No abstract

High-resolution data on a field scale is very important for improving our understanding of hydrological processes. This is particularly the case for water-demanding agricultural production systems such as rice paddies, for which water-saving strategies need to be developed. Here we report on the application of an in situ, automatic sampling system for high-resolution data on stable isotopes of water (18O and 2H). We investigate multiple rice-based cropping systems consisting of wet rice, dry rice and maize, with a single, but distributed analytical system on a sub-hourly basis. Results show that under dry conditions, there is a clear and distinguishable crop effect on isotopic composition in groundwater. The least evaporative affected groundwater source is that of maize, followed by both rice varieties. Groundwater is primarily a mixture of irrigation and rainwater, where the main driver is irrigation water during the dry season and rainwater during the wet season. Stable isotopes of groundwater under dry season maize react rapidly on irrigation, indicating preferential flow processes via cracks and deep roots. The groundwater during the dry season under wet and dry rice fields is dominated at the beginning of the growing season mainly by the input of rainwater; later, the groundwater is more and more replenished by irrigation water. Overall, based on our data, we estimate significantly higher evaporation (63–77%) during the dry season as compared to the wet season (27–36%). We also find, for the first time, significant sub-daily isotopic variation in groundwater and surface ponded water, with an isotopic enrichment during the daytime. High correlations with relative humidity and temperature, explain part of this variability. Furthermore, the day-night isotopic difference in surface water is driven by the temperature and relative humidity; however, in groundwater, it is neither driven by these factors.

Abstract. Reliable information on water flow dynamics and water losses via irrigation on irrigated agricultural fields is important to improve water management strategies. We investigated the effect of season (wet season and dry season), irrigation management (flooded and non-flooded), and crop diversification (wet rice, dry rice, and maize) on soil water flow dynamics and water losses via evaporation during plant growth. Soil water was extracted and analysed for the stable isotopes of water (δ2H and δ18O). The fraction of evaporation losses were determined using the Craig–Gordon equation. For dry rice and maize, water in shallow soil layers (0 to 0.2 m) was more isotopically enriched than in deeper soil layers (below 0.2 m). This effect was less pronounced for wet rice but still evident for the average values at both soil depths and seasons. Soil water losses due to evaporation decreased from 40 % at the beginning to 25 % towards the end of the dry season. The soil in maize fields showed stronger evaporation enrichment than in rice during that time. A greater water loss was encountered during the wet season, with 80 % at the beginning of the season and 60 % at its end. The isotopic enrichment of ponding surface water due to evaporation was reflected in the shallow soils of wet rice. It decreased towards the end of both growing seasons during the wet and the dry season. We finally discuss the most relevant soil water flow mechanisms, which we identified in our study to be those of matrix flow, preferential flow through desiccation cracks, and evaporation. Isotope data supported the fact that unproductive water losses via evaporation can be reduced by introducing dry seasonal crops to the crop rotation system.