Determination of permeability coefficients, reflection coefficients, and hydraulic conductivity ofChara corallina using the pressure probe: Effects of solute concentrations

1983 ◽  
Vol 75 (1) ◽  
pp. 85-96 ◽  
Author(s):  
Ernst Steudle ◽  
Stephen D. Tyerman
1982 ◽  
Vol 9 (4) ◽  
pp. 461 ◽  
Author(s):  
SD Tyerman ◽  
E Steudle

Hydraulic conductivity (Lp), volumetric elastic modulus (ε) and reflection coefficients (δ) have been determined for cells from isolated strips of the lower epidermis of leaves of Tradescantia virginiana using the pressure probe. Lp was (6.4 � 4.5) × 10-8 ms-1 Mpa-1 [(6.4 � 4.5) × 10-7 cm s-1 bar-1; mean � s.d., n = 15 cells] and was independent of the cell turgor pressure (P) and of osmotic pressure of the bathing medium. P in Johnson's solution (π° = 0.09 MPa) was 0.42-0.67 MPa (4.2-6.7 bar), which was somewhat larger than in the intact tissue. ε increased linearly with increasing P in the pressure range from zero to full turgor. Reflection coefficients of some non-electrolytes were determined by measuring the ΔP in response to a change in external osmotic pressure (Δπ°) after the addition of the solutes. The data were corrected for solute flow. For sucrose, mannitol, urea, acetamide, formamide, glycerol and ethylene glycol, δ was close to unity and the cells behaved like ideal osmometers. For the monohydroxyalcohols n-propanol ( δ = -0.58), isopropanol (δ = 0.26), ethanol (δ = 0.25) and methanol (δ = 0.15), rather low reflection coefficients were found which were even negative for some solutes and cells. Values of δ obtained from measuring the inital water (volume) flow were in agreement with those determined from the ΔP/Δπ° ratios. For the rapidly permeating substances, the changes in turgor after the addition of solute were transient and the equilibration of solutes between cell and medium could be measured using the probe. Although unstirred layers may affect the equilibration of solute it should, in principle, be possible to use the technique for the determination of permeability coefficients of membranes of higher plant cells.


1991 ◽  
Vol 18 (6) ◽  
pp. 603 ◽  
Author(s):  
WH Zhang ◽  
SD Tyerman

The short-term effects of O2 deficiency and sodium azide (NaN3) on the hydraulic conductivity of cortical cells in wheat roots was studied using the pressure probe. Hydraulic conductivities were obtained by measuring either turgor relaxation, or volume relaxation under pressure clamp. Both low O2 concentration and NaN3 increased the half times of pressure and volume relaxations. The increases in T½ were found to be due to a decrease in the hydraulic conductivity (Lp) of the cells. The mean values of Lp from pressure relaxation experiments were 7.75 × 10-1m s-1 Mpa-1 in the fully aerated solution and 1.15 and 2.17 x 10-1m s-1 Mpa-1 in low O2 concentration and 1 mol m-3 NaN3 solutions respectively. The pressure clamp experiments yielded similar results to pressure relaxation experiments for both low O2 concentration and 1 mol m-3 NaN3 treatments. In addition to determination of Lp, pressure and volume relaxation experiments were also used to evaluate osmotic volume of the cells. In aerated solutions the osmotic volume of the cells was about twice that of their geometric volume, but in low O2 concentration and NaN3 solutions the osmotic cell volume was reduced and approximately equal to the geometric volume. The decrease in osmotic volume and part of the reduction in Lp may be explained by the occlusion of plasmodesmata induced by low O2 concentration and NaN3.


Author(s):  
Guglielmo Federico Antonio Brunetti ◽  
Samuele De Bartolo ◽  
Carmine Fallico ◽  
Ferdinando Frega ◽  
Maria Fernanda Rivera Velásquez ◽  
...  

AbstractThe spatial variability of the aquifers' hydraulic properties can be satisfactorily described by means of scaling laws. The latter enable one to relate the small (typically laboratory) scale to the larger (typically formation/regional) ones, therefore leading de facto to an upscaling procedure. In the present study, we are concerned with the spatial variability of the hydraulic conductivity K into a strongly heterogeneous porous formation. A strategy, allowing one to identify correctly the single/multiple scaling of K, is applied for the first time to a large caisson, where the medium was packed. In particular, we show how to identify the various scaling ranges with special emphasis on the determination of the related cut-off limits. Finally, we illustrate how the heterogeneity enhances with the increasing scale of observation, by identifying the proper law accounting for the transition from the laboratory to the field scale. Results of the present study are of paramount utility for the proper design of pumping tests in formations where the degree of spatial variability of the hydraulic conductivity does not allow regarding them as “weakly heterogeneous”, as well as for the study of dispersion mechanisms.


Water ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 1131
Author(s):  
Soonkie Nam ◽  
Marte Gutierrez ◽  
Panayiotis Diplas ◽  
John Petrie

This paper critically compares the use of laboratory tests against in situ tests combined with numerical seepage modeling to determine the hydraulic conductivity of natural soil deposits. Laboratory determination of hydraulic conductivity used the constant head permeability and oedometer tests on undisturbed Shelby tube and block soil samples. The auger hole method and Guelph permeameter tests were performed in the field. Groundwater table elevations in natural soil deposits with different hydraulic conductivity values were predicted using finite element seepage modeling and compared with field measurements to assess the various test results. Hydraulic conductivity values obtained by the auger hole method provide predictions that best match the groundwater table’s observed location at the field site. This observation indicates that hydraulic conductivity determined by the in situ test represents the actual conditions in the field better than that determined in a laboratory setting. The differences between the laboratory and in situ hydraulic conductivity values can be attributed to factors such as sample disturbance, soil anisotropy, fissures and cracks, and soil structure in addition to the conceptual and procedural differences in testing methods and effects of sample size.


2015 ◽  
Vol 63 (1) ◽  
pp. 47-54 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karsten Schacht ◽  
Bernd Marschner

Abstract The use of treated wastewater (TWW) for agricultural irrigation becomes increasingly important in water stressed regions like the Middle East for substituting fresh water (FW) resources. Due to elevated salt concentrations and organic compounds in TWW this practice has potential adverse effects on soil quality, such as the reduction of hydraulic conductivity (HC) and soil aggregate stability (SAS). To assess the impact of TWW irrigation in comparison to FW irrigation on HC, in-situ infiltration measurements using mini disk infiltrometer were deployed in four different long-term experimental orchard test sites in Israel. Topsoil samples (0-10 cm) were collected for analyzing SAS and determination of selected soil chemical and physical characteristics. The mean HC values decreased at all TWW sites by 42.9% up to 50.8% compared to FW sites. The SAS was 11.3% to 32.4% lower at all TWW sites. Soil electrical conductivity (EC) and exchangeable sodium percentage (ESP) were generally higher at TWW sites. These results indicate the use of TWW for irrigation is a viable, but potentially deleterious option, as it influences soil physical and chemical properties.


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