Ecohydrology
The availability and quality of water is arguably one of the most important issues facing our ever- expanding human population. Beyond our own needs, sustainable water resources are essential to the proper functioning of nearly every ecosystem on the planet. Broadly our lab is interested in understanding how climate change influences freshwater resources and ecology, in particular via the loss of the cryosphere resources and shifts in the timing and intensity of flow.
In Kluane Lake, we have examined the historical role of glaciers and changing catchment drainage patterns on Kluane Lake level, turnover, and potential ecosystem effects. Based on our initial work, we hypothesized that the receding Kaskawulsh glacier would eventually stop flowing into Kluane Lake. This happened in 2016. Subsequent work in collaboration with other scientists has focused on the consequences of this loss of precious water.
In the Columbia Basin Headwaters, we are evaluating the role of climate on various ecosystem services such as, water supply, habitat, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity. In this area, glaciers are receding at roughly twice the global average.
In many mountain landscapes we are investigating ways to use hydrochemistry to trace water sources and flowpaths, with an eye to understanding water vulnerabilities and drivers of ecosystem change. Related to this work, we are investigating the role of climate and hydrology on benthic diatom communities.
More recently we have begun examining how storm intensity and the frequency of storms influences sediment and nutrient transport in rivers systems.
In Kluane Lake, we have examined the historical role of glaciers and changing catchment drainage patterns on Kluane Lake level, turnover, and potential ecosystem effects. Based on our initial work, we hypothesized that the receding Kaskawulsh glacier would eventually stop flowing into Kluane Lake. This happened in 2016. Subsequent work in collaboration with other scientists has focused on the consequences of this loss of precious water.
In the Columbia Basin Headwaters, we are evaluating the role of climate on various ecosystem services such as, water supply, habitat, nutrient cycling, and biodiversity. In this area, glaciers are receding at roughly twice the global average.
In many mountain landscapes we are investigating ways to use hydrochemistry to trace water sources and flowpaths, with an eye to understanding water vulnerabilities and drivers of ecosystem change. Related to this work, we are investigating the role of climate and hydrology on benthic diatom communities.
More recently we have begun examining how storm intensity and the frequency of storms influences sediment and nutrient transport in rivers systems.
Publications
**Lukens, E., Neilson, B.T., Williams, K.G., Brahney, J. (2022) Evaluation of hydrograph separation techniques with uncertain end-member composition. Hydrological Processes
Wu. R., Dong, Z., Cheng. X., Brahney, J., Jiao, X., Wu, L. (2022) Heavy metal levels and sources in suspended particulate matters of the glacier watersheds in Northeast Tibetan Plateau. Frontiers in Environmental Science.
*McKnight, E., Swanson, H., Brahney, J., Hik, D. (2021) Spatial and temporal variability of water properties in Yukon’s largest lake: Lhu aan Man (Kluane Lake). Arctic Science
**Clancy, N.G., Brahney, J., Dunnigan, J., Budy, P. (2021) Effects of a diatom ecosystem engineer on stream food webs: implications for native fishes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Brahney, J., Bothwell, M., **Capito, L., Gray, C., Null, S., Menounos, G., Curtis, P.J. (2020) Glacier recession alters stream water quality characteristics facilitating bloom formation in the benthic diatom Didymosphenia geminata. Science of the Total Environment
Elser, J.J, Wu, C., Gonzales, A., Shain, D., Smith, H.J., Sommaruga, R., Williamson, C.E., Brahney, J. , Hotaling, S., Vanderwall, J., Yu, J., Aizen V., Aizen, E., Battin, T.J., Camassa, R., Feng, Xiu., Jiang, H., Lu, L., Qu, J., Ren, Z., Wen, J., Wen, L, Woods, H.A., Xiong, X. Xu, J., Yu, G., Harper, J.T., Saros, J.E. (2020) Rules of life and the fading cryosphere: impacts in alpine lakes and streams. Global Change Biology 26(12), 6644-6656.
Elser, J.J, Wu, C., Gonzales, A., Shain, D., Smith, H.J., Sommaruga, R., Williamson, C.E., Brahney, J., Hotaling, S., Vanderwall, J., Yu, J., Aizen V., Aizen, E., Battin, T.J., Camassa, R., Feng, Xiu., Jiang, H., Lu, L., Qu, J., Ren, Z., Wen, J., Wen, L, Woods, H.A., Xiong, X. Xu, J., Yu, G., Harper, J.T., Saros, J.E. (2020) Rules of life and the fading cryosphere: impacts in alpine lakes and streams. Global Change Biology
φCrawford, J., Hinckley, E.S., Litaor, I, Brahney, J., Neff, J. (2019) Evidence for accelerated weathering and sulfate export in high alpine environments. Environmental Research Letters 14(12), 124092
Kopacek, J., Kana, J., Bicarova, S, Brahney, J., Navratil, T, Norton, S.A., Porcal, P., Stuchlik, E. (2019) Climate change accelerates recovery of the Tatra Mountain lakes from acidification and increases their nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations Aquatic Sciences, 81:70
Moser, K., Baron, J., Brahney, J., *Oleksy, B., Saros, J., Hundy, B., Sadro, S., Kopacek J., Sommaruga, R., Kainz, M., Strecker, A., Chandra, S., Walters, D., Preston, D., Michelutti, N., Lepori, F., Spaulding, S., Hik, D., Christianson, K., Melack, J., Smol, J. (2019). Mountain Lakes: Eyes on Global Environmental Change. Global and Planetary Change (178) 77-95 Invited Review
*Epperly, J., *Witt, A., *Haight, J., *Washko, S., Atwood, T.B., Brahney, J., Brothers, S., Hammill, E. (2018). Relationships between borders, management agencies, and the likelihood of impairment. PLOSOne 13 (9) e0204149 [
Belmont, P., Donovan, M., Brahney, J., Capito, L., Burgert, Z. (2018) Sediment Dynamics in the Bear River-Mud Lake-Bear Lake System. Utah State University. 11-S-2018
Brahney, J., Menounos, B., Wei, A., Curtis., P.J. (2017) Determining annual cryosphere storage contributions to streamflow
using historical hydrometric records. Hydrologic Processes 31(8) 1590-1601
Brahney, J., Weber, F., Foord, V., Janmaat, J., Curtis. P.J. (2017) Evidence for a climate-driven hydrologic regime shift in the
Canadian Columbia Basin. Canadian Water Resources Journal 42(2) 179-192
Brahney, J., Clague, J.J., Edwards, T.W.D., Menounos, B. (2010b) Late Holocene paleohydrology of Kluane Lake,
Yukon Territory, Canada. Journal of Paleolimnology 44(3): 873-885
Brahney, J., Clague, J.J., Edwards, T.W.D., Menounos, B (2008b) Geochemical reconstruction of late Holocene
drainage and mixing in Kluane Lake, Yukon Territory. Journal of Paleolimnology 40(1): 489-505
Brahney, J., Clague, J.J., Menounos, B., Edwards, T.W.D. (2008a) Timing and cause of water level fluctuations in
Kluane Lake, Yukon Territory, over the past 5000 years. Quaternary Research 70: 213-227
Brahney, J. (2014). Water Quality and Quantity in the Columbia Basin: Review and Recommendations. Water Resources partnership
between the Columbia Basin Trust and the University of British Columbia, Okanagan.
**Lukens, E., Neilson, B.T., Williams, K.G., Brahney, J. (2022) Evaluation of hydrograph separation techniques with uncertain end-member composition. Hydrological Processes
Wu. R., Dong, Z., Cheng. X., Brahney, J., Jiao, X., Wu, L. (2022) Heavy metal levels and sources in suspended particulate matters of the glacier watersheds in Northeast Tibetan Plateau. Frontiers in Environmental Science.
*McKnight, E., Swanson, H., Brahney, J., Hik, D. (2021) Spatial and temporal variability of water properties in Yukon’s largest lake: Lhu aan Man (Kluane Lake). Arctic Science
**Clancy, N.G., Brahney, J., Dunnigan, J., Budy, P. (2021) Effects of a diatom ecosystem engineer on stream food webs: implications for native fishes. Canadian Journal of Fisheries and Aquatic Sciences
Brahney, J., Bothwell, M., **Capito, L., Gray, C., Null, S., Menounos, G., Curtis, P.J. (2020) Glacier recession alters stream water quality characteristics facilitating bloom formation in the benthic diatom Didymosphenia geminata. Science of the Total Environment
Elser, J.J, Wu, C., Gonzales, A., Shain, D., Smith, H.J., Sommaruga, R., Williamson, C.E., Brahney, J. , Hotaling, S., Vanderwall, J., Yu, J., Aizen V., Aizen, E., Battin, T.J., Camassa, R., Feng, Xiu., Jiang, H., Lu, L., Qu, J., Ren, Z., Wen, J., Wen, L, Woods, H.A., Xiong, X. Xu, J., Yu, G., Harper, J.T., Saros, J.E. (2020) Rules of life and the fading cryosphere: impacts in alpine lakes and streams. Global Change Biology 26(12), 6644-6656.
Elser, J.J, Wu, C., Gonzales, A., Shain, D., Smith, H.J., Sommaruga, R., Williamson, C.E., Brahney, J., Hotaling, S., Vanderwall, J., Yu, J., Aizen V., Aizen, E., Battin, T.J., Camassa, R., Feng, Xiu., Jiang, H., Lu, L., Qu, J., Ren, Z., Wen, J., Wen, L, Woods, H.A., Xiong, X. Xu, J., Yu, G., Harper, J.T., Saros, J.E. (2020) Rules of life and the fading cryosphere: impacts in alpine lakes and streams. Global Change Biology
φCrawford, J., Hinckley, E.S., Litaor, I, Brahney, J., Neff, J. (2019) Evidence for accelerated weathering and sulfate export in high alpine environments. Environmental Research Letters 14(12), 124092
Kopacek, J., Kana, J., Bicarova, S, Brahney, J., Navratil, T, Norton, S.A., Porcal, P., Stuchlik, E. (2019) Climate change accelerates recovery of the Tatra Mountain lakes from acidification and increases their nutrient and chlorophyll a concentrations Aquatic Sciences, 81:70
Moser, K., Baron, J., Brahney, J., *Oleksy, B., Saros, J., Hundy, B., Sadro, S., Kopacek J., Sommaruga, R., Kainz, M., Strecker, A., Chandra, S., Walters, D., Preston, D., Michelutti, N., Lepori, F., Spaulding, S., Hik, D., Christianson, K., Melack, J., Smol, J. (2019). Mountain Lakes: Eyes on Global Environmental Change. Global and Planetary Change (178) 77-95 Invited Review
*Epperly, J., *Witt, A., *Haight, J., *Washko, S., Atwood, T.B., Brahney, J., Brothers, S., Hammill, E. (2018). Relationships between borders, management agencies, and the likelihood of impairment. PLOSOne 13 (9) e0204149 [
Belmont, P., Donovan, M., Brahney, J., Capito, L., Burgert, Z. (2018) Sediment Dynamics in the Bear River-Mud Lake-Bear Lake System. Utah State University. 11-S-2018
Brahney, J., Menounos, B., Wei, A., Curtis., P.J. (2017) Determining annual cryosphere storage contributions to streamflow
using historical hydrometric records. Hydrologic Processes 31(8) 1590-1601
Brahney, J., Weber, F., Foord, V., Janmaat, J., Curtis. P.J. (2017) Evidence for a climate-driven hydrologic regime shift in the
Canadian Columbia Basin. Canadian Water Resources Journal 42(2) 179-192
Brahney, J., Clague, J.J., Edwards, T.W.D., Menounos, B. (2010b) Late Holocene paleohydrology of Kluane Lake,
Yukon Territory, Canada. Journal of Paleolimnology 44(3): 873-885
Brahney, J., Clague, J.J., Edwards, T.W.D., Menounos, B (2008b) Geochemical reconstruction of late Holocene
drainage and mixing in Kluane Lake, Yukon Territory. Journal of Paleolimnology 40(1): 489-505
Brahney, J., Clague, J.J., Menounos, B., Edwards, T.W.D. (2008a) Timing and cause of water level fluctuations in
Kluane Lake, Yukon Territory, over the past 5000 years. Quaternary Research 70: 213-227
Brahney, J. (2014). Water Quality and Quantity in the Columbia Basin: Review and Recommendations. Water Resources partnership
between the Columbia Basin Trust and the University of British Columbia, Okanagan.