Hu et al. (2026) Divergent 3D dynamics of subsurface lateral preferential flow network in broadleaf versus coniferous hillslopes: insights from time-lapse GPR

Identification

• Journal: Journal of Hydrology
• Year: 2026
• Date: 2026-07-07
• Authors: Yun Hu, Hang Xu, Li Guo, Yi Jian, Jing Li, Feifei Hou, Xiaole Han, Jiancong Zhang, Genxu Wang
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135988

Research Groups

• State Key Laboratory of Hydraulics and Mountain River Engineering, College of Water Resource and Hydropower, Sichuan University, Chengdu 610000, China
• Longmenshan Forest Ecosystem Research Station, National Forestry and Grassland Administration of China, Mianyang 622550, China
• Ecological Conservation, Restoration and Resource Utilization in Forest and Wetland Key Laboratory of Sichuan Province, Sichuan Academy of Forestry, Chengdu 610081, China
• College of Geo-Exploration Science and Technology, Jilin University, Changchun 130015, China
• School of Automation, Central South University, Changsha 410083, China
• College of Hydrology and Water Resources and The National Key Laboratory of Water Disaster Prevention, Hohai University, Nanjing 210098, China

Short Summary

This study investigates the effects of forest type on subsurface hydrologic connectivity and runoff generation using time-lapse ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and controlled infiltration experiments. The results reveal distinct, forest type-dependent lateral preferential flow (LPF) regimes.

Objective

• Investigate how forest type modulates subsurface hydrologic connectivity and runoff generation

Study Configuration

• Spatial Scale: Hillslope scale with a spatial resolution of 0.3 m
• Temporal Scale: Real-time monitoring during controlled infiltration experiments

Methodology and Data

• Models used: None mentioned, but GPR images were analyzed using structural similarity (SSIM) index analysis
• Data sources: Time-lapse GPR data, rainfall measurements, soil moisture sensors, and subsurface runoff observations

Main Results

• Distinct, forest type-dependent LPF regimes: BF hillslope showed rapid and extensive activation of LPF at 0.6–1.0 m depth, while CF hillslope showed delayed and shallower activation at 0.2–0.4 m depth
• Hydrometric measurements mirrored geophysically derived 3D LPF patterns, with BF showing higher soil-moisture response frequencies and larger amplitudes

Contributions

• This study provides a transferable hydrogeophysical framework for advancing hillslope hydrological monitoring and offers new insights into vegetation’s regulation of subsurface runoff generation

Funding

• Not specified in the paper

Citation

@article{Hu2026Divergent,
  author = {Hu, Yun and Xu, Hang and Guo, Li and Jian, Yi and Li, Jing and Hou, Feifei and Han, Xiaole and Zhang, Jiancong and Wang, Genxu},
  title = {Divergent 3D dynamics of subsurface lateral preferential flow network in broadleaf versus coniferous hillslopes: insights from time-lapse GPR},
  journal = {Journal of Hydrology},
  year = {2026},
  doi = {10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135988},
  url = {https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2026.135988}
}