ASSIGNMENT: PHYSIOLOGY

TOPIC: FIELD CAPACITY AND WATER HOLDING CAPACITY

EFFECT OF PRECIPITATION ON DISTRIBUTION OF PLANTS

COURSE TITLE: ADS

COURSE CODE: S18

DEGREE/ PROGRAMME: ASSOCIATE DEGREE OF SCIENCE

STUDENT NAME: LAIBA JABBAR

REGISTRATION NO: S8F17ASBZ0015

SUBMITTED BY: M’AM UZMA

 WATER FIELD CAPACITY:

Field Capacity is the amount of soil moisture or water content held in the soil after excess water
has drained away and the rate of downward movement has decreased. This usually takes place 2–3 days
after rain or irrigation in pervious soils of uniform structure and texture.

The physical definition of field capacity (expressed symbolically as θfc) is the bulk water content
retained in soil at −33 J/kg (or −0.33 bar) of hydraulic head or suction pressure

Plant Available Water

At “Field Capacity” (FC) the soil is wet and contains all the water it can hold against gravity. At the
“Permanent Wilting Point” (PWP) the soil is dry and the plant can no longer extract any more water. The
difference in the water content of soil between field capacity and the permanent wilting point gives the
amount of soil water available for uptake by plants. The plant available water is expected to be greater for
clayey and organic soils compared to sandy soils. If we know the plant available water and the rate at
which this water is being depleted by crops then we can determine the necessary frequency of irrigation.
Apart from irrigation scheduling, this information can also be useful in the modeling of crop growth and
prediction of yields.

WATER RETENTION AND AIR CONTENT

The water-holding capacity or retention is a function of the total pore space (per cent V/V) and a suction
force applied (either in cm water pressure or kPa). The more suction is applied, the drier the material gets
and the higher the air content will be (this is represented by the main drainage curve in Klute, 1986).

General Principle of Determination

For media with suctions up to 10 or even 20 kPa suction tables are in common use. The suction is usually
applied by placing the samples on a bed of very fine sand or clay in a water-tight container connected to
an adjustable overflow (Fig. 7.2).

Water retention measurements are time consuming because equilibrium between the applied suction and
the water-filled pore space is essential. Usually each measured point on a curve with 3–10 points requires
1–2 days to reach equilibrium. Frequently, the term ‘water retention’ is used for the measurement of both
the main drainage curve and the main wetting (= rewetting) curve. Common measuring points include the
water content at saturation, and at suctions of –2.5cm, –10cm, –20cm, –50 cm, –100cm and –500 cm
suction head. The air content is calculated as the difference between porosity and water content. Usually
the main drainage curve and the main wetting curve share the wettest and the driest points but differ in
between. This effect is called hysteresis. Its causes are discussed in the section on ‘Hydrophobicity’.
Hysteresis also influences the rewetting, rehydration rate and unsaturated hydraulic conductivity.
Special Cases

Various variants exist, for example using air pressure instead of water columns. Especially at higher
suction levels air will enter the sand bed of the suction table. Strict procedures for sample preparation,
saturation and measuring time have to be observed. The method is derived from soil science and its
application for media creates some interpretation problems. One interpretation problem is related to the
sample height of 5 cm, which is treated as a point sample. In fact, for small suction forces applied (from 0
to 15 cm suction force, i.e. 0–1.5 kPa), the sample height does influence the reading to a large degree.

Another interpretation problem concerns the point of 0.0 cm suction, which is defined at a free water table
up to half of the sample's height. The point of 0.0 cm suction is thus changing with the sample height.
Sample heights other than 5.0 cm are common, for example 3.5 cm for propagation plugs.

A third common interpretation problem is that many substrates used in horticulture are in practice
subjected to only a part of the measuring range mentioned. There is no point in measuring substrates such
as polyurethane foam at suctions above 20 cm of water column, since at these suctions there is no longer
water in interconnected pores.

Common Values for Media

Water retention forces in growing media are usually 10–100 times lower than the common values for soil
(10–100 kPa).

Influence on Growth

The results are indicative of the ease of the uptake of water – and nutrition – by plants as well as the
wetness in various growing systems. Growth is highest at low water retention forces, but very low
water retention forces are sometimes avoided, for example, when the amount of air-filled pores
becomes too low for proper oxygen transport. The air content recommendations for optimal
growth are found in kipp et al., 2001. Water retention forces high enough to decrease the fresh
weight growth may actually be desirable, for example to create denser, that is better quality pot
plants and in transplant production, when hardy plants are preferred by the growers.

Chemical Hydrology

The tension head at field capacity is equivalent to the height of a liquid water column in a mineral
capillary hc. The effective radius of the largest water-filled pores at field capacity r¯fc is the dependent
variable and the tension head at field capacity hfc is the independent variable.

r¯fc=2⋅γstρw⋅hfc
r¯fc=2⋅0.0728997.044⋅1.02⋅9.80665=1.49×10−5m

Soil scientists use hfc ≈−1 m for coarse texture soils and hfc ≈−3.3 m for fine-textured soils. Using these
two tension heads at field capacity, the largest water-filled pores in coarse-textured soil is about 15 μm
while the largest water-filled pores in fine-textured soil is about 4 μm. Tuller et al. (1999) provide a more
detailed discussion of water film thickness in soils, examining geometries beyond the simple round
capillary discussed here. Regardless, the results are essentially the same.
Effect of precipitation on Distribution of Plants
Water:

Water is most important environmental factor. It is essential for all life processes. The living cells have
about 80% water. It is essential for maintenance of turgidity of cells. It acts as solvent for the exchanges
of gases. All physiological processes like photosynthesis, transpiration and respiration require water.

Water covers about 73% of the surface of the earth. It is present in ponds, lakes, streams anad oceans.
Only 1% water is present in fresh water bodies like ponds, river, lakes etc. 99% water is present in
oceans. It falls from the atmosphere in form of precipitation , and water vapours.

Precipitation:
Precipitation includes rain, snow, hail, and dew. Precipitation occurs due condensation of water
vapours present in the air. Air or wind carries these vapours from oceans. Precipitation may be in the
from oceans. Precipitation may be in the form of rainfall, snow fall or hailing.

Importance of precipitation:

1. Rain is a major source of soil moisture for the plants.

2. Rain increases the humidity of air. Thus it reduces the rate of transpiration in plants. It affects
many physiological functions of the plant.
3. Snow is important for driving rivers.
4. Snow may cause ice crystal formation in plant cells. It kills the plants.
5. Hail storm destroy the standing crops.
6. Dew has great significance for desert plants.
Distribution of vegetation in relation to moisture
Hydrophytes:
Hydrophytes are aquatic plants that are especially suited for living in aquatic environments. In
order to survive, a hydrophyte, also known as an aquatic macrophyte, must either be
completely submerged in water, or in some cases be allowed to float on the surface of the
water. Aquatic plants can usually be categorized into 4 main type: floating plants, deep water
plants, marginal plants and oxygenating plants.
Amphibiophytes:
The moisture loving plants are amphibiophytes. They grow on very moist and swampy places.
Their roots and part of stem are embedded in the mud. Most of their characteristics are
intermediate between hydrophytes and mesophytes. They have well developed mechanical and
conducting tissues.
Mesophytes:
The land plants which grow in places which are neither dry nor wet are called mesophytes. They
have well developed tap root and adventitious roots.the stem is erect and have larger leaves.
Xerophytes:
The desert plants are called xerophytes. They face extreme shortage of water. They possess
small, thick leaves. They have thick, waxy and leathery cuticle. They have stem as their
photosynthetic organ.