I have sampled soil nutrients in grid method and analyzed all macro nutrients. Now I want to compare soil nutrient heterogeneity of my 2 study sites (which have high nutrient heterogeneity). Can anyone suggest me a method to do this?
Quite an intelligently placed question , Dr Atpattu. There could be many ways.These days , we so frequently talk of application of geopatial tools , using geocoded soil nutrients levelas and developing a nutrient specific spatial variogram and later supr-imposing them ove reach other to measure the extent of heterogeneity , either on the basis of single nutrient or on the basis of multiple nutrients . the extent of heterogeneity in agiven piece of alnd could be mor eprecisely measured, provided you have the soil fertility limits with respect to a given crop in tandem with sil type. This option will let you gauge the portion of your piece of land require , what kind of nutrient fertilization , while other piece of land may not require any fertilization at all at a given crop productivity level. infcat , this forms the very basis of precision nutrient management using variable rate application technique, even with fertigation to incurr much better nutrient-use-efficiency.
Another option , which is quite conventional but still holds quite good and practical one too. The differential response of nutrients in two contrasting sites, will reveal the kin dof nutrient constraints , two sites are facing with....
This nutrient heterogeneity , is it seasonal in nature within a given year, remains to be seen ....
Good luck
Soil nutrients heterogeneity maybe compare with Soil pH .A strongly acid may be compare with the strongly alkaline soil with the heterogeneity of available poos of nutrients contain like water soluble, exchangeable, organic bonded soil nutrients which may be monitored through different in soil fertility.
Best way would be to develop GIS- based varogram for each nutrients to judge the heterogeneity within your field using coefficient of variation(CV) , since you have used grid,- based soil sampling. Higher is the CV , more will be the hetergeneity about that nutrient .But , eventually what does it lead to , Dr Atapattu, if i can put up a counter querry.
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