Discharge of biogenic substances with river runoff in Selenga basin

Averaged many-year measurement data on the concentrations of mineral forms of biogenic elements are analyzed, and their total concentrations in the rivers of Selenga, Chikoi, Khilok, Uda, Dzhida, and Temnik are evaluated. The monthly variations of the concentrations of major biogenic substances are characterized, and their ratios within a year are determined. Characteristics of river water runoff and biogenic substance concentrations are used to evaluate their within-year discharge by rivers. Characteristic variations in the ratios between the total and mineral forms of biogenic elements discharged by rivers have been revealed. It is established that the share of mineral components in the total input into the Selenga delta N_tot and P_tot are 82 and 22%, respectively.     

Concentration dynamics of biogenic elements and phytoplankton at Selenga R. Mouth and in Selenga shallows (Lake Baikal)

The seasonal and year-to-year dynamics of the concentrations of biogenic elements and organic matter, as well as quantitative composition of phytoplankton in water of Selenga delta branches is studied. The distribution of those components from the mouth of the Kharauz branch (the main branch) to the water area of the Selenga shallows in different hydrological seasons is shown. The concentrations of nitrate nitrogen and phosphate phosphorus in the zone of mixing of river and lake waters have been found to drop by 30 and 50%, respectively, because of the consumption of those substances by phytoplankton.     

Toxicity assessment of bottom sediments in watercourses in Selenga River basin on the territory of Mongolia

Bioassay methods are used to assess the toxicity of bottom sediments in the main watercourses of the Selenga River basin and Lake Orog in Mongolia. Toxic bottom sediments are found in a brook in the region of the Erdenet Mining and Concentration Complex, as well as in the Eroo and Bukhlyn rivers, which experience the effect of intense gold mining. The conclusion is drawn that the Selenga River water flowing from the territory of Mongolia cannot directly affect the quality of water in Lake Baikal.     

Space and time variations in concentrations of biogenic and organic matter and phytoplankton in the water of the Selenga River and its delta branches

Specific features of the concentration dynamics of biogenic substances, organic C, and phytoplankton in the lower reaches of the Selenga and its delta branch are identified. The quantitative and qualitative changes in these components are demonstrated for the conditions of extremely low water abundance. High correlation was shown to exist between variations of the concentrations of nitrate N, mineral P, and phytoplankton biomass.     

Oxygen regime of rivers in Volga,Ob, and Lena basins

A close negative correlation was found to exist between oxygen concentration in winter and the latitude in rivers in the basins of the Ob and Volga. This can be explained by an increase in the duration of the freeze-up period (during which oxygen is consumed for oxidation of organic matter (OM) in water and bottom sediments) in the direction from the south to the north, while the input from oxygen from the atmosphere and photosynthesis is practically zero. No inverse relationship was found to exist between dissolved oxygen and the latitude, because in rivers of mountain and semimountain types, typical of this basin, organic matter (OM) does not accumulate in bottom sediments and the conditions of atmospheric circulation are better than in lowland rivers. The magnitude of seasonal variations in oxygen in lowland rivers is greater than in mountain ones because of an abrupt drop in oxygen concentration in slowly flowing rivers in winter and the saturation of their water by oxygen from photosynthesis in summer.     

Forms, quantities, and variability of organic substance inflow into the Rybinsk Reservoir

The data on the content of total and some forms (suspended, labile, and carbohydrate-like) of organic substances in inflowing rivers of the Rybinsk Reservoir are presented. The greater portion of organic substances enters the Rybinsk Reservoir in the form of difficulty decomposable dissolved compounds. The labile fraction accounts for no more than 4.6% of the total amount. The distribution of the total organic substance runoff within a year correlates with the water runoff volume. The quantity of organic substance inflow with each river depends both on the water runoff volume and on the value of mean weighted concentrations of organic substances in water of these rivers. It is suggested that the obtained values should be considered as regional geochemical constants, which may be useful in preparing the total balance.     

西藏纳木错及其入湖河流溶解有机碳和总氮浓度的季节变化

为深入理解纳木错湖水及入湖河流中溶解有机碳（DOC）和总氮（TN）浓度的季节变化特征及其影响因素,于2012-2013年不同季节对纳木错2个站点及流域内21条主要入湖河流进行采样及分析,采用统计学方法初步探讨纳木错水体和21条河流DOC和TN浓度季节变化特征.结果表明,河流DOC平均浓度范围为0.763~1.537 mg/L,TN平均浓度范围为0.179~0.387 mg/L.21条入湖河流DOC浓度在春末夏初和夏季达到高值,冬季为低值,TN浓度季节变化趋势大体上与DOC浓度相反.湖泊水体DOC和TN浓度范围分别为2.42~8.08和0.237~0.517 mg/L,明显分别高于河水中的浓度.湖泊DOC浓度季节变化趋势与河流一致,而TN浓度无明显的季节性变化.河水DOC浓度的季节变化和空间差异受控于河流的补给方式,湖水DOC浓度受湖泊内部藻类等水生植物活动和河流外源输入的影响.DOC等有机质的分解是影响纳木错流域湖水和河水TN浓度的重要原因.     

贝加尔湖的污染与富营养化

The long term systematic investigations of ion composition components (bicarbonates, chlorides, sulphates, magnesium, calcium, sodium, potassium) and trophic status components (suspension, chlorophyll-a, mineral and organic forms phosphorus and nitrogen, carbon, silica) of water from the lake proper, its tributaries and atmospheric precipitation, which make up the main share of substance supply in to the lake, as well as the Angara river, being the source of substance discharge allowed the lake recent state to be evaluated in terms of both chemical pollution and possible eutrophication of its water. The similar (in terms of river runojf) periods of 50-ies and 80-ies have been compared. It was revealed that as a result of industrial activity 409 thousand tons of mineral substances (27.2 thousand tons of chlorides, 162 thousand tons of sulphates and over 200 thousand tons of organic substances) are supplied in the lake annually. The supply of substances of the anthropogenic origin is higher for the South Baikal than that for the North and Middle Baikal (the sum of mineral substances in 3.6 times; sulphates in 5 times, organic substances, including hydrocarbons in 7 times).The absence of abundant phytoplankton in the period studied when the ratio of silica to phosphorus is optimum (over 100), as well as a revers correlation between winter nitrogen content and spring of chlorophyll-a concentration in the Baikal water and revers dependence between the suspension and chlorophyll-a along the Selenga river valley lead to the conclusion that Baikal water contains toxicants. It is verified by the presence of polychlorbiphenyls (PCB), poly-chlordibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDD) and dibenzofurans (PCDF) for the whole food web with the maximum PCDD/PCDF (TEQ to 175 P g · g^-1) concentration in the seal blubber. The levels are comparable with those reported for ringed seal (phoca hispida), living in the Baltic sea and Bar-row Strait Inlet in the Canadian Arctic.     

Long-term variations of water quality of the Selenga and Kiran rivers at the Russian-Mongolian boundary

Principal-Component Method is used to identify the major factors governing the long-term variations of water chemistry in the transboundary rivers of Selenga and Kiran. Their preliminary interpretation was made. Water chemistry formation in both large (Selenga) and small (Kiran) rivers is shown to be mostly governed by natural-climatic factors. Thus, an increase in water abundance has a dual effect on water chemistry: on the one hand, water is enriched with substances increasingly entering it because of the more intense erosion and dissolution of solid rocks, and, on the other hand, the concentrations of chemicals of anthropogenic origin decrease because of their greater dilution. A conclusion was made regarding a relationship between a positive trend in water temperature and an increase in the concentration of chlorine ion in water. A preliminary estimate is given to the effect of municipal and industrial wastes, as well as surface and subsurface waters of various genesis on long-term variations of river water chemistry. Trends in changes in water chemistry were studied by using approximations of long-term series of the variables that determine the interpretation of principal factors with the help of a slow trend by “caterpillar” method.     

Dissolved organic carbon transport in the Qilian mountainous areas of China

The Dissolved Organic Carbon (DOC) content of rivers is the most significant part of the carbon cycle migration in the basin under consideration, and it is the basis for a comprehensive understanding of the regional carbon cycle. In this study, we periodically collected samples from four monitoring stations in the Xiying River Basin of the Qilian Mountains in the northern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. We calculated the fluxes of organic carbon in the rivers within the study area and have discussed the influencing factors of DOC concentration in these rivers. The results showed that: (a) The DOC concentration and transport flux of the Xiying river showed significant seasonal changes. The DOC concentration during summer and autumn was higher than that in winter and spring, and the output flux in summer and autumn accounted for approximately 88.3% of the total annual output. (b) Precipitation runoff has a higher DOC concentration than meltwater runoff. Climate factors, river-water chemical characteristics, and seasonal frozen-soil changes in the river basin have significant effects on the river DOC concentration and transport flux. (c) Larger runoff causes higher DOC concentrations in rivers. Runoff is the primary means of carbon migration in the inland river basin. Carbon migration is significant from the upstream to the middle and downstream sections of the inland river basin.     

Seasonal and Long-Term Variations in the Concentrations and Discharges of Biogenic Substances in the Razdolnaya River (Primorskii Krai)

Seasonal and long-term variations in the concentrations and discharge of dissolved nitrogen compounds and other biogenic substances by the Razdol'naya River runoff in the last 20 years are considered. The Razdol'naya River is one of the major rivers in the region, and its basin is subject to intense economic development. The natural and anthropogenic factors that affect variations in the concentrations of biogenic substances are characterized. The seasonal variations in the discharge of biogenic substances is shown to be controlled mostly by variations in water discharge.     

洪泽湖入湖河流沉积物有机磷分布特征及外源输入对其形态转化的影响

为探究洪泽湖入湖河流沉积物有机磷的空间分布及外源输入对其形态转化的影响,本文利用Ivanoff法开展有机磷形态特征研究,并通过实验室添加常见外源有机质和铁离子,深入探讨外源物质对沉积物有机磷形态变化的长期影响.研究结果表明,洪泽湖入湖河流沉积物有机磷含量范围为34.8～398.6 mg/kg,占总磷的7.7%～36.9%,其中非活性有机磷(NOP)>中活性有机磷(MLOP)>活性有机磷(LOP).濉河沉积物LOP平均占比为19.4%,高于其他河流,而成子河NOP平均占比最高,为56.41%,表明有机磷的空间分布不均匀.总体而言,安河和濉河沉积物中总氮、总磷和有机磷含量显著高于成子河和淮河,显示前两条河流有较高的污染水平.冗余分析表明河流沉积物有机磷形态明显受到其理化性质影响,而不同污染程度沉积物的影响因素有所不同.外源物质添加能够活化沉积物的有机磷,促使NOP向LOP和MLOP转化,有机质输入引起的沉积物有机磷形态变化要大于铁元素输入,而外源物质输入对污染较重河流沉积物的有机磷转化作用更为显著.因此,减少入湖河流周边的外源污染排放是减少湖泊生物可利用磷的有效途径.     

Pollution mechanisms in a Ramsar wetland: Delta of the River Evros,Greece

The pollution mechanisms affecting the protected wetland of the river Evros delta, were investigated during an one year survey (1992–1993). The eastern part of the wetland was mainly influenced by river transported pollution which is generated in the greater catchment basin of the river Evros, in Bulgaria, Turkey and Greece. In this part of the wetland, the highest concentrations of organic matter were found during summer, but nutrients concentrations increased during the early winter months. Nitrogen concentrations remained high throughout spring but SRP concentrations decreased considerably during the same period. In the western part of the wetland, the watercourses were mainly influenced by local activities (agriculture and animal breeding) but pollutant concentrations were lower than in the river stations. These preliminary results indicate that river transported pollution is the major factor for the quality degradation of the wetland's waters.     

Assessing possible changes in Selenga R. water regime in the XXI century based on a runoff formation model

The runoff of the Selenga R., the largest tributary of Lake Baikal, in recent two decades corresponds to a low-water period. Such decrease can be due to the global climate processes, which have an effect on the amounts of precipitation onto and evaporation from Selenga drainage basin, which is located in arid climate zone. The adaptation of Ecomag software complex to simulating river runoff in the Selenga Basin based on global databases (relief, soils, vegetation, and weather information) is described. The model was calibrated and verified, and the statistical estimates of calculation efficiency were constructed. The obtained model of runoff formation in the Selenga Basin was used to assess the possible changes in the climate and water regime in the XXI century with the use of data of global climate models under different scenarios of greenhouse gas emissions. Throughout the XXI century, the Selenga R. runoff may decrease by 10–40%, depending on the forecasted climate conditions.     

Assessment of Water Quality in the Elbe River at Flood Water Conditions Based on Cluster Analysis,Principle Components Analysis,and Source Apportionment

An assessment of water quality measurements during a spring flood in the Elbe River is presented. Daily samples were taken at a site in the middle Elbe, which is part of the network of the International Commission for the Protection of the Elbe River (IKSE/MKOL). Cluster analysis (CA), principal components analysis (PCA), and source apportionment (APCS apportioning) were used to assess the flood‐dependent matter transport. As a result, three main components could be extracted as important to the matter transport in the Elbe River basin during flood events: (i) re‐suspended contaminated sediments, which led to temporarily increased concentrations of suspended matter and of most of the investigated heavy metals; (ii) water discharge related concentrations of pedogenic dissolved organic matter (DOM) as well as preliminary diluted concentrations of uranium and chloride, parameters with stable pollution background in the river basin; and (iii) abandoned mines, i.e., their dewatering systems, with particular influence on nickel, manganese, and zinc concentrations.     

Simulated groundwater interaction with rivers and springs in the Heihe river basin

Surface water and groundwater in the Heihe river basin of China are interconnected and the pattern of water resources exploitation has a direct effect on the interaction of groundwater and surface water, especially on a downstream oasis. A three‐dimensional groundwater flow simulation model with eight model layers was established to simulate the regional groundwater flow in the multilayered aquifer system and the interaction among the rivers, springs, and groundwater. The model was calibrated not only with historical water levels but also with the investigated baseflow and spring flux. The simulation results of the numerical model match reasonably well with the observed groundwater levels, baseflow to rivers, and spring flux. The numerical simulation also demonstrates that the hydraulic connection between the river and the aquifers has transferred from the coupling to decoupling at some reaches. It is suggested that there is a vital need to reduce groundwater withdrawal and to rationalize the use of both groundwater and surface water in order to maintain sustainable development in the study area. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter in surface waters in Karelia

A relationship between indirect chemical indices of organic matter content of surface waters and light absorption in the visible and ultraviolet ranges is discussed. The allochthonous and autochthonous types of organic matter are found to essentially differ in the rate of light absorption. Techniques are proposed for the calculation of the concentrations of allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter by the integral rate of light consumption in the visible region and the bichromate oxidability of water, as well as by three indirect indices: chemical oxygen demand, permanganate oxidability, and water color index. The mean concentrations of allochthonous and autochthonous organic matter in large lakes (Ladoga, Onega, and Baikal) and in rivers and smaller water bodies in Karelia (>300 water objects) are analyzed. Allochthonous organic matter was found to predominate in most surface waters of Karelia (>80%), while allochthonous organic matter predominates only in lakes with a small specific catchment area (supposedly, <5) and in highly eutrophic lakes.     

Space-time variations of river water chemistry in RF southern Far East

Concentrations and seasonal variations of water chemistry, including dissolved and particulate forms of Fe, Mn, Zn, Cu, Pb, Cd, and Ni in rivers of Primorskii Krai are determined. It is shown that, unlike the macrocomposition, the effect of hydrological regime on the concentration of dissolved metal forms is controversial and depends on anthropogenic load, watershed landscapes, and pH variations. Elevated concentrations of dissolved metal forms are recorded in the beginning of spring flood and during low-water period. Beyond the limits of local impact of wastewater, the concentrations of dissolved forms of Cu, Zn, Ni, Pb, and Cd in river waters of the region insignificantly differ from the clearest rivers of the World.     

琵琶湖中浊度的季节变化

Seasonal variation of the turbidity (suspended substance) has been investigated in Lake Biwa. During the last five years, vertical and horizontal distributions of water temperature, turbidity, electric conductivity and chlorophyll-a have been obtained both in the south basin and the southern part of the north basin of Lake Biwa. The benthic nepheloid layer (BNL) developed in the seasons of thermal stratification, and is not detectable in the non-stratification period (winter). The BNL is mainly maintained by the organic matter such as phytoplankton under decomposition. However, the turbidity in the nepheloid layer was much affected by the turbid water from rivers after heavy rainfall. In this case, the major component of the suspended substance (SS) in the nepheloid layer was inorganic soil. The particulate P concentration, which is originated from phytoplankton, also increased after a rain fall. This suggests that phytoplankton in the surface layer sinks with clay and silt coming through rivers. From summer to the end of the stratification period, another kind of turbidity appeared in the bottom layer. This is caused by the chemical reaction of manganese under the anoxic condition. The resuspension of bottom sediment by strong currents also occurred, but it is not a major process for maintaining the BNL.     

Zinc in natural waters in the Selenga River basin

Concentrations of Zn in the surface (river and lake) and subsurface waters are assessed in the basin of the Selenga River—the main tributary into Lake Baikal. Specific geographical features are revealed in Zn distributions in natural waters, which are determined by different Zn concentrations in drained rocks and soils and by the geochemical redox conditions of Zn migration. Areas with low, medium, and relatively high Zn concentrations (as compared with their Clarke concentrations) are determined.