ABSTRACT The TDR measures soil water content by measuring the travel time of an electromagnetic step pulse through a wave guide embedded in the soil. Damage during insertion and retrieval of the probe makes it unsuitable for repeated use. A multilevel-TDR probe with adequate protection for cable was designed and tested to overcome this problem. Each section of the multilevel-TDR probe was constructed by embedding a 60 mm centre rod and a 63 mm outer loop in grooves on the outer wall of a 200 mm section of PVC pipe. Fifteen such probes were tested in the laboratory and the field by comparing it with the weighing method. Regression analysis between TDR-ϴv and weighing method-ϴv showed good correlation with an R2 of 0.97 and 0.98 during two laboratory experiments and 0.51 during the field experiment. This multilevel probe is cost effective, reusable and can measure soil water content at different depths.

ABSTRACT The TDR measures soil water content by measuring the travel time of an electromagnetic step pulse through a wave guide embedded in the soil. Damage during insertion and retrieval of the probe makes it unsuitable for repeated use. A multilevel-TDR probe with adequate protection for cable was designed and tested to overcome this problem. Each section of the multilevel-TDR probe was constructed by embedding a 60 mm centre rod and a 63 mm outer loop in grooves on the outer wall of a 200 mm section of PVC pipe. Fifteen such probes were tested in the laboratory and the field by comparing it with the weighing method. Regression analysis between TDR-ϴv and weighing method-ϴv showed good correlation with an R2 of 0.97 and 0.98 during two laboratory experiments and 0.51 during the field experiment. This multilevel probe is cost effective, reusable and can measure soil water content at different depths.

Advancements in computation and development of physically based hydrologic models to simulate complex vadose zone scenarios helped the research community to evaluate different scenarios easily compared to long-term field experiments. However, some field data collection is necessary to obtain input data such as soil properties, water usage and land management practices to validate the model performance specific to the site. Data obtained from field experiments conducted in 2011 at Hespler farms, Winkler, MB was used in this research for model calibration and validation. The hydrologic model, HYDRUS (2D/3D) was evaluated using parameters such as visual and statistical analysis. Model evaluation during the calibration and validation stage gave RMSE values of 0.019 and 0.015 cm3 cm-3; PBIAS values of -1.01 and -0.14, respectively, suggesting that the model was efficient in simulating soil water content similar to the field observed data. The validated models were then used to simulate outcomes for different scenarios such as 30-year rainfall data (1986 – 2015), different soil physical properties, and drainage system design parameters. Models simulating free drainage predicted lower soil water content compared to controlled drainage leading to 6 – 60 more trafficable days for 8 m spacing and 0.9 drain base depth. Free drainage predicted 8 – 110 additional trafficable days compared to controlled drainage for 15 m spacing and 1.1 drain depth. Heavier than normal rainfall events caused high water contents leading to a few years with a very low to no trafficable days under controlled drainage conditions. The comparisons are presented based on models using free drain conditions. Models with 8-m drain spacing predicted a 1 to 10-day increase in the number of trafficable days compared to the 15-m drain spacing. Drains placed at a base depth of 1.1 m below the soil surface predicted 4 - 40 more trafficable days compared to those installed at a base depth of 0.9 m. / October 2017

Os métodos indiretos de determinação da condutividade hidráulica do solo em função do conteúdo de água no solo apresentam relevante vantagem pela redução de tempo e custo. No entanto, quando são comparados aos métodos de determinação em campo, seus valores não satisfazem as reais condições. Assim, com este trabalho, objetivou-se comparar resultados da condutividade hidráulica pelo modelo de van Genuchten a partir da curva de retenção, CRA, determinada no laboratório e em campo, assim como indicar a melhor maneira de estimar o conteúdo de água no solo a partir de leituras tensiométricas quando se usa a CRA no método do perfil instantâneo, MPI. O experimento foi conduzido em quatro profundidades de um Latossolo e de um Nitossolo, que correspondiam aos seus respectivos horizontes pedológicos. Para confecção da CRA em campo, foi instalado, no centro de cada horizonte, um tensiômetro com manômetro de mercúrio, para determinação da tensão da água, e coletadas, de cada profundidade, amostras de solo com estrutura deformada às tensões de 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20, 30, 40 e 50 kPa, para determinação do conteúdo gravimétrico de água; foram retiradas também, de cada profundidade, amostras com estrutura indeformada, por meio de um extrator do tipo Uhland, para determinação da densidade do solo, necessária para conversão dos dados para conteúdo volumétrico de água. Para a CRA em laboratório foram coletadas amostras de solo com estrutura indeformada também por meio de extrator do tipo Uhland. As amostras foram submetidas às tensões de 2, 4, 6, 8 e 10 kPa em funis de placa porosa, e para as tensões de 33, 50, 100, 300, 600, 900, 1.200 e 1.500 kPa em câmara de pressão com placa porosa. Todas as amostras foram coletadas em triplicata. Por fim, procedeu-se com os cálculos da condutividade hidráulica pelo modelo de van Genuchten. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, pode-se concluir que: (a) a metodologia de determinação da CRA no campo mostrou-se satisfatória, assim como o seu ajuste pela equação utilizada por van Genuchten no seu método de determinação da condutividade hidráulica relativa, Kr, com coeficientes de determinação sempre maiores que 0,9; (b) os valores da Kr obtidos pelo método de van Genuchten quando se utilizou a CRA de laboratório foram sempre maiores em relação aos valores obtidos com a CRA determinada no campo; e (c) no MPI há necessidade de se conhecer o conteúdo de água no solo ao longo do perfil durante o processo de redistribuição da água, e uma das maneiras de se obter esse conteúdo é por meio da CRA; com base nos resultados obtidos e em face à primeira conclusão, pode-se dizer que quando se utiliza a CRA para estimar o conteúdo de água pelo MPI, a utilização da CRA determinada no campo deve fornecer resultados mais realísticos da função K(θ). / The use of indirect methods to determine the soil hydraulic conductivity as a function of soil-water content is very advantageous because of the reduction of time and cost. However, when compared with field methods, values do not satisfy the actual conditions. So, the objective this work was to compare results of hydraulic conductivity by van Genuchten\'s model from the water retention curve, WRC, determined in the laboratory and in the field, well as indicate the better way to estimate the soil-water content from tensiometer readings using WRC, in the instantaneous profile method, IPM. The experiment was carried out in four depths of an Oxisol and a Nitosol, corresponding to their pedological horizons. To obtain the field WRC, a mercury manometer tensiometer was installed in the centre of each horizon, for the determination of the soil-water tension, and disturbed soil samples were collected at tensions of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 kPa, to determinate the gravimetric soil-water content; undisturbed soil samples were also taken by means of a soil extractor type Uhland to determine soil bulk density, required to convert data to volumetric soil-water content. For laboratory WRC soil samples were collected with undisturbed structure also by means of soil extractor type Uhland. The water tension used were 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 kPa in porous plate funnels, and tensions of 33, 50, 100, 300, 600, 900, 1200 and 1500 kPa porous plate pressure chamber. All samples were collected in triplicate. Finally, the calculations of hydraulic conductivity by van Genuchten\'s model were made. According to the results, it can be concluded that: (a) the methodology for determining field WRC was satisfactory, as well as its adjusting by the equation used by van Genuchten in his method of relative hydraulic conductivity, Kr, estimation with ever determination coefficients always greater than 0.9; (b) the Kr values obtained by the method of van Genuchten when using the laboratory WRC were always higher as compared to the values obtained with the field WRC; and (c) in the IPM, it is necessary to know the soil-water content along the soil profile, during the process of water redistribution, and one of the ways to estimate the water content is through the WRC. Based on the obtained results and given the first conclusion, it can be said that when using WRC to estimate the water content in the IPM, the use of the field WRC should provide more realistic results for K(θ).

Os métodos indiretos de determinação da condutividade hidráulica do solo em função do conteúdo de água no solo apresentam relevante vantagem pela redução de tempo e custo. No entanto, quando são comparados aos métodos de determinação em campo, seus valores não satisfazem as reais condições. Assim, com este trabalho, objetivou-se comparar resultados da condutividade hidráulica pelo modelo de van Genuchten a partir da curva de retenção, CRA, determinada no laboratório e em campo, assim como indicar a melhor maneira de estimar o conteúdo de água no solo a partir de leituras tensiométricas quando se usa a CRA no método do perfil instantâneo, MPI. O experimento foi conduzido em quatro profundidades de um Latossolo e de um Nitossolo, que correspondiam aos seus respectivos horizontes pedológicos. Para confecção da CRA em campo, foi instalado, no centro de cada horizonte, um tensiômetro com manômetro de mercúrio, para determinação da tensão da água, e coletadas, de cada profundidade, amostras de solo com estrutura deformada às tensões de 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20, 30, 40 e 50 kPa, para determinação do conteúdo gravimétrico de água; foram retiradas também, de cada profundidade, amostras com estrutura indeformada, por meio de um extrator do tipo Uhland, para determinação da densidade do solo, necessária para conversão dos dados para conteúdo volumétrico de água. Para a CRA em laboratório foram coletadas amostras de solo com estrutura indeformada também por meio de extrator do tipo Uhland. As amostras foram submetidas às tensões de 2, 4, 6, 8 e 10 kPa em funis de placa porosa, e para as tensões de 33, 50, 100, 300, 600, 900, 1.200 e 1.500 kPa em câmara de pressão com placa porosa. Todas as amostras foram coletadas em triplicata. Por fim, procedeu-se com os cálculos da condutividade hidráulica pelo modelo de van Genuchten. De acordo com os resultados obtidos, pode-se concluir que: (a) a metodologia de determinação da CRA no campo mostrou-se satisfatória, assim como o seu ajuste pela equação utilizada por van Genuchten no seu método de determinação da condutividade hidráulica relativa, Kr, com coeficientes de determinação sempre maiores que 0,9; (b) os valores da Kr obtidos pelo método de van Genuchten quando se utilizou a CRA de laboratório foram sempre maiores em relação aos valores obtidos com a CRA determinada no campo; e (c) no MPI há necessidade de se conhecer o conteúdo de água no solo ao longo do perfil durante o processo de redistribuição da água, e uma das maneiras de se obter esse conteúdo é por meio da CRA; com base nos resultados obtidos e em face à primeira conclusão, pode-se dizer que quando se utiliza a CRA para estimar o conteúdo de água pelo MPI, a utilização da CRA determinada no campo deve fornecer resultados mais realísticos da função K(θ). / The use of indirect methods to determine the soil hydraulic conductivity as a function of soil-water content is very advantageous because of the reduction of time and cost. However, when compared with field methods, values do not satisfy the actual conditions. So, the objective this work was to compare results of hydraulic conductivity by van Genuchten\'s model from the water retention curve, WRC, determined in the laboratory and in the field, well as indicate the better way to estimate the soil-water content from tensiometer readings using WRC, in the instantaneous profile method, IPM. The experiment was carried out in four depths of an Oxisol and a Nitosol, corresponding to their pedological horizons. To obtain the field WRC, a mercury manometer tensiometer was installed in the centre of each horizon, for the determination of the soil-water tension, and disturbed soil samples were collected at tensions of 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 20, 30, 40 and 50 kPa, to determinate the gravimetric soil-water content; undisturbed soil samples were also taken by means of a soil extractor type Uhland to determine soil bulk density, required to convert data to volumetric soil-water content. For laboratory WRC soil samples were collected with undisturbed structure also by means of soil extractor type Uhland. The water tension used were 2, 4, 6, 8 and 10 kPa in porous plate funnels, and tensions of 33, 50, 100, 300, 600, 900, 1200 and 1500 kPa porous plate pressure chamber. All samples were collected in triplicate. Finally, the calculations of hydraulic conductivity by van Genuchten\'s model were made. According to the results, it can be concluded that: (a) the methodology for determining field WRC was satisfactory, as well as its adjusting by the equation used by van Genuchten in his method of relative hydraulic conductivity, Kr, estimation with ever determination coefficients always greater than 0.9; (b) the Kr values obtained by the method of van Genuchten when using the laboratory WRC were always higher as compared to the values obtained with the field WRC; and (c) in the IPM, it is necessary to know the soil-water content along the soil profile, during the process of water redistribution, and one of the ways to estimate the water content is through the WRC. Based on the obtained results and given the first conclusion, it can be said that when using WRC to estimate the water content in the IPM, the use of the field WRC should provide more realistic results for K(θ).

Made available in DSpace on 2017-07-10T17:37:36Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 Ricardo_Trautmann.pdf: 645387 bytes, checksum: b943a284ef2f8a8c03b005a6d3050a51 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2009-08-28 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior / Soybeans are an annual crop demanding boron (B). However, the boron fertilizer management should be done cautiously, especially with regard to doses to be applied because of the narrow range between adequate and toxic for this nutrient in the soil. Another important aspect directly related to the availability of B to plants refers to soil moisture conditions, since B is preferentially transported into the soil to the surface of the roots by mass flow. In this context, this study aimed to evaluate the effect of sources and application rates of boron in the growth of soybean (Glycine max) in an Oxisol of medium texture, under different water tensions. The experiment was conducted in a greenhouse at Horticulture Station Protected Cultivation and the State University of West of Paraná, Marechal Cândido Rondon, PR, using pots with 5 dm3 of soil. We used a randomized split-plot in a factorial 5 x 2 x 3, with five doses of B (0.0, 0.25, 0.5, 1.0 and 2.0 mg dm-3); two sources (boric acid and colemanite) and three strains of soil water (-0.01, -0.03 and -0.10 MPa), with four replications. The results indicated that the development of soybean, in general, is not influenced when keeping the voltage level of water in the ground to -0.1 MPa (soil moisture of 65% of field capacity). The shoot growth of soybean was not influenced by boron fertilization, regardless of whether the withholding is more or less soluble. In turn, the root growth was negatively affected by the application of up to 2 mg dm-3 of B in soil with initial 0.4 mg dm-3. Under water tension of -0.1 MPa soil fertilization with B rates from 0.25 to 2.0 mg dm-3 as colemanite resulted in less loss of water by the soybean leaves. The amount of B in soil and soybean leaves increases linearly with increasing doses of the nutrient into the soil, was observed at the maximum dose, 2 mg dm-3 of B, typical symptoms of B toxicity in soybean leaves / A soja é uma das culturas anuais mais exigentes em boro (B). Entretanto, o manejo da adubação boratada deve ser realizado com muita cautela, principalmente no que diz respeito às doses a serem aplicadas, devido à estreita faixa entre o nível adequado e o tóxico para este nutriente no solo. Outro aspecto importante relacionado diretamente com a disponibilidade de B para as plantas refere-se às condições hídricas do solo, já que o B é preferencialmente transportado no solo até a superfície das raízes pelo fluxo de massa. Neste contexto, este trabalho objetivou avaliar o efeito da aplicação de fontes e doses de B no crescimento da soja (Glycine max) em um Latossolo Vermelho eutroférrico de textura média, submetido a diferentes tensões de água. O experimento foi conduzido em casa de vegetação, na Estação de Horticultura e Cultivo Protegido da Universidade Estadual do Oeste do Paraná, em Marechal Cândido Rondon, PR, em vasos com 5 dm3 de solo. Utilizou-se o delineamento experimental em parcelas subdivididas, em esquema fatorial 5 x 2 x 3, sendo cinco doses de B (0,0; 0,25; 0,5; 1,0 e 2,0 mg dm-3); duas fontes (ácido bórico e colemanita) e três tensões de água no solo (-0,01, -0,03 e -0,10 MPa), com quatro repetições. Os resultados obtidos indicaram que o desenvolvimento da cultura de soja, de maneira geral, não é influenciado quando se mantêm o nível de tensão de água no solo até -0,1 MPa (umidade do solo de 65% da capacidade de campo). O crescimento da parte aérea da soja não foi influenciado pela adubação boratada, independentemente se a fonte aplicada é mais ou menos solúvel. Por sua vez, o desenvolvimento do sistema radicular foi negativamente afetado com a aplicação de de até 2 mg dm-3 de B, em solo com teor inicial de 0,4 mg dm-3. Sob tensão de água no solo de -0,1 MPa a adubação com doses de B de 0,25 a 2,0 mg dm-3 como colemanita implicou em menor perda de água pelas folhas de soja. Os teores de B no solo e no tecido foliar da soja aumentam linearmente com o aumento das doses do nutriente aplicado no solo, sendo observado na dose máxima, 2 mg dm-3 de B, sintomas típicos de toxidez de B nas folhas de soja

In Southern Manitoba, potato producers are experiencing wetter and drier conditions within the soil profile during the growing season leading to poor quality and inconsistent yields. Russet Burbank Potato cultivar was grown in Southern Manitoba on fine sandy loam soil in a two year (2013-2014) study using two water management treatments: (i) overhead irrigation and (ii) no-irrigation. The main objectives of the study were (i) to assess the impact of overhead irrigation on water table depth and potato yield (ii) to estimate the shallow groundwater contribution to potato water requirement through upward flux (iii) to track the nitrogen dynamics within the potato root-zone under overhead irrigation and no-irrigation scenarios (iv) to examine the effects of no-irrigation and overhead irrigation system at critical growth stages on marketable yield and quality of potatoes. In 2013, water was applied using a linear move irrigation system and in 2014 a rain gun irrigation system was used for the irrigated treatment. Volumetric soil water content, precipitation, irrigation depth, water table depth, nitrate concentration and electrical conductivity in potato root-zone, groundwater electrical conductivity, weather variables, total potato yield, marketable yield, and quality parameters were measured. The total yield was not significantly different between the two treatments in both years. The marketable yield of the irrigated treatment (36.89 MT/ha) was 20% higher (p = 0.017) compared to the non-irrigated treatment (30.74 MT/ha) in 2013. However, no significant difference was found between the irrigated (39.0 MT/ha) and non-irrigated (43.7 MT/ha) treatments in 2014. Potato yields from both treatments were significantly correlated with the average groundwater depth. Water balance analysis within the root-zone during rainy and rain-free periods showed that nitrate rich groundwater may have contributed to some of the crop water demand. The lack of rainfall and high temperature during tuber initiation and tuber bulking stages resulted in the accumulation of high concentration of nitrates within the root-zone by the late release of nitrates from the polymer-coated urea and the upward migration of groundwater containing 55 ppm and 70 ppm of nitrates in the 2013 and 2014 growing seasons, respectively. Overhead irrigation was found to be economically advantageous to produce better quality potatoes with higher marketable yields.

In New Zealand, native shrubs are considered an important potential carbon-sink in disturbed or abandoned land (e.g., pastoral land that is unsustainable for long-term pastoral agriculture). However, the impact of varying environmental drivers on carbon uptake from photosynthesis and carbon loss from respiration of a developing shrubland remains uncertain. In this study, the effects of both temperature and soil water content (θ) on photosynthesis and respiration were examined under controlled growth cabinet and field conditions in a pasture grass and the native shrub, kānuka (Kunzea ericoides var. ericoides). The purpose of the investigation was to assess the combined impacts of varying temperature and θ on canopy processes and to disentangle the effects of θ on photosynthesis and respiration for the two different plant types. A controlled growth cabinet study (Chapter 2) showed that θ had a greater effect on the short-term temperature response of photosynthesis than the temperature response of respiration. The optimum value of θ for net photosynthesis was around 30 % for both kānuka and the grass. Statistical analysis showed that the temperature sensitivity of photosynthetic parameters was similar for both plant types, but the sensitivity of respiratory parameters was different. Reduction in θ induced an inhibition of photosynthetic capacity in both plant types. The response of respiratory parameters to θ was not related to substrate limitations, however available evidence suggests that it is likely to be a species dependent plant mechanism in regulating the cost of maintenance due to reduced photosynthate assimilation and decreasing energy supply to support the activity of respiratory enzymes. Results obtained from a field study (Chapter 3) showed that photosynthesis and respiration in the grass and kānuka were sensitive to seasonal changes in temperature and θ. Photosynthetic parameters showed little acclimation following changes in seasonal growth conditions. In contrast, respiratory parameters tended to acclimate more strongly. Respiratory acclimation to multiple environmental conditions was characterised by changes in temperature sensitivity and a shift in the response of respiration to temperature, demonstrating the involvement of both ‘Type I’ and ‘Type II’ acclimation in both plant types. The results from controlled growth cabinet and field studies were used to drive a leaf level model that integrates the responses of photosynthesis and respiration to changes in temperature and θ and incorporates acclimation using variable photosynthetic and respiratory parameters (Chapter 4). This model was used to estimate the annual canopy carbon exchange of the grass and kānuka in response to seasonal changes and to predict changes in canopy carbon exchange under varying future climate change scenarios. The model highlighted the importance of considering seasonally-acclimated parameters in estimating canopy carbon exchange of both plant types to concurrent changes in multiple environmental variables. The overall results support the conclusion that understanding the combined effects of environmental variables on canopy processes is essential for predicting canopy net carbon exchange of a pasture-shrub system in a changing global environment. It has been shown here that the rate of increase in photosynthesis with increasing θ is greater than that of respiration which results in a progressively greater apparent carbon gain at moderate values of θ. Moreover, the impact of lower values of θ, which reduced the apparent sensitivity of respiration to temperature, may effectively decrease the rate of respiration during warmer summer months and enhance thermal acclimation via downregulation of respiration. Therefore, considering the influence of soil water conditions on the temperature sensitivity of photosynthetic and respiratory model parameters has important implications for precisely predicting the net carbon exchange of a pasture-shrub system.

An essential component for evaluating the performance of a mine site after its closure includes the tracking of water movement through mine waste such as tailings and overburden. A critical element of this evaluation is the measurement of the volume of water stored in the closure landform. The objective of this project was to design a time domain reflectometry (TDR) device that could be used to measure the volumetric water content of a soil profile to depths of 10 to 20 m. Upon completion of this project, the device will be integrated onto ConeTec’s cone penetration testing (CPT) shaft for initially monitoring Syncrude Canada Limited’s northeastern Alberta oil sands mine site. The objective of this project will be achieved through at least two phases of research and development; this thesis concentrates on the first phase. In this phase, research focused on prototype development through laboratory testing to determine appropriate TDR probe geometries and configurations that could be integrated onto a CPT shaft. Considerations also had to be made for protecting the integrity of the probe during field use and mitigating the effects of highly electrically conductive soils common in reclaimed mine sites. A number of different prototype designs were initially investigated in this research, leading to the development of a refined prototype for advanced testing. Testing for the project was carried out first in solutions of known dielectric constants and salinities, and then proceeded to soils with a range of known water contents and salinities. Good quality electrical connections were found to be crucial for generating waveforms that were easy to interpret; bad connections resulted in poor results in a number of cases. Decreased probe sensitivity was observed in response to increased rod embedment within the probe variants. A far greater decrease in sensitivity was seen in the results of the fully sheathed rods, although the sheathing was effective for extending the range of the probe in electrically conductive testing conditions. Despite poor results that were seen in some of the tests, overall the results were promising. In particular, results from the push-test showed that the probe was able to monitor changes in water content with depth.

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