Publication Details

Category Text Publication
Reference Category Journals
DOI 10.1002/hyp.15328
Licence creative commons licence
Title (Primary) Concentration-discharge relationships revisited: overused but underutilised?
Author Knapp, J.L.A.; Musolff, A.
Source Titel Hydrological Processes
Year 2024
Department HDG
Volume 38
Issue 11
Page From e15328
Language englisch
Topic T5 Future Landscapes
T4 Coastal System
Keywords catchment hydrology; challenges; concentration discharge relationships; high-frequency
Abstract Over the past 50 years, concentration-discharge (cQ) relationships have been widely used to analyse water quality dynamics. Nowadays improved availability of concentration (c) and discharge (Q) data at different spatial and temporal scales have led to a high popularity of cQ applications. However, despite their widespread use, we see persistent challenges in the integration of cQ relationships across temporal scales, and in the identification of the encoded processes. In this commentary, we show that different catchment processes may lead to similar cQ responses resulting in a lack of clear causality. We emphasise that cQ relationships applied at different time scales integrate different parts of the catchment and may, therefore, convey different information. Finally, we advocate for the careful use of cQ relationship as one, but not the only, tool in addressing ecohydrological questions.
Persistent UFZ Identifier https://www.ufz.de/index.php?en=20939&ufzPublicationIdentifier=29913
Knapp, J.L.A., Musolff, A. (2024):
Concentration-discharge relationships revisited: overused but underutilised?
Hydrol. Process. 38 (11), e15328 10.1002/hyp.15328