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Regionalizing Potential for Microbial Bypass Flow through New Zealand Soils
Author(s) -
McLeod Malcolm,
Aislabie Jackie,
Ryburn Janine,
McGill Alexandra
Publication year - 2008
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/jeq2007.0572
Subject(s) - soil water , environmental science , hydrology (agriculture) , soil science , geology , geotechnical engineering
Microbial breakthrough curves of 12 soils, generated by the application of dairy shed effluent followed by continuous artificial rainfall for one pore volume at 5 mm h −1 onto large undisturbed soil cores, have been ranked as high, medium, or low potential for microbial bypass flow. The ranking is based on the position of the peak in the breakthrough curve. Knowledge of soil properties that affect microbial transport through soil gained from the microbial breakthrough curves was linked to soil classes, or to their accessory properties, of the New Zealand Soil Classification. Spatial depiction of the ratings has been achieved via the national 1:50,000 scale soil map. Soils with a drainage impediment or those with well developed soil structure have a high potential for microbial bypass flow, whereas soils from tephra and Recent Soils with less developed, porous, soil structure have a low potential for microbial bypass flow. The risk rankings should be considered as maxima because management may change some rankings.