Soil-Water-Solute Process Characterization: An Integrated Approach

The practitioner or researcher often faces complex alternatives when selecting a method to characterize properties governing a soil process. After years of research and development, environmental and agricultural professionals now have an array of methods for characterizing soil processes. Well-established methods, however, may not be suitable for the specific conditions of a study since many soil characteristics are intrinsically variable. An objective, integrated approach for soil characterization is needed to more effectively quantify parameters. Soil-Water-Solute Process Characterization goes beyond technical guidance and addresses the complicating factors such as spatial and temporal variability of soil processes, scale issues, soil structure, and the trade-offs between methods. It focuses on advanced methods for the monitoring and modeling of mass transfer processes in soil. Expert contributors present limitations to well-known methods and alternatives, discussing their practical applications for characterization efforts, evaluating strengths and weaknesses, and focusing on a reduced set of selected techniques. Three in-depth sections cover everything from multidisciplinary approaches for assessing subsurface non-point source pollution to techniques for characterizing water and energy balances at the soil-plant-atmosphere interface, field methods for monitoring soil water status, and computer models for characterizing the effect of chemicals in soil. This single-source reference is transforming method selection and our understanding of the principles, advantages, and limitations of the available monitoring techniques. Written in a simple and straightforward manner, Soil-Water-Solute Process Characterization is a detailed cookbook and a useful, practical reference for students, practitioners, and researchers.