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Related Experiment Videos

Using soil moisture and spatial yield patterns to identify subsurface flow pathways.

T J Gish1, C L Walthall, C S T Daughtry

  • 1USDA-ARS Hydrology Laboratory, Natural Resources Institute, Beltsville, MD 20705, USA. tgish@hydrolab.arsusda.gov

Journal of Environmental Quality
|January 14, 2005
PubMed
Summary

Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) identified subsurface flow pathways that significantly impact soil moisture and corn yields, especially during drought. These pathways, often near clay layers, enhance crop performance when closer to the surface.

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Area of Science:

  • Agricultural Engineering
  • Soil Science
  • Geophysics

Background:

  • Subsurface water dynamics critically affect crop growth and agrochemical fate.
  • Ground-penetrating radar (GPR) and digital elevation models (DEMs) offer a non-invasive method to detect subsurface water flow pathways.

Purpose of the Study:

  • To extend the GPR protocol for mapping horizontal subsurface flow pathways over a larger area (3.2 ha).
  • To validate the identified pathways using soil moisture and crop yield data.
  • To quantify the influence of these pathways on corn (Zea mays L.) grain yield patterns.

Main Methods:

  • Application of an extended GPR protocol to map subsurface flow pathways.
  • Analysis of soil moisture content and corn grain yield spatial patterns.

Related Experiment Videos

  • Introduction of a buffer zone protocol to quantify pathway impact on yield and soil moisture.

    • Main Results:

    • Observed soil moisture patterns confirmed preferential funnel flow near GPR-identified pathways.
    • Corn grain yield patterns correlated with soil moisture, showing similar trends under mild and severe drought.
    • Yield and soil moisture decreased with increasing distance from identified subsurface flow pathways during drought.
    • A beneficial impact on yield was observed when GPR-identified clay layers were within 2 m of the surface during drought.

    Conclusions:

    • Subsurface flow pathways demonstrably exist and influence soil moisture distribution.
    • These pathways significantly impact corn grain yield patterns, particularly under drought conditions.
    • GPR provides a viable method for identifying subsurface features that affect agricultural productivity.