Fig. 5: Drivers of seasonal water quality trends.
From: Natural and anthropogenic imprints on seasonal river water quality trends across China
a, b Frequency ranking of variables in the COD models for natural watersheds (a) and managed watersheds (b). c, d Frequency ranking of variables in the DO models for natural watersheds (c) and managed watersheds (d). Abbreviations are listed in Table S1. e Conceptual illustration of dominant drivers of seasonal water quality variation. Meteorological factors (e.g., air temperature and precipitation) dominate seasonal water quality dynamics in natural watersheds, whereas landscape factors—namely the composition and configuration of land use—have a greater influence in managed watersheds. The blue shaded ellipse and directional arrows represent the typical seasonal trajectory of water quality (from spring to winter), while the red dashed arrows indicate potential deviations due to increased anthropogenic pressures or climate extremes. More details are given in “Discussion”.
