Research Aims
The RCWBC mainly focus the biogeochemical cycle in the Earth’s surface system and its ecological and environmental effects at a watershed scale, by integrating interdisciplinary knowledges and systematic science theories of Earth System Science. The RCWBC is developing a predictive understanding the process and mechanism of the retaining and release of nutrients, C, and metals. In particular, the RCWBC is developing understanding and tools to establish systematic biogeochemical models across different temporal and spatial scales.
Our research area including:
(1) Biogeochemical processes of the Earth’s Critical Zone
Biogeochemical processes, including transportation and transformation of nutrients and C along the weathering regolith and in fresh waters, which occur at multi-interface including mineral - water - biota - atmosphere, to provide a scientific and theoretical basis for the establishment of the watershed biogeochemical model.
(2) Watershed biogeochemical cycles and ecological & environmental consequences
The processes regulate the storage and flux of macronutrients such as C, N, S, P and so on; the role of biogeochemical cycles in evolution of ecosystem function and environment quality; The biogeochemical tools and models that can provided basis for the earth system models.
(3) Biogeochemical cycle and ecosystem assessment & management
The ecological function and ecological service mechanism of the surface earth system; the resilience, response, and recovery (3R) of ecosystem, and their relationships with biogeochemical processes and cycles; Development of biogeochemical based models for ecosystem sustainability assessment and management.
Research activities
I）Priority research
a) The material behaviors at different temporal and spatial scales coupling to climate and environment change
• Dynamic change of weathering and carbon cycle in mountainy watershed and its response to climate change
• Synergy mechanism of microbial community construction and material cycle of watershed
• Biogeographical distribution pattern and control mechanism of microorganisms in watershed
• Greenhouse gas emission process and its key mechanism
b) Impact of biogeochemical processes and human disturbance on river material transport and its ecological environment effect
• Ecological and environmental effect of land use change to river system
• Coupling of water, carbon and nitrogen and its effect to Watershed eco-environment
• Impact of large water conservancy projects on river material transport
• Developing model based on biogeochemical processes to assess the impact of carbon and nitrogen cycle on ecological environment
II）Ongoing projects
• Mechanism on transportation of carbon and nitrogen by interfacial geochemical processes in cascade reservoirs. Sub-project of the National Key R&D Program of China, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People´s Republic of China, 2016.07-2021.06.
• Phytoplankton dynamics and coupled carbon and nitrogen cycle in the river-reservoir system. Sub-project of the National Key R&D Program of China, Ministry of Science and Technology of the People´s Republic of China, 2016.07-2021.06.
• Assessment of aquifer quality in relation with chronic kidney disease with unknown etiology in dry zone of Sri Lanka through an integrated approach using isotopes and water chemistry. International (Regional) Cooperation and Exchange Projects, NSFC, 2019-2021.
• Succession of biological community structure and safety of carbon sink in the karst dammed river. Sub-project of NSFC- Guizhou Karst Scientific Research Center Joint Funds, NSFC, 2017.01-2021.12.
• A comparative study of coupled biogeochemical cycling of natural, human-impacted and constructed wetlands in Tianjin coastal area. NSFC general program, 2019.01-2021.12.
• Research on organic/inorganic nitrogen phototransformation mechanism in surface aquatic system. NSFC youth program, 2018.01-2020.12.
• The sources and transforms of organic carbon in the small mountainous catchment, originating from Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau. NSFC youth program, 2019.01-2021.12.
• The microcosmic complexation mechanism of DOM with Cd in Haihe Estuary and the migration and transformation of DOM-Cd complexes. NSFC youth program, 2019.01-2021.12.
• Chemical weathering and surface-earth processes. National Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, NSFC, 2020-2024.
• Surface-earth geochemistry. Tianjin Science Fund for Distinguished Young Scholars, Tianjin Science and Technology Bureau, 2019-2022.
Selected publications (2018-)
Yan Z, B Bond-Lamberty, KE Todd-Brown, VL Bailey, SL Li, CQ Liu, C Liu，A moisture function of soil heterotrophic respiration that incorporates microscale processes, Nature communications 2018, 9 (1), 1-10
Liang, X.; Xing, T.; Li, J.; Wang, B.; Wang, F.; He, C.; Hou, L.; Li, S., Control of the Hydraulic Load on Nitrous Oxide Emissions from Cascade Reservoirs. Environmental Science & Technology 2019, 53, 11745-11754.
Yue, F.; Waldron, S.; Li, S.; Wang, Z.; Zeng, J.; Xu, S.; Zhang, Z.; Oliver, D., Land use interacts with changes in catchment hydrology to generate chronic nitrate pollution in karst waters and strong seasonality in excess nitrate export，Science of the Total Environment 2019, 696, 134062.
Zhang R., Meng T., Huang C.-H., Ben W., Yao H., Liu R., Sun P., PPCP Degradation by Chlorine–UV Processes in Ammoniacal Water: New Reaction Insights, Kinetic Modeling, and DBP Formation. Environmental Science & Technology 2018, 52(14): 7833-7841.
Mostofa KMG, Y Jie, H Sakugawa, CQ Liu, Equal Treatment of Different EEM Data on PARAFAC Modeling Produces Artifact Fluorescent Components That Have Misleading Biogeochemical Consequences, Environmental science & technology 2018, 53 (2), 561-563
Qi, Y.; P. Fu, P.; Li, S.; Ma, C.; Liu, C.; Volmer, D., Assessment of molecular diversity of lignin products by various ionization techniques and high-resolution mass spectrometry, Science of The Total Environment 2020, 713
Wang, W.; Li, S.; Zhong, J.; Li, C.; Yi, Y.; Chen, S.; Ren, Y., Understanding transport and transformation of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC) in the reservoir system using δ13CDIC and water chemistry，Journal of Hydrology 2019，574：193-201.
Zhong, J.; Liang, S.; Liu, J.; Ding, H.; Sun, X.; Xu, S.; Wang, T.; Ellam, E.; Liu, C., Climate variability controls on CO2 consumption fluxes and carbon dynamics for monsoonal rivers: Evidence from Xijiang River, Southwest China，Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 2018, 123 (8): 2553-2567.
Chen, B.; Li, S.; von Strandmann, p.; Sun, J.; Zhong, J.; Li, C.; Ma, T.; Xu, S.; Liu, C., Ca isotope constraints on chemical weathering processes: Evidence from headwater in the Changjiang River, China，Chemical Geology 2020, 531, 119341.
Academic communication
The RCWBC encourages various forms of cooperation at different levels, e.g. through bi-side visiting, coordinate in project, holding seminar or meetings. We have established strong connections to scientists from domestic and international institution/universities. New cooperations and academic visitors are warmly welcomed.
