Soil Factors and their Influence on Within-Field Crop Variability. I: Field Observation of Soil Variation

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1 Figures for: Soil Factors and their Influence on Within-Field Crop Variability I: Field Observation of Soil Variation R. Earl 1 ; J.C. Taylor 1 ; G.A. Wood 1 ; I. Bradley, I.T. James 1, T. Waine 1 ; J.P. Welsh 1 ; R.J. Godwin 1 S.M. Knight 2

2 Table 1 Methods for measuring soil variability Method Soil factor(s) Auger surveys Rapid assessment of the spatial distribution of soil type (texture) across a field. Profile pits Targeted excavations to establish soil type and soil structure/packing state at specific locations within a field. Minicore soil samples Rapid assessment of the spatial distribution of soil type and depth across a field. Electro-magnetic inductance Non-invasive assessment of variation in electrical conductivity across a field which provides and indication of changes in soil moisture content, soil salinity 1 and soil texture 2. Nutrient sampling Sampling soil for subsequent laboratory analysis to establish nutrient and ph status. 1 Rhoades et al. (1976); 2 Waine et al. (2)

3 Table 2 The five field sites under investigation Field name and location Dominant soil series 1. Far Sweetbrier Old Warden, Bedfordshire, UK 2. Onion Field Houghton Conquest, Bedfordshire, UK 3. Short Lane Gamlingay, Cambridgeshire, UK 4. Trent Field Westover, Hampshire, UK 5. Twelve Acres Hatherop, Gloucester, UK Hanslope. Calcari-Endostagnic Cambisol [Aquic Eutrudepts] Denchworth. Evesham. Oxpasture. Wickham. Ludford. Maplestead. Andover. Panholes. Disturbed area. Sherbourne. Moreton. Haselor Didmarton. Soil type 1 Top soil characteristics Sub soil characteristics Soil water regime Stagni-Vertic Cambisol [Vertic Epiaquept] Endostagni-Vertic Cambisol [Aquertic Eutrudept] Endostagnic Luvisol [Aquic Haplustalf] Albi-Luvic Planosol [Typic Epiaqualf] Haplic Luvisol [Typic Hapludalf] Haplic Luvisol [Typic Hapludalf] Calcaric Leptosol [Lithic Udorthent] Calcaric Cambisol [Typic Eutrudept] Anthropic Regosol [Haplic Udarents Calcaric Leptosol [Lithic Udorthent] Calcaric Cambisol [Typic Eutrudept] Fluvic Cambisol [Fluventic Eutrudepts] Fluvic Cambisol [Fluventic Eutrudepts] Slightly calcareous brown clay loam. Stoneless mottled brown clay. Brown to dark brown clay Slightly stony clay loam Slowly permeable clay loam. Deep well drained clay loam. Sandy loam. 1 World Reference Base for Soil Resources (FAO, 1998) & [USDA Soil Taxonomy (1999)] Shallow calcareous silty clay loam. Brown stony silty clay loam. Greyish brown silty clay loam. Calcareous silty clay loam. Calcareous silty clay loam. Calcareous silty clay with small platy limestone Deep silty clay with small limestone Slightly mottled stoneless yellowish brown clay. Stoneless yellowish brown clay. Stoneless yellowish brown clay Brown clay loam over clay Stoneless clay. Sandy clay. Loamy sand. Brown silty clay loam over chalk. Brown silty clay loam over shattered chalk. Soil of mixed origin. Brashy oolitic limestone. Yellowish brown silty clay loam. Brown clay with abundant medium platy limestone Deep stoneless silty clay. Slowly permeable. Seasonally waterlogged, top soil wet for most of the winter and spring. Seasonally waterlogged. Well drained. Well drained. Well drained, sub soil rarely wet. Well drained. Well drained. Well drained Moderately well drained colluvium.

4 Table 3 Summary of grid soil sampling for soil analysis in Trent Field, Twelve Acres, Far Sweetbrier and Onion Field. Field Date 1 Date 2 Trent Field 4 Dec 96 ph, Organic Matter P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, S 28 observations Twelve Acres 14 Jan 97 ph, P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, NH3, NO 3, Total N 29 observations Far Sweetbrier 25 Nov 96 ph, Organic Matter P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, S 26 observations Onion Field 25 Nov 96 ph, Organic Matter P, K, Ca, Mg, Mn, Fe, Zn, Cu, B, Mo, S 4 observations 3 April 97 ph, Organic Matter, P, K, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, N Total, NO 3 27 observations 25 April 97 ph, Organic Matter, P, K, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, N Total, NO 3 29 observations 29 April 97 ph, Organic Matter, P, K, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, N Total, NO 3 26 observations 29 April 97 ph, Organic Matter, P, K, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn, S, N Total, NO 3 4 observations

5 Table 4. Summary of limiting levels of soil nutrients Nutrient Level Comments (ml l -1 ) P 16. K 12. Mg 25. Index Mn 2. Treated by foliar applications. Soil analysis unreliable Cu 1.6 Zn 1. S 1. Measurement unreliable

Soils in arable cultivation similar to those at the field sites Other arable areas in England and Wales Cranfield University: Soil Survey and Land Research Centre

6 Soils in arable cultivation similar to those at the field sites Other arable areas in England and Wales Cranfield University: Soil Survey and Land Research Centre Fig. 1. Distribution of soils in England and Wales that are similar to those present at the field sites. Greyscale possible, but preferably colour print and online

7 G E D C B F A Acres Trent Field Far Sweetbrier Onion field LF MM Wh Short Lane LF MM Soil series/factor Andover Panholes Disturbed area Sherbourne Moreton Didmarton Haselor Denchworth Evesham Oxpasture Hanslope Wickham Ludford Maplestead Profile pit location Key Ac PH Dist Si Mor DD Hb Da Ea Ox Hn Wh LF MM 6 or F Fig. 2. Soil Maps produced from auger sampling at 1m grid spacing.

8 (A) (B) Fig. 3. Soil profile pits in Far Sweetbrier showing (A) and (B) Hanslope soil series.

9 A B C Fig. 4. Soil profiles in Onion Field showing (A), Evesham; (B), Denchworth; (C), Oxpasture soil series

10 Fig. 5. Soil profile pits for Trent Field showing (A), Andover;(B), Panholes soil series

11 A B C Fig. 6. Soil profile pits in Twelve Acres showing (A), Moreton; (B), Sherborne; (C), Didmarton soil series

Trent Field Northing (m) Andover Panholes

Maplestead Wickham Ludford Easting (m) Fig.

12 Trent Field Northing (m) Andover Panholes Disturbed area Easting (m) Twelve Acres Sherbourne Northing (m) Moreton Didmarton Haslow Easting (m) Short Lane Northing (m) Maplestead Wickham Ludford Easting (m) Fig. 7. Soil maps produced from mechanised core sampler.

13 Volumetric moisture content (%) Volumetric moisture content (%) Water readily available to plants Water held at increasing tension Water held at high tension Water unavailable to plants Sand Sandy loam Silty loam Clay loam Sandy clay Clay Soil texture Fig. 8. The relationship between volumetric moisture content at various moisture tensions and the texture of UK soils (data taken from Hall et al., 1977):,.5 bar;,.4 bar;, 2. bar;, 15 bar

14 EMI Apparent Soil Conductivity ms/m 3 to 6 6 to 8 8 to to to Northing, m Trent Field Easting, m EMI Apparent 2635 Soil Conductivity ms/ m -7 to 5 5 to 1 1 to to to Northing, m Twelve Acres Neutron probe site Easting, m EM38 data p oints, ms/m Apparent soil conductivity to to to to to Short Lane Kriged 1x1 m, ms/m Nort hing, m Easting, m Fig. 9. Maps of variation in electromagnetic inductance in three fields Colour print and online

15 P (m l.l -1 ) Autumn K (ml.l -1 ) Autum n P (ml. l -1 ) Sp ring K (ml.l -1 ) S pring Mg (ml.l -1 ) Autumn MN (ml.l -1 ) Autumn Trent 12ac re FS B On ion Mg (ml.l -1 ) Sp ring MN (ml.l -1 ) Spring Cu (ml. l-1 ) Autumn 1 Zn (m l.l -1 ) Autumn Cu (ml. l-1 ) Sp ring Zn (ml.l -1 ) Sp ring 1 8 S (m l.l -1 ) Autumn S (ml. l -1 ) Sp ring Fig. 1. Scatter plots for P, K, Mg, Mn, Cu, Zn and S nutrient levels at four field sites:, Trent;, Twelve Acre;, Far Sweetbrier;, Onion

16 ph Autumn ph Spring Fig. 11. Scatter plots showing ph status in the autumn and spring at four field sites:, Trent;, Twelve Acre;, Far Sweetbrier;, Onion

17 Organic matter (%) Autumn Organic matter (%) Spring Fig. 12. Scatter plots showing the organic matter status in the autumn and spring at four field sites:, Trent;, Twelve Acre;, Far Sweetbrier;, Onion

The potential of GIS in mapping soil health. Tim Brewer 19/11/2104

The potential of GIS in mapping soil health Tim Brewer 19/11/2104 Horizon Depth (cm) Sand % Silt % Clay % ph Organic Carbon (wt%) Bulk Density (g/cm3) Particle Density (g/cm3) Total Porosity (%) Water