PhD Thesis
Identifying chemical signatures of subsurface stormflow and their transformation during the passage into the stream
Support: Luisa Hopp, Jan Fleckenstein, Theresa Blume
Subsurface stormflow generated on hillslopes significantly contributes to streamflow in small catchments. As subsurface stormflow travels from hillslopes to streams, its volume, dynamics and chemical composition are altered due to mixing and biogeochemical processes in the riparian zone. Up to now our understanding of the riparian zones "gatekeeper function" and its role in controlling hillslope-stream connectivity and water chemistry remains limited.
The primary aim of the dissertation is to determine suitable tracers or combinations of tracers that can effectively identify subsurface stormflow in a stream through a riparian zone and to evaluate the extent to which these signatures are site-specific.