Abstract
Purpose
Substantial quantities of sedimentary materials are transported from the Yangtze River toward the water level fluctuation zone (WLFZ) of the Three Gorges Reservoir (TGR). Sediment and riparian soil coring across the elevation gradient in the WLFZ of the TGR over a 6-year period are used to interpret deposition patterns, particle size properties, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), total phosphorus (TP), and nutrient ratios using fluvial and suspended sediment data from upstream under flow regime manipulation of the reservoir.
Materials and methods
Sediment and associated riparian soil cores were extracted in 2013 and 2019 across various elevation gradients in the WLFZ of the TGR. A total of 15 sediments and 24 soil cores were extracted. The sectioned sediment and soil subsamples were analyzed for particle size distribution (PSD) (including sand, silt, and clay fractions); median particle size (MPS) distributions, TOC, TN, TP, and various nutrient ratios were calculated. Upstream suspended sediment and hydrological data were used to interpret sediment deposition, carbon, associated nutrient deposition, and storage dynamics across the elevation gradient.
Results and discussion
Sediment deposition and relative fining of sediment and riparian soil were irregular, decreased with an increase in elevation, and increased with time. In 2013, the distributions of TOC, TN, TP, and nutrient ratios were irregular, and comparatively stable distributions were observed in 2019, which increased from lower to upper elevation gradient. With a few exceptions, similar trends were also observed in riparian soil core profiles. We conclude that water level fluctuations, water residence time, suspended sediment dynamics, time, and topography played a significant role in determining changes in sediment and riparian soil properties over time. Fine sediment-induced carbon and nutrient lateral translocations and subsequent interactions in sediment and soil layers due to repeated inundation cycles change the sediment and soil properties over time.
Conclusions
This study interprets sedimentary carbon and nutrient redistribution and translocation processes. The concentrations of carbon and nutrients in sediments and soils change over time due to various fluvial, sedimentary, and geochemical processes, including the hydrological regime, flow regulation manipulation, repeated inundation cycles, water residence time, and suspended sediment dynamics. Fine sediment-associated lateral translocations cause the enrichment of these components in sediments and riparian soils. Sediment deposition is declining in this region due to environmental protection and conservation initiatives.
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Data availability
The authors confirm that the data supporting the findings of this study are available within the article or in the supplementary materials. The original data of the article will be uploaded to the Mendeley Data repository upon completion of the peer review process.
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This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (U2040207), the Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars of Chongqing (cstc2021jcyj-jqX0026), the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities (SWU020013), and the Sichuan Science and Technology Program (2020YJ0202, 2021YFSQ0288).
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YB, QT, and XH designed and conceptualized the research, acquired the funding, and supervised the project. JL and DK analyzed the data. DK wrote the original manuscript. QT, XH, and YB revised and approved the final manuscript. All authors read and approved the manuscript.
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Khurram, D., Tang, Q., Bao, Y. et al. Flow regulation controls sediment, carbon, and nutrient dynamics across the elevation gradient in the water level fluctuation zone of the Three Gorges Reservoir, China. J Soils Sediments 23, 3201–3218 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-023-03576-x
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-023-03576-x