Hydraulic properties and ‘field capacity’ of Himatangi sand

Feldspathic sandstone could be used as an effective conditioner to improve the physical quality of sandy soil, and increase the crop yield there. To determine the effects of feldspathic sandstone content on soil hydraulic properties in a sandy soil, the present study added 0%, 10%, 20%, 30%, 40%, 50%, 60%, 70%, 80%, 90%, and 100% (no sandy soil) of feldspathic sandstone to sandy soil. Changes in hydraulic parameters were investigated and the results showed addition of feldspathic sandstone increased saturated water content by 37%–61% and field capacity by 29%–44%, and decreased saturated hydraulic conductivity from 10.19 to 0.58 cm h−1 of the sandy soil. Further data analysis demonstrated that with increasing content of feldspathic sandstone, the parameter n of soil water retention curve in Van Genuchten model dropped from 1.807 to 1.333. The same decreasing trend is detected in parameter a of infiltration rate (3.841–0.703) in Kostiakov formula (i = at−b) and parameter a1 of wetting front (6.901–1.174) in the empirical equation (X = a1tb1). In terms of hydraulic parameters, 40% feldspathic sandstone and 60% sandy soil, optimally matching indices of loess soil, were the best mixing ratio for sandy land restoration.

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Earthworm Burrowing Activity and Its Effects on Soil Hydraulic Properties under Different Soil Moisture Conditions from the Loess Plateau, China

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12219303 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (21) ◽

pp. 9303

Author(s):

Shuhai Wen ◽

Ming’an Shao ◽

Jiao Wang

Keyword(s):

Soil Moisture ◽

Loess Plateau ◽

Hydraulic Properties ◽

Soil Depth ◽

Soil Aggregates ◽

Field Capacity ◽

Soil Hydraulic Properties ◽

The Loess Plateau ◽

Burrowing Activity ◽

Soil Hydraulic

Earthworm activity has become more important in the Loess Plateau, where hydrological processes are crucial for ecosystem sustainability. In this study, we conducted a laboratory microcosm experiment to determine the various burrowing activities of Eisenia fetida and their impact on the soil hydraulic properties in response to different levels of soil moisture (50%, 70%, 90% of field capacity) in two common soil types (loessial and Lou soil) obtained from the Loess Plateau. Burrowing activity of E. fetida increased with higher soil moisture and was greater in loessial than in Lou soil. Most burrowing activities occurred within the top 5 cm and decreased with increasing soil depth. Macropores and burrow branching, which are highly related to the earthworm burrowing, were more prevalent in wetter soil. Earthworms significantly altered the formation of large soil aggregates (AGL, diameter >2 mm) under different soil moistures and depths. Distinct earthworm burrowing activities, controlled by soil moisture, altered soil hydraulic properties. However, soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) showed little differences between different treatments due to the horizontal and high–branched burrows of E. fetida, although higher burrowing activities were found in wetter soil. Soil field capacity was highest in drier soil due to the less macropores and burrowing activities.

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Predicting hydraulic properties of seasonally impounded soils

The Journal of Agricultural Science ◽

10.1017/s002185960999030x ◽

2009 ◽

Vol 148 (2) ◽

pp. 159-170 ◽

Cited By ~ 6

Author(s):

N. G. PATIL ◽

G. S. RAJPUT ◽

R. K. NEMA ◽

R. B. SINGH

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Properties ◽

Water Retention ◽

Monsoon Season ◽

Field Capacity ◽

Pedotransfer Functions ◽

Agricultural Crop ◽

Statistical Regression ◽

Soil Water Retention ◽

Retention Characteristics ◽

Wilting Point

SUMMARYAgricultural crop management decisions often require data on hydraulic properties of soils. Little information is available on hydraulic properties of clay soils that are impounded by rainwater (known as ‘Haveli’ lands) every year during the monsoon season in large tracts of Madhya Pradesh in India. Estimating hydraulic properties using global pedotransfer functions (PTFs) is one possible way to collect such information. Rules in the widely used global PTF Rosetta were executed to obtain estimates of two important hydraulic properties, namely soil water retention characteristics (SWRC) and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks). SWRC estimates obtained with maximum input (particle size distribution, bulk density, field capacity and permanent wilting point) in Rosetta were relatively closer to the laboratory-measured data as compared with the estimates obtained with lower levels of input. Root mean square error (RMSE) of estimates ranged from 0·01 to 0·05 m3/m3. Hierarchical PTFs to predictKsfrom basic soil properties were derived using statistical regression and artificial neural networks. Evaluation of these indicated that neural PTFs were acceptable and hence could be used without loss of accuracy.

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euptfv2: updated hydraulic pedotransfer functions for Europe

10.5194/egusphere-egu21-904 ◽

2021 ◽

Author(s):

Brigitta Szabó ◽

Melanie Weynants ◽

Tobias Weber

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Water Content ◽

Hydraulic Properties ◽

Field Capacity ◽

Pedotransfer Functions ◽

Predictor Variables ◽

Soil Hydraulic Properties ◽

Matric Potential ◽

Soil Hydraulic

We present improved European hydraulic pedotransfer functions (PTFs) which now use the machine learning algorithm random forest and include prediction uncertainties. The new PTFs (euptfv2) are an update of the previously published euptfv1 (T&#243;th et al., 2015). With the derived hydraulic PTFs soil hydraulic properties and van Genuchten-Mualem model parameters can be predicted from easily available soil properties. The updated PTFs perform significantly better than euptfv1 and are applicable for 32 predictor variables combinations. The uncertainties reflect uncertainties from the considered input data, predictors and the applied algorithm. The euptfv2 includes transfer functions to compute soil water content at saturation (0 cm matric potential head), field capacity (both -100 and -330 cm matric potential head) and wilting point (-15,000 cm matric potential head), plant available water content computed with field capacity at -100 and -330 cm matric potential head, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and Mualem-van Genuchten parameters of the moisture retention and hydraulic conductivity curves. The influence of predictor variables on predicted soil hydraulic properties is explored and suggestions to best predictor variables given.The algorithms have been implemented in a web interface (https://ptfinterface.rissac.hu) and an R package (https://doi.org/10.5281/ZENODO.3759442) to facilitate the use of the PTFs, where the PTFs&#8217; selection is automated based on soil properties available for the predictions and required soil hydraulic property.The new PTFs will be applied to derive soil hydraulic properties for field- and catchment- scale hydrological modelling in European case studies of the OPTAIN project (https://www.optain.eu/). Functional evaluation of the PTFs is performed under the iAqueduct research project.&#160;This research has been supported by the Hungarian National Research, Development and Innovation Office (grant no. KH124765), the J&#225;nos Bolyai Research Scholarship of the Hungarian Academy of Sciences (grant no. BO/00088/18/4), and the German Research Foundation (grant no. SFB 1253/12017). OPTAIN is funded by the European Union&#8217;s Horizon 2020 Program for research and innovation under Grant Agreement No. 862756.

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Effects of No-Tillage and Conventional Tillage on Physical and Hydraulic Properties of Fine Textured Soils under Winter Wheat

Water ◽

10.3390/w11030484 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (3) ◽

pp. 484 ◽

Cited By ~ 13

Author(s):

Mirko Castellini ◽

Francesco Fornaro ◽

Pasquale Garofalo ◽

Luisa Giglio ◽

Michele Rinaldi ◽

...

Keyword(s):

Hydraulic Conductivity ◽

Soil Properties ◽

Hydraulic Properties ◽

Negative Impact ◽

Field Capacity ◽

Infiltration Rate ◽

Conventional Tillage ◽

No Tillage ◽

Long Term Effects

The conversion from conventional tillage (CT) to no-tillage (NT) of the soil is often suggested for positive long-term effects on several physical and hydraulic soil properties. In fact, although shortly after the conversion a worsening of the soil may occur, this transition should evolve in a progressive improvement of soil properties. Therefore, investigations aiming at evaluating the effects of NT on porous media are advisable, since such information may be relevant to better address the farmers’ choices to this specific soil conservation management strategy. In this investigation, innovative and standard methods were applied to compare CT and NT on two farms where the conversion took place 6 or 24 years ago, respectively. Regardless of the investigated farm, results showed negligible differences in cumulative infiltration or infiltration rate, soil sorptivity, saturated hydraulic conductivity, conductive pores size, or hydraulic conductivity functions. Since relatively small discrepancies were also highlighted in terms of bulk density or soil organic carbon, it was possible to conclude that NT did not have a negative impact on the main physical and hydraulic properties of investigated clay soils. However, a significantly higher number of small pores was detected under long-term NT compared to CT, so we concluded that the former soil was a more conductive pore system, i.e., consisting of numerous relatively smaller pores but continuous and better interconnected. Based on measured capacity-based indicators (macroporosity, air capacity, relative field capacity, plant available water capacity), NT always showed a more appropriate proportion of water and air in the soil.

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Irrigation suitability of North Bengal Sugar Mills effluent and its impact on soil properties

Journal of the Bangladesh Agricultural University ◽

10.3329/jbau.v9i2.11042 ◽

2012 ◽

Vol 9 (2) ◽

pp. 283-290 ◽

Cited By ~ 5

Author(s):

SS Tabriz ◽

MA Mojid ◽

GCL Wyseure

Keyword(s):

Soil Properties ◽

Hydraulic Properties ◽

Chemical Constituents ◽

Oxygen Demand ◽

Field Capacity ◽

Quality Parameters ◽

Sugar Mill ◽

Threshold Values ◽

Physico Chemical ◽

North Bengal

The suitability of effluent water (hereafter called wastewater) from North Bengal Sugar Mill (NBSM) for irrigation and its impact on soil properties were evaluated. The quality parameters of wastewater from three different locations of the drainage canal and one freshwater sample from a hand tubewell of the NBSM complex were determined. The major physico-chemical and hydraulic properties of the wastewater affected and unaffected soils from West Baiddanathpur village (hereafter referred to as site 1) and East Baiddanathpur village (hereafter referred to as site 2) were determined. The electrical conductivity (EC) and pH of the wastewater were 0.78?1.05 dS m?1 and 6.6?6.95, respectively. The wastewater was richer than the freshwater in terms of nitrogen (15.8?24.7 mg l?1) and phosphorous (5.2?6.0 mg l?1) contents. The iron (0.37?0.49 mg l?1), manganese (0.3?0.9 mg l?1) and boron (0.43?0.51 mg l?1) concentrations were higher in the wastewater than in the freshwater. The biological oxygen demand (BOD) and chemical oxygen demand (COD) of the wastewater was 183?309 mg l?1 and 196?685 mg l?1, respectively. All these chemical constituents decreased with the flow path of the wastewater. Temperature of the wastewater at the head end of the disposal canal was 39.5oC that decreased to the ambient temperature at the downstream. The BOD, COD and temperature of the wastewater exceeded the threshold values for irrigation and, therefore, this water would not be suitable for irrigation without treatment. The wastewater elevated the EC and reduced the pH of soil. It however improved soil fertility by improving the phosphorous, potassium, sulphur and organic matter contents. It also elevated the porosity and reduced the bulk density of soil. The soil-water content at field capacity and the saturated hydraulic conductivity increased due to the effect of wastewater. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.3329/jbau.v9i2.11042 J. Bangladesh Agril. Univ. 9(2): 283290, 2011

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Effects of the texture and organic matter values in the estimation of the soil water content at a regional scale

Cuadernos de Investigación Geográfica ◽

10.18172/cig.3484 ◽

2018 ◽

Vol 44 (2) ◽

pp. 697 ◽

Cited By ~ 1

Author(s):

P. Pérez-Cutillas ◽

G.G. Barberá ◽

C. Conesa-García

Keyword(s):

Organic Matter ◽

Water Content ◽

Soil Water ◽

Soil Water Content ◽

Hydraulic Properties ◽

Regional Scale ◽

Field Capacity ◽

Pedotransfer Functions ◽

Matric Potential ◽

Wilting Point

This study compares two methods for the estimation of hydraulic properties of the soil at the regional scale. Soil water content (θ) values was estimated at two fixed soil matric potential values), associated with the field capacity (θfc) and wilting point (θwp). The first method is carried out directly using (θ) values of analytical determinations, by modeling them as a function of environmental variables. The second method employed texture and organic matter (OM) information to obtain (θ) values by pedotransfer functions (PTFs). The comparison of both methods allows evaluating the effect of the textures and OM, of which a significant effect of these variables is produced, suggested that there is a considerable level of consistency between the two methods, despite some differences induced by coarse textures (sand) and OM.

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