The Effect of Land Management on the Retention Capacity of Agricultural Land in the Conditions of Climate Change - Case Study

The water retention capacity of a territory is mainly defined by the land conditions, type of soil cover and manner of land management. The manifestations of the climate change reflect the need for better water capture from precipitation in agricultural catchment areas. The effect of the soil cover on the water retention capacity was studied in two localities with different soil types (chernozem and cambisol). The results have shown significant effects of permanent grass covers on increasing the water retention capacity. The mean retention capacity measured at permanent grass covers was 1.7-fold higher than at arable land. The soil type did not play a significant role. To some extent, the retention capacity is also influenced by the used agro-technology. After stubble-tillage, the water from precipitation was better infiltrated by arable land than by permanent grass cover. However, during a major part of the vegetation period, arable land is at the rest, and the short-term increase of its retention capacity has no impact on the overall outcome.