Articles | Volume 20, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-1-2016
© Author(s) 2016. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Review article
| 
15 Jan 2016
Review article |
| 15 Jan 2016
Soil–aquifer phenomena affecting groundwater under vertisols: a review
D. Kurtzman
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Institute of Soil, Water and Environmental Sciences, The Volcani
Center, Agricultural Research Organization, P.O. Box 6, Bet Dagan 50250,
Israel
S. Baram
Dept. of Land, Air and Water Resources, University of California
Davis, CA 95616, USA
O. Dahan
Dept. of Hydrology and Microbiology, Zuckerberg Institute for Water
Research, Blaustein Institutes for Desert Research, Ben Gurion University of
the Negev, Sde Boker Campus, Negev 84990, Israel
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Yonatan Ganot, Ran Holtzman, Noam Weisbrod, Anat Bernstein, Hagar Siebner, Yoram Katz, and Daniel Kurtzman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 6323–6333, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6323-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6323-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
In recent years, surpluses of desalinated seawater (DSW) are stored in the Israeli coastal aquifer. We monitor DSW spread in the aquifer using the difference between isotope composition of reverse-osmosis DSW and natural fresh water, which simplifies the system to two distinct end-members. A hydrogeological flow and transport model is used to demonstrate the robustness of this simplification, predict the future spread of DSW in the aquifer and mixing in wells, and estimate DSW recovery efficacy.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Paula Rodríguez-Escales, Arnau Canelles, Xavier Sanchez-Vila, Albert Folch, Daniel Kurtzman, Rudy Rossetto, Enrique Fernández-Escalante, João-Paulo Lobo-Ferreira, Manuel Sapiano, Jon San-Sebastián, and Christoph Schüth
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 3213–3227, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3213-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3213-2018, 2018
Short summary
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In this work, we have developed a methodology to evaluate the failure risk of managed aquifer recharge, and we have applied it to six different facilities located in the Mediterranean Basin. The methodology was based on the development of a probabilistic risk assessment based on fault trees. We evaluated both technical and non-technical issues, the latter being more responsible for failure risk.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Yonatan Ganot, Ran Holtzman, Noam Weisbrod, Ido Nitzan, Yoram Katz, and Daniel Kurtzman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 4479–4493, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4479-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4479-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We monitor infiltration at multiple scales during managed aquifer recharge with desalinated seawater in an infiltration pond, while groundwater recharge is evaluated by simplified and numerical models. We found that pond-surface clogging is negated by the high-quality desalinated seawater or negligible compared to the low-permeability layers of the unsaturated zone. We show that a numerical model with a 1-D representative sediment profile is able to capture infiltration and recharge dynamics.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Yehuda Levy, Roi H. Shapira, Benny Chefetz, and Daniel Kurtzman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 3811–3825, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3811-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3811-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Nitrate–nitrogen is a groundwater contaminant worldwide that originates commonly from agricultural fertilization. In this work, we built a computer model which follows the fate of nitrogen from land surface to deep (~100 m) and distant (~km) groundwater wells. The model succeeded estimating total groundwater nitrate, yet failed to point-estimate contaminated wells, extra assumptions fixed it. This enabled prediction of future groundwater–nitrate which revealed the need to reduce fertilization.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Tuvia Turkeltaub, Daniel Kurtzman, and Ofer Dahan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3099–3108, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3099-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3099-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Efficient groundwater protection from pollution originating in agriculture requires effective monitoring means capable of tacking pollution processes in the vadose zone, long before groundwater pollution turns into an unavoidable fact. In this study, a vadose zone monitoring system that was installed under a crop field fertilized by dairy slurry enabled real-time tracking of nitrate plum migration down the vadose zone from the land surface to the water table at 18m depth.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
O. Dahan, A. Babad, N. Lazarovitch, E. E. Russak, and D. Kurtzman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 333–341, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-333-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-333-2014, 2014
S. Baram, Z. Ronen, D. Kurtzman, C. Külls, and O. Dahan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1533–1545, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1533-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1533-2013, 2013
Yonatan Yekutiel, Yuval Rotem, Shlomi Arnon, and Ofer Dahan
SOIL, 10, 335–347, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-335-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-335-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A new soil nitrate monitoring system that was installed in a cultivated field enabled us, for the first-time, to control nitrate concentration across the soil profile. Frequent adjustment of fertilizer and water application followed the actual dynamic variation in nitrate concentration across the soil profile. Hence, a significant reduction in fertilizer application was achieved while preserving optimal crop yield.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Rezaul Karim, Lucy Reading, Les Dawes, Ofer Dahan, and Glynis Orr
SOIL, 9, 381–398, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-381-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-381-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
The study was performed using continuous measurement of temporal variations in soil saturation and of the concentration of pesticides along the vadose zone profile and underlying alluvial aquifers at sugarcane fields in the Wet Tropics of Australia. A vadose zone monitoring system was set up to enable the characterization of pesticide (non-PS II herbicides) migration with respect to pesticide application, sugarcane growing period, and, finally, rainwater infiltration.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Ilil Levakov, Zeev Ronen, Tuvia Turkeltaub, and Ofer Dahan
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1179, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2022-1179, 2022
Preprint withdrawn
Short summary
Short summary
This study presents a novel approach for in-situ large-scale remediation of contaminated unsaturated zone and groundwater. Flow and transport models were calibrated against continuously monitored data, enabling evaluation of the required conditions for optimal contaminate removal. The results enabled realistic data-based predictions of the time frame that is required to attain full contaminant removal through efficient and low-cost in-situ treatment technique.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Elad Yeshno, Ofer Dahan, Shoshana Bernstain, and Shlomi Arnon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 2159–2168, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2159-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2159-2021, 2021
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Short summary
In this research, we present a novel approach, enabling the measurement of nitrate concentrations in natural soil porewater containing natural soil dissolved organic carbon. This method can be used as the basis onto which an affordable and miniaturized nitrate monitoring sensor for soils can be developed. This sensor can play a significant role in reducing nitrate pollution in water resources, optimizing fertilizers application during agricultural activity and decreasing food production costs.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Elad Yeshno, Shlomi Arnon, and Ofer Dahan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3997–4010, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3997-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3997-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Lack of adequate instrumentation for monitoring nutrient availability in agricultural soils leads in most cases to over-application of fertilizers, often resulting in groundwater pollution. This research presents a novel approach for real-time, in situ monitoring of nitrate in soils using absorption spectroscopy techniques while preventing interference from dissolved organic carbon. Column experiments with this system resulted in accurate nitrate measurements in three different soil types.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Yonatan Ganot, Ran Holtzman, Noam Weisbrod, Anat Bernstein, Hagar Siebner, Yoram Katz, and Daniel Kurtzman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 6323–6333, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6323-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-6323-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
In recent years, surpluses of desalinated seawater (DSW) are stored in the Israeli coastal aquifer. We monitor DSW spread in the aquifer using the difference between isotope composition of reverse-osmosis DSW and natural fresh water, which simplifies the system to two distinct end-members. A hydrogeological flow and transport model is used to demonstrate the robustness of this simplification, predict the future spread of DSW in the aquifer and mixing in wells, and estimate DSW recovery efficacy.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Paula Rodríguez-Escales, Arnau Canelles, Xavier Sanchez-Vila, Albert Folch, Daniel Kurtzman, Rudy Rossetto, Enrique Fernández-Escalante, João-Paulo Lobo-Ferreira, Manuel Sapiano, Jon San-Sebastián, and Christoph Schüth
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 3213–3227, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3213-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-3213-2018, 2018
Short summary
Short summary
In this work, we have developed a methodology to evaluate the failure risk of managed aquifer recharge, and we have applied it to six different facilities located in the Mediterranean Basin. The methodology was based on the development of a probabilistic risk assessment based on fault trees. We evaluated both technical and non-technical issues, the latter being more responsible for failure risk.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Yonatan Ganot, Ran Holtzman, Noam Weisbrod, Ido Nitzan, Yoram Katz, and Daniel Kurtzman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 4479–4493, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4479-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4479-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
We monitor infiltration at multiple scales during managed aquifer recharge with desalinated seawater in an infiltration pond, while groundwater recharge is evaluated by simplified and numerical models. We found that pond-surface clogging is negated by the high-quality desalinated seawater or negligible compared to the low-permeability layers of the unsaturated zone. We show that a numerical model with a 1-D representative sediment profile is able to capture infiltration and recharge dynamics.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Ofer Dahan, Idan Katz, Lior Avishai, and Zeev Ronen
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 4011–4020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4011-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-4011-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
In situ bioremediation of a perchlorate-contaminated vadose zone was conducted through infiltration of electron-donor-enriched water. A vadose zone monitoring system (VMS) provided real-time tracking of the hydraulic and chemical conditions across the unsaturated zone. Variations in concentration profiles of perchlorate, chloride, DOC and bromide in the vadose zone pore water showed limited migration capacity of biologically consumable carbon and significant mobilization of perchlorate.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Yehuda Levy, Roi H. Shapira, Benny Chefetz, and Daniel Kurtzman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 3811–3825, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3811-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3811-2017, 2017
Short summary
Short summary
Nitrate–nitrogen is a groundwater contaminant worldwide that originates commonly from agricultural fertilization. In this work, we built a computer model which follows the fate of nitrogen from land surface to deep (~100 m) and distant (~km) groundwater wells. The model succeeded estimating total groundwater nitrate, yet failed to point-estimate contaminated wells, extra assumptions fixed it. This enabled prediction of future groundwater–nitrate which revealed the need to reduce fertilization.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Tuvia Turkeltaub, Daniel Kurtzman, and Ofer Dahan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3099–3108, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3099-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3099-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
Efficient groundwater protection from pollution originating in agriculture requires effective monitoring means capable of tacking pollution processes in the vadose zone, long before groundwater pollution turns into an unavoidable fact. In this study, a vadose zone monitoring system that was installed under a crop field fertilized by dairy slurry enabled real-time tracking of nitrate plum migration down the vadose zone from the land surface to the water table at 18m depth.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Natalia Fernández de Vera, Jean Beaujean, Pierre Jamin, David Caterina, Marnik Vanclooster, Alain Dassargues, Ofer Dahan, Frédéric Nguyen, and Serge Brouyère
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2016-79, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2016-79, 2016
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Soil and groundwater remediation at industrial contaminated sites require suitable field instrumentation for subsurface characterization. The proposed method provides chemical, hydraulic information and images from the subsurface via customized sensors installed in boreholes. Their installation at a brownfield allows flow and transport characterization of water and contaminants across a heterogeneous subsurface. The results proof the effectiveness of the method for characterization purposes.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
O. Dahan, A. Babad, N. Lazarovitch, E. E. Russak, and D. Kurtzman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 333–341, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-333-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-333-2014, 2014
S. Baram, Z. Ronen, D. Kurtzman, C. Külls, and O. Dahan
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 17, 1533–1545, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1533-2013, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-17-1533-2013, 2013
Related subject area
Subject: Vadose Zone Hydrology | Techniques and Approaches: Theory development
Hydro-pedotransfer functions: a roadmap for future development
The dimensions of deep-layer soil desiccation and its impact on xylem hydraulic conductivity in dryland tree plantations
Prediction of absolute unsaturated hydraulic conductivity – comparison of four different capillary bundle models
Snowmelt-mediated isotopic homogenization of shallow till soil
Prediction of the absolute hydraulic conductivity function from soil water retention data
Mixed formulation for an easy and robust numerical computation of sorptivity
Signal contribution of distant areas to cosmic-ray neutron sensors – implications for footprint and sensitivity
Technical note: A sigmoidal soil water retention curve without asymptote that is robust when dry-range data are unreliable
Compaction effects on evaporation and salt precipitation in drying porous media
Evaporation front and its motion
Hysteresis in soil hydraulic conductivity as driven by salinity and sodicity – a modeling framework
HESS Opinions: Unsaturated infiltration – the need for a reconsideration of historical misconceptions
Sigmoidal water retention function with improved behaviour in dry and wet soils
The challenges of an in situ validation of a nonequilibrium model of soil heat and moisture dynamics during fires
Anatomy of the 2018 agricultural drought in the Netherlands using in situ soil moisture and satellite vegetation indices
Beyond Perrault's experiments: repeatability, didactics and complexity
Mechanisms of consistently disjunct soil water pools over (pore) space and time
Energy states of soil water – a thermodynamic perspective on soil water dynamics and storage-controlled streamflow generation in different landscapes
Hydrological characterization of cave drip waters in a porous limestone: Golgotha Cave, Western Australia
Soil water stable isotopes reveal evaporation dynamics at the soil–plant–atmosphere interface of the critical zone
Soil water migration in the unsaturated zone of semiarid region in China from isotope evidence
Governing equations of transient soil water flow and soil water flux in multi-dimensional fractional anisotropic media and fractional time
A thermodynamic formulation of root water uptake
How effective is river restoration in re-establishing groundwater–surface water interactions? – A case study
Recharge estimation and soil moisture dynamics in a Mediterranean, semi-arid karst region
Relations between macropore network characteristics and the degree of preferential solute transport
Impacts of conservation tillage on the hydrological and agronomic performance of Fanya juus in the upper Blue Nile (Abbay) river basin
Averaged water potentials in soil water and groundwater, and their connection to menisci in soil pores, field-scale flow phenomena, and simple groundwater flows
Tobias Karl David Weber, Lutz Weihermüller, Attila Nemes, Michel Bechtold, Aurore Degré, Efstathios Diamantopoulos, Simone Fatichi, Vilim Filipović, Surya Gupta, Tobias L. Hohenbrink, Daniel R. Hirmas, Conrad Jackisch, Quirijn de Jong van Lier, John Koestel, Peter Lehmann, Toby R. Marthews, Budiman Minasny, Holger Pagel, Martine van der Ploeg, Shahab Aldin Shojaeezadeh, Simon Fiil Svane, Brigitta Szabó, Harry Vereecken, Anne Verhoef, Michael Young, Yijian Zeng, Yonggen Zhang, and Sara Bonetti
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 3391–3433, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3391-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-3391-2024, 2024
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Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) are used to predict parameters of models describing the hydraulic properties of soils. The appropriateness of these predictions critically relies on the nature of the datasets for training the PTFs and the physical comprehensiveness of the models. This roadmap paper is addressed to PTF developers and users and critically reflects the utility and future of PTFs. To this end, we present a manifesto aiming at a paradigm shift in PTF research.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Nana He, Xiaodong Gao, Dagang Guo, Yabiao Wu, Dong Ge, Lianhao Zhao, Lei Tian, and Xining Zhao
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 28, 1897–1914, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1897-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-28-1897-2024, 2024
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Deep-layer soil desiccation (DSD) can restrict the sustainability of deep-rooted plantations in water-limited areas. Thus, we explored the extreme effects of DSD based on mass data published and measured on the Loess Plateau and found that the permanent wilting point is a reliable indicator of the moisture limitation of DSD, regardless of tree species, with the corresponding maximum root water uptake depth varying among climatic zones. These dimensions increased the risk of planted trees' death.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Andre Peters, Sascha C. Iden, and Wolfgang Durner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 4579–4593, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4579-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-4579-2023, 2023
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While various expressions for the water retention curve are commonly compared, the capillary conductivity model proposed by Mualem is widely used but seldom compared to alternatives. We compare four different capillary bundle models in terms of their ability to fully predict the hydraulic conductivity. The Mualem model outperformed the three other models in terms of predictive accuracy. Our findings suggest that the widespread use of the Mualem model is justified.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Filip Muhic, Pertti Ala-Aho, Matthias Sprenger, Björn Klöve, and Hannu Marttila
EGUsphere, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-884, https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2023-884, 2023
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Snowmelt event governs the hydrological cycle of sub-arctic areas. In this study, we conducted a tracer experiment on a forested hilltop in Lapland, to identify how high-volume infiltration events modify the soil water storage. We found that a strong tracer signal remained in deeper soil layers after the experiment and over the winter, but it got fully displaced during the snowmelt. We propose a conceptual infiltration model that explains how the snowmelt homogenizes the soil water storage.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Andre Peters, Tobias L. Hohenbrink, Sascha C. Iden, Martinus Th. van Genuchten, and Wolfgang Durner
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 1565–1582, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1565-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-1565-2023, 2023
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The soil hydraulic conductivity function is usually predicted from the water retention curve (WRC) with the requirement of at least one measured conductivity data point for scaling the function. We propose a new scheme of absolute hydraulic conductivity prediction from the WRC without the need of measured conductivity data. Testing the new prediction with independent data shows good results. This scheme can be used when insufficient or no conductivity data are available.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Laurent Lassabatere, Pierre-Emmanuel Peyneau, Deniz Yilmaz, Joseph Pollacco, Jesús Fernández-Gálvez, Borja Latorre, David Moret-Fernández, Simone Di Prima, Mehdi Rahmati, Ryan D. Stewart, Majdi Abou Najm, Claude Hammecker, and Rafael Angulo-Jaramillo
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 895–915, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-895-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-895-2023, 2023
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Sorptivity is one of the most important parameters for quantifying water infiltration into soils. In this study, we propose a mixed formulation that avoids numerical issues and allows for the computation of sorptivity for all types of models chosen for describing the soil hydraulic functions and all initial and final conditions. We show the benefits of using the mixed formulation with regard to modeling water infiltration into soils.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Martin Schrön, Markus Köhli, and Steffen Zacharias
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 27, 723–738, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-723-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-27-723-2023, 2023
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This paper presents a new analytical concept to answer long-lasting questions of the cosmic-ray neutron sensing community, such as
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
what is the influence of a distant area or patches of different land use on the measurement signal?or
is the detector sensitive enough to detect a change of soil moisture (e.g. due to irrigation) in a remote field at a certain distance?The concept may support signal interpretation and sensor calibration, particularly in heterogeneous terrain.
Gerrit Huibert de Rooij
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 5849–5858, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5849-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-5849-2022, 2022
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The way soils capture infiltrating water affects crops and natural vegetation as well as groundwater recharge. This retention of soil water is captured by a mathematical function that covers all water contents from very dry to water-saturated. Unfortunately, data in the dry range are often absent or unreliable. I modified an earlier function to be more robust in the absence of dry-range data, and present a computer program to estimate the parameters of the new function.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Nurit Goldberg-Yehuda, Shmuel Assouline, Yair Mau, and Uri Nachshon
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2499–2517, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2499-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2499-2022, 2022
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In this work the interactions between soil compaction, evaporation, and salt accumulation at the vadose zone are discussed. Changes at the micro and macro scales of the soil physical and hydraulic properties were studied using high-resolution imagining techniques, alongside column experiments, aiming to characterize water flow and evaporation processes at natural, compacted, and tilled soil conditions. In addition, salt accumulation at the soil profile was examined for these setups.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Jiří Mls
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 397–406, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-397-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-397-2022, 2022
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In the paper the evaporation front is considered the interface that separates the wet part of a porous medium from its dry surroundings, and its exact definition in time and space is given. Subsequently, the law of the front's motion is derived. The general problem governing completely the front's motion is formulated and, for a special case, solved numerically. It is shown that the solution makes it possible to locate the rate of vaporization in time and space.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Isaac Kramer, Yuval Bayer, Taiwo Adeyemo, and Yair Mau
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 1993–2008, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1993-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1993-2021, 2021
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Salinity and sodicity can cause irreversible degradation to soil, threatening agricultural production and food security. To date, very little is known about the degree to which soil degradation can be reversible. We introduce a model for describing this partial reversibility (hysteresis) and lay out the experimental procedures necessary for characterizing the soil in this regard. We must shift our focus from degradation measurements to reversal measurements so that we can maintain healthy soils.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Peter F. Germann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 1097–1101, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1097-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-1097-2021, 2021
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This is the last paper submitted by Peter Germann before he died in December 2020. Peter reviews the development of capillary flow theory since the work of Briggs (1897) and Richards (1931), who raised capillary flow to a soil hydrological dogma. Attempts to correct the dogma led to concepts of non-equilibrium flow, macropore flow, and preferential flow during infiltration. Viscous film flow is proposed as an alternative approach to capillarity-driven flow during unsaturated infiltration.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Gerrit Huibert de Rooij, Juliane Mai, and Raneem Madi
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 983–1007, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-983-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-983-2021, 2021
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The way soils capture infiltrating water affects crops and natural vegetation and groundwater recharge. This retention of soil water is described by a mathematical function that covers all water contents from very dry to water saturated. We combined two existing lines of research to improve the behaviour of a popular function for very dry and very wet conditions. Our new function could handle a wider range of conditions than earlier curves. We provide fits to a wide range of soils.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
William J. Massman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 685–709, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-685-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-685-2021, 2021
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Increasing fire frequency and severity now poses a threat to most of the world's wildlands and forested ecosystems and their benefits. The HMV (Heat–Moisture–Vapor) model is a tool to manage fuels to help mitigate the consequences of fire and promote soil and vegetation recovery after fire. The model's performance is surprisingly good, but it also provides insights into the existence of previously unobserved feedbacks and other physical processes that occur during fire.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Joost Buitink, Anne M. Swank, Martine van der Ploeg, Naomi E. Smith, Harm-Jan F. Benninga, Frank van der Bolt, Coleen D. U. Carranza, Gerbrand Koren, Rogier van der Velde, and Adriaan J. Teuling
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 6021–6031, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-6021-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-6021-2020, 2020
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The amount of water stored in the soil is critical for the productivity of plants. Plant productivity is either limited by the available water or by the available energy. In this study, we infer this transition point by comparing local observations of water stored in the soil with satellite observations of vegetation productivity. We show that the transition point is not constant with soil depth, indicating that plants use water from deeper layers when the soil gets drier.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Stefano Barontini and Matteo Settura
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 24, 1907–1926, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1907-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-24-1907-2020, 2020
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More than 300 years after its first appearance, Perrault's De l'origine des fontaines provokes intriguing stimuli and suggestions. We discuss its epistemological relevance through the lens of the repeatability of the experiments, of the didactic aspects which arise for modern teaching of hydrology, and of the author's attitude in facing the complexity of the hydrological processes. The analysis shows that the birth of modern hydrology and the scientific revolution were closely entwined.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Matthias Sprenger, Pilar Llorens, Carles Cayuela, Francesc Gallart, and Jérôme Latron
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 2751–2762, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-2751-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-2751-2019, 2019
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We find that the stable isotopic compositions of mobile and matrix bound soil water are continuously different over 8 months. Long-term data further show that these isotopic differences result from the refilling of small soil pores by isotopically depleted rains during low soil moisture conditions. Thus, subsurface water is not well mixed, but flow velocities and storage in soils are highly variable; this has important implications for ecohydrological studies and soil hydrological modeling.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Erwin Zehe, Ralf Loritz, Conrad Jackisch, Martijn Westhoff, Axel Kleidon, Theresa Blume, Sibylle K. Hassler, and Hubert H. Savenije
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 971–987, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-971-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-971-2019, 2019
Kashif Mahmud, Gregoire Mariethoz, Andy Baker, and Pauline C. Treble
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 22, 977–988, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-977-2018, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-22-977-2018, 2018
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This study explores the relationship between drip water and rainfall in a SW Australian karst, where both intra- and interannual hydrological variations are strongly controlled by seasonal variations in recharge. The hydrological behavior of cave drips is examined at daily resolution with respect to mean discharge and the flow variation. We demonstrate that the analysis of the time series produced by cave drip loggers generates useful hydrogeological information that can be applied generally.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Matthias Sprenger, Doerthe Tetzlaff, and Chris Soulsby
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 3839–3858, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3839-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-3839-2017, 2017
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We sampled the isotopic composition in the top 20 cm at four different sites in the Scottish Highlands at 5 cm intervals over 1 year. The relationship between the soil water isotopic fractionation and evapotranspiration showed a hysteresis pattern due to a lag response to onset and offset of the evaporative losses. The isotope data revealed that vegetation had a significant influence on the soil evaporation with evaporation being double from soils beneath Scots pine compared to heather.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Yonggang Yang and Bojie Fu
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1757–1767, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1757-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1757-2017, 2017
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This paper investigates soil water migration processes in the Loess Plateau using isotopes. The soil water migration is dominated by piston-type flow, but rarely preferential flow. Soil water from the soil lay (20–40 cm) contributed to 6–12% of plant xylem water, while soil water at the depth of 40–60 cm is the largest component (range from 60 to 66 %), soil water below 60 cm depth contributed 8–14 % to plant xylem water, and only 5–8 % is derived from precipitation.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
M. Levent Kavvas, Ali Ercan, and James Polsinelli
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 21, 1547–1557, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1547-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-21-1547-2017, 2017
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In this study dimensionally consistent governing equations of continuity and motion for transient soil water flow and water flux in fractional time and in fractional multiple space dimensions in anisotropic media are developed. By the introduction of the Brooks–Corey constitutive relationships, an explicit form of the equations is obtained. The developed governing equations, in their fractional time but integer space forms, show behavior consistent with the previous experimental observations.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
Anke Hildebrandt, Axel Kleidon, and Marcel Bechmann
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 20, 3441–3454, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3441-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-20-3441-2016, 2016
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This theoretical paper describes the energy fluxes and dissipation along the flow paths involved in root water uptake, an approach that is rarely taken. We show that this provides useful additional insights for understanding the biotic and abiotic impediments to root water uptake. This approach shall be applied to explore efficient water uptake strategies and help locate the limiting processes in the complex soil–plant–atmosphere system.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
A.-M. Kurth, C. Weber, and M. Schirmer
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2663–2672, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2663-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2663-2015, 2015
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This study investigates the effects of river restoration on groundwater–surface water interactions in a losing urban stream. Investigations were performed using Distributed Temperature Sensing (DTS). The results indicate that the highest surface water downwelling occurred at the tip of a gravel island newly installed during river restoration, leading to the conclusion that in this specific setting, river restoration was effective in locally enhancing groundwater–surface water interactions.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
F. Ries, J. Lange, S. Schmidt, H. Puhlmann, and M. Sauter
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 1439–1456, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-1439-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-1439-2015, 2015
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Soil moisture was observed along a strong semi-arid climatic gradient in a Mediterranean karst area. Soil moisture data and soil hydraulic modelling with Hydrus-1D revealed a strong dependency of percolation fluxes with rainfall amounts and intensity during heavy rainfall events. Spatial and temporal extrapolation of the model illustrated the high variability of seasonal percolation amounts among single years and showed strong correlations between soil depth and potential groundwater recharge.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
M. Larsbo, J. Koestel, and N. Jarvis
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 18, 5255–5269, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5255-2014, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-18-5255-2014, 2014
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The characteristics of the macropore network determine the potential for fast transport of solutes through soil. Such characteristics computed from 3-dimensional X-ray tomography images were combined with measured solute breakthrough curves and near-saturated hydraulic conductivities. At a given flow rate, smaller macroporosities, poorer local connectivity of the macropore network and smaller near-saturated hydraulic conductivities resulted in a greater degree of preferential transport.
This article is included in the Encyclopedia of Geosciences
M. Temesgen, S. Uhlenbrook, B. Simane, P. van der Zaag, Y. Mohamed, J. Wenninger, and H. H. G. Savenije
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 16, 4725–4735, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-4725-2012, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-16-4725-2012, 2012
G. H. de Rooij
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 15, 1601–1614, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-1601-2011, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-15-1601-2011, 2011
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Short summary
Vertisols are cracking clayey, arable soils that often overlay groundwater reservoirs. The soil cracks enable flow that bypasses soil blocks, which results in both relatively fresh recharge of the underlying groundwater and contamination with reactive contaminants. These special phenomena, as well as unique mechanism of salinization after cultivation and relative resilience to contamination by nitrate typical to groundwater under vertisols, are reviewed in this study.
Vertisols are cracking clayey, arable soils that often overlay groundwater reservoirs. The soil...
