in the present study, five log-normal models, normal model (n), and two four- parameter models namely gompertz (g) and fredlund (fr) were tested on 71 psd data from 10 soil textural classes. the jaky (j) and fr models had the smallest and largest r2 values for all of the soils, respectively. the results of comparing the n and simple log-normal (sl) models showed that the accuracy of the n model...

Annual and seasonal evapo-transpiration (ET) were compared among Mojave Desert shrubs with different leaf phenologies over a 3-year period during which annual precipitation varied from well below average to more than twice average. During the wet year, soil wetting fronts reached maximum depths of 0)75 m to '1)95 m, depending on soil texture at the study sites. The evergreen shrubs Larrea tride...

• We studied the relationships of plant and AMF (arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi) species richness and community composition to each other and gradients in soil texture, nutrient content, and light availability in three oak savannas in southern Wisconsin, USA. • Sixty-three samples were analysed for plant and AMF composition along sun–shade and sand–loam gradients. Samples consisted of plant commu...

Livestock grazing is one of the most important kinds of land usage that has a high potential to decrease or increase carbon storage in rangeland ecosystem. This research was investigated the effects of enclosure on soil carbon storage in a rangeland with dominant plants of Artemisia aucheri. Hence, two rangelands of enclosure (Shahtappeh-Chah Mahmood) and no enclosure (Chiro) were chosen in Sem...

Fast and accurate assessment of within-field variation is essential for detecting field-wide heterogeneity and contributing to improvements in the management of agricultural lands. The goal of this paper is to provide an overview of field scale characterization by electromagnetic induction, firstly with a focus on the applications of EM38 to salinity, soil texture, water content and soil water ...

Soil erosion risk assessment at the watershed of Alqueva is urgently needed to conserve water resources and prevent the accelerated dam siltation. The variation of soil properties is one of the most important reasons for the spatial variability of vegetation cover and erosion. In order to achieve more and better management of rangelands around the largest reservoir of Europe, it is essential to...

This research examines the simultaneous retrieval of surface soil moisture and salt concentrations using hyperspectral reflectance data in an arid environment. We conducted laboratory and outdoor field experiments in which we examined three key soil variables: soil moisture, salt and texture (silty loam, clay and silty clay). The soil moisture content models for multiple textures (M_SMC models)...

Bacterial diversity in soil is high relative to more homogeneous environments (e.g., freshwater or marine habitats). Isolation imparted by fragmented aquatic microhabitats in unsaturated soil likely plays a large role in creating this diversity. We evaluate the role of soil texture, which determines the extent and connectivity of microhabitats, in constraining bacterial diversity. Soil samples ...

A soil-water characteristic (SWC) curve describes the amount of water retained in a soil (expressed as mass or volume water content, m or v) under equilibrium at a given matric potential. An SWC is an important hydraulic property, related to size and connectedness of pore spaces, hence strongly affected by soil texture and structure, and by other constituents, including organic matter. Modeling...