Influence of ecological function protection zone on the water conservation in Gansu-Qinghai Contiguous Region of the upper Yellow River

The implementation of Ecological Function Protection Zone(EFPZ)policy is significant for the ecological restoration and conservation of soil and water in the territory space.This manuscript analyzed and quantified the impact of EFPZ on the regional water conservation function,based on land use data from 2005,2008,2010,2015 and 2020,by conducting a counterfactual simulation along with the GeoSOS-FLUS model and the InVEST model.The results demonstrate that the delineation of EFPZ can significantly influence the water conservation.(1)From 2010 to 2020,as the EFPZ was implemented,the water conservation in the study area was increasing year by year,with a growth rate of 0.03×10^(8) m^(3)∙a^(-1).On the other hand,the simulated water conservation capacity without the implementation of EFPZ decreased year by year,with a decrease rate of 0.01×10^(8) m^(3)∙a^(-1).(2)The EFPZ accounts for only 23%of the total area,but the contribution rate of water conservation reaches 80%.The actual values of water conservation and average water yield per unit pixel in the EFPZ show an increasing trend both internally and externally,while the counterfactual simulation values exhibit a decreasing trend.(3)The water conservation is much higher within the EFPZ than without EFPZ.The implementation of EFPZ has a significant effect on the improvement of the water conservation capacity in Maqu EFPZ and Yellow River Source EFPZ.The protection effectiveness should be enhanced in Qilian Mountain EFPZ and afforestation activities need to be carefully considered in Loess Plateau EFPZ.

Optimization of water-urban-agricultural-ecological land use pattern:A case study of Guanzhong Basin in the southern Loess Plateau of Shaanxi Province,China

Extensive land use will cause many environmental problems.It is an urgent task to improve land use efficiency and optimize land use patterns.In recent years,due to the flow decrease,the Guanzhong Basin in Shaanxi Province is confronted with the problem of insufficient water resources reserve.Based on the Coupled Ground-Water and Surface-Water Flow Model(GSFLOW),this paper evaluates the response of water resources in the basin to changes in land use patterns,optimizes the land use pattern,improves the ecological and economic benefits,and the efficiency of various spatial development,providing a reference for ecological protection and high-quality development of the Yellow River Basin.The research shows that the land use pattern in the Guanzhong Basin should be further optimized.Under the condition of considering ecological and economic development,the percentage change of the optimum area of farmland,forest,grassland,water area,and urban area compared with the current land use area ratio is+2.3,+2.4,-6.1,+0.2,and+1.6,respectively.The economic and ecological value of land increases by14.1%and 3.1%,respectively,and the number of water resources can increase by 2.5%.

Ecological Remediation Technology of Urban Landscape Water Body

Urban landscape water body is not only an important part of urban landscape construction,but also an important way to maintain landscape diversity and biodiversity,carrying the beautiful yearning of urban residents for natural life.A good state of urban landscape water body is crucial to the ecological environment of the city.However,due to the poor kinetic energy of urban landscape water body and the influence of various human factors,the quality of urban landscape water body often declines,and urban population is threatened by water security problems.Through the study of several water body ecological remediation technologies,relevant suggestions are put forward,in order to provide a reference for water pollution restoration and treatment in urban human settlement environment.

Performance of a Horizontal Flow Constructed Reed Bed Filter for Municipal Wastewater Treatment: The Case Study of the Prototype Installed at Gaston Berger University, Saint-Louis, Senegal

In Saint-Louis, Senegal, a constructed wetland with horizontal flow reed beds (FHa and FHb) has demonstrated significant efficacy in treating municipal wastewater. Analyzing various treatment stages, the system showed only a slight temperature variation, from an influent average of 26.3°C to an effluent of 24.7°C. Electrical conductivity decreased from 1331 mS/cm to 974.5 mS/cm post-primary treatment, with suspended solids (SS) dramatically reduced from 718.9 mg/L to 5.7 mg/L in the final effluent. Biochemical oxygen demand (BOD5) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) saw a notable decrease, from initial levels of 655.6 mg/L and 1240 mg/L to 2.3 mg/L and 71.3 mg/L, respectively. Nitrogenous compounds (N-TN) and phosphates () also decreased significantly, indicating the system’s nutrient removal capacity. Microbiological analysis revealed a reduction in fecal coliforms from 7.5 Ulog/100ml to 1.8 Ulog/100ml and a complete elimination of helminth eggs. The presence of Phragmites and Typha was instrumental in enhancing these reductions. The system’s compliance with the Senegalese standards for disposal into natural environments, WHO recommendations for unrestricted water reuse in irrigation, and the European legislation for water reuse was established. The effluent quality met the stringent criteria for various classes of agricultural reuse, illustrating the system’s potential for sustainable water management. This wetland model presents a robust solution for water-stressed regions, ensuring environmental protection while supporting agricultural needs. The study calls for ongoing research to further refine the system for optimal, reliable wastewater treatment and water resource sustainability.

Preliminary Study on the Effect of Different Ecological Cultivation Modes on the Water Stability of Soil Aggregates in Rubber Based Agroforestry Systems

Rubber trees (Hevea brasiliensis Müll. Arg.) have been commercially cultivated for a century and a half in Asia, particularly in China, and they constitute a common element of plantation ecosystems in tropical regions. Soil health is fundamental to the sustainable development of rubber plantations. The objective of the study is to explore the influence of different complex ecological cultivation modes on the stability of soil aggregates in rubber based agroforestry systems. In this study, the ecological cultivation mode of rubber—Alpinia oxyphylla plantation, the ecological cultivation mode of rubber—Phrynium hainanense plantations, the ecological cultivation mode of rubber—Homalium ceylanicum plantations and monoculture rubber plantations were selected, and the particle size distribution of soil aggregates and their water stability characteristics were analyzed. The soil depth of 0 - 20 cm and 20 - 40 cm was collected for four cultivation modes. Soil was divided into 6 particle levels > 20 cm. soil was divided into 6 particle levels > 5 mm, 2 - 5 mm, 1 - 2 mm, 0.5 - 1 mm, 0.25 - 0.5 mm, and 0.053 - 0.25 mm according to the wet sieve method. The particle size proportion and water stability of soil aggregates were determined by the wet sieve method. The particle size proportion and water stability of soil aggregates under different ecological cultivation modes were analyzed. The results showed that under different ecological cultivation modes in the shallow soil layer (0 - 20 cm), the rubber—Alpinia oxyphylla plantation and the rubber—Phrynium hainanense plantation promoted the development of dominant soil aggregates towards larger size classes, whereas the situation is the opposite for rubber—Homalium ceylanicum plantation. In soil layer (20 - 40 cm), the ecological cultivation mode of rubber—Phrynium hainanense plantation developed the dominant radial level of soil aggregates to the diameter level of large aggregates. Rubber—Alpinia oxyphylla plantation and rubber—Homalium ceylanicum plantation, three indicators, including the water-stable aggregate content R0.25 (>0.25 mm water-stable aggregates), mean weight diameter (MWD), and geometric mean diameter (GMD), were all lower than those in the rubber monoculture mode. However, in the rubber—Phrynium hainanense plantation, the water-stable aggregate content R0.25, mean weight diameter, and geometric mean diameter were higher than in the rubber monoculture mode, although these differences did not reach statistical significance.

Ecological water demand of natural vegetation in the lower Tarim River

We have appraised the relationships between soil moisture, groundwater depth, and plant species diversity in the lower reaches of the Tarim River in western China, by analyzing field data from 25 monitoring wells across eight study sites and 25 permanent vegetation survey plots. It is noted that groundwater depth, soil moisture and plant species diversity are closely related. It has been proven that the critical phreatic water depth is five meters in the lower reaches of the Tarim River. We acquired the mean phreatic evaporation of different groundwater levels every month by averaging the two results of phreatic evaporation using the Qunk and Averyanov formulas. Based on different vegetation types and acreage with different groundwater depth, the total ecological water demand （EWD） of natural vegetation in 2005 was 2.4×10^8 m^3 in the lower reaches of the Tarim River. Analyzing the monthly EWD, we found that the EWD in the growth season （from April to September） is 81% of the year＇s total EWD. The EWD in May, June and July was 47% of the year＇s total EWD, which indicates the best time for dispensing artificial water. This research aims at realizing the sustainable development of water resources and provides a scientific basis for water resource management and sound collocation of the Tarim River Basin.

Ecological and environmental water demand of the lakes in the Haihe-Luanhe Basin of North China

The purpose of this paper is to present a brief concept of the ecological and environmental water demand of lake. The present situation and affecting factors of lake ecological system in the Haihe\|Luanhe Basin of North China was analyzed. The calculating method of the ecological and environmental water demand of the lake basis on the water body and the calculating method of the ecological and environmental water demand of the lake basis on the aquatic ecosystem, wetland and vegetation were compared and discussed. As the examples of Baiyangdian Lake and Beidagang Lake in Haihe\|Luanhe river basin, the ecological and environmental water demand of the two lakes was calculated to be 27×10\+8m\+3. It is 6.75 times to the water demand according to the calculating method of the ecological and environmental water demand of the lake basis on the water body. The research result indicated: (1) The calculating methods of the ecological and environmental water demand of the lake basis on the aquatic ecosystem should be better than only basis on the water body of lake. (2) The data, such as area of the vegetation kind around and in the lake, the vegetation coefficient, the evaporating amount of the vegetation and the vegetation water demand itself around and in the lake are lack and urgent need. Some suggestions for controlling and regulating the water resource of the lake in North China were proposed.

Ecological water demand:the case of the slope systems in the East Liaohe River Basin

The ecological water demand (EWD) is the least water amount required to maintain the structure and the function of the special eco-system and the temporal scale of a study on the EWD must be a season's time. Based on GIS and RS with the source information of hydrological data of 46 hydrological gauges covering 52 years and the digital images of Landsat TM in 1986, 1996 and 2000, the landscape patterns, precipitation and runoff in the East Liaohe River Basin were analyzed. With the result of the above analysis, the spatial and temporal changes of the ecological water demand in the slope systems (EWDSS) of the East Liaohe River Basin (ELRB) were derived. Landscapes in the ELRB are dispersed and strongly disturbed by human actions. The hydrological regime in ELRB has distinct spatial variations. The average annual EWDSS in the ELRB is 504.72 mm (324.08-618.89 mm), and the average EWDSS in the growth season (from May to September) is 88.29% of the year's total EWDSS .The ultimate guaranteeing ratio of the EWDSS in ELRB is 90%. The scarce EWDSS area in the whole year and in the growth season are 60.47% and 74.01% of the entire basin respectively. The trend of scarce EWDSS area is most serious according to the quantity and area of scarce EWDSS regions.

Variations in Composition and Water Use Efficiency of Plant Functional Groups Based on Their Water Ecological Groups in the Xilin River Basin

Major plant species in the Xilin River Basin were grouped into six plant functional groups (PFGs) based on their water ecological groups: xerophytes, mesoxerophytes, xeromesophytes, mesophytes, hygromesophytes and hygrophytes. We surveyed the composition, delta(13)C values and proline concentration of PFGs in eight different plant communities along a soil moisture gradient. Results show that: (1) PFGs occurred variously in eight steppe communities with different soil moisture status. In wetter habitats, hygromesophytes and hygrophytes were more abundant and accounted for the majority of aboveground biomass, whereas xerophytes and mesoxerophytes became more conspicuous in dryer habitats; (2) the numerical order of the mean delta(13)C values of PFGs is as follows: xerophytes (-26.38parts per thousand) = mesoxerophytes (-26.51parts per thousand) > xeromesophytes (-27.02parts per thousand) > mesophytes (-27.56parts per thousand) = hygromesophytes and hygrophytes (-27.80parts per thousand); (3) xerophytes maintained relative higher delta(13)C values and water use efficiency (WUE) in habitats of different water availability, whereas delta(13)C values of xeromesophytes were more sensitive to change in soil water availability; (4) From xerophytes to hygrophytes, their proline content markedly increased. Significantly positive correlations existed between proline and biomass or delta(13)C values of different water ecological groups.

Assessment of rehabilitation strategies for lakes affected by anthropogenic and climatic changes: A case study of the Urmia Lake, Iran

Over the last three decades,more than half of the world's large lakes and wetlands have experienced significant shrinkage,primarily due to climate change and extensive water consumption for agriculture and other human needs.The desiccation of lakes leads to severe environmental,economic,and social repercussions.Urmia Lake,located in northwestern Iran and representing a vital natural ecosystem,has experienced a volume reduction of over 90.0%.Our research evaluated diverse water management strategies within the Urmia Lake basin and prospects of inter-basin water transfers.This study focused on strategies to safeguard the environmental water rights of the Urmia Lake by utilizing the modeling and simulating(MODSIM)model.The model simulated changes in the lake's water volume under various scenarios.These included diverting water from incoming rivers,cutting agricultural water use by 40.0%,releasing dam water in non-agricultural seasons,treated wastewater utilization,and inter-basin transfers.Analytical hierarchy process(AHP)was utilized to analyze the simulation results.Expert opinions with AHP analysis,acted as a multi-criteria decision-making tool to evaluate the simulation and determine the optimal water supply source priority for the Urmia Lake.Our findings underscore the critical importance of reducing agricultural water consumption as the foremost step in preserving the lake.Following this,inter-basin water transfers are suggested,with a detailed consideration of the inherent challenges and limitations faced by the source watersheds.It is imperative to conduct assessments on the impacts of these transfers on the downstream users and the potential environmental risks,advocating for a diplomatic and cooperative approach with adjacent country.This study also aims to forecast the volumes of water that can be transferred under different climatic conditions—drought,normal,and wet years—to inform strategic water management planning for the Urmia Lake.According to our projection,implementing the strategic scenarios outlined could significantly augment the lake's level and volume,potentially by 3.57×109–9.38×109 m3 over the coming 10 a and 3.57×109–10.70×109 m3 in the subsequent 15 a.

The Estimation of Water Supply and Demand in Hotan Oasis

[Objective] The purpose of this study is to estimate water supply and demand, which can provide a basis for how to allocate rationally water resources in Hotan Oasis. [Method] The water supply and demand in Hotan Oasis in the next15 years were calculated according to water-soil balance. [Result] When the runoff of Hotan River is at a probability of 50%（P=50 for short）, the total water resource is 50.57×10^8m^3, and there is only 33.13×10^8m^3available for social and economics,but there would be a need of 33.44×10^8and 36.06×10^8m^3, and the water shortage would be 1.31 ×10^8and 2.93 ×10^8m^3in 2020 and 2030 respectively. When P =75,the total water resource is 44.30×10^8m^3, there is only 29.39×10^8m^3water available for social and economics. However, there would be a need of 31.43 ×10^8and33.11×10^8m^3, and the water shortage would be 2.04×10^8and 3.72×10^8m^3in 2020 and 2030, respectively. [Conclusion] The problem of water shortage would be serious over the next 15 years, and the fragile ecosystem would be destroyed dramatically with the large-scale land reclamation against natural laws. Hence, the effective policies and measures should be taken timely to prohibit reclamation and to cope with ongoing water shortage, based on the water supply and demand estimation under the background of climate change.

Study on the Characteristics of Ecological Water Requirement in Maijishan Scenic Spot

[Objective] This study aimed to explore the characteristics of ecological water requirement in Maijishan Scenic Spot. [Methed] The characteristics of ecologi- cal water requirement in Maijishan Scenic Spot were analyzed based on,the data of soil humidity and meteorology of the spot. [Result] The result showed that the actual annual ecological water requirement in the spot was 678×10^6 m^3, and the proportion of soil water and evapotranspiration were 21% and 79%, respectively; the minimum annual ecological water requirement quota in the spot was 480.27×10^6 m^3, and the proportion of soil water and evapotranspiration were 16% and 84%, respectively; the minimum annual suitable ecological water requirement quota in the spot was 624.22×10^6 m^3, and the proportion of soil water and evapotranspiration were 18% and 82%, respectively. The precipitation was 614×10^6 m^3, and consumptive water surplus reached up to 78×10^6 m^3. The years when the precipitation was higher than the evapotranspiration accounted for 76%. Since 1980s, the evapotranspiration showed a linearly increasing trend. The precipitation was higher than the evapotranspiration from Jun. to Oct. and less than the evapotranspiration from Nov. to Dec. and Jan. to May. Evapotranspiration water requirement was regulated by soil water. The dis- parity between precipitation and evapotranspiration was huge in spring, thus having certain influence on waterfalls and streams in the spot. [Conclusion] The results of this study provided a basis for the rational use and long-term planning of the water sources in Maijishan Scenic Spot.

Study on Ecological Restoration of the Landscape Water in Yuefei Temple of Hangzhou

On account of the existent problems of the small landscape water of 400 m2,with the recovery technique of submerged plants as the core,assisted by the measures of AquaMats ecological base,ecological floating bed construction,biological manipulation,the landscape water was treated comprehensively and the water quality obviously improved after the implementation and treatment of twelve month,CODMn,BOD5,NH3-N,TP,TN and SS respectively decreasing from 4.24,7.62,2.24,0.49,9.31,11.00 mg/L to 2.04,4.76,0.69,0.27,3.72,6.00 mg/L.After the treatment,the organic pollution and eutrophication of the landscape water was controlled to a certain degree,the eruption of the algal bloom was mitigated,and the color of landscape water changed from dark green to yellowish green,and the transparency degree increased from 50 cm to nearly 65 cm.The successful implementation of the restoration project provided certain guiding paradigm for the treatment of small landscape water in cities.

Development of New Green Feed for Large Water Surface Ecological Fishery

In view of the fact that cages and bait are not allowed in large water surface aquiculture,1-2 kinds of new green feeds"plankton+microecologics"were developed to solve the problems of yield reduction,slow growth and difficulty in fishing of aquatic organisms caused by extensive mode.The new green feed is ecological,environmentally friendly and residue-free,which not only supplements nutrition but also meets the requirements of environmental protection.

Contribution of Herbaceous Plants and Their Status and Role in Soil and Water Ecosystem

In this paper,the contemporary understanding process of herbaceous plants and their contributions are elaborated.The systematic idea of"mountain,river,forest,field,lake,and grass are a community of life"has led the grass to enter a new era of development.Broadly speaking,vegetation includes grassland,forest,crop,garden,etc.,while herbaceous vegetation is the most widely distributed on earth.From the macro and micro perspectives of soil and water ecology,this paper discusses the position and role of herbaceous vegetation in the earth's soil and water ecosystem,especially the fundamental position in mountain,river,forest,field,lake,grass and sand.Starting from the concept of soil and water ecology,the integrated protection and systematic management of mountain,river,forest,field,lake,grassland,and sand is proposed.Essentially,it is the protection and management of soil and water ecology,which summarizes various ecological systems on earth.The successful application of herbaceous plants in ecological restoration projects of mine has further enriched and developed the theory of soil and water ecology.

Research and Application of Ecological Outdoor Ground Structure with Composite Water Storage and Drainage Function

In order to solve the problems of surface runoff increase,water accumulation in rainy days and urban heat island effect,an ecological outdoor ground structure with composite water storage and drainage functions was studied and applied in this paper:Through the comprehensive design of road ground,road inspection well,garden inspection well and drainage pipe network,it can quickly store and drain ground water,alleviate the urban heat island effect,realize plant infiltration irrigation,and achieve the purpose of saving water and energy.

Coupling analysis of social-economic water consumption and its effects on the arid environments in Xinjiang of China based on the water and ecological footprints

In arid areas,ecological degradation aroused by over-exploitation of fresh water,expansion of artificial oasis and shrinkage of natural oasis,has drawn attention of many scholars and officials.The water and ecological footprints can be used to quantitatively evaluate the water consumption of social-economic activities and their influence on the eco-environments.In addition,increase of the water footprint indicates the expansion of artificial oasis,and the influence on the natural oasis could be reflected by the variation of the ecological footprint.This study was conducted to answer a scientific question that what is the quantitative relationship between the expansion of the artificial oasis and the degradation of the natural oasis in the arid environments of Xinjiang,China.Thus,based on the social-economic data,water consumption data and meteorological data during 2001–2015,we calculated the water and ecological footprints to express the human-related pressure exerted on the water resources and arid environments in Xinjiang(including 14 prefectures and cities),and explore the relationship between the water and ecological footprints and its mechanism by using the coupling analysis and Granger causality test.The results show that both the water and ecological footprints of Xinjiang increased significantly during 2001–2015,and the increasing rate of the ecological footprint was much faster than that of the water footprint.The coupling degree between the water and ecological footprints was relatively high at the temporal scale and varied at the spatial scale.Among the 14 prefectures and cities examined in Xinjiang,the greater social-economic development(such as in Karamay and Urumqi)was associated with the lower coupling degree between the two footprints.Increases in the water footprint will cause the ecological footprint to increase,such that a 1-unit increase in the consumption of water resources would lead to 2–3 units of ecological degradation.The quantitative relationship between the increases of the water and ecological footprints,together with the intensities of water consumption both in the natural and artificial oases of Tarim River Basin,have approved the fact that the formation and expansion of 1 unit of the artificial oasis would bring about the degradation of 2 units of the natural oasis.These conclusions not only provide a technical basis for sustainable development in Xinjiang,but also offer a theoretical guide and scientific information that could be used in similar arid areas around the world.

Analysis of the Status and Rational Allocation of Water Resources in China in View of the New Era

This paper examines the current status of water resource management and conservation in China,along with strategies to address the water resource crisis.Given the current situation,the paper highlights issues such as incomplete legal mechanisms,limited environmental awareness among enterprises,and insufficient government investment.To ad-dress these challenges,the paper proposes a series of strategies,including improving the ecological environment,enhanc-ing production techniques,strengthening management systems,rationalizing water resource allocation,and implementing water-saving measures in both industrial and agricultural production.These strategies serve to achieve sustainable water resource management,reduce water pollution,and effectively tackle the pressing water resource issues faced in China currently.

Analysis of Water Resources Supply and Demand and Security of Water Resources Development in Irrigation Regions of the Middle Reaches of the Heihe River Basin, Northwest China

Based on the data for meteorology, hydrology, soil, planting, vegetation, and socio-economic development of the irrigation region in the middle reaches of the Heihe River basin, Northwest China, the model of balance of water supply and demand in the region was established, and the security of water resource was assessed, from which the results that the effects of unified management of water resources in the Heihe River basin between Gansu Province and Inner Mongolia on regional hydrology are significant with a decrease in water supply diverted from Heihe River and an increase in groundwater extracted. In addition, it was found that the groundwater level has been steadily decreasing due to over pumping and decrease in recharges. In present year （2003）, the volume of potential groundwater in the irrigation districts is far small because of the groundwater overdraft; even in the particular regions, there is no availability of groundwater resources for use. By 2003, water supply is not sufficient to meet the water demand in the different irrigation districts, the sustainable development and utilization of water resources are not secured, and the water supply crisis occurs in Pingchuan irrigation district. Achieving water security for the sustainable development of society, agriculture, economy, industry, and livelihoods while maintaining or improving the abilities of the management and planning of water resources, determining of the reasonable percentage between water supply and groundwater utilization and water saving in agricultural irrigation are taken into account. If this does not occur, it is feared that the present performance of water development and planning may further aggravate the problem of scarcities of water resources and further damage the fragile ecological system.

Using the concept of ecological groundwater level to evaluate shallow groundwater resources in hyperarid desert regions

This paper, based on the analysis and calculation of the groundwater resources in an arid region from 1980 to 2001, put forward the concept of ecological groundwater level threshold for either salinity control or the determination of ecological warning. The surveys suggest that soil moisture and soil salinity are the most important environmental factors in determining the distribution and changes in vegetation. The groundwater level threshold of ecological warning can be determined by using a network of groundwater depth observation sites that monitor the environmental moisture gradient as reflected by plant physiological characteristics. According to long-term field observations within the Ejin oases, the groundwater level threshold for salinity control varied between 0.5 m and 1.5 m, and the ecological warning threshold varied between 3.5 m and 4.0 m. The quantity of groundwater re- sources （renewable water resources, ecological water resources, and exploitable water resources） in arid areas can be calculated from regional groundwater level information, without localized hydrogeological data. The concept of groundwater level threshold of ecological warning was established according to water development and water re- sources supply, and available groundwater resources were calculated. The concept not only enriches and broadens the content of groundwater studies, but also helps in predicting the prospects for water resources development.