Impacts of climate change on aridity index and its spatiotemporal variation in the Loess Plateau of China,from 1961 to 2014

The Loess Plateau, the transitional zone between humid and arid regions of China, is an important region to examine the regional hydrological cycle and variation in humid and arid regions under global climate change. Aridity index (AI), the ratio of precipitation (P) to potential evapotranspiration (ET₀), is an important indicator of regional climate conditions and is also used to classify drylands. In this study, data from 51 national meteorological stations during the period of 1961–2014 were collected to estimate the AI in the Loess Plateau. Results show that a downward trend in annual AI was detected and the boundary of the drylands region based on the AI was expanded across the Loess Plateau over the period of 1961–2014. The spatiotemporal variability of P was the main cause in the AI variations. Furthermore, data analysis suggested the occurrences of the extreme minimum AI values were mostly affected by fluctuations of the two factors (ET₀ and P) rather than its corresponding trend during the period. Thus, this study indicated the major driving factor of AI and the relationship between extreme AI values and the global climate anomalies in the Loess Plateau region, and meanwhile, provided an understanding of the impacts of climate change on hydrological cycle in the Loess Plateau of China.     

Hydrological situation of a typical watershed in the Loess Tableland Area of China over the past 30 years

Due to deficient water resources in the Loess Plateau, watershed management plays a very important role, not only for ecological and environmental protection but also for the social development of the region. To better understand the hydrological and water resource variations in the typical watershed of the Loess Plateau and the Qinghe River Basin, the influences of land cover and climate change were analysed, and a SWAT model was built to simulate the response of the hydrological situation to land cover changes that have occurred over the past 30 years. The results demonstrated that the main land cover change occurring in the Qinghe River Basin was the conversion of land cover from grassland to woodland and farmland from the late 1980s to 2010. Woodland and farmland took 87.36 and 10.55%, respectively, from the overall area transferred over 20 years and more than 18% of the total watershed area. Hydrological simulation results indicated that land cover played a predominant role in the hydrological variation of the Qinghe River Basin, although the effects of climate change should not be discounted. The significant changes in land cover could be superimposed by policy orientation and economic requirements. Although it is hard to evaluate the land cover changes and the corresponding hydrological responses in a simple language, related analyses have demonstrated an increasing trend of runoff in the dry season, while there is a somewhat decreasing trend during the flood season in the river basin. There results could be significant and provide a positive influence on both future flood control and the conservation of water and soil.     

Geo-spatial dynamics of snowcover and hydro-meteorological parameters of Astore basin,UIB, HKH Region,Pakistan

Snowcover dynamics and associated accumulation and depletion of snowcover along with its spatial and temporal scale mainly constitute hydrological phenomena of the given basin and are mostly controlled by the local climate variables. Snow accumulation and melting time and duration determine the cyclic volume of water resources and downstream availability. In this study, snowcover area (SCA) was extracted from remotely sensed Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) snow products (MOD10A2) for the period 2000–2016. Data for hydro-meteorological parameters was obtained from relevant departments acquired through their field stations. The analysis of 16-year satellite data shows that there is a slight increase in cryospheric area at high altitude. In Astore basin, the study concluded that 15–20% of the basin area is covered by glacier and snowcover may reach around 90–95% of the basin area due to accumulation of seasonal snow from the westerly wind circulation. Analysis of hydro-meteorological parameters showed significant correlation between temperatures (T_max, T_min) and river runoff while no significant correlation was observed between river runoff and rainfall. Similarly, significant inverse correlation was found between river runoff and Astore mean snowcover. At sub-altitudinal zone level (zones 1, 2, 3), river runoff has significant correlation with snowcover. Analysis of 20-year climate data along with river runoff depicts that river runoff is a general phenomenon of snowmelt when minimum temperature starts to rise above 4 °C during mid of April. The study highlights the importance and interdependence of meteorological parameters and snowcover dynamics in determining the hydrological characteristics of Astore Basin.     

水土保持地区人类活动对汛期径流影响的估算

人类活动对于流域水文要素时变过程的影响显著,确定人类活动影响下水文要素时序的显著转折点、选出相对"天然"的序列,对于开展水土保持效益评价研究具有重要意义。以延河流域为例,采用数理统计方法推估获取人类活动影响下汛期径流时序的显著转折点,以显著转折点前的数据建立预测模型,对比分析汛期径流量的实测值与预测值,其差值即为人类活动对汛期径流的影响程度。较之传统研究方法,本文以汛期水文数据取代年均数据,以汛期降水径流综合系数代替年径流系数,从而减弱了黄土高原地区降水、径流变化幅度巨大的干扰影响。结果表明,从20世纪50年代末至80年代末,1970年为人类活动下延河流域径流时序的显著转折点,1970年以后人类活动对流域水文的影响更显著,1981年达到最大值,为72.04%。20世纪70、80年代人类活动对延河汛期径流量的影响一直处于负面减流状态。人为因素是延河径流量演变的主要驱动因子。     

Runoff and water budget of the Liudaogou Catchment at the wind–water erosion crisscross region on the Loess Plateau of China

The objectives of this study were to examine the runoff characteristics and to estimate water budget at the wind–water erosion crisscross region on the Loess Plateau of China. A small catchment known as Liudaogou that has representative meteorological and hydrological conditions of the wind–water erosion crisscross region was chosen as the study location. A numerical model for rainfall-runoff was developed and verified; rainfall-runoff calculation for 5 years (2005–2009) was performed. The observed data and numerical result of the surface runoff were used for evaluating runoff characteristics and estimating the annual water budget. Runoff rate was proportional to average intensity of rain. Even though rainfall duration was for few minutes, surface runoff was generated by intensity of more than 2.6 mm × 5 min^?1, when rainfall duration exceeded 10 h; surface runoff was generated by an intensity of 0.6 mm × 5 min^?1, while annual runoff rate was 10–15 %. The unit area of 1 km² was adopted as the index area for estimating annual water budget. Runoff, evapotranspiration, variation of water storage, and habitant water consumption accounted for 20.4, 75.6, 0, and 4 % of the total annual precipitation, respectively. Results of this study provide the basis for further research on hydrology, water resources, and sustainable water development and utilization at the wind–water erosion crisscross region on the northern Loess Plateau where annual water resources are relatively deficient.     

Submersion simulation in a typical debris flow watershed of Jianzhuangchuan catchment,Loess Plateau

Debris flow is one of the most serious and frequent geological disasters that occur in the Loess Plateau. The outbreak of a debris flow is sudden, ferocious, swift, and destructive. The characteristics and mechanism of debris flow were explored in this study via survey, numerical simulation, and simulation analysis in a Loess Plateau area (Huangling County, Shaanxi Province, China). Numerical models and formulas corresponding to the occurrence and movement mechanism were established based on the HEC-RAS, HEC-GeoRAS, and SWAT results. The range of debris flow deposition was determined through capturing the debris flow free surface. A hydrological model and critical rainfall threshold were determined in order to provide technical support for debris flow forecasting in the Loess Plateau. The results suggest that 10-year floods do not submerge any portion of the basin. One village area was affected by the 100-year flood (total area of 0.648 km²) while four villages areas were submerged by the 1000-year flood (total area of 1.39 km²). The method presented here may provide a reliable scientific basis for mitigating loss due to debris flow hazards.     

近40年黄河中游径流情势变化分析

20世纪60年代以来，黄河中游地区一系列大规模人类生产活动如引水灌溉、水土保持等，使得黄河中下游的径流情势在过去的几十年里经历了较大的变化，造成流域水土流失、生态恶化和经济损失严重。本文以黄河中游的岔巴沟流域为例，研究了1959～2000年黄河中游地区人类活动对径流情势的影响。结果表明：流域径流在1978年受到水土保持活动的显著干扰，年径流量减少了30％以上，且径流年际、年内变化均有所减小。此外，流域径流情势随淤地坝有起有落的发展过程出现了一系列相应的变化。     

Monitoring Flood Extent and Forecasting Excess Runoff Risk with RADARSAT-1 Data

Earth observation from active microwave satellites such as RADARSAT-1 is an excellent tool to monitor and forecast floods. Two complementary approaches are described in this paper: (a) real time or near-real time monitoring of flood extent and (b) mapping of hydrological properties of drainage basins. Since it can penetrate through clouds, which usually occur during precipitation periods, and due to the fact that it can be programmed with different incidence angles, RADARSAT-1 enables frequent coverage over specific areas of interest. It has been used successfully to monitor a major flood of the Red River in Manitoba in 1997, by providing frequent coverage of the flood during its progression and decrease. Resulting data and images have been useful in planning the emergency measures and in assessing flood damage. RADARSAT has also the ability to characterize hydrological properties of watersheds. It has been used in agricultural catchments in Europe for mapping soil surface roughness, which affects runoff coefficients, concentration time and resistance to erosion processes. Used to complement optical data, RADARSAT has provided information on the status of land use and soil protective cover in drainage basins. This information can then be translated into parameters and coefficients that hydrological models can use for runoff and flood forecasting     

In-situ experimental research on water scouring of loess slopes

Frequent occurrence of landslides in the Chinese Loess Plateau has been influenced by the changes of water conditions. This paper, based on in-situ water scouring experiments under various slope gradients, cross-sectional discharge shapes and flow quantities, analyzed the rill flow information characteristics on a loess slope and its driving factors for anti-scourability of the loess stratum. The results show that the critical erosion slope gradient for the loess stratum (Q₃) is about 24° and the mean erosion rate under half-round cross-sectional discharge is smaller than that under rectangular discharge. The relationship between flow quantity and mean erosion rate is linear and is positively correlated. Mechanical subsurface erosion was the primary condition responsible for water scouring on loess slopes because of stronger runoff channels such as vertical joints and large amounts of macro void caused by plants and animals. Loess anti-scourability is a significant issue to advance the research for soil and water conservation in the Loess Plateau of China.     

黄土高原西部地区末次冰期和全新世有机碳同位素变化与C3/C4植被类型转换研究

文章利用黄土高原西缘代表性的塬堡剖面有机碳同位素数据,估算了末次冰期以来地表植被中C₃/C₄植 物的相对丰度,指示出研究区域末次冰期几乎为纯粹的C₃植物,而全新世为C₃植物占优势的C₃和C₄混合植被类 型。温度是控制中国黄土高原C₄植物是否发生的关键性气候因素,末次冰期向全新世转化过程中存在的某“阈值 温度”控制了两种植被类型的存在。全新世土壤有机碳同位素偏正于末次冰期,符合前人研究得到的认识。末次 冰期间冰段(MIS3)至盛冰期,土壤有机碳同位素为偏正变化趋势,符合现代C₃植物本身随气候条件改变的碳同位 素组成变化。研究表明,利用黄土-古土壤有机碳同位素进行古气候变化研究,不能只将有机碳同位素简单的解 释为C₃/C₄植物相对丰度的变化,在单一植被类型下,还需要考虑植物本身碳同位素组成随气候条件的变化;另外, 研究还说明,我国黄土高原不同地区同时段土壤有机碳同位素值可以不同,其变化可以不具有相同的趋势,因此, 简单将有机碳同位素偏正归因于夏季风增强是值得商榷的。     

Hydrological basis of the Devils Lake,North Dakota (USA), terminal lake flood disaster

Devils Lake, a terminal lake in northeast North Dakota (USA), has experienced catastrophic flooding since 1993. From January 31, 1993, to December 31, 2014, lake level rose from 433.62 to 442.44 m, lake area expanded from 179.9 to 653.5 km², and lake volume increased from 0.70 to 3.80 km³. More than $1 billion ($USD) has been spent in government payments to mitigate direct, primary, tangible flood damages. This paper provides a case study of the hydrological basis of the Devils Lake flood disaster. The unique geomorphic setting, paleoclimatic record, and hydroclimatic conditions of the region are summarized, and a wide range of hydroclimatic data is examined to provide a broad understanding of the physical basis of the flood disaster. The primary cause of the disaster was a transition to a sustained wetter climate that resulted in a dramatic response in basin hydrological variables in 1993. The transition from a long-term dry period to a long-term wet period caused the lake water budget to begin to change from an atmosphere-controlled water budget dominated by precipitation input to an amplifier lake water budget dominated by surface runoff input to the lake. Other important hydrological factors include a nonlinear precipitation–runoff relationship following the long-term drought, fill-spill and fill-merge hydrological behavior that is characteristic of wetland complexes, an increase in the lake area-to-basin area ratio, and the critical role of frozen soils in controlling infiltration and runoff production of spring snowmelt. Engineering works to manage lake volume through two outlets have reduced, but not entirely eliminated, future flood risk.

     

Rapid estimation of maximum and minimum void ratios of granular soils

Maximum and minimum void ratios (e_max and e_min) of granular soils are commonly used as indicators of many engineering properties. However, few methods, apart from laboratory tests, are available to provide a rapid estimation of both e_max and e_min. In this study, we present a theoretical model to map the densest and the loosest packing configurations of granular soils onto the void space. A corresponding numerical procedure that can predict both e_max and e_min of granular soils with arbitrary grain size distributions is proposed. The capacity of the proposed method is evaluated by predicting the maximum and minimum void ratios of medium to fine mixed graded sands with different contents of fines. The influence of the grain size distribution, characterized quantitatively by uniformity parameter and the fractal dimension, on e_max and e_min is discussed using the proposed method. Moreover, application of this method in understanding the controlling mechanism for the void ratio change during grain crushing is presented.

     

基于LSTM的青藏高原冻土区典型小流域径流模拟及预测

冻土覆盖率高的小流域的径流形成受温度因素控制明显,普通水文模型不适用,而常规冻土水文模型因需要较多的气象观测要素而难以应用。考虑冻土流域产流机制,利用青藏高原腹地风火山小流域2017—2018年逐日降水、气温、径流观测数据,以降水、气温为输入,径流为输出,基于长短期记忆神经网络（LSTM）建立了适用于小流域尺度的冻土水文模型,并利用2019年观测数据进行验证。模型得益于LSTM特殊的细胞状态和门结构能够学习、反映活动层冻融过程和土壤含水量变化,具有一定的冻土水文学意义,能很好地模拟冻土区径流过程。模型训练期R²、NSE均为0.93,RMSE为0.63 m³·s^-1,验证期R²、NSE分别为0.81、0.77,RMSE为0.69 m³·s^-1。同时,为了验证模型可靠性,将模型应用于邻近的沱沱河流域,模型训练期（1990—2009年）R²、NSE均为0.73,验证期（2010—2019年）R²、NSE分别为0.66、0.64,模拟结果较好。考虑到未来气候变化,通过模型对风火山流域径流进行了预测：降水每增加10%,年径流增加约12%;气温每升高0.5 ℃,年径流增加约1%;春季融化期、秋季冻结期径流增幅明显,而由于蒸发加剧、活动层加深,径流在8月出现了减少。模型经训练后依靠降水、气温作为输入能较好地模拟、预测青藏高原冻土区小流域径流,为缺少土壤温度、水分等观测数据的冻土小流域径流研究提供了一种简单有效并具有一定物理意义的方法。     

Changes in soil physico-chemical and microbiological properties during natural succession on abandoned farmland in the Loess Plateau

The re-establishment of natural species-rich heath lands on abandoned farmland is one of the main measures in soil erosion control in the Loess Plateau of China. So, it is important to understand how the vegetation and soil properties develop after land abandonment. The objective of this study was to determine how physico-chemical properties, microbial biomass, and enzyme activities changed for abandoned farmland with an age sequence of 0, 1, 5, 7, 10, 15, 20, 25, 30, 40 and 50 years in Zhifanggou watershed (8.27 km²), Shaanxi Province, NW China. The results of this study indicate that species succession after land abandonment in the Zhifanggou watershed on the Loess Plateau resulted in a significant improvement in soil chemical and microbiological properties. Soil organic C, total N, available N and K, soil microbial biomass C, N and P, as well as alkaline phosphatase, catalase, saccharase, and cellulase activity increased with time since plantation establishment increased. In contrast, soil bulk density, pH, and polyphenol oxidase activity decreased after farmland abandonment. Urease and α-amylase decreased until 15 years at the early phase of species succession, and then increased. However, there was no significant change in total P and available P during the restoration. Results only implied the tendency that the herbage was developing toward shrub. Although secondary succession plays an important role which improved soil properties after farmland abandonment, the values of these parameters were still much lower than native forest in 50 years. Thus, vegetation recovery after farmland abandonment in a semi-arid environment would be slow and the improvement of soil properties in the Loess Plateau is likely to require a considerably long period of time.     

Groundwater,Acid and Carbon Dioxide Dynamics Along a Coastal Wetland,Lake and Estuary Continuum

Coastal wetlands are hotspots for biodiversity and biological productivity, yet the hydrology and carbon cycling within these systems remains poorly understood due to their complex nature. By using a novel spatiotemporal approach, this study quantified groundwater discharge and the related inputs of acidity and CO₂ along a continuum of a modified coastal acid sulphate soil (CASS) wetland, a coastal lake and an estuary under highly contrasting hydrological conditions. To increase the resolution of spatiotemporal data and advance upon previous methodologies, we relied on automated observations from four simultaneous time-series stations to develop multiple radon mass balance models to estimate groundwater discharge and related groundwater inputs of acidity and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC), along with surface water to atmosphere CO₂ fluxes. Spatial surveys indicated distinct acid hotspots with minimum surface water pH of 2.91 (dry conditions) and 2.67 (flood conditions) near a non-remediated (drained) CASS area. Under flood conditions, groundwater discharge accounted for ～14.5 % of surface water entering the lake. During the same period, acid discharge from the acid sulphate soil section of the continuum produced ～4.8 kg H₂SO₄?ha^?1 day^?1, a rate much higher than previous studies in similar systems. During baseflow conditions, the low pH water was rapidly buffered within the estuarine lake, with the pH increasing from 4.22 to 6.07 over a distance of ～250 m. The CO₂ evasion rates within the CASS were extremely high, averaging 2163?±?125 mmol m^?2 day^?1 in the dry period and 4061?±?259 mmol m^?2 day^?1 under flood conditions. Groundwater input of DIC could only account for 0.4 % of this evasion in the dry conditions and ～5 % during the flood conditions. We demonstrated that by utilising a spatiotemporal (multiple time-series stations) approach, the study was able to isolate distinct zones of differing hydrology and biogeochemistry, whilst providing more reasonable groundwater acid input estimates and air–water CO₂ flux estimates than some traditional sampling designs. This study highlights the notion that modified CASS wetlands can release large amounts of CO₂ to the atmosphere because of high groundwater acid inputs and extremely low surface water pH.     

The relative importance of soil crust and slope angle in runoff and soil loss: a case study in the hilly areas of the Loess Plateau, North China

Soil crust and slope angle are of important factors affecting runoff production and sediment yield. In the hilly areas of the Loess Plateau, North China, slope lands are distributed extensively and subjected to soil crusting; therefore, the research on the responses of runoff and soil loss to soil crust and slope angle is essential to soil and water conservation. In the study, five pairs of 1 m × 5 m plots with slope angles of 5°, 10°, 15°, 20° and 25° respectively, were established in Wangjiagou watershed, which was located at the Loess Plateau, China. Based on the two simulated rainfall events, uncrusted surface prior to the first simulated rainfall event, and crusted surface prior to the second rainfall event were distinguished. The runoff production and soil loss were measured at intervals of 5 min during the simulated events. It indicated that both soil crust and slope angle played an important role in runoff production and soil loss. With the reference slope angle of 5°, the relative importance of soil crust and slope angle in runoff production was calculated. It showed that soil crust effect on the total runoff volume decreased from 100 to ～40%, while slope angle effect increased from 0 to ～60% with increasing slope angle because soil crust less developed on the steeper slopes. Furthermore, soil crust effect was associated with rainfall duration. At the same slope angle, the relative importance of soil crust decreased with rainfall duration because new crust was formed on the uncrusted surface. The critical slope of erosion was also discussed. Soil loss increased with slope angle when the slope angle was less than 20°. Generally speaking, soil crust effect decreased with slope angle and/or rainfall duration.     

祖厉河流域水沙演变规律及其成因分析

应用祖厉河流域1956~2016年实测水文资料,采用水文统计法、差积曲线法、突变检验法等方法,分析了流域水沙时空分布规律及水沙关系。结果表明:祖厉河流域年降水量、年径流深从上游向下游减小;支流关川河巉口以上年输沙模数相对较小,中游会宁-郭城驿最大。4个代表站历年降水量、径流量、输沙量均呈显著减少趋势,降水量年内分配主要集中在5~9月,径流量和输沙量主要集中在6~9月;水沙变化的突变年份为1999年,基准期1956~1999到措施期2000~2016年多年平均年径流量和输沙量分别减少了39.6%、72.9%。流域降水量年均减少0.53~1.23mm,气温年均升高0.029~0.042℃/a,植被覆盖度年均增加0.85%/a,降水减少、水土保持措施面积增加和植被覆盖度大幅提高是流域水沙持续减少的主要原因。     

Profile characteristics of temporal stability of soil water storage in two land uses

Information on soil water storage (SWS) within soil profiles is essential in order to characterize hydrological and biological processes. One of the challenges is to develop low cost and efficient sampling strategies for area estimation of profile SWS. To test the existence of certain sample locations which consistently represent mean behavior irrespective of soil profile wetness, temporal stability of SWS in ten soil layers from 0 to 400 cm was analyzed in two land uses (grassland and shrub land), on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Temporal stability analyses were conducted using two methods viz. Spearman rank correlation coefficient (r _s) and mean relative differences. The results showed that both spatial variability and time stability of SWS increased with increasing soil depth, and this trend was mainly observed at above 200 cm depth. High r _s (p?<?0.01) indicated a strong temporal stability of spatial patterns for all soil layers. Temporal stability increased with increasing soil depth, based on either r _s or standard deviation of relative difference index. The boundary between the temporal unstable and stable layer of SWS for shrub land and grassland uses was 280 and 160 cm depth, respectively. No single location could represent the mean SWS for all ten soil layers. For temporal stable layers, however, some sampling locations could represent the mean SWS at different layers. With increasing soil depth, more locations were able to estimate the mean SWS of the area, and the accuracy of prediction for the representative locations also increased.     

龙山文化末期泾河特大洪水事件光释光测年研究

通过对泾河流域深入的野外考察,在其中游基岩峡谷内发现了含有龙山文化末期文化层和古洪水滞流沉积单元的全新世黄土土壤剖面。利用光释光的单片测年技术,确定古洪水滞流沉积层覆盖着的黑垆土层的OSL年龄为 4078±382aB.P. 和4111±450aB.P.。结合其中所含龙山文化遗址的考古年代,揭示出泾河流域在4100～4000aB.P.之间出现一个古洪水多发时期。这组古洪水滞流沉积单元包含5个单层,记录了4100～4000aB.P.之间泾河流域曾经发生的5次特大古洪水事件。这个洪水期对应着我国北方在4000aB.P.前后,由全新世大暖期向着全新世晚期干旱期转折过程中的气候剧烈变化。这些史前洪水事件可能对我国龙山文化的衰落和古代华夏文明的诞生具有重大的影响。     

内蒙古兴和县二道河治理工程设计

本文通过工程实例分析了内蒙古兴和县前、后河和二道河的气象水文工程地质环境及其特点,对河道的治理进行了论述,提出了治理设计、施工技术要点,水土保持和环境保护的保障措施,得出投资概算与防洪效益是合理的结论。