Factors determining the soil available water during the last two decades (1997\u20132019) in southern Spain

José A Sillero-Medina,José D Ruiz-Sinoga,Jesús Rodrigo-Comino

doi:10.1007/s12517-021-08265-y

José A Sillero-Medina, José D Ruiz-Sinoga + Show 1 more

Open Access

https://doi.org/10.1007/s12517-021-08265-y

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Abstract

Assessing soil hydrological conditions can provide essential information for understanding the environmental processes that affect ecosystem services and, particularly in the context of ongoing climate change. This is key in areas affected by water scarcity such as the Mediterranean belt. Therefore, the main goals of this research are (i) to assess the main rainfall dynamics and trends of some representative hotspots along with southern Spain and (ii) to determine the impact on the soil available water content (AWC) over the last two decades. An analysis of daily precipitation and soil hydrological conditions was combined with soil sampling (543) and laboratory analyses to evaluate the properties related to the soil infiltration and retention capacity. The results show that the organic factors control soil properties and their hydrodynamics in southern Spain. Furthermore, a general declining trend in soil water availability is observed over the last two decades. This is more extreme in arid and semi-arid areas, where there have been several years in the last decade with more than 200 days without the available water content. Moreover, in these areas, heavy rainfall during specific moments of the year is the key factor that manifests a greater incidence in areas with steeper slopes, which in turn, also conditions the biological factors and the hydrodynamics of the soil. In short, in the context of climate change, the analysis of soil hydrological dynamics could be used to identify biodiversity thresholds in the Mediterranean area and even to detect phenological changes in specific plant species.

Highlights

The Mediterranean climate is characterized by dry summers; the native vegetation must adapt to increasingly frequent and recurring conditions of water stress (Klausmeyer and Shaw 2009; Nardini et al 2014)
Recent reports have estimated that the predicted climate change would imply a modification in the total amount of rainfall, and the spatiotemporal distribution patterns (IPCC 2014, 2019)
Understanding changes in the soil water balance and, water availability for plants is of great relevance for fragile ecosystems including the Mediterranean one (e.g., Grayson et al 1997; Llorens et al 2003; Fernández and Trillo 2005; Katz et al 2005; Negri et al 2005; Medrano et al 2007; De Luis et al 2011; LemusCanovas and Lopez-Bustins 2016; Olcina-Cantos 2017)

Summary

Introduction

The Mediterranean climate is characterized by dry summers; the native vegetation must adapt to increasingly frequent and recurring conditions of water stress (Klausmeyer and Shaw 2009; Nardini et al 2014). Understanding changes in the soil water balance and, water availability for plants is of great relevance for fragile ecosystems including the Mediterranean one (e.g., Grayson et al 1997; Llorens et al 2003; Fernández and Trillo 2005; Katz et al 2005; Negri et al 2005; Medrano et al 2007; De Luis et al 2011; LemusCanovas and Lopez-Bustins 2016; Olcina-Cantos 2017) In this area, water is the major limiting factor determining the plant production and structure of communities (Ferreras Chasco 2000; Terradas 2001)

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