Physical conditions driving the spatial and temporal variability in aquatic metabolism of a subtropical coastal lake

We investigated the importance of meteorological and lake physical conditions for temporal, horizontal and vertical differences in the concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO) and water temperature, and the derived daily estimates of gross primary production (GPP), ecosystem respiration (R) and net ecosystem production (NEP). Our study was conducted in a subtropical and polymictic lake in Southern Brazil, during a spring–summer transition. Metabolic rates were determined from two sites using the open water oxygen technique. At the central deep site, oxygen sondes were deployed at three depths to assess patterns in vertical variability. During 10 days, an additional DO and temperature sonde was placed near the shoreline allowing us to compare metabolic differences in the surface layers between the central pelagic and littoral site. While GPP was similar, R was significantly higher at the shallower littoral site, causing NEP to be lower, although NEP was still positive. The littoral site had less diel changes in DO and higher daily variability in all metabolic rates. Variability in GPP and R at the littoral site was related to temperature, wind speed and rainfall suggesting that short-term variability in metabolic rates in shallow areas are sensitive to resuspension of sediments caused by a less stable water column. A clear vertical gradient was furthermore found for the metabolic rates at the central deep part of the lake, related to the light extinction, with highest GPP around 0.3 m and decreasing with depth, while respiration showed the inverse pattern. Below subsurface, respiration prevailed at 5.0 m depth and was uncoupled to primary production. Under conditions with high light and temperature, and low wind speeds, the mixing depth became shallower, in turn increasing the water column stability at the deep pelagic site, which resulted in higher mean light available and higher GPP in the water column. Our results confirm that deployment of sensors in different sites and depths allows for spatially, as well as temporally more representative estimates of lake metabolism.     

Modelling the spatial–temporal variability of spring snowmelt in an arctic catchment

Arctic spring landscapes are usually characterized by a mosaic of coexisting snow‐covered and bare ground patches. This phenomenon has major implications for hydrological processes, including meltwater production and runoff. Furthermore, as indicated by aircraft observations, it affects land‐surface–atmosphere exchanges, leading to a high degree of variability in surface energy terms during melt. The heterogeneity and related differences when certain parts of the landscape become snow free also affects the length of the growing season and the carbon cycle. Small‐scale variability in arctic snowmelt is addressed here by combining a spatially distributed end‐of‐winter snow cover with simulations of variable snowmelt energy balance factors for the small arctic catchment of Trail Valley Creek (63 km²). Throughout the winter, snow in arctic tundra basins is redistributed by frequent blowing snow events. Areas of above‐ or below‐average end‐of‐winter snow water equivalents were determined from land‐cover classifications, topography, land‐cover‐based snow surveys, and distributed surface wind‐field simulations. Topographic influences on major snowmelt energy balance factors (solar radiation and turbulent fluxes of sensible and latent heat) were modelled on a small‐scale (40 m) basis. A spatially variable complete snowmelt energy balance was subsequently computed and applied to the distributed snow cover, allowing the simulation of the progress of melt throughout the basin. The emerging patterns compared very well visually to snow cover observations from satellite images and aerial photographs. Results show the relative importance of variable end‐of‐winter snow cover, spatially distributed melt energy fluxes, and local advection processes for the development of a patchy snow cover. This illustrates that the consideration of these processes is crucial for an accurate determination of snow‐covered areas, as well as the location, timing, and amount of meltwater release from arctic catchments, and should, therefore, be included in hydrological models. Furthermore, the study shows the need for a subgrid parameterization of these factors in the land surface schemes of larger scale climate models. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal variability of flood seasonality in Wales

High‐magnitude floods across Europe within the last decade have resulted in the widespread reassessment of flood risk; this coupled with the introduction of the Water Framework Directive (2000) has increased the need for a detailed understanding of seasonal variability in flood magnitude and frequency. Mean day of flood (MDF) and flood seasonality were calculated for Wales using 30 years of gauged river‐flow records (1973–2002). Noticeable regional variations in timing and length of flood season are evident, with flooding occurring earlier in small catchments draining higher elevations in north and mid‐west Wales. Low‐altitude regions in West Wales exposed to westerly winds experience flooding during October–January, while large eastern draining catchments experience later flooding (January–February). In the northeast and mid‐east regions December–January months experience the greatest number of floods, while the southeast has a slightly longer flood season (December–February), with a noticeable increase in January floods. Patterns obtained from MDF data demonstrate their effectiveness and use in analysing regional patterns in flood seasonality, but catchment‐specific determinants, e.g. catchment wetness, size and precipitation regime are important factors in flood seasonality. Relatively strong correlations between precipitation and flood activity are evident in Wales, with a poorer relationship between flooding and weather types and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO). Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal variability of water table dynamics in an afforested catchment of the Central Spanish Pyrenees

Human-induced afforestation has been one of the main policies for environmental management of farmland abandonment in Mediterranean areas. Over the last decades, several studies have reviewed the impact of afforestation activities on geomorphological and hydrological responses and soil properties, although few studies have evaluated the effects on water table dynamics. In parallel to human-induced afforestation activities, natural revegetation occurred in abandoned fields and in fields where the intensity of human activity declined, driving the expansion of shrubs. This research addresses the spatial and temporal variability of water table dynamics in a small afforested sub-catchment located in the Central Spanish Pyrenees. Differences between afforestation (Pinus nigra and Pinus sylvestris) and natural plant colonization (shrubs, mainly Genista scorpius, Buxus sempervirens, and Juniperus communis) and early abandoned meadows (G. scorpius), are analysed in terms of runoff generation and seasonal water table depth dynamics. Precipitation, runoff and water table datasets recorded for the 2014–2019 period are used. Results show a high temporal and spatial variability with large fluctuations in discharge and water table. Groundwater dynamics varied markedly over the year, identifying a wet and dry period with different responses suggesting different runoff generation processes (Hortonian flow during dry and wet periods, and saturation excess runoff during wet conditions). Furthermore, important differences are noted among the various land cover types: (i) in the natural revegetation area (shrubland and meadows) a marked seasonal cycle was observed with short saturation periods during winter and spring; and (ii) in the afforestation areas, the water table dynamics showed a seasonal cycle with a high variability, with fast responses and rapid oscillations. Likewise, the relationship between the depth of water table and hydrological variables was not straightforward, suggesting complex hydrological behaviour.     

Response of Bosmina to climate variability and reduced nutrient loading in a large lake

The long-term dynamics of the cladoceran Bosmina spp. were analysed in Lake Constance during the study period 1979-1998. During this period the lake ecosystem has been influenced strongly by changes in nutrient inflow (oligotrophication) and by climate variability associated with the North Atlantic Oscillation. Bosmina abundances declined strongly during the study period presumably as an indirect consequence of the reduced P loading of the lake. A detailed seasonally resolved analysis of Bosmina dynamics revealed that its abundance decline occurred throughout the year with the exception of the spring period. The lack of a population decline during spring may be attributed to the seasonal absence of the factor, e.g., food limitation and/or predation control by invertebrates causing the population decline. Additionally, climate variability had its strongest influence on Bosmina dynamics during spring and large climate-associated variability of Bosmina may have decreased the power to detect a significant reduction in spring Bosmina abundances with oligotrophication. However, when we account for the confounding influence of climate variability, the effects of oligotrophication are revealed more clearly also during the spring period. Likewise, the detectability of the influence of climate variability on spring Bosmina dynamics increases when accounting for the reduction of abundances in the course of oligotrophication.     

Interactions between groundwater seepage and sediment porewater sulphate concentration profiles in lake anna,Virginia

Most sulphur diagenesis models predict that SO₄^2- concentrations decrease exponentially with increasing sediment depth and are lower than that of the overlying water throughout the sediments. Low SO₄^2- concentrations (less than 0.2 mM) are common in the sediments of Lake Anna that receive acid mine drainage; however, sediment with as much as 20 mM SO₄^2- at about 20cm below the sediment surface is also seen in this section of the lake. A decision tree was proposed to investigate the cause of the high SO₄^2- concentrations at depth (HSD) in the sediment. The first possibility proposed was that an increase in the quantity of groundwater flowing through Lake Anna sediments may increase groundwater advection of SO₄^2- or oxygen which would induce sulphide oxidation. This hypothesis was tested by measuring groundwater flow. HSD profiles were found in a discrete region of the lake; however, stations having these profiles did not have higher groundwater flow than other sites sampled. Alternate explanations for the HSD profiles were that the region in which they occurred had: (1) unusual sediment chemical compositions; (2) a different source of regional groundwater, or (3) a lateral intrusion of high SO₄^2- groundwater. There were no differences in sulphide and organic matter concentrations between the two regions. The area which has HSD in the sediment covers a large area in the middle of the lake, so it is unlikely that it has a unique source of regional groundwater. The third alternative was supported by the fact that in all three sample years, HSD stations were located in the preimpoundment stream channel, which is a likely lateral flow path for groundwater containing high SO₄^2- concentrations.     

Use of magnetic and radiometric measurements to investigate erosion and sedimentation in a British upland catchment

In response to the potential shortcomings of single-technique strategies in the investigation of erosion and sedimentation, a combined magnetic and radiometric (¹³Cs and ²¹⁰Pb) approach has been undertaken in the upland, watershed-lake system of Howden Reservoir, Derbyshire. By combining these techniques, some assessment of sediment sources and the erosion status of the catchment has been achieved. Alone, each approach would have been unable to determine unequivocally sediment provenance. Furthermore, the parallel use of these measurements has highlighted limitations and/or uncertainties in both the magnetic and ¹³⁷Cs techniques. These problems reflect the particular soil characteristics and drainage conditions of this upland catchment. Despite the documented severity of peat erosion in the region, Howden Reservoir has a mixture of sediment sources and a relatively moderate rate of sedimentation. Sediment yields (total 127·7 t km^?2 yr^?1 including organic fraction 31·3 t km^?2 yr^?1) are, however, higher than in other British upland areas.     

Measuring water velocity in highly turbulent flows: field tests of an electromagnetic current meter (ECM) and an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV)

Two field tests were completed to compare the performance of an electromagnetic current meter (ECM) with that of an acoustic Doppler velocimeter (ADV) in gravel‐bed rivers. Research was particularly motivated by the need to measure flow properties in highly energetic turbulent flows. Measurements were made at two field sites, one at moderate velocities (up to 70 cm/s) and with moderate turbulence intensities (10–20% of mean flow), and the other in an area of non‐uniform flow that included locations with fast mean velocities (up to 1.75 m/s) and high turbulent intensities (up to 50% of mean flow). Comparison of means, standard deviations, turbulent kinetic energy and Reynolds shear stress confirm the general agreement between the ECMs and ADVs. The general agreement is subject to limitations associated with the sample volume and frequency response of the instruments, and only applies within restricted velocity (up to ≈1.25 m/s) and turbulence intensity ranges (up to ≈0·125 m/s). At higher turbulence intensities, spectral analysis showed anomalous behavior of the ADV signal, especially in the vertical velocity component. Quadrant analysis of the Reynolds stress suggests that these problems occur predominantly in quadrants 1 and 3. Errors in ADV measurements were estimated using four different methods: one that utilized the characteristic noise floor in spectral plots, one based on internal ADV measurements of signal correlation and two techniques that aggregate errors related to various sub‐factors. Estimates were divergent at high flows. Techniques that rely on sub‐factors appeared to underestimate the impact of high turbulence on signal quality. The key conclusion for future field applications is that the older ECM technology provides the more reliable estimates of flow parameters in high turbulence. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal variability of groundwater quality of an Algerian aquifer: the case of Soummam Wadi

ABSTRACT

Five-year monitoring of physicochemical parameters was performed with two campaigns in low and high water periods of the Lower Soummam catchment. Data from 18 wells were processed by multivariate statistical tools in order to identify the principal factors influencing groundwater chemistry. Two matrices of 14 and 8 physicochemical parameters with 18 groundwater samples collected in wells were obtained. The correlation matrix showed strong associations between nine variables: K⁺, Ca²⁺, Na⁺, SO₄^2?, Cl^?, Mg²⁺, NO₂^?, Zn²⁺ and Sr²⁺. Principal component analysis and factor analysis showed that the cumulated variance of high and low water periods was of 83.19% and 78.55%, respectively. The variables assigned to the mineralization effect or to pollution indicators were presented by the factor analysis. The bivariate plots confirmed a mineralization model, ascribed to dissolution of geological materials, and to high levels of saline contamination attributed to leakages from sanitary systems. They also showed an increase “upstream to downstream” of the mineralization, visualization of temporal variations, and a dilution process identification of the natural mineralization during the recharge of the aquifer.

EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis; ASSOCIATE EDITOR X. Chen     

Biogeochemistry of iron in an acidic lake

In this paper, the fate of iron in Lake Cristallina, an acidic lake in the Alps of Switzerland, is discussed. A simple conceptual model is developed in order to explain the observed diel variation in dissolved iron(II) concentration. Biotite weathering provides reduced iron that is oxidized and subsequently precipitated in the lake. The amorphous Fe(III)hydroxide (FeOOH xH₂O), found in the sediments of Lake Cristallina, is an Fe(II) oxidation product. This oxygenation reaction is most probably catalyzed by bacteria surfaces, as indicated by the relatively high estimated oxidation rate compared to the oxidation rate of the homogeneous oxidation of inorganic Fe(II) species at the ambient pH of Lake Cristallina (pH 5.4 at 4 °C) and by the scanning electron micrograph pictures. Under the influence of light, these amorphous iron(III)hydroxide phases are reductively dissolved. The net concentration of Fe(II) reflects the balance of the reductive dissolution and the oxidation/precipitation reactions and tends to parallel the light intensity, leading to a diurnal variation in the Fe(II) concentration. The rate of the photochemical reductive dissolution of Lake Cristallina iron(III)hydroxides is greatly enhanced in situ and in the laboratory by addition of oxalate to the lake water.     

Overland flow generation in chaparral ecosystems: temporal and spatial variability

Fire is an important and natural process in the lifecycle of chaparral systems, removing old growth and recycling nutrients. Recent catastrophic wildfires in southern California chaparral have heightened concerns about increased runoff and nutrient export. The goal of this study was to improve understanding of how overland flow is generated in unburned and post‐fire chaparral watersheds. Samples of overland flow were collected from burned and unburned watersheds after rainfall events and multiple regression analysis was used to examine the influence of individual storm characteristics and system moisture on overland flow volume. The results indicate that variation in overland flow generation in the unburned watershed is best explained by storm size, while overland flow in the burned watershed was positively related to storm size and time between storms. These findings suggest that the burned system had decreased infiltration rates and increased soil water repellency. In contrast, there is a statistically significant negative relationship between overland flow 1 year after a fire against different system and precipitation factors revealed a negative correlation with drying period and a positive relationship with rainfall intensity, a combination that suggests reduced repellency. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spatial and temporal variability of biogenic substances in the Oskol River water

Based on the data of long-term in-situ observations of biogenic substances, their background values are established and the degree of the Oskol River water contamination is assessed. Factors affecting the development of cutrophication processes are analyzed. Substances affecting phytoplankton development are determined.     

A discrete Bayesian network to investigate suspended sediment concentrations in an Alpine proglacial zone

In this study, a Bayesian Network (BN) is used to model the suspended sediment concentrations (SSC) in the catchments of the glaciers Noir and Blanc in the Ecrins National Park, France, and at the distal end of the proglacial zone into which both torrents drain. Relationships between air temperature, glacier discharge and SSC are represented as random variables; thereby taking the natural next step from proposed modified rating curve methods which increasingly approximate random variable approaches. Hydrological relationships are propagated through the network via conditional probability distributions computed from 980 field records obtained at three monitoring sites during July 2005. Rainfall affected data are removed from the modelling process. A two‐sample Kolmogorov–Smirnov goodness‐of‐fit (two‐sample KS) test (n = 5) shows good agreement between the probability distributions of SSC predicted by the BN, and those recorded in the field at the outflow of the proglacial zone over an air temperature range of 5–25 °C. The BN performs poorly for air temperatures between 25 and 30 °C and this is attributed to limited field records covering this temperature range. Discussion of the significant limitations surrounding the widespread application of BNs in hydrological modelling are offered with a focus on data volume and temporal limitations. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The application of an indirect electromagnetic geothermometer to temperature extrapolation in depth

We study the feasibility of the application of an indirect EM geothermometer, developed recently, to the temperature extrapolation in depth using magnetotelluric data collected in the seismically active northern Tien Shan faulted area (Bishkek Geodynamic Test Site, Kyrgyzstan) and Hengill geothermal zone (Iceland). The approach used is based on the artificial neural network technique, which does not imply the prior knowledge of the electrical conductivity mechanisms on the one hand and provides temperature estimates based on the analysis of the implicit conductivity-temperature relations, on the other.
The samples for neuronet teaching consisted in the well temperature records and electrical conductivity values determined for the same depths from the magnetotelluric data measured in the vicinities of eight boreholes in each testing area. The testing of the taught neuronets was carried out using the temperature records not involved in the teaching process. The results indicate that the temperature extrapolation accuracy essentially depends on the ratio between the well length and the extrapolation depth. In particular, in extrapolation to a depth twice as large as the well depth the relative error is 5–6% and in case of threefold excess, the error is around 20%. This result makes it possible to increase significantly the depth of indirect temperature estimation in the Earth's interior (in particular, for geothermal exploration) based on the available temperature logs.
The practical application of an indirect electromagnetic geothermometer could provide the following facilities: 1) more exact temperature estimation in the extrapolation mode; 2) remote temperature estimates in the boreholes in areas characterized by extreme conditions for conventional geothermometers.     

Motion of water in an ice-covered shallow lake

The results of analysis of data collected by direct measurements of currents in shallow Vendyurskoe Lake in winter are given. The horizontal motions of water in the lake are shown to exist throughout the freeze up period. Dominating frequencies are identified in variations in water motion with periods close to those of the longitudinal and transverse seiches of the lake. Experiments are used to show that oscillatory motions of ice can serve a source of energy for the development of water mass movement in ice-covered lakes. Wind is shown to be the most likely factor generating oscillatory motions of water in ice-covered lakes. It is shown that the velocities of residual currents existing in a lake decrease in winter and their maximum values occur above the deepwater part of the lake within the first and second months of freeze-up.     

数字化地震仪停记自动检测报警的实现方法

介绍了一种用软件方法实现数字化地震仪停记自检报警的编程思路、软件功能和操作步骤，以及相应的硬件配套设备，该软件能在数字化地震仪停记后20秒钟之内报警。