Multi-species plantation intensifies soil water competition and groundwater depletion in a water-limited desert region

Huang, Laiming; Pei, Yanwu; Shao, Mingan; Jia, Xiaoxu; Tang, Xianming; Zhang, Yinglong; Pan, Yanhui

doi:10.1016/j.foreco.2023.120953

Cited by 14 publications

(8 citation statements)

References 66 publications

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“…This indicated that C. korshinskii could adjust its depth of water uptake based on variation in precipitation and the vertical distribution of SWC, but M. sativa could only absorb water from much deeper soil depths to meet its growth requirements. The different shifts in the main depth of water uptake in C. korshinskii and M. sativa may be attributed to different root distributions as reported by Huang et al (2023). C. korshinskii has obvious taproots and well‐developed lateral roots (Niu et al, 2003), which form a dimorphic root system.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

“…MixSIAR not only integrates the advantages of MixSIR and SIAR model, but also considered uncertainty in source value, classification and continuous covariates as well as prior information which can effectively improve the calculation accuracy of the model (Stock & Semmens, 2013). In recent years, MixSIAR model have been used to identify potential water sources used by plants (Huang et al, 2023; Ma & Song, 2016; Wu et al, 2017) and was demonstrated to have better water source tracing effect than IsoSource and MixSIR model (Wang, Lu, & Fu, 2019). Therefore, isotopic analysis with the MixSIAR model has been recognized as an effective, powerful and non‐destructive tool for estimating plant water sources in various ecosystems.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Afforestation vegetation uses water from very deep soil layers in the semi‐arid Loess Plateau

Jia

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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Investigating the availability of water in very deep soil layers for vegetation is important for assessing the eco‐hydrological effects of the thick loess soil and optimizing soil water management and vegetation restoration initiatives. However, the proportion of soil water sourced from the soil layer deeper than 300 cm by typical afforestation species on the Loess Plateau, along with its seasonal variations, remains unclear. In this study, we examined the composition of the water sources used by two typical afforestation plant species (Caragana korshinskii and Medicago sativa) from soil depths of up to 10 m during the growing season, using isotopic analysis. The results showed that soil desiccation occurred in the soil layers of 260–1000 cm and 260–700 cm at the upper and lower slope positions, respectively, for both species plots. Relative stability of the isotopic values in >260 cm soil layers explained a piston flow occurred in these layers. The contribution proportion of soil water in 260–1000 cm was at 41.7% ± 9.0% and 51.3% ± 8.8% for C. korshinskii on upper and lower slope, respectively and was at 67.6% ± 6.7% and 73.7% ± 7.0% for M. sativa on upper and lower slope, respectively. The serious soil desiccation was induced by the dependence on very deep soil water and the slow recharge with the piston flow. Meanwhile, C. korshinskii converted the main water source between 0–260 cm and 260–1000 cm in different seasons. In contrast, M. sativa used water mainly from soil layers deeper than 260 cm in June and increased the utilization proportion of deeper water sources in July and September. The persistent dependence on very deep soil water for M. sativa, induced a deeper desiccation depth as compared to C. korshinskii. Thus, thinning to the optimal leaf area index and converting to natural grassland were recommended for C. korshinskii and M. sativa plots, respectively to restore the depleted soil water and to promote water cycle.

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Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 56%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Afforestation vegetation uses water from very deep soil layers in the semi‐arid Loess Plateau

Jia

et al. 2023

Hydrological Processes

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“…Nevertheless, as sand-binding vegetation grows and develops further, the intensifying competition for water resources among symbiotic species raises the significant challenge to the longterm sustainability of the regional ecosystem (Dai, Li, & Wang, 2023;Song et al, 2020). To effectively assess the rationality of vegetation with enhanced water use efficiency in the sierozem habitat (Dai, Zhang, et al, 2023;Huang et al, 2023). However, the similarity in water use strategies between Populus-A and S. psammophila leads to intense competition for limited water resources, which implies that the current coexisting combination of sand-binding plant species in the aeolian sandy soil habitat is not appropriate, and potentially leads to excessive water consumption and intra-community competition (Feng et al, 2016;Wu et al, 2022).…”

Section: Implications For Ecological Restorationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Research has emphasized that the hydrological niche overlapping or partitioning among coexisting species is species-specific (Dai, Li, & Wang, 2023;Dai, Zhang, et al, 2023;Huang et al, 2023).…”

Section: Implications For Ecological Restorationmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous studies have shown that the coexistence of species in mixed plantations can optimize resource allocation, increase biodiversity and improve the stability of ecosystems, outperforming pure forests or shrublands dominated by a single species (Bello et al, 2019; Dai, Zhang, et al, 2023). However, inappropriate species selection and vegetation composition, especially involving high water consumption species or the species competing for similar water sources, can exacerbate competition for water resources and lead to severe soil drying, vegetation dieback and ecosystem degradation (Huang et al, 2023; Zhang et al, 2020). The sustainable growth of vegetation restoration depends on the balance between plant water use and soil water supply (Zhang et al, 2018).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Water use characteristics of coexisting sand‐binding vegetation in two typical soil habitats in the desert steppe of China

Chen,

Yang

et al. 2024

Hydrological Processes

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Understanding the water use characteristics and water relationship of coexisting vegetation in a mixed‐species plantation of trees and shrubs is crucial for the sustainable restoration of degraded arid areas. This study investigated the water use characteristic of coexisting sand‐binding vegetation combinations in the sierozem habitat (Populus przewalskii Maxim namely Populus‐S and Caragana liouana) and aeolian sandy soil habitats (Populus przewalskii Maxim namely Populus‐A and Salix psammophila) of the desert steppe. By analysing the δ2H and δ18O isotopes in xylem, soil water, groundwater and precipitation, a Bayesian MixSIAR model was employed to quantitatively assess the water utilization characteristics of plants. Throughout the growing season, in the sierozem habitat, C. liouana exhibits the highest efficiency in utilizing soil moisture above 60 cm (53.45%) and displays adaptable water use strategies. In contrast, Populus‐A predominantly relies on deep soil moisture below 60 cm plus groundwater (63.89%). In the aeolian sandy soil habitat, both Populus‐A and S. psammophila similarly favour deep soil moisture below the 60 cm soil plus groundwater (66.77% and 67.60%, respectively). During the transition period from the dry to the wet seasons, although both Populus‐A and S. psammophila in the aeolian sandy soil habitat shifted their water sources from deeper to shallower ones, there was considerable overlap in the water sources used by Populus‐A and S. psammophila. This overlap led to competition for water resources and exacerbated the depletion of deep soil moisture in both seasons. Conversely, in the sierozem habitat, the partitioning of water sources between Populus‐S and C. liouana facilitated the allocation and utilization of water resources between the two species. The findings highlight the need for species‐specific consideration in water resource allocation within mixed‐species plantations of trees and shrubs, which is crucial for sustainable vegetation restoration in sand‐binding ecosystems.

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Rainfall partitioning characteristics by two sand‐binding shrubs and their impact on shallow soil moisture replenishment in the Northwestern desert steppe of China

Chen,

Yang

et al. 2024

Ecohydrology

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Rainfall partitioning by the vegetation canopy into stemflow (SF) and throughfall (TF) plays a crucial role in soil infiltration and the local water balance. This study aims to quantify the differences in SF and TF between two sand‐binding shrubs, Caragana liouana and Salix psammophila, in the desert steppe, clarify the effects of biotic and abiotic factors on them using the boosted regression trees (BRT) model, and compare soil moisture replenishment during the growing seasons of 2021 and 2022. Under identical rainfall conditions, the canopies of C. liouana and S. psammophila can lead to differences in rainfall partitioning. The SF percentage ranged from 0 to 23.70% for C. liouana and from 0% to 3.3% for S. psammophila, respectively, while the TF percentage ranged from 42.12% to 90.07% for C. liouana and from 52.39% to 94.87% for S. psammophila. The funnelling ratio for C. liouana (69.59) is 1.19 times higher than for S. psammophila (58.36). Rainfall amount is the primary variable affecting rainfall partitioning. The average soil moisture replenishment and soil moisture conversion efficiency under the C. liouana canopy are 11.02 mm and 58.39%, respectively, which are significantly higher than those for S. psammophila (4.84 mm and 24.33%, respectively). These findings suggest that C. liouana, with its relatively higher SF and soil moisture conversion capability compared to S. psammophila, plays a significant ecohydrological role in water‐limited ecosystems. This study provides a reference for species selection and ecological management in vegetation restoration efforts in desert steppes and similar regions.

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Multi-species plantation intensifies soil water competition and groundwater depletion in a water-limited desert region

Cited by 14 publications

References 66 publications

Afforestation vegetation uses water from very deep soil layers in the semi‐arid Loess Plateau

Afforestation vegetation uses water from very deep soil layers in the semi‐arid Loess Plateau

Water use characteristics of coexisting sand‐binding vegetation in two typical soil habitats in the desert steppe of China

Rainfall partitioning characteristics by two sand‐binding shrubs and their impact on shallow soil moisture replenishment in the Northwestern desert steppe of China

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