Factors controlling sediment yield at the catchment scale in NW Mediterranean geoecosystems

Purpose  

This study aimed to (1) increase understanding of the relation between sediment yield and environmental variables at the catchment scale; (2) test and validate existing and newly developed regression equations for prediction of sediment yield; and (3) identify how better predictions may be obtained.     

Radionuclide levels at two sites in a water extraction area in the Netherlands after chernobyl

The coastal dune aquifer, providing drinking water for a large part of the population of the western Netherlands, is recharged by fainfall and artificial infiltration of Rhine water. Chernobyl fall-out has been detected in both water sources. At the Castricum lysimeter station the rainfall-derived water, draining from 2.25 m of unsaturated sandy soil, shows levels of Cs-137 around the detection limit of 20 to 40 mBq kg^?1. At this site, the soil itself retained some Chernobyl-derived Cs-137 in the top 10 cm, where a similar quantity of old Cs-137 has also been retained. Penetration of old Cs-137 is deeper (up to 70 cm) under oak vegetation than in the bare soil. In the infiltration channels, fed by Rhine water, the bottom mud contains only Chernobyl-derived Cs nuclides. Radioactivity from Cs-137 is about one tenth of that from natural radioactivity due to K-40. Cesium levels are apparently unrelated to adsorptive properties.     

Factors controlling suspended sediment yield during runoff events in small headwater catchments of the Basque Country

For the first time in the Basque Country, turbidity (NTU), discharge (l/s) and precipitation (mm) have been continuously monitored in the gauging stations located at the outlet of three catchments (Aixola, Barrendiola and Añarbe) since October 2003. In this study, several data sets derived from flood events were used to develop turbidity and suspended sediment relationships for the three catchments separately, and so to estimate continuous suspended sediment concentration (SSC). Linear relationships are found in Barrendiola and Añarbe, and two curvilinear relationships for Aixola owing to changing sediment sources in the catchment. Several event (discharge, precipitation and suspended sediment concentration) and pre-event (discharge and precipitation) factors are calculated for all the events registered. With them correlation matrixes were developed for each catchment. Although some differences are found between catchments good correlation between precipitation (P), discharge (Q) and suspended sediment (SS) variables is found in general. Pre-event conditions are also well correlated with Q and SS variables in Barrendiola (higher regulation capacity) and Añarbe (larger area) but not in Aixola (“flash floods”). SSC-discharge evolutions through the events were also analysed. For Aixola four different types of hysteretic loops were observed: single lined, clockwise, counter-clockwise and eight-shaped; while for Barrendiola and Añarbe just clockwise loops were observed.     

The effect of cultivation on sediment composition and deposition in prairie pothole wetlands

Texture, major nutrient content, and deposition rate of sediments were compared for five prairie pothole wetlands surrounded by native grassland and seven otherwise similar wetlands surrounded by row crop and small grain farmland. Specific differences in the nature of the sedimentation cycle of cultivated and noncultivated watersheds were indicated. Flux of total inorganic material into sediments averaged 80 and 43 mg cm^?2 yr^?1 in cultivated and grassland wetlands, respectively. Cultivated sediments contained significantly higher clay percentages, but lower percentages of silt and sand than grassland sediments. Deposition rates of clay at cultivated sites averaged five times that of grassland locations. Enrichment ratios (the quotient of sediment concentration divided by upland soil concentrations) suggested that sand was selectively retained in equal proportions on uplands in both types of watersheds, that silt was selectively removed (although in different proportions) from uplands in both types of watersheds, and that clay was selectively retained only on grasslands. Total N and organic matter concentrations were significantly higher in both the soils and sediments of grassland watersheds, but there were no differences in total P concentrations with respect to land use. Sediment flux rates for total N and organic matter were similar in the two land use types; however, P was transported at nearly twice the rate to cultivated wetlands. Enrichment ratios indicated that N and P were selectively removed in similar proportions from upland soils in both types of watersheds.     

Factors controlling Al-activity in soil solutions in an acid forest soil of the German Solling area

The forests of the German Solling area are heavily impacted by acidic deposition. Analysis of soil solutions derived from suction lysimeters in the field reveal strong vertical gradients of Al-activity in the soil solution and increasing activity with soil depth. Temporal pattern of Al- activity in soil solutions under field conditions cannot easily be predicted by equilibrium models using Al(OH)₃ dissolution. Percolating disturbed soil samples under laboratory conditions with artificial acid soil solutions undersaturated to Al(OH)₃ solids resulted in high rates of Al release in the 30–40 cm layer and revealed Al(OH)₃ as a possible Al-activity controlling solid. The laboratory findings are not in coincidence with field observations. This discrepancy with respect to the regulation of Al activity in the 30–40 cm layer is attributed to the effect of soil structure and the interaction of macropores and micropores under field conditions. Al activity of the soil solution in the 0–10 cm layer seems to be regulated by exchange reactions with organic substances.     

Metal uptake in maize, willows and poplars on impoldered and freshwater tidal marshes in the Scheldt estuary

Foliar Cd and Zn concentrations in Salix, Populus and Zea mays grown on freshwater tidal marshes were assessed. Soil metal concentrations were elevated, averaging 9.7 mg Cd kg^?1 dry soil, 1100 mg Zn kg^?1 dry soil and 152 mg Cr kg^?1 dry soil. Cd (1.1–13.7 mg kg^?1) and Zn (192–1140 mg kg^?1) concentrations in willows and poplars were markedly higher than in maize on impoldered tidal marshes (0.8–4.8 mg Cd kg^?1 and 155–255 mg Zn kg^?1). Foliar samples of maize were collected on 90 plots on alluvial and sediment‐derived soils with variable degree of soil pollution. For soil Cd concentrations exceeding 7 mg Cd kg^?1 dry soil, there was a 50% probability that maize leaf concentrations exceeded public health standards for animal fodder. It was shown that analysis of foliar samples of maize taken in August can be used to predict foliar metal concentrations at harvest. These findings can therefore contribute to anticipating potential hazards arising from maize cultivation on soils with elevated metal contents.     

Long-term record and analysis of soil temperatures and soil heat fluxes in a grassland area, The Netherlands

A 27-year soil temperature record at five depths and soil heat flux record at one depth were analyzed for a grassland area in The Netherlands. The annual mean soil temperature of the last 23 years of soil measurements (no data gaps) showed a statistically significant increase of about 1.0 °C, consistent with the observed air temperature increase of about 1.3 °C for the same period. This positive trend correlates well with global brightening of 5.3 W m⁻² per decade. The 10-day mean soil temperature varied smoothly throughout the year with relatively small inter-annual variability. The deeper the measurement depth, the smoother the annual cycle and the smaller the variability. In February and at the end of the year the variability appears to be somewhat larger. A Fast Fourier Transform was applied to the measurements and revealed an annual and daily damping depth of 1.80 m and 0.10 m, respectively. An example of the usefulness of this data is provided for agriculture, where an aggressive root-knot nematode is affected by the mean soil temperature increase. It appears that the 600 degree day life-cycle threshold is reached 16 days earlier, which may lead to a potential serious increase in agriculture crop damage.     

Spatial and vertical variations in the soil organic carbon concentration and its controlling factors in boreal wetlands in the Greater Khingan Mountains,China

Purpose

Wetlands have a critical impact on the global carbon cycle. This study aims to investigate the spatial and vertical distribution of the soil organic carbon concentration (SOCc), to identify the differences of SOCc among swamps, marshes, bogs, and fens at a regional scale, and finally to examine the main environmental factors impacting SOCc at different depth intervals within different wetland types located in the Greater Khingan Mountains (GKM).

Materials and methods

A total of 218 soil samples were collected. SOCc was determined by the combustion-oxidation method. To analyze the impacts of wetland type, soil type, mean annual precipitation (MAP), mean annual temperature (MAT), evapotranspiration (ET), elevation (EL), and slope (SL) on SOCc, statistical analysis methods were executed, including ANOVA with the Duncan test, Pearson correlations analysis, and the stepwise multiple regressions analysis.

Results and discussion

The mean values of SOCc in the 0–30, 30–60, and 60–100-cm intervals were 130.4, 64.2, and 32.6 g kg^?1, respectively. The wetland type played an important role in the pattern of SOCc in terms of significant differences (p?<?0.05) among the different wetland types in the 0–60-cm depth. However, significant differences were not found among different soil types. In terms of the wetland type, the highest SOCc was found in bogs (p?<?0.05), probably due to the higher MAP and lower MAT. The increased MAP (R²?=?0.1369, p?<?0.01) and decreased MAT (R²?=?0.1225, p?<?0.01) had positive associations on the wetland SOCc. ET (R²?=?0.2809, p?<?0.01), MAP (R²?=?0.2025, p?<?0.01), and EL (R²?=?0.0484, p?<?0.05) were positively correlated with marsh SOCc. Moreover, MAP was positively correlated with the bog SOCc (R²?=?0.1296, p?<?0.01). For vertical patterns, SOCc was higher in the 0–30-cm interval and decreased with depth. The impacts of environmental factors on SOCc decreased with depth for each wetland type. Models were developed to document the relations between the SOCc of marshes and fens and corresponding environmental factors.

Conclusions

Wetland types largely differed in the soil carbon pools in the GKM of China. The relative importance of environmental factors was different for the SOCc values of various wetland types. To minimize carbon loss into the atmosphere, more protections are required for wetlands, especially in the 0–30-cm depth interval because it contains higher SOCc values and is more vulnerable and less stable than those in the deeper layers.

     

BSAFs for freshwater fish and derivation of a sediment quality guideline for PCBs in the Rhone basin, France

Purpose  

Since 2005, freshwater fish contamination by polychlorobiphenyls (PCBs), polychlorodibenzodioxins, and polychlorodibenzofurans has been assessed in the Rhone River basin (France). A large database of surface sediment contamination by PCBs is also available, opening the way to the study of biota-to-sediment accumulation factor (BSAF) distribution throughout this basin. The ultimate goal of the study was to determine a sediment quality guideline (SQG) corresponding to the regulatory fish consumption limit.     

Storage and controlling factors of soil organic carbon in alpine wetlands and meadow across the Tibetan Plateau

Alpine wetlands and meadows across the Three Rivers Source Region (TRSR) store high soil organic carbon (SOC). However, information on factors affecting SOC storage is scanty. Herein, we investigated SOC storage and explored factors affecting SOC storage, including climate, soil properties and above- and belowground biomass, using 50 soil profiles across the TRSR on the Tibetan Plateau. The SOC storage was 491.9 ± 158.5 Tg C and 545.2 ± 160.8 Tg C in the TRSR alpine wetlands and meadow, respectively. The SOC stock was positively correlated with the mean annual precipitation. However, no significant correlation between SOC stock and mean annual temperature was observed, as opposed to the global trend. In addition, SOC stock was positively correlated with both the aboveground biomass (AGB) and belowground biomass (BGB). Soil pH indirectly affected SOC stock, while SOC stock positively correlated with Al and Fe oxyhydroxides. Compared with vegetation biomass and climatic factors, soil properties, including soil pH and Al and Fe oxyhydroxides (Al_o and Fe_o), affected not only SOC stock variation but also affected the impact of vegetation and climatic factors on SOC stock. Climate factors, AGB, BGB, soil pH, Al_o and Fe_o jointly accounted for 59% of SOC stock variation in alpine wetlands and 64% of SOC stock variation in alpine meadow. This study suggests that soil properties are the dominant factors affecting SOC variation in alpine wetlands and meadow on the Tibetan Plateau.     

Factors controlling the erosion rates in a semi-arid zone (Bardenas Reales,NE Spain)

Bardenas Reales is an erosive depression 415 km² in area located in the central-western part of the Ebro Depression. Tertiary sediments crop out in the margin of the basin whereas Quaternary sediments, Holocene in age, occur only in its centre. These Holocene sediments (clays and silts) are the result of the erosion and weathering of the Tertiary clays and are made up of 3 different stratigraphic units. Erosion is clearly the dominant process in the centre of the depression, generating gullies up to 10 km in long and 8 m deep. In order to analyse and quantify the erosion rates of the studied area, erosion was measured on two Soil Erosion Plots with volumetric and instrumental techniques that have been supplied for the last 12 years. The results show that the estimated erosion rates depend extrinsically on the used method and intrinsically on the time of the year in which they are measured. The most accurate values are those obtained by means of collector devices. The values obtained by the microtopographic profile gauge are overestimated, while the results of the measurement with erosion pins are clearly lower. The study area is located in a semi-arid environment, with two pluviometric maximums, in spring and autumn, associated with convective storms. In summer and winter, rainfall is related to Atlantic cyclonal fronts. Soil loss is significant during the pluviometric maximums when rainfall quantity and intensity are higher. During cyclonal periods, in contrast, water erosion is null or scarce and soil loss is related to mudflows. In addition, the erosion rates of each Holocene unit are different. The C2 Holocene unit has undergone greater erosion because of its physico-chemical properties. All the stratigraphic units have similar characteristics regarding Tertiary materials. Since 1993 the average erosion rate measured by the collector device on the Tertiary materials is 32 Mg ha^− 1 year^− 1 and 77 Mg ha^− 1 year^− 1 in the Holocene.     

Factors controlling mineralization of soil organic matter in the Eurasian steppe

To understand the dynamics of soil organic matter (SOM) in the Eurasian steppe, several soil and meteorological properties were tested in order to estimate the amounts of potentially mineralizable organic carbon (PMC) and nitrogen (PMN). Total 41 surface soil samples were collected in Ukraine and Kazakhstan from cropland, forest, grassland, and desert ecosystems. The fresh soils were incubated for 133 days under constant temperature and moisture conditions, and the CO₂ emissions and the mineral N from the soils were monitored. PMC and PMN were determined by fitting models to the cumulative curves of the CO₂ and the mineral N. Tested soil properties included soil pH, sand, silt and clay contents, carbon and nitrogen contents of light fraction (LF, <1.6 g cm^?3) and heavy fraction (HF), and C/N ratio of LF and HF. The meteorological properties considered were mean annual temperature and precipitation. Using multiple regression analysis with the stepwise method, PMC was well estimated by carbon content of LF (LFC) and clay content, compared to the simple correlation with organic carbon (OC). Similarly, PMN was better determined by nitrogen content of LF (LFN) and clay content. These results suggest the partially labile nature of clay-associating OM and of LFC and LFN. The higher PMC and PMN in the forest and grassland sites would be attributed to the higher LFC and LFN, while the lower LFC and LFN in cropland sites would suggest the relatively higher contribution of clay-associating OM to PMC and PMN.     

白洋淀水环境污染防治对策

研究表明目前我国白洋淀水资源蓄水量不足20世纪60年代的1/10,且水质不断恶化,Ⅳ类水面占29.7%,Ⅴ类水面占51.4%,超Ⅴ类水面占18.9%。白洋淀水环境污染物以有机污染物为主,CODMn和总N、总P严重超标,BOD5亦受到不同程度污染,总体达轻度富营养化程度,并提出防治对策。     

大兴安岭林区湿地生态水环境失调机理探析

阐述了大兴安岭林区湿地特征和生态水环境失调机理,指出该区大气转暖期的温室效应增加,原始森林被砍伐,湿地排水造林,三者相互制约,促使降水径流加速,冻结滞水层融深和融水量加大,地面蒸发作用增强,并人为加大湿地及其流域内地表积水和地下径流向山地河谷排泄,导致湿地生态水环境失调,由此造成大兴安岭针叶森林、冻结滞水层分布区向北和高海拔退缩,森林生态水环境随之失调恶化。     

Relationship between suspended sediment load, channel geometry and land area increment in the Yellow River Delta

The annual river discharges and suspended sediment loads into the Yellow River Delta show a declining tendency with some distinct fluctuations over the last 50 years. The decrease of river discharge and suspended sediment load and the change in the river channel must influence the evolution of the Yellow River Delta. During this period several new river mouths formed via channel switch at the river delta, and the old watercourse was gradually abandoned. Recently, in years with very low annual suspended load, erosion of land area has been recorded for the delta. The aims of this work are (1) to determine what is the critical suspended sediment load needed in order to maintain the land balance of the Yellow River Delta for two periods before and after 1976 (the last time the channel shifted), and (2) to examine the variation in the channel geometry and gradient in response to changes in suspended sediment load and delta area at the river mouth. In order to estimate these critical values, we used statistical method to analyze the relationships between land area increment, and suspended sediment load and channel geometry. In order to examine the variation in the channel geometry, the channel cross-sections of the Q1 and Q6 were compared. The results show that to maintain the land area balance between 1953 and 1973, when the river mouth was the Diaokouhe, the critical annual suspended sediment load entering the delta was 4.21  10⁸ tonnes/a. After the main channel switched to Qingshuigou in 1976, the critical value to maintain the Qingshuigou mouth between 1976 and 1997 was 1.51  10⁸ tonnes/a. To maintain the land area balance for the entire Yellow River Delta between 1976 and 1997 the critical suspended sediment load was 3.18  10⁸ tonnes/a. The annual mean channel thalweg elevation and channel gradient at the river delta increase with increasing land area increment at the Qingshuigou mouth. The critical channel gradient at the channel reach between cross sections Q1 and Q6 is 0.000095. The channel has narrowed during the time period from 1976 to 1997. Also, lateral channel migration has decreased remarkably, resulting in enhanced hydraulic efficiency of the deltaic channel and artificial levees. This channel geometry evolution was influenced by river adjustment and human activities. These results are of importance for the management of the lower Yellow River channel and the delta. Future water diversion or river damming should consider the balance between suspended sediment delivery and delta growth.     

苏北沿海滩涂地区土壤有机质含量的高光谱预测

基于反射高光谱快速、无损的检测优势,以苏北沿海滩涂地区不同成陆年代土壤作为光谱信息源,应用偏最小二乘回归（PLSR）方法,研究了原始反射光谱（REF）、微分光谱（FDR）、反射率倒数的对数（lg(1/R)）和波段深度（BD）对不同成陆年代土壤有机质含量的预测精度。结果表明,不同成陆年代土壤有机质含量预测的最佳光谱指标存在差异。REF是构建总体样本有机质含量PLSR预测模型的最佳光谱指标,均方根误差（RMSE）和相关系数（r）分别为2.7231和0.8701;FDR是预测成陆千年土壤样本有机质含量的最佳光谱指标,RMSE和r分别为2.0110和0.9436;BD所构建的成陆百年土壤有机质含量的PLSR预测模型为最优,RMSE和r分别为2.7051和0.8770。相关分析表明,可见光波段、以1 400 nm为中心及1 900～2 450 nm的红外波段是估算土壤有机质含量的最佳波段。     

Desorption behaviour of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons after long-term storage of two harbour sludges from the port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands

Purpose

The desorption behaviour of 16 polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in sludges from two sites of the port of Rotterdam, The Netherlands, which are designated to be stored in a subaqueous sludge depository, was investigated after a storage time of 14 years at 4 °C under anaerobic conditions in the dark, mimicking depository conditions. Such long-term storage is believed to effect the desorption of the PAHs.

Materials and methods

Batch desorption experiments over a time period of 130 days were performed with the brackish Beerkanaal (BK) sludge and the freshwater Beneden Merwede River (BMR) sludge. The organic carbon–water partitioning coefficient (K _OC) values were calculated and compared to values of a previous study on the same sludges after a storage time of 3 years and to values obtained from calculations based on octanol–water partitioning coefficient (K _OW) values. Additionally, the organic matter of the sludges was characterised by C and N elemental analysis and solid-state ¹³C nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy.

Results and discussion

Only desorption of low molecular weight PAHs up to pyrene was detected. Several K _OC values were higher compared to the values from the previous study, and all were increased compared to values based on K _OW values. It is assumed that the increase in K _OC was an effect of the prolonged contact time, causing slow intradomain diffusion of PAHs into the condensed carbon domains. Desorption was higher in BK than in BMR, which is explained by differences in organic matter composition because BMR (containing predominantly aromatic carbon) and BK (which was dominated by lipids) contained the same amount of organic carbon. It is inferred that lipids compete with PAHs for sorption sites on the aromatic carbon, so that lipids block these sorption sites, and the PAHs are adsorbed to the lipids.

Conclusions

Since the amounts of PAHs desorbed from both sludges in this study were so low, it is supposed that long-term storage of these sludges in subaqueous depositories will likely result in increased sorption and thus a reduced release of these contaminants into the environment over time.     

Establishing sediment budgets for two small lowland agricultural catchments in the UK

Sediment budgets have been established for two small (<4 km²), lowland, agricultural catchments, by using ¹³⁷Cs measurements, sediment source fingerprinting and more traditional monitoring techniques to quantify the individual components of the budget. The gross and net erosion rates for the fields on the catchment slopes were estimated using ¹³⁷Cs measurements within selected fields, which encompassed a representative range of slope angles, slope lengths and land use. These estimates were extrapolated over the entire catchment, using a simple topographically driven soil erosion model (Terrain-Based GIS, TBGIS) superimposed on a DEM, to derive catchment average gross and net erosion rates. Suspended sediment yields were measured at the catchment outlets and sediment source fingerprinting techniques were used to establish the relative contributions from the catchment surface, subsurface tile drains and eroding channel banks to the sediment yields. In-channel and wetland storage were quantified using both direct measurements and ¹³⁷Cs measurements. The sediment budgets established for the catchments highlighted the importance of subsurface tile drains as a pathway for sediment transfer, accounting for ca. 60% and 30% of the sediment output from the two catchments. Erosion from channel banks contributed ca. 10% and 6% of the sediment output from the two catchments. Although the suspended sediment yields from these catchments were considered high by UK standards (ca. 90 t km⁻² year⁻¹), the sediment delivery ratios ranged between 14% and 27%, indicating that a major proportion of the mobilised sediment was stored within the catchments. In-field and field-to-channel storage were shown to be of similar magnitude, but storage of sediment in the channel system and associated wetlands was relatively small, representing <5% of the annual suspended sediment yield.     

Mobilisation of Heavy Metals in Contaminated Sediments in the River Meuse,The Netherlands

Due to seasonal variation in bottom-water temperature and degradation of organic matter, the depths of the redox boundaries fluctuate in sediments of the river Meuse. This is reflected by a non-steady state behaviour of heavy metals in the surface sediments. Levels of acid-volatile sulphides suggest that dissolved concentrations of heavy metals in the anoxic pore waters are determined by their respective sulphide phases. However, complexation with dissolved organic ligands may significantly increase dissolved concentrations of heavy metals. In most sediments studied, a distinct peak in dissolved concentrations of heavy metals is measured immediately below the sediment-water interface. This concentration peak may be attributed to degradation of organic matter and oxidation of sulphides. Dissolved concentration gradients indicate that upward diffusion of heavy metals from the sediment can contribute to concentrations in the surface water, although significant effects may be confined to specific locations. In addition, it is shown that release of heavy metals as dissolved species to the surface water is negligible compared to particulate-bound fluxes of heavy metals to the sediment.