Effects of paleoclimate and time‐varying canopy structures on paleowater fluxes

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We combined a long‐term (18,000 years) climatological record and time‐varying vegetation conditions to evaluate the role that climate change and vegetation might play in paleowater fluxes in arid settings. The HYDRUS‐1D model, which solves Richards Equation for variably saturated flow, the convection‐dispersion equation for chloride transport and the heat flow equation, was used to simulate water flux and chloride (Cl) transport. Six distinct case studies were compared for different boundary conditions and root distributions. A Mojave Desert–type canopy including evergreens, drought deciduous shrubs, annuals, grasses, and succulents was used as representative vegetation to transpire soil water and was modeled using ground cover percentage and leaf area index (LAI) as the bases for partitioning evapotranspiration (ET). The results showed that under water limited conditions, realistic root zone distributions and climate sequences (including extreme events) were both needed to simulate the accumulation of Cl in Mojave Desert soils. Results also showed that increasing precipitation intensity affected paleowater fluxes. However, contrary to the results of other researchers, we found that simulated chloride bulges were located at depths of around 20–30 cm, rather than at the base of the root zone, if current and normal climate conditions were applied. Moreover, the climatic shift beginning in the late Pleistocene was not the major reason for the chloride accumulation.