Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been used predominantly for environments with low electrical conductivity like freshwater aquifers, glaciers, or dry sandy soils. The objective of the present study was to explore it...Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been used predominantly for environments with low electrical conductivity like freshwater aquifers, glaciers, or dry sandy soils. The objective of the present study was to explore its application for mapping in subsurface agricultural soils to a depth of several meters. For a loamy sand and a clayey site on the North China Plain, clay inclusions in the sand were detected; the thickness, inclination, and continuity of the confining clay and silt layers was assessed; and a local water table was mapped. Direct sampling (soil coring and profiling) in the top meter and independent measurement of the water table were utilized to confirm the findings. Also, effective estimates of the dielectric number for the site with the dielectric number of moist clayey soils depending strongly on frequency were obtained. Thus, important properties of soils, like the arrangement and type of layers and in particular their continuity and inclination, could be explored with moderate efforts for rather large areas to help find optimal locations for the time-consuming and expensive measurements which would be necessary to detail a model of the subsurface.展开更多
Deep phosphorus application can be a usefull measure to improve crops＇ performance in semi-arid regions, but more knowledge of both its general effects and effects on specific crops is required to optimize treatments...Deep phosphorus application can be a usefull measure to improve crops＇ performance in semi-arid regions, but more knowledge of both its general effects and effects on specific crops is required to optimize treatments. Thus, the aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of phosphorus（P） application at different soil layers on root growth, grain yield, and water-use efficiency（WUE） of winter wheat grown on the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China and to explore the relationship between root distribution and grain yield. The experiment consisted of four P treatments in a randomized complete block design with three replicates and two cultivars： one drought-sensitive（Xiaoyan 22, XY22） and one drought-tolerant（Changhan 58, CH58）. The four P treatments were no P（control, CK）, surface P（SP）, deep P（DP）, and deep-band P application（DBP）. CH58 produced larger and deeper root systems, and had higher grain yields and WUE, under the deep P treatments（DP and DBP） than under SP, clearly showing that deep P placement had beneficial effects on the drought-tolerant cultivar. In contrast, the grain yield and root growth of XY22 did not differ between DP or DBP and SP treatments. Further, root dry weight（RW） and root length（RL） in deep soil layer（30-100 cm） were closely positively correlated with grain yield and WUE of CH58（but not XY22）, highlighting the connections between a well-developed subsoil root system and both high grain yield and WUE for the drought-tolerant cultivar. WUE correlated strongly with grain yield for both cultivars（r=0.94, P〈0.001）. In conclusion, deep application of P fertilizer is a practical and feasible means of increasing grain yield and WUE of rainfed winter wheat in semi-arid regions, by promoting deep root development of drought-tolerant cultivars.展开更多
A computational method and a mechanical model for evaluating the vertical dynamic harmonic response characteristics of a single pile embedded in non-homogeneous soil layers and subjected to harmonic loadings were esta...A computational method and a mechanical model for evaluating the vertical dynamic harmonic response characteristics of a single pile embedded in non-homogeneous soil layers and subjected to harmonic loadings were established based on a certain assumption and the improved dynamic model of beam-on-Winkler foundation by using the principle of soil dynamics and structure dynamics. Both non-homogeneity of soil strata and softening effect of soil layer around the pile during vibration were simultaneously taken into account in the proposed computational model. It is shown through the comparative study on a numerical example that the numerical results of dynamic response of the single pile computed by the proposed method are relatively rational and can well agree with the numerical results computed from the well-known software of finite element method. Finally the parametric studies were conducted for a varied range of main parameters to discuss the effects of relevant factors on dynamic responses of the single pile embedded in non-homogeneous layered soils excited by harmonic loading with different frequencies.展开更多
Pedogenetic soil horizons are one of the fundamental building blocks of modern soil classification; however, in soils of urban areas which are often strongly disturbed by human activities, horizons are difficult to di...Pedogenetic soil horizons are one of the fundamental building blocks of modern soil classification; however, in soils of urban areas which are often strongly disturbed by human activities, horizons are difficult to distinguish but substitutive morphological layers may be identified. To identify the characteristic soil layers in an urban environment, 224 soil layers of 36 in-situ pedons were examined and described in urban and suburban Nanjing, and 27 variables were extracted for multivariate analysis. Three groups and six subdivisions were identified by TwoStep cluster analysis combined with hierarchical cluster analysis based on factor scores. Soil forming factors and soil forming processes could be interpreted from the principal component analysis （PCA） of variables, cluster analysis of soil layers, and discriminant analysis of soil layer groups and their subdivisions. Parent materials, moisture regimes, organic matter accumulation, and especially nutrient accumulation were the main causes of characteristic soil layer formations. The numerical approaches used in this study were useful tools for characteristic soil layer identification of urban soils.展开更多
The alpine ecosystem has great potential for carbon sequestration.Soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)are highly sensitive to climate change,and their dynamics are crucial to revealing the effect of climate ...The alpine ecosystem has great potential for carbon sequestration.Soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)are highly sensitive to climate change,and their dynamics are crucial to revealing the effect of climate change on the structure,function,and services of the ecosystem.However,the spatial distribution and controlling factors of SOC and TN across various soil layers and vegetation types within this unique ecosystem remain inadequately understood.In this study,256 soil samples in 89 sites were collected from the Three River Headwaters Region(TRHR)in China to investigate SOC and TN and to explore the primary factors affecting their distribution,including soil,vegetation,climate,and geography factors.The results show that SOC and TN contents in 0-20,20-40,40-60,and 60-80 cm soil layers are 24.40,18.03,14.04,12.40 g/kg and 2.46,1.90,1.51,1.17 g/kg,respectively;with higher concentrations observed in the southeastern region compared to the northwest of the TRHR.One-way analysis of variance reveals that SOC and TN levels are elevated in the alpine meadow and the alpine shrub relative to the alpine steppe in the 0-60 cm soil layers.The structural equation model explores that soil water content is the main controlling factor affecting the variation of SOC and TN.Moreover,the geography,climate,and vegetation factors notably indirectly affect SOC and TN through soil factors.Therefore,it can effectively improve soil water and nutrient conditions through vegetation restoration,soil improvement,and grazing management,and the change of SOC and TN can be fully understood by establishing monitoring networks to better protect soil carbon and nitrogen.展开更多
[Objective] The paper was to analyze organic carbon content （SOC）, granularity, total nitrogen content （TN）, carbon-nitrogen ratio （C/N）, calcium carbonate content （CaCO3） of 1cm soil profiles in returning for...[Objective] The paper was to analyze organic carbon content （SOC）, granularity, total nitrogen content （TN）, carbon-nitrogen ratio （C/N）, calcium carbonate content （CaCO3） of 1cm soil profiles in returning forest in Zhifanggou watershed of Ansai County in Loess Plateau, so as to study the changes of physical and chemical properties in abnormal layer of soil reflected with granularity, as well as the physical and chemical responses of soil. [Method] Three quadrats with the size of 10 m×10 m were randomly selected in three sampling plots in Loess Plateau, three profiles in upper, middle and lower slope were excavated, and the samples were collected with interval of 10 cm; the surface layer with the depth of 0-10 cm was divided into two layers of 0-5 and 5-10 cm for sampling, respectively. Eleven samples were collected in each profile with a total of 99 samples. Its organic carbon content, granularity, total nitrogen content, carbon-nitrogen ratio and CaCO3 content were analyzed. [Result] The soil profiles in three sampling sites contained five characteristic layers, including a1, b1, b2, c1 and c2, the content of soil granule with particle size less than 0.02 mm decreased, and those with particle size 0.02 mm increased, the organic carbon content and C/N value （a1, b1, b2, c2） increased, but the increase trend of CaCO3 content was not obvious. [Conclusion] The study shows that the characteristic soil layer is commonly existed in loess region, especially the eroded loess region, which should be paid attention in the research fields of modern soil science and ecology.展开更多
Throughfall, stemflow, evapotranspiration and infiltration are likely to vary with forest types, and consequently affect soil moisture regimes in different soil layers. In this study, the spatial and temporal characte...Throughfall, stemflow, evapotranspiration and infiltration are likely to vary with forest types, and consequently affect soil moisture regimes in different soil layers. In this study, the spatial and temporal characteristics of soil moisture were investigated to understand variations in soil moisture in three typical forests, including Phyllostachys pubescens forest (abbreviated as PPF), Schima superba forest (abbreviated as SSF) and Cunninghamia lanceolata forest (abbreviated as CLF) in the upper reaches of Lijiang River basin in southern China. The results showed that,(1) Litterfall and soil physical properties differed significantly in the three typical forests. Infiltration capacity in SSF was more favorable to soil moisture than in PPF and CLF.(2) Large variations were found in soil moisture at different forest stands and depths. Due to complicated vertical structures, there were obvious differences in soil moisture from the 0-20 cm soil layer to the 50-80 cm soil layer.(3) Average soil moisture in each layer was higher in SSF than in PPF and CLF.(4) Soil moisture in different layers correlated closely with precipitation (P<0.01) and the three typical forests had the same change trends with rainfall during the studying period.(5) In topsoil, soil moisture was influe need by soil properties which were mostly determined by litterfall, while in deep soil, soil moisture was affected by variations of soil characteristics, which were mostly determined by root distribution. This study provides a scie ntific basis for better un dersta nding the relati on ships betwee n forest vegetati on and its hydrological effects, helping to facilitate water resources conservation and achieving wise forest management in the upper reaches of Lijiang River basin.展开更多
Mechanisms have been proposed to explain the triggering,development,and persistence of soil liquefaction.The mechanism explaining the horizontal failure plane(triggering)and its depth below the phreatic surface is gov...Mechanisms have been proposed to explain the triggering,development,and persistence of soil liquefaction.The mechanism explaining the horizontal failure plane(triggering)and its depth below the phreatic surface is governed by the flux properties and effective stress at that plane.At the failure plane,the pore water pressure was higher than the effective stress,and the volume change was the highest.The pore water pressure is a function of the soil profile features(particularly the phreatic zone width)and bedrock motion(horizontal acceleration).The volume change at the failure plane is a function of the intrinsic permeability of the soil and bedrock displacement.The failure plane was predicted to occur during the oscillation with the highest amplitude,disregarding further bedrock motion,which was consistent with low seismic energy densities.Two mechanisms were proposed to explain the persistence of soil liquefaction.The first is the existence of low-permeability layers in the depth range in which the failure planes are predicted to occur.The other allows for the persistence and development of soil liquefaction;it is consistent with homogeneous soils and requires water inflow from bedrock water springs.The latter explains many of the features of soil liquefaction observed during earthquakes,namely,surficial effects,“instant”liquefaction,and the occurrence of short-and long-term changes in the level of the phreatic surfaces.This model(hypothesis),the relationship between the flux characteristics and loss of soil shear strength,provides self-consistent constraints on the depth below the phreatic surfaces where the failure planes are observed(expected to occur).It requires further experimental and observational evidence.Similar reasoning can be used to explain other saturated soil phenomena.展开更多
Land use change plays an important part in the studies of global environmental change and regional sustainable development. The change of soil quality can particularly reflect the impacts of human socio-economic activ...Land use change plays an important part in the studies of global environmental change and regional sustainable development. The change of soil quality can particularly reflect the impacts of human socio-economic activities on environment. Taking the coastal plain of south Hangzhou Bay as a study case, we analyzed the effects of land use changes on organic matter （OM）, total nitrogen （TN）, total phosphorus （TP）, available phosphorus （AP）, available potassium （AK）, total salinity （TS）, pH value in soil genetic layers, and assessed soil quality change related to different land use types from 1982 to 2003. The results show that： （1） The general change tendency of soil quality in the coastal plain of south Hangzhou Bay declined obviously in A layer and slightly rise in B （or P） layer and C （or W） layer. The contents of TP decreased generally in all soil genetic layers, but the variety difference of other soil quality indices was relatively great. （2） The change of soil quality in the areas where land use changed is far more remarkable than that with land use unchanged. The value of quality variety is A layer 〉B （or P） layer 〉C （or W） layer. （3） The changes of soil tillage, cultivation, fertilization, irrigation and drainage activities related to land use may make some soil-forming processes disappeared and bring in other new processes which will affect the soil quality and soil genetic layers directly.展开更多
Shanghai is located in eastern China and is built on overburden soil layers. It can be seen from the Mexico M S=8.1 earthquake on September 19, 1985 and the Hanshin M S=7.4 earthquake on January 17,1995 that heavy cas...Shanghai is located in eastern China and is built on overburden soil layers. It can be seen from the Mexico M S=8.1 earthquake on September 19, 1985 and the Hanshin M S=7.4 earthquake on January 17,1995 that heavy casualties and property losses have a direct relationship with overburden soil layers. Ground motions caused by earthquakes are significantly amplified when passing through the soil layers. Under the influence of these amplified motions, building structures, whose nature frequency is within the frequency band of soil amplification response, will experience more severe damage than those built on bedrock. Therefore, engineering seismologists have paid considerable attention the amplification responses in the Shanghai overburden soil layers. The amplification responses of soil and sand layers in this paper are given by the M L=4.1 earthquake in Nantong, Jiangsu Province on December 25, 2001 at 31.8° N, 120.9° E. It can be seen that the responses of soil and sand layers are very different. That is important.展开更多
Alluvial fans possess diverse geomorphological features and have a significant impact on soil characteristics and variations in ecological stoichiometry.However,it remains unclear how alluvial fans in arid mountainous...Alluvial fans possess diverse geomorphological features and have a significant impact on soil characteristics and variations in ecological stoichiometry.However,it remains unclear how alluvial fans in arid mountainous areas influence the changes in ecological chemical stoichiometry and,consequently,indirectly affect ecosystem function.Alluvial fan,with its diverse topographical features,exerts a multifaceted influence on soil formation and characteristics.Limited information exists regarding the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of the alluvial fan in arid mountainous areas.This study investigated the soil physical-chemical characteristics,enzyme activities,soil ecological stoichiometries,and its driving factors of four types of micro-topographies(alluvial mesas,high floodplain,groove beach,and striated groove)in the foothills of eastern Helan Mountains,China.Results showed that soil physical and chemical properties in the 0–20 cm soil depth was consistently higher than those in the 20–40 cm soil depth,with no changes in pH,total nitrogen,and total potassium.C:P and N:P ratios in alluvial mesas,high floodplain,and striated groove were significantly higher than those in groove beach.Redundancy analysis showed that soil nutrients played the most significant role in the variation of soil ecological stoichiometry characteristics.Topography influenced soil stoichiometry indirectly,primarily through impacts on enzyme activity and soil nutrient elements.These findings elucidate the intricate interplay between soil ecological stoichiometric characteristics and environmental factors across diverse micro-topographies in alluvial fan,contributing to our understanding of the formation and development of soil in dryland.展开更多
Pile foundations are still the preferred foundation system for high-rise structures in earthquake-prone regions.Pile foundations have experienced failures in past earthquakes due to liquefaction.Research on pile found...Pile foundations are still the preferred foundation system for high-rise structures in earthquake-prone regions.Pile foundations have experienced failures in past earthquakes due to liquefaction.Research on pile foundations in liquefiable soils has primarily focused on the pile foundation behavior in two or three-layered soil profiles.However,in natural occurrence,it may occur in alternative layers of liquefiable and non-liquefiable soil.However,the experimental and/or numerical studies on the layered effect on pile foundations have not been widely addressed in the literature.Most of the design codes across the world do not explicitly mention the effect of sandwiched non-liquefiable soil layers on the pile response.In the present study,the behavior of an end-bearing pile in layered liquefiable and non-liquefiable soil deposit is studied numerically.This study found that the kinematic bending moment is higher and governs the design when the effect of the sandwiched non-liquefied layer is considered in the analysis as opposed to when its effect is ignored.Therefore,ignoring the effect of the sandwiched non-liquefied layer in a liquefiable soil deposit might be a nonconservative design approach.展开更多
[Objective] The aim was to study variation of soil moisture under different irrigation quota.[Method] By using Trime-TDR apparatus,soil moisture with different irrigation quota infiltration was measured;combining the ...[Objective] The aim was to study variation of soil moisture under different irrigation quota.[Method] By using Trime-TDR apparatus,soil moisture with different irrigation quota infiltration was measured;combining the characteristics of soil texture,curve characteristics of soil moisture variation with soil depth under different irrigation quota were analyzed.[Result] Different irrigation quota has resulted in variation of soil moisture in different layer depth.Soil moisture is 9.88%,17%,25% and 24.45% in so...展开更多
Soil shrinkage is an important factor in slope destabilization in granitic areas, which is also one of the most important conditions for the formation of permanent gullies. This study explored the effect of soil shrin...Soil shrinkage is an important factor in slope destabilization in granitic areas, which is also one of the most important conditions for the formation of permanent gullies. This study explored the effect of soil shrinkage on permanent gullies, and Benggang erosion in granitic areas in southeastern China was used as an example. Three types of Benggang in granitic area were selected to examine the soil shrinkage of three soil layers(the lateritic, transitional and sandy layers) and their effect on the development of Benggang erosion was studied. The results show that the maximum values of COLEH and COLEV(coefficient of linear extensibility in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively) are 3.09% and 1.60% in the laterite layers, 2.71% and 2.13% in transition layers, and 1.10% and 1.82% in sandy layers, indicating that the shrinkage potential of the soil layers exhibits the following order, from highest to lowest: the laterite layer, transition layer, and sandy layer. With a decreasing volumetric water content, the linear shrinkage ratio increases gradually and eventually stabilizes, and in the laterite, transition and sandy layers, the average values of the maximum linear shrinkage are 1.50%, 2.09%, and 1.74%, respectively. Axial shrinkage is most obvious in the transition layers, in which the volume change in the form of subsidence is greater than that in other layers. The soil shrinkage curves fit the trilinear model(R2>0.9), and the soil shrinkage characteristic curves were divided into structural, basic, and residual sections. The correlation analysis shows that the soil shrinkage rate is positively correlated with clay and Fe2 O3 content and negatively correlated with sand content. Clay and sand contents are the most important factors influencing soil shrinkage. Soil oxides can influence soil shrinkage by affecting the particle composition of the soil, so soil shrinkage is closely related to soil clay minerals. Our findings can provide a theoretical basis for revealing the mechanism of Benggang erosion and its control.展开更多
The rapid development of urban rail transit has posed increasing construction and operational challenges for metro tunnels,often leading to structural damage.Grouting technology using cement-based materials is widely ...The rapid development of urban rail transit has posed increasing construction and operational challenges for metro tunnels,often leading to structural damage.Grouting technology using cement-based materials is widely applied to address issues such as seepage,leakage,and alignment correction in shield tunnels.This study investigates the additional stress induced by grouting in silty soil layers,using cement-based grouts with different water-to-cement ratios and polyurethane-modified cement-based materials.Results show that additional stress decreases with depth and is more influenced by horizontal distance from the grouting point.In staged grouting,the first injection phase contributes about 50%of the peak additional stress.A lower water-to-cement ratio(e.g.,0.6)increases additional stress but reduces grout flowability,while a higher ratio improves diffusion but increases the risk of grout loss.(≥1.0)The polyurethane-modified cement-based material enhances stress transfer performance,increasing peak additional stress by approximately 10%.These findings provide theoretical guidance for optimizing material selection and grouting design in metro tunnel repair within silty soil layers.展开更多
Knowledge about the influence of soil layers on evaporation is essential for the optimization of infield rainwater harvesting （IRWH） in the semi-arid areas of the Free State province of South Africa. Among the soils...Knowledge about the influence of soil layers on evaporation is essential for the optimization of infield rainwater harvesting （IRWH） in the semi-arid areas of the Free State province of South Africa. Among the soils earmarked for 1RWH development include the Tukulu, Sepane and Swartland soil types that have contrasting soil layers. These soils have to capture and store rainwater within the soil profile layers away from the evaporation zone. To determine how the three soils release and deliver soil water at the evaporating site, a 21-day evaporation experiment was conducted on pre-drained monoliths. Instantaneous soil water content （SWC） from in-situ and soil water characteristic curve （SWCC） from laboratory was measured. Separate soil samples of 15 mm thickness were also evaporated under the same conditions to establish the extent of drying and hydraulic gradient at the soil surface. The Darcian evaporative flux and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity （K-coefficient） were also determined. At the surface suctions of magnitude greater than 1,500 kPa were observed from all monoliths. Total contributions to evaporation from the Tukulu, Sepane and Swartland were 43, 51 and 70 mm, respectively. The low contributions were explained by the presence of the prismacutanic C-horizon in the Tukulu and Sepane at respective depths of 600 and 700 mm. This layer was associated with the steepest suction gradient that restrained further upward fluxes by subsequent lowering for the K-coefficient with more than two orders of magnitudes within a narrow range of SWC. However, the presence of the pedocutanic B-horizon at depths of 300 mm undermined this restrictive function through the appreciable capillary activity demonstrated by clays at near evaporating surfaces. The shallowness and deficiency in structure of the Swartland was consistent with the high contribution to evaporation that gave this soil a dry soil water regime. It was therefore concluded that the Tukulu offered soil profile layers that could reasonably satisfy the soil water conservation requirements for IRWH.展开更多
Soil erosion accelerates soil degradation. Some natural soils and cultivated soils on sloping land in southern Jiangsu Province, China were chosen to study soil degradation associated with erosion. Soil erosion intens...Soil erosion accelerates soil degradation. Some natural soils and cultivated soils on sloping land in southern Jiangsu Province, China were chosen to study soil degradation associated with erosion. Soil erosion intensity was investigated using the 137Cs tracer method. Soil particle-size distribution, soil organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were measured, and the effects of erosion on soil physical and chemical properties were analyzed statistically using SYSTAT8.0. Results indicated that erosion intensity of cultivated soils was greater than that of the natural soils, suggesting that cultivation increased soil loss. Erosion also led to an increase of coarser soil particle proportion, especially in natural soils. In addition, silt was the primary soil particle lost due to erosion. However, in cultivated fields, coarser soil particles over time were attributed not only to soil erosion but also to mechanical eluviation as a result of farming activities. Moreover, erosion caused a decrease in soil OM, TN and TP as well as thinning of the soil layer.展开更多
On the Loess Plateau of China, a dry soil layer may form due to excess transpiration, leading to degradation of black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia) stands. In order to better manage projects involving black locust, thi...On the Loess Plateau of China, a dry soil layer may form due to excess transpiration, leading to degradation of black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia) stands. In order to better manage projects involving black locust, this study was intended to investigate the response of black locust transpiration rate to soil water availability as affected by meteorological factors using two representative soils(loamy clay and sandy loam) on the Loess Plateau. Four soil water contents were maintained for black locust seedlings grown in pots initially outdoors and then in a climate-controlled chamber, by either drying or irrigating the pots. In both environments, daily transpiration rates were related by a power function to air temperature and by a logistic function to reference evapotranspiration(ET0). Transpiration rates were more susceptible to changes in the meteorological conditions in the sandy loam than in the loamy clay soil. The transpiration rate in the well-watered treatment was greater for black locust grown in the sandy loam than in the loamy clay soil. Normalized transpiration rates were unaffected by ET0 until a critical value of soil water content(θc) was attained; the θc value decreased significantly for the loamy clay soil but increased significantly for the sandy loam soil when ET0 increased. These suggested that the effect of the meteorological condition on the transpiration characteristics of black locust was dependent on soil texture.展开更多
Soil water is strongly affected by land use/cover in the Loess Plateau in China. Water stored in thick loessal soils is one of the most important resources regulating vegetation growth. However, soil water in the deep...Soil water is strongly affected by land use/cover in the Loess Plateau in China. Water stored in thick loessal soils is one of the most important resources regulating vegetation growth. However, soil water in the deep loess proifle, which is critical for maintaining the function of the“soil water pool”is rarely studied because deep proifle soil samples are dififcult to collect. In this study, four experimental plots were established in 2005 to represent different farming systems on the Changwu Tableland：fallow land, fertilized cropland, unfertilized cropland, and continuous alfalfa. The soil water content in the 15-m-deep loess proifles was monitored continuously from 2007 to 2012 with the neutron probe technique. The results showed that temporal variations in soil water proifles differed among the four farming systems. Under fallow land, the soil water content increased gradually over time, ifrst in the surface layers and later in the deep soil layers. In contrast, the soil water content decreased gradually under continuous alfalfa. The distributions of soil water in deep soil layers under both fertilized and unfertilized cropland were relatively stable over time. Thus farming system signiifcantly affected soil water content. Seven years after the start of the experiment, the soil water contents in the 15-m-deep proifles averaged 23.4%under fallow land, 20.3%under fertilized cropland, 21.6%under unfertilized cropland, and 16.0%under continuous alfalfa. Compared to measurements at the start of the experiment, both fallow land and unfertilized cropland increased soil water storage in the 15-m loess proifles. In contrast, continuous alfalfa reduced soil water storage. Fertilized cropland has no signiifcant effect on soil water storage. These results suggest that deep soil water can be replenished under the fallow and unfertilized farming systems. Dry soil layers （i.e., those which have soil water content less than the stable ifeld water capacity） in the subsoil of the Changwu Tableland region can be classiifed as either temporary dry soil layers or persistent dry soil layers. Temporary dry soil layers, which typically form under annual crops, often disappear during wet years. Persistent dry soil layers generally develop under perennial vegetation. Even after removing the vegetation, persistent dry soil layers remain for several decades. This study provides information useful for the conservation and utilization of soil water resources in the Loess Tableland.展开更多
基金Project supported in part by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG), Germany (No. RO 1080/8-1) jointly by Max-Planck Gesellschaft and the Chinese Academy of Sciences through a travel grant to the first author.
文摘Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) has been used predominantly for environments with low electrical conductivity like freshwater aquifers, glaciers, or dry sandy soils. The objective of the present study was to explore its application for mapping in subsurface agricultural soils to a depth of several meters. For a loamy sand and a clayey site on the North China Plain, clay inclusions in the sand were detected; the thickness, inclination, and continuity of the confining clay and silt layers was assessed; and a local water table was mapped. Direct sampling (soil coring and profiling) in the top meter and independent measurement of the water table were utilized to confirm the findings. Also, effective estimates of the dielectric number for the site with the dielectric number of moist clayey soils depending strongly on frequency were obtained. Thus, important properties of soils, like the arrangement and type of layers and in particular their continuity and inclination, could be explored with moderate efforts for rather large areas to help find optimal locations for the time-consuming and expensive measurements which would be necessary to detail a model of the subsurface.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(31270553)the National 973 Program of China(2009CB118604)the Special Fund for Agro-Scientific Research in the Public Interest of China(201103003)
文摘Deep phosphorus application can be a usefull measure to improve crops＇ performance in semi-arid regions, but more knowledge of both its general effects and effects on specific crops is required to optimize treatments. Thus, the aims of this study were to evaluate the effects of phosphorus（P） application at different soil layers on root growth, grain yield, and water-use efficiency（WUE） of winter wheat grown on the semi-arid Loess Plateau of China and to explore the relationship between root distribution and grain yield. The experiment consisted of four P treatments in a randomized complete block design with three replicates and two cultivars： one drought-sensitive（Xiaoyan 22, XY22） and one drought-tolerant（Changhan 58, CH58）. The four P treatments were no P（control, CK）, surface P（SP）, deep P（DP）, and deep-band P application（DBP）. CH58 produced larger and deeper root systems, and had higher grain yields and WUE, under the deep P treatments（DP and DBP） than under SP, clearly showing that deep P placement had beneficial effects on the drought-tolerant cultivar. In contrast, the grain yield and root growth of XY22 did not differ between DP or DBP and SP treatments. Further, root dry weight（RW） and root length（RL） in deep soil layer（30-100 cm） were closely positively correlated with grain yield and WUE of CH58（but not XY22）, highlighting the connections between a well-developed subsoil root system and both high grain yield and WUE for the drought-tolerant cultivar. WUE correlated strongly with grain yield for both cultivars（r=0.94, P〈0.001）. In conclusion, deep application of P fertilizer is a practical and feasible means of increasing grain yield and WUE of rainfed winter wheat in semi-arid regions, by promoting deep root development of drought-tolerant cultivars.
基金the Post Doctor Science Foundation of China(Grant No.20060390806 &20060400241)the Taishan Scholar Foundation of Shandong ProvinceScience Development Foundation of Shandong University of Science and Technology(Grant No.05g002)
文摘A computational method and a mechanical model for evaluating the vertical dynamic harmonic response characteristics of a single pile embedded in non-homogeneous soil layers and subjected to harmonic loadings were established based on a certain assumption and the improved dynamic model of beam-on-Winkler foundation by using the principle of soil dynamics and structure dynamics. Both non-homogeneity of soil strata and softening effect of soil layer around the pile during vibration were simultaneously taken into account in the proposed computational model. It is shown through the comparative study on a numerical example that the numerical results of dynamic response of the single pile computed by the proposed method are relatively rational and can well agree with the numerical results computed from the well-known software of finite element method. Finally the parametric studies were conducted for a varied range of main parameters to discuss the effects of relevant factors on dynamic responses of the single pile embedded in non-homogeneous layered soils excited by harmonic loading with different frequencies.
基金the National Natural Science Foundation of China (No40625001)the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (NoKZCX2-YW-409)
文摘Pedogenetic soil horizons are one of the fundamental building blocks of modern soil classification; however, in soils of urban areas which are often strongly disturbed by human activities, horizons are difficult to distinguish but substitutive morphological layers may be identified. To identify the characteristic soil layers in an urban environment, 224 soil layers of 36 in-situ pedons were examined and described in urban and suburban Nanjing, and 27 variables were extracted for multivariate analysis. Three groups and six subdivisions were identified by TwoStep cluster analysis combined with hierarchical cluster analysis based on factor scores. Soil forming factors and soil forming processes could be interpreted from the principal component analysis （PCA） of variables, cluster analysis of soil layers, and discriminant analysis of soil layer groups and their subdivisions. Parent materials, moisture regimes, organic matter accumulation, and especially nutrient accumulation were the main causes of characteristic soil layer formations. The numerical approaches used in this study were useful tools for characteristic soil layer identification of urban soils.
基金supported by the National Science Foundation for Distinguished Young Scholars(No.42425107)Ecological Civilization Special Project of Key Research&and Development Program in Gansu Province(No.24YFFA009)the Top Talent Project of Gansu Province,Chinese Academy of Sciences Young Crossover Team Project(No.JCTD-2022-18)。
文摘The alpine ecosystem has great potential for carbon sequestration.Soil organic carbon(SOC)and total nitrogen(TN)are highly sensitive to climate change,and their dynamics are crucial to revealing the effect of climate change on the structure,function,and services of the ecosystem.However,the spatial distribution and controlling factors of SOC and TN across various soil layers and vegetation types within this unique ecosystem remain inadequately understood.In this study,256 soil samples in 89 sites were collected from the Three River Headwaters Region(TRHR)in China to investigate SOC and TN and to explore the primary factors affecting their distribution,including soil,vegetation,climate,and geography factors.The results show that SOC and TN contents in 0-20,20-40,40-60,and 60-80 cm soil layers are 24.40,18.03,14.04,12.40 g/kg and 2.46,1.90,1.51,1.17 g/kg,respectively;with higher concentrations observed in the southeastern region compared to the northwest of the TRHR.One-way analysis of variance reveals that SOC and TN levels are elevated in the alpine meadow and the alpine shrub relative to the alpine steppe in the 0-60 cm soil layers.The structural equation model explores that soil water content is the main controlling factor affecting the variation of SOC and TN.Moreover,the geography,climate,and vegetation factors notably indirectly affect SOC and TN through soil factors.Therefore,it can effectively improve soil water and nutrient conditions through vegetation restoration,soil improvement,and grazing management,and the change of SOC and TN can be fully understood by establishing monitoring networks to better protect soil carbon and nitrogen.
基金Supported by Knowledge Innovation Project of Chinese Academy of Sciences(KZCX2-XB2-05-01)Research Program of Weinan Teachers College(07YKZ056)~~
文摘[Objective] The paper was to analyze organic carbon content （SOC）, granularity, total nitrogen content （TN）, carbon-nitrogen ratio （C/N）, calcium carbonate content （CaCO3） of 1cm soil profiles in returning forest in Zhifanggou watershed of Ansai County in Loess Plateau, so as to study the changes of physical and chemical properties in abnormal layer of soil reflected with granularity, as well as the physical and chemical responses of soil. [Method] Three quadrats with the size of 10 m×10 m were randomly selected in three sampling plots in Loess Plateau, three profiles in upper, middle and lower slope were excavated, and the samples were collected with interval of 10 cm; the surface layer with the depth of 0-10 cm was divided into two layers of 0-5 and 5-10 cm for sampling, respectively. Eleven samples were collected in each profile with a total of 99 samples. Its organic carbon content, granularity, total nitrogen content, carbon-nitrogen ratio and CaCO3 content were analyzed. [Result] The soil profiles in three sampling sites contained five characteristic layers, including a1, b1, b2, c1 and c2, the content of soil granule with particle size less than 0.02 mm decreased, and those with particle size 0.02 mm increased, the organic carbon content and C/N value （a1, b1, b2, c2） increased, but the increase trend of CaCO3 content was not obvious. [Conclusion] The study shows that the characteristic soil layer is commonly existed in loess region, especially the eroded loess region, which should be paid attention in the research fields of modern soil science and ecology.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China(41261006)
文摘Throughfall, stemflow, evapotranspiration and infiltration are likely to vary with forest types, and consequently affect soil moisture regimes in different soil layers. In this study, the spatial and temporal characteristics of soil moisture were investigated to understand variations in soil moisture in three typical forests, including Phyllostachys pubescens forest (abbreviated as PPF), Schima superba forest (abbreviated as SSF) and Cunninghamia lanceolata forest (abbreviated as CLF) in the upper reaches of Lijiang River basin in southern China. The results showed that,(1) Litterfall and soil physical properties differed significantly in the three typical forests. Infiltration capacity in SSF was more favorable to soil moisture than in PPF and CLF.(2) Large variations were found in soil moisture at different forest stands and depths. Due to complicated vertical structures, there were obvious differences in soil moisture from the 0-20 cm soil layer to the 50-80 cm soil layer.(3) Average soil moisture in each layer was higher in SSF than in PPF and CLF.(4) Soil moisture in different layers correlated closely with precipitation (P<0.01) and the three typical forests had the same change trends with rainfall during the studying period.(5) In topsoil, soil moisture was influe need by soil properties which were mostly determined by litterfall, while in deep soil, soil moisture was affected by variations of soil characteristics, which were mostly determined by root distribution. This study provides a scie ntific basis for better un dersta nding the relati on ships betwee n forest vegetati on and its hydrological effects, helping to facilitate water resources conservation and achieving wise forest management in the upper reaches of Lijiang River basin.
文摘Mechanisms have been proposed to explain the triggering,development,and persistence of soil liquefaction.The mechanism explaining the horizontal failure plane(triggering)and its depth below the phreatic surface is governed by the flux properties and effective stress at that plane.At the failure plane,the pore water pressure was higher than the effective stress,and the volume change was the highest.The pore water pressure is a function of the soil profile features(particularly the phreatic zone width)and bedrock motion(horizontal acceleration).The volume change at the failure plane is a function of the intrinsic permeability of the soil and bedrock displacement.The failure plane was predicted to occur during the oscillation with the highest amplitude,disregarding further bedrock motion,which was consistent with low seismic energy densities.Two mechanisms were proposed to explain the persistence of soil liquefaction.The first is the existence of low-permeability layers in the depth range in which the failure planes are predicted to occur.The other allows for the persistence and development of soil liquefaction;it is consistent with homogeneous soils and requires water inflow from bedrock water springs.The latter explains many of the features of soil liquefaction observed during earthquakes,namely,surficial effects,“instant”liquefaction,and the occurrence of short-and long-term changes in the level of the phreatic surfaces.This model(hypothesis),the relationship between the flux characteristics and loss of soil shear strength,provides self-consistent constraints on the depth below the phreatic surfaces where the failure planes are observed(expected to occur).It requires further experimental and observational evidence.Similar reasoning can be used to explain other saturated soil phenomena.
基金National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.40701006 Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province, No.Y505032+2 种基金 Natural Science Foundation of Ningbo, No.2006A610077 No.2002C10026 K. C. Wong Magna Fund in Ningbo University
文摘Land use change plays an important part in the studies of global environmental change and regional sustainable development. The change of soil quality can particularly reflect the impacts of human socio-economic activities on environment. Taking the coastal plain of south Hangzhou Bay as a study case, we analyzed the effects of land use changes on organic matter （OM）, total nitrogen （TN）, total phosphorus （TP）, available phosphorus （AP）, available potassium （AK）, total salinity （TS）, pH value in soil genetic layers, and assessed soil quality change related to different land use types from 1982 to 2003. The results show that： （1） The general change tendency of soil quality in the coastal plain of south Hangzhou Bay declined obviously in A layer and slightly rise in B （or P） layer and C （or W） layer. The contents of TP decreased generally in all soil genetic layers, but the variety difference of other soil quality indices was relatively great. （2） The change of soil quality in the areas where land use changed is far more remarkable than that with land use unchanged. The value of quality variety is A layer 〉B （or P） layer 〉C （or W） layer. （3） The changes of soil tillage, cultivation, fertilization, irrigation and drainage activities related to land use may make some soil-forming processes disappeared and bring in other new processes which will affect the soil quality and soil genetic layers directly.
文摘Shanghai is located in eastern China and is built on overburden soil layers. It can be seen from the Mexico M S=8.1 earthquake on September 19, 1985 and the Hanshin M S=7.4 earthquake on January 17,1995 that heavy casualties and property losses have a direct relationship with overburden soil layers. Ground motions caused by earthquakes are significantly amplified when passing through the soil layers. Under the influence of these amplified motions, building structures, whose nature frequency is within the frequency band of soil amplification response, will experience more severe damage than those built on bedrock. Therefore, engineering seismologists have paid considerable attention the amplification responses in the Shanghai overburden soil layers. The amplification responses of soil and sand layers in this paper are given by the M L=4.1 earthquake in Nantong, Jiangsu Province on December 25, 2001 at 31.8° N, 120.9° E. It can be seen that the responses of soil and sand layers are very different. That is important.
基金funded by the Key Project of Natural Science Foundation of the Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region(2022AAC02020)the Chinese Academy of Engineering and Local Cooperation(2021NXZD8)the Yinchuan Natural Resources Bureau Research Project(022204129004).
文摘Alluvial fans possess diverse geomorphological features and have a significant impact on soil characteristics and variations in ecological stoichiometry.However,it remains unclear how alluvial fans in arid mountainous areas influence the changes in ecological chemical stoichiometry and,consequently,indirectly affect ecosystem function.Alluvial fan,with its diverse topographical features,exerts a multifaceted influence on soil formation and characteristics.Limited information exists regarding the ecological stoichiometric characteristics of the alluvial fan in arid mountainous areas.This study investigated the soil physical-chemical characteristics,enzyme activities,soil ecological stoichiometries,and its driving factors of four types of micro-topographies(alluvial mesas,high floodplain,groove beach,and striated groove)in the foothills of eastern Helan Mountains,China.Results showed that soil physical and chemical properties in the 0–20 cm soil depth was consistently higher than those in the 20–40 cm soil depth,with no changes in pH,total nitrogen,and total potassium.C:P and N:P ratios in alluvial mesas,high floodplain,and striated groove were significantly higher than those in groove beach.Redundancy analysis showed that soil nutrients played the most significant role in the variation of soil ecological stoichiometry characteristics.Topography influenced soil stoichiometry indirectly,primarily through impacts on enzyme activity and soil nutrient elements.These findings elucidate the intricate interplay between soil ecological stoichiometric characteristics and environmental factors across diverse micro-topographies in alluvial fan,contributing to our understanding of the formation and development of soil in dryland.
基金The Ministry of Education,Government of India,for the financial assistance provided during the research work。
文摘Pile foundations are still the preferred foundation system for high-rise structures in earthquake-prone regions.Pile foundations have experienced failures in past earthquakes due to liquefaction.Research on pile foundations in liquefiable soils has primarily focused on the pile foundation behavior in two or three-layered soil profiles.However,in natural occurrence,it may occur in alternative layers of liquefiable and non-liquefiable soil.However,the experimental and/or numerical studies on the layered effect on pile foundations have not been widely addressed in the literature.Most of the design codes across the world do not explicitly mention the effect of sandwiched non-liquefiable soil layers on the pile response.In the present study,the behavior of an end-bearing pile in layered liquefiable and non-liquefiable soil deposit is studied numerically.This study found that the kinematic bending moment is higher and governs the design when the effect of the sandwiched non-liquefied layer is considered in the analysis as opposed to when its effect is ignored.Therefore,ignoring the effect of the sandwiched non-liquefied layer in a liquefiable soil deposit might be a nonconservative design approach.
基金Supported by State Administration of Foreign Experts Affairs,Ministry of Education,High School Discipline Innovation Indraught Program(B08039)~~
文摘[Objective] The aim was to study variation of soil moisture under different irrigation quota.[Method] By using Trime-TDR apparatus,soil moisture with different irrigation quota infiltration was measured;combining the characteristics of soil texture,curve characteristics of soil moisture variation with soil depth under different irrigation quota were analyzed.[Result] Different irrigation quota has resulted in variation of soil moisture in different layer depth.Soil moisture is 9.88%,17%,25% and 24.45% in so...
基金This study was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China,(Grant No.42007055,41630858)。
文摘Soil shrinkage is an important factor in slope destabilization in granitic areas, which is also one of the most important conditions for the formation of permanent gullies. This study explored the effect of soil shrinkage on permanent gullies, and Benggang erosion in granitic areas in southeastern China was used as an example. Three types of Benggang in granitic area were selected to examine the soil shrinkage of three soil layers(the lateritic, transitional and sandy layers) and their effect on the development of Benggang erosion was studied. The results show that the maximum values of COLEH and COLEV(coefficient of linear extensibility in horizontal and vertical directions, respectively) are 3.09% and 1.60% in the laterite layers, 2.71% and 2.13% in transition layers, and 1.10% and 1.82% in sandy layers, indicating that the shrinkage potential of the soil layers exhibits the following order, from highest to lowest: the laterite layer, transition layer, and sandy layer. With a decreasing volumetric water content, the linear shrinkage ratio increases gradually and eventually stabilizes, and in the laterite, transition and sandy layers, the average values of the maximum linear shrinkage are 1.50%, 2.09%, and 1.74%, respectively. Axial shrinkage is most obvious in the transition layers, in which the volume change in the form of subsidence is greater than that in other layers. The soil shrinkage curves fit the trilinear model(R2>0.9), and the soil shrinkage characteristic curves were divided into structural, basic, and residual sections. The correlation analysis shows that the soil shrinkage rate is positively correlated with clay and Fe2 O3 content and negatively correlated with sand content. Clay and sand contents are the most important factors influencing soil shrinkage. Soil oxides can influence soil shrinkage by affecting the particle composition of the soil, so soil shrinkage is closely related to soil clay minerals. Our findings can provide a theoretical basis for revealing the mechanism of Benggang erosion and its control.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.42477185)Natural Science Foundation of Zhejiang Province(LQ24A020015)+1 种基金Research Achievement Award Cultivation Project of Zhejiang University of Science and Technology(2023JLYB001)the Postgraduate Course Construction Project of Zhejiang University of Science and Technology(2024yjskj05).
文摘The rapid development of urban rail transit has posed increasing construction and operational challenges for metro tunnels,often leading to structural damage.Grouting technology using cement-based materials is widely applied to address issues such as seepage,leakage,and alignment correction in shield tunnels.This study investigates the additional stress induced by grouting in silty soil layers,using cement-based grouts with different water-to-cement ratios and polyurethane-modified cement-based materials.Results show that additional stress decreases with depth and is more influenced by horizontal distance from the grouting point.In staged grouting,the first injection phase contributes about 50%of the peak additional stress.A lower water-to-cement ratio(e.g.,0.6)increases additional stress but reduces grout flowability,while a higher ratio improves diffusion but increases the risk of grout loss.(≥1.0)The polyurethane-modified cement-based material enhances stress transfer performance,increasing peak additional stress by approximately 10%.These findings provide theoretical guidance for optimizing material selection and grouting design in metro tunnel repair within silty soil layers.
文摘Knowledge about the influence of soil layers on evaporation is essential for the optimization of infield rainwater harvesting （IRWH） in the semi-arid areas of the Free State province of South Africa. Among the soils earmarked for 1RWH development include the Tukulu, Sepane and Swartland soil types that have contrasting soil layers. These soils have to capture and store rainwater within the soil profile layers away from the evaporation zone. To determine how the three soils release and deliver soil water at the evaporating site, a 21-day evaporation experiment was conducted on pre-drained monoliths. Instantaneous soil water content （SWC） from in-situ and soil water characteristic curve （SWCC） from laboratory was measured. Separate soil samples of 15 mm thickness were also evaporated under the same conditions to establish the extent of drying and hydraulic gradient at the soil surface. The Darcian evaporative flux and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity （K-coefficient） were also determined. At the surface suctions of magnitude greater than 1,500 kPa were observed from all monoliths. Total contributions to evaporation from the Tukulu, Sepane and Swartland were 43, 51 and 70 mm, respectively. The low contributions were explained by the presence of the prismacutanic C-horizon in the Tukulu and Sepane at respective depths of 600 and 700 mm. This layer was associated with the steepest suction gradient that restrained further upward fluxes by subsequent lowering for the K-coefficient with more than two orders of magnitudes within a narrow range of SWC. However, the presence of the pedocutanic B-horizon at depths of 300 mm undermined this restrictive function through the appreciable capillary activity demonstrated by clays at near evaporating surfaces. The shallowness and deficiency in structure of the Swartland was consistent with the high contribution to evaporation that gave this soil a dry soil water regime. It was therefore concluded that the Tukulu offered soil profile layers that could reasonably satisfy the soil water conservation requirements for IRWH.
基金Project supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 49831070 and 49973027).
文摘Soil erosion accelerates soil degradation. Some natural soils and cultivated soils on sloping land in southern Jiangsu Province, China were chosen to study soil degradation associated with erosion. Soil erosion intensity was investigated using the 137Cs tracer method. Soil particle-size distribution, soil organic matter (OM), total nitrogen (TN) and total phosphorus (TP) were measured, and the effects of erosion on soil physical and chemical properties were analyzed statistically using SYSTAT8.0. Results indicated that erosion intensity of cultivated soils was greater than that of the natural soils, suggesting that cultivation increased soil loss. Erosion also led to an increase of coarser soil particle proportion, especially in natural soils. In addition, silt was the primary soil particle lost due to erosion. However, in cultivated fields, coarser soil particles over time were attributed not only to soil erosion but also to mechanical eluviation as a result of farming activities. Moreover, erosion caused a decrease in soil OM, TN and TP as well as thinning of the soil layer.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Nos.41171186 and 41101206)
文摘On the Loess Plateau of China, a dry soil layer may form due to excess transpiration, leading to degradation of black locust(Robinia pseudoacacia) stands. In order to better manage projects involving black locust, this study was intended to investigate the response of black locust transpiration rate to soil water availability as affected by meteorological factors using two representative soils(loamy clay and sandy loam) on the Loess Plateau. Four soil water contents were maintained for black locust seedlings grown in pots initially outdoors and then in a climate-controlled chamber, by either drying or irrigating the pots. In both environments, daily transpiration rates were related by a power function to air temperature and by a logistic function to reference evapotranspiration(ET0). Transpiration rates were more susceptible to changes in the meteorological conditions in the sandy loam than in the loamy clay soil. The transpiration rate in the well-watered treatment was greater for black locust grown in the sandy loam than in the loamy clay soil. Normalized transpiration rates were unaffected by ET0 until a critical value of soil water content(θc) was attained; the θc value decreased significantly for the loamy clay soil but increased significantly for the sandy loam soil when ET0 increased. These suggested that the effect of the meteorological condition on the transpiration characteristics of black locust was dependent on soil texture.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41171033,51179161 and 41101025)
文摘Soil water is strongly affected by land use/cover in the Loess Plateau in China. Water stored in thick loessal soils is one of the most important resources regulating vegetation growth. However, soil water in the deep loess proifle, which is critical for maintaining the function of the“soil water pool”is rarely studied because deep proifle soil samples are dififcult to collect. In this study, four experimental plots were established in 2005 to represent different farming systems on the Changwu Tableland：fallow land, fertilized cropland, unfertilized cropland, and continuous alfalfa. The soil water content in the 15-m-deep loess proifles was monitored continuously from 2007 to 2012 with the neutron probe technique. The results showed that temporal variations in soil water proifles differed among the four farming systems. Under fallow land, the soil water content increased gradually over time, ifrst in the surface layers and later in the deep soil layers. In contrast, the soil water content decreased gradually under continuous alfalfa. The distributions of soil water in deep soil layers under both fertilized and unfertilized cropland were relatively stable over time. Thus farming system signiifcantly affected soil water content. Seven years after the start of the experiment, the soil water contents in the 15-m-deep proifles averaged 23.4%under fallow land, 20.3%under fertilized cropland, 21.6%under unfertilized cropland, and 16.0%under continuous alfalfa. Compared to measurements at the start of the experiment, both fallow land and unfertilized cropland increased soil water storage in the 15-m loess proifles. In contrast, continuous alfalfa reduced soil water storage. Fertilized cropland has no signiifcant effect on soil water storage. These results suggest that deep soil water can be replenished under the fallow and unfertilized farming systems. Dry soil layers （i.e., those which have soil water content less than the stable ifeld water capacity） in the subsoil of the Changwu Tableland region can be classiifed as either temporary dry soil layers or persistent dry soil layers. Temporary dry soil layers, which typically form under annual crops, often disappear during wet years. Persistent dry soil layers generally develop under perennial vegetation. Even after removing the vegetation, persistent dry soil layers remain for several decades. This study provides information useful for the conservation and utilization of soil water resources in the Loess Tableland.
