Dissolved organic carbon receives much of the focus in aquatic research, but a new study suggests that bulkier particulate matter may play a significant role in regulating carbon dioxide emissions.
rivers
How Old Is the Mekong River Valley?
Granite samples collected from the Mekong River Valley reveal that the river’s path was incised roughly 17 million years ago, most likely by increased erosion from monsoon precipitation.
Long-term Dataset Reveals How Management Affects River Biology
River systems are affected by societies against a backdrop of climate change. A new dataset reveals how these forces affect river flow, chemistry, and the biological health of the river.
The Acid Tongue of Climate Change Strikes Our Streams
Clear air policies have led to dramatic reductions in acid rain and improved ecosystem health, but it now appears that climate change could counteract those gains.
Conserving Riverside Habitat Could Bolster Bottom Lines
Palm oil is in demand, and its agricultural footprint is expanding in the tropics. New research suggests that habitat buffers could improve conservation and prevent erosion that cuts into economic returns.
Dispersal of River Water by Ocean Eddies and Shallow Ekman Flow
Low-salinity water from the Ganga-Brahmaputra river is transported by mesoscale eddies in the Bay of Bengal, but when the monsoon winds strengthen, a shallow “Ekman” flow dominates dispersal of water.
Insensitivity of Total Sediment Flux to Hydraulic Details
The total sediment mass transported by flow under different sets of regimes is insensitive to the exact details of hydraulic forcing, but what matters is cumulative transport capacity.
Rising Seas Increase Methane Emissions from the Mouths of Rivers
Drowned river deltas exhale large quantities of greenhouse gas, new study finds.
Seeing Surface Water From Space
Satellite-based optical sensors can detect, measure and monitor changes in lakes, reservoirs, rivers and wetlands, providing useful data with multiple applications for science and society.
How Are Sediment Pulses Generated?
A new long-term flume experiment shows that bed load gravel travels downstream in recurring, 10-hour pulses even when water flow and sediment supply are constant.