Soil Moisture Dynamics in Response to Precipitation and Thinning in a Semi-Dry Forest in Northern Mexico
Understanding soil moisture behavior in semi-dry forests is essential for evaluating the impact of forest management on water availability. The objective of the study was to analyze soil moisture based in storm observations in three micro-catchments (0.19, 0.20, and 0.27 ha) with similar tree densit...
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doaj-2ee162cacaad48799ae5234e001a2a502021-01-06T00:03:18ZengMDPI AGWater2073-44412021-01-011310510510.3390/w13010105Soil Moisture Dynamics in Response to Precipitation and Thinning in a Semi-Dry Forest in Northern MexicoArgelia E. Rascón-Ramos0Martín Martínez-Salvador1Gabriel Sosa-Pérez2Federico Villarreal-Guerrero3Alfredo Pinedo-Alvarez4Eduardo Santellano-Estrada5Raúl Corrales-Lerma6Facultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Periférico Francisco R. Almada Km. 1, Chihuahua, Chihuahua C.P. 31453, MexicoFacultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Periférico Francisco R. Almada Km. 1, Chihuahua, Chihuahua C.P. 31453, MexicoInstituto Nacional de Investigaciones Forestales Agrícolas y Pecuarias (INIFAP), Campo Experimental La Campana, Km. 33.3 Carretera Chihuahua-Ojinaga, Aldama, Chihuahua C.P. 32910, MexicoFacultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Periférico Francisco R. Almada Km. 1, Chihuahua, Chihuahua C.P. 31453, MexicoFacultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Periférico Francisco R. Almada Km. 1, Chihuahua, Chihuahua C.P. 31453, MexicoFacultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Periférico Francisco R. Almada Km. 1, Chihuahua, Chihuahua C.P. 31453, MexicoFacultad de Zootecnia y Ecología, Universidad Autónoma de Chihuahua, Periférico Francisco R. Almada Km. 1, Chihuahua, Chihuahua C.P. 31453, MexicoUnderstanding soil moisture behavior in semi-dry forests is essential for evaluating the impact of forest management on water availability. The objective of the study was to analyze soil moisture based in storm observations in three micro-catchments (0.19, 0.20, and 0.27 ha) with similar tree densities, and subject to different thinning intensities in a semi-dry forest in Chihuahua, Mexico. Vegetation, soil characteristics, precipitation, and volumetric water content were measured before thinning (2018), and after 0%, 40%, and 80% thinning for each micro-catchment (2019). Soil moisture was low and relatively similar among the three micro-catchments in 2018 (mean = 8.5%), and only large rainfall events (>30 mm) increased soil moisture significantly (29–52%). After thinning, soil moisture was higher and significantly different among the micro-catchments only during small rainfall events (<10 mm), while a difference was not noted during large events. The difference before–after during small rainfall events was not significant for the control (0% thinning); whereas 40% and 80% thinning increased soil moisture significantly by 40% and 53%, respectively. Knowledge of the response of soil moisture as a result of thinning and rainfall characteristics has important implications, especially for evaluating the impact of forest management on water availability.https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/1/105dry forest managementwater harvestingwatershed managementwater dynamicssemi-arid ecosystems |
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DOAJ |
language |
English |
format |
Article |
sources |
DOAJ |
author |
Argelia E. Rascón-Ramos Martín Martínez-Salvador Gabriel Sosa-Pérez Federico Villarreal-Guerrero Alfredo Pinedo-Alvarez Eduardo Santellano-Estrada Raúl Corrales-Lerma |
spellingShingle |
Argelia E. Rascón-Ramos Martín Martínez-Salvador Gabriel Sosa-Pérez Federico Villarreal-Guerrero Alfredo Pinedo-Alvarez Eduardo Santellano-Estrada Raúl Corrales-Lerma Soil Moisture Dynamics in Response to Precipitation and Thinning in a Semi-Dry Forest in Northern Mexico Water dry forest management water harvesting watershed management water dynamics semi-arid ecosystems |
author_facet |
Argelia E. Rascón-Ramos Martín Martínez-Salvador Gabriel Sosa-Pérez Federico Villarreal-Guerrero Alfredo Pinedo-Alvarez Eduardo Santellano-Estrada Raúl Corrales-Lerma |
author_sort |
Argelia E. Rascón-Ramos |
title |
Soil Moisture Dynamics in Response to Precipitation and Thinning in a Semi-Dry Forest in Northern Mexico |
title_short |
Soil Moisture Dynamics in Response to Precipitation and Thinning in a Semi-Dry Forest in Northern Mexico |
title_full |
Soil Moisture Dynamics in Response to Precipitation and Thinning in a Semi-Dry Forest in Northern Mexico |
title_fullStr |
Soil Moisture Dynamics in Response to Precipitation and Thinning in a Semi-Dry Forest in Northern Mexico |
title_full_unstemmed |
Soil Moisture Dynamics in Response to Precipitation and Thinning in a Semi-Dry Forest in Northern Mexico |
title_sort |
soil moisture dynamics in response to precipitation and thinning in a semi-dry forest in northern mexico |
publisher |
MDPI AG |
series |
Water |
issn |
2073-4441 |
publishDate |
2021-01-01 |
description |
Understanding soil moisture behavior in semi-dry forests is essential for evaluating the impact of forest management on water availability. The objective of the study was to analyze soil moisture based in storm observations in three micro-catchments (0.19, 0.20, and 0.27 ha) with similar tree densities, and subject to different thinning intensities in a semi-dry forest in Chihuahua, Mexico. Vegetation, soil characteristics, precipitation, and volumetric water content were measured before thinning (2018), and after 0%, 40%, and 80% thinning for each micro-catchment (2019). Soil moisture was low and relatively similar among the three micro-catchments in 2018 (mean = 8.5%), and only large rainfall events (>30 mm) increased soil moisture significantly (29–52%). After thinning, soil moisture was higher and significantly different among the micro-catchments only during small rainfall events (<10 mm), while a difference was not noted during large events. The difference before–after during small rainfall events was not significant for the control (0% thinning); whereas 40% and 80% thinning increased soil moisture significantly by 40% and 53%, respectively. Knowledge of the response of soil moisture as a result of thinning and rainfall characteristics has important implications, especially for evaluating the impact of forest management on water availability. |
topic |
dry forest management water harvesting watershed management water dynamics semi-arid ecosystems |
url |
https://www.mdpi.com/2073-4441/13/1/105 |
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