Effects of river damming on biogenic silica turnover: implications for biogeochemical carbon and nutrient cycles

Rivers link terrestrial ecosystems and marine ecosystems, and they transport large amounts of substances into oceans each year, including several forms of silicon (Si), carbon (C), and other nutrients. However, river damming affects the water flow and biogeochemical cycles of Si, C, and other nutrients through biogeochemical interacting processes. In this review, we first summarize the current understanding of the effects of river damming on the processes of biogeochemical Si cycle, especially the source, composition, and recycling process of biogenic silica (BSi). Then, we introduce dam impacts on the cycles of C and some other nutrients. Dissolved silicon in rivers is mainly released from phytolith dissolution and silicate weathering. BSi in suspended matter or sediments in most rivers mainly consists of phytoliths and mainly originates from soil erosion. However, diatom growth and deposition in many reservoirs formed by river interception may significantly increase the contribution of diatom Si to total BSi, and thus significantly influence the biogeochemical Si, C, and nutrient cycles. Yet the turnover of phytoliths and diatoms in different rivers formed by river damming is still poorly quantified. Thus, they should be further investigated to enhance our understanding about the effects of river damming on global biogeochemical Si, C and nutrient cycles.     

平原河流水沙界面生源物质迁移转化过程及水环境调控的研究进展

生源物质作为影响水质的重要因素,其在河流中的迁移转换一直倍受关注。水沙界面物质交换过程受众多环境和水动力因素的影响,过程极其复杂,不仅影响着河流生源要素的通量演变规律,还关系到河流水环境问题。为探究水沙界面生源物质迁移转化过程及作用机制,结合国内外研究最新进展,对泥沙颗粒与生源物质的微界面作用、水沙界面对生源物质的迁移转化作用、水流条件对泥沙吸附解吸生源物质作用机理进行总结和概述,总结阐述了河流水质模型和闸坝泵条件下的水环境调控模型,最后指出平原河流水沙运动对生源物质输运作用机理及水环境调控。针对上述已有的研究成果和存在不足,对今后研究方向提出展望。     

Biogeochemical processes in the Chukchi Sea

Study of biogeochemical processes in water and sediments of the Chukchi Sea in August 2004 revealed atypical maximums of the concentration of biogenic elements (N, P, and Si) and the rate of microbial sulfate reduction in the surface layer (0–3 cm) of marine sediments. The C: N: P ratio in the organic matter (OM) of this layer does not fit the Redfield-Richards stoichiometric model. Specific features of biogeochemical processes in sea are likely related to the complex dynamics of water, high primary productivity (110–1400 mg C/(m² day)), low depth of basin (<50 m in 60% of the water area), reduced food chain due to low population of zooplankton, high density of zoobenthos (up to 4230 g m^?2), and high activity of microbial processes. Drastic decrease in the concentration of biogenic elements, iodine, total alkalinity (Alk), and population of microorganisms beneath the 0–3 cm layer testify to a large-scale OM decay at the water-seafloor barrier. Our original experimental data support the high annual rate of OM mineralization at the bottom of the Chukchi Sea.     

河流潜流带地表-地下水过程对典型水生生物活动的响应研究进展

河流潜流带是地表-地下水连通和交换的主要区域,地表-地下水过程不仅促进了生源物质的迁移转化过程,还能涵养水源、稳定区域生境,为水生生物提供良好的栖息环境。因此掌握水生生物活动与地表-地下水交换关系是深刻认知和科学保护水生生态系统的关键。本文综述了前人有关水生生物活动反馈于地表-地下水交换过程的研究,例如,底栖微生物形成的生物膜可以吸收或滞留生源物质,改变迁移的时间和路径;水生动物的行为可能通过改变河床渗透系数和孔隙率等物理参数影响各类物质的地表-地下水交换通量;水生植物对水流的阻滞和扰动也会作用于地表-地下水交换过程。基于目前研究,本文提出了该领域的3个未来研究方向：潜流交换和水生生物互馈理论,水生生态功能与地表-地下水相互作用关系,河流潜流带生物-地球-化学耦合过程。     

A Review of Magnesium Isotope System in Rivers

In recent years, a series of important progresses have been made in the aspect of magnesium isotopes behavior in weathering processes. These progresses are not only favorable to understand the change of the magnesium isotopic compositions in rivers, but also establish the foundation to further reveal the magnesium isotope geochemical cycle. The magnesium in rivers is both magnesium sink for weathering and magnesium source for the ocean. The Mg isotopic compositions in rivers are dominated by the magnesium sources and Mg isotope fractionations processes. The sources of magnesium in rivers originate mainly from draining rocks, as well as less contribution from the eolian deposition, groundwater, plant debris, and precipitation. The Mg isotope fractionations in rivers are mainly related to precipitation and dissolution of carbonate minerals, silicate mineral hydrolysis, adsorption on mineral or colloidal matter surface, and plant uptake. Generally, the contribution of carbonate minerals dissolution or precipitation is equal to add or reduce magnesium from carbonate endmember, which has a remarkably negative δ²⁶Mg value. Based on the fact that most clay minerals are rich in ²⁶Mg during nature silicate mineral hydrolysis, then it is possible to infer that residual weathering products enrich in ²⁶Mg. However, there is no significant Mg isotope fractionation causing by the adsorption on mineral or colloidal matter surface during river water migration. For the plant uptake, the root prefers to have ²⁶Mg, leading the plant itself rich in heavier Mg isotopic composition. In addition, formation of secondary minerals in rivers could also reflect the changes of chemical parameters in rivers (such as major elements, CO₂ solubility, pH, etc.). Hence, Mg isotopic composition in rivers and associated isotope fractionations are not only the basis for the application of magnesium isotope to trace surface material cycle, but also have important significance for the further understanding the geochemical cycle of magnesium isotopes.     

植硅体在河流硅输送中的作用

高等植物产生的植硅体是古气候和古环境研究的重要手段,也是陆地硅循环中重要的硅的储库;植硅体通过河流的跨区域输送在全球硅的生物地球化学循环中起着重要作用,是区域硅循环研究的重要载体,然而这方面的关注却很少。河流输送的生物硅大致分为自源和异源两种类别。"自源"生物硅主要包括河流水体本身自生浮游植物(主要是淡水硅藻)产生的硅质颗粒;"异源"生物硅主要由流域土壤的侵蚀输出到河流的植硅体所构成。流域地表过程是使得部分土壤中的植硅体进入河流的主要途径,并成为河流生物硅输送中重要的形式,这对河流-河口水循环体系的硅生物地球化学循环过程产生了重要的影响,但人们对河流输送的植硅体在硅循环中的作用的研究还不够。文章着眼于陆海相互作用研究,以河流中水体携带的植硅体为中心,总结了河流植硅体输送在地表水体硅循环系统中贡献的研究进展,分析了长江与黄河植硅体入海通量与河口行为及对近海海洋环境的影响。最后,对未来河流输送的植硅体参与硅循环研究可能需要加强的科学问题提出了建议。     

Effects and underlying mechanisms of damming on carbon and nitrogen cycles and transport in rivers of Southwest China: project introduction

Southwest China is the primary area for damming rivers to produce hydroelectric energy and store water. River damming has changed hydrodynamic, chemical, and biological processes, which are related to sinks and sources of greenhouse gases and carbon and nitrogen fluxes of different interfaces. Here, I provide an introduction to a river damming-related foundation, the National Key R&D Program of China (2016YTA0601000). Supported by the foundation, we carried out research on multi-processes/multi-interfaces of carbon and nitrogen biogeochemical cycles in a dammed river system and have produced important results, as presented in this issue of the journal.     

Geochemical interaction between the freshwater and marine hydrospheres

The results of more than 40 years long authors’ investigations in the field of the freshwater (river input) and marine (ocean waters) hydrospheres are summarized. The latest estimations of the global average concentrations of many chemical elements in river water and suspended matter and in ocean water and suspended matter are presented. It is shown that particulate suspended forms of many elements are predominant in river waters (“rivers are the kingdom of suspended forms of elements”), while their dissolved forms prevail in ocean waters (“ocean is the kingdom of dissolved forms of elements”). Sedimentary and biogeochemical processes of the river material transformation in the river-sea mixing zone (the so-called “marginal filter of the ocean”) were studied thoroughly. It was shown that radical quantitative and qualitative changes of dissolved and particulate suspended substances take place in this zone, resulting in the governed transformation of dissolved forms into suspended particulate forms and their following deposition on the bottom. The first data on the losses of 35 chemical elements in the river-sea mixing zone are presented. These data prove that the concentrations of dissolved elements in river and ocean waters are in regular and close relationship with their losses in the river-sea mixing zone and with the types of element distribution in ocean water column (conservative, biogenic, and lithogenic). This indicates the existence of a geochemical system in the entire (freshwater and marine) hydrosphere, which calls for deep and detailed investigations.     

全球海洋硅循环及研究中面临的主要挑战

海洋硅循环是海洋生物地球化学循环的关键过程之一,对调控全球二氧化碳浓度、海洋酸碱度和多种元素(氮、磷、铁、铝等)的循环具有重要作用。在当今气候变化和人类活动影响日益增强的背景下,硅循环与“生物泵”及碳循环的紧密联系,是其成为地球科学领域研究热点的主要原因。海洋中硅的外部来源主要为河流、地下水、大气沉降、海底玄武岩风化作用和海底热液输送5个途径,在全球气温变暖趋势的影响下,极地冰川融化成为高纬度海域不可忽视的硅源。生物硅在沉积物中的埋藏、硅质海绵和生物硅的反风化作用是重要的海洋硅移除过程。海洋硅循环过程复杂,受生物(生物吸收、降解)、物理(吸附、溶解)和化学(矿化分解和反风化作用)多重因素的影响,针对海洋硅循环关键过程的研究有助于综合评估海洋硅的“源-汇”和收支。本文总结了海洋硅循环的主要过程及海洋硅的收支,根据国际和国内研究现状讨论了当前海洋硅循环研究中面临的主要问题和挑战。现有研究成果显示,海洋硅的外源输入和输出通量比以往的评估分别增加了2.4和2.2倍。在短时间尺度内(<8 ka),全球海洋中硅的收支大致平衡,海洋硅循环基本处于稳定状态。气候变化和人类活动导致河流输送至陆架边缘海的硅通量发生变化,可能影响硅藻等海洋浮游植物种群结构,是未来海洋硅循环研究需要关注的问题之一。陆架边缘海较高沉积速率和强烈的反风化作用提高了该区域生物硅的埋藏效率,准确评估该区域生物硅的埋藏通量仍是亟须解决的难题。目前的研究评估了全球海洋浮游硅藻、硅质海绵以及放射虫生产力,而海洋底栖硅藻生产力的贡献受到忽视,未来需要关注底栖硅藻对生物硅的贡献及其在海洋硅的生物地球化学过程中的作用。     

The distribution and source of organic matter in reservoir sediments

The bottom sediments of two reservoirs, one with significant river sediment input and one without, were analyzed for organic matter content. Lake Texoma sediments average 1.0% organic carbon, of which 0.26% organic carbon is deposited by the river sediments of the Red and Washita River deltas. In Fort Gibson reservoir, where there is minimal river sediment input, the organic carbon averages 1.2% and is deposited with a strong correlation to water depth (+0.9). There is a significant difference between the C/N ratio of Lake Texoma sediments (11.5) and Fort Gibson sediments (9.6). The higher C/N ratio is suggested to be a result of the larger input of terrestrial plant debris (with a high original C/N ratio) by the rivers draining into Lake Texoma and the relatively high resistance of the lignin material in the plant debris to decomposition in the reservoir sediments.     

水电工程水生态环境效应评价方法与调控措施

围绕水电工程的水生态环境问题，重点梳理了水库运行下关键生源要素生物地球化学循环的变化及其水生态效应、底栖动物生境和鱼类生境以及鱼类洄游通道的影响、水生态环境保护工程与非工程措施等方面的研究进展，剖析了当前科学研究和工程应用中存在的难题，从理论、方法与技术角度阐明了出现这些难题的原因。提出了水电开发水生态环境保护未来需要重点开展的研究：长期系统性观测，揭示库内生源要素的滞留-转化-输送过程与机制及水生态环境累积效应；水库调控导致的鱼类性腺发育有效积温和产卵临界水温节律变化以及两者对鱼类种群繁衍的联合作用。最后特别指出当前针对鱼类保护的部分强制性措施存在的问题，并提出了高坝多环境因子调控的生态调度和支流生境替代等鱼类保护技术以及保护效果量化评价新方法。     

水电工程水生态环境效应评价方法与调控措施

围绕水电工程的水生态环境问题，重点梳理了水库运行下关键生源要素生物地球化学循环的变化及其水生态效应、底栖动物生境和鱼类生境以及鱼类洄游通道的影响、水生态环境保护工程与非工程措施等方面的研究进展，剖析了当前科学研究和工程应用中存在的难题，从理论、方法与技术角度阐明了出现这些难题的原因。提出了水电开发水生态环境保护未来需要重点开展的研究:长期系统性观测，揭示库内生源要素的滞留-转化-输送过程与机制及水生态环境累积效应；水库调控导致的鱼类性腺发育有效积温和产卵临界水温节律变化以及两者对鱼类种群繁衍的联合作用。最后特别指出当前针对鱼类保护的部分强制性措施存在的问题，并提出了高坝多环境因子调控的生态调度和支流生境替代等鱼类保护技术以及保护效果量化评价新方法。     

西藏波密冰川覆盖区大型河流与断裂带地下水转化关系

川藏铁路波密段穿越冰川覆盖区,分布多条与断裂复合发育的大型河流,水量丰富,可与断裂共同构成构造高压涌水突泥灾害风险源。本文通过多期测流和对大气降水、冰川、河流和地下水水化学、同位素特征分析,研究了大型河流的流量变化特征和地表水与断裂带裂隙水的转化关系。结果表明:西藏波密冰川覆盖区河水主要接受冰川融水和大气降水补给。雨季河水的δ18O和δD值小于旱季,说明河水雨季和旱季的补给源结构不同。旱季气温低,以大气降水补给为主;雨季冰川融水量陡增,为主要补给源。断裂影响范围内的古乡沟、比通曲和龙冲曲河水流量较大,均超过4×104 m3/d,但年内流量波动幅度小于非断裂带影响范围的河流。河流可渗漏补给断裂带水。浅层循环断裂带水年龄5～10 a,中深层断裂带水年龄超过4000 a,水岩作用较充分。非断裂带影响范围的河流与基岩风化裂隙水存在较密切的水力联系和较频繁的相互转化。研究成果可为青藏高原东部冰川覆盖区铁路隧道高压涌水突泥灾害的早期识别和灾害防范措施制定提供参考。     

Biohydrochemical causes of the changes of Black Sea ecosystem and its present condition

The principal regularities of the biogenic elements distribution in Black Sea are discussed, particulary such labile compounds as ammonium, organic nitrogen, urea, aminoacids, organic phosphorous, other organic substances and also albumens, lipids and carbohydrates. The permanent growth of the contrations of phospates, nitrogen and silicon results from the construction of numerous hydroelectric power-stations on all the great rivers flowing to the Black Sea. Most of silicon is accumulated in the reservoirs where phytoplankton is rapidly developed, and instead of phospates and nitrates, organic compounds of these elements flow out to the sea. This has caused the essential transformation of the whole Black Sea ecosystem.     

Advances of Eco-environmental Effects and Adaptive Management in River Cascading Development

As a kind of anthropogenic activity with significant impact on river ecosystem, dam construction and reservoir creation will result in the degradation and disappearance of terrestrial ecosystem in its flooded area. It will cause the significant change of downstream eco-environment and disrupt the continuity and connectivity of natural rivers. There may be “accumulative effects” on the impact of river cascading development on its ecosystems, which is to “amplify” the impact of damming on river ecosystems step by step. However, the role, approach, and hydro-ecological mechanisms of the “accumulation effect” are still not clear. Additionally, this will also result in the uncertainty in the objective, targets, spatio-temporal scope and action path of adaptive management of river cascading development. In river cascading development, the current adaptive practice on restoring natural hydrological processes and river ecosystem may no longer be effective. There is need to understand the function and structure of river-reservoir system and its succession. The trade-offs between multi-stakeholders of river-reservoir system shall be also taken into consideration. The upper Yangtze River has experienced intensive cascading development, which is unique among the world’s rivers and will profoundly change the ecosystem in the upper Yangtze. The adaptive management of upper Yangtze should aim at optimizing the ecological structure of rivers and reservoirs and maintaining the health of river-reservoir ecosystems. Future research could be focused on the role and form of “accumulative effects” in upper Yangtze, and the trade-offs among multiple stakeholders. These will construct a new paradigm for the operation and management of green hydropower in the upper Yangtze.     

黔中小流域水体C、S同位素特征及主要风化过程

选取贵州省红枫湖流域四条支流为研究对象,通过对水体中C、S元素浓度及稳定同位素特征的分析,探讨了典型碳酸盐小流域的主要风化过程对流域C、S循环的贡献。红枫湖流域河水中的C同位素组成在-7．47‰--11．68‰之间,硫酸根浓度为295．5～1315．6μmol／L,除受当地煤矿影响较大的区域外,其余部分水体中离子的δ^34S值在-3‰--7‰之内,反映了这些河段中硫化物矿物的氧化的影响。通过质量守恒的方法,得到硫化物的氧化、蒸发岩溶解以及大气输入对河水硫酸根离子的贡献率分别为63．8％、30．8％和5．4％。来自硫酸对碳酸盐岩、碳酸对碳酸盐岩以及碳酸对硅酸盐岩风化的DIC比例为1：3．58：1．37,三种不同的风化过程对区域二氧化碳的净吸收量为7．97×10^9mol／a。     

Temporal and spatial characteristics of dissolved organic carbon in the Wujiang River,Southwest China

River systems play an important role in the global carbon cycle. Rivers transport carbon to the ocean and also affect the carbon cycle in the coastal ocean. The flux from land to the ocean is thought to be a very important part of the land carbon budget. To investigate the effect of dam-building on dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in rivers, three reservoirs of different trophic states in the Wujiang basin, Guizhou Province, were sampled twice per month between May 2011 and May 2012. Temporal and spatial distributions of DOC in the reservoirs and their released waters were studied. It was found that different factors controlled DOC in river water, reservoir water, and released water. DOC in the rivers tended to be affected by primary production. For reservoirs, the main controlling factors of DOC concentration varied by trophic state. For the mesotrophic Hongjiadu Reservoir, the effect of primary production on DOC concentration was obvious. For the eutrophic Dongfengdu Reservoir and the hypereutrophic Wujiangdu Reservoir, primary production was not significant and DOC came instead from soil and plant litter.     

水体内藻类的生物地球化学

藻类对水体内生命元素的转化及其分布、迁移的影响．是目前水体内藻类生物地球化学研究的重点内容。藻通过光合作用和生物矿化，控制着C、N、Si、P、S、Ca等元素在水体内的循环；驱动着C和S在水体和大气之间的交换，进而影响大气中的C和S。藻生物积累及其对环境变化的及时反馈，使藻类成为地球化学环境变化的生物指示物。本文对水体内藻类的生物地球化学进行了综述。     

Uranium isotopes (234U/238U) in rivers of the Yukon Basin (Alaska and Canada) as an aid in identifying water sources, with implications for monitoring hydrologic change in arctic regions

The ability to detect hydrologic variation in large arctic river systems is of major importance in understanding and predicting effects of climate change in high-latitude environments. Monitoring uranium isotopes (²³⁴U and ²³⁸U) in river water of the Yukon River Basin of Alaska and northwestern Canada (2001?C2005) has enhanced the ability to identify water sources to rivers, as well as detect flow changes that have occurred over the 5-year study. Uranium isotopic data for the Yukon River and major tributaries (the Porcupine and Tanana rivers) identify several sources that contribute to river flow, including: deep groundwater, seasonally frozen river-valley alluvium groundwater, and high-elevation glacial melt water. The main-stem Yukon River exhibits patterns of uranium isotopic variation at several locations that reflect input from ice melt and shallow groundwater in the spring, as well as a multi-year pattern of increased variability in timing and relative amount of water supplied from higher elevations within the basin. Results of this study demonstrate both the utility of uranium isotopes in revealing sources of water in large river systems and of incorporating uranium isotope analysis in long-term monitoring of arctic river systems that attempt to assess the effects of climate change.     

贵州喀斯特地区河流的研究--碳酸盐岩溶解控制的水文地球化学特征

测量了喀斯特地区乌江、沅江两大水系的河流枯水期的主元素、Sr2+离子浓度和Sr同位素比值。这些河流的化学组成代表了流经碳酸盐岩地层的河水的化学组成。这些河流及其支流有高的溶解盐,TZ+变化范围为：2.1～6.3 meq/L,高于全球河流的平均值(TZ+=0.725 meq/L)。河水含有较高的溶质浓度,河水水化学组成以Ca2+和HCO-3为主,其次为Mg2+和SO2-4,Na++K+和Cl-+Si分别只占阳离子和阴离子组成的5%～10%。 这些河流的化学和同位素组成主要受其自流盆地的地质特征控制。流经碳酸盐岩地层的乌江水系河流具有较高的Sr浓度（1.1～9.70 mol/L）和较低的87Sr/86Sr比值（0.7077～0.7110）,与流经碎屑岩地层的沅江水系的清水江河流中较高的87Sr/86Sr比值（0.7090～0.7145）及较低的Sr浓度（0.28～1.32 mol/L）形成鲜明的对比。 流域盆地的地理岩性控制了河水的化学组成和同位素组成。对河水的化学计量分析表明河水化学组成受碳酸盐岩溶解控制,而碳酸盐岩主要受碳酸和硫酸作用而溶解。乌江流域受硫酸作用特别明显,表明硫酸主要来源于燃煤或流域盆地硫化物矿物氧化而形成的大气输入。化学元素和同位素比值之间的相互关系表明3个主要来源为：石灰岩、白云岩和硅酸盐岩的风化。同时估计了碳酸盐岩和硅酸盐岩的化学风化速率,结果表明流域盆地的碳酸盐岩风化速率远远高于许多世界大河。岩石风化过程中硫酸的出现或土地的过度使用或土壤植被的退化等都可能是导致流域的碳酸盐岩风化速率如此高的原因。 