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Seasonal soil water dynamics in the jarrah forest, Western Australia. II: Results from a site with fine‐textured soil profiles
Author(s) -
Ruprecht J. K.,
Schofield N. J.
Publication year - 1990
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/hyp.3360040306
Subject(s) - transect , hydrology (agriculture) , soil water , saturation (graph theory) , water content , environmental science , spring (device) , geology , ephemeral key , soil science , ecology , oceanography , mechanical engineering , geotechnical engineering , mathematics , combinatorics , engineering , biology
Seasonal soil water dynamics were measured at a fine‐textured, upslope site within the jarrah forest of southwest Western Australia and compared to the results from a coarse‐textured hillslope transect. Gravity drainage dominated during winter and early spring. This reversed in early summer and an upward potential gradient was observed to 7 m depth. A shallow ephemeral saturation zone was observed above a clay pan at 1.5 m depth. This saturation zone persisted through late winter and early spring, contrasting with the short‐lived saturation in the duricrust on the hillslope transect. The annual maximum to minimum unsaturated soil water storage was about 530 mm, 50 mm greater than the hillslope transect and higher than most values reported elsewhere in Australia. Significant soil water content changes following winter rain were generally restricted to 6 m but at one site occurred to 9 m. These depths were significantly less than the coarser‐textured hillslope transect. Soil water drying rates averaged 5 mm day −1 during extended dry periods compared to 3.5 mm day −1 on the hillslope transect. The drying rate occurred uniformly through the profile until late summer when a significant decrease in the upper 3 m was observed.