Angebotene Bachelorarbeit

Groundwater fluxes to a quarry lake: can we trace groundwater-vegetation interactions using daily cycles in Rn and lake level

Betreuer: Ben Gilfedder

Lakes can be very sensitive to changes in water balance and nutrient fluxes. Thus it is important to measure, and quantify, all water sources to lakes if we are to understand natural processes and potential anthropogenic effects on these sensitive ecosystems. Vegetation is an important part of the hydrological cycle. It is important to know how much groundwater is used by vegetation if we are to properly understand the dynamics of groundwater - lake interactions, but to date this has been difficult due to the lack of high resolution tracer methods. In this project we will use a range of natural tracers, with a focus on radon, to measure groundwater input into the Blauer Bruch, Fichtelgebirge. We will conduct high resolution measurements to see if we can observe the daily transpiration cycle in lake levels and Rn activities. We will use this data to better constrain how much water the vegetation in the catchment is using and how this potentially affects the amount of groundwater discharging to the lake. 

If you are interested in this project, or would just like to know more, please see me in the Limnology Station or send an email to Benjamin-silas.gilfedder@uni-bayreuth.de Ben Gilfedder