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Research on Soil Water Balance
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Research on Soil Water Balance

A special issue of Water (ISSN 2073-4441). This special issue belongs to the section "Hydrology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (15 October 2021) | Viewed by 14022

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Holger Rupp

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Helmholtz Zentrum für Umweltforschung, Leipzig, Germany
Interests: water balance; soil water; hydrology; flood

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

The soil water balance describes the sum of all water flows entering and leaving a defined soil volume, as well as the changes in the water supply in the soil as a function of time. Meteorological factors and management were identified as control variables for soil water balance. As a result of the global climate change that can currently be observed, there are considerable consequences for individual soil water balance components such as infiltration, evaporation, infiltration, water supply, and root water intake. The processes taking place in the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum are significantly influenced by changes in soil water balance. In addition to water flows, this also affects the dynamics of nutrients and pollutants in the soil. Statements on the reaction of ecosystems to global climate change, which are urgently needed, require detailed knowledge of the soil water balance. Without a comprehensive understanding of soil water balance, optimized management of water resources that are subject to competing for usage requirements is not possible.

Numerous scientific studies related to soil water balance are currently being carried out. Knowledge in the specialist disciplines of hydrology, water management, agriculture and forestry, ecosystem research, and measurement technology must be connected in terms of an integrated view to be able to master the challenges posed by global change.

Dr. Holger Rupp
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

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Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • water and soil
  • water resource
  • wetlands
  • water supply
  • hydrology
  • lysimeter
  • solute fluxes
  • measurement techniques
  • vadose zone

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Published Papers (4 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 4128 KiB  
Article
The Effects of Soil Drying Out and Rewetting on Nitrogen and Carbon Leaching—Results of a Long-Term Lysimeter Experiment
by Holger Rupp, Nadine Tauchnitz and Ralph Meissner
Water 2021, 13(18), 2601; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13182601 - 21 Sep 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3984
Abstract
As a result of global climate change, heavy rainfall events and dry periods are increasingly occurring in Germany, with consequences for the water and solute balance of soils to be expected. The effects of climate change on nitrogen and carbon leaching were investigated [...] Read more.
As a result of global climate change, heavy rainfall events and dry periods are increasingly occurring in Germany, with consequences for the water and solute balance of soils to be expected. The effects of climate change on nitrogen and carbon leaching were investigated using 21 non-weighable manually filled lysimeters of the UFZ lysimeter facility Falkenberg, which have been managed since 1991 according to the principles of the best management practices and organic farming. Based on a 29-year dataset (precipitation, evaporation, leachate, nitrate and dissolved organic carbon concentrations), the lysimeter years 1995/96, 2018/19, and 2003/04 were identified as extremely dry years. Under the climatic conditions in northeastern Germany, seepage fluxes were disrupted in these dry years. The reoccurrence of seepage was associated with exceptionally high nitrogen concentrations and leaching losses, which exceeded the current drinking water limits by many times and may result in a significant risk to water quality. In contrast, increased DOC leaching losses occurred primarily as a result of increased seepage fluxes. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Soil Water Balance)
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24 pages, 6894 KiB  
Article
Nitrogen and Rainfall Effects on Crop Growth—Experimental Results and Scenario Analyses
by Saadi Sattar Shahadha, Ole Wendroth and Dianyuan Ding
Water 2021, 13(16), 2219; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13162219 - 15 Aug 2021
Cited by 8 | Viewed by 3224
Abstract
Nitrogen (N) fertilization is critical for crop growth; however, its effect on crop growth and evapotranspiration (ETc) behaviors under different amounts of rainfall is not well understood. As such, there is a need for studying the impact of nitrogen application rates and rainfall [...] Read more.
Nitrogen (N) fertilization is critical for crop growth; however, its effect on crop growth and evapotranspiration (ETc) behaviors under different amounts of rainfall is not well understood. As such, there is a need for studying the impact of nitrogen application rates and rainfall amounts on crop growth and ETc components. Agricultural system models help to fill this knowledge gap, e.g., the Root Zone Water Quality Model (RZWQM2), which integrates crop growth-related processes. The objective of this study is to investigate the effect of the nitrogen application rate on crop growth, soil water dynamics, and ETc behavior under different rainfall amounts by using experimental data and the RZWQM2. A field study was conducted from 2016 to 2019 with three nitrogen application rates (0, 70, and 130 kg N ha−1) for unirrigated winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.), and two nitrogen application rates (0 and 205 kg N ha−1) for unirrigated corn (Zea mays L.). For the period of 1986–2019, the amounts of actual rainfall during each crop growth period are categorized into four groups. Each rainfall group is used as a rainfall scenario in the RZWQM2 to explore the interactions between the rainfall amounts and N levels on the resulting crop growth and water status. The results show that the model satisfactorily captures the interaction effects of nitrogen application rates and rainfall amounts on the daily ETc and soil water dynamics. The nitrogen application rate showed a noticeable impact on the behavior of soil water dynamics and ETc components. The 75% rainfall scenario yielded the highest nitrogen uptake for both crops. This scenario revealed the highest water consumption for wheat, while corn showed the highest water uptake for the 100% rainfall scenario. The interaction between a high nitrogen level and 50% rainfall yielded the highest water use efficiency, while low nitrogen and 125% rainfall yielded the highest nitrogen use efficiency. A zero nitrogen rate yielded the highest ETc and lowest soil water content among all treatments. Moreover, the impacts of the nitrogen application rate on ETc behavior, crop growth, and soil water dynamics differed depending on the received rainfall amount. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Soil Water Balance)
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13 pages, 2779 KiB  
Article
Spatial Variations in Water-Holding Capacity as Evidence of the Need for Precision Irrigation
by Mohd Shahkhirat Norizan, Aimrun Wayayok, Ahmad Fikri Abdullah, Muhammad Razif Mahadi and Yahya Abd Karim
Water 2021, 13(16), 2208; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13162208 - 13 Aug 2021
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2057
Abstract
Malaysia receives a lot of water from its two main monsoon periods. Generally, there is a lot of precipitation throughout the year, with drought periods lasting less than three months. To date, irrigation has been treated homogenously, even though soil properties can vary [...] Read more.
Malaysia receives a lot of water from its two main monsoon periods. Generally, there is a lot of precipitation throughout the year, with drought periods lasting less than three months. To date, irrigation has been treated homogenously, even though soil properties can vary spatially over a field, requiring site-specific applications. The aim of this study was to establish an irrigation management zone (IMZ) covering 23.4 ha, which was previously determined under the same soil series. Soil sampling was done according to a grid system over an area of 100 m × 100 m. Three soil depth ranges were examined for every sampling point, namely 0–30, 30–60, and 60–90 cm from the soil surface. Samples were taken to a laboratory for physical analysis and determination of the available water-holding capacity (AWHC). Delineation of AWHC values was achieved using GIS software and the Kriging method. Estimated irrigation depth (EID) data for the plantation were collected for the years 2016 and 2017. Afterward, EID and total net irrigation (TNI) data were simulated in the FAO Cropwat model and compared. The results showed that clay, sand, and organic matter (OM) distributions varied with soil depth; however, no strong correlation was found between these variable with AWHC. The IMZ was classified into three areas named zones A, B, and C, ranging from 79 to 167 mm. The crop water requirement (CWR) was 667 mm in 2016 but only 260 mm in 2017. Based on the AWHC values, the EID for 2016 was found to be below the TNI requirement range of about 106 to 110 mm. In contrast, the EID range was approximately 34 to 62 mm and above TNI requirements for 2017. This study indicates that water inputs for irrigation can be optimized with knowledge of the water-holding capacity of a specific soil. Subsequently, this can be related to crop yield and the impact on sustainable agriculture. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Soil Water Balance)
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23 pages, 4478 KiB  
Article
Soil Nitrogen Dynamics in a Managed Temperate Grassland Under Changed Climatic Conditions
by Mona Giraud, Jannis Groh, Horst H. Gerke, Nicolas Brüggemann, Harry Vereecken and Thomas Pütz
Water 2021, 13(7), 931; https://doi.org/10.3390/w13070931 - 29 Mar 2021
Cited by 9 | Viewed by 3714
Abstract
Grasslands are one of the most common biomes in the world with a wide range of ecosystem services. Nevertheless, quantitative data on the change in nitrogen dynamics in extensively managed temperate grasslands caused by a shift from energy- to water-limited climatic conditions have [...] Read more.
Grasslands are one of the most common biomes in the world with a wide range of ecosystem services. Nevertheless, quantitative data on the change in nitrogen dynamics in extensively managed temperate grasslands caused by a shift from energy- to water-limited climatic conditions have not yet been reported. In this study, we experimentally studied this shift by translocating undisturbed soil monoliths from an energy-limited site (Rollesbroich) to a water-limited site (Selhausen). The soil monoliths were contained in weighable lysimeters and monitored for their water and nitrogen balance in the period between 2012 and 2018. At the water-limited site (Selhausen), annual plant nitrogen uptake decreased due to water stress compared to the energy-limited site (Rollesbroich), while nitrogen uptake was higher at the beginning of the growing period. Possibly because of this lower plant uptake, the lysimeters at the water-limited site showed an increased inorganic nitrogen concentration in the soil solution, indicating a higher net mineralization rate. The N2O gas emissions and nitrogen leaching remained low at both sites. Our findings suggest that in the short term, fertilizer should consequently be applied early in the growing period to increase nitrogen uptake and decrease nitrogen losses. Moreover, a shift from energy-limited to water-limited conditions will have a limited effect on gaseous nitrogen emissions and nitrate concentrations in the groundwater in the grassland type of this study because higher nitrogen concentrations are (over-) compensated by lower leaching rates. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Research on Soil Water Balance)
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