Transit times and rapid chemical equilibrium explain chemostasis in glacial meltwater streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica

TitleTransit times and rapid chemical equilibrium explain chemostasis in glacial meltwater streams in the McMurdo Dry Valleys, Antarctica
Publication TypeJournal Article
Year of Publication2018
AuthorsWlostowski, A, Gooseff, MN, McKnight, DM, W. Lyons, B
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume45
Issue24
Pagination13322 - 13331
Date Published12/2018
Abstract

Fluid  transit  time  is  understood  to  be  an  important  control  on  the  shape  of concentration-discharge (C-q) relationships, yet empirical evidence supporting this linkage is limited. We investigated C-q relationships for weathering-derived solutes across seven Antarctic glacial meltwate streams. We hypothesized that (H1) solute fluxes in McMurdo Dry Valley streams are reaction limited so that C-q relationships are characterized by dilution and that (H2) transit time explains between-stream variability in the degree of C-q dilution. Results show that C-q relationships are chemostatic because solute equilibrium times are shorter than stream corridor fluid transit times. Between-stream variability in the efficiency of solute production is positively correlated with transit time, suggesting that transit time is an important control on the solute export regime. These results provide empirical evidence for the controls on weathering-derived C-q relationships and have important implications for Antarctic ecosystems and solute export regimes of watersheds worldwide.

URLhttps://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1029/2018GL080369
DOI10.1029/2018GL080369
Short TitleGeophys. Res. Lett.