No description available.

No description available.

Two laboratory experiments were conducted to study the effects of salt and nitrogen-sulfur compounds on the transformations of nitrogen in three Arizona soils. In the first experiment the effect of NaCl in concentrations of 0 to 1 m (molal) at moisture levels of 1/3 and 15 bars was studied in the Gila and Laveen loam soils. At 1/3 moisture nitrification of urea-¹⁵N and native soil nitrogen was appreciably reduced only at 1 m salt level. At 15 bars moisture, nitrification was almost completely inhibited by the 1 m salt concentration. Mineralization of soil nitrogen was reduced more by decreasing moisture than by increasing salt concentrations. Ammonia volatilization was increased by both salt and moisture stress and was associated with inhibition of nitrification. Slight effects of salt were observed on ¹⁵N immobilization and ¹⁵N recovery (including volatilization). In the second experiment nitrogen-sulphur combinations (¹⁵N labelled) of KNO₃, KNO₃ + S, urea, urea + S, APS (ammonia polysulfide) and Thiosul (ammonium thiosulfate) were studied at field capacity (FC) and 1.5 FC moistures. In the calcareous Gila soil nitrification was suppressed by the presence of sulfur at 1.5 FC moisture. Volatilization losses were appreciable only from APS. Immobilization of ¹⁵N was greatest from treatments with the higher sulfur rate (elemental S). Denitrification was slightly increased by sulfur at FC, however, at 1.5 FC dramatic losses occurred by denitrification (autotrophic in the presence of sulfur, especially with elemental S. The nitrifying ability of the slightly acid and coarse textured Sonoita soil was low. Nitrification was suppressed more by the presence of sulfur at both moistures. Ammonia volatilization was appreciable from APS followed by urea. ¹⁵N immobilization was high from urea followed by APS. Appreciable losses by denitrification occurred only with APS. The Sonoita soil showed a lower sulfur oxidizing power than the Gila with the only appreciable rate of oxidation from Thiosul followed by APS.

A study of soil variability was performed on an 87 hectare area within a uniform mapping unit--Pima Clay loam-- at The University of Arizona Branch Experiment Station at Marana. The primary interest was with respect to soilwater parameters. From 36 sites selected by an unbalanced three-stage nested design, 180 core samples were collected at 30 cm depth intervals to 150 cm. In addition, 500 bulk samples were taken at the 60 cm depth on an equally spaced grid over a secondary sampling area of 96 by 76 meters. The measured parameters showed different patterns of spatial variation. For example, to estimate means within 10% for the 30 cm depth 5, 51, and 1,011 samples would be needed for bulk density, the porosity index, and the saturated hydraulic conductivity, respectively (using the 0.05 level of significance). Most of the other estimates for number of samples required were in a range of 50 to 100. Most coefficients of variation were between 10 and 50% with bulk density lower and saturated hydraulic conductivity higher. Variance components for the three stages obtained from the analysis of variance revealed that the variation among fields was smaller than within fields and sections for the majority of the measured parameters, their average relative contribution to the total variance being 25, 44, and 31%, respectively. Values of 15-bar moisture retention corresponding to the 500 bulk samples showed a frequency distribution close to the normal with a slight tendency toward skewness. Values of bulk density were normally distributed at each depth and on the combined 180 samples. The highly skewed distributed values of the saturated hydraulic conductivity proved to be normally distributed after a logarithmic transformation. The porosity index showed a nonconsistent distribution pattern at the different depths and a moderately skewed frequency distribution for the composite 180 samples. Close relationships were found between bulk density and per cent sand and silt. A highly significant correlation (significant at th 0.01 level) between 15-bar water retention and clay content existed. Values of the logarithm of the hydraulic conductivity showed a high degree of correlation with values of per cent pores drained at 50 millibars (correlation coefficients of high absolute values and significant at the 0.01 level). Particle size distribution exhibited a decrease of silt and clay and a corresponding increase of sand with depth. The average percentages of sand, silt, and clay at 30 cm depth were 23.3, 41.2, and 35.3, and at the 150 cm depth were 39.7, 35.6, and 24.7, respectively. A similar trend was revealed for bulk density which ranged from 1.42 at 30 cm depth to 1.57 g/cm³ at the 150 cm depth. Soil moisture release curves for each depth showed similar general shapes. The "porosity index" describing the moisture release curve in the low pressure range varied from 3.58 at 30 cm depth to 5.79 at the 150 cm depth. Mean values of the saturated hydraulic conductivity also tended to increase with depth--1.71 and 7.03 cm/hr at 30 and 150 cm depth, respectively. Comparison between the sampling scheme used and three-stage balanced designs revealed that at least two alternatives would be more effective in decreasing the variance of the mean, but they do not provide any degrees of freedom for the third stage. An apparent compromise was found to exist between the scheme used and the optimum unbalanced designs selected for efficient estimation of variance components for the majority of the measured parameters.

The development, yield and water use of six sorghum (Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench) hybrids and their respective male and female parents were evaluated under stressed and well irrigated conditions during 1980 and 1981 at Tucson, Arizona. Changes in soil moisture storage were measured by neutron modulation on a semiweekly schedule. Transpiration, diffusive resistance and leaf-ambient temperature differentials were monitored biweekly using a steady state porometer. Meteorological data was collected on a daily basis. The 1980 season had higher maximum temperatures and pan evaporation than the 1981 season. Differences in soil moisture extraction among sorghum entries were not apparent within water treatments. Mean cumulative evapotranspiration (ET) for the stressed treatment was 270 and 261 mm, for 1980 and 1981, respectively. Mean cumulative ET for irrigated treatment was about twice that at 520 and 648 mm during 1980 and 1981, respectively. There were no apparent differences in cumulative ET for entries in the stressed treatment while genotypic differences were manifested under well irrigated conditions. Temperature differential demonstrated a significant and negative correlation with diffusive resistance especially under stressed conditions (r = -.64 in 1981). Temperature differential was positively correlated with transpiration (r = .70 in 1980 stressed treatment). Plant height was significantly affected by water level both years while stem weight was affected by water level only in 1980. Soil moisture treatments did not affect leaf area either year and genotypic differences were demonstrated only in 1981. Hybrids produced greater grain yield than their male parents under both water treatments. This was due to greater seed number for hybrids. Seed number was also more stable for hybrids under both moisture levels. Hybrids four and seven had the greatest grain yield in 1980 and 1981, respectively. Harvest index was improved with increased water application due to increased seed number. Hybrid four in 1980 and hybrid seven in 1981 were extremely efficient in water use exhibiting ET ratios of 283 and 378, respectively under high water application. Reduced water application had little affect on the performance of these entries.

Soils darken upon wetting due to changes in the scattering properties of the individual soil particles. The objective of this research was to develop a procedure to map the distribution of wet soils using the radiance measurements acquired by a spaceborne imaging scanner. The soil-mapping procedure was designed for use in the regional exploration for ground water resources. The soil-mapping procedure was based upon the detection of reflectance changes in a comparison of Landsat 5 Thematic Mapper (TM) scenes acquired before and after a rain. The Stronghold watershed, which is situated on the western slopes of the Dragoon Mountains, Cochise County, Arizona, was chosen as the test site for the soil-mapping procedure. TM scenes depicting the watershed on 7 June 1985 and 14 November 1985 were used in the change-detection analysis. The region was dry at the time of the June overpass, the November overpass occurred two days after a rain. The recovery of reflectance from radiance requires knowledge of 1) the orientation of the surface relative to the sun and the satellite, 2) the exoatmospheric solar irradiance, 3) the atmospheric optical depth, and 4) the atmospheric path radiance. The orientation of the surface elements were defined through the use of a digital elevation model of the Stronghold watershed. The solar irradiance and atmospheric optical depth were obtained from the literature; the atmospheric path radiance was estimated from shadowed areas depicted in the images. Temporal changes in reflectance were detected by subtracting the November reflectance estimates from those recovered from the June radiance measurements. Changes significant at the 0.05 level were identified through use of the Student-t test. The identical significance level was used to identify temporal changes in the Perpendicular Vegetation Index, or PVI. A surface element was classified as an anomaly if there was a significant temporal change in reflectance with no attendant change in PVI. Field checks of the anomalies proved that wet soils could be mapped via the remote detection of changes in their reflectance. The majority of the false anomalies could be attributed to the disparity between the spatial resolutions of the radiance measurements and the topographic data.

No description available.

Soil water deficits greatly affect forage production. To evaluate the effects of soil moisture stress on forage production, a budgeting model was developed. The soil water budgeting model uses the initial soil water content which can be assumed or calculated. Stress was calculated as a difference between potential evapotranspiration and actual evapotranspiration at a level of - 5 bar. A radiation method was used to calculate the potential evapotranspiration and the soil water budgeting model was used to calculate the actual evapotranspiration. The Soil Conservation Service method was applied to calculate runoff and effective rainfall was calculated by subtraction of runoff from original rainfall and used in the model for calculation of actual evapotranspiration. Calculated stress was correlated to the yield and stepwise multiple regression were used to produce prediction equations. Observed soil water data and yield for calibration and validation of the models were obtained from Santa Rita Forest and Range Experimental Range in southeastern Arizona.

The influence of climate and antecedent moisture conditions on hydrological and biogeochemical fluxes was studied and contrasted in three nested, high-elevation, snowmelt-dominated catchments in the Sierra Nevada, California and one basin-floor, semi-arid catchment in southeastern Arizona. Investigations were completed within a different two-year period at each site, with the second year being climatically different (typically drier) than the first. Spring snowmelt, widespread winter frontal precipitation, and episodic summer rains induce surface water flow in these catchments, though the timing and magnitude of nutrient redistribution among soil and stream compartments varies in each. Surface water flow from spring snowmelt in high-elevation catchments travels through the subsurface or across the surface as direct runoff A more typical process producing surface water flow in semi-arid catchments is flooding during episodic or widespread rainfall. Hydrograph separations at Emerald Lake, Topaz Lake and Marble Fork catchments in Sequoia National Park, California, revealed that the majority of snowmelt flowed through soil before entering the stream in both average and highsnow years. The Emerald Lake watershed had a higher fraction of old water in its outflow in the average accumulation year because of the previous year's high accumulation and longer melt season. A mixing model analysis performed of the upper San Pedro River, Arizona, for wet and dry years showed that summer flood hydrographs were composed mainly of precipitation and surface runoff in both years, though a higher soil-water input occurred in the wetter year and in early season floods in the dry year. Stream and soil water nitrate concentrations were higher during floods in the dry year. Early season floods in the dry year exhibited more variability in stream water nitrate and sulfate, whereas late season flood concentrations reflected a well-mixed system and therefore less variation of these species during flood hydrographs. These data showed that periods of below average precipitation preceding major runoff periods result both in less soil water and solute export during summer floods in basin-floor catchments and less direct snowmelt in high-elevation catchments. Hydrologic and solute export in each catchment, despite their differing geographical locations, responds in similar ways to climate variability.