毛乌素沙地南缘沙柳灌丛土壤水分及水量平衡

以毛乌素沙地南缘沙柳人工固沙灌丛为研究对象,对不同栽植密度(0.2、0.6和0.8株·m-2)沙柳灌丛生长季土壤水分动态和蒸散量变化进行研究.结果表明:不同栽植密度沙柳灌丛区土壤水分动态和蒸散量存在明显差异,土壤含水量随着栽植密度增加呈单峰型曲线;生长季内沙柳灌丛土壤含水量变化呈“S”形曲线,并与降雨存在密切的关系.蒸散量以栽植密度0.8株·m-2的沙柳灌丛最高(114.5 mm),占同期降雨量的90.8％;以0.6株·m-2的沙柳灌丛最低(109.7 mm).根据生长季土壤水分动态和水分平衡特征,毛乌素沙地南缘沙柳灌丛适种密度为0.6株·m-2.     

西北黑河中游荒漠绿洲农田作物蒸腾与土壤蒸发区分及作物耗水规律

利用中国生态系统研究网络临泽内陆河流域研究站绿洲农田2009年小气候、湍流交换、土壤蒸发和叶片气孔导度等综合观测试验数据,应用Shuttleworth-Wallace(S-W)双源模型以半小时为步长估算了绿洲农田玉米生长季实际蒸散量,并利用涡动相关与微型蒸渗仪实测数据对田间蒸散发量和棵间土壤蒸发量计算结果进行了检验。结果表明:S-W模型较好地估算研究区的蒸散量,并能有效区分农田作物蒸腾和土壤蒸发;全生育期玉米共耗水640 mm,其中作物蒸腾累积量为467 mm,土壤蒸发累积量为173 mm,分别占总量的72.9%和27.1%;日时间尺度上,作物蒸腾和土壤蒸发分别在0—6.3 mm/d和0—4.3 mm/d之间变化,其日平均分别为2.9和1.0 mm/d;田间供水充足,作物蒸腾与土壤蒸发比值明显受作物生长过程影响,播种—出苗期、出苗—拔节期、拔节—抽雄期、抽雄—灌浆期、灌浆—成熟期,其比值分别为0.04、0.8、7.0、5.2和1.4,不同阶段的比值差异主要受叶面积指数影响。     

皇甫川流域柠条林地水分动态模拟——坡度、坡向、植被密度与土壤水分的关系

在皇甫川流域,随着林草覆盖度的增加,植被与水的矛盾日益突出,其中一个重要的问题就是植被密度与土壤水分之间的矛盾。土壤水分的降低影响了植被的生长,甚至导致了部分植被的死亡,因此对土壤水分与植被密度之间的关系进行研究非常重要,有助于合理造林密度的确定。在已有研究及实验观测的基础上,建立了柠条(Caragana intermedia)林地土壤水分动态模拟模型,模型考虑了主要的土壤、植物过程,包括土壤性状、降雨入渗、植物蒸腾、地表蒸发等;模拟了从1971至2000年,30年里各种立地条件(不同盖度、坡向和坡度)下的柠条林地土壤水分、蒸腾和蒸发等的日动态过程。通过比较不同立地条件下的土壤水分动态,研究了皇甫川流域典型柠条林地土壤水分与植被盖度、坡向和坡度之间的关系,并得出了它们之间的关系式。由得到的平地上柠条的适宜密度,同时结合上述关系式,得出了不同坡度、坡向的适宜密度。坡度小于10°时,适宜造林密度对坡度反应敏感,在10°~30°时,适宜盖度对坡度反应不敏感。对于小于10°的坡地,植被建设时要特别注意设计合理的植被密度。     

1980—2016年三江源国家公园水源供给及水源涵养功能时空变化研究

为实现三江源国家公园水源供给及涵养功能评估,服务区域生态服务价值估算,基于InVEST模型,利用1980—2016年期间共7期土地利数据,结合气象数据,土壤数据,地形数据等,评估了三江源国家公园水源供给及水源涵养量的时间变化特征与空间分布状况。结果表明:1)1980—2016年三江源国家公园年降水呈不显著增加趋势;潜在蒸散、实际蒸散显著增加。在此影响下,园区产水量及水源涵养量总体呈不显著增加趋势。在不同年代,园区水资源总量经历了骤降-好转-略微降低的变化过程。降水量与实际蒸散量对园区产水量及水源涵养量影响最为显著。2)园区产水量及水源涵养量空间分布趋势一致,呈由北向南先减少后增加的变化趋势。这种空间差异主要由降水差异及地表覆盖特征引起的蒸散差异引起。3)在极端降水条件下,园区产水量及水源涵养量的数量和空间分布差异十分显著。长江源园区生态水源对降水变化的响应最为敏感。     

古尔班通古特沙漠南缘梭梭(Haloxylon ammodendron)群落能量平衡及蒸散特征

梭梭是北方荒漠区重要的固沙植物,具有较强的荒漠环境适应能力。研究梭梭群落能量及蒸散变化对科学管理水资源、保护与建设生态植被等有重大意义。基于波文比自动观测系统在古尔班通古特沙漠南缘丘间地实时连续测定的2018年气象和能量数据,运用波文比-能量平衡法对梭梭群落能量平衡和蒸散特征进行了分析。结果表明:梭梭生长季(4—10月)太阳净辐射和土壤热通量的日变化呈单峰状分布,净辐射通量最高值出现在13:30左右,土壤热通量最大值出现时间比净辐射推迟2 h,波文比在梭梭生长旺盛期全天变化稳定,萌发期和枯落期白天变化较小,夜间波动较大,湍流通量以显热通量为主;在晴天和阴雨天条件下,梭梭生长旺盛期的日蒸散量均明显大于萌发期和枯落期,且日蒸散量在旺盛期呈双峰型,萌发期和枯落期呈单峰型;2018年梭梭生长季蒸散量为279.67 mm,日均蒸散强度1.31 mm/d,梭梭群落的蒸散受到气象、自身生长特性以及土壤水分的影响,4月蒸散强度开始逐渐增大,由于多阴雨天气导致6月的蒸散强度有所降低,7月达到最大,9—10月水分、温度等条件缺乏,梭梭生理活动微弱,蒸散强度急剧减小。     

黄土高原苹果园土壤水分及水分生产力模拟

以长武地区为例,采用WinEPIC模型模拟1980—2018年间黄土高原旱作苹果园地深剖面土壤水分和水分生产力变化动态,以期为该区苹果产业的可持续发展提供科学依据。结果表明: 长武地区苹果园年均产量为26.37 t·hm^-2,年均蒸散量为673.66 mm,年均水分生产力为4.07 kg·m^-3,成龄果树水分胁迫天数主要受降雨量影响,果树生长后期年均胁迫天数为46.46 d,深层土壤含水量最早于9龄果树开始接近凋萎湿度。长武地区苹果整个生长周期内供水量是对果园产量影响最大的因素,深层土壤有效水含量降低是制约果树生长中后期产量提高的最主要因素,在降水不足的年份果树会利用更深层土壤水分。当深层土壤可利用水分较少时,过多的降水并未被果树利用,而是转化为浅层土壤水分蒸发。对于成龄果树在年供水量低于500 mm或高于700 mm时都会造成产量的下降。针对不同生长时期的果园,在不同的降雨年份应该调整果园水分管理策略,可以通过补充灌溉、拦蓄集聚雨水、覆盖、修剪枝条等管理措施,降低果树非生产性耗水及自身奢侈性耗水,延缓深层土壤干层的出现时间,在保证果树生长的同时避免水资源的浪费。     

科尔沁沙地不同地形小叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤水分动态

根据科尔沁沙地广泛分布的小叶锦鸡儿灌丛的植被调查和土壤水分监测数据,分析了沙地人工固沙灌丛的土壤水分时空动态和土壤储水量变化,并应用水量平衡法测定了灌丛蒸散发.结果表明:丘间地的土壤水分条件最好,丘中次之,丘上最低;灌丛区的土壤水分含量随深度增加而增加,在生长季内不会发生水分胁迫.灌丛区土壤水分与降雨过程高度相关,深层(50～180 cm)土壤水分同降雨的相关性高于表层(0～50 cm)土壤,并且深层土壤水分的变异也大于表层.整个生长期内,小叶锦鸡儿灌丛土壤储水量增加,土壤水分处于积累中,估算蒸散量占同期降雨量的64%以上.     

科尔沁沙地不同密度小叶锦鸡儿灌丛水量平衡研究

根据沙地水分平衡理论推算了不同栽植密度下小叶锦鸡儿灌丛的蒸散量.结果表明,小叶锦鸡儿灌丛生长期土壤水分含量随着植被密度增加而降低,0.5 m×1 m、1 m×2 m密度植被区平均土壤含水量低于凋萎湿度(1.55%),2 m×2 m密度植被和天然小叶锦鸡儿植被平均土壤含水量保持在1.60%以上,能够满足植被生存和生长的水分需求.蒸散量随着植被密度增加而增大,以0.5 m×1 m密度灌丛区最高,为297.81 mm,占同期降水量的97.90%;2 m×2 m密度灌丛区最低,为279.71 mm,生长期末期土壤水分节余为24.49 mm.依据生长期土壤水分状况和水分平衡要求,科尔沁沙地小叶锦鸡儿灌丛适宜密度应为2 m×2 m.     

Ecohydrology and the Partitioning AET Between Transpiration and Evaporation in a Semiarid Steppe

Water availability defines and is the most frequent control on processes in arid and semiarid ecosystems. Despite widespread recognition of the importance of water in dry areas, knowledge about key processes in the water balance is surprisingly limited. How water is partitioned between evaporation and transpiration is an area about which ecosystem ecologists have almost no information. We used a daily time step soil water model and 39 years of data to describe the ecohydrology of a shortgrass steppe and investigate how manipulation of soil and vegetation variables influenced the partitioning of water loss between evaporation and transpiration. Our results emphasize the overwhelming importance of two environmental factors in influencing water balance processes in the semiarid shortgrass steppe; high and relatively constant evaporative demand of the atmosphere and a low and highly variable precipitation regime. These factors explain the temporal dominance of dry soil. Annually and during the growing season 60–80% of the days have soil water potentials less than or equal to −1.5 MPa. In the 0–15 cm layer, evaporation accounts for half of total water loss and at 15–30 cm it accounts for one third of the loss. Annual transpiration/actual evapotranspiration (T/AET) ranged from 0.4–0.75 with a mean of 0.51. The key controls on both T/AET and evaporation/actual evapotranspiration in order of their importance were aboveground biomass, seasonality of biomass, soil texture, and precipitation. High amounts of biomass and late timing of the peak resulted in the highest values of T/AET.     

渭北旱塬苹果种植分区土壤水分特征

在区域尺度和定位观测的基础上,探讨了渭北塬区不同苹果种植分区的土壤水分特征．结果表明,渭北旱塬苹果种植分区土壤水分特征主要受降水和蒸散量的影响．在区域尺度上,苹果地潜在蒸散量是台塬东部区>高原沟壑区>台塬西部区．3种类型区苹果地土壤水分都存在亏缺现象,台塬东部区苹果地平均土壤水分亏缺量为390．9mm．最大亏缺量为674．6mm,最小亏缺量为186．3mm;高原沟壑区苹果地水分平均亏缺量、最大亏缺量分别为264．4和441．2mm,偶尔也出现水分盈余的现象;台塬西部区总体上表现为亏缺。但苹果地出现水分盈余的现象较高原沟壑区普遍,最大盈余量达151．8mm．渭北旱塬苹果地水分储存量也存在区域分异,在全生育期2m土层水分储存量台塬西部区>高原沟壑区>台塬东部区．这种变化特性与降水量的时空变化、果树对土壤水分的消耗量及降水年型有关;具体表现为苹果地耗水量以台塬东部区最大,高原沟壑区次之,台塬西部区最小,干旱年苹果全生育期耗水量低于丰水年．在干旱年份,苹果树耗水量除来源于生育期问的有效降水外,还有相当一部分依赖于3m以下土层贮水,形成土壤干层。影响果业持续发展．     

黄土旱塬区冬小麦土壤水库动态

土壤水库是旱作农业区粮食稳产和可持续发展的基础.本文结合长期田间定位试验,通过对黄土高原南部长武旱塬2012—2015年冬小麦土壤水分变化的研究,分析了土壤水库的年际与年内变化特征和动态规律.结果表明: 研究区冬小麦田间平均土壤含水量垂直分布曲线均呈“双峰双谷”形,第1处峰点在10～20 cm土层,第1处谷点在50 cm左右,第2处峰点在100 cm左右,第2处谷点在280 cm左右.无论何种降水年型下,土壤水库对降水的响应滞后且滞后的程度一致.降水年型对土壤水库的年际与年内动态变化影响较大.与丰水年相比,枯水年、平水年土壤水库对大气干旱的调节能力降低,表现为主要供水层上移;枯水年、平水年降水量虽少,但对土壤水分的补充作用较丰水年明显;丰水年土壤水库有较大盈余(84.2 mm),水分平衡出现正补偿,枯水年土壤水库稍有亏缺(1.5 mm),水分平衡出现负补偿,平水年土壤水库稍有盈余(9.5 mm),水分平衡出现正补偿.长武旱塬冬小麦田间土壤水分动态可分为4个时期:苗期耗水期、缓慢消耗期、大量消耗期、收获期,整体蒸散耗水大小顺序为:大量消耗期>苗期耗水期>收获期>缓慢消耗期.     

杉木人工林水量平衡和蒸散的研究

 本文根据我们严密设计的小集水区径流场连续6年的水文测定数据,进行了杉木人工林水量平衡和蒸散的研究。结果表明：集水区年平均降雨量1065.5mm, 在林冠作用面降雨量的分配中,林冠截留雨量264.6mm,截留率24.8%;穿透过林冠层的雨量799.82mm,树干径流量1.08mm,分别占降雨量的75.1%和0.1%。林内降水到达林地时,在枯枝落叶层这个作用面上净降水进行再分配,其中,地表径流量9.27mm,地下径流量203.00mm,总径流系数0.199。土壤蓄水量月变化较大,但年变化很小,占降雨量的1.2%。系统水量最大的输出是蒸散,每年以气态形式返回大气的水量866.03mm,占降雨量81.3%。在蒸散的水量中,林冠截留雨量的直接物理蒸发量为264.6mm,占总蒸散量的31.6%。     

Plant species change and water budget in restored grasslands in Taibus Banner,Inner Mongolia,China

2008年和2009年(均为枯水年), 在半干旱区内蒙古太仆寺旗农田-草地生态系统国家野外站开展观测实验, 通过观测蒸散发(波文比系统)、土壤水分(烘干称重法)、降水量, 以及植被土壤特征调查, 基于水量平衡理论, 对比研究了3块天然草地、3块不同退耕时间草地共6个样地的水分收支, 旨在定量地评估退耕草地的水分收支, 为采取科学措施促进退耕草地尽快向天然草地过渡提供依据。结果表明: 1)随着退耕时间增加, 植被盖度逐渐增加, 但是群落中科、属、种的数量趋于减少, 且优势种从一年生的中旱生草本植物逐渐转变成多年生的旱生草本植物; 2)植被蒸腾是草原植被主要的耗水途径, 随着退耕时间增加, 退耕草地的蒸散发量呈增加趋势, 其最大值在4.5-5.8 mm·d^-1之间; 3)退耕草地土壤含水量平均值为0.09 m³·m^-3, 其水分剧烈变化主要发生在距地 表60 cm内, 且随退耕时间增加土壤含水量减少, 而天然草地土壤含水量平均值为0.06 m³·m^-3, 其水分剧烈变化发生在距地 表20 cm内; 4)随退耕时间增加, 退耕草地与天然草地的土壤水分与蒸散发在数值上差距逐渐缩小; 5)退耕草地水分收支基本平衡, 但在极枯年份(降水量174 mm)的生长季, 降水不能满足蒸散发需求, 呈现水分亏损。退耕草地逐步向天然草地过渡, 但是退耕草地的土壤水分在逐渐减少, 呈现“生境干旱化现象”。今后应加强对草地的封育与监测, 促进植物群落向水分利用效率更高、更适应半干旱环境的方向演替。     

Crop row spacing and its influence on the partitioning of evapotranspiration by winter-grown wheat in Northern Syria

A study was conducted during the 1996–97 crop growth season at ICARDA in northern Syria, to investigate the influence of wheat canopy architecture on the partitioning of moisture between soil evaporation and crop transpiration, on a soil with high hydraulic conductivity. The study was conducted on the long-term two course wheat-lentil rotation trial, established on a swelling clay soil (Calcixerollic xerochrept). The wheat canopy architecture was manipulated by sowing the crop at either of two row-spacings, 0.17 or 0.30 m, both at a constant sowing rate equivalent to 120 kg ha^–1. In this study, evapotranspiration from the crop was inferred from changes in soil moisture content over time, evaporation and rainfall interception were measured daily using microlysimetry, drainage was estimated as being the difference between potential daily evapotranspiration, and the evapotranspiration estimated from the soil water deficit. Between sowing and day 80 (tillering stage), evapotranspiration was calculated to consist mainly of soil evaporation. However, after day 80, transpiration became an increasingly dominant component of evapotranspiration. For both row-spacings, cumulative evapotranspiration over the season was approximately 373 mm. In the narrow-row crop, transpiration and soil evaporation were approximately 185 mm and 183 mm of water respectively. Conversely for the wide row-spaced crop, 172 mm of water was transpired while about 205 mm of water evaporated from the soil surface. While green leaf area index did not differ between row-spacings, the architecture of the crops as a result of sowing affected solar radiation penetration such that more incident radiation was intercepted at the soil surface of the wide row-spaced crop. This is likely to have made some contribution to the elevated levels of evaporation from the soil beneath the canopy of the wide-sown crop.     

柴达木盆地蒸散发遥感估算与耗水有效性评价

陆面蒸散发(ET)是自然生态系统水分耗散的主要方式,准确把握其时空变化特征,对于区域水资源合理利用与生态环境保护具有重要意义。针对我国西北干旱内陆区实测资料匮乏的现状,基于MODIS产品,构建了具有时空二维属性的地表温度-植被指数特征空间,实现了柴达木盆地陆面蒸散发的时空连续估算;在此基础上,进一步分离土壤蒸发与植被蒸腾,开展研究区自然生态系统耗水有效性评价。结果表明:(1)柴达木盆地近九年多年平均ET为188.75 mm,受降水空间分布格局影响,ET具有明显的从东南向西北减少趋势;(2)土壤蒸发与植被蒸腾多年平均值为171.06 mm和14.26 mm,后者年内峰值出现时间总体比前者晚1个月,具有滞后效应;(3)盆地陆地生态系统多年平均耗水总量为430.94亿m³,其中高效、中效和低效耗水的占比分别为6.55%、52.57%和40.88%。在区域尺度以时空连续的方式揭示了ET水分消耗的有效性,可为基于ET水资源管理目标的实现提供重要科学支撑。     

基于多源数据的黄土高原陆地水循环结构变化分析

近几十年间,黄土高原的水循环进程在人类活动与气候变化的影响下已产生了剧烈的变化。为加深对水循环结构变化的了解与认识,利用1982-2010年的降水、蒸散发、径流、土壤储水量和社会经济用水等数据,运用Mann-Kendall趋势检验和线性回归分析方法,对黄土高原的水量平衡进行评估,且细化了组成水循环的12种水文变量,并分析了水循环各分量的变化趋势及其结构的演化规律。由于网格化的社会经济用水数据（1982-2010年）对本研究产生了较大的时间限制,因此本文注重于探究这29年间黄土高原各水文变量的变化趋势及水循环结构的演化规律。结果表明：在自然系统中,蒸散发以1.97 mm/a的速率上升（P<0.01）,径流、降水和土壤储水量分别以1.01 mm/a（P<0.01）、0.77 mm/a和0.46 mm/a的速率下降。在社会系统中,社会经济用水以0.50 mm/a的速率上升,其中主要由于生活、制造业、发电和采矿用水分别以0.22、0.23、0.30 mm/a和0.01 mm/a的速率增加所导致。此外,灌溉和牲畜用水分别以0.25 mm/a（P<0.05）、0.01 mm/a（P<0.01）的速率减少。就水循环结构而言,多年平均蒸散发和社会经济用水占水循环的平均比例分别为80.95%、15.27%,并以每年0.16%、0.06%的速率逐渐升高。径流、土壤储水量的变化占水循环的平均比例分别为4.00%、-0.24%,并以每年0.24%（P<0.01）、0.02%的速率逐渐下降。随着社会经济的发展和人口的增加,区域水资源供需矛盾将进一步加剧,本研究对黄土高原水资源的科学调控与可持续利用有重要参考意义。     

水热积指数的估算及其在中国植被与气候关系研究中的应用

试图利用大气年平均气温、年降水量、可能蒸散和土壤水分平衡之间的关系建立一个水热积指数,并应用年平均气温、年土壤水分盈亏值和水热积指数三个气候变量来限定植物群落组合,构成一个圆形的生命-气候图式。根据全国689个标准气象台站的气候资料,计算了中国8个植被地带和26个亚地带的年平均气温、年土壤水分盈亏和水热积指数,绘制了各气候指标在中国的分布图及散点图,较好表现了中国各植被类型与气候指标的关系和格局,包括寒温带针叶林、冷温带针阔叶混交林、暖温带落叶阔叶林、亚热带常绿阔叶林、热带雨林和季雨林、温带草原、温带荒漠、青藏高原高寒植被,并得到了中国各植被地带的气候指标范围及界限。通过分析可以看出,年平均气温的等值线较好地反映了中国大陆的热量梯度,经度和纬度方向的区分均较明显;年土壤水分盈亏曲线的等值线则比较零乱;综合了热量和水分差异的水热积指数等值线与热量梯度和水分梯度均有一定的对应性,与植被类型的对应也较好。这是在宏观尺度上进行的植被与气候关系研究的一种尝试。     

基于Shuttleworth-Wallace模型的科尔沁沙地流动半流动沙丘蒸散发模拟

陆面蒸散发在气候调节和维持区域水量平衡中起关键作用.量化蒸散发及其各组分项,对深刻揭示干旱半干旱地区的生态水文过程具有重要意义.本研究基于科尔沁沙地流动半流动沙丘2017年生长季气象监测系统的原位监测数据,利用Shuttleworth-Wallace(S-W)模型对沙丘蒸散发进行模拟,在此基础上,对蒸散各组分进行拆分,并利用涡度相关对模拟蒸散发值进行验证.结果表明: 整个生长季模型模拟蒸散发值为308 mm,涡度相关实测值为296 mm,偏差较小,证明S-W模型适用于该地区的蒸散发模拟.蒸散发整体呈生长旺盛期>生长后期>生长初期,分别为192、71和45 mm,分别占总量的62.3%、23.1%和14.6%.日尺度上模型模拟值与实测蒸散发值一致性较高,模型模拟精度大体表现为: 晴天>阴天>雨天,且阴雨天模型模拟值较涡度相关实测值偏低.经拆分,土壤蒸发和植被蒸腾分别为176和132 mm,分别占总量的57.1%和42.9%,表明沙地水分利用效率较低.持续干旱和降水后,蒸散发规律明显不同,且土壤蒸发对降水的敏感性强于植被蒸腾.     

Effects of a heather beetle attack on soil moisture and water balance at a Danish heathland

The effects of reclamation and high atmospheric nitrogen deposition have for long threatened the existence of heathlands in Denmark. A high nitrogen input increases the frequency and intensity of heather beetle attacks. However, any indirect effects of these attacks on the soil water balance are seldom investigated. In autumn 1994 a 2000-year old Danish inland heath was struck by a severe heather beetle attack and the effects on the soil moisture and the water balance were studied. Soil water content, gross precipitation and throughfall were measured continuously from 1993 to 1998 at the heath. The first signs of the attack on the water balance were seen in the dry summer of 1995 when the soil water content was relatively high. Four years after the beetle attack, new heather plants covered the area again and during summer the soil water seemed to be depleted to the same degree as before the beetle attack. In the years after the beetle attack a high coefficient of variation between individual soil moisture measurements was seen. It is proposed that the inhomogeneous wetting was caused by heterogeneous throughfall, water-repellent soil and break down of the structure of the organic top-horizons due to the beetle attack. The effect of the beetle attack was examined using a simple water balance model. Model simulations showed that evapotranspiration was reduced by respectively, 14, 29 and 5% in the three years following the beetle attack. From 1993 to 1998 percolation was on average 62% of precipitation with very little variation from year to year. Evapotranspiration was on average 38%, but in the years affected most by the beetle attack transpiration was relatively low whereas evaporation from soil was increased. A comparison between the modelled and measured throughfall, as well as percolation estimated by the chloride mass balance method, showed that the water balance parameters were estimated well in the two years which were most affected by the beetle attack, i.e. 1995 and 1996.     

Influence of mulching on the pattern of growth and water use by spring wheat and moisture storage on a fine textured soil

Eight tonnes ha^–1 of stubble were used to mulch spring wheat (Triticum aestivum) on a fine textured soil with the aim of controlling both transpiration and soil evaporation during the wet pre-anthesis phase to increase moisture supply during grain filling in the eastern wheatbelt of Western Australia. Mulching reduced leaf area per plant by reducing the culm number; consequently the green area index was reduced. Reduced culm number was associated with low soil temperature which at 50 mm depth averaged 7°C lower under the mulched crop relative to the control crop in mid-season. The smaller canopies of the mulched crop used 15 mm less water than those of the control before anthesis; this difference in water-use was due equally to reduced transpiration and soil evaporation. However, the mulched crop was unable to increase ET during grain filling, a response associated with the persistence of low soil temperature for most of the growth period. Hence, total ET for the season was significantly lower (18 mm) under the mulched crop than the control crop. At harvest, mulching did not have significant effects on total above-ground dry matter and grain yields, but it increased water use efficiency for grain yield by 18%, grain weight by almost 17% and available moisture in both uncropped and cropped plots by an average of 43 mm.To determine whether there was any residual effects of soil treatment on moisture storage during the summer fallow period, soil moisture was monitored both in cropped plots and uncropped plots, that were either mulched or unmulched during the growing season, from harvest in October 1988 until next planting in June 1989. Available moisture at next planting was correlated with moisture storage at harvest despite the differences in run-off, soil evaporation and fallowing efficiency (increase in moisture storage as a percentage of rainfall) between treatments during fallowing. Therefore, the mulched treatments had more moisture available (30 mm), mostly as a result of less water use during cropping in the previous growing season, than the unmulched treatment.The study shows that mulching may be used to restrain both transpiration and soil evaporation early in the season to increase availability of soil moisture during grain filling. Secondly, mulching during the previous growing season had little effect on soil moisture during the summer fallow period, however, the moisture saved by mulching during cropping was conserved for the following season. These results indicate the importance of evaluating mulching of winter crops in terms of crop yield in the subsequent growing season as well as in the current season in which the soil was treated.Abbreviations D through drainage - DAS days after sowing of the crop on 31 May 1988 - DM dry matter produced in the above-ground portion of the crop (kg ha^–1) - E₀ evaporation from Class A pan (mm) - E_s evaporation from uncropped soil (mm) - E_sc evaporation from soil beneath the wheat canopy (mm) - ET evapotranspiration (mm) - FE fallowing efficiency (gain in soil moisture storage/rainfall) - GAI green area index (area of green vegetation per unit land area) - GWUE water-use efficiency for grain production (grain yield/total ET, kg ha^–1mm^–1) - K extinction coefficient (see equation 1) - RO run-off of moisture from soil surface during/following rainfall (mm) - SM available soil moisture (mm) at harvest (SMh) or at planting (SMp) - WUE water-use efficiency for total above-ground dry matter yield (see GWUE)