Irantzu Lexartza Artza

Connectivity of surface flow under changing land use in the River Don Catchment
Supervisor: Professor John Wainwright

BSc Honours Earth Science, University of Glasgow
MSc International Environmental Science, University of Lund

Research summary

Diffuse sources of sediment and sediment-associated pollutants are increasingly of concern due to the potential negative effects on soils and receiving waters. It is thus important to better understand the quantity, sources, and pathways involved sediment transfer processes across the landscape.

In this context, the aim of this project is to assess the effects that land use changes have on connectivity using the understanding of flow and sediment dynamics in the Don catchment while increasing the knowledge of the role of spatial and temporal factors. The Ingbirchworth catchment is being used as a natural laboratory to monitor processes at different scales. Field studies include qualitative surveys, sediment coring, and a nested monitoring of processes. A modelling approach will then be used to analyse the processes and couple the case study with a geomorphological characterization of the Don Catchment conducted as part of a broader project.

This project is part of the CatSci EST Programme of the Catchment Science Centre

Previous research

MSc Research Project: Assessing the Sustainability of Forestry in the Basque Country: Effects of Management Practices on Soil Conditions in Pinus Radiata Plantations
BSc Research Project: River Profile Response to Uplift: Post-Glacial Rebound and River Profile Morphology in the East Coast of Scotland.

Publications

Bishop, P., Hoey, T.B., Jansen, J.D. and Lexartza Artza, I. (2005). Knickpoint recession rate and catchment area: the case of uplifted rivers in eastern Scotland. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 30(6), 767–778.
doi:10.1002/esp.1191

Contact Details

Address: University of Sheffield, Department of Geography, Winter Street, Sheffield, S10 2TN, UK
Tel: +44 (0)114 222 7914
Fax: +44 (0)114 222 7907
Email: I.LexartzaArtza@Sheffield.ac.uk