Descrizione del progetto
Prevedere la qualità delle acque dolci nelle regioni ecologiche di tutta Europa
La qualità delle acque di fiumi e torrenti dipende in larga parte dal suolo delle zone riparie lungo le loro rive. All’interno di tali zone, lo strato sorgente dominante (DSL, dominant source layer) determina il flusso d’acqua e la composizione chimica biologica e geologica del materiale trasportato dall’acqua. Il progetto RIPARIONS, finanziato dall’UE, mira a creare un set di dati armonizzato sull’attività del DSL nelle zone riparie delle ecoregioni mediterranee e temperate, utilizzando metodi di un modello teorico attualmente in uso per le ecoregioni settentrionali dell’Europa. Comprendere il DSL consentirà di prevedere l’impatto delle attività umane e dei cambiamenti climatici sulla qualità delle acque in tutta Europa. Inoltre, fornirà ai responsabili del territorio e agli ambientalisti uno strumento per individuare le zone che necessitano di protezione.
Obiettivo
Science-based, sustainable management is needed to preserve the diverse and essential services provided by freshwaters. In natural and semi-natural areas, up to 90% of the total river length is in headwaters (i.e. small streams). Water quality in these “lungs of the landscape” is controlled primarily by soils adjacent to streams, i.e. riparian zones (RZs). Within RZs, the dominant source layer (DSL), a localized hotspot, contributes most of the solute and water fluxes to streams. However, the relative importance of DSL hydrological and biogeochemical processes controlling freshwater quality varies across ecoregions. The overall aim of RIPARIONS is to develop a unified knowledge framework based on DSL hydrological and biogeochemical functions across Europe to predict material transfer from soils to surface waters and consequent effects on water quality. Specifically, RIPARIONS will extend the DSL conceptual model developed in the boreal ecoregion by testing its applicability in two contrasting (sub-humid and a semi-arid) Mediterranean catchments. First, DSLs will be identified via hydrological site characterization using digital elevation models and on-site measurements. Biogeochemical investigations will link DSL processes and stream solute processing to assess stream water quality. Modelling of climate change impacts on DSL position and subsequent effects on future water quality will be assessed. Finally, a synthesis and integration of this work with previous and ongoing work in boreal and temperate sites will create a unified framework predicting RZ function and water quality across European ecoregions based on the DSL concept. While the Water Framework Directive mandates protection of RZs to maintain ecological status of rivers, it does not state how to manage them. RIPARIONS will fill this gap by identifying hotspots of water movement/processing within RZs (i.e. DSLs) that are the most influential for freshwater chemistry, and thus the most in need of protection
Campo scientifico
Programma(i)
Argomento(i)
Meccanismo di finanziamento
MSCA-IF - Marie Skłodowska-Curie Individual Fellowships (IF)Coordinatore
76131 Karlsruhe
Germania