对极端水文事件响应。结果表明: (1)气候变化中, 近 55 a 叶尔羌河流域气候变化整体呈增暖增湿趋势, 以 1998 年变化最为显著, 且 4 个典型观测站中库鲁克栏杆站气温及降水变化率最大(0.24 ℃·10a–1, 7.41 mm·10 a–1); (2)径流变化整体呈线性增加趋势且年内变化显著, 其中叶尔羌河及提孜那普河年内径流量最大值分布集中于 7 月和 8 月; (3)近 55 a 叶尔羌河流域极端水文事件呈显著增加趋势, 且以 6 月径流变化最为显著, 降水增加及冰川加速消融是流域极端水文事件频发的主导因子。因此, 加强水文事件对气候变化的应对措施和洪水灾害的影响评估, 对提高叶尔羌河流域水资源的利用效率, 减少其气候变化的危害具有重要意义。     

气候变化对叶尔羌河流域极端水文事件的影响生Ecolo丹,等.气候变化对叶尔羌河流域极hengyi,WANG Dandan,et al.Influen18,37(6):1-8.

通过选取叶尔羌河流域4个典型气象、水文观测站点的月值数据,对比分析了气候变化背景下叶尔羌河流域气温、降水及径流的演变特征,并探究了其对极端水文事件响应。结果表明:(1)气候变化中,近55 a叶尔羌河流域气候变化整体呈增暖增湿趋势,以1998年变化最为显著,且4个典型观测站中库鲁克栏杆站气温及降水变化率最大(0.24℃·10a~(-1),7.41mm·10 a~(-1));(2)径流变化整体呈线性增加趋势且年内变化显著,其中叶尔羌河及提孜那普河年内径流量最大值分布集中于7月和8月;(3)近55 a叶尔羌河流域极端水文事件呈显著增加趋势,且以6月径流变化最为显著,降水增加及冰川加速消融是流域极端水文事件频发的主导因子。因此,加强水文事件对气候变化的应对措施和洪水灾害的影响评估,对提高叶尔羌河流域水资源的利用效率,减少其气候变化的危害具有重要意义。     

变异条件下淮河流域生态径流变化特征及驱动因子

基于淮河流域7个水文站点1956—2016年逐日径流量和72个雨量站点1960—2016的逐日降水量数据,利用Pettitt变异点检测、生态赤字和生态剩余等生态径流指标,定量分析淮河流域水文变异特征,根据生物多样性指标和水文变异指数间的关系,分析该流域水文变异的生态效应,利用位置、尺度、形状的广义可加模型(Generalized Additive Models for Location, Scale and Shape,GAMLSS)理论框架量化气候因子对生态径流变化的贡献。研究表明:(1)水文变异后生态剩余减少,生态赤字增多,干流流量历时曲线比支流下移更明显;年生态剩余/赤字与面降水距平变化一致,水利工程调蓄作用是夏季生态径流与降水距平相关性差的主要原因;(2)除冬季外,淮河流域年、季尺度生态赤字(生态剩余)逐年增加(减小),春季增加最为明显。尽管冬季生态剩余比其他季节高,但生态剩余整体减小,21世纪干流生态剩余达最低,香农指数表明淮河流域生物多样性逐年下降。生态径流指标与水文改变指标(Indicators of Hydrologic Alteration,IHA)指标相关达0.45,能体现IHA大部分参数信息;(3)淮河流域生态径流对北大西洋涛动(North Atlantic Oscillation,NAO)、太平洋年代际振荡(Pacific Decadal Oscillation,PDO)和Nino3.4气候因子影响最为敏感。干流生态径流对气候因子响应最敏感,而支流生态径流对气候因子响应不敏感,通过GAMLSS模型构建的生态径流对极端值和局部趋势拟合的效果更优。     

生态流量方法应用现状研究

水资源是制约国家经济社会发展的重要因素。长期以来,水资源的过度开发利用直接影响了流域的生态保护和高质量发展。生态流量(Ecological Flow)是保障流域水生态环境可持续发展和管理的重要指标。然而当前研究方法众多,尚未进行系统性梳理。以生态流量为出发点,归纳总结国内生态流量评估的最新进展,系统地对水文学法、水力学法、生境模拟法和整体分析法等四大类共17种方法进行对比总结,评述其优缺点及适用条件,并根据国内流域的生态流量评估现状,建议在我国流域水系庞杂且气候、水文地质、下垫面和水资源开发利用等条件差异较大的情况下,因地制宜地选择生态流量评估方法。未来的生态流量研究和流域水生态管理应综合考虑气候、水文条件变化和人类活动的影响,依据生态流量目标制定、水利水电工程调度、生态流量监测、流域制度法规建设等方面系统性完善生态流量管理与研究,实现流域水资源的高质量发展。     

泾河流域上游土石山区和黄土区森林覆盖率变化的水文影响模拟

泾河流域上游是黄土高原的重要水源地和退耕还林工程区,在较大空间尺度上定量评价区内森林覆盖增加的水文影响对科学指导林业生态环境建设、保障区域水安全和可持续发展均有重要意义。为了在尽量排除地形、土壤、气候等作用的基础上定量评价森林的影响,将泾河上游划分为土石山区和黄土区,分别制定了多种森林恢复情景,利用分布式流域生态水文模型(SWIM)模拟评价了森林覆盖率及其空间分布变化对流域年蒸散量、年产流量、年地下水补给量、年土壤深层渗漏量及日径流洪峰的影响。土石山区模拟结果表明,增加森林覆盖将增加流域蒸散和减少流域产流,如现有森林覆盖(占全流域面积比例为13.8%)情景与现有森林变为草地(占全流域面积比例为0)情景相比时,流域年蒸散量从445.4 mm变为427.7 mm(减少了17.4 mm和4%);年产流量从42.4 mm变为53.5 mm(增加了11.1 mm和26.3%),年地下水补给量从61.6 mm变为76.9 mm(增加了15.3 mm和24.8%),年深层渗漏量从72.9 mm变为88.3 mm(增加了17.7 mm和24.3%);平均森林覆盖率每增加10%,导致流域年蒸散量增加12.8 mm,年产流量减少8.0 mm,年地下水补给量减少11.1 mm。在比较干旱和土层深厚的黄土区,增加森林覆盖将同样增大流域蒸散和减少流域产流,但变化幅度明显小于降水相对丰富和土层浅薄的土石山区,平均森林面积增加10%导致流域年蒸散量增加9.0 mm,年产流量减少4.5 mm,年地下水补给量减少8.8 mm;此外,在较缓坡面造林的水文影响大于较陡坡面造林。从森林水文影响的年内变化来看时,森林覆盖率升高的水文影响在土石山区和黄土区也有差别,如土石山区5—7月份的蒸散显著增加,5—10月份的深层渗漏均有减少;而黄土区是蒸散量在5—10月均有增加,深层渗漏在7—10月份显著减少。另外,土石山区森林覆盖率增加对日径流峰值的影响不显著,而黄土区则能明显削弱,这可能主要是因土石山区的高石砾含量土壤的渗透性能明显高于黄土区的黄土,而黄土区的森林能够明显改善土壤入渗性能和减少地面径流形成。     

流域水热耦合过程及其对气候与下垫面变化响应的文献计量分析

生态水文学在水文过程与生态过程的交叉地带开展研究,现已成为水文学与生态学最为活跃的前沿领域之一,而流域水热耦合过程及其对气候与下垫面变化的响应则是其中的一个重要热点研究方向。以SCIE数据库为数据源,借助Thomson Data Analyzer （TDA）、Ucinet和Netdraw等工具,对1992-2015年间关于流域水热耦合过程及其对气候与下垫面变化的响应的研究论文进行数据挖掘,分析表明：（1）近24年来,该领域的论文数量总体呈显著增长态势,依据文章数量、研究主题、机构合作特点等划分为3个阶段：低产出探索期、拓展推进期和高产出活跃期。（2）气候变化、径流、水量平衡、水文模拟、土地利用与覆盖变化等是研究的核心主题,遥感与GIS技术的应用在不断得到加强,人类活动的水文效应及其时程变化等的研究逐渐受到更多的关注。（3）澳大利亚和美国在该研究方向表现突出。中国发文量高,论文质量不断提升。（4）国际合作范围不断扩大。近十年来,中国科学院、清华大学等国内多家科教机构逐渐加强了与国外同行的合作关系,研究工作取得长足进展。     

基于SWAT模型的祁连山区最佳水源涵养植被模式研究——以石羊河上游杂木河流域为例

以西北干旱区祁连山系杂木河流域为研究区,应用分布式水文模型(SWAT)对该流域的径流进行模拟研究,探讨了流域尺度和微地形尺度7种不同植被组合模式下水文响应特征。结果表明:流域尺度上,单一植被模式在水分收支各分支中能够明显加大流域总蒸散发量,减少流域出山径流量,增加流域的水分蓄变量,为水资源的可持续供给带来时间变异;组合模式明显改善流域水分收支比例,适度减弱流域蒸散发量,增加流域出山径流,为水资源可持续供给提供恒量保证,减弱局地的水资源时间变异程度;微地形尺度上,各种景观类型的水文效应随着海拔高度变化基本一致,径流深随着海拔高度的增加而减小,蒸散发随着海拔高度的增加而增加。不同高度分级中,植被组合模式的不同导致在不同坡度条件下水文效应差异显著,40°坡度是水文效应变化规律发生变化的一个拐点。基于上述分析,提出祁连山区最佳水源涵养效应的生态模式。     

森林干扰对大兴安岭北部森林小流域径流情势的影响

为了解大兴安岭森林流域水文过程对森林干扰的响应,利用近配对流域方法,排除了气候变量的时空差异,对比研究了森林干扰后大兴安岭北部典型森林小流域(100 km2)洪峰径流(High flow)和枯水径流(Low flow)径流情势(Flow regimes)的变化趋势。结果表明,森林干扰对枯水径流情势影响显著,与对照流域(小北沟流域)相比,森林干扰(占流域总面积的6.74%)使老沟河流域平均枯水径流流量降低了26.58%,平均枯水径流变异系数值增加了36.77%,并且差异达到极显著水平(P0.01)。另一方面,森林植被的干扰相对增加了森林小流域的洪峰流量、历时和变异性,但与对照流域相比差异均未达到统计显著水平,说明小面积的森林植被干扰未能引起流域洪峰径流情势的显著变化。进一步对配对流域的径流浮动系数(Flashiness Index)的分析发现,森林干扰显著增加了森林小流域的径流浮动性,研究时段内干扰流域的径流浮动系数为0.078,是对照流域(0.057)的1.37倍。大兴安岭北部森林小流域的天然径流情势(Natural flow regimes)对森林干扰比较敏感,在与水文循环联系紧密的区域(例如河岸带),小范围的森林干扰便可以引起径流情势的显著变化,这在未来该地区森林和水资源的管理中需要特别注意。     

深圳市土地利用变化对流域径流的影响

土地利用所引起的流域下垫面变化严重影响着洪涝灾害的致灾过程,以深圳市为例,探讨下垫面条件对流域径流过程的影响,应用美国农业部水土保持局（Soil Conservation Service)研制的小流域设计洪水模型-SCS模型对深圳市部分流域进行了径流过程的模拟,重点分析 了土地利用方式、土壤类型、前期土壤湿润程度等下垫面因素以及降雨因素对降雨-径流关系的影响。结果表明,随着人类活动的加剧,土地利用的变化使径流量趋于增大;降雨强度越大、前期土壤湿润程度而发生变化,CN值（Curve Number)的高值区主要集中在城市用地和水体;低值区主要出现在林地、灌草地、果园等植被覆盖较好,地势起伏较大的地区。     

Identifying regional differences in threshold responses of aquatic invertebrates to land cover gradients

Conversion of land from natural to urban or agricultural cover degrades stream ecosystems and results in loss of biodiversity. We compared cumulative frequency distributions to measure responses to land use gradients for aquatic invertebrate taxa to agricultural, urban, and impervious surface cover gradients across the state of Maryland, USA. The technique identifies the upper limit threshold above which taxa cease to occur as well as a lower limit of detection of effect for negatively affected taxa. Urban development and impervious surface cover negatively affected the distributions of 44–56% of the 180 taxa tested, depending on region. Across similar taxa, negative responses occurred at lower levels of urban land covers in the Piedmont compared to the Coastal Plain physiographic province, which suggests that Piedmont aquatic biodiversity may be more vulnerable to urbanization. Most taxa were capable of tolerating high levels of agricultural development, although a number of common taxa in the Coastal Plain and Highlands regions were found to be agriculture-sensitive. Some taxa traditionally used as indicators were tolerant of very high levels of human-altered land uses, suggesting that such taxa require examination prior to use as indicators of landscape stressors. Our analysis method appears to be sufficiently flexible and sensitive to be used for a variety of taxa and systems for stressor detection, ecosystem monitoring, and spatially explicit forecasts of taxa loss as watershed land cover changes.     

Changes in the character of DOC in streams during storms in two Midwestern watersheds with contrasting land uses

Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) dynamics in streams is important, yet few studies focus on DOC dynamics in Midwestern streams during storms. In this study, stream DOC dynamics during storms in two Midwestern watersheds with contrasting land uses, the change in character of stream DOC during storms, and the usability of DOC as a hydrologic tracer in artificially drained landscapes of the Midwest are investigated. Major cation/DOC concentrations, and DOC specific UV absorbance (SUVA) and fluorescence index (FI) were monitored at 2–4 h intervals during three spring storms. Although DOC is less aromatic in the mixed land use watershed than in the agricultural watershed, land use has little impact on stream DOC concentration during storms. For both watersheds, DOC concentration follows discharge, and SUVA and FI values indicate an increase in stream DOC aromaticity and lignin content during storms. The comparison of DOC/major cation flushing dynamics indicates that DOC is mainly exported via overland flow/macropore flow. In both watersheds, the increase in DOC concentration in the streams during storms corresponds to a shift in the source of DOC from DOC originating from mineral soil layers of the soil profile at baseflow, to DOC originating from surficial soil layers richer in aromatic substances and lignin during storms. Results also suggest that DOC, SUVA and FI could be used as hydrologic tracers in artificially drained landscapes of the Midwest. These results underscore the importance of sampling streams for DOC during high flow periods in order to understand the fate of DOC in streams.     

Critical source area controls on water quality in an agricultural watershed located in the Chesapeake Basin

The importance of agricultural land use activities for supplying nutrients (N, P) to the Chesapeake Bay is examined and nutrient sources for a typical agricultural hill-land watershed within the Chesapeake Basin are identified and assessed. Based on up to 30 years of experimental and monitoring data, the outflow, N, and P exported from this Pennsylvania watershed is examined in terms of critical source areas. Most of the surface runoff and P export occurs from areas near the stream. About 90% of the algal-available P exported in outflow was generated during the largest 7 storms/year. In contrast, nearly all the nitrate (NO₃) exported originated as subsurface flow entering the soil or ground water some distance from the stream, and mostly occurred during nonstorm flow periods. The NO₃ export observed over the long term corresponds to the N excess computed by N balance obtained by farmer survey for agricultural land. By combining land use, hydrologic processes, watershed position, soil P status, and N balance information for agricultural land, the major source areas for P and N are predictable and identifiable. We apply these ideas and techniques to our research watershed and present the results as an example of this approach.     

美国大陆五个山区集水区的河溪结构分析

河溪结构及其关联的空间特征,是研究集水区中能量和物质移动规律所不可缺少的内容,利用美国地质调查局的水文数据库和地理信息系统（ＡＲＣ／ＩＮＦＯ）,对美国大陆５个主要山地中典型集水区河溪的数据量、密度,分布结构以及河溪岸边带的组成,进行了分析和比较。５个山地分别是：西北太平洋沿岸,西部卡斯卡特山,中部落矶山,东部阿巴拉契亚山和南部欧扎克山,发现这５个集水区中的河溪网络结构非常相似,一级河溪大约占河溪总     

黄土高原不同植被覆盖对流域水文的影响

以山西省吉县蔡家川流域为对象,研究了植被覆盖类型对流域水文的影响.结果表明:不同植被覆盖的流域年径流系数分别为:林地流域1.6%～2.3%,以农、牧为主的流域3.1%～3.9%;各流域基流系数差异显著,人工林流域为零,次生林为主的流域1.0%～1.5%,以农、牧为主的流域2.5%～2.8%;在雨季人工林流域的径流总量是次生林流域的3.37倍、农地流域的1.9倍,而农地流域的基流量是次生林流域的2.2倍;短历时高强度降雨条件下,人工林流域、次生林流域地表径流量分别是农地流域的10.8倍和2.2倍;在历时较长的暴雨条件下,人工林流域单位面积上的洪峰流量是农地流域的3.4倍,次生林流域的6.9倍;在长历时、大雨量条件下,农地流域的径流量是次生林流域的1.8倍.水平梯田的水源涵养功能与次生林植被相当,次生林植被的水源涵养功能远好于人工植被,在水资源短缺的黄土高原应提倡植被的自然恢复.     

城市化对河流大型底栖动物群落的影响研究进展

城市化可以引发一系列"城市溪流综合症",对河流健康造成巨大胁迫。大型底栖动物是河流生态系统的重要组成部分,对环境因子敏感,能够较好的反映流域环境的变化。城市化后,流域人口增加,建设用地比例上升,入河污染物浓度和总量增多,底栖动物中敏感物种比例降低甚至消失,寡毛类、摇蚊等耐污物种成为优势类群;群落多样性显著降低,并且一般与城市化强度成负指数关系;底栖动物总密度普遍大幅度增加,收集者为主要摄食功能群;不透水地表面积比例的增加改变了流域自然的水文过程,群落组成的季节波动减弱,但密度的波动增大;次级生产力明显增加,食物网趋于简化。初步分析了城市化过程中水质污染、水文、生境破坏、流域土地利用等因素影响底栖动物群落的规律和机制,并且根据国内外研究现状提出了进一步研究的方向,以期为我国城市河流生态学研究、流域生态管控和河流生态系统修复提供科学依据。     

Runoff sources and land cover change in the Amazon: an end-member mixing analysis from small watersheds

The flowpaths by which water moves from watersheds to streams has important consequences for the runoff dynamics and biogeochemistry of surface waters in the Amazon Basin. The clearing of Amazon forest to cattle pasture has the potential to change runoff sources to streams by shifting runoff to more surficial flow pathways. We applied end-member mixing analysis (EMMA) to 10 small watersheds throughout the Amazon in which solute composition of streamwater and groundwater, overland flow, soil solution, throughfall and rainwater were measured, largely as part of the Large-Scale Biosphere-Atmosphere Experiment in Amazonia. We found a range in the extent to which streamwater samples fell within the mixing space determined by potential flowpath end-members, suggesting that some water sources to streams were not sampled. The contribution of overland flow as a source of stream flow was greater in pasture watersheds than in forest watersheds of comparable size. Increases in overland flow contribution to pasture streams ranged in some cases from 0% in forest to 27?C28% in pasture and were broadly consistent with results from hydrometric sampling of Amazon forest and pasture watersheds that indicate 17- to 18-fold increase in the overland flow contribution to stream flow in pastures. In forest, overland flow was an important contribution to stream flow (45?C57%) in ephemeral streams where flows were dominated by stormflow. Overland flow contribution to stream flow decreased in importance with increasing watershed area, from 21 to 57% in forest and 60?C89% in pasture watersheds of less than 10?ha to 0% in forest and 27?C28% in pastures in watersheds greater than 100?ha. Soil solution contributions to stream flow were similar across watershed area and groundwater inputs generally increased in proportion to decreases in overland flow. Application of EMMA across multiple watersheds indicated patterns across gradients of stream size and land cover that were consistent with patterns determined by detailed hydrometric sampling.     

Impacts of urbanization on stream habitats and macroinvertebrate communities in the tributaries of Qiangtang River,China

The impacts of watershed urbanization on streams have been studied worldwide, but are rare in China. We examined relationships among watershed land uses and stream physicochemical and biological attributes, impacts of urbanization on overall stream conditions, and the response pattern of macroinvertebrate assemblage metrics to the percent of impervious area (PIA) of watersheds in the middle section of the Qiantang River, Zhejiang Province, China. Environmental variables and benthic macroinvertebrates of 60 stream sites with varied levels of watershed urban land use were sampled in April, 2010. Spearman correlation analysis showed watershed urbanization levels significantly correlated with increased stream depth, width, and values of conductivity, total nitrogen, ammonia, phosphate, calcium, magnesium, and chemical oxygen demand for the study streams. There was significant difference in total taxa richness, Empheroptera, Plecoptera, and Trichoptera (EPT) taxa richness, and Diptera taxa richness, percentages of individual abundances of EPT, Chironomidae, shredders, filterers, and scrapers, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index between reference streams and urban impacted streams. In contrast, percentages of individual abundances for collectors, oligochaeta, and tolerant taxa, and biotic index were significantly higher in urban impacted than reference streams. All the above metrics were significantly correlated with PIA. The response patterns of total taxa richness, EPT taxa richness, and Shannon–Wiener diversity index followed a drastic decrease at thresholds of 3.6, 3.7, and 5.5% of PIA, respectively. Our findings indicate that stream benthic macroinvertebrate metrics are effective indicators of impacts of watershed urban development, and the PIA-imperviousness thresholds we identified could potentially be used for setting benchmarks for watershed development planning and for prioritizing high valued stream systems for protection and rehabilitation.     

基于HEC-HMS模型的八一水库流域洪水重现期研究

不透水率是不透水层面积与总用地面积的比值,它是研究城市水文的一个重要指标.以福州市晋安区八一水库流域为例,应用WMS 7.1软件构建流域结构,将流域分为A,B两个子流域,基于相关数据建立HEC-HMS水文模型对降雨-径流进行模拟,从而构建起不透水率与洪水重现期的关系.结果表明:(1)随着城市化的进程,19a间全流域不透水率持续增长,变化区间在5％-10％之内;(2)子流域A重现期为100、50、25年一遇的洪水随着不透水率的增长,分别提前了20、8、3a;(3)子流域B的重现期为100、50、25年一遇的洪水随着不透水率的增长,分别提前了25、10、4a.     

Landscape diversity and forest edge density regulate stream water quality in agricultural catchments

It is well known that the composition of land cover within a watershed plays a large role in regulating stream water quality. However, there remains significant uncertainty regarding the effect of spatial configuration of different types of land cover on water quality. Using periphytic algae (diatoms) as indicators of stream trophic state, we investigated the relationship between landscape configuration and water quality in a large number of watersheds (590) at varying catchment scales in Eastern Canada. Variation partitioning analysis showed that landscape configuration explained 48% of the variation in water quality. However, since the physiographic setting constrains most agricultural activities, most of the variation was attributed to the shared influence of surficial deposits, land cover and landscape configuration (34%). The results from regression models showed that the geomorphological setting of watersheds (surficial deposits and slopes) and the proportion of different land cover types (mainly forests, wetlands, crops and urban areas) have a major impact on stream water quality. Nevertheless, a few configuration metrics emerged as important factors. Landscape diversity appeared to have a negative impact on water quality, whereas forest and wetland edge densities had a positive impact. Moreover, the influence of these lanscape metrics seems to occur at certain thresholds. In areas of intensive farming, streams with a forest area that covers at least 47% of the watershed have a better water quality. Below this threshold, eutrophic and meso-eutrophic conditions are more frequent in streams and rivers. The shape and location of forested patches were also found to be relevant. Woodlands and wetlands with an edge density higher than 36 m/ha and located along streams and gullies have a positive impact on water quality. For the same proportion of forest, complex patches will be more efficient filters than large regular patches. Forest edge density seems to control the extent of the interface with the agricultural sources and thus promotes the “sink” effect of forests on nutrients.