Temporal water table changes in soil toposequence of the Poznań Lakeland (western Poland)

Abstract

The paper presents results of determination of temporal changes in water table depths in the toposequence of Retisols/Luvisols and Phaeozems/Gleysols. Assessment of temporal trends in the water table depth was made with the use of the linear regression analysis. The results obtained indicate that the mean water table depth and mean high and low water table depths were deeper in the soil at the upper part of the slope in comparison with soil located at the footslope. A higher amplitude of water table was observed in Retisols than in Gleysols but the highest variability of water table level was noted in the soils at the footslope compared to those at the slope summit. In Retisols, with each month of observation from 1993 to 2012, the water table showed a tendency to increase. These trends were the highest from January to April, which may be related to the tendency of increasing monthly sums of precipitation in December, January and February. In the Gleysol at the footslope, in the period 1993–2012 and in the vegetation season, the water table depth showed a tendency to decrease. This trend may be due to the impact of water table on the soil water content at the root zone, which is used in the process of evapotranspiration.

Keywords

• Retisols
• Gleysols
• toposequence
• water table trend