Understanding and mitigating the effects of vegetation change on the storage and transport of fine sediment and associated nutrients in forested watersheds

众所周知，野火对森林地区的植被有深远的影响，然而，它们也会严重影响水质。这种影响还可能延伸到下游，并可能影响饮用水源的质量和生态系统的健康。这是因为植被是控制关键水文过程的主要因素之一，而水文过程又影响细沉积物（泥沙和粘土）的供应和向溪流输送的速率和数量。在亚高寒地区，森林大火导致河流中细泥沙的增加，对下游的水质和敏感水生栖息地产生了重大影响。这种影响通常在重金属、生物膜和营养水平升高中表现得很明显。更好地了解控制与细沉积物结合的营养物和污染物的命运和运输的物理和化学过程，对于制定有效战略以保护饮用水供应和尽量减少土地利用和植被变化对水质和整个河流生态系统健康的负面影响至关重要。

It is well known that wildfires have a profound effect on vegetation in forested areas, however, they can also significantly impact water quality. That impact can also extend downstream and potentially impact drinking water source quality and ecosystem health. This is because vegetation is one of the primary factors that governs key hydrological processes that impact both the rates and magnitude of fine sediment (silts and clay) supply and delivery to streams. In sub-alpine regions, wildfire-associated increases in fine sediment delivered to and stored in streams has significantly impacted water quality and sensitive aquatic habitat in downstream reaches. This impact is often evident in elevated heavy metal, biofilm, and nutrient levels. An improved understanding of the physical and chemical processes that govern the fate and transport of nutrients and contaminants bound to fine sediment is critical for the development of effective strategies to protect drinking water supplies and minimize the negative impacts of land use and vegetation change on water quality and overall river ecosystem health.