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Chinese Journal of Applied Ecology ›› 2019, Vol. 30 ›› Issue (1): 146-156.doi: 10.13287/j.1001-9332.201901.015

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Hillslope-scale stochastic simulation of soil moisture dynamics in fixed dunes at the southern edge of Gurbantunggut Desert, China.

YIN Xin-wei1,2,3, ZHENG Xin-jun1,2*, LI Yan1,2, HU Shun-jun1, GUO Yong1,2,3   

  1. 1State Key Laboratory of Desert and Oasis Ecology, Xinjiang Institute of Ecology and Geography, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Urumqi 830011, China;
    2Fukang Station for Desert Ecosystem Observation and Experiment, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Fukang 831505, Xinjiang, China;
    3University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China
  • Received:2016-06-04 Revised:2018-10-18 Online:2019-01-20 Published:2019-01-20
  • Supported by:
    This work was supported by the Frontier Research Key Project of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (QYZDJ-SSW-DQC014) and the Surface of the National Natural Science Foundation of China (41671032). 2018-06-04 Received, 2018-10-18 Accepted.*

Abstract: To examine the effects of soil moisture dynamics on hydrological and ecological processes at the hillslope scale in the desert region, a hillslope-scale soil moisture dynamic stochastic model in arid sandy based on Rodriguez-Iturbe soil moisture dynamic stochastic model (RI model) was developed by modifying the input parameters of the model. Using the continuously monitored data of soil moisture in root zone during growing season from 2015 to 2016 and daily precipitation from 2000 to 2016 in a fixed dune at the southern edge of Gurbantunggut Desert, we analyzed soil moisture dynamics and probability density function of soil moisture on slopes in growing season and discussed the sensitivity of parameters of the stochastic model and its application feasibility. The results showed that the seasonal distribution of precipitation was irregular. The total number of annual precipitation was mainly derived from the precipitation of >10 mm. The precipitation frequency and interval were dominated by <5 mm and <10 d, respectively. The precipitation in the eastern slope was slightly larger than that in the western slope. The interannual variability of soil moisture in the eastern and western slopes in the growing season was basically consistent with the rainfall distribution. The soil moisture in the root zone in the western slope was slightly lower than that in the eas-tern slope, and the soil water content in different slope positions followed a normal distribution. The curve characteristics of the soil moisture probability density function (the curve peak value, the position of the peak, the confidence interval of 95%) in the root zone in the different slopes in growing season simulated by the hillslope-scale model were consistent with observed values, with the consistency measure (CM) being higher than 0.5. Such a result indicated that the hillslope-scale stochastic model could be used for simulating the soil moisture probability density function in diffe-rent slope positions in the study area, with a good applicability. This model could provide theoretical basis and scientific methods for vegetation survival or restoration and the implementation of ecological construction project of desertification control in arid sandy area.