Increases in greenhouse gas concentrations are expected to impact the terrestrial hydrologic cycle through changes in radiative forcings and plant physiological and structural responses. Here, we investigate the nature and frequency of non-stationary hydrological response as evidenced through water balance studies over 166 anthropogenically unaffected catchments in Australia. Non-stationarity of hydrologic response is investigated through analysis of long-term trend in annual runoff ratio (1984-2005). Results indicate that a significant trend (<0.01) in runoff ratio is evident in 20 catchments located in three main ecoregions of the continent. Runoff ratio decreased across the catchments with non-stationary hydrologic response with the exception of one catchment in northern Australia. Annual runoff ratio sensitivity to annual fractional vegetation cover was similar to or greater than sensitivity to annual precipitation in most of the catchments with non-stationary hydrologic response indicating vegetation impacts on streamflow. We use precipitation-productivity relationships as the first-order control for ecohydrologic catchment classification. A total of 12 out of 20 catchments present a positive precipitation-productivity relationship possibly enhanced by CO2 fertilization effect. In the remaining catchments, biogeochemical and edaphic factors may be impacting productivity. Results suggest vegetation dynamics should be considered in exploring causes of non-stationary hydrologic response.
School of Civil and Environmental Engineering, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Department of Environmental Sciences, University of California Riverside, Riverside, CA, United States; Department of Geography and Institute for the Environment, University of North Carolina, Chapel Hill, NC, United States; Climate Change Research Centre, University of New South Wales, Sydney, Australia; Environment and Research Division, Bureau of Meteorology, Canberra, ACT, Australia; Environment and Research Division, Bureau of Meteorology, Melbourne, VIC, Australia; Environment and Research Division, Bureau of Meteorology, Perth, WA, Australia
Recommended Citation:
Ajami H,, Sharma A,, Band L,et al. On the non-stationarity of hydrological response in anthropogenically unaffected catchments: An Australian perspective[J]. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences,2017-01-01,21(1)