Future variability of droughts in three Mediterranean catchments

This study investigates the intensity change in typhoons and storm surges surrounding the Korean Peninsula under global warming conditions as obtained from the MPI_ECHAM5 climate model using the A1B series. The authors use the Cyclostationary Empirical Orthogonal Function to estimate future background fields for typhoon simulations from twenty-first-century prediction results. A series of numerical experiments applies WRF (Weather Research and Forecasting) and POM (Prinston Ocean Model) models to simulate two historical typhoons, Maemi (2003) and Rusa (2002), and associated storm surges under real historical and future warming conditions. Applying numerical experiments to two typhoons, this study found that their central pressure dropped about 19 and 17 hPa, respectively, when considering the future sea surface temperature (a warming of 3.9 °C for 100 years) over the East China Sea (Exp. 1). The associated enhancement of storm surge height ranged from 16 to 67 cm along the southern coast of the Korean Peninsula. However, when the study considered global warming conditions for other atmospheric variables such as sea-level pressure, air temperature, relative humidity, geopotential height, and wind in the typhoon simulations (Exp. 2), the intensities of the two typhoons and their associated surge heights scarcely increased compared to the results of Exp. 1. Analyzing projected atmospheric variables, the authors found that air temperatures at the top of the storm around 200 hPa increased more than those at the surface in tropical and mid-latitudes. The reduced vertical temperature difference provided an unfavorable condition in the typhoon’s development even under conditions of global warming. This suggests that global warming may not always correlate with a large increase in the number of intense cyclones and/or an increase in associated storm surges.     

Petrogenesis of contrasting granitoid plutons in western Bohemia (Czech Republic)

Summary Late-Variscan granitoid plutons in western Bohemia (Bor, Waidhaus-Rozvadov) have distinct petrographic, geochemical and isotopic features that suggest different magmatic evolutions. The Bor pluton comprises a suite of metaluminous tonalites and quartz diorites (Bor I), weakly peraluminous (monzo-)granites and granodiorites (Bor II) and medium-aluminous, late vein-forming leucomonzogranites (Bor III). The Waidhaus-Rozvadov pluton is strongly peraluminous, comprising a cordierite-biotite granitoid (CBG), the Rozvadov granite (ROG), the Bärnau granite (BÄG) and the subordinate, highly evolved Kreuzstein (Kíový kámen) granite (KG). Geochemical parameters and initial⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios straddle the boundary between I- and S-type granites in the Bor pluton and are characteristic of purely S-type granites in the Waidhaus-Rozvadov pluton.The Bor II granitoids have been dated by the Rb-Sr whole-rock method at 341±17 Ma (I_Sr = 0.70724±0.00060). K-Ar biotite and muscovite ages of all units of the Bor pluton are mainly in the range 321-315 Ma. The K-Ar mineral ages are in good agreement with recently published U-Pb zircon data of these rocks. The different units of the Waidhaus-Rozvadov pluton have yielded less well-constrained Rb-Sr whole-rock ages, ranging from 313 to 300 Ma. However, the intrusion sequence is constrained by K-Ar muscovite ages (312-302 Ma), which define a systematic decrease towards the chemically more evolved granite types. Taken as a whole, it seems likely that the new radiometric ages characterize two temporally distinct periods of late-Variscan granitoid intrusion. The regional significance of these periods is emphasized by contemporaneous ages previously found in the adjacent northeastern Bavarian granitoids.The initial Sr and Nd isotope systematics indicate that the Bor and the WaidhausRozvadov plutons were derived from different source rocks. The Bor granitoids reflect the influence of less evolved crustal material which may have been similar to paragneisses of the Teplá-Barrandian region, including the Zone of ErbendorfVohenstrauß (ZEV). The Waidhaus-Rozvadov granitoids probably resulted from anatexis of rocks resembling surrounding Moldanubian paragneisses or metapelites. In addition, the two plutons exhibit poorly defined, opposite trends of Nd_(T) variation which are ascribed to assimilation processes.

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Petrogenese kontrastierender Granitplutone in Westböhmen (Tschechien)

Zusammenfassung Spätvariscische Granitplutone in Westböhmen (Bor, Waidhaus-Rozvadov) weisen petrographische, geochemische und isotopische Kontraste auf, die unterschiedliche magmatische Entwicklungen nahelegen. Der Bor Pluton umfaßt metalumine Tonalite und Quarzdiorite (Bor I), schwach peralumine (Monzo-)granite und Granodiorite (Bor II) und mäßig alumine, gangbildende Leukomonzogranite (Bor III). Der WaidhausRozvadov Pluton besitzt stark peralumine Zusammensetzung und läßt sich in einen Cordierit-Biotit Granitoid (CBG), den Rozvadov Granit (ROG), den Bärnau Granit (BÄG) und den stofflich hochentwickelten Kreuzstein (Kíový kámen) Granit (KG) untergliedern. Geochemische Parameter und initiale⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr-Verhältnisse liegen im Falle des Bor Plutons im Übergangsbereich zwischen I- und S-Typ Graniten und im Falle des Waidhaus-Rozvadov Plutons im Bereich reiner S-Typ Granite.Die Bor II Granitoide wurden nach der Rb-Sr Gesamtgesteinsmethode auf 341±17 Ma (I_Sr = 0.70724±0.00060) datiert. K-Ar Biotit- und Muskovitalter der Bor Granitoide liegen zwischen 321 and 315 Ma. Die K-Ar Mineralalter stehen im Einklang mit den kürzlich publizierten U-Pb Zirkondaten dieser Gesteine. Die verschiedenen Teilintrusionen des Waidhaus-Rozvadov Plutons liefern weniger gut definierte Rb-Sr Gesamtgesteinsalter zwischen 313 and 300 Ma. Die Intrusionsabfolge läßt sich dennoch durch K-Ar Muskovitalter festlegen (312-302 Ma), die eine systematische Abnahme von den weniger zu den starker entwickelten Granittypen aufweisen. Als Ganzes betrachtet dokumentieren die neuen radiometrischen Daten zwei zeitlich voneinander getrennte spdtvariscische Intrusionsereignisse. Die regionale Signifikanz dieser Ereignisse wird durch eine analoge Altersverteilung in den benachbarten nordostbayerischen Granitoiden untermauert.Anhand der initialen Sr und Nd Isotopensystematik können für die Bor und Waidhaus-Rozvadov Plutone unterschiedliche Quellen abgeleitet werden. Die Bor Granitoide spiegeln den Einfluß von gering entwickelten krustalen Material wider, das ähnliche stoffliche Eigenschaften besaß, wie Paragneise des Teplá-Barrandiums und der Zone von Erbendorf-Vohenstrauss (ZEV). Die Waidhaus-Rozvadov Granitoide lassen sich als Derivate moldanubischer Paragneise and Metapelite oder vergleichbarer Gesteine auffassen. Die zwei Plutone weisen schwach ausgeprägte gegensätzliche Nd_(T)-Variationen auf, was auf unterschiedliche Assimilationsprozesse zurückgeführt wird.

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With 10 Figures     

Tachylyte in Cenozoic basaltic lavas from the Czech Republic and Iceland: contrasting compositional trends

Mineralogy and Petrology - Tachylytes from rift-related volcanic rocks were recognized as: (i) irregular veinlets in host alkaline lava flows of the Kozákov volcano, Czech Republic, (ii)...     

Analysis of fundamental physical factors influencing channel bank erosion: results for contrasting catchments in England and Wales

Channel bank erosion processes are controlled by numerous factors and as such are both temporally and spatially variable. The significance of channel bank erosion to the sediment budget is difficult to quantify without extensive fieldwork/data analysis. In this study, the importance of key physical factors controlling channel bank erosion, including channel slope, upstream catchment area, channel confinement, and sinuosity, was explored using regression analysis. The resulting analysis can be used in practical studies to provide a first approximation of bank erosion rates (in catchments similar to those investigated). A data set of channel bank erosion rates covering eight contrasting river catchments across England and Wales, over a time period of up to 150 years, was created using a modified GIS methodology. The best predictors were found to be upstream area, channel confinement, and sinuosity with respect to dimensionless width-averaged retreat rates (m m^?1 yr^?1). Notwithstanding these relationships, the results highlight the variability of the magnitude of sediment production by channel bank erosion both within and between catchments.     

A combined statistical approach for evaluation of the effects of land use,agricultural and urban activities on stream water chemistry in small tile-drained catchments of south Bohemia,Czech Republic

This work evaluates the changes of nitrate-nitrogen (NO₃-N), ammonium-nitrogen (NH₄-N), total phosphorus (P) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) concentrations in stream waters as related to the land use/land cover (LULC) alterations within eight small (5–39 km²) tile-drained catchments in the southern part of The Czech Republic in the period 1993–2010, when massive grassing of arable land took place. The robust tools of seasonal Mann–Kendall trend test and LOcally WEighted Scatterplot Smoothing methods were employed to reveal trends of the monitored parameters with adjustment to hydrology. Using principal component analysis and multiple regressions, statistically significant factors with highest impacts on the assessed water quality parameters were identified. Besides indicators of LULC changes in the catchments and their various zones, information of built tile drainage systems were used along with factors reflecting point pollution sources such as the population number, sewerage type and proximity to a watercourse, effectiveness of wastewater treatment, and number of livestock units. The change in LULC was essential only for NO₃-N concentrations, when grassing of arable land, presence of water ponds, areas of permanent cultures and also areas of drained land explained up to 90.6 % NO₃-N variability and nitrate-nitrogen concentrations showed a significantly decreasing trend in all monitored catchments during the evaluated period. LULC changes within infiltration vulnerable zones were discovered as less important for the assessed water quality parameters compared to LULC changes in the whole catchment area. However, for NH₄-N, P and COD, the results did not enable a definite quantification of the effects of LULC changes. The influence of non-point pollution sources on these parameters was revealed as uncertain and was heavily overshadowed by point sources, in particular by wastewater management, and livestock numbers, although the proportion of arable land in tile drainage subcatchments was discovered fundamental in case of the COD. The increasing numbers of livestock, population, and changes in sewage treatment led in some catchments to significant worsening of water quality. Achieved findings may be critical for supporting water quality policy and management decisions.     

Exploration of empirical relationship between surface soil temperature and surface soil moisture over two catchments of contrasting climates and land covers

Soil moisture plays a very important role in hydrological processes. It has been found in many studies that the surface soil moisture (SSM) is highly related to the diurnal change of the surface soil temperature (?SST) at the same soil depth. However, some studies contradict this common belief with findings of a much stronger correlation between the SSM and the SST. In order to investigate this further, we have carried out for the first time a comparative assessment of the in-situ measured SST and ΔSST for SSM estimations, over two catchments with contrasting climate types and land uses (i.e. one in the UK and the other in Australia). In both catchments, the time point for the highest relationship between the SST and the SSM is explored. As a result, it is found the SST is more suitable to monitor the variability of the SSM than the ΔSST in both catchments. Moreover the proposed seasonal-based classification method further improves the SSM simulation results in both catchments, with a superior performance observed in the UK catchment (NSE = 0.900 and RMSE = 0.030). In the Australian catchment, a relatively weaker correlation is observed and some potential reasons are explained. The potential applications of the findings for remote sensing soil moisture retrievals are also discussed.     

Evaluation of High-Frequency Mean Streamwater Transit-Time Estimates Using Groundwater Age and Dissolved Silica Concentrations in a Small Forested Watershed

Many previous investigations of mean streamwater transit times (MTT) have been limited by an inability to quantify the MTT dynamics. Here, we draw on (1) a linear relation (r ² = 0.97) between groundwater ³H/³He ages and dissolved silica (Si) concentrations, combined with (2) predicted streamwater Si concentrations from a multiple-regression relation (R ² = 0.87) to estimate MTT at 5-min intervals for a 23-year time series of streamflow [water year (WY) 1986 through 2008] at the Panola Mountain Research Watershed, Georgia. The time-based average MTT derived from the 5-min data was ~8.4 ± 2.9 years and the volume-weighted (VW) MTT was ~4.7 years for the study period, reflecting the importance of younger runoff water during high flow. The 5-min MTTs are normally distributed and ranged from 0 to 15 years. Monthly VW MTTs averaged 7.0 ± 3.3 years and ranged from 4 to 6 years during winter and 8–10 years during summer. The annual VW MTTs averaged 5.6 ± 2.0 years and ranged from ~5 years during wet years (2003 and 2005) to >10 years during dry years (2002 and 2008). Stormflows are composed of much younger water than baseflows, and although stormflow only occurs ~17 % of the time, this runoff fraction contributed 39 % of the runoff during the 23-year study period. Combining the 23-year VW MTT (including stormflow) with the annual average baseflow for the period (~212 mm) indicates that active groundwater storage is ~1,000 mm. However, the groundwater storage ranged from 1,040 to 1,950 mm using WY baseflow and WY VW MTT. The approach described herein may be applicable to other watersheds underlain by granitoid bedrock, where weathering is the dominant control on Si concentrations in soils, groundwater, and streamwater.     

Alkali feldspars as a main phosphorus reservoirs in rare-metal granites: three examples from the Bohemian Massif (Czech Republic)

Phosphorus-rich alkali feldspars were found in three peraluminous highly differentiated albite-topaz-Li-mica granites in the W and S parts of the Bohemian Massif. The average contents of P₂O₅ in K-feldspars (Křížovy kámen 0.57 wt%, Homolka 0.77 wt%, and Podlesí 0.83 wt%) are higher than the average contents of P₂O₅ in albites (Křížovy kámen 0.23 wt%, Homolka 0.23 wt%, and Podlesí 0.39 wt%). The analyses of feldspars indicate that partition coefficient of phosphorus between K-feldspar and albite range from 1.5 to 2.5. Measured data in K-feldspars suggest a statistically significant difference from the Al³⁺+P⁵⁺=2 Si⁴⁺ substitution mechanism for higher phosphorus concentration. The P-content in K-feldspars from the Podlesí-granite represent the highest P-content in natural feldspar known to date (up to 2.5 wt% of P₂O₅)- It is suggested that all studied granites retained nearly all phosphorus of granitic melts and that their alkali feldspars represent major reservoirs of phosphorus.     

The influence of the limestone-quarry Čertovy schody (Czech Republic) on the precipitation chemistry and atmospheric deposition

Atmospheric precipitation samples were collected in the Bohemian Karst (30 km SW from Prague, Czech Republic) at six localities in the vicinity of the limestone-quarry Čertovy schody during years 1996–2003. Samples were analyzed for major components (Na⁺, K⁺, Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, F⁻, Cl⁻, NO₃⁻, HCO₃⁻, SO₄²⁻) and trace metals (Cu, Mn, Fe, Zn, Pb, Be, As, Sr, Cd, Al, Cr). Deposition fluxes were calculated from more than 10 000 elemental analyses of samples collected monthly. The fluxes of monitored substances show temporal and spatial variability. The most marked attribute is the strong affection by local emission sources confirmed by the investigation of seasonal variability, temporal trend and correlation analysis.     

Local perceptions about forests and water in two tropical catchments

This study was performed to assess how local inhabitants in two tropical watersheds value forests and perceive both forests and their own capacity to influence the hydrological cycle. Both service and productivity functions were strongly valued, particularly forests' rain-bringing capacity. The view that forests are directly responsible for increased precipitation was especially strong in low rainfall areas. Forests were also seen as important for their ability to retain soil water. The human activity most often mentioned as affecting water availability was tree planting while water conservation structures were not seen as detrimentally affecting others. Water was pictured very strongly as being part of a cycle so that which is used by humans or trees is not considered lost but only displaced to return again as rain. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Factors responsible for high arsenic concentrations in two groundwater catchments in Taiwan

High As contents in groundwater were found in two neighboring catchments – the Chianan plain and the southern Choushui river alluvial fan in Taiwan. The groundwater quality, the redox potential and the As distribution of the Chianan plain were characterized using factor analysis, redox zoning and a geochemical program. The results were compared with those of the southern Choushui river alluvial fan. Possible As release mechanisms are also elucidated. Factors 1 and 2 of the groundwater in the Chianan plain – the salinization factor and the As enrichment factor – are similar to those in the southern Choushui river alluvial fan. However, the spatial distribution of reductive tendency in the Chianan plain is different to that in the Choushui river alluvial fan, and yields spatially distinct hydrogeochemical environments in these two neighboring areas. The reduction potential in the Chianan plain is stronger than that in the Choushui river alluvial fan. The difference between the reduction potentials in these two vicinal areas influences the concentrations of As in groundwater. The reductive dissolution of As-rich Fe oxyhydroxide is suggested to be the major mechanism for release of As to the groundwater in the Chianan plain and the Choushui river alluvial fan of Taiwan.     

Using streamflow characteristics to explore permafrost thawing in northern Swedish catchments

The recent and rapid warming of the Arctic leads to thawing of permafrost, which influences and changes subsurface water-flow systems in such landscapes. This study explores the utility of catchments as “sentinels of change” by considering long-term discharge data from 17 stations on unregulated rivers in northern Sweden and analyzing trends in annual minimum discharge and recession flow characteristics. For the catchments considered, the annual minimum discharge has increased significantly (based on the Mann Kendall test at a 95 % confidence level) in nine of the catchments and decreased significantly in one catchment. Considering changes in recession-flow characteristics, seven catchments showed significant trends consistent with permafrost thawing while two catchments showed significant trends in the opposite direction. These results are mechanistically consistent with generic physically based modeling studies and the geological setting, as the catchments considered span the spatial limit of permafrost extent. This study illuminates the potential for using hydrologic observations to monitor changes in catchment-scale permafrost. Further, this opens the door for research to isolate the mechanisms behind the different trends observed and to gauge their ability to reflect actual permafrost conditions at the catchment scale.     

Analysis of low-flow characteristics for catchments in Dongjiang Basin, China

Low-flow indices have been determined from long-term daily streamflow data for 13 catchments in Dongjiang Basin in southern China. The Brutsaert-Nieber method was applied to estimate catchment-scale effective groundwater parameters; representative values were 4.5?×?10^?4 m² s^?1 for the hydraulic diffusivity; 3.19?×?10^?5 m² s^?1/2 for the hydraulic desorptivity; 2.27?×?10^?4 m s^?1 for the hydraulic conductivity; and 0.2617 for the drainable porosity. The response constants correlate well with the total stream length and catchment area. Solutions of the linearised Boussinesq equation were used to guide the development of regional multivariate regression models for estimating low-flow indices from the catchment-scale effective parameters. Results showed that these catchments exhibit similar low-flow characteristics. The 7-day lowest average streamflows with return periods of 10 and 2 years (7Q10 and 7Q2) are highly correlated with the catchment-scale response constants. The low-flow ratio Q95/Q50 (ratio of daily streamflow exceeded 95 and 50% of the time, respectively) varied between 0.3 and 0.5, indicating a high proportion of groundwater in the streamflow. The advantage of the regional regression model is its conceptual basis and use of the catchment-scale effective parameters. The method has the potential to be applied to ungauged catchments for estimating low-flow statistics from stream length and catchment area.     

Estimating flood exposure potentials in Turkish catchments through index-based flood mapping

Flooding is widely believed to be the most common natural disaster in Europe, and the changing climatic conditions are estimated to increase its adverse impacts. Effective flood strategies require thorough consideration of the factors underlying the flood generation mechanism and a widened display of mitigation priorities for spatially exhaustive assessments. Flood potential maps generated herein for indicating potential flood areas prove to be among powerful tools for comprehensive flood assessments. In the presented study, a countrywide characterization is achieved in this context by analyzing catchment units, which constitute the river basin systems in Turkey, through a series of spatial indices adapted from different factors effective in flood generation. The study aims to contribute to depicting priorities for in-depth flood assessments and to the re-orientation of subsequent control measures. The flood potential maps obtained for river catchments and designating individual locations with comparably higher flood potentials are expected to set light to the selection of case studies for local flood research in Turkey while contributing to decision making and policy implementation on flood control at the macroscale.     

The relationship between runoff and ground temperature in glacierized catchments in China

A single parameter index method, in which ground temperature and air temperature is the sole input variable, respectively, is used to evaluate and compare the glacial runoff in three typical glacier catchments, Dongkemadi glacier catchment in Tibetan plateau, Koxkar glacier catchment and the headwater catchment of Urumqi River catchment in Tianshan Mountains in West China. The method based on ground temperature is an attempt to evaluate glacier runoff in elevated terrains, as few studies have focused specifically on the association between glacier runoff and ground temperature. The results identify ground temperature versus a certain depth, which is a critical factor that affected glacier hydrological processes and showed that runoff data is much better correlated with ground temperature than air temperature. Especially, at the latter two catchments, the largest coefficients of exponential relationship R ² between glacier runoff and ground temperature are 0.9 and 0.83, respectively. The accuracy of the method makes it possible to estimate the glacier runoff with a certain depth ground temperature at a certain site, which may provide a new approach to evaluate the glacier runoff for areas where there is a lack of observation data.     

Acid rain in China-Input-output budgets of major ions in four forested catchments

Acid rain is one of China＇s major environmental problems and emissions of sulphur and nitrogen are still increasing. The acid rain situation in China is somewhat different from what is seen in Europe and North America. Sulfur deposition is very high, but there is also very high deposition of calcium and other base cations. The sources of atmospheric Ca are not well understood, although it is important for understanding long term impacts of acid deposition. The fate of S, N and Ca^2＋ in the catchment is crucial for the future development of the acidification situation of soils and waters in China. Very few studies presenting catchment input-output ion budgets in Chinese natural environments exist and there are several unknown factors regarding processes. Here, we present annual input-output budgets for three years （2001-2003） for major ions for four forested catchments in China receiving different loads of acid deposition. For the two sites receiving the highest SO4^2- inputs, the input-output budget for the upper 50 cm of soil is approximately balanced. For the most remote site the soil is a net sink for SO4^2-, suggesting that the pool of adsorbed SO4^2- in the soil is building up. This is in agreement with the fact that the site so far has received only moderate SO4^2- inputs. For the southemmost, the subtropical site there is a loss of SO4^2- in the soil, which at least partly may be related to high uptake from the dense and highly productive forest at the site. The Ca^2＋ budgets for the upper 50 cm of soil show large variations both within and between sites. For most locations there is production of Ca^2＋ in the soil that can be explained by weathering, and variation between years related to hydrology that can be explained by ion exchange. However, at some plots at the site receiving very high inputs of both SO4^2- and Ca^2＋, there is an unknown sink of Ca^2＋ in the soil at some plots.     

Industry in the transition of Czech society and economy

This paper deals with some aspects of transition of Czech industry from a totalitarian socialist system with centrally planned economy to restored democratic parliamentary system with a market economy. The development and changes of employment rates in industry, foreign trade, industrial production and prices are analyzed as an illustration of this transition process.     

Engineering-Geological Problems in the Moravian Karst,Czech Republic

The Moravian karst belongs to one of the famous karst regions in Central Europe. It is situated in Moravia in the eastern part of the Czech Republic. According to the geology it is of Devonian age and the main rocks are of different types of limestones. The process of karstification is still active. They are many caves with rich stalagmites and stalactites and the Macocha abyss, the depth of which is 138.5 m. The underground Punkva River flows through the main part of the karst, forming beautiful underground lakes. Typical karst phenomena, such as sinkholes and deep canyons, may be observed on the surface of the terrain. Because of the karstification, water erosion and frost weathering, many steep unstable slopes and walls originated. To solve the stability from a geotechnical point of view is not easy. This requests a special engineering-geological knowledge and experience.