High chloride concentrations in the soil and groundwater under an oak hedge in the West of France: an indicator of evapotranspiration and water movement

Chloride is a major anion in soil water and its concentration rises essentially as a function of evapotranspiration. Compared to herbaceous vegetation, high transpiration rates are measured for isolated trees, shelterbelts or hedgerows. This article deals with the influence of a tree hedge on the soil and groundwater Cl^? concentrations and the possibility of using Cl^? as an indicator of transpiration and water movements near the tree rows. Cl^? concentrations were measured over 1 year at different depths in the unsaturated zone and in the groundwater along a transect intersecting a bottomland oak hedge. We observed a strong spatial heterogeneity of Cl^? concentrations, with very high values up to 2 g l^?1 in the unsaturated zone and 1·2 g l^?1 in the upper part of the groundwater. This contrasts with the low and homogeneous concentrations (60–70 mg l^?1) in the deeper part of the groundwater. Cl^? accumulation in the unsaturated zone at the end of the vegetation season allows us to identify the active root zone extension of trees. In winter, upslope of the tree row, downwards leaching partly renews the soil solution in the root zone, while the slow water movement under the trees or farther downslope results in Cl^? accumulation and leads to a salinization of the soil and groundwater. This salinization is of the same order as experimental conditions produce negative effects on oak seedlings. The measurement of Cl^? concentrations in the unsaturated zone under tree rows at the end of the vegetation season would indicate whether certain topographic, pedological or climatic conditions are likely to favour a strong salinization of the soil, as observed in the present study. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Influence of a hedge surrounding bottomland on seasonal soil‐water movement

The influence of a hedge surrounding bottomland on soil‐water movement along the hillslope was studied on a plot scale for 28 months. The study was based on the comparison of two transects, one with a hedge, the other without, using mainly a dense grid of tensiometers. The influence of the bottomland hedge was located in the area where tree roots were developed, several metres upslope from the hedge, and could be observed both in the saturated and non‐saturated zone, from May to December. The hedge induced a high rate of soil drying, because of the high evaporative capacity of the trees. We evaluated that water uptake by the hedge during the growing season was at least 100 mm higher than without a hedge. This increased drying rate led to a delayed rewetting of the soils upslope from the hedge in autumn, of about 1 month compared with the situation without a hedge. Several consequences of this delayed rewetting are expected: a delay in the return of subsurface transfer from the hillslope to the riparian zone, a buffering effect of hedges on floods, already observed at the catchment scale, and an increased residence time of pollutants. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The use of mycorrhiza for eco‐engineering measures in steep alpine environments: effects on soil aggregate formation and fine‐root development

Steep erosion‐prone and vegetation‐free slopes are widespread in alpine areas and are often discussed since they have a high socio‐economic damage potential. We present an eco‐engineering approach to test whether a mycorrhizal inoculum improves the establishment of hedge brush layers and in turn soil structural stability on a steep, coarse‐grained vegetation‐free slope in the eastern Swiss Alps. We established (i) mycorrhizal and (ii) non‐mycorrhizal treated eco‐engineered research plots on a field experimental scale, covering a total area of approximately 1000 m² on an east‐northeast (ENE) exposed slope, where many environmental parameters can be regarded as homogeneous. After a full vegetation period, we quantified soil aggregate stability, the formation of water stable aggregates and the fine‐root development. Our results illustrate that the establishment of brush layers without mycorrhizal inoculum increased aggregate stability significantly. Against our expectation and glasshouse experiments, the addition of mycorrhizal inoculum did not have a statistically significant effect after one vegetation period although it tended to increase aggregate stability. Analogously, root length density (RLD) tended to be higher at the non‐mycorrhizal treated site. Aggregate stability was significantly correlated with RLD. Studies on a bigger field experimental scale are inevitable, complement glasshouse studies and lead to a better understanding for a successful application of sustainable eco‐engineering measures in alpine environments. Based on our results and considering the fact that the response time in natural ecosystems may be slower than in laboratory approaches, we conclude that long‐term field studies are necessary to validate results gained through laboratory experiments. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Simulating soil‐water movement under a hedgerow surrounding a bottomland reveals the importance of transpiration in water balance

The objective of this study was to quantify components of the water balance related to root‐water uptake in the soil below a hedgerow. At this local scale, a two‐dimensional (2D) flow domain in the x–z plane 6 m long and 1·55 m deep was considered. An attempt was made to estimate transpiration using a simulation model. The SWMS‐2D model was modified and used to simulate temporally and spatially heterogeneous boundary conditions. A function with a variable spatial distribution of root‐water uptake was considered, and model calibration was performed by adjusting this root‐water uptake distribution. Observed data from a previous field study were compared against model predictions. During the validation step, satisfactory agreement was obtained, as the difference between observed and modelled pressure head values was less than 50 cm for 80% of the study data. Hedge transpiration capacity is a significant component of soil‐water balance in the summer, when predicted transpiration reaches about 5·6 mm day^?1. One of the most important findings is that hedge transpiration is nearly twice that of a forest canopy. In addition, soil‐water content is significantly different whether downslope or upslope depending on the root‐water uptake. The high transpiration rate was mainly due to the presence of a shallow water table below the hedgerow trees. Soil‐water content was not a limiting factor for transpiration in this context, as it could be in one with a much deeper water table. Hedgerow tree transpiration exerts a strong impact not only on water content within the vadose zone but also on the water‐table profile along the transect. Results obtained at the local scale reveal that the global impact of hedges at the catchment scale has been underestimated in the past. Transpiration rate exerts a major influence on water balance at both the seasonal and annual scales for watersheds with a dense network of hedgerows. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

等高线植物篱提高坡地持续生产力研究进展

等高线植物篱技术是近一、二十年来发展起来的坡地改良利用的一种生物措施。本文简要阐述了等高线植物篱的基本概念、类型及主要科学问题；从篱笆植物种类选择、布设与管理、效益评价、农林政策等方面，对等高线植物篱研究进展作了简要介绍；并对该技术推广与应用的潜力与问题作了初步探讨。     

下扬子地区中新生代构造变形单元及构造变形样式

下扬子地区地处扬子板块东部,其构造变形特征研究具有重要意义。综合利用区域地质、地震、钻井和地球物理等多方面资料,对下扬子地区断裂、地层发育特征精细解释,建立了贯穿研究区的两条区域地质剖面,即宿迁绍兴大剖面和连云港苏州大剖面。研究表明:下扬子地区可划分为6个一级构造变形单元,依次为苏北胶南造山带、苏北冲断区、南北对冲带、苏南冲断区、浙北冲断区和江南造山带,并可进一步细分为14个二级构造变形单元,这些明确表现出本区中、新生代对冲构造变形特征;两条区域大剖面表现出了挤压、伸展、反转等3类典型构造变形样式,具体可分为5亚类、10小类。     

长江中下游地区中生代陆内构造作用与成因分析

长江中下游地区多期构造叠加、复合联合作用明显,中生代以来地壳运动频繁、构造活动强烈,地表为桐柏-大别造山带,九岭-江南隆起带,其间为对冲样式构造组合的长江复合构造带。大别造山带前陆深地震反射剖面揭示长江中下游深部为“双鳄鱼构造”状态,大量前陆断褶带的物质被掩盖在大别造山带之下,岩片叠置、断裂交错的镶嵌构造极为发育,下地壳切过莫霍面向北俯冲,是后期岩浆的活动通道和就位空间。综合地球物理剖面揭示下扬子地区南北岩石圈结构差异明显,上地壳南北对冲构造发育;下地壳为向北倾斜的构造带,北部仍向南逆冲,南部切过莫霍面向北俯冲。长江中下游地区上述构造的形成受控于长江陆内异化带的作用,该带是一条陆内岩石圈规模的向北倾斜的破裂带,发生在中国大陆形成之后,不受早期板块界线的控制,是岩石圈规模的大陆异化、物质重建、结构重组的产物;主要结构特征为上地壳对冲式逆断层组合,中地壳为水平流变层,下地壳切过莫霍面由南向北俯冲;形成过程是印支晚期-燕山早期中国陆内近南北向挤压,地壳破碎,岩石圈加厚;燕山晚期大规模伸展拉张,岩浆活动,壳幔混熔。特殊成因机制和演化过程的综合效应是长江陆内异化带的地质内涵。深部物质沿长江陆内异化带上升,在上部地壳内多期叠加构成的构造格架中就位,岩体形态在深部近东西向呈带状,中部状态复杂,浅表受控于多种构造组合形式,见空即灌。     

推广香根草篱作水土保持措施值得重视的几个问题

1988年以来,我国推广香根草蓠作水土保持措施,收到的水土保持效益甚佳,香根草篱的短处有:经济效益欠佳,与作物争水肥,容易发生病虫害。为使香根草蓠扬长避短,提出的意见有:1.宜在秦岭-伏牛山以南海拔<2000米的地区推广;2.人少地多的山区荒坡地上可大力推广;3.建立香根草与经济作物组成的混合蓠;4.加强香根草病虫害防治研究。     

粤北石漠化地区土地利用优化配置及资源利用研究

以粤北典型石漠化地区秀水小流域为例,综合考虑流域地形、地貌、土地利用等因素,探讨土地利用时空优化布局及资源利用。研究表明:(1)流域内缺水比较严重,分别与地形指数＜4.702、4.702～8.05和＞8.05对应的土壤低、中、高含水区所占总面积比例依次为79.94%、10.72%、9.35%;（2）坡耕地是秀水小流域水土流失的重要区域。为此,对于流域土地利用配置,坡度＜10°的耕地宜采用等高耕作和覆盖耕作相结合的措施,坡度在10°～25°的耕地可采用植物篱措施,坡度＞25°的耕地则必须退耕还林。此外,受海拔高度和灌溉条件影响,玉米最好种植在海拔400～500 m 的区域;由于上半年降雨量多、下半年少,在缺乏灌溉条件的区域,耗水量较大的作物宜主要安排在上半年,下半年主要以种植玉米等耐旱作物为主。