Temperature as the predominant driver of dissolved oxygen in US rivers

The concentration of dissolved oxygen (DO), an important measure of water quality and river metabolism, varies tremendously in time and space. Riverine DO is commonly perceived as regulated by interacting and competing drivers (light, temperature and flow) that define rivers’ climate. Its continental-scale drivers, however, have remained elusive, partly due to the scarcity and spatio-temporal inconsistency of water quality data. Here we show, via a deep learning model (long short-term memory) trained using data from 580 rivers, that temperature predominantly drives daily DO dynamics in the contiguous United States. Light comes a close second, whereas flow imparts minimal influence. This work showcases the promise of using deep learning models for data filling that enables large-scale systematic analysis of patterns and drivers. Results show fairly accurate prediction of DO by temperature alone, and declining DO in warming rivers, which has important implications for water security and ecosystem health in the future climate.

This version of the article has been accepted for publication, after peer review (when applicable) and is subject to Springer Nature’s AM terms of use, but is not the Version of Record and does not reflect post-acceptance improvements, or any corrections. The Version of Record is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1038/s44221-023-00038-z

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Work Title Temperature as the predominant driver of dissolved oxygen in US rivers
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Open Access
Creators
  1. Wei Zhi
  2. Wenyu Ouyang
  3. Chaopeng Shen
  4. L Li
License In Copyright (Rights Reserved)
Work Type Article
Publisher
  1. Nature Water
Publication Date March 9, 2023
Publisher Identifier (DOI)
  1. https://doi.org/10.1038/s44221-023-00038-z
Deposited October 09, 2024

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Version 1
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  • Created
  • Added Zhi_2023__Dissolved_Oxygen_Nature_Water_finalmanuscript.pdf
  • Added Creator Wei Zhi
  • Added Creator Wenyu Ouyang
  • Added Creator Chaopeng Shen
  • Added Creator L Li
  • Published
  • Updated
  • Updated Publication Date Show Changes
    Publication Date
    • 2023-01-01
    • 2023-03-09