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| Title | Soil texture determination: comparison of different methods |
| Group | Soil Physics and Land Management group |
| Project type | thesis |
| Credits | 24-39 |
| Supervisor(s) | Loes van Schaik |
| Examiner(s) | Coen Ritsema |
| Contact info | loes.vanschaik@wur.nl |
| Begin date | 2021/05/25 |
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| Description | The classical soil texture determination is done by sieving and sedimentation analysis. As a large part of the scientific literature in which soil texture is related to soil functioning is based on soil texture as measured with this method, it is known as the reference method for soil texture determination. This is a very labor intensive method. The classification of soil particles in size groups (clay, silt, sand) with this method is based on am equivalent particle diameter which is derived from the theoretical rate of sedimentation of particles with a spherical shape in the water column. Laser spectroscopy has been used as a quicker method for texture measurements. However due to the shape of clay particles, their influence on the diffraction of the laser beams is very different than that of spherical particles, leading to a strong underestimation of clay. The QICPIC is a relatively new method for particle size analysis, based on dynamic image analysis, which is still under development. The method seems to have the advantage that the form and size of all the particles can be analysed. The question however is how these measurements relate to the classical method of sieving and sedimentation and whether the additional information on form and size has aids our understanding of the influence of clay particles in soil functioning. |
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