Abstract

Resistivity measurements were used for tracing water transport during a three-year irrigation study. Three different rates of landfill leachate irrigation and one control treatment were applied to two cultivars of short-rotation willow coppice. Groundwater level measurements and water sampling were carried out in pipes installed in the centre of each plot. Resistivity was measured with permanently installed electrodes along six lines running through the centre of the plots. The resistivity results were inverted to produce vertical sections of ground resistivity at different time steps and as change in resistivity relative to the start of the experiment. Changes in resistivity linked to differences in irrigation quantities and plant growth were observed. The results showed that a repeated soil resistivity measurement has the potential as a tool to monitor changes in soil water and ion contents. Furthermore, expanding zones of increasing soil resistivity immediately under and around the plants indicate that the method may be useful for imaging plant root development.

Published in

Near Surface Geophysics
2014, Volume: 12, number: 1, pages: 35-43
Publisher: EUROPEAN ASSOC GEOSCIENTISTS & ENGINEERS

SLU Authors

• Aronsson, Pär

  • Department of Crop Production Ecology, Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences
    

UKÄ Subject classification

Soil Science


Publication identifier

DOI: https://doi.org/10.3997/1873-0604.2013035

Permanent link to this page (URI)

https://res.slu.se/id/publ/55725