Isotopic Composition Of Rainfall Research Articles

ERORUN‐STAFOR: A collaborative observatory for the multidisciplinary study of the critical zone processes in a tropical volcanic watershed including a Tropical Montane Cloud Forest

AbstractTropical volcanic islands are biodiversity hotspots where the Critical Zone (CZ) still remains poorly studied. In such steep topographic environments associated with extreme climatic events (cyclones), deployment and maintenance of monitoring equipment is highly challenging. While a few Critical Zone Observatories (CZOS) are located in tropical volcanic regions, none of them includes a Tropical Montane Cloud Forest (TMCF) at the watershed scale. We present here the dataset of the first observatory from the French network of critical zone observatories (OZCAR) located in an insular tropical and volcanic context, integrating a ‘Tropical Montane Cloud Forest’: The ERORUN‐STAFOR observatory. This collaborative observatory is located in the northern part of La Réunion island (Indian Ocean) within the 45.0 km2 watershed of Rivière des Pluies (i.e., Rainfall river) which hosts the TMCF of Plaines des Fougères, one of the best preserved natural habitats in La Réunion Island. Since 2014, the ERORUN‐STAFOR monitoring in collaboration with local partners collected a multidisciplinary dataset with a constant improvement of the instrumentation over time. At the watershed scale and in its vicinity, the ERORUN‐STAFOR observatory includes 10 measurement stations covering the upstream, midstream and downstream part of the watershed. The stations record a total of 48 different variables through continuous (sensors) or periodic (sampling) monitoring. The dataset consists of continuous time series variables related to (i) meteorology, including precipitation, air temperature, relative humidity, wind speed and direction, net radiation, atmospheric pressure, cloud water flux, irradiance, leaf wetness and soil temperature, (ii) hydrology, including water level and temperature, discharge and electrical conductivity (EC) of stream, (iii) hydrogeology, including (ground)water level, water temperature and EC in two piezometers and one horizontally drilled groundwater gallery completed by soil moisture measurements under the canopy. The dataset is completed by periodic time series variables related to (iv) hydrogeochemistry, including field parameters and water analysis results. The periodic sampling survey provides chemical and isotopic compositions of rainfall, groundwater, and stream water at different locations of this watershed. The ERORUN‐STAFOR monitoring dataset extends from 2014 to 2022 with an acquisition frequency from 10 min to hourly for the sensor variables and from weekly to monthly frequency for the sampling. Despite the frequent maintenance of the monitoring sites, several data gaps exist due to the remote location of some sites and instrument destruction by cyclones. Preliminary results show that the Rivière des Pluies watershed is characterized by high annual precipitation (>3000 mm y−1) and a fast hydrologic response to precipitation (≈2 h basin lag time). The long‐term evolution of the deep groundwater recharge is mainly driven by the occurrence of cyclone events with a seasonal groundwater response. The water chemical results support existing hydrogeological conceptual models suggesting a deep infiltration of the upstream infiltrated rainfall. The TMCF of Plaine des Fougères shows a high water storage capacity (>2000% for the Bryophytes) that makes this one a significant input of water to groundwater recharge which still needs to be quantified. This observatory is a unique research site in an insular volcanic tropical environment offering three windows of observation for the study of critical zone processes through upstream‐midstream‐downstream measurements sites. This high‐resolution dataset is valuable to assess the response of volcanic tropical watersheds and aquifers at both event and long‐term scales (i.e., global change). It will also provide insights in the hydrogeological conceptual model of volcanic islands, including the significant role of the TMCFs in the recharge processes as well as the watershed hydrosedimentary responses to extreme climatic events and their respective evolution under changing climatic conditions. All data sets are available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.7983138.

Data for manuscript "The isotopic composition of rainfall on a subtropical mountainous island"

Data for manuscript "The isotopic composition of rainfall on a subtropical mountainous island"

Seasonality in groundwater recharge in Coastal Southwestern India and its hydrological implications based on stable isotopes (δ18O, δD)

This study observes and interprets the spatio-temporal variation in the oxygen and hydrogen isotopic composition (δ18O, δD) of shallow groundwater in the Southwestern Coastal state of India, Kerala, in terms of seasonally varying rainfall, physiography, and hydrogeological settings of this region. This study identifies effective groundwater recharge sources and their relative contributions and provides first-order estimates of submarine groundwater discharge by interpreting the spatio-temporal variations in the stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen in groundwater, collected from 225 locations for pre-monsoon and post-monsoon seasons in conjunction with the isotopic composition of rainfall. Spatio-temporal variations in the δ18O and d-excess, with other hydrogeological data, reveals that: (1) ∼4.9 Billion Cubic Meter (BCM) of fresh water from rainfall during May to October mixes with ∼5.9 BCM of residual pre-monsoon groundwater across Kerala. (2) ∼ 11% area of Kerala is additionally recharged by the NE monsoon rainfall. (3) The annual groundwater recharge varies physiographically from ∼2.2 BCM in the lowland to ∼1.5 BCM in the midland and ∼1.2 BCM in highland regions. (4) On an annual basis, 41% of replenishable groundwater is drained as SGD into the Arabian Sea.

Variations of stable isotope in Typhoon Lupit (2021) rainfall and its response to upstream convective processes

AbstractTyphoons produce a large amount of rainfall with a highly depleted isotopic composition. However, the mechanisms of isotope fractionation during typhoons remain poorly understood. Here, we present the hourly resolution isotope composition of rainfall during Typhoon Lupit (2021) in Fuzhou, on the southeast coast of China, to better understand these processes. Our results showed that the rainfall of Typhoon Lupit had significant fluctuations in δ18O values, ranging from −20.1‰ to −6.3‰, and exhibited a three‐stage variation with distinctly negative δ18O values in the second stage. In the first stage of Lupit, water vapour originated primarily from the nearby sea area, which did not undergo sustained convective activity, resulting in relatively enriched δ18O values. In the second stage, the δ18O values were extremely negative mainly because of the accumulated convective activity and continuous precipitation as they travelled towards the centre of the typhoon. In the third stage, the mixing of more localized and nearby sea water vapour caused an increase in the δ18O values. In summary, the three‐stage characteristics of Typhoon Lupit were largely caused by the integration of accumulated convective activity and moisture sources. Our findings reveal how upstream rainout affects the isotopic behaviour of rainfall and may have implications for understanding the dynamics of typhoon rainfall isotopes.

How do geomorphic characteristics affect the source of tree water uptake in restored river floodplains?

AbstractAlpine rivers and their floodplains have been highly modified by human activities during the last decades. River restoration projects aim to counteract these negative impacts and to restore ecosystem services provided by riparian habitats. We studied two recently restored river sites in the Ahr/Aurino and Mareit/Mareta Rivers (Italian Alps) to investigate how geomorphic conditions, soil moisture, and groundwater level affect the source of water used by grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench). We compared the isotopic composition (δ2H) of tree sap at different locations (low terraces formed during bed incision and recent floodplains formed after restoration) with that of potential water sources, that is, groundwater, soil water, and rainfall. The monthly variation in the isotopic composition of rainfall was reflected in both shallow and deeper soil water, as well as in the isotopic composition of sap. The redistribution of precipitation and groundwater in the soil differed between the post‐restoration floodplain sites and the post‐incision terraces, leading to a different relation between the sap water, soil water, and groundwater isotopic composition. The results show that transpiration of A. incana trees growing on recent floodplains is mostly supported by stream‐fed soil water, whereas trees growing on terraces mainly use precipitation‐fed soil water. These marked, morphology‐related differences in the source of transpiration water of grey alder highlight how channel degradation still affects the ecohydrological processes in Alpine fluvial corridors. Nonetheless, large restoration interventions—in terms of channel widening—can enable the self‐formation of new floodplain areas characterized by stream water‐fed riparian ecosystems.

Isotopic variability in tropical cyclone precipitation is controlled by Rayleigh distillation and cloud microphysics

Tropical cyclones produce rainfall with extremely negative isotope values (δ18O and δ2H), but the controls on isotopic fractionation during tropical cyclones are poorly understood. Here we studied the isotopic composition of rainfall at sites across central Texas during Hurricane Harvey (2017) to better understand these processes. Rainfall δ18O trend towards more negative values as a result of Rayleigh distillation of precipitation-generating airmasses as they travel towards the center of the storm. Superimposed on these gradual changes are abrupt isotopic shifts with exceptionally low deuterium excess values. These appear to be controlled by microphysical processes associated with the passage of spiral rainbands over the sampling locations. Isotope-enabled climate modeling suggests that it may be possible to identify the signature of tropical cyclones from annually resolved isotopic proxy records, but will depend on the size of the storm and the proximity of the site to the core of the storm system.

Meteorological and geographical control on stable isotopic signature of precipitation in a western Mediterranean area (Tuscany, Italy): Disentangling a complex signal

The stable isotopes of oxygen and hydrogen in precipitation are widely used to track processes occurring within the hydrological cycle and understand regional atmospheric patterns that influence a specific area. Moreover, the oxygen isotopic composition of continental carbonates is extensively used for palaeohydrological reconstruction. Nevertheless, few comprehensive investigations have been performed in the Western Mediterranean to analyze the statistical relationships between oxygen and hydrogen stable isotopes in precipitation and meteorological variables. For understanding the factors that regulate the rainfall stable isotopic signature at present day in this area of Mediterranean region we selected the Tuscany region (central Italy), due to its considerable climatic seasonality, complex morphology and orography. Tuscany is affected by both Atlantic atmospheric disturbances from NW and moist air masses originated in the Mediterranean, and also by the secondary cyclogenesis center of the Gulf of Genoa, the most active in the entire Mediterranean. The ideal position of the Tuscany region thus offers the opportunity to investigate the complex influence of moisture sources on the rainfall isotopic composition. Moreover, in this region many hydrogeological and palaeohydrological studies were performed and require a more precise and quantitative interpretation.In this work, 644 isotope monthly data (δ18O, δ2H, and deuterium excess) of precipitation collected in 12 sites through Tuscany from 1971 to 2018 were gathered in a database. Then, only sites whose monthly data covered almost one year were considered for processing, resulting in 553 precipitation samples archived along with monthly mean temperature and rainfall amount. In this framework, the LMWL for Tuscany was determined by applying different regression techniques and statistical analyses were performed to define the influence of meteorological and geographical variables on the rainfall isotopic composition. The outcomes point out the variations of rainfall isotopic signature as result of several climate and geographical variables than a univocal proxy for both local temperature and precipitation amount. The Atlantic and Mediterranean moisture sources differently contribute for generating the observed isotopic variability, and their influence may seasonally change. Overall, the temperature and amount effect allow to explain the 50% of the isotopic variability, but temperature appears to be more important. These local effects are more pronounced during the periods with low rainfall (spring and summer), whereas the large-scale processes (moisture origin, trajectories, and rainout) are prevailing in winter and autumn. The altitude effect is the main driver of isotopic spatial variability. The deuterium excess parameter is revealed to be a very complex but useful signal for disentangling the different contribution of Atlantic and Mediterranean sources in Tuscan precipitation, even if it is sometime misused.

Isotopic composition of rainfall in Baja California Sur, México

The study of the connection between precipitation and groundwater recharge/discharge using stable isotopes has been limited in México. One of the main limitations is the lack of local stable isotopes monitoring for rainfall. Indeed, only two stations of the Global Network of Isotopes in Precipitation operated in Mexico from 1962 to 1988. This study reports temporal characterization of stable isotopes in meteoric waters in the northwest of Mexico that has been lacking up to the present. Stable isotope analyses of the rain collected in the city of Loreto, state of Baja California Sur, from 2018 to 2021 were conducted using laser water isotope analyzers Picarro L2110-i and Los Gatos Research LWIA-45EP. A least squares regression of the isotope data was used to obtain the local meteoric water line: δ2H =8 δ18O + 9.4 (r2=0.98). The average value of winter rain is δ18O=-2.46 ‰ and δ2H=-10.2 ‰, monsoon rain δ18O=-4.93 ‰ y δ2H=-30.3 ‰, atmospheric river rain δ18O=-5.35 ‰ and δ2H=-33.3 ‰ and tropical cyclones rain δ18O= -10.7 ‰ y δ2H=-76.3. Isotope data indicated that tropical cyclones are the main source of recharge for the coastal aquifers of Baja California, Sur.

Underlying Climate Controls in Triple Oxygen (16 O, 17 O, 18 O) and Hydrogen (1 H, 2 H) Isotopes Composition of Rainfall (Central Pyrenees)

Studies of rainfall isotopic composition in the Iberian Peninsula are scarce, and to date, none of them have provided analyses of the triple oxygen isotopes, preventing from the complete understanding of current atmospheric processes in this region. We investigate the rainwater δ17O, δ18O, and δD and derived parameters 17O-excess and d-excess in a mountain site in the Central South Pyrenees (Villanúa, Huesca, Spain) to identify the main factors (regional and local) controlling the isotopic composition of precipitation at event scale. The samples were collected on a rainfall-event basis during 2 years (from July 2017 to June 2019), and meteorological variables [temperature, relative humidity (RH), and rainfall amount] were monitored at the sampling site. The δ17O, δ18O, and δD values were higher during summer and lower during the rest of the year. In contrast, the 17O-excess and d-excess were lower during summer and higher during the remaining months. We found that the isotopic parameters are weakly correlated with rainfall amount during each event, but they strongly depend on changes in air temperature and moderately on RH. We consider other factors affecting the isotopic composition of rainfall events that resulted to have an important role, such as the influence of the moisture source and trajectory throughout the variations in the synoptic pattern during rainfall events. This dataset can be useful for further comprehensive atmospheric and hydrological studies, with application to paleoclimatic investigations.

Assessing proxy system models of cave dripwater δ18O variability

Large uncertainties in future climate change necessitate understanding of decadal-centennial variability in past climate. Speleothems, which capture changes in the stable isotope composition (i.e., δ18O values) of rainfall, have been widely employed to constrain hydroclimate variability in the past due to their continuous growth and potential for high temporal resolution. However, the interpretation of speleothem proxies (i.e., geochemical and growth rate records) is still imperfectly constrained. One challenge involves understanding the transformation from rainfall δ18O to calcite δ18O. A recent advance to address this challenge is the development of proxy system models (PSMs), which translate climate variables to speleothem calcite δ18O values. However, the complexity and applicability of each model varies. In order to assess which speleothem PSMs are most suitable for simulating speleothem records, we evaluate four commonly applied PSMs, which span a range of complexity (one simple, two intermediate-complexity, and one complex model). The evaluation is based on a given model’s ability to simulate observed drip δ18O time series using multi-year long cave dripwater and rainfall data sets from semi-arid central Texas and tropical Borneo. The models are based on the running mean of rainfall δ18O (RM model), dripwater transit time (PRYSM model), StorAge Selection (SAS model), and combination of flow paths in karst systems (Karstolution model). We explore the parameter settings of these models and evaluate them employing the Root Mean Square Errors (RMSEs) metric. We find that for drip sites in semi-arid climates with long residence times, model complexity of at least intermediate levels is required to simulate cave dripwater δ18O variability. The RMSEs of intermediate-complexity PSMs (PRYSM, SAS, and Karstolution) are close to the range of analytical errors, while the RMSE of the simple RM model is far larger. For drip sites in wet climates with short residence times, all four models, including the RM model, are capable of simulating cave dripwater δ18O well. In practice, we assert that the use of models of intermediate complexity such as PRYSM may be required when detailed knowledge of variables such as groundwater residence time for a given cave setting is unknown. Such PSMs are useful for global-scale studies due to their broad applicability and simplicity. We also illustrate the use of comprehensive physical models, such as Karstolution, for understanding cave processes like fractionation due to epikarst evaporation. The poorer performance of the PSMs in semi-arid environments than their performance in humid environments suggests that additional in-situ process studies are needed to improve simulations of relatively dry cave systems and provide enhanced interpretations of speleothem reconstructions from these environments.

Water isotopic constraints on the enhancement of the mid-Holocene West African monsoon

During the early to mid-Holocene, changes in orbital precession led to considerable increases in West African monsoon (WAM) rainfall compared to today and shifted its reach further north. However, climate proxies and paleoclimate model simulations disagree over fundamental aspects of the mid-Holocene (MH; 6 ka BP) enhancement of the WAM. Here, we use a water isotope-enabled Earth system model (iCESM1) to, for the first time, directly compare simulated northern African hydroclimatic change between the mid-Holocene and pre-industrial era (PI) with the hydroclimate signal inferred from leaf wax n-alkanes in order to study the WAM's past spatial change. iCESM1 simulates a northernmost WAM extent of ∼24°N, which broadly agrees with the extent inferred from pollen and dust records (23–28°N) but falls short of that from leaf wax n-alkanes (27–31°N). While the isotopic composition of rainfall (δDP) inferred from leaf wax n-alkanes is lower during the MH than the PI, simulated MH δDP is higher in northwestern Africa, especially in boreal fall. This discrepancy can be reconciled by interpreting the inferred signal of leaf wax n-alkanes as being reflective of the isotopic composition of soil water (δDS) and its subsequent influence by soil evaporation. We postulate that leaf wax n-alkanes may overestimate inferred mean annual precipitation rates in the MH by not incorporating the enrichment of precipitation shown by iCESM1. Our results have broad implications for reconstruction of past hydrologic change in northern Africa and lend further support to the northernmost WAM extents inferred from pollen and dust records.

Isotopic variability (δ18O, δ2H and d-excess) during rainfall events of the north American monsoon across the Sonora River Basin, Mexico

The economic activities of the Sonora strongly depend on groundwater extraction, which is generally of recent meteoric origin. Understanding the hydrological functioning in this semi-arid region, located in northwestern Mexico, is crucial for integrated water management in a changing climate. This study presents a spatio-temporal analysis of the isotopic composition (δ18O, δ2H, d-excess) during the 2018 rainy season in the Sonora River Basin (SRB), a region influenced by the characteristic weather conditions of the North American Monsoon (NAM). The basin is located in the central region of Sonora and covers an area of approximately 27,000 km2. Precipitation was collected using six passive totalizers, distributed spatially from the coast of the Gulf of California up to 1,425 m asl inland. The rainfall isotopic composition is comparable with the Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL) and with the records of the Global Isotope Network in Precipitation (GNIP) in Chihuahua, Mexico, between 1962 and 1988, and Tucson, Arizona (2018). The temporal variability of rainfall isotope ratios was Δ18O = 7.4‰ and Δ2H = 49.8‰, with a clear depletion pattern (low δ18O) as the monsoon rainy season progressed. The isotopic lapse rate was found to be −1.0‰ in δ18O per km of elevation as a result of the topography relief and rainout effects within the basin. The influence of tropical cyclones such as Hurricane Sergio (October 2018) provided the opportunity to isolate the effects of a tropical storm with respect to the deep convective precipitation, typical of the NAM systems over northwest Mexico.

Coffee and shade trees show complementary use of soil water in a traditional agroforestry ecosystem

Abstract. Globally, coffee has become one of the most sensitive commercial crops, being affected by climate change. Arabica coffee (Coffea arabica) grows in traditionally shaded agroforestry systems in tropical regions and accounts for ∼70 % of coffee production worldwide. Nevertheless, the interaction between plant and soil water sources in these coffee plantations remains poorly understood. To investigate the functional response of dominant shade tree species and coffee (C. arabica var. typica) plants to different soil water availability conditions, we conducted a study during near-normal and more pronounced dry seasons (2014 and 2017, respectively) and a wet season (2017) in a traditional coffee plantation in central Veracruz, Mexico. For the different periods, we specifically investigated the variations in water sources and root water uptake via MixSIAR mixing models that use δ18O and δ2H stable isotope composition of rainfall, plant xylem and soil water. To further increase our mechanistic understanding of root activity, the distribution of below-ground biomass and soil macronutrients was also examined and considered in the model as prior information. Results showed that, over the course of the two investigated dry seasons, all shade tree species (Lonchocarpus guatemalensis, Inga vera and Trema micrantha) relied, on average, on water sources from intermediate (>15 to 30 cm depth: 58± 18 % SD) and deep soil layers (>30 to 120 cm depth: 34±21 %), while coffee plants used much shallower water sources (<5 cm depth: 42±37 % and 5–15 cm depth: 52±35 %). In addition, in these same periods, coffee water uptake was influenced by antecedent precipitation, whereas trees showed little sensitiveness to antecedent wetness. Our findings also showed that during the wet season coffee plants substantially increased the use of near-surface water (+56 % from <5 cm depth), while shade trees extended the water acquisition to much shallower soil layers (+19 % from <15 cm depth) in comparison to drier periods. Despite the plasticity in root water uptake observed between canopy trees and coffee plants, a complementary use of soil water prevailed during the dry and wet seasons investigated. However, more variability in plant water sources was observed among species in the rainy season when higher soil moisture conditions were present and water stress was largely absent.

Younger Dryas and Holocene environmental change at the Atlantic fringe of Europe derived from lake‐sediment stable‐isotope records from western Ireland

Western Ireland lies at the Atlantic fringe of Europe and is thus well positioned to record changes in climate linked to North Atlantic circulation. Lake‐sediment oxygen and carbon isotopes are sensitive to changes in the atmosphere, the lake catchment and the lake itself, and thus are valuable proxies for long‐term environmental change. Here we present Younger Dryas and Holocene stable‐isotope records from endogenic and biogenic carbonates from An Loch Mór, a karstic lake on Inis Oírr, Aran Islands, western Ireland. The bulk carbonate and ostracod‐derived stable‐isotope records are a complex response to regional climatic and local factors. Low oxygen‐isotope and high carbon‐isotope values in the Younger Dryas most likely reflect low air temperatures and dominance of bedrock‐derived carbon from the poorly vegetated catchment, but input of detrital carbonate cannot be ruled out. Holocene variations in oxygen‐isotope values are likely a response mainly to changes in the isotopic composition of rainfall, evaporative enrichment of lake water and, during the past millennium, incursion of seawater as a result of regional sea‐level rise. A reduction in carbon‐isotope values at the Younger Dryas/Early Holocene transition reflects increased input of soil‐derived carbon to the lake, modified by changes in aquatic productivity. During the past millennium a shift to less negative values is attributed mainly to increasing saline influence. Broad similarities with stable‐isotope records from other sites in western Ireland suggest regional climatic controls dominated by North Atlantic atmospheric circulation patterns, although abrupt events, that were possibly unique to An Loch Mór, point to local factors also being important.

Spatial and temporal variation in the isotopic composition of Ethiopian precipitation

Stable isotopes of oxygen (δ18O) and deuterium (δ2H) in precipitation are used as tracers of the hydrologic cycle in studies of both past and present climate. In Ethiopia, a drought sensitive region where direct observations of climate are limited, understanding the stable isotopic composition of precipitation can provide an integrated view of the hydroclimate today and help interpret records of climate variability in the past. To date, the isotopic composition of precipitation in Ethiopia is known primarily from monthly precipitation collections from one long-term monitoring station in Addis Ababa. Here we report δ18O and δ2H values of precipitation from a 16-month long sampling campaign at four stations in Ethiopia that represent different climate regimes. Precipitation samples collected at daily, weekly and monthly intervals between August 2012 and November 2013 at these stations exhibit a large range of δ18O (−12.6 to +10.3‰), δ2H (−91.8‰ to +80.8‰), and d-excess values (−9.9‰ to +29.9‰). The four stations have similar amount-weighted mean δ18O values, but exhibit different seasonal patterns in δ18O values as clearly shown in daily and weekly data. The most striking feature of this dataset is the synchronous decrease in δ18O values in daily and weekly precipitation samples from the three stations in the northwestern highlands (Gondar, Debre Markos, Jimma) during the first three weeks of August 2013. This decrease in δ18O values does not correlate strongly to precipitation amount but it is likely due to a combination of increased storm intensity and deep convection at the time of lower δ18O values of precipitation. Our high-resolution dataset provides new insights into the controls on the isotopic composition of rainfall in Ethiopia and how we might use it to understand hydroclimate variability today and in the past.

Isotopic interaction and source moisture control on the isotopic composition of rainfall over the Bay of Bengal

Abstract The isotopic interaction between ambient vapor and raindrops has been investigated for the first time at Port Blair, Andaman Islands, an environment having the minimal contribution of the continental moisture. Rainwater and ambient vapor samples were collected on a daily timescale during the Indian summer monsoon season of 2015. Oxygen (Hydrogen) heavy isotopic ratios of rainwater and ambient vapor are positively correlated and a difference in the seasonal average values was found to be 9.5‰ (65.8‰) at ~28 °C. On a daily scale, the oxygen isotope ratios of ambient vapor and rainwater are significantly correlated over a wide range of rainfall amount, but correlation weakens for rainfall exceeding ~36 mm/day. The isotopic variability of rainfall appears to be modulated by the interaction with the ambient vapor, which in turn is determined by the source moisture. In a case study, it is estimated that the vapor-rainwater isotopic exchange could lead to 18O enrichment (depletion) in raindrops (vapor) about 0.41‰ (approx. 30% of the total change), which is far above (>4σ) of the experimental uncertainty.

Dérives de la composition isotopique annuelle des isotopes de O et H comme mesure de la recharge: le cas des sources de la Montagne de la table, Cape Town, Afrique du Sud

Tracing the flow of groundwater with little hydrochemical variability over short distances is challenging. Stable isotopes offer a solution where there is considerable variation in relief. This study used stable isotopes to delineate recharge areas and pinpoint the aquifer responsible for the many springs that issue from the lower slopes of Table Mountain in South Africa. Table Mountain rises 1,086 m above sea level (masl) and, like the surrounding south-western Cape region, experiences a Mediterranean climate. The stable isotope composition of rainfall and springs issuing from the lower slopes was measured over the 2010–2012 period, allowing comparisons over space and time. An amount effect, an altitude effect (δD = −0.48‰/100 m, δ18O = −0.075‰/100 m) and significant interannual variations (year to year ~10‰ δD and ~1‰ δ18O) in isotope composition of rainfall were observed. This enabled estimation of the average altitude of recharge to be ~300 masl, which indicates that the spring sources are aquifers comprising the scree aprons ringing the mountain, with an average groundwater flow path of about a kilometre. Matching the shifts in average annual isotope composition and deuterium excess of the springs with that of nearby rainfall suggests that some groundwater flow is fast: recharge to discharge within months. However, steady discharge rates over seasons and years indicate that flow is generally slow. Hence, a hydrogeological model is proposed with fast, recent water flowing in shallow parts of the aquifer at the same time as slow, older water in deeper parts of the aquifer.

Grapevine water relations and rooting depth in karstic soils.

Environmental sustainability of viticulture is negatively affected by prolonged droughts. In limestone dominated regions, there is limited knowledge on grapevine water status and on methods for accurate evaluation of actual water demand, necessary to appropriately manage irrigation. During a dry vintage, we monitored plant and soil water relations in old and young vines of Istrian Malvasia on Karst red soil. The vineyard with young vines was additionally subdivided into two areas, based on their soil type, 1) karst silty-clay loam, and 2) mixture of crushed rocks and karst silty-clay loam (stony soil). Seasonal changes in exploited water resources were estimated via analysis of oxygen isotope composition (δ18O) of rainfall, deep soil water, and xylem sap. We hypothesized that plants are able to thrive during drought thanks to the water stored in deep soil layers, while they rely less on superficial soil horizons. Our results show that vines growing on karstic substrates have deep roots securing the use of stable water sources during summer, with consequent favourable plant water status. In fact, both young and mature vines approached the threshold of severe water stress, but never surpassed it, as midday leaf water potentials were >-1.3MPa in all study sites. Vines roots showed flexible water uptake, i.e. the ability to absorb water from deep or shallow soil horizons during drought and after late-summer thunderstorms, which was particularly evident in vines growing on the stony soil. In fact, precipitations of 20mm were enough for plant water status recovery, due to fast infiltration. On the other hand, at least 50mm of rainfall were necessary to induce water status recovery in more compact soil (karst silty-clay loam). Our findings provide new knowledge on the rooting depth and water needs of vines growing on shallow soils overlying fractured limestone bedrock.

Unraveling the hydrological budget of isolated and seasonally contrasted subtropical lakes

Abstract. Complete understanding of the hydrological functioning of large-scale intertropical watersheds such as the Lake Chad basin is becoming a high priority in the context of climate change in the near future and increasing demographic pressure. This requires integrated studies of all surface water and groundwater bodies and of their quite-complex interconnections. We present here a simple method for estimating the annual mean water balance of sub-Sahelian lakes subject to high seasonal contrast and located in isolated regions with no road access during the rainy season, a situation which precludes continuous monitoring of in situ hydrological data. Our study focuses for the first time on two lakes, Iro and Fitri, located in the eastern basin of Lake Chad. We also test the approach on Lake Ihotry in Madagascar, used as a benchmark site that has previously been extensively studied by our group. We combine the δ18O and δ2H data that we measured during the dry season with altimetry data from the SARAL satellite mission in order to model the seasonal variation of lake volume and isotopic composition. The annual water budget is then estimated from mass balance equations using the Craig–Gordon model for evaporation. We first show that the closed-system behavior of Lake Ihotry (i.e., precipitation equal to evaporation) is well simulated by the model. For lakes Iro and Fitri, we calculate evaporation to influx ratios (E∕I) of 0.6±0.3 and 0.4±0.2, respectively. In the case of the endorheic Lake Fitri, the estimated output flux corresponds to the infiltration of surface water toward the surface aquifer that regulates the chemistry of the lake. These results constitute a first-order assessment of the water budget of these lakes, in regions where direct hydrological and meteorological observations are very scarce or altogether lacking. Finally, we discuss the implications of our data on the hydro-climatic budget at the scale of the catchment basins. We observe that the local evaporation lines (LELs) obtained on both lake and aquifer systems are slightly offset from the average rainfall isotopic composition monitored by IAEA at N'Djamena (Chad), and we show that this difference may reflect the impact of vegetation transpiration on the basin water budget. Based on the discussion of the mass balance budget we conclude that, while being broadly consistent with the idea that transpiration is on the same order of magnitude as evaporation in those basins, we cannot derive a more precise estimate of the partition between these two fluxes, owing to the large uncertainties of the different end-members in the budget equations.

Hydrogeological responses in tropical mountainous springs

ABSTRACTThis study presents a hydrogeochemical analysis of spring responses (2013–2017) in the tropical mountainous region of the Central Valley of Costa Rica. The isotopic distribution of δ18O and δ2H in rainfall resulted in a highly significant meteoric water line: δ2H = 7.93·δ18O + 10.37 (r2 = 0.97). Rainfall isotopic composition exhibited a strong amount-dependent seasonality. The isotopic variation (δ18O) of two springs within the Barva aquifer was simulated using the FlowPC program to determine mean transit times (MTTs). Exponential-piston and dispersion distribution functions provided the best-fit to the observed isotopic composition at Flores and Sacramento springs, respectively. MTTs corresponded to 1.23 ± 0.03 (Sacramento) and 1.42 ± 0.04 (Flores) years. The greater MTT was represented by a homogeneous geochemical composition at Flores, whereas the smaller MTT at Sacramento is reflected in a more variable geochemical response. The results may be used to enhance modelling efforts in central Costa Rica, whereby scarcity of long-term data limits water resources management plans.