干旱区生态环境知识资源中心

Invasive alien plants such as mesquite (Prosopis juliflora) alter patterns of groundwater uptake. We measured the groundwater level beneath a mesquite stand in an arid area in Sudan. The changes in groundwater level closely followed plant water uptake. The groundwater level started to decline a few hours before sunrise, recovered around noon, and then continued to decline until a few hours after sunset, before recovering again during the night. Thus, groundwater level showed two peaks: just before sunrise and around midday. The midday recovery was due to the depression of photosynthesis by heat and light.