Determination of Soil Hydraulic Parameters and Evaluation of Water Dynamics and Nitrate Leaching in the Unsaturated Layered Zone: A Modeling Case Study in Central Croatia

Jasmina Defterdarović, Lana Filipović, Filip Kranjčec, Gabrijel Ondrašek, Diana Kikić, Alen Novosel, Ivan Mustać, Vedran Krevh, Ivan Magdić, Vedran Rubinić, Igor Bogunović, Ivan Dugan, Krešimir Čopec, Hailong He and Vilim Filipović
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Jasmina Defterdarović: Department of Soil Amelioration, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Lana Filipović: Department of Soil Amelioration, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Filip Kranjčec: Department of Soil Amelioration, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Gabrijel Ondrašek: Department of Soil Amelioration, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Diana Kikić: Department of Soil Amelioration, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Alen Novosel: Department of Soil Amelioration, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Mustać: Department of Soil Amelioration, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Vedran Krevh: Department of Soil Amelioration, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Magdić: Department of Soil Science, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Vedran Rubinić: Department of Soil Science, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Igor Bogunović: Department of General Agronomy, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Ivan Dugan: Department of General Agronomy, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Krešimir Čopec: Department of Agricultural Engineering, Division of Agricultural Engineering and Technology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia
Hailong He: College of Natural Resources and Environment, Northwest A&F University, Xianyang 712100, China
Vilim Filipović: Department of Soil Amelioration, Division for Agroecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Zagreb, 10000 Zagreb, Croatia

Sustainability, 2021, vol. 13, issue 12, 1-20

Abstract: Nitrate leaching through soil layers to groundwater may cause significant degradation of natural resources. The aims of this study were: (i) to estimate soil hydraulic properties (SHPs) of the similar soil type with same management on various locations; (ii) to determine annual water dynamics; and (iii) to estimate the impact of subsoil horizon properties on nitrate leaching. The final goal was to compare the influence of different SHPs and layering on water dynamics and nitrate leaching. The study was conducted in central Croatia (Zagreb), at four locations on Calcaric Phaeozem, Calcaric Regosol, and Calcaric Fluvic Phaeozem soil types. Soil hydraulic parameters were estimated using the HYPROP system and HYPROP-FIT software. Water dynamics and nitrate leaching were evaluated using HYDRUS 2D/3D during a period of 365 days. The amount of water in the soil under saturated conditions varied from 0.422 to 0.535 cm 3 cm −3 while the hydraulic conductivity varied from 3 cm day −1 to 990.9 cm day −1 . Even though all locations have the same land use and climatic conditions with similar physical properties, hydraulic parameters varied substantially. The amount and velocity of transported nitrate (HYDRUS 2D/3D) were affected by reduced hydraulic conductivity of the subsoil as nitrates are primarily transported via advective flux. Despite the large differences in SHPs of the topsoil layers, the deeper soil layers, having similar SHPs, imposed a buffering effect preventing faster nitrate downward transport. This contributed to a very similar distribution of nitrates through the soil profile at the end of simulation period. This case study indicated the importance of carefully selecting relevant parameters in multilayered soil systems when evaluating groundwater pollution risk.

Keywords: soil water flow; nitrate transport; HYPROP; numerical simulations; HYDRUS 2D/3D; soil buffering effect (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2021
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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