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The Cambrian pre-salt dolomite sequence in the Tarim Basin is a target zone of great strategic significance for hydrocarbon exploration in the basin. Using the results of the interpretation of 3D seismic data from Lunnan and 2D seismic data covering the whole basin, and based on a synthesis of outcrop data, drilling data, well logs, core data, and thin-section data, and the findings from previous studies, this paper studies the characteristics of the facies of the Middle–Lower Cambrian in the platform area in the Tarim Basin, the formation and evolution of platform margins, and the sedimentary characteristics, lithofacies, and paleogeographic characteristics of the Middle–Lower Cambrian series. Based on the types of lithofacies and the seismic facies analysis, the sedimentary facies of the Middle–Lower Cambrian strata can be classified into the five types. From bottom to top, the Middle–Lower Cambrian have experienced several development stages, including the deposition of continental shelf sediments of the Yuertusi Formation, gently sloping non-rimmed platform margin sediments of the Xiaoerbulake Formation, weakly rimmed platform margin sediments of the Wusongger and Shayilike formations, and strongly rimmed platform margin sediments of the Awatage Formation. In each stage, the platform margin shifted further east relative to its location in the previous stage. Based on these results and previous studies, the lithofacies and paleogeography maps of the Middle–Lower Cambrian in the Tarim Basin are modified, and the implications for hydrocarbon exploration in this area are discussed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper used dynamic image analysis (DIA) to analyze the grain size and shape data of beach surface sediments in Bao'ding Bay, eastern Hainan Island, China, and explored the effects of sediment transport modes and beach morphology on the grain size–shape trend curves. This paper adopted a method of combining grain size cumulative frequency curves and grain size–shape trend curves to identify three sediment transport modes: suspension, saltation, and traction, and analyzed the characteristics of the grain size–shape trend curves under different beach morphologies (reflective, intermediate, and dissipative). This paper found that the grain size–shape trend curves can effectively indicate the sediment transport modes and improve the accuracy of subpopulation division; the grain size–shape trend curves showed different distribution characteristics in the cross-shore and longshore directions, which are closely related to the beach's morphology and sediment transport direction. This paper provides a new method and idea for studying beach sediment transport and sedimentary environment using sediment grain size and shape data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Climate change and human activities exert significant influence on the water–sediment relationship in arid and semi-arid regions. Therefore, comprehending the underlying mechanisms is crucial for the effective management of water and soil resources, as well as integrated watershed management. This research focuses on the Kuye River watershed (KYH_W) in the middle reaches of the Yellow River in China, along with its sub-watersheds Wangdaohengtazi (WDHT_SW) and Xinmiaosi (XM_SW). This paper utilizes the Mann–Kendall non-parametric test and the double cumulative curve method to examine the interannual trends of runoff, sediment transport, precipitation, temperature, and NDVI factors. Furthermore, the method of the slope change ratio of cumulative quantity (SCRCQ) is utilized to quantitatively evaluate the impacts and contribution rates of climate change and human activities on water–sediment changes within each watershed. The results are as follows: (1) From 1969 to 2019, the entire watershed experienced a significant decrease in both runoff and sediment transport, with 1997 marking the year of abrupt change. However, following 2012, the KYH_W and WDHT_SW exhibited a noticeable rebound in runoff. (2) Human activities predominantly contribute to the reduction in water and sediment in the watershed. (3) After the abrupt change, between 1998 and 2011, the contribution rates of climate change and human activities to the annual runoff reduction in the entire KYH_W reached 33% and 64%, respectively. Moreover, these rates for sediment transport reduction reached 26% and 74%, respectively. Subsequently, after 2012, the contribution rates of both factors to the increase in watershed runoff reached 29% and 71%, respectively. Factors other than the NDVI, within human activities, played a dominant role in augmenting the watershed's runoff. (4) Prior to 2011, changes in vegetation cover resulting from the Grain for Green Program, as measured by the NDVI, emerged as the primary factor responsible for reduced runoff in the watershed. Conversely, factors other than the NDVI assumed dominance in reducing sediment transport. The SCRCQ method offers a quantitative approach to assessing water–sediment changes. Based on this method, the study further underscores the substantial impacts of climate change and human activities on variations in runoff and sediment transport within the KYH_W in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. Notably, the water–sediment changes in the KYH_W exhibit distinct stage-wise and spatial discrepancies, which warrant increased attention in future research endeavors. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Studies on the stability inter-controlled factors of fine-grained sediments in debris flow gullies play an important role in predicting the scale and danger of debris flows. However, up to the present, few studies have been carried out on the spatial distribution pattern and causes of stability inter-controlled factors of fine-grained sediments in debris flow gullies, leading to difficulty in finding the dangerous section of debris flow gullies to be monitored and controlled to reduce disaster losses. Therefore, the objective of this paper is to analyze the spatial distribution pattern and causes of stability inter-controlled factors (grain size, permeability coefficient, shear strength, and porosity), taking the Beichuan Debris Flow Gully, China, as a case. After collecting soil samples in the field, we carried out experiments to measure the stability inter-controlled factors and, from these, the results show that (1) fine-grained sediments in this case are mainly silty loams, which are stable under non-heavy rains; (2) the grain size of silty loams is mainly concentrated between 10 and 20 μm, with a spatial distribution pattern of fine in the middle and coarse at both ends; (3) the permeability coefficient of silty loams is concentrated between 1.15 and 2.17 m/d, with a spatial distribution pattern of high in the middle and low at both ends; (4) the average cohesion of silty loams is mainly concentrated between 20 and 30 kPa, with a spatial distribution pattern of low in the middle and high at both ends; and (5) the internal friction angle of silty loams is concentrated between 18.98 and 21.8°, with a spatial distribution pattern of high in the middle and low at both ends. The main reasons for these spatial distribution patterns are analyzed from three aspects of shear strength, water flow velocity, and terrain, which can provide a scientific basis for the prediction of debris flow disasters in such areas. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper uses the finite-volume community ocean model (FVCOM) coupled with the simulating waves nearshore (SWAN) in a wave–current–sediment model to simulate the tidal current field, wave field, and suspended sediment concentration (SSC) field in the sea area near Weifang Port, China. The three-dimensional water-and-sediment model was modified by introducing a sediment-settling-velocity formula that considers the effect of gradation. Next, the SSCs calculated by the original and modified models were compared with the measured data. The SSCs calculated by the modified model were closer to the measured data, as evidenced by the smaller mean relative error and root-mean-square error. The results show that the modified coupled wave–current–sediment model can reasonably describe the hydrodynamic characteristics and sediment movement in the sea area near Weifang Port, and the nearshore SSCs calculated by the modified model were higher than those calculated by the original model. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective Water sourced from the Yellow River in China, which has been extensively used for irrigation in the northern irrigation districts of the country, is characterized by high sediment content. This paper aims to investigate the influence of sediment particle size distribution on water infiltration under surge irrigation. Method The infiltration tests encompassed four treatments with sediment content being 3%, 6%, 9%, and 12%, respectively. Each sediment treatment included four particle gradings labeled as A, B, C, and D, respectively. In each infiltration test, we meticulously measured both the infiltration rate and the variation in infiltration over time. Result The relationship between cumulative infiltration and time can be described by the Philip and Kostiakov models, regardless of sediment content and particle grading. As the number of irrigation cycles increased, the parameters K and α in the Kostiakov model, as well as the parameters S and A in the Philip model, all exhibited a declining trend. Conclusion In comparison to the infiltration of clean water, the infiltration depth of sedimentwater was inversely related to the presence of physically cohesive particles. Conversely, when the infiltration depth was the same, soil water content was negatively correlated to the quantity of physically cohesive particles in the water. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this study was to investigate the sources, diagenetic alterations of, and bacterial contributions to sediment organic matter (OM) in the upper Pearl River Estuary. Sediment analyses were conducted for three size fractions of OM, including coarse particulate OM (CPOM), fine particulate OM (FPOM), and ultrafiltered dissolved OM (UDOM). Results showed that the highest and lowest carbon (C): nitrogen (N) ratios were in CPOM and UDOM, respectively, indicating CPOM was relatively enriched in organic C, whereas FPOM was enriched in N-containing molecules. Distributions of amino acids and their D-isomers among the sediment fractions indicated that the percentage of total N represented by total hydrolysable amino acids, C- and N-normalized yields of total D-amino acids, and C- and N-normalized yields of D-alanine, D-glutamic acid, D-serine could be used as diagenetic indicators of sediment OM. Correlations between the N yields in total D-amino acids and total hydrolysable amino acids, and total N yields suggested that the bacterial N in general reflected the bulk N changes in CPOM, FPOM, and UDOM. Our results demonstrate the crucial role of bacteria as a N source in the terrestrial (soil and vascular plant debris) OM transported by the river. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sediments in the South China sea are mainly composed of clayey silt, characterized by weak cementation, low strength, and poor permeability. These characteristics lead to slow gas and water transport and low gas production efficiency in the production process, which is not conducive to reservoir stability. Therefore, this paper studied the influence of different factors on the displacement and permeability of hydrate-bearing sediments by using remolded cores from the South China Sea. It was found that, when the depressurization method was used for hydrate decomposition, the displacement change in sediments could be divided into three stages: depressurization stage, decomposition stage, and creep stage. During the decompression stage, sediment deformation was rapid and displacement was small. During the decomposition process of hydrates, sediment deformation was slow and displacement was maximum. The creep stage had the slowest deformation and the smallest displacement. The displacement increased with the increase in initial porosity, hydrate saturation, effective pressure, and depressurization amplitude. The permeability of the sediments was lower than that of the original sediments after hydrate decomposition. This permeability damage increased with the increase in the sediment porosity, hydrate saturation, depressurization range and effective pressure. Furthermore, the displacement of sediments was positively correlated with the permeability damage. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Cobalt-rich crust has attracted increased attention due to their economic value. Studies have indicated that seamounts in the Western Pacific Ocean are rich in cobalt-rich crust resources. The Caiwei Guyot in Western Pacific Ocean is one of the cobalt-rich crust exploration areas contracted between China and the International Seabed Authority. A large volume of research has been conducted to elucidate the tectonic evolution, basement type, sediment type, gravity and magnetic anomaly characteristics, and geochemical characteristics of shallow surface sediments at Caiwei Guyot. However, a research gap exists on the sedimentary strata below the pelagic deposits and above the volcanic basement of the Caiwei Guyot. This paper summarizes that two main types of sediments existing on the top of Caiwei Guyot. The deposition thickness on the top of Caiwei Guyot is characterized by three sedimentary centers and exposed periphery. Pelagic sediments are difficult to form at the northeastern portion and edge area of Caiwei Guyot due to the strong bottom current environment, which makes these areas suitable for crust growth. This paper delineated three cobalt-rich crust prospective areas at the Caiwei Guyot with of significant implications for exploration and mining-lease-block selections at Caiwei Guyot. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The main objectives of this study were to investigate the distribution characteristics and evaluate the potential ecological hazard associated with rare earth elements (REEs) within the Pearl River Estuary (PRE) sediment. Furthermore, we still have not fully understood the contamination and potential ecological risks of REEs in aquatic sediments. Moreover, the factors influencing their distribution remain unidentified. Hence, we selected the PRE as the central focus for our case study in this paper. Materials and methods: Sediment samples in this study (0–20 cm) were collected from 156 locations. The total organic carbon (TOC) and grain size were measured. The concentrations of REEs were determined by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS). Furthermore, contamination models, including geoaccumulation index (Igeo), enrichment factor (EF), contamination factor ( C f i ), and pollution load index (PLI), along with ecological risk assessment models potential ecological risk factors ( E r i ) and ecological risk index (RI) have been employed to evaluate pollution levels and ecological risks. Results: The concentrations of sum REEs (ΣREEs) were in the range of 51.21 to 567.08 mg kg−1, with an average of 299.06 mg kg−1. We identified two accumulation centers for REEs, indicating that these elements primarily originated from these two centers. It can be seen from the values of EF of REEs that these elements showed minimal enrichment. Moreover, the pollution load index (PLI), which assesses the combined contamination of REEs, was computed to evaluate the collective contamination in the study area. The PLI results indicate a slight multi-element contamination in the research region. Furthermore, based on the E r i values, it is evident that all studied REEs pose a low ecological risk. Conclusions: The distributions of REEs were mainly controlled by TOC and median grain size. The RI was also calculated to assess the combined potential risks on the ecology. The study's findings indicate that the PRE's sediments produce low ecological risks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lacustrine sediments are good recorders of palaeoenvironment changes and have been widely studied in recent years. The study of lacustrine sediments in Southwest China will improve our understanding of the complex environmental evolution history of Southwest China. Therefore, this paper presents a high-resolution rock magnetism study from the Pengtun drilling hole (PT2) in the Heqing Basin, Southwest China. The results show that the dominant magnetic minerals in the PT2 drill core are magnetite, maghemite and haematite. The magnetic susceptibility (χ) of the upper part of the core (0–13.5 m) is lower than that of the lower part (13.5–33.5 m). There is no maghemite in the upper sections. The minerals with high χ values have the characteristics of pseudosingle-domain (PSD), single-domain (SD), superparamagnetic (SP) and multidomain (MD) grains. The magnetic domains are widely distributed, and the particles are coarser. When χ is low, the magnetic domains of the different samples vary greatly, and the particles are finer. Combined with the magnetic and nonmagnetic characteristics of the sediment, we infer that the change in χ in the PT2 drill core is related to clastic input, water erosion, and reductive dissolution. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Both vegetation coverage rates and arrangement patterns have important influences on erosion. Very little previous research focuses on the impacts of spatial vegetation distribution patterns on erosion. The slope-gully system was taken as the research object, which is composed of a 5.0 m long hillslope with a slope gradient of 20° and a 3.0 m long gully slope with a gradient of 50°. A series of scouring experiments with two inflow discharges (3.2 L min−1, 5.2 L min−1) was carried out. The effects of the flow discharges, spatial grass arrangement patterns (US, MS, and DS represent the presence of grass covering on up-hillslope, middle-hillslope, and down-hillslope, respectively) and grass coverage rates (0%, 30%, 50%, 70%, and 90%) on runoff and sediment were studied in this paper. The results indicated that either runoff or sediment yielding was significantly decreased with the grass coverage rates increasing and with the variation of grass arrangement patterns on a hillslope. While grass coverage had more effectiveness in controlling erosion compared with runoff reduction, and DS can control erosion more effectively than US and MS erosion controlling. For the gully slope, erosion significantly increased with the grass coverage rates increasing no matter how the grass arrangement patterns on the hillslope. Therefore, both different grass coverage and different grass arrangement patterns have an influence on erosion processes; any research that only takes care of the single factor mentioned above is not enough to reveal the effects of grass on erosion. In the process of erosion control in the Loess Plateau, taking effective measures both on the hillslope and gully slope will be effective methods of reducing soil erosion. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The North Yellow Sea Basin is located in an important position in the Eastern North China Craton, the sedimentary process of basin has obvious records for the transformation of the two tectonic domains. This paper studies the Late Jurassic sediment provenance in the North Yellow Sea Basin under the sequence stratigraphic framework, and discusses the response of sediment provenance to the transformation of tectonic domain. Firstly, the similarity of zircon age composition between wells in the same sequence is compared by statistical method. According to the results, the Well X is divided into Part A, the Well Y and Well Z are divided into Part B. In the early Late Jurassic (sequence 1: J3SQ1) and late Late Jurassic (sequence 2: J3SQ2), the sediments of Part A derived from the Jiaodong Peninsula, and the sediments of Part B derived from the Liaodong Peninsula and Mesoproterozoic intrusive rocks in the North Yellow Sea Basin. Although the sediment provenance of Part A and Part B comes from different directions in space, there is no change in the provenance of sediment in time (the early Late Jurassic and the late Late Jurassic). It shows that the Late Jurassic basin, under the common influence of the Palaeo-Asian tectonic domain and the marginal Pacific tectonic domain, has always been controlled by the compressional tectonic caused by the convergence of multiple plates. Obviously, until the late Late Jurassic, the Eastern North China Craton had not completed the tectonic domain transformation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Jiamusi‐Khanka Massif is an important tectonic unit of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt in North‐east China. Its Late Palaeozoic tectonic properties and the timing of assembly have restricted the understanding of the tectonic evolution process at the eastern segment of the Central Asian Orogenic Belt for a long time. Based on the study of clastic rock petrology and zircon U–Pb chronology of the Early Permian Erlongshan Formation in Mishan, it is clear that the zircon age of the Early Permian Erlongshan Formation in Mishan is mainly Late Palaeozoic, with a major age peak at 300 ± 3 Ma and secondary age peaks at 356 ± 7 Ma and 475 ± 10 Ma. The provenance mainly comes from the magmatic arc source area, and Early Palaeozoic (500–420 Ma) detrital zircons mainly come from the south‐east margin of Jiamusi Massif, Late Palaeozoic (400–270 Ma) detrital zircons mainly come from the eastern margin of Jiamusi Massif and the northern margin of Khanka Massif. Among them, detrital zircons of a special age group 330–310 Ma come from the north of Khanka Massif, while 490–470 Ma detrital zircons which are common in the Early‐Middle Permian strata of Khanka Massif come from Jiamusi Massif. Combined with the evidence of petrology and palaeontology, this paper believes that the Early Permian Jiamusi Massif and Khanka Massif should be a unified Massif, that is, Jiamusi‐Khanka Massif. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Natural gas hydrates are a strategic energy resource in China. The China Geological Survey has discovered segregated hydrate mass formations under the seepage mechanism in the South China Sea through exploration, and gas hydrates occur in nodular, massive, and vein formations in silty clay sediment. Previous work has focused on the analysis of sediment mechanical properties with respect to the uniform distribution of natural gas hydrates in pore spaces, but the mechanical properties of hydrate-bearing sediments containing segregated hydrate masses are not well understood. Spherical hydrates are used to characterize nodular hydrates, a method is proposed for the preparation of sediment samples containing segregated hydrates masses, and a series of triaxial compression tests are carried out on the samples containing spherical hydrates with two kinds of particle sizes at a certain volume fraction. The paper presents triaxial stress–strain curves for the samples containing spherical hydrates. A model for predicting elastic modulus is established. The results present two distinct stages in the triaxial compression tests of silty clay sediments containing spherical hydrates; they also show that the elastic moduli predicted by the model are in good agreement with the experimental results when the model parameters are set at α = 0.5 and β = −0.21. These results provide fundamental mechanical parameters for the safety evaluation of strata containing segregated gas hydrates. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Grain size is the basic property of intertidal zone sediment. Grain size acts as an indicator of sedimentary processes and geomorphological evolution under human and nature interactions. The remote sensing technique provides an alternative for sediment grain-size parameter monitoring with the advantages of wide coverage and real-time surveying. This paper attempted to map the distributions of three sediment grain size contents and the mean grain size with multitemporal Landsat images along the southwestern coast of Laizhou Bay, China, from 1989 to 2015. Considering the low correlations between the measured reflectance and grain-size parameters, we used a support vector machine (SVM) to develop a nonlinear calibration model by taking several band indices as input variables. Then, the performance of the back propagation neural network (BPNN) was determined and discussed with that of the SVM. The SVM performed better than the BPNN in calibrating the four grain-size parameters based on a comparison of R2 and the root-mean-square error (RMSE). Moreover, an atmospheric correction algorithm originally proposed for case II water enabled the TM\ETM+ images to be precisely atmospherically corrected in this study. The SVM-mapped spatial-temporal grain-size variation showed a coarsening trend, which agreed with that obtained during in situ measurements in a former study. The changes in Yellow River discharge and precipitation associated with the coarsening trend were further analyzed. The yielded results showed that the coarsening trend and reduction in tidal flat area might be aggravated with overutilization. More reasonable planning would be necessary in this case. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Since the 2008 Wenchuan (Ms. 8.0) Earthquake, the foreland rivers of the Longmen Mountains have suffered from significant bed degradation, among which the Shi‐ting River has experienced the largest local degradation of more than 20 m in 7 years. Potential reasons of the dramatic degradation include: (a) sediment disconnectivity due to in‐channel weirs; (b) the mobilization effect on gravel of an increased sand supply as a result of earthquake‐induced landslides; and (c) sediment extraction due to intensive mining. In this paper, we study the complex interaction among the above‐mentioned factors in the Shi‐ting River, using a one‐dimensional river morphodynamic model. Simulation results show that in‐channel weirs can reduce bedload transport and lead to bed degradation that is proportional to weir height. When coupled with additional sand supply, the weirs preferentially trap gravel and deliver sand, augmenting the downstream mobility of gravel and thus the degradation. For the Shi‐ting River, the simulated bed degradation agrees well with the observation when an annual sediment mining of 16 million tons is implemented in the simulation, along with the effects of in‐channel weirs and sand supply. The contribution of sediment mining is one order of magnitude larger than the coupling effect of weirs and sand supply. Both the simulation and observation show that the largest bed degradation occurs downstream of the Renmin Weir, due to the large spatial interval between the Renmin Weir and the next grade control structure. Key Points: Sediment mining is likely the key factor causing dramatic bed degradation in the Shi‐ting River, ChinaThis degradation was abetted, but not primarily caused by earthquake‐derived sand mobilizing gravel, as proposed previouslyWeirs preferentially trap gravel and deliver sand, which enhances the mobility of gravel by sand [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Environmental factors of projects in the sea area, such as tidal current characteristics and sediment transport patterns, play a decisive role in the safe operation of the harbor. Based on the observation data of tide level, tidal current, suspended sediment, and surface sediment in the Port of Shenquan, this paper focuses on the study of the characteristics of tidal current and sediment of projects in the sea area. According to the measured tide hydrograph, it can be concluded that the tide in the Port of Shenquan is irregular diurnal, and the flow of rising and falling tides is basically rectilinear. The velocity of the neap tide is higher than that of spring tide, which is mainly related to the strong winds and waves. The sand source is limited, and the sediment concentration in the water is very low. The hourly sediment concentration in each station fluctuates within a narrow range, independent of hourly velocity change. The sediment is coarse and fine, with a distribution pattern of coarse near shore, fine in deep water, coarse in East and West, and fine in the middle, and the sorting coefficient of sediment is medium to well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The southern margin of the Ordos Basin is covered by thick loess sediments. This area is typically characterized by frequent geologic hazards and is rich in energy resources. Identifying the velocity structure of the loess layer is of great significance for geologic hazard prevention and resource explorations in this area. In this paper, we utilize Rayleigh-wave data for imaging the shear-wave velocity (vs) of the loess sediments in the Dongjiahe area, in the southern margin of the Ordos Basin. The data collected in the Dongjiahe area is dominated by the higher-order mode Rayleigh-wave; the dispersive energy of the fundamental mode Rayleigh-wave is weak and suppressed in some frequency bands. An improved frequency–wavenumber (F-K) transform method which can enhance the dispersive energy and expand the frequency range of the weaker fundamental (or higher) mode Rayleigh-wave is proposed in this paper. Numerically simulated data are first utilized to show the processes and effectiveness of the improved F-K transform method. Then, we utilize the improved F-K transform to generate multi-mode dispersive spectrums and extract dispersion curves of the real-world data collected in the Dongjiahe area. Dispersion curves are inverted for vs structure using the Levenberg–Marquardt method. The pattern of the two-dimensional vs section of the study area indicates that the loess sediments mainly distributes as approximate flat layers with vs gradually increasing as the depth increases. In addition, the results also reveal the bedrock depth of some parts of the survey line. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Yellow River is the mother river of the Chinese nation. The source region of the Yellow River is an important region for water conservation in China. The hydro-ecological environment of the Yellow River source region is very fragile. Therefore, the variation processes of runoff and sediment discharge in the Yellow River source region have become the subject of considerable concern in recent years. However, the source region of the Yellow River has been studied relatively little, and the influence of these two process in the source region of the Yellow River remains unclear. In this paper, precipitation, runoff, sediment discharge, and their interactions in the source region of the Yellow River from 1956 to 2018 were analyzed using several different time-series evaluation methods, such as Spearman's rank correlation coefficient method, the ordered clustering analysis method, and the double-mass curve method. Furthermore, the impact of Huangheyuan hydropower station on these hydrological elements was analyzed in relation to the few other human activities in Sanjiangyuan National Nature Reserve. The results indicated that the precipitation in the source region of the Yellow River increased significantly, the sediment discharge decreased non-significantly, and there was no significant change in runoff over this time period. The years 1995 and 2011 were probable mutation points of the sediment discharge series, and the mutation point of the precipitation series was likely 2001. The Huangheyuan hydropower station is the main reason for the decrease in annual sediment discharge in the source region of the Yellow River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The terrestrial sequence stratigraphy in proximal terrestrial environments is different from its counterpart in distal terrestrial and marine environments. The Southern Junggar Basin in NW China has preserved well‐exposed proximal terrestrial outcrops and its Jurassic–Cretaceous sequence boundary remains contentious. The goal of this paper is to (a) establish a model of allogenic‐controlling mechanisms of a proximal terrestrial sequence, (b) investigate the Jurassic–Cretaceous sequence boundary, (c) the Jurassic climate, and (d) tectonic movements in Central Asia. The sequence stratigraphic framework was established assisted by the determination of the accommodation space/sediment supply (A/S) ratio, including two second‐order sequences (SS) and six third‐order sequences (SQ) in the Jurassic, as well as a second‐order sequence in the Cretaceous. SS1 was mainly controlled by a warm and humid climate and lake level fluctuations in a weak extensional tectonic setting; SS2 was mainly controlled by an arid climate and compressional tectonic movements; SS3 was mainly controlled by a semi‐humid climate and lake transgression in a stable tectonic setting. Additionally, the Jurassic–Cretaceous sequence boundary was distinguished within the Kalazha Formation based on its sedimentary characteristics, sedimentary evolution, and different allogenic controls. It is concluded that the proximal terrestrial sequences exhibit rapid sedimentary facies change, thick coarse‐grained sediments, and multiple provenances. Climate, tectonic movements, and lake level fluctuation dominate in different stages of basin evolution. Moreover, the sediment supply is more emphasized, and the accommodation space/sediment supply ratio, which corresponds to different channel geometry types, plays a critical role in identifying system tracts and sequence stratigraphic surfaces. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Multivariate hydrological series become nonstationary under the changing environment. In this paper, a new method is proposed to study the change in the dependence structure between runoff and sediment sequences. First, a moving cut transfer entropy is proposed to detect the sudden change point in the dependence structure between runoff and sediment. Then, the Gumbel copula with a new parameter estimation method (MEE) is employed to construct the dependence structure of runoff and sediment before or after the change point for situation with small samples. The new method is applied to the annual runoff and sediment discharge series in Xiliugou River, China. It is found that the dependence structure between runoff and sediment changed abruptly in 2000. The joint probabilistic characteristics of the annual runoff and sediment discharge during the period of 1960–1999 are built based on the values of RMSEs and AICs. The joint distribution of the annual runoff and sediment discharge during the period of 2000–2016 is constructed by the Gumbel copula with MEE. Moreover, the synchronous encounter probability of runoff and sediment decreases from 0.76 to 0.63, and the asynchronous encounter probability rises from 0.24 to 0.37, after the runoff and sediment discharge series presents a significant change in the dependence structure. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The Loess Plateau can be considered as a landslide-prone area in northwest China. The genera consensus about the interaction between landslide deposit and terrace sediments is not well studied; this paper summarised 40 loess landslides in the South Jingyang Platform, Shaanxi Province, China to help understand of this issue. Four of the loess landslides with high mobility have been analysed in detail. Three trenches T1, T2 and T3 dug after the loess landslides LD37, LD11 and LD38 highlighted the landslide-induced changes in geomorphology and internal geometry of geology, respectively. Furthermore, observation of upwards seepage flow on the profile of trench T3 is believed to be the trigger of the high speed, and long runout flowslides in the study area. A newly developed sandbox apparatus is used to reproduce the landslide kinematics due to a mass travelling over an inclined plane. The sandbox experiments show that the sediments are sheared and pushed upwards after the collision with the deposits. The deposits are then wrapped in a space between sediments, which tends to form the 'sandwich' structure. The distal sediments are thrust when the loess deposits' kinetic energy consistently dissipates, developing the accumulated folded strata. These results reveal the deposits' interactions with the sediments in the study area and provide key guideposts regarding prevention and mitigation of loess landslide hazards. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recently suspended river, where formed both in tributary and in main stream of Ningxia-Inner Mongolia reaches in the Upper Yellow River, severely threatens people's lives and property safety downstream. In this paper, taking Ningxia-Inner Mongolia reaches for the example, water and sediment are regulated by cascade reservoirs upstream, which can form artificial controlled flood, to improve the relationship of water-sediment and slow down the speed of sedimentation rate. Then, multi-objective optimal operation model of cascade reservoirs is established with four objectives: ice and flood control, power generation, water supply, water and sediment regulation. Based on optimization technique of feasible search space, the non-dominated sorting genetic algorithm (NSGA-II) is improved and a new multi-objective algorithm, Feasible Search Space Optimization-Non-dominated Sorting Genetic Algorithm (FSSO-NSGA-II) is innovatively proposed in this paper. The best time of water and sediment regulation is discussed and the regulation index system and scenarios are constructed in three level years of 2010, 2020 and 2030. After that regulation efforts and contribution to sediment transportation are quantified under three scenarios. Compared with history data in 2010, the accuracy and superiority of multi-objective model and FSSO-NSGA-II are verified. Even more, four-dimensional vector coordinate systems are proposed innovatively to represent each objective and sensitivity of three scenarios are analyzed to clarify the impact on regulation objectives by regulation indexes. At last, relationships between four objectives are revealed. The research findings provide optimal solutions of multi-objectives optimal operation by FSSO-NSGA-II, which have an important theoretical significance to enrich the methods of water and sediment optimal operation by cascade reservoirs, guiding significance to water and sediment regulation implementation and construct water and sediment control system in the whole Yellow River basin. Research Highlights: We establish an multi-objective optimal operation model with four regulation objectives. We proposed a improved multi-objective algorithm (FSSO-NSGA-II) based on feasible search space optimization. Regulation index system and three scenarios are constructed. Four-dimensional vector coordinate systems are proposed to represent each objective and sensitivity of scenarios are analyzed. Relationships between four objectives are revealed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In an earlier study of the Diexi ancient dammed lake along the Minjiang River in Southwest China, 10 disturbed layers with envelope and flame structures were found in more than 240 m of lacustrine sediments. In this paper, the soft-sediment disturbances caused by earthquakes in the Diexi ancient dammed lake were studied based on field investigations and laboratory core observations. A two- to three-degree-of-freedom spring-type earthquake simulation vibration table was used to carry out disturbance tests on lacustrine sediments under different dynamic conditions. The results support the following conclusions: (1) The disturbance layers in the lacustrine sediments were caused by strong earthquakes in the region. (2) The characteristics of the disturbance layers are related to the seismic parameters and the degree of sediment consolidation. (3) The greater the earthquake intensity is, the greater the disturbance amplitude is; moreover, the lower the consolidation degree is, the greater the disturbance amplitude. (4) The simulation tests verify that the disturbance layers in the sediments of the Diexi ancient dammed lake correspond to strong earthquakes in the region. These results are valuable for ongoing palaeoseismic research in the region. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Nickel (Ni) in small plateau lake sediments plays an important role in influencing the quality of lake ecosystems with a high degree of endemism and toxicity. This paper focuses on the spatial distribution and ecological risks of nickel in the sediments of Jianhu Lake, a small plateau lake in China, and the influence of pH and total organic carbon (TOC) on nickel concentrations. The results showed that average total nickel concentrations were 138.99 ± 57.57 mg/kg (n = 38) and 184.31 ± 92.12 mg/kg (n = 60) in surface sediments (0–10 cm top layer) and sediment cores (0–75 cm depth), respectively, and that the residual fraction was the main form of nickel. Simultaneously, through a semivariogram model, strong spatial dependence among pH, TOC, and the oxidizable fraction was revealed, whereas total nickel, exchangeable and the weak acid soluble fraction, reducible fraction, and residual fraction showed moderate spatial dependence. The vertical distribution revealed that nickel accumulated mainly in the bottom 5 cm (70-75 cm) of the sediment layer and that the pH was higher there, whereas TOC was concentrated mainly in the top 5 cm of sediment. Using geoaccumulation and a potential ecological risk index, moderate nickel pollution and moderate risk levels were found in most surface sediments, but moderate nickel pollution and high risk levels were observed in most sediment cores. In addition, pH and TOC were found to have a strong effect on the distribution and concentration of nickel and its fractions in the small plateau lake. In summary, nickel posed a certain degree of pollution and ecological risk, which deserves attention in the sediments of small plateau lakes. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

As one part of the 'Three Norths' forest protection system, dense farmland shelterbelt networks in northeastern China could greatly modify water and sediment flows. In this paper, catchment soil erosion rate and sediment yield (SY) that are impacted by farmland shelterbelts were estimated using WaTEM/SEDEM model. The shelterbelts reduced catchment soil erosion and SY to some extent. The mean soil erosion rate and specific sediment yield (SSY; defined as the ratio of SY to catchment area; t km−2 yr−1) of the 25 reservoir catchments decreased from 351.6 and 93.9 t km−2 yr−1 under the supposed scenario without shelterbelts to 331.1 t km−2 yr−1 and 86.3% t km−2 yr−1 under the current situation with shelterbelts. The sediment trap efficiencies (STEs) varied from 0.01% to 23.6% with an average value of 7.6%. The STEs were significantly correlated with shelterbelt density, catchment perimeter, topographic factors, RUSLEP‐factor and land use patterns including patch density (PD), patch cohesion index (COHESION), Shannon's diversity index (SHDI) and aggregation index (AI). The multiple regression equation involving factors of catchment's topography and morphology and land use pattern has a satisfactory performance, and mean slope gradient (MSG) and AI explained most of the variability of shelterbelts' STE. This information can help land managers to better design shelterbelts and to reduce water‐derived soil loss at catchment scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Microplastic pollution has attracted more and more people's attention, and it exists widely in our living environment. Microplastics are difficult to be degraded, most of them migrate from the land to the water, and finally deposit in the sediment. They are easy to have a great impact on water bodies and aquatic organisms, and even affect the daily life of human beings. Based on the research literature on microplastics in recent years, this paper reviews the research progress of microplastics in freshwater sediments in China, discusses several commonly used methods of sampling, separation, and detection of microplastics in freshwater sediments, summarizes the distribution characteristics of microplastics in freshwater sediments in China, analyzes the toxicological effects of microplastics, and introduces the degradation methods of microplastics. This study will provide valuable reference for further study of microplastics in freshwater environment in the future. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the concentration, distribution, bioavailability, and potential heavy metal contamination risk of Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cr in the soil and sediment of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). In this paper, 14 stations that cover the upper reaches to the lower reaches of the TGR were selected. The spatial distribution of heavy metals in the TGR showed that the average concentrations of Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cr were higher in the upper and lower reaches than those in the middle reaches because of industrial and agricultural activities as well as natural processes (e.g., soil erosion, rock weathering). The results also indicated that multiple pollution sources and complex geomorphological, geochemical and biological processes resulted in remarkably higher heavy metal concentrations in the soils of the water-level-fluctuation zone (WLFZ) than in the soils of the banks. The Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, and Cr concentrations in the soils of the TGR did not exceed their respective maximum allowable concentration (MAC) values for agricultural soils in China, indicating that the soil in the TGR was not seriously contaminated with Cu, Pb, Cd, Zn, or Cr. However, the mean concentrations of all the studied metals in the sediments were higher than the geochemical background values and much higher than those in the soils, thus indicating the effect of the pollution sources and the altered hydrologic conditions that occurred after the impoundment of the TGR. A geoaccumulation index analysis indicated that the TGR sediments were moderately polluted with Cu and Cd, unpolluted to moderately polluted with Pb and Cr, and unpolluted with Zn. Fractionation studies indicated that Cd was mainly present in the non-residual fractions and exhibited great instability and bioavailability; furthermore, the alternating wetting and drying of the WFLZ soils enhance the mobility and bioavailability of Cd. Thus, greater attention should be paid to Cd pollution in the TGR because of its higher risk assessment values and potentially adverse biological effects. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

Aims: Although comammox have been discovered in a variety of ecosystems, there are few studies in urban lakes. This paper attempted to confirm whether this ammonia‐oxidizing microbe exists in urban lakes and to determine the factors influencing its existence. Methods and Results: This study investigated the diversity and abundance of comammox bacteria in sediments of a typical urban lake in China, and their ecological relationship with other ammonia‐oxidizing micro‐organisms. The phylogenetic analysis indicated that comammox clade A existed in the sediment of Lake Donghu, and the comammox bacteria co‐existed with ammonia‐oxidizing archaea (AOA), ammonia‐oxidizing bacteria (AOB) and anaerobic ammonia‐oxidizing (anammox) bacteria in the sediment of this lake. The abundances of the ammonia monooxygenase subunit A (amoA) genes for comammox, AOA, AOB and anammox 16S rRNA were 2·43 × 108, 1·07 × 108, 3·24 × 107 and 3·21 × 1011 copies per gram dry sediment respectively. Moreover, the amoA gene abundance of comammox was positively correlated with that of AOA and AOB. The redundancy analysis showed that the abundance of the comammox amoA gene was negatively correlated with the concentration of main indicators for nitrogen status in both the sediment and the water column, indicating that eutrophication may inhibit the growth of comammox bacteria. Conclusions: Comammox bacteria play an important ecological role in the nitrogen cycle of urban lake sediments. Significance and Impact of the Study: Our results indicated comammox bacteria were widespread in urban lakes and eutrophication may inhibit their growth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

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Purpose: Analysis of sediment transport is an effective approach for identifying sediment sources and for catchment management. However, a long-term analysis of sediment variability at multiple time scales is less available, especially in mountainous catchments. This study aims to determine sediment sources and to identify sediment transport dynamics, as well as the influencing factors, through analyzing long-term sediment fluxes at different time scales. Materials and methods: In this paper, 32 years of sediment flux in an instrumented mountainous catchment in eastern Zhenjiang Province, China, was investigated at multiple time scales (i.e., monthly, seasonal, annual, and event). Sediment yields (SYs) during three time periods (i.e., 1964–1977, 1978–1989, and 2010–2015) were first classified by the Mann-Kendall and cumulative anomaly tests, and then sediment fluxes for each period were investigated and compared at multiple time scales. Results and discussion: Annual SYs ranged from 29 to 308 t year−1 during the recording period and were significantly influenced by several high magnitude flood events. The mean annual SYs decreased from 153.82 t year−1 in 1964–1977, to 97.79 t year−1 in 1978–1989, and to 91.08 t year−1 in 2010–2015 due to improved soil conservation measures and increased reservoirs. At the seasonal scale, over 92% of the sediment was transported in spring and summer over the recording period. Heterogeneous sediment sources, partial areal distribution of rainfalls, and other factors led to complex suspended sediment concentration versus water discharge hysteresis loop patterns at the event and monthly scales. Conclusions: The improved soil conservation measures and increased reservoirs over the recent decades decreased sediment availability, and the number and the magnitude of flood events from 1964 onward. However, the flood sediment fluxes in a few months were still high due to extreme precipitation events in recent years. The work can provide guidance for addressing sediment problems in this and/or other similar catchments. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This review paper provides a brief review on the development of ideas in the fields of the sea level change of the ECS (East China Sea), the history of the Yangtze River entering the sea and paleochannels in the shelf of the ECS since the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). The paper summarizes two opposite theories about the Yangtze River entering the sea during the LGM. One theory is that the Yangtze River input a lacustrine in the north of Jiangsu province which was defunct in middle Holocene, and the river was once dry. The other was that the Yangtze River still existed and entered into the Okinawa Trough during the LGM, but scholars share different opinions on which course the river ran across and which place the river input the trough. This paper concludes future work is to study the evolution of the Yangtze River and the paleoclimate and the corresponding events as a whole from the view of regional and even global change, and more attention should be paid to the study on mud sediment, the Yangtze River's response to the changes in climate and sea-level, and the channel metamorphosis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The occurrence, distribution, and ecological risk assessment of 36 antibiotics from five groups, including macrolides (MLs), fluoroquinolones (FQs), tetracyclines (TCs), amphenicols (APs), and sulfonamides (SAs), were investigated for the first time in the Anning River, Sichuan Province, China. The results show that antibiotics were widely present in the sediments of the Anning River, with a total of 22 antibiotics detected. FQs were among the most abundant antibiotics, followed by TCs, MLs, APs, and SAs. The total concentrations of antibiotics in surface sediments varied from 0.05 to 53.35 ng/g, with an average of 8.09 ng/g. Among these groups, MLs, FQs, and TCs emerged as the predominant classes of antibiotics. The midstream sediments showed the highest residual levels of antibiotics, with lower levels observed in the downstream and upstream sediments. Anthropogenic activities, such as human clinical practices and animal breeding, might be sources of antibiotics released into the river. An ecological risk assessment revealed that trimethoprim from the SA group exhibited high risks, and MLs showed medium risks in the Anning River, whereas most antibiotics presented minimal to low risks. This study provides valuable information on antibiotic pollution in the upstream region of the Yangtze River, and future management measures are needed for the Anning River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In this study, columnar sediment samples were collected from north to south along the northern Jiangsu coast, China, under Spartina alterniflora vegetation in four sample areas: Chuandong Port (Area-1), Tiaozini Scenic Area (Area-2), Yangkou Town (Area-3), and Meiledi Marine Park (Area-4). Organic carbon (OC), nutrient elements including total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and total sulfur (TS), and physicochemical properties including pH, salinity (Sal), moisture content (MC), and bulk density (BD) were measured. Pearson's correlation analysis was performed to explore the correlation between OC content and sedimentary physicochemical indexes, and the partial least squares regression (PLSR) model was used to analyze the factors affecting changes in OC content. The results found that the OC content of columnar sediments of S. alterniflora decreased with increasing depth in all four areas. The OC content in the four sample areas was mainly affected by the TN, pH, MC, TP, and burial depth. In particular, TN, MC, TP, TS, and clay content positively affected OC, whereas burial depth, pH, silt content, BD, sand content, and Sal negatively affected OC. The results of this study provide a valuable reference for evaluating the role of coastal wetlands in the global carbon cycle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article extracts the Qiantang River tidal bore, analyzing the water environment characteristics in front of the tidal line of the Qiantang River tidal bore and behind it. The Qiantang River tidal bore Index (QRI) was established using HY-1C, HY-1D, and Gao Fen-1 wide field-of-view (GF-1 WFV) satellite data to precisely determine the location and details of the Qiantang River tidal bore. Comparative analyses of the changes on the two sides of the Qiantang River tidal bore were conducted. The results indicate the following: (1) QRI enhances the visibility of tidal bore lines, accentuating their contrast with the surrounding river water, resulting in a more vivid character. QRI proves to be an effective extraction method, with potential applicability to similar tidal lines in different regions. (2) Observable roughness changes occur at the tidal bore location, with smoother surface textures observed in front of the tidal line compared to those behind it. There is a discernible increase in suspended sediment concentration (SSC) as the tidal bore passes through. (3) This study reveals the mechanism of water environment change induced by the Qiantang River tidal bore, emphasizing its significance in promoting vertical water body exchange as well as scouring the bottom sediments. This effect increases SSC and surface roughness. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Prediction of cohesive sediment transport in storm process is important for both navigation safety and environment of the coastal zone. The difficulties to simulate cohesive sediment transport for a small-scale area such as around a harbor during storm events mainly include the low spatial resolution of the present reanalysis atmosphere forcing, the complex hydrodynamic and sediment transport processes, and their interactions. In this paper, an integrated atmosphere-wave-3D hydrodynamic and cohesive sediment transport model with unstructured grid, which is comprised of the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model, Simulating WAves Nearshore (SWAN) model, and Finite-Volume Coastal Ocean Model (FVCOM), was developed to solve the abovementioned problems. For cohesive sediment, the flocculation and hindered settling were included, and a self-weight consolidation processes was introduced to the existing FVCOM. Interactions between components were considered by providing data fields to each other in an offline manner. The integrated model was applied to simulate cohesive sediment transport around Lianyungang Harbor, China, during Typhoon Wipha in 2007. Results identify that the atmosphere model WRF performed better in the simulation of wind field during typhoon process compared with QuikSCAT/National Centers for Environmental Prediction (QSCAT/NCEP) data. Simulation of wave model was directly affected by wind results as wave vector field driven by WRF wind field showed anticlockwise vortex while waves driven by QSCAT/NCEP wind field did not. The influence of water elevation and flow field on waves was great at the nearshore area. However, the effect of wave on current was not apparent, while the wind field played a more important role, especially on the current velocity. The cohesive sediment transport was greatly affected by wave due to the combined wave-current-induced shear stress. In general, simulation results of wind, wave, current, and sediment showed reasonable agreement with measured data. It is demonstrated that the integrated model developed in the paper is capable of providing high-resolution atmosphere data for other components, reproducing the complex hydrodynamics and cohesive sediment transport processes and taking account of the interaction between components. The integrated model is necessary for simulating the cohesive sediment transport in a small-scale area during storm events. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Carbonate dissolution in subduction zones transfers surface carbon to the mantle and plays an important role in regulating global carbon cycles through geologic time. Petrological observations and thermodynamic models predict substantial dissolution of subducting carbonates induced by slab-derived fluids at arc mantle depths, but this dissolution process has rarely been verified by existing geochemical tracers. In this paper we show that zinc and magnesium isotopes can serve as such tracers through a comparative study on carbonate-bearing and carbonate-free sediments from the South China Sea and the Philippine Sea that are going to be subducted. Leaching experiments are further performed to characterize the isotopic difference between dissolved carbonates and silicate components in sediments. Bulk carbonate-bearing sediments and carbonate-free sediments surprisingly have indistinguishable δ66Zn (0.26 ± 0.04‰ versus 0.25 ± 0.04‰), but the former display systematically lower δ26Mg (−0.85‰ to −0.17‰, n = 10) than the latter (−0.26‰ to +0.13‰, n = 13). Leaching experiments show that dissolved carbonates have much higher δ66Zn (0.82 ± 0.26‰) and lower δ26Mg (−2.70 ± 0.35‰) compared with the silicate residues (δ66Zn = 0.21 ± 0.06‰; δ26Mg = −0.06 ± 0.14‰). These results indicate that the presence of carbonate components has insignificant influence on Zn isotopic compositions of bulk sediments but prominent influence on their Mg isotopic compositions. In this respect, the final fate of carbonates in subducting sediments can be tracked by a combined Mg and Zn isotope analysis on mantle-derived magmas. For instance, bulk carbonate-bearing sediment addition (i.e., no carbonate dissolution) during subduction would produce low δ26Mg but normal δ66Zn values (i.e., Mg-Zn isotopic "decoupling") in mantle-derived magmas. By contrast, if carbonate dissolution occurs during subduction, the high δ66Zn and low δ26Mg (i.e., Mg-Zn isotopic "coupling") signals of dissolved carbonates will be transferred to the sources of mantle-derived magmas. We test this application for a Cenozoic subduction-related, arc-like volcanic exposure from Tengchong, Southwestern China and find significant Mg-Zn isotopic coupling, which demonstrates carbonate dissolution during Indian Oceanic slab subduction. Our results also shed constraints on the amount of dissolved carbonates in the sub-arc mantle. Available data reveal the absence of high δ66Zn and low δ26Mg in global arc lavas, for which we suggest to be the result of a relatively low proportion (<20%) of dissolved calcium carbonates in the sub-arc mantle. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

• Hillslope erosion dynamic model integrating vegetation effect was established. • Unified baseline parameters were obtained across different land uses. • Effect of vegetation on soil detachment and sediment transport was revealed. • Contribution rates of vegetation to sediment reduction along slopes were quantified. Developing a process-based soil erosion model that comprehensively considers the effects of vegetation is complex but crucial for evaluating sediment reduction during vegetation restoration. Current understanding of the effect of vegetation on sediment reduction along hillslopes across different land uses is limited. In this paper, we developed a dynamic model of hillslope erosion that integrates the effects of vegetation on soil detachability and hydrodynamics (VED) based on the feedback mechanism between soil detachment and sediment transport. The VED was calibrated and validated with runoff plot data for woodland, grassland, and farmland in the Wuding, Yan, Jing and Wei Rivers of the Loess Plateau in China. Unified baseline parameters and decay coefficients of vegetation were obtained. The model validation results indicated that the coefficient of determination, Nash–Sutcliffe simulation efficiency and relative error ranged from 0.59 to 0.99, 0.56 to 0.90, and −45.99 % to 46.36 %, respectively. The decay coefficients for soil detachment capacity (Φ), sediment transport capacity (T c), and the sediment reduction effect of vegetation exhibited the following order: woodland > grassland > farmland. Compared with VED, existing process-based soil erosion models failed to effectively characterize the influence of vegetation on Φ and T c on the Loess Plateau, with differences of several orders of magnitude. The individual contributions of runoff, soil detachability, and hydrodynamics with vegetation impact on sediment yield were quantified by VED. The contribution rates of vegetation to sediment reduction decreased gradually with increasing slope length because the soil detachment capacity of bare slopes exceeded that of vegetated slopes, resulting in a faster increase in sediment yield. The contribution rates of vegetation to sediment reduction for woodland, grassland, and farmland with 20 %–60 % vegetation covers were 66.75 %–99.95 %, 57.43 %–99.63 %, and 27.91 %–88.63 % in the boundary conditions of this study, respectively. The results reveal the potential for integrating VED into other distributed watershed hydrological and sediment models to assess the effects of vegetation restoration on sediment reduction at a watershed scale. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Discriminating the provenance of fine-grained sediments is crucial for reconstructing paleogeography, sedimentary processes, and paleoclimate. In this paper, we investigate the South Bohai Coast to better understand source-to-sink systems in East Asia. This region is influenced by both distant sources such as the large-scale Yellow River and small local river sources flowing from the Luzhong Mountain area. Two Holocene sedimentary cores, dated using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) and accelerator mass spectrometry (AMS) 14C chronology, were used to investigate the provenance of the fine-grained sediments over the last 7 kyrs. Clay mineralogy and relevant non-linear modeling were employed for provenance discrimination. The results show that the fine-grained sediments along the South Bohai Coast were mainly derived from the Yellow River during the periods of 7.0–5.4 ka and 4.5–2.6 ka, respectively, while the input from the Luzhong Mountain-derived rivers was greater during 5.4–4.5 ka and 2.6–0.2 ka, respectively. Fluvial activities and marine-terrestrial interaction driven by climate factors such as East Asian winter monsoon, temperature, and precipitation in river basins, dominantly influenced the provenance of fine-grained sediments from 7.0 to 2.6 ka. Anthropogenic impact on provenance increased after 2.6 ka. The chronology of the two cores showed extremely rapid sedimentation rate transitions at 5.2 ka and 1.5 ka, respectively, very likely attributed to anthropogenic-induced rapid progradation. Our study provides a model for better understanding the paleoenvironmental and paleogeographic evolution of a coastal area where multiple sources exist. • Anthropogenically high sedimentation rate in the South Bohai Coast in late Holocene. • Provenance discrimination of the fine-grained sediments in the South Bohai Coast since the mid-Holocene. • The major source of the fine-grained sediments in the South Bohai Coast changed episodically. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fine-grained rocks (FGR) are the important source rocks and reservoirs of shale hydrocarbon which is the prospect hotspot at present. Widely distributed fine-grained sediments (FGS) of the upper fourth member of Shahejie Formation in Dongying depression are taken as an example to study the space-time evolution and controlling factor of FGS in this paper. Based on the analysis of well cores, thin sections, inorganic and organic geochemistry indicators, FGR are divided into 7 types of lithofacies. Through the study of 'point-line-plane', this study shows that FGS has the characteristics of rhythum, diversity and succession. The first stage is characterized by clayey FGS (massive claystone). The second stage is characterized by carbonate FGS (low-TOC laminated limestone) and dolomitic FGS (dolomitic-silty shale) formed by transgression. The third stage is characterized by organic-rich carbonate FGS (middle/high-TOC laminated limestone) distributed in cycle. The fourth stage is characterized by FGS mixed carbonate and siliciclastic sediments (calcareous-silty shale). A variety of space-time evolution of FGS are controlled by multiple factors including tectonism, climate and lake conditions. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Sewer sediments and their associated contaminant released along with wet-weather discharges pose potential pollution risks to environment. This paper presents total characteristics of sediments collected from Jiaxing, China. Size distribution and concentrations of volatile solids (VS) and four metals (Pb, Cu, Zn, Cr) of sediment samples from seven land use categories were analyzed. Then, the sediment samples were graded five fractions according to its settling velocity through the custom-built settling velocity-grading device. Sediment mass and pollution load distribution based on settling velocity were also assessed. The results show that there are relatively high level of heavy metal load in the sediment of separated storm drainage systems in Jiaxing, especially for the catchment of residential area (RA), road of developed area (RDA), and industrial area (IA). Although grain size follows a trend of increasing along with settling velocity, the methods of settling velocity grading are meaningful for stormwater treatment facilities with precipitation. For all land use categories, the pollution concentrations of the three lower settling velocity-fractionated sediment are relatively consistent and higher than others. Combined with mass distribution, the pollution percentage of fraction with different velocities for seven land use categories were also evaluated. Based on it, the statistical conclusion of design target settling velocity to different pollution load removal rates are drawn, which is helpful to guide design of on-site precipitation separation facilities. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Utilizing voids of insoluble sediment (IS) to store gas is an effective way to improve the efficiency of salt cavern gas storage (SCGS) in China. In this study, a suitable method for predicting the void volume of insoluble sediments (VVISs) is established. This study explores three key factors affecting the VVISs through laboratory experiments. Firstly, in order to make the experimental results more in line with production realities, an analysis of the characteristics of IS in X SCGS was conducted to provide a basis for setting parameters for subsequent experiments. Secondly, experimental setups and methods for measuring the VVISs were designed. Finally, the experimental results were used to predict the VVISs in on-site cavity wells. The results indicate that the higher the proportion of quartz, illite, and large-grain particles in IS, the larger the VVISs. Under different parameters, the VVISs can account for approximately 10–40% of the IS accumulation volume. Different particle sizes can cause a variation of approximately 5–30% in the VVISs, while different mineral compositions can result in a difference of 6–23% in the VVISs. With increasing compaction pressure, the VVISs can decrease by around 5–80%. The prediction of the VVISs in on-site cavity wells shows a high degree of fit with empirical algorithms. This study can provide a reference basis for the utilization of the void space of IS in SCGS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The progressive reservoir construction and operation have led to nonstationary sediment load response to water discharge and a new equilibrium between sediment supply and transport of a river system. However, an increase in the reservoir impoundments on the nonstationary behaviors could demonstrate significant temporal variability over the river system. In this study, the statistical relationships of annual sediment load with both streamflow and reservoir storage capacity during 1956–2018 are analyzed in the Upper Yangtze River Basin (UYRB), China. The trend and abrupt detection analyses show that the significant departure of annual sediment load to annual water discharge occurs only when the cumulative storage capacity over the course of progressive impoundments reaches a critical value for the cascade reservoirs in UYRB. The critical storage capacity gradually appeared in the 1980s, 1990s, and 2000s, accounting for the sharp increases of small- and medium-sized reservoirs in the tributaries and large-sized reservoirs in the mainstem. Once the critical storage is exceeded, the capacity to trap sediment increases exponentially with the cumulative storage. The significant increase of trapped sediment (e.g., 26%–88% of the free-flow capacity in the tributary and mainstem stations) has led to the shift of sediment-controlling factors from water discharge to the impounded runoff index. The significant reduction of sediment transportation and the altered dominant factors of sediment load could result in the steady erosion of channels and coastlines and adversely impact ecosystems in the downstream Yangtze River. Human activities, especially dam construction, have severely altered the global river system. Dams disrupt the continuity of the river, inevitably altering the natural transport of sediment and reducing sediment loads. Since the 19th century, a large number of reservoirs have been built in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River where water resources are abundant. When the cumulative storage capacity over the course of progressive impoundments reaches a critical value for the cascade reservoirs in the Upper Yangtze River, the capacity for trapping sediment increases exponentially with the cumulative storage. The significant increase in trapped sediment has led to a shift of sediment-controlling factors. The significant reduction of sediment transportation and the altered dominant factors of sediment load could lead to several environmental problems, such as the limited availability of nutrients in the middle and lower reaches, river bed erosion, and the destruction of benthic habitat. The change in the relationship between sediment, water discharge, and reservoir capacity can provide a reference for the environmental management and protection of the Yangtze River. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Shallow lake sediments have huge potential for carbon storage, but they are vulnerable to various environmental changes and are highly susceptible to becoming a source of carbon emissions. Understanding the amount of sediment carbon storage can provide information about the potential of shallow lakes in mitigating climate change. In this study, sediment sampling was conducted at 12 study sites in Chaohu Lake, China, and sediment water content, grain size, bulk density, and sediments organic carbon (SOC) content were examined in five layers along the vertical direction, respectively, and the distribution and storage of SOC were estimated. The results showed that the surface sediments in the west lake area of Chaohu Lake would release 66,300 t of SOC to the overlying water body in the future. The sediments in the middle lake area and the east lake area will absorb another 15,900 t and 17,300 t of TOC from the water body in the future, respectively. Overall, the lake-wide sediments will release 33,100 t of SOC into the water body in the future. In addition, the results of the study also indicate that human activities are another major influence on the change in organic carbon stocks in lake sediments, and therefore, proactive measures for the restoration and protection of lake sediments are essential because increasing the SOC stocks in the sediments and maintaining the lakes in a sustainable manner can contribute to the crucial role they play in mitigating climate change. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Investigating the changes in the runoff and sediment coupling relationship in the Middle Yellow River Basin of China can not only deepen the understanding of soil loss control in arid areas, but also help solve key issues of regional ecological protection. Since the 1960s, soil- and water-conservation projects have been implemented in the Middle Yellow River Basin, inducing a significant reduction in runoff and sediment and changes in the relationship between runoff and sediment. The study identified the change points of coupling relationship between runoff and sediment in the Wuding River Basin (WRB) by constructing a diagnostic method based on coupling coordination degree and the Pettitt test; the study validated this using the Copula function and analyzed the impacts of erosion energy and underlying surface factors. The results showed the following: (1) the method based on coupling coordination degree and the Pettit test could accurately reflect the coupling relationship of runoff and sediment and identify two change points (1971 and 1996); (2) runoff and sediment in the WRB decreased gradually over three periods (P1, 1960–1970; P2, 1971–1995; P3, 1996–2020), with an average annual runoff of 15.34 × 108, 10.72 × 108, and 8.32 × 108 m3 and average annual sediment load of 1.84 × 108, 0.82 × 108, and 0.32 × 108 t, respectively; (3) the maximum possible joint design value of runoff and sediment under different return periods in P1 were all the highest, followed by P2 and P3, and the larger the return period, the higher the maximum possible joint design value; (4) runoff erosion power could promote runoff and sediment in PE (1960–2020), P1, P2 and P3 at a significant level, check dams and terrace could decrease runoff and sediment significantly in PE, and the highest contribution to runoff reduction was check dam (95.4%), while the highest contribution to sediment reduction was REP (93.8%). The study can provide a new way to analyze the changes in the runoff and sediment relationship and provide scientific support for runoff and sediment regulation in the Middle Yellow River Basin. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Evaluating the ecological risks of metals and identifying their sources is useful for preventing and controlling heavy metal pollution in water bodies. Four sediment cores (S1~-S4) were collected from the Changhu Reservoir of South China to determine lead (Pb) concentrations and geochemical fractions, as well as the isotopic compositions of core S1. The results show that Pb concentrations increased from the upstream site (S1:173.2 mg kg-1) to the downstream site (S4:313.5 mg kg-1), resulting in a moderate to significant enrichment in the sediments. Sediment Pb in the geochemical fractions followed a decreasing order of residual (F4:54.7%) > reducible (F2: 23.1%) > oxidizable (F3: 16.6%) > acid-soluble fraction (F1: 5.8%). The geoaccumulation index (Igeo) and risk assessment code (RAC) showed that sediments were moderately polluted by Pb in S1 and S2 core, while sediments were moderately to heavily polluted in S3 and S4 core. The ecological risk of Pb in all sediment samples is generally at a low risk level, except for the sediments at a depth of 30-40 cm in the S4 core. Significant correlation between Pb concentration and 206Pb/207Pb ratios suggested possible binary mixing of Pb. In the present study, mining activities, which was the major anthropogenic Pb source base on its isotopic composition, contributed significantly (means: 45.3-77.5%) to sediment Pb. The anthropogenic Pb in sediments is most likely to come from Sphalerite and Galena. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Screen the priority of emerging contaminants (ECs) from sediments is essential for risk assessment to aquatic environment and human health. Currently, priority approaches mainly focus on contaminant identification, exposure analysis, risk assessment, and hazard properties. However, there is still far from the reality due to, for instance, limitations on lack of occurrence data and uncertainty analysis. In this study, the multi-criteria screening method on the basis of hazard potential (HP) and exposure potential (EP) integrating with uncertainty analysis was developed for prioritization of 185 ECs, which have been reported to be widely found in the Yangtze River sediment. The HP based on the ecological risk and human health, and the EP according to the occurrence were both quantitatively analyzed. The priority index of these 185 chemicals was the product of the normalized HP and the normalized EP. Results: According to the priority ranking scheme, 20 chemicals were identified as the top-priority, and 58 compounds as high-priority, respectively. After uncertainty scoring for each chemical based on data availability, there were 7 compounds (5 pesticides and 2 PFASs) recommended as the major priority ECs. In addition, the current study also emphasized that necessary for further studying some ECs, such as PFAS alternatives, as the data limitation may lead to reduce accurate prioritization. Conclusions: Overall, this study provides an efficient approach for screening priority ECs, which is useful for river ecosystem health management. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The sediment load of the Loess Plateau has shown a sharp decreasing trend in the past decades. This paper gives a comprehensive review of the driving factors of the sediment decrease with respect to human activities, including soil and water conservation, dam construction, and vegetation restoration. Also presented is an overview of the main achievements of soil and water conservation and the main soil erosion control programmes implemented in the Loess Plateau. The paper concludes with suggestions for further policy modifications that could move management towards ecological sustainability and will be greatly beneficial to the regional water resources management and restoration of an eco-environmental system in the Loess Plateau. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]