Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Editorial Department Title: INDEX OF VOLUME 20 Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: I-II Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/artkey/swr-202504-0001_index-of-volume-20.php File-Format: text/html Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:4:id:swr-202504-0001 Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ismail Tas Author-Name: Fatih Cem Kuzucu Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Horticulture Crops, Agriculture Faculty, Canakkale Onsekiz Mart University, Canakkale, Turkey Title: Alternative solution for determining the irrigation water quantity: ETGauge Abstract: Measuring the reference evapotranspiration (ET0) is difficult and costly. Some regions can have variable microclimates and these can often be quite far from climate stations. Therefore, it is optimal to use local measurements rather than a regionally calculated ET0. In this respect, one piece of equipment that provides cheap and reliable measurement results is ETGauge equipment. In this study, ET0 values measured with ETGauge equipment were compared with daily and monthly ET0 values calculated by five different commonly used empirical methods (ThornthwaiteAdj, Blaney-Criddle, Penman-Monteith = PM, Jensen-Haise and ASCE standardised Penman-Monteith = ASCE SZ PM). During the measurement period, daily ET0 values measured with ETGauge varied between 0-10 mm/day and the average was determined as 4.5 ± 2.7 mm/day in the study area. In the calculations made with the empirical models, the change in ThornthwaiteAdj is 1.3-6.6 mm/day with an average of 3.8 ± 1.6 mm/day, the change in Blaney-Criddle is 1.8-7.2 mm per day with an average of 5.1 ± 1.4, the change in PM is 1.2-10.5 mm/day with an average of 5.8 ± 2.7 mm/day, the change in Jensen-Haise was 5.8 ± 2.7 mm/day with an average of 5.5 ± 2.7 mm/day, and the change in ASCE SZ PM was calculated as 1.0-10.1 mm/day with an average of 5.4 ± 2.5 mm/day. Considering the obtained results, the ETGauge equipment can be used safely in creating irrigation programmes. Keywords: ASCE Standardised Penman-Monteith, Blaney-Criddle, FAO Penman Monteith, Jensen-Haise, Thornthwaite Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 219-233 Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/25/2025-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/25/2025-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202504-0002.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:4:id:25-2025-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Vojtěch Štros Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague-Zbraslav, Czech Republic Author-Name: David Kincl Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague-Zbraslav, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Land Use and Improvement, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: David Kabelka Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague-Zbraslav, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jan Vopravil Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague-Zbraslav, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Land Use and Improvement, Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Rainfall induced changes in soil moisture: A comparative study of conventional and strip tillage Abstract: Strip tillage is a very popular form of conservation tillage that is used in places with a higher risk of soil erosion. It is commonly accepted that strip tillage reduces the effects of water erosion; however, the exact way this effect is produced is very hard to quantify. This study focuses on the way strip tillage influences soil moisture and the way it changes with different intensities of rainfall, in comparison with conventional tillage. This study was conducted near Petrovice, Středočeský kraj, Czechia, over the course of four years (2021-2024). The conditions of all four test sites were comparable, both in terms of slope and soil type present. The soil moisture of strip tillage in a depth of 15 cm was changing differently in comparison with conventional tillage. During lower intensity rainfall events, the soil moisture of the strip tilled plot changed significantly less in comparison with conventional tillage. On the contrary, when more intense precipitation occurred, the soil moisture in the strip-tilled plot responded with significantly higher changes in comparison with conventional tillage. Soil drying after precipitation was also studied, with the speed of drying of strip tillage being higher than that of conventional tillage. These findings help better understand the changes strip tillage introduces into the soil and to the crops it is used with. Keywords: conservation technologies, maize, soil conservation, soil water content, TMS sensor Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 234-242 Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/56/2025-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/56/2025-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202504-0003.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:4:id:56-2025-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Věra Ürge Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Pavel Formánek Author-Name: Jan Vopravil Author-Workplace-Name: Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Environmental Sciences, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Possibilities of agricultural soils evaluation in the Czech Republic Abstract: In this study, the evaluation of soil quality was realised using the Analytic Hierarchy Process, and the obtained values were integrated with Evaluated Soil Ecological Units (BPEJs). Different maps of the Czech Republic were elaborated with BPEJs classified into five soil protection classes based on the obtained model values (with or without the values for production potential), the ratio of 80% (production potential values) to 20% (model values) or 60% (production potential values) to 40% (model values) and 40% (production potential values) to 60% (model values). The evaluation of BPEJs based on the mentioned criteria showed differences in their classification into individual soil protection classes and possibilities of their use or withdrawal from the agricultural land fund. Compared with the existing categorization of BPEJs into soil protection classes (according to Decree No. 48/2011 Coll.), the use of presented model (plus production potential) values, the ratio of 80 : 20%, 60 : 40% or 40 : 60% (production potential: model) caused the numbers of BPEJs increased in those soil protection classes where the withdrawal of soils from the agricultural land fund is possible only exceptionally or it is possible to use the soils for building purposes only under certain conditions. Keywords: agricultural land resources, hydrological groups, physical soil properties, soil quality indicator, texture Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 243-252 Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/66/2025-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/66/2025-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202504-0004.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:4:id:66-2025-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Jiří Kapička Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Conservation Service, Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Věra Kolbabová Author-Name: Miroslav Bauer Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Landscape Water Conservation, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Tomáš Dostál Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Landscape Water Conservation, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Petr Kavka Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Landscape Water Conservation, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Josef Krása Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Landscape Water Conservation, Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Alla Achasova Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Soil Conservation Service, Research Institute for Soil and Water Conservation, Prague, Czech Republic Title: Determination of soil loss on agricultural land based on field measurements in the Czech Republic Abstract: The current erosion protection set up in the Czech Republic (CZ) is based on the long-term soil loss due to water erosion using the Universal Soil Loss Equation (USLE). The range of recommended values of tolerable soil loss by water varies among different authors and approaches, depending on the specific area and its parameters. It is, therefore, important to ask the following questions. What is the real range of soil loss by water erosion in CZ. To determine the range of soil loss, a model extrapolation was carried out. The model extrapolation was based on the results from two main experimental measurements. Both from the evaluated volume soil loss of real erosion events and field experiments based on measurements of erosion induced by artificial rainfall. The results of modelled extrapolation of the range of long-term soil loss are in the range 6.9-13.8 t/ha per year. Keywords: eroded volume, erosion events, soil loss tolerance, soil water erosion Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 253-264 Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/22/2025-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/22/2025-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202504-0005.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:4:id:22-2025-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Michal Dohnal Author-Name: Jana Votrubová Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Rebeka Mazúchová Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Czech Technical University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic Author-Name: Miroslav Tesař Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Hydrodynamics of the Czech Academy of Sciences, Prague, Czech Republic Title: The role of ground heat flux in estimating evapotranspiration by the Penman-Monteith method on mountain meadow Abstract: Ground heat flux (G) is often an overlooked component of the surface energy balance, and its accurate determination remains challenging. In the present study, the accuracy of various G estimation methods is examined using long-term measurements from the Central European mountain meadow. The impact of different G approximation on calculated evapotranspiration by the Penman-Monteith method (ET) is analysed. Soil heat flux measurements and surface temperature data were used to determine G, while net radiation was used to approximate G. Neglecting G led to an overestimation of ET in the daily timestep. On the contrary, the FAO-recommended hourly approximation overestimated G, underestimating ET. Site-specific calibrations of G prediction models improved their accuracy. For daily average G, as well as for hourly average G, simple constant parameter models (i.e., models including a single parameter specifying the fraction of net radiation directly) provide satisfactory accuracy of ET evaluation. However, in an hourly timestep, net radiation fails as a predictor of G shortly after sunrise and before sunset. The findings emphasise the importance of considering G in ET calculations and the need for site-specific calibrations of G estimation models. Keywords: evapotranspiration of grass, Penman-Monteith equation, sandy loam texture, soil heat flux, soil temperature Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 265-273 Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/24/2025-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/24/2025-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202504-0006.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:4:id:24-2025-SWR Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0 Author-Name: Ivo Horák Author-Name: Marek Litzman Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Petr Marada Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Agricultural, Food and Environmental Engineering, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Lubor Lacina Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Finance, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Miroslav Dumbrovský Author-Workplace-Name: Institute Water Landscape Management, Brno University of Technology, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Jan Vavřina Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Business Economics, Faculty of Business and Economics, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Author-Name: Michal Pochop Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Applied and Landscape Ecology, Faculty of AgriSciences, Mendel University in Brno, Brno, Czech Republic Title: Economic evaluation of conservation grassland as a measure to control soil erosion in the Czech Republic Abstract: Conservation grassland significantly reduces soil erosion risk in agricultural landscapes, as shown by a nationwide analysis of over 1.9 million Farmer's blocks (DPBs) records from the Czech Republic (2016-2022). A logit regression model revealed that grassland establishment lowers the likelihood of erosion events by about 64%, with erosion risk strongly influenced by altitude, land use, and management practices. Spatial mapping and soil suitability classification identified nearly 240 00 hectares - mainly along 33 000 concentrated runoff pathways - as suitable for targeted grassland conversion. Despite its soil-protective function, high opportunity costs hinder uptake in economically productive regions. Cluster analysis across EU Member States confirmed a strong link between low permanent grassland share and high erosion exposure. The findings underscore the need for regionally tailored policies, long-term financial support, and flexible land management options to enhance soil resilience and promote sustainable agriculture. Keywords: cluster analysis, conservation grass management, logit regression analysis, opportunity cost, water erosion Journal: Soil and Water Research Pages: 274-284 Volume: 20 Issue: 4 Year: 2025 DOI: 10.17221/33/2025-SWR File-URL: http://swr.agriculturejournals.cz/doi/10.17221/33/2025-SWR.html File-Format: text/html X-File-Ref: http://agriculturejournals.cz/RePEc/caa/references/swr-202504-0007.txt Handle: RePEc:caa:jnlswr:v:20:y:2025:i:4:id:33-2025-SWR