We operate a measurement station. We measure for example the soil water content. During the last data checks I realised a sudden increase and decrease in soil water content by up to 10 %. The measurement station is in Germany.
The sediments where the sensors are installed are silty sands and sandy silts.
When the soil and water conservation practice done at your station, that effects can occur.
Abrupt changes in soil water content can result from various factors, including precipitation events, irrigation, drainage, temperature fluctuations, and local hydrological conditions. It's essential to consider weather patterns, groundwater levels, and potential human activities in the area to understand the specific reasons for the observed fluctuations.
The fluctuations begin in October/November. In this time we had lots of rain.
Can these fluctuations also caused by freezing events?
The abrupt changes can result from different factors like precipitation events, drainage, temperature fluctuations, and flood occurrences.
Sudden or unexpected changes in the Soil moisture or water contents can be caused by a lot of factors majority of which are environmental conditions or changes-
1: The amount of moisture or water in the environment to a large extent will determine the amount of water that will be added to it or be removed from it, what I mean is that if the environment is saturated with moisture as a result of rainfall or precipitation then their will be sudden increase in the amount of water in the soil and when the environment is dry, their will be a corresponding increase in the amount of water that will be required by the environment through evaporation hence, the amount of water in the soil will reduce.
2: Changes in the environmental temperature to a larger extent determines the amount of water that will be lost from the soil per time.
Other factors of significant impact are - the drainage situation of the soil in question due to the ratio of large to small pore spaces presence in the soil; Soil type- you don’t expect the same amount of water retention in a clayey soil and that of a typical sandy soil; the nature of the ground water is also a factor etc
Christian Ungewitter, a sudden increase in soil moisture content of up to 10 per cent may have several causes. Taking into account the fact that the measurement site is located in Germany, the following are, in my humble opinion, some of the factors that can lead to such a change:
1. Rainfall: Continuous rainfall can lead to a rapid increase in soil moisture content. Even if the amount of rainfall is not very high, the soil may still absorb large amounts of water in the case of deposits of chalk and sandy silt. I think this cause is more likely to have caused the increase in water content in the monitoring area you mentioned.
2. Rising water table: Rising water table can also cause an increase in soil water content. This can be caused by excessive rainfall or increased groundwater recharge.
3. Groundwater infiltration: If there is a nearby body of water or an area of groundwater infiltration, water may enter the soil through infiltration, resulting in an increase in water content.
4. Changes in geological formations: Changes in geological formations, such as earthquakes or groundwater pulsations, may result in a change in the way groundwater flows, which can affect soil water content.
5. Temperature changes: In some cases, sudden changes in temperature may cause snow and ice in the soil to melt, increasing the soil water content.
6. anthropogenic activities: human activities such as irrigation, pumping of water for drainage, etc., may also affect changes in soil water content.
I think to determine the specific cause may require you to carry out further data analysis and investigations, such as examining geological and meteorological data and possible human intervention activities.
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