There is a growing impetus to use soil properties to determine if reclamation efforts are adequate to restore productivity. Constructed mine soils were studied 4 and 11 yr after reclamation to determine physical and hydrological properties. Soils constructed using similar methods and with similar vegetation histories were compared to each other and to an equivalent undisturbed soil. Bulk density was greater in the topsoil and subsoil materials of the constructed soils than in the undisturbed A and B soil horizons. Macropore volume (pore radii > 15 µm) was greater in the topsoil and subsoil materials at the 11‐yr site relative to the 4‐yr site but was significantly lower than that in the undisturbed soil. Small pore volume (pore radii from 4.5 to 0.1 µm) in the reclaimed topsoil materials was similar to the undisturbed A horizon soil but was larger in reclaimed subsoil materials than in the undisturbed B horizon. Saturated hydraulic conductivity (Ks) of the reclaimed topsoil was about 25% that of the undisturbed A horizons and the reclaimed subsoil Ks was less than 10% that of the undisturbed B horizon. The reduction in Ks was attributed to the increase in bulk density and disruption of soil structural units and associated interpedal pore spaces during mining and soil construction. No significant differences in Ks were found between constructed minesoils 4 and 11 yr after reclamation. The results of this study show that soil properties may be useful for evaluating reclamation success after soil construction.
Soil surface roughness provides a mechanism to alter soil reflectance and the surface energy balance. A field study was conducted to determine the effect of surface roughness on energy absorption and energy partitioning at the soil surface. A range of surface roughness conditions was created by varying the intensity of secondary tillage after moldboard plowing. Parameters measured included spectral reflectance, net radiation, soil temperature, and soil heat flux. Reflectance of solar radiation decreased with increasing surface roughness, with the greatest differences occurring among radiation wavelengths of 850 and 1350 nm. Reflectance was similar between 400 and 850 nm. Reflectance from a visibly dry surface was increased up to 25% in some wavelengths 5 d after a 47‐mm rainfall event, possibly because of decreased surface roughness. Although net radiation increased with increased surface roughness, soil heat flux at 0.01‐m was similar for all roughness conditions. This indicates that the latent and/or sensible heat flux was increased by increasing surface roughness. Theoretical considerations indicate that increasing surface roughness results in greater transport of energy from the soil surface to the atmosphere. Relationships between the change in net radiation due to surface roughness and the partitioning of net radiation among the surface energy balance components are developed and presented graphically.
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