A qualidade da germinação das sementes, exclusivamente, não é garantia de uma emergência adequada e uniforme das plântulas. As condições físicas da cama de semeadura são essenciais para uma apropriada germinação, emergência e desenvolvimento da cultura. A heterogeneidade natural do solo pode criar diferentes microambientes resultando em condições desfavoráveis para o crescimento inicial das plantas. A hipótese deste trabalho é a de que a variabilidade textural do solo pode resultar em condições físicas heterogêneas, principalmente na cama de semeadura e, essas diferenças podem influenciar na eficácia da germinação e emergência das principais culturas cultivadas no verão na região Sul do país, especificamente soja e milho. Para tanto, foi avaliada a qualidade física da cama de semeadura de um Latossolo Vermelho sob sistema plantio direto de longa duração e determinada a influência dos atributos físicos avaliados na emergência das plântulas destas culturas. O trabalho foi realizado numa transeção de 600 m localizada na Fazenda Escola da Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Paraná, em dois anos: 2010 (soja) e 2011 (milho). As avaliações em campo compreenderam a camada de 0-10 cm e as amostras de solo para determinações em laboratório foram retiradas na camada de 2,5-7,5 cm. Para cada amostra foi determinada a permeabilidade do solo ao ar, índice de continuidade de poros, porosidade bloqueada, porosidade de aeração, densidade do solo, curva de retenção de água e curva de resistência à penetração do solo. A partir dos dois últimos foi calculado o Intervalo Hídrico Ótimo (IHO) dessa camada para os trinta pontos demarcados ao longo da transeção. Os dados foram avaliados por meio de estatística descritiva, análise de variância e os dados de emergência e características das plântulas foram relacionados com os atributos físicos por meio de regressão Stepwise. Foram identificadas, de forma intercalada, duas classes texturais, argilo arenosa e franco argilo arenosa. O conteúdo de argila variou de 27,78 a 45,51 % e não teve influência no número final de plantas emergidas nos dois anos avaliados. A análise de estabilidade temporal da umidade do solo sugere que amostragens, para avaliação da umidade, devem ser realizadas na faixa da transeção que vai de 300 a 600 m por apresentarem valores mais próximos da média geral para qualquer tempo. O conteúdo de água disponível para as plantas sem que haja limitações de resistência e aeração, IHO, foi reduzido de um ano para o outro, indicando que a qualidade física da cama de semeadura do milho foi relativamente inferior a da soja. O limite inferior do IHO foi determinado pela umidade do solo, na qual a resistência à penetração é limitante, ao longo de toda a transeção. Os atributos físicos do solo não foram significativamente relacionados com os parâmetros de emergência das culturas, mas tiveram influência na altura da parte aérea e comprimento das raízes. O efeito das condições físicas do solo no crescimento radicular das plântulas de milho também foi evidenciado a partir da análise de imagens obtidas por ?TC de Raio-X. / The quality of seeds, exclusively, is no guarantee of an adequate and uniform seedlings emergence. The seedbed physical conditions are essential for a suitable germination, emergence and crop development. The natural soil heterogeneity can create distinct microenvironments resulting in unfavorable conditions for the plants initial growth. The work hypothesis is that the soil texture variability can result in heterogeneous physical conditions, mainly in the seedbed, and these differences may affect the effectiveness of germination and emergence of the major crops grown in summer in the Brazil southern, specifically, soybean (Glycine max L.) and maize (Zea mays L.). For this, it was assessed the physical quality of seedbed from an Oxisol under no-tillage long term and determined the influence of the soil physical attributes in the seedling emergence of these crops. The study was carried out in a 600 m field transection in the Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa farm, Paraná, in two years: 2010 (soybean ) and 2011 (maize). The field assessments were carried out in the topsoil (0-10 cm) and soil samples for laboratory determinations were taken out from the 2.5-7.5 cm layer. For each sample was determined the soil air permeability, pores continuity index, blocked porosity, air-filled porosity, soil bulk density, water retention curve and resistance to penetration curve. From the two latter was calculated the Least Limiting Water Range (LLWR) for the thirty points bounded along the field transect. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and, the emergence parameters and seedling characteristics were related to the soil physical attributes using Stepwise regression. Two soil textural classes, sandy clay and sandy clay loam, were identified in succession. Clay content ranged from 27.78 to 45.51 % and did not affect the final number of seedlings emerged in the two years. The analysis of temporal stability of soil water content suggests that future samplings, for the soil moisture evaluation, should be performed from 300 to 600 m along the transect, as it shows soil moisture average closer to the general mean at any time.The water content available to plants without any limitations of resistance and aeration, LLWR, was reduced from one year to the other, indicating that the physical quality of the maize seedbed was relatively inferior than that of soybean. The lower limit of LLWR was determined by the soil water content in which the resistance is restrictive, along the whole transection. The soil physical attributes were not significantly related with the crops emergence parameters, but had influence at the shoot height and root length. The effect of soil physical conditions on maize root growth was also attested from images obtained by X-ray ?TC.

A qualidade da germinação das sementes, exclusivamente, não é garantia de uma emergência adequada e uniforme das plântulas. As condições físicas da cama de semeadura são essenciais para uma apropriada germinação, emergência e desenvolvimento da cultura. A heterogeneidade natural do solo pode criar diferentes microambientes resultando em condições desfavoráveis para o crescimento inicial das plantas. A hipótese deste trabalho é a de que a variabilidade textural do solo pode resultar em condições físicas heterogêneas, principalmente na cama de semeadura e, essas diferenças podem influenciar na eficácia da germinação e emergência das principais culturas cultivadas no verão na região Sul do país, especificamente soja e milho. Para tanto, foi avaliada a qualidade física da cama de semeadura de um Latossolo Vermelho sob sistema plantio direto de longa duração e determinada a influência dos atributos físicos avaliados na emergência das plântulas destas culturas. O trabalho foi realizado numa transeção de 600 m localizada na Fazenda Escola da Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa, Paraná, em dois anos: 2010 (soja) e 2011 (milho). As avaliações em campo compreenderam a camada de 0-10 cm e as amostras de solo para determinações em laboratório foram retiradas na camada de 2,5-7,5 cm. Para cada amostra foi determinada a permeabilidade do solo ao ar, índice de continuidade de poros, porosidade bloqueada, porosidade de aeração, densidade do solo, curva de retenção de água e curva de resistência à penetração do solo. A partir dos dois últimos foi calculado o Intervalo Hídrico Ótimo (IHO) dessa camada para os trinta pontos demarcados ao longo da transeção. Os dados foram avaliados por meio de estatística descritiva, análise de variância e os dados de emergência e características das plântulas foram relacionados com os atributos físicos por meio de regressão Stepwise. Foram identificadas, de forma intercalada, duas classes texturais, argilo arenosa e franco argilo arenosa. O conteúdo de argila variou de 27,78 a 45,51 % e não teve influência no número final de plantas emergidas nos dois anos avaliados. A análise de estabilidade temporal da umidade do solo sugere que amostragens, para avaliação da umidade, devem ser realizadas na faixa da transeção que vai de 300 a 600 m por apresentarem valores mais próximos da média geral para qualquer tempo. O conteúdo de água disponível para as plantas sem que haja limitações de resistência e aeração, IHO, foi reduzido de um ano para o outro, indicando que a qualidade física da cama de semeadura do milho foi relativamente inferior a da soja. O limite inferior do IHO foi determinado pela umidade do solo, na qual a resistência à penetração é limitante, ao longo de toda a transeção. Os atributos físicos do solo não foram significativamente relacionados com os parâmetros de emergência das culturas, mas tiveram influência na altura da parte aérea e comprimento das raízes. O efeito das condições físicas do solo no crescimento radicular das plântulas de milho também foi evidenciado a partir da análise de imagens obtidas por ?TC de Raio-X. / The quality of seeds, exclusively, is no guarantee of an adequate and uniform seedlings emergence. The seedbed physical conditions are essential for a suitable germination, emergence and crop development. The natural soil heterogeneity can create distinct microenvironments resulting in unfavorable conditions for the plants initial growth. The work hypothesis is that the soil texture variability can result in heterogeneous physical conditions, mainly in the seedbed, and these differences may affect the effectiveness of germination and emergence of the major crops grown in summer in the Brazil southern, specifically, soybean (Glycine max L.) and maize (Zea mays L.). For this, it was assessed the physical quality of seedbed from an Oxisol under no-tillage long term and determined the influence of the soil physical attributes in the seedling emergence of these crops. The study was carried out in a 600 m field transection in the Universidade Estadual de Ponta Grossa farm, Paraná, in two years: 2010 (soybean ) and 2011 (maize). The field assessments were carried out in the topsoil (0-10 cm) and soil samples for laboratory determinations were taken out from the 2.5-7.5 cm layer. For each sample was determined the soil air permeability, pores continuity index, blocked porosity, air-filled porosity, soil bulk density, water retention curve and resistance to penetration curve. From the two latter was calculated the Least Limiting Water Range (LLWR) for the thirty points bounded along the field transect. The data were analyzed using descriptive statistics, analysis of variance and, the emergence parameters and seedling characteristics were related to the soil physical attributes using Stepwise regression. Two soil textural classes, sandy clay and sandy clay loam, were identified in succession. Clay content ranged from 27.78 to 45.51 % and did not affect the final number of seedlings emerged in the two years. The analysis of temporal stability of soil water content suggests that future samplings, for the soil moisture evaluation, should be performed from 300 to 600 m along the transect, as it shows soil moisture average closer to the general mean at any time.The water content available to plants without any limitations of resistance and aeration, LLWR, was reduced from one year to the other, indicating that the physical quality of the maize seedbed was relatively inferior than that of soybean. The lower limit of LLWR was determined by the soil water content in which the resistance is restrictive, along the whole transection. The soil physical attributes were not significantly related with the crops emergence parameters, but had influence at the shoot height and root length. The effect of soil physical conditions on maize root growth was also attested from images obtained by X-ray ?TC.

Diss. (sammanfattning) Uppsala : Sveriges lantbruksuniv., 2009. / Härtill 4 uppsatser.

No description available.

Resumo: Este trabalho tem por objetivo principal apresentar o desenvolvimento de um sistema inteligente, utilizando a Teoria Fuzzy, para estimar valores aproximados da densidade do solo a partir de medidas diretas (campo) sem a necessidade de ensaios laboratoriais e, consequentemente, identificar a compactação do solo por meio destes valores estimados. A densidade do solo é um dos principais parâmetros utilizado para a identificação do grau de compactação do solo, e está relacionada com outros parâmetros tais como a resistência à penetração do solo, o teor de água e a textura do solo. Para o desenvolvimento do trabalho foram considerados três parâmetros do solo: a resistência à penetração representado pelo índice de cone (em kPa), o teor de água dado pela umidade do solo (em porcentagem, %), e a textura dada pela quantidade de argila presente no solo (em porcentagem, %). Foram, ainda, considerados solos preparados (passagem de arado, de grade, de escarificador, e outros) e solos não preparados (nenhum tipo de preparado ou em solo de plantio direto). Segundo a porcentagem de argila no solo, estes foram divididos em solo tipo I (teor de argila menor que 30%), solo tipo II (teor de argila entre 30% e 50%), solo tipo III (teor de argila maior que 50%) para o solo não preparado, e solo tipo I (teor de argila menor que 30%) e solo tipo III (teor de argila maior que 50%) para o solo preparado. O modelo matemático proposto para determinar as estimativas da densidade do solo foi desenvolvido com base em dados experimentais representados pelas três características do solo: índice de cone, umidade e argila. Utilizando os dados experimentais os modelos foram identificados por meio de um algoritmo neuro-fuzzy, em função da resistência à penetração, teor de água e textura do solo, onde se pode analisar a densidade do solo para os distintos valores das variáveis de entradas...(Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo) / Abstract: The present work aims to develop a intelligent system using fuzzy theory in order to estimate approximate values for the soil density taking in account direct measurements (in loco) disregarding laboratorial essays and, consequently, to identify the compactation of the soil through those estimated values. The soil density is one of the main parameters used to identify the soil compactation level, and it is also related to other parameters such as resistance to the soil penetration, water content and soil texture. Three soil parameters were considered for the development of this work: resistance to the soil penetration represented by the cone index (in kPa), the water content given by the soil humidity (percentage, %), and the texture given by the quantity of clay present in the soil (percentage, %). Also, prepared soils were considered (plough step, grid, disk harrow, and others) as well as non prepared soils (no kind of soil preparation or direct planted soil). According to the percentage of clay in the soil, they were classified as soil type I (clay content less than 30%), soil type II (clay content between 30% and 50%), soil type III (clay content higher than 50%) for the case of non prepared soil. For the case of prepared soil it was considered only soils type I (clay content less than 30%) and type III (clay content higher than 50%). The mathematical model considered to estimate the soil density was developed on the basis of given experimental data having the three soil characteristics: Cone index, humidity and clay content. Using the experimental data the models were identified by means of a neuro-fuzzy algorithm in function of the resistance to the penetration, water content and soil texture, through which one can analyze the soil density for different values of the model entrance variables. The experimental data and the estimated ones by the model...(Complete abstract click electronic access below) / Orientador: José Ângelo Cagnon / Coorientador: Ivan Nunes da Silva / Banca: Paulo José Amaral Serni / Banca: José Alfredo Covolan Ulson / Banca: Diogenes Pereira Gonzaga / Banca: Messias Meneguette Junior / Doutor

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No. of bitstreams: 1 Dissertação-Alacimar Viana Guedes.pdf: 1903772 bytes, checksum: 59ddccb481230e346acada71fee633a6 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2016-03-28 / FAPEAM - Fundação de Amparo à Pesquisa do Estado do Amazonas / The Amazon forest is distinguished by being the largest natural reservoir of plant wealth of the planet, where different each of their forest habitats has very rich and wide variety of species, often unique to a particular environment. Understanding how plant species are organized in their environment and how they use available resources is an important tool for the management and conservation of biodiversity. Thus, this study aimed to group tropical tree species according to environmental heterogeneity of the area, focusing on chemical and physical variables soil. The study was conducted in two forest sites in Central Amazonia: (a) forest management company Mil Precious Woods (PWA), the municipality of Silves, and (b) Experimental Field of Embrapa, located in the Agricultural District Suframa (CEDAS) Rio Preto da Eva. They were inventoried eight (08) continuous hectares at each site. All individuals with DAP≥ 10 cm were marked and identified in 2014 and had their registered UTM coordinates. 200 soil samples were collected at a depth of 0-20 cm per area, which were submitted to chemical and particle size analysis. They were surveyed 5,040 individuals distributed among 356 species on the site and give in 4,279 individuals represented by 203 species in the PWA site, with 191 species exclusive to the site and give in 69 exclusive PWA site. Among the five most abundant species on the site CEDAS are Eschweilera bracteosa, Protium amazonicum, Eschweilera coriacea, oblongifolia Licania and Pouteria sp, corresponding to 21% of individuals. In the PWA site, are Trattinnickia burserifolia, Eschweilera coriacea, Ocotea neesiana, Eschweilera collina and Trymatococcus amazonicus, which together account for 22% of all individuals. Although they are the same forest type, the two sites have distinct floristic composition, showing no floristic and structural homogeneity in upland forest in Central Amazon. The canonical correspondence analysis (CCA) indicated a significant correlation between the distribution of tree species along the topographic gradient and soil variables, with more pronounced effect of soil texture. The results suggest that it is possible to separate groups of species on the basis of soil characteristics, and texture is the variable which best describes the distribution of species throughout the soil gradient, mediated by the topography variations. / A floresta amazônica distingue-se por ser o maior reservatório natural de riqueza vegetal do planeta, seus diferentes ambientes florestais possui elevada riqueza e ampla variedade de espécies, muitas vezes exclusivas de determinado ambiente. Compreender como as espécies vegetais se organizam no seu ambiente e como utilizam os recursos disponíveis representa importante subsídio para o manejo e conservação da biodiversidade. Assim, o presente trabalho teve por objetivo agrupar espécies arbóreas tropicais segundo a heterogeneidade ambiental da área, com foco em variáveis químicas e física do solo. O estudo foi realizado em dois sítios florestais na Amazônia Central: (a) área de manejo florestal da empresa Mil Madeiras Preciosas (PWA), município de Silves, e (b) Campo Experimental da Embrapa, localizado no Distrito Agropecuário da Suframa (CEDAS), Rio Preto da Eva. Foram inventariados oito (08) hectares contínuos em cada sítio. Todos os indivíduos com DAP≥ 10 cm foram marcados e identificados e tiveram suas coordenadas UTM registradas. Foram coletadas 200 amostras de solo na profundidade de 0-20 cm por área, que foram submetidas às análises química e granulométrica. Foram inventariados 5.040 indivíduos distribuídos entre 356 espécies no sítio CEDAS e 4.279 indivíduos representados por 203 espécies no sítio PWA, sendo 191 espécies exclusivas do sítio CEDAS e 69 exclusivas do sítio PWA. Entre as cinco espécies mais abundantes no sítio CEDAS encontram-se: Eschweilera bracteosa, Protium amazonicum, Eschweilera coriacea, Licania oblongifolia e Pouteria sp., correspondendo a 21% do total de indivíduos. No sítio PWA, encontram-se Trattinnickia burserifolia, Eschweilera coriacea, Ocotea neesiana, Eschweilera collina e Trymatococcus amazonicus, que juntas correspondem a 22% do total de indivíduos. Apesar de constituírem a mesma tipologia florestal, os dois sítios apresentam composições florísticas distintas, evidenciando não homogeneidade florística e estrutural em florestas de terra firme na Amazônia Central. A análise de correspondência canônica (CCA) indicou correlação significativa entre a distribuição das espécies arbóreas ao longo do gradiente topográfico e as variáveis edáficas, com efeito mais pronunciado da textura do solo. Os resultados sugerem que é possível separar grupos de espécies em função das variáveis edáficas, e que a textura é a variável que melhor explica a distribuição das espécies ao longo do gradiente de solos, intermediada pelas variações de topografia.

Aggregate stability and aggregate size distribution on soil surface that is impacted by rain drops affect soil erosion yet little is known about less weathered coarse textured soils. The objectives of the current study were to determine (i) the aggregate stability and associated aggregate fraction size distribution and (ii) the impact of the initial aggregate size on the aggregate stability and the resulting sediment fraction size distribution following rain drop impact in some quartz dominated coarse textured soils in the Eastern Cape Province. Soil samples for this experiment were collected from 14 ecotopes on the surface with a natural slope between 7.5 to 11% and at the depth between 0 to 0.2 m in the Eastern Cape Province. In each ecotope, twenty-five different spots were sampled using a spade at depth 0 to 0.2 m in other to eradicate biasness and ensure homogeneity. Thereafter, the soil samples were mixed to make a composite sample. The composited soil samples were then placed in rigid containers and taken to the soil science laboratory of the University of Fort Hare, Alice Campus where analyses were carried out. The soil properties were determined by passing the < 5 mm soil sample through a 2 mm sieve. The total Na, Ca and Mg contents in the soil samples were also determined using the wet digestion with sulphuric acid method. The total Soil organic matter content (SOM) was determined by the process known as weight loss on ignition. Thereafter, the fraction size distribution and aggregate stability was done by passing < 5 mm soil samples through a 3 mm sieve. The obtained calibrated aggregates between 3 and 5 mm were oven dried at 40o C. Thereafter, five gram (5g) of oven dried calibrated aggregates was immersed in a 50 mL deionized water in a 250 mL beaker for 10 minutes. The soil material left was transferred to a 0.053 mm sieve already immersed in ethanol and moved five times in the ethanol to separate < 0.053 mm from > 0.053 mm fragments. The remaining > 0.053 mm was re-immersed in ethanol and further oven dried at 40o C for 5 minutes. Thereafter, the > 0.053 mm fraction was transferred from 0.053 mm sieve, oven dried at 40o C, dry sieved using Digital Electromagnetic Shaker on a six column of sieves: 2 mm, 1 mm, 0.5 mm, 0.25 mm, 0.106 mm, and 0.053 mm. The aggregate stability was determined using the resulting size distribution in seven classes by calculating the mean weight diameter (MWD, mm). The soils were very stable, moderately stable or unstable. The presence of smectite and cultivation as opposed to pasture lowered aggregate stability. The studied soils showed three different aggregate size distributions. Unstable soils were dominated by 0.106 – 0.25 mm aggregate size and showed a positively skewed aggregate fraction size distribution. Aggregates finer than 0.106 mm were limited because of the coarse nature of the soil texture. Moderately stable soils broke down to both micro aggregates, 0.106 – 0.25 mm and macro aggregates, 2 – 5 mm giving a bimodal distribution. The aggregate size distribution in the very stable soils was dominated by the aggregate fraction size 2 – 5 mm and a negatively skewed aggregate fraction size distribution. The smaller the initial aggregate size the higher was the aggregate stability but the reverse was true for splash erosion. It was thought that the short 5 minutes duration of the rainfall might not have been enough to cause a total breakdown of the aggregates. Alternatively, ecotopes that were dominated by primary soil minerals such as quartz showed different breakdown behaviour compared to those containing secondary minerals such as kaolinite or smectite.

Orientador: Morel de Passos e Carvalho / Banca: Ednaldo Carvalho Guimarães / Banca: José Augusto de Lollo / Resumo: O conhecimento dos atributos do solo, principalmente aqueles relacionados com sua distribuição granulométrica, tem grande influência na produtividade vegetal. No ano agrícola de 2002/2003 foram analisados atributos da planta e do solo: produtividade de grãos do feijoeiro (PG), produtividade de palha (PP), teor de argila (ARG), de silte (SIL) e de areia (ARE) de um Latossolo Vermelho Distroférrico sob plantio direto, do Campus Experimental da Faculdade de Engenharia/UNESP (Ilha Solteira/SP - Brasil: latitude 20°18’S; longitude 52°39’W). O objetivo foi analisar a variabilidade dos atributos pesquisados, de forma a caracterizar suas dependências espaciais, e as correlações, linear e espacial, entre eles. Foi instalada uma malha experimental para a coleta dos dados estabelecida com espaçamento de 10 x 10 m, contendo 135 pontos amostrais distribuídos numa área de 8000 m2. A variabilidade dos dados foi baixa para a ARG, média para o SIL e ARE, e alta para a PP e PG. A maioria apresentou moderada dependência espacial, com alcances entre 19,8 m (SIL) e 103,1 m (ARE), e de 29,8 m para a PG. Foi observada uma evidente correlação espacial entre todos os que apresentaram, dois a dois, os maiores coeficientes de correlação. Entretanto, entre aqueles que apresentaram os menores, os dados sugeriram, em alguns casos, haver uma moderada correlação espacial. / Abstract: The knowledge of the soil attributes, mainly those related with its particle-size diameter, has great influence on the vegetal productivity. In the agricultural year of 2002/2003 attributes of the plant and soil had been analyzed: grain productivity of common bean (GP), straw productivity (SP), clay content (CL), silt (SI) and of sand (SA) of a Red Latosol under no-tillage, pertainning to Experimental Station of Faculdade de Engenharia/UNESP (Ilha Solteira/SP - Brazil: 20º18' Latitude S; 52º39' Longitude W). The objective was to analyze the variability of the researched attributes to characterize its spatial dependences. Also, to study the correlations, linear and spatial, between them. An experimental grid for the collection of the data was installed, established with distance of 10 x 10 m, contends 135 points shows in an area of 8000 m2. The data variability was low for the CL, medium for the SI and SA, and high for SP and GP. The majority then presented moderate spatial dependence, with ranges between 19.8 m (SI) and 103.1 m (SA), and of 29.8 m for the GP. An evident spatial correlation was observed between all the ones that had presented, two to two, the biggest correlation coefficients. However, between the ones minors, the data had suggested, in some cases, to have an moderate spatial correlation. / Mestre

Elevated concentrations of nutrients, particularly nitrate, in groundwater and springs in Florida are a growing resource management concern. Stormwater infiltration basins, which are a common stormwater management practice in the well-drained karst terrain areas of Florida, are a potentially important source of nutrients to the groundwater system because stormwater exits the basin by only evaporation or infiltration. To better understand the biogeochemical processes integrating stormwater infiltration impacts on groundwater resources in a field-scale setting, a combination of hydrologic, soil chemistry, water chemistry, dissolved and soil gas, isotope, and microbiological data was collected from 2007 through 2010 at two stormwater infiltration basins receiving runoff from predominantly residential watersheds in north-central Florida. Substantially different biogeochemical processes affecting nitrogen fate and transport were observed beneath the two stormwater infiltration basins. Differences are related to soil textural properties that deeply link hydroclimatic conditions with soil moisture variations in a humid, subtropical climate. During 2008, shallow groundwater beneath the basin with predominantly clayey soils (median 41% silt+clay content) exhibited decreases in dissolved oxygen from 3.8 to 0.1 mg/L and decreases in nitrate-nitrogen from 2.7 mg/L to less than 0.016 mg/L, followed by manganese and iron reduction, sulfate reduction, and methanogenesis. In contrast, beneath the basin with predominantly sandy soils (median 2% silt+clay content), aerobic conditions persisted from 2007 through 2009 (dissolved oxygen of 5.0â€"7.8 mg/L), resulting in nitrate-nitrogen of 1.3â€"3.3 mg/L in shallow groundwater. Soil extractable nitrate-nitrogen was significantly lower and the copper-containing nitrite reductase gene density was significantly higher beneath the clayey basin. Differences in moisture retention capacity between fine- and coarse-textured soils resulted in median volumetric gas-phase contents of 0.04 beneath the clayey basin and 0.19 beneath the sandy basin, inhibiting surface/subsurface oxygen exchange beneath the clayey basin. Subsurface biogeochemical processes at the clayey stormwater infiltration basin were further analyzed to better understand the effects of the highly variable hydrologic conditions common in humid, subtropical climates. Cyclic variations in biogeochemical processes generally coincided with wet and dry hydroclimatic conditions. Oxidizing conditions in the subsurface persisted for about one month or less at the beginning of wet periods with dissolved oxygen and nitrate showing similar temporal patterns. Reducing conditions in the subsurface evolved during prolonged flooding of the basin. At about the same time oxygen and nitrate reduction concluded, manganese, iron, and sulfate reduction began, with the onset of methanogenesis one month later. Reducing conditions persisted up to six months, continuing into subsequent dry periods until the next major oxidizing infiltration event. Evidence of denitrification in shallow groundwater at the site is supported by median nitrate-nitrogen less than 0.016 mg/L, excess nitrogen gas up to 3 mg/L progressively enriched in delta-15N during prolonged basin flooding, and isotopically heavy delta-15N and delta-18O of nitrate (up to 25 and 15 per mil, respectively). Isotopic enrichment of newly infiltrated stormwater suggests denitrification was partially completed within two days. Soil and water chemistry data suggest a biogeochemically active zone exists in the upper 1.4 m of soil, where organic carbon was the likely electron donor supplied by organic matter in soil solids or dissolved in infiltrating stormwater. The cyclic nature of reducing conditions effectively controlled the nitrogen cycle, switching nitrogen fate beneath the basin from nitrate leaching to reduction in the shallow saturated zone. Soil beneath the sandy stormwater infiltration basin was amended using biosorption activated media (BAM) to study the effectiveness of this technology in reducing inputs of nitrogen and phosphorus to groundwater. The functionalized soil amendment BAM consists of a 1.0:1.9:4.1 mixture (by volume) of tire crumb (to increase sorption capacity), silt and clay (to increase soil moisture retention), and sand (to promote sufficient infiltration), which was applied to develop an innovative best management practice (BMP) utilizing nutrient reduction and flood control sub-basins. Construction and materials costs, excluding profit and permit fees, for the innovative BMP were about $US 65 per square meter of basin bottom. Comparison of nitrate/chloride ratios for the shallow groundwater indicate that prior to using BAM, nitrate concentrations were substantially influenced by nitrification or variations in nitrate input. In contrast, for the new basin utilizing BAM, nitrate/chloride ratios indicate minor nitrification and nitrate losses with the exception of one summer sample that indicated a 45% loss. Biogeochemical indicators (denitrifier activity derived from real-time polymerase chain reaction and variations in major ions, nutrients, dissolved and soil gases, and stable isotopes) suggest nitrate losses are primarily attributable to denitrification, whereas dissimilatory nitrate reduction to ammonium and plant uptake are minor processes. Denitrification was likely occurring intermittently in anoxic microsites in the unsaturated zone, which was enhanced by increased soil moisture within the BAM layer and resultant reductions in surface/subsurface oxygen exchange that produced conditions conducive to increased denitrifier activity. Concentrations of total dissolved phosphorus and orthophosphate were reduced by more than 70% in unsaturated zone soil water, with the largest decreases in the BAM layer where sorption was the most likely mechanism for removal. Post-BAM orthophosphate/chloride ratios for shallow groundwater indicate predominantly minor increases and decreases in orthophosphate with the exception of one summer sample that indicated a 50% loss. Differences in nutrient variations between the unsaturated zone and shallow groundwater may be the result of the intensity and duration of nutrient removal processes and mixing ratios with water that had undergone little biogeochemical transformation. In order to quantify potential processes leading to observed nitrogen losses beneath the innovative BMP, an integrated infiltration basinâ€"nitrogen reduction (IBNR) system dynamics model was developed. Based on two simulation periods, the IBNR model indicated denitrification accounted for a loss of about one-third of the total dissolved nitrogen mass inflow and was occurring predominantly in the BAM layer. The IBNR model results in combination with the field-based biogeochemical assessment demonstrated that the innovative BMP using the functionalized soil amendment BAM is a promising passive, economical, stormwater nutrient-treatment technology. Further field- and laboratory-scale research on the long-term sustainability of nutrient losses and further elucidation of causative physicochemical and biogeochemical mechanisms would contribute to improved BAM performance and green infrastructure development in the future.

Soil characterization provides the basic information necessary for understanding the physical, chemical, and biological properties of soils. Knowledge about soils can in turn be used to inform management practices, optimize agricultural operations, and ensure the continuation of ecosystem services provided by soils. However, current analytical standards for identifying each distinct property are costly and time-consuming. The optimization of laboratory grade technology for wide scale use is demonstrated by advances in a proximal soil sensing technique known as portable X-ray fluorescence spectrometry (pXRF). pXRF analyzers use high energy Xrays that interact with a sample to cause characteristic reflorescence that can be distinguished by the analyzer for its energy and intensity to determine the chemical composition of the sample. While pXRF only measures total elemental abundance, the concentrations of certain elements have been used as a proxy to develop models capable of predicting soil characteristics. This study aimed to evaluate existing models and model building techniques for predicting soil pH, texture, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soil organic carbon (SOC), total nitrogen (TN), and C:N ratio from pXRF spectra and assess their fittingness for California soils by comparing predictions to results from laboratory methods. Multiple linear regression (MLR) and random forest (RF) models were created for each property using a training subset of data and evaluated by R2 , RMSE, RPD and RPIQ on an unseen test set. The California soils sample set was comprised of 480 soil samples from across the state that were subject to laboratory and pXRF analysis in GeoChem mode. Results showed that existing data models applied to the CA soils dataset lacked predictive ability. In comparison, data models generated using MLR with 10-fold cross validation for variable selection improved predictions, while algorithmic modeling produced the best estimates for all properties besides pH. The best models produced for each property gave RMSE values of 0.489 for pH, 10.8 for sand %, 6.06 for clay % (together predicting the correct texture class 74% of the time), 6.79 for CEC (cmolc/kg soil), 1.01 for SOC %, 0.062 for TN %, and 7.02 for C:N ratio. Where R2 and RMSE were observed to fluctuate inconsistently with a change in the random train/test splits, RPD and RPIQ were more stable, which may indicate a more useful representation of out of sample applicability. RF modeling for TN content provided the best predictive model overall (R2 = 0.782, RMSE = 0.062, RPD = 2.041, and RPIQ = 2.96). RF models for CEC and TN % achieved RPD values >2, indicating stable predictive models (Cheng et al., 2021). Lower RPD values between 1.75 and 2 and RPIQ >2 were also found for MLR models of CEC, and TN %, as well as RF models for SOC. Better estimates for chemical properties (CEC, N, SOC) when compared to physical properties (texture), may be attributable to a correlation between elemental signatures and organic matter. All models were improved with the addition of categorical variables (land-use and sample set) but came at a great statistical cost (9 extra predictors). Separating models by land type and lab characterization method revealed some improvements within land types, but these effects could not be fully untangled from sample set. Thus, the consortia of characterizing bodies for ‘true’ lab data may have been a drawback in model performance, by confounding inter-lab errors with predictive errors. Future studies using pXRF analysis for soil property estimation should investigate how predictive v models are affected by characterizing method and lab body. While statewide models for California soils provided what may be an acceptable level of error for some applications, models calibrated for a specific site using consistent lab characterization methods likely provide a higher degree of accuracy for indirect measurements of some key soil properties.