Hydrophysical Properties of the High-Ash Lowmoor Peat Soils

The water retention curve (WRC), density, botanical composition, and ash contents were determined for high-ash lowmoor peat soils (Rheic Sapric Histosols) developing on the floodplain of the Yakhroma River (Moscow oblast) from the herb–hypnum and hypnum peat enriched in carbonates, agromineral peat soils (Rheic Drainic Sapric Histosols (Mineralic)), and peat soils developed from woody peat underlain by herb, sedge, and woody peat layers (Rheic Sapric Histosols (Lignic)). The WRC was determined by capillarimetric method in the range of water pressure from 0 to 80–90 кPa. For the studied peat soils, the WRC represents a close to linear dependence of the water content on the water pressure in semilogarithmic scale. In contrast to mineral soils, a characteristic point of the air-entry pressure is virtually absent on the WRC of peat soils. The WRC of peat largely depended on their density: denser peat samples were characterized by a higher water content at the same water pressure, which attests to the increased water retention capacity. An increase in the degree of decomposition of peat and its ash content also leads to the rise in the water retention capacity, but the effect of these factors is considerably smaller than the effect of peat density.     

Einfluß physikalischer Eigenschaften und anthropogener Tätigkeit auf die Hysterese der Wasserspannungskurve organogener Böden

Influence of the soil properties and human activity on the hysteresis of the moisture retention function in organic soils The hysteresis of the moisture retention function is characterized by the greatest difference of water content during drying and wetting (Θ_AΘ_B) at the same suction. It diminishes by an increased degree of peat decomposition, ash content, bulk density and pH and increases with the volume of macropores (Ø > 50 μm). In the soil suction range Ψ = –1 to –6 kPa the hysteresis can be calculated by multiple regression equations (Tab. 3). Under arable land compared with grassland the hysteresis increases depending on the soil looseness and diminution of soil aggregates. A sand cover on peatland leads in the upper (20–30 cm) layer to a diminution of hysteresis proportional to the sand thickness.     

Change of soil hydrological properties of fens as a result of soil development

This study deals with the change and evaluation of hydrological properties of peat soils (Histosols) in the course of soil development. Ash content, volumetric water content, and dry bulk density, unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, water retention function, and wetting properties were measured for 84 fen sites in 19 fen regions of North‐Eastern Germany. Soil development resulted in porosity decrease. On the contrary, the macropore space and the capillary rise increased. With the start of consolidation processes and the development of segregation structure, a'noticeable reduction of the macropores and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity were observed. In course of soil development and decreasing of aggregate size, these processes reversed. Both parameters increased from segregation structure horizon to earthyfied fen and weak moorshyfied fen horizon, until they partly exceeded the starting values of pedogenetic almost unchanged fen in strongly moorshyfied stadium. Differences in wetting properties of peat could not be explained by the changes of peat properties in the course of soil development.     

Physical properties of peat soils under different land use options

Pristine peat soils are characterized by large porosity, low density and large water and organic matter contents. Drainage and management practices change peat properties by oxidation, compaction and mineral matter additions. This study examined differences in physical properties (hydraulic conductivity, water retention curve, bulk density, porosity, von Post degree of decomposition) in soil profiles of two peatland forests, a cultivated peatland, a peat extraction area and two pristine mires originally within the same peatland area. Soil hydraulic conductivity of the drained sites (median hydraulic conductivities: 3.3 × 10^?5 m/s, 2.9 × 10^?8 m/s and 8.5 × 10^?8 m/s for the forests, the cultivated site and the peat extraction area, respectively) was predicted better by land use option than by soil physical parameters. Detailed physical measurements were accompanied by monitoring of the water levels between drains. The model ‘DRAINMOD’ was used to assess the hydrology and the rapid fluctuations seen in groundwater depths. Hydraulic conductivity values needed to match the simulation of observed depth to groundwater data were an order of magnitude greater than those determined in field measurements, suggesting that macropore flow was an important pathway at the study sites. The rapid response of depth to groundwater during rainfall events indicated a small effective porosity and this was supported by the small measured values of drainable porosity. This study highlighted the potential role of land use and macropore flow in controlling water table fluctuation and related processes in peat soils.     

Laboratory calibration of time domain reflectometry to determine moisture content in undisturbed peat samples

Time domain reflectometry (TDR), while widely used to measure volumetric water content (θ) and bulk electrical conductivity (BEC) in unsaturated granular soils, remains less studied in peat than mineral soils. Empirical models commonly used in mineral soils are not applicable to peat for accurate determination of θ from measured apparent dielectric permittivity (?). Past studies for peat report highly variable calibrations, and suggest differences in origin of organic matter, degree of decomposition and bound water to explain such variability. This study shows that bound water appears to have minimal impact on calibration because of its negligible volumetric fraction at the low bulk densities of peat. Increased volumetric air fraction at the same θ values attributed to high porosity of peat makes the ?‐θ relationships of mineral soils inapplicable. Temperature effects on ? resulted in a correction factor for θ. The temperature correction factor decreased with decreasing θ and was determined experimentally to lie between ?0.0021 m³ m^?3 per °C for θ≥ 0.79 m³ m^?3 and ?0.0005 m³ m^?3 per °C for θ = 0.35 m³ m^?3. The decreasing value of the correction factor with θ can be explained by dependence of the ?‐θ relationship on properties of free water alone. Temperature dependence of BEC was close to that of soil solution. Maxwell‐De Loor's four‐phase mixing model (MDL) based on physical properties of the multiphase soil system can efficiently simulate the effect of increased air volume and varying soil temperature on the ?‐θ relationship in peat. In addition, linear ?‐θ calibration in peat can be improved when BEC is included in the calibration equation.     

Ein autoregressives Verfahren zur Bestimmung der gesättigten und ungesättigten hydraulischen Leitfähigkeit

An autoregressive procedure to predict the hydraulic conductivity — Comparison of measured and predicted results An instantaneous profile method was used to measure the unsaturated hydraulic conductivity. Relatively new techniques involving undisturbed soil samples instrumented with minitensio-meters and Time-Domain-Reflectometry (TDR) mini-probes were used for the experiments. The laboratory method allows a high spatial and temporal resolution. Laboratory measurements were carried out for 40 soil horizons with a wide spectrum of texture and bulk density. In addition, retention curves were measured using the standard pressure plate apparatus. Using this homogeneous set of data, an autoregressive model was developed which allows a stepwise calculation of the hydraulic conductivity for a water potential range of —30 up to —600 hPa. This model was developed for loamy sands, sandy, silty and clayey soils in conjunction with data from the retention curves. The calculation procedure starts with the determination of an initial unsaturated conductivity (k) close to field capacity, i.e., for water potential from —60 hPa up to —100 hPa. This first value is then used to predict other conductivity values using appropriate changes in soil water content corresponding to a defined range of the soil water potential. Subsequently, the hydraulic conductivities for higher and lower potentials were estimated considering the k value of the previous step in combination with the data of the retention curve of the next water potential range. The advantage of this empirical model is the indirect consideration of soil structure, in contrast to the closed-form van Genuchten-Mualem (vGM) model. To demonstrate these effects on different fitting procedures, the vGM model was also used to describe soil hydraulic functions. The accuracy of both, the vGM model and the autoregressive one, were compared for various fitting procedures and soils.     

Predicting unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of soil based on some basic soil properties

Soil hydraulic conductivity is a crucial parameter in modeling flow process in soils and deciding water management. In this study, by combining the non-similar media concept (NSMC) to the one-parameter model of Brooks and Corey, a new NSMC-based model for estimating unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of various soils was presented. The main inputs are soil bulk density, particle-size distribution, soil water retention characteristic and saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil. The results indicated that the NSMC-based model could generally more accurately predict unsaturated hydraulic conductivity of soils, as compared to four one-parameter models and van Genuchten–Mualem model. This study, by introducing NSMC, provided a new way to incorporate soil physical heterogeneity into soil hydraulic simulation, and hence NSMC-based approach is expected to improve efficiency of the existing models in the simulation of soil water flow.     

矿区生态修复过程中不同立地类型土壤水动力学特性

[目的]揭示矿区不同立地土壤水动力学特性及其影响因素,为矿区生态环境恢复治理提供科学依据。[方法]基于矿区不同立地类型土壤水分特征曲线、非饱和导水率、孔隙度与紧实度等监测试验,揭示不同立地类型土壤持水性、有效水含量和导水特性等变化规律。[结果]土壤持水性和供水性在受损区<修复3a区<修复5a区<修复10a区<修复15a区<未干扰区,但修复区20—40cm土壤持水性、供水性较0—20cm土壤低,修复效果不明显;土壤结构改善效果遵循受损区<修复区<未干扰区的变化规律,且修复区亚表层土壤结构改善效果不明显。采用指数函数拟合吸力和非饱和导水率效果较好(r2>0.95),相同吸力下,容重大而非饱和导水率较小;非饱和导水率和容重呈负相关,和孔隙度呈正相关且相关性随吸力增加降低。矿区0—20cm易有效含水量呈现受损区<修复3a区<修复5a区<修复10a区<未干扰区<修复15a区,但修复区20—40cm土层易有效水含量较0—20cm小。[结论]土壤易有效水含量和容重、紧实度呈负相关关系,与总孔隙度、黏粒含量呈正相关关系。修复后土壤结构有所改善,持蓄调节水分能力有所提高。     

Multi-domain model for pore-size dependent transport of solutes in soils

A multi-domain model for the transport of chemicals in soils is developed. The solute flux is related to the microscopic water flux, which is modelled using concepts to estimate the hydraulic conductivity of porous media. The pore space of the soil is divided into an arbitrarily large number of domains each representing an equivalent pore radius. The domains are arranged on a structural coordinate, perpendicular to the direction of mean water flow. Transport in the flow direction takes place in each domain by convection and diffusion with pore-size specific velocities. Solute mixing between the domains is simulated as convective-dispersive transport along the structural coordinate. The model is solved numerically for one-dimensional steady-state water flux under unit-gradient conditions. Required input parameters are the unsaturated conductivity function of a soil and a pore interaction coefficient which characterizes the solute exchange between the pore domains. Simulations show a gradual change from convection dominated transport (isolated tube model) to convective-dispersive transport. The length scale where this change takes place depends on the lateral mixing intensity, pore-size distribution of the medium, and saturation degree.     

Spatial variation of peat soil properties in the oil-producing region of northeastern Sakhalin

Morphology and properties of medium-deep oligotrophic peat, oligotrophic peat gley, pyrogenic oligotrophic peat gley, and peat gley soils on subshrub-cotton grass-sphagnum bogs and in swampy larch forests of northeastern Sakhalin have been studied. Variation in the thickness and reserves of litters in the studied bog and forest biogeocenoses has been analyzed. The profile distribution and spatial variability of moisture, density, ash, and pH_KCl in separate groups of peat soils have been described. The content and spatial variability of petroleum hydrocarbons have been considered in relation to the accumulation of natural bitumoids by peat soils and the technogenic pressing in the oil-producing region. Variation of each parameter at different distances (10, 50, and 1000 m) has been estimated using a hierarchical sampling scheme. The spatial conjugation of soil parameters has been studied by factor analysis using the principal components method and Spearman correlation coefficients. Regression equations have been proposed to describe relationships of ash content with soil density and content of petroleum hydrocarbons in peat horizons.     

Characteristics of humic substances in peat of selected peatlands from north-eastern Poland

Abstract

Peat samples collected in six peatlands located in north-eastern Poland were analysed. Two of the investigated psedands were fens, two were transitional bogs and two of them were raised bogs. All peat deposits were investigated in the whole stratigraphic profile, and peat samples were chosen according to the differentiation of peat genus in deposit. pH in water and KCl, degree of decomposition, ash content, carbon content as well as the ratio of humic to falvic acid were evaluated. The highest degree of peat decomposition was found in wood peat (Alneti), and the in moss peat (Bryaleti). The strongest humification was observed in low peat of genus Limno-Phragmitioni (hypnum-moss peat) and Magnocaricioni (sedgeous peat).     

The Potential for Waste‐Derived Materials to Form Soil Covers for the Restoration of Mine Tailings in Ireland

Revegetation of mine tailings sites can require significant amounts of topsoil, the sourcing of which can be costly and have detrimental impacts. To address this problem at an Irish mine tailings site, engineered soils were created by mixing varying rates of glacial till with stockpiled peat and compost. Soil status was assessed using a range of soil parameters and vegetation growth characteristics and compared with locally sourced topsoil. Hordeum vulgare (Barley) germination and growth trials were assessed on engineered soils: compost with glacial till, peat with glacial till, compost/ peat with glacial till and topsoil. A range of soil quality parameters were examined including: nutrient status, dehydrogenase activity, metals availability and physical characteristics (bulk/particle density and porosity). Results demonstrate that compost derived soils yielded superior plant biomass and nutrient content, whilst peat derived treatments exhibited nutrient deficiency. Whilst the engineered soils offer potential as an alternative to sourcing topsoil for covering mine tailings, the phosphorus and metal content of composts should be assessed prior to inclusion. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multi‐scale analysis of electrical conductivity of peatlands for the assessment of peat properties

Peatlands store large amounts of carbon. This storage function has been reduced through intensive drainage, which leads to the decomposition of peat, resulting in a loss of carbon. Measurements of the real (σ′) and imaginary part (σ″) of electrical conductivity can deliver information on peat properties, such as the pore fluid conductivity (σ_w), cation exchange capacity (CEC), bulk density (ρ_b), water content (WC) and soil organic matter (SOM) content. These properties change with the peat's degree of decomposition (DD). To explore the relationships between the peat properties, σ′, σ″ and DD, we focused on three different types of survey and scales. First, point measurements were made with a conductivity probe at various locations over a large area of northeast Germany to determine the degree of correlation between σ′ and DD. Second, nine of these locations were selected for sampling to determine which of the properties σ_w, CEC, ρ_b, WC and SOM predominantly influence σ′ and σ″. This multisite dataset includes the entire range of DD and was analysed in the laboratory. Third, one site was selected for a survey of σ′ including sampling, to identify which properties mainly control σ′ in a single‐site approach. Statistical analysis revealed that for the multisite laboratory dataset, σ_w has the strongest effect on σ′, followed by CEC, whereas σ″ is mainly determined by CEC. In a single‐site approach, WC followed by CEC had a dominant effect on σ′. No clear correlation could be observed between (i) DD and peat properties and (ii) DD and σ′ or σ″. This is because of the complex changes in properties with increasing DD.     

Development of an apparatus for measuring one‐dimensional steady‐state heat flux of soil under reduced air pressure

One of the best ways to evaluate the coupled heat and mass transfer in soil is to measure the heat flux and water distribution simultaneously. For this purpose, we developed an apparatus for measuring the one‐dimensional steady‐state heat flux and water distribution in unsaturated soil under reduced air pressure. The system was tested using four samples with known thermal conductivity (0.6–8.0 W m^?1 K^?1). We confirmed that the system could measure the one‐dimensional steady‐state heat flux under a fixed temperature difference between ends of the samples over a wide range of thermal conductivity values. Time domain reflectometry was used to measure the water distribution with a repeatability of less than ± 1.0%. We used the apparatus to measure the soil heat flux and distribution of water content and temperature under steady‐state conditions with reduced air pressure. The initial volumetric water content, θ_ini, of the soil samples was set at 0.20 and 0.40 m³m^?3. For a θ_ini of 0.20, the heat flux was not significantly affected by air pressure, and the water content on the hot side decreased whilst that on the cold side increased, i.e. a pronounced water content gradient was formed. For a θ_ini of 0.40, the heat flux increased sharply with reduced air pressure, and the water content did not change, i.e. a homogeneous water distribution was observed. The increase in the heat flux with air pressure reduction is caused by the vapour transfer in soil pores. We found that a large vapour transfer took place in the soil with the homogeneous water distribution, and that the vapour transfer was less in the soil with the pronounced water content gradient. These experimental facts were entirely different from the traditional knowledge of vapour transfer in soil under temperature gradients. A lack of data on heat flux must have resulted in the previously incorrect conclusions. The new apparatus will serve to clarify the intricate phenomena of thermally induced vapour transfer in unsaturated soil in further experiments.     

Effect of freezing and thawing processes on some physical properties of saline–sodic soils mixed with sewage sludge or fly ash

Dispersion of saline–sodic soils was rather difficult to leach. Therefore, negative effects of freeze–thaw on soil physical properties should be reduced by inexpensive and practical methods. This study investigates the effect of freeze–thaw cycles (3, 6, and 9) on wet aggregate stability, bulk density, and permeability coefficient in three soils with different electrical conductivity and exchangeable sodium percentage levels (soil I: 5.30 dS m⁻¹, 47.51%; soil II: 42.80 dS m⁻¹, 55.45%; soil III: 36.30 dS m⁻¹, 59.34%) which consist of different proportions of sewage sludge and fly ash by volume (10%, 20%, and 30%). The experiment was conducted under laboratory conditions using disturbed and non-cropped soil samples mixed with sewage sludge and fly ash. Soils mixed with sewage sludge produced higher aggregate stability and permeability coefficients and lower bulk density values as compared to the soils mixed with fly ash. Sewage sludge added with a rate of 30% eliminated the negative effects of freeze–thaw processes on wet aggregate stability. Freeze–thaw processes did not affect the bulk density of the soils II and III, which were mixed with sewage sludge. However, fly ash addition decreased the bulk density of these soils very significantly after nine freeze–thaw cycles. Addition of sewage sludge or fly ash with rates of 20% and 30% significantly increased the permeability coefficients in soil I after nine freeze–thaw cycles. Results indicated that addition of sewage sludge and/or fly ash to saline–sodic soils could be alternative way for reducing negative effects of freezing–thawing on soil wet aggregate stability, bulk density, and permeability coefficient.     

Measuring near‐saturated hydraulic conductivity of soils by quasi unit‐gradient percolation—1. Theory and numerical analysis

The saturated and near‐saturated hydraulic conductivity of soils, k_u, is a sensitive indicator of soil structure and a key parameter for solute transport and soil aeration. In this contribution, we present and numerically investigate a double‐disk method to determine k_u in the laboratory by steady‐state percolation at different suction steps. Tension infiltration of water takes place at the top of a soil column through a porous disk with a smaller diameter than the soil sample. This leaves part of the soil surface open and ensures a proper soil ventilation. Drainage takes place at the base through a porous disk with the full diameter of the soil column at exactly the same tension as applied to the top boundary. Since the infiltration area is less than the percolation area, the water flow diverges and the equality of steady flow rate and hydraulic conductivity, which characterizes the standard unit‐gradient experiment, is no longer valid. To develop a general relationship between observed steady flow rate and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity, the experiment was simulated with the Richards‐equation solver HYDRUS 2D/3D, for twelve different soil classes. We found for tensions in the range 1 cm < 10 cm, an infiltration disk diameter of 4.5 cm diameter and a sample diameter of 8 cm diameter that the flux rate at any given tension was about 0.7 times the respective hydraulic conductivity, with an error of less than 10%.     

Überprüfung eines Schätzverfahrens zur Ermittlung von Kennwerten der Wasserbindung anhand der Labordatenbank des Niedersächsischen Bodeninformationssystems

Testing a method for estimating water retention parameters using the laboratory database of the Lower Saxony Soil Information System The validity of the method used for estimating field capacity (pF > 1.8), plant available water (pF 1.8 – 4.2), air capacity (pF < 1.8), and total pore volume from soil texture, packing density (bulk density + 0.009 % clay) and humus content described by the Arbeitsgruppe Bodenkunde (1982) was checked on the basis of 1693 pF curves of the laboratory database of the Lower Saxony Soil Information System (NIBIS). The positive and negative corrections for humus content applied in this method to the above parameters are clearly too small. Use of tables for estimating the pore volume of humus-free soils leads to overestimation. It will only be possible to work out an alternative method applicable to all classes of soils when the database has been extended.     

Prüfung von 3 Verfahren zur Vorhersage der hydraulischen Leitfähigkeit ungesättigter Böden aus Wasserretentionsdaten oder aus der Bodenart

Testing of three methods to predict unsaturated soil hydraulic conductivity from water retention data or from texture class Using 60 soils taken from UNSODA (Leij et al., 1996) the method proposed by Renger et al. (1999) and the prediction according to Mualem (1976)/van Genuchten (1980) were tested. The parameters of the Mualem/vanGenuchten model were estimated either from water retention data or from a table of reference values. Using the reference values requires only the knowledge of texture class (German classification system). An advantage of the method proposed by Renger et al. (1999) is its capability to predict saturated conductivity too. The model of Mualem/vanGenuchten using reference values of parameters yields the best results. The standard deviation between observed and predicted values of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity was 0.93 lg (K) for the Mualem/vanGenuchten model and 1.3 lg (K) for the Renger et al. (1999) predictions.     

Comparison of experimentally Determined and Calculated Hydraulic Conductivities for two alluvial sandy loam Profiles

The dynamic water conductivity characteristics of two alluvial sandy loam profiles (Typic Ustochrepts) were determined following the ?instantaneous profile method”? by monitoring the temporal variation in soil moisture content and potential at different depths in the profile, as the downward movement of water in the nearly saturated profile continued with evaporation prevented. The experimental sites differed in bulk density, moisture retention functions as well as dynamic water conductivity characteristics K(O). The unsaturated hydraulic conductivities were also calculated from moisture retention functions following the methods suggested by Campbell(1974) and Ghosh (1977). The calculated conductivity values agreed fairly well with the field data for the light-textured soils studied and the calculated values can be used for all practical purposes.     

Measurement of volumetric water content by TDR in saline soils

Time-domain reflectometry (TDR) evaluates the bulk dielectric constant, K, of the soil by measuring the travel time of an electromagnetic pulse through a sensor, and through it estimates the volumetric water content. We show that for saline soils the effects of conductivity and frequency on the travel time cannot be neglected and that, as a result, TDR systematically overestimates the water content in saline soils. Simultaneously the bulk electrical conductivity of soils can be estimated by TDR. The equivalent impedance after multiple reflections is related to the bulk electrical conductivity, σ This relation differs from sensor to sensor and requires calibration for each individual sensor. A method is proposed for correcting the volumetric water content in saline soils. First, the bulk electrical conductivity, o, is estimated from the equivalent impedance at a specific equivalent distance of cable, several times the actual length of the sensor. The zero-salinity dielectric constant, K_O, of this soil is obtained by correcting the apparent K as a function of the measured bulk electrical conductivity. The volumetric water content is estimated from K_o. The correction of K is a function of the equivalent frequency of the electromagnetic pulse. The imaginary part of the dielectric constant is primarily due to ohmic losses. The model, which calculates the velocity of propagation of the electromagnetic pulse and which takes into consideration the imaginary part, performs reasonably well. An empirical approach based on calibration gave slightly better results.