ORIGINAL RESEARCH article
Front. Environ. Sci.
Sec. Drylands
Soil Hydrothermal Coupling Dynamics in a Loess–Aeolian Sandy Mining Subsidence Area under Freeze-Thaw Conditions
- PL
Peng Li 1
- YG
Yong Gao 1
- DX
Dang Xiaohong 1
- YL
Yang Liu 2
- YH
Yanlong Han 1
- JL
Jing Liu 3
- XL
Xiaole Li 1
1. Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
2. Inner Mongolia Autonomous Region Water Resources Research Institute, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
3. Institute of Water Resources for Pastoral Area Ministry of Water Resources, Inner Mongolia Agricultural University, Hohhot, China
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Abstract
Soil water-heat coupling during freeze-thaw cycles plays a critical role in regulating ecohydrological processes in cold and disturbed regions. However, the effects of land subsidence on this coupling remain poorly understood. In this study, two subsidence-affected areas with similar climatic conditions but different soil types (loess soil and aeolian sandy soil) in Inner Mongolia, China, were selected to minimize climatic variability and isolate the effects of soil properties. Continuous observations of soil temperature and water at depths of 0-60 cm were used to characterize freeze-thaw processes and their coupling behavior. The results showed that soil freezing progressed from shallow to deeper layers, with minor differences in freezing onset between soil types. Loess soil entered complete freezing slightly later but thawed earlier than sandy soil and exhibited fewer freeze-thaw cycles. Subsidence disturbance advanced the complete freezing of loess soil by approximately 6 days and delayed thawing by about 2 days, while sandy soil also showed delayed thawing. Soil temperature was primarily controlled by air temperature, with the strongest influence in the 0-40 cm layer, and exhibited a lagged response during freeze-thaw transitions. Significant nonlinear relationships between soil temperature and water were observed across all depths, and distinct water dynamics were identified between soil types. Overall, subsidence disturbance alters soil structure and thereby regulates the coupling between water migration and heat transfer during freeze–thaw processes, with soil structure playing a dominant role under comparable climatic conditions.
Summary
Keywords
Aeolian sandy area, Coal mining subsidence, Desertification control, freeze-thaw, Loess area, Soil water and temperature
Received
06 June 2026
Accepted
11 August 2026
Copyright
© 2026 Li, Gao, Xiaohong, Liu, Han, Liu and Li. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License (CC BY). The use, distribution or reproduction in other forums is permitted, provided the original author(s) or licensor are credited and that the original publication in this journal is cited, in accordance with accepted academic practice. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.
*Correspondence: Yong Gao; Dang Xiaohong
Disclaimer
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