Water Balance Characteristics of the Salix Shelterbelt in the Kubuqi Desert

Water shortages are the main factor restricting the survival and construction of shelterbelts in sandy areas. Comprehensive analysis of the water balance characteristics of forest stands is crucial for scientifically understanding and regulating the water supply of shelterbelts in sandy areas and formulating appropriate vegetation cultivation and restoration strategies. We simultaneously monitored outer-forest precipitation, canopy interception, stemflow, throughfall, forest transpiration, understory evapotranspiration, and soil moisture content changes in the Salix forest in the Kubuqi Desert during the main growing season (June–October) of 2022. The results showed that the total evapotranspiration of the forest was 185.62 mm, and the components and their proportions of precipitation during the same period were as follows: forest floor evapotranspiration, 94.43 mm (35.88%); stand transpiration, 68.34 mm (25.97%); and canopy interception, 22.85 mm (8.68%). Based on the water balance of the 0–60 cm soil layer and by integrating the changes in soil water storage and the influence of external water transport, the net runoff of the forestland was calculated to be approximately 77.58 mm; that is, the water balance requirements for growth were met. In the future, appropriate irrigation and supplementation can be carried out in June and July to ensure healthier growth in the shelterbelt, and plant photosynthesis and internal physiology can be further studied for cultivation in other desert areas.