Effects of Land Use on the Ecohydrology of River Basin in Accordance with Climate Change

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land–Climate Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 May 2022) | Viewed by 25114

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Institute of Technology and Life Sciences – National Research Institute, Falenty, Al. Hrabska 3, 05-090 Raszyn, Poland
Interests: blue-green infrastructure; ecological resilience; hydrological modeling; nature-based solutions; urban ecology; water-sensitive urban design (WSUD); xeriscaping
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Department of Ecology, Climatology and Air Protection, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 31-120 Kraków, Poland
Interests: ecohydrology; blue-green infrastructure; land use; urban area; bioeconomy
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Department of Land Reclamation and Environmental Development, Faculty of Environmental Engineering and Surveying, University of Agriculture in Krakow, 31-120 Krakow, Poland
Interests: soil erosion; land reclamation; soil science; soil conservation; environmental chemistry; water protection
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Guest Editor
Structural Mechanics and Material Mechanics, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Cracow University of Technology, 31-155 Kraków, Poland
Interests: river and mountain stream hydraulics; low-head hydraulic structures; river engineering; river morphology; sediment transport; hydrology for engineers; hydromorphology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Climate change adaptation has become a top priority. Land use and ecohydrology are important in accordance with land–climate interaction. Water bodies are prone to drought, hence environmental engineering may be applied to river restoration as well as biodiversity conservation. Thus, land management using ecosystem services is a specific approach to sustainable development and increasing ecological resilience.

Natural water retention measures (NWRMs) include multifunctional solutions that require research and can lead to efficient energy management and environmental safety. The application of the concept of ecosystem services through NWRMs is an appropriate method of identifying climate change, especially the effects of drought and floods.

In this Special Issue, we welcome articles that are focused on the protection of water resources. In addition, topics related to modelling and climate scenarios, mitigation of hydrological challenges, restoration or maintenance of aquatic ecosystems will be reviewed.

The purpose of this Special Issue is to show solutions and benefits for the local community based on the proposed topic. New approaches in adaptation to climate change may be useful in ensuring the habitat restoration process and landscape protection. Moreover, the publications will provide evaluations of regional ecohydrological problems based on the NBS (nature-based solutions) concept in different parts of the world. The articles will be important to conserving water resources in many places around the globe.

Dr. Wiktor Halecki
Dr. Dawid Bedla
Dr. Marek Ryczek
Prof. Dr. Artur Radecki-Pawlik
Guest Editors

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Keywords

  • biodiversity restoration
  • spatial modeling
  • water spatial policy
  • land management
  • soil and water conservation
  • ecosystem services
  • nature-based solutions
  • ecohydrology
  • urban resilience
  • Sponge City concept

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Published Papers (11 papers)

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Editorial

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3 pages, 195 KiB  
Editorial
Editorial: Effects of Land Use on the Ecohydrology of River Basins in Accordance with Climate Change
by Wiktor Halecki, Dawid Bedla, Marek Ryczek and Artur Radecki-Pawlik
Land 2022, 11(10), 1662; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101662 - 26 Sep 2022
Viewed by 1197
Abstract
A total of nine original publications and one concept paper are included in this Special Issue on water management and land use (Appendix A) [...] Full article
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Research

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12 pages, 3122 KiB  
Article
Quantitatively Calculating the Contribution of Vegetation Variation to Runoff in the Middle Reaches of Yellow River Using an Adjusted Budyko Formula
by Guangxing Ji, Junchang Huang, Yulong Guo and Dan Yan
Land 2022, 11(4), 535; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11040535 - 7 Apr 2022
Cited by 12 | Viewed by 1604
Abstract
The middle reaches of the Yellow River (MRYR) are a key area for carrying out China’s vegetation restoration project. However, the impact of vegetation variation on runoff in the MRYR is still unclear. For quantitatively evaluating the contribution rate of vegetation variation to [...] Read more.
The middle reaches of the Yellow River (MRYR) are a key area for carrying out China’s vegetation restoration project. However, the impact of vegetation variation on runoff in the MRYR is still unclear. For quantitatively evaluating the contribution rate of vegetation variation to runoff in the MRYR, this paper quantified the relationship between Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and Budyko parameters (w). Then, we used multiple linear regression to quantitatively calculate the contribution rate of different factors on vegetation variation. Finally, an adjusted Budyko formula was constructed to quantitatively calculate the influence of vegetation variation on runoff. The results showed that there is a linear relationship between NDVI and Budyko parameters (w) (p < 0.05); the fitting parameter and constant term were 12.327 and −0.992, respectively. Vegetation change accounted for 33.37% in the MRYR. The contribution of climatic and non-climatic factors on vegetation change is about 1:99. The contribution of precipitation, potential evaporation, anthropogenic activities on the runoff variation in the MRYR are 23.07%, 13.85% and 29.71%, respectively. Full article
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14 pages, 2741 KiB  
Article
Impact of Land Use Changes on the Diversity and Conservation Status of the Vegetation of Mountain Grasslands (Polish Carpathians)
by Jan Zarzycki, Joanna Korzeniak and Joanna Perzanowska
Land 2022, 11(2), 252; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11020252 - 8 Feb 2022
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 1860
Abstract
In recent decades, in the Polish Carpathians, agriculture has undergone major changes. Our goal was to investigate whether the former management (plowing or mowing and grazing) had an impact on the current species composition, diversity and conservation status of the vegetation of grazing [...] Read more.
In recent decades, in the Polish Carpathians, agriculture has undergone major changes. Our goal was to investigate whether the former management (plowing or mowing and grazing) had an impact on the current species composition, diversity and conservation status of the vegetation of grazing areas. We carried out vegetation studies on 45 grazing sites with traditional methods of grazing (transhumant pastoralism). The survey covered both old (continuous) grasslands and grasslands on former arable land. The most widespread were Cynosurion pastures and mesic Arrhenatherion grasslands. Wet Calthion meadows occurred at more than a half of grazing sites, while nutrient-poor Nardetalia grasslands were only recorded at several grazing sites. For each grazing site, we used soil maps from the 1960s to read land use in the past. We mapped present grassland and arable land area. Compared with the 1960s, there was a significant decrease in the area of arable land and an increase in grasslands. Species diversity was greater in grazing sites where grasslands developed on former arable land. However, this diversity was associated mainly with the occurrence of common grassland species. Cynosurion pastures and wet Calthion meadows had the best conservation status, while nutrient-poor Nardetalia grasslands were the worst preserved. We concluded that the conservation status of mesic grasslands and pastures is dependent on the present diversity of land use within a grazing site, rather than the land use history 60 years ago. This is the first study of the natural, not economic, value of pasture vegetation in the Polish part of the Carpathians. Full article
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21 pages, 5111 KiB  
Article
Hydromorphological Inventory and Evaluation of the Upland Stream: Case Study of a Small Ungauged Catchment in Western Carpathians, Poland
by Łukasz Borek and Tomasz Kowalik
Land 2022, 11(1), 141; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11010141 - 17 Jan 2022
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 1939
Abstract
The hydromorphological conditions of watercourses depend on numerous natural and anthropogenic factors such as buffer zones or human infrastructure near their banks. We hypothesised that, even in a small stream, there can be substantial differences in the hydromorphological forms associated with naturalness and [...] Read more.
The hydromorphological conditions of watercourses depend on numerous natural and anthropogenic factors such as buffer zones or human infrastructure near their banks. We hypothesised that, even in a small stream, there can be substantial differences in the hydromorphological forms associated with naturalness and human impact. The paper aims at the field inventory and evaluation of the hydromorphological conditions of a small upland stream in the conditions of contemporary human activity, against the background of meteorological and hydrological conditions. The study concerned a left-bank tributary of the Stradomka River located in the Wiśnicz Foothills (Western Carpathians). The analyses were conducted with the use of the Polish method, the Hydromorphological Index for Rivers (HIR), which conforms to the EU Water Framework Directive (WFD). The hydromorphological condition and quality of habitats were evaluated based on the Hydromorphological Diversity Score (HDS) and Habitat Modification Score (HMS). The study shows that the largest changes in stream hydomorphology and habitat conditions took place in the downstream, urbanised stream catchment area with an intensive development of construction and technical infrastructure. The hydromorphological condition of the examined stream sections was evaluated as good or poor. The best hydromorphological conditions were found in the section located in the semi-natural area, and the worst in the urbanised area. As our research shows, the strong influence of human activity, including weather extremes, and the risks and hydrological hazards of the hydromorphological conditions of the small, ungauged catchment, highlight the necessity to search for other research methods to support the decision-making cycle in the transformation of riverbeds and catchments. Full article
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16 pages, 1833 KiB  
Article
Influence of Anthropogenic Load in River Basins on River Water Status: A Case Study in Lithuania
by Laima Česonienė, Daiva Šileikienė and Midona Dapkienė
Land 2021, 10(12), 1312; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10121312 - 28 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1649
Abstract
Twenty-four rivers in different parts of Lithuania were selected for the study. The aim of the research was to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic load on the ecological status of rivers. Anthropogenic loads were assessed according to the pollution sources in individual river [...] Read more.
Twenty-four rivers in different parts of Lithuania were selected for the study. The aim of the research was to evaluate the impact of anthropogenic load on the ecological status of rivers. Anthropogenic loads were assessed according to the pollution sources in individual river catchment basins. The total nitrogen (TN) values did not correspond to the “good” and “very good” ecological status classes in 51% of the tested water bodies; 19% had a “bad” to “moderate” BOD7, 50% had “bad” to “moderate” NH4-N, 37% had “bad” to “moderate” NO3-N, and 4% had “bad” to “moderate” PO4-P. The total phosphorus (TP) values did not correspond to the “good” and “very good” ecological status classes in 4% of the tested water bodies. The largest amounts of pollution in river basins were generated from the following sources: transit pollution, with 87,599 t/year of total nitrogen and 5020 t/year of total phosphorus; agricultural pollution, with 56,031 t/year of total nitrogen and 2474 t/year of total phosphorus. The highest total nitrogen load in river basins per year, on average, was from transit pollution, accounting for 53.89%, and agricultural pollution, accounting for 34.47%. The highest total phosphorus load was also from transit pollution, totaling 58.78%, and agricultural pollution, totaling 28.97%. Multiple regression analysis showed the agricultural activity had the biggest negative influence on the ecological status of rivers according to all studied indicators. Full article
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14 pages, 2385 KiB  
Article
Rate of Fen-Peat Soil Subsidence Near Drainage Ditches (Central Poland)
by Ryszard Oleszczuk, Ewelina Zając, Janusz Urbański and Jan Jadczyszyn
Land 2021, 10(12), 1287; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10121287 - 24 Nov 2021
Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1545
Abstract
This study analyzed design depths (to), post-subsidence depths (t), shallowing magnitudes (d = tot) and ratio values (d/t) of 12 drainage ditches in a fragment of the drained Solec [...] Read more.
This study analyzed design depths (to), post-subsidence depths (t), shallowing magnitudes (d = tot) and ratio values (d/t) of 12 drainage ditches in a fragment of the drained Solec fen-peat (central Poland) over a period of 47 years between 1967 and 2014. A significant decrease of the designed depth of the ditches to was shown, from the average designed value of 0.97 m to their average depth after subsidence, t = 0.71 m. The ratio (d/t) of 0.41, which is associated with the degree of organic matter decomposition, indicated medium degree of peat decomposition. The average values of bank and bottom subsidence of the ditches during the analyzed period, 1967–2014, were 0.43 m and 0.17 m, respectively. The values of the average annual rate of land surface subsidence in the vicinity of the ditches were varied and within the range of 0.09 cm year−1 to 1.70 cm year−1, with an average of 0.92 cm year−1. Two linear empirical equations were proposed to calculate the amount of subsidence and the average annual rate of subsidence of peat soil surface near the drainage ditch route, based on the knowledge of the initial thickness of the peat deposit. The results of calculations using the equations proposed by the authors were compared with calculations of the same parameters using 10 equations published in the literature. The results obtained using the proposed equations were mostly larger than those calculated with literature-published equations. Full article
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22 pages, 3586 KiB  
Article
Use of Pedotransfer Functions in the Rosetta Model to Determine Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity (Ks) of Arable Soils: A Case Study
by Łukasz Borek, Andrzej Bogdał and Tomasz Kowalik
Land 2021, 10(9), 959; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10090959 - 10 Sep 2021
Cited by 4 | Viewed by 2282
Abstract
A key parameter for the design of soil drainage and irrigation facilities and for the modelling of surface runoff and erosion phenomena in land-formed areas is the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks). There are many methods for determining its value. In situ and laboratory [...] Read more.
A key parameter for the design of soil drainage and irrigation facilities and for the modelling of surface runoff and erosion phenomena in land-formed areas is the saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks). There are many methods for determining its value. In situ and laboratory measurements are commonly regarded as the most accurate and direct methods; however, they are costly and time-consuming. Alternatives can be found in the increasingly popular models of pedotransfer functions (PTFs), which can be used for rapid determination of soil hydrophysical parameters. This study presents an analysis of the Ks values obtained from in situ measurements conducted using a double-ring infiltrometer (DRI). The measurements were conducted using a laboratory permeability meter (LPM) and were estimated using five PTFs in the Rosetta program, based on easily accessible input data, i.e., the soil type, content of various grain sizes in %, density, and water content at 2.5 and 4.2 pF, respectively. The degrees of matching between the results from the PTF models and the values obtained from the in situ and laboratory measurements were investigated based on the root-mean-square deviation (RMSD), Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency (NSE), and determination coefficient (R2). The statistical relationships between the tested variables tested were confirmed using Spearman’s rank correlation coefficient (rho). Data analysis showed that in situ measurements of Ks were only significantly correlated with the laboratory tests conducted on intact samples; the values obtained in situ were much higher. The high sensitivity of Ks to biotic and abiotic factors, especially in the upper soil horizons, did not allow for a satisfactory match between the values from the in situ measurements and those obtained from the PTFs. In contrast, the laboratory measurements, showed a significant correlation with the Ks values, as estimated by the models PTF-2 to PTF-5; the best match was found for PTF-2. Full article
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13 pages, 5728 KiB  
Article
Concept of Soil Moisture Ratio for Determining the Spatial Distribution of Soil Moisture Using Physiographic Parameters of a Basin and Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs)
by Edyta Kruk and Wioletta Fudała
Land 2021, 10(7), 766; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10070766 - 20 Jul 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1771
Abstract
The results of investigations on shaping the soil moisture ratio in the mountain basin of the Mątny stream located in the Gorce region, Poland, are presented. A soil moisture ratio was defined as a ratio of soil moisture in a given point in [...] Read more.
The results of investigations on shaping the soil moisture ratio in the mountain basin of the Mątny stream located in the Gorce region, Poland, are presented. A soil moisture ratio was defined as a ratio of soil moisture in a given point in a basin to the one located in a base point located on a watershed. Investigations were carried out, using a TDR device, for 379 measuring points located in an irregular network, in the 0–25 cm soil layer. Values of the soil moisture ratio fluctuated between 0.75 and 1.85. Based on measurements, an artificial neural network (ANN) model of the MLP type was constructed, with nine neurons in the input layer, four neurons in the hidden layer and one neuron in the output layer. Input parameters influencing the soil moisture ratio were chosen based on physiographic parameters: altitude, flow direction, height a.s.l., clay content, land use, exposition, slope shape, soil hydrologic group and place on a slope. The ANN model was generated in the module data mining in the program Statistica 12. Physiographic parameters were generated using a database, digital elevation model and the program ArcGIS. The value of the network learning parameter obtained, 0.722, was satisfactory. Comparison of experimental data with values obtained using the ANN model showed a good fit; the determination coefficient was 0.581. The ANN model showed a minimal tendency to overestimate values. Global network sensitivity analysis showed that the highest influence on the wetness coefficient were provided by the parameters place on slope, exposition, and land use, while the parameters with the lowest influence were slope, clay fraction and hydrological group. The chosen physiographic parameters explained the values of the relative wetness ratio a satisfactory degree. Full article
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13 pages, 24283 KiB  
Article
Attribution Analysis of Climate and Anthropic Factors on Runoff and Vegetation Changes in the Source Area of the Yangtze River from 1982 to 2016
by Guangxing Ji, Huiyun Song, Hejie Wei and Leying Wu
Land 2021, 10(6), 612; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10060612 - 8 Jun 2021
Cited by 23 | Viewed by 2250
Abstract
Analyzing the temporal variation of runoff and vegetation and quantifying the impact of anthropic factors and climate change on vegetation and runoff variation in the source area of the Yangtze River (SAYR), is of great significance for the scientific response to the ecological [...] Read more.
Analyzing the temporal variation of runoff and vegetation and quantifying the impact of anthropic factors and climate change on vegetation and runoff variation in the source area of the Yangtze River (SAYR), is of great significance for the scientific response to the ecological protection of the region. Therefore, the Budyko hypothesis method and multiple linear regression method were used to quantitatively calculate the contribution rates of climate change and anthropic factors to runoff and vegetation change in the SAYR. It was found that: (1) The runoff, NDVI, precipitation, and potential evaporation in the SAYR from 1982 to 2016 all showed an increasing trend. (2) The mutation year of runoff data from 1982 to 2016 in the SAYR is 2004, and the mutation year of NDVI data from 1982 to 2016 in the SAYR is 1998. (3) The contribution rates of precipitation, potential evaporation and anthropic factors to runoff change of the SAYR are 75.98%, −9.35%, and 33.37%, respectively. (4) The contribution rates of climatic factors and anthropic factors to vegetation change of the SAYR are 38.56% and 61.44%, respectively. Full article
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20 pages, 5575 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Land Use on Concentrations of Nutrients and Selected Metals in Bottom Sediments and the Risk Assessment for Rivers of the Warta River Catchment, Poland
by Michał Fiedler
Land 2021, 10(6), 589; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10060589 - 2 Jun 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1991
Abstract
Changes in the environment, aiming at agricultural intensification, progressive urbanisation and other forms of anthropopression, may cause an increase in soil erosion and a resulting increase in the pollution inflow to surface water. At the same time, this results in increased nutrient pollution [...] Read more.
Changes in the environment, aiming at agricultural intensification, progressive urbanisation and other forms of anthropopression, may cause an increase in soil erosion and a resulting increase in the pollution inflow to surface water. At the same time, this results in increased nutrient pollution of bottom sediments. In this study, the concentrations of total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), total organic carbon (TOC), calcium (Ca), iron (Fe) and potassium (K) were analysed using bottom sediment samples collected at 39 sites located along the entire length of the Warta River and its tributaries. Agricultural use of land adjacent to rivers was found to significantly degrade sediment quality, while anthropogenic land use (as defined by Corine Land Cover classification—CLC), unlike previous studies, reduces the pollution loads in the bottom sediments. Forest use also contributes to the reduction of the pollution load in sediments. It was found that the significance of the relationship between pollutant concentrations and land use depends on the length of the river–land interface. According to the analyses, the level of correlation between the analysed constituents depends on the use of land adjacent to rivers. The impact of agricultural land use has the strongest effect in the 1 km zone and 5 km in the case of anthropogenic land use. The results showed that the variability of total phosphorus TP concentrations is strongly correlated with the variability of iron concentrations. SPI values indicate that the risk to sediment quality is low due to TOC and Fe concentrations. In contrast, the risk of sediment pollution by TN and TP shows greater differentiation. Although the risk is negligible for 40% of the samples, at the same time, for 33% of the samples, a very high risk of pollution with both TN and TP was found. Full article
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Other

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23 pages, 2536 KiB  
Concept Paper
Water Diversion in the Valley of Mexico Basin: An Environmental Transformation That Caused the Desiccation of Lake Texcoco
by Carolina Montero-Rosado, Enrique Ojeda-Trejo, Vicente Espinosa-Hernández, Demetrio Fernández-Reynoso, Miguel Caballero Deloya and Gerardo Sergio Benedicto Valdés
Land 2022, 11(4), 542; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11040542 - 8 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 4822
Abstract
Mexico’s basin is one of the most altered in the country, owing to the presence of the megalopolis of Mexico City. Lake Texcoco, which had the basin’s biggest extension, dried up almost completely. The basin’s evolution over time led in the formation of [...] Read more.
Mexico’s basin is one of the most altered in the country, owing to the presence of the megalopolis of Mexico City. Lake Texcoco, which had the basin’s biggest extension, dried up almost completely. The basin’s evolution over time led in the formation of a megabasin in which water is transported from one source to another to serve the urban region and subsequently drained to prevent flooding. The major hydrotechnical works in Mexico Basin have been interpreted as a solution to the problem of flooding in Mexico City, but they were actually part of a much larger strategy of territorial appropriation by the Spanish colonists. The ecological imbalance that has resulted has sparked a variety of social issues. For the purpose of analyzing the environmental transformation of Lake Texcoco over the last 500 years, actors and processes that influenced specific moments in the country’s history were identified; these elements showed the inexorable relationship between the lake and Mexico City. Subsequently, they were grouped by periods with similar trends in terms of the way in which society relates to and appropriates the natural environment of the lake. It was found that the critical moment for the desiccation of Lake Texcoco occurred during the Spanish colonial historical period as part of the redesign of the city; from then on, the same environmental imaginary prevailed century after century, shaped by social and economic factors. This study contributes to the literature on how urbanization affects natural resources by making an original theoretical contribution through an analysis based on political ecology, and it adds to the literature on how people use the prevailing federal area of the lake. Full article
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