Root Water Uptake Patterns for Nitraria during the Growth Period Differing in Time Interval from a Precipitation Event in Arid Regions

Haibiao Dong, Jing Hao, Zongyu Chen, Guanghui Zhang, Mingjiang Yan and Jinzhe Wang
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Haibiao Dong: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Jing Hao: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Zongyu Chen: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Guanghui Zhang: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Mingjiang Yan: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China
Jinzhe Wang: The Institute of Hydrogeology and Environmental Geology, Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Shijiazhuang 050061, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 13, 1-9

Abstract: Vegetation root water uptake is one of the most central water transport processes along the soil-vegetation-atmosphere interface particularly in (semi-)arid ecosystems. The identification and quantification of root activities and water uptake patterns of arid vegetation remain challenging. This paper aims at the quantitative examination of water uptake behaviors of Nitraria , a prevalent desert species in arid environments, during the growth phase via a multivariate linear mixed model based on water stable isotopes, with a main focus on the time interval from a precipitation pulse. The observations indicate that the precipitation events exert periodic significant pulse-effects on vegetation water uptake through direct absorption (contribution of almost 75%) and activation of deep root activity at a certain depth. While in most occasions without rainfall, Nitraria relies on its extremely extensive shallow roots in surface-near lateral zone (contribution of about 60%) to extract massive soil as well as the hydraulic lifting mechanism to survive drought. Achievements would be beneficial to enhancing the understanding of entangled water transport processes and eco-hydrological feedbacks along soil-vegetation interface in arid ecosystems and contribute to a scientific allocation to water resources with the consideration of ecological protection.

Keywords: roots water uptake pattern; precipitation event; stable water isotopes; arid area; Nitraria (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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