Civil Engineering Association

Soil-Water-Solute process characterization: An Integrated Approach
Author(s): Javier Alvarez-Benedi, Rafael Munoz-Carpena
Publisher: CRC Press; 1 edition (December 28, 2004)
Format: PDF
Language: English
ISBN10: 1566706572
ISBN-13: 978-1566706575
Product Dimensions: 9.2 x 6.2 x 1.8 inches
Pages: 816
Size: 21 MB

Description:
The development and application of methods for monitoring and characterizing soil-water-solute processes are among the most limiting factors in understanding the soil environment. Experimental methods are a critical part of scientific papers, and their design and implementation are usually the most time-consuming tasks in research. When selecting a method to characterize a property governing a soil process, the practitioner or researcher often faces complex alternatives. In many cases these alternatives are bypassed in favor of recommendations from colleagues on well-established methods that might not be the most suitable for the specific conditions of a study.

The practitioner or researcher often faces complex alternatives when selecting a method to characterize properties governing a soil process. After years of research and development, environmental and agricultural professionals now have an array of methods for characterizing soil processes. Well-established methods, however, may not be suitable for the specific conditions of a study since many soil characteristics are intrinsically variable. An objective, integrated approach for soil characterization is needed to more effectively quantify parameters.
Soil-Water-Solute Process Characterization goes beyond technical guidance and addresses the complicating factors such as spatial and temporal variability of soil processes, scale issues, soil structure, and the trade-offs between methods. It focuses on advanced methods for the monitoring and modeling of mass transfer processes in soil. Expert contributors present limitations to well-known methods and alternatives, discussing their practical applications for characterization efforts, evaluating strengths and weaknesses, and focusing on a reduced set of selected techniques. Three in-depth sections cover everything from multidisciplinary approaches for assessing subsurface non-point source pollution to techniques for characterizing water and energy balances at the soil-plant-atmosphere interface, field methods for monitoring soil water status, and computer models for characterizing the effect of chemicals in soil.

This single-source reference is transforming method selection and our understanding of the principles, advantages, and limitations of the available monitoring techniques. Written in a simple and straightforward manner, Soil-Water-Solute Process Characterization is a detailed cookbook and a useful, practical reference for students, practitioners, and researchers.

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