Articles and Papers
The following articles contain detail information about a variety of topics related to soil sensors, research, and other related material. Click on the link below the description to read more.
The Role of Soil Moisture on our Climate, Weather and Global Warming
The global carbon cycle, weather and climate are all heavily influenced by soil moisture. Soil can be both a major source of atmospheric CO2 and a major storage reservoir for carbon with soil moisture being a driving force. In fact, the amount of CO2 emissions from soil is ten times greater than that of human fossil fuel emissions. The CO2 emission from soil is called soil carbon flux or soil respiration and it is the result of bacteria and microorganism in the soil. Read more...
Stevens Water and US Farm Bill Helps Farmers Optimize Crop Irrigation & Fertilization
The agricultural industry and conservationists are working together towards an inclusive objective of conserving water usage, reducing runoff and optimizing crop quality and yield. New technology, such as the Stevens Hydra Probe soil sensor, accurately monitors water usage and supplies data that can help a farmer maximize their yield while minimizing runoff. Furthermore, farmers can actually be compensated for conservation efforts though the U.S. Farm Bill. Read more...
Stevens Systems Enhances Ground Water Remediation Effectiveness
The Stevens Hydra Probe is now being used to monitor the progress of a new groundwater pollution clean up method called phytoremediation. Phytoremediation is the method by which trees are used to pull contamination out of groundwater. Remediation of contaminated aquifers can take many years to complete. The need for clean, healthy rivers, lakes and streams has stimulated research to develop more efficient, cost-effective solutions of removing pollution from aquifers. Phytoremediation is one solution showing great promise. Read more...
Stevens Hydra Probe Helps in Landslide Research
Each year during the wet season we hear news reports about landslides in America and abroad. Sometimes these events happen in unpopulated areas but unfortunately they also occur in areas where people live, causing property damage and taking lives. But what causes these events and what can be done about them? That’s what Dr. Burns, a geology professor at Portland State University is trying to answer. Read more...
Evaluation of the Stevens Hydra Probe's Temperature Measurements from -30 to 40 Degrees Celsius
Soil temperature data down to -30° Celsius is becoming more and more relevant to climate studies. While environmental issues fuel the development and the wide spread use of sophisticated environmental models, reliable input data is becoming essential for researchers and modelers. The soil temperature data collected by the Hydra Probe can be used in climate studies in artic regions, regional energy budget calculations, drought forecasting and heat fluxes. It is the intent of Stevens Water Monitoring Systems to provide the scientific community a reliable and cost effective soil temperature sensor to suit the needs of environmental researchers. 
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Stevens Hydra Probe Inorganic Soil Calibrations
The Stevens Hydra Probe can be calibrated to accommodate almost any inorganic soil regardless of clay content or organic mater. While the default calibrations are suitable for most soils, other published calibrations can be used to obtain a higher level of accuracy if specific textural information about the soil is available. Read more...
NRCS Urban Soil Primer
The Urban Soil Primer is intended to give planning officials and people who live in urban areas an introduction to soils. It provides information important in planning and managing land resources in a manner that helps to prevent or mitigate problems associated with sedimentation, contamination, runoff, and structural failure. In nontechnical language, this publication describes the basic processes and functions common to all soils. Read more...
Introduction to Soil Surveys for Agronomic Use
The USDA's Introduction to Soil Surveys for Agronomic Use, entitled "From the Surface Down", is a introduction to soil types, horizons, and how they are measured. The intent of this publication is to increase user understanding of soils and acquaint them with the contents of a soil survey and supplemental interpretations that are important to agronomic programs. Read more...
USDA Soil Quality Test Kit Guide
This guide is provided by the USDA in order to help land owners, famers, and other interterested parties accuratly measure soil quality. Section I of this guide provides a list of supplies and instructions for conducting a number of on-farm tests to assess soil quality. Section II provides background and interpretive information for each test described in Section I. These tests, or indicators, are designed as a screening tool to provide immediate results for comparing management systems, monitoring changes in soil quality over time, and for diagnosing possible soil health problems due to land use and management. Read more...
Ground Freezing Effects on Soil Erosion of Army Training Lands
Military maneuvers damage vegetation and compact and rut soils on training lands, thereby increasing the likelihood of hillslope runoff and soil erosion. Soil Freeze–Thaw (FT) processes can change the hydraulic geometry and roughness of vehicular ruts and reduce soil compaction, which often partially restores the water infiltration rate that existed before compaction. The efficiency of these FT-induced “repairs” depends on soil water content and FT intensity. Read more...
Diagnosing Saline and Sodic Soil Problems
Symptoms and causes of salinity, high pH, specific ion toxicity, and sodicity are frequently confused. Each of these conditions can have adverse affects on plant growth, but they differ significantly in their cause and relative impact. Effective management of these problems vary and require proper diagnosis. Proper diagnosis is critical to successful problem correction. Read more...
Soil Quality Indicators: pH
Soil pH influences the solubility of nutrients. It also affects the activity of micro-organisms responsible for breaking down organic matter and most chemical transformations in the soil. Soil pH thus affects the availability of several plant nutrients. Read more...
