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Improved prediction of water‐retention properties of clayey soils by pedological stratification
Author(s) -
BRUAND A.
Publication year - 1990
Publication title -
journal of soil science
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.244
H-Index - 111
eISSN - 1365-2389
pISSN - 0022-4588
DOI - 10.1111/j.1365-2389.1990.tb00081.x
Subject(s) - soil water , clay soil , water retention , water content , soil science , clay minerals , stratification (seeds) , geology , environmental science , geotechnical engineering , mineralogy , seed dormancy , germination , botany , dormancy , biology
SUMMARY The water‐retention properties of clayey soils have been studied at −0.3 × 10 5 and −15 × 10 5 Pa matric potentials using three sets of clayey horizons differing in their pedological origin. Measurements were made on small clods collected in winter when swelling is at a maximum. The results are discussed in relation to variations in the clay content and clay fabric. The bulk volume, which appears to be closely related to both clay content and clay fabric, allows the variations in water retained to be explained better than with clay content alone. With clayey horizons originating from a single soil family, differences in water retained can be explained by variations in clay content alone because clay fabric does not change greatly. These results demonstrate the significance of pedological stratification in estimating the water‐retention properties when a single soil characteristic, such as clay content, is used.