Hydrological and Geochemical Response and Recovery in Disturbed Arctic Ecosystems

摘要

The investigations proposed in the following pages fall into three general categories. First, maintenance in Phase II of hydrogeochemical and hydrological data base begun in the Imnavait Creek watershed in 1985. These data were collected to answer questions concerning the ionic composition of precipitation considered to be the principal, if not the only, source of input. The second category of investigations proposed as part of the conceptual framework put forth for Phase II of the R4D program constitute new directions of research that build on those of Phase I. For example, it has become clear that the watershed of Imnavait Creek and those of its water track sub-basin do not contribute uniformly to either the discharge of the stream or to its ionic water flow across the different slope elements. Thus it is necessary to experimentally study subsurface solute movement and develop transport models that incorporate the physical and chemical characteristics of the soils. This includes the spatial or map distribution of soil types and accompanying vegetation to completely portray soil-soil solution vegetation interactions on the continuum of slope elements. It also appears that major ionic inbalances in surface water budgets are tied to the dissolved organic component both of the soil water and surface water. 19 refs., 13 figs. (ERA citation 14:009610)