The role of landscape morphology on soil moisture variability in semi-arid ecosystems


Srivastava A., Saco P. M., Rodriguez J. F., Kumari N., Chun K. P., Yetemen O.

HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES, cilt.35, sa.1, 2021 (SCI-Expanded) identifier identifier

  • Yayın Türü: Makale / Tam Makale
  • Cilt numarası: 35 Sayı: 1
  • Basım Tarihi: 2021
  • Doi Numarası: 10.1002/hyp.13990
  • Dergi Adı: HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
  • Derginin Tarandığı İndeksler: Science Citation Index Expanded (SCI-EXPANDED), Scopus, Aerospace Database, Agricultural & Environmental Science Database, Aqualine, Aquatic Science & Fisheries Abstracts (ASFA), Artic & Antarctic Regions, CAB Abstracts, Communication Abstracts, Compendex, Environment Index, Geobase, INSPEC, Metadex, Pollution Abstracts, Veterinary Science Database, Civil Engineering Abstracts
  • Anahtar Kelimeler: landscape morphology, latitudinal variations, soil moisture variability, solar radiation, CATCHMENT SCALE, TEMPORAL VARIABILITY, SPATIAL VARIABILITY, CHIHUAHUAN DESERT, CLIMATE-CHANGE, VEGETATION, WATER, SURFACE, MODEL, INFILTRATION
  • İstanbul Teknik Üniversitesi Adresli: Evet

Özet

Previous studies on semi-arid ecosystems have shown high values of soil moisture variability (SMV) primarily induced by the combined effects of non-uniform precipitation, incoming solar radiation, and soil and vegetation properties. However, the relative impact of these various factors on SMV has been difficult to evaluate due to limited availability of field data. In addition, only a limited number of studies have analysed the role of landscape morphology on SMV. Here we use numerical simulations of a simple hydrological model, the Bucket Grassland Model, to systematically analyse the effect of each contributing factor on SMV on two different landscape morphologies. The two different landform morphologies represent landscapes dominated respectively by either diffusive erosion or fluvial erosion processes. We conducted various simulations driven by a stochastically generated 100-year climate time series, which is long enough to capture climatic fluctuations, in order to understand the effect of various soil moisture controlling factors on the spatiotemporal SMV. Our modelling results show that the fluvial dominated landscapes promote higher spatial SMV than the diffusive dominated ones. Further, the role of landform morphology on SMV is more pronounced in regions where the spatial variability of incoming solar radiation and precipitation is high.