Northern
Ecohydrology
Jessica M. Cable and W. Robert Bolton
International Arctic Research Center (Fairbanks)
Environment and Natural Resources Institute (Anchorage)
University of Alaska
permafrost
Miriam Jones
J. Cable
J. Cable
J. Cable
J. Cable
L. Hinzman
L Hinzman
freshwater systems in Alaska
Map by Robert Simmon
D. White
freshwater systems in Alaska
climate
ecology
permafrost
hydrology
boreal hydrology
How does permafrost distribution and active layer
dynamics impact streamflow and soil moisture?
Discontinuous warm permafrost region with boreal forest
Storage dominated watersheds, on the margins
Caribou Poker Creek Research Watershed near Fairbanks, Alaska
boreal hydrology
streamflow
Permafrost dominated watersheds - higher specific discharge, lower specific
base flow, and longer recessions than low permafrost watersheds
boreal hydrology
soil moisture
Permafrost free area
Area with permafrost
5cm, organic soil
40cm, mineral soil
Permafrost free systems – lower soil moisture than systems
with permafrost
ecology
ecosystem water use
evapotranspiration = evaporation + transpiration
transpiration
(vascular plants)
physiologically
controlled
ET affects soil moisture
E → surface moisture (0-15cm)
T → surface & deep moisture
(> 5cm)
How are plants tied into soil moisture?
Where in the soil do plants take water?
evaporation
(moss, soil)
physically
controlled
water uptake profiles
fractional uptake from each layer
0.2
0.6
0.8
0.0
0.2
0.4
a.Sedge,
C. bigelowii
0-5
*
5-10
0.6
0.8
1.0
b. V. uliginosum
0-5
*
blueberry
*
5-10
*
10-20
10-20
20-30
*
20-30
*
30-40
30-40
40-50
Depth (cm)
0-5
mound
trough
*
mound
trough
c. B. nana
shruband trough
mound
*
d. R. chamaemorus
mound and trough
40-50
0-5
5-10
5-10
10-20
10-20
20-30
20-30
30-40
30-40
40-50
40-50
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
fractional uptake from each layer
0.0
0.2
0.4
0.6
0.8
fractional uptake from each layer
1.0
Depth (cm)
Depth (cm)
0.4
Depth (cm)
0.0
fractional uptake from each layer
EcoHydrology
Permafrost free area
Surface and subsurface soil moisture are disconnected
EcoHydrology
“water limited”, less residual soil water
Not “water limited”, more residual
soil water for other processes
How do vegetation water use and permafrost dynamics impact
stream flow in the boreal forest discontinuous permafrost zone?
Holistic approach by integrating ecological and hydrological processes,
including storage, soil moisture, active layer dynamics, and transpiration
EcoHydrology
Coniferous
CDE
Deciduous
DDE
Likely varies over the growing season
Soil drainage
Permafrost
Transpiration
coniferous
deciduous
poor
yes
low
well
no
high
Changes in permafrost AND vegetation
Growing season
Autumn
senesce, T decreases
CDE - Active layer deepens
DDE- Plants leaf out, T increases
Spring
snow melt period
Integration
Plant water use
Hydrological variables
Field work
Ti ~ N (mi,t)
Bayesian
Data analysis
Storage-based
model
Model integration
Pathway and timing of water movement
Acknowledgements
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Alaska EPSCoR
NSF OPP
International Arctic Research Center
Larry Hinzman
Kiona Ogle
Bill Cable
Miriam Jones
Arctic Regions Supercomputing Center