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Factors influencing stream baseflow transit times in tropical montane watersheds
- Source :
- Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, Vol 20, Iss 4, Pp 1621-1635 (2016)
- Publication Year :
- 2016
- Publisher :
- Copernicus GmbH, 2016.
-
Abstract
- Stream water mean transit time (MTT) is a fundamental hydrologic parameter that integrates the distribution of sources, flow paths, and storages present in catchments. However, in the tropics little MTT work has been carried out, despite its usefulness for providing important information on watershed functioning at different spatial scales in (largely) ungauged basins. In particular, very few studies have quantified stream MTTs or have related these to catchment characteristics in tropical montane regions. Here we examined topographic, land use/cover and soil hydraulic controls on baseflow transit times for nested catchments (0.1–34 km2) within a humid mountainous region, underlain by volcanic soil (Andisols) in central Veracruz (eastern Mexico). We used a 2-year record of bi-weekly isotopic composition of precipitation and stream baseflow data to estimate MTT. Land use/cover and topographic parameters (catchment area and form, drainage density, slope gradient and length) were derived from geographic information system (GIS) analysis. Soil water retention characteristics, and depth and permeability of the soil–bedrock interface were obtained from intensive field measurements and laboratory analysis. Results showed that baseflow MTTs ranged between 1.2 and 2.7 years across the 12 study catchments. Overall, MTTs across scales were mainly controlled by catchment slope and the permeability observed at the soil–bedrock interface. In association with topography, catchment form and the depth to the soil–bedrock interface were also identified as important features influencing baseflow MTTs. The greatest differences in MTTs were found both within groups of small (0.1–1.5 km2) and large (14–34 km2) catchments. Interestingly, the longest stream MTTs were found in the headwater cloud forest catchments.
- Subjects :
- lcsh:GE1-350
Hydrology
Cloud forest
geography
Watershed
Baseflow
geography.geographical_feature_category
lcsh:T
0208 environmental biotechnology
lcsh:Geography. Anthropology. Recreation
Drainage basin
Tropics
02 engineering and technology
15. Life on land
lcsh:Technology
lcsh:TD1-1066
020801 environmental engineering
lcsh:G
13. Climate action
Soil water
Environmental science
Catchment area
lcsh:Environmental technology. Sanitary engineering
lcsh:Environmental sciences
Drainage density
Subjects
Details
- ISSN :
- 16077938
- Volume :
- 20
- Database :
- OpenAIRE
- Journal :
- Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
- Accession number :
- edsair.doi.dedup.....4978a524ce829706755a4cfa5c9456d4