Article
Water Resources
Benjamin M. C. Fischer, Laura Morillas, Johanna Rojas Conejo, Ricardo Sanchez-Murillo, Andrea Suarez Serrano, Jay Frentress, Chih-Hsin Cheng, Monica Garcia, Stefano Manzoni, Mark S. Johnson, Steve W. Lyon
Summary: Amending soils with biochar can increase water availability and drought tolerance for plants, but it is not a substitute for other water management strategies.
HYDROLOGICAL PROCESSES
(2022)
Article
Geosciences, Multidisciplinary
Feike J. Leij, Jacob H. Dane, Antonella Sciortino
Summary: The study examined the spatial and temporal dynamics of soil moisture through field experiments and neural network simulations, showing that water content can be reasonably predicted from soil properties or hydraulic parameters. However, predicting soil moisture solely based on rainfall data was found to be inaccurate.
Article
Engineering, Geological
Shay Nachum, Mark Talesnick, Alex Furman
Summary: The paper discusses three issues related to using TDR methods to monitor water content in compacted clay soils: dependence on dry density, ability to monitor water content in nearly saturated clay soils, and difficulties in calibration. A calibration scheme that controls dry density has been developed, allowing continuous calibration curves for a range of water content. This approach has been used to monitor a wetting front in a compacted swelling clay in a laboratory setting.
CANADIAN GEOTECHNICAL JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Lin Liu, Yili Lu, Yongwei Fu, Robert Horton, Tusheng Ren
Summary: This study proposes a new model that relates soil electrical resistivity to soil water suction, which can accurately estimate water suction values lower than the air entry value. Experimental results show that the model provides accurate estimations with root mean square errors less than 0.85 kPa, offering a new opportunity for in situ evaluation of water dynamics and coupled water and solute transport studies in the field.
Article
Agronomy
Vilim Filipovic, Jasmina Defterdarovic, Vedran Krevh, Lana Filipovic, Gabrijel Ondrasek, Filip Kranjcec, Ivan Magdic, Vedran Rubinic, Sanja Stipicevic, Ivan Mustac, Marina Bubalo Kovacic, Hailong He, Amir Haghverdi, Horst H. Gerke
Summary: This study aimed to identify the factors controlling soil water dynamics in erosion-affected hillslope vineyard soils. The parameterization of soil hydraulic properties was found to be crucial in capturing the response of erosion-affected soil systems.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Sascha C. Iden, Johanna R. Blocher, Efstathios Diamantopoulos, Wolfgang Durner
Summary: Evaporation experiments are commonly used for determining soil hydraulic properties, with film flow identified as a significant factor in influencing the soil hydraulic conductivity and evaporation rate. The results show that the Richards equation can be used for identifying hydraulic properties without bias from evaporation experiments.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Engineering, Chemical
Haosheng Dai, Huaqiao Gui, Jiaoshi Zhang, Xiuli Wei, Zhibo Xie, Jiejie Bian, Da-Ren Chen, Jianguo Liu
Summary: The study developed a prototype of an RH-controlled DAASS to improve the accuracy of aerosol water content measurement by resolving the discrepancy between ambient RH and DAASS conditioning RH. Experimental results showed that the RH-controlled DAASS performed well across a wide range of RH values and could be used for aerosol water content measurement in actual environmental conditions.
JOURNAL OF AEROSOL SCIENCE
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Junyi Liang, Kangli Chen, Siqintana, Tianci Huo, Yaowen Zhang, Jingying Jing, Wenting Feng
Summary: Soils serve as important carbon reservoirs and play a crucial role in the global carbon cycle. Soil water potential (SWP), which represents the energy with which water is retained in the soil, is a vital factor in soil organic carbon (SOC) decomposition. This study investigates the impact of extrapolating SWP estimations beyond the range of measurements on SOC decomposition modeling. The results demonstrate that extrapolating SWP significantly underestimates its value and leads to inaccurate predictions of SOC decomposition, particularly under dry conditions.
GLOBAL CHANGE BIOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Samar Seyedsadr, Vaclav Sipek, Lukas Jacka, Michal Snehota, Luke Beesley, Michael Pohorely, Martin Kovar, Lukas Trakal
Summary: This study investigated the effects of organic amendments, particularly biochar, on the soil hydraulic properties of low-organic soils. The results showed that biochar addition significantly enhanced soil water retention and nutrient retention in both soils. This finding supports the application of mixed organic amendments to improve the water-holding capacity of drought-prone arable soils.
Article
Environmental Sciences
Xiaole Han, Jintao Liu, Puneet Srivastava, Hu Liu, Xiaopeng Li, Xuhui Shen, Hongbing Tan
Summary: The redistribution of hillslope soil water during and after rainstorms is influenced by soil properties and topography. 6-min data can capture short-lived flow processes, showing VWC-TWI correlations fluctuate frequently, and the correlation significantly increases during wet-dry transitions.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Environmental Sciences
S. Ouoba, J-C Benet
Summary: This paper presents the results of a numerical model and simulation of water transfers in soils with low water content. The main objective is to identify the major phenomena involved in water transfer between filtration and capillary rise in soil. The study shows that the ambient atmosphere has less influence on water transfer in the superficial layer of soil with low water content. Existing literature on water transfer mechanisms does not provide clear conclusions for very low water contents, hence this manuscript provides new insights. The methodology used an off-center upstream method for flux convection and an implicit scheme in time for discretization using the Finite Volumes method. The numerical resolution of the problem was based on the Newton-Raphson method. The simulation results reveal distinct water content domains for different initial water contents, and the existence of a limiting water content representing the hygroscopic limit of the soil.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCE AND TECHNOLOGY
(2023)
Editorial Material
Environmental Sciences
Andre Peters, Sascha C. Iden
Summary: The commentary critically analyzes the framework proposed by Weber et al. (2019) for parameterizing soil hydraulic properties, highlighting inconsistencies in their formulation, especially in terms of the number of parameters and the approach to parameterize the water retention curve and noncapillary hydraulic conductivity.
WATER RESOURCES RESEARCH
(2021)
Article
Water Resources
Dimitre D. Dimitrov, Peter M. Lafleur
Summary: Accurate modeling of peat water contents is crucial for wetland studies. By modifying soil water retention curves and incorporating water table depth, researchers were able to develop formulas for predicting volumetric water content of peat. Testing of these formulas in Canadian bogs and fens showed promising results under various peat parameters.
HYDROLOGICAL SCIENCES JOURNAL-JOURNAL DES SCIENCES HYDROLOGIQUES
(2021)
Article
Biodiversity Conservation
Kuanyan Tang, Frank Yonghong Li, Saihanna Jaesong, Yang Liu, Tingyu Sun, Jiayue Liu, Xiaotian Gao, Yuqing Wang
Summary: Soil hydraulic properties play an important role in water transport and storage in soils and consequently impact ecosystem functioning. This study investigated the relationship between soil water retention parameters and plant production and soil organic matter content in grassland ecosystems in Northern China. The results showed that climate factors were the primary driver of plant production, while soil physical parameters, particularly soil water drained upper limit (DUL), were more important in regulating soil organic matter content. These findings suggest that estimating soil organic matter content based solely on climate factors and vegetation biomass may be misleading and that soil physical properties should be considered when predicting soil organic matter at a regional scale.
ECOLOGICAL INDICATORS
(2022)
Article
Horticulture
Changwen Lu
Summary: This study aimed to improve the dry-matter content of Ambrosia apples through deficit irrigation. Deficit irrigation treatments resulted in increased dry-matter content, but also caused drought stress and soft scald disorder.
Article
Soil Science
Yuting Fu, Lis W. de Jonge, Mogens H. Greve, Emmanuel Arthur, Per Moldrup, Trine Norgaard, Marcos Paradelo
Summary: The study revealed that grasslands exhibit the highest decomposition rate and stability among different land use types, with agricultural soils showing higher TBI values compared to seminatural soils. The inclusion of soil physicochemical properties in multiple linear regression analysis improved the prediction of stability in litter decomposition.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Charles Pesch, Peter Lystbaek Weber, Per Moldrup, Lis Wollesen de Jonge, Emmanuel Arthur, Mogens Humlekrog Greve
Summary: Greenlandic fjords are rich in glacial rock flour (GRF), which can be used to amend agricultural soils. The study found that GRF has a large specific surface area and high cation exchange capacity, and adding an appropriate amount of GRF can increase plant available water.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2022)
Article
Engineering, Environmental
Maliheh Fouladidorhani, Mohammad Shayannejad, Emmanuel Arthur
Summary: This study evaluated five combinations of raw materials and their biochars produced by slow pyrolysis for soil amendment, finding that cow manure-pine wood combination had the highest particle density, bulk density, and cation exchange capacity. The pyrolysis process increased particle density, total porosity, nitrogen content, and monovalent cations, while decreasing electrical conductivity, cation exchange capacity, and bulk density.
WASTE MANAGEMENT & RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Emmanuel Amoakwah, Emmanuel Arthur, Kwame A. Frimpong, Nicola Lorenz, Mohammad Arifur Rahman, Generose Nziguheba, Khandakar R. Islam
Summary: This study found that biochar application in a tropical ecosystem can significantly increase microbial biomass and activity, as well as enhance soil enzyme activity and related biological properties. The treatment with 30-ton biochar ha(-1) had the most pronounced effects on the composition of microbial communities, with a higher fungal to bacterial ratio and increased carbon sequestration potential.
APPLIED SOIL ECOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Soil Science
Peter L. L. Weber, Natasha H. H. Blaesbjerg, Per Moldrup, Charles Pesch, Cecilie Hermansen, Mogens H. H. Greve, Emmanuel Arthur, Lis Wollesen de Jonge
Summary: The warming climate in the circumpolar region is bringing new opportunities and challenges for agriculture in South Greenland. However, little is known about the soil-water retention and plant available water in the region. This study measured the soil-water retention and plant available water of Greenlandic agricultural soils, and found that organic carbon content has a significant effect on the water content and availability in the soil.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Emmanuel Arthur, Markus Tuller, Trine Norgaard, Per Moldrup, Chong Chen, Hafeez Ur Rehman, Peter Lystbaek Weber, Maria Knadel, Lis Wollesen de Jonge
Summary: Soil specific surface area (SA) is influenced by clay content, organic carbon (OC) content, and clay mineralogy. The contribution of OC to SA varies depending on the clay type and the measurement method used. In this study, the contribution of OC to SA was quantified for different soil types using EGME and water adsorption techniques. The results showed that OC had a positive contribution to SA, except in montmorillonite-rich soils. The contribution of OC to SAH2O was higher than to SAE, and was influenced by the clay mineralogy.
Article
Soil Science
Peter L. Weber, Cecilie Hermansen, Charles Pesch, Per Moldrup, Mogens H. Greve, Natasha H. Blaesbjerg, Gabriela Moreno Romero, Emmanuel Arthur, Lis Wollesen de Jonge
Summary: Soil water repellency (WR) is common in Greenlandic cultivated fields, limiting agricultural production. The application of glacial rock flour (GRF) as a soil amendment was tested to reduce WR. The results showed that application rates of >=300 ton ha(-1) of GRF increased soil hydrophilicity, likely due to increased clay:OC ratios. GRF at rates of >=300 ton ha(-1) generally reduced WR, as indicated by decreased WR-W curve area, water content at WR cessation, and heat-treated WR. The effects of GRF were influenced by soil texture and organic carbon content. Normalizing WR data to water vapor sorption isotherms revealed consistently reduced normalized WR area with GRF application, with the largest reduction in the field with lower organic carbon and clay content. Therefore, GRF can reduce WR in Greenlandic field trials.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Maliheh Fouladidorhani, Mohammad Shayannejad, Mohammad Reza Mosaddeghi, Hossein Shariatmadari, Emmanuel Arthur
Summary: The study investigated the effects of organic and inorganic amendments and leaching fraction (LF) on physical and hydraulic properties of saline-sodic soil. The results showed that organic amendments, particularly biochar and superabsorbent, enhanced saturated hydraulic conductivity and reduced bulk density. The SA amendment significantly increased soil water retention, especially at high matric potentials.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Peter Bilson Obour, Eric Oppong Danso, Selorm Y. Dorvlo, Emmanuel Arthur
Summary: This study investigated the effect of biochar and cropping systems on the aggregate stability of tropical soils, and assessed the agreement between two methods of assessing aggregate stability. The results showed that neither biochar nor crop type significantly influenced the soil aggregate stability assessed by the two methods.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Agronomy
Junxiao Zhang, Xiaowei Liu, Qi Wu, Yuanze Qiu, Daocai Chi, Guimin Xia, Emmanuel Arthur
Summary: Biochar is a valuable soil conditioner that improves peanut yield. Applied at an appropriate rate, biochar increases soil available nitrogen, net photosynthetic rate of leaves, and peanut yield. It also enhances root development and activity. Mulched drip irrigation further boosts peanut yield, net photosynthetic rate, and root activity.
AGRICULTURAL WATER MANAGEMENT
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Fulai Yan, Markus Tuller, Lis de Jonge, Per Moldrup, Emmanuel Arthur
Summary: The soil specific surface area (SSA) is an important variable, but traditional measurement methods are difficult and time-consuming. Regression models that estimate SSA from hygroscopic water content (wh) at different relative humidity values were proposed and compared to other models. The study found that sample-specific wh regression models accurately estimated SSA, with better performance than models based on other soil properties. The study confirms the impact of clay mineralogy on model performance.
Article
Soil Science
Fulai Yan, Yuting Fu, Marcos Paradelo, Fucang Zhang, Emmanuel Arthur
Summary: Long-term manure application and cropping systems can improve soil physicochemical properties in wet regions, but their effects on soil water retention curve (WRC) in dry regions have been little studied. This study investigated the effects of long-term manure application and cropping systems on soil organic carbon (SOC) content, water sorption isotherms (WSIs), hysteresis, and specific surface area (SSA) in different soil textures.
Article
Soil Science
Francis Kumi, Peter B. Obour, Emmanuel Arthur, Stephen E. Moore, Paul A. Asare, Joel Asiedu, Donatus B. Angnuureng, Kofi Atiah, Kwadwo K. Amoah, Shadrack K. Amponsah, Selorm Y. Dorvlo, Samuel Banafo, Michael O. Adu
Summary: Plant roots can increase soil strength, particularly in arable soils. Napier grass and maize have higher root length density and can increase soil penetration resistance (CI), thereby enhancing soil strength. The soil penetration resistance of Napier grass and maize in arable soils is similar and higher than that of other crop plants and unplanted areas.
SOIL & TILLAGE RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Soil Science
Xue Song, Chong Chen, Emmanuel Arthur, Markus Tuller, Hu Zhou, Jianying Shang, Kelin Hu
Summary: In this study, it was found that organic matter has varying effects on soil water vapor sorption (SWVS) and sorption hysteresis at different water activity (a(w)) levels. The presence of organic matter generally increased SWVS during the adsorption process, but decreased it during the condensation process for soils with OM content above 4.6%. The hysteresis of soils with organic matter was higher than that of soils without organic matter for soils with OM content above 3.4%. The impact of organic matter on SWVS and hysteresis was influenced by factors such as cation exchange capacity and the structures of pores and organic matter.
SOIL SCIENCE SOCIETY OF AMERICA JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Forestry
Meisam Nazari, Emmanuel Arthur, Mathieu Lamande, Thomas Keller, Nataliya Bilyera, Samuel Bickel
Summary: Predicting, preventing, and minimizing soil compaction caused by machinery is crucial in forest ecosystems. This meta-analysis examined the susceptibility of forest soils to wood-harvesting-induced compaction across different climatic zones and found that tropical and temperate forests are the most vulnerable. Forest managers and policymakers should prioritize mechanized wood-harvesting operations in these zones due to the long recovery time of compacted forest soils.
CURRENT FORESTRY REPORTS
(2023)