Water sources of riparian plants during a rainy season in Taihu Lake Basin, China: a stable isotope study

Abstract

In this study, we investigated water sources of three typical plant species, i.e., Ginkgo biloba (Ginkgo biloba L.), Green soybean (Glycine max (L) Merr.), and Mulberry tree (Morus alba L.) in a rainy season by using a dual stable isotope approach (δ18O and δ2H). Potential water sources were divided into direct or internal (i.e. soil water at different depths) and indirect or external water sources (i.e. precipitation, river water and groundwater). The results indicated that the surface soil water δ18O and δ2H is enriched probably due to evaporation. Ginkgo biloba and Green soybean prefer using soil water from the upper soil layer (0–60 cm) and precipitation, and the Mulberry tree mainly used deep soil water (120-150 cm) and groundwater. The different water use strategies of the three plant species are likely to be determined by their different root distribution at the above correspondent soil depths.