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www.hydrol-earth-syst-sci-discuss.net/5/2373/2008/
doi:10.5194/hessd-5-2373-2008
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Significance of tree roots for preferential infiltration in stagnic soils
1Swiss Federal Institute for Forest, Snow and Landscape Research, Zuercherstrasse 111, 8903 Birmensdorf, Switzerland
2Soil Science Section, Department of Geography, University of Bern, Hallerstrasse 12, 3012 Bern, Switzerland
Abstract. It is generally believed that roots have an effect on infiltration. In this study we analysed the influence of tree roots from Norway spruce (Picea abies (L.) Karst), silver fir (Abies alba Miller) and European beech (Fagus sylvatica L.) on preferential infiltration in stagnic soils in the northern pre-Alps in Switzerland. We conducted irrigation experiments (1 m2) and recorded water content variations with time domain reflectrometry (TDR). A rivulet approach was applied to characterise preferential infiltration. Roots were sampled down to a depth of 0.5 to 1 m at the same position where the TDR-probes had been inserted and digitally measured. The basic properties of preferential infiltration, film thickness of mobile water and the contact length between soil and mobile water in the horizontal plane are closely related to fine root densities. An increase in root density resulted in an increase in contact length, but a decrease in film thickness. We modelled water content waves based on fine root densities and identified a range of root densities that lead to a maximum volume flux density and infiltration capacity. These findings provide convincing evidence that tree roots improve soil structure and thus infiltration.
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Citation: Lange, B., Luescher, P., and Germann, P. F.: Significance of tree roots for preferential infiltration in stagnic soils, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., 5, 2373-2407, doi:10.5194/hessd-5-2373-2008, 2008. Bibtex EndNote Reference Manager XML
