Articles | Volume 8, issue 5
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-1003-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-1003-2017
© Author(s) 2017. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 License.
Research article
| 
28 Sep 2017
Research article |
| 28 Sep 2017
Physical soil quality indicators for monitoring British soils
Ron Corstanje
Cranfield Soil and Agrifood Institute, School of Water, Energy and
Environment (SWEE), Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK
Theresa G. Mercer
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
Cranfield Institute for Resilient Futures, School of Water, Energy
and Environment (SWEE), Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK
Jane R. Rickson
Cranfield Soil and Agrifood Institute, School of Water, Energy and
Environment (SWEE), Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK
Lynda K. Deeks
Cranfield Soil and Agrifood Institute, School of Water, Energy and
Environment (SWEE), Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK
Paul Newell-Price
ADAS Gleadthorpe, Meden Vale, Mansfield, Notts., NG20 9PF, UK
Ian Holman
Cranfield Water Science Institute, School of Water, Energy and
Environment (SWEE), Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK
Cedric Kechavarsi
Department of Engineering, University of Cambridge, University of
Cambridge, Trumpington Street, Cambridge, CB2 1PZ, UK
Toby W. Waine
Cranfield Soil and Agrifood Institute, School of Water, Energy and
Environment (SWEE), Cranfield University, Bedfordshire, MK43 0AL, UK
Related authors
William Rust, John P. Bloomfield, Mark Cuthbert, Ron Corstanje, and Ian Holman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2449–2467, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2449-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2449-2022, 2022
Short summary
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We highlight the importance of the North Atlantic Oscillation in controlling droughts in the UK. Specifically, multi-year cycles in the NAO are shown to influence the frequency of droughts and this influence changes considerably over time. We show that the influence of these varying controls is similar to the projected effects of climate change on water resources. We also show that these time-varying behaviours have important implications for water resource forecasts used for drought planning.
William Rust, Mark Cuthbert, John Bloomfield, Ron Corstanje, Nicholas Howden, and Ian Holman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 2223–2237, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2223-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2223-2021, 2021
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In this paper, we find evidence for the cyclical behaviour (on a 7-year basis) in UK streamflow records that match the main cycle of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Furthermore, we find that the strength of these 7-year cycles in streamflow is dependent on proportional contributions from groundwater and the response times of the underlying groundwater systems. This may allow for improvements to water management practices through better understanding of long-term streamflow behaviour.
William Rust, Ian Holman, John Bloomfield, Mark Cuthbert, and Ron Corstanje
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3233–3245, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3233-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3233-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We show that major groundwater resources in the UK exhibit strong multi-year cycles, accounting for up to 40 % of total groundwater level variability. By comparing these cycles with recorded widespread groundwater droughts over the past 60 years, we provide evidence that climatic systems (such as the North Atlantic Oscillation) ultimately drive drought-risk periods in UK groundwater. The recursive nature of these drought-risk periods may lead to improved preparedness for future droughts.
John Beale, Boris Snapir, Toby Waine, Jonathan Evans, and Ronald Corstanje
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-294, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-294, 2019
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Knowledge of soil moisture is important managing their agricultural crops controlling irrigation, predicting flows in rivers and streams, weather forecasting and climate modelling. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) from satellites can provide wide area coverage on a regular basis. This paper investigates the magnitude of the uncertainties that are influenced by soil properties to evaluate the role of existing soil databases in soil moisture retrieval and interpretation.
A. Chiverton, J. Hannaford, I. P. Holman, R. Corstanje, C. Prudhomme, T. M. Hess, and J. P. Bloomfield
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2395–2408, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2395-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2395-2015, 2015
Short summary
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Current hydrological change detection methods are subject to a host of limitations. This paper develops a new method, temporally shifting variograms (TSVs), which characterises variability in the river flow regime using several parameters, changes in which can then be attributed to precipitation characteristics. We demonstrate the use of the method through application to 94 UK catchments, showing that periods of extremes as well as more subtle changes can be detected.
Maliko Tanguy, Michael Eastman, Eugene Magee, Lucy J. Barker, Thomas Chitson, Chaiwat Ekkawatpanit, Daniel Goodwin, Jamie Hannaford, Ian Holman, Liwa Pardthaisong, Simon Parry, Dolores Rey Vicario, and Supattra Visessri
Nat. Hazards Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 2419–2441, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2419-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/nhess-23-2419-2023, 2023
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Droughts in Thailand are becoming more severe due to climate change. Understanding the link between drought impacts on the ground and drought indicators used in drought monitoring systems can help increase a country's preparedness and resilience to drought. With a focus on agricultural droughts, we derive crop- and region-specific indicator-to-impact links that can form the basis of targeted mitigation actions and an improved drought monitoring and early warning system in Thailand.
William Rust, John P. Bloomfield, Mark Cuthbert, Ron Corstanje, and Ian Holman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 26, 2449–2467, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2449-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-26-2449-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We highlight the importance of the North Atlantic Oscillation in controlling droughts in the UK. Specifically, multi-year cycles in the NAO are shown to influence the frequency of droughts and this influence changes considerably over time. We show that the influence of these varying controls is similar to the projected effects of climate change on water resources. We also show that these time-varying behaviours have important implications for water resource forecasts used for drought planning.
William Rust, Mark Cuthbert, John Bloomfield, Ron Corstanje, Nicholas Howden, and Ian Holman
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 25, 2223–2237, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2223-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-25-2223-2021, 2021
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper, we find evidence for the cyclical behaviour (on a 7-year basis) in UK streamflow records that match the main cycle of the North Atlantic Oscillation. Furthermore, we find that the strength of these 7-year cycles in streamflow is dependent on proportional contributions from groundwater and the response times of the underlying groundwater systems. This may allow for improvements to water management practices through better understanding of long-term streamflow behaviour.
Calum Brown, Ian Holman, and Mark Rounsevell
Earth Syst. Dynam., 12, 211–231, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-211-2021, https://doi.org/10.5194/esd-12-211-2021, 2021
Short summary
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The variety of human and natural processes in the land system can be modelled in many different ways. However, little is known about how and why basic model assumptions affect model results. We compared two models that represent land use in completely distinct ways and found several results that differed greatly. We identify the main assumptions that caused these differences and therefore key issues that need to be addressed for more robust model development.
William Rust, Ian Holman, John Bloomfield, Mark Cuthbert, and Ron Corstanje
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 23, 3233–3245, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3233-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-23-3233-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
We show that major groundwater resources in the UK exhibit strong multi-year cycles, accounting for up to 40 % of total groundwater level variability. By comparing these cycles with recorded widespread groundwater droughts over the past 60 years, we provide evidence that climatic systems (such as the North Atlantic Oscillation) ultimately drive drought-risk periods in UK groundwater. The recursive nature of these drought-risk periods may lead to improved preparedness for future droughts.
John Beale, Boris Snapir, Toby Waine, Jonathan Evans, and Ronald Corstanje
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci. Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-294, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-2019-294, 2019
Revised manuscript not accepted
Short summary
Short summary
Knowledge of soil moisture is important managing their agricultural crops controlling irrigation, predicting flows in rivers and streams, weather forecasting and climate modelling. Synthetic aperture radar (SAR) from satellites can provide wide area coverage on a regular basis. This paper investigates the magnitude of the uncertainties that are influenced by soil properties to evaluate the role of existing soil databases in soil moisture retrieval and interpretation.
A. Chiverton, J. Hannaford, I. P. Holman, R. Corstanje, C. Prudhomme, T. M. Hess, and J. P. Bloomfield
Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 19, 2395–2408, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2395-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-19-2395-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
Current hydrological change detection methods are subject to a host of limitations. This paper develops a new method, temporally shifting variograms (TSVs), which characterises variability in the river flow regime using several parameters, changes in which can then be attributed to precipitation characteristics. We demonstrate the use of the method through application to 94 UK catchments, showing that periods of extremes as well as more subtle changes can be detected.
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Soil is a sphere of the earth system with a special structure and function. From the point of view of the earth system, soil science should not only study the soil material but also change towards the relationship between the soil and the
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Katrin M. Wild, Patric Walter, and Florian Amann
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Linhua Wang, Bo Ma, and Faqi Wu
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Soil and water losses in agriculture are a major environmental problem on the Loess Plateau, China. This study investigated the effects of wheat stubble on soil erosion in laboratory plots under simulated rainfall. These results show that the traditional plow may induce more serious soil and water losses compared to wheat stubble cover. Wheat stubble cover delayed runoff generation time, decreased the runoff and sediment loss, and increased rainwater infiltration into the soil.
Debashis Mandal, Pankaj Srivastava, Nishita Giri, Rajesh Kaushal, Artemi Cerda, and Nurnabi Meherul Alam
Solid Earth, 8, 217–233, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-217-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-217-2017, 2017
Metin Mujdeci, Ahmet Ali Isildar, Veli Uygur, Pelin Alaboz, Husnu Unlu, and Huseyin Senol
Solid Earth, 8, 189–198, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-189-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-189-2017, 2017
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Organic matter addition is an efficient way of reducing the effects of field traffic. The depth-dependent (0–10 and 10–20 cm) changes in some physical soil traits such as penetration resistance, bulk density, and porosity as a function of tractor passes and organic matter addition to clay soil.
The enhancing effects of treatments on the investigated parameters were C>GM>FYM. The increase in tillage lines made the soil properties worse and corresponded with the type of organic matter.
M. Abdulaha-Al Baquy, Jiu-Yu Li, Chen-Yang Xu, Khalid Mehmood, and Ren-Kou Xu
Solid Earth, 8, 149–159, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-149-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-149-2017, 2017
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Al toxicity to plants and soil infertility in acidic soils are the main limiting factors for crop growth. To establish which acid soils need to be ameliorated for plant growth, the parameters of critical soil pH and soil Al concentration must be determined. The critical soil pH and exchangeable aluminium of two Ultisols for wheat and canola production were determined in this study. The results obtained will provide useful references for the utilization and management of acid soils.
Wei Li, Howard E. Epstein, Zhongming Wen, Jie Zhao, Jingwei Jin, Guanghua Jing, Jimin Cheng, and Guozhen Du
Solid Earth, 8, 137–147, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-137-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-137-2017, 2017
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This is an interesting piece of work and makes a nice contribution to the knowledge on how aboveground vegetation can control belowground soil properties through functional traits and functional diversity. Functional traits are the center of recent attempts to unify key ecological theories on species coexistence and assembly in communities. The results presented are valuable for understanding the relationship between species traits, functional diversity, and soil properties.
Yu Liu, Fuping Tian, Pengyan Jia, Jingge Zhang, Fujiang Hou, and Gaolin Wu
Solid Earth, 8, 83–91, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-83-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-83-2017, 2017
Tegegne Molla and Biniam Sisheber
Solid Earth, 8, 13–25, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-13-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-13-2017, 2017
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This study was conducted to estimate the rate of soil erosion and to evaluate the existing SWC strategies in the Koga watershed. A mixed approach of field investigation and an integrated RUSLE model modified for Ethiopian highlands is being adopted for soil erosion assessment. Most of the existing SWC structures fail to meet the standard due to deficient construction and management of SWC structures. The soil erosion rate is by far higher than the tolerable soil loss rate.
Bülent Turgut and Merve Ateş
Solid Earth, 8, 1–12, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-1-2017, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-8-1-2017, 2017
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The soil properties of Batumi delta, an important area for agricultural production and biodiversity in the southwest of Georgia, have not been studied yet. In order to provide scientific data, soil samples were taken from different points of delta and their basic characteristics were determined. At the end of the study, the results indicated that the soil properties were affected by the formation time and land use, and the relations between the soil properties varied depending on these factors.
Lei Wu, Xia Liu, and Xiaoyi Ma
Solid Earth, 7, 1577–1590, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-1577-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-1577-2016, 2016
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1. A distributed and dynamic sediment yield model for loess hilly area was modified. 2. Spatiotemporal evolution of sediment in an easily eroded watershed was estimated. 3. Effects of returning farmland on erosion and sediment yield were evaluated.
Jinfei Yin, Ruzhen Wang, Heyong Liu, Xue Feng, Zhuwen Xu, and Yong Jiang
Solid Earth, 7, 1565–1575, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-1565-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-1565-2016, 2016
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In this paper we report on changes in elemental stoichiometry as affected by the nitrogen addition effect within three soil aggregate fractions of large macroaggregates (> 2000 μm), small macroaggregates (250–2000 μm), and microaggregates (< 250 μm) in a temperate steppe.
Paloma Hueso-González, Juan Francisco Martínez-Murillo, and Jose Damian Ruiz-Sinoga
Solid Earth, 7, 1479–1489, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-1479-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-1479-2016, 2016
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The development of alternative low-cost and low-environmental-impact revegetation methods is necessary for the effective management of Mediterranean forest environments. This research assessed the effects of five types of soil amendment on the success of afforestation processes. In terms of land management, the study shows that the addition of mulch or hydroabsorbent polymer can reduce transplanting stress and improve the success of afforestation programs.
Hüseyin Şenol, Tülay Tunçay, and Orhan Dengiz
Solid Earth Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2016-105, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-2016-105, 2016
Preprint withdrawn
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In this study the features of pedogenic evolution of four soil profiles formed in topographically different positions of the southwestern–northeastern direction were investigated. The results of the study showed a strong relationship between the topography and some of the soil’s morphological, mineralogical, physical and chemical characteristics. Soil depth and physical soil features such as texture, structure and bulk density were found to improve downwards within the toposequence.
Carlos Asensio, Francisco Javier Lozano, Pedro Gallardo, and Antonio Giménez
Solid Earth, 7, 1233–1242, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-1233-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/se-7-1233-2016, 2016
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Climate and soil surface conditions influence the erosive capacity of the wind, causing loss of soil productivity. Wind erosion leads soil drying and its loss of nutrients, and this in turn is conditioned by soil surface compaction. The impact of management on most of soil properties and on its wind erodibility determines agricultural productivity and sustainability. We used a new wind tunnel to evaluate all these acts.
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Short summary
This research assessed whether physical soil properties can be used to indicate the quality of British soils in terms of their delivery of ecosystem goods and services. A prioritised list of physical
soil quality indicators(SQIs) were tested for robustness, spatial and temporal variability, and expected rate of change. Seven SQIs were selected: soil packing density, water retention characteristics, aggregate stability, rate of soil erosion, soil depth, soil structure and soil sealing.
This research assessed whether physical soil properties can be used to indicate the quality of...
