Ecohydrology最新文献

{"title":"The Role of Soils on the Hydrological Cycle of a Wetland Meadow (Vegas) in Southern Chilean Patagonia","authors":"P. Cisternas,&nbsp;J. Ivelic-Sáez,&nbsp;J. Dörner,&nbsp;S. Valle,&nbsp;J. L. Arumí,&nbsp;J. Valenzuela,&nbsp;E. Muñoz,&nbsp;S. Bravo,&nbsp;J. Clunes,&nbsp;I. Ordóñez,&nbsp;O. Wendroth,&nbsp;R. Horn","doi":"10.1002/eco.70086","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70086","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Wetlands occupy 4%–8% of the Earth's terrestrial surface and perform critical ecosystem functions, including water quality and quantity regulation, wildlife habitat provision and carbon storage. ‘Vegas’, wetlands in Chilean Patagonia, are unique ecosystems that play a vital role in water supply and forage productivity, which are essential for sheep farming, the region's main economic activity. This study aimed to analyse the spatial variability of soil functions, evaluate water dynamics and correlate hydrological behaviour with environmental characteristics in Patagonian Vega. Seven excavation sites were selected along a topographical transect, with soil samples collected at depths of 5, 30, and 80 cm. Sensors were installed to measure soil water content and matric potential. Analyses included WRC, Ka and Ks. Results showed hydric deficits for 84.3% of the evaluation period and a progressive decline in the water table. Air capacity and plant available water varied significantly across topographical positions and depths. Soils on summits and footslopes exhibited higher hydraulic conductivity but lower water retention compared to soils in the centre of the Vega, which remained saturated in deeper horizons. A strong correlation was observed between soil water content and evapotranspiration (ETo), whereas precipitation had minimal influence. Vegas acts as natural sponges, storing and releasing water according to seasonal demands. The central zone of the Vega plays a pivotal role in maintaining soil moisture and supporting forage productivity, while peripheral areas contribute to hydrological flows via surface and subsurface runoff. These results underscore the importance of treating Vegas as protected wetlands and adopting sustainable management strategies to conserve their ecosystem services in the face of climate change and increasing anthropogenic pressures. Patagonian Vegas exhibits significant spatial variability in soil functions, which are critical for water regulation and biodiversity support.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-07-30","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144725656","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of Bowen Ratio Method for Evapotranspiration in Humid Forests Using Flux Tower Data","authors":"Wenjie Yan,&nbsp;Lanwu He,&nbsp;Jiawei Jiang,&nbsp;Xiaohong Chen,&nbsp;Yong Luo,&nbsp;Yujiu Xiong","doi":"10.1002/eco.70083","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70083","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Evapotranspiration (ET) is a critical component of the hydrological cycle and surface energy budget, and its accurate measurement is essential for elucidating land-atmosphere interactions and the dynamics of water and energy exchange. The Bowen ratio energy balance (BREB) method is a widely utilized approach for observing ET, offering a more economical and less labour-intensive alternative to the eddy covariance (EC) technique, yet its accuracy in humid forested regions remains insufficiently studied. This study evaluates the performance of the BREB method in measuring ET in two subtropical humid forest sites in China (Dinghushan [DHS] and Qianyanzhou [QYZ]), using concurrent EC measurements at intraday and daily scales. The validity of the Bowen ratio (β) was analysed first, with over 90% of days meeting a data validity rate of &gt; 90%. Results show strong correlations between BREB- and EC-derived daily ET (<i>R</i>² &gt; 0.74), yet systematic BREB overestimation persists (MAE: 0.76–0.79 mm/day), particularly during summer high-radiation periods. XGBoost-SHAP analysis reveals that net radiation (Rn) dominates ET discrepancies (feature importance: 0.33–0.37). High Rn values cause the eddy diffusivity ratio (K_h/K_w) to exceed unity or become negative when β_EC &gt; 0, thereby overestimating BREB measurements. Conversely, precipitation (P) usually induces β anomalies, resulting in underestimation of ET, especially in autumn–winter precipitation periods. During midday (11:00 AM–1:00 PM), the BREB method systematically overestimates 30-min mean ET by 0.05 mm (representing 33% overestimation) relative to flux tower measurements, whereas in evening periods (after 5:00 PM), it underestimates ET by ~0.025 mm (42% underestimation). These findings highlight the potential and limitations of the BREB method in humid forested regions, providing insights into its performance for measuring ET under varying climatic conditions.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-29","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144716883","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Experimental Insights Into the Hydraulic Behaviour of Sinuous Channel due to Vegetated Floodplain Corridor","authors":"Suresh Modalavalasa,&nbsp;Ketan Kumar Nandi,&nbsp;Vinay Chembolu,&nbsp;Subashisa Dutta,&nbsp;Vinayak Kulkarni","doi":"10.1002/eco.70084","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70084","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Flow and turbulent characteristics were analysed at an experimental scale for four different floodplain vegetation layouts (leafy, grass, cylindrical and mixed vegetation) of a sinuous channel at submerged conditions. The results indicate that the velocity variations closely followed the logarithmic law for the no floodplain vegetation scenario and deviated from the logarithmic behaviour with changing floodplain vegetation. The average streamwise velocity for leafy vegetation is about 1.2 times that observed for the cylindrical vegetation due to changes in vegetation canopy porosity. Further, the transverse variability in velocity distribution from the inner bank to the outer bank is observed to be significant with changing floodplain vegetation. The turbulence intensities also indicate that the supplemental surface area of the fronds impacts the momentum transfer near the floodplain–main channel interface. It is observed that the changes in plant form morphology influenced the mean velocity within the main channel relative to the nonvegetated condition. Furthermore, the vertical components of the turbulence intensity increase from the bottom of the channel and reach the highest magnitude at the top of the water surface. This shows the transfer of energy closer to the surface in the vertical flow direction. The results indicate that altered flow pass affects the flow velocities at the transition zone. The findings from the present study on heterogeneous plant forms influence on flow characteristics may be helpful in river restoration practices for ecological management and river corridor stability.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-27","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144714717","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Compounding Environmental Stressors Cause Governing Hydraulic Behaviours to Shift From Roots to Leaves in Avicennia germinans","authors":"Maria Ulatowski,&nbsp;Ashley M. Matheny","doi":"10.1002/eco.70080","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70080","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mangrove forests are expanding poleward due to ongoing climate change. Near the range limits of mangrove expansion, stressors such as salinity and vapour pressure deficit play a critical role in shaping ecosystem carbon and water fluxes. These stressors, which often compound, are expected to become more severe with ongoing climate change. Here, we analysed the independent and coupled impacts of salinity and VPD stresses on plant hydraulics and photosynthesis in <i>Avicennia germinans</i> in a greenhouse experiment. We exposed <i>A. germinans</i> grown in low-salinity (10 parts per thousand [ppt]), midrange-salinity (20 ppt) and high-salinity (40 ppt) regimes to a 30-ppt NaCl treatment and to high- and low-VPD conditions. Plants experiencing high osmotic stress had a stronger relationship between ψ_s and VPD than plants experiencing lower osmotic stress, highlighting the impact of compounding stressors on plant hydraulics. Under osmotic stress and non-limiting VPD conditions, root traits regulated gas exchange and water movement. Under high VPD, the most dominant water-regulating traits shifted from roots to leaves, with increased stomatal closure acting to conserve water at the cost of reduced photosynthetic uptake. Isohydricity in <i>A. germinans</i> was revealed to be dynamic. Under increased atmospheric and osmotic stress, plants become more isohydric. While under low stress, they behaved more anisohydrically. Plants maximized carbon gain when chances of embolism were low and minimized water loss at the expense of carbon gain under high-stress scenarios. Dynamic shifts acted as a resilience mechanism against cavitation, allowing plants to survive under a wide range of conditions. Our results highlight the plasticity of <i>A. germinans</i>' hydraulic strategy and its ability to cope with combined salinity and VPD stresses.</p>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/eco.70080","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144695839","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Increased Groundwater Dependence of Riparian Vegetation in Response to Drought","authors":"Li Kui,&nbsp;Jared Williams,&nbsp;Michael Bliss Singer,&nbsp;John C. Stella,&nbsp;Christopher L. Kibler,&nbsp;Todd E. Dawson,&nbsp;Melissa M. Rohde,&nbsp;Adam M. Lambert,&nbsp;Dar A. Roberts","doi":"10.1002/eco.70060","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70060","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Riparian ecosystems in drylands face increasing risks from intensifying droughts, which lower water tables, reduce soil moisture and suppress streamflow—threatening vegetation and risking ecosystem collapse. Although riparian vegetation relies on subsurface water, the relative importance of groundwater versus rainfall-infiltrated soil moisture during drought remains unclear. As climate change prolongs drought severity, understanding how plants shift between water sources is key to predicting ecosystem resilience and guiding sustainable groundwater management. We conducted a stable isotope study along the Santa Clara River in southern California (2018–2020) during recovery from a severe (2012–2019) drought. We sampled <i>δ</i>^<i>18</i><i>O</i>_<i>p</i> in plant xylem water from four native riparian woody species (<i>Salix exigua</i>, <i>S. laevigata</i>, <i>Populus trichocarpa</i>, <i>P. fremontii</i>) and the non-native grass <i>Arundo donax</i>. Shallow soil moisture and groundwater were sampled to characterize endmember <i>δ</i>^<i>18</i><i>O</i> signatures. Isotope mixing models were developed to track shifts in water source contributions for each species over three growing seasons. Riparian plants showed opportunistic water use, relying on shallow soil moisture during wet periods and shifting to groundwater during droughts. Native taxa including <i>Populus</i> and <i>Salix</i> species increased groundwater use by up to 60% during drought, reflecting hydraulic flexibility and drought tolerance. In contrast, the invasive <i>A. donax</i> depended on shallow soil moisture for 64–86% of its water under all conditions. These findings underscore the importance of quantifying species- and site-specific groundwater use. Incorporating such ecological insights into groundwater sustainability planning will be critical for protecting riparian vegetation and maintaining ecosystem function in a changing climate.</p>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-25","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/eco.70060","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144695926","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Isotopic Composition of Soil and Xylem Water Across Six Seasonal Floodplain Forests in Southeastern Brazil","authors":"Aline Meyer Oliveira,&nbsp;Marius Floriancic,&nbsp;Fernanda Moreira Gianasi,&nbsp;Barbara Herbstritt,&nbsp;Patricia Vieira Pompeu,&nbsp;Felipe de Carvalho Araújo,&nbsp;André Maciel Silva-Sene,&nbsp;Miguel Gama Reis,&nbsp;Camila Laís Farrapo,&nbsp;Leony Aparecido Silva Ferreira,&nbsp;Rubens Manoel dos Santos,&nbsp;Ilja van Meerveld","doi":"10.1002/eco.70076","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70076","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Seasonal floodplain forests are unique but threatened ecosystems. Trees in these ecosystems have adapted to extreme conditions of excess water and drought. However, what water sources these trees use is not fully known and therefore the vulnerability of floodplain forests to changes in the hydrological cycle remains poorly understood. In this study, we sampled different water sources (precipitation, streamflow, groundwater, soil water at different depths) and vegetation across six floodplain forests in the Rio Grande and São Francisco basins in southeastern Brazil during four campaigns (two dry and two wet seasons). We used water stable isotope data to investigate the sources for root water uptake. There was no consistent dry-to-wet season variation in the isotopic composition of soil water, but soil water reflected the isotopic signature of the wet season’s precipitation and overbank flow. There was a very large variability in the isotopic composition of xylem water, but no consistent pattern across the floodplains, or between tree species. Mixing model analyses suggest that for the floodplains in the Rio Grande basin, soil water was the main source of root water uptake during the wet season (64% ± 17) but not during the dry season (43% ± 17), when streamflow and groundwater were the main sources. In the São Francisco basin, soil water was the main source of root water uptake (60% ± 17 and 72% ± 15 for the wet and dry seasons, respectively). However, the uncertainties are large due to the similarity in the isotopic composition of potential water sources.</p>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/eco.70076","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144688162","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Investigating the Effects of Flow Regulation Combining Stream Geomorphology With Macroinvertebrate Ecology: A Case Study in the Orobic Alps (Italy)","authors":"Luca Bonacina,&nbsp;Riccardo Fornaroli,&nbsp;Valeria Mezzanotte,&nbsp;Giovanni Vezzoli","doi":"10.1002/eco.70082","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70082","url":null,"abstract":"<p>Mountain streams exhibit hydrogeomorphological heterogeneity, which is further intensified by the presence of hydraulic infrastructure. Despite extensive research on the influence of hydrological conditions and flow regulation on ecology, there is a notable absence of holistic studies investigating stream dynamics from both geomorphologic and ecological perspectives. Our work seeks to address this gap by characterizing stream channels' morphology, sediment grain-size distribution and streambed lithological composition combined with an evaluation of bedload rates and an assessment of macroinvertebrate taxonomic composition and flow preferences. The study was conducted along the longitudinal profiles of two steep headwater streams of the Orobic Alps (Northern Italy), one regulated by reservoirs and the other unregulated. Five reaches were surveyed, with two for each stream, plus one below their confluence. The investigation unveiled a patchwork of geomorphological conditions and bedload rates across the five stream reaches examined. These variations, related to physiographic setting and flow regulation, were associated with differences in the taxonomic composition of macroinvertebrate assemblages and their flow preferences. In the stream regulated by reservoirs, a higher taxonomic richness and abundance of both limnephilic and reophilic taxa were observed compared with the unregulated stream. Below their confluence, the composition of the macroinvertebrate assemblage exhibited marked temporal variability, likely associated with the highly fluctuating hydromorphic conditions. Despite the lack of a detailed hydrological characterization, our study highlights the interconnectedness of geomorphology, bedload rates and macroinvertebrate responses under distinct hydrological conditions, providing complementary insights. Thus, we advocate for interdisciplinary studies to better unravel mountain watercourses dynamics.</p>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-23","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/eco.70082","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144681398","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"An Ecoregion-Based Assessment of Lakes in Türkiye With Phytoplankton Metrics and Multimetric Approaches","authors":"Abuzer Çelekli,&nbsp;Özgür Eren Zariç","doi":"10.1002/eco.70069","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70069","url":null,"abstract":"<p>This study investigates the environmental characteristics, phytoplankton community dynamics, and ecological status (ES) of lakes in different ecoregions. Significant variations were observed in environmental variables across the lakes. Lake Kuğu, a brackish ecosystem, recorded the highest electrical conductivity (EC = 9810 μS/cm), while Lake Uzungöl showed the lowest EC values (47 μS/cm). Lake Karagöl exhibited the highest levels of total phosphorus (TP = 349 μg/L), total nitrogen (TN = 15.12 mg/L) and total organic carbon (TOC = 76.7 mg/L), reflecting eutrophic conditions. Conversely, Lake Uzungöl displayed the lowest TP and TN values and oligotrophic characteristics. Phytoplankton biovolume ranged from 0.40 mm³/L in Lake Borçka Karagöl to 15.47 mm³/L in Lake Karagöl. Canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) revealed strong associations (98.9%) between specific phytoplankton taxa and environmental gradients, with Lake Kuğu being characterized by pollution-tolerant taxa favouring high conductivity; Lake Karagöl being influenced by elevated TP, TN and TOC levels; and Lake Sera having high NO₃⁻. <i>Microcystis flos-aquae</i>, <i>Lepocinclis oxyuris</i>, <i>Eunotia bilunaris</i>, <i>Nitzschia tubicola</i> and <i>Hantzschia amphioxys</i> were found in Lake Karagöl and are relatively high in nutrient. Trophic state assessments using indices based on TP, TN, Secchi depth and chlorophyll-a identified Lake Kuğu and Lake Karagöl as hypertrophic, Lake Sera as eutrophic, Lake Borçka Karagöl as mesotrophic and Lake Uzungöl as oligotrophic. ES evaluated using multiple phytoplankton metrics (Modified Phytoplankton Trophic Index [MPTI], biological condition gradient [BCG], Aquatic Biotic Omnimetric Zenith [ABOZ] and Phyto-Tr) revealed that the ES ranged from high to poor among the lakes. The MPTI revealed that Lake Karagöl had a poor ES and Lake Kuğu had a moderate ES. A good ES was found in Lakes Borçka Karagöl and Sera, and Lake Uzungöl had a high ES. While MPTI, BCG and ABOZ provided consistent results, Phyto-Tr produced divergent outcomes. Correlation analysis highlighted strong relationships between MPTI, BCG, ABOZ and TP gradients. These findings underscore the importance of using multiple metrics to assess ecological health and highlight the influence of environmental factors on phytoplankton distribution and lake ES in different ecoregions. In addition, the findings of this study provide a scientific basis for ecosystem-based management and contribute to the conservation of freshwater resources in Türkiye.</p>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-19","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/epdf/10.1002/eco.70069","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144657609","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Limited Soil Water Recharge in Summer Affects Seasonal Isotopic Signatures of Tree Xylem Water","authors":"Marius G. Floriancic,&nbsp;Gregory R. Goldsmith,&nbsp;Harsh Beria,&nbsp;Scott T. Allen,&nbsp;James W. Kirchner","doi":"10.1002/eco.70077","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70077","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Recent studies have reported that xylem waters in forest trees during the summer growing season are often isotopically similar to winter, rather than summer, precipitation. Several hypotheses have been proposed to explain this observation, which can be viewed as a form of ecohydrological separation, but empirical tests spanning space and time remain limited. We hypothesise that variations in the seasonal origin of precipitation found in tree xylem waters can be explained by seasonal differences in soil water recharge. We test this hypothesis by evaluating to what extent climatic aridity can explain seasonal signals in extensive surveys of the isotope ratios of tree xylem waters across Switzerland. Using these tree xylem stable water isotope data from previous studies, we show that (i) there is only limited summer precipitation replenishing soil water storage in places where evaporative demand in summer is high and that (ii) seasonal differences in PET/P can broadly predict the seasonality of soil water recharge and tree water uptake of spruce and beech trees.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144647309","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Ecohydrological Drivers of Boreal Shield Peatland Fire Refugia","authors":"Alexandra M. Tekatch,&nbsp;Chantel E. Markle,&nbsp;Sophie L. Wilkinson,&nbsp;Colin P. R. McCarter,&nbsp;Paul A. Moore,&nbsp;James M. Waddington","doi":"10.1002/eco.70075","DOIUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.70075","url":null,"abstract":"<div>\u0000 \u0000 <p>Boreal peatlands play an important role in the global carbon cycle and can provide extensive buffering against climate change by acting as fire refugia. As wildfire extent, frequency and severity increase under climate change, it is critical to identify the characteristics and drivers of boreal peatland fire refugia in different hydroclimatic and hydrogeological settings to inform ecosystem management and conservation planning. We examined the ecohydrological characteristics of eight peatland fire refugia and eight unburned reference sites 3 years after an 11,362 ha wildfire in an eastern Boreal Shield landscape. We found that the vascular and bryophyte understorey vegetation composition within the peatland fire refugia was significantly different from the reference sites. Significant predictors of the difference in vascular vegetation composition were (i) median peat depth, (ii) maximum water table depth during the growing season and (iii) pH, where median peat depth was the only significant predictor identified for the bryophyte composition. While there was no clear evidence supporting any vascular indicator species, <i>Sphagnum rubellum</i> and <i>Sphagnum medium</i> were strongly associated with peatland fire refugia in this landscape. Peatland fire refugia also had a slower water table drawdown during the longest rain-free period of the growing season and a generally shallower growing season maximum water table depth than the reference sites. We suggest that peatland ecohydrological traits such as vegetation composition and water table drawdown rate may be useful to identify potential peatland fire refugia as they are indicators of negative ecohydrological feedbacks that maintain high peat moisture during drying.</p>\u0000 </div>","PeriodicalId":55169,"journal":{"name":"Ecohydrology","volume":"18 5","pages":""},"PeriodicalIF":2.5,"publicationDate":"2025-07-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"144657703","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":3,"RegionCategory":"环境科学与生态学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}