The relationship between soil water storage capacity and plant species diversity in high alpine vegetation

2013 ◽  
Vol 6 (3-4) ◽  
pp. 457-466 ◽  
Author(s):  
Peter M. Kammer ◽  
Christian Schöb ◽  
Gabriel Eberhard ◽  
Renzo Gallina ◽  
Remo Meyer ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Species Diversity ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Alpine Vegetation ◽  
Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Soil Water Storage Capacity ◽  
The Relationship

scholarly journals Diagnosis toward predicting mean annual runoff in ungauged basins

2021 ◽  
Vol 25 (2) ◽  
pp. 945-956
Author(s):  
Yuan Gao ◽  
Lili Yao ◽  
Ni-Bin Chang ◽  
Dingbao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Annual Runoff ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Ungauged Basins ◽  
Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Soil Water Storage Capacity

Abstract. Prediction of mean annual runoff is of great interest but still poses a challenge in ungauged basins. The present work diagnoses the prediction in mean annual runoff affected by the uncertainty in estimated distribution of soil water storage capacity. Based on a distribution function, a water balance model for estimating mean annual runoff is developed, in which the effects of climate variability and the distribution of soil water storage capacity are explicitly represented. As such, the two parameters in the model have explicit physical meanings, and relationships between the parameters and controlling factors on mean annual runoff are established. The estimated parameters from the existing data of watershed characteristics are applied to 35 watersheds. The results showed that the model could capture 88.2 % of the actual mean annual runoff on average across the study watersheds, indicating that the proposed new water balance model is promising for estimating mean annual runoff in ungauged watersheds. The underestimation of mean annual runoff is mainly caused by the underestimation of the area percentage of low soil water storage capacity due to neglecting the effect of land surface and bedrock topography. Higher spatial variability of soil water storage capacity estimated through the height above the nearest drainage (HAND) and topographic wetness index (TWI) indicated that topography plays a crucial role in determining the actual soil water storage capacity. The performance of mean annual runoff prediction in ungauged basins can be improved by employing better estimation of soil water storage capacity including the effects of soil, topography, and bedrock. It leads to better diagnosis of the data requirement for predicting mean annual runoff in ungauged basins based on a newly developed process-based model finally.

scholarly journals A stochastic approach for the description of the water balance dynamics in a river basin

2008 ◽  
Vol 12 (5) ◽  
pp. 1189-1200 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Manfreda ◽  
M. Fiorentino
Keyword(s):  
Water Balance ◽  
Probability Density ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Soil Water Balance ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Soil Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Balance Dynamics

Abstract. The present paper introduces an analytical approach for the description of the soil water balance dynamics over a schematic river basin. The model is based on a stochastic differential equation where the rainfall forcing is interpreted as an additive noise in the soil water balance. This equation can be solved assuming known the spatial distribution of the soil moisture over the basin transforming the two-dimensional problem in space in a one dimensional one. This assumption is particularly true in the case of humid and semihumid environments, where spatial redistribution becomes dominant producing a well defined soil moisture pattern. The model allowed to derive the probability density function of the saturated portion of a basin and of its relative saturation. This theory is based on the assumption that the soil water storage capacity varies across the basin following a parabolic distribution and the basin has homogeneous soil texture and vegetation cover. The methodology outlined the role played by the soil water storage capacity distribution of the basin on soil water balance. In particular, the resulting probability density functions of the relative basin saturation were found to be strongly controlled by the maximum water storage capacity of the basin, while the probability density functions of the relative saturated portion of the basin are strongly influenced by the spatial heterogeneity of the soil water storage capacity. Moreover, the saturated areas reach their maximum variability when the mean rainfall rate is almost equal to the soil water loss coefficient given by the sum of the maximum rate of evapotranspiration and leakage loss in the soil water balance. The model was tested using the results of a continuous numerical simulation performed with a semi-distributed model in order to validate the proposed theoretical distributions.

The hydrological response of soil water storage capacity to human activities: A case study in the upper Yangtze River Basin, China

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojing Zhang ◽  
Pan Liu ◽  
Chong-Yu Xu
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Human Activities ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Yangtze River Basin ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Upper Yangtze River ◽  
Soil Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Reservoir Construction

<p>The intensification of climate change and human activities can lead to non-stationarity of hydrological model parameters, which in turn affects the correctness of model simulation results. Previous studies mainly focus on impacts of climate change, while catchment hydrological responses to human activities require detailed investigation for sustainable water management. This study evaluates anthropogenic impacts on soil water storage capacity of the upper Yangtze River Basin by representing hydrological parameters as functions of human activity indicators. The Xinanjiang (XAJ) model is used since its parameter WM accounts for soil water storage capacity. In this study, time-variations of WM are identified by the split-sample calibration based on dynamic programming (SSC-DP). The variations are further related to ten indicators of human activities from five aspects: population, gross domestic product, farming, irrigation and reservoir construction. Then, the proposed WM functional form is selected by comparing the performance of a set of parameter functions of the identified human activity indicators during the validation period. The study shows that WM increases in 1976-2000, while a relatively high relationship is detected between WM and some indicators such as agricultural acreage, population and reservoir construction. It is further demonstrated that agricultural population has the greatest impact on soil water storage capacity and its linear functional form for WM is validated to be effective in 2001-2010 with best streamflow simulation, especially for low streamflow. These results can help understand the hydrological response to the increasing human development and contribute to adaptive development strategies for future water resource management.</p>

scholarly journals Diagnosis toward predicting mean annual runoff in ungauged basins

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Yuan Gao ◽  
Lili Yao ◽  
Ni-Bin Chang ◽  
Dingbao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Annual Runoff ◽  
Balance Model ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Ungauged Basins ◽  
Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Soil Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Soil Storage Capacity

Abstract. The present work diagnoses the prediction in mean annual runoff affected by the uncertainty in estimated distribution of soil water storage capacity. Based on a distribution function, a water balance model for estimating mean annual runoff is developed, in which the effects of climate variability and the distribution of soil water storage capacity are explicitly represented. As such, the two parameters in the model have explicit physical meanings, and relationships between the parameters and controlling factors on mean annual runoff are established. The estimated parameters from the existing data of watershed characteristics are applied to 35 watersheds. The results showed that the model could capture 88.2 % of the actual runoff on average, indicating that the proposed new water balance model is promising for estimating mean annual runoff in ungauged watersheds. The underestimation of runoff is mainly caused by the underestimation of the spatial heterogeneity of soil storage capacity due to neglecting the effect of land surface and bedrock topography. A higher spatial variability of soil storage capacity estimated through the Height Above the Nearest Drainage (HAND) indicated that topography plays a crucial role in determining the actual soil water storage capacity. The performance of mean annual runoff prediction in ungauged basins can be improved by employing better estimation of soil water storage capacity including the effects of soil, topography and bedrock. The purpose of this study is to diagnose the data requirement for predicting mean annual runoff in ungauged basins based on a newly developed process-based model.

scholarly journals A hypothesis to explain lichen-Rangifer dynamic relationships

Rangifer ◽  
1997 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 3 ◽  
Author(s):  
Eldar Gaare
Keyword(s):  
Soil Water ◽  
Vascular Plants ◽  
Rangifer Tarandus ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Lichen Species ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Humus Layer ◽  
Soil Water Storage Capacity

A small group of fruticous lichen species, viz. Cetraria nivalis, Cladonia mitis, C. stellaris, and Stereocaulon paschale forms extensive mats in the most winter habitats of Rangifer tarandus populations in Norway. The plant communities accessible for grazing are often found on easily drained, moraine ridges. These lichen species are perennial, lying on the ground while growing slowly at the top. As they decompose they add humus to the top of the soil profile. The lichen mats catch all water from small showers, thus preventing vascular plants from obtaining a more regular water supply. Grazing removs whole plants and gradually makes larger and larger holes in the lichen mats. Wind and water erode the humus, with only coarse gravel remaining. This diminishes the soil water storage capacity. Without grazing, lichens will gradually build a humus layer, which would improve the soil water storage capacity. In time vascular plants then would take the place of the lichens. I propose the hypothesis that by (over-)grazing Rangifer improve their winter pastures by making conditions more favourable for lichens than for vascular plants.The fact that lichens are more scarce on habitats with more and regular precipitation, 1) in more oceanic climates, 2) on soils with more silt, and 3) on bird perches with thick peat due to regular fertilising, support this hypothesis.

scholarly journals Multiple abiotic and biotic drivers of soil water storage capacity in temperate forests recovering from disturbances

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shufang Liu ◽  
Zuoqiang Yuan ◽  
Arshad Ali ◽  
Anvar Sanaei ◽  
Fan Ding ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Organic Carbon ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Storage Capacity ◽  
Temperate Forests ◽  
Water Storage ◽  
Functional Trait ◽  
Soil Water Storage ◽  
Water Storage Capacity ◽  
Soil Water Storage Capacity

Abstract Background and aims Soil water storage capacity acts as a vital forest function to intercept rainfall and retain water for plant growth processes. However, whether or how plant functional trait diversity and composition regulate soil water storage capacity remains poorly understood. Methods Structural equation modeling (SEM) was used to detect the direct and indirect effects of multiple biotic (i.e., functional trait composition and functional diversity) and abiotic (topography and soil organic carbon) factors on soil water storage capacity, i.e., in terms of soil capillary water storage content (CW), soil non-capillary water storage content (NCW), and soil saturated water storage content (TSW), in temperate forests recovering from different logging disturbance intensity levels. Results The community-weighted mean of specific leaf area (CWMSLA) increased CW but decreased NCW directly, whereas improved NCW and TSW indirectly via soil organic carbon. Disturbance influenced soil water storage capacity mainly in indirect ways via promoting CWMSLA and soil organic carbon. Elevation increased NCW and TSW but decreased CW directly, and it also had indirect effects on soil water storage capacity via decreasing CWMSLA and soil organic carbon. Moreover, soil organic carbon influenced NCW and TSW directly or mediated the effects of elevation, disturbance, and CWMSLA on soil water storage capacity. Conclusions The quick return on investments trait of CWMSLA shows a positive effect on soil water storage capacity (CW and TSW), supporting the mass ratio mechanism in temperate forests recovering from disturbances. Soil organic carbon also presents additional importance to soil water storage capacity.

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