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The study analyzes the 'El Morro' catchment in Argentina, where the conversion of native forests to agriculture has led to rising water tables and the emergence of new streams. The authors identify five mechanisms of competition: plants taking water from streams via unsaturated uptake (mechanism 1), focalized saturated uptake in wetlands (mechanism 2), and distributed saturated uptake in forests (mechanism 3); and streams taking water from plants through streambed deepening (mechanism 4) and sediment deposition (mechanism 5). Findings indicate that while unsaturated uptake previously suppressed streamflow, current high water tables have made saturated uptake by forests and wetlands significant, though deepening streams are now actively reclaiming water by lowering local water tables.

The IISD Experimental Lakes Area (ELA) is a research facility in northwestern Ontario consisting of 58 lakes and their watersheds used for whole-ecosystem experiments. For over 50 years, the facility has provided long-term data sets used for global climate modelling and has influenced environmental policies, such as those restricting phosphorus to prevent algal blooms. Current and past research focuses include the impacts of climate change, oil spills (specifically diluted bitumen), microplastics, pharmaceuticals (such as synthetic estrogen), and other contaminants like mercury and acid rain.

The IISD Experimental Lakes Area (IISD-ELA) reports that mean annual air temperatures in Northwestern Ontario have increased by 0.42°C per decade since 1969, exceeding the global average. This warming is contributing to shorter lake ice cover durations, which are projected to decline by another 20–30 days by 2070. The document also notes that lake trout are experiencing habitat loss due to rising surface temperatures and low bottom-water oxygen, and their average length has decreased since the 1970s due to longer summer periods restricting food access. Additionally, the report highlights a trend of lakes becoming darker in Europe and North America due to increased dissolved organic carbon from precipitation.