LTER Zöbelboden, Austria, Runoff Water Chemistry, 2012

Runoff water chemistry was measured at two measuring weirs “Zöbelgraben” (SCODE = 0551) and “Wilder Graben” (SCODE = 0552) in the karst catchment area “Zöbelboden”, Austria. The catchment area can be divided into steep slopes (30–70°) from 550–850 m a.s.l. and a plateau (850–950 m a.s.l.) on the top of the mountain. The main rock type is dolomite (Hauptdolomit), which is partly overlain by limestone (Plattenkalk). Due to the predominant dolomite, the catchment is not as heavily karstified as limestone karst systems, but shows typical karst features such as conduits and sink holes. Chromic Cambisols and Hydromorphic Stagnosols with an average thickness of 50 cm and Lithic and Rendzic Leptosols with an average thickness of 12 cm can be found at the plateau and the slopes, respectively (WRB, 2006). Runoff was sampled weekly with a plastic water canister.