Studies on Soil Water Characteristic Curves and Infiltration Capability of Maowusu Sandy Soil

The soil water characteristic curves and infiltration capability of Maowusu sandy soil were studied in Yanchi County,Ningxia Hui Autonomous Region,so as to provide a scientific basis for vegetation recovery and soil water management.The soil water characteristic curves of Maowusu sandy soil were measured with tensometers and then simulated with the model θ=aψ-b.The highest water supplying capacity and the lowest water holding capacity were found in the soil layer of 0～20 cm and the opposite result in the soil layer of 40～60 cm.The water capacity reached 10-1level at soil suction of 0.06～0.08 MPa,which indicated that soil water was not available for plant uptaking.The infiltration capacity was measured with ring swords in lab,and the original infiltration rate,stable infiltration rate and cumulative infiltration amount were found to be higher in the experimental plots with vegetation cover than that of exposed plots.Thus,drought-resistant tree species,such as Caragana korshinskii,with low planting density,were suggested to be used for vegetation recovery in the local area.