Temporal trends in soil properties at a soil quality benchmark site in the Lower Fraser Valley, British Columbia

2002 ◽  
Vol 82 (4) ◽  
pp. 499-509 ◽  
Author(s):  
E A Kenney ◽  
J W Hall ◽  
C. Wang
Keyword(s):  
British Columbia ◽  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
C:N Ratio ◽  
Penetration Resistance ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Total N

A national soil quality monitoring program was established in 1990 to address concerns that the quality of Canada's agricultural soils was in decline. The British Columbia benchmark site (01-BC) was established in 1991 and is located on the Pelly soil series (Orthic Humic Gleysol) supporting a corn-forage-pasture rotation in the Lower Mainland ecoregion. The objectives of this study were to report on the differences in: (1) the measured soil properties for the 5-yr period between baseline data collection in 1991 and resampling in 1996 and (2) the properties measured annually as indicators of soil compaction. A 25-m (25-m grid was used at the site to locate sampling points for bulk density and collecting soil samples of the Ap, BCg, and Cg horizons, as well as the measurement locations for saturated hydraulic conductivity and penetration resistance. A 5-yr interval sampling regime was used to sample the Ap, BCg, and Cg horizons and bulk density. Saturated hydraulic conductivity and penetration resistance were sampled annually from 1992 to 1998. Between 1991 and 1996 in the A horizons, pH, available P, C:N ratio and bulk density increased by 4.6, 7.8, 2.5, and 8%, respectively, and available K, total C and total N decreased by 21, 16.5, and 18.3%, respectively. In the BCg horizon, pH, available P and C:N ratio increased by 5, 126, and 8%, respectively, and the available K and total N both decreased by 21%. Bulk density remained unchanged. The assumption that the soil chemical properties in the Cg horizon would remain stable during the study period did not hold. The trends detected for the Cg horizon were similar to those measured for the upper two horizons. However, only the reductions in available K and total N and increases in C:N were significant. The changes in the soil physical properties measured at this site indicate that some soil compaction has occurred. Both bulk density at 20 cm and penetration resistance increased at all depths between 1994 and 1998, which coincided with the time period that grazing was included in the crop rotation. Field saturated hydraulic conductivity at 25 cm (Ap2 horizon), although highly variable from year to year also tended to be lower during the pasture rotation. The penetration resistance measurements, which detected changes at all depths, appeared to be a more sensitive indicator of soil compaction than either bulk density or field saturated hydraulic conductivity. Key words: Soil quality, soil monitoring, soil properties, soil compaction, temporal change

The long-term effects of silvicultural thinning and partial cutting on soil compaction in red pine (Pinus resinosa Ait.) and northern hardwood stands in the northern Great Lakes Region of the United States

2008 ◽  
Vol 88 (5) ◽  
pp. 849-857 ◽  
Author(s):  
R A Tarpey ◽  
M F Jurgensen ◽  
B J Palik ◽  
R K Kolka
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Basal Area ◽  
Penetration Resistance ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Red Pine ◽  
North Central ◽  
Soil Penetration Resistance

Periodic silvicultural thinnings (23.0, 27.6, 32.1 m2 ha-1 residual basal area) in a red pine stand growing on a sandy soil in north-central Minnesota over a 57-yr period increased soil compaction as the intensity of the thinning treatment increased. Of the three different methods used to measure soil compaction (bulk density, penetration resistance, and saturated hydraulic conductivity), saturated hydraulic conductivity was the most sensitive, decreasing by 60% in the 23.0 m2 ha-1 basal area thinning treatment, as compared with the uncut control. Soil bulk density measurements were more variable, but generally increased with increased thinning intensity. Few differences in soil penetration resistance were found among the three thinning treatments. In contrast, no evidence of soil compaction was detected in a northern hardwoods stand growing on a rocky loam soil in north-central Wisconsin that had three thinning treatments (13.8, 17.2, 20.6 m2 ha-1 residual basal area), a two- stage shelterwood harvest, and a 20-cm-diameter limit cut over a 50-yr period. With the increased demand for forest products, fuel reduction operations in high fire-risk stands, and biomass removal for energy production, more information is needed on the impact of multiple stand entries on soil compaction, and if compaction occurs, whether it will affect long-term soil productivity. Key words: Soil physical properties, bulk density, soil penetration resistance, hydraulic conductivity

scholarly journals Spatial and temporal trends in soil properties at a soil quality benchmark site in central Nova Scotia

2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (4) ◽  
pp. 567-575 ◽  
Author(s):  
K. T. Webb ◽  
C. Wang ◽  
T. Astatkie ◽  
D. R. Langille
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Slope Position ◽  
Quality Change ◽  
Total N ◽  
Organic C ◽  
Soil Map ◽  
Soil Map Unit

In response to concerns over the widespread soil degradation occurring on Canada's agricultural lands, Agriculture and Agri-Food Canada established a network of benchmark sites to assess soil quality change by monitoring agronomically important soil properties. The Nova Scotia site was established in 1989 on Queens (Gleyed Brunisolic Gray Luvisols) and Debert (Gleyed Dystric Brunisols) soil series under a corn–forage rotation within the Annapolis–Minas Lowlands ecoregion. The objectives of the project were to quantify temporal changes in agronomically important soil properties and determine how the property values vary with the landscape and components of the soil map unit. A 20 × 25 m grid was used in 1990 and again in 1995 to sample soil from the Ap horizon and to locate saturated hydraulic conductivity and penetration resistance measurements. The samples were analyzed for pH, organic C, total N, and available P and K. The results indicate that over 5 yr, organic C, C:N ratio, available P, and saturated hydraulic conductivity declined by 7.9, 4.7, 12.5, and 53%, respectively. Significant differences in pH, organic C, total N, available K, penetration resistance and saturated hydraulic conductivity were associated with selected components of the soil map unit. Slope position had a minimal effect on soil properties except for available K where the highest levels were located on middle slope positions. Interactions between particle size and slope position were found, with soils with coarse-loamy sola on upper slope positions having the lowest pH. The results of this study also demonstrated the utility of the method for monitoring soil quality change and the importance of the soil map unit in interpreting the spatial and temporal differences in soil properties. Key words: Soil variability, soil monitoring, soil properties, soil map unit, spatial correlation

Evaluation of some selected soil properties of a drip irrigated tomato field at different moisture regimes in South-Western Nigeria

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
E.O. Ogundipe
Keyword(s):  
Organic Matter ◽  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
Organic Matter Content ◽  
Infiltration Rate ◽  
Matter Content ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Tomato Field

Soil properties are important to the development of agricultural crops. This study determined some selected soil properties of a drip irrigated tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum M.) field at different moisture regime in South-Western Nigeria. The experiment was carried out using Randomized Complete Block Design with frequency and depth of irrigation application as the main plot and sub-plot, respectively in three replicates. Three frequencies (7, 5 and 3 days) and three depths equivalent to 100, 75 and 50% of water requirement were used. Undisturbed and disturbed soil samples were collected from 0-5, 5-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm soil layers for the determination of some soil properties (soil texture, organic matter content, bulk density, infiltration rate and saturated hydraulic conductivity) were determined using standard formulae. Soil Water Content (SWC) monitoring was conducted every two days using a gravimetric technique. The soil texture was sandy loam for all the soil depths; average value of soil organic matter was highest (1.8%) in the 0-5 cm surface layer and decreased with soil depth; the soil bulk density value before and after irrigation experiment ranged from 1.48 and 1.73 g/cm3 and 1.5 and 1.76 g/cm3, respectively; there was a rapid reduction in the initial infiltration and final infiltration rate. Saturated hydraulic conductivity show similar trend although the 20-30 cm layer had the lowest value (50.84 mm/h); the SWC affect bulk density during the growing season. The study showed that soil properties especially bulk density and organic matter content affect irrigation water movement at different depth..

scholarly journals SoilKsatDB: global database of soil saturated hydraulic conductivity measurements for geoscience applications

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (4) ◽  
pp. 1593-1612
Author(s):  
Surya Gupta ◽  
Tomislav Hengl ◽  
Peter Lehmann ◽  
Sara Bonetti ◽  
Dani Or
Keyword(s):  
Machine Learning ◽  
Random Forest ◽  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Learning Algorithm ◽  
Field Measurements ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Pedotransfer Functions ◽  
Global Database

Abstract. The saturated soil hydraulic conductivity (Ksat) is a key parameter in many hydrological and climate models. Ksat values are primarily determined from basic soil properties and may vary over several orders of magnitude. Despite the availability of Ksat datasets in the literature, significant efforts are required to combine the data before they can be used for specific applications. In this work, a total of 13 258 Ksat measurements from 1908 sites were assembled from the published literature and other sources, standardized (i.e., units made identical), and quality checked in order to obtain a global database of soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (SoilKsatDB). The SoilKsatDB covers most regions across the globe, with the highest number of Ksat measurements from North America, followed by Europe, Asia, South America, Africa, and Australia. In addition to Ksat, other soil variables such as soil texture (11 584 measurements), bulk density (11 262 measurements), soil organic carbon (9787 measurements), moisture content at field capacity (7382), and wilting point (7411) are also included in the dataset. To show an application of SoilKsatDB, we derived Ksat pedotransfer functions (PTFs) for temperate regions and laboratory-based soil properties (sand and clay content, bulk density). Accurate models can be fitted using a random forest machine learning algorithm (best concordance correlation coefficient (CCC) equal to 0.74 and 0.72 for temperate area and laboratory measurements, respectively). However, when these Ksat PTFs are applied to soil samples obtained from tropical climates and field measurements, respectively, the model performance is significantly lower (CCC = 0.49 for tropical and CCC = 0.10 for field measurements). These results indicate that there are significant differences between Ksat data collected in temperate and tropical regions and Ksat measured in the laboratory or field. The SoilKsatDB dataset is available at https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.3752721 (Gupta et al., 2020) and the code used to extract the data from the literature and the applied random forest machine learning approach are publicly available under an open data license.

Effects of tractor traffic on soil compaction, water infiltration and soil erosion in tilled and grassed vineyards

2020 ◽  
Author(s):  
Marcella Biddoccu ◽  
Giorgio Capello ◽  
Eugenio Cavallo
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Erosion ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Penetration Resistance ◽  
Water Infiltration ◽  
Grass Cover ◽  
Soil Penetration Resistance ◽  
Tillage Operation

<p>Soil erosion is affected by rainfall temporal pattern and intensity variability. In vineyards, machines traffic is implemented with particular intensity from late spring to harvest, and it is responsible of soil compaction, that likely affects soil hydraulic properties, runoff, and soil erosion. Additionally, hydraulic and physical properties of soil are highly influenced by vineyards’ inter-rows soil management. The effect of machines traffic on soil compaction, hydrological and erosional processes has been investigated on a sloping vineyards with different inter-row soil managements (tillage and permanent grass cover) in the Alto Monferrato area (Piedmont, NW Italy). During the investigation (November 2016 – October 2018) soil water content, rainfall, runoff, and soil erosion were continuously monitored. Field-saturated hydraulic conductivity (Kfs), soil penetration resistance (PR) and bulk density (BD) were recorded periodically in portions of inter-rows affected and not by the machine traffic. In order to take into account temporal and management variability of soil compaction and hydrological properties, field-monitored data were statistically analysed, in order to identify existing relationships between climate and management variables and soil physical and hydrological variables. Very different yearly precipitation characterized the observed period, leading to higher bulk density and lower infiltration rates were in the wetter year, especially in the tilled vineyard, whereas soil penetration resistance was generally higher in the grassed plot, and in drier conditions. Soil bulk density and penetration resistance in tracked soil of the tilled plot increase, compared to the grassed plot, after only one to three tractor passages following tillage operation, especially in the topsoil (first 10 cm). Soil compaction affects water infiltration, especially in the wet year. In the tilled vineyard, one tractor passage on wet soil after tillage operation dramatically reduced Kfs from over 1000 to near 1 mm h<sup>-</sup><sup>1</sup>, while with grass cover Kfs remained above the usual rain-intensity values, allowing water to infiltrate the soil. By means of linear and multilinear regression, significant relationships have been found to relate hydraulic conductivity and soil penetration resistance with soil water content, weather variables and a factor that takes into account the number of tractor passages and the elapsed time from last soil disturbance. Lastly, runoff and soil erosion were higher in the tilled plot, even if lower than the long-period average values. Indeed, in the wet year, management with grass cover reduced considerably runoff (-76%) and soil loss (-83%) compared to tillage and, in the dry season.</p>

A comparison of rubber-tyred and steel-tracked skidders on forest soil physical properties

Soil Research ◽  
2003 ◽  
Vol 41 (6) ◽  
pp. 1063 ◽  
Author(s):  
G. J. Sheridan
Keyword(s):  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Forest Soil ◽  
Penetration Resistance ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Rainfall Simulation ◽  
Silty Clay ◽  
Log Skidding ◽  
Experimental Treatments

Compaction of a silty clay loam forest soil was compared for 2 types of log-skidding equipment, a rubber-tyred skidder and a flexible-steel-tracked skidder. Experiments involved the loaded skidders traversing marked laneways at zero, 2, 4, and 10 passes. Compaction was quantified in terms of 3 parameters: (1) bulk density to 25 cm depth measured gravimetrically, (2) penetration resistance using a field penetrometer, and (3) saturated hydraulic conductivity using a field rainfall simulator. Results showed no substantial difference in soil bulk density between the experimental treatments, regardless of skidder type or number passes. Penetration resistance of the traversed laneways was significantly higher than the surrounding undisturbed areas; however, there was no difference between skidder type. Rainfall simulation showed that the saturated hydraulic conductivity of all treatments was strongly reduced by trafficking, although this did not differ with skidder type. The results from this study highlight the dangers in assuming that reduced machine static ground pressures will automatically lead to reduced soil impacts. It is important to note that while this study did not find differences between the 2 skidder types when operated in a similar manner, differences in the operation of the two skidders may also influence impacts on soil properties.

scholarly journals Morphology, Growth and Architecture Response of Beech (Fagus orientalis Lipsky) and Maple Tree (Acer velutinum Boiss.) Seedlings to Soil Compaction Stress Caused by Mechanized Logging Operations

Forests ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (9) ◽  
pp. 771 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rodolfo Picchio ◽  
Farzam Tavankar ◽  
Mehrdad Nikooy ◽  
Giuseppe Pignatti ◽  
Rachele Venanzi ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Soil Properties ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Root Length ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Natural Regeneration ◽  
Total Porosity ◽  
Penetration Resistance ◽  
Stem Length ◽  
Main Root ◽  
The Impact

The Caspian forests of Iran were monitored and evaluated for forest natural regeneration after logging activities for more than a decade. This large area has a substantial ecological, environmental and socio-economic importance. Ground based skidding is the most common logging method in these forests and soil compaction is the most critical consequence of this method. One of the current main topics and important emerging issue in forest research of the last decade are discussed in this study. Soil compaction has major influences on growth and/or mortality rates of forest seedlings. This study has lasted for over ten years so as to have a clear overview related to forest natural regeneration after logging activities. We monitored and evaluated physical soil properties (bulk density, penetration resistance and total porosity) and their effects on maple and beech seedlings on 10-year-old skid trails in the Iranian Caspian forests. Results obtained from evaluating the impact of skid trails within the aforementioned three soil physical parameters were significant; bulk density increased by 12.6% on log skidded routes (between two skidder tires on skid trail) and 36.1% on tire tracks, compared to non-skid trails (1.19 g/cm3), penetration resistance increased by 68% on log skidded routes and 220% on tire tracks, compared to non-skid trails (0.25 MPa), total porosity decreased by 12.8% on log skidded routes and 30.9% on tire tracks, compared to non-skid trails (54%). Among the morphological parameters, lateral root length (LRL) and root penetration depth (RPD) showed the highest decrease at soil compaction compared to the control (decrease in LRL: 60% in maple and 44% in beech; decrease in RPD: 56% in both maple and beech); the main response of growth parameters to soil compaction was found in roots (decrease in dry mass of 36% both in maple and beech); architectural parameters were also influenced by soil compaction, and the response of both seedling species was more evident in the ratio of main root to stem length (RRS) (reduction in RRS 42% in maple, 33% in beech); the ratio of RPD to main root length (RPL) also showed a great reduction (reduction in RPL 20% in maple 33% in beech). Physical soil properties, changes in other environmental properties of skid trails, created differences in beech and maple seedling growth between the skid trails and non-skid trails. This was closely related to the physiological characteristics of the two species studied. Beech seedlings reacted well to a moderate uncovering but they needed little disturbed soil, even if there was a very mixed bedding. Maple seedlings reacted better than beech seedlings to the uncovering and soil disturbance. The effects of the skid trail on morphology, growth and architecture of maple seedlings in the Hyrcanian beech forests showed that the maple, as a seedling, is a suitable species for maintaining the physical properties of skid trails after logging operations in the beech stands in the Caspian forests of Iran.

Soil quality and plant yield under dryland and irrigated winter forage crops grazed by sheep or cattle

Soil Research ◽  
2009 ◽  
Vol 47 (5) ◽  
pp. 470 ◽  
Author(s):  
D. J. Houlbrooke ◽  
R. J. Paton ◽  
J. D. Morton ◽  
R. P. Littlejohn
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Quality ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Irrigation Management ◽  
Cattle Grazing ◽  
Climatic Conditions ◽  
Forage Crops ◽  
Total N ◽  
Stock Type

In New Zealand, the winter grazing of standing forage crops combines high animal stocking densities with soil water and climatic conditions conducive to soil compaction and pugging deformation. The extent of soil damage under winter forage cropping practices and impact of management factors such as stock type and irrigation on soil quality is relatively unknown. A research trial was established, on a Pallic soil type (Aeric Fragiaquept) in the North Otago Rolling Downlands of New Zealand, to compare cattle v. sheep and dryland v. irrigation management. Kale, Swedes, and triticale were direct-drilled in 3 consecutive years and soil physical (macroporosity, bulk density, structural condition score), chemical (total C, total N, C : N ratio), and biological (mineralisable N, mineralisable C, and earth worm mass and numbers) properties were assessed annually post grazing in midwinter. Increased soil compaction was evident following grazing of winter forage crops, with lower macroporosity (P < 0.01) measured at 0–50 mm under cattle grazing compared with sheep grazing for 2 of 3 years and greater bulk density (P < 0.05) measured under cattle grazing for all years. However, there was no affect of stock type on crop yield for all 3 forage crops as a result of the measured differences in soil compaction. There were few differences between treatments or through time in soil chemical or biological properties following 3 years of continuous winter forage cropping as pools of C and N are slow to change under a no-tillage cropping regime and not necessarily measurable over a relatively short time frame.

scholarly journals Effects of machinery trafficking in an agricultural soil assessed by Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT)

2018 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 378-385 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aitor García-Tomillo ◽  
Tomás de Figueiredo ◽  
Jorge Dafonte Dafonte ◽  
Arlindo Almeida ◽  
Antonio Paz-González
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Soil Compaction ◽  
Electrical Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Soil Bulk Density ◽  
Saturated Hydraulic Conductivity ◽  
Soil Horizon ◽  
Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Before And After

Abstract Soil compaction is a serious problem, which is aggravated due to its difficulty to locate and reverse. Electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) is a non-invasive geophysical method that can be used to identify compacted areas, soil horizon thickness and assess soil physical properties. This study assesses the relationship between ERT and soil compaction. Data were collected on a 4-m transect in a fallow plot located at Braganca (Portugal). Measurements were performed before and after tillage and tractor passage. Soil samples at different depths (0-0.05, 0.05-0.1 and 0.1-0.2 m depth) were taken to determine: soil bulk density, porosity, saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil water content. The effect of tillage and tractor passage was more significant on the first 0.05 m depth. In the wheel track areas, ERT suffered a reduction of about 40%, saturated hydraulic conductivity decreased by 70% and bulk density increased by 24%. These results proved that ERT can be a useful tool for assessing soil compaction.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document