Seasonal isotopic cycles used to identify transit times and the young water fraction within the critical zone in a subtropical catchment in China

Abstract

Transit times and the young water fraction (Fyw, the proportion of the water younger than a certain age threshold, τyw) can help characterize the hydrological behaviors within a catchment. Previous studies of water age have concentrated on individual catchment hydrological components, such as river water, groundwater, plant water or soil water, which hinders the dynamic linking of various hydrological components in the critical zone. In this study, the isotopic compositions of precipitation, soil water, xylem water, river water, and groundwater in a subtropical catchment in China were continuously monitored for two years. We found that the seasonal isotopic cycles of shallow soil water (0–60 cm), xylem water and river water had different attenuations and phase shifts relative to those of precipitation. There were no obvious seasonal isotopic cycles of deep soil water (60–130 cm) and groundwater. Additionally, the transit time distributions (TTDs) of soil water at the depth of 0–10 cm, xylem water and river water in the catchment varied between the wet year and normal year. With increasing depth, the mean transit times (MTTs) of soil water increased and the Fyw decreased. For xylem water and soil water, the MTTs and Fyw in the wet year were shorter and larger than those in the normal year, respectively. The river water consisted of a small proportion of fast flow components and a large proportion of slow flow components, with the young water accounting for 16% in the wet year and 21% in the normal year. Our results contribute to an improved understanding of water ages, flow paths and linkages of different hydrological components in the critical zone at the catchment scale.