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AbstractThe coevolution approach in socio‐hydrological systems (SHS) allows the analysis of the interactions between social and hydrological systems over time. SHS's characteristics such as non‐linearity, causality, integration of spatiotemporal scales and feedbacks must be considered. However, in simulation processes, there are challenges in analyzing these characteristics while integrating quantitative and qualitative source variables. We propose a general causal network for study of coevolution in tropical wetlands, operationalized through Bayesian Networks for a case study in Ayapel Wetland, Colombia. We defined the flood pulse and economic production to analyze the co‐evolution of tropical wetlands. We identified that the probability of having more than 146,998 individuals of livestock is 30% and of obtaining a fish production considered “high” by fishers is 44.2% for a period from 1995 to 2019. However, under permanent conditions, the probability of this livestock decreases to 18.7%, and “high” fishing increases to 87.5%. Under seasonal conditions, the probability of high livestock production increases to 42.8%, and fish production decreases to 3.85%. We demonstrated how the loss of functionality of the existing hydraulic technology in the study area modifies the production dynamics and how a maximum level of agricultural and livestock production is associated with an increase in forest and grassland cover. We consider that the application of the network strengthens adaptation strategies for climate change or The El Niño‐Southern Oscillation events, the risk management plans and land use decision plans in the tropical wetlands.

AbstractWe evaluate the efficacy of the stable isotope composition of precipitation and plant waxes as proxies for paleoaltimetry and paleohydrology in the northern tropical Andes. We report monthly hydrogen (δ2Hp) and oxygen (δ18Op) isotope values of precipitation for an annual cycle, and hydrogen isotope values of plant waxes (δ2Hwax) obtained from modern soils along the eastern and western flanks of the Eastern Cordillera of Colombia. δ2Hp, δ18Op, as well as the unweighted mean δ2Hwax values of n‐C29, n‐C31, and n‐C33 n‐alkanes in the eastern flank show a dependence on elevation (R2 = 0.90, 0.82, and 0.65, respectively). In stark contrast, the stable isotope compositions of neither precipitation nor plant waxes from the western flank correlate with elevation (R2 < 0.23), on top of a negligible (p‐value >0.05) correlation between δ2Hwax and δ2Hp. In general, δ2Hwax values along the eastern flank of the Eastern Cordillera seem to follow the trend of a simple Rayleigh distillation process that is consistent with studies elsewhere on the eastern side of the Andes in South America. Neither δ2Hp nor δ18Op, and therefore δ2Hwax, offer reliable estimates of past elevations in the western flank, due perhaps to water vapor source mixing, evaporation overprint, contrasting plant communities, and/or differences in evapotranspiration. Thus, δ2Hwax is only reliable for paleohydrology and paleoaltimetry reconstructions on the eastern flank of the Andes, whereas interpretations based on δ2Hp and/or δ18Op west of the highest point of the Eastern Cordillera need to consider mixing of moisture sources in addition to precipitation amount.

AbstractClimate change in the Arctic leads to permafrost degradation and to associated changes in freshwater geochemistry. There is a limited understanding of how disturbances such as active layer detachments or retrogressive thaw slumps impact water quality on a catchment scale. This study investigates how permafrost degradation affects concentrations of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), total dissolved solids (TDS), suspended sediment, and stable water isotopes in adjacent Low Arctic watersheds. We incorporated data on disturbance between 1952 and 2015, as well as sporadic runoff and geochemistry data of streams nearby. Our results show that the total disturbed area decreased by 41% between 1952 and 2015, whereas the total number of disturbances increased by 66% in all six catchments. The spatial variability of hydrochemical parameters is linked to catchment properties and not necessarily reflected at the outflow. Degrading ice‐wedge polygons were found to increase DOC concentrations upstream in Ice Creek West, whereas hydrologically connected disturbances were linked to increases in TDS and suspended sediment. Although we found a great spatial variability of hydrochemical concentrations along the paired watershed, there was a linear relationship between catchment size and daily DOC, total dissolved nitrogen, and TDS fluxes for all six streams. Suspended sediment flux on the contrary did not show a clear relationship as one hydrologically connected retrogressive thaw slump impacted the overall flux in one of the streams. Understanding the spatial variability of water quality will help to model the lateral geochemical fluxes from Arctic catchments.

AbstractThis study aims to explain effects of soil textural class, topography, land use, and land use history on soil greenhouse gas (GHG) fluxes in the Lake Victoria region. We measured GHG fluxes from intact soil cores collected in Rakai, Uganda, an area characterized by low‐input smallholder (<2 ha) farming systems, typical for the East African highlands. The soil cores were air dried and rewetted to water holding capacities (WHCs) of 30, 55, and 80%. Soil CO2, CH4, and N2O fluxes were measured for 48 h following rewetting. Cumulative N2O fluxes were highest from soils under perennial crops and the lowest from soils under annual crops (P < 0.001 for all WHC). At WHC of 55% or 80%, the sandy clay loam soils had lower N2O fluxes than the clay soils (P < 0.001 and P = 0.041, respectively). Cumulative soil CO2 fluxes were highest from eucalyptus plantations and lowest from annual crops across multiple WHC (P = 0.014 at 30% WHC and P < 0.001 at both 55 and 80% WHC). Methane fluxes were below detectable limits, a shortcoming for using soil cores from the top soil. This study reveals that land use and soil type have strong effects on GHG fluxes from agricultural land in the study area. Field monitoring of fluxes is needed to confirm whether these findings are consistent with what happens in situ.

AbstractQuantifying and understanding the small‐scale variability of nitrous oxide (N2O) and carbon dioxide (CO2) emission are essential for reporting accurate ecosystem greenhouse gas budgets. The objective of this study was to evaluate the spatial pattern of soil CO2 and N2O emissions and their relation to topography in a tropical montane forest. We measured fluxes of N2O and CO2 from 810 sampling locations across valley bottom, midslope, and ridgetop positions under controlled laboratory conditions. We further calculated the minimum number of samples necessary to provide best estimates of soil N2O and CO2 fluxes at the plot level. Topography exhibited a major influence on N2O emissions, with soils at midslope position emitting significantly less than at ridgetops and valley bottoms, but no consistent effect of topography on soil CO2 emissions was found. The high spatial variation of N2O and CO2 fluxes was further increased by changes in vegetation and soil properties resulting from human disturbance associated with charcoal production. Soil N2O and CO2 fluxes showed no spatial pattern at the plot level, with “hot spots” strongly contributing to the total emissions (10% of the soil cores represented 73 and 50% of the total N2O and CO2 emissions, respectively). Thus, a large number of samples are needed to obtain robust estimates of N2O and CO2 fluxes. Our results highlight the complex biogeochemical cycling in tropical montane forests, and the need to carefully address it in research experiments to robustly estimate soil CO2 and N2O fluxes at the ecosystem scale.

AbstractFreshwater discharge affects the biogeochemistry of river‐influenced nearshore environments by contributing with carbon and nutrients. An increase in human activities in river basins may alter the natural riverine nutrients and carbon export to coastal ecosystems. Along a wide latitudinal range (32°55′S–40°10′S), this study explores the role of climate and land use in determining the nutrient and carbon concentrations in the river mouth and fluxes to adjacent coastal areas. Between winter 2011 and fall 2012, we collected monthly samples in five river mouths in central southern Chile and at rocky shore sites affected by river plumes. Basins were characterized by different land uses and meteorological conditions along this latitudinal range. Water samples were collected for pH measurements, nutrients, dissolved organic and inorganic carbon, particulate organic carbon, and isotopic signatures (δ13C). Our results show a north‐south gradient in concentrations of nutrients and carbon. The highest concentrations were observed in the Maipo basin, which presents the highest percentage of urban‐industrial activities. Nutrients and carbon contributions, in most cases, were lowest in the southern Valdivia basin, which has the least human intervention and a greater percentage of vegetation. The Biobío River had the highest nutrient and carbon fluxes, in most cases, due to its high river discharge. Our results show the influence of river plume effects on carbon and nitrogen concentrations in river‐influenced rocky shore sites. Moreover, our study suggests that land use might influence some parameters of carbonate system in rivers and river‐influenced rocky shore environments. River‐influenced rocky shore environments may exhibit suppression in aragonite saturation state with implications for calcifiers inhabiting these marine environments.

Studies of carbon allocation in forests provide essential information for understanding spatial and temporal differences in carbon cycling that can inform models and predict possible responses to changes in climate. Amazon forests play a particularly significant role in the global carbon balance, but there are still large uncertainties regarding abiotic controls on the rates of net primary production (NPP) and the allocation of photosynthetic products to different ecosystem components. We evaluated three different aspects of stand-level carbon allocation (biomass, NPP, and its partitioning) in two amazon forests on different soils (nutrient-rich clay soils versus nutrient-poor sandy soils) but otherwise growing under similar conditions. We found differences in carbon allocation patterns between these two forests, showing that the forest on clay soil had a higher aboveground and total biomass as well as a higher aboveground NPP than the sandy forest. However, differences between the two forest types in terms of total NPP were smaller, as a consequence of different patterns in the carbon allocation of aboveground and belowground components. The proportional allocation of NPP to new foliage was relatively similar between them. Our results of aboveground biomass increments and fine-root production suggest a possible trade-off between carbon allocation to fine roots versus aboveground compartments, as opposed to the most commonly assumed trade-off between total aboveground and belowground production. Despite these differences among forests in terms of carbon allocation, the leaf area index showed only small differences, suggesting that this index is more indicative of total NPP than its aboveground or belowground components.