Quantification of Soil Fabric by X-ray Computed Tomography

土壤不仅仅是矿物颗粒、有机碎片和相关的孔隙空间的随机组合；这些成分的结构可能既反映了当地的自然过程，也反映了人类活动。结构退化是加拿大和全球的一个主要问题，因为加工会导致表土和底土压实，或导致地表结皮。受影响的土壤不仅生产力较低，更难管理，而且更容易受到侵蚀。这项研究涉及应用高分辨率X射线CT扫描和相关的图像处理来量化土壤结构。该倡议将与农业/环境部和私营部门机构资助的其他正在进行的多学科土壤应用研究相结合，重点是了解土壤的自然行为以及管理做法对土壤的影响。它将利用来自美国、巴西、丹麦、意大利和西班牙的成熟的国际合作者网络，并为本科生、研究生和早期职业博士后研究人员提供培训机会。具体的研究活动将涉及开发和改进分析技术，系统地评估选定土壤对剖面压实和表面结皮的脆弱性。预计这项研究的结果将有助于理解自然发生的(如气候变化)或管理引起的变化对土壤系统的影响，以及各种土地恢复战略的效果。

Soil is more than a random assemblage of mineral grains, organic fragments and associated pore spaces; the configuration of these components may reflect both local natural processes and human activity. Structure degradation, by processing lead to topsoil and subsoil compaction, or to surface crusting is a major problem in Canada and globally. Impacted soils are not only less productive, and more difficult to manage, but also more susceptible to erosion. This research involves the application of high-resolution x-ray CT scanning, and associated image processing, to quantify soil structure. The initiative will be integrated with other ongoing applied multi-disciplinary soil research, funded by ministries of agriculture/environment and private sector bodies, focusing on understanding the natural behavior of soils, as well as the impact of management practices on soils. It will draw upon on a well-established international network of collaborators from the USA, Brazil, Denmark, Italy & Spain, and provide training opportunities for both undergraduate, post-graduate students and early-career postdoctoral researchers. The specific research activities will involve developing and refining analytical techniques, a systematic evaluation of the vulnerability of selected soils to profile compaction as well as surface crusting. It is anticipated that the outcomes of this research will aid in understanding the impact of natural occurring (such as climate change) or management-induced changes on soil systems, as well as the efficacy of diverse land rehabilitation strategies.