Dynamics of water, temperature, and salts in typical aridic soils after artificial rainstorms

Abstract

Summary In order to learn more about soil genesis, and ecology in the extremely dry desert of southwestern Egypt, we carried out irrigation experiments at four sites representing four typical (Solonchak and Yermosol) types of soil occurrence in this region. The irrigations simulated the rare episodic rainstorms. We measured water content, temperature, and salt content at various depths in the soil profiles for several weeks, at first hourly, then daily; we also observed changes in soil morphology. Thus, we obtained the rates of evaporation, water penetration, and salt migration at these sites. We speculate on the meaning of these data regarding soil genesis, and ecology in hyperarid deserts.