Abstract

Concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) are increasing in many surface waters across Europe. Two of the main mechanisms proposed to explain this increase are declines in sulfate (SO(4)(2-)) deposition and changes in climate. Many of the reductions in SO(4)(2-) have already occurred; climate change related effects are occurring now and will continue in the future. This paper presents the first application of a new version of INCA-C, the Integrated Catchments model for Carbon, which simulates the effects of both climate and SO(4)(2-) deposition on surface water DOC concentration ([ DOC]). The model was applied to Valkea-Kotinen, a small headwater catchment in Finland, where it was able to simulate present-day (1990-2007) trends in [DOC] in the lake and catchment outflow as functions of observed climate and European Monitoring and Evaluation Programme (EMEP)-modelled SO(4)(-2) deposition. Using a parameter set derived from a present-day calibration, the model was run with two climate scenarios from the Special Report on Emissions Scenarios (SRES) and three EMEP deposition scenarios to simulate surface water [ DOC] between 1960 and 2100. The results show that much of the historical increase in [DOC] can be explained as a result of historical declines in SO(4)(2-) deposition and that surface water [DOC] will continue to increase as climate changes.

Keywords

acidification; climate change; dissolved organic carbon; Finland; model; Valkea Kotinen

Published in

Hydrology research
2009, Volume: 40, number: 2-3, pages: 291-305
Publisher: IWA PUBLISHING

UKÄ Subject classification

Environmental Sciences


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.2166/nh.2009.101

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/83801