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- Catchment morphodynamics (1)
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Runoff generation from rainfall events is a complex, spatial and temporally dependent process strongly governed, among other factors, by catchment surface topography. Although it is widely known that many catchments experience morphological evolution, it is often ignored in analysis for different reasons ranging from simplification to lack of data. However, young catchments and early landscapes (such as those which are affected by natural or anthropogenic disturbances) do exhibit topography changes which in turn affect catchment hydrodynamics, hydrology and in particular runoff. In this work, we study the runoff generation and hydrodynamics of the Hühnerwasser artificial catchment (Brandenburg, Germany) during a period of erosion-based topographical changes (2006–2010). Nine Digital Elevation Models from such period were used as topography over which physically-based simulations were performed. The results suggest that topographic evolution in this catchment mostly affects the onset of runoff, whereas peak discharges and receding hydrograph limbs are less affected. These differences in hydrological signatures can be explained through the changes in the spatial distribution of runoff hydrodynamics and their impact on surface runoff connectivity. Relatively small topographical differences produce changing ponding conditions and modify flowpaths which becomes evident only through inspection of the spatial distribution of hydrodynamic variables. Moreover, the study shows that in order for simulations to be able to capture such responses, appropriate computational mesh and topographical data resolution are critical, since connectivity itself can be greatly affected by low resolution data or representation.
Knowledge of catchment 3D spatial heterogeneity is crucial for the assessment and modeling of eco-hydrological processes. Especially during the initial development phase of a hydro-geo-system, the primary structural properties have the potential to determine further development pathways. Small-scale heterogeneity (cm to m scale) may have significant effects on processes on larger spatial scales, but is difficult to measure and quantify. The Hühnerwasser (Chicken Creek) catchment offers the unique opportunity to study early ecosystem development within an initial structural setup that is well-known, from the plot up to the catchment scale.
Based on information on the open-cast mining technology, catchment boundaries and sediment properties, we developed a structure generator program for the process-based modeling of specific dumping structures and sediment property distributions on the catchment. The structure generator reproduces the trajectories of spoil ridges and can be conditioned to reproduce actual sediment distributions according to remote sensing and soil sampling data. Alternatively, sediment distribution scenarios can be generated based on geological data from the excavation site, or can be distributed stochastically. Using pedotransfer functions, the effective hydraulic van-Genuchten parameters are then calculated from sediment texture and bulk density. The main application of the 3D catchment model is to provide detailed 3D-distributed flow domain information for hydrological flow modeling. Observation data are available from catchment monitoring are available for determining the boundary conditions (e.g., precipitation), and the calibration / validation of the model (catchment discharge, ground water). The analysis of multiple sediment distribution scenarios allows to evaluate the effect of initial conditions on hydrological behavior development. Generally, the modeling approach can be used to pinpoint the influx of specific soil structural features on ecohydrological processes across spatial scales.
Vegetation self-organisation in water-limited ecosystems in semi-arid climates has been extensively studied by means of numerical simulation using a set of different reaction-diffusion-equations. Most of such models and studies have been concerned with the long-term steady ecohydrological steady states on domains with periodic boundary conditions and forced by steady rainfall. A vast majority of the modelling literature on vegetation self-organisation exists around near-equilibrium conditions. One of the clearest examples of this is that most of the published numerical results have been obtained by evolving near-equilibrium initial conditions to asymptotic steady states, since researchers have been historically interested in the resilience and stability of the systems to perturbation around converged, steady (equilibrium) states and little interest has been given to the transient states which lead to the equilibrium states. Nonetheless, ecohydrological theory recognises that dryland ecosystems can often be far-from-equilibrium systems, in quasi-permanent transient condition, exhibiting non-linear responses to boundary conditions and forcings. This prompts the question of how different the behaviour of the system can be when far-from equilibrium.
In this contribution we explore the role of far-from equilibrium initial hydrological conditions on both the transient and long-term asymptotically steady ecohydrological states. A simulation study was performed using the HilleRisLambers-Rietkerk ecohydrological model on a flatland varying the initial available water both near and far from equilibrium whilst also spanning the rainfall gradient (90 – 360 mm/year), performing simulations up to 200 years long. The results were assessed in terms of the evolution of total biomass yield and hydrological water balance, as well as a quantitative assessment of vegetation patterns.
The results show that equilibrium conditions always yield smooth system trajectories, with little over- or undershooting, converging to the well-established patterns in the literature. However, as initial conditions move further away from equilibrium, the patterns start to differ, both in their temporal trajectory as in their long-term stable states. Conditions closer to equilibrium generate patterns with quantitative differences when compared to equilibrium conditions (e.g., larger spots). Conditions far from equilibrium can result in an entirely different hybrid patterns, consisting of a mix of spots, arcs and spirals. We evaluate these differences both qualitatively (by observing the patterns) and quantitatively, through a set of geometric indicators which describe the patterns. The results show that the patterns are history dependent and suggest that published results so far are only a subset of possible patterns. Additionally, the quantitative assessment of pattern properties in time shows that although patterns appear steady, they may indeed be slowly changing over time, while the total biomass and vegetation cover are steady early on. This has implications on the definitions of ecohydrological steady states. We also show that the effects of the idealised initial conditions on model results can be analogous to singular hydrometeorological events, as even stable patterns can be shifted into hybrid patterns by single events. Furthermore, we also explore how the new hybrid patterns compare to the well-established ones in terms of resilience to hydrological perturbations.
The Huehnerwasser catchment is a monitored, early-development constructed catchment within the Lower Lausatia post-mining landscape in Germany. From the initial bare catchment state, a sequence of landscape-forming processes occurred, including erosion-based topographic change and vegetation establishment, which are at the centre of this study. Erosion-based topographic change is strongly driven by surface runoff, while in turn itself also modifying runoff in the catchment. These topographic changes can have a significant impact on the hydrological response of a catchment, as they can affect flow paths, flow speeds and rainfall-runoff-infiltration partitioning, all of which manifest in different ways in runoff hydrographs in response to rainfall events. Vegetation establishment enhances local infiltration capacity, introducing infiltration heterogeneity, thus affecting the topography-controlled
flowpaths as water infiltrates at vegetation patches.
Critical-zone observatories and monitored early-development systems allow to document signatures of the evolution of catchments and to correlate certain behaviours to processes. However, readily and easily achievable runoff signatures often cannot provide a clear nor full description of process interactions, as the individual roles of processes are stacked together, and strongly shaped by the temporal distribution of rainfall, making it very difficult to disentangle the effects of each process, and making modelling a necessary approach to understand these interactions and their manifestations. All such processes occur at small spatial scales, and are difficult to observe or assess when experimentally studying catchment hydrology. Moreover, given that the complexity of processes contributing to morphological changes and the corresponding alteration of runoff signatures, single catchment experiments and even comprehensive monitoring programmes of whole catchments will neither allow to decipher all processes interactions nor will it allow to apply a statistically derived experimental.
In this work, we study the effects that spatial distributions of surface topography and infiltration properties have on surface runoff and surface connectivity in response to single rainfall events, in the context of the Huehnerwasser catchment. We simulate rainfall/runoff processes by means of a physically-based, spatially explicit surface flow model, and assess the results in terms of hydrological signatures (hydrograph, hydrological balance), spatial distribution of the hydrodynamics of runoff, and surface flow connectivity. To do this, we use several DEMs of the Hühnerwasser catchment recorded during the erosion-based development of the surface (2006-2010), different hypothetical infiltration properties distributions, and a set of different singular rainfall events. The study allows to observe the individual effects that topographic properties and infiltration distributions have on the hydrograph signatures and connect cause-and-effect through an intermediate, conceptual property of the system: surface runoff connectivity, arguably an indicator of hydrological organisation of the runoff response. Moreover, by systematic analysis, the interactions between topography and infiltration can also be assessed in the hydrograph and explained through connectivity. The results show a range of possible magnitudes of influence of topography and infiltration on the runoff response, while highlighting that the onset of runoff and the rising limb of the hydrograph are mostly affected by these features and their interactions, and strongly related to surface runoff connectivity.
Terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems are increasingly exposed to high level of salt (NaCl) concentrations. Impacts of increased salt concentration on mobilisation of heavy metals have been shown for road side soils receiving de-icing salt, for sediments and soils exposed to salt water intrusions, and soils and aquifers receiving runoff from salt mines. In fact, this study was motivated by the impact of salt dumps on soil and groundwater observed for potash mines in the central part of Germany.
The objectives of this contribution is to asses the impact of NaCl concentration on heavy metal mobilization using speciation modelling. In particular, we focus on the effect of chloride complex formation in solution and how strongly this complex formation is “extracting” heavy metal cation from soil and sediments substrates.
As experimental data for speciation at very high ionic strength is not readily available and not easily measurable, we focus on PHREEQC modelling to assess NaCl concentration ranges up to 3 M, needing to employ Pitzer equation as the activity model. In order to determine the competition of surface reaction and complex formation in aqueous solution, we used three reaction models: i) surface complexation with a high and low affinity site for iron hydroxide, ii) a heterogeneous binding site model for humic acids and iii) ion exchange as described with Rothmund-Kornfeld equation We did a series of simulations for Zn, Cd and Pb. Species distribution for the aqueous phase and the solid surfaces where determined by increasing NaCl solutions for a given total heavy metal concentration.
In nearly all simulations conducted, the difference between simulations allowing chloride complexes to form and simulations where complexation is disabled, showed the emergence of a characteristic concentration range of NaCl for which the effect of chloride complexation reaches a maximum. In general, the range of highest sensitivity concerning mobilization occurs within the range of 1-3M NaCl for all simulations. At the lower end of this range shows the highest sensitivity to NaCl changes and is determined by several factors including the affinity to bonding sites and the speciation of an element along the salinity gradient. The peak of this curve is controlled by the point along the salinity gradient where the majority of heavy metal has been mobilized from the surface phase. One important outcome of this study is, that increasing NaCl background concentration behaves in a nonlinear way that is determined by the heterogeneity of the surface binding sites and that there is no simple way of assessing the mobilization potential of chloride complexation in soils and sediments.
Reactive solute leaching from the top soil has received wide attention as it relates to major environmental challenges like groundwater and river water pollution by leached reactive solutes such as agricultural pesticides or biochemical pollutants. Adequate understanding of how fast, when and how such solutes and possible contaminants are leached from the top soil is necessary to enhance agricultural practice, pollution risk assessment and overall water quality management. Many empirical studies have been carried on the subject, with varied their approaches and complexity, and have been carried out under different site and atmospheric conditions. Some ofsuch studies argue that properties of soils and solutes are dominant for the leaching process, while others emphasizeatmospheric drivers as a main trigger for preferential flow. Long residence times have also been observed, with solutes lingering in the soils long after initially introduced and after experiencing rainfall events. Modelling and analytical studies have been put forward to better explain these behaviours, but often neglecting some of of the sources of complexity (such as preferential flow and soil heterogeneity) or with simplified modelling strategies.
In this work, we study reactive solute dissipation processes in a soil column with a contaminated top soil layer in response to rainfall events. To cope with a heterogeneous soil structure, within an intermediate-complexity and physically-based framework, we solve Richards equation together with a mobile-immobile soil model together with a non-equilibrium advection-diffusion reaction model in Hydrus1D. We perform an extensive analysis of the sensitivity of solute dissipation rates from the top soil in response to all permutations of a parameter space comprised of soil properties (immobile fraction, mobile-immobile mass transfer coefficient), solute properties (decay coefficient, adsorption coefficient), rainfall parameters (total precipitation, duration, frequency) and the presence or absence of evaporation. Results are assessed in terms of the resulting solute dissipation curves and are fitted to exponential decay curves for comparison purposes.
The results show that different solute dissipation regimes exist in response to the dominant physical process under a particular set of conditions. We identify three dissipation regimes which exhibit characteristic time scales and dissipation curve shapes: an advection dominated regime occurring under particular rainfall conditions, an evaporation dominated regime occurring under low rainfall volume and intensity and a decay-dominated regime exists, in which the bio- or chemical- decay rate of the substance is large and therefore dominant. Our results also provide further evidence and rationale for long residence times (which have been previously noted in the literature) in the top soil under preferential flow conditions, as the complex interactions between different processes may favour at mobilisation or immobilisation of the solute, which can be related to the characteristic shapes of the dissipation curves and in turn the regimes.
The results allow a better understanding of the controlling processes and the related parameters interactions that dominate each regime. The thorough sensitivity analysis shows that, within those regimes, certain properties have higher weight and respectively more attention should be given when investigating them in comprehensive leaching risk assessment.
The artificial catchment “Hühnerwasser” was built in a post-mining landscape, as a field experiment to observe and monitor early-development ecosystems at first catchment scale.
As vegetation is a key driver of hydrological catchment behavior, spatial distribution and temporal dynamics of vegetation affects water redistribution from plot to catchment scale. In the context of early ecosystem development, quantifying changes in vegetation structures is an obvious indicator for state transitions. The first years of ecosystem development at the Hühnerwasser catchment showed rapidly increasing complexity of emerging structures associated with rising vegetation cover and increasing number of plant species.
This work will focus on characterizing vegetation cover using aerial images aiming to describe spatial structures and how those evolve in time. The early stages are especially of interest. The structure is therefore characterized by the area of the catchment covered by vegetation, the number of vegetation patches, the mean and maximum patch size and a form factor (area of patch divided by its perimeter).
Aerial images with a resolution at cm scale were taken once per year from 2007 to 2018. Binary maps are generated by setting thresholds for red, green and blue channels to differentiate between vegetation cover and bare soil. To evaluate the consistency of the binary images of each channel these images were stacked and compared. The performance of the method was tested by using a set of combinations of thresholds and a comparison with manual mapping of vegetation cover at an image subset was made.
The blue channel seems to be very sensitive to detect vegetation and a better differentiation of vegetation and dark/wet soil can be achieved by setting the thresholds of the channels in a specific order. The structures derived by the classification into vegetated and bare soil are more important in the early years of ecosystem development. In those years (2007 to 2011) the most changes took place. As time advances vegetation became less patchy and other characteristics need to be implemented to describe the vegetation cover, taking into account different plant functional types.
Robust assessments of stream-flow volume and variability under current and potential future conditions are essential for sustainable water resources planning and management. Nonlinear and overlapping responses to climate, land use, and water resources management (WRM) make it difficult to link observed stream-flow variability to individual drivers and to project potential future changes in stream-flow volume and variability. Here, we investigate WRM influences on stream-flow variability for two rivers with similar natural catchment characteristics, the Schwarze Elster and the Spree. The Schwarze Elster is characterized by less intensive WRM compared to the Spree. Management influences on stream-flow variability in the past were analysed by comparing observed managed stream-flow with simulated natural flow (model SWIM). Simulation results of natural flow and managed stream-flow (model WBalMo) forced by different climate scenarios were investigated to assess management influences on potential future stream-flow. The Schwarze Elster shows little management influences on stream-flow both in the past and under future scenarios. WRM related to lignite mining activities rather than natural processes dominated seasonal and annual stream-flow variability of the Spree in the past, while reservoir management mainly impacted short-term variability. Long-term and short-term stream-flow variability of the Spree are expected to be further reduced in future by reservoir management and water transfers to ensure minimum flow requirements. Strong impacts ofWRM in reducing stream-flow variability in future scenarios underline the role of reservoir management as an effective and flexible adaptation option to uncertain climate change impacts on hydrology.