Soil moisture and ecosystem function responses of desert grassland varying in vegetative cover to a saturating precipitation pulse

Ecohydrology ◽  
2011 ◽  
Vol 5 (3) ◽  
pp. 297-305 ◽  
Author(s):  
Erik P. Hamerlynck ◽  
Russell L. Scott ◽  
Jeffry J. Stone
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Ecosystem Function ◽  
Desert Grassland ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Precipitation Pulse

scholarly journals Interactive Effects of Moss-Dominated Crusts andArtemisia ordosicaon Wind Erosion and Soil Moisture in Mu Us Sandland, China

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-9 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yongsheng Yang ◽  
Chongfeng Bu ◽  
Xingmin Mu ◽  
Hongbo Shao ◽  
Kankan Zhang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Wind Erosion ◽  
Water Environment ◽  
Interactive Effects ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Artemisia Ordosica ◽  
Negative Effects ◽  
Rainwater Infiltration ◽  
Bare Sand ◽  
Soil Crusts

To better understand the effects of biological soil crusts (BSCs) on soil moisture and wind erosion and study the necessity and feasibility of disturbance of BSCs in the Mu Us sandland, the effects of four treatments, including moss-dominated crusts alone,Artemisia ordosicaalone, bare sand, andArtemisia ordosicacombined with moss-dominated crusts, on rainwater infiltration, soil moisture, and annual wind erosion were observed. The major results are as follows. (1) The development of moss-dominated crusts exacerbated soil moisture consumption and had negative effects on soil moisture in the Mu Us sandland. (2) Moss-dominated crusts significantly increased soil resistance to wind erosion, and when combined withArtemisia ordosica, this effect became more significant. The contribution of moss-dominated crusts underArtemisia ordosicawas significantly lower than that of moss-dominated crusts alone in sites where vegetative coverage > 50%. (3) Finally, an appropriate disturbance of moss-dominated crusts in the rainy season in sites with high vegetative coverage improved soil water environment and vegetation succession, but disturbance in sites with little or no vegetative cover should be prohibited to avoid the exacerbation of wind erosion.

scholarly journals Soil carbon release responses to long-term versus short-term climatic warming in an arid ecosystem

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (3) ◽  
pp. 781-792 ◽  
Author(s):  
Hongying Yu ◽  
Zhenzhu Xu ◽  
Guangsheng Zhou ◽  
Yaohui Shi
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Carbon ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Sigmoid Function ◽  
Desert Grassland ◽  
Climatic Warming ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Exponential Relationship ◽  
Carbon Release

Abstract. Climate change severely impacts the grassland carbon cycling by altering rates of litter decomposition and soil respiration (Rs), especially in arid areas. However, little is known about the Rs responses to different warming magnitudes and watering pulses in situ in desert steppes. To examine their effects on Rs, we conducted long-term moderate warming (4 years, ∼3 ∘C), short-term acute warming (1 year, ∼4 ∘C) and watering field experiments in a desert grassland of northern China. While experimental warming significantly reduced average Rs by 32.5 % and 40.8 % under long-term moderate and short-term acute warming regimes, respectively, watering pulses (fully irrigating the soil to field capacity) stimulated it substantially. This indicates that climatic warming constrains soil carbon release, which is controlled mainly by decreased soil moisture, consequently influencing soil carbon dynamics. Warming did not change the exponential relationship between Rs and soil temperature, whereas the relationship between Rs and soil moisture was better fitted to a sigmoid function. The belowground biomass, soil nutrition, and microbial biomass were not significantly affected by either long-term or short-term warming regimes, respectively. The results of this study highlight the great dependence of soil carbon emission on warming regimes of different durations and the important role of precipitation pulses during the growing season in assessing the terrestrial ecosystem carbon balance and cycle.

COMPARISON OF LIGHTLY GRAZED AND UNGRAZED RANGE IN THE FESCUE GRASSLAND OF SOUTHWESTERN ALBERTA

1961 ◽  
Vol 41 (3) ◽  
pp. 615-622 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alexander Johnston
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Soil Temperature ◽  
Field Study ◽  
Water Intake ◽  
Soil Profile ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
The Other ◽  
Intake Rate ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Harmful Effects

The influence of grazing on the vegetative cover of fescue grassland in southwestern Alberta was assessed by studying two adjoining sites, one lightly grazed, the other ungrazed. Percentage basal area, yield, water-intake rate, soil temperature, soil moisture, and amount of root material were compared on a paired plot basis.The data showed that light grazing resulted in the development of a richer flora dominated by Danthonia parryi. Protection from grazing appeared to simplify the flora with a trend toward a cover consisting largely of Festuca scabrella. There was little evidence of difference in productivity between the two sites. Cooler and moister conditions prevailed in the upper 12 inches of the soil profile of the ungrazed site as a result of heavy accumulation of mulch. Considerably more root material to a depth of 54 inches was present on the lightly grazed site. The harmful effects of herbage removal, shown by clipping studies, were not apparent in the field study under a light rate of grazing.

Vegetation Control and Soil Moisture Depletion Related to Herbicide Treatments on Forest Plantations in Northeastern Oregon

2018 ◽  
Vol 32 (4) ◽  
pp. 461-474 ◽  
Author(s):  
Elizabeth Cole ◽  
Amanda Lindsay ◽  
Michael Newton ◽  
John D. Bailey
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
First Year ◽  
Forest Plantations ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Tree Seedling ◽  
Vegetation Control ◽  
Herbicide Treatments ◽  
Inland Northwest ◽  
Comparable Control ◽  
Second Year

AbstractReforestation in the Inland Northwest, including northeastern Oregon, USA, is often limited by a dry climate and soil moisture availability during the summer months. Reduction of competing vegetative cover in forest plantations is a common method for retaining available soil moisture. Several spring and summer site preparation (applied prior to planting) herbicide treatments were evaluated to determine their efficacy in reducing competing cover, thus retaining soil moisture, on three sites in northeastern Oregon. Results varied by site, year, and season of application. In general, sulfometuron (0.14 kg ai ha–1 alone and in various mixtures), imazapyr (0.42 ae kg ha–1), and hexazinone (1.68 kg ai ha–1) resulted in 3 to 17% cover of forbs and grasses in the first-year when applied in spring. Sulfometuron+glyphosate (2.2 kg ha–1) consistently reduced grasses and forbs for the first year when applied in summer, but forbs recovered in the second year on two of three sites. Aminopyralid (0.12 kg ae ha–1)+sulfometuron applied in summer also led to comparable control of forb cover. In the second year after treatment, forb cover in treated plots was similar to levels in nontreated plots, and some species of forbs had increased relative to nontreated plots. Imazapyr (0.21 and 0.42 kg ha–1) at either rate, spring or summer 2007, or at lower rate (0.14 kg ha–1) with glyphosate in summer, provided the best control of shrubs, of which snowberry was the dominant species. Total vegetative cover was similar across all treatments seven and eight years after application, and differences in vegetation were related to site rather than treatment. In the first year after treatment, rates of soil moisture depletion in the 0- to 23-cm depth were correlated with vegetative cover, particularly late season soil moisture, suggesting increased water availability for tree seedling growth.

ESTIMATION OF VEGETATIVE COVER IN AN ARID RANGELAND BASED ON SOIL-MOISTURE USING COKRIGING

Soil Science ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 154 (1) ◽  
pp. 25-36 ◽  
Author(s):  
MALIHA S. NASH ◽  
ALEX TOORMAN ◽  
PETER J. WIERENGA ◽  
ALLAN GUTJAHR ◽  
GARY L. CUNNINGHAM
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Arid Rangeland

Linking Microbial Community Structure and Function to Seasonal Differences in Soil Moisture and Temperature in a Chihuahuan Desert Grassland

2009 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 827-842 ◽  
Author(s):  
Colin W. Bell ◽  
Veronica Acosta-Martinez ◽  
Nancy E. McIntyre ◽  
Stephen Cox ◽  
David T. Tissue ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Community Structure ◽  
Microbial Community ◽  
Microbial Community Structure ◽  
Chihuahuan Desert ◽  
Structure And Function ◽  
Desert Grassland ◽  
Seasonal Differences ◽  
And Function

Remote sensing and modeling the dynamics of soil moisture and vegetative cover of arid and semiarid areas

2004 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiwu Zhan ◽  
Wei Gao ◽  
Jiaguo Qi ◽  
Paul R. Houser ◽  
James R. Slusser ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Remote Sensing ◽  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Semiarid Areas ◽  
Arid And Semiarid Areas ◽  
Arid And Semiarid

scholarly journals Hydrological modeling of an experimental basin in the semiarid region of the Brazilian State of Pernambuco

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 (6) ◽  
pp. 1
Author(s):  
Adriana Guedes Magalhães ◽  
Abelardo Antônio de Assunção Montenegro ◽  
Carolyne Wanessa Lins de Andrade ◽  
Suzana Maria Gico Lima Montenegro ◽  
Robertson Valério de Paiva Fontes Júnior
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Surface Runoff ◽  
Hydrological Modeling ◽  
Swat Model ◽  
Semiarid Region ◽  
Vegetative Cover ◽  
Hydrological Simulation ◽  
Calibration And Validation ◽  
Soil Moisture Data ◽  
Experimental Basin

Hydrological simulation models have proven to be an important tool for managing and planning water resources, enabling the assessment of the impacts of rainfall on surface runoff and soil moisture. This work therefore aimed to apply the SWAT model for the analysis of hydrological processes in the Experimental Basin of the Jatobá Stream, in the semiarid region of the State of Pernambuco, Brazil, considering the calibration and validation of the model from streamflow and soil moisture data. Moreover, the study investigated hydrological effectiveness in a recovery scenario in areas of higher topographic elevation of the arborescent Caatinga and the behavior of the hydrological components under an agricultural expansion scenario. Events which occured between 2009 and 2010 were used to calibrate and validate streamflow and soil moisture data. The calibration and validation of streamflow exhibited efficiency coefficients (NSE) of 0.58 and 0.42, respectively, and 0.53 and 0.46 for soil moisture. The adjustment of the parameters was considered adequate for representing streamflow recession periods. It was also verified that the alternative process of calibration and validation with soil moisture reduced uncertainty. Regeneration of the vegetative cover over 21% of the hilltop areas of arborescent Caatinga led to a significant increase in percolation (42%) and a decrease of 34% in soil moisture (due to water consumption by plants), thus contributing to the recovery of headwaters, increasing resilience to water scarcity. On the other hand, the 38% expansion of agriculture caused an increase of 11% in surface runoff and, consequently, an increase of 10% in soil moisture.

scholarly journals Relative effects of precipitation variability and warming on tallgrass prairie ecosystem function

2011 ◽  
Vol 8 (10) ◽  
pp. 3053-3068 ◽  
Author(s):  
P. A. Fay ◽  
J. M. Blair ◽  
M. D. Smith ◽  
J. B. Nippert ◽  
J. D. Carlisle ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Ecosystem Function ◽  
Tallgrass Prairie ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
Growing Season ◽  
Ecosystem Processes ◽  
Precipitation Variability ◽  
Climate Variation ◽  
Annual Rainfall ◽  
Climate Change Scenarios

Abstract. Precipitation and temperature drive many aspects of terrestrial ecosystem function. Climate change scenarios predict increasing precipitation variability and temperature, and long term experiments are required to evaluate the ecosystem consequences of interannual climate variation, increased growing season (intra-annual) rainfall variability, and warming. We present results from an experiment applying increased growing season rainfall variability and year round warming in native tallgrass prairie. During ten years of study, total growing season rainfall varied 2-fold, and we found ~50–200% interannual variability in plant growth and aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), leaf carbon assimilation (ACO2), and soil CO2 efflux (JCO2) despite only ~40% variation in mean volumetric soil water content (0–15 cm, Θ15). Interannual variation in soil moisture was thus amplified in most measures of ecosystem response. Differences between years in Θ15 explained the greatest portion (14–52%) of the variation in these processes. Experimentally increased intra-annual season rainfall variability doubled the amplitude of intra-annual soil moisture variation and reduced Θ15 by 15%, causing most ecosystem processes to decrease 8–40% in some or all years with increased rainfall variability compared to ambient rainfall timing, suggesting reduced ecosystem rainfall use efficiency. Warming treatments increased soil temperature at 5 cm depth, particularly during spring, fall, and winter. Warming advanced canopy green up in spring, increased winter JCO2, and reduced summer JCO2 and forb ANPP, suggesting that the effects of warming differed in cooler versus warmer parts of the year. We conclude that (1) major ecosystem processes in this grassland may be substantially altered by predicted changes in interannual climate variability, intra-annual rainfall variability, and temperature, (2) interannual climate variation was a larger source of variation in ecosystem function than intra-annual rainfall variability and warming, and (3) effects of increased growing season rainfall variability and warming were small, but ecologically important. The relative effects of these climate drivers are likely to vary for different ecosystem processes and in wetter or drier ecosystems.

Soil moisture dynamics and deficit of desert grassland with anthropogenic introduced shrub encroachment in the eastern Ningxia, China

2020 ◽  
Vol 40 (4) ◽  
Author(s):  
赵亚楠 ZHAO Yanan ◽  
于露 YU Lu ◽  
周玉蓉 ZHOU Yurong ◽  
王红梅 WANG Hongmei ◽  
马千虎 MA Qianhu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Shrub Encroachment ◽  
Desert Grassland ◽  
Soil Moisture Dynamics ◽  
Moisture Dynamics
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