Dissolved Organic Carbon Dynamics Along Terrestrial-aquatic Flowpaths in a Catchment Dominated by Sandy Soils

Abstract:

Aquatic systems receive significant amounts of terrestrially-derived dissolved organic carbon (DOC) from their watersheds. The amount and nature received depends on terrestrial carbon source strength, processing and losses of carbon during transport, and hydrologic connectivity between terrestrial and aquatic systems. While much research has been done on terrestrial DOC dynamics along terrestrial-aquatic flowpaths, there is still considerable uncertainty in many areas including the importance of different carbon sources, microbial metabolism and sorption of DOC, and processing of carbon in groundwater. Here we investigate DOC dynamics in soils, groundwater, and stream waters at the USGS Water, Energy, and Biogeochemical (WEBB) Program research site in northern Wisconsin. This site is well-suited for studying DOC dynamics as soils are sandy and homogenous with small DOC sorption potential, and previous work has characterized the hydrology of the region in detail. We collected water samples over two years from soil pit lysimeters along a series of hillslope transects, from shallow and deep groundwater wells, and from a first-order stream receiving these waters. We measured DOC concentration, DOC optical properties, and biodegradability of DOC. Combined with historical DOC and companion water chemistry data we characterize DOC generation and loss along the following flowpaths: 1) infiltration through the unsaturated zone to the groundwater table, 2) shallow groundwater flow, and 3) long groundwater flowpaths of different origin (lake-derived vs. terrestrial-derived water).