Assessing the effects of land cover and future climate conditions on the provision of hydrological services in a medium‐sized watershed of Portugal

The separated and combined effects of land‐cover scenarios and future climate on the provision of hydrological services were evaluated in Vez watershed, northern Portugal. Soil and Water Assessment Tool was calibrated against daily discharge, sediments and nitrates, with good agreements between model predictions and field observations. Four hypothetical land‐cover scenarios were applied under current climate conditions (eucalyptus/pine, oak, agriculture/vine and low vegetation). A statistical downscaling of four General Circulation Models, bias‐corrected with ground observations, was carried out for 2021–2040 and 2041–2060, using representative concentration pathway 4.5 scenario. Also, the combined effects of future climate conditions were evaluated under eucalyptus/pine and agriculture/vine scenario. Results for land cover revealed that eucalyptus/pine scenario reduced by 7% the annual water quantity and up to 17% in the summer period. Although climate change has only a modest effect on the reduction of the total annual discharge (?7%), the effect on the water levels during summer was more pronounced, between ?15% and ?38%. This study shows that climate change can affect the provision of hydrological services by reducing dry season flows and by increasing flood risks during the wet months. Regarding the combined effects, future climate may reduce the low flows, which can be aggravated with eucalyptus/pine scenario. In turn, peak flows and soil erosion can be offset. Future climate may increase soil erosion and nitrate concentration, which can be aggravated with agriculture scenario. Results moreover emphasize the need to consider both climate and land‐cover impacts in adaptation and land management options at the watershed scale. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Analysis of snowpack dynamics during the spring melt season for a sub‐alpine site using point measurements and numerical modeling

Snowpack dynamics through October 2014–June 2017 were described for a forested, sub‐alpine field site in southeastern Wyoming. Point measurements of wetness and density were combined with numerical modeling and continuous time series of snow depth, snow temperature, and snowpack outflow to identify 5 major classes of distinct snowpack conditions. Class (i) is characterized by no snowpack outflow and variable average snowpack temperature and density. Class (ii) is characterized by short durations of liquid water in the upper snowpack, snowpack outflow values of 0.0008–0.005 cm hr^?1, an increase in snowpack temperature, and average snow density between 0.25–0.35 g cm^?3. Class (iii) is characterized by a partially saturated wetness profile, snowpack outflow values of 0.005–0.25 cm hr^?1, snowpack temperature near 0 °C, and average snow density between 0.25–0.40 g cm^?3. Class (iv) is characterized by strong diurnal snowpack outflow pattern with values as high as 0.75 cm hr^?1, stable snowpack temperature near 0 °C, and stable average snow density between 0.35–0.45 g cm^?3. Class (v) occurs intermittently between Classes (ii)–(iv) and displays low snowpack outflow values between 0.0008–0.04 cm hr^?1, a slight decrease in temperature relative to the preceding class, and similar densities to the preceding class. Numerical modeling of snowpack properties with SNOWPACK using both the Storage Threshold scheme and Richards' equation was used to quantify the effect of snowpack capillarity on predictions of snowpack outflow and other snowpack properties. Results indicate that both simulations are able to predict snow depth, snow temperature, and snow density reasonably well with little difference between the 2 water transport schemes. Richards' equation more accurately simulates the timing of snowpack outflow over the Storage Threshold scheme, especially early in the melt season and at diurnal timescales.     

An examination of snow redistribution over smooth land‐fast sea ice

An understanding of temporal evolution of snow on sea ice at different spatial scales is essential for improvement of snow parameterization in sea ice models. One of the problems we face, however, is that long‐term climate data are routinely available for land and not for sea ice. In this paper, we examine the temporal evolution of snow over smooth land‐fast first‐year sea ice using observational and modelled data. Changes in probability density functions indicate that depositional and drifting events control the evolution of snow distribution. Geostatistical analysis suggests that snowdrifts increased over the study period, and the orientation was related to the meteorological conditions. At the microscale, the temporal evolution of the snowdrifts was a product of infilling in the valleys between drifts. Results using two shore‐based climate reporting stations (Paulatuk and Tuktoyuktuk, NWT) suggest that on‐ice air temperature and relative humidity can be estimated using air temperature recorded at either station. Wind speed, direction and precipitation on ice cannot be accurately estimated using meteorological data from either station. The temporal evolution of snow distribution over smooth land‐fast sea ice was modelled using SnowModel and four different forcing regimes. The results from these model runs indicate a lack of agreement between observed distribution and model outputs. The reasons for these results are lack of meteorological measurements prior to the end of January, lack of spatially adequate surface topography and discrepancies between meteorological variables on land and ice. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Etude isotopique de la pluie et de la neige sur le Mont Liban: premiers résultats / Isotope study of snow and rain on Mount Lebanon: preliminary results

Résumé

Résumé Quelques analyses isotopiques préliminaires ont été réalisées sur les précipitations pluvio-neigeuses, sur un profil de neige et sur deux sources karstiques sur le Mont Liban. Elles confirment la variabilité saisonnière du signal atmosphérique et en particulier que l’excès en deutérium est en relation avec l’origine des masses d’air et avec les recharges de vapeur sur la Méditerranée. Elles montrent également une relative stabilité du signal isotopique du couvert neigeux, peu ou pas influencé par les phénomènes de sublimation, d’évaporation ou de fonte/regel. La participation progressive de la fonte du manteau neigeux à l’alimentation des sources karstiques est qualitativement observée.     

Monitoring over‐winter soil water dynamics in a freezing and snow‐covered environment using a thermally insulated tensiometer

Water potential below a frozen soil layer was continuously monitored over an entire winter period (using thermally insulated tensiometers sheltered in a heated chamber) along with other soil, snow and atmospheric variables. In early winter, the freezing front advanced under a thin snow cover, inducing upward soil water flow in the underlying unfrozen soil. The freezing front started to retreat when the snow cover became thick enough to insulate the soil, resulting in the reversal of the flow direction in the unfrozen zone. These data provide a clear illustration of soil water dynamics, which have rarely been monitored with a tensiometer. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

齐齐哈尔市地理国情分析与表达

以齐齐哈尔市为例,利用地理国情普查数据与统计年鉴数据,构建自然地表指数、地理区位指数、生态覆被指数,对齐齐哈尔市各县、区的地理国情进行综合分析和地图表达。结果表明,齐齐哈尔市的总体条件较好,但区域差异较大,自然地表条件与地理区位条件均以中部的齐齐哈尔市辖区为优,而生态覆被条件则以北部和西部地区为优。     

地理国情普查项目地表覆盖数据成果的质量控制

地理国情普查项目是全新的测绘地理信息项目,文章结合生产阶段及检查验收过程中地表覆盖数据生产容易出现的质量问题,通过认真分析影响质量的因素,从管理要素、生产过程、两级检查3个方面谈了解决该问题的部分质量控制措施,以便于更好地提高地理国情普查项目成果的质量。     

基于遥感数据的哈尔滨土地利用/覆被变化研究

以哈尔滨市为例,基于Landsat数据,利用遥感技术和GIS技术对2000和2015年的遥感影像数据进行解译分类,通过对分类结果的统计分析,定量研究哈尔滨市15年间的土地利用变化过程,结果显示:哈尔滨市土地综合利用程度较高,区域内耕地面积减少;相反,城市建成区面积大幅增加,区域内绿地面积逐年减少,应注意生态环境维护保持。     

2000～2015年会理县地表覆盖变化监测

以LandSat多时相影像为数据源,采用基于规则的面向对象分类方法,监测会理县2000～ 2015年地表覆盖变化.结合1∶50 000 DEM数据,分析了会理县地表覆盖构成与转移、变化动态度及潜在退耕地情况.监测分析结论能为会理县加强空间管制、促进土地资源集约利用、指导生态文明建设等提供决策信息支撑.     

Selection and quality assessment of Landsat data for the North American forest dynamics forest history maps of the US

Using the NASA Earth Exchange platform, the North American Forest Dynamics (NAFD) project mapped forest history wall-to-wall, annually for the contiguous US (1986–2010) using the Vegetation Change Tracker algorithm. As with any effort to identify real changes in remotely sensed time-series, data gaps, shifts in seasonality, misregistration, inconsistent radiometry and cloud contamination can be sources of error. We discuss the NAFD image selection and processing stream (NISPS) that was designed to minimize these sources of error. The NISPS image quality assessments highlighted issues with the Landsat archive and metadata including inadequate georegistration, unreliability of the pre-2009 L5 cloud cover assessments algorithm, missing growing-season imagery and paucity of clear views. Assessment maps of Landsat 5–7 image quantities and qualities are presented that offer novel perspectives on the growing-season archive considered for this study. Over 150,000+ Landsat images were considered for the NAFD project. Optimally, one high quality cloud-free image in each year or a total of 12,152 images would be used. However, to accommodate data gaps and cloud/shadow contamination 23,338 images were needed. In 220 specific path-row image years no acceptable images were found resulting in data gaps in the annual national map products.