Determinants of Field‐Saturated Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Across Sub‐Saharan Africa: Texture and Beyond
Abstract Soil infiltration is critical for water security and related ecosystem services. This infiltration, the ability of soils to absorb water at their surface, is controlled by the soil hydraulic conductivity. Despite recent efforts in assembling measurements of soil hydraulic conductivity, glob...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Wiley
2024-01-01
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| Series: | Water Resources Research |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035510 |
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| author | Aida Bargués‐Tobella Leigh Ann Winowiecki Douglas Sheil Tor‐Gunnar Vågen |
| author_facet | Aida Bargués‐Tobella Leigh Ann Winowiecki Douglas Sheil Tor‐Gunnar Vågen |
| author_sort | Aida Bargués‐Tobella |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Abstract Soil infiltration is critical for water security and related ecosystem services. This infiltration, the ability of soils to absorb water at their surface, is controlled by the soil hydraulic conductivity. Despite recent efforts in assembling measurements of soil hydraulic conductivity, global databases and derived pedotransfer functions lack coverage in the tropics. Here, we present soil infiltration measurements and other indicators of soil and land health collected systematically in 3,573 plots from 83 100 km2 sites across 19 countries in sub‐Saharan Africa. We use these data to (a) determine field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity (K fs) and (b) explore which variables best predict variation in K fs. Our results show that sand content, soil organic carbon (SOC), and woody cover had a positive relationship with K fs, whereas grazing intensity and soil pH had a negative relationship. Our findings highlight that, despite soil texture being important, structure also plays a critical role. These results indicate considerable potential to improve soil hydrological functioning through management and restoration practices that target soil structure. Enhancing SOC content, limiting animal stocking, promoting trees, shrubs, and other vegetation cover, and preventing soil erosion can increase K fs and improve water security. This data set can contribute to improving Earth system and land surface models for applications in Africa. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-914ca3dd60834af1898c8b115f9cdaab |
| institution | OA Journals |
| issn | 0043-1397 1944-7973 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2024-01-01 |
| publisher | Wiley |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Water Resources Research |
| spelling | doaj-art-914ca3dd60834af1898c8b115f9cdaab2025-08-20T02:36:28ZengWileyWater Resources Research0043-13971944-79732024-01-01601n/an/a10.1029/2023WR035510Determinants of Field‐Saturated Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Across Sub‐Saharan Africa: Texture and BeyondAida Bargués‐Tobella0Leigh Ann Winowiecki1Douglas Sheil2Tor‐Gunnar Vågen3Department of Forest Ecology and Management Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences (SLU) Umeå SwedenWorld Agroforestry (ICRAF) Nairobi KenyaForest Ecology and Forest Management Group Wageningen University & Research Wageningen The NetherlandsWorld Agroforestry (ICRAF) Nairobi KenyaAbstract Soil infiltration is critical for water security and related ecosystem services. This infiltration, the ability of soils to absorb water at their surface, is controlled by the soil hydraulic conductivity. Despite recent efforts in assembling measurements of soil hydraulic conductivity, global databases and derived pedotransfer functions lack coverage in the tropics. Here, we present soil infiltration measurements and other indicators of soil and land health collected systematically in 3,573 plots from 83 100 km2 sites across 19 countries in sub‐Saharan Africa. We use these data to (a) determine field‐saturated hydraulic conductivity (K fs) and (b) explore which variables best predict variation in K fs. Our results show that sand content, soil organic carbon (SOC), and woody cover had a positive relationship with K fs, whereas grazing intensity and soil pH had a negative relationship. Our findings highlight that, despite soil texture being important, structure also plays a critical role. These results indicate considerable potential to improve soil hydrological functioning through management and restoration practices that target soil structure. Enhancing SOC content, limiting animal stocking, promoting trees, shrubs, and other vegetation cover, and preventing soil erosion can increase K fs and improve water security. This data set can contribute to improving Earth system and land surface models for applications in Africa.https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035510soil infiltrationsoil hydraulic conductivitysoil hydrological functioningsoil texture and structuresub‐Saharan Africarestoration and management practices |
| spellingShingle | Aida Bargués‐Tobella Leigh Ann Winowiecki Douglas Sheil Tor‐Gunnar Vågen Determinants of Field‐Saturated Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Across Sub‐Saharan Africa: Texture and Beyond Water Resources Research soil infiltration soil hydraulic conductivity soil hydrological functioning soil texture and structure sub‐Saharan Africa restoration and management practices |
| title | Determinants of Field‐Saturated Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Across Sub‐Saharan Africa: Texture and Beyond |
| title_full | Determinants of Field‐Saturated Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Across Sub‐Saharan Africa: Texture and Beyond |
| title_fullStr | Determinants of Field‐Saturated Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Across Sub‐Saharan Africa: Texture and Beyond |
| title_full_unstemmed | Determinants of Field‐Saturated Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Across Sub‐Saharan Africa: Texture and Beyond |
| title_short | Determinants of Field‐Saturated Soil Hydraulic Conductivity Across Sub‐Saharan Africa: Texture and Beyond |
| title_sort | determinants of field saturated soil hydraulic conductivity across sub saharan africa texture and beyond |
| topic | soil infiltration soil hydraulic conductivity soil hydrological functioning soil texture and structure sub‐Saharan Africa restoration and management practices |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1029/2023WR035510 |
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