This study presents a comparison of several interception modelling approaches and their impact on the simulation of discharge, soil moisture content and groundwater level using the Hydrologiska Byråns Vattenbalansavdelning (HBV)-light model. The study was based on 10-year measurements of interception loss in a mature Norway spruce forest. The interception modelled by the subtraction of the constant value from each individual rainfall event was proved to be the most efficient. The root mean square error (RMSE) between observed and simulated discharge increased by 5–6% compared to the reference model run, no differences in the soil moisture were observed and an increase in RMSE of 11% was observed concerning the groundwater level. The transpiration rate was overestimated by 3–5% on average. The study proved that even simple interception models can serve efficiently for hydrological modelling tasks focused on the simulation of particular water fluxes in forested catchments.

The paper summarizes findings about preservation and hydrological conditions of Rokytka Moors situated in the Vydra River headwaters, sw. Czechia. Special attention is paid to the evaluation of their water retention capacity. Due to the significant phenomenon of peat bogs in the study area, the assessment of factors affecting their retention potential represents a component in the discussion on flood protection and measures aimed at increasing runoff in dry periods. The main focus is directed at findings of runoff dynamics dependence on the ground water table in the peatland. Authors thus give attention to the assessment of the Rokytka Moors hydrological function, which represents a typical example of an peat bog in an environment of most of the evaluated parts of Šumava Mts. The research is based on a detailed pedological analysis of the Rokytka Brook catchment, on analysis of an peat bog ground water table time series and on data obtained by monitoring the water stage, discharge respectively, in the profile of the draining stream.

The stable isotope ratios of hydrogen (δ²H) and oxygen (δ¹⁸O) are useful for studying ecohydrological dynamics in forests. However, most isotope-based eco-hydrological studies are limited to single sites, resulting in a lack of large-scale isotope data for understanding tree water uptake. Here, we provide a first systematic isotope dataset for soil and stem xylem water collected during two pan-European sampling campaigns at 40 beech (Fagus sylvatica), spruce (Picea abies), or mixed beech-spruce forest sites in spring and summer 2023 (https://doi.org/10.16904/envidat.542, Lehmann et al., 2024). The dataset is complemented by additional site-, soil-, and tree-specific metadata. The samples and metadata were collected by different researchers across Europe following a standardized protocol. Soil samples were taken at up to 5 depths (ranging from 0 to 90 cm) and stem xylem samples from the trunks of three beech and/or spruce trees per site. All samples were sent to a single laboratory, where all analytical work was conducted. Water was extracted using cryogenic vacuum distillation and analyzed with an isotope laser spectrometer. Additionally, a subset of the samples was analyzed with an isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Data quality checks revealed a high mean total extraction efficiency, mean water amount (>1 mL), accuracy, and precision. The isotopic signature of soil and stem xylem water varied as a function of the geographic origin and changed from spring to summer across all sites. While δ²H and δ¹⁸O were strongly correlated, the soil water data plotted closer to the Global Meteoric Water Line (GMWL) than the stem xylem water. Specifically, the δ²H values of the xylem water were more enriched than those of the soil water, leading to a systematic deviation from the GMWL. Isotopic enrichment of the stem xylem water at mixed forest sites was larger for spruce trees than for beech trees. This dataset is particularly useful for large-scale studies on plant water use, ecohydrological model testing, and isotope mapping across Europe.

A geochemical approach using stable oxygen isotopes was used to understand streamflow generation processes in the highly peaty catchment of the Rokytka Brook in the headwaters of the Vltava River, Czech Republic. The contribution of water from peat bog areas to the total surface runoff was assessed using a hydrological time series, as well as geochemical, hydrochemical and isotope-hydrological approaches for unit hydrogram separation by means of anion deficiency. Using data from the hydrological year 2008, the role of an existing peat bog in the runoff formation dynamics of the Rokytka Brook catchment was determined, and the hydrological cycle was described and assessed using stable ¹⁸O/¹⁶O isotopes. The research findings strongly support the fact that peatland areas within the studied catchment do not significantly communicate hydraulically with surface streams, and their hydrological function in this region is insignificant.

This paper summarizes findings from the hydrological research in the Vydra River headwaters, the Šumava Mts., s-w Czechia, dealing with the hydrological function of local peat soils and their effect on the outflow from the basin. This study represents a part of a long-term research carried out at the Faculty of Science, Charles University in Prague. The paper shows how important it is to study the groundwater level in peat soils and its area in a catchment as well as to predict the outflow in distinct weather conditions. There were chosen four small experimental catchments with different peat and waterlogged forest coverage. Rainfall events were selected in various periods within a year with a varying groundwater level (maximum and minimum) in the peat bog. Within these situations flood wave volumes were calculated and all of them were compared regarding the peat bog extension. The presented research also compares various sources of data about peat soils areas and areas of waterlogged forest.