PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - D.A. Lobb
AU  - T.A. Quine
AU  - G Govers
AU  - G.J. Heckrath
TI  - Comparison of methods used to calculate tillage translocation using plot-tracers
DP  - 2001 Oct 01
TA  - Journal of Soil and Water Conservation
PG  - 321--328
VI  - 56
IP  - 4
4099  - http://www.jswconline.org/content/56/4/321.short
4100  - http://www.jswconline.org/content/56/4/321.full
AB  - Tillage translocation is measured in the studies of soil dispersion and soil crosion. The translocation of soil by tillage is normally measured with a tracer. Using plots, a volume of soil is labelled and then tilled. There are two methods of calculating translocation using plot-tracers. For the more common method, translocation is calculated directly from the distributions of tracer before and after tillage (Distribution-Curve Method). For the less common method, a summation curve is generated from the distribution of tracer after tillage by employing convolution, and translocation is calculated from this curve (Summation-Curve Method). In this paper, the two methods are described and compared using hypothetical and experimental data. Both methods provide accurate measures of gross translocation. The Summation-Curve Method provides a measure of error associated with gross translocation and a more thorough characterization of the dispersion of translocated soil; therefore, it was considered to be the superior of the two methods.