Long-term water quality dynamics and trend assessment reveal the effectiveness of ecological compensation: Insights from China’s first cross-provincial compensation watershed

Despite the global adoption of watershed Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) to enhance water quality, their effectiveness in achieving improvements remains inadequately assessed. This study employed the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) model to evaluate water quality ch...

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Main Authors: Haitao Chen, Chengcheng Wang, Qiuru Ren, Xia Liu, Jiaxue Ren, Gelin Kang, Yuqiu Wang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2024-12-01
Series:Ecological Indicators
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Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X24013104
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author Haitao Chen
Chengcheng Wang
Qiuru Ren
Xia Liu
Jiaxue Ren
Gelin Kang
Yuqiu Wang
author_facet Haitao Chen
Chengcheng Wang
Qiuru Ren
Xia Liu
Jiaxue Ren
Gelin Kang
Yuqiu Wang
author_sort Haitao Chen
collection DOAJ
description Despite the global adoption of watershed Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) to enhance water quality, their effectiveness in achieving improvements remains inadequately assessed. This study employed the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) model to evaluate water quality changes in China’s first cross-provincial Ecological Compensation (EC) watershed from 2000 to 2020, and to determine the impact of human interventions and climate change. Results showed that the WRTDS model accurately predicted concentrations and loads of TN, NH4+, CODMn, and TP, while human interventions, including WWTPs construction and EC measures, have improved water quality to varying extents. Specifically, NH4+ concentrations rose sharply from 2000 to 2008 but decreased during the EC period, indicating effective wastewater treatment. However, TN concentrations continued to rise, and TP levels did not significantly decrease, probably due to the accumulation legacy N and P in soil and groundwater. Moreover, CODMn concentrations exhibited a steady increased from 2000 to 2020. These trends collectively suggest that point source pollution controls are effective, while non-point source pollution, particularly legacy sources, remains a considerable challenge. In addition, water quality variations under different climate conditions reveal the diversity of potential pollution sources, while extreme precipitation events potentially increasing TN, CODMn, and TP concentrations. Overall, the WRTDS model effectively evaluates the watershed EC programmes, identifies long-term water quality trends and potential sources, and offers valuable insights for optimizing pollution control strategies.
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spelling doaj-art-3538af220eb648dea31affddbf88846c2025-08-20T02:49:08ZengElsevierEcological Indicators1470-160X2024-12-0116911285310.1016/j.ecolind.2024.112853Long-term water quality dynamics and trend assessment reveal the effectiveness of ecological compensation: Insights from China’s first cross-provincial compensation watershedHaitao Chen0Chengcheng Wang1Qiuru Ren2Xia Liu3Jiaxue Ren4Gelin Kang5Yuqiu Wang6College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaCollege of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaCollege of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, ChinaKey Laboratory of Agricultural Water Resources, Hebei Key Laboratory of Agricultural Water-Saving, Center for Agricultural Resources Research, Institute of Genetics and Developmental Biology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050021, ChinaChinese Research Academy of Environmental Sciences, Beijing 100012, ChinaNational Engineering Laboratory for Port Hydraulic Construction Technology, Key Laboratory of Engineering Sediment, Tianjin Research Institute for Water Transport Engineering, Ministry of Transport, Tianjin 300456, ChinaCollege of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; MOE Key Laboratory of Pollution Processes and Environmental Criteria, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Remediation and Pollution Control, Tianjin Key Laboratory of Environmental Technology for Complex Trans-Media Pollution, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China; Corresponding author at: College of Environmental Science and Engineering, Nankai University, Tianjin 300350, China.Despite the global adoption of watershed Payments for Ecosystem Services (PES) to enhance water quality, their effectiveness in achieving improvements remains inadequately assessed. This study employed the Weighted Regressions on Time, Discharge, and Season (WRTDS) model to evaluate water quality changes in China’s first cross-provincial Ecological Compensation (EC) watershed from 2000 to 2020, and to determine the impact of human interventions and climate change. Results showed that the WRTDS model accurately predicted concentrations and loads of TN, NH4+, CODMn, and TP, while human interventions, including WWTPs construction and EC measures, have improved water quality to varying extents. Specifically, NH4+ concentrations rose sharply from 2000 to 2008 but decreased during the EC period, indicating effective wastewater treatment. However, TN concentrations continued to rise, and TP levels did not significantly decrease, probably due to the accumulation legacy N and P in soil and groundwater. Moreover, CODMn concentrations exhibited a steady increased from 2000 to 2020. These trends collectively suggest that point source pollution controls are effective, while non-point source pollution, particularly legacy sources, remains a considerable challenge. In addition, water quality variations under different climate conditions reveal the diversity of potential pollution sources, while extreme precipitation events potentially increasing TN, CODMn, and TP concentrations. Overall, the WRTDS model effectively evaluates the watershed EC programmes, identifies long-term water quality trends and potential sources, and offers valuable insights for optimizing pollution control strategies.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X24013104Water qualityEcological compensationXin’an River BasinWRTDS modelWatershed management
spellingShingle Haitao Chen
Chengcheng Wang
Qiuru Ren
Xia Liu
Jiaxue Ren
Gelin Kang
Yuqiu Wang
Long-term water quality dynamics and trend assessment reveal the effectiveness of ecological compensation: Insights from China’s first cross-provincial compensation watershed
Ecological Indicators
Water quality
Ecological compensation
Xin’an River Basin
WRTDS model
Watershed management
title Long-term water quality dynamics and trend assessment reveal the effectiveness of ecological compensation: Insights from China’s first cross-provincial compensation watershed
title_full Long-term water quality dynamics and trend assessment reveal the effectiveness of ecological compensation: Insights from China’s first cross-provincial compensation watershed
title_fullStr Long-term water quality dynamics and trend assessment reveal the effectiveness of ecological compensation: Insights from China’s first cross-provincial compensation watershed
title_full_unstemmed Long-term water quality dynamics and trend assessment reveal the effectiveness of ecological compensation: Insights from China’s first cross-provincial compensation watershed
title_short Long-term water quality dynamics and trend assessment reveal the effectiveness of ecological compensation: Insights from China’s first cross-provincial compensation watershed
title_sort long term water quality dynamics and trend assessment reveal the effectiveness of ecological compensation insights from china s first cross provincial compensation watershed
topic Water quality
Ecological compensation
Xin’an River Basin
WRTDS model
Watershed management
url http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1470160X24013104
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