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Vereecken et al. soil-moisture retention regressions for Belgian soils.

Source

Vereecken, H., Maes, J., Feyen, J., & Darius, P. (1989). Estimating the soil moisture retention characteristic from texture, bulk density, and carbon content. Soil Science, 148(6), 389-403.

DOI: 10.1097/00010694-198912000-00001

Scope

Territory: Belgian territory north of the river axis Samber and Meuse

Dataset: 182 horizons from 40 important Belgian soil series, with textures ranging from sand to heavy clay.

Functions

calc_ptf_vereecken1989

Estimate four parameters of the reduced van Genuchten moisture-retention model from broad texture fractions, bulk density, and carbon content.

Status: implemented

Prediction target: Residual and saturated volumetric water content and the alpha and n shape parameters of the van Genuchten model with m equal to 1.

Models: \(h(\theta)\) — van Genuchten moisture-retention model with m = 1

Inputs

Name Type Unit Domain Description
sand number % 5.60 <= value <= 97.80 Sand content in the 50-2000 micrometre particle-size fraction.
clay number % 0 <= value <= 54.46 Clay content in the less-than-2-micrometre particle-size fraction.
carbon number % 0.01 <= value <= 6.60 Carbon content determined by the Walkley-Black method.
bulk_density number g/cm^3 1.040 <= value <= 1.730 Dry bulk density measured after drying undisturbed 100-cm^3 cores for 24 hours at 105 degrees Celsius.

Outputs

Name Unit Domain Description
theta_r cm^3/cm^3 0 <= value <= 1 Residual volumetric soil water content.
theta_s cm^3/cm^3 0 <= value <= 1 Saturated volumetric soil water content.
alpha cm^-1 value > 0 Shape parameter of the van Genuchten moisture-retention model.
n dimensionless value > 0 Shape parameter of the van Genuchten moisture-retention model.

Note

Table 7 reports regressions for theta_s, theta_r, log(alpha), and log(n) using broad particle-size fractions, carbon content, and bulk density.

Note

The paper accepts fitted n values below 1 because constraining n above 1 gave poorer descriptions for many of the measured curves.

Warning

The bulk-density maximum is reviewed as 1.730 g/cm^3 because the supplied transcription's 1.230 value is inconsistent with the reported mean.

calc_ptf_vereecken1989_detailed

Estimate van Genuchten parameters from nine particle-size fractions and particle-size distribution descriptors.

Status: implemented

Prediction target: Residual and saturated volumetric water content and the alpha and n shape parameters of the van Genuchten model with m equal to 1.

Models: \(h(\theta)\) — van Genuchten moisture-retention model with m = 1

Inputs

Name Type Unit Domain Description
particle_2000_1000 number % 0 <= value <= 4.50 Particle content from 2000 to 1000 micrometres.
particle_1000_500 number % 0 <= value <= 9.30 Particle content from 1000 to 500 micrometres.
particle_500_200 number % 0.10 <= value <= 85.70 Particle content from 500 to 200 micrometres.
particle_200_100 number % 0.10 <= value <= 68.90 Particle content from 200 to 100 micrometres.
particle_100_50 number % 0.70 <= value <= 51.00 Particle content from 100 to 50 micrometres.
particle_50_20 number % 0 <= value <= 62.80 Particle content from 50 to 20 micrometres.
particle_20_10 number % 0 <= value <= 19.00 Particle content from 20 to 10 micrometres.
particle_10_2 number % 0 <= value <= 23.33 Particle content from 10 to 2 micrometres.
clay number % 0 <= value <= 54.46 Particle content below 2 micrometres.
geometric_mean_particle_size number cm value > 0 Geometrical mean particle size calculated using the method cited by the paper.
geometric_standard_deviation number dimensionless value > 0 Geometrical standard deviation of particle size calculated using the method cited by the paper.
carbon number % 0.01 <= value <= 6.60 Carbon content determined by the Walkley-Black method.
bulk_density number g/cm^3 1.040 <= value <= 1.730 Dry bulk density measured after drying undisturbed 100-cm^3 cores for 24 hours at 105 degrees Celsius.

Outputs

Name Unit Domain Description
theta_r cm^3/cm^3 0 <= value <= 1 Residual volumetric soil water content.
theta_s cm^3/cm^3 0 <= value <= 1 Saturated volumetric soil water content.
alpha cm^-1 value > 0 Shape parameter of the van Genuchten moisture-retention model.
n dimensionless value > 0 Shape parameter of the van Genuchten moisture-retention model.

Note

Table 8 reports transformed regressions in original particle-size variables for theta_r, log(alpha), and log(n).

Note

Detailed particle-size information did not substantially improve theta_s; this function therefore retains the broad-texture theta_s regression.

Warning

The detailed log(alpha) formula restores the carbon and bulk-density terms shown in Table 7 but omitted from the supplied Table 8 transcription.

Warning

The bulk-density maximum is reviewed as 1.730 g/cm^3 because the supplied transcription's 1.230 value is inconsistent with the reported mean.