Soil water response to precipitation in different micro-topographies on the semi-arid Loess Plateau, China

A sustainable management strategy of soil fertility and cropping system is critical to guaranteeing food security. However, little is known about the effects of soil amendment strategies on crop growth via regulating soil moisture and photosynthesis in a ridge and furrow cropping system. Here, field experiments were carried out in 2017 and 2018 in semi-arid areas of Loess Plateau, northwest China to investigate the effects of integrated use of ridge and furrow planting and manure amendment on grain yields of maize. Four treatments were designed: CK (flat planting with 100% chemical fertilizer), RFC (ridge and furrow planting with 100% chemical fertilizer), RFR (ridge and furrow planting with 100% control-released fertilizer), and RFM (ridge and furrow planting with 50% manure fertilizer + 50% N fertilizer). On average, RFM increased photosynthetic rates (Pn) by 74%, followed by RFR by 47%, and RFC by 26%, compared to CK. Also, stomatal conductance (Cd), transpiration rates (Tr), and intercellular CO2 concentration (Ci) were highest with RFM, followed by RFR and RFC. Averaged across the two years, RFM conserved 10% more soil water storage (SWS) than CK did at harvest, followed by RFR with an increment by 8%. However, RFC consumed more soil water than CK did, with its ETc 8% higher than CK. Consequently, spring maize treated with RFM suffered less drought stress, especially in 2017 when precipitation was insufficient. On average, grain yields and water use efficiency of RFM were increased by 18% and 27%, compared to CK. Structural equation modeling analysis showed that there existed significant positive correlation between SWS in top layers and grain yields, while SWS in deep layers had negative effects on grain yields. In conclusion, the incorporation of manure into ridge and furrow planting system can be an efficient agronomic practice to improve plant photosynthesis, optimize soil moisture, and boost grain yields in semi-arid areas of Loess Plateau, northwest China.

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Conservation agriculture based on crop rotation and tillage in the semi-arid Loess Plateau, China: Effects on crop yield and soil water use

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment ◽

10.1016/j.agee.2017.09.011 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 251 ◽

pp. 67-77 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Lei Sun ◽

Shulan Wang ◽

Yujiao Zhang ◽

Jun Li ◽

Xiaoli Wang ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Crop Rotation ◽

Water Use ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Crop Yield ◽

Conservation Agriculture ◽

Semi Arid

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Change in soil water deficit and soil organic matter consumption over time in rain-fed apricot orchards on the semi-arid Loess Plateau, China

Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment ◽

10.1016/j.agee.2021.107381 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 314 ◽

pp. 107381

Author(s):

Kaiqi Yang ◽

Ke Wang ◽

Xiaoyuan Zhang ◽

Xiaofeng Chang ◽

Gangshuan Bai ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Soil Organic Matter ◽

Soil Water ◽

Water Deficit ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Soil Water Deficit ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Over Time

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Soil Freeze-Thaw and Water Transport Characteristics Under Different Vegetation Types in Seasonal Freeze-Thaw Areas of the Loess Plateau

Frontiers in Earth Science ◽

10.3389/feart.2021.704901 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 9 ◽

Author(s):

Lanfeng Bo ◽

Zhanbin Li ◽

Peng Li ◽

Guoche Xu ◽

Lie Xiao ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Water Movement ◽

Vegetation Types ◽

The Loess Plateau ◽

Freezing And Thawing ◽

Freezing Period ◽

Thawing Processes ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Soil Water Movement

In the arid and semi-arid regions of the Loess Plateau, seasonal freezing and thawing influence soil water movement, and water movement directly influences vegetation growth. However, currently, research with regard to freezing and thawing processes under various vegetation types and the mechanism of soil water movement is lacking. Therefore, the present study explored soil water migration characteristics of two typical vegetation types [arbor land (AL) and shrub land (SL)] on the Loess Plateau during seasonal freezing and thawing processes using bare land (BL) as a control. We used field measured data for hourly soil temperature (ST) and soil water content (SWC) at a depth of 100 cm below the soil surface from November 2017 to March 2018. Freezing and thawing process was divided into three stages based on ST change (initial freezing period, stable freezing period, and thawing period). Compared with previous studies in this area, ST is lower than expected, and SWC migration characteristics are also different. The results revealed that: 1) the maximum freezing depth of AL and SL was 60 cm, which was 30 cm less than that of BL. The freezing date of each soil layer in BL was the earliest and average ST value was the lowest. BL had the highest degree of freezing. The freezing of all soil layers in AL occurred at a later date than that of SL. ST and the minimum soil freezing temperatures were higher than those of SL, and the capacity of AL to resist freezing was higher; 2) the SWCs in AL and BL at depths of 0–10 cm and 10–30 cm decreased, whereas SWCs of AL and BL at a depth of 60 cm increased by 152 and 146%, respectively. The SWCs of SL at soil depths of 0–10 cm, 10–30 cm, and 30–60 cm increased by 46.3, 78.4 and 205%, respectively. The amount and distribution of soil moisture in SL were optimum when compared to those of AL and BL. The results of the present study could provide a scientific basis for vegetation restoration in arid and semi-arid areas of the Loess Plateau.

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Exploring the effects of the “Grain for Green” program on the differences in soil water in the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China

Ecological Engineering ◽

10.1016/j.ecoleng.2017.07.017 ◽

2017 ◽

Vol 107 ◽

pp. 144-151 ◽

Cited By ~ 15

Author(s):

Wenming An ◽

Zongshan Li ◽

Shuai Wang ◽

Xing Wu ◽

Yihe Lu ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Grain For Green ◽

Grain For Green Program ◽

Semi Arid

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Soil water migration in the unsaturated zone of semi-arid region in China from isotope evidence

10.5194/hess-2016-555 ◽

2016 ◽

Author(s):

Yonggang Yang ◽

BoJie Fu

Keyword(s):

Isotopic Composition ◽

Soil Water ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Unsaturated Zone ◽

Arid Region ◽

Scientific Basis ◽

Plant Water ◽

Water Migration ◽

Isotopic Tracers ◽

Semi Arid

Abstract. Abstract. Soil water is an important driving force of the ecosystems, especially in the semi-arid hilly and gully region of northwestern Loess Plateau in China. The mechanism of soil water migration in the reconstruction and restoration of Loess Plateau is a key scientific problem that must be solved. Isotopic tracers can provide valuable information associated with complex hydrological problems, which is difficult to obtain by other methods. In this study, the oxygen and hydrogen isotopes are used as tracers to investigate the migration processes of soil water in the unsaturated zone in the Loess Plateau of arid region in China. Samples of precipitation, soil water, plant xylems and plant roots are collected and analysed. The conservative elements D and 18O are used as tracers to identify variable source and mixing processes. The mixing model is used to quantify the contribution of each end member and calculate mixing amounts.The results show that the isotopic composition of precipitation in the Anjiagou River basin is affected by isotopic fractionation due to evaporation. The isotopic compositions of soil waters are plotted between or near the local meteoric water lines, indicating that soil waters are recharged by precipitation. The soil water migration is dominated by piston-type flow in the study area, but rarely preferential flow.Water migration exhibited a transformation pathway from precipitation to soil water to plant water. δ18O and δD are enrichment in the shallow (<20 cm depth) soil water in most soil profiles due to evaporation. The isotopic composition of xylem water is close to that of soil water at the depth of 40%–60 cm. These values reflect soil water signatures associated with caraganakorshinshiikom uptake at the depth of 40%–60 cm. Soil water from the surface soil lay (20%–40 cm) contributed to 6 %–12 % of plant xylem water, while soil water at the depth of 40%–60 cm is the largest component of plant xylem water (range from 60 % to 66 %), soil water below 60 cm depth contributed 8 %–14 % to plant xylem water, and only 5 %–8 % is derived directly from precipitation.This study investigates the migration process of soil water, and identifies the source of plant water, and finally provides a scientific basis for identification of model structure and parameter. It can provide a scientific basis for ecological water demand, ecological restoration, management of water resources and the improvement of water benefit on each scale.

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Soil water storage in a semi-arid Eucalyptus populnea woodland invaded by woody shrubs, and the effects of shrub clearing and tree ringbarking.

The Rangeland Journal ◽

10.1071/rj9840075 ◽

1984 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 75 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

GG Johns

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Water Storage ◽

Soil Surface ◽

Bare Soil ◽

Arid Environment ◽

Soil Water Storage ◽

Water Response ◽

Shrub Clearing ◽

Eucalyptus Populnea ◽

Semi Arid

Soil water was monitored over a six year period in an intact shrub invaded semi-arid Elrcalyptlts popztlrlea woodland (control) and on areas which had been treated by either shrub-clearing, or by ringbarking of trees and shrub-clearing. Measurements were made under both the shrubby thicket areas near the eucalypt, and the sparsely shrubbed interthicket areas more distant from the trees. Average soil water storage over the six years for all treatments was only 26 nun. Much of this water was stored in the upper 500 Inm of the profile and hence was susceptible to direct evaporation from the usually bare soil surface. In the intact n.oodland and following wet weather, significantly more soil water was stored under thickets than under the interthicket areas. With the return of dry weather this cxtra soil water was rapidly depleted, and thicket soils would often become drier than interthicket soils. After pro- longed dry weather, soil matric potentials of - 10 to -1 2 MPa were recorded at a depth of 500 mm. Matric potentials by this time were least negative under thickets. Shrub clearing without rinpbarking increased thicket and interthicket soil water storage by 17% and 2396 respectively. The ring- barking and shrub clearing treatment increased thicket profile storage more than that of the interthicket (81% and 64% respectively). The effect of ringbarkinp lvas often pronounced at a distance of 25 rn from the tree. The contrasting soil water response to the two treatments indicated that in this semi-arid environment only a relatively srnaU change in soil water balance may accrue from incomplete clearing. The ren~oval of both shrubs and trees is probably necessary to make a large difference to soil water storage.

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