Can streambank height indicate soil moisture regime of riparian zones? A case study in deep soils of a first-order watershed in Southeast Brazil

ABSTRACT A number of riparian ecosystem functions such as reducing chemicals are associated with high soil moisture conditions. Finding easy-to-measure riparian features that indicate soil moisture regime in riparian ecosystem may of use in environmental management. In this study, we answered the following question: can streambank height, on which these riparian zones are, indicate soil moisture regime? By measuring soil matric potential (0.15–0.9 m depth) and water table depth on a weekly basis at three forested riparian zones on different bank heights (low, moderate and high) and under a similar soil type, we demonstrate that riparian zones on high-to-moderate streambank height (h ≥ 1 m) generally have lower water table compared to riparian zones on low streambanks (h ≤ 0.3 m). This difference on water table depth led to significant differences in soil matric potential as water table depth lowers. However, in order to predict soil moisture regime more accurately, streambank height must be associated with a detailed field description of local factors such as soil type which can help in explaining deviations from the expected pattern of soil moisture as shown in moderate and high.