Soil structure changes: aggregate size and soil texture effects on hydraulic conductivity under different saline and sodic conditions

Hydraulic conductivity of soil is strongly dependent on soil structure, which can be degraded during wetting and leaching. It was hypothesised that this structural degradation is dependent on initial aggregate size distribution and soil texture. The general aim of this study was to investigate the effects of aggregate sizes and soil textures, and their interactions, on the structural degradation and saturated hydraulic conductivity ([K.sub.s]) of smectitic soils under different saline and sodic conditions. The studied soils were clay and loamy sand soils with low (~4.5) or high (~10) exchangeable sodium percentages (ESP), and with aggregate sizes in the ranges: (i)
Introduction Soil hydraulic conductivity (K), which determines the ability of soil to conduct water, is an important parameter governing the soil phase of the hydrological cycle, affecting solute transport and [...]