Journal
ENVIRONMENTAL RESEARCH LETTERS
Volume 12, Issue 10, Pages -Publisher
IOP Publishing Ltd
DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aa8a33
Keywords
climate elasticity of water quality; instability; fertilizer; manure; climate class; river
Funding
- National Natural Science Foundation of China [51509061]
- Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities [HIT.NSRIF.2017060]
- HIT Environment and Ecology Innovation Special Funds [HSCJ201607]
- Southern University of Science and Technology [G01296001]
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Surface waters exhibit regionalization due to various climatic conditions and anthropogenic activities. Here we assess the impact of topographic and socio-economic factors on the climate sensitivity of surface water quality, estimated using an elasticity approach (climate elasticity of water quality (CEWQ)), and identify potential risks of instability in different regions and climatic conditions. Large global datasets were used for 12 main water quality parameters from 43 water quality monitoring stations located at large major rivers. The results demonstrated that precipitation elasticity shows higher sensitivity to topographic and socio-economic determinants as compared to temperature elasticity. In tropical climate class (A), gross domestic product (GDP) played an important role in stabilizing the CEWQ. In temperate climate class (C), GDP played the same role in stability, while the runoff coefficient, slope, and population density fuelled the risk of instability. The results implied that watersheds with lower runoff coefficient, thick population density, over fertilization and manure application face a higher risk of instability. We discuss the socio-economic and topographic factors that cause instability of CEWQ parameters and conclude with some suggestions for watershed managers to bring sustainability in freshwater bodies.
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