Impacts of Water-Sediment Regulation Scheme on Chromophoric Dissolved Organic Matter in the Lower Yellow River

As a river with more than 3000 reservoirs in its watershed, the Yellow River has been affected by dams not only on the sediment load, but also on the water quality. Water-sediment regulation scheme (WSRS), which has been carried out annually in the Yellow River since 2002, is a typical human activity affecting river water quality. Chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM) in river is susceptible to changes in ecological and environmental conditions as well as human activities. Here, we report variations in dissolved organic carbon concentrations, compositions and sources of CDOM in time series samples in the lower Yellow River during WSRS. In addition, a parallel factor fluorescence analysis (PARAFAC) method is applied to identify different fluorescent components in water samples during WRSR, showing four major components including tryptophan-like component (C1), microbial humic-like component (C2), terrestrial humic-like component (C3) and tyrosine-like component (C4). In general, C1 increased after water regulation, while C2 and C3 increased after sediment regulation, indicating that the water and sediment released by the dam have different effects on CDOM compositions. Under the impacts of the dam, source of CDOM in the lower Yellow River is mainly autochthonous related to microbial activities, and is regulated by the terrestrial input during WSRS period. Sediment resuspension inhibits microbial activities and reduces the production of autochthonous CDOM. Overall, human activities especially WSRS, as exemplified here, significantly alter the quality and quantity of CDOM in the lower Yellow River, affecting CDOM dynamics and biogeochemical processes in the estuarine environment.