Exploring hydroclimatic change disparity via the Budyko framework

The Budyko framework characterizes landscape water cycles as a function of climate. We used this framework to identify regions with contrasting hydroclimatic change during the past 50 years in Sweden. This analysis revealed three distinct regions: the mountains, the forests, and the areas with agriculture. Each region responded markedly different to recent climate and anthropogenic changes, and within each region, we identified the most sensitive subregions. These results highlight the need for regional differentiation in climate change adaptation strategies to protect vulnerable ecosystems and freshwater resources. Further, the Budyko curve moved systematically towards its water and energy limits, indicating augmentation of the water cycle driven by changing vegetation, climate and human interactions. This finding challenges the steady state assumption of the Budyko curve and therefore its ability to predict future water cycles. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Root‐zone moisture replenishment in a native vegetated catchment under Mediterranean climate

The root‐zone moisture replenishment mechanisms are key unknowns required to understand soil hydrological processes and water sources used by plants. Temporal patterns of root‐zone moisture replenishment reflect wetting events that contribute to plant growth and survival and to catchment water yield. In this study, stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of twigs and throughfall were continuously monitored to characterize the seasonal variations of the root‐zone moisture replenishment in a native vegetated catchment under Mediterranean climate in South Australia. The two studied hillslopes (the north‐facing slope [NFS] and the south‐facing slope [SFS]) had different environmental conditions with opposite aspects. The twig and throughfall samples were collected every ~20 days over 1 year on both hillslopes. The root‐zone moisture replenishment, defined as percentage of newly replenished root‐zone moisture as a complement to antecedent moisture for plant use, calculated by an isotope balance model, was about zero (±25% for the NFS and ± 15% for the SFS) at the end of the wet season (October), increased to almost 100% (±26% for the NFS and ± 29% for the SFS) after the dry season (April and May), then decreased close to zero (±24% for the NFS and ± 28% for the SFS) in the middle of the following wet season (August). This seasonal pattern of root‐zone moisture replenishment suggests that the very first rainfall events of the wet season were significant for soil moisture replenishment and supported the plants over wet and subsequent dry seasons, and that NFS completed replenishment over a longer time than SFS in the wet season and depleted the root zone moisture quicker in the dry season. The stable oxygen isotope composition of the intraevent samples and twigs further confirms that rain water in the late wet season contributed little to root‐zone moisture. This study highlights the significant role of the very first rain events in the early wet season for ecosystem and provides insights to understanding ecohydrological separation, catchment water yield, and vegetation response to climate changes.     

Hydrological cycle and water balance estimates for the megadune–lake region of the Badain Jaran Desert,China

The hydrology and water balance of megadunes and lakes have been investigated in the Badain Jaran Desert of China. Field observations and analyses of sand layer water content, field capacity, secondary salt content, and grain size reveal 3 types of important natural phenomenon: (a) vegetation bands on the leeward slope of the megadunes reflect the hydrological regime within the sandy vadose zone; (b) seepage, wet sand deposits, and secondary salt deposits indicate the pattern of water movement within the sandy vadose zone; (c) zones of groundwater seeps and descending springs around the lakes reflect the influence of the local topography on the hydrological regime of the megadunes. The seepage exposed on the sloping surface of the megadunes and gravity water contained within the sand layer confirm the occurrence of preferential flow within the vadose zone of the megadunes. Alternating layers of coarse and fine sand create the conditions for the formation of preferential flows. The preferential flows promote movement of water within the sand layer water that leads to deep penetration of water within the megadunes and ultimately to the recharging of groundwater and lake water. Our results indicate that a positive water balance promotes recharge of the megadunes, which depends on the high permeability of the megadune material, the shallow depth of the surface sand layer affected by evaporation, the occurrence of rainfall events exceeding 15 mm, and the sparse vegetation cover. Water balance estimates indicate that the annual water storage of the megadunes is about 7.5 mm, accounting for only 8% of annual precipitation; however, the shallow groundwater per unit area under the megadunes receives only 3.6% of annual precipitation, but it is still able to maintain a dynamic balance of the lake water. From a water budget perspective, the annual water storage in the megadunes is sufficient to serve as a recharge source for lake water, thereby enabling the long‐term persistence of the lakes. Overall, our findings demonstrate that precipitation is a significant component of the hydrological cycle in arid deserts.     

Groundwater recharge in an arid grassland as indicated by soil chloride profile and multiple tracers

Previous studies have shown that shallow groundwater in arid regions is often not in equilibrium with near‐surface boundary conditions due to human activities and climate change. This is especially the case where the unsaturated zone is thick and recharge rate is limited. Under this nonequilibrium condition, the unsaturated zone solute profile plays an important role in estimating recent diffuse recharge in arid environments. This paper combines evaluation of the thick unsaturated zone with the saturated zone to investigate the groundwater recharge of a grassland in the arid western Ordos Basin, NW China, using the soil chloride profiles and multiple tracers (²H, ¹⁸O, ¹³C, ¹⁴C, and water chemistry) of groundwater. Whereas conventional water balance and Darcy flux measurements usually involve large errors in recharge estimations for arid areas, chloride mass balance has been widely and generally successfully used. The results show that the present diffuse recharge beneath the grassland is 0.11–0.32 mm/year, based on the chloride mass balance of seven soil profiles. The chloride accumulation age is approximately 2,500 years at a depth of 13 m in the unsaturated zone. The average Cl content in soil moisture in the upper 13 m of the unsaturated zone ranges from 2,842 to 7,856 mg/L, whereas the shallow groundwater Cl content ranges from 95 to 351 mg/L. The corrected ¹⁴C age of shallow groundwater ranges from 4,327 to 29,708 years. Stable isotopes show that the shallow groundwater is unrelated to modern precipitation. The shallow groundwater was recharged during the cold and wet phases of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene humid phase based on palaeoclimate, and consequently, the groundwater resources are nonrenewable. Due to the limited recharge rate and thick unsaturated zone, the present shallow groundwater has not been in hydraulic equilibrium with near‐surface boundary conditions in the past 2,500 years.     

变分同化框架通过背景误差协方差构建动力平衡约束的研究进展

通过背景误差协方差构建动力平衡约束是变分同化框架设计的重要环节。它不仅帮助实现变量间的协同分析,提高观测使用效率,还能改善变分极小化问题的性状。本文在系统梳理通过背景误差协方差引入动力平衡约束的方式、流程的基础上,对求解目前全球和有限区域变分同化系统普遍采用的准地转平衡和静力平衡约束的共性问题和存在的不足作了归纳总结。分析了求解准地转平衡约束的三类方案:动力平衡方程方案、统计方案和动力-统计相结合方案的优缺点。对照比较了不同垂直离散方案下求解静力平衡约束时遇到的欠定问题的表现以及解决途径。最后,展望了基于背景误差协方差构建动力平衡约束在赤道等特殊地区、高分辨率同化系统、以及集合-变分混合同化系统发展中面临的挑战和机遇。     

内蒙古河套灌区春玉米作物系数试验研究

作物系数曲线是估算作物生长季耗水量变化的重要参数。基于2013年4—9月内蒙古巴彦淖尔市临河区田间水分试验和1994—2013年气象站观测资料,利用水量平衡法反求春玉米作物系数,分析生长季内的变化规律, 建立动态模拟方程,并与联合国粮农组织 (FAO) 分段直线法结果进行比较, 提出胁迫条件下作物系数的叶面积修正方法。结果表明:玉米作物系数随发育进程可用三项式曲线描述,变化趋势与产量水平无关, 但随产量增高而变幅增大;以出苗后相对积温为时间变量建立模拟方程效果较好,决定系数 (R2) 均在0.92以上;模拟计算出各站点最大 (1.30~1.48) 和平均 (0.831~0.919) 作物系数,与FAO分段直线法计算的典型值和区间值基本一致,生长中期平均相对误差为3.4%~7.2%;提出利用相对叶面积指数修正作物系数的计算方法;通过2014年实例检验,土壤水分模拟值与实测值的平均相对误差为6.3%,相对误差小于15%的占95.8%。     

基于自动观测站的鲁中地区土壤水分变化规律及精细化预报模型的研究

为了建立鲁中地区土壤水分精细化预报模型,利用2010—2013年农田土壤水分自动站逐日资料进行土壤水分年、月变化特征研究,并结合附近自动气象站资料,以土壤水分平衡方程、农田蒸散模型为基础,采用逐步回归和曲线估计等方法建立4—6月无降水条件下平原水浇田与山旱田土壤水分1 d、7 d降幅的经验预报模型。结果表明:鲁中地区0~100 cm土壤水分贮存量年变化趋势和0~50 cm基本一致,年最高出现在8月,最低出现在6月,年降幅最大出现在3—6月,易出现干旱。对预报模型进行回代和预报检验结果显示,回代平均相对误差为0.07%,7 d模型和1 d模型滚动预报第7天0~50 cm土壤水分贮存量,绝对误差分别为-0.15和-2.17 mm,平均相对误差分别为-0.07%和-1.56%,模型具有较强的理论基础和实用性,预报精度较高,为鲁中地区土壤墒情监测和精细化预报提供支持。     

珠江黄茅海河口洪季侧向余环流与泥沙输移

2012年洪季对珠江黄茅海河口湾侧向动力结构与泥沙输移过程进行了系统观测,采用动量平衡和泥沙通量机制分解等方法,分析了河口流、温盐和泥沙侧向分布特征以及泥沙输移过程,探讨了侧向动量平衡与泥沙输移机制。洪季黄茅海河口存在明显的侧向流,西滩和北槽均形成表层向东、底层向西的两层侧向流,拦门沙滩顶呈现表、底层向西、中层向东的三层侧向流,而拦门沙前缘侧向流整体向西。河口湾纵向净泥沙通量表现为北槽向海、西滩向陆,拦门沙滩顶及其前缘均向海;侧向净泥沙通量表现为滩顶及其前缘均向西,西滩向东、北槽向西。这种侧向泥沙辐聚过程是高浓度悬沙聚集于滩槽界面的重要原因,向陆净通量是西滩回淤的重要原因。滩槽间侧向余环流动量平衡主要是侧向斜压梯度力、科氏力和侧向平流作用。欧拉平流输运在侧向泥沙输运中起主要作用,潮泵效应也起重要作用。     

2001年秋季风对坦帕湾盐度平衡的影响

利用三维高分辨率有限体积的近海海域模型FVCOM来分析2001年秋季期间风作用对坦帕湾区域盐度平衡的影响。为了区分风的影响,分别设计了两个实验：一个由潮汐和河流作为驱动,另一个由潮汐、河流以及风场共同驱动。结论如下：首先,风作用会使盐度产生变化,能够明显地使坦帕湾内的盐度增加,并导致水平和垂直方向上盐度梯度的减少;随后,本文分析了坦帕湾区域内的盐度平衡,主要的盐度平衡来自于全部（水平和垂直方向上）平流的盐度流量分歧以及除去海峡底部的垂直方向上盐度流量分歧;最后,对由风引起的盐度变化进一步进行分析,结果表明风作用不能改变盐度平衡地位的相对重要性,由风引起的盐度平衡改变高度依靠于特殊的地形,除此之外,全部平流盐度流量分歧和垂直散布盐度通量分歧能够抵消,并且两者都远大于水平散步盐度流量分歧。     

北极斯瓦尔巴、高亚洲和阿尔卑斯山冰川物质平衡对比研究

基于冰川物质平衡和平衡线高度数据,对北极斯瓦尔巴、高亚洲和阿尔卑斯山的冰川物质平衡变化和平衡线高度空间分布特征进行了对比分析,得出以下结论：（1）阿尔卑斯山冰川年均负物质平衡值最大,为-907 mm;斯瓦尔巴为-431 mm;高亚洲最小,为-264 mm。（2）高亚洲和斯瓦尔巴冰川物质平衡年振幅较小,年际变化较小;阿尔卑斯山冰川物质平衡年振幅较大,年际变化较大。斯瓦尔巴冰川物质平衡趋向正平衡,阿尔卑斯山和高亚洲冰川物质平衡趋向负平衡。（3）斯瓦尔巴内陆的冰川平衡线高度高于沿海地区,高亚洲冰川平衡线高度呈纬向地带性、经向地带性和区域地带性的分布规律,阿尔卑斯山的冰川平衡线高度主要受冰川所处海拔的影响。