Arid Zone Research ›› 2020, Vol. 37 ›› Issue (6): 1427-1436.doi: 10.13866/j.azr.2020.06.07

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Spatial and temporal variations in sand dune soil moisture content and groundwater depth

ZHANG Yuan-hao1,2, Ala Musa1, YIN Jia-wang1,2, JIANG Shao-yan3   

  1. (1. Institute of Applied Ecology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Shenyang 110016, Liaoning, China; 2. University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China; 3. Liaoning Forestry Vocation-Technical College, Shenyang 110101, Liaoning, China)
  • Received:2020-01-20 Revised:2020-04-21 Online:2020-11-15 Published:2021-01-24

Abstract: In arid and semi-arid dune areas, precipitation is scarce and evaporation occurs quickly; thus, the status of water resources is the key factor for the operation of these ecosystems. Soil water content and groundwater in the dune area are the main water resource measurement indicators. Based on vegetation cover gradients, the typical sand dune types (mobile dunes, semi-fixed dunes, fixed dunes) were selected in the dune study area, and changes in soil moisture content and groundwater depth were measured in the dunes under different vegetation coverage and slope positions. The results revealed that vegetation coverage was the main factor affecting dune soil moisture content. As the vegetation coverage increases, the soil moisture content gradually decreases. The sequence of soil moisture content in each of the dune types was highest in the mobile dune, followed by the semi-fixed dune, and finally the fixed dune. Differences in soil moisture content were also observed at different slope positions, showing the trend of windward slope bottom > leeward slope bottom > middle windward slope > hilltop > leeward slope. The temporal variation characteristics of dune soil moisture were consistent with the occurrence characteristics of rainfall and mainly controlled by the rainfall process. In addition, the seasonal change in the groundwater level in the dune area showed a marked rise in the non-growing season and a gradual decline in the growing season, with an annual variation range of -0.21-0.18 m. Vegetation coverage also affected the groundwater level in the dune area. The coefficient of variation from large to small was fixed dunes > semi-fixed dunes > mobile dunes. The groundwater level is influenced by rainfall; when the cumulative rainfall in a short time or single rainfall exceeds 30 mm, the groundwater level in the dune area shows a corresponding rise. The rise amplitude is influenced by the vegetation coverage and slope position on the dune surface. Furthermore, groundwater may recharge the deep soil water at the bottom of the dune slope, but has no obvious replenishment effect on the soil water in the middle and top of the dune slope.

Key words: dune vegetation coverage, dune slope position, soil moisture content, groundwater depth