Groundwater uptake of forest and agricultural land covers in regions of recharge and discharge

Abstract

Groundwater uptake of vegetation in discharge regions is known to play an important role, e.g., in the Hungarian Great Plain. Nevertheless, only little detailed monitoring of water table fluctuations and groundwater uptake (ETgw) were reported under varying hydrologic conditions and vegetation cover. In this study, results of water table monitoring under forest plantations and adjacent corn plots in discharge and recharge regions were analyzed to gain better understanding of the relation of vegetation cover to groundwater uptake. A poplar (Populus tremula) plantation and adjacent corn field plot were surveyed in a local discharge area, while a black locust (Robinia pseudoacacia) plantation and adjacent corn field plot were analyzed in a recharge area. The water table under the poplar plantation displayed a night-time recovery in the discharge region, indicating significant groundwater supply. In this case an empirical version of the water table fluctuation method was used for calculating the ETgw that included the groundwater supply. The mean ETgw of the poplar plantation was 3.6 mm day-1, whereas no water table fluctuation was observed at the nearby corn plot. Naturally, the root system of the poplar was able to tap the groundwater in depths of 3.0-3.3 m while the shallower roots of the corn did not reach the groundwater reservoir in depths of 2.7-2.8 m. In the recharge zone the water table under the black locust plantation showed step-like changes referring to the lack of groundwater supply. The mean ETgw was 0.7 mm day-1 (groundwater depths of 3.0-3.2 m) and similarly no ETgw was detected at the adjacent corn plot with groundwater depths between 3.2 and 3.4 m. The low ETgw of the young black locust plantation was due to the lack of groundwater supply in recharge area, but also the shallow root system might have played a role. Our results suggest that considerations should be given to local estimations of ETgw from water table measurements that could assist to better understanding of groundwater use of varying vegetation types in recharge and discharge zones.