Impacts of Climatic Change on River Runoff in Northern Xinjiang of China over Last Fifty Years

The characteristics of climatic change and fiver runoff, as well as the response of fiver runoff to climatic change in the northern Xinjiang are analyzed on the basis of the hydrological and meteorological data over the last 50 years by the methods of Mann-Kendall nonparametric test and the nonlinear regression model. The results show that： 1） The temperature and the precipitation increased significantly in the whole northern Xinjiang, but the precipitation displayed no obvious change, or even a decreasing trend in the northern mountainous area of the northern Xinjiang. 2） River runoff varied in different regions in the northern Xinjiang. It significantly increased in the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains and the north of the northern Xinjiang （p = 0.05）, while slightly ificreased in the west of the northern Xinjiang. 3） North Atlantic Oscillation （NAO） affects fiver runoff by influencing temperature and precipitation. The NAO and precipitation had apparent significant correlations with the fiver runoff, but the temperature did not in the northern Xinjiang. Since the mid-1990s fiver runoff increase was mainly caused by the increasing temperature in the northern slope of the Tianshan Mountains and the north of the northern Xinjiang. Increased precipitation resulted in increased fiver runoff in the west of the northern Xinjiang.

Application of the InVEST model for assessing water yield and its response to precipitation and land use in the Weihe River Basin, China

With realizing the importance of ecosystem services to society, the efforts to evaluate the ecosystem services have increased. As the largest tributary of the Yellow River, the Weihe River has been endowed with many ecological service functions. Among which, water yield can be a measure of local availability of water and an index for evaluating the conservation function of the region. This study aimed to explore the temporal and spatial variation of water yield and its influencing factors in the Weihe River Basin(WRB), and provide basis for formulating reasonable water resources utilization schemes. Based on the InVEST(integrated valuation of ecosystem services and tradeoffs) model, this study simulated the water yield in the WRB from 1985 to 2019, and discussed the impacts of climatic factors and land use change on water yield by spatial autocorrelation analysis and scenario analysis methods. The results showed that there was a slight increasing trend in water yield in the WRB over the study period with the increasing rate of 4.84 mm/10a and an average depth of 83.14 mm. The main water-producing areas were concentrated along the mainstream of the Weihe River and in the southern basin. Changes in water yield were comprehensively affected by climate and underlying surface factors. Precipitation was the main factor affecting water yield, which was consistent with water yield in time. And there existed significant spatial agglomeration between water yield and precipitation. Land use had little impact on the amount of water yield, but had an impact on its spatial distribution. Water yield was higher in areas with wide distribution of construction land and grassland. Water yield of different land use types were different. Unused land showed the largest water yield capacity, whereas grassland and farmland contributed most to the total water yield. The increasing water yield in the basin indicates an enhanced water supply service function of the ecosystem. These results are of great significance to the water resources management of the WRB.

Runoff characteristics and its sensitivity to climate factors in the Weihe River Basin from 2006 to 2018

Exploring the current runoff characteristics after the large-scale implementation of the Grain for Green(GFG)project and investigating its sensitivities to potential drivers are crucial for water resource prediction and management.Based on the measured runoff data of 62 hydrological stations in the Weihe River Basin(WRB)from 2006 to 2018,we analyzed the temporal and spatial runoff characteristics in this study.Correlation analysis was used to investigate the relationships between different runoff indicators and climate-related factors.Additionally,an improved Budyko framework was applied to assess the sensitivities of annual runoff to precipitation,potential evaporation,and other factors.The results showed that the daily runoff flow duration curves(FDCs)of all selected hydrological stations fall in three narrow ranges,with the corresponding mean annual runoff spanning approximately 1.50 orders of magnitude,indicating that the runoff of different hydrological stations in the WRB varied greatly.The trend analysis of runoff under different exceedance frequencies showed that the runoff from the south bank of the Weihe River was more affluent and stable than that from the north bank.The runoff was unevenly distributed throughout the year,mainly in the flood season,accounting for more than 50.00%of the annual runoff.However,the trend of annual runoff change was not obvious in most areas.Correlation analysis showed that rare-frequency runoff events were more susceptible to climate factors.In this study,daily runoff under 10%-20%exceeding frequencies,consecutive maximum daily runoff,and low-runoff variability rate had strong correlations with precipitation,aridity index,and average runoff depth on rainy days.In comparison,daily runoff under 50%-99%exceeding frequencies,consecutive minimum daily runoff,and high-runoff variability rate had weak correlations with all selected impact factors.The sensitivity analysis results suggested that the sensitivity of annual runoff to precipitation was always higher than that to potential evaporation.The runoff about 87.10%of the selected hydrological stations were most sensitive to precipitation changes,and 12.90%were most sensitive to other factors.The spatial pattern of the sensitivity analysis indicated that in relatively humid southern areas,runoff was more sensitive to potential evaporation and other factors,and less sensitive to precipitation.

Relocation of the Yellow River Estuary in 1855 AD Recorded in the Sediment Core from the Northern Yellow Sea

Relocation of the Yellow River estuary has significant impacts on not only terrestrial environment and human activities, but also sedimentary and ecological environments in coastal seas. The responses of regional geochemical characteristics to the relocation event, however, have not been well studied. In the present study, we performed detailed geochemical elemental analyses of a sediment core from the northern Yellow Sea and studied their geochemical responses to the 1855AD relocation of the Yellow River estuary. The results show that TOC/TN, Co/A1203, Cr/A1203, Ni/A1203 and Se/A1203 ratios all decreased abruptly after 1855 AD, and similar decreases are observed in the sediments of the mud area southwest off the Cheju Island. These abrupt changes are very likely caused by the changes in source materials due to the relocation of the Yellow River estuary from the southern Yellow Sea to the Bohai Sea, which the corresponding decreasing trends caused by the changes in main source materials from those transported by the Liaohe River, the Haihe River and the Luanhe River to those by the Yellow River. Because the events have precise ages recorded in historical archives, these obvious changes in elemental geochemistry of sediments can be used to calibrate age models of related coastal sea sediments.

Major elements in the Holocene loess-paleosol sequence in the upper reaches of the Weihe River valley,China

Palaeohydmlogical investigations were carried out in the Guchuan Basin in the upper reaches of the Weihe River valley, China. A set of palaeoflood slackwater deposits （SWDs） was found interbedded in the Holocene Ioess-paleosol sequence at the Guchuanzhen site （GCZ）. These palaeoflood SWDs were studied by field observations and laboratory analyses including concentrations of chemical elements and optically stimulated luminescence （OSL） dating. The results showed that the palaeoflood SWDs were the result of the secondary separations of the surface soil and weathered soil layers during the process of water transport and deposition, and without obvious weathering during soil development. These extraordinary flood events were dated back to 3,200-3,000 a B.P. with the OSL method and checked by archaeological dating of the human remains retrieved from the profile. These extraordinary flood events were therefore considered as regional expression of known climatic events and demonstrated the climatic instability in the Holocene. This result is important for understanding the effects of global climate change on the dynamics of river systems.

Driving forces behind the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of land-use and land-cover change:A case study of the Weihe River Basin,China

The impact of socioeconomic development on land-use and land-cover change(LUCC)in river basins varies spatially and temporally.Exploring the spatiotemporal evolutionary trends and drivers of LUCC under regional disparities is the basis for the sustainable development and management of basins.In this study,the Weihe River Basin(WRB)in China was selected as a typical basin,and the WRB was divided into the upstream of the Weihe River Basin(UWRB),the midstream of the Weihe River Basin(MWRB),the downstream of the Weihe River Basin(DWRB),the Jinghe River Basin(JRB),and the Luohe River Basin(LRB).Based on land-use data(cultivated land,forestland,grassland,built-up land,bare land,and water body)from 1985 to 2020,we analyzed the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of LUCC in the WRB using a land-use transfer matrix and a dynamic change model.The driving forces of LUCC in the WRB in different periods were detected using the GeoDetector,and the selected influencing factors included meteorological factors(precipitation and temperature),natural factors(elevation,slope,soil,and distance to rivers),social factors(distance to national highway,distance to railway,distance to provincial highway,and distance to expressway),and human activity factors(population density and gross domestic product(GDP)).The results indicated that the types and intensities of LUCC conversions showed considerable disparities across different sub-basins,where complex conversions among cultivated land,forestland,and grassland occurred in the LRB,JRB,and UWRB,with higher dynamic change before 2000.The conversion of other land-use types to built-up land was concentrated in the UWRB,MWRB,and DWRB,with substantial increases after 2000.Additionally,the driving effects of the influencing factors on LUCC in each sub-basin also exhibited distinct diversity,with the LRB and JRB being influenced by the meteorological and social factors,and the UWRB,MWRB,and DWRB being driven by human activity factors.Moreover,the interaction of these influencing factors indicated an enhanced effect on LUCC.This study confirmed the spatiotemporal heterogeneity effects of socioeconomic status on LUCC in the WRB under regional differences,contributing to the sustainable development of the whole basin by managing sub-basins according to local conditions.

Spatial-temporal Analysis and Prediction of Precipitation Extremes: A Case Study in the Weihe River Basin, China

Extreme precipitation events bring considerable risks to the natural ecosystem and human life.Investigating the spatial-temporal characteristics of extreme precipitation and predicting it quantitatively are critical for the flood prevention and water resources planning and management.In this study,daily precipitation data(1957–2019)were collected from 24 meteorological stations in the Weihe River Basin(WRB),Northwest China and its surrounding areas.We first analyzed the spatial-temporal change of precipitation extremes in the WRB based on space-time cube(STC),and then predicted precipitation extremes using long short-term memory(LSTM)network,auto-regressive integrated moving average(ARIMA),and hybrid ensemble empirical mode decomposition(EEMD)-LSTM-ARIMA models.The precipitation extremes increased as the spatial variation from northwest to southeast of the WRB.There were two clusters for each extreme precipitation index,which were distributed in the northwestern and southeastern or northern and southern of the WRB.The precipitation extremes in the WRB present a strong clustering pattern.Spatially,the pattern of only high-high cluster and only low-low cluster were primarily located in lower reaches and upper reaches of the WRB,respectively.Hot spots(25.00%–50.00%)were more than cold spots(4.17%–25.00%)in the WRB.Cold spots were mainly concentrated in the northwestern part,while hot spots were mostly located in the eastern and southern parts.For different extreme precipitation indices,the performances of the different models were different.The accuracy ranking was EEMD-LSTM-ARIMA>LSTM>ARIMA in predicting simple daily intensity index(SDII)and consecutive wet days(CWD),while the accuracy ranking was LSTM>EEMD-LSTM-ARIMA>ARIMA in predicting very wet days(R95 P).The hybrid EEMD-LSTM-ARIMA model proposed was generally superior to single models in the prediction of precipitation extremes.

Inversion and Prediction of Consolidation Settlement Characteristics of the Fluvial Sediments Based on Void Ratio Variation in the Northern Modern Yellow River Subaqueous Delta, China

The modern Yellow River delta is formed near the estuary of the Yellow River with the characteristics of short formation time, efficient sedimentation rate and loose structure which make sediments prone to be compacted and consolidate under the geostatic stress and overburden stress. It is one of the key areas with land subsidence disasters in China, bringing a series of safety hazards to production and living. Based on the data of massive surface cores and ten drill holes ranging from 12 to 40 m obtained from the northern modern Yellow River subaqueous delta, the inversion method suitable for the calculation of consolidation settlement characteristics of the modern Yellow River subaqueous delta is discussed, and the consolidation settlement characteristics of the delta sediments are inversed and predicted in this paper. The actual void ratio of the delta sediments at the depth from 3 to 15 m shows a significant power function relationship with the depth, while the void ratio of the sediments below 15 m changes little with depth. The pre-consolidation settlement(from deposition to sampling) of the delta sediments is between 0.91 and 1.96 m, while the consolidation settlement of unit depth is between 9.6 and 14.0 cm m^(-1). The post-consolidation settlement(from sampling to stable) of the subaqueous delta sediments is between 0.65 and 1.56 m in the later stage, and the consolidation settlement of unit depth is between 7.6 and 13.1 cm m^(-1) under the overburden stress. The delta sediments with a buried depth of 3 to 7 m contribute the most to the possible consolidation settlement in the later stage.

Drought monitoring and reliability evaluation of the latest TMPA precipitation data in the Weihe River Basin, Northwest China

The high resolution satellite precipitation products bear great potential for large-scale drought monitoring, especially for those regions with sparsely or even without gauge coverage. This study focuses on utilizing the latest Version-7 TRMM Multi-satellite Precipitation Analysis （TMPA 3B42V7） data for drought condition monitoring in the Weihe River Basin （0.135×10^6 km2）. The accuracy of the monthly TMPA 3B42V7 satellite precipitation data was firstly evaluated against the ground rain gauge observations. The statistical characteristics between a short period data series （1998-2013） and a long period data series （1961-2013） were then compared. The TMPA 3B42V7-based SPI （Standardized Precipitation Index） sequences were finally validated and analyzed at various temporal scales for assessing the drought conditions. The results indicate that the monthly TMPA 3B42V7 precipitation is in a high agreement with the rain gauge observations and can accurately capture the temporal and spatial characteristics of rainfall within the Weihe River Basin. The short period data can present the characteristics of long period record, and it is thus acceptable to use the short period data series to estimate the cumulative probability function in the SPI calculation. The TMPA 3B42V7-based SPI matches well with that based on the rain gauge observations at multiple time scales （i.e., 1-, 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month） and can give an acceptable temporal distribution of drought conditions. It suggests that the TMPA 3B42V7 precipitation data can be used for monitoring the occurrence of drought in the Weihe River Basin.

Study on the Effects of Extreme Precipitation for Seven Growth Stages of Winter Wheat in Northern Weihe Loess Plateau, China

The research on the characteristic frequency of precipitation is a great significance for guiding regional agricultural planning, water conservancy project designs, and drought and flood control. Droughts and floods occurred in northern Weihe Loess Plateau, affecting growing and yield of winter wheat in the area. Based on the daily precipitation data of 29 meteorological stations from 1981 to 2012, this study is to address the analysis of three different frequencies of annual precipitation at 5%, 50%, and 95%, and to determine the amount of rainfall excess and water shortage during seven growth stages of winter wheat at 5%, 10%, and 20% frequencies, respectively. Pearson type III curve was selected for this study to analyze the distribution frequency of annual rainfall and rainfall amount following seven growth stages of winter wheat crop in 29 stations of Northern Weihe loess plateau. As a result of our study, annual precipitation is gradually increasing from southwest to northeast of Northern Weihe loess plateau. The highest amount of annual precipitation occurred in the Baoji area and the lowest precipitation covered by the northwest area of Northern Weihe loess plateau. Moreover, the amount of rainfall of seven growth stages indicates that excessive rainfall occurs not only in the first stage (sowing to tillering) and seventh stage (flowering to ripening) but also in second stage (tillering to wintering). In the seventh stage, a large amount of excessive rainfall occurred in Changwu, Bin, Qianyang, Fengxiang, Baojiqu, and Baojixian. Moreover, water shortage is distributed in the third stage (from wintering to greening), the fourth stage (from greening to jointing), the fifth stage (from jointing to heading), and the sixth stage (from heading to flowering). Furthermore, the worst water shortages occurred in Hancheng, Heyang, Chengcheng, Pucheng, Dali, Tongchuan, and Fuping in the fourth stage (greening to jointing stage). Even though we study the crop water requirement under extreme rainfall conditions, the amount of rainwater still supply inadequate in some parts of the winter wheat growth stage. Therefore, this study provides main clues for the next step to study the irrigation water needs of winter wheat crops and to reduce agricultural risks in 29 counties in the northern loess plateau and other regions.

Research of Hydrochemical Properties of Hyporheic Zone along the WeiHe River in Shanxi Segment

By sampling the undercurrent belts of riverfront, shoal and riverbed at Xianyang, Xi’an, Lintong and Huaxian in Weihe basin of Shaanxi province in the summer and winter of 2014 and analyzed the water chemical character through Piper trilinear chart, This thesis has come to the following conclusions: (1) PH in shoal range from 7.42 to 7.98, and in riverfront, the average is 7.58, present alkaline. The TDS in riverfront is higher than that of river water, it range from 506.5 to 824, 616.06 mg?L?1 in average. (2) All of the water at riverfront, shoal and riverbed under the influence of carbonate. The concentration of ionic concentration at shoal is between riverbed and riverfront, by contrast, it close to riverfront. This result means the shoal recharged by both surface and river water, and the groundwater recharge is more conspicuous than surface water. Besides, from upstream to downstream, the two kinds of main ions ( and Ca2+) have little change in the same river, it related to such factors as river evaporation, the exchange interaction of surface and underground water and so on.

Analysis on Hydrogeochemical Characteristics and Their Temporal and Spatial Variation in the Karst Catchment of Lianjiang River,Northern Guangdong Province

[ Objective] The study aimed to discuss the hydrogeochemical features and their temporal and spatial variation in the karst catchment of Lianjiang River, northem Guangdong Province. [ Method] Water samples were collected from 10 sub-drainages of Lianjiang River in July of 2012 and January of 2013, and then major chemical ions in tributaries of Xingzi River and Tongguanshui River were analyzed in detail to discuss the hydrochemistry type, spatial and temporal distribution and its causes of formation in Lianjiang River basin. [ Result] Among chemical ions in the wa- ter samples, Ca2. and HCO^- were dominant in Lianjiang River, accounting for over 70% and 80% of total concentrations of cations and anions re- spectively, followed by Mg2＋ and SO24-. The concentrations of most major ions were higher in winter than those in summer except SO4^2- concentra- tion was much higher in summer than that in winter, which was related to anthropogenic factors. From hydrochemical types, it is seen that HCO3-- Ca2＋ type in summer and HCO3--Ca2＋ ~ Mg2. type in winter were dominant in Lianjiang River, followed by the HCO3--SO4^2- · Ca2＋ type, and only two samples of Xingzi River belonged to HCO3--Ca2＋ Mg2· Na＋ type in winter. The spatial distribution regularity of chemical ions was not obvi- ous in the 10 sub-drainages of Lianjiang River. The concentrations of chemical ions changed greatly in the upper reaches but slightly in the lower reaches of Xingzi River catchment. The concentrations of chemical ions were steady in Tongguanshui River catchment with a smaller area, and it was a little higher in the upper reaches than those in the lower reaches. [ Conclusion] Natural processes, such as lithological heterogeneities and at- mospheric precipitation, contributed to the chemical composition of Lianjiang River catchment, northem Guangdong Province.

Structural Variability and Rifting Process of the Segmented Cenozoic Pearl River Mouth Basin,Northern Continental Margin of the South China Sea

The Pearl River Mouth Basin(PRMB)is an important area for studying the evolution of continental marginal basins in the northern South China Sea(SCS),but the structural variability and spatiotemporal rifting process remains poorly understood.This study investigates the differential structural features of the eastern,middle and western PRMB,as well as the extensional deformation laws in operation during the rifting stage,according to an integrated analysis of geometric characteristics and kinematic parameters,i.e.,horizontal displacement and stretching factors of basin and crust.The PRMB underwent at least three phases of intense extension,which varied in time and space.(1)During the middle Eocene,most sags in the PRMB were intensely stretched and high-angle planar to listric boundary faults controlled the wedge-shaped stratigraphic geometry.(2)During the late Eocene-to-early Oligocene,the stratigraphic geometry of the sags was slightly wedge-shaped and continuously controlled by boundary faults,however,the extensional strength decreased relatively in the Northern depression zone,but increased in the Southern depression zone.(3)During the late Oligocene,the extension was extremely weak in the northeast PRMB,but relatively strong in the southwest PRMB,leading to tabular stratigraphic geometry in the northeast PRMB,but localized slightly wedge-shaped stratigraphic geometry in the southwest.The southwest PRMB still underwent relatively strong extension during the early Miocene.The southwest PRMB that was induced by a small-scale localized mantle convection system constantly rifted during the late Oligocene,controlled by the weak lithosphere,westward(southwestward)diachronous opening and southward jump of the ocean ridge.The applied quantitative parameters and spatiotemporal rifting process may be used as a reference with which to study the segmented continental margin rifts.

Analysis on the Changing Trends of Surface Water Quality and Their Causes of Weihe River in Shaanxi Province during Recent Ten Years

[ Objective] The study aimed to analyze the changing trends of surface water quality and their causes of Weihe River in Shaanxi Province over past ten years. [ Method] Based on the available monitoring data of water quality of Weihe River in Shaanxi Province from 2001 to 2010, the changing trends of surface water quality of Weihe River in Shaanxi Province during recent ten years were assessed by using the assessment method of surface water quality according to the Assessment Method of Surface Water Quality and Environmental Quality Standards for Surface Water （GB 3838-2002）. Moreover, the possible reasons for the trends were also proposed. [ Result] From 2001 to 2010, there was a relatively decrea- sing trend of water pollution in Weihe River due to the considerable decline in the content of the main environmental pollutants like permanganate in- dex, 5-day biochemical oxygen demand （ BOD5 ）, ammonia nitrogen, oil and volatile phenol. Meanwhile, the comprehensive pollution index fell by 62.7%, eliminating Weihe River＇s black and stink on schedule. However, the overall surface water quality of Weihe River was still polluted heavily in each year, and the pollution control of Xi＇an section should be paid more attention to. [ Conclusion] The research could provide scientific refer- ences for the comprehensive environmental control of Weihe River in Shaanxi Province.

Biological Status of Indus River Dolphin （Platanista Minor Owen） in Indus River, Northern Pakistan

A study was aimed to determine the biological status of the Indus river dolphin, Platanista minor Owen in Indus river with respect to distribution, threats and protection throughout its range in Northern Pakistan. For this purpose, a survey was conducted in an area of 103.5 km including the Indus river and its tributaries in March 2009 for estimating its distribution and population size using both direct observations of the dolphin as well as indirect evidences from its signs. The best group size was estimated with an abundance of 54 dolphins. Approximately 53.7% （1.07 dolphin＆m） of the dolphin-population occurred in 27 km from Miran onward to Ramak, however, 38.9% （0.46 dolphin/km） occurred in 46 km from Dera Ismail （D.I.） Khan bridge to Miran, moreover, 7.4% （0.13 dolphin/kin） occurred in 30.5 km from Saggu, near Meetapur-village to D.I. Khan bridge in the Indus river. The highest density was found between Miran and Ramk. A pronounced increase in dolphin encounter rate and abundance were observed in a downstream-direction. Threats to dolphins include too much vessel-traffic, disturbance by the crane, duck-hunters, and no effective-protection. Dolphins are particularly vulnerable to the high levels of anthropogenic activities because of their restricted habitat. Threats vary geographically in their importance, but generally include accidental killing during fishing-operations, habitat-loss and population-fragmentation from water development. Deliberate killing for dolphin products also threatens the dolphins. Potential for protections and possibilities for dolphin eco-tourism measures must be taken.

Variability of Northeast China River Break-up Date

This paper investigates the variability of the break-up dates of the rivers in Northeast China from their icebound states for the period of 1957-2005 and explores some potential explanatory mechanisms. Results show that the break-up of the two major rivers （the Heilongjiang River and Songhuajiang River） was about four days earlier, and their freeze-up was about 4-7 days delayed, during 1989 2005 as compared to 1971 1987. This interdecadal variation is evidently associated with the warming trend over the past 50 years. In addition, the break-up and freeze-up dates have large interannual variability, with a standard deviation of about 10-15 days. The break-up date is primarily determined by the January February-March mean surface air temperature over the Siberian-Northeast China region via changes in the melting rate, ice thickness, and snow cover over the ice cover. The interannual variability of the break-up date is also significantly connected with the Northern Annular Mode （NAM）, with a correlation coefficient of 0.35-0.55 based on the data from four stations along the two rivers. This relationship is attributed to the fact that the NAM can modulate the East Asian winter monsoon circulation and Siberian-Northeast China surface air temperature in January February-March.

Testing coral paleothermometers(B/Ca, Mg/Ca, Sr/Ca, U/Ca and δ^(18)O) under impacts of large riverine runoff

Sea surface temperature （SST） proxies including B/Ca, Mg/Ca, St/Ca, U/Ca and δ180 were analyzed in the skeleton of a Porites coral collected from the Zhujiang River （Pearl River） Estuary （ZRE）. These geochemical proxies are influenced by river runoff and this area of the northern South China Sea is strongly affected by seasonal freshwater floods. We assessed the robustness of each SST proxy through comparison with the local instrumental SST. Coral St/Ca shows the highest correlation with SST variations （r2=0.59）, suggesting St/Ca is the most robust SST proxy. In contrast, coral δ180 （r2=0.46）, B/Ca （r2=0.43） and U/Ca （r2=0.41） ratios were only moderately correlated with SST variations, suggesting that they are disturbed by some other factors in addition to SST. The poor correlation （r2=0.27） between SST and Mg/Ca indicates that Mg/Ca in coral skeletons is not a simple function of SST variations. This may ultimately limit the use of Mg/Ca as a coral paleothermometer.

Evapotranspiration Estimation and Influence on Water Change in the Weihe River Basin,China

As the largest sub-basin of the middle reaches of the Yellow River with an obvious decreasing trend in annual runoff in recent years,the Weihe River basin is a significant region with regard to the protection and improvement of the environment in West China.Evapotranspiration(ET)is the loss of water from the Earth’s surface to the atmosphere and plays an important role in the regional water cycle,especially when considering water resource shortages.In this study,through analyzing the grid precipitation data after interpolation from 39 meteorological stations in and around the Weihe River basin from 1981 to 2011,certain periods during 1987,1993,1999,2001,2002 and 2009 with similar precipitation characteristics had been chosen for estimating the ET in the Weihe River basin.To illustrate ET’s influence on the water budget,these estimations are calculated based on an improved Penman-Monteith equation as well as remote sensing data and meteorological data.The results show that:(1)the annual ET in the Weihe River basin ranged from 350mm to 400mm in 1987,1993,1999,2001,2002 and 2009,accounting for more than 70%of the corresponding annual precipitation.There is a definite increasing trend in different decades that is primarily distributed during the summer.(2)The spatial distribution patterns of the ET in the six years mentioned area unique set,and the years are roughly identical with more than 500mm in the middle and lower reaches of the Weihe River in the southeastern region and less than 400mm in upper reaches of the Jinghe River in the northwestern area.(3)At the single-point scale,the coefficient of determination(R2)is 0.618 compared to the eddy correlation measurements in 2009 at the Changwu site,showing good agreement between the estimated ET and the observed ET.At the basin scale,the model-estimated ET is slightly lower than the actual ET with regard to the surface water budget.Additionally,the estimated ET in 2001,2002 and 2009 is close to the MODIS ET product.(4)For similar precipitation conditions,the regional amount of water shows a decreasing tendency with increasing ET,which may result from the rise in NDVI and improvements in vegetation coverage caused by human activities.This research suggests the influence of ET on water change at the basin level,which can also explain the decreasing runoff and can provide necessary information for improved water resource management.

Characteristics and origin of continental marginal fault depressions under the background of preexisting subduction continental margin,northern South China Sea,China

Based on the new seismic and drilling data and the recent related research results,this paper systematically analyzes the diversity and complexity of evolution process of crustal lithosphere structure and basin structure in the Pearl River Mouth Basin on the northern margin of the South China Sea.Three types of detachment faults of different structural levels exist:crust-mantle detachment,inter-crust detachment and upper crust detachment.It is considered that different types of extensional detachment control different subbasin structures.Many fault depressions controlled by upper crust detachment faults have been found in the Zhu I Depression located in the proximal zone.These detachment faults are usually reformed by magma emplacement or controlled by preexisting faults.Baiyun-Liwan Sag located in the hyperextension area shows different characteristics of internal structure.The Baiyun main sag with relative weak magmatism transformation is a wide-deep fault depression,which is controlled by crust-mantle detachment system.Extensive magmatism occurred in the eastern and southwest fault steps of the Baiyun Sag after Middle Eocene,and the crust ductile extensional deformation resulted in wide-shallow fault depression controlled by the upper crust detachment fault.Based on the classical lithosphere extensional breaking and basin tectonic evolution in the Atlantic margin,it is believed that the magmatic activities and pre-existing structures in the Mesozoic subduction continental margin background are important controlling factors for the diversified continental margin faulted structures in the northern South China Sea.