IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/eee/agiwat/v257y2021ics037837742100408x.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Regional variations in plant-available soil water storage and related driving factors in the middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin, China

Author

Listed:
  • Zhao, Chunlei
  • Jia, Xiaoxu
  • Shao, Ming’an
  • Zhu, Yuanjun

Abstract

Available soil water is considered the most important water resource for food production in agricultural ecosystems and sustainable vegetation restoration in arid and semi-arid regions. Compared to soil water content, plant-available soil water storage (ASWS) directly indicates the amount of soil water that can be used by plants. Understanding the spatial characteristics and controlling factors of ASWS can aid in improving the ability of the agricultural ecosystem to resist extreme natural disasters and stabilise grain production in China. In this study, ASWS in the 0–5.0 m profile was measured in an area of approximately 36.9 × 104 km2 in the middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin. The total ASWS in the 0–5.0 m profile of the study area was 113 × 1010 m3, 85% of which was stored in the > 450 mm rainfall zones. The spatial variation in ASWS was mainly controlled by climate and edaphic properties of the 0–1.0 m soil layer and < 450 mm rainfall zone. Regarding the 1.0–5.0 m soil layer and > 450 mm rainfall zone, edaphic properties were the dominant factors determining the spatial characteristics of ASWS. Based on the spatial characteristics of ASWS, the shallow soil water (0–1.0 m) in the middle region and deep soil moisture (1.0–5.0 m) in the southern region of the study area can support the rational use of soil water in agricultural and vegetation restoration activities. Large-scale revegetation activities using trees or shrubs might not be the optimal choice in regions with mean annual precipitation < 450 mm. Knowledge of the spatial characteristics and contributions of the ASWS controlling factors is indispensable for reasonable agricultural regionalisation and vegetation restoration, as well as for an invulnerable and stable grain output system.

Suggested Citation

  • Zhao, Chunlei & Jia, Xiaoxu & Shao, Ming’an & Zhu, Yuanjun, 2021. "Regional variations in plant-available soil water storage and related driving factors in the middle reaches of the Yellow River Basin, China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 257(C).
    • Handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:257:y:2021:i:c:s037837742100408x
    DOI: 10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107131
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S037837742100408X
    Download Restriction: Full text for ScienceDirect subscribers only
    File URL: https://libkey.io/10.1016/j.agwat.2021.107131?utm_source=ideas
    LibKey link: if access is restricted and if your library uses this service, LibKey will redirect you to where you can use your library subscription to access this item
    ---><---

    As the access to this document is restricted, you may want to

    for a different version of it.

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Zheng, Jing & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Guo, Jinjin & Yan, Shicheng & Zhuang, Qianlai & Cui, Ningbo & Guo, Li, 2021. "Interactive effects of mulching practice and nitrogen rate on grain yield, water productivity, fertilizer use efficiency and greenhouse gas emissions of rainfed summer maize in northwest China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 248(C).
    2. Wang, Jieyong & Zhang, Ziwen & Liu, Yansui, 2018. "Spatial shifts in grain production increases in China and implications for food security," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 74(C), pages 204-213.
    3. Zare, Ehsan & Wang, Jie & Zhao, Dongxue & Arshad, Maryam & Triantafilis, John, 2021. "Scope to map available water content using proximal sensed electromagnetic induction and gamma-ray spectrometry data," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 247(C).
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Citations

    Citations are extracted by the CitEc Project, subscribe to its RSS feed for this item.
    as


    Cited by:

    1. Zhu, Ping & Jia, Xiaoxu & Zhao, Chunlei & Shao, Mingan, 2022. "Long-term soil moisture evolution and its driving factors across China’s agroecosystems," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    2. Haohao Cui & Mingjiang Yan & Qian Wang & Guanghui Zhang & Huimin Feng & Xujuan Lang, 2024. "Influencing Factors and Evaluation of Groundwater Ecological Function in Arid/Semiarid Regions of China: A Review," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 16(4), pages 1-15, February.

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Zheng, Jing & Fan, Junliang & Zhou, Minghua & Zhang, Fucang & Liao, Zhenqi & Lai, Zhenlin & Yan, Shicheng & Guo, Jinjin & Li, Zhijun & Xiang, Youzhen, 2022. "Ridge-furrow plastic film mulching enhances grain yield and yield stability of rainfed maize by improving resources capture and use efficiency in a semi-humid drought-prone region," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    2. Shixiong Song & Siyuan Zhao & Ye Zhang & Yongxi Ma, 2023. "Carbon Emissions from Agricultural Inputs in China over the Past Three Decades," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 13(5), pages 1-12, April.
    3. Jia Chen & Kuan Zhang, 2024. "Analysis on the spatiotemporal pattern and driving force of the spatial deviation index of grain and economy in counties in China," PLOS ONE, Public Library of Science, vol. 19(12), pages 1-23, December.
    4. Shilei Pan & Chenhui Di & Zhiguang Qu & Abbas Ali Chandio & Abdul Rehman & Huaquan Zhang, 2024. "How do agricultural subsidies affect farmers’ non-grain cultivated land production? Evidence from the fourth rural Chinese households panel data survey," Economia Politica: Journal of Analytical and Institutional Economics, Springer;Fondazione Edison, vol. 41(1), pages 1-24, April.
    5. Cao, Jianjun & Wei, Chen & Adamowski, Jan F. & Zhou, Junju & Liu, Chunfang & Zhu, Guofeng & Dong, Xiaogang & Zhang, Xiaofang & Zhao, Huijun & Feng, Qi, 2020. "Could arid and semi-arid abandoned lands prove ecologically or economically valuable if they afford greater soil organic carbon storage than afforested lands in China’s Loess Plateau?," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 99(C).
    6. Yu, Zhenning & She, Shuoqi & Xia, Chuyu & Luo, Jiaojiao, 2023. "How to solve the dilemma of China’s land fallow policy: Application of voluntary bidding mode in the Yangtze River Delta of China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    7. Lin, Boqiang & Wang, You, 2025. "Climate change and China's food security," Energy, Elsevier, vol. 318(C).
    8. Li, Xiangyu & Long, Anran & Ji, Xinjie & Wang, Xuelian & Wang, Zhengyu & Gong, Xiangwei & Zhang, Wen & Qi, Hua & Jiang, Ying & Sun, Zhanxiang & Zhao, Fengyan, 2024. "Straw return and nitrogen fertilizer application regulate the efficient use of radiation, water, nitrogen and maize productivity in Northeast China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 301(C).
    9. Jian, Yuqing & Liu, Zhengjia & Gong, Jianzhou, 2022. "Response of landscape dynamics to socio-economic development and biophysical setting across the farming-pastoral ecotone of northern China and its implications for regional sustainable land management," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 122(C).
    10. Ye, Xin & Xiang, Ai & Gao, Runyi & Chuai, Xiaowei, 2025. "The impact of spatiotemporal change in cropland use on local urban cereal supply in China," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 224(C).
    11. Liu, Yansui & Zhou, Yang, 2021. "Reflections on China's food security and land use policy under rapid urbanization," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 109(C).
    12. Wang, Haidong & Wang, Naijiang & Quan, Hao & Zhang, Fucang & Fan, Junliang & Feng, Hao & Cheng, Minghui & Liao, Zhenqi & Wang, Xiukang & Xiang, Youzhen, 2022. "Yield and water productivity of crops, vegetables and fruits under subsurface drip irrigation: A global meta-analysis," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 269(C).
    13. Chen, Xin & Jiang, Li & Zhang, Guoliang & Meng, Lijun & Pan, Zhihua & Lun, Fei & An, Pingli, 2021. "Green-depressing cropping system: A referential land use practice for fallow to ensure a harmonious human-land relationship in the farming-pastoral ecotone of northern China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 100(C).
    14. Zhu, Xiaohua & Zhang, Yan & Zhu, Yuanyuan & Li, Yurui & Cui, Jiaxing & Yu, Bohua, 2025. "Multidimensional deconstruction and workable solutions for addressing China's food security issues: From the perspective of sustainable diets," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 148(C).
    15. Li, Xiaoliang & Wu, Kening & Yang, Qijun & Hao, Shiheng & Feng, Zhe & Ma, Jinliang, 2023. "Quantitative assessment of cultivated land use intensity in Heilongjiang Province, China, 2001–2015," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 125(C).
    16. Qiang, Shengcai & Zhang, Yan & Zhao, Hong & Fan, Junliang & Zhang, Fucang & Sun, Min & Gao, Zhiqiang, 2022. "Combined effects of urea type and placement depth on grain yield, water productivity and nitrogen use efficiency of rain-fed spring maize in northern China," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 262(C).
    17. Liao, Zhenqi & Zeng, Hualiang & Fan, Junliang & Lai, Zhenlin & Zhang, Chen & Zhang, Fucang & Wang, Haidong & Cheng, Minghui & Guo, Jinjin & Li, Zhijun & Wu, Peng, 2022. "Effects of plant density, nitrogen rate and supplemental irrigation on photosynthesis, root growth, seed yield and water-nitrogen use efficiency of soybean under ridge-furrow plastic mulching," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    18. Li, Xiaojin & Yang, Yonghui & Zhou, Xinyao & Liu, Linlin & Yang, Yanmin & Han, Shumin & Zhang, Yinsheng, 2024. "Impact of water productivity and irrigated area expansion on irrigation water consumption and food production in China in last four decades," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 304(C).
    19. Wang, Yafei & He, Yao & Fan, Jie & Olsson, Lennart & Scown, Murray, 2024. "Balancing urbanization, agricultural production and ecological integrity: A cross-scale landscape functional and structural approach in China," Land Use Policy, Elsevier, vol. 141(C).
    20. Kalli, Rajesh & Jena, Pradyot Ranjan & Timilsina, Raja Rajendra & Rahut, Dil Bahadur & Sonobe, Tetsushi, 2024. "Effect of irrigation on farm efficiency in tribal villages of Eastern India," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 291(C).

    More about this item

    Keywords

    ;
    ;
    ;
    ;

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:eee:agiwat:v:257:y:2021:i:c:s037837742100408x. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Catherine Liu (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.elsevier.com/locate/agwat .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.