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Comparison of Three Methods for Field Measurement of Solute Leaching in a Sandy Soil
Author(s) -
Siemens Jan,
Kaupenjohann Martin
Publication year - 2004
Publication title -
soil science society of america journal
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.836
H-Index - 168
eISSN - 1435-0661
pISSN - 0361-5995
DOI - 10.2136/sssaj2004.1191
Subject(s) - tensiometer (surface tension) , leaching (pedology) , suction , irrigation , tracer , suction cup , soil water , environmental science , capillary action , dispersion (optics) , soil science , hydrology (agriculture) , geotechnical engineering , materials science , geology , composite material , agronomy , mechanical engineering , physics , optics , quantum mechanics , biology , nuclear physics , surface tension , engineering
To identify the most suitable technique for measuring solute leaching in a sandy soil, we compared three methods in an irrigation experiment (irrigation rates: 5 and 2.4 mm h −1 ) using Cl − as a tracer. We tested tensiometer‐controlled suction plates, wick samplers, and ion‐exchange resin boxes installed between fiberglass pads. Ten samplers of each type were installed at a 52‐cm depth (suction plates) or a 60‐cm depth (wick and resin box samplers) into soil monoliths. The recovery of water and Cl − by the suction plates varied little with irrigation rate (107–118%). The wick samplers performed well during 5 mm h −1 irrigation (Cl − recovery: 111%; water recovery: 103%). However, at the irrigation rate of 2.4 mm h −1 , the water recovery was significantly lower (70%), probably because the soil suction exceeded the maximum capillary force of the wicks. The wicks did not induce a retardation or additional dispersion of Cl − compared with suction plates. The recovery of Cl − by the resin boxes was only 6%. Tensiometer‐controlled suction plates allowed an overall satisfactory estimation of water and solute fluxes in the sandy soil.