Water and matter cycles

Rivers, lakes and wetlands connect the land to the sea, they are directly linked to groundwater, and regulate the global nutrient and carbon balance. Their sediments are also highly active zones that can extract nutrients and contaminants from the surface water. We explore these complex physical, hydrological, biological and chemical processes and interactions. We then use the knowledge gained to develop concepts for sustainable water management and for enhancing water quality. For example, we focus on the wetland rehydration of bogs, interactions between groundwater and surface water, the significance of riparian zones, and matter conversion in sediments.

Selected publications

December 2023
Journal of Hydrology. - 628(2024), Art. 130550

Developing a conceptual model of groundwater – Surface water interactions in a drought sensitive lowland catchment using multi-proxy data

Zhengtao Ying; Doerthe Tetzlaff; Jonas Freymueller; Jean-Christophe Comte; Tobias Goldhammer; Axel Schmidt; Chris Soulsby

Increasing droughts require a better understanding of connectivity and groundwater-surface water interactions. The authors used a multi-proxy approach of isotope tracers, groundwater data and geophysics to develop a conceptual model of landscape connectivity and groundwater recharge and assessed the effects of land use and catchment properties of groundwater systems sensitive to climate change.

December 2023
Journal of Hydrology. - 628(2024), Art. 130433

Improving process-consistency of an ecohydrological model through inclusion of spatial patterns of satellite-derived land surface temperature

Doris Düthmann; Martha Anderson; Marco P. Maneta; Doerthe Tetzlaff

Since the simulation of evaporation and vegetation response to moisture deficits is subject to uncertainties, the authors assessed the benefits of integrating satellite-based land surface temperature data into ecohydrological modelling. They show that even few satellite images can reduce uncertainties of vegetation parameters and improve simulated spatial patterns of land surface temperature.

November 2023
Water Resources Research. - 59(2023)11, Art. e2023WR035509

Integrating Tracers and Soft Data Into Multi-Criteria Calibration: Implications From Distributed Modeling in a Riparian Wetland

Songjun Wu; Doerthe Tetzlaff; Xiaoqiang Yang; Aaron Smith; Chris Soulsby

This study aimed to unravel the heterogenous spatio-temporal patterns of hydrological processes in a riparian wetland over 2 years. The work provided insights into ecohydrological wetland functioning, but also revealed potential equifinality in process-based models even with abundant data for calibration, and solutions based on the integration of water isotopes and soft data into modelling.

October 2023
Biogeochemistry. - XX(2023), XX

Mapping and monitoring peatland conditions from global to field scale

Budiman Minasny; Diana Vigah Adetsu; Matt Aitkenhead; Rebekka R. E. Artz; Nikki Baggaley; Alexandra Barthelmes; Amélie Beucher; Jean Caron; Giulia Conchedda; John Connolly; Raphaël Deragon; Chris Evans; Kjetil Fadnes; Dian Fiantis; Zisis Gagkas; Louis Gilet; Alessandro Gimona; Stephan Glatzel; Mogens H. Greve; Wahaj Habib; Kristell Hergoualc’h; Cecilie Hermansen; Darren B. Kidd; Triven Koganti; Dianna Kopansky; David J. Large; Tuula Larmola; Allan Lilly; Haojie Liu; Matthew Marcus; Maarit Middleton; Keith Morrison; Rasmus Jes Petersen; Tristan Quaife; Line Rochefort; Rudiyanto; Linda Toca; Francesco N. Tubiello; Peter Lystbæk Weber; Simon Weldon; Wirastuti Widyatmanti; Jenny Williamson; Dominik Zak

This paper reviews the current state of knowledge on mapping and monitoring peatlands from field sites to the globe and identifies areas where further research is needed. Simple peat characteristics such as degree of humification, dry bulk density or stoichiometry can be used as a proxy to estimate the carbon and nutrient fluxes in different degraded peatlands. 

September 2023
Environmental Science & technology. - 57(2023)10, 4153–4166

Combined Surface-Subsurface Stream Restoration Structures Can Optimize Hyporheic Attenuation of Stream Water Contaminants

Skuyler P. Herzog; Jason Galloway; Eddie W. Banks; Malte Posselt; Anna Jaeger; Andrea Portmann; René Sahm; Björn Kusebauch; Jörg Lewandowski; Adam S. Ward

A numerical model was used to evaluate engineered stream restoration structures and how to maximise their impact on hyporheic contaminant attenuation. Combined surface-subsurface structures were able to simultaneously increase hyporheic fluxes and transit times, providing conditions for contaminant attenuation that were many times more effective than surface or subsurface structures alone.

Related Projects

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MONERIS

City, country, river: modelling and managing nutrient pollution in lakes and rivers

Experts at IGB

Doris Düthmann

Research Group Leader
Research group
Ecohydrological Modelling and Hydrological Change

Tobias Goldhammer

Programme Area Speaker
Research group
Nutrient Cycles and Chemical Analytics

Michael Hupfer

Research Group Leader
Research group
Biogeochemical Processes in Sediments and Lake Management

Jörg Lewandowski

Research Group Leader
Research group
Ground Water-Surface Water Interactions

Markus Venohr

Programme Area Speaker
Research group
River System Modelling

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