Investigation of Hillslope Vineyard Soil Water Dynamics Using Field Measurements and Numerical Modeling

Soil heterogeneities can impact hillslope hydropedological processes (e.g., portioning between infiltration and runoff), creating a need for in-depth knowledge of governing water dynamics redistribution. The presented study was conducted at the SUPREHILL Critical Zone Observatory (CZO) (hillslope vineyard) in 2021. A combination field investigation (soil sampling monitoring campaign) numerical modeling with hydrological simulator HYDRUS-1D used to explore conjunction data from sensor network content (SWC) soil-water potential (SWP) sensors), along (hilltop, backslope, footslope). hydraulic properties (SHP) were estimated based on (i) pedotransfer functions (PTFs), (ii) undisturbed soil cores, (iii) data, tested HYDRUS. Additionally, model ensemble mean HYDRUS simulations calculated PTFs. highest agreement simulated observed SWC 40 cm depth found laboratory lowest average MAE, RMSE MAPE (0.02, 0.02, 5.34%, respectively), R2 (0.93), while 80 depth, PTF performed better (MAE = 0.03, 7.55%, 0.81) than other datasets. Field observations indicated that heterogeneity spatial variability regarding parameters present site. Over hillslope, acted heterogeneous manner, which most pronounced during rewetting. Model results suggested incorporation expands performance is feasible option absence data.