Brazos River bar; a study in the significance of grain size parameters

A bar on the Brazos River near Calvert, Texas, has been analyzed in order to determine the geologic meaning of certain grain size parameters and to study the behavior of the size fractions with transport. The bar consists of a strongly bimodal mixture of pebble gravel and medium to fine sand; there is a lack of material in the range of 0.5 to 2 mm, because the source does not supply particles of this size. The size distributions of the two modes, which were established in the parent deposits, are nearly invariant over the bar because the present environment of deposition only affects the relative proportions of the two modes, not the grain size properties of the modes themselves. Two proportions are most common; the sediment either contains no gravel or else contains about 60% gravel. Three sediment types with characteristic bedding features occur on the bar in constant stratigraphic order, with the coarsest at the base. Statistical analysis of the data is based on a series of grain size parameters modified from those of Inman (1952) to provide a more detailed coverage of non-normal size curves. Unimodal sediments have nearly normal curves as defined by their skewness and kurtosis. Non-normal kurtosis and skewness values are held to be the identifying characteristics of bimodal sediments even where such modes are not evident in frequency curves. The relative proportions of each mode define a systematic series of changes in numerical properties; mean size, standard deviation and skewness are shown to be linked in a helical trend, which is believed to be applicable to many other sedimentary suites. The equations of the helix may be characteristic of certain environments. Kurtosis values show rhythmic pulsations along the helix and are diagnostic of two-generation sediments.

Changes in nutrient structure of river-dominated coastal waters: stoichiometric nutrient balance and its consequences

We present an analysis of extensive nutrient data sets from two river-dominated coastal ecosystems, the northern Adriatic Sea and the northern Gulf of Mexico, demonstrating significant changes in surface nutrient ratios over a period of 30 years. The silicon:nitrogen ratios have decreased, indicating increased potential for silicon limitation. The nitrogen:phosphorus and the silicon:phosphorus ratios have also changed substantially, and the coastal nutrient structures have become more balanced and potentially less limiting for phytoplankton growth. It is likely that net phytoplankton productivity increased under these conditions and was accompanied by increasing bottom water hypoxia and major changes in community species composition. These findings support the hypothesis that increasing coastal eutrophication to date may be associated with stoichiometric nutrient balance, due to increasing potential for silicon limitation and decreasing potential for nitrogen and phosphorus limitation. On a worldwide basis, coastal ecosystems adjacent to rivers influenced by anthropogenic nutrient loads may experience similar alterations.

基于含沙量分段的人类活动对延河水沙变化的影响分析

采用延河甘谷驿水文站控制区1965-2002年降水量、径流量和输沙量资料,分析了人类活动对河流水沙变化的影响。与以往以年代为基准期的分段方法不同,本研究根据河流含沙量距平累计值变化特征,把延河水沙变化过程划分为5个时段,并以含沙量持续较高的时段Ⅰ(1965-1971年)为基期,分析了各时段径流量和输沙量的变化特征。以基期单位降水产沙量和产流量为参数,计算了各时段全年和汛期的计算输沙量和径流量。通过比较计算和实测的输沙量和径流量,分析了各时段人类活动对全年和汛期输沙量和径流量的影响。研究表明,根据含沙量距平累计值划分时段可以更好反映河流水沙变化特征:治理期人类活动平均减少年和汛期输沙量分别约50.3%和40.0%;而减少年和汛期径流量的幅度分别约为19.8%和34.2%。人类活动在时段Ⅱ(1971-1976年)和时段Ⅴ(1997-2001年)对水沙的影响较大,而在时段Ⅳ(1987-1996年)影响较小,且表现复杂。

塿土坡面降雨水沙运移实验研究

黄土高原是我国植被破坏与水土流失最为严重的地区。本文基于室内坡地降雨实验,分析了塿土坡面降雨入渗补给系数的变化,对比了不同雨强影响下径流泥沙含量和累积泥沙含量的时间变化趋势,并将侵蚀与入渗结合,分析了同时段产沙量和入渗率的变化关系,研究表明:入渗补给系数随雨强增大而逐渐减小,两者可描述为线性关系,雨强越小,入渗补给系数越高;降雨初始产沙值最大,在产沙10 min内变缓。雨强大的,初始产沙量和稳定沙量都稍大,但总体差异不大,产沙量分布曲线形状与入渗率曲线极为相似;不同雨强下累积泥沙量与降雨历时之间存在明显的幂函数关系,且幂函数的指数部分基本随降雨雨强增加而逐渐增加;不同雨强下入渗率和累积泥沙量的变化趋势相反,当累积泥沙量增加,相应的土壤入渗率减小,两者变化趋势随雨强增大而趋于明显。

大尺度流域不同地貌类型区水土保持减水效益分析

趋势分析结果显示 ,河源涧区、风沙区、丘陵区各代表流域年径流量均在 1970年前后发生一致性改变 ,即从 1970年以来开始有明显的减少趋势 ,平均减流幅度 (与 195 9～ 196 9年径流相比 )以河源涧区 (大理河 )和丘陵区 (小理河 )最大 ,分别为 36 .33%和 36 .2 1% ,风沙区 (海流兔河 )最小 (2 0 .6 1% )。减流幅度的大小是各类型区下垫面状况、水土保持措施和治理程度、降雨量变化等多种因素综合作用的结果。借助适合于黄土高原降雨 -产流特性的月水量平衡改进模型 ,计算天然状态下降雨应有的产流量与同期实测径流量求得减水效果。结果表明 ,3个地貌类型区 70年代的减水效益没有明显差异 ,而在 80年代减水效果差异显著 ,丘陵区 (小理河 ,2 4.99% ) >风沙区 (海流兔河 ,17.2 8% ) >河源涧区 (大理河 ,13.13% )。上述结论为定量评价黄土高原生态环境建设对黄河水资源及水环境演变的影响提供了数据基础。

Relationship between precipitation and the infiltration depth over the middle and lower reaches of the Yellow River and Yangtze-Huaihe River Valley

National Natural Science Foundation of China [40701021, 40625002, 40331013]; National Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences [KZCX2-YW-315-2]