Effect of soil moisture levels on nitrification

1968 ◽  
Vol 14 (12) ◽  
pp. 1348-1350 ◽  
Author(s):  
H. D. Dubey

Nitrification of 100 p.p.m. added NH4-N was studied in two soils of Georgia. Moisture levels tried were equivalent to those equilibrated at soil tension of 15, 8, 4, 2, 0.3, 0.0 bars on the release curve and a flooded condition. Moisture was applied as crushed ice in a cold room at −5 °C. Samples were incubated at 25 °C with a constant stream of humidified air passing over them. Nitrification rate in Cecil sandy loam increased as the soil moisture content increased from 15 to 2 bars and decreased thereafter. Marked nitrification occurred even under flooded conditions. Unaccounted-for nitrogen amounted to 30% under flooded condition. Nitrification in Norfolk loamy sand was exceptionally high, nitrification being 73% complete within 2 weeks at 15 bars. There was practically no difference in nitrification at 15 to 0.3 bar. Unaccounted-for nitrogen amounted to over 60% in flooded soils.

2015 ◽  
Vol 29 (2) ◽  
pp. 165-173 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abdulvahed Khaledi Darvishan ◽  
Kazimierz Banasik ◽  
Seyed Hamidreza Sadeghi ◽  
Leila Gholami ◽  
Leszek Hejduk

Abstract Although the possibility of measuring and analysing all parts of the rainfall, infiltration, runoff, and erosion process as a natural hydrologic cycle in field conditions is still one of the more unattainable goals in the hydrological sciences, it can be accomplished in laboratory conditions as a way to understand the whole process. The initial moisture content is one of the most effective factors on soil infiltration, runoff, and erosion responses. The present research was conducted on a 2 m2 laboratory plot at a slope of 9% on a typical sandy-loam soil. The effects of the initial soil moisture content on the infiltration, runoff, and erosion processes were studied at four levels of initial soil moisture content (12, 25, 33, and 40 volumetric percentage) and two rainfall intensities (60 and 120 mm h-1). The results showed a significant (p ≤ 0.05) correlation between rainfall intensity and downstream splash, with r = 0.87. The results reflected the theory of hydrological responses, showing significant (p ≤ 0.05) correlations with r =-0.93, 0.98, -0.83, 0.88, and 0.73 between the initial soil moisture content and the time-to-runoff, runoff coefficient, drainage as a part of the infiltrated water, downstream splash, and total outflow sediment, respectively.


1982 ◽  
Vol 62 (2) ◽  
pp. 407-413 ◽  
Author(s):  
T. G. SOMMERFELDT ◽  
C. CHANG ◽  
J. M. CAREFOOT

A column study was conducted to determine the effects of soil texture, initial soil moisture content and timing of leaching on N removal from two irrigated soils of southern Alberta. Pelleted NH4NO3 fertilizer (0.639 g N per column = 336 kg∙ha−1) was applied to Lethbridge loam (Leth L) and Cavendish fine sandy loam (CV FSL) at three initial levels of soil moisture: air dry (AD), 0.5 field capacity (0.5 FC), and wet (W, 25 cm suction). Leaching began immediately after the fertilizer application or was delayed 1 wk. Water was applied in 1400-mL (7.6 cm depth) increments every 2nd day for a total of 33 600 mL (175 cm depth). The leachate was collected, measured, and analyzed for NH4-N and NO3-N. The soil was analyzed for N content before and after leaching. More N was leached from CV FSL (0.600 g) than from Leth L (0.521 g). Responses to initial soil moisture were similar for both soils; the NO3-N concentration peak followed the advancing wetting front more closely in the AD than in the W systems and leaching losses were greatest from the 0.5 FC treatment. Delayed leaching did not significantly affect the amount of N leached. N losses, other than from leaching, were greatest in the W and AD treatments, in the AD treatment these losses were attributed to volatilization and, in the W soils, to denitrification.


1978 ◽  
Vol 58 (2) ◽  
pp. 347-356
Author(s):  
W. N. BLACK

Irrigation and nitrogen (N) requirements of a natural pasture sward were studied on a Charlottetown sandy loam soil over a 5-yr period. The soil moisture content at the 0-to 15- and 15- to 30-cm depths was determined at from 7- to 10-day intervals, while irrometer soil moisture readings at 15-, 30-, and 45-cm depths were recorded more frequently during the grazing seasons. Soil moisture content in irrigated plots averaged 92 and 94% of field capacity, respectively, at 0- to 15- and 15- to 30-cm sampling depths. In non-irrigated plots, corresponding values were 77 and 82%. N treatments resulted in significant dry matter (DM) increases over untreated plots. Yield differences among plots receiving 56, 84, and 112 kg of N/ha in mid-June and again in mid-August were not significant. Early spring and September applications of N at 56 kg/ha, combined with mid-June and early August supplements of N at 84 kg/ha were superior to all other treatments in prolonging the grazing period. Neither irrigation nor N affected the characteristic yield decline of naturally occurring forage species in mid- and late-season. Mean DM production for the 5-yr period, and for years, showed no significant N treatment × moisture level interaction. While irrigation failed to increase yields significantly, livestock preferred to graze the irrigated plots. As a result of less competition from grasses, volunteer white clover became better established, and constituted a larger percentage of the sward than on non-irrigated plots.


GEOMATICA ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 73 (3) ◽  
pp. 63-73 ◽  
Author(s):  
Mohammad Reza Mobasheri ◽  
Meisam Amani ◽  
Mahin Beikpour ◽  
Sahel Mahdavi

Soil moisture content (SMC) is a crucial component in various environmental studies. Although many models have been proposed for SMC estimation, developing new models for accurate estimation of SMC is still an interesting subject. This study aimed to develop new models for SMC estimation using the water absorption bands in the spectral signatures of three different soil types: loam, silty loam, and sandy loam. Based on the three absorption bands (i.e., 1400, 1900, and 2200 nm) and regression analyses, six approaches were considered. These scenarios were generally based on the reflectance value and its logarithm, as well as the difference between the wet and dry reflectance values for the absorption bands. Finally, 24 models were developed for SMC estimation from the three different soil types, as well as the entire soil samples. The most accurate SMC, as indicated by the lowest root mean squared error (RMSE) and the highest correlation coefficient (r), was obtained from the model developed using the logarithm of the average values reflectance in the three water absorption bands for sandy loam (RMSE = 0.31 g/kg, r = 0.99). Overall, using the spectrometry data derived in the lab, the results of the proposed models were promising and demonstrate great potential for SMC estimation using spectral data collected by satellites in the future studies.


1975 ◽  
Vol 53 (8) ◽  
pp. 756-763 ◽  
Author(s):  
Wm. Harold Minshall

In detopped plants, stump exudation resulting from root pressure provides a measure of the quantity of solutes and of water being transferred to the xylem. In dry soil the transfer of water to the xylem stops when the force required to remove the water from the soil is equal to the osmotic pull of the solutes in the xylem. In a sandy loam soil mixture, detopped tomato plants (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill.) treated with urea maintained stump exudation to a soil moisture content as low as 12.1% while water-control plants ceased exudation at 15.0% soil moisture. By maintaining the transfer of solutes to the xylem, the application of urea enhanced the ability of the detopped root system to remove water from the dry soil.By watering plants to pot capacity at different times before and after detopping, a series of soil moisture levels were obtained with detopped roots of tomato. In this clay loam soil mixture stump exudation started at 10% soil moisture (about −3.0 bars potential). With increasing moisture the rate of exudation increased rapidly to reach a maximum exceeding 5 ml per hour at soil moisture contents between 20 and 25% (about −0.05 bars potential). The rate then decreased gradually to 2.5 ml per hour as the soil moisture content increased from 25 to 45%. Starting at 10% soil moisture and continuing up to 25%, solute uptake increased proportionately with increasing moisture content, and at these dry and medium soil moisture levels, the supply of water to the root determined the quantity of solutes being translocated to the stump. The depletion of oxygen and accumulation of carbon dioxide in soils containing more than 25% moisture reduced the translocation of solutes in the plants.


2014 ◽  
Vol 955-959 ◽  
pp. 3607-3610
Author(s):  
Li Zhu Hou ◽  
Jochen Wenninger ◽  
Xu Jie Li

Characteristic curves of soil moisture, between water content and matrix suction, are the basis for solving the problems of water flow and solute movement in soils. The soil–water characteristics of five layers of depths, 0–12 cm, 12–24 cm, 24–36 cm, 36–48 cm, and 48–60 cm, were measured for a sandy loam soil from Daxing District of Beijing in the northern part of the North China Plain by a pressure membrane apparatus. Curves were fitted using the Van Genuchten model. The fit between measured data and modeled results was excellent. The soil-water characteristic curves showed the typical Sshape of the Van Genuchten model. Matrix suction decreased with an increase in soil moisture; at low suctions, soil moisture content changed to a greater extent with suction, but at high suction, changes in soil moisture content with changes in suction were small. Clay content was proportional to soil water storage capacity and was inversely related to the speed of dehydration.


Weed Science ◽  
1976 ◽  
Vol 24 (1) ◽  
pp. 134-136 ◽  
Author(s):  
Stephen D. Miller ◽  
John D. Nalewaja

Wild oat (Avena fatuaL.) seedlings were exposed to vapors arising from soil treated with triallate [S-(2,3,3-trichloroallyl)diisopropylthiocarbamate]. Vapor from the liquid triallate formulation inhibited seedling growth more than vapor from the granular formulation, and the degree of inhibition was least in Fargo clay, intermediate in Hecla sandy loam and greatest in washed sand. Growth inhibition from vapors of soil-applied liquid or granular triallate increased as soil moisture content and soil temperature increased. The site of effective vapor action on wild oat seedlings was below the soil surface.


2011 ◽  
Vol 28 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-91 ◽  
Author(s):  
Run-chun LI ◽  
Xiu-zhi ZHANG ◽  
Li-hua WANG ◽  
Xin-yan LV ◽  
Yuan GAO

2001 ◽  
Vol 66 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Aslanidou ◽  
P. Smiris

This  study deals with the soil moisture distribution and its effect on the  potential growth and    adaptation of the over-story species in north-east Chalkidiki. These  species are: Quercus    dalechampii Ten, Quercus  conferta Kit, Quercus  pubescens Willd, Castanea  sativa Mill, Fagus    moesiaca Maly-Domin and also Taxus baccata L. in mixed stands  with Fagus moesiaca.    Samples of soil, 1-2 kg per 20cm depth, were taken and the moisture content  of each sample    was measured in order to determine soil moisture distribution and its  contribution to the growth    of the forest species. The most important results are: i) available water  is influenced by the soil    depth. During the summer, at a soil depth of 10 cm a significant  restriction was observed. ii) the    large duration of the dry period in the deep soil layers has less adverse  effect on stands growth than in the case of the soil surface layers, due to the fact that the root system mainly spreads out    at a soil depth of 40 cm iii) in the beginning of the growing season, the  soil moisture content is    greater than 30 % at a soil depth of 60 cm, in beech and mixed beech-yew  stands, is 10-15 % in    the Q. pubescens  stands and it's more than 30 % at a soil depth of 60 cm in Q. dalechampii    stands.


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