Rasheed et al. (2026) Age-related vertical soil water redistribution and root water uptake pattern of artificial forest in the Loess Plateau of China

Identification

• Journal: Forest Ecology and Management
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-09-17
• Authors: Muhammad Waseem Rasheed, Guangyao Gao, Zhaolin Li, Yingfei Bai, Lei Jiao
• DOI: 10.1016/j.foreco.2026.124243

Research Groups

• State Key Laboratory for Regional and Urban Ecology, Research Center for Eco-Environmental Sciences, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing, China
• School of Geography and Tourism, Shaanxi Normal University, Xi'an, China
• Laoshan State-owned Forest Management Bureau, Yan'an, China
• Shaanxi Yan'an Forest Ecosystem Observation and Research Station, Beijing, China
• National Observation and Research Station of Earth Critical Zone on the Loess Plateau in Shaanxi, Xi’an, China
• Shaanxi Observation and Research Station for Ecology and Environment of Desert-Loess Zone at Yulin, Xi'an, China

Short Summary

This study investigates how stand age affects soil water balance components in semi-arid regions, revealing that older forests exhibit stronger deep-soil desiccation and greater reliance on shallow soil water.

Objective

• Investigate the impact of forest stand age on vertical soil water redistribution and root water uptake patterns in semi-arid environments.

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Local scale (Loess Plateau, China)
• Temporal Scale: 8-year period (2014–2021)

Methodology and Data

• Models used: HYDRUS-1D model
• Data sources: Field observations of soil water content, satellite data

Main Results

• Older forests exhibit stronger deep-soil desiccation and greater reliance on shallow soil water.
• Younger forests store more soil water in middle and deep layers.
• Actual evapotranspiration is consistently higher in older forests.

Contributions

• This study highlights the importance of considering vertical soil water redistribution when evaluating the sustainability of older forest plantations in semi-arid environments.

Funding

• Not specified in the provided text.

Citation

@article{Rasheed2026Agerelated,
  author = {Rasheed, Muhammad Waseem and Gao, Guangyao and Li, Zhaolin and Bai, Yingfei and Jiao, Lei},
  title = {Age-related vertical soil water redistribution and root water uptake pattern of artificial forest in the Loess Plateau of China},
  journal = {Forest Ecology and Management},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.foreco.2026.124243},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.foreco.2026.124243}
}