The effect of soil: Water ratios on the agronomic significance of the electrical conductivity of saturated paste extracts

Abstract

A correction is proposed for the evaluation of salinity effects on the basis of the electrical conductivity of saturated paste extracts. It is suggested that the dilution of the soil solution during the preparation of the saturated paste must be taken into account. Equations for estimating the electrical conductivity of a soil solution at field capacity are presented. The corrected equations improve the ability to predict the salinity hazard by determining the electrical conductivity of saturated paste extract.     

基于水分和原位电导率的西宁盆地盐渍土含盐量估算模型

为了探讨西宁盆地黄土状盐渍土导电特性与土体本身含水率和含盐量之间的关系,该文在土体洗盐试验基础上,测得了不同含水率和含盐量条件下黄土状盐渍土电导率,分析了土体电导率与含水率、含盐量之间的相互关系和作用机理;在此基础上,建立了土体电导率与含水率、含盐量之间的多元回归模型。结果表明,在土体含盐量一定条件下随着土体含水率增加土体电导率呈逐渐增大的变化趋势,且二者之间符合幂函数关系;土体含盐量愈高条件下土体含水率增加对电导率的影响则愈为显著。在土体含水率一定的条件下,土体电导率随着含盐量增加呈逐渐增大的变化趋势,且二者之间符合线性函数关系;当土体含水率相对较高时,含盐量增加对电导率的影响程度亦较为显著。对建立的区内黄土状盐渍土电导率与含水率、含盐量之间的多元回归模型(R2=0.995)进行验证,相对误差在10%之内,表明模型可有效确定含水率大于5%且小于25%(?5.52%)及含盐量为0.18%～2.18%条件下黄土状盐渍土的含盐量。研究成果对研究区及其周边地区黄土状盐渍土其盐渍化程度划分、工程地质特性评价,以及土体盐渍化等地质灾害现象的科学防治具有理论研究价值和工程指导意义。     

Predicting Soil Electrical Conductivity of the Saturation Extract from a 1:1 Soil to Water Ratio

Since 1954, the electrical conductivity of the saturated paste extract (ECe) has been the preferred index for soil salinity. Based on this value, remediation strategies were developed and widely used but this approach is time consuming and not routinely offered by many soil testing facilities. However, many laboratories determine the EC_1:1 value of a 1:1 soil to solution ratio extract. The objective of this study was to identify the relationship between ECe and EC_1:1 and determine if EC_1:1 can be used as a proxy in the northern Great Plains for ECe. Samples were collected across five studies and from AGVISE Laboratory. The samples were analyzed for EC_1:1 and ECe. The relationship between the ECe and EC_1:1 showed that soil parent materials need to be considered in the conversion of EC_1:1 values to ECe values. A failure to consider parent materials in this conversion may have short and long-term sustainability ramifications.     

Properties of soils from the Swedish long-term fertility experiments: VI. Mapping soil electrical conductivity with different geophysical methods

Abstract

Swedish long-term soil fertility experiments were used to investigate the effect of texture and fertilization regime on soil electrical conductivity. In one geophysical approach, fields were mapped to characterize the horizontal variability in apparent electrical conductivity down to 1.5 m soil depth using an electromagnetic induction meter (EM38 device). The data obtained were geo-referenced by dGPS. The other approach consisted of measuring the vertical variability in electrical conductivity along transects using a multi-electrode apparatus for electrical resistivity tomography (GeoTom RES/IP device) down to 2 m depth. Geophysical field work was complemented by soil analyses. The results showed that despite 40 years of different fertilization regimes, treatments had no significant effects on the apparent electrical conductivity. Instead, the comparison of sites revealed high and low conductivity soils, with gradual differences explained by soil texture. A significant, linear relationship found between apparent electrical conductivity and soil clay content explained 80% of the variability measured. In terms of soil depth, both low and high electrical conductivity values were measured. Abrupt changes in electrical conductivity within a field revealed the presence of ‘deviating areas’. Higher values corresponded well with layers with a high clay content, while local inclusions of coarse-textured materials caused a high variability in conductivity in some fields. The geophysical methods tested provided useful information on the variability in soil texture at the experimental sites. The use of spatial EC variability as a co-variable in statistical analysis could be a complementary tool in the evaluation of experimental results.     

ECe prediction from EC1:5 in inland salt-affected soils collected from Khorat and Sakhon Nakhon basins,Thailand

ABSTRACT

We estimate the electrical conductivity of saturated soil paste extract (ECe) from electrical conductivity of a 1:5 soil-water dilution ratio (EC_1:5) in Northeastern Thailand. Soil samples of various textures and salinity collected from Sakhon Nakhon basin were used to develop multiple regression models, from which the linear model was chosen and was validated on soil samples from the Khorat basin. Comparison with previous models indicated that most linear models gave a good fit, but the non-linear models either over or underestimated the measured values. The models performed very well for low values of EC_e (<5 dS m^?1), while the prediction errors increased significantly for EC_e levels >35 dS m^?1. The present model performed well at various EC_e levels and can be used to predict salinity levels for soils weathered from salt deposits in sedimentary rocks with similar rock formation in countries like Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, and Laos.