Small-scale topography explains patterns and dynamics of dissolved organic carbon exports from the riparian zone of a temperate, forested catchment

<p>Export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from riparian zones (RZs) is an important component of temperate catchment carbon budgets, but export mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here we show that DOC export is predominantly controlled by the microtopography of the RZ (lateral variabili...

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Autores principales: B. J. Werner, O. J. Lechtenfeld, A. Musolff, G. H. de Rooij, J. Yang, R. Gründling, U. Werban, J. H. Fleckenstein
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spelling oai:doaj.org-article:59cc6332c3c94f118f51616a86faf4662021-11-30T08:51:08ZSmall-scale topography explains patterns and dynamics of dissolved organic carbon exports from the riparian zone of a temperate, forested catchment10.5194/hess-25-6067-20211027-56061607-7938https://doaj.org/article/59cc6332c3c94f118f51616a86faf4662021-11-01T00:00:00Zhttps://hess.copernicus.org/articles/25/6067/2021/hess-25-6067-2021.pdfhttps://doaj.org/toc/1027-5606https://doaj.org/toc/1607-7938<p>Export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from riparian zones (RZs) is an important component of temperate catchment carbon budgets, but export mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here we show that DOC export is predominantly controlled by the microtopography of the RZ (lateral variability) and by riparian groundwater level dynamics (temporal variability). From February 2017 until July 2019 we studied topography, DOC quality and water fluxes and pathways in the RZ of a small forested catchment and the receiving stream in central Germany. The chemical classification of the riparian groundwater and surface water samples (<span class="inline-formula"><i>n</i>=66</span>) by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry revealed a cluster of plant-derived, aromatic and oxygen-rich DOC with high concentrations (DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span>) and a cluster of microbially processed, saturated and heteroatom-enriched DOC with lower concentrations (DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>II</sub></span>). The two DOC clusters were connected to locations with distinctly different values of the high-resolution topographic wetness index (TWI<span class="inline-formula"><sub>HR</sub></span>; at 1 m resolution) within the study area. Numerical water flow modeling using the integrated surface–subsurface model HydroGeoSphere revealed that surface runoff from high-TWI<span class="inline-formula"><sub>HR</sub></span> zones associated with the DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span> cluster (DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span> source zones) dominated overall discharge generation and therefore DOC export. Although corresponding to only 15 % of the area in the studied RZ, the DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span> source zones contributed 1.5 times the DOC export of the remaining 85 % of the area associated with DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>II</sub></span> source zones. Accordingly, DOC quality in stream water sampled under five event flow conditions (<span class="inline-formula"><i>n</i>=73</span>) was closely reflecting the DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span> quality. Our results suggest that DOC export by surface runoff along dynamically evolving surface flow networks can play a dominant role for DOC exports from RZs with overall low topographic relief and should consequently be considered in catchment-scale DOC export models. We propose that proxies of spatial heterogeneity such as the TWI<span class="inline-formula"><sub>HR</sub></span> can help to delineate the most active source zones and provide a mechanistic basis for improved model conceptualization of DOC exports.</p>B. J. WernerO. J. LechtenfeldA. MusolffG. H. de RooijJ. YangR. GründlingU. WerbanJ. H. FleckensteinJ. H. FleckensteinCopernicus PublicationsarticleTechnologyTEnvironmental technology. Sanitary engineeringTD1-1066Geography. Anthropology. RecreationGEnvironmental sciencesGE1-350ENHydrology and Earth System Sciences, Vol 25, Pp 6067-6086 (2021)
institution DOAJ
collection DOAJ
language EN
topic Technology
T
Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
TD1-1066
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation
G
Environmental sciences
GE1-350
spellingShingle Technology
T
Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
TD1-1066
Geography. Anthropology. Recreation
G
Environmental sciences
GE1-350
B. J. Werner
O. J. Lechtenfeld
A. Musolff
G. H. de Rooij
J. Yang
R. Gründling
U. Werban
J. H. Fleckenstein
J. H. Fleckenstein
Small-scale topography explains patterns and dynamics of dissolved organic carbon exports from the riparian zone of a temperate, forested catchment
description <p>Export of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from riparian zones (RZs) is an important component of temperate catchment carbon budgets, but export mechanisms are still poorly understood. Here we show that DOC export is predominantly controlled by the microtopography of the RZ (lateral variability) and by riparian groundwater level dynamics (temporal variability). From February 2017 until July 2019 we studied topography, DOC quality and water fluxes and pathways in the RZ of a small forested catchment and the receiving stream in central Germany. The chemical classification of the riparian groundwater and surface water samples (<span class="inline-formula"><i>n</i>=66</span>) by Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry revealed a cluster of plant-derived, aromatic and oxygen-rich DOC with high concentrations (DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span>) and a cluster of microbially processed, saturated and heteroatom-enriched DOC with lower concentrations (DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>II</sub></span>). The two DOC clusters were connected to locations with distinctly different values of the high-resolution topographic wetness index (TWI<span class="inline-formula"><sub>HR</sub></span>; at 1 m resolution) within the study area. Numerical water flow modeling using the integrated surface–subsurface model HydroGeoSphere revealed that surface runoff from high-TWI<span class="inline-formula"><sub>HR</sub></span> zones associated with the DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span> cluster (DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span> source zones) dominated overall discharge generation and therefore DOC export. Although corresponding to only 15 % of the area in the studied RZ, the DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span> source zones contributed 1.5 times the DOC export of the remaining 85 % of the area associated with DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>II</sub></span> source zones. Accordingly, DOC quality in stream water sampled under five event flow conditions (<span class="inline-formula"><i>n</i>=73</span>) was closely reflecting the DOC<span class="inline-formula"><sub>I</sub></span> quality. Our results suggest that DOC export by surface runoff along dynamically evolving surface flow networks can play a dominant role for DOC exports from RZs with overall low topographic relief and should consequently be considered in catchment-scale DOC export models. We propose that proxies of spatial heterogeneity such as the TWI<span class="inline-formula"><sub>HR</sub></span> can help to delineate the most active source zones and provide a mechanistic basis for improved model conceptualization of DOC exports.</p>
format article
author B. J. Werner
O. J. Lechtenfeld
A. Musolff
G. H. de Rooij
J. Yang
R. Gründling
U. Werban
J. H. Fleckenstein
J. H. Fleckenstein
author_facet B. J. Werner
O. J. Lechtenfeld
A. Musolff
G. H. de Rooij
J. Yang
R. Gründling
U. Werban
J. H. Fleckenstein
J. H. Fleckenstein
author_sort B. J. Werner
title Small-scale topography explains patterns and dynamics of dissolved organic carbon exports from the riparian zone of a temperate, forested catchment
title_short Small-scale topography explains patterns and dynamics of dissolved organic carbon exports from the riparian zone of a temperate, forested catchment
title_full Small-scale topography explains patterns and dynamics of dissolved organic carbon exports from the riparian zone of a temperate, forested catchment
title_fullStr Small-scale topography explains patterns and dynamics of dissolved organic carbon exports from the riparian zone of a temperate, forested catchment
title_full_unstemmed Small-scale topography explains patterns and dynamics of dissolved organic carbon exports from the riparian zone of a temperate, forested catchment
title_sort small-scale topography explains patterns and dynamics of dissolved organic carbon exports from the riparian zone of a temperate, forested catchment
publisher Copernicus Publications
publishDate 2021
url https://doaj.org/article/59cc6332c3c94f118f51616a86faf466
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