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A special issue of Hydrology (ISSN 2306-5338). This special issue belongs to the section "Ecohydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 10 August 2024 | Viewed by 7131

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Special Issue Editors

Dr. Nikolaos Proutsos

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Guest Editor

Institute of Mediterranean Forest Ecosystems, Hellenic Agricultural Organisation “DEMETER”, 11528 Athens, Greece
Interests: forest micrometeorology; agrometeorology; aridity; drought; crop water requirements
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Dr. Stefanos Stefanidis

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Guest Editor

Laboratory of Mountainous Water Management and Control, Faculty of Forestry and Natural Environment, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Thessaloníki, Greece
Interests: soil erosion and mountainous catchment degrafation; landslide management and control; cause and mechanism of debris and mud flow phenomena; torrent control works; check dams design and dimmensioning; sediment sources areas; flash floods phenomena; forest hydrology
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Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

During the last few decades, it has become a primary goal in the biophysical sciences to enhance the knowledge on how forests and water interact. The study of the relations between hydrological cycle components, climate, and weather attributes and the forest type and elements (including vegetation species composition, distribution, canopy architecture etc.) is fundamental to understand how they will respond under different forest management and cope with the changing climate and weather conditions. This is highly important due to the increased challenges faced by forests because of biotic and abiotic disturbances (e.g., wildfire, insect infestation). To that end, long-term time series from forest meteorological stations are necessary for hydrometeorological analysis and trend detection. In particular, this Special Issue aims to investigate the effects and the role of forest vegetation and climate variability on water balance, soil erosion, and water quality and identify future risks for forest ecosystems induced by rapidly changing climate or adverse weather conditions. We therefore invite researchers and experts to present their innovative contributions in the following indicative study areas:

Forest meteorology and agrometeorology;
Forest hydrology;
Forest climatology;
Forests monitoring;
Forest cover and peak discharges—watershed lag time;
Water balance modeling in forested watersheds;
Provision of ecosystem services;
Soil erosion (modeling, monitoring, and mitigation treatments);
Drought;
Forest health;
Evapotranspiration;
Solar radiation distribution in forests, use and efficiency;
Tree line shift and climate variability;
Climate change effects;
Wildfire effects on hydrological and erosion processes;
Post-fire erosion mitigation treatments;
Impacts of restoration projects on forest hydrology and micrometeorology;
Natural-based solutions (NBs) for increasing water retention capacity;
Remote sensing in forest hydrology;
Long-term analysis of hydrometeorological parameters (precipitation, temperature, snow accumulation, evapotranspiration);
Relationship between forest structure and interception–throughfall–stemflow;
Silvicultural treatments and surface runoff;
Urban forests’ hydrometeorological characteristics;
Ecosystems water and energy budgets;
Mass and energy fluxes in forests.

Dr. Nikolaos Proutsos
Dr. Stefanos Stefanidis
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Hydrology is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 1800 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

forest hydrology
water balance modeling
soil erosion
hydrological process
evapotranspiration
infiltration
drought
forest cover changes
climate trends
solar radiation use
soil hydraulic properties
post-fire disturbed and restored ecosystems
water and energy fluxes

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

12 pages, 1618 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Bark Morphology and Nutrient Flux in Urban Trees: Investigating Water Absorption and Ion Concentration Dynamics

by Marcelle Teodoro Lima, Manuel Enrique Gamero Guandique and Kelly Cristina Tonello

Hydrology 2024, 11(4), 56; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology11040056 - 17 Apr 2024

Viewed by 466

Abstract

Urban trees play a pivotal role in mediating the hydrological and nutrient cycles within urban ecosystems, yet the mechanisms by which bark characteristics influence these processes remain underexplored. This study aimed to investigate the impact of the bark morphology—specifically texture, depth, and number of furrows—on the water absorption capacity and to determine the relationship between this capacity and ion concentration in stemflow across various urban tree species. Our findings reveal significant variations in water absorption and ion concentration related to the morphological traits of bark among tree species, highlighting the intricate relationship between bark physical and chemical characteristics and stemflow nutrient composition. Notably, species with furrowed textures, greater depth, and a higher number of furrows demonstrated pronounced differences in ion enrichment in their stemflow. However, a canonical redundancy analysis suggested a low association between bark absorption capacity and ion concentration, indicating the influence of other, possibly external, environmental factors on ion leaching. The results underscore the complexity of nutrient transport mechanisms in urban trees and show a new understanding of tree bark’s ecohydrological roles. This study contributes valuable insights into ecohydrology science and emphasizes the need for further research to unravel the multifaceted influences on nutrient dynamics in urban landscapes. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Hydrometeorology)

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33 pages, 10840 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Hydrometeorological Trends in a Low-Gradient Forested Watershed on the Southeastern Atlantic Coastal Plain in the USA

by Devendra M. Amatya, Timothy J. Callahan, Sourav Mukherjee, Charles A. Harrison, Carl C. Trettin, Andrzej Wałęga, Dariusz Młyński and Kristen D. Emmett

Hydrology 2024, 11(3), 31; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology11030031 - 26 Feb 2024

Viewed by 1338

Abstract

Hydrology and meteorological data from relatively undisturbed watersheds aid in identifying effects on ecosystem services, tracking hydroclimatic trends, and reducing model uncertainties. Sustainable forest, water, and infrastructure management depends on assessing the impacts of extreme events and land use change on flooding, droughts, and biogeochemical processes. For example, global climate models predict more frequent high-intensity storms and longer dry periods for the southeastern USA. We summarized 17 years (2005–2021) of hydrometeorological data recorded in the 52 km², third-order Turkey Creek watershed at the Santee Experimental Forest (SEF), Southeastern Coastal Plain, USA. This is a non-tidal headwater system of the Charleston Harbor estuary. The study period included a wide range of weather conditions; annual precipitation (P) and potential evapotranspiration (PET) ranged from 994 mm and 1212 mm in 2007 to 2243 mm and 1063 in 2015, respectively. The annual runoff coefficient (ROC) varied from 0.09 in 2007 (with water table (WT) as deep as 2.4 m below surface) to 0.52 in 2015 (with frequently ponded WT conditions), with an average of 0.22. Although the average P (1470 mm) was 11% higher than the historic 1964–1976 average (1320 mm), no significant (α= 0.05) trend was found in the annual P (p = 0.11), ROC (p = 0.17) or runoff (p = 0.27). Runoff occurred on 76.4% of all days in the study period, exceeding 20 mm/day for 1.25% of all days, mostly due to intense storms in the summer and lower ET demand in the winter. No-flow conditions were common during most of the summer growing season. WT recharge occurred during water-surplus conditions, and storm-event base flow contributed 23–47% of the total runoff as estimated using a hydrograph separation method. Storm-event peak discharge in the Turkey Creek was dominated by shallow subsurface runoff and was correlated with 48 h precipitation totals. Estimated precipitation intensity–duration–frequency and flood frequency relationships were found to be larger than those found by NOAA for the 1893–2002 period (for durations ≥ 3 h), and by USGS regional frequencies (for ≥10-year return intervals), respectively, for the same location. We recommend an integrated analysis of these data together with available water quality data to (1) assess the impacts of rising tides on the hydroperiod and biogeochemical processes in riparian forests of the estuary headwaters, (2) validate rainfall–runoff models including watershed scale models to assess land use and climate change on hydrology and water quality, and (3) inform watershed restoration goals, strategies, and infrastructure design in coastal watersheds. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Hydrometeorology)

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17 pages, 3666 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Drought Severity and Trends in a Mediterranean Oak Forest

by Stefanos Stefanidis, Dimitra Rossiou and Nikolaos Proutsos

Hydrology 2023, 10(8), 167; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology10080167 - 10 Aug 2023

Cited by 15 | Viewed by 1538

Abstract

Drought is a significant natural hazard with widespread socioeconomic and environmental impacts. This study investigated the long-term drought characteristics in a Mediterranean oak forest ecosystem using the Standardized Precipitation Evapotranspiration Index (SPEI) at various time scales and seasons. The analysis was based on a long-term time series dataset obtained from a meteorological station located at the University Forest of Taxiarchis in Greece. The dataset encompassed a substantial time span of 47 years of continuous monitoring, from 1974 to 2020. To accomplish the goals of the current research, the SPEI was calculated for 3, 6, 12, and 24-month periods, and drought events were identified. The Mann-Kendall (M-K) test was used to analyze the trends in drought severity and evaluate the trends significance. The results showed that shorter time scales (SPEI3 and SPEI6) were more efficient for identifying short-term droughts, while longer time scales (SPEI12 and SPEI24) were better for identifying less frequent but longer-lasting drought episodes. The analysis consistently revealed positive trends across all seasons and time scales, indicating an overall transition towards wetter conditions. Nearly all the data series for SPEI12 and SPEI24 exhibited statistically significant upward trends (wetter conditions) at a 95% confidence level. However, more intense events were detected during the recent decade using the seasonal analysis. Additionally, as the time scale expanded, the magnitude of these trends increased. The findings contributed to a better understanding of drought dynamics in Mediterranean oak forests and provided valuable information for forest management and climate change adaptation planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Hydrometeorology)

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19 pages, 4944 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Quantification of Mountainous Hydrological Processes in the Aktash River Watershed of Uzbekistan, Central Asia, over the Past Two Decades

by Ying Ouyang, John A. Stanturf, Marcus D. Williams, Evgeniy Botmann and Palle Madsen

Hydrology 2023, 10(8), 161; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology10080161 - 02 Aug 2023

Viewed by 1268

Abstract

Estimation of hydrological processes is critical to water resource management, water supply planning, ecological protection, and climate change impact assessment. Mountains in Central Asia are the major source of water for rivers and agricultural practices. The disturbance of mountain forests in the region has altered the hydrological processes and accelerated soil erosion, mudflow, landslides, and flooding. We used the SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool) model calibrated and validated with remote sensing data to quantify the mountainous hydrological processes in the Aktash River watershed (ARW) of Uzbekistan, Central Asia. Simulations showed that the daily surface runoff and streamflow closely responded to daily precipitation. Groundwater discharge reached its maximum in winter because of snowmelt. The wet months were from July to December, and the dry months were from January to June. The magnitudes of the seasonal hydrological processes were in the following order: fall > summer > winter > spring for precipitation and surface runoff; summer > spring > fall > winter for evapotranspiration (ET); winter > spring > fall > summer for snowmelt; fall > winter > summer > spring for water yield and streamflow; and winter > fall > spring > summer for groundwater discharge. The Mann–Kendall statistical test revealed a significant increasing trend for the annual precipitation (τ = 0.45, p < 0.01) and surface runoff (τ = 0.41, p < 0.02) over the past 17 years from 2003 to 2019. Compared to rangeland, forested land decreased monthly and annual average surface runoff by 20%, and increased monthly and annual average groundwater recharge by about 5%. Agricultural land had much higher unit-area values (mm/km²/y) of ET, groundwater recharge, and water yield than those of urban, forest, and range lands. Our research findings provide useful information to farmers, foresters, and decision makers for better water resource management in the ARW, Central Asia, and other mountain watersheds with similar conditions. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Hydrometeorology)

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20 pages, 3120 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Temporal Variations in Temperature and Moisture Soil Profiles in a Mediterranean Maquis Forest in Greece

by Athanassios Bourletsikas, Nikolaos Proutsos, Panagiotis Michopoulos and Ioannis Argyrokastritis

Hydrology 2023, 10(4), 93; https://doi.org/10.3390/hydrology10040093 - 14 Apr 2023

Cited by 5 | Viewed by 1728

Abstract

Soil moisture (SM) and temperature (ST) are critical factors in forest eco-hydrological research. In this study, we investigated the inter- and intra-annual changes in SM and ST profiles in a mixed Mediterranean maquis forest stand together with soil and meteorological parameters. Hourly data from three field measurements points at four depths (−5, −20, −40 and −70 cm) for 6 years were interpolated using the kriging method to produce annual SM and ST profiles. The results indicate that air temperature highly affects the upper 5 cm of the mineral soil. In general, it increases with depth in winter at an average rate of 0.036 °C/cm and decreases in summer (0.035 °C/cm), presenting higher values compared to air temperature from April to August and lower ones during the rest of the period. Precipitation is the main factor driving SM variations up to a superficial soil depth of 40 cm. The upper soil layer (0–40 cm) infiltrates water faster and presents high SM variability, especially in monthly and seasonal (year to year) time steps. The maquis forest stands are likely to be strongly affected by climate change, therefore the results of this study could be useful in hydrological and climate change studies focused on maquis vegetation water management. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Forest Hydrometeorology)

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