乌兰布和沙漠灌溉农田深层渗漏特征与水量平衡

中国干旱区分布着大面积的灌溉农田，改造沙漠（包括戈壁）为灌溉农田仍为治沙的重要途径，深层渗漏是地表水温过程及优化灌溉制度的重要参数。针对乌兰布和沙漠熟化的灌溉农田，保留50 cm的耕作层熟化土壤，分别客换50~150 cm砂土、壤土和黏土，配置成为3种土壤类型样地，实时监测了当地农民对农田的实际灌溉量与灌水量、土壤含水率及深层渗漏量。结果表明：（1）2017年4月17日的单次灌水量118.64 mm后，砂土、壤土、黏土样地150 cm深层出现渗漏的时间分别为灌溉后的13、72、257 h。（2）单次灌水量118.64 mm的15 d后，砂土、壤土、黏土样地150 cm深层渗漏量分别为110.87、12.2、0.8 mm。（3）2017年生长季内（4月1日至10月30日）5次灌溉水总量为641.53 mm时，渗漏水总量为砂土449.60 mm、壤土270.60 mm；土壤的蓄水量变化为砂土-48.79 mm、壤土-35.32 mm。（4）砂土、壤土和黏土的渗漏水量差异是影响灌溉水量和频率的重要因素。     

西沙赵述岛地表蒸散发实验

蒸散是岛礁水循环过程中的重要组成部分,对保护珊瑚岛礁生态有重要意义。2018年6月27日—2018年8月8日利用自制的微型蒸渗仪及蒸发皿,在中国西沙群岛赵述岛开展了野外蒸散观测实验,获得了岛礁砂壤土裸地雨后实际蒸发速率,以及不同下垫面及钙质砂质地情形下潜在蒸散特征。其中,砂壤土裸地实际蒸发观测表明,雨后第2日至第4日平均蒸发速率为（1.6±0.2） mm/d,第5日至第7日迅速下降,7日后蒸发速率逐渐稳定在（0.5±0.2）mm/d,实际蒸发过程受土壤含水量调节,裸地实际蒸发（E）与蒸发皿潜在蒸发（E_o）的比值E/E_o与土壤表层含水量关系表明两者呈明显的线性相关。蒸散控制实验表明,蒸渗仪潜在蒸散呈现空旷地草地>空旷地砂壤土>林间带草地>林间带砂壤土的规律,林间带遮挡减少草地蒸散比减少裸地蒸发影响更加明显。裸地蒸发速率受岛礁钙质砂质影响,岛礁钙质砂颗粒越大,快速蒸发阶段持续时间越短,蒸发速率越小。微型蒸渗仪日蒸发量和午间蒸发速率呈一定线性相关,其中细粒钙质砂、中粒钙质砂及砂壤土三种土壤类型两者相关性更加明显。     

塔里木河下游典型绿洲滴灌防护林地土壤水盐时空动态

通过野外定位观测,对塔里木河下游典型绿洲防护林地灌溉周期内、不同滴灌年限以及不同质地类型土壤水盐动态进行监测分析。研究结果表明:①绿洲幼龄防护林地土壤水盐变化属于灌溉周期型;灌后土壤湿润体呈“半椭球型”分布,积盐区位于湿润峰附近;当前防护林（沙壤土）滴灌周期为10 d较为合适。②实施滴灌1 a、2 a和5 a林地（沙壤土）土壤水分亏缺量逐年增大;0～20 cm土层随滴灌年限的增大先脱盐后积盐,20～120 cm土层均表现为脱盐。③滴灌5 a后,粉黏土林地表层板结层的形成显著抑制40～60 cm土壤水分蒸发,盐分呈“表聚型”分布;细沙土林地土壤持水性差,各土层盐分呈“均匀型”分布;沙壤土林地持水性较细沙土林地略高,盐分呈“波动型”分布。     

Measuring and modeling two-dimensional irrigation infiltration under film-mulched furrows

Furrow irrigation with film-mulched agricultural beds is being promoted in the arid region of northwest China because it im-proves water utilization. Two-dimensional infiltration patterns under film-mulched furrows can provide guidelines and criteria for irrigation design and operation. Our objective was to investigate soil water dynamics during ponding irrigation infiltration of mulched furrows in a cross-sectional ridge-furrow configuration, using laboratory experiments and mathematical simulations. Six experimental treatments, with two soil types (silt loam and sandy loam), were investigated to monitor the wetting patterns and soil water distribution in a cuboid soil chamber. Irrigation of mulched furrows clearly increased water lateral infiltration on ridge shoulders and ridges, due to enhancement of capillary driving force. Increases to both initial soil water content (SWC) and irrigation water level resulted in increased wetted soil volume. Empirical regression equations accurately estimated the wetted lateral distance (R_l) and downward distance (R_d) with elapsed time in a variably wetted soil medium. Optimization of model parameters followed by the Inverse approach resulted in satisfactory agreement between observed and predicted cumulative infiltration and SWC. On the basis of model calibration, HYDRUS-2D model can accurately simulate two-dimensional soil water dynamics under irrigation of mulched furrows. There were significant differences in wetting patterns between unmulched and mulched furrow irrigation using HYDRUS-2D simulation. The R_d under the mulched furrows was 32.14% less than the unmulched furrows. Therefore, film-mulched furrows are recommended in a furrow irrigation system.     

不同粒径沙土水分扩散率

应用水平土柱入渗法测定了科尔沁沙地典型沙质农田不同粒径沙土的水分扩散率。结果表明:不同粒径沙土湿润锋迁移速率的大小依次是0.50~0.25 mm、0.25~0.10 mm、原状土、<0.10 mm的沙土;土壤粒径与入渗性能呈正比关系,即粒径大,则入渗快,反之则小;湿润锋迁移速率与入渗距离符合幂函数关系,相关分析结果均达到了极显著水平;粒径<0.10 mm的沙土,当土壤容积含水量<0.415时,λ值随含水量的增加而缓慢降低,而当含水量>0.415时,λ值则随含水量的增加而迅速降低;随着土壤粒径的减小,土壤水分扩散率逐渐降低,其大小依次是0.50~0.25 mm、原状土、0.25~0.10 mm、<0.10 mm的沙土;土壤容积含水率与土壤水扩散率符合经验公式并呈指数曲线变化,相关分析结果具有极显著的正相关关系。     

Wind tunnel test of the influence of moisture on the erodibility of loessial sandy loam soils by wind

Loessial sandy loam soils are the major soil categories in the northern Loess Plateau, China. Owing to a dry, windy climate and sparse surface cover, wind erosion is a serious problem and dust (sand) storms occur frequently. Soil moisture is one of the most important factors influencing resistance to wind erosion. The influence of moisture content on the erodibility of sandy loam soils was investigated through wind tunnel simulations. Results showed that the threshold velocity for soil particle movement by wind increases with increasing soil moisture by a power function. The intrinsic factor in the increase in soil resistance due to moisture content is the cohesive force of soil water. Cohesive forces of the film and capillary water are different; the influence of soil moisture on threshold velocity was shown to follow a step-like pattern. The wind erosion modulus of sandy loam was directly proportional to the cube of the wind velocity or the square of the effective wind velocity (V−V_t). There existed a negative exponential relationship between the wind erosion rate and soil moisture content. Initially, as soil moisture increased the decrease in the wind erosion rate was rather rapid. When the moisture content reached more than 4%, the rate of decrease in erosion slowed and became almost constant with successive increments of moisture. This suggests that different soil moisture contents can prevent wind erosion at different levels. Four percent soil moisture could only reduce the erodibility of the sandy loam soil by a small degree.     

风蚀影响因子的敏感性试验

 对风蚀模式的各重要影响因子进行了敏感性试验，结果表明：①随风力的增大，跃动沙粒的粒径范围迅速增大，从而会使更多、更大的尘粒因受到更强烈的撞击作用而释放于空中。但随土壤水分和植被覆盖度的增加，跃动沙粒粒径范围会变窄，较大的粒子很难被激发到空中。②各种土壤沙流通量及尘粒释放率随粒径的变化趋势Q(d)和F(d)与相应的地表土壤有效粒度分布Ps(d)具有相似的特征，说明前人用近地层沙尘粒度分布来代表地表土壤的有效粒度分布是合理的。③若以总沙流通量Q>0.5 g·m^-1·s^-1为风蚀过程开始发生的标准，在干燥、裸露的情况下，沙土、沙壤土、壤土、黏土和粉黏土表面发生风蚀的临界摩擦速度都约为0.3 m·s^-1。相同风力条件下（u*=0.6 m·s^-1），若地表干燥（w=0）并忽略小于0.1 g·m^-1·s^-1的总沙流通量，则抑制5种土壤发生风蚀的最小植被覆盖度分别约为：沙土0.35、沙壤土0.45、壤土0.45、黏土0.55、粉黏土0.55；若地表裸露，抑制风蚀发生的最小水分含量分别为：沙土0.15、沙壤土0.18、壤土0.3、黏土0.36和粉黏土0.33。④通常情况下沙土最不易起尘，它在各个粒径的尘粒释放率比其他土壤均约小3~5个量级。粉黏土最易起尘，且粒径较小，较容易传输到下游很远处。⑤总尘粒释放率F和总沙流通量Q随风力、地表条件的变化一般是同相的，即Q增大，F也会增大。⑥一般情况下F随摩擦速度u*的增大或植被覆盖度cf和土壤水分w的减小而增大；土壤拖曳系数sx和弹性压力垂直分量pye的增加会大大降低尘粒释放率。⑦通常风蚀情况下，5种土壤中粉黏土和沙壤土因聚合粒子破碎产生的尘粒释放率Fc最大，Fc随风力、地表条件变化的敏感度也最强；沙土的Fc最小，其对风力、地表条件的敏感度也最弱。     

The differences of water balance components of Caragana korshinkii grown in homogeneous and layered soils in the desert–Loess Plateau transition zone

Soil texture greatly influences soil water movement, thus may affect the water balance and vegetation growth in the desert–Loess Plateau transition zone. This study is to determine if the water balance differs in homogeneous and layered soils with Caragana korshinkii stands in semiarid region. Soil water measurements up to 500-cm depth were taken in 2006 and 2007 on homogeneous sandy soil, homogeneous silt loam soil, and layered soil with sand overlying silt loam. HYDRUS-1D was used to simulate the soil water balance. The results indicated the annual water balance components were greatly affected by soil layering. The ratio of average actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) to precipitation (P) during the two years in the layered soil was slightly lower than that in homogeneous soils. The ratios of annual actual transpiration (T_r) to evapotranspiration were 50.9%, 41.2% and 30.6% in layered soil, homogeneous sandy soil, and homogeneous silt loam soil, respectively. C. korshinkii grown in layered soil had deeper soil water recharge and higher T_r/ET_a ratio, thus had more available water for transpiration than that in homogeneous soils. This study suggested the layered soil with sand overlying silt loam is more favorable to C. korshinkii growth in terms of water use than homogeneous soils in the desert–Loess Plateau transition zone.     

古尔班通古特沙漠风沙土土壤蒸发特征

土壤表面蒸发是降水的无效损失,其大小直接决定着降水转化为有效土壤水的效率,从而间接决定了植物可利用水分的多寡。在降水稀少的沙漠区,定量认识土壤蒸发的大小和其所占降水的比例显得尤为重要。在2004年全生长期(5~9月)应用自制的微型蒸渗仪(Micro-Lysime-ter)测定了风沙土(有结皮覆盖的丘间低地和裸露沙丘顶部)和对照的荒漠盐碱土的土壤蒸发。结果表明:在相似的气象条件下,风沙土区的丘间低地和荒漠盐碱土的日平均蒸发量分别约是裸露沙丘(风沙土区)的2倍和3倍。整个生长期裸露沙丘的累积蒸发量为18.7mm,丘间低地为38.8mm,荒漠盐碱土为52.1mm。根据整个观测期的累积蒸发量和累积降雨量计算得出的蒸发降雨比分别为:裸露沙丘0.20,丘间低地0.42,荒漠盐碱土0.62,表明裸露沙丘由降水转化为土壤水而储存的比率最高。同时,从数据分析中可以看出:在风沙土区0~5cm土层的含水量对土壤蒸发起决定作用,而盐碱土区的土壤蒸发则受到更深层次土壤水分的影响。裸露沙丘低的土壤蒸发、高的降水转化效率,为植被恢复奠定了良好的基础。因此,裸露沙丘的低蒸发量可以视为植被状况对生态水文过程的一种良性反馈。     

Impact of the shrinking winter wheat sown area on agricultural water consumption in the Hebei Plain简

This study firstly analyzed the shrinkage of winter wheat and the changes of crop- ping systems in the Hebei Plain from 1998 to 2010 based on the agricultural statistic data of 11 cities and meteorological data, including daily temperature, precipitation, water vapor, wind speed and minimum relative humidity data from 22 meteorological stations, and then calcu- lated the water deficit and irrigation water resources required by different cropping systems, as well as the irrigation water resources conserved as a result of cropping system changes, using crop coefficient method and every ten-day effective precipitation estimation method. The results are as follows. 1） The sown areas of winter wheat in the 11 cities in the Hebei Plain all shrunk during the study period. The shrinkage rate was 16.07% and the total shrinkage area amounted to 49.62×10^4 ha. The shrinkage was most serious in the Bei- jing-Tianjin-Tangshan metropolitan agglomerate, with a shrinkage rate of 47.23%. 2） The precipitation fill rate of winter wheat was only 20%-30%, while those of spring maize and summer maize both exceeded 50%. The irrigation water resources demanded by the winter wheat-summer maize double cropping system ranged from 400 mm to 530 mm, while those demanded by the spring maize single cropping system ranged only from 160 mm to 210 ram. 3） The water resources conserved as a result of the winter wheat sown area shrinkage during the study period were about 15.96×10^8 m^3/a, accounting for 27.85% of those provided for Beijing, Tianjin and Hebei by the first phase of the Mid-Route of the South-to-North Water Diversion Project.     

紫色土不同土体的土壤肥力综合评价

采用专家系统建立了土壤肥力综合评判体系,应用模糊综合评判方法对不同土体的肥力进行了综合评判。评判结果表明,不同质地层次的土体均为可级,不同培肥土体均为优级。以综合评价总分,比较了不同土体肥力的优劣。简要分析了不同土体肥力差异的原因。由此为紫色土改良、防治其退化提供了科学依据。     

基于矩分析的垄沟灌入渗湿润体特征

为指导垄沟灌溉技术参数的合理设计,利用验证的HYDRUS-2D模型模拟不同土壤物理性质、耕作技术参数和灌水技术参数组合的垄沟灌土壤水分入渗过程,采用空间矩分析方法定量分析不同因素对入渗湿润体特征量及椭圆特征值的影响。结果表明:矩分析垄沟灌溉入渗湿润体呈扁平椭圆状;初始含水量对湿润体特征量的影响较其它因素小;垄沟灌溉宜在质地重的土壤条件下应用;随沟底宽度和灌溉水深增大,椭圆面积亦增大,椭圆长短轴差异明显,显著加大水平侧渗距离,砂壤土宜窄沟种植,黏壤土宜宽沟灌溉种植,较高的灌溉水深可增加侧渗,有利于提高灌水均匀度。空间矩分析为研究土壤水空间分布特征提供了一种强有力数学方法。     

陶瓷杯与蒸渗仪测定硝态氮和氨态氮淋溶的比较

土壤硝态氮（NO₃^--N）和氨态氮（NH4+-N）淋溶量测定方法因草本植物和土壤类型不同而异。试验采用陶瓷杯（ceramic suction cups）和蒸渗仪（lysimeters）分别测定草地土壤NO₃^--N和NH4+-N淋溶量。蒸渗仪直径为50 cm和深度为70 cm,土壤类型分别为新西兰Gorge silt loam、Mataura sandy loam和Lismore stony silt loam,重复4次。陶瓷杯水平插入蒸渗仪不锈钢筒,陶瓷杯插孔中心离不锈钢筒底部距离分别为35 cm（上陶瓷杯）和60 cm（下陶瓷杯）。在试验前,喷灌72 h冲洗蒸渗仪土壤溶液,使淋溶液NO₃^--N浓度接近0 mg·L^-1,然后1次性施加250 kg N·hm^-2尿素溶解液,用喷灌系统喷灌蒸渗仪,每周喷灌1次,喷灌系统误差使Gorge、Mataura和Lismore土壤喷灌强度分别为15.0、19.0和18.7 mm·h^-1,1次喷灌持续时间为3 h。在Gorge和Lismore土壤,陶瓷杯和蒸渗仪测定NO₃^--N淋溶量差异显著。在Gorge土壤,上陶瓷杯、下陶瓷杯和蒸渗仪测定NO₃^--N淋溶累计量分别为64、68和54 kg N·hm^-2,测定NH₄⁺-N淋溶累计量分别为0.43、0.49和0.43 kg N·hm^-2;在Mataura土壤,上陶瓷杯、下陶瓷杯和蒸渗仪测定NO₃^--N淋溶累计量分别为57、68和62 kg N·hm^-2,测定NH₄⁺-N淋溶累计量分别为0.51、0.37和0.23 kg N·hm^-2;在Lismore土壤,上陶瓷杯、下陶瓷杯和蒸渗仪测定NO₃^--N淋溶累计量分别为61、103和99 kg N·hm^-2,测定NH₄⁺-N淋溶累计量分别为1.70、2.24和2.04 kg N·hm^-2。在结构发育良好的Gorge和Lismore土壤,陶瓷杯不适合测定NO₃^--N淋溶量,但适合应用于砂土质地和发育不完善Mataura土壤。NH₄⁺-N淋溶累计量占NO₃^--N淋溶累计量的0.37%～2.93%,在测定和计算氮淋溶时,NH₄⁺-N淋溶可以忽略不计。     

黄河内蒙古段土壤风蚀特征模拟

采集黄河内蒙古段风沙土、灰漠土、棕钙土和灌淤土，在室内进行土壤理化性质测定和风洞模拟试验。对比分析了4种土壤的理化性质和不同风速及含水量条件下的风蚀特征，并量化了不同土壤的风蚀强度与土壤理化性质间关系。结果表明：（1）相对于棕钙土和灌淤土，风沙土和灰漠土易蚀性颗粒含量较大，团聚体、有机质和碳酸钙含量较低，但相同风速和含水量条件下平均风蚀强度风沙土>棕钙土>灰漠土>灌淤土。（2）不同土壤风蚀强度与风速均呈较好的幂函数关系（R²≥0.85，P<0.05），尤其是风沙土和棕钙土，幂函数关系明显优于指数函数。（3）除灰漠土，土壤风蚀强度与土壤含水量均呈较好指数函数关系（R²>0.90，P<0.05），风沙土和灰漠土的风蚀强度突降的含水量临界点在4.5%左右，灌淤土和棕钙土无明显临界点。（4）不同土壤输沙率均随距地表高度的增加而急剧减少。在距地表10 cm范围内，不同土壤输沙率占总输沙率比例风沙土（82.67%）>灰漠土（80.77%）>灌淤土（74.07%）>棕钙土（73.77%），当距地表大于30 cm后，集沙仪中基本收集不到风沙土和灰漠土风蚀颗粒。当轴心风速为16 m·s^-1时，不同土壤风沙流结构均表现为单峰曲线。（5）不同土壤风蚀强度与风速、含水量、团聚体、易蚀性颗粒和黏粒含量均呈较强的非线性相关关系（R²=0.76，P<0.05）。易蚀性颗粒含量是影响风蚀强度最主要的土壤属性，其次是干团聚体和黏粒含量。     

河北平原冬小麦播种面积收缩及由此节省的水资源量估算

以河北平原1998-2010 年11 地市的农业统计数据和22 个气象站点的逐日气温、降水量、水汽压、风速、日照时数和相对湿度等资料为基础,对该地区冬小麦播种面积的收缩情况及由此引发的耕作制度变化进行了分析;同时,结合作物系数法和逐旬有效降水量法,计算了不同耕作制度下的水分亏缺量,进而估算了该地区因耕作制度变化节省的水资源量。结果表明:① 该时段河北平原11 地市冬小麦的播种面积均呈收缩趋势,总面积下降了16.07%,约49.62×10⁴ hm²。京津唐城市群表现最为明显,下降了47.23%;② 冬小麦的降水满足率仅为20%~30%,而春玉米和夏玉米均为50%以上;冬小麦-夏玉米一年两熟制所需的灌溉水资源量为400~530 mm,而春玉米一年一熟制仅为160~210 mm;③ 该时段河北平原因冬小麦播种面积收缩而节省的灌溉水资源量约为15.96×10⁸ m³/a,相当于南水北调中线一期工程为京津冀三省市供水量的27.85%。     

不同利用方式下沙地土壤凝结水变化规律野外试验分析

 根据大量野外实测资料,研究位于科尔沁沙地南缘的不同利用方式下4个样地（受破坏的沙质草场D1、紧牧的优势沙生草甸子地C3、紧牧半流动沙地A3、紧牧固定沙地F3）在植被生长期内（5—9月）的裸地土壤凝结水变化规律。结果表明:①主凝结现象均发生在日落至次日日出期间,而日出至日落期间均发生主蒸发现象;②连通的MLS测出的凝结量均大于不连通的MLS测出的凝结量;③A3和F3的旬平均凝结量均大于C3和D1的旬平均凝结量,即沙地的凝结量大于草地的凝结量;④研究区4个样地5—9月的月平均凝结量分别为:1.04 mm、0.84 mm、0.63 mm,0.61 mm、0.59 mm,凝结量总体呈下降趋势。研究成果对沙地的生态保护具有一定的指导作用。     

Soil freezing process and different expressions for the soil-freezing characteristic curve

The soil-freezing characteristic curve (SFCC), which represents the relationship between unfrozen water content and sub-freezing temperature (or suction at ice-water interface) in a freezing soil, can be used for understanding the transportation of heat, water, and solute in frozen soils. In this paper, the soil freezing process and the similarity between the SFCC of saturated frozen soil and soil-water characteristic curve (SWCC) of unfrozen unsaturated soil are reviewed. Based on similar characteristics between SWCC and SFCC, a conceptual SFCC is drawn for illustrating the main features of soil freezing and thawing processes. Various SFCC expressions from the literature are summarized. Four widely used expressions (i.e., power relationship, exponential relationship, van Genuchten 1980 equation and Fredlund and Xing 1994 equation) are evaluated using published experimental data on four different soils (i.e., sandy loam, silt, clay, and saline silt). Results show that the exponential relationship and van Genuchten (1980) equation are more suitable for sandy soils. The simple power relationship can be used to reasonably best-fit the SFCC for soils with different particle sizes; however, it exhibits limitations when fitting the saline silt data. The Fredlund and Xing (1994) equation is suitable for fitting the SFCCs for all soils studied in this paper.     

Water regime in soils and plants along an aridity gradient in central Baja California, Mexico

The Central Desert of Baja California has pronounced climatic gradients. Water storage in the upper metre of soil and leaf water potentials in Larrea tridentata, Simmondsia chinensis and Fouquieria columnaris were monitored during 28 months at six sites. Estimated annual evapotranspiration was 75-150 mm in sandy loams, and 45-60 mm in sandy soils. Cumulative recharge accounted for 80% of precipitation in loams, but only 50% in sands. During the study period, increased aridity was expressed as longer periods of drought, but there was no less recharge. Weak to moderate relationships were found between soil water content and predawn leaf water potential.     

层状土壤中砂层层位对潜水蒸发的影响

通过室内一维土柱实验,研究了夹砂层土体构型中砂层层位对潜水蒸发的影响,分析了其影响机理,进一步讨论了砂层位置和水分蒸发的定量关系。结果表明,砂层对于水分的蒸发既有促进也有抑制作用,在地下水埋深为50cm时,5cm厚的底砂层可使水分的蒸发强度增加10％-20％；砂层距水位的距离大于5cm时,砂层可抑制水分的蒸发,且当距离增加到35cm左右,其抑制率可达70％-80％；当砂层距水位的距离继续增大时,水分的蒸发强度基本保持不变。这主要是由砂层自身的导水率变化以及砂层与同剖面中其它土质导水率的相对大小发生变化而引起。累积蒸发量与砂层层位以及蒸发历时之间定量关系的建立为预测砂层对潜水蒸发的影响以及估算特定历时蒸发损失量最小的砂层层位提供了依据。     

Water-saving potential in aeolian sand soil under straight tube and surface drip irrigation in Taklimakan Desert in Northwest China

Evaporation loss from the saturated soil beneath drip irrigation emitters highly influences the irrigation efficiency of drip irrigation (DI). Subsurface drip irrigation (SDI) is one good approach to curb this inefficiency, but in a new irrigation method, straight tube irrigation (STI), the irrigation tubes do not need to be buried and thus STI is recommended to increase the irrigation efficiency under normal surface-applied DI. STI consists of only connectors and water-transference tubes that can directly transfer irrigation water from the lateral emitters in the drip line to the root zone of plants. Five-month field experiments were carried out in Aeolian sand soil in the forest-belts of the Taklimakan Desert, which have poor water storage capacity, to compare the potential water saving between STI and DI. The preliminary results showed that, compared with DI, STI (1) improved the soil water content in soil depths from 40 to 100 cm under the soil surface; (2) achieved the same irrigation effects in relatively shorter irrigation durations; (3) had very little water loss due to deep seepage; and (4) formed a layer of dry sand about 10 to 30 cm thick immediately below the soil surface, which lessened evaporation loss of soil water beneath the emitters on the soil surface. This demonstrates that STI can maximize the water-saving potential of DI through the reduction of wetted soil perimeters on the soil surface. This is valuable information for water-saving engineering applications and projects with STI in arid and semiarid regions.