Water sources of Populus euphratica and Tamarix ramosissima in Ejina Delta, the lower reaches of the Heihe River, China

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2016.0381

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims We aim to evaluate the water sources of typical riparian arbor species (Populus euphratica) and shrub species (Tamarix ramosissima), and analyze the spatial and temporal dynamics of plant water source in Ejina Delta, the lower reaches of the Heihe River, China.Methods Eight sampling sites were selected in the riparian zones along the East River and West River in Ejina. The plant xylem water, soil moisture, rainwater, stream water and groundwater were taken and pretreated during the growing season in 2015-2016, and the stable oxygen isotope ratio (δ¹⁸O) for each water sample was measured. The δ¹⁸O of plant xylem water and soil moisture were compared to estimate the dominant depth of root water uptake, and the linear-mixed model called “IsoSource” were applied to determine plant water sources and quantify their proportions.Important findings This study indicated that the main recharge sources for P. euphratica and T. ramosissima were stream water and groundwater. The contributions of rain water to them was negligible due to the limited amount and the shallow infiltration depth of local rainfall. As affected by groundwater level fluctuation, soil physical properties, as well as lateral and vertical recharge of stream water on soil moisture, the dominant depth of root water uptake spatially varied. However, the relative contributions of stream water or groundwater to plant water sources did not change significantly across space. Populus euphratica used more stream water (68%), while T. ramosissima used more groundwater (65%). Plant water sources were sensitive to environmental flow controls. The contributions of stream water to the water sources of the two species went up to 84% and 48% for P. euphratica and T. ramosissima respectively during the discharge period, but dropped to 63% and 30% during the non-discharge period. On the other hand, the contributions of groundwater decreased to 16% and 52% during the discharge period, but increased to 37% and 70% during non-discharge period. It is noteworthy that the high similarity of δ¹⁸O between stream water and groundwater due to extensive water exchange in the riparian zone made increase the uncertain in quantifying plant water sources.

http://jtp.cnki.net/bilingual/detail/html/ZWSB201705004

Key words: arid region, riparian zone, plant water source, stable oxygen isotope, environmental flow controls

Ya-Fei LI, Jing-Jie YU, Kai LU, Ping WANG, Yi-Chi ZHANG, Chao-Yang DU. Water sources of Populus euphratica and Tamarix ramosissima in Ejina Delta, the lower reaches of the Heihe River, China[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2017, 41(5): 519-528.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2016.0381

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2017/V41/I5/519

Figures/Tables 8

References 24

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样点 Sampling site	土壤埋深 Soil depth (cm)	土壤质地 Soil texture	样点 Sampling site	土壤埋深 Soil depth (cm)	土壤质地 Soil texture
E1	0-80	砂土 Sand	E5	0-50	粉壤土 Silt loam
	80-85	壤质砂土 Loamy sand		50-100	壤土 Loam
	85-90	砂土 Sand		100-130	粉壤土 Silt loam
	90-100	细砂 Fine sand	E6	0-30	壤质细砂 Loamy fine sand
	100-130	砂土 Sand		30-90	细砂 Fine sand
	130-170	细砂 Fine sand		90-120	砂黏土 Sandy clay
	170-185	砂壤土 Sandy loam		120-160	细砂 Fine sand
	185-200	壤质砂土 Loamy sand		160-180	壤土 Loam
E2	0-20	壤质细砂 Loamy fine sand		180-210	砂土 Sand
	20-50	细砂壤土 Fine sandy loam		210-230	黏土 Clay
	50-70	极细砂壤土 Very fine sandy loam		230-320	细砂 Fine sand
	70-100	粉壤土 Silt loam	W1	0-90	壤质砂土 Loamy sand
	100-200	砂土 Sand		90-110	壤质粗砂 Loamy coarse sand
E3	0-30	粉壤土 Silt loam		110-130	砂土 Sand
	30-80	细砂壤土 Very fine sandy loam		130-160	粗砂 Coarse sand
	80-105	细砂 Fine sand		160-210	砂土 Sand
	105-220	粗砂 Coarse sand	W2	0-60	壤质砂土 Loamy sand
E4	0-15	细砂壤土 Fine sandy loam		60-80	砂土 Sand
	15-60	砂壤土 Very fine sandy loam		80-120	粉壤土 Silt loam
	60-120	粉壤土 Silt loam		120-200	砂土 Sand
	120-170	砂土 Sand		200-210	粗砂 Coarse sand
				210-230	壤质砂土 Loamy sand
				230-260	粗砂 Coarse sand

样点 Sampling site	土壤埋深 Soil depth (cm)	土壤质地 Soil texture	样点 Sampling site	土壤埋深 Soil depth (cm)	土壤质地 Soil texture
E1	0-80	砂土 Sand	E5	0-50	粉壤土 Silt loam
	80-85	壤质砂土 Loamy sand		50-100	壤土 Loam
	85-90	砂土 Sand		100-130	粉壤土 Silt loam
	90-100	细砂 Fine sand	E6	0-30	壤质细砂 Loamy fine sand
	100-130	砂土 Sand		30-90	细砂 Fine sand
	130-170	细砂 Fine sand		90-120	砂黏土 Sandy clay
	170-185	砂壤土 Sandy loam		120-160	细砂 Fine sand
	185-200	壤质砂土 Loamy sand		160-180	壤土 Loam
E2	0-20	壤质细砂 Loamy fine sand		180-210	砂土 Sand
	20-50	细砂壤土 Fine sandy loam		210-230	黏土 Clay
	50-70	极细砂壤土 Very fine sandy loam		230-320	细砂 Fine sand
	70-100	粉壤土 Silt loam	W1	0-90	壤质砂土 Loamy sand
	100-200	砂土 Sand		90-110	壤质粗砂 Loamy coarse sand
E3	0-30	粉壤土 Silt loam		110-130	砂土 Sand
	30-80	细砂壤土 Very fine sandy loam		130-160	粗砂 Coarse sand
	80-105	细砂 Fine sand		160-210	砂土 Sand
	105-220	粗砂 Coarse sand	W2	0-60	壤质砂土 Loamy sand
E4	0-15	细砂壤土 Fine sandy loam		60-80	砂土 Sand
	15-60	砂壤土 Very fine sandy loam		80-120	粉壤土 Silt loam
	60-120	粉壤土 Silt loam		120-200	砂土 Sand
	120-170	砂土 Sand		200-210	粗砂 Coarse sand
				210-230	壤质砂土 Loamy sand
				230-260	粗砂 Coarse sand

日期 Date	样点Spot	δ¹⁸O (‰)	日期 Date	样点 Spot	δ¹⁸O (‰)
2016-5-31	E1	-7.39	2015-8-16	E5	-6.29
2015-7-22	E2	-5.94	2015-9-13	E5	-6.69
2015-8-16	E2	-5.39	2015-8-16	E6	-5.56
2015-9-13	E2	-5.60	2016-5-29	E6	-7.02
2016-5-31	E2	-6.94	2015-7-21	E6	-6.47
2015-8-16	E3	-5.73	2015-9-13	E6	-6.12
2015-9-13	E3	-5.57	2016-5-31	GW1	-9.84
2016-5-30	E3	-6.96	2016-5-31	GW2	-9.84
2015-7-19	E4	-5.77	2016-5-31	W1	-5.95
2015-8-16	E4	-7.35	2016-5-31	W2	-7.08
2015-9-13	E4	-5.22

日期 Date	样点Spot	δ¹⁸O (‰)	日期 Date	样点 Spot	δ¹⁸O (‰)
2016-5-31	E1	-7.39	2015-8-16	E5	-6.29
2015-7-22	E2	-5.94	2015-9-13	E5	-6.69
2015-8-16	E2	-5.39	2015-8-16	E6	-5.56
2015-9-13	E2	-5.60	2016-5-29	E6	-7.02
2016-5-31	E2	-6.94	2015-7-21	E6	-6.47
2015-8-16	E3	-5.73	2015-9-13	E6	-6.12
2015-9-13	E3	-5.57	2016-5-31	GW1	-9.84
2016-5-30	E3	-6.96	2016-5-31	GW2	-9.84
2015-7-19	E4	-5.77	2016-5-31	W1	-5.95
2015-8-16	E4	-7.35	2016-5-31	W2	-7.08
2015-9-13	E4	-5.22

样点¹⁾Sampling site¹⁾	植物主要吸水层位 Dominant soil depths of root water uptake ²⁾ (cm)
样点¹⁾Sampling site¹⁾	2015-7	2015-8	2015-9	2016-6	2016-7	2016-8	2016-9
E1	\	\	\	130-210	80-200	80-260	120-180
E2	100-175	100-200	70-200	80-140	90-140	80-180	80-130
E3		30-220	80-220	50-195	5-170	25-180	\
E4	60-220	60-270	60-220	100-200	110-210	110-230	100-260
E5	50-185	50-185	50-185	90-170	75-240	90-230	110-240
E6	80-330	115-330	115-330	140-370	140-280	115-255	100-235
W1	\	\	\	100-230	110-230	90-?	\
W2	\	\	\	150-260	100-185	170-210	100-150