Field-scale Changes in Soil Water and Recharge following Restoration of a Cultivated Field to Prairie
نویسنده
چکیده
Journal of Environmental Hydrology Volume 19 Paper 14 May 2011 1 Restoration of large tracts of cropland to tallgrass prairie in north-central USA suggests that conversion will reduce runoff, infiltration, and groundwater recharge. In northwestern Minnesota, U.S.A., physically similar, adjacent native prairie (control) and cultivated sites were instrumented with time-domain reflectometry probes at depths ranging from 0.15-0.60 m and water-table piezometers. Following the end of cultivation in 2001 and restoration with native grasses, monitoring from 2002 through 2007 showed differences and trends in soil hydrology. Compared to the native prairie site, the former cropped location revealed larger and more rapid changes in soil moisture and a 0.2 m lowering of the water table during the fiveyear period. The native prairie retained comparatively greater soil moisture during the driest periods. If the conditions at this site are representative of those at a larger scale, then prairie restoration will not only "dry" the landscape, but may also retain greater soil moisture during drought. FIELD-SCALE CHANGES IN SOIL WATER AND RECHARGE FOLLOWING RESTORATION OF A CULTIVATED FIELD TO PRAIRIE
منابع مشابه
Investigation of Characterized Sediments in the Field of Floodwater Spreading and Artificial Recharge (Case Study: Jajarm Aquifer)
Study of sedimentation trend in artificial recharge projects and flood spreading on the aquifer (Aquifer management) can be effective in designing structures and network management. Literature review shows that most studies in the flood spreading area shave been conducted in networks that have a low life span or low flood numbers. Since 1997, the flood spreading station on the Jajarm aquif...
متن کاملاثر کشت بر رطوبت قابل دسترس خاک با استفاده از توابع انتقالی پارامتریک
Soil tillage changes chemical and physical properties which can change the soil available water capacity. For understanding the effect of soil disturbance in cultivated soil on available water, parameter pedotransfer functions of these soils created and their results were compared with measured available water by moisture release curves. For this purpose 54 soil samples were taken from cultiva...
متن کاملWater quality impacts of converting to a poultry litter fertilization strategy.
When improperly managed, land application of animal manures can harm the environment; however, limited watershed-scale runoff water quality data are available to research and address this issue. The water quality impacts of conversion to poultry litter fertilization on cultivated and pasture watersheds in the Texas Blackland Prairie were evaluated in this three-year study. Edge-of-field N and P...
متن کاملAn estimation of Thornthwaite monthly water-balance in Mighan sub-basin
Water resources in arid and semi-arid regions are heavily influenced by climate change, water shortage, water regulations, and increased water demands. Monthly discharge is one of the most important factors in hydrological studies. Some of the basins are not equipped with adequate hydrometric equipment. In such a case, average monthly discharge could be estimated by regional monthly water balan...
متن کاملSpatio-Temporal Relationship between Water Depletion and Root Distribution Patterns of <i>Centaurea solstitialis</i> and Two Native Perennials
In a 2-year field study, we quantified lateral root growth patterns and soil water depletion dynamics in the invasive annual Centaurea solstitialis and two native perennials, Elymus glaucus and Grindelia camporum. Centaurea solstitialis produced lateral roots most actively from early April to mid-June, during the late rosette to spiny seedhead stage while both root growth and water depletion we...
متن کامل