March Data in Focus: Stream biogeochemistry at Svartberget Research Station

The SITES 2023 Calendar theme is “Data in Focus”. The openly available data produced within SITES and stored on the SITES Data Portal is the “golden thread” of the infrastructure, allowing users access to ecosystem data that covers diverse habitats and climate zones across geographical gradients in Sweden. Each month follow along as we highlight a unique SITES dataset.  

At Svartberget Research Station, within the Krycklan catchment, hydrological and biogeochemical monitoring takes place across the watershed. The highly instrumented and monitored watershed creates a field platform for ecosystem research with the possibility to study interactions within and between the different parts of the landscape. The SITES calendar post for March displays a part of the field platform; one example of the 19 total V-Notch weirs and flumes installed across the stream network. The weirs are equipped with sensors to measure, e.g. water temperature and stage height. Additionally, water samples are manually collected at the stream locations throughout the year (i.e. twice a week during spring flood, once a month during winter conditions and every second week, during the rest of the year) for biogeochemical analysis, including chemical variables within the SITES Water Thematic Program.      

Link to data: https://meta.fieldsites.se/objects/FE1KELfYkAA3Ch8cGkSIGnfI 

The graph displays dissolved organic carbon (DOC, top line), ammonium (NH₄, middle line) and phosphate (PO₄, bottom line) concentrations measured at Kallkälsbäcken stream measured throughout the year in 2021. The photo shows the V-Notch weir installation at Kallkälsbäcken.