scholarly journals Small-scale characterization of vine plant root water uptake via 3-D electrical resistivity tomography and mise-à-la-masse method

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (10) ◽  
pp. 5427-5444 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Mary ◽  
Luca Peruzzo ◽  
Jacopo Boaga ◽  
Myriam Schmutz ◽  
Yuxin Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Root System ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Electrical Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Plant Root ◽  
Root Water Uptake ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Noninvasive Methods ◽  
Resistivity Tomography

Abstract. The investigation of plant roots is inherently difficult and often neglected. Being out of sight, roots are often out of mind. Nevertheless, roots play a key role in the exchange of mass and energy between soil and the atmosphere, in addition to the many practical applications in agriculture. In this paper, we propose a method for roots imaging based on the joint use of two electrical noninvasive methods: electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) and mise-à-la-masse (MALM). The approach is based on the key assumption that the plant root system acts as an electrically conductive body, so that injecting electrical current into the plant stem will ultimately result in the injection of current into the subsoil through the root system, and particularly through the root terminations via hair roots. Evidence from field data, showing that voltage distribution is very different whether current is injected into the tree stem or in the ground, strongly supports this hypothesis. The proposed procedure involves a stepwise inversion of both ERT and MALM data that ultimately leads to the identification of electrical resistivity (ER) distribution and of the current injection root distribution in the three-dimensional soil space. This, in turn, is a proxy to the active (hair) root density in the ground. We tested the proposed procedure on synthetic data and, more importantly, on field data collected in a vineyard, where the estimated depth of the root zone proved to be in agreement with literature on similar crops. The proposed noninvasive approach is a step forward towards a better quantification of root structure and functioning.

scholarly journals Small scale characterization of vine plant root water uptake via 3D electrical resistivity tomography and Mise-à-la-Masse method

2018 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Mary ◽  
Luca Peruzzo ◽  
Jacopo Boaga ◽  
Myriam Schmutz ◽  
Yuxin Wu ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Root System ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Electrical Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Root Zone ◽  
Plant Root ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Invasive Approach ◽  
Non Invasive

Abstract. The investigation of plant roots is inherently difficult and often neglected. Being out of sight, roots are often out of mind. Still, roots play a key role in the exchange of mass and energy between soil and the atmosphere, let alone the many practical applications in agriculture. In this paper, we propose a method for roots imaging based on the joint use of two electrical non-invasive methods, Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Mise-a-la-Masse (MALM). The approach is based on the key assumption that the plant root system acts as an electrically conductive body, so that injecting electrical current in the plant stem will ultimately result in the injection of current in the subsoil through the root system, and particularly through the root terminations via hair roots. Evidence from field data, showing that voltage distribution is very different whether current is injected in the tree stem or in the ground, strongly supports this hypothesis. The proposed procedure involves a stepwise inversion of both ERT and MALM data that ultimately leads to the identification of electrical resistivity distribution, and of the current-injection root distribution in the three-dimensional soil space. This, in turn, is a proxy to the active (hair) root density in the ground. We tested the proposed procedure on synthetic data and, more importantly, on field data collected in vineyard, where the estimated depth of the root zone proved to be in agreement with literature on similar crops. The proposed non-invasive approach is a step forward towards a better quantification of roots structure and functioning.

scholarly journals Application of Electrical Resistivity Tomography for Detecting Root Biomass in Coffee Trees

2013 ◽  
Vol 2013 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Author(s):  
Carlos Mauricio Paglis
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Root Biomass ◽  
Electrical Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Mass Density ◽  
Plant Root ◽  
Soil Layer ◽  
Soil Resistivity ◽  
Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Coffee Plantations ◽  
Dipole Configuration

Roots play an important role in plants and are responsible for several functions; among them are anchorage and nutrient and water absorption. Several methodologies are being tested and used to study plant root systems in order to avoid destructive root sampling. Electrical resistivity tomography is among these methodologies. The aim of this preliminary study was to use electrical resistivity for detecting root biomass in coffee trees. Measurements were performed in a soil transect with an ABM AL 48-b resistivimeter with a pole-dipole configuration. The tomograms indicated variability in soil resistivity values ranging from 120 to 1400 Ω·m−1. At the first 0.30 cm soil layer, these values were between 267 and 952 Ω·m−1. Oriented by this result, root samples were taken at 0.10, 0.20, and 0.30 m depths within 0.50 m intervals along the soil transect to compare soil resistivity with root mass density (RMD). RMD data, up to this depth, varied from 0.000019 to 0.009469 Mg·m−3, showing high spatial variability and significant relationship to the observed values of soil resistivity. These preliminary results showed that the electrical resistivity tomography can contribute to root biomass studies in coffee plants; however, more experiments are necessary to confirm the found results in Brazil coffee plantations.

scholarly journals Quasi-3-D resistivity imaging – mapping of heterogeneous frozen ground conditions using electrical resistivity tomography

2009 ◽  
Vol 3 (3) ◽  
pp. 895-918 ◽  
Author(s):  
C. Kneisel ◽  
A. Bast ◽  
D. Schwindt
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Electrical Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Swiss Alps ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Frozen Ground ◽  
Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Near Surface ◽  
Glacier Forefield ◽  
Mountain Permafrost ◽  
Ground Conditions

Abstract. Up to now an efficient 3-D geophysical mapping of the subsurface in mountainous environments with rough terrain has not been possible. A merging approach of several closely spaced 2-D electrical resistivity tomography (ERT) surveys to build up a quasi-3-D model of the electrical resistivity is presented herein as a practical compromise for inferring subsurface characteristics and lithology. The ERT measurements were realised in a small glacier forefield in the Swiss Alps with complex terrain exhibiting a small scale spatial variability of surface substrate. To build up the grid for the quasi-3-D measurements the ERT surveys were arranged as parallel profiles and perpendicular tie lines. The measured 2-D datasets were collated into one quasi-3-D file. A forward modelling approach – based on studies at a permafrost site below timberline – was used to optimize the geophysical survey design for the mapping of the mountain permafrost distribution in the investigated glacier forefield. Quasi-3-D geoelectrical imaging is a useful method for mapping of heterogeneous frozen ground conditions and can be considered as a further milestone in the application of near surface geophysics in mountain permafrost environments.

scholarly journals Resolution capacity of geophysical monitoring regarding permafrost degradation induced by hydrological processes

2017 ◽  
Vol 11 (6) ◽  
pp. 2957-2974 ◽  
Author(s):  
Benjamin Mewes ◽  
Christin Hilbich ◽  
Reynald Delaloye ◽  
Christian Hauck
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Resistivity ◽  
Seismic Tomography ◽  
Field Data ◽  
Electrical Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Geophysical Methods ◽  
Phase Model ◽  
Permafrost Degradation ◽  
Resistivity Tomography ◽  
Refraction Seismic ◽  
Ice Content

Abstract. Geophysical methods are often used to characterize and monitor the subsurface composition of permafrost. The resolution capacity of standard methods, i.e. electrical resistivity tomography and refraction seismic tomography, depends not only on static parameters such as measurement geometry, but also on the temporal variability in the contrast of the geophysical target variables (electrical resistivity and P-wave velocity). Our study analyses the resolution capacity of electrical resistivity tomography and refraction seismic tomography for typical processes in the context of permafrost degradation using synthetic and field data sets of mountain permafrost terrain. In addition, we tested the resolution capacity of a petrophysically based quantitative combination of both methods, the so-called 4-phase model, and through this analysed the expected changes in water and ice content upon permafrost thaw. The results from the synthetic data experiments suggest a higher sensitivity regarding an increase in water content compared to a decrease in ice content. A potentially larger uncertainty originates from the individual geophysical methods than from the combined evaluation with the 4-phase model. In the latter, a loss of ground ice can be detected quite reliably, whereas artefacts occur in the case of increased horizontal or vertical water flow. Analysis of field data from a well-investigated rock glacier in the Swiss Alps successfully visualized the seasonal ice loss in summer and the complex spatially variable ice, water and air content changes in an interannual comparison.

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