An overview of hydrometeorological datasets from a small agricultural catchment (Nučice) in the Czech Republic

We introduce the freely available web-based Water in an Agricultural Landscape—NUčice Database (WALNUD) dataset that includes both hydrological and meteorological records at the Nučice experimental catchment (0.53 km²), which is representative of an intensively farmed landscape in the Czech Republic. The Nučice experimental catchment was established in 2011 for the observation of rainfall–runoff processes, soil erosion processes, and water balance of a cultivated landscape. The average altitude is 401 m a.s.l., the mean land slope is 3.9%, and the climate is humid continental (mean annual temperature 7.9°C, annual precipitation 630 mm). The catchment is drained by an artificially straightened stream and consists of three fields covering over 95% of the area which are managed by two different farmers. The typical crops are winter wheat, rapeseed, and alfalfa. The installed equipment includes a standard meteorological station, several rain gauges distributed across the basin, and a flume with an H-type facing that is used to monitor stream discharge, water turbidity, and basic water quality indicators. Additionally, the groundwater level and soil water content at various depths near the stream are recorded. Recently, large-scale soil moisture monitoring efforts have been introduced with the installation of two cosmic-ray neutron sensors for soil moisture monitoring. The datasets consist of observed variables (e.g. measured precipitation, air temperature, stream discharge, and soil moisture) and are available online for public use. The cross-seasonal, open access datasets at this small-scale agricultural catchment will benefit not only hydrologists but also local farmers.     

台湾海峡西部海域沉积体系、地层架构与油气勘探前景

基于台湾海峡西部新采集的高分辨率二维地震资料及钻井数据，结合区域地质资料和前人研究成果，建立台湾海峡西部高精度等时地层格架，在此基础上厘定了地质年代属性和沉积相特征分析。研究表明第四纪地层识别出6个三级层序界面，对应地划分为5个三级层序。研究区地震相主要有席状平行—亚平行地震相、前积地震相、下切谷充填地震相、充填状低连续地震相和充填状杂乱地震相等，不同的地震相及其组合代表特定的沉积体系。通过以上分析可知研究区新生代主要发育于海陆过渡地带，主要发育冲积/洪积平原相和滨岸平原相，在此基础上分析沉积演化特征，为台湾海峡西部海域进行精细勘探提供地质依据，这对将来的油气勘探具有重要的指导意义。     

The GEOMON network of Czech catchments provides long-term insights into altered forest biogeochemistry: From acid atmospheric deposition to climate change

In 1994, a network of small catchments (GEOMON) was established in the Czech Republic to determine input–output element fluxes in semi-natural forest ecosystems recovering from anthropogenic acidification. The network consists from 16 catchments and the primary observations of elements fluxes were complemented by monitoring of biomass stock, element pools in soil and vegetation, and the main water balance components. Over last three decades, reductions of SO₂, NO_x and NH₃ emissions were followed by sulphur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition reductions of 75% and 30%, respectively. Steeper declines of strong acid anion concentrations compared to cations (Ca, Mg, Na, K, NH₄) in precipitation resulted in precipitation pH increase from 4.5 to 5.2 in bulk precipitation and from 4.0 to 5.1 in spruce throughfall. Stream chemistry responded to changes in deposition: S leaching declined. However at majority of catchments soils acted as a net source of S to runoff, delaying recovery. Stream pH increased at acidic streams (pH < 6) and aluminium concentration decreased. Stream nitrate (NO₃) concentration declined by 60%, considerably more than N deposition. Stream NO₃ concentration was tightly positively related to stream total dissolved nitrogen to total phosphorus (P) ratio, suggesting the role of P availability on N retention. Trends in dissolved organic carbon fluxes responded to both acidification recovery and to runoff temporal variation. An exceptional drought occurred between 2014 and 2019. Over this recent period, streamflow decreased by ≈ 40% on average compared to 1990s, due to the increases of soil evaporation and vegetation transpiration by ≈ 30% and declines in precipitation by ≈ 15% on average across the elevational gradient. Sharp decreases of stream runoff at catchments <650 m a.s.l. corresponded to areas of recent forest decline caused by bark beetle infestation on drought stressed spruce forests. Understanding of the interactions among legacies of acidification and eutrophication, drought effects on the water cycle and forest disturbance dynamics is requisite for effective management of forested ecosystems under anthropogenic influence.     

Hydrogeology of a montane headwater groundwater system downgradient of a coal-mine waste rock dump: Elk Valley,British Columbia,Canada

Steelmaking-coal waste rock placed in mountain catchments in the Elk Valley, British Columbia, Canada, drain constituents of interest (CIs) to surface water downgradient of the waste rock dumps. The role of groundwater in transporting CIs in the headwaters of mountain catchments is not well understood. This study characterizes the physical hydrogeology of a portion of a 10-km² headwater catchment (West Line Creek) downgradient of a 2.7-km² waste rock dump placed over a natural headwater valley-bottom groundwater system. The study site was instrumented with 13 monitoring wells. Drill core samples were collected to determine subsurface lithology and geotechnical properties. The groundwater system was characterized using field testing and water-level monitoring. The valley-bottom sediments were composed of unconsolidated glacial and meltwater successions (<64 m thick) deposited as a series of cut and fill structures overlying shale bedrock. An unconfined basal alluvial aquifer located above fractured bedrock was identified as the primary conduit for groundwater flow toward Line Creek (650 m from the toe of the dump). Discharge through the basal alluvial aquifer was estimated using the geometric mean hydraulic conductivity (±1 standard deviation). These calculations suggest groundwater discharge could account for approximately 15% (ranging from 2 to 60%) of the total water discharged from the watershed. The residence time from the base of the waste rock dump to Line Creek was estimated at <3 years. The groundwater system was defined as a snowmelt (i.e., nival) regime dominated by direct recharge (percolation of precipitation) across the catchment.     

Identifying slope processes over time and their imprint in soils of medium‐high mountains of Central Europe (the Karkonosze Mountains,Poland)

Soils in mountainous areas are often polygenetic, developed in slope covers that relate to glacial and periglacial activities of the Pleistocene and Holocene and reflect climatic variations. Landscape development during the Holocene may have been influenced by erosion/solifluction that often started after the Holocene climatic optimum. To trace back soil evolution and its timing, we applied a multi‐methodological approach. This approach helped us to outline scenario of soil transformation. According to our results, some aeolian input must have occurred in the late Pleistocene. During that time and the early Holocene, the soils most likely had features of Cryosols or Leptosols. Physico‐chemical and mineralogical analyses have indicated that the material was denudated (between late Boreal to the Atlantic) from the ridge and upper‐slope positions forming a colluvium at mid‐slope positions. Later, during the Sub‐Boreal, mass wasting of the remains of silt material deposited at the end of the Pleistocene age on the ridge top seems to have occurred. In addition, the cool and moist conditions caused the deposition of a colluvium at the lower‐slope positions. The next phase was characterized by the transformation of Leptosols/Cambisols into Podzols at upper‐slope or shoulder positions and to Albic Cambisols at mid‐slope positions. During the Sub‐Boreal period, Stagnosols started to form at the lower part of the slope catena. Overall, the highest erosion rates were calculated at the upper‐slope position and the lowest rates at mid‐slope sites. Berylium‐10 (¹⁰Be) data showed that the Bs, BC/C were covered during the Holocene by a colluvium with a different geological composition which complicated the calculation of erosion or accumulation rates. The interpretation of erosion and accumulation rates in such multi‐layered materials may, therefore, be hampered. However, the multi‐methodological reconstruction we applied shed light on the soil and landscape evolution of the eastern Karkonosze Mountains. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Assess hydrological responses to a warming climate at the Lysina Critical Zone Observatory in Central Europe

Climate warming is having profound effects on the hydrological cycle by increasing atmospheric demand, changing water availability, and snow seasonality. Europe suffered three distinct heat waves in 2019, and 11 of the 12 hottest years ever recorded took place in the past two decades, which will potentially change seasonal streamflow patterns and long-term trends. Central Europe exhibited six dry years in a row since 2014. This study uses data from a well-documented headwater catchment in Central Europe (Lysina) to explore hydrological responses to a warming climate. We applied a lumped parameter hydrologic model Brook90 and a distributed model Penn State Integrated Hydrologic Model (PIHM) to simulate long-term hydrological change under future climate scenarios. Both models performed well on historic streamflow and in agreement with each other according to the catchment water budget. In addition, PIHM was able to simulate lateral groundwater redistribution within the catchment validated by the groundwater table dynamics. The long-term trends in runoff and low flow were captured by PIHM only. We applied different EURO-CORDEX models with two emission scenarios (Representative Concentration Pathways RCP 4.5, 8.5) and found significant impacts on runoff and evapotranspiration (ET) for the period of 2071–2100. Results from both models suggested reduced runoff and increased ET, while the monthly distribution of runoff was different. We used this catchment study to understand the importance of subsurface processes in projection of hydrologic response to a warming climate.     

Zircon geochronology and geochemistry to constrain the youngest eruption events and magma evolution of the Mid-Miocene ignimbrite flare-up in the Pannonian Basin,eastern central Europe

A silicic ignimbrite flare-up episode occurred in the Pannonian Basin during the Miocene, coeval with the syn-extensional period in the region. It produced important correlation horizons in the regional stratigraphy; however, they lacked precise and accurate geochronology. Here, we used U–Pb (LA-ICP-MS and ID-TIMS) and (U–Th)/He dating of zircons to determine the eruption ages of the youngest stage of this volcanic activity and constrain the longevity of the magma storage in crustal reservoirs. Reliability of the U–Pb data is supported by (U–Th)/He zircon dating and magnetostratigraphic constraints. We distinguish four eruptive phases from 15.9 ± 0.3 to 14.1 ± 0.3 Ma, each of which possibly includes multiple eruptive events. Among these, at least two large volume eruptions (>10 km³) occurred at 14.8 ± 0.3 Ma (Demjén ignimbrite) and 14.1 ± 0.3 Ma (Harsány ignimbrite). The in situ U–Pb zircon dating shows wide age ranges (up to 700 kyr) in most of the crystal-poor pyroclastic units, containing few to no xenocrysts, which implies efficient recycling of antecrysts. We propose that long-lived silicic magma reservoirs, mostly kept as high-crystallinity mushes, have existed in the Pannonian Basin during the 16–14 Ma period. Small but significant differences in zircon, bulk rock and glass shard composition among units suggest the presence of spatially separated reservoirs, sometimes existing contemporaneously. Our results also better constrain the time frame of the main tectonic events that occurred in the Northern Pannonian Basin: We refined the upper temporal boundary (15 Ma) of the youngest counterclockwise block rotation and the beginning of a new deformation phase, which structurally characterized the onset of the youngest volcanic and sedimentary phase.     

Lidar observations of volcanic dust over Polish Polar Station at Hornsund after eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull and Grímsvötn

Two significant volcanic eruptions, i.e., Eyjafjallajökull (April–May 2010) and Grímsvötn (May 2011) took place recently in Iceland. Within a few days after eruptions, layers of high aerosol concentration have been observed by multiwavelength lidar of the Polish Polar Station at Hornsund, Svalbard. Measurements of the aerosol’s optical properties indicated a possible presence of volcanic ash transported over the Station. The latter presumption was confirmed by the computed backward trajectories of air masses, showing their paths passing over the location of volcanoes.