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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #60322
Title: SOLUTE LEACHING AND CROP WATER BALANCE IN LARGE UNDISTURBED SOIL MONOLITHS

Author
item Logsdon, Sally
item Kaspar, Thomas
item Prueger, John
item Hatfield, Jerry

Submitted to: Agronomy Abstracts
Publication Type: Abstract Only
Publication Acceptance Date: 11/3/1995
Publication Date: N/A
Citation: N/A

Interpretive Summary:

Technical Abstract: Solute transport is often studied in laboratory columns of disturbed or undisturbed soil, but the results are rarely representative of the field. Laboratory columns usually do not contain plants and preferential flow channels may be cut off. Mechanisms of solute transport in the field are difficult to determine because of uncertain drainage patterns, unpredictable weather, and spatial and temporal variability. The objective of this study is to examine intermediate-scale solute leaching and water balance. Large undisturbed monoliths (1X1x1.5 m deep) were excavated from Marshall silt loam soil (fine-silty, mixed mesic Typic Hapludoll). Three monoliths were installed into a two chamber rhizotron unit, with separate controlled climates for the upper (crop area) and lower (soil area) chambers. Monoliths were instrumented with TDR, thermocouples, a neutron access tube, root observation tubes, load cells, and a modified wick drainage system. Nitrate and herbicide were measured from outflow samples.