A tracer‐based simulation approach to quantify seasonal dynamics of surface‐groundwater interactions in the Pantanal wetland

A novel tracer-based simulation model reveals significant seasonal dynamics in surface-groundwater interactions within the Pantanal wetland, one of South America's least explored regions. The study quantifies water balance fluxes with a Nash–Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.61, highlighting how flooding regimes, connectivity, and site-specific characteristics like hydraulic conductivity influence these processes. Using a two-year dataset of water levels, stable isotopes, and chloride concentrations, the model demonstrates that evaporation from this vast floodplain may impact continental climate. This is the first field data-based study to quantify such fluxes in the Pantanal, offering critical insights for validating large-scale climate and land cover models, which currently underrepresent these interactions.

Schwerdtfeger, J., Hartmann, A., & Weiler, M. (2016). A tracer‐based simulation approach to quantify seasonal dynamics of surface‐groundwater interactions in the Pantanal wetland. Hydrological Processes, 30(15), 2590–2602. Portico. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.10904