Premium
Spatial patterns of soil water balance on intensively cultivated hillslopes in a semi‐arid environment: the impact of rock fragments and soil thickness
Author(s) -
van Wesemael Bas,
Mulligan Mark,
Poesen Jean
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
hydrological processes
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.222
H-Index - 161
eISSN - 1099-1085
pISSN - 0885-6087
DOI - 10.1002/1099-1085(200007)14:10<1811::aid-hyp65>3.0.co;2-d
Subject(s) - arid , water balance , hydrology (agriculture) , environmental science , spatial variability , soil water , geology , soil science , balance (ability) , geotechnical engineering , paleontology , statistics , mathematics , medicine , physical medicine and rehabilitation
During past decades, a diverse system of subsistence agriculture in south‐east Spain (annual rainfall of less than 300 mm) has been overturned in favour of large‐scale plantations of almond trees without consideration for topography and related spatial patterns in soil hydrological properties. The objective of this paper is to investigate the spatial pattern in soil physical properties induced by this cultivation system, and to highlight its impact on the water balance. Soil properties were recorded along hillslopes with shallow soils developed on slates and greywackes in the upper part of the Guadelentin drainage basin (Murcia region). Frequent tillage of these almond plantations covering entire hillslopes has resulted in denudation by tillage erosion on the topographic convexities, as well as transport of rock fragments and fine earth along the slopes. These processes have created a systematic spatial pattern of soil thickness and rock fragment content: shallow and stony soils on the topographic convexities and deep soils with a rock fragment mulch in the concavities at the foot of the slopes. At the same time, a negative relationship between rock fragment content and fine earth bulk density was observed. The impact of this spatial pattern in soil properties on the water balance was evaluated using the PATTERN one‐dimensional hydrological and plant growth model. The model simulates the water balance of soil profiles covering the observed variation in soil thickness, stoniness and bulk density. The model results indicate that the highest rates of infiltration, evaporation and drainage, as well as the lowest rates of overland flow are restricted to shallow soils on the hilltops. In contrast, the deeper soils in the valley bottoms produce a more stable moisture regime than shallower soils, which tend to saturate and dry out quickly. These model results are in agreement with the spatial patterns of almond productivity: an asymptotic increase with soil thickness. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.