Inferring air–water temperature relationships from river and catchment properties

Water temperature (Tw) is a key determinant of freshwater ecosystem status and cause for concern under a changing climate. Hence, there is growing interest in the feasibility of moderating rising Tw through management of riparian shade. The Loughborough University Temperature Network (LUTEN) is an array of 36 water and air temperature (Ta) monitoring sites in the English Peak District set‐up to explore the predictability of local Tw, given Ta, river reach, and catchment properties. Year 1 of monitoring shows that 84%–94% of variance in daily Tw is explained by Ta. However, site‐specific logistic regression parameters exhibit marked variation and dependency on upstream riparian shade. Perennial spring flows in the lower River Dove also affect regression model parameters and strongly buffer daily and seasonal mean Tw. The asymptote of the models (i.e. maximum expected Tw) is particularly sensitive to groundwater inputs. We conclude that reaches with spring flows potentially offer important thermal refuges for aquatic organisms against expected long‐term warming of rivers and should be afforded special protection. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Lake sedimentary processes and vegetation changes over the last 45k cal a bp in the uplands of south-eastern Amazonia

This study addresses paleoclimate influences in a southern Amazonia ecotone based on multiproxy records from lakes of the Carajás region during the last 45k cal a bp. Wet and cool environmental conditions marked the initial deposition in shallow depressions with detrital sediments and high weathering rates until 40k cal a bp. Concomitantly, forest and C3 canga plants, along with cool-adapted taxa, developed; however, short drier episodes enabled expansion of C4 plants and diagenetic formation of siderite. A massive event of siderite formation occurred approximately 30k cal a bp under strong drier conditions. Afterwards, wet and cool environmental conditions returned and persisted until the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The LGM was marked by lake-level lowstands and subaerial exposure. The transition from the LGM to the Holocene is marked by the onset of oscillations in temperature and humidity, with an expansion of forest and canga plants. Cool taxa were present for the last time in the Carajás region ~ 9.5–9k cal a bp. After 10k cal a bp , shallow lakes became upland swamps due to natural infilling processes, but the current vegetation types and structures of the plateaus were acquired only after 3k cal a bp under wetter climatic conditions.     

Climate change and future flows of Rocky Mountain rivers: converging forecasts from empirical trend projection and down‐scaled global circulation modelling

To predict future river flows, empirical trend projection (ETP) analyses and extends historic trends, while hydroclimatic modelling (HCM) incorporates regional downscaling from global circulation model (GCM) outputs. We applied both approaches to the extensively allocated Oldman River Basin that drains the North American Rocky Mountains and provides an international focus for water sharing. For ETP, we analysed monthly discharges from 1912 to 2008 with non‐parametric regression, and extrapolated changes to 2055. For modelling, we refined the physical models MTCLIM and SNOPAC to provide water inputs into RIVRQ (river discharge), a model that assesses the streamflow regime as involving dynamic peaks superimposed on stable baseflow. After parameterization with 1960–1989 data, we assessed climate forecasts from six GCMs: CGCM1‐A, HadCM3, NCAR‐CCM3, ECHAM4 and 5 and GCM2. Modelling reasonably reconstructed monthly hydrographs (R² about 0·7), and averaging over three decades closely reconstructed the monthly pattern (R² = 0·94). When applied to the GCM forecasts, the model predicted that summer flows would decline considerably, while winter and early spring flows would increase, producing a slight decline in the annual discharge (?3%, 2005–2055). The ETP predicted similarly decreased summer flows but slight change in winter flows and greater annual flow reduction (?9%). The partial convergence of the seasonal flow projections increases confidence in a composite analysis and we thus predict further declines in summer (about ? 15%) and annual flows (about ? 5%). This composite projection indicates a more modest change than had been anticipated based on earlier GCM analyses or trend projections that considered only three or four decades. For other river basins, we recommend the utilization of ETP based on the longest available streamflow records, and HCM with multiple GCMs. The degree of correspondence from these two independent approaches would provide a basis for assessing the confidence in projections for future river flows and surface water supplies. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The impact of biofuel-induced food-price inflation on dietary energy demand and dietary greenhouse gas emissions

Dramatic increases in liquid biofuel production have led to concerns about associated impacts on food prices, with many modeling studies showing significant biofuel-related price inflation. In turn, by changing patterns of food demand, biofuel production may indirectly influence greenhouse gas emissions. We estimated changes to dietary energy (calorie) demand and greenhouse gas emissions embodied in average diets under different biofuel-related food-price scenarios for Brazil, China and the United States, using food-price projections and food-price elasticities. Average energy demand decreased in all countries, from about 40 kcal per person per day in Brazil under a moderate price inflation scenario – a reduction of 1% relative to the (2009) reference scenario – to nearly 300 per day in the United States with high price inflation – almost 8% of reference levels. However, emissions per calorie increased slightly in all three countries. In terms of total greenhouse gas emissions, the results are suggestive of overall reductions only in the United States, where average reductions ranged from about 40 to 110 kg of carbon dioxide equivalent emissions per person per year. In China, the direction of impact is unclear, but the net change is likely to be small. Brazilian results were sensitive to parameter values and the direction and magnitude of impact is therefore uncertain. Despite the uncertainty, even small changes (positive or negative) in individual dietary emissions can produce large changes at the population level, arguing for the inclusion of the dietary pathway in greenhouse gas accounting of liquid biofuels.     

On the relationship between historical land‐use change and water availability: the case of the lower Tarim River region in northwestern China

Natural ecosystems in the region of the lower Tarim River in northwestern China strongly deteriorated since the 1950s due to an expanding desertification. As a result, the downstream Tarim River reaches became permanently dry land. This historical evolution in land‐use change is typically the result of the anthropogenic impact on natural ecosystems. On the basis of a spatially distributed hydrological catchment model bidirectionally linked with a fully hydrodynamic MIKE11 river model, land‐use changes characterized by historical changes in leaf area index (LAI) of vegetation, as well as the evolution of irrigated surface areas, can be causally related to changes in water resources (groundwater storage and surface water resources). An increased surface area of irrigated (agricultural) land, together with a majority of inefficient irrigation methods, did lead to a strong increase of water resources consumption of the farmlands located in the upper Tarim River area. Evidently, this evolution influenced available water resources downstream in the Tarim basin. As a result, farmland has been gradually relocated to the upstream regions. This has led to reduced flows from the upper Tarim stream, which subsequently accelerated the dropping of the groundwater level downstream in the basin. This study moreover demonstrates that land surface biomass changes (cumulative LAI) along the lower Tarim River are strongly related to the changes in groundwater storage. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于RS与GIS的茂县地区干旱河谷范围变化监测

以遥感(RS)和地理信息系统(GIS)为平台,选取茂县地区两期Landsat卫星影像,利用ENVI对影像数据进行监督分类,提取区域内植被覆盖图。利用Arc GIS结合茂县地区河谷分布图,界定出茂县地区两个时期内干旱河谷的分布范围。结果表明:整个茂县地区干旱河谷的范围呈缩减趋势,2005年干旱河谷面积457 619 400 m2,2015年干旱河谷面积为381 971 125 m~2,干旱河谷范围缩减了75 648 275 m~2。准确地界定出干旱河谷的范围变化,对指导川西地区生态环境综合治理以及西部广大山区的生态环境可持续发展战略的实施具有重要意义。     

相干变化指数法在震害快速评估中的应用

合成孔径雷达(SAR)具有全天候全天时的特点,为快速展开地震救援,评估震害损失提供了重要的数据支持。本文基于汶川震中东南平原地区的ENVISATASAR影像,利用相位干涉方法处理得到相干变化指数图像,对6个评估区域的像元相干变化指数进行统计分析,以相干变化指数平均值作为区分建筑物基本完好与损毁的阈值,并与实地调查结果相比,精度基本达到70%。验证干涉相干变化指数法对震害快速评估有效的同时,也为震区提供震害救援的依据。     

地理国情普查时点核准作业方法探讨

通过核实从数据采集到标准时点阶段发生变化的内容,补充新增内容,消除普查前阶段由于资料时效性和外业局限性等导致的现势性不统一现象,对变化的地理国情信息进行核准,使地理国情普查数据成果在时间上达到统一,是开展地理国情监测的基础。     

重庆市滑坡灾害时空特征分析

重庆市是滑坡灾害高发的城市,滑坡灾害每年都会造成大量的人员伤亡和经济损失。本文结合历年滑坡统计资料,基于GIS平台,分析重庆市滑坡灾害的时空分布特征。自1980年起,重庆发生滑坡的次数明显增加,且集中发生在5~9月,尤其是7月。80%以上的滑坡为降雨引发,其次是自然灾害和人类活动,人类活动诱发滑坡灾害增长速度最快。重庆滑坡密度大的地区为市区以及万州区、忠县等三峡库区核心地带,滑坡高发地区有东北向西南方向变化的趋势。     

土地变更影像在棚户区改造资金监管中的应用探索

加快棚户区改造是落实国务院部署的一项政治任务,也是当前及今后一段时期内的最大民生工程。通过利用年度土地变更调查遥感影像对荣成市2015年度棚户区改造新开工项目进行甄别排查,经实地核查后获取不合格项目的具体范围和面积。研究结果表明,利用年度土地变更调查遥感影像可以有效地提高棚户区改造资金监管中对于项目定性效率,并推进资源共享共建,为政府决策提供科学依据。