Home > Research > Publications & Outputs > Changing climate and nutrient transfers

Electronic data

  • MCO_STOTEN 18-12-2015

    Rights statement: This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Science of the Total Environment. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Science of the Total Environment, 548-549, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.086

    Accepted author manuscript, 2.02 MB, PDF document

    Available under license: CC BY: Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License

Links

Text available via DOI:

View graph of relations

Changing climate and nutrient transfers: evidence from high temporal resolution concentration-flow dynamics in headwater catchments

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Published

Standard

Changing climate and nutrient transfers: evidence from high temporal resolution concentration-flow dynamics in headwater catchments. / Ockenden, Mary; Deasy, Clare Elizabeth; Benskin, Clare M H et al.
In: Science of the Total Environment, Vol. 548-549, 01.04.2016, p. 325-339.

Research output: Contribution to Journal/MagazineJournal articlepeer-review

Harvard

Ockenden, M, Deasy, CE, Benskin, CMH, Beven, KJ, Burke, S, Collins, AL, Evans, R, Falloon, PD, Forber, KJ, Hiscock, KM, Hollaway, MJ, Kahana, R, Macleod, CJA, Reaney, SM, Snell, M, Villamizar, M, Withers, P, Zhou, J & Haygarth, PM 2016, 'Changing climate and nutrient transfers: evidence from high temporal resolution concentration-flow dynamics in headwater catchments', Science of the Total Environment, vol. 548-549, pp. 325-339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.086

APA

Ockenden, M., Deasy, C. E., Benskin, C. M. H., Beven, K. J., Burke, S., Collins, A. L., Evans, R., Falloon, P. D., Forber, K. J., Hiscock, K. M., Hollaway, M. J., Kahana, R., Macleod, C. J. A., Reaney, S. M., Snell, M., Villamizar, M., Withers, P., Zhou, J., & Haygarth, P. M. (2016). Changing climate and nutrient transfers: evidence from high temporal resolution concentration-flow dynamics in headwater catchments. Science of the Total Environment, 548-549, 325-339. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.086

Vancouver

Ockenden M, Deasy CE, Benskin CMH, Beven KJ, Burke S, Collins AL et al. Changing climate and nutrient transfers: evidence from high temporal resolution concentration-flow dynamics in headwater catchments. Science of the Total Environment. 2016 Apr 1;548-549:325-339. Epub 2016 Jan 21. doi: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.086

Author

Bibtex

@article{e5f79eb43cef4c9ebf7ffc945637f04a,
title = "Changing climate and nutrient transfers: evidence from high temporal resolution concentration-flow dynamics in headwater catchments",
abstract = "We hypothesise that climate change, together with intensive agricultural systems, will increase the transfer of pollutants from land to water and impact on stream health. This study builds, for the first time, an integrated assessment of nutrient transfers, bringing together a) high-frequency data from the outlets of two surface water-dominated, headwater (~ 10 km²) agricultural catchments, b) event-by-event analysis of nutrient transfers, c) concentration duration curves for comparison with EU Water Framework Directive water quality targets, d) event analysis of location-specific, sub-daily rainfall projections (UKCP, 2009), and e) a linear model relating storm rainfall to phosphorus load. These components, in combination, bring innovation and new insight into the estimation of future phosphorus transfers, which was not available from individual components. The data demonstrated two features of particular concern for climate change impacts. Firstly, the bulk of the suspended sediment and total phosphorus (TP) load (greater than 90% and 80% respectively) was transferred during the highest discharge events. The linear model of rainfall-driven TP transfers estimated that, with the projected increase in winter rainfall (+ 8% to + 17% in the catchments by 2050s), annual event loads might increase by around 9% on average, if agricultural practices remain unchanged. Secondly, events following dry periods of several weeks, particularly in summer, were responsible for high concentrations of phosphorus, but relatively low loads. The high concentrations, associated with low flow, could become more frequent or last longer in the future, with a corresponding increase in the length of time that threshold concentrations (e.g. for water quality status) are exceeded. The results suggest that in order to build resilience in stream health and help mitigate potential increases in diffuse agricultural water pollution due to climate change, land management practices should target controllable risk factors, such as soil nutrient status, soil condition and crop cover.",
keywords = "Rainfall, Diffuse pollution, Water quality, Phosphorus, High resolution data, Eden",
author = "Mary Ockenden and Deasy, {Clare Elizabeth} and Benskin, {Clare M H} and Beven, {Keith John} and Sean Burke and Collins, {Adrian L.} and Robert Evans and Falloon, {Peter D.} and Forber, {Kirsty Jessica} and Hiscock, {Kevin M.} and Hollaway, {Michael John} and Ron Kahana and Macleod, {Christopher J. A.} and Reaney, {Sim M.} and Maria Snell and Martha Villamizar and Paul Withers and Jian Zhou and Haygarth, {Philip Matthew}",
note = "This is the author{\textquoteright}s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Science of the Total Environment. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Science of the Total Environment, 548-549, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.086",
year = "2016",
month = apr,
day = "1",
doi = "10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.086",
language = "English",
volume = "548-549",
pages = "325--339",
journal = "Science of the Total Environment",
issn = "0048-9697",
publisher = "Elsevier Science B.V.",

}

RIS

TY - JOUR

T1 - Changing climate and nutrient transfers

T2 - evidence from high temporal resolution concentration-flow dynamics in headwater catchments

AU - Ockenden, Mary

AU - Deasy, Clare Elizabeth

AU - Benskin, Clare M H

AU - Beven, Keith John

AU - Burke, Sean

AU - Collins, Adrian L.

AU - Evans, Robert

AU - Falloon, Peter D.

AU - Forber, Kirsty Jessica

AU - Hiscock, Kevin M.

AU - Hollaway, Michael John

AU - Kahana, Ron

AU - Macleod, Christopher J. A.

AU - Reaney, Sim M.

AU - Snell, Maria

AU - Villamizar, Martha

AU - Withers, Paul

AU - Zhou, Jian

AU - Haygarth, Philip Matthew

N1 - This is the author’s version of a work that was accepted for publication in Science of the Total Environment. Changes resulting from the publishing process, such as peer review, editing, corrections, structural formatting, and other quality control mechanisms may not be reflected in this document. Changes may have been made to this work since it was submitted for publication. A definitive version was subsequently published in Science of the Total Environment, 548-549, 2016 DOI: 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.086

PY - 2016/4/1

Y1 - 2016/4/1

N2 - We hypothesise that climate change, together with intensive agricultural systems, will increase the transfer of pollutants from land to water and impact on stream health. This study builds, for the first time, an integrated assessment of nutrient transfers, bringing together a) high-frequency data from the outlets of two surface water-dominated, headwater (~ 10 km²) agricultural catchments, b) event-by-event analysis of nutrient transfers, c) concentration duration curves for comparison with EU Water Framework Directive water quality targets, d) event analysis of location-specific, sub-daily rainfall projections (UKCP, 2009), and e) a linear model relating storm rainfall to phosphorus load. These components, in combination, bring innovation and new insight into the estimation of future phosphorus transfers, which was not available from individual components. The data demonstrated two features of particular concern for climate change impacts. Firstly, the bulk of the suspended sediment and total phosphorus (TP) load (greater than 90% and 80% respectively) was transferred during the highest discharge events. The linear model of rainfall-driven TP transfers estimated that, with the projected increase in winter rainfall (+ 8% to + 17% in the catchments by 2050s), annual event loads might increase by around 9% on average, if agricultural practices remain unchanged. Secondly, events following dry periods of several weeks, particularly in summer, were responsible for high concentrations of phosphorus, but relatively low loads. The high concentrations, associated with low flow, could become more frequent or last longer in the future, with a corresponding increase in the length of time that threshold concentrations (e.g. for water quality status) are exceeded. The results suggest that in order to build resilience in stream health and help mitigate potential increases in diffuse agricultural water pollution due to climate change, land management practices should target controllable risk factors, such as soil nutrient status, soil condition and crop cover.

AB - We hypothesise that climate change, together with intensive agricultural systems, will increase the transfer of pollutants from land to water and impact on stream health. This study builds, for the first time, an integrated assessment of nutrient transfers, bringing together a) high-frequency data from the outlets of two surface water-dominated, headwater (~ 10 km²) agricultural catchments, b) event-by-event analysis of nutrient transfers, c) concentration duration curves for comparison with EU Water Framework Directive water quality targets, d) event analysis of location-specific, sub-daily rainfall projections (UKCP, 2009), and e) a linear model relating storm rainfall to phosphorus load. These components, in combination, bring innovation and new insight into the estimation of future phosphorus transfers, which was not available from individual components. The data demonstrated two features of particular concern for climate change impacts. Firstly, the bulk of the suspended sediment and total phosphorus (TP) load (greater than 90% and 80% respectively) was transferred during the highest discharge events. The linear model of rainfall-driven TP transfers estimated that, with the projected increase in winter rainfall (+ 8% to + 17% in the catchments by 2050s), annual event loads might increase by around 9% on average, if agricultural practices remain unchanged. Secondly, events following dry periods of several weeks, particularly in summer, were responsible for high concentrations of phosphorus, but relatively low loads. The high concentrations, associated with low flow, could become more frequent or last longer in the future, with a corresponding increase in the length of time that threshold concentrations (e.g. for water quality status) are exceeded. The results suggest that in order to build resilience in stream health and help mitigate potential increases in diffuse agricultural water pollution due to climate change, land management practices should target controllable risk factors, such as soil nutrient status, soil condition and crop cover.

KW - Rainfall

KW - Diffuse pollution

KW - Water quality

KW - Phosphorus

KW - High resolution data

KW - Eden

U2 - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.086

DO - 10.1016/j.scitotenv.2015.12.086

M3 - Journal article

VL - 548-549

SP - 325

EP - 339

JO - Science of the Total Environment

JF - Science of the Total Environment

SN - 0048-9697

ER -