@article{NatkhinSteidlDietrichetal.2012, author = {Natkhin, Marco and Steidl, J{\"o}rg and Dietrich, Ottfried and Dannowski, Ralf and Lischeid, Gunnar}, title = {Differentiating between climate effects and forest growth dynamics effects on decreasing groundwater recharge in a lowland region in Northeast Germany}, series = {Journal of hydrology}, volume = {448}, journal = {Journal of hydrology}, number = {2}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0022-1694}, doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.05.005}, pages = {245 -- 254}, year = {2012}, abstract = {Declining groundwater levels in some forested regions in Northeast Germany indicate a reduction in groundwater recharge. Various interlinked aspects, such as changes in climate conditions and changes in forest structure, have been considered as the main factors affecting the regional level of groundwater recharge. For this study, the water balance model WaSiM-ETH was used to calculate groundwater recharge in a 104 km(2) area between 1958 and 2007. Climate impact analysis was driven by observed data from neighbouring meteorological stations. Changes in forest stands were reconstructed from the current status and literature studies. The model-based analysis showed that the average groundwater recharge under forest areas decreased from 1958 to 2007, with a trend of 2.3 mm/yr(2). The most important effect was changing climatic boundary conditions, which made up 53\% of the decrease. Declining precipitation is identified as the main factor. Changes in tree age distribution caused 18\% of the decrease, and the change of ground vegetation under pines (Pinus sylvestris) accounts for 29\%. In respect of the complexity and the interconnectivity of the processes of groundwater recharge, the necessity of using process-oriented distributed models such as WaSiM-ETH is discussed. We conclude that changes in forest stands affecting groundwater recharge could play a significant role in the water balance, especially in regions with a priori low total runoff, this has up to now often remained unquantified.}, language = {en} } @article{ThomasLischeidSteidletal.2012, author = {Thomas, Bj{\"o}rn and Lischeid, Gunnar and Steidl, J{\"o}rg and Dannowski, Ralf}, title = {Regional catchment classification with respect to low flow risk in a Pleistocene landscape}, series = {Journal of hydrology}, volume = {475}, journal = {Journal of hydrology}, number = {2}, publisher = {Elsevier}, address = {Amsterdam}, issn = {0022-1694}, doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.10.020}, pages = {392 -- 402}, year = {2012}, abstract = {The classification of small catchments with respect to low flow risk is needed by water and environmental managers to plan adaptation measures for freshwater streams. In this study a new approach is presented to assess the risk of seasonal low flow in the Pleistocene landscape of the Federal State of Brandenburg in Germany. Seasonal low flow and drought in small streams is very common in this region and is predicted to increase due to climate change within the next decades. Data of 15 years (1991-2006) of daily discharge at 37 small catchments (<500 km(2)) and rainfall data from the same region were used. Principal component analyses were applied to the two data sets separately. The first five principal components of the discharge data, principal components of a precipitation data set covering the same catchments and catchment characteristics were used to explain the patterns found. The first five discharge components explained 72.9\% of the total variance in the data set. The first component reflected the general regional discharge pattern. Components 2 and 3 of the discharge data could be related to spatial patterns of precipitation. Components 4 and 5 of the discharge data reflected geohydrologic processes within the catchments. In order to identify catchments with high risk with respect to low flows, component three and five were important as they both identified catchments with faster decrease of flows during summer. These components were used to estimate low flow risk. Catchments located in the northeast of Brandenburg, especially those in the Barnim highlands north and east of Berlin, were identified to be prone to seasonal low flow. There water management measures to adapt to climate change are needed the most.}, language = {en} } @article{LischeidKalettka2012, author = {Lischeid, Gunnar and Kalettka, Thomas}, title = {Grasping the heterogeneity of kettle hole water quality in Northeast Germany}, series = {Hydrobiologia : acta hydrobiologica, hydrographica, limnologica et protistologica}, volume = {689}, journal = {Hydrobiologia : acta hydrobiologica, hydrographica, limnologica et protistologica}, number = {1}, publisher = {Springer}, address = {Dordrecht}, issn = {0018-8158}, doi = {10.1007/s10750-011-0764-7}, pages = {63 -- 77}, year = {2012}, abstract = {In the young moraine landscape in Northeast Germany, small glacially created ponds, the so-called kettle holes, are very abundant. They exhibit large spatial heterogeneity, seemingly rendering each kettle hole unique. However, this would not be consistent with any scientific approach. Thus, a classification scheme has been developed for kettle holes in Northeast Germany based on morphology, hydrodynamics and connection to stream networks of the kettle holes as well as size, topography and land use of the respective catchment. These indices are assumed to be related both to water quality as well as to biological issues of the kettle holes. Starting in the mid-1990s, an extensive monitoring program has been established in the federal state of Brandenburg, Germany. In this study, a subset comprising 1,316 samples from 79 kettle holes was analysed, where 21 parameters had been determined. Sampling intervals varied widely, and were between bi-weekly and three-monthly at most sites. A nonlinear principal component analysis was performed. The first four components explained 90\% of the variance. These components seem to provide quantitative measures of phosphorus release from the sediments during hypoxic periods, agricultural solute input, algae primary production, and geogenic compounds. This allowed differentiating between the natural and anthropogenic impact factors on water quality. In addition, scores of single components were related to properties of the kettle holes and their environments. The results contribute to a better understanding of biological and biogeochemical processes and can be used to verify the effects of conservation and management strategies for kettle holes.}, language = {en} }