Analysis of Seasonal Crack Formation of a Vertisol in the Texas Gulf Coast Prairie
| Name | Title | |
|---|---|---|
| Dr. Cristine Morgan | Project Leader | cmorgan@ag.tamu.edu |
| Andrea S. Kishné | Co-PI | AKishne@ag.tamu.edu |
| Wesley L. Miller | Collaborator | Resource soil scientist , USDA-NRCS , Victoria , TX |
Cracks of clay soils facilitate rapid transport of water and pollutants into the soil and/or groundwater influencing landscape hydrology dramatically. To characterize, analyze and model the changes of cracks related to precipitation and micro-topography of a Vertisol, a 100 m2 area of Laewest soil (Fine, smectitic, hyperthermic Typic Hapludert) 
with native tallgrass vegetation was studied in Victoria County, Texas Gulf Coast Prairie. During 1989-1998 on 42 occasions, all surface crack length were measured and plotted with 5 cm accuracy on scaled diagrams and crack width were color coded in 5 categories. Crack depth was measured on representative areas.
Gravimetric soil moisture samples were determined at five depths. A digital elevation model (DEM) of the area was created based on survey quality laser leveling. A soil characterization pit close to the study area was described and sampled for microhigh and microlow. Crack diagrams were scanned and digitized in ArcView 9.
Objectives:
The overall objective is to improve quantitative characterization of shrink-swell properties of Vertisols. Our approach is twofold in this project. First is to compare field data on spatial and temporal variation of cracks of a Vertisol in Texas Gulf Coast Prairie to criteria in Soil Taxonomy. The second is to validate two current crack sub-models (Morgan, 2003, Arnold et al, 2005) against this field data set.
Specific objectives:
- Analyze spatial and temporal variation of crack pattern related to rainfall and soil properties
- Compare field measurements with criteria for classifying Usterts and Uderts in Soil Taxonomy.
- Model crack formation and quantify the effect of these cracks on soil surface hydrology using a process-based landscape model with a cracking sub-model.
Preliminary results:
- Kishné, A.S., C.L. Morgan and W.L. Miller, 2005. Spatial and Temporal Changes of Crack Formation of a Vertisol in the Texas Gulf Coast Prairie, abstract, Pedometrics 2005: Frontiers in Pedometrics, September 12-14, 2005, Naples, FL. <Abstract><Slides>
- Miller, W.L., A.S. Kishé and C.L. Morgan, 2005, Using Seasonal Crack Patterns to Evaluate the Criteria for Ustic and Udic Moisture Regimes for Vertisols in Texas, ASA Meeting, ASA-SSSA Meeting, November 6-10, 2005, Salt Lake City, UT. <Abstract>
Results
- Kishné, A.Sz., C.L. Morgan and W.L. Miller, 2009. Vertisol crack formation associated with gilgai and soil moisture in the Texas Gulf Coast Prairie. Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J. 73:1221-1230 .
- Kishné, A.Sz., Y. Ge, W.L. Miller, and C.L. Morgan. 2008. Estimating the effect of antecedent soil moisture on cracking of a Vertisol. Oral. 45th Annual Soil Survey and Land Resources Workshop. February 7-8, Texas A&M University.<abstract>
Soil Crack Data Set
For additional information on the Pedology program, contact Dr. Tom Hallmark hallmark@tamu.edu or Dr. Cristine Morgan cmorgan@ag.tamu.edu