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Wade AJ, Yapiyev V, Shahgedanova M, Saidaliyeva Z, Madibekov A, Kapitsa V, Kasatkin N, Ismukhanova L, Kulbekova R, Sultanbekova B, Severskiy I, Esenaman M, Kalashnikova O, Usubaliev R, Akbarov F, Umirzakov G, Petrov M, Rakhimov I, Kayumova D, Kayumov A. Cryosphere and land cover influence on stream water quality in Central Asia's glacierized catchments. THE SCIENCE OF THE TOTAL ENVIRONMENT 2024; 939:173525. [PMID: 38810747 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2024.173525] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 01/29/2024] [Revised: 05/21/2024] [Accepted: 05/24/2024] [Indexed: 05/31/2024]
Abstract
This work helps address recent calls for systematic water quality assessment in Central Asia and considers how nutrient and salinity sources, and transport, affect water quality along the continuum from the cryosphere to the lowland plains. Spatial and, for the first time, temporal variations in stream water pH, temperature, electrical conductivity, and nitrate and phosphate concentrations are presented for four catchments (485-13,500 km2), all with glaciers and major urban areas. The catchments studied were: Kaskelen (Kazakhstan), Ala-Archa (Kyrgyzstan), Chirchik (Uzbekistan) and the Kofarnihon (Tajikistan). Measurements were made in cryosphere, stream water, groundwater, reservoir and lake samples over a 22-month period at fortnightly intervals from 35 sites. The results highlight that glacier, permafrost and rock glacier outflows were primary and secondary nitrate sources (>1 mg N L-1) to the headwaters, and there were major increases in salinity and nitrate concentrations where rivers receive inputs from agriculture and settlements. Overall, the water quality complied with national and World Health Organization standards, however there were pollution hot-spots with shallow urban groundwaters contaminated with nitrate (>11 mg N L-1) and stream electrical conductivity above 800 μS cm-1 in some agricultural areas indicative of high salinity. Phosphate concentrations were generally low (<0.06 mg P L-1) throughout the catchments, though elevated (>0.2 mg P L-1) in urban areas due to effluent contamination. A melt water dilution effect along the main river channels was discernible, in the electrical conductivity and nitrate concentration seasonal dynamics, 100 s of km from the headwaters. Thus, the input of relatively clean water from the cryosphere is an important regulator of main channel water quality in the urban and farmed lowland plains adjacent to the Tien Shan and Pamir. Improved sewage treatment is needed in urban areas.
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Affiliation(s)
- Andrew J Wade
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DW, UK.
| | - Vadim Yapiyev
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DW, UK; School of Mining and Geosciences, Nazarbayev University, Astana, Kazakhstan
| | - Maria Shahgedanova
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DW, UK
| | - Zarina Saidaliyeva
- Department of Geography and Environmental Science, University of Reading, Reading RG6 6DW, UK
| | | | - Vassiliy Kapitsa
- Institute of Geography and Water Security, Almaty, Kazakhstan; Central Asia Regional Glaciological Centre under the Auspices of UNESCO, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | - Nikolay Kasatkin
- Institute of Geography and Water Security, Almaty, Kazakhstan; Central Asia Regional Glaciological Centre under the Auspices of UNESCO, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Roza Kulbekova
- Institute of Geography and Water Security, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Igor Severskiy
- Institute of Geography and Water Security, Almaty, Kazakhstan; Central Asia Regional Glaciological Centre under the Auspices of UNESCO, Almaty, Kazakhstan
| | | | - Olga Kalashnikova
- Central-Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Ryskul Usubaliev
- Central-Asian Institute for Applied Geosciences, Bishkek, Kyrgyzstan
| | - Fakhriddin Akbarov
- Centre of Glacial Geology, Institute of Geology and Geophysics named after. H.M. Abdullaev at the University of Geological Sciences under the Ministry of Geology and Mining of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Gulomjon Umirzakov
- National University of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan; Hydrometeorological Research Institute, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | - Maksim Petrov
- Centre of Glacial Geology, Institute of Geology and Geophysics named after. H.M. Abdullaev at the University of Geological Sciences under the Ministry of Geology and Mining of the Republic of Uzbekistan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan
| | | | - Dilorom Kayumova
- State Scientific Institution 'Center for Research of Glaciers of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan', Dushanbe, Tajikistan
| | - Abdulhamid Kayumov
- State Scientific Institution 'Center for Research of Glaciers of the Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tajikistan', Dushanbe, Tajikistan
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Lu Q, Liu Y, Zhao J, Yao M. Successive accumulation of biotic assemblages at a fine spatial scale along glacier-fed waters. iScience 2024; 27:109476. [PMID: 38617565 PMCID: PMC11015461 DOI: 10.1016/j.isci.2024.109476] [Citation(s) in RCA: 0] [Impact Index Per Article: 0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Key Words] [Track Full Text] [Figures] [Journal Information] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Received: 10/10/2023] [Revised: 01/14/2024] [Accepted: 03/08/2024] [Indexed: 04/16/2024] Open
Abstract
Glacier-fed waters create strong environmental filtering for biota, whereby different organisms may assume distinct distribution patterns. By using environmental DNA-based metabarcoding, we investigated the multi-group biodiversity distribution patterns of the Parlung No. 4 Glacier, on the Tibetan Plateau. Altogether, 642 taxa were identified from the meltwater stream and the downstream Ranwu Lake, including 125 cyanobacteria, 316 diatom, 183 invertebrate, and 18 vertebrate taxa. As the distance increased from the glacier terminus, community complexity increased via sequential occurrences of cyanobacteria, diatoms, invertebrates, and vertebrates, as well as increasing taxa numbers. The stream and lake showed different community compositions and distinct taxa. Furthermore, the correlations with environmental factors and community assembly mechanisms showed group- and habitat-specific patterns. Our results reveal the rapid spatial succession and increasing community complexity along glacial flowpaths and highlight the varying adaptivity of different organisms, while also providing insight into the ecosystem responses to global change.
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Affiliation(s)
- Qi Lu
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Yongqin Liu
- Center for Pan-Third Pole Environment, Lanzhou University, Lanzhou 730000, China
- State Key Laboratory of Tibetan Plateau Earth System, Resources and Environment (TPESRE), Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100101, China
- University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
| | - Jindong Zhao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
| | - Meng Yao
- School of Life Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
- Institute of Ecology, College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Peking University, Beijing 100871, China
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Filamentous Algae Blooms in a Large, Clear-Water Lake: Potential Drivers and Reduced Benthic Primary Production. WATER 2022. [DOI: 10.3390/w14132136] [Citation(s) in RCA: 2] [Impact Index Per Article: 1.0] [Reference Citation Analysis] [Abstract] [Track Full Text] [Subscribe] [Scholar Register] [Indexed: 02/04/2023]
Abstract
An apparent proliferation of filamentous algal blooms (FABs) in pristine lakes around the world is a source of concern. However, little is known about the predominant drivers and effects of such FABs on lake ecosystems. We observed FABs in a large clear-water lake (Bear Lake, UT/ID, USA) and analyzed long-term lake monitoring data and algal stable isotopes for changes in climate, food webs and anthropogenic nutrient loading, respectively, as potential local drivers of FAB formation. Furthermore, we quantified in situ metabolism rates on rocks with and without FABs at two locations. Long-term monitoring data revealed increasing summer water temperatures (2009 to 2020) and decreasing winter ice cover (1923 to 2021). The FABs had δ15N values that were higher than 0 ‰, indicating a potential nutrient influx to Bear Lake from livestock or human waste. Climate change and anthropogenic nutrients may thus have facilitated FAB occurrence. Contrary to expectation, the FABs exhibited significantly lower gross primary production rates compared to low-biomass periphyton communities, indicating potentially negative effects of FAB proliferations on lake food webs. Our results highlight the need for expanding lake monitoring programs to include littoral zones to detect and mitigate changes occurring in lakes.
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