Assessing impacts of alternative land use strategies on water partitioning, storage and ages in drought-sensitive lowlandcatchments using tracer-aided ecohydrological modelling
The authors used advanced process-based ecohydrological modelling to assess the effects of realistic land use scenarios for the Berlin/Brandenburg region on water flux and storage dynamics. Replacing conifer forests with uneven-aged mixed forests with younger, broad-leaved trees had the greatest potential for reducing evapotranspiration and increasing groundwater recharge
Six decades of ecohydrological research connecting landscapes and riverscapes in the Girnock Burn, Scotland: Atlantic salmon population and habitat dynamics in a changing world
Six decades of ecological monitoring provided the science needed to preserve Atlantic salmon. The unique long-term data revealed quantitative changes in the return rates, distribution, size, growth and age of salmon, increasing understanding on how ecosystems are changing in response to a warming climate.
Quantifying intra- and inter-annual dynamics of river-floodplain connectivity and wetland inundation with remote sensing and wavelet analysis
The authors used remote sensing data and wavelet analysis to quantify dynamics in floodplain inundation and riverfloodplain connectivity in the Lower Oder Valley National Park. They found marked inter-annual variation of wetland inundation. Heavy precipitation caused summer flooding in only one polder. This information is important for managing flows and sustaining valuable wetland habitats.
Increases in Water Balance-Derived Catchment Evapotranspiration in Germany During 1970s–2000s Turning Into Decreases Over the Last Two Decades, Despite Uncertainties
The authors studied variations in evapotranspiration from precipitation and streamflow data for 461 German catchments from 1964–2019, by considering also changes in water storage and precipitation uncertainty. Evapotranspiration increased over 1970s–2000s, while it stabilized or even tended to decrease afterwards, and these variations were related with those in precipitation and solar radiation.
Hydrological model skills change with drought severity; insights from multi-variable evaluation
The study investigated the ability of the Continuum hydrological model in simulating the water cycle in the Po river basin (Italy) during droughts of increasing severity. The simulation of streamflow during the severe 2022 drought was characterized by comparatively lower performances than during moderate events, most likely due to challenges in representing high human influences via irrigation.
Community stability of free-living and particle-attached bacteria in a subtropical reservoir with salinity fluctuations over 3 years
The study explored changes in community stability of free-living (FL) and particle-attached (PA) bacteria in a shallow urban reservoir in subtropical China for 3 years. Salinity was the strongest environmental factor determining FL and PA bacteria communities whereby salinity increased the compositional stability, but decreased α-diversity.
Towards a common methodological framework for the sampling, extraction, and isotopic analysis of water in the Critical Zone to study vegetation water use
Quantifying the sources for plant water uptake and their dynamics is still a challenge in ecohydrology. As isotopic analyses becomes more widespread, common methodological frameworks are required. This paper provides guidelines for (1) sampling soil and plant material for isotopic analysis, (2) methods for laboratory or in situ water extraction, and (3) measurements of isotopic composition.
Assessing the impact of drought on water cycling in urban trees via in-situ isotopic monitoring of plant xylem water
The authors conducted innovative in-situ monitoring of stable water isotopes in plant xylem water over an entire growing period including a major drought to assess how urban trees react to changing water supply. They also detected fractionation in plant water. Urban trees rely on deep water supply and internal storage during drought.
Quantitative description of six fish species’ gut contents and prey abundances in the Baltic Sea (1968–1978)
This data paper presents a multi-year database containing information about diets and traits for demersal fish species from the Western Baltic Sea, as well as on resource abundances and environmental conditions. These historical data are unique as they provide detailed descriptions of quantitative and trait-based consumer-resource interactions enabling various ways of innovative food-web analyses.
Flexible foraging behaviour increases predator vulnerability to climate change
Based on a combination of (historical) empirical data and model simulations the authors investigated how size-selective adaptive behaviour under warmer conditions in demersal marine fishes might affect their long-term population stability. Under warmer conditions the fish species studied tend to consume less efficiently by choosing smaller and more abundant prey increasing their extinction risk.