Abstract
The paper deals with comparative summary of sediment loads and particulate trace metals (V, Cr, Co, Cu, Zn, Cd, Pb) transport in the largest Asian rivers of Russia and China. Environmental conditions and human interventions in the selected catchments (Lena, Ob, Enisey, Selenga, Kolyma, Amur, Yellow, Yangtze, Pearl) are analyzed with respect to the rate and composition of suspended sediment loads. The paper presents calculations of sediment load changes at the downstream sections of the rivers and new database of the chemical composition of suspended matter which involves all recent studies of the last decade for the sediment geochemistry. The results indicate that fluvial system and its human modifications are the most significant drivers of sediment load. Fluvial erosion in the unconfined channels exerts a significant control on the sediment load changes due to observed permafrost melting. We concluded that construction of reservoirs has the most important influence on land–ocean sediment fluxes in the largest rivers of Asia but plays relatively weak role in heavy metal composition in suspended particulate matter (SPM) due to lowest sedimentation rates of the fine clay particles, which are mostly enriched with heavy metals. The paper also presents novel mapping approaches related to cartographic recognition of the fluvial system and its human modification and sediment transfer processes in the largest Asian rivers of Russia and China, linked with a specific legend. Finally, analysis of uncertainties associated with estimating the SPM composition in the rivers was done with respect to spatial and temporal variability. It was shown that the main error occurs due to incorporation of data only from particular hydrological seasons which usually ignore high flood conditions.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Alabyan A, Chalov R (1998) Types of river channel patterns and their natural controls. Earth Surf Process Landf 23:467–474
Alexeevsky NI, Chalov RS, Berkovich KM, Chalov SR (2013) Channel changes in largest Russian rivers: natural and anthropogenic effects. Int J River Basin Manag 11:175–191
Asarin AE, Bestouzeva КH, Khristoforov AB, Chalov CP (2012) Water resources assessment. MSU publishing house, Moscow
Bagard ML, Chabaux F, Pokrovsky OS et al (2011) Seasonal variability of element fluxes in two Central Siberian rivers draining high latitude permafrost dominated areas. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 75:3335–3357. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gca.2011.03.024
Bi N, Wang H, Yang Z (2014) Recent changes in the erosion–accretion patterns of the active Huanghe (Yellow River) delta lobe caused by human activities. Cont Shelf Res 90:70–78. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.csr.2014.02.014
Carson MA, Kirkby MJ (1972) Hillslope form and process. Cambridge University Press, Cambridge
Chalov RS (2004) Morphological expressions of river sediment transport and their role in channel processes. In: Sediment transfer through the fluvial system, pp 205–211
Chalov SR, Alexeevsky NI (2015) Braided rivers: structure, types and hydrological effects. Hydrol Res 46:258. https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2013.023
Chalov S, Jarsjö J, Kasimov NS et al (2014) Spatio-temporal variation of sediment transport in the Selenga River Basin, Mongolia and Russia. Environ Earth Sci 73:663–680. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3106-z
Chen J, Bouchez J, Louvat P, Louvat P (2014) Behaviors of major and trace elements during single flood event in the Seine River, France. Procedia Earth Planet Sci 10:343–348. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.proeps.2014.08.034
Chizhikova N, Sirotsky S, Kharitonova G, Utkina E (2011) Microelements in the Amur River system. Dokuchaev Soil Inst Proc 67:32–39
Chudaeva VA, Shesterkin VP, Chudaev OV (2011) Water quality and protection: trace elements in surface water in Amur River basin. Water Resour 38:650–661. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0097807811050034
Cohen S, Kettner AJ, Syvitski JPM (2014) Global suspended sediment and water discharge dynamics between 1960 and 2010: continental trends and intra-basin sensitivity. Glob Planet Change 115:44–58. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2014.01.011
Dai SB, Lu XX (2014) Sediment load change in the Yangtze River (Changjiang): a review. Geomorphology 215:60–73. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2013.05.027
Dedkov AP, Gusarov AV (2006) Suspended sediment yield from continents into the World Ocean: spatial and temporal changeability. Sediment Dyn Hydromorphol Fluv Syst 396:3–11
Dedkov AP, Mozzherin VI (1996) Erosion and sediment yield on the Earth. In: Erosion And Sediment Yield: Global and Regional Perspectives (Proceedings of the Exeter Symposium, July 1996). IAHS, pp 29–33
Dukhovny VA, Sokolov VI, Ziganshina DR (2013) Integrated water resources management in Central Asia, as a way of survival in conditions of water scarcity. Quat Int 311:181–188. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2013.07.003
Dzhamalov RG, Krichevets GN, Safronova TI (2012) Current changes in water resources in Lena River basin. Water Resour 39:147–160. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0097807812020042
Escoube R, Rouxel OJ, Pokrovsky OS et al (2015) Iron isotope systematics in Arctic rivers. C R Geosci 347:377–385. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.crte.2015.04.005
Gao P, Zhang XX, Mu X et al (2010) Trend and change-point analyses of streamflow and sediment discharge in the Yellow River during 1950–2005. Hydrol Sci J 55:275–285. https://doi.org/10.1080/02626660903546191
Gao P, Mu XM, Wang F, Li R (2011) Changes in streamflow and sediment discharge and the response to human activities in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci 15:1–10. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-1-2011
Gray JR, Osterkamp WR, Jianhua X (2002) Effects of water use diversion regulation and conservation on sediment transport in China’s Yellow River with comparisons from the United States. In: 12th ISCO conference, pp 565–569
Hasholt B, Bobrovitskaya N, Bogen J et al (2006) Sediment transport to the Arctic Ocean and adjoining cold oceans. Nord Hydrol 37:413
Hölemann JA, Schirmacher M, Prange A (2005) Seasonal variability of trace metals in the Lena River and the southeastern Laptev Sea: impact of the spring freshet. Glob Planet Change 48:112–125. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2004.12.008
Holmes RM, McClelland JW, Peterson BJ et al (2012) Seasonal and annual fluxes of nutrients and organic matter from large rivers to the Arctic Ocean and surrounding seas. Estuar Coasts 35:369–382. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12237-011-9386-6
Hu B, Li J, Bi N et al (2015) Seasonal variability and flux of particulate trace elements from the Yellow River: impacts of the anthropogenic flood event. Mar Pollut Bull 91:35–44. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.marpolbul.2014.12.030
Huang Wei Wen, Jing Z, Zhou Zeng Hao (1992) Particulate element inventory of the Huanghe (Yellow River): a large, high-turbidity river. Geochim Cosmochim Acta 56:3669–3680. https://doi.org/10.1016/0016-7037(92)90160-K
Karthe D, Kasimov N, Chalov S, Shinkareva G, Malsy M, Menzel L, Theuring P, Hartwig M, Schweitzer C, Hofmann J, Priess J, Lychagin M (2014) Integrating Multi-Scale Data for the Assessment of Water Availability and Quality in the Kharaa - Orkhon - Selenga River System. Geogr Environ Sustain 3(7):65–86. https://doi.org/10.24057/2071-9388-2014-7-3-40-49
Karthe D, Chalov S, Borchardt D (2015) Water resources and their management in central Asia in the early twenty first century: status, challenges and future prospects. Environ Earth Sci 73:487–499. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-014-3789-1
Lai C, Chen X, Wang Z et al (2016) Spatio-temporal variation in rainfall erosivity during 1960–2012 in the Pearl River Basin, China. Catena 137:382–391. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2015.10.008
Levshina SI (2008) Dissolved and suspended organic mater in the Amur and Songhua River water. Water Resour 35:716–724. https://doi.org/10.1134/S0097807808060110
Liu JP, Xu KH, Li AC et al (2007) Flux and fate of Yangtze River sediment delivered to the East China Sea. Geomorphology 85:208–224. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.03.023
Lu XX, Zhang SR, Xie SP, Ma PK (2007) Rapid channel incision of the lower Pearl River (China) since the 1990s. Hydrol Earth Syst Sci Discuss 4:2205–2227. https://doi.org/10.5194/hessd-4-2205-2007
Luo XL, Zeng EY, Ji RY, Wang CP (2007) Effects of in-channel sand excavation on the hydrology of the Pearl River Delta, China. J Hydrol 343:230–239. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2007.06.019
Magritsky D (2010) Annual sediment yield of Russian Artctic rivers and its anthropogenic changes. Vestn Mosk Univ Seriya 5 Geogr 5:17–24
Martin JM, Meybeck M (1979) Elemental mass-balance of material carried by major world rivers. Mar Chem 7:173–206. https://doi.org/10.1016/0304-4203(79)90039-2
Miao C, Ni J, Borthwick AGL (2010) Recent changes of water discharge and sediment load in the Yellow River basin, China. Prog Phys Geogr 34:541–561. https://doi.org/10.1177/0309133310369434
Milliman JD, Meade RH (1983) World-wide delivery of river sediment to the oceans. J Geol 91:1–21
Peng J, Chen S, Dong P (2010) Temporal variation of sediment load in the Yellow River basin, China, and its impacts on the lower reaches and the river delta. Catena 83(2–3):135–147
Pokrovsky OS, Manasypov RM, Loiko S et al (2015) Permafrost coverage, watershed area and season control of dissolved carbon and major elements in western Siberian rivers. Biogeosciences 12:6301–6320. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-12-6301-2015
Qiao S, Yang Z, Pan Y, Guo Z (2007) Metals in suspended sediments from the Changjiang (Yangtze River) and Huanghe (Yellow River) to the sea, and their comparison. Estuar Coast Shelf Sci 74:539–548. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecss.2007.05.042
Savenko V (2006) Chemical composition of World River’s suspended matter. GEOS, Moscow
Sazonova TS (2004) Permafrost dynamics in the 20th and 21st centuries along the East Siberian transect. J Geophys Res 109:D01108. https://doi.org/10.1029/2003JD003680
Shakhova N, Semiletov I, Bel’cheva N (2007) The great Siberian rivers as a source of methane on the Russian Arctic shelf. Dokl Earth Sci 415:734–736. https://doi.org/10.1134/S1028334X07050169
Syvitski JPM, Kettner A (2011) Sediment flux and the Anthropocene. Philos Trans R Soc A 369:957–975. https://doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2010.0329
Tananaev NI (2016) Hydrological and sedimentary controls over fluvial thermal erosion, the Lena River, central Yakutia. Geomorphology 253:524–533. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2015.11.009
Temerev SV, Savkin VM (2004) Heavy metals as status indicators for the Ob River. Chem Sustain Dev 12:565–571
U.S. Geological Survey (2016) U.S. Geological Survey. Earth explorer. http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Accessed Nov 2016
U.S. Geological Survey (2017) U.S. Geological Survey. Earth explorer. http://earthexplorer.usgs.gov/. Accessed Jan 2017
Viers J, Dupré B, Gaillardet J (2009) Chemical composition of suspended sediments in World Rivers: new insights from a new database. Sci Total Environ 407:853–868. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2008.09.053
Vinogradov A (1962) Average chemical elements composition in the main rocks of the Earth crust. Geochemistry 7:555–571
Vörösmarty CJ, Meybeck M, Fekete B et al (2003) Anthropogenic sediment retention: major global impact from registered river impoundments. Glob Planet Change 39:169–190. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8181(03)00023-7
Walling DE (2006) Human impact on land–ocean sediment transfer by the world’s rivers. Geomorphology 79:192–216. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geomorph.2006.06.019
Walling DE, Fang D (2003) Recent trends in the suspended sediment loads of the world’s rivers. Glob Planet Change 39:111–126. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0921-8181(03)00020-1
Wang H, Yang Z, Wang Y et al (2008) Reconstruction of sediment flux from the Changjiang (Yangtze River) to the sea since the 1860s. J Hydrol 349:318–332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2007.11.005
Wang H, Saito Y, Zhang Y et al (2011) Recent changes of sediment flux to the western Pacific Ocean from major rivers in East and Southeast Asia. Earth Sci Rev 108:80–100
Wei Y, Jiao J, Zhao G et al (2016) Spatial-temporal variation and periodic change in streamflow and suspended sediment discharge along the mainstream of the Yellow River during 1950–2013. Catena 140:105–115. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2016.01.016
Wu CS, Yang SL, Lei YP (2012) Quantifying the anthropogenic and climatic impacts on water discharge and sediment load in the Pearl River (Zhujiang), China (1954–2009). J Hydrol 452–453:190–204. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.05.064
Wu ZY, Saito Y, Zhao DN, Zhou JQ, Cao ZY, Li ZY, Shang JH, Liang YY (2016a) Impact of human activities on subaqueous topographic change in Lingding Bay of the Pearl River estuary, China, during 1955–2013. Sci Rep 6:37742. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep37742
Wu CS, Yang S, Huang S, Mu J (2016b) Delta changes in the Pearl River estuary and its response to human activities (1954–2008). Quat intern 392, 147–154. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.quaint.2015.04.009
Wu Z, Milliman JD, Zhao D et al (2014) Recent geomorphic change in LingDing Bay, China, in response to economic and urban growth on the Pearl River Delta, Southern China. Glob Planet Change 123:1–12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2014.10.009
Yang SL, Milliman JD, Li P, Xu K (2011) 50,000 dams later: erosion of the Yangtze River and its delta. Glob Planet Change 75:14–20. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.gloplacha.2010.09.006
Yang SL, Xu KH, Milliman JD et al (2015) Decline of Yangtze River water and sediment discharge: impact from natural and anthropogenic changes. Sci Rep 5:12581. https://doi.org/10.1038/srep12581
Yao Q, Wang X, Jian H et al (2015) Characterization of the particle size fraction associated with heavy metals in suspended sediments of the Yellow River. Int J Environ Res Public Health 12:6725–6744. https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph120606725
Ye F, Huang XP, Zhang DW et al (2012) Distribution of heavy metals in sediments of the Pearl River Estuary, Southern China: implications for sources and historical changes. J Environ Sci 24:579–588. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1001-0742(11)60783-3
Yuan X (2012) Geochemistry of water and suspended particulate in the lower Yangtze River: implications for geographic and anthropogenic effects. Int J Geosci 3:81–92. https://doi.org/10.4236/ijg.2012.31010
Zhang W, Du J, Zheng J et al (2014) Redistribution of the suspended sediment at the apex bifurcation in the Pearl River Network, South China. J Coast Res 30:170–182. https://doi.org/10.2112/JCOASTRES-D-13-00002.1
Zhao G, Mu X, Strehmel A, Tian P (2014) Temporal variation of streamflow, sediment load and their relationship in the Yellow River Basin, China. PLoS One. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0091048
Zhao Y, Zou X, Gao J et al (2015) Quantifying the anthropogenic and climatic contributions to changes in water discharge and sediment load into the sea: a case study of the Yangtze River, China. Sci Total Environ 536:803–812. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.07.119
Acknowledgements
Field visits and contacts between co-authors are done under Russian Foundation for Basic Research Grant 16-55-53116. Fluvial processes inventory and mapping set up was done under implementation of the Russian Foundation for Basic Research Grant (Project No. 15-05-03752). The Selenga River studies were supported by Russian Foundation for Basic Research Grant (17-29-05027). Geochemical analyses were supported by Russian Scientific Foundation Grant 14-27-00083. We thank anonymous reviewers for their helpful comments on the earlier drafts of this manuscript.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Electronic supplementary material
Below is the link to the electronic supplementary material.
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Chalov, S.R., Liu, S., Chalov, R.S. et al. Environmental and human impacts on sediment transport of the largest Asian rivers of Russia and China. Environ Earth Sci 77, 274 (2018). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-018-7448-9
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12665-018-7448-9