scholarly journals Effects of terracing on soil water and canopy transpiration of Chinese pine plantation in the Loess Plateau, China

2016 ◽  
Author(s):  
Handan Zhang ◽  
Wei Wei ◽  
Liding Chen ◽  
Lixin Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Critical Role ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Canopy Conductance ◽  
Canopy Transpiration ◽  
Terrace Site

Abstract. Terracing has long been considered one of the most effective measures for soil water conservation and site improvement. However, the quantitative effects of terracing on soil water dynamics and vegetation water use have not been reported. To fill these knowledge gaps, in this study, soil water content and canopy transpiration were monitored in both terrace and slope environments in the semiarid Loess Plateau of China in 2014 and 2015. Results showed that terracing increased soil water content of different soil layers. Mean soil water content of the terrace site was 25.4 % and 13.7 % higher than that in the slope site in 2014 and 2015, and canopy transpiration at the terrace site increased by 9.1 % and 4.8 %, respectively. Canopy conductance at the terrace site was 3.9 % higher than that at the slope site and it decreased logarithmically with vapor pressure deficit. This study highlighted the critical role of terracing in increasing the soil water content and mitigating water stress in semiarid environments. Thus, terracing has the potential to enhance sustainable vegetation restoration in water-limited regions.

scholarly journals Heat Balance and Soil Water Content for Bare Soil Surfaces in the Loess Plateau, China

2005 ◽  
Vol 60 (5) ◽  
pp. 1013-1016
Author(s):  
Reiji KIMURA ◽  
Yuanbo LIU ◽  
Naru TAKAYAMA ◽  
Makio KAMICHIKA ◽  
Nobuhiro MATSUOKA ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Heat Balance ◽  
Bare Soil ◽  
The Loess Plateau

Soil water dynamics and growth of perennial pasture species for dryland salinity control

2000 ◽  
Vol 40 (1) ◽  
pp. 37 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. J. Lolicato
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Lotus Corniculatus ◽  
Growth Patterns ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Seasonal Growth ◽  
Long Term Effects ◽  
Soil Water Dynamics

Fortnightly soil water content measurements to a depth of 2.1 m under 4 cocksfoot cultivars, 2 phalaris cultivars, 2 lucerne cultivars and 1 Lotus corniculatus cultivar were used to compare soil profile drying and to define seasonal patterns of plant water use of the species over a 3-year period, on a duplex soil. Cultivars were also selected, within species groups, for varying seasonal growth patterns to assess this influence on soil water dynamics and growth. Over the 3-year period, treatments with the highest and lowest measures of profile soil water content were used to derive and compare values of maximum plant extractable water. Plots were maintained for a further 3 years, after which soil water content measurements in autumn were used to assess long-term effects of the treatments. The effect of seasonal growth patterns within a species was negligible; however, there were significant differences between species. Twenty-one months after pasture establishment, lucerne alone had a drying effect at 2.0 m depth and subsequently it consistently showed profiles with the lowest soil water content. Maximum plant extractable water was greatest for lucerne (230 mm), followed by phalaris (210 mm), Lotus corniculatus (200 mm) and cocksfoot (170 mm). Profiles with the lowest soil water content were associated with greater herbage growth and greater depths of water extraction. The soil water deficits developed by the treatments in autumn of the fourth year were similar to those measured in autumn of the seventh year, implying that a species-dependant equilibrium had been reached. Long-term rainfall data is used to calculate the probabilities of recharge occurring when rainfall exceeds maximum potential deficits for the different pasture species.

scholarly journals Enhancing Soil Water Content for Increased Food Production in Semi-Arid Areas of Kenya Results From an On-Farm Trial in Mwala District, Kenya

2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (4) ◽  
pp. 125 ◽  
Author(s):  
Anne Karuma ◽  
Peter Mtakwa ◽  
Nyambilila Amuri ◽  
Charles K. Gachene ◽  
Patrick Gicheru
Keyword(s):  
Soil Moisture ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Water Conservation ◽  
Crop Yields ◽  
Conservation Tillage ◽  
Cropping Systems ◽  
Soil Conditions ◽  
Tillage Methods

Soil water conservation through tillage is one of the appropriate ways of addressing soil moisture deficit in rainfed agriculture. This study evaluated the effects of tillage practices on soil moisture conservation and crop yields in Mwala District, Eastern Kenya during the long rains (LR) and short rains (SR) of 2012/13. Six tillage systems: Disc plough (MB), Disc plough and harrowing (MBH), Ox-ploughing (OX), Subsoiling – ripping (SR), Hand hoe and Tied Ridges (HTR) and Hand hoe only (H) and, three cropping systems namely, sole maize, sole bean and maize - bean intercrop, were investigated in a split-plot design with four replicates. Data on soil water content was monitored at different weeks after planting and the crop yields at end of each growing season. A three-season average shows that soil water content and crop yields were higher in conventional tillage methods compared to the conservation tillage methods. Long term tillage experiments are thus required at different locations, under various environmental and soil conditions to validate the study findings.

scholarly journals Estimating Soil Water Content and Evapotranspiration of Winter Wheat under Deficit Irrigation Based on SWAP Model

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (22) ◽  
pp. 9451
Author(s):  
Xiaowen Wang ◽  
Huanjie Cai ◽  
Liang Li ◽  
Xiaoyun Wang
Keyword(s):  
Winter Wheat ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Deficit Irrigation ◽  
Irrigation Treatment ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Growth Stages ◽  
Irrigation Amount ◽  
Swap Model

Deficit irrigation strategy is essential for sustainable agricultural development in arid regions. A two−year deficit irrigation field experiment was conducted to study the water dynamics of winter wheat under deficit irrigation in Guanzhong Plain in Northwest China. Three irrigation levels were implemented during four growth stages of winter wheat: 100%, 80% and 60% of actual evapotranspiration (ET) measured by the lysimeter with sufficient irrigation treatment (CK). The agro−hydrological model soil−water−atmosphere−plant (SWAP) was used to simulate the components of the farmland water budget. Sensitivity analysis for parameters of SWAP indicated that the saturated water content and water content shape factor n were more sensitive than the other parameters. The verification results showed that the SWAP model accurately simulated soil water content (average relative error (MRE) < 21.66%, root mean square error (RMSE) < 0.07 cm3 cm−3) and ET (R2 = 0.975, p < 0.01). Irrigation had an important impact on actual plant transpiration, but the actual soil evaporation had little change among different treatments. The average deep percolation was 14.54 mm and positively correlated with the total irrigation amount. The model established using path analysis and regression methods for estimating ET performed well (R2 = 0.727, p < 0.01). This study provided effective guidance for SWAP model parameter calibration and a convenient way to accurately estimate ET with fewer variables.

Coupling model of ecohydrology and simulation of typical shrub ecosystems on the Loess Plateau

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yu Zhang ◽  
Xiaoyan Li ◽  
Wei Li ◽  
Weiwei Fang ◽  
Fangzhong Shi
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Loess Plateau ◽  
Field Experiments ◽  
Annual Precipitation ◽  
The Loess Plateau ◽  
Rainfall Interception ◽  
Area Index ◽  
Caragana Korshinskii

&lt;p&gt;Shrub is the main vegetation type for vegetation restoration in the Loess Plateau, which plays an important role in the regional ecosystem restoration. Study on the relationships between vegetation and soil water of typical shrub ecosystems are significant for the restoration and reconstruction of ecosystems in the Loess Plateau. Three typical shrub (&lt;em&gt;Hippophae rhamnoides&lt;/em&gt; Linn., &lt;em&gt;Spiraea pubescens&lt;/em&gt; Turcz., and &lt;em&gt;Caragana korshinskii&lt;/em&gt; Kom.) ecosystems were chosen in the Loess Plateau. Field experiments were conducted to investigate the factors that influencing the processes of rainfall interception and root uptake of typical shrubs. S-Biome-BGC model was established based on the Biome-BGC model by developing the rainfall interception and soil water movement sub-models. The model was calibrated and verified using field data. The calibrated S-Biome-BGC model was used to simulate the characteristics of leaf area index (&lt;em&gt;LAI&lt;/em&gt;), net primary productivity (&lt;em&gt;NPP&lt;/em&gt;), soil water content and the interactions among them for the shrub ecosystems along the precipitation gradients in the Loess Plateau, respectively. The results showed that the predictions of the S-Biome-BGC model for soil water content and&lt;em&gt; LAI&lt;/em&gt; of typical shrub ecosystems in Loess Plateau were significantly more accurate than that of Biome-BGC model. The simulated &lt;em&gt;RMSE&lt;/em&gt; of soil water content decreased from 0.040~0.130 cm&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; cm&lt;sup&gt;-3&lt;/sup&gt; to 0.026~0.035 cm&lt;sup&gt;3&lt;/sup&gt; cm&lt;sup&gt;-3&lt;/sup&gt;, and the simulated &lt;em&gt;RMSE&lt;/em&gt; of&lt;em&gt; LAI&lt;/em&gt; decreased from 0.37~0.70 m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; m&lt;sup&gt;-2&lt;/sup&gt; to 0.35~0.37 m&lt;sup&gt;2&lt;/sup&gt; m&lt;sup&gt;-2&lt;/sup&gt;. Therefore, the S-Biome-BGC model can reflect the interaction between plant growth and soil water content in the shrub ecosystems of the Loess Plateau. The S-Biome-BGC model simulation for &lt;em&gt;LAI&lt;/em&gt;,&lt;em&gt; NPP&lt;/em&gt; and soil water content of the three typical shrubs were significantly different along the precipitation gradients, and increased with annual precipitation together. However, different &lt;em&gt;LAI&lt;/em&gt;, &lt;em&gt;NPP&lt;/em&gt; and soil water correlations were found under different precipitation gradients.&lt;em&gt; LAI&lt;/em&gt; and&lt;em&gt; NPP&lt;/em&gt; have significant positive correlations with soil water content in the areas where the annual precipitation is above 460~500 mm that could afford the shrubs growth. The results of the study provide a re-vegetation threshold to guide future re-vegetation activities in the Loess Plateau.&lt;/p&gt;

scholarly journals Soil water response to rainfall in a dune-interdune landscape in Horqin Sand Land, northern China

2019 ◽  
Vol 14 (No. 4) ◽  
pp. 229-239 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xueya Zhou ◽  
Dexin Guan ◽  
Jiabing Wu ◽  
Fenghui Yuan ◽  
Anzhi Wang ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Northern China ◽  
Water Dynamics ◽  
Soil Water Dynamics ◽  
Water Recharge ◽  
Sand Land ◽  
Horqin Sand Land ◽  
The Relationship

Soil water dynamic is considered an important process for water resource and plantation management in Horqin Sand Land, northern China. In this study, soil water content simulated by the SWMS-2D model was used to systematically analyse soil water dynamics and explore the relationship between soil water and rainfall among micro-landforms (i.e., top, upslope, midslope, toeslope, and bottomland) and 0–200 cm soil depths during the growing season of 2013 and 2015. The results showed that soil water dynamics in 0–20 cm depths were closely linked to rainfall patterns, whereas soil water content in 20–80 cm depths illustrated a slight decline in addition to fluctuations caused by rainfall. At the top position, the soil water content in different ranges of depths (20–40 and 80–200 cm) was near the wilting point, and hence some branches, and even entire plants exhibited diebacks. At the upslope or midslope positions, the soil water content in 20–80 or 80–200 cm depths was higher than at the top position. Soil water content was higher at the toeslope and bottomland positions than at other micro-landforms, and deep caliche layers had a positive feedback effect on shrub establishment. Soil water recharge by rainfall was closely related to rainfall intensity and micro-landforms. Only rainfalls &gt; 20 mm significantly increased water content in &gt; 40 cm soil depths, but deeper water recharge occurred at the toeslope position. A linear equation was fitted to the relationship between soil water and antecedent rainfall, and the slopes and R<sup>2</sup> of the equations were different among micro-landforms and soil depths. The linear equations generally fitted well in 0–20 and 20–40 cm depths at the top, upslope, midslope, and toeslope positions (R<sup>2</sup> value of about 0.60), with soil water in 0–20 cm depths showing greater responses to rainfall (average slope of 0.189). In 20–40 cm depths, the response was larger at the toeslope position, with a slope of 0.137. In 40–80 cm depths, a good linear fit with a slope of 0.041 was only recorded at the toeslope position. This study provides a soil water basis for ecological restoration in similar regions.  

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