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
Files
Metadata
Work Title | Temperature as the predominant driver of dissolved oxygen in US rivers |
---|---|
Access | |
Creators |
|
License | In Copyright (Rights Reserved) |
Work Type | Article |
Publisher |
|
Publication Date | March 9, 2023 |
Publisher Identifier (DOI) |
|
Deposited | October 09, 2024 |
Versions
Analytics
Collections
This resource is currently not in any collection.