Effect of mixed plant roots on saturated hydraulic conductivity and saturated water content of soil in the loess region

Jianye Ma; Zhanbin Li; Peng Li; Bo Ma; Lie Xiao; Zhiwei Cui; Zhou Wang; Zhiqiang Min

Agricultural Water Management (Apr 2024)

Effect of mixed plant roots on saturated hydraulic conductivity and saturated water content of soil in the loess region

Jianye Ma,
Zhanbin Li,
Peng Li,
Bo Ma,
Lie Xiao,
Zhiwei Cui,
Zhou Wang,
Zhiqiang Min

Affiliations

Jianye Ma: State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry Administration on Ecological Hydrology and Disaster Prevention in Arid Regions, Northwest Survey Planning and Design Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China; State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
Zhanbin Li: State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry Administration on Ecological Hydrology and Disaster Prevention in Arid Regions, Northwest Survey Planning and Design Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China; State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China; Correspondence to: State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi'an University of Technology, Xi'an 710048, China.
Peng Li: State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry Administration on Ecological Hydrology and Disaster Prevention in Arid Regions, Northwest Survey Planning and Design Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China
Bo Ma: State Key Laboratory of Soil Erosion and Dryland Farming on the Loess Plateau, Institute of Soil and Water Conservation, Northwest A & F University, Yangling 712100, China
Lie Xiao: State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry Administration on Ecological Hydrology and Disaster Prevention in Arid Regions, Northwest Survey Planning and Design Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China
Zhiwei Cui: State Key Laboratory of Eco-hydraulics in Northwest Arid Region of China, Xi’an University of Technology, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China; Key Laboratory of National Forestry Administration on Ecological Hydrology and Disaster Prevention in Arid Regions, Northwest Survey Planning and Design Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China
Zhou Wang: Key Laboratory of National Forestry Administration on Ecological Hydrology and Disaster Prevention in Arid Regions, Northwest Survey Planning and Design Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China
Zhiqiang Min: Key Laboratory of National Forestry Administration on Ecological Hydrology and Disaster Prevention in Arid Regions, Northwest Survey Planning and Design Institute of National Forestry and Grassland Administration, Xi’an, Shaanxi 710048, China

Journal volume & issue: Vol. 295
p. 108784

Abstract

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Soil hydraulic properties are essential for understanding soil hydrological and erosion processes. The importance of roots on soil hydraulic parameters has been widely recognized, but current studies have focused mainly on the root effect of a single plant species. However, few studies have been carried out to investigate the effect of mixed plant roots on soil hydraulic parameters. Undisturbed soil samples were collected from three natural sampling sites with single plant types and four sites with mixed plant types. Both soil hydraulic parameters were measured: soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and soil saturated water content (SW). Then the root effects on Ks and SW were subsequently evaluated. The results showed that the Ks and SW at the sites with mixed plants were higher than those at the sites with a single plant species. At all the sites, Ks and SW both exhibited a decreasing-increasing-decreasing trend with increasing root density. The critical root density for the above change was quantified. When fibrous roots were mixed with tap roots, Ks was mainly affected by tap roots, while SW was mainly affected by fibrous roots. The influence of roots on Ks and SW was mainly achieved by affecting soil organic matter, not by directly affecting Ks and SW. Based on the root density, the herbaceous coverage with optimal saturated hydraulic conductivity and water content was estimated to be 66.71%.

Published in Agricultural Water Management

ISSN: 1873-2283 (Online)
Publisher: Elsevier
Country of publisher: Netherlands
LCC subjects: Agriculture: Agriculture (General); Social Sciences: Industries. Land use. Labor: Special industries and trades: Agricultural industries
Website: https://www.sciencedirect.com/journal/agricultural-water-management

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