HOME HELP FEEDBACK SUBSCRIPTIONS ARCHIVE SEARCH TABLE OF CONTENTS		QUICK SEARCH:   [advanced] Author: Keyword(s): Year:  Vol:  Page:

This Article Full Text (PDF) Alert me when this article is cited Alert me if a correction is posted Services Similar articles in this journal Alert me to new issues of the journal Download to citation manager Citing Articles Citing Articles via HighWire Citing Articles via Google Scholar Google Scholar Articles by Francis, P. B. Articles by Cruse, R. M. Search for Related Content PubMed Articles by Francis, P. B. Articles by Cruse, R. M. Agricola Articles by Francis, P. B. Articles by Cruse, R. M.

Soil Water Matric Potential Effects on Aggregate Stability¹

ABSTRACT

The effect of soil water matric potential (_m) is not considered with most techniques utilized to evaluate aggregate stability. Rather, aggregate stability usually is measured at _m of 0 Pa or at an unknown _m. The objective of this study was to determine _m effects, in the range of 0 to –3,000 Pa, on stability of natural soil aggregates obtained from a fencerow and from plots having a range of management histories. Aggregate stability, considered inversely related to the mass of soil detached by impact of falling water drops, increase markedly as _m decreased from 0 to –500 Pa. Similar _m changes at _m < –500 Pa had smaller effects on aggregate stability. Significant differences in stability of aggregates obtained from plots with different cropping and/or manuring histories, were sometimes undetectable at _m –500 Pa but were more consistently detected at _m = 0 Pa. Data from this study indicate that aggregate stability is very sensitive to _m, particularly at _m near zero. Techniques for comparing aggregate stability between soils or soil treatments should ensure equal values of _m exist for all aggregates. Measurements made over a range of _m should yield better comparisons of aggregate stability between soils than measurements made at one _m.

¹ Journal Paper J-10553 of the Iowa Agriculture and Home Econ. Exp. Stn., Ames. Project 2412. Presented before Div. S-6, Soil Sci. Soc. of Am., Atlanta, 3 Dec. 1981. Funds were provided by U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service through the Iowa Cooperative Wildlife Research Unit (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Iowa State University, Iowa Conservation Commission, and Wildlife Management Institute, cooperating).

² Research Associate, Dep. of Plant and Soil Science, Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville (formerly Research Assistant, Iowa State University), and Assistant Professor, Agronomy Dep., Iowa State University, Ames, respectively.

Received for publication October 4, 1982. Accepted for publication January 24, 1983.

This article has been cited by other articles:

				B. Augeard, L. M. Bresson, S. Assouline, C. Kao, and M. Vauclin Dynamics of Soil Surface Bulk Density: Role of Water Table Elevation and Rainfall Duration Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., January 25, 2008; 72(2): 412 - 423. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				A. I. Mamedov, C. Huang, and G. J. Levy Antecedent Moisture Content and Aging Duration Effects on Seal Formation and Erosion in Smectitic Soils Soil Sci. Soc. Am. J., March 29, 2006; 70(3): 832 - 843. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

				S. Assouline Rainfall-Induced Soil Surface Sealing: A Critical Review of Observations, Conceptual Models, and Solutions Vadose Zone J., May 1, 2004; 3(2): 570 - 591. [Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]