Spatial Variability of the Hydrochemistry of Shallow Groundwaters and Surface Waters of the Rensdyrbekken: A Case Study of a Permafrost Catchment in Bellsund (SW Spitsbergen, Svalbard)

Lehmann-Konera, S., Zagorski, P., Nowinski, K., Raczynski, K., Frankowski, M., Franczak, L., Dobek, M., Szuminska, D., Ruman, M., Al-Bakain, R., & Polkowska, Z. (2024). Spatial Variability of the Hydrochemistry of Shallow Groundwaters and Surface Waters of the Rensdyrbekken: A Case Study of a Permafrost Catchment in Bellsund (SW Spitsbergen, Svalbard). Land Degradation & Development. online, 1-14. DOI:10.1002/ldr.5028.

Abstract

Progressive climate change may have unpredictable consequences for the Arctic environment. Permafrost catchments off the west coast of Svalbard, described as "thin" and "warm," are particularly sensitive to climate change. The interdisciplinary research on the hydrochemical response of surface and underground water functioning within a small permafrost catchment area focused on the determination of the impact of meteorological conditions (temperature (T), precipitation (P)) on the mean daily discharge (Q), and the lowering of the groundwater table (H). We determined physical and chemical properties (pH and SEC) and concentrations of major elements (Ca, Mg, Na, K) and 23 trace elements (i.a. Cd, Cu, Hg, Pb, Zn) in 280 water samples. The results of the correlation matrix showed that an increase in the average air temperature in the summer of 2021 had a significant impact on the hydrochemistry of both types of waters operating in the catchment. In response to increase in T, the lowering of the H (0.52