Articles | Volume 29, issue 20
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-29-5267-2025
© Author(s) 2025. 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-29-5267-2025
© Author(s) 2025. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Research article
| 
17 Oct 2025
Research article |
| 17 Oct 2025
| 17 Oct 2025
Hillslope subsurface flow is driven by vegetation more than soil properties in colonized valley moraines along a humid mountain elevation
Fei Wang
College of Resources and Environment, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
Beijing Yanshan Earth Critical Zone National Research Station, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
Genxu Wang
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
Junfang Cui
Institute of Mountain Hazards and Environment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Chengdu 610299, China
Xiangyu Tang
State Key Laboratory of Subtropical Silviculture, Zhejiang A&F University, Hangzhou 311300, China
Ruxin Yang
School of Environmental Science and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu 610031, China
Kewei Huang
Hubei Key Laboratory of Basin Water Security, Changjiang Institute of Survey, Planning, Design and Research, Wuhan 430010, China
Jianqing Du
Beijing Yanshan Earth Critical Zone National Research Station, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 101408, China
Li Guo
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610065, China
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We propose a multi-machine learning ensemble (GBM-KNN-ERT) to improve Top-SSF parameter regionalization for flood prediction in ungauged mountainous catchments, overcoming single machine learning limits. Validated in 80 mountainous catchments in southwestern China, the ensemble achieved NSE greater than 0.9 for 90 % of catchments, showing superior accuracy and robustness to climate change and donor catchment variability. The ensemble provides a robust regionalization method.
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What controls leaf water isotopes? We answered the question from two perspectives: respective and dual isotopes. On the one hand, the δ18O and δ2H values of leaf water responded to isotopes of potential source water (i.e., twig water, soil water, and precipitation) and meteorological parameters (i.e., temperature, RH, and precipitation) differently. On the other hand, dual δ18O and δ2H values of leaf water yielded a significant linear relationship associated with altitude and seasonality.
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Short summary
We investigated preferential flow paths and ground layers in coniferous and broadleaf forests in valley moraines along an elevation gradient. The results show that the percentage of preferential flow paths involved in subsurface flow was relatively low and comparable in both forests, mainly driven by vegetation-related properties. The presence of the ground layer facilitates rapid lateral flow towards downslope positions, leading to earlier and greater peak flow.
We investigated preferential flow paths and ground layers in coniferous and broadleaf forests in...
