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Impact of Soil Amendments on the Hydraulic Conductivity of Boreal Agricultural Podzols

Author

Listed:
  • Dinushika Wanniarachchi

    (School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada)

  • Mumtaz Cheema

    (School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada)

  • Raymond Thomas

    (School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada)

  • Vanessa Kavanagh

    (Department of Fisheries and Land Resources, Government of Newfoundland, Pasadena, NL A0L 1K0, Canada)

  • Lakshman Galagedara

    (School of Science and the Environment, Memorial University of Newfoundland, Corner Brook, NL A2H 5G4, Canada)

Abstract

Hydraulic properties of soil are the basis for understanding the flow and transport through the vadose zone. It has been demonstrated that different soil amendments can alter the soil properties affecting soil hydrology. The aim of this study was to determine the effect of soil amendments on hydraulic conductivity (K) of a loamy sand podzolic soil under both unsaturated (K unsat ) and near-saturated (near K sat ) conditions in an agricultural setting. A field experiment was conducted with two common soil amendments: Dairy manure (DM) in 2016 and 2017 and biochar (BC) once only in 2016. DM and BC were incorporated up to a depth of 0.15–0.20 m at a rate of 30,000 L ha −1 and 20 Mg ha −1 , respectively. A randomized complete block experimental design was used and the plots planted with silage corn ( Zea mays L.) without irrigation. The treatments were: Control without amendment (0N), inorganic N fertilizer (IN), two types of DM (IN+DM1 and IN+DM2), and two treatments with BC (IN+BC and IN+DM1+BC). Infiltration data were collected using a mini disk infiltrometer under three tension levels in which −0.04 and −0.02 m was ascribed as unsaturated (at the wet end) and −0.001 m as near-saturated condition. Based on the measured infiltration rates, K unsat and near K sat hydraulic conductivities were calculated. There were no significant effects of DM and BC on bulk density and near K sat . Treatments IN+DM1, IN+DM2, and IN+DM1+BC significantly reduced the K unsat compared to the control. Since these soil amendments can influence soil hydrology such as reduced infiltration and increased surface runoff, carefully monitored application of soil amendments is recommended.

Suggested Citation

  • Dinushika Wanniarachchi & Mumtaz Cheema & Raymond Thomas & Vanessa Kavanagh & Lakshman Galagedara, 2019. "Impact of Soil Amendments on the Hydraulic Conductivity of Boreal Agricultural Podzols," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(6), pages 1-12, June.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jagris:v:9:y:2019:i:6:p:133-:d:242714
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Cherobim, Verediana Fernanda & Favaretto, Nerilde & de Freitas Melo, Vander & Barth, Gabriel & Huang, Chi-Hua, 2018. "Soil surface sealing by liquid dairy manure affects saturated hydraulic conductivity of Brazilian Oxisols," Agricultural Water Management, Elsevier, vol. 203(C), pages 193-196.
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    Cited by:

    1. Ratnajit Saha & Lakshman Galagedara & Raymond Thomas & Muhammad Nadeem & Kelly Hawboldt, 2020. "Investigating the Influence of Biochar Amendment on the Physicochemical Properties of Podzolic Soil," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 10(10), pages 1-29, October.
    2. Marli Vermooten & Muhammad Nadeem & Mumtaz Cheema & Raymond Thomas & Lakshman Galagedara, 2019. "Temporal Effects of Biochar and Dairy Manure on Physicochemical Properties of Podzol: Case from a Silage-Corn Production Trial in Boreal Climate," Agriculture, MDPI, vol. 9(8), pages 1-14, August.
    3. Nikolay Gorbach & Viktor Startsev & Anton Mazur & Evgeniy Milanovskiy & Anatoly Prokushkin & Alexey Dymov, 2022. "Simulation of Smoldering Combustion of Organic Horizons at Pine and Spruce Boreal Forests with Lab-Heating Experiments," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(24), pages 1-20, December.
    4. Anastasia Angelaki & Alkiviadis Dionysidis & Parveen Sihag & Evangelia E. Golia, 2022. "Assessment of Contamination Management Caused by Copper and Zinc Cations Leaching and Their Impact on the Hydraulic Properties of a Sandy and a Loamy Clay Soil," Land, MDPI, vol. 11(2), pages 1-19, February.

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