Growth and nutrient accumulation of Phragmites australis in relation to water level variation and nutrient loadings in a shallow lake

Shallow lake eutrophication is a global environmental issue. This study investigated the effects of water level variation and nutrient loadings on the growth and nutrient accumulation of Phragmites australis （reed） by field samplings in Baiyangdian Lake, the largest shallow lake of northern China. The field samplings were conducted in two sites of different nutrient loadings during the whole growth period of reeds, and three types of zones with different water depths were chosen for each site, including the terrestrial zone with water level below the ground, the ecotone zone with the water level varying from belowground to aboveground, and the submerged zone with water level above the ground. The result showed that reed growth was more limited by water level variation than nutrient loadings. The average stem lengths and diameters in terrestrial zones were about 26.3%-27.5% and 7.2%-12.0% higher than those in submerged zones, respectively. Similarly, the terrestrial status increased the aboveground biomass of reeds by 36.6%-51.8% compared with the submerged status. Both the nutrient concentrations and storages in the aboveground reeds were mainly influenced by the nutrient loadings in surface water and sediment rather than the water level variation of the reed growth environment, and the nutrient storages reached their maxima in late August or early September. It was observed that the maximum nitrogen storage occurred in the terrestrial zone with higher nutrient loadings, with the value of 74.5 g/m2. This study suggested that water level variation and nutrient loadings should be considered when using reeds to control and remediate eutrophication of shallow lakes.

Spatial variations of tidal water level and their impact on the exposure patterns of tidal land on the central Jiangsu coast

The exposed area of intertidal zone varies with tidal water level changes, If intercomparisons of satellite images are adopted as a method to determine geomorphological changes of the intertidal zone in response to accretion or erosion processes, then the effect of water level variations must be evaluated. In this study, two Landsat TM images overpassing the central Jiangsu coastal waters on 2 January and 7 March 2002, respectively, were treated by the changing detection analysis using Image Differencing and Post-classification Comparison. The simultaneous tide level data from four tide gauge stations along the coast were used for displaying the spatial variations of water levels and determining the elevations of waterlines. The results show that the spatial variations of water levels are highly significant in the central Jiangsu coastal waters. The huge differences of tidal land exposure patterns between the two imaging times are related mainly to the spatial variations of tidal water levels, which are controlled by the differences in tidal phases for different imaging times and the spatial variations of water level over the study area at each imaging time. Under complex tidal conditions, e.g., those of the central Jiangsu coastal waters, the tide-surge model should be used to eliminate effectively the effects of water level variations on remote sensing interpretation of geomorphological changes in the intertidal zone.

Characteristics of coseismic water level changes at Tangshan well for the Wenchuan MS_8.0 earthquake and its larger aftershocks

Coseismic water level changes which may have been induced by the Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake and its 15 larger aftershocks （Ms〉5.4） have been observed at Tangshan well. We analyze the correlation between coseismic parameters （maximum amplitude, duration, coseismic step and the time when the coseismic reach its maximum amplitude） and earthquake parameters （magnitude, well-epicenter distance and depth）, and then compare the time when the coseismic oscillation reaches its maximum amplitude with the seismogram from Douhe seismic station which is about 16.3 km away from Tangshan well. The analysis indicates that magnitude is the main factor influencing the induced coseismic water level changes, and that the well-epicenter distance and depth have less influence. Ms magnitude has the strongest correlation with the coseismic water level changes comparing to Mw and ML magnitudes. There exists strong correlation between the maximum amplitude, step size and the oscillation duration. The water level oscillation and step are both caused by dynamic strain sourcing from seismic waves. Most of the times when the oscillations reach their maximum amplitudes are between S and Rayleigh waves. The coseismic water level changes are due to the co-effect of seismic waves and hydro-geological environments.

Reservoir-induced landslides and risk control in Three Gorges Project on Yangtze River,China

The Three Gorges region in China was basically a geohazard-prone area prior to construction of the Three Gorges Reservoir （TGR）. After construction of the TGR, the water level was raised from 70 m to 175 m above sea level （ASL）, and annual reservoir regulation has caused a 30-m water level difference after impoundment of the TGR since September 2008. This paper first presents the spatiotemporal distribution of landslides in six periods of 175 m ASL trial impoundments from 2008 to 2014. The results show that the number of landslides sharply decreased from 273 at the initial stage to less than ten at the second stage of impoundment. Based on this, the reservoir-induced landslides in the TGR region can be roughly classified into five failure patterns, i.e. accumulation landslide, dip-slope landslide, reversed bedding landslide, rockfall, and karst breccia landslide. The accumulation landslides and dip-slope landslides account for more than 90%. Taking the Shuping accumulation landslide （a sliding mass volume of 20.7 × 106 m^3） in Zigui County and the Outang dip-slope landslide （a sliding mass volume of about 90 × 106 m^3） in Fengjie County as two typical cases, the mechanisms of reactivation of the two landslides are analyzed. The monitoring data and factor of safety （FOS） calculation show that the accumulation landslide is dominated by water level variation in the reservoir as most part of the mass body is under 175 m ASL, and the dip-slope landslide is controlled by the coupling effect of reservoir water level variation and precipitation as an extensive recharge area of rainfall from the rear and the front mass is below 175 m ASL. The characteristics of landslide-induced impulsive wave hazards after and before reservoir impoundment are studied, and the probability of occurrence of a landslide-induced impulsive wave hazard has increased in the reservoir region. Simulation results of the Ganjingzi landslide in Wushan County indicate the strong relationship between landslide-induced surge and water variation with high potential risk to shipping and residential areas. Regarding reservoir regulation in TGR when using a single index, i.e. 1-d water level variation, water resources are not well utilized, and there is also potential risk of disasters since 2008. In addition, various indices such as 1-d, 5-d, and 10-d water level variations are proposed for reservoir regulation. Finally, taking reservoir-induced landslides in June 2015 for example, the feasibility of the optimizing indices of water level variations is verified.

Experimental Study of Overtopping on Sea Dikes and Coastal Flooding Under the Coupled Processes of Tides and Waves

Storm surges are cataclysmic natural disasters that occur along the coasts and are usually accompanied by large waves.The effects of coupled storm surges and waves can pose a significant threat to coastal security.Previous labo-ratory studies on the effects of storm surges and waves on coastal structures have typically utilized steady water levels and constant wave elements.An indoor simulation of the coupled processes of tides and waves is developed by adding a tide generation system to an existing laboratory wave basin to model continuous dynamic tide levels so that tide generation and wave-making occur synchronously in the pool.Specific experimental methods are given,which are applied to further study waves overtopping on artificial sea dikes and coastal flooding evolution under the coupled actions of tides and waves.The results of the overtopping discharge obtained by the test with a dynamic water level are compared with those obtained from steady water level tests and the existing empirical formula.In addition,the impacts of ecological coastal shelterbelts and structures on coastal flood processes and distributions are also investi-gated.The proposed simulation methods provide a new approach for studying the effects of storm surges and waves on coastal areas.The study also aims to provide a reference for coastal protective engineering.