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Mechanism of environmental factors regulating water consumption of Larix gmelinii forests

  • Soils, Sec 1 • Soil Organic Matter Dynamics and Nutrient Cycling • Research Article
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Abstract

Purpose

To examine and understand mechanisms of hydrological functions and water transport of Larix gmelinii ecosystems, we quantified water consumption (ET), including soil evaporation (E) and vegetation transpiration (T), and the role of environmental factors.

Methods

Stable isotope technology was utilized to make high-frequency in situ observations on the oxygen isotope composition (δ18O) of water vapor from six vertical heights (0.1–40 m above ground) in the cold-temperate Larix gmelinii forests in Northeast China. The dynamics of δ18O and its responses to environmental factors were detected during the water consumption process. One-way analysis of variance, independent-samples t test, and path analysis were used in data analysis.

Results

The oxygen isotope composition of water vapor decreased with increasing vertical height. Contribution of T to ET varied between 79 and 96%. Values of δ18O in water vapor produced by E (δ18OE) corresponded most closely to water content at 10-cm soil depth (SWC10), while those produced by T (δ18OT) were associated with different environmental factors: air temperature (Ta) for the shrub-based stand, relative humidity (RH) for the herb-based stand, and temperature at 5-cm soil depth (Ts5) for the moss-based stand. Solar radiation (SR) was the dominant factor controlling the δ18O of water vapor produced by ET (δ18OET).

Conclusion

Transpiration is the primary means of ecosystem water loss in Larix gmelinii forests. Overall, water loss from T of shrub-based Larix gmelinii stand is greater than those of herb-based and moss-based stands. Meteorological and soil factors mutually affect ecosystem water loss to atmosphere.

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Availability of data and materials

The datasets generated and/or analyzed during the current study are not publicly available due (the data is a part of the author’s graduation thesis) but are available from the corresponding author on reasonable request.

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Acknowledgements

We are grateful for the help and support of staff members at the National Field Scientific Observation and Research Station of Greater Khingan Forest Ecosystem, Inner Mongolia, the National Long-term Scientific Research Base in Greater Khingan Genhe Forest Permafrost Wetland, and the Greater Khingan Forestry Science and Technology Institute, Inner Mongolia.

Funding

This project was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (grant no. 32060262) and the “13th Five-year” National Key Research and Development Program (grant no. 2017YFC0504003).

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Conceptualization, XZ and QZ; sample-plot survey, JY, CS and JW; sample collection, XZ, RW and YJ; sample testing, XZ, RW, YJ, and JY; data analysis, XZ, QZ, RW, YJ and JY; manuscript writing and editing, XZ, QZ, ZX, RW, YJ, JY, CS, and JW. All the authors have read and approved the final manuscript.

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Correspondence to Qiuliang Zhang.

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Zhang, X., Zhang, Q., Xu, Z. et al. Mechanism of environmental factors regulating water consumption of Larix gmelinii forests. J Soils Sediments 21, 3590–3606 (2021). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-021-03025-7

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