References

Biogeosciences

1726-4189

Copernicus Publications

Göttingen, Germany

10.5194/bg-11-3043-2014

DOC sources and DOC transport pathways in a small headwater catchment as revealed by carbon isotope fluctuation during storm events

Lambert

¹ ⁴ Pierson-Wickmann

A.-C.

¹ Gruau

¹ Jaffrezic

¹ ² Petitjean

¹ Thibault

J. N.

³ Jeanneau

Observatoire des Sciences de l'Univers de Rennes, CNRS, UMR 6118 Géosciences Rennes, Université de Rennes 1, Campus de Beaulieu, 35042 Rennes Cedex, France

UMR INRA-Agrocampus Ouest Sol, Agrohydrosystème, Spatialisation, Route de Saint-Brieuc, 35042 Rennes Cedex, France

Unité Mixte de Recherche INRA – Agrocampus Ouest PEGASE, Domaine de la Prise, 35590 Saint-Gilles, France

now at: University of Liège, Institut de Physique (B5), 4000 Sart Tilman, Belgium

11 06 2014

11 11 3043 3056

2014

This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. To view a copy of this licence, visit https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/3.0/

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Monitoring the isotopic composition (δ13CDOC) of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) during flood events can be helpful for locating DOC sources in catchments and quantifying their relative contribution to stream DOC flux. High-resolution (< hourly basis) δ13CDOC data were obtained during six successive storm events occurring during the high-flow period in a small headwater catchment in western France. Intra-storm δ13CDOC values exhibit a marked temporal variability, with some storms showing large variations (> 2 &permil;), and others yielding a very restricted range of values (< 1 &permil;). Comparison of these results with previously published data shows that the range of intra-storm δ13CDOC values closely reflects the temporal and spatial variation in δ13CDOC observed in the riparian soils of this catchment during the same period. Using δ13CDOC data in conjunction with hydrometric monitoring and an end-member mixing approach (EMMA), we show that (i) > 80% of the stream DOC flux flows through the most superficial soil horizons of the riparian domain and (ii) the riparian soil DOC flux is comprised of DOC coming ultimately from both riparian and upland domains. Based on its δ13C fingerprint, we find that the upland DOC contribution decreases from ca.~30% of the stream DOC flux at the beginning of the high-flow period to < 10% later in this period. Overall, upland domains contribute significantly to stream DOC export, but act as a size-limited reservoir, whereas soils in the wetland domains act as a near-infinite reservoir. Through this study, we show that δ13CDOC provides a powerful tool for tracing DOC sources and DOC transport mechanisms in headwater catchments, having a high-resolution assessment of temporal and spatial variability.

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