Declining water yield from forested mountain watersheds in response to climate change and forest mesophication

Climate change and forest disturbances are threatening the ability of forested mountain watersheds to provide the clean, reliable, and abundant fresh water necessary to support aquatic ecosystems and a growing human population. Here, we used 76 years of water yield, climate, and field plot vegetation measurements in six unmanaged, reference watersheds in the southern Appalachian Mountains of North Carolina, USA to determine whether water yield has changed over time, and to examine and attribute the causal mechanisms of change. We found that annual water yield increased in some watersheds from 1938 to the mid‐1970s by as much as 55%, but this was followed by decreases up to 22% by 2013. Changes in forest evapotranspiration were consistent with, but opposite in direction to the changes in water yield, with decreases in evapotranspiration up to 31% by the mid‐1970s followed by increases up to 29% until 2013. Vegetation survey data showed commensurate reductions in forest basal area until the mid‐1970s and increases since that time accompanied by a shift in dominance from xerophytic oak and hickory species to several mesophytic species (i.e., mesophication) that use relatively more water. These changes in forest structure and species composition may have decreased water yield by as much as 18% in a given year since the mid‐1970s after accounting for climate. Our results suggest that changes in climate and forest structure and species composition in unmanaged forests brought about by disturbance and natural community dynamics over time can result in large changes in water supply.     

基于多水文改变指标评价东江流域河流流态变化及其对生物多样性的影响

新丰江、枫树坝和白盆珠3座大型水库的建立对东江流域河道流量和河流流态过程有了较大改变,威胁河道下游生态系统的健康。基于广义指标生态剩余和生态赤字评价了东江流域受水库影响后流域生态需水需求目标总的盈余和缺失变化过程,基于IHA32指标计算的Do和DHRAM评价了水库对下游河段河流水文过程总的改变程度以及威胁河道生态系统健康的风险性大小,并进一步分析了对河道生物多样性的影响。研究结果如下:(1)水库对流量历时曲线(FDC)有显著影响,曲线上部下降,尾部上升,尤其体现在秋季和冬季。降水对年与夏季生态剩余影响较大,水库对各季节生态剩余和生态赤字均有较大影响:秋季和冬季生态赤字几乎为0,生态剩余显著增加。生态剩余和生态赤字与大部分IHA中32个指标具有很强的相关性,可作为衡量东江流域年和季节径流变化的生态指标。(2)龙川、河源、岭下和博罗4站点总体改变程度分别为58.48%、54.04%、54.32%和52.47%。河流流态变化导致总季节生态剩余增加并维持在较高水平,进一步引起河流生物多样性下降,并维持在较低水平。龙川和河源两站河流流态的变化对河流生态系统造成了高风险性影响,岭下和博罗两站则为中等风险。     

中亚热带典型森林生态系统对降水中铅镉的截留特征

实验于2012年9月到2013年8月期间,在重庆市江津四面山对常绿阔叶林生态系统大气降水、林内降水、枯透水及土壤渗滤液中的铅(Pb)和镉(Cd)进行了持续一年的动态变化特征的研究。结果表明:研究期间,大气降水中Pb和Cd的质量浓度分别为(22.92±13.57)μg/L、(2.82±1.46)μg/L,月均沉降量分别为(3.06±2.74)mg/m2、(0.32±0.27)mg/m2,该林区降水受到轻度的Pb污染,但并未受到Cd污染;该林区重金属Pb和Cd的主要污染源为大气沉降,林区中常绿阔叶林对重金属Pb和Cd有很好的截留净化作用,总截留系数高达98.52%和99.09%,经过该系统各层次的净化后,重金属Pb和Cd含量均符合国家地面水环境质量标准(GB3838-88)的Ⅰ类水质标准;其中,林冠层的截留能力最强,对Pb和Cd的截留系数分别为91.67%和86.84%,枯落物层次之,分别为67.86%和79.74%;土壤层对Pb和Cd的截留特征截然相反,土壤层对Pb的解吸量大于吸附量,导致渗滤液中Pb的平均质量浓度相对枯透水升高。     

Hydrologic processes in a southern Ontario wetland

A 12 month investigation on the hydrology of a southern Ontario wetland was completed. The mass flux of water and concentrations of total phosphates, ortho-phosphates, and chlorides were measured in all components of the hydrologic budget; over 800 grab samples were analyzed.The study showed that both groundwater recharge and discharge could occur within a wetland; data on these opposing flows must be quantified in order to develop effective long-term wetland management strategies and to accurately determine nutrient budgets. The study concluded that theoretical formulae may greatly underestimate summer evapotranspiration rates for hydrophyte dominated marshes. Storm inputs of physio-chemical parameters were found to be very significant, accounting for 32 to 51 percent of the total surface water loadings; failure to measure and/or model these inputs would have greatly distorted the study findings. Finally, since flow rates and concentrations of the chemical parameters were less variable at the wetland outflow, it was concluded that the wetland moderates event response inputs into stable response outputs.Over the study period total phosphate imports were double that of total phosphate exports while the ortho-phosphate discharge from the wetland was 22 percent more than the inputs. This indicates that the wetland is transforming sediment-bound phosphate to plant available ortho-phosphate, thus contributing to downstream eutrophication problems.     

基于MODIS的洞庭湖湿地面积对水文的响应

利用MODIS影像数据集提取了2000-2010年间的洞庭湖水面面积。结合城陵矶水位数据分析了10月-翌年5月洞庭湖水体湿地和洲滩湿地的面积变化。研究结果表明,洞庭湖水体湿地呈现明显减小的趋势。2010年2月、10月、12月较2000年2月、10月、12月相比,分别有29.98%、26.76%和9.02%水体湿地转化为洲滩湿地。城陵矶在24-26 m水位涨落的时序变化较大,使东洞庭湖草滩湿地提前出露。推迟淹没,洲滩湿地裸露时间延长,亦将导致低海拔的草滩湿地向芦苇滩湿地的演变。洞庭湖湿地面积的变化是三口、四水来水减少、降雨减少等多方因素共同作用的结果,而三峡在9-10月间蓄水,将进一步加重湿地洲滩化的趋势     

Rapid responses of vegetation to hydrological changes in Taylor Slough, Everglades National Park, Florida, USA

We analyzed the dynamics of freshwater marsh vegetation of Taylor Slough in eastern Everglades National Park for the 1979 to 2003 period, focusing on cover of individual plant species and on cover and composition of marsh communities in areas potentially influenced by a canal pump station (“S332”) and its successor station (“S332D”). Vegetation change analysis incorporated the hydrologic record at these sites for three intervals: pre-S332 (1961–1980), S332 (1980–1999), post-S332 (1999–2002). During S332 and post-S332 intervals, water level in Taylor Slough was affected by operations of S332 and S332D. To relate vegetation change to plot-level hydrological conditions in Taylor Slough, we developed a weighted averaging regression and calibration model (WA) using data from the marl prairies of Everglades National Park and Big Cypress National Preserve. We examined vegetation pattern along five transects. Transects 1–3 were established in 1979 south of the water delivery structures, and were influenced by their operations. Transects 4 and 5 were established in 1997, the latter west of these structures and possibly under their influence. Transect 4 was established in the northern drainage basin of Taylor Slough, beyond the likely zones of influence of S332 and S332D. The composition of all three southern transects changed similarly after 1979. Where muhly grass (Muhlenbergia capillaris var. filipes) was once dominant, sawgrass (Cladium jamaicense), replaced it, while where sawgrass initially predominated, hydric species such as spikerush (Eleocharis cellulosa Torr.) overtook it. Most of the changes in species dominance in Transects 1–3 occurred after 1992, were mostly in place by 1995–1996, and continued through 1999, indicating how rapidly vegetation in seasonal Everglades marshes can respond to hydrological modifications. During the post-S332 period, these long-term trends began reversing. In the two northern transects, total cover and dominance of both muhly grass and sawgrass increased from 1997 to 2003. Thus, during the 1990’s, vegetation composition south of S332 became more like that of long hydroperiod marshes, but afterward it partially returned to its 1979 condition, i.e., a community characteristic of less prolonged flooding. In contrast, the vegetation change along the two northern transects since 1997 showed little relationship to hydrologic status.     

Effects of Introduced Groundwater on Water Chemistry and Fish Assemblages in Central Florida Lakes

We assessed effects of groundwater pumping to elevate lake levels on lake water chemistry and fish population metrics at seven Florida lakes. Following groundwater pumping, lake level fluctuation was reduced and lake water samples increased in mean pH, total alkalinity, total phosphorus, chloride and Secchi depth compared to historical means, indicating a close resemblance to the chemistry of aquifer water in the region. Fish community metrics from the augmented lakes were compared to 36 non-augmented lakes in Florida. The mean values for catch per unit effort, species richness and biomass of harvestable fishes, determined by electrofishing, were lower in augmented lakes compared to non-augmented lakes. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated a high probability of a low abundance of individual species in augmented lakes compared to a majority of non-augmented lakes. The augmented lake with the lowest pumping rate exhibited less of a shift in limnological variables from historical values, and had fish population characteristics more closely resembling those of non-augmented lakes. Thus, reduced volumes of groundwater introduction could lower impacts to limnological and fish population characteristics. Augmentation allows for lakes to be utilized for recreational activities, and without augmentation some lakes in central Florida would likely go dry due to groundwater withdrawals for water supply. Therefore, allowing more natural water level fluctuations and possible reductions in total pumpage are recommended to reduce impacts to limnological and fish population characteristics, while still allowing sufficient groundwater pumping to preserve lake habitats.     

Eco-hydrological model and critical conditions of hydrology of the wetland of Erdos Larus Relictus Nature Reserve

Erdos Larus Relictus Nature Reserve is the only wetland of international importance to protect Larus Relictus in China. From the early part of this century, the impact of water use, vegetation construction and the climate of the catchment area increasing on the wetland of this Nature Reserve has brought about severe water shortage. Until now, no eco-hydrological model at home or abroad integrates the wetland ecological and hydrological processes. This paper considers the relationship between the food chains of the Larus Relictus and environmental elements, and establishes the eco-hydrological processes from Larus Relictus to damselfly + Chironomidae and the salinity and the area of Bojiang Lake. It also establishes a relationship among Larus Relictus breeding, the area of islands outcropped in the levels of the lake and hydrological season based on the relationship between Larus Relictus breeding and environmental elements. The eco-hydrological model is then constructed according to these relationships. In virtue of the constraints of the lake salinity, the suitable area of the lake is 9.01 km², and 4.88 km² for the smallest area. While in accordance with the area of islands outcropped needed for Larus Relictus breeding, the lake area is 11.02 km² in breeding season corresponding to critical high level.