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Review: Environmental tracers in arid-zone hydrology

Revue: Traceurs environnementaux en hydrologie des zones arides

Revisión: Trazadores ambientales en la hidrología de zonas áridas

综述: 干旱区水文学中的环境示踪剂

Revisão: Traçadores ambientais em hidrologia de zonas áridas

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Abstract

Application of environmental tracers to arid-zone hydrology over the past several decades is reviewed, with particular reference to the Australian continent. Some notable successes in the application of stable and radio-isotopes include identifying arid-zone groundwater as palaeowaters, understanding the importance of episodicity and of large flood events to recharge, and delineating sources of water to vegetation. Estimating the rates of recharge and discharge have relied to a large extent on chloride and tritium profiles in the unsaturated zone, while radiocarbon and chlorine-36 are used to estimate horizontal flow rates. A number of new research opportunities are suggested. Improved understanding of processes that modify isotopic signatures at the interface zones such as the upper 5 m of the soil zone, the capillary zone, and the discharge zone, are needed to better quantify water fluxes across these zones. Furthermore, linkages between the atmosphere-soil-water-vegetation continuum although qualitatively understood, elude quantitative transfer to a scale commensurate with basin-scale groundwater management. The new generation of improved and more robust stable isotope and radiometric dating techniques, will be invaluable in advancing the science and its application to better management of meagre water resources in dry parts of the world.

Résumé

L’application de traceurs environnementaux à l’hydrologie des zones arides au cours des dernières décades est passée en revue, avec une attention particulière portée au continent australien. Parmi les succès notables de l’application des isotopes stables et des radio-isotopes figurent la caractérisation d’eaux souterraines de zones arides comme eaux fossiles, la compréhension de l’impact de la périodicité et de l’amplitude des événements pluvieux sur la recharge, et le marquage de l’eau par la végétation. L’estimation des taux de recharge et de décharge s’appuie dans une large mesure sur des profils de chlorure et de tritium dans la zone non saturée, tandis que le carbone radioactif et le chlore-36 sont utilisés pour quantifier les flux horizontaux. De nouvelles opportunités de recherche sont proposées. Une meilleure compréhension des processus qui affectent les signatures isotopiques à l’interface de zones telles les 5 m d’horizon supérieur du sol, la zone capillaire et la zone productive, est nécessaire pour mieux quantifier les flux à travers ces zones. D’autre part, les relations dans le continuum atmosphère-sol-eau-végétation, bien que comprises d’un point de vue qualitatif, n’ont pas d’implication quantitative quant à la gestion de l’aquifère souterrain. La nouvelle génération de techniques améliorées et plus fiables de datation radiométrique et par isotopes stables, sera inestimable pour l’avancement de la science et son application à une meilleure gestion des maigres ressources en eau des zones arides du monde.

Resumen

Se revisa la aplicación de trazadores ambientales a la hidrología de zonas áridas a través de varias décadas pasadas, con particular referencia al continente australiano. Algunos de los éxitos notables en la aplicación de isótopos estables y radioisótopos incluyen la identificación del agua subterránea en zonas áridas como paleoaguas, entendiendo la importancia episódica y de eventos de grandes inundación en la recarga, y en la delineación de fuentes de agua para la vegetación. La estimación de los ritmos de recarga y descarga se han basado en gran medida en perfiles de cloruro y tritio en la zona no saturada, mientras radiocarbono y cloro 36 son usados para estimar los ritmos de flujo horizontal. Se sugiere un conjunto de de nuevas oportunidades de investigación. Se necesita una comprensión mejorada de los procesos que modifican las señales isotópicas en las zonas de interfases tales como los 5 m superiores de la zona de suelo, la zona capilar, y la zona de descarga, para cuantificar mejor los flujos de agua a través de estas zonas. Además, aunque cualitativamente entendidas, los vínculos entre el continuo atmósfera, suelo, agua y vegetación, eluden la transferencia cuantitativa en escala conmensurable con el manejo de agua subterránea en escala de cuenca. La nueva generación de mejoradas y más robustas técnicas de datación radiométrica e isótopos estables, será invalorable en el avance de la ciencia y en su aplicación a un mejor manejo de los exiguos recursos de agua en las partes secas del mundo.

摘要

本文以澳大利亚为主要参考区, 评述了过去几十年, 干旱区水文学中环境示踪剂的应用。一些稳定与放射性同位素的成功应用包括: 查明干旱区地下水为古水, 理解补给的周期性及大型洪水对补给的重要性, 以及描绘植被的水源。计算补给与排泄速率很大程度上依赖于非饱和带的氯与氚的分布, 而放射性碳同位素与Cl-36则用于计算水**流速。本文还指出了许多新的研究方向。进一步理解分界面上修**同位素特征的各种过程, 如土壤层的浅部5m、毛细带以及排泄区, 需要定量计算流经这些区域的水通量。此外, 尽管可以定性理解大气-土壤-水-植被连续统一体之间的联系, 却无法将之定量的转移为同规模的流域尺度的地下水管理。改进的、健全的新一代稳定与放射性同位素定年技术, 将为促进学科发展及其在提高全球干旱地区的水资源管理中的应用发挥重大作用。

Resumo

É revista a aplicação de traçadores ambientais em hidrologia de zonas áridas ao longo das últimas décadas, com particular ênfase no continente australiano. Alguns dos exemplos notáveis de sucesso na aplicação de isótopos estáveis e radioactivos incluem a identificação de água subterrânea de zonas áridas como paleoáguas, a compreensão da importância de episódios e eventos de grandes cheias para a recarga e a delineação de origens de água com a vegetação. A estimação de taxas de recarga e descarga tem sido baseada, em grande parte, nos perfis de cloreto e trítio na zona não saturada, enquanto o radiocarbono e o cloro-36 são usados para estimar taxas de fluxo horizontal. São sugeridas novas oportunidades de investigação. O aprofundamento do conhecimento dos processos que modificam as assinaturas isotópicas nas zonas de interface, tais como os 5 m superiores da zona do solo, a zona capilar e a zona de descarga, é necessário para quantificar melhor os fluxos através dessas zonas. Adicionalmente, as ligações entre o contínuo atmosfera-solo-água-vegetação, apesar de estarem quantitativamente entendidas, não contemplam a transferência quantitativa a uma escala proporcional à gestão da água subterrânea à escala da bacia. A nova geração de técnicas de datação, melhoradas e mais robustas, usando isótopos estáveis e medições radiométricas, terá um valor incalculável no avanço da ciência e na sua aplicação à melhoria da gestão de recursos hídricos escassos nas zonas áridas do mundo.

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Acknowledgements

We thank a number of colleagues who, through discussions and long-term collaboration, have contributed to the ideas presented here: including G.B. Allison, R.G. Cresswell, W.M. Edmunds, J.R. Gat, G.A. Harrington, A.J. Love, F.M. Phillips, J.V. Turner, G.R. Walker. Reviews of a previous version of this manuscript by G. Darling, B.R. Scanlon, G.M. Zuppi and C.B. Gaye are gratefully acknowledged.

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Herczeg, A.L., Leaney, F.W. Review: Environmental tracers in arid-zone hydrology. Hydrogeol J 19, 17–29 (2011). https://doi.org/10.1007/s10040-010-0652-7

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