Lysimeter

Abstract

It is challenging to study the mechanisms underlying the dynamics of water in the soil–plant–atmosphere continuum. Although micrometeorological techniques are widely used in hydrology, their applicability is typically restricted to certain environmental conditions (i. e., homogeneous and flat surfaces, sufficiently turbulent conditions). Weighing lysimeters allow the water fluxes in vegetated soil columns to be measured gravimetrically with high accuracy. They are complementary and provide valuable information on transport processes within and across the upper and lower boundaries of undisturbed monolith samples. Measurements include evapotranspiration and precipitation, seepage into groundwater, and additional supporting information—soil hydraulic properties such as soil water retention and hydraulic conductivity, which are key parameters for model parameterization. In addition to water fluxes, the transportation of matter into, within, and from soil can be probed.