Spatio-temporal patterns of groundwater depths and soil nutrients in a small watershed in the Ethiopian highlands: Topographic and land-use controls

摘要

Highlights?Watersheds in the Ethiopian highlands have high infiltration rates.?Groundwater depths reach plateau downslope after the second recharge event of 26?mm.?Fast-rising and draining water tables indicate quick lateral flow in midslope.?K+, Ca2+, and Mg2+had higher concentrations in fallow/grasslands than in cultivated lands.?Upslope areas consistently cultivated, quickly draining, and depleting nutrients.AbstractSoil and water conservation structures, promoted by local and international development organizations throughout rural landscapes, aim to increase recharge and prevent degradation of soil surface characteristics. This study investigates this unexamined relationship between recharge, water table depths, and soil surfa