Simulation of water and chemical transport of chloride from the forest ecosystem to the stream

Abstract

The study evaluates the biogeochemical model ForSAFE-2D, designed to simulate water and chemical transport from the forest to the stream, by simulating the hydrology and the transport of the chemical tracer chloride (Cl-) along a forest hillslope in Northern Sweden. The simulated Cl- exports were in balance with the simulated inputs but measurements suggested a net release of Cl- from the catchment. Underestimated deposition inputs (deposition peaks and possibly dry deposition) were probably and partially responsible for this mismatch. However, we could not exclude that other soil biogeochemical processes omitted in ForSAFE-2D could also contribute to Cl- exports from the catchment. The study showed that ForSAFE-2D is a promising tool to better understand the factors that regulate the chemical export from the forest to the stream. The results also confirmed that there are limitations in using Cl- as a tracer in forest ecosystems.

Keywords

Dynamic ecosystem model; Chemical transport; Hydrology; Lateral flow; Forest hillslope; ForSAFE-2D

Published in

Environmental Modelling and Software
2021, Volume: 138, article number: 104984
Publisher: ELSEVIER SCI LTD

SLU Authors

• Bishop, Kevin

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

• Köhler, Stephan

  • Department of Aquatic Sciences and Assessment, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.envsoft.2021.104984

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/117935