Comparison of various techniques to estimate the extent and persistence of soil water repellency

Biologia ◽  
2017 ◽  
Vol 72 (9) ◽  
Author(s):  
L’ubomír Lichner ◽  
Marek Rodný ◽  
Bernd Marschner ◽  
Yona Chen ◽  
Itamar Nadav ◽  
...  

AbstractNew techniques to estimate the extent and persistence of soil water repellency (SWR) were compared with commonly used techniques in assessing the results taken in the long-term agricultural experimental orchards in northern Israel irrigated with either freshwater (FW), primary treated wastewater (WW) or (secondary or tertiary) treated wastewater (TWW), where SWR induced by irrigation was registered (Ha Ma’apil, Neve Etan, and Shafdan). The extent of SWR was assessed by the repellency index RI, combined repellency index RI

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Felix Abayomi Ogunmokun ◽  
Rony Wallach

<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>


2019 ◽  
Vol 99 (3) ◽  
pp. 334-344 ◽  
Author(s):  
J.J. Miller ◽  
M.L. Owen ◽  
B.H. Ellert ◽  
X.M. Yang ◽  
C.F. Drury ◽  
...  

Crop residues and N fertilizer under no-till may increase soil water repellency (SWR) and soil hydrophobicity, but few studies have examined these two treatment factors and their interaction. A laboratory study was conducted using a long-term (since 1999) field experiment on a clay loam soil to determine the effect of three crop residues and two N fertilizer levels on SWR and soil hydrophobicity under no-till within the Dark Brown soil zone of the semi-arid Canadian prairies. The three residue treatments were residues removed from soil (Rx0), residues returned to soil (Rx1), and residues supplemented to soil (Rx2). The two fertilizer N treatments were 0 (N0) and 45 kg N ha−1 (N1). Surface (0–10 cm) soil samples were taken in the spring of 2017 after 17 yr. Laboratory measurements were conducted on air-dried and sieved (<2 mm) soil to determine SWR using the repellency index method (RI), soil organic C, hydrophobic CH and hydrophilic CO functional groups, and soil hydrophobicity (CH/CO ratio). Mean RI values ranged from 2.19 to 2.75, indicating subcritical (RI > 1.95) SWR. Similar (P > 0.05) RI values were found for the three residue and two N fertilizer treatments, but the trend was for greater RI with increased residue addition (by 12%–26%) and N fertilizer (by 8%). Soil hydrophobicity was significantly greater by 47%–82% for straw returned or supplemented than straw removed treatments, and by 33% for fertilized than unfertilized treatments. Overall, greater residues and N fertilizer had no effect on SWR, but significantly increased soil hydrophobicity.


Geoderma ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 149 (1-2) ◽  
pp. 171-180 ◽  
Author(s):  
Humberto Blanco-Canqui ◽  
R. Lal

2020 ◽  
Vol 100 (3) ◽  
pp. 234-244
Author(s):  
J.J. Miller ◽  
M.L. Owen ◽  
X.M. Yang ◽  
C.F. Drury ◽  
W.D. Reynolds ◽  
...  

Long-term (58 yr) cropping and fertilization effects on soil water repellency were determined for a clay loam soil in southwestern Ontario, Canada by measuring soil organic carbon (SOC), soil water repellency index (RI), and soil hydrophobicity (SH). The 12 treatments (non-replicated) included fertilized and non-fertilized legume-based crop rotation (ROT) with four phases (corn–oat–alfalfa–alfalfa), continuous corn (CC), and continuous Kentucky bluegrass (KBG). We hypothesized that SOC, RI, and SH would be greater for each phase of the ROT versus CC, KBG versus CC and ROT, and fertilized versus non-fertilized treatments. Surface (0–10 cm) soil samples were collected in the spring of 2017. Laboratory measurements were conducted to determine SOC, RI (ratio of soil sorptivity to ethanol and water), and SH (ratio of hydrophobic CH– to hydrophilic CO– functional groups). Mean SOC and SH were greater (P ≤ 0.05) for each phase of the ROT versus CC (33% to 2.4 times), KBG versus CC (3.2–6 times) and each phase of ROT (2.2–2.8 times), and fertilized versus non-fertilized rotation oats and KBG (15%–30%). Mean RI was greater for KBG versus CC (4.8 times) and KBG versus each phase of the ROT (3.0–5.5 times) under fertilization only, greater for fertilized versus non-fertilized KBG (6.8 times), but similar for each phase of ROT versus CC. In general, legume-based rotations, perennial grass, and fertilizer enhanced SOC and SH, and to a lesser extent soil RI.


Author(s):  
Jim J. Miller ◽  
Mallory Owen ◽  
Ben Ellert ◽  
X.M. Yang ◽  
Craig F. Drury ◽  
...  

Crested wheatgrass (Agropyron cristatum (L.) Gaertn.) is a common introduced grass in the Canadian prairies, but concerns remain about its possible long-term effects on soil quality, and its influence on soil water repellency (SWR) has not been determined. The long-term (24 yr) effects of crested wheatgrass on soil water repellency (SWR) in comparison to seeded native grasses and annual cropping were determined for a clay loam soil in southern Alberta, Canada by measuring SOC concentration and SWR using soil hydrophobicity (SH) and soil water repellency index (RI) methods. The cropping treatments were crested wheat grass, seeded native grass mix, continuous wheat, and wheat-fallow rotation, each with fertilized (nitrogen) and non-fertilized sub-plots, replicated four times. Mean SOC concentration, SH, and RI in samples of surface soil were similar (P > 0.05) for crested wheatgrass and seeded native grass mix; and did not support our hypothesis (seeded native grass mix>crested wheatgrass). Mean SOC was significantly greater for seeded perennial grasses than annual crops by 1.7 to 2 times and SH by 2.1-2.5 times, which supported our hypothesis, but RI was similar among treatments. As expected, nitrogen fertilization significantly increased SOC concentrations, but the effects on SH and RI were undetectable. A strong positive correlation occurred between SOC concentration and SH (r=0.92), but not for RI (r=0.10). Our findings suggested that SWR was similar for crested wheatgrasses and seeded native grass mix. The SWR as measured using SH was greater for seeded perennial grasses than annual cropping, but was similar using RI.


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