Masters Theses

Keywords and Phrases

carbon cycle; field-scale heterogeneity; hydraulic conductivity; pedotransfer function; soil health; soil-water relationship

Abstract

"Soil is a living, dynamic system that performs vital functions such as crop production, organic matter decomposition, and the flow and transport of water. Given the pressures of food and in some locales water security, climate change, and sustainability, farmers, scientists, and other related specialists and stakeholders must have access to understandable soil health indicators as well as the soil hydraulic function parameters to maximize crop growth while maintaining soil health. Although biological and physical soil parameters are different, we aim to evaluate their relationship at the field scale. Hydraulic conductivity in the vadose zone may be especially important, as it affects the flow of air and water that control many biological and chemical processes. This study makes use of recent advancements in mapping hydraulic conductivity using ground-penetrating radar techniques in a vineyard in St. James, Missouri. These maps were used to select sample locations of varying hydraulic conductivity, which was used in turn to acquire other soil parameters that are indicative of the biotic system, specifically the microbial activity and carbon cycle. This study observed that the soil health parameters strongly positively correlated with the hydraulic parameters, but neither correlated with the particle size analysis of the soil. This suggests that hydraulic conductivity is tied to the carbon cycle. We also investigated the potential for estimating soil parameters that are more difficult or expensive to measure, such as the field saturated hydraulic conductivity and soil respiration, using soil parameters that are easier or cheaper to measure, such as aggregate stability, soil organic carbon content, and bulk density. Adjusted bulk density and soil organic carbon were strong predictors of hydraulic conductivity" -- Abstract, p. iii

Advisor(s)

Grote, Katherine R.

Committee Member(s)

Mormile, Melanie R.
Cawlfield, Jeffrey D.

Department(s)

Geosciences and Geological and Petroleum Engineering

Degree Name

M.S. in Geological Engineering

Publisher

Missouri University of Science and Technology

Publication Date

Summer 2024

Pagination

x, 55 pages

Note about bibliography

Includes_bibliographical_references_(pages 51-54)

Rights

©2024 Lyndsey Bennett , All Rights Reserved

Document Type

Thesis - Open Access

File Type

text

Language

English

Thesis Number

T 12420

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