Modelling stream flow and dissolved organic carbon export from a small catchment in the Harz mountains
Presenting person: Sven FreiLinus SchauerMo. 2021-02-08 (09:00-10:00), ZOOM
Contact: Sven Frei
To enhance the understanding of dominant hydrological and biogeochemical processes of runoff and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) export from a small mountainous catchment, a coupled hydrology-biogeochemistry model was developed and tested. DOC is a critical water quality parameter with far reaching effects on ecosystem functioning and on the availability of high quality drinking water. Processes in the riparian zone (RZ) play a central role in the mobilization and export of DOC, however the controls and dynamics of these processes are not well understood. Based on a data analysis approach, a lumped storage model was designed and coupled to a biogeochemical routine, which allowed to use DOC as a tracer. Based on high frequency data, the simple, parsimonious model revealed the importance of the non-linear runoff response for the activation of DOC source zones in the upper, organic rich soil layers of the riparian zone. Simulations of runoff and DOC loads over a three year period were satisfactory and event-scale, as well as seasonal-scale processes were adequately represented. In conclusion, the coupled hydrology-biogeochemistry model, being internally constrained by utilizing DOC as a tracer, could provide essential insight into the dominant controls and dynamics of runoff and DOC export.
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