Electro-Magnetic Geophysical Dynamics under Conservation and Conventional Farming

Abstract

In the context of global warming, agriculture faces severe challenges such as water scarcity and soil erosion. Key to achieving soil sustainability is the choice of farming practices, the consequences of which are generally site-specific. In this study, the ability of Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and Electro Magnetic Induction (EMI) methods were assessed for monitoring the effects of conventional (CONV) and conservation (CONS) agricultural practices. The aim is to highlight differences in soil water distribution caused by both short- and long-term effects of the two different practices. Results demonstrated that both ERT and EMI provided sufficient information to distinguish between the effects of CONV and CONS, while traditional direct measurements, being punctual techniques, lacked sufficient spatial resolution. The ERT transects showed that the soil was much more homogeneous as a result of CONS practices, resulting in a higher sensitivity to changes in the water content. Conversely, due to the heterogeneous soil structure under CONV, water distribution was more irregular and difficult to predict. Similar patterns were also observed with the EMI surveys, with a strong link to spatial variability. Finally, we conclude that for CONV soil, the accessible water for the plant is clearly controlled by the soil heterogeneities rather than by the forcing atmospheric conditions. This study is a first step towards paving the way for more refined hydrology models to identify which soil parameters are key to controlling spatial and temporal changes in soil water content.