Water Yield Responses to Gradual Changes in Forest Structure and Species Composition in a Subboreal Watershed in Northeastern China

Yu, Zhengxiang; Sun, Ge; Cai, Tijiu; Hallema, Dennis W.; Duan, Liangliang

doi:10.3390/f10030211

Cited by 13 publications

(19 citation statements)

References 63 publications

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“…Shifts in species composition and structural changes in forests may also strongly influence water yield and flow regimes. A study in Tahe watershed, China observed that as young larch trees and secondary birch forests replaced old‐growth larch forests, there was a reduction in mean annual streamflow along with an increase in the magnitude of high/low flows (Yu et al, 2019). On a similar note, Singh and Mishra (2014) studied water quality amongst four watersheds with different forest profiles of old forests (primary forest, mature secondary forest, and undisturbed mature plantations) open and disturbed forests in the Western Ghats, India.…”

Section: Forest and Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…A decrease in forest cover led to an increase in turbidity, total suspended solids (TSSs), and increased number of Escherichia coli . Moreover, old forests were more effective in reducing turbidity and TSS than disturbed forests (Singh & Mishra, 2014; Yu et al, 2019) as old‐growth forests have a vegetative design that minimizes soil erosion and sediment runoff while promoting soils that provide natural filtration. Therefore, the conservation of old/mature forests is an essential factor for the stabilization of water yield and quality.…”

Section: Forest and Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

“…He further reiterated the need for evaluation of hydrological responses to heterogeneous forests, development of reliable models and statistical tests for assessment, the importance of scaling watersheds for the development of management strategies, the need for understanding inter‐relationships between terrestrial, aquatic, and riparian systems to better assess hydrological processes, water ecosystem services, role of global water, runoff and water quality characteristics in tandem with socio‐economic ethos. Many of the above have been addressed through continuous efforts of the scientific community with particular strides toward the use of comprehensive datasets for hydrological computation in improved models for projecting impacts of climate change, agricultural activities, and anthropogenic interference on different qualitative and quantitative variables related to water (Arnold et al, 2020; Wei et al, 2018; Yu et al, 2019). Thus, inclusive models focusing on the positive influence of forests on water are required for integrated policy formulation in managing forest and water synergistically and effectively.…”

Section: Forest and Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Understanding synergies and tradeoffs between forests, water, and climate change

et al. 2022

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Understanding synergies and trade-offs between forests, water, and climate change is warranted for designing effective policies and strategies for managing water and forests, which are essential for sustenance, ecological proliferation, and economic development. Forests are considered global storehouse of resources, functioning as ecosystem service providers, such as recyclers of terrestrial water to maintain quality and quantity of water but are constantly regulated by climatic parameters. These interlinkages are further complicated by the highly debated role of forests in water regulation and consumption, anthropogenic changes in land use, changing climatic patterns and their subsequent impacts on the hydrological cycle. However, policy and planning for natural resource management seldom consider the interrelationships between forest, water, and climate change due to lack of consensus, misrepresentations and difficult conversions of the complicated interactions to policy. We review and discuss the existing research on these interrelationships with different approaches using a range of hydrological, climatic, and land use indicators.We further suggest incorporating long-term data for forest, water, and climate into conceptual, statistical, and stochastic models may yield better projections with fewer uncertainties rather than those focusing on linear interactions between paired components. Thus, there is a need for exploring these interactions holistically rather than in silos from the perspective of natural resource management particularly in developing nations such as India that have a pressing need to develop new and synergize existing strategies for sustainable management of forest and water under changing climatic variables.

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Section: Forest and Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Forest and Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Forest and Watermentioning

confidence: 99%

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Understanding synergies and tradeoffs between forests, water, and climate change

et al. 2022

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“…On the contrary, in the Upper Grosse Ohe catchment, a 30% of forest loss caused a significant rise in the magnitude of low flows [28]. Yu et al [29] also found deforestation increased the magnitude of low flows in the Tahe River watershed, China, while reforestation had the opposite result. The increment in the magnitude of low flows after deforestation is mainly associated with the reduction of evapotranspiration [30][31][32].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 98%

Both Forest Harvesting and Hydropower Dams Yielded Negative Impact on Low Flow Regimes in the Zagunao River Watershed, Southwest China

Jiang

Zhang

Hou

2020

Forests

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Forest harvesting and hydropower dams can significantly affect flow regimes (magnitude, timing, duration, frequency, and variability), resulting in changes in degraded aquatic ecosystems and unstable water supply. Despite numerous studies on the effects of forest harvesting on mean flows, the impact of forest harvesting on flow regimes has been less investigated. A great difficulty lies in separating the hydrological effect of forest harvesting from that of climate variability and other watershed disturbances such hydropower dams. In this study, the Upper Zagunao River watershed (2242 km2) was selected as an example to provide a quantitative assessment of the effects of forest harvesting and hydropower dams on low flow regimes. The key findings include: (1) Forest harvesting led to a significant reduction in the magnitude and return period of low flows, and a significant increment in the variability and duration of low flows; (2) the recovery of low flow regimes occurred 40 years after forest harvesting as forest recovery processed; and (3) hydropower dams caused significant impact on all components of low flow regimes, e.g., a reduction in the magnitude, return period, and timing of low flows, and an increment in the variability and duration of low flows. Our findings highlight the negative impact of both forest harvesting and hydropower dams on low flow regimes in the Upper Zagunao River watershed. A watershed management strategy for offsetting the negative effect of hydropower dams on low flow regimes by restoring hydrological functions of subalpine forests is highly recommended in subalpine watersheds of the Upper Yangtze River.

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“…As a result of large-scale fire and logging, the natural secondary forests are widely distributed [34]. Betula platyphylla, as a pioneer species, is the widely distributed natural secondary forest in this region, which accounts for 41.15% and 41.59% of the total forest area and the total forest stock, respectively [35,36]. There are few Betula platyphylla stands older than 80 years, because old Betula platyphylla forests are generally replaced by Larix gmelinii and mixed deciduous forests as a stand successional pathway in this region [37,38].…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Increased Litter Greatly Enhancing Soil Respiration in Betula platyphylla Forests of Permafrost Region, Northeast China

Wei

Man

2021

Forests

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The change of litter input can affect soil respiration (Rs) by influencing the availability of soil organic carbon and nutrients, regulating soil microenvironments, thus resulting in a profound influence on soil carbon cycle of the forest ecosystem. We conducted an aboveground litterfall manipulation experiment in different-aged Betula platyphylla forests (25-, 40- and 61-year-old) of the permafrost region, located in the northeast of China, during May to October in 2018, with each stand treated with doubling litter (litter addition, DL), litter exclusion (no-litter, NL) and control litter (CK). Our results indicated that Rs decreased under NL treatment compared with CK treatment. The effect size lessened with the increase in the stand age; the greatest reduction was found for young Betula platyphylla forest (24.46% for 25-year-old stand) and tended to stabilize with the growth of forest with the reduction of 15.65% and 15.23% for 40-and 61- year-old stands, respectively. Meanwhile, under DL treatment, Rs increased by 27.38%, 23.83% and 23.58% on 25-, 40- and 61-year-old stands, respectively. Our results also showed that the increase caused by DL treatment was larger than the reduction caused by NL treatment, leading to a priming effect, especially on 40- and 61-year-old stands. The change in litter input was the principal factor affecting the change of Rs under litter manipulation. The soil temperature was also a main factor affecting the contribution rate of litter to Rs of different-aged stands, which had a significant positive exponential correlation with Rs. This suggests that there is a significant relationship between litter and Rs, which consequently influences the soil carbon cycle in Betula platyphylla forests of the permafrost region, Northeast China. Our finding indicated the increased litter enhanced the Rs in Betula platyphylla forest, which may consequently increase the carbon emission in a warming climate in the future. It is of great importance for future forest management in the permafrost region, Northeast China.

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Water Yield Responses to Gradual Changes in Forest Structure and Species Composition in a Subboreal Watershed in Northeastern China

Cited by 13 publications

References 63 publications

Understanding synergies and tradeoffs between forests, water, and climate change

Understanding synergies and tradeoffs between forests, water, and climate change

Both Forest Harvesting and Hydropower Dams Yielded Negative Impact on Low Flow Regimes in the Zagunao River Watershed, Southwest China

Increased Litter Greatly Enhancing Soil Respiration in Betula platyphylla Forests of Permafrost Region, Northeast China

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