Hyporheic Research Articles

Viewing river corridors through the lens of critical zone science

River corridors integrate the active channels, geomorphic floodplain and riparian areas, and hyporheic zone while receiving inputs from the uplands and groundwater and exchanging mass and energy with the atmosphere. Here, we trace the development of the contemporary understanding of river corridors from the perspectives of geomorphology, hydrology, ecology, and biogeochemistry. We then summarize contemporary models of the river corridor along multiple axes including dimensions of space and time, disturbance regimes, connectivity, hydrochemical exchange flows, and legacy effects of humans. We explore how river corridor science can be advanced with a critical zone framework by moving beyond a primary focus on discharge-based controls toward multi-factor models that identify dominant processes and thresholds that make predictions that serve society. We then identify opportunities to investigate relationships between large-scale spatial gradients and local-scale processes, embrace that riverine processes are temporally variable and interacting, acknowledge that river corridor processes and services do not respect disciplinary boundaries and increasingly need integrated multidisciplinary investigations, and explicitly integrate humans and their management actions as part of the river corridor. We intend our review to stimulate cross-disciplinary research while recognizing that river corridors occupy a unique position on the Earth's surface.

Modeling the Effect of Hyporheic Flow on Solute Residence Time Distributions in Surface Water

Understanding the dynamics of hyporheic flow is important for managing water resources, since this interfacial flow exchange affects the fate and transport of contaminants in rivers. This study numerically quantifies the effect of hyporheic exchange on solute residence times in surface water systems by simulating solute transport in unified turbulent open-channel and hyporheic zone systems. Interfacial hyporheic fluxes (qint) increase with increased Reynolds number (Re) that produces an enhanced bottom pressure gradient over the ripple bed. Heavy-tailed breakthrough curves emerge when hyporheic flow is considered in transport simulation. This reveals that hyporheic flow is a dominant driver of non-Fickian transport in surface water as this interfacial flow exchange delays solute transport with slow porewater flows. Furthermore, the increase in Re extends the longitudinal spreading of solute tracers because a higher surface flow velocity intensifies the magnitude of hyporheic flow and associated storage effects. This can be confirmed by the ratio of the maximum residence time to the peak arrival time that increases with the increase in Re, following a power-law relationship with both Re and qint.

Prediction models and major controlling factors of antibiotics bioavailability in hyporheic zone.

Recently, antibiotics have been frequently detected in the hyporheic zone (HZ) as a novel contaminant. Bioavailability assessment has gradually attracted more attention in order to provide a more realistic assessment of human health risks. In this study, two typical antibiotics, oxytetracycline (OTC) and sulfamethoxazole (SMZ), were used as target pollutants in the HZ of the Zaohe-Weihe River, and the polar organics integrated sampler was used to analyze the variation of antibiotics bioavailability. According to the characteristics of the HZ, the total concentration of pollutants, pH, and dissolved oxygen (DO) were selected as major predictive factors to analyze their correlation with the antibiotics bioavailability. Then the predictive antibiotic bioavailability models were constructed by stepwise multiple linear regression method. The results showed that there was a highly significant negative correlation between OTC bioavailability and DO (P < 0.001), while SMZ bioavailability showed a highly significant negative correlation with total concentration of pollutants (P < 0.001) and a significant negative correlation with DO (P < 0.01). The results of correlation analysis were further verified by Principal Component Analysis. Based on the experimental data, we constructed eight prediction models for the bioavailability of two antibiotics and verified them. The data points of the six prediction models were distributed in the 95% prediction band, indicating that the models were more reliable and accurate. The prediction models in this study provide reference for the accurate ecological risk assessment of the bioavailability of pollutants in the HZ, and also provide a new idea for predicting the bioavailability of pollutants in practical applications.

A multiscale model for solute transport in stream corridors with unsteady flow

The transport of solutes in stream corridors is an important process for riverine biogeochemistry and ecosystem services. This process is largely controlled by bulk movement in the stream channel and mass exchange with the hyporheic zone. However, modeling solute transport in stream corridors under dynamic hydrological conditions remains a scientific challenge. Here, we extend a steady-state Lagrangian multiscale river-corridor transport model to accommodate unsteady flow. The extended numerical model was evaluated with observations of conservative tracer at a headwater mountain stream using Markov-Chain Monte Carlo method to estimate model parameters and quantify uncertainty. Parameter estimation was exposed to a range of unsteady flow conditions through joint fitting of tracer data observed at different intervals of the base flow recession. This yielded a robust scaling of hyporheic parameters with time-varying streamflow which is evident from the good fit between modeled outputs and observations. The proposed approach enables Lagrangian-based modeling of solute transport under dynamic flow regimes, e.g., storm-affected flow where discharge inevitably changes over time. It also paves way for extending Lagrangian-based transport models to catchment and larger spatial scales.

A new subterranean species of Arisubathynella Park &amp; Eun, 2012 (Crustacea: Bathynellacea: Parabathynellidae) from South Korea, with remarks on the phylogenetic relationships among 15 parabathynellid genera

Abstract Parabathynellidae, Arisubathynella pocheonensis. sp. nov. from a hyporheic zone of a stream in South Korea. The new species is morphologically distinguished from its congeners by having five teeth on the incisor process in the mandible, and four teeth on the dentate lobe of male thoracopod VIII. The species description is supplemented with molecular information in the form of 18S rRNA and partial CO1 gene sequences. Additionally, the phylogenetic relationships among 15 parabathynellid genera from Europe, America, Australia, India, Thailand, Vietnam, and South Korea are inferred on the basis of 18S rRNA sequences. Members of ArisubathynellaPark &amp; Eun, 2012, AllobathynellaMorimoto &amp; Miura, 1957, and EobathynellaBirstein &amp; Ljovuschkin, 1964 from South Korea belong to two separate geographical clades: Arisubathynella to the European-North American clade and the others to the East Asian clade.

Mechanism of reactive co-transport of Fe2+ and antibiotics in hyporheic zone simulated by quartz sand column

Iron redox is often coupled with the degradation and conversion of co-existing organic pollutants, however, their co-transport behavior in hyporheic zone is not clear. In this study, the characteristics and mechanism of reactive co-transport of Fe2+ and antibiotics during groundwater discharge were revealed by quartz sand column simulation. It was found that Fe2+ inhibited the transport of three antibiotics sulfamethoxazole (SMX), ofloxacin (OFL), and oxytetracycline (OTC) in the quartz column, and the average inhibitory intensity was OTC (∼80%) > OFL (∼20%) > SMX (∼2%). Meanwhile, the content of dissolved oxygen in the column decreased from more than 7 mg/L to 3 mg/L. Fe2+ transport in the column was promoted with the increase of OTC and OFL concentrations (2–50 mg/L), as Fe2+-OTC and Fe2+-OFL complexes inhibited the formation of lepidocrocite and induced Fe2+/ Fe3+ cycling during co-transport of Fe2+ and OTC. In contrast, the interaction between SMX and Fe2+ was not obvious due to the electrostatic repulsion. Due to the prevalence of Fe2+ and antibiotics in groundwater system (especially with high antibiotic contamination), this study provides a new perspective on the potential environmental impacts of Fe and pollutants co-transport during groundwater discharge.

Vertical Profiles of Microplastics in the Hyporheic Zone Sediment: A Case Study in the Yangtze River, Nanjing Section

Microplastics are ubiquitous in the river environment, although their abundance in sediment profiles has received little attention. The river hyporheic zone (HZ) sediment is the area influenced by surface and groundwater flow dynamics, and pollutants are more likely to be transported vertically in this area, thus entering the groundwater. Understanding the microplastic abundance and composition in the HZ sediment is crucial for microplastic pollution management. Hence, this study investigated the vertical distribution and characteristics of microplastic in the HZ sediment of the Yangtze River (Nanjing section). The results show that the abundance of microplastics in the HZ sediment ranged from 207 ± 95 to 1817 ± 467 items/kg dry wet in a vertical profile. With the increase of sediment depth, the abundance of microplastics decreased obviously in most sites, whereas the proportions of pellet shapes and smaller sizes of microplastics increased only at S1. No significant variation was found in the microplastic colors between different depth layers. Polypropylene and polyethylene were the dominant polymer types in all sediment samples. These results provided insights into the understanding of the microplastic fates in a river HZ region.

From Source to Tap: Tracking Microbial Diversity in a Riverbank Filtration-Based Drinking Water Supply System under Changing Hydrological Regimes

In drinking water supply, riverbank filtration (RBF) is an efficient and cost-effective way of eliminating pathogens and micropollutants using a combination of biotic and abiotic processes. Microbial communities in the hyporheic zone both contribute to and are shaped by these processes. Microbial water quality at the point of consumption is in turn influenced by the source water microbiome, water treatment and distribution system. Understanding microbial community shifts from source to tap and the factors behind them is instrumental in maintaining safe drinking water delivery. To this end, microbial communities of an RBF-based drinking water supply system were investigated by metabarcoding in a one-year sampling campaign. Samples were collected from the river, RBF wells, treated water, and a consumer’s tap. Metabarcoding data were analysed in the context of physicochemical and hydrological parameters. Microbial diversity as well as cell count decreased consistently from the surface water to the tap. While Proteobacteria were dominant throughout the water supply system, typical river water microbiome phyla Bacteroidota, Actinobacteria, and Verrucomicrobiota were replaced by Nitrospira, Patescibacteria, Chloroflexi, Acidobacteriota, Methylomicrobilota, and the archaeal phylum Nanoarcheota in well water. Well water communities were differentiated by water chemistry, in wells with high concentration groundwater derived iron, manganese, and sulphate, taxa related to iron and sulphur biogeochemical cycle were predominant, while methane oxidisers characterised the more oxic wells. Chlorine-resistant and filtration-associated taxa (Acidobacteria, Firmicutes, and Bdellovibrionota) emerged after water treatment, and no potentially pathogenic taxa were identified at the point of consumption. River discharge had a distinct impact on well water microbiome indicative of vulnerability to climate change. Low flow conditions were characterised by anaerobic heterotrophic taxa (Woesarchaeales, Aenigmarchaeales, and uncultured bacterial phyla MBNT15 and WOR-1), implying reduced efficiency in the degradation of organic substances. High flow was associated the emergence of typical surface water taxa. Better understanding of microbial diversity in RBF water supply systems contributes to preserving drinking water safety in the future changing environment.

Effect of Combined Subsurface Structures and Steps on Hyporheic Exchange

AbstractThe deployment of artificial structures in streambeds has been proposed as a way to enhance 21 hyporheic exchange, and numerical models can be used to quantify their effects. In this study, combinations of different structures—that is, boxes, steps and a new type of subsurface structure (L‐shaped structure)—were considered to evaluate their potential applicability on river restoration. Flow‐3D and COMSOL were applied to simulate surface and subsurface flow, respectively. The performance of the structures was evaluated on the basis of hyporheic flow and residence time distributions. For the structure sizes here considered, results showed for steps (single step, combination of two steps) and L‐shaped structures (single L‐shaped structure, combination of two L‐shaped structures) most hyporheic flowpaths return to the stream after 5 and 2.5 hr, respectively. Instead, shorter residence times (&lt;0.25 hr) were found for boxes (single box, combination of two boxes). For combinations of steps and permeable boxes, the values of hyporheic flow per unit width are higher (0.35 and 0.3 m2/hr, respectively) than for the combination of L‐shaped (0.06 m2/hr). As a result, the combinations of steps and boxes are more effective in increasing hyporheic flow. However, when subsurface structures are combined with steps the resulting hyporheic exchange is dominated by the steps. Therefore, the combined use of in‐stream and subsurface structures separately may increase their benefits for hyporheic exchange, but when steps are the other subsurface structures provide minor advantages.

Development of a model for radionuclide transport in streams for biosphere assessment purpose

As a part of the overall safety assessment for a geological disposal of radioactive waste, models for different ecosystems are used to evaluate doses to humans and biota from possible radionuclide discharges to the biosphere. In previous safety assessments, transport modelling of radionuclides in running waters such as streams has been much simplified to the extent that only dilution of the inflow of radionuclides has been considered with no regard of any other interactions.Hyporheic exchange flow (HEF) is the flow of surface water in streams that enters the subsurface zone and, after some time, returns to the surface. HEF has been studied for decades. Hyporheic exchange and the residence time in the hyporheic zone are key parameters controlling the transport of radionuclides in a stream. Furthermore, recent studies have shown that HEF can reduce the groundwater upwelling area and increase the upwelling velocity in areas closest to the streambed water interface.In this paper, the development of an assessment model describing radionuclide transport with consideration of HEF and deep groundwater upwelling along streams is presented. An approach to parameterising the hyporheic exchange processes into an assessment model is based on a comprehensive study that has been performed in five different Swedish catchments. Sensitivity analyses are performed to explore the effect with consideration of the inflow of radionuclides with regard to HEF and deep groundwater upwelling in a safety assessment perspective. Finally, we include some suggestions for the application of the assessment model to long-term radiological safety assessments.

A numerical exploration of hyporheic zone solute transport behavior estimated from electrical resistivity inversions

An increasing number of studies have combined saline tracer injections with time-lapse electrical resistivity (ER) surveys to explore solute exchange within the hyporheic zone. The reliability and resolution of ER surveys of the hyporheic zone are rarely discussed. Here, we use a numerical modeling approach to assess how ER imaging resolves changes in saline tracer concentration within the hyporheic zone given different synthetic scenarios. We create a 3-D synthetic stream and surrounding hyporheic zone with an ER electrode transect and solve the coupled equations for porous fluid flow and solute transport. Then, we solve for the 3-D conduction of current between electrodes to create synthetic time-lapse ER surveys and invert the simulated resistances to obtain 2-D bulk electrical conductivity (σb) images perpendicular to the stream, which we compare with the known synthetic σb fields. The σb fields in the inversion generally capture the shape of the simulated σb fields, but with smoothing and artifacts as a function of the inversion process. Consequently, the calculated cross-sectional area of tracer plume is inaccurate. At inversion pixels beneath the stream, the accuracy of the inverted σb breakthrough curves when compared to the synthetic “truth” varies with stream size, pixel depth, and to a lesser extent injection time. The tails of these pixel breakthrough curves beneath the stream are consistently underestimated compared to the synthetic “truth,” i.e., σb in the inversions appear to return to background faster by one to six hours. The time series of average apparent bulk electrical conductivity requires no inversion and captures lingering saline tracer better than bulk EC breakthrough curves at individual pixels in the inversions.

Water and heat exchange responses to flooding and local storm events in the hyporheic zone driven by a meandering bend

The hyporheic zone, i.e. the groundwater-surface water interface within riverine/riparian ecosystems, plays a key role in water transport, energy flow and biogeochemical cycling at watershed scales. Water and heat exchange are fundamental processes regulating biogeochemical cycles in the hyporheic zones. To improve the understanding of hyporheic flow and heat transport in meandering streams, high-resolution measurements of water level and temperature, combined with a 3-D coupled model of flow and heat transport in the hyporheic zone of a meandering bend, were carried out during a summer flood season. Results show the distinct spatio-temporal variations of hyporheic water and heat exchange. Flooding events (the incoming flood water generated by the upstream rainfall) and local rainstorm events (the storm or rainfall occurring over the local study area) are major drivers for the coupled processes. Incoming flooding from the upper stream increases the hyporheic water and heat exchange in the riverbed and inner bank leading to the longer intra-meander residence times, and warms the riverbed and riverbanks due to the post-rainfall thermal recovery. Local rainstorm event increases hyporheic water and heat exchange flux both laterally and vertically and cools down the riverbed and riverbanks. The water exchange and thermal regimes in the intra-meander seems more driven by the local exchange flows, while the counterparts in the outer bank are dominated by the regional groundwater flow. The temperatures in the inner banks are 1 to 3 °C higher than those in the outer banks, indicating the better hydrological connectivity between river water and groundwater in the intra-meander. The meander apex is a hot spot for hyporheic water and heat exchange. The results highlight the close coupling among river morphology, hyporheic flow, and thermal heterogeneity in a meander system.

A multi‐parameter approach to quantify riverbed clogging and vertical hyporheic connectivity

AbstractRiverbed clogging is key to assessing vertical connectivity in the hyporheic zone and is often quantified using single‐parameter or qualitative approaches. However, clogging is driven by multiple, interacting physical and bio‐geochemical parameters, which do not allow for a conclusive assessment of hyporheic connectivity with single‐parameter approaches. In addition, existing qualitative assessments lack transparency and repeatability. This study introduces a Multi‐Parameter Approach to quantify Clogging and vertical hyporheic connectivity (MultiPAC), which builds on standardized measurements of physical (grain size characteristics, porosity, hydraulic conductivity) and bio‐geochemical (interstitial dissolved oxygen) parameters. We apply MultiPAC at three gravel‐bed rivers and show how the set of parameters provides a representative appreciation of physical riverbed clogging, thus quantifying vertical hyporheic connectivity. However, more parameters are required to fully characterize biological clogging. In addition, MultiPAC locates clogged layers in the hyporheic zone through multi‐parameter vertical profiles over the riverbed depth. The discussion outlines the relevance of MultiPAC to guide field surveys.

ROS production upon groundwater oxygenation: Implications of oxidative capacity during groundwater abstraction and discharging

Production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), such as hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radical (•OH), has been increasingly discovered upon oxygenation of reduced species in anoxic soil and sediment pore waters. We therefore hypothesize that H2O2 and •OH can be produced during groundwater abstraction and discharging due to oxygenation. To evaluate the capacities of H2O2 and •OH accumulation during groundwater oxygenation, here we measured H2O2 and •OH accumulations during dark oxygenation of groundwater abstracted from different depths of 11 wells adjacent to the Han River. This abstraction could simulate the scenarios of groundwater abstraction by riverside pumping and also of groundwater discharging in hyporheic zones. Results showed that H2O2 and •OH formed during oxygenation of the groundwater with low Eh values (< 63 mV), and only H2O2 (< 3.37 μM) formed for the groundwater with high Eh values (63–206.5 mV). Statistical analysis indicated that dissolved Fe(II) was mainly accountable for the production of measurable •OH in the low Eh locations. The aquifer conditions (i.e., aquifer lithology) and external environmental factors (i.e. pumping disturbance) within short-term abstraction process had negligible influence on ROS production. The relationship between ROS production and groundwater chemistry was further explored by multiple linear regression, which deduced the quantitative models for estimating ROS production upon oxygenation of groundwater from different sources with different chemistry. Using the abstracted groundwater in western Bengal basin as an example, the estimated results indicated that ROS production had a great potential to oxidize the typical contaminant of As(III). As ROS, particularly •OH, represents strong oxidants, our findings implicate an overlooked oxidative capacity during groundwater abstraction and discharging in hyporheic zones or other areas, which could lead to the oxidative transformation of substances and the oxidative stress of microbial metabolism and associated biogeochemical processes in the environments suffering from groundwater oxygenation. This oxidative capacity is particularly important when the groundwater with low Eh values, i.e., under strongly reductive conditions, were abstracted and oxygenated in the surface.

Investigating the hydrodynamic and biogeochemical evolutions of the hyporheic zone due to large-scale reservoir impoundment

The impact of large reservoir construction on the basin water cycle, ecological environment, and engineering safety needs to be studied urgently, especially, the evolution of the hyporheic zone in the dam site area connecting the basin SW-GW. Few hyporheic zone research investigates the evolution of SW-GW interaction in a certain period of large reservoirs. The Xiluodu Reservoir, located in the Yangtze River's upper reaches, has a dam height of 285.5 m and covers a basin area of 454,400 km2. The isotope balance calculation of water samples demonstrates that following impoundment, the upper boundary, lower boundary, and extension width of the hyporheic zone expands from 370–395 m, 320–330 m, and 125 m to 560–600 m, 370–390 m, and 200 m, respectively. Meanwhile, the upstream increment is bigger than downstream increment. Both temperature tracing and hydrodynamic methods show that the hyporheic flow velocity increases about three times during the initial impoundment cycle and then gradually fallbacks. The hydrochemistry of hyporheic zone water, which changed significantly, was strongly related to the season, depth of burial, and distance perpendicular to river but not to distance along river. The biological activities in the hyporheic zone strengthened after impoundment and gradually changed from the initial impoundment nitrification-dominated to denitrification-dominated. The SW-GW interaction shifts from alternating upwelling and downwelling to continuous downwelling according to the computation of increasing NO3- flux. The study helps better understand scientific and technical concerns such as the evolution of the hyporheic zone, river valley contraction, and dam foundation leakage in the Xiluodu reservoir. Meantime, the thoughts and approaches would also be useful to other large reservoirs.

South America stygobiont crustaceans: a new species of Hyalellidae (Amphipoda) and new reports of Stygocarididae (Anaspidacea) and Protojaniridae (Isopoda) from Calingasta Valley, Pre-Andean region, San Juan, Argentina

We describe one new eyeless Hyalella species, H. cuyana n. sp., from the hyporheic zone of Calingasta River, San Juan Province, Argentina. Hyalella cuyana n. sp. differs morphologically from its stygobiont congeners by characters of antennae (both antennae subequal in size; aesthetascs elongated); coxal plate 4 (posteriorly without excavation); epimeral plates 1-3 (rounded posterodistally); male gnathopod 2 propodus (almond-shaped, ovate, palm slope strongly oblique); and pleopods (inner ramus reduced to 2-3 articles). We provide a detailed morphological comparison between stygobiont and stygophile Hyalella species. We comment on the sympatry and new report of stygobiont Malacostraca species Parastygocaris andina and Cuyojanira sp. Severe environmental changes and significant decline of habitat quality recorded along the Calingasta River increase the risk of extinction for this vulnerable and endemic fauna. We recommend that the new Hyalella species should be listed as Critically Endangered (CR) in the IUCN categorization according to criteria B1a as it is only known from the type locality; and criteria B1b iii (continuing decline, observed, inferred in the quality of habitat).

Analysis of the interaction between surface water and groundwater using gaseous tracers in a dynamic test at a riverbank filtration intake

AbstractWe discuss a study designed to elucidate the genesis and inflow conditions at riverbank filtration wells located on a mountain river. This article seeks to identify the most important drivers of spatio‐temporal dynamics of water flow in the hyporheic exchange zone, in natural conditions and conditions disturbed by the water abstraction. In our study we try to contribute to further understanding the dynamics of groundwater mixing with river water in the hyporheic exchange zone. We focus on understanding river/aquifer interactions at the scale of reach of an intake, especially the unidirectional water flows induced by water abstraction. To understand these issues, a two‐day field hydrogeological experiment was conducted based on a pumping test of increasing intensity. At each pumping stage, groundwater and river samples were collected to determine the concentration of noble gases, CFCs, SF6, stable isotope content, and the chemical composition of the water. The study results indicate a short pressure propagation time (of the order of several hours) between the intake and the river, which already results in the inflow of water from the river–aquifer mixing zone at low rates of water abstraction by the intake. As pumping rates increase, the conditions of mixing and inflow of water to individual wells stabilize or approach stabilized conditions in less than 1–2 days. The share of river water in the water flux flowing into the intake does not exceed 12%, whereas the ratio of river water to groundwater in the mixing zone is estimated at 1 to 7 or more. The range of the river‐aquifer mixing zone may reach up to 170 m from the river and this range can be identified with a good approximation as coinciding with the range of the zone of hyporheic exchange in the study area.

Real‐Time Monitoring and Postprocessing of Thermal Infrared Video Images for Sampling and Mapping Groundwater Discharge

AbstractGroundwater discharge along channels can affect stream discharge, chemistry, and ecological communities. Although the spatial distribution of groundwater springs along wide rivers can be investigated by areal thermal infrared (TIR) remote sensing, this technique is difficult to apply to mapping at a high spatial resolution and under riparian tree canopies. We present a real‐time monitoring and postprocessing method of ground‐based TIR video for determining groundwater discharge sampling points and mapping the surface water temperature. We applied this method to mapping two headwater streams in Hokkaido, Japan, in the summer. The first site was a 1.3‐km‐long reach underlain by Pleistocene andesite lava. Almost all of the springs were colder and had a different chemistry compared to that of the stream water, which supports the usefulness of TIR monitoring for determining groundwater discharge zones. Video postprocessing showed that cold groundwater springs were spaced every ∼100 m, and their distribution did not follow the topography. At the second site, cold and warm springs were underlain by Holocene volcanic ash. The cold springs mainly seeped from hyporheic and riparian zones downstream, while warm springs were at the footslope. Some cold springs had much higher solute concentrations than the stream and warm springs, which suggests that the water temperature is useful for inferring sources of groundwater discharge. At this site, the video postprocessing could map not only the locations of the cold springs but also the spatial heterogeneity of the stream temperature associated with groundwater inputs.

Moving Bedforms Control CO2 Production and Distribution in Sandy River Sediments

AbstractStreams and rivers play an important role in the global carbon cycle. The origins of CO2 in streams are often poorly constrained or neglected, which is especially true for CO2 originating from heterotrophic metabolism in streambeds. We hypothesized that sediment movement will have a direct effect on stream metabolism, and thus, the aim of this study was to quantify the effect of moving bedforms on the production of CO2 in sandy streambeds. We conducted flume experiments where we used planar optodes to measure the distributions of O2 and CO2 under various streambed celerities. We combined these measurements with an assessment of bed morphodynamics and modeling to calculate O2 consumption and CO2 production rates. Our results indicate that sediment transport can strongly influence streambed metabolism and CO2 production. We found that bedform celerity controls the shape of the hyporheic zone and exchange flux, and is directly linked to the spatial and temporal distributions of O2 and CO2. It was also found that the most pronounced change in CO2 production occurred when the bed changed from stationary conditions to a slowly moving bed. A more gradual increase in O2 consumption and CO2 production rates was observed with further increase in celerity. Our study also points out that bedform movement causes hydraulic isolation between the moving and the non‐moving fraction of the streambed that can lead to a transient storage of CO2 in deeper sediments, which may be released in bursts during bed scour.

Clogging modulates the copper effects on microbial communities of streambed sediments

The hyporheic zone, i.e. the water-saturated sediment beneath and alongside the riverbed, is exposed to multiple stressors. Agricultural-watershed rivers are frequently exposed to two concomitant stressors: clogging and copper contamination. However, one stressor exposure can increase sensitivity to a second stressor. The aim of this study was to experimentally test the cumulative effects of these two stressors on copper distribution and structural and functional microbial communities responses in the hyporheic zone. A slow filtration column experiment was conducted to compare the effects of 3 treatments of increasing complexity: 'Reference', 'Copper-contaminated' (dissolved copper added at 191 µg L-1), and 'Clogging+Copper' (dissolved copper + addition of 2 cm of fine sediment). Microbial community structure and activities were studied at 4 column sediment depths. The results showed that clogging did not modify the distribution of copper, which remained fixed in the first few centimetres. In the first few centimetres, clogging had a stimulating effect on microbial activities whereas copper had limited effects mainly on leucine aminopeptidase activity and microbial community tolerance to copper. The subsurface zone thus hosts significant different microbial communities from the communities in the deeper zones that were protected from surface stressors. This experiment confirms the valuable filtering role played by the hyporheic zone and shows that microbial responses are strongly correlated to microhabitat-scale physicochemical conditions in sediment.