Abstract
Time-domain reflectometry was used to make continuous measurements of soil moisture to 18 sample points with depth of 2 m for 36 months in a typical artificial secondary oak forest located in a hilly area on Zijin Mountain in the suburbs of Nanjing, China. The data were then used to examine the patterns of soil moisture variations on temporal and spatial scales and predict the relationships between soil moisture and major factors of both meteorology and topography. Water in the topsoil was active, and the upper 30 cm of soil supplied about 43% of the water content variation during the whole year. This difference of water content changes among layers could be due to the distribution conditions of some soil physical properties. When initial soil moisture was in the range from 10% to 40%, the impact of a single storm event on soil moisture was extremely significant, especially on sunny slope. Both climate and slope condition were related to soil moisture change, and the impact of slope gradient on soil moisture was higher that on shady slope. Moreover, root uptake was another important path of soil water consumption.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
ZHANG Jin-chi, DEANGELIS D L, ZHUANG Jia-yao. Theory and practice of soil loss control in eastern China [M]. New York: Springer, 2011.
R¨¹CKNAGEL J, GÖTZE P, HOFMANN B, CHRISTEN O, MARSCHALL K. The influence of soil gravel content on compaction behaviour and pre-compression stress [J]. Geoderma, 2013, 209(5): 226-232.
MILLY P C D. Climate, soil water storage, and the average annual water balance [J]. Water Resoures Research, 1994, 30(7): 2143-2156.
WEI Lin-hong, ZHANG Bin, WANG Ming-zhu. Effects of antecedent soil moisture on runoff and soil erosion in alley cropping systems [J]. Agricultural Water Management, 2007, 94(1/2/3): 54-62.
KIEFT T L, SOROKER E, FIRESTONE M K. Microbial biomass response to a rapid increase in water potential when dry soil is wetted [J]. Soil Biology & Biochemistry, 1987, 19(2): 119-126.
ALFERNESS P L, ITAWA Y. Determination of glyphosate and (aminomethyl) phosphonic acid in soil, plant and animal matrixes, and water by capillary gas chromatography with mass-selective detection [J]. Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry, 1994, 42(12): 2751-2759.
JACKSON R B, SPERRY J S, DAWSON T E. Root water uptake and transport: Using physiological processes in global predictions [J]. Trends in Plant Science, 2000, 5(11): 482-488.
FRANZLUEBBERS A J. Water infiltration and soil structure related to organic matter and its stratification with depth [J]. Soil & Till Research, 2002, 66(2): 197-205.
HAVERKAMP R, LEIJ F J, FUENTES C, SCIORTINO A, ROSS P J. Soil water retention [J]. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 2005, 69(6): 1881-1890.
RAY R L, JACOBS J M. Relationships among remotely sensed soil moisture, precipitation and landslide events [J]. Natural Hazards, 2007, 43(2): 211-222.
FAMIGLIETTI J S, RUDNICKI J W, RODELLT M. Variability in surface moisture contents along a hillslope transect: Rattlesnake Hill, Texas [J]. Journal of Hydrology, 1998, 210(1/2/3/4): 259-281.
QIU Yang, FU Bo-jie, WANG Jun, CHEN Li-ding. Soil moisture variation in relation to topography and land use in a hillslope catchment of the Loess Plateau, China [J]. Journal of Hydrology, 2001, 240(3/4): 243-263.
WANG Jun, FU Bo-jie, QIU Yang, CHEN Li-ding. Soil nutrients in relation to land use and landscape position in the semi-arid small catchment on the loess plateau in China [J]. Journal of Arid Environments, 2001, 48(4): 537-550.
ARYA L M, PARIS J F. A physicoempirical model to predict the soil moisture characteristic from particle-size distribution and bulk density data [J]. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 1981, 45(6): 1023-1030.
CAMBARDELLA C A, MOORMAN T B, PARKIN T B, KARLEN D L, NOVAK J M, TURCO R F, KONOPKA A E. Field-scale variability of soil properties in central Iowa soils [J]. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 1994, 58(5): 1501-1511.
TANG Qiang, BAO Yu-hai, HE Xiu-bin, ZHU Bo, ZHANG Xin-bao. Farmer’s adaptive strategies on land competition between societal outcomes and agroecosystem conservation in the purple-soiled hilly region, southwestern China [J]. Journal of Mountain Science, 2012(9): 77-86.
WETZEL P J, CHANG J T. Concerning the relationship between evapotranspiration and soil moisture [J]. Journal of Applied Meteorology and Climatology, 1987, 26(1): 18-27.
NOBRE C A, SELLERS P J, SHUKLA J. Amazonian deforestation and regional climate change [J]. Journal of Climate, 1991, 4(10): 957-988.
HUANG Yi-long, CHEN Li-ding, FU Bo-jie, HUANG Zhi-lin, GONG Jie, LU Xi-xi. Effect of land use and topography on spatial variability of soil moisture in a gully catchment of the Loess Plateau, China [J]. Ecohydrology, 2012, 5(6): 826-833.
JACOBS J M, MOHANTY B P, HSU E C, MILLER D. SMEX02: Field scale variability, time stability and similarity of soil moisture [J]. Remote Sensing of Environment, 2004, 92(4): 436-446.
ALBERGEL C, R¨¹ DIGER C, CARRER D, CALVET J C, FRITZ N, NAEIMI V, BARTALIS Z, HASENAUER S. An evaluation of ASCAT surface soil moisture products with in-situ observations in Southwestern France [J]. Hydrology and Earth System Sciences, 2009, 13(2): 115-124.
ZHAN Yan-ling, LIN Zhao-hui. The relationship between June precipitation over mid-lower reaches of the Yangtze River basin and spring soil moisture over the East Asian monsoon region [J]. Acta Meteorologica Sinica, 2011, 25(3): 355-363.
WANG Yi-bo, NIU Fu-jun, WEN Jing, WU Qing-bai, ZHANG Wei. Study of the soil hydrological process in the source regions of the Yangtze River, China [J]. Advanced Materials Research, 2012, 518-523: 4266-4272.
LI Gang, LUK S H, CAI Qiang-guo. Topographic zonation of infiltration in the hilly loess region, north China [J]. Hydrological Processes, 1995, 9(2): 227-235.
dos SANTOS T E M, da SILVA D D, MONTENEGRO A A de A. Temporal variability of soil water content under different surface conditions in the semiarid region of the Pernambuco state [J]. Revista Brasileira de Ci¨ºncia do Solo, 2010, 34(5): 1733-1741.
YU Wei-qing, WANG Yu-jie, HU Hai-bo, WANG Yun-qi, ZHANG Hui-lan. Soil water infiltration characteristics analysis under different vegetation on the hilly ground of Yangtze River Delta [J]. Chinese Journal of Soil Science, 2014, 45(2): 345-351. (in Chinese)
WANG Jun, QIU Yang, CHEN Li-ding, FU Bo-jie. The effects of land use on soil moisture variation in the Danangou catchment of the Loess Plateau, China [J]. Catena, 2003, 54(1): 197-213.
BRUNO R D, da ROCHA H R, de FREITAS H C, GOULDEN M L, MILLER S D. Soil moisture dynamics in an eastern Amazonian tropical forest [J]. Hydrological Processes, 2006, 20(12): 2477-2489.
DUAN Zheng-hu, XIAO Hong-lang, SONG Yao-xuan, CHENG Guo-dong. Soil water variation in different terrains and influence on plant in Lanzhou suburb on western Loess Plateau [J]. Journal of Desert Research, 2006, 26(4): 522-526. (in Chinese)
RODRIGUEZ-ITURBE I. Ecohydrology: A hydrologic perspective of climate-soil-vegetation dynamics [J]. Water Resources Research, 2000, 36(1): 3-9.
CASTILLO V M, G¨®MEZ- PLAZA A, MART¨ªNEZ- MENA M. The role of initial soil water content in the runoff response of semiarid catchments: a simulation approach [J]. Journal of Hydrology, 2003, 284(1/2/3/4): 114-130.
HARDIE M A, COTCHING W E, DOYLE R B, HOLZ G, LISSON S, MATTERN K. Effect of initial soil moisture on preferential flow in a texture-contrast soil [J]. Journal of Hydrology, 2011, 398(3/4): 191-201.
BURT T P, BUTCHER D P. Topographic controls of soil moisture distributions [J]. European Journal of Soil Science, 1985, 36(3): 469-486.
QIU Yang, FU Bo-jie, WANG Jun, CHEN Li-ding. Spatial variability of soil moisture content and its relation to environmental indices in a semi-arid gully catchment of the Loess Plateau, China [J]. Journal of Arid Environments, 2001, 49(4): 723-750.
RIDOLFI L, D’ ODORICO P, PORPORATO A, RODRIGUEZITURBE I. Stochastic soil moisture dynamics along a hillslope [J]. Journal of Hydrology, 2003, 272(1/2/3/4): 264-275.
ASSOULINE S, BEN- HUR M. Effects of rainfall intensity and slope gradient on the dynamics of interrill erosion during soil surface sealing [J]. Catena, 2006, 66(3): 211-220.
CHAI Hong-bao, CAO Ping, CHAI Guo-wu, LIN Hang. Influence of goaf on slope stability [J]. Journal of Central South University: Science and Technology, 2010, 41(4): 1528-1534. (in Chinese)
HANSEN B E. Sample splitting and threshold estimation [J]. Econometrica, 2000, 68(3): 575-603.
ENDERS W, SIKLOS P L. Cointegration and threshold adjustment [J]. Journal of Business & Economic Statistics, 2001, 19(2): 166-176.
KIRKBY M, BRACKEN L, REANEY S. The influence of land use, soils and topography on the delivery of hillslope runoff to channels in SE Spain [J]. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 2002, 27(13): 1459-1473.
LIU Bao-yuan, NEARING M A, RISSE L M. Slope gradient effects on soil loss for steep slopes [J]. Transactions of the ASAE, 1994, 37(6): 1835-1840.
SOPHOCLEOUS M. Interactions between groundwater and surface water: the state of the science [J]. Hydrogeology Journal, 2002, 10(1): 52-67.
ALLISON G B, HUGHER M W. The use of natural tracers as indicators of soil water movement in a temperate semi-arid region [J]. Journal of Hydrology, 1983, 60(1/2/3/4): 157-173.
ARKLEY R J. Calculation of carbonate and water movement in soil from climatic data [J]. Soil Science, 1963, 96(4): 239-248.
THOMAS G W, PHILLIPS R E. Consequences of water movement in macropores [J]. Journal of Environmental Quality, 1979, 8(2): 149-152.
COSBY B J, HORNBERGER G M, CLAPP R B, GINN T R. A statistical exploration of the relationships of soil moisture characteristics to the physical properties of soils [J]. Water Resources Research, 1984, 20(6): 682-690.
RAWLS W J, AHUJA L R, BRAKENSIEK D L, SHIRMOHAMMADI A. Handbook of hydrology [M]. New York: McGraw-Hill Inc., 1992.
LEONARD J, ANDRIEUX P. Infiltration characteristics of soils in Mediterranean vineyards in Southern France [J]. Catena, 1998, 32(3/4): 209-223.
de JONGE L W, JACOBSEN O H, MOLDRUP P. Soil water repellency: Effects of water content, temperature, and particle size [J]. Soil Science Society of America Journal, 1999, 63(3): 437-442.
RADFORD B J, KEY A J, ROBERTSON L N, THOMAS G A. Conservation tillage increases in soil water storage, soil animal populations, grain yield, and response to fertiliser in the semi-arid subtropics [J]. Animal Production Science, 1995, 35(2): 223-232.
HANGEN E, BUCZKO U, BEMS O, BRUNOTTE J, H¨¹ TTL R F. Infiltration patterns into two soils under conventional and conservation tillage: influence of the spatial distribution of plant root structures and soil animal activity [J]. Soil & Tillage Research, 2002, 63(3/4): 181-186.
LIANG Zong-suo, YANG Jian-wei, SHAO Hong-bo, HAN Rui-lian. Investigation on water consumption characteristics and water use efficiency of poplar under soil water deficits on the Loess Plateau [J]. Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces, 2006, 53(1): 23-28.
SPERRY J S, ADLER F R, CAMPBELL G S, COMSTOCK J P. Limitation of plant water use by rhizosphere and xylem conductance: Results from a model [J]. Plant Cell and Environment, 1998, 21(4): 347-359.
RICHARDS J H, CALDWELL M M. Hydraulic lift: Substantial nocturnal water transport between soil layers by Artemisia tridentata roots [J]. Oecologia, 1987, 73(4): 486-489.
XU Ming, QI Ye. Soil-surface CO2 efflux and its spatial and temporal variations in a young ponderosa pine plantation in northern California [J]. Global Change Biology, 2001, 7(6): 667-677.
ETTEMA C H, WARDLE D A. Spatial soil ecology [J]. Trends in Ecology & Evolution, 2002, 17(4): 177-183.
FIERER N, JACKSON R B. The diversity and biogeography of soil bacterial communities [J]. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 2005, 103(3): 626-631.
ČERM¨¢K J, HRUŠKA J, MARTINKOV¨¢ M, PRAX A. Urban tree root systems and their survival near houses analyzed using ground penetrating radar and sap flow techniques [J]. Plant and Soil, 2000, 219(1/2): 103-116.
RESH S C, BATTAGLIA M, WORLEDGE D, LADIGES S. Coarse root biomass for eucalypt plantations in Tasmania, Australia: sources of variation and methods for assessment [J]. Trees, 2003, 17(5): 389-399.
TOBIN B, ?ERM¨¢ K J, CHIATANTE D, DANJON F, DI O RIO A, DUPUY L, ESHEL A, JOURDAN C, KALLIOKOSKI T, LAIHO R, NADEZHDINA N, NICOLL B, PAG¨¨ S L, SILVA J, SPANOS I. Towards developmental modelling of tree root systems [J]. Plant Biosystems, 2007, 141(3): 481-501.
SCHWARZ M, LEHMANN P, OR D. Quantifying lateral root reinforcement in steep slopes-from a bundle of roots to tree stands [J]. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms, 2010, 35(3): 354-367.
ZENG Xu-bin, DAI Yong-jiu, DICKINSON R E, SHAIKH M. The role of root distribution for climate simulation over land [J]. Geophysical Research Letters, 1998, 25(24): 4533-4536.
NEPSTAD D C, de CARVALHO C R, DAVIDSON E A, JIPP P H, LEFEBVRE P A, NEGREIROS G H, SILVA E D, STONE T A, TRUMBORE S E, VIEIRA S. The role of deep roots in the hydrological and carbon cycles of Amazonian forests and pastures [J]. Nature, 1994(372): 666-669.
ROMERO-SALTOS H, STERNBERG L D A S L, MOREIRA M Z, NEPSTAD D C. Rainfall exclusion in an eastern Amazonian forest alters soil water movement and depth of water uptake [J]. American Journal of Botany, 2005, 92(3): 443-455.
HOUSER P R, SHUTTLEWORTH W J, FAMIGLIETTI J S, GUPTA H V, SYED K H, GOODRICH D C. Integration of soil moisture remote sensing and hydrologic modeling using data assimilation [J]. Water Resources Research, 1998, 34(12): 3405-3420.
WANG Jun, FU Bo-jie, QIU Yang, CHEN Li-ding, WANG Zhi. Geostatistical analysis of soil moisture variability on Da Nangou catchment of the loess plateau, China [J]. Environmental Geology, 2001, 41(1/2): 113-120.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Corresponding author
Additional information
Foundation item: Project(TD2011-01) supported by the Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities, China
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Yu, Wq., Wang, Yj., Hu, Hb. et al. Regulations and patterns of soil moisture dynamics and their controlling factors in hilly regions of lower reaches of Yangtze River basin, China. J. Cent. South Univ. 22, 4764–4777 (2015). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-015-3028-2
Received:
Accepted:
Published:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s11771-015-3028-2