Numerical modelling of climate change impacts on Saint‐Lawrence River tributaries

The impacts of climate‐induced changes in discharge and base level in three tributaries of the Saint‐Lawrence River, Québec, Canada, are modelled for the period 2010–2099 using a one‐dimensional morphodynamic model. Changes in channel stability and bed‐material delivery to the Saint‐Lawrence River over this period are simulated for all combinations of seven tributary hydrological regimes (present‐day and those predicted using three global climate models and two greenhouse gas emission scenarios) and three scenarios of how the base level provided by the Saint‐Lawrence River will alter (no change, gradual fall, step fall). Even with no change in base level the projected discharge scenarios lead to an increase in average bed material delivery for most combinations of river and global climate model, although the magnitude of simulated change depends on the choice of global climate model and the trend over time seems related to whether the river is currently aggrading, degrading or in equilibrium. The choice of greenhouse gas emission scenario makes much less difference than the choice of global climate model. As expected, a fall in base level leads to degradation in the rivers currently aggrading or in equilibrium, and amplifies the effects of climate change on sediment delivery to the Saint‐Lawrence River. These differences highlight the importance of investigating several rivers using several climate models in order to determine trends in climate change impacts. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A mathematical model for steady‐state regolith production at constant erosion rate

It has been hypothesized that many soil profiles reach a steady‐state thickness. In this work, such profiles were simulated using a one‐dimensional model of reaction with advective and diffusive solute transport. A model ‘rock’ is considered, consisting of albite that weathers to kaolinite in the presence of chemically inert quartz. The model yields three different steady‐state regimes of weathering. At the lowest erosion rates, a local‐equilibrium regime is established where albite is completely depleted in the weathering zone. This regime is equivalent to the transport‐limited regime described in the literature. With an increase in erosion rate, transition and kinetic regimes are established. In the transition regime, both albite and kaolinite are present in the weathering zone, but albite does not persist to the soil–air interface. In the weathering‐limited regime, here called the kinetic regime, albite persists to the soil–air interface. The steady‐state thickness of regolith decreases with increasing erosion rate in the local equilibrium and transition regimes, but in the kinetic regime, this thickness is independent of erosion rate. Analytical expressions derived from the model are used to show that regolith production rates decrease exponentially with regolith thickness. The steady‐state regolith thickness increases with the Darcy velocity of the pore fluid, and in the local equilibrium regime may vary markedly with small variations in this velocity and erosion rate. In the weathering‐limited regime, the temperature dependences for chemical weathering rates are related to the activation energy for the rate constant for mineral reaction and to the ΔH of dissolution, while for local equilibrium regimes they are related to the ΔH only. The model illustrates how geochemical and geomorphological observations are related for a simple compositional system. The insights provided will be useful in interpreting natural regolith profiles. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Experimental field assessment of suspended sediment pathways for characterizing hydraulic habitat

The distribution of particulate matter within river channels, including sediments, nutrients and pollutants, is fundamental to the survival of aquatic organisms. However, the interactions between flow and sediment transport at the patch scale of river systems represents an under‐researched component of physical habitat studies, particularly those concerning the characterization of ‘physical biotopes’ (riffles, runs, pools, glides). This paper describes a field methodology for exploring the transfer of particulate matter at small scales within river channels, which may be used to aid hydraulic habitat characterization. The field protocol combines field measurement of high frequency flow properties, to characterize hydraulic habitat units, and deployment of spatial arrays of turbidity probes, to detect the passage of artificially‐induced sediment plumes through different biotope units. Sediment plumes recorded by the probes are analysed quantitatively in the manner of the flood hydrograph, and qualitative inferences are made on the dominant mixing processes operating within different parts of the channel. Relationships between the nature of spatio‐temporal hydraulic variations within glide, riffle and pool biotopes, and the character and mixing behaviour of sediment plumes within these habitat units are identified. Results from these preliminary experiments suggest that investigating and characterizing the transfer and storage of sediments, nutrients and pollutants within and between different biotopes is a viable avenue for further research, with potential to contribute to improved physical habitat characterization for river management and habitat restoration. The experiments are also an illustration of the value of neglected synergies between process geomorphology, ecology and river hydraulics. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

山东省文登市生态足迹评价

以山东省文登市2005年统计年鉴数据为依据,对其生态足迹和生态承载力进行了计算。结果显示:2005年文登市人均生态足迹为4.554 5hm2,人均生态承载力为0.626 9 hm2,人均生态足迹赤字为3.927 6 hm2。反映出该市的生产、生活强度超过了生态系统的承载能力,生态系统处于过度开发利用状态。     

Diagnostic experiments for transport mechanisms of suspended sediment discharged from the Yellow River in the Bohai Sea

Five diagnostic experiments with a 3D baroclinic hydrodynamic and sediment transport model ECOMSED in couple with the third generation wave model SWAN and the Grant–Madsen bottom boundary layer model driven by the monthly sediment load of the Yellow River, were conducted to separately diagnose effects of different hydrodynamic factors on transport of suspended sediment discharged from the Yellow River in the Bohai Sea. Both transport and spatio-temporal distribution of suspended sediment concentration in the Bohai Sea were numerially simulated. It could be concluded that suspended sediment discharged from the Yellow River cannot be delivered in long distance under the condition of tidal current. Almost all of sediments from the Yellow River are deposited outside the delta under the condition of wind-driven current, and only very small of them are transported faraway. On the basis of wind forcing, sediments from the Yellow River are mainly transported north-northwestward, and others which are first delivered to the Laizhou Bay are continuously moved northward. An obvious 3D structure characteristic of sediment transport is produced in the wind-driven and tide-induced residual circulation condition. Transport patterns at all layers are generally consistent with circulation structure, but there is apparent deviation between the depth-averaged sediment flux and the circulation structure. The phase of temporal variation of sediment concentration is consistent with that of the bottom shear stress, both of which are proved to have a ten-day cycle in wave and current condition.     

红黏土地基承载力和变形参数的空间分布特征分析

为了获得红黏土地基承载力和变形参数在横向和垂向上的定量数据及分析它们的变化规律,选取厦门至成都高速公路湖南省郴州段典型横纵断面上的红黏土地层作为试验点,采用平板载荷试验、旁压试验等技术手段进行了原位测试。试验结果表明：红黏土地基承载力和变形模量在横向较小的范围内呈现较大幅度的变化,在垂向上则呈现先增大再减小的变化趋势,与红黏土赋存厚度、地形地貌、含水率等相关;旁压试验所测得的承载力特征值和平板载荷试验测得的承载力特征值之间存在一定的差异性;旁压模量与变形模量可以通过结构性系数联系起来,所得的结构性系数与Menard根据大量黏土试验资料对比所得到的结论较为一致。     

湖南“3+5”城市群城市综合承载力评价

湖南"3+5"城市群城市综合承载力评价从人口、经济、资源、环境、城市基础设施以及外部支撑力6个方面入手,所采用方法为信息熵法。结果表明"3+5"城市群城市综合承载力呈现出明显的梯度差异,长沙市以综合得分1.715分居于城市群之首,益阳市为1.410分最低,且"3+5"城市群承载力总体状况不容乐观;经济承载力是制约城市群城市综合承载力提高的首要因素;资源、环境承载力低下成为城市群共同问题;科技创新与区际交流对城市综合承载力提升具有重要意义。     

基于相对资源承载力信息的主体功能区划分研究——以长江流域为例

在主体功能区划分的现有研究中,大多数学者将重点放在了多级指标的选取和权重的设置上,因而造成标准过于繁冗、应用受限的问题。通过考查资源承载力与主体功能区的内在联系,将主体功能区的划分建立在区域资源承载力的测度之上,构建了基于相对资源承载力的主体功能区划分模型。将这一模型运用于长江流域,得出如下结论:在全国层面上,长江上游地区应划为重点开发区;在区域层面上,重庆、四川为优化开发区,云南、贵州为重点开发区。     

基于间断位移场的隧道围岩承载能力研究

岩体是岩石块体和分割这些块体的边界的组合体。沿边界面(结构面)的局部剪切变形使得位移场产生间断,对岩体的力学性能产生巨大的影响。采用光滑函数组合来描述滑移面上的间断,得到反映岩体沿着边界局部剪切的数学模型。利用此局部剪切模型得出了应力–滑移关系具有强化阶段时圆形坑道围岩自身承载能力的解析表达式,研究了岩体滑移面对坑道围岩自身承载能力的影响。通过分析得到,自承能力在深部坑道围岩的稳定中发挥了重要作用,应力–滑移关系的强化段对围岩承载力有着很大的影响;围岩压力与坑道的埋深、坑道的尺寸以及围岩的物理力学性质等具有直接关系;围岩出现不稳定的动力现象(岩爆)与此岩体参数m关系极大,而岩体参数与接触面的软化程度、能量转移、耗散结构的几何尺寸以及弹性模量有关。     

云南干季月蒸发量与常规气象要素的关系

基于112个站点干旱期4月39年蒸发皿蒸发量和常规地面气象观测8要素数据,应用EOF和典型相关分析,深入论证各常规气象要素与气候蒸发量的相关性,分析并比较各要素对蒸发量场总方差的解释能力;同时应用线性回归分析作为验证,并探寻多气象要素对蒸发量模拟的最优要素组合。结果显示,从单要素影响角度分析,常规地面气象观测要素与蒸发量相关性的排列次序为：平均相对湿度＞平均气温＞平均地面温度＞日照时数＞平均风速＞平均水汽压＞气压＞降水量,这与蒸发的热力学和动力学理论解释相一致。回归分析验证了典型相关的主要结果;单个常规气象要素中平均相对湿度对气候蒸发量的模拟效果最好;基于平均相对湿度、平均气温、风速、日照时数和平均水汽压资料的前3个要素组合和全部5要素组合,分别是简便普通精度和高精度需求下常规气象要素推算模拟气候蒸发量的最优要素组合。本文加深了对气候蒸发量的相关认识,并对其模拟推算和空间分布量化有重要指导意义。