Ecohydrological evolution model on riparian vegetation in hyperarid regions and its validation in the lower reach of Tarim River

The evolution of the ecohydrological system driven by external climatic forcing and internal feedbacks between vegetation and hydrology, which is more remarkable in arid and semiarid regions, has attracted substantial research attention in recent years. To examine critically the state‐of‐the‐art assumptions and dynamic equations used in the evolution study of an ecohydrological system, the rule of proceeding from simplicity to complexity should be followed. The riparian vegetation ecohydrological system in hyperarid regions (e.g. the lower Tarim River) can serve as a starting point given its simplicity, which has been seldom examined before in terms of system evolution. Further, the water transfer practice from 2000 to 2006 in the lower Tarim River serves as a valuable prototype experiment for model validation. This is because the remarkable changes in groundwater and vegetation in the area have taken place within a shorter period and thus can be easily observed. In the present study, the ecohydrological evolution model on riparian vegetation (ERV model) in hyperarid regions was proposed by coupling groundwater movement and vegetation dynamics. In the ERV model, the groundwater table serves as a critical feedback variable that determines the vegetation dynamics (colonization and mortality) and is determined by vegetation transpiration other than groundwater movement. The monitored groundwater table by wells and satellite‐observed vegetation coverage from the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer are used for model validation. The simulation results show the good performance of the ERV model with uncalibrated parameters. It was also calibrated manually using a multiobjective method, and the fine‐tuned parameters are close to the uncalibrated ones, indicating the robustness of the model. The analysis shows further that the increased evapotranspiration is substantially due to the water transfer and thus the vegetation growth, which implies the importance of ecohydrological coupling for long‐term hydrological modelling. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Application of a rainfall-runoff model to three catchments in Iraq

Abstract

The capability of the Surface inFiltration Baseflow (SFB) conceptual rainfall-runoff model to simulate streamflow for three catchments selected from northern Iraq is investigated. These catchments differ in their climatic regimes and physical characteristics. Three versions of the model were tested: the original three-parameter model (SFB), the modified five-parameter model (SFB-5), and the modified six-parameter model (SFB-6). The available daily precipitation, potential evapotranspiration and runoff data were used in conjunction with a simulated annealing (SA) optimization technique to calibrate the various versions of the SFB model. A simple sensitivity analysis was then carried out to determine the relative importance of the model parameters. The study indicated that use of the original three parameter model was not adequate to simulate monthly streamflow in the selected catchments. The modified version (SFB-5) provided better runoff simulation than the original SFB model; overall a 19% increase was observed in the coefficient of determination (R²) between simulated and observed monthly runoff. The SFB-5 model performed with varying degrees of success among the catchments. The model performance in the validation stage was reasonable and comparable to that of the calibration stage. The sensitivity analysis of the SFB model for arid catchments revealed that the baseflow parameter (B) was the most sensitive one, while the S and F parameters were less sensitive than the B parameter.     

干旱区土壤植被系统恢复的生态水文学研究进展

干旱区约占地球陆表面积的40%以上,所支撑的复杂多样的生态系统是全球陆地生态系统的重要组成,水是干旱区诸多生态系统过程的驱动力和关键的非生物限制因子。生态水文学作为新兴的交叉学科,为客观、全面地诠释干旱区植被与土壤系统相互作用与反馈机理提供了新的理念和途径,同时,也为干旱区以植被建设为主的生态恢复实践提供了理论基础。以沙坡头沙漠研究试验站在腾格里沙漠东南缘荒漠化草原和草原化荒漠过渡带的长期定位监测研究为例,分析、综述了我国在干旱区生态水文学研究领域所取得的主要成绩和相关进展,重点讨论了沙地植被从组成、结构和功能群演变等多层次上对土壤生态水文过程的响应,以及植被对土壤环境和水循环的长期反馈作用和调控机理;将生物土壤结皮首次作为影响植被-土壤系统水文过程的重要环节来考虑,对其发挥的生态水文功能的相关研究进行了总结;归纳了基于水量平衡的干旱区生态恢复理论模式及其在实践中的应用。     

Salinity and periodic inundation controls on the soil‐plant‐atmosphere continuum of gray mangroves

Salinity and periodic inundation are both known to have a major role in shaping the ecohydrology of mangroves through their controls on water uptake, photosynthesis, stomatal conductance, gas exchanges, and nutrient availability. Salinity, in particular, can be considered one of the main abiotic regulating factors for halophytes and salt‐tolerant species, due to its influence on water use patterns and growth rate. Ecohydrological literature has rarely focused on the effects of salinity on plant transpiration, based on the fact that the terrestrial plants mostly thrive in low‐saline, unsaturated soils where the role of osmotic potential can be considered negligible. However, the effect of salinity cannot be neglected in the case of tidal species like mangroves, which have to cope with hyperosmotic conditions and waterlogging. We introduce here a first‐order ecohydrological model of the soil/plant‐atmosphere continuum of Avicennia marina—also known as gray mangrove—a highly salt‐tolerant pioneer species able to adapt to hyperarid intertidal zones and characterized by unique morphological and ecophysiological traits. The A. marina's soil‐plant‐atmosphere continuum takes explicitly into account the role of water head, osmotic water potential, and water salinity in governing plant water fluxes. A. marina's transpiration is thus modeled as a function of salinity based on a simple parameterization of salt exclusion mechanisms at the root level and a modified Jarvis' expression accounting for the effects of salinity on stomatal conductance. Consistently with previous studies investigating the physiology of mangroves in response to different environmental drivers, our results highlight the major influence of salinity on mangrove transpiration when contrasted with other potential stressors such as waterlogging and water stress.     

Modelling ecohydrological feedbacks in forest and grassland plots under a prolonged drought anomaly in Central Europe 2018–2020

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of understanding ecohydrological drought feedbacks to secure water resources under a changing climate and increasing anthropogenic impacts. In this study, we monitored and modelled feedbacks in the soil–plant-atmosphere continuum to the European drought summer 2018 and the following 2 years. The physically based, isotope-aided model EcH₂O-iso was applied to generic vegetation plots (forest and grassland) in the lowland, groundwater-dominated research catchment Demnitzer Millcreek (NE Germany; 66 km²). We included, inter alia, soil water isotope data in the model calibration and quantified changing “blue” (groundwater recharge) and “green” (evapotranspiration) water fluxes and ages under each land use as the drought progressed. Novel plant xylem isotope data were excluded from calibration but were compared with simulated root uptake signatures in model validation. Results indicated inter-site differences in the dynamics of soil water storage and fluxes with contrasting water age both during the drought and the subsequent 2 years. Forest vegetation consistently showed a greater moisture stress, more rapid recovery and higher variability in root water uptake depths from a generally younger soil water storage. In contrast, the grassland site, which had more water-retentive soils, showed higher and older soil water storage and groundwater recharge fluxes. The damped storage and flux dynamics under grassland led to a slower return to younger water ages at depth. Such evidence-based and quantitative differences in ecohydrological feedbacks to drought stress in contrasting soil-vegetation units provide important insights into Critical Zone water cycling. This can help inform future progress in the monitoring, modelling and development of climate mitigation strategies in drought-sensitive lowlands.     

水源涵养功能概念的生态和水文视角辨析

水源涵养是评价陆地生态系统服务功能的重要指标,然而学界对水源涵养功能概念和计算方法仍存在诸多争论。这一方面说明水源涵养功能评估具有重要的现实意义,同时也说明其概念的复杂性和模糊性,亟需从生态学和水文学的基本理论出发,厘清水源涵养功能概念的内涵和评估方法,促进科学决策和有效管理。研究水源涵养功能时,生态学家更关注陆地生态系统的蓄水能力（Smax）,而水文学家更关注流域的产流量（Q）,两者均具有合理性,但各有侧重,若不分别辨析,极易造成概念混淆。理论和数据分析表明,蓄水能力和产流量虽然联系紧密,但概念完全不同。陆地生态系统的Smax决定了流域对降水的分配：即蒸散发（绿水）和Q（蓝水）,Smax和Q在降水量一定的情况下往往存在此消彼长的关系。研究发现生态系统的根区蓄水能力（SRmax）是联系绿水和蓝水的核心要素,是水源涵养功能评估的关键变量。大尺度根区蓄水能力主要由气候决定,可借鉴工程水文中设计水库的累积曲线法,根据生态系统用水的生存策略通过气候反演。最后,本文提出3点建议：(1)在实践中分别评估生态系统的绿水和蓝水涵养功能;(2)进一步全面考虑冰川积雪、地下水等多要素的水源涵养功能;(3)...     

Hydrological trends and the evolution of catchment research in the Alptal valley,central Switzerland

When the observation of small headwater catchments in the pre-Alpine Alptal valley (central Switzerland) started in the late 1960s, the researchers were mainly interested in questions related to floods and forest management. Investigations of geomorphological processes in the steep torrent channels followed in the 1980s, along with detailed observations of biogeochemical and ecohydrological processes in individual forest stands. More recently, research in the Alptal has addressed the impacts of climate change on water supply and runoff generation. In this article, we describe, for the first time, the evolution of catchment research at Alptal, and present new analyses of long-term trends and short-term hydrologic behaviour. Hydrometeorological time series from the past 50 years show substantial interannual variability, but only minimal long-term trends, except for the ~2°C increase in mean annual air temperature over the 50-year period, and a corresponding shift towards earlier snowmelt. Similar to previous studies in larger Alpine catchments, the decadal variations in mean annual runoff in Alptal's small research catchments reflect the long-term variability in annual precipitation. In the Alptal valley, the most evident hydrological trends were observed in late spring and are related to the substantial change in the duration of the snow cover. Streamflow and water quality are highly variable within and between hydrological events, suggesting rapid shifts in flow pathways and mixing, as well as changing connectivity of runoff-generating areas. This overview illustrates how catchment research in the Alptal has evolved in response to changing societal concerns and emerging scientific questions.     

Assessing the ‘two water worlds’ hypothesis and water sources for native and exotic evergreen species in south‐central Chile

Recent studies using water‐stable isotopes (δ¹⁸O and δ²H) have suggested an ecohydrological separation of water flowing to streams or recharging groundwater and water used by trees, known as the ‘two water worlds’ (TWW) hypothesis. In this study, we measured water isotopic composition in precipitation [open field and throughfall, i.e. local meteoric water line (LMWL)] and the mobile water compartment (i.e. stream and soil solution), bulk soil water and xylem water over a period of 1.5 years in two headwater catchments: NF, covered with old growth native evergreen forest (Aetoxicon punctatum, Laureliopsis philippiana and Eucriphya cordifolia), and EP, covered with 4 and 16‐year‐old Eucalyptus nitens stands. Our results show that precipitation, stream and soil solution plot approximately along the LMWL, while xylem waters from all studied tree species plot below the LMWL, supporting the TWW hypothesis. However, we also found evidence of ecohydrological connectivity during the wet season, likely controlled by the amount of antecedent precipitation. These observations hold for all investigated tree species. On both sites, a different precipitation source for stream and xylem water was observed. However, in EP, bulk soil showed a similar precipitation source as xylem water from both E. nitens stands. This suggests that E. nitens may use water that is recharging the bulk soil compartment. We conclude that under a rainy temperate climate, the TWW hypothesis is temporal and does not apply during wet seasons. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ressi experimental catchment: Ecohydrological research in the Italian pre-Alps

Ressi is a small (2.4 ha) forested catchment located in the Italian pre-Alps. The site became an experimental catchment to investigate the water fluxes in the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum and the impact of vegetation on runoff generation in 2012. The elevation of the catchment ranges from 598 to 721 m a.s.l. and the climate is humid temperate. The bedrock consists of rhyolites and dacites; the soil is a Cambisol. The catchment is covered by a dense forest, dominated by beech, chestnut, maple, and hazel trees. The field set up includes measurements of the rainfall in an open area, streamflow at the outlet, soil moisture at various depths and locations, and depth to water table in six piezometers at a 5- or 10-min interval. Samples of precipitation, stream water, shallow groundwater and soil water are collected monthly for tracer analysis (stable isotopes (²H and ¹⁸O), electrical conductivity and major ions), and during selected rainfall–runoff events to determine the contribution of the various sources to runoff. Since 2017, soil and plant water samples have been collected to determine the sources of tree transpiration. Data collected in the period 2012–2016 are publicly available. Data collection is ongoing, and the data set is expected to be updated on an annual basis to include the most recent measurements.     

全球气候变化对湿地生态水文的影响研究综述

近百年来全球气候呈现以变暖为主要特征的显著变化,并且未来气温将继续上升,降水模式也会发生改变。从气候变化对湿地水文水资源的影响、气候变化影响下湿地水文与生态的相互作用过程以及湿地生态水文模型等3个方面,对国内外相关研究动态和发展趋势进行了总结分析。从中发现,当前全球气候背景下的湿地生态水文学正在从单一湿地生态水文过程为主要对象,发展成为以研究气候-水文-生态三者相互作用机制为主要内容的综合性、交叉性学科。现关于气候变化影响下水文-生态之间的关系多集中于单向作用的研究,特别是水文过程对植被的影响研究较多,缺乏对气候变化影响下湿地水文过程与生态过程相互作用机理的全面认识。气候变化对湿地生态水文的影响机制研究已经成为水文学研究亟待解决的科学问题,而基于物理机制的湿地生态水文模型,逐渐成为预测未来气候变化下湿地生态水文响应的重要工具。