The biogeochemistry of pristine, headwater Precambrian shield watersheds: an analysis of material transport within a heterogeneous landscape

Abstract

The hydrology and elemental transport within five low order Precambrian shield catchments was investigated during 1988–90. Catchments were subdivided and instrumented to examine the vertical and horizontal fluxes of elements within and between two distinct landscape types: open, lichen-covered bedrock outcrops and patches of conifer forest. The dominant hydrologic pathways were Horton overland flow in the lichen-bedrock areas and shallow subsurface flow through organic rich LFH (forest floor) and Ah soil horizons in the forested areas. Annual runoff coefficients ranged from 0.3 to 0.7.