Network analysis of the Apex River watershed using natural tracers (i.e., dissolved Organic Carbon, Total Dissolved Nitrogen, Oxygen and Hydrogen Isotopes)

Water that flows in rivers comes from different sources (e.g., rain, snow, lake, pond or groundwater). Landscape units such hillslopes, surficial deposits or vegetation cover, affect the movement of water differently. To better understand the influence of the landscape on the course of water, we combined analysis of the water chemistry that give insight about the paths where the water flowed, and measurement of discharge measurements, which allow the amount of water passing through different section of the river to be determined. In this project, using our water sampling and flow monitoring design developed in the Niaqunguk watershed, we combined these analyses to assess where the water that flows in the Apex River throughout the Arctic summer is from and to allow better understanding of how distinct landscape units affect the contribution of the different water sources to the Apex river throughout the Arctic summer.(Jan Franssen and Mlissa Lafrenire are co-Principal Investigators for this project).

河流中流动的水体源自多种补给来源（例如降雨、积雪、湖泊、池塘或地下水）。诸如坡地、地表沉积物或植被覆盖等景观单元，对水体运移过程的影响存在显著差异。为更深入理解景观特征对水体径流过程的影响，我们结合了可揭示水体运移路径的水化学分析，以及可测定河流不同断面过水流量的径流量监测数据。本项目依托在尼亚昆古流域（Niaqunguk watershed）开发的水体采样与流量监测方案，通过整合上述两类分析手段，旨在明确北极夏季埃佩克斯河（Apex River）径流的补给来源，并进一步明晰不同景观单元如何影响各类水源对埃佩克斯河的径流贡献比例。（扬·弗兰森（Jan Franssen）与梅利莎·拉夫雷尼尔（Mlissa Lafrenire）为本项目的共同首席研究员）