Convergent Hydraulic Redistribution and Groundwater Access Supported Facilitative Dependency Between Trees and Grasses in a Semi‐Arid Environment

• Published in: Water resources research 2021-06, Vol.57 (6), p.n/a
• Main Authors: Lee, E., Kumar, P., Knowles, J. F., Minor, R. L., Tran, N., Barron‐Gafford, G. A., Scott, R. L.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Access; Accessibility; Arid environments; Arid zones; Aridity; Convergence; convergent flow; Depth; Ecosystems; Grasses; Groundwater; Groundwater flow; Groundwater table; Growing season; hydraulic redistribution; Hydraulics; Moisture; Moisture content; Monsoons; Multilayers; Plant cover; Plant roots; Rainy season; Riparian forests; Roots; Savannahs; Seasonal variations; Soil; Soil depth; Soil layers; Soil surfaces; Soil water; Soil water movement; Transpiration; Trees; Vegetation; Water depth; Water table; Water use; Wet season; Wind; Woodlands
• ISSN: 0043-1397; 1944-7973
• DOI: 10.1029/2020WR028103

Hydraulic redistribution is the transport of water from wet to dry soil layers, upward or downward, through plant roots. Often in savanna and woodland ecosystems, deep‐rooted trees, and shallow‐rooted grasses coexist. The degree to which these different species compete for or share soil‐water derived from precipitation or groundwater, as well as how these interactions are altered by hydraulic redistribution, is unknown. We use a multilayer canopy model and field observations to examine how the presence of deep, but tree‐root accessible, groundwater impacts seasonal patterns of hydraulic redistribution, and interaction between coexisting vegetation species in a semiarid riparian woodland (US‐CMW). Based on the simulation, trees absorb moisture at the water table (∼10 m depth) and release it in the shallow soil depth (0–3 m) during the dry pre‐monsoon season. We observed the occurrence of a new convergent hydraulic redistribution pattern during the monsoon season, where moisture is transported from both the near‐surface (0–0.5 m) and the water table to intermediate soil layers (1–5 m) through tree roots. We found that hydraulic redistribution demonstrates a growth facilitation effect at this site, supporting 49% of growing season tree transpiration and 14% of the grass transpiration. Compared to a similarly structured upland savanna without accessible groundwater, the riparian site shows an increased amount of hydraulically redistributed water and more facilitative water use between coexisting grasses and trees. These results shed light on the linkage between accessible groundwater and the role of hydraulic redistribution on the interaction between deep‐rooted and shallow‐rooted vegetation. Plain Language Summary Often in savanna and woodland ecosystems, deep‐rooted trees and shallow‐rooted grasses coexist. Trees and grasses employ hydraulic redistribution to move water between soil layers (from wet to dry soil) through their roots. We examine the interaction between coexisting plants and how the presence of groundwater impacts seasonal patterns of water movement through roots. Modeling and experimental results show that at a riparian site in the southwestern US, tree roots move water upward to support both trees and neighboring grasses. When trees have access to groundwater, hydraulic redistribution creates a facilitative dependence of grasses with the trees. This study demonstrates interesting hydraulic redistribution patterns during a wet season. During t