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Arid Land Geography ›› 2021, Vol. 44 ›› Issue (6): 1525-1533.doi: 10.12118/j.issn.1000–6060.2021.06.02

• Climatology and Hydrology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Threshold of ecological water demands for the small lake wetland of Bosten Lake

LIU Ying1,2,3(),ZHONG Ruisen1,2,3,DUAN Yongchao1,2,3,4,CHENG Yong5,JIANG Lixin6,LI Jianghong6,LIU Tie1,2,3()   

  1. 1. State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    2. Key Laboratory of GIS & RS Application Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region, Urumqi 830011, Xinjiang, China
    3. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
    4. Binjiang College, Nanjing University of Information Science & Technology, Wuxi 214105, Jiangsu, China
    5. Xinjiang Tarim River Basin Bayinguoleng Authority, Korla 841000, Xinjiang, China
    6. Bosten Lake Management Office, Xinjiang Tarim River Basin Bayinguoleng Authority, Korla 841000, Xinjiang, China
  • Received:2020-10-01 Revised:2021-02-12 Online:2021-11-25 Published:2021-12-03
  • Contact: Tie LIU E-mail:lyhello@yeah.net;liutie@ms.xjb.ac.cn

Abstract:

The thresholds of wetland ecological water demand are critical factors in determining whether an ecosystem will deteriorate or not. Once a threshold is exceeded, several material balance relations and functions and the health of the system will be affected. Monthly-scale thresholds are helpful for the optimal allocation of water resources. Because of the special landscape structure of small lake wetland of Bosten Lake, Xinjiang, China, where reed marshes are interlaced with waterways and open waters, we performed a frequency analysis using long-term time series data on open water surface area, using remote sensing data to determine the minimum, medium, and ideal open water areas of the small lake wetland. Then, the ecological water consumption of the small lake wetland was calculated using the evaporation pan value and several conversion factors. Finally, the minimum, medium, and ideal monthly ecological water consumption of the small lake wetland was estimated. Overall, the results revealed that the annual average monthly minimum, medium, and ideal ecological open water surface areas of small lake wetland are 14.47 km2, 21.56 km2, and 26.75 km2, respectively, whereas the monthly minimum ecological water demands for small lake wetland during the growing season from March to September are 0.22×108 m3, 0.35×108 m3, 0.44×108 m3, 0.51×108 m3, 0.39×108 m3, 0.41×108 m3, and 0.28×108 m3, respectively, with June being the largest and March the smallest. Additionally, the annual minimum ecological water demand of the small lake wetland is approximately 3.02×108 m3. If the dynamic water level required by the ecological target for the growth of reeds in the small lake wetland is also met, the minimum monthly water demands for small lake wetland during the growing season from March to September will be 0.40×108 m3, 0.52×108 m3, 0.79×108 m3, 0.86×108 m3, 2.31×108 m3, 0.41×108 m3, and 0.28×108 m3, respectively, with that in July being the largest and that in September the smallest, whereas the annual minimum ecological water demand of small lake wetland is approximately 5.99×108 m3. The values calculated in this study can be used for the annual and monthly scales of water inflow allocation and effluent water regulation in small lake wetlands, helping to improve the efficiency of regional water resource use and ensure sustainable ecological development of small lake wetlands.

Key words: ecological water demand, threshold, frequency analysis, small lake wetland of Bosten Lake