Advances in Earth Science ›› 2009, Vol. 24 ›› Issue (7): 817-824. doi: 10.11867/j.issn.1001-8166.2009.07.0817

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Grid Scale Temporal Stability of Multilayer Soil Moisture in a Grassland Ecosystem in Western China

Ran Youhua, Li Xin, Wang Weizhen, Jin Rui   

  1. Cold and Arid Regions Environmental and Engineering Research Institute, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Lanzhou  730000,China
  • Received:2009-02-10 Revised:2009-04-30 Online:2009-06-10 Published:2009-07-10

Ran Youhua, Li Xin, Wang Weizhen, Jin Rui. Grid Scale Temporal Stability of Multilayer Soil Moisture in a Grassland Ecosystem in Western China[J]. Advances in Earth Science, 2009, 24(7): 817-824.

The quantitative study of soil moisture time stability in a semi-arid, grassland types and stalinizaton environmen is an important part of the soil moisture scaling and hydrological studies. This paper analyzed the time stability of multi-layer soil moisture in grid scale based on the 16 soil moisture profile observation in Linze grassland intensive observation period (IOP) area during “Watershed Airborne Telemetry Experimental Research (WATER)” experimental period using the mean relative difference plot and correlation coefficient method. Results show: (1) Soil moisture monitoring points  exist, which can represent the grid average value for a relatively long period. The optimal choice of the location of observation points is a thinning process in accordance with prior observations of intensive observation and stability analysis result. (2) In the 90 m×90 m grid scale, the spatial structure of soil moisture in the depth of upper 40 cm layer is similar, but the degree of stability is different, the surface layer is most unstable. The stability of below 40 cm layer is stabilizing.(3) The spatial pattern is strongly related during WATER period, just started a few days with other days having a low correlation. It has a high positive correlation in the stable phase and high negative correlation in precipitation and irrigation event. Therefore, the instability is mainly caused by rainfall and irrigation. At the same time, due to the complexity of the environment and the observation error, the soil moisture and stability characteristics in the experimental area need further study.

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