Aquatic Carbon‐Nutrient Dynamics as Emergent Properties of Hydrological, Biogeochemical, and Ecological Interactions: Scientific Advances

Abstract

Carbon and nutrient dynamics in aquatic systems often emerge as the result of hydrological, biogeochemical, and ecological interactions. Due to the multiscale and multidisciplinary nature of these process interactions, research into aquatic carbon and nutrient dynamics is becoming increasingly interdisciplinary. The motivation for this special issue came from an international workshop titled “Hydro‐Biogeochemical Processes: Mechanisms, Coupling, and Impact,” which took place from 27 to 31 October 2015 at China University of Geosciences, Wuhan, China. During this workshop, scientists from various countries and disciplines met to discuss current work and future advances on topics such as the hydro‐biogeochemistry of Earth's critical zone, stream‐groundwater interaction zones, aquatic ecosystem processes, and dynamics at land‐atmosphere, land‐ocean, and human‐natural interfaces. Contributions to this special issue on “Emergent aquatic carbon‐nutrient dynamics as products of hydrological, biogeochemical, and ecological interactions” include papers from authors who attended the workshop and from those who responded to the open solicitation for papers. Our aim in organizing this special issue is to stimulate continued discussion and collaboration across disciplinary boundaries in order to further our collective understanding of aquatic carbon‐nutrient dynamics.

An intense precipitation event causes a temperate forested drainage network to shift from N2O source to sink

“…Beyond the stream channel, watershed‐scale hydrologic conditions can rapidly change during storm events. For instance, altered water tables and activated flow paths can result in the rerouting of water and solutes to denitrification hotspots and control points (McClain et al 2003; Bernhardt et al 2017; Covino et al 2018) and the reduction of water residence time (Jencso et al 2009) in the riparian zone. These emergent watershed‐scale processes and their control on stream N 2 O conditions are not yet well documented but have the potential to explain the concurrent changes in watershed‐scale hydrologic conditions and prolonged storm impacts on p N 2 O undersaturation.…”

Emergent Properties of Water Resources and Associated Watershed Systems

“…Besides aquatic organisms (e.g., zooplankton), information in the form of matter can emerge within water-related systems as nutrient dynamics, which result from hydrological, biogeochemical and ecological interactions [12]. The structure and function of aquatic ecosystems, including their water quality and nutrient dynamics, in combination with human activities give rise to changing spatiotemporal patterns within natural waters.…”

“…The structure and function of aquatic ecosystems, including their water quality and nutrient dynamics, in combination with human activities give rise to changing spatiotemporal patterns within natural waters. For example, nutrient additions in agricultural areas can accumulate in shallow soils during dry periods and then rapidly infiltrate into groundwater aquifers or flow via runoff into surface waters during rainfall events [12]. This is considered an emergent property of the watershed because the magnitude of water quality degradation cannot be predicted as a result of the myriad ways in which a system's hydrological, biogeochemical and ecological components interact and of the disparity in spatiotemporal scales within which it is most affected.…”

Watershed Classification Predicts Streamflow Regime and Organic Carbon Dynamics in the Northeast Pacific Coastal Temperate Rainforest

“…Watershed classification also offers a tool for summarizing diverse information in a simple and consistent form that improves communication, management applications, and conceptual development (e.g., Olden et al., 2012). In this study, we develop and test a deductive watershed classification (Olden et al., 2012), using the novel approach of a combined hydro‐biogeochemical perspective (Covino et al., 2018; Li et al., 2021) and a regional scale data synthesis, for watersheds with a terminus along the margin of the Northeast Pacific Coastal Temperate Rainforest of North America (NPCTR).…”