Effects of the vegetation and the slope aspect in soil water profiles of a semi-arid environment of Spain inland

Abstract

This study has investigated the evolution of soil water content profiles on bare soil as well as under plant coverage. It was undertaken in two topographically contrasting slopes (north and south aspect) and at three depths. The results indicate spatial differences and a temporal diachrony between the processes of evaporation (in bare soil) and evapo-transpiration (under plant coverage). The slope aspect is the majar determining factor in soil water evolution. There were persistant differences between the south aspect and the north aspect over the periods studied (p<0.05), while the plant coverage occasionally induced significant differences over the bare soil (p<0.05) in some of the depths analyzed.