About this Research Topic
As stated by the small catchment concept from Bormann and Likens (1967) the vegetation of a watershed and the stream draining it are an inseparable unit functionally. Terrestrial processes can strongly affect the structure and function of aquatic ecosystems by determining the lateral inputs of energy and nutrients to streams. Watershed topography and land cover, soil processes and erosion, as well as tree phenology, are examples of terrestrial processes affecting in-stream organic matter and nutrient processing. On the other hand, river morphodynamics and stream-groundwater interactions influence riparian landscape patterns. Paradoxically, terrestrial and aquatic studies often evaluate processes separately, limited within their ecosystem boundaries. Placing ecosystems in boxes is useful for understanding how they work, but limits our comprehension on watersheds functionality. As proposed by the meta-ecosystem theory, emergent properties arise from spatial and temporal coupling of nearby ecosystems.
The goal of this collection is to re-visit the small watershed concept bringing together research that connects ecosystems and processes. We aim at creating a comprehensive view of biogeochemical cycles within watersheds and create mechanistic understanding behind patterns. Providing a broad overview on these linkages is critical to consolidate common grounds among disciplines and advance our understanding on the role of watersheds on shaping global biogeochemical cycles.
We invite both empirical and modelling studies that address:
• Cross-ecosystem and meta-ecosystem functional approaches
• Linkages or comparisons between terrestrial and stream processes
• Energy and biogeochemical fluxes along watersheds, including, but not limited to:
o Ecohydrology
o Organic matter sources and the processes derived from them
o Nutrient sources and processing in natural and anthropogenically altered catchments
• Influence of channel morphology and hydrodynamics on the riparian zone
The goal of this collection is to re-visit the small watershed concept bringing together research that connects ecosystems and processes. We aim at creating a comprehensive view of biogeochemical cycles within watersheds and create mechanistic understanding behind patterns. Providing a broad overview on these linkages is critical to consolidate common grounds among disciplines and advance our understanding on the role of watersheds on shaping global biogeochemical cycles.
We invite both empirical and modelling studies that address:
• Cross-ecosystem and meta-ecosystem functional approaches
• Linkages or comparisons between terrestrial and stream processes
• Energy and biogeochemical fluxes along watersheds, including, but not limited to:
o Ecohydrology
o Organic matter sources and the processes derived from them
o Nutrient sources and processing in natural and anthropogenically altered catchments
• Influence of channel morphology and hydrodynamics on the riparian zone
Keywords: critical zone, watershed, ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles, meta-ecosystem, stream processs, riparian zone
Important Note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.
