Articles | Volume 7, issue 1
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-33-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-7-33-2021
© Author(s) 2021. This work is distributed under
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.
Mapping soil slaking index and assessing the impact of management in a mixed agricultural landscape
Edward J. Jones
CORRESPONDING AUTHOR
School of Life and Environmental Sciences & Sydney Institute of Agriculture, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Patrick Filippi
School of Life and Environmental Sciences & Sydney Institute of Agriculture, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Rémi Wittig
École Nationale Supérieure d'Agronomie et des Industries Alimentaires (ENSAIA), University of Lorraine, Nancy, France
Mario Fajardo
School of Life and Environmental Sciences & Sydney Institute of Agriculture, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Vanessa Pino
School of Life and Environmental Sciences & Sydney Institute of Agriculture, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Alex B. McBratney
School of Life and Environmental Sciences & Sydney Institute of Agriculture, Faculty of Science, The University of Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Related authors
Edward J. Jones and Alex B. McBratney
SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2018-12, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2018-12, 2018
Revised manuscript has not been submitted
Short summary
Short summary
Variable soil moisture content is one of the main factors limiting field application of visible near-infrared spectroscopy. External parameter orthogonalisation of soil spectra was found to conserve intrinsic soil information under variable moisture conditions. k-means clustering of treated spectra yielded similar classifications under in situ, field moist (laboratory) and air-dried condition. Homogeneous spectral response zones were identified that corresponded with field observed horizons.
Wartini Ng, Budiman Minasny, Alex McBratney, Patrice de Caritat, and John Wilford
Earth Syst. Sci. Data, 15, 2465–2482, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2465-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/essd-15-2465-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
With a higher demand for lithium (Li), a better understanding of its concentration and spatial distribution is important to delineate potential anomalous areas. This study uses a framework that combines data from recent geochemical surveys and relevant environmental factors to predict and map Li content across Australia. The map shows high Li concentration around existing mines and other potentially anomalous Li areas. The same mapping principles can potentially be applied to other elements.
Mercedes Román Dobarco, Alexandre M. J-C. Wadoux, Brendan Malone, Budiman Minasny, Alex B. McBratney, and Ross Searle
Biogeosciences, 20, 1559–1586, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1559-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/bg-20-1559-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic carbon (SOC) is of a heterogeneous nature and varies in chemistry, stabilisation mechanisms, and persistence in soil. In this study we mapped the stocks of SOC fractions with different characteristics and turnover rates (presumably PyOC >= MAOC > POC) across Australia, combining spectroscopy and digital soil mapping. The SOC stocks (0–30 cm) were estimated as 13 Pg MAOC, 2 Pg POC, and 5 Pg PyOC.
José Padarian, Budiman Minasny, Alex B. McBratney, and Pete Smith
SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2021-73, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2021-73, 2021
Manuscript not accepted for further review
Short summary
Short summary
Soil organic carbon sequestration is considered an attractive technology to partially mitigate climate change. Here, we show how the SOC storage potential varies globally. The estimated additional SOC storage potential in the topsoil of global croplands (29–67 Pg C) equates to only 2 to 5 years of emissions offsetting and 32 % of agriculture's 92 Pg historical carbon debt. Since SOC is temperature-dependent, this potential is likely to reduce by 18 % by 2040 due to climate change.
José Padarian, Alex B. McBratney, and Budiman Minasny
SOIL, 6, 389–397, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-389-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-389-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In this paper we introduce the use of game theory to interpret a digital soil mapping (DSM) model to understand the contribution of environmental factors to the prediction of soil organic carbon (SOC) in Chile. The analysis corroborated that the SOC model is capturing sensible relationships between SOC and climatic and topographical factors. We were able to represent them spatially (map) addressing the limitations of the current interpretation of models in DSM.
José Padarian and Alex B. McBratney
SOIL, 6, 89–94, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-89-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-89-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
Data sharing and collaboration are critical to solving large-scale problems. The prevailing soil data-sharing model is of a centralized nature and, consequently, results in the participants ceding control and governance over their data to the lead party. Here we explore the use of a distributed ledger (blockchain) to solve the aforementioned issues. We also describe the potential use case of developing a global soil spectral library between multiple, international institutions.
José Padarian, Budiman Minasny, and Alex B. McBratney
SOIL, 6, 35–52, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-35-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-35-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
The application of machine learning (ML) has shown an accelerated adoption in soil sciences. It is a difficult task to manually review all papers on the application of ML. This paper aims to provide a review of the application of ML aided by topic modelling in order to find patterns in a large collection of publications. The objective is to gain insight into the applications and to discuss research gaps. We found 12 main topics and that ML methods usually perform better than traditional ones.
José Padarian, Budiman Minasny, and Alex B. McBratney
SOIL, 5, 79–89, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-79-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-79-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Digital soil mapping has been widely used as a cost-effective method for generating soil maps. DSM models are usually calibrated using point observations and rarely incorporate contextual information of the landscape. Here, we use convolutional neural networks to incorporate spatial context. We used as input a 3-D stack of covariate images to simultaneously predict organic carbon content at multiple depths. In this study, our model reduced the error by 30 % compared with conventional techniques.
Edward J. Jones and Alex B. McBratney
SOIL Discuss., https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2018-12, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2018-12, 2018
Revised manuscript has not been submitted
Short summary
Short summary
Variable soil moisture content is one of the main factors limiting field application of visible near-infrared spectroscopy. External parameter orthogonalisation of soil spectra was found to conserve intrinsic soil information under variable moisture conditions. k-means clustering of treated spectra yielded similar classifications under in situ, field moist (laboratory) and air-dried condition. Homogeneous spectral response zones were identified that corresponded with field observed horizons.
Related subject area
Soil pollution and remediation
Long-term legacy of phytoremediation on plant succession and soil microbial communities in petroleum-contaminated sub-Arctic soils
Investigating the synergistic potential of Si and biochar to immobilize Ni in a Ni-contaminated calcareous soil after Zea mays L. cultivation
Estimations of soil metal accumulation or leaching potentials under climate change scenarios: the example of copper on a European scale
Model-based analysis of erosion-induced microplastic delivery from arable land to the stream network of a mesoscale catchment
Increase in bacterial community induced tolerance to Cr in response to soil properties and Cr level in the soil
Organic and inorganic nitrogen amendments reduce biodegradation of biodegradable plastic mulch films
Research and management challenges following soil and landscape decontamination at the onset of the reopening of the Difficult-to-Return Zone, Fukushima (Japan)
Impact of agricultural management on soil aggregates and associated organic carbon fractions: analysis of long-term experiments in Europe
Miniaturised visible and near-infrared spectrometers for assessing soil health indicators in mine site rehabilitation
The application of biochar and oyster shell reduced cadmium uptake by crops and modified soil fertility and enzyme activities in contaminated soil
Reusing Fe water treatment residual as a soil amendment to improve physical function and flood resilience
Are agricultural plastic covers a source of plastic debris in soil? A first screening study
Assessing soil salinity dynamics using time-lapse electromagnetic conductivity imaging
Effectiveness of landscape decontamination following the Fukushima nuclear accident: a review
Evaluating the carbon sequestration potential of volcanic soils in southern Iceland after birch afforestation
Citrate and malonate increase microbial activity and alter microbial community composition in uncontaminated and diesel-contaminated soil microcosms
Development of a statistical tool for the estimation of riverbank erosion probability
Sediment loss and its cause in Puerto Rico watersheds
Carbon nanomaterials in clean and contaminated soils: environmental implications and applications
Mary-Cathrine Leewis, Christopher Kasanke, Ondrej Uhlik, and Mary Beth Leigh
SOIL, 10, 551–566, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-551-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-551-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In 1995, an initial study determined that using plants and fertilizers increased degradation of petroleum in soil; the site was then abandoned. In 2010, we returned to find that initial choices of plant and fertilizer use continued to cause changes in the plant and soil microbiomes. We also found evidence for the restoration of native vegetation with certain treatments, which indicates that this could be an important tool for communities that experience soil contamination.
Hamid Reza Boostani, Ailsa G. Hardie, Mahdi Najafi-Ghiri, Ehsan Bijanzadeh, Dariush Khalili, and Esmaeil Farrokhnejad
SOIL, 10, 487–503, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-487-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-487-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
In this work, the combined SM500 + S2 treatment was the most effective with respect to reducing the Ni water-soluble and exchangeable fraction. Application of Si and biochars decreased the soil Ni diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid and corn Ni shoot content. The study shows the synergistic potential of Si and sheep manure biochars for immobilizing soil Ni.
Laura Sereni, Julie-Maï Paris, Isabelle Lamy, and Bertrand Guenet
SOIL, 10, 367–380, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-367-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-367-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
We estimate the tendencies of copper (Cu) export in freshwater or accumulation in soils in Europe for the 21st century and highlight areas of importance for environmental monitoring. We develop a method combining computations of Cu partitioning coefficients between solid and solution phases with runoff data. The surfaces with potential for export or accumulation are roughly constant over the century, but the accumulation potential of Cu increases while leaching potential decreases for 2000–2095.
Raphael Rehm and Peter Fiener
SOIL, 10, 211–230, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-211-2024, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-10-211-2024, 2024
Short summary
Short summary
A carbon transport model was adjusted to study the importance of water and tillage erosion processes for particular microplastic (MP) transport across a mesoscale landscape. The MP mass delivered into the stream network represented a serious amount of MP input in the same range as potential MP inputs from wastewater treatment plants. In addition, most of the MP applied to arable soils remains in the topsoil (0–20 cm) for decades. The MP sink function of soil results in a long-term MP source.
Claudia Campillo-Cora, Daniel Arenas-Lago, Manuel Arias-Estévez, and David Fernández-Calviño
SOIL, 9, 561–571, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-561-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-561-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Cr pollution is a global concern. The use of methodologies specifically related to Cr toxicity is appropriate, such as the pollution-induced community tolerance (PICT) methodology. The development of PICT was determined in 10 soils after Cr addition in the laboratory. The Cr-soluble fraction and dissolved organic carbon were the main variables determining the development of PICT (R2 = 95.6 %).
Sreejata Bandopadhyay, Marie English, Marife B. Anunciado, Mallari Starrett, Jialin Hu, José E. Liquet y González, Douglas G. Hayes, Sean M. Schaeffer, and Jennifer M. DeBruyn
SOIL, 9, 499–516, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-499-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-499-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
We added organic and inorganic nitrogen amendments to two soil types in a laboratory incubation study in order to understand how that would impact biodegradable plastic mulch (BDM) decomposition. We found that nitrogen amendments, particularly urea and inorganic nitrogen, suppressed BDM degradation in both soil types. However, we found limited impact of BDM addition on soil nitrification, suggesting that overall microbial processes were not compromised due to the addition of BDMs.
Olivier Evrard, Thomas Chalaux-Clergue, Pierre-Alexis Chaboche, Yoshifumi Wakiyama, and Yves Thiry
SOIL, 9, 479–497, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-479-2023, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-9-479-2023, 2023
Short summary
Short summary
Twelve years after the nuclear accident that occurred in Fukushima in March 2011, radioactive contamination remains a major concern in north-eastern Japan. The Japanese authorities completed an unprecedented decontamination programme. The central objective was to not expose local inhabitants to excessive radioactive doses. At the onset of the full reopening of the Difficult-to-Return Zone in 2023, the current review provides an update of a previous synthesis published in 2019.
Ioanna S. Panagea, Antonios Apostolakis, Antonio Berti, Jenny Bussell, Pavel Čermak, Jan Diels, Annemie Elsen, Helena Kusá, Ilaria Piccoli, Jean Poesen, Chris Stoate, Mia Tits, Zoltan Toth, and Guido Wyseure
SOIL, 8, 621–644, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-621-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-621-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
The potential to reverse the negative effects caused in topsoil by inversion tillage, using alternative agricultural practices, was evaluated. Reduced and no tillage, and additions of manure/compost, improved topsoil structure and OC content. Residue retention had a positive impact on structure. We concluded that the negative effects of inversion tillage can be mitigated by reducing tillage intensity or adding organic materials, optimally combined with non-inversion tillage.
Zefang Shen, Haylee D'Agui, Lewis Walden, Mingxi Zhang, Tsoek Man Yiu, Kingsley Dixon, Paul Nevill, Adam Cross, Mohana Matangulu, Yang Hu, and Raphael A. Viscarra Rossel
SOIL, 8, 467–486, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-467-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-467-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
We compared miniaturised visible and near-infrared spectrometers to a portable visible–near-infrared instrument, which is more expensive. Statistical and machine learning algorithms were used to model 29 key soil health indicators. Accuracy of the miniaturised spectrometers was comparable to the portable system. Soil spectroscopy with these tiny sensors is cost-effective and could diagnose soil health, help monitor soil rehabilitation, and deliver positive environmental and economic outcomes.
Bin Wu, Jia Li, Mingping Sheng, He Peng, Dinghua Peng, and Heng Xu
SOIL, 8, 409–419, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-409-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-409-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Cadmium (Cd) contamination in soil has severely threatened human health. In this study, we investigated the possibility of applying oyster shell and biochar to reduce Cd uptake by crops and improve soil fertility and enzyme activities in field experiments under rice–oilseed rape rotation, which provided an economical and effective pathway to achieving an in situ remediation of the Cd-contaminated farmland.
Heather C. Kerr, Karen L. Johnson, and David G. Toll
SOIL, 8, 283–295, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-283-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-283-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
Adding an organo-mineral waste product from clean water treatment (WTR) is beneficial for a soil’s water retention, permeability, and strength properties. WTR added on its own significantly improves the shear strength and saturated hydraulic conductivity of soil. The co-application of WTR with compost provides the same benefits whilst also improving soil’s water retention properties, which is beneficial for environmental applications where the soil health is critical.
Zacharias Steinmetz, Paul Löffler, Silvia Eichhöfer, Jan David, Katherine Muñoz, and Gabriele E. Schaumann
SOIL, 8, 31–47, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-31-2022, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-8-31-2022, 2022
Short summary
Short summary
To scrutinize the contribution of agricultural plastic covers to plastic pollution, we quantified soil-associated plastic debris (≤ 2 mm) in and around agricultural fields covered with different plastics. PP fleeces and 50 µm thick PE films did not emit significant amounts of plastic debris into soil during their 4-month use. However, thinner and perforated PE foils (40 µm) were associated with elevated PE contents of up to 35 mg kg−1. Their long-term use may thus favor plastic accumulation.
Maria Catarina Paz, Mohammad Farzamian, Ana Marta Paz, Nádia Luísa Castanheira, Maria Conceição Gonçalves, and Fernando Monteiro Santos
SOIL, 6, 499–511, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-499-2020, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-6-499-2020, 2020
Short summary
Short summary
In this study electromagnetic induction (EMI) surveys and soil sampling were repeated over time to monitor soil salinity dynamics in an important agricultural area that faces risk of soil salinization. EMI data were converted to electromagnetic conductivity imaging through a mathematical inversion algorithm and converted to 2-D soil salinity maps until a depth of 1.35 m through a regional calibration. This is a non-invasive and cost-effective methodology that can be employed over large areas.
Olivier Evrard, J. Patrick Laceby, and Atsushi Nakao
SOIL, 5, 333–350, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-333-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-333-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
The Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant (FDNPP) accident in March 2011 resulted in the contamination of Japanese landscapes with radioactive fallout. The objective of this review is to provide an overview of the decontamination strategies and their potential effectiveness in Japan. Overall, we believe it is important to synthesise the remediation lessons learnt following the FDNPP nuclear accident, which could be fundamental if radioactive fallout occurred somewhere on Earth in the future.
Matthias Hunziker, Olafur Arnalds, and Nikolaus J. Kuhn
SOIL, 5, 223–238, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-223-2019, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-5-223-2019, 2019
Short summary
Short summary
Afforestation on severely degraded volcanic soils/landscapes is an important process concerning ecological restoration in Iceland. These landscapes have a high potential to act as carbon sinks. We tested the soil (0–30 cm) of different stages of afforested (mountain birch) landscapes and analysed the quantity and quality of the soil organic carbon. There is an increase in the total SOC stock during the encroachment. The increase is mostly because of POM SOC. Such soils demand SOC quality tests.
Belinda C. Martin, Suman J. George, Charles A. Price, Esmaeil Shahsavari, Andrew S. Ball, Mark Tibbett, and Megan H. Ryan
SOIL, 2, 487–498, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-487-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-487-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
The aim of this paper was to determine the impact of citrate and malonate on microbial activity and community structure in uncontaminated and diesel-contaminated soil. The results suggest that these carboxylates can stimulate microbial activity and alter microbial community structure but appear to have a minimal effect on enhancing degradation of diesel. However, our results suggest that carboxylates may have an important role in shaping microbial communities even in contaminated soils.
E. A. Varouchakis, G. V. Giannakis, M. A. Lilli, E. Ioannidou, N. P. Nikolaidis, and G. P. Karatzas
SOIL, 2, 1–11, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-1-2016, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-2-1-2016, 2016
Short summary
Short summary
A statistical methodology is proposed to predict the probability of presence or absence of erosion in a river section considering locally spatial correlated independent variables.
The proposed tool is easy to use and accurate and can be applied to any region and river. It requires information from easy-to-determine geomorphological and/or hydrological variables to provide the vulnerable locations. This tool could be used to assist in managing erosion and flooding events.
Y. Yuan, Y. Jiang, E. V. Taguas, E. G. Mbonimpa, and W. Hu
SOIL, 1, 595–602, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-595-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-595-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
A major environmental concern in the Commonwealth of Puerto Rico is increased sediment load to water reservoirs, to estuaries, and finally to coral reef areas. Our research found that sediment loss was mainly caused by interactions of development, heavy rainfall events, and steep mountainous slopes. These results improve our understanding of sediment loss resulting from changes in land use/cover, and will allow stakeholders to make more informed decisions about future land use planning.
M. J. Riding, F. L. Martin, K. C. Jones, and K. T. Semple
SOIL, 1, 1–21, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-1-2015, https://doi.org/10.5194/soil-1-1-2015, 2015
Short summary
Short summary
The behaviour of carbon nanomaterials (CNMs) in soils is highly complex and dynamic. As a result, assessments of the possible risks CNMs pose within soil should be conducted on a case-by-case basis. Further work to assess the long-term stability and toxicity of CNM-sorbed contaminants, as well as the toxicity of CNMs themselves, is required to determine if their sorptive abilities can be applied to remedy environmental issues such as land contamination.
Cited articles
ABARES: The Australian land use and management classification version 8,
Australian Bureau of Agricultural and Resource Economics and Sciences, CC BY 3.0, Canberra, available at:
https://www.agriculture.gov.au/abares/aclump/land-use/catchment-scale-land-use-of-australia-update-december-2018
(last access: 11 November 2020), 2018. a
Annabi, M., Raclot, D., Bahri, H., Bailly, J. S., Gomez, C., and Le Bissonnais, Y.: Spatial variability of soil aggregate stability at the scale of an agricultural region in Tunisia, Catena, 153, 157–167,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.catena.2017.02.010, 2017. a, b
ANZLIC: ELVIS – Elevation and Depth – Foundation Spatial Data, available at:
https://elevation.fsdf.org.au/, last access: 20 September 2019. a
Aune, J. and Lal, R.: Agricultural productivity in the tropics and critical
limits of properties of Oxisols, Ultisols, and Alfisols, Trop.
Agr., 74, 96–103, 1997. a
Barzegar, A. R., Oades, J. M., and Rengasamy, P.: Soil structure degradation
and mellowing of compacted soils by saline–sodic solutions, Soil Sci.
Soc. Am. J., 60, 583–588, 1996. a
Baty, F., Ritz, C., Charles, S., Brutsche, M., Flandrois, J.-P., and
Delignette-Muller, M.-L.: A Toolbox for Nonlinear Regression in R: The
Package nlstools, J. Stat. Softw., 66, 1–21, https://doi.org/10.18637/jss.v066.i05,
2015. a, b
Blankinship, J. C., Fonte, S. J., Six, J., and Schimel, J. P.: Plant versus
microbial controls on soil aggregate stability in a seasonally dry ecosystem, Geoderma, 272, 39–50, 2016. a
Bureau of Meteorology: Monthly climate statistics – Narrabri West Post
Office (053030), available at:
http://www.bom.gov.au/climate/averages/tables/cw_053030.shtml, last access: 12 February 2020. a
Chen, Y., Lu, D., Moran, E., Batistella, M., Dutra, L. V., Sanches, I. D.,
da Silva, R. F. B., Huang, J., Luiz, A. J. B., and de Oliveira, M. A. F.:
Mapping croplands, cropping patterns, and crop types using MODIS time-series data, Int. J. Appl. Earth Obs., 69, 133–147, 2018. a
Churchman, J., Skjemstad, J., and Oades, J.: Influence of clay minerals and
organic matter on effects of sodicity on soils, Aust. J. Soil Res., 31, 779–700, https://doi.org/10.1071/SR9930779, 1993. a
Collis-George, N. and Lal, R.: Infiltration and structural changes as
influenced by initial moisture content, Aust. J. Soil Res., 9, 107–116, 1971. a
CSIRO: Data Access Portal, available at: https://data.csiro.au/collections/, last access: 20 September 2019. a
Emerson, W.: The slaking of soil crumbs as influenced by clay mineral
composition, Aust. J. Soil Res., 2, 211–217,
https://doi.org/10.1071/SR9640211, 1964. a, b, c
Emerson, W.: A classification of soil aggregates based on their coherence in
water, Aust. J. Soil Res., 5, 47–57, https://doi.org/10.1071/SR9670047, 1967. a
Emerson, W.: Structural decline of soils, assessment and prevention, Aust. J. Soil Res., 29, 905–921, https://doi.org/102.100.100/253063, 1991. a
Field, D. J., McKenzie, D. C., and Koppi, A. J.: Development of an improved
Vertisol stability test for SOILpak, Soil Res., 35, 843–852, https://doi.org/10.1071/S96118, 1997. a
Filippi, P., Jones, E. J., Ginns, B. J., Whelan, B. M., Roth, G. W., and
Bishop, T. F.: Mapping the Depth-to-Soil pH Constraint, and the Relationship with Cotton and Grain Yield at the Within-Field Scale, Agronomy, 9, 251, https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy9050251, 2019. a
Filippi, P., Jones, E. J., and Bishop, T. F.: Catchment-scale 3D mapping of
depth to soil sodicity constraints through combining public and on-farm soil
databases – A potential tool for on-farm management, Geoderma, 374,
114396, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2020.114396, 2020. a
Flynn, K. D., Bagnall, D. K., and Morgan, C. L.: Evaluation of SLAKES, a
smartphone application for quantifying aggregate stability, in high-clay
soils, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 84, 345–353, https://doi.org/10.1002/saj2.20012,
2020. a, b
Gallant, J. C. and Dowling, T. I.: A multiresolution index of valley bottom
flatness for mapping depositional areas, Water Res. Res., 39, 1347, https://doi.org/10.1029/2002WR001426, 2003. a
Gee, G. and Bauder, J.: Particle size analysis, in: Methods of soil analysis.
Part 1: Physical and mineralogical methods, edited by: Klute, A., Soil Science Society of America and American Society of Agronomy,
Madison, WI, USA, 383–411, 1986. a
Geoscience Australia: Geophysical Archive Data Delivery System, available at:
https://www.ga.gov.au/gadds/, last access: 20 September 2019. a
Gorelick, N., Hancher, M., Dixon, M., Ilyushchenko, S., Thau, D., and Moore,
R.: Google Earth Engine: Planetary-scale geospatial analysis for everyone,
Remote Sens. Environ., 202, 18–27, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.rse.2017.06.031, 2017. a
Grant, C. and Blackmore, A.: Self mulching behavior in clay soils-Its
definition and measurement, Soil Res., 29, 155–173, 1991. a
IUSS Working Group WRB: World Reference Base for Soil Resources 2014, International Soil Classification System for Naming Soils and Creating Legends for Soil Maps., World Soil Resources Reports No. 106, FAO, Rome, 2014. a
Kuhn, M. and Quinlan, R.: Cubist: Rule- And Instance-Based Regression Modeling, r package version 0.2.3, available at: https://CRAN.R-project.org/package=Cubist, last access: 3 February 2020. a
Loveday, J. and Pyle, J.: The Emerson dispersion test and its relationship to
hydraulic conductivity, Tech. rep., CSIRO, Australia Division of Soils, 1973. a
Loveland, P. and Webb, J.: Is there a critical level of organic matter in the
agricultural soils of temperate regions: a review, Soil Till. Res.,
70, 1–18, 2003. a
Minty, B., Franklin, R., Milligan, P., Richardson, M., and Wilford, J.: The
radiometric map of Australia, Explor. Geophys., 40, 325–333, 2009. a
Morel, J. L., Habib, L., Plantureux, S., and Guckert, A.: Influence of maize
root mucilage on soil aggregate stability, Plant Soil, 136, 111–119,
1991. a
Mullins, C. E., MacLeod, D. A., Northcote, K. H., Tisdall, J. M., and Young,
I. M.: Hardsetting Soils: Behavior, Occurrence, and Management, in: Advances in Soil Science: Soil Degradation Volume 11, edited by Lal, R. and Stewart, B. A., Springer New York, New York, NY, USA,
https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4612-3322-0_2, 37–108, 1990. a, b, c
Oades, J. and Waters, A.: Aggregate hierarchy in soils, Austr. J.
Soil Res., 29, 815–828, https://doi.org/10.1071/SR9910815, 1991. a
Odeh, I. O. and Onus, A.: Spatial analysis of soil salinity and soil structural stability in a semiarid region of New South Wales, Australia, Environ. Manage., 42, 265, https://doi.org/10.1007/s00267-008-9100-z, 2008. a
Peel, M. C., Finlayson, B. L., and McMahon, T. A.: Updated world map of the Köppen-Geiger climate classification, Hydrol. Earth Syst. Sci., 11, 1633–1644, https://doi.org/10.5194/hess-11-1633-2007, 2007. a
R Core Team: R: A Language and Environment for Statistical Computing, R
Foundation for Statistical Computing, Vienna, Austria, available at:
https://www.R-project.org/, last access: 1 September 2019. a
Rayment, G. E. and Lyons, D. J.: Soil chemical methods: Australasia, Vol. 3,
CSIRO publishing, Collingwood, Victoria, Australia, 2011. a
Rengasamy, P., Greene, R., and Ford, G.: The role of clay fraction in the
particle arrangement and stability of soil aggregates – A review, Clay Res., 3, 53–67, 1984. a
Saygın, S. D., Cornelis, W. M., Erpul, G., and Gabriels, D.: Comparison of
different aggregate stability approaches for loamy sand soils, Appl. Soil
Ecol., 54, 1–6, 2012. a
Six, J., Elliott, E., Paustian, K., and Doran, J. W.: Aggregation and Soil
Organic Matter Accumulation in Cultivated and Native Grassland Soils, Soil
Sci. Soc. Am. J., 62, 1367–1377, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj1998.03615995006200050032x, 1998. a
Six, J., Paustian, K., Elliott, E. T., and Combrink, C.: Soil structure and
organic matter I. Distribution of aggregate-size classes and
aggregate-associated carbon, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 64, 681–689, 2000. a
Walkley, A. and Black, I. A.: An examination of the Degtjareff method for
determining soil organic matter, and a proposed modification of the chromic
acid titration method, Soil Sci., 37, 29–38, 1934. a
Yan, F., McBratney, A., and Copeland, L.: Functional substrate biodiversity of cultivated and uncultivated A horizons of vertisols in NW New South Wales,
Geoderma, 96, 321–343, 2000. a
Ye, L., Tan, W., Fang, L., Ji, L., and Deng, H.: Spatial analysis of soil
aggregate stability in a small catchment of the Loess Plateau, China: I.
Spatial variability, Soil Till. Res., 179, 71–81,
https://doi.org/10.1016/j.still.2018.01.012, 2018. a, b
Yoder, R. E.: A direct method of aggregate analysis of soils and a study of the physical nature of erosion losses, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 28, 337–351, https://doi.org/10.2134/agronj1936.00021962002800050001x, 1936. a, b
Zhu, Y., Ali, A., Dang, A., Wandel, A. P., and Bennett, J. M.: Re-examining the flocculating power of sodium, potassium, magnesium and calcium for a broad range of soils, Geoderma, 352, 422–428, https://doi.org/10.1016/j.geoderma.2019.05.041, 2019. a
Zvomuya, F., Janzen, H. H., Larney, F. J., and Olson, B. M.: A Long-Term Field Bioassay of Soil Quality Indicators in a Semiarid Environment, Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., 72, 683–692, https://doi.org/10.2136/sssaj2007.0180, 2008. a
Short summary
Soil physical health is integral to maintaining functional agro-ecosystems. A novel method of assessing soil physical condition using a smartphone app has been developed – SLAKES. In this study the SLAKES app was used to investigate aggregate stability in a mixed agricultural landscape. Cropping areas were found to have significantly poorer physical health than similar soils under pasture. Results were mapped across the landscape to identify problem areas and pinpoint remediation efforts.
Soil physical health is integral to maintaining functional agro-ecosystems. A novel method of...