Evolution trend of the water quality in Dongping Lake after South-North Water Transfer Project in China

To investigate the evolution trend of water quality in Dongping Lake after South-North Water Transfer Project operation as well as to ensure the safe usage of the water receiving areas, water samples were collected and determined before and after water delivery in different hydrological seasons. Then, comprehensive pollution index method, comprehensive nutrition state index method and health risk assessment model were utilized to evaluate the quality, nutrition, and health risk of Dongping Lake water. Results showed that the quality of Dongping Lake water still met level Ⅲ (light pollution) no matter before or after water delivery. The nutrition state was improved from light eutropher before water delivery to mesotropher after water delivery. The health risk level was reduced from high-medium before water delivery to medium level after water delivery. In summary, the operation of the eastern route of South-North Water Transfer Project is beneficial for water environment improvement of Dongping Lake.

Eco-environmental benefit assessment of China's South-North Water Transfer Scheme——the middle route project

This paper assess the eco-environmental benefits that may come from the middle route project of China's South-North Water Transfer Scheme(SNWT) with principles and methods of eco-economics and planning reports of SNWT's middle route project. Some benefits were calculated in monetary units. To make sure that the results can be comparable with normal monetary indices, concrete assessment objects and the parameters are prudently selected according to the major characteristics of the project and its water import region. Primary assessment revealed that in different project construction stages, the benefit could be more than 13 07 billion RMB Yuan in 2010 and 19 79 billion RMB Yuan in 2030, respectively. The monetary value tends to increase with social-economic development. To realize these potential benefits, however, calls for more endeavors.

South-north asymmetry of proton density distribution in the Martian magnetosheath

We perform a statistical analysis of data from the Mars Atmosphere and Volatile Evolution (MAVEN) project on the global distribution of protons in the Martian magnetosheath. Our results show that the proton number density distribution has a south-north asymmetry. This south-north asymmetry is most likely caused by the south-north asymmetric distributions of the crustal magnetic fields at Mars. The strong crustal magnetic fields push the inner boundary of magnetosheath to a higher altitude in the southern hemisphere. Due to the outward movement of the inner boundary of the magnetosheath, a compressed magnetosheath forms, causing subsequent increases in proton number density, thermal pressure, and total pressure. Eventually, a balance is reached between the increased total pressure inside the magnetosheath and the increased magnetic pressure inside the induced magnetosphere. Our statistical study suggests that the Martian crustal magnetic fields can strongly affect the proton number density distribution in the Martian magnetosheath.

Groundwater Flow Simulation and its Application in Groundwater Resource Evaluation in the North China Plain,China

The purpose of this study is to establish a 3D groundwater flow modelling for evaluating groundwater resources of the North China Plain. First, the North China Plain was divided into three aquifers vertically through a characterization of hydrogeological conditions. Groundwater model software GMS was used for modeling to divide the area of simulation into a regular network of 164 rows and 148 lines. This model was verified through fitting of the observed and the simulated groundwater flow fields at deep and shallow layers and comparison between the observed and simulated hydrographs at 64 typical observation wells. Furthermore, water budget analysis was also performed during the simulation period （2002-2003）. Results of the established groundwater flow model showed that the average annual groundwater recharge of the North China Plain during 1991 to 2003 was 256.68x10s m3/yr with safe yield of groundwater resources up to 213.49x10s m3/yr, in which safe yield of shallow groundwater and that of deep groundwater was up to 191.65x10s m3/yr and 22.64x10s m~/yr respectively. Finally, this model was integrated with proposal for groundwater withdrawal in the study area after commencement of water supply by South-North Water Transfer Project, aiming to predict the changing trend of groundwater regime. As indicated by prediction results, South-North Water Transfer Project, which is favorable for effective control of expansion and intensification of existing depression cone, would play a positive role in alleviation of short supply of groundwater in the North China Plain as well as maintenance and protection of groundwater.

Relationship between gravity change and Yangbi M_(S)6.4 earthquake

Based on the relative and absolute gravity measurements in the southern South-North Seismic Belt since 2015,we analyzed the dynamic change of the regional gravity field and its relationship with the Yangbi M_(S)6.4 earthquake that occurred on May 21,2021.The results show that:(1)The regional gravity field changes are closely related to the Weixi-Qiaohou fault,which reflects the surface gravity field changes caused by the fault activity from 2015 to 2021;(2)The gravity field change related to the preparation of Yangbi earthquake has experienced the evolution process of"steady state-regional gravity anomaly-local gravity anomaly-four-quadrant distribution-large area positive anomaly-earthquake occurring in the reverse change process";(3)The cumulative and differential change images of the gravity field show that there were significant gravity changes in the two years preceding the Yangbi earthquake,and the earthquake occurred in the high-gradient belt of gravity variation,the center of the four-quadrant,and close to the zero contour turn;(4)The dynamic evolution image of the gravity field can well reflect the precursory phenomena during the preparation for the Yangbi MS6.4 earthquake.Based on the anomaly change of mobile gravity,a certain degree of medium-term prediction was made before the Yangbi M_(S)6.4 earthquake,especially the determination of strong earthquake location.

Estimating minimum ecological water required of the western route first stage project of China＇s south-to-north water transfer scheme for water exporting rivers

It is well known that there is abundant water resources in basin of the Yangtze River, the first largest river in China, which is mainly located in Southern China. However, water resources is very scarce in the basin of the Yellow River, which is mainly located in Northern China. So the western route project of south-north water transfer scheme （WRP-SNWTS） aims to transfer water from the Yangtze River to the Yellow River. The area of WRP-SNWT, located in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River and the main areas of Sichuan and the marginal areas of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, has sufficient water resources but fragile ecology and environment. Therefore, it is necessary for WRP-SNWT to analyze the ecology water required. Based on the planning principles of from low elevation to high elevation, from small to large, from short to long and from easy to difficulty, the WRP-SNWT will be constructed through three stage projects. The western route first stage project of the south-north water transfer scheme （WRFST-SNWTS） is planned to transfer 4×10^9m^3/a from six tributaries of the Yalong river and from Dadu river to Jiaqu of Yellow River.. Daqu river and Niqu river are the branches of Xianshui river. Sequ river, Duke river, Make river and Ake river are the branches of Dadu river, which account for 65-70% of the total river run-off. It need more research and the rest run-off can satisfy channel ecology water required. According to analysis ecological water required which mainly satisfy for aquicolous biology in water-exporting region, such as low air temperature. Fish and aquicolous biology main living from May to August, and rivers are iced up from December to March of next year, ecology water required mainly for fish and aquicolous biology. The flow criterion of Tennant method is modified. The ecology water required of WRFSP-SNWTS is estimated by the flow data of Zhuwo gauging station, Zhuba gauging station, Chuosijia gauging station and Zumuzu gauging station. The result show that the ecology water required calculated by modified Tennant less 1 l percent than that of Tennant. This estimating result can supply more water resources for transferring to Yellow River. Meanwhile, this can supply gist for research transferring water of WRFSP-SNWTS.

Potential Ecological Benefits of the Middle Route for the South-North Water Diversion Project

This paper presents a study of the middle route of the South-North Water Diversion Project. The middle route runs through the Northern China plain, where the water shortages are the most severe. There is not only a shortage of water for human usage, but also a shortage of ecological water. Although the current plan for the middle route is strictly focused on supplying water for residential and industrial use, the water can also potentially be used for ecological purposes. This paper evaluates the potential ecological benefits that can be brought to the fragile ecology in northern China by the middle route, in addition to the water supplied to residences and industry. The study describes ecological benefits of the middle route project, such as mitigation of groundwater extraction in the region and positive influences on the climate, the ecological uses of the middle route project itself, such as creating artificial niches along the channel and directly using the channel for ecological purposes, and the ecological uses of the water along the middle route such as diversion of the water into dyer channels that have suffered from drought conditions for decades.

Study on integrated calculation of ecological water demand for basin system

The operation of reservoir(s) has a certain impact on the downstream hydrologic regime,and even endangers the ecological water safety of river corridor and ecosystems which interact with river system.Therefore,ecological operation needs to be carried out in order to ensure ecological water use of downstream zone.The key technological support is the estimation and integrated calculation of ecological water demand.The connotation of the integrated calculation on ecological water demand lies on that the ecological water demand of different ecosystems is integrated to meet the requirements of water allocation and operation on watershed scale in terms of hydrological cycle.Considering the practical requirement of ecological operation of reservoir(s),this study proposed an integrated calculation approach of ecological water demand according to the ecological water demand in various ecosystems as well as the hydraulic connection among them;it established an integrated calculation model of regional ecological water demand by means of the distributed hydrological model,and studied the integrated calculation in Yalong River basin which is the source area of the west route of South-North Water Transfer Project as an example.The results indicated that the integrated calculation model more effectively combined the ecological water demand and hydraulic connection of ecosystems in time and space,compared with the lumped water balance analysis,since the former conquered the defect of insufficient ecological water source and supplement on multiple spatial and temporal scales,and met the demand of ecological operation of reservoir(s).

A new criterion for defining the breakpoint of the wetted perimeter-discharge curve and its application to estimating minimum instream flow requirements

The wetted perimeter method(WPM) is used in hydrology and hydraulics to calculate instream flows.The WPM requires few data.It requires only the values of the wetted perimeter,flow and water level,which can be obtained from the hydrologic stations of the river in question.In addition,the WPM is not limited by the impacts of human activities on the river runoff.Therefore,this method is generally suitable for the current conditions in China.However,the process of applying the WPM involves two key aspects:how to plot the curve describing the relationship between the wetted perimeter and the discharge and how to confirm the breakpoint of the wetted perimeter-discharge curve.The traditional method is to calculate the curvature or the slope of the wetted perimeter-discharge curve to obtain the minimum flow.According to this method,the minimum flow corresponds to the point of maximum curvature or to the point at which the slope of the curve is equal to 1.The wetted perimeter-discharge curve of a natural river is only part of the complete curve.Thus,the instream flow calculated by the traditional method is the minimum or maximum discharge.The new criterion for defining the breakpoint of the wetted perimeter-discharge curve is that the slope at the breakpoint is a relative maximum,the second-largest slope.The discharges at the breakpoints corresponded to the minimum flow levels required to maintain the ecological function of the river.The minimum instream flow requirements(MIFRs) of four typical reaches,Zhuba,Daofu,Ganzi and Zumuzu hydrological stations on the West Course of the First Stage Project of the South-North Water Transfer Project(WCFSPSNWTP),are calculated using an improved wetted perimeter method(IWPM).The results show that the MIFRs of Zhuba,Daofu,Ganzi and Zumuzu are approximately 9.06-14.5 m 3 s-1,20.7-43.5 m3 s-1,38.8-77.2 m 3 s-1 and 40.4-59.5 m 3 s-1,corresponding to 11.7%-33.9%,14.2%-37.6%,12.4%-28.4% and 17.5%-30.2%,respectively of the annual average flow(AAF).These MIFRs can maintain good ecological function in a river according to the criterion furnished by the Tennant method.

Geographical clines in the size of the herb field mouse(Apodemus uralensis)

Patterns of body size variation along geographical gradients have long been searched for and generalized into eco-geographical rules.However,no rodent species has yet been analyzed in relation to the 3 dimensions of latitude,longitude and altitude.We analyzed geographical clines and dimorphism of body and skull size in the herb field mouse(Apodemus uralensis)across the species range,based on field data and on data from the literature.Sexual dimorphism in adult A.uralensis was not expressed at a large scale,while local patterns were inconsistent.Age-dependent size changes were most expressed in adult individuals:most characters of adults exceeded in size those of subadults,while subadult-juvenile size differences were only significant in body weight and length,zygomatic skull width,length of cranial diastema and breadth of braincase.Despite central morphological niches along the clines being separated,A.uralensis populations showed a high degree of size overlap in morphological space.We found the species to be characterized by high size variability,with the largest individuals inhabiting the eastern and southern edges of the distribution range.Tail,hind foot and ear lengths were largest in the southern part of the range,in agreement with Allen’s rule.The main measurements that we analyzed,namely body mass,zygomatic skull width and condylobasal skull length,show the presence of 3 clines in the size of adult A.uralensis:(i)a decreasing south-north cline,opposing Bergmann’s rule;(ii)an increasing west-east cline,in accordance with Murphy’s rule;and(iii)an increasing altitudinal cline.