Connecting ecohydrology and hydropedology in desert shrubs: stemflow as a source of preferential flow in soils

Abstract. Ecohydrology and hydropedology are two emerging fields that are interconnected. In this study, we demonstrate stemflow hydrology and preferential water flow along roots in two desert shrubs (H. scoparium and S. psammophila) in the south fringe of Mu Us sandy land in North China. Stemflow generation and subsequent movement within soil-root system were investigated during the growing seasons from 2006 to 2008. The results indicated that the amount of stemflow in H. scoparium averaged 3.4% of incident gross rainfall with a range of 2.3–7.0%, while in S. psammophila stemflow averaged 6.3% with a range of 0.2–14.2%. Stemflow was produced from rainfall events with total amount more than 1 mm for both shrubs. The average funneling ratio (the ratio of rainfall amount delivered to the base of the tree to the rainfall that would have reached the ground should the tree were not present) was 77.8 and 48.7 for H. scoparium and S. psammophila, respectively, indicating that branches and stems were fully contributing to stemflow generation and thereby provided sources of water for possible preferential flow into deeper soil layer. Analysis of Rhodamine-B dye distribution under the shrubs showed that root channels were preferential pathways for the movement of most stemflow water into the soil. Distribution of soil water content under the shrubs with and without stemflow ascertained that stemflow was conducive to concentrate and store water in deeper layers in the soil profiles, which may create favorable soil water conditions for plant growth under arid conditions. Accordingly, a clear linkage between aboveground ecohydrology and belowground hydropedology in the desert shrubs is worth noticing, whereby an increase in stemflow would result in an increase in soil hydrologic heterogeneity.

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Connecting ecohydrology and hydropedology in desert shrubs: stemflow as a source of preferential flow in soils

Hydrology and Earth System Sciences Discussions ◽

10.5194/hessd-6-1551-2009 ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 6 (2) ◽

pp. 1551-1580 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

X.-Y. Li ◽

Z.-P. Yang ◽

Y.-T. Li ◽

H. Lin

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Preferential Flow ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Rainfall Amount ◽

Deep Soil ◽

Desert Shrubs ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Layer Analysis ◽

Deep Layers ◽

Soil Water Conditions

Abstract. Ecohydrology and hydropedology are two emerging fields that are interconnected. In this study, we demonstrate stemflow hydrology and preferential water flow along roots in two desert shrubs (H. scoparium and S. psammophila) in the south fringe of Mu Us sandy land in North China. Stemflow generation and subsequent movement within soil-root system were investigated during the growing seasons from 2006 to 2008. The results indicated that the amount of stemflow in H. scoparium averaged 3.4% of incident gross rainfall with a range of 2.3–7.0%, and in S. psammophila stemflow averaged 6.3% with a range of 0.2–14.2%. Stemflow was produced from rainfall events more than 1 mm for both shrubs. The average funneling ratio (the ratio of rainfall amount delivered to the base of the tree to the rainfall that would have reached the ground should the tree were not present) was 77.8 and 48.7 for H. scoparium and S. psammophila, respectively, indicating that branches and stems were fully contributing to stemflow generation and thereby provided considerable amount of water to deep soil layer. Analysis of rhodamine-B dye distribution under the shrubs showed that stemflow entered the soil preferentially along root channels contributing to deep storage and that the depth of stemflow infiltrated increased with increasing incident rainfall amount. Distribution of soil water content under the shrubs with and without stemflow ascertained that stemflow was conducive to concentrate and store water in deep layers in the soil profiles, creating favorable soil water conditions for plant growth under arid conditions. Accordingly there is a clear linkage between aboveground ecohydrology and belowground hydropedology in the desert shrubs, whereby an increase in stemflow would result in an increase in soil hydrological heterogeneity.

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Evaluating physiological changes of grass and semishrub species with seasonality for understanding the process of shrub encroachment in semiarid grasslands

Functional Plant Biology ◽

10.1071/fp19194 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 47 (7) ◽

pp. 628

Author(s):

Liu Yang ◽

Jihua Zhou ◽

Liming Lai ◽

Qinglin Sun ◽

Sangui Yi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Enzyme Activity ◽

Soil Water ◽

Osmotic Adjustment ◽

Dominant Species ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Shrub Encroachment ◽

Antioxidant Systems ◽

Growing Seasons ◽

Malondialdehyde Content

Shrub encroachment occurs worldwide, especially in arid and semiarid grasslands. Changes in soil water in different layers affect the process of shrub encroachment. Understanding the biological and physiological responses of plant species to shrub encroachment is essential for explaining shrub encroachment. The dominant species in six typical plant communities changed from Stipa bungeana Trin. to Artemisia ordosica Krasch., representing different shrub-encroached grasslands. The gravimetric soil water content (SWC) and enzyme and osmotic adjustment compounds of the dominant species across shrub encroachment stages and growing seasons were measured to explain the shrub encroachment. Results showed that SWC decreased and then increased during the growing seasons. With the process of shrub encroachment, SWC first increased, then decreased. With increasing soil depth, SWC increased or decreased. Across seasons with decreasing SWC, enzyme activity decreased and then increased, and malondialdehyde content and osmotic adjustment compounds increased. With the process of shrub encroachment, enzyme activity, malondialdehyde content and osmotic adjustment compounds increased or decreased. The two dominant species (S. bungeana and A. ordosica) enhanced their drought resistance abilities by regulating their antioxidant systems and osmotic adjustment compounds when soil water in a specific layer was not over the threshold. We recommend increasing the clay content to increase the water holding capacity in the surface soil layer to restore the zonal vegetation of S. bungeana.

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The Root-Soil Water Relationship Is Spatially Anisotropic in Shrub-Encroached Grassland in North China: Evidence from GPR Investigation

Remote Sensing ◽

10.3390/rs13061137 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (6) ◽

pp. 1137

Author(s):

Xihong Cui ◽

Zheng Zhang ◽

Li Guo ◽

Xinbo Liu ◽

Zhenxian Quan ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Root Distribution ◽

Preferential Flow ◽

Distribution Density ◽

Vertical Direction ◽

Additive Models ◽

Depth Interval ◽

Soil Core ◽

Semi Arid ◽

Free Area

To analyze the root-soil water relationship at the stand level, we integrated ground-penetrating radar (GPR), which characterized the distribution of lateral coarse roots (>2 mm in diameter) of shrubs (Caragana microphylla Lam.), with soil core sampling, which mapped soil water content (SWC) distribution. GPR surveys and soil sampling were carried out in two plots (Plot 1 in 2017 and Plot 2 in 2018) with the same size (30 × 30 m2) in the sandy soil of the semi-arid shrubland in northern China. First, the survey area was divided into five depth intervals, i.e., 0–20, 20–40, 40–60, 60–80, and 80–100 cm. Each depth interval was then divided into three zones in the horizontal direction, including root-rich canopy-covered area, root-rich canopy-free area, and root-poor area, to indicate different surface distances to the canopy. The generalized additive models (GAMs) were used to analyze the correlation between root distribution density and SWC after the spatial autocorrelation of each variable was eliminated. Results showed that the root-soil water relationship varies between the vertical and horizontal directions. Vertically, more roots are distributed in soil with high SWC and fewer roots in soil with low SWC. Namely, root distribution density is positively correlated with SWC in the vertical direction. Horizontally, the root-soil water relationship is, however, more complex. In the canopy-free area of Plot 1, the root-soil water relationship was significant (p < 0.05) and negatively correlated in the middle two depth intervals (20–40 cm and 40–60 cm). In the same two depth intervals in the canopy-free area of Plot 2, the root-soil water relationship was also significant (p < 0.01) but non-monotonic correlated, that is, with the root distribution density increasing, the mean SWC decreased first and then increased. Moreover, we discussed possible mechanisms, e.g., root water uptake, 3D root distribution, preferential flow along roots, and different growing stages, which might lead to the spatially anisotropic relationship between root distribution and SWC at the stand level. This study demonstrates the advantages of GPR in ecohydrology studies at the field scale that is challenging for traditional methods. Results reported here complement existing knowledge about the root-soil water relationship in semi-arid environments and shed new insights on modeling the complex ecohydrological processes in the root zone.

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Changes in soil water holding capacity and water availability following vegetation restoration on the Chinese Loess Plateau

Scientific Reports ◽

10.1038/s41598-021-88914-0 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

Author(s):

Yong-wang Zhang ◽

Kai-bo Wang ◽

Jun Wang ◽

Changhai Liu ◽

Zhou-ping Shangguan

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Soil Water ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Soil Physical Properties ◽

Chinese Loess Plateau ◽

Land Use Type ◽

Chinese Loess ◽

Water Holding ◽

The Chinese Loess Plateau

AbstractChanges in land use type can lead to variations in soil water characteristics. The objective of this study was to identify the responses of soil water holding capacity (SWHC) and soil water availability (SWA) to land use type (grassland, shrubland and forestland). The soil water characteristic curve describes the relationship between gravimetric water content and soil suction. We measured the soil water characteristic parameters representing SWHC and SWA, which we derived from soil water characteristic curves, in the 0–50 cm soil layer at sites representing three land use types in the Ziwuling forest region, located in the central part of the Loess Plateau, China. Our results showed that the SWHC was higher at the woodland site than the grassland and shrubland, and there was no significant difference between the latter two sites, the trend of SWA was similar to the SWHC. From grassland to woodland, the soil physical properties in the 0–50 cm soil layer partially improved, BD was significantly higher at the grassland site than at the shrubland and woodland sites, the clay and silt contents decreased significantly from grassland to shrubland to woodland and sand content showed the opposite pattern, the soil porosity was higher in the shrubland and woodland than that in the grassland, the soil physical properties across the 0–50 cm soil layer improved. Soil texture, porosity and bulk density were the key factors affecting SWHC and SWA. The results of this study provide insight into the effects of vegetation restoration on local hydrological resources and can inform soil water management and land use planning on the Chinese Loess Plateau.

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Root Response to Soil Water Status via Interaction of Crop Genotype and Environment

Agronomy ◽

10.3390/agronomy11040708 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 11 (4) ◽

pp. 708

Author(s):

Phanthasin Khanthavong ◽

Shin Yabuta ◽

Hidetoshi Asai ◽

Md. Amzad Hossain ◽

Isao Akagi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Soil Water ◽

Root Distribution ◽

Water Status ◽

Soil Layer ◽

Shoot Biomass ◽

Soil Conditions ◽

Crop Adaptation ◽

Soil Moisture Status ◽

Root Distributions

Flooding and drought are major causes of reductions in crop productivity. Root distribution indicates crop adaptation to water stress. Therefore, we aimed to identify crop roots response based on root distribution under various soil conditions. The root distribution of four crops—maize, millet, sorghum, and rice—was evaluated under continuous soil waterlogging (CSW), moderate soil moisture (MSM), and gradual soil drying (GSD) conditions. Roots extended largely to the shallow soil layer in CSW and grew longer to the deeper soil layer in GSD in maize and sorghum. GSD tended to promote the root and shoot biomass across soil moisture status regardless of the crop species. The change of specific root density in rice and millet was small compared with maize and sorghum between different soil moisture statuses. Crop response in shoot and root biomass to various soil moisture status was highest in maize and lowest in rice among the tested crops as per the regression coefficient. Thus, we describe different root distributions associated with crop plasticity, which signify root spread changes, depending on soil water conditions in different crop genotypes as well as root distributions that vary depending on crop adaptation from anaerobic to aerobic conditions.

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Effects of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi on maize nitrogen uptake strategy under different soil water conditions

Plant and Soil ◽

10.1007/s11104-021-04972-3 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Yingjie Wu ◽

Chongjuan Chen ◽

Jiazhu Li ◽

Guoan Wang

Keyword(s):

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Soil Water ◽

Nitrogen Uptake ◽

Mycorrhizal Fungi ◽

Arbuscular Mycorrhizal ◽

Water Conditions ◽

Soil Water Conditions

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Analysis of Soil Water Response to Grass Transpiration

Soil and Water Research ◽

10.17221/6510-swr ◽

2013 ◽

Vol 1 (No. 3) ◽

pp. 85-98

Author(s):

Dohnal Michal ◽

Dušek Jaromír ◽

Vogel Tomáš ◽

Herza Jiří

Keyword(s):

Soil Water ◽

Water Uptake ◽

Preferential Flow ◽

Water Movement ◽

Control Volume ◽

Water Pressure ◽

Lower Boundary ◽

Root Water Uptake ◽

Water Dynamics ◽

Soil Water Dynamics

This paper focuses on numerical modelling of soil water movement in response to the root water uptake that is driven by transpiration. The flow of water in a lysimeter, installed at a grass covered hillslope site in a small headwater catchment, is analysed by means of numerical simulation. The lysimeter system provides a well defined control volume with boundary fluxes measured and soil water pressure continuously monitored. The evapotranspiration intensity is estimated by the Penman-Monteith method and compared with the measured lysimeter soil water loss and the simulated root water uptake. Variably saturated flow of water in the lysimeter is simulated using one-dimensional dual-permeability model based on the numerical solution of the Richards’ equation. The availability of water for the root water uptake is determined by the evaluation of the plant water stress function, integrated in the soil water flow model. Different lower boundary conditions are tested to compare the soil water dynamics inside and outside the lysimeter. Special attention is paid to the possible influence of the preferential flow effects on the lysimeter soil water balance. The adopted modelling approach provides a useful and flexible framework for numerical analysis of soil water dynamics in response to the plant transpiration.

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RESPONSE OF PEAS TO ENVIRONMENT: IV. EFFECT OF FIVE SOIL WATER REGIMES ON GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF PEAS

Canadian Journal of Plant Science ◽

10.4141/cjps68-025 ◽

1968 ◽

Vol 48 (2) ◽

pp. 129-137 ◽

Cited By ~ 14

Author(s):

A. R. Maurer ◽

H. F. Fletcher ◽

D. P. Ormrod

Keyword(s):

Water Stress ◽

Soil Water ◽

Growth And Development ◽

Dry Matter ◽

Fresh Weight ◽

Water Regimes ◽

Severe Water Stress ◽

Water Conditions ◽

Before And After ◽

Soil Water Conditions

Pea plants growing in "weighing lysimeters" were subjected to five soil-water regimes to determine their response to varying conditions of soil water imposed at different stages of development. Plants subjected to a minimal water stress developed luxuriantly and continued to grow up to the harvest period. Pea yield and plant height were not reduced, but fresh weight and dry matter were less if irrigation was applied when soil water fell to 60% rather than 88% of that available. A severe water stress after blossom reduced pea yield, irrespective of soil-water conditions prior to blossom. Plants which had been given ample soil water before blossom wilted visibly when a severe stress was imposed in the post-blossom period, yet wilting did not occur in plants subjected to severe water stress both before and after blossom. Severe water stress prior to blossom did not cause a decrease in pea yield if ample soil moisture was made available after blossom.

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