TY  - JOUR
A1  - Natkhin, Marco
A1  - Steidl, Jörg
A1  - Dietrich, Ottfried
A1  - Dannowski, Ralf
A1  - Lischeid, Gunnar
T1  - Differentiating between climate effects and forest growth dynamics effects on decreasing groundwater recharge in a lowland region in Northeast Germany
T2  - Journal of hydrology
N2  - 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.
KW  - Tree age distribution
KW  - Ground vegetation
KW  - Pine
KW  - WaSiM-ETH
Y1  - 2012
UR  - https://publishup.uni-potsdam.de/frontdoor/index/index/docId/35772
SN  - 0022-1694
SN  - 1879-2707
VL  - 448
IS  - 2
SP  - 245
EP  - 254
PB  - Elsevier
CY  - Amsterdam
ER  -