![Professor Christopher Soulsby Professor Christopher Soulsby](/img/200x200/staffpages/uploads/geo290/chris-soulsby.jpg)
DSc, PhD, Fellow American Geophysical Union
Chair in Hydrology
- About
-
- Email Address
- c.soulsby@abdn.ac.uk
- Telephone Number
- +44 (0)1224 272344
- School/Department
- School of Geosciences
Biography
- Fellow of the American Geophysical Union; since 2013
- 2010-2014: Head of School of Geosciences
- 2008: Founding member and Director of the Northern Rivers Institute, School of Geosciences, University of Aberdeen
- 2005 DSc, University of Aberdeen, School of Geosciences “Hydrological pathways, biogeochemical interactions and ecological responses in catchment systems: towards a scientific basis for sustainable management”
- 1999 Professor of Hydrology, School of Geoscience, University of Aberdeen.
- 1997-99 Senior Lecturer, Department of Geography, University of Aberdeen.
- 1993-97 Lecturer, Department of Geography, University of Aberdeen.
- 1991-93 Hydrologist, Environment Agency, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
- 1991 Research Fellow in Hydrology, University of Wales, (Bangor).
- 1990-91 Lecturer, Department of Geographical Sciences, University of Plymouth.
- 1987-90 PhD, University of Wales, University College, Swansea: PhD in Hydrology, Thesis (1991) "Hydrological pathways, aluminium mobilization and streamwater acidity in an afforested catchment in upland Wales." 380pp.
External Memberships
International
- Associate Editor, Hydrological Processes
- Editorial Board of Journal of Hydrology
- Editorial Board of Hydrology and Earth System Sciences
- Theme leader in Process Conceptualization – International Association of Hydrological Sciences (IAHS) Initiative in Prediction in Ungauged Basins (PUB).
- Vice President, International Commission on Tracers, International Association of Hydrological Sciences (2003).
- Member of Water Operations Technical Support advisory group for the US Army Corps of Engineers (2003).
- Member of FRIEND 5 international working group on Hydrological and biogeochemical processes in a changing environment (2001).
- Science Review Panel of Aquatic Habitat Matrix, US National Marine Fisheries Service (2000)
National
- International Association of Hydrological Sciences Prediction in Ungauged Basins Initiative - UK Working Group.
- Hydromorphology Working Group, Scottish Environment Protection Agency (2004-)
- Advisory Board, River Restoration Centre, Cranfield (2000-02 )
- Committee Member of the British Hydrological Society (1996-99)
- Member of Scottish Environment Protection Agency Task Group on Habitat Enhancement Initiative (1998-99)
- Member of SNH Advisory Group on the Re-introduction of Beavers (1999)
- Member of St Fergus Dunes Management Committee (1994-97)
Membership of Professional Bodies
- International Association of Hydrological Sciences
- European Geophysical Society
- American Geophysical Union
- British Hydrological Society
- Fisheries Society of the British Isles
- Royal Geographical Society
- British Geomorphological Research Group
- Research
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Research Overview
Runoff processes, streamflow generation and catchment biogeochemistry
- Use of isotopic and geochemical tracers in identifying hydrological pathways, water sources, residence times and biogeochemical controls on stream chemistry.
- Linkages between hillslope hydrology and streamflow generation.
- Integrating the results of tracer studies in hydrological models.
- Upscaling flow path understanding and landscape controls in mesoscale catchments
Groundwater – surface water interactions
- Groundwater-surface water interactions in upland environments.
- Linkages between hillslope hydrology and groundwater – surface water exchange.
- Hyporheic studies: influence of groundwater on the chemistry and ecology of the hyporheic zone.
- Groundwater-surface water interactions in alluvial floodplains.
Hydroecology of rivers and wetlands
- Interactions between flow variability, channel morphology, instream hydraulics and freshwater ecosystems; particularly with respect to salmonids and macroinvertebrates.
- Impacts of river regulation on aquatic ecosystems and the development of environmental flow regimes.
- Hydrology and conservation management of wetlands.
Current Research
Research Projects (Include)
- Streamflow generation in catchment systems
Examination of mechanisms of streamflow generation in different types of catchments at contrasting scales is an ongoing research theme. Our particular interests are the flow paths that water takes through catchments, the length of time taken to reach river channels and the biogeochemical processes that it is subjected to. We integrate insights from field experiments and modelling studies in our work. A key theme is the use of environmental tracers, including stable isotopes, in understanding patterns of water movement. A main thrust of recent research has been based on the Catchment Hydrology And Sustainable Management (CHASM) initiative funded by NERC/JIF and based in the 225km2 river Feshie catchment in the Cairngorms. This prompted comparative studies in the 31km2 Girnock catchment and the 230km2 in the Feugh catchment, in collaboration with Dr Susan Waldron of the University of Glasgow. This work had the objective of identifying landscape controls on catchment behaviour at the regional scale and involved Dr Doerthe Tetzlaff in extensive use of GIS analysis.
- Integrating tracers and modelling in catchment hydrology
Building from work in the Allt a' Mharcaidh catchment in the western Cairngorms, we have strong interests in integrating the findings of tracer studies in catchment modelling. This ranges from simple rainfall runoff models to semi-distrbuted catchments. Tracers can provide independent means of testing such models. A current theme, involving Dr Doerthe Tetzlaff and Dr Sarah Dunn at the Macaulay Institute, is applying such approaches at larger spatial scales in the Feshie, Feugh and Girnock catchments in the Cairngorms.
- Groundwater - surface water interactions in upland catchments
We have a long standing interest in the role of groundwater in influencing the hydrology, chemistry and ecology of upland streams and rivers. This mostly involves the examination of shallow groundwater systems in drifts and fractured bedrock and has used both tracers and hydrometric approaches to increase insights into the complex processes involved. Recent initiatives have involved collaboration with Dr Iain Malcolm at the Freshwater Laboratory in Pitlochry to identify the locations of groundwater discharge in the Girnock catchment in the Cairngoms. Further a field we are working with Atul Haria (Centre for Ecology and Hydrology) and Paul Shand (British Geological Survey) on their dense borehole arrays on their hillslope at the CEH Plynlimon catchments in Mid-Wales.
- Hydroecology of the hyporheic zone
The physical, chemical and ecological significance of the hyporheic zone is being investigated in a number of streams to ascertain; (a) spatial variation in groundwater inputs into stream channels, (b) the effects on streamwater chemistry and (c) the consequences for aquatic organisms. The dynamic nature of the hyporheic zone is also being examined, particularly with respect to the impact on salmonid embryo mortalities and macroinvertebrate communities. This work is collaborative with Dr Iain Malcolm and Alan Youngson of the FRS-Freshwater Laboratory in Pitlochry.
- Habitat hydraulics and thermal regimes in salmon spawning rivers
The influence of in-stream hydraulics on salmon habitats is being investigated in relation to spawning activities and the provision of food to juvenile fish. This work also heavily involves Dr’s Chris Gibbins and Doerthe Tetzlaff . In addition to hydraulic characterization of different habitats by field monitoring, advanced numerical modelling techniques are being explored in conjunction with Dr’s Iain McEwan and Dubravka Pokrajac in the Department of Engineering at the University of Aberdeen. The importance of stream temperature as a physical aspect of ecological habitats in salmon rivers is also a research topic, currently undertaken collaboratively with Dr David Hannah of the University of Birmingham. We are also interested how such hydraulic conditions and thermal regimes are affected by river regulation and have recently carried out projects on the heavily regulated River Lyon in Perthshire and the River Ehen in Cumbria. The influence that management has on other groups of species in salmon rivers – such as macroinvertebrates and freshwater pearl mussels – has also been a focus of research.
- Management of wetlands
Conservation objectives in wetlands ranging from lowland raised bogs in Scotland to seasonal flood plain wetlands in Africa, often involve hydrological assessment for rehabilitation. This reflects the impact of activities such as drainage and deforestation which have affected former hydrological regimes. We have carried out extensive research in Scotland on lowland raised bogs such as Moine Mhor in Argyll. Our major current initiative focuses on the wetlands of Kasanka National Park in Zambia. With funding from the Darwin Initiative, and in collaboration with Professor Paul Racey (School of Biological Sciences, University of Aberdeen), Dr Glenn Iason (Macaulay Institute) and Post-Doctoral Research Fellow Dr Mike Kennedy we are examining the hydrological functioning of a range of wetlands – which support high levels of biodiversity – with a view to developing plans for their sustainable management.
Research Students (PhD)
Ongoing:
- B. Scheliga (Start 2015) Surface water and groundwater interactions in northern landscapes. (with Profs D. Tetzlaff and G. Nuetzmann)
- B. Buddendorf (start 2014) Multiscale modelling to assess to impacts on flows and ecology in regulated rivers (with Dr Iain Malcolm, Dr J Geris and Dr M Wilkinson).
- L. Fabris (start 2014) Modelling the effects of flows and temperatures on Atlantic salmon; opportunities for Atlantic salmon (with Dr Iain Malcolm, D Tetzlaff)
- C. Tunaley, PhD (start 2013): High frequency processes in upland catchments (with D Tetzlaff)
- M. Blumstock (start 2013) Connectivity and storage in riparian zones (with Profs D. Tetzlaff and G. Nuetzmann)
- A. Peralta Tapia Peralta (start 2011) Hydrological transit times in Boreal catchments. (with Profs H. Laudon, J. Seibert and D Tetzlaff)
- Publications
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Page 1 of 8 Results 1 to 50 of 393
Coupled water-carbon modelling in data-limited sites: a new approach to explore future agroforestry scenarios
Biogeosciences DiscussionsContributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2024-2258
Long-term drought effects on landscape water storage and recovery under contrasting landuses
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 636, 131339Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2024.131339
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Integrated monitoring and modeling to disentangle the complex spatio-temporal dynamics of urbanized streams under drought stress
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, vol. 196, no. 6, 560Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s10661-024-12666-3
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Hydroclimatic non-stationarity drives stream hydrochemistry dynamics through controls on catchment connectivity and water ages
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 635, 131214Contributions to Journals: ArticlesThe ecohydrology of rewilding: A pressing need for evidence in the restoration of upland Atlantic salmon streams
Hydrological Processes, vol. 38, no. 5, e15142Contributions to Journals: Comments and Debates- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.15142
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/23886/1/Soulsby_etal_HP_The_Ecohydrology_of_VOR.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Assessing impacts of alternative land use strategies on water partitioning, storage and ages in drought-sensitive lowland catchments using tracer-aided ecohydrological modelling
Hydrological Processes, vol. 38, no. 4, e15126Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.15126
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/23645/1/Luo_etal_HP_Assessing_Impacts_of_VOR.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Assessing the impact of drought on water cycling in urban trees via in-situ isotopic monitoring of plant xylem water
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 633, 131020Contributions to Journals: ArticlesQuantifying intra- and inter-annual dynamics of river-floodplain connectivity and wetland inundation with remote sensing and wavelet analysis
Hydrological Processes, vol. 38, no. 4, e15137Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSix decades of ecohydrological research connecting landscapes and riverscapes in the Girnock Burn, Scotland: Atlantic salmon population and habitat dynamics in a changing world
Hydrological Processes, vol. 38, no. 3, e15105Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEnvironmental DNA, hydrochemistry and stable water isotopes as integrative tracers of urban ecohydrology
Water research, vol. 250, 121065Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2023.121065
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Developing a conceptual model of groundwater – surface water interactions in a drought sensitive lowland catchment using multi-proxy data
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 628, 130550Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.130550
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Time variable effectiveness and cost-benefits of different nature-based solution types and design for drought and flood management
Nature-Based Solutions, vol. 3, 100050Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEffects of 66 years of water management and hydroclimatic change on the urban hydrology and water quality of the Panke catchment, Berlin, Germany
Science of the Total Environment, vol. 900, 165764Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2023.165764
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Integrating Tracers and Soft Data Into Multi-Criteria Calibration: Implications From Distributed Modeling in a Riparian Wetland
Water Resources Research, vol. 59, no. 11, e2023WR035509Contributions to Journals: ArticlesImproved understanding of vegetation dynamics and wetland ecohydrology via monthly UAV-based classification
Hydrological Processes, vol. 37, no. 9, e14988Contributions to Journals: ArticlesAssessing land use effects on ecohydrological partitioning in the critical zone through isotope-aided modelling
Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, vol. 10, no. 1, 10Contributions to Journals: ArticlesHigh-resolution in situ stable isotope measurements reveal contrasting atmospheric vapour dynamics above different urban vegetation
Hydrological Processes, vol. 37, no. 9, e14989Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.14989
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/22110/1/Ring_etal_HP_High-Resolution_VOR.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Synoptic water isotope surveys to understand the hydrology of large intensively managed catchments
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 623, 129817Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129817
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Quantifying changes and trends of NO3 concentrations and concentration-discharge relationships in a complex, heavily managed, drought-sensitive river system
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 622, no. Part A, 129750Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2023.129750
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Tracer-aided ecohydrological modelling across climate, land cover, and topographical gradients in the tropics
Hydrological Processes, vol. 37, no. 5, e14884Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEvaluating Groundwater Nitrate Status across the River Ythan Catchment (Scotland) following Two Decades of Nitrate Vulnerable Zone Designation
Environments, vol. 10, no. 4, 67Contributions to Journals: ArticlesIntegrated ecohydrological hydrometric and stable water isotope data of a drought-sensitive mixed land use lowland catchment
Earth System Science Data, vol. 15, no. 4, pp. 1543-1554Contributions to Journals: ArticlesCity-wide, high-resolution mapping of evapotranspiration to guide climate-resilient planning
Remote Sensing of Environment, vol. 287, 113487Contributions to Journals: ArticlesQuantifying heterogeneity in ecohydrological partitioning in urban green spaces through the integration of empirical and modelling approaches
Environmental Monitoring and Assessment, vol. 195, no. 4, 468Contributions to Journals: ArticlesUpscaling Tracer-Aided Ecohydrological Modeling to Larger Catchments: Implications for Process Representation and Heterogeneity in Landscape Organization
Water Resources Research, vol. 59, no. 3, e2022WR033033Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEnhancing urban runoff modelling using water stable isotopes and ages in complex catchments
Hydrological Processes, vol. 37, no. 2, e14814Contributions to Journals: ArticlesAssessing the role of location and scale of Nature Based Solutions for the enhancement of low flows
International Journal of River Basin Management, vol. 21, no. 4, pp. 743–758Contributions to Journals: ArticlesHydraulic resistance of artificial vegetation patches in aligned and staggered configurations
Journal of Hydraulic Research, vol. 61, no. 2, pp. 220-232Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/00221686.2023.2180445
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Using stable water isotopes to understand ecohydrological partitioning under contrasting land uses in a drought-sensitive rural, lowland catchment
Hydrological Processes, vol. 36, no. 12, e14779Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEffects of passive-storage conceptualization on modeling hydrological function and isotope dynamics in the flow system of a cockpit karst landscape
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, vol. 26, no. 21, pp. 5515-5534Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEvaluating satellite-derived soil moisture data for improving the internal consistency of process-based ecohydrological modelling
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 614, no. Part A, 128462Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.128462
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
The imprint of hydroclimate, urbanization and catchment connectivity on the stable isotope dynamics of a large river in Berlin, Germany
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 613, 128335Contributions to Journals: ArticlesSeasonal variations in soil–plant interactions in contrasting urban green spaces: Insights from water stable isotopes
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 612, no. Part A, 127998Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2022.127998
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Tracer-aided identification of hydrological and biogeochemical controls on in-stream water quality in a riparian wetland
Water research, vol. 222, 118860Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.watres.2022.118860
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Identifying Dominant Processes in Time and Space: Time-Varying Spatial Sensitivity Analysis for a Grid-Based Nitrate Model
Water Resources Research, vol. 58, no. 8, e2021WR031149Contributions to Journals: ArticlesModelling temporal variability of in situ soil water and vegetation isotopes reveals ecohydrological couplings in a riparian willow plot
Biogeosciences, vol. 19, no. 9, pp. 2465-2485Contributions to Journals: ArticlesAssessing land use influences on isotopic variability and stream water ages in urbanising rural catchments
Isotopes in Environmental and Health Studies, vol. 58, no. 3, pp. 277-300Contributions to Journals: ArticlesXylem water in riparian willow trees (Salix alba) reveals shallow sources of root water uptake by in situ monitoring of stable water isotopes
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, vol. 26, no. 8, pp. 2073-2092Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2073-2022
- [OPEN ACCESS] http://aura.abdn.ac.uk/bitstream/2164/18858/1/Landgraf_et_al_Xylem_water_HESS.pdf
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Critical Zone Response Times and Water Age Relationships Under Variable Catchment Wetness States: Insights Using a Tracer-Aided Ecohydrological Model
Water Resources Research, vol. 58, no. 4, e2021WR030584Contributions to Journals: ArticlesEstimates of water partitioning in complex urban landscapes with isotope-aided ecohydrological modelling
Hydrological Processes, vol. 36, no. 3, e14532Contributions to Journals: ArticlesUsing water age to explore hydrological processes in contrasting environments
Hydrological Processes, vol. 36, no. 3, e14524Contributions to Journals: Comments and DebatesFunctional Multi-Scale Integration of Agricultural Nitrogen-Budgets Into Catchment Water Quality Modeling
Geophysical Research Letters, vol. 49, no. 4, e2021GL096833Contributions to Journals: ArticlesVisualizing catchment-scale spatio-temporal dynamics of storage-flux-age interactions using a tracer-aided ecohydrological model
Hydrological Processes, vol. 36, no. 2, e14460Contributions to Journals: ArticlesDisentangling the Influence of Landscape Characteristics, Hydroclimatic Variability and Land Management on Surface Water NO3-N Dynamics: Spatially Distributed Modeling Over 30 yr in a Lowland Mixed Land Use Catchment
Water Resources Research, vol. 58, no. 2, e2021WR030566Contributions to Journals: ArticlesBritish and Irish rivers
Rivers of Europe. Tockner, K., Zarfl, C., Robinson, C. T. (eds.). 2nd edition edition. Elsevier, pp. 547-591, 45 pagesChapters in Books, Reports and Conference Proceedings: Chapters- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/B978-0-08-102612-0.00010-9
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Hydroclimatic variability and riparian wetland restoration control the hydrology and nutrient fluxes in a lowland agricultural catchment
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 603, no. Part B, 126904Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126904
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Using StorAge Selection (SAS) functions to understand flow paths and age distributions in contrasting karst groundwater systems
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 602, 126785Contributions to Journals: Articles- [ONLINE] DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2021.126785
- [ONLINE] View publication in Scopus
Combining static and portable Cosmic Ray Neutron Sensor data to assess catchment scale heterogeneity in soil water storage and their integrated role in catchment runoff response
Journal of Hydrology, vol. 601, 126659Contributions to Journals: ArticlesIsotope hydrology and water sources in a heavily urbanized stream
Hydrological Processes, vol. 35, no. 10, e14377Contributions to Journals: ArticlesStructural changes to forests during regeneration affect water flux partitioning, water ages and hydrological connectivity: Insights from tracer-aided ecohydrological modelling
Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, vol. 25, no. 9, pp. 4861–4886Contributions to Journals: Articles