Factors controlling soil water-recharge in a mixed European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.)?Norway spruce [Picea abies (L.) Karst.] stand

Abstract

The spatial dynamics of soil water-recharge in a forest stand is the product of a number of interacting processes. This study focuses on the role of tree species and antecedent soil water content upon horizontal and vertical patterns of soil water recharge in heavy clay soils of a mixed European beech–Norway spruce stand and of a pure Norway spruce stand after rewetting periods with different rain quantities and intensities. Volumetric water content (VWC) was measured at 194 locations across 0.5-ha plots in each stand using time-domain reflectometry (TDR) with fixed 30- and 60-cm vertical waveguides. This was repeated 28 times (as close as possible) before and after rewetting periods during the vegetation seasons in 2000 and 2001. In addition, the locations of all trees within the plots were recorded. Geostatistics was used to describe the spatial correlation between VWC measurements and to interpolate soil water recharge in space. Spatial patterns of soil water recharge were then evaluated according to antecedent soil water-content and tree species distribution. Open-field precipitation of 30 mm (maximum intensity 10 mm h−1) on extremely dry initial soil conditions resulted in higher subsoil (30–60 cm soil depth) recharge and erratic recharge patterns. This was presumably due to preferential flow in opening shrinkage cracks of the heavy clay soil. A comparable quantity and intensity of rainfall under moderately dry antecedent soil water conditions resulted in almost exclusively topsoil (0–30 cm soil depth) water recharge and patterns of recharge that were clearly related to tree species distribution. The higher recharge around beech trees can be attributed to the lower interception rates there. Spatial patterns of soil water recharge reflect patterns of antecedent soil water conditions.