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Titel |
Hillslope hydrology under glass: confronting fundamental questions of soil-water-biota co-evolution at Biosphere 2 |
VerfasserIn |
L. Hopp, C. Harman, S. L. E. Desilets, C. B. Graham, J. J. McDonnell, P. A. Troch |
Medientyp |
Artikel
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Sprache |
Englisch
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ISSN |
1027-5606
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Digitales Dokument |
URL |
Erschienen |
In: Hydrology and Earth System Sciences ; 13, no. 11 ; Nr. 13, no. 11 (2009-11-06), S.2105-2118 |
Datensatznummer |
250012051
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Publikation (Nr.) |
copernicus.org/hess-13-2105-2009.pdf |
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Zusammenfassung |
Recent studies have called for a new unifying hydrological theory at the
hillslope and watershed scale, emphasizing the importance of coupled process
understanding of the interactions between hydrology, ecology, pedology,
geochemistry and geomorphology. The Biosphere 2 Hillslope Experiment is
aimed at tackling this challenge and exploring how climate, soil and
vegetation interact and drive the evolution of the hydrologic hillslope
behavior. A set of three large-scale hillslopes (18 m by 33 m each) will be
built in the climate-controlled experimental biome of the Biosphere 2
facility near Tucson, Arizona, USA. By minimizing the initial physical
complexity of these hillslopes, the spontaneous formation of flow pathways,
soil spatial heterogeneity, surface morphology and vegetation patterns can
be observed over time. This paper documents the hydrologic design process
for the Biosphere 2 Hillslope Experiment, which was based on design
principles agreed upon among the Biosphere 2 science community. Main design
principles were that the hillslopes should promote spatiotemporal
variability of hydrological states and fluxes, facilitate transient lateral
subsurface flow without inducing overland flow and be capable of supporting
vegetation. Hydrologic modeling was used to identify a hillslope
configuration (geometry, soil texture, soil depth) that meets the design
objectives. The recommended design for the hillslopes consists of a
zero-order basin shape with a 10 degree overall slope, a uniform soil depth
of 1 m and a loamy sand soil texture. The sensitivity of the hydrologic
response of this design to different semi-arid climate scenarios was
subsequently tested. Our modeling showed that the timing of rainfall in
relation to the timing of radiation input controls the spatiotemporal
variability of moisture within the hillslope and the generation of lateral
subsurface flow. The Biosphere 2 Hillslope Experiment will provide an
excellent opportunity to test hypotheses, observe emergent patterns and
advance the understanding of interactions. |
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