scholarly journals Management options for water-repellent soils in Australian dryland agriculture

Soil Research ◽  
2015 ◽  
Vol 53 (7) ◽  
pp. 786 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. M. Roper ◽  
S. L. Davies ◽  
P. S. Blackwell ◽  
D. J. M. Hall ◽  
D. M. Bakker ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Particle Surface ◽  
Sandy Soils ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Mitigation Strategies ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Particle Surface Area ◽  
No Till

Water-repellent (‘non-wetting’) soils are a major constraint to agricultural production in southern and south-west Australia, affecting >10 Mha of arable sandy soils. The major symptom is dry patches of surface soil, even after substantial rainfall, directly affecting agricultural production through uneven crop and pasture germination, and reduced nutrient availability. In addition, staggered weed germination impedes effective weed control, and delayed crop and pasture germination increases the risk of wind erosion. Water repellency is caused by waxy organic compounds derived from the breakdown of organic matter mostly of plant origin. It is more prevalent in soils with a sandy surface texture; their low particle surface area : volume ratio means that a smaller amount of waxy organic compounds can effectively cover a greater proportion of the particle surface area than in a fine-textured soil. Water repellency commonly occurs in sandy duplex soils (Sodosols and Chromosols) and deep sandy soils (Tenosols) but can also occur in Calcarosols, Kurosols and Podosols that have a sandy surface texture. Severity of water repellency has intensified in some areas with the adoption of no-till farming, which leads to the accumulation of soil organic matter (and hence waxy compounds) at the soil surface. Growers have also noticed worsening repellency after ‘dry’ or early sowing when break-of-season rains have been unreliable. Management strategies for water repellency fall into three categories: (i) amelioration, the properties of surface soils are changed; (ii) mitigation, water repellency is managed to allow crop and pasture production; (iii) avoidance, severely affected or poorly producing areas are removed from annual production and sown to perennial forage. Amelioration techniques include claying, deep cultivation with tools such as rotary spaders, or one-off soil inversion with mouldboard ploughs. These techniques can be expensive, but produce substantial, long-lasting benefits. However, they carry significant environmental risks if not adopted correctly. Mitigation strategies include furrow-seeding, application of wetting agents (surfactants), no-till with stubble retention, on-row seeding, and stimulating natural microbial degradation of waxy compounds. These are much cheaper than amelioration strategies, but have smaller and sometimes inconsistent impacts on crop production. For any given farm, economic analysis suggests that small patches of water repellency might best be ameliorated, but large areas should be treated initially with mitigation strategies. Further research is required to determine the long-term impacts of cultivation treatments, seeding systems and chemical and biological amendments on the expression and management of water repellency in an agricultural context.

The isolation and characterisation of bacteria with the potential to degrade waxes that cause water repellency in sandy soils

Soil Research ◽  
2004 ◽  
Vol 42 (4) ◽  
pp. 427 ◽  
Author(s):  
Margaret M. Roper
Keyword(s):  
Agricultural Production ◽  
Complex Mixture ◽  
Sandy Soils ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Bacterial Isolates ◽  
Hydrophobic Compounds ◽  
Degrading Bacteria ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
Fatty Acids And Alcohols

Water repellency in soils is caused by waxy coatings on particles and can seriously limit agricultural production. Bioremediation of these soils, using wax-degrading bacteria isolated from soils and other sources rich in microorganisms, was investigated. Wool wax, a complex mixture of fatty acids and alcohols, was used to select bacteria capable of metabolising hydrophobic compounds. Of the 37 stable isolates, two-thirds were actinomycetes. These organisms are known for their ability to metabolise a wide range of organic compounds. Degradation of waxes associated with soil particles is facilitated by the production of biosurfactants that emulsify hydrophobic compounds. Measurement of biosurfactant production indicated that those isolates that grew best on hydrocarbon were also the most prolific biosurfactant producers. Inoculation of water-repellent soils, under controlled conditions, with the most efficient wax-degrading bacterial isolates resulted in significant improvements in soil wettability.

The use of dispersible clays to reduce water repellency of sandy soils

Soil Research ◽  
1989 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 797 ◽  
Author(s):  
M Ma'shum ◽  
JM Oades ◽  
ME Tate
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Sandy Soils ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Cetyl Alcohol ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Fine Grained ◽  
Naturally Occurring ◽  
Rapid Control ◽  
Sand Particles ◽  
Coated Sand

Water-repellency in sandy soils is determined by the amount of hydrophobic organic matter coating the sand particles and the specific surface area of the sands. The hydrophobic state can be simulated by coating hydrophilic sand with cetyl alcohol. Admixture of finely particulate materials with either naturally occurring water-repellent sands or the model cetyl alcohol-coated sand markedly reduced the water-repellency. Dispersible sodic clays were more effective than calcium saturated clays in reducing water-repellency, suggesting that the addition of dispersible, fine-grained illites and kaolinites couid play an important role in the rapid control of water-repellent soils in field situations.

Organic Matter Fractions Controlling Soil Water Repellency in Sandy Soils From the Doñana National Park (Southwestern Spain)

2014 ◽  
Vol 27 (5) ◽  
pp. 1413-1423 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nicasio T. Jiménez‐Morillo ◽  
José A. González‐Pérez ◽  
Antonio Jordán ◽  
Lorena M. Zavala ◽  
José María Rosa ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
National Park ◽  
Sandy Soils ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Soil Water Repellency ◽  
Doñana National Park ◽  
Organic Matter Fractions

Water repellence in sandy soils of South-Western Australia. II. Some chemical characteristics of the hydrophobic skins

Soil Research ◽  
1972 ◽  
Vol 10 (1) ◽  
pp. 35 ◽  
Author(s):  
FJ Roberts ◽  
BA Carbon
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Diethyl Ether ◽  
Cold Water ◽  
Sandy Soils ◽  
Prolonged Treatment ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Chemical Characteristics ◽  
Produce Water ◽  
Water Repellence ◽  
Humic Fraction

The hydrophobic organic skins on sand grains were resistant to removal by solvents such as cold water, concentrated acid, diethyl ether, ethanol, benzene, chloroform, and acetone. Prolonged treatment with hot diethyl ether, ethanol, and benzene removed part of the coating. Treatment with dilute solutions of alkali removed the skin as suspended particles. Compounds within the very stable humic fraction of the soil organic matter appeared to be mainly responsible for water repellence in soils. Deposits of fresh organic materials could also produce water repellent properties.

Induced uneven spatial distribution of agrochemicals due to preferential flow in water repellent soils and its remediation by surfactant

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Abayomi Ogunmokun ◽  
Rony Wallach
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Distribution ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Profile ◽  
Preferential Flow ◽  
Sandy Soils ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Treated Wastewater ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Soil Water Repellency ◽  
Mediterranean Countries

<p>Soil water repellency is a common feature of dry soils under permanent vegetation and drought conditions. Soil-water hydrology is markedly affected by soil-water repellency as it hinders infiltration, leading to enhanced surface runoff and soil erosion. Although this phenomenon was primarily ascribed to sandy soils, it has been observed in loam, clay, and peat soils in dry and humid regions. One detrimental effect of soil water repellency on plants is the reduction of soil water availability that stems from the non-uniform water retention and flow in preferential pathways (gravity-induced fingers) with relatively dry soil volume among these paths. It was recently discovered that prolonged irrigation with treated wastewater, a widely used alternative in Israel and other Mediterranean countries due to the limited freshwater, triggers soil water repellency which invariably resulted in preferential flow development in the field. Due to climate change events, the use of treated wastewater for irrigation as a means of freshwater conservation is expected to widen, including in countries that are not considered dry.</p><p>While a vast amount of research has been devoted to characterizing the preferential flow in water repellent soils, the effect of this flow regime on the spatial distribution of salt and fertilizers in the root zone was barely investigated. Results from a commercial citrus orchard irrigated with treated wastewater that includes the spatial and temporal distribution of preferential flow in the soil profile measured by ERT will be demonstrated. The associated spatial distribution of salinity, nitrate, phosphate, and SAR in the soil profile will be shown as well.  We investigated the efficacy of two nonionic surfactants application to remediate hydrophobic sandy soils both in the laboratory and field. The effect of the surfactant application to the water repellent soils in the orchards on the spatial distribution of soil moisture and the associated agrochemicals will be presented and discussed.</p>

scholarly journals Natural colloid mobilization and leaching in wettable and water repellent soil under saturated condition

2018 ◽  
Vol 66 (3) ◽  
pp. 271-278 ◽  
Author(s):  
Nasrollah Sepehrnia ◽  
Olga Fishkis ◽  
Bernd Huwe ◽  
Jörg Bachmann
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Colloidal Particles ◽  
Sessile Drop ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Contact Angles ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Soil Horizon ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Coupled Transport

AbstractThe coupled transport of pollutants that are adsorbed to colloidal particles has always been a major topic for environmental sciences due to many unfavorable effects on soils and groundwater. This laboratory column study was conducted under saturated moisture conditions to compare the hydrophobic character of the suspended and mobilized colloids in the percolates released from a wettable subsoil and a water repellent topsoil. Both soils with different organic matter content were analyzed for wettability changes before and after leaching using sessile drop contact angles as well as water and ethanol sorptivity curves, summarized as repellency index. Hydrophobicity of the effluent suspensions was assessed using the C18 adsorption method. Water repellency level of the repellent soil decreased after leaching but remained on a lower level of water repellency, while, the wettable soil remained wettable. The leached colloids from the repellent soil were predominantly hydrophilic and the percentage of the hydrophobic colloid fraction in the effluent did not systematically changed with time. Total colloid release depended on soil carbon stock but not on soil wettability. Our results suggest that due to the respective character of transported colloids a similar co-transport mechanism for pollutants may occur which does not depend explicitly on soil wettability of the releasing horizon, but could be more affected by total SOM content. Further studies with a wider range of soils are necessary to determine if the dominant hydrophilic character of leached colloids is typical. Due to the mostly hydrophilic colloid character we conclude also that changes in wettability status, i.e. of wettable subsoil horizons due to the leachate, may not necessarily occur very fast, even when the overlaying topsoil is a repellent soil horizon with a high organic matter content.

scholarly journals A model framework to retrieve thermodynamic and kinetic properties of organic aerosol from composition-resolved thermal desorption measurements

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Siegfried Schobesberger ◽  
Emma L. D'Ambro ◽  
Felipe D. Lopez-Hilfiker ◽  
Claudia Mohr ◽  
Joel A. Thornton
Keyword(s):  
Organic Compounds ◽  
Particle Surface ◽  
Organic Aerosol ◽  
Model Parameters ◽  
Kinetic Properties ◽  
Test Case ◽  
Ionization Mass ◽  
Particle Surface Area ◽  
Model Framework ◽  
Evaporation Coefficient

Abstract. Chemical ionization mass spectrometer (CIMS) techniques have been developed that allow for quantitative and composition-resolved measurements of organic compounds as they desorb from secondary organic aerosol (SOA) particles, in particular during their heat-induced evaporation. One such technique employs the Filter Inlet for Gases and AEROsol (FIGAERO). Here, we present a newly-developed model framework with the main aim of reproducing FIGAERO-CIMS thermograms: signal vs. ramped desorption temperature. The model simulates the desorption of organic compounds during controlled heating of filter-sampled SOA particles, plus the subsequent transport of these compounds through the FIGAERO manifold into an iodide-CIMS. Desorption is described by a modified Hertz-Knudsen equation and controlled chiefly by the temperature-dependent saturation concentration C*, mass accommodation (evaporation) coefficient, and particle surface area. Subsequent transport is governed by interactions with filter and manifold surfaces. Reversible accretion reactions (oligomer formation and decomposition) and thermal decomposition are formally described following the Arrhenius relation. We use calibration experiments for tuning instrument-specific parameters, and then apply the model to a test case: measurements of SOA generated from dark ozonolysis of α-pinene. We then discuss the ability of the model to describe thermograms from simple calibration experiments and from complex SOA, and the associated implications for the chemical and physical properties of the SOA. We conclude with specific experimental designs to better constrain instrumental model parameters and to aid in resolving remaining ambiguities in the interpretation of more complex SOA thermogram behaviors. The model allows retrieval of quantitative volatility and mass transport information from FIGAERO thermograms, and for examining the effects of various environmental or chemical conditions on such properties.

scholarly journals Influence of organic manure amendments on water repellency, water entry value, and water retention of soil samples from a tropical Ultisol

2016 ◽  
Vol 64 (2) ◽  
pp. 160-166 ◽  
Author(s):  
T.D.P. Liyanage ◽  
D.A.L. Leelamanie
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Water Entry ◽  
Contact Angles ◽  
Organic Manure ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Water Contact ◽  
In Series

AbstractLowered stability of soil aggregates governed by insufficient organic matter levels has become a major concern in Sri Lanka. Although the use of organic manure with water repellent properties lowers the wetting rates and improves the stability of soil aggregates, its effects on soil hydrophysical properties are still not characterized. Therefore, the objective of this study was to examine the relation of water repellency induced by organic manure amendments to the water entry value and water retention of a Sri Lankan Ultisol. The soil was mixed with ground powders of cattle manure (CM), goat manure (GM),Gliricidia maculata(GL) and hydrophobicCasuarina equisetifolia(CE) leaves to obtain samples ranging from non-repellent to extremely water repellent, in two series. Series I was prepared by mixing GL and CE with soil (5, 10, 25, 50%). Series II consisted of 5% CM, GM, and GL, with (set A) and without (set B) intermixed 2% CE. Water repellency, water entry value, and water retention of samples were determined in the laboratory. Soil-water contact angle increased with increasing organic matter content in all the samples showing positive linear correlations. Although the samples amended with CE showed high soil-water contact angles in series I, set A (without 2% CE) and set B (with 2% CE) in series II did not show a noticeable difference, where >80% of the samples had soil-water contact angles <90°. Water entry value (R2= 0.83–0.92) and the water retention at 150 cm suction (R2= 0.69–0.8) of all the samples increased with increasing soil-water contact angles showing moderate to strong positive linear correlations. However, set A (without 2% CE) and set B (with 2% CE) in series II did not differ noticeably. Water entry value of about 60% the samples was <2.5 cm. Mixing of a small amount (2%) of hydrophobic organic matter with commonly used organic manures slightly increased the water repellency of sample soils, however not up to detrimental levels. It did not generate adverse effects on water entry and increased the water retention. It was clear that intermixing of small quantities of hydrophobic organic manure with organic manures commonly used in Sri Lankan agriculture, would not generate unfavorable impacts on soils.

scholarly journals Small variations of soil properties control fire-induced water repellency .

2014 ◽  
Vol 4 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jorge Mataix-Solera ◽  
Lorena M. Zavala ◽  
Antonio Jordán ◽  
Gema Bárcenas-Moreno ◽  
Elena Lozano ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Plant Species ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Soil Samples ◽  
Soil Types ◽  
Water Repellent ◽  
Key Factors ◽  
The Impact

Fire induced soil water repellency (WR) is controlled by many different factors (temperature reached, amount and type of fuel, etc.). Soil properties may determine the occurrence and intensity of this property in burned soils. The objectives of this paper are to make advances in the study of soil properties as key factors controlling the behaviour of fire-induced WR, and to study the impact of pre-fire SOM content and SOM quality in fire-induced soil WR. In this research, experimental laboratory burnings were carried out using soil samples from different sites with different lithologies, soil types and plant species. Soil samples taken from the same site differ only in quantity and quality of soil organic matter, as they were collected from under different plant species. All soil samples were heated in a muffle furnace at 200, 250, 300 and 350 ºC without the addition of any fuel load. WR was measured using the water drop penetration time test (WDPT). The results showed significant differences between soil types and plant species, indicating that small differences in soil properties may act as key factors controlling the development and persistence of WR reached, with burned soil samples ranging from wettable to extremely water repellent. The main soil property controlling the response was texture, specifically sand content. The quality of organic matter was also observed to have an effect, since soil samples from the same site with similar organic matter contents, but taken from beneath different plant species, showed different WR values after burning.

Challenges and opportunities for grain farming on sandy soils of semi-arid south and south-eastern Australia

Soil Research ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 58 (4) ◽  
pp. 323 ◽  
Author(s):  
Murray Unkovich ◽  
Therese McBeath ◽  
Rick Llewellyn ◽  
James Hall ◽  
Vadakattu VSR Gupta ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Soil Organic Matter ◽  
Cation Exchange Capacity ◽  
Sandy Soils ◽  
Water Repellency ◽  
Exchange Capacity ◽  
Crop Establishment ◽  
Crop Nutrition ◽  
Eastern Australia ◽  
Soil Wetting

Sandy soils make up a substantial fraction of cropping land in low rainfall (&lt;450 mm p.a.) south and south-eastern Australia. In this paper we review the possible soil constraints to increased production on these soils in this region. Many of these soils have a very low (&lt;3%) clay content and suffer from severe water repellency, making crop establishment and weed control problematic. Crops which do emerge are faced with uneven soil wetting and poor access to nutrients, with crop nutrition constraints exacerbated by low fertility (soil organic matter &lt; 1%) and low cation exchange capacity. Zones of high penetration resistance appear common and have multiple causes (natural settling, cementation and traffic induced) which restrict root growth to &lt;40 cm. Crop water use and grain yield are therefore likely to be well below the water-limited potential. Water repellency is readily diagnosed and where apparent should be the primary management target. Repellency can be mitigated through the use of furrow and other sowing technologies, along with soil wetting agents. These techniques appear to be affected by site and soil nuances and need to be refined for local soils and conditions. Once crop establishment on water repellent soils has been optimised, attention could be turned to opportunities for improving crop rooting depth through the use of deep tillage or deep ripping techniques. The required ripping depth, and how long the effects may last, are unclear and need further research, as do the most effective and efficient machinery requirements to achieve sustained deeper root growth. Crop nutrition matched to the water-limited crop yield potential is the third pillar of crop production that needs to be addressed. Low soil organic matter, low cation exchange capacity, low biological activity and limited nutrient cycling perhaps make this a greater challenge than in higher rainfall regions with finer textured soils. Interactions between nutrients in soils and fertilisers are likely to occur and make nutrient management more difficult. While amelioration (elimination) of water repellency is possible through the addition of clay to the soil surface, the opportunities for this may be restricted to the ~30% of the sandy soils of the region where clay is readily at hand. The amounts of clay required to eliminate repellency (~5%) are insufficient to significantly improve soil fertility or soil water holding capacity. More revolutionary soil amelioration treatments, involving additions and incorporation of clay and organic matter to soils offer the possibility of a more elevated crop yield plateau. Considerable research would be required to provide predictive capacity with respect to where and when these practices are effective.

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