CHEMICAL WEATHERING PROCESSES AND ATMOSPHERIC CO_2 CONSUMPTION OF HUANGHE RIVER AND CHANGJIANG RIVER BASINS

Rock weathering plays an important role in studying the long-term carbon cycles and global climatic change. According to the statistics analysis, the Huanghe (Yellow) River water chemistry was mainly controlled by evaporite and carbonate weathering, which were responsible for over 90% of total dissolved ions. As compared with the Huanghe River basin, dissolved load of the Changjiang (Yangtze) River was mainly originated from the carbonate dissolution. The chemical weathering rates were estimated to be 39.29t/(km(2).a) and 61.58t/(km(2).a) by deducting the HCO3- derived from atmosphere in the Huanghe River and Changjiang River watersheds, respectively. The CO2 consumption rates by rock weathering were calculated to be 120.84 x 10(3)mol/km(2) and 452.46 x 10(3)mol/km(2) annually in the two basins, respectively. The total CO2 consumption of the two basins amounted to 918.51 x 10(9)mol/a, accounting for 3.83% of the world gross. In contrast to other world watersheds, the stronger evaporite reaction and infirm silicate weathering can explain such feature that CO2 consumption rates were lower than a global average, suggesting that the sequential weathering may be go on in the two Chinese drainage basins.

The effects of spring-neap tide on the phytoplankton community development in the Jiaozhou Bay, China

The development of the phytoplankton community was studied in the Jiaozhou Bay during the spring to neap tide in August2001, through three cruises and a 15 d continuous observation. This investigation indicates that diatom cell abundance increasedsharply following the end of a spring tide, from 9 cells/cm3 to a peak of 94 cells/cm3. The dominant species composition andabundance show a quick species sequence from spring to neap tide, and the dominant species at the start phase is Skeletomenacostatum, then changes to Chaetoceros curvisetus, finally it changes to Eucampia zodiacus. Silicate concentration increasesduring spring tide, as a result of nutrient replenishment from the watersediment interface, its initial average concentration inneap tide is 1.39 mmol/dm3 and reached the peak average concentration of 8.40 mmol/dm3 in spring tide. But the nitrogenconcentration dropped due to dilution by the low nitrogen seawater from the Huanghai Sea, its initial average concentration inneap tide is 67 mmol/dm3 and decreased to the average concentration of 54 mmol/dm3 in spring tide. The degree of siliconlimitation was decreased and phytoplankton, especially diatoms, responds immediately after nutrient replenishment in thewater column. Skeletonmea costatum, as one of the dominant species in the Jiaozhou Bay, shows a quicker response tonutrient availability than Eucampia zodiacus and Chaetoceros curvisetus. It is proposed that dominant species compositionand water column stability synchronously determine the development of phytoplankton summer blooms in the Jiaozhou bay.

Indicators and impact analysis of sediment from the Changjiang Estuary and East China Sea to the Hangzhou Bay

Based on the historical evolution of the Hangzhou Bay, by making use of the conclusions made by the previous research workers and the integration of concrete data, five distinct impact indicators of the sediment from the Changjiang Estuary and the East China Sea to the Hangzhou Bay are summarized. Numerical calculation and analysis indicate that the scouring and deposition of seabed in the Hangzhou Bay are subject to the direct impact of the evolution of the Changjiang Estuary, and the growth and decline and the direction of the sandy bar at Nanhuizui give traces to the sediment transport between the Changjiang Estuary and the Hangzhou Bay. The transport of sediment from the Changjiang Estuary to the Hangzhou Bay occurs mainly in winter and spring seasons and the increase of the Changjiang River runoff and the decrease of sediment charge have caused scouring in the northern coast of the Hangzhou Bay and the seabed erosion along the frontal margin of the Changjiang River Delta.

The application of Yangtze Estuary Tidal Wetlands Geographic Information System

Yangtze Estuary Tidal Wetlands Geographic Information System (YETWGIS) is a comprehensive software system for environmental management and decision of Yangtze estuary tidal wetlands. Based on MapObjects components technology, Data Mining technology, mathematical modeling method and Visual Basic language, this software system has many functions such as displaying, editing, querying and searching, spatial statistics and analysis, thematic map compiling, and environmental quality evaluation. This paper firstly outlined the system structure, key techniques, and achieving methods of YETWGIS, and then, described the core modules (the thematic map compiling module and environmental quality evaluation model module) in detail. In addition, based on information entropy model, it thoroughly discussed the methods of environmental quality evaluation and indicators' weight calculation. Finally, by using YETWGIS, this paper analyzed the spatial distribution characteristics of Heavy Metal and Persistent Organic Pollutants (POPs) of the Yangtze estuary tidal wetlands in 2002, and evaluated the environmental quality of the Yangtze estuary tidal wetlands in 2003.

Observation and analysis of the diluted water and red tide in the sea off the Changjiang River mouth in middle and late June 2003

An interdisciplinary comprehensive survey was conducted in middle and late June 2003 with the Multi-Pa- rameter Environmental Monitoring System YSI6600 and water sample analysis in the sea off the Changjiang River mouth. The Changjiang diluted water (CDW) extended off- shore with a bimodal structure during the observation, one extending toward the southeast, the other toward the north- east. The main axis of the CDW extended toward the north- east. Asevere red tide with wide spatial extent and brown water color happened. Chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) distribution near the Changjiang River mouth also presented a bimodal structure, and its position and shape were roughly consistent with the extension of the CDW. Water sample analysis indi- cated that the serious eutrophication produced by the huge amount of nutrient load via the Changjiang River was the main cause of red tide bloom. The dominant algal specie at the most measurement stations was skeletonema costatum. There existed three centers of higher Chl-a concentration, locating at (122.45°E, 31.5°N), (122.4°E, 30.8°N) and (123.25°E, 30.0°N), respectively. The red tide at (122.45°E, 31.5°N) was located in the major modal of CDW and higher turbid seawater, its dominant algal specie was prorocentrum dentatum with density 2.23×106 ind/L. The red tide at (122.4°E, 30.8°N) was located in the second modal of CDW and lower turbid seawater, its dominant algal specie was skeletonema costatum with density 1.0×107 ind/L. The domi- nant algal specie at (123.25°E, 30.0°N) was Heterocapsa cir- cularisquama horiguchi with density 2.0×106 ind/L, which was found for the first time forming red tide in the sea off the Changjiang River mouth.

Morphological evolution of mouth bars on the Yangtze estuarine waterways in the last 100 years

The mouth bar in the Yangtze estuarine waterways has a significant influence on navigational transport within the estuary, flood discharge and construction of the Shanghai Port. In this paper the morphological evolution and mechanisms of mouth bar formation of the Yangtze estuarine waterways are studied by analyzing hundreds of years of historical data and the latest profile maps of some or the main mouth bar channels in the Yangtze Estuary. The results are shown as follows： The mouth bars in the North Branch have moved gradually from outside the mouth to the inside and formed a huge sand bar. In the North Channel, the head of the mouth bar has migrated about 30 kilometers downstream, and a channel bar has been developing since 2001. Two mouth bar tops, which always existed in the North Passage disappeared in 2010. The head of the mouth bar in the South Passage has migrated downstream about 14 km and the number of tops increased at first but is reduced to only one now. According to the results, we can conclude that the evolution of the mouth bars differs depending on their location. In the North Branch it is directly related to large-scale reclamation in Chongming Island, but in the North Passage it has a close relationship with regulation of the Yangtze Estuary Deepwater Channel. However, the evolution of mouth bars in the North Channel and South Passage is not only connected with the Yangtze Estuary Deepwater Channel Regulation Project, but also with the reclamation in the East Hengsha Shoal and the closure of the Qingcaosha Reservoir.

ADP-flow velocity profile to interpret hydromorphological features of China's Yangtze Three-Gorges valley

In late May and early June, 2002, a field inves- tigation was conducted along the Three-Gorges valley of the upper Yangtze catchment by ADP (Acoustic Doppler Profile SONTEK-500). Data obtained when surveying were accom- panied with discharge of <15000 m3/s in the valley and char- acterize the unique river-flow velocity profile and riverbed morphology. Taking into consideration the relationship be- tween the average flow velocity and fluvial variables, four distinct river sections can be highlighted, i.e. Chongqing- Wanxian, Wanxian-Fengjie, Fengjie-Zigui and Gezhou res- ervoir area (upstream to downstream). The average flow velocity is in-phase with river width from Chongqing to Wanxian. High-flow velocity ranging from 3.0 to 4.0 m/s is recorded at many sites, where the wider river channel (>1000 m) and shallower water depth (<20 m) occur and large-size gravel shoals prevail. Alternated low-flow velocity (<1.5 m/s) appears at those river sections with deep water (>50 m) and U-shaped river-channel morphology. Mapping the river cross-section area at those sites can determine that smaller cross-section area accelerates the flow velocity. From Wanxian to Fengjie, the average flow velocity ranging from 3.0 to 4.5 m/s is in-phase with the water depth. The high-flow velocity is associated with narrower river-channel, where V-shaped gorges valley occurs with small cross-section area. Further downstream from Fengjie to Zigui, the low flow ve- locity is linked to deep river channel characterized by W-shaped valley morphology of large cross-section area, in general. The average flow velocity is 2.5―3.5 m/s, and maxi- mum can reach 6.0 m/s near Wu-Gorge. Our survey had also detected a slow-flow velocity (mostly <1.0 m/s) in the river channel of about 100 km long in the Gezhou reservoir downstream. Heavy siltation to 20 m thick above the former riverbed and about 20 km extending upstream from the Dam site occurs above Gezhou Dam. The backwater can reach 150 km due to elevated water level to 27 m by the damming at the end of 1970s, and riverbed erosion below the dam reaches 15—20 m. In addition, our survey records the deeper water river valley from Fengjie to Yichang, ranging from 70 to 80 m (>100 m; maximum) in the gorges valley (30―40 m below the present mean sea level). This contrasts to the relative shallow water river-channel above Fengjie, i.e. 20―30 m in general and 50―60 m, maximum at gorges site. The present ADP investigation displays the hydromorphological feature in the Three-Gorges valley, and most importantly, it accu- mulates invaluable dataset for the post-dam study in the near future.

FLUSHING TIME OF THE YANGTZE ESTUARY BY DISCHARGE: A MODEL STUDY

Flushing time of the Yangtze estuary by discharge is one of the importantfactors responsible for the transport of pollutants from various sources located along the Yangtzeestuary: Therefore, an objective of the present stud-y, which analysis flushing time in the case ofdifferent discharge is very helpful to evaluate the water environmental of the Yangtze estuary.Using a dissolved conservative material as a tracer in the water, a three-dimensionadvection-diffusion water exchange numerical model was used to study the flushing time by dischargeand the discharge dominated region of the Yangtze estuary. The initial tracer concentration is setto 0.0 in the numerical domain of the Yangtze estuary, and the concentration value is set to 1. 0 onthe inflow boundary. The tracer flux normal to the solid boundary is set to 0. 0. The flushing timeand the out limit of discharge dominated region can be calculated in terms of the tracerconcentration. Estuarine, Coastal and Ocean Model (ECOM) is used as the hydro-dynamic model. Theresult shows that the flushing time is approximately in inverse proportion to the discharge at theupper stream. The out limit is farther from the upper inflow boundary as discharge increases. Theout limit at the north branch is different from that of the south branch because the discharge intothe north branch is much less than that into the south branch. The data is qualitative similar tothe observed data, which show the three-dimensional advection-diffusion equation can be used toestimate the flushing time and the discharge dominated region of the Yangtze estuary.

NUMERICAL SIMULATION OF A MATHEMATICAL MODEL FOR WAVE PROPAGATION ON NON-UNIFORM CURRENT AND DEPTH

A water wave evolution equation is developed from the combinedrefraction-diffraction equation on non-uniform current in water of slowly varying topography byusing the perturbation method. A numerical model is presented with the governing equationdiscretized with an improved Alternating Direction Impicit (ADI) method involving a relaxationfactor which can improve convergent rate. The calculation results show that the model caneffectively reflect the effects of current on wave propagation.