Study on soil stable infiltration characteristics at different depths in Dongliao River Basin, Northeast China

Abstract

Based on infiltration experiments in the central Dongliao River Basin, the multifractal analysis method was used to investigate the spatial variability of soil stable infiltration characteristics (SSIC) at different depths and the correlation to soil physical properties. Then the conversion models of soil stable infiltration characteristics at different depths were established. The results showed that soil stable infiltration characteristics at different depths were multifractal. The spatial variabilities of soil stable infiltration rates at the depths of 30cm and 50cm were mainly caused by those of clay content, organic matter content and soil moisture content at the depth of 10cm at point scale. The multi-scale analysis results showed that the soil stable infiltration rates at the depths of 30cm and 50cm had the most significant correlation to soil moisture content at the depth of 10cm, soil bulk density, organic matter content and total N content. Two conversion models of soil stable infiltration characteristics at the depths of 30cm and 50cm were established with smaller computational errors, based on multifractal theory. The correlation coefficients of two models were 0.996 and 0.958 respectively, corresponding to RMSE of 0.048 and 0.050.