Modelling the effect of changing precipitation inputs on deep soil water utilization

Forests in the Southeastern United States are predicted to experience future changes in seasonal patterns of precipitation inputs as well as more variable precipitation events. These climate change‐induced alterations could increase drought and lower soil water availability. Drought could alter rooting patterns and increase the importance of deep roots that access subsurface water resources. To address plant response to drought in both deep rooting and soil water utilization as well as soil drainage, we utilize a throughfall reduction experiment in a loblolly pine plantation of the Southeastern United States to calibrate and validate a hydrological model. The model was accurately calibrated against field measured soil moisture data under ambient rainfall and validated using 30% throughfall reduction data. Using this model, we then tested these scenarios: (a) evenly reduced precipitation; (b) less precipitation in summer, more in winter; (c) same total amount of precipitation with less frequent but heavier storms; and (d) shallower rooting depth under the above 3 scenarios. When less precipitation was received, drainage decreased proportionally much faster than evapotranspiration implying plants will acquire water first to the detriment of drainage. When precipitation was reduced by more than 30%, plants relied on stored soil water to satisfy evapotranspiration suggesting 30% may be a threshold that if sustained over the long term would deplete plant available soil water. Under the third scenario, evapotranspiration and drainage decreased, whereas surface run‐off increased. Changes in root biomass measured before and 4 years after the throughfall reduction experiment were not detected among treatments. Model simulations, however, indicated gains in evapotranspiration with deeper roots under evenly reduced precipitation and seasonal precipitation redistribution scenarios but not when precipitation frequency was adjusted. Deep soil and deep rooting can provide an important buffer capacity when precipitation alone cannot satisfy the evapotranspirational demand of forests. How this buffering capacity will persist in the face of changing precipitation inputs, however, will depend less on seasonal redistribution than on the magnitude of reductions and changes in rainfall frequency.     

Effects of forest roads on the hydrological response of a small‐scale mountain watershed in Greece

The effects of land use changes on the ecology and hydrology of natural watersheds have long been debated. However, less attention has been given to the hydrological effects of forest roads. Although less studied, several researchers have claimed that streamflow changes related to forest roads can cause a persistent and pervasive effect on hillslope hydrology and the functioning of the channel system. The main potential direct effects of forest roads on natural watersheds hydrologic response are runoff production on roads surfaces due to reduced infiltration rates, interruption of subsurface flow by road cutslopes and rapid transfer of the produced runoff to the stream network through roadside ditches. The aforementioned effects may significantly modify the total volume and timing of the hillslope flow to the stream network. This study uses detailed field data, spatial data, hydro‐meteorological records, as well as numerical simulation to investigate the effects of forest roads on the hydrological response of a small‐scale mountain experimental watershed, which is situated in the east side of Penteli Mountain, Attica, Greece. The results of this study highlight the possible effects of forest roads on the watersheds hydrological response that may significantly influence direct runoff depths and peak flow rates. It is demonstrated that these effects can be very important in permeable watersheds and that more emphasis should be given on the impact of roads on the watersheds hydrological response. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Artificial recharge efficiency assessment by soil water balance and modelling approaches in a multi-layered vadose zone in a dry region

To assess recharge through floodwater spreading, three wells, approx. 30 m deep, were dug in a 35-year-old basin in southern Iran. Hydraulic parameters of the layers were measured. One well was equipped with pre-calibrated time domain reflectometry (TDR) sensors. The soil moisture was measured continuously before and after events. Rainfall, ponding depth and the duration of the flooding events were also measured. Recharge was assessed by the soil water balance method, and by calibrated (inverse solution) HYDRUS-1D. The results show that the 15 wetting front was interrupted at a layer with fine soil accumulation over a coarse layer at the depth of approx. 4 m. This seemed to occur due to fingering flow. Estimation of recharge by the soil water balance and modelling approaches showed a downward water flux of 55 and 57% of impounded floodwater, respectively.     

A hydropedological approach to quantifying groundwater recharge in various glacial settings of the mid‐continental USA

Data from six monitoring stations were combined with a soil‐water dynamics model (HYDRUS 1D) to achieve physically‐based estimates of shallow water‐table recharge in representative hydropedological settings of the glaciated midwestern U.S.A. Calibration involved inverse modeling that yielded optimized hydraulic parameters. Root mean square errors for modeled versus measured soil moisture contents were generally within 3% for all soil layers at the six study sites. The optimized models also accurately simulated recharge values that corresponded to observed water‐table fluctuations. Optimized parameter values were consistent with estimates from a pedotransfer function, lab analyses, and field experiments. Forward modeling indicated that shallow water‐table recharge in mid‐continent glacial settings is approximately 35% of precipitation, but interannual and monthly variability is significant. Soil parent materials and horizon characteristics influence recharge primarily through their control on K_s with clay‐rich till parent materials producing values as low as 16% and coarse‐grained outwash parent materials producing values as high as 58% of precipitation. During the three‐year study period, distinct seasonality of recharge was observed with most recharge occurring in the winter (seasonal mean of all sites was 66% of precipitation) and lesser but interannually stable amounts in the spring (44%), summer (13%), and autumn (16%). This research underscores the importance of incorporating pedological information into models of soil‐water dynamics and groundwater recharge. © 2015 The Authors. Hydrological Processes published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

A framework for sourcing of evaporation between saturated and unsaturated zone in bare soil condition

ABSTRACT

Sourcing subsurface evaporation (E_ss) into groundwater (E_g) and unsaturated zone (E_u) components has received little scientific attention so far, despite its importance in water management and agriculture. We propose a novel sourcing framework, with its implementation in dedicated post-processing software called SOURCE (used along with the HYDRUS1D model), to study evaporation sourcing dynamics, define quantitatively “shallow” and “deep” water table conditions and test the applicability of water table fluctuation (WTF) and “bucket” methods for estimation of E_g and E_u separately.

For the “shallow” and “deep” water table we propose E_g?>?0.95E_ss and E_g = 0 criteria, respectively. Assessment of the WTF method allowed sourcing of very small fluxes otherwise neglected by standard hydrological methods. Sourcing with SOURCE software was more accurate than the standard “bucket” method mainly because of greater flexibility in spatio-temporal discretization. This study emphasized the dry condition relevance of groundwater evaporation which should be analysed by applying coupled flow of heat, vapour and liquid water.

Editor D. Koutsoyiannis; Associate editor S. Kanae     

A modified multiple tension upward infiltration method to estimate the soil hydraulic properties

Determination of saturated hydraulic conductivity, K_s, and the shape parameters α and n of the water retention curve, θ(h), is of paramount importance to characterize the water flow in the vadose zone. This work presents a modified upward infiltration method to estimate K_s, α and n from numerical inverse analysis of the measured cumulative upward infiltration (CUI) at multiple constant tension lower boundary conditions. Using the HYDRUS‐2D software, a theoretical analysis on a synthetic loam soil under different soil tensions (0, 0–10, 0–50 and 0–100 cm), with and without an overpressure step of 10 cm high from the top boundary condition at the end of the upward infiltration process, was performed to check the uniqueness and the accuracy of the solutions. Using a tension sorptivimeter device, the method was validated in a laboratory experiment on five different soils: a coarse and a fine sand, and a 1‐mm sieved loam, clay loam and silt‐gypseous soils. The estimated α and n parameters were compared to the corresponding values measured with the TDR‐pressure cell method. The theoretical analysis demonstrates that K_s and θ(h) can be simultaneously estimated from measured upward cumulative infiltration when high (>50 cm) soil tensions are initially applied at the lower boundary. Alternatively, satisfactory results can be also obtained when medium tensions (<50 cm) and the K_s calculated from the overpressure step at the end of the experiment are considered. A consistent relationship was found between the α (R² = 0.86, p < 0.02) and n (R² = 0.97, p < 0.001) values measured with the TDR‐pressure cell and the corresponding values estimated with the tension sorptivimeter. The error between the α (in logarithm scale) and n values estimated with the inverse analysis and the corresponding values measured with pressure chamber were 3.1 and 6.1%, respectively. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Mobility of major ions and nutrients in the unsaturated zone during paddy cultivation: a field study and solute transport modelling approach

Study of the movement of water and solute within soil profiles is important for a number of reasons. Accumulation of prominent contaminants from agricultural chemicals in the unsaturated zone over the years is a major concern in many parts of the world. As a result, the unsaturated zone has been a subject of great research interest during the past decade. Hence, an intensive field study was conducted in a part of Palar and Cheyyar river basins to understand the variation of major ions and nutrients in the soil zone during paddy cultivation. The chloride and nitrate data were used to model the movement of these chemicals in the unsaturated zone using the HYDRUS‐2D model. The field study shows that fertilizer application and irrigation return flow increases the major ions and nutrients concentration in the unsaturated zone. Further, the nutrient concentrations are regulated by plant uptake, fertilizer application and infiltration rate. Additionally, denitrification and soil mineralization processes also regulate the nitrogen concentration in the unsaturated zone. The solute transport modelling study concluded that the simulated results match reasonably with the observed trends. Simulated concentrations of chloride and nitrate for a 5‐year period indicate that the concentrations of these ions fluctuate in a cyclic manner (from 60 to 68 mg l^?1 and from 3·4 to 3·5 mg l^?1 respectively in groundwater) with no upward and downward trend. The influence of excessive fertilizer application on groundwater was also modelled. The model predicts an increase of about 17 mg l^?1 of chloride and 2·3 mg l^?1 of nitrogen in the groundwater of this area when the application of fertilizers is doubled. The model indicates that the present level of use of agrochemicals is no threat to the groundwater quality. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

包气带弱渗透性黏土透镜体对降雨入渗补给影响的数值模拟

大气降雨是华北平原浅层地下水的主要补给来源。长期过量开采地下水造成地下水位持续下降,使原来处于饱水带的透镜体位移到包气带中,形成了厚度大、非均质性更为复杂的包气带。厚层包气带中弱渗透性黏土透镜体对于降雨入渗补给的影响是关系到降水入渗过程及补给量评价的基本问题。用HYDRUS软件建立数值模拟模型,模拟探讨单次降雨条件下,透镜体埋深、宽度比、厚度等要素对入渗路径、入渗补给时间和入渗补给量的影响。结果表明:入渗过程中弱渗透性黏土透镜体两侧会形成较快的绕流;透镜体会减小补给峰值并延长总体补给时间,但不改变补给起始时间;透镜体埋深与极限蒸发深度的相对关系决定了潜在补给量的大小,透镜体埋深或因透镜体形成的上层滞水处于极限蒸发深度以上会减少潜在补给量。     

鄱阳湖典型洲滩湿地水分补排关系

湿地水分在地下水含水层-土壤-植物-大气界面的运移和转换是维持能量和营养物平衡的重要环节,水分运移是湿地生态水文过程研究的关键.数值模型模拟已成为水分运移研究的重要手段,然而限于复杂的湿地自然条件及有限的监测手段,部分界面水分通量连续动态变化数据的获取及定量化工作较为困难,目前应用数值模拟法于湿地水分运移研究的案例仍不多见.本文以鄱阳湖典型湿地为研究区,构建垂向一维数值模型,阐释了湖泊水位显著季节性变化条件下,湿地水分在不同界面的传输过程,量化了湿地水分的补排关系.结果表明:(1)界面水分通量季节性差异大,降雨入渗地面和根系层水分渗漏均对降雨变化响应敏感,主要集中在4—6月,分别占年总量(1450和1053 mm)的65%和73%.土面蒸发和植物蒸腾年总量为176和926 mm,土面蒸发主要受气候条件影响,植物蒸腾还与植物生长特征有关,均集中在7—8月,分别占年总量的30%和47%.深层土壤向浅层根系层的水分补给集中发生在地下水浅埋时段6—8月,占年总量(609 mm)的76%;(2)湿地植物根系层水分补排受鄱阳湖水位季节性波动影响显著.除丰水期(7—9月)主要补给为深层土壤水外,退、枯、涨水期的主要补给均为降水入渗.涨水期(4—6月)和枯水期(12—3月)的主要排泄为根系层水分渗漏,丰水期以植物蒸腾排泄为主,退水期(10—11月),土面蒸发与植物蒸腾为主要排泄,且比重相当.本文定量了鄱阳湖典型湿地不同界面水分连续交换关系,区分了土面蒸发和植物蒸腾,辨析了各界面水分的主要影响因子,研究结果有助于深入理解水分在湿地生态系统地下水含水层-土壤-植物-大气界面的相互作用机制,认识湖泊洲滩湿地水量平衡,为揭示湖泊水情变化对湿地生态的可能影响提供依据,为湿地生态水文过程研究提供重要方法和理论参考.