Soil Physics

Soil physics is the study of soil physical properties and processes. It is applied to management and prediction under natural and managed ecosystems. Soil physics deals with the dynamics of physical soil components and their phases as solid, liquids, and gases. It draws on the principles of physics, physical chemistry, engineering, and meteorology. It is especially important in this day and age because most farmers require an understanding of agro-ecosystems. Soil physics applies these principles to address practical problems of agriculture, ecology, and engineering. Soil Physics Agriculture and Environmental Applications consists of seventeen chapters. First chapter aims to evaluate the changes in physical and chemical properties of subsoil as a result of using CPL as a soil amendment. The main objective of second chapter was to determine the effect of different levels of compaction and polyacrylamide polymer application treatments (soil sealant) on the Ks of soils. Third chapter aims at ecological use of agricultural ecosystem to assure best quality of agriculture products and the preservation of agricultural landscapes. Fourth chapter aims to investigate Cd and Pb distribution in different types of wetlands, their variation with depth, and characterize the geochemical fractions of Cd and Pb in these wetlands. Fifth chapter presents a combination of field measurements and model simulation results for the Upper Xingu focused around three main goals: (1) analysis of water yield data collected in tropical forest and soybean catchments to understand the effects of land cover change on regional water dynamics; (2) determination of the best set of soil hydrological properties for simulating the partitioning of annual precipitation into evapotranspiration and discharge in forest and soybean catchments; and (3) investigation of the differences in annual evapotranspiration and streamflow in tropical forest, cerrado, pasture and soybean catchments in the Upper Xingu. Sixth chapter presents the comparison of Miscanthus and RCG to investigate comparative differences in crop development, leaf longevity and ecosystem-scale C fluxes from initial establishment to near maturity. Seventh chapter aims to evaluate the short-term influence of applying TWW on some soil chemical and physical properties and to study the yield and quality of Gladiolus communis, irrigated with TWW. Eighth chapter presents an approach on soil quality for evaluating small agricultural land use and the aim of ninth chapter was to characterize aeolian mass flux from wind tunnel and field data by comparing passive trap and high-frequency saltiphone data. The objective of tenth chapter the design of a low cost open hardware platform for the measurement, recording and wireless transmission of data on water content at different depths, air, soil and canopy temperatures. Eleventh chapter aims to corroborate the importance of SLM measures for Cape Verde, the strategies undertaken to address desertification, and the impact of those measures on the environment and rural livelihood. Twelfth chapter highlights on the challenges and solutions of soil degradation. The purpose of thirteenth chapter is to assess the potential for soil tests to improve ambient groundwater quality and producer profit. Fourteenth chapter aims to determine the opportunity to create an innovative supply chain from agricultural waste biomass, especially regarding olive (Olea europaea) and hazelnut (Corylus avellana) in order to evaluate the production of biochar from their pruning residues. The objectives of fifteenth chapter were to quantify soil water retention capabilities, determine water infiltration rates, and measure rooting depths of creeping bentgrass in sand and biochar soils. Sixteenth chapter reviews on water infiltration and time to recharge the profile of soils, and spatial prediction of soil organic carbon stocks is assessed in last chapter.