Competing feedbacks drive state transitions during initial catchment evolution: Examples from post-mining landscape and ecosystems evolution
- Within the context of severely disturbed landscapes with little or no ecological memory, such as post-mining landscapes, we propose a simple framework that explains the catchment evolution as a result of competing feedbacks influenced by the initial conditions and the atmospheric drivers such as rainfall intermittency and intensity. The first stage of the evolution is dominated by abiotic feedbacks triggered by rainfall and subsequent fluid flow causing particle mobilisation on the surface and in the subsurface leading to flow concentration or in some instances to densification of surface and subsurface substrates. Subsequently, abiotic-biotic feedbacks start to compete in the sense that biological activity generally stabilizes substrate by preventing particle mobilisation and hence contribute to converting the substrate to a habitat. We suggest that these competing feedbacks may generate alternative stable states in particular under semi-arid and arid climatic conditions, while in temperate often energy limited environmentsWithin the context of severely disturbed landscapes with little or no ecological memory, such as post-mining landscapes, we propose a simple framework that explains the catchment evolution as a result of competing feedbacks influenced by the initial conditions and the atmospheric drivers such as rainfall intermittency and intensity. The first stage of the evolution is dominated by abiotic feedbacks triggered by rainfall and subsequent fluid flow causing particle mobilisation on the surface and in the subsurface leading to flow concentration or in some instances to densification of surface and subsurface substrates. Subsequently, abiotic-biotic feedbacks start to compete in the sense that biological activity generally stabilizes substrate by preventing particle mobilisation and hence contribute to converting the substrate to a habitat. We suggest that these competing feedbacks may generate alternative stable states in particular under semi-arid and arid climatic conditions, while in temperate often energy limited environments biological process “outcompete” abiotic processes leading to a stable state, in particular from the water balance point of view for comparable geomorphic situations.…
Author: | Christoph HinzORCiD, Wolfgang SchaafORCiDGND, Werner GerwinORCiD |
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URL: | http://meetingorganizer.copernicus.org/EGU2014/EGU2014-12609.pdf |
Title of the source (English): | European Geosciences Union, General Assembly 2014, Vienna, Austria, 27 April – 02 May 2014 |
Publisher: | European Geophysical Society |
Place of publication: | Katlenburg-Lindau |
Document Type: | Conference Proceeding |
Language: | English |
Year of publication: | 2014 |
Comment: | EGU2014-12609 |
Series ; volume number: | Geophysical Research Abstracts ; 16 |
Faculty/Chair: | Zentrale Einrichtungen / Forschungszentrum Landschaftsentwicklung und Bergbaulandschaften (FZLB) |
Fakultät 2 Umwelt und Naturwissenschaften / FG Bodenschutz und Rekultivierung | |
Fakultät 2 Umwelt und Naturwissenschaften / FG Hydrologie | |
Institution name at the time of publication: | Fakultät für Umweltwissenschaften und Verfahrenstechnik (eBTU) / LS Bodenschutz und Rekultivierung |
Fakultät für Umweltwissenschaften und Verfahrenstechnik (eBTU) / LS Hydrologie und Wasserressourcenbewirtschaftung |