Journal
BIOGEOCHEMISTRY
Volume 122, Issue 2-3, Pages 361-374Publisher
SPRINGER
DOI: 10.1007/s10533-014-0046-3
Keywords
DOC; Runoff processes; Connectivity; Biogeochemical models; Landscape units; Upland catchments
Funding
- Natural Environment Research Council NERC [NE/K000268/1]
- NERC [NE/K000268/1] Funding Source: UKRI
- Natural Environment Research Council [NE/K000268/1] Funding Source: researchfish
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Catchment dissolved organic carbon (DOC) fluxes are governed by complex interactions, which control biogeochemical processes generating DOC and hydrological connectivity, facilitating transport through the landscape to streams. This paper presents the development of a coupled hydrological-biogeochemical model for a northern watershed with organic-rich soils, to simulate daily DOC concentrations. The parsimonious model design allows the relative importance of DOC fluxes from the major landscape units (e.g. hillslopes, groundwater and riparian saturation area) to be determined. The dynamic extent of the saturated riparian zone, which at maximum wetness comprised 40 % of the drainage area, contributed 84 % of DOC to the stream, of which 16 % was derived from the hillslope soils. This shows the disproportional riparian influence on stream water chemistry and the importance of the non-linearity in hydrological connectivity. The temporal connectivity of each of the landscape units was dependent on antecedent moisture conditions, with highly transient connections between the hillslope and valley bottom saturated area, which were entirely disconnected during the driest periods. The groundwater contribution remained constant, but its relative importance increased during the driest periods. The study emphasises the importance of conceptualising hydrological connectivity and its relation to hydroclimatic factors, as well soil biogeochemical processes, when modelling stream water DOC.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available