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Title: INSTRUMENTING LARGE SOIL COLUMNS FOR SALINITY AND TRACE ELEMENT TRANSPORT STUDIES

Author
item Shouse, Peter
item Goldberg, Sabine
item Skaggs, Todd
item Suarez, Donald

Submitted to: Proceedings of the International Salinity Forum
Publication Type: Proceedings
Publication Acceptance Date: 4/11/2005
Publication Date: 4/25/2005
Citation: Shouse, P.J., Goldberg, S.R., Skaggs, T.H., Suarez, D.L. 2005. Instrumenting large soil columns for salinity and trace element transport studies. In: Proceedings of the International Salinity Forum, Managing Saline Soils and Water: Science, Technology, and Soil Issues. April 25-27, 2005. Riverside, CA pp:147-149.

Interpretive Summary: Verifying physical and chemical process models is an arduous task, field experiments are expensive and lab experiments maybe unrealistic. One alternative is to use large, well-instrumented soil columns to simulate real soils. We have designed and built such soil columns. Experimental conditions can now be controlled and monitored more precisely than under field conditions making verification of process models easier.

Technical Abstract: Verifying physical and chemical process models is an arduous task, field experiments are expensive and lab experiments maybe unrealistic. One alternative is to use large, well-instrumented soil columns. The advantage of soil columns is that we have more control over the experimental conditions, compared to field studies. The major disadvantage is that soil columns, no matter how large, may not represent reality. The purpose of this study is to instrument large soil columns in order to verify chemical transport models for salinity and trace element studies.