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支流长度放大了河-湖关系的影响

 作者:Seekell, D.; Cael, B.; Bystrom, P.

Globally, the length of tributaries to lakes varies from 0 to more than 15,000 km, but scaling relationships describing this aspect of lake-river connectivity are lacking. In this study, we describe a simple theoretical scaling relationship for tributary length based on the principle of line intercepts of topographic features, and test this theory using data from Scandinavia. Tributary length increases by 73% for each doubling of lake area. This pattern reflects the relationship between catchment and lake area, and is modified by inlet frequency, junction angle, and lake shape-factors related to specific geologic and hydrologic processes. The theory is precise (r(2) = 0.74), with low bias (mean error is 14% of mean tributary length) when the characteristic junction angle (similar to 76 degrees) is estimated statistically. Our study bridges the gap between geomorphic and large-scale statistical relationships to provide simple rules for understanding complex patterns of lake-river connectivity.
(来源:GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS  出版年:2022  DOI:10.1029/2022GL098183)