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The complex Krupaja karst system, located in Serbia, which consists of a strong karst spring, a thermal karst spring, and a borehole that captures sub-thermal waters, has been studied. A phenomenon which gives rise to the occurrence of karst waters of three different temperatures within a relatively short distance (about 200 m) led us to assume that these karst waters are formed within the same karst aquifer and circulate through different levels of karst channels that are zonally distributed within a vertical profile; this was confirmed by assessing the groundwater ages. Based on the development of karstification, as presented in this paper, as well as on previous investigations, explanations of four types of circulation within same karst system are provided. The results of measurements of stable isotopes (H, 18O, and 13C) and radioactive isotopes of tritium and T+He and 14C, as well as hydrochemical water analyses, speleogenetic spatial modeling, speleodiving research, etc., confirmed the assumption that these groundwaters belong to the same karst system. However, these karst waters have different residence times, i.e., from only a few days to over several decades and even up to approximately 4000 years, circulating through channels with various distributions along the depth of the karst aquifer.

Conversion of native grasslands to agricultural sites has resulted in remarkable changes in soil carbon at depth, but its impact on soil diagnostic horizons is unknown. This study was conducted to radiocarbon date the soil organic carbon (SOC) and quantify pedogenic carbonates in the Russian Chernozem at depth at three sites: a native grassland field (not cultivated for at least 300 years), an adjacent 50-year continuous fallow field in the V.V. Alekhin Central-Chernozem Biosphere State Reserve in the Kursk region of Russia (UNESCO—MAB Biosphere Reserve), and a cropland in the Experimental Station of the Kursk Institute of Agronomy and Soil Erosion Control. All sampled soils were classified as Fine-silty, mixed, frigid Pachic Hapludolls (Haplic Chernozem). The radiocarbon age (14C date, y BP) of SOC was highly variable: in the native grassland field, it varied from post-bomb (A-horizon) to 8011 ± 54 y BP (C-horizon); in the continuous fallow, it varied from 1569 ± 41 y BP (Ap-horizon) to 11,380 ± 180 y BP (C1-horizon); and in the cropland, it varied from 1055 ± 38 y BP (Ap-horizon) to 11,805 ± 68 y BP (Ck-horizon). Cultivation resulted in morphological/diagnostic changes in the soil profile (conversion of A to Ap; conversion of Bw to Bk horizon) over a 50-year period. These changes are supported by radiocarbon dating of SOC and pedogenic carbonate distribution within the soil profile. The proportion of pedogenic carbonates was highly variable: in the native grassland, it was 27% (C-horizon); in the continuous fallow, it varied from 53% (Bk1-horizon) to 72% (C2-horizon); and in the cropland, it varied from 85% (A-horizon) to 10% (Ck-horizon). The radiocarbon age differences with depth among the soils reflect changes in the soil carbon dynamics resulting from cultivation.

Many studies have shown that isotope data are valuable for hydrological model calibration. Recent developments have made isotope analyses more accessible but event sampling still involves significant time and financial costs. Therefore, it is worth to study how many isotope samples are needed for hydrological model calibration and what the most informative sampling times are. In this study, we used synthetic data to investigate how systematic errors in the precipitation, streamflow and the isotopic composition of precipitation affect the information content of stream isotope samples for model calibration. The results show that model performance improves significantly when two or three isotope samples are used for calibration and that the most informative samples are taken on the falling limb. However, when there are errors in the rainfall isotopic composition, rising limb samples are more informative. Data errors caused the most informative samples to be more clustered and to occur earlier in the event compared to error free data. These results provide guidance on when to sample events for model calibration and thus help to reduce the cost and effort in obtaining useful data for model calibration.

Many studies have shown that isotope data are valuable for hydrological model calibration. Recent developments have made isotope analyses more accessible but event sampling still involves significant time and financial costs. Therefore, it is worth to study how many isotope samples are needed for hydrological model calibration and what the most informative sampling times are. In this study, we used synthetic data to investigate how systematic errors in the precipitation, streamflow and the isotopic composition of precipitation affect the information content of stream isotope samples for model calibration. The results show that model performance improves significantly when two or three isotope samples are used for calibration and that the most informative samples are taken on the falling limb. However, when there are errors in the rainfall isotopic composition, rising limb samples are more informative. Data errors caused the most informative samples to be more clustered and to occur earlier in the event compared to error free data. These results provide guidance on when to sample events for model calibration and thus help to reduce the cost and effort in obtaining useful data for model calibration.

Many studies have shown that isotope data are valuable for hydrological model calibration. Recent developments have made isotope analyses more accessible but event sampling still involves significant time and financial costs. Therefore, it is worth to study how many isotope samples are needed for hydrological model calibration and what the most informative sampling times are. In this study, we used synthetic data to investigate how systematic errors in the precipitation, streamflow and the isotopic composition of precipitation affect the information content of stream isotope samples for model calibration. The results show that model performance improves significantly when two or three isotope samples are used for calibration and that the most informative samples are taken on the falling limb. However, when there are errors in the rainfall isotopic composition, rising limb samples are more informative. Data errors caused the most informative samples to be more clustered and to occur earlier in the event compared to error free data. These results provide guidance on when to sample events for model calibration and thus help to reduce the cost and effort in obtaining useful data for model calibration.

Many studies have shown that isotope data are valuable for hydrological model calibration. Recent developments have made isotope analyses more accessible but event sampling still involves significant time and financial costs. Therefore, it is worth to study how many isotope samples are needed for hydrological model calibration and what the most informative sampling times are. In this study, we used synthetic data to investigate how systematic errors in the precipitation, streamflow and the isotopic composition of precipitation affect the information content of stream isotope samples for model calibration. The results show that model performance improves significantly when two or three isotope samples are used for calibration and that the most informative samples are taken on the falling limb. However, when there are errors in the rainfall isotopic composition, rising limb samples are more informative. Data errors caused the most informative samples to be more clustered and to occur earlier in the event compared to error free data. These results provide guidance on when to sample events for model calibration and thus help to reduce the cost and effort in obtaining useful data for model calibration.

Many studies have shown that isotope data are valuable for hydrological model calibration. Recent developments have made isotope analyses more accessible but event sampling still involves significant time and financial costs. Therefore, it is worth to study how many isotope samples are needed for hydrological model calibration and what the most informative sampling times are. In this study, we used synthetic data to investigate how systematic errors in the precipitation, streamflow and the isotopic composition of precipitation affect the information content of stream isotope samples for model calibration. The results show that model performance improves significantly when two or three isotope samples are used for calibration and that the most informative samples are taken on the falling limb. However, when there are errors in the rainfall isotopic composition, rising limb samples are more informative. Data errors caused the most informative samples to be more clustered and to occur earlier in the event compared to error free data. These results provide guidance on when to sample events for model calibration and thus help to reduce the cost and effort in obtaining useful data for model calibration.

Conversion of native grasslands to agricultural sites has resulted in remarkable changes in soil carbon at depth, but its impact on soil diagnostic horizons is unknown. This study was conducted to radiocarbon date the soil organic carbon (SOC) and quantify pedogenic carbonates in the Russian Chernozem at depth at three sites: a native grassland field (not cultivated for at least 300 years), an adjacent 50-year continuous fallow field in the V.V. Alekhin Central-Chernozem Biosphere State Reserve in the Kursk region of Russia (UNESCO—MAB Biosphere Reserve), and a cropland in the Experimental Station of the Kursk Institute of Agronomy and Soil Erosion Control. All sampled soils were classified as Fine-silty, mixed, frigid Pachic Hapludolls (Haplic Chernozem). The radiocarbon age (14C date, y BP) of SOC was highly variable: in the native grassland field, it varied from post-bomb (A-horizon) to 8011 ± 54 y BP (C-horizon); in the continuous fallow, it varied from 1569 ± 41 y BP (Ap-horizon) to 11,380 ± 180 y BP (C1-horizon); and in the cropland, it varied from 1055 ± 38 y BP (Ap-horizon) to 11,805 ± 68 y BP (Ck-horizon). Cultivation resulted in morphological/diagnostic changes in the soil profile (conversion of A to Ap; conversion of Bw to Bk horizon) over a 50-year period. These changes are supported by radiocarbon dating of SOC and pedogenic carbonate distribution within the soil profile. The proportion of pedogenic carbonates was highly variable: in the native grassland, it was 27% (C-horizon); in the continuous fallow, it varied from 53% (Bk1-horizon) to 72% (C2-horizon); and in the cropland, it varied from 85% (A-horizon) to 10% (Ck-horizon). The radiocarbon age differences with depth among the soils reflect changes in the soil carbon dynamics resulting from cultivation.