Effect of disturbed soil thickness on soil water use and movement under perennial grass

Journal Article · Tue Jan 01 04:00:00 EST 1985 · Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1985.03615995004900010039x· OSTI ID:6293793

Merrill, S D; Smith, S J; Power, J F

Soil water storage and use were measured in each of three growing seasons under crested wheatgrass (Agrophyron desertorum) grown on 0.25-, 0.5-, 0.75-, and 1.0-m thicknesses of disturbed soil. Soil profiles were constructed from Haploboroll topsoil (0.2 m for all treatments), placed over varying thicknesses of subsoil (B and C horizon materials), which in turn was placed over sodic (Sodium adsorption ratio = 30) drag-line spoil at a semiarid, steppe-land site in western North Dakota. Forage yield was 2- to 3.5-fold greater on 1.0 m soil thickness than on 0.25 m. Both total soil water potentials and root weight densities were similar in minespoil and in subsoil at the same profile depths. Root water uptake was much less from the minespoil (mean saturated hydraulic conductivity (HC) = 1 x 10 T cm/d) than from subsoil (mean HC = 0.2 cm/d). Low HC per se appeared to be the dominant factor limiting sodic minespoil as a plant growth medium because low HC resulted in less use of stored soil water from minespoil compared to subsoil. Depletion from a 120-cm profile was 0.2, 3.3, 7.9 and 9.8 cm for 0.25-, 0.50-, 0.75- and 1.0-m soil thickness, respectively. Relative differences in evapotranspiration (ET) between the 0.25-m and 1.0-m soil thickness treatments were much less than yield differences, reflecting progressively reduced water use efficiency with less soil thickness.

• Research Organization: Dept. of Agriculture, Mandon, ND
• OSTI ID: 6293793
• Journal Information: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States), Journal Name: Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J.; (United States) Vol. 49; ISSN SSSJD
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

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