a) If the silty clay loam soil profile is 1 meter deep, how much plant available water (cm) can potentially be held in the upper meter of soil?
b) If the silty clay loam profile is 40 inches deep, how many inches of plant available water can potentially be held in the upper 40 inches of soil?
To calculate the plant available water in a soil profile, we need to know the field capacity and wilting point of the soil.
a) To determine the plant available water in cm in a 1-meter deep silty clay loam soil profile, we follow these steps:
1. Find the field capacity and wilting point values for the soil. These values are typically available from soil test reports or can be estimated based on the soil texture.
2. Subtract the wilting point value from the field capacity value to get the plant available water per unit depth.
3. Multiply the plant available water per unit depth by the depth of the soil profile (1 meter in this case) to get the total plant available water.
b) To calculate the plant available water in inches in a 40-inch deep silty clay loam soil profile, we follow similar steps, but use different units of measurement:
1. Find the field capacity and wilting point values for the soil.
2. Convert the field capacity and wilting point values from cm to inches.
3. Subtract the converted wilting point value from the converted field capacity value to get the plant available water per unit depth.
4. Multiply the plant available water per unit depth by the depth of the soil profile (40 inches in this case) to get the total plant available water.
It's important to note that the field capacity and wilting point values can vary depending on the specific soil composition and other factors. It's best to consult soil test reports or soil experts for accurate values for a given soil profile.