GC11J – Advances in Transdisciplinary Research on Critical Zone–Society Interactions Using Modeling and Field-Based Approaches | Poster
9 – 13 December 2024 | Washington, D.C., USA

Session Description:

Human stressors are transforming the Critical Zone (CZ) through alteration of climate, land, water, soil, and carbon processes. Thus, there is a need to better understand key drivers of CZ transformations, and propose solutions, to maintain a well-functioning CZ.

This session aims to bring together transdisciplinary groups to discuss advances, challenges, and opportunities on local, regional, and global scale studies (modeling, experimental, or observational) on:

• climatic and land-use drivers of changes to CZ architecture, dynamics and function
• impacts of societal decisions, integrative management practices and public policies on CZ function
• Earth system and hydrological modeling considering human interventions
• climate change and CZ ecosystem functioning

We encourage studies that use transdisciplinary approaches to address topics above, especially emerging land-use questions that are best answered through integration across the natural and social sciences. Studies on new datasets (e.g., remote-sensing) and best-practices for data sharing among transdisciplinary groups are also welcome.

Index Terms:
1402 – Critical Zone
1632 Land cover change
1831 Groundwater quality
1865 Soils

Primary Convener:

Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States

Conveners:

Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States
Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States

Chairs:

Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States
Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

Student/Early Career Convener:
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

GC11J – Measures of Critical Zone architecture, function and diversity using a GIS-based approach
9 – 13 December 2024 | Washington, D.C., USA

Author(s):

Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
Bernd J. Haupt, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States

Abstract:

The Critical Zone (CZ) is a major link in the Earth system, defining a mass and energy flux interface between the solid Earth and the atmosphere, biosphere and hydrosphere. Due to its proximity to the land surface and vertical connectivity, CZ functions that provide benefits to humanity are vulnerable to the adverse impact of anthropogenic environmental change but are also accessible to human interventions. A primary tenet of CZ science is that to achieve environmental sustainability, society must first understand the CZ system, the natural processes and services of the CZ that are of value to society, and how those processes operate with and without the presence of humanity.

In this study, we focus a GIS and mathematical based approach to develop a conceptual model of CZ architecture in the Belmont-Forum-ABRESO-project Lamprey River watershed, New Hampshire, USA, to quantify the diversity of CZ architectural and functional characteristics within it. Further, our aim is to apply this approach to each of our partner study watersheds in France, Italy, Japan and Taiwan as a means to compare and contrast the results of concentration-discharge analyses and assessments of land use change and abandonment.

We use publicly available GIS data layers to represent the overlapping environmental spheres of the CZ; mean annual precipitation and temperature (Atmosphere); land cover (vegetation and surface hydrology; Bio- and Hydrosphere); soil type, Topographic Position Index, and bedrock (Pedo- and Lithosphere), and permeability (global_hydrogeology; Hydrosphere). These data layers are available for all of the project’s watersheds, though many are presented at differing resolutions and geographic projections rather than as global datasets, and we discuss our strategy for addressing these disparities to create comparable results from each watershed.

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GC11J – Rapid Changes In Soil Development Of Previously Glaciated Soils Driven By Roots (Invited)
9 – 13 December 2024 | Washington, D.C., USA

Author(s):

Ashlee Laura Denton Dere, University of Nebraska at Omaha, Geography/Geology, Omaha, NE, United States
Ilaria Baneschi, CNR Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, Pisa, Italy
Sharon A Billings, University of Kansas, Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology and Kansas Biological Survey and Center for Ecological Research, Lawrence, United States
Emma L Aronson, University of California Riverside, Department of Microbiology and Plant Pathology, Riverside, United States
Antonello Provenzale, Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources (IGG), Pisa, Italy
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States

Abstract:

Parent material and biota impart a strong influence on chemical and physical characteristics of the soil, and thus how rapidly soil profiles develop. In addition, human modifications to the landscape, such as changing land use from forest to pasture or vice versa, can also alter the trajectory of soil formation by altering root architecture within the soil. These processes – geologic and biological – operate across a diversity of timescales and can be particularly evident in early stages of soil development when rates of soil change can be rapid. To probe the extent of soil development in newly forming soil profiles and some of the possible mechanisms driving it, we studied soil profiles forming on a diversity of lithologies since Holocene glacial retreat in high-elevation alpine tundra of Gran Paradiso National Park, Italy. We sampled six soil profiles forming from diverse parent materials across multiple landscape positions and measured soil chemical, physical, and biological properties. Soil pH, bulk density, and calcium and magnesium concentrations varied as might be predicted with parent material. All soil profiles exhibited strikingly advanced pedogenic development despite their recently deglaciated status. In all soils, we observed coarse (> 2 mm in diameter) roots declining linearly with depth rather than the more commonly observed steeper exponential decline with depth such that below 50 cm, ~20% of the soil in all profiles contained coarse roots. In contrast, below 50 cm, fine roots were present in more than 75% of the soil. These data suggest that roots and the biotic activities they foster promote a meaningful degree of soil development even in recently deglaciated environments with short, cool growing seasons. Our work also indicates that human alteration of aboveground biota and thus of root architectures, either by modifying land use or indirectly through changing climate, has the potential to alter soil developmental trajectories in young soils, with attendant shifts in nutrient release from weathering and soil carbon storage.

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GC11J – Effects of Land Abandonment, Decontamination, and Refarming on Sediment and Cesium Transport, and Water Quality in the Kuchibuto River Watershed, Fukushima
9 – 13 December 2024 | Washington, D.C., USA

Author(s):

Yuichi Onda, University of Tsukuba, Center for Research in Radiation, Isotopes and Earth System Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan
Taichi Kawano, University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan
Keisuke Taniguchi, Tsuyama College, Tsuyama, Japan
Shaoyan Fan, Fukushima Prefectural Centre for Environmental Creation, Miharu,Fukushima, Japan
Junko Takahashi, University of Tsukuba, Center for Research in Radiation, Isotopes and Earth System Sciences, Tsukuba, Japan

Abstract:

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in March 2011 released significant amounts of Cesium-137 (¹³⁷Cs) into the environment, heavily impacting the Kuchibuto River watershed in Fukushima Prefecture. This led to the evacuation of residents and abandonment of farmland, which then transformed into grassland. Decontamination efforts, including the removal of topsoil and weathered granite soil, facilitated the resumption of agriculture.

This study investigates the impacts of land abandonment, decontamination, and refarming on sediment transport, water quality, and suspended ¹³⁷Cs in the Kuchibuto River watershed. We conducted a comprehensive analysis using remote sensing, sediment discharge data, stable isotope analysis, and ¹³⁷Cs measurements from eight monitoring sites from 2011 to the present. The watershed is a tributary of the Abukuma River, about 35 km northwest of FDNPP. Continuous monitoring of flow rates and turbidity began in July 2011.

In the Yamakiya area, 98% of residents evacuated by June 2011, and decontamination began in March 2013. By March 2017, the evacuation order was lifted, and some residents resumed farming. Remote sensing revealed increased bare land due to decontamination between 2013 and 2017. Results showed a rapid decrease in suspended ¹³⁷Cs in decontaminated areas. The contribution of decontaminated soil was 30-60% upstream during decontamination but only 30% midstream and downstream. Significant downstream movement of decontaminated soil was observed during decontamination events, with some sediment depositing on the riverbed and resuspending during high flow events around 2015-2016.

A positive correlation was found between forest-derived sediment and suspended ¹³⁷Cs, suggesting higher ¹³⁷Cs levels when forest sediments were prevalent. As decontaminated soil increased, suspended ¹³⁷Cs decreased. However, sediment discharge during decontamination raised the overall ¹³⁷Cs load. Following the resumption of farming, sediment discharge from decontaminated farmland decreased, leading to a gradual reduction in suspended ¹³⁷Cs and sediment transport. This study provides critical insights into the long-term impacts of land-use changes and decontamination on sediment dynamics and water quality in the Kuchibuto River watershed.

Plain-language Summary:

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant accident in March 2011 released large amounts of Cesium-137 into the environment, heavily affecting the Kuchibuto River watershed in Fukushima Prefecture. Residents were evacuated, and farmland was abandoned and turned into grassland. Decontamination efforts, including the removal of topsoil, helped resume farming.

This study examines the effects of land abandonment, decontamination, and refarming on sediment transport, water quality, and suspended Cesium-137 in the Kuchibuto River watershed. We used remote sensing and various data from eight monitoring sites since 2011.

In the Yamakiya area, decontamination began in March 2013, and by March 2017, residents started returning and farming again. The study found that decontamination led to a rapid decrease in suspended Cesium-137. However, sediment discharge during decontamination raised overall Cesium-137 levels. After farming resumed, sediment discharge decreased, leading to lower suspended Cesium-137 and sediment transport. This study highlights the long-term effects of land-use changes and decontamination on the river’s sediment and water quality.

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GC11J – Psychological drivers of public support for policies to protect water quality in Southeastern New Hampshire, USA
9 – 13 December 2024 | Washington, D.C., USA

Author(s):

Zoe Baker, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
Janet K. Swim, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
Joseph Guerriero, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States
Rosemary Aviste, Pennsylvania State University, University Park, PA, United States

Abstract:

Land use affects water quality, and various community practices can mitigate these effects. We investigated reasons residents from the Great Bay region in New Hampshire, USA, support and oppose policies.

Population change in the state has been driven mainly by migration from other US states into New Hampshire, with the greatest increases in New Hampshire being in our study site areas. The increase in population has created a rise in housing developments, local businesses, and commerce, as well as a corresponding loss of farmland and forests, impacting water quality. Various water policies are being considered in the region to address these impacts.

Residents from the region (N = 426) completed a survey about their perceptions of three such policies: supporting conservation easements, upgrading requirements for septic systems, and controlling impervious services.

Residents’ anticipated consequences predicted their preferences among the policies. The consequences were coded to understand the content of these beliefs. Residents more readily identified positive than negative environmental consequences and more negative than positive social and economic consequences. Each of these consequences was further explored. For example, the anticipated social consequences included favorable and unfavorable impacts on residents’ health and well-being, the influence on desirable development, the development of pro-environmental values, the creation of public strife, fairness to future generations, addressing social disparities, and limiting freedom and liberties.

Residents also indicated who they thought would support and oppose the policies. Their connection to these groups predicted their preferences among policies. They believed that scientists, environmentalists, and members of the federal EPA supported the policies while their friends, neighbors, local government, and real estate agents opposed them.

Results provide insights into why people support and oppose policies and the need to consider how the social consequence of policies influences residents’ reactions to policies.

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H41B-02 – Inter-site Comparison of Storage-Discharge Relationships in Forested Headwater Catchments Across Geological Ranges as an Indicator of Critical Zone Architecture
9 – 13 December 2024 | Washington, D.C., USA

Author(s):

Shodai Inokoshi, Nagoya University, Japan
Takashi Gomi, Nagoya University, Japan
Masanori Katsuyama, Kyoto Prefectural University, Japan
Tomoki Oda, Forestry & Forest Products Research Institute, Japan
Adam Wymore, University of New Hampshire , NH, United States

Abstract:

Inter-site comparison of storage-discharge relationships across geological ranges helps us to understand how spatial variations in critical zone architecture influence hydrological processes of catchments. We applied storage-discharge relationships using modified recession analysis coupling with an evapotranspiration model in forested headwater catchments to evaluate the storage sensitivity of streamflow associated with critical zone architecture. We obtained streamflow discharge data and critical zone attributes, such as lithological type topographic traits, from 12 and 14 catchments in the US and Japan, respectively. Streamflow data were taken from publicly available databases and critical zone attributes were from previous publications. Catchment lithology was classified as igneous rocks, sedimentary rocks, and metamorphic rocks of geology, while geomorphic traits were characterized based on catchment area, elevation difference, and relief ratio. Storage sensitivity of streamflow during high flow conditions tended to be low in catchments covered by igneous rocks (n = 4, 0.02 ± 0.01) compared to sedimentary rocks (n = 8, 0.12 ± 0.11) in Japan. Among catchments covered by sedimentary rocks, catchments with a high relief ratio (0.8) tended to have low storage sensitivity of streamflow (0.01 and 0.02) in Japan. In contrast, the storage sensitivity of streamflow in catchments in the US was generally low, with 0.04 in Hubbard Brook Experimental Watershed (covered by sedimentary rocks and partly igneous rocks) and 0.01 in Coweeta Watershed (igneous and sedimentary rocks), which is possibly associated with the thick regolith (up to 18m) consisting of glacial till and/or saprolite, respectively. Our approach, based on storage-discharge analysis and inter-site comparison, permits for understanding differences and similarities of internal hydrological processes associated with catchment-scale critical zone architecture.

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H51O-0911 – Significance of Evaluating Nonlinear Concentration–Discharge Relationships to Understand Reactive Solutes Dynamics Across Land Uses
9 – 13 December 2024 | Washington, D.C., USA

Author(s):

Juan Pesantez, University of New Hampshire , NH, United States
Dustin W. Kincaid, University of Vermont, VT, United States
Alex Webster, University of New Mexico, NM, United States
Desneiges Murray, University of New Hampshire , NH, United States
Joanna Blaszczak, University of Nevada Reno, NV, United States
Hannah Fazekas, Saginaw Valley State University, MI, United States
Arial J. Shogren, University of Alabama, AL, United States
William Larsen, Rice University, TX, United States
William H. McDowell, University of New Hampshire , NH, United States
Adam Wymore, University of New Hampshire , NH, United States

Abstract:

Concentration–discharge (C-Q) relationships serve as crucial indicators for exploring the coupling of biogeochemical and hydrological processes and determining variation in surface water chemistry. Exploring different models to represent C-Q relationships is necessary to define these hydro-biogeochemical catchment processes sufficiently. We evaluate eight alternative linear and nonlinear C-Q mathematical functions of increasing complexity under different land use/cover conditions to assess the response of reactive solutes to variation in flow. Our analyses are inspired by the work of Francis Hall (1970, 1971), who originally developed these models yet was severely limited by the volume and diversity of data. Here, we use high-frequency and long-term datasets in six catchments to investigate model performance. Initial results suggest that traditional log-log analyses are insufficient to fully characterize reactive solute C-Q analyses. Rather, non-linear models that provide opportunities for additional parametrization can reduce model error and add explanatory power. This project also explores the role of breakpoints in recession analyses that provide a key input parameter to many of these models and highlights challenges associated with error propagation from sensor data. These analyses will guide the suitability and most appropriate way to model concentration discharge relationships for reactive solutes and solve essential questions regarding solute transformations, nutrient load, mixing processes, and solute dilution/production behavior under various hydrological conditions.

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GC51U-0246 – Quantifying Nitrogen Retention in Riverine Systems: The Influence of Lithology and Soil Depth on Nitrogen Inputs and Outputs in Soane Catchment, France
9 – 13 December 2024 | Washington, D.C., USA

Author(s):

Clarisse Ishimwe, University of New Hampshire , NH, United States
Adam Wymore, University of New Hampshire , NH, United States
Florentina Moatar, INRAE (National Research Institute for Agriculture, Food and Environment), France

Abstract:

Although nitrogen is essential for the net productivity of aquatic ecosystems, excessive inputs of nitrogen can be detrimental, leading to eutrophication, hypoxia, and biodiversity loss. Since around 2000, elevated nitrogen inputs particularly in economically developed regions have significantly increased nitrogen fluxes in rivers, posing risks to drinking water quality and contributing to the ecological degradation of aquatic systems. Nitrogen primarily enters riverine systems through atmospheric deposition, urban wastewater, and agricultural runoffs. In European countries, diffuse agricultural sources, such as manure and mineral fertilizers, are the predominant contributors to nitrogen pollution in water bodies. To mitigate nitrogen inputs into terrestrial and aquatic systems, several federal, state, and international regulations have been implemented, such the US Clean Water Act and the EU Nitrate Directive. Despite some successful applications of these regulations, water quality improvements in many catchments have been minimal or nonexistent. The discrepancy between reported water quality in streams and the reduction in fertilizer inputs is largely attributed to transport processes and nitrogen retention within catchments. Data-driven approaches that quantify nitrogen retention under various land use and management practices can elucidate reactive nitrogen dynamics at the catchment scale. However, the specific influence of lithology and soil depth on N retention has received less attention. Understanding how these factors affect the retention and export of N is crucial for predicting N fluxes and designing interventions to reduce nutrient loading in aquatic systems. Therefore, to quantify nitrogen retention and investigate the influence of soil characteristics, land use, and lithological heterogeneity within the Soane Catchment, we used publicly available time series of data on nitrogen inputs as N surplus and N outputs (calculated from nitrate- river concentrations and discharge) from France government from 2006 – 2020. We selected 60 mesoscale catchments ranging from 104 – 27,171 km2 in size and characterized by diverse lithology types and shallow soil depths, which provides an ideal natural laboratory for understanding how geological and soil characteristics affect nitrogen dynamics. Our preliminary results indicate the N retention vary between 2% -95% with mean N retention of 55 %. Soil depth had a positive relationship with % N retention (R2 = 0.15, p <0.05). These insights are critical for improving nitrogen management practices and mitigating eutrophication in riverine ecosystems. This study will underscore the importance of considering both geological and soil properties in nitrogen retention assessments and will contribute to a more comprehensive understanding of the factors controlling N retention in riverine systems and inform the development of targeted management practices to improve water quality.

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Over the last decades, land use and land management change – urbanization, development of intensive agriculture, land abandonment, reclaiming of wetlands and floodplains… – have exerted significant influences on water systems and the broader environment and society. Recently, practitioners and academics are actively exploring innovative land use strategies, with a stronger reliance on natural processes. Their goal is to foster a more integrated management of water capable of addressing on-going global changes.

Supporting decision makers in the design of these strategies requires the use of interdisciplinary approaches, encompassing inter allia : i) the understanding of relationships between land use dynamics and water systems (surface and groundwater), ii) the description of social representations and perceptions surrounding these changes and iii) the assessment of economic, social and environmental impacts stemming from historical changes and prospective scenarios.

This scientific conference endeavours to showcase interdisciplinary contributions that integrate natural and social sciences and cover these different approaches. The objective is to provide valuable insights supporting the development of sustainable land management strategies.

This conference is organized by BRGM in the framework of the ABRESO project of the Belmont Forum and co-organized by the Groundwater team of the G-eau lab of Montpellier.

Conference information

The conference will take place at Montpellier, France (Maison des Sciences de l’Homme, 71 rue du Professeur Henri Serre) on 19 June 2024 from 9 am to 5 pm. Participation in the conference is free, but upon registration and subject to availability. Participants will be responsible for covering transportation and accommodation expenses.

Abstract submission:

500 words in all, they must include a title, names and affiliations of the authors, the research context, the case study(ies), research questions, methods, and results, as well as three keywords. Abstracts must be sent in English before March 15, 2024 to the following e-mail address: p.lecoent@brgm.fr.

Scientific committee:

Philippe Le Coent (BRGM, France), Cécile Hérivaux (BRGM, France), Timothy White (Penn State University, US), Janet Swim (Penn State University, US), Bill Mc Dowell (University of New Hampshire, US), Jr-Chuan Huang (National Taiwan University, Taiwan), Herlin Chien (National Taiwan University, Taiwan), Osamu Saito (Institute for Global Environmental Strategies, Japan) Lisa Sella (CNR-Italy), Maddalena Pennisi (CNR-Italy), Ilaria Baneschi (CNR-Italy), Yuichi Onda (University of Tsukuba, Japan), Adam Wymore (University of New Hampshire).

The Sustainability Research and Innovation Congress (SRI), the world’s largest sustainability research and innovation convening, and Sustainability Science Days (SSD), the largest sustainability conference in Finland, have joined forces. The SRI2024 Congress will be held in collaboration with SSD from 10-14 June, 2024 in Helsinki and Espoo, Finland.

SRI2024 Themes:

1. Green Transitions
2. Transforming Technologies and the Future of Work
3. Living on the Frontlines of Change – The Arctic and Beyond
4. Powering the World

Session ITS3.4/NH13.4 – Navigating socio-ecological systems in mountain regions and beyond: addressing land use change, water resources, and global change adaptation

Convener: Carolina Adler
Co-conveners: Herlin Chien, Maddalena Pennisi, Diana Pascual Sanchez, Noemí Lana-Renault, Sven Fuchs, Margreth Keiler

Landscapes and land use change dynamics taking place over centuries have resulted in considerable environmental change conditions in many places worldwide, posing challenges for regional sustainability and resilience to climate and global change. However, these intricate social-ecological systems, such as mountains, watersheds and beyond, can also serve as natural laboratories through which an understanding of global change processes can be enhanced, as well as promote opportunities for learning and implementing solutions to address these challenges. In this inclusive EGU session, we delve into the complexity of diverse environments and their changes, emphasizing the heterogeneous landscapes shaped by traditional activities over centuries. A primary focus of the session is the imperative for effective land management strategies in response to these challenges. The discussion encompasses the diverse impacts of land use and other processes of change on water resources and the critical need for adaptive strategies to mitigate environmental risks. Ecosystem services, including soil fertility, biomass provision, and biodiversity, play a pivotal role in the assessment of land management strategies, aiming to enhance resilience and reduce climate change risks. The interdisciplinary nature of mountains and other systems is underscored, recognizing the difficulties in adequately parameterizing complex terrain in models and the scarcity of high-elevation monitoring infrastructure, to name a few such constraints. We seek contributions that bridge disciplinary boundaries, incorporating empirical studies of mountain climate, cryosphere, ecology, hazards, and hydrology. Understanding socio-economic dimensions and risks is prioritized, integrating demographic changes, land-use alterations, and projections to understand hazards, vulnerability, and exposure interactions. This collaborative session provides a pivotal platform to advance knowledge, encourage interdisciplinary research, and design comprehensive strategies for sustainable management in mountains, watersheds, and other regions. It stands as a testament to the collective commitment to address the intricate challenges faced by these unique environments, fostering a holistic understanding of their dynamics under global change.

Public Information:
This session is endorsed by the Mountain Research Initiative and the Institute for Interdisciplinary Mountain Research of the Austrian Academy of Sciences.

Session GMPV8.7 – Boron and strontium isotopic signature in rainwaters from Mt. Etna, Italy

Filippo Brugnone¹, Matteo Salvadori², Maddalena Pennisi³, Walter D’Alessandro⁴, Lorenzo Brusca⁴, Francesco Parello¹, and Sergio Calabrese^1,4

¹Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra e del Mare (DiSTeM), Università degli Studi di Palermo, Palermo, Italy (filippo.brugnone@unipa.it)
²Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra (DST), Università di Pisa, Pisa, Italy
³Istituto di Geoscienze e Georisorse (IGG), Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche (CNR), Pisa, Italy
⁴Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV), Sezione di Palermo, Palermo, Italy

The isotopic compositions of boron (δ¹¹B‰) and strontium (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) were measured, for the first time, in 10 rainwater samples from Mt. Etna, Italy. The samples were collected during the paroxysmal sequence of 2021-2022. The chemical composition was determined using an ICP-MS, while the isotopic ratios of B and Sr were measured using a mass spectrometer MC-ICP-MS (Neptune Plus™), after specific pre-concentration procedures in clean rooms (class 100 – 1000). In the analysed rainwater samples, the concentrations of B and Sr were between 4.6 µg L^-1 and 42.2 µg L^-1, and between 9.7 µg L^-1 and 541 µg L^-1, respectively. Overall, the isotopic composition of B ranging from +1.29‰ ± 0.30‰ to +42.9‰ ± 0.20‰, with a median value of +22.0‰ ± 0.19‰. The lowest δ¹¹B‰ values were measured in the site closest to the main active craters (3.6 km), with a median value of +11.4‰ ± 0.21‰; the highest was measured in the site close to the Ionian Sea (Zafferana Etnea), with a median value of +38.1‰ ± 0.21‰. Strontium (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr) ratios were between 0.703728 ± 0.000008 and 0.710363 ± 0.000006, with a median of 0.707328 ± 0.000007. The highest and the lowest ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios were measured in the sites most and less affected by the contribution of the volcanic emissions, with median values of 0.704339 ± 0.000007 and 0.709583 ± 0.000007, respectively. Although exists few data of isotopic ratios of boron and strontium on fluids in volcanic systems (δ¹¹B‰ between -9.3 to 21.4‰), there are no studies on rainwater influenced by volcanic emissions. Nevertheless, the data available in the literature are sufficient to attribute Etna’s volcanic source as the major contributor to B and Sr emissions in the atmospheres of this area. The rainwater chemistry of the Zafferana Etnea site was partly influenced by the volcanic source, but the measured isotopic ratios at this site showed a strong contribution from the marine source. The results provide the first comprehensive study of B and Sr isotopes in Mt. Etna rainwater. Two main sources of atmospheric emissions of B and Sr were recognised: sea-salt aerosols and volcanic gases. This research also adds to the potential for the use of B and Sr isotopes as volcanic emissions contribution tracers.

How to cite: Brugnone, F., Salvadori, M., Pennisi, M., D’Alessandro, W., Brusca, L., Parello, F., and Calabrese, S.: Boron and strontium isotopic signature in rainwaters from Mt. Etna, Italy, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-17761, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-17761, 2024.

Session ITS3.11/CL0.1.13 – Comparing Payments for Ecosystem Services in Europe and Asia: A Systematic Literature Review Approach

Tasi-jung Jiang¹ and Herlin Chien²

¹National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Graduate Institute of Bioresources, Taiwan (p10721005@mail.npust.edu.tw)
²College of Humanities and Social Sciences, National Pingtung University of Science and Technology, Pingtung 912, Taiwan (hchien@mail.npust.edu.tw )

Payment for ecosystem services (PES) is a compensation concept used to incentivize landowners to improve land management practices in order to maintain and provide ecosystem services. Examples of such services include river basin protection, forest conservation, flood control, or carbon sequestration. Since the early 1990s, hundreds of PES schemes have been implemented worldwide, with varying degrees of success and has only become a new trend in Asia for the last decade. While analyzing PES cases can identify the factors that contribute to specific outcomes, given the high cost of implementing such schemes and the range of stakeholders involved, our study aims to compare PES cases in Europe where historically the human-nature relationship is more balanced and progressively protected with cases in Asia under rapid industrialization and urbanization. Methodologically, we employ a systematic literature review approach to include a total of 134 articles in Scopus database between 2009 and 2023 for systematic scrutiny. The study analyzes different aspects of the literature growth over the past decade, including project types, beneficiaries, who pays for activities (in USD), spatial scale and current size, and implementation barriers. Our analysis provides insights into the factors that contribute to the success of PES schemes for the goal of improving future research agenda and generating policy recommendations for Asian PES in the near future. In particular, we emphasize the importance of considering the environmental, socio-economic, political, and dynamic contexts of PES policies when designing and implementing such schemes.

How to cite: Jiang, T. and Chien, H.: Comparing Payments for Ecosystem Services in Europe and Asia: A Systematic Literature Review Approach, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-3312, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-3312, 2024.

Session GI2.3/HS13.32 – Transport Processes and Environmental Impact of Human-made Disturbances: Radioactive Contamination and Watershed Management

Convener: Daisuke Tsumune
Co-conveners: Fi-John Chang, Jr-Chuan Huang, Roman Bezhenar, Junko Takahashi, Hikaru Miura, Masatoshi Yamauchi

The session gathers multi-disciplinary transport processes triggered by human-made disturbances in the natural system. Understanding the transport processes, tracers, drivers, and possible consequences are the main concerns in understanding dynamics For example, radioactive materials from nuclear power plant accidents (e.g., Fukushima and Chernobyl) are known as polluting hazardous materials, but are also ideal markers in understanding the transport processes (dynamics and physical/chemical/biological reaction chains) from the atmosphere to the soil-water system and then to the ocean and biosystem.

With water as the key carrier after the fallout, the marker aspect particularly promoted studies in the soil-water system, e.g., effects of artificial change in the entire soil-water interface (watersheds) from the drivers to the possible consequences. Such studies help risk/quality management of human-made forcing to the nature, such as possible nuclear power plants accident (risk is increasing in Ukraine and Yellow Sea).

The following specific topics will particularly discussed:

1. Atmospheric Input (transport and deposition of radionuclides);
2. Responses in Soil and Forestry System (interaction and transfer to organic system);
3. Hydrologic drivers for transport (soil-water interactions);
4. Oceanology (long-range transport);
5. Natural Hazards (risk assessment in possible accidents);
6. Measurement Techniques (advanced instrumentation).

Session GI2.3 – Spatiotemporal Variation of DOM Concentration and Composition along the Subtropical Small River Continuum in Taiwan

Li-Chin Lee¹, Jr-Chuan Huang¹, Gabriele Weigelhofer^2,3, Thomas Hein^2,3, Yu-Lin Yu¹, and Pei-Hao Chen¹

¹Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan
²Department of Water, Atmosphere and Environment, Institute of Hydrobiology and Aquatic Ecosystem Management, , Vienna, Austria
³WasserCluster Lunz, Lunz am See, Austria

The fate and reactivity of dissolved organic matter (DOM) in river networks is critical to understanding carbon cycling in inland water systems, and is highly regulated by physio-geographic factors and water residence time (WRT). In this study, we investigate the spatiotemporal variation of DOM concentration and composition in two SMRs in Taiwan with different landscapes and anthropogenic impacts. The WRT for these two rivers, the Keelung and Lanyang River, are around 34 and 23 hours, respectively. Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration measurements and optical analyses (absorbance and fluorescence) were used to examine DOM quantity and quality along the river continuum. The comparative results showed that, along the SMR continuum, the DOC concentrations and optical indexes exhibited slight changes, with significant increases observed only at downstream sites influenced by human activities. Meanwhile, the higher biological index (BIX) and lower humification index (HIX) indicated an increase in autochthonous sources and a decrease in the degree of humic characters. In addition, we observed a positive correlation between WRT and DOC concentration variability, yet not significant for DOM compositions. When comparing the two rivers, the one with steeper topography and less human influence shows lower levels of DOC concentration and degree of humification. Overall, the SMRs seem to have lower DOC concentrations (0.26 – 1.65 mg-C L^-1), lower HIX (0.28 – 0.76), and slightly higher BIX (0.8 – 1.9) on a global scale, which might be attributed to Taiwan’s steep landscape and shorter water residence time, limiting soil organic carbon (SOC) production and in-stream processes rates. Through our investigation, DOC concentration and DOM composition across river networks will be better understood and potentially improve the assessment of the global carbon cycle.

How to cite: Lee, L.-C., Huang, J.-C., Weigelhofer, G., Hein, T., Yu, Y.-L., and Chen, P.-H.: Spatiotemporal Variation of DOM Concentration and Composition along the Subtropical Small River Continuum in Taiwan, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-14216, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-14216, 2024

Session GI2.3 – Assessment of nutrient export in agroforestry catchments dominated by tea farms in subtropical small mountainous rivers, Taiwan

Pei-Hao Chen¹, Hasan Raja Naqvi², Guan-Zhou Lin³, Tsung-Yu Lee³, Li-Chin Lee¹, and Jr-Chuan Huang¹

¹Department of Geography, National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan (pehou0917@gmail.com)
²Department of Geography, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, India
³Department of Geography, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan

Human-induced land-use change has profound effects on both societies and ecosystem services. For example, transitioning from forests to conventional farms using fertilizers can escalate soil nitrogen, degrade groundwater, and impair downstream ecosystems. This study explores the intricate dynamics of human-induced land-use change, focusing on the shift from forests to tea farm-dominated catchments in Taiwan, where conventional farming practices with fertilizers impact soil quality, groundwater, and downstream ecosystems. Utilizing the Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) for nutrient export analysis, our research reveals that when agricultural land use exceeds 2%, exports of nitrate, phosphate, and potassium spike significantly, ranging from 25% to 150%. Notably, agricultural land use induces a higher impact on nitrate, with concentrations surpassing those by 120% and 233% during the dry season and wet season, respectively. Tea farms, constituting a substantial portion, exhibit a nearly tenfold increase in NO3-N yield compared to forests. Implementing a modified fertilization strategy, involving application during small rainfall events, enhances nitrogen uptake and tea tree harvest yield while reducing nitrogen input by 10%. This research offers actionable recommendations for sustainable agroforestry practices by integrating river and rainwater data with SWAT modeling. By doing so, it advances our understanding of hydrological and biogeochemical processes in subtropical tea farm-dominated catchments, providing valuable insights into hydrology and biogeochemistry.

How to cite: Chen, P.-H., Naqvi, H. R., Lin, G.-Z., Lee, T.-Y., Lee, L.-C., and Huang, J.-C.: Assessment of nutrient export in agroforestry catchments dominated by tea farms in subtropical small mountainous rivers, Taiwan, EGU General Assembly 2024, Vienna, Austria, 14–19 Apr 2024, EGU24-17762, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu24-17762, 2024.

GC53A – Advances in transdisciplinary research on land-water-carbon-society interactions using modeling and field-based approaches | Oral
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Session Description:
Climatic and human stressors are transforming the Critical Zone (CZ) through alteration of land, water, soil, and carbon processes. Therefore, there is a need to better understand key drivers of CZ transformations (e.g., deforestation, poor land management/abandonment, groundwater overexploitation, and permafrost degradation) and the implications on water/food security, ecosystem wellbeing, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This session aims to bring together transdisciplinary groups to discuss advances, challenges, and opportunities on local, regional, and global scale studies (modeling, experimental, or observational) on:

• climatic and anthropogenic drivers of changes in land use, soils, carbon, and groundwater systems
• Earth system and hydrological modeling considering human interventions (e.g., irrigation, groundwater depletion, climate impacts)
• climate change and CZ ecosystem functioning
• wetland conversion, permafrost degradation, and GHG emissions

We encourage studies that use transdisciplinary approaches to address topics above. Studies on new datasets (e.g., remote-sensing) and best-practices for data sharing among transdisciplinary groups are also welcome.

Co-Sponsor(s):

• A – Atmospheric Sciences
• H – Hydrology

Index Terms:
0428 – Carbon cycling [BIOGEOSCIENCES]
1402 – Critical Zone [CRITICAL ZONE]
1829 – Groundwater hydrology [HYDROLOGY]
1842 – Irrigation [HYDROLOGY]

Primary Convener:
Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States

Conveners:
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Jr-Chuan Huang, National Taiwan University, Department of Geography, Taipei, Taiwan

Chairs:

Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

Student/Early Career Convener:
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

GC53A-01 – Advancing the Understanding of Land-Water-Carbon-Society Interactions in the Anthropocene: A Study on Intensively Managed Landscapes in the Midwest USA (Invited)
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Author(s):

Praveen Kumar University of Illinois at Urbana Champaign

Abstract:

We investigate the dynamics of the Critical Zone (CZ) within the context of intensively managed landscapes (IMLs), particularly focusing on regions affected by industrial agriculture, and highlight the significant human influence characterizing the Anthropocene. We shed light on the drastic alterations in CZ environmental processes due to sustained human activities and climatic change, resulting in a transformation from a primarily process-dominant system to a transport-dominant system.

Our research concentrates on the Midwest USA region, where the landscape modification for agriculture has led to profound changes in water, sediment, carbon, and nutrient fluxes, impacting agro-ecosystem sustainability and the CZ’s evolutionary trajectory. Specifically, this study recognizes critical interfaces (CIs) – spatial and temporal transition areas where landscape dynamics are amplified or attenuated – and analyzes their influence on CZ processes in IMLs. These CIs encompass atmospheric and land transitions, hillslope-river channel connections, and biotic-abiotic transitions in the root zone.

We present insights from a ten-year-long study at the Intensively Managed Landscapes Critical Zone facility and explore the interplay between CZ structure and function, arguing that understanding these dynamics through the lens of CIs is essential for developing sustainable management strategies. Key issues addressed include landscape connectivity between uplands and river corridors, near-surface controls on eroded soil fluxes and land-atmosphere exchange, the role of the root-zone/shallow subsurface CI in nutrient dynamics, and the impact of the upland-river corridor CI on carbon dynamics.

This transdisciplinary research combines modeling and field-based approaches to gain a comprehensive understanding of CZ transformations, thereby contributing to addressing the challenges of land management, water/food security, ecosystem wellbeing, and greenhouse gas emissions in the Anthropocene.

Plain-language Summary:

Agriculture significantly shapes our world, particularly in areas of intensive farming like the Midwest USA. Here, practices have drastically changed our landscapes, impacting soil, water, and air in a process we call ‘critical zone transformations’. These transformations have led to a swift transport system moving water, soil, and nutrients across the land. Also crucial are ‘Critical Interfaces’ – transition zones between different environmental areas such as where the atmosphere meets the land surface or roots interact with soil. These interfaces regulate the movement and transformation of materials in our environment. After ten years of studying these transformations in the Midwest, we’ve realized that to create sustainable farming methods, we need to understand how these interfaces and transformations function, and how they are altered by farming practices. Our research seeks to bridge this knowledge gap. The goal? To develop farming practices that balance our need for food production with the health of our environment, ensuring a sustainable future for all.

GC53A-03 – Human disturbance and Landscape setting interactively alter DON-NO₃ coupling in subtropical mountainous rivers
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Author(s):

Jr-Chuan Huang¹, En-Ru Liu¹, Li-Chin Lee¹, Chung-Te Chang, Teng-Chiu Lin², Tsung-Yu Lee³, Adam S Wymore⁴, Gabriele Weigelhofer⁵, (1) National Taiwan University, (2) School of Life Science, National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei 11677, Taiwan, (3) NTNU National Taiwan Normal University, (4) University of New Hampshire, (5) University of Natural Resources and Life Sciences

Abstract:

Stream water dissolved organic carbon (DOC), dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and nitrate (NO3-) concentration can be described by the passive carbon vehicle hypothesis, DON release hypothesis and indirect carbon control hypothesis, and each of these hypotheses has different applicable situations. Nutrient transport is controlled by many environmental factors, like land use, landscape and runoff, and spatial and temporal variation may exist. To realize the relation between environmental characteristics and biogeochemistry cycle, this study monitors the nutrient export of 19 sampling sites in the small mountainous catchment in northern Taiwan. The sampling sites are classified according to the passive carbon vehicle hypothesis (13 sampling sites) and the indirect carbon control hypothesis (6 sampling sites), and redundancy analysis (RDA) is used to clarify the relationship between nutrient transport and its controlling factors. Results show the average annual DOC yields of the 19 catchments is around 1.75 ton-C km-2 yr-1, while DON and NO3- yield are around 0.53 and 1.7 ton-N km-2 yr-1. We divide the characteristics into three groups, namely, land use, landscape and hydrology for RDA. In the DOC yield, hydrology is main controlling factor. The explanatory variables of DON and NO3- are also dominated by hydrology, but the interaction between landscape and land use has largely increased, especially the sites in the indirect carbon control hypothesis set. Our study suggests that interpretation of spatial variation in nutrient export should address the overlap of characteristics, which helps to understand controlling factors of nutrient transport more accurately.

GC52A-04 – Belmont Forum/ABRESO Study Sites: Applied Conceptual Models of the Critical Zone for Watershed Comparison
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Author(s):

Bernd J. Haupt¹, Timothy S. White², (1) Penn state University, Main Campus, University Park, PA, United States, (2) Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States

Abstract:

The ABRESO project (Abandonment and Rebound: Societal views on landscape- and land-use change and their impacts on water and soils) looks at actual and perceived effects of land use transitions on critical zone (CZ) function in the context of land abandonment that occur in different watersheds. In this study, we use a GIS and mathematical based approach to develop conceptual models of the CZ architecture encountered at our Lamprey River watershed study site in New Hampshire, USA, with an aim to applying this approach to each of our partner study sites in France, Italy, Japan, and Taiwan. Our approach includes an effort to quantify the diversity of CZ architectural and functional characteristics that define each watershed as a means to compare and contrast the results of concentration-discharge analyses and assessments of land use change and abandonment.

We use publicly available GIS data layers that represent the environmental spheres that overlap in the CZ; mean annual precipitation and temperature (Atmosphere); land cover (vegetation and surface hydrology, Bio- and Hydrosphere); soil type, Topographic Position Index, and bedrock (Pedo- and Lithosphere), and permeability (global_hydrogeology). These data layers are available for all of the project’s watersheds, though many are presented at differing resolutions and geographic projections rather than as global datasets, and we discuss our strategy for addressing these disparities to create comparable results from each watershed.

GC53A-08 – Atmospheric Depositions of Major Ions in Forests across Three Monitoring Networks in North Hemisphere over Last Two Decades
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Author(s):

Chung-Te Chang¹, Ci-Jian Yang², Jr-Chuan Huang², (1) Tunghai University, (2) National Taiwan University

Abstract:

Synthesizing precipitation chemistry in forest sites (n = 128) from three monitoring networks, (NADP in Northern America, EMEP in Europe, and EANET in East Asia), quantifies the temporal changes of precipitation acidity and its dominant acidifying agents and neutralization potential over the last two decades (1999-2018). Results show distinct declines of sulfate and nitrate depositions and increases of precipitation pH in northeast America and central and east Europe, but not in Asia during 2001 and 2018. The temporal pattern of sulfate (SO42-)/nitrate (NO3-) and ammonium nitrogen (NH4-N)/nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) equivalent ratios indicate that acid rain in the NADP and EMEP have transitioned from sulfate-dominated to nitrate-dominated, and the DIN deposition has shifted from nitrate-dominated to ammonium-dominated in recent years, owing to reductions of sulfur dioxides (SO2) and nitrogen oxides (NOx) emissions. The annual trends of cations showed that 20-30% of the forest sites had significant increasing or decreasing trends in which the sites scattered across the three networks. Possibly, base cation (BC) deposition has reached a low-stable level in NADP and EMEP, whereas it has high spatial heterogeneity in the temporal change in EANET. The difference in BC deposition among the three networks reflects their divergent development of economy. Our synthesis indicates that the annual trends of neutralization factor (NF) in NADP can be attributable to the declining of acid potential (AP), not by neutralization potential (NP) as BC deposition has been stably low over the past two decades. But the concurrent reductions of AP and NP in EMEP or high variability of both AP and NP in EANET have led to a standstill of acid neutralizing capacity.

GC53A – Discussion
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Session Description:
Climatic and human stressors are transforming the Critical Zone (CZ) through alteration of land, water, soil, and carbon processes. Therefore, there is a need to better understand key drivers of CZ transformations (e.g., deforestation, poor land management/abandonment, groundwater overexploitation, and permafrost degradation) and the implications on water/food security, ecosystem wellbeing, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This session aims to bring together transdisciplinary groups to discuss advances, challenges, and opportunities on local, regional, and global scale studies (modeling, experimental, or observational) on:

• climatic and anthropogenic drivers of changes in land use, soils, carbon, and groundwater systems
• Earth system and hydrological modeling considering human interventions (e.g., irrigation, groundwater depletion, climate impacts)
• climate change and CZ ecosystem functioning
• wetland conversion, permafrost degradation, and GHG emissions

We encourage studies that use transdisciplinary approaches to address topics above. Studies on new datasets (e.g., remote-sensing) and best-practices for data sharing among transdisciplinary groups are also welcome.

Co-Sponsor(s):

• A – Atmospheric Sciences
• H – Hydrology

Index Terms:
0428 Carbon cycling [BIOGEOSCIENCES]
1402 – Critical Zone [CRITICAL ZONE]
1829 Groundwater hydrology [HYDROLOGY]
1842 Irrigation [HYDROLOGY]

Primary Convener:
Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States

Conveners:
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Jr-Chuan Huang, National Taiwan University, Department of Geography, Taipei, Taiwan

Chairs:

Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

Student/Early Career Convener:
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

GC010 – Advances in transdisciplinary research on land-water-carbon-society interactions using modeling and field-based approaches
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Session Description:
Climatic and human stressors are transforming the Critical Zone (CZ) through alteration of land, water, soil, and carbon processes. Therefore, there is a need to better understand key drivers of CZ transformations (e.g., deforestation, poor land management/abandonment, groundwater overexploitation, and permafrost degradation) and the implications on water/food security, ecosystem wellbeing, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This session aims to bring together transdisciplinary groups to discuss advances, challenges, and opportunities on local, regional, and global scale studies (modeling, experimental, or observational) on:

• climatic and anthropogenic drivers of changes in land use, soils, carbon, and groundwater systems
• Earth system and hydrological modeling considering human interventions (e.g., irrigation, groundwater depletion, climate impacts)
• climate change and CZ ecosystem functioning
• wetland conversion, permafrost degradation, and GHG emissions

We encourage studies that use transdisciplinary approaches to address topics above. Studies on new datasets (e.g., remote-sensing) and best-practices for data sharing among transdisciplinary groups are also welcome.

Index Terms:
0428 – Carbon cycling [BIOGEOSCIENCES]
1402 – Critical Zone [CRITICAL ZONE]
1829 – Groundwater hydrology [HYDROLOGY]
1842 – Irrigation [HYDROLOGY]

Primary Convener:
Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States

Conveners:
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Jr-Chuan Huang, National Taiwan University, Department of Geography, Taipei, Taiwan

Student/Early Career Convener:
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

GC53G – Advances in transdisciplinary research on land-water-carbon-society interactions using modeling and field-based approaches ||| Poster
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Session Description:
Climatic and human stressors are transforming the Critical Zone (CZ) through alteration of land, water, soil, and carbon processes. Therefore, there is a need to better understand key drivers of CZ transformations (e.g., deforestation, poor land management/abandonment, groundwater overexploitation, and permafrost degradation) and the implications on water/food security, ecosystem wellbeing, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This session aims to bring together transdisciplinary groups to discuss advances, challenges, and opportunities on local, regional, and global scale studies (modeling, experimental, or observational) on:

• climatic and anthropogenic drivers of changes in land use, soils, carbon, and groundwater systems
• Earth system and hydrological modeling considering human interventions (e.g., irrigation, groundwater depletion, climate impacts)
• climate change and CZ ecosystem functioning
• wetland conversion, permafrost degradation, and GHG emissions

We encourage studies that use transdisciplinary approaches to address topics above. Studies on new datasets (e.g., remote-sensing) and best-practices for data sharing among transdisciplinary groups are also welcome.

Index Terms:
0428 – Carbon cycling [BIOGEOSCIENCES]
1402 – Critical Zone [CRITICAL ZONE]
1829 – Groundwater hydrology [HYDROLOGY]
1842 – Irrigation [HYDROLOGY]

Primary Convener:
Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States

Conveners:
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Jr-Chuan Huang, National Taiwan University, Department of Geography, Taipei, Taiwan

Student/Early Career Convener:
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

GC53G-0889 – Solute Dynamics Dependence on Soil Water Ages in a Maize Farm
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Author(s):

Jun-Yi Lee¹, Qun-Zhan Huang², Chu-Chung Chen³, Tsang-Sen Liu⁴, Shao-Yiu Hsu⁵, Jr-Chuan Huang², Tsung-Ren Peng¹, (1) National Chung Hsing University, (2) National Taiwan University (3) Taiwan Agriculture Research Institute, Ministry of Agriculture, (4) Taiwan Agricultural Research Institute, (5) NCU National Central University of Taiwan

Abstract:

Soil water ages provide valuable insights into the velocity of hydrological processes within the soil column, which could potentially influence the solute dynamics of soil water. This study involved weekly sampling of rainwater, soil water, groundwater, and irrigation water in a maize farm located in Taichung, Taiwan during 2022. These water samples were analyzed for δ2H, major ions, dissolved organic nitrogen (DON), and dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Percolation fluxes were evaluated using a 1D physical soil water model that simulated soil moisture at various depths. Soil water ages were estimated using StorAge Selection functions, considering water fluxes and isotopes. The results show that the soil water age during the dry period is 31 days, and percolation tends to prefer the utilization of old water. During the extreme wet period, the age of soil water is 12 days, and percolation tends to prefer the utilization of young water. As the water age dramatically reduces during the wet period, the concentrations of positive ions, NO3, and DON could diminish rapidly. However, the DOC keeps nearly constant concentration even in high plant uptake rates in the late period, implying biological contribution could not be ignored. This study highlights the significance of water transit time, providing a solid scientific foundation for intelligent agriculture and carbon reduction efforts.

GC53G-0896 – Evaluating the Factors of Watershed Water Storage: A Comparative Study in Temperate Forested Headwater Watersheds in the United States and Japan
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Author(s):

Shodai Inokoshi¹, Takashi Gomi¹, Adam S Wymore², William H McDowell², (1) Nagoya University, (2) University of New Hampshire

Abstract:

Climate change associated with global warming has a significant impact on the water cycle at the regional and watershed scales. For example, reduced snowpack and earlier snowmelt is associated with higher winter temperatures and an increased frequency of rain on snow events. Watershed water storage is a critical component of the water cycle in the context of climate change because storage can buffer the effects of climate variability and sustain stable streamflow and plant water use. Storage is controlled by both climate factors (e.g., amount of precipitation and type of precipitation (rain or snow)) and internal factors (e.g., topography and geology). Understanding how strongly each of these factors affects storage is essential for appropriate watershed management and ecosystem conservation in the critical zone under climate change. In this study, we examined the characteristics of discharge-storage relationships and the factors contributing to this relationship in forested headwater watersheds located in the temperate zones of the United States and Japan. The targeted watersheds are in the rain-snow transition zones, which are expected to be strongly affected by climate change. For each catchment, storage was estimated from diminishing returns analysis, and the strength of each factor defining the storage – runoff relationship was examined by multivariate analysis. This study focused on how interactions between climate variability and critical zone attributes influence water storage in regions that are strongly influenced by winter precipitation.

GC52B – Advances in Transdisciplinary Research on Land-Water-Carbon-Society Interactions Using Modeling and Field-Based Approaches | Oral
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Climatic and human stressors are transforming the Critical Zone (CZ) through alteration of land, water, soil, and carbon processes. Therefore, there is a need to better understand key drivers of CZ transformations (e.g., deforestation, poor land management/abandonment, groundwater overexploitation, and permafrost degradation) and the implications on water/food security, ecosystem wellbeing, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This session aims to bring together transdisciplinary groups to discuss advances, challenges, and opportunities on local, regional, and global scale studies (modeling, experimental, or observational) on:

• climatic and anthropogenic drivers of changes in land use, soils, carbon, and groundwater systems
• Earth system and hydrological modeling considering human interventions (e.g., irrigation, groundwater depletion, climate impacts)
• climate change and CZ ecosystem functioning
• wetland conversion, permafrost degradation, and GHG emissions

We encourage studies that use transdisciplinary approaches to address topics above. Studies on new datasets (e.g., remote-sensing) and best-practices for data sharing among transdisciplinary groups are also welcome.

Primary Convener:
Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States

Conveners:
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Jr-Chuan Huang, National Taiwan University, Department of Geography, Taipei, Taiwan

Chairs:

Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Jr-Chuan Huang, National Taiwan University, Department of Geography, Taipei, Taiwan
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States

Student/Early Career Convener:
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

GC52B-05 – A Multi-Objective Optimization Approach for the Planning of Urban Groundwater Recharge Solutions
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Author(s):

Georges Farina¹, Philippe Le Coent², Noémie Neverre³, (1) BRGM, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France; BSE, University of Bordeaux, 6 Av. Léon Duguit, 33600 Pessac, France, (2) BRGM, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France; G-eau, UMR 183, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, AgroParisTech, Institut Agro Montpellier, BRGM, (3) BRGM, Univ Montpellier, Montpellier, France; G-eau, UMR 183, INRAE, CIRAD, IRD, AgroParisTech, Institut Agro Montpellier, BRGM, Montpellier, France

Abstract

Over the last decades, urbanization has deeply altered the functioning of the critical zone, which has largely hampered the capacity of cities to adapt to climate change. Urban Nature-based Solutions (NBS) have recently emerged as potential strategies to restore this potential. However, urban decision makers require effective decision-support tools to plan and implement NBS development strategies, considering multiple objectives and constraints. Traditional decision support methods like cost-benefit analysis and multicriteria decision analysis often fall short in addressing the complexities of spatial problems and fail to depict trade-offs at stake in this decision. This paper advocates for the use of multi-objective optimization (MOO) as an approach to support decision making in urban planning. MOO allows decision-makers to explore trade-offs, evaluate a large number of solutions across multiple criteria, and identify a range of optimal solutions known as the Pareto front. Past applications of MOO however lack considerations for actual space availability, simultaneous objectives of climate change adaptation and water management, integration of ecosystem service demand, and exploration and visualization of results for stakeholders. To address these shortcomings, this paper presents an integrated approach to MOO that focuses on stakeholder needs and covers the entire decision-making process, from conception to results. We present the application of this approach to a real case study, the City of Bordeaux, France, for the selection of groundwater recharge solutions (NBS and Grey solutions) to maximize both urban cooling benefits and groundwater recharge of the shallow aquifer. The study incorporates the evaluation of the benefits of the solutions using interdisciplinary methods (stated preferences method from environmental economics and multi criteria analysis of recharge benefits from hydrogeology), incorporates real site constraints, and introduces novel approaches for exploring and visualizing MOO results. As expected, the MOO identifies two polar strategies: the development of grey solutions at the periphery of the city to maximize groundwater recharge and the development of NBS close to the city center’s main heat island areas. More interestingly, the MOO identifies an area of simultaneous high gains in the Pareto front: high-ambition urban cooling-focused solutions tend to perform very well in terms of both benefits, recharge and cooling (but with high opportunity costs). This result can be of particular interest for local stakeholders as it can indicate the existence of win-win solutions to be developed in the future. We believe that this interdisciplinary decision support method, with an integrated approach of the critical zone has the potential to be replicated to help designing land use planning strategies in cities.

GC52B – Discussion
11 – 15 December 2023 | San Francisco, CA, USA

Climatic and human stressors are transforming the Critical Zone (CZ) through alteration of land, water, soil, and carbon processes. Therefore, there is a need to better understand key drivers of CZ transformations (e.g., deforestation, poor land management/abandonment, groundwater overexploitation, and permafrost degradation) and the implications on water/food security, ecosystem wellbeing, and greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. This session aims to bring together transdisciplinary groups to discuss advances, challenges, and opportunities on local, regional, and global scale studies (modeling, experimental, or observational) on:

• climatic and anthropogenic drivers of changes in land use, soils, carbon, and groundwater systems
• Earth system and hydrological modeling considering human interventions (e.g., irrigation, groundwater depletion, climate impacts)
• climate change and CZ ecosystem functioning
• wetland conversion, permafrost degradation, and GHG emissions

We encourage studies that use transdisciplinary approaches to address topics above. Studies on new datasets (e.g., remote-sensing) and best-practices for data sharing among transdisciplinary groups are also welcome.

Primary Convener:
Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States

Conveners:
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Jr-Chuan Huang, National Taiwan University, Department of Geography, Taipei, Taiwan

Chairs:

Yadu Pokhrel, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, United States
Hwa-Lung Yu, National Taiwan University, Department of Bioenvironmental Systems Engineering, Taipei, Taiwan
Jr-Chuan Huang, National Taiwan University, Department of Geography, Taipei, Taiwan
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States
Timothy S. White, Pennsylvania State University Main Campus, Earth and Environmental Systems Institute, University Park, PA, United States

Student/Early Career Convener:
Amar Deep Tiwari, Michigan State University, Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering, East Lansing, MI, United States

SRI2023 invites contributions to the SRI Congress program that will be held in Panama City, Panama, from June 26-30, 2023. Contributions for an interactive and engaging session or event must be submitted by December 21, 2022 (23:59 EST / UTC -5). Any group of people working in sustainability science and practice, including the research sector, government, business, philanthropy, art, and civil society is welcome to submit contributions.

The Sustainability Research & Innovation (SRI) Congress is the world’s largest transdisciplinary gathering for the global sustainability community. SRI2023 is hosted by the National Secretariat of Science, Technology and Innovation of the Republic of Panama (SENACYT) and the Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research (IAI) bringing this global event to the Latin American and Caribbean Region. More than 1500 experts from around the world are expected to join us for this event.

SRI2023 Themes:

1. Turning the Tide for Climate: Collaborative Action for Institutional Transformation
2. Healthy and Inclusive Communities
3. A Peaceful Planetary Mind
4. Latin America and the Caribbean Science and Innovation for Sustainability

CRA: SOILS Mid-term meeting – Timothy White – organizer
Wednesday, 28 June 2023 | 9:00 – 12:30 EDT | Online

Author(s):

Timothy White, Penn State University, USA

Abstract:

The Belmont Forum Collaborative Research Action (CRA) “Towards Sustainability of Soils and Groundwater for Society” aims to produce the necessary knowledge and propose solutions to maintain well-functioning soils and groundwater systems in the Critical Zone, or rehabilitate them where degraded, through: 1. Better understanding of the long- and shorter-time dynamics and functions of soils and groundwater, impacts from societal (including economics) decisions, integrative management practices, public policies, and how these systems have been transformed; and 2. Providing avenues, pathways, and narratives toward transformation of management practices of the whole soil and groundwater systems through a fundamental shift of socio-economic actors’ practices and related-decisions making processes. Six projects have been funded: ABRESO, BLUEGEM, INCLUSIVE, INTERACTION, PRISMARCTYC, and VULCAR-FATE, each with a unique perspective on the aforementioned goals. Funding has been provided from the U.S. NSF to support substantial collaborative actions between CRA projects. Thus far, the PIs of the projects have met several times but have only just begun to understand the goals and details of the other projects. Yet, we aim to offer meaningful solutions to real-world problems associated with soil and water. Thus, we propose a Belmont Soils and Water CRA mid-term meeting in which the six projects will have the opportunity to 1) present broadly, and in some detail, the aims and progress of each project, so that 2) we can engage in informed discussions to determine how we can collaborate and integrate across the projects, and be prepared for a meaningful contribution at the SRI 2024 Congress. We envision one half-day of presentations, and a second half-day of guided discussions.

 

CRA: SOILS Mid-term meeting – Yadu Pokhrel – speaker
Wednesday, 28 June 2023 | 9:00 – 12:30 EDT | Online

Author(s):

Yadu Pokhrel

Abstract:

TBA

CRA: SOILS Mid-term meeting – Jean-Jacques Braun – speaker
Wednesday, 28 June 2023 | 9:00 – 12:30 EDT | Online

Author(s):

Jean-Jacques Braun, Institute of Research for Development, France

Abstract:

TBA

CRA: SOILS Mid-term meeting – Janet Swim – speaker
Wednesday, 28 June 2023 | 9:00 – 12:30 EDT | Online

Author(s):

Janet Swim

Abstract:

TBA

CRA: SOILS Mid-term meeting – Sarah Loudin – speaker
Wednesday, 28 June 2023 | 9:00 – 12:30 EDT | Online

Author(s):

Sarah Loudin

Abstract:

TBA

CRA: SOILS Mid-term meeting – Sarah Ollivier – speaker
Wednesday, 28 June 2023 | 9:00 – 12:30 EDT | Online

Author(s):

Sarah Ollivier

Abstract:

TBA

CRA: SOILS Mid-term meeting – Philippe Le Coent – speaker
Wednesday, 28 June 2023 | 9:00 – 12:30 EDT | Online

Author(s):

Philippe Le Coent

Abstract:

TBA

CRA: SOILS Mid-term meeting – Christophe Demichelis – speaker
Wednesday, 28 June 2023 | 9:00 – 12:30 EDT | Online

Author(s):

Christophe Demichelis

Abstract:

TBA

EGU23-14567 – The impact of landscape and land use changes on the critical zone and society: the Belmont Forum ABRESO project

Authors:

Chiara Richiardi¹, Maria Adamo¹, Andrea Scartazza², Lisa Sella³, Ilaria Baneschi⁴, Serena Botteghi⁴, Enrico Brugnoli², Silvana Fuina¹, Olga Gavrichkova², Michael Maerker⁵, Michele Mattioni², Elena Ragazzi³, Valentina Rossi⁴, Francesca Silvia Rota³, Matteo Salvadori⁴, Cristina Tarantino¹, Saverio Vicario¹, Alberto Zanetti⁴, and Maddalena Pennisi⁴

(1) Institute of Atmospheric Pollution Research (IIA), National Research Council (CNR), c/o Interateneo Physics Department
(2 )Research Institute on Terrestrial Ecosystems, National Research Council of Italy (CNR–IRET)
(3 )CNR-IRCrES, National Research Council of Italy – Research Institute on Sustainable Economic Growth
(4) Institute of Geosciences and Earth Resources, IGG-CNR
(5) Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, University of Pavia

Abstract

The stable presence of humans in the Alps dates back to the Bronze Age and peaked in the mid-19th century, deeply shaping the landscape and allowing the co-evolution of numerous plant and animal species. Since the 1950s, socio-economic changes have led to the gradual depopulation of mountain areas, and the consequent abandonment of traditional agro-pastoral activities. The rupture of the long-established balance between man and nature has triggered a process of transition, further exacerbated and accelerated by climate change. The Belmont Forum project ABRESO (Abandonment and rebound: Societal views on landscape and land-use change and their impacts on water and soils) started in 2021 and aims at advancing the understanding of mitigation and adaptation strategies to environmental change, through an international partnership involving five countries (the United States, France, Italy, Japan and Taiwan). Italy contributes to the project with three case studies: Gran Paradiso National Park, Val Grande National Park and the Tesino highlands are investigated in the Italian Alps. Using an interdisciplinary approach, the project aims to study the impact of the abandonment of traditional activities on ecosystem services provisioning, such as biodiversity conservation and soil sustainability, as well as the actual perception of the ongoing environmental changes by different stakeholders and its subsequent integration into local land management practices and policies. The land use and land cover change occurring due to land abandonment can have profound implications in the critical zone (CZ), inducing changes in soil, vegetation, carbon fluxes and water resources. This project integrates the natural and social sciences approaches to study the evolution of ecosystems in response to these factors. More specifically, advanced techniques that integrate Earth Observation, biogeochemical analyses and socio-economic investigation are used in the Italian sites to understand in which extent geo-biophysical and social landscapes reciprocally interact. The environmental variables collected for ecosystem monitoring and to study and upscale the ongoing dynamics in the CZ include snow cover and phenology parameters, soil organic carbon, and land use change maps extracted from time series of satellite imagery, validated via in situ measurements. Then, the observed processes will be compared to the perception of different stakeholders (local population, policy makers, tourists, business keepers, etc.) to unveil new insights into the way land use change in the mountain areas influence and is influenced by the local land management practices and policies.

How to cite: Richiardi, C., Adamo, M., Scartazza, A., Sella, L., Baneschi, I., Botteghi, S., Brugnoli, E., Fuina, S., Gavrichkova, O., Maerker, M., Mattioni, M., Ragazzi, E., Rossi, V., Rota, F. S., Salvadori, M., Tarantino, C., Vicario, S., Zanetti, A., and Pennisi, M.: The impact of landscape and land use changes on the critical zone and society: the Belmont Forum ABRESO project, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-14567, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-14567, 2023.

H12D-05 – Effects of Upstream Decontamination Activities in Agricultural Land on Downstream Transport of Persistent Suspended Solids and Cs-137 in Niida Catchment in Fukushima, Japan
Monday, 12 December 2022 | 10:40 – 10:50 | McCormick Place – E352 (Lakeside, Level 3)

Author(s):

Yuichi Onda¹, Bin Feng², Yoshifumi Wakiyama³, Keisuke Taniguchi⁴, Asahi Hashimoto⁵ and Yupan Zhang¹, (1)University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan, (2)University of Tsukuba, Center for Research in Isotopes and Environmental Dynamics, Tsukuba, Japan, (3)Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan, (4)Tsuyama College, Tsuyama, Japan, (5)University of Tsukuba, Colleage of Geoscience, Tsukuba, Japan

Abstract:

The Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident released the largest amount of radioactive cesium into the terrestrial environment since the Chernobyl accident [1]. In order to reduce radiation risks, especially in highly contaminated areas, decontamination was carried out by removing 5 cm of soil from farmland and replacing it with new soil, and soil contaminated with 137Cs was removed, but the long-term effects on the downstream areas were unknown.

To evaluate the impact of land use change in the decontaminated area on the dynamics of suspended sediment and 137Cs downstream discharge, we digitized the evolution of the decontaminated area boundary, photographed the land cover in the decontaminated area using a drone, and analyzed the land use change by using the fusion images of 10 m spatial resolution of Normalized vegetation index (NDVI) was used to quantitatively assess land use change. We also conducted a long-term field survey spanning the decontamination (2013-2016) and natural restoration (2017-2018) phases, continuously recording water flow and turbidity (10 min temporal resolution) and suspended 137Cs concentrations both upstream and downstream [2].

We found that from 2013 to 2018 and found that soil erosion potential increased during the decontamination period (2013-2016) and decreased with subsequent revegetation; soil erosion potential increased in 2013 compared to 2012, and an increase of 237.1% in suspended sediment (SS) during annual flooding in 2016. The mixed model suggested that the gradual increase in sediment from the decontaminated area caused the rapid decrease in suspended 137Cs. However, no significant changes were observed in the downstream runoff-normalized fluxes after decontamination; in 2018, both suspended sediment concentrations and fluxes approached their pre-decontamination levels. Therefore, upstream decontamination resulted in a persistent excess suspended sediment (SS) load downstream, although the 137Cs concentration decreased. On the other hand, the environmental recovery was very rapid in Fukushima, with vegetation recovering quickly due to heavy rainfall.

H13G-01 – Stoichiometry-discharge relationships reveal the balance of energy and nutrient availability across watersheds
Monday, 12 December 2022 | 15:45 – 19:15 | McCormick Place – Poster Hall, Hall – A

Author(s):

Adam S Wymore¹, Hannah Fazekas², Jr-Chuan Huang³, Hao-Chi Lin³, Michael Maerker⁴, William H McDowell⁵, Yuichi Onda⁶ and Eric M Parker⁷, (1)University of New Hampshire Main Campus, Natural Resources and the Environment, Durham, NH, United States, (2)University of New Hampshire Main Campus, Durham, NH, United States, (3)National Taiwan University, Taipei, Taiwan, (4)Pavia University, Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences, Pavia, Italy, (5)University of New Hampshire, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Durham, NH, United States, (6)University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan, (7)University of New Hampshire, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Durham, United States

Abstract:

Concentration-discharge relationships (C-Q) provide powerful insight into the hydro-biogeochemical controls on surface water solute concentrations and source pools within watersheds. Frequently, C-Q relationships are examined for individual solutes in isolation; yet the biogeochemical cycling of elements is often coupled, with rates of reaction determined by biota depending on stoichiometric demands. Here we combine the frameworks of C-Q relationships and ecological stoichiometry to investigate how hydrological connectivity across the terrestrial-aquatic interface drives elemental ratios of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) and DOC and nitrate (NO3) across river networks. We employ these frameworks to garner insights into how solute reservoirs are activated synchronously or asynchronously across space and time and how solutes scale with one another across intervals of discharge. We leverage a network of temperate watersheds in New England (USA), Japan, and Taiwan to examine these stoichiometric-discharge (Stoic-Q) relationships and how they vary with land-use-land cover and drainage area with relatively similar climates. Preliminary results indicate that across sites the DOC: DON Stoic-Q relationship is non-linear (e.g., negative curvilinear) where DOC: DON stoichiometry in larger rivers is unresponsive to changes in discharge. The slope of the line describing DOC: DON Stoich-Q is also variable across sites indicating the concentrations of DOC and DON scale differently to increases in flow. Similarly, the DOC: NO3 Stoich-Q relationship was non-linear but we observed much greater variability across all sites and seasons. These non-linear relationships suggest that at lower discharge intervals multiple source pools can be activated and that watersheds are biogeochemically active due to increased residence time affecting the variability of resource stoichiometry and responsiveness to climate and land-use variability. Understanding the role of hydrology to control elemental stoichiometry is essential to understanding the balance of energy and nutrients in ecosystems.

H13G-02 – Transition of Carbon-Nitrogen Coupling along an Anthropogenic Disturbance Gradient in Subtropical Small Mountainous Rivers
Monday, 12 December 2022 | 12:10 – 12:20 | McCormick Place – Poster Hall, Hall – A

Author(s):

Jr-Chuan Huang, National Taiwan University, Department of Geography, Taipei, Taiwan, Li-Chin Lee, National Taiwan University, Geography, Taipei, Taiwan, Fuh-Kwo Shiah, Research Center for Environmental Changes, Academia Sinica, Taipei, Taiwan, Taipei, Taiwan, Tsung-Yu Lee, NTNU National Taiwan Normal University, Taipei, Taiwan and Ying-San Liou, National Donghua University, Shoufeng, Taiwan

Abstract:

Relationship between DOC and DIN and their stoichiometric ratio regulating various biogeochemical reactions reflects the condition of balanced carbon and nitrogen in aquatic environments. Little is known to the relationship between DOC and DIN along a human disturbance gradient in subtropic mountainous rivers. Here, we investigated the DOC, NO3-, and NH4+ in 42 Taiwan rivers with different levels of human disturbance. Results showed that the concentrations of the three nutrients were generally low, yet the DOC and DIN exports were much higher than the global average, which indicate a strong hydrologic regulation and continuous supply. As stoichiometric ratios, Taiwan rivers are generally under carbon-limited conditions. Thus, NO3- in excess of microbial demand should accumulate following energetic constraints in well-oxygenated rivers. Human activities lead to higher concentration and export of DOC, NO3-, and NH4+. An elevated concentration combined with gentle slope in highly-disturbed watersheds may lower down DO concentration and pose the threat of eutrophication. When DO became lower than 6.5 mg L-1 in water columns, the dominant influence on DOC-DIN patterns would shift from energy to redox constraints. Under this condition, an inverse DOC- NO3- pattern would emerge and the excess N was accumulated as NH4+ rather than NO3-. This study provided empirical evidence for the transition and drivers of riverine DOC-DIN patterns along an anthropogenic gradient and furthered our understanding of aquatic carbon-nutrient dynamics.

H15P-0989 – Sister Streams: A Comparative Study on the Impacts of Evolving Trajectories of Land-use Land Cover on the Water Quality of Two Temperate Watersheds
Monday, 12 December 2022 | 15:45 – 19:15 | McCormick Place – Poster Hall, Hall – A

Author(s):

Eric M Parker¹, Hideaki Shibata², Shota Takeuchi³, Takayuki Shiraiwa⁴, William H McDowell⁵ and Adam S Wymore¹, (1)University of New Hampshire, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Durham, United States, (2)Hokkaido University, Field Science Center for Northern Biosphere, Sapporo, Japan, (3)Hokkaido University, Graduate School of Environmental Science, Sapporo, Japan, (4)Hokkaido University, Institute of Low Temperature Science, Sapporo, Japan, (5)University of New Hampshire, Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, Durham, NH, United States

Abstract:

Changes in land use-land cover (LULC) are widely recognized to impact water quality, but the extent to which mosaics of land use, including land abandonment, impact surface water chemistry and freshwater ecosystems is uncertain. It is particularly challenging to make generalizations across watersheds with mixed LULC, especially in those systems where LULC is changing (e.g., decreases or increases in forest cover). The Lamprey River and the Bekanbeushi River watersheds are two forest-dominated, temperate coastal river networks located in southeastern New Hampshire, USA and eastern Hokkaido, Japan, respectively. Both watersheds drain into economically important estuaries and are characterized by evolving land-use gradients with a history of land abandonment. Spatial sampling of multiple sub-watersheds was conducted during the 2022 summer season across a range of sites chosen to represent different landscapes and land-use regimes, such as agriculture versus forested sub-catchment, to better understand the impacts on water resources. Locations across the two watersheds were selected for four replicate samplings over the course of an approximately four-week period. We analyzed samples for a wide suite of water quality parameters including carbon, nutrients, and base cations. Utilizing this spatial framework, snapshots of nutrient and solute inputs were mapped across the Lamprey and Bekanbeushi Rivers. The similarity of the study sites (e.g., size, land cover, climate) enables parallels to be drawn between the impacts of changing land-use on watersheds and water resources in different parts of the world.

B22G-1525 – Development of a Method for Estimating Tree Density in Planted Forests in Japan Using Low Irradiation Density Airborne LiDAR and Satellite Remote Sensing
Tuesday, 13 December 2022 | 10:00 – 13:30 | McCormick Place – Poster Hall, Hall A (South, Level 3)

Author(s):

Asahi Hashimoto¹, Shodai Inokoshi², Chen-Wei Chiu², Yuichi Onda¹, Yupan Zhang¹ and Takashi Gomi³, (1)University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan, (2)Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, International Innovative Agricultural Science, Tokyo, Japan, (3)Institute of Global Innovation Research, Tokyo University of Agriculture and Technology, Tokyo, Japan

 Abstract:

Japanese planted forests that are not properly managed have a very high density of standing trees, causing increased interception evaporation and reduced groundwater recharge, thereby reducing the amount of water available. In order to maintain an adequate water cycle, it is necessary to understand the degree of tree crowding and then manage the trees appropriately.

Since the appropriate stand density varies with tree height, the Relative yield index (Ry) is used in Japan to evaluate forest crowding. The index is determined by tree height and tree density, with the highest possible density of planted forest at a given tree height set at 1. Therefore, it is possible to estimate the density of standing trees if Ry and tree height can be ascertained. Once Ry and tree height are known, it is possible to estimate tree density.

LiDAR data is widely used to determine forest structure because of its superior vertical resolution. Although LiDAR data (1 point/m2) is widely available in Japan, however, it is difficult to determine tree density with this data only. Satellite remote sensing has attempted to determine tree density using vegetation indices that are sensitive to activity and canopy density, as well as differences in surface temperature due to differences in canopy density. When used in combination with LiDAR data, it may be possible to determine the tree density with higher accuracy.

In this study, we developed a method to estimate tree density, which is necessary information for understanding the water cycle in forests, using LiDAR data and satellite remote sensing for Japanese planted conifer forests.

Ry estimation index is calculated using Landsat8 and is based on the following principles: (1) forests with higher forest density have relatively higher winter canopy temperatures, and (2) reflectance in the NIR region depends on canopy density. Tree height was obtained from LiDAR data. Forest density was then calculated from Ry and tree height.

The estimated forest density was highly correlated with the forest density obtained from the field survey (r2 = 0.80, n = 27). The results of this study provide insight into the estimation of the water cycle in planted forests in Japan. In addition, this method can be applied to various coniferous forests around the world and will contribute to the advancement of global scale water cycle models.

H32M-1082 – Factors contributing to the 137Cs variation in the drainage channel K at the Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant by mixing model using 3H concentration
Wednesday, 14 December 2022 | 10:00 – 13:30 | McCormick Place – Poster Hall, Hall A (South, Level 3)

Author(s):

Hikaru Sato¹, Yuichi Onda¹ and Maksym Gusyev², (1)University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan, (2)Fukushima University, Fukushima, Japan

 Abstract:

The 2011 Fukushima Daiichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident released vast amounts of radio cesium (137Cs) into the ocean. In October 2015, a sea-side impermeable wall was installed to diverge groundwater around the FDNPP site and reduced 137Cs contaminated water to the ocean. After the installation, seasonal variations of 137Cs concentrations in ocean water were observed due to the decrease of highly contaminated groundwater discharge underneath the FDNPP site. However, the cause of this seasonal variation remains unclear. The highest 137Cs concentration in ocean water found at the monitoring point of “south-inside the intake of Units 1-4”. The surface water and shallow groundwater in the FDNPP site discharge to the ocean near this point through the K-drainage channel. Therefore, this study focused on the K-drainage channel examining the contribution of surface water and shallow groundwater flow into the K-drainage channel using tritium (3H) concentrations as a tracer.

The 3H concentrations in K-drainage channel are lower than high 3H concentrations in groundwater which seems to leak from the storage tanks, and decrease during rainfall events. The 3H concentrations measured in the K-drainage channel indicated a similar trend to groundwater during low flow with limited rainfall events. These show 3H in groundwater would be a good tracer. Therefore, the monthly maximum 3H concentrations in the K-drainage channel were assumed as the 3H concentrations measured in groundwater of steady-state flow, and the binary mixing model was used to examine the contribution of surface flow and groundwater components in the K-drainage channel by using rainwater and groundwater 3H concentrations. It was revealed that the 137Cs concentrations in the K-drainage channel increased when the contribution of surface flow increased. This result suggests that the variation of 137Cs concentrations in the K-drainage channel were controlled by an increase in surface flow that transports high radionuclide concentrations to the ocean.

 

B42I-1738 – Estimation of radiation transfer and rainfall interception from drone LiDAR data by modeling 3D canopy structure and ray tracing in plantation forest
Thursday, 15 December 2022 | 10:00 – 13:30 | McCormick Place – Poster Hall, Hall A (South, Level 3)

Author(s):

Yupan Zhang¹, Yuichi Onda¹, Asahi Hashimoto², Shiori Takamura¹ and Linh Thuy Pham³, (1)University of Tsukuba, Tsukuba, Japan, (2)University of Tsukuba, Colleage of Geoscience, Tsukuba, Japan, (3)Energy and environment consultancy joint stock company, Hanoi, Vietnam 

Abstract:

The multidimensional arrangement of upper canopy features is a physical driver of energy and water balance under various canopies, and standard modeling approaches integrate leaf area index (LAI) and canopy closure (CC) to describe canopies. Similar to physical canopy structure measurements, field measurements of throughfall and stemflow are also important for understanding canopy interception component of evapotranspiration in forest systems. However, the effects on canopy interception and understory radiation transfer due to temporal and spatial changes in stand characteristics caused by forest management are not well understood. The experiments were conducted in two plantation forests located in Tochigi and Fukushima prefecture, Japan. Throughfall was computed from 20 rain gauges distributed on a grid under the forest canopy, 3 stemflow collectors was set up around the tree trunks connected to a bucket with water level sensor. Three-dimensional point clouds from the forest canopy and understory vegetation were collected using drone LiDAR. For canopy modeling, a voxel-based method was used to create 3D representations of forest canopies, and an analysis of these point-derived canopy structures was performed disregarding optical properties of canopy elements. For light modeling, the optical properties of the different objects were created to calculate and simulate light that passes through the canopy using the ray tracer. This physics-based model was used to generate hemispherical photographs to further calculate LAI and canopy openness. Destructive sampling methods was used to accurately measured leaf area index to verify the accuracy of simulated hemispherical photographs for LAI calculation. In addition, by further analyzing the multiple return data (three-echo) included in the small footprint drone LiDAR, this study calculated the laser penetration index (LPI) and developed an empirical model of the LAI and LiDAR data for the watershed scale. Measured throughfall and stemflow results were related to the estimated LAI for further projection of canopy interception data. After thinning one year, it needs less water to saturate the canopy (2.1mm) compared to before thinning (2.7mm) and 9 years after thinning (2.5mm) due to the reduction and recovering in canopy openness (97%->44%->90%). Throughfall increase was slowed down with the increase of thinning pass time. These results indicate that LAI can be accurately estimated for plantation forests conditions using LiDAR data and further estimate the canopy interception.

Combining bio-geochemistry, remote sensing and social sciences to assess the effects of land use change within the CZ framework: the ABRESO project
Wednesday, 22 June 2022 | 17:15 – 17:30 | Auditorium

Author(s):

Salvadori M., A. Scartazza, I. Baneschi, M. P. Adamo, M. Pennisi, O. Gavrichkova, L. Sella, S. Botteghi, E. Brugnoli, S. Fuina, M. Maerker, M. Mattioni, E. Ragazzi, C. Richiardi, M. V. Rossi, F. Rota, C. Tarantino

Abstract:

XXX

Walking through the Earth: a hands-on experience
Thursday, 23 June 2022 | Laboratories

Author(s):

Bachi, G., I. Baneschi, I. Cornacchia, P. Di Giuseppe, O. Gavrischlova, S. Giamberini, A. Parisi, S. Reteletti, A. Rielli, M. Salvadori, C. Santinelli, A. Scartazza, S. Vezzoni

Abstract:

Are you interested in discovering more about scientific and practical challenges when dealing with carbon cycle, paleoclimate and global changes? Three laboratories will walk you through the understanding of the Earth from different perspectives (surface to deep), matrices (air, water, vegetation, soil and rocks), and time scales (minutes to millions of years). Choose between 1) a journey through the hydrosphere’s carbon cycle; 2) a path into the geological record of carbon cycle dynamics, deep past perturbations and related climate changes, from rock samples to analytical techniques; 3) a journey to discover the fate of a carbon atom in a terrestrial ecosystem along the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum. In each laboratory, you will have a glimpse of the practical and challenging aspects of the researches on these topics, taking part in an interactive experience.