All articles tagged with #soil moisture
A study finds that in temperate farmland, recent rainfall rapidly recharges aquifers through preferential flow pathways, while crops access much older water sources, challenging traditional models of water movement and impacting agricultural practices and groundwater management.
New research suggests that spring irrigation can reduce the intensity and duration of summer heat waves by retaining higher soil moisture levels between seasons, known as soil moisture memory. The study focused on the North China Plain, an intensively irrigated agricultural area, and found that spring irrigation alone reduced the intensity of summer heat waves by 0.29°C and 2.5 days, while combined spring and summer irrigation extended this reduction to 1°C and 6.5 days. This research highlights the potential of spring irrigation to alleviate water stress in the following summer months and support regions experiencing imbalances in precipitation, offering insights for water resource management and adaptation planning strategies in the face of climate change.
A recent study from Harvard University researchers challenges the assumption that rising global temperatures will lead to drier soils. The study found that precipitation, rather than temperature, overwhelmingly explains soil moisture trends, with drying from increased temperature largely balanced by CO2 fertilization. The research highlights the importance of improving predictions of long-term changes in precipitation in response to climate change, especially in relation to food production, and emphasizes the need for water management strategies due to the uncertainty in predicting soil moisture in the coming decades.
Overwatering outdoor plants can lead to their death. Signs of overwatering include wilting, yellowing leaves, stunted growth, leaf drop, edema, and green soil. Checking soil moisture levels is crucial to avoid overwatering. Vigilance is key to maintaining healthy plants, including monitoring for pests and diseases and adjusting watering frequency and amount to fit the needs of each specific plant.
Overwatering outdoor plants can lead to their death. Signs of overwatering include wilting, yellowing leaves, stunted growth, leaf drop, edema, and green soil. Checking soil moisture levels is crucial to avoid overwatering. Vigilance and knowing your plants' watering needs can help maintain a good watering regime and prevent potential problems.
Parts of the Chicago metropolitan area, especially in the western and southern parts of the city and suburbs, have not seen an “appreciable rainfall” since early April, and as a result, there are growing concerns that a drought could soon take hold. Officials cited measurements of soil moisture at four inches and eight inches into the ground, as well as the streamflow rates of area rivers, in issuing an alert that a “flash drought” could potentially be imminent. If no rain falls by the end of the month, May 2023 will be the second-driest month of May on record, eclipsed only by May 1992, according to NWS data.