Comparison of nuclear and capacitance‐based soil water measuring techniques in salt‐affected soils

A field calibration experiment was carried out on salt‐affected clayey soil in Syria, to compare the sensitivity to soil electrical conductivity (ECe), and bulk density (ρ_b) of two instruments for estimating soil moisture: the neutron probe (NP) and the Diviner 2000 capacitance probe (CP). The results showed that the values of the correlation coefficient of the calibration were decreased when the ECe and ρ_b values increased; this decrease was more pronounced for the Diviner 2000, indicating that it was more sensitive to ρ_b and ECe than the NP. When only scaled frequency was used in the fitted equation, the Diviner 2000 in wet soil underestimated soil water content significantly at all depths, but especially in the top layer, by up to 0.09 cm³/cm³ compared with gravimetric determinations. However, in dry soil, the Diviner 2000 overestimated the volumetric water content by up to 0.05 cm³/cm³ in the top 15 cm, and by 0.03 cm³/cm³ at 30‐45 cm depth. The performance of the neutron probe was better overall; using a factory calibration curve no significant differences were observed between NP estimates and the gravimetric values. Including both ρ_b and ECe in the calibration equations improved the fits, although the regression coefficient (R²) for the Diviner 2000 remained low.     

Interrelationship of soil moisture and temperature to sylvatic plague cycle among prairie dogs in the Western United States

Plague, caused by Yersinia pestis, is a flea-borne disease that is endemic in areas throughout the world due to its successful maintenance in a sylvatic cycle, mainly in areas with temperate climates. Burrowing rodents are thought to play a key role in the enzootic maintenance as well as epizootic outbreaks of plague. In the United States, prairie dogs (Cynomys), rodents (Muridae), and ground squirrels (Spermophilus) are susceptible to infection and are parasitized by fleas that transmit plague. In particular, prairie dogs can experience outbreaks that rapidly spread, which can lead to extirpation of colonies. A number of ecological parameters, including climate, are associated with these epizootics. In this study, we asked whether soil parameters, primarily moisture and temperature, are associated with outbreaks of plague in black-tailed prairie dogs and Gunnison's prairie dogs in the Western United States, and at what depth these associations were apparent. We collected publicly available county-level information on the occurrence of population declines or colony extirpation, while historical soil data was collected from SCAN and USCRN stations in counties and states where prairie dogs have been located. The analysis suggests that soil moisture at lower depths correlates with colony die-offs, in addition to temperature near the surface, with key differences within the landscape ecology that impact the occurrence of plague. Overall, the model suggests that the burrow environment may play a significant role in the epizootic spread of disease amongst black-tailed and Gunnison's prairie dogs.     

微灌地膜的节水保墒增温效应研究

在实验基础上 ,分析论述了微灌地膜的节水效果和增温保墒效应。试验结果表明 ,微灌地膜可比地面灌溉节水 61 % ,增加地温 3℃～ 6℃ ,近地面空气相对湿度提高 3 0 %～ 40 % ,综合效应明显。可供微灌地膜或膜下微灌的进一步研究设计参考     

制种玉米密度对土壤水分及产量构成的影响研究

通过田间试验,就制种玉米密度对土壤水分、农艺性状、产量构成及产量的影响进行了研究分析。结果表明:1在拔节期以前,低密组的土壤含水量比高密组的高;在拔节期到灌浆期,高密组的比低密组的高。在整个生育期,拔节期前土壤含水量比较高,而后逐渐降低,吐丝期达到最低,然后又逐步上升。2在一定密度范围内,制种玉米株高、亩产量随着密度的增大而增加单株产量产量相反;叶长、穗粗、穗粒数先随着密度的增大而减小,后随着密度的增大而增大;叶宽、穗长、百粒重、出籽率先随着密度的增大而增加,后随着密度的增大而减小;叶面积、茎粗、穗位先随着密度的增大而减小,后随着密度的增大而增加,然后又随着密度的增大而减小,秃顶变化规律相反。     

玉米秸秆残茬覆盖对大豆田土壤水温效应的影响

研究了传统耕作、玉米原垄留茬耕作、玉米原垄留茬全覆盖、玉米留茬条带覆盖、浅松覆盖和深松覆盖6种耕作方式下土壤含水率、棵间蒸发量和地温的变化。结果表明,条带覆盖对大豆不同生育期土壤剖面含水率影响最大;其他耕作方式对棵间蒸发的抑制作用均小于传统耕作;日平均地温在苗期变化明显;保护性耕作对日平均地温影响较大,传统耕作最高,留茬全覆盖最低。     

适期收割对稻谷损失影响的研究

稻米原粮爆腰率是影响加工过程中出米率的重要因素。经调查，农家交售原粮中爆腰率高达25％，其中有干燥、储藏方面的原因，也有收割期不当的原因。本研究从一株稻穗中谷粒含水率与爆腰率的关系分析着手，通过对田间不同品种、不同含水率稻谷爆腰率的测定，并用概率统计方法进行分析的结果证明，完整谷粒的平均含水率在20％以上时收割，可以有效地避免田间爆腰率的发生。     

A STUDY ON HEAT AND MOISTURE STATE OF HULL LAYER FOR THERMAL INSTULATION OF A COLD STORAGE

This paper analyses the thermal moist characteristics of the hull layer beside an air layer at lower temperature in an envelope for a cold storage and presents a new method of waterproof by air layer. With test data from engineering practice, the theory on the barrier of self moisture proof at the surface sublayer of the hull layer in an attic on a cold storage is proven. The dried zone about three phase point is confirmed. It is a new knowledge for thermophysics on thermal design of a cold storage with an optimum thermal performance.     

Farmers' irrigation practices in a high rainfall area

Recent droughts in the humid southeastern United States have focused attention on the need for and use of supplemental irrigation. Total annual rainfall amounts are sufficient for most crops in the region. However, erratic distribution of rainfall and the low water-holding capacities of most soils in the region cause frequent drought stresses in many crops. An on-farm study was conducted in southeastern Alabama to evaluate the effects of farmers' irrigation scheduling decisions on soil moisture variations in peanut fields irrigated with center-pivot irrigation systems. The study showed that the way irrigation was practiced in this high rainfall area often caused soil moisture deficit (SMD) level higher than the desired SMD limit during over 20% of the 140-day growing season. This is partially due to farmers' tendency to delay irrigation in anticipation of rainfall which may or may not occur, as rainfall during the growing season is often erratic and local. In contrast SMD in non-irrigated fields was higher than the SMD limit for half of the growing season.Abbreviations SMD soil moisture deficit - ET evapotranspiration - R_eff effective rainfall - WHC water holding capacity     

咸水灌溉下土壤水盐变化的试验研究

2002年在内蒙古河套灌区红卫节水示范园进行了咸水灌溉试验,分析试验结果得出:咸水灌溉下的土壤经过秋浇后含盐量可以降到咸水灌溉前水平。以荷兰Wageningen农业大学等单位开发的土壤水分大气作物系统模拟软件SWAP为工具,应用示范园的土壤、水、盐分试验资料对模型的参数进行了率定和验证,模型模拟结果和田间试验结果符合较好。     

海子水库灌区节水型灌溉制度的制定

本文介绍了中日双方专家团在海子水库灌区现场调查中,实测土壤水分特征值的方法,土壤水分曲线的制定和应用,负压计观测值的应用,计算节水型灌溉用水量和灌水间隔日数的方法,并用节水型频繁灌溉法制定了各作物的节水型灌溉制度,用这种方法制定的节水型灌溉制度要比我国过去用的常规法节水40%以上。