Wang et al. (2026) Plants alter vertical hydrological connectivity to influence moisture recycling through varying water use strategies in China's Loess Region

Identification

• Journal: CATENA
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-28
• Authors: Jiaxin Wang, Jiahui Ha, Mengqing Wang, Xueyan Zhang, Zhiming Han, Zhi Li
• DOI: 10.1016/j.catena.2026.110613

Research Groups

State Key Laboratory of Soil and Water Conservation and Desertification Control, College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, China.

Short Summary

This study investigates how different vegetation types (grass, shrub, forest) in China's Loess Plateau influence moisture recycling and its underlying mechanisms through vertical hydrological connectivity. It finds that moisture recycling rates and the contribution of transpiration increase from grass to forest, primarily due to deeper root water uptake altering soil water balance and shifting evapotranspiration towards transpiration.

Objective

• To examine the differences in moisture recycling and the underlying mechanisms across various vegetation types (grass, shrub, forest) from the perspective of vertical hydrological connectivity (soil water – root water uptake – evapotranspiration – moisture recycling).

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: China's Loess Plateau, focusing on three distinct vegetation types (grass, Caragana korshinskii, Malus domestica, Robinia pseudoacacia).
• Temporal Scale: Annual scale, analyzing annual water deficits and evapotranspiration.

Methodology and Data

• Models used: Not explicitly mentioned; the study primarily employed an observational and analytical approach.
• Data sources: Field observations using water stable isotope tracing technique; original research data.

Main Results

• Moisture recycling rates (f) increased from 33% to 38% along the sequence of grass → Caragana korshinskii → Malus domestica → Robinia pseudoacacia.
• The contribution of transpiration (fT) to moisture recycling increased from 18% to 26%, while the contribution of evaporation (fE) significantly decreased from 16% to 12%.
• These differences are attributed to plant water use strategies altering vertical hydrological connectivity: deeper root water uptake reduced soil water storage and deep drainage, shifting evapotranspiration from evaporation toward transpiration, thereby increasing the transpiration-derived contribution to precipitation.
• Vegetation types along the transition from grass to forest exhibited annual water deficits ranging from 43.0 to 77.5 mm per year.
• Consumed soil water contributed to 59% of the increase in evapotranspiration, which ranged from 444.4 to 575.7 mm per year.
• The increase in transpiration dominated the rise in precipitation, with an approximate conversion rate of 17%.

Contributions

• Provides important understanding of hydrological processes within the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum, particularly how vegetation types influence moisture recycling mechanisms.
• Clarifies the role of vertical hydrological connectivity and plant water use strategies in regulating moisture recycling.
• Offers scientific backing and insights for ecological restoration approaches in regions like the Loess Plateau.

Funding

Not explicitly mentioned in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Wang2026Plants,
  author = {Wang, Jiaxin and Ha, Jiahui and Wang, Mengqing and Zhang, Xueyan and Han, Zhiming and Li, Zhi},
  title = {Plants alter vertical hydrological connectivity to influence moisture recycling through varying water use strategies in China's Loess Region},
  journal = {CATENA},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.catena.2026.110613},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2026.110613}
}