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A large weighing lysimeter was installed at Yucheng Comprehensive Experimental Station, north China, for evapotranspiration and soil-water–groundwater exchange studies. Features of the lysimeter include the following: (i) mass resolution equivalent to 0·016 mm of water to accurately and simultaneously determine hourly evapotranspiration, surface evaporation and groundwater recharge; (ii) a surface area of 3·14 m2 and a soil profile depth of 5·0 m to permit normal plant development, soil-water extraction, soil-water–groundwater exchanges, and fluctuations of groundwater level; (iii) a special supply–drainage system to simulate field conditions of groundwater within the lysimeter; (iv) a soil mass of about 30 Mg, including both unsaturated and saturated loam. The soil consists mainly of mealy sand and light loam. Monitoring the vegetated lysimeter during the growing period of winter wheat, from October 1998 through to June 1999, indicated that during the period groundwater evaporation contributed 16·6% of total evapotranspiration for a water-table depth from 1·6 m to 2·4 m below ground surface. Too much irrigation reduced the amount of upward water flow from the groundwater table, and caused deep percolation to the groundwater. Data from neutron probe and tensiometers suggest that soil-water-content profiles and soil-water-potential profiles were strongly affected by shallow groundwater. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Yang et al. (Sat,) studied this question.