Effect of compaction on pore functions of soils in a Saalean moraine landscape in North Germany.

Gebhardt, S., Fleige, H. and Horn, Rainer (2009) Effect of compaction on pore functions of soils in a Saalean moraine landscape in North Germany. Journal of Plant Nutrition and Soil Science, 172 (5). pp. 688-695. DOI 10.1002/jpln.200800073.

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Supplementary data:

Abstract

Soil compaction and related changes of soil physical parameters are of growing importance in agricultural production. Different stresses (70, 230, 500, and 1000 kPa) were applied to undisturbed soil core samples of eight typical soils of a Saalean moraine landscape in N Germany by means of a confined compression device to determine the effect on (1) total porosity/pore-size distribution, (2) saturated hydraulic conductivity, and (3) air conductivity to assess the susceptibility towards compaction. Different deformation behaviors after exceeding the mechanical strength particularly resulted from a combination of soil characteristics like texture and initial bulk density The saturated hydraulic conductivity, as an indicator for pore continuity, was largely affected by the volume of coarse pores (r(2) = 0.82), whereas there was no relationship between bulk density and saturated hydraulic conductivity. Since coarsely textured soils primarily possess a higher coarse-pore fraction compared to more finely textured soils, which remains at a high level even after compaction, only minor decreases of saturated hydraulic conductivity were evident. The declines in air conductivity exceeded those in hydraulic conductivity, as gas exchange in soils is, besides the connectivity of coarse pores, a function of water content, which increases after loading in dependence of susceptibility to compaction. A soil-protection strategy should be focused on more finely textured soils, as stresses of 70 kPa. may already lead to a harmful compaction regarding critical values of pore functions such as saturated hydraulic conductivity or air capacity.

Document Type: Article
Keywords: compactiontotal porosity pore-size distribution saturated hydraulic conductivity air conductivity critical value physical-properties subsoil compaction field experiments uniaxial compression hydraulic-properties crop growth porosity sweden water
Research affiliation: OceanRep > The Future Ocean - Cluster of Excellence
Kiel University
Refereed: Yes
Open Access Journal?: No
Publisher: American Medical Association
Projects: Future Ocean
Date Deposited: 11 Feb 2011 12:15
Last Modified: 29 Jul 2019 07:32
URI: https://oceanrep.geomar.de/id/eprint/9404

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