Articles | Volume 22, issue 7
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3965-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3965-2018
© Author(s) 2018. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
20 Jul 2018
Research article |
| 20 Jul 2018
| 20 Jul 2018
Water ages in the critical zone of long-term experimental sites in northern latitudes
Matthias Sprenger
Northern Rivers Institute, School of Geosciences, University of
Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Doerthe Tetzlaff
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Department of Geography, Humboldt University Berlin, Berlin, Germany
IGB Leibniz Institute of Freshwater Ecology and Inland Fisheries, Berlin, Germany
Northern Rivers Institute, School of Geosciences, University of
Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
Jim Buttle
School of the Environment, Trent University, Ontario, Canada
Hjalmar Laudon
Department of Forest Ecology and Management, Swedish University of
Agricultural Sciences, Umeå, Sweden
Chris Soulsby
Northern Rivers Institute, School of Geosciences, University of
Aberdeen, Aberdeen, UK
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Cited
40 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Demographics of Water: A Review of Water Ages in the Critical Zone M. Sprenger et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018RG000633
- Simulating preferential soil water flow and tracer transport using the Lagrangian Soil Water and Solute Transport Model A. Sternagel et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4249-2019
- Mechanisms of consistently disjunct soil water pools over (pore) space and time M. Sprenger et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-2751-2019
- Local Topography and Streambed Hydraulic Conductivity Influence Riparian Groundwater Age and Groundwater‐Surface Water Connection S. Warix et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035044
- How do geomorphic characteristics affect the source of tree water uptake in restored river floodplains? M. Engel et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2443
- A dynamic-gated Mixture-of-Experts framework improves and interprets daily streamflow simulation W. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03799-z
- Toward a Closure of Catchment Mass Balance: Insight on the Missing Link From a Vegetated Lysimeter M. Asadollahi et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR030698
- Waters flowing out of systems are younger than the waters stored in those same systems W. Berghuijs & S. Allen https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13569
- Stable isotopes of water reveal differences in plant – soil water relationships across northern environments D. Tetzlaff et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14023
- Replenishment and mean residence time of root-zone water for woody plants growing on rocky outcrops in a subtropical karst critical zone Z. Luo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127136
- Assessing the influence of soil freeze–thaw cycles on catchment water storage–flux–age interactions using a tracer-aided ecohydrological model A. Smith et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3319-2019
- A virtual tracer experiment to assess the temporal origin of root water uptake, evaporation, and drainage P. Nasta et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14982
- Using storage selection functions to assess mixing patterns and water ages of soil water, evaporation and transpiration A. Smith et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2020.103586
- The meanings of the Critical Zone R. Lee et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ancene.2023.100377
- Critical Zone Storage Controls on the Water Ages of Ecohydrological Outputs S. Kuppel et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088897
- Co-evolution of xylem water and soil water stable isotopic composition in a northern mixed forest biome J. Snelgrove et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2169-2021
- Tracing and Closing the Water Balance in a Vegetated Lysimeter P. Benettin et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR029049
- Technical note: Evaporating water is different from bulk soil water in δ2H and δ18O and has implications for evaporation calculation H. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5399-2021
- The effect of seasonal variation in precipitation and evapotranspiration on the transient travel time distributions M. Rahimpour Asenjan & M. Danesh-Yazdi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2020.103618
- How catchment characteristics influence hydrological pathways and travel times in a boreal landscape E. Jutebring Sterte et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2133-2021
- Contrasting storage-flux-age interactions revealed by catchment inter-comparison using a tracer-aided runoff model T. Piovano et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125226
- Modelling non‐stationary water ages in a tropical rainforest: A preliminary spatially distributed assessment A. Correa et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13925
- Variability of Snow and Rainfall Partitioning Into Evapotranspiration and Summer Runoff Across Nine Mountainous Catchments M. Sprenger et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099324
- Impact of Plant–Water Interactions on Long-Term Simulations in Deep-Rooted Plantations Using Noah Land Surface Model with Multiparameterization Options (Noah-MP) H. Feng et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15115807
- Seasonal and Topographic Variations in Ecohydrological Separation Within a Small, Temperate, Snow‐Influenced Catchment J. Knighton et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR025174
- Water Age Dynamics in Plant Transpiration: The Effects of Climate Patterns and Rooting Depth Z. Luo et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033566
- The Role of Topography in Controlling Evapotranspiration Age C. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JD039228
- Transport and Water Age Dynamics in Soils: A Comparative Study of Spatially Integrated and Spatially Explicit Models M. Asadollahi et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR025539
- Cryogenic vacuum distillation vs Cavitron methods in ecohydrology: Extraction protocol effects on plant water isotopic values H. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131853
- Spatial variability in the isotopic composition of water in small catchments and its effect on hydrograph separation D. Penna & H. van Meerveld https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1367
- Reduction of vegetation-accessible water storage capacity after deforestation affects catchment travel time distributions and increases young water fractions in a headwater catchment M. Hrachowitz et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4887-2021
- Seasonal snow cover decreases young water fractions in high Alpine catchments N. Ceperley et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13937
- Quantitative partitioning of temporal origin of transpiration into pre- and post-plantation under deep-rooted vegetation on the Loess Plateau of China G. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128964
- Transit Time Estimation in Catchments: Recent Developments and Future Directions P. Benettin et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033096
- Ideas and perspectives: Tracing terrestrial ecosystem water fluxes using hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes – challenges and opportunities from an interdisciplinary perspective D. Penna et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6399-2018
- Preliminary Results of the Water Isotope Study in the Vardar River Basin, Macedonia V. Gjeshovska et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18151861
- Contribution of water rejuvenation induced by climate warming to evapotranspiration in a Siberian boreal forest H. Park et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.1037668
- Topsoil Moisture Depletion and Recharge below Young Norway Spruce, White Birch, and Treeless Gaps at a Mountain-Summit Site O. Špulák et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12070828
- Snowmelt-mediated isotopic homogenization of shallow till soil F. Muhic et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4861-2024
- Multi-decadal stability of water ages and tracer transport in a temperate-humid river basin S. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ada8c1
40 citations as recorded by crossref.
- The Demographics of Water: A Review of Water Ages in the Critical Zone M. Sprenger et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2018RG000633
- Simulating preferential soil water flow and tracer transport using the Lagrangian Soil Water and Solute Transport Model A. Sternagel et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-4249-2019
- Mechanisms of consistently disjunct soil water pools over (pore) space and time M. Sprenger et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-2751-2019
- Local Topography and Streambed Hydraulic Conductivity Influence Riparian Groundwater Age and Groundwater‐Surface Water Connection S. Warix et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035044
- How do geomorphic characteristics affect the source of tree water uptake in restored river floodplains? M. Engel et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/eco.2443
- A dynamic-gated Mixture-of-Experts framework improves and interprets daily streamflow simulation W. Yuan et al. https://doi.org/10.1038/s43247-026-03799-z
- Toward a Closure of Catchment Mass Balance: Insight on the Missing Link From a Vegetated Lysimeter M. Asadollahi et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2021WR030698
- Waters flowing out of systems are younger than the waters stored in those same systems W. Berghuijs & S. Allen https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13569
- Stable isotopes of water reveal differences in plant – soil water relationships across northern environments D. Tetzlaff et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14023
- Replenishment and mean residence time of root-zone water for woody plants growing on rocky outcrops in a subtropical karst critical zone Z. Luo et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.127136
- Assessing the influence of soil freeze–thaw cycles on catchment water storage–flux–age interactions using a tracer-aided ecohydrological model A. Smith et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3319-2019
- A virtual tracer experiment to assess the temporal origin of root water uptake, evaporation, and drainage P. Nasta et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14982
- Using storage selection functions to assess mixing patterns and water ages of soil water, evaporation and transpiration A. Smith et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2020.103586
- The meanings of the Critical Zone R. Lee et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ancene.2023.100377
- Critical Zone Storage Controls on the Water Ages of Ecohydrological Outputs S. Kuppel et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020GL088897
- Co-evolution of xylem water and soil water stable isotopic composition in a northern mixed forest biome J. Snelgrove et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2169-2021
- Tracing and Closing the Water Balance in a Vegetated Lysimeter P. Benettin et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2020WR029049
- Technical note: Evaporating water is different from bulk soil water in δ2H and δ18O and has implications for evaporation calculation H. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-5399-2021
- The effect of seasonal variation in precipitation and evapotranspiration on the transient travel time distributions M. Rahimpour Asenjan & M. Danesh-Yazdi https://doi.org/10.1016/j.advwatres.2020.103618
- How catchment characteristics influence hydrological pathways and travel times in a boreal landscape E. Jutebring Sterte et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2133-2021
- Contrasting storage-flux-age interactions revealed by catchment inter-comparison using a tracer-aided runoff model T. Piovano et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.125226
- Modelling non‐stationary water ages in a tropical rainforest: A preliminary spatially distributed assessment A. Correa et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13925
- Variability of Snow and Rainfall Partitioning Into Evapotranspiration and Summer Runoff Across Nine Mountainous Catchments M. Sprenger et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GL099324
- Impact of Plant–Water Interactions on Long-Term Simulations in Deep-Rooted Plantations Using Noah Land Surface Model with Multiparameterization Options (Noah-MP) H. Feng et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/app15115807
- Seasonal and Topographic Variations in Ecohydrological Separation Within a Small, Temperate, Snow‐Influenced Catchment J. Knighton et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR025174
- Water Age Dynamics in Plant Transpiration: The Effects of Climate Patterns and Rooting Depth Z. Luo et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033566
- The Role of Topography in Controlling Evapotranspiration Age C. Yang et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2023JD039228
- Transport and Water Age Dynamics in Soils: A Comparative Study of Spatially Integrated and Spatially Explicit Models M. Asadollahi et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2019WR025539
- Cryogenic vacuum distillation vs Cavitron methods in ecohydrology: Extraction protocol effects on plant water isotopic values H. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131853
- Spatial variability in the isotopic composition of water in small catchments and its effect on hydrograph separation D. Penna & H. van Meerveld https://doi.org/10.1002/wat2.1367
- Reduction of vegetation-accessible water storage capacity after deforestation affects catchment travel time distributions and increases young water fractions in a headwater catchment M. Hrachowitz et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-4887-2021
- Seasonal snow cover decreases young water fractions in high Alpine catchments N. Ceperley et al. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.13937
- Quantitative partitioning of temporal origin of transpiration into pre- and post-plantation under deep-rooted vegetation on the Loess Plateau of China G. Chen et al. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128964
- Transit Time Estimation in Catchments: Recent Developments and Future Directions P. Benettin et al. https://doi.org/10.1029/2022WR033096
- Ideas and perspectives: Tracing terrestrial ecosystem water fluxes using hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes – challenges and opportunities from an interdisciplinary perspective D. Penna et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-15-6399-2018
- Preliminary Results of the Water Isotope Study in the Vardar River Basin, Macedonia V. Gjeshovska et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/w18151861
- Contribution of water rejuvenation induced by climate warming to evapotranspiration in a Siberian boreal forest H. Park et al. https://doi.org/10.3389/feart.2022.1037668
- Topsoil Moisture Depletion and Recharge below Young Norway Spruce, White Birch, and Treeless Gaps at a Mountain-Summit Site O. Špulák et al. https://doi.org/10.3390/f12070828
- Snowmelt-mediated isotopic homogenization of shallow till soil F. Muhic et al. https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-4861-2024
- Multi-decadal stability of water ages and tracer transport in a temperate-humid river basin S. Wang et al. https://doi.org/10.1088/1748-9326/ada8c1
Saved (final revised paper)
Latest update: 30 Oct 2026
Short summary
We estimated water ages in the upper critical zone with a soil physical model (SWIS) and found that the age of water stored in the soil, as well as of water leaving the soil via evaporation, transpiration, or recharge, was younger the higher soil water storage (inverse storage effect). Travel times of transpiration and evaporation were different. We conceptualized the subsurface into fast and slow flow domains and the water was usually half as young in the fast as in the slow flow domain.
We estimated water ages in the upper critical zone with a soil physical model (SWIS) and found...
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