In the mountainous headwaters of the Colorado River episodic dust deposition from adjacent arid and disturbed landscapes darkens snow and accelerates snowmelt, impacting basin hydrology. Patterns and impacts across the heterogenous landscape cannot be inferred from current in situ observations. To fill this gap daily remotely sensed retrievals of radiative forcing and contribution to melt were analyzed over the MODIS period of record (2001-2023) to quantify spatiotemporal impacts of snow darkening. Each season radiative forcing magnitudes were lowest in early spring and intensified as snowmelt progressed, with interannual variability in timing and magnitude of peak impact. Over the full record, radiative forcing was elevated in the first decade relative to the last decade. Snowmelt was accelerated in all years and impacts were most intense in the central to southern headwaters. The spatiotemporal patterns motivate further study to understand controls on variability and related perturbations to snow water resources.

Mining can greatly affect water quality in nearby areas, especially when mines are abandoned and lead to contamination from tailings and drainage. This study examines the impact of the abandoned Ze & iuml;da lead mine on water sources in the Upper Moulouya region of northwestern Morocco. We aimed to evaluate water quality, understand geochemical processes, and determine the suitability of water for drinking and irrigation. In summer 2021, 21 water samples were collected from rivers, dams, groundwater, and quarry lakes. We analyzed 18 physicochemical and metallic parameters, finding significant variations in ion concentrations. The main ions were ranked as Na+ > Mg2+ > Ca2+ > K+ and HCO3- > Cl- > SO42- > NO3-. Metal concentrations followed the order Zn > Cu > Pb > As > Cd. The Drinking Water Quality Index (DWQI) showed that 95% of the samples were not suitable for drinking. Similarly, the Irrigation Water Quality Indexes (IWQIs) indicated that quarry lakes were unsuitable for irrigation, while groundwater met acceptable criteria. Over 70% of the samples showed no significant metal contamination based on the Heavy Metal Evaluation Index (HEI) and Heavy Metal Pollution Index (HPI). The data suggest that water-rock interactions are the main drivers of hydrochemical changes, with processes like calcite, dolomite, otavite, and cerussite precipitation, as well as the weathering of minerals like halite, starkeyite, and sylvite. To protect water quality and prevent environmental damage, ongoing monitoring and appropriate measures are recommended for the Ze & iuml;da mining area.

Hydraulic conductivity (K) is a crucial parameter in hydrogeology but is highly heterogeneous and anisotropic due to variations in sediment texture, making its large-scale estimation challenging. Traditional laboratory and empirical methods based on grain-size distribution (GSD) analysis from limited data provide local K measurements, resulting in a poor representation of aquifer heterogeneity. In contrast, pumping tests estimate an integrated K value over a of the aquifer within the cone of depression but still lack the spatial resolution needed to reveal detailed variations in K across larger aquifer extents. In this study, the Di models method was used to simulate local GSD in three-dimensional (3-D) detrital systems. The focus was to explore the potential to estimate K through simulated particle-size fractions derived from a 3-D geological model of the City of Munich. By employing log-cubic interpolation, a complete and accurate representation of the fictive GSD enabled the application of multiple empirical relationships for K estimation. The resulting 3-D K fields preserved the variability in K within each aquifer system. When averaged for each separate aquifer system across different lateral extents, i.e., 50-150 and 550 m, the predicted K values showed success rates of 44-47% with deviations of at least one order of magnitude in 15-19% of cases when compared to 364 K values derived from pumping-test data. The results highlight the ability of the approach to successfully estimate K while accounting for spatial heterogeneity, suggesting its potential for groundwater modeling, aquifer yield assessments and groundwater heat pump system design.

Glacial changes are crucial to regional water resources and ecosystems in the Sawir Mountains. However, glacial changes, including the mass balance and glacial meltwater of the Sawir Mountains, have sparsely been reported. Three model calibration strategies were constructed including a regression model based on albedo and in-situ mass balance of Muz Taw Glacier (A-Ms), regression model based on albedo and geodetic mass balance of valley, cirque, and hanging glaciers (A-Mr), and degree-day model (DDM) to obtain a reliable glacier mass balance in the Sawir Mountains and provide the latest understanding in the contribution of glacial meltwater runoff to regional water resources. The results indicated that the glacial albedo reduction was significant from 2000 to 2020 for the entire Sawir Mountains, with a rate of 0.015 (10a)- 1, and the spatial pattern was higher in the east compared to the west. Second, the three strategies all indicated that the glacier mass balance has been continuously negative during the past 20 periods, and the average annual glacier mass balance was -1.01 m w.e. Third, the average annual glacial meltwater runoff in the Sawir Mountains from 2000 to 2020 was 22 x 106 m3, and its

This study uses a new dataset on gauge locations and catchments to assess the impact of 21st-century climate change on the hydrology of 221 high-mountain catchments in Central Asia. A steady-state stochastic soil moisture water balance model was employed to project changes in runoff and evaporation for 2011-2040, 2041-2070, and 2071-2100, compared to the baseline period of 1979-2011. Baseline climate data were sourced from CHELSA V21 climatology, providing daily temperature and precipitation for each subcatchment. Future projections used bias-corrected outputs from four General Circulation Models under four pathways/scenarios (SSP1 RCP 2.6, SSP2 RCP 4.5, SSP3 RCP 7.0, SSP5 RCP 8.5). Global datasets informed soil parameter distribution, and glacier ablation data were integrated to refine discharge modeling and validated against long-term catchment discharge data. The atmospheric models predict an increase in median precipitation between 5.5% to 10.1% and a rise in median temperatures by 1.9 degrees C to 5.6 degrees C by the end of the 21st century, depending on the scenario and relative to the baseline. Hydrological model projections for this period indicate increases in actual evaporation between 7.3% to 17.4% and changes in discharge between + 1.1% to -2.7% for the SSP1 RCP 2.6 and SSP5 RCP 8.5 scenarios, respectively. Under the most extreme climate scenario (SSP5-8.5), discharge increases of 3.8% and 5.0% are anticipated during the first and second future periods, followed by a decrease of -2.7% in the third period. Significant glacier wastage is expected in lower-lying runoff zones, with overall discharge reductions in parts of the Tien Shan, including the Naryn catchment. Conversely, high-elevation areas in the Gissar-Alay and Pamir mountains are projected to experience discharge increases, driven by enhanced glacier ablation and delayed peak water, among other things. Shifts in precipitation patterns suggest more extreme but less frequent events, potentially altering the hydroclimate risk landscape in the region. Our findings highlight varied hydrological responses to climate change throughout high-mountain Central Asia. These insights inform strategies for effective and sustainable water management at the national and transboundary levels and help guide local stakeholders.

The aim of this study is to investigate the properties of biodegradable plantable pots made from biomaterials. Specifically, rapeseed straw and cow manure biomaterials were studied here because these biomaterials add nutrients to the soil during their biodegradation and are readily available agricultural by-products. Furthermore, the use of biomaterials helps in replacing the plastic materials which are currently used to make pots and decreases the environmental impact by producing a cleaner product. The physical and mechanical properties of biocomposites pots were investigated and optimized in the present work. The effect of mixing ratio (straw: cow manure) in the composite, straw particle size, and chemical pre-treatments of straw by 1% HCl or 2% NaOH on the physical and mechanical properties of biodegradable pots was investigated. Additionally, the Taguchi method and ANOVA statistical analyses were employed for parameters optimization. The results indicated the straw to cow manure ratio exhibited a significant effect on the compression strength (CS), penetration strength (PS), and water absorption (WA) of pots. While the CS and PS of pots decreased with increasing the ratio of straw from 2 to 10% and increasing the particle size of straw from 1.5 to 3.0 mm, these changes increased the water absorption of pots (126.52-141.21% for 1.5-mm untreated straw). Chemical pre-treatments of straw investigated here resulted in decreased CS and PS of pots. The straw ratio in the straw/manure mixture is the most significant factor affecting the characteristics of biodegradable pots.

With the rapid advancement of industrial production, the substantial accumulation of industrial by-product gypsum containing high salinity, acidity/alkalinity, and heavy metals are currently causing widespread ecological damage on a global scale. Based on the different industrial production processes, industrial by-product gypsum can be divided into various types. This study summarized industrial by-product gypsum into eight types (flue gas desulphurization gypsum (FGDG), phosphogypsum (PG), titanium gypsum (TG), salt gypsum (SG), fluorgypsum (FG), nitro gypsum (NG), citric acid gypsum (CAG) and borogypsum (BG)). Subsequently, the chemical, physical properties and annual productivity associated with these eight types of industrial by-product gypsum was investigated. Next, a study about the industrial by-product gypsum's recycling and reusing was carried out in the realm of construction and building materials (building materials, filling materials and soil conditioners). Then, the influence of the type and content of industrial by-product gypsum on key properties indicators was conducted. Based on the different effects of varying contents of industrial by-product gypsum in construction and building materials, the industrial by-product gypsum with various contents was classified into three levels for sulfate activator, supplementary cementitious material, and primary component, respectively. Ultimately, the leaching property of industrial by-product gypsum was analyzed and its environmental safety was evaluated. Additionally, this study proposed a series of suggestions aimed at enhancing the efficient recycling and reusing of industrial by-product gypsum resources.

Resources recovery can improve the economic efficiency and reduce the negative environmental impacts of municipal wastewater treatment plants (MWWTP). The recovered resources can also actively benefit the natural environment enabling a reciprocal relationship between human society and nature. Focusing on these benefits can reveal new resources recovery opportunities. Moreover, for certain environmental impact categories such as emissions of reactive nitrogen, mere damage reduction is insufficient because these emissions are already beyond planetary limits. However, quantitative methods to assess nature benefits are lacking. A new method is developed to calculate the potential nature benefits in three categories: Freshwater restoration, biomass assimilation of nutrients, and soil organic matter sequestration and it is demonstrated on a real-life MWWTP. Focusing on resources recovery helps to purify the wastewater sufficiently for discharge and to benefit the natural environment. Treated wastewater discharge into a river can support freshwater restoration depending on the effluent quality. High quality is achieved by the sufficient removal of the nutrients and organic matter and discharging into a high-flow stream. The recovery of nutrients helps to close the nutrient cycle through biomass assimilation. To maximize this benefit, the nutrient recovery efficiency from the MWWTP must be maximized. But, increasing the nutrient uptake efficiency in agriculture is also crucial, especially for nitrogen. The wastewater sludge products can be applied to soil to sequester organic matter and the products with low volatile solids should be preferred. The development of the new method is a start to recognizing and assessing the potentially positive role of humans in nature.

Growing concerns over the threat to the geoenvironment from the disposal of municipal solid waste and industrial byproducts created an alarming situation. Hence, their utilization as Anthropogenic (manmade) Resources (read as AnthRes), especially those being generated in millions of tons, such as landfill-mined-soil-likefractions (LFMSF) and red mud (RM), become unavoidable. However, the existing utilization pathways raise questions over their environmental sustainability as they would not control the leaching of microplastics, salts, and heavy metals from these materials. To overcome this situation, the utilization of LFMSF and RM as fillers in manufacturing the polymer composites, which can isolate them from the outside environment, was proposed. In this context, the influence of the most significant parameters like (i) filler content (FC) and (ii) melt-mixing processes on the mechanical, thermal, and morphological characteristics of polypropylene composites were investigated. It was observed that FC and the presence of fiber-like organic matter in LFMSF would significantly influence the mechanical properties of the composites. Subsequently, mathematical models that can be employed for predicting the influence of the above-mentioned parameters on the mechanical properties were developed. Moreover, batch experiments were performed to obtain the leaching characteristics, which revealed that the concentrations of leachable elements from the composites reduced by over 98% as compared to their respective fillers indicative of effective bonding between the polypropylene matrix and filler particles. Hence, the present study established that the LFMSF and RM can be utilized as AnthRes in polymer composites for sustainable development without harming the geoenvironment.

Although climate change has convincingly been linked to the evolution of human civilization on different temporal scales, its role in influencing the spatial patterns of ancient civilizations has rarely been investigated. The northward shift of the ancient Silk Road (SR) route from the Tarim Basin (TB) to the Junggar Basin during -420-850 CE provides the opportunity to investigate the relationship between climate change and the spatial evolution of human societies. Here, we use a new high-resolution chironomidbased temperature reconstruction from arid China, combined with hydroclimatic and historical datasets, to assess the possible effects of climate fluctuations on the shift of the ancient SR route. We found that a cooling/drying climate in the TB triggered the SR route shift during -420-600 CE. However, a warming/ wetting climate during -600-850 CE did not inhibit this shift, but instead promoted it, because of the favorable climate-induced geopolitical conflicts between the Tubo Kingdom and the Tang Dynasty in the TB. Our findings reveal two distinct ways in which climate change drove the spatial evolution of human civilization, and they demonstrate the flexibility of societal responses to climate change. (c) 2024 Science China Press. Published by Elsevier B.V. and Science China Press. All rights reserved.