Prediction of water retention characteristics from soil compaction data and organic matter content

1987 ◽  
Vol 38 (1) ◽  
pp. 27-35 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.O. Ohu ◽  
G.S.V. Raghavan ◽  
S. Prasher ◽  
G. Mehuys
Soil Research ◽  
1980 ◽  
Vol 18 (2) ◽  
pp. 163 ◽  
Author(s):  
EL Greacen ◽  
R Sands

The problem of soil compaction in forestry differs from that in agriculture because of differences in the nature of the crop, in particular the weight and size of the plant members and the length of time that they persist. The roots compact the soil as they increase in size, but they also transmit the weight of the tree and forces generated by the wind onto the soil. There are important differences in management practices; in forestry modern harvesting machines apply heavy loads and, for reasons of cost, tend to be kept in operation throughout the year. As a consequence the structure of the soil suffers some damage, often manifested as compaction. Compaction arising from such sources may reduce the growth of the current trees or trees subsequently planted on the site. But it is difficult to predict the extent of such reduction, if any, because of the complex of interactions involved. Important factors concerned, namely, the soil water regime and the organic matter content, are emphasized. A conceptual model is proposed as a predictive tool. The mechanics of soil compaction, the effects of compaction on the physical properties of the soil, and techniques for the prevention and amelioration of compaction of forest soils, are discussed.


1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (1) ◽  
pp. 165-175 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. DE KIMPE ◽  
M. BERNIER-CARDOU ◽  
P. JOLICOEUR

Twenty-one topsoils, with texture varying from sandy loam to clay and organic matter content ranging from 1.6 to 11.9%, were submitted to compaction and settling at different moisture contents where dry bulk density was determined. Under compaction, the density curve went through a maximum while a minimum was observed in the case of settling. Optimum moisture contents corresponding to these two characteristic densities were almost the same. The most important physical properties affecting soil behavior under compaction and settling were found to be water retention properties at low matric potential which themselves depended primarily on organic matter content. Samples submitted to compaction had saturated hydraulic conductivities less than 1 cm/h, while after settling, Ksat measurements ranged from 0.8 to 234 cm/h. Organic matter played an important role in reducing the effects of compaction, and moisture content alone was not sufficient to predict the best conditions for workability in the fields.


2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (6) ◽  
pp. 1535-1548 ◽  
Author(s):  
André da Costa ◽  
Jackson Adriano Albuquerque ◽  
Adriano da Costa ◽  
Patricia Pértile ◽  
Franciani Rodrigues da Silva

The retention and availability of water in the soil vary according to the soil characteristics and determine plant growth. Thus, the aim of this study was to evaluate water retention and availability in the soils of the State of Santa Catarina, Brazil, according to the textural class, soil class and lithology. The surface and subsurface horizons of 44 profiles were sampled in different regions of the State and different cover crops to determine field capacity, permanent wilting point, available water content, particle size, and organic matter content. Water retention and availability between the horizons were compared in a mixed model, considering the textural classes, the soil classes and lithology as fixed factors and profiles as random factors. It may be concluded that water retention is greater in silty or clayey soils and that the organic matter content is higher, especially in Humic Cambisols, Nitisols and Ferralsol developed from igneous or sedimentary rocks. Water availability is greater in loam-textured soils, with high organic matter content, especially in soils of humic character. It is lower in the sandy texture class, especially in Arenosols formed from recent alluvial deposits or in gravelly soils derived from granite. The greater water availability in the surface horizons, with more organic matter than in the subsurface layers, illustrates the importance of organic matter for water retention and availability.


1981 ◽  
Vol 61 (2) ◽  
pp. 225-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. R. DE KIMPE ◽  
M. R. LAVERDIERE ◽  
J. ZIZKA

Rounding of the lands in a field involves changes in the surface horizons. The thickness of Ap horizons at various sites in corn fields varied from 15 to 41 cm. In these horizons, the organic matter content that ranged between 10 and 250 t/ha influenced the real density of the particles, the bulk density of soils with similar texture, and also the shape of the water retention curves at tensions from 0 to 1.5 MPa. Maximum available water in the Ap horizons between 33.3 kPa and 1.5 MPa varied from 0.5 to 4 cm H2O. Yield differences reached 74% while the standard deviations were generally lower than 15%. Higher yields were observed at higher, intermediate and lower sites of the fields. The differences in the yield were not entirely accounted for by the variations in the chemical and physical properties of the soils.


2021 ◽  
Vol 22 (8) ◽  
Author(s):  
Munifatul Izzati ◽  
SRI HARYANTI ◽  
RINI BUDI HASTUTI

Abstract. Izzati M, Haryanti S, Hastuti RB. 2021. Effectivity of bulrush (Scirpus californicus) as a soil conditioner  increasing sandy and clay soil fertility. Biodiversitas 22: 3423-3429. Bullrush (Scirpus californicus) is a species of macrophytes that often populates lakesides. This aquatic plant was rarely studied and its use has not been explored yet. This study was carried out to determine the effects of soil conditioner made from bulrush on sandy and clay soil fertility. Collected bulrush from Rawa Pening lake was milled into a powder and used as a soil conditioner in a proportion of 1:1. After a week, soil fertility was evaluated including organic matter content, water retention, the ratio of C/N, and bacteria population. The study was designed using a Completely Randomized Design with two treatments and control. Resulted data were analyzed using a t-test to evaluate the difference between the two treatments. Results showed that bulrush powder application significantly increased sandy and clay soil fertility. The organic matter content significantly increased in both sandy (p<0,01) and clay soils (p<005). The water retention of sandy soil was increased by 74% (p<0,01), while in clay soil was reduced by 27% (p<0,01). The C/N ratio was significantly reduced in both sandy and clay soil (p<0,05), while the bacteria population significantly increased (p<0,01). It is suggested to use the bulrush as a soil conditioner particularly for sandy and clay soils.


1986 ◽  
Vol 66 (4) ◽  
pp. 743-746 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. A. ANGERS ◽  
R. R. SIMARD

As a part of a study on soil compaction, measurements of soil bulk density were taken three times during the season at five sites and three depths. Strong negative correlations were obtained between soil organic matter content and (1) soil bulk density and, (2) the increase in bulk density during the season. Key words: Bulk density, compaction, organic matter


1985 ◽  
Vol 65 (1) ◽  
pp. 233-236 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. BEKE ◽  
M. I. MacCORMICK

Relationships between soil water retention and soil properties were developed for subsoil materials from Colchester County, Nova Scotia. The significant variables in the regression equation for soil water content at a suction of 33 kPa were the sand content and the product of silt content and bulk density of the soil. The variables for water retention at 1500 kPa suction were the clay content and the product of organic matter content and bulk density. The multiple correlation coefficients were 0.87 and 0.92 for suctions of 33 and 1500 kPa, respectively. The developed equations were comparable to ones derived elsewhere. Key words: Water retention, texture, organic matter, bulk density


2013 ◽  
Vol 37 (4) ◽  
pp. 889-910 ◽  
Author(s):  
André da Costa ◽  
Jackson Adriano Albuquerque ◽  
Jaime Antônio de Almeida ◽  
Adriano da Costa ◽  
Rodrigo Vieira Luciano

Studies on water retention and availability are scarce for subtropical or humid temperate climate regions of the southern hemisphere. The aims of this study were to evaluate the relations of the soil physical, chemical, and mineralogical properties with water retention and availability for the generation and validation of continuous point pedotransfer functions (PTFs) for soils of the State of Santa Catarina (SC) in the South of Brazil. Horizons of 44 profiles were sampled in areas under different cover crops and regions of SC, to determine: field capacity (FC, 10 kPa), permanent wilting point (PWP, 1,500 kPa), available water content (AW, by difference), saturated hydraulic conductivity, bulk density, aggregate stability, particle size distribution (seven classes), organic matter content, and particle density. Chemical and mineralogical properties were obtained from the literature. Spearman's rank correlation analysis and path analysis were used in the statistical analyses. The point PTFs for estimation of FC, PWP and AW were generated for the soil surface and subsurface through multiple regression analysis, followed by robust regression analysis, using two sets of predictive variables. Soils with finer texture and/or greater organic matter content retain more moisture, and organic matter is the property that mainly controls the water availability to plants in soil surface horizons. Path analysis was useful in understanding the relationships between soil properties for FC, PWP and AW. The predictive power of the generated PTFs to estimate FC and PWP was good for all horizons, while AW was best estimated by more complex models with better prediction for the surface horizons of soils in Santa Catarina.


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