Hydrology articles within Nature Communications

Featured

  • Article
    | Open Access

    El Niño and La Niña (ENSO) events influence global river flow and are often used as an early indicator of potential flooding. Here, the authors show that the probability of ENSO-driven flood hazard is more complex than is often perceived, and highlight the importance of considering hydrological response.

    • R. Emerton
    • , H. L. Cloke
    •  & F. Pappenberger

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Bioaerosols may be generated when bubbles break on the surface of water, but it is unclear if this mechanism works with soil-based microbes. Here, the authors show that soil bacteria may be transferred from the soil surface and dispersed by raindrops.

    • Young Soo Joung
    • , Zhifei Ge
    •  & Cullen R. Buie

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Point measurements have historically been used to assess salt marsh vulnerability; however, these metrics do not integrate over the necessary spatiotemporal scales. Here, the authors show that two geomorphic-based, spatiotemporally integrative metrics reveal vulnerability not captured by traditional metrics.

    • Neil K. Ganju
    • , Zafer Defne
    •  & Luca Carniello

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Forests impact continental-scale moisture recycling, but their impact on regional-scale cloud cover is little known. Here, using satellite observations, Teulinget al. illustrate enhanced cloud cover over regional forested areas in western Europe due to the establishment of a forest-breeze circulation.

    • Adriaan J. Teuling
    • , Christopher M. Taylor
    •  & Jordi Vilà-Guerau de Arellano

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Surface meltwater draining to the bed of the Greenland Ice Sheet each summer causes ice flow changes inconsistent with the prevailing theory of channelizing subglacial drainage. Here, the authors show this is caused by limited, gradual leakage of water from previously ignored weakly connected regions of the bed.

    • Matthew J. Hoffman
    • , Lauren C. Andrews
    •  & Blaine Morriss

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Lakes play a key role in our ecosystems and thus it is vital to understand their distribution and volume. Here, the authors present a new global lake database (HydroLAKES) and develop a new geo-statistical model to show global lake area, shoreline length, water volume and hydraulic residence times.

    • Mathis Loïc Messager
    • , Bernhard Lehner
    •  & Oliver Schmitt

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Megacities rely on groundwater from aquifers that may be over-exploited and be at risk of contamination. Khan et al. evaluate the complex aquifers supplying Dhaka, Bangladesh and show that extensive groundwater pumping could lead to unpredictable future arsenic contamination in deep aquifers outside the city.

    • Mahfuzur R. Khan
    • , Mohammad Koneshloo
    •  & Holly A. Michael

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Recent samples have shown that the Moon's interior, previously thought to be anhydrous, contains water, yet how this water was delivered is unclear. Here, using isotopic analyses and modelling, Barnes et al. show that carbonaceous chondrite-type objects delivered >80% of the Moon's bulk water.

    • Jessica J. Barnes
    • , David A. Kring
    •  & Sara S. Russell

  • Article |

    The effects of forests on water yield are uncertain, with some studies indicating that increased evapotranspiration reduces water yield and other showing that forests increase it. Here, the authors analyse published data to settle this debate, finding that afforestation has a positive effect on water yield.

    • Guoyi Zhou
    • , Xiaohua Wei
    •  & Yongxian Su

  • Article
    | Open Access

    Extreme winter flooding has caused devastation across Europe in recent years, highlighting the need for improved forecasts. Here, the authors show that the use of water vapour transport, rather than precipitation in weather prediction models, can extend the forecast horizon by as much as 3 days.

    • David A. Lavers
    • , Florian Pappenberger
    •  & Ervin Zsoter

  • Article |

    The delivery of meltwater to the base of the Greenland Ice Sheet has been shown to regulate ice flow, yet the role of soft basal sediment is unknown. Here, the authors use a three-dimensional ice sheet model to assess the impact of seasonal meltwater delivery on subglacial sediment shear strength and ice flow.

    • M. Bougamont
    • , P. Christoffersen
    •  & S. P. Carter

  • Article |

    Lakes play an important role in the global carbon cycle and understanding their organic matter cycling is vital. Kellerman et al.apply an ultrahigh-resolution technique to 120 lakes across Sweden and show that the molecular composition is shaped by water dynamics and temperature.

    • Anne M. Kellerman
    • , Thorsten Dittmar
    •  & Lars J. Tranvik

  • Article |

    The long-term hydroclimate variability in Amazonia and its influence on biodiversity remain poorly understood. Here, new speleothem oxygen isotope records characterize spatial–temporal changes in precipitation and provide new insights to understanding the west–east contrasting pattern of biodiversity in Amazonia.

    • Hai Cheng
    • , Ashish Sinha
    •  & Augusto S. Auler

  • Article |

    Global vegetation models are too coarse to predict climate change effects at the hillslope level. Using high-resolution LiDAR, the authors explore the three-dimensional structure and vegetation of an African savanna, and suggest that finer hydrogeomorphological features will shape future climate effects.

    • Shaun R. Levick
    • , Gregory P. Asner
    •  & David E. Knapp

Browse broader subjects

Browse Hydrology across other nature.com journals