scholarly journals The influence of riparian evapotranspiration on stream hydrology and nitrogen retention in a subhumid Mediterranean catchment

2016 ◽  
Vol 20 (9) ◽  
pp. 3831-3842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Lupon ◽  
Susana Bernal ◽  
Sílvia Poblador ◽  
Eugènia Martí ◽  
Francesc Sabater
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Nitrogen Retention ◽  
Ammonium Uptake ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Small Component ◽  
Vegetative Period ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
Stream Hydrology ◽  
Annual Water

Abstract. Riparian evapotranspiration (ET) can influence stream hydrology at catchment scale by promoting the net loss of water from the stream towards the riparian zone (i.e., stream hydrological retention). However, the consequences of stream hydrological retention on nitrogen dynamics are not well understood. To fill this gap of knowledge, we investigated changes in riparian ET, stream discharge, and nutrient chemistry in two contiguous reaches (headwater and valley) with contrasted riparian forest size in a small forested Mediterranean catchment. Additionally, riparian groundwater level (hgw) was measured at the valley reach. The temporal pattern of riparian ET was similar between reaches, and was positively correlated with hgw (ρ  =  0.60) and negatively correlated with net riparian groundwater inputs (ρ  <  −0.55). During the vegetative period, stream hydrological retention occurred mostly at the valley reach (59 % of the time), and was accompanied by in-stream nitrate release and ammonium uptake. During the dormant period, when the stream gained water from riparian groundwater, results showed small influences of riparian ET on stream hydrology and nitrogen concentrations. Despite being a small component of annual water budgets (4.5 %), our results highlight that riparian ET drives stream and groundwater hydrology in this Mediterranean catchment and, furthermore, question the potential of the riparian zone as a natural filter of nitrogen loads.

scholarly journals The influence of riparian evapotranspiration on stream hydrology and nitrogen retention in a subhumid Mediterranean catchment

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Lupon ◽  
Susana Bernal ◽  
Sílvia Poblador ◽  
Eugènia Martí ◽  
Francesc Sabater
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Nitrogen Retention ◽  
Ammonium Uptake ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Small Component ◽  
Vegetative Period ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
Stream Hydrology ◽  
Annual Water

Abstract. Riparian evapotranspiration (ET) can influence stream hydrology at catchment scale by promoting the net loss of water from the stream towards the riparian zone (i.e., stream hydrological retention). However, the consequences of stream hydrological retention on nitrogen dynamics are not well understood. To fill this gap of knowledge, we investigated changes in riparian ET, stream discharge, and nutrient chemistry in two contiguous reaches (headwater and valley) with contrasted riparian forest size in a small forested Mediterranean catchment. Additionally, riparian groundwater level (hgw) was measured at the valley reach. The temporal pattern of riparian ET was similar between reaches, was positively correlated with hgw (ρ = 0.60), and negatively correlated with net riparian groundwater inputs (ρ < −0.55). During the vegetative period, stream hydrological retention occurred only at the valley reach (59 % of the time), and was accompanied by in-stream nitrate release and ammonium uptake. During the dormant period, when the stream gained water from riparian groundwater, results showed small influences of riparian ET on stream hydrology and nitrogen concentrations. Despite being a small component of annual water budgets (4.5 %), our results highlight that riparian ET drives stream and groundwater hydrology in this Mediterranean catchment and, furthermore, question the potential of the riparian zone as a natural filter of nitrogen loads.

scholarly journals Riparian and in-stream controls on nutrient concentrations along a headwater forested stream

2014 ◽  
Vol 11 (7) ◽  
pp. 11597-11634
Author(s):  
S. Bernal ◽  
A. Lupon ◽  
M. Ribot ◽  
F. Sabater ◽  
E. Martí
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Nutrient Concentrations ◽  
Vegetative Period ◽  
Nutrient Chemistry ◽  
Riparian Tree ◽  
Annual Scale ◽  
Mass Balance Approach ◽  
Strong Capacity

Abstract. Headwater streams have a strong capacity to transform and retain nutrients, and thus, a longitudinal decrease in stream nutrient concentrations would be expected from in-stream nutrient removal alone. Yet, a number of other factors within the catchment, including biogeochemical processing within the riparian zone and export to streams, can contribute to stream nutrient concentration, which may overcome the effect of in-stream biogeochemical processing. To explore this idea, we analyzed the longitudinal patterns of stream and riparian groundwater concentrations for chloride (Cl−), nitrate (NO3−), ammonium (NH4&amp;plus;), and phosphate (PO43−) along a 3.7 km reach at an annual scale. The reach showed a gradual increase in stream and riparian width, riparian tree basal area, and abundance of riparian N2-fixing tree species. Concentrations of Cl− indicated a~strong hydrological connection at the riparian-stream edge. However, stream and riparian groundwater nutrient concentrations showed a moderate to null correlation, suggesting high biogeochemical processing at the riparian-stream edge and within the stream. A mass balance approach along the reach indicated that, on average, in-stream net nutrient uptake prevailed over release for NH4&amp;plus; and PO43−, but not for NO3−. On an annual basis, in-stream processes contributed to change stream input fluxes by 11%, 26%, and 29% for NO3−, NH4&amp;plus;, and PO43−, respectively. Yet, longitudinal trends in concentration were not consistent with the prevailing in-stream biogeochem ical processes. During the riparian dormant period, stream concentration decreased along the reach for NO3−, but increased for NH4&amp;plus; and PO43−. During the riparian vegetative period, NO3− and PO43− increased along the reach while NH4&amp;plus; showed no clear pattern. These longitudinal trends were partially related to riparian forest features and groundwater inputs, especially for NO3− and PO43−. Our study suggests that even though in-stream biogeochemical processing was substantial, the riparian zone can modulate the longitudinal variation in stream nutrient chemistry in this headwater stream.

scholarly journals Riparian evapotranspiration is essential to simulate streamflow dynamics and water budgets in a Mediterranean catchment

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (7) ◽  
pp. 4033-4045 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anna Lupon ◽  
José L. J. Ledesma ◽  
Susana Bernal
Keyword(s):  
Goodness Of Fit ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Management Strategies ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Vegetative Period ◽  
Water Budgets ◽  
Daily Streamflow ◽  
Riparian Trees ◽  
Annual Water

Abstract. Riparian trees can regulate streamflow dynamics and water budgets by taking up large amounts of water from both soil and groundwater compartments. However, their role has not been fully recognized in the hydrologic literature and the catchment modeling community. In this study, we explored the influence of riparian evapotranspiration (ET) on streamflow by simulating daily stream water exports from three nested Mediterranean catchments, both including and excluding the riparian compartment in the structure of the PERSiST (Precipitation, Evapotranspiration and Runoff Simulator for Solute Transport) rainfall–runoff model. The model goodness of fit for the calibration period (September 2010–August 2012) significantly improved with the inclusion of the riparian compartment, especially during the vegetative period, when according to our simulations, the riparian zone significantly reduced the overestimation of mean daily streamflow (from 53 % to 27 %). At the catchment scale, simulated riparian ET accounted for 5.5 % to 8.4 % of annual water depletions over a 20-year reference period (1981–2000), and its contribution was especially noticeable during summer (from 8 % to 26 %). Simulations considering climate change scenarios suggest large increases in riparian ET during the dormant period (from 19 % to 46 %) but only small increases (from 1 % to 2 %) in its contribution to annual water budgets. Overall, our results highlight that a good assessment of riparian ET is essential for understanding catchment hydrology and streamflow dynamics in Mediterranean regions. Thus, the inclusion of the riparian compartment in hydrological models is strongly recommended in order to establish proper management strategies in water-limited regions.

scholarly journals Determinants of bird assemblage composition in riparian vegetation on sugarcane farms in the Queensland Wet Tropics

2015 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 60 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anita F. Keir ◽  
Richard G. Pearson ◽  
Robert A. Congdon
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Vegetation ◽  
Wildlife Conservation ◽  
Agricultural Landscape ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Agricultural Landscapes ◽  
Generalist Species ◽  
Assemblage Composition ◽  
Bird Assemblages ◽  
Wet Tropics

Remnant habitat patches in agricultural landscapes can contribute substantially to wildlife conservation. Understanding the main habitat variables that influence wildlife is important if these remnants are to be appropriately managed. We investigated relationships between the bird assemblages and characteristics of remnant riparian forest at 27 sites among sugarcane fields in the Queensland Wet Tropics bioregion. Sites within the remnant riparian zone had distinctly different bird assemblages from those of the forest, but provided habitat for many forest and generalist species. Width of the riparian vegetation and distance from source forest were the most important factors in explaining the bird assemblages in these remnant ribbons of vegetation. Gradual changes in assemblage composition occurred with increasing distance from source forest, with species of rainforest and dense vegetation being replaced by species of more open habitats, although increasing distance was confounded by decreasing riparian width. Species richness increased with width of the riparian zone, with high richness at the wide sites due to a mixture of open-habitat species typical of narrower sites and rainforest species typical of sites within intact forest, as a result of the greater similarity in vegetation characteristics between wide sites and the forest proper. The results demonstrate the habitat value for birds of remnant riparian vegetation in an agricultural landscape, supporting edge and open vegetation species with even narrow widths, but requiring substantial width (>90 m) to support specialists of the closed forest, the dominant original vegetation of the area.

Valuation of nitrogen retention as an ecosystem service on a catchment scale

2013 ◽  
Vol 45 (3) ◽  
pp. 411-424 ◽  
Author(s):  
Katri Rankinen ◽  
Kirsti Granlund ◽  
Randall Etheridge ◽  
Pentti Seuri
Keyword(s):  
Ecosystem Service ◽  
Nutrient Recycling ◽  
Nitrogen Retention ◽  
Animal Husbandry ◽  
N Leaching ◽  
Management Scenarios ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Artificial Wetlands ◽  
Protection Measures ◽  
Policy Proposal

An ecosystem service approach was used to study the water purification service exemplified by impacts of land management scenarios. Nitrogen retention was calculated in two agricultural catchments by the dynamic Integrated Nutrients in Catchments (INCA)-N model. The monetary valuation was based on purification efficiency of artificial wetlands. The set of scenarios were based on existing agricultural water protection measures, and greening of the Common Agricultural Policy proposal. Scenarios were: wintertime crop cover on fields, increase in area of set aside land, decrease in nitrogen fertilization, crop diversification and nutrient recycling in organic farming. Nitrogen retention provided more value in the Yläneenjoki catchment where the main production line was animal husbandry. In the slowly flowing river Lepsämänjoki, the N retention was more effective than in the fast flowing river Yläneenjoki. When comparing measures some proved to have no value or even a negative value. Set aside had a high positive value when calculated per area, but on a catchment scale the value remained low because of the small area of implementation. Nutrient recycling and winter time vegetation cover were the scenarios that reduced N leaching from fields close to targets set in current political decisions. None of the scenarios increased greenhouse gas emissions.

scholarly journals Sustainable Recovery of the Taquari River Riparian Forest: Public Ministry in the Defense of Collective Interests

2020 ◽  
Vol 8 (3) ◽  
pp. 132
Author(s):  
Andrea Almeida Barros ◽  
Luciana Turatti ◽  
André Jasper
Keyword(s):  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
The Sustainable Development ◽  
The Public ◽  
Collective Rights ◽  
Documentary Analysis ◽  
Forest Code ◽  
Constitutional Right ◽  
Sustainable Recovery ◽  
Anthropic Pressure

Riparian forest, an Area of Permanent Preservation, has suffered anthropic pressure for decades, which makes its recovery imperative. To preserve it, the Constitution has established the responsibility of the Public Prosecutor's Office to ensure diffuse environmental rights. Therefore, under the 1965 Forest Code, the Program for the Sustainable Development of Riparian Forest of Taquari River (PRSMCRT in the Portuguese acronym) was implemented in 14 marginal municipalities, whose areas are part of the Atlantic Forest Biome supported by methodology which was developed for it observing the regional characteristics and coordinated by the Public Ministry of the Rio Grande do Sul State (MPRS). This paper uses a qualitative approach with bibliographic research and analysis of the documents. It is exploratory in its objectives, descriptive about the methodology referred and purposeful in the end, because shows the results of the documentary analysis carried out by the Civil Inquiry that covered the Program and records the methodology developed by UNIVATES for the recovery the riparian area, which served as a basis for combining the required environmental protection, albeit in a smaller area than the legally foreseen in that time, with the constitutional right to property. Results show the recovery of riparian zones after the MPRS and counties work defending the collective rights. The other hand, researches need to be developed in the riparian zone of Taquari river to verify the efficient of the methodology which was created and applied in the PRSMCRT, especially about ecosystem services. Regardless of that, it is possible to replicate the global idea elsewhere.

scholarly journals Incorporating experimentally derived streamflow contributions into model parameterization to improve discharge prediction

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Andreas Hartmann ◽  
Jean-Lionel Payeur-Poirier ◽  
Luisa Hopp
Keyword(s):  
Parameter Estimation ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Monsoon Season ◽  
Experimental Information ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Environmental Tracers ◽  
Hydrograph Separation ◽  
Flow Conditions ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Additional Information

Abstract. Environmental tracers have been used to separate streamflow components for many years. They allow to quantify the contribution of water originating from different sources such as direct runoff from precipitation, subsurface stormflow or groundwater to total streamflow at variable flow conditions. Although previous studies have explored the value of incorporating experimentally derived fractions of event and pre-event water into hydrological models, a thorough analysis of the value of incorporating hydrograph separation derived information on multiple streamflow components at varying flow conditions into model parameter estimation has not yet been performed. This study explores the value of such information to achieve more realistic simulations of catchment discharge. We use a modified version of the process-oriented HBV model that simulates catchment discharge through the interplay of hillslope, riparian zone discharge and groundwater discharge at a small forested catchment which is located in the mountainous north of South Korea subject to a monsoon season between June and August. Applying a Monte Carlo based parameter estimation scheme and the Kling Gupta efficiency (KGE) to compare discharge observations and simulations across two seasons (2013 &amp; 2014), we show that the model is able to provide accurate simulations of catchment discharge (KGE ≥ 0.8) but fails to provide robust predictions and realistic estimates of the contribution of the different streamflow components. Using a simple framework to incorporate experimental information on the contributions of hillslope, riparian zone and groundwater to total discharge during four sub-periods, we show that the precision of simulated streamflow components can be increased while remaining with accurate discharge simulations. We further show that the additional information increases the identifiability of all model parameters and results in more robust predictions. Our study shows how tracer derived information on streamflow contributions can be used to improve the simulation and predictions of streamflow at the catchment scale without adding additional complexity to the model. The complementary use of temporally resolved observations of streamflow components and modelling provides a promising direction to improve discharge prediction by representing model internal dynamics more realistically.

scholarly journals Dispersed urban-stormwater control improved stream water quality in a catchment-scale experiment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Christopher John Walsh ◽  
Sam Imberger ◽  
Matthew J Burns ◽  
Darren G Bos ◽  
Tim D Fletcher
Keyword(s):  
Water Quality ◽  
Stream Water ◽  
Control Measure ◽  
Urban Streams ◽  
Septic Tank ◽  
Stream Water Quality ◽  
Urban Stormwater ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Nitrogen Concentrations ◽  
Stormwater Control

Traditional approaches to urban drainage degrade receiving waters. Alternative approaches have potential to protect downstream waters and provide other benefits to cities, including greater water security. Their widespread adoption requires robust demonstration of their feasibility and effectiveness. We conducted a catchment-scale, before-after-control-reference-impact experiment to assess the effect of dispersed stormwater control on stream ecosystems. We used a variant of effective imperviousness (EI), integrating catchment-scale stormwater runoff impact and stormwater-control-measure (SCM) performance, as the measure of experimental effect. We assessed the response of water quality variables in 6 sites on 2 streams, following SCM implementation in their catchments. We compared changes in those streams over 7 years, as SCM implementation increased, to the 12 preceding years, and over the 19 years in 3 reference and 2 control streams. SCMs reduced phosphorus and nitrogen concentrations and temperature, and increased electrical conductivity; with effect size negatively correlated with antecedent rain. SCM-induced reductions in phosphorus and temperature were of a similar magnitude to increases from urban development, when assessed as a function of change in EI. Nitrogen reductions were observed, even though concentrations among sites were not correlated with EI, being more influenced by septic tank seepage. SCMs had no effect on suspended solids concentrations, which were lower in urban streams than in reference streams. This experiment strengthens the inference that urban stormwater drainage increases contaminant concentrations in urban streams, and demonstrates that such impacts are reversible and likely preventable. SCMs reduce contaminant concentrations by reducing the frequency and magnitude of uncontrolled drainage flows and augmenting reduced baseflows. Increased EC and reduced temperature are likely a result of increased contribution of groundwater to baseflows. The stormwater control achieved by the experiment did not fully return phosphorus or nitrogen concentrations to reference levels, but their responses indicate such an outcome is possible in dominant conditions (up to ~20 mm of 24-h antecedent rain). This would require nearly all impervious surfaces draining to SCMs with large retention capacity, thus requiring more downslope space and water demand. EI predicts stream water quality responses to SCMs, allowing better catchment prioritization and SCM design standards for stream protection.

scholarly journals Temporal and microtopographical variations in greenhouse gas fluxes from riparian forest soils along headwater streams

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Teresa K. Silverthorn ◽  
John S. Richardson
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Greenhouse Gas ◽  
Riparian Zone ◽  
Headwater Streams ◽  
Riparian Forest ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Riparian Zones ◽  
Gas Fluxes ◽  
Ghg Fluxes

Abstract Riparian zones of headwater streams have valuable ecosystem functions and are prevalent across many landscapes. Nevertheless, studies of greenhouse gas (GHG; CO 2 , CH 4 , N 2 O) fluxes from these unique ecosystems, with fluctuating water tables and high soil organic matter, remain limited. Our objectives were to (1) to quantify the effects of local riparian groundwater conditions on soil GHG flux rates, namely to determine if groundwater discharge (DIS) areas in the riparian zone would have higher soil moisture than adjacent non-discharge (ND) areas in the riparian zone, impacting GHG fluxes; and (2) to examine the relationship between GHG fluxes, soil moisture, soil temperature, and groundwater depth. We measured gas fluxes in situ alongside two relatively undisturbed headwater streams over one year, using closed static chambers and gas chromatography. We found that, although not significant, DIS areas had on average lower CH 4 uptake and lower CO 2 emissions than ND areas. We further found that soil temperature explained 30.0% and 26.2% of variation in CO 2 and N 2 O fluxes, respectively, and soil moisture explained 9.8% of variation in CH 4 fluxes. Our results provide information on the magnitude and drivers of GHG fluxes in riparian zones to help inform GHG budgets and forest management.

Nitrogen retention in a river system and the effects of river morphology and lakes

2005 ◽  
Vol 51 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 19-29 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Venohr ◽  
I. Donohue ◽  
S. Fogelberg ◽  
B. Arheimer ◽  
K. Irvine ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Surface Area ◽  
Surface Waters ◽  
Water Surface ◽  
Nitrogen Retention ◽  
River System ◽  
Catchment Scale ◽  
Nitrogen Emissions ◽  
Water Surface Area ◽  
Nutrient Emissions ◽  
The Mean

The mean annual transfer (loss and retention) of nitrogen in a river system was estimated using a conceptual approach based on water surface area and runoff. Two different approaches for the calculation of water surface area were applied to determine riverine nitrogen retention in four European catchments, ranging between 860–14,000 km2 in area, and differing considerably in the proportion and distribution of surface waters, specific runoff and specific nutrient emissions. The transfer rate was estimated sequentially as either the mean value for the total catchment, on a sub-catchment scale, or considering the distribution of water surface area within a sub-catchment. For the latter measure, nitrogen retention in larger lakes was calculated separately. Nitrogen emissions modelled with MONERIS and HBV-N were used to calculate nitrogen river loads and compare those with observed loads. Inclusion of the proportion of water area within a sub-catchment improved modelled results in catchment with large lakes in sub-catchments, but not where there was a homogenous distribution of surface waters among sub-catchments.

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