The main objective of SUPREHILL project is to form a new research group and to establish agricultural hillslope critical zone observatory (CZO), in order to quantify soil water subsurface preferential flow and non-linear agrochemical transport processes, as a fundamental starting point for a variety of future agricultural and environmental research in the region. Research will be focused on a local scale processes, which will be investigated using extensive sensor-based equipment at the experimental site, supported by novel laboratory and numerical quantification methods for determination of water flow and solute transport. This combined approach will allow the research team to accurately estimate nonlinear processes in agricultural hillslopes regarding water flow and agrochemicals dynamics, with a purpose of reducing negative agricultural impact on the environment (especially on soil and water resources). Additionally, results will be available for stakeholders to use for the adjustment of management practices at similar (sloped) agricultural sites, leading to more efficient use of water, nutrients and pesticides.

Duration: 01/03/2020 - 28/02/2025

Budget: 1.990.600,00 Kn

• Formed SUPREHILL research team.

• Established agricultural hillslope critical zone observatory (CZO).

• Determined soil parameters governing soil water balance and transport of agrochemicals.

• Determined temporal origin of water in hillslope hydrology.

• Determined overall soil water balance components (soil water flow, preferential flow/transport pathways, surface runoff, evapotranspiration). 

• Determined agrochemicals transport in agricultural hillslope soil (sorption and retention in soil, leaching; with focus on Cu, N and DOC).

• Calibrated and validated numerical modeling procedure for describing and predicting soil water flow and agrochemicals transport (short and long-term).

• Two new research proposals from SUPREHILL research team submitted to new project and/or funding calls (e.g., to Marie Curie fellowship, ERC grant, Croatian Ministry of Science and Education grants; as the extension of this proposal to e.g., contaminants of emerging concern, i.e., pharmaceuticals).

• Krevh, V., Groh, J., Filipović, L., Gerke , H.H., Defterdarović, J., Thompson, S., Sraka, M., Bogunović, I., Kovač, Z., Robinson, N., Baumgartl, T., Filipović, V. (2023). Soil–Water Dynamics Investigation at Agricultural Hillslope with High-Precision Weighing Lysimeters and Soil–Water Collection Systems. Water, 15 (13), 2398. doi:10.3390/w15132398 

• Defterdarović, J., Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Kovač, Z., Phogat, B., He, H., Baumgartl, T., Filipović, V. (2023). Using Dye and Bromide Tracers to Identify Preferential Water Flow in Agricultural Hillslope Soil under Controlled Conditions. Water 15 (12), 2178. https://doi.org/10.3390/w15122178

• Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Defterdarović, J., Bogunović, I., Zhang, Y., Kovač, Z., Barton, A., Filipović, V. (2023). Investigating near-surface hydrologic connectivity in a grass-covered inter-row area of a hillslope vineyard using field monitoring and numerical simulations. Land, 12 (5), 1095. https://doi.org/10.3390/land12051095

• Filipović, V., Ehrhardt, A., Gerke, H. H. (2023). Subsurface preferential flow occurrence and relevance in agricultural hillslopes: experimental evidence, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-17539, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-17539 

• Filipović, L., Krevh, V., Defterdarović, J., Kovač, Z., Bogunović, I., Mustać, I., Beck-Broichsitter, S., Gerke, H. H., Groh, J., Kodešová, R., Klement, A., Dusek, J., He, H., Brunetti, G., Baumgartl, T., Filipović, V. (2023). Capturing SUbsurface PREferential transport processes in agricultural HILLslope soils: SUPREHILL CZO, EGU General Assembly 2023, Vienna, Austria, 24–28 Apr 2023, EGU23-4362, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu23-4362 

• Kovač, Z., Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Defterdarović, J., Balaž, B.-I., Filipović, V. (2023). Estimation of Precipitation Fraction in the Soil Water of the Hillslope Vineyard Using Stable Isotopes of Water. Water, 15 (5), 988. doi: 10.3390/w15050988

• Krevh, V., Groh, J., Weihermüller, L., Filipović, L., Defterdarović, J., Kovač, Z., Magdić, I., Lazarević, B., Baumgartl, T., Filipović, V. (2023). Investigation of Hillslope Vineyard Soil Water Dynamics Using Field Measurements and Numerical Modeling. Water, 15(4), 820. doi: 10.3390/w15040820

• Filipović, L., Defterdarović, J., Chen, R., Krevh, V., Gerke, H.H., Baumgartl, T., Kovač, Z., Ondrašek, G., Ružičić, S., He, H., Dusek, J., Filipović, V. (2023). Leached Copper Correlation with Dissolved Organic Carbon in Sloped Vineyard Soil. Water, 15(4), 800. doi: 10.3390/w15040800

• Filipović, L., Krevh, V., Chen, R., Defterdarović, J., Kovač, Z., Mustać, I., Bogunović, I., He, H., Baumgartl, T., Gerke, H. H., Toor, G. S., & Filipović, V. (2023). Quantification of Intra- vs. Inter-Row Leaching of Major Plant Nutrients in Sloping Vineyard Soils. Water, 15(4), 759. doi: 10.3390/w15040759

• Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Defterdarović, J., Kovač, Z., Bogunović, I., Safner, T., Filipović, V. (2022). Investigating Soil-Water Electroconductivity Using a Sensor and Lysimeter Network in SUPREHILL Hillslope Observatory. 2022 SSSA International Annual Meeting. Baltimore, USA, 06.-09.11.2022.

• Defterdarović, J., Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Kovač, Z., Filipović, V. (2022). Identification and quantification of arable hillslope transport processes e.g., preferential flow using soil column study. 2022 SSSA International Annual Meeting. Baltimore, USA, 06.-09.11.2022.

• Kovač, Z., Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Defterdarović, J., Buškulić, P., Han, L., Filipović, V. (2022). Soil water origin and dynamics in sloped vineyard, SUPREHILL project. 5th IAH CEG Conference, Rogaška Slatina, Slovenia,  5.-7.10.2022.

• Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Kovač, Z., Bogunović, I., Mustać, I., Defterdarović, J., Han, L., Filipović, V. (2022). Investigation of Surface and Subsurface Water Runoff on a Hillslope Vineyard Using TDR and Soil- Water Collection Instrument. 14th Congress of the Croatian Society of Soil Science, Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia, 12-16.09.2022.

• Defterdarović, J., Krevh, V., Han, L., Filipović, L., Filipović, V. (2022). Determination of Water Flow on the Arable Hillslope Soil Using Infiltration Measurements and Dye Tracer. 14th Congres of the Croatian Society of Soil Science, Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia, 12-16.09.2022.

• Han, L., Defterdarović, J., Krevh, V., Filipović, V., Kovač, Z., Filipović, L. (2022). Chemical Quality of Leachates From Wick Lysimeters Installed at SUPREHILL Hillslope Observatory – First Results. 14th Congres of the Croatian Society of Soil Science, Sveti Martin na Muri, Croatia, 12-16.09.2022.

• Krevh V., Mustać, I., Bogunović, I., Kovač, Z., Filipović, L., Defterdarović, J., Han, L., Filipović, V. (2022). High-resolution weighing lysimeter measurement implementation on a hillslope vineyard: first results. 57th Croatian and 17th International Symposium on Agriculture, Vodice, Croatia, 19 – 24 June 2022

• Han, L., Krevh, V., Defterdarović, J., Filipović, V., Kovač, Z., Jakuš Šubašić, S., Filipović, L. (2022). Total concentration and spatial distribution of metals in sloped vineyard soil at the SUPREHILL observatory. 57th Croatian and 17th International Symposium on Agriculture, Vodice, Croatia, 19 – 24 June 2022

• Defterdarović, J., Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Han, L., Kovač, Z., Filipović, V. (2022). Soil Water Flow Evaluation at Top, Middle and Bottom Position at the Vineyard Hillslope. 57th Croatian and 17th International Symposium on Agriculture, Vodice, Croatia, 19 – 24 June 2022

• Kovač, Z., Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Defterdarović, J., Buškulić, P., Han, L., Filipović, V. (2022). Utilizing stable water isotopes (δ2H and δ18O) to study soil-water origin in sloped vineyard: first results. Rudarsko-geološko-naftni zbornik, 59 (3). https://doi.org/10.17794/rgn.2022.3.1

• Defterdarović, J., Filipović, L., Kovač, Z., Krevh, V., Han, L., Kodešová, R., Gerke, H. H., Filipović, V.: Estimation of soil hydraulic properties and preferential flow at agricultural hilllslope under controlled conditions, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-7218, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-7218, 2022

• Krevh, V., Defterdarović, J., Han, L., Filipović, L., Kovač, Z., Groh, J., He, H., Filipović, V.: Linking lysimeter and field sensor data to investigate water flow in a heterogeneous setting at the SUPREHILL vadose zone observatory, EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-5968, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-5968, 2022

• Filipović, V., Defterdarović, J., Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Magdić, I., He, H., Haghverdi, A., Gerke, H. H.: Soil Hydraulic Properties and Water Flow Estimation Using Uni- and Bimodal Porosity Models in Erosion-Affected Hillslope , EGU General Assembly 2022, Vienna, Austria, 23–27 May 2022, EGU22-8062, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-egu22-8062, 2022

• Filipović, L., Kovač, Z., Krevh, V., Defterdarović, J., Han, L., Filipović, V.: Tok i kakvoća procjedne vode u poljoprivrednim padinskim tlima, Voda na dlanu, Zagreb, 10th March, 2022

• Filipović, V., Defterdarović, J., Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Ondrašek, G., Kranjčec, F., Magdić, I., Rubinić, V., Stipičević, S., Mustać, I., Bubalo Kovačić, M., He, H., Hagverdi, A., Gerke, H.H. (2022). Estimation of Stagnosol Hydraulic Properties and Water Flow Using Uni and Bimodal Porosity Models in Erosion-Affected Hillslope Vineyard Soils. Agronomy, 12, 33. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy12010033

• Filipović, V., Ondrašek, G., Kranjčec, F., Žabčić, L., Defterdarović, J., Krevh, V., Filipović, L.: Estimation of Infiltration and Water Flow in Topsoil and Subsoil Horizons at Arable Hillslope Vineyard Soil, 2021 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, 7‒10 November 2021

• Filipović, L., Krevh, V., Defterdarović, J., Kovač, Z., Filipović, V.: Copper Transport By Surface Runoff and Subsurface Lateral FLow in Vineyard Hillslope Soils, 2021 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, 7‒10 November 2021

• Defterdarović, J., Krevh, V., Filipović, L., Kovač, Z., Filipović, V.: Estimation of Hillslope Water Dynamics Using Extensive Sensor-Based Equipment and Laboratory Methods, 2021 ASA, CSSA, SSSA International Annual Meeting, Salt Lake City, Utah, 7‒10 November 2021

• Krevh, V., Defterdarović, J., Filipović, L., Kovač, Z., Beck-Broichsitter, S., Groh, J., Dusek, J., Gerke, H. H., Kodešová, R., and Filipović, V.: Agricultural hillslope soil heterogeneity challenges: first experimental results from SUPREHILL critical zone observatory, 3rd ISMC Conference ─ Advances in Modeling Soil Systems, online, 18–22 May 2021, ISMC2021-44, https://doi.org/10.5194/ismc2021-44, 2021

for more information: 

Lana Filipović, PhD

lfilipovic [at] agr [dot] hr