Search

Derived from realistic global warming scenarios, long‐term projections of spatial patterns in precipitation and temperature in hydrology and climatology can serve to evaluate climate risk, explore sources of renewable energies and allow local‐scale data to inform decisions regarding agricultural, ecosystem, social, recreational and economic activities. Under the CORDEX‐EA project, the precipitation and temperature projections (2020–2045) for the economically and socially important region of Northwestern China were derived from high‐resolution regional climate model (RCM) simulations for RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios, and compared against a historical period or baseline of 1980–2005. Drawing data from four key RCMs [Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF); Regional Spectral Model (RSM); Regional Climate Model version 4.0 (RegCM4); Mesoscale Model version 5 (MM5)], reliable local‐scale projections were generated by applying suitable bias correction that accords with the multivariate bias correction (MBC) approach. To validate this approach and then evaluate climate change impacts, the adjusted precipitation and temperature estimated from bias‐corrected models for the historical period were compared to the observed data. The results showed that the simulated spatiotemporal distribution of multiyear average precipitation and temperature appear to fit relatively well with the observations, however, the wet‐cold and dry‐warm climate‐related biases were still evident for the high altitude regions. Bias‐corrected future projections of RCMs indicated spatially averaged annual precipitation is expected to rise by about 23.6 and 35.3 mm under the RCP 4.5 and 8.5 scenarios, respectively, while spatially averaged annual temperature is expected to rise by about 1.95 and 1.10°C. Precipitation is projected to increase in all seasons, albeit, more so in the cold season (i.e., boreal winter and spring) than the warm season (i.e., boreal summer and autumn). The annual increase is expected to be about 56.7% under the RCP 4.5 scenario, compared to 67.6% under the RCP 8.5 scenario. The changes of mean temperature in winter are expected to be significant, −37.8% under both RCP scenarios. For spring, the mean temperature will rise by 23.1% (28.9%) under the RCP 4.5 (8.5) scenario. A MBC approach was found to be effective in yielding reliable projected changes in precipitation and temperature variables. The proposed approach has important implications for climatological studies and evaluation of climate change impacts on localized regions, not only in China, but also in other similar areas of the world, where decisions for managing climate risk must be implemented by policy makers, government, industry and stakeholders.

During the night, plant water loss can occur either through the roots, as hydraulic redistribution (HR), or through the leaves via the stoma, as nocturnal transpiration (E n), which was methodologically difficult to separate from stem refilling (R e). While HR and E n have been reported across a range of species, ecosystem, and climate zone, there is little understanding on the interactions between E n and/or R e and HR. As water movement at night occurs via gradients of water potential, it is expected that during periods of high atmospheric vapor pressure deficit (VPD), water loss via E n will override water loss via HR. To test this hypothesis, sap flow in stems and roots of Populus euphratica Oliv. trees, growing in a riparian zone in a hyperarid climate, was measured once in a year. Nocturnal stem sap flow was separated into E n and R e using the “forecasted refilling” method. Substantial nocturnal sap flow (38% of 24‐hr flux on average) was observed and positively correlated with VPD; however, the strength of the correlation was lower (R 2 = .55) than diurnal sap flow (E d) (R 2 = .72), suggesting that nocturnal stem sap flow was attributed to both water loss through the canopy and replenishment of water in stem tissues. Partitioning of nocturnal sap flow shows that R e constituted approximately 80%, and E n ~20%, of nocturnal sap flow. The amount of root sap flow attributed to redistribution was negatively related to E d (R 2 = .69) and the amount of acropetally sap flow in stems, R e (R 2 = .41) and E n (R 2 = .14). It was suggested that the magnitude of HR is more strongly depressed by R e that was recharge to the water loss via E d than by E n. It was consistent with whole‐tree water balance theory, that the nighttime upward sap flow to xylem, stem refilling and transpiration, may depress hydraulic redistribution of roots.

Climate change and land use/cover change (LUCC) are two factors that produce major impacts on hydrological processes. Understanding and quantifying their respective influence is of great importance for water resources management and socioeconomic activities as well as policy and planning for sustainable development. In this study, the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) was calibrated and validated in upper stream of the Heihe River in northwest China. The reliability of the SWAT model was corroborated in terms of the Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), the correlation coefficient (R) and the relative bias error (BIAS). The findings proposed a new method employing statistical separation procedures using a physically based modeling system for identifying the individual impacts of climate change and LUCC on hydrology processes, in particular on the aspects of runoff and evapotranspiration. The results confirmed that SWAT was a powerful and accurate model for diagnosis of a key challenge facing the Heihe River basin. The model assessment metrics, NSE, R and BIAS in the data were, respectively, 0.91, 0.95 and 1.14% for the calibration period and 0.90, 0.96 and -0.15%, respectively, for the validation period. An assessment of climate change possibility showed that precipitation, runoff and air temperature exhibited upward trends with a rate of 15.7 mm, 6.1 mm and 0.38 °C per decade for the 1980 to 2010 period, respectively. Evaluation of LUCC showed that the changes in growth of vegetation, including forestland, grassland and the shrub area has increased gradually while the barren area has decreased. The integrated effects of LUCC and climate change increased runoff and ET values by 3.2% and 6.6% of the total runoff and ET, respectively. Climate change outweighed the impact of LUCC, thus showing respective increases in runoff and ET of about 107.3% and 81.2% of the total changes. The LUCC influence appeared to be modest by comparison, and showed about -7.3% and 18.8% changes relative to the totals, respectively. The increase in runoff caused by climate change factors are more than the offsetting decreases resulting from LUCC. The outcomes of this study show that the climate factors accounted for the notable effects more significantly than LUCC on hydrological processes in the upper stream of the Heihe River.

In arid region, direct infiltration from rainfall contributes little to groundwater compared with localized recharge from streams. How to quantify riverbed infiltration to groundwater systems is an important area of research in hydrology. In this study, saturated permeability coefficient of a riverbed in an arid inland river basin located in the northwest of China was obtained by Guelph Permeameter and laboratory analysis methods. The characteristics of riverbed infiltration and its spatial patterns were analysed using geostatistical method and kriging method. The results showed that the saturated permeability coefficient varied from 0.089 to 2.802 m/d, indicating moderate degree of variability. The Guelph Permeameter and laboratory test methods provided consistent estimates of saturated permeability coefficient. There was a strong spatial correlation for Kfs of the riverbed in this study area when Range (A) was less than 0.276°, suggesting that the maximum sampling distance for saturated permeability coefficient of the riverbed was 0.276° under isotropic conditions. The Kfs near the centre of the riverbed was higher than the value near riverbank. The Kfs values decreased in the direction of upstream to downstream in the Heihe River Basin. The riverbed mechanical composition, initial soil water content and bulk density have significant influence up on the riverbed infiltration. Besides, the topographical factors including the width, altitude and distance factors of the riverbed together impacted the riverbed infiltration and the slope of the riverbed and also influenced the riverbed infiltration. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Stable isotopic (δDVSMOW and δ18OVSMOW) and geochemical signatures were employed to constrain the geochemical evolution and sources of groundwater recharge in the arid Shule River Basin, Northwestern China, where extensive groundwater extraction occurs for agricultural and domestic supply. Springs in the mountain front of the Qilian Mountains, the Yumen-Tashi groundwater (YTG), and the Guazhou groundwater (GZG) were Ca-HCO3, Ca-Mg-HCO3-SO4 and Na-Mg-SO4-Cl type waters, respectively. Total dissolved solids (TDS) and major ion (Mg2+, Na+, Ca2+, K+, SO42−, Cl− and NO3−) concentrations of groundwater gradually increase from the mountain front to the lower reaches of the Guazhou Basin. Geochemical evolution in groundwater was possibly due to a combination of mineral dissolution, mixing processes and evapotranspiration along groundwater flow paths. The isotopic and geochemical variations in melt water, springs, river water, YTG and GZG, together with the end-member mixing analysis (EMMA) indicate that the springs in the mountain front mainly originate from precipitation, the infiltration of melt water and river in the upper reaches; the lateral groundwater from the mountain front and river water in the middle reaches are probably effective recharge sources for the YTG, while contribution of precipitation to YTG is extremely limited; the GZG is mainly recharged by lateral groundwater flow from the Yumen-Tashi Basin and irrigation return flow. The general characteristics of groundwater in the Shule River Basin have been initially identified, and the results should facilitate integrated management of groundwater and surface water resources in the study area. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

In the present study, the heat pulse technique was applied to investigate the stem sap flow of Populus euphratica in a desert riparian forest in an extreme arid region from April to October 2003 and from May to October 2004. The experimental sites were in Qidaoqiao (101°10′ E, 41°59′ N) and Bayantaolai farm (101°14′ E, 42°01′ N) in Ejina county, in the low reaches of the Heihe River, China. The results indicated that the diurnal change in the velocity of sap flow showed minor fluctuations. At night, the rising of sap flow could be observed in the main tree species because of root pressure. During the growing season, the maximum average velocity was observed in July, followed by August, and the same velocity was observed in September and May; the minimum velocity was observed in October. The transpiration from June to August during the growing season accounted for approximately 70% of the annual total transpiration. The sap flow velocity of P. euphratica trees of different ages could be arranged in the order: 15 yr > 25 yr > 50 yr. Sap flow velocity was closely related to changes in micrometeorological factors, with average sap flow velocity showing a significant linear correlation with net radiation, air temperature and relative humidity.