Estimation of the diffusion coefficients of adsorbed and non-adsorbed solutes in soil

A method is proposed which follows Darrah's experimental procedure and takes advantage of a mathematical solution provided by Carslaw & Jaeger to estimate the diffusion coefficients of adsorbed and non-adsorbed solutes in soil. The method requires only the values of the concentration of the solute at the input face of a uniform column of soil, C^s, and of the total amount, Q_t, that has entered the soil after a specified time during which the surface of the block is in contact with a thin porous pad containing a known initial amount of solute, Q₀, at concentration C₀, expressed in the same units as C^s. In the C^s/C₀ vs. Q_t/Q₀ space there is a unique relationship between the effective diffusion coefficient, D_e, of the solute in the soil and the contact conductance for this solute, h, between the pad and the soil surface. The proposed procedure is firstly to determine D_e, and h for a non-adsorbed solute in the experimental soil using the experimental values of C^s/C₀ and Q/_Q for that solute. This value of D_e, gives the diffusion impedance factor for the solute in the soil, f, which is assumed also to apply to adsorbed solutes. A first estimate of the effective diffusion coefficient of an adsorbed solute, ¹D_ea, is then made using f and the diffusion coefficient of the free solute in water, D_L, obtained from the literature (i.e. ¹D_ea= D_Lf). Only if the solute is weakly adsorbed will the values of C^s/C₀, and Q_t/Q₀ lie in C^s/C₀, vs. Q_t/Q₀, space as defined by ¹D_ea and the contact conductance, h. Instead a second space relating C^s/C₀ and Q_t/Q₀, is now constructed from nominated values of h and D_e, where D_e, is defined in terms of ¹D_ea, the adsorption coefficient, F , and the volumetric moisture content of the soil, θ. The position of the experimental values of C^s/C₀, and Q_t/Q₀ within this new space defines h and the actual D_e, and F of the solute as it diffuses and is adsorbed in the soil. The advantages and limitations of the method are discussed. In particular, the method assumes that the adsorption process is linear and reversible.     

Soil‐gas diffusivity in large soil monoliths

The variability of gas diffusion in soil is not well known, but is important for assessing greenhouse gas emissions, soil decontamination, oxidation in soil and plant and root respiration. The goal of this study was to assess small‐scale variability of the relative soil‐gas diffusivity (D_s / D_o, m_{soil air}) using large intact soil monoliths and to compare D_s / D_o calculation methods. Neon (Ne) was maintained constant at the lower boundary of three monoliths of two soils (a sand and an organic soil). Ne concentration was measured at large spatial and temporal frequencies. Calculation methods included the use of average concentration, and average D_s / D_o per horizon, per section, or for the entire soil profile. Considering all sections of the monoliths, D_s / D_o varied from 3.5 × 10⁻³ to 1.2 × 10⁻¹ for the A_p horizon and from 4.8 × 10⁻³ to 8.3 × 10⁻¹ for the B_f horizon in the sand and from 1.0 × 10⁻³ to 7.9 × 10⁻³ for the O_hp horizon and from 2.4 × 10⁻⁴ to 7.7 × 10⁻² for the O_f horizon in the organic soil. For the entire soil profile, variations in D_s / D_o between monoliths reached 125% in the sand and 56% in the organic soil. The D_s / D_o calculation method influenced the apparent variability (CV) of D_s / D_o and, to a lesser extent, D_s / D_o values of the overall soil profile. Differences in D_s / D_o between monoliths could not be explained solely by the variability of total soil porosity and air‐filled porosity. Soil macroporosity (cracks and earthworm burrows) and layering greatly influenced variability of gas movement. Thus, the choice of sampling procedure, calculation method and modelling must be governed by the scale of the processes of interest and soil variability attributes.     

On estimating the uptake of nutrients solubilized near roots or other surfaces

The additional nutrient absorbed by a surface releasing a solubilizing agent is predicted. The ‘solubilizing effect’ is defined. The nutrient solubilized may diffuse away from the surface as well as towards it. If the change in solution concentration of nutrient and solubilizing agent at the surface are abrupt, the fraction of nutrient solubilized that is absorbed at a planar surface equals 1/(1 +√D_Y/D_X), where D_Y, D_X are the diffusion coefficients of the solubilizing agent and the nutrient. At a spherical surface this fraction has to be multiplied by 1/(1 +√πD_Y/t2_a), and at a cylindrical surface, appropriate for a root, by approximately 1/(1 +√πD_Y/t4_a), where a is the radius.     

县域尺度土壤有机碳储量估算的样点密度优化

县域是我国国家尺度土壤碳库估算的基本地域单元,合理的土壤样品采集密度是保证估算精度要求的基础。以桃源县为例,设置4.70、0.90、0.60、0.40、0.25、0.15、0.10和0.05个km-2共8个样点密度梯度,利用经典统计学和地统计学方法,研究样点密度对县域尺度土壤有机碳库估算精度的影响。经典统计表明,随着样点密度的降低,重复抽样下土壤有机碳均值及其变异系数的波动逐渐增大,标准误差呈幂函数增加(Y=0.025X-0.47,R2=0.97,p0.01)。地统计学分析表明,随着样点密度的降低,块金值和基底效应逐渐增加,偏基台、变程和决定系数的波动幅度逐渐增大,拟合残差呈幂函数增加(Y=0.001 4X-1.66,R2=0.56,p0.05);土壤有机碳空间分布的局部差异逐渐被弱化,重复抽样下县域土壤有机碳库储量及其平均误差的波动逐渐增强,均方根误差呈幂函数增加(Y=0.77X-0.05,R2=0.59,p0.05)。从整体上看,样点密度小于0.15个km-2时,以上变化均急剧增强,土壤碳储量估算的精度快速降低。因此,综合科学、高效和经济方面的考虑,估算县域农田表层土壤有机碳储量的最佳样点密度为0.15个km-2。本研究结果可为开展区域尺度土壤有机碳野外调查提供辅助支持。     

Determination of chemical transport properties for different textures of undisturbed soils

Agrichemicals usually contaminate groundwater via preferential flow, therefore determination of the preferential flow characteristics of soil is needed. One model that predicts solute transport due to preferential flow is the mobile–immobile (MIM) solute-transport model, which partitions total water content (θ; m³ m^?3) into mobile (θ_m) and immobile fractions (θ_im). In undisturbed soils, a method is proposed for determining the MIM model parameters, i.e. immobile water fraction (θ_im), mass transfer coefficient (α) and hydrodynamic dispersion coefficient (D _h). Breakthrough curves were obtained for five different soil textures in three replicates, by miscible displacement of Cl^? in undisturbed soil columns. Cl^? breakthrough curves were evaluated in terms of the MIM model. Analysis suggests that the values of D _h and α increased with lighter soil textures and θ_im increased with heavier soil textures. The values of θ_im ranged from 5.31 to 14.28% in different soil textures. Furthermore, values of θ_im were found to be related to soil clay content. Values of α ranged from 0.0257 to 0.32 h^?1 and values of D _h ranged from 0.36 to 11.2 cm² h^?1 in different soil textures. A significant linear correlation was obtained between α, θ_im, D _h and soil saturated hydraulic conductivity (K _s) and pore water velocity (v). A multivariate pedotransfer function was developed to estimate α, θ_im and D _h based on the geometric mean (d _g) and the standard deviation (σ_g) of the diameter of soil particles and soil organic matter content. The pedotransfer functions for D _h, θ_im and α were validated by independent data sets from other investigators.     

Evaluating soil salinity status from bulk electrical conductivity and permittivity

In the range of volumetric water content, θ, from about 0.12 cm³ cm^–3 to saturation the relation between bulk electrical conductivity, C_b, and bulk electrical permittivity, ε, of mineral soils was observed to be linear. The partial derivative ?C_b/?ε appeared independent of the moisture content and directly proportional to soil salinity. We found that the variable X_s = ?C_b/?ε determined from in situ measurements of C_b(θ > 0.2) and ε(θ > 0.2) can be considered as an index of soil salinity, and we call it the ‘salinity index’. Knowing the index and sand content for a given soil we could calculate the electrical conductivity of the soil water, C_w, which is a widely accepted measure of soil salinity. The two variables from which the salinity index can be calculated, i.e. C_b and ε, can be read simultaneously from the same sensor by time-domain reflectometry. Quantities and symbols a constant /dS m^–1 b constant c constant /dS m^–1 C _b electrical conductivity of bulk soil /dS m^–1 C _b′ constant equal to 0.08 dS m^–1 C _s electrical conductivity of a solution used to moisten soil samples /dS m^–1 C _w electrical conductivity of soil water defined as the soil salinity /dS m^–1 C _wref reference salinity (that truly existing) resulting from the procedure of moistening samples, expressed as C_s + C_r/dS m^–1 C _r baseline value of C_s due to residual soluble salts present in the soil /dS m^–1 d constant D dry soil bulk density /g cm^–3 l slope r ratio S sand content /% by weight t time /s X _s salinity index /dS m^–1 X _si initial salinity index when distilled water is used to moisten soil samples /dS m^–1 Y a moisture-independent salinity-dependent variable /dS m^–1 z coordinate along direction of flow of the soil solution ε′ constant equal to 6.2 ε relative bulk electrical permittivity (dielectric constant) of the soil θ volumetric water content determined thermogravimetrically using oven-drying /cm³ cm^–3     

Structure and self-similarity in silty and sandy soils: the fractal approach

Soil structure was studied using the concept of fractals and related to soil texture and aggregate properties such as surface charges and aggregate stability. The mass and porosity fractal dimensions (D_m and D_p) of silty and sandy soils were determined on in situ soils using a variety of soil sections (thin, very-thin and ultra-thin), by image analysis on a continuous scale from m to 10^?9 to 10^?1m. Surface fractal dimensions (D_s) of these soils were determined on < 2 mm air-dried samples using mercury porosimetry and the fractal cube generator model. The results suggest that soils are not pore fractals but mass and surface fractals with D_m= 1.1 D_s when the dimension of the embedding Euclidean space d is 3. The soil structures could possibly be described by fractal diffusion-limited aggregation with complex interconnected aggregates or by fractal cluster–cluster aggregation models. As a preliminary conclusion, the fractal approach appears to be a potentially useful tool for understanding the underlying mechanisms in the creation or destruction of soil structure.     

沙地农田肥水因子对春玉米产量形成的影响

采用二次回归通用旋转组合设计方法，对沙地春玉米水肥因子进行了试验研究，结果表明，试验条件下沙地农田土壤相对含水量保持在66.6%。施用尿素量59.4g/m^2时可获得1.13kg/m^2的最高产量，影响春玉米产量形成的关键因子是N肥施用量和土壤相对含水量。春玉米产量（Y）——与土壤相对含水量（X1）、N肥施用量（X2）的关系为Y=4.1 0.54X1 0.46X2-0.23X1X2-0.24X21-0.16X^22。     

Temporal variation in soil carbon in various paddy soil types in a cold temperate continental monsoon climate

Soil organic carbon (SOC) is the most important carbon pool in the terrestrial ecosystem. However, temporal variations in paddy SOC under a temperate continental monsoon climate are poorly understood. Here, we demonstrate that significant SOC variations occur in meadow soil (MS), black soil (BS) and planosol (PS) paddy soils. Several soil samples were collected from different regions where rice was cultivated for 1, 6, 10, 23 and 40 years for MS samples; for 1, 6, 10, 20 and 35 years for BS samples and 1, 5, 10, 15 and 25 years for PS samples. The total organic carbon (TOC) content and humus organic carbon (HOC) content were found to increase as the rice cultivation duration increased, while the mineralizable organic carbon (MOC) content and carbohydrate organic carbon (COC) content exhibited the opposite trend. The relationships between the relative carbon accumulation (Y) in the three soil types and time (X) were consistent with the following models: Y_TOC = 0.9973X^0.0245, Y_HOC = 0.9936X^0.0457, Y_MOC = 1.023X^−0.073, and Y_COC = 1.040X^−0.059, describing the temporal variation in the various forms of organic carbon in paddy soils under a temperate continental monsoon climate. The results of this study provide a reference for soil carbon pool management and fertilization management.     

Calculation of hydraulic conductivities of horizons in some major soils in Wisconsin

Hydraulic conductivity between saturation and a tension of 100 cm water was calculated with moisture-retention data for nine soil horizons and compared with results from in situ measurements with the crust test. Agreement was good for sandy, apedal soil horizons with simple packing voids but only if matching factors were used. Results were unreliable in clayey, pedal soil horizons in which a few relatively large planar and tubular pores determine K in the measured tension range, whereas the greatest fraction of total porosity is composed of fine pores inside peds that hardly contribute to flow. Varying the number of pore classes (n) and the water-filled porosity at saturation made no significant difference in the calculations for the apedal soils, but drastically changed the shape of the calculated curves for the pedal soils. Matching factors based on K_sat measurement had to be used for all studied soil horizons, indicating that Marshall's pore-interaction model never predicted K_sat accurately.     

饱和紫色土初始态和稳定态细沟水力学特征研究

细沟水力学特征是影响坡面土壤侵蚀的重要动力因素.不同侵蚀阶段细沟形态影响水流动力学特征,进而影响细沟侵蚀发育与形态演变.试验以饱和紫色土为研究对象,在测量得到不同流量(2,4,8 L·min-1)及坡度(5°,10°,15°,20°)下初始态细沟和稳定态细沟径流流速的基础上,计算得到初始态和稳定态细沟水力学参数,包括平...     

气候因子和地表覆盖对沿海滩涂土壤盐分动态的影响

为探明气候因子对沿海滩涂表层土壤盐分季节性变化规律的影响,并探讨植被和秸秆覆盖对滩涂土壤脱盐效果及控盐的作用。2014年5月—2015年5月,在江苏沿海滩涂盐碱地(中重度盐分),设置4种处理进行田间试验,分别为对照(裸地,CK)、秸秆覆盖(覆盖量为15 t·hm-2,SM)、植被覆盖(PC)和植被+秸秆覆盖(覆盖量为7.5 t·hm-2,PC+1/2SM),监测了气候因子和表层土壤盐分的季节性动态变化。结果表明:1)在沿海滩涂裸地中,土壤盐分具有一定程度的季节性规律,表现为在10—12月具有明显的积盐效果,且在10月EC1︰5达到最大值为3.90 d S·m-1。2)相关分析表明:采样前7 d降雨累积量与土壤盐分变化有着极密切负相关关系;气候因子的多因子及互作逐步分析表明:降雨量增加可以促进土壤脱盐作用,大气温度升高可加剧土壤盐分表聚,降雨量和大气温度的互作效应增加会对土壤盐分累积产生正效应。3)地表覆盖(包括PC和SM)显著地改变了气候因子对土壤盐分动态变化的影响,累积降雨量和大气平均温度与土壤盐分无显著相关性,且大量秸秆覆盖对滩涂表层土壤脱盐具有更明显的效果。因此,在沿海气候向暖湿方向发展的趋势下,综合考虑脱盐及控盐作用,选择适量秸秆覆盖(如覆盖量15 t·hm-2)或适量秸秆覆盖结合植被种植覆盖,同时充分利用沿海地区降雨量集中的特点,可能是未来滩涂盐碱盐渍土快速脱盐和土壤改良的重要措施。     

Influence of relative surface age on hydraulic properties and infiltration on soils associated with desert pavements

Av horizons found in desert pavement environments are known to evolve pedogenically over geologic time. This study was conducted to determine whether increased pedogenic development of the Av (vesicular) horizon over relative time impacts the hydraulic properties of individual soil peds and the mechanism of infiltration as inferred by dye patterns. We examined peds from the Av horizons associated with desert pavements that mantled three different alluvial deposits with different relative surface ages (Qf5 (∼ 10 ka), Qf3 (∼ 50–100 ka), and Qf2 (∼ 10–50 ka)) and included an additional surface (Qf6 (∼ 4 ka)) for the dye studies. We hypothesized that increases in the development of the Av over time would lead to a more structured soil surface with greater potential flow between soil peds and lower hydraulic conductivity of the soil peds themselves. Results showed that average K_s and α of the Qf5 peds were significantly greater than estimated for the Qf2 and Qf3 peds. Although K_s was greater for the Qf5 peds, the steady-state infiltration rate was equal for the Qf3, Qf2, and Qf5 surfaces, perhaps indicating a reduction in matrix flow through soil peds and an increase in interped flow between soil peds.     

Relationship between greenhouse gas emissions and changes in soil gas diffusivity in a field experiment with biochar and lime

Reducing greenhouse gas emissions from arable soil while maintaining productivity is a major challenge for agriculture. Biochar is known to reduce N₂O emissions from soil, but the underlying mechanisms are unclear. This study examined the impact of green waste biochar (20 Mg ha^?1) and lime (CaCO₃; 2 Mg ha^?1) application on soil gas transport properties and related changes in these to soil N₂O and CO₂ emissions measured using automated chambers in a field experiment cropped with maize. In situ soil water content monitoring was combined with laboratory measurements of relative soil gas diffusion coefficient (D_p/D₀) at different matric potentials, to determine changes in D_p/D₀ over time. Cumulative N₂O emissions were similar in the control and lime treatment, but much lower in the biochar treatment. Cumulative CO₂ emissions decreased in the order: lime treatment > biochar treatment > control soil. When N₂O emissions were not driven by excess N supply shortly after fertilisation, they were associated with D_p/D₀ changes, whereby decreases in D_p/D₀ corresponded to N₂O emissions peaks. No distinct pattern was observed between CO₂ emissions and D_p/D₀. Cumulative N₂O emissions were positively related to number of days with D_p/D₀ < 0.02, a critical limit for soil aeration. These results indicate that improved soil gas diffusivity, and hence improved soil aeration, may explain the effect of biochar in reducing N₂O emissions. They also suggest that knowledge of D_p/D₀ changes may be key to explaining N₂O emissions.     

Soil physical properties and wheat root growth as affected by no-tillage and conventional tillage systems in a Mediterranean environment of Chile

No-tillage systems affect soil properties depending on the soil, climate, and the time since its implementation. In heavy no-tilled soils a surface compacted layer is commonly found. Such layer can affect root growth and soil water infiltration. In several cases, surface organic carbon can buffer these problems. The aim of this study was to evaluate the effect of 4- and 7-year-old conventional (CT) and no-tillage (NT) treatments on soil physical properties, root growth, and wheat (Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) yield in an Entic Haploxeroll of Central Chile. In both tillage treatments we study soil water retention, bulk density (ρ_b), soil particle density (ρ_s), soil water infiltration, mean-weight diameter of soil aggregates (MWD), penetration resistance, grain yield, and root length density (L_v) up to a depth of 15 cm. The MWD and the penetration resistance were higher under NT as compared to CT. For the top 5 cm of soil, L_v was greater under NT as compared to CT. Differences of L_v between NT and CT were 2.09, 7.60, and 4.31 cm root cm⁻³ soil during the two leaves, flowering and grain filling phenological stages, respectively. Generally, the effect of NT on these properties was more evident near the soil surface. In contrast, fast drainage macropores, ρ_s, and soil water infiltration rates were higher under CT than under NT. Tillage treatments did not significantly affect ρ_b and yield. A longer time under no-tillage enhanced aggregate stability, however, other soil physical properties were negatively affected.     

Alternative methods in the development of pedotransfer functions for soil hydraulic characteristics

Soil hydraulic properties are needed in the modeling of water flow and solute movement in the vadose zone. Pedotransfer functions (PTFs) have received the attention of many researchers for indirect determination of hydraulic properties from basic soil properties as an alternative to direct measurement. The objective of this study was to compare the performance of cascade forward network (CFN), multiple-linear regression (MLR), and seemingly unrelated regression (SUR) methods using prediction capabilities of point and parametric PTFs developed by these methods. The point PTFs estimated field capacity (FC), permanent wilting point (PWP), available water capacity (AWC), and saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) and the parametric PTFs estimated the van Genuchten retention parameters. A total of 180 soil samples was extracted from the UNSODA database and divided into two groups as 135 for the development and 45 for the validation of the PTFs. The model performances were evaluated with three statistical tools: the maximum error (ME), the model efficiency (EF), and the D index (D) using the observed and predicted values of a given parameter. Despite the fact that the differences among the three methods in prediction accuracies of the point and parametric PTFs were not statistically significant (p > 0.05) except θ_r and α (p < 0.05) based on the ANOVA test, overall MLR and SUR were somewhat better than CFN in prediction of the point PTFs, whereas CFN performed better than the other two methods in prediction of the parametric PTFs. The F.F values of FC and θ_r for CFN, MLR, and SUR methods were 0.705. 0.805, 0.795 and 0.356, −0.290, −0.290, respectively, which refer to the best and worst predictions. Properties (Ks, θ_r, α) having some difficulty in prediction were better predicted by CFN and SUR methods, where these methods predict all hydraulic properties from basic soil properties simultaneously rather than individually as in MLR. This suggests that multivariate analysis using such functional relationships between hydraulic properties and basic soil properties can be utilized in developing more accurate point and parametric PTFs with less time and effort.     

九龙坡花椒种植区地形、土壤肥力与花椒产量的关系

为了解九龙坡花椒种植区土壤养分状况及该区地形因子、土壤肥力因子与花椒产量的关系,为科学合理制定花椒高效施肥措施提供理论依据,本研究采用田间调查研究和室内分析的方法,研究了九龙坡花椒种植区低、中、高产区的海拔、坡度及土壤pH、有机质、大量微量元素含量和交换性能的变化特征,及其与花椒产量的关系。研究结果表明：九龙坡花椒普遍种植于200~500 m海拔范围,高产区集中在300 m左右的海拔;从低产区到高产区坡度略有增加,但未达显著水平。土壤均属酸性土,pH<6.5。土壤肥力总体属高水平范围,但各养分因子差异很大,其中土壤阳离子交换量（CEC）、有效磷、有效钙、有效镁、有效铁、有效锰、有效铜、有效锌含量丰富,分别为27.2 cmol（+）·kg^-1、35.2 mg·kg^-1、3 289.8 mg·kg^-1、271.8 mg·kg^-1、48.6 mg·kg^-1、62.1 mg·kg^-1、1.5 mg·kg^-1、4.5 mg·kg^-1;有机质、碱解氮、速效钾、交换性酸属适中水平,分别为19.1 mg·kg^-1、114.9 mg·kg^-1、107.0 mg·kg^-1、8.1 cmol（+）·kg^-1;水溶性硼缺乏,为0.28 mg·kg^-1。相关分析表明花椒产量与有效钙、CEC、pH、有效锰、水溶性硼呈显著正相关;通径分析结果表明有效钙、CEC、交换性酸、有效铜、有效铁、有效锌是影响花椒产量的主要因子,逐步回归分析构建了有效钙（X₆）与花椒产量（Y）的最优回归线性方程：Y=11.693+0.003X₆。综上所述,九龙坡花椒种植区土壤养分失衡较为严重,施肥应注重养分的平衡,增施有机肥,改善土壤理化性状,治理土壤酸化。     

Untersuchungen zum Bodenlufthaushalt in einem Bodenbearbeitungsversuch. 2. Gasdiffusionskoeffizienten als Strukturmaße für Böden

Investigation of the soil gas regime in a tillage experiment: 2. Apparent diffusion coefficients as a measure of soil structure In a soil tillage experiment with nursery stock on three different soils the apparent diffusion coefficients for CO₂ were measured using soil cores of different depths at different times. Not-tilled, herbicide treated plots were compared with rototilled plots. The relationship between the relative apparent diffusion coefficient and the air content may be described by an exponential regression function D_s/D_a = 0.0085 · e^6.8E_L, if all measurements are taken into the calculation. By dividing into different soil textures different regressions are obtained for the three studied soils: a sand, a silt and a clay loam. In many cases it is possible to show by the changing D_s(E_L) regression changes of the soil structure with depth or as a result of tillage. In all these cases the soil of the not tilled plots turns out to be better structurized than that of the tilled ones, demonstrated by higher D_s-values at equal E_L. The interpretation of the differences is being tried with the aid of soil pore tortuousity and continuity. Finally the measured D_s(E_L) relationships are applied to characterize the soil gas regime for two seasons, using CO₂ concentration profiles of the soil air on a day in summer and fall, respectively. It is shown, that CO₂ production reaches farther down in summer than in fall.