Channel changes of the Makou-Tianjiazhen reach in the middle Yangtze River during the past 40 years

Quantitative analysis was performed on the filling-scouring process for the river reach within Makou and Tianjiazhen, the middle Yangtze River with the help of GIS and DEM techniques. The research results indicate that the river reach between Makou and Tianjiaz- hen was dominated by the scouring process, and the magnitude of scouring is increasing over time. The intensity of scouring process is more in the deep and narrower river reach than shallower and wider ones. The river reach in the Makou and Tianjiazhen river knot is in frequent scouring and filling process, however the river reach upper to the Makou and lower to the Tianjiazhen river knot is in moderate scouring and filling process. The river reach just upstream or downstream to the river knot （e.g. Makou and Tianjiazhen river knot in this research） is dominated by filling process and the river reach in the river knot is dominated by the scouring process. Research results indicate no changes in the boundary of the river but the scouring and the filling magnitude in specific river channel is strong. The filling and the scouring process of the study river reach is greatly impacted by the sediments and water from the upstream of the study river reach. The construction of the Three Gorges Dam just up- stream to Yichang will cause further decrease of the release of the sediment load to the middle and the lower Yangtze River basin, which will further intensify the scouring process of the river channel in the study river reach.

Impact of land use/cover changes on carbon storage in a river valley in arid areas of Northwest China

Soil carbon pools could become a CO_2 source or sink, depending on the directions of land use/cover changes. A slight change of soil carbon will inevitably affect the atmospheric CO_2 concentration and consequently the climate. Based on the data from 127 soil sample sites, 48 vegetation survey plots, and Landsat TM images, we analyzed the land use/cover changes, estimated soil organic carbon（SOC） storage and vegetation carbon storage of grassland, and discussed the impact of grassland changes on carbon storage during 2000 to 2013 in the Ili River Valley of Northwest China. The results indicate that the areal extents of forestland, shrubland, moderate-coverage grassland（MCG）, and the waterbody（including glaciers） decreased while the areal extents of high-coverage grassland（HCG）,low-coverage grassland（LCG）, residential and industrial land, and cultivated land increased. The grassland SOC density in 0–100 cm depth varied with the coverage in a descending order of HCG〉MCG〉LCG.The regional grassland SOC storage in the depth of 0–100 cm in 2013 increased by 0.25×1011 kg compared with that in 2000. The regional vegetation carbon storage（S_（rvc）） of grassland was 5.27×10~9 kg in2013 and decreased by 15.7% compared to that in 2000. The vegetation carbon reserves of the under-ground parts of vegetation（S_（ruvb）） in 2013 was 0.68×10~9 kg and increased by approximately 19.01%compared to that in 2000. This research can improve our understanding about the impact of land use/cover changes on the carbon storage in arid areas of Northwest China.

Impacts of Land-use and Land-cover Changes on River Runoff in Yellow River Basin for Period of 1956–2012

River runoff is affected by many factors, including long-term effects such as climate change that alter rainfall-runoff relationships, and short-term effects related to human intervention(e.g., dam construction, land-use and land-cover change(LUCC)). Discharge from the Yellow River system has been modified in numerous ways over the past century, not only as a result of increased demands for water from agriculture and industry, but also due to hydrological disturbance from LUCC, climate change and the construction of dams. The combined effect of these disturbances may have led to water shortages. Considering that there has been little change in long-term precipitation, dramatic decreases in water discharge may be attributed mainly to human activities, such as water usage, water transportation and dam construction. LUCC may also affect water availability, but the relative contribution of LUCC to changing discharge is unclear. In this study, the impact of LUCC on natural discharge(not including anthropogenic usage) is quantified using an attribution approach based on satellite land cover and discharge data. A retention parameter is used to relate LUCC to changes in discharge. We find that LUCC is the primary factor, and more dominant than climate change, in driving the reduction in discharge during 1956–2012, especially from the mid-1980 s to the end-1990 s. The ratio of each land class to total basin area changed significantly over the study period. Forestland and cropland increased by about 0.58% and 1.41%, respectively, and unused land decreased by 1.16%. Together, these variations resulted in changes in the retention parameter, and runoff generation showed a significant decrease after the mid-1980 s. Our findings highlight the importance of LUCC to runoff generation at the basin scale, and improve our understanding of the influence of LUCC on basin-scale hydrology.

Some thermodynamic criteria for river channel changes

A theoretical model of river channel changes is presented, which shows some nonequilibrium thermodynamic criteria of a river channel to bedding and equilibrium.

STUDIES ON TERRACES AND RIVER SYSTEM CHANGES OF THE UPPER YELLOW RIVER

There are seven steps of terrace both in the Guide basin and Gonghe basin along the Yellow River. More close to the source, less the steps of terrace. Three ancient terraces are found in Gonghe basin. The upper reaches of the Yellow River was joined up by a series of stream captures at different periods of time, the ancient Yellow River linked up the Gonghe basin and Guide basin at the end of the middle Pleistocene, the Longyangxia gorge developed around 60 Ka.B.P., and the gorge between Maqu and Tangnag developed around 20 Ka.B.P.

1998’s floods in the Changjiang River and the land use/land cover change in the upper and middle-lower reaches in the past 50 years

Flood of Changjiang River (the Yangtze) in 1998 is so serious that it arouses our keen concern about its causes. In this paper, the authors bring out a brief history of the flood disaster happened to the Changjiang River Valley in the last six centuries and analyze the causes for the frequent flood disaters based on the land use and land cover change in the upper and middle-lower reaches of the Changjiang River.

Thirty Vears Road,Integrating a Megacity——Economic Changes inthe Yangtze River Delta Over the Past 30 Years

As one of the most dynamic economic zones in China, the Yangtze River Delta has further increased its economic output,becoming more open to foreign investment and international cooperation over the past 30 years.Its economic stability and coordination have been strengthened;and the process of regional integration continues to accelerate.

Assessing the Effect of Natural Controls and Land Use Change on Sediment Yield in a Major Andean River:The Magdalena Drainage Basin,Colombia

马格达莱纳河是哥伦比亚安第斯山区的一个世界级的河流网络，该河流年产沙量约为150Mt，是全世界10大主要产沙河流之一。在本研究中，我们探讨主要自然因子和人类活动对马格达莱纳河流域产沙模式的影响，重建该区森林砍伐和农业活动时空模式，探讨土地利用变化与产沙趋势的关系。我们的研究结果表明，整个马格达莱纳河流域的产沙量可以用自然变量（包括径流量和最大河水流量）来解释。这两个因子解释了产沙量58％的变化。含沙率和土地利用的时间分析表明，在过去10～20年里流域侵蚀呈现增加的趋势。许多人类活动的影响，包括森林覆被在20年里减小了近40％．农业和牧场增加了65％、土壤保持差、开矿活动，以及城市化的加速，都促进了该地区域尺度上产沙量的增加。

Analysis of ecological effects of comprehensive treatment in the Tarim River Basin using remote sensing data

Based on multi-type,multi-temporal remote sensing data,we have monitored recent changes in cultivated land use and vegetation,in sandy areas and salinized desertification in the Green Corridor zone of the main channel of the Tarim River Basin.The results of our investigation show that the ecological environment in the Green Corridor of the main channel of the Tarim River Basin has conspicuously improved from 2002 to 2004.These improvements show up largely in such aspects as an increase in the rate of vegetation cover,a reduction in desertification land areas and a weakening in the intensity of sandy and the salinized land.On the other hand,the cultivated area in the Tarim River Basin significantly increased from 2002 to 2004.The rate of growth in cultivated areas during this period was significantly higher than that from 1999 to 2002.The increase in the use of irrigation resulting from the substantial increase in cultivated areas has a long-term potential restraining effect on the restoration of ecological functions of the Tarim River.

Using modified Soil Conservation Service curve number method to simulate the role of forest in flood control in the upper reach of the Tingjiang River in China

To improve flood control efficiency and increase urban resilience to flooding,the impacts of forest type change on flood control in the upper reach of the Tingjiang River(URTR) were evaluated by a modified model based on the Soil Conservation Service curve number(SCS-CN) method. Parameters of the model were selected and determined according to the comprehensive analysis of model evaluation indexes. The first simulation of forest reconstruction scenario,namely a coniferous forest covering 59.35km^2 is replaced by a broad-leaved forest showed no significant impact on the flood reduction in the URTR. The second simulation was added with 61.75km^2 bamboo forest replaced by broad-leaved forest,the reduction of flood peak discharge and flood volume could be improved significantly. Specifically,flood peak discharge of 10-year return period event was reduced to 7-year event,and the reduction rate of small flood was 21%-28%. Moreover,the flood volume was reduced by 9%-14% and 18%-35% for moderate floods and small floods,respectively. The resultssuggest that the bamboo forest reconstruction is an effective control solution for small to moderate flood in the URTR,the effect of forest conversion on flood volume is increasingly reduced as the rainfall amount increases to more extreme magnitude. Using a hydrological model with scenarios analysis is an effective simulation approach in investigating the relationship between forest type change and flood control. This method would provide reliable support for flood control and disaster mitigation in mountainous cities.

Recent changing patterns of the Changjiang(Yangtze River) Estuary caused by human activities

To evaluate the controlling factors for coastline change of the Changjiang（Yangtze River） Estuary since 1974,we extracted the mean high tide line from multi-temporal remote sensing images that span from 1974 to 2014 at 2-year intervals.We chose 42 scenes to constrain the changing pattern of the Changjiang Estuary coastline,and implemented GIS technology to analyze the area change of the Changjiang（Yangtze） Subaerial Delta.Runoff,sediment discharge and coastal engineering were withal considered in the analysis of the coastline changes.The coastline has transgressed seaward since 1974,and a part of it presents inter-annual variations.The area of the Changjiang Subaerial Delta increased by 871 km2,with a net accretion rate of 21.8 km2/a.Based on the change of sediment discharge due to the major projects in the Changjiang River Basin,we divided the changing pattern of the coastline into three stages：the slow accretion stage（1974–1986）,the moderate accretion stage（1987–2002）,and the rapid accretion stage（2003–2014）.Liner regression analysis illustrated that there is a significantly positive correlation between the area changes and sediment discharge in the Chongming Eastern Shoal and Jiuduansha.This suggested that sediment load has a fundamental effect on the evolution of the Changjiang Estuary.Construction of Deep Waterway in the North Passage of the Changjiang River（1998–2010） led to a rapid accretion in the Hengsha Eastern Shoal and Jiuduansha by influencing the hydrodynamics in North Passage.Coastal engineering such as reclamation and harbor construction can also change the morphology of the Changjiang Estuary.We defined a contribution rate of area change to assess the impact of reclamation on the evolution of Changjiang Estuary.It turned out that more than 45.3% of area increment of the Changjiang Estuary was attributed to reclamation.

MATHEMATICAL MODEL OF RIVER BED CHANGE DOWNSTREAM OF XIAOLANGDI RESERVOIR

A mathematical model of river be d change downstream of the Xiaolangdi Reservoir was developed based on the most recent achievement of sediment theory in the Yellow River. The model was verified by the comparison of computed results and measured data from 1986 to 1996. Num erical prediction of the erosion and deposition downstream of the Xiaolangdi Res ervoir in its first operation year was carried out, and a series of suggestions were given for reservoir operation mode in its early operation period.

Catchment environmental change over the 20th Century recorded by sedimentary leaf wax n-alkane δ^(13)C off the Pearl River estuary

The compound-specific stable carbon isotope compositions(δ^(13)C) of leaf wax n-alkanes from two short sediment cores recovered off the Pearl River estuary(PRE) were analyzed to check for their capability of indicating decadal scale catchment environmental change. Sedimentary long-chain n-alkanes exhibited an odd-over-even predominance, with a maximum at n-C_(29) or n-C_(31), indicating their leaf wax origin was from vascular plants. The δ^(13)C values of C_(29) and C_(31) n-alkane in all the sediment samples were in the range of -28.8‰ to -31.2‰, consistent with the C_3 plant-dominated vegetation in the Pearl River catchments. The time series of δ^(13)C records from the two cores were comparable and displayed a decreasing trend from the early 20 th century to the end of the 1970s, followed by a reversal in that change leading to continued increase for ca. 15 years. After being corrected for the effect of atmospheric CO_2 rise and δ^(13)C_(atm) decline, the δ^(13)C_(29) records largely retained their raw changing pattern; the post-1980 increase being more conspicuous. The slightly decreasing trend in corrected δ^(13)C records before around 1980 may have been caused by an increase in precipitation, whereas the subsequent increase of δ^(13)C is likely associated with the observed dry climate and/or intensive anthropogenic deforestation. Our results thus demonstrate that leaf wax n-alkanes buried in the sediments off the PRE may well reflect change in the regional climate and/or human activity in the river catchments over the past century.

An Archaeological Perspective on Changes in the Course of the Yellow River and Changes in Civilization

The Yellow River has always been known for"easily silting up,easily bursting its banks,and easily shifting course"and its course has indeed changed many times.It did not undergo any large-scale course changes during the pre-Qin period,but instead followed the course given in the"Hanzhi汉志(Treatises in the Book of Han)."The river recorded in the Yugong禹贡(Tribute of Yu)is actually the Hanzhi river,and the he(river)recorded in the Yugong that passed through the counties of Xunxian and Neihuang actually followed the former course of the Qi River.The Yellow River’s large-scale course changes began in the Han dynasty.After two thousand years of frequent changes,a 6-15 meters thick layer of sediment formed in the lower reaches of the Yellow River,completely altering the natural landscape of hills,rivers and lakes that had existed in the pre-Qin lower Yellow River,and finally shaping today’s landscape of an endless plain.The course changes brought about a rupture in the development of civilization in this area,with most cities and towns destroyed.The changes in the ecological and living environment around the lower Yellow River over thousands of years were apparently related to the flooding and course changes of the Yellow River,but in reality were caused by human over-exploitation of natural resources.

Assessment of multifunctional landscapes dynamics in the mountainous basin of the Mo River （Togo, West Africa）

In this study, historical landscape dynamics were investigated to（i） map the land use/cover types for the years 1972, 1987, 2000 and 2014;（ii） determine the types and processes of landscape dynamics; and（iii） assess the landscape fragmentation and habitat loss over time. Supervised classification of multi-temporal Landsat images was used through a pixel-based approach. Post–classification methods included systematic and random change detection, trajectories analysis and landscape fragmentation assessment. The overall accuracies（and Kappa statistics） were of 68.86%（0.63）, 91.32%（0.79）, 90.66%（0.88） and 91.88%（0.89） for 1972, 1987, 2000 and 2014, respectively. The spatio-temporal analyses indicated that forests, woodlands and savannahs dominated the landscapes during the four dates, though constant areal decreases were observed. The most important dynamic process was the decline of woodlands with an average annual net loss rate of –2%. Meanwhile, the most important land transformation occurred during the transition 2000–2014, due to anthropogenic pressures. Though the most important loss of vegetation greenness occurred in the unprotected areas, the overall analyses of change indicated a declining trend of land cover quality and an increasing landscape fragmentation. Sustainable conservation strategies should be promoted while focusing restoration attention on degraded lands and fragmented ecosystems in order to support rural livelihood and biodiversity conservation.