

A secondary objective is to assess whether the concept of coherence can be applied in the watershed context by examining patterns of hydrochemistry at the stream outlet. The objective of this research is to determine the extent of DOC export synchrony in these forested environments, and to what extent is this synchrony varied by season. Coherence is a framework of examining if adjacent spatial units change synchronously or asynchronously through time which has been widely applied in the context of lentic hydrochemistry.

Short-term temporal dynamics at these interfaces may constitute the majority of annual turnover and transport of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), a substantial term in the carbon cycle. In particular, within forested landscapes, interfaces between aquatic and terrestrial boundaries have been identified as key controls on ecosystem-scale carbon dynamics due to the disproportionately high processing rates at these locations. The wide range of forested landscapes in boreal environments store and cycle substantial amounts of carbon, although the capacity of these systems to act as either a carbon sink or source is uncertain under a changing climate.
