Kálmán Rajkai

Indirect estimation of near-saturated hydraulic conductivity from readily available soil information

Application of process-based water flow and solute transport models is often hampered by insufficient knowledge of soil hydraulic properties. This is certainly true for dual- or multi-porosity models that account for non-equilibrium flow of water in macropores, where the saturated ‘matrix’ hydraulic conductivity is a particularly critical parameter. Direct measurement is possible, but this is impractical for larger scale studies (i.e. catchment or regional), where estimation methods (pedotransfer functions) are usually required. This paper presents pedotransfer functions for hydraulic conductivity at a pressure head of � 10 cm, K10, based on measurements of near-saturated hydraulic conductivity made with tension infiltrometers in 70 soil horizons at 37 different sites in

ESTIMATION OF WATER-RETENTION CHARACTERISTICS FROM THE BULK DENSITY AND PARTICLE-SIZE DISTRIBUTION OF SWEDISH SOILS

A Swedish soils database containing soil-water retention data, particle-size fractions, dry bulk density, and organic matter content, was analyzed in order to find a relatively simple predictor of the soil-water retention curve (SWRC). As a SWRC model we chose a three-parameter function selected fro

Modelling the effects of moisture on barley straw and root decomposition in the field

Abstract In a field experiment with barley on a clay soil, four treatments were compared: the control (C) was not nitrogen fertilized or irrigated; drought treatment (D) was identical to C, except that screens had been installed to divert rainwater; irrigation (I) and irrigation-fertilization (IF) treatments were irrigated using a drip-tube system, with liquid fertilizer (260kg N ha−1yr−1) applied daily in IF according to predicted plant uptake. Litter-bags with barley straw were buried in all treatments at 10 cm depth on 19 May 1988 and sampled five times during the growing season. Decomposition rates were calculated assuming exponential decay. The rates were highly dependent on soil moisture, and the constants ranged from 0.54% day−1 in D to 0.92% day−1 in IF. A simulation model with driving variables based on Q10 temperature dependence and a log-linear relationship between soil water tension and activity was fitted to the same data set. The rate constants became quite similar between the four treatments, ranging from 1.1 to 1.3% optimum day−1. Thus it was concluded that the assumptions and parameters used for temperature and moisture dependence were valid. Roots collected from each of the four treatments on four occasions were put in litter-bags, buried in the soil and taken up after about 20 days. Observed root decomposition rates were lowest in D. The rates for all treatments were highest early in the growing season and decreased thereafter. When temperature and moisture effects were compensated for using the climatic correction factors for barley straw, the decreasing trend remained, which was attributed to reduced decomposability of the roots during the growing season. The results indicate that using a constant value for root decomposability when calculating root turnover can give misleading results.

PLANTS AND BIOLOGICAL SOIL CRUST INFLUENCE THE HYDROPHYSICAL PARAMETERS AND WATER FLOW IN AN AEOLIAN SANDY SOIL

This study tested the hypothesis that the changes in hydrophysical parameters and heterogeneity of water flow in an aeolian sandy soil have the same trend as the process of succession. Three sub-sites were demarcated at the area of about 50 m x 50 m. The first sub-site was located at the pine-forest glade covered with a biological soil crust and represented the initial stage of succession. The second sub-site was located at the grassland and represented more advanced stage of succession. The third sub-site was located at the pine forest with 30-year old Scots pines and represented advanced stage (close to climax) of succession. The sandy soil at the surface was compared to the soil at the pine-forest glade at 50 cm depth, which served as a control because it had a similar texture but limited impact of vegetation or organic matter. It was found that any type of vegetation cover studied had a strong influence on hydrophysical parameters and heterogeneity of water flow in an aeolian sandy soil during hot and dry spells. The changes in some hydrophysical parameters (WDPT, R, k(-2 cm), Sw(-2 cm), ECS and DPF) and heterogeneity of water flow in an aeolian sandy soil had the same trend as the process of succession, but it was not so in the case of Ksand Se(-2 cm), probably due to the higher content of smaller soil particles in grassland soil in comparison with that content at other sub-sites. Both the persistence and index of water repellency of pure sand differed significantly from those of grassland, glade and forest soils. The highest repellency parameter values in forest soil resulted in the lowest value of both the water sorptivity and hydraulic conductivity in this soil in comparison with other soils studied. The highest value of ethanol sorptivity and the lowest value of saturated hydraulic conductivity in the grassland soil in comparison with other soils studied were due to the higher content of fine-grained (silt and clay) particles in the grassland soil. The effective cross section and the degree of preferential flow of pure sand differed significantly from those of grassland, glade and forest soils. The change in soil hydrophysical parameters due to soil water repellency resulted in preferential flow in the grassland, glade and forest soils, while the wetting front in pure sand area exhibited a form typical of that for stable flow. The latter shape of the wetting front can be expected in the studied soils in spring, when soil water repellency is alleviated substantially. The columnar shape of the wetting front, which can be met during heavy rains following long dry and hot spells, was attributed to redistribution of applied water on the surface to a series of micro-catchments, which acted as runon and runoff zones. V príspevku sa testovala hypotéza, že zmeny hydrofyzikálnych parametrov a heterogenita prúdenia vody v piesočnatej pôde majú rovnaký trend ako proces sukcesie. Na ploche asi 50 m x 50 m sa vytýčili tri parcely. Prvá parcela sa nachádzala na čistine pokrytej biologickým pôdnym pokryvom a reprezentovala počiatočné štádium sukcesie. Druhá parcela sa nachádzala na zatrávnenej ploche a reprezentovala rozvinutejšie štádium sukcesie. Tretia parcela sa nachádzala v borovicovom lese a reprezentovala rozvinuté štádium sukcesie (blízke ku klimaxovej vegetácii). Piesočnatá pôda na povrchu parciel sa porovnávala s pôdou z čistiny v hĺbke 50 cm, ktorá slúžila ako kontrola, pretože mala skoro rovnakú textúru, avšak veľmi malý vplyv vegetácie alebo organickej hmoty. Zistili sme, že akýkoľvek typ študovaného vegetačného pokryvu mal veľký vplyv na hydrofyzikálne parametre a heterogenitu prúdenia vody v piesočnatej pôde počas horúcich a suchých období. Zmeny niektorých hydrofyzikálnych parametrov (WDPT, R, k(-2 cm), Sw(-2 cm), ECS a DPF) a heterogenity prúdenia vody v piesočnatej pôde mali rovnaký trend ako proces sukcesie, neplatilo to však v prípade Ksa Se(-2 cm), pravdepodobne v dôsledku vyššieho obsahu malých pôdnych častíc v pôde s trávnatým pokryvom v porovnaní s inými parcelami. Stálosť aj index vodoodpudivosti čistého piesku sa štatisticky významne líšili od hodnôt týchto parametrov v pôde pod trávou, biologickým pôdnym pokryvom a borovicami. Najvyššie hodnoty parametrov vodoodpudivosti v tráve pod borovicami mali za následok najnižšie hodnoty sorptivity pre vodu a hydraulickej vodivosti v tejto pôde v porovnaní s ostatnými študovanými pôdami. Najvyššie hodnoty sorptivity pre etanol a najnižšie hodnoty nasýtenej hydraulickej vodivosti v pôde pod trávou v porovnaní s inými pôdami boli pravdepodobne spôsobené vyšším obsahom malých pôdnych častíc v tejto pôde. Efektívny prierez (ECS) a stupeň preferovaného prúdenia (DPF) čistého piesku sa štatisticky významne líšili od hodnôt týchto parametrov v pôde pod trávou, biologickým pôdnym pokryvom a borovicami. Zmeny hydrofyzikálnych parametrov pôdy v dôsledku jej vodoodpudivosti mala za následok preferované prúdenie v pôde pod trávou, biologickým pôdnym pokryvom a borovicami, zatiaľ čo čelo omáčania v čistom piesku malo tvar typický pre stabilné prúdenie. Takýto tvar čela omáčania možno vo všetkých študovaných pôdach očakávať na jar, keď je vodoodpudivosť pôdy podstatne znížená v dôsledku jej zvýšenej vlhkosti. Čelo omáčania v tvare prstov, ktoré možno očakávať počas prívalových dažďov nasledujúcich po dlhých suchých a horúcich obdobiach, možno pričítať redistribúcii vody na povrchu pôdy do viacerých mikropovodí, ktoré sa správali ako vtokové a odtokové oblasti.

Measuring areal soil moisture distribution with the TDR method

Abstract Time domain reflectometry (TDR) was used for measuring surface (0–10 cm) soil moisture content distribution of a field plot 6 m × 10 m in size. Within a regular grid, 273 points were measured by TDR and sampled for gravimetric (GM) moisture content determination, after harvest of a barley crop. Soil moisture content values were proven to be trended. The areal distributions of soil moisture contents were analyzed by semivariograms. The areal pattern of TDR moisture content values, but not of the gravimetric data, reflected the effect of the vehicle traffic during the harvest on the sample plot. The significant statistical difference found between the original TDR and GM moisture content values was attributed to the soil bulk density pattern existing on the study plot. Semivariograms of the detrended residuals show isotropy and no spatial structure. The standard error of the mean as a function of sample size was calculated for the detrended data. The study illustrates the good in situ applicability of the TDR method and examples how soil bulk density might appear in field measured TDR soil moisture content.

Study the estimation possibilities of soil hydraulic conductivity

The most important elements of the soil water regime water retention and hydraulic conductivity are known to play an important role in the fate and transport of organic and inorganic compounds in the soils. They determine the air and water management, biological activity and nutrient management of the soil (Vdrallyay, 2005). The knowledge of the soil hydraulic properties has one of the most important effects on the success of plant production (Baser et al.; 2004, Rajkaine and Szundy, 2004; Farkas et al., 2005). Earlier studies (Mako el al., 2005) proved that soil water retention characteristics can be reliably estimated for soil subtypes using the grouped means of texture and humus content categories of soil maps. In the current work we study predicting possibilities of soil hydraulic conductivity from data of soil maps and cartograms as readily available information. For these studies we used the database of the Hungarian Soil Information and Monitoring System. For estimating of soil hydraulic conductivities we used the TALAJTANonc 1.0 software (Fodor and Rajkai, 2005).

Role of phase angle measurement in electrical impedance spectroscopy

Abstract Importance of phase angle measurement during the application of electrical impedance spectroscopy was studied by executing pot experiments with maize. Electrical impedance, phase angle (strength of capacitive character), and dissipation factor in the plant-soil system were scanned between 100 and 10 000 Hz current frequency. The frequency-dependent change in the phase angle could be described by optimum curves culminating within 920-3 650 Hz. Since the rate of energy dissipation is independent of root extent, the higher phase angle and lower energy dissipation were associated with the higher coefficient of determination achieved for the root electrical impedance - root system size (root dry mass and root surface area) regressions. The characteristic frequency selected on the basis of phase angle spectra provided a higher significance level at statistical comparison of plant groups subjected to stress conditions influencing root development. Due to the physicochemical changes observable in aging root tissue, the apex of phase angle spectra, thus the characteristic frequency, shifted continuously toward the higher frequencies over time. Consequently, the regularly repeated phase angle measurement is advisable in time-course studies for effective application of the electrical impedance method, and the systematic operation at the same frequency without determination of phase angle spectra should be avoided.

Monitoring of herbicide effect in maize based on electrical measurements

Monitoring of herbicide effect in maize based on electrical measurements The effect of the herbicide acetochlor on root growth was studied by a non-destructive electrical impedance and capacitance method in pot experiments on maize. Acetochlor was applied both as single active ingredient and mixed with safener AD-67 in two dosages. Without safener addition, acetochlor had a permanent inhibiting effect on plant root expansion. The safener AD-67 was capable of providing protective effect against herbicide application. High correlations between root electrical impedance or capacitance and the root dry mass or surface area under our laboratory conditions were confirmed by plant harvest method. Root electrical impedance and capacitance measurements proved to be valid for monitoring the effect of the herbicide influencing root development and for distinguishing plant groups subjected to different stress conditions.

Spatial patterns of wetting characteristics in grassland sandy soil

Abstract In grasslands where organic and inorganic resources are alternating at scales of individual plants, the transient character is given to certain wetting properties of soil, which then become highly variable both in space and in time. The objective of presented study was to study wetting pattern within two soil horizons at 5-cm and 10-cm depths respectively and to examine how the wetting patterns relate to hydraulic conductivity determined by Minidisc infiltrometer at suction −2 cm, K(−2 cm). This characteristics is implicitly independent on antecedent soil water content (SWC) since it relates to steady infiltration phase but can be influenced by present soil water repellency (SWR). Field measurements were performed on July 27–28, 2010 on the grassland experimental site located near the village Sekule in Southwest Slovakia. The water drop penetration time (WDPT), SWC and tension Minidisc infiltration measurements were carried out on the 0.64 m2 plot in a regular 8 × 8 grid. The results showed that SWR and SWC influence each other and cause correlation between spatial patterns of studied soil wetting characteristics and between characteristics measured at the two soil depths. Further, it was found out, that calculation of K(−2 cm) according to Zhang may cause apparent correlation of K(−2 cm) with antecedent SWC, which is the artificial effect of sorptivity parameter in the equation on steady stage of infiltration process. This pseudocorrelation has disappeared after adopting of Minasny and McBratney (2000) approaches by calculation of K(−2 cm).

Modeling of plant adaptation to climatic drought induced water deficit

Soil moisture flux to root surface is considered the main determining factor of the transpiration intensity of plants. This assumption is valid not only in optimal plant physiological conditions without any physical barrier for the evaporation from the leaves, but in climatic drought as well, when high usable soil water amount cannot supply the evapo-transpiration intensity of plant. A new algorithm we built up describing the plant adaptation in climatic drought when stoma’s closure and reduction of plant’s potential evapo-transpiration (PET) starts. The adaptation algorithm of Doorenbos et al. (1978) is developed further defining that soil moisture content initiating the stomata’s closure. The critical soil moisture content is varying according to the PET, and drought tolerance of plant. If soil moisture content is less than the critical one, the plant evapo-transpiration (ET) can be highly different in the drought tolerance plant groups. The new drought tolerance algorithm is applied to maize field plots on chernozem soil of the experimental station of the Debrecen University, in East Hungary. Simulated soil water storages are compared to measured ones of a field plot treatment in five consecutive years. The soil moisture content profiles are measured with a BR-150 capacitance probe (Andrén et al. 1991). Differences between measured and simulated soil water storages are not significant in 2003. Simulations indicate low soil water storages in autumn of 2006, and in the first half of 2007 predicting the low maize production realized in 2007. The new plant adaptation algorithm can be used for a climate and soil moisture content sensitive irrigation control as well. The maize production is an illustrative biohydrological example of water flow through the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum.