Using stable isotopes to identify major flow pathways in a permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope during summer rainfall period

Global warming has leaded to permafrost degradation, with potential impacts on the runoff generation processes of permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope. Stable isotopes have the potential to trace the complex runoff generation processes. In this study, precipitation, hillslope surface and subsurface runoff, stream water, and mobile soil water (MSW) at different hillslope positions and depths were collected during the summer rainfall period to analyse the major flow pathway based on stable isotopic signatures. The results indicated that (a) compared with precipitation, the δ²H values of MSW showed little temporal variation but strong heterogeneity with enriched isotopic ratios at lower hillslope positions and in deeper soil layers. (b) The δ²H values of middle-slope surface runoff and shallow subsurface flow were similar to those of precipitation and MSW of the same soil layer, respectively. (c) Middle-slope shallow subsurface flow was the major flow pathway of the permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope, which turned into surface runoff at the riparian zone before contributing to the streamflow. (d) The slight variation of δ²H values in stream water was shown to be related to mixing processes of new water (precipitation, 2%) and old water (middle-slope shallow subsurface flow, 98%) in the highly transmissive shallow thawed soil layers. It was inferred that supra-permafrost water levels would be lowered to a less conductive, deeper soil layer under further warming and thawing permafrost, which would result in a declined streamflow and delayed runoff peak. This study explained the “rapid mobilization of old water” paradox in permafrost influenced alpine meadow hillslope and improved our understanding of permafrost hillslope hydrology in alpine regions.     

Using isotopes to understand the evolution of water ages in disturbed mixed land-use catchments

Tracer studies have been key to unravelling catchment hydrological processes, yet most insights have been gained in environments with relatively low human impact. We investigated the spatial variability of stream isotopes and water ages to infer dominant flow paths in a ~10-km² nested catchment in a disturbed, predominantly agricultural environment in Scotland. We collected long-term (>5 years) stable isotope data of precipitation, artificial drainage, and four streams with varying soil and land use types in their catchment areas. Using a gamma model, Mean Transit Times (MTTs) were then estimated in order to understand the spatial variability of controls on water ages. Despite contrasting catchment characteristics, we found that MTTs in the streams were generally very similar and short (<1 year). MTTs of water in artificial drains were even shorter, ranging between 1 to 10 months for a typical field drain and <0.5 to 1 month for a country road drain. At the catchment scale, lack of heterogeneity in the response could be explained by the extensive artificial surface and subsurface drainage, “short-circuiting” younger water to the streams during storms. Under such conditions, additional intense disturbance associated with highway construction during the study period had no major effect on the stream isotope dynamics. Supplementary short-term (~14 months) sampling of mobile soil water in dominant soil-land use units also revealed that agricultural practices (ploughing of poorly draining soils and soil compaction due to grazing on freely draining soils) resulted in subtle MTT variations in soil water in the upper profile. Overall, the isotope dynamics and inferred MTTs suggest that the evolution of stream water ages in such a complex human-influenced environment are largely related to near-surface soil processes and the dominant soil management practices. This has direct implications for understanding and managing flood risk and contaminant transport in such environments.     

δ53Cr values of catchment runoff exhibit seasonality regardless of bedrock Cr concentrations: Role of periodically changing chromium export fluxes

One pre-requisite for the construction of a global chromium isotope mass balance is detailed understanding of Cr isotope systematics in the critical zone where redox-processes can modify the isotope signature of geogenic Cr input into the hydrosphere. A Cr isotope inventory of bedrock, soil, and runoff was performed in a Central European headwater catchment underlain by amphibolite, situated in the vicinity of two previously studied catchments underlain by different bedrock types (serpentinite and leucogranite). Fresh bedrock in the amphibolite catchment NAZ contained ~300 mg/kg Cr, serpentinite at PLB contained ~800 mg/kg Cr, and leucogranite at LYS contained ~2 mg/kg Cr. Monthly hydrochemical monitoring at all three sites revealed higher Cr(VI) export fluxes in winter than in summer. NAZ was characterized by a distinct seasonality in the δ⁵³Cr values, with minima during winter/spring snowmelts (−0.35‰) and maxima during dry summers (0.40‰). Similar seasonality in δ⁵³Cr values had been reported from PLB and LYS. Bedrock at all three sites had similar Cr isotope composition close to −0.10‰, a value indistinguishable from the δ⁵³Cr value of bulk silicate Earth (BSE). Positive mean δ⁵³Cr value of NAZ runoff indicated Cr-isotope fractionations during weathering of geogenic Cr(III), combined with adsorption of the resulting Cr(VI) on soil particles during pedogenesis. However, the mass-weighted mean δ⁵³Cr of NAZ runoff was lower (−0.08‰), indistinguishable from the Cr isotope signature of bedrock. The same pattern of lower mass-weighted mean δ⁵³Cr values of runoff, compared to arithmetic mean δ⁵³Cr values of runoff, were observed also at PLB and LYS. We suggest that elevated Cr runoff fluxes in winter remove some of the residual isotopically light Cr that accumulated in the soil during summer. Seasonality in runoff δ⁵³Cr values appears to be a relatively widespread phenomenon, de-coupled from Cr availability for chemical weathering.     

The use of regional and alluvial groundwater by riparian trees in the wet-dry tropics of northern Australia

Riparian trees play a critical role in the ecological function of rivers, yet are threatened by anthropogenic change to the hydrological cycle. Identifying the sources of water used by riparian trees can inform sustainable water policy. We used isotopic analysis complemented by measurements of plant water relations to assess water sources for riparian trees at two sites with contrasting hydrogeological processes; one with an alluvial aquifer overlaying an aquitard, and one where fault-induced preferential pathways in the aquitard allowed the flow of deeper, older groundwater from a regional aquifer to the alluvium. At both sites, plant water potential, stomatal conductance, and plant water isotope composition in the xylem sap of riparian trees were collected from two landscape positions, the riverbank and floodplain. We used a Bayesian mixing model (MixSIAR) to assess differences in the proportion of water sources for sites and landscape positions. We found that xylem water isotope values differed between the two sites in line with their hydrogeological characteristics, with trees at the regional aquifer site using water sourced from the regional groundwater and trees at the site with only an alluvial aquifer present using a mixture of water sources, with no dominant source identified. Higher plant predawn water potential values at the regional site indicated greater water availability and support the inference that plants were using more groundwater at the regional site compared to the alluvial site. Trees closer to the river had higher isotope values, indicative of surficial water sources i.e. shallow soil water and river water. Our findings show that the water sources used by riparian trees reflect local hydrogeology and resource availability. Water managers should identify and protect plant water sources to ensure maintenance of riparian trees.     

Deglaciation and catchment ontogeny in coastal south‐west Greenland: implications for terrestrial and aquatic carbon cycling

Here we present Holocene organic carbon, nitrogen, sulphur, carbon isotope ratio and macrofossil data from a small freshwater lake near Sisimiut in south‐west Greenland. The lake was formed c. 11 cal ka BP following retreat of the ice sheet margin and is located above the marine limit in this area. The elemental and isotope data suggest a complex deglaciation history of interactions between the lake and its catchment, reflecting glacial retreat and post‐glacial hydrological flushing probably due to periodic melting of local remnant glacial ice and firn areas between 11 and 8.5 cal ka BP. After 8.5 cal ka BP, soil development and associated vegetation processes began to exert a greater control on terrestrial–aquatic carbon cycling. By 5.5 cal ka BP, in the early Neoglacial cooling, the sediment record indicates a change in catchment–lake interactions with consistent δ¹³C while C/N exhibits greater variability. The period after 5.5 cal ka BP is also characterized by higher organic C accumulation in the lake. These changes (total organic carbon, C/N, δ¹³C) are most likely the result of increasing contribution (and burial) of terrestrial organic matter as a result of enhanced soil instability, as indicated by an increase in Cenococcum remains, but also Sphagnum and Empetrum. The impact of glacial retreat and relatively subdued mid‐ to late Holocene climate variation at the coast is in marked contrast to the greater environmental variability seen in inland lakes closer to the present‐day ice sheet margin. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Holocene changes in precipitation seasonality in the western Mediterranean Basin: a multi‐species approach using δ13C of archaeobotanical remains

Precipitation has been of utmost importance in shaping the evolution of landscapes and human settlements in the Mediterranean. However, information on seasonal precipitation patterns through the Holocene is scarce. This study attempts to quantify the evolution of seasonal precipitation in the East Iberian Peninsula (5000 BC to AD 600) based on the carbon isotope composition (δ¹³C) of archaeobotanical remains. Data on Holm oak, Aleppo pine and small‐grain cereals were combined, and precipitation was inferred from models relating present‐day records to the δ¹³C of modern samples. Subsequently, charred grains were used as a proxy for ancient moisture during April–May, whereas oak and pine charcoals provided complementary rainfall estimates for September–December and January–August, respectively. The results reveal aridity changes throughout the Holocene in the western Mediterranean. Past spring–summer precipitation was consistently higher than at present. In contrast, autumn and early winter precipitation showed stronger fluctuations, particularly during the first millennium BC, and often exhibited values below those of the present. The high contribution of autumn precipitation to the annual water budget, typical of the present Mediterranean climate, was definitively established at the beginning of the current era. This study shows how a combination of species holding complementary environmental signals can contribute to a wider knowledge of local precipitation dynamics. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Use of stable water isotopes to assess sources and influences of slope groundwater on slope failure

This study employs stable oxygen and hydrogen isotopes as natural tracers to assess the headwater of a landslide next to a drainage divide and the importance of the slope's headwater in the study area. The study is undertaken near Wu‐She Township in the mountains of central Taiwan. Because a reservoir is located on the other side of the divide, this study evaluates the relationship between the reservoir water and headwater of the landslide as well. Over a 1‐year period, water samples from September 2008 to September 2009, including local precipitation (LP), Wu‐She Reservoir's water (WSRW), slope groundwater (SGW), upper‐reach stream water (USTW), and down‐reach stream water (DSTW), were analysed for deuterium (δD) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) stable isotopes. Results indicate that WSRW is the predominant component in SGW: approximately 70% of SGW originates from WSRW and 30% from LP based on a two end‐member mass‐balance mixing model for δ¹⁸O. The similar two end‐member mixing model is also employed to assess the contributions of USTW and SGW to DSTW. Model results indicate that SGW is the major source of DSTW with a contribution of about 67%. Accordingly, about 47% of DSTW sources from the WSRW. In short, owing to reservoir leakage, WSRW contributes the greater part of both SGW and DSTW. Plentiful WSRW in SGW threatens the stability of the slope in the divide area. To avoid subsequent continuous slope failure, necessary mitigation steps are required. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

甘肃敦煌小独山西钨矿床成矿流体特征及来源分析

甘肃敦煌小独山西石英脉型钨矿床位于北山成矿带柳园-俞井子裂谷带西段,经过详查和勘探工作,发现其资源量已达大型钨矿床规模。文章在野外详细观测和系统采样的基础上,对不同成矿阶段的样品使用岩相学、激光拉曼光谱、显微测温和碳、氢-氧同位素测试等方法,对矿脉中流体包裹体进行了综合研究。结果显示,该矿床矿脉中主要发育有气-液两相（Ⅰ型）和含液相CO₂三相（Ⅱ型） 2类包裹体。其中,Ⅰ阶段流体呈中高温、中盐度特征,主成矿（Ⅱ）阶段呈中高温、中低盐度特征,Ⅲ阶段呈低温,低盐度特征,均一温度与盐度呈现出正相关关系。包裹体的δD和δ¹⁸O值范围分别为-98.3‰~-76.4‰和0.8‰~5.4‰,呈岩浆水与大气降水相混合的特征;方解石中流体的δ¹³C值为-0.26‰~-0.73‰,δ¹⁸O值为-1.26‰~-3.73‰,显示C可能来源于海相碳酸盐岩,在后期演化过程中与大气降水发生了氧同位素交换作用。成矿早期与主成矿期均受到了大气降水的影响,该矿床发生了明显的流体混合作用是该地区成矿的主要因素。     

南秦岭关子沟铅锌矿床成因：流体包裹体和H-O-S-Pb同位素证据

陕西旬阳盆地南缘是南秦岭中部重要的铅锌成矿带,带内发育一大批赋存在志留系中的铅锌矿床。为了进一步厘清区域内铅锌成矿的物质来源和成因机制,文章选取区内典型的关子沟铅锌矿床开展流体包裹体和H-O-S-Pb同位素研究。关子沟铅锌矿体主要以层状、似层状赋存于双河镇组二段和三段千枚岩地层中,根据矿物组构和穿插关系,将成矿过程划分为3个阶段：石英-黄铁矿阶段（Ⅰ阶段）、石英-多金属硫化物阶段（Ⅱ阶段）和石英-碳酸盐（Ⅲ阶段）。其中,Ⅱ阶段原生流体包裹体均一温度为215~393℃,盐度w（NaCl_eq）为2.2‰~10.1‰; Ⅲ阶段均一温度为124~255℃,盐度w（NaCl_eq）为1.8‰~6.6‰,具有中高温、中低盐度的成矿流体特征。石英H-O同位素结果（δ¹⁸O_H2O值为6‰~10.9‰,δD值为-82.9‰~-73.6‰）显示成矿流体主要为海水和有机水,伴有大气降水的混合。原位S同位素显示硫化物δ³⁴S值变化范围为4.63‰~8.73‰,暗示主要硫化物的S源于海相硫酸盐的热化学还原,志留系黑色岩系中的有机质提供了还原剂。矿石硫化物的²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb为17.8254~17.9470,²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁴Pb为15.6233~15.6396,²⁰⁸Pb/²⁰⁴Pb为38.1706~38.3143,指示Pb主要源于沉积盖层。综合矿床地质特征、流体包裹体及H、O、S、Pb同位素特征,认为关子沟矿床为热水沉积成因,志留系裂陷盆地内热水沉积作用控制着铅锌成矿过程。