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A Zero‐Tension Sampler for the Collection of Soil Water in Macropore Systems
Author(s) -
Simmons K. E.,
Baker D. E.
Publication year - 1993
Publication title -
journal of environmental quality
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.888
H-Index - 171
eISSN - 1537-2537
pISSN - 0047-2425
DOI - 10.2134/jeq1993.00472425002200010028x
Subject(s) - macropore , soil water , environmental science , leachate , water flow , nitrate , soil test , hydrology (agriculture) , soil science , environmental engineering , environmental chemistry , chemistry , geotechnical engineering , geology , mesoporous material , biochemistry , organic chemistry , catalysis
A zero‐tension sampler was designed for the collection of soil leachate at 1.2 m in the soil profile to determine the effects of dairy manure and NH 3 NO 3 applications on water quality in soils possessing a macropore structure. Nitrate‐N concentrations in soil water collected from these samplers were compared with concentrations in soil water collected from conventional ceramic porous‐cup samplers. The zero‐tension samplers were constructed from 5‐cm polyvinyl chloride (PVC) pipe and installed at a 45° angle in the soil profile. This design minimized the amount of field excavation and the interruption of routine cultivation. On average, approximately 50% of the samplers contained solution after rainfall and the data were effective at demonstrating the effect of macropore flow on NO 3 ‐N concentrations in the leachate. Nitrate‐N concentrations in soil water collected from porous‐cup samplers were consistently higher than those collected from zero‐tension samplers. Mean NO 3 ‐N concentrations in soil water from porous‐cup and zero‐tension samplers ranged from approximately 5 to 60 mg L −1 and 0 to 20 mg L −1 , respectively.