Lysimeter
Lysimeters are soil columns physically separated from the environment with known volume and cross-sectional area. They allow water balance studies of ecosystems, the evapotranspiration or can be used for studies on the water demand of irrigated plants.
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Things to know
What are lysimeters?
Lysimeters are delineated soil columns with a known volume and surface area. The column can be either filled manually with disturbed soil material or be equipped with an undisturbed soil monolith excavated from the site of investigation. Lysimeter experiments can be either conducted in the laboratory (laboratory lysimeter) or in the field (field lysimeter). Experiments using lysimeters and evaporimeters have been carried out for more than 200 years (Goss und Ehlers, 2009). The lysimeter technique has been improved constantly and has been applied to even more complex research topics ever since.
Goss, M.J. und Ehlers, W., 2009: The role of lysimeters in the development of our understanding of soil water and nutrient dynamics in ecosystems. Soil Use and Management, 25, 213-223.
How to use a lysimeter?
Application of lysimeters
Lysimeter experiments are a convenient method to determine water balance variables. In combination with precipitation measurements it is possible to directly calculate the evapotranspiration rate by using the recorded mass change of a weighable lysimeter. Lysimeter experiments are utilized to investigate water balances of ecosystems or crop water use of rain fed crops. Lysimeters equipped with a leachate collecting system allow the quantitative and qualitative (in the laboratory) investigation of the seepage water.
Further, lysimeters can be equipped with additional sensors such as tensiometers, soil moisture probes, thermometers, and suction probes which allow the investigation of the functioning and mechanisms of ecosystems. The results can be transferred from small to large scales. Due to the possibility of long term field investigations under given site conditions, lysimeter experiments can be used to derive statements about the water balance under certain climate scenarios. A comparison of several identical lysimeters in areas with different weathering conditions or a comparison of different soil types or different vegetation under the same weather conditions over a longer time period is also a common research goal. These investigations provide the foundation for many models to estimate the effect of climate change, the spread of contamination in the soil or the success of remediation measures.
Lysimeter experiments can be either conducted in the laboratory or in the field. Typical areas of applications are agricultural sites, forest sites, landfill sites, post-mine landscapes as well as contaminated sites in need of rehabilitation. The combination of several lysimeters is recommended for statistically verified statements. Up to 4 lysimeters can be put together in autonomous UGT-lysimeter stations made of PE-HD. For larger test setups several stations can be combined or large lysimeter systems erected with concrete basements are also possible. The size of the soil monoliths can vary from very small dimensions (95 cm² in area, less than 1 m deep) to large lysimeters (2 m² in area, up to 3.5 m deep). For location based research targets it is necessary to investigate undisturbed soil monoliths. The patented UGT-Excavation Technology provides a non-destructive excavation of the soil monolith with minimal impact on the environment.
Lysimeter experiments can also be conducted in the laboratory. Under defined and controlled boundary conditions an investigation of the behavior of natural soils or vegetations under special environmental conditions, as well as physical/hydrological soil properties of manually imported soils or processes of (contaminant) substance distribution, relocation and leaching is possible.
Our product groups
Lysimeter stations
Small lysimeters
Lysimeter sampling technique
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs) About Lysimeters
A lysimeter is a scientific instrument used to investigate the soil water balance under near-natural conditions. It enables the quantitative measurement of precipitation (both falling and settled), evapotranspiration, seepage water, and solute transport within the soil. Modern weighing lysimeters provide highly accurate data on water and solute fluxes and are widely used in soil hydrology, climate research, agriculture, and environmental monitoring.
Different types of lysimeters are used depending on the application. The key factor is how the water conditions at the bottom of the soil profile are managed: In gravity lysimeters, water can drain freely under natural conditions, whereas in lysimeters with controlled lower boundary conditions (LBC), the water conditions at the bottom of the soil profile can be specifically adjusted or natural site conditions can be simulated.
Weighing lysimeters enable the direct determination of actual evapotranspiration through continuous measurement of mass change. UGT typically offers gravity lysimeters and lysimeters with controlled lower boundary conditions as weighing lysimeters; versions without a weighing device are also available upon request. Shallow lysimeters are particularly suitable for processes occurring near the surface, such as in green roofs, while Laboratory lysimeters and Ecotron lysimeters enable controlled experimental conditions.
Unlike individual sensors, weighing lysimeters measure the water balance of the soil-plant-atmosphere system as a whole. They enable the direct measurement of key water balance components, such as actual evapotranspiration and percolate, allowing water balances to be determined without relying solely on model calculations. While weather stations record meteorological boundary conditions and enable the calculation of reference evapotranspiration (ET0), weighing lysimeters determine actual evapotranspiration (ETa) directly through the water balance. For this reason, they are internationally recognized as the reference method for water balance and evapotranspiration studies.
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