Abstract
40 small watersheds in the Source Area of the Yellow River were investigated recently to sample surface waters, groundwater and ground ice, and their water isotopic signatures (2H, 18O, 3H, and 222Rn) have been measured. A novel isotope mass balance approach was developed to estimate annual surface and surface flow discharges in catchment combined water age dating. This approach revealed the changing surface and subsurface runoff patterns were along the hydrological trajectory of progressive permafrost degradation. To build up the linkages between the hydrological indictors and environmental and biological features was recommended, which would benefit a better understanding the significant impacts of permafrost degradation on social, ecological and economic developments in cold regions.
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Acknowledgements
This research was supported by the Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51979072), the State Key Program of National Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 51539003), the Strategic Priority Research Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (XDA2010010307), the Postgraduate Research & Practice Innovation Program of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. KYCX17_0418) and the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (Grant No. 2017B682X14; 2019B10114). C.W. Wan specially appreciate H. L. Zhang for her efforts during revision stage.
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Wan, C., Li, K., Zhang, H. et al. Integrating isotope mass balance and water residence time dating: insights of runoff generation in small permafrost watersheds from stable and radioactive isotopes. J Radioanal Nucl Chem 326, 241–254 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07315-1
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10967-020-07315-1