Estimation of water holding capacity of soils using data from different types of particle size analyses

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Adrienn Horváth ◽  
András Makó ◽  
András Bidló ◽  
Orsolya Szecsődi
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Laser Diffraction ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Sedimentation Method ◽  
Pre Treatment ◽  
Water Holding

<p>Determining the particle size distribution of soils helps to monitor the hydrophysical properties of the soil (e.g. water conductivity or water holding capacity). Climate change increases the importance of water retention and permeability, as extreme weather events can severely impair the water supply of drought-prone plant stocks. The amount of water is expected to decrease. At the beginning of the research, we have developed a measurement method to replace the classical “pipette” sedimentation method with the laser diffraction method. The theoretical background of laser diffraction measurements is already known, but its practical application for estimating soil’s water holding capacity is uncommon in detail. The developed, modified Thornthwaite model considers soil properties (e.g. root depth, topsoil layer thickness) and size distribution (silt and clay fraction) of soil particles combined with the most significant soil properties. The pre-sieving of soil aggregates, the pre-treatment (disaggregation and dispersion) of the samples greatly influence the obtained results. In addition to the sedimentation method, instrumental measurements (Mastersizer 3000) were applied with three variants of pre-treatment. For comparison, the results of a Leptosol, a Cambisol, and a Luvisol were prepared for the first modified Thornthwaite water balance model. Significant differences appeared especially during drought periods that could be a basis for studying the drought sensitivity of soils. By the development of our method, the water holding capacity of soil can be estimated; therefore, adapting forest management could be planned against climatic and pedological transformations.</p>

scholarly journals Using Different Approaches of Particle Size Analysis for Estimation of Water Retention Capacity of Soils: Example of Keszthely Mountains (Hungary)

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 37-50
Author(s):  
Orsolya Szecsődi ◽  
András Makó ◽  
Viktória Labancz ◽  
Gyöngyi Barna ◽  
Borbála Gálos ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Soil Properties ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Laser Diffraction ◽  
Water Retention Capacity ◽  
Retention Capacity ◽  
Sedimentation Method ◽  
Pre Treatment

PSD (particle size distribution) is a key factor affecting soil hydro-physical properties (e.g. hydraulic conductivity and water retention), which makes its determination essential. Climate change increases the importance of water retention and permeability as extreme weather events can severely impair the water supply of drought-sensitive vegetation. The amount of water in soils is expected to decrease. The modified Thornthwaite model considers soil properties such as root depth, topsoil layer thickness and particle size distribution (silt and clay fraction) of soil particles combined with the most significant soil properties. At the beginning of the research, we developed a laser diffraction method to replace the standard based “pipette” sedimentation method. The theoretical background of laser diffraction measurements is already known, but their practical application for estimating soil water retention capacity is still poorly understood. The pre-sieving of soil aggregates, the pre-treatment (disaggregation and dispersion) of the samples greatly influence the obtained results. In addition to the sedimentation method, laser diffraction measurements (Malvern Mastersizer 3000) were applied with three variants of pre-treatment. For comparison, the results of a Leptosol, a Cambisol, and a Luvisol were prepared for the first modified Thornthwaite water balance model. Significant differences appeared, especially during drought periods, which could be a basis for studying soil drought sensitivity. The development of our method can estimate the water retention capacity of soil, which could support adaptive forest management plans against climatic and pedological transformations.

Impact of Biochar on Water Holding Capacity of Two Chinese Agricultural Soil

2014 ◽  
Vol 941-944 ◽  
pp. 952-955 ◽  
Author(s):  
Dao Yuan Wang ◽  
Deng Hua Yan ◽  
Xin Shan Song ◽  
Hao Wang
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Soil Type ◽  
Agricultural Soil ◽  
Water Retention ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Walnut Shell ◽  
Retention Characteristics ◽  
Water Holding

Adding biochar to agricultural soil has been suggested as an approach to enhance soil carbon sequestration. Biochar has also been used as a soil amendment to reduce nutrient leaching, reduce soil acidity and improve water holding capacity. Walnut shells and woody material are waste products of orchards that are cheap, carbon-rich and good feedstock for production of biochar. The effectiveness of biochar as an amendment varies considerably as a function of its feedstock, temperature during pyrolysis, the biochar dose to soil, and mechanical composition. Biochar was produced from pyrolysis of walnut shell at 900 °C and soft wood at 600 to 700 °C. We measured the effect of these different parameters in two types of agricultural soil in Jilin and Beijing, China, a silt clay loam and a sandy loam, on the soils’ particle size distribution and water retention characteristics. Biochars with two different doses were applied to each soil type. Soil field capacity and permanent wilting point were measured using a pressure plate extractor for each combination of biochar and soil type. The results show that the effect of biochar amendment on soil water retention characteristics depend primarily on soil particle size distribution and surface characteristics of biochar. High surface area biochar can help raise the water holding capacity of sandy soil.

scholarly journals Particle Size Distribution of Natural Clayey Soils: A Discussion on the Use of Laser Diffraction Analysis (LDA)

Geosciences ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 10 (2) ◽  
pp. 55
Author(s):  
Aleksandra Gorączko ◽  
Szymon Topoliński
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Diffraction Analysis ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Laser Diffraction ◽  
Pedotransfer Functions ◽  
Clayey Soils ◽  
Selection Of

Particle size distribution is one of the most significant factors determining physical soil properties. Laser diffraction analysis (LDA) is an alternative method to the traditional hydrometric methods (HM) used to determine particle size distribution in soils. However, significant differences in fraction content are found in relation to the applied methods of a particle size test. Above all, measurements performed by LDA for clayey soils usually produce different results to those based on Stokes’ equation. Methodical problems, such as an appropriate method of dispersing the sample and the selection of LDA calculation theory, also play a significant role in fine soils. This paper contains the results of analyses of Neogene clays from Poland, which are characterized by differentiation with regard to the content of clay fraction particles. In this article, the validity of using laser diffraction analysis (LDA) for the identification and characterization of clayey sediments with common genesis is assessed. The possibility of finding reliable pedotransfer functions to the convert LDA results to a hydrometric analysis is discussed.

scholarly journals Physical Properties of Various Coconut Coir Dusts Compared to Peat

HortScience ◽  
2005 ◽  
Vol 40 (7) ◽  
pp. 2138-2144 ◽  
Author(s):  
Manuel Abad ◽  
Fernando Fornes ◽  
Carolina Carrión ◽  
Vicente Noguera ◽  
Patricia Noguera ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Physical Properties ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Total Water ◽  
Air Content ◽  
Coir Dust ◽  
Coarseness Index ◽  
Water Holding

Selected physical properties of 13 coconut coir dusts from Asia, America, and Africa were compared to physical properties of sphagnum peat. All properties studied differed significantly between and within sources, and from the peat. Coir dusts from India, Sri Lanka, and Thailand were composed mainly of pithy tissue, whereas most of those from Costa Rica, Ivory Coast, and Mexico contained abundant fiber which was reflected by a higher coarseness index (percentage by weight of particles larger than 1 mm in diameter). Coir dust was evaluated as a lightweight material, and its total porosity was above 94% (by volume). It also exhibited a high air content (from 24% to 89% by volume) but a low easily available and total water-holding capacity which ranged from <1% to 36% by volume and from 137 to 786 mL·L–1, respectively. Physical properties of coir dust were strongly dependent on particle size distribution. Both easily available and total water-holding capacity declined proportionally with increasing coarseness index, while air content was positively correlated. Relative hydraulic conductivity in the range of 0 to 10 kPa suction dropped as particle size increased. Coir dusts with a particle size distribution similar to peat showed comparatively higher aeration and lower capacity to hold total and easily available water. An air–water balance similar to that in peat became apparent in coir dust at a comparatively lower coarseness index (29% vs. 63% by weight in peat). Stepwise multiple regression analysis showed that particles with diameters in the range of 0.125 to 1 mm had a remarkable and highly significant impact on the physical properties studied, while particles <0.125 mm and >1 mm had only a slight or nonsignificant effect.

Effect of the rice flour particle size and variety type on water holding capacity and water diffusivity in aqueous dispersions

LWT ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 142 ◽  
pp. 111082
Author(s):  
Barbora Lapčíková ◽  
Lubomír Lapčík ◽  
Tomáš Valenta ◽  
Petr Majar ◽  
Kristýna Ondroušková
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Rice Flour ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Aqueous Dispersions ◽  
Water Diffusivity ◽  
Water Holding

scholarly journals Particle Size Distribution of Various Soil Materials Measured by Laser Diffraction—The Problem of Reproducibility

Minerals ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (5) ◽  
pp. 465
Author(s):  
Cezary Polakowski ◽  
Magdalena Ryżak ◽  
Agata Sochan ◽  
Michał Beczek ◽  
Rafał Mazur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Normal Distribution ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Precise Measurement ◽  
Soil Analysis ◽  
Statistical Tests ◽  
Diffraction Method ◽  
Laser Diffraction ◽  
Method Analysis

Particle size distribution is an important soil parameter—therefore precise measurement of this characteristic is essential. The application of the widely used laser diffraction method for soil analysis continues to be a subject of debate. The precision of this method, proven on homogeneous samples, has been implicitly extended to soil analyses, but this has not been sufficiently well confirmed in the literature thus far. The aim of this study is to supplement the information available on the precision of the method in terms of reproducibility of soil measurement and whether the reproducibility of soil measurement is characterized by a normal distribution. To estimate the reproducibility of the laser diffraction method, thirteen various soil samples were characterized, and results were analysed statistically. The coefficient of variation acquired was lowest (3.44%) for silt and highest for sand (23.28%). Five of the thirteen tested samples were characterized by a normal distribution. The fraction content of eight samples was not characterized by normal distribution, but the extent of this phenomenon varied between soils. Although the laser diffraction method is repeatable, the measurement of soil particle size distribution can have limited reproducibility. The main cause seems to be small amounts of sand particles. The error can be amplified by the construction of the dispersion unit. Non-parametric statistical tests should be used by default for soil laser diffraction method analysis.

scholarly journals Digital microscopic image application (DMIA), an automatic method for particle size distribution analysis in waste activated sludge

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
S. Cazares ◽  
J. A. Barrios ◽  
C. Maya ◽  
G. Velásquez ◽  
M. Pérez ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Activated Sludge ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Particle Diameter ◽  
Diffraction Method ◽  
Laser Diffraction ◽  
Waste Activated Sludge ◽  
Equivalent Diameter ◽  
Distribution Analysis

Abstract An important physical property in environmental samples is particle size distribution. Several processes exist to measure particle diameter, including change in electrical resistance, blocking of light, the fractionation of field flow and laser diffraction (these being the most commonly used). However, their use requires expensive and complex equipment. Therefore, a Digital Microscopic Imaging Application (DMIA) method was developed adapting the algorithms used in the Helminth Egg Automatic Detector (HEAD) software coupled with a Neural Network (NN) and Bayesian algorithms. This allowed the determination of particle size distribution in samples of waste activated sludge (WAS), recirculated sludge (RCS), and pretreated sludge (PTS). The recirculation and electro-oxidation pre-treatment processes showed an effect in increasing the degree of solubilization (DS), decreasing particle size and breakage factor with ranges between 44.29%, and 31.89%. Together with a final NN calibration process, it was possible to compare results. For example, the 90th percentile of Equivalent Diameter (ED) value obtained by the DMIA with the corresponding result for the laser diffraction method. DMIA values: 228.76 μm (WAS), 111.18 μm (RCS), and 84.45 μm (PTS). DMIA processing has advantages in terms of reducing complexity, cost and time, and offers an alternative to the laser diffraction method.

scholarly journals Application of laser diffraction method for determination

2008 ◽  
Vol 53 (No. 1) ◽  
pp. 34-38 ◽  
Author(s):  
M. Ryzak ◽  
A. Bieganowski ◽  
R.T. Walczak
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Particle Size Distribution ◽  
Size Distribution ◽  
Podzolic Soil ◽  
Diffraction Method ◽  
Laser Diffraction ◽  
Soil Material ◽  
New Methods ◽  
Particle Size Distribution Measurement ◽  
Straight Lines

Particle size distribution affects many physical soil properties and processes taking place in soil. There are many methods to determine the particle size distribution. The most frequently used are the sieve, sieve-pipette and sedimentation methods. Technological progress in electronics permitted a wide use of new methods of particle size distribution measurement in soil, e.g. the laser diffraction method. A comparison of particle size distribution obtained with the universally used areometer method (Cassagrande, modified by Pr&oacute;szynski) with results from the laser diffraction method for soil material received from grey-brown podzolic soil is presented in this work. The largest differences between the results were obtained for the smallest fraction determined with the areometer and laser diffraction methods. In a majority of other cases the slopes of interpolated straight lines were contained within the range of 0.81 &divide; 1.09.

The influence of biochar particle size and concentration on bulk density and maximum water holding capacity of sandy vs sandy loam soil in a column experiment

Geoderma ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 347 ◽  
pp. 194-202 ◽  
Author(s):  
Frank G.A. Verheijen ◽  
Anna Zhuravel ◽  
Flávio C. Silva ◽  
António Amaro ◽  
Meni Ben-Hur ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Bulk Density ◽  
Sandy Loam ◽  
Column Experiment ◽  
Water Holding Capacity ◽  
Sandy Loam Soil ◽  
Loam Soil ◽  
Maximum Water ◽  
Water Holding

Comparison of soil texture determined by two dispersion units of Mastersizer 2000

2012 ◽  
Vol 26 (1) ◽  
pp. 99-102 ◽  
Author(s):  
A. Sochan ◽  
A. Bieganowski ◽  
M. Ryżak ◽  
R. Dobrowolski ◽  
P. Bartmiński
Keyword(s):  
Particle Size ◽  
Soil Texture ◽  
Clay Fraction ◽  
Laser Diffraction ◽  
Size Distributions ◽  
Particle Size Distributions ◽  
Clay Particles ◽  
Fine Clay

Comparison of soil texture determined by two dispersion units of Mastersizer 2000The comparison of particle size distributions measured by sedimentation methods and laser diffraction shows the underestimation of the fine (clay) fraction. This is attributed mainly to the shape of clay particles being different than spherical. The objective of this study was to demonstrate differences in the results of particle size distributions of soils determined with the method of laser diffraction using two different dispersion units of the Malvern Mastersizer 2000.

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