Emergent archetype patterns of coupled hydrologic and biogeochemical responses in catchments

Musolff, Andreas; Fleckenstein, Jan H.; Rao, P. Suresh C.; Jawitz, James W.

doi:10.1002/2017gl072630

Cited by 142 publications

(225 citation statements)

References 56 publications

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“…Previous interpretations of event‐scale C‐Q hysteresis have focused on the mixing of hydrologic sources (Bowes et al, ; Chanat et al, ; Evans & Davies, ; Hoeg, Uhlenbrook, & Leibundgut, ), biogeochemical transformations (Bowes et al, ; Butturini et al, ), and variability of end‐member concentrations (Chanat et al, ) as drivers of observed patterns. Similarly, investigations of longer term C‐Q dynamics incorporating data from multiple storm events over many years have focused on comparing the broad‐scale behaviour of solutes across flow regimes within a single catchment and across multiple catchments (Godsey et al, ; Herndon et al, ; Musolff et al, ; Musolff, Fleckenstein, Rao, & Jawitz, ; Thompson et al, ). Our results are consistent with the general interpretations of biogeochemical source and hydrologic flowpath dynamics presented in these previous studies.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Although the pools of exogenous solutes such as NO 3 − and SO 4 2− are likely less spatially extensive than the source pools of geogenic solutes, legacy stores of these constituents can accumulate in soils under conditions of chronic, elevated atmospheric deposition, or the application of agricultural fertilizers. Accumulation of such legacy stores has been invoked as a potential explanation for the biogeochemical stationarity observed in a variety of managed systems (Basu et al, ; Dupas, Jomaa, Musolff, Borchardt, & Rode, ; Musolff et al, ; Musolff et al, ). White Clay Creek is located in the mid‐Atlantic USA; this region was subjected to some of the highest rates of chronic atmospheric NO 3 − and SO 4 2− deposition in North America between the 1970s and early 2000s (Driscoll et al, ).…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Concentration–discharge relationships describe solute and sediment mobilization, reaction, and transport at event and longer timescales

Rose

Karwan

Godsey

2018

Hydrological Processes

157

195

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Concentration–discharge (C‐Q) relationships reflect material sources, storage, reaction, proximity, and transport in catchments. Differences in hydrologic pathways and connectivity influence observed C‐Q patterns at the catchment outlet. We examined solute and sediment C‐Q relationships at event and interannual timescales in a small mid‐Atlantic (USA) catchment. We found systematic differences in the C‐Q behaviour of geogenic/exogenous solutes (e.g., calcium and nitrate), biologically associated solutes (e.g., dissolved organic carbon), and particulate materials (e.g., total suspended solids). Negative log(C)–log(Q) regression slopes, indicating dilution, were common for geogenic solutes whereas positive slopes, indicating concentration increase, were common for biologically associated solutes. Biologically associated solutes often exhibited counterclockwise hysteresis during events whereas geogenic solutes exhibited clockwise hysteresis. Across event and interannual timescales, solute C‐Q patterns are linked to the spatial distribution of hydrologic sources and the timing and sequence of hydro‐biogeochemical source contributions to the stream. Groundwater is the primary source of stormflow during the earliest and latest stages of events, whereas precipitation and soil water become increasingly connected to the stream near peakflow. This sequence and timing of flowpath connectivity results in dilution and clockwise hysteresis for geogenic/exogenous solutes and concentration increase and counterclockwise hysteresis for biologically associated solutes. Particulate materials demonstrated positive C‐Q slopes over the long‐term and clockwise hysteresis during individual events. Drivers of particulate and solute C‐Q relationships differ, based on longitudinal and lateral expansion of active channels and changing shear stresses with increasing flows. Although important distinctions exist between the drivers of solute and sediment C‐Q relationships, overall solute and sediment C‐Q patterns at event and interannual timescales reflect consistent catchment hydro‐biogeochemical processes.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Concentration–discharge relationships describe solute and sediment mobilization, reaction, and transport at event and longer timescales

Rose

Karwan

Godsey

2018

Hydrological Processes

157

195

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

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“…although many studies have characterized C–Q relationships across watershed sizes, few have explicitly explored controls on these relationships (but see Musolff et al, ). Our hypothesis that dominant controls included watershed size, land cover, and lithology was not well supported, supporting results from Godsey et al ().…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Complex patterns of catchment solute–discharge relationships for coastal plain rivers

Diamond

Cohen

2018

Hydrological Processes

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Riverine solute versus discharge (C–Q) relationships provide information about the magnitude and dynamics of material fluxes from landscapes. We analysed long‐term patterns of C–Q relationships for 44 rivers in Florida across a suite of geogenic, nutrient, and organic solutes and investigated land cover, watershed size, and surficial geology as controls on these patterns. Solute concentrations generally exhibited far less variability than did discharge, with coherent solute‐specific behaviours repeated across watersheds. Geogenic solutes generally diluted with increasing discharge, whereas organic solutes generally enriched; patterns for nutrients were highly variable across watersheds, but on average exhibited chemostasis. Despite strong evidence of both geologic and land cover controls on solute flow‐weighted concentrations, these variables were poor predictors of C–Q slopes (β) or relative coefficients of variation (CVC:CVQ). CVC:CVQ generally increased with watershed size, and wetland area appeared to influence C–Q patterns for base cations and organic solutes. Perhaps most importantly, we observed significant slope breaks in C–Q association in approximately half of our observations, challenging the generality of using single power functions to describe catchment solute export patterns. For all solutes except phosphorus (P), C–Q slopes decreased above statistically identified breaks (slopes for P increased), with breaks consistently at or near median flow (i.e., 50% flow exceedance probability). This common pattern significantly impacts solute load estimates; failing to account for slope breaks overestimates nitrate and total organic carbon loads as much as 125% and underestimates P loads as much as 35%. In addition to challenging generic power‐law characterization of C–Q relationships for these coastal plain rivers, and exploring the load estimate consequences thereof, our study supports emerging insights about watershed hydrochemical behaviours across a wide array of solutes.

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“…A comparison of export regimes in contrasting catchments representing different landscape types can be performed to investigate the effect of, for example, contrasting dominant land use, dominant flow paths or climate (Outram et al, 2014;Dupas et al, 2017;Minaudo et al, 2017), sometimes aided by the use of models (e.g., Dupas et al, 2016a;Hartmann et al, 2016). In headwater catchments, several studies have highlighted the important role of landscape heterogeneity within hillslopes (Herndon et al, 2015;Musolff et al, 2017), notably the crucial role of reactive zones such as riparian wetlands (Dick et al, 2015;Pinay et al, 2015;Tiwari et al, 2017) in controlling solute export regimes.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Carbon and nutrient export regimes from headwater catchments to downstream reaches

et al. 2017

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Abstract. Excessive amounts of nutrients and dissolved organic matter in freshwater bodies affect aquatic ecosystems. In this study, the spatial and temporal variability in nitrate (NO − 3 ), dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) was analyzed in the Selke (Germany) river continuum from three headwaters draining 1-3 km 2 catchments to two downstream reaches representing spatially integrated signals from 184-456 km 2 catchments. Three headwater catchments were selected as archetypes of the main landscape units (land use × lithology) present in the Selke catchment. Export regimes in headwater catchments were interpreted in terms of NO − 3 , DOC and SRP land-to-stream transfer processes. Headwater signals were subtracted from downstream signals, with the differences interpreted in terms of in-stream processes and contributions from point sources. The seasonal dynamics for NO − 3 were opposite those of DOC and SRP in all three headwater catchments, and spatial differences also showed NO − 3 contrasting with DOC and SRP. These dynamics were interpreted as the result of the interplay of hydrological and biogeochemical processes, for which riparian zones were hypothesized to play a determining role. In the two downstream reaches, NO − 3 was transported almost conservatively, whereas DOC was consumed and produced in the upper and lower river sections, respectively. The natural export regime of SRP in the three headwater catchments mimicked a point-source signal (high SRP during summer low flow), which may lead to overestimation of domestic contributions in the downstream reaches. Monitoring the river continuum from headwaters to downstream reaches proved effective to jointly investigate land-to-stream and instream transport, and transformation processes.

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Emergent archetype patterns of coupled hydrologic and biogeochemical responses in catchments

Cited by 142 publications

References 56 publications

Concentration–discharge relationships describe solute and sediment mobilization, reaction, and transport at event and longer timescales

Concentration–discharge relationships describe solute and sediment mobilization, reaction, and transport at event and longer timescales

Complex patterns of catchment solute–discharge relationships for coastal plain rivers

Carbon and nutrient export regimes from headwater catchments to downstream reaches

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