Controls on DOC Flux in Continuous Permafrost Watersheds
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Authors
Momejian, Nanor
Date
Type
thesis
Language
eng
Keyword
Dissolves Organic Carbon , Permafrost , Transport-Limited , Soil and Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) , Canadian High Arctic , Soil organic carbon
Alternative Title
Abstract
The overarching purpose of this study is to develop a framework to model dissolved organic carbon (DOC) flux using only surface runoff and/or remotely acquired biophysical (terrain, vegetation, soil) data in environments that are remote and/or have limited data. To achieve this, this study focuses on (1) establishing a correlation between daily DOC flux and daily surface discharge, (2) finding a relationship between soil physical characteristics and soil organic carbon-SOC (source of DOC carbon), and (3) assessing the accuracy of a modelling tool in hydrologic modelling of watersheds on continuous permafrost in the High Arctic.
The results of this work demonstrate that there is a significant positive correlation between surface runoff and DOC flux, except in the cases of surface physical disturbance which can increase both discharge and DOC flux. The work also determines that High Arctic watersheds, similar to other watersheds in North America, are transport limited (DOC controlled by discharge) for all the runoff components (nival, base and stormflow). The analyses found a statistically significant correlation between soil moisture and SOC, demonstrating that remotely acquired soil moisture data could help map SOC in watersheds on continuous permafrost in the High Arctic, which could improve carbon stocks estimates in the region. The significance of spatial variability of SOC builds on the importance of using a spatial hydrological modelling tool in High Arctic watersheds. SWAT was chosen as an appropriate tool; assessment of this tool showed that snow-related parameters, particularly snowmelt temperature, greatly influences the modelled discharge, while the soil parameters have little to no impact on the modelling output.
Overall, the study found that the highest contributor to the total discharge is snowmelt, except when rainfall events are very high, and stormflow becomes the largest contributor to discharge. The increase in rainfall dominance is part of the climatic predictions of the Arctic, therefore, a shift between nival flow (NF) and stormflow (SF) could be observed by the end of the century. The research establishes a robust correlation between soil moisture and SOC, river discharge and DOC flux and provides an approach to modelling discharge which is not reliant on field observations
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This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
CC0 1.0 Universal
ProQuest PhD and Master's Theses International Dissemination Agreement
Intellectual Property Guidelines at Queen's University
Copying and Preserving Your Thesis
This publication is made available by the authority of the copyright owner solely for the purpose of private study and research and may not be copied or reproduced except as permitted by the copyright laws without written authority from the copyright owner.
CC0 1.0 Universal