Long-term Lysimeter Experiments - Findings from Brandis Lysimeter Station 1st Communication

Abstract

The water budget of regions in agricultural land use is controlled by the physical characteristics of the soils and the morphology of the terrain. Climate, plant and root-growth, water-uptake by plants and cultivation methods all influence the water budget. Eight representative soil-types from the middle German region were chosen to investigate evapotranspiration and groundwater recharge under equal climatic conditions. 24 lysimeters (triplicates) were run and treated equally with respect to crop, fertilization and tillage. The experimental results showed that similar soils, despite differences in the profile, reacted similarly with respect to the soil-water budget. Differences were smaller than the normal spatial variability in the field. Thus, the eight soil-types chosen, were grouped into for pedohydrotypes sufficient for describing their hydrological properties.

Keywords:

• Water Budget
• Regions
• Lysimeter Studies
• Leachate
• Evapotranspiration
• Soil-types
• Pedohydrotopes