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Mingan Shao - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • estimation of spatial variability of Soil Water Storage along the south north transect on china s loess plateau using the state space approach
    Journal of Soils and Sediments, 2017
    Co-Authors: Chunlei Zhao, Xiaoxu Jia, Mingan Shao, Yuanjun Zhu
    Abstract:

    Purpose Soil Water is a critical variable for hydrological and biological processes in arid and semi-arid ecosystems. Information on regional spatial pattern of Soil Water Storage (SWS) and its relationship with environmental factors is important for optimal Water management and vegetation restoration in China’s Loess Plateau (CLP) region. State-space approach and artificial neural network (ANN) were used to analyze spatial variability of SWS in the CLP region.

  • temporal stability of Soil Water Storage analysis by the improved mean relative difference in two deposited Soil farmlands
    Arabian Journal of Geosciences, 2016
    Co-Authors: Pei Zhao, Mingan Shao
    Abstract:

    Temporal stability of Soil Water Storage (TSSWS) is of considerable interest in estimating the mean Soil Water Storage (SWS) across the study area for validating the remote sensing products and reducing the observation efforts. However, the general mean relative difference index usually balances the positive and negative relative difference values. Thus, it may find the weakly representative site for mean SWS estimation. Revised mean relative difference, i.e., the absolute value of general relative difference, was used in two deposited Soil farmlands (DFs) to analyze the TSSWS. The Soil Water contents were measured at 18 sites of each DF in 1.5 years. The results showed that revised mean relative difference index was more accurate than normal one in finding the best location to represent mean SWS in the DFs. This can be applicable to sites where SWS is not consistently higher or less than the average value. The SWS in the location which was near to the middle DF showed the strongest temporal stability and behaved the best location to estimate the mean SWS. Revised mean relative difference may be a better criterion for the application of temporal stability tool in Soil Water field observation.

  • estimation of Soil Water Storage using temporal stability in four land uses over 10 years on the loess plateau china
    Journal of Hydrology, 2014
    Co-Authors: Bingxia Liu, Mingan Shao
    Abstract:

    Summary An understanding of the temporal stability of Soil Water Storage (SWS) in deep Soil profiles is critical to optimize monitoring strategies and to predict the status of Soil Water on the Loess Plateau. This study tested and validated the feasibility of estimating mean SWS over multiple years by the SWSs at selected locations. The SWSs in 0–1, 1–2, 2–3, and 3–4 m layers were collected using neutron probes at 11 sites in each of four land-use types: cropland (CL), grassland (GL), fallow land (FL), and shrubland (SL). The most time-stable locations (MTSLs) for the various layers and the location at mid-slope for each land use were selected on 20 sampling occasions during a calibration period from July 2004 to December 2005. A validation data sets from January 2006 to October 2013 was used to test the length of time the estimates of mean SWS remained valid. The SWSs in SL and GL decreased with plant growth, and the temporal variations were larger in SL and GL than in FL and CL. The temporal stability of the SWSs was high for all Soil layers in four land uses, with the rank correlations over the threshold of significance ( α  = 0.05) over 10 years. The degree of temporal stability of SWSs was ranked as CL > FL > GL > SL, and the temporal stability of SWSs in SL and GL decreased with increasing lengths of observation period, as indicated by lower mean Spearman’s correlations for all Soil layers. The MTSLs selected from the calibration period could accurately estimate mean SWSs for diverse layers under four land uses with estimation errors less than 10% over eight years. The study verified that a single location at mid-slope of each land use could be sampled in order to reduce the required number of samples and save time and labor while maintaining a high accuracy of prediction over multiple years.

  • hillslope scale temporal stability of Soil Water Storage in diverse Soil layers
    Journal of Hydrology, 2013
    Co-Authors: Xiaoxu Jia, Yunqiang Wang, Mingan Shao, Xiao Rong Wei
    Abstract:

    Knowledge of the Soil Water Storage (SWS) of Soil profiles on the scale of a hillslope is important for the optimal management of Soil Water and revegetation on sloping land in semi-arid areas. This study aimed to investigate the temporal stability of SWS profiles (0–1.0, 1.0–2.0, and 2.0–3.0 m) and to identify representative sites for reliably estimating the mean SWS on two adjacent hillslopes of the Loess Plateau in China. We used two indices: the standard deviation of relative difference (SDRD) and the mean absolute bias error (MABE). We also endeavored to identify any correlations between temporal stability and Soil, topography, or properties of the vegetation. The SWS of the Soil layers was measured using neutron probes on 15 occasions at 59 locations arranged on two hillslopes (31 and 28 locations for hillslope A (HA) and hillslope B (HB), respectively) from 2009 to 2011. The time-averaged mean SWS for the three layers differed significantly (P < 0.05) between HA and HB and was greatly affected by topography and vegetation. Temporal–spatial analyses showed that the temporal variation of SWS decreased with increasing Soil depth, while the spatial variation increased on both hillslopes. Comparisons of the values for SDRD and MABE and the number of time-stable locations with SDRD and MABE < 5% among various depths indicated that temporal stability increased with an increase in Soil depth. The representative sites identified for each hillslope (two on HA and one on HB) accurately estimated the mean SWS for the three Soil layers (R2 ⩾ 0.95, P < 0.001). SWS on the scale of a hillslope was strongly time stable, and the temporal–spatial patterns of SWS were highly dependent on sampling depth. The temporal stability of SWS patterns was controlled by Soil texture, organic carbon content, elevation, and properties of the vegetation in the study area, which was characterised by diverse or complex terrains and plant cover. Such effects, however, might vary across hillslopes due to different conditions of wetness and patterns of land use. This study provides useful information on the profiles of mean SWS on the scale of a hillslope, which is necessary for improving the management of Soil Water on sloping land on the Loess Plateau.

  • temporal stability of Soil Water Storage under four types of revegetation on the northern loess plateau of china
    Agricultural Water Management, 2013
    Co-Authors: Yuhua Jia, Mingan Shao
    Abstract:

    Abstract Conservation of Soil Water and restoration of vegetation have long been major subjects of concern on the northern Loess Plateau. Revegetation with species such as Korshinsk peashrub (KOP) and purple alfalfa (ALF), as well as with natural revegetation of fallow areas (NAF) have been used extensively. This paper examines the temporal stability of Soil Water Storage (SWS) under these different revegetation types, including under millet (MIL) crops for comparison, grown in adjacent plots on a hillslope intending to provide information relevant to the strategic guidance of revegetation and Soil Water management practices. SWS was measured at 10-cm intervals in the Soil profile to a depth of one meter using a neutron probe on 11 occasions between 2010 and 2011. The results indicated that: (1) time-averaged SWS relative to MIL decreased in the order of KOP (49.4 mm), ALF (32.4 mm) and NAF (14.9 mm) implying that shortages of Soil Water were induced largely by revegetation and were affected by the plant species. (2) Frequency distributions showed that points with probabilities of 0.5 were not stable between extreme Soil Water conditions; however, this result might be mitigated or avoided by increasing the sampling density and/or conducting measurement over a longer period. (3) Based on relative difference analysis, the most stable data points underestimated the mean SWS of the plots but were still valuable for precisely estimating the mean SWS of the experimental plot; in addition, among methods for estimating the plot average using representative points, directly using the value of relative difference or their standard deviation, or an index of temporal stability or the mean absolute bias error, no one method consistently performed better than another. (4) ALF presented the most temporally stable patterns among all types of revegetation tested, and vegetation cover and aboveground biomass were the main factors affecting SWS temporal stability. (5) Temporally stable points were located at the mid-slope of the plots. In conclusion, when temporal stability theory was applied to sloping lands mid-slope sampling is likely to give the best results but vegetation characteristics, and in particular vegetation cover should be highlighted.

Zhouping Shangguan - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • interaction of Soil Water Storage and stoichiometrical characteristics in the long term natural vegetation restoration on the loess plateau
    Ecological Engineering, 2018
    Co-Authors: Yongwang Zhang, Zhouping Shangguan
    Abstract:

    Abstract Knowledge of the Soil Water and stoichiometrical characteristics (SC) during long-term natural vegetation restoration is essential for managing the restoration of vegetation. To evaluate the response of Soil Water Storage (SWS), Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen content (TN) and total phosphorous content (TP) to long-term natural vegetation restoration (∼160 a), we examined the Soil moisture and SC in areas with different restoration ages located in the central part of the Loess Plateau, China. Our results showed that the SWS decreased significantly with vegetation restoration and that the C:P ratio, N:P ratio, TN and TP increased significantly. The SWS increased gradually, whereas the SOC, C:P ratio, N:P ratio, TN and TP in each restoration stage decreased significantly with increasing Soil depth in the 0–60 cm Soil layer. These parameters tended to be stable in the Soil layer below 60 cm. Vegetation acts as a link between SWS and Soil SC, and they interact with each other indirectly. SWS and SWC showed an significant positive relationship (P

  • the change of Soil Water Storage in three land use types after 10 years on the loess plateau
    Catena, 2016
    Co-Authors: Yongwang Zhang, Zhouping Shangguan
    Abstract:

    Abstract Soil Water content (SWC) is a critical variable in studies of hydrological processes and the Soil–plant–atmosphere continuum, especially in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Loess Plateau. Knowledge of the effects of vegetation types on Soil Water dynamics would aid in understanding the mechanisms responsible for Water shortages and addressing the problem of poor long-term vegetation recovery. To evaluate the response of Soil Water Storage (SWS) to different land use types during long-term natural vegetation succession, we examined Soil moisture under different land use types (grassland, shrubland and forestland) at different times (2005 and 2014) in the Ziwuling forest region, located in the central part of the Loess Plateau, China. Our results showed that vegetation type had a significant effect on SWS in the 0–500 cm Soil layer. The SWS in grassland and shrubland was significantly higher in August 2014 than in August 2005, but the pattern was reversed for forestland. In the same year, the SWS was highest in grassland, intermediate in shrubland, and lowest in forestland. SWS and SWC showed a highly significant and positive relationship in the 0–60 cm Soil layers ( P P

  • interaction of Soil Water Storage dynamics and long term natural vegetation succession on the loess plateau china
    Catena, 2016
    Co-Authors: Yongwang Zhang, Lei Deng, Weiming Yan, Zhouping Shangguan
    Abstract:

    Abstract Soil Water is a key terrestrial Water resource, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the world such as the Loess Plateau of China. Information on the dynamics of Soil moisture following vegetation restoration is essential for managing Water resources and can be helpful for adjusting relevant government policies. To evaluate the response of Soil Water Storage (SWS) to long-term natural vegetation succession (~ 160 a), we examined the Soil moisture for different restoration ages in the Ziwuling forest region, which is located in the central part of the Loess Plateau. Our results showed that the SWS decreased with long-term natural vegetation restoration. The bulk density (BD), Soil Water content (SWC), and clay and silt content presented similar trends to those of the SWS throughout the entire vegetation succession. The SWS was significantly and positively correlated with the SWC and aeration porosity (P   50 cm) at every restoration stage, as was the SWS; however, the SWS in the 200–300 cm Soil layer was the highest (164.61–212.80 mm) compared to other layers in all restoration stages. These results are expected to help improve the understanding of the response of deep Soil Water to long-term natural vegetation restoration and to provide insights into the dynamics of deep Soil Water influenced by vegetation.

Yunqiang Wang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • effects of apple orchards converted from farmlands on Soil Water balance in the deep loess deposits based on hydrus 1d model
    Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2019
    Co-Authors: Bingbing Li, Yunqiang Wang, R. L. Hill, Zhi Li
    Abstract:

    Abstract Land use change (LUC) impacts on the Soil Water balance is important for effective Water resources management and land use planning. The Loess Plateau of China has loess deposits up to 350-m depth and constitutes large reservoirs of Soil Water Storage. In recent decades, areas within these reservoirs have been depleted of their Water Storage. LUC impacts on Soil Water Storage have been previously investigated in this region; however, LUC impacts on other components of Soil Water balance such as evapotranspiration and deep drainage have received limited study because of difficulties in direct measurement of these components. Using continuously monitored 10-m Soil Water profiles under farmland and apple orchards converted from farmlands for 10, 20, and 30 years for the period 2011−2013, the HYDRUS-1D model was calibrated and then employed to evaluate long-term LUC impacts on different components of the Soil Water balance in a typical loess tableland based on climate data for the period 1960−2013. Compared with farmlands and young apple orchards (stand age 20 years) was significantly decreased over time. The simulated deep drainage was 12.1 mm year−1 under farmland and accounted for 2% of the annual average precipitation, but this value was reduced to near zero under mature apple orchards. The simulated average annual actual evapotranspiration was 565.8 mm and represented 98% of the average annual precipitation under farmlands, but the evapotranspiration was increased under mature apple orchards. The LUC-induced decrease in Soil Water Storage and groundWater recharge threatens the sustainability of Water resources and agriculture on the Loess Plateau. The balance between economic development and agriculture ecosystems and environmental sustainability are, therefore, important considerations in future land use planning.

  • intensive land restoration profoundly alters the spatial and seasonal patterns of deep Soil Water Storage at Watershed scales
    Agriculture Ecosystems & Environment, 2019
    Co-Authors: Yali Zhao, Yunqiang Wang, Hui Sun, Henry Lin, Zhao Jin, Weijian Zhou
    Abstract:

    Abstract Soil-Water Storage (SWS) highly correlates with changes to land use and land restoration, and is an important variable for managing Water resources and environmental restoration in Water-limited terrestrial ecosystems. The Gully Land Consolidation project (GLC) was implemented in 2011 on the Chinese Loess Plateau and it may influence the spatial distribution and temporal variability of SWS at the Watershed scale. However, there have been limited studies assessing the magnitude and pattern of such changes. We measured SWS to a depth of 5 m nine times over four seasons across two Watersheds－one treated by the GLC project (GT-T, n = 89) and the other untreated (GT-U, n = 72). We then used correlation analysis, principle component analysis, multiple linear regression analysis, generalized linear model, and regression kriging to evaluate the seasonal variability, as well as spatial patterns, of SWS. Mean SWS in the spring, summer, autumn, and winter ranged from 830 to 934 mm in the GT-T Watershed and from 681 to 771 mm in the GT-U Watershed. Land use was the most important factor for predicting SWS in the two Watersheds. After land management as a result of the GLC project, SWS exhibited different spatial patterns in the GT-T Watershed compared with the GT-U Watershed. Dynamics of SWS between adjacent seasons in the GT-U Watershed displayed more variability than that in the GT-T Watershed. In both Watersheds, Soil Water volume (SWV, i.e., SWS per unit area × Watershed area) declined from spring to summer (-3.9% in the GT-T and -13.4% in the GT-U), and increased from summer to autumn (11.7% in the GT-T and 20.7% in the GT-U). After the whole year, SWV displayed different degrees of increase in the two Watersheds (10.6% in the GT-T, 2.7% in the GT-U) due to the effect of land restoration. The ratios of SWV in the gully land filled in the GT-T Watershed to the SWV of the whole GT-T Watershed for the four seasons ranged from 21.4–23.3%, with a mean value of 22%. Our results provide new insights regarding how human engineering of landscapes (as exemplified by GLC project) affect the spatial distribution of SWS and the dynamics of SWV storing capacity at the Watershed scale. Understanding the dynamics of SWS/SWV between seasons is essential to evaluate, model and manage the Soil Water resources in human-affected Watersheds.

  • hillslope scale temporal stability of Soil Water Storage in diverse Soil layers
    Journal of Hydrology, 2013
    Co-Authors: Xiaoxu Jia, Yunqiang Wang, Mingan Shao, Xiao Rong Wei
    Abstract:

    Knowledge of the Soil Water Storage (SWS) of Soil profiles on the scale of a hillslope is important for the optimal management of Soil Water and revegetation on sloping land in semi-arid areas. This study aimed to investigate the temporal stability of SWS profiles (0–1.0, 1.0–2.0, and 2.0–3.0 m) and to identify representative sites for reliably estimating the mean SWS on two adjacent hillslopes of the Loess Plateau in China. We used two indices: the standard deviation of relative difference (SDRD) and the mean absolute bias error (MABE). We also endeavored to identify any correlations between temporal stability and Soil, topography, or properties of the vegetation. The SWS of the Soil layers was measured using neutron probes on 15 occasions at 59 locations arranged on two hillslopes (31 and 28 locations for hillslope A (HA) and hillslope B (HB), respectively) from 2009 to 2011. The time-averaged mean SWS for the three layers differed significantly (P < 0.05) between HA and HB and was greatly affected by topography and vegetation. Temporal–spatial analyses showed that the temporal variation of SWS decreased with increasing Soil depth, while the spatial variation increased on both hillslopes. Comparisons of the values for SDRD and MABE and the number of time-stable locations with SDRD and MABE < 5% among various depths indicated that temporal stability increased with an increase in Soil depth. The representative sites identified for each hillslope (two on HA and one on HB) accurately estimated the mean SWS for the three Soil layers (R2 ⩾ 0.95, P < 0.001). SWS on the scale of a hillslope was strongly time stable, and the temporal–spatial patterns of SWS were highly dependent on sampling depth. The temporal stability of SWS patterns was controlled by Soil texture, organic carbon content, elevation, and properties of the vegetation in the study area, which was characterised by diverse or complex terrains and plant cover. Such effects, however, might vary across hillslopes due to different conditions of wetness and patterns of land use. This study provides useful information on the profiles of mean SWS on the scale of a hillslope, which is necessary for improving the management of Soil Water on sloping land on the Loess Plateau.

Yongwang Zhang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • interaction of Soil Water Storage and stoichiometrical characteristics in the long term natural vegetation restoration on the loess plateau
    Ecological Engineering, 2018
    Co-Authors: Yongwang Zhang, Zhouping Shangguan
    Abstract:

    Abstract Knowledge of the Soil Water and stoichiometrical characteristics (SC) during long-term natural vegetation restoration is essential for managing the restoration of vegetation. To evaluate the response of Soil Water Storage (SWS), Soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen content (TN) and total phosphorous content (TP) to long-term natural vegetation restoration (∼160 a), we examined the Soil moisture and SC in areas with different restoration ages located in the central part of the Loess Plateau, China. Our results showed that the SWS decreased significantly with vegetation restoration and that the C:P ratio, N:P ratio, TN and TP increased significantly. The SWS increased gradually, whereas the SOC, C:P ratio, N:P ratio, TN and TP in each restoration stage decreased significantly with increasing Soil depth in the 0–60 cm Soil layer. These parameters tended to be stable in the Soil layer below 60 cm. Vegetation acts as a link between SWS and Soil SC, and they interact with each other indirectly. SWS and SWC showed an significant positive relationship (P

  • the change of Soil Water Storage in three land use types after 10 years on the loess plateau
    Catena, 2016
    Co-Authors: Yongwang Zhang, Zhouping Shangguan
    Abstract:

    Abstract Soil Water content (SWC) is a critical variable in studies of hydrological processes and the Soil–plant–atmosphere continuum, especially in arid and semi-arid regions such as the Loess Plateau. Knowledge of the effects of vegetation types on Soil Water dynamics would aid in understanding the mechanisms responsible for Water shortages and addressing the problem of poor long-term vegetation recovery. To evaluate the response of Soil Water Storage (SWS) to different land use types during long-term natural vegetation succession, we examined Soil moisture under different land use types (grassland, shrubland and forestland) at different times (2005 and 2014) in the Ziwuling forest region, located in the central part of the Loess Plateau, China. Our results showed that vegetation type had a significant effect on SWS in the 0–500 cm Soil layer. The SWS in grassland and shrubland was significantly higher in August 2014 than in August 2005, but the pattern was reversed for forestland. In the same year, the SWS was highest in grassland, intermediate in shrubland, and lowest in forestland. SWS and SWC showed a highly significant and positive relationship in the 0–60 cm Soil layers ( P P

  • interaction of Soil Water Storage dynamics and long term natural vegetation succession on the loess plateau china
    Catena, 2016
    Co-Authors: Yongwang Zhang, Lei Deng, Weiming Yan, Zhouping Shangguan
    Abstract:

    Abstract Soil Water is a key terrestrial Water resource, particularly in arid and semi-arid regions of the world such as the Loess Plateau of China. Information on the dynamics of Soil moisture following vegetation restoration is essential for managing Water resources and can be helpful for adjusting relevant government policies. To evaluate the response of Soil Water Storage (SWS) to long-term natural vegetation succession (~ 160 a), we examined the Soil moisture for different restoration ages in the Ziwuling forest region, which is located in the central part of the Loess Plateau. Our results showed that the SWS decreased with long-term natural vegetation restoration. The bulk density (BD), Soil Water content (SWC), and clay and silt content presented similar trends to those of the SWS throughout the entire vegetation succession. The SWS was significantly and positively correlated with the SWC and aeration porosity (P   50 cm) at every restoration stage, as was the SWS; however, the SWS in the 200–300 cm Soil layer was the highest (164.61–212.80 mm) compared to other layers in all restoration stages. These results are expected to help improve the understanding of the response of deep Soil Water to long-term natural vegetation restoration and to provide insights into the dynamics of deep Soil Water influenced by vegetation.

Ze Huang - One of the best experts on this subject based on the ideXlab platform.

  • Soil Water Storage deficit of alfalfa medicago sativa grasslands along ages in arid area china
    Field Crops Research, 2018
    Co-Authors: Yan Fang, Ze Huang, Yu Liu, Zeng Cui, Bingru Liu
    Abstract:

    Abstract Alfalfa (Medicago sativa) is a high-yield and high drought-tolerant perennial forage crop, which take up Water from deep Soil layers by its deep root system. Long-term cultivation of alfalfa without a sufficient Water supply aggravates Soil Water Storage deficits, which are not conducive to plant succession. In this study, we studied the above-ground biomass and the degree of Soil Water Storage deficit at different alfalfa stands of different planting ages. The experiment was conducted in six alfalfa grasslands of different ages. Soil Water content of the 0–300 cm Soil layer in each grassland was measured for the calculation of Soil Water Storage deficit. The results showed that Soil Water Storage increased gradually along the Soil profile. The degree of Soil Water Storage deficit was the highest in all six alfalfa grasslands at the depth of 0–150 cm. The deficit degree of the one- and six-year-old alfalfa grasslands was significantly higher than that at the grasslands that had been cultivated for two to five years (P

  • Soil Water Storage compensation potential of herbaceous energy crops in semi-arid region
    ELSEVIER SCIENCE BV, 2018
    Co-Authors: Zeng Cui, Ze Huang, Yu Liu, Chao Jia, Fengpeng Han, Weibo Shen, Wu, Gl Author), Northwest A&f Univ, State Key Lab Soil Eros Dryland Fanning Loess P, Yangling 712100 China.
    Abstract:

    Large-scale vegetation construction has generally led to Soil desiccation in arid and semi-arid regions. Energy crops with high biomass and Water use efficiency are generally beneficial to agriculture and the environment. It is necessary to understand how to maintain the dynamic balance of Soil moisture and biomass production on herbaceous energy croplands. In this study, Soil moisture data at different depths of Soil were obtained from long-term field observations for two energy crops, i.e., Panicum virgatum and Miscanthus sinensis, and a forage crop-Medicago saliva. Relative aridity of the Soil and plant biomass were compared among different vegetation types, transects, and cultivation years. Medicago sativa Soil was severely, even extremely, desiccative with increasing cultivation years, whereas there was nearly no desiccation in the Soil of energy crops. The values of compared Soil Water Storage compensation indexes in deep Soil layers were higher than those in shallow Soil layers, with the evaluated Soil Water Storage compensation index being the smallest in the 40-80 cm layer. Energy crops had significantly higher aboveground biomass, mostly exhibiting more than 2.6 kg m(-2), while the aboveground biomass of M. saliva was only above 0.5 kg m(-2). Furthermore, the Water use efficiencies of energy crops were obviously higher than that of M. saliva (P < 0.05). Our results indicated that deep Soil moisture conditions were mainly determined by field crop types. Energy crops may be suitable candidates for compensating Soil Water Storage and maintaining high biomass production in semi-arid regions

  • Soil Water Storage compensation potential of herbaceous energy crops in semi-arid region
    Field Crops Research, 2018
    Co-Authors: Zeng Cui, Ze Huang, Yu Liu, Chao Jia, Fengpeng Han, Weibo Shen
    Abstract:

    Abstract Large-scale vegetation construction has generally led to Soil desiccation in arid and semi-arid regions. Energy crops with high biomass and Water use efficiency are generally beneficial to agriculture and the environment. It is necessary to understand how to maintain the dynamic balance of Soil moisture and biomass production on herbaceous energy croplands. In this study, Soil moisture data at different depths of Soil were obtained from long-term field observations for two energy crops, i.e., Panicum virgatum and Miscanthus sinensis, and a forage crop-Medicago sativa. Relative aridity of the Soil and plant biomass were compared among different vegetation types, transects, and cultivation years. Medicago sativa Soil was severely, even extremely, desiccative with increasing cultivation years, whereas there was nearly no desiccation in the Soil of energy crops. The values of compared Soil Water Storage compensation indexes in deep Soil layers were higher than those in shallow Soil layers, with the evaluated Soil Water Storage compensation index being the smallest in the 40–80 cm layer. Energy crops had significantly higher aboveground biomass, mostly exhibiting more than 2.6 kg m−2, while the aboveground biomass of M. sativa was only above 0.5 kg m−2. Furthermore, the Water use efficiencies of energy crops were obviously higher than that of M. sativa (P