A morphological investigation of marine transgression in estuaries

The landscape setting of estuaries varies widely and is an important aspect of determining how they evolve. This paper focusses on alluvial estuaries in river valleys and how they respond to sea level rise. We examine the implications of marine transgression, as a response to sea level rise, where the estuary moves upwards and landwards to maintain its position in the tidal frame (so-called stratigraphic rollover). Here we encapsulate such kinematic movement of the estuary morphology using a ‘morphokinematic’ model, to assess the potential response to sea level rise and sediment supply. The model of the estuary form includes a single convergent channel, intertidal and surrounding floodplains (the valley) and allows the relative importance of the space available for deposition of sediments, the accommodation space, to be investigated as a function of rates of sea level rise and sediment supply. The transgression of the system is determined using a sediment mass balance, taking account of any supply from the river and marine environment. Model results confirm that the transgression distance, measured as the distance the entity moves landward, varies in proportion to the change in accommodation space, which mainly depends on the floodplain area. As the size of the floodplain reduces, the transgression distance is less and the system becomes much more sensitive to changes in the rate of sea level rise or changes in sediment supply. The greater demand for sediment when a floodplain is present results in greater cannibalization of the estuary form (i.e. greater landward movement) to meet the sediment demand. When the floodplain is disconnected from the estuary, the synergistic relationship is lost and the accommodation space increases. The capacity for restoration will depend on the availability of sediment and the prevailing rate of sea level rise.     

Signal crayfish burrowing,bank retreat and sediment supply to rivers: A biophysical sediment budget

Burrowing into riverbanks by animals transfers sediment directly into river channels and has been hypothesised to accelerate bank erosion and promote mass failure. A field monitoring study on two UK rivers invaded by signal crayfish (Pacifastacus leniusculus) assessed the impact of burrowing on bank erosion processes. Erosion pins were installed in 17 riverbanks across a gradient of crayfish burrow densities and monitored for 22 months. Bank retreat increased significantly with crayfish burrow density. At the bank scale (<6 m river length), high crayfish burrow densities were associated with accelerated bank retreat of up to 253% and more than a doubling of the area of bank collapse compared with banks without burrows. Direct sediment supply by burrowing activity contributed 0.2% and 0.6% of total sediment at the reach (1.1 km) and local bank (<6 m) scales. However, accelerated bank retreat caused by burrows contributed 12.2% and 29.8% of the total sediment supply at the reach and bank scales. Together, burrowing and the associated acceleration of retreat and collapse supplied an additional 25.4 t km⁻¹ a⁻¹ of floodplain sediments at one site, demonstrating the substantial impact that signal crayfish can have on fine sediment supply. For the first time, an empirical relation linking animal burrow characteristics to riverbank retreat is presented. The study adds to a small number of sediment budget studies that compare sediment fluxes driven by biotic and abiotic energy but is unique in isolating and measuring the substantial interactive effect of the acceleration of abiotic bank erosion facilitated by biotic activity. Biotic energy expended through burrowing represents an energy surcharge to the river system that can augment sediment erosion by geophysical mechanisms.     

Long-term precipitation and stream discharge records at seven forested experimental watersheds along a latitudinal transect in Japan: Jozankei,Kamabuchi, Takaragawa,Tsukuba, Tatsunokuchi-yama,Kahoku and Sarukawa

This data note introduces a database of long-term daily total precipitation and stream discharge data for seven forested watersheds in Japan that have been continuously monitored by the Forestry and Forest Products Research Institute. Three of the watersheds started data collection in the 1930s. Forest cover across the sites ranges from cool to warm temperate regions with the latitude spanning from 31 to 44° N and annual precipitation ranging from 1200 to 3000 mm yr⁻¹. The effects of vegetation change via clearcutting, thinning and forest fire (among other stressors) on stream discharge can be analysed from the long-term observation sites. Moreover, this multi-site dataset allows for inter- and intra-site comparisons of annual water loss (difference of annual precipitation and stream discharge). These long-term datasets can provide comprehensive insights into the effects of climate change and other stressors on forested ecosystems, not only in Japan but across a spectrum of forest types, if combined with other long-term records from other forested watersheds across the world.     

青藏高原大气水汽收支特征及影响

Based on 1961-2000 NCEP/NCAR monthly mean reanalysis datasets, vapor transfer and hydrological budget over the Tibetan Plateau are investigated. The Plateau is a vapor sink all the year round. In summer, vapor is convergent in lower levels (from surface to 500 hPa) and divergent in upper levels (from 400 to 300 hPa), with 450 hPa referred to as level of non-divergence. Two levels have different hydrologic budget signatures: the budget is negative at the upper levels from February to November, i.e., vapor transfers from the upper levels over the plateau; as to the lower, the negative (positive) budget occurs during the winter (summer) half year. Evidence also indicates that Tibetan Plateau is a "vapor transition belt", vapor from the south and the west is transferred from lower to upper levels there in summer, which will affect surrounding regions, including eastern China, especially, the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze. Vapor transfer exerts significant influence on precipitation in summertime months. Vapor transferred from the upper layers helps humidify eastern China, with coefficient -0.3 of the upper budget to the precipitation over the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze (MLRY); also, vapor transferred from east side (27.5°-32.5°N) of the upper level has remarkable relationship with precipitation, the coefficient being 0.41. The convergence of the lower level vapor has great effects on the local precipitation over the plateau, with coefficient reaching 0.44, and the vapor passage affects the advance and retreat of the rainbelt. In general, atmospheric hydrologic budget and vapor transfer over the plateau have noticeable effects on precipitation of the target region as well as the ambient areas.     

Mechanisms for the link between onset and duration of open water in the Kara Sea

The sea ice conditions in the Kara Sea have important impacts on Arctic shipping, oil and gas production, and marine environmental changes. In this study, sea ice coverage (CR) less than 30％ is considered as open water, its onset and end dates are defined as Topen and Tclose, respectively. The sea ice melt onset (Tmelt) is defined as the date when ice-sea freshwater flux initially changes from ice into the ocean. Satellite-based sea ice concentration (SIC) from 1989 to 2019 shows a negative correlation between Topen and Tclose (r = –0.77, p < 0.01) in the Kara Sea. This phenomenon is also obtained through analyzing the hindcast simulation from 1994 to 2015 by a coupled ocean and sea-ice model (NAPA1/4). The model results reveal that thermodynamics dominate the sea ice variations, and ice basal melt is greater than the ice surface melt. Heat budget estimation suggests that the heat flux is significant correlated with Topen (r = –0.95, p < 0.01) during the melt period (the duration of multi-year averaged Tmelt to Topen) influenced by the sea ice conditions. Additionally, this heat flux is also suggested to dominate the interannual variation of the heat input during the whole heat absorption process (r = 0.81, p < 0.01). The more heat input during this process leads to later Tclose (r = 0.77, p < 0.01). This is the physical basis of the negative correlation between Topen and Tclose. Therefore, the duration of open water can be predicted by Topen and thence support earlier planning of marine activities.     

Cover crops and precipitation influence soluble reactive phosphorus losses via tile drain discharge in an agricultural watershed

Subsurface tile drainage speeds water removal from agricultural fields that are historically prone to flooding. While managed drainage systems improve crop yields, they can also contribute tothe eutrophication of downstream ecosystems, as tile-drained systems are conduits for nutrients to adjacent waterways. The changing climate of the Midwestern US has already altered precipitation regimes which will likely continue into the future, with unknown effects on tile drain water and nutrient loss to waterways. Adding vegetative cover (i.e., as winter cover crops) is one approach that can retain water and nutrients on fields to minimize export via tile drains. In the current study, we evaluate the effect of cover crops on tile drain discharge and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) loads using bi-monthly measurements from 43 unique tile outlets draining fields with or without cover crops in two watersheds in northern Indiana. Using four water years of data (n = 844 measurements), we examined the role of short-term antecedent precipitation conditions and variation in soil biogeochemistry in mediating the effect of cover crops on tile drain flow and SRP loads. We observed significant effects of cover crops on both tile drain discharge and SRP loads, but these results were season and watershed specific. Cover crop effects were identified only in spring, where their presence reduced tile drain discharge in both watersheds and SRP loads in one watershed. Varying effects on SRP loads between watersheds were attributed to different soil biogeochemical characteristics, where soils with lower bioavailable P and higher P sorption capacity were less likely to have a cover crop effect. Antecedent precipitation was important in spring, and cover crop differences were still evident during periods of wet and dry antecedent precipitation conditions. Overall, we show that cover crops have the potential to significantly decrease spring tile drain P export, and these effects are resilient to a wide range of precipitation conditions.     

一次双台风影响下暴雨过程的中尺度涡旋模拟分析

本文对上海地区一次双台风环境影响的暴雨过程进行数值模拟及分析,探讨了强降水过程中大气中低层的涡旋特征及发展机理。结果表明:(1)暴雨过程处于双台风、大陆高压的共同影响下,中低层伴随有较明显的中尺度低涡发展。(2)与涡旋相关的局地垂直涡度由低层开始发展,先期涡度发展集中于850 hPa以下,之后向大气中上层发展增强,涡旋尺度强度也随之发展,最终形成在对流层下半部具有闭合式气旋性环流的深厚涡旋。(3)影响局地涡度变化的水平平流项、垂直平流项、散度制造项和倾斜项对不同时间、不同高度的涡度作用各不相同,其中散度制造项是中低层涡度的主要来源,垂直平流项的输送作用对中上层的涡度发展有重要作用,倾斜项对涡旋发展移动也有部分贡献。(4)通过敏感性试验考察了对流潜热反馈的贡献,发现潜热释放过程通过加热改变大气温压场结构,从而维持并改变局地涡度倾向的中低层辐合及对流上升运动,对涡旋的发展和移动起了重要影响。     

青藏高原那曲地区夏季一次对流云降水过程的云微物理及区域水分收支特征

第三次青藏高原科学试验针对高原夏季云和降水物理过程开展了大量观测研究,为进一步揭示高原云微物理结构、云中水分转化和区域水分收支特征,本文采用中尺度数值预报模式（WRF）并结合高原试验期间的各种观测资料,对那曲观测试验区2014年7月5~6日的一次较为典型的夏季对流云降水过程进行了数值模拟研究。结果表明WRF模式能够基本再现高原夏季对流云的发展演变过程以及降水的日变化特征。模拟结果显示高原夏季对流云中具有较高的过冷云水和霰粒子含量,冰相过程在高原云和降水的形成和发展中具有十分重要的作用,地面降水主要由霰粒子融化产生。暖雨过程对降水的直接贡献很小,但在霰胚形成中具有十分重要的作用。霰粒子胚胎的形成主要来源于冰晶与过冷雨滴的撞冻过程,雪粒子和过冷雨水的碰冻转化及过冷雨滴的均质冻结贡献相对较小。霰粒子的增长过程在12 km（-40℃）以上层主要依靠对冰晶、雪粒子的聚并收集过程,而在其下层的增长过程主要依赖对过冷云水的凇附增长,对雪粒子的聚并收集和凝华增长过程较小。高原那曲地区净水汽收支为正,日平均降水转化率可达20.75%,接近长江下游地区,高于华北、西北地区。该地区日降水再循环率为10.92%,说明局地蒸发的水汽对高原降水的水汽来源具有一定的贡献,但高原降水的90%仍然由外界输入的水汽转化形成。     

Production of Pacific White Shrimp Polycultured with Swimming Crab at Different Densities,and Nutrient Budget in the Enclosure System

This study was to evaluate the effect of stocking densities on the nitrogen and phosphorus budgets for a polyculture of the crab Portunus trituberculatus and the Pacific white shrimp Litopenaeus vannamei.The shrimps(initial weight,0.012 g)were cultured at a density of 45 shrimp m^-2,and juvenile crabs(initial weight,0.024 g)were cultured at five densities of 0,3,6,9,and 12 crabs m^-2.The treatments were grouped as C0S45,C3S45,C6S45,C9S45,and C12S45,respectively.Water quality parameters,growth of shrimp and crabs,and nitrogen and phosphorus budget were measured.The results indicated that the shrimp performances in polyculture treatments C3S45 and C6S45 were superior to those in the crab-free treatment(C0S45).The crab in treatments C3S45 and C6S45 exhibited a significantly higher final mean weight and carapace width/length than those in treatments C9S45 and C12S45.The final size and survival of crabs had a negative correlation with the increasing crab stocking density.The contents of total phos-phorus and total nitrogen and the comprehensive contamination index values were higher in the C9S45 and C12S45 treatments than in the other treatments.The conversion ratios of nitrogen for crab and shrimp growth in treatment C3S45 were significantly higher than those in the crab-free treatment.These findings indicate that polyculturing shrimp with crabs at suitable densities can improve productivity,profitability,nutrient utilization,and the environmental quality.From the 60-day treatments,the optimal culture densi-ties were 3-6 crabs m^-2 and 45 shrimps m^-2.     

The Linkage between Midwinter Suppression of the North Pacific Storm Track and Atmospheric Circulation Features in the Northern Hemisphere

The midwinter suppression(MWS) of the North Pacific storm track(NPST) has been an active research topic for decades. Based on the daily-mean NCEP/NCAR reanalysis from 1948 to 2018, this study investigates the MWS-related atmospheric circulation characteristics in the Northern Hemisphere by regression analysis with respect to a new MWS index, which may shed more light on this difficult issue. The occurrence frequency of the MWS of the upper-tropospheric NPST is more than 0.8 after the mid-1980 s. The MWS is accompanied by significantly positive sea-level pressure anomalies in Eurasia and negative anomalies over the North Pacific, which correspond to a strengthened East Asian winter monsoon. The intensified East Asian trough and atmospheric blocking in the North Pacific as well as the significantly negative low-level air temperature anomalies, lying upstream of the MNPST, are expected to be distinctly associated with the MWS. However, the relationship between the MWS and low-level atmospheric baroclinicity is somewhat puzzling.From the diagnostics of the eddy energy budget, it is identified that the inefficiency of the barotropic energy conversion related to the barotropic governor mechanism does not favor the occurrence of the MWS. In contrast, weakened baroclinic energy conversion, buoyancy conversion, and generation of eddy available potential energy by diabatic heating are conducive to the occurrence of the MWS. In addition, Ural blocking in the upstream region of the MNPST may be another candidate mechanism associated with the MWS.