RIPARIONS · Transferring hydrological and biogeochemical concepts from boreal to Mediterranean RIPARian zones: developing a broad knowledge framework across ecoregIONS
Horizon 2020 — Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions
- Duration
- 2020-09-01 → 2022-08-31
- EU contribution
- €160,932
- Participants
- 2
- Scheme
- MSCA-IF
Lines connect the coordinator with its partners.
Results in brief
Transferring hydrological and biogeochemical concepts from boreal to Mediterranean RIPARian zones: developing a broad knowledge framework across ecoregIONS
The Water Framework Directive (WFD) refers to the riparian zone as a “key hydromorphological quality element for ecological status assessment”. Riparian zones lie on the banks of streams and rivers and connect terrestrial and aquatic ecosystems. Their role in controlling surface water quality is especially important in forest headwaters (i.e. small streams), which make up ca. 90% of the total river network. Advancing in our understanding of riparian zone function in forest headwaters across European ecoregions was the central aim of this project. To fullfill this aim, a novel conceptual framework developed for boreal forest headwaters was tested and applied in Mediterranean and temperate forest headwaters across Europe. This framework includes the idea of a ‘Domiant Source Layer’ (DSL), which explains location, timing, and amount of water and solute transfer from riparian zones to streams in forest headwaters. Overall, the results of this project have helped to develop a unified knowledge framework on riparian zone function that can be implemented across different ecoregions and thereby support both scientific assessments and management of river networks.
Data: CORDIS, © European Union
Project objective
Science-based, sustainable management is needed to preserve the diverse and essential services provided by freshwaters. In natural and semi-natural areas, up to 90% of the total river length is in headwaters (i.e. small streams). Water quality in these “lungs of the landscape” is controlled primarily by soils adjacent to streams, i.e. riparian zones (RZs). Within RZs, the dominant source layer (DSL), a localized hotspot, contributes most of the solute and water fluxes to streams. However, the relative importance of DSL hydrological and biogeochemical processes controlling freshwater quality varies across ecoregions. The overall aim of RIPARIONS is to develop a unified knowledge framework based on DSL hydrological and biogeochemical functions across Europe to predict material transfer from soils to surface waters and consequent effects on water quality. Specifically, RIPARIONS will extend the DSL conceptual model developed in the boreal ecoregion by testing its applicability in two contrasting (sub-humid and a semi-arid) Mediterranean catchments. First, DSLs will be identified via hydrological site characterization using digital elevation models and on-site measurements. Biogeochemical investigations will link DSL processes and stream solute processing to assess stream water quality. Modelling of climate change impacts on DSL position and subsequent effects on future water quality will be assessed. Finally, a synthesis and integration of this work with previous and ongoing work in boreal and temperate sites will create a unified framework predicting RZ function and water quality across European ecoregions based on the DSL concept. While the Water Framework Directive mandates protection of RZs to maintain ecological status of rivers, it does not state how to manage them. RIPARIONS will fill this gap by identifying hotspots of water movement/processing within RZs (i.e. DSLs) that are the most influential for freshwater chemistry, and thus the most in need of protection
Original text from CORDIS.
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Data: CORDIS, © European Union