Fractal characterization of sediment particle-size distribution in the water-level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

The combined effect of periodic water impoundment and seasonal natural flood events has created a 30 m high water-level fluctuation zone(WLFZ) around the Three Gorges Reservoir(TGR), China, forming a unique eco-landscape. Siltation, eutrophication, enrichment of heavy metals, and methane emissions in the WLFZ have been widely associated with sediment and soil particles generated from the upstream catchment or upland slopes. However, little attention has been paid to the complexity of sediment particle-size distributions in the WLFZ. In the present study, core samples(from a 345 cm thick sediment core from the base of the WLFZ), slope transect surface samples(across/up a WLFZ slope), and along-river/longitudinal surface samples(from the reservoir reaches) were collected. Laser granulometry and a volume-based fractal model were used to reveal the characteristics of sediment particle-size distributions. Results indicate that the alternation of coarse and fine particles in the sedimentary core profile is represented as a fluctuation of low and high values of fractal dimension(D), ranging from 2.59 to 2.77. On the WLFZ slope transect, surface sediment particles coarsen with increasing elevation, sand content increases from 3.3% to 78.5%, and D decreases from 2.76 to 2.53. Longitudinally, surface sediments demonstrate a downstream-fining trend, and D increases gradually downstream. D is significantly positively correlated with the fine particle content. We conclude that D is a useful measure for evaluating sediment particle-size distribution.

健康城市视角下城市滨江高架桥下空间更新初探--以重庆市嘉滨路为例

城市交通高架下部的空间是典型的具有利用价值的“都市空缺”,是当前健康城市优化发展中无法绕开的一个话题。而重庆嘉滨路高架桥下空间又是其中最为特别的一例,由于独特的地理环境特点,其除了具有普通的城市高架下“负空间”所具有的问题之外,还面临着可达性差,地形陡峭,消落带水位周期性大幅消涨等问题。但又正是这些地理环境特点使其具有独特的景观开发潜质,若以合理手法激活改造,便能“变负为正”。本文深入探究其失落之因,从空间特质,区位优势以及市场趋势三方面分析其激活潜质,结合重庆市宏观的旅游现状,从活动多样性、易达性、整体性,以及时空灵活性四方面提出对应的激活策略,构造出一条区域联动的,独具“山城烟火气”的旅游走廊。

Spatial distribution,sources and ecological risk assessment of heavy metals in Shenjia River watershed of the Three Gorges Reservoir Area

Surface soil/sediment samples were collected from the Water-Level Fluctuation Zone(WLFZ), cultivated land and forest land at 50 different grid points from Shenjia watershed, the Three Gorges Reservoir area in August 2013. The spatial distribution, sources and ecological risk assessment for Arsenic(As), Cadmium(Cd),Chromium(Cr), Copper(Cu), Nickel(Ni), Lead(Pb)and Zinc(Zn) were analyzed in this study. The results showed all tested metals had similar distribution patterns except Ni and Cr, with areas of high concentrations distributed in the southwest(WLFZ and watershed outlet) of the study area. Ni and Cr,which were highly positively correlated and present in high concentrations, were primarily distributed in the south and middle zones of the study area. Lower concentration areas of all metals were uniformly distributed west of the high-elevation zones and forest land. Factor analysis(FA) and factor analysismultiple linear regression(FA-MLR) showed that the major sources of Cd were fertilizer and traffic sources,which together accounted for 87% of Cd. As, Zn and Cu levels were primarily supplied by industrial and domestic sources, accounting for 76% of As, 75% of Cu and 67% of Zn. Surface soils/sediments of the study watershed contaminated by Cd represent a high ecological risk, whereas other metals represent low ecological risks. The potential ecological risk index(PERI) analysis indicated that it had a low(widerange) ecological risk and a moderate(small-range)ecological risk primarily distributed in the outlet of the study watershed. Fertilizers and traffic are the primary sources of Cd pollution, which should be more closely controlled for the purposes of water quality and ecological conservation.

Tempo-spatial variations of sediment-associated nutrients and contaminants in the Ruxi tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China

Ruxi River is a tributary of the Three Gorges Reservoir. This study examined the temporal and spatial dynamics in particle size characteristics and the associated nutrients and contaminants of the fluvial suspended and deposited sediments along the Ruxi River. Temporal variations in the particle size distribution of the suspended sediment are controlled mainly by differences in sediment source during different seasons. Total organic carbon （TOC）, total nitrogen （TN） and total phosphorous （TP） in the 〈 62 μm fraction of the suspended sediment exhibit considerably higher concentrations in spring, indicating high probability of algal blooms in the backwater areas. Downstream trends in the nutrient contents of 〈 62 pm deposited sediments imply the greatest potential for eutrophication in the backwater ends, where highest nutrient concentrations were detected. Assessment of metal contamination shows that the sediments deposited in the water-level fluctuation zone were moderately to strongly contaminated by Cadmium （Cd）, with a considerably high potential ecological risk. The findings reported have emphasized the impacts of reservoir impoundment on aquatic and/or terrestrial environment in this region. More information on physical, chemical and biological processes of sediment and sediment-associated materials are needed for developing ecologically sound policies management. environmentally and of water and sediment

Role of the rhizosphere of a flooding-tolerant herb in promoting mercury methylation in water-level fluctuation zones

The water-level fluctuation zone(WLFZ) has been considered as a hotspot for mercury(Hg) methylation. Flooding-tolerant herbs are gradually acclimated to this water-land ecotone, tending to form substantial root systems for improving erosion resistance. Accompanying rhizosphere microzone plays crucial but unclear roles in methylmercury(Me Hg) formation in the WLFZ. Thus, we conducted this study in the WLFZ of the Three Gorges Reservoir, to explore effects of the rhizosphere of a dominant flooding-tolerant herb(bermudagrass) on Me Hg production. The elevated Hg and Me Hg in rhizosphere soils suggest that the rhizosphere environment provides favorable conditions for Hg accumulation and methylation. The increased bioavailable Hg and microbial activity in the rhizosphere probably serve as important factors driving Me Hg formation in the presence of bermudagrass. Simultaneously, the rhizosphere environments changed the richness, diversity, and distribution of hgc A-containing microorganisms. Here, a typical ironreducing bacterium( Geobacteraceae) has been screened, however, the majority of hgc A genes detected in rhizosphere, near-, and non-rhizosphere soils of the WLFZ were unclassified. Collectively, these results provide new insights into the elevated Me Hg production as related to microbial processes in the rhizosphere of perennial herbs in the WLFZ, with general implications for Hg cycling in other ecosystems with water-level fluctuations.