Development of calibration algorithms for selected water content reflectometry probes for burned and non-burned organic soils of Alaska

2010 ◽  
Vol 19 (7) ◽  
pp. 961 ◽  
Author(s):  
Laura L. Bourgeau-Chavez ◽  
Gordon C. Garwood ◽  
Kevin Riordan ◽  
Benjamin W. Koziol ◽  
James Slawski

Water content reflectometry is a method used by many commercial manufacturers of affordable sensors to electronically estimate soil moisture content. Field‐deployable and handheld water content reflectometry probes were used in a variety of organic soil‐profile types in Alaska. These probes were calibrated using 65 organic soil samples harvested from these burned and unburned, primarily moss‐dominated sites in the boreal forest. Probe output was compared with gravimetrically measured volumetric moisture content, to produce calibration algorithms for surface‐down‐inserted handheld probes in specific soil‐profile types, as well as field‐deployable horizontally inserted probes in specific organic soil horizons. General organic algorithms for each probe type were also developed. Calibrations are statistically compared to determine their suitability. The resulting calibrations showed good agreement with in situ validation and varied from the default mineral‐soil‐based calibrations by 20% or more. These results are of particular interest to researchers measuring soil moisture content with water content reflectometry probes in soils with high organic content.

2020 ◽  
Vol 29 (7) ◽  
pp. 637 ◽  
Author(s):  
Lynda D. Prior ◽  
Ben J. French ◽  
Kathryn Storey ◽  
Grant J. Williamson ◽  
David M. J. S. Bowman

The present study aimed to determine moisture thresholds for combustion of organic soils sampled from various vegetation types at 63 locations in Tasmania, Australia. To observe whether the soil sample sustained smouldering combustion, moisture content was experimentally manipulated and heat was applied. Combustion was primarily determined by moisture content, but was also influenced by soil bulk density and organic content: the gravimetric moisture content corresponding to a 50% probability of burning ranged from 25 to 94% as organic content varied from 34 to 96%. There was no evidence of differences among vegetation types in the relationship between soil combustibility and organic content. Combustion in Tasmanian organic soils occurred with moisture levels similar to those reported elsewhere, despite differences in vegetation and environment. It was also found that a hand-held meter that measured volumetric moisture content using time domain reflectometry could be used to satisfactorily predict organic soil combustion. Finally, combining the data with estimates of volumetric soil moisture based on high-resolution gridded weather data (Bureau of Meteorology Atmospheric high-resolution Regional Reanalysis for Australia, or BARRA), it was demonstrated that most Tasmanian organic soils are likely to be combustible at some time almost every summer (December to February).


2020 ◽  
Vol 77 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Jori Uusitalo ◽  
Jari Ala-Ilomäki ◽  
Harri Lindeman ◽  
Jenny Toivio ◽  
Matti Siren

Abstract Key message Rut depth in fine-grained boreal soils induced by an 8-wheeled forwarder is best predicted with soil moisture content, cumulative mass of machine passes, bulk density and thickness of the humus layer. Context Forest machines are today very heavy and will cause serious damage to soil and prevent future growth if forest operations are carried out at the wrong time of the year. Forest operations performed during the wettest season should therefore be directed at coarse-grained soils that are not as prone to soil damage. Aims The study aimed at investigating the significance of the most important soil characteristics on rutting and developing models that can be utilized in predicting rutting prior to forest operations. Methods A set of wheeling tests on two fine-grained mineral soil stands in Southern Finland were performed. The wheeling experiments were conducted in three different periods of autumn in order to get the largest possible variation in moisture content. The test drives were carried out with an 8-wheeled forwarder. Results Soil moisture content is the most important factor affecting rut depth. Rut depth of an 8-wheeled forwarder in fine-grained boreal soil is best predicted with soil moisture content, cumulative mass of machine passes, bulk density and thickness of the humus layer. Conclusion The results emphasize the importance of moisture content on the risk of rutting in fine-grained mineral soils, especially with high moisture content values when soil saturation reaches 80%. The results indicate that it is of high importance that soil type and soil wetness can be predicted prior to forest operations.


2006 ◽  
Vol 63 (4) ◽  
pp. 341-350 ◽  
Author(s):  
Célia Regina Grego ◽  
Sidney Rosa Vieira ◽  
Aline Maria Antonio ◽  
Simone Cristina Della Rosa

Experiments in agriculture usually consider the topsoil properties to be uniform in space and, for this reason, often make inadequate use of the results. The objective of this study was to assess the variability for soil moisture content using geostatistical techniques. The experiment was carried out on a Rhodic Ferralsol (typic Haplorthox) in Campinas, SP, Brazil, in an area of 3.42 ha cultivated under the no tillage system, and the sampling was made in a grid of 102 points spaced 10 m x 20 m. Access tubes were inserted down to one meter at each evaluation point in order to measure soil moisture contents (cm³ cm-3) at depths of 30, 60 and 90 cm with a neutron moisture gauge. Samplings were made between the months of August and September of 2003 and in January 2004. The soil moisture content for each sampling date was analyzed using classical statistics in order to appropriately describe the central tendency and dispersion on the data and then using geostatistics to describe the spatial variability. The comparison between the spatial variability for different samplings was made examining scaled semivariograms. Water content was mapped using interpolated values with punctual kriging. The semivariograms showed that, at the 60 cm depth, soil water content had moderate spatial dependence with ranges between 90 and 110 m. However, no spatial dependence was found for 30 and 90 cm depths in 2003. Sampling density was insufficient for an adequate characterization of the spatial variability of soil moisture contents at the 30 and 90 cm depths.


1999 ◽  
Vol 18 (3) ◽  
pp. 109-115 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. K. Alva ◽  
O. Prakash ◽  
Ali Fares ◽  
Arthur G. Hornsby

HortScience ◽  
1992 ◽  
Vol 27 (6) ◽  
pp. 588a-588
Author(s):  
A. James Downer ◽  
Ben Faber ◽  
Richard White

Three polymers (a polyacrylamide, polyacrylate and a propenoate-propenamide copolymer) and three organic amendments (peat moss, wood shavings, and composted yardwaste) were incorporated at five rates in a sandy soil to 15cm depth. Soil moisture content was determined by time domain reflectometry and gravimetrically. Only the highest polymer rates (2928kg/ha [60#/1000sq.ft.]) produced significant increases in soil moisture content and reductions of soil bulk density. Peat moss and yardwaste increased soil water content while shavings decreased water content. Turf quality scores were not affected by polymers but were initially reduced by yardwaste and shavings.


2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (4) ◽  
pp. 12457-12460

The Water Scarcity is a prominent feature in Arid and Semi-Arid region. Soil moisture content is significant factor in deciding vegetation growth and also affects the performance of any water harvesting system in place. This paper evaluates the interrelationship of Soil properties with Soil Moisture content. The study covers about 13 soil Samples from Single Watershed. The soil properties covered in the study are Conductivity, pH, Bulk Density, Dry Density, Specific gravity, organic content, void ratio, and Moisture Content. Multiple linear regression analysis was done to determine significance of each soil properties for soil moisture content as individual and as whole. Modelling was done based on soil characteristics to predict Soil Moisture. Principal Component Analysis was performed to identify most significant soil properties responsible for variation of prediction of Soil Moisture content. The Correlation between location topography and Moisture Content was obtained through Cluster Analysis.


Author(s):  
Olotu Y.* ◽  
◽  
Omoakhalen A.I. ◽  
Ososomi A.S. ◽  
Gbalaja Mayowa ◽  
...  

Accurate soil moisture content measurement is essential for designing a robust irrigation scheduling and integrated water resources management (I.W.R.M.). Capacitance-based sensors have widely been used to monitor soil moisture at different measuring depths coupled with continuous and instantaneous outputs. This study's objective was to evaluate the PR2 capacitance moisture meter's performance on mineral and organic soil water content. The outputs of PR2 in m3 /m3 and vol.% were compared with gravimetrically measured soil moisture. The R.M.S.E. measurement at Site A at the first and second replicates increased from 0.49% to 0.67%. In contrast, the r2 value of 0.99 was obtained for the two replications when comparing the soil moisture content observed from gravimetric measurement and the automated outputs from the PR2 Probe soil monitor. The R.M.S.E. values were 0.48%, and 1.32% were estimated for the first and second replications at Site B. The result indicates that the PR2 Profile Probe could be a reliable alternative to other time-consuming, complex computer algorithms for accurate point measurement of soil moisture.


1981 ◽  
Vol 17 (4) ◽  
pp. 403-406
Author(s):  
F. A. Gumbs ◽  
L. A. Simpson

SUMMARYThe total growth increment of sugar cane stalks from 13 to 22 weeks after planting was 55% greater in elevated than depressed areas in fields flooded intermittently during the period of measurement. The weekly growth increments were 137–9% greater in elevated than depressed areas, especially when soil moisture was high. The cane was on top of high ridges but water stood up to 10 cm deep over the top of the ridges in depressed areas for up to 5 or 6 days after rain and at varying depths below the top for several more days. Provided the soil was not submerged, tillers elongated most when the soil profile was saturated or nearly so; mere waterlogging without submergence seems not to damage cane. Tiller elongation and soil moisture were well correlated regardless of depth of sampling between 0 and 45 cm, but different relations were obtained for elevated drained areas and depressed areas subject to submergence.


2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 1007
Author(s):  
Jian-Jun Wang ◽  
Wei-Hu Lin ◽  
Yan-Ting Zhao ◽  
Cheng Meng ◽  
An-Wei Ma ◽  
...  

The interaction effects between temperature and soil moisture on Festuca sinensis Keng ex E.B.Alexeev were analysed to determine how F. sinensis responds to these environmental conditions. A pot experiment was conducted in a greenhouse under simulated growth conditions with four soil moisture contents (80, 65, 50 and 35% relative saturation moisture content) and three temperature conditions (15, 20 and 25°C). Physiological (relative water content and root activity) and biochemical parameters (chlorophyll, peroxidase (POD), malondialdehyde (MDA), soluble protein, soluble sugar and free proline) were evaluated at the seedling stage. Results showed that with a decrease in soil water content, the POD activities, MDA content, soluble protein content, soluble sugar content and free proline content of plants under the 15°C and 20°C treatments initially decreased and then increased, whereas they increased with a decrease of soil water content at 25°C. The relative water contents of plants under the three temperature treatments decreased with a decreasing soil moisture content, but then increased temperature significantly reduced the relative water content of the seedlings under low soil water content. The chlorophyll contents of plants under the 25°C treatment decreased with a decrease of soil moisture content, but those of plants under the 15°C and 20°C treatments initially increased and then decreased. The root activities of plants under the 15°C and 20°C treatments increased with a decreasing soil moisture content; however, those of plants under the 25°C treatment initially increased and then decreased. Thus, results indicated that changes of temperature and soil moisture content had significant and complicated effects on the physiological-biochemical characteristics of F. sinensis; the conditions of 20°C and 65% RSMC had positive effects on F. sinensis seedling growth and the appropriate drought stress could promote the growth of seedling roots under the three different temperature conditions. In conclusion, F. sinensis seedlings could adapt to certain changes in the ecological environment by regulating their physiological and biochemical reactions.


2020 ◽  
Vol 19 (3) ◽  
pp. 108
Author(s):  
SETIAWAN SETIAWAN ◽  
TOHARI TOHARI ◽  
DJA’FAR SHIDDIEQ

<p>ABSTRAK<br />Nilam (Pogostemon cablin Benth) merupakan salah satu tanaman<br />penghasil minyak atsiri yang dikenal dengan minyak nilam (patchouli oil).<br />Salah satu kendala dalam pengembangan tanaman nilam adalah peka<br />terhadap kekurangan air. Perubahan iklim cenderung menyebabkan lebih<br />sering terjadi kekeringan di sejumlah wilayah termasuk Indonesia sehingga<br />dalam pengembangan tanaman nilam diperlukan varietas toleran terhadap<br />cekaman kurang air. Terdapat tiga varietas unggul nilam (Tapaktuan,<br />Sidikalang, dan Lhokseumawe) dengan produksi minyak (290-375 kg/ha)<br />dengan kadar patchouli alkohol 32–33%. Penelitian bertujuan untuk<br />mengevaluasi respon fisiologis 4 varietas/aksesi tanaman nilam terhadap<br />cekaman kurang air. Penelitian dilaksanakan di rumah kaca di Bogor pada<br />tahun 2012. Penelitian menggunakan RAK faktorial dengan tiga ulangan.<br />Faktor  pertama  4  varietas/aksesi  nilam  (V)  yaitu  Sidikalang,<br />Lhokseumawe, Tapaktuan, dan Bio-4. Faktor kedua empat interval<br />penyiraman (W) yaitu 1, 3, 6, dan 9 hari sekali. Evaluasi pengaruh<br />cekaman kurang air dilakukan terhadap beberapa karakter fisiologi<br />tanaman nilam. Pengamatan dilakukan antara lain terhadap peubah kadar<br />lengas tanah, konduktivitas stomata (Gs), laju transpirasi (Tr), kandungan<br />air nisbi (KAN), potensial air daun (PAD) dan kandungan prolin daun.<br />Hasil penelitian menunjukkan bahwa terjadi penurunan kadar lengas tanah,<br />konduktivitas stomata, laju transpirasi, dan KAN pada semua varietas,<br />sedangkan PAD dan kadar prolin meningkat seiring dengan semakin<br />lamanya interval penyiraman. Kadar prolin tertinggi pada interval 9 hari<br />sekali pada varietas Sidikalang. Tidak terdapat perbedaan respon<br />varietas/aksesi nilam yang diuji.<br />Kata kunci: Pogostemon cablin Benth, cekaman kurang air, karakter<br />fisiologis.</p><p>ABSTRACT<br />Patchouli (Pogostemon cablin Benth) is one of plant that produces<br />patchouli oil call patchouli oil. However, patchouli is susceptible to<br />drought. The effect of global warming which changes rainfall pattern<br />caused droughts in several regions including Indonesia. Therefore, it is<br />important to find patchouli variety which is relatively tolerant to drought.<br />Tapaktuan, Sidikalang, dan Lhokseumawe are three varieties of patchouli<br />which produce high essential oil (290-375 kg/ha) with high patchouli<br />alcohol content (32–33%). The objective of this research was to evaluate<br />the physiological responses of four varieties/clone of patchouli to drought.<br />The experiment was conducted at greenhouse at Cimanggu, Bogor from<br />February to July 2012. The research was designed in randomized factorial<br />block design (RBD) with three replications. The first factor was four<br />varieties/clone of patchouli (V) Sidikalang, Lhokseumawe, Tapaktuan, and<br />Bio-4. The second factor was four watering intervals (W) every 1, 3, 6<br />and 9 days of watering. Parameters evaluated were physiological<br />characteristics, soil moisture content, stomatal conductance, transpiration<br />rate (Tr), leaf water potential, relative water content, and proline content of<br />leaf. The results showed that soil moisture content, stomatal conductivity,<br />transpiration rate and relative water content decreased, while leaf water<br />potential and proline levels increased along with the increase of watering<br />intervals. The highest proline level was at interval of nine days watering<br />treatment on Sidikalang varieties. However, all varieties/clone have not<br />different responses to water deficit.<br />Key words: Pogostemon  cablin  Benth,water  deficit,  physiological<br />characteristics</p>


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