Energy partitioning over a semi‐arid shrubland in northern China

During the last decade, the widely distributed shrublands in northern China have shown significant signs of recovery from desertification, the result of widespread conservation practices. However, to support the current efforts in conservation, more knowledge is needed on surface energy partitioning and its biophysical controls. Using eddy‐covariance measurements made over a semi‐arid shrubland in northwest China in 2012, we examined how surface energy‐balance components vary on diurnal and seasonal scales, and how biophysical factors control bulk surface parameters and energy exchange. Sensible heat flux (H) exceeded latent heat flux (λE) during most of the year, resulting in an annual Bowen ratio (β, i.e. H/λE) of 2.0. λE exceeded H only in mid‐summer when frequent rainfall co‐occurred with the seasonal peak in leaf area index (LAI). Evapotranspiration reached a daily maximum of 3.3 mm day^?1, and summed to 283 mm yr^?1. The evaporative fraction (EF, i.e. λE/R_n), Priestley–Taylor coefficient (α), surface conductance (g_s) and decoupling coefficient (Ω) were all positively correlated with soil water content (SWC) and LAI. The direct enhancement of λE by high vapour pressure deficit (VPD) was buffered by a concurrent suppression of g_s. The g_s played a direct role in controlling EF and α by mediating the effects of LAI, SWC and VPD. Our results highlight the importance of adaptive plant responses to water scarcity in regulating ecosystem energy partitioning, and suggest an important role for revegetation in the reversal of desertification in semi‐arid areas. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

基于SWAT模型的森林分布不连续流域水源涵养量多时间尺度分析

为解决森林分布不连续流域森林水源涵养功能及其多时间尺度特征的定量评价问题,根据分布式水文模型（SWAT）的特点,提出了反映森林斑块空间分布的水文响应单元划分方法,以及基于水量平衡法的森林不连续分布流域森林水源涵养量计算公式。以东南沿海的晋江流域为例,构建了2006年土地利用条件下的日时间步长SWAT模型,统计分析了2002—2010年降水条件下森林水源涵养量的时空变化规律。结果表明：① 构建的晋江流域SWAT模型精度较高,面积阈值为零生成的水文响应单元比较准确地反映流域森林斑块分布,提出的森林水源涵养量计算公式适用于森林空间分布不连续流域森林水源涵养量的多时间尺度分析,为流域森林水源涵养功能评价提供了一个新的方法。② 晋江流域森林水源年涵养量271.41~565.25 mm;月涵养量-29.15~154.59 mm;日尺度的极端降水期皆为正值,极端枯水期都为负值。表明年际之间不存在森林水源涵养的蓄丰补枯调节作用,但在年内的部分月份得到体现,而日尺度的森林蓄丰补枯功能充分发挥。从而揭示了不同时间尺度森林水源涵养量及其蓄丰补枯功能的差异。     

Exploring hydroclimatic change disparity via the Budyko framework

The Budyko framework characterizes landscape water cycles as a function of climate. We used this framework to identify regions with contrasting hydroclimatic change during the past 50 years in Sweden. This analysis revealed three distinct regions: the mountains, the forests, and the areas with agriculture. Each region responded markedly different to recent climate and anthropogenic changes, and within each region, we identified the most sensitive subregions. These results highlight the need for regional differentiation in climate change adaptation strategies to protect vulnerable ecosystems and freshwater resources. Further, the Budyko curve moved systematically towards its water and energy limits, indicating augmentation of the water cycle driven by changing vegetation, climate and human interactions. This finding challenges the steady state assumption of the Budyko curve and therefore its ability to predict future water cycles. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

南黄海物理-生物地球化学过程的时空异质性及内在关联和机制

研究多重物理过程控制下陆架边缘海生物地球化学过程的时空异质性及其生态响应，对于深入认识海洋生态系统具有重要的意义。基于相关历史观测资料和卫星遥感海表温度，本文综合分析了南黄海物理-生物地球化学过程的时空变化和空间异质性特征，探讨了该海域内部典型地理单元之间的内在关联和机制。结果显示，冷季沿岸流南向输送和暖季锋面上升流垂向输运的季节性交替是影响石岛外海与海州湾外侧海域生物地球化学和初级生产的重要物理过程。夏季苏北沿岸水的东北向扩展可形成浒苔离岸/跨区域输送的动力驱动。暖季水体层化显著影响着南黄海中部冷水团海域的生物地球化学过程，春至秋季冷水团海域底层水体中的营养盐逐渐累积，形成了营养盐的重要贮库；层化季节黄海冷水团边界锋区上升流系统的存在使得南黄海叶绿素a和初级生产力高值区位置同海表低温涌升流区总体相一致。冷季南黄海西部南下的冷水与中部北向入侵的暖水共同导致了“S”型锋面的形成；暖季黄海冷水团边界锋区的上升流系统是连接层化海域和近岸区的纽带，可实现对冷水团内部营养盐的提取，从而将冷水团内部和边界区的生物地球化学过程形成有机连接，并在成山角-石岛外海、海州湾外侧、苏北浅滩东部形成三个典型的物理-生物地球化学相互作用区。本研究细化和整合了南黄海区域海洋学研究，揭示了该海域物理-生物地球化学过程的空间异质性特征和不同地理单元之间的关联性及机制，获得了对南黄海水文-生物地球化学-生态过程的综合、系统认知。     

Root‐zone moisture replenishment in a native vegetated catchment under Mediterranean climate

The root‐zone moisture replenishment mechanisms are key unknowns required to understand soil hydrological processes and water sources used by plants. Temporal patterns of root‐zone moisture replenishment reflect wetting events that contribute to plant growth and survival and to catchment water yield. In this study, stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes of twigs and throughfall were continuously monitored to characterize the seasonal variations of the root‐zone moisture replenishment in a native vegetated catchment under Mediterranean climate in South Australia. The two studied hillslopes (the north‐facing slope [NFS] and the south‐facing slope [SFS]) had different environmental conditions with opposite aspects. The twig and throughfall samples were collected every ~20 days over 1 year on both hillslopes. The root‐zone moisture replenishment, defined as percentage of newly replenished root‐zone moisture as a complement to antecedent moisture for plant use, calculated by an isotope balance model, was about zero (±25% for the NFS and ± 15% for the SFS) at the end of the wet season (October), increased to almost 100% (±26% for the NFS and ± 29% for the SFS) after the dry season (April and May), then decreased close to zero (±24% for the NFS and ± 28% for the SFS) in the middle of the following wet season (August). This seasonal pattern of root‐zone moisture replenishment suggests that the very first rainfall events of the wet season were significant for soil moisture replenishment and supported the plants over wet and subsequent dry seasons, and that NFS completed replenishment over a longer time than SFS in the wet season and depleted the root zone moisture quicker in the dry season. The stable oxygen isotope composition of the intraevent samples and twigs further confirms that rain water in the late wet season contributed little to root‐zone moisture. This study highlights the significant role of the very first rain events in the early wet season for ecosystem and provides insights to understanding ecohydrological separation, catchment water yield, and vegetation response to climate changes.     

Hydrological cycle and water balance estimates for the megadune–lake region of the Badain Jaran Desert,China

The hydrology and water balance of megadunes and lakes have been investigated in the Badain Jaran Desert of China. Field observations and analyses of sand layer water content, field capacity, secondary salt content, and grain size reveal 3 types of important natural phenomenon: (a) vegetation bands on the leeward slope of the megadunes reflect the hydrological regime within the sandy vadose zone; (b) seepage, wet sand deposits, and secondary salt deposits indicate the pattern of water movement within the sandy vadose zone; (c) zones of groundwater seeps and descending springs around the lakes reflect the influence of the local topography on the hydrological regime of the megadunes. The seepage exposed on the sloping surface of the megadunes and gravity water contained within the sand layer confirm the occurrence of preferential flow within the vadose zone of the megadunes. Alternating layers of coarse and fine sand create the conditions for the formation of preferential flows. The preferential flows promote movement of water within the sand layer water that leads to deep penetration of water within the megadunes and ultimately to the recharging of groundwater and lake water. Our results indicate that a positive water balance promotes recharge of the megadunes, which depends on the high permeability of the megadune material, the shallow depth of the surface sand layer affected by evaporation, the occurrence of rainfall events exceeding 15 mm, and the sparse vegetation cover. Water balance estimates indicate that the annual water storage of the megadunes is about 7.5 mm, accounting for only 8% of annual precipitation; however, the shallow groundwater per unit area under the megadunes receives only 3.6% of annual precipitation, but it is still able to maintain a dynamic balance of the lake water. From a water budget perspective, the annual water storage in the megadunes is sufficient to serve as a recharge source for lake water, thereby enabling the long‐term persistence of the lakes. Overall, our findings demonstrate that precipitation is a significant component of the hydrological cycle in arid deserts.     

Groundwater recharge in an arid grassland as indicated by soil chloride profile and multiple tracers

Previous studies have shown that shallow groundwater in arid regions is often not in equilibrium with near‐surface boundary conditions due to human activities and climate change. This is especially the case where the unsaturated zone is thick and recharge rate is limited. Under this nonequilibrium condition, the unsaturated zone solute profile plays an important role in estimating recent diffuse recharge in arid environments. This paper combines evaluation of the thick unsaturated zone with the saturated zone to investigate the groundwater recharge of a grassland in the arid western Ordos Basin, NW China, using the soil chloride profiles and multiple tracers (²H, ¹⁸O, ¹³C, ¹⁴C, and water chemistry) of groundwater. Whereas conventional water balance and Darcy flux measurements usually involve large errors in recharge estimations for arid areas, chloride mass balance has been widely and generally successfully used. The results show that the present diffuse recharge beneath the grassland is 0.11–0.32 mm/year, based on the chloride mass balance of seven soil profiles. The chloride accumulation age is approximately 2,500 years at a depth of 13 m in the unsaturated zone. The average Cl content in soil moisture in the upper 13 m of the unsaturated zone ranges from 2,842 to 7,856 mg/L, whereas the shallow groundwater Cl content ranges from 95 to 351 mg/L. The corrected ¹⁴C age of shallow groundwater ranges from 4,327 to 29,708 years. Stable isotopes show that the shallow groundwater is unrelated to modern precipitation. The shallow groundwater was recharged during the cold and wet phases of the Late Pleistocene and Holocene humid phase based on palaeoclimate, and consequently, the groundwater resources are nonrenewable. Due to the limited recharge rate and thick unsaturated zone, the present shallow groundwater has not been in hydraulic equilibrium with near‐surface boundary conditions in the past 2,500 years.     

利用微波等离子体炬四极杆质谱在线测定稀土矿样中的多种稀土元素

随着稀土的应用越来越广泛,开发稀土元素的快速在线检测技术已日趋成为行业发展的需求。本文以微波等离子体炬(MPT)为离子源,以四极杆质谱仪(QMS)作为质量分析器建立了一种快速、直接检测水样中稀土元素的质谱检测方法,并将其应用于分析稀土矿样中的多种稀土元素。研究表明,应用MPT-QMS测定水样中的钇、镧、铈、钕、铕五种稀土元素,检出限(LOD)可达11.0~60.5μg/L,测定范围为50~1000μg/L。当分析固体稀土矿样时,样品经酸溶处理后通过气动雾化形成气溶胶,再进行冷却干燥,气溶胶由MPT的中心管道进入等离子体中,产生稀土元素复合离子,再引入QMS中进行分析,即可以定量地测定矿样中稀土元素的含量。同一样品用电感耦合等离子体质谱(ICP-MS)进行对比实验,两者的检测结果在数量级上接近,证明了MPTQMS方法在半定量的意义下是准确、可靠的,因而这种快速的检测方法可发展成为水体中金属元素的现场分析方法,应用于环境水、生活水质量在线监测等领域。     

变分同化框架通过背景误差协方差构建动力平衡约束的研究进展

通过背景误差协方差构建动力平衡约束是变分同化框架设计的重要环节。它不仅帮助实现变量间的协同分析,提高观测使用效率,还能改善变分极小化问题的性状。本文在系统梳理通过背景误差协方差引入动力平衡约束的方式、流程的基础上,对求解目前全球和有限区域变分同化系统普遍采用的准地转平衡和静力平衡约束的共性问题和存在的不足作了归纳总结。分析了求解准地转平衡约束的三类方案:动力平衡方程方案、统计方案和动力-统计相结合方案的优缺点。对照比较了不同垂直离散方案下求解静力平衡约束时遇到的欠定问题的表现以及解决途径。最后,展望了基于背景误差协方差构建动力平衡约束在赤道等特殊地区、高分辨率同化系统、以及集合-变分混合同化系统发展中面临的挑战和机遇。     

内蒙古河套灌区春玉米作物系数试验研究

作物系数曲线是估算作物生长季耗水量变化的重要参数。基于2013年4—9月内蒙古巴彦淖尔市临河区田间水分试验和1994—2013年气象站观测资料,利用水量平衡法反求春玉米作物系数,分析生长季内的变化规律, 建立动态模拟方程,并与联合国粮农组织 (FAO) 分段直线法结果进行比较, 提出胁迫条件下作物系数的叶面积修正方法。结果表明:玉米作物系数随发育进程可用三项式曲线描述,变化趋势与产量水平无关, 但随产量增高而变幅增大;以出苗后相对积温为时间变量建立模拟方程效果较好,决定系数 (R2) 均在0.92以上;模拟计算出各站点最大 (1.30~1.48) 和平均 (0.831~0.919) 作物系数,与FAO分段直线法计算的典型值和区间值基本一致,生长中期平均相对误差为3.4%~7.2%;提出利用相对叶面积指数修正作物系数的计算方法;通过2014年实例检验,土壤水分模拟值与实测值的平均相对误差为6.3%,相对误差小于15%的占95.8%。