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Characterizing hydrodynamics on boreal landscapes using archived synthetic aperture radar imagery
Author(s) -
Sass G. Z.,
Creed I. F.
Publication year - 2007
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/hyp.6736
Subject(s) - wetland , environmental science , boreal , biogeochemical cycle , hydrology (agriculture) , land cover , climate change , drainage basin , satellite imagery , physical geography , ecology , land use , remote sensing , geology , geography , geotechnical engineering , biology , cartography
Characterizing the spatial and temporal variation in surface hydrological dynamics of large boreal landscapes is vital, since these patterns define the occurrence of key areas of land‐to‐lake and land‐to‐atmosphere hydrological and biogeochemical linkages that are critical in the movement of matter and energy at local to global scales. However, monitoring surface hydrological dynamics over large geographic extents and over long periods of time is a challenge for hydrologists, as traditional point measurements are not practical. In this study we used European Remote Sensing satellite radar imagery to monitor the variation in surface hydrological patterns over a 12‐year period and to assess the change in the organization of saturated and inundated areas of the landscape. Using the regional Utikuma River drainage basin (2900 km 2 ) as the test area, the analyses of patterns of wetlands indicated that, during dry climatic conditions, wetland sizes were small and disconnected from each other and receiving bodies of water. As climatic conditions changed from dry to mesic, wetland numbers increased but were still disconnected. Very wet climatic conditions were required before the disconnected wetlands coalesced and connected to lakes. During these wet conditions, the response of the lake level at Utikuma Lake was observed to be much higher than under drier conditions. Analyses of individual wetland maps and integrated wetland probability maps have the potential to inform future biogeochemical and ecological investigations and forest management on the Boreal Plain. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.