Soil Freeze-Thaw and Water Transport Characteristics Under Different Vegetation Types in Seasonal Freeze-Thaw Areas of the Loess Plateau

In the arid and semi-arid regions of Loess Plateau, seasonal freezing thawing influence soil water movement, movement directly influences vegetation growth. However, currently, research with regard to processes under various types mechanism is lacking. Therefore, present study explored migration characteristics two typical [arbor land (AL) shrub (SL)] on Plateau during using bare (BL) as a control. We used field measured data for hourly temperature (ST) content (SWC) at depth 100 cm below surface from November 2017 March 2018. Freezing process was divided into three stages based ST change (initial period, stable period). Compared previous studies in this area, lower than expected, SWC are also different. The results revealed that: 1) maximum AL SL 60 cm, which 30 less that BL. date each layer BL earliest average value lowest. had highest degree freezing. all layers occurred later SL. minimum temperatures were higher those SL, capacity resist higher; 2) SWCs depths 0–10 10–30 decreased, whereas increased by 152 146%, respectively. 30–60 46.3, 78.4 205%, amount distribution moisture optimum when compared could provide scientific basis restoration areas Plateau.