Suspended sediment and total dissolved solid yield patterns at the headwaters of Urumqi River,northwestern China: a comparison between glacial and non‐glacial catchments |
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| Authors: | Wenhua Gao Shu Gao Zhongqin Li X X Lu Mingjun Zhang Shengjie Wang |
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| Affiliation: | 1. School of Geographic and Oceanographic Sciences, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China;2. Cold and Arid Region Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou, Gansu, China;3. Department of Geography, National University of Singapore, Singapore;4. College of Geography and Environment Science, Northwest Normal University, Lanzhou, Gansu, China |
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| Abstract: | In order to understand the differences in the suspended sediment and total dissolved solid (TDS) yield patterns between the glacial and non‐glacial catchments at the headwaters of Urumqi River, northwestern China, water samples were collected from a glacier catchment and an empty cirque catchment within the region, during three melting seasons from 2006 to 2008. These samples were analyzed to estimate suspended sediment and TDS concentrations, fluxes and erosion rates in the two adjoining catchments. There were remarked differences in suspended sediment and TDS yield patterns between the two catchments. Suspended sediment concentrations were controlled mainly by the sediment source, whereas TDS concentrations were primarily related to the hydrologic interaction with soil minerals. Generally, the glacial catchment had much higher suspended sediment and TDS yields, together with higher denudation rates, than the non‐glacial catchment. Overall, glacial catchment was mainly dominated by physical denudation process, whereas the non‐glacial catchment was jointly influenced by physical and chemical denudation processes. The observed differences in material delivery patterns were mainly controlled by the runoff source and the glacial processes. The melting periods of glacier and snow were typically the most important time for the suspended sediment and TDS yields. Meanwhile, episodic precipitation events could generate disproportionately large yields. Subglacial hydrology dynamics, glaciers pluck and grind processes could affect erodibility, and the large quantities of dust stored on the glacier surface provided additional sources for suspended sediment transport in the glacial catchment. These mechanisms imply that, in response to climate change, the catchment behaviour will be modified significantly in this region, in terms of material flux. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. |
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| Keywords: | suspended sediment and total dissolved solid (TDS) delivery patterns climate condition runoff source Urumqi Glacier No 1 glacial and non‐glacial catchments Urumqi River |
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