Groundwater inflows control patterns and sources of greenhouse gas emissions from streams

Abstract

Headwater streams can be important sources of carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) and methane (CH 4 ) to the atmosphere. However, the influence of groundwater–stream connectivity on the patterns and sources of carbon (C) gas evasion is still poorly understood. We explored these connections in the boreal landscape through a detailed study of a 1.4 km lake outlet stream that is hydrologically fed by multiple topographically driven groundwater input zones. We measured stream and groundwater dissolved organic C (DOC), CO 2 , and CH 4 concentrations every 50 m biweekly during the ice‐free period and estimated in‐stream C gas production through a mass balance model and independent estimates of aquatic metabolism. The spatial pattern of C gas concentrations was consistent over time, with peaks of both CH 4 and CO 2 concentrations occurring after each groundwater input zone. Moreover, lateral C gas inputs from riparian soils were the major source of CO 2 and CH 4 to the stream. DOC mineralization and CH 4 oxidation within the stream accounted for 17–51% of stream CO 2 emissions, and this contribution was the greatest during relatively higher flows. Overall, our results illustrate how the nature and arrangement of groundwater flowpaths can organize patterns of stream C concentrations, transformations, and emissions by acting as a direct source of gases and by supplying organic substrates that fuel aquatic metabolism. Hence, refined assessments of how catchment structure influences the timing and magnitude of groundwater–stream connections are crucial for mechanistically understanding and scaling C evasion rates from headwaters.

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