Episodic flooding causes sudden deoxygenation shocks in human-dominated rivers

Yongqiang Zhou; Jinling Wang; Lei Zhou; Wei Zhi; Yunlin Zhang; Boqiang Qin; Fengchang Wu; R. Iestyn Woolway; Stephen F. Jane; Erik Jeppesen; David P. Hamilton; Marguerite A. Xenopoulos; Robert G.M. Spencer; Tom J. Battin; Peter R. Leavitt

doi:10.1038/s41467-025-62236-5

Episodic flooding causes sudden deoxygenation shocks in human-dominated rivers

Yongqiang Zhou^*
, Jinling Wang
, Lei Zhou
, Wei Zhi
, Yunlin Zhang^*
, Boqiang Qin
, Fengchang Wu
, R. Iestyn Woolway
, Stephen F. Jane
, Erik Jeppesen
, David P. Hamilton
, Marguerite A. Xenopoulos
, Robert G.M. Spencer
, Tom J. Battin
, Peter R. Leavitt^*

^*Corresponding author for this work

Research output: Contribution to journal/Conference contribution in journal/Contribution to newspaper › Journal article › Research › peer-review

2 Citations (Scopus)

Abstract

Dissolved oxygen (DO) sustains river ecosystems, but the effects of hydrological extremes remain poorly understood. While high river discharge (Q) enhances aeration, floods also deliver oxygen-consuming pollutants, making net impacts uncertain. Here, we analyze daily DO and its percent saturation (DO_%sat), and Q in 1156 Chinese rivers over three years. We show that DO and DO_%sat decrease with rising Q in 69.1% and 55.7% of rivers, respectively. Floods (Q > 95^th percentile) cause abrupt declines in both DO (19.7%) and DO_%sat (16.2%) in 80.1% and 69.4% of the rivers, respectively, with the sharpest declines in agricultural and urban areas. These abrupt deoxygenation events link to increased ammonium and land-use intensity, causing more frequent hypoxia in developed regions. Contrary to initial expectations, floods often reduce oxygen levels, with faster recovery in urbanized regions. As climate change intensifies flooding, such sudden deoxygenation shocks may degrade aquatic ecosystems particularly in human-altered landscapes.

Original language	English
Article number	6865
Journal	Nature Communications
Volume	16
Issue	1
ISSN	2041-1723
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62236-5
Publication status	Published - Jul 2025

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Zhou, Y., Wang, J., Zhou, L., Zhi, W., Zhang, Y., Qin, B., Wu, F., Woolway, R. I., Jane, S. F., Jeppesen, E., Hamilton, D. P., Xenopoulos, M. A., Spencer, R. G. M., Battin, T. J., & Leavitt, P. R. (2025). Episodic flooding causes sudden deoxygenation shocks in human-dominated rivers. Nature Communications, 16(1), Article 6865. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-025-62236-5

@article{b0a0509d9e1947cf9df829a56e9a39bc,

title = "Episodic flooding causes sudden deoxygenation shocks in human-dominated rivers",

abstract = "Dissolved oxygen (DO) sustains river ecosystems, but the effects of hydrological extremes remain poorly understood. While high river discharge (Q) enhances aeration, floods also deliver oxygen-consuming pollutants, making net impacts uncertain. Here, we analyze daily DO and its percent saturation (DO\%sat), and Q in 1156 Chinese rivers over three years. We show that DO and DO\%sat decrease with rising Q in 69.1\% and 55.7\% of rivers, respectively. Floods (Q > 95th percentile) cause abrupt declines in both DO (19.7\%) and DO\%sat (16.2\%) in 80.1\% and 69.4\% of the rivers, respectively, with the sharpest declines in agricultural and urban areas. These abrupt deoxygenation events link to increased ammonium and land-use intensity, causing more frequent hypoxia in developed regions. Contrary to initial expectations, floods often reduce oxygen levels, with faster recovery in urbanized regions. As climate change intensifies flooding, such sudden deoxygenation shocks may degrade aquatic ecosystems particularly in human-altered landscapes.",

author = "Yongqiang Zhou and Jinling Wang and Lei Zhou and Wei Zhi and Yunlin Zhang and Boqiang Qin and Fengchang Wu and Woolway, \{R. Iestyn\} and Jane, \{Stephen F.\} and Erik Jeppesen and Hamilton, \{David P.\} and Xenopoulos, \{Marguerite A.\} and Spencer, \{Robert G.M.\} and Battin, \{Tom J.\} and Leavitt, \{Peter R.\}",

year = "2025",

month = jul,

doi = "10.1038/s41467-025-62236-5",

language = "English",

volume = "16",

journal = "Nature Communications",

issn = "2041-1723",

publisher = "Nature Research",

number = "1",

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T1 - Episodic flooding causes sudden deoxygenation shocks in human-dominated rivers

AU - Zhou, Yongqiang

AU - Wang, Jinling

AU - Zhou, Lei

AU - Zhi, Wei

AU - Zhang, Yunlin

AU - Qin, Boqiang

AU - Wu, Fengchang

AU - Woolway, R. Iestyn

AU - Jane, Stephen F.

AU - Jeppesen, Erik

AU - Hamilton, David P.

AU - Xenopoulos, Marguerite A.

AU - Spencer, Robert G.M.

AU - Battin, Tom J.

AU - Leavitt, Peter R.

PY - 2025/7

Y1 - 2025/7

N2 - Dissolved oxygen (DO) sustains river ecosystems, but the effects of hydrological extremes remain poorly understood. While high river discharge (Q) enhances aeration, floods also deliver oxygen-consuming pollutants, making net impacts uncertain. Here, we analyze daily DO and its percent saturation (DO%sat), and Q in 1156 Chinese rivers over three years. We show that DO and DO%sat decrease with rising Q in 69.1% and 55.7% of rivers, respectively. Floods (Q > 95th percentile) cause abrupt declines in both DO (19.7%) and DO%sat (16.2%) in 80.1% and 69.4% of the rivers, respectively, with the sharpest declines in agricultural and urban areas. These abrupt deoxygenation events link to increased ammonium and land-use intensity, causing more frequent hypoxia in developed regions. Contrary to initial expectations, floods often reduce oxygen levels, with faster recovery in urbanized regions. As climate change intensifies flooding, such sudden deoxygenation shocks may degrade aquatic ecosystems particularly in human-altered landscapes.

AB - Dissolved oxygen (DO) sustains river ecosystems, but the effects of hydrological extremes remain poorly understood. While high river discharge (Q) enhances aeration, floods also deliver oxygen-consuming pollutants, making net impacts uncertain. Here, we analyze daily DO and its percent saturation (DO%sat), and Q in 1156 Chinese rivers over three years. We show that DO and DO%sat decrease with rising Q in 69.1% and 55.7% of rivers, respectively. Floods (Q > 95th percentile) cause abrupt declines in both DO (19.7%) and DO%sat (16.2%) in 80.1% and 69.4% of the rivers, respectively, with the sharpest declines in agricultural and urban areas. These abrupt deoxygenation events link to increased ammonium and land-use intensity, causing more frequent hypoxia in developed regions. Contrary to initial expectations, floods often reduce oxygen levels, with faster recovery in urbanized regions. As climate change intensifies flooding, such sudden deoxygenation shocks may degrade aquatic ecosystems particularly in human-altered landscapes.

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105011690078

U2 - 10.1038/s41467-025-62236-5

DO - 10.1038/s41467-025-62236-5

M3 - Journal article

C2 - 40715166

AN - SCOPUS:105011690078

SN - 2041-1723

VL - 16

JO - Nature Communications

JF - Nature Communications

IS - 1

M1 - 6865

ER -

Episodic flooding causes sudden deoxygenation shocks in human-dominated rivers

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