No description available.

Western juniper has rapidly expanded into sagebrush steppe communities in the Intermountain West during the past 120 years. This expansion has occurred across a wide range of soil types and topographic positions. These plant communities, however, are typically treated in current peer-reviewed literature generically. The focus of this research is to investigate watershed level response to Western juniper encroachment at multiple topographic positions. Data collected from plots used to measure vegetation, soil moisture, and infiltration rates show that intercanopy sites within encroached Western juniper communities generally exhibit a significant decrease in intercanopy plant density and cover, decreased infiltration rates, increased water sediment content, and lower soil moisture content. High-resolution remotely sensed imagery and Geographic Information Systems were used with these plot level measurements to characterize and model the landscape-scale response for both biotic and abiotic components of a Western juniper encroached ecosystem. These data and their analyses included an inventory of plant density, plant cover, bare ground, gap distance and cover, a plant community classification of intercanopy patches and juniper canopy cover, soil moisture estimation, solar insulation prediction, slope and aspect. From these data, models were built that accurately predicted shrub density and shrub cover throughout the watershed study area, differentiated by aspect. We propose a new model of process-based plant community dynamics associated with current state-and-transition theory. This model is developed from field measurements and spatially explicit information that characterize the relationship between the matrix mountain big sagebrush plant community and intercanopy plant community patterns occurring within a Western juniper dominated woodland at a landscape scale. Model parameters (states, transitions, and thresholds) are developed based on differences in shrub density and cover, steady-state infiltration rates, water sediment content, and percent bare ground in response to juniper competition and topographic position. Results from both analysis of variance and multivariate hierarchical cluster analysis indicate that states, transitions, and thresholds can be accurately predicted for intercanopy areas occurring within the study area. In theory, this model and the GIS-based layers produced from this research can be used together to predict states, transitions, and thresholds for any location within the extent of the study area. This is a valuable tool for assessing sites at risk and those that have exceeded the ability to self-repair. / Graduation date: 2005

Rainfall interception is a primary control over the moisture input to a forested ecosystem through the partitioning of precipitation into throughfall, stemflow, and an evaporated component (i.e. the interception loss). Rainfall interception is a spatially and temporally varying process at multiple scales, but heterogeneity in interception processes are poorly understood and poorly described in the literature. We need to know how net precipitation varies in ecosystems because natural systems are driven by non-linear ecohydrological processes where mean values cannot capture localized effects or the cumulative consequences associated with an extremely heterogeneous input. In this thesis, we present two studies that investigate the heterogeneity of interception loss and throughfall in a forested catchment in the western Cascades range of Oregon. In one study, we examined the spatio-temporal patterns among point measurements of throughfall depth and isotopic composition to determine the cause of isotopic differences between throughfall and rainfall. Our results indicated that the residual moisture retained on the canopy from previous events plays a major role in determining the isotopic composition of the next event's throughfall. Differences between the isotopic composition of throughfall samples could indicate further partitioning of throughfall into various flow-paths from the canopy. The second project examined the question of how vegetation variability and terrain complexity drive interception loss heterogeneity at the whole-catchment scale. We applied a simple interception model to a watershed gridded at a 50 m resolution to investigate the relative importance of topographic and vegetative controls over the spatial variability of interception loss. We found that storm characteristics are crucial regarding the impact of spatial heterogeneities in vegetation and evaporation rates. In the Pacific Northwest climate, interception loss is not highly variable for the majority of the year because the annual precipitation is dominated by large storms with low interception losses. However, the net precipitation input to a watershed becomes extremely heterogeneous in the summer due to high interception loss variability. Summer interception loss could be an important control over the spatial variability of the availability of moisture, coinciding with when vegetation is most water-limited. / Graduation date: 2013

The Taim Wetland, situated in the Ecological Station (ESEC) Taim, an important wetland in southern Brazil, is fundamental to maintain the ecological stability of the region. The main economic activity in the surroundings of ESEC is the practice of irrigated rice planting through flooding, a process that requires large amounts of water, which are captured in the region of the lakes in the summer months and causing a decrease of ponds levels and Wetland , which may be harmful to this species dependent wetland environment. One way to investigate how species are impacted by this activity is through the integration of information on required environmental conditions for the survival of the species and their interdependence through habitat suitability indices method (HSI). This method is considered a form of ecological niche modeling, which can assist in improvement or development of management strategies of water resources and conservation of biodiversity, being widely used in areas of wetlands. Thus, using this methodology, this study was conducted in order to add information to the survey prepared by Tassi for Wetland Taim in 2008, through the development and validation of HSI, which relate hydrological and habitat aspects, aimed at management proposals of water resources of the local. To do so, were developed five new HSIs for selected indicator species: totora (Scirpus californicus), the white-faced Ibis (Plegadis chihi) and wood stork (Mycteria americana), and reptiles broad-snouted caiman (Caiman latirostris) and the D'orbigny's slider (Trachemys dorbigni). The species designated as indicators of the Wetland were those that could be observed in the field, and were willing to hydrological information. The construction of the HSIs species was made through the water slide height information needed to ensure the conservation of species and area required to be maintained flood free in reproductive period, from the premise that if ideal conditions would be maintained, these assure its chemical processes, food availability and reproductive success. Through a spatial model of environmental quality, specially developed for the Wetland Taim, there was a reproduction of the information of HSIs through thematic maps with color scale, which reflect the environmental suitability to species facing different scenarios. Through the analysis of the HSIs and retention curves were obtained the minimum water level of dimensions and maximum ideal for indicator species for Wetland Taim, corresponding to 1.75 m and 3.10 m, respectively. Water levels in this range of values create an environment to ensure the reproduction of the species and a favorable environment for migratory species of warm season. This, on the other hand, restrict the withdrawal of irrigation water under conditions of lower water availability, but use of this feature could be increased in situations that exceed the maximum limit established for Wetland dimension of the MAH. / O Banhado do Taim, situado na Estação Ecológica (ESEC) do Taim, constitui importante área úmida do sul do Brasil, sendo fundamental na manutenção da estabilidade ecológica da região. A principal atividade econômica no entorno da ESEC é a prática de plantio de arroz irrigado através de inundação, processo que demanda grandes quantias de água, que são captadas das lagoas da região nos meses de verão, ocasionando a redução dos níveis das lagoas e do banhado, o que pode ser prejudicial para espécies dependentes deste ambiente de área úmida. Uma das formas de investigar como as espécies são impactadas por essa atividade é por meio da integração entre informações sobre as condições ambientais necessárias para a sobrevivência das espécies e sua interdependência, através do método de índices de adequabilidade do habitat (IAHs). Esse método é considerado uma forma de modelagem de nicho ecológico, e que pode colaborar no aperfeiçoamento ou desenvolvimento das estratégias de gerenciamento dos recursos hídricos e conservação da biodiversidade, tendo sido amplamente empregado em regiões de áreas úmidas. Assim, utilizando esta metodologia, este trabalho foi desenvolvido com o intuito de acrescentar informações à pesquisa elaborada por Tassi para o Banhado do Taim em 2008, através do desenvolvimento e validação de IAHs, que relacionam aspectos hidrológicos e de habitats, voltados para propostas de gerenciamento dos recursos hídricos do local. Para tanto, foram desenvolvidos cinco novos IAHs para as espécies indicadoras selecionadas: junco (Scirpus californicus), as aves maçarico-preto (Plegadis chihi) e cabeça-seca (Mycteria americana), e os répteis jacaré-do-papo-amarelo (Caiman latirostris) e a tartaruga-tigre-d água (Trachemys dorbigni). As espécies designadas como indicadoras do banhado foram as que puderam ser observadas em campo, e se dispunham de informações hidrológicas. A construção dos IAHs das espécies se deu através da informação de altura de lâmina de água necessária para garantir a conservação das espécies e área necessária a ser mantida livre de inundação em período reprodutivo, a partir da premissa de que se condições ideais fossem mantidas, estas assegurariam seus processos químicos, disponibilidade de alimento e sucesso reprodutivo. Através de um modelo de espacialização da qualidade ambiental, desenvolvido especialmente para o Banhado do Taim, houve uma reprodução das informações dos IAHs por meio de mapas temáticos com escala de cores, que refletem a adequabilidade ambiental para a espécie frente a diferentes cenários. Por meio da análise dos IAHs e das curvas de permanência, foram obtidos as cotas de nível de água mínimo e máximo ideais para as espécies indicadoras do Banhado do Taim, correspondentes a 1,75 m e a 3,10 m, respectivamente. Níveis de água nesta faixa de valores garantiriam um ambiente propício para assegurar a reprodução das espécies e um ambiente favorável para as espécies migratórias de estação quente. Isso, por outro lado, limitaria a retirada de água para irrigação em condições de menor disponibilidade hídrica, mas o uso deste recurso poderia ser aumentado em situações que ultrapassassem o limite da cota de nível máximo estabelecida para o Banhado do Taim.

Submitted by Daniele Amaral (daniee_ni@hotmail.com) on 2016-09-14T20:55:19Z No. of bitstreams: 1 TesePGJ.pdf: 2065946 bytes, checksum: 88cecd364b6c5b24ea99e24abd33e1d9 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-09-16T19:46:32Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TesePGJ.pdf: 2065946 bytes, checksum: 88cecd364b6c5b24ea99e24abd33e1d9 (MD5) / Approved for entry into archive by Marina Freitas (marinapf@ufscar.br) on 2016-09-16T19:46:40Z (GMT) No. of bitstreams: 1 TesePGJ.pdf: 2065946 bytes, checksum: 88cecd364b6c5b24ea99e24abd33e1d9 (MD5) / Made available in DSpace on 2016-09-16T19:46:47Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 TesePGJ.pdf: 2065946 bytes, checksum: 88cecd364b6c5b24ea99e24abd33e1d9 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2015-07-27 / Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq) / Contaminants are introduced into aquatic ecosystems, both from point and diffuse sources and usually are deposited in the sediments of lakes and reservoirs. The input of diffuse pollutants in the environment is of difficult control and identification, while the control of point sources is more efficient because they are easily identified. However, the frequent discharges of effluents, althought undergoing treatment, may change the input of elements and substances in a given region. The aim of this study was to assess the spatial-temporal influence of point and non-point source pollution on the characteristics of surface water and sediment in a watershed with well-marked seasons. In addition, concepts and attempts at ecosystems restoration in different regions were reviewed in order to understand the main drivers of abiotic-biotic regulation among watersheds and aquatic ecosystems, based on the principles of Ecohydrology. For this purpose, the concentrations of Cd, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn, Pb, Al, Cu, Mn, Hg, As, Se, total phosphorus, total nitrogen and ions in water and sediment were examined. Furthermore, levels of metals (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Hg and As) in the sediment profile of stations under of the influence of different impact were evaluated. This study showed that the point source pollution promote a high load of contaminants in sediment, regardless of the season. Furthermore, the point pollution sources seem to be spatially and temporally the main cause of reservoir sediment chemical composition due its frequent effluent release. This study also indicates that, despite several biogeographical differences, hydrology seems to be the main factor that controls the primary and secondary production and sustainability in rivers and lakes (reservoirs). In conclusion, the hydrology in the tropics seems to decrease the expected effects of a higher temperature. Therefore, to increase resilience in tropical freshwaters integrated actions according to hydrological stages are highly recommended. / Contaminantes são introduzidos em ecossistemas aquáticos, a partir de fontes pontuais e difusas e geralmente são depositados nos sedimentos de lagos e reservatórios. A entrada de poluentes difusos no ambiente é de difícil controle e identificação, enquanto que o controle de fontes pontuais é mais eficiente, pois são facilmente identificados. No entanto, as frequentes descargas de efluentes, mesmo passando por tratamento, podem mudar a dinâmica de entrada de elementos e substâncias em uma região. O objetivo deste estudo foi avaliar a influência espaço-temporal de fontes de poluição pontual e não pontual nas características das águas superficiais e do sedimento de um reservatório (Lobo/Broa, SP) em uma bacia hidrográfica com estações climáticas bem definidas. Além disso, conceitos e tentativas de restauração em diferentes ecossistemas foram revisados com o objetivo de entender quais são os principais controladores da regulação abiótica-biótica entre bacias hidrográficas e ecossistemas aquáticos, com base nos princípios da Ecohidrologia. Para este propósito, as concentrações de Cd, Cr, Fe, Ni, Zn, Pb, Al, Cu, Mn, Hg, As, Se, fósforo total, nitrogênio total e íons na água e no sedimento foram examinadas. Além disso, os níveis de metais (Al, Fe, Mn, Cu, Zn, Hg e As) no perfil do sedimento de pontos amostrais sob influência de diferentes impactos foram avaliados. Este estudo mostrou que as fontes pontuais de poluição promovem uma alta carga de contaminantes nos sedimentos, independentemente da estação. Além disso, as fontes de poluição pontual parecem ser espacialmente e temporalmente as principais causa da composição química de sedimentos do reservatório por causa da frequente liberação de efluentes. Esse estudo também indica que, apesar de várias diferenças biogeográficas, a hidrologia parece ser o principal fator que controla a produção primária, secundária e a sustentabilidade em rios e lagos (reservatórios). Em conclusão, a hidrologia nos trópicos parece diminuir os efeitos esperados de uma temperatura mais elevada. Portanto, para aumentar a resiliência nas águas doces tropicais ações integradas de acordo com as fases hidrológicas são altamente recomendadas.

A multi-scale approach for restoration site selection is presented and applied to an upland catchment, the River Ure, North Yorkshire. Traditional survey methods, advances in remote sensing, Geographical Information Systems (GIS) and risk-based fine sediment modelling using the SCIMAP module are combined to gather data at the catchment-scale through to the in-stream habitat-scale. The data gathered have been assessed against spatially distributed brown trout fry populations using Pearson’s correlation and multiple stepwise regressions. Fine sediment was shown to have a positive correlation with fry populations when upland drainage channels (grips) were added to the SCIMAP model. This suggests risk from peatland drainage is realised further down the catchment where eroded sediments are deposited. Farm-scale SCIMAP modelling was tested against farmers’ knowledge with variable results. It appears there is a cultural response to risk developed over generations. Management of meadows and pasture land through sub-surface drainage and stock rotation resulted in the risk being negated or re-routed across the holding. At other locations apparently low-risk zones become risky through less sensitive farming methods. This multi-scale approach reveals that the largest impacts on brown trout recruitment operate at the habitat-adjacent scale in tributaries with small upstream areas. The results show a hierarchy of impact, and risk-filters, arising from different intensity land management. This offers potential for targeted restoration site selection. In low-order streams it seems that restoration measures which exclude livestock, and provide bankside shading, can be effective. At such sites the catchment-scale shows a reduced signal on in-stream biota. Thus, brown trout stocks could be significantly enhanced by targeting restoration at riffle-habitat zones and adjacent land in order to disconnect the stream from farm-derived impacts and through adding structure to the stream channel.

In vielen Städten erfordern fortschreitende Urbanisierung und Klimaerwärmung ein besseres Verständnis des urbanen Wasserkreislaufes zur Entwicklung nachhaltiger Wassernutzungskonzepte. Jedoch erschwert die Komplexität urbaner Wasserflüsse die Nutzung hydrologischer Tracer. In dieser Arbeit werden stabile Isotope des Wassers, hydrochemische und -klimatische Daten genutzt, um die Wasserverteilung und -speicherung in Berlin in den Trockenjahren 2018–2020 zu untersuchen. Auf kleinräumiger Skala wurden Unterschiede bei Evapotranspiration, unterirdischen Fließwegen und Wasserspeicherung unter urbanen Grasflächen, Sträuchern und Bäumen deutlich. Im peri-urbanen Fluss Erpe erschwerte die geringe Variabilität von Abfluss- und Isotopendynamiken die Bestimmung von Verweilzeiten und Mischprozessen. Während warmer, trockener Sommer führte ein hoher Klarwasseranteil zu einer Verschlechterung der Wasserqualität. Auf der stadtweiten Skala wurde der Einfluss von Grundwasser, Niederschlag und Abwasser auf verschiedene Flüsse untersucht. Große Variabilität der Isotopendynamiken wurde in Einzugsgebieten mit Flächenversiegelung und Regenwassereinleitung beobachtet. Die Anreicherung schwerer Isotope in Spree und Havel im Sommer und Herbst verdeutlichte den Einfluss von großskaligen Klimadynamiken und Verdunstung im stromaufwärts gelegenen Einzugsgebiet. Ein nachhaltiges Management urbaner Grünflächen sowie die Speicherung von Regenwasser können dazu beitragen, den Einfluss von Klimaänderungen auf Berlins Wasserressourcen auf lokaler Ebene abzumindern. Jedoch werden großskalige Nutzungskonzepte in den Einzugsgebieten der Spree und Havel benötigt, um Wasserverluste zu minimieren und Abflussraten aufrecht zu erhalten. Weiterführende isotopenbasierte Studien haben großes Potential, das Verständnis von Wasseralter, Abflussentstehung, Verdunstung und langfristigen Dürrefolgen, sowie der Übertragbarkeit der Erkenntnisse auf andere Metropolenregionen, weiter zu verbessern. / In urban areas, progressing urbanisation and climate warming call for a comprehensive understanding of urban water cycling to establish sustainable water management strategies. However, the complexity of urban water fluxes complicates the application of hydrological tracers. This thesis used stable isotopes of water, combined with hydrochemical and climatic data, to characterise water partitioning and storage in Berlin, Germany, during the exceptionally warm and dry 2018–2020 period. At the plot-scale, differences in evapotranspiration, subsurface flow paths and storage under urban grassland, shrub and trees were evident. In the peri-urban river Erpe, low variability in discharge and isotopic dynamics limited the applicability of transit time and end member mixing approaches. During warm and dry summers, high contributions of treated wastewater effluents caused a deterioration of water quality. At the city-scale, contributions of groundwater, storm runoff and effluents to different local streams were studied. Isotope dynamics were most variable in catchments with high levels of imperviousness and connectivity to storm drains. In the Spree and Havel rivers, the isotopic enrichment in summer and autumn reflected the impact of large-scale climate dynamics and evaporative losses in the upstream catchment. To mitigate climate change impacts on Berlin’s water resources in the future, the sustainable management of urban green spaces and better capturing of urban rainfall may limit water consumption at the local scale. However, maintaining discharge in the Spree and Havel rivers during warm and dry periods will require catchment-scale management practices that limit water consumption and losses in upstream areas. Future isotope-based research in urban areas has great potential to improve the understanding of urban water ages, source contributions to urban streamflow, evaporation and long-term drought recovery, as well as upscaling the results to other metropolitan areas.

Improvements for environmental monitoring and assessment were achieved to advance our understanding of sea-land interactions and nutrient cycling in a coastal bay.; The comprehensive assessment techniques for monitoring of water quality of a coastal bay can be diversified via an extensive investigation of the spatiotemporal nutrient patterns and the associated eco-hydrological trends in a coastal urban region. With this work, it is intended to thoroughly investigate the spatiotemporal nutrient patterns and associated eco-hydrological trends via a two part inquiry of the watershed and its adjacent coastal bay. The findings show that the onset of drought lags the crest of the evapotranspiration and precipitation curve during each year of drought. During the transition year, ET and precipitation appears to start to shift back into the analogous temporal pattern as the 2005 wet year. NDVI shows a flat receding tail for the September crest in 2005 due to the hurricane impact signifying that the hurricane event in October dampening the severity of the winter dry season in which alludes to relative system memory. The k-means model with 8 clusters is the optimal choice, in which cluster 2 at Lower Tampa Bay had the minimum values of total nitrogen (TN) concentrations, chlorophyll a (Chl-a) concentrations, and ocean color values in every season as well as the minimum concentration of total phosphorus (TP) in three consecutive seasons in 2008. Cluster 5, located in Middle Tampa Bay, displayed elevated TN concentrations, ocean color values, and Chl-a concentrations, suggesting that high colored dissolved organic matter values are linked with some nutrient sources. The data presented by the gravity modeling analysis indicate that the Alafia River Basin is the major contributor of nutrients in terms of both TP and TN values in all seasons. Such ecohydrological evaluation can be applied for supporting the LULC management of climatic vulnerable regions as well as further enrich the comprehensive assessment techniques for estimating and examining the multi-temporal impacts and dynamic influence of urban land use and land cover.

No description available.

Peatlands are important ecosystems that provide ecohydrological functions related to carbon storage and cycling, water quality, flood attenuation, and groundwater recharge. One key characteristic that gives peatlands these functions is the capacity to swell and shrink upon wetting and drying, commonly referred to as peat volume change. This property of peat volume change is closely related to the fluctuations of the water table and has a buffering effect on the water table depth relative to the peat surface, which acts as an important control on many ecohydrological functions such as carbon cycling, vegetation composition, and biogeochemical processes. In an attempt to fill a gap of knowledge, this thesis investigated peat volume change for multiple Northern peatlands close to Umeå, Sweden, using groundwater level and mire surface level data obtained during the summer of 2021. The objectives were to investigate the temporal trends and characteristics of changes in the water table and peat volume at the studied site and to determine how peat volume change capacity differs for mires of different ages, as well as different land management such as natural, drained and restored peatlands. It was found that old (older than 2000 years) mires have a significantly smaller peat volume change capacity compared to young mires (younger than 1000 years), as well as smaller specific storage, indicating that factors that change as the peatland evolves are important for the ability to expand and contract. It was also found that the relationship between the mire surface and water level was linear for some mires but not for others, including drained and old mires. For the drained mires this could be explained by very deep water tables compared to the natural mires, however, they did not stand out among the natural mires concerning peat volume change capacity. The comparison between a restored mire and a drained gave ambiguous results. It was also found that the specific storage, which is directly related tothe compressibility of the peat, was greater during drying conditions compared to rewetting conditions, highlighting peatlands ability to maintain wet conditions. The study provides a deeper understanding of peat volume change in Northern peatlands and the factors related to this phenomenon, which is crucial for further studying of peatland ecohydrology. / Torvmarker är viktiga ekosystem som bidrar med ekohydrologiska funktioner relaterade till kollagring och kolcykling, vattenkvalitet, minskad översvämningsrisk och grundvattenbildning. En egenskap hos torv som är viktig för dessa funktioner är förmågan att svälla under våta perioder och krympa under torrperioder. Denna torvvolymförändring är relaterad till fluktuationer i grundvattennivå och kan även ha en buffrande effekt på grundvattendjupet (avståndet från markytan till grundvattenytan), vilket påverkar flertalet ekohydrologiska funktioner såsom kolcykling, vegetationssammansättning, och biogeokemiska processer. I ett försök att fylla en lucka i kunskapen kring detta fenomen undersökte detta examensarbete torvvolymförändringar för flera torvmarker, eller myrar, i närheten av Umeå baserat data för grundvattennivåer och nivån på myrars markyta som erhållits under sommaren 2021. Syftet var identifiera trender och egenskaper hos de olika myrarnas förändring i grundvattennivån och myrnivå, samt att ta reda om det finns någon skillnad i torvens kapacitet för att svälla och krypa hos myrar med olika ålder, samt olika markskötsel såsom naturliga, dränerade och restaurerade myrar. Resultatet visade att äldre (äldre än 2000 år) myrar har en betydligt mindre kapacitet att svälla och krympa jämfört med yngre myrar (yngre än 1000 år), samt mindre specifik magasinkoefficient, vilket indikerar att faktorer som förändras när myren blir äldre är viktiga för förmågan att svälla och krympa. Resultatet visade också att förhållandet mellan myrens marknivå och grundvattennivå var linjärt för vissa myrar men inte för andra, inklusive dränerade och gamla myrar. För de dränerade myrarna kunde detta förklaras av mycket djupa grundvattennivåer jämfört med de naturliga myrarna, men de stack inte ut bland de naturliga myrarna vad gäller förmåga att svälla och krympa. Jämförelsen mellan en restaurerad myr och en dränerad gav tvetydiga resultat. Man fann också att den specifika magasinkoefficienten, som är direkt relaterad till torvens kompressabilitet, var större under torra perioder jämfört med våta perioder, vilket visar på myrens förmåga att upprätthålla våta förhållanden. Studien gav en djupare förståelse för myrars förmåga att svälla och krympa och faktorerna relaterade till detta fenomen, vilket är av betydelse för vidare forskning om torvmarkers ekohydrologi.