Abstract Interreplicate variability—the spread in output values among units of the same sensor subjected to essentially the same condition—can be a major source of uncertainty in sensor data. To investigate the interreplicate variability among eight electromagnetic soil moisture sensors through a field study, eight units of TDR315, CS616, CS655, HydraProbe2, EC5, 5TE, and Teros12 were installed at a depth of 0.30 m within 3 m of each other, whereas three units of AquaSpy Vector Probe were installed within 3 m of each other. The magnitude of interreplicate variability in volumetric water content (θv) was generally similar between a static period near field capacity and a dynamic period of 85 consecutive days in the growing season. However, a wider range of variability was observed during the dynamic period primarily because interreplicate variability in θv increased sharply whenever infiltrated rainfall reached the sensor depth. Interreplicate variability for most sensors was thus smaller if comparing θv changes over several days that excluded this phenomenon than if comparing θv directly. Among the sensors that also reported temperature and/or apparent electrical conductivity, the sensors exhibiting the largest interreplicate variability in these outputs were characterized by units with consistently above or below average readings. Although manufacturers may continue to improve the technology in and the quality control of soil moisture sensors, users would still benefit from paying greater attention to interreplicate variability and adopting strategies to mitigate the consequences of interreplicate variability.

中文翻译：

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来自八个电磁土壤湿度传感器的重复变异性的现场评估

摘要 重复变异性——在基本相同条件下的同一传感器单元之间输出值的分布——可能是传感器数据不确定性的主要来源。为了通过实地研究调查八个电磁土壤湿度传感器之间的重复变异性，八个单元的 TDR315、CS616、CS655、HydraProbe2、EC5、5TE 和 Teros12 安装在彼此相距 3 m 以内的 0.30 m 深度处，而三个AquaSpy Vector Probe 的单元安装在彼此相距 3 m 以内。体积含水量 (θv) 的重复变异幅度在近场容量的静态时期和生长季节连续 85 天的动态时期之间大致相似。然而，在动态期间观察到更广泛的变异性，主要是因为每当渗透降雨达到传感器深度时，θv 的重复变异性就会急剧增加。因此，与直接比较 θv 相比，如果在排除这种现象的几天内比较 θv 变化，则大多数传感器的重复变异性较小。在也报告温度和/或表观电导率的传感器中，在这些输出中表现出最大重复变异性的传感器的特征在于其单位始终高于或低于平均读数。尽管制造商可能会继续改进土壤水分传感器的技术和质量控制，