2023 Early Hearing Detection & Intervention Conference

March 5-7, 2023 • Cincinnati, OH

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5/24/2021 | 2:00 PM - 3:30 PM | GEOMORPHOLOGY AND VEGETATION DRIVE HYDROCHEMISTRY CHANGES IN TWO NE GREENLAND STREAMS | Virtual Platform

GEOMORPHOLOGY AND VEGETATION DRIVE HYDROCHEMISTRY CHANGES IN TWO NE GREENLAND STREAMS

Global change is particularly affecting the Arctic, with drastic landscape changes. However, it is still unclear how these changes modify the biogeochemical constituents reaching Arctic freshwaters. Here, we examined how catchment properties influence stream nitrogen and dissolved organic carbon concentrations in High Arctic. We sampled two contrasting streams (10-15 stations) in Northeast Greenland (74ºN). For each station, we measured water hydrochemistry and estimated the geomorphology and vegetation cover of sub-watershed areas. Although the reduced geographical extension, streams showed a clear altitudinal gradients in vegetation, from upstream low to high cover in the valley, and geomorphological landforms, with high coverage of bedrock and solifluction sheets in the uphill and alluvial sedimentation areas in the valley. Hydrochemistry changed downstream and correlated with changes in both vegetation and geomorphology. Low vegetation and high bedrock and solifluction related to high concentrations of nitrate, whereas higher vegetation related to higher dissolved organic carbon concentrations. These results suggest that climate change inducing alterations to vegetation cover and geomorphology disturbance in high Arctic catchments will affect stream hydrochemistry, with potential effects in stream productivity, trophic relations as well as change of solute export to downstream coastal areas.

Ecohydrology
Global change
Nutrient cycling

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Presenters/Authors

Ada Pastor (), Aarhus University, adapastor@bio.au.dk;