Showing 2 results for M. Baghernejad
P. Shekari, M. Baghernejad,
Volume 9, Issue 4 (winter 2006)
Abstract
Chenges in the soil characteristics is rather continuously. A method that takes this continuity into account would present a realistic pattern of soil distribution either in taxonomic or geographical space. The fuzzy set theory provides such an approach. In this study, the robustness of fuzzy clustering in soil pattern recognition was evaluated in a subcatchment of western Iran. The clustering carried out on the basis of minimization of an objective function in assigning membership values to each pedon in each fuzzy class. Fuzziness exponent values from 1.15 to 1.5 were used. The following validation of the resulted clusters (classes), optimal number of classes in whole, morphological and particle-size subsets were determined 8, 4, and 5 respectively. Plots of membership values across the landscape indicated class overlap and considerable contiguity. Considering low differentiation of these young soils and the high similarity among their properties, the method indicated a high capacity in recognizing different soil types over the study area. Furthermore, there was relationships between the soil fuzzy classes and landform. Thus, the method is capable in continuous classification, which could be so important in construction of continuous soil maps at low aggregation levels, e. g., pedon.
S. Jafari, M. Baghernejad,
Volume 11, Issue 41 (fall 2007)
Abstract
Sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.) and rotational crops have been cultivated without potassium fertilizers for many years in southwestern Iran. Although potassium was removed from this soil, no response has been reported to K fertilizers by crops. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of wetting and drying, and cultivation systems on potassium fixation in some Khouzestan soils. The results showed that expandable clay mineral was observed in cultivated soils but not in the non-cultivated soils. This may be related to irrigation, and cultivation practices in this soils. By adding K and sequential wetting and drying the amount of K-available increased in sugarcane, rotational cropping and uncultivated soils from 132.6, 226.2 and, 171.6 mgkg-1 to 266, 447 and 628, respectively. These results showed that more K can be fixed after cultivating soils, especially by sugarcane, but available K increased by adding K. All surface soils had higher K fixation capacity than subsurface ones. Also, by application K to these soils, the amount of K fixation decreased with increasing wetting and drying times. The K fixation increased by the increase of cation exchangeable capacity. Significant difference was observed between cultivation system and depth of sampling in 1% levels. High K fixation can be attributed to illite minerals depleted from K. Mica-like minerals formed after adding K, and wetting and drying cycles. Amount of K fixation by clay particle samples was more than the same soil samples but in both the same trend was observed for K fixation. Also, drying and wetting decreased K fixation in the last periods. It may be due to trapping K in the interlayer positions.
