Physical and hydrological characteristics and modelling of the soil water retention curve in the brazilian semi-arid region

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.14393/BJ-v38n0a2022-54195

Keywords:

Richards, Van Genuchten, Water management

Abstract

Semiarid regions are characterised by water scarcity, a limiting factor on plant growth and development. The Sertão Canal was built in the semiarid region of Brazil, more specifically in the state of Alagoas, with the aim of making year-round irrigation possible. However, for the best water management, a physical and hydrological knowledge of the soils is necessary. As such, the aim of this study was to determine the physical and hydrological characteristics of three different types of soil (Argisol, Quartzarenic Neossol and Regolithic Neossol) under native vegetation (Caatinga) and agricultural systems in the semiarid region of Alagoas, as well as to adjust the soil water retention characteristic curves. Soil samples were collected at depths of 0-10, 10-20 and 20-30 cm in the municipalities of Inhapi, Delmiro Gouveia and Pariconha, in the state of Alagoas. The points of the moisture characteristic curve were determined by the Richards method, at pressures of 33, 100, 500, 1000 and 1500 kPa. Retention curves were modelled using the exponential decay equation and compared using the van Genuchten equation, modelled with the help of the RETC computer software. Particle size varied according to the textural classification of the different soils, from Sand to a Sandy Clay Loam. The retention curve fluctuated due to the particle size of the soil, with the Red-Yellow Argisol (Inhapi) having a greater capacity for water retention. Extremely sandy soils, such as those in the Delmiro Gouveia region, had a low capacity for retaining water. For each soil sample, the exponential decay equation gave the best fit, with values for R2adjust of greater than 0.93. When the measured soil moisture levels were compared with the levels estimated by the RETC model, some of the treatments were unable to estimate accurately the moisture levels obtained with the soil water retention curves.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

AGUILERA, H., et al. Soil moisture prediction to support management in semiarid wetlands during drying episodes. Catena. 2016, 147, 709-724. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2016.08.007

ARAUJO-NETO, R.A., et al. Simulation of soil carbon changes due to conventional systems in the semi-arid region of Brazil: adaptation and validation of the century model. Carbon Management. 2021, 12(4), 399-410. https://10.1080/17583004.2021.1962978

BAI, X., et al. Modeling long-term soil water dynamics in response to land-use change in a semi-arid area. Journal of Hydrology. 2020, 585, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2020.124824

BIENES, R., et al. Eleven years after shrub revegetation in semiarid eroded soils. Influence in soil properties. Geoderma. 2016, 273, 106–114. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2016.03.023

BRASIL. Ministério da Integração Nacional. Câmara dos Deputados. Nova delimitação do semi-árido brasileiro. Brasília, DF, 2007.

BYRNE, C.F., STORMONT, J.C. and STONE, M.C. Soil water balance dynamics on reclaimed mine land in the southwestern United States. Journal of Arid Enviroments. 2017, 136, 28-37. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2016.10.003

ÇAKIR, R. and CANGIR, C. Water retention and irrigation characteristics of Vertisols in northwestern Turkey. Geoderma Regional. 2021, 25, e00402. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geodrs.2021.e00402

CEBALLOS, A., et al. Soil-water behaviour of sandy soils under semi-arid conditions in the Duero Basin (Spain). Journal of Arid Environments. 2002, 51, 501-519. https://doi.org/10.1006/jare.2002.0973

DEVKOTA, K.P., et al. Simulating the impact of water savin irrigation and conservation agriculture practices for rice-wheat systems in the irrigated semi-arid drylands of Central Asia. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology. 2015, 214-215, 266-280. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agrformet.2015.08.264

Empresa Brasileira De Pesquisa Agropecuária – EMBRAPA. Manual de métodos de análise de solo. Rio de Janeiro: Centro Nacional de Pesquisa de Solos – CNPS, 1997.

Empresa Brasileira De Pesquisa Agropecuária - EMBRAPA. Manual de laboratórios: Solo, água, nutrição vegetal, nutrição animal e alimentos. São Carlos: Embrapa Pecuária Sudeste, 2005.

GEROY, I.J., et al. Aspects influences on soil water retention and storage. Hydrological Processes. 2011, 25, 3836-3842. https://doi.org/10.1002/hyp.8281

GOIS, G., et al. Caracterização da desertificação no estado de Alagoas utilizando variáveis climáticas. Revista Brasileira de Meteorologia. 2005, 20, 301-314.

HALECKI, W. and STACHURA, T. Evaluation of soil hydrophysical parameters along a semiurban small river: Soil ecosystem services for enhancing water retention in urban and suburban green areas. CATENA. 2021, 196, 1-9. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2020.104910

JARVIS, N. Modelling water and solute transport in macroporous soil: II. Chloride breakthrough under non-steady flow. Journal of Soil Science. 1991, 42, 71–81. https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1365-2389.1991.tb00092.x

KOUPAI, J.A., SWARBRICK, G.E. and FELL, R. Prediction of unsaturated hydraulic conductivity using micro-lysimeters. In: Proceedings of the First International Conference on Unsaturated Soils, Paris, France, 1995.

KUMAR, A., et al. Effects of water deficit stress on agronomic and physiological responses of rice and greenhouse gas emission from rice soil under elevated atmospheric CO2. Science of The Total Environment. 2018, 650, 2032-2050. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.scitotenv.2018.09.332

MAGALHÃES, I.D., et al. Growth, production and yield of common bean under water replacement levels. Revista Brasileira de Engenharia Agrícola e Ambiental. 2019, 23(10), 754-760. http://dx.doi.org/10.1590/1807-1929/agriambi.v23n10p754-760

MEDEIROS, S.D.S., et al. Sinopse do censo demográfico para o semiárido brasileiro. 2012.

MORAES, S.O. and LIBARDI, P.L. Problemas metodológicos na obtenção da curva de retenção de água no solo. Scientia Agricola. 1993, 50(3), 383-392. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0103-90161993000300010

MÜLLER, T., BOULEAU, C.R. and PERONA, P. Optimizing drip irrigation for eggplant crops in semi-arid zones using evolving thresholds. Agricultural Water Management. 2016, 177, 54-65. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2016.06.019

NASCIMENTO, P.S., et al. Estudo comparativo de métodos para a determinação da curva de retenção de água no solo. Irriga. 2010, 15(2), 193-207. https://doi.org/10.15809/irriga.2010v15n2p193

OLIVEIRA, L.L.P., et al. Water retention in Cambisols under land uses in semiarid region of the Brazil. Journal of Arid Environments. 2021, 189, 104483. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaridenv.2021.104483

PASCHKE, M.W., REDENTE, E.F. and BROWN, S.L. Biology and establishment of mountain shrubs on mining disturbances in the Rocky Mountains. USA. Land Degradation & Development. 2003, 14, 459-480. https://doi.org/10.1002/ldr.568

PEDRON, F.A., et al. Condutividade e retenção de água em Neossolos e Saprolitos derivados de arenito. Revista Brasileira de Ciência do Solo. 2011, 35, 1253-1262.

RICHARDS, L.A. 1965. Physical conditions of water in soil. In: BLACK, C.A. (Ed.). Methods of soil analysis. Part 1. Madison: American Society for Testing and Materials.

SANTOS, A., et al. Causes and consequences of seasonal changes in the water flow of the São Francisco river in the semiarid of Brazil. Environmental and Sustainability Indicators. 2020, 8, 1-15. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indic.2020.100084

SCHAAP, M.G., LEIJ, F.J. and VAN GENUCHTEN, M.TH. Rosetta: A computer program for estimating soil hydraulic parameters with hierarchical pedotransfer functions. Journal of Hydrology. 2001, 251, 163-176. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-1694(01)00466-8

SILVA, E.M., et al. Valores de tensão na determinação da curva de retenção de água de solos do Cerrado. Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira. 2006, 41(2), 323-330. https://doi.org/10.1590/S0100-204X2006000200018

SILVA, J.L.B., et al. Changes in the water resources, soil use and spatial dynamics of Caatinga vegetation cover over semiarid region of the Brazilian Northeast. Remote Sensing Applications: Society and Environment. 2020, 20, 1-11. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rsase.2020.100372

SILVA NETO, S.J., et al. Caracterização físico-hídrica de solos representativos da região do agropolo assu-Mossoró. Revista Verde. 2012, 7(4), 81-84.

SOLONE, R., et al. Errors in water retention curves determined with pressure plates: Effects on the soil water balance. Journal of Hydrology. 2012, 470-471, 65-74. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jhydrol.2012.08.017

SOUZA, J.V., et al. No-till and direct seeding agriculture in irrigated bean: Effect of incorporating crop residues on soil water availability and retention, and yield. Agricultural Water Management. 2016, 170, 158-166. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.agwat.2016.01.002

VAN GENUCHTEN, M. T. A closed-form equation for predicting the hydraulic conductivity of unsaturated soils. Soil Science Society of America Journal. 1980, 44, 892–898. https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1980.03615995004400050002x

Downloads

Published

2022-05-24

How to Cite

RENATO AMÉRICO DE ARAÚJO NETO, DOUARDO MAGALHÃES, I., GUILHERME BASTOS LYRA, STOECIO MALTA FERREIRA MAIA and GUSTAVO BASTOS LYRA, 2022. Physical and hydrological characteristics and modelling of the soil water retention curve in the brazilian semi-arid region. Bioscience Journal [online], vol. 38, pp. e38031. [Accessed21 November 2024]. DOI 10.14393/BJ-v38n0a2022-54195. Available from: https://seer.ufu.br/index.php/biosciencejournal/article/view/54195.

Issue

Section

Agricultural Sciences