Physical properties of a sandy soil as affected by incubation with a synthetic root exudate: Strength, thermal and hydraulic conductivity, and evaporation

Plant roots release various organic materials that may modify soil structure and affect heat and mass transfer processes. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a synthetic root exudate (SRE) on penetrometer resistance (PR), thermal conductivity (λ), hydraulic conductivity (k) a...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:European journal of soil science 2021-03, Vol.72 (2), p.782-792
Main Authors: Zhang, Wencan, Gao, Weida, Whalley, William Richard, Ren, Tusheng
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Bulk density
Columns (structural)
Computed tomography
Distilled water
Drying
Evaporation
Evaporation rate
Exudation
heat conduction
Heat conductivity
Heat transfer
Hydraulic conductivity
Hydraulics
Hyphae
Incubation period
Mass transfer
microbial activity
Microorganisms
Moisture content
Organic materials
Original
Penetrometers
Physical Processes and Functions
Physical properties
Plant roots
Pores
Sandy soils
Soil
Soil conductivity
soil penetrometer resistance
Soil physical properties
Soil properties
Soil resistance
Soil structure
Soil water
Thermal conductivity
Thermal resistance
Tomography
Water content
Water loss
water retention
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Summary:Plant roots release various organic materials that may modify soil structure and affect heat and mass transfer processes. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of a synthetic root exudate (SRE) on penetrometer resistance (PR), thermal conductivity (λ), hydraulic conductivity (k) and evaporation of water in a sandy soil. Soil samples, mixed with either distilled water or the SRE, were packed into columns at a designated bulk density and water content, and incubated for 7 days at 18°C. Soil PR, λ, k and evaporation rate were monitored during drying processes. Compared with those incubated with water, samples incubated with SRE had visible hyphae, greater PR (0.7–5.5 MPa in the water content range of 0.11 to 0.22 m3 m−3) and λ (0.2–0.7 W m−1 K−1 from 0.05 to 0.22 m3 m−3), and increased k in the wet region but decreased k in the dry region. SRE treatment also reduced the overall soil water evaporation rate and cumulative water loss. Analysis of X‐ray computed tomography (CT) scanning showed that the SRE‐treated samples had a greater proportion of small pores (
ISSN:1351-0754
1365-2389
DOI:10.1111/ejss.13007