Isotopic Composition Of Soil Water Research Articles

Increasing effect of biocrusts on evaporation is evidenced by simulating evaporation and diffusion experiments and water stable isotope analysis

Evaporation, one of the main components of the water and energy balance between soil and atmosphere, plays a key role in hydrological processes particularly in semi-arid and arid climate regions. As critical living organism communities inhabiting the soil-atmosphere boundary, biocrusts are capable of modifying near-surface soil properties and structure in drylands. However, the roles of biocrusts in mediating soil evaporation still remain greatly controversial, and the literature yet lacks in a systematic assessment. In this study, evaporation experiments were conducted under simulated isothermal and non-isothermal conditions for bare soil and three types of biocrusts (cyanobacterial, moss, and their mixture) sampled from a semi-arid climate region of the Chinese Loess Plateau. During the evaporation, soil temperature and moisture were measured at depths 2, 5, 10, and 15 cm for those biocrusts and bare soil. Their water vapor diffusion process and stable isotopic composition were also analyzed in the laboratory. We found that the measured evaporation yielded 4.9%, 17.5%, and 31.6% higher average evaporation rate for cyanobacterial, cyano-moss, and moss crusts, respectively, when compared to the bare soil. In comparison to bare soil, all types of biocrusts markedly reduced the rate of temperature rise, prolonged the duration of wetting time, and delayed the formation of dry surface layer. The largest regulating effects on soil temperature and moisture were found in the moss crusts instead of cyanobacterial or cyano-moss crusts. The increasing evaporation in biocrusts was attributed to their higher fine particle content, lower bulk density, and greater water holding capacity. Moreover, the water vapor diffusion rate and diffusivity of biocrusts were 18.2% and 16.4% higher than those of bare soil, respectively, which is attributable to the increased total porosity and better soil structure. Additionally, the isotopic composition of soil water (0–50 cm) in bare soil and moss crusts was distributed below the local meteoric water line. The mean δ18O and δ2H in soil water gradually decreased with increasing soil depth, and the moss crusts were more isotopically enriched than bare soil. Based on the enhanced soil evaporation rate, improved vapor diffusivity, and enriched isotopic composition of biocrusts in contrast to bare soil, we conclude that biocrusts exacerbate vapor transport and evaporative loss, and consequently they are crucial surface cover in rebalancing surface ecohydrological and biochemical processes in global drylands. These findings improve our understanding of the complexity of dryland hydrology, and a full consideration should be given in future biocrust studies.

Partitioning evapotranspiration of Camellia oleifera during the growing season based on the Penman-Monteith model combined with the micro-lysimeter and stable isotope methods

Frequent seasonal droughts impact on crop growth and yield in the hilly areas of southern China. A good knowledge of its evapotranspiration partitioning of the main economic oil crop Camellia Oleifera is particularly important to increase water productivity and improve water resource management. The isotope-based method was applied to partition ET in the hilly Camellia Oleifera Forest of southern China. The isotopic composition of evapotranspiration vapor (δET), transpiration vapor (δT) and evaporation vapor (δE) were calculated by the Keeling plot method, the Craig-Gordon model (C-G model), and isotopic steady-state assumptions, respectively. The conventional Penman-Monteith model and the micro-lysimeter method (PM-L) were used to compare and assess the ET partitioning results (Ft). It showed that the Ft values calculated by the two methods were in good agreement. The isotopic composition of soil water at the evaporating front (δS) ahead and after DOY151 was sampled at 5 and 10 cm depth, respectively, where the correlation coefficients (R2) of the Ft values calculated by δ18O and δ2H were 0.84 and 0.66. Ft Calculated by δ18O was more accurate than δ2H because of the higher correlation coefficient of δ18O in the keeling plot regression and in the linear fit with PM-L. The isotopic composition of soil evaporation vapor（δE）calculated by dynamic εk (kinetic fractionation effects) values can be more accurate to quantify the ET partitioning results (with the R2 of 0.90). The mean values of Ft were 0.79 and 0.82 by the PM-L method and the isotope-based method respectively over the whole growing season, indicating the isotope method is robust in calculating ET partitioning for Camellia oleifera in the region. We also found that the seasonal variation of Ft is mainly controlled by temperature (T), soil water content (SWC), and leaf area index (LAI), all of which can be effectively expressed as power functions. The results provide potential assistance for water management in Camellia oleifera woodlands.

Water Uptake Characteristics of Stipa bungeana Trin: Affected by Subsidence in the Coal Mining Areas of Northwest China

Revealing the water use pattern of plants influenced by coal-mining-caused land subsidence is crucial to understand plant–water interactions and guide ecological restoration. However, available information on herbaceous plants, the dominant species in most arid and semi-arid regions with abundant coal resources, remains inadequate. We investigated the water use patterns of Stipa bungeana Trin. by measuring soil water content, root distribution, and stable isotopes of hydrogen (δ2H) and oxygen (δ18O) of soil water and plant stem water both before and after a rainfall event. The results revealed that prior to rainfall, both areas exhibited a low soil water content with no discernible difference in soil drought. However, the soil waters δ2H and δ18O were found to be more enriched at varying depths within the subsidence area, indicating a heightened level of soil evaporation. Both soil water content and soil water isotopic composition responded sensitively to rainfall, with rainfall primarily replenishing the shallow layer (0–20 cm), thereby reflecting an infiltration mode dominated by piston flow. More water seeped into deeper soil layers in the subsidence area compared to the non-subsidence area, with more preferential flow. Before rainfall, the sources of plant water uptake were consistent both at shallow and deep soil layers, implying that the proportion of water uptake gradually decreased with increasing depth. After rainfall, the sources of plant water uptake differed slightly between the two soil layers. The plants in non-subsidence and subsidence areas dominantly extracted soil water at depths greater than 10 cm and 20 cm, respectively. The root system in the subsidence area was more developed than that in the non-subsidence area. Plant water uptake was primarily influenced by the spatial distribution of roots, as well as the post-rainfall water distribution, regardless of whether they were in the subsidence area or not. Although land subsidence affected soil water transport, the water uptake pattern of Stipa bungeana Trin. was similar before and after rainfall, indicating the adaptive growth of plants through their roots in the subsidence area. The high adaptability of herbs such as Stipa bungeana Trin. makes them a viable option for vegetation restoration in subsidence areas. This study has significant implications for evaluating plant–water relationships in subsidence areas due to coal mining, thereby providing a fundamental basis and valuable reference for ecological restoration and management strategies within such affected regions.

Insights into tension‐mediated and antecedent water effects on soil water isotopic composition

AbstractUsing isotopic spike experiments, we investigated the existence and magnitude of soil‐mediated isotopic effects and of the interaction between isotopically distinct soil water pools, both associated in isotopic mismatches between water extracted from soil and soil water taken up by the roots. For this, we applied and compared four established techniques commonly used for the extraction of water (vapor) from soil, three of them relying on destructive soil sampling (cryogenic vacuum distillation, centrifugation, and direct water vapor equilibration), and one being a nondestructive in situ online technique. We observed an almost complete mixing of sequentially added, isotopically distinct water samples to a pure quartz sand (memory effect). The isotopic composition of water held at high soil tension in the pure quartz sand (pF = 2) as well as in a sandy soil (pF = 1.8 and 3) deviated considerably from that of the added water (tension effect). However, we could attribute this deviation not exclusively to a soil‐mediated effect but also to methodological shortcomings during our experiments. Finally, we found the following decreasing trend in precision as well as in accuracy of the used water extraction methods: in situ online > centrifugation > direct water vapor equilibration > cryogenic vacuum distillation. The investigation of isotopic fractionation of soil water due to physicochemical processes in soil can be facilitated if the experimental techniques used do not involve isotopic fractionation. In addition, methodological uncertainties and inaccuracies can be minimized by method standardization, increasing the potential of water stable isotopic monitoring in ecohydrological studies.

Sap flux and stable isotopes of water show contrasting tree water uptake strategies in two co‐occurring tropical rainforest tree species

AbstractThe short‐term dynamics of tree water use strategies for neighbouring co‐occurring species are poorly understood. Here, we quantify the high frequency changes in water sources and sap flux patterns of two commonly co‐occurring tropical rainforest tree species: Dendrocnide photinophylla (Kunth; Chew) and Argyrodendron peralatum (F.M. Bailey; Edlin ex J.H. Boas). A combination of continuous sap flux measurements and hourly sampling of xylem water stable isotope composition (δD and δ18O) were used to observe water use strategies during a 24‐h transpiration cycle. Sap flux ranged between 2.82 and 28.50 L day−1, with A. peralatum recording a 67% higher rate than D. photinophylla. For both tree species, sap flux increased with tree size and diurnal sap flux increase resulted in more isotopically enriched xylem water. A Bayesian Mixing Model analysis, which used sampled soil water isotopic composition from five soil depths ranging from of 0 to 1 m, revealed that D. photinophylla primarily used water from very shallow depth or soil surface layer (2–60 cm), while A. peralatum sourced its water mostly from deeper layers (60–100 cm). We propose that these differences in species' water consumption patterns are related to plant water storage capacity and wood anatomical features. This research demonstrates that combining xylem isotope composition and sap flux measurements can help reveal species‐specific water use strategies, which can be beneficial for improved process understanding in ecohydrological modelling.

Estimation of Precipitation Fraction in the Soil Water of the Hillslope Vineyard Using Stable Isotopes of Water

This paper presents research related to the estimation of the precipitation fraction in the soil water of a sloped vineyard at the SUPREHILL Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) in Zagreb, Croatia. Numerous investigations have shown that exploration of hillslope soils can be very challenging due to the existence of heterogeneity and different soil properties, as well as due to anthropogenically induced processes, which can affect precipitation infiltration and soil water flow. Within this research, physicochemical soil properties, soil water content (SWC), and isotopic composition of soil water and precipitation (δ2H and δ18O) have been examined. The isotopic signature of soil water was monitored in 24 points, at 4 depths, throughout the hillslope vineyard. Soil water isotopic composition from all monitoring points coincided with the Local Meteoric Water Line (LMWL), with almost no variability at 100 cm depth, which was consistent with the smallest variation of SWC at 80 cm depth and indicated that most of water mixing takes place in the shallower part of the hillslope. Results suggested the existence of heterogeneity, uneven erosion processes in the footslope of the observed vineyard, and different infiltration patterns. Fractions of precipitation varied significantly depending on the depth and position in the vineyard, from approximately 1% up to 98%, where more precipitation fraction has been determined in the surface and subsurface runoff. Additionally, statistical analysis and a more detailed evaluation of precipitation fractions at the 40 cm depth, where wick lysimeters are installed, have shown that Corg content is related to the silt fraction, while the first results indicate that the infiltration patterns were dependent on the common influence of all observed physicochemical properties.

Response of a grassland species to dry environmental conditions from water stable isotopic monitoring: no evident shift in root water uptake to wetter soil layers

AimsWe aimed at assessing the influence of above- and below-ground environmental conditions over the performance of Centaurea jacea L., a drought-resistant grassland forb species.MethodsTranspiration rate, CO2 assimilation rate, leaf water potential, instantaneous and intrinsic water use efficiency, temperature, relative humidity, vapor pressure deficit and soil water content in one plant and root length density in four plants, all grown in custom-made columns, were monitored daily for 87 days in the lab. The soil water isotopic composition in eleven depths was recorded daily in a non-destructive manner. The isotopic composition of plant transpiration was inferred from gas chamber measurements. Vertical isotopic gradients in the soil column were created by adding labeled water. Daily root water uptake (RWU) profiles were computed using the multi-source mixing model Stable Isotope Analysis in R (Parnell et al. PLoS ONE 5(3):1–5, 2010).ResultsRWU occurred mainly in soil layer 0–15 cm, ranging from 79 to 44%, even when water was more easily available in deeper layers. In wet soil, the transpiration rate was driven mainly by vapor pressure deficit and light intensity. Once soil water content was less than 0.12 cm3 cm− 3, the computed canopy conductance declined, which restricted leaf gas exchange. Leaf water potential dropped steeply to around − 3 MPa after soil water content was below 0.10 cm3 cm− 3.ConclusionOur comprehensive data set contributes to a better understanding of the effects of drought on a grassland species and the limits of its acclimation in dry conditions.

Technical note: Conservative storage of water vapour – practical in situ sampling of stable isotopes in tree stems

Abstract. Using water-stable isotopes to track plant water uptake or soil water processes has become an invaluable tool in ecohydrology and physiological ecology. Recent studies have shown that laser absorption spectroscopy can measure equilibrated water vapour well enough to support inference of liquid-stable isotope composition of plant or soil water, on-site and in real-time. However, current in situ systems require the presence of an instrument in the field. Here we tested, first in the lab and then in the field, a method for equilibrating, collecting, storing, and finally analysing water vapour for its isotopic composition that does not require an instrument in the field. We developed a vapour storage vial system (VSVS) that relies on in situ sampling into crimp neck vials with a double-coated cap using a pump and a flow metre powered through a small battery and measuring the samples in a laboratory. All components are inexpensive and commercially available. We tested the system's ability to store the isotopic composition of its contents by sampling a range of water vapour of known isotopic compositions (from −95 ‰ to +1700 ‰ for δ2H) and measuring the isotopic composition after different storage periods. Samples for the field trial were taken in a boreal forest in northern Sweden. The isotopic composition was maintained to within 0.6 ‰ to 4.4 ‰ for δ2H and 0.6 ‰ to 0.8 ‰ for δ18O for natural-abundance samples. Although 2H-enriched samples showed greater uncertainty, they were sufficient to quantify label amounts. We detected a small change in the isotopic composition of the sample after a long storage period, but it was correctable by linear regression models. We observed the same trend for the samples obtained in the field trial for δ18O but observed higher variation in δ2H than in the lab trial. Our method combines the best of two worlds, sampling many trees in situ while measuring at high precision in the laboratory. This provides the ecohydrology community with a tool that is not only cost efficient but also easy to use.

Evidence of hydraulic redistribution and its water sharing mechanism in a karst field of Southwest China

• Large roots and xylem diameters were found to facilitate large HR. • HR water flux to neighbor trees depends on the volume of HR and their distance. • A comprehensive method for monitoring HR occurrence in field is proposed. • HR was initially confirmed in a karst field of Southwest China. Hydraulic redistribution ( HR ) might serve as a crucial drought-tolerance mechanism to address dry and harsh environments in mixed-species communities. However, it remains unclear just how the unique water supply capacity of karst ecosystems (higher potential water content in karst water bearing media and lower effective water content in rock stratum) impact HR patterns. Here, dominant evergreen trees and their neighboring species were selected to determine the occurrence of HR and its water sharing mechanism by employing three methods (soil water content ( SWC )/soil water potential ( Ψs ), deuterium labeling, and thermal technique methods) in a subtropical karst ecosystem with shallow, patchy, and skeletal soils. The results revealed that the water potential gradient (>-1.28 Mpa) between 0 and 20 cm and 20–40 cm soil depths provide favorable conditions for the occurrence of HR . A marked increase in the isotopic composition of soil water following a deuterium labeling experiment showed the distinct occurrence of HR between sampled species. In contrast, the stable isotopic composition of xylem water in sampled species implied that there was no uptake of water released from HR . The downward flow rate of sap largely explained the quantity and maintenance of HR . A weak increase in the isotopic composition of the xylem water in neighboring species following a deuterium labeling experiment indicated that water sharing between species was contingent on the distance between the sampled and neighboring species. The water sharing kinetics of HR between species was observed to depend on the distance between the trees, as well as the HR volume and sustainability. This HR was initially confirmed in a karst field of Southwest China. The water released through the sampled plant roots was not for their own use, but for that of neighboring species. Our results provide multiple research strategies and indicated that HR is a significant mechanism in facilitating species coexistence, which sheds light on the restoration of vegetation in karst areas.

How do geomorphic characteristics affect the source of tree water uptake in restored river floodplains?

AbstractAlpine rivers and their floodplains have been highly modified by human activities during the last decades. River restoration projects aim to counteract these negative impacts and to restore ecosystem services provided by riparian habitats. We studied two recently restored river sites in the Ahr/Aurino and Mareit/Mareta Rivers (Italian Alps) to investigate how geomorphic conditions, soil moisture, and groundwater level affect the source of water used by grey alder (Alnus incana (L.) Moench). We compared the isotopic composition (δ2H) of tree sap at different locations (low terraces formed during bed incision and recent floodplains formed after restoration) with that of potential water sources, that is, groundwater, soil water, and rainfall. The monthly variation in the isotopic composition of rainfall was reflected in both shallow and deeper soil water, as well as in the isotopic composition of sap. The redistribution of precipitation and groundwater in the soil differed between the post‐restoration floodplain sites and the post‐incision terraces, leading to a different relation between the sap water, soil water, and groundwater isotopic composition. The results show that transpiration of A. incana trees growing on recent floodplains is mostly supported by stream‐fed soil water, whereas trees growing on terraces mainly use precipitation‐fed soil water. These marked, morphology‐related differences in the source of transpiration water of grey alder highlight how channel degradation still affects the ecohydrological processes in Alpine fluvial corridors. Nonetheless, large restoration interventions—in terms of channel widening—can enable the self‐formation of new floodplain areas characterized by stream water‐fed riparian ecosystems.

Continuous in situ measurements of water stable isotopes in soils, tree trunk and root xylem: Field approval.

New methods to measure stable isotopes of soil and tree water directly in the field enable us to increase the temporal resolution of obtained data and advance our knowledge on the dynamics of soil and plant water fluxes. Only few field applications exist. However, these are needed to further improve novel methods and hence exploit their full potential. We tested the borehole equilibration method in the field and collected in situ and destructive samples of stable isotopes of soil, trunk and root xylem water over a 2.5-month experiment in a tropical dry forest under natural abundance conditions and following labelled irrigation. Water from destructive samples was extracted using cryogenic vacuum extraction. Isotope ratios were determined with IRIS instruments using cavity ring-down spectroscopy both in the field and in the laboratory. In general, timelines of both methods agreed well for both soil and xylem samples. Irrigation labelled with heavy hydrogen isotopes clearly impacted the isotope composition of soil water and one of the two studied tree species. Inter-method deviations increased in consequence of labelling, which revealed their different capabilities to cover spatial and temporal heterogeneities. We applied the novel borehole equilibration method in a remote field location. Our experiment reinforced the potential of this in situ method for measuring xylem water isotopes in both tree trunks and roots and confirmed the reliability of gas permeable soil probes. However, in situ xylem measurements should be further developed to reduce the uncertainty within the range of natural abundance and hence enable their full potential.

黄土丘陵区优势造林树种水分来源对季节性干旱的响应

PDF HTML阅读 XML下载 导出引用 引用提醒 黄土丘陵区优势造林树种水分来源对季节性干旱的响应 DOI: 10.5846/stxb202106221657 作者: 作者单位: 作者简介: 通讯作者: 中图分类号: 基金项目: 山西省高等学校科技创新（2020L0141，2020L0146）；山西农业大学科技创新基金（博士科研启动）（2020BQ44）；山西省优秀博士来晋工作奖励（SXYBKY2020007） Responses of water source to seasonal drought of dominant afforestation tree species in the loess hilly region of China Author: Affiliation: Fund Project: 摘要 | 图/表 | 访问统计 | 参考文献 | 相似文献 | 引证文献 | 资源附件 | 文章评论 摘要:黄土丘陵区处于季节性干旱生态脆弱地带，探明水分环境变化对区域优势造林树种水分来源的影响，对干旱区植物水分利用及其共生关系具有重要意义。以该地区广泛种植的沙棘（Hippophae rhamnoides）+油松（Pinus tabuliformis）、沙棘（H.rhamnoides）+刺槐（Robinia pseudoacacia）混交林（HrPt，HrRp）及沙棘（Hr）、油松（Pt）和刺槐（Rp）纯林为对象，测定其茎秆水、土壤水和降水稳定同位素组成，采用IsoSource模型量化水分来源，相似性比例指数（PS）定量分析共生植物间水分利用关系。结果表明：（1）旱季，同一树种纯林和混交林间吸水层位存在差异，纯林中主要利用0-100 cm土层土壤水，其中Hr和Rp对40-100 cm的利用率为46.8%和43.8%，Pt对0-40 cm为83.9%；混交林中则更倾向于利用40-200 cm，其中HrPt（沙棘）对100-200 cm为58.8%，HrPt（油松）对40-100 cm为47.4%；HrRp（沙棘）对100-200 cm为58.2%，HrRp（刺槐）对100-200 cm为65.3%。（2）湿润季，纯林和混交林中各树种主要利用0-100 cm土层土壤水，利用率均在70%以上。（3）旱季PS指数显著大于湿润季，且HrRp的PS指数最大，表明沙棘和刺槐之间存在水源竞争现象。综上，相比HrRp，HrPt中共生植物间主要通过水分利用空间上的差异应对季节性干旱，使其组成的生态系统更好地适应区域脆弱的生态环境。研究结果可为区域退化生态恢复与重建及干旱适应性措施体系构建等提供依据。 Abstract:The loess hilly region is located in an ecologically fragile area with seasonal drought. Clarifying the impact of changes in the water environment on the water source of regional dominant afforestation tree species is of great significance to the water use of plants and their symbiosis in arid areas. Therefore, two kinds of mixed forests (Hippophae rhamnoides + Pinus tabuliformis, HtPt, H. rhamnoides+Robinia pseudoacacia, HtRp), the pure forests of H. rhamnoides (Ht), P. tabuliformis (Pt), and R. pseudoacacia (Rp) were selected. The isotope composition of xylem water, soil water and precipitation were determined. The water use and the relationship among symbiotic plants were quantitatively analyzed by using the IsoSource model and the proportional similarity (PS) index. The results indicated that:(1) during the dry season, there were differences in water absorption layer between pure forest and mixed forest of the same tree species. The tree species in the pure forest mainly used soil water in the 0-100 cm. The utilization ratios of Hr and Rp to 40-100 cm were 46.8% and 43.8%, and Pt from 0-40 cm was 83.9%. While, in the mixed forests were more inclined to use 40-200 cm. Among them, the utilization rate of HrPt (H. rhamnoides) from 100-200 cm layer was 58.8%, HrPt (P. tabuliformis) from 40-100 cm was 47.4%. HrRp (H. rhamnoides) and HrRp (R. pseudoacacia) from 100-200 cm were 58.2% and 65.3%, respectively. (2) During the wet season, tree species in pure and mixed forests were mainly use soil water in the 0-100 cm, and the utilization rates was above 70%. (3) The PS index in the dry season was significantly greater than that in the wet season, and in the HrRp was the highest, indicating that there might be water competition between H. rhamnoides and R. pseudoacacia. In summary, compared with HrRp, symbiotic plants in HrPt mainly respond to seasonal droughts through spatial differences in water use, which made it much easier for this ecosystem to be adaptive to the fragile ecological environment in the region. The research results can provide a basis for the restoration and reconstruction of regional degraded ecology and the construction of drought-adaptive measures system. 参考文献 相似文献 引证文献

Hydrological Separation of Event and Pre-event Soil Water in a Cultivated Landscape

Soil water mixing is a complex process that is dependent on vegetation, soil physiochemical characteristics, and climate. In this research, we utilize natural tracers, δ18O and δ2H, to determine if hydrological separation of recent precipitation event and pre-event water occurred within the soil profile of a maize field in central Ohio. Soil samples were collected at three sites and four depths, and the soil water was extracted via cryogenic distillation. Soil water isotopic composition showed mixing of precipitation event and pre-event water that reflected weighted average precipitation isotopic composition. The range in isotopic signatures also indicated that hydrological mixing within the soil profile was facilitated by soil physical characteristics and effective gravitational drainage of event water. These results support previous work that hydrological separation does not occur in soil water in temperate climates and contribute to ongoing research to conceptualize soil water cycling in monoculture systems.

Technical note: Evaporating water is different from bulk soil water in <i>δ</i><sup>2</sup>H and <i>δ</i><sup>18</sup>O and has implications for evaporation calculation

Abstract. Soil evaporation is a key process in the water cycle and can be conveniently quantified using δ2H and δ18O in bulk surface soil water (BW). However, recent research shows that soil water in larger pores evaporates first and differs from water in smaller pores in δ2H and δ18O, which disqualifies the quantification of evaporation from BW δ2H and δ18O. We hypothesized that BW had different isotopic compositions from evaporating water (EW). Therefore, our objectives were to test this hypothesis first and then evaluate whether the isotopic difference alters the calculated evaporative water loss. We measured the isotopic composition of soil water during two continuous evaporation periods in a summer maize field. Period I had a duration of 32 d, following a natural precipitation event, and period II lasted 24 d, following an irrigation event with a 2H-enriched water. BW was obtained by cryogenically extracting water from samples of 0–5 cm soil taken every 3 d; EW was derived from condensation water collected every 2 d on a plastic film placed on the soil surface. The results showed that when event water was heavier than pre-event BW, δ2H of BW in period II decreased, with an increase in evaporation time, indicating heavy water evaporation. When event water was lighter than the pre-event BW, δ2H and δ18O of BW in period I and δ18O of BW in period II increased with increasing evaporation time, suggesting light water evaporation. Moreover, relative to BW, EW had significantly smaller δ2H and δ18O in period I and significantly smaller δ18O in period II (p<0.05). These observations suggest that the evaporating water was close to the event water, both of which differed from the bulk soil water. Furthermore, the event water might be in larger pores from which evaporation takes precedence. The soil evaporative water losses derived from EW isotopes were compared with those from BW. With a small isotopic difference between EW and BW, the evaporative water losses in the soil did not differ significantly (p>0.05). Our results have important implications for quantifying evaporation processes using water stable isotopes. Future studies are needed to investigate how soil water isotopes partition differently between pores in soils with different pore size distributions and how this might affect soil evaporation estimation.

The triple oxygen isotope composition of phytoliths, a new proxy of atmospheric relative humidity: controls of soil water isotope composition, temperature, CO<sub>2</sub> concentration and relative humidity

Abstract. Continental atmospheric relative humidity is a major climate parameter whose variability is poorly understood by global climate models. Models' improvement relies on model–data comparisons for past periods. However, there are no truly quantitative indicators of relative humidity for the pre-instrumental period. Previous studies highlighted a quantitative relationship between the triple oxygen isotope composition of phytoliths, particularly the 17O excess of phytoliths, and atmospheric relative humidity. Here, as part of a series of calibrations, we examine the respective controls of soil water isotope composition, temperature, CO2 concentration and relative humidity on phytolith 17O excess. For that purpose, the grass species Festuca arundinacea was grown in growth chambers where these parameters were varying. The setup was designed to control the evolution of the triple oxygen isotope composition of phytoliths and all the water compartments of the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. Different analytical techniques (cavity ring-down spectroscopy and isotope ratio mass spectrometry) were used to analyze water and silica. An inter-laboratory comparison allowed to strengthen the isotope data matching. Water and phytolith isotope compositions were compared to previous datasets obtained from growth chamber and natural tropical sites. The results show that the δ′18O value of the source water governs the starting point from which the triple oxygen isotope composition of leaf water, phytolith-forming water and phytoliths evolves. However, since the 17O excess varies little in the growth chamber and natural source waters, this has no impact on the strong relative humidity dependency of the 17O excess of phytoliths, demonstrated for the 40 %–80% relative humidity range. This relative humidity dependency is not impacted by changes in air temperature or CO2 concentration either. A relative humidity proxy equation is proposed. Each per meg of change in phytolith 17O excess reflects a change in atmospheric relative humidity of ca. 0.2 %. The ±15 per meg reproducibility on the measurement of phytolith 17O excess corresponds to a ±3.6 % precision on the reconstructed relative humidity. The low sensitivity of phytolith 17O excess to climate parameters other than relative humidity makes it particularly suitable for quantitative reconstructions of continental relative humidity changes in the past.

Impacts of stormwater infiltration on downslope soil moisture and tree water use

Infiltration of stormwater is a widely used strategy to mitigate the flooding and environmental risks that come from urban runoff and conventional urban drainage. An understanding of the fate of this infiltrated water is required for rigorous design. Principal design objectives are typically to restore more natural hydrology in order to protect receiving waters from pollution and hydrologic change. Without such understanding there is also a risk of unforeseen impacts on nearby infrastructure and urban vegetation. We sought to understand the pathways and fate of water from a stormwater infiltration basin. To trace water, we used a combination of water table monitoring and isotopic composition analysis in the infiltration basin, as well as in rainfall, soil water, the shallow groundwater, and in vegetation upslope and downslope of the basin. We also measured tree water use directly using sap flow sensors. The infiltration basin was shown to increase the availability of water downslope, allowing trees to maintain elevated levels of water use during dry periods with high energy demand. In contrast, water limitation upslope saw substantial seasonal reductions in tree water use. The soil water isotopic composition demonstrated significant differences from upslope to downslope, with downslope water being more reflective of rainfall, while the upslope water used by the trees was more depleted. The results paint a picture of stormwater infiltration being a significant source of lateral flow, while trees are a significant sink of lateral flow emanating from the basin. This finding suggests that stormwater infiltration could be used as a strategy to support the health and growth of urban trees. Urban trees have demonstrated benefits for human health and comfort, particularly in a warming climate. It also suggests that stormwater infiltration may not always recharge groundwater and provide baseflow in receiving waters, being instead taken up by vegetation. These findings should be considered in the siting of stormwater infiltration systems, to ensure that the objectives they were designed for are actually met.

Effects of plastic mulch on soil water migration in arid oasis farmland: Evidence of stable isotopes

In arid areas, where water resources are extremely scarce, the consumption of agricultural water resources is generally higher than 80% of the total water resources. Reasonable irrigation practices and effective water conservation methods are critical to the efficient utilization of water resources. In order to analyze the rationality of existing irrigation mode and evaluate the effect of plastic mulch on irrigation water migration, this research monitored the hydrogen and oxygen stable isotopic composition of soil water in Minqin oasis farmland located in the arid area of Northwest China. We used the soil water balance equation and the Craig-Gordon model to quantify the infiltration and evaporation of soil water. The result shows: (1) After irrigations in the corn growing season, the average irrigation water of 29.9 ± 4.2% (29.0 ± 6.7 mm), 29.6 ± 2.9% (28.4 ± 2.7 mm) and 30.3 ± 4.3% (29.0 ± 3.5 mm) penetrated into the soil layer of 0–10 cm, 10–50 cm, and 50–100 cm respectively. The field drainage under plastic film mulching was higher than that of no film mulching. (2) Plastic film mulching is the main reason for the difference in SWlc-excess of the surface layer. The evaporative loss of 0–5 cm soil water in non-mulched soil was generally higher than that of plastic-mulched soil. During the whole corn growing season, plastic film mulching effectively reduces evaporation losses of surface soil water and improves water use efficiency. The results of the reserch are very useful for understanding the hydrological process of agricultural lands in arid oases, improving agricultural irrigation water utilization rates, and optimizing water conservation models.

Robust Estimation of Absorbing Root Surface Distributions From Xylem Water Isotope Compositions With an Inverse Plant Hydraulic Model

The vertical distribution of absorbing roots is one of the most influential plant traits determining plant strategy to access below ground resources. Yet little is known of natural variability in root distribution since collecting field data is challenging and labor-intensive. Studying stable water isotope compositions in plants could offer a cost-effective and practical solution to estimate the absorbing root surfaces distribution. However, such an approach requires developing realistic inverse modeling techniques that enable robust estimation of rooting distributions and associated uncertainty from xylem water isotopic composition observations. This study introduces an inverse modeling method that supports the assessment of the root allocation parameter (β) that defines the exponential vertical decay of a plants’ absorbing root surfaces distribution with soil depth. The method requires measurements obtained from xylem and soil water isotope composition, soil water potentials, and sap flow velocities when plants’ xylem water is sampled at a certain height above the rooting point. In a simulation study, we show that the approach can provide unbiased estimates of β and its associated uncertainty due to measuring errors and unmeasured environmental factors that can impact the xylem water isotopic data. We also recommend improving the accuracy and power of β estimation, highlighting the need for considering accurate soil water potential and sap flow monitoring. Finally, we apply the inverse modeling method to xylem water isotope data of lianas and trees collected in French Guiana. Our work shows that the inverse modeling procedure provides a robust analytical and statistical framework to estimate β. The method accounts for potential bias due to extraction errors and unmeasured environmental factors, which improves the viability of using stable water isotope compositions to estimate the distribution of absorbing root surfaces complementary to the assessment of relative root water uptake profiles.

Insights into the isotopic mismatch between bulk soil water and <i>Salix matsudana</i> Koidz trunk water from root water stable isotope measurements

Abstract. Increasing numbers of field studies have detected isotopic mismatches between plant trunk water and its potential sources. However, the cause of these isotopic offsets is not clear, and it is uncertain whether they occur during root water uptake or during water transmission from root to trunk. Thus, we measured the specific isotopic composition (δ2H and δ18O) of each component (e.g. bulk soil water, mobile water, groundwater, trunk water and root water of Salix matsudana Koidz trees) in the soil–root–trunk continuum with a resolution of about 3 days. We report three main findings. First, we detected a clear separation between the isotopic compositions of mobile water and bulk soil water, but the distinction between mobile water and bulk soil water gradually decreased with increasing soil depth. Second, root water composition deviated from bulk soil water isotopic composition but overlapped with the composition derived for less mobile water. The maximum differences in δ2H and δ18O between bulk soil water and root water were −8.6 ‰ and −1.8 ‰, respectively. Third, trunk water was only isotopically similar to root water at 100–160 cm depths, and it remained stable during the experimental period, suggesting that the trees consistently used the stable deep water source. In conclusion, the isotopic offset between bulk soil water and trunk water of S. matsudana reflected an isotopic mismatch between root water and bulk soil water associated with the heterogeneity of the soil water. Our results illuminate relationships between the isotopic compositions of soil waters of various mobilities, root water and trunk water that may be useful for advancing our understanding of root water uptake and transport.

Flood‐Induced Recharge of Matrix Water in a Vertic Forest Soil

AbstractVertisols shrink and swell with changes in soil moisture, influencing hydraulic properties. Vertisols are often in floodplains, yet the importance of flooding as a source of soil moisture remains poorly understood. We used blue dye and deuterated water as tracers to determine the role of the macropore network in matrix recharge under artificial flood durations of 3 and 31 days in large soil monoliths extracted from a forested soil. Gravimetric soil moisture content increased by 47% in the first three days, then increased only 3.5% from day 3–31. Post‐flood moisture content was greatest in the organic‐rich, top 10 cm and was lower at 10–75 cm where organic matter was less. Deuterium concentration revealed that soil moisture in the top 10 cm was quickly dominated by artificial flood water, but at depth remained <80% floodwater even after 31 days. Pervasive dye staining of ped surfaces in the top 4 cm indicated connectivity to flood waters but staining at depth was less and highly variable. The isotopic composition of soil water at depth continued to shift toward flood water despite no differences in dye staining between days 3 and 31. Results indicate flooding initially but incompletely recharges matrix water via macropores and suggest the importance of flooding as a source of matrix recharge in vertic floodplain soils may depend more on flood frequency than duration. Isotopic composition of matrix water in vertic soils depends on both advective and diffusional processes, with diffusion becoming more dominant as porosity decreases.