Antecedent Soil Water Content Research Articles

Surface Runoff and Diffuse Nitrogen Loss Dynamics in a Mixed Land Use Watershed with a Subtropical Monsoon Climate

The surface hydrology and diffuse pollution loading is hypothesized based on the unique characteristics under different rainfall types in watersheds with a subtropical monsoon climate. This study evaluated the effects of different rainfall event intensity on surface runoff and diffuse nitrogen loss in a subtropical watershed located in the latitude range between 22.5° north and 25° north in southern China by adapting the hydrological model SWAT (Soil and Water Assessment Tool). The rainfall events were classified into four categories including light rainfall (LR), moderate rainfall (MR), intense rainfall (IR), and extreme rainfall (ER). Our results showed that the ER events had the lowest occurrences of 7 days per year, but they contributed the most to total surface runoff (54.29%) and TN losses (57.63%) in the subtropical watershed researched. Although forests and pastures had a better effect on reducing diffuse pollution, their surface runoff and nitrogen loss were still proved to be serious under ER events. As for the nitrogen loss form, water-soluble nitrogen oxides nitrogen (ON-N) loss was the dominant form of total nitrogen (TN) loss, which accounted for 90% of the total loss in the simulated watershed in the subtropical monsoon climate region. Under LR events, however, nitrate nitrogen (NO3-N) accounted for 74.54% and 55.59% of TN losses from paddy fields and dry lands, respectively. The effects of antecedent soil water content (ASW) on surface runoff and TN loss were higher under ER events. The surface runoff and TN loss in the high-ASW condition were 1.17–3.86 times and 1.34–1.76 times higher, respectively, than in the low-ASW condition. These findings highlighted the important influence of ER events on diffuse pollution and have significant implications for controlling diffuse pollution under different rainfall types. This conclusion proved that extra attention and efforts are required in handling non-point-source pollution in subtropical monsoon watersheds than the watersheds in cooler regions because the natural systems including forest and pastures are no longer effective enough in controlling surface runoff and TN loss during ER.

Response of soil water movement to rainfall under different land uses in karst regions

Soil water is a critical factor closely related to hydrological and ecological processes. Owing to the complex surface conditions with heterogeneous soil thickness and abundant underlying fissures, soil water in the karst region has been a complicated issue. In this study, the dynamic changes of soil water in the vertical profile of selected grassland, farmland and bare land on a karst yellow soil hillslope in southwest China were monitored at five depths including 20, 40, 60, 80 and 100 cm with an interval of 15 min. Results showed that (1) there were spatial differences in the response to rainfall of the soil water content at different depths. When the rainfall amount was similar, the soil water replenishment amount and migration depth under the three land uses decreased with the rainfall intensity. In the case of light rainfall, the soil water content at 20 cm was the most sensitive to rainfall, and the response of soil water to rainfall mainly occurred at 0–40 cm. In the case of moderate and heavy rainfall, soil water could migrate down to 100 cm on grassland but less than 100 cm on farmland and bare land under heavy intensity rainfall. (2) The variation in the soil water content had interlayer differences over time. The response of soil water to rainfall in different soil layers showed multipeak fluctuations. In general, when the rainfall intensity was the same, the soil water fluctuation on grassland and farmland at the same depth was larger than that on bare land; however, the peak value of soil water decreased with soil depth. (3) Land use and the antecedent soil water content had important effects on soil water loss during the dry period. Soil water loss was faster at the beginning and before slowing down. The soil water loss rate on grassland and farmland increased with the length of the dry period, but decreased gradually on bare land. These results can support the utilization and protection of soil and water resources on karst yellow soil slopes and help to understand the temporal and spatial dynamics of soil water under natural rainfall.

Plot-Scale Runoff Generation and Sediment Loss on Different Forest and Other Land Floors at a Karst Yellow Soil Region in Southwest China

Yellow soils developed in limestone weathering materials are representative on Guizhou Plateau, Southwest China. As one of the most important cultivated soils in Guizhou Province, karst yellow soils are generally thin and can be significantly damaged by mild soil erosion. This work used the structural equation model (SEM) to analyze the influence of various factors on runoff generation and sediment loss based on a long time series (2015–2020) of natural rainfall-runoff data and soil erosion data collected from 18 runoff plots in the karst yellow soil region of Southwest China, which reflects the erosion dynamics under natural conditions. Slope runoff plots are the most popular and efficient way to collect data on runoff generation and soil erosion. The findings show that: (1) There were 139 rainfall-runoff occurrences between 2015 and 2020, with moderate rain (10–25 mm) and heavy rain (25–50 mm) events making up the majority. Due to its high frequency and prolonged duration, heavy rain had the greatest impact on the overall rainfall erosivity R value (R). (2) Mean surface runoff (SR) values ranged from 17.37 mm to 133.90 mm, while mean sediment loss rates (SLR) ranged from 1.36 t·ha−1·a−1 to 23.49 t·ha−1·a−1. SR and SLR can be successfully reduced by the forest floor. Broadleaf forest, coniferous forest, mixed forest, and orchard had mean SR values of 19.33%, 12.97%, 16.10%, and 33.38% of fallow land, respectively, and had mean SLR values of 6.90%, 5.79%, 6.34%, and 12.64% of fallow land, respectively. (3) SR generation at the plot scale was substantially linked with 30-min maximum rainfall intensity (I30), while vegetation coverage (VC) and antecedent soil water content (ASW) showed negative direct inference on SR and runoff sediment concentration (RSC) according to SEM analysis. The VC and ASW showed the highest indirect impact on SLR. This study will serve as a scientific reference for the water and soil erosion management in karst yellow soil region and serve as a scientific guidance for regional land use in Southwest China.

A novel irrigation canal scheduling model adaptable to the spatial-temporal variability of water conveyance loss

The water conveyance loss of irrigation canals shows significant spatial-temporal variability both along the canal reach and over time. An accurate representation of these variances in irrigation canal scheduling is essential to reduce water conveyance loss. However, the existing optimal irrigation scheduling models (OISMs) still have deficiencies in dealing with spatial-temporal variability of water conveyance losses, which seriously limits the model performance in many irrigation areas with high spatial-temporal variability. Borrowing a concept from hydrology, we propose a Dynamic Calculation Method of canal water conveyance loss (DMWCL), in which antecedent water conveyance index (AWCI) is defined to represent the effects of antecedent soil water content upon infiltration losses, and the integral-flow balance method is adopted to describe the characteristics of canal discharge decreasing along the canal reach. Based on the DMWCL, we present a novel canal scheduling model with the potential to adapt to spatial-temporal variability (DMWCL-CS). The new model is applied to the Hetao Irrigation District, Inner Mongolia, a typical agricultural watershed in China. Our results across the case studies show that the canal water delivery schedule derived by the DMWCL-CS model reduces water conveyance loss and improves irrigation performance, ranging from 2.49 million m3 to 10.60 million m3 in 2014 and from 0.60 million m3 to 6.17 million m3 in 2016, respectively, compared to that of three additional models. Interestingly, we find that the water delivery schedule of the DMWCL-CS model accelerates the wetting process of the canal bed soil to reduce the water conveyance loss and increases the discharge to adapt to the characteristics that the discharge decreases along the canal reach. The DMWCL-CS model provides essential insights for irrigation managers to formulate a canal water delivery schedule that adapts to spatial-temporal variability. The proposed framework is generic and can be integrated into any OISM.

Soil Water Balance and Shallow Aquifer Recharge in an Irrigated Pasture Field with Clay Soils in the Willamette Valley, Oregon, USA

Quantifying soil water budget components, and characterizing groundwater recharge from irrigation seepage, is important for effective water resources management. This is particularly true in agricultural fields overlying shallow aquifers, like those found in the Willamette Valley in western Oregon, USA. The objectives of this two-year study were to (1) determine deep percolation in an irrigated pasture field with clay soils, and (2) assess shallow aquifer recharge during the irrigation season. Soil water and groundwater levels were measured at four monitoring stations distributed across the experimental field. A water balance approach was used to quantify the portioning of different water budget components, including deep percolation. On average for the four monitoring stations, total irrigation applied was 249 mm in 2020 and 381 mm in 2021. Mean crop-evapotranspiration accounted for 18% of the total irrigation applied in 2020, and 26% in 2021. The fraction of deep percolation to irrigation was 28% in 2020 and 29% in 2021. The Water Table Fluctuation Method (WTFM) was used to calculate shallow aquifer recharge in response to deep percolation inputs. Mean aquifer recharge was 132 mm in 2020 and 290 mm in 2021. Antecedent soil water content was an important factor influencing deep percolation. Study results provided essential information to better understand the mechanisms of water transport through the vadose zone and into shallow aquifers in agricultural fields with fine-textured soils in the Pacific Northwest region in the USA.

Rainfall-runoff characteristics and their threshold behaviors on a karst hillslope in a peak-cluster depression region

Water balance characteristics and rainfall-runoff relationships of karst slope, are poorly understood worldwide, even though karst landscapes occupy 10–15% the planet’s land surface. Dynamic hydrological responses were monitored for 43 rainfall events on a karst slope in southwest China over two years (2018–2019). The responses included surface, subsurface, and epikarst seepage runoff (abbreviated as SR, SSR, and ESR, respectively) and soil water content at different depths (10 cm, 30 cm, and the soil-epikarst interface) in twelve plots (5 m× 20 m, total 1200 m2). Results showed that: (1) The hillslope-scale SR, SSR, and ESR coefficients were 2.2% (0.4%–5.2%), 3.8% (0.2%–12.4%), and 31.2% (0.6%–89.1), respectively. SR and SSR were relatively rare and of short duration, while ESR was a crucial component of the karst hillslope water balance and its duration was longer, demonstrating the critical role of epikarst zone in regulating flow functions such as water storage and release; (2) Soil depth exerted the greatest direct effect on SR, which increased as soil deepened. Factors controlling the rainfall-SSR response were difficult to identify. They require other geophysical exploration methods; (3) Threshold-like runoff responses to rainfall inputs were observed on karst slope, and the rainfall depth (P) runoff initiation thresholds for SR and SSR were 36±2 mm and 43±7 mm, respectively. The strength of the threshold-like input–output relationships was slightly greater when the P + ASI (antecedent soil water content index) was used as the hydrological input variable rather than without consideration of ASI. The differing shapes of nonlinear hydrological behaviours, such as the ‘hockey stick’, ‘heaviside’ function, or the sigmoid function were detected in karst slope. This suggests karst hydrological system complexity. Threshold values should be determined according to the shapes of nonlinear hydrological behaviours. These results extend the understanding of karst hydrological processes.

An iterative runoff propagation approach to identify priority locations for land cover change minimizing downstream river flood hazard

Local infiltration and surface runoff generation depends on local land use, soil type, antecedent soil water content and slope, while runoff accumulation downstream is furthermore determined by re-infiltration along the flow paths. Hence, land use changes can both mitigate and exacerbate runoff accumulation and flood hazard, providing an opportunity to identify optimal locations for land use changes. An optimization method is presented, encompassing the iterative application of a spatially explicit rainfall-runoff model. This method ranks eligible locations (pixels) according to their modelled contribution to accumulated runoff downstream for a given land use change and given rainfall events, thereby guaranteeing maximal or minimal impact. This method was tested for two medium-sized catchments, located in Flanders, Belgium. Three land use changes were considered: afforestation, sealing and practicing winter cover crops. Results show the considerable impact of these land use changes and their locations on runoff accumulation at the outlet: afforestation of all eligible pixels reduces runoff volumes with 67% to 84 %, cover crops reduce runoff volumes in winter with 42% to 37%, while sealing triples runoff. The priority pixels have a larger impact on downstream runoff volume: afforesting or sealing the 20% highest or lowest ranked pixels leads to a reduction of 71% to 54%, resp. an increase of 102% to 115%. These priority pixels are characterized by high flow accumulation, highlighting the importance of enhancing the infiltration capacity in river valleys. The presented procedure allows spatial planners to consider the impact of local land use interventions to flood resistance downstream.

Manure Consistency and Weathering Affect the Removal of Fecal Indicator Bacteria from Grass-Covered Soil

Animal manures contain bacteria which may be used to indicate the potential microbial pollution of irrigation and recreation water sources. The objective of this work was to research how the release of these indicators to runoff is affected by the concurrent influence of the manure consistency and the duration of manure weathering between rainfall events. Liquid and solid dairy manure was applied on grassed soil boxes. The percentage of manure-borne bacteria removed in runoff over 1 hour was determined after the initial rainfall immediately after manure application and after rainfalls that occurred 1 week and 2 weeks after the initial rainfall. The runoff delay was linearly related to the time between rainfalls and was significantly affected by both weathering duration and manure consistency (P = 0.017 and 0.038, respectively). The runoff delay was dependent on the antecedent gravimetric soil water content (R2 = 0.92 and 0.99 for liquid and solid manure treatments, respectively). Manure weathering caused a substantial decrease in the removal of fecal bacteria with runoff in the 2-week weathering compared with the 1-week weathering treatments for both of E. coli and enterococci (P = 0.063 and 0.049, respectively). Every day of weathering decreased the percentage of the released E. coli and enterococci by about 1.2 and 1.5 times, respectively, for both manure consistencies. Manure consistency was not found to significantly affect the percentages of E. coli or enterococci removed with runoff for any level of weathering. Results indicate the need of correcting existing manure bacteria removal models by accounting for manure consistency and weathering duration.

Effects of antecedent soil water content on infiltration and erosion processes on loessial slopes under simulated rainfall

Abstract Soil texture and antecedent soil water content (ASWC) are primary factors governing hillslope hydrological and erosion processes. We used simulated rainfall to investigate the runoff and erosion processes on sloped plots with three loessial soils and analyzed the effects of soil texture and ASWC on the hydrological processes. The results demonstrated that the average infiltration rate decreased with increasing clay content (i.e., Ansai (AS) loamy sand > Fuxian (FX) clay loam > Yangling (YL) clay). ASWC had little effect on infiltration processes for the YL clay but exerted a significant influence on infiltration for the FX and AS soils; this implies that infiltration models for loamy soils must consider the effects of ASWC. The Horton model was found to describe infiltration processes in these loessial soils better than the Kostiakov or Philip models. The YL clay yielded much less sediment than the FX and AS soils, and its sediment yield rate gradually decreased with the rainfall duration. There was a negative relationship between clay content and sediment yield under high ASWC, but no clear relation under low ASWC. These erosion differences derived from the splash erosion for the YL clay, and the depressions or rills occurred on the loamy soil plots.

Testing soil water repellency in a Sicilian area two years after a fire

The water drop penetration time (WDPT) technique was applied in 2018 to check persistence of soil water repellency (SWR) in a Sicilian mountain area affected by a wildfire on June 2016. A total of four sites, that were severely water repellent immediately after burning, were sampled. Depending on the site, wettable soil conditions, less SWR and maintenance of a noticeable SWR were detected two years later. At the site showing a near-constant SWR, WDPTs were particularly high in the top soil layer (0-0.03 m) and they appreciably decreased more in depth. Signs of decreasing SWR in drier soil conditions and in association with coarser soil particles were also detected at this site. High gradients of the WDPT can occur at very small vertical distances and a depth increment of approximately 0.01 m should be appropriate to capture small-scale vertical changes in SWR, especially close to the soil surface. Occurrence of SWR phenomena is easily perceivable and explainable if an inverse relationship between WDPTs and antecedent soil water content is obtained. A direct relationship between these two variables is more difficult to interpret because infiltration times that increase in wetter soil are expected according to the classical infiltration theory. A hypothesis that should be tested in the future is to verify if WDPTs that decrease in drier soil conditions signal less SWR as a consequence of a reduced biological activity of the soil. Finally, long-term monitoring projects on longevity of fire effects on SWR should be developed, even because an in depth knowledge of the involved processes is relevant for the civil protection system.

Quantity and biodegradability of dissolved organic matter released from sequentially leached soils, as influenced by the extent of soil drying prior to rewetting

Soil rewetting can induce a flush of organic matter mineralisation, but the factors underpinning this mineralisation response are poorly understood. We investigated the effects of antecedent soil water content, before rewetting, on the quantity, quality and biodegradability of dissolved organic matter present in the leachate pore volumes from a soil under two different management histories: arable and grassland. Soils were collected at field capacity (FC) and dried to give four soil gravimetric water contents (θg): 22% (not dried, left at FC), 15%, 8% and <2% (air dry, AD). Soils were repacked to the same bulk density (1.1 g cm–3) and each core was sequentially leached, with four pore volumes collected. The total amount of dissolved organic carbon (DOC) leached increased (P < 0.001) only in the soils that had been air-dried before rewetting (3.8 and 5.3 mg g–1 soil C, for arable and grassland respectively), while among the other θg treatments differences were relatively small (1.6–2.4 mg g–1 soil C). The pre-rewetting θg treatment affected the DOC content of the pore volume leached (P < 0.001): in the grassland soil, the DOC of the AD treatment was consistently twice as high as the other θg treatments, but this trend was not as consistent in the arable soil. For all θg treatments and both soils, specific ultraviolet absorbance at 254 nm increased as leaching progressed. Biodegradability, expressed as cumulative CO2 produced per unit of DOC in leachates, was significantly lower in the first pore volume of all treatments in the grassland soil and increased with sequential leaching. In the arable soil, differences were small or insignificant across the pore volumes leached, but were large and inconsistent across the θg treatments. These findings improve our understanding of how antecedent soil water content affects the quantity and quality of dissolved organic matter released when soils are rewetted, and the potential for soil carbon losses.

Moisture in the soil profile with water applications using pulse drip irrigation

The wet bulb, as a result of local application of irrigation water, is the soil volume that presents higher water content in relation to the surrounding soil. Due to increased moisture in the soil, successive irrigation events tend to form bigger wet bulbs and superficial water accumulation area (AWSS). The objective was to verify the distribution of water in the soil profile, with intermittent application of water, considering the hypothesis that antecedent soil water content modifies the wet bulb characteristics after water pulse application, and to evaluate the effect of increasing AWSS on the lateral dimensions of the bulb. The water applications were performed using 1, 2 and 4 pulses in the flows of 4 and 8 L h-1, totalizing six treatments, which were carried out in four replications for each treatment. The evaluations of AWSS were performed with the continuous application of water at the mentioned flow rates. The results indicate increasing AWSS does not affect the wet bulb, differences in the distribution of soil water are visible only in the first moments after last pulse application. It was concluded water tends to distribute in the soil regardless of the amount of irrigation pulses and pulse irrigation tends to result in similar distribution of moisture inside the wet bulb in relation to continuous irrigation.

The variability in soil water storage on the loess hillslopes in China and its estimation

Soil water storage (SWS) is a critical water resource for vegetation growth in the Loess Plateau. Changes in SWS during the growing season can reflect soil water depletion or recharge conditions in different hydrological years. This study investigated the soil water in three hillslopes covered with artificial forest, natural forest and natural grass in May and October of 2015–2017. Both path analysis and stepwise multiple linear regression were used to determine the direct and indirect effects of most important variables and develop a model for predicting changes in SWS. The results showed that compared with natural forestland and grassland, artificial forestland had low soil water, but deep SWS maintained a balance of inputs and outputs. In all soil layers, during the growing season, total precipitation (X4) was the most important variable affecting changes in SWS. The changes in SWS in surface soil layers were affected by more environmental factors than in deeper soil layers. The natural grassland (X3) and slope position (X12) have different degree of direct and indirect effects by means of antecedent soil water content (X5), even though their correlations were not significant. In addition, changes in SWS at the 0–100 cm, 100–200 cm and 0–400 cm soil layers were adequately predicted using the multiple regression equation, in which R2 reached values from 73.4–93.0%. The model simulating the changes in SWS during the growing season can improve understanding on whether rainfall infiltration can replenish soil water depletion.

Runoff and Soil Erosion on Slope Cropland: A Review

Soil erosion has become a serious environmental problem worldwide, and slope land is the main source of soil erosion. As a primary cover of slope land, crops have an important influence on the occurrence and development of runoff and soil erosion on slope land. This paper reviews the current understanding of runoff and soil erosion on slope cropland. Crops mainly impact splash detachment, slope runoff, and sediment yield. In this review paper, the effects of crop growth and rainfall on the splash detachment rate and the spatial distribution of splash detachment are summarized. Crop growth has a significant impact on runoff and sediment yield. Rainfall intensity and slope gradient can influence the level of erosive energy that causes soil erosion. Furthermore, other factors such as antecedent soil water content, soil properties, soil surface physical crust, and soil surface roughness can affect soil anti-erodibility. The varying effects of different crops and with different influence mechanisms on runoff and soil erosion, as well as changes in their ability to influence erosion under different external conditions should all remain focal points of future research. The effect of crop vegetation on runoff and soil erosion on slope land is a very important factor in understanding large-scale soil erosion systems, and in-depth study of this topic is highly significant for both theory and practice.

Soil aggregate stability improves greatly in response to soil water dynamics under natural rains in long-term organic fertilization

Soil structure in highly-weathered soils is adjusted by soil water content (SWC) under natural precipitation, and is also driven by the soil chemical properties. Such a relationship may be further dependent on types of fertilization. The objectives of this study were to investigate the effects of long-term fertilization (NPK, NPK + straw, manure, and control) after 17 continuous years on the SWC, temperature, aggregate stability, and the associated chemical properties (oxides, organic matter, and zeta potential), and to elucidate the relationship between SWC and aggregate. The aggregate stability (MWD), consecutive SWC, temperature, and chemical properties from 0 to 10 and 10 to 25 cm were measured during one year. Our results showed that the manure and NPK + straw treatments significantly improved the soil aggregate stability (P < 0.05) (e.g., average MWD 1.13 vs. 0.74 mm for manure vs. control at 0–10 cm) due to increase in the fraction of macroaggregate (>2 mm). The SWC values and degree of variation at the same time were also improved more in manure and NPK + straw treatments than others. Soil aggregate MWD was significantly negatively correlated the SWC at the moment of soil sampling (WC0) for all treatments. But the aggregates under two organic treatments was not significantly correlated with the antecedent SWC before half day and 4 days (WC0.5 and WC4), which indicated that the aggregates under manure and NPK + straw treatments were relatively stable when SWC changed before 0.5 and 4 days. The high stability of aggregates in the two organic-treated soils was also confirmed by very low relative slaking index values. The fertilization positive effect on soil aggregation to resist slaking was also attributed to the decline in soil clay zeta potential and improvement in soil OM and amorphous Fe oxides compared to control. The results suggest that long-term manure and NPK + straw application can improve aggregate stability and resistance to slaking under SWC variation whereas application of NPK only did not show such an effect.

Modeling soil CO&amp;lt;sub&amp;gt;2&amp;lt;/sub&amp;gt; production and transport with dynamic source and diffusion terms: testing the steady-state assumption using DETECT v1.0

Abstract. The flux of CO2 from the soil to the atmosphere (soil respiration, Rsoil) is a major component of the global carbon (C) cycle. Methods to measure and model Rsoil, or partition it into different components, often rely on the assumption that soil CO2 concentrations and fluxes are in steady state, implying that Rsoil is equal to the rate at which CO2 is produced by soil microbial and root respiration. Recent research, however, questions the validity of this assumption. Thus, the aim of this work was two-fold: (1) to describe a non-steady state (NSS) soil CO2 transport and production model, DETECT, and (2) to use this model to evaluate the environmental conditions under which Rsoil and CO2 production are likely in NSS. The backbone of DETECT is a non-homogeneous, partial differential equation (PDE) that describes production and transport of soil CO2, which we solve numerically at fine spatial and temporal resolution (e.g., 0.01 m increments down to 1 m, every 6 h). Production of soil CO2 is simulated for every depth and time increment as the sum of root respiration and microbial decomposition of soil organic matter. Both of these factors can be driven by current and antecedent soil water content and temperature, which can also vary by time and depth. We also analytically solved the ordinary differential equation (ODE) corresponding to the steady-state (SS) solution to the PDE model. We applied the DETECT NSS and SS models to the six-month growing season period representative of a native grassland in Wyoming. Simulation experiments were conducted with both model versions to evaluate factors that could affect departure from SS, such as (1) varying soil texture; (2) shifting the timing or frequency of precipitation; and (3) with and without the environmental antecedent drivers. For a coarse-textured soil, Rsoil from the SS model closely matched that of the NSS model. However, in a fine-textured (clay) soil, growing season Rsoil was ∼ 3 % higher under the assumption of NSS (versus SS). These differences were exaggerated in clay soil at daily time scales whereby Rsoil under the SS assumption deviated from NSS by up to 35 % on average in the 10 days following a major precipitation event. Incorporation of antecedent drivers increased the magnitude of Rsoil by 15 to 37 % for coarse- and fine-textured soils, respectively. However, the responses of Rsoil to the timing of precipitation and antecedent drivers did not differ between SS and NSS assumptions. In summary, the assumption of SS conditions can be violated depending on soil type and soil moisture status, as affected by precipitation inputs. The DETECT model provides a framework for accommodating NSS conditions to better predict Rsoil and associated soil carbon cycling processes.

The effect of biological soil crusts on soil moisture dynamics under different rainfall conditions in the Tengger Desert, China

AbstractRainfall is considered as the dominant water replenishment in desert ecosystems, and the conversion of rainfall into soil water availability plays a central role in sustaining the ecosystem function. In this study, the role of biological soil crusts (BSCs), typically formed in the revegetated desert ecosystem in the Tengger Desert of China, in converting rainfall into soil water, especially for the underlying soil moisture dynamics, was clarified by taking into account the synthetic effects of BSCs, rainfall characteristics, and antecedent soil water content on natural rainfall conditions at point scale. Our results showed that BSCs retard the infiltration process due to its higher water holding capacity during the initial stage of infiltration, such negative effect could be offset by the initial wet condition of BSCs. The influence of BSCs on infiltration amount was dependent on rainfall regime and soil depth. BSCs promoted a higher infiltration through the way of prolonged water containing duration in the ground surface and exhibited a lower infiltration at deep soil layer, which were much more obvious under small and medium rainfall events for the BSCs area compared with the sand area. Generally, the higher infiltration at top soil layer only increased soil moisture at 0.03 m depth; in consequence, there was no water recharge for the deep soil, and thus, BSCs had a negative effect on soil water effectiveness, which may be a potential challenge for the sustainability of the local deep‐rooted vegetation under the site specific rainfall conditions in northwestern China.

Evaluating water table response to rainfall events in a shallow aquifer and canal system

AbstractShallow aquifers typically have greater hydrologic connectivity and response to recharge and changes in surface water management practices than deeper aquifers and are therefore often managed to reduce the risk of flooding. Quantification of the water table elevation response under different management scenarios provides valuable information in shallow aquifer systems to assess indirect influences of such modifications. The episodic master recession method was applied to the 15‐min water table elevation and NEXRAD rainfall data for 6 wells to identify water table response and individual rainfall events. The objectives of this study were to evaluate the effects of rainfall, water table elevation, canal stage, site‐specific characteristics, and canal structure modification/water management practice on the fluctuations in water table elevations using multiple/stepwise multiple linear regression techniques. With the modification of canal structure and operation adjustment, significant difference existed in water table response in the southern wells due to its relative downstream position regarding the general groundwater flow direction and the structural modification locations. On average, water table response height and flood risk were lower after than before the structure modification to canals. The effect of rainfall event size on the height of water table response was greater than the effect of antecedent water table elevation and canal stage on the height of water table response. Other factors including leakance of the canal bed sediment, specific yield, and rainfall on i − 1 day had significant effects on the height of water table response as well. Antecedent water table elevation and canal stage had greater and more linear effects on the height of water table response after the management changes to canals. Variation in water table response height/rainfall event size ratio was attributed to difference in Sy, antecedent soil water content, hydraulic gradient, rainfall size, and run‐off ratio. After the structure modification, water table response height/rainfall event size ratio demonstrated more linear and proportional relationship with antecedent water table elevation and canal stage.

Vegetative Buffer Strips for Reducing Herbicide Transport in Runoff: Effects of Buffer Width, Vegetation, and Season

AbstractThe effectiveness of vegetative buffer strips (VBS) for reducing herbicide transport has not been well documented for runoff prone soils. A multi‐year plot‐scale study was conducted on an eroded claypan soil with the following objectives: (1) assess the effects of buffer width, vegetation, and season on runoff transport of atrazine (ATR), metolachlor (MET), and glyphosate; (2) develop VBS design criteria for herbicides; and (3) compare differences in soil quality among vegetation treatments. Rainfall simulation was used to create uniform antecedent soil water content and to generate runoff. Vegetation treatment and buffer width impacted herbicide loads much more than season. Grass treatments reduced herbicide loads by 19‐28% and sediment loads by 67% compared to the control. Grass treatments increased retention of dissolved‐phase herbicides by both infiltration and adsorption, but adsorption accounted for the greatest proportion of retained herbicide load. This latter finding indicated VBS can be effective on poorly drained soils or when the source to buffer area ratio is high. Grass treatments modestly improved surface soil quality 8‐13 years after establishment, with significant increases in organic C, total N, and ATR and MET sorption compared to continuously tilled control. Herbicide loads as a function of buffer width were well described by first‐order decay models which indicated VBS can provide significant load reductions under anticipated field conditions.

Effect of Antecedent Soil Water on Preferential Flow in Four Soybean Plots in Southwestern China

Antecedent soil water exerts considerable influence on the infiltration rate and distribution of preferential flow. Effects of antecedent soil water on preferential flow were investigated through dye experiments with Brilliant Blue FCF (C.I. Food Blue 2) in four soybean plots with low (LWC) and high (HWC) antecedent soil water levels. Changes in soil water were measured during the dye experiments. Horizontal and vertical soil slices were exposed every 10 cm approximately 24 h after the dye tracer application, and staining ratios (stained area to total area) were calculated from photographs. This study demonstrated that the dye tracer infiltrated to a mean depth of 56 cm at an average rate of 1,455 mm h−1 in the LWC plots and to a mean depth of 34 cm and at an average rate of 523 mm h−1 in the HWC plots. Finger flow occurred in Layer B of the LWC plots, possibly resulting in their deeper infiltration depth. The staining ratio in each layer of the LWC plots was generally larger than the corresponding one of the HWC plots. In both the LWC and HWC plots, the average staining ratios decreased with soil depth and exhibited a sharp decrease from Horizon A to B. The largest effect of antecedent soil water on dye tracer movement was found in Layer B. The results indicated that preferential flow was substantial under conditions of low antecedent soil water content in the conditions found in southwestern China. These results could be helpful in improving crop yields and reducing pollution of shallow groundwater by leading farmers to irrigate and till the soil surface with the appropriate frequency.