Tidal groundwater flow and its ecological effects in a brackish marsh at the mouth of a large sub-tropical river

Xiao, Kai1,2; Li, Hailong2,3,4; Wilson, Alicia M.5; Xia, Yuqiang6; Wan, Li2; Zheng, Chunmiao3,4; Ma, Qian2; Wang, Chaoyue2; Wang, Xusheng2; Jiang, Xiaowei2

2017-12

10.1016/j.jhydrol.2017.10.025

JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY   影响因子和分区

0022-1694

1879-2707

Soil saturation is thought to be an important control on plant zonation in intertidal wetlands, but quantitative studies linking saturation and plant zonation in real marsh systems are few. We conducted a combined field and modeling study to examine the potential links between groundwater flow and ecological zonation in a brackish marsh in the Yangtze River estuary. The intertidal marsh transect contained two plant zones (Phragmites australis and Spartina alterniflora) and an unvegetated mud flat adjacent to the estuary. Numerical simulations were conducted to quantify soil saturation index (SSI, ratio of saturated time to the whole observation period) for analyzing plant zonation. Models considered multiple factors, including aquifer stratification, anisotropy, evapotranspiration, surface topography (particularly slope breaks), seepage face formation and tidal loading. Simulations revealed that the average SSI over the rhizosphere depth from 0.0 m to 0.3 m increased abruptly by 11.4% at the interface of the two plant zones, and by another 10.5% at the riverward boundary of the vegetated zone. The significant increase of SSI was not caused by slope breaks but seepage face was responsible for the riverward increase of SSI. Given known differences between Phragmites australis and Spartina alterniflora in their tolerances to anoxic conditions, the subsurface saturated/unsaturated conditions quantified by SSI are most probably responsible for the observed plant zonation. (C) 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Riverine groundwater flow Brackish tidal marsh Yangtze River estuary Numerical simulation Soil aeration Plant zonation

SCI ; EI

英语

通讯

Shenzhen Municipal Science and Technology Innovation Committee[ZDSY20150831141712549]

Engineering ; Geology ; Water Resources

Engineering, Civil ; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary ; Water Resources

WOS:000418107600016

ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV

20174304291759

Aquifers ; Computer simulation ; Ecology ; Estuaries ; Groundwater flow ; Groundwater resources ; Numerical models ; Rivers ; Seepage ; Soils ; Surface topography

Waterways:407.2 ; Groundwater:444.2 ; Ecology and Ecosystems:454.3 ; Soils and Soil Mechanics:483.1 ; Computer Applications:723.5 ; Mathematics:921 ; Physical Properties of Gases, Liquids and Solids:931.2

ENGINEERING

Web of Science

1.China Univ Geosci Beijing, MOE Key Lab Groundwater Circulat & Environm Evolu, Beijing 100083, Peoples R China
2.China Univ Geosci, State Key Lab Biogeol & Environm Geol, Beijing 100083, Peoples R China
3.South Univ Sci & Technol China, Key Lab Soil & Groundwater Pollut Control Shenzhe, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
4.South Univ Sci & Technol China, Sch Environm Sci & Engn, Shenzhen 518055, Peoples R China
5.Univ South Carolina, Sch Earth Ocean & Environm, Columbia, SC 29208 USA
6.Minist Water Resources, Changjiang Water Resources Commiss, Changjiang River Sci Res Inst, Wuhan 430010, Hubei, Peoples R China

Xiao, Kai,Li, Hailong,Wilson, Alicia M.,et al. Tidal groundwater flow and its ecological effects in a brackish marsh at the mouth of a large sub-tropical river[J]. JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY,2017,555:198-212.

Xiao, Kai.,Li, Hailong.,Wilson, Alicia M..,Xia, Yuqiang.,Wan, Li.,...&Jiang, Xiaowei.(2017).Tidal groundwater flow and its ecological effects in a brackish marsh at the mouth of a large sub-tropical river.JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY,555,198-212.

Xiao, Kai,et al."Tidal groundwater flow and its ecological effects in a brackish marsh at the mouth of a large sub-tropical river".JOURNAL OF HYDROLOGY 555(2017):198-212.