Аннотация:For many decades, sediment yield (SY) observations have been collected around the world to
analyze, monitor, and better understand the state and dynamics of various Earth system
processes. These records are highly relevant for a wide variety of research applications, yet they
remain poorly accessible, especially for large-scale studies. A main reason for this is the fact that
many of these measurements are collected on an isolated basis, leading to inconsistencies across
data sets. SY observations also suffer from large uncertainties in data quality: key factors such as
location accuracy, sampling method and frequency, measuring period, and others vary greatly but
are not systematically reported.
To address these shortcomings and provide a standardized global reference for SY data, we are
developing an extensive, coherent and georeferenced global database of contemporary SY
observations. Through an extensive review of (grey) literature and contacts with numerous
research groups, we already compiled SY observations for >8,000 catchments worldwide
(comprising a total of >80,000 catchment years of observations). These observations are either
derived from gauging station measurements or reservoir sedimentation rates. We assess the
reliability of SY records and provide data quality indices based on available information such as
measuring location, reported catchment area, sampling method and frequency, and measuring
period. We further link the SY observations to the HydroSHEDS global river network, making them
readily accessible and consistent with a wide array of hydro-environmental catchment variables
also connected to the HydroSHEDS network.
This new global SY database creates untouched opportunities for large-scale model development
and statistical analyses of sediment-related factors and processes, such as soil erosion, sediment
budgets, land cover and land use change impacts, or hydrological and sediment connectivity. Here
we present a first overview of the data collected so far, its spatial patterns and its research
potential.