Viliam Novák

Transpiration and nutrient uptake dynamics in maize (Zea mays L.)

Abstract The study presents a simplified model for estimating nutrient uptake by roots in maize canopies. The results of field studies with a maize canopy grown on silty soil at Trnava site (south of the Slovak Republic) show that the uptake rates of N (nitrogen), P (phosphorus) and K (potassium) nutrients can be described by a linear relationship between a specific ion uptake velocity from the soil and the rate of transpiration. The linear relationships have relatively high correlation coefficients r=0.753 (N), r=0.95 (P), and r=0.849 (K) during the vegetation period of the year 1982. The relationship between nutrient uptake rates and the transpiration rate for the maize canopy was also found for the relatively dry season of 1981 when a loss of nutrients from plants was observed during the second part of the vegetation period. Correlation coefficients for 1981 (r=0.772 (N), r=0.926 (P), r=0.804 (K)) were close to those estimated for 1982.

Method to estimate the critical soil water content of limited availability for plants

This contribution contains a proposal to estimate the critical soil water content of limited availability for plants, below which transpiration starts to decrease due to limited water availability for roots, which is frequently noted as “the point of limited soil water availability”. The method is based on the fact, that soil water content at which transpiration rate is starting to decrease is followed by the biomass production decrease. The method is using the relationship between the relative transpiration and the average soil water content of the soil root zone, and the linear relation between biomass production and transpiration, published earlier.

The impact of heating on the hydraulic properties of soils sampled under different plant cover.

The impact of heating on the peristence of water repellency, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and water retention characteristics was examined on soils from both forest and meadow sites in southwest Slovakia shortly after a wet spell. The top 5 cm of meadow soils had an initial water drop penetration time WDPT at 20°C of 457 s, whereas WDPT in the pine forest was 315 s for the top 5 cm and 982 s if only the top 1 cm was measured. Heating soils at selected temperatures of 50, 100, 150, 200, 250 and 300°C caused a marked drop in water drop penetration time WDPT from the initial value at 20°C. However, samples collected in different years and following an imposed cycle of wetting and drying showed much different trends, with WDPT sometimes initially increasing with temperature, followed by a drop after 200–300°C. The impact of heating temperature on the saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil was small. It was found for both the drying and wetting branches of soil water retention curves that an increase in soil water repellency resulted in a drop in soil water content at the same matric potential. The persistence of soil water repellency was strongly influenced by both the sampling site and time of sampling, as it was characterized by the results of WDPT tests.

Calibrating electromagnetic short soil water sensors

Calibrating electromagnetic short soil water sensors The use of electromagnetic (EM) soil moisture probes is proliferating rapidly, in two broad domains: in field and laboratory research; and in strongly practical applications such as irrigation scheduling in farms or horticultural enterprises, and hydrological monitoring. Numerous commercial EM probes are available for measurement of volumetric water content (θv), spanning a range of measurement principles, and of probe dimensions and sensing volumes. However probe calibration (i.e. the relationship of actual θv to probe electrical output) can shift, often substantially, with variations in parameters such as soil texture, organic matter content, wetness range, electrical conductivity and temperature. Hence a single-valued, manu-facturer-supplied calibration function is often inadequate, forcing the user to seek an application-specific calibration. The purpose of this paper is to describe systematic procedures which probe users can use to check or re-determine the calibration of their selected probe(s). Given the wide diversity of operating principles and designs of commercially-available EM probes, we illustrate these procedures with results from our own calibrations of five different short probes (length of 5 to 20 cm). Users are strongly recommended to undertake such calibration checks, which provide both a) pre-use experience, and b) more reliable in-use data. Kalibrácia elektromagnetických snímačov vlhkosti pôdy Používanie elektromagnetických (EM) snímačov vlhkosti pôdy sa rýchlo rozširuje tak v terénnom výskume, ako aj v laboratóriu. Sú používané v praktických aplikáciách ako je riadenie závlah na farmách a záhradách, ako aj v hydrologickom monitoringu. Pre meranie vlhkosti pôdy (θv) sú dostupné početné typy komerčných EM snímačov, založených na viacerých princípoch merania a snímače majú rozdielnu veľkosť snímaných objemov pôdy. Kalibračné krivky takýchto snímačov (t.j. závislosti medzi reálnou vlhkosťou pôdy θv a elektrickým výstupom snímača) sa môžu posúvať - niekedy podstatne - a to v závislosti od rozdielnych parametrov pôdy, ako je jej textúra, obsah organických látok, rozsah vlhkostí, elektrická vodivosť a teplota. Z toho vyplýva, že jednoznačná kalibračná krivka, dodávaná výrobcom je často neadekvátna, čo núti užívateľa snímač kalibrovať v špecifických podmienkach. Cieľom tohto príspevku je opísať procedúry, ktoré môžu byť použité užívateľmi pri rekalibrácii vybraných typov snímačov. Berúc do úvahy širokú paletu princípov EM snímačov, ilustrujeme tieto procedúry výsledkami vlastných kalibračných testov na piatich typoch krátkych snímačov (dĺžka od 5 do 20 cm). Užívateľom odporúčame rekalibráciu komerčných snímačov, ktorými získajú predbežné skúsenosti a spoľahlivejšie výsledky pri meraní vlhkosti pôdy.

On the role of rock fragments and initial soil water content in the potential subsurface runoff formation

Abstract Stony soils are composed of fractions (rock fragments and fine soil) with different hydrophysical characteristics. Although they are abundant in many catchments, their properties are still not well understood. This article presents basic characteristics (texture, stoniness, saturated hydraulic conductivity, and soil water retention) of stony soils from a mountain catchment located in the highest part of the Carpathian Mountains and summarizes results of water flow modeling through a hypothetical stony soil profile. Numerical simulations indicate the highest vertical outflow from the bottom of the profile in soils without rock fragments under ponding infiltration condition. Simulation of a more realistic case in a mountain catchment, i.e. infiltration of intensive rainfall, shows that when rainfall intensity is lower than the saturated hydraulic conductivity of the stony soil, the highest outflow is predicted in a soil with the highest stoniness and high initial water content of soil matrix. Relatively low available retention capacity in a stony soil profile and consequently higher unsaturated hydraulic conductivity leads to faster movement of the infiltration front during rainfall.

THE WATER RETENTION OF A GRANITE ROCK FRAGMENTS IN HIGH TATRAS STONY SOILS

The water retention of a granite rock fragments in High Tatras stony soils The water retention capacity of coarse rock fragments is usually considered negligible. But the presence of rock fragments in a soil can play an important role in both water holding capacity and in hydraulic conductivity as well. This paper presents results of maximum water holding capacity measured in coarse rock fragments in the soil classified as cobbly sandy loam sampled at High Tatra mountains. It is shown, that those coarse rock (granite) fragments have the maximum retention capacity up to 0.16 volumetric water content. Retention curves of the four particular granite fragments have shown water capacity available for plants expressed in units of volumetric water content of 0.005 to 0.072 in the soil water potential range (0, -0.3 MPa). Available water capacity of stone fragments can contribute to the available water capacity of soil fine earth considerably and help to plants to survive during dry spells. Retencia vody žulovými časticami skeletu v skeletovitých pôdach oblasti Vysokých Tatier Hodnoty vodnej retenčnej kapacity hrubozrnných častíc skeletu v pôdach sa zvyčajne považujú za zanedbateľné. Avšak prítomnosť častíc skeletu v pôdach môže významne ovplyvňovať hodnoty vodnej kapacity pôdy ako aj jej hydraulickej vodivosti. Tento príspevok prezentuje výsledky merania maximálnej vodnej kapacity skeletu obsiahnutého v pôde. Pôdne vzorky boli odoberané v lokalite FIRE, Vysoké Tatry. Podľa meraní, hodnoty maximálnej retenčnej kapacity skeletu dosahovali 0,16 objemovej vlhkosti. Na základe retenčných kriviek pre 4 vybrané žulové kamene môžeme povedať, že hodnoty využiteľnej vodnej kapacity, vyjadrené v jednotkách objemu vody v pôde sa pohybovali od 0,005 do 0,072 pre vodný potenciál pôdy od 0 do -0,3 MPa. Využiteľná vodná kapacita častíc skeletu takto môže významne doplňovať využiteľnú vodnú kapacitu jemnozeme a pomáha rastlinám prežiť suché obdobia.

THEORY OF EVAPOTRANSPIRATION: 2. Soil and intercepted water evaporation

THEORY OF EVAPOTRANSPIRATION: 2. Soil and intercepted water evaporation Evaporation of water from the soil is described and quantified. Formation of the soil dry surface layer is quantitatively described, as a process resulting from the difference between the evaporation and upward soil water flux to the soil evaporating level. The results of evaporation analysis are generalized even for the case of water evaporation from the soil under canopy and interaction between evaporation rate and canopy transpiration is accounted for. Relationships describing evapotranspiration increase due to evaporation of the water intercepted by canopy are presented. Indirect methods of evapotranspiration estimation are discussed, based on the measured temperature profiles and of the air humidity, as well as of the net radiation and the soil heat fluxes. TEÓRIA EVAPOTRANSPIRÁCIE: 2. Vyparovanie vody z pôdy a intercepčne zachytenej vody Príspevok obsahuje kvantitatívny opis výparu vody z pôdy a bilanciu energie počas vyparovania, charakterizovanú rovnicou obsahujúcou turbulentný tok tepla a skupenské teplo vyparovania. Je opísaný proces tvorby suchej vrstvy na povrchu pôdy počas výparu; jeho tvorba závisí od rozdielu medzi rýchlosťou výparu a prítokom vody k horizontu výparu zo spodnej vrstvy pôdy. Výsledky analýzy možno použiť aj na kvantifikáciu výparu z pôdy pod porastom. Uvádzajú sa vzťahy na výpočet zvýšenia rýchlosti evapotranspirácie, spôsobenej intercepciou. Práca obsahuje analýzu nepriamych metód výpočtu evapotranspirácie, ktoré sú založené na meraní profilov teploty a vlhkosti vzduchu nad vyparujúcim povrchom, ako aj radiačnej bilancie a tokov tepla v pôde.

THEORY OF EVAPOTRANSPIRATION 1. Transpiration and its quantitative description

THEORY OF EVAPOTRANSPIRATION: 1. Transpiration and its quantitative description Basic information about the evapotranspiration and its components is presented. System of equations describing the transport of water and energy in the soil - plant continuum is analyzed. The system of five differential equations with five unknowns is proposed, describing transport of heat and water vapour within the plant canopy, including exchange processes among the leaves and the atmosphere, vertical transport of the heat, water vapour and the energy balance. TEÓRIA EVAPOTRANSPIRÁCIE: 1. Transpirácia a jej kvantifikácia Príspevok obsahuje základné informácie o evapotranspirácii a jej zložkách, výpare a transpirácii. Proces prenosu vody a energie v systéme pôda - porast je opísaný systémom piatich diferenciálnych rovníc kvantifikujúcich prenos vodnej pary a tepla medzi listami a atmosférou, ktoré umožnujú výpočet charakteristík vertikálneho prenosu vody a tepla v poraste a tiež bilanciu energie v tomto systéme.

Movement of Water in Soil During Evaporation

Evaporation is a catenary process, during which water is transported through the Soil-Plant-Atmosphere System (SPAS). One subsystem of SPAS is soil, which accumulates water and transports it to the roots (transpiration) or to the soil surface where water is evaporating. In this chapter, movement of water in the soil subsystem is described. Movement of soil water during evaporation is a nonisothermal process in principle; soil is heated by the energy of the Sun and cooled by the energy consumed during evaporation. Typical soil water content (SWC) profiles during evaporation are presented, demonstrating their typical features during isothermal and nonisothermal evaporation. Typical relationships of evaporation and soil water content estimated in the field and in the laboratory are given, and the three stages of evaporation as they are related to the SWC are identified. A system of equations describing movement of liquid water, water vapor, and heat in the soil and approximative solution of transport equation for bare soil are presented.

The influence of stony soil properties on water dynamics modeled by the HYDRUS model

Abstract Stony soils are composed of two fractions (rock fragments and fine soil) with different hydrophysical characteristics. Although stony soils are abundant in many catchments, their properties are still not well understood. This manuscript presents an application of the simple methodology for deriving water retention properties of stony soils, taking into account a correction for the soil stoniness. Variations in the water retention of the fine soil fraction and its impact on both the soil water storage and the bottom boundary fluxes are studied as well. The deterministic water flow model HYDRUS-1D is used in the study. The results indicate that the presence of rock fragments in a moderate-to-high stony soil can decrease the soil water storage by 23% or more and affect the soil water dynamics. Simulated bottom fluxes increased or decreased faster, and their maxima during the wet period were larger in the stony soil compared to the non-stony one.