Using Apparent Electrical Conductivity to Delineate Field Variation in an Agroforestry System in the Ozark Highlands

Greater adoption and better management of spatially complex, conservation systems such as agroforestry (AF) are dependent on determining methods suitable for delineating in-field variability. However, no work has been conducted using repeated electromagnetic induction (EMI) or apparent electrical conductivity (ECa) surveys in AF within the Ozark Highlands northwest Arkansas. As a result, objectives were to (i) evaluate spatiotemporal ECa variability; (ii) identify ECa-derived soil zones (SMZs); (iii) establish correlations among survey data situ, soil-sensor volumetric water content, sentential site soil-sample EC, gravimetric content pH; (iv) determine optimum frequency at which could be capture temporal changes field Monthly between August 2020 July 2021 4.25 ha Fayetteville, The overall mean perpendicular geometry (PRP) horizontal coplanar (HCP) ranged from 1.8 18.0 3.1 25.8 mS m?1, respectively, HCP was 67% greater than PRP ECa. largest measured values occurred local drainage way areas potential groundwater movement, smallest with decreased effective depth increased coarse fragments. ECa, standard deviation (SD), coefficient variation (CV) unaffected (p > 0.05) by either weather growing/non-growing season. K-means clustering delineated three precision SMZs that reflective similar Results this study provided valuable information regarding application quantify small-scale properties delineate highly variable systems.