Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
John R. Gardner, Xiao Yang, Simon N. Topp, Matthew R. V. Ross, Elizabeth H. Altenau, Tamlin M. Pavelsky
Summary: RiverSR database, extracted from Landsat images spanning from 1984 to 2018, reveals that 56% of rivers in the contiguous USA are dominantly yellow and 38% are dominantly green; river color shows three distinct seasonal patterns synchronized with flow regimes; one-third of rivers have experienced significant color shifts over the past 35 years, providing new insights into macrosystems ecology of rivers.
GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Benjamin Schafer, Catherine M. Heppell, Hefin Rhys, Christian Beck
Summary: Superstatistics is a general method from nonequilibrium statistical physics that has been applied to a variety of complex systems. This study investigates water quality time series in rivers and finds evidence of superstatistical behavior. The dissolved oxygen concentrations exhibit a log-normal superstatistics distribution, while the electrical conductivity data demonstrate a double peaked non-standard superstatistics distribution.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Wei Zhi, Christoph Klingler, Jiangtao Liu, Li Li
Summary: This study reconstructed daily water temperature and dissolved oxygen in rivers across the United States and Central Europe using a deep learning model. The results showed that a majority of the rivers experienced persistent warming and deoxygenation, with urban rivers exhibiting the most rapid warming and agricultural rivers experiencing the slowest warming but fastest deoxygenation.
NATURE CLIMATE CHANGE
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Norma Gil-Rodas, Guillermo Calvo-Brenes, Alex Guerra, Alejandra Perdomo
Summary: The marine richness of Latin America is threatened by river contaminants, growing human settlements, overfishing, and agricultural activity. Guatemala, the most populous country in Central America, lacks water quality regulations, resulting in unknown impacts on rivers and seas. A study found severe pollution in rivers on the Pacific side of Guatemala, primarily due to high levels of fecal coliforms, phosphates, and organic matter load.
ENVIRONMENTAL EARTH SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Seema Nihalani, Ashish Meeruty
Summary: The study examined the water quality index of four rivers in Gujarat, indicating that most of the surface water samples ranged from good to poor. The quality of water was better upstream compared to downstream, with the decline attributed to sewage discharge, industrial effluent, and urban runoff.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Fazrul Razman Sulaiman, Che Mohamad Fakhrul Hafiz Che Mohd Shamshudin, Muhammad Haziq Abd Rahim, Noorzamzarina Sulaiman
Summary: This study examines metal pollution in two recreational rivers in Jengka, Pahang, Malaysia. The concentrations of iron, manganese, and lead were measured to determine sources, evaluate toxicity loads, and estimate potential health risks. The findings highlight the need for comprehensive water quality monitoring and exposure assessment.
APPLIED WATER SCIENCE
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Tim H. M. van Emmerik, Sabrina Kirschke, Louise J. Schreyers, Shuvojit Nath, Christian Schmidt, Katrin Wendt-Potthoff
Summary: Plastics in rivers and lakes have direct impacts locally and globally. The lack of harmonization in monitoring efforts hinders data comparison and integration. To address this issue, the United Nations Environment Programme has provided guidelines on freshwater plastic monitoring and developed a five-step workflow to support the design of effective monitoring strategies. By applying this approach, crucial insights into the state of plastic pollution in different river basins globally can be obtained.
MARINE POLLUTION BULLETIN
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
David de Andrade Costa, Luis Carlos Soares da Silva Junior, Jose Paulo Soares de Azevedo, Marco Aurelio dos Santos, Rafaela dos Santos Facchetti Vinhaes Assumpcao
Summary: Global concern over water quality, demonstrated by UN Sustainable Development Goals, has led to a case study focusing on the Piabanha River rehabilitation. The main issue identified in the watershed is sanitation, particularly in urbanized regions and during dry seasons with low river flows. Through computational modeling, reductions in organic load have been suggested in certain sub-basins to improve water quality.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Chenguang Xiao, Jing Chen, Dan Chen, Ruidong Chen, Xia Song
Summary: River sinuosity, as an important characteristic of river morphology, has a direct impact on water quality and purification capacity. This study found that sinuous rivers have a higher purification capacity due to their complex flow regimes, suitable hydraulic conditions, and better microbial environments.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND POLLUTION RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Zhaoshi Wu, Tingting Ma, Xijun Lai, Kuanyi Li
Summary: The study found that the dissolved metals concentrations in rivers of Lake Chaohu Basin were generally low, but certain areas showed elevated levels of heavy metals and potential health risks, especially in the Nanfei River where there were higher risks for adults and children. The potential risks of Cr, As, and Ni need to be monitored closely.
JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Colin A. Cooke, Craig A. Emmerton, Yi Yi, Lucie Levesque, Nancy Glozier
Summary: The mining activities and wildfires in northeastern Alberta, Canada have increased the pollution of polycyclic aromatic compounds (PACs) in freshwater ecosystems. Through studying PACs in river water before and after the Fort McMurray wildfire, it was found that petrogenic PACs were the main source, while pyrogenic PACs mainly came from the wash-in of ash during short-term episodes of burned watersheds. This research provides new insights into the impacts of increasing wildfire frequency and severity in this industrialized region.
ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Peter C. Esselman, R. Jan Stevenson
Summary: Water nutrient management efforts require extensive spatial information for decision making. This study explores the potential applications of a machine learning model for river low-flow total phosphorus concentrations to support landscape nutrient management. The model trained on predictors accounted for a significant variation in cross-validation data, with promising accuracy and plausible relationships between predictors and response.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Joachim Rozemeijer, Ruurd Noordhuis, Kevin Ouwerkerk, Miguel Dionisio Pires, Anouk Blauw, Arno Hooijboer, Geert Jan van Oldenborgh
Summary: This study explored the effects of climatic variability on water quality in various water systems in the Netherlands, showing that water quality is impacted by global climate change, changes in Atlantic ocean circulation patterns, continental precipitation, river discharge fluctuations, and local climatic fluctuations. The fluctuations induced by climatic variability give a preview for the potential effects of climate change on water quality.
SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Xiaodan Tang, Zhenghe Li, Shan He, Binghan Yang, Zeyu Zhang, Bing Li, Yuyan Zhao
Summary: This study provides a scientific reference for the investigation and treatment of nitrogen and phosphorus pollution in surface water of typical old industrial cities in China. The results showed that the pollution of nitrogen and phosphorus in the main rivers of Changchun City was serious, and their spatial distribution varied greatly. In terms of time, remarkable results have been achieved in the pollution control of ammonia and phosphorus through government river management efforts.
APPLIED SCIENCES-BASEL
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Kimberly J. J. Van Meter, Danyka K. K. Byrnes, Nandita B. B. Basu
Summary: Excess nitrogen from intensive agriculture, atmospheric deposition, and urban sources increases nitrate concentrations in streams, leading to eutrophication and ecosystem degradation in coastal waters. Understanding the relationship between anthropogenic nitrogen inputs in watersheds and riverine nitrogen loads is crucial for improving water quality. However, reducing riverine nitrogen through nutrient management practices does not always result in immediate improvements. This study analyzes nitrate data from 478 US watersheds and quantifies the time-varying relationships between nitrogen inputs and riverine nitrogen export, identifying variations and hysteresis effects. The study finds that urban watersheds in the northeastern US show clockwise hysteresis relationships, with water quality improvements achieved through point-source controls, while agricultural watersheds exhibit counterclockwise hysteresis dynamics and time lags between nutrient management practices and water quality improvements. Higher tile-drainage densities are associated with more linear relationships between nitrogen inputs and riverine nitrogen.
GLOBAL BIOGEOCHEMICAL CYCLES
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Shin-Ichiro S. Matsuzaki, Richard C. Lathrop, Stephen R. Carpenter, Jake R. Walsh, M. Jake Vander Zanden, Mark R. Gahler, Emily H. Stanley
Summary: This study found that climate change and food web structure can impact the significant clear-water phase in lakes, with effects varying among different metrics. Higher water temperature leads to earlier start and peak dates of the clear-water phase, while the proportion of D. pulicaria affects all clear-water phase metrics, and high Bythotrephes density delays the start date of the clear-water phase.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2021)
Article
Plant Sciences
Ieva Misiune, Jason P. Julian, Darijus Veteikis
Summary: In cities with growing urban populations, there is an increasing demand for ecosystem services (ES) provided by urban green spaces. The study in Vilnius, Lithuania aimed to assess resident demand for urban green spaces and their ES. The results showed that the most valued urban ES were the regulating services of air quality improvement and noise reduction, with provisioning services like food and medicinal herbs considered less important. Residents who visit green spaces frequently valued ES significantly more compared to those who visit less often. The most important pull factors attracting people to green spaces were leisure walking, enjoying fresh air, and observing nature, while distance and safety concerns were the strongest push factors for both frequent and rare visitors.
URBAN FORESTRY & URBAN GREENING
(2021)
Article
Ecology
Jean-Francois Lapierre, Sarah M. Collins, Samantha K. Oliver, Emily H. Stanley, Tyler Wagner
Summary: Multiple studies have shown widespread browning of Northern Hemisphere lakes. An examination of Northeastern U.S. lakes found that the majority of lakes have experienced an increase in both DOC and color, with variable trends and no strong correlation between them, suggesting other factors beyond terrestrial carbon loading may be at play. Browning may be more prominent in regions where climate and atmospheric deposition are dominant drivers.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Simon N. Topp, Tamlin M. Pavelsky, Emily H. Stanley, Xiao Yang, Claire G. Griffin, Matthew R. Ross
Summary: Current research on freshwater resources globally indicates a deteriorating water quality, with studies often focusing on large water bodies and using biased sampling data. In the United States, satellite remote sensing data reveals an increasing trend in lake water clarity since 1984, particularly in densely populated areas and smaller water bodies pre-2000. This suggests that extensive pollution control measures in the U.S. have been effective in improving water quality.
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
(2021)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Liwei Zhang, Sibo Zhang, Xinghui Xia, Tom J. Battin, Shaoda Liu, Qingrui Wang, Ran Liu, Zhifeng Yang, Jinren Ni, Emily H. Stanley
Summary: This study investigated the concentrations and fluxes of N2O in four watersheds on the East Qinghai-Tibet Plateau between 2016 and 2018. The findings show that permafrost rivers in this region release relatively low levels of N2O, despite the high N2O emissions from thawing permafrost soils. This is attributed to the uptake of dissolved inorganic N by terrestrial plants, unfavorable conditions for N2O generation through denitrification, and a low N2O yield due to a small ratio of nitrite reductase to nitrous oxide reductase in these rivers. The study estimates the fluvial N2O emissions from permafrost landscapes on the entire Qinghai-Tibet Plateau to be relatively small, but suggests that these permafrost-affected rivers may become significant sources of N2O in the future, contributing to the permafrost non-carbon feedback that intensifies warming.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
E. Cavaliere, I. B. Fournier, V. Hazukova, G. P. Rue, S. Sadro, S. A. Berger, J. B. Cotner, H. A. Dugan, S. E. Hampton, N. R. Lottig, B. C. McMeans, T. Ozersky, S. M. Powers, M. Rautio, C. M. O'Reilly
Summary: Millions of lakes worldwide experience the formation of lake ice during winter, impacting the transfer of energy, redox processes, and ecological community structure. However, there is a lack of understanding about how these effects vary in response to different winter climate conditions. Global climate change is driving ice-covered lakes towards warmer temperatures and reduced ice cover, emphasizing the need to understand the role of winter in the annual aquatic cycle.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Ecology
C. D. Buelo, M. L. Pace, S. R. Carpenter, E. H. Stanley, D. A. Ortiz, D. T. Ha
Summary: The study finds that temporal Early Warning Statistics (EWS) can provide advanced warning of algal blooms, helping managers to prepare and minimize negative impacts.
ECOLOGICAL APPLICATIONS
(2022)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
James B. Cotner, Stephen M. Powers, Steven Sadro, Diane McKnight
Summary: Our changing climate is affecting freshwater ecosystems, particularly in winter. Lakes, wetlands, and rivers at high latitudes are experiencing shorter periods of ice cover, while lower latitudes systems are seeing open water conditions throughout the winter. These changes impact gas exchange, metabolism, and other processes in the water. There is a need for further research to understand the effects of changing winters on freshwater systems.
JOURNAL OF GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH-BIOGEOSCIENCES
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Stephen M. Powers, Steven C. Fradkin, William Baccus, Carmen Archambault, John R. Boetsch, Matthew R. Brousil, Rebecca Lofgren, Ashley Rawhouser, Stephanie E. Hampton
Summary: The study found that changes in spring snowpack and ice-out dates in mountain lakes have significant impacts on lake ecosystems, with lakes experiencing warmer and more turbid conditions in years with less snowpack and colder and clearer conditions with more snowpack. These findings highlight the complex interactions between snowpack variability and mountain lake ecology.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2022)
Article
Limnology
Amanda G. DelVecchia, Spencer Rhea, Kelly S. Aho, Emily H. Stanley, Erin R. Hotchkiss, Alice Carter, Emily S. Bernhardt
Summary: Streams and rivers are major sources of greenhouse gas emissions. While our understanding of individual gas flux drivers has improved, the lack of consistently collected samples hinders our ability to analyze the interrelationship between gas concentrations and their drivers. This study analyzed a dataset collected by the National Ecological Observatory Network, providing insights into the physical and biogeochemical drivers of greenhouse gas production in 27 streams and rivers across the United States. The results show that physical drivers such as temperature, stream slope, dissolved oxygen, and total nitrogen concentration strongly influence the concentrations of CO2 and CH4, while N2O is exclusively correlated with total nitrogen concentration.
LIMNOLOGY AND OCEANOGRAPHY
(2023)
Article
Limnology
Nicole D. Wagner, Felicia S. Osburn, Caleb J. Robbins, Mark R. Ernst, Jennifer Owens, Stephen M. Powers, J. Thad Scott
Summary: High-frequency water quality monitoring is increasing in importance in freshwater research and management. This study focuses on a eutrophic reservoir in North Texas, examining the impact of environmental parameters on water column stability and dissolved oxygen dynamics. The researchers used an autonomous water quality monitoring profiler to collect data on temperature, dissolved oxygen, and other variables over a period of several months. They found that dissolved oxygen levels were highly dynamic, with implications for biogeochemical cycles in the reservoir.
Article
Environmental Studies
Madeline T. T. Wade, Jason P. P. Julian, Kevin S. S. Jeffery, Sarah M. M. Davidson
Summary: Research shows that waterscapes have meaningful impacts on people's wellbeing and mental health, especially during stressful times like the COVID-19 pandemic. The waterscapes along the San Marcos River in Texas, USA, offer economic, social, environmental, and emotional benefits to the surrounding community. Using a new framework called the Blue Index, noncontact data from photo stations were collected to assess social demand and emotional experiences in these blue spaces. The study found that people value waterscapes for their ecological benefits and connections to the place, and that positive emotions are associated with biophysical perceptions of flow, cleanliness, and naturalness.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Gerard Rocher-Ros, Emily H. Stanley, Luke C. Loken, Nora J. Casson, Peter A. Raymond, Shaoda Liu, Giuseppe Amatulli, Ryan A. Sponseller
Summary: Methane emissions from running waters account for a significant portion of global emissions and are influenced by edaphic and climate features. These emissions are not strongly temperature dependent and are characterized by large fluxes in different environments.
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Emily H. Stanley, Luke C. Loken, Nora J. Casson, Samantha K. Oliver, Ryan A. Sponseller, Marcus B. Wallin, Liwei Zhang, Gerard Rocher-Ros
Summary: Despite their small size, fluvial ecosystems play a significant role in carbon processing and methane emissions. However, progress in understanding and estimating methane concentrations and fluxes in streams and rivers has been slow due to variability and limited data availability. In order to address these challenges, the Global River Methane Database (GriMeDB) provides a comprehensive resource of methane concentrations and fluxes, along with physical and chemical data, to examine environmental drivers and estimate fluvial contributions to methane emissions.
EARTH SYSTEM SCIENCE DATA
(2023)
Article
Ecology
Samuel R. Blackburn, Emily H. Stanley
Summary: Climate change leads to more frequent and intense floods in agricultural regions of southern Wisconsin. During floods, concentrations and fluxes of CO2 and CH4 in streams are higher, likely due to flushing of gases from soils and respiration of organic matter.
FRESHWATER BIOLOGY
(2021)