Hydrological Alteration Index as an Indicator of the Calibration Complexity of Water Quantity and Quality Modeling in the Context of Global Change

Modeling is a useful way to understand human and climate change impacts on the water resources of agricultural watersheds. Calibration and validation methodologies are crucial in forecasting assessments. This study explores the best calibration methodology depending on the level of hydrological alteration due to human-derived stressors. The Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model is used to evaluate hydrology in South-West Europe in a context of intensive agriculture and water scarcity. The Index of Hydrological Alteration (IHA) is calculated using discharge observation data. A comparison of two SWAT calibration methodologies are done; a conventional calibration (CC) based on recorded in-stream water quality and quantity and an additional calibration (AC) adding crop managements practices. Even if the water quality and quantity trends are similar between CC and AC, water balance, irrigation and crop yields are different. In the context of rainfall decrease, water yield decreases in both CC and AC, while crop productions present opposite trends (+33% in CC and -31% in AC). Hydrological performance between CC and AC is correlated to IHA: When the level of IHA is under 80%, AC methodology is necessary. The combination of both calibrations appears essential to better constrain the model and to forecast the impact of climate change or anthropogenic influences on water resources

Cycle benthique du silicium dans les estuaires (observations et modélisation à différentes échelles spatio-temporelles)

Les estuaires sont des zones complexes et hétérogènes, soumises à de fortes pressions anthropiques, qui peuvent avoir un rôle déterminant de filtre lors du transport et de la transformation de la matière vers les zones côtières. Le cycle du silicium (Si), essentiel à la croissance des diatomées qui constituent la base des réseaux trophiques sains, est encore mal défini au sein de ces interfaces. Cette thèse a pour objectif d étudier le cycle benthique du Si dans les deux principaux estuaires de la Rade de Brest. Afin d aborder les interactions d échelles propres aux estuaires, et de les intégrer aux estimations de flux, les hétérogénéités spatiales et les variations tidales du cycle benthique du Si ont été quantifiées et comparées aux variations saisonnières le long des estuaires. Dans le but d étudier les interactions entre les cycles de la matière (N, P, C, Si) exerçant un contrôle sur le fonctionnement des écosystèmes côtiers, les interactions entre Si et Pont été explorées et semblent favoriser la rétention de P. Enfin, le cycle benthique du Si a été étudié à l aide d u outil de modélisation de la diagénèse précoce, afin de palier à la difficile estimation directe des flux de dépôt dans les estuaires, et évaluer le rôle des estuaires dans la rétention et le recyclage de Si. Cette première contribution à l étude du fonctionnement du cycle du Si dans les estuaires de la Rade de Brest ouvre de nombreuses perspectives en termes d études de processus et de modélisation, que ce soit dans la perspective d un modèle intégré du continuum terre-mer de la Rade de Brest, ou d un modèle générique du cycle du Si ai sein des marges continentales.Estuaries are complex and heterogeneous areas, subject to many anthropogenic activities, which can have strong filtering capacities during transport and processing of terrestrial matter to coastal zones. The cycling of silicon (Si), which is essential for the growth of diatoms constituting the basis of healthy food webs, is coarsely defined at these interfaces (Dürr et al., 2011). This thesis aims to study the benthic Si cycle in the two main estuaries of the Bay of Brest. To address the interactions of scales and to integrate them in flux estimates spatial heterogeneity and tidal variations of benthic Si cycle were quantified and compared with seasonal variations along estuaries. In order to study the interactions between the different cycles of matter (N, P, C, Si) controlling the functioning of coastal ecosystems, the interactions between Si and P have been explored and appear to favor the retention of P. Finally, the benthic cycle of Si was studied using a diagenetic model to estimate deposition fluxes, that are difficult to estimate directly in estuaries, and to evaluate the retention and recycling of Si at a seasonal scale. This first contribution to the study of the Si cycle in the estuaries of the Bay of Brest offers many opportunities in terms of experimental studies and modelling, whether from the perspective of an integrative model of the land-sea interface in the Bay of Brest, or from the implementation of a generic model of the Si cycle in continental margins.BREST-BU Droit-Sciences-Sports (290192103) / SudocSudocFranceF

Landward Perspective of Coastal Eutrophication Potential Under Future Climate Change: The Seine River Case (France)

International audienceStudies quantifying the impact of climate change have so far mostly examined atmospheric variables, and few are evaluating the cascade of aquatic impacts that will occur along the land–ocean continuum until the ultimate impacts on coastal eutrophication potential. In this study, a new hydro-biogeochemical modeling chain has been developed, based on the coupling of the generic pyNuts-Riverstrahler biogeochemical model and the GR4J-CEMANEIGE hydrological model, and applied to the Seine River basin (France). Averaged responses of biogeochemical variables to climate-induced hydrological changes were assessed using climate forcing based on 12 projections of precipitation and temperature (BC-CORDEX) for the stabilization (RCP 4.5) and the increasing (RCP 8.5) CO2 emission scenarios. Beyond the amount of nutrients delivered to the sea, we calculated the indicator of coastal eutrophication potential (ICEP). The models run with the RCP4.5 stabilization scenario show low variations in hydrological regimes and water quality, while five of the six models run with the increasing CO2 emissions scenario (RCP8.5) leads to more intense extreme streamflow (i.e., higher maximum flows, lower and longer minimum flows), resulting in the degradation of water quality. For the driest RCP 8.5 projection, median biogeochemical impacts induced by decreasing discharge (until −270 m3 s−1 in average) are mostly located downstream of major wastewater treatment plants. During spring bloom, e.g., in May, the associated higher residence time leads to an increase of phytoplankton biomass (+31% in average), with a simultaneous −23% decrease of silicic acid, followed downstream by a −9% decrease of oxygen. Later during low flow, major increases in nitrate and phosphate concentrations (until +19% and +32% in average) are expected. For all considered scenarios, high ICEP values (above zero) lasted, indicating that coastal eutrophication is not expected to decrease with changing hydrological conditions in the future. Maximum values are even expected to be higher some years. This study deliberately evaluates the impact of modified hydrology on biogeochemistry without considering the simultaneous alteration of water temperatures, in order to disentangle the causes of climate change-induced impact. It will serve as a first comparative step toward a more complete modeling experiment of climate change impacts on aquatic systems

Macroalgae δ 15 N values in well-mixed estuaries: indicator of anthropogenic nitrogen input or macroalgae metabolism?

International audienceAlthough nitrogen stable isotope ratio (d15N) in macroalgae is widely used as a bioindicator of anthropogenic nitrogen inputs to the coastal zone, recent studies suggest the possible role of macroalgae metabolism in d15N variability. Simultaneous determinations of d15N of dissolved inorganic nitrogen(DIN) along the landesea continuum, inter-species variability of d15N and its sensitivity to environmental factors are necessary to confirm the efficiency of macroalgae d15N in monitoring nitrogen origin in mixed-use watersheds. In this study, d15N of annual and perennial macroalgae (Ulva sp., Enteromorpha sp., Fucus vesiculosus and Fucus serratus) are compared to d15N-DIN along the Charente Estuary, after characterizing d15N of the three main DIN sources (i.e. cultivated area, pasture, sewage treatment plant outlet). During late winter and spring, when human activities produce high DIN inputs, DIN sources exhibit distinct d15N signals in nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium (NH4+): cultivated area (+6.5 ± 0.6 ‰ and +9.0 ± 11.0 ‰), pasture (+9.2 ± 1.8 ‰ and +12.4 ‰) and sewage treatment plant discharge (+16.9 ± 8.7 ‰ and +25.4 ± 5.9 ‰). While sources show distinct d15N - NO3- in this multiple source catchment, the overall mixture of NO3- sources - generally >95% DIN - leads to low variations of d15N - NO3- at the mouth of the estuary (+7.7 to +8.4 ‰). Even if estuarine d15N - NO3- values are not significantly different from pristine continental and oceanic site (+7.3 ‰ and +7.4 ‰), macroalgae d15N values are generally higher at the mouth of the estuary. This highlights high anthropogenic DIN inputs in the estuary, and enhanced contribution of 15N-depleted NH4+ in oceanic waters. Although seasonal variations in d15N - NO3- are low, the same temporal trends in macroalgae d15N values at estuarine and oceanic sites, and inter-species differences in d15N values, suggest that macroalgae d15N values might bemodified by the metabolic response of macroalgae to environmental parameters (e.g., temperature, light, DIN concentrations). Differences between annual and perennial macroalgae indicate both a higher integration time of perennial compared to annual macroalgae and the possible role of passive versus active uptake mechanisms. Further studies are required to characterize the sensitivity of macroalgae fractionation to variable environmental conditions and uptake mechanisms

Nitrifying Kinetics and the Persistence of Nitrite in the Seine River, France

International audienceAlthough a higher oxidation rate for nitrite than for ammonia generally prevents nitrite accumulation in oxic waters, nitrite concentrations in the Seine River (1-31 mM) exceed European norms. We investigated the kinetics of in situ ammonia-and nitrite-oxidizing communities in river water and wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) effluents to determine the role of pelagic nitrification in the origin and persistence of nitrite downstream of Paris. The main source of nitrite is the major Parisian WWTP, and its persistence, up to tens of kilometers downstream of the plant, is explained by low ammonia and nitrite oxidation rates and high river flow. Furthermore, similar nitrite and ammonia oxidation rates preclude a rapid consumption of both preexisting nitrite and nitrite produced by ammonia oxidation. Maximum ammonia oxidation rates are two to three times higher downstream than upstream of the WWTP, indicating the input of ammonia oxidizers and ammonia from the WWTP. In both river water and WWTP effluents, nitrite oxidizers were unable to oxidize all available nitrite. In the human-impacted Seine River, this phenomenon might be due to mixotrophy. This study highlights the low resilience of the river to nitrite contamination as well as the importance of managing nitrite, nitrifiers, and organic matter concentrations in WWTP effluents to avoid nitrite persistence in rivers

Zone Atelier Brest-Iroise. Report for the ARTISTICC project

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Modelling the fate of nitrite in an urbanized river using experimentally obtained nitrifier growth parameters

International audienceMaintaining low nitrite concentrations in aquatic systems is a major issue for stakeholders due to nitrite's high toxicity for living species. This study reports on a cost-effective and realistic approach to study nitrite dynamics and improve its modelling in human-impacted river systems. The implementation of different nitrifying biomasses to model riverine communities and waste water treatment plant (WWTP)-related communities enabled us to assess the impact of a major WWTP effluent on in-river nitrification dynamics. The optimal kinetic parameters and biomasses of the different nitrifying communities were determined and validated by coupling laboratory experiments and modelling. This approach was carried out in the Seine River, as an example of a large human-impacted river with high nitrite concentrations. The simulation of nitrite fate was performed at a high spatial and temporal resolution (Δt = 10 min, View the MathML sourcedx¯ = 500 m) including water and sediment layers along a 220 km stretch of the Seine River for a 6-year period (2007–2012). The model outputs were in good agreement with the peak of nitrite downstream the WWTP as well as its slow decrease towards the estuary. Nitrite persistence between the WWTP and the estuary was mostly explained by similar production and consumption rates of nitrite in both water and sediment layers. The sediment layer constituted a significant source of nitrite, especially during high river discharges (0.1–0.4 mgN h−1 m−2). This points out how essential it is to represent the benthic layer in river water quality models, since it can constitute a source of nitrite to the water-column. As a consequence of anthropogenic emissions and in-river processes, nitrite fluxes to the estuary were significant and varied from 4.1 to 5.5 TN d−1 in low and high water discharge conditions, respectively, over the 2007–2012 period. This study provides a methodology that can be applied to any anthropized river to realistically parametrize autochthonous and WWTP-related nitrifier communities and simulate nitrite dynamics. Based on simulation analysis, it is shown that high spatio-temporal resolution hydro-ecological models are efficient to 1) estimate water quality criteria and 2) forecast the effect of future management strategies. Process-based simulations constitute essential tools to complete our understanding of nutrient cycling, and to decrease monitoring costs in the context of water quality and eutrophication management in river ecosystems

Future climatic and hydrologic changes estimated by bias-adjusted regional climate model outputs of the Cordex-Africa project: case of the Tafna basin (North-Western Africa)

International audienceThis study investigates climatic and hydrologic changes of the Tafna basin, by using ten outputs of precipitation and temperature from RCMs of the Cordex-Africa project. Different methods of bias-correction (LS, LOCI, DM and VS) are compared to correct the bias of precipitation and temperature datasets to observations. The suitable method, DM, reduces the bias to 1.27 mm for precipitation and 0.06 and 0.7°C for minimum/maximum temperature, respectively. The bias-corrected precipitation and temperature datasets are introduced into the SWAT model, calibrated and validated on the Tafna basin with good Nash criteria (NSEoutlet = 0.83). The discharge is over or under-estimated without bias-correction of RCM outputs, which highlights the necessity of applying bias-correction before using RCM outputs from Cordex-Africa for hydrological applications. The results show that the precipitation and discharge decreases, and temperature increases are more important with RCP 8.5 than with RCP 4.5, especially in the last decades of the 21st century

Knowledge and power in coastal zone management. A political anthropology perspective.

International audienceThis article presents an innovative collaborative approach, which aims to reinforce and institutionalize the field of the political anthropology of the sea combined with the natural sciences. It begins by relating the evolution in coastal areas, from integrated coastal zone management to the notion of adaptive co-management. It then sets out what contribution the social sciences of politics may bring to our understanding of the government/governance of the sea in terms of sustainable development, starting with political science and then highlighting the importance of a deep anthropological and socio-historical approach. Finally, it gives us a glimpse of the benefits of combining the human and social sciences with the natural sciences to produce a critical analysis of the categories of thought and action associated with the systemic management of the environment, especially the coastal areas

Knowledge and power in integrated coastal management. For a political anthropology of the sea combined with the sciences of the marine environment

International audienceThis article presents an innovative collaborative approach, which aims to reinforce and institutionalize the field of the political anthropology of the sea combined with the natural sciences. It begins by relating the evolution in coastal areas, from integrated coastal zone management to the notion of adaptive co-management. It then sets out what contribution the social sciences of politics may bring to our understanding of the government/governance of the sea in terms of sustainable development, starting with political science and then highlighting the importance of a deep anthropological and socio-historical approach. Finally, it gives us a glimpse of the benefits of combining the human and social sciences with the natural sciences to produce a critical analysis of the categories of thought and action associated with the systemic management of the environment, especially the coastal areas