High-frequency monitoring of hydrological and biogeochemical fluxes in forested catchments of southern Chile

Simple item page
dc.contributor.authorFrene, Cristian
dc.contributor.authorArmesto, Juan J.
dc.contributor.authorVeliz, Freddy
dc.contributor.authorAlfaro, Fernando D.
dc.contributor.authorWeathers, Kathleen C.
dc.date.accessioned2025-01-20T23:51:12Z
dc.date.available2025-01-20T23:51:12Z
dc.date.issued2021
dc.description.abstractThe variability of rainfall-dependent streamflow at catchment scale modulates many ecosystem processes in wet temperate forests. Runoff in small mountain catchments is characterized by a quick response to rainfall pulses which affects biogeochemical fluxes to all downstream systems. In wet-temperate climates, water erosion is the most important natural factor driving downstream soil and nutrient losses from upland ecosystems. Most hydrochemical studies have focused on water flux measurements at hourly scales, along with weekly or monthly samples for water chemistry. Here, we assessed how water and element flows from broad-leaved, evergreen forested catchments in southwestern South America, are influenced by different successional stages, quantifying runoff, sediment transport and nutrient fluxes during hourly rainfall events of different intensities. Hydrograph comparisons among different successional stages indicated that forested catchments differed in their responses to high intensity rainfall, with greater runoff in areas covered by secondary forests (SF), compared to old-growth forest cover (OG) and dense scrub vegetation (CH). Further, throughfall water was greatly nutrient enriched for all forest types. Suspended sediment loads varied between successional stages. SF catchments exported 455 kg of sediments per ha, followed by OG with 91 kg/ha and CH with 14 kg/ha, corresponding to 11 rainfall events measured from December 2013 to April 2014. Total nitrogen (TN) and phosphorus (TP) concentrations in stream water also varied with rainfall intensity. In seven rainfall events sampled during the study period, CH catchments exported less nutrients (46 kg/ha TN and 7 kg/ha TP) than SF catchments (718 kg/ha TN and 107 kg/ha TP), while OG catchments exported intermediate sediment loads (201 kg/ha TN and 23 kg/ha TP). Further, we found significant effects of successional stage attributes (vegetation structure and soil physical properties) and catchment morphometry on runoff and sediment concentrations, and greater nutrients retention in OG and CH catchments. We conclude that in these southern hemisphere, broad-leaved evergreen temperate forests, hydrological processes are driven by multiple interacting phenomena, including climate, vegetation, soils, topography, and disturbance history.
dc.description.funderAgencia Nacional de Investigacion y Desarrollo - ANID
dc.fuente.origenWOS
dc.identifier.doi10.1002/hyp.14175
dc.identifier.eissn1099-1085
dc.identifier.issn0885-6087
dc.identifier.urihttps://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14175
dc.identifier.urihttps://repositorio.uc.cl/handle/11534/94788
dc.identifier.wosidWOS:000655496700048
dc.issue.numero5
dc.language.isoen
dc.revistaHydrological processes
dc.rightsacceso restringido
dc.subjectcatchment morphometry
dc.subjectforest succession
dc.subjectnutrient fluxes
dc.subjectrainfall events
dc.subjectsediments dynamics
dc.subjecttemperate forests
dc.subject.ods14 Life Below Water
dc.subject.ods06 Clean Water and Sanitation
dc.subject.ods15 Life on Land
dc.subject.odspa14 Vida submarina
dc.subject.odspa06 Agua limpia y saneamiento
dc.subject.odspa15 Vida de ecosistemas terrestres
dc.titleHigh-frequency monitoring of hydrological and biogeochemical fluxes in forested catchments of southern Chile
dc.typeartículo
dc.volumen35
sipa.indexWOS
sipa.trazabilidadWOS;2025-01-12
Files
Collections
Artículos de revistas