- Department:(Dept. 1) Ecohydrology and Biogeochemistry
Spatial variability of radon production rates in an alluvial aquifer affects travel time estimates of groundwater originating from a losing stream
Radon in surface water is mostly used to localise and quantify groundwater discharge. The study presents the opposite approach and use radon to estimate travel times of infiltrated surface water in the aquifer. The spatial heterogeneity of radon production rates complicates this approach, but the problems can be overcome by additionally considering temperature and hydraulic heads.
Estimates of water partitioning in complex urban landscapes with isotope-aided ecohydrological modelling
The authors used isotopes in an ecohydrological model to estimate evapotranspiration (ET) from the landscape of Berlin. This resolved components of ET and quantified transpiration, soil evaporation and evaporation of vegetation-intercepted water. Transpiration from tree-covered areas dominates; with ~80% of ET for urban cooling coming from woodland green spaces covering ~25% of the urban area.
Wood ash as an additive in biomass pyrolysis: effects on biochar yield, properties, and agricultural performance
Functional multi-scale integration of agricultural nitrogen-budgets into catchment water quality modeling
Using field-experimental data, crop N uptake responses to fertilizer management were parsimoniously conceptualized and integrated into a catchment diffuse-N model. The improved catchment modeling further facilitated integration with agricultural budget-based assessments.
Visualizing catchment-scale spatio-temporal dynamics of storage-flux-age interactions using a tracer-aided ecohydrological model
The authors used a tracer-aided ecohydrological model to quantify changes in water flux, storage, and age to improve understanding of spatial differences in catchment response through wet and dry cycles. The visualization tool revealed interannual changes in catchment-scale vegetation water usage and water ages and independent effects on individual species and responses / resilience to droughts.
Divergent roles of iron and aluminum in sediment organic matter association at the terrestrial–aquatic interface
The authors hypothesized that the variation in sediment redox and pH regime govern how iron (Fe) a.aluminum (Al) interact with organic matter (OM) in near-surface mineral sediments.The reactive monomeric Al preferably binds with organic ligands from less-decomposed OM under acidic and anoxic conditions. Low-crystallinity Fe formed under oxic conditions binds with more microbially-processed OM.
Seasonal differences in the attenuation of polar trace organics in the hyporheic zone of an urban stream
The authors investigated the attenuation of trace organic compounds (TrOCs) at a river influenced by treated wastewater during a sampling campaign in summer and one in winter. Contrary to their expectations, they found higher attenuation for 12 out of 18 TrOCs in winter, while three TrOCs were better attenuated in summer. Sediment conditions varied between seasons.
Disentangling the influence of landscape characteristics, hydroclimatic variability and land management on surface water NO3-N dynamics: spatially distributed modeling over 30 yr in a lowland mixed land use catchment
Our ability to quantify nitrate (NO3-N) fluxes and export at the catchment scale remain limited. The authors used long-term (30 yrs) NO3-N data in a mixed land-use, lowland catchment to investigate the long-term dynamics of hydrological and NO3-N fluxes, and key controlling factors. Landscape characteristics, hydroclimatic variability, and management practices were the dominant drivers for NO3-N.
Spatio-temporal variations in stable isotopes in peri-urban catchments: a preliminary assessment of potential and challenges in assessing streamflow sources
The authors used isotope tracers and water quality measurements, hydrometric and climatic data to investigate seasonal changes in water sources in the River Erpe. Downstream, flows were dominated by effluent from a large wastewater treatment plant, especially in summer. They gained new insights into how lowland, peri-urban catchments with complex land use function hydrologically.
Hydroclimatic variability and riparian wetland restoration control the hydrology and nutrient fluxes in a lowland agricultural catchment
The authors assessed the long-term (30yrs) changes in climate, discharge, groundwater levels and stream water quality in a mixed land use catchment. Climatic variability strongly influenced the catchment’s hydrology, while nutrient dynamics were primarily controlled by intrinsic solute characteristics. Riparian management was critical in modulating hydrological and nutrient variations.