Effect of terrace construction on soil moisture in rain-fed farming area of Loess Plateau

Abstract

Yangpota Mountain in Zhuanglang County, Loess Plateau Hilly Area. In dry and degraded ecosystems, water scarcity remains the most significant restriction to vegetation restoration and ecosystem rehabilitation. Plants cannot directly absorb groundwater in the Loess Plateau, so soil moisture is very important for the growth of plants. Through the soil moisture observation system of Yangpota Mountain terraces, we explore the influence mechanism of terrace construction on soil moisture. The results show that the soil moisture of terraces is higher than that of slope farmland and natural vegetation surfaces. In the 0-1 m soil depth range, soil moisture was found to be 4.39 % to 4.89 % higher compared with slope farmland. In different slope directions of the loess plateau, the soil moisture on the northern slopes was higher than that on the southern slopes. The soil moisture of abandoned terraces is higher than that of terraces in use. Also crop types and evaporation different were found to play an important role due to differences in root systems and water requirements.