Spatial Response of Near‐Surface Soil Water Contents to Newly Imposed Soil Management

Abstract

Core Ideas Reports on soil water content semivariograms among soil management practices are rare. Semivariogram ranges shifted after only 2 yr of newly imposed soil practices. Findings have implications for scaling remotely sensed soil water in agriculturally mosaic areas. Near‐surface soil water content (SWC) and its spatial patterns are important for landscape hydrological responses to precipitation as well as our ability to remotely sense and model such responses. Our objective was to measure and evaluate near‐surface SWC semivariograms of agricultural fields with newly imposed (i.e., <2 yr) side‐by‐side soil and residue management practices (i.e., reduced tillage systems and cover crops) in the midwestern United States. Range parameters were consistently smaller when cover crops were planted (20–25 m less) and tillage area and/or intensity was reduced (12–27 m less) compared with no cover crop and chisel plowing, respectively, except in a clayey Vertisol. Nugget and sill parameters did not have consistent trends across soil management practices or sites. These data, although brief and preliminary in scope, provide clear proof of concept that spatial pattern shifts can be clearly detected in newly imposed soil‐management systems even though differences in SWC means are not always evident.