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Using the electromagnetic induction survey method to examine the depth to clay soil layer (Bt horizon) in playa wetlands

  • Sediments, Sec 5 • Sediment Management • Research Article
  • Published:
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Abstract

Purpose

Sediment accumulation has been and continues to be a significant threat to the integrity of the playa wetland ecosystem. The purpose of this study was to determine the vertical depth to the clay soil layer (Bt horizon) and thus to calculate the thickness of sediments accumulated in playa wetlands.

Materials and methods

This study used the electromagnetic induction (EMI) survey method, specifically EM38-MK2 equipment, to measure the vertical depth to the clay soil layer at the publicly managed wetlands in the Rainwater Basin, Nebraska, USA.

Results and discussion

The results indicated that the depth to the clay soil layer ranges from 21 to 78 cm (n = 279) with a mean sediment thickness of 39 cm. The annual sediment deposition rate since human settlement in the 1860s was calculated to be 0.26 cm year−1. The results provided science-based data to support future wetland restoration planning and the development of decision support tools that prioritize conservation delivery efforts.

Conclusions

Our research confirmed that the EMI technique is effective and efficient at determining the depth to the Bt horizon for playa wetlands. Additionally, these results supported previous studies and continue to indicate that a large amount of sediment has accrued in these playa wetlands within the Rainwater Basin area since settlement. Wetland restoration ecologists can use this information to prioritize future wetland restoration work that intends to remove culturally accumulated sediments above the clay soil layer. These findings provided a contemporary summary of wetland soil profile information that is typically used to develop restoration plans. This research also filled the critical knowledge gap about the thickness of the upper soils and the depth to Bt in publicly managed wetlands.

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Acknowledgments

The research team sincerely appreciates the valuable guidance, field survey support, and data sharing support from the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the U.S. Department of Agriculture-Natural Resources Conservation Service, the Rainwater Basin Joint Venture, and the Nebraska Game and Parks Commission. We also appreciate the valuable suggestions and constructive comments from the three reviewers and the editors.

Funding

This paper has been funded by the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) under assistance agreement (CD 97753701).

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Community and Regional Planning Program, University of Nebraska-Lincoln, Lincoln, NE, 68588, USA

    Yuan Xue, Zhenghong Tang & Qiao Hu

  2. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Rainwater Basin Wetland Management District, Funk, NE, 68940, USA

    Jeff Drahota

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  1. Yuan Xue
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  2. Zhenghong Tang
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Correspondence to Zhenghong Tang.

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Xue, Y., Tang, Z., Hu, Q. et al. Using the electromagnetic induction survey method to examine the depth to clay soil layer (Bt horizon) in playa wetlands. J Soils Sediments 20, 556–570 (2020). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11368-019-02390-8

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