Modelling and managing critical zone relationships between soil, water and ecosystem processes across the Loess Plateau
Lead Research Organisation:
Lancaster University
Department Name: Lancaster Environment Centre
Abstract
Abstracts are not currently available in GtR for all funded research. This is normally because the abstract was not required at the time of proposal submission, but may be because it included sensitive information such as personal details.
Planned Impact
The primary impact will be the coupled benefits of environmental sustainability and the promotion of economic development and social welfare in the Loess region. This will be achieved through better understanding the relationships between the soil and water processes and agro-ecosystem services, including grain production, net primary production, carbon sequestration, water retention and soil erosion control. This research will provide guidance on practices and managements for sustainable ecosystem services in the fragile region, which will secure food production and save water resources in the arid Loess Plateau. Farmers in the area will receive guidance, enabling them to make informed decisions to adopt optimal agricultural and water management practises, thus increasing income by maintaining or increasing agricultural production. Likewise, environmental agencies and other organisations will have the tools to enable more accurate estimation of water balance, enabling stable management of ecosystems services.
To achieve the benefits, a series of workshops will be run during the project period to transfer our understanding to local people, mainly targeted at low income farmers. Workshops with main stakeholders including local government and environmental agency in year 3 and 4 will be held to introduce our research findings and recommendations.
To achieve the benefits, a series of workshops will be run during the project period to transfer our understanding to local people, mainly targeted at low income farmers. Workshops with main stakeholders including local government and environmental agency in year 3 and 4 will be held to introduce our research findings and recommendations.
People |
ORCID iD |
Andrew Binley (Principal Investigator) |
Publications
Chen X
(2018)
Characterizing the heterogeneity of karst critical zone and its hydrological function: An integrated approach
in Hydrological Processes
Cheng Q
(2019)
Characterization of karst structures using quasi-3D electrical resistivity tomography
in Environmental Earth Sciences
Cheng Q
(2019)
Evaluation of electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) for mapping the soil-rock interface in karstic environments
in Environmental Earth Sciences
Jia X
(2019)
Spatial variations in soil-water carrying capacity of three typical revegetation species on the Loess Plateau, China
in Agriculture, Ecosystems & Environment
Jia X
(2018)
Mineral N stock and nitrate accumulation in the 50 to 200m profile on the Loess Plateau.
in The Science of the total environment
Tao M
(2021)
Evaluating the joint use of GPR and ERT on mapping shallow subsurface features of karst critical zone in southwest China
in Vadose Zone Journal
Tso C
(2021)
Efficient multiscale imaging of subsurface resistivity with uncertainty quantification using ensemble Kalman inversion
in Geophysical Journal International
Turkeltaub T
(2021)
Soil moisture and electrical conductivity relationships under typical Loess Plateau land covers
in Vadose Zone Journal
Turkeltaub T
(2020)
Prediction of regional-scale groundwater recharge and nitrate storage in the vadose zone: A comparison between a global model and a regional model
in Hydrological Processes
Turkeltaub T
(2018)
Recharge and Nitrate Transport Through the Deep Vadose Zone of the Loess Plateau: A Regional-Scale Model Investigation
in Water Resources Research
Turkeltaub T
(2021)
A Comparative Study of Conceptual Model Complexity to Describe Water Flow and Nitrate Transport in Deep Unsaturated Loess
in Water Resources Research
Zhu Y
(2019)
Capacity and Distribution of Water Stored in the Vadose Zone of the Chinese Loess Plateau
in Vadose Zone Journal
Description | We have worked with Chinese partners on examining the nitrate profiles in deep (up to 200m) extracted from the Loess Plateau. This was published in Science of the Total Environment in 2018. A further publication (Jia et al., 2019) shows the soil water carrying capacity of different plants in the Loess Plateau. We show that further re-vegetation needs careful reconsideration under the prevailing climatic, soil and topographic conditions, and provide a re-vegetation threshold to guide future re-vegetation activities and to ensure a sustainable eco-hydrological environment in the Loess Plateau. We have been able to come up with an estimate of how long it takes for nitrate originating from fertilisers to move through the thick soils of the Loess Plateau, and hence get an idea of how long it takes before groundwater quality is degraded if fertiliser application rate is high. To do this we developed a model of the entire region of the Loess Plateau (about the size of France) that simulates the movement of fluids from the ground surface to the water table (which in this case is up to 200m deep). This was published in Turkeltaub et al.(2018). The modelling would not have been possible without access to immense data sources from our Chinese colleagues. We have also modelled local profiles of nitrate transport in order to compare directly with measured data from our colleagues in China. A manuscript based on this work is currently under review in Water Resources Research. We have extended our regional modelling by comparing a downscaled approach from a global model to our upscaled approach. The comparison highlights the limitations of the global approach when dynamic soil water processes are neglected. We presented early results at Fall AGU 2017 and published a paper in Hydrological Processes (Turkeltaub et al). Our work on regional scale modelling also let to collaboration with colleagues at British Geological Survey, which resulted in a paper on global scale nitrate storage in the vadose zone (published in Nature Communications). A capital award allowed us to carry out geophysical surveys at four of the five CZO project sites. All investigations were successful given the interest in geophysics by our Chinese partners that was triggered by our work. At the two karst sites in SW China we carried out a extensive geophysical field campaign lasting several months. The results have helped explain some of the complex behaviour of earlier hydrological field data and have helped develop a conceptual model for the catchment. This was published in Chen et al.(2018). We published two manuscripts detailing the geophysics (in the special issue of Environmental Earth Sciences on Karst). We also presented results at Fall AGU 2017. A further paper led by a collaborating Chinese PhD student is currently under review. Geophysical surveys at the Red Soil CZO have revealed the sensitivity of measurements of electrical conductivity to water uptake by crops. Geophysical campaigns in the Loess Plateau have revealed the potential to use electrical conductivity for mapping the impact of crop water uptake in the region, which has undergone an extensive re-plantation project to minimise erosion. We presented the initial findings at Fall AGU 2018 and are currently writing this up for journal submission. |
Exploitation Route | Our colleagues in China working on the Loess Plateau have requested copies of our regional model and we are in the process of training them in its use. We are also hoping that the MIDST China CZO project (of which we are a partner) will be able to utilise such modelling. At one of the CZO sites (SPECTRA) our geophysical campaign has led to a new understanding of the variation in soil thickness, which should have implications on model development at the site. The success of our geophysical surveys triggered purchase of geophysical equipment by Chinese teams at four of the CZO sites. This is clear evidence of impact of the work. A postdoc on the project (Qinbo Cheng) returned to China with new skills in geophysics. He now has a position at Hohai University and plans to develop field geophysical programs further in China. We are working closely with colleagues at Hohai University (Nanjing), who are the Chinese lead on on CZO, to help develop knowledge of geophysical methods there. |
Sectors | Agriculture Food and Drink Environment |
Description | We have explored a range of approaches for modelling nitrate transport to deep groundwater in the Loess Plateau. Our results show that it may take decades for the effects of intensive fertiliser use to propagate to the groundwater body. It is too early to say if this new knowledge is being used by policy makers but in the follow up MIDST project we have been trying to transfer this knowledge to land managers and farming communities. One of our objectives with the additional capital funding was to highlight the potential value of geophysical measurements for studying critical zone processes. The PDRA working on the grant (Qinbo Cheng) managed to convince the the Chinese Ecosystem Research Network (CERN) to purchase five electrical resistivity systems (identical to that used on our project) for use in China. |
First Year Of Impact | 2020 |
Sector | Environment |
Title | Loess Plateau regional hydraulic dataset for model |
Description | Dataset compiled for regional model published in Turkeltaub et al.(2018) "Recharge and Nitrate Transport Through the Deep Vadose Zone of the Loess Plateau: A Regional-Scale Model Investigation" doi:10.1029/2017WR022190 |
Type Of Material | Database/Collection of data |
Year Produced | 2018 |
Provided To Others? | Yes |
Impact | Dataset is associated with a model study - no measurable use by others to date |
Description | BGS global modelling links |
Organisation | British Geological Survey |
Country | United Kingdom |
Sector | Academic/University |
PI Contribution | We established a link with Matt Ascott and Daren Gooddy at BGS in order to share modelling expertise |
Collaborator Contribution | The link with BGS has allowed us to carry out global scale modelling of nitrate transport and downscale to address the Loess Plateau study in this project. |
Impact | Nature Comms paper: https://www.nature.com/articles/s41467-017-01321-w Fall AGU 2017 poster: H23I-1782: Global Patterns of Legacy Nitrate Storage in the Vadose Zone |
Start Year | 2016 |