Hydrology on Solid Grounds? Integration Is Key to Closing Knowledge Gaps Concerning Landscape Subsurface Water Storage Dynamics

Research output: Contribution to journalComment/DebateContributedpeer-review

Contributors

  • Sascha E. Oswald - , University of Potsdam (Author)
  • Lisa Angermann - , University of Potsdam (Author)
  • Heye R. Bogena - , Jülich Research Centre (Author)
  • Michael Förster - , Technical University of Berlin (Author)
  • Almudena García-García - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig University (Author)
  • Gunnar Lischeid - , University of Potsdam, Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research (Author)
  • Eva N. Paton - , Technical University of Berlin (Author)
  • Daniel Altdorff - , University of Potsdam, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Sabine Attinger - , University of Potsdam, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Andreas Güntner - , University of Potsdam, Helmholtz Centre Potsdam - German Research Centre for Geosciences (Author)
  • Andreas Hartmann - , Institute of Groundwater Management, Chair of Groundwater Systems, TUD Dresden University of Technology (Author)
  • Harrie Jan Hendricks Franssen - , Jülich Research Centre (Author)
  • Anke Hildebrandt - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Friedrich Schiller University Jena (Author)
  • Birgit Kleinschmit - , Technical University of Berlin (Author)
  • Rene Orth - , University of Freiburg (Author)
  • Jian Peng - , Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research, Leipzig University (Author)
  • Masahiro Ryo - , Leibniz Centre for Agricultural Landscape Research, Helmholtz Centre for Environmental Research (Author)
  • Martin Schrön - , Brandenburg University of Technology (Author)
  • Wolfgang Wagner - , Vienna University of Technology (Author)
  • Thorsten Wagener - , University of Potsdam (Author)

Abstract

Individual approaches to observe water dynamics across our landscape, from the land surface to groundwater, are many though they individually only provide glimpses into the real world due to their specific space–time scales. Comprehensive integration across all available observations is still largely lacking, limiting both our ability to reduce scientific knowledge gaps, and to guide land and water management using the best available scientific evidence. We argue that a stronger focus on integration of observational products, while utilising machine learning and accounting for current perceptual understanding is urgently needed to overcome this limitation. Since Europe is warming faster than any other continent, central Europe is undergoing a dramatic hydroclimatic transition about which such integrated observations would provide timely and valuable insights. Here, we present potential and gaps of current and planned observational methods. We argue that hyperresolution (sub km) integrated estimates of landscape water dynamics are feasible, which could significantly improve our ability to simulate vadose zone and groundwater dynamics, ultimately closing gaps in our current perception of hydrological processes in a temperate region under strong influence from climate change. We close by arguing that an interdisciplinary effort of various scientific communities is needed to enable this advancement.

Details

Original languageEnglish
Article numbere15320
JournalHydrological processes
Volume38
Issue number11
Publication statusPublished - Nov 2024
Peer-reviewedYes

External IDs

ORCID /0000-0003-0407-742X/work/173052328

Keywords

Sustainable Development Goals

ASJC Scopus subject areas

Keywords

  • Central Europe, critical zone, groundwater recharge, observations, scales, subsurface water storage