Riverine CO2emissions in the Wuding River catchment on the Loess Plateau: Environmental controls and dam impoundment impact

2017 ◽  
Vol 122 (6) ◽  
pp. 1439-1455 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lishan Ran ◽  
Lingyu Li ◽  
Mingyang Tian ◽  
Xiankun Yang ◽  
Ruihong Yu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Loess Plateau ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
River Catchment ◽  
Environmental Controls ◽  
The Wuding River

scholarly journals Riverine carbon export in the arid to semiarid Wuding River catchment on the Chinese Loess Plateau

2018 ◽  
Vol 15 (12) ◽  
pp. 3857-3871 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lishan Ran ◽  
Mingyang Tian ◽  
Nufang Fang ◽  
Suiji Wang ◽  
Xixi Lu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Chinese Loess Plateau ◽  
Spatial And Temporal Variability ◽  
Organic Carbon Content ◽  
Wet Season ◽  
Carbon Export ◽  
River Catchment ◽  
Chinese Loess ◽  
The Wuding River ◽  
The Chinese Loess Plateau

Abstract. Riverine export of terrestrially derived carbon represents a key component of the global carbon cycle. In this study we quantify the fate of riverine carbon within the Wuding River catchment on the Chinese Loess Plateau. Export of dissolved organic and inorganic carbon (DOC and DIC) exhibited pronounced spatial and temporal variability. While DOC concentration first presented a downward trend along the river course and then increased in the main-stem river, it showed no significant seasonal differences and was not sensitive to flow dynamics. This likely reflects the predominance of groundwater input over the entire year and its highly stable DOC. DIC concentration in the loess subcatchment is significantly higher than that in the sandy subcatchment, due largely to dissolution of carbonates that are abundant in loess. In addition, bulk particulate organic carbon content (POC%) showed strong seasonal variability with low values in the wet season owing to input of deeper soils by gully erosion. The downstream carbon flux was (7.0 ± 1.9) × 1010 g C yr−1 and dominated by DIC and POC. Total CO2 emissions from water surface were (3.7 ± 0.6) × 1010 g C yr−1. Radiocarbon analysis revealed that the degassed CO2 was 810–1890 years old, indicating the release of old carbon previously stored in soil horizons. Riverine carbon export in the Wuding River catchment has been greatly modified by check dams. Our estimate shows that carbon burial through sediment storage was (7.8 ± 4.1) × 1010 g C yr−1, representing 42 % of the total riverine carbon export from terrestrial ecosystems on an annual basis ((18.5 ± 4.5) × 1010 g C yr−1). Moreover, the riverine carbon export accounted for 16 % of the catchment's net ecosystem production (NEP). It appears that a significant fraction of terrestrial NEP in this arid to semiarid catchment is laterally transported from the terrestrial biosphere to the drainage network.

scholarly journals Simulating the Impact of Climate Change on Runoff in a Typical River Catchment of the Loess Plateau, China

2013 ◽  
Vol 14 (5) ◽  
pp. 1553-1561 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. Q. Wang ◽  
J. Y. Zhang ◽  
Y. Q. Xuan ◽  
J. F. Liu ◽  
J. L. Jin ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Global Warming ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Hydrological Cycle ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Hydrological Simulation ◽  
River Catchment ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Regional Water

Abstract Global warming will have direct impacts on regional water resources by accelerating the hydrological cycle. Hydrological simulation is an important approach to studying climate change impacts. In this paper, a snowmelt-based water balance model (SWBM) was used to simulate the effect of climate change on runoff in the Kuye River catchment of the Loess Plateau, China. Results indicated that the SWBM is suitable for simulating monthly discharge into arid catchments. The response of runoff in the Kuye River catchment to climate change is nonlinear, and runoff is more sensitive to changes in precipitation than to changes in temperature. The projections indicated that the Kuye River catchment would undergo more flooding in the 2020s, and global warming would probably shorten the main flood season in the catchment, with greater discharge occurring in August. Although projected changes in annual runoff are uncertain, the possibilities of regional water shortages and regional flooding are essential issues that need to be fully considered.

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