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Increased Groundwater Dependence of Riparian Vegetation in Response to Drought.

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Title: Increased Groundwater Dependence of Riparian Vegetation in Response to Drought.
Authors: Kui, Li1,2 (AUTHOR) lkui@ucsb.edu, Williams, Jared1,3 (AUTHOR), Singer, Michael Bliss2,4 (AUTHOR), Stella, John C.3 (AUTHOR), Kibler, Christopher L.5 (AUTHOR), Dawson, Todd E.6 (AUTHOR), Rohde, Melissa M.3,7,8 (AUTHOR), Lambert, Adam M.1,9 (AUTHOR), Roberts, Dar A.2,5 (AUTHOR)
Source: Ecohydrology. Jul2025, Vol. 18 Issue 5, p1-16. 16p.
Subject Terms: *Groundwater, *Droughts, *Aquifers, *Sustainability, *Riparian plants, *Climate change, Isotopic analysis, Ecological resilience
Geographic Terms: California
Abstract: Riparian ecosystems in drylands face increasing risks from intensifying droughts, which lower water tables, reduce soil moisture and suppress streamflow—threatening vegetation and risking ecosystem collapse. Although riparian vegetation relies on subsurface water, the relative importance of groundwater versus rainfall‐infiltrated soil moisture during drought remains unclear. As climate change prolongs drought severity, understanding how plants shift between water sources is key to predicting ecosystem resilience and guiding sustainable groundwater management. We conducted a stable isotope study along the Santa Clara River in southern California (2018–2020) during recovery from a severe (2012–2019) drought. We sampled δ18Op in plant xylem water from four native riparian woody species (Salix exigua, S. laevigata, Populus trichocarpa, P. fremontii) and the non‐native grass Arundo donax. Shallow soil moisture and groundwater were sampled to characterize endmember δ18O signatures. Isotope mixing models were developed to track shifts in water source contributions for each species over three growing seasons. Riparian plants showed opportunistic water use, relying on shallow soil moisture during wet periods and shifting to groundwater during droughts. Native taxa including Populus and Salix species increased groundwater use by up to 60% during drought, reflecting hydraulic flexibility and drought tolerance. In contrast, the invasive A. donax depended on shallow soil moisture for 64–86% of its water under all conditions. These findings underscore the importance of quantifying species‐ and site‐specific groundwater use. Incorporating such ecological insights into groundwater sustainability planning will be critical for protecting riparian vegetation and maintaining ecosystem function in a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Copyright of Ecohydrology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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  Data: Increased Groundwater Dependence of Riparian Vegetation in Response to Drought.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kui%2C+Li%22">Kui, Li</searchLink><relatesTo>1,2</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<i> lkui@ucsb.edu</i><br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Williams%2C+Jared%22">Williams, Jared</searchLink><relatesTo>1,3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Singer%2C+Michael Bliss%22">Singer, Michael Bliss</searchLink><relatesTo>2,4</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Stella%2C+John C%2E%22">Stella, John C.</searchLink><relatesTo>3</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Kibler%2C+Christopher L%2E%22">Kibler, Christopher L.</searchLink><relatesTo>5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Dawson%2C+Todd E%2E%22">Dawson, Todd E.</searchLink><relatesTo>6</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Rohde%2C+Melissa M%2E%22">Rohde, Melissa M.</searchLink><relatesTo>3,7,8</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Lambert%2C+Adam M%2E%22">Lambert, Adam M.</searchLink><relatesTo>1,9</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)<br /><searchLink fieldCode="AR" term="%22Roberts%2C+Dar A%2E%22">Roberts, Dar A.</searchLink><relatesTo>2,5</relatesTo> (AUTHOR)
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="JN" term="%22Ecohydrology%22">Ecohydrology</searchLink>. Jul2025, Vol. 18 Issue 5, p1-16. 16p.
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  Data: <searchLink fieldCode="DE" term="%22California%22">California</searchLink>
– Name: Abstract
  Label: Abstract
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  Data: Riparian ecosystems in drylands face increasing risks from intensifying droughts, which lower water tables, reduce soil moisture and suppress streamflow—threatening vegetation and risking ecosystem collapse. Although riparian vegetation relies on subsurface water, the relative importance of groundwater versus rainfall‐infiltrated soil moisture during drought remains unclear. As climate change prolongs drought severity, understanding how plants shift between water sources is key to predicting ecosystem resilience and guiding sustainable groundwater management. We conducted a stable isotope study along the Santa Clara River in southern California (2018–2020) during recovery from a severe (2012–2019) drought. We sampled δ18Op in plant xylem water from four native riparian woody species (Salix exigua, S. laevigata, Populus trichocarpa, P. fremontii) and the non‐native grass Arundo donax. Shallow soil moisture and groundwater were sampled to characterize endmember δ18O signatures. Isotope mixing models were developed to track shifts in water source contributions for each species over three growing seasons. Riparian plants showed opportunistic water use, relying on shallow soil moisture during wet periods and shifting to groundwater during droughts. Native taxa including Populus and Salix species increased groundwater use by up to 60% during drought, reflecting hydraulic flexibility and drought tolerance. In contrast, the invasive A. donax depended on shallow soil moisture for 64–86% of its water under all conditions. These findings underscore the importance of quantifying species‐ and site‐specific groundwater use. Incorporating such ecological insights into groundwater sustainability planning will be critical for protecting riparian vegetation and maintaining ecosystem function in a changing climate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
– Name: AbstractSuppliedCopyright
  Label:
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  Data: <i>Copyright of Ecohydrology is the property of Wiley-Blackwell and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites without the copyright holder's express written permission. Additionally, content may not be used with any artificial intelligence tools or machine learning technologies. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract.</i> (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)
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      – Type: doi
        Value: 10.1002/eco.70060
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      – Code: eng
        Text: English
    PhysicalDescription:
      Pagination:
        PageCount: 16
        StartPage: 1
    Subjects:
      – SubjectFull: Groundwater
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Droughts
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Aquifers
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Sustainability
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Riparian plants
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Climate change
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Isotopic analysis
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: Ecological resilience
        Type: general
      – SubjectFull: California
        Type: general
    Titles:
      – TitleFull: Increased Groundwater Dependence of Riparian Vegetation in Response to Drought.
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              Text: Jul2025
              Type: published
              Y: 2025
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