Effects of rainwater harvesting pits on soil moisture in Czech temperate forests. In: Centennial Celebration and Congress of the International Union of Soil Sciences: Abstract Book

Result code in IS VaVaI

<a href="https://www.isvavai.cz/riv?ss=detail&h=RIV%2F60460709%3A41320%2F24%3A101672" target="_blank" >RIV/60460709:41320/24:101672 - isvavai.cz</a>

Result on the web

<a href="https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mcbITzR1wfY1b4vLAaceHAyg_y_K3vzq/" target="_blank" >https://drive.google.com/file/d/1mcbITzR1wfY1b4vLAaceHAyg_y_K3vzq/</a>

DOI - Digital Object Identifier

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Result language

angličtina

Original language name

Effects of rainwater harvesting pits on soil moisture in Czech temperate forests. In: Centennial Celebration and Congress of the International Union of Soil Sciences: Abstract Book

Original language description

Here, we describe the use of rainwater harvesting pits to concentrate rainwater infiltration into deeper layers to maintain soil moisture at suitable levels in beech (Fagus sylvatica) forests. In spring 2022, two 6.5 m3 test pits were established alongside forest roads at two test localities, the first a “dry” locality, characterised by low soil moisture, spatial homogeneity and Cambisols, and the second a “wet” locality, characterised by increased heterogeneity, with hydromorphic Stagnosols and Gleysols dominating. In each case, one pit was located near a pipe culvert and the second at a site with no centralised inflow. In addition, soil moisture was assessed in the same stand, away from the test pits, as a control. Soil moisture was monitored at depths of 10, 30 and 60 cm, 1 m from the pit edge, on the left, right and downslope sides. Here, we present preliminary results (7/2022 – 12/2023) showing the soil hydrological response to pit installation at the two localities. Early results indicate that i) the pits show unexpectedly low efficiency in retaining rainwater in the soil; ii) in winter, soil moisture around the pits increased to soil-water retention capacity more rapidly than at the control site; iii) despite this, soil drying was similar between pits and the control site over the 2023 growing season; and iv) both test pits showed less soil moisture variability during rainfall events than the control site, most likely due to a reduction in preferential pathways in soil around the pits. Despite the range of natural hydric conditions tested at the localities (wet/dry), the rainwater harvesting pits appear not to have fulfilled their expected potential for supporting the soil hydric regime.

Czech name

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Czech description

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Type

O - Miscellaneous

CEP classification

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OECD FORD branch

40102 - Forestry

Project

<a href="/en/project/QK22020146" target="_blank" >QK22020146: Guidelines for Water Management on Forest Transportation Network</a><br>

Continuities

P - Projekt vyzkumu a vyvoje financovany z verejnych zdroju (s odkazem do CEP)

Publication year

2024

Confidentiality

S - Úplné a pravdivé údaje o projektu nepodléhají ochraně podle zvláštních právních předpisů