Concepts

Redox-stratified and temporally dynamic sediments in river corridors where biological processes mediate sulfur transformations

Concentration-discharge pattern where solute concentrations remain relatively constant across flow conditions, indicated by C-Q slope near zero

The systematic change in isotopic composition of precipitation with elevation due to progressive rainout and temperature effects

Different trajectory of C-Q relationships during rising and falling limbs of hydrographs that indicate differences in timing of hydrological response from surface and subsurface compartments

Subsurface conditions where chemical transport is limited to diffusion rather than advection, creating oxygen-depleted anoxic conditions

Below-normal snowpack conditions that can be caused by lack of winter precipitation (dry) or winter precipitation falling as rain rather than snow (warm)

Spatial and temporal variation in water temperatures that can support diverse aquatic species and provide thermal refugia

Unsaturated zone above the water table where pore spaces contain both air and water

High elevation ridges that separate drainage systems flowing to different oceans

Temperature region roughly between -10 and -20°C where rapid growth of ice into anisotropic plate-like shapes occurs

Upland-embedded wetlands as defined by Smith et al. 1995

Area drained by a river system

Phenomenon where distant seismic events can trigger local fracturing or seismic activity through propagating seismic waves

The component of atmospheric gas dissolved from air bubbles trapped below the water table when it rises during recharge events

High-discharge events that scour stream benthos and reset ecological succession

Peaks and troughs in groundwater level time series representing maximum and minimum water levels

Water-related environmental factors including humidity, rainfall, snow cover, and soil moisture that affect disease transmission and host physiology

More young water released from storage during wet periods than during dry periods

Snowpack condition when snow temperature is uniform at 0°C and entering net seasonal melting cycle

Hydrologic system responses where combined effects of multiple perturbations differ from the sum of individual effects

Diffusion-limited organic-rich deposits that result from river meanders with fine-grained nature producing near-zero rate of water flow

Variations in water quality concentrations due to observed seasonal streamflow fluctuations, with smaller concentrations noted through the 1980-81 period for sampling sites downstream from mine draina...

Spatial fragmentation of snow cover, referring to patchiness conditions