Spatial representativity of the possible sites for measuring the water balance of apricot trees

The wide spatial variability of soil parameters together with the close relation between a soil's texture and its hydrodynamic characteristics means that the sites where moisture is to be measured should be chosen carefully since the readings are often extrapolated to other sites where reading are not taken. Given that variations in texture behave as regionalized variables, a geostatistical analysis of soil texture is the most suitable and useful tool for identifying such sites. An isovalue map of d50 obtained by kriging is described, which we propose can be used for locating soil moisture measurements sites for water balance studies in an apricot plantation. © 2002 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.