Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Soil physics. Soils'

Orientadores: Zigomar Menezes de Souza, Edson Eiji Matsura
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agrícola
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Resumo: É crescente a demanda global por fontes de energia renováveis, tais como o etanol, o qual no Brasil, possui como principal matriz energética a cultura da cana-de-açúcar. Neste contexto faz-se necessário a incorporação de novas tecnologias, como a mecanização da colheita, para o uso racional das áreas manejadas com cana-de-açúcar. O acúmulo superficial de resíduos vegetais da cana-de-açúcar na superfície do solo promove o enriquecimento das camadas superficiais com matéria orgânica bem como o incremento do intervalo hídrico ótimo, mitigando os efeitos da compactação do solo causados pelo tráfego de máquinas no sistema de cana colhida mecanicamente sem queima. Portanto, o objetivo deste trabalho foi estudar as alterações no comportamento físico e mecânico de um Latossolo Vermelho produzido pelo enriquecimento do conteúdo de matéria orgânica e, ainda, a capacidade dos resíduos vegetais acumulados na superfície do solo dissiparem cargas aplicadas sobre o mesmo, em áreas cultivadas com cana-de-açúcar colhidas com e sem queima. O projeto foi desenvolvido em três áreas cultivadas com cana-de-açúcar: 1- cana-de-açúcar sem queima e corte mecanizado, desde 1996 (com 16 anos de implantação do sistema de cana crua); 2- cana-de-açúcar sem queima e corte mecanizado, desde 2004 (com 8 anos de implantação do sistema de cana crua); 3- cana-de-açúcar com queima e corte manual, desde 1973 (cana queimada). Os atributos físicos avaliados foram: análise granulométrica, consistência do solo, densidade do solo, estabilidade de agregados, porosidade do solo e resistência do solo à penetração nas profundidades de 0,00-0,10 m, 0,10-0,20 m e 0,20-0,30 m. Determinou-se ainda o intervalo hídrico ótimo para desenvolvimento das plantas. Foram avaliadas as relações entre o teor de matéria orgânica e a compressibilidade do solo, as relações entre teor de matéria orgânica do solo e a umidade crítica para a compactação e as relações entre quantidade de resíduos vegetais na superfície e a densidade do solo obtida pelo teste Proctor. Os atributos de solo estudados apresentam estrutura de dependência espacial. O intervalo hídrico ótimo e ?p mostraram-se sensíveis as alterações ocorridas no solo em detrimento dos sistemas de manejo estudados. A área sob colheita manual da cultura da cana-de-açúcar apresentou menor valor de densidade crítica para o intervalo hídrico ótimo, sendo que a maior produtividade da cultura concentrou-se nas regiões de maior amplitude do intervalo hídrico ótimo e maior capacidade suporte de carga do solo
Abstract: An increasing global demand for renewable energy sources such as ethanol, which in Brazil, has as its primary energy matrix culture of sugar cane. In this context it is necessary to incorporate new technologies, mechanization of the harvest, for the rational use of managed areas with cane sugar. The accumulation of surface plant residues of sugar cane on the soil surface promotes the enrichment of the surface layers with organic matter as well as increasing the optimal water, mitigating the effects of soil compaction caused by machinery traffic on the system cane mechanically harvested without burning. Therefore, the aim of this work was to study the changes in physical and mechanical behavior of soil produced by enriching the content of organic matter, and also the ability of plant debris accumulated on the soil surface dissipate loads applied on it, in cultivated areas sugar cane harvested with and without burning. The project was developed in three areas cultivated with sugar cane: 1 - harvested with manual cutting and burning since 1973; 2 - mechanically harvested without burning since 2004 (8 years of implantation of sugarcane), 3 - mechanically harvested unburned since 1996 (16 years of implantation of sugarcane). The physical attributes were: particle size analysis, soil consistency, soil bulk density, and aggregate stability, soil porosity and soil resistance to penetration depths of 0.00 to 0.10 m, 0.10-0.20 me 0.20-0.30 m. It was determined the optimal water yet to identify the critical limits of soil density where resistance to penetration and aeration porosity are restrictive to plant development. We evaluated the relationship between the organic matter content and soil compressibility, the relationships between organic matter content and soil moisture critical for the compression and the relationship between the amount of crop residue on the surface and soil density obtained by the Proctor test. The soil attributes have studied the spatial dependence structure. The least limiting water range and ?p were sensitive to changes in the soil instead of studied treatments. The area under cultivation of manual harvesting cane sugar showed a lower value of the critical density for optimal water, and the greater crop concentrated in regions of higher altitude and lower load-bearing capacity
Doutorado
Agua e Solo
Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

Thesis (PhD (Physics))--University of Stellenbosch, 2011.
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Radioactivity is well known and well understood, but its usefulness in industrial applications to optimise processes or increase economic viability is not yet fully utilised by many industries. This study focuses on the measurement of natural radioactivity and its application in heavy mineral separation and vineyard soil classification. The gamma radiometry set-up consisted of a high purity germanium detector, a Marinelli beaker as sample container and associated electronics. It was calibrated for laboratorybased measurements by minimising the background radiation with the use of lead castle and energy and resolution calibrations. Furthermore, detection parameters were optimised; these included the counting time, the selection of gamma rays used for analysis of a sample, the peak area calculation for the detector dead time and the detector efficiency. Given that the samples had different densities and volumes, the detector efficiency had to be corrected for volume and density effects. After implementation of the corrections and optimisations the detection system was tested and found able to accurately measure radioactivity concentrations. The systematic measurement errors for 238U were 5.1 % in the case of the heavy mineral sands and 34.3 % for the vineyard soils, 4.5 % for the 232Th concentrations and 4.7 % for 40K concentrations. Statistical errors were kept below 2 %. The application of radiometry has not been done before at any South African heavy mineral separation plant. For this reason radiometry is suggested as an easier, faster and cheaper alternative to X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for effective implementation of grade control for zircon to improve the cost benefit of the heavy mineral separation process. Zircon is an example of a heavy mineral that is worldwide in demand with a consumption of more than a million tonnes per year. It is used in a wide range of industrial applications and products that include tiles, sanitary ware and plasma displays. South Africa is the second largest producer of zircon in the world and also has the second largest reserve of available zircon, making this mineral a viable source of income for several years to come. Radioactivity, in the form of uranium and thorium, and other impurities such as iron oxide and titanium oxide are found in the crystal lattice of zircon. For it to be a sellable product, the sum of the uranium and thorium concentrations must be less than 500 parts per million for prime or first grade zircon and less than 1000 parts per million for second grade zircon. At present the concentrations of uranium and thorium in zircon concentrates are measured on a whole rock basis by XRF during and at the end of the processing cycle before the final products are ready to be shipped. This is not an ideal situation as the grab samples are taken periodically and are not necessarily representative of the stream or final assignment and has resulted in significant losses by the producer. The solution is to accurately measure the uranium and thorium concentrations fast or immediately, preferably the measurements must be made online and in real time so that processing decisions can be implemented quickly to optimise the final product. Heavy mineral sand samples were obtained from the various separation processes in a Mineral Separation Plant and their 238U and 232Th concentrations determined. The results indicated that the samples’ uranium to thorium ratios together with their total concentrations can be used to differentiate between the samples (i.e. separation processes). The measurement results were compared with those obtained with XRF. The correlations with radiometry were excellent for the uranium (r2 = 0.992), thorium (r2 = 0.998) and total concentrations (r2 = 0.998). Radiometric measurements were also conducted by decreasing the counting time from 3600 s to 1 s to investigate its effect on the accuracy of the results. Correlations between the different times and 3600 s ranged from excellent to good. The obtained results are then used to recommend that radiometry is used in a Mineral Separation Plant to verify that the zircon and zirkwa meet the specifications, to optimise the entrance feed and the other separation processes and to monitor the tailings streams. Finally the practical aspects of the implementation of radiometry are discussed. As a second application was radiometry applied in an agricultural pilot study to demonstrate the applicability of radiometry as a possible useful tool in soil classification. The creation of a vineyard is a long term and expensive investment and its yield and quality will be influenced by many factors such as the type of soil, viticultural preparations and climate. Information on the different soil types in a vineyard is therefore indispensable for the optimisation of land use with respect to vine cultivar, wine quality and production. Soil samples were obtained from Kanonkop, Simonsig and Spier vineyards and their 238U, 232Th and 40K concentrations determined, assuming that fertilisers would have no effect on the results. The difference in 40K concentrations were related to the clay fraction of the soil and demonstrated that the Kanonkop and Simonsig soils are fine-grained and clay-rich compared to the sandy coarse-grained soils of Spier. The uranium and thorium concentrations were indicators of whether the mineralogy of the soil is the same as the underlying bedrock as well as soil maturity. The measurement results were compared with those obtained with XRF. The correlation with radiometry were poor for the uranium concentrations (r2 = 0.314), as many of the samples concentrations were below the XRF detection limit. The correlations were excellent for both thorium (r2 = 0.985) and potassium (r2 = 0.999). As a positive result from the findings of the study was an in-situ measurement performed by Newman et al. for the radiometric mapping of a Simonsig vineyard for soil classification.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Radioaktiwiteit is wel bekend en word goed verstaan, tog is die gebruik daarvan in industriele toepassings om prosesses te optimiseer of winsgrense te verhoog nog nie deur baie industrië ten volle benut nie. Hierdie studie fokus op die meting van natuurlike radioaktiwiteit en die toepassing daarvan in swaar mineraal skeiding en wingerd grond klassifikasie. Die gamma radiometrie opstelling het bestaan uit ‘n hoë suiwerheid germanium detektor, 'n Marinelli beker as monster houer en verwante elektronika. Dit was gekalibreer vir laboratorium gebaseerde metings deur die vermindering van die agtergrondstraling met die gebruik van lood kasteel en energie en resolusie kalibrasies. Verder was deteksie parameters geoptimaliseer, dit sluit in die teltyd, die keuse van gammastrale wat gebruik word vir die ontleding van 'n monster, die piek area berekening, die korreksie vir die detektor se dooie tyd en die detektor doeltreffendheid. Gegee dat die monsters van mekaar verskil het in terme van dighteid en volume was dit nodig om die detektor doeltreffendheid te korrigeer vir volume en digtheid effekte. Na die implementering van die korreksies en optimalisasie was die detektor stelsel getoets en was gevind dat radioaktiwiteit konsentrasies akkuraat gelewer kan lewer. Die sistematiese meet foute vir 238U was 5.1 % vir die mineraal sand en 34.3 % vir wingerd grond, 4.5 % vir 232Th konsentrasies en 4.7 % vir 40K konsentrasies. Statistiese foute was onder 2 % gehou. Die toepassing van radiometrie was nog nie voorheen by enige Suid-Afrikaanse swaar mineraal skeidings aanleg gedoen nie. Vir die rede is radiometrie voorgestel as ‘n makliker, vinniger en goedkoper alternatief teenoor XSF vir effektiewe implementering van graad beheer vir zirkon om die koste voordeel van die swaar mineral skeiding proses te verbeter. Zirkon is ‘n voorbeeld van ‘n swaar mineraal wat wêreldwyd in aanvraag is met ‘n verbruik van meer as ‘n miljoen ton per jaar. Dit word in ‘n wye reeks van industriele toepassings en produkte gebruik onder andere teëls, sanitêre ware en plasma skerms. Suid Afrika is die tweede grootste vervaardiger van zirkon in die wêreld en het ook die tweede grootste reserwe van besikbare zirkon. Dit veroorsaak dat die mineraal ‘n lewensvatbare brom van inkomste is vir nog etlike jare. Radioaktiwiteit, in die vorm van uraan en thorium, word tesame met ander onsuiwerhede soos ysteroksied en titaanoksied in zirkon se kristal rooster gevind. Om ‘n verkoopbare produk te wees moet die som van die uraan en thorium konsentrasies minder wees as 500 dele per miljoen vir prima en eerste graad zirkon en minder wees as 1000 dele per miljoen vir tweede graadse zirkon. Huidiglik word die uraan en thorium konsentrasies in die zirkon konsentraat gemeet op ‘n heel gesteente basis met X-straal fluoroskopie (XSF) gedurende en op die einde van die prosesering siklus net voor die finale produk reg is om versend te word. Dit is nie die ideale situasie nie, want die monsters word periodies geneem en is nie noodwendig verteenwoordigend van die stroom of die finale produk nie en het al tot beduidende verliese deur die vervaardiger gelei. Die oplossing is om die uraan en thorium konsentrasies vinnig of onmiddelik te meet, verkieslik moet die metings inlyn en intyds gedoen word om verwerkings besluite vinnig geimplementeer kan word om die finale produk te optimaliseer. Swaar mineraal sand monsters was verkry van die verskeie skeidingsprosesse in ‘n Mineraal Skeidings Aanleg en hul 238U en 232Th konsentrasies bepaal. Die resultate het aangetoon dat die monsters se uraan en thorium verhoudings saam met hul totale konsentrasies gebruik kan word om te onderskei tussen die monsters (oftewel die skeiding prosesse). Die meting resultate was vergelyk met dié verkry met XSF. Die korrelasies met radiometrie was uitstekend vir die uraan (r2 = 0.992), thorium (r2 = 0.998) en totale konsentrasies (r2 = 0.998). Radiometriese metings was ook uigevoer deur die teltyd te verminder van 3600 s tot 1 s om die uitwerking daarvan op die akkuraatheid van die resultate te ondersoek. Korrelasies tussen die verskillende tye en 3600 s het gewissel van uitstekend tot goed. Die bevindinge was dan gebruik om aan te beveel dat radiometrie in a Mineraal Skeidings Aanleg gebruik kan word om te verifeer dat daar aan die zirkon en zirkwa spesifikasies voldoen word, om die begin voer en ander skeidings prosesse te optimaliseer en ook die uitskot strome te monitor. Laastens is die praktiese aspekte van die implementering van radiometrie bespreek. Vir die tweede toepassing was radiometrie toepgepas in ‘n loods studie in die landbou om die toepaslikheid van radiometrie as ‘n moontlike nuttige instrument in grond klassifikasie te demonstreer. Die skepping van ‘n wingerd is ‘n lang termyn en duur belegging waarvan die opbrengs en kwaliteit beinvloed sal word deur vele faktore, onder andere die tipe grond, wynbou voorbereidings en die klimaat. Inligiting oor die verskillende grond tipes in ‘n wingerd is daarom onmisbaar vir die optimalisering van land gebruik in betrekking tot die wingerdstok kultivar, wyn kwaliteit en produksie. Radiometrie is toegepas om te demonstreer die toepaslikheid daaran as ‘n moontlike nuttige instrument in grond klassifikasie. Grondmonsters was verkry vanaf Kanonkop, Simonsig en Spier wingerde en hul 238U, 232Th en 40K konsentrasies bepaal met die aanname dat kunsmis nie ‘n uitwerking op die resultate sou hê nie. Die verskil in 40K konsentrasies was verwant aan die kleifraksie van die grond en het getoon dat die Kanonkop en Simonsig gronde is fyn korrelrig en kleiryk is in vergelyking met die sanderige growwe korrel grond van Spier. Die uraan en thorium konsentrasies het gedui op die samestelling van die grond en ook aangedui watter grond dieselfde is as die onderliggende rots. Die meting resultate was vergelyk met dié verkry met XSF. Die korrelasie met die radiometrie was sleg vir die uraan konsentrasies (r2 = 0.314) aangesien baie van die monster konsentrasies laer was as die XSF deteksie limiet. Die korrelasies was uitstekend vir beide thorium (r2 = 0.985) en kalium (r2 = 0.999). As ‘n positiewe resultaat van die studie se bevindinge was ‘n in-situ meting gedoen deur Newman et al. om ‘n Simonsig wingerd radiomeries te karteer vir grond klassifasie.

Forest ecosystems undergo both natural and human induced disturbances. Depending on disturbance type, soil physical and chemical parameters show different response patterns during the recovery phase. An added level of complication is the ecological site types occurring throughout a forested area. The identification of indicators of soil fertility and the successful emulation of a natural disturbance regime were the scope of this research.
The research presented herein took place in the Manitoba Model Forest (MBMF), located in eastern Manitoba, where the natural disturbance regime is wildfire. Timber harvest strategies used in the area are designed to emulate a wildfire (5% retention of standing timber and extensive slash inputs) and clearcut harvesting. The objective of this study was to document changes in forest floor and soil properties prior to and following harvesting, and to compare these properties to those found in a small wildfire that burned in the MBMF in late summer 1998, which serves as a benchmark to the harvest. In the two study areas, both thin mineral soil (5--20 cm) and moderately deep mineral soil (20--100 cm) ecosite types were monitored at four dates over a two year period for soil physical and nutritional response patterns.

Soil structure and its associated physical properties are essential soil components. Soil texture and mineralogy are inherent soil properties that influence soil management. This study assessed the implication of tillage, texture and mineralogy on soil sieving, aggregate stability indices and physical fractions of organic matter in soils of Eastern Cape Province of South Africa. An Iris FTLVH – 0200 digital electromagnetic sieve shaker (Filtra Vibraciόn SL Spain), was used to determine settings for sieving efficiency. Mean weight diameter (MWD), water stable aggregate (WSA), state of aggregation (SA), dispersion ratio (DR), water dispersible clay (WDC), clay dispersion ratio (CDR), clay flocculation index (CFI), and potential structural deformation index (PSDI) were aggregate stability indices evaluated to check for sensitivity in evaluating aggregate stability of soils under two tillage systems and physical fractions of carbon and nitrogen in soils of Eastern Cape Province. The T4I3P2 and T4I4P3 settings were sensitive under tillage and T4I1P4, T3I4P3 and T4I4P3 were sensitive under mineralogical considerations for sieving efficiency. The total carbon in soils under conventional tillage (CT) was 17.7 g/kg and in soils under no tillage (NT) it was 15.8 g/kg. The total carbon content in the clay fraction of soils under CT was 24.1 percent higher than the total carbon content in the clay fraction of soils under NT. The total nitrogen content in the clay fraction of soils under CT was 5.4 percent higher than the total nitrogen content in the soils under NT. The total carbon in the sandy loam (SL) textured soils was 17.4 g/kg and in the sandy clay loam (SCL) textured soils it was 17.1 g/kg. The total nitrogen in SL soils was 3.7 g/kg and in SCL soils it was 3.7 g/kg. The clay fraction had higher total carbon than other fractions in Sl and SCL soils. The higher values of nitrogen were observed in the silt fraction for SL soils and clay fraction for SCL soils. The total carbon in the soils dominated with kaolinite was 17.3 g/kg and in quartz dominated soils the value was 16.9 g/kg. The total nitrogen in the soils dominated with kaolinite was 3.7 g/kg and in the soils dominated with quartz the value was 3.7 g/kg. For soils under NT the WDC was 135.8 g/kg and for soils under CT it was 139.7 g/kg. The ASC was 72.5 for soils under NT and 92.0for soils under CT. The DR was 0.9 for soils under NT and 0.8 for soils under CT. The CFI was 0.5 for soils under NT and 0.5 for soils under CT. The CDR was 0.5 for soils under NT and 0.5 for soils under CT. The MWDw was 1.6 mm for soils under NT and 1.4 mm for soils under CT. The MWDd was 4.0 mm for soils under NT and 4.0 for soils under CT. The percent WSA > 0.25 mm was 61.7 percent for soils under NT and 56.2 percent for soils under CT. The PSDI was 55.2 percent for soils under NT and 61.15 percent for soils under CT. The SA was 43.2 percent for soils under NT and 37.89 percent for soils under CT. The WDC was 125.7 g/kg for SCL soils and 151.4 g/kg for SL soils. The CDR was 0.5 for both SCL and SL soils. The DR was 0.9 for SCL soils and 0.8 for SL soils. The CFI was 0.5 for both SCL and SL soils. The ASC was 56.2 g/kg for SCL soils and 115 g/kg for SL soils. The MWDw was 1.5 mm for SCL soils and 1.4 mm for SL soils. The MWDd was 3.6 mm for SCL soils and 3.6 mm for SL soils. The percent WSA > 0.25 mm was 53.0 percent for SCL soils and 62.5 percent for SL soils. The PSDI was 59.2 percent for SCL soils and 59.7 percent for SL soils. The SA was 33.6 percent for SCL soils and 45.2 percent for SL soils. The WDC was 313.3 g/kg for kaolinitic soils and 120.7 g/kg for quartz dominated soils. The CDR was 0.5 for kaolinitic soils and 0.5 for quartz dominated soils. The DR was 0.9 for kaolinitic soils and 0.8 for quartz dominated soils. The CFI was 0.5 for kaolinitic soils and 0.5 for quartz dominated soils. The ASC was 110.0 g/kg for kaolinitic soils and 101.7 g/kg for quartz dominated soils. The WSA > 0.25 mm was 57.3 percent for quartz dominated soils and 68.4 percent for kaolinitic soils. The MWDw was 1.6 mm for quartz dominated soils and 0.8 mm for kaolinitic soils. The MWDd was 3.6 mm for quartz dominated soils and 3.4 mm for kaolinitic soils. The PSDI was 56.3 for quartz dominated soils and 76.0 for kaolinitic soils.

A compactação do solo é comumente observada em lavouras em que foi adotado o sistema de plantio direto. Sua origem está relacionada ao acúmulo do efeito das pressões produzidas pelo trânsito de máquinas agrícolas e/ou de animais. A compactação do solo impõe restrições ao desenvolvimento das culturas e compromete seu potencial produtivo, basicamente por reduzir a disponibilidade de água às plantas, por dificultar as trocas gasosas e o suprimento de oxigênio às raízes e por reduzir o volume de solo explorado pelas raízes em função da elevada impedância mecânica. Este trabalho foi realizado na área experimental da Universidade Tecnológica Federal do Paraná (UTFPR), Campus Dois Vizinhos. Os objetivos do estudo foram avaliar as alterações nas propriedades físicas do solo e os efeitos sobre a produtividade da cultura do trigo em um Nitossolo Vermelho distroférrico submetido a três níveis iniciais de compactação. O delineamento experimental foi o de blocos ao acaso com três repetições com parcelas subdivididas. Os níveis de compactação do solo utilizados foram distribuídos nas parcelas principais sendo caracterizados como: plantio direto contínuo (PDC); plantio direto escarificado (PDE); plantio direto com compactação adicional (PDA). Nas subparcelas aplicaram-se quatro sistemas de manejo: PD + escarificacão antecedendo a implantação da cultura de verão; cultivo de guandu-anão (Cajanus cajan L.) no outono; cultivo de nabo forrageiro (Raphanus sativus L.) no outono; e plantio direto contínuo. A escarificação reduziu a densidade do solo na profundidade de 0,05 – 0,10 m, em relação aos níveis de compactação PDC e PDA, mas não incrementou o rendimento. O sistema de manejo do solo utilizando a escarificação promoveu alterações significativas nas propriedades físicas do solo, porosidade total e resistência à penetração e aumentou o número de grãos por espigueta. A produtividade do trigo não foi sensível às variações de resistência à penetração, densidade e porosidade do solo resultantes de diferentes níveis de compactação iniciais do solo e dos sistemas de manejo de recuperação do solo.
Soil compaction is usually observed in soil cultivated at no-tillage system. Soil compaction is caused by accumulation of pressure exerted by machines and animal that travels on the soil. Soil compacted affect the crops development and yield, mainly because decrease the water disponibility, reduce the soil aeration and restrict root growth because increase the soil resistance to penetration. This study was performed at the experimental area of Federal Technological University of Paraná (UTFPR), Campus Dois Vizinhos, State of Paraná, Brazil. The present study was carried out with the objective of evaluating the change in soil physical properties and a Wheat grain yield in an Oxisol (Nitossolo Vermelho distroférrico, Brazilian Soil Classification System) submited to three initials compaction levels. The experimental design was a two-factors split-plot arranged in complete random blocks, with three repetitions. The main plots had three compaction levels: continuous no-tillage (PDC); no tillage with chiseling (PDE); no tillage with additional compaction (PDA). The subplots had the soil management systems: chiseling every two years; oil seed radish (Raphanus sativus L.) cultivated every two years, in the Fall; pigeon pea (Cajanus cajan L.) cultivated every two years, in the Fall; and a control treatment without green manure and chiseling. The results showed that the chiseling reduced bulk density at depth 0,05 – 0,10 m, compared with levels continuous no-tillage and additional compaction, but, did not enhance performance the wheat. The soil chiseling or cover crops cultive showed effects on the physics soil properties evaluated, total porosity and resistance to penetration and increased the number of grains per spikelet The wheat yield wasn’t sensitive to changes on physics soil properties observed in the soil with different initial levels compaction and soil management systems.

Orientador: Carolina Fernandes
Banca: Ricardo Augusto Martins Cordeiro
Banca: José Eduardo Corá
Resumo: O preparo do solo é uma operação de alto custo na reforma do canavial, portanto medidas para a redução desse custo são desejáveis, desde que propiciem boas condições físicas para o desenvolvimento das plantas. O objetivo deste trabalho foi avaliar os atributos físicos de Latossolo Vermelho e de Argissolo Amarelo após o preparo do solo e após o plantio da cana-de-açúcar. O delineamento experimental foi em parcelas grandes e uniformes com dois tratamentos e dez repetições. Os tratamentos consistiram no preparo do solo para plantio da cana-de-açúcar: escarificação na linha de plantio e escarificação em área total. Após o preparo do solo e após o plantio, foram coletadas amostras indeformadas de solo em cada parcela experimental, em quatro camadas: 0,00-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,40 e 0,40-0,60 m em dois locais de amostragem, na linha e na entrelinha de plantio. Foi avaliada a resistência à penetração, a densidade do solo, a porosidade total, a macroporosidade e a microporosidade. Os resultados indicaram que o Latossolo Vermelho foi mais susceptível que o Argissolo Amarelo às alterações nos atributos físicos do solo após as operações de plantio da cana-deaçúcar até a camada de 0,40 m. Para o Latossolo Vermelho, após as operações de plantio da cana-de-açúcar foi verificado redução nos valores dos atributos físicos do solo na camada superficial. Para o Argissolo Amarelo, as operações de plantio da cana-de-açúcar não influenciaram nos valores dos atributos físicos. A escarificação do s... (Resumo completo, clicar acesso eletrônico abaixo)
Abstract: The soil tillage demands a high cost operation to repair the canebrake. So, it is necessary some activities to reduce these costs to get good physical conditions for plant development. The aim of this study was to evaluate the physical attributes of Oxisol and Ultisol, after the soil have been prepared and after sugar cane plantation. The experimental approach was in big and uniforms parcels with two treatments and ten repetitions. The treatment was made in the prepare of soil and in the cane plantation: chiselling in the planting line and in total area. After the soil has been prepared, also after planting sugar cane, some undeformed samples of soil was collected in each experimental parcel, in four layers: 0,00-0,10; 0,10-0,20; 0,20-0,40 and 0,40-0,60 m in two different place, in the line and between line of planting area. It was also evaluated the resistance and penetration, soil density, total porosity, macro and micro porosity. The results indicates that Oxisol was more susceptible than Ultisol to alterations in the soil physical attributes after operations in cane plantation until the layer 0,40 m. For the Oxisol, after the plantation of sugar cane, was verified some reduction of values in soil physical attributes in the superficial layer. For Ultisol, the operations in the planted area of sugar cane did not influence in these attributes values. The chiselling of soil was done just in the planting line of sugar cane, it indicates that the chiselling is more recommended ... (Complete abstract click electronic access below)
Mestre

O pisoteio dos animais favorece o processo de compactação do solo em áreas de Integração Lavoura Pecuária. Essa compactação apresenta efeitos negativos, dificultando o desenvolvimento de raízes, a disponibilidade de nutrientes, água e aeração, ocasionando perdas na produção, tornando-se indispensável à avaliação dos atributos físicos do solo para o monitoramento da qualidade do solo. A matéria orgânica do solo pode ser utilizada para avaliar a qualidade do solo, por apresentar relação com os atributos químicos, físicos e biológicos do solo. Sistemas de manejo conservacionistas com o plantio direto, juntamente com sistemas de integração entre lavoura e pecuária estão sendo utilizados para manter e até mesmo aumentar os teores de matéria orgânica do solo. Para avaliar estas questões está instalado na cidade de Guarapuava, PR, desde 2006, um experimento de integração lavoura – pecuária com ovinos, sob um Latossolo Bruno álico com textura argilosa, sob um clima classificado como Cfb. O estudo teve objetivo avaliar os atributos físicos do solo e quantificar o estoque de carbono orgânico do solo e sua compartimentalização em sistema submetido a quatro doses de N (0, 75, 150 e 225 kg ha-1) na pastagem de inverno, formada pelo consórcio de aveia preta (Avena strigosa) e azevém comum (Lolium multiflorum) e o efeito do pastejo (com e sem). As avaliações de densidade, porosidade total, macroporosidade, microporosidade, agregação e estoques de carbono foram realizadas em duas fases: Fase pecuária (após a saída dos animais da área) e fase lavoura (após o cultivo de milho). As coletas das mostras de solo foram realizadas nas camadas de 0-0,5, 0,05-0,10, e 0,10-0,20 m. Os dados foram submetidos à análise de variância e as hipóteses testadas pelo teste F (p<0,05). Para os dados de efeito quantitativo foram realizadas análises de regressão e os de efeito qualitativo utilizou-se o teste de médias. Nas regressões não significativas utilizou-se a média dos tratamentos e o desvio padrão. O pisoteio animal ocasionou um aumento na densidade do solo na camada de 0,10-0,20 m. A dose de 225 kg de N ha-1 na pastagem de inverno aumentou a porosidade total do solo em 8% em relação a dose 0 kg de N ha-1 na fase lavoura. O pastejo não influenciou na macroporosidade do solo. O Diâmetro médio geométrico dos agregados na fase após pastejo na camada superficial foi prejudicado pelo pastejo. As doses de nitrogênio aplicadas na pastagem de inverno e o pastejo não influenciam nos estoques de carbono orgânico total (COT) e que também não é influenciado pelas doses de nitrogênio aplicadas na pastagem. O pastejo aumenta o estoque de carbono orgânico particulado (COP) na camada de 0,10-0,20 m na fase pecuária e causa no estoque de COP na camada de 0-0,5 m na fase lavoura. O carbono associado aos minerais (CAM) não é influenciado pelas doses de N aplicadas na pastagem, nem pelo pastejo.
The animal trampling favors the soil compaction process in sheep raising and crop production integrated systems. This compression has negative effects, hindering the development of roots, the availability of nutrients, water and aeration, causing production losses, making it essential for the assessment of soil physical attributes for monitoring soil quality. Soil organic matter can be used to assess the quality of the soil, due to its relationship with the chemical, physical and biological soil properties. Conservation management system with tillage, along with systems integration between crops and livestock are being used to maintain and even increase the levels of soil organic matter. For that, a field experiment was carried out over a Oxisol clayey Alic in Guarapuava, PR, from de 2006 one. experiment sheep raising and crop production integrated systems The climate classified as Cfb .. The study was to evaluate the soil physical properties and quantify the stock of soil organic carbon and its compartmentalization in system integration crop - livestock with sheep under four nitrogen rates (0, 75, 150 and 225 kg ha-1) in the winter pasture, formed by the consortium oat (Avena strigosa) and ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum) and the effect of grazing (with and without). The soil samples blades density evaluations, total porosity, macro and micro, aggregation and carbon stocks were held in two phases: Phase livestock (after removal of the animals of the area) and phase crop (after maize cultivation). The collection of soil samples were carried out in layers of 0-0.5, 0.05-0.10, 0.10-0.20 and m. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and the hypotheses tested by the F test (p <0.05). For the quantitative effect data regression and the qualitative effect used the test medium. In non-significant regressions used the average and standard deviation treatments. The animal trampling caused an increase in bulk density in the 0.10-0.20 m layer. The dose of 225 kg N ha-1 in winter pasture increased total soil porosity at 8% compared to dose 0 kg N ha-1 in the crop stage. The grazing had no effect on soil macroporosity. GMD of aggregates in the phase after grazing the surface layer was damaged by grazing. Nitrogen rates used in the winter pasture and grazing not influence the total organic carbon stocks. The TOC is not influenced by nitrogen fertilization on grassland. The grazing increases the stock of POC in the 0.10-0.20 m layer livestock phase and cause the stock of POC in the 0-0.5 m layer in the crop stage. The MAC is not influenced by N rates applied in the pasture or by grazing.

Saltwater Forest is a Dacrydium cupressinum-dominated lowland forest covering 9000 ha in south Westland, South Island, New Zealand. Four thousand hectares is managed for sustainable production of indigenous timber. The aim of this study was to provide an integrated analysis of soils, soil-landform relationships, and soil-vegetation relationships at broad and detailed scales. The broad scale understandings provide a framework in which existing or future studies can be placed and the detailed studies elucidate sources of soil and forest variability. Glacial landforms dominate. They include late Pleistocene lateral, terminal and ablation moraines, and outwash aggradation and degradation terraces. Deposits and landforms from six glacial advances have been recognised ranging from latest Last (Otira) Glaciation to Penultimate (Waimea) Glaciation. The absolute ages of landforms were established by analysis of the thickness and soil stratigraphy of loess coverbeds, augmented with radiocarbon dating and phytolith and pollen analysis. In the prevailing high rainfall of Westland soil formation is rapid. The rate of loess accretion in Saltwater Forest (ca. 30 mm ka⁻¹) has been low enough that soil formation and loess accretion took place contemporaneously. Soils formed in this manner are known as upbuilding soils. The significant difference between upbuilding pedogenesis and pedogenesis in a topdown sense into an existing sediment body is that each subsoil increment of an upbuilding soil has experienced processes of all horizons above. In Saltwater Forest subsoils of upbuilding soils are strongly altered because they have experienced the extremely acid environment of the soil surface at some earlier time. Some soil chronosequence studies in Westland have included upbuilding soils formed in loess as the older members of the sequence. Rates and types of processes inferred from these soils should be reviewed because upbuilding is a different pedogenic pathway to topdown pedogenesis. Landform age and morphology were used as a primary stratification for a study of the soil pattern and nature of soil variability in the 4000 ha production area of Saltwater Forest. The age of landforms (> 14 ka) and rapid soil formation mean that soils are uniformly strongly weathered and leached. Soils include Humic Organic Soils, Perch-gley Podzols, Acid Gley Soils, Allophanic Brown Soils, and Orthic or Pan Podzols. The major influence on the nature of soils is site hydrology which is determined by macroscale features of landforms (slope, relief, drainage density), mesoscale effects related to position on landforms, and microscale influences determined by microtopography and individual tree effects. Much of the soil variability arises at microscales so that it is not possible to map areas of uniform soils at practical map scales. The distribution of soil variability across spatial scales, in relation to the intensity of forest management, dictates that it is most appropriate to map soil complexes with boundaries coinciding with landforms. Disturbance of canopy trees is an important agent in forest dynamics. The frequency of forest disturbance in the production area of Saltwater Forest varies in a systematic way among landforms in accord with changes in abundance of different soils. The frequency of forest turnover is highest on landforms with the greatest abundance of extremely poorly-drained Organic Soils. As the abundance of better-drained soils increases the frequency of forest turnover declines. Changes in turnover frequency are reflected in the mean size and density of canopy trees (Dacrydium cupressinum) among landforms. Terrace and ablation moraine landforms with the greatest abundance of extremely poorly-drained soils have on average the smallest trees growing most densely. The steep lateral moraines, characterised by well drained soils, have fewer, larger trees. The changes manifested at the landform scale are an integration of processes operating over much shorter range as a result of short-range soil variability. The systematic changes in forest structure and turnover frequency among landforms and soils have important implications for sustainable forest management.

Training simulators are valuable tools in education of forest machine operators. One important part of the education is to learn about damages occurring due to the forest machines and how they can be avoided. Two types of damages are especially severe, soil compaction and formation of wheel ruts. Compaction reduces the amount of water and nutrients in the soil, and impedes root growth. Furthermore, water is gathered in wheel ruts, leading to transport of organic materia and heavy metals into water courses. These damages can be avoided through planning of the harvesting activities with respect to season, weather, and the conditions on the site. The main focus point is to avoid driving on wet soil, since wetness makes it more susceptible to damage.  The aim of this thesis is to investigate how this should be incorporated in a simulator. Implementations are made in Unreal Engine with AGX Dynamics for Unreal, which already has a deformable terrain called AGX Terrain. This terrain was investigated by creating two terrain materials, representing dry and wet Swedish forest soil, and driving a forwarder on them.  AGX Terrain was found to be simple to use and gave fair results, the rut depths were comparable in size with empirical results. However, it was limited in the sense that shearing was not taken into account and there was no possibility of having different material properties across the terrain. A potential solution to these problems is suggested, in which a more extensive way of computing stress propagation and the resulting damages is used. Further investigations has to be made in order to find out if this approach is of good use.

Orientadores: Edson Eiji Matsura, Jarbas Honorio de Miranda
Tese (doutorado) - Universidade Estadual de Campinas, Faculdade de Engenharia Agricola
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Resumo: Conhecer a dinâmica da água e de solutos no solo é condição imprescindível para a produção agrícola sustentável. O sucesso destes modelos numéricos em descrever a dinâmica da água e de solutos no solo está intimamente ligado à precisão com que os parâmetros físicohídricos, envolvidos nestes processos são determinados. De uma maneira geral, a determinação dos parâmetros de transporte de íons no solo esta associado ao ajuste de modelos teóricos a dados associados a ensaios experimentais de deslocamento miscível. Tal procedimento além dos erros numéricos associados ao ajuste destes parâmetros, também é susceptível a erros experimentais. Sendo assim, mostra-se necessário a proposição de técnicas de modelagem que incorporem, de maneira apropriada as imprecisões intrínsecas ao estudo experimental da dinâmica da água e de soluto no solo. Neste sentido, este trabalho teve como objetivo avaliar o potencial do uso da lógica fuzzy, sobretudo de um modelo baseado em regras fuzzy (MBRF), na simulação numérica destes processos. A utilização da teoria dos conjuntos fuzzy é vantajosa à medida que permite que as incertezas envolvidas na dinâmica da água e de solutos no solo sejam absorvidas pela utilização de conjuntos de regras. A base de regras foi construída a partir de um conjunto de dados teóricos, denominado conjunto de treinamento, obtido a partir da simulação numérica das Equações Diferenciais Parciais que regem as dinâmicas da água no solo. O conjunto de treinamento foi obtido utilizando-se o modelo computacional Hydrus-2D. A construção do MBRF, utilizado para descrever a dinâmica da água no solo na direção vertical foi feita utilizando-se o ambiente computacional MATLAB 6.5. Paralelamente a modelagem da dinâmica da água, o estudo do transporte de potássio no solo foi feito considerando-se apenas o fluxo de massa. Os resultados obtidos pelo MBRF foram comparados com resultados obtidos no estudo experimental da dinâmica da água e de solutos em colunas verticais de solo equipadas com sondas de TDR e extratores de solução. Face aos resultados obtidos, pode-se concluir que, neste trabalho, muito embora os resultados apresentados pelo MBRF na simulação da dinâmica de água e de solutos no solo tenham sido apenas razoáveis, o uso da teoria de conjuntos fuzzy aplicada ao estudo destes processos, devido a sua simplicidade de formulação e interpretação, apresentou-se como uma importante ferramenta para auxiliar na tomada de decisão de processos que busquem o uso racional da água e do solo nas atividades agrícolas
Abstract: To know the water and solute dynamics is a indispensable condition for the sustainable agricultural production. The numeric models success in escribe those processes is intimately linked to the precision with the physical- hydric arameters involved in these processes are determineted. In a general way, the determination of the ions transport parameters are obtained by the adjustment of theoretical models to experimental data of miscible displacement studies. Such procedure, besides numerical mistakes, associated to the adjustment of these parameters, is also associated to experimental errors. In this way, the proposition of modeling techniques that incorporate, in an appropriate way, those intrinsic imprecisions are necessary. For this reason, this work¿s goal is evaluate the rule based fuzzy model¿s (RBFM) potential in the numeric simulation of these processes. The use of the fuzzy theory is advantageous once it allows to incorporate the uncertainties involved in the soil water and solutes dynamics using a set of rules. The base of rules was built using a set of theoretical data, denominated training set, obtained by the numeric simulation of the Equations that govern the water dynamics in the soil profile. The training set was obtained using the computational model Hydrus-2D. The construction of the RBFM, used to describe the vertical water dynamics, was done the computational software MATLAB 6.5. Parallel to the water dynamics modeling, a potassium transport study was made considering just the mass flow process. The results obtained with RBFM were compared with experimental data obtained in study of the water and solute dynamics in a vertical soil column, equipped with TDR probes and solution extractors. Face to the obtained results, it can be concluded that, in this work, the presented RBFM wasn¿t very efficient in describe water and solute dynamics the dynamics. In the other hands, apart of those results, the development of this modeling technique showed a great potential in the soils water and solute dynamics, reinforcing the importance of more investigations in this way
Doutorado
Agua e Solo
Doutor em Engenharia Agrícola

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Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior
The demand for healthy and non-contaminated foods has increased between the consumers that become more and more exigent in terms of quality. The organic products appear as an option for the requirements of these consumers. However, research involving the organic production of fruits is still incipient. Thus, this study was carried out to evaluate the weed control by ground covers, its action on the weeds in the line of the apple trees in an organic orchard, the response in terms of apple tree vegetative development, and soil chemical and physical properties. The experiment is located at Embrapa/CNPUV, in Vacaria, RS, Southern Brazil. The orchard was planted in 2003, with cv. Galaxy on Marubakaido rootstock and M9 filter, in a Brown Latosol. The treatments were as follows: manual hoeing control, black plastic film, black plastic shade screen, new pinus sawdust, pinus needle mulch, Andropogon sp mulch, annual ryegrass (Lolium multiflorum), black oat (Avena strigosa), black oat + common vetch (Vicia sativa), black oat + fodder radish (Raphanus sativus), annual ryegrass + white clover (Trifolium repens) + native plant cover, weed mowing; control without weed management. A completely randomized experimental design was used, with three replications. The weed incidence and the growth of apple tree were evaluated. Soil chemical and physical properties were analyzed in the layer 0-5 and 5-10 cm depth. Pinus needle mulch, black plastic, manual weed control, and new pinus sawdust were more effective to reduced the weed incidence, controlling more than 90%. The use of soil cover affected the height and the diameter of the trees, and black plastic and pinus needle mulch were the better covers concerning apple development. Soil chemical properties under these managements were adequate for apple tree growth, showing differences only between the orchard condition in relation to the natural forest. Soil physical properties were not affected by the different ground covers and showed its good quality, maintained in adequate conditions to plant growth
A demanda por alimentos saudáveis e livres de contaminantes tem aumentado entre os consumidores que se tornam cada vez mais exigente em termos de qualidade alimentar. Os produtos orgânicos surgem como uma opção para a exigência destes consumidores. No entanto, pesquisas envolvendo a produção orgânica de frutos ainda são incipientes. Assim sendo, este estudo foi conduzido com o objetivo de avaliar o controle de plantas espontâneas por coberturas de solo, sua ação sobre as plantas espontâneas presentes na linha da cultura da macieira em pomar orgânico, a resposta da macieira em termos de crescimento e os atributos químicos e físicos do solo. O experimento foi conduzido na Embrapa Uva e Vinho, em Vacaria-RS. O pomar foi implantado no ano de 2003, com a cultivar Galaxy, porta-enxerto Marubakaido e filtro M9, em baixa densidade, condução líder central, em um Latossolo Bruno. Utilizou-se 13 tratamentos, que foram: capina manual, cobertura com plástico preto, sombrite, serragem nova, acícula de pinus, palha de capim rabo-de-burro (Andropogon sp.), azevém (Lolium multiflorum L.), aveia (Avena strigosa L.), aveia + ervilhaca (Avena strigosa L. + Vicia sativa L.), aveia + nabo (Avena strigosa L. + Raphanus sativus L.), azevém + trevo branco + espécies nativas, roçada na linha, e sem controle na linha. Utilizou-se delineamento inteiramente casualizado, com três repetições. Foi avaliado a incidência das plantas espontâneas e o crescimento da macieira (altura e diâmetro do caule de plantas). Os atributos químicos e físicos do solo foram analisados nas camadas 0 a 5 e 5 a 10 cm de profundidade. A acícula de pinus, o plástico preto, a capina na linha e a serragem foram os tratamentos que mais reduziram a incidência das plantas espontâneas, controlando em mais de 90 %. O uso de coberturas do solo afetou a altura e o diâmetro do caule das macieiras, sendo que o plástico preto e a acícula de pinus foram as coberturas que proporcionaram maiores valores para estas variáveis. Os atributos químicos do solo, nos diferentes manejos de coberturas do solo, se mostraram adequados para o crescimento das macieiras, mostrando diferença mais expressiva apenas nos tratamentos em relação à mata. As condições físicas do solo não foram afetadas pelas diferentes coberturas do solo a ponto de interferir na qualidade do mesmo, já que esta foi preservada devido ao manejo adequado que lhe foi dado

A two year study was initiated in 1999 at the Macdonald Campus Farm, on a 2.4 ha site consisting mainly of St-Amable sand to shallow loamy sand (Typic Endoaquent; Humic Gleysol). The site was planted to alfalfa ( Medicago sativa) prior to the establishment of the experimental design and has been planted to corn (Zea mays L.) since 1991. The experiment was set up as a randomized complete block design and consisted of three tillage levels (NT, no-till; RT, reduced tillage; and CT, conventional tillage) and two residue levels (-R, no residues; +R, with residues). This study was performed in order to ascertain the effect of these management systems on soil organic carbon (SOC), particulate organic matter carbon (POM-C), microbial biomass carbon (MBC) levels and soil physical properties. Soil physical properties measured included bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat), dry and wet aggregate stability, total porosity, macroporosity at -1 kPa and -6 kPa of matric potential, and moisture content. Crop yield was also measured. Results indicated that lower rates of mineralization of POM-C under NT+R in the surface 0--10 cm led to significantly higher SOC at the same depth. There were no significant differences between treatments at the 10--20 cm depth. The MBC was not a good indicator of the differences in soil organic matter levels between treatments. No-till treatments had higher bulk densities, reduced total porosity and macroporosity, increased moisture content, and increased constant-head measured Ksat. Differences in Ksat as measured with the Guelph permeameter, were not significant between treatments, most likely due to increased earthworm activity in NT. There were no significant differences in crop yield in 1999, but a significantly wetter year in 2000 caused lower grain yields in NT+R compared to NT-R and CT+R.

The rate at which volatile organic compounds (VOCs) are removed from the vadose zone by forced ventilation may be reduced by slow micro-scale processes such as diffusion through intra-aggregate and pore water and slow reactions at sorption sites located at the soil-water interface. Column experiments using benzene and p-xylene were performed in order to simulate cleanup of VOC's in the vadose zone by forced ventilation. Analytical solutions of the one-dimensional advection-dispersion equation coupled to mass transfer equations were fitted to the data. Parameter estimates were used in order to determine time scales of diffusion through water, desorption from, and sorption to, soil organic matter. Lower limits for the time scales for these processes were calculated to be on the order of minutes. Results indicate that these micro-scale processes reduce the rate of removal on the laboratory scale but may have no effect on the field scale.

Copies of author's previously published articles inserted. Bibliography: leaves 173-196. The objective of this thesis is to investigate the factors affecting swelling and dispersion of alkaline sodic soils containing lime and the ways to manage these soils to improve their physical condition. Studies on pure clay systems are included to understand the fundamental process involved in swelling and dispersion of pure and soil clays.

The physical state of the seedbed is of importance to the plant environment as it influences some important processes in the soil such as seedling emergence, water and solute transport, and ease of root penetration. This is affected to a large extent by tillage process, the tillage implement type and the geometry of the implement used.
A field experiment was carried out on a clay soil to determine the effect of the geometry of bladed tillage implements on some soil physical properties after tillage. The soil properties evaluated were bulk density, mean clod size distribution and total pore space after tillage and the extent of loosening achieved.
Implement parameters considered were blade width, rake angle and depth of operation of the implement. Two blade widths of 75 and 150 mm were evaluated in combination with three rake angles of 30, 60 and 90 degrees. Each tillage implement was drawn through the soil at four operating depths of 100, 150, 200 and 250 mm.
Larger rake angles were observed to result in larger mean aggregate sizes and greater bulk density reductions when compared to smaller rake angles. Greater reduction in bulk density was observed with the wider of the two blade widths evaluated. Mean clod size after tillage was also observed to be large for the wider of the two widths evaluated. Irrespective of width and rake angle, greater operating depths resulted in larger mean clod sizes and greater reductions in bulk density as compared to shallower operating depths. Fractal analysis showed the extent of fragmentation to be greater at shallower operating depths, hence the small mean clod sizes obtained.

Thesis (M.Sc. (Soil Science)) --University of Limpopo (Turfloop campus), 2007
The influence of parent material on physical and chemical properties of soil was studied on granite and schist derived soils on the Syferkuil Experimental Farm, situated in the Mankweng area of the Limpopo Province of South Africa. A total of 49 samples of virgin soils were collected, where granite soils constituted 26 samples and schist soils 23. The study design that was used is cross-sectional. The samples were analysed for physical and chemical properties. The physical properties of granite and schist soils were determined as percentages coarse sand, percentages medium sand, percentages fine sand, percentages very fine sand, percentages silt and percentages clay, whilst the chemical properties were determined as concentrations (cmol (+) kg-1) of Na, Mg, Ca, K ,ESP, CEC and P (mg kg-1), as well as pH. Statistical analysis of the results was performed by application of the Unpaired Student’s T Test, with the level of significance at p<0.05. The results showed that soils derived from granite had significantly higher coarse and medium sand fractions than schist soils; whereas schist soils were significantly higher in fine sand, very fine sand, silt and clay. The concentrations of Na, Ca, ESP and P, as well as CEC and pH in schist derived soils were higher than in granite derived soils although the differences were insignificant. However, significant differences occurred in K and Mg concentrations where schist derived soils had higher concentrations than granite derived soils. However, the concentrations of nutrient elements were found to be insufficient for proper production in agriculture. The sodium concentration was found to be low enough to not lead to sodic soil conditions. It was concluded that both granite and schist soils can be used for agriculture but require careful management because both soils indicated poor nutritional status.

Most soils in the Eastern Cape Province, South Africa are shallow and are low in organic matter. Therefore these soils are structurally fragile and highly susceptible to inherent degradative processes like hardsetting. The objective of this study was to determine the effect of cattle manure, scalping and soil wetness on aggregate stability, penetration resistance and early maize growth in hardsetting soils. Glasshouse and field studies were conducted to determine the effect of cattle manure on aggregate stability and penetration resistance of freshly exposed topsoils by scalping at 0, 10 and 20 cm depths. In the glasshouse cattle manure was applied at 0 and 20 Mg/ha and matric suction was kept at ~ 30 and ~ 400 kPa; contrasting high and low soil wetness. Three soils were put in pots and arranged in a randomized complete block 3 2 2 factorial design. The field study was done at the University of Fort Hare research farm and the treatments were arranged in a split-plot complete randomized design with three replications. Scalping treatment was the main plot whilst the quantity of the cattle manure applied was the sub plot. Cattle manure increased mean weight diameter (MWD) by between 48% and 71% under glasshouse and between 18% and 33% under field conditions, depending on the soil wetting rate. Cattle manure reduced MWD when the soil under field condition was subjected to mechanical shaking. Soil penetration resistance decreased linearly, with increasing soil wetness but it rapidly increased with increase in matric suction up to ~200 kPa and thereafter the rate of increase reduced. In the glasshouse, all treatments had no significant effects on shoot dry weight but low matric suction increased root dry weight by 133%. Interaction of cattle manure and low matric suction reduced shoot length by 6%, shoot fresh weight by 25%, root surface area by 36%, root length by 5% and root fresh weight by 29% compared to the control. In contrast, application of cattle manure and high matric suction increased shoot length by 37%, shoot fresh weight by 136%, root surface area by 159%, root length by 94% and root fresh weight by 119%. In the field, cattle manure application increased root length density and shoot dry matter by 26% and 30% respectively. Cattle manure improved the stability of aggregates of the hardsetting soil under rapid or slow water intake conditions experienced during rainfall or irrigation. However, under field conditions cattle manure acted as a deflocculant and decreased the stability of aggregates when mechanical stress was applied. The effectiveness of cattle manure in improving maize growth in hardsetting soils was determined by matric suction.

Air permeability (ka) is a viable alternative to water- and texture-based methods to rapidly map saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ksat). The ability to measure this important hydraulic property without the use of more cumbersome and time-consuming methods may provide a practical approach to generate more complete data to describe hydrologic conditions. This study presents the development of an air permeameter which is suitable for desert soils. The Soil Corer Air Permeameter (SCAP) is compatible with a standard soil corer and employs digital components to measure flowrates under low-pressure gradients to improve accuracy, ease of use, and portability. SCAP allows for the extraction of undisturbed soil samples for laboratory analysis, providing direct comparisons of ka with other soil physical and hydraulic properties. The applicability of a regression equation to estimate Ksat from field-measured ka using SCAP was examined in unburned and burned soils. Ex situ field ka and laboratory Ksat measurements were compared and air to water permeability (ka/kw) ratios were calculated to determine structural changes due to water saturation. The study also characterized changes in permeability due to fire in woodland-chaparral and coniferous soils. For soils that could be extracted with minimal structural changes, results show ka and Ksat measurements for unburned and burned soils were within the 95% confidence intervals of a ka-Ksat regression developed for agricultural soils. However, correlations for in situ ka measurements in some burned soils showed a decrease in accuracy and may be attributed to soil anisotropy. A three-dimensional steady-state finite element air flow model was developed using FEMLAB 3.0A to consider the effects of anisotropy on in situ ka measurements. Results show that anisotropic conditions can introduce an error as high as a factor of 2 especially for air permeameters with high diameter to height (D/H) ratios, however, the error is much smaller than the anisotropy ratio. If anisotropy is important to characterize, it was shown that paired measurements of in situ and ex situ ka can be used to infer the anisotropy ratio.

Four fields of 117 ha area located at the University of Arizona's Maricopa Agricultural Center were selected for this study. Two soil series, the Casa Grande sandy clay loam and Trix clay loam occur. Surface samples (0-25 cm) were collected on a 98 m interval and 3 rows providing 47 sites per field. Sites were classified either as surveying (32) or testing (15) in each of the four fields. Additional samples at 25-50, 50-75, 75-100, and 100-125 cm were obtained with duplicate surface undisturbed cores at 5 sites per field. Soil parameters include bulk density, saturated hydraulic conductivity, moisture retention, particle size analysis, pH, EC, soluble cations, SAR, and ESP. A quantification of the spatial interdependence of samples was developed based on the variogram of soil parameters. A linear model was best fitted to the clay, EC, Ca²⁺, Mg²⁺, Na⁺, SAR and ESP, and a spherical model to the sand, silt, pH, and K⁺ observed variograms. A comparison of variograms obtained conventionally and with the robust estimation of Cressie and Hawkins (1980) for sand and Ca²⁺ were performed with a fixed couples number per class and with a fixed class size. Additionally, a negative log-likelihood function along with cross-validation criteria were used with the jackknifing method to validate and determine variogram parameters. Three interpolation techniques have been compared for estimating 11 soil properties at the test sites. The techniques include Arithmetic Mean, Inversely Weighted Average, and Kriging with various numbers of neighbor estimates. Using 4 point estimates resulted in nearly identical results, but the 8 point estimates gave more contrast for results among the alternative techniques. Jackknifing was used with 4, 8, 15, 25 neighbors for estimating 188 points of sand and Ca²⁺ with the three techniques. Sand showed a definite advantage of Kriging by lowering the Mean Square Error with increasing neighbor number. The simple interpolator Arithmetic Mean was comparable and sometimes even better than the other techniques. Kriging, the most complex technique, was not the absolute best interpolator over all situations as perhaps expected. The spatial dependence for the 11 soil variables was studied by preparing contour maps by punctual Kriging. Sand and Ca²⁺ were also mapped by block Kriging estimates.

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Avaliaram-se os efeitos de cinco sistemas de preparo do solo nos atributos físicos de um Argissolo Amarelo coeso de Tabuleiro, bem como no crescimento, desenvolvimento e nutrição do mamoeiro Formosa Tainung 01 irrigado. O experimento foi instalado em 21/01/2011 e conduzido a campo por 260 dias, em área anteriormente utilizada com pastagem de Brachiaria nunca corrigida ou fertilizada, irrigada por sistema de aspersão de baixa pressão. Os tratamentos, implantados em cinco repetições e em delineamento de blocos ao acaso foram: 1) grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora + camalhão sobre a linha confeccionado 135 após transplantio (GA c/ CAM); 2) grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora (GA s/ CAM); 3) subsolador florestal (SF); 4) grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora + escarificação com 3 hastes sobre a linha de plantio (GA + ELP); 5) grade aradora (duas vezes) + niveladora + escarificação com 3 hastes em área total (GA + EAT). Os preparos receberam sulcamento mecanizado e banquetas, confeccionadas manualmente com terra solta do sulco, que foram niveladas e fertilizadas para receber as mudas. Antes da implantação dos tratamentos a área experimental foi caracterizada quanto à resistência mecânica à penetração (RP) acompanhada pela umidade do solo, diâmetro médio ponderado (DMP), diâmetro médio geométrico (DMG), densidade do solo (Ds), macroporosidade (Ma), microporosidade (Mi), relação Ma/Mi, textura do solo e fertilidade. Após a implantação dos tratamentos foram determinadas RP, acompanhada pela umidade do solo, DMP, DMG, Ds, Ma, Mi, relação Ma/Mi e variáveis biométricas de nutrição e produção como altura de plantas, diâmetro do tronco a 0,20 m de altura, altura de inserção do primeiro fruto, sexo das plantas, teores foliares de macro e micronutrientes bem como número de frutos por planta com separação de frutos comerciais e não comerciais. O tratamento estatístico dos dados constou de cálculo do erro padrão da média para os dados de RP e para os demais dados, análise de variância e teste de Tukey a nível de 5% de probabilidade. Houve diferenças de resistência à penetração entre os tratamentos. O subsolador mostrou-se mais efetivo na diminuição da RP até 0,35 m de distância da planta no sentido transversal à linha de plantio. O escarificador resultou em menores RP do que GA ou SF, mesmo a 0,40 m de profundidade, e foi mais eficiente a maiores distâncias transversalmente à planta. Todos os preparos provocaram RP menores do que 2,5 MPa na profundidade de maior concentração de raízes do mamoeiro (0 0,25 m) fornecendo boas condições físicas até essa profundidade. Não houve diferença estatística entre os tratamentos para Ds, Ma, Mi, relação Ma/Mi, DMP e DMG a 0,20 m de profundidade e teores foliares de macro e micronutrientes aos 197 dias após transplantio. A altura de plantas em duas épocas foi menor para o SF e igual estatisticamente para os outros tratamentos. A grade aradora alterou os atributos físicos do solo em maior intensidade até 0,20 m de profundidade. A produção total de frutos e de frutos comerciais foi maior nos preparos GA c/ CAM, GA s/ CAM, GA+ELP e GA+EAT, os quais não diferiram entre si. Não houve diferenças para produtividade de frutos não comerciais. Não se justificou o uso do camalhão sobre a linha de plantio confeccionado após o transplantio. Do ponto de vista de conservação do solo, quando considerados os dados de estabilidade de agregados, os preparos foram semelhantes. A relação entre o crescimento e desenvolvimento das plantas e diferentes preparos de solo deve ser avaliada considerando o conjunto de atributos físicos e químicos do solo
The effects of five tillage systems on soil physical attributes, growth, development and nutrition of Formosa papaya Tainung 01 were evaluated on cohesive Alfisol of Coastal Tableland. The experiment was planted on january 21, 2011 and remained in field for 260 days, in an area previously used with Brachiaria never corrected nor fertilized before and irrigated by low pressure sprinkler system. Treatments were applied in five replicates and statistical design of random blocks were: 1) heavy disc harrow (twice) + offset disc harrow + ridge on row planting made 135 days after transplanting (GA c/ CAM); 2) heavy disc harrow (twice) + offset disc harrow (GA s/ CAM); 3) forester subsoiler (SF); 4) heavy disc harrow (twice) + offset disc harrow + chisel plow on row planting (GA+ELP); 5) heavy disc harrow (twice) + offset disc harrow + chisel plow on total area (GA+EAT). All tillage systems received mechanized furrower and a bench made with loose soil and fertilizers and over which the seedlings were planted. As a characterization of experimental area before application of treatments, were determined penetration resistance (RP) followed by soil moisture, mean weight diameter (DMP), geometric mean diameter (DMG), bulk density (Ds), macroporosity (Ma), microporosity (Mi), Ma/Mi ratio, soil texture and fertility. After application of treatments were determined RP, accompanied by soil moisture, DMP, DMG, Ds, Ma, Mi and Ma/Mi ratio and biometric variables of nutrition and production as plant height, stem diameter at 0,20 m height, height of insertion of the first fruit, plant sex, foliar contents of macro and micronutrients as well as number of fruits per plant with separation of commercial and non-commercial ones. Statistical treatment of data included calculation of mean standard error for RP and analysis of variance for all other data accompanied by the Tukey test for comparison of means at 5% level of probability. There were differences in penetration resistance between treatments. Subsoiler showed to be more effective in the decrease of RP up to 0,35 m away from the plant in the direction transverse to the rows. Chisel plow produced smaller RP than GA or SF, even at 0,40 m depth and was more effective at greater distances from the plant. All tillage systems produced RP smaller than 2.5 MPa at a depth with the greater concentration of papaya roots (0 0.25 m) and provided good physical conditions up to this depth. There was no statistical difference between treatments for Ds, Ma, Mi, Ma/Mi ratio, DMP e DMG at 0.20 m depth and foliar contents of macro and micronutrients at 197 days after transplanting. Height of plants in two stages were lower for the SF and statistically equal to the other treatments. Heavy disc harrow altered soil physical attributes at a higher intensity up to 0.20 m depht. Total fruit yield and commercial fruit yield was higher in GA c/ CAM, GA s/ CAM, GA+ELP and GA+EAT, which did not differ. There were no differences for non-commercial fruit yield. There was no justification for the building of the ridge on the planting row after instalation of the orchard. From the standpoint of conservation of soil, when considering the stability of aggregates data, all tillage systems were similar. The relationship between growth and development performance of plants and tillage systems should be evaluated considering whole physical and chemical properties of soil

Thesis (M.S.)--University of Toledo, 2010.
Typescript. "Submitted to the Graduate Faculty as partial fulfillment of the requirements for the Masters of Science Degree in Biology." "A thesis entitled"--at head of title. Title from title page of PDF document. Bibliography: p. 58-63.

Mechanisms of root growth under variable field conditions were investigated by observing corn ( Zea mays L.) root growth and distribution in the field and by observing the influence of soil physical stresses on corn seedling root growth in controlled environments. The field soil was Groseclose silt loam (clayey, mixed, mesic Typic Hapludult). Groseclose A horizon material was used for the growth chamber experiments where corn was grown in a range of aggregate sizes, bulk densities, low and high soil moisture levels, and temperatures. Rooting patterns in the field were altered by drought. Root length density decreased in the dry surface soil and proliferated in the moist subsurface soil. Distribution of roots length densities was skewed. A few samples contained many roots and many samples contained few roots because roots were restricted to interpedal voids. In the growth chamber experiments, roots were not able to penetrate large aggregates and were restricted to interaggregate zones. This tortuous path of root growth led to transitory impedances as roots were deflected around aggregates. Corn roots were able to push small aggregates out of their path. An equation was developed to describe this impedance as a function of aggregate size, root diameter, and deflection angle. Mechanical impedance, oxygen stress, lower temperatures, and moisture stress reduced seedling root elongation to some extent, but the influence of reduced temperature was the most dramatic. At 6 days corn root length at 21°C was 20% of that at 25°C while root length at 17°C was only 5% of that at 25°C. Mechanical impedance and reduced temperatures also increased root diameter. In wet soil, oxygen stress was the most immediate factor affecting root growth, but after 4 days root elongation was stimulated suggesting other unknown factors. Two semi-empirical models were developed. One was based on the exponential growth rate of the root system and the other based on the linear growth rate of each root member. These models accounted for the reduction in root growth rate due to the soil physical stresses.
Ph. D.

Forest areas are particularly susceptible to fires, which are often manmade. Too-frequent fires are likely to adversely affect the soil properties as well as vegetation composition, and possibly lead to soil erosion and desertification. One of the most fire affected forest regions in the world is the Mediterranean. Libya, in the Mediterranean region, has soils that are considered to be arid except in a small area called Aljabal Alakhdar (Green mountain), which is the geographic area covered by this study. It is the wettest part of Libya, and has an extensive forest and many agricultural crops. Like other forests in the Mediterranean it has suffered extreme degradation. This is mainly due to people removing fire wood, or sometimes converting forested areas to agricultural use, as well as fires which may alter several soil chemical and physical properties. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of fires on the physical and chemical properties of soil of Aljabal Alakhdar forest in the north-east of Libya. The physical and chemical properties of soil following fire in two geographic areas have been determined, with those subjected to the fire compared to those in adjacent unburned areas in one coastal and one mountain site. Physical properties studied were: soil particle size, soil water content, soil porosity and soil particle density; and chemical properties studied were: soil electrical conductivity (EC), soil pH, soluble and exchangeable Na, K, Ca and Mg, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soluble Cl, CO3 and HCO3, SO4, organic matter, total N and total P. For the first time in Libyan soils, the effect of burning on the magnetic susceptibility properties of soils was also tested. The results showed that except for the soil water content and magnetic susceptibility, fire has not had a clear effect on the soils' physical properties, while there has been a strong impact of fire on most of the studied chemical properties. These results have been used to create an index of burning for such soils in each of the geographic areas, as a step towards creating a model which will enable a subset of soil parameters to be used to estimate how recently a site was burned, as well as defining fire severity at a site.

Forest areas are particularly susceptible to fires, which are often manmade. Too-frequent fires are likely to adversely affect the soil properties as well as vegetation composition, and possibly lead to soil erosion and desertification. One of the most fire affected forest regions in the world is the Mediterranean. Libya, in the Mediterranean region, has soils that are considered to be arid except in a small area called Aljabal Alakhdar (Green mountain), which is the geographic area covered by this study. It is the wettest part of Libya, and has an extensive forest and many agricultural crops. Like other forests in the Mediterranean it has suffered extreme degradation. This is mainly due to people removing fire wood, or sometimes converting forested areas to agricultural use, as well as fires which may alter several soil chemical and physical properties. The purpose of this research was to evaluate the effects of fires on the physical and chemical properties of soil of Aljabal Alakhdar forest in the north-east of Libya. The physical and chemical properties of soil following fire in two geographic areas have been determined, with those subjected to the fire compared to those in adjacent unburned areas in one coastal and one mountain site. Physical properties studied were: soil particle size, soil water content, soil porosity and soil particle density; and chemical properties studied were: soil electrical conductivity (EC), soil pH, soluble and exchangeable Na, K, Ca and Mg, cation exchange capacity (CEC), soluble Cl, CO3 and HCO3, SO4, organic matter, total N and total P. For the first time in Libyan soils, the effect of burning on the magnetic susceptibility properties of soils was also tested. The results showed that except for the soil water content and magnetic susceptibility, fire has not had a clear effect on the soils¿ physical properties, while there has been a strong impact of fire on most of the studied chemical properties. These results have been used to create an index of burning for such soils in each of the geographic areas, as a step towards creating a model which will enable a subset of soil parameters to be used to estimate how recently a site was burned, as well as defining fire severity at a site.
Libyan Government

This study investigates the changes in soil fertility due to the different aggregate breakdown mechanisms and it analyses their relationships in different soil-plant systems, using physical aggregates behavior and organic matter (OM) changes as indicators. Three case studies were investigated: i) an organic agricultural soil, where a combined method, aimed to couple aggregate stability to nutrients loss, were tested; ii) a soil biosequence, where OM chemical characterisation and fractionation of aggregates on the basis of their physical behaviour were coupled and iii) a soils sequence in different phytoclimatic conditions, where isotopic C signature of separated aggregates was analysed. In agricultural soils the proposed combined method allows to identify that the severity of aggregate breakdown affected the quantity of nutrients lost more than nutrients availability, and that P, K and Mg were the most susceptible elements to water abrasion, while C and N were mainly susceptible to wetting. In the studied Chestnut-Douglas fir biosequence, OM chemical properties affected the relative importance of OM direct and indirect mechanisms (i.e., organic and organic-metallic cements, respectively) involved in aggregate stability and nutrient losses: under Douglas fir, high presence of carboxylate groups enhanced OM-metal interactions and stabilised aggregates; whereas under Chestnut, OM directly acted and fresh, more C-rich OM was preserved. OM direct mechanism seemed to be more efficient in C preservation in aggregates. The 13C natural abundance approach showed that, according to phytoclimatic conditions, stable macroaggregates can form both around partially decomposed OM and by organic-mineral interactions. In topsoils, aggregate resistance enhanced 13C-rich OM preservation, but in subsoils C preservation was due to other mechanisms, likely OM-mineral interactions. The proposed combined approach seems to be useful in the understanding of C and nutrients fate relates to water stresses, and in future research it could provide new insights into the complexity of soil biophysical processes.

In soil, where trees and crops grow, heavy vehicles shear and compact the soil, leading to reduced plant growth and diminished nutrient recycling. Computer simulations offer the possibility to improve the understanding of these undesired phenomena. In this thesis, soils were modelled as large collections of contacting spherical particles using the Discrete Element Method (DEM) and the physics engine AGX Dynamics, and these entities were analyzed. In the first part of the thesis, soils, which were considered to be continua, were subjected to various controlled deformations and fields for quantities such as stress and strain were visualized using coarse graining (CG). These fields were then compared against analytical solutions. The main goal of the thesis was to evaluate the usefulness, accuracy, and precision of this plotting technique when applied to DEM-soils. The general behaviour of most fields agreed well with analytical or expected behaviour. Moreover, the fields presented valuable information about phenomena in the soils. Relative errors varied from 1.2 to 27 %. The errors were believed to arise chiefly from non-uniform displacement (due to the inherent granularity in the technique), and unintended uneven particle distribution. The most prominent drawback with the technique was found to be the unreliability of the plots near the boundaries. This is significant, since the behaviour of a soil at the surface where it is in contact with e.g. a vehicle tyre is of interest. In the second part of the thesis, a vehicle traversed a soil and fields were visualized using the same technique. Following a limited analysis, it was found that the stress in the soil can be crudely approximated as the stress in a linear elastic solid.

Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2012
ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Biochar has been labelled to be a key factor in the global carbon mitigation act and has been described as the modern day equivalent (terra nova) to the terra preta dark earth soils of the Brazilian Amazon. Globally biochar has been evaluated as a means to improve soil fertility and to mitigate greenhouse gases (GHGs). Little research has however been published on the effects of biochar incorporation on soil physical properties. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effect of pine sawmill waste derived biochar (locally-produced via slow pyrolysis – 450°C) on selected soil physical properties, soil-water dynamics and crop production and- performance, when amended to a Kroonstad (Kd 1000 – Morgendal) soil form. This soil form is commonly found in the Western Cape area (South Africa) and can be classified as having low agricultural suitability for perennial- and annual crop species. Two pot trials were carried out in an atmospheric controlled greenhouse, where winter wheat and green beans respectively were planted, with five different application levels of biochar (0t/ha, 1t/ha, 10t/ha, 50t/ha and 200t/ha). Soil physical properties namely, water-stable aggregates, bulk density and water-retention capacity along with physiochemical characterisation of the sandy soil and biochar was determined. The water-use was monitored throughout the trials (evapotranspiration, volumetric water content and biomass water use efficiency, BWUE). The above- and below ground (specific leaf traits for the green bean and the root structural development for the winter wheat) biomass was collected and analysed at harvest. There was significantly higher volumetric water content measured for the 50t/ha and 200t/ha biochar treatments. This effect can be ascribed due to a change in the soil’s tortuosity and porosity where more meso- and micro-pores were present as the biochar rate increased. The same results were evident when a water-retention curve was established in vitro by means of the sandbox method. The bulk densities were only significantly lower for the 200t/ha biochar treatments. The wheat root systems differed greatly among the fertilised biochar treatments: the 50t/ha and 200t/ha treatments had a more complex fibrous root system (more extensive branching and thinner roots) than 0t/ha, 1t/ha and 10t/ha application levels. This is attributed to the increased water-holding capacity along with a reduction of N- and P availability with increasing addition of biochar. Several leaf traits were measured for the green bean crops; however the leaf nitrogen- and carbon content, chlorophyll content index (CCI) and carbon isotope fractionation yielded the most interesting findings. Concerning the fertilised biochar treatments, there was established that the 10t/ha treatments had the highest leaf nitrogen- and carbon content. The leaf chlorophyll content did not differ significantly between the fertilised biochar treatments; however a very interesting observation was evident regarding the measured leaf CCI for the unfertilised treatments. A decreasing trend and lower leaf CCI was measured as the biochar application levels increased. This effect was ascribed to be due to a decrease in N uptake by the plants as the biochar application increased, the C/N ratio also increased, and this leading to N immobilisation. The lowest leaf carbon isotope fractionation was measured for the 10t/ha fertilised treatments and is inversely correlated with BWUE and therefore endorses the conclusion that the 10t/ha biochar application had a positive effect on the long term water use efficiency for the green bean plants. Biochar promoted aggregation in the sand-rhizosphere interface for winter wheat, increased water-holding capacity and enhanced crop performance for green beans. The findings reported here provide new information on the effect of biochar on the structural development of sandy soil, combined with biochar- and root growth effects for winter wheat; along with detailed interpretations of specific leaf traits associated with crop production for commercial green beans. The addition of biochar at low application levels (approximately 1-10t/ha to 15 cm depth) increased the biomass yield and water use efficiency of the crop species. Besides long term carbon storage, biochar can have immediate positive effects on the physical properties of sand and plant growth.
AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Biokoolstof word beskou as ‘n sleutel komponent rakende die wet op globale koolstofvermindering en is al beskryf as die moderne ekwivalent (terra nova) van die terra preta donker-aardgronde wat aangetref word in die Brasiliaanse Amasone. Wêreldwyd word biokoolstof tans geëvalueer met die doel om grondvrugbaarheid te verbeter asook kweekhuisgasse (KHG) se nadelige gevolge te verlig. Min navorsing was tot dus ver gedoen rakende die uitwerking met toediening van biokoolstof op grondfisiese-eienskappe. Die doel van hierdie studie was om die effek van biokoolstof, wat afkomstig is van denne-saagmeul-afval (plaaslik geproduseer is en d.m.v. stadige perolise - 450°C) te evalueer aangaande die volgende faktore: geselekteerde grondfisiese-eienskappe, grond-waterdinamika interaksie en die uitwerking op gewasproduksie; met toediening aan 'n Kroonstad (Kd 1000 - Morgendal) grondvorm. Hierdie grondvorm word as algemeen in die Wes-Kaap (Suid-Afrika) bestempel en kan geklassifiseer word as ‘n lae-geskiktheid landbougrond vir meerjarige- en eenjarige gewasse. Twee potproewe is uitgevoer onder beheerde atmosfeer in ‘n kweekhuis, waar winter koring en groenbone geplant is, met vyf verskillende behandelings van biokoolstof (0t/ha, 1t/ha, 10t/ha, 50t/ha en 200t/ha). Die volgende grondfisiese-eienskappe is ondersoek, naamlik water-stabiele aggregaat formasie, bulkdigtheid en waterhouvermoë, asook die fisiochemiese karakterisering van die sanderige grond en biokoolstof wat gebuik is. Waterverbruik is gedurende die proewe gekontroleer (evapotranspirasie, volumetriese waterinhoud en die biomassa se water verbruiksdoeltreffendheid, BWVD). Die bo- en ondergrondse biomassa, spesifiek die blaareienskappe van die groenboontjie en die strukturele ontwikkeling van die winter koring se wortels, is tydens die oes ondersoek en ontleed. Die volumetriese waterinhoud was betekenisvol, asook hoër vir die 50t/ha en 200t/ha behandelings. Hierdie effek word toegeskryf as gevolg van 'n verandering in die grond se kronkeligheid en porositeit; waar meer meso- en mikroporieë teenwoordig was soos die biokoolstof inhoud toegeneem het. Dieselfde resultate was verkry met die opstelling van ‘n water-retensie kurwe in vitro d.m.v. die Sandboks metode. Bulkdigtheid was slegs betekenisvol verskilled asook aansienlik laer vir die 200t/ha biokoolstof behandelings. Die koring se wortelstelsel het drasties verskil tussen die verskillende bemeste biokoolstof behandelings: die 50t/ha en 200t/ha behandelings het 'n meer komplekse en veselagtige wortelstelsel gevorm (hoër graad van vertakking en dunner wortels was aanwesig) as die 0t/ha, 1t/ha en 10t/ha behandelings. Die effek word toegeskryf aan die toenemende waterhouvermoë, tesame met 'n tekort aan N- en P-beskikbaarheid soos die biokoolstof toedieningshoeveelhede verhoog het. Verskeie blaareienskappe is gemeet vir die groenboon gewasse, maar die blaar stikstof- en koolstof-inhoud, chlorofil inhoud indeks (CII) en koolstof-isotoop fraksionering het die mees interessante bevindinge opgelewer. Die hoogste blaar stikstof-en koolstof-inhoud is gemeet vir die 10t/ha bemeste biokoolstof behandelings. Die blaar chlorofil inhoud het nie beduidend verskil tussen die bemeste biokoolstof behandelings nie, maar daar was egter 'n baie interessante waarneming vir die onbemeste biokoolstof behandelings. ‘n Tendens was aanwesig waar die CII afgeneem het soos die biokoolstof toedieningshoeveelheid ook afgeneem het vir die onbemeste behandelings. Die effek word toegeskryf as gevolg van 'n afname in N-opname deur die plant soos die biokoolstof toedieningshoeveelheid verhoog is en tot gevolg gehad het dat die C/N-verhouding ook toegeneem het, wat gelei het tot N-immobilisasie. Die laagste blaar koolstof-isotoop fraksionering was geassioseer met die 10t/ha bemeste biokoolstof behandelings en is omgekeerd gekorreleerd met BWVD en onderskryf dus die gevolgtrekking dat die 10t/ha biokoolstof behandeling 'n positiewe uitwerking het op die langtermyn waterverbruiksdoeltreffendheid vir groenboontjie plante. Biokoolstof het aggregasie bevorder binne die wortelsone, asook deurgans die waterhouvermoë verhoog en gewasproduksie verbeter. Hierdie bevindinge lewer nuwe inligting oor die effek van biokoolstof op die strukturele ontwikkeling van sanderige grond en die gekombineerde interaksie met biokoolstof toediening en hoe dit wortegroei beïnvloed van winter koring; asook 'n gedetailleerde interpretasie van spesifieke blaareienskappe wat verband hou met die produksie van gewasse vir kommersiële verbouing soos die groenboontjie. Die toediening van biokoolstof by die lae hoeveelhede (ongeveer 1-10t/ha tot op 15 cm diepte) het die opbrengs en waterverbruiksdoeltreffendheid van die gewasse verbeter. Behalwe vir die langtermyn koolstofvaslegging, kan biokoolstof toediening onmiddellike positiewe resultate teweeg bring aangaande die fisiese eienskappe van sandgronde en plantegroei.

The aim of the thesis is to find a method, in conjunction with the ordinary differential equation (ODE) based method of lines (MOL) solution of Richards’ equation, to model the steep wetting front infiltration in very dry soils, accurately and efficiently. Due to the steep pressure head or steep water volumetric content gradients, highly nonlinear soil hydraulic properties and the rapid movement of the wetting front, accurate solutions for infiltration into a dry soil are usually difficult to obtain. Additionally, such problems often require very small time steps and large computation times. As an enhancement to the used ODE/MOL approach, Higher Order Finite Differencing, Varying Order Finite Differencing, Vertical Scaling, Adaptive Schemes and Non-uniform Stretching Techniques have been implemented and tested in this thesis. Success has been found in the ability of Vertical Scaling to simulate very steep moving front solution for the Burgers’ equation. Unfortunately, the results also show that Vertical Scaling needs significant research and improvement before their full potential in routine applications for difficult nonlinear problems, such as Richard’s equation with very steep moving front solution, can be realized. However, we have also shown that the use of the composed form of RE and a 2nd order finite differencing for the first order derivative approximation is conducive for modelling steep moving front problem in a very dry soil. Additionally, with the combination of an optimal influx value at the edges of the inlet, the ODE/MOL approach is able to model a 2-D infiltration in very dry soils, effectively and accurately. Furthermore, one of the strengths of this thesis is the use of a MATLAB PDE template. Implementing the ODE/MOL approach via a MATLAB PDE template has shown to be most suitable for modelling of partial differential equations. The plug and play mode of modifying the PDE template for solving time-dependent partial differential equations is user-friendly and easy, as compared to more conventional approaches using Pascal, Fortran, C or C++. The template offers greater modularity, flexibility, versatility, and efficiency for solving PDE problems in both 1-D and 2-D spatial dimensions. Moreover, the 2-D PDE template has been extended for irregular shaped domains.