Abstract

MONTOYA, Eugenia; GILI, Adriana; FARRELL, Mauricio  and  NOELLEMEYER, Elke. Topography effect on the spatial variability of soil moisture contents. Cienc. suelo [online]. 2018, vol.36, n.1, pp.173-181. ISSN 1850-2067.

The objective of this study was to contribute with basic information of moisture distribution in soil profiles in a typical landscape of the north area of La Pampa province. A field planted with corn, near Intendente Alvear (La Pampa) was sampled at 26 points in three different dates (28/12/2013 near planting, 30/01/2014 during flowering, and 06/07/2014 after harvest). Moisture was measured in depth intervals of 0.2 m to a total depth of 1.4 m. Sampling dates showed that moisture variations were related to the crop phenology, with higher requirements at flowering and consequently lower moisture contents in the soil, more pronounced at the higher parts of the landscape. At the last sampling date, after crop harvest, soil moisture was recharged and fewer differences in moisture were observed with less amplitude between high and low altimetry points. The relationship between moisture and altimetry showed that higher moisture was found at deeper depths. In turn, the more superficial stratum presented lower moisture contents and were more affected by other factors such as crop extraction and evaporation.

Keywords : Altimetry; Depth; La Pampa; Corn.

        · abstract in Spanish     · text in Spanish     · Spanish ( pdf )