Quantifying the impacts of climate change and land use on hydrological processes: A comparison between mountain and lowland agricultural watersheds

Mountain and lowland watersheds are two distinct geographical units with considerably different hydrological processes. Understanding their hydrological processes in the context of future climate change and land use scenarios is important for water resource management. This study investigated hydrological processes and their driving factors and eco-hydrological impacts for these two geographical units in the Xitiaoxi watershed, East China, and quantified their differences through hydrological modelling. Hydrological processes in 24 mountain watersheds and 143 lowland watersheds were simulated based on a raster-based Xin'anjiang model and a Nitrogen Dynamic Polder (NDP) model, respectively. These two models were calibrated and validated with an acceptable performance (Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency coefficients of 0.81 and 0.50, respectively) for simulating discharge for mountain watersheds and water level for lowland watersheds. Then, an Indicators of Hydrological Alteration (IHA) model was used to help quantify the alterations to the hydrological process and their resulting eco-hydrological impacts. Based on the validated models, scenario analysis was conducted to evaluate the impacts of climate and land use changes on the hydrological processes. The simulation results revealed that (a) climate change would cause a larger increase in annual runoff than that under land use scenario in the mountain watersheds, with variations of 19.9 and 10.5% for the 2050s, respectively. (b) Land use change was more responsible for the streamflow increment than climate change in the lowland watersheds, causing an annual runoff to increase by 27.4 and 16.2% for the 2050s, respectively. (c) Land use can enhance the response of streamflow to the climatic variation. (d) The above-mentioned hydrological variations were notable in flood and dry season in the mountain watersheds, and they were significant in rice season in the lowland watersheds. (e) Their resulting degradation of ecological diversity was more susceptible to future climate change in the two watersheds. This study demonstrated that mountain and lowland watersheds showed distinct differences in hydrological processes and their responses to climate and land use changes.     

Hydrological regulation of chemical weathering and dissolved inorganic carbon biogeochemical processes in a monsoonal river

To better understand the mechanisms relating to hydrological regulations of chemical weathering processes and dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) behaviours, high-frequency sampling campaigns and associated analyses were conducted in the Yu River, South China. Hydrological variability modifies the biogeochemical processes of dissolved solutes, so major ions display different behaviours in response to discharge change. Most ions become diluted with increasing discharge because of the shortened reactive time between rock and water under high-flow conditions. Carbonate weathering is the main source of major ions, which shows strong chemostatic behaviour in response to changes in discharge. Ions from silicate weathering exhibit a significant dilution effect relative to the carbonate-sourced ions. Under high temperatures, the increased soil CO₂ influx from the mineralisation of organic material shifts the negative carbon isotope ratios of DIC (δ¹³C_DIC) during the high-flow season. The δ¹³C_DIC values show a higher sensitivity than DIC contents in response to various hydrological conditions. Results from a modified isotope-mixing model (IsoSource) demonstrate that biological carbon is a dominant source of DIC and plays an important role in temporal carbon dynamics. Furthermore, this study provides insights into chemical weathering processes and carbon dynamics, highlighting the significant influence of hydrological variability to aid understanding of the global carbon cycle.     

Understanding coastal wetland hydrology with a new regional‐scale,process‐based hydrological model

Coastal wetlands represent an ecotone between ocean and terrestrial ecosystems, providing important services, including flood mitigation, fresh water supply, erosion control, carbon sequestration, and wildlife habitat. The environmental setting of a wetland and the hydrological connectivity between a wetland and adjacent terrestrial and aquatic systems together determine wetland hydrology. Yet little is known about regional‐scale hydrological interactions among uplands, coastal wetlands, and coastal processes, such as tides, sea level rise, and saltwater intrusion, which together control the dynamics of wetland hydrology. This study presents a new regional‐scale, physically based, distributed wetland hydrological model, PIHM‐Wetland, which integrates the surface and subsurface hydrology with coastal processes and accounts for the influence of wetland inundation on energy budgets and evapotranspiration (ET). The model was validated using in situ hydro‐meteorological measurements and Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) ET data for a forested and herbaceous wetland in North Carolina, USA, which confirmed that the model accurately represents the major wetland hydrological behaviours. Modelling results indicate that topographic gradient is a primary control of groundwater flow direction in adjacent uplands. However, seasonal climate patterns become the dominant control of groundwater flow at lower coastal plain and land–ocean interface. We found that coastal processes largely influence groundwater table (GWT) dynamics in the coastal zone, 300 to 800 m from the coastline in our study area. Among all the coastal processes, tides are the dominant control on GWT variation. Because of inundation, forested and herbaceous wetlands absorb an additional 6% and 10%, respectively, of shortwave radiation annually, resulting in a significant increase in ET. Inundation alters ET partitioning through canopy evaporation, transpiration, and soil evaporation, the effect of which is stronger in cool seasons than in warm seasons. The PIHM‐Wetland model provides a new tool that improves the understanding of wetland hydrological processes on a regional scale. Insights from this modelling study provide benchmarks for future research on the effects of sea level rise and climate change on coastal wetland functions and services.     

The Characteristics and Controlling Factors of Water and Heat Exchanges over the Alpine Wetland in the East of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau

Alpine wetland is one of the typical underlying surfaces on the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. It plays a crucial role in runoff regulation. Investigations on the mechanisms of water and heat exchanges are necessary to understand the land surface processes over the alpine wetland. This study explores the characteristics of hydro-meteorological factors with in situ observations and uses the Community Land Model 5 to identify the main factors controlling water and heat exchanges.Latent heat flux and therm...     

关于发展人工影响天气数值模式的一些问题

人工影响天气的学科基础是中小尺度天气动力学与云降水物理学,需要将天气-动力-云降水物理耦合为一体。考虑到目前将天气动力学性质的基础数值模式用于人工影响天气中的问题,从数值模式动力方程、模式分辨率、云物理过程、数值求解方案、初边值条件等方面系统地探索了发展人工影响天气数值模式中一些需要重点解决、且不可忽视的特色问题,并举例对相关问题提出了解决思路和方法。期望提出的问题有助于构思更适合于人工影响天气数值模式,使数值模式功能真正向满足人工影响天气的要求靠近一步。     

北京地区静稳天气综合指数的初步构建及其在环境气象中的应用

静稳天气与大气重污染的发生有紧密联系,为定量描述大气的静稳程度,文章研发了静稳天气综合指数。结合统计和预报经验,挑选发生大气污染的气象要素及其阈值条件,通过权重求和得到初步构建静稳天气指数(SWI)。此后,基于近13年的气象数据,分段统计各气象要素不同区间内雾-霾天气出现概率相对气候态的倍数作为分指数,根据分指数最大值和最小值的比值排序,得到10个对静稳天气具有较强指示意义的气象要素,对这10个要素的分指数求和得到静稳天气指数。改进后的指数和PM_(2.5)浓度有更好的相关性。以2015年1月一次重污染过程为例,分析不同阶段SWI和AQI指数的变化,两者具有较好的一致性,均表现出发展阶段稳定增长,消散阶段迅速降低的特征。应用静稳天气指数评估发现,APEC减排期间京津冀地区大气静稳程度和减排之前相当,但污染持续时间和峰值强度较减排前明显降低。SWI可以在重污染天气预报和重大活动减排措施评估中得到有效应用。     

三小时负变压异常指数及对强对流天气的预报意义

低层暖平流强迫类强对流发生前,地面经常伴有低于日变化的3 h变压。结合常规地面观测资料,定义低于日变化的3 h变压异常（超过一个标准差定义为异常）指数PCR（Pressure Change Range）,讨论了中国中东部地区3 h变压标准差的气候分布特征;最后以3次强对流天气过程为例说明PCR指数的预报价值和时效。结果表明,与3 h变压均值相比,中国中东部地区的3 h变压标准差的日变化较小,PCR更适合作为变压异常程度的标准。东北、华北、华东-华中区域PCR冬春季节出现站次数偏多,夏秋季节偏少;华南区域除了冬春季外,夏季也偏多,秋季偏少。PCR主要集中在低级别强度上,但PCR级别越高,越有可能出现强对流天气。东北区域出现PCR的首要原因是受东北气旋的影响,且可能有TBB≤-52℃的云系相对应;华北、华东-华中、华南出现PCR的首要原因是冷高压变性或迅速东移,没有TBB≤-52℃的云系相对应;地面倒槽中出现的PCR全部有TBB≤-52℃的云系对应。3次强对流天气过程均发生在地面倒槽中;在发生前3 h左右,地面气压场上有较明显的负PCR中心出现,强对流天气中尺度云团有向负PCR中心移动的趋势。      

PHYSICO‐GEOCHEMICAL AND MINERAL COMPOSITION OF NEEM TREE SOILS AND RELATION TO ORGANIC PROPERTIES

The Neem tree, the oil of which has a long history of pesticide, fertilizer and medicinal use in India, has been studied extensively for its organic compounds. Here we present a physical, mineralogical and geochemical database resulting from the analyses of two Neem soil profiles (epipedons) in India. Neem tree derivatives are used in the manufacture of a variety of products, from anti‐bacterial drugs and insecticides to fertilizers and animal feeds. A preliminary geochemical and mineralogical analysis of Neem soils is made to explore the potential for chemical links between Neem tree derivatives and soils. Physical soil characteristics, including colour, texture and clay mineralogy, suggest the two pedons formed under different hydrological regimes, and hence, are products of different leaching environments, one well‐drained site, the other poorly drained. Geochemically, the two Neem soils exhibit similarities, with elevated concentrations of Th and rare earth elements. These elements are of interest because of their association with phosphates, especially monazite and apatite, and the potential link to fertilizer derivatives. Higher concentrations of trace elements in the soils may be linked to nutritional derivatives and to cell growth in the Neem tree.     

Rovibrational excitation of HD in collisions with atomic and molecular hydrogen

We have computed cross-sections and rate coefficients for rovibrational transitions in HD, induced by collisions with atomic and molecular hydrogen. We employed fully quantum-mechanical methods and the potential of Boothroyd et al. for H–HD, and that of Schwenke for H₂–HD. The rate coefficients for vibrational relaxation v =1→0 of HD are compared with the corresponding values for H₂. The influence of vibrationally excited channels on the rate coefficients for rotational transitions within the v =0 vibrational ground state of HD is shown to be small at T =500 K, where T is the kinetic temperature. The rate coefficients, for 100 T 2000 K, are available from http://ccp7.dur.ac.uk/.