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Global peatlands store more carbon than is naturally present in the atmosphere1,2. However, many peatlands are under pressure from drainage-based agriculture, plantation development and fire, with the equivalent of around 3 per cent of all anthropogenic greenhouse gases emitted from drained peatland3–5. Efforts to curb such emissions are intensifying through the conservation of undrained peatlands and re-wetting of drained systems6. Here we report eddy covariance data for carbon dioxide from 16 locations and static chamber measurements for methane from 41 locations in the UK and Ireland. We combine these with published data from sites across all major peatland biomes. We find that the mean annual effective water table depth (WTDe; that is, the average depth of the aerated peat layer) overrides all other ecosystem- and management-related controls on greenhouse gas fluxes. We estimate that every 10 centimetres of reduction in WTDe could reduce the net warming impact of CO2 and CH4 emissions (100-year global warming potentials) by the equivalent of at least 3 tonnes of CO2 per hectare per year, until WTDe is less than 30 centimetres. Raising water levels further would continue to have a net cooling effect until WTDe is within 10 centimetres of the surface. Our results suggest that greenhouse gas emissions from peatlands drained for agriculture could be greatly reduced without necessarily halting their productive use. Halving WTDe in all drained agricultural peatlands, for example, could reduce emissions by the equivalent of over 1 per cent of global anthropogenic emissions. Halving average drainage depths in agricultural peatlands could reduce greenhouse gas emissions by the equivalent of 1 per cent of all anthropogenic emissions.

Sediment microbial communities drive the biogeochemical cycles that make rivers globally important sources and sinks of carbon (C) and nitrogen (N). The structure of these communities is strongly determined by the local physico-chemical environment. However, we currently lack an understanding of the factors that determine microbial community structures at the catchment scale. Here, we show that the contribution of groundwater to total river flow (quantified as base flow index; BFI) predicts the structure and diversity of the different microbial functional groups that cycle N and C across nine UK rivers, spanning a geological BFI gradient from 0.23 (clay sediment) to 0.95 (chalk gravel sediment). Furthermore, the GC-content (percentage of guanine-cytosine bases in a DNA sequence) and codon-usage bias of ammonia monooxygenase DNA sequences, and the hydrophobicity and net-charge of the corresponding amino acid sequences, were all strongly correlated with BFI, likely reflecting physiological adaptations to different riverbed sediment structure along the BFI gradient. Our results offer an opportunity to overcome the “paradox of scales” that has seen microbial ecologists focus on small- rather than large-scale environmental variables, enabling us to scale-up our understanding of microbial biogeochemistry to the catchment and beyond.

Peatlands are wetland ecosystems with great significance as natural habitats and as major global carbon stores. They have been subject to widespread exploitation and degradation with resulting losses in characteristic biota and ecosystem functions such as climate regulation. More recently, large-scale programmes have been established to restore peatland ecosystems and the various services they provide to society. Despite significant progress in peatland science and restoration practice, we lack a process-based understanding of how soil microbiota influence peatland functioning and mediate the resilience and recovery of ecosystem services, to perturbations associated with land use and climate change.\ud \ud We argue that there is a need to: in the short-term, characterise peatland microbial communities across a range of spatial and temporal scales and develop an improved understanding of the links between peatland habitat, ecological functions and microbial processes; in the medium term, define what a successfully restored ’target’ peatland microbiome looks like for key carbon cycle related ecosystem services and develop microbial-based monitoring tools for assessing restoration needs; and in the longer term, to use this knowledge to influence restoration practices and assess progress on the trajectory towards ‘intact’ peatland status.\ud \ud Rapid advances in genetic characterisation of the structure and functions of microbial communities offer the potential for transformative progress in these areas, but the scale and speed of methodological and conceptual advances in studying ecosystem functions is a challenge for peatland scientists. Advances in this area require multidisciplinary collaborations between peatland scientists, data scientists and microbiologists and ultimately, collaboration with the modelling community.\ud \ud Developing a process-based understanding of the resilience and recovery of peatlands to perturbations, such as climate extremes, fires, and drainage, will be key to meeting climate targets and delivering ecosystem services cost effectively.

Summary Superstatistics is a general method from nonequilibrium statistical physics which has been applied to a variety of complex systems, ranging from hydrodynamic turbulence to traffic delays and air pollution dynamics. Here, we investigate water quality time series (such as dissolved oxygen concentrations and electrical conductivity) as measured in rivers and provide evidence that they exhibit superstatistical behavior. Our main example is time series as recorded in the River Chess in South East England. Specifically, we use seasonal detrending and empirical mode decomposition to separate trends from fluctuations for the measured data. With either detrending method, we observe heavy-tailed fluctuation distributions, which are well described by log-normal superstatistics for dissolved oxygen. Contrarily, we find a double peaked non-standard superstatistics for the electrical conductivity data, which we model using two combined χ2-distributions., Graphical abstract, Highlights • Fluctuations of detrended water quality time series follow q-Gaussian distributions • Superstatistical long timescale is extracted from the detrended data • New type of superstatistics observed, which is well fitted by mixture χ2-distributions, Environmental geochemistry; River geochemistry; Statistical physics

Headwater streams are important in the carbon cycle and there is a need to better parametrize and quantify exchange of carbon-relevant gases. Thus, we characterized variability in the re-aeration coefficient (k2) and dissolved oxygen (O2) gas transfer velocity (k) in two lowland headwaters of the River Avon (UK). The traditional one-station open-water method was complemented by in situ quantification of riverine sources and sinks of O2 (i.e., groundwater inflow, photosynthesis and respiration in both the water column and benthic compartments - sediments) enabling direct hourly estimates of k2 at the reach–scale (~150 m) without relying on the nighttime regression method. Obtained k2 values ranged from 0.001 – 0.600 h-1. Average daytime k2 were a factor two higher than values at night, likely due to diel changes in water temperature and wind. Temperature contributed up to 46% of the variability in k on an hourly scale, but clustering temperature incrementally strengthened the statistical relationship. Our analysis suggested that k variability is aligned with dominant temperature trends rather than with short-term changes. Similarly, wind correlation with k increased when clustering wind speeds in increments correspondent with dominant variations (1 m s-1). Time scale is thus an important consideration when resolving physical drivers of re-aeration. Mean estimates of k from recent parametrizations proposed for upscaling, when applied to the settings of this study, were found to be in agreement with our independent O2 budget assessment (within

Flows of water, soil, litter, and anthropogenic materials in and around rivers lead to the mixing of their resident microbial communities and subsequently to a resultant community distinct from its precursors. Consideration of these events through a new conceptual lens, namely, community coalescence, could provide a means of integrating physical, environmental, and ecological mechanisms to predict microbial community assembly patterns better in these habitats. Here, we review field studies of microbial communities in riverine habitats where environmental mixing regularly occurs, interpret some of these studies within the community coalescence framework and posit novel hypotheses and insights that may be gained in riverine microbial ecology through the application of this concept. Particularly in the face of a changing climate and rivers under increasing anthropogenic pressures, knowledge about the factors governing microbial community assembly is essential to forecast and/or respond to changes in ecosystem function. Additionally, there is the potential for microbial ecology studies in rivers to become a driver of theory development: riverine systems are ideal for coalescence studies because regular and predictable environmental mixing occurs. Data appropriate for testing community coalescence theory could be collected with minimal alteration to existing study designs.

We investigated the seasonal dynamics of in-stream metabolism at the reach scale (∼ 150 m) of headwaters across contrasting geological sub-catchments: clay, Greensand, and Chalk of the upper River Avon (UK). Benthic metabolic activity was quantified by aquatic eddy co-variance while water column activity was assessed by bottle incubations. Seasonal dynamics across reaches were specific for the three types of geologies. During the spring, all reaches were net autotrophic, with rates of up to 290 mmol C m-2 d-1 in the clay reach. During the remaining seasons, the clay and Greensand reaches were net heterotrophic, with peak oxygen consumption of 206 mmol m-2 d-1 during the autumn, while the Chalk reach was net heterotrophic only in winter. Overall, the water column alone still contributed to ∼ 25% of the annual respiration and primary production in all reaches. Net ecosystem metabolism (NEM) across seasons and reaches followed a general linear relationship with increasing stream light availability. Sub-catchment specific NEM proved to be linearly related to the local hydrological connectivity, quantified as the ratio between base flow and stream discharge, and expressed on a timescale of 9 d on average. This timescale apparently represents the average period of hydrological imprint for carbon turnover within the reaches. Combining a general light response and sub-catchment specific base flow ratio provided a robust functional relationship for predicting NEM at the reach scale. The novel approach proposed in this study can help facilitate spatial and temporal upscaling of riverine metabolism that may be applicable to a broader spectrum of catchments.

Channelization and embankment of rivers has led to major ecological degradation of aquatic habitats worldwide. River restoration can be used to restore favourable hydrological conditions for target species or processes. However, the effects of river restoration on hydraulic and hydrological processes are complex and are often difficult to determine because of the long-term monitoring required before and after restoration works. Our study is based on rarely available, detailed pre-restoration and post-restoration hydrological data collected from a wet grassland meadow in Norfolk, UK, and provides important insights into the hydrological effects of river restoration. Groundwater hydrology and climate were monitored from 2007 to 2010. Based on our data, we developed coupled hydrological/hydraulic models of pre-embankment and post-embankment conditions using the MIKE-SHE/MIKE 11 system. Simulated groundwater levels compared well with observed groundwater. Removal of the river embankments resulted in widespread floodplain inundation at high river flows (>1.7 m3 s−1) and frequent localized flooding at the river edge during smaller events (>0.6 m3 s−1). Subsequently, groundwater levels were higher and subsurface storage was greater. The restoration had a moderate effect on flood peak attenuation and improved free drainage to the river. Our results suggest that embankment removal can increase river–floodplain hydrological connectivity to form a more natural wetland ecotone, driven by frequent localized flood disturbance. This has important implications for the planning and management of river restoration projects that aim to enhance floodwater storage, floodplain species composition and biogeochemical cycling of nutrients. © 2016 The Authors. River Research and Applications Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Anammox, an important N2 loss pathway in marine waters, is not well understood in rivers. In situ measurements of N2 production in UK rivers reveal that anammox can be the dominant N2 loss pathway in permeable but not in impermeable riverbeds. Rivers are an important global sink for excess bioavailable nitrogen: they convert approximately 40% of terrestrial N runoff per year (∼47 Tg) to biologically unavailable N2 gas and return it to the atmosphere1. At present, riverine N2 production is conceptualized and modelled as denitrification2,3,4. Anaerobic ammonium oxidation, known as anammox, is an alternative pathway of N2 production important in marine environments, but its contribution to riverine N2 production is not well understood5,6. Here we use in situ and laboratory measurements of anammox activity using 15N tracers and molecular analyses of microbial communities to evaluate anammox in clay-, sand- and chalk-dominated river beds in the Hampshire Avon catchment, UK during summer 2013. Abundance of the hzo gene, which encodes an enzyme central to anammox metabolism, varied across the contrasting geologies. Anammox rates were similar across geologies but contributed different proportions of N2 production because of variation in denitrification rates. In spite of requiring anoxic conditions, anammox, most likely coupled to partial nitrification, contributed up to 58% of in situ N2 production in oxic, permeable riverbeds. In contrast, denitrification dominated in low-permeability clay-bed rivers, where anammox contributes roughly 7% to the production of N2 gas. We conclude that anammox can represent an important nitrogen loss pathway in permeable river sediments.

Anthropogenic nitrogen fixation and subsequent use of this nitrogen as fertilizer has greatly disturbed the global nitrogen cycle. Rivers are recognized hotspots of nitrogen removal in the landscape as interaction between surface water and sediments creates heterogeneous redox environments conducive for nitrogen transformations. Our understanding of riverbed nitrogen dynamics to date comes mainly from shallow sediments or hyporheic exchange flow pathways with comparatively little attention paid to groundwater-fed, gaining reaches. We have used 15N techniques to quantify in situ rates of nitrate removal to 1m depth within a groundwater-fed riverbed where subsurface hydrology ranged from strong upwelling to predominantly horizontal water fluxes. We combine these rates with detailed hydrologic measurements to investigate the interplay between biogeochemical activity and water transport in controlling nitrogen attenuation along upwelling flow pathways. Nitrate attenuation occurred via denitrification rather than dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium or anammox (range = 12 to >17000 nmol 15N L-1 h-1). Overall, nitrate removal within the upwelling groundwater was controlled by water flux rather than reaction rate (i.e. Damkohler numbers 80% of nitrate removal occurs within sediments not exposed to hyporheic exchange flows under baseflow conditions, illustrating the importance of deep sediments as nitrate sinks in upwelling systems.

This paper illustrates the hillslope storm runoff mechanisms and the effects of livestock in upland areas. The research site was a small upland catchment area on Dartmoor (Southwest England). It was shown that overland flow on the tracks and paths created by animals in the area responded very rapidly to rainfall, in the same order of magnitude as stream runoff. Livestock stocking densities were significantly different in different vegetation compositions. The topsoil bulk density values, moisture content and spatial track densities were significantly higher in areas associated with higher stocking rates. These areas reach a wetness threshold at an earlier state than surrounding, drier areas. When isolated, the wetter areas start discharging water only locally into downslope drier areas, but are not contributing to storm runoff in the stream. In areas with a high density of animal tracks, water is being discharged onto the track directly. The tracks comprised an ephemeral hydrological network contributing storm runoff to the stream quickly after rainfall. They transmit water rapidly downhill, short-circuiting local areas, reducing runoff lag time and increasing storm stream runoff. The runoff producing mechanism, in which soil conditions, vegetation types and path networks are a complex interplay of contributing factors, may be relevant to other uplands, especially when they act as water reservoir or source area for possible flooding events. Therefore, upland management policies need to take into account that the heterogeneity of hillslopes at local scales have implications for storm runoff at the catchment scale.

Flows of water, soil, litter, and anthropogenic materials in and around rivers lead to the mixing of their resident microbial communities and subsequently to a resultant community distinct from its precursors. Consideration of these events through a new conceptual lens, namely, community coalescence, could provide a means of integrating physical, environmental, and ecological mechanisms to predict microbial community assembly patterns better in these habitats. Here, we review field studies of microbial communities in riverine habitats where environmental mixing regularly occurs, interpret some of these studies within the community coalescence framework and posit novel hypotheses and insights that may be gained in riverine microbial ecology through the application of this concept. Particularly in the face of a changing climate and rivers under increasing anthropogenic pressures, knowledge about the factors governing microbial community assembly is essential to forecast and/or respond to changes in ecosystem function. Additionally, there is the potential for microbial ecology studies in rivers to become a driver of theory development: riverine systems are ideal for coalescence studies because regular and predictable environmental mixing occurs. Data appropriate for testing community coalescence theory could be collected with minimal alteration to existing study designs.

The role that hydrology plays in governing the interactions between dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen in rivers draining lowland, agricultural landscapes is currently poorly understood, yet important to assess given the potential changes to production and delivery of DOC and nitrate arising from climate change. We measured DOC and nitrate concentrations in river water of six reaches of the lowland River Hampshire Avon (Wiltshire, southern UK) in order to quantify the relationship between Baseflow Index (BFI) and DOC : nitrate molar ratios across contrasting geologies (Chalk, Greensand and clay). We found a significant positive relationship between nitrate and Baseflow Index (p

The role that hydrology plays in governing the interactions between dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and nitrogen in rivers draining lowland, agricultural landscapes is currently poorly understood. In light of the potential changes to the production and delivery of DOC and nitrate to rivers arising from climate change and land use management, there is a pressing need to improve our understanding of hydrological controls on DOC and nitrate dynamics in such catchments. We measured DOC and nitrate concentrations in river water of six reaches of the lowland river Hampshire Avon (Wiltshire, southern UK) in order to quantify the relationship between BFI (BFI) and DOC : nitrate molar ratios across contrasting geologies (Chalk, Greensand, and clay). We found a significant positive relationship between nitrate and BFI (p 5 throughout the year, whilst groundwater-dominated reaches underlain by Chalk, with a high BFI have DOC : nitrate ratios in surface waters that are an order of magnitude lower (

Small streambed structures (or microforms, 0.01–1 m in length) exist ubiquitously in riverbed systems. Small-scale topography is potentially important in controlling hyporheic exchange flow and transport of conservative and reactive solutes at the groundwater–surface water interface. The role of microforms on NO 3 - transfer in a riffle-scale (macroforms of >1 m length) hyporheic zone within a gaining river setting is investigated using a 2-D flow and transport model which accounts for both nitrification and denitrification. Results show that t he short pathlines caused by microforms lead to more NO 3 - discharge to the river compared with a macroform-only condition due to shortened residence times of both surface water and groundwater in mixing zones. Short hyporheic exchange flow pathways caused by microforms could remain oxic along their entire length or switch from nitrate producing to nitrate consuming as oxygen concentrations decline. Microforms affect net NO 3 - flux by the combined effect of introducing more stream mass flux and reducing their residence time in mixing zones under different hydrological and biogeochemical conditions. Our findings underscore that ignoring microforms in river beds may underestimate NO 3 - load to the river and have practical implications for pore water sampling strategies in groundwater–surface water studies.

The hyporheic zone of riverbed sediments has the potential to attenuate nitrate from upwelling, polluted groundwater. However, the coarse-scale (5 – 10 cm) measurement of nitrogen biogeochemistry in the hyporheic zone can often mask fine-scale (

Many urban rivers receive significant inputs of metal-contaminated sediments from their catchments. Restoration of urban rivers often creates increased slack water areas and in-channel vegetation growth where these metal-contaminated sediments may accumulate. Quantifying the accumulation and retention of these sediments by in-channel vegetation in urban rivers is of importance in terms of the planning and management of urban river restoration schemes and compliance with the Water Framework Directive. This paper investigates sediment properties at four sites across three rivers within Greater London to assess the degree to which contaminated sediments are being retained. Within paired restored and unrestored reaches at each site, four different bed sediment patch types (exposed unvegetated gravel, sand, and silt/clay (termed ‘fine’) sediments, and in-channel vegetated sediments) were sampled and analysed for a range of metals and sediment characteristics. Many samples were found to exceed Environment Agency guidelines for copper (Cu), lead (Pb) and zinc (Zn) and Dutch Intervention Values for Cu and Zn. At all sites, sediments accumulating around in-channel vegetation were similar in calibre and composition to exposed unvegetated fine sediments. Both bed sediment types contained high concentrations of pseudo-total and acetic acid extractable metal concentrations, potentially due to elevated organic matter and silt/clay content, as these are important sorbtion phases for metals. This implies that the changed sediment supply and hydraulic conditions associated with river restoration may lead to enhanced retention of contaminated fine sediments, particularly around emergent plants, frequently leading to the development of submerged and emergent landforms and potential river channel adjustments. High pseudo-total metal concentrations were also found in gravel bed sediments, probably associated with iron (Fe) and manganese (Mn) oxyhydroxides and discrete anthropogenic metal-rich particles. These results highlight the importance of understanding the potential effects of urban river restoration upon sediment availability and channel hydraulics and consequent impacts upon sediment contaminant dynamics and storage. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Emergent vegetation in river beds can play a significant role in nutrient cycling in riverine sediments. We analysed and compared pore water NO3 − concentration gradients in the sediments of the River Leith, Cumbria, UK, in the presence and absence of emergent vegetation (dominated by Sparganium spp.). High resolution (1 cm interval), in situ, vertical profiles of NO3 − to 30 cm depth were measured using deployment of diffusive equilibrium in thin films probes on four occasions from July to September 2010. We found significantly (p

We examined the influence of river stage on subsurface hydrology and pore water chemistry within the hyporheic zone of a groundwater-fed river during the summer baseflow period of 2011. We found river stage and geomorphologic environment to control chemical patterns in the hyporheic zone. At high river stage, the flux of upwelling water in the shallow sediments (> 20 cm) decreased at samples sites in the upper section of our study reach and increased substantially at sites in the lower section. This differential response is attributed to the contrasting geomorphology of these sub-reaches which affects the rate of the rise and fall of river stage relative to subsurface head. At sites where streamward vertical flux decreased, concentration profiles of a conservative environmental tracer suggest surface water infiltration into the riverbed below depths recorded at low river stage. An increase in vertical flux at sites in the lower sub-reach is attributed to the movement of lateral subsurface waters originating from the adjacent floodplain. This lateral-moving water preserved or decreased the vertical extent of the hyporheic mixing zone observed at low river stage. Down welling surface water appeared to be responsible for elevated dissolved organic carbon (DOC) and Mn concentrations in shallow sediments (0 – 20 cm); however, lateral subsurface flows were probably important for elevated concentrations of these solutes at deeper levels. Results suggest that DOC delivered to hyporheic sediments during high river stage from surface water and lateral subsurface sources could enhance heterotrophic microbial activities. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Water pathways through permeable riverbeds are multi-dimensional, including lateral hyporheic exchange flows as well as vertical (upwelling and downwelling) fluxes. The influence of different pathways of water on solute patterns and the supply of nitrate and other redox-sensitive chemical species in the riverbed is poorly understood but could be environmentally significant. For example, nitrate-rich upwelling water in the gaining reaches of groundwater-fed rivers has the potential to supply significant quantities of nitrate through the riverbed to surface waters, constraining opportunities to deliver the goals of the EU Water Framework Directive to achieve ‘good ecological status’. We show that patterns in porewater chemistry in the armoured river bed of a gaining reach (River Leith, Cumbria) reflect the spatial variability in different sources of water; oxic conditions being associated with preferential discharge from groundwater and reducing conditions with longitudinal and lateral fluxes of water due to water movement from riparian zones and/or hyporheic exchange flows. Our findings demonstrate the important control of both vertical and lateral water fluxes on patterns of redox-sensitive chemical species in the river bed. Furthermore, under stable, baseflow conditions (

[1] We measured the escape of methane-containing gas bubbles to the water table in two microhabitats (muddy hollows and Sphagnum-plus-sedge lawns) in a raised bog in West Wales, typical of many northern peatlands. Our study was unusual in its degree of replication (14 gas traps in each microhabitat). Seasonally integrated bubble loss of CH4 to the water table did not differ significantly between microhabitats. After applying an oxidation correction to give CH4 fluxes to the atmosphere, the microhabitats still did not differ. Our results suggest that ebullition is an important mechanism of CH4 loss to the atmosphere, with mean summer rates of 11.7 mg CH4 m−2 d−1 (muddy hollows) and 6.8 mg CH4 m−2 d−1 (Sphagnum-plus-sedge lawns). Our data show that the process is spatially and temporally very variable, and that the small sample sizes of many studies (e.g., n = 5) may lead to considerable errors in flux estimation.

We investigated the seasonal dynamics of in‐stream metabolism at the reach scale (∼ 150 m) of headwaters across contrasting geological sub‐catchments: clay, Greensand, and Chalk of the upper River Avon (UK). Benthic metabolic activity was quantified by aquatic eddy co‐variance while water column activity was assessed by bottle incubations. Seasonal dynamics across reaches were specific for the three types of geologies. During the spring, all reaches were net autotrophic, with rates of up to 290 mmol C m−2 d−1 in the clay reach. During the remaining seasons, the clay and Greensand reaches were net heterotrophic, with peak oxygen consumption of 206 mmol m−2 d−1 during the autumn, while the Chalk reach was net heterotrophic only in winter. Overall, the water column alone still contributed to ∼ 25% of the annual respiration and primary production in all reaches. Net ecosystem metabolism (NEM) across seasons and reaches followed a general linear relationship with increasing stream light availability. Sub‐catchment specific NEM proved to be linearly related to the local hydrological connectivity, quantified as the ratio between base flow and stream discharge, and expressed on a timescale of 9 d on average. This timescale apparently represents the average period of hydrological imprint for carbon turnover within the reaches. Combining a general light response and sub‐catchment specific base flow ratio provided a robust functional relationship for predicting NEM at the reach scale. The novel approach proposed in this study can help facilitate spatial and temporal upscaling of riverine metabolism that may be applicable to a broader spectrum of catchments.

Purpose Laboratory experiments were conducted to examine the potential for metal (Cu, Ni and Zn) and herbicide (simazine, atrazine and diuron) release from agricultural soil and dredged sediment in managed realignment sites following tidal inundation.

Laboratory incubations with river-bed sediment collected from riffles and pools were used to quantify potential pathways of dissimilatory nitrate reduction in the hyporheic zone of a groundwater-fed river. Sediments collected from between 5-cm and 86-cm depth in the bed of the River Leith, Cumbria, United Kingdom, were incubated with a suite of 15N-labeled substrates (15NO { , 15NH z , and 14NO { ) to quantify nitrate reduction via denitrification, dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA), and anaerobic ammonium oxidation (anammox). Denitrification was the dominant pathway of dissimilatory nitrate reduction in the hyporheic sediments, although recovery of 15N from the ammonium pool indicated that DNRA was also active. The potential for anammox was confirmed by the production of 29N2 during the 15NH z and 14NO { incubation, but it was much smaller than denitrification. Potential rates of denitrification were highest in shallow sediments and decayed exponentially with depth thereafter. There were clear differences in denitrification activity between riffle and pool sediments. After the production of 15N-N2 had stabilized, we added a spike of bacteriological peptone to determine the effect of complex organic substrates on denitrification potential. The potential rate of denitrification increased uniformly at all sediment depths but the total amount of denitrification fueled by the organic substrates decreased markedly with depth, from 90% in the shallow sediments to 30% in the deepest sediments. In addition, a considerable fraction of the 15 NO { could not be accounted for, which suggested that up to 87% of it had been assimilated in the deepest sediments. The hyporheic zone is a key area of biogeochemical activity between the surface water and groundwater of streams and rivers (Boulton et al. 2010). Here exchanges of dissolved and particulate organic matter, oxygen, and nutrients drive the cycling of the key biotic macronutrients (C, H, N, P, S), in turn, sustaining the productivity of the sediment strata in this ‘dynamic ecotone’ at or beneath the river bed (Gilbert et al. 1990). The contribution that biogeochemical activity within the hyporheic zone makes to the river as a whole is, in turn, governed by the balance between surface and subsurface flow and the intensity of subsurface processes (Findlay 1995). One particular biogeochemical process that has received a great deal of attention is denitrification: the biological

The relative magnitudes of, and factors controlling, denitrification and dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium (DNRA) were measured in the soil of a re-connected temperate floodplain divided into four different land management zones (grazing grassland, hay meadow, fritillary meadow and a buffer zone). Soil samples were collected from each zone to measure their respective potentials for nitrate attenuation using 15N both at the surface and at depth in the soil column and additional samples were collected to measure the lability of the organic carbon. Denitrification capacity ranged between 0.4 and 4.2 (μmol N g(-1) dry soil d(-1)) across the floodplain topsoil and DNRA capacity was an order of magnitude lower (0.01-0.71 μmol N g(-1) d(-1)). Land management practice had a significant effect on denitrification but no significant effects were apparent for DNRA. In this nitrogen-rich landscape, spatial heterogeneity in denitrification was explained by differences in lability and the magnitude of organic carbon associated with different management practices (mowing and grazing). The lability of organic carbon was significantly higher in grazing grassland in comparison to other ungrazed areas of the floodplain, and consequently denitrification capacity was also highest in this area. Our results indicate that bacteria capable of DNRA do survive in frequently flooded riparian zones, and to a limited extent, compete with denitrification for nitrate, acting to retain and recycle nitrogen in the floodplain. Exponential declines in both denitrification and DNRA capacity with depth in the floodplain soils of a hay meadow and buffer zone were controlled primarily by the organic carbon content of the soils. Furthermore, grazing could be employed in re-connected, temperate floodplains to enhance the potential for nitrate removal from floodwaters via denitrification.

Sediment characteristics and vegetation composition were measured in a restored and natural saltmarsh and mudflat at Wallasea Island managed realignment scheme (Essex, UK) from January to December 2007. The similar sediment characteristics in the restored and natural mudflat indicated that the sediment in the restored mudflat was approaching natural conditions. However, the sediment characteristics in the restored saltmarsh were not becoming similar to those in the natural saltmarsh. The sediment moisture content, organic matter content and porosity were lower while the sediment bulk density, salinity and pH were higher in the restored compared to the natural saltmarsh. The dissimilarities were mainly due to differences in the vegetation abundance and organic matter content. Although, 18 months after restoration the restored saltmarsh was only sparsely vegetated and there was no net change in the sediment characteristics, the occurrence of Salicornia europaea L. demonstrated that pioneer saltmarsh vegetation establishment preceded the development of sediment characteristics.

Peatlands are important sources of atmospheric CH4, a potent greenhouse gas. Identifying the controls on CH4 flux from peatlands requires detailed investigation of fluxes at small scales (the microform scale) where flux chambers are best deployed for measurement. Using chambers presents challenges, not least that of how the CH4 concentration in chamber gas should be measured. Current field approaches usually involve either (i) online measurement with a flow-through laser absorption spectroscopy instrument or (ii) online or offline analysis of CH4 by gas chromatography–flame ionization detector (GC-FID) analysis. Online measurement restricts the number of chambers that can be monitored to c. 10 and their spatial spread to a distance of 10–20 m from the CH4 analyser and is not suited to large-scale studies. GC-FID may present logistical difficulties when conducting research at remote sites because of the need for frequent calibration and, hence, calibration gases. Generally, it is not suited to non-laboratory applications. An alternative is to analyse syringe samples of chamber gas near the field site using a modified laser spectroscopy instrument. We show how such a modification may be made. The theory of our modification is presented, as are the results obtained using it. It is shown that the instrument with the modification compares favourably with GC-FID and can be used near remote field sites in the absence of laboratory facilities. We present flux data from a peatland in Wales, where the flux-chamber CH4 concentrations were obtained using the modified instrument

Excessive fine sediment deposition on the river channel bed together with colmation of finer sediments within the hyporheic are now linked to the degradation of the aquatic habitats of gravel bed rivers in permeable catchments. Previous studies of chalk rivers (associated with outcrops of calcareous rock) have demonstrated the important role of aquatic vegetation in trapping fine sediment on the river channel bed. This research investigated the spatio-temporal patterns and composition of fine sediment stored in two vegetated river reaches, in the Frome and Piddle catchments, Dorset (UK), with contrasting hydrological regimes, in order to establish the importance of aquatic vegetation in controlling the magnitude and timing of sediment storage in chalk rivers. Monthly mapping of macrophyte and sediment cover at the two sites (Maiden Newton and Snatford Bridge, 2003-2004) revealed a cyclical pattern of sediment storage related to the growth and die-back of aquatic vegetation peaking at 66·8 kg m ―2 in July 2003 at Maiden Newton, and 23·5 kg m ―2 in October 2003 at Snatford Bridge. Sediment was stored within gravels and beneath vegetation in the margins and mid-channel locations at both sites. Significantly more sediment was stored beneath vegetation than within gravels. The spatio-temporal pattern of sediment storage at the reach scale and the composition of the stored sediments reflected the growth patterns and functional form (flexibility) of the dominant macrophytes Ranunculus penicillatus subsp. pseudofluitans (water crowfoot) and Rorippa nasturtium aquaticum (watercress). Finally, the paper discusses the implications of reach-scale patterns in sediment storage for contaminant storage.

We investigated the accumulation and biogeochemical cycling of organic matter beneath Ranunculus plants in a lowland river. Organic carbon accumulated beneath the plants at a mean rate of 20 mmol C m ―2 h ―1 . Annual gross primary production for both Ranunculus and its biofilm, and the microphytobenthos, could account for 26% of the carbon accumulated. The remainder was attributable to organic carbon in both suspended particulate matter (77%) and that associated with sands saltating along the bottom (33%). Maximum carbon oxidation occurred in spring and early summer and declined thereafter. The efflux of CO 2 was greater than the carbon equivalents due to reduction of O 2 , NO 3 ― and SO 4 2― measured at the surface, which suggested a significant contribution to carbon oxidation from the subsurface and some oxidation via alternative electron acceptors. The peak in carbon oxidation could not be accounted for by either rising temperature or primary production but tracked the quality of recently deposited allochthonous organic matter. The ratio of carbon oxidation to total organic carbon accumulation suggested that 19% of the organic matter deposited was remineralised on an annual basis, although this reached 58% in June. We calculate that a total of 3·6 mol N m ―2 y ―1 was mineralised in the sediment, of which 11% could be accounted for by the measured efflux of NH 4 + . The remainder could be accounted for by the N demand from primary production (67% macrophytes/biofilm; 36% phytobenthos).

Understanding the dynamics of fine sediment transport across the upper intertidal zone is critical in managing the erosion and accretion of intertidal areas, and in managed realignment/estuarine habitat recreation strategies. This paper examines the transfer of sediments between salt marsh and mudflat environments in two contrasting macrotidal estuaries: the Seine (France) and the Medway (UK), using data collected during two joint field seasons undertaken by the Anglo-French RIMEW project (Rives-Manche Estuary Watch). High-resolution ADCP, Altimeter, OBS and ASM measurements from mudflat and marsh surface environments have been combined with sediment trap data to examine short-term sediment transport processes under spring tide and storm flow conditions. In addition, the longer-term accumulation of sediment in each salt marsh system has been examined via radiometric dating of sediment cores. In the Seine, rapid sediment accumulation and expansion of salt marsh areas, and subsequent loss of open intertidal mudflats, is a major problem, and the data collected here indicate a distinct net landward flux of sediments into the marsh interior. Suspended sediment fluxes are much higher than in the Medway estuary (averaging 0.09 g/m3/s), and vertical accumulation rates at the salt marsh/mudflat boundary exceed 3 cm/y. Suspended sediment data collected during storm surge conditions indicate that significant in-wash of fine sediments into the marsh interior can occur during (and following) these high-magnitude events. In contrast to the Seine, the Medway is undergoing erosion and general loss of salt marsh areas. Suspended sediment fluxes are of the order of 0.03 g/m3/s, and the marsh system here has much lower rates of vertical accretion (sediment accumulation rates are ca. 4 mm/y). Current velocity data for the Medway site indicate higher velocities on the ebb tide than occur on the flood tide, which may be sufficient to remobilise sediments deposited on the previous tide and so force net removal of material from the marsh.

Summary 1. The emission of biogenic gases, particularly methane, is usually associated with wetlands rather than clean streams. Here, we investigated methane production from a southern English chalk stream, where increased sedimentation, compounded by extensive macrophyte growth, may have altered ecosystem function. 2. Cover of the channel by the dominant macrophyte, Ranunculus penicillatus, peaked in August, when plant beds were associated with low water velocity and the accumulation of sediment (90%) of the methane flux is transported to the atmosphere through the Ranunculus stems. 5. Although the total flux of methane from U.K. chalk streams is probably relatively modest (estimated at 3.2 × 10−6 Tg CH4 year−1), this phenomenon changes our perception of the health of these ecosystems and indicates another deleterious side effect of agriculture.

Managing diffuse pollution in catchments is a major issue for environmental managers planning to meet water quality standards and comply with the EU Water Framework Directive. A major source of diffuse pollution is from nitrogen, with high nitrate concentrations affecting water supplies and in-stream ecology. A dynamic, process based model of flow, nitrate and ammonium (INCA-N) has been applied to the Hampshire Avon as part of the NERC Macronutrient Cycles Programme to link upstream and downstream measurements of water chemistry. The model has been calibrated and validated against Environment Agency discharge and solute chemistry data, as well as a data set collected from a river site immediately upstream of the estuary tidal limit. Upstream measurements of denitrification at six sites have been used to evaluate nitrate removal rates in vegetated and non-vegetated conditions. Results show that sediments underlying vegetation were associated with significantly higher rates of nitrate removal than un-vegetated sediments (with an average increase of 245%). These data have been used to scale up rates of nitrate loss to the whole catchment scale and have been implemented via the model. The effects of streambed geology and macrophyte cover on catchment-scale nitrogen dynamics are explored and nutrient fluxes entering the estuary are evaluated. The model is used to test a strategy for nitrogen reduction assessed using a nitrate vulnerable zone (NVZ) methodology. It suggests that nitrate and ammonium concentrations could be reduced by 10% in 10 years and much lower nitrogen level can be achieved but only over a long time period.

Summary This research investigated the ecosystem engineering by in-stream macrophytes, dominated by Ranunculus spp., and associated suspension-feeding blackfly larvae (Diptera: Simuliidae) for five reaches in the Frome and Piddle catchments, Dorset (UK) over one annual growth cycle (2003). This paper focuses on the modification of flow velocities and the trapping of fine sediment (particles In-stream macrophyte growth was extensive, with maximum percentage cover of 80% recorded in September and October 2003. The macrophyte cover significantly altered flow patterns and flow velocities within and between the macrophyte stands. The reduced flow velocities within the plants promoted sediment trapping, reaching volumes of 0.085 m3 of fine sediment trapped per metre square of vegetation at one site. The effective particle sizes of the sediments trapped within Ranunculus stands were dominated by the 250–500 μm fraction from March to July 2003 whereas a higher proportion of smaller fractions occurred from October to December. Faecal pellets were highly abundant in the sediments trapped within Ranunculus stands (up to 2.2 × 108 faecal pellets per m2) and their dimensions (total size range 25–400 μm) fall within the dominant size fraction of the trapped sediments. Our findings demonstrate the need to consider the biogenic component of the fine sediments in chalk streams in future studies of sediment and nutrient dynamics.

In-stream macrophytes are typically abundant in nutrient-rich chalk streams during the spring and summer months and modify the in-stream environment by altering river flows and trapping sediments. We present results from an inter-disciplinary study of two river reaches in the River Frome catchment, Dorset (UK). The investigation focused on how Ranunculus (water crowfoot), the dominant submerged macrophyte in the study reaches, modified patterns of flow and sediment deposition. Measurements were taken on a monthly basis throughout 2003 to determine seasonal patterns in macrophyte cover, associated changes in the distributions of flow velocities and the character and amount of accumulated fine sediment within stands of Ranunculus. Maximum in-stream cover of macrophytes exceeded 70% at both sites. Flow velocities were less than 0.1 m s− 1 within the stands of Ranunculus and accelerated to 0.8 m s− 1 outside the stands. During the early stages of the growth of Ranunculus, fine sediment mostly accumulated within the upstream section of the plant but the area of fine sediment accumulation extended into the downstream trailing section of the plant later in the growing season. The fine sediment accumulations were dominated by sand (63–1000 μm) with silts and clays (0.37–63 μm) comprising

This paper describes the results of laboratory-based research which investigated the losses of the herbicide, isoproturon, and a non-adsorbing solute, bromide, from topsoil aggregates under high (7 mm h -1 and low 2.7 mm h -1 ) intensity simulated rainfall. The structures of the micro- and macro-aggregates from a clay soil of the Denchworth Series (from Wytham, Oxfordshire, UK) were observed using a scanning electron microscope, and the slaking of the topsoil aggregates was also investigated in order to provide a context for interpreting the experimental results. The topsoil at Wytham was found to have a bimodal structure with small microaggregates of 0.71 to 1 mm diameter clustered together to form larger macroaggregates of up to several centimetres diameter. Selected aggregates were air dried and then repacked in Buchner funnels to several centimetres depth in order to remove variability in the experimental results due to the effects of surface microrelief. Undersaturated surface conditions high intensity simulated rainfall was less efficient at removing both non-adsorbing and adsorbing solutes from the repacked topsoil aggregates than low intensity rainfall. The observed decrease in the concentration of isoproturon and bromide in the leachate with time could be explained by a transport non-equilibrium effect.

A laboratory experiment was designed to assess the impact of surface seal development on herbicide loss from a clay soil. The influence of surface sealing on herbicide loss through vertical macropores and lateral throughflow pathways was of particular interest. Losses of the phenylurea herbicide, isoproturon, increased from 0.025% to 0.5% of the total applied under sealed compared with unsealed conditions, as a result of two different mechanisms. First, an increased flow rate through the A horizon under the wetter, sealed conditions resulted in earlier initiation of, and hence a greater volume of, throughflow containing isoproturon in the lysimeters. Second, increased concentrations of isoproturon in macropore and throughflow under the sealed treatments were attributed to the physical and chemical characteristics of the surface seal. Localized reductions in infiltration capacity, changes in soil composition, and decrease in diffusion depth of herbicide within the surface seal are presented as possible mechanisms by which herbicide losses from the sealed soil lysimeters were enhanced.

A laboratory experiment was designed to assess the impact of surface seal development on the hydrological response of a clay soil. The influence of surface sealing on vertical macropore flow and lateral throughflow was of particular interest. The extent and development of the surface seal in repacked lysimeters was designed to match that recorded over two growing seasons at a clay field site in Essex, and was not extensive enough to reduce significantly the infiltration capacity of the soil. Consequently, the hydrological response of the lysimeters was similar under sealed and unsealed conditions, with a more rapid wetting response under sealed conditions being attributed to the higher soil moisture content required to create the surface seal. Macropore flow was initiated at the A/B soil boundary of the lysimeters, in response to the development of a saturated layer. The rate of macropore and throughflow in the soil was dictated by rainfall intensity at the soil surface as this controlled the depth of water in the perched water table. Simulation of the tensiometer response in the lysimeters demonstrated that it was possible to attribute the rapid movement of water through the A horizon to water displacement processes alone, without recourse to preferential flow processes.

This paper evaluates the use of a two-component hydrograph separation model to predict the leaching of two relatively soluble herbicides, isoproturon and simazine, from an agricultural drained clay soil. The model successfully predicted the pattern and extent of herbicide leaching in drainflow at a 15-min time interval using electrical conductivity of rainfall and drainflow as the single chemical parameter. Analysis of the hydrological characteristics of individual rainfall events allowed current sources of uncertainty in the model to be identified and highlighted areas for further research. For example, future use of the model should incorporate the measurement of intra-event variations in electrical conductivity of rainfall as an input in order to improve model accuracy and precision. Repeated under-estimation of herbicide concentration in drainflow when suspended sediment concentrations were elevated indicated that desorption hysteresis may have occurred at the soil surface and during transport through the tile drain system. This resulted in the transport of a greater proportion of herbicide through preferential pathways in sediment-associated form than predicted by assuming an instantaneous desorption at the soil surface. The results of the research suggest that the nature and importance of sediment-associated herbicide transport through tile drains warrants further investigation.

This paper uses a variety of multivariate statistical techniques in order to improve current understanding of the antecedent and rainfall controls on drainage characteristics for an agricultural underdrained clay site. Using the dataset obtained from a two-year hillslope study at Wytham (Oxfordshire, UK) a number of patterns in the nature and style of drainage events were explored. First, using principal components analysis, a distinction was drawn between drainflow controlled by antecedent conditions and drainflow controlled by rainfall characteristics. Dimensional analysis then distinguished between two further types of drainflow event: antecedent limited events (ALE) and non-antecedent limited events (NALE). These were drainflow events requiring a minimum antecedent hydraulic head to occur (ALE) and events that occurred in response to rainfall irrespective of the antecedent conditions, because the rainfall was either of high enough intensity or duration to prompt a response in drainflow (NALE). 2. The dataset also made possible a preliminary investigation into the controls on and types of macropore flow at the site. Principal components analysis identified that rainfall characteristics were more important than antecedent conditions in generating high proportions of macropore flow in drainflow. Of the rainfall characteristics studied, rainfall amount and intensity were the dominant controls on the amount of macropore flow, with duration as a secondary control. Two styles of macropore flow were identified: intensity-driven and duration-driven. Intensity-driven events are characterized by rainfall of high intensity and short duration. During such events the amount of macropore flow is proportional to the rainfall intensity and the interaction between macropore and matrix flow is kinetically limited. The second style of macropore flow is characterized by long-duration events. For these events the amount of macropore flow approaches a maximum value whatever the rainfall duration. This suggests that these events are characterized by an equilibrium interaction between macropores and matrix flow. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

This paper reports the results of a quantitative source analysis of the contemporary and historical sediments delivered to Slapton Higher Ley (Devon, UK). Contemporary suspended and bedload sediment inputs to the Higher Ley were apportioned successfully using R- and Q-mode analysis and an unmixing model. Pasture topsoil was responsible for 80% of the suspended sediment load during stormflow, but only 50% under baseflow conditions. Channel bank material dominated bedload (70-80%). Dating by 137Cs of three cores from the Higher Ley indicates that rapid sedimentation has occurred since the 1950s and that pasture topsoil has been the dominant source of sediment deposited in the Higher Ley since the early 1980s. Both the unmixing model and R- and Q-mode analysis support this interpretation. However, the robustness and validity of applying such source ascription techniques to the sediment cores of the Higher Ley is debatable, as chemical and mineral magnetic signatures in the cores are diluted in comparison with sediment sources from the Slapton catchment. Particles-size effects, selective transport and post-depositional physical and chemical processes are examined as possible causes of this dilution effect. Post-depositional alteration of the sediment was identified as the most probable explanation, but further analysis of the process was not possible within the scope of this study.

Alteration of the global nitrogen cycle by man has increased nitrogen loading in waterways considerably, often with harmful consequences for aquatic ecosystems. Dynamic redox conditions within riverbeds support a variety of nitrogen transformations, some of which can attenuate this burden. In reality, however, assessing the importance of processes besides perhaps denitrification is difficult, due to a sparseness of data, especially in situ, where sediment structure and hydrologic pathways are intact. Here we show in situ within a permeable riverbed, through injections of (15)N-labeled substrates, that nitrate can be either consumed through denitrification or produced through nitrification, at a previously unresolved fine (centimeter) scale. Nitrification and denitrification occupy different niches in the riverbed, with denitrification occurring across a broad chemical gradient while nitrification is restricted to more oxic sediments. The narrow niche width for nitrification is in effect a break point, with the switch from activity "on" to activity "off" regulated by interactions between subsurface chemistry and hydrology. Although maxima for denitrification and nitrification occur at opposing ends of a chemical gradient, high potentials for both nitrate production and consumption can overlap when groundwater upwelling is strong.

This paper presents evidence for the existence of the hydrological routes by which rainfall moves to the drainage system through clay soil at Wytham (in Oxfordshire, UK), focusing particularly on the hydrology of the A horizon. Tile drain discharge was continuously monitored at the site, and piezometer and tensiometer arrays were installed over the hillslope in order to study the spatial variations in hydrological response to rainfall. A combination of dye tracing, ring and tension infiltrometry was used to determine the variations in infiltration capacity over the hillslope and to characterise macropore flow. The study established that both lateral and vertical macropore flow through inter-pedal cracks are an important component of the hydrology of an underdrained site. Two regions of macropore discontinuity were identified in the soil profile; at the base of the rotovated layer and at the base of the A horizon. Saturated layers developed at both these locations during rainfall. Over the winter, a surface seal developed at the base of the hillslope. Tension infiltrometer measurements suggested that once the soil surface was sealed, earthworm burrows of >6 mm diameter were responsible for up to 86% of the vertical infiltration into the A horizon. Temporal variations in hydrological characteristics were noted due to the swelling of the clay soil as it wetted up during the autumn and winter period. Lateral flow took place by a combination of macropore and preferential routes in saturated regions within the A horizon. During periods of winter drainflow lateral macropore flow in the top 10 cm of the soil was the most important lateral route for water and was initiated by a critical pore water pressure of +0.3 KPa. Deeper lateral flow was limited and occurred predominantly through the soil matrix. During autumn drainflow, however, inter-pedal cracks were well developed through the A horizon and lateral flow at the base of the A horizon was dominant.