Preprints
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1166
https://doi.org/10.5194/egusphere-2025-1166
14 Apr 2025
 | 14 Apr 2025

Quantifying hydrological impacts of compacted sandy subsoils using soil water flow simulations: the importance of vegetation parameterization

Jayson Gabriel Pinza, Ona-Abeni Devos Stoffels, Robrecht Debbaut, Jan Staes, Jan Vanderborght, Patrick Willems, and Sarah Garré

Abstract. Numerical models can quantify subsoil compaction’s hydrological impacts, useful to evaluate water management measures for climate change adaptations on compacted subsoils (e.g., augmenting groundwater recharge). Compaction also affects vegetation growth, which, however, is often parameterized using only limited field measurements or relations with other variables. Our study shows that uncertainties in vegetation parameters linked to transpiration (leaf area index [LAI]) and water uptake (root depth distribution) can significantly affect hydrological modeling outcomes. We used the HYDRUS-1D soil water flow model to simulate the soil water balance of experimental grass plots on Belgian Campine Region’s sandy soil. The compacted plot has the compact subsoil at 40–55 cm depths while the non-compacted plot underwent de-compaction. Using two year soil moisture sensor data at two depths, we calibrated and validated our models of these compacted and non-compacted plots under three different vegetation parameterizations, reflecting various canopy and root growth reactions to compaction. We then simulated the water balances under future climate scenarios.

Our experiments reveal that the compacted plots exhibited lower LAI while the non-compacted plots had deeper roots. Considering these vegetations’ reactions in models, our simulations show that compaction will not always reduce deep percolation, compensated by the deep rooted non-compacted case model’s higher evapotranspiration. Therefore, this affected vegetation growth can also further influence the water balance. Hence, hydrological modeling studies on (de-)compaction should dynamically incorporate vegetation growth above- and belowground, of which field evidence is vital.

Competing interests: At least one of the (co-)authors is a member of the editorial board of SOIL. The peer-review process was guided by an independent editor, and the authors also have no other competing interests to declare.

Publisher's note: Copernicus Publications remains neutral with regard to jurisdictional claims made in the text, published maps, institutional affiliations, or any other geographical representation in this paper. While Copernicus Publications makes every effort to include appropriate place names, the final responsibility lies with the authors. Views expressed in the text are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the publisher.
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Journal article(s) based on this preprint

29 Sep 2025
Quantifying hydrological impacts of compacted sandy subsoils using soil water flow simulations: the importance of vegetation parameterization
Jayson Gabriel Pinza, Ona-Abeni Devos Stoffels, Robrecht Debbaut, Jan Staes, Jan Vanderborght, Patrick Willems, and Sarah Garré
SOIL, 11, 681–714, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-681-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-681-2025, 2025
Short summary
Jayson Gabriel Pinza, Ona-Abeni Devos Stoffels, Robrecht Debbaut, Jan Staes, Jan Vanderborght, Patrick Willems, and Sarah Garré

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1166', Anonymous Referee #1, 31 May 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Jayson Gabriel Pinza, 29 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1166', Fera Cleophas, 21 Jul 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Jayson Gabriel Pinza, 29 Jul 2025

Interactive discussion

Status: closed

Comment types: AC – author | RC – referee | CC – community | EC – editor | CEC – chief editor | : Report abuse
  • RC1: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1166', Anonymous Referee #1, 31 May 2025
    • AC1: 'Reply on RC1', Jayson Gabriel Pinza, 29 Jul 2025
  • RC2: 'Comment on egusphere-2025-1166', Fera Cleophas, 21 Jul 2025
    • AC2: 'Reply on RC2', Jayson Gabriel Pinza, 29 Jul 2025

Peer review completion

AR: Author's response | RR: Referee report | ED: Editor decision | EF: Editorial file upload
ED: Publish subject to minor revisions (review by editor) (05 Aug 2025) by David Dunkerley
AR by Jayson Gabriel Pinza on behalf of the Authors (14 Aug 2025)  Author's response   Author's tracked changes   Manuscript 
ED: Publish as is (16 Aug 2025) by David Dunkerley
ED: Publish as is (22 Aug 2025) by Peter Fiener (Executive editor)
AR by Jayson Gabriel Pinza on behalf of the Authors (26 Aug 2025)

Journal article(s) based on this preprint

29 Sep 2025
Quantifying hydrological impacts of compacted sandy subsoils using soil water flow simulations: the importance of vegetation parameterization
Jayson Gabriel Pinza, Ona-Abeni Devos Stoffels, Robrecht Debbaut, Jan Staes, Jan Vanderborght, Patrick Willems, and Sarah Garré
SOIL, 11, 681–714, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-681-2025,https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-11-681-2025, 2025
Short summary
Jayson Gabriel Pinza, Ona-Abeni Devos Stoffels, Robrecht Debbaut, Jan Staes, Jan Vanderborght, Patrick Willems, and Sarah Garré
Jayson Gabriel Pinza, Ona-Abeni Devos Stoffels, Robrecht Debbaut, Jan Staes, Jan Vanderborght, Patrick Willems, and Sarah Garré

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Short summary
We can use hydrological models to estimate how water is allocated in soils with compaction. However, compaction can also affect how much plants can grow in the field. Here, we show that when we consider this affected plant growth in our sandy soil compaction model, the resulting water allocation can change a lot. Thus, to get more reliable model results, we should know the plant growth (above and below the ground) in the field and include them in the models.
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