CGRG Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology
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Author : Brown, K.J.; and Schoups, G.
Date : 2011.
Title : Assessment of Holocene climate change impacts on river discharge in forested watersheds on Vancouver Island, Canada.
Publication : American Geophysical Union (AGU) Fall Meeting 2011. December 5-9, 2011. San Francisco, California. USA.
Issue : GC51H-1118.
Page(s) :
Abstract
Holocene stream flow was reconstructed in two forested watersheds in coastal British Columbia, Canada, using a new approach that combines paleoenvironmental data with hydrological modeling. The study watersheds - San Juan and Koksilah - are juxtaposed across a steep precipitation gradient, with the former located in a moist western region and the latter in a drier eastern region. The reconstruction approach consisted of two steps. First, a simple climate-vegetation-hydrological model was calibrated using modern climate, pollen and stream flow data. Second, the calibrated model was combined with estimates of paleoprecipitation derived using fossil pollen preserved in lake sediment sequences and reported radiation changes to reconstruct stream flow. The results show seasonal variations in stream flow in 500 year increments from 0-10,000 years before present. Both watersheds show an overall trend of increasing stream flow throughout the early Holocene, whereas in the mid Holocene values stabilize in both watersheds. Gradually decreasing stream flow values are evident in both watersheds during the late Holocene, though in the San Juan basin an abrupt increase is observed most recently. The results are in good agreement with other independent indicators of climate history, suggesting that the approach is suitable to assess stream flow sensitivity to changes in climate.
Bibliography of Canadian Geomorphology