Restoring small water bodies to improve lake and river water quality in China
Abstract Climate change, population growth, and agricultural intensification are increasing nitrogen (N) inputs, while driving the loss of inland water bodies that filter excess N. However, the interplay between N inputs and water body dynamics, and its implications for water quality remain poorly u...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Nature Portfolio
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nature Communications |
| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55714-9 |
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| author | Wangzheng Shen Liang Zhang Emily A. Ury Sisi Li Biqing Xia Nandita B. Basu |
| author_facet | Wangzheng Shen Liang Zhang Emily A. Ury Sisi Li Biqing Xia Nandita B. Basu |
| author_sort | Wangzheng Shen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Climate change, population growth, and agricultural intensification are increasing nitrogen (N) inputs, while driving the loss of inland water bodies that filter excess N. However, the interplay between N inputs and water body dynamics, and its implications for water quality remain poorly understood. Analyzing data from 1995 to 2015 across China, here, we find a 71% reduction in the area of small (<104.5 m2) water bodies (SWB), primarily in high-N-input agricultural regions. Preferential loss of SWBs, the most efficient nutrient filters, places 42% of China at high water quality risk due to increasing N inputs and declining SWB density. Currently, N removal by water bodies is 986 kilotonnes year−1, but restoring 2.3 million hectares of SWB could increase removal by 21%, compared to just 5% for equivalent restoration of large water bodies. Targeted SWB restoration is crucial for improving water quality and mitigating N pollution in China. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-7a1df26d30e649b1a184a3ff3fa0b7bb |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 2041-1723 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | Nature Portfolio |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nature Communications |
| spelling | doaj-art-7a1df26d30e649b1a184a3ff3fa0b7bb2025-01-05T12:37:21ZengNature PortfolioNature Communications2041-17232025-01-0116111010.1038/s41467-024-55714-9Restoring small water bodies to improve lake and river water quality in ChinaWangzheng Shen0Liang Zhang1Emily A. Ury2Sisi Li3Biqing Xia4Nandita B. Basu5Key Laboratory for Environment and Disaster Monitoring and Evaluation of Hubei, Jianghan Plain-Honghu Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory for Environment and Disaster Monitoring and Evaluation of Hubei, Jianghan Plain-Honghu Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of WaterlooKey Laboratory for Environment and Disaster Monitoring and Evaluation of Hubei, Jianghan Plain-Honghu Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesKey Laboratory for Environment and Disaster Monitoring and Evaluation of Hubei, Jianghan Plain-Honghu Lake Station for Wetland Ecosystem Research, Innovation Academy for Precision Measurement Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of SciencesDepartment of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of WaterlooAbstract Climate change, population growth, and agricultural intensification are increasing nitrogen (N) inputs, while driving the loss of inland water bodies that filter excess N. However, the interplay between N inputs and water body dynamics, and its implications for water quality remain poorly understood. Analyzing data from 1995 to 2015 across China, here, we find a 71% reduction in the area of small (<104.5 m2) water bodies (SWB), primarily in high-N-input agricultural regions. Preferential loss of SWBs, the most efficient nutrient filters, places 42% of China at high water quality risk due to increasing N inputs and declining SWB density. Currently, N removal by water bodies is 986 kilotonnes year−1, but restoring 2.3 million hectares of SWB could increase removal by 21%, compared to just 5% for equivalent restoration of large water bodies. Targeted SWB restoration is crucial for improving water quality and mitigating N pollution in China.https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55714-9 |
| spellingShingle | Wangzheng Shen Liang Zhang Emily A. Ury Sisi Li Biqing Xia Nandita B. Basu Restoring small water bodies to improve lake and river water quality in China Nature Communications |
| title | Restoring small water bodies to improve lake and river water quality in China |
| title_full | Restoring small water bodies to improve lake and river water quality in China |
| title_fullStr | Restoring small water bodies to improve lake and river water quality in China |
| title_full_unstemmed | Restoring small water bodies to improve lake and river water quality in China |
| title_short | Restoring small water bodies to improve lake and river water quality in China |
| title_sort | restoring small water bodies to improve lake and river water quality in china |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-024-55714-9 |
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