Data from: "Understanding the effects of grazing and prescribed fire on hydrology of Kentucky bluegrass–dominated rangelands in the northern Great Plains”

Rainfall simulation experiments and hydrophobicity measurements with water drop infiltration time and molarity of ethanol droplet tests were conducted at three locations all within the same ecological site in the northern Great Plains. Rainfall simulation experiments were performed on 24 large plots (6 × 2 m) at 63.5 mm h–1 and 127 mm h–1 intensities and on 16 small plots (0.7 × 0.7 m) at 63.5 mm h–1 and 103 mm h–1. Rainfall was maintained on the large plots until 10 minutes of steady-state runoff was measured or for a maximum of 30 minutes in the absence of runoff, while on the small plots, rainfall duration was set at 25 minutes. The soil layer was divided into four strata (litter, thatch, root mat, and mineral soil), which were physically separated for their hydrophobic behavior in laboratory and field water drop penetration tests and molarity analyses.

本研究于北美大平原北部同一生态场地内的三个采样点，开展了降雨模拟试验与土壤疏水性测定试验，测定方法包含水滴入渗时间（water drop infiltration time）测试与乙醇摩尔浓度液滴（molarity of ethanol droplet）试验。试验共设置24块大型样地（6×2 m）与16块小型样地（0.7×0.7 m）：大型样地的降雨强度分别为63.5 mm·h⁻¹与127 mm·h⁻¹，小型样地的降雨强度则为63.5 mm·h⁻¹与103 mm·h⁻¹。大型样地的降雨过程持续至观测到10分钟稳态产流（steady-state runoff）为止，若无产流则最长降雨时长为30分钟；小型样地的降雨时长固定为25分钟。供试土壤剖面被划分为四层，分别为枯落物层（litter）、枯草层（thatch）、根垫层（root mat）与矿质土壤层（mineral soil）；为探究各层的疏水性特征，研究人员通过室内与野外水滴穿透试验及摩尔浓度分析对各层样品进行了物理分离。