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Processes in the Unsaturated Zone by Reliable Soil Water Content Estimation: Indications for Soil Water Management from a Sandy Soil Experimental Field in Central Italy

Author

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  • Lucio Di Matteo

    (Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Pascoli s.n.c., 06123 Perugia, Italy)

  • Alessandro Spigarelli

    (Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Pascoli s.n.c., 06123 Perugia, Italy)

  • Sofia Ortenzi

    (Dipartimento di Fisica e Geologia, Università degli Studi di Perugia, Via Pascoli s.n.c., 06123 Perugia, Italy)

Abstract

Reliable soil moisture data are essential for achieving sustainable water management. In this framework, the performance of devices to estimate the volumetric moisture content by means dielectric properties of soil/water system is of increasing interest. The present work evaluates the performance of the PR2/6 soil moisture profile probe with implications on the understanding of processes involving the unsaturated zone. The calibration at the laboratory scale and the validation in an experimental field in Central Italy highlight that although the shape of the moisture profile is the same, there are essential differences between soil moisture values obtained by the calibrated equation and those obtained by the manufacturer one. These differences are up to 10 percentage points for fine-grained soils containing iron oxides. Inaccurate estimates of soil moisture content do not help with understanding the soil water dynamic, especially after rainy periods. The sum of antecedent soil moisture conditions (the Antecedent Soil moisture Index (ASI)) and rainfall related to different stormflow can be used to define the threshold value above which the runoff significantly increases. Without an accurate calibration process, the ASI index is overestimated, thereby affecting the threshold evaluation. Further studies on other types of materials and in different climatic conditions are needed to implement an effective monitoring network useful to manage the soil water and to support the validation of remote sensing data and hydrological soil models.

Suggested Citation

  • Lucio Di Matteo & Alessandro Spigarelli & Sofia Ortenzi, 2020. "Processes in the Unsaturated Zone by Reliable Soil Water Content Estimation: Indications for Soil Water Management from a Sandy Soil Experimental Field in Central Italy," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(1), pages 1-15, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jsusta:v:13:y:2020:i:1:p:227-:d:469725
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    2. Olutobi Adeyemi & Ivan Grove & Sven Peets & Tomas Norton, 2017. "Advanced Monitoring and Management Systems for Improving Sustainability in Precision Irrigation," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 9(3), pages 1-29, February.
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    5. Saskia Visser & Saskia Keesstra & Gilbert Maas & Margot de Cleen & Co Molenaar, 2019. "Soil as a Basis to Create Enabling Conditions for Transitions Towards Sustainable Land Management as a Key to Achieve the SDGs by 2030," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(23), pages 1-19, November.
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