Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2021-285
https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2021-285
29 Jun 2021
 | 29 Jun 2021
Status: this discussion paper is a preprint. It has been under review for the journal Hydrology and Earth System Sciences (HESS). The manuscript was not accepted for further review after discussion.

Redistribution process of precipitation in ecological restoration activity of Pinus sylvestris  var. mongolica in Mu Us Sandy Land, China

Yiben Cheng, Hongbin Zhan, Wenbin Yang, Yunqi Wang, Qunou Jiang, and Bin Wang

Abstract. Precipitation was the most important water resource in semi-arid regions of China. The redistribution of precipitation among atmospheric water, soil water and groundwater are related to the land surface ecological system sustainability. The study took widely replanted Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (PSM) in Mu Us Sandy Land (MUSL) as a research object and monitored precipitation, soil moisture, sap flow, and deep soil recharge (DSR) to find out moisture distribution in shallow soil layer. Results showed that the restoration process of PSM in MUSL changed the distribution of precipitation. Precipitation was intercepted in shallow soil, evapotranspiration increased, and DSR significantly decreased, resulting in up to 466.94 mm of precipitation returning to the atmosphere through evapotranspiration in 2016. Vegetation increased soil water storage (SWS) capacity, with maximum SWS in PSM plot and bare sandy land (BSL) being 260 mm and 197 mm per unit horizontal area, respectively in 2016. DSR decreased from 54.03 % of precipitation in BSL to 0.2 % of precipitation in PSM in 2016. Infiltration was not only intercepted by PSM ecosystem, resulting in a time lag, but was also affected by soil temperature, and the infiltration rate in the BSL plot was 11 times of that in the PSM plot from August to September in an annual base. SWS decreased 16 mm and 7.58 mm per unit horizontal area over a one-year period (from March to October) in 2017 and 2019, respectively. The PSM annual sap flow was maintained at a relatively constant level of 153.98 mm/yr. This study helps understand the role of precipitation-induced groundwater recharge in the process of vegetation restoration in semi-arid regions and explains the possible causes of PSM forest degradation. It is necessary to reduce PSM density to allow adaptation to extreme drought in the future.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this preprint. The responsibility to include appropriate place names lies with the authors.
Yiben Cheng, Hongbin Zhan, Wenbin Yang, Yunqi Wang, Qunou Jiang, and Bin Wang

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on hess-2021-285', Anonymous Referee #1, 25 Jul 2021
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Yiben Cheng, 15 Aug 2021
  • RC2: 'Comment on hess-2021-285', Anonymous Referee #2, 02 Aug 2021
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Yiben Cheng, 15 Aug 2021

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on hess-2021-285', Anonymous Referee #1, 25 Jul 2021
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Yiben Cheng, 15 Aug 2021
  • RC2: 'Comment on hess-2021-285', Anonymous Referee #2, 02 Aug 2021
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Yiben Cheng, 15 Aug 2021
Yiben Cheng, Hongbin Zhan, Wenbin Yang, Yunqi Wang, Qunou Jiang, and Bin Wang
Yiben Cheng, Hongbin Zhan, Wenbin Yang, Yunqi Wang, Qunou Jiang, and Bin Wang

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Latest update: 10 Nov 2024
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Short summary
A newly designed Lysimeter was used to monitor deep soil recharge (DSR) of the Pinus sylvestris var. mongolica (PSM). The PSM forest has considerably changed the process of regional water redistribution. The most obvious change was the decrease of precipitation-induced recharge to groundwater. PSM in semi-arid areas will not significantly changed the transpiration due to environmental changes, especially when the annual rainfall increases, the transpiration almost unchanged.