A Chernozem soil water regime response to predicted climate change scenarios

Abstract

Climate, hydrology and vegetation are closely linked at local, regional and global scales. The recent land use and plant production systems are adapted to the present climatic conditions. Thus, studies on the influence of possible climate change scenarios on the water and heat regimes of the soil-plant-atmosphere system are important in order to work out plant production strategies, adjusted to changed conditions. In this study the effect of two possible climate change scenarios on the soil water regime of a Chernozem soil was estimated for a Hungarian site. Soil water content dynamics simulated for different conventional and soil conserving soil tillage systems were evaluated, using the SWAP soil water balance simulation model. The combined effect of different soil tillage systems and climate scenarios was analysed. Climate scenarios were represented through the cumulative probability function of the annual precipitation sum. The SWAP model was calibrated against the measured in the representative soil profiles soil water content data. The site- and soil-specific parameters were set and kept constant during the scenario studies. According to the simulation results, increase in the average growing season temperature showed increase in climate induced soil drought sensitivity. The evaluated soil water content dynamics indicated more variable and less predictable soil water regime compared to the present climate. It was found that appropriate soil tillage systems that are combined with mulching and ensure soil loosening could reliably decrease water losses from the soil. From this aspect cultivator treatment created the most favourable for the plants soil conditions. It was concluded that soil conserving soil management systems, adapted to local conditions could contribute to soil moisture conservation and could increase the amount of plant available water under changing climatic conditions.