The drowned soil: effects of an Icelandic hydropower reservoir on the soil carbon resource after 24 years of flooding

Summary

Increasing energy demand propels the construction of river dams and reservoirs for hydropower, raising concerns about environmental and societal ramifications. Ecological effects like river fragmentation, habitat loss, biodiversity decline, and disruptions of biogeochemical cycles have been addressed for several decades. The impact of water impoundment on submerged soils, particularly carbon stocks, is of growing interest. Studies reveal both increases and decreases of carbon stocks in submerged soils, depending on factors such as substrate resilience, water level fluctuations, soil type and submergence duration. This study examines the effects of 24 years of water impoundment on properties of organic and mineral constituents in Andosols under the Blöndulón hydroelectric reservoir in Icela