Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Nannan Wang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: College of Water Resources and Architectural Engineering, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Water-saving Agriculture in Arid Area of China, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China Author-Name: Tibin Zhang Author-Workplace-Name: Key Laboratory of Agricultural Soil and Water Engineering in Arid and Semiarid Areas, Ministry of Education, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Water-saving Agriculture in Arid Area of China, Northwest A&F University, Yangling, Shaanxi, P.R. China Title: Soil pore structure and its research methods: A review Abstract: Soil pore is an important part of soil structure. According to the causes of formation, soil pores can be divided into biological pores formed by animal movement and plant root development and non-biological pores formed by dry-wet and freeze-thaw alternation or artificial tillage. The soil pore structure affects the migration of water, gas, nutrients and so on in the soil, especially the macropores can also produce water or solute preferential migration. Studying soil pores is of great significance for predicting soil hydraulic properties, reducing groundwater pollution and soil nutrient loss. Based on previous studies on soil pore structure, this paper systematically summarized the role of soil pores, influencing factors and the advantages and disadvantages of various research methods. This paper not only introduces traditional methods (including direct and indirect methods), but also summarizes the new research on soil pores combined with computed tomography (CT) technology and other science and technology in recent years. Finally, the prospect and development trend of soil pore research in the future were predicted, so as to provide reference for further research on soil pore structure. Keywords: image analysis, influencing factors, network model, soil structure Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 1-24 Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/64/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/64/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202401-0001.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:19:y:2024:i:1:id:64-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Mikuláš Madaras Author-Name: Robert Krejčí Author-Workplace-Name: Microdesignum, s.r.o., Tuchoměřice, Czech Republic Author-Name: Markéta Mayerová Author-Workplace-Name: Crop Research Institute, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Assessing soil aggregate stability by measuring light transmission decrease during aggregate disintegration Abstract: Advancements in technology have recently enabled to assess soil aggregate stability (SAS) using digital devices. To address the need for a faster and more efficient method of measuring SAS, we have developed a simple yet effective approach using a specialized device. The innovative method named SlakeLight involves measuring the changes in light transmittance as aggregates undergo slaking. The device consists of the measuring chamber, which is placed on a LED light source with a surface-homogeneous distribution of luminosity. During the disintegration process of aggregates immersed in water, reduction in the light emitted to the photodiodes is proportional to SAS. The functionality of the device was tested using topsoil samples from two field fertilization trials. The recorded SAStrans values were compared with the wet sieving method (WSA) and SLAKE test. The new method showed a strong correlation with both reference methods (r = 0.89 for WSA, r = -0.86 for SLAKE). The device was able to detect a statistically significant differences in SAS between the grassland and the cropland at both sites. Although differences in SAStrans were not significant between different fertilization treatments unlike WSA, the simplicity and speed of the measurement increase the potential of the method for practical implementation in agriculture, surpassing the limitations of traditional and labor-intensive laboratory techniques. Keywords: field experiment, optoelectronics, sensors, soil health monitoring,  soil structure Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 25-31 Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/78/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/78/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202401-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:19:y:2024:i:1:id:78-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Shahin Nozari Author-Name: Mohammad Reza Pahlavan-Rad Author-Workplace-Name: Soil and Water Research Department, Golestan Agricultural and Natural Resources Research and Education Center, Agricultural Research, Education and Extension Organization (AREEO), Gorgan, Iran Author-Name: Colby Brungard Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Plant and Environmental Sciences, College of Agricultural, Consumer, and Environmental Sciences, New Mexico State University, Las Cruces, USA Author-Name: Brandon Heung Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Plant, Food, and Environmental Sciences, Faculty of Agriculture, Dalhousie University, Truro, Canada Author-Name: Luboš Borůvka Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Science and Soil Protection, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food, and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Digital soil mapping using machine learning-based methods to predict soil organic carbon in two different districts in the Czech Republic Abstract: Soil organic carbon (SOC) is an important soil characteristic as well as a way how to mitigate climate change. Information on its content and spatial distribution is thus crucial. Digital soil mapping (DSM) is a suitable way to evaluate spatial distribution of soil properties thanks to its ability to obtain accurate information about soil. This research aims to apply machine learning algorithms using various environmental covariates to generate digital SOC maps for mineral topsoils in the Liberec and Domažlice districts, located in the Czech Republic. The soil class, land cover, and geology maps as well as terrain covariates extracted from the digital elevation model and remote sensing data were used as covariates in modelling. The spatial distribution of SOC was predicted based on its relationships with covariates using random forest (RF), cubist, and quantile random forest (QRF) models. Results of the RF model showed that land cover (vegetation) and elevation were the most important environmental variables in the SOC prediction in both districts. The RF had better efficiency and accuracy than the cubist and QRF to predict SOC in both districts. The greatest R2 value (0.63) was observed in the Domažlice district using the RF model. However, cubist and QRF showed appropriate performance in both districts, too. Keywords: cubist, DSM, quantile random forest, random forest, SOC Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 32-49 Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/119/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/119/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202401-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:19:y:2024:i:1:id:119-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jan Prachowski Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jan Szturc Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Josef Kučera Author-Workplace-Name: Department for Land Use Planning Brno, Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jana Podhrázská Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Erosion risk analysis in a changing climate Abstract: Soil is an irreplaceable natural resource, with irreplaceable ecosystem functions. One of the greatest risks of soil degradation in the Czech Republic is accelerated erosion, which causes numerous damages to soil properties with negative impacts on the environment. The climate development in recent decades and its forecasts may further intensify these processes. This article deals with the analysis of the impacts of changes in selected climatic factors on the development of erosion processes, which in the conditions of the Czech Republic are influenced mainly by the development of precipitation in the growing season and the development of the values of erosion potential of water released by snowmelt in the winter (non-growing) period. The analysis was carried out on a total area of 459.5 km2, in different morphological and climatic conditions. The impact of climate change was assessed using historical and updated values of rain erosivity and snow erosion potential factors. The results show an increase in the risk of erosive loss in the growing season for all the analysed areas, while the values of erosive loss in the non-growing period differ from each other depending on the climatic and morphological conditions of the areas under study. Keywords: climatic factors, erosion loss, snowmelt, vegetation period Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 50-63 Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/110/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/110/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202401-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:19:y:2024:i:1:id:110-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Muhammet Azlak Author-Name: Levent Şaylan Author-Workplace-Name: Meteorological Engineering Department, Faculty of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Istanbul Technical University, Istanbul, Türkiye Title: Analysing the impact of climate change on evapotranspiration in a climate-sensitive region: Example of Central Anatolia (Türkiye) Abstract: Evapotranspiration (ET) is one of the main components of the hydrological cycle and plays a crucial role for water resources. It is sensitive to climate change, and therefore, estimating ET under changing climatic conditions is essential in comprehending hydrological processes, particularly in agricultural water management. In this study, the impact of climate change on ET in the Central Anatolia region of Türkiye was assessed. For this purpose, RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 climate change scenarios based on two Earth System Models, HadGEM2-ES and MPI-ESM-MR, were employed for three future time periods: 2025-2049, 2050-2074, and 2075-2098. As a baseline period for comparison, the time interval spanning 1980-2000 was considered. ET values were computed by using the Penman-Monteith equation, recommended by the Food and Agriculture Organization, along with five widely utilized methods. The study revealed a consistent increase in ET depending on the employed methods for the future period in response to climate change. The average of the ET amounts for the region was determined as 1089 mm for the reference period 1980-2000. As the average of the six methods utilized, amounts estimated by HadGEM RCP4.5, HadGEM RCP8.5, MPI RCP4.5, and MPI RCP8.5 models for the future period were obtained as 1 199, 1 285, 1 166, and 1 248 mm, respectively. Considering the results, it is found that the ET amount in the Central Anatolia region of Türkiye will increase by up to 11% by the end of this century under the optimistic RCP 4.5 scenario and by up to 19% under the extreme RCP 8.5 scenario. These findings regarding increased evapotranspiration play a significant role in water resource management and agricultural production planning in the region, holding crucial implications for sustainable agriculture. Keywords: agricultural planning, climate change scenarios, evaporation, water management, water resources Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 64-76 Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 DOI: 10.17221/107/2023-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/107/2023-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202401-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:19:y:2024:i:1:id:107-2023-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Editorial Department Title: List of Reviewers 2023 Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: I Volume: 19 Issue: 1 Year: 2024 File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/swr-202401-0006_list-of-reviewers-2023.php File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:19:y:2024:i:1:id:swr-202401-0006