Water–Soil–Vegetation Dynamic Interactions in Changing Climate

Abstract

Previous studies of land degradation, topsoil erosion, and hydrologic alteration typically focus on these subjects individually, missing important interrelationships among these important aspects of the Earth's system. However, an understanding of water-soil-vegetation dynamic interactions is needed to develop practical and effective solutions to sustain the globe's eco-environment and grassland agriculture, which depends on grasses, legumes, and other fodder or soil-building crops. This special issue is intended to be a platform for a discussion of the relevant scientific findings based on experimental and/or modeling studies. Its 12 peer-reviewed articles present data, novel analysis/modeling approaches, and convincing results of water-soil-vegetation interactions under historical and future climates. Two of the articles examine how lake/pond water quality is related to human activity and climate. Overall, these articles can serve as important references for future studies to further advance our understanding of how water, soil, and vegetation interactively affect the health and productivity of the Earth's ecosystem.

Environmental filtering both indirectly and directly drives the Dry Tropical Forest species composition and functional composition

“…The environmental filtering processes in communities under relatively limiting ecological factors are possibly proportionally more relevant for structuring plant communities than those involved in competitive relationships, thus determining the resource availability for individuals' survival, growth and reproduction (Bose, Ramesh, Pélissier, & Munoz, 2018; Cadotte & Tucker, 2017; De Bello et al, 2012; Douda, Doudová, Hulík, Havrdová, & Boublík, 2018). Topographic and edaphic variables are considered the most relevant drivers of ecological patterns at the local scales (Siefert et al, 2012; Vleminckx et al, 2015) due to their relationships with biogeochemical cycles, water and nutrient availability (Pausas & Austin, 2001; Wang, Chu, Liu, Cheng, & Whittecar, 2017). All the local variations in these attributes yield an ecological filter existence with different intensities (Cadotte & Tucker, 2017; Hart & Marshall, 2013; Hutchings, John, & Wijesinghe, 2003), and whose implications are the different establishment and growth patterns, as well as the composition and functional structure and phylogenetics through selecting functional traits and specific lineages (Letcher et al, 2015; Li et al, 2017; Pillar & Duarte, 2010).…”

Environmental Heterogeneity Caused by Anthropogenic Disturbance Drives Forest Structure and Dynamics in Brazilian Atlantic Forest

“…In these cases, topographic variables are presented as a synthesis of important soil characteristics for establishment and growth, such as soil physical and chemical attributes that are directly associated with water availability and fertility. For example, throughout topographic profiles or slopes, significant soil variations can also be observed as a function of soil formation processes that imply physical-chemical differences along horizons and also differences in relation to water flow (proximity of the water table) and accumulation of organic material (Wang et al 2017). In addition, characteristics such as slope position provide differential light access (Baldeck et al 2013), which is a key resource in seasonal forests because it is associated with crown temperature, a crucial factor in the selection of functional groups related to deciduousness and water use (Chou et al 2018).…”

Upgraded closed‐form soil hydraulic functions from oven dryness to saturation

“…Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity ( k θ ) is a prerequisite for understanding and modelling vadose‐zone processes (e.g., infiltration and evaporation) that are important for a wide range of real‐world applications, such as environmental remediation (EPA, 2022; Fayer & Simmons, 1995), terrestrial ecosystem resilience and climate change adaptation (Sakai et al, 2009; Wang, 2022; Wang et al, 2021; Wang, Chu, et al, 2017; Wang, Li, et al, 2014; Wang, Liu, et al, 2014; Wang, Yang, et al, 2014), farmland irrigation (Al‐Dosary et al, 2019; Sihag et al, 2019), and geo‐hazardous and geo‐environmental alleviation (Karim et al, 2022; Lewandowska et al, 2005; Mufti & Das, 2022). For a soil of interest, k θ can vary with soil moisture by many orders of magnitude from a very small number near oven dryness to the saturated hydraulic conductivity ( k sat ) at saturation; that is, the relative hydraulic conductivity k r = k θ / k sat can vary from zero to one.…”

“…Unsaturated hydraulic conductivity (k θ ) is a prerequisite for understanding and modelling vadose-zone processes (e.g., infiltration and evaporation) that are important for a wide range of real-world applications, such as environmental remediation (EPA, 2022;Fayer & Simmons, 1995), terrestrial ecosystem resilience and climate change adaptation (Sakai et al, 2009;Wang, 2022;Wang et al, 2021;Wang, Chu, et al, 2017;, farmland irrigation (Al-Dosary et al, 2019;Sihag et al, 2019), and geo-hazardous and geo-environmental alleviation (Karim et al, 2022;Lewandowska et al, 2005;Mufti & Das, 2022).…”