The effect of soil electrical conductivity on moisture determination using time-domain reflectometry in sandy soil

2000 ◽  
Vol 80 (1) ◽  
pp. 13-22 ◽  
Author(s):  
Z. J. Sun ◽  
G. D. Young ◽  
R. A. McFarlane ◽  
B.M. Chambers
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Saline Soil ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Propagation Time ◽  
Soil Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Volumetric Soil Water Content ◽  
Volumetric Soil Water

A series of laboratory experiments was conducted, in order to systematically explore the effect of soil electrical conductivity on soil moisture determination using time domain reflectometry (TDR). A Moisture Point MP-917 soil moisture instrument (E.S.I. Environmental Sensors Inc., Victoria, BC, Canada) was used to measure propagation time (time delay) of a step function along a probe imbedded in fine sand with different moisture and salinity. The volumetric soil water content was independently determined using a balance. With the help of the diode-switching technique, MP-917 could detect the reflection from the end of the probe as the electrical conductivity of saturated soil extract (ECe) increased to 15.29 dS m−1. However, the relationship between volumetric soil water content and propagation time expressed as T/Tair (the ratio of propagation time in soil to that in air over the same distance) deviated from a linear relationship as the conductivity exceeded 3.72 dS m−1. At the same water content, the time delay in a saline soil was longer than that in a non-saline soil. This leads to an over-estimation of volumetric soil water content when the linear calibration was applied. A logarithmic relationship between volumetric soil water content and T/Tair has been developed and this relation includes soil electrical conductivity as a parameter. With this new calibration, it is possible to precisely determine the volumetric water content of highly saline soil using TDR. Key words: Time domain reflectometry, time delay, bulk electrical conductivity (σ), volumetric soil water content (θ), relative permittivity or dielectric constant (εr), propagation velocity Vp

scholarly journals CONDUTIVIDADE ELÉTRICA DA SOLUÇÃO DE SOLO EM FUNÇÃO DA CONDUTIVIDADE ELÉTRICA APARENTE E DA UMIDADE DO SOLO SOB APLICAÇÃO DE CLORETO DE POTÁSSIO COM USO DA REFLECTOMETRIA NO DOMINIO DO TEMPO

Irriga ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 174-183
Author(s):  
Tibério Santos Martins da Silva ◽  
Vital Pedro da Silva Paz ◽  
Eugênio Ferreira Coelho ◽  
Maurício Antônio Coelho Filho ◽  
Gessionei Da Silva Santana
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Soil Solution ◽  
Time Domain ◽  
Linear Models ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Soil Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Bulk Electrical Conductivity

CONDUTIVIDADE ELÉTRICA DA SOLUÇÃO DE SOLO EM FUNÇÃO DA CONDUTIVIDADE ELÉTRICA APARENTE E DA UMIDADE DO SOLO SOB APLICAÇÃO DE CLORETO DE POTÁSSIO COM USO DA REFLECTOMETRIA NO DOMINIO DO TEMPO  Tibério Santos Martins da Silva1; Vital Pedro da Silva Paz2; Eugênio Ferreira Coelho3; Maurício Antônio Coelho Filho3; Gessionei da Silva Santana41Universidade Federal da Bahia,  Cruz das Almas, BA, tibé[email protected] de Engenharia Agrícola, Universidade Federal da Bahia, Cruz das Almas-BA, 3Embrapa Mandioca e Fruticultura, Cruz das Almas-BA4Universidade Federal de Viçosa, Viçosa, MG,   1 RESUMO O trabalho teve como objetivo definir, em campo e em laboratório, modelos matemáticos que melhor relacionam a condutividade elétrica aparente (CEa), a umidade do solo (q) e a condutividade elétrica da solução do solo (CEw) sob aplicação de cloreto de potássio, via água de irrigação por gotejamento. O experimento consistiu de leituras de CEa e q com um analisador de umidade de reflectometria no domínio do tempo (TDR) em colunas de solo em laboratório e em várias posições de uma malha retangular de um perfil do solo, em condições de campo, seguido da extração de solução iônica nas respectivas posições. Foram ajustados modelos lineares e não lineares relacionando CEa, q e CEw. O resultados permitiram concluir que a CEw da solução do solo pode ser monitorada a partir de leituras de CEa pela TDR para fins de distribuição de solutos no solo sob fertirrigação, com uso dos modelos de Rhoades et al. (1976), Vogeler et al. (1996), Nadler et al. (1984) e empírico em condições de campo e laboratório. O modelo de Rhoades et al. (1989) e Rhoades et al. (1976) mostraram-se adequados apenas para os estudos em laboratório. UNITERMOS: fertirrigação, TDR  SILVA, T. S. M. DA; PAZ, V. P. DA S.; COELHO, E. F.; COELHO FILHO, M. A.; SANTANA, G. DA S. SOIL SOLUTION ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY AS A FUNCTION OF BULK ELECTRICAL CONDUCTIVITY AND SOIL WATER CONTENT UNDER POTASSIUM CLORIDE APPLICATION USING TIME DOMAIN REFLECTOMETRY  2 ABSTRACT This study aimed to define mathematical models that suitably relate bulk electrical conductivity (CEa), soil water content (q) and soil solution electrical conductivity (CEw) under potassium chloride application by drip irrigation. The experiment consisted of readings of CEa and q using a Time Domain Reflectometry analyzer (TDR) in soil columns in laboratory and on several positions of rectangular soil profile grid under field conditions. Ionic solution was extracted in all positions of TDR readings. Linear and non-linear models relating CEa, q and CEw were adjusted to laboratory and field data. Results allowed to conclude that CEw may be monitored by readings of CEa from TDR for soil solute distribution under fertirrigation, using models of Rhoades et al. (1976), Vogeler et al. (1996), Nadler et al. (1984) and an empirical model in lab and in field. The models of de Rhoades et al. (1989) e Rhoades et al. (1976) were suitable only for laboratory studies. KEYWORDS: fertirrigation, soil electrical conductivity, TDR

scholarly journals Sampling and TDR probe insertion in the determination of the volumetric soil water content

2003 ◽  
Vol 27 (4) ◽  
pp. 575-582 ◽  
Author(s):  
W. G. Teixeira ◽  
G. Schroth ◽  
J. D. Marques ◽  
Bernd Huwe
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Gravimetric Method ◽  
Time Domain Reflectometry ◽  
Volumetric Soil Water Content ◽  
Undisturbed Samples ◽  
Similar Accuracy ◽  
Volumetric Soil Water

Volumetric soil water content (theta) can be evaluated in the field by direct or indirect methods. Among the direct, the gravimetric method is regarded as highly reliable and thus often preferred. Its main disadvantages are that sampling and laboratory procedures are labor intensive, and that the method is destructive, which makes resampling of a same point impossible. Recently, the time domain reflectometry (TDR) technique has become a widely used indirect, non-destructive method to evaluate theta. In this study, evaluations of the apparent dielectric number of soils (epsilon) and samplings for the gravimetrical determination of the volumetric soil water content (thetaGrav) were carried out at four sites of a Xanthic Ferralsol in Manaus - Brazil. With the obtained epsilon values, theta was estimated using empirical equations (thetaTDR), and compared with thetaGrav derived from disturbed and undisturbed samples. The main objective of this study was the comparison of thetaTDR estimates of horizontally as well as vertically inserted probes with the thetaGrav values determined by disturbed and undisturbed samples. Results showed that thetaTDR estimates of vertically inserted probes and the average of horizontally measured layers were only slightly and insignificantly different. However, significant differences were found between the thetaTDR estimates of different equations and between disturbed and undisturbed samples in the thetaGrav determinations. The use of the theoretical Knight et al. model, which permits an evaluation of the soil volume assessed by TDR probes, is also discussed. It was concluded that the TDR technique, when properly calibrated, permits in situ, nondestructive measurements of q in Xanthic Ferralsols of similar accuracy as the gravimetric method.

scholarly journals Assessing Effects of Salinity on the Performance of a Low-Cost Wireless Soil Water Sensor

Sensors ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 20 (24) ◽  
pp. 7041
Author(s):  
Srinivasa Rao Peddinti ◽  
Jan W. Hopmans ◽  
Majdi Abou Najm ◽  
Isaya Kisekka
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Low Cost ◽  
Volumetric Soil Water Content ◽  
Sensor Performance ◽  
Water Sensor ◽  
Spatiotemporal Scales ◽  
Volumetric Soil Water

Low-cost, accurate soil water sensors combined with wireless communication in an internet of things (IoT) framework can be harnessed to enhance the benefits of precision irrigation. However, the accuracy of low-cost sensors (e.g., based on resistivity or capacitance) can be affected by many factors, including salinity, temperature, and soil structure. Recent developments in wireless sensor networks offer new possibilities for field-scale monitoring of soil water content (SWC) at high spatiotemporal scales, but to install many sensors in the network, the cost of the sensors must be low, and the mechanism of operation needs to be robust, simple, and consume low energy for the technology to be practically relevant. This study evaluated the performance of a resistivity–capacitance-based wireless sensor (Sensoterra BV, 1018LE Amsterdam, Netherlands) under different salinity levels, temperature, and soil types in a laboratory. The sensors were evaluated in glass beads, Oso Flaco sand, Columbia loam, and Yolo clay loam soils. A nonlinear relationship was exhibited between the sensor measured resistance (Ω) and volumetric soil water content (θ). The Ω–θ relationship differed by soil type and was affected by soil solution salinity. The sensor was extremely sensitive at higher water contents with high uncertainty, and insensitive at low soil water content accompanied by low uncertainty. The soil solution salinity effects on the Ω–θ relationship were found to be reduced from sand to sandy loam to clay loam. In clay soils, surface electrical conductivity (ECs) of soil particles had a more dominant effect on sensor performance compared to the effect of solution electrical conductivity (ECw). The effect of temperature on sensor performance was minimal, but sensor-to-sensor variability was substantial. The relationship between bulk electrical conductivity (ECb) and volumetric soil water content was also characterized in this study. The results of this study reveal that if the sensor is properly calibrated, this low-cost wireless soil water sensor has the potential of improving soil water monitoring for precision irrigation and other applications at high spatiotemporal scales, due to the ease of integration into IoT frameworks.

scholarly journals Effects of volumetric soil water content and fertilizer rate on growth and baicalin accumulation in two species of Scutellaria

2018 ◽  
Vol 10 (6) ◽  
pp. 97-105 ◽  
Author(s):  
Morgan Amanda ◽  
Joseph Pearson Brian ◽  
Shad Ali Gul ◽  
Moore Kimberly ◽  
Osborne Lance
Keyword(s):  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Fertilizer Rate ◽  
Volumetric Soil Water Content ◽  
Volumetric Soil Water

scholarly journals Using Multivariate Geostatistics to Assess Patterns of Spatial Dependence of Apparent Soil Electrical Conductivity and Selected Soil Properties

2014 ◽  
Vol 2014 ◽  
pp. 1-11 ◽  
Author(s):  
Glécio Machado Siqueira ◽  
Jorge Dafonte Dafonte ◽  
Montserrat Valcárcel Armesto ◽  
Ênio Farias França e Silva
Keyword(s):  
Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Water Content ◽  
Soil Water ◽  
Soil Water Content ◽  
Clay Content ◽  
Data Sets ◽  
Soil Electrical Conductivity ◽  
Multivariate Geostatistics ◽  
Northwestern Spain

The apparent soil electrical conductivity (ECa) was continuously recorded in three successive dates using electromagnetic induction in horizontal (ECa-H) and vertical (ECa-V) dipole modes at a 6 ha plot located in Northwestern Spain. One of the ECadata sets was used to devise an optimized sampling scheme consisting of 40 points. Soil was sampled at the 0.0–0.3 m depth, in these 40 points, and analyzed for sand, silt, and clay content; gravimetric water content; and electrical conductivity of saturated soil paste. Coefficients of correlation between ECaand gravimetric soil water content (0.685 for ECa-V and 0.649 for ECa-H) were higher than those between ECaand clay content (ranging from 0.197 to 0.495, when different ECarecording dates were taken into account). Ordinary and universal kriging have been used to assess the patterns of spatial variability of the ECadata sets recorded at successive dates and the analyzed soil properties. Ordinary and universal cokriging methods have improved the estimation of gravimetric soil water content using the data of ECaas secondary variable with respect to the use of ordinary kriging.

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