Water Storage Capacity Research Articles

Water storage capacity is inversely associated with xylem embolism resistance in tropical karst tree species.

Tropical karst habitats are characterized by limited and patchy soil, large rocky outcrops and porous substrates, resulting in high habitat heterogeneity and soil moisture fluctuations. Xylem hydraulic efficiency and safety can determine the drought adaptation and spatial distribution of woody plants growing in karst environments. In this study, we measured sapwood-specific hydraulic conductivity (Ks), vulnerability to embolism, wood density, saturated water content, and vessel and pit anatomical characteristics in the branch stems of 12 evergreen tree species in a tropical karst seasonal rainforest in southwestern China. We aimed to characterize the effects of structural characteristics on hydraulic efficiency and safety. Our results showed that there was no significant correlation between Ks and hydraulic safety across the tropical karst woody species. Ks was correlated with hydraulic vessel diameter (r=0.80, P<0.05) and vessel density (r=-0.60, P<0.05), while the stem water potential at 50 and 88% loss of hydraulic conductivity (P50 and P88) were both significantly correlated with wood density (P<0.05) and saturated water content (P=0.052 and P<0.05, respectively). High stem water storage capacity was associated with low cavitation resistance possibly because of its buffering the moisture fluctuations in karst environments. However, both Ks and P50/P88 were decoupled from the anatomical traits of pit and pit membranes. This may explain the lack of tradeoff between hydraulic safety and efficiency in tropical karst evergreen tree species. Our results suggest that diverse hydraulic trait combination may facilitate species coexistence in karst environments with high spatial heterogeneity.

A Step from Vulnerability to Resilience: Restoring the Landscape Water-Storage Capacity of the Great Hungarian Plain—An Assessment and a Proposal

The extreme drought in Europe in 2022 also hit hard the Great Hungarian Plain. In this short overview article, we summarize the natural environmental conditions of the region and the impact of river control works on the water-retention capacity of the landscape. In this respect, we also review the impact of intensive agricultural cultivation on soil structure and on soil moisture in light of the meteorological elements of the 2022 drought. The most important change is that the soil stores much less moisture than in the natural state; therefore, under the meteorological conditions of summer 2022, the evapotranspiration capacity was reduced. As a result, the low humidity in the air layers above the ground is not sufficient to trigger summer showers and thunderstorms associated with weather fronts and local heat convection anymore. Our proposed solution is to restore about one-fifth of the area to the original land types and usage before large-field agriculture. Low-lying areas should be transformed into a mosaic-like landscape with good water supply and evapotranspiration capacity to humidify the lower air layers. Furthermore, the unfavorable soil structure that has resulted from intensive agriculture should also be converted into more permeable soil to enhance infiltration.

A control system for low-head diversion run-of-river small hydro plants with pressure conduits considering the tailwater level variation

This paper presents a control system for low-head diversion run-of-river small hydro plants with pressure conduits. Since these hydropower plants usually have low or null water storage capacity, the water discharged through the turbines should be adapted to the possible extent to the natural river inflow. For this purpose, a control scheme aimed at maintaining a constant water level in the head pond is normally used in these cases. As an alternative, the option of maintaining a constant water level in the surge tank is studied in this paper. Furthermore, since in low-head hydro plants the tailwater level variation may represent a relatively important contribution to total head losses, it has been explicitly considered in the proposed control system. A small-perturbation stability analysis has been carried out in order to analyze the influence of the plant design and controller parameters in the plant dynamic response. Finally, in order to illustrate the applicability of the proposed control system, several simulations have been carried out using data gathered from a real hydro plant.

Water Speciation and Storage Capacity of Olivine under the Reduced Fluid—Peridotite Interaction

The key features of the interaction between peridotites of the continental lithospheric mantle and reduced hydrocarbon-rich fluids have been studied in experiments conducted at 5.5 GPa and 1200 °C. Under this interaction, the original harzburgite undergoes recrystallization while the composition of the fluid changes from CH4-H2O to H2O-rich with a small amount of CO2. The oxygen fugacity in the experiments varied from the iron-wustite (IW) to enstatite-magnesite-olivine-graphite/diamond (EMOG) buffers. Olivines recrystallized in the interaction between harzburgite and a fluid generated by the decomposition of stearic acid contain inclusions composed of graphite and methane with traces of ethane and hydrogen. The water content of such olivines slightly exceeds that of the original harzburgite. Redox metasomatism, which involves the oxidation of hydrocarbons in the fluid by reaction with magnesite-bearing peridotite, leads to the appearance of additional OH absorption bands in the infrared spectra of olivines. The water content of olivine in this case increases by approximately two times, reaching 160–180 wt. ppm. When hydrocarbons are oxidized by interaction with hematite-bearing peridotite, olivine captures Ca-Mg-Fe carbonates, which are products of carbonate melt quenching. This oxidative metasomatism is characterized by the appearance of specific OH absorption bands and a significant increase in the total water content in olivine of up to 500–600 wt. ppm. These findings contribute to the development of criteria for reconstructing metasomatic transformations in mantle rocks based on the infrared spectra and water content of olivines.

Estimation of water storage capacity of Chinese reservoirs by statistical and machine learning models

Reservoir is essential for water resources management and utilization, and its storage capacity is the key information for the scientific and engineering community. Over 95 % of the ∼ 100,000 reservoirs constructed in China lack accurate capacity information due to the high cost and difficult accessibility of field measurements. Here we develop models of reservoir capacity estimation based on statistical and machine learning (ML) algorithms for the national-scale reservoirs in China. Based on the collected capacity records of a small portion of reservoirs and surrounding environment factors, we built statistical models by considering their associated variables, as well as ML models with different algorithms to predict the unknown reservoir capacities. The prediction results from different statistical and ML models were evaluated by comparing with the validated samples, and the optimal model was selected to estimate the reservoir capacity for further analyses. Results show that among the four statistical models and six ML models, the ML model using the extreme-gradient-boosting-tree (XGBoost) algorithm performs best in capacity prediction with a correlation coefficient of 0.97, a Nash-Sutcliffe efficiency of 0.95, and a mean absolute percentage error of 22.93 %. The estimated capacity of unrecorded reservoirs using XGBoost was 279.28 km3 (254.52–306.47 km3), and the total capacity of Chinese reservoirs was 1,065.19 km3 (1,040.43–1,092.38 km3). The proposed method provides a feasible approach of rapid estimation of reservoir capacity and monitoring of storage variations at large scales, which is critical for the rational conservation and utilization of water resources and the formulation of related policies.

Enhancing global rainfall interception loss estimation through vegetation structure modeling

Accurate estimates of rainfall interception loss are crucial for modeling the water balance of forested areas. However, considerable regional variability exists in the interception process, and much uncertainty remains. This study enhances the estimation of rainfall interception loss at the global scale by integrating remote sensing products into the parameterization of Gash’s analytical model. We refer to this enhanced configuration as the Global Interception Model (GIM). High-resolution satellite imagery was used to derive vegetation indices and spectral reflectance, which were then employed in linear regression models to estimate canopy cover fraction (c) and vegetation water storage capacity (Sv). Their importance in ecological processes, and land and water resource management, makes the modeling of these parameters of particular interest. The other two parameters required to run the Gash model, namely the mean rainfall and evaporation rates under saturated canopy conditions, were obtained via the integration of MWSEP and ERA5-Land meteorological products. Modeling performance was evaluated using in situ measurements and gridded datasets. GIM estimates exhibited a superior performance statistic when compared to PMLv2 and GLEAMv3.7a. Our results demonstrate the high potential of this approach for improving the accuracy of rainfall interception loss estimates from local to global scales.

The impact of water storage capacity on plant dynamics in arid environments: A stoichiometric modeling approach

Plants in arid environments have evolved many strategies to resist drought. Among them, the developed water storage tissue is an essential characteristic of xerophytes. To clarify the role of water storage capacity in plant performance, we originally formulate a stoichiometric model to describe the interaction between plants and water with explicit water storage. Via an ecological reproductive index, we explore the effects of precipitation and water storage capacity on plant dynamics. The model possesses saddle–node bifurcation and forward or backward bifurcation, and the latter may lead to the emergence of alternative stable states between a stable survival state and a stable extinction state. Numerical simulations illustrate the persistence and resilience of plants regulated by soil conditions, precipitation and water storage capacity. Our findings contribute to the botanical theory in the perspectives of environmental change and plant water storage traits.

Soil water storage capacity and soil nutrients drive tree ring growth of six European tree species across a steep environmental gradient

Tree growth depends on tree-intrinsic attributes, synecological interactions, atmospheric conditions and soil properties. While the influence of tree factors and climate are analysed in detail in many studies, the effect of soil properties is less investigated and compensatory soil effects are often not quantified. In this study, we use a comprehensive dataset of 1659 tree increment cores from six common Central European tree species (Abies alba, Fagus sylvatica, Larix decidua, Picea abies, Pinus sylvestris, Quercus spp.) sampled at 1562 locations across large environmental gradients in the Eastern Alps. Soil data was available from an extensive soil survey including soil pits, laboratory analysis and the application of pedotransfer-functions. Up to three main tree species per site were sampled and the tree ring widths were dendrochronologically measured and synchronized. Topographic information from a high-resolution Digital Terrain Model, high-resolution climate data and biometric measures were available at each site. To determine the influence of soil water storage capacity and soil nutrient status, we used generalized additive models to expand standard models of well-known drivers of tree growth, including age, climatic water balance and temperature. For the time span of 38 years from 1981 until 2018, we found species-specific impacts of soil properties on tree ring growth. Specifically, soil water storage acted as a buffer to overcome drought periods, in particular for deep rooting tree species like Quercus spp. and Abies alba. In addition, we found species-specific growth reactions to soil nutrient status for nutrient-demanding species likes Fagus sylvatica but no effects for less demanding tree species like Pinus sylvestris. Our results show the magnitude of the effects of soil properties in relation to other growth factors on radial growth of six Central European tree species. Therefore, we posit that, while age and climate do have a stronger influence on tree growth, it is important to consider soil as a growth factor, particularly at the distribution margins along climatic gradients.

Analisis Faktor Kunci Keberhasilan Implementasi Last Planner System untuk Peningkatan Kinerja Waktu pada Proyek Bendungan

Infrastructure development is crucial to the development of a nation’s economy. Based on data from the 2021 World Competitiveness Yearbook, Indonesia's infrastructure is ranked 57th out of 64 countries and one of the assessment criteria is related to water resources. Water resource management in Indonesia is still faced with fundamental challenges, including the limited water storage capacity in Indonesia so alternative water resources development is needed, among which is through the construction of dams. In practice, dam projects are very vulnerable to time delays. One of the solutions to this problem is the application of the last planner system method. The implementation of the last planner system can help create major improvements in project planning, increase workflow and productivity, and reduce project time and site accidents. This research has an update regarding the implementation of the last planner system method on a dam project and analyzing the key success factors using SEM-PLS. According to the study's findings, the key success factors of the implementation of the last planner system method on dam projects are budget plan, work schedule, clarity of scope of work, work plan, planning process, and weekly plan

Modeling the influence of small reservoirs on hydrological drought propagation in space and time

To increase drought preparedness in semi-arid regions across the world many small and medium reservoirs have been built in recent decades. Together these reservoirs form a Dense Reservoir Network (DRN) and its presence generates numerous challenges for water management. Most of the reservoirs that constitute the network are unmonitored and unregistered, posing questions on their cumulative effects on strategic reservoirs and water distribution at watershed scale. Their influence on hydrological drought propagation is thus largely unexplored. The objective of this study is then to assess DRN effects on droughts both in time and space. A modeling-analytical framework is proposed to achieve this goal. A mesoscale semi-distributed hydrological model was utilized to simulate both a network of large strategic reservoirs and a DRN in a large-scale tropical semiarid watershed. To investigate the effects in time and space generated by the network’s presence, the differences between multiple network scenarios were analyzed. Results show that the presence of the DRN accelerates the transition from meteorological to hydrological drought phases by 20% on average and slows down the recharge in strategic reservoirs by 25%, leading to a 12% increase of periods in hydrological drought conditions in a highly strategic basin and 26% without strategic reservoirs. This is because the DRN increases the hydrological dysconnectivity at catchment scale, reducing inflow to strategic reservoirs. In space, the DRN shifts upstream the basin’s water storage capacity by 8%, but when both large and small reservoirs are present the stored volume distribution behavior is not straightforward. The findings confirm the need to consider the effect of small reservoirs when developing and implementing drought management policies and reservoir-management approaches at regional scale.

Structural and Functional Strategies in Cenchrus Species to Combat Environmental Extremities Imposed by Multiple Abiotic Stresses.

Multiple abiotic stresses such as drought, salinity, heat, and cold stress prevailing in natural habitats affect plant growth and development. Different species modify their structural and functional traits to combat these abiotic stresses while growing in stressful environments. Cenchrus species, i.e., Cenchrus pennisetiformis, C. setiger, and C. prieurii are widely distributed grasses found growing all over the world. Samples from natural populations were collected from different ecological regions in the Punjab and Khyber Pakhtoonkhwa that were exposed to aridity, salinity, and cold, while one site was designated as normal control. In the present study, structural and functional modifications of three Cenchrus species under abiotic stresses were evaluated. It was expected that each Cenchrus species may evolve different strategies to cope with multiple abiotic stresses. All Cenchrus species responded differently whether growing in normal environment or stressful conditions. The most remarkable feature for survival in C. pennisetiformis under cold stress was increased inflorescence and increased stem and root lignification. C. prieurii showed better tolerance to saline and cold environments. C. setiger showed better development of leaf sheath anatomical traits. The structural and functional modifications in Cenchrus species such as development of mechanical tissues provided structural support, while dermal and parenchymatous tissues increased water storage capacity and minimized water loss. An increase in the concentration of organic osmolytes and ionic content aids turgor pressure maintenance and ionic content crucial for plant growth and development. It was concluded that structural and functional alterations in all Cenchrus species were very specific and critical for survival under different environmental stresses. The ecological fitness of these species relied on maintenance of growth and biomass production, and the development of mechanical, vascular, dermal and parenchyma tissues under stressful environmental conditions. Moreover, accumulation of beneficial ions (K+ and Ca2+) and organic osmolytes were critical in turgor maintenance, hence survival of Cenchrus spp.

Socioeconomic status, lake knowledge, and community participation in the sustainable Lake Limboto management, Gorontalo Regency

Lake Limboto, situated in Gorontalo, Indonesia, confronts severe threats jeopardizing its sustainability. Widespread deforestation in the watershed area has led to excessive sedimentation within the lake, consequently diminishing its water storage capacity and compromising its flood control function. This degradation has manifested itself in downstream droughts during the dry season and flooding during the rainy season. Historical data reveals a stark reduction in Lake Limboto’s size, plummeting from approximately 3,644.5 ha in 1991 to around 2,693.9 ha in 2017. This study aims to provide comprehensive examination of the interplay between the socioeconomic status of the local community and their understanding of the lake ecosystem. Furthermore, it delves into how these factors produce synergies that shape and impact community involvement in sustainable lake management initiatives. Hypothesis testing yielded significant results, affirming the existence of a positive correlation between socioeconomic status, knowledge of the lake ecosystem, and active community participation in sustainable lake management efforts. The findings underscore the critical importance of socioeconomic factors that need to be considered when designing strategies for the preservation and sustainable management of Lake Limboto. Integrating the community into conservation initiatives is necessary, given their intrinsic relationship with the lake. By acknowledging and leveraging the nexus between socioeconomic status, ecological knowledge, and active participation, stakeholders can formulate more effective and inclusive strategies for safeguarding Lake Limboto’s ecological integrity. This study contributes valuable insights for policymakers, environmentalists, and local communities alike, emphasizing the necessity of collaborative efforts to ensure the long-term resilience and vitality of Lake Limboto.

Assessment of rock glaciers and their water storage in Guokalariju, Tibetan Plateau

Abstract. Rock glaciers are important hydrological reserves in arid and semi-arid regions. Their activity states can indicate the existence of permafrost. To help further explore the development mechanisms of rock glaciers in semi-arid and humid transition regions, this paper provides a detailed rock glacier inventory of the Guokalariju (also known as Goikarla Rigyu) area of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) using a manual visual interpretation of Google Earth Pro remote sensing imagery. We also estimated the water volume equivalent (WVEQ) in the study area for the first time. Approximately 5057 rock glaciers were identified, covering a total area of ∼404.69 km2. Rock glaciers are unevenly distributed within the three sub-regions from west to east, with 80 % of them concentrated in the central region, where climatic and topographic conditions are most favorable. Under the same ground temperature conditions, increases in precipitation are conducive to rock glaciers forming at lower altitudes. Indeed, the lower limit of rock glaciers' mean altitude decreased eastward with increasing precipitation. Estimates of the water storage capacity of rock glaciers obtained by applying different methods varied considerably, but all showed the potential hydrological value of rock glaciers. The possible water storage in the subsurface ice of rock glacier permafrost was 1.32–3.60 km3. The ratio between the amount of subsurface ice stored in rock glaciers and surface ice stored in local glaciers falls within the range of 1:2.32 to 1:1.26, with an average ratio of 1:1.69. In the west region, where the climate is the driest, the water storage capacity of rock glaciers was estimated to be up to twice as large as that of the sub-region's glaciers. Changes in water resources and permafrost stability in the area where rock glaciers occur will have implications for regional water resource management, disaster prevention, and sustainable development strategies.

Evolution of a Surge Cycle of the Bering‐Bagley Glacier System From Observations and Numerical Modeling

AbstractThe Bering‐Bagley Glacier System (BBGS), Alaska, Earth's largest temperate surging glacier, surged in 2008–2013. We use numerical modeling and satellite observations to investigate how surging in a large and complex glacier system differs from surging in smaller glaciers for which our current understanding of the surge phenomenon is based. With numerical simulations of a long quiescent phase and a short surge phase in the BBGS, we show that surging is more spatiotemporally complex in larger glaciers with multiple reservoir areas forming during quiescence which interact in a cascading manner when ice accelerates during the surge phase. For each phase, we analyze the simulated elevation‐change and ice‐velocity pattern, infer information on the evolving basal drainage system through hydropotential analysis, and supplement these findings with observational data such as CryoSat‐2 digital elevation maps. During the quiescent simulation, water drainage paths become increasingly lateral and hydropotential wells form indicating an expanding storage capacity of subglacial water. These results are attributed to local bedrock topography characterized by large subglacial ridges that dam the down‐glacier flow of ice and water. In the surge simulation, we model surge evolution through Bering Glacier's trunk by imposing a basal friction representation that mimics a propagating surge wave. As the surge progresses, drainage efficiency further degrades in the active surging‐zone from its already inefficient, end‐of‐quiescence state. Results from this study improve our knowledge of surging in large and complex systems which generalizes to glacial accelerations observed in outlet glaciers of Greenland, thus reducing uncertainty in modeling sea‐level rise.

Assessment of Reservoir Sedimentation Using Geospatial Tools: A Case Study of Kadana Reservoir

Sediment deposition affects the storage capacity of the reservoirs. Periodic assessment of the storage capacity is needed for the efficient management of the reservoir. Conventional hydrographic survey methods are helpful in assessing the sediment deposition in the reservoir but costlier and time consuming. Integration of advanced remote sensing and geospatial technologies into reservoir sedimentation studies enhance data-driven decision-making, monitoring efficiency, and helps in sustainable reservoir operations under changing environmental conditions. This study was conducted to assess the sedimentation in the Kadana reservoir using the satellite data and water level records for the period 2000 to 2020 using QGIS &amp; google earth engine (GEE). The results showed the loss of live storage due to sedimentation was 38.52% since impoundment and the loss in the live storage capacity was 22.79% after year 2000. GIS technique helps in reservoir management for the sustainable development of the reservoir by understanding the change in water storage capacity of the reservoirs and reservoir sedimentation.

Optimizing performance of recycled aggregate materials using BP neural network analysis: A study on permeability and water storage

This study investigates the factors influencing the permeability and water storage capabilities of Recycled Graded Crushed Stone Layer (RGCSL) materials, which are crucial for constructing sustainable "sponge cities". The research focuses on how aggregate characteristics, such as particle size and filling sequence, affect the porosity structure of RGCSL and, consequently, its permeability and water storage performance. The findings reveal significant impacts of these factors on material performance, leading to the development of a performance prediction model based on the principle of superposition and backpropagation neural networks. The model's efficacy was validated through simulation experiments, indicating that the water storage capacity of recycled sand is significantly higher than that of coarse aggregates, with the model achieving an accuracy of 89.1%. This study is vital for advancing environmental restoration and sustainable urban development.

Water storage capacity estimation for a large complex lake system incorporating the water levels during flooding season

Study regionDongting Lake, ChinaStudy focusWater storage capacity (WSC) of a large lake system plays a crucial role in flood control decision-making during the flood season. Dongting Lake, located downstream of Three Gorges Dam, has a significant influence over flood control in the middle and lower reaches of the Yangtze River (MLYR). To have a better WSC estimation of Dongting Lake, a multiple linear regression model was developed based on hydrodynamic simulation data of the typical flood processes in the past 3 decades.New hydrological insights for the regionThe multiple linear regression (MLR) model is developed by integrating of hydrodynamic simulation. Also, the effect of the water level (WL) at Chenglingji station and the WL difference in the lake (Yangliutan-Chenglingji) were investigated. The model can accurately estimate the WSC of Dongting Lake with an R2 of 0.984. The observation indicates that the WL difference within the lake has a great influence on the WSC and the flood regulation capacity ability with the same WL at Chenglingji station. The results of the study can provide a real-time estimation of the WSC of Dongting Lake which can provide useful information for flood control management.

A Comparative Analysis of Kinnow Production in Rajasthan and Punjab

The study investigated Kinnow production in Sriganganagar, Rajasthan, and Fazilka, Punjab, using structured interviews with 480 Kinnow growers from 24 villages. It explored production practices, challenges, and opportunities in the 2020-21 crop year. Linear and exponential trend equations were used to analyze the secondary data. The area under Kinnow cultivation in Fazilka showed a strong linear trend with a high R2 value, while the Sriganganagar showed a weak linear trend with a low R2 value. Similarly, the production and productivity of Kinnow in Fazilka showed stronger trends than in Sriganganagar. The study suggested that the state should offer support and resources to tackle canal water pollution through treatment plants and sustainable practices. Rajasthan government should provide support and resources to farmers and follow Punjab's citrus estate model to boost production. Furthermore, Kinnow production can be encouraged by ensuring an uninterrupted regulation of irrigation water. The study recommended increasing water storage capacity in the established orchards for water management. Keywords: Constraints, growth rate, instability index, productivity. JEL Codes: C19, C33, C88.

Decision of Straw Deep Burial and Aluminum Sulfate Drip Irrigation in Soda Saline Soil Based on Grey Relation Analysis and TOPSIS Coupling

To investigate the impact of combining aluminum sulfate with straw and irrigation water to enhance soil quality in soda saline–alkali soil, in this study a field experiment was conducted in Tongliao City, Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region, China. With beet IM1162 as the indicator crop, four levels of aluminum sulfate dosage (30, 60, 90, 120 g m−2) and four levels of drip irrigation water quota (225, 270, 315, 360 m3 ha−1) were set. The study examined the impact of varying levels of aluminum sulfate and irrigation water on soil water salt and crop yield. Next, using a comprehensive evaluation method, the optimal quantities of aluminum sulfate and irrigation water needed for effective soil improvement were determined. The research findings indicate that the most effective treatment (W2S3) involved an aluminum sulfate dosage of 90 g m−2 and an irrigation quota of 270 m3 ha−1. This treatment resulted in significant improvements compared to the control (CK) group. Specifically, in the 0–50 cm soil layer, the following improvements were observed: the water storage capacity (SWS) increased by 51.7%; evapotranspiration (ET) increased by 16.2%; water use efficiency (WUE) increased by 55.0%; and irrigation water use efficiency (IWUE) increased by 98.1% (p &lt; 0.05). These results emphasize the importance of optimizing the combination of aluminum sulfate dosage and irrigation water quota to improve soil conditions and crop performance. It is worth nothing that this study highlights the potential for enhancing water use efficiency and crop yield in agricultural practices, which can contribute to sustainable and efficient farming practices. The study results revealed significant improvements in soil quality and crop yield when compared to the control group (CK). Specifically, in the 0–50 cm soil layer: the soil salt content decreased by 19.8%, soil pH increased by 8.7%, and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) decreased by 34.0%. Moreover, the crop yield in the treatment group increased significantly, by 32.1%. These findings indicate the positive impact of the intervention on soil health and agricultural productivity. The study employed the game theory combination weighting method to comprehensively evaluate soil water, salt, and various yield indicators. The results showed that the sustainability weight for crop yield reached 0.116, emphasizing the aim of soil improvement: the sustainable enhancement of crop yield. This approach underscores the importance of balanced soil management practices to ensure long-term agricultural productivity and environmental sustainability. The comprehensive evaluation results of grey relation analysis and the TOPSIS coupling model showed that the soil improvement effect score was the highest when the dosage of aluminum sulfate was 61.7–120.0 g m−2, and the irrigation quota was 250.4–319.4 m3 ha−1, which was the recommended range for the local area. The research findings discussed in the provided sources contribute to the theoretical basis for soil improvement in soda–saline–alkali land.

Limited influence of air temperature and precipitation on six-year survival and growth of non-native tree species in a Central European multi-site field trial

The biggest challenge for forest management in the near future will be the silvicultural adaptation of forests on sites where climate change will increase the risk for drought induced tree mortality and for a decrease of the growth performance. One management option is the diversification by promoting climate change adapted non-native tree species. Currently, we have in depth experience with only a few non-native tree species in Central Europe. Other tree species that may complement the species pool in Central Europe need to be carefully selected by a range of criteria. Before establishing larger silvicultural experiments at stand-level, the suitability of species to grow well with a low risk of failure under expected future climatic conditions as well as a good performance already today should be tested, amongst other aspects. We present results of a multi-site common garden experiment where growth and survival of five non-native tree species (Abies bornmuelleriana, Cedrus libani, Fagus orientalis, Tilia tomentosa, and Tsuga heterophylla) and one climate adapted local native species per site are tested in five field trials in Austria, Germany and Switzerland along a temperature (7.9–10.4 °C mean annual Temperature) and precipitation (490–1147 mm annual precipitation) gradient. Each species was replicated on three plots per site using a block-wise design. Lower survival and growth of the non-native species as the native reference on most sites indicate that the studied non-native species are today not as well adapted to current climatic conditions as native species. However, the performance of the non-native species was sufficiently high to justify further trials. Survival and growth rates were mostly equally high on the two sites at the opposing ends of the temperature and humidity gradient and lower on all other sites. Height growth and survival were only marginally affected by the strong summer drought in 2018 in all except one site, presumably due to the low water storage capacity of the sandy soils on this site. This indicates that the tested non-native tree species grow well in the wide range of climatically changing weather conditions from our transnational study sites across Central Europe. So far, the tested tree species did not reach their climatic growth limitation. However, edaphic site conditions may have influenced the performance of the tested non-native species as well and must be considered when discussing the suitability of these tree species.