Protecting water quality at catchment scales is complicated by the high spatiotemporal variability in water chemistry. Consequently, determining pollutant sources requires costly monitoring ...strategies to diagnose causes and guide management solutions. However, recent studies have shown that spatial patterns in water chemistry can be persistent at catchment scales, potentially allowing identification of pollution sources and sinks with just a few sampling campaigns. Here, we tested a new method to quantify spatial persistence (SP) of water chemistry patterns with data from synoptic samplings in 22 headwater subcatchments within a 375 km2 catchment in western France (March 2018 to July 2019). This new method to quantify SP reduces dependence on long‐term metrics such as flow‐weighted concentrations, which are usually uncertain or unavailable. We applied the method to 16 ecologically relevant water quality parameters, including soluble reactive phosphorus, nitrate, and dissolved organic carbon. The results showed an average SP of 0.68 among parameters during the study period. For most parameters, SP was higher during the high‐flow winter period but lower and more variable during the low‐flow summer period. We found that the SP ultimately depended on the ratio between the temporal and spatial coefficients of variation (variance explained: 70%) rather than the temporal synchrony among subcatchments (variance explained: 4%). These results demonstrate that in these temperate catchments, synoptic sampling during the high‐flow winter period allows efficient identification of source and sink subcatchments, while more frequent samplings are needed to characterize ecological conditions at low flow.
Key Points
We found high spatial persistence of water chemistry, despite high spatiotemporal variability in water chemistry
Spatial persistence of water chemistry is primarily determined by the ratio between spatial and temporal variability
A single synoptic sampling during the high‐flow season allows efficient identification of source and sink subcatchments
Characterizing and understanding spatial variability in
water quality for a variety of chemical elements is an issue for present and
future water resource management. However, most studies of spatial
...variability in water quality focus on a single element and rarely consider
headwater catchments. Moreover, they assess few catchments and focus on
annual means without considering seasonal variations. To overcome these
limitations, we studied spatial variability and seasonal variation in
dissolved C, N, and P concentrations at the scale of an intensively farmed
region of France (Brittany). We analysed 185 headwater catchments (from
5–179 km2) for which 10-year time series of monthly
concentrations and daily stream flow were available from public databases.
We calculated interannual loads, concentration percentiles, and seasonal
metrics for each element to assess their spatial patterns and correlations.
We then performed rank correlation analyses between water quality, human
pressures, and soil and climate features. Results show that nitrate
(NO3) concentrations increased with increasing agricultural pressures
and base flow contribution; dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentrations
decreased with increasing rainfall, base flow contribution, and topography;
and soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) concentrations showed weaker positive
correlations with diffuse and point sources, rainfall and topography. An
opposite pattern was found between DOC and NO3: spatially, between
their median concentrations, and temporally, according to their seasonal
cycles. In addition, the quality of annual maximum NO3 concentration
was in phase with maximum flow when the base flow index was low, but this
synchrony disappeared when flow flashiness was lower. These DOC–NO3
seasonal cycle types were related to the mixing of flow paths combined with
the spatial variability of their respective sources and to local
biogeochemical processes. The annual maximum SRP concentration occurred
during the low-flow period in nearly all catchments. This likely resulted
from the dominance of P point sources. The approach shows that despite the
relatively low frequency of public water quality data, such databases can
provide consistent pictures of the spatio-temporal variability of water
quality and of its drivers as soon as they contain a large number of
catchments to compare and a sufficient length of concentration time series.
The majority of freshwater ecosystems worldwide suffer from eutrophication, particularly because of agriculture-derived nutrient sources. In the European Union, a discrepancy exists between the scale ...of regulatory assessment and the size of research catchments. The Water Framework Directive sets water quality objectives at the mesoscale (50–500 km2), a scale at which both hillslope and in-stream processes influence carbon (C), nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) dynamics. Conversely, research catchments focus on headwaters to investigate hillslope processes while minimising the influence of river processes on C-N-P dynamics. Because hillslope and river processes have common hydro-climatic drivers, the relative influence of each on C-N-P dynamics is difficult to disentangle at the mesoscale. In the present study, we used repeated synoptic sampling throughout the river network of a 300 km2 intensively farmed catchment, spatial stochastic modelling and mass balance calculations to analyse this mesoscale conundrum. The main objective was to quantify how river processes altered C-N-P hydrochemical dynamics in different flow, concentration and temperature conditions. Our results show that flow was the main control of alterations of C-N-P dynamics in the river network, while temperature and source concentration had little or no influence. The influence of river processes peaked during low flow, with up to 50% of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) production, up to 100% of nitrate (NO3) retention and up to 50% of total phosphorus (TP) retention. Despite high percentages of river processes at low flow, their influence on annual loads was low for NO3 (median of −10%) and DOC (median of +25%) but too variable to draw conclusions for TP. Because of the differing river alteration rates among carbon and nutrients, stoichiometric ratios varied greatly from headwaters to the outlet, especially during the eutrophication-sensitive low-flow season.
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•Assessment of in-stream alterations of C-N-P dynamics in a mesoscale catchment•Repeated synoptic sampling of headwaters and stochastic landscape mixing modelling•In-stream processes influence C-N-P dynamics greatly but annual loads little.•Streamflow is the key control of in-stream processes.
Landscape organized (or structured) heterogeneity influences hydrological and biogeochemical patterns across space and time. We developed landscape indices that describe the spatial configuration of ...nutrient sources and sinks as a function of their hydrological distance to the stream (lateral dimension) or to the outlet (longitudinal dimension) and their intersection with flow‐accumulation areas. Using monthly nitrate, total phosphorus (TP), soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP) and daily discharge (Q) data from 221 rural catchments (1–300 km2) from 2010–2020, we observed higher variability in flow‐weighted mean concentrations in smaller catchments than in larger ones. The variability in landscape configurations also decreased with increasing catchment size. A landscape configuration index, calculated as mean arable land use weighted by spatial data on hydrological distance and flow accumulation, improved prediction of TP and SRP, but not nitrate, compared to the unweighted mean arable land use. We conclude that landscape configuration influences phosphorus transfer more than nitrate transfer, and that flow‐accumulation zones and riparian areas are critical source areas for TP and SRP, respectively. By contrast, landscape spatial configuration in the lateral (upslope–downslope) and longitudinal (upstream–downstream) dimensions did not have an identifiable influence on nutrients temporal dynamics. The indices developed in this study can help design landscapes that minimize diffuse phosphorus losses to streams and show that landscape management is not a first order control for nitrate losses.
We developed landscape indices that describe the spatial configuration of nutrient sources and sinks as a function of their hydrological distance to the stream or to the outlet and their intersection with flow‐accumulation areas. Landscape configuration influences phosphorus transfer but not nitrate transfer.
•N2O emissions from temperate agricultural soils were measured for 6 years.•Rainfall/soil moisture were strong controlling factors.•Cumulative N2O crops emissions ranked as follows: Legume< maize < ...cereals.•High emissions could occur in fallow periods and need to be investigated.
Nitrous oxide (N2O) emissions from agricultural soil were studied during 6 consecutive years on three plots of two real farms. We analyzed a total of 37 agricultural sequences: 20 sequences with crops including wheat, maize, and legumes and 17 fallow sequences with cover crops, volunteers or bare fallow soils. Controlling factors of N2O emissions were disentangled by using three approaches: (i) applying a random forest algorithm then extracting the most important predictors; (ii) analyzing all sequences separately as a function of the rain and soil mineral nitrate (SMN) content in soils; and (iii) experimentally, by watering soils with different SMN contents. The results showed that rainfall (and hence soil moisture) exerted the greatest control over N2O emissions, followed by daily maximum temperature and SMN. Regarding crop sequences, 6-year N2O cumulative emissions rates (g N2ON ha−1) ranked as follows: legumes (967) < maize (1192) < cereals (1375). Lowest cumulative N2O emissions at the Derrier conventional, no-till, farming plot (∼ 6000 kg N ha−1) was observed compared to ∼ 15000 kg N2ON ha−1 measured at the tilled organic farming Chantemerle and Barrière plots. Further, cumulative N2O emissions were rather important during fallow periods with or without cover crops. This study thus supports that N2O emissions need to be measured all year round, including both cropping and fallow periods to grasp the full rotation cycles. This long-term study of N2O emissions gathered a large number of data on N2O emissions over a variety of crops and fallow management and helped to initiate a typology of N2O emissions by crop.
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Increasing concerns over water eutrophication due to agricultural phosphorus (P) loss have led to the development of indicators to assess the risk of P release from agricultural soils. Recently, a ...logarithmic equation linking the degree of phosphorus saturation (DPS) to the simple water‐soluble P (WSP) content of soils has been proposed as a universal method to assess this risk based, however, mainly on the analysis of well‐drained soils. Here, we studied the P sorption properties and DPS values of 69 hydromorphic soils from cultivated and uncultivated wetland zones located in Brittany, Western France, to test whether the method could also apply to poorly‐drained soils. The bulk soil analysis showed that P contents of the studied hydromorphic soils were 30% to 80% higher than P contents normally found in Brittany soils, evidencing a possible P enrichment process. Adsorption isotherms revealed a surprisingly high variability in the P sorption properties as a function of the location of the soil (maximum P adsorption capacity ranging from 500 to 1850 mg kg−1), which is caused by variations in the phases controlling P sorption in soil (from clay to organic matter and/or iron and aluminium oxides, depending on the soil location). Distinct relationships between DPS and WSP values were also obtained depending on the location of the soils. The obtained DPS versus WSP relationships showed that the P saturation threshold above which the risk of dissolved P release increases markedly is 30% lower on average for hydromorphic soils than for well‐drained soils. Hydromorphic soils appear to be more at risk of releasing dissolved P at the same DPS values than well‐drained soils. The present study indicates an underestimation of the P release risk from hydromorphic soils by the existing method developed for well‐drained soils and calls for the development of specific risk assessment tools for hydromorphic soils, especially given on the strong spatial heterogeneity of their P sorption properties.
Highlights
Wetlands soils in western France show high variability in their phosphorus properties.
There is a high‐risk of dissolved P losses from wetland soils to watercourses.
The risk can remain high even in soils that are currently not cultivated
Degree of phosphorus saturation method to assess dissolved P release risk could underestimate it.
Researches have proved that agricultural phosphorus (P) loss contributes significantly to surface water eutrophication. Various soil test P (STP) methods have been developed to assess the P loss risk ...from agricultural soils. In the intensively-cultivated Brittany region of Western France, hydromorphic soils in wetland domains exhibit high risks of leaching and transferring dissolved P - the most bio-available form of P - to surface waters. It remains unclear whether STP conventionally developed for well-drained soils can accurately predict the risk of dissolved P release from these hydromorphic soils. In this study, we measured the dissolved reactive P (DRP) concentrations in soil solutions sampled in situ from 26 hydromorphic soils in the Brittany region and examined their relationship with several STPs available on the corresponding soils, such as the degree of soil P saturation, the equilibrium soil P concentration, or the soil Olsen P, Dyer P, and water extractable P contents. DRP concentrations ranged from 0.01 to 0.310 mg P l−1 (mean = 0.075 mg P l−1), highlighting the potential of hydromorphic soils as hotspots for DRP release in agricultural landscapes. Correlations between DRP concentrations and STPs were relatively weak (0.09 < r2 < 0.64), indicating that conventional STPs are generally unable to accurately predict the DRP release risks in hydromorphic soils. Tentatively, Olsen P showed promises as a useful risk indicator, with a relatively high r2 value of 0.6 and wide inclusion in the current STP database, especially in the Brittany region. Nevertheless, this hypothesis requires further evaluation with additional data. This study confirms the high risk of dissolved P release from hydromorphic soils in agricultural wetland domains and emphasizes the need for developing specific risk assessment tools to these hydromorphic soils.
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•High dissolved reactive P concentrations in natural wetland soil waters were found•Conventional soil P tests fail to accurately predict the dissolved P release risk•The dissolved P release potential is dependent on soil hydromorphic class•It is imperative to take measures to avoid the accumulation of P in wetlands
The search for statistical techniques and forms of graphical representation that can explain the most relevant correlations among limnological variables can help interpret phenomena in a body of ...water. The objective of the article was to propose a graphical representation of the correlations among limnological variables applied in the contributing basin of the Dr. Joao Penido reservoir, in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Six sections were monitored monthly from May 2012 to April 2014, analysing 15 water quality parameters and their statistical correlations. The correlations were represented graphically with the program Gephi 0.8.2-beta. The influence of organic matter (of natural and anthropogenic origin resulting from pasture runoff and sewage) on water quality was verified, with an observed increase in water quality parameters especially nitrogen and phosphorous, oxygen consumed, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity and total suspended solids. It is concluded that the correlation chart assists in the understanding of the dynamics of the water quality parameters at the different sites analysed.
The search for statistical techniques and forms of graphical representation that can explain the most relevant correlations among limnological variables can help interpret phenomena in a body of ...water. The objective of the article was to propose a graphical representation of the correlations among limnological variables applied in the contributing basin of the Dr. Joao Penido reservoir, in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Six sections were monitored monthly from May 2012 to April 2014, analysing 15 water quality parameters and their statistical correlations. The correlations were represented graphically with the program Gephi 0.8.2-beta. The influence of organic matter (of natural and anthropogenic origin resulting from pasture runoff and sewage) on water quality was verified, with an observed increase in water quality parameters especially nitrogen and phosphorous, oxygen consumed, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity and total suspended solids. It is concluded that the correlation chart assists in the understanding of the dynamics of the water quality parameters at the different sites analysed. Key words: water resources, limnological variables, hydrographic basin A busca de tecnicas estatisticas e/ou formas de representacao grafica que consigam explicar as correlacoes mais relevantes entre as variaveis limnologicas podem auxiliar na interpretacao dos fenomenos atuantes naquele corpo d'agua. O objetivo do artigo e propor uma representacao grafica das correlacoes entre variaveis limnologicas aplicada na bacia de contribuicao da represa Dr. Joao Penido, em Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Foram monitoradas seis secoes mensalmente de maio de 2012 a abril de 2014, sendo analisados quinze parametros de qualidade da agua e estes correlacionados estatisticamente. As correlacoes foram entao representadas graficamente atraves do Programa Gephi 0.8.2-beta. Verificou-se a influencia da materia organica na qualidade da agua, de origem natural e antropica, oriundos de escoamento superficial das pastagens e do esgoto domestico, observando uma piora nos parametros de qualidade da agua com destaque para o nitrogenio e fosforo, oxigenio consumido, demanda quimica de oxigenio, turbidez e solidos suspensos totais. Conclui-se que o grafico de correlacao auxilia no entendimento da dinamica entre os parametros de qualidade da agua do local analisado. Palavras-chave: recursos hidricos, variaveis limnologicas, bacia hidrografica
ABSTRACT The search for statistical techniques and forms of graphical representation that can explain the most relevant correlations among limnological variables can help interpret phenomena in a ...body of water. The objective of the article was to propose a graphical representation of the correlations among limnological variables applied in the contributing basin of the Dr. João Penido reservoir, in Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais state, Brazil. Six sections were monitored monthly from May 2012 to April 2014, analysing 15 water quality parameters and their statistical correlations. The correlations were represented graphically with the program Gephi 0.8.2-beta. The influence of organic matter (of natural and anthropogenic origin resulting from pasture runoff and sewage) on water quality was verified, with an observed increase in water quality parameters especially nitrogen and phosphorous, oxygen consumed, chemical oxygen demand, turbidity and total suspended solids. It is concluded that the correlation chart assists in the understanding of the dynamics of the water quality parameters at the different sites analysed.
RESUMO A busca de técnicas estatísticas e/ou formas de representação gráfica que consigam explicar as correlações mais relevantes entre as variáveis limnológicas podem auxiliar na interpretação dos fenômenos atuantes naquele corpo d´água. O objetivo do artigo é propor uma representação gráfica das correlações entre variáveis limnológicas aplicada na bacia de contribuição da represa Dr. João Penido, em Juiz de Fora, Minas Gerais, Brasil. Foram monitoradas seis seções mensalmente de maio de 2012 a abril de 2014, sendo analisados quinze parâmetros de qualidade da água e estes correlacionados estatisticamente. As correlações foram então representadas graficamente através do Programa Gephi 0.8.2-beta. Verificou-se a influência da matéria orgânica na qualidade da água, de origem natural e antrópica, oriundos de escoamento superficial das pastagens e do esgoto doméstico, observando uma piora nos parâmetros de qualidade da água com destaque para o nitrogênio e fósforo, oxigênio consumido, demanda química de oxigênio, turbidez e sólidos suspensos totais. Conclui-se que o gráfico de correlação auxilia no entendimento da dinâmica entre os parâmetros de qualidade da água do local analisado.
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