Work

Extensive model evaluation for seasonal and spatial dynamics of dissolved oxygen in SWAT+

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: Dissolved oxygen (DO) is a critical indicator of aquatic ecosystem health, but multidecadal trends show a general decline in DO concentrations in riverine ecosystems, highlighting the need to better understand the driving dynamics and improve predictions. This study presents the first implementation of dissolved oxygen (DO) dynamics in SWAT+ (SWAT+DO). A rich dataset of spatially high resolution observed DO data is used to investigate modelled and observed differences in seasonal and spatial DO dynamics related to stream temperature and hydrological conditions. The spatial model performance was improved by introducing a spatially distributed formulation of the parameter and achieved a KGE of 0.73 on a daily resolution without further calibration. The influence of streamflow and stream temperature on DO has strong seasonal and spatial differences. With these findings our study highlights the strengths and limitations of a process-based ecohydrological model, depending on the scale that it is applied on.

Source: Environmental Modelling & Software

DOI: 10.1016/j.envsoft.2026.106959

Authors: Kristin Peters, Jens Kiesel, Luan Farias, Nicola Fohrer

Institutions: Christian-Albrechts-Universität zu Kiel, University of Duisburg-Essen

Language: English

Topic: Hydrology and Watershed Management Studies

Subfield: Water Science and Technology

Field: Environmental Science

Domain: Physical Sciences

SDG: Clean water and sanitation

Open Access status: hybrid

Estimated APC paid: $3,500