Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Baixue Wang, Weiming Cheng
Summary: Landforms have a direct or indirect impact on land use/cover diversity and spatial distribution. However, the relationship between complex topography and land use/cover patterns is still unclear. A study was conducted in the Altay region, Xinjiang to explore this relationship. The results showed that higher elevation, greater relief amplitude, higher topographic wetness index (TWI), and gentle slope result in simpler land use/cover types and smaller land use/cover diversity indexes (LDIs).
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Shanshan Jiang, Xi Chen, Keith Smettem, Tiejun Wang
Summary: The study found significant differences in the impact of elevation on vegetation cover and climate change, with increasing vegetation cover in low elevations primarily due to reforestation and improved agricultural productivity, while vegetation cover in high elevations decreased under climate warming.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xing Li, Y. Jun Xu, Maofei Ni, Chunlin Wang, Siyue Li
Summary: This study reveals the spatio-temporal variations of nitrate sources and transformations in a mixed land use/land cover catchment. It suggests that point sources dominate nitrate in the summer and winter, while non-point sources dominate in the spring and autumn. The increase in urban areas leads to an increase in nitrate concentrations from domestic sewage, and both urban and agricultural inputs should be considered in nitrate pollution management.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kristin J. Painter, Robert B. Brua, Geoff Koehler, John Spoelstra, Adam G. Yates
Summary: The study found that intensive agriculture and growing human populations contribute to nitrogen sources in streams, with seasonal variations in nitrogen delivery. Nitrogen sources from fertilizers and animal waste were more prominent during spring and summer, while human and livestock waste were the dominant contributors to algae. The study also highlighted the importance of managing nitrogen sources to control downstream nitrogen transfer and protect stream function.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Yongjie Pan, Xia Li, Danyun Wang, Suosuo Li, Lijuan Wen
Summary: This study investigates the effect of land use and land cover uncertainty on permafrost simulation in the Tibetan Plateau. The results show that land cover has a greater impact on soil temperature simulations in regions with greater land use inconsistency. It is important to increase the model plant function types and carefully select land use and land cover products in order to improve the simulation performance of land-surface models in permafrost regions.
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
L. Vilar, S. Herrera, E. Tafur-Garcia, M. Yebra, J. Martinez-Vega, P. Echavarria, M. P. Martin
Summary: This study used a statistically based regression model to estimate the future probability of wildfire occurrence in four regions of Spain over a 20-year period. The results showed regional differences in the increased probability of wildfires, providing valuable information for planning and management actions in the future.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Gabriela Shirkey, Ranjeet John, Jiquan Chen, Venkatesh Kolluru, Reza Goljani Amirkhiz, Sandra T. Marquart-Pyatt, Lauren T. Cooper, Michael Collins
Summary: This study evaluated the contributions of land cover and land use change (LCLUC) and land management to landscape carbon production through a complex cause-effect path analysis of socioecological latent variables. Socioecological contributions to landscape carbon production are essential in landscape analysis, as their processes are both independent and interactive.
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Dongyang Ren, Bernard Engel, Mitchell R. Tuinstra
Summary: The changes in field crop traits due to genetic and agronomic improvements have significant implications for regional water quantity and quality processes. This study conducted a case study in the St. Joseph River Watershed in the U.S. Corn Belt, analyzing the sensitivities of crop traits to various water and nutrient-related factors. The results highlight the importance of considering crop improvements in long-term studies of hydrology and nutrient cycles in agricultural watersheds.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kyongho Son, Yilin Fang, Jesus D. Gomez-Velez, Kyuhyun Byun, Xingyuan Chen
Summary: A basin-scale river corridor model was developed to identify the dominant factors associated with the spatial variation of denitrification in the hyporheic zone (HZ) of river corridors. The modeling results suggest that hydrologic variability, substrate availability influenced by land use, and hyporheic exchange flux are the main factors influencing HZ denitrification at the basin scale.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Maria Natalia Marrochi, Lisa Hunt, Marina Solis, Ana Maria Scalise, Silvia Laura Fanelli, Carlos Bonetto, Hernan Mugni
Summary: This study assessed the effects of land use on the benthic invertebrate assemblages of streams in the main Argentine agricultural region. The results showed that streams surrounded by croplands had higher nutrient concentrations, pesticide levels, and different macroinvertebrate assemblages compared to streams surrounded by pasture or reserve.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhou Fang, Tonghui Ding, Junyu Chen, Shi Xue, Qin Zhou, Yingdi Wang, Yixin Wang, Zhongde Huang, Shiliang Yang
Summary: High-density human activities have had a significant impact on urban land use and ecosystem services, especially in ecologically fragile regions. In Ordos, a region in Northwest China, land use and cover changes have had a key influence on ecosystem services. The findings of this study highlight the challenges posed by urbanization to ecological protection and the need for more sustainable land use management.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Huihui Feng, Shu Wang, Bin Zou, Zhuoling Yang, Shihan Wang, Wei Wang
Summary: This study successfully isolated the contribution of land use and cover change (LUCC) to terrestrial carbon uptake through trajectory analysis. The results showed significant increasing trends in global mean net ecosystem production (NEP) and total carbon uptake, with climate change acting as the dominant factor. Future scenarios predicted a further increase in terrestrial carbon uptake due to global afforestation.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Eva Bacmeister, E. Peck, S. Bernasconi, S. Inamdar, J. Kan, M. Peipoch
Summary: Despite advances in understanding nitrogen removal pathways in river networks, the role of water column processes has been understudied. This study investigates water column nitrogen uptake during stormflow conditions and finds a positive nonlinear relationship between suspended sediment concentrations and nitrogen uptake. The results suggest that water column nitrogen uptake may vary depending on sediment sources and sizes.
FRONTIERS IN ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Agronomy
Linfei Yu, Guoyong Leng
Summary: This study estimated the global biophysical temperature effects of LULCC using CMIP6 climate models and found a historical global warming effect of LULCC at a rate of 0.0025 degrees C/century. Forested/non-forested secondary land, urban land, and cropland have contributed over 70% to LULCC's temperature effect, with land transitions and land management also playing significant roles in the climate impact.
AGRICULTURAL AND FOREST METEOROLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kathi Jo Jankowski, Linda A. Deegan, Christopher Neill, Hillary L. Sullivan, Paulo Ilha, Leonardo Maracahipes-Santos, Nubia Marques, Marcia N. Macedo
Summary: This study in the Brazilian Amazon found relatively subtle differences in stream function between forested and cropland streams, with cropland streams having lower OM biomass and greater seasonality in ecosystem respiration and net ecosystem production. Streams were found to be more retentive of phosphorus than nitrogen, indicating that fertilizer nitrogen reaching streams will be exported in stream networks.
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Stephanie K. Kampf, Stephen J. Burges, John C. Hammond, Aditi Bhaskar, Tim P. Covino, Abby Eurich, Hannah Harrison, Michael Lefsky, Caroline Martin, Daniel McGrath, Kira Puntenney-Desmond, Kathryn Willi
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2020)
Article
Water Resources
Codie Wilson, Stephanie K. Kampf, Sandra Ryan, Tim Covino, Lee H. MacDonald, Hunter Gleason
Summary: This research investigates the impact of two summer storms following the 2012 High Park Fire on hillslopes and catchments, finding that rainfall intensity, antecedent precipitation, and severity of the fire can affect the quantity and connectivity of runoff and sediment, while different types of storms can result in varying magnitudes and spatial patterns of sediment transport and deposition.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Charles C. Rhoades, Timothy S. Fegel, Timothy P. Covino, Kathleen A. Dwire, Kelly Elder
Summary: The study found that the solute concentrations in spring water reflected different groundwater sources and catchment geology, with chemical similarities indicating connections between springs through surface and subsurface flowpaths. It also highlighted the overlapping factors influencing solute export from headwater catchments at various spatial scales.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tim P. Covino, Adam N. Wlostowski, Michael N. Gooseff, Wilfred M. Wollheim, William B. Bowden
Summary: Over the past 30 plus years, the Arctic has warmed at a rate of 0.6 degrees C per decade, leading to permafrost thaw and changes in hydrological and biogeochemical processes. Recent studies show increased inorganic nutrient fluxes in larger Arctic rivers due to warming-induced active layer expansion and newly exposed subsurface source areas. Headwater streams in the Arctic demonstrate the ability to control downstream transport of phosphorous, but not dissolved inorganic nitrogen.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Nicolas Reinaldo Finkler, Bjorn Gucker, Iola Goncalves Boechat, Flavia Tromboni, Steven Arnold Thomas, Ludmilson Abritta Mendes, Daniel Moura Fontes Lima, Tim Covino, Karin Emanuelson, Claudia Ponce de Leon, Davi Gasparini Fernandes Cunha
Summary: This study compared the estimates of uptake length and uptake velocity of ammonium-nitrogen and soluble reactive phosphorus using different analytical methods for pulsed additions in low-order streams in southeastern Brazil. The results showed significant differences in estimates for ammonium-nitrogen between methods, highlighting the importance of considering transient storage and variable nutrient concentrations in choosing an appropriate method for pulsed enrichments.
Article
Water Resources
Timothy S. Fegel, Claudia M. Boot, Timothy P. Covino, Kelly Elder, Edward K. Hall, Banning Starr, James Stegen, Charles C. Rhoades
Summary: The study found that land cover change from old-growth forests to second-growth forests influences the characteristics and reactivity of dissolved organic matter (DOM). DOM exported from old-growth forests is more heterogeneous and aromatic, while proteinaceous and microbially processed DOM components are more prevalent in second-growth forests.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Nitin K. Singh, Ryan E. Emanuel, Brian L. McGlynn, Chelcy F. Miniat
Summary: This study investigated the effects of precipitation events on soil moisture responses on hillslopes, finding that there are differences in responses among different landscape positions and no consistent patterns were observed. The research highlights the importance of intensive observations for characterizing heterogeneity in soil moisture responses and the need for better representation of subsurface processes in rainfall-runoff models.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Allison E. Rhea, Tim P. Covino, Charles C. Rhoades
Summary: The study found that wildfires can lead to increased nitrate-nitrogen concentrations in watersheds, affecting biotic processing and nutrient balance. This can result in reduced nitrogen demand by plants, potentially causing eutrophication and harmful algal blooms in aquatic ecosystems.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Charles R. Lane, Irena F. Creed, Heather E. Golden, Scott G. Leibowitz, David M. Mushet, Mark C. Rains, Qiusheng Wu, Ellen D'Amico, Laurie C. Alexander, Genevieve A. Ali, Nandita B. Basu, Micah G. Bennett, Jay R. Christensen, Matthew J. Cohen, Tim P. Covino, Ben DeVries, Ryan A. Hill, Kelsey Jencso, Megan W. Lang, Daniel L. McLaughlin, Donald O. Rosenberry, Jennifer Rover, Melanie K. Vanderhoof
Summary: Vulnerable waters play a crucial role in maintaining watershed resilience by storing, processing, and releasing water and materials. Modifying these waters can decrease resilience and trigger transitions to alternative watershed states. Spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability in hydrological and biogeochemical interactions are essential for resilient watersheds.
Article
Water Resources
Karin Emanuelson, Tim Covino, Adam S. Ward, Jancoba Dorley, Michael Gooseff
Summary: Land use within a watershed affects stream channel morphology, hydrology, and solute transport processes. This study compared two stream sites with different channel morphologies and land use conditions. The results showed that the forested stream had a wide range of transport mechanisms and substantial exchange with both surface and hyporheic transient storage. In contrast, the agricultural stream had a narrower range of solute transport behavior, with predominantly surface transient storage.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Alexander C. Brooks, Tim Covino, Ed K. Hall
Summary: Water-mediated linkages, known as hydrologic connectivity, play a crucial role in describing the hydrologic function in river-floodplain systems. In this study, we quantified surface water hydrologic connectivity and developed a connectivity strength metric using field indicators and hydrometric data. Our findings suggest that hydrologic connectivity varies across different locations and seasons, and is influenced by streamflow variability and climate changes.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Computer Science, Interdisciplinary Applications
Ricardo Gonzalez-Pinzon, Jancoba Dorley, Joel Singley, Kamini Singha, Michael Gooseff, Tim Covino
Summary: This study introduces a tool called Tracer Injection Planning Tool (TIPT) to assist in planning tracer injections in streams and rivers. By combining mathematical equations, meta-analysis, and mass balances, TIPT simplifies experiment design and improves predictive ability.
ENVIRONMENTAL MODELLING & SOFTWARE
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Allison E. Rhea, Timothy P. Covino, Charles C. Rhoades, Alexander C. Brooks
Summary: Forested watersheds are important for providing ecosystem services, but they are increasingly threatened by wildfires. This study investigated the drivers of persistently elevated nitrate (NO3-) concentrations in burned watersheds and found that vegetation cover and landscape characteristics play a significant role. Additionally, targeted reforestation in severely burned areas may help restore stream nitrate concentrations.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2022)
Article
Water Resources
Joel G. Singley, Kamini Singha, Michael N. Gooseff, Ricardo Gonzalez-Pinzon, Timothy P. Covino, Adam S. Ward, Jancoba Dorley, Eve-Lyn S. Hinckley
Summary: The study applies an unsupervised clustering method to analyze time-lapse electrical resistivity (ER) models in order to delimit the hyporheic extent and quantify changes in surface-groundwater exchange. The findings demonstrate that unsupervised clustering can effectively distinguish solute transport signals from noisy background inversions and identify functional zones with unique transport characteristics.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Adam S. Ward, Steven M. Wondzell, Michael N. Gooseff, Tim Covino, Skuyler Herzog, Brian McGlynn, Robert A. Payn
Summary: Stream solute tracers are commonly injected to study transport and transformation, but their results are biased towards shortest and fastest storage locations. This study demonstrates a novel approach to observe mass stored beyond traditional detection limits, explaining the fate of previously considered lost solute tracer mass. These unmeasured flowpaths lead to lower magnitudes of gains and losses in individual reaches, suggesting an upper limit on actual behavior inferred from solute tracers.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2023)