Fraction Of Soil Water Research Articles

Isotopic offsets in throughfall and stemflow may have small effects on estimates of winter precipitation fractions

AbstractForest canopies alter the amount and isotopic composition of precipitation reaching the forest floor. Thus retention, evaporation and transport processes in forest canopies, and their effects on water isotopes, are key to understanding forest water cycling. Using a two‐year isotope dataset from a mixed beech/spruce forest in Zurich, Switzerland, we assessed the isotopic offsets between precipitation, throughfall and stemflow. We also analysed how these offsets affect estimates of the fraction of soil water that is derived from winter precipitation. Throughfall was typically enriched in heavy isotopes compared to precipitation, but isotopically lighter than stemflow, with average δ2H of −64.3 ‰, −59.9 ‰ and − 56.3 ‰ in precipitation, throughfall and stemflow, respectively. The differences between beech and spruce were rather small compared to the seasonal differences in precipitation isotopes. Isotopic offsets between precipitation and throughfall/stemflow were smaller during the spring and summer months (March through August) than during fall and winter (September through February). Bulk and mobile soil waters at 10 and 40 cm showed smaller seasonal variations than those in precipitation, throughfall and stemflow, and were isotopically lighter than recent precipitation, with the largest offsets occurring during the summer months (June through August) for bulk soil waters. Thus, bulk soil waters at both depths contain a mixture of precipitation from previous events and seasons, with over‐representation of isotopically lighter winter precipitation. Mobile soil waters were more similar to recent precipitation than bulk soil waters were. Throughfall isotopes were slightly heavier than precipitation isotopes, resulting in different sinusoidal fits for seasonal isotopic cycles in precipitation and throughfall. These differences lead to small underestimates in the fraction of soil water originating from winter precipitation, when open‐field precipitation rather than throughfall is used as the input data. Together our results highlight the importance of isotope measurements in throughfall and stemflow for the assessment of precipitation seasonality and water cycling across forested landscapes.

Modeling Vegetation Water Stress over the Forest from Space: Temperature Vegetation Water Stress Index (TVWSI)

The conventional Land Surface Temperature (LST)–Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) trapezoid model has been widely used to retrieve vegetation water stress. However, it has two inherent limitations: (1) its complex and computationally intensive parameterization for multi-temporal observations and (2) deficiency in canopy water content information. We tested the hypothesis that an improved water stress index could be constructed by the representation of canopy water content information to the LST–NDVI trapezoid model. Therefore, this study proposes a new index that combines three indicators associated with vegetation water stress: canopy temperature through LST, canopy water content through Surface Water Content Index (SWCI), and canopy fractional cover through NDVI in one temporally transferrable index. Firstly, a new optical space of SWCI–NDVI was conceptualized based on the linear physical relationship between shortwave infrared (SWIR) and soil moisture. Secondly, the SWCI–NDVI feature space was parameterized, and an index d(SWCI, NDVI) was computed based on the distribution of the observations in the SWCI–NDVI spectral space. Finally, standardized LST (LST/long term mean of LST) was combined to d(SWCI, NDVI) to give a new water stress index, Temperature Vegetation Water Stress Index (TVWSI). The modeled soil moisture from the Australian Water Resource Assessment—Landscape (AWRA-L) and Soil Water Fraction (SWF) from four FLUXNET sites across Victoria and New South Wales were used to evaluate TVWSI. The index TVWSI exhibited a high correlation with AWRA-L soil moisture (R2 of 0.71 with p < 0.001) and the ground-based SWF (R2 of 0.25–0.51 with p < 0.001). TVWSI predicted soil moisture more accurately with RMSE of 21.82 mm (AWRA-L) and 0.02–0.04 (SWF) compared to the RMSE ranging 28.98–36.68 mm (AWRA-L) and 0.03–0.05 (SWF) were obtained for some widely used water stress indices. The TVWSI could also be a useful input parameter for other environmental models.

Do stream water solute concentrations reflect when connectivity occurs in a small, pre-Alpine headwater catchment?

Abstract. Expansion of the hydrologically connected area during rainfall events causes previously disconnected areas to contribute to streamflow. If these newly contributing areas have a different hydrochemical composition compared to the previously connected contributing areas, this may cause a change in stream water chemistry that cannot be explained by simple mixing of rainfall and baseflow. Changes in stormflow composition are, therefore, sometimes used to identify when transiently connected areas (or water sources) contribute to stormflow. We identified the dominant sources of streamflow for a steep 20 ha pre-Alpine headwater catchment in Switzerland and investigated the temporal changes in connectivity for four rainfall events based on stream water concentrations and groundwater level data. First, we compared the isotopic and chemical composition of stormflow at the catchment outlet to the composition of rainfall, groundwater and soil water. Three-component end-member mixing analyses indicated that groundwater dominated stormflow during all events, and that soil water fractions were minimal for three of the four events. However, the large variability in soil and groundwater composition compared to the temporal changes in stormflow composition inhibited the determination of the contributions from the different groundwater sources. Second, we estimated the concentrations of different solutes in stormflow based on the mixing fractions derived from two-component hydrograph separation using a conservative tracer (δ2H) and the measured concentrations of the solutes in baseflow and rainfall. The estimated concentrations differed from the measured stormflow concentrations for many solutes and samples. The deviations increased gradually with increasing streamflow for some solutes (e.g. iron and copper), suggesting increased contributions from riparian and hillslope groundwater with higher concentrations of these solutes and thus increased hydrological connectivity. The findings of this study show that solute concentrations partly reflect the gradual changes in hydrologic connectivity, and that it is important to quantify the variability in the composition of different source areas.

Effects of disturbance on the carbon dioxide balance of an anthropogenic peatland in northern Patagonia

Peatlands are characterized by their large carbon (C) storage capacity and represent important C sinks globally. In southern Chile, young peatlands (few centuries old) have originated due to clearcutting or fire at forest sites with high precipitation on poorly drained soils. These novel ecosystems are called anthropogenic peatlands here. Their role in the regional C cycle remains largely unknown. Here, we present 18 months of eddy covariance measurements of net ecosystem exchange (NEE) of carbon dioxide (CO2) in an anthropogenic peatland in northern Chiloe Island, part of which is kept undisturbed for 30–40 years, by excluding human uses, and another section of the same peatland that has been disturbed by cattle grazing and Sphagnum moss extraction. Gross primary productivity (GPP) and ecosystem respiration (Reco) were modeled from NEE, based on measured photosynthetically active radiation and air temperature, separately for each section of the peatland. Uncertainties of the annual flux estimates were assessed from the variability of modelled fluxes induced by applying different time-windows for model development between 10 and 20 days. The undisturbed area of the peatland was on average (± SD) a larger net CO2 sink (NEE = − 135 ± 267 g CO2 m−2 year−1) than the disturbed area (NEE = − 33 ± 111 g CO2 m−2 year−1). These NEE CO2 balances are small even though GPP and Reco were larger compared with other peatlands. Reco had a direct relationship with water table depth (from soil surface) and a negative relationship with soil water fraction. Our results show that the disturbance by moss extraction and cattle grazing is likely to reduce the CO2 sink function of many anthropogenic and natural peatlands on Chiloe Island, which are subjected to the same impacts.

Seasonal and inter-annual variability of soil moisture stress function in dryland wheat field, Australia

It is assumed that the ratio of actual evapotranspiration (AET) to potential evapotranspiration (PET) is mostly controlled by the soil water content available for ET. This control is formulated using the soil moisture stress function (SSF), where the evaporative fraction (EF) or the fraction of the AET to PET (fPET) is assumed to be either a linear or a non-linear function of soil moisture. We examine the effectiveness of the soil moisture stress function to quantify soil moisture control on EF or fPET over a dryland wheat field in Victoria, Australia. Micrometeorological observations from two cropping seasons were used for the analysis. The efficacy of a root-density-weighted soil moisture estimate in predicting EF and fPET was investigated as against the commonly assumed fixed-depth root zone soil moisture. However, results indicate a strong relationship between EF and available soil water fraction (AWF) in the root zone only when solar radiation is higher than 5MJ/m2/day. As the rooting depth increases with vegetation growth, SSF exhibits the strongest correlation with AWF for increasing soil profile depth. In the early and harvesting crop growth stages, ET is constrained mostly by surface soil moisture (0–5cm). In the mid-growth stages, ET is strongly influenced by soil moisture in the root zone (0–60cm). The shape of SSF, however, changes significantly between the two years (2012 and 2013). It is inferred that different temporal rainfall patterns between the years caused wheat’s different response to water stress.

Integrative Effects of Vine Water Relations and Grape Ripeness Level of Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz/Richter 99. I. Physiological Changes and Vegetative-Reproductive Growth Balances

The water relations and physiological status of the grapevine are critical for obtaining a quality product and for fully exploring vineyard and grape potential. The objective of this investigation was to determine the effect of grapevine water status (induced by means of two field water capacity-based irrigation levels, 75% and 100%, applied at single and combined vine developmental stages) on morphological and physiological changes in Vitis vinifera L. cv. Shiraz/Richter 99 grapevines and grapes (harvested at different soluble solid levels) under field conditions. The integrative effects of vine water relations and grape ripeness level, specifically in a Mediterranean high winter rainfall area, have not yet been investigated systematically. The terroir affected the reaction of the vines to treatments. The soil displayed high water-holding capacity and a buffer against favourable evapotranspiration conditions, even with a western aspect and being subjected to long and relatively dry seasons, with frequent occurrence of high temperatures and grapevines with fully developed canopies. The vines did not seem overly stressed – in line with the relatively high base soil water fractions of mostly more than 50% of field water capacity. Primary and secondary leaf water potential and stem water potential displayed similar patterns and the water potential of the primary and secondary leaves was similar. Despite relatively high base soil water contents that prevented excessively low plant water potential and classic leaf and berry behaviour to surface, the vines still responded in a noticeable way to volume and timing of irrigation in relation to the grape ripeness level status. Water relations, ripeness level and terroir conditions showed an integrated, steering impact on physiological, vegetative and reproductive behaviour. Post-veraison irrigated vines were expected to maintain relatively high water potential during the last weeks of the ripening period, but this seemed not to be the case. All vines seemed to have recuperated/stabilised during this time, maintaining their water balances. Physical, physiological and compositional changes in the berry during late ripening under field conditions were clarified further. New information was obtained on the relationships between the behaviour of the root system, canopy and grapes and the changing terroir conditions during the ripening period.

Dynamics of water uptake by maize on sloping farmland in a shallow Entisol in Southwest China

The water use patterns of maize grown in shallow soils remain poorly understood. To explore the water uptake dynamics of maize from a loamy Entisol with an average thickness of 40cm, excavation, isotopic tracer analysis and soil water potential measurements were combined to study the source of water used by maize. The differences between the δD of the water used by maize and the δD of the mobile soil water (MSW, the fraction of soil water with high mobility which can be easily replaced by the infiltrating rainwater) indicated that maize did not take up much MSW. The local meteoric evaporation line, the δD of the bulk soil water (BSW, total soil water including mobile and immobile soil water) and the soil water collected using a lysimeter were used in a model to calculate the isotopic compositions of different fractions of soil water and the proportion of immobile soil water (ImSW, the fraction of soil water with little mobility which was tightly bound to the soil particles). ImSW resulted from several heavy rains that occurred before the sampling. The primary water sources for maize varied temporally and spatially. Maize seedlings at the one-leaf stage used ImSW from 0 to 10cm soil depth; however, maize plants generally used more BSW from deeper soil layers when the roots reached greater depths. The ratios of MSW to ImSW were not equal between the maize stems and soil, with more ImSW in the maize stems, particularly during the seedling stage. This result invalidates the core concept of most watershed hydrology models and classical hypothesis in the isotopic models of general atmospheric circulation. The difference between the MSW and ImSW in the water cycle of the soil-plant-atmosphere continuum should be considered in the future studies of identifying the plant water sources and modeling hydrological processes.

Infestation dynamics of Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) (Acari: Tenuipalpidae) in citrus orchards as affected by edaphic and climatic variables.

Brevipalpus phoenicis (Geijskes) is a cosmopolitan and polyphagous mite that transmits important phytoviruses, such as coffee ringspot virus, passion fruit green spot virus and Citrus leprosis virus C. To characterise the dynamics of the probability and the rate of B. phoenicis infestation in response to edaphic and climatic factors, monthly inspections were performed in nine orchards in a citrus region of the State of Bahia, Brazil, for 35 months. Three fruits per plant were examined using a magnifying glass (10×) on 21 plants distributed along a "W"-shaped path in each orchard. Meteorological data were collected from a conventional station. To determine the correlations among the climatic variables, the data were analysed using Spearman correlations. Variables were selected by principal component analysis, and those that contributed the most to differentiate the groups were evaluated via a Mann-Whitney test. Using the quantile-quantile method, the limit values for the following climatic variables were determined: temperature (24.5 °C), photoperiod (12 h), relative humidity (83%), evapotranspiration (71 mm) and rainy days (14 days). The combination of longer days, higher temperatures, lower relative humidity levels and lower evapotranspiration increased the probability of B. phoenicis infestation, whereas successive rain events decreased that risk. Infestation rates were negatively affected by relative humidity levels above 83% and were positively affected by a decreasing available soil-water fraction and increasing insolation and photoperiod.

Soil water variability and its influence on transpirable soil water fraction with two grape varieties under different rainfall regimes

This research aims to analyse soil water variability and its influence on the amount of soil water available to rainfed vines under different rainfall patterns. Frequency domain reflectometry (FDR) sensors were used to measure soil volumetric water content on two plots planted with Chardonnay (CH) and Cabernet Sauvignon (CS) during two vegetative cycles. The Soil Water Assessment Tool (SWAT) model was used to simulate soil water during the period 2000–2012. The representativeness of the years analysed was then evaluated using multivariate techniques. The results obtained confirmed the high variability in soil water observed from year to year as a result of the rainfall and soil characteristics. The fraction of transpirable soil water (FTSW) reached almost 0.1 at the end of the growing season, but depended on the climatic and soil characteristics. Its effect on vines depended on variety, with early ripening varieties suffering most. The lack of water forced an advance in the harvest date and produced a significant decrease in yield. Although water deficits during the grape growing season are frequent, in the last decade, the most commonly observed pattern has been one of major water deficits recorded in the bloom-veraison and veraison-harvest periods. This has had a significant effect on yield, with reductions of up to 38% in the last year with respect to the 15-year average.

Modelling nitrogen leaching: Are we getting the right answer for the right reason?

The complexities and challenges in quantifying N leaching have led to development of a range of measurement and modelling techniques, but none are widely applied. Observations that N moves more slowly than water through the soil profile has resulted in different approaches being used to simulate impeded N movement in crop models: (i) by accounting for nitrate NO3− adsorption to the soil, (ii) by considering incomplete mixing between resident and draining soil water fractions or (iii) a combination of both. We compare and discuss strengths and weaknesses of these approaches. Our inability to directly measure model parameters (especially with regards to simulating N dynamics), and the risk of compensating errors during model testing and calibration, often results in low confidence in simulated N leaching. We caution that our current ability to simulate N leaching is in most cases not yet well enough developed for reliable and accurate predictions. We recommend a more strategic approach involving better linking measurement and modelling to improve understanding of the critical soil processes that control N leaching as one way of further improving our understanding and quantification of N leaching.

Identifying the water source for subsurface flow with deuterium and oxygen-18 isotopes of soil water collected from tension lysimeters and cores

• Soil water showed different residence time along the profiles. • Piston flow and preferential flow coexisted in the study Entisol. • The mobile soil water was the pre-event water who participated subsurface flow generation. • Rainwater only well mix with mobile soil water in the vadoze zone. • Bulk and lysimeter water showed significant differences in isotopic composition. The conventional identification of soil water with pre-event water limits deep insights into the involvement of stationary and mobile soil water in subsurface hydrological processes. In three tilled sloping field plots at a hilly area of southwestern China dominated by Entisols, soil water collected with a suction lysimeter was distinguished from the total soil water through an analysis of the stable isotopes deuterium and oxygen-18. Differences in the depth profile of soil water before and after storm events were observed and used to examine how rainwater mixes with soil water and to identify the source contribution of different fractions of soil water in subsurface flow generation. Only water in the 0–10 cm soil layer was significantly affected by evaporation and infiltration. Water in the top 5 cm layer of the soil exhibited the lowest residence time because a storm can replace a substantial proportion of the pre-event water. Soil water at the 10–20 cm depth showed the longest residence time, as indicated by its high proportion of pre-event water. The isotopic signatures demonstrated that piston flow and preferential flow coexisted in this soil. High antecedent soil water content and high rain intensity favor the formation of piston flow. The water collected with the suction lysimeter represented the mobile fraction of the pre-event water in the soil, which effectively participates in the generation of subsurface flow. Newly infiltrated rainwater did not well mix with stationary pre-event water in the soil. The use of recent rainfall to represent mobile soil water may provide a practical solution for overcoming the negative effect of the spatial heterogeneity of the isotopic composition of soil water on hydrograph separation results. Bulk soil water and lysimeter water showed significant differences in isotopic composition under low soil water content or in the top soil layer. Stable isotopes in bulk and lysimeter soil water should be monitored synchronously to reveal the sources and pathways of soil water and their contributions to the generation of subsurface flow in the vadose zone.

Bound Water Content of Air‐Dry Soils Measured by Thermal Analysis

Conventional oven‐drying method may not give accurate information of bound water content in soils. The objective of this study was to determine the fraction of soil water that is bound to soil colloids using the thermogravimetry (TG) technique. A heating program from room temperature (RT) to 200°C was developed to partition bound water into loosely bound water (equivalent to water content determined by conventional oven‐drying method) and tightly bound water that was not accounted by conventional oven‐drying method on original and organic matter (OM) removed soil samples. Nine air‐dry soils, with varying amounts of clay and OM contents, were tested. For the original air‐dry samples, bound water content ranged from 0.54 to 5.22%, and the fractions of loosely and tightly bound water were about 80 and 20%, respectively. On a mass fraction basis, the specific water adsorption capacity of soil OM was 10 to 40 times that of soil minerals. For most mineral soils, however, the contribution of soil minerals to bound water (>70%) was much larger than that of soil OM (<30%), since the mineral fraction usually dominates over the OM fraction. In a soil with high OM concentration but a relatively low clay content, OM contribution to bound water exceeded 50%. Soil specific surface area (SA) showed a strong influence on bound water content, and a linear relationship between SA and bound water content was established.

A simple semi‐distributed water balance model for the Ethiopian highlands

AbstractThe discharge of the Nile River is highly dependent on the flow generated in the highlands of Ethiopia. However, little is known about the local (i.e. small scale) watershed hydrological response, due in part to a lack of long duration, continuous hydrological data. The goal of this paper was to develop a realistic, simple model that is useful as a tool for planning watershed management and conservation activities so that the effects of local interventions on stream flow can be predicted at a larger scale. The developed model is semi‐distributed in that it divides the watershed into different regions that become hydrologically active given different amounts of effective cumulative rainfall after the start of the rainy season. A separate water balance is run for each of the hydrologic regions using rainfall and potential evaporation as the major inputs. Watershed parameters that were calibrated included the amount of water required before each region becomes hydrologically active, the fraction of soil water that becomes runoff and subsurface flow, and aquifer characteristics, Model validation indicated that daily discharge values were predicted reasonably well with Nash Sutcliffe values ranging from 0·56 to 0·78. Despite the large distance between the test watersheds, the input parameter values for the watershed characteristic were remarkably similar for the humid highlands, indicating that the model could be used to predict discharge in un‐gauged basins in the region. As expected, the watershed in the semi‐arid region behaved somewhat differently than the other three watersheds. Good quality precipitation data, even for short durations, were key to the effective modelling of runoff in the highland watersheds. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Mineralogical sources of the buffer capacity in a granite catchment determined by strontium isotopes

Abstract The role of different minerals in base cation release and thus the increase of buffering capacity of groundwater against acid deposition is controversially discussed in the literature. The 87Sr/86Sr ratios and base cation concentration were investigated in whole rock leachates, mineral separates, precipitation, soil solution, groundwater and stream water samples in the Lehstenbach catchment (Germany) to identify the weathering sequence of the granite bedrock. Three different approaches were followed in parallel. It was assumed that the contribution of different minerals to base cation supply of the groundwater with increasing weathering intensity would be observed by investigating (1) unweathered rock leachates, deep groundwater and shallow groundwater, (2) groundwater samples from new groundwater wells, reflecting the initial weathering of the drilled bedrock, and groundwater from wells that were drilled in 1988, (3) stream water during baseflow, dominated by deep groundwater, and stream water during high flow, being predominantly shallow groundwater. Whereas the first approach yielded consistent patterns, there was some evidence that groundwater from the new wells initially reflected contamination by the filter gravel rather than cation release in an initial stage of weathering. Time series samples of stream water and groundwater solute concentrations and isotope ratios turned out to reflect varying fractions of soil water and precipitation water at baseflow and high flow conditions rather than varying contributions of different minerals that prevail at different stages of granite weathering. The early phase of weathering was clearly dominated by base cation release from biotite weathering and to a lesser extent by apatite dissolution. Feldspars contributed to base cation release as well, but could not be regarded as endmembers of the mixing diagram. There was no clear evidence for a contribution from calcite. Correspondingly, base cation input by atmospheric deposition and liming had only minor effects on groundwater buffer capacity.

A model incorporating the diffuse double layer to predict the electrical conductivity of bulk soil

SummaryA model has been developed to predict the electrical conductivity of bulk soil. The total soil‐water content is divided into free water and water in the diffuse double layer (DDL) around clay particles. These two fractions of soil water conduct electrical current through the soil and are assumed to act in parallel with the soil solid. The volume of water in the DDL is evaluated from the surface area of the clay and the thickness of the DDL. The surface area of the clay is estimated from its cation exchange capacity (CEC) and surface charge density. A transmission coefficient correcting for the effect of the tortuous flow path of current through the soil, and a proportionality constant relating the electrical conductivity of water in the DDL to that of free water, are included in the model. The transmission coefficient is a function of the contents of water and clay and has been modelled in terms of these factors. The values of the proportionality constant and those relating to the transmission coefficient were optimized for five different soils. The electrical conductivities of the five soils estimated by the model compare well with the measured values, which, however, deviate systematically from predictions by the three‐component model of Rhoades et al.

Daily transpiration rates of woody species on drying soil

Among annual plants, daily transpiration rates, expressed as a fraction of volumetric soil water content available for transpiration, show a common pattern in response to soil drying. Initially, as soil dries, there is little decrease in transpiration rate until water availability has fallen to about one third that at field capacity. With further soil drying, relative transpiration rate decreases in a more-or-less linear fashion until all available water has been used. Data previously obtained for perennial woody species have often been confounded by different methods for determining available soil water. In this study, we investigated the daily transpiration response to soil drying in five woody perennial species: Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don, Acer rubrum L., Robinia pseudoacacia L., Hibiscus sp. and Ibex aquifolium L. Transpiration was unaffected by soil drying until the initial estimated transpirable soil water fraction had decreased to between 0.23 and 0.32 of that at field capacity. Beyond this point, transpiration rate declined linearly with available soil water fraction until reaching one fifth the rate observed in well-watered plants. With further soil drying, the relative transpiration rates remained between 10 and 20% of that observed in well-watered plants. Maintenance of transpiration at these rates with further soil drying was hypothesized to result from contributions to transpiration of water stored in plant tissues. After taking tissue water storage into account, it was estimated that transpiration was curtailed as the available soil water fraction fell to between 0.26 and 0.37 of that at field capacity, which is comparable to values reported for annual crop plants.

Effect of freezing and thawing on microbial activity and glyphosate degradation in two Norwegian soils

Little research has been done on pesticide dissipation in cold climates and there is a need to focus on the influence of climate on pesticide degradation in soil. Glyphosate, N-(phosphonomethyl)glycine, is a herbicide frequently used for controlling perennial weeds through application after harvest and was used as a model compound for this study. The effect of freeze-thaw activity on the availability of glyphosate in soil, and consequently its mineralization by soil microorganisms, was studied through laboratory incubations of repacked soil cores treated with 14C-labelled glyphosate and subjected to different freeze-thaw treatments. Winter simulation regimes applied were constant thaw (+5 degrees C), constant freezing (-5 degrees C), unstable conditions with short fluctuations (24 h of -5 degrees C followed by 24 h of +5 degrees C), and long duration fluctuations (3 weeks of -5 degrees C followed by 3 weeks of +5 degrees C). Distribution of 14C-glyphosate was followed during the incubation through measurements of the mineralized fraction (14CO2), soil water fraction, KOH extractable fraction, and non-extractable fraction. Microbial parameters used to characterize the soils were estimates of size of microbial biomass, overall microbial activity and microbial diversity. The constant freezing treatment exhibited the lowest amount of glyphosate mineralization. The constant thawed treatment and the treatments with fluctuating temperature exhibited significantly increased mineralization. These results were in accordance with the observed concentration of glyphosate in soil water; the higher the activity, the lower the concentration. The amount of glyphosate extractable with KOH and the resulting non-extractable fraction, however, were not significantly affected by soil type or temperature regime. The glyphosate mineralization pattern was comparable with the overall microbial activity in the soils. Observed different levels of diversity might explain some of the difference in total glyphosate mineralization between soils.

A New Perspective on Soil Thermal Properties

The soil thermal properties—heat capacity (C), thermal diffusivity (α), and thermal conductivity (λ)—are important in many agricultural, engineering, and meteorological applications. Soil thermal properties are largely dependent on the volume fraction of water (θ), volume fraction of solids (vs), and volume fraction of air (na) in the soil. In many natural settings θ, vs, and na vary greatly over time and space, but data showing the effects of these variations on thermal properties are not readily available. We used a heat‐pulse method to measure the thermal properties of 59 packed columns of four medium‐textured soils covering large ranges of θ, vs, and na The measured data reveal the commonly overlooked but dominant influence of na on soil thermal properties. Notably, the measurements show that the λ of these soils at 20°C can be accurately described as a decreasing linear function of na Good agreement exists between the measured data and common models for λ and C

Simulation of calcium leaching and desorption in an acid forest soil

The aim of the study was to evaluate effects of mobile and immobile water and diffusion-limited transport on the binding and release of ions in soils. The desorption and leaching of calcium in a humic layer of a densely rooted acid forest soil under a beech stand was studied in laboratory experiments by leaching soil columns with a desorption solution and recycling the leachate through the columns. Radioactive tracers were added and monitored in the leachate to evaluate desorption and leaching characteristics of the soil. Parallel experiments were conducted with chloride and calcium to determine transport and desorption parameters independently. The experimental data were then analysed with a transport model, taking into account effects of mobile and immobile soil water fractions, and in the case of calcium assuming an equilibrium Langmuir adsorption isotherm. The transport was highly dependent on the mobility of the soil water, and in particular the fraction of the soil water to which the chemical was confined as a result of ionic properties. For chloride an excluded soil water phase had to be taken into account to explain the experimental findings. Immobile or mobile water and solute transfer and transport properties were not sufficient to explain non-equilibrium effects in the adsorption reactions. Desorption curves agreed with results from batch experiments, provided the leaching experiments were done in such a way that equilibration between the soil solution and the solid matrix adsorption sites was reached, otherwise desorption was delayed and the calculated isotherms do not represent actual equilibrium adsorption–desorption conditions.

Ba/Sr, Ca/Sr and 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios in soil water and groundwater: implications for relative contributions to stream water discharge

Barium/Sr and Ca/Sr ratios have been used to model the relative importance of different sources of stream water. Major and trace element concentrations together with 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios were measured in precipitation, soil water, groundwater and stream water in a small (9.4 km 2) catchment in northern Sweden. The study catchment is drained by a first order stream and mainly covered with podzolized Quaternary till of granitic composition. It is underlain by a 1.8 Ga granite. A model with mixing equations used in an iterative mode was developed in order to separate the stream water into 3 subsurface components: soil water, shallow groundwater, and deep groundwater. Contributions from precipitation are thus not included in the model. This source may be significant for the stream water generation, but it does not interfere with the calculations of the relative contributions from the subsurface components. The results show that the deep groundwater constitutes between 5 and 20% of the subsurface water discharge into the stream water. The highest values of the deep groundwater fraction occur during base flow. Soil water dominates during snowmelt seasons, whereas during base flow it is the least important fraction. Soil water accounts for 10–100% of the subsurface water discharge into the stream water. Shallow groundwater accounts for up to 80% of the subsurface water discharge with the lowest values at peak discharge during snowmelt seasons and the highest values during base flow. The validity of the model was tested by comparing the measured 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios in the stream water with the 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios predicted by the model. There was a systematic difference between the measured and modelled 87Sr/ 86Sr ratios which suggests that the fraction of soil water is overestimated by the model, especially during spring flood. As a consequence of this overestimation of soil water the amount of shallow groundwater is probably underestimated during this period. However, it is concluded that the differences between measured and predicted values are relatively small, and that element ratios are potentially effective tracers for different subsurface water flowpaths in catchments.