Hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope characteristics of maize fields in arid and semi-arid oasis irrigation areas with SPAC system: variability traits and influencing factors

doi:10.17521/cjpe.2024.0037

Abstract

Abstract:

Aims To examine stable isotope (D, ¹⁸O) variations in different water pools along the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) in irrigated maize (Zea mays) farmland of arid and semi-arid oasis regions and the influencing factors.

Methods The isotopic compositions of water sampled from the above-referred SPAC system were analyzed to partition those related to evapotranspiration using local meteoric water line, correlation analysis, the Craig-Gordon model, and isotopic mass balance.

Important findings (1) The isotopic composition of soil water was directly influenced by atmospheric precipitation, irrigation, and evapotranspiration. Surface wind speed had a significant effect on the isotopic values of soil water. (2) Water transported from maize roots to stems underwent stable isotope depletion. Maize roots and stems shared a common water source, with the former exhibiting isotopic enrichment relative to the mixed soil water within the 0-100 cm depth profile. (3) Atmospheric water oxygen stable isotope ratio (δ¹⁸O) showed vertical stratification, with its value at 2 m height being consistently higher than that at the 10 m height throughout the study, and the environmental sensitivity of hydrogen stable isotope ratio (δD) at 10 m being greater than that of δ¹⁸O.

Key words: stable hydrogen isotope, stable oxygen isotope, Craig-Gordon model, evapotranspiration component separation, atmospheric precipitation line

ZHAO Meng-Yang, ZHUANG Hao-Ran, XU De-Hao, MA Guo-Rong, MA Yong-Cheng, FENG Ke-Peng. Hydrogen and oxygen stable isotope characteristics of maize fields in arid and semi-arid oasis irrigation areas with SPAC system: variability traits and influencing factors[J]. Chin J Plant Ecol, 2025, 49(2): 256-267.

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URL: https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/10.17521/cjpe.2024.0037

https://www.plant-ecology.com/EN/Y2025/V49/I2/256

Figures/Tables 9

Fig. 1 Local atmospheric precipitation line (LMWL), irrigation water line (IWL) (A) and a 0-100 cm soil water line (SWL) (B) of maize farmland in the Qingtongxia irrigation area. δD, hydrogen stable isotope ratio; δ18D, oxygen stable isotope ratio.

Fig. 2 Line-conditioned excess (lc-excess) of topsoil (0-10 cm) water changes over time.

Fig. 3 Soil water oxygen stable isotope ratio (δ18O) (A) and line-conditioned excess (lc-excess) (B) vary over time.

Fig. 4 Changes in hydrogen stable isotope ratio (δD), oxygen stable isotope ratio (δ18O) and waterline of maize root water (RWL), stem water (MSWL) and 0-100 cm soil water (SWL).

Fig. 5 Variations of hydrogen stable isotope ratio (δD), oxygen stable isotope ratio (δ18O) at 2 and 10 m above the ground in the atmosphere and δD in 0-10 cm soil water over time.

Fig. 6 Mean oxygen stable isotope ratio (δ18O) in the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum (SPAC) system during the maize growth period.

Fig. 7 Monthly cumulative precipitation and correlations of stable isotope ratio in different soil depths. δD, hydrogen stable isotope ratio; δ18O, oxygen stable isotope ratio. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01.

Fig. 8 Correlations between vapor pressure deficit (VPD1 m), atmospheric temperature (Ta1 m), relative humidity (RH1 m), wind speed (WS1 m) at 1 m and soil heat flux at 5 cm above the ground (SHF5 cm) and soil water hydrogen stable isotope ratio (δD), oxygen stable isotope ratio (δ18O) in different soil depths. *, p < 0.05; **, p < 0.01.

Fig. 9 Correlation coefficients between the hydrogen stable isotope ratio (δD), oxygen stable isotope ratio (δ18O) of atmospheric water and wind speed (WS), relative humidity (RH), atmospheric temperature (Ta), and vapor pressure deficit (VPD) at 2 m and 10 m. Δ, difference. *, p < 0.05.

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