Ideas and perspectives: Tracing terrestrial ecosystem water fluxes using hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopes – challenges and opportunities from an interdisciplinary perspective

• Published in: Biogeosciences Vol. 15; no. 21; pp. 6399 - 6415
• Main Authors: Penna, Daniele, Hopp, Luisa, Scandellari, Francesca, Allen, Scott T, Benettin, Paolo, Beyer, Matthias, Geris, Josie, Klaus, Julian, Marshall, John D, Schwendenmann, Luitgard, Volkmann, Till H. M, von Freyberg, Jana, Amin, Anam, Ceperley, Natalie, Engel, Michael, Frentress, Jay, Giambastiani, Yamuna, McDonnell, Jeff J, Zuecco, Giulia, Llorens, Pilar, Siegwolf, Rolf T. W, Dawson, Todd E, Kirchner, James W
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Katlenburg-Lindau Copernicus GmbH 30-10-2018; Copernicus Publications
• Subjects: Agricultural management; Analysis; Distribution; Earth; Ecohydrology; Ecology; Ekologi; Environmental aspects; Environmental science; Fluxes; Fractionation; Heterogeneity; Hydrogen; Hydrogen isotopes; Hydrologic cycle; Interactions; Interdisciplinary aspects; Interdisciplinary research; Interdisciplinary studies; Isotopes; Measurement; Moisture content; Oceanografi, hydrologi, vattenresurser; Oceanography, Hydrology, Water Resources; Oxygen; Oxygen isotopes; Soil; Soil water; Stable isotopes; Terrestrial ecosystems; Tracking; Water cycle; Water resource management; Water resources; Water resources management; Water scarcity; Xylem
• ISSN: 1726-4189; 1726-4170; 1726-4189
• DOI: 10.5194/bg-15-6399-2018

In this commentary, we summarize and build upon discussions that
emerged during the workshop “Isotope-based studies of water partitioning and
plant–soil interactions in forested and agricultural environments” held in
San Casciano in Val di Pesa, Italy, in September 2017. Quantifying and
understanding how water cycles through the Earth's critical zone is important
to provide society and policymakers with the scientific background to manage
water resources sustainably, especially considering the ever-increasing
worldwide concern about water scarcity. Stable isotopes of hydrogen and
oxygen in water have proven to be a powerful tool for tracking water fluxes in
the critical zone. However, both mechanistic complexities (e.g. mixing and
fractionation processes, heterogeneity of natural systems) and methodological
issues (e.g. lack of standard protocols to sample specific compartments,
such as soil water and xylem water) limit the application of stable water
isotopes in critical-zone
science. In this commentary, we examine some of the
opportunities and critical challenges of isotope-based ecohydrological
applications and outline new perspectives focused on interdisciplinary
research opportunities for this important tool in water and environmental
science.