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Dry season source water partitioning in contrasting tropical ecosystems of Costa Rica
  • +5
  • Sánchez-Murillo, R,
  • D. Todini-Zicavo,
  • María Poca,
  • Christian Birkel,
  • Germain Esquivel-Hernandez,
  • M. Chavarría-Díaz,
  • Giulia Zuecco,
  • Daniele Penna
Sánchez-Murillo, R
The University of Texas Arlington Department of Earth and Environmental Sciences

Corresponding Author:ricardo.sanchezmurrillo@uta.edu

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D. Todini-Zicavo
Scuola Universitaria Superiore Pavia
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María Poca
Instituto de Matematica Aplicada San Luis
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Christian Birkel
Universidad de Costa Rica
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Germain Esquivel-Hernandez
Universidad Nacional de Costa Rica
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M. Chavarría-Díaz
Programa de Investigación Área de Conservación Guanacaste (ACG) Guanacaste Costa Rica
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Giulia Zuecco
Universita degli Studi di Padova Dipartimento Territorio e Sistemi Agro-forestali
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Daniele Penna
Department of Agriculture Food Environment and Forestry (DAGRI) University of Florence Florence Italy
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Abstract

Tracer-aided studies to understand source water partitioning in tropical ecosystems are limited. Here we report dry season source water partitioning in five unique ecosystems distributed across Costa Rica in altitudinal (<150-3,400 m asl) and latitudinal (Caribbean and Pacific slopes) gradients: evergreen and seasonal rainforests, cloud forest, Páramo, and dry forest. Soil and plant samples were collected during the dry season (2021). Plant and soil water extractions (triplicates) were conducted using controlled centrifugation. Stem water extraction efficiency and stem water content were calculated via gravimetric measurements. Water source contributions were estimated using a Bayesian mixing model. Isotope ratios in soil and stems exhibited a strong meteoric origin. Enrichment trends were detected mainly in stems and cactus samples within the dry forest ecosystem. Soil profiles revealed nearly uniform isotopic profiles; however, a depletion trend was observed in the Páramo ecosystem below 25 cm depth. More enriched compositions were reported in cactus samples for extracted water volumes above ~20% ( Adj. r2=0.34, p<0.01). The most prominent dry season water source in the evergreen rainforest (74.0%), seasonal rainforest (86.4%), and cloud forest (66.0%) corresponded with soil water. In the Páramo ecosystem, recent rainfall produced by trade wind incursions resulted in the most significant water source (61.9%), whereas in the dry forest, mean annual precipitation (38.6%) and baseflow (33.1%) were the dominant sources. The latter highlights the prevalence of distinct water uptake sources between recent cold front’s rainfall to more well-mixed soil moisture during the dry season.
14 Jun 2022Submitted to Ecohydrology
14 Jun 2022Submission Checks Completed
14 Jun 2022Assigned to Editor
27 Jun 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
27 Jun 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
10 Oct 2022Editorial Decision: Revise Major
14 Nov 20221st Revision Received
14 Nov 2022Submission Checks Completed
14 Nov 2022Assigned to Editor
14 Nov 2022Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
16 Nov 2022Reviewer(s) Assigned
27 Feb 2023Editorial Decision: Revise Minor
28 Feb 20232nd Revision Received
28 Feb 2023Submission Checks Completed
28 Feb 2023Assigned to Editor
28 Feb 2023Review(s) Completed, Editorial Evaluation Pending
03 Mar 2023Editorial Decision: Accept