Spatial variability assessment of Nile alluvial soils using electrical resistivity technique

Year 2019, Volume: 8 Issue: 2, 110 - 117, 01.04.2019

Gamal S. Swileam Reda R. Shahin Hamdy M. Nasr Khalid S. Essa

https://doi.org/10.18393/ejss.528851

Cited By: 5

Abstract

Spatial
information about soils generally results from local observations which are
destructive and time consuming. Geophysical techniques could help soil mapping
since they are non-destructive and fast. Electrical resistivity is interesting
for soil studies due to a wide range of values and as it depends on soil
characteristics. This work aims to study soil spatial variability using
electrical resistivity. GPS defined grid points of 40X40 m were installed in
the experimental western farm (EWF) in the Faculty of Agriculture of Cairo
University in Giza. Electrical resistivity was measured at 40 points using
4-electrodes Wenner array in a line perpendicular to the path direction. Soil
resistivity data from 2-depths profiling mode was considered to produce two
apparent resistivity maps and geostatistically tested. Soil resistivity taxa
were sampled and analyzed for soil moisture, EC and bulk density. Krigged soil
resistivity maps were produced for depths (i.e. 30 and 60 cm).  Kriging and Semivariogram interpretation was
conducted, and the spatial dependency of top and subsoil resistivity were
moderate (48.4% and 68.6% respectively). Highly significant negative
correlations were recorded in the topsoil between apparent or true resistivity
and soil moisture, EC or bulk density. The obtained models were used to produce
conjugated moisture and EC maps and geostatistically investigated. The spatial
dependency of the top and subsoil moisture or salinity were moderate. Soil
moisture and EC are the most significant factors for controlling soil
electrical resistivity. The method used opens the way to the development of
semi-automatic soil mapping from electrical resistivity data.

Keywords

Soil resistivity, Wenner profiling, soil moisture, soil salinity, mapping, spatial dependency

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