Water sources of major plant species along a strong climatic gradient in the inland Heihe River Basin

Abstract

Aim Knowledge on vegetation water sources is crucial to understand the ecohydrological processes and ecological management of arid and semi-arid ecosystems. The identification and quantification of plant water uptake from precipitation, soil and groundwater remain challenging along large climatic gradient.

Methods Stable oxygen isotope compositions of xylem water, soil water and groundwater were analyzed to assess seasonal and spatial patterns of water uptake of 11 major plant species along the Heihe River Basin.

Conclusions In the upper reaches, soil water recharged by precipitation was the main plant water source, and plants extracted water from the shallow soil water in wet season while used more deep soil water in dry season. In the middle reaches of desert-oasis ecotone, the water sources of shrubs shifted between soil moisture and groundwater depending on variations of precipitation and groundwater level, while shrubs at Gobi relied on deep soil water and shallow soil water after rainfall. In the lower reaches, the driest part of the region, groundwater and deep soil water were main water sources for the riparian plants. Groundwater was stable water source for shrubs growing on the planted shrubland, and soil water was stable water sources for shrubs growing at Gobi. Our results also revealed that water use strategies of the same species were plastic under different groundwater level and precipitation. This study identified water use patterns of different plant species along a climatic gradient and provided scientific implication for water management of different ecosystems of the arid and semi-arid ecosystems.